http://superfreakymemories.com Tue, 07 Feb 2012 04:11:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/gangster-ginger/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/gangster-ginger/#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:47:18 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=1282 ]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/gangster-ginger/feed/ 2 http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/sleepy-panda/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/sleepy-panda/#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:38:03 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=1299 He was supposed to be guarding the red pandas, but they were all napping, so…]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/sleepy-panda/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/futility/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/futility/#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2009 03:05:06 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=1279 Panda fail.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/futility/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/bemused-baby-panda/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/bemused-baby-panda/#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:46:10 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=1274 ]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/bemused-baby-panda/feed/ 2 http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/got-your-nose/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/got-your-nose/#comments Tue, 17 Mar 2009 02:44:30 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=1277 ]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/03/17/got-your-nose/feed/ 2 http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/01/16/the-entertainment/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/01/16/the-entertainment/#comments Fri, 16 Jan 2009 10:51:54 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=1077 Some of the female staff of Kaplan China Chengdu gave a dance performance at the annual meeting, held at Chengdu’s Intercontinental Hotel.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2009/01/16/the-entertainment/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/12/05/all-wrapped-up/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/12/05/all-wrapped-up/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:17:41 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=679 In the Chengdu airport on the way to Hong Kong.  Our Sichuan Airlines flight to Shenzhen was delayed an hour & a half.  This woman was pacing around with her baby swaddled on her back, and Jenny helped me ask if I could take their picture. Mr. Cute Baby here is smiling at the gestures [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/12/05/all-wrapped-up/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/12/05/aki-jenny/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/12/05/aki-jenny/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 05:19:17 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=769 At the Chengdu airport on the way to Hong Kong for the SAT subject tests.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/12/05/aki-jenny/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/ginger/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/ginger/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:07:03 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=713 The red pandas seemed like second-class citizens at the conservation center, but there were tons of them in a different section of the park.  They’re kind of difficult to photograph because they’re much more active than their black & white brethren – they scurry around and scratch themselves a lot like cats.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/ginger/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/stay-calm/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/stay-calm/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:00:54 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=742 These kids at the panda conservation center freaked out when they saw I had a camera…]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/stay-calm/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/apple-for-the-teacher/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/apple-for-the-teacher/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:53:30 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=676 After the conservation center staff called him down from a tree by waving apples in the air, I “donated” 400 RMB (about $60) to pet this panda while a staff member snapped photos.  That panda paid me no attention at all; he was far more interested in his apple (I figure you might be too [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/apple-for-the-teacher/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/its-not-polite-to-stare/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/its-not-polite-to-stare/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:20:20 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=718 Look at those ears!  Panda! This photo was a minor hit on Tumblr…]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/its-not-polite-to-stare/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/happy-panda/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/happy-panda/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:15:36 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=722 He’s smiling!]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/happy-panda/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/no-photos-allowed/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/no-photos-allowed/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:02:33 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=781 Baby pandas! The guards in the hallway shooed away anyone who tried to take photos (something about protecting their baby eyes, even through the glass and though I wasn’t using a flash).  I had to get this one surreptitiously, so it maybe isn’t the most perfect picture … but look at all that cuteness!]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/20/no-photos-allowed/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/06/history/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/06/history/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 10:35:01 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=630 Finding a newspaper headlining President Obama’s history-making election was a bit easier in China than in the U.S., where my emissaries failed to track down copies of the New York Times, Washington Post, etc. because they all sold out repeatedly.  People wanted a piece of history, and I’m no different — my version just ended [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/11/06/history/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/31/cantonese-food/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/31/cantonese-food/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 11:54:07 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=572 Most American “Chinese” food comes from the Cantonese branch of Chinese cooking, indigenous to the south of China and not easy to find elsewhere.  In Chengdu, I’ve been craving “Chinese food” because Sichuan cooking is very, very different (and proudly über-spicy).  My first trip to Shanghai offered a glimpse of more familiar fare — Shanghai’s [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/31/cantonese-food/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/31/emma-wanted-a-photo/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/31/emma-wanted-a-photo/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 00:19:31 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=608 … so we took one at the Chengdu airport, on our way to Hong Kong. Emma dreams of going to UVa to study politics and is preternaturally poised & responsible — a natural leader.  On the day of the SAT, she practically made herself a member of the adult team when admission ticket problems cropped [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/31/emma-wanted-a-photo/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/29/chengdu-class-photo/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/29/chengdu-class-photo/#comments Wed, 29 Oct 2008 09:02:06 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=854 On the last day of class before our trip to Hong Kong for the SAT.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/29/chengdu-class-photo/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/21/stepford-students/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/21/stepford-students/#comments Tue, 21 Oct 2008 09:53:20 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=805 ]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/21/stepford-students/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/simon-says/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/simon-says/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:09:53 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=480 He’s laughing because the other students he was leading saw me taking his photo and teased him.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/simon-says/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/paul-pierce/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/paul-pierce/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 10:07:58 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=474 The captain of the world champion Boston Celtics makes an appearance at No. 7 Middle School in Chengdu.