Warped? Or Just Irony...

My summer began with a reality altering trip of a lifetime. I found myself, amazingly, being allowed to spend three weeks touring China as a member of the Bringing China to Arkansas Program, hosted by UALR and the Freeman Foundation. During that time we stayed in six different cities, some very urban, and some more rural and isolated, but all equally fabulous.

One of those urban cities was Chengdu, a city in southwestern China, and the capital of Sichuan Province. In the evenings we enjoyed exploring the streets, shops, and restaurants near our hotel. One of these places was a rather crowded and nappy bazaar where there were row after row of small shops selling any and every sort of cheap, Made in China, items. From watches, to shoes, to clothing, to luggage…you name it, they had it. It made Walmart look like Saks Fifth Avenue. I’ve come to think of it as the bizarre bazaar.

It was within this fine establishment that I found a great assortment of t-shirts with rather odd Chinglish phrases. (Chinglish was what the Chinese labeled their own odd, and often erroneous, English translations.) I picked out a couple of cute shirts and headed on my merry way. Shirt #1 is still one of my favorite Chinese purchases. It proclaims me a “su per-star” and goes on to explain how “all people koow my name.”   So, on those days when I have the need to feel important, I know what to wear.

Shirt #2 is another story. This is a shirt that, after trying it on and having a good laugh with my friends, I quickly decided would never see the outside of my closet. (I bought it because I liked what it said, but didn’t give a thought to the graphics.) However, due to this newest reality altering trip of a lifetime in which I find myself, shirt #2 suddenly has a new meaning. Irony at its best, or maybe I’m just warped.

Below, you will see this shirt and you can come to your own conclusion. I can think of all sorts of ways to now interpret this shirt and those goofy (and groping) white gloved hands (yes, they ARE Mickey’s).

Of course, warped (and frugal) person that I am, I had to wear this thing at least once, so yesterday, being the first day back to work, seemed the perfect opportunity. I hope no one thought less of me for it, but hey, it IS good for my girls to be with you, if only for a few more months. And even more importantly, it's good for ME to be with you, and that will be for many years to come, warped sense of humor and all.