Now, so you don't go away empty-handed, here's an adorable cat video:
Fare thee well,
Colin
Saturday, April 28, 2012
In Place of Usual Post
Due to my time being consumed by some bettas that were sent to us by a marine management organization, we will be unable to provide a full post this weekend. To summarize the most important point of the past week: I passed my master's defense.
Now, so you don't go away empty-handed, here's an adorable cat video:
Fare thee well,
Colin
Now, so you don't go away empty-handed, here's an adorable cat video:
Fare thee well,
Colin
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Brace Yourselves...
My thesis defense date has been set for the 26th of April, and I couldn't be happier to finally be at the endgame. Well, I suppose I could be happier, but I'm happy enough. Extreme emotions can only be sustained for short periods of time, else one develops an electro-chemical imbalance that can lead to severe complications. So, yeah, I'm content.
I don't really have much to add right now, mostly because I just don't feel like writing about anything else. We've been here for so long and we've missed out on so much at home, but it's finally about to pay off big time. Once I have my master's degree and my thesis finalized, I can finally stake some more permanent claim in my field; I'll have an artifact. That artifact tells a story, an important story for me now and, just maybe, an important story for others some day in the future. It also gives me a resource from which to pull when I do further work, possibly even article and book publications, but most importantly it's a token, a trinket I leave behind.
Now, I don't know what story is going to be told, or if anyone is even going to pick it up. Truth be told, if my work is remembered at all, I'll probably be written-off as a mere dissenter who contributed little of substance to his area, let alone the field or world at large. That's okay. What's important is that I know it's out there and that it's out there at all. As much as I seek an audience with other minds for the sake of debate and collaboration, at the end of the day I really have to fall back on my own sense of judgement and self-satisfaction. I have to examine whether I lived up to my own standards and, if I did, then I need to be content with that. After all, you can't please everybody, and you'll likely never please those with whom you disagree.
That all being said, I'm going to wrap this up now. I was up late last night helping a friend with an important project. Yeah, being close to completion means I have time to do that now, and I like to help people. That's why I got into this lifestyle to begin with, and it's important to think about that every so often. That's my challenge for all of my readers today: Think about why you do what you do, what your reasons for going into your profession were and what they are now. Just have a nice long think and see where it takes you.
Me? I'm gonna' catch some elusive Z's.
Passing out now,
Colin
I don't really have much to add right now, mostly because I just don't feel like writing about anything else. We've been here for so long and we've missed out on so much at home, but it's finally about to pay off big time. Once I have my master's degree and my thesis finalized, I can finally stake some more permanent claim in my field; I'll have an artifact. That artifact tells a story, an important story for me now and, just maybe, an important story for others some day in the future. It also gives me a resource from which to pull when I do further work, possibly even article and book publications, but most importantly it's a token, a trinket I leave behind.
Now, I don't know what story is going to be told, or if anyone is even going to pick it up. Truth be told, if my work is remembered at all, I'll probably be written-off as a mere dissenter who contributed little of substance to his area, let alone the field or world at large. That's okay. What's important is that I know it's out there and that it's out there at all. As much as I seek an audience with other minds for the sake of debate and collaboration, at the end of the day I really have to fall back on my own sense of judgement and self-satisfaction. I have to examine whether I lived up to my own standards and, if I did, then I need to be content with that. After all, you can't please everybody, and you'll likely never please those with whom you disagree.
That all being said, I'm going to wrap this up now. I was up late last night helping a friend with an important project. Yeah, being close to completion means I have time to do that now, and I like to help people. That's why I got into this lifestyle to begin with, and it's important to think about that every so often. That's my challenge for all of my readers today: Think about why you do what you do, what your reasons for going into your profession were and what they are now. Just have a nice long think and see where it takes you.
Me? I'm gonna' catch some elusive Z's.
Passing out now,
Colin
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Winding Down
We have thirty-three days left before we leave. Thirty. Three. Days. That still feels like a lot but, heck, it's a lot less than what we were looking at when we left back in January. I have to say I'm really happy to see that number and to think that we're only about a month away from coming home. Although not everything about Hong Kong is horrible, the homeland is infinitely preferable, and I can't wait to be back at the table and drinking wine and eating food with our friends and family.
