Foxymoron

Learning to Read

Somewhere between Wan Chai and Fortress Hill, I finished my book this evening. This is a sign of new things but I just don't know what yet.

I'm still reading Jan Wong's Red China Blues, which I would have finished by now if it wasn't so emotionally and physically heavy; I've read pieces of Everything Bad Is Good For You, which Maggie gave me before I left Toronto; and I'm on page 13 of the more than 700 page Tachen book on 20th century art. These are on-going experiences.

The book I finished was Joan Didion's The White Album which I loved and transformed me into a Didion-wannabe. She filled every page with simple, unpretentious language and an unbelieveable eye/nose/ear/nerve for detail. I hope I can somehow capture Hong Kong (or whereever I end up travelling in the universe) like she captured California in the sixties. No other book has made me think about or respect time and space as much as The White Album.

I was tempted to buy Didion's latest book, The Year of Magical Thinking which LL told me about on Christmas. Has anyone read it? I fear her truths are a little too close to my own personal experiences and I'm not sure if I'm ready for that.

In general, I'm looking for reading suggestions. You may have noticed, I prefer non-fiction, but it's not deliberate descrimination. I'm a journalism geek, for one, but I've also not read any fiction that has impressed me in the past year except for maybe Bright Lights, Big City and High Fidelity.

So like, what the hell are you reading?

Year of the Dog

Happy New Year y'all!

Silver lining

My first reaction to the Canadian election was to cry. Then I got angry. It would be easy to continue lamenting and talk of denoucing my citizenship but I've had almost a full day to digest the news and that's just ridiculous. Yes, friends, it's ugly. But, as a still proud Canadian, there are some things to be happy about:

1) It is a Conservative minority government: With the Liberals, NDP and Bloc adding up to 183 seats vs. the Conservative's 124, it'll be hard for Harper to slip anything radical through parliament. (At least, this is what I'm counting on.)

2) Martin resignation as Liberal leader is a good thing. He didn't help his party in terms of public relations and I think if the Red Team wants to win the next election, they'll need change. This can only help the Liberals — and in turn, Canada — in the long run.

3) Jack and Olivia: together at last. In 2004, Jack was like totally bummed that Olivia wasn't invited to Ottawa but now that people are pissed off with Tony and all his friends, they're like "Oh, Olivia, we totally want you to come hang out" and she's going to. Jack and Olivia are so perfect for each other. They're so hot together. If that's not a love story, then I don't want to believe in love.

4) Canada is still a democracy and the beautiful thing about that is that there is always the possibility for change. Don't turn your back on it now. I may not love the new prime minister, but I still love Canada.

Very Good Adventures

A couple of my friends are working on a new animated series for the CBC: The Very Good Adventures of Yam Roll in Happy Kingdom. It's about a little superhero named Yam Roll, a sushi roll cab driver with superpowers. He has friends like Edamame, Yaki Tori, Sake, and Tamago. Too bad he loves that unappreciative Minamiko.

The show premiers on Feb. 6 at 4:30, but you can watch a preview on the website. It already looks like a winner. First, Yam Roll and his friends are cute. Second, the show is funny and original (unless there is already a cartoon about Japanese food superheros). And third, the merchandising possibilities are endless (video games).

How To Be Creative

Looking to climb out of a rut, I downloaded the "How To Be Creative" manifesto from Change This this morning. So far, 18 pages in, I like what I've read and for anyone who has been feeling uninspired, I recommend checking it out:

How To Be Creative by Hugh MacLeod. Hugh writes on his blog, gapingvoid.

Here's an exerpt from his manifesto:

Everybody has their own private Mount Everest they were put on this earth to climb.

You may never reach the summit; for that you will be forgiven. But if you donʼt make at least one serious attempt to get above the snow line, years later you will find yourself lying on your deathbed, and all you will feel is emptiness.

What's your mountain?

Photo by ECS

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

With a week before Canada goes to the polls again, other parts of the world seem a little more hopeful with the election of two female political leaders: Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf in Liberia and Michelle Bachelet in Chile.

On the home front, things, at least from my eyes, look a lot less progressive.

2006

I didn't think the Hong Kong winter could get so cold. There is no snow or hail. It hasn't even been cold enough to see my own breath in the air. But there is little refuge in a city without heated buildings and I'm shivering in my tiny apartment. I'm seriously considering getting those hand/feet warmers I once thought were reserved for ski trips and winter camping. They'd be so nice in my doggie slipper. I'm too cheap and stubborn to buy a heater and so I suffer with two lit candles and a hooded Roots sweatshirt. I'm so hardcore. Thank God it'll get warmer this week.

Happy New Year!

My first holiday in Hong Kong went by in a blur. I worked, partied and slept. And the food — so much delicious food. After the beef tenderloin, roasted turkey, duck ravioli with truffle shavings, mashed potatoes, sushi, oysters, pecan pie, apple crumble with vanilla sauce, red wine and beer (oh so much beer), I decided Boxing Day would be a good time to start working out again. 2006 is the year of the gym.

This week, I have my first out-of-town visitor (aside from my parents) and I'm excited to show her my new home. In general, I'm not myself in this city — a product of my new environment and new people — so I'm grateful to have another person to be myself with.

Erin's been living in Beijing since June and we've both been homesick lately. As much as I have enjoyed new things, it's nice to have someone to talk about TTC chimes, bagels, cleaner air, democracy, diversity, tolerance and our mutual pasts with. It's not like we're heading home anytime soon though. Guiding someone around Hong Kong has also been a reminder for me to see through the messy infrastructure, pollution and politics and just enjoy it. I was starting to take everything I love about the city for granted: architecture, transportation, language, food (yes, even food). Come visit me, 2006 is supposed to be Discover Hong Kong year.