Directions For Preparing Kidney Soup, Which Is Generally Uncomplicated Yet Requires Somewhat Intricate

Directions for preparing kidney soup, which is generally uncomplicated yet requires somewhat intricate knifework. 

China Days 32-37 宁波 and 上海:

1. Visited my ancestors' hometown of Ningbo and toured the mountain villages in which I might have grown up had subsequent generations of Dus not bust their respective balls to improve their quality of life.

2. Scandalized relatives by wearing raggy shoes and smoking at the dinner table with the men. Apparently Chinese society is extremely materialistic, and I'm obligated to not only accept this as an unerring fact of Chinese culture but modify my personal lifestyle to impress those around me. Also, as a woman I should accept that my freedoms are fewer than those of men because Confucius said so.

3. Befriended a flirtatious Pakistani hotel chef by getting him to talk about his wife and son. Received a specially made omelette. 

4. Beat my cousin at basketball at the cost of getting my foot cut open, courtesy of the aforementioned raggy shoes.  

5. Saw my grandma naked one too many times.

6. Tolerated my brother's continuous poking and pinching of the various flabby bits of my body (i.e. underarms, abdomen, thighs), coupled with repeated insults to my physical appearance and intelligence. 

7. Had afternoon tea at the Waldorf with another cousin.

8. Ferried about the Huang Pu River thinking about a boy.

Beware of the man who denounces woman writers; his penis is tiny and he cannot spell.

Erica Jong

Celia Peoples's son Flazon is the youngest inmate at Kewanee. He has attempted to kill himself on several occasions, eating glass and slamming his head in the toilet. He was incarcerated for punching a kid in the face.

The master says it’s a glorious thing to die for the Faith and Dad says it’s a glorious thing to die for Ireland and I wonder if there’s anyone in the world who would like us to live.

Frank McCourt, Angela's Ashes

Da Prez in Hyde Park