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NEWS

Each month I will keep a running list of news items, including info on my schedule, etc. It's in order from LATEST entry at the top on down to the OLDEST entry at the bottom. 

Here are the "News" archives, feel free to browse them for some interesting tidbits:

***This is the archive of the February 2003 news***

24 February 2003

It's taken me about 5 more days to finish posting the photos from my guests Bert, Pat, Chris and Dana last week -- sorry to all the family and friends that have been checking back over and over the last few days -- finally here are the "rest" of the photos. (See entry for Saturday, 15 February (below) for the start of their visit with me). 

I'm just going to post the last days of their time in HK together here:

Tuesday, 18 February 2003

We basically slept really LATE on Tuesday -- it was supposed to be "hiking day" for me, Chris and Dana, but I don't think any of us had it in us. I had envisioned a really vigorous hike that offers spectacular views, but jet lag and "doing the tourist thing" just took too much out of us all.  So instead of hiking, we (Chris, Dana and I) made our way down to Bert and Pat's hotel where we met Rev. William Yeung (of Xi Lin CP Church) and headed out on the town for a full-on "tourist" experience. Our first stop was the famous Stanley Market on the South side of HK Island.  Here Dana relaxes near the Bay after a bit of shopping in the Market. As always, click on the images for LARGER versions...
Next on the agenda was a trip up to Victoria Peak, one of my favorite spots in HK. The only "civilized" way to ascend the Peak is on the Peak Tram, the train which snakes up the hillside at an incline of some crazy grade, it's like 40 degrees or something. (I don't actually know the incline but it's pretty steep, brother). This photo shows Dana and Bert enjoying the view -- but I was NOT enjoying it because it was hard enough to just STAND there when it's that steep, much less take a picture. Also, because the camera was slanted (due to my own state of slantedness), this doesn't look that steep, but trust me, it is steep -- I thought about straightening it out in Photoshop so the angles would be right, but whatever, tilt your head to the left a bit and you might get a feeling for the incline... (or not)...
William is pointing out to Dana where he lives out across the harbor in Kowloon. "See that luxury apartment building? Well, that's not mine... But see the one next to it? The one with the beautiful ornamentation? Okay, mine's nothing like that, but it's BEHIND that one..." (ha ha -- just kidding, he didn't say that -- but he really was showing Dana where he lives)...
Another cool "dusk view" of the HK skyline from the Peak.
After it got dark I tried this shot of Dana and Pat -- not bad, maybe... But I've GOT to get me a tripod...

After we enjoyed the view for a while, we went inside to Cafe Deco for dinner -- I was worried they might not like it but all I'll say is they were practically speechless from the view. It's not a cheap restaurant but it's not that expensive, either, if that makes sense, and in fact the food is really good, and to get that view on TOP of it all -- well, it's a must-go place and I'll take you if you ever come to HK (but YOU'RE paying, ha ha)... 

Wednesday, 19 February 2003

The next day we spent the morning at a Chinese products store (just so they might find a few souvenirs from HK, some very "Chinese" things to take back home). After that, Bert and Pat ran back to the hotel to rest and Chris and Dana and I went over to see the only Gap store in HK (Dana works for the Gap). So we went to see that, and also to visit my friend Raymond at his chocolate shop. Unfortunately, Raymond wasn't there (his father had been hospitalized, and he had to leave). But still we went and sampled some products -- it's imported Belgian chocolate and it rocks, it's a real luxury item "flown in weekly"...  

	After we came out of the shopping center (Ocean Terminal), we were standing there next to the Star Ferry and who should we see but these two rascals (Bert and Pat). I took this shot before they realized we were standing right NEXT to them.  Click on any image for a LARGER version...
	Pat, Dana and Bert with the HK skyline and sunset behind them. Again, if you've heard me talk about this before, that building on the RIGHT is the new "tallest building" in HK -- notice how it simply DWARFS what was previously thought to be a huge, imposing skyline!!!
	They insisted I get in this photo, too...
	I thought this was a cool shot of Bert and Pat watching the night fall on the HK skyline. Chris took another shot at this same time that was really cooler than this one, but I didn't upload it. It was much moodier and hip than this one, though, so I feel I need to give him "props" for it, even though I didn't upload it (yet).
	I know it's a dark photo, but I wanted to give you some sense of the spectacular view across the harbour to HK side from Tsim Sha Tsui once the sun goes down and the city lights up. Doesn't this photo make you feel how exciting this place is?!?... (maybe not, but it does ME)...

