Walk faster!

One of the nicest things about working with crazy nbc folks is the fact that I'm not the only fast walker in da hizzle. Everyone is trying to qualify for the speedwalking marathon here. In Milwuakee, I've had to slow my stride by about 68 percent - and I'm STILL way too fast. But here, I practically get run over by over eager PA's and nutty producers trying to make air. It's awesome. But of course, I'm totally competitive and it makes me nuts that I'm not the fastest walker. Pollution has, for sure, slowed my stride.... that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I've developed a giant blister in the middle of my hand.


At first I was convinced that it was a sympathy blister for the gymnasts - they develop super gross and deep callouses on their hands from working the bars. They develop blisters on their palms and then as they continue to train, those blisters literally rip away and ew, yuck - it's gross. They basically get the hands of a 60 year old carpenter at 13. Well, imagine my surprise when I figured out that it's not a sympathy blister! It's actually from opening water bottles. We can't drink the water here so they provide bottles for us - I'm a rather voracious consumpter of water so the combination of the two has led me to my first battle wound here in Beijing. (Appearances are deceiving - it's small, but deep!! And ouch, it totally kills! Hello - workers comp!) I have tried opening with the other hand, but I can't get the pressure points right and I keep spilling the bottle when I open with the left hand. Again - I'm not very smart in China