11 things to do in Xian, China

I haven't done all of these, but if you're heading to Xian here's a list of some things you can do. In the future I would like to expand on each of these, but for now, it's just a list.

1. Go to the Terracotta Warriors

2. See the Big Goose Pagoda

3. Ride a bike on the old city wall

4. Hit a drum in the drum tower at the center of the city

5. Hit the bell in the bell tower found in the center of the city

6. Eat Pao Mo

7. Walk through the Great Mosque

8. Eat Xian roast duck

9. Shop in the Muslim quarter

10. See the Banpo village remains

11. Come visit me and my family

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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Chinese New Year Dates, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

I’ve needed this information twice in the past two weeks, which means, that maybe there are others who also need this info also. So here are the Chinese New Year dates and animal signs for the next 10 years. The Chinese New Year is the most important holiday in Chinese culture. It signifies the start of the lunar calendar year.

Chinese New Year 2010-2019
YEAR STARTING DATE ANIMAL SIGN

2010 February 14th Tiger
2011 February 3rd Rabbit
2012 January 23rd Dragon
2013 February 10th Snake
2014 January 31st Horse
2015 February 19th Sheep
2016 February 8th Monkey
2017 January 28th Rooster
2018 February 16th Dog
2019 February 5th Pig

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Tips for losing weight -with kids

Let me start by telling you my dilemma. I have three kids -all under the age of five- and I’m 50-60 pounds overweight. Well although it might seem obvious what my dilemma is, let me lay it out for you. If I fail in my work life, if I never achieve anything, never have a nice new home, car and huge bank account, it doesn’t matter. If I fail as a Father and Husband… it matters. Raising our children is the most important job any of us will ever have, and part of that job is the responsibility of teaching our kids how to live a healthy life as well as being there for them when they need us.

And how can I teach them how to live healthy and be there for them if I’m not living a healthy life and on my way to an early exit in life? I can’t.

So something needs to change. And it starts with me. But if you’re reading this and nodding in agreement, you also know something else about losing weight while having a family, it’s MUCH more difficult than if you were single and had no responsibilities. I mean, your family needs you and your time and it’s impossible to find the time to exercise.

In fact, I would guess most of us are the same, by the time our kids go to bed all we can think of is laying in bed or on the couch and watching TV. But I have some tips for you and me to implement to make weight lose a reality, while not striping our families of our time/attention.

I’m new to this (dieting and losing weight that is) so my list will be incomplete, but I would love for you to send me your tips if you have the time. So here are my tips:

Eat proper portions - This is obvious, right? Well this becomes even more important when you have a family, because IT TAKES NO TIME TO DO! Why spend hours in a gym working off all the junk food and massive portions we eat, when we can just simply eat smarter. I would guess if ALL you did was this, you could promote a healthy lifestyle to your children and not be away from them at the gym.

Incorporate kids into workout - What’s more important to a kid then your love, time and attention… nothing. So why not make playing with your kids a time in your day when you can also burn some calories? Try doing a push up with a two year old on your back, it will burn. Or how about lunges while carrying your four year old, ouch! Even just lying on your back and lifting them up can get your heart rate going. Make it fun for your kids to be involved and teach them that exercise is important in life.

Walk/Jog with a stroller - This one’s obvious, but my personal favorite. I love getting my kids out of the house (which also provides a great way for them to learn about plants/animals outside that you see as you walk). So when you need a walk, throw your kids in the stroller and bust that walk out.

Don’t drink soda - Again, why work out in the gym what you can work off by simply not drinking it. Soda is a killer and the easiest thing to drop. I LOVE my soda, but after a few weeks of not drinking it, it’s gotten a lot easier to not need. The hardest part (As is with any addiction) is getting through your trigger moments. For me it’s; pizza, burgers, popcorn and a movie, and anytime I’m; depressed, sad, happy or celebrating. OK. That’s a long list, but as you push through those moments without your trusted sidekick, soda, you will begin to not crave it as much in those times.

Drink water - I’ve always hated drinking water. But a few weeks ago I made a bet with a couple of my relatives. The bet was to see how long we can go drinking only water and nothing else (Not even milk or juice). And it sucks. A lot. But after a few weeks I now find myself craving water. So make a choice today and drink your water. I heard of a family friend who lost 25 pounds by drinking 100 ounces of water a day. And if all you’re drinking is water, that number will become very reachable.