Okay, so this is one last "panoramic" view from Tsim Sha Tsui across the harbour to HK side. Once again, notice the monolith on the RIGHT, the new "tallest building," and it's supreme dwarfing capabilities. Also note the red arrow which I have inserted -- it is pointing to the Peak Galleria, which is where almost all the "peak" photos I have were taken. 

Thursday, 20 February 2003

They had an 8:40am flight to Japan, so we got up at 4am on Thursday. Man, that's early. Too early to take any photos, in other words. So I don't have any "them waving goodbye" photos but I would hate to have that anyway -- it already hurts my stomach to remember them leaving, I don't need a stupid PHOTO to remind me of the sight. 

So I escorted them on the shuttle bus out to the airport and sat and talked until time for them to head to the gate. 

I had a BLAST while they were here, but I already miss them and wish I didn't feel so lonely now... (sniff, sniff)...

. . .

Okay, I'll try to get back to posting my "regular" news and updates in the next few days.... 

Monday, 17 February 2003 -- 11:30pm

Well, I guess I need to apologize for a few things. First, I sounded pretty depressed this morning about the rain, and okay, I WAS pretty bummed, because bad weather really does mean we have to spend time in the hotel or a stupid shopping center -- and that's not good when HK offers so much more! But anyway, the weather lightened up and we were able to go through the day's planned activities with nary a hitch.

The second thing I'll apologize for is that we are so busy that at night (like right now) I'm so tired that I just don't have the energy to really tell you the whole story AND put up photos AND be deep and reflective. So all you get is some snapshots... sorry about that, maybe I'll get all sentimental later after they're gone on to Japan and I'm back alone with my thoughts... 

. . .

Okay, so here are the photos from today, we started out at CPC Yao Dao Primary School (where I work). I had planned and prepared the students for an activity whereby the P3 (third grade) students would all have to ask Bert, Pat, Chris and Dana four questions -- What's your name?, How old are you?, Where do you live?, and What do you like doing?... So mayhem and hilarity ensued, take a look:

	Here Bert and Pat have just arrived at the school and instantly attracted a crowd. They are chatting it up with some of our "elite" P6 girls, meaning that these are students from our "elite" P6 (sixth grade) class. They didn't want to speak much, but they did want to hear what Bert had to say. (I wish they acted that interested in my class!) As always, click on the image for a LARGER view.
	Here is Dana answering the question, "Where do you live?" for the 100th time...
	This photo, and the one below, give you some idea of how "in awe" the kids were of Bert's physical presence. They just stood and looked up at him like, "Wow!"...
	Bert is answering a group of guys the question, "What do you like doing?" -- the prescribed answer had to be one of the 8 vocabulary words which the P3 kids are working on in their classroom studies this month... (by the way, Bert chose "I like sleeping")...
	Here is Chris talking it up with Rebecca, one of our "elite" P3 girls -- she is really cute and clever, and with such a great spirit. I know Chris wasn't able to tell all that from her 4 simple questions, and that's the one thing that I hate -- that they had today to meet the students but they will NEVER be able to understand and love them the way I have come to care for them...
	Miss Sharon Leung (Headmistress), Pat Owen, Rev. Grace Leung (no relation), and Dana Syme -- they are seated near our school's beautiful fountain.
	Click on this shot of Chris to see the big version if you can -- it gives you the slightest idea of how our school is in the middle of a "forest" of high-rise apartment buildings.
	Girl: "How old are you?" Pat: "Who's asking?!?"
	This is the only really good shot I got of the CROWD each of them faced with our students -- this was the END of the activity, and you can see there are STILL about 20 to 30 kids in line to ask Chris, "What do you like doing?" -- (his answer was, "playing computer games")...
	After our morning at the school and a wonderful lunch at Maxim's, we went all the way out to Tung Chung to visit the Green Pastures Kindergarten, a work for the Mu Man CP church. This wonderful place hosts about 200 tiny students everyday, and we had a BLAST watching them wake up from their naps and do their music lesson.  It ... was ... HYSTERICAL.... Trust me...  Anyway, here the group is with the kindergarten's Headmistress, Pauline Chung, and Rev. Grace Leung...
	Later in the evening we went to Lok Fu for one of the best Beijing-style dinners I've had in HK, complete with "Peking Duck"... It was great. And here is Bert with the truly esteemed Moderator of HK Presbytery, Andy. He had just presented Bert with a wonderful silk hanging that had Psalm 123 on it in delicate Chinese calligraphy.

And THIS is why we do what we do, you know?!??

. . .

Okay, well, tomorrow we are off to HK Island to see the big sights, including a stop up at Victoria Peak, my favorite place in HK! 

