it's t-shirt time

finally, it's time to set the guns loose! after about 10 days of cold weather (relative of course to SE Asia), we're staring summer smack in the sweaty face. i have had at least one request for 'more action, less movie review', and with the weather playing nicely again, that's just what i'm gonna do.

so, first things first, crack the ol' Leisurely Hiker's Guide and pick a destination. on a side note, i recently happened to mention this guide to another expat, and how i was enjoying leisurely making my way through it. her reaction was less than enthusiastic, in fact it was down right emasculating. apparently, anyone who wants to do some 'serious' hikes in HK needs to get the Serious Hiker's Guide and stop playin. undeterred, i'm going to stick to the cruise control of my current book.

without further adieu, i present Peng Chau. about a 45-minute/$1.50 CAD ferry ride due west of Central, and dangerously close to Disneyland Hong Kong, lies a sleepy little covey island of Peng Chau. it's known for its small island lifestyle, with lovely coastal views from its tallest point, Finger Hill. not many people actually live on the island, and the homes are very simple yet have outdoor space to enjoy the ocean air.

given the diminutive nature of the island, i wasn't overly concerned with breaking my leisure mandate. that said, i confess to be writing this in the absence of most of my clothes, having put them through a decent sweat earlier. a lot of steps and a torrid pace getting around all of the points made it worthy of the 'serious' label, in my opinion anyway. the highlight was probably reaching the climax of Finger Hill; out of breath and visible wetness were all worth it for those 360's. sadly, there were 2 other tourists up there that appeared to be doing just fine - they must have choppered in. with the highs, i might as well share a low. on my return down to the town area, i encountered an elderly lady in the street - she had to be 90 if she was a day. I flashed her a quick smile and she almost instantly proceeded to clear her throat, giving it all back to the street before me. kinda gross.

after about 3 hours on the course, i was back in the centre of the island, near the ferry terminal. as a reward, i treated myself to a doughnut in a bag and the most random sports drink you'll ever see. with the latter in mind, it tasted like a fairly normal lemony type of drink, yet, it's the fine print on the label that has me more intrigued: 'added chlorella growth factor'. on quick review, it appears that it's just a vitamin cocktail, and not that David Banner gamma ray shit.

the Peng in living colour here.

triple threat Friday

a 3-for-1 post up for you all, because really, you deserve it.
let's get right to it.

i checked the box

happy to report that I went on yet another casting call on Thursday.
at this point, i'm going on the perspective that it's simply just a big numbers game, and eventually, after about 20 castings, I'll get a gig. for those looking for a little insight on what happens at a casting, it's really not overly sexy.
i was under the impression i would be in a room full of talent, a male model sandwich of sorts. it turns out though that there is never anyone else in the office with me.
the process appears to be consistent: walk in to a very small makeshift office, lots of glamour shots on the wall, and i'm asked to fill out a form. basic particulars (name, passport) along with the more hardcore questions around measurements (chest, inseam, hips). i would be a little afraid if i knew how 'hippy' i was, so each and every casting, they pull out the tape and size me up. finally, the form closes with the types of jobs i'd be interested in:

Runway (hmm, not so much)
Editorial (sure, sounds like me)
Swimwear (yah, i like to swim)
Nude (hmm, has it come to this? )

i'll admit, i'm not super eager to go full monty on a group of innocent people, and as such, have resisted ticking the box in most of my previous castings....and look where that got me.
so, what the hell, i ticked that box. my talent scout, Melody (real name), told me you're usually given a loin cloth or something like that, so it appears that the World would be spared my alter ego (Dicky Dickerson, III) if it happens to go down.
i look forward to posting those pics for you all to gawk/judge/wallpaper.

speaking of wallpaper, great segue....

Extreme Makeover: Hong Kong edition

i will keep this brief, because there isn't much to talk about, but we now have our beautiful IKEA furnishings. in all honesty, most of the stuff is nice enough, and the flat is starting to feel cozy. i smell a dinner party!
for anyone interested, the pics are posted on my Picasa page.

