Rome
HBO produced a dramatic series based on ROME. A sort of "Gladiator" extended.
Every episode is produced as if it was an one hour movie. For males it’s absolutely amusing.
I doubt females relate as well, for almost all females within the show are either scheming nobles, slaves or scorn woman. It was a man’s society back then. However, although the males are imperfect, at least as a male one can relate to their failings. The females, one just find meddling.
The other shows Lost and Prison Break have lost some of their appeal, as the never ending stories. There is almost no story development. West wing and Everybody hates Chris on the other hand are most watchable. Hurray for torrent downloads. The entertainment industry needs to figure out how to buy out the torrent engines and charge download fees, or else the DSL Tevo/ mininova growing users will eventually overtake regular cable subscribers.
Been out less and less of late, and have observed new group dynamics forming. It is again changes in the young expat social structures are new people arrive and other leave. The successfuls stay, and the disheartened leave. The new gen arrives and will soon step up to the business arena as this gen step into the investment arena. It’s almost time for couples to move to engagement. Each wave is pushed by the next wave. Even apnc now have a second generation.
Commented perhaps only by someone who have been here long enough to observe the changing of the tides again and again. The last wave to come is the final departure. A move to another city, or country, as transients do during their youth as well as settle down, once part of their wonder lust has been satisfied.
Almost everytime I meet younger females and sometimes males, my friend jokingly warn against making them mai mai. For the last 16 years, I have accuulated quite a number of siblings who now no longer need advise and care, but offer a hug whenever I see them. I have often said that to have even the slightest influence on a younger generation search for their path is by far the easist way to leave a small mark in our lifetime. The act of caring although still driven by self centered sense of being looked up to and useful is still appreciated. I have a tendency to look after sisters and brothers, perhaps because I was born the youngest with a misleading body of the oldest in the family, yet have always craved to have younger siblings.
Perfectly sassy and independent people seem to revert to younger versions of themself with me. I suppose when I have kids this need of mine will go away.
In the mean time, my subconscious separates the would be potential partners from the possible siblings. For this winter I will forgo a new sibling for a potential partner to watch downloads and have popcorn with.
Still the best way to keep track of everyone is to use friendster. You find that being here 9 years, many of your friends tend to have left Shanghai, and after 6 month write less and less. I tend to always have the browser on in the back ground.
2 things to note.
1. Great love of food can be seen Joyce’s blog
2. The Shanghai stock market will tank again next year.
It’s unbelievable to have been up 6% in the last 2 month, only to have the last remaining stock dip 20% even after double tripling up to average a lower stock price. China stockmarket really sucks. Perhaps the wise thing is to cut my loses now, and get in on the tank next year.
Whats worse? SNDA Shanda tanked from 38 to 20 in the last couple of month. Today especially because a competitors home entertainment system developed by AMD and Microsoft released before Shanda’s. I am just waiting for one console to play not only, online games, surf web, watch dvd, play x-box and playstation knock off games all for 5000 rmb. Only in China can something this drastic happen.
Interactive content and IPTV on flatscreen TV in HD will be the next speed leap.
Time to snore. Its almost sunrise and I am finally feeling sleepy.
