Live @ Grand Central: The Ants

The Ants:

The Queens of Queens and the Remarkable Twins

In this episode, minty run-ins with NYC airport security guards, Chris has a double-take and a bathroom dilemma, and we witness Purim, (aging) hipster-style. Amber shares some dialect lessons and Colt 45 from her time as the reigning Queen of Queens, and Chris and Amber go on location for The Subway Life:

NYC Neighborhoods by Smell and the Laser of Pain

In our second podcast, Amber discusses neighbourhoods in NYC by smell, and visits the Russian/Turkish Baths she stumbled across in Alphabet City. Chris pays a visit to a 'spa' for the laser of pain, and attends a big fat gay wedding. Also: Hipster ugly trend of the week, NYC dialect lesson and Chris' subway rage:

Subway Life: Rats

http://nyctheblog.blogspot.com/2011/01/subway-riding-rat-wakes-up-sleeping-man.html

Slush-ageddon and the Concerned Subway Announcer

The podcast about "the New York times WE have"

He's Australian, she's Canadian, he's gay, she's straight - they come from two very different worlds, and live very different lifestyles in the same city: New York City.

You just might find humour and entertainment in their perceptions and experiences of life as foreigners living in New York. If not, well... at least their moms will be listening! Follow them each week as they navigate their way through life here in the city.

In this episode, Slush-aggedon, boilers blowing, the 'new tweed', the concerned subway announcer, theatre review, and your NYC dialect lesson. Every week is a busy week in NYC. Listen here:

Most Important Words in China

The other day, in contemplating how easy it is to get around a place where you understand the culture (mostly) and the language (fully), I came up with this top 5 list of the most important Chinese phrases in the world to learn. These are sort of like 'must know' basics of basics, to maneuver and position oneself in China. (They work in Chinatowns too):

谢谢 Xie4xie 　“Thanks.” The Chinese aren’t big on ‘please’, but they love thank you so much that they’ll often hit you with a barrage of it, ‘xiexiexiexiexiexiexiexie’. True, sometimes it’s in a way to get rid of you… sometimes it’s in genuine thanks, and sometimes it’s because they don’t know what the hell you are talking about. But nonetheless, it’s the universal word that means gratitude. We’ll leave the cultural lesson of discerning what they are actually showing gratitude for, up to you.

听不懂 (Ting1 bu dong3) “I don’t understand what you are saying.” This phrase is your best friend, go-to and solace. When the barrage of Chinese follows your perfectly accented ‘ni hao’, this phrase, immediately upon being uttered, will instantly replace any looks of irritation, impatience, or xenophobia with something else: ill-concealed laughter, countenances of compassion (feigned or mockery, possibly) and an immediate switch to the language that transcends all national, political and cultural boundaries… ‘Charades’.

不知道 (Bu4 zhi1dao) “I don’t know.” You may hear this phrase more than use it, however learn from the Chinese how to bu zhidao every situation you wish to evade, play dumb about, or avoid.

不好意思 (Bu4hao3yi4si) “Sorry.” You’re likely going to be needing to apologize a lot, what with tone errors that change your intended meaning from a polite query of ‘May I ask’ into ‘Please, kiss me’. Will equip you well to ward off face slaps. In fact, you can just throw this word out at random, just to be on the safe side of etiquette. Buhaoyisi literally means ‘bad feeling’, and can be used to apologize to all the dainty toes your oversized foreign feet will step on in the crowded subway, to repent over some cultural faux pas you likely don’t know you’ve committed, or to just curry favor, in general.

让一下 (Rang yixia) “Let me through.” Buhaoyisi’s slightly stronger cousin. Use this when you’re trapped in a subway car and can’t get out, or stymied in your efforts to crowd-worm through a city of 18 million people. (Rang yixia) is guaranteed to have people jumping out of the way, parting the Red Sea, or doing whatever it takes to let the foreign devil through!

Derelict Blogger Who Always Stays Clear of the Closing Doors

I confess my sins. Sorry!

Of late, neglecting the indulgent pleasure of blogging. Am I turning into one of those rushing around no face expression people? There's often much to tell, but there is so much non-computer time of life that needs to be absorbed and spent. Maybe it's because the weather has gotten better. Maybe I am a fair-weather blogger.

I have a story though. There's been a dearth of weird happenings... or maybe I'm just xiguan now. But, luckily, came across one of those beautiful moments when China collides with NYC.

So i share... a subway moment:

Some Chinese kid was going bonkers on the train. His mom starts yelling at him in Chinese, and he was running around and whooping and stuff, and yelling back in Chinese and spitting, etc.

Then, all of a sudden, mid-Chinese, he stops; and in perfect English, tones as bold as brass, he says "NEXT STOP 23rd St. ELY AVE TRANSFER AVAILABLE TO THE 7, THE E, AND THE V". Exactly like the subway announcer does it, word for word.

Seconds later, right on time, the conductor makes the real announcement, but of course included the enthusiastic "stay clear of the closing doors"... so the kid immediately makes the whole announcement again, plus that addendum.

Then they went back to yelling in Chinese.

Thankful for weird Chinese moments.