No snacking after 7 - This is obvious to anyone who reads anything about dieting and losing weight, but it’s so hard to adhere to. Remember though, work smarter, not harder. Why kill yourself all day by not eating junk food and working out, only to cave at the end of the night with a snack that stops you from losing weight that day? If you’re hungry, chug some water. Stay strong!

10,000 steps a day - I have a close relative who recently had a doctor tell him to walk 10,000 steps a day and 8 months later he’s lost 40 pounds. To be honest, I hate running, but I LOVE to walk. It’s peaceful and not to strenuous. Like I mentioned earlier, grab the kids, a stroller, and you’re in business.

Nap time - If losing weight is important to you, you will be willing to sacrifice the most treasured part of your day, nap time. Get a workout video going or some free weights at your house to do some exercises when your kiddos are all asleep.

Late night/early morning - Another great time to work out is when your kids are asleep. Get your spouse to stay with them and that will free you up to go to the gym or get a walk in. Make it happen.

Remind yourself of what’s important - Are your kids important to you? Is your time with them and future with them something you think about? Well if it is, keep that in mind as you start to make changes in your diet and time spent, they are our motivation!

Well this is it for now, if you have a tip or comment, feel free to post it at the bottom of this. Thanks for taking the time to read this. Remember that your job as a parent is more important than anything else you do in your life, so live healthy, live long and teach good habits to your children.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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Most Beautiful Places in the World

I've had the joy of traveling to many different places over the past 7 years, here are the most beautiful places. In no particular order they read:

Medellin, Colombia - Medellin, was once a place of terrible drug wars and the home of Pablo Escobar. Honestly, I heard when we were there that only 15 years ago you could have someone killed in a drive-by for like $5 or $10 bucks. I mean that’s crazy. I will never forget driving around the outskirts of this city which is cradled on all sides by mountains, as soon as the city came into view below us, in this naturally shaped bowl, I was shocked by its beauty. And that wasn’t even the most amazing sight. That came late one night when I stepped outside to run and get a Coke or some candy (I’m guessing, but I know myself well) and when I began my walk down the street I looked up to the surrounding mountains to find that they were lit up by the lights of homes that climbed the steep mountain side. It was an amazing site to see. These memories sold me on the beauty of Medellin.

Thailand (To be more specific, an island, but I forget the name of it) - The Thai people are amazing, that can’t be understated enough. There’s a saying I heard once, Thai people have 8 types of smiles, one for when they’re mad, one for when they’re disappointed, one for when they’re sad, ect. Point being, Thai people are friendly. We spent a month in Thailand and for two weeks we had the privilege of staying in little cabins on an island just off of the Thai coast. It was beautiful and the food was amazing. If I ever win the lottery (which everyone does at least once in life, right?) I would have this as one of the places to go.

Colorado - I called her home for 5 years. Living near the foothills of the Rocky Mountains was a real treat. Being able to just drive an hour (if that) and find yourself surrounded by mountains was incredible.

Hong Kong - Hong Kong is a breathe takingly beautiful place. I love getting the opportunity to travel to Hong Kong and experience all this city has to offer. At night, taking the tram to the top of Mount Victoria and seeing Hong Kong lit up by its night lights is amazing. Also, TONS of amazing parks within the city, that are awesome to spend an afternoon at.

Minnesota (only cause my mom will kill me if I don’t mention it) - Seriously if I write a blog post about the most beautiful places I’ve been and I don’t include Minnesota, I’m signing my death wish for the next time I see my mom. To Minnesotans, it’s that serious, that you would end your son’s life, because he didn’t acknowledge Minnesota’s beauty. It truly is a beautiful place though. After seeing more of America since leaving Minnesota I’ve become aware of how much we have that all comes together there. We have trees, lakes, rivers and even the flat farm land that some crazy people enjoy. As a kid my Dad and I would go up north do the Minnesota/Canada border to hike and you would always come away with a fresh reminder of the beauty Minnesota has. I’m glad to call her my home.

