We Need to Make Globes Mandatory

In the Tuesday, July 18 edition of the NY Times, President Bush is reported to have engaged in a conversation with Hu Jintao of China about their respective trips home from a summit in Russia. According to the Times, Bush was anxious to get on the road because of the long distance he had to travel but commented to Jintao "This is your neighborhood; it won't take you long to get home."

President Bush illustrated here just how skewed American perspectives on geographical distance are when thinking of the rest of the world. In reality, the time Bush would take to get home was almost exactly the same as that of Jintao. Before we moved to Asia and still today, I struggled with distances and putting them into a real perspective. I suspect that part of our problem comes from American media, which sometimes portrays developing parts of the world as specks on the map, creating closeness in our minds which masks long distances and great cultural heterogeneity.

Have you studied a globe lately?

How Quickly We've Forgotten

This week I had dinner with an old friend from my day's at the Community Center in Kansas City, Sally, and found myself as usual humbled, amazed, and laughing at our conversation. Sally is to this day the most PFLAG mom-ish woman that I've ever had the chance to meet personally, but in no way is she a stereotype. After graduating from school, Sally moved to Chicago in the 1950s and worked as a teacher. She shared with me over dinner the experience of being a single woman moving into the city at that time and the implicit assumption that existed even by the 50's that if a single woman in the city was synonymous with being a prostitute. She wasn't able to rent an apartment by herself or under her name, and ended up living in an apartment block for single women, before getting an apartment with a girlfriend after her father signed the lease. Lucky for her, her dad was a reverend.

I try to remember it to keep myself sane as we feel hemmed in by purchasing bureaucracy. I try to remember it to show how quickly things can improve but also how easily hardships can be forgotten. Part of me is excited by that and part saddened, as I think my generation easily forget the remarkable transformations that have occurred in the lives of women, just as we continue live with the transformations that haven't materialized to the same degree. Poverty and race remain aspects of our society which divide and challenge our prospects for progress. Also in conversation with Sally, I was reminded of the great challenges of those without education (formal and practical) in life as she described in her words the high cost of being poor. Being somewhat transient now, I recognize somewhat these costs but know that it is nearly impossible for me to comprehend them. There are parts and aspects of the United States which feel more mysteriously frustrating and incomprehensible to me than anything I gleamed in our time abroad.

Issues of Proportion and Defense

I've landed...well at least somewhat. My feet are back on U.S. soil for the first time in months and more permanently than temporarily. But for the time being, I still feel very confused. My emotions are a web of misdirection, brining joy at being back and close to family again, panic at being back and saying good-bye to Hong Kong, and mostly some disorientation. I find myself focused more now than ever on the differences of the life we've been living and the one we are moving towards, as well as defensive and supersensitive to all things worldy (and unworldly).

It's a Sunday afternoon and I type away at a Starbucks on the Plaza that looks little different from that of Lan Kwai Fong. But even here, I am struck by the small differences...the smallest size of coffee I can order in KC is the second to largest size in HK. In fact, the Starbucks there recently introduced a new super small size to cater to their clients. America truly is sipping on the big gulp. The buildings that appear through the mural-sized windows are urban in design but seem diminutive to me now. Even in it's most urban setting, KC is two-stories high and miles wide.

I've noticed since our move to Asia a certain sensitivity to discussions and topics which I was learning more about and experiencing daily. Like an withdrawling Asia junkie, the sensitivity has heightened. Yesterday, again at a Starbucks (I really do go other places), I had to bight my tongue when a man walked in and requested Chinese dim sum tea. He made his plea in a way that spoke more to the prestige he thought his "knowledgeable" question would bring in its utterance rather than as a practical use of words intended to get a good tea. I cringed. I am still cringing. While I have to give the guy credit for knowing the term "dim sum," dim sum is in no way a tea, but rather a style of food typical of the Hong Kong region, including dumpling and stuffed rolls.

sensitivity can be a wonderfully dangerous emotion. It awakens with it a line of other senses, good and bad, but in a world where we are hit with stimulants from all sides, coping and living often need to be done in a deadened (or at least slightly numbed) state. Gosh, that sounds pessimistic, but right now that's how I am feeling. I wonder when I will again get to a place where I don't notice some of these things. I want that and I fear that, the stability that comes from being comfortable and used to your surroundings.

I just found a site that makes me feel a little better:

http://www.expat-repat.com/inbound.html

Just the few things they said here make me feel less strange in my emotional flood. Coming back is much harder than going. I feel more different now than I have ever felt. All these things will take time and acceptance to deal with.

Jim Thompson House

Kristen reflects below the canopy of the Jim Thompson House in one of the many antique Chinese fish pots scattered throughout the garden.

Flying in from Hong Kong Saturday morning, Kristen and I went immediately to our hotel to get settled.
The Plaza Athene

After some sleep and rest, we walked to the train and went a couple of stops towards Siam Square with final destination of the Jim Thomson House.


