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September 12, 2007
More on Me, Moron Me.
Just back from a week with the TV crew (see previous entry), and boy, am I tired. I spent day after day riding camels up sand dunes; gently caressing huge bunches of Turpan grapes; looking thoughtfully at the horizon; dancing like an idiot with Uyghurs; talking about "the sense of peace" one gains living in Xinjiang; and generally making an ass of myself. I suppose that's the price of fame, and like most adventures it has already become a priceless memory... now that all the hard work is over. I'll be sure to get the show up on YouTube and posted on this site when it airs sometime next year.
While I was away, I was awarded one of Danwei's 2007 Model Worker Awards (that badge above) in the City & Province Blogs category... which is quite a coincidence, as this week I also learned from the crew of China Right Here that they've been following Jeremy Goldkorn (Danwei's overlord and main contributor) around as well. The competition is on to see which one of us can look stupidest in our 22 minutes on Tianjin TV. (I suspect that I'll win.)
Here are a few more photos from some the shoot locations. These were taken by me, so unfortunately they don't capture the most embarrassing moments. You'll just have to wait for the broadcast to laugh at (and with) me.
In other news, my life has been changed for the better by downloading the TVUPlayer, which I recommend for all expats, especially those of you without access to any decent TV. I learned about the software from Manus up at the Fubar, who uses it to catch soccer (err, football) action on Sky Sports. There aren't a whole lot of channels available, but the current list provides some much-needed mind-numbing televised entertainment: CBS, Fox, Fox News, ABC News Now, Comedy Central, SpikeTV, Adult Swim, the Sci-Fi Network... plus a whole lot of Chinese, French, and religious/karate/useless channels that I'll never watch.
Don't forget about the commercials. How long has it been since you've seen a late-night TV spot for mortgage refinancing or an easy-to-read meat thermometer? The picture quality is great. The best thing is that it's all free and works like a charm, at least for the moment.
No word yet on the legality of watching foreign programming with the TVUplayer, but if you're living in China do you really worry about copyright laws?
L'shanah tovah tikatevu to all the chosen people out there.
posted September 12, 2007 at 03:11 PM unofficial Xinjiang time | HaoHao This!
Comments
L'shanah tovah tikatevu to you too!!!
Posted by: David Feinberg at September 13, 2007 03:58 AM
"gently caressing huge bunches of Turpan grapes"
Caressing the juice out of grapes again?
Posted by: cph at September 13, 2007 06:38 AM
Bummer...doesn't work with MAC...
Great lead though...
Best from GZ...
Posted by: Lonnie at September 13, 2007 02:05 PM
Hi there pretty interested in your site Michael.
My wifes from korla and I've only just returned from a month there. Sorry I didn't see you there!
Strange coincidence, I got approached by a television crew there too, my chinese is pretty limited. Hate to think I missed my shot at fame!
Posted by: Daniel at September 13, 2007 03:28 PM
Mike, sounds like they're gobbing up lao wai right and left for TV opportunities these days. We really should form a guild of lao wai actors or unionize or something else along those lines. By the way, I had no idea you were a member of the tribe as well. I'm sure honey tastes great on those Xinjiang apples. Any idea what the Jewish population of Xinjiang is? I am fairly certain that Fuzhou's is now down to 2 since my departure.
Posted by: Ben Ross at September 14, 2007 05:55 AM
Happy New Year
Posted by: ElamBend at September 14, 2007 08:08 AM
Well, I know of one more Jew living up in Urumqi... that bad-ass has got a Star of David tattooed on his neck and is about the toughest looking hebe I've ever seen. (Is there an exemption on the tattoo ban for specifically Jewish tattoos?)
So that's a population density of one Jew per 800,000 sq. kilometers here in Xinjiang... we're taking over!
Posted by: michael at September 14, 2007 08:33 AM
Coming soon: dude who blogs Xinjiang in the bust-blocking, newly censored thriller:
The Grapes of Turfan
See! the underground karez chase scene on mini-burros!
Hear! bad Chinese spoken with a vaguely Jewish accent!
Feel! the amazing "sense of peace"!
Laugh! with (ok: AT) the Xinjiang blogger dude!
Guess! if you can pick his name out in the Chinese ideogrammatic credits!
Enter! to win free camel barbecue at Slim Eye Sam's Authentic Deep Sand Pit Eatery!
Posted by: kenmeer livermaile at September 14, 2007 08:39 AM
you are moving up the world of obscurity.
Posted by: ethan at September 16, 2007 07:14 AM
TVU is great. I'm watching Aqua Teen now. Haven't seen it in two years. Now if they could just get some Simpsons on this thing.
Happy New Year from the far south of China.
Posted by: Matt at September 16, 2007 12:31 PM
Yeah, TVU rocks... I've also realized now that the channel simply listed as "News" is a CNN domestic feed from the US. Now I can watch boring US missing-child cases get discussed until I want to blow my brains out! Hooray.
Posted by: michael at September 17, 2007 09:35 AM