Montana (only cause my in-laws will kill me if I don’t mention it) - Again, if I don’t include this one I will have trouble next time I see relatives. I would always tease my wife about Montana being one of the worst places in the world, but then I actually saw Montana with my own eyes and was truly amazed. I think that there are a few different reasons a place would land on this list, but Montana is here because of its quietness and simple beauty. Sitting up on a hill looking in every direction with only the wind against your face as a companion, has a deep value to it, a value not experienced in many other places. I love Montana’s mountains and landscape; the people aren’t half bad either.

Canada - That’s a joke.

Well that’s it, hope you enjoyed reading this, feel free to add your favorite travel locations in the comment area.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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Top Ten Movies from the 90’s

Weren’t the 90’s the best? Let’s be honest, they were way better then the 80’s. I might be a bit biased since I don’t really remember the 80’s. Anyways, I was thinking of the greatest movies from my teen years and decided to put together a list. Add your thoughts, or corrections, at the bottom of this post in the comments section. Here’s to the 90’s, thank you for helping us forget the 80’s and prepare us for Y2K. The list as follows reads like this:

10. Apollo 13 - When you write a top ten list, it seems that number’s 1 and 10 are the most difficult. I had a bunch of movies I could have put here, but settled with Apollo 13. I love a true story (even if it’s only loosely based on a true story) and the drama with this was great. Great cast as well, Tom Hanks crushed in the 90’s.

9. Jurassic Park - Every time this movie comes on I still love watching it. A really creative movie with tons of action and was totally ahead of its time. I still feel bad for Newman getting eaten by that Raptor, but really, he had it coming for trying to steal the Dinosaur DNA.

8. Forrest Gump - Man what is it about this movie that is so appealing? I guess its part of my American fabric that loves to see the underdog do well. Even though this movie is like a million hours long, I still love watching it. One of the great lines of this movie is when Forrest says “I might not be a smart man, but I know what love is”.

7. The Sixth Sense - Talk about a movie that was ahead of its time. The Sixth Sense was great for many reasons, but the twist at the end is what marks this movie as a truly unique and creative movie. Even though M. Night Shyamalan has his haters out there, I love his movies, and here’s where they started.

6. The Usual Suspects - I love twist endings and The Usual Suspects brings it with this one. How great is it when it’s revealed that Kevin Spacey is Keyser Soze? I mean, not only was it a great twist, but they did such a good job with telling it. And do you remember all the stories they told about Keyser Soze in the movie? Well, I heard that it wasn’t until after the movie was done that the writers (or maybe it was the directors) found out that they disagreed on if Keyser Soze’s history was true or not. Interesting.

5. The Matrix - I know a lot of people disliked numbers 2 and 3, but I enjoyed the entire series. However, the original Matrix is easily the best of the 3, and I doubt many people would argue that. Action movies where forever changed by this movie. With a super creative plot and incredible graphics/fight scenes, this movie was cutting edge. I love the last half hour of this movie, when Neo realizes he’s the “chosen one”, and then proceeds to crush Mr. Anderson, incredible.

4. Fight Club - I know that many people will find a lot of the things in this movie offensive, but if you can get past that and see the message, it can really open your eyes. I remember going through a phase in my teen years where I watched this movie nearly every day. The message of your identity not being in your possessions and your job really impacted me. “You are not the contents of your wallet”.

3. Braveheart - How great is it when a movie combines a love story with hardcore action/fighting. It instantly becomes the best date movie, both guys and girls win. OK, maybe this one is a little bloodier then most prefer, but the story is amazing. I would be a liar if I said I don’t tear up each time they kill William Wallace as he watches his wife walking towards him… (Excuse me, I will be back in a minute, I got something in my eye).

2. Saving Private Ryan - Remember what I said about the most difficult part of a top ten list is numbers 1 and 10? Yeah, no exception for the top of this list, because both these next two movies are absolutely incredible and could be exchanged. Honestly, I don’t know what to say about this movie, it has action, but also transitions well into deeper and more profound themes. One of my favorite parts of this movie is when all the soldiers are kinda losing it and Captain Miller (Tom Hanks) breaks them up by telling them his life story, I can’t place my finger on it, but that part sticks with me the most.

