One-Eyed Panda’s Journal

That’s the title of Adam Minter’s latest article for Foreign Policy discussing China’s new proposed animal protection law. It’s an interesting debate that is dividing Chinese along generational and class lines.

As a dog owner I’m pretty passionate about protecting animals and to me that protection includes keeping your pet clean and walking animals outdoors on a leash.

Roger and I went for his regularly monthly bath today. He always enjoys the adventure that comes with the walk to our local animal hospital/spa. He’s usually not happy to stay there for a bath but that’s more because I have to leave him there and he’s always afraid I won’t come back but I always do. And he’s always thrilled to see me.

Right now, we’re waiting for the year of the tiger to arrive. We’re stay in this evening. Roger is afraid of fireworks – and rightly so – whereas I just want a night in. That means it’s a evening on the sofa with a book and a beer.

Happy Year of the Tiger.

J.

I’m feeling so much better since my last post. Took a great trip to Hangzhou with Betty and read Haruki Murakami’s When I Talk When I Talk About Running. Both helped set me on a path to recovery and got my head around things for a great week at work.

I made some other great discoveries this week as well. I found a great CD shop on Fuxing Lu that has a lot of Chinese alt rock CDs. I bought seven on Monday night including stuff by B6, Dead J, Sound Fragment and Sulumi. I also picked up Queen Sea Big Shark’s album there today and ordered discs by Muscle Snog and Joker.

DVD-wise I found seasons 5 to 7 of Spooks. I hadn’t seen any other seasons available since buying season 1-4 in 2005. Betty & I started watching them yesterday and the show is as good as ever.

Well I guess you’re wondering since there was so much positive stuff in this post, what’s the shit at the door? it’s just that – somebody left shit at the door on Friday night. The notes the person/people left said Roger had shit in the hall which is just not possible: I am the only person who walks Roger and I would have known if he shit in the hall. Two I carry Roger through the building so that he can’t do that. I called my landlord about it on Saturday and she said she’d look into it. I’m annoyed at the people who did it, but I’m not going to let it ruin my weekend.

I’m writing this on my mobile phone at Boxing Cat Brewery where I’m meeting Betty for lunch then we’re heading to The Thing on Changle Lu to see if they have Shanghai bu huiying ni t-shirts. Then home to watch more spooks. It’s been a great weekend.

Update: The Thing didn’t have the Shanghai bu huying ni t-shirts but we were able to get a few other great ones including a cool pig wearing a gas mask to represent Swine Flu.

Well it’s been a while. Work and just life have kept me busy for the last couple of months. I just haven’t had time to blog. Here’s what I’ve been up to:

• Ended up ending a two-year relationship at the beginning of June and am now with someone else. It wasn’t something I wanted to do at the time, but I realize now that a lot of things in that relationship just weren’t working.
• Roger has completed the application for his dog license and is now on the fast track to being a legal Shanghainese dog. I’m supposed to hear about the license any day now.
• Had a scare with my eye in June. One doctor claimed my retina had detached but it turns out that he had misdiagnosed me and everything is fine.
• Joined the Drunken Dragon Hash House Harriers. You can find me running in the suburbs of Shanghai every other Saturday.
• Have been trying to watch more movies and do more reading recently. I haven’t really succeeded, I keep falling asleep in front of the TV (that’s the problem when it’s in your bedroom). I’m now refusing to watch TV while in bed only sitting. In terms of reading I’m working my way through Prisoner of the State: the diary of Zhao Ziyang
• I’m back going to rock shows again after more than a month-long break. Here’s a review of the show I was at last weekend. Hoping to hit Not Me’s new indie night, Heart Attack tomorrow as well.

That’s a quick update, more substantial posts to follow.

J.

According to my friend and uber-web-guru Ryan McLaughlin Optima-brand dog food that is available in China is tainted and a recall has been issued. It can apparently cause liver failure in dogs and Ryan’s dog Addie has unfortunately become affected by it. Let’s hope she pulls through.

The Olympics appears to be at fault for this. The import bans the government issued before the Olympics meant that Optima had to be imported from the US via Guangzhou and sit in a non-climate controlled warehouse where bacteria was allowed to grow on it.  I don’t know what to say except this is another supply chain failure for China as well as causing a lot of personal pain for many dog owners.

Roger is one of the lucky ones, he isn’t affected but that’s because our pet store doesn’t carry Optima.

J.

I know it’s been way too long since I posted any photos of Roger, our dog here. He got a summer hair cut and looks much bigger than the last time I posted photos of him. As you can see he’s a bit of a camera hound.

Enjoy

J.

Well we made it home yesterday safe and sound without any problems. Jetlag is still a little bit present — I am writing this post at 10:55pm after all, but generally we’re recovering pretty well. There are a couple things that are different however, all for the better:

• We can’t stop talking and thinking about our time in Canada. Winnie and I both really enjoyed our time there. That just shows how good our trip was. We’re seriously considering moving there. I think it would be a good move for the both of us. Now the only thing to really think about is when. We’ll have to workout a few items first such as what sort of visa is the best one for Winnie to apply for (we’re thinking it might be a good idea for her to go back to school for a year to get a Canadian degree on her resume. I may return to school for a master’s degree as well).  Our trip home has really brought us closer together as well, which can only be a good thing.

• I feel refreshed enough to handle things at work. It helps a lot that the summer period has set in and things are beginning to quiet down as well. My stress level dropped a lot today and I was really able to get my work done. I finished all my tasks and was out of the office by 6pm. I also wasn’t dreading returning to my desk tomorrow like I was before the trip.

• Roger got his hair cut shaved yesterday. It’ll keep him cooler for the summer and help his summer coat grow in properly. Unfortunately right now he looks like a totally different dog than the one I fell in love with, but I’m getting used to it. He grew pretty big over the 11 days we were gone — we can really notice the change anyway — but I can see from the way he acts that he is still the same lovable funny energetic dog I purchased and that’s what matters.
• On a technical note, I’ve made the complete switch over to a Mac and am now even am to write posts for this blog here. It’s much faster and feels much more satisfying to type it on my lap on a keyboard that is really designed to be used in a small area instead of my old HP’s keyboard that felt like a miniature version of a full-scale desktop version.

The main thing overall right now is that I feel content and happy with Winnie, with my job and with my life and that is all thanks to this vacation.

J.

P.S. Happy Canada Day to all Canadian readers of this blog whether you’re in our home and native land or overseas tomorrow, have a good one!

It’s been almost a month since we got Roger and things are going well. Roger is a strong healthy puppy. He’s always full of energy. And I mean full of energy. He runs everywhere.

I also think he’s developed a bit of a shoe fetish as he is always caring shoes every chance he gets. Sometimes the shoes are even bigger than he is. Earlier tonight I found him with his head stuck in one of my dress shoes then he stole my socks and ran around the room and then he licked my feet. Right now he’s also trying to type on the computer will simultaniously climbing on the bed.

Okay, thankfully he’s stopped climbing now and is sitting with Winnie watching 27 Dresses while she massages him. It’s that part I like the most. As much as he drives me crazy he brings us a lot more love than trouble. And we love him for it.

J.

Today, we welcomed home a new member of our family — our new dog Roger.

More pictures and updates to follow soon.

J.