BIRDIE NUM NUMS
- Hans Ebert
- Sep 18
- 7 min read
Updated: Sep 19
SELF
It’s all relative, and also very personal, because one size doesn’t fit all.
We are individuals, and being individuals, we have our preferences and opinions and damn the torpedoes when it comes to accepting advice because no one knows you better than yourself.
Thinking back about my conversation earlier today with two friends, there I was holding court about the talents of John Lennon and Paul McCartney and going to the toppermost of the uppermost and mentioning the absolute perfection of the song “Imagine”.
Of course, Paul McCartney has written some of the greatest songs of all time, but could we imagine something as beautiful and perfect as “Imagine”?
This set me off on a personal, and perhaps even spiritual journey of self discovery and deep diving into Self- that place and feeling where no matter how many people there are around you, you’re lost in finding yourself in Self.
Self is a wonderful place to spend time away from everything and everyone for the simple reason that this is not a selfish Self, but a Self that’s about self worth, self love, self esteem and a focus on Self where one can see many things with more clarity.
It’s also always interesting who you might meet inside this journey into Self, especially your real Self and your role in this crazy place called life. Together, we are the strongest army there is. Separately, we are also our own best army of friends, truth, respect and separating us from everyone else because only us knows our strengths and weaknesses.
Self is a great place to visit and only you know when these times are and understand what to do next.
Self shows you what lies ahead and how to get there on your our own terms and with dignity.
If we don’t believe in ourselves, we believe in nothing and no one.
How we find ourselves is up to us.
No one else.
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HOW SMALL HONG KONG CAN SURPRISE THE BIG OLD WORLD
Maybe it doesn’t know it as yet, but Hong Kong is in an enviable position to be small enough to make its presence felt in a bigly way by making up for lost time, and be seen as one of the safest cities in the world with plenty of upside for opportunities for good young talent from around the world.
With most of the world recoiling in horror at the hate and vitriol being spewed out by those manipulating their bases and creating a divide and conquer strategy, together with a new and an international team of scholars and thinkers, Hong Kong Chief Executive John KS Lee, a good man with no hidden agendas, can be seen as someone who helps bring together a polarised world into a truly international and positivity driven city.
But he needs support and the right team for this to happen and not returning to The Olde Wishing Well.
With all this in place, little old Hong Kong can be seen as a shining example of being a city, that like one’s imagination and entrepreneurial spirit and curiosity, has no boundaries.
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Though heartening to read the headline “HK seeks to limit children’s use of mobile devices, words can be warm and fuzzy, whereas putting words into action is something completely different.
Though the evil genie has escaped and is creating chaos almost wherever it goes, several countries are looking at new online laws and creating powerful Public Service Announcements to underline this problem.
English actor Hugh Grant has recently appeared on Instagram talking, advising and warning us about the effects of “Big Tech” and “Edtech” and how it has “captured” the minds of children who are growing up to need the dopamine levels of that screen time.
My personal feeling is that Pandora’s box has been opened and what now needs to be done are for especially governments and other organisations involved in the development of children to come down hard on at least the most visited social media platforms and have them actually join the fight against what they have created and bring about balance.
The owners of these billion dollar platforms, and which includes gaming, must be held accountable.
This is their business and if their businesses are ruining and continue to ruin lives, we as a global community, cannot wait for something new and horrific to take place before thinking about what to do next.
Having seen the development of so-called “social media” from its earliest days and the illegal music file sharing site Napster, everything has grown into something unrecognisable and almost addictive that’s selling instant “fame” plus everything else that has created a very confused world.
Other than having Batman and his army of super heroes fight this, there’s a need to eliminate everything that’s been talked about as warning signs for over a decade.
The talking must stop and action must begin by possibly a two pronged communications strategy aimed at parents and children that will connect with them.
They will know better than any of us on the next steps and how to protect themselves and their children from this burgeoning online threat.
We must start somewhere and listening to what Hugh Grant has to say- and it’s not another cause célèbre- is worth tapping into.