1. Shawshank Redemption - I absolutely love this movie and have probably watched it no less than 10 times, which is saying something since it’s like 3 hours long (ok, maybe it’s 2 and a half). It’s timeless, I could literally watch it most nights that I want to sit down and watch a movie. I love the deeper topics of this movie of; redemption, hope, friendship, and becoming institutionalized (which I think can be applied to life outside of jail as well). This is an all around great movie. Love it.

Honorable Mentions: Pulp Fiction, Dumb and Dumber, Fargo, Silence of the Lambs, Reservoir Dogs, Terminator 2, Good Will Hunting, The Fugitive, American History X, 12 Monkeys.

Even looking over this list I wonder if I got it right. With tons of really good movies, I’m glad that my teen years belong to the 90’s. If I were to re-do this list I would maybe exchange “The Fugitive” for Apollo 13. What are your thoughts on the 90’s movie scene?

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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10 Songs I’m Embarrassed to Admit I Like

How are you doing today? I hope you’re doing well. Today we’re talking about embarrassing songs. From the privacy of our iPod earbuds, we are free to listen to whatever we want. From this safety we can hide the embarrassing songs we love. You know, the ones we don’t confess even to ourselves that we like. Have you ever had this happen, you’re driving down the street blasting a song you secretly love, and then you pull up to a red light and forget your windows are down and are embarrassed that everyone around you realizes what you’re listening to?

Well today I’m going to take a bold step and share the most embarrassing songs that I like. It was pretty easy to find 10 songs (I actually CUT IT DOWN to 10 songs!) all I had to do was open up my wife’s iTunes playlist.

Why, am I doing this? No, seriously, I’m asking you, why am I doing this?? If you too would like to blast your songs at the red light, scroll down to the comments area below and list yours.

In no order they read like this:

Taylor Swift - Fearless
Taylor Swift - Love Story
Kelly Clarkson - My life would suck without you
Dixie Chicks - Not ready to make nice
Josh Groban - You Raise Me Up
Alcia Keys - No One (I LOVE THIS SONG)
Miley Cyrus - The Climb (it’s encouraging ok!)
Jordin Sparks - No Air
Dido - Sand in my Shoes
Beyonce - Irreplaceable

Well that’s it for now, but I promise you I will add another list down the road, like I said I HAD TO CUT my previous list down to 10.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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Top Ten Worst Kids’ Movies

Hey there, how are you doing today? I’m constantly looking for useful information to post to our blog and today that quest has brought me to posting “Top Ten Worst Kids Movies”. To read the “Top Ten Best Kids Movies” click here. Now it’s a little difficult to put this list together, for example, I put Barney on here, because it makes me want to punch myself in the face each time it’s on, but my kids love it. For that reason I will try and explain why each movie makes this list, hope you enjoy. In no particular order, here they go:

Antz - I can tell you right away why I don’t like this one, it’s a terrible movie. It also has lots of swearing which if it influences your kids, can make trips to Target interesting. Oh, no, I think your mistaken my child would never say (fill in the blank). In the end it’s a cheap version of the mush superior “A Bug’s Life”

The Wild - Poor, poor movie. It’s not interesting and the lines are totally unimaginative. Pass on this one at all costs.

Happy Feet - Weird movie. There, I said it. I didn’t enjoy the fact that it’s like a million years long as well. It has music (which is always a winner with kids), but seriously fails to produce an interesting plot.

Barney - Again, reasons for making this list are varied. Barney makes it, because hearing Barney sing makes me look in the mirror and say “Could I get away with killing Barney?” But it’s not about me, it’s about the kids and kids love Barney and Barney does teach good things.

Barbie - Seriously, there are a million Barbie movies out there, some of them are good, and some of them are terrible. Most of the time Barbie movies are total rip-offs of other much better movies, stay clear.

The Road to El Dorado - Weird movie, not interesting and has themes that seem a bit much for kids. Whatever. Just my opinion.

Shrek 3 - I love Shrek 1 and like Shrek 2, but this one is boring and weird. It’s Hollywood trying to capitalize on a movie franchise and ends up just being a watered down kids movie.

Scooby Doo - Remember, many reasons can land a movie on this list. My wife and I don’t like our kids watching scary movies and for this reason, Scooby Doo is no good. Who wants their kids waking up in the middle of the night with nightmares?

