Day 3 - Contradictions

Back to the list

1. 'Complete' Fallout 4
2. 'Complete Homeworld 1 and 2 HD editions
3. Paint the remaining Raven Guard Warhammer 40k models
4. Hang around the Games Workshop store like a nerd
5. Go to 5 new museums or art galleries in Shanghai
6. Gym every other day
7. Plan teaching for the start of the new Semester. (TS unit, plus 1 week of Math + English)
8. EPIC gaming session in Diablo 3
9. Sort and take photos of Shanghai and other places
10. Take care of the wife I realise this isn't exactly the best way to say whatever I intended for this point. OOPS
11. BONUS: Trip to Hangzhou
12. DOUBLE BONUS: Keep this blog updated

Shanghai Poster Art Museum aka. The Propaganda Museum

Shanghai and China is a bunch of contradictions. One place this is shown from a recent historical perspective is the lovely and decidedly hidden Shangai Poster and Art Museum.

Can you see the sign?

You find it at the bottom of a residential tower, in the basement, and round a corner. And it is what many consider the best museum in Shanghai. Here is a repository of posters created for the masses and also for a overt political purpose. At first this was a grass roots, centralised expression of joy - or future joy - at the expected development of society by printers and intellectuals. Later work became directed by the state.

You might not be able to see it, but this is a poster celebrating democracy.

Here is where the contradiction is interesting. The work is shown in chronological order and as much as the style develops over time from the Shanghai Girls in the 1940s-50s towards the more utilitarian and 'proletarian' of the Cultural Revolution, the messages in the posters themselves change, revolve and eclipse each other. The poster about democracy is a good example, but another is the way in which the relationship of China and Russia are expressed. Or indeed, who are the imperialists? The US certainly, but not those in the US who are campaigning for equal rights (I imagine, until the civil rights situation improved, and then they were imperialists again).

I love these contradictions as much as they make me feel uneasy. In the end, it seems to me, that it shows quite how much of an experiment in governance Communism was. Those contradictions, those sudden changes of ideals, lack the depth of experience and thus were often struck down. Towards the end of the exhibit there is a poster which uses the face of Einstein and the quote "The only source of knowledge is experience." Maybe someone, somewhere, in authority realised this.

Just keep running, running-running.

I went to the gym today, to attempt my pledge to go every other day. In some ways this seems the lest likely of the list, as I can clearly see times when it wont be achieved. But I will try, from now. I hve waited until today to start as the last time I went I suffered from some pain and shortness of breath in my chest. It was nothing. But I thought a couple of days off was a good idea.

I completed 10k in 43 minutes and 16 seconds. Pretty happy with it! My best time was in the 42 minute bracket. But 43 minutes is great!

Day 2 - The Perils of Sleep

Some people, I am sure, are able to concentrate on little or no sleep. If you are one of these people I an glad and more than a little jealous. Maybe it is simply a matter of will that I lack, but for me, a poor night's sleep can be disastrous and extremely debilitating. This is the peril which faced me last night at 1 am. Despite being on holiday and seemingly free to choose my active hours, Sarah is not, and Sarah has to wake at 5:45 each morning. The result, well, a late start to the day's proceedings and a general sense of unsettledness.

The Day Today

Well in some ways despite the loss of the morning I have achieved many of the objectives I set out to do. The various domestic tasks were done or begun. I did a little bit of work, making the necessary arrangements for an author interview for my class. And I have visited the Shanghai Museum. Once this is done, I think some more quality Fallout time is in order!

The Shanghai Museum

I have visited the Shanghai Museum before. Last time I was here I wanted more. This time, less so. It almost sums up some of the cultural frustrations I have with China. There is lots of content, but the contextual understanding of each exhibit is almost entirely missing. You feel like the words in English next to an item should tell you more than just names and dynasties and that so-and-so was a "good calligraphist" (this is an actual quote). Something is missing, and I don't understand what.

That said, as a superficial immersion into historical Chinese culture I have seen nothing better. It is free, but there are limits to the numbers which can enter which in turn can cause long queues.

