So I haven't posted for a while, for a combination of reasons I guess. The events that have been happening in my life are perfectly perched on the line between eventful and unnoteworthy that I debate over whether or not to cover them quickly in this blog. Usually, my lazy side wins. But today, I had a moment in the subway that inspired me to write, as cliché as it may sound. But first, a quick run through of the past few days.

Calvin Harris concert: pretty crazy, but not as crazy as it could have been. I'm pretty sure I saw some people in the crowd who could not have been over 12 years old. Calvin came on around midnight and the music was good until 2am-ish.

Motorcycle Taxi: Friggin' awesome! You are really risking your life when you go on one of these. Seriously. These "taxis' are not regulated, at all. Usually you find flocks of guys on motorcycles hanging out near a shopping center or a crowded area, and you just approach them with your intended destination.You really have to haggle with them since people have been charged anywhere between 10 RMB to 50 RMB. I must say that sitting on the back of a hog while watching the driver weave through traffic and blow past every single red light was an experience I'll never forget.

So back to the subway story. I had an easy day today so I set out on exploring a bit after an interview in the morning. Being in the subway station, I thought I had gotten use to seeing homeless people in New York, but apparently that was a lie. There was an old lady, who looks about 60/70ish, snow-white hair and a bit over weight, kneeling in full kow-tow position on the ground with a piece of cardboard next to her describing her story. If the story is true, she is very sick, very very sick and unable to work and her children have abandoned her and now she has nothing, really. Can you imagine being so old, so lonely and so completely vulnerable? I couldn't possibly. It was a gray day outside and I don't know why but this moment just struck me very hard. I gave her some change but really I was feeling helpless as well. There must be thousands more like her in Shanghai alone, nevermind the nation.

I remember that in my NYU application short answers, I wrote about a vision I had. And I had almost forgotten it until today. I dreamed of opening an orphanage of sorts, but for old people - the ones abandoned by their children in China. The Chinese are used to filial piety. They often save their earnings for years in order for their children to afford a house, perhaps in a major city. Few have retirement accounts or medical insurance. They really don't have much besides the trust that their children will take care of them in their old age. When their money is gone, some are thrown out of the new house by their sons or daughters. It's hard for me to imagine anyone being in their position, but still, they exist.

I'm unsure of how I can make this vision come true, and I'm also unsure where this post is going. Sorry if this bit of thought has proved to be a bit too depressing, but it was just one of those days.