Don’t Burn The Day

I know, pretty odd combo for a title! … But!…..

This weekend was totally awesome in that…..

A) It kick-started Friday night with a lovely wine and tapas affair at Enoteca with a random bunch of expats from all over the globe, gathered together by an Obama supporter who I had met at the Obama Party….and ended at Barbarossa where I met another DJ (this time from Amsterdam) who knows his music!  It was refreshing to hear some Jamie Cullum (”Frontin’” cover), Brand New Heavies (”Sometimes”), Jamiroquai and the likes. Basically NO Souldja boy!!  I’m working on getting some flicks from this night…

B) I actually had time to catch up with folks stateside!  From Boston to New York to Detroit to Atlanta to Dallas to Los Angeles, record-breaking for one weekend (at least for me in the 4 months I’ve been abroad)!….. various voice/video chat programs were put to great use!! Love ya’ll…and MISS ya’ll! But I gotta share with the masses a great new addition to the “stay connected” methods… Introducing Gmail Video/Voice Chat!  This was just released earlier this week to my fellow Gmail users; I had my first of a few sessions over the weekend and it totally rocks!  Almost even better than Skype quality…. and Skype and iChat are both pretty good as is.

Here’s a snapshot of my first video chat with Gmail …. I got to see LES streets in action… the very streets I had stomped on oh so many times. Thanks Jeff for the snapshot tutorial!!

Hope to SEE more of ya’ll soon!

. . don’t burn the day. .

Last night, the Shanghai chapter of Democrats Abroad, an official arm of the Democratic Party, held an Obama victory party at the fanciful and fashionable Glamour Bar on the Bund. I, of course was there with bells on!

But let me first break down my November 4/5th to ya’ll…

Eve of Election: I was bouncing off the walls in anticipation. My roomates thought I had lost a few screws, but I could’ve cared less. Something special was about to take place. Eventually, I went to bed - giddy, with a mere few hours of sleep; I woke up at 5:30am as per usual, (aka 4:30pm EST), rolled over to my side to where my mac purposefully sat bedside, logged onto the net, checked to see what was happening on the home front, ended up chatting with some folks back at home to hype me up even more (not that I needed it!) … while at the same time, getting myself together for another day with the kiddies. I got dressed… BLUE shirt and blazer was in order!!

I packed my mac with me, just in case my pc’s streaming connection would decide to act up. Once arrived at school, I immediately hooked up both computers and created Obama Headquarters in Shanghai:

I was serious! Working both technologies, earbuds in tact. I was conducting midterms in the day…though my head was soooooo NOT on “Circle the nouns in the sentences below….”  Instead, I was shuffling in/out of the classrooms, anxious to to see what updates were being fed to me from trusted sources back at home. I was rejoicing to myself and through the wired lines…. I hated feeling so suppressed. Aside from the handful of foreign teachers in the office who knew of the “big day,” the local teachers carried on their day, midterm-minded. I guess what sucked the most was being the only real hardcore Obama supporter in the office. (Anti-American Canadians and a “red” are my colleagues. Do you feel my pain now?)  Though, I trucked on and continued my hype via phone, text, email, IM’s…

At approximately 11:45am, I got word: multiple news stations had called the Election a wrap in favor of Obama. I lost my mind! Way too surreal and way too easy!! I typed feverishly and hard on the keyboard. I got a call from the Canadian colleagues who invited me to their dorm to view McCain and President-Elect, Obama’s speech. A little reluctant for the whole Canadian connect, but I put that aside, headed over… and witnessed history!!! Hat tip to McCain’s concession speech and absolute admiration for Obama. Choked up with goosebumps, I couldnt’ believe my eyes.  From then on, I can’t recall where my head was. So many emotions ran through me…..and I counted down till the ring of last school bell…..

Evening, I met up with some folks at Glamour Bar and forewarned them that this was gonna be MY night…. They definitely understimated and were ill-prepared…..ha!