Kristen stands outside the main portion of the house.

An American born entrepreneur, Mr. Thompson is famous for reviving the Thai silk industry in the 1950s and also for moving to Thailand and adapting many ancient Thai traditions and living customs to western way. Although he mysteriously disappeared while on vacation in Burma, his house and his stores remain intact and open to the public.


Mr. Thompson collected many antiques from across Asia and Europe. This traditional Thai carved panel is just one example.


Floating flowers, beaded water, and swimming streams of young fish.


This fish wasn't so young.


A Thai-style mini-house and offering sits quietly but colorfully at the entrance to the complex.

Do I make you cry?

Darcie and Greg's new baby, Kaiya, didn't know whether she liked me or not when I stopped by for lunch last week...



She is such an adorable and good baby!

Tiananmen Square

Smoky. That was the forecast on the Weather Channel website for Beijing when Kim and I woke up Saturday morning and began planning the day. It seemed more ominous a forecast than any I'd ever heard for our second day in China's capital.


Tiananment Square

Our hotel, the Grand Hyatt, was about 4 Beijing blocks (8 or more normal city blocks) from the Tiananmen Square area of Beijing that was made so famous by protestors. It was an easy walk, and while busy, wasn't as overwhelmed with people as I expected. The International Herald Tribune reported that 3000 local tourists got lost or became "missing persons" (70% being adults) in Tiananmen on Saturday when we were exploring.

Seeing the square across one of Beijing's broad and crowded streets, we entered one of the underground pedestrian crossings which were divided for directional flow and monitored with military officers. As we entered the square, the drone of a loud speaker quickly became more clear. From the IHT article, I now know that it was broadcasting the names of people who were separated from their groups, a fact that would have been more discomforting for me if I'd known it then. At the time, I found the square to be somehow less notorious than I'd imagined. Perhaps the whitewash of time and my memory has diluted the blood that was spilled that day.


A guard stands outside of the entrance to the Forbidden City.

With Mao's mausoleum sitting off-center in the Square but still balancing the Grand Palace, T. Square had echoes of the Mall in DC with it's open center surrounded by important governmental and museum buildings, but the Tiananmen was much less green and certainly more orderly than the Mall. As I just alluded to, Tiananmen Square sits quietly besides Beijing's Grand Palace, a remnant of past non-utilitarian dynasties that has been transformed like the modern Chinese economy into something uniquely Communistic and non-Communistic at the same time. With the Grand Palace (really the complex that is the Grand Palace) on the north, Tiananmen Square on the south, and many stately buildings (like a museum and the location where the congress of the Communist Party meets) on all sides, Tiananmen Square is the heart of Beijing and seemingly the heard of China.

The Other Bowling Photo

Just got this from Annie, who apparently is dangerous with Photoshop. This picture doesn't need any words. Wow.

Oh, the Places Eric's Been

Recently, it's been that fun time of year for taxes, and doing taxes these days for people that travel means itemizing where you were when and for what purpose. It's an interesting process to look at yearly because I don't think most of us get around to this. I thought it'd be interesting to post the list of cities Eric's made it to for work or play over the last year or so.

Austin, Texas
Bangalore, India
Bangkok, Thailand
Beijing, China
Guangzhou, China
Hong Kong
Honolulu, Hawaii
Kansas City, Missouri
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Lisbon, Portugal
Los Angeles, California
Mumbai, India
New Dehli, India
Osaka, Japan
Park Rapids Minnesota
San Diego, California
Seattle, Washington
Seoul, Korea
Shanghai, China
Singapore
Sydney, Australia
Taipei, Taiwan
Tokyo, Japan
Vancouver, B.C., Canada

What a Crew!

Last night we had a royal Hong Kong send off in the traditional fashion - Bowling Bonanza! It was soooooooooo much fun! And a real treat for us to for the first time have in one room almost all of our best friends from Hong Kong. Bowling, pizza, and brownies made for a great evening!

Also, check out Kim's blog entry on the party...
http://kimchees.blogspot.com/2006/05/strikespareguttergood-bye.html

Front Row (left to right with a few random comments)

Brian and Annie-Annie is a fellow Stitch'n Bitcher and a total crack up. I will always remember our trip to Shenzen to do a little shopping with Annie and Kim in the lead. Annie had the most fun bargaining of anyone I've ever seen. She and Brian own their own street wear business and are the ultimate in serial entrepreneurs. Always fun to hear what they are up. We've only met Brian a few times but were so glad he made it out and represented well in the bowling lane.

Darcie (and Greg who is taking the photo)-Darcie just had a baby six weeks ago (hard to believe isn't it!). I was able to go see Kaiya and Darcie for lunch this week. Kaiya was super sweet and so adorable. There are some good photos from that I'll post when I get. Darcie is another S'n Ber with a specialty in children's clothing. Hadn't gotten to talk to Greg much before last night but really enjoyed discussing his school experience as he went to University of Chicago and a place in DC.

