Thursday, April 19
Wednesday, January 31
First post of 2007: An Ode to Narcissus
I know, I know. This is a cop-out update. But... it was fun! Haha. An update will come... soon...ish.
| http://www.myheritage.com |
Friday, December 8
A New York State of Mind: Day Eight
I wasn't sure how interested people were in reading these updates, so I haven't been posting them on this blog. But this one is a must-read. Especially if you are a fan of... Diana DeGarmo. haha.
Hairspray!
What a day! Today was the earliest I’ve gotten up since I arrived in New York. And it was on my own accord, too! But boy was it worth it. Carina, Caitlin, Hannah and I went to line up at Times Square for discount tickets to see a Broadway show. We ended up seeing “Hairspray”, which is fantastic! So this wasn’t really a jazz-related thing, although there were a couple of numbers that definitely sounded very swing-y and in the Sinatra vein, but I just had to blog about this because this was probably one of the highlights this trip! Plus, we were talking about Diana DeGarmo the other day, and who should be one of the stars in Hairspray, but Diana DeGarmo herself? I was pretty impressed by her acting skills and most definitely wowed at her vocal abilities!
Anyway, we had an hour before Birdland, so we ended up checking out keyboards and sheet music at Sam Ash. There we randomly ran into the pianist from the Afro-Cuban orchestra at the New School. It’s incredible to think about the competition that exists and permeates every aspect of New York city life, from getting a cab to playing music. He was telling us that there was definitely a lot of competition at the New School – and that everyone kind of knew who the people were who could play and who couldn’t. Definitely not as nurturing an environment as, say, Carleton. But it is New York!
Rubbing shoulders with the famous
I didn’t expect too much at Birdland, partly because I did not predict Birdland would be able to top the state of euphoria I was in after seeing Hairspray. But there were definitely highlights during our time there.
One was meeting the great George Avakian, who not only signed jazz giants like Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck on to Columbia records, but who produced the very first jazz album in history! It was a treat, and an honor, for him to come over and speak with us. Although I found it funny what he commented to Caitlin. But I’ll let her talk about that in her post.
Another highlight was seeing “Papa Joe” as he was affectionately called, playing with the Louis Armstrong Centennial Band. Papa Joe was not only possessed of excellent clarinet tone, but was also part of the original Louis Armstrong band, and played with the legend himself!
And definitely, a third highlight would be the songs that we could recognize, thanks to our fall term class! It was fun to hear the musicians improvise on tunes like “Avalon” and throw in references to songs like “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”.
A Dizzying Time with Igor
Listening to Igor Butman’s Quartet at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola was also a treat. I agree with some of my classmates who commented that the place seemed to be a pretty snooty place, and that people didn’t necessarily go there just for the music, but maybe to see and be seen mingling with high society. But, I did appreciate the superior acoustics of the place and the “view” – the fact that it was high up and looking out over Central Park and Columbus Circle. Brings a whole new meaning to “Groovin’ High”. I thought Dizzy’s worked as a jazz venue; the crowd could have been more appreciative I suppose.
I really liked the pianist, Andrei Kondakov’s style (not as much as Toru Dodo, but close). He was not overly showy in his solos, but seemed to construct his solos very musically. He used a lot of full chords in building his solos to a climax. Igor Butman’s playing was amazing too. I loved how he pushed the upper registers of the tenor saxophone and how he seemed really impassioned during his playing.
I think they definitely did justice to Dizzy’s. They were really groovin’ high.
Hairspray!
What a day! Today was the earliest I’ve gotten up since I arrived in New York. And it was on my own accord, too! But boy was it worth it. Carina, Caitlin, Hannah and I went to line up at Times Square for discount tickets to see a Broadway show. We ended up seeing “Hairspray”, which is fantastic! So this wasn’t really a jazz-related thing, although there were a couple of numbers that definitely sounded very swing-y and in the Sinatra vein, but I just had to blog about this because this was probably one of the highlights this trip! Plus, we were talking about Diana DeGarmo the other day, and who should be one of the stars in Hairspray, but Diana DeGarmo herself? I was pretty impressed by her acting skills and most definitely wowed at her vocal abilities!
Anyway, we had an hour before Birdland, so we ended up checking out keyboards and sheet music at Sam Ash. There we randomly ran into the pianist from the Afro-Cuban orchestra at the New School. It’s incredible to think about the competition that exists and permeates every aspect of New York city life, from getting a cab to playing music. He was telling us that there was definitely a lot of competition at the New School – and that everyone kind of knew who the people were who could play and who couldn’t. Definitely not as nurturing an environment as, say, Carleton. But it is New York!
Rubbing shoulders with the famous
I didn’t expect too much at Birdland, partly because I did not predict Birdland would be able to top the state of euphoria I was in after seeing Hairspray. But there were definitely highlights during our time there.
One was meeting the great George Avakian, who not only signed jazz giants like Miles Davis and Dave Brubeck on to Columbia records, but who produced the very first jazz album in history! It was a treat, and an honor, for him to come over and speak with us. Although I found it funny what he commented to Caitlin. But I’ll let her talk about that in her post.
Another highlight was seeing “Papa Joe” as he was affectionately called, playing with the Louis Armstrong Centennial Band. Papa Joe was not only possessed of excellent clarinet tone, but was also part of the original Louis Armstrong band, and played with the legend himself!
And definitely, a third highlight would be the songs that we could recognize, thanks to our fall term class! It was fun to hear the musicians improvise on tunes like “Avalon” and throw in references to songs like “Diamonds are a girl’s best friend”.
A Dizzying Time with Igor
Listening to Igor Butman’s Quartet at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola was also a treat. I agree with some of my classmates who commented that the place seemed to be a pretty snooty place, and that people didn’t necessarily go there just for the music, but maybe to see and be seen mingling with high society. But, I did appreciate the superior acoustics of the place and the “view” – the fact that it was high up and looking out over Central Park and Columbus Circle. Brings a whole new meaning to “Groovin’ High”. I thought Dizzy’s worked as a jazz venue; the crowd could have been more appreciative I suppose.
I really liked the pianist, Andrei Kondakov’s style (not as much as Toru Dodo, but close). He was not overly showy in his solos, but seemed to construct his solos very musically. He used a lot of full chords in building his solos to a climax. Igor Butman’s playing was amazing too. I loved how he pushed the upper registers of the tenor saxophone and how he seemed really impassioned during his playing.
I think they definitely did justice to Dizzy’s. They were really groovin’ high.
Sunday, December 3
A New York State of Mind: Day Five - Small Worm in the Big Apple
Today was all about jamming. We went uptown to Harlem to Marjorie Eliot’s apartment at 555 Edgecombe Avenue. This was my first time venturing beyond 125th street, so it was pretty exciting. Not knowing what to expect at Ms. Eliot’s apartment probably added to the feeling. After all, it’s not every day that I would walk into a total stranger’s apartment to listen to jazz.
