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For three years, I have been in China teaching Swing Dancing. Now I'm wandering yet again...
2004-05-24
What Next?
It's time to invest in a career. Lindy Hop is really cool but it's just going to be a sideline, unless I decide to pursue creating dance schools all over China. I did e-commerce consulting for seven years. It was a good development of my options, but I never enjoyed it.
The only type of work which has piqued my interest is working in the media or television. I hosted a news radio show a long time ago in college. That's not much but it can't hurt. I also did an amount of newspaper work as well. I don't think I'd like to be a reporter, though, because it pays poorly and there's a lot of negative in this type of media.
I had for a very long time toyed with the idea of writing a novel. I could never decide upon the format and way to express it, but I had a basic concept which I wanted to deliver. Among different starts, different ways of telling the story, and different endings I accumulated hundreds of pages of material. I do have the time right now to invest in it if I just cut out a few bad habits (such as playing computer games.)
But that type of project is a longer-term, purely speculative effort. It would be a good idea to get a more solid job first. The thing is I don't have a really solid idea what type of career to pursue, so I go into this sytem that I use whenever I need to make a large decision.
If there are no serious immediate issues such as health problems, running out of money, or immediate needs from family members, then all choices are available. This is the case now. Next, I go over in my head all of the possible directions which I could turn, even if it is a pretty off-the-wall idea. I try to find the direction which has the strongest, most deepest-set feeling attached to it. Then, I pursue that idea in a logical and methodical way.
It was this decision making process which lead me to move into a new apartment complex in college, begin working in newspaper and then radio. After college, it was this method of thinking which gave me the idea to go to California. Once there, the practical reality of survival pretty much dicated what I needed to do job-wise. It was also this decision making which influenced me to leave a girlfriend in Los Angeles, then not too later after that to leave my job and go into consulting. This took me to San Jose. It brought me into swing dancing. And eventually I moved to San Francisco because of it. And there, I made the decision to change my career. Later I moved out to Shanghai and here I am.
I think most everyone has these types of feelings no matter who they are. It's not alway necessary or even beneficial to follow them. Most people I think have deeper, stronger roots than me, so for them it would not be healthy or helpful. But living as I am as a wanderer, a lost soul of sorts, it's my method.
It is an uncomfortable feeling sometimes to *have* to pay attention to your deeper feelings and pursue them. Sometimes its a lot of work and you'd rather just skip it. Plus, when you begin any big change, there's going to be a lot of doubt. Decisions you make at times like these will strongly affect the way your life will be for years to come.
For the moment, I always get excited when I or the swing dancing effort appears in the media. I also enjoy the chances to shoot commercials for TV or do screenings for media companies or interviews. I guess since I have no other responsibilities, I might as well pursue this angle. Shanghai is about the only place I think I could make progress on it right now, so that's a good thing.
So that gives me my direction. More updates to come.
-J
2004-05-17
I just received via email the telephone number of the "Original Lindy Hopper," Frankie Manning. He is expecting a call from me regarding his participation in the Shanghai Lindy Hop Exchange, dubbed SLX by a local magazine. Frankie's 90 years old right now, if my count is correct.
Today I also received an email from the organizers of the world's largest Lindy Hop camp, the Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden. I asked them very specific detailed questions about the logistics of setting up a dance camp, and I'm glad I did. I asked how far in advance should I announce a camp before it is actually held? They said a year and a half for something as difficult as a first-time China dance exchange. When do you get the instructors? Book them before you even announce the camp. Etc.
My roommate and I are buying a computer and getting ADSL, which I suppose sounds rather mundane but it's the first time I considered doing something like this in China.
A friend of mine is about to get married in the SF Bay Area. I am considering returning for that, if money and schedule allow. It would be my first trip back to America since I left. Actually, my first trip out of China at all. In a way I would feel guilty just going to San Francisco. Although my friends are back there, my family is in Chicago and it would be strange to go all the way back to America and not stop by to see them. I'm going to work on my options here.
One thing... I'm living in China at least another year, of this I have little doubt.
-J
Today I also received an email from the organizers of the world's largest Lindy Hop camp, the Herrang Dance Camp in Sweden. I asked them very specific detailed questions about the logistics of setting up a dance camp, and I'm glad I did. I asked how far in advance should I announce a camp before it is actually held? They said a year and a half for something as difficult as a first-time China dance exchange. When do you get the instructors? Book them before you even announce the camp. Etc.
My roommate and I are buying a computer and getting ADSL, which I suppose sounds rather mundane but it's the first time I considered doing something like this in China.
A friend of mine is about to get married in the SF Bay Area. I am considering returning for that, if money and schedule allow. It would be my first trip back to America since I left. Actually, my first trip out of China at all. In a way I would feel guilty just going to San Francisco. Although my friends are back there, my family is in Chicago and it would be strange to go all the way back to America and not stop by to see them. I'm going to work on my options here.
One thing... I'm living in China at least another year, of this I have little doubt.
-J
2004-05-16
A success
Yesterday we held the six month anniversary of Shanghai Swings. I found a bar near my house which would serve all you can drink beer, juice, and soda for a very low price. They agreed to host our night and we had 50 people show up. This was a good turnout. I think the bar could even support up to 80 with no problem, maybe 100 in a night if they are not all present simultaneously.