Kim and Xiaofeng-Hard to say enough about Kim. She's been a great friend here. Kim and Xiaofeng were the bowling organizers and pizza orderers (which is a bigger task than can be realized). Kim truly deserves the title of "queen" for this group as she silently organizes many of us in fun outtings and great adventures. I'll always treasure our photo from the South China Morning Post together. Kim and I met only two weeks after I arrived and it's been fun letting our friendship grow. Xiaofeng has always been so fun to play games with and on outtings and a great ambassador of Chinese culture.

Back Row (left to right)

Christian and Sara-Newer transplants to Hong Kong, we've had a fun time getting to know Sara and Christian the last couple of months. Christian writes some fantastic travel guides for China and is a killer cook. Good luck to him on his entrepreneurial ventures here. Sara became an HK veteran quicker than anyone I've seen and really tackles the city. We've had a lot of fun meeting for a salad at lunch time this last month at the JW Marriott...salad savior.

Brian and Heidy-These crazy kids have been like our ambassadors to Hong Kong, always taking thoughtful actions to introduce to local quisine, Japanese photo booths, or other randomness that I never expected but now can't imagine not having experienced.

Eric and Me-Wow, what a Hong Kong crew and it's been great to fit in with them. It's sad to say our goodbyes but also great to have enjoyed such a good time. Things really gelled here for us socially this spring, largely because of the friends you see here.

Tuscan Memories

I wasn't expecting to have Tuscan memories of Hong Kong, but earlier this week, two of our good friends, Heidy and Brian, gave me the most beautiful pillow. They designed and made it themselves, knowing that I liked the movie Under the Tuscan Sun and that I was into handicraft. The photo shows Eric and I examining the pillow and if you look clearly, you can see that they worked into the design my name in the clouds. It was really special. They are super creative.

So, a great memory of them and Hong Kong in the form of handmade pillow with the Tuscan landscape on it. You just never know...

The Greal Wall

A quick last minute trip to Beijing this weekend with our friend Kim made the Great Wall a reality for me on Friday.

My Quickest Intercontinental Trip Yet

I am sitting in the airport lounge at the Frankfurt International Airport, about two hours before my flight for Hong Kong departs. It's been a quick but good trip to Germany for work. The weather has been gorgeous and the travel relatively easy considering I've had two strips of 18 hour travel in the last 4 days. But even as I sit here, I am reading a story in the International Herald Tribune on the possibility that airlines might implement standing only seats for passengers in the future. They are reportedly being pitched to airlines in Asia. I can't even imagine... Makes me hunger for the comfort of bed at home.

Crazy

It's been a hectic couple of weeks. Today a website I've been working on for work launched: www.kauffman.org/research. Tonight I go to Germany for three days for work. Eric has been gone for two weeks and gets home about 15 minutes. We've decided to move back to the U.S. this summer. The renovations on the floor below us mean constant drilling during the daytime. Just a couple of random things that have been going on, but things are largely good.

The sun is shining. It's getting hot here. We are going to go to a movie and for pizza.

Check Out Kim's Blog

http://kimchees.blogspot.com/2006/04/exactly-one-year-ago.html

Our good friend Kim posted a story about a recent day trip I took with her and a couple other friends to Macau.

12:05 in the AM

It's just after midnight and my conference calls just ended. I think I am a little loopy tired because the situation is just cracking me up. I am sitting here with a pair of headphones and a microphone on, talking to people in the U.S., trying to be all business-like. But then you add in the fact that I can't run the air conditioner and e on the phone at the same time because of the sensitivity of the microphone. So, closed door, lights, computer, and a couple of hours equate to about 95 degrees in here. I am wearing a t-shirt that Eric bought for me with the outline of squirrel on it, which means I am sitting here with headphones on, typing, wearing a squirrel t-shirt, and looking like I've just come back from a long run. Ah, conference calls.

In the Newspaper with the Head Bitch

The local English language daily decided to do a story on our knitting group (the stitch 'n bitch) but we weren't expecting a half page photo! Kim (one of our founders or as the article says, "head bitch", which is so not Kim) and I are featured here in what may be my only permanent record of having lived in Hong Kong. Glad I was caught in photo with a friend and at a Starbucks because that is so befitting of the experience. Here is the scanned document a little larger in case anyone wants to read the text, but it may be a bit too small still.

Late Night Conference Calls Summed Up

Meet My Cousin

This is Aimee.



She lives in New York now and I am so proud of her!! She sent this photo to me today with just the line "Hello from the Office!" which is so perfect and made me laugh. She has been living in NY for over a year now and is really making her way there and doing well. She, like me, is an iced coffee addict, but she has it even better than I do in that she orders iced coffees delivered to her apartment from the corner market;-) That just cracks me up but goes to show that the advantages of living in the city are many and seldom predictable.