But am I glad I did! Now, where the Museum of National History was an example of a place not to hold a jazz concert, I think that Ms. Eliot’s parlor would be an example of the perfect place for what transpired this evening. It was a group of old friends and family, who happened to be excellent musicians, coming together for the love of music. We happened to be the people privileged enough to sit in on this almost spiritual experience.
The musicians – a pianist, bass player, alto and tenor saxophone player, and for the final song, trumpet player - played a selection of standards, many of which I had heard before. They didn’t do anything too novel or exciting - all the pieces were performed in a similar style, but what was exciting was just to be there in Ms. Eliot’s apartment, and experiencing the music in such a special way. I did wonder why the bass player had such a fondness for arco playing during his solos.
From Harlem, it was on to 93rd and Broadway for yet another jam session hosted by Toru Dodo. Dinner was excellent, but we were kind of far away to be able to fully appreciate what was happening up front. When half of the group left, I asked the waiter if we could move up to the front; we did. It was a lot of fun to hear all the talented musicians play; it blows my mind to think about the pool of talent that exists in the Big Apple, especially since they seemed to all be Japanese!
Now, I have nothing against the Japanese, but I did wonder why there happened to be so many Japanese musicians – all of them very good, incidentally – in one place at the same time. After asking around, I found out that the tenor saxophone player was actually leaving the US to return home to Japan, after 6 years, he said. So all these talented Japanese musicians who live in New York – some performing in hotels, others in various performance spaces – congregated at Cleopatra’s Needle to bid farewell to their colleague. It was touching – especially at the end when a pianist and bassist broke out into parts of “Auld Lang Syne”.
Sitting in on the jam session sharpened my listening abilities. Initially, I was just wowed by the sheer talent and skill of the musicians. After listening to a few more players, I began to pick apart and decide where each player’s strengths lay. I started noticing how each musician structured his or her solo differently than the other. For example, Dodo had an almost classical virtuosic flair to his solos with flawless and fluid runs; the lady who played after him played horn-like solos with her right hand, but stopped comping in her left; the other man who played after her had an inclination towards full-chord solos.
But the highlight of the night was definitely the final configuration of musicians, in particular the drummer, who played a fine rendition of “Blues After All”. He was probably the youngest musician that night, making his debut playing on Broadway in the Big Apple (although he says he is a “small worm in the Big Apple”), and he was probably the only left-handed drummer that night.
Yup, on December 4, 2006 at 12:45 in the morning, Peter Errki Jones made his debut performance at Cleopatra’s Needle in New York City!
But am I glad I did! Now, where the Museum of National History was an example of a place not to hold a jazz concert, I think that Ms. Eliot’s parlor would be an example of the perfect place for what transpired this evening. It was a group of old friends and family, who happened to be excellent musicians, coming together for the love of music. We happened to be the people privileged enough to sit in on this almost spiritual experience.
The musicians – a pianist, bass player, alto and tenor saxophone player, and for the final song, trumpet player - played a selection of standards, many of which I had heard before. They didn’t do anything too novel or exciting - all the pieces were performed in a similar style, but what was exciting was just to be there in Ms. Eliot’s apartment, and experiencing the music in such a special way. I did wonder why the bass player had such a fondness for arco playing during his solos.
From Harlem, it was on to 93rd and Broadway for yet another jam session hosted by Toru Dodo. Dinner was excellent, but we were kind of far away to be able to fully appreciate what was happening up front. When half of the group left, I asked the waiter if we could move up to the front; we did. It was a lot of fun to hear all the talented musicians play; it blows my mind to think about the pool of talent that exists in the Big Apple, especially since they seemed to all be Japanese!
Now, I have nothing against the Japanese, but I did wonder why there happened to be so many Japanese musicians – all of them very good, incidentally – in one place at the same time. After asking around, I found out that the tenor saxophone player was actually leaving the US to return home to Japan, after 6 years, he said. So all these talented Japanese musicians who live in New York – some performing in hotels, others in various performance spaces – congregated at Cleopatra’s Needle to bid farewell to their colleague. It was touching – especially at the end when a pianist and bassist broke out into parts of “Auld Lang Syne”.
Sitting in on the jam session sharpened my listening abilities. Initially, I was just wowed by the sheer talent and skill of the musicians. After listening to a few more players, I began to pick apart and decide where each player’s strengths lay. I started noticing how each musician structured his or her solo differently than the other. For example, Dodo had an almost classical virtuosic flair to his solos with flawless and fluid runs; the lady who played after him played horn-like solos with her right hand, but stopped comping in her left; the other man who played after her had an inclination towards full-chord solos.
But the highlight of the night was definitely the final configuration of musicians, in particular the drummer, who played a fine rendition of “Blues After All”. He was probably the youngest musician that night, making his debut playing on Broadway in the Big Apple (although he says he is a “small worm in the Big Apple”), and he was probably the only left-handed drummer that night.
Yup, on December 4, 2006 at 12:45 in the morning, Peter Errki Jones made his debut performance at Cleopatra’s Needle in New York City!
Saturday, December 2
A New York State of Mind: Of days two through four
So as part of this trip to New York, we are required to blog about our experiences at the jazz events. Since it's a closed blog, I've decided to cross-post here as well. Enjoy. Or take notes if you are looking for sweet jazz spots to hit up in New York.
From the opening measures of “Tonight at Noon”, with the drums setting the energy for the night and all the musicians improvising collectively, to the closer, “Slop”, packing an amazingly dynamic punch, tonight was all about ascribing to the Mingus legacy the artistry and energy it deserves. The Charles Mingus Orchestra, assembled by Sue Mingus in 1999, featured instruments atypical to big band jazz such as bassoon, bass clarinet, guitar, and French horn in addition to the drums, bass, trombone, trumpet, alto, and tenor saxophone. At various parts during the program, the musicians also featured flute, soprano saxophone, and clarinet.
As Mingus alluded to during the pre-concert talk with Frank Otari, this concert showcased what can ostensibly be considered the best of 3rd stream jazz. Pieces like the “Todo Modo” sounded both like jazz and classical music at the same time. What struck me as impressive was also the fact that despite the larger size of the orchestra, all the musicians could swing very well together.
Where the first half of the concert featured uptempo numbers like “Eclipse” and “Jelly Roll”, the second half, which also saw Schuller in the conductor’s seat, exemplified the gentler side of Mingus’ music. The three pieces that Schuller had arranged, “Half Mast Inhibition”, “Noon Night”, and “Taurus in the Arena of Life” demonstrated what an incredibly versatile and prolific composer Mingus was. Being part of the audience of the first public performance of Schuller’s arrangement of “Taurus in the Arena of Life” was a special treat, too. It was also interesting to note that the only time the orchestra tuned on stage was when they had a conductor.
The encore that they played capped a superb performance off.