Of course, that'll only last about three months, after which time we'll be packing up and leaving again, this time for Utah. For those of you living in a cave or who just have no other way of following us, I accepted Utah's offer the other day and I'll start working toward my PhD there Fall 2012 (that means the first of September which, frankly, isn't really in the fall but, hey, that's what they call it). I'm looking forward to being back in a US program, although I can only hope that the level of rigor and depth of discussion is what I remember it to be. So far I've only done work at Duke and UNC prior to my stint in Hong Kong and, let's be honest, those are two of the best universities in the nation for the work I do. That sets the bar pretty high, but I'll remain hopeful.
I'm also hopeful that we can figure out something for Carina to do.Utah's department of education looks, to be honest, kinda' like crap on a cracker. I'm tempted to beg her to stay in Durham and finish her MAT, but I know she won't have any of that. I also know that she'll probably end up working remotely for her boss here in Hong Kong, but that shouldn't stop her from finishing that degree. I really think she could fulfill her dream of opening that school and revamping our crap education system if she'd just let herself. I'll keep encouraging her.
What else is there to talk about? Well, apparently HKU is finally starting to move on my thesis defense, having dragged their feet through the mud for as long as possible. Chris was nice enough to light a fire under someone's ass and explain that the candidate will be leaving mid-May! Apparently they had the examiners' reports when he asked (heaven knows for how long they'd had them), and the committee is going to try to squeeze in my defense ASAP. I'm not sure what that's going to entail in my case. Most students are done in around forty-five minutes tops, but I get the feeling it's not going to be so brief for me, not if some of the powers that be have anything to say about it. Then again, maybe it will go perfectly smoothly and quickly, in which case that would be awesome. I just want to finish my work here and then move on to my next projects which, frankly, are a lot cooler.
Other than that, I can't think of much else to say. Good on Florida for finally charging Zimmerman? I figured I should follow up my last post, at least.
Night-y night,
Colin
Of course, that'll only last about three months, after which time we'll be packing up and leaving again, this time for Utah. For those of you living in a cave or who just have no other way of following us, I accepted Utah's offer the other day and I'll start working toward my PhD there Fall 2012 (that means the first of September which, frankly, isn't really in the fall but, hey, that's what they call it). I'm looking forward to being back in a US program, although I can only hope that the level of rigor and depth of discussion is what I remember it to be. So far I've only done work at Duke and UNC prior to my stint in Hong Kong and, let's be honest, those are two of the best universities in the nation for the work I do. That sets the bar pretty high, but I'll remain hopeful.
I'm also hopeful that we can figure out something for Carina to do.Utah's department of education looks, to be honest, kinda' like crap on a cracker. I'm tempted to beg her to stay in Durham and finish her MAT, but I know she won't have any of that. I also know that she'll probably end up working remotely for her boss here in Hong Kong, but that shouldn't stop her from finishing that degree. I really think she could fulfill her dream of opening that school and revamping our crap education system if she'd just let herself. I'll keep encouraging her.
What else is there to talk about? Well, apparently HKU is finally starting to move on my thesis defense, having dragged their feet through the mud for as long as possible. Chris was nice enough to light a fire under someone's ass and explain that the candidate will be leaving mid-May! Apparently they had the examiners' reports when he asked (heaven knows for how long they'd had them), and the committee is going to try to squeeze in my defense ASAP. I'm not sure what that's going to entail in my case. Most students are done in around forty-five minutes tops, but I get the feeling it's not going to be so brief for me, not if some of the powers that be have anything to say about it. Then again, maybe it will go perfectly smoothly and quickly, in which case that would be awesome. I just want to finish my work here and then move on to my next projects which, frankly, are a lot cooler.
Other than that, I can't think of much else to say. Good on Florida for finally charging Zimmerman? I figured I should follow up my last post, at least.
Night-y night,
Colin
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Felices Pascuas
Yeah, happy Easter. Go eat a chocolate rabbit, I hear the ears and tails are the best parts.
There's been a lot of big stuff in the news recently: North Korea is about to launch a rocket, the Syrian peace deal is falling apart, utter madness in the Philippines as a girl tried to surf on a whale shark. Yeah, this is weird, wild stuff.