I wasn’t lying about Obamatini’s!!!!!

Towards the middle of it all, I was found jumping off from what my friends call, “my stage area”…. HAAAA!!!

In the last 4 months that I’ve been out and about in this part of the world, I will go ahead and say last night’s party was the best party’ve I’ve attended!!!  Not only because I was among other American expats, I mean you find them all over here and not just because it was multi-culti, and so it reminded me of home (– which I doooo miss), and not just because it reminded me of how “easy” I had it back in the States (I mean last night…being able to talk to people in itself, was a major plus. Especially when talking to dudes!)… but moreover, because I was amongst like-minded heads!! Liberal, worldly and hyped!!!! LOVE was spread! An amazingly memorable time was had by all! Folks from all corners of the UNITED States were loose, lively and again, liberal. I chatted up a storm and rocked out at that party as if it were birthday! ….Props to the DJ for being on point with a meaningful playlist!!

Next morning….

First song played on ipod = “Beautiful Day” from album, All That You Can’t Leave Behind by U2. Just a little message to the New First Family:

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

It was a beautiful day
Don’t let it get away
Beautiful day

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

. . don’t burn the day. .

p.s. I’ll be away this weekend for a trip to Ningbo (more on that later).

Can I get a Hellllllllllllll Yeah!!!!!!??????

HELLLLL YEAHHHHH!!!!

oh and a few special thank yous:

N - lil’ L is making big things happen! First the C’s now the O!!!!

D - your strategy to register in FL made CHANGE!

J - your vote in minnie, too made CHANGE!

Josh - you’re a good kid for bringing grandpa to the polls! and don’t forget, u gave ‘em tha biznizz!!

Jules - mannnn i miss you! thank you for being there with me in major amp mode!!

Phil - you are hands down, the best ticker! i felt right all up in it, to win it, with your on-point updates!

Marlon - though not a citizen, you playing taxi driver to get voters to the polls, made CHANGE!! that’s what i’m talkin’ about!!

Cinderz - we baRock’ed that vote!!

Janee - jeeeeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

Amanda - sorry, got your message late!  but f*ck yeah!!!!!!

i’m out kids… some Obamatini’s gotta be sipped tonight…i’ll check ya’ll on the flip!

. . don’t burn the day. .

ps. thank you to my fellow Americans for not burning election day

while mOst Of ya’ll will be receiving this pOst in yOur inbOx just a few hOurs shy Of a histOric annOuncement, it’ll be mOrning Of wednesday, nOvember 5th (fOr me and the rest Of us On this side, living la vida abrOad), tO find Out whO the next leader Of the free wOrld will be!

and hOpefully, yOu will have exercised yOur right tO vOte by now, and will have chOsen wisely!

i am cOMpletely amped fOR this OccasiOn and embracing the week OF midterms here at the schOOl = i can slack a tad while the kiddOs sweat with their exams On their desks.

sOOOOO, i say all Of this tO share with my abrOad-living brethren and/Or Online stream nerds, that this year, fOr the first time ever, assOciated press will be prOviding Online stream Of electiOn 2008, starting at 7pm est.  yOu bet i’ll be there! and i’ll be On aim, skype, msn, gchat…alladat, in between prOctOring exams, tO get the scOOp frOm yOu nOrth american peeps!

fyi: it is nOw a 13-hOur difference to eastern standard time due to daylight savings. that’s right. i’m even mOre futuristic now!

and nOw, fOr sOme reason, sam cOOke is stuck in my head ……………  check the clip…………

. . dOn’t burn <electiOn> day. .

This is it people… this is when the race will be decided. This coming Saturday November 1st kicks off the FINAL FOUR DAYS TO CHANGE AMERICA. The public opinion polls don’t matter anymore. This race will be won by whichever side gets more of its voters to the polls.

