I'm sure many of you know that Australia isn't as sensitive to 'politically correct' statements as America. The Prime Minister, John Howard, is particularly conservative. He is now the longest running PM in Australia. He recently released a statement that Australians find the traditional garb of Muslim woman "confronting". But admitted he had no say over how people should dress.
Since I'm on the topic of Muslim women... A friend of mine told me about a clip from the movie Submission. It's worth a watch. This is the movie the film maker Theo van Gogh was assassinated over a couple years ago.
I tried to download the entire finished portion of the film but the only copy I could find had no sound and only German subtitles.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Thunderbolt and lightening...
So I was out walking around yesterday in 90+ degree weather, this is pretty normal for an Australian summer so I didn't think much of it. I stopped at a cafe with a friend of mine to grab some lunch. As we were eating, storm clouds rushed in over the city and it started hailing. I was pretty impressed by this because I didn't think little ice balls could come out of heat. Anyway, that passed after a little bit and then the thunder and lightening started up and the rain started pouring down. The streets were flooded. I'd never seen anything like it before. Even when I was in the typhoon in Shanghai. It came out of nowhere. The water was a couple feet deep.
Anyway, it would stop for a couple minutes and then start up again. My friend and I tried to escape during this low. As we were trying to cross the street I attempted to jump across a puddle. I lost my flip-flop and it started floating down the street. So I had to run after it. I then lost my other flip-flop and had to run after that one. Cars were honking at me and everything. It was great. Anyway, after wading through the street for a minute or two I was totally soaked. It was pretty impressive.
Apparently this isn't an unusual occurrence. Supposedly floods like this happen all the time. I just tried to find a picture of yesterday and they're already all down. Passe news. I'm already too late.
Anyway, it would stop for a couple minutes and then start up again. My friend and I tried to escape during this low. As we were trying to cross the street I attempted to jump across a puddle. I lost my flip-flop and it started floating down the street. So I had to run after it. I then lost my other flip-flop and had to run after that one. Cars were honking at me and everything. It was great. Anyway, after wading through the street for a minute or two I was totally soaked. It was pretty impressive.
Apparently this isn't an unusual occurrence. Supposedly floods like this happen all the time. I just tried to find a picture of yesterday and they're already all down. Passe news. I'm already too late.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
no more monkeys...
I've come up with a sad reason to be out of China - other than the fact that everything is more expensive. I don't have as much to write about anymore.
I saw a BBC article on a Tiananmen Square activist and wanted to blog it but decided that I need a new theme.
Sure I still email close friends stories of Chinese kids jumping off their beds and falling out of windows but I feel like I shouldn't dwell on these things now that I'm no longer there.
So I need a new theme that incorporates casual references to my China hobby. Being an American abroad usually has some funny stories.
For example, today I received a phone call from my roommate. He and his coworkers were in a heated debate as to whether or not Hillary Clinton had a female lover. I was designated the "expert" assigned to answer the question since I'm American. I could of told them anything. I said I thought it was only suggested because she was a female politician that went to a pretty lesbian school, but there was no proof.
See, I can still be stereotypical.
So anyway, I'll work on a theme.
I saw a BBC article on a Tiananmen Square activist and wanted to blog it but decided that I need a new theme.
Sure I still email close friends stories of Chinese kids jumping off their beds and falling out of windows but I feel like I shouldn't dwell on these things now that I'm no longer there.
So I need a new theme that incorporates casual references to my China hobby. Being an American abroad usually has some funny stories.
For example, today I received a phone call from my roommate. He and his coworkers were in a heated debate as to whether or not Hillary Clinton had a female lover. I was designated the "expert" assigned to answer the question since I'm American. I could of told them anything. I said I thought it was only suggested because she was a female politician that went to a pretty lesbian school, but there was no proof.
See, I can still be stereotypical.
So anyway, I'll work on a theme.
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
to my child...
For some reason, I still actually get emails like this:
>
>
>
>BE SURE AND READ THE VERY LAST PART !
>
>Please read and forward to as many people as you can. You'll
>understand after reading this.
>
>To My Child (don't delete ~ its being tracked)
>
>Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I see your face
>and laugh when I feel like crying.
>Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to
>wear, and smile and say how perfect it is.
>Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and
>pick you up and take you to the park to play.
>Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and
>let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
>Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the
>computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles..
>Just for
>this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny
>grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will
>buy you one if he comes by.
>Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to
>be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where
>you are concerned.
>Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and
>I won't stand over you trying to fix them.
>Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us
>both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys..!
>Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a
>story about how you were born and how much I love you.
>Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not
>get angry.
>Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on
>the porch and count all the stars.
>Just for this evening, I
>will snuggle beside you for hours, and
>miss my favorite TV shows.
>Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as
>you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest
>gift ever given.
>I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for
>their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their
>children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who
>are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and
>screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.