If you're in the US, as most of our readers are, then the story you've probably heard the most about is the tragic tale of Trayvon Martin. Why is it a tragedy? Well, first of all, the kid's dead, that's pretty tragic. What's really upsetting for most people, though, is the fact that the justice system seems to be dragging its feet on bringing the case to any real conclusion.
As it currently stands, George Zimmerman of Sanford, Florida , the man who has admitted to shooting and killing Trayvon Martin (17; also of Sanford, Florida), has yet to be charged for his actions. The public outcry is palpable and Zimmerman is already building a defense, claiming that he discharged his concealed firearm in a residential area in self-defense, a claim that homicide investigators on the scene were "unconvinced" about. Nevertheless, the State Attorney almost immediately claimed that there was insufficient evidence to formally arrest and charge Zimmerman. It has been pandemonium ever since.
Now, here's the real tragedy over this event: there are a lot, a lot of people out there who want to talk about the possibility that the shooting was motivated by racial profiling, that the killing occurred as a product of inherent prejudice. It gets better: the majority of the people who seem to be bringing up race are the ones who are telling everyone else to shut up about it, and it's distracting from the fact that a young man was shot to death by a man acting as a vigilante who was also potentially endangering others.
What's that? You mean the "Got durn pot-bangin' m'norities" aren't the ones hogging the bullhorn on this one? Sorry, Boss Hogg, but if you'll take a look at your hand, yeah, right there, you'll see that the megaphone is firmly in your grasp this time. Please hush for a second so I can point out a few things.
The big issue here isn't whether Zimmerman shot Martin because he was black. The big issue is that the state of Florida is dragging its knuckles on bringing closure to this horrible event that occurred two months ago. Seriously, two months and you can't even bring the charge? Of course, that comes as no surprise to those who remember the presidential election of 2000 (really, you can't count?), but we should be serious here, because this is a grave issue. We need to ask: Florida, what the Hell? The fact of the matter is that regardless of whether Zimmerman's self-defense claim is true, a claim that should be decided in a court of law after critical consideration of the evidence and the principle of excessive force, he shot and killed someone. You don't just get away with that!
Could there be undertones of racism involved? Sure, along with class-ism for that matter. I believe Zimmerman has gone on record to state that he was following Martin because he "looked suspicious", and according to statements from witnesses Zimmerman accosted Martin and demanded to know what he was doing in that neighborhood (apparently visiting the home of his father's fiancee, not that Zimmerman bought that story). Looking suspicious doesn't necessarily entail racism, but it does entail a prejudical assumption that one of these things is not like the other. Trayvon Martin was an unfamiliar entity to George Zimmerman, and one that did not fit with his expectations of who was (or perhaps should be) in that neighborhood. So, yeah, there's obviously a bit of xenophobic paranoia going on here, but it's not necessarily racially motivated.
The problem is that we are dealing with a locale that does have a history of racist tensions. Even if Zimmerman didn't personally inherit those tensions, other people that make up the community have; the historicity cannot be ignored. A little suspicion is warranted, but we should always be cautious before we fly off the handle and start making wild accusations. It goes both ways, though: people who are jumping to Zimmerman's defense have tried to build him up as an upright citizen and immediately taken pot-shots at Trayvon Martin, noting some of his past misdemeanors and current affairs. They try to vilify him, dehumanize him, rather than acknowledge that he was a human being who has died by violence against his person. Not his race. Not his class. His person. Trayvon Martin is (or was, depending on your point of view) a person, and he deserves to be remembered for who rather than what he was.
It's easy for us to forget in the bustle of our daily lives that every jerk, moron, dimwit, and rube that we bump into is still human and not an inanimate, non-sentient piece of sidewalk decor. Sure, we can't think about everyone in the world all the time, but every so often something happens and we get a chance to remember how many of us there are, and what it means to be human and be someone. What transpired that night that led to Martin's being shot is immaterial to the fact that his unfortunate demise can serve as that kind of reminder. I, for one, think we should at least give this case that level of respect.
