the craziest things I've seen in China...so far

I really should have been keeping a running list, because now I'm trying to think back past the two or three that stand out most. This list will be short, but I need to stay in the habit of blogging.

--The first week I was here, and I think it may have been my very first time in Wal-Mart, I saw a mom and dad holding their child over a flip-top lidded trashcan to pee. One was holding the kid in a seated position, and the other was trying to hold the lid open without getting pee splashed everywhere. All this right in the middle of the clothing department.

--Actually, some of the better ones I remember (and the ones I have to try hardest to not stare at) involve children and public urination. I'm really lucky that I read about that a little before I came here, but you can't imagine it until you see it. I've seen a grandma holding a little girl next to a sidewalk tree, like where dogs poop. I've seen a mom actually pointing her son's "member" downward to direct the flow, in the midst of a group of people taking shelter from the rain, on one of the busiest streets in town. And the kid looked at least 7, that one was actually more disturbing than anything. One of my banshees pees right outside in the courtyard, and sometimes tries to pee on the other boy. They're crazy.

--Once I was walking past a restaurant with full-length windows, and could see a man sitting inside at a table and a large dog sitting in the seat opposite him, eating off the table like it was the most normal thing in the world. The next time I walked past a few days later, there was no man but the dog was sitting in the same place and there was also a smaller dog laying in the windowframe.

--I have seen people bring dogs into McDonald's, smaller dogs about the size that you can carry in a big purse, but the oddest animals I've seen in McDonald's were the Siberian dwarf hamsters. You know, those cute, tiny little hamsters that are brownish-grayish on their backs and white on their bellies? We had some when I was growing up, mine was named Miss Susie. Anyway, they sell those here along the sidewalk with the cats and birds and puppies, so a girl bought a few in a little cage, brought them into Mickey D's, and set them right there on the table while she was eating. Again, it always seems like the most normal thing here.

I know there are probably more, but it's nearly 3 a.m. here and I really should get in bed, I can't fall back into the "up 'till early morning" cycle again. I know that taking 3-4 hour naps in the afternoon doesn't help, but I was exhausted by the time I got home from errands this afternoon. I'm getting all jealous reading on FB about everyone's snow when it's about 70 degrees here! It's ridiculous! The temperature is supposed to take a steep drop on Sunday night, let's hope that actually holds true because I can't stand this Septembery weather. I have the banshees tomorrow, and after they pay me I can actually buy groceries, then Payday is this Friday so I can start buying Christmas presents, which makes me happy! I'm also going to scout some Christmas movies, they had more scary movies before Halloween so I'm hoping the pattern holds true for Christmas. I really hope I can find Love Actually, which is mandatory Christmas watching for me. The Holiday would also be a plus. I brought White Christmas with me, so I'm not totally without holiday films, but more would be merrier. I started a countdown in my planner, 50 days until I come home!