On a typical day, I get up around 6:30, get ready for work, and leave the rooftop around 7:30 to go to work. Not today, however. Today was a holiday. It was Super Bowl Monday, and I would go … all … the … way!
Not all the way to Tampa Bay. No way – that’s not what Super Bowl Monday is about. That’s Super Bowl Sunday: Super Bowl Monday occurs across the dateline, where people all over the world crowd around in bars at all hours of the morning to enjoy the biggest game of the NFL season. Read the rest of this entry ?
Since October, I’ve been living on the border of the great red giant in what amounts to as essentially a state of utter paralysis. My multiple entry visa had finally expired. Twelve Months and four handfulls of border crossings later, I was frozen from the border up.
I didn’t renew immediately. The mess of the Olympics and Paralympics meant that from March until after the Olympics there would be no issuance of multiple entry visas. In the 6 months since getting my visa in 2007, the price for visas had also increased from HK$780 to HK$1220 for U.S. passport holders. I didn’t want to end up getting stuck with a simple six month of double entry visa for the same price, so I waited – hoping to find some post in a forum for expats in Hong Kong saying they had received a 12 month visa again. The post never came, and I remained visa-less.
But like birthday money unspent in the pocket of a 12 year old, the urge to exercise my travel legs to such a close destination – even just to have the option to do so on a whim – won out over money saving fervor. I went down to the Wan Chai visa office with forms, passport, photograph and a book to read about an hour before the office opened on a chilly January morning. I was the first in, first out, and didn’t have any issues on the drop-off side. The Pick-Up is where one finds out what the black box decided to do.
The following Wednesday afternoon I wandered down to the office and jumped into the pick upline. When I opened up my passport, a big letter ‘M’ immediately lept off the page. Expiration date: 09 JAN 2010.
Flipping through the South China Morning Post a few weeks back, I noticed something that I hadn’t seen for a while: my name in the paper. In one of many weekly announcements for who will performing for the weekend’s comedy shows, there I was – my name in print! “This is the kind of spontaneous publicity… that makes people! Things are going to start happening to me now.” (The Jerk)
That’s when I noticed another clipping a few columns over. It seemed as if there was another comedy show in town. An inevitable three ring circus of folks who’ve made it locally and want to slap their thunder against Hong Kong’s burgeoning comedy scene. But what was this: Germans!?!?! Well – I’d HAVE to see this! Read the rest of this entry ?
Sunday night’s are usually not nights for comedy. However, that didn’t stop 110 people packing into our basement comedy club for a Hong Kong Language & Culture Exchange Club (HKLCEC) private show. It was a great night of fun with a lot of great comedians, and I just managed to capture my set before the camera ran out.
For your viewing pleasure – here’s my Jan 18th, 2009 set. Enjoy!
While we’re in Chinese New Year mode now, it’s a great time to look back at what Christmas looks like in Hong Kong. Contrary to popular belief, we tend to go all out for Christmas time. The best place to go to get into the spirit is one of any number of massive shopping malls, which are decked to the hilt. Check out some of these images from Christmas time here in town to relive the holiday spirit, now that the December credit card bills are beginning to come due …
Christmas Time Bowling with Chris Holland (Not Pictured)
Magi & I at the Altai Christmas Party
Magi by the Six Story Christmas Tree
Super Happy Fun Time Christmas Picture!
Petting the Christmas Squirrel
Holding up the Giant Christmas Ornament
Giant Christmas Ornament Decoration
Christmas Sleigh at Festival Walk
How Chinese view Santa Claus?
Christmas Ferris Wheel at the IFC Mall
With Altai CEO at Altai Christmas Party
Chinese Singing Christmas Carols – Sham Shui Po
Santa’s Village – Base of the Christmas Tree
Top of the Christmas Tree
Player Christmas Piano and Stage
Christmas Ferris Wheel at the IFC Mall
Crazy Dancers at the Christmas Display
Conducting Christmas Carols in Soho
If images of Christmas mall-time wonderment weren’t enough to put you back into the holiday spirit, here’s a video posted by one of the many warmed up by the second annual TakeOut Comedy Christmas Caroling event in Hong Kong.
On a typical day, I get up around 6:30, get ready for work, and leave the rooftop around 7:30 to go to work. Not today, however. Today was a holiday. It was Super Bowl Monday, and I would go … all … the … way!