Brain Awareness Week

Just as in the U.S. we often get fliers in our mailbox that are distributed to all postal customers. Here though, we can't really understand them because the majority of the population speaks and reads Chinese.



What struck me as funny about this particular flier was what I could discern from the little English on it.



Apparently it's Brain Awareness Week in HK, and we are eligible for 10% off of something. Have I missed Brain Awareness Week in the U.S. all of this time? Do I need to send a card? Or flowers? If anyone can illuminate me (and my brain) on this one, I'd love to know if this is a local HK marketing quirk or something I have been oblivious to up to this point.

The Magic Kingdom

Planes Passing in the Night

Right now somewhere over the Pacific two planes are passing, one carrying Alex, Emily, and Mike on their way back to the United States after a week here and another carrying Kevin and Craig (two KC friends) to Hong Kong. It's funny to think of them whizzing past each other without awareness of the other.

Space Mountain

Space mountain brings out the best in all of us. Hong Kong Disneyland opened a few months ago and today was our first trip.

The Pogos in Town

Eric's sister and family, the Pogozelec's, are in town!!! And day 1 has come and gone. From foot massage to Stanley and Repulse Bay, they got a little introduction to HK. Check out this photo from the harbor at Stanley:



They look so great!! Really excited to have them here and to see some family again. Who knows what Sunday will bring!

Passports

I never thought what a luxury it has to have cheap passports. Interesting story from the Economist:

http://www.economist.com/markets/indicators/displaystory.cfm?story_id=5609011

Mexican, Brownies and Ice Cream

Eric and I had our best couple friends (Heidy and Brian) out for exposure to our favorite culinary things. The evening started out with some good Mexican (you can actually get pretty decent Mexican here, but it is pricey) including, guacamole, soft tacos, tortilla soup, chili, and a burrito...oh...and some margaritas. After that it was back to the apartment for some of my special brownies and a ice cream cake. Yum!!! Heidy captured us in action here.



Funny thing about these brownies was that Heidy and Brian report they are actually better the second or third day. All the more reason to make more!!

Icons in Vogue

It's amazing to me how cultural icons can be reinvented over time. We see tons of Che t-shirts here in HK and Mao has become an icon that seems somehow more like a great uncle than a Communist leader. We even have bust of Mao in our living room, granted it is a red velvet Mao, kind of Andy Warholesc.



This is a scan of a magnet that I found a couple of weeks ago and bought for some friends in KC. Translated, the Chinese means "running for the revolution," but for most consumers like myself, this product was sent not for its created purpose but rather as a piece of shic and cool China. The China that can be whatever to whomever and is the new play thing of the art world and consumer styles.

Quote from My Niece

Chris, to Jennifer (the parents): "Is there anything else you can think of that we need at the hardware store?"

Eliza, very seriously (3 years old): "We need more whoopee cushions."


Eliza on vacation.

I Met Karen Walker

Fans of Will and Grace will be familiar with the character of Karen Walker. Elegant, pill-pounding and utterly unbelievable in her brash comments and money-flaunting, she is just the best. A character for any situation and someone who always makes me laugh and has been a good friend to watch after late night conference calls as I try to wind-down and go to sleep.

Since we have been in Hong Kong, I have been a "regular" at the many local Starbucks, taking advantage of the coffee, comfy chairs, and reading environment to break from the home office. At the largest Starbucks that I go to, it takes up almost an entire floor of one of the downtown skyscrapers, “Karen” has been a fixture on one of the leather couches during this time. She can be wearing a baseball cap, hair in a pony tail, clad in enormous dark glasses, and flopped on a couch, and yet be carrying a Dolce & Gabbana shopping bag at 9am and looking like she owns the place. I have seen her take court on the couches, receiving multiple sets of visitors in a given sitting, which can last more than two hours. Today, I learned that “Karen” is really Giovani or “Jo."

My outfit was absurd today. Long-sleeved t-shirt emblazoned with logo from a college-pizza joint, khaki pants, and running shoes. If Eric had been in town, I think he would have locked the door before I could leave the apartment. But somehow I ended up at Starbucks and was set in reading my newspaper when Jo came over. After a few minutes she engaged in conversation and I learned that she recently left a job with Christie’s auction house. Specializing in diamond and gem appraisals, she has lived and worked in Hong Kong for more than 15 years, but has since going to part-timer employment with Christie’s set about writing children’s books. What a character!

I won’t bore with too many details of our conversation, but suffice it to say that Jo has been in a many-month Starbucks flirtation with a researcher from the Rand Corporation. She sought my advice because I find I am really good a providing advice to people trying to interact with intellectuals – some of my coworkers may get a chuckle out of that one. In any case, Jo, I mean Karen, no I mean Jo was as interesting and quirky elegant as I expected.

