Forums > Introductions > LazyAngel's introduction thread!
Login/Join to ParticipateCarpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
Hey there everybody!
I'm a student at London uni and I live in Cambridge during my holidays. I don't drink cos of epilepsy but I do smoke (though I'm trying to cut down on that). I like all sorts of music but not country or manufactured pop. I love drum and bass, funk and chill, and I love my poi!
I first saw fire poi this year when I went to a party after my final exams at uni. There was live Drum and Bass being played on the roof of this house, and some people doing fire poi. I thought, 'I gotta get me some of those..' and despite remembering only about 5 names out of a possible 50 from the party, I remembered the poi!
Anyways, a little over two months ago I started using some comet poi, got addicted, and basically have been practising for about an hour a day since then. About a month ago I bought monkey fist fire poi, and practised with them to get used to the weight and feel of chains. Then a little over a week ago... FIRST BURN!! was a little timid at first, but then did wraps constantly when burning and blackened up my hoody and jeans until i wasn't worried about the flames anymore, now I feel free to revel in my pyromania!
I LOVE POI!!Edit: now updated to include basic info
Name: Guy
Location: Cambridge
Hometown: Born in Boston (the UK one!) moved to cambridge 5 years later
DOB:27/3/81
Age: 24
Sex:Male
Occupation(s):unemployed but soon to be a student yet again
Favorite Food(s): Chinese (especially Dim Sum), anything sweet, anything chocolate, mild curries, mushrooms with blue cheese
Favorite Color(s): Not sure really but I seem to wear blue a lot, and i like to have red colours in my room
Toys: poi, staff, nunchuks, flag on a pole (wielded sword style), rope dart, cj ball
Hobbies other than the obvious: shoddy guitar playing (and singing songs about pot when no-ones about), experimental cooking (very occasionally), reading, drawing on my hand on long journeys, listening to music all the time, worrying about the environment, playing compulsive computer games, photography (occassionally), watching Kung fu films (especially the badly dubbed old ones) and skinning up.
Education: BA Ancient World Studies 2:1, waiting for my MA in Public Archaeology marks, about to start a TEFL course hopefully
Favorite Book(s): Dark Materials trilogy (Philip Pullman), Armageddon the musical trilogy (Robert Rankin), Dear Monkey (abr. Alison Waley), the Dark is Rising books, Satanic Verses (although I've only managed to read it once I really liked the ideas in it)
Favorite Movie(s): Any old school kung fu, Iron Monkey (kung fu film), Most Jackie Chan films, Hero, Catch me if you Can, Orange County, Cheech and Chong: up in smoke (funniest stoner movie EVER), Shaolin Soccer, Gladiator, Donnie Darko, Starsky and Hutch (the recent one), The Royal Tenenbaums
Favorite TV show(s): Lost, 'Allo 'Allo!, Dad's Army, Diagnosis Murder
Plans for life in general: still working on that one, interested in media, teaching, archaeology and the environment. Go figure.
Favorite Music Artists/Composers: Far too many for me too write them all here! Quantic, Fila Brazilia, Banco de Gaia, buddha bar type stuff, the Levellers, James Brown and a lot of other music from the seventies, also Aphex Twin and Squarepusher.
Favorie ice cream flavor(s):Mint choc chip, raspberry ripple, mango sorbet, lemon sorbet, who am I kidding? I love all Ice cream!
Marmite, Vegemite, or Nutella? Nutella first by a long way then vegemite then Marmite, but I don't hate any of them really
Edit: Photos from China at https://www.flickr.com/photos/7356164@N05/
EDITED_BY: LazyAngel (1293446362)
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
Thanks Jo!
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK
the adventure continues!
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Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
right let's try again (computer cut out as I was nearing the end of my mini essay last time)
so where was I? Oh yes, sweaty and at the top of a mountain. On reaching the top with the old lady, she led us to a hotel set back from the path in a small village. The rooms were basic but clean and cheap (50 yuan/night, squat toilet shower combo in the bathroom, only one bug in the bathroom). Luckily we were just in time for lunch, although we once again had to take rough guesses at what we were precisely ordering.
