The Sojourner - Next episodes

[Moiraine]

Hi Clouddy !

I am afraid it all might be Ramon's fault actually :
He opened a thread yesterday about the BG I unofficial expansion "Dark Side of the Sword Coast", Yorick read it and downloaded the stuff, and then he disappeared from the Board ...

------------------

[Ramon de Ramon y Ramon]

Aah, Moiraine, now I think all my praises have gotten to your head !

Blameshifting is my domain ! I am the grand master of blameshifting and that also grants me 100% immunity to any blame directed at me: I only posted the DSotSC thread yesterday, but Yorick has been oblivious of his duties here since March 13th !

I rest my case.

(Ramon³: off to play some DSotSC: being back at running away from ogres is actually quite fun. Maybe I will even slay my first kobold today. What a triumph that would be ! )

------------------
So long !


R³ - Co-president(s) of the Club of Broken Hearts

[Yorick]

O.K. O.K. It's because I've been working. Teaching can be quite draining and puts me in a different mindset. I have actually done a lot of talking and even more listening, with locals, ex-pats, old friends up here teaching as well, and new friends. There are some perceptional phenomenas that have taken place. Both I and a female lecturer here both noticed a change in the way we looked upon the chinese here.

This may sound wierd so hear me out.

When you look at someone, there are subconcious things that you can't help but notice. Age, race, sex, hair colour etc. If you spend time analysing people things like subclass or estimated profession also get noted. Nothing done with the mental note, just a way of the memory filing that person for recollection. (I'm good with faces - rarely forget one)

Anyhow we BOTH after a week of being here each stopped viewing the Chinese as 'Chinese'. Of course to them we are bizzare looking Caucasians, me 6ft tall & with curly light-brown hair/blue eyes, and her with totally natural very blonde hair, both stick out like sore thumbs, but of course we don't see us (other than when we see each other). All day long I'm looking at Chinese faces which are now indistinguishable to me as 'Asian'.

Are you with me? I'm not being racist - nor was I before. I love these guys, I have some great Chinese friends in Sydney - one very close. The people here are some of the most beautiful I've seen, (and I'm more than a little attracted to some of the females here just quietly.)

What I'm talking about is a perceptional shift, and it excites me. Being here has changed the way I'm receiving visual information.

There are aspects of my religious faith that have grown too. Immensely. One can't help it, being surrounded by the joy radiating from 12 000 believers. I only get to see a fraction of them. Their generostity, friendliness, sensitivity, soul, the light in their eyes when they smile.... it overwhelms me, drives me to teach all I have in me, give them that which they seek, answer any question at any time.

I feel like I'm healing from my divorce as well. Every now and then the blackness threatens to challenge my happiness. It comes in a dream, that taunts me as I wake. Or a memory, a regret.

It used to be all I could do to put one foot in front of the other, but now the pain subsides quicker when it rears its head.

My observations on Singapore will be clearer when I leave, I think. Distance helps clarify a bigger picture after all. Some things I've been pondering on though is that the Chinese are like Anglo-Australians in some ways. Recently descended from inhabitants of cooler lands, living in a hotter one. Living in a city founded by British, containing various races, having to deal with the consequences of a minority Aboriginal population. (The Malays are under 15% of the pop. The Chinese 80% )

I have the China bug. I've been reading about the various provinces, the dialects, the histories. If and when Europe unify, it will be no different to that which China did. A merger of cultures, languages and foods.

I have pondered the origins of Spaghetti. Did Marco Polo bring back a new way to shape pasta based on the Chinese noodle? Or was it the other way round?

Singapore has a strong eating out culture. For $2AUD or under a Pound sterling, or U.S. 50c you can get the tastiest Laksa, or curry, or Mee siam, or any other culinary delight that tastes an absolute sensation, is quickly prepared and thus is cheaper and faster than cooking at home. I haven't cooked one meal since I've been here.

There are other intersting things. Singapore is very well ordered. Nothing is out of place. No graffiti exists. Plan, order, cleanliness. Some find this restrictive - the lack of wild. I see that it makes good sense, as I mentioned in an earlier post. It certainly is safe walking the streets at 3am.

Ramon, Bilqis, thanks for your prodding. The personal issues are partly why I didn't post also. I feel like I am challenging my role in this world. I'm challenged by notions of 'society' and 'birthplace'. When I'm with friends from Sydney here, it feels like home and I'll refer to Sydney as "here" when of course it is "there".

I'm teaching tomorrow. Sleep is of the essence.

Adios for now.

------------------
"Check the sustain on this one ... aaaaaaaa, I mean you could go out for a bite and there'd still be aaaaaaaaa"

"Can I touch it?"
"No. It can't be played"
"Can I look at it?
"No we've seen enough of that one....."


A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[bilqis]

Yorick, I think that is one of the reasons I love to travel and explore different cultures. How can one live among another people and not question one's own assumptions on everything? Fascinating! There is no one "right" way to live or believe. Well, the basics are true in every culture-- treat your fellow humans with kindness, respect, consideration -- but there are so very many ways of implementing that. Plus the food & the sights & the smells ... I envy you dear Bard. I'm happy for you that you are able to do this, and really appreciate your sharing your thoughts, views, and experiences with us.