HOWEVER, I will not be returning to my apartment until Thursday night, so no more photo updates until then. But come back on Thursday/Friday and I hope to have those photos from the last part of their time in HK up for you... KEEP PRAYING FOR HEALTH, STRENGTH/ENDURANCE, and GOOD WEATHER...

Monday, 17 February 2003 -- 6:33am

Well, it's POURING rain here in Tin Shui Wai this morning -- and that can spell "DISASTER" for our time the next few days. They are forecasting clouds and fog for today and tomorrow, with rain, and then Wednesday is forecast for just rain all day. Seems a cold front is going to pass through this area and bring some monsoon rains with it, and usually this garbage just PARKS here over HK and we get rain for a week. 

Okay, I know there isn't any "reason" for Providence to send rain on us, as if the heavens knew we were going to have these plans and so the weather over all of Southern China is bad and it has something to do with the "rain god" punishing us -- it's just the weather, ha ha. But still, this is really a mess. If you knew how in HK you really can't do ANYTHING in the rain -- and especially not all the stuff that I have spent MONTHS planning to do -- if you realized how the rain KILLS all that, you'd see why I'm so bent out of shape.I even planned on a project/game for us to do with the students at the school this morning -- if it's raining at 10:30am today, then even THAT -- a project that I have spent weeks planning for, I even had all my lessons last week designed to prepare the students for this 25 minute project, and I had a company in Australia air-mail me a package of special stickers to use as "prizes" for the ones who complete the assignment -- but if it's raining we may not even be able to do it, because there's not enough room on the covered part of the playground for all the students. 

So I don't know why I'm telling you all this, except that I'm bummed, and I'm NOT saying, "Pray it stops raining on us because if it keeps raining the whole trip is blown" -- I'm NOT saying that... But then again, maybe it wouldn't hurt to do a little praying... I mean, geez... It hasn't rained for at least a month I'd say, I mean, I don't think I've used my umbrella at ALL for a LOOOOoooong time... And I have been here for over a year and a half and NOT ONE SINGLE PERSON has come to visit me -- all the friends who just talked and talked about I'll be there!" and all, and NO ONE HAS COME yet -- and the ONE WEEK I finally have guests it rains. 

Alright, more later today... 

Sunday, 16 February 2003

Another big and busy day in our adventures... just some photo highlights:

Chris and Dana and I went to the Xi Lin church this morning. After church, Sunday school, and lunch, we went to my friends David and Celeste's house for a small group meeting. Also along was our friend Allen Hom from San Francisco (lower right in striped shirt).

Here's a close-up of David with his new daughter, Salome -- she was just born back on 28 December, 2002, and she is VERY cute...

Bert and Pat went to Tao Hsien church where they gave him the WONDERFUL gift of this satin jacket in the traditional Chinese style -- here Chris models it for us, while doing his signature Bruce Lee move.

To top the evening off wonderfully, my friends Corinna and Morra (shown left, with Dana) joined us for a nice time doing some shopping in "Trendy Square" (in Tsim Sha Tsui East) and then for some WONDERFUL Japanese food.

It's 12:30am and I've got to get up early for school tomorrow... sorry I can't give you more than this....

Good night....

Saturday, 15 February 2003

Today was a big day as it was our first full day with Bert, Pat, Chris and Dana in HK. 

We first went down to Tao Hsien CP Church in Jordan, where Bert just couldn't resist the rhythmic urges and had to sit in with their rocking worship band on drums. They told us they had never felt the beat so good!!

After we rocked HK for a bit, and Bert did his "flaming drumsticks"show, we went across the street for what was possibly the best dim sum lunch I've had in the 19 months I've been in HK. Carver Yu, his wife Grace, Luke Chueng (all ordained CP pastors) and also Eliza from the North Point church joined us.

After that we RUSHED from Tao Hsien all the way up to Shatin Church in Tai Wai. There we got to meet with some of the kids and have a nice, fun time talking with Robinson (the head pastor of the Shatin Church). Also in the photo are John and Bonnie from the Elijah fellowship (young adults).

Sorry I don't have time/energy to do more... I'll complete the day's report later!

15 February 2003

Okay, for all the family/friends checking in, Bert, Pat, Chris and Dana all made it in to HK famously last night, they (the citizens of Hong Kong) threw a big parade in their honor, but I didn't have my camera, DANG!

(just kidding)

But really, all is well, and Chris and Dana and I stayed up until 3:45am this morning basically laughing ourselves dumb. 

More later...

