two thousand and five

It is not easy to say the impact this year has had on me yet. It is but three weeks into the new year and yet so many things have happened already. I've been to Shanghai and back, I chose not to do anything about the mission trip to Indonesia because I had not wanted to go with certain people, only to find out that those people never went anyway. There's another trip to Sri Lanka that I want to go on, but I'm not sure I have the means to do so anymore.

I've seen Kung Fu Hustle twice, once in Cantonese and once in Mandarin. I understood the former better, but the latter was good too. I never really thought people who are actually good at martial arts would like the movie, but Louis and all his friends seem to love it. They act out the scenes over and over again... especially the scene that Louis is in! Mad people. I love the set of the movie, there is a thoughtfulness to it that wasn't there in Shaolin Soccer - although Shaolin Soccer was that much more funny, I still think Kung Fu is a really good movie too. I guess too many people went in to see it thinking it'd be like Shaolin Soccer, but it just isn't the same thing at all. Love the "Pig Cage City" - the poor village that is so beautifully constructed in the middle of nowhere on the outskirts of Shanghai. The mix of the East and the West within it... I love it.

Shanghai was fantastically cold. There I was, wearing a down jacket belonging to a guy friend of mine... it was huge and being dark blue, it really looked like I was wrapped up in a sleeping bag. Most of the people in Shanghai would stare, because Shanghainese women look so good even in winter and don't seem ever to be COLD!!! And there I was, freezing my bum off. It wasn't so bad. Here's what I would wear - tights, trousers, socks, shoes... long-sleeved thermally kinda t-shirt, long-sleeved t-shirt, short sleeved t-shirt, cardigan, down jacket, scarf, beanie (to cover them ears). Man. Here's what Louis would wear: jeans, two pairs of socks, timberland boots, a long sleeved t-shirt, sweater, jacket. Maybe a scarf if it matches. DUDE. The women of Shanghai? Deep-v shirt, short skirt, stockings, high-heeled boots, fur coat. DUDE. I wasn't made for cold weather!!

Shanghai was (is?!) fantastically beautiful though, and a place of exploration and discovery for me :) I love it. So many things to see and so many places to go and so many eateries to try! So many so many so many! From the CNY2.5 for four dumplings (oh so good in the cold weather!) to the CNY50 for Lipton tea... *eyes roll* I wouldn't complain if I had to pay 50 bucks for Twinings even! But Lipton! I'm a spoilt brat :)

I miss Shanghai. I miss the people in Shanghai.

There are times when I wonder whether I will ever be able to go to Shanghai to work. I mean... the last time I was stopped from going was because I got myself a boyfriend there that I wasn't sure I should have. And then when I finally got over that (and my getting over it doesn't mean that God has specifically said it's okay... it just means that I am okay with it) and decided to move my life to Shanghai, this movie comes up and here I am preparing for this movie. Combat. Heh. I wonder if I'll be able to get Louis a job on the movie. Yay.

So I start work on this new movie in February, we start shooting in May and everything (for me at least) ends in July. And then I'll most definitely chill out in August to enjoy some sun and see where I stand in Hong Kong and whether or not I have a place to work parttime over the weekends. See whether I can head down to Dunedin (not likely though), see where the boyfriend is and see whether I can head over to see him wherever he is... as I sit here thinking about the latter half of this year, I wonder how people actually make five- or ten-year plans. I mean, how on earth can anyone know what they will be doing in five or ten years? Ugh. And even if you could hazard a guess... wouldn't that just be horrifyingly boring? To know what will happen? Where are the chances and surprises in life?!

One of the languages that I want to learn the most - besides the Chinese/Mandarin/Shanghainese thing - is Korean. There are so many good Korean films, and I have to say, at Shanghai Pudong Airport, the announcers speak in those computerized voices... until you hear the girl who speaks Korean. And then you look for the speakers and you stare at the speakers, willing the girl to come out of there so you can meet her and ask her to teach you to speak like her. Phwoar.

I miss my boyfriend.

I have to go back to work now. Homework haha. I'm thirsty from the MSG in the instant noodles that I just had. I'm still hungry though, which isn't a good thing. Oh wait. I think I have choc biscuits somewhere. Unless the flattie's girlfriend has finished them off. Man. I can't smoke anymore. My lungs are dying.

God bless.