It’s only Day Three, but I already feel as if I’ve been here forever. In a good way, of course. Today we got to immerse ourselves in a different form of culture as we visited the Guggenheim Museum. It was a pity that the exterior was being renovated because I had been looking forward to seeing the architecture of the famous museum. Luckily, the interior was pretty impressive, too; as was the art collection. As our guided tour left something to be desired, I returned to the museum after lunch and got myself an audio guide and re-walked the museum. I did not regret it! [If you have the time, you should definitely go again. And check out the permanent collection with the impressionist paintings too!]
African Tarantella… Dances with Children
Stefon Harris at the American Museum of Natural History was something of a letdown. I had expected a more vivacious performance, but ended up feeling like I was at a noisy shopping mall that happened to have a jazz band playing in the background. This is not to say that all of it was bad. The second set was somewhat salvaged for me when a few of us moved to the front. From the floor in front of the stage, we actually got to see the musicians (those that were not obstructed by the large speakers, or the overzealous security guard) really get into their music. On the whole, while “African Tarantella… Dances with Duke” was pleasant enough to listen to, I came away feeling like the show was more hype then substance, and more easy-listening than “real” jazz. However, if this was Harris’ purpose, then I do believe he succeeded in reaching his target audience, as evidenced by the great turnout, an audience comprising a smorgasbord of age groups. I did find the children dancing in front of me a tad distracting, although very adorable at the same time.
Speaking of smorgasbords, I thought that the tapas buffet was the strongest redemptive factor of the performance for me. The goat cheese was amazing!
Jason Lindner saves the day
At first glance, I didn’t think the “Jazz Gallery” was going to live up to its height. “Gallery” evokes, for me, images of the Walker, or the Louvre, or the basement of the Concert Hall, of which none would have described the hole in the wall that was the Jazz Gallery. But, once my eyes got used to the dim lighting, I was thankful that it was as intimate as it was.
There were probably not more than 30 people in the audience tonight; add to that the fact that we got front row or almost front row seats, and I think I can safely say that it was like we were sitting in on a jam session between friends. And it did look like that, judging from the way Lindner interacted with his sidemen, Omer Avital, the bass and oud player from Israel, and Luisito Quintero, the percussion god from Venezuela. They played a selection of songs from their newest album, yet to hit stores nationwide but already a hit on Josh’s iTunes!
It is going to be difficult to adequately describe or analyze tonight’s performance (I am told euphoria is generally not the most conducive state for objectivity), but judging from the audience’s reactions, and my own involuntary ones, I might venture to say that this performance may have even been better than last night’s. The interplay between the musicians – the way they played off one another’s solos, changed tempo on a dime, and enjoyed playing together – was probably the most striking aspect of their performance. All three musicians were exceptionally skilled – I was awed by the crazy bass solos, enthralled by the variety of percussion instruments I never knew existed (hey, you’d think being asian, I would have thought of the whole bowl-and-chopstick deal first!), and green with envy at Lindner’s “chops” on the piano! I felt like a copyist as I kept recording Lindner’s solos in hopes of learning a thing or two from this apprentice of Bud Powell.
So Day Three definitely had its ups and downs. But I’m glad it ended on a high note. Really, no pun was intended.
The day began with a film released this year, From Mambo to Hip-Hop: A South Bronx Tale at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. The film was well produced, except for the slight technical problems during playback, and explored the rich cultural heritage of the Bronx, which has been credited as the birthplace of both mambo (described as “the least Cuban of Cuban music” today by a panel speaker) and hip-hop. A panel discussion that was interesting but went for too long, in my opinion, followed the showing, and featured panelists Juan de Castro and Jaime Santora Kopen from the Eugene Lang College, and Chris Washburne, a trombonist and faculty member of Columbia University. Elena Martínez, who was involved in the production of the film, moderated the panel discussion.
Later on in the evening, the New School Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Bobby Sanabria, performed a program that featured mambo, blues, and bolero, and can only be adequately described with a word I only learned tonight: aché. The music was loud, energetic, and engaging. Watching the entire band really get into the music – from tossing their horns into the air, to yelling enthusiastically in unison – made the evening even more enjoyable. One thing that particularly impressed me was when midway through a song, Sanabria turned to various sections of his orchestra and began to arrange on the spot. I thought that the orchestra, in spite of its size, was able to make split-second changes especially well. The three vocalists delivered solid performances, although they were probably a little overpowered by the orchestra at times, and I thought that the musicians did a great job improvising. The icing on top of this ¡caliente! cake was being able to hear Sonny Fortune play and extend to its limits the range of his alto saxophone. And I kind of enjoyed singing “Sonny Fortune” along with the band, too.
I only wished that there were a dance floor; it was probably for the good of the rest of the audience that there wasn’t.
Day Two: The Mingus Orchestra
Being in the same room as Gunther Schuller, Sy Johnson, Sue Mingus, and a superlatively talented band of musicians made tonight a night to remember. Listening to the magic that they created from Charles Mingus’ music, and Johnson’s and Schuller’s arrangements, made tonight unforgettable.From the opening measures of “Tonight at Noon”, with the drums setting the energy for the night and all the musicians improvising collectively, to the closer, “Slop”, packing an amazingly dynamic punch, tonight was all about ascribing to the Mingus legacy the artistry and energy it deserves. The Charles Mingus Orchestra, assembled by Sue Mingus in 1999, featured instruments atypical to big band jazz such as bassoon, bass clarinet, guitar, and French horn in addition to the drums, bass, trombone, trumpet, alto, and tenor saxophone. At various parts during the program, the musicians also featured flute, soprano saxophone, and clarinet.
As Mingus alluded to during the pre-concert talk with Frank Otari, this concert showcased what can ostensibly be considered the best of 3rd stream jazz. Pieces like the “Todo Modo” sounded both like jazz and classical music at the same time. What struck me as impressive was also the fact that despite the larger size of the orchestra, all the musicians could swing very well together.
Where the first half of the concert featured uptempo numbers like “Eclipse” and “Jelly Roll”, the second half, which also saw Schuller in the conductor’s seat, exemplified the gentler side of Mingus’ music. The three pieces that Schuller had arranged, “Half Mast Inhibition”, “Noon Night”, and “Taurus in the Arena of Life” demonstrated what an incredibly versatile and prolific composer Mingus was. Being part of the audience of the first public performance of Schuller’s arrangement of “Taurus in the Arena of Life” was a special treat, too. It was also interesting to note that the only time the orchestra tuned on stage was when they had a conductor.
The encore that they played capped a superb performance off.
Day 3: The Good, the Bad, and the... hungry
The GuggenheimIt’s only Day Three, but I already feel as if I’ve been here forever. In a good way, of course. Today we got to immerse ourselves in a different form of culture as we visited the Guggenheim Museum. It was a pity that the exterior was being renovated because I had been looking forward to seeing the architecture of the famous museum. Luckily, the interior was pretty impressive, too; as was the art collection. As our guided tour left something to be desired, I returned to the museum after lunch and got myself an audio guide and re-walked the museum. I did not regret it! [If you have the time, you should definitely go again. And check out the permanent collection with the impressionist paintings too!]
