Shanghai Diaries - June 23

That´s hard for us and even harder for you, but it´s your decision and I accept it...but I hope your not vanishing like never having existed - put up some signs of live for us every now and then (maybe login to chinesepod and say something) ! And if you make it back, you know what´s to do ^_^

BTW I hope you keep your framed poster that I´m so used to see...so sad right now...it´s hard to see how things slowly move out of sight... ,-(

Aric, good luck in your future endeavors. I have a feeling that you'll have plenty to say about either Indonesia or Thailand.

Indonesia has huge levels of corruption but incredibly nice people, and Thailand last I looked was having political demonstrations to get rid of their prime minister, while having what might be the nicest people on the planet.

Either way you'll have plenty to write about so the final chapters of your book might not be what you planned, but something beyond that. At least you won't end up like Alden Pyle in The Quiet American, ha ha.

That your going doesn´t mean your gone forever I hope...If your flying in and doing some projects in shanghai or china, I expect to hear about it ok? (hehe...I like to quote you here and there...) ^_^
If it´ll calm down and you can move in again, I hope you really take the chance again and don´t give up, even though all this has happend.

Bangkok Diaries?
Jakarta Diaries?

Could be interesting... I'd sure read 'em!

FYI: My friend just managed to get a student visa for three months by signing up for Chinese classes at a local university. Total cost 2800rmb, plus cost of trip to Shenzhen to cross over and reset his visa. There are still options...

Keeping your options open is prudent.

Grumpy isn't good.

I'm staying tune :)

Aric, it looks like the western media is starting to echo what you've been saying.

Today's article in the NY Times: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/business/worldbusines... talks about the very low hotel booking rates, the difficulty in getting visas, and tourist agencies telling people to avoid Beijing during the Olympics, but even now the city is strangely empty after they spent a fortune building new hotels for the expected onslaught of tourists.

It seems for the Chinese government, security truimphs over everything. It's like they gave a party and nobody came.

Somebody, I forget who, wrote a long time ago, "The pen is mighter than the sword.". I believe that's still very true but I would update it now and say, "The picture/video/film is mighter than the sword.". I've seen it so many times in my career...moving mountains with pictures (did it yesterday, see below.).
China is an incredible story. And I honestly believe the BIG story will come AFTER the Olympics. Yes, its frustrating on a daily basis. Grumpy just doesn't do the feeling justice. I've been here five years and those close to me have seen me pissed off a million times. I've been that way the last couple of days. It's the differences in culture. The differences in how we Americans and the Chinese see things. Damn, I must have said, "screw this...I'm going home." a zillion times. I'm sure my wife and teenage son are sick of hearing it. And I really mean it when I say it. Then I calm down a bit, think about it...and I'm still here. I could go on and on about it. It's just the way things are here in this alien world. I totally understand how you feel Aric. I only know you thru this video blog (wish we could have met and had that beer). But I gotta tell you...you remind me a lot of ME when I was 30. I was 30 when I was starting out in Austin. I knew what I wanted to do and I let nothing stand in my way. I produced my TV series for a small PBS station and I was having the time of my life but there were many many pitfalls. My show was all consuming...it cost me a marriage. Austin City Limits wanted to sue me...hell, I was doing it before they even started. Then too I said I wanna go home a million times. That was a culture thing too...a Northern California boy hangin' out in Texas. That's almost as bad as now. Ha! But I hung in and did my thing until the bottom fell out of the oil market and I lost the grant money from all those rich Texas boys. It was an incredible time in my life hanging out on Willie's bus and getting to know all those cosmic cowboys. It was also the times that opened up many many doors in my career. Because of those Austin days, I went on to do the greatest work of my life in Nashville and L.A. and Northern California. I got to meet and work with my musical heroes and damn, they paid me lots of $$$ to do it. I know...yadda yadda yadda. I guess my point is...I know Aric if you do leave there will come a time or two that you will kick yourself for leaving. The BIG story of your life is coming and it's going to be right at your fingertips where you're sitting right now...in China. If you're gone, you're gonna read about it from afar and say to yourself, "why the hell did I leave?" That book of your's is not almost done...it's just at the beginning. Don't let the bastards win! Stick that camera in their faces and tell the story. In ten or twenty years you're gonna be soooo glad you did!

Oh...just one more thing. Sorry to hoard the board. I cried yesterday when I learned of the passing of George Carlin. George was an incredible human being and my hero. I did a gig with George about ten years ago in San Francisco. I got to interview him and hang out for an evening. It was the most incredible conversation I think I've ever had with another human being. We exchanged a few emails in the past few years. I told him I was living in China and invited him over to lecture my American Culture classes. The last email I got from him we had chatted about the American Dream. He told me the American Dream was dead and told me I was smart coming here to find a new dream. He said maybe the Chinese will get it right. The world will miss him...I know I sure do. I've been watching his HBO specials all day. Damn, we're losing the great ones!

austinpickers... man, that garbage is unbelievable! Good.... no... GREAT move on your part to photograph it. A camera in the hands of a foreigner is a dangerous weapon to a bureaucrat, ha ha.

I saw George Carlin in 1973 at Villanova University during my freshman year. I can honestly say that I was glad when the concert ended because I was in serious pain from laughing so hard. It was the best and funniest show I've ever witnessed, and I've never caught any routine of his that didn't crack me up.

He was truly one of a kind, though that term is overused by so many. His style of comedy became the template that nearly all of today's comics follow. I love words and combinations of words, and no one did it better than George. He was incredibly literate. Many have tried to pull off his brand of humor, but none have ever succeeded quite like he has.

fyi, dont come back the US, things here are just as f'd up. foreclosures across the country, food and gas prices jumping weekly, blah blah blah. a trip to indo or somewhere exotic sounds like a blessing. recharge and then have at it again..

You know, the 'theys' of the world say it's not good to burn your bridges behind you...and for the most part, I agree. However, in order blaze new trails a bridge or two may have to be sacrificed, right? What ever happens...that is what was truly meant to be. In the grand scheme of things, at every moment, the story of life is always complete and is always full. Experience = existence = energy...and that can never be destroyed. Continue to share your voice and don't look back, brother...the winds of change will carry you and those of us that appreciate your message above the BS. Right on to the real...