We may decide to move our social night there as well. We've always had problems negotiating with our old place. Plus, it's getting a bit too crowded on the floor. I'd hate to leave the relationship poorly, though. We have done alright with them -- perhaps not as well as we would have liked, but OK. It would be good to keep things on good terms if that's in any way possible.
Next week I'm going to be looking at a new job. One in which I'd be representing a local company at meeting and such. We'll see how it turns out.
Overall I'm pretty happy.
-J
2004-05-11
Today is Tuesday in Shanghai. We are holding the Shanghai Swings six-month anniversary party on Saturday, and we're trying to get new sign-ups for classes. It's an experiment right now, trying to figure out who will join, how much to pay, when to hold classes, and so forth. I feel more confident about throwing parties than I do organizing classes, since I already know how to do the former.
I hesitated a long time before forming the classes. I was not sure why I was hesitating, but I gave myself a rest during the May holiday week. When I went to set it up, there were a lot of little dillemas to address. When to hold the class, how many people, what to charge, how to contact these people. It sounds trivial until you try to do it yourself. I talked with a girl who runs a small Mandarin-teaching school out here, and she says she goes through the same thing every time she tries to form a class.
The new apartment is working out well. My roommate is a good guy. My only complaint is that there's a pile of refuse at the top of the first floor stairs, and instead of anyone removing it people just seem to be adding to it. I and my roommate are going to one day get a shovel and tarp and move all of that stuff into the trash bins below. It will probably cause quite a stir amongst the local Chinese that the two laowai who moved into the complex are hauling garbage.
I just learned the other day that we are on CCTV-9, which is the English channel television station. I knew we were on the City Beat show a month ago, but I thought that was limited to Shanghai, plus its viewership is smaller. CCTV-9 is throughout China, and someone of our group saw us in Mongolia when they were travelling there. My friends kid me that I am a celebrity. So I tell them yes, I'll feel very much like that when I'm at my low-rent housing hauling garbage the Chinese are leaving at my stairs.
I changed a setting in this blog which allows users to make comments underneath each post. So, if you want to say something clever, feel free to do so. All for now. Post away at those replies! I want to see if it works.
Peace,
-J
I hesitated a long time before forming the classes. I was not sure why I was hesitating, but I gave myself a rest during the May holiday week. When I went to set it up, there were a lot of little dillemas to address. When to hold the class, how many people, what to charge, how to contact these people. It sounds trivial until you try to do it yourself. I talked with a girl who runs a small Mandarin-teaching school out here, and she says she goes through the same thing every time she tries to form a class.
The new apartment is working out well. My roommate is a good guy. My only complaint is that there's a pile of refuse at the top of the first floor stairs, and instead of anyone removing it people just seem to be adding to it. I and my roommate are going to one day get a shovel and tarp and move all of that stuff into the trash bins below. It will probably cause quite a stir amongst the local Chinese that the two laowai who moved into the complex are hauling garbage.
I just learned the other day that we are on CCTV-9, which is the English channel television station. I knew we were on the City Beat show a month ago, but I thought that was limited to Shanghai, plus its viewership is smaller. CCTV-9 is throughout China, and someone of our group saw us in Mongolia when they were travelling there. My friends kid me that I am a celebrity. So I tell them yes, I'll feel very much like that when I'm at my low-rent housing hauling garbage the Chinese are leaving at my stairs.
I changed a setting in this blog which allows users to make comments underneath each post. So, if you want to say something clever, feel free to do so. All for now. Post away at those replies! I want to see if it works.
Peace,
-J
2004-05-03
I must say I feel pretty good today. Last night I signed the lease on the apartment. Afterwards my new roommate and I wandered about the neighborhood to see what was around us. It's much easier to go exploring when you have someone to chat with along the way. Wandering China alone gets old after a while.
He being English, our first target to find was a pub. Finally we went into a "Music and Coffee Bar" and said, what the Hey. It actually turned out to be a really nice place. The construction was all new and clean. The chairs were comfortable burgundy leather. Beer prices were OK, too. We sat and chatted a but about how powerful U.S. corporation are and how they have more sway than many governments. And how they will just continue to grow and buy more companies until there are just a handful of companies in existence.
This philosophical avenue came to an abrupt end as the owner of the bar came over and introduced himself. He brought us both a couple of beers, on the house, and said we were welcome here and asked us to come back with friends. He said they would have a special. Beer on tap, all you can drink for 28 quai (slang for RMB). That's, oh, a little less than $US 3.50. Who can argue with this?
Afterwards some of my new students called me out to celebrate a birthday. We went dancing until about 2am or so. Fun, Fun, Fun. Finally!
-J
He being English, our first target to find was a pub. Finally we went into a "Music and Coffee Bar" and said, what the Hey. It actually turned out to be a really nice place. The construction was all new and clean. The chairs were comfortable burgundy leather. Beer prices were OK, too. We sat and chatted a but about how powerful U.S. corporation are and how they have more sway than many governments. And how they will just continue to grow and buy more companies until there are just a handful of companies in existence.
This philosophical avenue came to an abrupt end as the owner of the bar came over and introduced himself. He brought us both a couple of beers, on the house, and said we were welcome here and asked us to come back with friends. He said they would have a special. Beer on tap, all you can drink for 28 quai (slang for RMB). That's, oh, a little less than $US 3.50. Who can argue with this?
Afterwards some of my new students called me out to celebrate a birthday. We went dancing until about 2am or so. Fun, Fun, Fun. Finally!
-J
