Measuring Life By The Zodiac
ๆฐๅนดๅฟซไน โข ๆญๅๅ่ดข โข ่ๅนดๅคงๅ
๐งง๐๐งง๐๐งง๐๐งง๐๐งง๐
Happy Lunar New Year from Shanghai!
I was born in the Year of the Snake, so this is my year. But contrary to what you might expect, this is seen as bad luck rather than good. So itโs customary in China that you should wear red underwear (ideally gifted to you by someone else) to ward off the evil spirits during the festival season. Weโre hoping that the snake hats make it doubly auspiciousโฆ ๐๐
Silly costumes aside, thereโs something quite useful about measuring life in the twelve-year phases of the zodiac. For me thatโs four phases of twelve, and hereโs how I now look back at them.
0-11: A Happy Childhood.
A perfect start to life, surrounded by love, culture and privilege. Not much self-realisation, apart from maybe figuring out that I looked babyish and could get my way by acting adorable. Quite a useful skill to take into adulthood, although I must report massively diminishing efficacy in recent years.
12-23: Sleepwalking Through Adolescence.
Supremely awkward and obsessive phase, spent obliviously grieving the loss of my mother while distracting myself with academia and TV. Fortunate to drop out of a career in law and run away to distant distant Japan, from where I could start to make sense of life so far.
24-35: Stumbling into Success.
After a stint back in Europe, returned to Asia and started to cement my identity here. Realising that my slightly weird disposition didnโt gel well with regular employment, was open to new things and discovered the right career at the right time. But despite the (unconvincing) appearance of strength and status, was still emotionally immature and vulnerable, easily abused and manipulated.
36-47: Self-Actualisation.
For the first time since childhood, becoming aware that I have the right to demand happiness for myself. No coincidence that this phase maps directly onto meeting - and marrying - the happiest person Iโve ever known. A phase of living in the moment, and embracing an inherent need for curiosity, connection and challenge. And eating snacks on the couch.
I donโt believe in the zodiac. But I do appreciate rituals like this which make you interrupt your routines and take stock of your place in the world. Or rather, your place in yourself. ๐ถ๐ป๐ฆ๐ป๐จ๐ป๐จ๐ปโ๐ฆณ๐ด๐ป
For the Instagram version, see here.
For the Facebook version, see here.
For the LinkedIn version, see here.
Eight Shows in Eight Days
As part of Dennyโs job, he really should be keeping abreast of whatโs happening on Broadway. So after eight years away from New York, it was only fair that he got to fill his birthday week with eight (yes, EIGHT) Broadway shows. We did four plays, and four musicals. My only request in return was that he did eight ridiculous videos, one outside of each venue. Youโre welcome.
Also, here are my ill-informed reviews of each show, listed from my least to most favourite. Youโre also welcome.
LEAST FAVOURITE
8 - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Play)
Some mesmerising stagecraft, but otherwise just a cynical money-grab with a tiresome storyline and all the spiritual edification of a wet Big Mac. And DO NOT get me started on the excruciating British accents of literally every cast member, I will punch a wall.
GOOD
7 - Hold on to me Darling (Play)
My first time seeing a preview show, so it was interesting seeing the actors still a little shaky with their lines, especially when one of them was Adam Driver. But it was a good play about a man with an over-inflated sense of self-importance who makes a string of questionable life decisions. RELATABLE. Plus we got to see Adam Driver practically naked in his panties.
6 - Oh, Mary! (Play)
Farcical, deranged and silly, this play was the perfect antidote to all the lavish high-production musicals on this list. Personally, I found the general gist of high-status-people-saying-low-status-things a little predictable. But thereโs no denying that it was an absolute joy to watch the comedy timing of Cole Escola and the rest of the cast.
5 - Water for Elephants (Musical)
Because itโs not enough for Broadway actors to just act, sing and dance, this show has acrobatics and puppetry too. Canโt help but be enchanted by the whole thing. Itโs not higher on my list because while the music and lyrics were OK, they werenโt as inventive or memorable as other musicals.
4 - Suffs (Musical)
If youโre going to put on a conventional musical without too many flashy gimmicks, it had better be pretty much perfect. And this was. Great music, simple yet vibrant scenery, and a story based on womenโs suffragists which could be applied to any multi-generational liberal movement.
BEST
3 - Stereophonic (Play, with music)
Yes, itโs a freakishly immersive portrayal of a band trying to record an album in the 70s. But what itโs really about is the frustration, claustrophobia, perfectionism, insanity, tension, euphoria, jealousy, futility and all-round relentlessness of any small-group endeavour. I know thatโs too many words, but it was a three-hour play with all those things. And I HARD RELATE.
2 - The Outsiders (Musical)
Visceral and violent, with stunning lighting effects. Then poignant and heartbreakingly beautiful. Transported me straight back to the confused and slightly tormented 13 year-old boy who studied the book in Mr Cliff-Hodgesโ English class. Stay gold, Ponyboyโฆ
1 - Hadestown (Musical)
Intimate, so so intimate. Also clever, sexy, funny, the whole spectrum of human emotion that you would expect from a 2,000-year old classical Greek tragedy brought to life. And performed with the kind of talent that can touch your soul with the raise of an eyebrow. Just wow.
For the Instagram version, see here.
For the Facebook version, see here.
Imperial Eccentricity
Happy Thanksgiving from Shanghai to everyone who celebrates it!
Clearly the thing for which Iโm most grateful is my American husband, because our marriage gives me the excuse to have a massive meal tonight, with all the trimmings. ๐ฆ๐บ๐ธ
In the spirit of our transatlantic union, Iโm posting this graphic which I found online. To those Americans who are proud of their eccentric adherence to imperial measurementsโฆ this Thanksgiving, just be grateful youโre not as eccentric as the Brits. ๐คช๐ฌ๐ง
For the Instagram version, see here.
For the Facebook version, see here.
For the LinkedIn version, see here.
Three Tips for Visiting Singapore
It WAS NOT a mistake to spend the last two weeks in Singapore, reconnecting with a city that I love. ๐ธ๐ฌ๐ฅฐ
But it WAS a mistake to wait until the end of my trip to post photos. Thank you to everyone who could make it for a reunion. And sorry to those I missed, I physically couldnโt squeeze in one more thing!
3 key points Iโm glad I remembered:
1๏ธโฃ Donโt be in a rush. Youโre on the equator.
2๏ธโฃ Donโt eat spicy laksa wearing anything white.
3๏ธโฃ Dry between your toes. This place is fecund.
For the Facebook version, see here.
For the LinkedIn version, see here.
Onwards and Upwards
I swear I used to be 177cm tall. But these days Iโm a solid 176. ๐คทโโ๏ธ
This wonโt do. My life has shrunk enough over the last 3 years, I refuse to let the same thing happen to my height. ๐ก
So I got myself a fresh new haircut, and now Iโm up to 178. ๐
For the Instagram version, see here.
For the Facebook version, see here.
Iโm So Sorry, Bugs Bunny
As part of a Mosaic of China podcast recording in Chengdu back in early March 2022, I was told by my delightful guest that 300 million rabbit heads are eaten in Sichuan Province every year. So I figuredโฆ I should at least try it once.
Iโm so sorry, Bugs Bunny. ๐ต๐ฐ
For the Instagram version, see here.
For the Facebook version, see here.
For the YouTube version, see here.
For the Mosaic of China version, see here.
Retail Therapy
Iโm feeling crap about the state of the world right now. So the only antidote I know to momentarily ease this existential angst is to post photos of the latest trend in China retail: brand names that sound like someone clearing their throat. ๐ท
For the Instagram version, see here.
For the Facebook version, see here.