It’s been taking me some time to get back into the…
It’s been taking me some time to get back into the swing of things. The weather’s been wonderful for the past week, liftiing my mood. But I’m still backed up on posting photos and videos from my trip, and I’ve been staying up late and getting up early almost every night lately. It’s tiring.
Saturday morning I hauled myself up to go into town for a seminar I promised my friend Michael I’d attend, at his restaurant, which was the place he graciously allowed us to film at a few months back. Afterwards, I walked down the tree-lined park surrounding Ren-ai Road, enjoying the sun on my face.
I didn’t have much time for rest, however. That night the Muddy Basin Ramblers were to play for the first time in months, at our friend Doug’s wedding party up in Meizhicheng, a community up in the hills behind my place. Sandman was dressed to the nines, showing off his new suit, bowler hat, gold tie and dapper two-tone shoes. Fortunately for me, the rest of the band wasn’t in full Rambler regalia, so I didn’t have to put on the zoot. It was just too hot. In the taxi there the sole of my right shoe came apart, flopping on the ground like a clown shoe.
Doug’s apartment is on the top end of the last row, with a great view. He had prepared a nice little feast, including pasta, delicious ham and salad. Athula provided yellow rice. I strapped my shoe together with duct tape. We congregated on the rooftop, overlooking The Muddy Basin Itself, blocked off the bathroom vents that were blowing horrible odors at us from the place next door, and started to play.
It was a good thing we weren’t playing a large-scale gig. The launch wasn’t smooth, but we got back into the swing pretty quickly. I’d forgotten the stick for the bass at the Sandcastle, but I found a bamboo stick at Doug’s and pounded a nail into it to use instead. It worked pretty well.
The neighbors started complaining at eleven, first politely requesting that Slim stop his tapping, and then more forcefully via repeated screaming and tossing home appliances, so we had to stop around midnight. “I can play softly,” I kept saying. Especially with my mute in, I can play in a whisper.
But the party wound down after that, degenerating into a series of small living room chats and the calling of taxis. Our particular taxi wouldn’t fit six people, so I ended up hoofing back home. I got to bed around 4. The next day, Sunday, we’d be filming. Another short night with not enough sleep awaited.
There’s a place in Zhongshan Park where people practise all that stuff you like, swinging swords and pushing people around and all manner of incivility. I meant to point it out to you. I guess that will have to wait until next time.
Comment by Anonymous — October 23, 2006 @ 2:55 pm
I really enjoy your photos and your travelogue!
Comment by ns — October 28, 2006 @ 4:08 pm