SpongeBob Squarepants- HAHAHA, ok, truth be told, I like SpongeBob and think he’s hilarious. But it’s not about me, it’s about the children (OK sometimes it’s about me, like when I try and talk my kids into watching “Kung Fu Panda” for the millionth time… man, I love me some “Kung Fu Panda”). My wife (and I’ve heard others) oppose SpongeBob based on the fact that some of the jokes/content is more designed for adults. And some people just don’t get SpongeBob, so I guess I should put him on here. Sorry SpongeBob, it’s nothing personal.

The Polar Express - My wife gave me a hard time about adding this one, but she can write her own list if she likes. This movie was Santa worship and I just don’t get into that, nor do I want my kids too. Anyways, that’s the main reason I don’t like it. Also, the movie goes from crisis to crisis in a way that annoys me, sorry.

This was a fun list to make. I hope that it helps you in choosing (Or not choosing) your next family movie.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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Top Ten Best Kids Movies

(I've since updated this list here.)

As a parent you get used to watching kids movies. In fact, sometimes to the point where you can quote you’re kids’ favorite movies line for line (ok maybe not that much). And you dread the times you ask your kids “What do you want to watch?” because in that moment you could be stuck watching Barney, but… on some wonderful occasions you get to hear your child ask to watch one of these movies. Here are my top ten favorite kids movies:

10. Ice Age 1 and 2 - I didn’t include 3 because I didn’t enjoy it as much. But the first two are super entertaining and provide many laughs. The scene where Sid and co. fight off the Dodo birds for the last watermelon is classic.

9. Horton Hears A Who - This one makes it because it’s funny, I mean common on, Jim Carrey and Steve Carell. Can you go wrong with that line up? I especially enjoy the line “In my world, everyone’s a pony, and they all eat rainbows and poop butterflies.”

8. Madagascar 1 and 2 - Yeah, these movies are both really funny and enjoyable to watch. Great soundtrack with Madagascar 2 “I like’em big, I like’em chunky”

7. Cars - I love Owen Wilson which makes this an easy choice. Very creative movie that I still find enjoyable even after watching it close to 19,000 times (ok not that much).

6. Bug’s Life - To be honest I’m surprised to have this movie so high, but it has too many scenes in it that really make me laugh as well as some good message moments. Funniest moment of the movie is when the class of ants put on a play for the “warrior” bugs where everyone dies and then show them the mural they painted… I still laugh every time I watch that scene.

5. Wall-E - This is on here because Wall-E is a flat out loveable guy. Also, really creative movie and good message about something called “the environment” whatever that is…

4. Monsters Inc - This was a movie I never saw until I became a parent, but I love it. It’s really funny and is also really creative. When Sulley asks Mike Wazowski to make Boo laugh and he jumps in the air and lands in a… “painful” way, only to discover Boo wasn’t watching… makes me smile every time.

3. Shrek 1 and 2 - Some would argue these aren’t quite kids movies and maybe they’re right. Either way they’re really funny and I enjoy the fact that I can watch this with my kid and get some good laughs. I left 3 off because I didn’t dig it as much.

2. Toy Story 1 and 2 - This was a tough call putting this one in 2nd, but it was close. Pixar has a lot of the movies on this list, but these are the best. Tons of memorable lines like "I'm packing your angry eyes, just in case."

1. Kung Fu Panda - Wow! I really love Kung Fu Panda. So much so, that I will try and get my kids to choose this one most times when I ask them what they want to watch. My favorite moment is when Shi Fu asks Po to show him his Karate skills when he first arrives and Po tells him he can punch the punching bag thingy, to which Shi Fu responds “We use that to train kids and to prop the door open when it’s hot”. Favorite line “I love Kung Fuuuuuuu!” (Only because Sydney (my daughter) and I will mimic Po when screams this)

Honorable Mentions - Mulan, Up, Monsters vs. Aliens, Meet the Robinsons, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

(I've since updated this list here.)

What's your top ten?

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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Travel tips for Hong Kong

So I've been to Hong Kong a few times and wanted to pass on my tips for traveling to and in Hong Kong. I hope this helps you plan your trip. If it does or if you have any suggests, please feel free to leave a comment at the bottom for me.