African Tarantella… Dances with Children
Stefon Harris at the American Museum of Natural History was something of a letdown. I had expected a more vivacious performance, but ended up feeling like I was at a noisy shopping mall that happened to have a jazz band playing in the background. This is not to say that all of it was bad. The second set was somewhat salvaged for me when a few of us moved to the front. From the floor in front of the stage, we actually got to see the musicians (those that were not obstructed by the large speakers, or the overzealous security guard) really get into their music. On the whole, while “African Tarantella… Dances with Duke” was pleasant enough to listen to, I came away feeling like the show was more hype then substance, and more easy-listening than “real” jazz. However, if this was Harris’ purpose, then I do believe he succeeded in reaching his target audience, as evidenced by the great turnout, an audience comprising a smorgasbord of age groups. I did find the children dancing in front of me a tad distracting, although very adorable at the same time.
Speaking of smorgasbords, I thought that the tapas buffet was the strongest redemptive factor of the performance for me. The goat cheese was amazing!
Jason Lindner saves the day
At first glance, I didn’t think the “Jazz Gallery” was going to live up to its height. “Gallery” evokes, for me, images of the Walker, or the Louvre, or the basement of the Concert Hall, of which none would have described the hole in the wall that was the Jazz Gallery. But, once my eyes got used to the dim lighting, I was thankful that it was as intimate as it was.
There were probably not more than 30 people in the audience tonight; add to that the fact that we got front row or almost front row seats, and I think I can safely say that it was like we were sitting in on a jam session between friends. And it did look like that, judging from the way Lindner interacted with his sidemen, Omer Avital, the bass and oud player from Israel, and Luisito Quintero, the percussion god from Venezuela. They played a selection of songs from their newest album, yet to hit stores nationwide but already a hit on Josh’s iTunes!
It is going to be difficult to adequately describe or analyze tonight’s performance (I am told euphoria is generally not the most conducive state for objectivity), but judging from the audience’s reactions, and my own involuntary ones, I might venture to say that this performance may have even been better than last night’s. The interplay between the musicians – the way they played off one another’s solos, changed tempo on a dime, and enjoyed playing together – was probably the most striking aspect of their performance. All three musicians were exceptionally skilled – I was awed by the crazy bass solos, enthralled by the variety of percussion instruments I never knew existed (hey, you’d think being asian, I would have thought of the whole bowl-and-chopstick deal first!), and green with envy at Lindner’s “chops” on the piano! I felt like a copyist as I kept recording Lindner’s solos in hopes of learning a thing or two from this apprentice of Bud Powell.
So Day Three definitely had its ups and downs. But I’m glad it ended on a high note. Really, no pun was intended.
Aché-ing for more
I love New York! Where else can you listen to jazz from the 30s one day, Mingus music the next, intimate experimental trio sounds the day after, and then be engulfed by the scintillating sounds of Afro-Cuban music?The day began with a film released this year, From Mambo to Hip-Hop: A South Bronx Tale at the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. The film was well produced, except for the slight technical problems during playback, and explored the rich cultural heritage of the Bronx, which has been credited as the birthplace of both mambo (described as “the least Cuban of Cuban music” today by a panel speaker) and hip-hop. A panel discussion that was interesting but went for too long, in my opinion, followed the showing, and featured panelists Juan de Castro and Jaime Santora Kopen from the Eugene Lang College, and Chris Washburne, a trombonist and faculty member of Columbia University. Elena Martínez, who was involved in the production of the film, moderated the panel discussion.
Later on in the evening, the New School Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, under the direction of Bobby Sanabria, performed a program that featured mambo, blues, and bolero, and can only be adequately described with a word I only learned tonight: aché. The music was loud, energetic, and engaging. Watching the entire band really get into the music – from tossing their horns into the air, to yelling enthusiastically in unison – made the evening even more enjoyable. One thing that particularly impressed me was when midway through a song, Sanabria turned to various sections of his orchestra and began to arrange on the spot. I thought that the orchestra, in spite of its size, was able to make split-second changes especially well. The three vocalists delivered solid performances, although they were probably a little overpowered by the orchestra at times, and I thought that the musicians did a great job improvising. The icing on top of this ¡caliente! cake was being able to hear Sonny Fortune play and extend to its limits the range of his alto saxophone. And I kind of enjoyed singing “Sonny Fortune” along with the band, too.
I only wished that there were a dance floor; it was probably for the good of the rest of the audience that there wasn’t.
Wednesday, November 29
A New York State Of Mind: Of period jazz
Day One in New York. Arrived without much ado. I'm staying at the International House near Columbia University. Watched Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. Interesting factoid: they were featured in the movie, the Aviator. Now I have to watch that movie!
It is late. I am ready for bed. Wireless access only in the lounge. Cell phone reception is kind of sporadic. Good night everyone.
It is late. I am ready for bed. Wireless access only in the lounge. Cell phone reception is kind of sporadic. Good night everyone.
Tuesday, November 28
Of all that jazz
It's a rainy day in Northfield. Again. One would be forgiven to think, glancing cursorily out the window, that it was some rainy country like England. Or Malaysia during the monsoon season. Or the plains in Spain.
So here I am. I leave for New York tomorrow. Early in the morning. I fly into Newark and then make my way to Manhattan. I've decided to take the train instead of the shuttle. It's cheaper. And I have time to pass anyway. 10 days of jazz. I'm hoping to meet up with some friends - some from Carleton and some from Malaysia! It'll be sweet.
And after that, I'll be heading home. Home sweet home! Can't wait. Get ready, Malaysia.
But in the meantime, if you're reading this, could you please be praying for:
Thank you! Love!!
So here I am. I leave for New York tomorrow. Early in the morning. I fly into Newark and then make my way to Manhattan. I've decided to take the train instead of the shuttle. It's cheaper. And I have time to pass anyway. 10 days of jazz. I'm hoping to meet up with some friends - some from Carleton and some from Malaysia! It'll be sweet.
And after that, I'll be heading home. Home sweet home! Can't wait. Get ready, Malaysia.
But in the meantime, if you're reading this, could you please be praying for:
- Safety in New York. And for a great time with jazz. And more importantly to find time for God in the midst of my hectic schedule.
- Safe travels. I have a lot of flying in the next couple of weeks or so. MSP - EWR; JFK - MSP; MSP - NRT; NRT - SIN; SIN - PEN! Yay, home!
- That in the midst of the busyness, I will be able to find time to meditate on God and on all He's done for me especially this past term
Thank you! Love!!
Wednesday, November 15
Of beta versions and convolvulus and stuff
I tried switching to Blogger's new beta version. But this was what I got:
In other news, I am DONE. Done with (i) my comps proposal, and (ii) my jazz history final paper. I just sent my papers to my profs. My comps (which is like a senior thesis paper that I will be working on for the rest of the year, until spring) is going to be looking at spiritual / religious coping in a multicultural world. Essentially, it's going to be examining how people of varying religions and cultures use spirituality / religion to cope with stress and how these implications are important for clinical practice. My jazz history paper was about Ella Fitzgerald and Karrin Allyson. And their renditions of "Angel Eyes". It's crazy! :) Haha. BUT IT FEELS GOOD TO BE DONE. Now all I have left are two final exams: one for jazz history, and one for psychopathology. I hope to be done with both by Saturday.
