...enjoying your blog!!! stephen,
....thanks!!! ...the place seems spiritual, looks clean,...Gold,....like India? The gods strongly resemble what one would expect to find in India,...the scarred rooster was a riot!!! Buddhism,...it's not about the destination,...it's about the journey,.....Yes, right!!! Just ask someone who has spent fourteen hours in a car with a two year old with cotton candy!!! What's up w/ the temple painted lavender? Just wondering has Martha Stewart been over there?
Food. Fruit? Milk? Eggs? How about rice? Have you grown tired of rice? As my son says "already." Have you had The Anthony Bourdain Experience? If there is one nearby,...you have to go by the market early one morning,...and I do mean EARLY!!! It's a riot!!! It's interesting watching the guys work w/ the beef, poultry, and pork. I have never seen the ability to take live poultry, render it lifeless, and carve it up in such a matter of minutes. To say some of those guys take their job seriously is an understatement,...it's like a sport!!! And a true test of one's virility!!! I've never seen anything like it in my life!!! I guess they give out "The Man Award" at the end of the year for whomever is the best, the quickest, or something!!! While in Masbate',...and being "past" weary we wandered into the market about mid-morning,...and found fish in every hue imaginable,...royal blue, vibrant red, sunburst yellow, striped fish, polka dot fish,....round fish, oblong fish, and even square fish....a sight for sore eyes to say the least!!! And yes,...by then our eyes were "sore!!!"
Back Home the temp is in the sixties,...perhaps, even a bit cooler at night,...a norther blue in last night about 0300 (3:00 am),...the wind is at 20mph,....with wind gusts to 30-40mph,....not fun on a bike, and even more of a challenge on Bee Cave Rd. Yep, don't ever recall needing to stomp on the pedals going downhill!!!! Or being blown backwards, ....back up a hill!!! A wind gust grabbed the front wheel this morning,...and it got "wobbly," ...the wheel turned from the 12:00 position,...to about the 10:00 position, and I thought "Oh, Hell No....I am in no way ready to kiss the pavement this early in the morning!!! Guess, I better 'grab a hold' a bit better!!!" I hear there may be "A Birthday" over that way,...rice pudding? fried wonton? soy ice cream? do they have green cake over there? Anyway, thanks for keeping us posted....
Smiles,
t
stephen,
....some pretty neat pictures you all have up!!! ...it seems as tho Shanghai is clean, ...has some decent vehicles, ....seems overcast quite a bit, ....colorful, ....getting around I guess would be a real challenge w/ the language barrier!!! And, are the bikes Circa WWI are what??? I bet they have the weight of a Sherman Tank!!! Guess, they have the wine situation down and are still working on the cheese!!! My thought, you will probably see things while there that you will never see again. And, I guess \"clothing care\" is an issue. Perhaps, the locals down the road can help you all out on that one!!! And the cost involved in such fine service should be all but negligible at best,...or at least from I have experienced. Chi Quong??? Really, I mean REALLY!!! I thought that was a huge issue over there regarding the government. Personally, I have a great amount of respect for it, as I inadvertently fell into a group on one occasion and was quite impressed!!! The Buddhist Temples,... what an honor!!! My understanding is that there is a bit of spirituality over there. And,...so have you all received \"The American Welcome,\".....folks wanting to make their way back to the U.S. as a stow away. Heck, my son (at age four) had girls making their way from the other side of the park in Manilla!!! It bothered him immensely...and in time made peace with all the added attention.
sincerely,
-t-
stephen,
....can just imagine you all walking into an older, sparse, dimly lit auditorium. Yep,... you and \"Captain\" walking over to the tech box,...raising a squeeky lid and finding an empty box,....looking at one another, .....looking down, and wanting to scream!!!!! How you guys pulled it off is beyond me!!!! The reality is you worked with what you had,...think folks call that \"improv.\" Yep,...I know at this point in all of your careers that is not what one would expect in a million years!!!! take care......
sincerely,
tammy
stephen,
....you guys crack me up!!! I\'m going to try this again, as I inadvertently hit the wrong key and things go into a black hole. I\'m currently \"enjoying\" listening to a woman in her thirties speak with the voice of a three year old!!!! Ah,...you can imagine!!! Ok,..let\'s try this again. If I can I would like to share some of my experiences,...in hopes of possibly giving some insight, validation, and encouragement.
