Photo Friday "Darkness"
1 October 2005, 08:40
Darkness… Click to enlarge in Gallery
The Story behind “Darkness” (and a weeeeeee bit of grandstanding)
This photo of a hutongs alley was taken in April 2004, in Beijing.
The Hutongs are, in my opinion, the most fascinating aspect of Beijing’s modern-day vibe. Meandering, walled mini-cities dotted throughout Beijing, with shared pit-toilets (using one was one of the more confronting things I did in China), cheap restaurants, old dudes playing mahjong on the streets, rickshaws weaving in and out of the communal throngs going about their daily business. The Hutongs throb with vibrating energy.
There is also a desolate side to them, long deserted alleys, lit only by a single light, the quiet edge of desperation in the inhabitants living in what many “first-worlders” would see as abject poverty, seemingly offset by a fierce community spirit and their determination to make the best of what they’ve got.
The atmosphere of the Hutongs echoes with a moving contrast of Life and Desolation. And it breaks my heart that these historical monuments to the Chinese essence of family and community will be mostly demolished “in time” for the 2008 Olympics. Gone are the (smelly) centres of conversation that are the pit toilets, gone are the fascinating labyrinths of (impoverished) architectural history, in favour of the Chinese government putting up a brand new, shiny facade of wealth and first-world glamour.
My question is, where will these hutongs inhabitants go? Will they be shunted to the rural areas, as the homeless were in Japan’s major cities when the Soccer World Cup was on? Will they be disenfranchised from their homes and relocated to soulless new apartment blocks? What will happen to the exotic contrasts of old-world and new that define Beijing?
I went nuts taking photos of the Hutongs, mostly because they were a panacea to my jaded photographic eye, but also because I knew that in a year or two, they wouldn’t exist.
For more photos of the Hutongs, please go to my (called funnily enough…) Beijing hutongs gallery or the China Portraits gallery.
Permanent Link | Comments [7]Pregnancy Brain. It's not a myth.
30 September 2005, 17:51
It’s NOT! For the first time EVER I’ve required a diary to write appointments in else I’ll forget them. Some of the dopier things I’ve done so far (in no particular order):
1. Put the ice cream in the fridge.
2. Put my top on back-to-front twice in the past week – and actually left the house like that. I’d wondered why my neck was so damn itchy.
3. Forgot my name. OK, that’s deffo #1. It was only for a split second though, before I remembered it. I swear to you. The girl at Boost Juice got a lot of mileage out of that one. Not that I blame her.
4. Forgot how old I was. But, hell, I used to do that even before I got preggo. Once you hit 30, you know…
5. Put salt in my coffee. It didn’t taste very good.
6. Forgot the difference between the brake and the accelerator. Don’t tell Husband this one, though – I’ll get a thorough rousing.
Oh, the fun of it! To explore one’s inner-blonde* and have an excuse! Whooops, sorry, I’m PREGNANT, you see!!!! Thoroughly wonderful.
I thought of a lot more PB moments yesterday, but, whaddyaknow, I’ve forgotten them! Pregnant!...
I have been laughing a lot more these days – long and heartily, even while I’ve been sick. Everything seems funny (well everything with the possible exception of Daryl Somers) I think it must be all those yummy happy hormones throbbing throughout me. Either that, or those mushrooms from Preston Market were expensive for a reason.
* No offence to blondes intended.
Bleugh: The Next Chapter...
28 September 2005, 17:31
...and now I have a hideous nasty head cold and am feeling particularly shithouse… the crap thing about being UTD, is that one cannot revert to the elixir of mucous-free days and nights – Codral. It sucks the big fat one. I’m feeling sorry for myself. Oh, yes I am.
AND Husband is going to Sydney tonight for 4 days to attend a web standards conference when all I really want is for him to keep me company, make me chicken soup and give me hugs & back-rubs on demand. Oh I know he’ll have a great time and he’s been looking forward to this for ever so long, but NOT WHEN I’M POORLY!!!!
Permanent Link | Comments [9]Bleugh
23 September 2005, 18:33
I was on the phone to me mum last night, bragging about how great I felt and that I was obviously doing something right as I was healthy and energetic… must have forgot to touch my noggin though, cos I woke up at 4am crook as a dog.
Spent a few hours throwing up ‘til the worst of it was over, then spent the rest of today in bed, with a sore stomach and exhausted (did break for Dr. Phil, though). Must be some kind of tummy bug ‘cos I’m anal about food prep and Husband ate what I did for dinner.
To compound things, around 4.30 this morning, the dude from across the road revved up his drum kit, much to my nauseous delight. It’s so weird though, this has happened for the past two mornings, around about the same time, but he plays for about 10 seconds (which wakes me up), stops for 5 minutes, then plays for another 10 seconds, before stopping for good. What the???
Permanent Link | Comments [1]Two in One
18 September 2005, 10:20
21 weeks, 4 days
Permanent Link | Comments [5]Japanese habits die hard
17 September 2005, 09:58
Since returning to Melbourne, there have been many japanese customs we’ve been simply unable to shake…
1. Taking our shoes off at the front door (a bug bear for visiting pregnant friends)
2. Saying “Gochisousamadeshita” at the end of the meal and “Itadakemasu” at the beginning.
3. Napping at my desk. My colleagues find this strange, I think of it as normal (but then, I’m strange…), I understand Husband doesn’t do this.
