http://www.chriskolbu.com A personal site for Chris Kolbu Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:59:00 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 en hourly 1 http://www.chriskolbu.com/2010/03/weekly-mini-updates-from-2010-03-07/ http://www.chriskolbu.com/2010/03/weekly-mini-updates-from-2010-03-07/#comments Sun, 07 Mar 2010 12:59:00 +0000 admin http://www.chriskolbu.com/2010/03/weekly-mini-updates-from-2010-03-07/

Hush Hush at Rockefeller: half James Brown, half preacher; all sex. “Sex Partay” was a particular favourite. Great presence. #

Let me revel in my self-control as I tumble in to bed at 1am. God knows, there was fun to be had. #

It’s friday. It’s almost 6. It’s almost time to hit the RF pub and partake of the microbrews. Come one, come all! #

今朝有酒今朝醉
明日愁来明日愁
While there’s wine today, I’ll get drunk today;
When grief comes tomorrow, I’ll grieve tomorrow.
Luo Yin (罗隐), (833-909AD) #

I have tickets for Flight of the Conchords in Oslo! On the 22nd of May! Yay! #

RT @goldkorn What is going on at going at the Global Times? http://is.gd/9HXIl @tcvarney #

I read this when I first started studying Chinese. I felt bad. A year and a half later, I feel worse. http://bit.ly/w55tj - very good read. #

Good MS Word replacement for Macs? Compared to how snappy it is in Windows, it’s a complete nightmare on a Mac. Would need footnote support. #

Chinese hip-hop: http://bit.ly/bPaSid … probably the most cringeworthy youtube video I’ve come across in a while. [Old news; new to me] #

This is perfect: http://bit.ly/c5UQWF The illustration, the example sentences and the literal meaning (extremely good). 极好! Two thumbs up! #

获 and 莸 had me confused there, for a little while. #

丁丁 (Tintin) is pretty hard reading for a comic book. #

Anyone have any experience using Chinese journals as source materials? I’m working from the assumption that they’re peer-reviewed and kosher #

Tilt, by Rockefeller, has an awesome beer selection. They imported the lesser of the Stone Brewery IPAs, though. Oh, well #

Haandbeyggeriet “Wild Thing” smells like the fat of dry cured venison. Apparently, it’s meant to be “infused with cranberries and currants”. #

Haandbryggeriet Ardenne Blonde #260 smells like canned asparagus. Tastes like it, too. Bleh. #

How about that sunlight? This feels like spring! (hoping I didn’t jinx it) #

The poem 面朝大海，春暖花开 by 海子 took on another level of meaning once I found out about his suicide at age 25. Intrigued. #

Onwards and upwards! #

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Essay handed in (被好朋友改写了). Now for a hard earned beer and “Un Prophète” - Apparently the best French film of 2009. IMDB: http://bit.ly/ocGgx #

Barry White deciphered: the female perspective. http://www.translationparty.com/#6703112 #

The future is now. I’m looking at a live feed from CNN showing camera feeds from a harbour in Hawaii, waiting for the Tsunami to roll in. #

A stellar piece from the golden age of design: http://bit.ly/cByHR7 the KLH Model Twenty-Plus Turntable w/ Speakers. Space Age and Scando! #

2036 characters! The essay is finished. I sent it off to a Chinese friend with a prayer she could hook a brother up with some grammar. Phew. #

Reading advice threads on things you have a good grasp on make it clear just how much bad advice you can get on the internet. Scary. #

Me, a cup of tea and ChinesePod. Living the dream! #

http://bit.ly/9AYY5Q - David Brent performing on an acoustic guitar. Free Love on the Free Love Freeway. #

800/2000字 down; 2.5 days to go. I’m glad people won’t be able to see my mangling of Mandarin syntax. #

RT @China_Daily: Beijing’s population exceeds 22 million http://tinyurl.com/yam5p77 slightly fewer than Taiwan’s entire population (@niubi) #

The Hawkpanther - a perfect human animal: http://bit.ly/akPUT3 - Obviously bullshit, but cringeworthy nonetheless. #

http://bit.ly/bmDuAT Omar Little Richardson. It’s all in the game. #

Lying in bed. Decked out with woolen socks, coffee, my laptop, music and as always, the Impending Doom of papers that need handing in. 不亦靠乎? #