1). On being yelled at,...Oh, yes!!! Rest assured, it is not one\'s \"imagination.\" I dealt with this for years,...personally and professionally. In watching others\' interaction it became apparent that I was often in \"the one down\" position,...or \"I\'m better than you\" position. It was perplexing at best,...as there was simply \"no need\" for it. I also felt as tho others had a real sense of \"pride,\"....think it may be patriarchal in nature,...the sense of success, etc. I feel certain that if I had been male I would have been received much differently. Oddly,...much of this came from females!!! Upon further reflection it was revealed that in the work environment there was much tension regarding male attention which I found comical at best!!! A harsh existence, leads to a harsh disposition towards life. Family planning was essentially non-existent,...education a distant aspiration and beyond the reach of most,...limited resources was common. I did notice that it was not uncommon to see a case of beer/day consumed by the head of the household leaving little to no resources available for the other members of the family. Along with this came stress, strife, discord, verbal abuse, violence, and infidelity. Interesting to note, in speaking with co-workers from Nigeria many of these same dynamics exist. Several years back I was interested to see how different cultures dealt with these issues. Interestingly, in every culture and in different locales the family dynamics were the same throughout the world. In looking back,...what was labeled as \"culture\" was in fact \"the family disease of alcoholism.\" Oddly,...at times folks were so \"happy\" that it dumbfounded me!!! Folks had no frame of reference for a better way of life. Rest assured,...on some level you all have brought a glimmer of enlightenment to those who would listen.
2). On Facilities. Hum,....in traveling to various parts of The Phillippine Islands I was amazed at how \"facilities\" and running water were a non-issue. Interesting to note,... cell phones and Coca-Cola were never in short supply!!!! Cold showers were common,...as very few people have hot water heaters,...clothes were washed by hand,...and cooking was done over an open fire in a room off the back of the house. And believe me,...upon reflection when one tells me of the illustrious opportunity of growing up in a Nipa Hut overlooking the beach and waking up w/ The Rooster...it looks much different \"today!!!\"
3). On Local Food. Ever heard of Balut??? My understanding is that \"Balut\" is a nearly hatched chicken or foul of some sort. Outside of Manilla (before the volcano destroyed the Air Base) it was not uncommon for \"the girls\" to catch a bus around pay day for the base. Yep,...you guessed it!!! As a sign of their \"availabilty\" a wiggling tiny leg would be left outside their bottom lip. Rumor has it \"Balut\" is like Viagra....on steroids. I\'ll have to take others\' word on that one!!!
One night at work,...while in Brownsville,...the folks got to talkin\'. Being a (somewhat) curious sort,... after a while I could take it (the suspense) no more. One fellow was about to travel in that direction,... and his only response was \"the black ones are the best.\" In all honesty,....I was \"lost\" as to the topic of the conversation. Yep,....you guessed it \"Dogs,...the black ones are the best!!!\" I dunno, but will admit to having kept closer eye on the Black Lab!!!
3). Chinese Dragons and Chopsticks. I have no idea \"why,\" but the craziest things happen at The Driskoll!!! Imagine being a bit disencumbered in one\'s mental faculties and seeing a chinese dragon in the street,...it\'s just not quite what one would expect!!! On Chopsticks,...oh gosh years ago in Houston we had a Chief Nursing Exec wear them in her hair,...still perplexed on that one!!! Ok,...from what I\'ve been taught the secret to using chopsticks is the mid-finger,...and the mid-joint,...never slipping past the most distal index. The forefinger and the fourth finger are used to balance and manipulate the chopsticks,...it\'s much easier to do than one would realize. And,....if bored, and having nothing better to do over the course of an evening it can be a great focal point to remove one self from \"the evening.\"
4). Language and Familiarity. From what I\'ve been told that inundating one in a foreign language (regardless of the language) causes a great amount of distress in a short amount of time (a half hour, or so). Add to this not being even remotely familiar with their alphabet, lettering, or writing capabilities. In all honesty, it is a different part of the brain,....right brain vs left brain dominant. The left brain is analytical,...more common in Europe, The US, etc.......the right brain is more creative in nature,...typical of indigenous cultures, etc. More intuitive if you will.
I hope this has helped,...my only wish is to support you guys as you do your work!!!
sincerely,
tammy
positive vibes.... stephen,
....sounds like a great day!!! It also sounds as tho the locals are reachin' out. That's huge!!! I want to toss a little something out to you all,...think you will like it!!!
stalwart-one who steadfastly supports an organization or cause
bulkhead- 1a). one of the upright positions dividing a ship into compartments and serving to add structural rigidity and to prevent the spread or leakage of fire b). a partition or wall serving a similar purpose, such as an aircraft or spacecraft 2). a wall or an embankment that acts as a protective barrier
border-a part that forms the outer edge
boundary-something that indicates a border or limit
Smiles,...you guys amaze me!!! Keep up the good work!!! Just imagine rock solid support from the folks back home!!! Much is happening here as well!!!
stephen,
...if you can find a few minutes of calm in between the bursts of frenetic activity. It sounds as tho \"the planning committee\" in Shanghai may have missed a few key points. Tough on all involved @ Tapestry. It speaks volumes regarding their willingness to help you guys get the tech support you need. I would liken it to going to a supervisor with a problem,...and her turning a blind eye. Painful,... a feeling of insignificance in terms of one\'s well-being, one\'s skills, and how one is perceived by others. The reality of \"who\" you all are is of no significant consequence to what is currently happening. Separate \"the stuff\" from you (all) as individuals. I liken it to the old Midnight Oil song \"it belongs to them,...let\'s give it back!!!\" Basic human concern involves helping others,...I\'m unsure whether the folks in Shanghai have the skills, knowledge, and expertise to help. My sadness is in the work you all have done. Your effort thus far will carry you (all) far once home. These challenges will have brought you much closer than if things had went smoothly. Rest assured you all have an incredibly strong base of support back home.
