The Lighter (blue-eyed) Side

I really like Jake Gyllenhaal, mostly because he kinda looks like a caveman, like he could get stuff done. I like that. I should have been born in the year 3000 B.C., I'm attracted to men who are physically strong and can do stuff. Is that so wrong*? (I'd also put Vin Diesel in this category.)

*And who also have a brain, a sense of humor, and are kind. I ask for a lot, I know!

Popular/Unpopular

It's been interesting to me to see which things from my home culture are popular here and which are completely unknown, even though in my eyes, they are comparable products. These things listed as 'popular' are well-known to people in my city; that is the average Chinese person you meet here would know and like them. The 'unpopular' category are things I consider popular in the U.S., but are unknown here.

Popular TV: Prison Break (they LOVE it), Big Bang Theory (this one surprised me), Lost, Gossip Girl, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty
Unpopular TV: 30 Rock, The Office, The Daily Show, CSI-type shows, Reality TV

Popular Fast Food Chains: KFC, McDonald's, Pizza Hut, Subway
Unpopular Fast Food Chains: Wendy's, Taco Bell, Carl's Junior, Quizno's

Popular Candy Bars: Snickers, M&Ms
Unpopular Candy Bars: Everything else

Popular Movies: Titanic (oh man, you have no idea), Forrest Gump, Gone With The Wind, recent action movies like Transformers
Unpopular Movies: Comedies, Indies

Popular Songs: My Heart Will Go On (it's the unofficial national anthem), Hotel California, Country Roads (Take Me Home),
Unpopular Songs: Just about everything else

Popular Singers: Celine Dion, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Avril Lavigne, Green Day
Unpopular singers: anyone country or alternative

Popular Junk Food: Oreos, Chips Ahoy, Cheetos (meat flavored), Lays potato chips (meat,veggie and fruit flavors like blueberry, cucumber, mango, tomato, chicken and beef), Coke/Coke Zero, Pepsi/Pepsi Max, Mountain Dew, Sprite
Unpopular Junk Food: Anything cheese flavored, crackers, anything not Oreo or Chips Ahoy, rootbeer, regular diet drinks, Dr. Pepper, doughnuts, anything maple flavored, any type of corn chips

Cheese and peanut butter are not popular here. (Although in my experience, peanut butter is not popular anywhere outside of NA.)

I wish I knew the reasoning behind why these particular products are so successful; I don't know who has failed, and who simply hasn't tried to market here. Pepsi and Coke are pretty much equal here, and my students are always surprised when I tell them Coke is more popular than Pepsi in the U.S. I also find it interesting to see glimpses of Chinese clothing, decorations or backgrounds in tv series such as Ugly Betty or Prison Break; a quiet nod to their overseas market, perhaps?

I'm Pretty Sure His Eau du Testosterone Works

So, did you know Mad Men Season 3 is premiering soon? Spoiler alert: nothing much happens in this show, it's a lot of talking, but the talking is really interesting and the 1960's clothes are fabulous. Also, Don Draper is hot in that 'you're-sort-of-a-scumbag-but-you-wear-the-hell-out-of-that-suit-and-I-love-your-late-night-shagging-stubble' kind of way. I recommend it. I bought it on the street for $1.00, but I think it's free in America on cable.

And in preparation for the 3rd season premiere, you can make your own Mad Men persona. Here I am getting hit on by Don Draper:

So realistic, you guys. I can't go to NYC without getting hit on by ad men. It's the hat and gloves, I think. (And I do actually own a hat like that, and elbow gloves. Definitely taking them to NYC.)

And you just know this guy smells like Indiana Jones in a suit: all man. Jon Hamm, I salute you. (And yes, I miss big, strong American men, why do you ask?)