Then Thanksgiving. More turkey! And New York City! More jazz! And HOOOOOMMMMEEEE!!!!
Today Lynn made turkey porridge. It tasted like chicken porridge. :D It was really good though.
In other news, who knows what "convolvulus" means? Don't look it up! Post in the comments section.
In other news, we had a huge Thanksgiving Potluck organized by JoLT and FISH House on Sunday. It was amazing. FISH House made SEVEN pots of roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Mom, I can be in charge of potatoes for Christmas.
In other news, it's going to be a family reunion this holiday. And Langkawi! Yay!
In other news, I had a GREAT weekend. I guess I'll give a brief update here. I was planning a separate one with pictures. We'll see. But basically, on Friday night... went up to the cities. To watch my second most favorite band ever:
This is the lead singer. His name is also Josh. I like him because: 1. He sings
2. He plays the keys
3. He plays the guitar
... just like ME! hahaha.
But anyway, it was a great time. Went with a friend of mine from St Olaf. We led the service at the Grand together a couple of weeks ago. And he's engaged! :) This is Adam and Coryn and Erica and I.
Then I went to crash at my good friend Sam's place. Man, all the people I know now are working and living on their own... scary. Anyway. Good times. And then the next day Erica and I hung out at the mall... and then went for a super fancy schmancy dinner at the restaurant that Sam works at: Vincent. Best restaurant in Minneapolis 3 years in a row; best French food; best dessert. Oh la la.
We had:
An amazing starter, courtesy of Sam. Flash-fried mozzarella cheese served on a bed of marinara-type sauce that was flambéed in vodka.
Then we ordered escargot. It wasn't as good as the ones I had in Paris, or the ones my host mom made. And it was typically American: there were no shells! Can you believe that? I mean I can understand that in the land of instant everything, one doesn't want to have to chop off a fish head, or cut off the chicken legs, but... escargot? 
Then, courtesy of Sam, again, was a superb pan-seared scallop served on a bed of potatoes and leek with an orange reduction sauce. Oh la la. I died and went to heaven.
Our main course followed. I had the Wild Striped Bass with braised artichokes, served on a bed of wild rice with Roasted Pumpkin Broth. Erica had a soffrito of Vegetable, Pickled Shallots, Chickpea Fries, Shaved Asparagus and Shaved Ricotta Salata. So I'm the carnivore of the two. 
And dessert. Oh dessert. The best chocolate cake ever. It looks firm on the outside, but when touched by the fork, it crumbles and oozes chocolate. The bottom part tasted wafery, but the top was pure sin. 
Thanks, Sam!
ANYWAY. After all that, came back to Northfield. And the snow.
But it's been great. And we had a FISH House photo shoot:
The FISHies.
So much love...
The best housemates ever. :) I love my house.
And now it's time to go to bed. Good night world.
Could not switch you to the new Blogger
How wonderful!In other news, I am DONE. Done with (i) my comps proposal, and (ii) my jazz history final paper. I just sent my papers to my profs. My comps (which is like a senior thesis paper that I will be working on for the rest of the year, until spring) is going to be looking at spiritual / religious coping in a multicultural world. Essentially, it's going to be examining how people of varying religions and cultures use spirituality / religion to cope with stress and how these implications are important for clinical practice. My jazz history paper was about Ella Fitzgerald and Karrin Allyson. And their renditions of "Angel Eyes". It's crazy! :) Haha. BUT IT FEELS GOOD TO BE DONE. Now all I have left are two final exams: one for jazz history, and one for psychopathology. I hope to be done with both by Saturday.
Then Thanksgiving. More turkey! And New York City! More jazz! And HOOOOOMMMMEEEE!!!!
Today Lynn made turkey porridge. It tasted like chicken porridge. :D It was really good though.
In other news, who knows what "convolvulus" means? Don't look it up! Post in the comments section.
In other news, we had a huge Thanksgiving Potluck organized by JoLT and FISH House on Sunday. It was amazing. FISH House made SEVEN pots of roasted garlic mashed potatoes. Mom, I can be in charge of potatoes for Christmas.
In other news, it's going to be a family reunion this holiday. And Langkawi! Yay!
In other news, I had a GREAT weekend. I guess I'll give a brief update here. I was planning a separate one with pictures. We'll see. But basically, on Friday night... went up to the cities. To watch my second most favorite band ever:
THE AFTERS!
This is the lead singer. His name is also Josh. I like him because: 1. He sings
2. He plays the keys
3. He plays the guitar
... just like ME! hahaha.But anyway, it was a great time. Went with a friend of mine from St Olaf. We led the service at the Grand together a couple of weeks ago. And he's engaged! :) This is Adam and Coryn and Erica and I.
Then I went to crash at my good friend Sam's place. Man, all the people I know now are working and living on their own... scary. Anyway. Good times. And then the next day Erica and I hung out at the mall... and then went for a super fancy schmancy dinner at the restaurant that Sam works at: Vincent. Best restaurant in Minneapolis 3 years in a row; best French food; best dessert. Oh la la.
La cuisine de perfection
We had WONDERFUL French food. And because Sam worked there he cooked a couple of 'extra' dishes for us. Oh so good.We had:
An amazing starter, courtesy of Sam. Flash-fried mozzarella cheese served on a bed of marinara-type sauce that was flambéed in vodka.
Then we ordered escargot. It wasn't as good as the ones I had in Paris, or the ones my host mom made. And it was typically American: there were no shells! Can you believe that? I mean I can understand that in the land of instant everything, one doesn't want to have to chop off a fish head, or cut off the chicken legs, but... escargot? 
Then, courtesy of Sam, again, was a superb pan-seared scallop served on a bed of potatoes and leek with an orange reduction sauce. Oh la la. I died and went to heaven.
Our main course followed. I had the Wild Striped Bass with braised artichokes, served on a bed of wild rice with Roasted Pumpkin Broth. Erica had a soffrito of Vegetable, Pickled Shallots, Chickpea Fries, Shaved Asparagus and Shaved Ricotta Salata. So I'm the carnivore of the two. 
And dessert. Oh dessert. The best chocolate cake ever. It looks firm on the outside, but when touched by the fork, it crumbles and oozes chocolate. The bottom part tasted wafery, but the top was pure sin. 
Thanks, Sam!
Meanwhile, back at Carleton
ANYWAY. After all that, came back to Northfield. And the snow.
But it's been great. And we had a FISH House photo shoot:
The FISHies.
So much love...
The best housemates ever. :) I love my house.
And now it's time to go to bed. Good night world.
Friday, November 10
Of first snow
Today, it was gorgeous outside. It was probably in the 50s. Brisk. Fall weather.
It is 2:07am now. And this is what it looks like outside:
As much as I complain about the crazy weather and extreme temperature changes, I have to admit, God is one creative artist.
