Beijing China, Day 7 - Paint & Dinner

Today I stayed home painting all day and listening to Pandora. Was looking forward to it, but I didn’t realize it is hard to stay home, both for my body and mind after the past week of being outside all day.

I need to come up with a schedule to get a more balanced day. Maybe I can try painting in the park… Some place where kids won’t jump on top of me.

I cooked lunch but the beef didn’t cooperate and we had to part. Ended up in trash, just as the chicken I made the other day. My veggies however were fab.

As I am typing this, I look forward to getting something to eat out with my roommate Rebecca. We have been on different schedules - the events she goes to I am not interested in and the places I go she has already seen. She has been here for 10 months. We get to chat a lot at home but I am excited we are going out. She is a very smart girl and constantly reads books about history, culture, art ect. I only read these if I have to pass a test.

I am so glad Rebecca will order for me and I don’t need to speak with the waiter. I asked for a glass of wine and anything for food, as long as it’s not pork belly nor spicy.

Rebecca used to be a vegetarian but dropped it, as she says it’s very difficult to order when she is out. I used to eat meat but now I don’t because I can’t stir fry it to an edible state.

Rebecca orders beef swimming in oil, rice pudding that is so spicy that I am not able to hold any conversation, and grassy greens which are too hard to chew. Thank God there is rice on the table. Which is what I have been eating for lunch the past five days. There is no wine by the glass, sorry.

There is a guy behind us who constantly spits loudly - in his tissue hopefully. I don’t turn around. His wife burbs happily and they leave.

I need a drink. We stop by the convenience store, and I get jack and lime (premixed). I drink it on the way back home and forget about the dinner. Maybe my stomach will remind me tomorrow.