BBC Plays the Nutcracker - Is it that time of year already?

i listen to BBC radio three at work.  it plays great classical music and from time to time updates me on all the worlds current events.  i love it and it drowns out the otherwise aggressive yelling of cantonese.

as i sat and tapped away on an email, i heard the immediately familiar sound of the...wait for it...wait...waaaaait...the nutcracker.

for those of you who know me, know i did several seasons with a semi-pro (i use that term loosely) ballet company which performed the nutcracker annually.  the sound of nutcracker music used to strike the fear of God, or scottie, as we called him, into me.  he was one of the two artistic directors and was fantastic.  he was a real classic ballet person.  scarily anorexic and lived off of cigarettes and dunkin' donuts coffee.  he could dance the $hit out of anything though.  and although very slim, could lift any wannabe ballerina above his head and onto his shoulder for a classic 'shoulder sit' move.  scottie was slightly insane and would blow smoke in our faces telling us 'faster' and 'turn that foot out - that is ugly!'.  he would blatantly flirt with guest performers all whist wearing a Province Town pink crop top, which he clearly cropped himself.  (side note:  those of you unfamiliar with P-Town - it is the tip of massachusetts where gay men frequent in the summer time).  at that age, we didnt know about sexuality and it didnt matter - still doesnt - scottie was magical to us.

when i used to hear nutcracker music, i would immediately slip into some sort of catatonic state and memory smells of cigs, very sweet heavily creamed coffee and cheap cologne would waft over me but now, it brings back fond memories of my days travelling around new england dancing as a mouse or boy or doll or a flower.

Hoping Everyone is OK in the Philippines

the philippines gets smashed by a huge typhoon (largest recorded in history - see image below) - i hope all is ok with the people there!

He Ate His Brother

this is just plain crazy.

a two year old boy was found in china having had his twin inside his belly.  i bet he ate him in utero...!

here is the link.

Instagram

slightly obsessed with instagram. so what are the rules with making posts? do you post EVERYTHING? or do you have an instagram 'strategy'. here is mine - wonder what it says about me?


 

What Does It All Mean?

after i let the haggis know i didnt think i could be an army wife, we [slightly] joked that the reason why he got injured at sandhurst and didnt go into the british army was because we were fated to meet.

recently, i also found out, what at the time i would classify as a friendly acquaintance who was a old work colleague, did something monstrously horrible to me a few years ago, recently recovered from stomach cancer.

for one, i believe in karma.  that is what attracts me to buddhism.  in a list, and who doesnt love a good list, buddhism can be summed up:
(1) to lead a moral life,
(2) to be mindful and aware of thoughts and actions, and
(3) to develop wisdom and understanding.

buddhism doesnt pass judgement on the thoughts and actions you have but basically believes you plant 'seeds' which come to fruition in this life or the next.

i am not perfect, far from it.  ive 'sinned' (using a catholic term) or been 'bad' or 'unskillful' (referencing the less judgemental buddhist terms) and feel ive paid for it.  hopefully i havent done anything so egregious that it comes back to haunt me for rebirth after rebirth after rebirth though!

and it isnt that i wish harm on anyone but instances like these do make me think.  this old colleague - i treated very well.  she was new to hong kong from the us office and i ensured she was included socially and tried to help her adjust to hong kong as much as i could.  over time, i realised she would not be a close friend but i kept things friendly as we worked together.  as time went on, i found out she had what appeared to be a drinking problem (which you have to stand out quite a bit in hong kong as an uber-lush to be classified as having a drinking problem) and did other things that made me wonder how unhappy she was or how low her self-esteem must be.  and later, when i found out what she did to me, my friend said to me, "you have to really hate yourself to do something like that" - referencing how low she actually stooped.

now, years later - i find out she's suffered stomach cancer, she is obese, depressive, lonely and a general sad sack - i do wonder.  i do not think what she did to me has led her to where she is today but i do think, being privy to a bit of her life and some of the choices she made while i knew her, karma can be a huge b*tch.

and that is what i like about buddhism.  make your choices in your life but deal with the outcomes - positive and negative - of your actions.  i plant 'seeds' which i hope will only grow and flourish but occasionally a bad one sneaks in ;)

For the Longest Time

in the great words of billy joel.

it has been some time since i wrote anything but i am sadly not up to too much.  i work, i paddle (a lot) and do regular things like go out to dinner and meet up with people.