>And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a
>little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him
>for nothing, except one more day..............
>
>Hi. I am a 29 year old father. Me and my wife have had a wonderful
>life together. God blessed us with a child too. Our
>daughter's name is
>Rachel, and she is 10 years old. Not long ago did the doctors detect
>brain cancer in her little body. There is only one way to save her and
>that is an operation. Sadly we don't have the money for the operation.
>AOL and Zdnet have agreed to help us. The only way they can help is
>this:
>If you send this email to other people, AOL will track this email
>and count how many people get it. Every person that opens this email and
>sends it to at least 3 people will give us 32c. Please help us. George
>Arlington
>
>-Pray for a Cure
>
>
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>----=
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>BE SURE AND READ THE VERY LAST PART !
>
>Please read and forward to as many people as you can. You'll
>understand after reading this.
>
>To My Child (don't delete ~ its being tracked)
>
>Just for this morning, I am going to smile when I see your face
>and laugh when I feel like crying.
>Just for this morning, I will let you choose what you want to
>wear, and smile and say how perfect it is.
>Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and
>pick you up and take you to the park to play.
>Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and
>let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.
>Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the
>computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles..
>Just for
>this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny
>grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck, and I will
>buy you one if he comes by.
>Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to
>be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where
>you are concerned.
>Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and
>I won't stand over you trying to fix them.
>Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us
>both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys..!
>Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a
>story about how you were born and how much I love you.
>Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not
>get angry.
>Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on
>the porch and count all the stars.
>Just for this evening, I
>will snuggle beside you for hours, and
>miss my favorite TV shows.
>Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as
>you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest
>gift ever given.
>I will think about the mothers and fathers who are searching for
>their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their
>children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who
>are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and
>screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.
>And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a
>little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask him
>for nothing, except one more day..............
>
>Hi. I am a 29 year old father. Me and my wife have had a wonderful
>life together. God blessed us with a child too. Our
>daughter's name is
>Rachel, and she is 10 years old. Not long ago did the doctors detect
>brain cancer in her little body. There is only one way to save her and
>that is an operation. Sadly we don't have the money for the operation.
>AOL and Zdnet have agreed to help us. The only way they can help is
>this:
>If you send this email to other people, AOL will track this email
>and count how many people get it. Every person that opens this email and
>sends it to at least 3 people will give us 32c. Please help us. George
>Arlington
>
>-Pray for a Cure
>
>
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>----=
>
>
>
>
Monday, February 20, 2006
milk bar
I was walking around downtown the other day when I was nearly hit in the head with metal bar. I looked around and realized I was in Chinatown. I quickly left the neighborhood. If only I had that option all of last year.
I had a bit of a big weekend. There was falling and glass and I was escorted out of a club.
When I first arrived in Melbourne I was excited to learn that there were Milk Bars everywhere. At first I thought it was just general enthusiasm for Stanley Kubrick's Clockwork Orange, but it's just what they call their convenience shops. I get a lot of cravings for milk.
I don't really have anything amazingly interesting to report. Life moves slower here than in China. This is good for me, but bad for this blog. I'll come up with something.
I think I forgot to report this, but when I was in Singapore I actually saw some people get their papers checked. I've never seen someone have their papers checked before. I wanted to take a picture, but then I thought I'd probably get my papers checked and I really didn't want to stay in Singapore for an extended period of time.
Singapore's not too bad. Very clean. You know the yellow line at train stations that you're not supposed to cross but everyone ignores? Well, not in Singapore. They actually fine you $500 for crossing the yellow line. Very orderly.
I had a bit of a big weekend. There was falling and glass and I was escorted out of a club.
When I first arrived in Melbourne I was excited to learn that there were Milk Bars everywhere. At first I thought it was just general enthusiasm for Stanley Kubrick's Clockwork Orange, but it's just what they call their convenience shops. I get a lot of cravings for milk.
I don't really have anything amazingly interesting to report. Life moves slower here than in China. This is good for me, but bad for this blog. I'll come up with something.
I think I forgot to report this, but when I was in Singapore I actually saw some people get their papers checked. I've never seen someone have their papers checked before. I wanted to take a picture, but then I thought I'd probably get my papers checked and I really didn't want to stay in Singapore for an extended period of time.
Singapore's not too bad. Very clean. You know the yellow line at train stations that you're not supposed to cross but everyone ignores? Well, not in Singapore. They actually fine you $500 for crossing the yellow line. Very orderly.
Thursday, February 16, 2006
burned
I'm sunburned in all the wrong places. I knew it was happening and I did nothing to stop it.
Which leads me to what I've been up to for the past couple days - laying on the beach. The weather has been really nice here and all I have is time. I start classes in a little over a week.
I did register for classes though. That was pretty odd. I'm a student again. It's a bit surreal actually. I didn't think it would be that strange. I got a whole bag full of goodies. It's weird.