Just realized that writing my arguments and trains of thought out in a language I’m comfortable is much easier. Now for the translation. #

男人走了，到了外面，面对花花绿绿的世界，在霓虹灯的闪烁下，也有了另一个名字–农民工. Drama! Disappointment! Excitement! #

有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎? #

Just bought the Complete Pleco bundle for iPhone. Once flashcards are implemented, it’ll be the best thing since sliced bread. #

RT @FakeAPStylebook Forbear: something given to a bear. “Forebear” is the portion of the bear before the main bear. “Fourbear” is a party. #

Fenocchio Barolo Riserva 1990 is like taking a walk along the beach -a perfect antidote to winter. Amazing. The 1978 is even better. Oh God. #

At a Barolo and Barbaresco wine tasting. Guiseppe Cortese Rabaja Barbaresco 2001 kind of tastes like paté. Odd. #

http://vimeo.com/9608637 - A beautiful and devastating montage from Haiti, shot by the extremely talented photojournalist Khalid Mohtaseb. #

A beautiful and devastating montage from Haiti, shot by the extremely talented photojournalist Khalid Mohtaseb. #

Working all day. Come by and get coffeed up! #

Just saw “Bodyguards and Assassins” (十月围城). Another big budget, all-star film re-imagining and glorifying history. +Donnie Yen eats a horse. #

Just saw “Bodyguards and Assassins” (十月国城). Another big budget, all-star film re-imagining and glorifying history. +Donnie Yen eats a horse. #

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I am a Godfather. Sounds cool, right? It is now my ward to instill my infant cousin Emily w/ good, Christian values. I’ll get right on that. #

Off to Baltazar to pig out with the TW crew and The Random Doves. Palace Grill need to step their service up. Bastards. #

Seeing this trailer (http://bit.ly/JGdXM) for “The Room”, I want to watch it for all the wrong reasons. So wrong it transcends the term. #

Schindler’s list is…what it is. Hard to describe without resorting to platitudes, clichés or expletives. Good to see it again. #

Now that I’ve forgotten about the incessant cigarette smoking and pollution everywhere, I’m starting to miss China and Beijing again. #

http://bit.ly/v8Zr - 100 of the most popular works of Classical music as used in movies, etc. Ever wondered what something was? Here it is. #

Had a great day judging the Oslo qualifications for the Norwegian Barista Championship. Excited to see what the rest of Norway has to offer. #

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Eating breakfast, feeling the first waves of a tolerable hangover starting to wash over me. At least there’s scrambled eggs. #

Arabic Language Student held for attempting to bring Arabic Language Flash Cards onto domestic flight. http://bit.ly/dB1hi6 - pre-pre-crime. #

汉语 highlight: 潘驴邓小闲-the male ideal:As pretty as the man 潘, hung like a donkey-驴, rich like the man 邓, young-小, w/ leisure-闲 (to chase girls) #

I love my chicken wings, but this Momofuku recipe is just insane. http://bit.ly/luEaD. Cold-smoked, brined and confited in pork fat. God. #

At my brother’s apt, having a productive conversation. The grand tour is on. #

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Getting up at 10, sitting in my pajamas drinking Kiawamururu and doing homework? Things could be worse. Still floating on a post-exam cloud. #

Watching a Food Tech feature on hamburgers. What the fuck is up with the obsession americans have with processed cheese? It’s vile! Argh. #

About to go in. Nervous. Jittery. Feeling relatively unprepared. Crap. #

At the university, getting my last bit of studying for the Chinese oral exam on. Here’s to hoping I avoid the traditional character texts :D #

George Whitesides’ TED talk on low-cost diagnostic tools for 3rd world is an amazing take on both medicine and science: http://bit.ly/crlhOM #

What does Tom Selleck have in common with sandwiches and waterfalls? -Nothing, yet apparently so much: http://bit.ly/6R88Bs. #

Nothing quite like getting a wake-up call from your dentist.From bed to their offices in 10 minutes impressed them mightily. And woke me up. #