Sorry, I know it was just Easter and everyone is feeling festive, but this has weighed heavily on my mind as of late. I'm sure I'm just young and naive, and I'm probably missing out on some serious legal facts that would explain to any idiot what's going on here, but I find this upsetting. Blame Facebook and the media. I really do hope you all have a good holiday and a wonderful week, though.
Happy Easter,
Colin
There's been a lot of big stuff in the news recently: North Korea is about to launch a rocket, the Syrian peace deal is falling apart, utter madness in the Philippines as a girl tried to surf on a whale shark. Yeah, this is weird, wild stuff.
If you're in the US, as most of our readers are, then the story you've probably heard the most about is the tragic tale of Trayvon Martin. Why is it a tragedy? Well, first of all, the kid's dead, that's pretty tragic. What's really upsetting for most people, though, is the fact that the justice system seems to be dragging its feet on bringing the case to any real conclusion.
As it currently stands, George Zimmerman of Sanford, Florida , the man who has admitted to shooting and killing Trayvon Martin (17; also of Sanford, Florida), has yet to be charged for his actions. The public outcry is palpable and Zimmerman is already building a defense, claiming that he discharged his concealed firearm in a residential area in self-defense, a claim that homicide investigators on the scene were "unconvinced" about. Nevertheless, the State Attorney almost immediately claimed that there was insufficient evidence to formally arrest and charge Zimmerman. It has been pandemonium ever since.
Now, here's the real tragedy over this event: there are a lot, a lot of people out there who want to talk about the possibility that the shooting was motivated by racial profiling, that the killing occurred as a product of inherent prejudice. It gets better: the majority of the people who seem to be bringing up race are the ones who are telling everyone else to shut up about it, and it's distracting from the fact that a young man was shot to death by a man acting as a vigilante who was also potentially endangering others.
What's that? You mean the "Got durn pot-bangin' m'norities" aren't the ones hogging the bullhorn on this one? Sorry, Boss Hogg, but if you'll take a look at your hand, yeah, right there, you'll see that the megaphone is firmly in your grasp this time. Please hush for a second so I can point out a few things.
The big issue here isn't whether Zimmerman shot Martin because he was black. The big issue is that the state of Florida is dragging its knuckles on bringing closure to this horrible event that occurred two months ago. Seriously, two months and you can't even bring the charge? Of course, that comes as no surprise to those who remember the presidential election of 2000 (really, you can't count?), but we should be serious here, because this is a grave issue. We need to ask: Florida, what the Hell? The fact of the matter is that regardless of whether Zimmerman's self-defense claim is true, a claim that should be decided in a court of law after critical consideration of the evidence and the principle of excessive force, he shot and killed someone. You don't just get away with that!
Could there be undertones of racism involved? Sure, along with class-ism for that matter. I believe Zimmerman has gone on record to state that he was following Martin because he "looked suspicious", and according to statements from witnesses Zimmerman accosted Martin and demanded to know what he was doing in that neighborhood (apparently visiting the home of his father's fiancee, not that Zimmerman bought that story). Looking suspicious doesn't necessarily entail racism, but it does entail a prejudical assumption that one of these things is not like the other. Trayvon Martin was an unfamiliar entity to George Zimmerman, and one that did not fit with his expectations of who was (or perhaps should be) in that neighborhood. So, yeah, there's obviously a bit of xenophobic paranoia going on here, but it's not necessarily racially motivated.
The problem is that we are dealing with a locale that does have a history of racist tensions. Even if Zimmerman didn't personally inherit those tensions, other people that make up the community have; the historicity cannot be ignored. A little suspicion is warranted, but we should always be cautious before we fly off the handle and start making wild accusations. It goes both ways, though: people who are jumping to Zimmerman's defense have tried to build him up as an upright citizen and immediately taken pot-shots at Trayvon Martin, noting some of his past misdemeanors and current affairs. They try to vilify him, dehumanize him, rather than acknowledge that he was a human being who has died by violence against his person. Not his race. Not his class. His person. Trayvon Martin is (or was, depending on your point of view) a person, and he deserves to be remembered for who rather than what he was.