This is my blôg. There are many others like it, but this one is mine

i love torrents, don't you? given my extended periods of downtime, i have been known to peruse the odd torrent or 2. i have created a list of classic films, some of which i may or may not have seen (again, memory issues), that i have decided need catching up on.
it's also good post filler.
this week's review is entitled Who Won the War?
i'm talking 'Nam, kids. the 'shit'.
Platoon vs. Full Metal Jacket.
Stone vs. Kubrick.
Sheen vs. Modine.

Both share obvious similarities in terms of era, location, battle, and yet one stands out as so much more than just a war flick. Let's break it down -
Platoon has a ton of star power, including a fresh faced Johnny Depp not to mention a young Johnny Drama! the aforementioned Sheen is the main focal point of the movie, even taking on the v/o narration from time to time. without trying to offend those that choose to be Two and a Half Men fans, Sheen is a little one-dimensional. i swear, i truly thought Ricky 'Wild Thing' Vaughn got drafted into the war.
not buying what you're selling, Charles.
(spolier alert, folks)
in the end, a few soldiers die, but of course, Sheen's character does his best Rambo impression, single-handedly takes down a few hundred VC, and flies home a hero. hooray.

switch it up - Full Metal Jacket.
bit of a no-name cast, unless you consider Matthew Modine our generation's Ed Begley Jr.
the majority of the film doesn't actually take place in the jungles of Vietnam, instead focusing on the basic training that the marines had to endure before the pleasure of heading over to SE Asia. truly shocking to see the emotional abuse, that i would imagine is bang on the experience of enlisting = super fun.
transition over to Vietnam, and instead of showing the typical trees & tunnels, the fighting happens in blown out towns. Modine's character is part of the journalist core, who ends up getting sent into the 'shit' and encounters more than he necessarily signed up for. a cool angle by Kubrick, portraying a documentary theme within the film itself, showing candid moments with soldiers and their perspective on what the hell was going on.

(another sorta spoiler alert)
final portion of the movie goes somewhat badly for a few members of the featured platoon by one very accurate female sniper. ultimately, the USA takes her down and continue on with their mission. mind you, i was pleased that the movie concludes with the boys marching to the next battleground, omitting the gratuitous flag waving/thumbs up scene from the chopper headed back to freedomland.
to summarize, it probably doesn't need to be spelled out - Full Metal Jacket wins my Vietnam!
hooray & Peace out.

daze of my life

greetings, Freedom fans.
been a long time, hasn't it? what's new with you??

my goal in writing (as in life) is to always target quality first, quantity second.
this last week hasn't quite registered on the quality scale, and therefore, the lights were dimmed on the blôg.
guess that's what happens when the weather turns a little ugly and i'm sat at home waiting for scheduled daily deliveries of everything from new beds to cat litter.
welcome to the good life.
also, it didn't help that i received so much fan mail from my screenplay offering - you guys are too kind!

nevertheless, i do have something 'quality' in the works that i hope to share with you later this week. the suspense is crushing.
in the meantime, i present to you the Freedom's version of stati update; sarcasm included:

Friday>
Yum, eating dinner at Nobu. Wish you were here.

For those not familiar with Nobu, it is a kick ass global Japanese fusion eatery. We can now cross off the HK location, which gets us to 4 Nobu's visited worldwide.
Waiting for that loyalty card to come any day now.

Saturday>
Fighting the masses in Wanchai Computer centre. Could it BE any more crowded?

If the Amazing Race ever comes back to Hong Kong, this would be the perfect place to F with a few Americans. Encompassing a mere 2 stories, this tech mecca is incredibly resourceful and painfully confusing. Maybe it's just me (see: Mong Kok shoe experience), but I get turned around in this maze like a pig on a spit (urbandictionary definition not pertinent).
It is a super cool experience though, as i've now managed to replace all my NA power cords with HK/UK style plugs.
Oh, good for you.

Monday>
Trying to do some banking at HSBC, having no luck. Failure to launch, McConaughey.