Mrs. Bostwick

I think every class of high school students has that one mother. The force that was silently omnipotent during high school, and even after, has a strange lurking presence. For my high school, I'd say that force would have to be Mrs. Bostwick. Since graduation, and I think actually on graduation day, each time I have run into her (and I mean that figuratively and literally - she nearly pinned me to the wall one time), she has brought up high school reunions. When? Where? Who is planning? Will I pinky-swear to get a start on it? She may be feeling double reunion pressure because she has twin daughters that are both in my class and as such she has a lot of people that she is curious to catch up on (or I mean for her daughers to catch up with).

No, seriously, Mrs. Bostwick is great. We need parents in our lives at these hectic times to help us remember the things that we know we'll want to have remembered more when we are older. That didn't make any sense, but oh well.

It's a cold day in HK and really rainy. I am in the apartment by myself writing for work and waiting for a delivery from Ikea. On occassions like this, my thoughts turn towards high school and the wonderful friends that I've kept in touch with over the years and in some cases actually reconnected with in a stronger way. We've seen each other through a lot and for that reason, I am always anxious to catch up with them whether over IM, postcard, or eggnog. This last holiday season, a couple of us got together at Justin's new house (or should I say mega-complex) for some Catchphrase and brownie action:



And while I am glad to see those friends that I've stayed in touch with, and am axious to catch up with others, the impending approach of my ten year reunion makes me really nervous. I think one of the reasons that we moved to Asia was so that I would throw off Mrs. Bostwick's trail. No, not really, but the unforeseen benefits continue to become apparent. Yet whether in Asia, Antarctica, or Topeka, I'll always be a member of the Class of 1997. So, 2007, here you come, and I supposed I really should drop Mrs. B a postcard. She'll know where we need to start.

Citizenship Tests

I was surprised to see some of the things that are asked on citizenship tests around the world. Pretty random...

http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/02/24/news/acitizen.php

Sounds

It strikes me today how for granted I take the sounds that place me in an environment or make me feel separated from it. It's the subtle things that can tie together a global life or make one feel disconnected from reality.

Surprisingly comforting. The murmur of announcements in a language I don't understand. The melodic, consistent music at Starbucks that brings together my breakfast routine across the world. The campanile on the church across the street which strikes out tunes like the bell tower on campus at the University of Kansas. Ding, ding, ding, strikes the hour of noon on Saturday. The honking of cab horns and low murmur of city life.

Surprisingly foreign. The barking of a large dog. A taped interview with President Bush. The same campanile, playing "Amazing Grace."

My Chinese Valentine - Pt. 2

So let's see where we last left off. Hua (our part time maid) was attempting to set me up on a date. She is Chinese (Hua and friend). I am American. Lack of understanding is the thing most common in our relationship. I am gay, although I am guessing anyone reading this already knows that but this whole situation has blown out of the water any reliability I can put in that fact. The maid is OURS (Eric and mine). My partner was upset because our maid had decided to set me up instead of him. Who needs Brokeback Mountain for a little unexpected gay-themed drama.



E.J. says:
oh my god
E.J. says:
hua just showed up with her friend
Eric says:
NO!
Eric says:
Shut up
Eric says:
you are joking me
E.J. says:
I am not sure who she is
E.J. says:
but she just invited me to eat an egg
E.J. says:
her friend is cooking
Eric says:
Oh my god
E.J. says:
i am so thoroughly confused
E.J. says:
We are going to have to have Heidy do an intervention
E.J. says:
I don't know what is going on
Eric says:
Do I need to come home??
E.J. says:
I am not sure if it is the same person from the pic
Eric says:
Her friend is cooking at our house??
E.J. says:
No, I think it will be all right
E.J. says:
but she has those sweet, cooked eggs
E.J. says:
that are dark
E.J. says:
and i am going to eat one
E.J. says:
she brought to show me
E.J. says:
I know it is well intentioned
E.J. says:
but ah!!!!!!!!
E.J. says:
I knew I should have stayed out today
Eric says:
AGHHHH!!!
Eric says:
I'm so sorry!
E.J. says:
Good change on your pic with IM
E.J. says:
It looks nice
E.J. says:
See what happens when you get an office
Eric says:
thanks
E.J. says:
I'll write once I've tried
E.J. says:
and I figure out how to make a polite exit
Eric says:
okkk
Eric says:
okkk
Eric says:
good luck
Eric says:
good luck
Eric says:
call if you need anything
E.J. says:
There is a lot of talk and work going on in the kitchen
E.J. says:
I feel paralyzed
E.J. says:
Almost like when that intruder was in the house
Eric says:
What are they doing!?!!?
E.J. says:
I don't know!!!!
Eric says:
Heidy wants to you know you want him to call...
Eric says:
her to call...
E.J. says:
I think I'd rather do the clean up on this when it's just me and her
E.J. says:
This could be really awkward
E.J. says:
and I don't want to sour Hua as she is really good
E.J. says:
Maybe we can try to do it tomorow?
E.J. says:
Maybe I am reading entirely too much into all of this,
Eric says:
Heidy is so worried if you accept the egg, and the cooking of lunch, then it's sending a bad signal
Eric says:
Heidy says you should RUN out of the house and come over here and we can go to lunch
E.J. says:
The eggs are in hand
Eric says:
and she can call and you can hand the phone to Hua and Heidy can tell her that you're sorry, but that you already had lunch plans with HER today.
E.J. says:
I've accepted
Eric says:
Oh ok ok
Eric says:
we'll leave you alone then.
E.J. says:
Hua brought it
Eric says:
and you can clean it up tomorrow
E.J. says:
not the friend
E.J. says:
I may still try to extricate
Eric says:
are they cooking you lunch?
E.J. says:
If you guys want to meet for lunch I wouldn't be opposed
E.J. says:
They brought those boiled dark eggs with them
E.J. says:
Still warm
Eric says:
ewwww
E.J. says:
Oh my gosh
Eric says:
what?
E.J. says:
I am not sure I can put this in my mouth
Eric says:
don't do it EJ
Eric says:
they're rotten
E.J. says:
I have to at least try
Eric says:
ok
E.J. says:
I got a picture
E.J. says:
Oh my god
Eric says:
what picture???
E.J. says:
what a strange thing
Eric says:
WHAT?
E.J. says:
It's like a super salty hard boiled eff
E.J. says:
egg
E.J. says:
Hold on
E.J. says:
I'll send it
Eric says:
ok
E.J. sends:
E.J. says:
Not actually as bad as I was expecting
E.J. says:
Hua just came wanting my review
E.J. says:
I don't know if I communicated
E.J. says:
so
E.J. says:
so
Eric says:
i don't even like LOOKING at that.
E.J. says:
You'd gag
Eric says:
I'm sure
Eric says:
we're going to lunch
Eric says:
do you want to go?
Eric says:
or...?
E.J. says:
Yes
E.J. says:
I need to get out