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/paul-pierce/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/cameras/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/cameras/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 08:28:52 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=457 Here we see what happens when I bring my camera to the classroom.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/20/cameras/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/08/pe-in-the-sun/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/08/pe-in-the-sun/#comments Wed, 08 Oct 2008 10:13:47 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=451 P.E. at the No. 7 Middle School on a rare, rare blue-sky day in Chengdu.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/08/pe-in-the-sun/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/china/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/china/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:34:05 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=816 This man epitomizes today’s China.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/china/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/baby-steps-2/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/baby-steps-2/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:27:10 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=388 Your erstwhile photographer has been spotted. This woman and her child are emerging from the Central City stop (at Tianfu Square) of the unfinished Chengdu subway.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/baby-steps-2/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/baby-steps-1/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/baby-steps-1/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:27:02 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=396 Ok, see, that’s just cute.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/baby-steps-1/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/foodstuffs/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/foodstuffs/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:13:27 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=391 For sale at the corner of Tianfu Square. I’m ambivalent about the composition here, but I liked this man, so we’ll have to take what we can get.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/foodstuffs/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/tianfu-monk/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/tianfu-monk/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:04:37 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=364 He nervously posed for me after a roundabout exchange in the style of “Who’s on first?”  I pointed at my camera, the monk with him pointed at his camera, he pointed at my camera, I pointed at his camera, we each pointed at our own cameras at the same time, and so on. Behind and below him is the incomplete [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/tianfu-monk/feed/ 4 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/guarding-mao-in-tianfu-square/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/guarding-mao-in-tianfu-square/#comments Sun, 05 Oct 2008 10:59:32 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=362 This poor guy had to stand there, ramrod still for hours, while local tourists (and some rather more far-flung) photographed, mimicked, and stared. I’m told the joke is that Mao is trying to hail a taxi.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/10/05/guarding-mao-in-tianfu-square/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/20/the-minivan-is-nowhere-near-as-awesome/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/20/the-minivan-is-nowhere-near-as-awesome/#comments Sat, 20 Sep 2008 08:21:55 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=252 ]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/20/the-minivan-is-nowhere-near-as-awesome/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/20/basketball/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/20/basketball/#comments Sat, 20 Sep 2008 06:54:16 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=247 ]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/20/basketball/feed/ 1 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/rabbits-at-the-gate/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/rabbits-at-the-gate/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 15:21:19 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=182 Jingli Street was decked out with lanterns for the Mid-Autumn Festival (aka the Moon or Lantern Festival).  Fly related the whole legend to me of the “woman in the moon,” the archer, and the hare.  The story is really quite complicated (check out the Wikipedia entry for more), but the upshot is that there were [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/rabbits-at-the-gate/feed/ 1 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/not-sure-what-hes-making/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/not-sure-what-hes-making/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:04:52 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=180 … but I took this photo on the food stretch of Jingli Street, so I’m sure it was something good.  Plus, I like the banners behind him.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/not-sure-what-hes-making/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/jingli-starbucks/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/jingli-starbucks/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 12:44:24 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=92 America in China.  The facade and the furniture were different, but the coffee smelled the same.  Look closely, and you’ll see a westerner — one of the few in evidence that night — inside with her laptop.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/jingli-starbucks/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/dinner-with-my-host/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/dinner-with-my-host/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 11:09:59 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=133 Fly Wang, one of my colleagues at Kaplan China in Chengdu, took me to a hotpot restaurant and Jingli Street.  Here she is at dinner. On the table next to her, you can see the ordering sheet for the hotpot, which is a big bowl that cooks at the center of the table.  It’s divided [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/dinner-with-my-host/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/she-sold-me-my-sim-card/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/she-sold-me-my-sim-card/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 08:17:24 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=112 She tore through screen after sophisticated computer screen of options in Chinese script like she’d done it a thousand times before (which she surely has), then handed me a receipt printed on old-fashioned carbon paper.  Here she’s formatting my SIM card in a store phone.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/she-sold-me-my-sim-card/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/cell-phone-sales/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/cell-phone-sales/#comments Sat, 13 Sep 2008 07:38:41 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=79 … and did a great job, too.  We had our little sit-down, and she brought out a different phone for the same price — one that I ended up buying instead of my original choice.  She put in a SIM card, switched the phone from Chinese to English, and even posed for a picture: far [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/13/cell-phone-sales/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/12/america-in-china/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/12/america-in-china/#comments Fri, 12 Sep 2008 00:11:33 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=72 On my way to school, I found myself behind this man and his small son. America is right here on the Chengdu sidewalk, in this man’s Mickey Mouse backpack and basketball-in-a-bag.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/12/america-in-china/feed/ 0 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/11/chinese-children-find-duncan-hilarious/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/11/chinese-children-find-duncan-hilarious/#comments Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:04:30 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=83 These two kids spotted me before I got on the bus and laughed uproariously.  Once I joined them on the bus, they giggled uncontrollably.  Half the bus chattered about how endlessly they were laughing at me.  When I took their picture, they laughed at me.  When I got off the bus, they laughed at me. [...]]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/11/chinese-children-find-duncan-hilarious/feed/ 1 http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/09/chengdu-sat-students/ http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/09/chengdu-sat-students/#comments Tue, 09 Sep 2008 07:40:43 +0000 Duncan Brook http://superfreakymemories.com/?p=97 Here are quick photos of most of my students from my first day (I taught the same afternoon I arrived in China).  They’ve chosen English names, some of which aren’t perhaps … mainstream: Sushi, Winning, Yoyo, and Sonic, for example.]]> http://superfreakymemories.com/2008/09/09/chengdu-sat-students/feed/ 0