So a lot of stuff is happening! I have spent a bunch of my blogs talking about the great and magnificent things that I love about China, but must take a minute to speak otherwise. There is a panic happening in China right now as the Olympics get closer. We can get CNN in our house because it is Filipino cable, so I have been watching closely what is happening and have heard the real death tolls etc. The cable at the gym though is not and while CNN is available as soon as footage or commentary come on it goes to black. The newspapers barely cover it. The headline in the Shanghai Daily says, "Tbet Capital returns to normal after Violence, " going on to say only ten were killed (when it was over a hundred), and said they did not enforce martial law, which is a well known lie. I don't even want to spell out the word right now.
Then, thanks to Bjork and her lovely comments about the place declaring independence, every musician coming here is getting the full treatment. Harry Connick Jr. just played here and an hour before his set the authorities "Offered advice" about what he could and couldn't perform, meaning half his songs were out and he had to instead perform the ones they requested on a list, which he hadn't even brought the music for. I mean, Harry Connick Jr.? THEN! Incubus was here the other night and while one member was in the hospital there were 2 members supposedly asked not to perform. Two members played a short acoustic set and it wasn't until the last song and the encore that the turntable-st (the sound they are known for) and the drummer went onstage to perform. The word hasn't gotten out about what the heck happened, but everyone was really upset and disappointed, with tics costing 500 rmb ($70) which is expensive by Shanghai standards.
Then the final frustrating straw for me today was reading a Hong Kong expat magazine which had a whole article referring to young ladies as 'Future tai tais" (wives).
Anyways.... In other news....
One of our Chinese partners for the club got us a meeting with THE man. The head of the whole Hongkou district in which the site we want is in. Basically, our woman is best friends with China's biggest sports star, a retired soccer player, who is best friends with THE man, and together they brought in Norm, they had a meeting for two hours and it couldn't have gone better! Our woman said we accomplished in 2 hours what normally takes 6 months! This guy exuded power and snapped and people would run. He made some phone calls, talked and listened and basically assured us the place was ours as soon as he could get the other people out. (it's vacant but the previous lease holders still have some rights, but he said if they aren't out nicely in 2 weeks he'd put the cops on them!) He used to be head of police and is a secretary of something in The Party. Assured us it would all be good, giving him a translated version of the proposal tomorrow. Just an example of this guys power, he said "You know there isn't a lot of parking near there etc" and Norm explained: not a problem, and he said, "No, you don't understand, I rearrange traffic for you." Apparently he is also traffic commissioner!
So that is great and we are getting together everything we can to be ready to go as soon as the keys are in our hands! In other news, our really great friends here, Sophie and Peter, just had their first baby, a little doll named China Clementine! She is so cute and little! Apparently the Chinese are giving Sophie jip for having her out this early. I just found out that in the Chinese culture the babies and mothers aren't outside of the house for the first month and both mother and baby are not allowed to wash during that time either. She has now learned the phrase in Chinese "Foreigners are not the same." Because she was early, she got to attend her own baby shower! A group of 6 of us went to a spa! I had a facial (I'm still glowing!) and an hour of yoga, and catered lunch out on the roof. It was really lovely!
Went to the antique market the other day and practiced my Chinese. I bought 2 little Chinese Comic books, one of Charlie Chaplin and one of 'Zolou" (Zorro!) that use the images from the tv show (That's for you mom!) for 5rmbs each and then I bought a sexy lady figurine for my vanity. I talked the woman down from a hundred rmbs to 25! I can now say things like, "Beautiful? (because everything is 'Peyouliung') That's not beautiful!" "I have that and I bought it for way less!" "That guy was only asking .... for that!" "He's crazy!" (About Norm!) I like it, but my boyfriend doesn't like it and says No!" It's good fun! I also got lost the other day and was able to ask people for directions and understand their reply! This might sound provincial, but these are very big leaps for me! I even knew the first guy was full of it when he told me 'Go six blocks that way!" You got to watch them! One thing about the Chinese is they will never admit they don't know directions someplace! The next guy told me right though!
On Saturday night a group of ten of us got all dressed up and went to a friend's for drinks and then to dinner, and then to JZ Club where our friend JQ was playing trumpet in The Big Band! It was spectacular and very encouraging! 16 piece jazz band, 2 singers, and the place was rammed! We had a great time! Then last night a friend of friends came over for dinner and it turns out Norman, Joey, and me all have people and places in common with him. He used to be the singer of the group The Toasters and now is a creative director and deejay here in Shanghai. The first time I met Cavo Joey, him and I were dishing out ideas about things to do here, ideas etc, and he said, "I left NY because no one was having These conversations anymore." We all agreed. Funny, the first time I met him I said to Joey, "I'm impressed how polite he is." And Joey said, "You mean for a Rude Boy?" That Rude Boy reference completely went over head at the time, but now I see the humor in that comment! I also had to bite my tongue a bit when they were all talking about clubs in '83 from saying, "You mean the year I was born!?" haha, I saved that one for you guys! :)
Joey leaves tomorrow and I have to say, we are really going to miss him! The house has been so lively and we have all been joking, laughing, and singing stupid songs constantly! He'll be back though! Norm and I are gearing up for a fast, and by gearing up I mean I think we are going to Blue Frog tonight for 2-for-1 burgers and drinks! :) The timing is right and we are doing it safely. One thing that I wanted to comment on was how healthy I feel both physically and mentally. I find myself eating great, exercising everyday, meditating and yoga-ing, taking advantage of the steams and jacuzzi, and going to bed and waking up early. My skin is looking great, I spend most of my days not in make-up or ever thinking about appearances. I feel really solid and good for the most part, happy with Norm, new friends and life here. Wish I wasn't so far away from old friends and my family, and wish a few people understood me better, but I'm really happy with where myself and things are at, and that is really what matters. Other things I miss: My Britney mags! I used to use those to get through my workouts and now I'm forced to read grown up mags like the New Yorker! My IQ is redeeming itself I guess! Manga-Tac glue. The radio. Being around people who are always playing me new music! (Sigh!)
Oh! Also, I started a new blog for the Chinatown (The name we like for the club!) It is: http://ameliakallman.expat-blog.net/ I chose this site because it is international blogging, meaning I can read my own (it's not blocked) and so can others here in China. I'll put some new pic up now! Thanks for reading!
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