7.6.07

Return of the Ping...Pong


Wow. It's been too long hasn't it? I know it has. I don't really have an excuse for the lack of posts - with all the positive feedback I got from writing you think my bloguctivity would have increased, not vanished. It think my rate of bloggin' tells a sad but telling truth: even in the most novel and unknown place, we as humans (or maybe it's just me and mel) adapt quickly and after a month or two your in a routine, and the little things which felt like big triumphs and adventures a few weeks ago now are just cell phones, bills to pay, dishes to wash, etc...It certainly is all relative.

Remember when my XBOX blew up? Not the XBOX itself, but the big plastic brick which feeds it power. I'm sure some of you remember how upset I was, what a drama it was, when the first power supply committed electroshock suicide. Well, about a week ago, it did it again. It made the same horrible popping sound, and farted that same unmistakable smell of burnt circuitry. Did I panic? No. I shrugged with a pissed sort of disillusionment. I contemplated going back and buying another $50 (US) Chinese knock off which would likely bite the dust in another 4 months. With only 2 weeks left here I decided I could go without video games at home. Ironically enough, there was an extra XBOX power supply at work. Rich brought it home a few nights ago. Now things are back to normal. No drama, no good story, but back to slaying dragons and killing terrorists...

Life hasn't been totally flat though - so at least I'll have something to write about here for the next few weeks. The important thing is we're still in Hong Kong, and with two weeks left here I've decided to make the most of it. Last night, mel and I were discussing the funk I've gotten into in terms of getting work done. A lot of the projects (well all of the actually) I've worked on here have sort of fallen though. I do them, and then nothing, no reward, no feedback, no next step. Just a bunch of work, and then null. This repetition has really taken the zest out of doing anything other than table tennis (ping pong to you Yankees) and playing guitar. I've actually gotten better at both, I can play a little bit of a handful of songs including the super sad theme song from Brokeback Mountain (sooo sad); and while I STILL can't beat Rich at table tennis, I think I stand a good chance against some of my former opponents (namely my father, Mark Jasper, and Gabe).

Nonetheless I didn't come here to play video games, table tennis, and guitar. I came here to work, and the string of reward-less projects has left me a little drained. Sadly, even my own projects (like my screenplay, senior thesis, etc) aren't holding my attention these days. So it's time for some change. I've got one more design write up to do for MERECL, and then I'm done. I'm going to hunker down and finish a draft of my screenplay, and try to stop thinking about the reward of work, and just try to enjoy the work itself again. That's something I've almost forgotten how to do since getting here.

This reform of course includes writing this blog again - despite my perception that life is a little mundane here - a lot has happened!

Mel is now a real live bartender.

I took a trip home, and um...pretended to graduate.

I had a chance to help make a film.

We captured many brilliant pictures of Richard making a fool of himself...

I got to hang out with some of the world's leading yoga teachers, and hear all about the plight of the 'fish-beings'.

My future as a television star is looking brighter ...

Mel and I spent a day doing the most grueling physical labor we had ever experienced (all in the name of the environment).

Our plant (the one I got Mel for her birthday) finally officially kicked the bucket, I threw it out last night, we hummed taps. Well I hummed taps. Rich didn't know what taps was, and mel wasn't in a humming mood.

I will be writing about all of these things, and more, over the next 2 weeks. I hope some of you are still reading. My apologies again for the lack of posts - metaphysical shit happens.

-Mish

1 comment:

Richard said...

Bastard!!! Don't you dare to post any of those pictures :)

What about taking a picture of me where I make a genius of myself. Wait, that'd be a sci-fi. God damn it. This is not fair.
At least one. Seriously, Misch, it's your responsibility to take at least one picture of me where I look like a normal human being, or fish being if you wish. Lol. Otherwise, your karma will become a drama. Trust me, I'm a doctor.