shaunism

Saturday, 17 July 2010

[The Life of Shaun #411] Paloma Faith

My friend Jim turned me on to Paloma Faith, and for those of you who like Amy Winehouse, Duffy, etc., check her out. Particularly great is New York:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvXeUqlfxhY

In unrelated news, Mary Keany arrived safely yesterday - yay! - and is busy making her flat into a home ten floors above me. It's great to have her back.

Cheers,
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

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Friday, 9 July 2010

[The Life of Shaun #410] Two strikes against DOMA

A little off topic, but potentially important. There have been two decisions that say DOMA (the Defence of Marriage Act, which states that the Federal government won't recognise same-sex marriages, even if states do) is unconstitutional:

http://gayrights.change.org/blog/view/its_official_the_defense_of_marriage_act_is_unconstitutional

Now an interesting question: will the Obama administration appeal the decision?

Love to know what the news (esp. Fox) coverage is like from the statesiders.

Cheers,
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

Monday, 5 July 2010

[The Life of Shaun #409] Back from the land of the durians

I sent out some postings while I was away, so just a short 'woof' (for The Office fans).

Hong Kong is definitely one of the most visually stunning cities out there; I am sure the comparison's been used countless times before, but it's like dropping New York on top of San Francisco. You have the concrete canyons of New York amplified from being built improbably over steep hills like in San Francisco. (Hmmm.... the Big Apple + the Big Martini = Big Appletini. I need to write a marketing proposal.) It's hustling and bustling and has all the life a (second tier) world city should have. But, that's not really why I go to Asia...

Kuala Lumpur was much more what I was looking for. The Petronas Towers are stunning, and there is a façade of modernity, but you don't have to go too far in any direction to see the third world coming through the cracks - sometimes literally: a heard of goats on the edge of downtown, holes in the sidewalk "fixed" by laying boards over them, a repressed and depressed gay scene. I know there is more to the city than we saw, but our brief time there was further truncated by severe rain, so we just had a taste -- but I can't say it left me wanting more.

Next was Singapore, which was my favourite of the trip. This is largely because we had a handsome tour guide, Prashant, who not only beguiled, but was able to make sure we were in the right places at the right time and drank and ate in the appropriate places. We were able to turn off and be led, which was nice. I had expected an island version of Canary Wharf, but instead got a city that, despite its antiseptic reputation, had a 70s edge to it that I adored and, due to its immigration policy and history, a cosmopolitan and, importantly and distinctly from everywhere else, integrated population that was more suitable to my palate.

Last was Macau, where Russ is stationed until the Autumn. "The Vegas of the Orient" is how it's billed - and in some respects it is. Old casinos crowd the original city centre, new megaresorts have sprouted on the outskirts. However, here the historic core is actually that, historic, and the resorts are emphasizing quality more than Sin City and so lack the teeming masses streaming between the machines and tables of Vegas's "resorts". We also popped over the border into mainland China to shop in Zhuhai, where as gwailo (Westerners) we naturally overpaid. It was still super cheap to us and, being lucky enough to be so much better off, it is only right that we did so.

Fantastic trip, and it was wonderful to see Russ again after missing his special day in April. I've loved getting to see more of Asia this year - it really is a different world - but think that's it for a while. So next year - India? Africa? South America? Middle East? First let's see how long it takes my bank account to recoup from dual antipodean adventures; perhaps 2011 will again be a year to see Britain.

Cheers,
Shaun

Attached are a few of my fave pics from the trip. For those who like this sort of thing, there are more here:

Hong Kong --> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=239170&id=713081334&l=10c48fefe1

Kuala Lumpur --> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=239177&id=713081334&l=8db9a6eae3

Singapore --> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=240320&id=713081334&l=902d5629f0

Macau & Zhuhai --> http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=240328&id=713081334&l=21825c2c97

01 - Tried to get a pic from our hotel with the Hong Kong skyline... kind of worked.