sincerely,
t
puzzled stephen,
...love the part that the audience was "puzzled." In lieu of the amount of time, effort, and energy that has gone into this production it\'s a wonder you're not "puzzled." It's times like these that I look back and say "I'm surprised it went as well as it did." If you (all) will,... dig deep inside,...to that part of you that has carried you this far,....and keep on going!!! Once again,...lower your expectations,...it's a different crowd,...they have different expectations. In the next several hours "Distance Energy" from J. Wayne Ryker,...pull on it, if you will. You are never far from our thoughts.....
sincerely,
t
frustrated for you I dunno whether to laugh or cry. I might do some of both. But the show was well-received by the audience? How big an audience? Hang in there brother, I feel your pain.
Tell us what y'all are EATING! Have you hit KFC yet?
...look as tho Shanghai is quite interesting!!! The folks look peaceful. From what I have found, or been told that much of communication is non-verbal,....eye contact, a sense of gentleness, yielding to others. Once this is realized the rest is just details. Beautiful....
hey crew,
...reminds me of an old adage at the hospital "We have done so much, ....for so long,...with so little,... that we now feel we can do absolutely ANYTHING with nothing!!!" A thought that comes to mind is "low expectations" which could be good!!! A chance to relax,...go easy on your selves, etc. I hear ya on the technical aspects of the job,... lacking in the expertise we come to expect,...and the needed equipment. On a brighter note,...it looks as tho it may be a great opportunity to get a crew over there to wire that place, get it set up, etc. The crew looks as tho they've had some rest,...and are adjusting accordingly to being away from home. So,...just wondering have you all received "The American Welcome,"....folks abroad seem to be enamored with folks from The U.S.!!!!
smiles,
-t-
hey,
...hope you all have gotten some rest,...jet lag may be a problem for a week or so,...hope the load-in goes smooth,... crazy, huh??? Yep, for me LAX International departures told me things were going to be different!!! Remember,...Just Dance!!!
smiles,
tammy
Lighting designer and production designer from Austin, Texas. Currently on tour around Shanghai, China with Tapestry Dance Company.
See more of my photos from this trip, and others on my flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/seamonkey78704/... full info
t
non-member comment
...enjoying your blog!!!
stephen, ....thanks!!! ...the place seems spiritual, looks clean,...Gold,....like India? The gods strongly resemble what one would expect to find in India,...the scarred rooster was a riot!!! Buddhism,...it's not about the destination,...it's about the journey,.....Yes, right!!! Just ask someone who has spent fourteen hours in a car with a two year old with cotton candy!!! What's up w/ the temple painted lavender? Just wondering has Martha Stewart been over there? Food. Fruit? Milk? Eggs? How about rice? Have you grown tired of rice? As my son says "already." Have you had The Anthony Bourdain Experience? If there is one nearby,...you have to go by the market early one morning,...and I do mean EARLY!!! It's a riot!!! It's interesting watching the guys work w/ the beef, poultry, and pork. I have never seen the ability to take live poultry, render it lifeless, and carve it up in such a matter of minutes. To say some of those guys take their job seriously is an understatement,...it's like a sport!!! And a true test of one's virility!!! I've never seen anything like it in my life!!! I guess they give out "The Man Award" at the end of the year for whomever is the best, the quickest, or something!!! While in Masbate',...and being "past" weary we wandered into the market about mid-morning,...and found fish in every hue imaginable,...royal blue, vibrant red, sunburst yellow, striped fish, polka dot fish,....round fish, oblong fish, and even square fish....a sight for sore eyes to say the least!!! And yes,...by then our eyes were "sore!!!" Back Home the temp is in the sixties,...perhaps, even a bit cooler at night,...a norther blue in last night about 0300 (3:00 am),...the wind is at 20mph,....with wind gusts to 30-40mph,....not fun on a bike, and even more of a challenge on Bee Cave Rd. Yep, don't ever recall needing to stomp on the pedals going downhill!!!! Or being blown backwards, ....back up a hill!!! A wind gust grabbed the front wheel this morning,...and it got "wobbly," ...the wheel turned from the 12:00 position,...to about the 10:00 position, and I thought "Oh, Hell No....I am in no way ready to kiss the pavement this early in the morning!!! Guess, I better 'grab a hold' a bit better!!!" I hear there may be "A Birthday" over that way,...rice pudding? fried wonton? soy ice cream? do they have green cake over there? Anyway, thanks for keeping us posted.... Smiles, t