11 February 2003

I'm feeling MUCH better now, thanks for everyone who has been asking. It took about a week longer than I expected to get clear of that mess (stomach virus of some horrific kind -- I wish it on no one!)... but now things are "normal" and all systems are "go"... 

I don't have time tonight to type much, I'm FRANTICALLY trying to finish preparations for the arrival on Friday night of the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church -- Rev. Bert Owen -- and his wife, Pat, and their grandchildren, Chris and Dana. 

Now, having said that and written it all "formally" -- let me NOW put it in layman's terms: 

"The party will begin shortly"...

(In case that doesn't make it so clear, I am REALLY excited about them coming)... 

But the problem is I'm not ready yet. Like always, I had all these visions of how I was going to do all this stuff and when they came it would just be so nice and everything would be all nice and clean and just PERFECT, you know? But they ain't getting that -- it's just me in the same old day-to-day stuff, same old dusty light fixtures, same old dumpy kitchen, same old 3-D stain in the toilet (I'll tell you that story later)...

So considering they are my FIRST VISITORS TO HONG KONG, in a year and a half, you'd think I'd have it all together. Oh, well...

But anyway, check back next week, or I guess starting on Saturday -- I will try to have DAILY UPDATES of their visit, what we did and where we went, and I'll also try to have PHOTOS each day. It should be a lot of fun. 

Okay, got to go, I'll hopefully have time to write more later...

6 February 2003

Corinna's Mom
Last night we went to the funeral home for Corinna's mom. Everyone seemed fine, including Corinna's dad, but of course this is a rough time for the family. Please keep sending good thoughts and prayers up for them. 

Liberia
I am from (and am working for) the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and we have several churches in Liberia. Bob Watkins, who is the head of our "Global Missions Unit" for the church, has just returned from Liberia and reports they had some GREAT meetings with the church people there, in and around Monrovia. 

However, if you are aware, rebels are fighting hard to enter the capitol and as of today they are only about 30 km away. The church leaders there have assured Bob that for now they feel Monrovia is secure, but that could change at any time. The point is that no matter which side someone is for, it is always the LITTLE people who get crushed in this type of civil war. Liberia has been just devastated for years by horrible, vicious battles, and this is just one more example of the danger our people face there. I wish you'd join me in doing the whole "prayin'" thing about it. 

Superfriends
From an interview with the creative collective Shynola in Tokion Magazine (Jan/Feb 2003 issue):

Why haven't I thought of that?

3 February 2003

"Gong hey fat choi!!!" .  .  .  . (Wishing you wealth in the New Year)

Welcome to the Year of the Goat!  ... (or sheep, or ram, or whatever it is)

If you've been paying attention at your local Chinese restaurant you may have noticed that last Saturday (Feb. 1st) was the first day of the new lunar year -- and the Lunar New Year is the biggest, best, most monstrous holiday you can imagine for everyone in China/Hong Kong. It is Christmas x 1,000,000 for kids here -- I mean, sure, you get presents at Christmas, but at New Year you get MONEY!! 

Okay, so fireworks are banned here in HK, but on the second day of the new year it is traditional to blow off a few million dollars' worth of gun powder and paper -- so I joined about half a million people downtown last night to see the big show over Victoria Harbor. If you knew what the crowds were like you'd say I was nuts, but we decided to watch the exploding money (I mean "fireworks") from the Peak, which is one of my favorite spots in HK anyway. So, I got there about 4pm for the 8pm event and took advantage of the extra time to do some hiking and walking around the Peak to some places I haven't been before and I caught the view below. You can tell it was pretty hazy and not so nice at all (it was pretty stinking COLD), but I thought this was still a neat view, and I can't wait to get back up there when it's a clear day (or night). One feature you ought to note is the HUGE building on the left of the photo, it is HK's newest "tallest building" and it should be completed sometime this year. It's gone up pretty quickly, and you can see that it's not just a little bit taller than the other ones, this sucker is MONSTROUS. You might also note all the greenery -- don't forget that even in this cosmopolitan city, just meters away from these skyscrapers, you will find remote wooded areas that are so dense one could get lost in there. Just reason #452 why HK is so cool... 

Unfortunately I don't own a tripod in HK, so I was completely unable to get any photos of the fireworks. My report/evaluation is to say that they were nice -- but not such a big deal. I know for a fact that Thunder Over Louisville, the massive fireworks display that accompanies the opening of the Kentucky Derby festivities each year, pretty much dwarfed this show with no problem. But don't try to tell Chinese/HK people that they don't do fireworks big, they don't like it, I found out... (ha ha)... But seriously, the economy in HK is still bottoming out, so they can't afford to do things like they might have otherwise (at least that's my "face-saving" excuse for it)...  