It's easy for us to forget in the bustle of our daily lives that every jerk, moron, dimwit, and rube that we bump into is still human and not an inanimate, non-sentient piece of sidewalk decor. Sure, we can't think about everyone in the world all the time, but every so often something happens and we get a chance to remember how many of us there are, and what it means to be human and be someone. What transpired that night that led to Martin's being shot is immaterial to the fact that his unfortunate demise can serve as that kind of reminder. I, for one, think we should at least give this case that level of respect.
Sorry, I know it was just Easter and everyone is feeling festive, but this has weighed heavily on my mind as of late. I'm sure I'm just young and naive, and I'm probably missing out on some serious legal facts that would explain to any idiot what's going on here, but I find this upsetting. Blame Facebook and the media. I really do hope you all have a good holiday and a wonderful week, though.
Happy Easter,
Colin
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Nothing to Report
Seriously, there's nothing to report. We really have no updates for this week. Were you expecting something more? Do you get your kicks from our blog? Can you just not start your week without reading one of my caustic rants? Is your life just falling apart without news from Hong Kong?
Well, tough.
Love,
Colin
Well, tough.
Love,
Colin
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Who bows deeper?
Hello all! I know Colin usually writes, but I wanted to share this clip.
Meryl Streep and Yo-yo Ma recently performed together in a live performance poetry reading accompanied by the cello. In an article written about relations between China and the West, the question was posed, "who bows deeper?"
A wonderful performance with a humorous ending.
Monday, March 26, 2012
On Mountains
Sorry for the posting delay, but the other day I fell off of a mountain. I fell off of a mountain three times.
*cue Cell Block Tango, He had it comin'! He had it comin'!*
Okay, cut the song and dance number. I guess I should give an explanation.
So a bunch of outdoorsy types on Lantau Island got together a while back and decided to create an adventure race called the Lantau 50 or, more accurately, the Lantau 51 (since, ya' know, it's technically 51km). This is the first year it was run and, I have to say, it was pretty brutal. The race goes pretty much all the way around Lantau Island...the hard way. That means it goes over several mountains, one of which is called Sunset Peak, a mountain that stands almost one kilometer above sea level. That's the worst one, but there are several others that are quite massive as well.
Now, I don't mind going up mountains. In fact, I did really well on the flat and on the incline (I was even with the race leaders for a while). It's going down that gets me, especially when I'm running an unfamiliar course for the first time in Vibram Fivefingers that are definitely not meant for those rocky trails, trails so rocky that they literally tore a coin-sized hole in my shoes. Good thing I have a back-up pair. I was lucky that this was the worst gash I (think I) suffered, too, as there were jagged rocks surrounding those narrow downhill passes all over the place. It was in trying to dodge around these that I frequently ended up sliding over the edge and grabbing onto whatever brush I could to hang in there. Personal opinion? Not a safe trail, at least not in my shoes.
I ended up bowing out after Sunset Peak. I hadn't trained for this race, it wasn't my kind of race, and I definitely didn't have the right footwear for it. On top of that, going downhill really took a toll on my knees and ankles. If it weren't for the fact that barefoot running is good for strengthening those joints, I probably would have torn or twisted something. Ironically, the same pair of shoes that screwed me also saved me. I think I'll stick to road races from now on and use caution on mountain paths.
I don't regret the event, though. It was really exciting and the views from where I ended up were absolutely gorgeous. I was telling Carina that if anyone had a reason to come to Hong Kong, those mountains and the view they afforded should have been that reason. Of course, that same view also gave me vertigo (or maybe that was a combination of hunger, dehydration, and oxygen deprivation), but it was all beautiful...and fun...except for the falling downhill part.
Here's another mountain story to go out on, though: As a lot of you know, I have an anger problem that I've been trying to manage for a number of years. I've been getting better, but every day is still a struggle for me, especially when I'm surrounded by agents of frustration (re: almost all of Hong Kong). One of the greatest sources of my vexation is our flatmate, Beanpole, the bane of my existence.
