http://smurfmatic.net/blog/ ...the blog en Copyright 2008 Thu, 15 May 2008 11:28:53 +0800 http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/ http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification I am a fan of Penny Arcade, but do you think this ad for Penny Arcade Expo 2008 perpetuates the Asian chick / Caucasian dude stereotype? I was going to say Caucasian dork, but the Asian girl is actually the one holding the DS.]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/15/penny-arcade-expo-2008-banner-ad-perpetu.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/15/penny-arcade-expo-2008-banner-ad-perpetu.html Society Thu, 15 May 2008 11:28:53 +0800 Omg! But then again, the South Chinese average is lesser than world standards. Moreover, my brother is kinda tall, and so are uncles and my paternal grandfather (apparently, it jumped a generation or more with my father, and myself). (youtube video)]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/15/short-male.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/15/short-male.html Going to the movies Thu, 15 May 2008 06:39:40 +0800 poster from the wall on the left side behind my bed. Unwittingly, it might have had a negative effect on my mood for all these months living here... On the other hand, I've now placed two new posters, including that of the "spankin'" rock show at 2 kolegas (because of that tag, that picture, which I linked to here, is by far my Flickr's account most popular, despite it being added less than a month ago - bunch of hypocrites :D). The other poster is one of Cheer Chen on her scooter. <3 Taking pictures with a regular point-and-shoot, after about two months on a SLR (Pentax K10D), is a very big downer. Why is there no need to look in the viewfinder anymore? Where's my extraordinarily short depth of field? Anyways, my next camera will be a SLR, that's for sure. I feel like living somewhere else. Montreal is kind of like the woman who will always be there for you. Aren't we always attracted by that which is not here?]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/12/the-first-move.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/12/the-first-move.html Real-life blues Mon, 12 May 2008 11:48:57 +0800 Taken at my parents' home.]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/12/ready-to-burst.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/12/ready-to-burst.html Pictures Mon, 12 May 2008 06:45:28 +0800 metroboulotresto.com and so the site has been down for almost two weeks now!]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/12/metro-boulot-resto-down.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/12/metro-boulot-resto-down.html Mon, 12 May 2008 01:21:01 +0800 Where did those six weeks go? Arriving in Hong Kong remained a blur. I met my grandparents and stayed for three full days only before making my way to Taiwan. In Kenting, I saw Cheer Chen live. I also went to Spring Scream, and biked like I never biked in my whole life (12km one-way to the music venue, sometimes in total darkness, on the side of the sea). In Taichung, I got lost, but eventually found my empty hostel. I was creeped out, because it was empty, in the middle of nowhere, and felt like some sort of spirit of a tormented assassinated backpacker was to pop out at any moment. Then, I was in Taipei for two days, visiting more night markets, and hung out at a student cafe, and took pictures with the giant sitting Chiang Kai-shek. Back in Hong Kong, I hung out. I took a bus to Kowloon and got lost, walked for two hours and a half in a part of Kowloon that I did not know. I went on an artistic storytelling tour of Hong Kong, to Mount Davis, and then South Bay Beach. Then, I went to Beijing... I did see Tian'anmen, and some of the Olympic venues. I went to a rock show at D-22. I met an architect who showed me a habitation complex being built. I went to party with a distant relative learning Chinese in town, and then watched live hockey on the internet. I met my friend's friends living in Beijing, drank with them. My friend surprised me by staying one in Beijing w/o telling me in advance. I bumped into young overseas Chinese entrepreneurs who opened a cafe/design shop on a new commercial street. I saw a Mongolian music performance. I played role-playing games. I visited universities, and took pictures with my Canadiens shirt in front of Peking University. Then, back in Hong Kong, I saw marches... Bumped into a Labour Day march on Hennessy, and the day after, I was at the torch relay in Wan Chai. Then, the day after, some high school students in various uniforms appeared in Causeway Bay, as I was doing shopping, parading perhaps for their school end thing. Then, I went to Kaiping in China, by boat, to visit those diaolou, and ate fresh chicken. I came back by Shenzhen, where I visited relatives' factories. I met with one of my blogging world heroes in Hong Kong, and shopped at UniQlo. And finally, after a 14-hour trip back to North America, a 6-hour wait in Newark, and 1.5-hour flight, I will be home! http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/11/remembering-the-best-parts.