Life is like a fashion show.

Seriously. When you spend 5 hours just walking in the streets with no particular destination in mind, and just take in the views of people and their clothes around you, with the right music in your brain, it is as if you were in the middle of the biggest fashion show in the world. And for fun, you could even just strut a bit anyway as you walk down one of the big shopping avenues here. It is great. At the same time, you get to see so many new fashions or bad fashion that it is very interesting. While I am not interested at all in designing fashion, I think the fashion industry is a very interesting industry, probably because there is so much psychology involved and psychology is such a pet of mine. Anyway, had tonnes of fun and exercise. And after all that, I did not even need lunch. A bottle of green tea was great enough. And I had a lot of discipline because I did NOT buy a single thing. YET.

I guess, I am just trying to see what else is there on offer beore I actually decide on things. I do want so many things and I guess I have sort of decided to spend all my money here. So fun in a way. And walking here is nice. Other than the strutting in a fashion show feel, you are also exercising at the same time.

RoxBear, I think you would be a great ........... I think it suits you perfectly !!! I look forward to it too !!!! Hope you get to read this !

Anyway, I am right now in this very dodgy cafe which is about 2 km away from my apartment. I spotted this place one night as I was walking home. Anyway it is really stinky and smoky and most people here are middle aged men playing computer games.... >_<"" But even at the shopping centre that I was at earlier, there were quite a few middle aged men playing games at the Entertainment Center. Games like basketball throwing, and the DDR and things like that. Maybe they are just people who work here away from their families and are bored.

Yesterday finally had my first good dinner here because it was paid by Boss. Wow. Food prices here can really range from a little to a lot. But I guess eating expensive food is fine as long as the Boss is paying. I had to spend a lot of energy looking smart and interested and wise as he was talking. But there were four of us eating dinner, and I did managed to cut in with the occasional smart remark (phew) and knowledge about certain processes of the bank (double phew) so I hope they did not think I was a total kid who is in Shanghai to have fun and not work.

Walking around without any aim in a new city is a gloriously free feeling. I walked huge rounds around Nanjing Road and the back around my office area. Sometimes pretending I was in a fashion show, sometimes giving a commentary as if I was introducing Shanghai, sometimes singing to myself, sometimes pretending to be a local, sometimes being totally a tourist (like taking a picture of a life sized monopoly board being played which was quite cool). I did take some pictures (sadly not of myself) since I had to be behind the camera. It was quite a waste though since the last four days, I really have been having very good hair and clothes days. This new haircut is great !

It is pretty true though that my work will consume most of my time during weekdays. I guess at least I am feeling very happy when I do my work. Little miracles everyday help to make the day sweeter. Like a wedding in the park in front of my office building in the freezing wind. I think it is a very romantic place here as EVERY single day I bump into people carrying huge bouquets of flowers. Also those 'made for television' type of scenes eg when couples walk the streets happily and whispering into ears, and when an old couple walk a doggie together.

Can you wonder then, why sometimes it seems as if World Peace should be easily attainable ?

I hope everyone can be as happy as I am.

PS> I think nobody failed and that is wonderful !

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