Oh, so get this... We're sitting up at the Galleria on the Peak, drinking a Haagen-Dazs milkshake and basically just chilling out waiting around before the fireworks, and who do you think comes slamming their way into the scene but the USC Marching Trojans.  Now, it was so nuts that for a minute I thought it MUST be a joke, but as soon as they started playing I'm like, "Dang, that really is the USC marching band!" If you know ANYTHING about that world, then you'll understand when I say I knew immediately it was really them... I guess at least a small contingent of them (about 25) came over to HK for the holiday, maybe they were marching in the big parade on new year's day, I don't know. But anyway, here they were playing their big hits, including a new song by Hoobastank (just like USC should, you know).  I tried my best to explain to the people I was with that this was the most intense flashback I could have to my days at University; but it was painfully -- and I mean HORRIBLY -- obvious that they couldn't care less. I kept trying to say, "But you don't understand -- this was my job for years, working with a guy (Al Greener!) who quite literally worshiped these guys!" But it meant NOTHING to them. They just stared off into space like, "Yeah, so anyway, when are those fireworks?"... (It was pretty alienating, actually, that they wouldn't even TRY to understand -- I know HK people know nothing about it, but geez, humor me, guys)...

Benny's Big Bubble
Okay, so I did a lesson last week that was pretty cool, and I've been dying to stick the photos I took up but haven't had time until tonight. 

In my P2 and P3 classes we read the story called "Benny's Big Bubble" about a kid (the so-called Benny) who blows a big bubble that the wind blows away. It goes by a baby, a dog, a boy eating ice cream, a girl in a pool, a man in a boat, and a cow -- and they all see the bubble and say, "Wow! What a big bubble!"

So we read the story and learned a few new words along the way -- it was pretty neat. But to top it all off we had an activity where we tried to see who would blow the biggest bubble. I gave them a few rules, like "Don't drink it!" and stuff like that -- you know, with kids you have to actually TELL them not to drink or they'll try. 

This girl won for Class 2E! . . ."Wow! What a big bubble!!"

Celeste, David, and Salome
Well, my friends David Eason and Celeste Yuen FINALLY returned to HK from the U.K., where their daughter Salome was born back in December. On Saturday night I got to run over to their place and meet little Salome, who is a DOLL, she is so beautiful. I held her for a while, but she was quite the gaseous wiener so I handed her back to "Dad" quicker than I normally would have -- I wasn't being snooty, I just was afraid I might meet some cute girl afterwards and I didn't want to smell like baby diapers (I didn't, by the way -- I mean, I didn't meet some cute girl, NOR did I smell like diapers)... 

Anyway, I'm just plain THRILLED to have them back for a while at least -- they really make my days go better... 

My Friend Jerry
I also heard from my friend Jerry McBroom today, he and I used to play in a band called slackshop together and I count him as one of my coolest friends from back in the States.

I hope he won't mind me telling you that he has had a really rough month. His mother went in for heart surgery in December, but unfortunately passed away on January 3rd. Then, as if that weren't enough, in the middle of all this he has had to have a hip replacement (side effect of some other health problems he's had) and it's been a much more painful experience than expected, I think. He says he's recovering quickly from his surgery but I get the idea it still hurts like "heck"... In fact he's still using a walker for now to get around...

Anyway, I sure wish you'd say a prayer or two for Jerry and his family. He is a MONSTER drummer, just a complete rocking machine, able to smash your head in with power and finesse. He is a veteran in every sense of the word, and has played before MILLIONS of people, quite literally, some concerts having 100,000 people or more. I love playing music with Jerry, I mean, he's just so GOOD -- but it's even COOLER to hang out with him, and I think that says a LOT about his personality. He used to play in the rock band Bride (during their heyday when they ruled the world of Christian heavy rock and were racking up #1 hits and Dove awards and stuff), but nowadays he's taken on a much BIGGER and more important role (if I may say so) as a youth pastor in Louisville. I love him to death and so I ask again, please pray for him. 

The Smith Girls
My really good friend Bobby Smith did something VERY cool the other day -- he made a recording of his girls to send me!

I talked about them (Audrey and Lauren) a good bit in last month's posts, so you might know how much I love these girls, but this recording he sent just breaks my heart (in a GOOD way) -- I put it on "loop" and just listened to it like 20 times the other day when I got it. "What a cool idea!" is what I kept thinking...

So if you want to, you can listen in HERE -- it's an .mp3 of about 190kb (it's pretty small), and if clicking on it doesn't make it come down to you automatically, then right-click and "Save As" or "Save Target As..."

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