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/11/remembering-the-best-parts.html China 2008 Sun, 11 May 2008 08:15:28 +0800 Taken on the A11 bus to Chek Lap Kok HK International Airport. I will be back in Montreal this Saturday night!]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/10/leaving-hong-kong.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/10/leaving-hong-kong.html China 2008 Sat, 10 May 2008 10:49:26 +0800 Taken in Beijing, on the last night.]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/01/cedric-in-polaroid.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/05/01/cedric-in-polaroid.html China 2008 Thu, 01 May 2008 18:02:25 +0800 Seen near Peking University, in Beijing. ]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/29/beware-of-girls-chasing-boys.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/29/beware-of-girls-chasing-boys.html China 2008 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 01:14:40 +0800 There was a CCTV bus on the Peking University campus...]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/26/cedric-and-the-cctv.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/26/cedric-and-the-cctv.html China 2008 Sat, 26 Apr 2008 05:52:41 +0800 A chain restaurant operating throughout China and also Overseas, but based in Beijing, Quanjude (全聚德) is probably one of the most places to go for Peking Duck.]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/25/peking-duck-at-quanjude.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/25/peking-duck-at-quanjude.html China 2008 Food Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:55:12 +0800 I've been doing well, and consequently in lack of time to sit down in front of my computer to post the many many things that come across my mind. Most of it will surely have to wait until I come back to Montreal. While I was travelling in Beijing, the most touristey stuff I've been doing was to visit Tiananmen Square (I am a sucker for impressive modern stuff - especially Communist stuff), and Wangfujing. I didn't really look, and all I can find is a really dynamic city, where everything is being built or rebuilt. Everything is bigger than in Hong Kong, but it would also seem that certain things (the subway epitomizes this) are just slightly below in terms of quality/design... After a Friday night at the punk/rock bar D-22, Saturday on an expat bar/club adventure, and Sunday morning watching the Habs lose and then crawling my way to home under the rain, on Monday, I did role-playing for the first time (something called Warhammer), and then on Tuesday, I went out to Ho Hai with a Canadian-Chinese learning Chinese in Beijing (and later meeting randomly a new friend - realizing how expat world is so so small, even in BJ) and was invited over by one of my good friends in Montreal's Beijing friends (see photo above). On that same morning, we saw the Habs eliminate the Bruins in the last chapter of a thrilling 7-game series. On Wednesday, I was treated to Peking Duck by a Montreal friend's friend, before hanging out at Tsinghua University, and then heading home to stay in, finally. Today will be a ride again, as I am meeting my colleague in Montreal, who also happens to visit family in Beijing. And then, I am invited to board games with expats! But not before eating dumplings with a friend's friend, a Canadian-born Chinese now learning Chinese medicine in his parents' hometown of BJ! Tomorrow, there is nothing planned, but I am almost certain that it will just plan itself out...]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/24/totoro-love-in-beijing.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/24/totoro-love-in-beijing.html China 2008 Thu, 24 Apr 2008 12:14:07 +0800 There was a lot lot more people at the Forbidden City's gate in Beijing, than Chiang Kai-shek's Memorial in Taipei.]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/18/chiang-versus-mao.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/18/chiang-versus-mao.html Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:03:59 +0800 last week, and this week! I was a guest on the show, with a little difficulty last week (had to run down to the nearby 7-11 to refill phone while they were airing), but it was a little better this week, I think.]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/17/radio-centreville-interviews-cedric-in-t.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/17/radio-centreville-interviews-cedric-in-t.html China 2008 Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:06:47 +0800 I arrived tonight in Beijing...]]> http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/16/in-the-nations-capital.html http://smurfmatic.net/blog/archives/2008/04/16/in-the-nations-capital.html China 2008 Wed, 16 Apr 2008 04:24:57 +0800