You brighten my days. Thank you!

------------------

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

[Ladyzekke]

Sorry to interfere in this thread. Just wanted to say "Hello" to Yorick. I'm off the board for a bit whilst moving. I'll miss seeing your posts! (boohoo! I never got "one for the road!" Oh well, you'll make it up to me later right? ) Take care Hugh. Wishing you well.

------------------

[Ramon de Ramon y Ramon]

Yorick, thank you very much for your insightful and frank report !

I think what you are going through is - partly - a typical "post-travelling-depression". You had been extremely busy and always "on the move"
for many weeks and now you have rested a little and subsequently got in a contemplative mood which your mind needs to bring order into and make sense of the enormous input of information of all kind and experiences you have gone through. But contemplation is, of course, also always a dangerous thing, because it tends to bring up the dark memories and thoughts as well - even though we did not asked at all for the darn buggers. I hope I am not psychologizing too much for your liking ... Anyway, I am happy that you seem able to see this as a new interesting experience of its own right.

With regard to the perception of "exotic" faces: I read an interesting article on that quite recently. It said - if my memory serves me correctly - that during our infancy we form a pattern of the typical standard faces from all the faces we see during that early phase. Later on each new face we see is processed by comparing and categorizing it then as deviation in such and such from one of the standard faces. In our cases all these standard faces are European. So, when we are now in a setting with many non-European faces our brains are flooded with images it cannot process in the usual economical way, it suffers from a complete overstrain and gives out only basic categorizations like young, female, Chinese instead of recognizing true individualistic features.

Good luck !

Btw, how is DSotSC coming ?

------------------
So long !


R³ - Co-president(s) of the Club of Broken Hearts

[Ramon de Ramon y Ramon]

Almost forgot: finally made my lazy butt join your the downloaded fragments of your songs and listen to them.

Well, I will echo Melusine - whose knowledge of music is far superior to mine: not all of it is my favourite style of music, but it is all top quality and the range of your voice is impressive. I also like it that your are a versatile musician who does not just keep imitating himself. I also happen to agree with Moiraine's post office lady on that your more uptempo songs, the ones I like best, have a certain similarity to U2 - like "Flame". Does that make any sense to you ?

------------------
So long !


R³ - Co-president(s) of the Club of Broken Hearts

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Ramon de Ramon y Ramon: In our cases all these standard faces are European. So, when we are now in a setting with many non-European faces our brains are flooded with images it cannot process in the usual economical way, it suffers from a complete overstrain and gives out only basic categorizations like young, female, Chinese instead of recognizing true individualistic features.

Ramon, thanks for your outlook and insights. However, all I am seeing is the individual features - that is my point. I liken it to being in a forest and noticing the detail on each leaf rather than noticing what kind of tree I'm looking at. Additionally rather than depression I am at peace. I am however at crossroads, so the circumspection is also necessary.

[Yorick]

Originally posted by Ramon de Ramon y Ramon: Almost forgot: finally made my lazy butt join your the downloaded fragments of your songs and listen to them. Well, I will echo Melusine - whose knowledge of music is far superior to mine: not all of it is my favourite style of music, but it is all top quality and the range of your voice is impressive. I also like it that your are a versatile musician who does not just keep imitating himself. I also happen to agree with Moiraine's post office lady on that your more uptempo songs, the ones I like best, have a certain similarity to U2 - like "Flame". Does that make any sense to you ?

Certainly does my friend. Thanks as ever for your thoughtful feedback. Cheers bro.


------------------
"Check the sustain on this one ... aaaaaaaa, I mean you could go out for a bite and there'd still be aaaaaaaaa"

"Can I touch it?"
"No. It can't be played"
"Can I look at it?
"No we've seen enough of that one....."


A fair dinkum laughing Hyena!

[Ramon de Ramon y Ramon]

Originally posted by ladyzekke: Sorry to interfere in this thread. Just wanted to say "Hello" to Yorick. I'm off the board for a bit whilst moving. I'll miss seeing your posts! (boohoo! I never got "one for the road!" Oh well, you'll make it up to me later right? ) Take care Hugh. Wishing you well.

Most cherished LadyWendy, an interference on your part is an adornment for any thread.

Good luck with your moving house! But always keep in mind: a woman of your class and beauty shall never stoop so low as to dirty her own hands or even break a sweat.
While you are certainly strong enough to carry the whole house all by yourself if you wished, just leave that to the boys.

As the incomparable Archbabe Melusine pointed out here not too long ago we just beg to be manipulated by beautiful women ! So sit back, relax and let the guys do the work. From to time, throw a motivating smile at one of them to keep them going. That is really all it takes on your part. And when they are not looking your way because they are head to toe immersed in hard physical work, you can even allow yourself one of your most mischievous grins ! How does that sound as a plan ?

Come back soon, please !

------------------
So long !


R³ - Co-president(s) of the Club of Broken Hearts