today, we had a time trial for outrigger.  i did fine especially considering ive injured my neck/shoulder and havent been practising as much as of late.  the rain was coming down and the monsoon warning was lifted so it was less than ideal conditions.  and 6 and a half hours later, i finally arrived home soaked through to the bone.

tonight is the yacht club pool party but i just cannot be bothered.  ive downloaded the second season of 'call the midwife' which is on bbc about midwives in england in the early 50's.  plus, the haggis has left for the uk for his mothers birthday and i am quite looking forward to an evening on my own.  i do miss him but its the first night so keen to do some 'me time'.

ive realised, with the haggis (who ive decided, at times, is much like rupercht from dirty rotten scoundrels' - see the video below if you're unfamiliar) off to the uk, that i dont have many friends.  a really nice woman from the firm in new york has moved over.  we get on quite well and she said to me, "people think because i am friendly that i have lots of friends, when the truth is, i dont."  i am similar as i have friends from different pockets of my life.  i dont have a clique, per se, never have and dont really want one.  i value and appreciate the differences in people and get along with random folks from areas in my life.

i am long beyond the days where i feel bad about myself because i stay in on a saturday night but i do wonder if ive become too couple-ised?  ive never wanted to become that girl whose life revolves around a boyfriend.  i can justify things and say ive never been able to trust and completely put myself into another person until now.  and when that happens, those are your priorities.  but the other part of me knows and feels that girlfriends are important.  i have them, but they are quality, not quantity and at times they are half way across the world.

so, i guess until i have some answers, i am happy with who i am and what relationships i have - which is the best way to be!

Hong Kong's Spoiled Brats

interesting how what can just be observed, needs a study to be certifiable.  well, the study is here as posted in the SCMP - link.

the article focuses on academics but ive felt this sentiment overall since ive got here.  there are a lot of brats, on both the expat and the hk chinese side, and a 'big fish in a small pond' mentality.  people are spoiled and soft here.  now dont get me wrong, nobody wants kids facing knife fights in the streets but there is a general lack of knowledge of what life is like outside the hong kong bubble, what hard work is, that things are not just given to you because you are the only child in a family full of aunties and grandparents or that youre actually not that hot.

people have an over-inflated sense of who they are and therefore, what they think they deserve - being the operative word - not what they earned.

and its not like new york.  there are a handful of arrogant jerks regardless of the country but when you come to a city as tough as new york - where if you can make it here, you can make it anywhere - and you do "make" it (however you wish to define it) then at least you know what struggle is and you know what it takes to work hard.

these hk spoiled brats dont understand that.  i see it everyday with the young associates.  they think that sitting at their desk and chatting on facebook equals work because youre physically there.  they seem to believe the more they moan about "oh so busy, so busy - aiya" that means hard work.

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in other hong kong news, the rubber duckie is in town.  he's very big and very cute.  hope the pollution from the harbour doesnt hurt him!!!

A Smoggy Mess

hong kong has been disgusting lately - more than normal disgusting.  the pollution has been unbearable.  a blanket of smog every morning, headaches all day and trouble breathing while walking the slightest incline.

one day the air pollution hit over 200.

i went paddling over the weekend through an oily smoggy mess.  after hanging up my clothes i realised they had to be washed immediately as they smelled of gas.

heaven help me!!

here are some good articles on the the little* pollution issue we are having here in china:
Bloomberg (china)
Bloomberg (hong kong)
The FT
SCMP
Reuters

India...Finally!

off to india we went for easter holiday!  i have finally looked at the 1200 photos we took and edited most of them, discarded some of them, but probably need to go through another cull.  there is a sample below of our trip which started in delhi with holi, moved to agra and the taj, a lovely night in a tiny village in kalakho, over to jaipur, onto cochin and ended up in the backwaters.  it was a busy 12 days but worth the time, money and effort.  our trip organiser, far horizons, was fantastic.

it is difficult to compete with the taj, something ive always wanted to see, so that was my clear favourite.  otherwise, the rest of the architecture was phenomenal, the food delicious and the houseboat on the backwaters - divinely relaxing and peaceful - a perfect way to end our trip.

here are a few photos - not many, but will upload some more when i have a moment (been busy getting back into regular life).

Taj Mahal

Block Printing

Our lovely houseboat - post accident...