Use the trolleys - It’s a fun, convenient and cheap way to travel around Hong Kong. Let it be part of how you travel around.

Stay anywhere (this is specifically for Hong Kong Island) - Don’t worry about the prime places downtown which can be WAY more expensive than comparable locations that are a little ways away from the downtown area. With all the conveniences of public transportation (taxis, buses, subways, and trolleys) it makes no sense to have to be downtown and spending tons of money for it. Save the money for doing some fun things or eating out and instead stay somewhere a little ways away from downtown.

Visit the sites I wrote about - You can view them here.

Fly to Shenzhen instead of Hong Kong (if coming from mainland China) - This is only advice for those coming from Mainland China. It saves you a lot of money to fly to Shenzhen (or Guangzhou) and then take a bus to Hong Kong (which from Shenzhen is only one hour and only costs about $15 a person). When flying directly into Hong Kong you can expect to spend a lot more.

Use a baby backpack - Not a stroller if you can avoid it, because there are so many stairs and getting in and out of taxis can be a little exhausting.

Grab a hotel business card - You might wonder why you would do this, so I will tell you, you do this so that each time you climb into a taxi you can show them where you’re staying and the taxi driver will know exactly where to take you.

Use my bartering tips when shopping - You can read them here.

Money exchange - Find a place with a good exchange rate, because they’re not all the same. You can try; the airport, your hotel, and street vendors. Again, they’re not all the same rate, but you can save yourself a little money by trying a couple locations to see what the best rate is.

Power and outlet converters - OK so as I’m writing this my computer is about to die, because I can’t charge it in the unique outlets found in Hong Kong. So next time I will make sure to bring an outlet converter.

Outlet converters at the hotel front desk - So in relation to the tip above this one I tracked down an outlet converter at my Hotel’s front desk, so if you forget your converter (like I did) ask the hotel front desk… maybe you’ll find one!

Baby crib to use - So traveling with a toddler isn’t ever easy, but something I found out recently (and far too late in life) is that many hotels have cribs that you can use. How nice is that!? So instead of lugging your own around, you can instead simply call ahead and have the front desk reserve one for you.

Explore! - Some of the best things we found on our trip came simply because we put the map down and just walked the streets looking for interesting things. So get out there and make your own adventure!

Enjoy this day,
Matt

For a list of restaurants in Hong Kong click here.

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Cost of living in Xian China

Recently a reader wrote me because she’s going to be moving here to Xian and asked some questions about the cost of living and what not. Well this made my day, because I had written this info before, but realized it would be good to post it here. I hope this gives a clear picture to anyone moving to Xian and to you at home wanting to know more about life in China. Enjoy!

I should note that all prices are in US dollars ($), but I also add the Chinese currency of RMB… if you’re in to that.

Monthly Expenses

Average Monthly rent - $150-$440 (1000 - 3000 RMB) Obviously depending on size and location you have some difference, but this is the general price range for apartments here.

Electricity - This is about $60 (400 RMB) a month, but obviously it’s different depending on how much you use and what not.

Gas - $15 (100 RMB) every month (or so), this is your gas for heating your water and your gas stove.

Water, Garbage removal, Elevator fees and Guard fees - Are all included in one monthly fee which is about $50 (300 RMB) a month

Drinking water - $15 (100 RMB) a month is what you can expect to pay for your drinkable water. It’s set up like the Culligan water system, where you have a dispenser and when your water runs out you call the company and they deliver a new bottle of water to you.

Monthly cell phone fees - In China you don’t sign a contract with your cell phone company to use your minutes, it’s all pay as you go… This is about $15 (100 RMB) a month, but can be more depending on how much you use your phone.

Internet - This is can also be pay as you go (or a standard monthly fee), depending on how much you download and what not. But $20 a month seems to be a pretty standard amount to spend.

Taxis - For me to go to 90% of the places I normally travel to in Xian I can expect to spend on average $1-$4 (6-24 RMB) that includes the downtown area.

Buses - If you ride the bus it’s about $.12-$.25 (1-2 RMB) to go anywhere on that particular bus route. There are TONS of bus routes and you can get to a lot of places using the buses, it’s just crowded, uncomfortable and you need to make sure no one steals from you. Besides that its great!

