Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Thursday, December 01, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
My Britain
Shocked. Appalled. Speechless. These were a few of the words that came to mind on viewing the "My Tram Experience" Youtube video.
But in some ways I wasn't surprised, not that I didn't think these kind of opinions existed or didn't exist still - more I've been on the other end of it and experienced this kind of rant before. Don't get me wrong on this one but growing up as a first generation chinese in the UK... well let's just say I've had my share.
Strangely enough I spent three or four days in London recently, and my tube experience as well as my experience on street level was that, if London is anything to go by, 'My Britain' is built up of a wide spectrum of faces. In fact, much more diverse than in my home town of Bristol.
(Interesting that isn't it? My 'home' town - my parents came over in the sixties and worked pretty much all their time in the UK, before relatively recently moving back to Hong Kong.)
I was at a festival once just a few years back, where a slightly older man turned to me and in a louder and slightly slower voice asked me "Where--are--you--from?" I said "Bristol mate". Actually to be fair, I "ain't English either", I'm not gonna lie to you - if I was to "go back where I came from" it would have to be South Wales, specifically - Pontypool.
But for me the UK is home.
I was born here, I live and work here.
When I go abroad I strangely miss the idea of a 'good cuppa'.
I feels strange emotion when the National Anthem plays.
I'm not entirely a sporty person but I still feel the anguish when I see England play international football.
I would consider a fried breakfast one of my major food groups.
For me I am British. I'm also Chinese. These aren't at either end of an extreme. It's more a case of being 'Both And". Some days I'm desperate for DimSum, others I fancy a pint and curry afterwards.
In some ways, I'm not even sure the term 'multi-cultural' really even fits in these days given that for many of us whose parents came to the UK we would consider ourselves British as well as our individual cultural histories. Some are calling it post-multiculturalism. Who knows...
I guess I know nothing about the lady's history, experience or even the kind of day she might have had. I just know My Britain is a very different one. 'My Britain' certainly isn't racist because if you look around you'd see way too much evidence, way too many people, some who were even born here, that would say this is my Britain.
Welcome to 'My Britain'. Actually scratch that cos you've probably been here a while.
C
Friday, November 25, 2011
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Thursday, October 06, 2011
Saturday, September 17, 2011
Friday, September 09, 2011
Butternut squash soup, Arch Deli Clifton
Tuesday, September 06, 2011
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Eat your vegetables... Make a difference
A while back, I like many others ran the Bristol 10k... Ok ok, ran might be a bit of an overstatement. Perhaps ran, walked, ran, walked, ran a little less than before, walk a bit, thought about my good intentions, then ran a bit more... repeat etc for 10k.
Did I or do I 'love running'? Well not really. There I've said it... we all thought it but were too afraid to - it's out in the open now!!!
You see I wouldn't necessarily consider myself a natural athlete (I think I'm more of a 'lover than a fighter')... its certainly not one of my natural giftings. And I'm ok with that. Running in public for any distance with lots of other people whilst lots of other people watch you, take photographs which is fine but at some point they catch up with you and you actually see what you looked like... yah, I'm ok with not 'loving' that.
Would I do something like that again? yeah...
Why? Cos it reminds me that the world is bigger than me and that the edges of 'my world' need to be stretched, pushed and pulled - not only when there's an opportunity to raise some money for a good cause but as a daily way of life. That there are things outside of my world that are important as well. I need reminding of that from time to time…
And this stretching is not only good for the cause as such… but good for me. It's good for you.
When I close down and my world is literally just 'my world' it lacks the much needed positive influence of those around me and I don't think we were never meant to live that way. I'm supposed to be connected with you and others, you are supposed to be connected to others and so on and so forth... (don't start humming 'Circle of life' by Elton, that's not where I'm going).
Being an individual doesn't have to mean being selfish ("I need me time") but being an individual can mean you've got stuff to bring along that is not only important but vital. That we all have our part and we are all invited to play.
Without getting all mid-afternoon-family-feel-good-movie about it. You can make a difference and its good for you to make a difference.
Recent events have shown the power of the group in a negative way but out of that I've also heard great stories of individuals wanting to go against that particular grain and prove that positive enlightened individuals gathered together in a group can make a difference.
See that it's possible to make a difference. See that you can make a difference.
See that it's possible to make a difference. See that you can make a difference.
Love Running supports a World Vision development programme in Hurungwe, a rural district in northern Zimbabwe. In August 2011 a team to visit and report back.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Chinese Pork Blackbean Sauce & Rice - Dragon Fountain
Perfect for that little lunchtime treat as well as the student markets, it's what your average Asian would expect for a lunch (we don't really go for the sandwich thing over there). In fact my Dad used to do a similar lunchtime deal way back when.
Real happy to go back and try the rest of the range (inc duck dishes at £4! Duck! £4! Lunch!) 9.5/10
Go to www.dragonfountain.co.uk
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Friday, July 08, 2011
beef carpaccio
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Saturday, July 02, 2011
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 27, 2011
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Home trialing new glasses... eventually went for the top two...
colse.leung@gmail.com / www.colse.co.uk / www.colseworld.co.uk
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