Spent about an hour attempting to open up an investment account this morning....because day trading is a very profitable way to spend my time, right?
So, after going through the process of changing my address on file, followed by a fun risk-assessment questionnaire, where i was asked to repeat my answers into a speaker phone, i was right on the cusp of buying hella low and selling hella hi.
wrong answer. it appears they failed to recognize that i shared my account with the world's greatest banker, Aline, and as such, we'll need to set up a couple's appointment to fill in a consolidated questionnaire.
i know what we're doing Friday night, honey....

so there you have it.
yes, a little less filling of a post, but still tastes great on a Monday.
stay tuned for something meaty on the horizon.
Freedom, out.

Unrestricted

so, i've been doing my best to 'cool it' with the retirement jibba jabba, to the nodding acceptance of a select few. from now on, no more of this retired outlook. i'm going to consider myself a free agent, a guy who's taking some much needed time to really cruise the market, to find something super teriffic, in the continuing journey that is my career.

and no, i'm not a superstar athlete. nor am i an actor or, (choke), a model. yet, with my quote/unquote normal path in life, it pains me to think that nobody is working for me; not literally working as my employee, i mean working for me, the brand that is Rich.
so what if i can't raise my slapshot and won't earn a supporting Oscar anytime soon. does that prevent me from having someone looking out for my best interests? (moms don't count).

power to the people i say. i need a gosh darn agent. (yes, I feel it's best to start censoring the odd line here and there; a sign of things to come).
think how awesome it would be, for us white collars, to have the strength of another person by our sides to ensure we get what we deserve out of our Monday to Friday's.
you want my client to work overtime? check the contract, bud.
my client hit a few of his targets this year. you know what that means - minimum 15% increase or we walk.

enter Unrestricted. not only did i dream up the idea of real-people agents, but i may have also created my own little fantasy out of it (aka a screenplay). i actually had this idea and drafted this little treatment before becoming a free agent, so no points for making the most of my downtime while unemployed. that said, i thought it was time to share this with the Freedom followers. do with it what you will, but i will absolutely take full credit for the revolution that may ensue.
a final note - i felt it best to censor the screenplay in certain locations, as there may be some sensitive eyes on this one. please don't hold it against me, and please don't think i'm a total p----.

still in the running...

...to becoming Hong Kong's next top model; despite this, like with many industries, i'm expected to first pay my dues. in modeling, this can only mean one thing - i need to blow models. seriously. i blew a model on set yesterday. oh right, clarification - i was the fan guy for a women's apparel shoot.

let me tell you, wind engineers are a vital piece of the photoshoot landscape. if i were to describe the experience in one word: intense. i suppose you could say it's the equivalent to the mailroom boy within the white collar world, or perhaps the fluffer in the bedroom accessories world - sometimes, you need to go down to make it to the top (you see, the best angle to operate a fan is from the ground).

still crossing my fingers and burning those calories in anticipation of the big break. for the time being though, i'm appreciative of the exposure i'm receiving to the models inc. world and its beautiful people. i even think they've started to accept me as one of their own, hooking me up with a super awesome nickname....Hot Air.
time to party.

oh no they did not

so i'm flipping through a copy of US magazine....(i know what you're thinking, and yes, it is a very normal heterosexual selection from the rack). anyway, i'm reading this thing and suddenly come across an ad for a new sitcom:
Retired at 35.
what the hell....i read further:
A New Sitcom on TV Land.
well slap my ass, this is sounding awfully familiar.
i must do a little more research.

turns out, it's true - the suits over at TV Land have made a sitcom about a guy who, get this...., retires early, at age 35.

still don't think it's real?
here's the plot overview>
The series follows a successful New Yorker named David (Johnathan McClain), who decides to leave the rat race and his job in the big city and move in with his father (George Segal) and mother (Jessica Walter) who live in a retirement community in Florida to reconnect with them, re-evaluate his life and live the dream of retirement that so many are working toward.

ok, so there are a few 'variances' to the premise, but come on.....am I the only one seeing this thing? helloooo? this is a total rip off of the Freedom.
many of you new readers won't know this, but prior to my recent life decisions, this blôg was previously known as Freedom 35 (and yes, i've decided from now on that this blôg will have a little French injection).
now, before i get too excited for any royalties due to me, i need to actually take a look at this brilliant concept in living colour.



hmm...well...i likely don't have to worry about royalties. this thing is getting shut down in 6 episodes - max. i don't even need to see an actual episode, the crap sell-job the cast does in this promo reel is quite enough.
TV Land, if you're reading this, you have my blessing to infuse your show with any number of my antics abroad. hell, maybe even New York City David will decide he too wants to become a model (although this dude looks nothing like me).

alright, that's one lawsuit settled.
now, for the real money maker.....this one is a no-brainer. it's ME!