02 - Older tower blocks in Hong Kong. New construction is demonstratively glitzy, showing the global stature and wealth of the city, but the older stock is decidedly functional; however, the size and density shows the longstanding status of Hong Kong as a centre for business - and refuge.

03 - Bank of China building; not loved by many feng shui masters, but it is by me

04 - Hong Kong from Victoria Peak. Definitely one of the top urban scapes.

05 - Petronas Towers, at night

06 - Downtown Singapore. The trio of buildings with the new Sands. I loved it.

07 - Downtown Singapore, orderly and clean as expected

08 - Some of colonial Singapore, with the charming 70s punctuating the skyline

09 - The "Gherkin farm" outside Russ's flat

10 - Macau Island from Russ's flat

11 - Macau's central square

12 - Grand Lisboa, Macau's first (and for a long time, only) big casino

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

Friday, 2 July 2010

[The Life of Shaun #408] Coley-Petroni Economics 101

Russ and I have learned that whenever we travel, regardless of how much we plan and prepare, we will do stupid things that will cost us more and take longer than they should. Paying £400 to take a car across the English Channel and back, rather than renting one on the continent, is a prime example. But this trip is proving to be exemplary.

We had a good candidate for the most profligate night when spent $150 each in Kuala Lumpur, where cheap isn't too hard to find, on a ridiculous tourist-trap restaurant with dancing performers followed by exorbitant drinks at a grimy gay bar. But we topped that today.

When we booked our flights originally, I gave Russ the choice of an early one or a later one and he chose early so he could get to work on time. Well, despite thinking ourselves quite smart by setting our alarms on our phones last night, while we were still sober, we managed to miss our flight this morning.

Somehow we turned off both our phones after the alarms went off, spoke to the front desk when they called, and went back to sleep without remembering any of it. Needless to say, our budget airline wouldn't just move us to a new flight, so we had to buy new tickets. S$600 ($430, £280) and four hours later, we were on our way. Small silver lining, though, in that we got to fly directly into Macau rather than into Hong Kong, saving us $30 on the ferry ride over. Frugal indeed!

Here's to hoping that this remains our most expensive day!

Cheers,
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

Thursday, 1 July 2010

[The Life of Shaun #407] 100

Just a short eMail here to mark a little milestone. Attached is a pic from crossing into Singapore from Malaysia; when I went through Singapore customs I received my 100th stamp in my passport*.

Having a great time down here. Hong Kong is stunning, as every tourist shot indicates. Kuala Lumpur is interesting for all the reasons that make it somewhere I wouldn't want to live. Singapore has more to it than I thought it would - I love the 70s feel of so many of the buildings and the organisation and Western standards are welcome after KL.

Macau tomorrow, then across the border into China for shopping Saturday morning and then one last night in HK before heading home on Sunday.

Cheers,
Shaun

*My third passport, I am proud to say, as an American.

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

Friday, 25 June 2010

[The Life of Shaun #406] Just what Indochina needs...

...one more invader from the West!

I'm off tonight on my second whirlwind tour of SE Asia. In the next ten days I will accumulate passport stamps in the ports of Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Macau and Zhuhai in mainland China. Very excited for the break, to see these cities and finally ring in Russ's X0th.

I'll do my best to not get thrown in jail or caned, but I can't make any promises.

再见/selamat jalan/cheers,
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

Monday, 31 May 2010

[The Life of Shaun #405] Dinner in the Gherkin

Last Friday my friend Lottie got us a reservation in the Gherkin for dinner -- in a private dining room -- followed by drinks in the bar. I've waxed lyrically about the Gherkin nearly endlessly, so I will just let the pictures speak for themselves.

Cheers,
Shaun

Predrinks were at The Planet of the Grapes; each of these pictures are purported to be of people who died of alcoholism.

Fantastic bottle of wine! Buy it if you see it.

I don't care how many times I see it, it's awesome.

Security to get in is Heathrowesque.

Private dining is the way forward!

The dining room.

Kimberly looking out the best loo hallway view in the world.

