my brain is fagged (already)/another chapter of catch-up

why is it that there is no such thing as a slow ramp-up back to daily life in hk, where you don't feel like you're hitting a brick wall as soon as you step out of the airport? i've only been back for less than a week and i need a vacation again -- already!

....

as usual, i'm a bit sleep-deprived. therefore, i am just going to start with what i can remember.

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in july, i went on vacation to england.

as soon as i arrived in england, i was whisked away by my boyfriend, whose house i stay at in suffolk during the summers, to glyndebourne for a world-class, bar-none performance of the comparatively obscure german opera, hansel and gretel. it was absurdly plutocratic, elegant and exclusive, with picnicking on the green in black tie before, during and after the opera. what with a generous intermission of 1.5 hours, one can actually decant good wine and let it breathe at the beginning of the performance before returning at intermission to enjoy it properly. wow! while it IS awfully snobby and expensive and impossible to get into. (it took our friends 16 years to get off the waiting list to become members!), it was an otherworldly, Old World experience, which i will never forget. on top of that, it was amazing to be around cultivated people, who enjoyed the surprising, avant-garde production which included a transsexual wicked witch character (a baritone sporting prosthetic breasts and a comical toupe) who gobbled up children in the deliciously apt, ironic mise en scene of a modern-day supermarket! it was civilized but mind-bending at the same time.

after a few days of recovery, where i developed a very bad head cold, caused by, yes, relaxation and decompression, my girlfriend visited us in the country, accompanied by her new boyfriend, a crass, insecure yob who coudn't stop dropping hints about how much money he had. worst of all, though, he was only mildly amusing. while it was disturbing to see my girlfriend treated as a trophy, it was worse to see her entranced by the attentions of such a vulgar man. i am wondering whether she will see this blog entry one day..... no matter: i'm always ready lie in the bed that i've made. it's sad to see a beautiful woman who is so deeply insecure that she only chooses lovers who grovel at her feet in rapt adoration. ugh.... there are different explanations for a major imbalance in power between lovers - some better than others. domination for its own sake is something i can stomach, but not this.....

[a lot of text excised here, because i felt bored while writing it and lost patience. but it includes an episode in st. remy-de-provence, which includes a side jaunt to the crucially important photo fair at arles and many unexpected encounters of "six degrees of separation", all within the  confines of my friend's home! not a shocker, because my friend inhabits a similar world (although her workaholism and focus make me feel like i have a serious learning disability!). she founded bliss spa, soap & glory and, most recently, the FitFlop. everyone, please go and buy a pair immediately at RUSH, the fitness gear boutique in hk!]

http://www.thefitflop.com/

around this time, my home was featured in the ny times, for anyone who wants to take a peek

http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2008/07/22/greathomesanddestinations/

20080722IHTSLIDESHOW_index.html

here's my favorite pic! i also have an ovoid column, which rotates 320 degrees and houses a desk, tv, keyboard, among other stuff, which takes pride of place in my living room. if you like that sort of thing, check it out.

last week, i headlined a conference called Global Brand Forum with spike lee, the founder of wikipedia and the creative director of electronic arts. THAT was quite heady stuff. i was the ONLY woman, which was a gigantic honor. plus, i got to bond with those guys. i literally got 8 hours of sleep in the two days we were hanging out, but it was probably because it was life-changing and we couldn't stop talking! anyway, it was really inspiring. i decided to give a speech based on my personal reflections about the consumer world, rather than concrete branding advice or anecdotes of career experience. it was probably the first time that the true, totally Unvarnished Me got a chance to come out. god, that was fun! Joanne, the Professor! ha! here is a pic of me, spike and the founder of wikipedia, jimmy wales. (i love how spike is holding a glass of champagne and checking his phone. we were sitting on a mattress at the opening of Supperclub in SIngapore.)

i'm now working on the huge month ahead:

an exhibition for fellow AnD member, Wing Shya, whom my gallery represents, for Chivas Regal at their gigantic event, Chivas Studio, taking place 4-6 September in Hong Kong. Terence Yin, a founding member of AnD, also appears A LOT in the artwork being shown, SO PLEASE SUPPORT THIS EVENT! ;

the ShContemporary art fair, 9-13 september. this will be our gallery's first art fair, so that's definitely a massive stress out. we are only one of 5 hk galleries showing at this fair, which was founded by the founding director of art basel, so it's a major feather in our cap

then, mid-month, i will go to  istanbul for a speaking engagement, passing through london on the way back to hk so i can attend 100% Design, the UK's most important design show.

omigod, i just realized that i forgot to blog about june's 100% Design Shanghai! i will no doubt have to pay penance for that.... ack! more on that tmo....

[about to fall over now from the exhaustion of tonight's cyber-masturbation....]