Long time, no see.  Hopefully you slept well.

Have you eaten?

No?

The future is almost here and we are waiting for you; burning money in effigy to honor our family, driving cars for the first time, and occasionally putting beans in our ice cream.  We talk about going to the moon, we take long lunches, and all of our grandparents have been awake, alert, and working out since 4 a.m.  A lot of us smoke cigarettes, but nobody can be perfect.

(Xinhua photo)

Some rice wine?  A little early you say?

Please, get comfortable.

It is here, in the future, that we will use our vantage on the edge of tomorrow to transmit these dispatches to you, our dear readers.  New advances in transportation, vocational pursuits, entertainment, short-term accommodations and expression (both artistic and otherwise) will be recorded for purposes of posterity and because none of you have time machines (or plane tickets to China.)

Sit tight, we’ll let you know what’s about to happen … just as soon as it happens.