4. Napping on the tram.
5. Very annoyingly, I still feel compelled to whip out the two finger salute when having my photo taken. Am working on this one, though.
6. Ducking my head slightly in acknowledgement when I see someone I know, rather than wave.
7. Shaking my hand when I don’t want something, rather than shaking my head.
Maybe these are things I will never lose and I’m sure people think them odd, but hey, it gets me by. Interesting, though, that after 20 something years of exposure to Australian customs, the above Japanese customs have stuck…
Permanent Link | Comments? [1]My First Maternity Bra
16 September 2005, 07:56
Went in for a brassiere fitting with those lovely ladies at Triumph on Wednesday.
Since puberty I’ve been a 12C – nothing to sneeze at (but plenty to sneeze on), but to my amusement, I’ve transmogrified into a 12E matron! Up 3 cup sizes in 5 months! Inconthievable! I didn’t want to ask if they came any larger than that as I was afraid of the answer (I’m sure they do…).
Thanks for indulging my gratuitous little braindump…
Permanent Link | Comments [5]Kick it!
14 September 2005, 07:50
Just in the last few days I’ve really started to feel MiniMc spreadings its wings. I worked out the sensations I’d been feeling were the same ones I had at 16/17 weeks, only now they’re much stronger.
The other night I asked Husband if he wanted to cop a feel. This ordinarily wouldn’t have been an issue, until he realised I was referring to my tummy (affectionately known as “The Pot” in that affected Fabienne-esque way). Anyway, the moment he put his hand on the “Pot”, MiniMc went off, thrashing about like he was in some kind of inutero Rave for one.
It was quite remarkable. So far, it hasn’t whacked me in the kidneys or bladder yet, but give it time.
I went for my 20 week scan last Wednesday (still haven’t watched the video yet). Everything seems to be ticketyboo in MiniMc land, except I have to go back again next Monday as the Mc was in awkward position and they couldn’t do some of the measurements. Typical. MiniMc seems very camera shy, which makes me wonder if it is, in fact, a child of mine. Oh yes, that’s right…
Melbourne has been on red-alert after the threats against this fine city by some Al Qaeda dude in the U.S. Refuse to be fearful, although some hinky stuff has been going on at work around my building of late. It’s a pretty sad world we’re having MiniMc in. I guess all we can do is keep laughing and emphasise the positive. All we can do.
Sorry to end post on morose note. I guess you’ll have to come back again tomorrow…
First Crush
10 September 2005, 11:25
Was thinking about this last night (this happens when you’re pregnant….. well, that’s my story…), going back to the annals of my childhood, pre-Husbandry, to dredge up who I thought I was going to marry when I was 6 or 7. Fortunately, I am cursed with a good memory, even with the trials of pregnancy brain and it was quite easy…
1. Bill Mumy from “Lost in Space” (late 60s’ – and no, I’m not that old, but it was the definitive TV show when I was a sprout in the 70’s). I. swore. to. god. I was going to marry Bill. And to be honest, I’ve kind of been attracted to ginger/blondey Cookies-&-Cream dudes ever since.
2. Erik Estrada from “ChIps” (or CHiPs, whatever…) (1977) He was so the man. “Airport ‘75” was my fave movie for years when I was 6ish.
3. George Harrison. My mum had a Hard Days Night LP with the most dreamy pic of George ever on the back cover. At least I think it was George… might have been one of the others…
4. Ike Eisenmann from “Escape from Witch Mountain” (1975). How I even remembered his name is scary in itself.
Permanent Link | Care to share? [3]Photo Friday "Massive"
10 September 2005, 09:14
Cloud Ridge Caves, Outback China… Click to enlarge in Gallery
Halfway House!
6 September 2005, 08:00
Officially half-way today! 20 weeks and counting. I will celebrate with can of Coopers Birell (brewed soft drink) when what I really want is to scull a pint of Coopers Vintage…
Am defo showing now so I can hang my guts out as much as I want with a reassuring tummy rub to illustrate I am very preggo and not simply tucking into the icecream and Ice Magic again (cough).
They talk about a Last Supper, well, I’ve been thinking about a First Supper Wishlist post delivery (no birth plan for me! just a First Supper plan…), chokkas full of verboten food:
Tapas platter with goats cheese and hot salami
Eye fillet steak, done medium
Spinach and fetta pastry
washed down with V. large glass of champagne, perhaps a flaggon.
... and that’s just for starters. First Breakfast will be Eggs Benedict with very sloppy yolks and a litre of hollandaise sauce with super strong caffe latte, dahlink!
********************
... and for those of you barking for pics of the (newish) house…
Formal Lounge looking through to open-plan kitchen + dining/living room
View of dining area + kitchen, with slight glimpse of study area to the right.
Boudoir, baby.
View from boudoir to front of house featuring possible intruder
Permanent Link | Comments [8]Husband
4 September 2005, 22:48
