Febuary 2011 Update
Greetings Truth Seekers,
Its been an awfully long time since my last post so I thought I would write here today and update whats been happening.
In my last blog I mentioned that I had moved to Macau in 2009 as my work at the City of Dreams had been extended. I am still in Macau and we now have a new office here as well as in Singapore. My stars, how things happen when you don't expect them.
Our company has expanded to include a number of local casino's as clients and we have employed staff which is nice as I always like to see people develop and help to be a part of that.
In my private life a number of things have happened as well.
I am still in the same apartment that I moved in to mid-2009, have settled well, love the Asian culture, and have even bought an Audi A4 turbo to hoon around in.
I still attend 'those' meetings each week here in Macau that keep my life on track. If anyone is wondering what 'those' meetings are, they are not religious or a cult, just a bunch of like minded people coming together for a common purpose. All very wholesome and healthy. You can contact me separately if you would like to know more.
In early 2009 two of my short stories (I like creative writing) got published in a book called Hotel China. It is now available on Amazon from here http://www.amazon.com/Hotel-China-Hong-Writers-Circle/dp/9889836653/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1297575247&sr=8-3
I also had another novel published. Its called The Survivalist and was released in Hong Kong book shops in December 2010. My next novel Heavens Above is at the copywriters and is due to be released in May 2011. True to form, the novel that I really want to write, have started and keep procrastinating over is still being written but more about that another time.
Musically I keep practicing and playing, mainly solo acoustic these days due to lack of playing partners here in Macau.
With reference to travel I still go down to Australia every 3 -4 months to check in at the office and to see my daughter and my friends. I love being at my Melbourne house as there have been renovations to an old, dilapidated veranda and sitting area at the rear and now it has been opened up, provided with pitched roof and decking and is a delight to just sit and 'be'.
On one of my trips to Australia I was to attend a school reunion for ex-students and Mitcham High School in Victoria, Australia. It was something I will also never forget. I thought I would run into a lot of old friends of mine from school and renew old acquaintances. My expectations (I should never have them or I will be surely disappointed) were to be dashed when when only a few people I recognized were present. Some of those people resembled nothing like their former selves and appeared to have turned into someone else. Another group of people I recognized and joined soon made me feel uncomfortable and I was to learn that this group had all gone to school together, had grown up, married and had families all within a 4km radius of the school, and all hung out together since. A 'stranger' forming a 'keyhole in the circle' of their nice tidy lives obviously made them feel uncomfortable so I soon departed and went off to a music practice with a band I was playing in while in Melbourne that trip.
As well as trips to Australia, I also had the opportunity to spend some holiday time in Shanghai as well as Beijing on separate trips. Those places are fantastic and highly recommended.
In July 2010 I went to Italy. I had never been to Europe before since I left England as a two year old child going to Australia. I went to attend the wedding a close friend of mine Carmen Gerardi. I had met Carmen ('Chicca') around 12 or 13 years ago when my daughter had introduced me to a internet based chat programme called ICQ. At the time I still had phobia's regarding heights and flying and I though the best way to find out about people in other far away lands and other cultures would be to use something like ICQ. I me a few people online and usually those communication were pleasant, sometimes taking place over a week or two, and then I would not hear from those people again or would not contact them again as it appeared that the extent of our 'conversation' was ended. With Carmen though things were different. I dont remember exactly what happened but for some reason we stayed in contact over the years, graduating from ICQ to email where we would send a 6 or 12 monthly update from time to time over the 12 or so years.
Anyway, last year I got an invitation to her wedding to (I was to find out) a wonderful young gentleman called Dan. At the time I dismissed the invitation out of hand as I was busy in Macau, but as a few days passed I thought 'why not'. I have always been one of these people who try to follow 'the signals provided by the universe' about what I should be doing or the direction I should be heading so I decided to go.
I arrived in Rome on a Saturday morning after a 13 hour flight from Hong Kong and soon was in a wonderful bed and breakfast place near the Trevi Fountain. Did a lot of sightseeing and on Monday headed on the train down to Naples about an hour away. On the Wednesday hired a car and drove the 3.5 hours on the wrong side of the road (for me) to a beautiful seaside resort nestled amongst granite volcanic mountains (its near Vesuvius after all) called Maratea where the wedding was to be held. Thursday was the wedding and I eventually got to meet Chicca and Dan. Chicca and I laughed our heads off as we were thick as thieves close friends despite this being the first time we had ever met. It was just wonderful and their wedding was fantastic. The next day I drove back to Naples and caught the train to Rome where I stayed at the same B&B again before heading off to the airport and back to Hong Kong and Macau. It was a wonderful trip, one I will always remember, and followed my belief in don't not do anything now that you might regret later.
As a note, Chicca has a starring role in my novel The Survivalist, as do a number of other real people I know. As Chicca mentioned to me 'Tesoro ('treasure'), I will live forever!'.
Anyway, that's all for now.
Remember, there's only 3 groups of people in the world. Those that can count and those that can't.
Till next time. Don't forget to wipe.