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At a seminar all the judges for the upcoming Norwegian Barista Championship. A lot of different presentations. And coffee! #

Working. Drinking coffee. Making coffee. Rinse palate and repeat. #

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtGSXMuWMR4 - Charlie Brooker deconstructing the average TV news story and then taking the piss. Nailed it. #

Back on campus, getting my reading on. Oral exam in 8 days. #

Somehow my telecom provider managed to confuse my personal details with that of some other random customer. Trying to confirm identity? Hard #

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Just had my first Classical Chinese lecture. Anything with Prof. Harbsmeier is a pleasure, but this was really interesting. 孔子 in the hee子 #

Irritated I missed the XX concert. Small venues punish the slovenly. #

Bacon and cauliflower soup, sourdough bread with pesto, two bottles of fine gewürstraminer and equally fine company? Yes please. #

I think I might’ve gotten to the bottom of Caché (2005). Oh, so satisfying. #

Wu-Tang Clan and the Beatles? Yes please: http://bit.ly/5KatUu (Got Your Money is my favourite so far). [This is awesome] #

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Did Goose Island change up their IPA? It’s a lot better than I remember it being. Less soapy -more strawberry, fruit and a lovely mouthfeel. #

My jacket is all schmutzed up after last night’s festivities. Where can I get it dry cleaned in Oslo? Capable and cheap places must exist..? #

This Comic Relief African Aid video with (mainly) Ricky Gervais is pure brilliance: http://bit.ly/iggtM stick with it. #

Why are certain products always “unleashed” instead of “released”? #

“Compared to all kinds of restrictions in foreign countries, China has the most open Internet in the world.” http://bit.ly/8RTYeh Say what? #

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Beer beer beer beer beer beer beer beer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/flippantfiasco/4258296369/ (also: wine) #

Eating some weird Tamil food. It looks like stewed potatoes and onions wrapped in a savoury (dry) pancake + 3 dips. In a word: forgettable. #

“The Big Lebowski” rewritten in the style of Shakespeare: http://runleiarun.com/lebowski/ - this is amazingly well executed. #

Avatar. Amazing visuals, fantastic motion capture. I can’t wait until they use this technology to make good films.Also: http://bit.ly/7DrjQB #

RT @KaiserKuo If Obama meets the Dalai Lama we’ll have an Obama-Lama-rama, with lots of drama. #

My room is frigid. Despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to locate a heater for sale anywhere in downtown Oslo. Thermostat says -16c. #

Stir fried: coriander, long beans, spring onions, garlic, sichuan pepper, chili, ginger, beef, oyster sauce (and a dollop of sriracha). 爱中菜! #

Is there a word for something that is simultaneously hilarious and sad? http://bit.ly/697XuN - “Ex-mayor admits stealing women’s underwear” #

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Back on my 24″ monitor and external keyboard. It feels good and enormous(!) after 6 months on a 13″ screen. Ah, the comforts of home. #

Anderson Valley “Hop Ottin’” IPA: Nose: sweet, bready yeast turning into mild urinal soap(…). Mouth: sweet, well balanced. Lovely finish. #

Back home in Deichmans Gate. Carried all my stuff up from the basement. Now is the time for beers with Kay. #

Watching “The Matrix”. It’s been a while, to say the least. #

New Year’s Eve was great. The food was amazing (++) the company equally fun to be around. Great start to the new decade. Rock on 2010. #

The Lumix GF1 and 20mm/f1.7 pancake is pretty awesome - and small enough to lug around (unlike the D300). #

This is the last day of the decade. Personal: good times were had. World (wars; famine; natural disasters; global warming) kind of sucked. #

Nøgne Ø’s Islay Whiskey “God Jul” is amazing. Leather, pipe tobacco, soft peatiness and an amazing sweet flavour. Holy Whiskey Shit. #

About to head back into Oslo. What to do? Might get my 3D on and see “Avatar”… #

Currently, there is family-wide consensus that I am, in fact, the worst Modern Warfare 2 player in the world. What a confusing game. #

What do you call a deer with no eye? This, and more, at “Dumb Jokes That Are Funny”: http://bit.ly/7XM7f2 #

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