HBO, your move....

super bowl monday

whaddup, sports fans.....can't think of a better way to start off a new week with a big ol' game of football. with the timezones as they are, rather than spending the whole day boozing & eating and watching 8 hours of pre-game coverage, we literally had to set an alarm for the local 7:30am HK time kickoff. trade the pizza for some muffins, frittata instead of chili, and light beer instead of regular beer, along with a special treat from our American hosts - a traditional Carolinian dish of shrimp & grits.

as for the game itself, it was conservative yet entertaining. to be honest, i really didn't care who won, which is refreshingly much less stressful than usual. happy for any true Packers fans i know, but also believe that a lot of pseudo football fans come out of the wood work when Green Bay is successful (make sure you remove the price tag of your cheese head, cheesedix).

how was Chinese New Year (you may or may not ask)?
conservative yet entertaining.
actually, remember that crack i made about a 2-day bout of swine flu? well, i thought i had it, or SARS for a few days last week (violent fits of fill-in-the-blanks). as a result, we didn't get to partake in any of the paradey/fireworksy fun. the long weekend wasn't a complete loss though. we pampered ourselves at the spa, rubbed in all the right ways. (it was a couples massage, keep it PG folks).

fat rabbit new year to all

Kung Hei Fat Choi, everybody....i can't believe as of tomorrow, the year of the Tiger will be over, making way for the fresh new year of the Rabbit.guess the lunar calendar didn't intentionally plan out the hilarious irony of last year for this guy. having spent the last 6 years in Vancouver, i had a little exposure to Chinese New Year (CNY), which entailed getting dragged invited to a corporate dinner celebration a couple of times. now that i'm a little closer to the motherland, i'm gaining an increased appreciation for what CNY means to the people here.

a quick coles notes version for those of you at home>
it's the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays, and results in public holidays this year for 3 days....which doesn't really affect my schedule so much. a ton of decorations get set up everywhere, mainly red lanterns and mandarin orange plants. similar to many north american holidays, it is a time for families to get together, and a fair amount of 'mainlanders' come into HK to get down. some interesting traditions are to clean your house immediately before the new year to 'sweep away' the previous year's bad luck. by far the most interesting tradition IMO is the ritual of giving money to people in the form of new crisp bills inside red envelopes. it is common practice for people to approach their boss/parents/elders directly and proceed to do the classic throat clear until the red envelope is coughed up. i'm excited to look under my pillow tomorrow to see if the rabbit leaves me something.
so, that's basically a beginner's guide to CNY, and i'm hoping to expand on this a little once the actual holiday is upon us.

speaking of furry animals, i didn't really have the capacity/sobriety to explain yesterday's picture of me in the mink. as part of my own personal pre-CNY party, i had the pleasure of hopping into a refrigerated vodka bar, in the heart of the bar district in HK called Lan Kwai Fong. and yes, it was meat locker cold...but a cool experience nonetheless.
oh, and for some reason, CNY wouldn't be CNY without the cheerleaders from LSU. no joke, they are in town for the CNY parade. random, yes. guess they were going for a cross between Tigers & Bunnies. happy rabbit!

models inc

yes, it's a late post, but better late than never.
daddy's been a busy boy this eve, so apologies that you've been without the freedom.
hoping that these pics will make up for it.
no, i'm not a starlet yet, but fairly sure these will help the portfolio.
many thanks to my new bff GMac.









and yeah, i go fur, but only the fake stuff....hash tag PETA my friends.