The Haggis outside the houseboat

Hand Carving

Fishnets

Holi

Kathakali - Traditional Storytelling

Beautiful Kerala Sunset

Paddle Filled Weekend

ive been doing outrigger for a while now - since may of last year.  i love it.  it is a great outlet for me as i dont do gyms and the ballet classes are so few and far between (and generally lower quality other than anna, who rules) here.  so, i paddle about 4 times a week and then do dragon boat 3 times a week on top of that.  i spend a good amount of time wet.  and my back is becoming so big, ive had to let out a couple of dresses...which is the bad part about paddling.

but i look at it like this, hong kong is surrounded by water and you have to take advantage of that.  on top of it there is only so much one person can drink.  plus, i can be in a cab and on the water in half an hour - cant do that in new york or london.

also, i just joined the royal hong kong yacht club and it is such a nice change to spend the afternoon in the sun bbq'ing versus being in our small flats or out in town sweatin' it out.  the yacht club is fabulous.  it is fairly difficult to get into but offers wonderful benefits including a long list of reciprocal clubs worldwide.  i would like to take a sailing and rowing course so will look into those when i am not paddling as much.

anyway, this weekend i had two races and a dragon boat practice so needless to say, i was knackered and in bed around 945 last night.

here are some pictures of what i do with a good part of my waking days.

on an OC1 (outrigger canoe)

second from the right in an OC6

Contradiction

it kills me that hk chinese people have NO issue with running into you, sitting on top of you when in a seat next to you, pushing you in the lift or on the subway yet the minute it serves a purpose, they go mental, like youve just slashed their face.

ive seen it before when the haggis' mum came to visit christmas of 2011.  we were at a show and some woman was recording the entire show through her massive phone/mini tablet device.  mrs. haggis asked her to lower it as we had to watch the show through her device versus the actual show.  this woman went CRAZY because mrs. haggis touched her arm.  the chinese lady started shouting, "dont touch me.  dont touch me!  i am calling the attendant.  ATTENDANT."  it was quite a scene which ended only when haggis and my younger brother stepped in.

which brings us to today.  i went to buy a sandwich for lunch and this young guy and i were waiting for the cashier.  this woman comes barging in with her items and literally stands in front of me (like she didnt see me).  i said, "excuse me".  nothing.  she walks up to the cashier that just opened and i put my hand on her upper arm.  i told her we were waiting and she just cut us both.  she starts ranting, "you should have said something.  how dare you touch me.  youre rude!!!!!"  i told her, "i said excuse me, you didnt hear me."  she keeps on ranting and raving the same line of how dare i invade her personal space blah blah blah bitch bitch moan whinge whine blah blah.  i ignored her for a time but finally got sick of it and turned to her to say, "chill out.  youre being ridiculous.  get over it" and walked away in the middle of her still going on.

i got satisfaction out of telling her off.  i see so much bad behaviour and have made it a point to call it because i normally am so shocked, i dont say anything.  in turn that just makes me frustrated with hong kong and its inhabitants.  and yes, in all honesty, it was one of my new years resolutions.

however, it dawned on me that, generally, these oh-so-mannerly chinese will sit on your thigh on the bus despite all the open seats - they will choose the one next to you and talk soooo loudly on the phone cackling in your ear.  or they will shove on top of you to get into the lift/cab/subway despite the fact that youre not yet out.  and they will push you in a queue like cattle.  none of this is productive, i find.  yet, when it serves a purpose to invade ones space, they act like youve committed such a crime worthy of arrest.  the contradiction is beyond me.

Oh, How She Moves Me

back from korea - great trip for lunar new year but will write about that when my photos are ready to go.  in the meantime, please listen to this:



at minute 16, it is an explosion that makes me want to dance and smile and cry from its sheer power and beauty.  enjoy the love of music on this valentines day.

Year of the Snake

soon it will be lunar new year.  in aisa, koreans, chinese, singaporean and malays celebrate lunar new year.  it is the year of the snake.  unsure what that means other than we get time off work.  and what are we doing with time off work?  we are going to korea!  headed to seoul and pusan, the weather is frighteningly cold at -10 degrees celsius which is like 14 degrees fahrenheit.  planning on packing up the ski gear just to walk around the cities!

we are going to go skiing but i was told not to due to the holiday.  the mountains in korea can be by membership - meaning those who have membership get to skip the queue - and it is a bit of a nightmare.

so, instead we are going to be city tourists and check out shops, restaurants and some sights.

anyway, off on friday and very much so looking forward to a little break.  until then, this "earth goat" says "kung hei fat choi"!!!!