Basic Chinese meal - noodles or rice is as basic as you get (and very good) and they come in at about $1 (6 RMB) per meal. NOT BAD!

4-5 dishes and rice - When we eat as a family and have people over we order about this much and it’s usually about $7 (50 RMB).

Nice Chinese meal for two - To go out and eat Beijing Roast Duck (SO GOOD!!!!) it’s about $15 (100 RMB)

Eating Western fastfood - To give you an idea it’s about $3 (21 RMB) for Big Mac meal (no refills on soda however… sad face)

Eating Western Pizza - This is important for anyone who loves pizza to know. So for a large pepperoni pizza you will spend somewhere between $11-$17 (Papa John’s is the most expensive)

Average total fees I counted about $500 (averaging the apartment) a month. But that doesn't include food and transportation (only because that is totally different for each situation, but I left the prices above for you to add up and include), this total also doesn't include some things that you need to consider that aren't part of your monthly expenses, which are located below.

Non monthly expenses to know about

Deposit on your apartment - It should also be noted that (at least here in Xian) you need to put a deposit on your apartment down of a month or two’s rent (I can’t remember now what it is).

Real estate agent fee - Also to be noted is that when you get an apartment through a real estate agent you need to pay a month’s rent as your fee for them helping you. Most of the time (unless you know someone wanting to rent a home) you need to go through an agent to get an apartment here.

Heating - During the summer months in most cases you need to pay for your heaters to come on. It’s all regulated by a company and you can’t turn it on and off as you wish (in most cases). It can be pretty spendy coming in at about $400 (2700 RMB), but depends on the size of your apartment.

Cell phone - You get what you pay for and you can find pretty much anything here. You need be careful of fakes so trust who or where you’re buying from, but you can expect to spend $30-$1500 (200-10,000 RMB). And yes you can buy ridiculously expensive $1500 phones here.

Visas - This also needs to be mentioned as it can be spendy (especially for a family) to get new visas every year. I won't put the price because it changes so much and you will need to find the price when you decide to come. If you're moving here as a family you should know that only your spouse needs to either work or study for them to get a visa, then you can and your kids can get temporary resident visas. This means that both spouses don't need to be enrolled in college and/or both working. Just a side note for all you families.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

P.S. Please email me or leave a comment here if you have further questions I can help you with!

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10 blog directories to submit your blog to

OK, so you started a blog and now you want to get it out there. Truth is, if you took time to start a blog, then you should take time to advertise it so that others can enjoy what you're sharing. A blog directory is a place you can submit your blog so that others can find it as well as a place for you to connect with other bloggers. It's a great way to build those bridges to get your name/blog out there. Here are ten blog directories to submit your blog to.

Technorati - This is a great site and probably the most popular and recognized. If you want to advertise your blog this is the first place to go.

Blog catalog - Personally this is the one I enjoy the most. It has a great area for people to share about their blogs and find others willing to help them.

Blogged - I enjoyed Blogged, it was one of the first blog directories I joined and I see my site getting traffic from it. So it’s definitely worth the ten minutes it will take to submit your blog too.

My Blog Log - This is another fun site that I enjoy, it’s a great place to meet other bloggers and get your name and site out with.

On Top List - This is a free site that will also help you to build relationships with other bloggers. Great place to start building those important connections that will help you get your site out there.

Blog Flux - A very well organized and visually pleasing directory (a lot of directories aren’t).

Blogrankings - This is a great directory and a lot of bloggers use it. They will rank your page and place your ranking on your blog if you so desire.

Blog top sites - Straight forward directory, very easy to navigate.

Top blog area - A nicely made site for you to submit your blog too. Again, it never hurts to submit your blog to many of these sites to help get the word out about you.

Blog ratings - Lastly, this is a site I enjoy. Add your blog here and continue to find directories to add too!

Well I hope that this helps, if you have questions or other directories to submit, leave a comment below.

Enjoy this day,
Matt

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16 things I accomplished in 2009

As we move into this next year, I wanted to take a moment (or a post) to write about some things I accomplished in 2009. Not as a way to brag about myself but as a way to remind myself of the wonderful year I was blessed with. As you read this think of things you’re proud of accomplishing in 2009 and add a comment at the bottom of the post.

