So Joephet and the gang ambushed me with a birthday party last night, which was most welcome, as well as the earth-tone coat Joephet got me, just in time to keep me warm as I went all the way to work, now only slightly grumpily though all ready with my commissar hat.

Meanwhile, I have begun to realize that as far as CCP idols go, Mao is far off-base: Zhou Enlai instead was much more in the statesman sort of way, and I think a more realistic role-model, though I guess I haven't gotten to the cut-throat parts yet. I really ought to go off and learn me some wenyanwen instead of all this baihua.