Over the Final Four days, every Barack Obama supporter needs to dig deep and commit as much time as possible to calling battleground state voters and get them to the polls. Last Call NY will once again have phone bank locations up and running all across the State of New York. New Yorkers MUST play their part to make sure Senator Obama wins!

We need every Barack Obama supporter to spread the word, and to bring their cellphone and charger– and all their friends – to one of the many large Last Call phone center locations throughout the State. We will be feeding these locations with up-to-the-minute lists of voters in key battleground states.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO ON LOCATIONS AND DETAILS NOW!!

And here’s a bonus that I just came across, a fresh little remix featuring Dres of Black Sheep: “This or That”…. The Choice is YOURS!!!

. . don’t burn <electiOn> day. .

The Economist has opened up the vote to its readers worldwide to see who’d be the next US president if the whole world could vote. China, as it turns out, is “strong Obama” — 83% of respondents here voted Obama and 17% McCain. With more than 10,000 votes cast, it looks like the whole world is voting overwhelmingly in Obama’s favor. When last checked, 9,120 votes went to Obama while McCain managed 270 votes, defeating his opponent with a small margin in such enlightened states as Cuba, Congo, Sudan, Algeria, Namibia and Macedonia. Iraq turned out to be the only “strong McCain” constituency (thanks to all his military buddies).

Hmph, anyway… just some food for thought…. as we all tick, tick, tick away!

. . don’t burn the day. .

at last! after weeks Of hOunding my lOcal precinct tO ensure that they had received, prOcessed and sent Out my absentee ballOt tO me here in the ‘hai …. (and I will admit, despite the fact that it had worked fOr me back in 2000 when i absentee’d frOm italy,  I still questiOned my ballOt arriving in my hands, On time, this time arOund — especially being in a cOuntry where EVERYTHING via pOstal is clOsely examined)…. my ballOt arrived On my desk tOday!!

i rejOiced! i cOuldn’t believe my eyes. i felt like lil’ charlie bucket winning the gOlden ticket frOm willy wOnka! i was sO nervOus at first, triple-checking the names On the ballOt. but Once fOund, all else was a cOOl breeze…..

One vOte rOcked!…….

sO my dear fellOw americans, if i can carry out my civic duty frOm a land where the 4-letter wOrd that begins with a “v” and ends with an “e” with middle letters of “O” and “t” is nOn-existent, yOu have nO excuse but tO dO yOur part in this year’s electiOn!!!! shOw up tO the bOOths On tuesday, nOvember 4 and vOte!!!!

besides, as yOu can imagine with current headlines being what they are nOwaday, being an american, living abrOad is nO easy task! i cOuld use a little redemptiOn Over here…. pretty, pretty please!

. . dOn’t burn the <electiOn> day. .

Word travels fast. I received news today from nephew, that one of our former teachers, Mr. Cook (taught Health Class in junior high school) reached his dream of 33 years just a few days ago…… via reaching the top of The Appalachian trail. Back in my youngun’ days, I recall Mr. Cook being a tad different from all the rest; A random memory: I do recall a poster-sized picture of him skiiing on some snow-filled mountain, hung on the wall of the classroom, with some story of his (which is a little blurry to me right now). But regardless, he was a man full of intensity, and year after year, talked endlessly of how he took up running (marathons especially) as a result of the early-age passing of his father, and of course, the importance of maintaining good health, andddd the big one:  some time in the mid 70’s he met a man who had hiked the Appalachians…. and since then, became a major goal in life for the Cook-man.

I am happy to announce that my Mr. Cook truly stood by his words of inspiration and encouragement back in my school days. “I hope the kids I taught will see I am following through on my dream,” Cook said in the local paper.

Here’s are some words from Cook aka “Old Buzzard” himself, upon reaching his dream!