Today I almost lost it and had at him. He makes a mess of things and acts like he doesn't share this flat with anyone and it makes me incredibly angry. I wanted to punch through his door and rip his head off after he commandeered the shower this morning and wasted all of the hot water...to shave (What the #@$% does he have to shave!?). I was really about to go at him, but then I checked myself. I thought, "This is someone's son, maybe even someone's friend. Now, I really hate this guy, but I have no personal quarrel with his relations. If I were to hurt him, how would his friends and family feel?"
I stepped away from the door and went back to my work. Just because you hate someone doesn't mean you have to destroy them, and just because you don't destroy someone doesn't mean you don't hate them. I hate him passionately, but I will continue to afford him what human dignity I can because, as disgusting as I find him, he is human. I am a mountain, I am solid, I will not shift from my composure. Let the anger boil beneath, but may it never overflow, for I have seen the destruction that can follow from such forces being left unchecked, and I know it to be terrible.
...The mountain is a metaphor.
Approximately yours,
Colin
*cue Cell Block Tango, He had it comin'! He had it comin'!*
Okay, cut the song and dance number. I guess I should give an explanation.
So a bunch of outdoorsy types on Lantau Island got together a while back and decided to create an adventure race called the Lantau 50 or, more accurately, the Lantau 51 (since, ya' know, it's technically 51km). This is the first year it was run and, I have to say, it was pretty brutal. The race goes pretty much all the way around Lantau Island...the hard way. That means it goes over several mountains, one of which is called Sunset Peak, a mountain that stands almost one kilometer above sea level. That's the worst one, but there are several others that are quite massive as well.
Now, I don't mind going up mountains. In fact, I did really well on the flat and on the incline (I was even with the race leaders for a while). It's going down that gets me, especially when I'm running an unfamiliar course for the first time in Vibram Fivefingers that are definitely not meant for those rocky trails, trails so rocky that they literally tore a coin-sized hole in my shoes. Good thing I have a back-up pair. I was lucky that this was the worst gash I (think I) suffered, too, as there were jagged rocks surrounding those narrow downhill passes all over the place. It was in trying to dodge around these that I frequently ended up sliding over the edge and grabbing onto whatever brush I could to hang in there. Personal opinion? Not a safe trail, at least not in my shoes.
I ended up bowing out after Sunset Peak. I hadn't trained for this race, it wasn't my kind of race, and I definitely didn't have the right footwear for it. On top of that, going downhill really took a toll on my knees and ankles. If it weren't for the fact that barefoot running is good for strengthening those joints, I probably would have torn or twisted something. Ironically, the same pair of shoes that screwed me also saved me. I think I'll stick to road races from now on and use caution on mountain paths.
I don't regret the event, though. It was really exciting and the views from where I ended up were absolutely gorgeous. I was telling Carina that if anyone had a reason to come to Hong Kong, those mountains and the view they afforded should have been that reason. Of course, that same view also gave me vertigo (or maybe that was a combination of hunger, dehydration, and oxygen deprivation), but it was all beautiful...and fun...except for the falling downhill part.
Here's another mountain story to go out on, though: As a lot of you know, I have an anger problem that I've been trying to manage for a number of years. I've been getting better, but every day is still a struggle for me, especially when I'm surrounded by agents of frustration (re: almost all of Hong Kong). One of the greatest sources of my vexation is our flatmate, Beanpole, the bane of my existence.
Today I almost lost it and had at him. He makes a mess of things and acts like he doesn't share this flat with anyone and it makes me incredibly angry. I wanted to punch through his door and rip his head off after he commandeered the shower this morning and wasted all of the hot water...to shave (What the #@$% does he have to shave!?). I was really about to go at him, but then I checked myself. I thought, "This is someone's son, maybe even someone's friend. Now, I really hate this guy, but I have no personal quarrel with his relations. If I were to hurt him, how would his friends and family feel?"
I stepped away from the door and went back to my work. Just because you hate someone doesn't mean you have to destroy them, and just because you don't destroy someone doesn't mean you don't hate them. I hate him passionately, but I will continue to afford him what human dignity I can because, as disgusting as I find him, he is human. I am a mountain, I am solid, I will not shift from my composure. Let the anger boil beneath, but may it never overflow, for I have seen the destruction that can follow from such forces being left unchecked, and I know it to be terrible.
...The mountain is a metaphor.
Approximately yours,
Colin
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