Good night, world.
Josh has an exciting weekend lined up. Stay tuned.
It is 2:07am now. And this is what it looks like outside:
As much as I complain about the crazy weather and extreme temperature changes, I have to admit, God is one creative artist.
Good night, world.
Josh has an exciting weekend lined up. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, November 1
Of a broken beauty
One night. Two campuses.
One God. Many broken lives.
One Beauty. Many beauties.
Joy in sorrow.
Strength in weakness.
A God of paradox.
A people of passion.
Beauty in the broken.
What a powerful evening.
"Unashamed"
by Starfield
(Go buy their latest album!!)
I have not much
To offer You
Not near what You deserve
But still I come
Because Your cross
Has placed in me my worth
Oh, Christ my King
Of sympathy
Whose wounds secure my peace
Your grace extends
To call me friend
Your mercy sets me free
And I know I'm weak
I know I'm unworthy
To call upon Your name
But because of grace
Because of Your mercy
I stand here unashamed
I can't explain
This kind of love
I'm humbled and amazed
That You'd come down
From heavens heights
And greet me face to face
Here I am at Your feet
In my brokeness complete
One God. Many broken lives.
One Beauty. Many beauties.
Joy in sorrow.
Strength in weakness.
A God of paradox.
A people of passion.
Beauty in the broken.
What a powerful evening.
"Unashamed"
by Starfield
(Go buy their latest album!!)
I have not much
To offer You
Not near what You deserve
But still I come
Because Your cross
Has placed in me my worth
Oh, Christ my King
Of sympathy
Whose wounds secure my peace
Your grace extends
To call me friend
Your mercy sets me free
And I know I'm weak
I know I'm unworthy
To call upon Your name
But because of grace
Because of Your mercy
I stand here unashamed
I can't explain
This kind of love
I'm humbled and amazed
That You'd come down
From heavens heights
And greet me face to face
Here I am at Your feet
In my brokeness complete
Monday, October 16
Wednesday, October 11
Of four reasons I'm not studying for my midterm tomorrow
So Anna tagged me. And I should really be studying for my psychopathology midterm tomorrow. But you know...
Four things not many people know about me...
* I was found behind a dumpster when I was a baby.
* In high school, I once had the opportunity to address a United Nations gathering, but I opted to go to my high school annual dinner instead.
* I once streaked across campus. Twice.
* I'm a compulsive liar.
Four movies I could watch over and over...
* Cars (I watched it three times)
* Finding Nemo
* X-Men. Any one of them.
* Spiderman. Any one of them.
(Hmm. There seems to be a theme here.)
Four places i've lived...
* Penang, Malaysia
* Northfield, Minnesota
* Paris, France
* FISH House
Four TV shows I love(d) to watch...
* American Idol. I watched it every Tuesday with my house last year and was consequently late for many meetings.
* Smallville. So it's more soap opera than superhero drama now, but there was once a time...
* The X-Men Animated Series. Oh boy!
* Huff. I watched it over the summer.
Four places I've been on vacation...
* Europe (Mostly Western Europe. Yes, even Liechtenstein)
* Australia (Perth, Melbourne, Syndey, Brisbane, and surrounding areas)
* Asia (Ok, so Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.. those count right? Haven't been to China... yet)
* North America (It's huge. But I've hit quite a few spots!)
(I still need to make it to Africa and South America. I'll pass on Antartica.)
Four of my Favourite foods...
(So I realize the question is favorite FOODS, not cuisine, but being the gourmand that I am...)
* Japanese. Someone say sashimi. Or sushi.
* Korean. And it's not just because my roommate made really good bulgogi the other day.
* French.
* Mommy's Cooking. Tu tor th'ng please.
Four places I would rather be...
* Somewhere warmer.
* Paris.
* At Gurney Drive Hawkers' Center for See Koe Th'ng. Like now.
* In bed.
Four favourite songs ...
* Alive In This Moment: Starfield. Guess who's going to see Starfield in concert this Sunday????
* From the inside out: Hillsong United.
* Cannonball: Damien Rice. Same artist, different song, Anna! :)
* Heal Over: KT Tunstall. Ok, so not exactly all time favorites. But some of my favorites.
Four people I tag...
* Erica. Because she hasn't updated her blog in two decades.
* Tim Wong. Because he's got a new blog.
* Lynn. Because otherwise she'll ask "Why didn't you tag me?"
* My mom. Not my real mom. Because he has so much time.
Four things not many people know about me...
* I was found behind a dumpster when I was a baby.
* In high school, I once had the opportunity to address a United Nations gathering, but I opted to go to my high school annual dinner instead.
* I once streaked across campus. Twice.
* I'm a compulsive liar.
Four movies I could watch over and over...
* Cars (I watched it three times)
* Finding Nemo
* X-Men. Any one of them.
* Spiderman. Any one of them.
(Hmm. There seems to be a theme here.)
Four places i've lived...
* Penang, Malaysia
* Northfield, Minnesota
* Paris, France
* FISH House
Four TV shows I love(d) to watch...
* American Idol. I watched it every Tuesday with my house last year and was consequently late for many meetings.
* Smallville. So it's more soap opera than superhero drama now, but there was once a time...
* The X-Men Animated Series. Oh boy!
* Huff. I watched it over the summer.
Four places I've been on vacation...
* Europe (Mostly Western Europe. Yes, even Liechtenstein)
* Australia (Perth, Melbourne, Syndey, Brisbane, and surrounding areas)
* Asia (Ok, so Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia.. those count right? Haven't been to China... yet)
* North America (It's huge. But I've hit quite a few spots!)
(I still need to make it to Africa and South America. I'll pass on Antartica.)
Four of my Favourite foods...
(So I realize the question is favorite FOODS, not cuisine, but being the gourmand that I am...)
* Japanese. Someone say sashimi. Or sushi.
* Korean. And it's not just because my roommate made really good bulgogi the other day.
* French.
* Mommy's Cooking. Tu tor th'ng please.
Four places I would rather be...
* Somewhere warmer.
* Paris.
* At Gurney Drive Hawkers' Center for See Koe Th'ng. Like now.
* In bed.
Four favourite songs ...
* Alive In This Moment: Starfield. Guess who's going to see Starfield in concert this Sunday????
* From the inside out: Hillsong United.
* Cannonball: Damien Rice. Same artist, different song, Anna! :)
* Heal Over: KT Tunstall. Ok, so not exactly all time favorites. But some of my favorites.
Four people I tag...
* Erica. Because she hasn't updated her blog in two decades.
* Tim Wong. Because he's got a new blog.
* Lynn. Because otherwise she'll ask "Why didn't you tag me?"
* My mom. Not my real mom. Because he has so much time.
Saturday, September 30
Of seagulls, freshmen and overflowing toilets
Today I joined the ranks of the elite class of people known as the guitar owners.