So without warning, Hua shows up today with her friend in tow. They bring me warm, rotten eggs. I freak out and IM for sanity and direction with Eric. Our fairy god friend Heidy offers counsel. Egg is eaten. I exit for a lunch, although I've already eaten (egg and actual lunch). Friend leaves at the same time I do, unintentionally, to go get a facial (yes, they knew this English word). End scene.

Now, what am I supposed to do? Heidy has counseled against any attempt to be open about my need not to be set up on dates unless in a very vague way. Her concern is ingrained bigotry and inability or undesirability of working after that comes out. I am a guest in this country and I want to be respectful, but Hua is a guest in our home. OUR HOME! I wish I had a nice ribbon to wrap around this and put it away, but I am really conflicted. I am leaning towards taking Heidy's advice if for no other reason than I just don't even know how I could be honest with Hua because of language barriers, and trying to be honest would I fear require some not so delicate translation by Heidy, which I don't feel comfortable with.

Mumbai's Exhaust Entrepreneurs

The poverty of India is striking, but not always consistently. There are places of complete isolation from poverty - foreign hotels, partial isolation - non-touristy streets, and near immersion - at a stop light in certain slum neighborhoods. When Eric and I were in India over Thanksgiving week, we saw many entrepreneurs at work in the later areas, taking advantage of the idle customers to try to sell a little something from a flower to a magazine. The International Herald Tribune had a really interesting story and photographic piece on Mumbai's street entrepreneurs that brought this to mind:

http://www.iht.com/slideshows/2006/02/19/asia/web.0219city.php

More often in the areas we were driven through, there was just begging, with young children knocking on the windows and staring in at us boldly. A couple used rocks or coins to slightly scratch the windows of the car and to peck away at the clear barrier between us, glass and cultural that it was. It was hard not to open the windows, but it was harder to open them. I had a real sense that the windows held out a tidal wave of people and that once opened, our car would be flooded.

Was this a real threat? It is hard to know. Our drivers warned us against opening the windows and reinforced a fear that I already had. I don't know that I've ever felt more privledged (and disgusted with that privledge) than I did as we traveled through India. Am I pleased with how I responded? Yes and no. I am glad that we went. I am glad that we saw. I am glad that we've learned. I realize and must continue to remind myself that self-preservation is usually a good instinct and that I am not directly responsible for the things that I saw on the street's of Mumbai. Do I continue to battle with the memories? Yes.

A Trekie in Hong Kong

At about 11:30 today, I sat down in front of the Hong Kong public library for a moment of sunshine and nibbling before entering the strict no-food confines of the public building. About halfway through my Pret-a-Manger sandwich, someone actually came and sat down across from me with the intent of talking! HK is such a business environment most of the time, this bold move of human exchange took me by surprise.


