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My life is made up of many lists right now.  A list of things to pack.  A list of papers to grade.  A list of people to see before leaving.  A list of things I want to purchase this summer.  A list of ways I can entertain myself and keep myself awake during the 16 hour drive to Texas 36 hours after arriving in the States (I have a strict no-napping during jet lag rule, that, when broken, has disastrous effects).  A list of meals that will finish off all of the food lingering in the freezer and refrigerator.

And so, I’m also providing you with a list of items that are not note-worthy enough to demand an entire post on their own, but still may provide some interest/amusement/entertainment to those of you curious about my life (and yes, Mom, I’m talking about you and perhaps maybe only you).

1. The sun rises at about 3:30 AM these days.  Seriously.  By 7 AM, were you to judge by light and temperature, you’d think it was 10 or 11 AM.  China is all on one time zone.  Yes, I find this slightly ridiculous.
2. It’s hot now.  I know I complained about the forever long winter.  And the fact that I wore long underwear all the way into May.  At the time I was conveniently forgetting the fact that the teaching buildings have no AC.  Teaching on the sixth floor of a building, in a room with about 50 computers, is like hopping in an oven with the Thanksgiving turkey for two hours.  Alright, that’s a bit of an exaggeration.  But it’s HOT.  And I’m not pretty when perspiring.  I’m not one of those who “glistens.”  I sweat…and it’s not an attractive sight.
3. I baked carrot cake cupcakes yesterday for our library assistant dinner.  If you haven’t made a carrot cake recently–or ever–make one today.  Seriously people, there is nothing better.  I may not have taken all of the cupcakes to the party.  I might have had a cupcake for breakfast.
4. Speaking of carrots, I thought I was going to have to make a trip downtown just to get the carrots for the cupcakes (and it would have been worth the trip).  When I went searching at the markets near campus the night before, no one had any carrots.  When I ran into Wu running at the track yesterday morning, I mentioned the surprising disappearance of carrots and the need for my downtown trip.  An hour later he called to say he and Rachel had stopped in the market after dropping off Sam at school and had found carrots.  Have I mentioned I love living on a team?
5. Yes, I was at the track.  Running.  Yes, this is very strange.  It was good that I ran into Wu because I later got carrots.  However, running at the same time as Wu is also depressing.  Because I’m incredibly slow.  And he’s not.
6. This Saturday is Monday and this Sunday is Tuesday and Wednesday is a holiday.  Yes, the insanity of Chinese make-up holiday days is back.  In order to give students a three day holiday, Monday and Tuesday have been moved to the weekend.  Why the holiday couldn’t be moved to Monday is beyond me.  The make-up craziness used to confuse me.  Then it made me frustrated.  And now it just amuses me.