About Last Week

It has been a good week. Starting with the Saturday, my friends and family got together for my birthday picnic. Some friends even came down from Norwich and up from Kent. Despite my hayfever kicking up a fuss due to the wind and being constantly preoccupied with being host, it was pretty good. The pass the parcel with photographic prizes went down well. Later moved onto a pub and then to the Arts Theatre Club on Frith St. After a big of boogie went to eat in Chinatown in my old digs. It was raining, we got a cab and got home at 5am. Much money was spent but that was a given. It was great many friends were able to make it. There were many more than couldn’t. So far managed to raise £70 for the earthquake fund.

The next day, a friend of mine helped me buy a memory card New York via telephone from UK, during which another friend was in the actual shop in New York, to pick it up. Complicated but finally got it!

On Tuesday I met with Ma Guihua, a London correspondent for Xinhua newspaper. We had a chat about the differenced between the Chinese and Western media’s and how it related to culture. We spoke of specific events over the last few months. It was really great to be talking about the issues that have concerned me for a while, which started to documentary, and now lead me to speak to- not only a journalist, but a Chinese journalist for Xinhua. Asked if she would be interested in participating she said yes and could also help get interest with her colleagues. After that I went to the Chinese Community Centre to propose a film making workshop for the youth. I grew up at the centre and worked there as an early teen but lost touch for the last 13 years. They have moved premises so far (just down the road) and no one I used to know worked there any more. The youth worker and director were happy I could do them such a service and I was happy that they accepted my proposal. They even asked me to come on the Sunday to a meeting re the summer project, which I haven’t been involved with for about 13 years. It felt really good to be involved with the community again on this end and the new end with Chinese reporters.

Many of the Books about China I ordered arrived this week, which I put on my wish list in April.

The video 8 camera I got from ebay didn’t playback or record. But I am doing some talks in South London schools next week and they gave me a digital 8 camera to use. Luckily, it is a model which plays back video8 so I am using it to make dubs of all the video8 tapes I have from 15 years ago.

Had first new meeting with Tom for the Norway section in a month. We looked at the video recce and it was a good start to getting a feel for the lake cabin. He gave me a birthday present. It was a directors viewfinder. Best present I have gotten since I don’t know when. I am so chuffed I have attached a photo of it!

Photos from party…

L- R, Cat, me, Audrey

Tim, Wei Yee

Pui Ying, who I've known for about 15 years and her husband, William

Wei Yee, Jasmin, Roland, Anton, Azahara, me playing music from mobile phone

Wei Yee, who I've known since university, about 11 years

Me, Cat from Rochester, Dear from Norwich, Tim

Dream, me, Cat

Dear and Dream. The silent sisters.

My new Viewfinder.

Photos by Dream and Dear and myself.

- J