The HK Public Library

Peter is a HK native that studied for a while in Boston, although he said he played too much chess and ended up dropping out. I think I appeared to be a good opportunity for him to practice his English. Now, Peter is unemployed and waiting to start a technical school in April where he will study computer graphic design. As a 35+ person who has been out of the school environment for several years, he seemed fairly nervous about the year of study that awaited him but was anxious for further employment. Unemployment is something that you don't see often in HK. Although the rates are not much better than the US, homelessness and other visual signs of unemployment are much less apparent. This comes likely because the government provides fairly good assistance for many and homes for seemingly all. To meet and talk with Peter came only about 20 minutes after I saw my first "bag lady" in HK. With an American sized shopping cart, she was sitting in Victoria Park enjoying some sun.

Peter and I seemed to share many interests, but math, chess, and Star Trek were the ones that seemed to resonate with him. For me, math and chess are intricately linked as I learned to play and was most practiced in chess while in Math Club in high school. Eric forever laughs at me being Math Club President, but hey, it was fun. Growing up, I was also a large Star Trek: the Next Generation fan, watching weekly with my dad for years. Chess and Star Trek have long since left my daily routine, but who knows what the future may bring. Peter invited me to join a chess tournament that happens every Thursday at 6:30pm in Wan Chai. This qualifier for HK's official chess championship may be a possible stepping point to a renewed interest.

Rock Star - Dashan

Apparently, being white and living in urban but not Beijing or Shanghai, China makes one a bit famous. Children rush to you on the street to say hi. Managers and officials introduce themselves. Your anonymity is gone.

This has been the experience of a friend of mine, Lucas, who recently moved from St. Louis to Liaoyang, China. A city with more than 10 million people, Liaoyang is larger than HK, but Lucas finds himself one of two white people living there, at least that he has seen. Working at a small university/vo-tech, is certainly having an interesting experience and one very different from our HK adventure.

Apparently, the most famous westerner in China is a man name Dashan. As a student in China during the 1989 Tiananmen Square Massacre, Dashan stayed unlike most westerners. This apparently cause Dashan to be catapulted into high regard by the Chinese government and now Dashan has made a career of being Dashan, China's white man. More information on his website:

http://www.dashan.com/

Lucas' students think he looks like Dashan, and he receives a smaller but similar rock star public reception. So, here I am with Liaoyang's Dashan. Lucas stopped over for the day in HK this weekend as he wraps up an 8-week vacation from school and heads back to Beijing and then home.

Take Care of Yourself so You Can Take Care of Those You Love

I've been going to yoga this week and loving it. It is such an amazing feeling. Sometimes I enjoy the tidbits of commentary and insight on life, like the title for this entry, but other times they make me want to scream. I decided to share this little bit of advice because it really resonnated with me when my yoga instructor said it. It's something I don't think I really realized until this last year, and everyday I realize more and more what a better friend and love one I am to those I care about when I take care of myself.

3 Pieces of Randomness

First, Hong Kong must have more delivery carts per capita than any other place in the world. I walked to the gym (about 3 blocks) and saw ten carts loaded with stuff. Each cart is about 2' by 4', metal, and built to fold flat. Very smart. Reminds me of another cool delivery invention I saw two days ago at the store. It was a Park 'n Shop (ironic that it's the biggest HK chain but no one drives) that was in the basement of a main street. At about 9pm, the delivery truck had arrive and the staff set up a massive chute to send packages flying down and thus to save their backs, though I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of a 12 pack of coke on one of those things.



Second, I just made "silver" in the Marco Polo Club, Cathay Pacific's (HK airline we fly most) frequent flyer program. No longer "green", I will now get to go into the fancy dancy lounge that Eric raves about. It's a whole secret world of business travelers and the luxuries they use to stay sane on the road. I will report.

Lastly, I wanted to bring up sailors. From what that paper said another US ship is docking here for the weekend. These are big events in HK that happens a couple of times per year. Many US families that are involved in the formal expatriate community host sailors for dinner. What is more interesting to me though is how all of my friends with daughters talk of these docking sailors as all their parental concerns incarnate. You'd think they left the ship like a band of roving plunderers and that their daughters were powerless against them.

My Chinese Valentine?

It was a surreal Valentine's Day here in HK. Chinese Valentine's Day was the 13th and so we expected little hoopla on the 14th but were met with streets that were filled with flowers. We kept it low-key and enjoyed an evening at home.

Today though, our maid, Hua, put me on the path to meeting my Chinese valentine. We have a hard enough time talking about the shopping or cleaning, let alone things related to life partners. Eric and I were sure she understood we are gay, in a committed relationship, and well, I guess that is about it.

Here is a snip-it of my IM session with Eric describing the situation. A couple of comments are added in --.

