We've got it. You probably do too. The fever is raging already and there is no cure in sight, save for the closing ceremony. What is it about the Olympics, China's Olympics, that has us so worked up? We're planning families, graduate school, signing leases, choosing careers, making vacation plans, trying to swap housing space and much more all around two little weeks in August 2008. Mention you're leaving China before August 8, 2008 and inevitably up pops the question: "Oh, so you'll miss the Olympics?" We'll be here. And we have some fun grassroots coverage up our sleeve for you to enjoy as the Games grow near(er), but for now, here's China one year and counting before the big debut.

"Beijing's not there yet, but a year is a long time," says Jonathan Haagen who spoke with Olympic officials, student volunteers and even China's Miss Manners to find out where the city stands with 12 months to go before the 2008 Olympic Games (Coming Soon, pg. 08). Progress on the major Olympic construction projects remains on track, and, while the skies aren't blue yet, that's what cloud seeding rockets are for. China's Miss Manners assured Haagen that some of the biggest progress made so far is in improving people's manners: "By all accounts, Beijingers are learning English and throwing their trash in the trash can. Some even believe that people will stop spitting, at least for the duration of the Games."

"Although it truly was a pity, we really don’t have time to bemoan the loss,” says Beijing editor Le Le, speaking about the passing of Edward Yang, Taiwan's very talented and controversial filmmaker. “His works accompanied my tempest-tossed adolescence, and thanks to Yang's partner in Taiwan’s New Wave Film movement, Hou Hsiao-hsien, I finally grew up.” This August, Beijing’s Cherry Lane Movies is commemorating the end of Taiwan's New Wave cinema with three of Hou’s films: “Goodbye South,” “Goodbye, Millennium Mambo” and “Three Times” (Check pg. E11 in the Beijing Entertainment Guide for details).

"This was my first internship and I have to say I’ve learned a lot,” says Shanghai’s newest intern Kelly Shen. When asked to work on the Olympics feature (Shanghai Entertainment Guide, pg. E08) Shen was presented with a challenging mix of networking, cold calls, research and pavement pounding. “It’s a lot more difficult than you would think. Figuring out what’s going on in this city isn't easy. You have to be persistent and focused,” confides Shen. “But the pay-off is great. All this research has taught me a lot about the Shanghai spirit,” she smiles, “not to mention random pieces of information. Just ask me if you want to find a place to stay in Beijing during the Olympics or how to volunteer for Shanghai's Special Olympics.”