Three different people were planning to hike Mt. K with me this day. I said no. There would be too many emotions in me this day. Mt. K is the greatest vertical of the whole trail. There is a very steep and dangerous mile or more in this climb. I tried not to think about my fall on Labor Day during this time, but it kept haunting me. One step at a time. Just concentrate on one step nice and easy as she goes. The trail eventually leveled off and then rose gently again. I saw a sign that I was but a mere 1 mile from the summit. I was alone and my mind started going over the past 33 years of my life from the time I met Hiram in 1975 to this moment. My pace slowed. I did not want the 33 years that changed my whole life to a positive vein to come to a close. I missed my family, my wife was waiting, my friends, life. I can come here again. I can go out my back door in Maine and hike the most beautiful parts of this glorious wonderful trail again whenever I want. I thanked God for keeping the Old Buzzard healthy and giving me this chance that so many never have. I looked around to see if I was alone–I busted into tears and I laughed at the same moment. I was the happiest man on earth. I am one lucky person. I touched the sign. 2176.2 miles!!

Wanna read more?! By all means, check his blog here.

I think it is appropriate for me to say to all reading this right now:

But rushing around seems what’s wrong with the world,

Don’t lose the dreams inside your head,

They’ll only be there til’ you’re dead.

Dream little darling,

DREAM!

- djm

Thank you Mr. Cook, for encouraging your students to stay on the right path and to never lose sight of our dreams; Gotta chase ‘em down!

. . don’t burn the day. .

Kids, my ears are feenin to hear some fresh tunes… But with certain restrictions here, I’ve finally settled in and figured out a good hosting portal for sharing files that actually works for me in deliverance and acceptance….., MEDIAFIRE! It is FRESH, FAST AND FREEEEEE!! So load up and bring it! Sincere thanks in advance!

. . don’t burn the day. .

ONE week from today, I will be in my final hours en flight, to touch down in Shanghai. AYE CARUMBA! While catching up with some hometown buds the last couple of days, my level of craziness has really kicked in. We collectively concluded: I’M PRETTY CRAZY. Dropping all of my home-comforts, taking leave from everything I know, family and friends, to venture to the other side of the globe in an area totally foreign to me (have never visited), to do something I’ve never done before (teach), not knowing the native tongue (Mandarin), and to do so, all by my lonesome. How’s that for some CHANGE?

But it’s not just me who’s putting CHANGE into ACTION. I like to surround myself with bold, forward-moving folks, so naturally, several comrades have also begun and/or anticipating new directions this year as well. Here’s a snapshot list from the top of my head:

• KC finally made her move at during the Fall of last year to NYC.
• MD started his move towards the end of last year - left his job and has already taken zen’spirational trips along with holding up his own on the indie level.
• LL is wrapping up her 6 month non-profit term in Geneva, Switzerland as I type.
• JL and LP are running their already successful catering company in Minneapolis.
• NL and SL have welcomed their beautiful first born.
• DT had crossed the pond to London this past January, and is all settled with his fish and chips.
• EB moved out of his NYC apt and putting his duckets in place for a move to some other city in the US. Denver? Maryland?
• DG walked out of her job with no real Plan B in place. Ummm BOLD!
• JQ left her awful gallery gig and is hanging out with some pretty cool architects and pong tables.
• AV is back in the entertainment business, working with Mr. Demi Moore - who woulda thunk?
• KS peaced outta her job last month and is readying for life abroad.. London, Holland?? It’s all TBA, by the day.
• JS is dressed up as a Blue Devil for her MBA @ Duke.
• LR is on the verge of leaving her music industry gig to pursue law school.
• RW should be Brazil bound, teaching English this Fall.
• FO is leaving his comfy job to be his own boss.
• NI completed her term serving our country as well as graduated with her Nursing Degree. She’ll soon be caring over our little kids in a city,state TBA.
• BHO, Jr. becomes President of the United States of America.

Soooooo, what are you waiting for? Everybody’s doing it. WHAT’S YOUR CHANGE?

It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power. - A. Cohen

Change is the essence of life. Be willing to surrender what you are for what you could become.

. . don’t burn the day. .