Japandroids

i went to go see japandroids the other night with my music loving friend, tom.  we went to this basement restaurant in central (which is so much more convenient that asiaexpo all the way past the airport - where most concerts are held).  the tickets were fairly priced and included a free drink.  i went to go meet tom and saw a bunch of hipsters sitting outside drinking and smoking.  i thought, this is cool - very non-hong kong.  we waited a minute or two at the door and went in to find a crowd that was older than what we both expected.  we nestled into a prime location and waited to see how it would all unfold.

they had an opening band, revolver, from paris who were pretty good.  it was their last show - a 3 piece band including a cellist (that made me happy).   very chilled out music to have dinner or could easily be in a soundtrack - as tom said, "scene shot from behind of some old cowboy kicking a bottle on the side of the dusty road."

then japandroids came on.  the lead (can he lead one other bandmate?) came on to check his guitar and i havent seen a white dude in skinny jeans quite like that since i left the east village.  he had knobbly little knees and looked about 25.  the drummer was kinda shaggy in appearance and resembles the cop from 'bridesmaids' (i kindly googled his for you as i cant handle not knowing actors names:  chris o'dowd).  they started with a full on number right off the bat.  i like them.  the drummer was fierce.  i love them.

it was a very good show despite the lame acoustics in said basement restaurant.  some non-band highlights included:

• #1 (chinese) fan:  was screaming mental from the beginning; at one point, a speaker fell and he wasted no time hopping up on stage to try to help.  sadly, he was quickly told to get down by the roadies.
• #1 (white dude) fan:  was a big lad with a broken wrist.  he waited no time taking his shirt off and screaming in competition with the other #1 fan.  at one point, he had a beer bottle in his broken hand but the cast didnt allow for flexibility and he dumped part of his beer on himself.
• the mosh pit:  it started off pretty small (like 8 people, no joke) but by the end at least 20.  they were trying to body surf and it was oh so sad; dropping people on their heads repeatedly...hong kong, you do try.
• bandmates girlfriend:  she was clearly jetlagged as she stood off to the side with her arms crossed looking exhausted and fully asleep at times.  i took a picture but it was pretty blurry.

anyway, tom and i had a blast.  i felt like i was almost in a cool city again (please stress the "almost") with  a great band, people who just want to have fun and enjoy the havoc.  i wish japandroids the best and am now a lifelong fan.

Back to Normal Update

it has been some time since my last update.  it feels like nothing has happened and so much has happened.  we have finally got back to normalcy post the haggis' mum's visit.  having guests is great but always turns things on their head a bit.

we took her to saigon as her christmas gift for a long weekend.  i love saigon.  i think it is a very cool place and i noticed so much development since the last time i was there about three years ago.  if i were to move to another city in asia, it would saigon.  we enrolled in a cooking class, as well, which was lots of fun.  we made spring rolls, a banana leaf salad and pho.  very fun thanks to saigon cooking class.  we started out meeting our teacher at the market and then going back to the restaurant to cook all of the ingredients we bought that morning.  we were told the market is set up specifically for tourists as there were some crazy things (i.e. brains).

brains and stuff

the haggis' rolls were perfectly formed

frying my rolls

delish banana leaf salad

pho (pronounced "faux")

 and of course, we did the tunnels:

the haggis couldnt wait to get out of the tiny tunnel

and here are some miscellaneous pictures from christmas and new year:

christmas lunch using my panorama function - very cool

classy self photo...

sadly i dont have any of the wee haggis in his kilt but am working on it :)

2013 Came in with a Bang...Literally

it was a warm and sunny hong kong on the 31st december; a mother and son walked the streets looking for a last minute holiday nibbles.  wandering into marks and spencers, one push started 2013 off with a bang...literally.  blood poured from the mothers face and the son scrambled paniced at what to do.  luckily, some ambulence drivers were around the corner at a fund raiser and off they raced to the nearest hospital.  3 cuts, 2 bumps and 4 stitches later we welcomed 2013.

the poor haggis' mum took a nasty fall on her trip out here and it has since been our focus.  she is doing fine - barring massive bruising all around both eyes and feeling a bit senstive.  but the real question is, who pushes old women?  honestly, only in hong kong, only the chinese would push an old lady.  i am accustomed to it and believe you me, i push back - harder.  but she wasnt ready for it and at an older age, lost her footing and down she went landing flat on her face.

anyway, she has been a trooper and we are all off tomorrow morning for saigon.  it was her christmas gift from us.

welcome 2013 - may it be a year that opens with a bang but goes smoothly along from here on out!