Despite my frustrations, I do think I enjoy this museum. The paintings along are worth the trip. There is something of the contradiction between simplicity and detail which really draws me in to the scene of many of the works. And for that I often found myself willing the timed lights to stay on a little longer so I could follow this brush-stroke slowly with my eyes to it's terminus.

 The Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow may have more of the similar... Domestic-work, work-work (hopefully the last I will need to do for a week or so), a museum and some gaming.

Day 1 - The Funny Thing Is...

...That I am not exactly sure what the point of doing this is!

Am I trying to internalise a bunch of things so they are once more ingrained/grooved in my mind and more easy for me to commit my time to? I mean, I feel like certain interests as I get older, are disconnected and more difficult to engage with. Could creating a plan for the free time I have now develop those grooves which will help me in the future focus on things I actually want to focus on?

Or is it an external thing? This is a blog after all, anyone, anywhere could read it and pass judgement. Someone could expect a post, and be disappointed when one does not appear either by missing some strange vicarious enjoyment he or she may have had or simply disappointment at my failure to complete something I set out on. Is this external pressure something good for me?

Finally, how about those pennies which come from the ads on this page? Honestly, I just enjoy seeing this trickle in for the once yearly "Yay! I made £2 again this year from blogging!" It's not this.

The Day Today

As a recap, here is THE LIST. In bold are things I worked on today.

1. 'Complete' Fallout 4
2. 'Complete Homeworld 1 and 2 HD editions
3. Paint the remaining Raven Guard Warhammer 40k models
4. Hang around the Games Workshop store like a nerd
5. Go to 5 new museums or art galleries in Shanghai
6. Gym every other day
7. Plan teaching for the start of the new Semester. (TS unit, plus 1 week of Math + English)
8. EPIC gaming session in Diablo 3
9. Sort and take photos of Shanghai and other places
10. Take care of the wife
11. BONUS: Trip to Hangzhou
12. DOUBLE BONUS: Keep this blog updated

I have three squads and a land speeder to complete for point 3. At the moment I am in the last hour or so of painting a tactical squad of Raven Guard space marines. If the last two sentences made no sense to you then fair enough, its pretty nerdy. Essentially what I am doing to painting very small models in surprisingly intricate detail and using painting techniques I have nowhere near mastered. I will keep posting pictures, and you can have a look at the links if you want to find out more.

The completed dudes.

Today, I painted some gray - which I mixed myself - on the models which were not completed (6) and then focused on one to get it done. Above is a picture of those which are finished. What do you think?

The other key thing I did from the list is play a bit of Fallout 4. A good Bethesda RPG. I've always played computer games. Though in recent times the enjoyment these have given me has reduced somewhat. I don't know why, maybe it's time to put such frivolities and time sinks behind me. But to hell with that. At least for now, I am going to sink days of my time in this one and Homeworld.

The Day Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the first day of the holiday proper. I am going to see about going to the Shanghai Museum and getting some photographs taken of Shanghai (5 and 9). I will try and get some final things of the previous semester of school tied up (pre-7), as well as complete a bunch of domestic chores (pre-10).

Freizeitstress

Three weeks of holiday. YESSSS!

Tye, he never suffered from Freizeitstress.

And what am I going to do with it? NOTHING

Well, not nothing. Actually a punishing list of 'things I want to complete'.

And below is the list. My objective is to write a post approximately every day to update on progress. In doing so I will conquer my 'Freizeitstress' with a list. I will gain that sense of completion through Gamification. I will achieve through an imposed sense of collective judgement through publishing the details on the internet.

It all makes sense.

The List

1. 'Complete' Fallout 4
2. 'Complete Homeworld 1 and 2 HD editions
3. Paint the remaining Raven Guard Warhammer 40k models
4. Hang around the Games Workshop store like a nerd
5. Go to 5 new museums or art galleries in Shanghai
6. Gym every other day
7. Plan teaching for the start of the new Semester. (TS unit, plus 1 week of Math + English)
8. EPIC gaming session in Diablo 3
9. Sort and take photos of Shanghai and other places
10. Take care of the wife
11. BONUS: Trip to Hangzhou
12. DOUBLE BONUS: Keep this blog updated

So there you have it. Posts