• Pregnant with baby number three (not me, silly)- If you had told me at the beginning of 2009 that we would be having a third baby I would have pointed at you and laughed. But as the year rolled along my wife and I made the decision to jump into the pool of three kids… we’re nervous, but not one day passes that I don’t get more excited about it.
  
  
• Continued my studies of Chinese- I would have guessed that this would be accomplished, but honestly life is unpredictable and I don’t want to take for granite that I was able to spend another amazing year studying Chinese.
  
  
• Continued my blogging- This has become a love of mine and like most things I obsess over, they fade… fast. But blogging has held on and that makes me happy, because I’m able to include all of you wonderful people in our lives. I look forward to continuing this trend.
  
  
• Started a new blog (this one)- It became more and more clear to me that there were things I wanted to write about that didn’t fit into our family blog. That’s not to say that I’m going to neglect that one, because I love writing about our lives. But, I’m very excited about this blog as a place for me to grow as a writer and add (hopefully) to those who come and visit.
  
  
• Went on an amazing trip with my brother (thanks Wifey and Jenny)- This was a wonderful gift given to my brother and I by our equally wonderful wives. A memorable trip to an amazing place, Beijing. Glad this was something that we got to do in 2009!
  
  
• Was able to see the great wall- I don’t want this to seem like an exaggeration, seeing as how I live in China, but of all the things I’ve seen in my traveling, the Great Wall is easily the coolest thing I’ve seen. I really can’t fully explain how awesome it is.
  
  
• Visited The Forbidden Palace- The size of this place was the thing that caught me most off guard. I always thought it was a building and courtyard, not an actual CITY! It was fun to check it all out.
  
  
• Stood in Tiananmen square- Umm, this doesn’t touch the wonder that accompanies the Great Wall or the Forbidden City, but it has TONS of history. And there is an awe that comes with standing in the place of history.
  
  
• Started teaching English- I’m really enjoying teaching English and I’m glad that 2009 was the year I got started in it. I’m not sure how long it will last, but hopefully I can do it for a while.
  
  
• Started to tutor- Again, I wouldn’t have guessed that I would have started this in 2009, but it too has brought a level of joy and satisfaction to my life that I’m grateful for.
  
  
• Went to Shanghai for the first time- Shanghai is an amazing city and really it’s the city of China’s future (sorry Beijing). The architecture (which I normally wouldn’t notice) was unbelievable. In America most buildings are built to maximize functionality, but in Shanghai a lot of detail is given to aesthetics. A great city! The people however…
  
  
• Finished two home projects, the playhouse- Heather and I had the idea of building a playhouse in the girls’ room. Usually with us that’s where the road ends. I’m terrible at finishing projects. I hope to get better as I get older and took the first step by actually finishing something. It turned out great and we’re happy we followed through with it.
  
  
• Finished two home projects, (nearly) the kitchen table- I have ideas I’m excited about and never follow through with and one of those ideas was to build a gigantic kitchen table. Our old one was small and not easy to have people over for dinner. We hope to have a warm and welcoming home for our friends and getting a dream kitchen table was important to me. And again I surprised myself by (nearly) finishing it. I say nearly because it will officially be done in 2010, but who’s counting.
  
  
• Had an amazing visit from my mom- It was so fun showing my mom around our city of Xian. As well as showing her our lives here. I hope that she comes again as well as other friends and family. Thanks again for coming mom!
  
  
• Saw the Terracotta Warriors for the first time- This was really a cool experience. It was hard to imagine that this site was only discovered 20 years ago. The guy who discovered it signs books and pictures and is kinda a local celebrity. When I saw him get up from his table (where he was signing visitors stuff) and go to the bathroom, I followed him in so I could say hi when he came out. He was in there for a while. But I did pick up his pipe that he had set on the counter near the facet, that’s as close as I came to the legend.
  
  
• Put together a weeks’ worth of lecture material- This was another project that I wanted to finish. As I write this I’m seeing that I did follow through with a lot of things I started, maybe a new tread has already started. I hope to share this in the future (my lecture content), maybe you will see it on my accomplishments next year?
  
  This is only my list, but I wanna hear about you. What did you accomplish in 2009?
  
  Enjoy this day,
  Matt

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