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

Tuesday, 18 May 2010

[The Life of Shaun #404] My 15 seconds

When I lived in America, I listened religiously* to NPR's Marketplace on my commute home. They also have a weekend show, Marketplace Money**, that's a wrap-up of the week as well as an in-depth look at financial/economic matters. Before many of you start yawning, they cover things in a very topical, lively, entertaining, relevant and, importantly, light manner.

After last week's show I wrote in a comment about one of the stories and the producer wrote back that he thought it was a great suggestion. Tonight he called me and asked me to read the suggestion for the show. So, for the one or possibly two of you who don't already listen to Marketplace Money on the radio or by podcast, tune in this weekend!

Cheers,
Shaun

Marketplace Money: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/episodes/show_rundown.php?show_id=8

*Purposely chosen for its incongruity
**I can honestly recommend listening to this regularly. Those who are into this sort of thing naturally will be all over it. But even if you're not, it's a good way to keep up with what's going on and maintaining your financial literacy without getting bored.

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

Sunday, 9 May 2010

[The Life of Shaun #403] Collective plural

This is for the grammar nerds amongst us; the rest can comfortably hit delete now.

Hopefully (ie, it is hoped) you watched this week's American Idol for a live example. If so, you would have heard when Simon Cowell said "The band were good..."

Very shortly after moving here I heard this construction, incorrect in the American vernacular, which I, rightly or not, call the 'collective plural'. I watched AI with a Dutch and an American friend (since no British people live in London) and Simon's comment triggered a discussion about this topic.

In America, we would say "The band was good", and here they say "The band were good." Garret (American) took it as a cultural grammatical difference, Lottie (Dutch) considered it just incorrect. I pointed out that they say it like that on the BBC and, therefore, it's correct (everyone agreed).

But the conversation got interesting (to those of our ilk) when I counterpointed their grammatical arguments with my thoughts on it. When I first heard a comment along the lines of "The team were on form tonight" or somesuch, my thought didn't wander immediately to the grammar. I thought "Oh, in America, when we refer to the team, we think of the unit. Here, they think of the individuals that make up the team." Different perspective.

And then I quietly went along, slowly and unconsciously adapting the collective plural, until the conversation came up tonight. Lottie and Garret had never thought of it in the same light as I had. So is it a grammatical difference, or a social/perspective difference? If the latter, there might be a PhD topic there.

Would love to hear thoughts from the aforementioned grammar nerds out there.

Cheers,
Shaun

Shaun H. Coley
Shadwell, Tower Hamlets
London, UK

http://www.nocirc.org
http://shaunism.blogspot.com

Monday, 3 May 2010

E2

Today I cheated on E1 and took a walk around the gem of E2, Bethnal Green. A couple weeks ago, the free Tower Hamlets newspaper published a walk of the month of the area, and I saved it for a day I felt like exploring.

I'd been to Bethnal Green before, for this or that, and definitely liked it, but I never really saw much off the high street. Turns out, it's quite a cool neighbourhood. It's urban at its core, but surprisingly bucolic for East London. Bethnal Green Road is a suture across E2, bringing together two realities of the East End; urban hipsters and hirsute hotties pour in from Shoreditch to the North, and the South Asian masses of Shadwell's Siamese twin, Whitechapel, come up from below. Trendily edgy cafés, diners and bars tactfully mix with kebab shops, pound savers and pubs (and a full-sized Tesco).

As you head North from the high street, the urban edge quickly gives way to lazy streets with stately stone terraced homes, trees and bushes more typical in W postcodes, and before you know it you are skirting along some of the East's premier destinations. Columbia Road Flower Market, Hackney City Farm, Broadway Market and (the heavily underused) Victoria Park hem in Bethnal Green from Hackney. The whole area is interspersed with parks, churches, plenty of housing stock that survived the Blitz and a relative dearth council estates. Shoreditch is a comfortable walk away, and there is a tube and an overland direct into Liverpool Street. What a lucky little corner of London.

Attached are some photos of my local ramble, full set at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=222493&id=713081334&l=7d6a6358a9

Cheers,
Shaun