Not A Great Day

You know, I missed Shrove Tuesday this year, but remembered Ash Wednesday. Typical.
I never seem to mentally connect the two. And just now I've been reminded that Shrove Tuesday is a.k.a. Mardi Gras, and suddenly I'm back in Beijing on a boring week-night.

Henry and I were out drinking - not on Jiuba Jie, I don't think, but perhaps Vic's (it has a free pool table) or just outside Beishida. Anyway, it was a Tuesday night, no one was around and we were pretty bored. At our wits' end, about ten o'clock, we decided to head for Chaoyang Park, and a last ditch attempt at either Schiller's 3 (or was it Schiller's 2 at Chaoyang? I never could remember at the time) or The Big Easy. Yeah, the Big Easy, Beijing's torn-from-Bourbon-Street New Orleans theme bar.

There was barely a sign of life as we got out of the taxi and crunched over the cinder drive towards the French-style building of the bar. When we opened the door, though, different story. The place is packed - feathered masks are pressed into our hands and a bunch of Chinese girls shout "It's Mardi Gras!" at us.

"Is it?" we go, as the crush of the crowd pulls us into the bar via osmosis. And a damn fine night out ensues.




Today hasn't been anywhere near as much fun. Once again I've been alone and thinking too much, which is no state for anyone to be in.
A whole load of my friends are going out, but I can't afford to join them. This, too, is depressing.
I'm getting tired of being by myself, but I don't really know what to do about it.
Well, these things will pass. I'll finish up my translation work, maybe go for a drink with Leo.
The Australian Grand Prix is on tonight.

What an utterly exciting life I lead.