Author Archives: d4vid

Radio

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

Radio here in New Zealand seems to be one long 80s & 90s weekend.   This reminded me how although there are tons of recent bands experimenting with that 80s sound, all of them seem to be overlooking the essential … Continue reading →

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Overlook II

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

This is the Chateau Tongariro Hotel on the slopes of Mount Ruapehu.It was built in the late 1920s but, in the long years since, it seems to have become haunted by the spirit of The Shining.  Not the haunted Overlook Hotel … Continue reading →

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Vigor

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

The culture here in New Zealand seems to be a fascinating hybrid of Scottish and Maori. One branch of the Young lineage comes from Paisley, which was also one of the places in Scotland that saw a huge amount of … Continue reading →

Posted in Wellington | Tagged | 1 Comment

Aotearoa

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

Visited the excellent Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa.  Appreciated this map inlaid on the floor as it matched my perspective:  looking from New Zealand back up toward China to the left and California to the right. New Zealand … Continue reading →

Posted in Wellington | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Madness

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

  Found out that the Sofitel I’m staying at just opened three weeks ago.  Probably haven’t gotten too many complaints yet about the wallpaper staring at guests.  Looks to me like a wall of…what’s the collective noun for “Cthulhu”? An “eldritch … Continue reading →

Posted in Wellington | 4 Comments

Accent

Posted on July 23, 2016 by d4vid

If a Kiwi is saying something to you that sounds like “ear big”, trust me.  They’re saying “airbag”.

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Promising

Posted on July 22, 2016 by d4vid

 Well, just starting off and this is already proving a Very David Vacation ™.  The view out my window of the Sofitel was an Anglican cemetery.   

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Windlord

Posted on July 22, 2016 by d4vid

  Can’t even get out of Wellington airport without seeing a life-sized Gandalf riding Gwaihir.

Posted in Wellington | 1 Comment

Orcs

Posted on July 21, 2016 by d4vid

 “Way out international terminal” indeed.  Who builds their domestic terminal a fifteen minute uncovered walk through the drizzle from their international terminal? Not that I mind the drizzle.  I’m here for the winter weather.  It’s the forced march I object … Continue reading →

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Middle

Posted on July 21, 2016 by d4vid

Flying from the Middle Kingdom to Middle-Earth. Two week vacation in New Zealand.

Posted in 上海 | Leave a comment

Adolescence

Posted on July 21, 2016 by d4vid

 Strange to see a painting of the album cover for Jane’s Addiction’s “Ritual de lo Habitual” — a band that meant so much to me in high school — hanging by the bar at a Mexican restaurant in Shanghai. At … Continue reading →

Posted in 上海 | Tagged | 1 Comment

Morlocks

Posted on July 14, 2016 by d4vid

  Outside the office building at work is a perfectly respectable mall.  Korean BBW, noodles, sushi, even a Hooters. But under the office building is a bizarre labyrinth of food stalls & restaurants that never seem to appear twice. Robyn and … Continue reading →

Posted in 上海 | Leave a comment

Muzak

Posted on July 13, 2016 by d4vid

A small part of my brain is constantly scanning the background for any hint of music, tuning in, and trying to place it.  The Muzak they play in the Shanghai Metro stations is always eclectic, but as I walked to the train platform … Continue reading →

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Dandy

Posted on July 5, 2016 by d4vid

I’ve capitulated to the Shanghai summer and started carrying around a handkerchief.  A handkerchief to mop my brow, like some sort of Southern dandy.  Well, Southern Chinese dandy, I suppose.

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Dominoes

Posted on July 1, 2016 by d4vid

Here’s Xavier lining up a, frankly, ludicrous number of Jägerbombs.  You topple one shotglass of Jägermeister into the glass of Red Bull and the rest follow, toppling over like dominoes. Eli, Xioahan, Carol, Xavier, and Andrea all left Shanghai in … Continue reading →

Posted in 上海 | 4 Comments