The Fun Never Stops

I was going to post a big detailed post about how awesome my Saturday was, but - like the title says - the fun never stops and I don't have time. However, I am going to try and blog at least twice a week (at least!). So here's everything cool that happened Saturday, and since, and is about to happen:

-Saturday morning I rolled over, grabbed my phone and texted my language partner. I'm happy my Chinese is now at a point where I have a partner where the easier language between us is Chinese. We decided to meet up and go shopping. An hour later we met outside the subway and she asked if there was anything different I noticed about her. Hair, eyes, I guess it all and I was stumped. Then she pointed to her nose. My friend got an injection so her nose wouldn't lie so flat against her face. And she wants another to make it even taller. It cost 600 RMB, which is less than a 100 USD. In my book, that's too cheap to stick under your skin. We went to a cheapy clothing market and I bought two t-shirts and big buggy sunglasses, all for less than 12 USD.

-I took a nap

-I got dressed really quickly for the Swedish Consulate royal wedding party. The dress code was yellow and blue, so I wanted to wear my yellow wrap belt I bought more than a year ago. But I'd never figured out how to put it on right. That's where Chef Mike steps in. He used to work in fashion photography - before he started flipping burgers - so he knows things like the components of a good bra, what photo poses will make you less fat, and how to fix a wrap belt. Bless him.

-I went to the Swedish Consulate royal wedding party, which was populated with lots of Swedish people and mostly Chinese media. I wandered. I ate canapes. I drank free champagne. And then I sat down on a couch to watch Princess Victoria + the personal trainer's wedding ceremony. I didn't realize so many European countries still had royalty. But it looked like most of them rolled out for the wedding (minus the British contingent). And they all looked awful. All the queens and princesses were wrapped up like Christmas presents in these 80's-style prom dresses. I guess regal and chic don't mix.

-I was awarded 'Best Dressed' at the party. Hopefully I'll get photos up one of these days, I think I looked pretty good. My acceptance speech was not smooth, though. It's weird  to get such a goofy award in front of room full of people where I literally didn't know anyone. I was awarded a giant trophy, a necklace, royal wedding chocolates and two free Expo tickets for my efforts.

-I split. The open bar ended. I had my award. And I didn't really know anyone else at the party. On my way out, I was handed a canvas swag bag with oodles of goodies, including a rhinestone studded heart-shaped flash drive. Swish!

-Some designer guy ran down the block to chase down a cab for me. My arms were full of booty and my heels were too tall to do this myself. 

-I met my Italian girlfriend in a bar. 

-I got into it with a couple Berkley alum at the bar who called USC a cheating school, implying USC gave Reggie Bush money. It was a sports marketing agent not the school, I told them.  Duh. Then it got all awkward because they were dudes and I was a girl. Then one of them said something about Prop 8 not passing. And I was like, um, it did pass. Then it got more awkward. And then I figured I better shut my mouth and stop calling these Cal guys on their ign'ance.

-Sunday. A day of rest.

-Monday. A day of work.

-Tuesday. Another day of work. Followed by dance class. 

-Wednesday. Another day of work. Followed by an evening of American food and good beer at Chef Mike's restaurant where my friends and I watched America kick Algeria's butt in the last 5 minutes of today's game. The other 90 minutes though? Super boring. World Cup is fun, but soccer is still a boring sport. End of story.

-Tomorrow ... I'm going to Suzhou for one night to sleep at the Shangri-La and eat their delicious food. They have some chef flying over from Louisiana. I guess they're showcasing a proper American menu.

If present-day Leslie could talk to 11-, 13-, 16-year-old Leslie, little Leslie would be totally stoked at how cool my life is these days. It's nice to think somebody's impressed, because present-day Leslie just worries about when she's going to start earning real money, as opposed to the fake/peanut variety she currently does.

Also! Polyp update: So all of you in America who get annoyed when you have to press one for English ... I called the hospital today. The operator spoke enough English, and let me tell you - I can talk about shopping and boyfriends and work and blahblahblah - but gallbladder polyps? Yeah, I need to speak English for that. Anyways, I called, it took less than five minutes. The lady was very nice, and pointed out that my chart said the little sucker is only 3mm, which is like fun-sized as far as gallbladder polyps go. There's nothing to be done, except maybe check up on it in a year or so. woo-hoo!