Eric says:
what did she say exactly?
E.J. says:
I feel tramatized by the afternoon
E.J. says:
Well
E.J. says:
First off
E.J. says:
She got stuck in here yesterday
E.J. says:
Wednesday
E.J. says:
and the once a month the elevator shuts down
Eric says:
what does that mean, 'stuck'?
E.J. says:
No sign was posted -elevator maintenance can sometimes cause surprise-
Eric says:
ohhhh
E.J. says:
Yeah
E.J. says:
Freaked her out
E.J. says:
she had to have her friend explain to me on the phone
E.J. says:
she was so upset
Eric says:
ohhh no
E.J. says:
I showed her how to get out the back
E.J. says:
Lots of hand shaking
E.J. says:
In any case
Eric says:
oh god
E.J. says:
after 20minutes of that I get to work
Eric says:
I'd be tramatized too i think
E.J. says:
and she starts cleaning
E.J. says:
Then she grabs the trash from my office
E.J. says:
including Heidy's chocolate box -great little dark chocolate present from our friend and Eric's coworker Heidy-
E.J. says:
She grabs and points to the heart
E.J. says:
And after much thinking
E.J. says:
Says that she has a friend in Shenzen
E.J. says:
I am just like, great, she has a friend
E.J. says:
But there was obviously something else
E.J. says:
She says something about girlfriend and me?
E.J. says:
Who knows what is being communicated at this point!
E.J. says:
I just tried to get back to work
E.J. says:
but she kept going
E.J. says:
Boss...told her friend her boss really tall
E.J. says:
I think she may have said something about meeting but I am not sure
E.J. says:
And then she whips out her phone
E.J. says:
Picture of friend
E.J. says:
Picture it...
E.J. says:
Confident woman sitting with legs crossed, hair back, and cigarette hanging from her mouth!
E.J. says:
What was I supposed to say?!
E.J. says:
I said it was great she had a friend
E.J. says:
and put my headphones on
E.J. says:
AH!!!
Eric says:
Heidy doesn't understand how she coudln't know that we are a couple.
E.J. says:
I know!
Eric says:
I told her people thought we were brothers
E.J. says:
It is insane!
E.J. says:
It is a funny story but I don't want to offend.
E.J. says:
Maybe you and I can have a double date with your reporter friend and Hua's friend Maybe they are meant for each other.
Eric says:
LOLOLO
Eric says:
maybe the reporter friend IS her friend
Eric says:
even weirder!
E.J. says:
Well
Eric says:
very funny
E.J. says:
It is a funny story
Eric says:
yes...very
Eric says:
but I still want to know why I'm not good enough -There is a whole subplot here with Eric wanting to know why he didn't get set up by our maid. I've edited out most of that for simplicity but leave a bit here.-
Eric says:
maybe because you're taller.
E.J. says:
You need to look scruffy to match her friend -I am two days unshaven and wearing a t-shirt. Eric made fun of me at lunch.-
E.J. says:
Believe me
E.J. says:
If you saw the picture it was no complement
E.J. says:
I think you orchestrated it all to give me incentive to shave and look nice
E.J. says:
I don't mean to be rude
Eric says:
haha
Eric says:
ohh nooo
E.J. says:
the cigarette
E.J. says:
it haunts me
Eric says:
hahahaha
Eric says:
So, did you end with her understanding that you dind't want to be set up??
Eric says:
or is there a date planned that you don't know about
E.J. says:
Who knows?! We'll see if she brings it back up or I just have to avoid the aptartment everytime that she comes.

Another Comic Disaster?

The recent protests over the Danish comic depictions of Muhammad has been quite interesting and surreal to watch unfold. It still seems as if I am reading the Onion every time I open the paper to headlines like, "Virgin Sacrificed to Protest Danish Newspaper Etiquette." Add to that headlines about VP Cheney's shooting practices and it for sure is the Onion, or not...

But I did have a point or a story here from a friend, Terri, that I heard tonight and wanted to share. She and her husband just got back from a week in Istanbul and along with the great castle they stayed in, friends they saw, and rugs and towels they brought back, Terri and her husband were one ring away from potential political disaster. As curious people they were fascinated by the call to prayer that occurred several times a day in Turkey. Apparently it is an impressive chanting...rhythmic in many ways...so much so that Terri recorded it for her ring tone for her cell phone. Luckily, they thought better of actually using this little melody or releasing the tone online.

Saguaro

This week is my week of travel in the U.S. for work. It started in Tucson, where the following picture is from, and continues today in Champaign, Illinois.



The desert southwest struck me more than I was expecting. Combining the mild weather with the striking mountain-lined horizons creates a relaxing environment. I was surprised to find Tucson a much more laid-back college town that would be expected. The cactus that shares the stage with me here is a saguaro and is likely over a hundred years old.

"Eric and E.J.-"

"My intention was to write something deep this year, tying together the book I am reading about the Revolutionary War, my mother’s obsession with genealogy, the importance of preserving the written word, and making a New Year’s resolution to contact your legislator about something important to you in 2006. Alas, time has won the race this Christmas. If this should find you before December 25, Merry Christmas. If not, Happy New Year!"

I wanted to post the message from a card we got this year from a college friend of mine, Regina. It captured more clearly my feeling about the holiday season than I even knew was possible. Some great intentions have been fulfilled, many have not, and so 2006 begins.