Let's see... what else. This isn't China. I can't just rag on the local populace (I will eventually), I have to come up with something good.
The Melbourne film festival is on right now. I went and saw the Boys of Baraka. It's about this boarding school in Kenya where they send inner-city kids from Baltimore. It was ok. I think I was the only person in the theater that understood what was going on. They had to add subtitles for some of the American accents.
Anyway, I need to go apply aloe.
Which leads me to what I've been up to for the past couple days - laying on the beach. The weather has been really nice here and all I have is time. I start classes in a little over a week.
I did register for classes though. That was pretty odd. I'm a student again. It's a bit surreal actually. I didn't think it would be that strange. I got a whole bag full of goodies. It's weird.
Let's see... what else. This isn't China. I can't just rag on the local populace (I will eventually), I have to come up with something good.
The Melbourne film festival is on right now. I went and saw the Boys of Baraka. It's about this boarding school in Kenya where they send inner-city kids from Baltimore. It was ok. I think I was the only person in the theater that understood what was going on. They had to add subtitles for some of the American accents.
Anyway, I need to go apply aloe.
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Melbourne
Well, I'm back.
I believe the last time I really wrote I was excited to leave China. I got out.
I'm sure nobody is reading this blog any more, but I'll try to keep writing.
Anyway, I'm in Melbourne now. After I left China I had a couple of days in San Francisco, then went to New York for about 5 days, came home to SLC for xmas, went to LA to bring in the New Year, sat around SLC for another couple weeks waiting on my visa, went back to SF for a day, on to Singapore for another day, was in Darwin for a couple days, and now I'm in Melbourne.
Since I've been here I've spent most of my time trying to find a place to live. I have one now. And after too many trips to IKEA I'm in a mostly furnished room. My room stinks like sand-colored IKEA cheap wood.
As someone pointed out - I'm on my way to a Fight Club reality.
This brings me to a conversation I had whilst in the US of A. I do enjoy going back to America for a bit. It's mostly a blur of random conversations, a bit of a waking life.
Anyway, I was at brunch with a good friend of mine and she was telling me how one of her friends ran into a mutual acquaintance at an AA meeting (this is in SLC, 1/3 of the people under 25 are in AA.) The odd thing about running into this acquaintance at the AA meeting was that the person actually never drank. She was just there because she was 're-establishing' her spiritual role in life.
Now, for anyone who's seen Fight Club, you'll remember that the guy starts going to AA and other support groups for something to do. He becomes addicted to support groups.
Maybe I'll pick that up. And then blow up the world.
Well anyway, I'm here in Melbourne for the next year and a half or so. I've been greeted with comments like, "American! Wow, that's like being born into slavery."
He later decided that wasn't the best analogy, but "You should get a disabled card when you travel..." was deemed fitting.
Wow, I'm finally American again, not just a first world country that a nation of people are aspiring to be. Well, at least I won't here about that for a while.
Okay, I'm not used to this blogging thing. Give me some time.
I believe the last time I really wrote I was excited to leave China. I got out.
I'm sure nobody is reading this blog any more, but I'll try to keep writing.
Anyway, I'm in Melbourne now. After I left China I had a couple of days in San Francisco, then went to New York for about 5 days, came home to SLC for xmas, went to LA to bring in the New Year, sat around SLC for another couple weeks waiting on my visa, went back to SF for a day, on to Singapore for another day, was in Darwin for a couple days, and now I'm in Melbourne.
Since I've been here I've spent most of my time trying to find a place to live. I have one now. And after too many trips to IKEA I'm in a mostly furnished room. My room stinks like sand-colored IKEA cheap wood.
As someone pointed out - I'm on my way to a Fight Club reality.
This brings me to a conversation I had whilst in the US of A. I do enjoy going back to America for a bit. It's mostly a blur of random conversations, a bit of a waking life.
Anyway, I was at brunch with a good friend of mine and she was telling me how one of her friends ran into a mutual acquaintance at an AA meeting (this is in SLC, 1/3 of the people under 25 are in AA.) The odd thing about running into this acquaintance at the AA meeting was that the person actually never drank. She was just there because she was 're-establishing' her spiritual role in life.
Now, for anyone who's seen Fight Club, you'll remember that the guy starts going to AA and other support groups for something to do. He becomes addicted to support groups.
Maybe I'll pick that up. And then blow up the world.
Well anyway, I'm here in Melbourne for the next year and a half or so. I've been greeted with comments like, "American! Wow, that's like being born into slavery."
He later decided that wasn't the best analogy, but "You should get a disabled card when you travel..." was deemed fitting.
Wow, I'm finally American again, not just a first world country that a nation of people are aspiring to be. Well, at least I won't here about that for a while.
Okay, I'm not used to this blogging thing. Give me some time.
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