literally, out of this world

Does this article describe a completely different generation, or has this subculture always been there but completely out of my sight? The hookup culture was always present on campus when I was an undergrad and grad student but I didn't think it was this bad. Since moving to HK, I've met a few bankers and now I look at them a little askance even if they are Christian ....

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Afterthought

Imho, this article does not describe the moral degeneration of women per se. Based on public perceptions of what is morally acceptable, women are now just "more like" men. Where previously men were the only ones who could deny the consequences of extramarital sex (e.g. "How can you prove the baby is mine?"?), birth control and better economic opportunities now allow women to enjoy the same access to extramarital sex too, which is why I think we see more prevalent "sexual freedom" in general. This article also points out that in general, women are still stigmatized if they hookup more often while men are not condemned for similar behavior.

Of course, both Christian men and women are held to higher standards. But clearly, women are still more scrutinized, policed, and punished in general. And note also the kinds of conversations and bragging about sexual exploits that women have to put up with in the banking culture. I'm pretty sure men are not subjected to women's tales about their sexual exploits on a regular basis in their workplaces. Imho, such talk counts as sexual harassment.

goodbye, summer

Last Saturday, I went for my church's annual junk boat trip, and it will probably be the last junk boat trip for the season. I love lounging around on the upper deck as we slowly make our way to the chosen bay for the day. Depending on the boat and the destination, the journey can take up to anywhere between 20 mins to an hour. Our boat last weekend was super slow but it was nice to be able to stare up at the sky and enjoy the breeze as we made our way to Clearwater Bay.

We had a catered lunch onboard and that was really unbelievably mediocre in a city where good food can be gotten on the cheap. We had two speedboats that allowed us to wakeboard or go on the banana-boat, and we also had a ton of floaties and noodles so people could relax on the water. I didn't try wakeboarding this time because my shoulder is feeling quite stiff still and I don't want to risk an injury. I went on the banana-boat with two guys and I think we were not very balanced on it and tumbled off in under 10 seconds. My friend who sat in the speedboat said that he could see me bouncing up and down in the front and that perhaps I should've sat in the back and let the heavier guys sit in the front. Well, we'll see how it goes next summer!

The water was really clear that day and we were afraid it would rain but thankfully, the weather was sunny and breezy. I think I hurt my neck a little but overall, I had a really wonderful, wonderful time. No pictures from me because I didn't want to bring my camera to a 50-person trip where I knew very few of the people. Some of the organizers had cameras and I hope they'll share them with us soon!

clearing my head

Every now and then, I fall into despondency, and even though my life is going very well now, it still seems meaningless. Hey, I got tickets to Linsanity! My bosses treat me well and are supportive. Most of my colleagues are also supportive and I have job security for a few years. My family is doing well. HK is relatively safe and peaceful. The air in my new office makes me ill but that should change in a few weeks. (Hopefully.) So why do I keep feeling like there's nothing to life?

I learned last weekend that when I get this way, the best thing I can do is give thanks for the people who have chosen to call me a friend. I'm always in awe of how amazing they are, and how wonderful they choose to be even when I'm sometimes such a shithead. I love it when a friend from far away drops me a line. Or when someone responds to a Facebook post, or tags me in an old picture. I love hearing about my friends' lives when they can find time to tell me a few stories. I love hearing about people's work, and what they're learning in their work. I love it when friends take the time to be kind and do me favors even if I feel a little bad about receiving those favors. (I need to figure out how to treat them kindly too!)

Here in HK, I'm mostly meeting Cantonese people, obviously, but I'm also meeting a lot of Cantonese people who have lived elsewhere for many years, and they have led such different kinds of lives. I'm meeting people who make to me what seems to be unusual kinds of life-decisions, and I'm learning to respect them. Sometimes, I'm perplexed by how they see the world but it's really fun trying to figure it all out! What gives them pleasure? Why do they live? Why do they work? What do they look for in their friendships? I'm really amazed by how kind everyone is. They make my life fun.

Linsanity!!

Wow, I got 4 tickets to hear Jeremy Lin speak in HK! It's organized by local churches here, and my church was allocated a number of tickets which they distributed via a lottery system. I put in a bid for 4 tickets, and I just got the email telling me that I have them!

Now, I need to decide if I'm going to lunch with some M'sian friends, and we've had to postpone this lunch a few times because first I came down with a cold, and then two other friends came down with colds too. Well, it's a good dilemma to have!!

unusual

My badminton friends are very attentive and make me feel really taken care of when we hang out together. One of the guys redid my grip because it was "so ugly," and then restrung my racket too because the tension had gone out of it. Now I'm back to 25lbs on my racket strings and I get a really good snap. Maybe it's because I've gotten so used to taking care of myself, but it's really nice to feel looked after every now and then.

yumm

I'm still dreaming of some of the food I tried during my trip. The most adventurous dish I tried was "fresh" foie gras, aka "raw" foie gras but I didn't know it was raw until after the whole dinner. It was delicious and I wish I could have more!

summer cold

Sat down to dinner with a friend on Tues night, then she said, "I'm sick." Thanks, friend. By 4am on Wed, I woke up with a sore throat so I took my vitamins then went back to bed. The day went well but by Wed night, I knew I was in trouble. I spent Thurs afternoon and evening with chills and body aches, and went to bed by 9pm. Feeling better this morning but don't know if I should play badminton tomorrow night...