So the day began with Pat, my worship leader at Rejoice, and I driving up to The Podium in St. Paul to look at guitars. Saw many guitars. A lot of them were good guitars. None were great. To me, at least. Or within my budget. And so we went to Willie's American Guitars. And I was a bit worried. Because they had fewer guitars than the Podium. But God really knows what is best.
Pat picked up a guitar and said "Hmm, this one has potential". It wasn't tuned though, so the lady tuned it up. And then I played it. And then Pat played it. And I didn't want to look at the price. Because I really liked it. The sound was balanced. It was full. And powerful. It looked good. AND it was just slightly over my budget! BUT. Because it had a pick-up installed, it came with a case, and it sounded so good plugged in, it made sense to get it since I would have had to spend more money installing a pick up and buying a case anyway.
It didn't have a strap button. So this was the conversation that ensued:
Josh: Can you put in a strap button for me?
Lady: Sure. But that means you're going to be married to it.
Josh: (thinks for a moment, looks at Pat, who said "Personally... I love it". Looks back at guitar...) Will you marry me?
And the deal was sealed.
And the best part? It's made in the village of LaPatrie in Quebec. And it has words in French! :)
I present to you... my wife.
She's French Canadian.
And sings like a star.
Josh has been incredibly busy. But in a good way. This year I have three jobs on top of school. I still work a couple of hours in the library, and I work as a Writing Consultant. I'm not kidding, that's what we are called. Glorified writing tutors. And of course, I'm house manager of the awesomest house on campus: FISH House.
As part of a house bonding effort, we decided to have our upstairs toilet overflow (gross!) and make it a house project to clean up the mess.
It was quite the Friday evening, let me tell you. But I really love my residents. It's been such a joy to live here. People are so considerate of one another, and genuinely caring. It really is a blessing to live with people who share the love of Christ everyday.
We've also had many freshmen want to get plugged in to the Christian community. We had an ice-cream social the day before classes began, and I thought I had great faith when I told God, "I am believing that you will fill the house". But He filled it FOUR times over. We had close to 80 freshmen and at one point had to move people into the basement. Keep praying for 'em freshmen! Especially for guys. A lot of them are girls. Look.
Of course, our resident Singaporean Ah Lian who cooks very well. Lynn makes great food. And is very generous in sharing the blessing with others!
And my once broken macbook... look at that. Is WHOLE again.
Ok. Bed time. Write to me if you haven't already!
So the day began with Pat, my worship leader at Rejoice, and I driving up to The Podium in St. Paul to look at guitars. Saw many guitars. A lot of them were good guitars. None were great. To me, at least. Or within my budget. And so we went to Willie's American Guitars. And I was a bit worried. Because they had fewer guitars than the Podium. But God really knows what is best.
Pat picked up a guitar and said "Hmm, this one has potential". It wasn't tuned though, so the lady tuned it up. And then I played it. And then Pat played it. And I didn't want to look at the price. Because I really liked it. The sound was balanced. It was full. And powerful. It looked good. AND it was just slightly over my budget! BUT. Because it had a pick-up installed, it came with a case, and it sounded so good plugged in, it made sense to get it since I would have had to spend more money installing a pick up and buying a case anyway.
It didn't have a strap button. So this was the conversation that ensued:
Josh: Can you put in a strap button for me?
Lady: Sure. But that means you're going to be married to it.
Josh: (thinks for a moment, looks at Pat, who said "Personally... I love it". Looks back at guitar...) Will you marry me?
And the deal was sealed.
And the best part? It's made in the village of LaPatrie in Quebec. And it has words in French! :)
I present to you... my wife.
She's French Canadian.
And sings like a star.
In other news
Josh has been incredibly busy. But in a good way. This year I have three jobs on top of school. I still work a couple of hours in the library, and I work as a Writing Consultant. I'm not kidding, that's what we are called. Glorified writing tutors. And of course, I'm house manager of the awesomest house on campus: FISH House.
As part of a house bonding effort, we decided to have our upstairs toilet overflow (gross!) and make it a house project to clean up the mess.
It was quite the Friday evening, let me tell you. But I really love my residents. It's been such a joy to live here. People are so considerate of one another, and genuinely caring. It really is a blessing to live with people who share the love of Christ everyday.
We've also had many freshmen want to get plugged in to the Christian community. We had an ice-cream social the day before classes began, and I thought I had great faith when I told God, "I am believing that you will fill the house". But He filled it FOUR times over. We had close to 80 freshmen and at one point had to move people into the basement. Keep praying for 'em freshmen! Especially for guys. A lot of them are girls. Look.
Of course, our resident Singaporean Ah Lian who cooks very well. Lynn makes great food. And is very generous in sharing the blessing with others!
And my once broken macbook... look at that. Is WHOLE again.
Ok. Bed time. Write to me if you haven't already!
Wednesday, September 20
Of close encounters... of the slimy kind
Tonight was a normal night. Meeting, homework, snacking. So there we were at FISH House, Lynn, Erica, Tyler and Josh, studying. Tyler was snacking on graham crackers and milk. And suddenly, he comments, very nonchalantly, very Tyler-esque: "Oh look. There are caterpillars on my graham crackers".
WHAT? Little graham cracker colored buggers feasting on Tyler's midnight snack?
Surprise turned to incredulity which turned to horror! Our food!! I instantly headed straight to my kitchen cabinet and checked on my DODOL. And my DODOL was INFESTED WITH WORMS!!!! The worst part? I had just popped one in my mouth earlier today. Ugh. I don't even want to think about it. God, please make my stomach acids strong today. I should drink orange juice. Or squeeze lemons into my mouth.
I submitted a work request stating: EMERGENCY! We discovered worms in our kitchen cabinet. Is there something you can do, please?
We discovered that one of our residents brought in the worms with her bag of rice. Ugh. God please kill all the worms.
Mom, please send me more dodol.
WHAT? Little graham cracker colored buggers feasting on Tyler's midnight snack?
Surprise turned to incredulity which turned to horror! Our food!! I instantly headed straight to my kitchen cabinet and checked on my DODOL. And my DODOL was INFESTED WITH WORMS!!!! The worst part? I had just popped one in my mouth earlier today. Ugh. I don't even want to think about it. God, please make my stomach acids strong today. I should drink orange juice. Or squeeze lemons into my mouth.
I submitted a work request stating: EMERGENCY! We discovered worms in our kitchen cabinet. Is there something you can do, please?
We discovered that one of our residents brought in the worms with her bag of rice. Ugh. God please kill all the worms.
Mom, please send me more dodol.
Thursday, August 10
Of being sweet sixteen
Sixteen years ago at 10:08pm on 10/08, my brother was born. And the world has never been the same since. I love you, Cal! :)
Friday, August 4
Of lobsters and laziness
I want. http://www.mainelobsterfestival.com/
Too lazy to read the bible?
Then, listen to it. Puts a new spin on being HEARERS of the Word doesn't it?
Too lazy to read the bible?
Then, listen to it. Puts a new spin on being HEARERS of the Word doesn't it?
