일요일, 1월 25, 2004
today was really cool (in more ways than one) because oh jolly us, we threw caution to the wind and made our merry ways down to newcastle's chinatown (more like chinastreet, but nevermind) and participated in the chinese new year celebrations that they proverbially have.

'twasn't too bad, truth be told, and there were laughs galore, so many that i don't even know where to start, but it was great fun anyway. the usual suspects were there, so it was a time of fellowship and merriment, all in the spirit of the chinese new year, which bodes well for all of us, o joy joy joy.

faz came along, which was really nice, well, partly in view of the rather strained relations between our chinese brothers and their famosian counterparts. not to say that faz is like that in any way at all though, she's a sweetheart. we were really enjoying ourselves, despite being in the freezing cold all the way from durham, and there was a point of time we almost stopped walking, nay being capable of any movement at all because the muscles in our legs had just seized up. it was most annoying. that aside though, there were the main elements of chinese new year, better known as cny, with a small set-up of stalls that sold traditional chinese ethnic garb for the kiddies that probably have been mass produced in where else but china, which makes cheap but good things all the time. there were even one or two stalls that professed to be able to provide authentic chinese calligraphy sort of "written as you watch". it was interesting though, and put nasty thoughts into our minds about us setting up a stall ourselves and using ink and blotting paper to scribble random wordings on said paper in exchange for money. hrm, the money-making monster strikes again.

went for some dim sum and chinese buffet stuff for lunch, and now we all smell of china joe's. it was good fun though, surreptitiously nicking the egg tarts off the special tray, that was out of bounds to us ordinary customers (and dangerously near the cashier's table) some of them, brave souls, went out on a limb and got out there to get the grub, quite simply, which was interesting to watch, to say the least.

the one thing that really got my attention was the lion-dance troupe. it was going for most of the afternoon, with hordes of people following it. clearly it was the main attraction for the day, and when we actually managed to get up close, most of the troupe were really caucasians... so all of us basically went *hrm*, interesting. it was interesting though, to see that there are people with such an overt interest in the far east, as many books like to call the orient. the firecrackers were nice to hear though, us having lived lives totally devoid of the ever-so-joyful sound of firecrackers ever since they were banned eons and eras ago. this brings to mind what kayzee said: don't touch the firecrackers. i know they're legal there.

well, eventually we ditched the chinese new year celebrations and went to the main shopping belt to satisfy our inner shopping divas. and no, there were guys among us, so that meant popping into topman and the occasional perfume shop alongside the mega-spree that was poundland. hoho... too bad though, it was a sunday so by the time we got to the good stuff like h & m, it was closing time. (cue: closing time, one last call for alcohol...) well, that was pretty much the end of the day, since all we did was get back to durham and pop into the bk for some food before we all went our separate ways.

my pineapple tarts have arrived! they're currently somewhere in london apparently, because nick is putting up at someone's place before coming down to durham. *yay* that should be fun, although they'll probably be a bit smashed by the time they complete their long and arduous journey all the way up north.

i received a letter saying that i need to apply for a tv license soon if i have a tv in my room because the relevant authorities are coming to check my area very soon. well, i would if i had a tv to begin with. i reckon i stand with the masses who have not been duly informed about the goings on in this world, which explains why i didn't know about alistair griffin's new cd! *sniff* but enough about that.

i have been reminded of the classic hit, the lyrics of which are shown below. learn ladies and gentlemen, learn.

Baz Luhrmann - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of ’99

Wear sunscreen

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be
it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by
scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable
than my own meandering
experience…I will dispense this advice now.

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth; oh nevermind; you will not
understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded.
But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and
recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before
you and how fabulous you really looked….You’re not as fat as you
imagine.

Don’t worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as
effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing
bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that
never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm
on some idle Tuesday.

Do one thing everyday that scares you

Sing

Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with
people who are reckless with yours.

Floss

Don’t waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes
you’re behind…the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with
yourself.

Remember the compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you
succeed in doing this, tell me how.

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements.

Stretch

Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your
life…the most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they
wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year
olds I know still don’t.

Get plenty of calcium.

Be kind to your knees, you’ll miss them when they’re gone.

Maybe you’ll marry, maybe you won’t, maybe you’ll have children,maybe
you won’t, maybe you’ll divorce at 40, maybe you’ll dance the funky
chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary…what ever you do, don’t
congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself either – your
choices are half chance, so are everybody else’s. Enjoy your body,
use it every way you can…don’t be afraid of it, or what other people
think of it, it’s the greatest instrument you’ll ever
own..

Dance…even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room.

Read the directions, even if you don’t follow them.

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly.

Get to know your parents, you never know when they’ll be gone for
good.

Be nice to your siblings; they are the best link to your past and the
people most likely to stick with you in the future.

Understand that friends come and go,but for the precious few you
should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and
lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you
knew when you were young.

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live
in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft.

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will
philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize
that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were
noble and children respected their elders.

Respect your elders.

Don’t expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund,
maybe you have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one
might run out.

Don’t mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will
look 85.

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who
supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of
fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the
ugly parts and recycling it for more than
it’s worth.

But trust me on the sunscreen…