Stanfords Finest

Average kind of day. Went to China and interviewed some hapless fool. They got the job. Office was 25% full as those Chinese mothers are still on holiday. Back home to honkers and then a pub quiz and I didn’t drink. Not one drop of booze passed my lips. Willpower. A teensy weensy bit warmer but still hat and scarf material and I read on the cover of the SCMP that this cold snap will last for another week. Ace.

A day of surprises. A nice trip to British Embassy to renew my passport and I was prepared for a hate filled experience. I hate to be surrounded by honkies form the UK and I admit I have a slight problem with they cracker azz. It’s not healthy and I am not proud of it but I moved to Asia to escape the pale drones not to be part of an ex-pat gang fighting off the natives. I arrived surely and uppity and got my little ticket and waited in line. I was surprised that all the ‘font of house’ staff were mostly Filipinos and the British Embassy staff were visually local. When my number was called I was dealt with by an Asia woman but with a London accent so think it put my accent to shame. I was filled with a mixture of emotions. My heart was pleased that for the first time in yonks I was talking to someone from where I was from but at the same time was appalled that I was talking to someone from where I was from but at the same time totally perplexed as all this was presented in an Asian package. I was just speechless the way she slipped from dropping her H’s to Cantonese and back again. I was green with envy. I mean how lucky to basically be me but with then the added bonus of being Cantonese and drawing from two worlds. So lucky. When I finished I went to the consular section and was again talking to a guy, visually Asian but with a very thick Northern Accent. Afterwards I was thinking that if this same person had a white skin I would have had a different feeling of antipathy and outright hostility BUT because he skin was Asian I was OK. I am in a mixed up place when it comes to race and today proved it. It also proved how I generalise when I see Asians in Hong Kong and how Asians in Hong Kong see each other. If you are born and raised in England and Asian does the spitting in the streets equally appall from time to time? It must do but how does that make a Bristish Born Asian feel? Annoyed at their own race? I don’t have a clue obviously and I doubt there is one answer but it got me thinking what an idiot value system I have.

Went for a run in the evening which was an even bigger surprise to me. Did well but I bet I don’t keep it up.

What a dull, pointless day. Still cold although only as half as cold WHEN WILL IT WARM UP. The cold is very tedious at the moment. Very.

This is the life. This is how this blogging lark is supposed to be. Here in the garden the birds tweet and the sun streams down as I sip a cup of tea. Fresh from the Polo club, my wife, son and I have again found how much easier life is when we are joined As One. Landed on Wednesday night with the usual suspects of wanky tourists in flip flops pretending they are Leonardo DeCaprio in The Beach when in fact they are office workers from Stockport who have had too much sunbed. I, of course, sneer at them as they fumble through imigration and I slip through like a pro. Home in time for dinner with the extended family I spent the last few days catching up from where I left wifey and son two weeks ago. It’s been a blast. My son has come on leaps and bounds and can look and move his head around. He is fattening up and becoming human and yesterday looked me in the eyes and smiled. He did. My wife saw it. He looked at me and knew I was someone he should get to before the fog of his developing brain again engulfed his senses. He is no longer a sickly boy but a demanding boy which is how it should be. Fly back tomorrow. I hope it isn’t too cold in Hong Kong as I have just warmed my bones in more ways than one.

Currently in Hong Kong airport after escaping the office at 1pm. Have to love Chinese New Year. Fly back to my family and will be there for dinner. I am so excited I ahve butterflies in my stomach. Purchased the customary fags for the outlaws and now I am killing time in the airport using the very crappy wifi service. Hong Kong is like a ghost town alas the airport is not but its all very civilised. The weather has also improved but I have been told it will turn cold again on Saturday. Oh well.

Monday bloody Monday.The second part of a two day hangover and the worst day of a two day hangover. I am seriously thinking about becoming teetotal. Booze, like fags, has nothing going for it at all. Nothing. Just heartache and misery and regret. Oh, and some great times at the time but the two day hangover is just not on. Today was awful, shakes and cotton wool of the brain coupled with mild panic and the sadness of my family overseas made it a day to forget. Mercifully the office was not busy as CNY kicks in so no pressure which was nice. Stayed late and worked despite the office being more or less empty. Two more nights to go…

Woke up feeling dreadful and hungover.I peeked through the curtains and the sun was out and it felt much warmer. I felt like a survivor of a nuclear war as I surveyed the post apocalyptic landscape. Did nothing but look at photos of my son and wife and some housework shizzle. Stayed in. Can’t wait until Wednesday.

Woke up and went to work as usual even though it was a weekend and even though I didnt have to. Picked up a parcel from the post office that I had been waiting weeks for and was relieved to find there were two packages waiting for me. One was my DS cover from the US and the other was Advance Wars 1 & 2 from Ebay and it felt like Christmas. The DS cover is OK but not all I hoped for but AW was bang on the money. Old school but that’s how I’m living. Walked from work through the busy IFC and had lunch/diner alone. That’s also how I’m living. Still as cold but will go out tonight for some company. Feel better as I am close to flying back to seeing my wife this week plus I’ve been paid. I know I will feel dreadful and hungover tomorrow but what else can I do?