Maybe a White Christmas

Today's weather: High = 13 Low = 5
Haze

From today's paper. The temperatures have rebounded from the last cold snap but are going down again this weekend sharply as the next cold wave approaches. It might even bring snow for Christmas.

At any rate, we're definitely in holiday mood as the courses have all wound down now and it's gearing up for the usual exam scene. We get a 4-day weekend for Christmas, followed by a 3-day Western New Years, then not long after that, the Chinese New Year.

There is lots going on for those holidays, and rest assured, enough dinners, celebrations, dates, and get-togethers to make myself feel just like at home. In many ways, referring to a previous post, Christmas celebrated in Shanghai has become somewhat of a new tradition.

With all that mind, the dust has settled, as it were, on last weekend's Wuhan visit. To be perfectly honest, despite all the complaints, there were some things I missed about the life last year and some small regrest about leaving. But as we all know, that sort of thing is normal in life, and the pros of moving forward to this current job here in Shanghai have still far outweighed any potential pros of staying behind.

Actually a Chinese friend put it very well when we discussed this recently. Basically they have a saying about exactly this sort of thing, that the beauty of a situation or a life is best viewed from a distance. In other words, now that I've distanced myself from Wuhan I can see the good things, whereas actually going back there would inspire all the complaints.

As always, the Chinese get it spot on with their myriad of sayings.


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ENJOY the good weather while it lasts - because rain and snow are on the way, with the possibility of a white Christmas, according to city weather forecasters.

It will be warm and sunny from today until Friday, with high temperatures of 12 to 14 degrees Celsius, said the Shanghai Meteorological Bureau. But on Saturday the mercury will plummet, with minimum temperatures down to below 3 degrees on Saturday and freezing point on Sunday.

There will be sunny and cloudy spells before Saturday, and snow is expected to arrive late Saturday or early Sunday, forecasters said.

Yesterday, the city air was slightly polluted, the third level of a five-scale air quality assessment system.

Environment authorities said the inhalable particulate index was rather high. The wether bureau said that with temperatures rising, the city was affected by hazy conditions yesterday, contributing to air pollution. Air quality is expected to improve when the cold front hits.


Read more: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2010/201012/20101221/article_457861.htm#ixzz18k8S0OL5