Alan
Its been an awfully long time since my last post so I thought I would write here today and update whats been happening.
In my last blog I mentioned that I had moved to Macau in 2009 as my work at the City of Dreams had been extended. I am still in Macau and we now have a new office here as well as in Singapore. My stars, how things happen when you don't expect them.
Our company has expanded to include a number of local casino's as clients and we have employed staff which is nice as I always like to see people develop and help to be a part of that.
In my private life a number of things have happened as well.
I am still in the same apartment that I moved in to mid-2009, have settled well, love the Asian culture, and have even bought an Audi A4 turbo to hoon around in.
I still attend 'those' meetings each week here in Macau that keep my life on track. If anyone is wondering what 'those' meetings are, they are not religious or a cult, just a bunch of like minded people coming together for a common purpose. All very wholesome and healthy. You can contact me separately if you would like to know more.
In early 2009 two of my short stories (I like creative writing) got published in a book called Hotel China. It is now available on Amazon from here http://www.amazon.com/Hotel-China-Hong-Writers-Circle/dp/9889836653/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1297575247&sr=8-3
I also had another novel published. Its called The Survivalist and was released in Hong Kong book shops in December 2010. My next novel Heavens Above is at the copywriters and is due to be released in May 2011. True to form, the novel that I really want to write, have started and keep procrastinating over is still being written but more about that another time.
Musically I keep practicing and playing, mainly solo acoustic these days due to lack of playing partners here in Macau.
With reference to travel I still go down to Australia every 3 -4 months to check in at the office and to see my daughter and my friends. I love being at my Melbourne house as there have been renovations to an old, dilapidated veranda and sitting area at the rear and now it has been opened up, provided with pitched roof and decking and is a delight to just sit and 'be'.
On one of my trips to Australia I was to attend a school reunion for ex-students and Mitcham High School in Victoria, Australia. It was something I will also never forget. I thought I would run into a lot of old friends of mine from school and renew old acquaintances. My expectations (I should never have them or I will be surely disappointed) were to be dashed when when only a few people I recognized were present. Some of those people resembled nothing like their former selves and appeared to have turned into someone else. Another group of people I recognized and joined soon made me feel uncomfortable and I was to learn that this group had all gone to school together, had grown up, married and had families all within a 4km radius of the school, and all hung out together since. A 'stranger' forming a 'keyhole in the circle' of their nice tidy lives obviously made them feel uncomfortable so I soon departed and went off to a music practice with a band I was playing in while in Melbourne that trip.
As well as trips to Australia, I also had the opportunity to spend some holiday time in Shanghai as well as Beijing on separate trips. Those places are fantastic and highly recommended.
In July 2010 I went to Italy. I had never been to Europe before since I left England as a two year old child going to Australia. I went to attend the wedding a close friend of mine Carmen Gerardi. I had met Carmen ('Chicca') around 12 or 13 years ago when my daughter had introduced me to a internet based chat programme called ICQ. At the time I still had phobia's regarding heights and flying and I though the best way to find out about people in other far away lands and other cultures would be to use something like ICQ. I me a few people online and usually those communication were pleasant, sometimes taking place over a week or two, and then I would not hear from those people again or would not contact them again as it appeared that the extent of our 'conversation' was ended. With Carmen though things were different. I dont remember exactly what happened but for some reason we stayed in contact over the years, graduating from ICQ to email where we would send a 6 or 12 monthly update from time to time over the 12 or so years.
Anyway, last year I got an invitation to her wedding to (I was to find out) a wonderful young gentleman called Dan. At the time I dismissed the invitation out of hand as I was busy in Macau, but as a few days passed I thought 'why not'. I have always been one of these people who try to follow 'the signals provided by the universe' about what I should be doing or the direction I should be heading so I decided to go.
I arrived in Rome on a Saturday morning after a 13 hour flight from Hong Kong and soon was in a wonderful bed and breakfast place near the Trevi Fountain. Did a lot of sightseeing and on Monday headed on the train down to Naples about an hour away. On the Wednesday hired a car and drove the 3.5 hours on the wrong side of the road (for me) to a beautiful seaside resort nestled amongst granite volcanic mountains (its near Vesuvius after all) called Maratea where the wedding was to be held. Thursday was the wedding and I eventually got to meet Chicca and Dan. Chicca and I laughed our heads off as we were thick as thieves close friends despite this being the first time we had ever met. It was just wonderful and their wedding was fantastic. The next day I drove back to Naples and caught the train to Rome where I stayed at the same B&B again before heading off to the airport and back to Hong Kong and Macau. It was a wonderful trip, one I will always remember, and followed my belief in don't not do anything now that you might regret later.
As a note, Chicca has a starring role in my novel The Survivalist, as do a number of other real people I know. As Chicca mentioned to me 'Tesoro ('treasure'), I will live forever!'.
Anyway, that's all for now.
Remember, there's only 3 groups of people in the world. Those that can count and those that can't.
Till next time. Don't forget to wipe.
Alan
posted by Alan at
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