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A Three Day Mahjong Tournament taking place in February of next year in- and exactly where in the world this could be happening is the question- with the celebrity guest and participant being Actress and mahjong fan in Actress Julia Roberts?
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“Stunned!” ”Shocked!” screamed the headlines!!! For just un petit minute, we thought that the Hong Kong Jockey Club’s venerable 70 year old CEO, below, was finally retiring, or possibly even joining Now United as a seasoned male member for the still unknown group.
But, there’s probably another thirty five years before even one of these things might happen.
No, the “stunning” news had to do with a story that appeared somewhere about the return to the city of Joao Moreira, The Brazilian Magic Man, as stable jockey for his great friend and trainer Caspar Fownes on a short term contract- at least to perhaps get things started.
The timing and announcement for this news seemed like kismet, especially as the Brazilian magic man who, despite a sometimes strained relationship with the HKJC, would add another layer of excitement and energy to Hong Kong’s favourite pastime.
Somewhat confusing was the news directly from the HKJC around the same time that set to ply their trade in Hong Kong on short term contracts were champion jockey James McDonald, the always popular Hollie Doyle, champion Irish apprentice Browne McMonagle and Maxine Guyon.
There was no mention of Joao Moreira.
Those who were salivating at the thought of Joao Moreira renewing his great rivalry with the Zac Attack and stop the champion Australian jockey from riding away with everything including the dish and the spoon and the wok, will have to wait as the magical mystery tour continues…
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SCRAMBLED EGGS OR AN UNITED FRONT?
Though there was plenty of bromance shown and much love in the air surrounding the news of the partnership between the HKJC and the Simon Fuller owned X1X Entertainment, the rather simple original idea of having the Fuller managed multi cultural pop group Now United perform during HKIR Longines International Races week in December seemed to go off on a tangent.
How did something so simple become so convoluted and with the marketing of Now United almost pushed into the background?
Gremlins at work?
Other than a couple of appearances wandering around at the races, what else now and united was there other than some random videos of the group flouncing around Hong Kong with very few in the city knowing who they were or what the group even sounded like?
You know- Marketing 101.
Suddenly, from left field came ambitious and multi million dollar plans to have X1X Entertainment involved in celebrations for the Lunar New Year of the Horse, having legendary Chinese film director Xiang Yimou involved- this never happened- mention of Andrea Bocelli singing with Jackie Cheung, and something or another about an Academy Of Pop in Hong Kong.
As for Now United, there was a promised citywide “reality” series to find a female Hong Kong member for the group, and before one even blinked, this was already done and dusted and a winner named.
Who is she and what does she sound like? Does it matter?
Even suddenly having the appearance of popular Hong Kong actor-dancer Aaron Kwok visit the group during rehearsals and and dance with them barely caused a ripple.
As for the talent search, it’s said that after “gruelling auditions attracting thousands”, a winner was found and who is “going to inspire millions and millions of young girls around the world “.
What’s strange is that it’s almost like none of this ever happened, and with so many possible marketing opportunities that would have benefitted all the parties involved falling through the cracks and going down the rabbit hole.
Was there anyone in charge of this project or was it just a free-for-all with much ado about nothing in the hands of, yes, more gremlins?
Hopefully, when the globe trotting group, apparently in the middle of a Now Or Never world tour, returns to Hong Kong for Longines HKIR week, there could be more smart and effective marketing in place.
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ABOUT ALL THAT JAZZ AND DEBORAH DAVIS
It’s attracting an extremely different crowd these days, and it’s good to see the Champagne Bar doing so well- at least it was the night we dropped in.
Interesting was to watch an unexpected cameo appearance by the venue’s next resident singer- Deborah Davis.
Here is an old school Jazz singer experienced and knowledgeable about the songwriters from Tin Pan Alley and with a healthy respect for those First Ladies of Jazz like Ella, Dakota Staton, Sarah Vaughan etc etc.
Where this leads could be interesting for the hotel lounge that is something of an institution, and also because it doesn’t mean going out in Hong Kong only to see the same old performers and lounge singers still peddling their wares as they have been for, sometimes, two decades. ……
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Happy Trails, Sundance.
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