Thursday, August 3
Of being so bad it's funny
Anna sent me this the other day:
Mahatma Gandhi, as you know, walked barefoot most of the time, which produced an impressive set of calluses on his feet. He also ate very little, which made him rather frail and with his odd diet, he suffered from bad breath. This made him ......... (Oh, man, this is so bad, it's good) .... A super calloused fragile mystic hexed by halitosis.
Sunday, July 30
Of a thousand words
I think I've used this title before. But people have been bugging me for pictures. So, here are several thousand words.
I turned 22 not too long ago. After 21, there aren't that many milestones left, in terms of birthdays. There's the big 4-0. And then I suppose you can count 50, because living for half a century is no mean feat. But after that the next big thing is death. :) Oh well.
Gabes, Noel and I.
Babak!
Pin, Mace, Yeelong and I.
Altogether now. Aaaaawwwwwww....
Pimpin' it. :)
So people, I don't know what the fuss was all about. I don't have that many pictures. Lol. Euodia, do you have any more? Please send them to me.
A lot has been happening in my life lately. I'm just too unmotivated to blog right now. But I will. Eventually. For now, suffice to say, work is going GREAT! Ok. Time to hit the sack. Byeeee.
I turned 22 not too long ago. After 21, there aren't that many milestones left, in terms of birthdays. There's the big 4-0. And then I suppose you can count 50, because living for half a century is no mean feat. But after that the next big thing is death. :) Oh well. 
Gabes, Noel and I.
Babak!
Pin, Mace, Yeelong and I.
Altogether now. Aaaaawwwwwww....
Pimpin' it. :) So people, I don't know what the fuss was all about. I don't have that many pictures. Lol. Euodia, do you have any more? Please send them to me.
A lot has been happening in my life lately. I'm just too unmotivated to blog right now. But I will. Eventually. For now, suffice to say, work is going GREAT! Ok. Time to hit the sack. Byeeee.
Thursday, June 29
Of blue tights and red capes
I watched Superman Returns today.
It made my day.
I am going to look for the first four Superman movies and have a marathon. Any takers?
It made my day.
I am going to look for the first four Superman movies and have a marathon. Any takers?
Wednesday, June 28
Of shifting loci and other things
It's nice being home. Not thinking about the next meal, not doing my own laundry, not worrying about how to get someplace. But I'm ready to do something. I am going to work on Monday. I am going to be working with a child psychologist in the General Hospital here in Penang. I still don't know what to expect, but I'm hoping that I'll learn a lot, or at least figure out if this is something I want to be doing with my life.
It's strange to think about life. And the idea of home. What really makes a place "home"? Is it a physical place (i.e. the house you grew up in, the streets you are familiar with, mom's good cooking)? Is it the memories made growing up? Is it where you spend the most time? Is it the place where you feel the safest? Is it the people?
Being a cross-cultural studies concentrator, one would be led to think that I have the answers to that question. And truth be told, I thought I did. After all, we studied the whole entry/re-entry process, the whole culture shock, the concept of home thing ad nauseum in the CCST 115 class. And it definitely helped. But no amount of knowledge prepares you for the way you feel while you go through the cycle over and over again.
So being home this time around hasn't been easy. Not that it's not great to be at home in my own home. Sure there's the usual adjusting to a frame of mind where you are not the only person affected by your actions. You have to think about other people, etc. That's fine. I think I've gotten used to that idea.
But what's been bugging me lately is the shifting locus in relationships. Where I used to fall back on my relationships here in Penang while I was in the US whenever I needed someone to talk to, I feel like there has been a fundamental shift in my relationships in Penang. Maybe it's because I've been away for so long? Or maybe it's because I've changed so much? Or like Cheryl said, it's my hair. Haha. Or is my hair just an outward manifestation of the internal changes that have taken place the past three years I've been away?
Funny how little things spark off big thoughts. It started off with X-Men (everything starts off with X-Men). A friend of mine at Carleton, after watching X-Men, told me he was going home to watch it again with a friend of his because "we always watch X-Men together"!
And now, at home, I realize that I really don't have a friend, or a ready group of friends, to watch Superman with! This may sound really silly (it probably is), but underlying this silly little notion is the nagging thought that I've allowed too much time and distance to pass between my friends and I here in Penang that what I thought existed, is really no more. I guess it's true what they say: the grass is always greener on the other side. I have this "notion" of my relationships with people in Penang and all the people I'm close to when I am in the US, but reality hits me hard when I come back. I usually attribute it to the brief time I spend here in Penang; but I can't help but wonder: is there more that I am not considering? Can someone change so much that even the very things he would have considered to be "unchangeable" have changed?
I guess the big question is: how long can one be stuck between two worlds (to borrow a phrase from a friend of mine) before he loses any or all sense of "home"? Or maybe, can one really live in between two worlds?
It's strange to think about life. And the idea of home. What really makes a place "home"? Is it a physical place (i.e. the house you grew up in, the streets you are familiar with, mom's good cooking)? Is it the memories made growing up? Is it where you spend the most time? Is it the place where you feel the safest? Is it the people?
Being a cross-cultural studies concentrator, one would be led to think that I have the answers to that question. And truth be told, I thought I did. After all, we studied the whole entry/re-entry process, the whole culture shock, the concept of home thing ad nauseum in the CCST 115 class. And it definitely helped. But no amount of knowledge prepares you for the way you feel while you go through the cycle over and over again.
So being home this time around hasn't been easy. Not that it's not great to be at home in my own home. Sure there's the usual adjusting to a frame of mind where you are not the only person affected by your actions. You have to think about other people, etc. That's fine. I think I've gotten used to that idea.
But what's been bugging me lately is the shifting locus in relationships. Where I used to fall back on my relationships here in Penang while I was in the US whenever I needed someone to talk to, I feel like there has been a fundamental shift in my relationships in Penang. Maybe it's because I've been away for so long? Or maybe it's because I've changed so much? Or like Cheryl said, it's my hair. Haha. Or is my hair just an outward manifestation of the internal changes that have taken place the past three years I've been away?
Funny how little things spark off big thoughts. It started off with X-Men (everything starts off with X-Men). A friend of mine at Carleton, after watching X-Men, told me he was going home to watch it again with a friend of his because "we always watch X-Men together"!
And now, at home, I realize that I really don't have a friend, or a ready group of friends, to watch Superman with! This may sound really silly (it probably is), but underlying this silly little notion is the nagging thought that I've allowed too much time and distance to pass between my friends and I here in Penang that what I thought existed, is really no more. I guess it's true what they say: the grass is always greener on the other side. I have this "notion" of my relationships with people in Penang and all the people I'm close to when I am in the US, but reality hits me hard when I come back. I usually attribute it to the brief time I spend here in Penang; but I can't help but wonder: is there more that I am not considering? Can someone change so much that even the very things he would have considered to be "unchangeable" have changed?
I guess the big question is: how long can one be stuck between two worlds (to borrow a phrase from a friend of mine) before he loses any or all sense of "home"? Or maybe, can one really live in between two worlds?