After lunch, we decided to walk around the top of the mountain and admire the amazing scenery. However, about halfway around, I was suddenly aware of a pressing need to find a toilet. Walking briskly up to the nearest refreshment hut, I asked them where the nearest toilet was, and they indicated the nearest hut and said '100 metres' (or so I thought). Heading to the next hut, I got exactly the same response, and at the next 5 huts after that. Finally, reaching the point of almost-running, I found myself in the coach park. Walking through so fast that only two people had time to try to foist merchandise on me, I headed round the corner, and found a large, clean white building marked 'toilets'... with no attendants and a metal barrier across the front of it. In desperation, I ran to the back of the building, hoping to find an open window, and instead found a rather surprised group of chinese men playing cards.
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
I asked them for directions and they pointed me to a completely unmarked side alley, which thankfully contained a toilet (unthankfully, it seemed to be suffering from a small flood, there were no locks on the doors and no water in the taps: but hey you can't be picky)
Once Emily had caught up with me, we decided to head off to see what we thought was a waterfall, called 'water falls from heavens' or somesuch. I mean come on, with a name like that, you're bound to make assumptions? We then discovered from the very helpful local men, that there was in fact no water there, and even if we wanted to go, there were no buses available. Having already climbed a mountain and not keen to embark on another hike, we headed back to the hotel, where we met young chinese guys and girls from Beijing and Guangzhou, and made our plans to leave the next day.
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Insert Champagne Here
13,215 posts
Location: without class distinction, Australia
it's amazing how good travel toilet stories are! i would have changed ***** to phallus, and claire to petey Petey
Rougie: but that's what I'm doing here
Arnwyn: what letting me adjust myself in your room?..don't you dare quote that on HoP...
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
The next day, we were resolved to be as unhealthy as possible, having spent two weeks walking up/running down mountains, we decided to take the park buses. Once we had waved goodbye to the folks at the hotel, we set off for the nearest coach park (the one from before) and rapidly crossed most of the park in two coach rides and a cable car trip. Even with a stop for exploration of a side path in the hope of finding a so called 'tourist path through bamboo', we still managed to make it out of the park in time for a relatively on time lunch. Again we (well Emily did and I contributed my phrasebook) faced the challenge of trying to figure out what on earth we were ordering, but we did better than before, ordering a spicy duck dish and an egg (and chive?) dish. Encouraged by our success, we decided to go to visit a Taoist temple nearby, where we had one of the strangest experiences yet.
(sorry for the multiple posting, I'm just getting paranoid about losing info)
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
On arrival at the temple, it seemed almost wholly deserted, it being the middle of the afternoon, when the most people are asleep. Outside the temple, at a small cubicle, a few chinese people were chatting away, seeming a little bemused at the appearance of a couple of Lao Wai's in a taxi.
Having found some half asleep women in the visitor's hut to keep an eye on our bags, we headed for what we mistakenly thought was the entrance to the temple, only to be confronted by a ferocious guard dogs, whose chain rather worringly seemed to be attached to the gate by a twisted coathanger. Fortunately a smiling local redirected us to the real entrance before we pushed our luck too far (or the dog managed to break the coathanger).
Having paid our entrance fee, we found our way into the temple grounds. Although a couple of the snoozing monks acknowledged us, we didn't want to disturb their rest so continued our quiet tour of the temple. Everywere, looming out of the foliage, were statues of famous Taoist figures, with real clothes on them, which gave the strange feeling that we had intruded on a film set. Entering what appeared to be the main temple (replete with monks sleeping on the floor) we noticed a small, dimly-lit, side passage leading upwards. We were totally unprepared for what was inside.
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
As we entered the passage, we became aware of the drip, drip, drip of water coming from the ceiling, particularly as the stairs were (typically for china) slightly less than half my foot size deep, with a chain handrail so low dow that I was practically bent double in order to hold onto it. At first it seemed innocent enough, but as we reached the the first plateau in the stairs, we were confronted by a grisly scene of blue devils doing unspeakable things to men and women: pitchforks in the ass doen't even begin to cover it: a particularly memorable one showed a man cut in half in a bath, while being poked with a spear by a devil.
Of course, when I say this, I don't mean there were actually blue devils doing unspeakable things to people there: but it was all there in crudely modelled statues, about half life size. The dim lighting, water and silence contributed to the spooky atmosphere, as you often would feel compelled to peer closely at a scene to make out what exactly was going on, only to recoil in revulsion. That and the life size figures of women with 6 eyes and foot long tongues, that you could almost feel the lifeless gaze of as you headed upwards through, trying not to break a leg on the treacherous stairs.
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
After leaving the passageway, again with the feeling that I had intruded on a film set, we emerged into bright sunlight, which compounded the feeling of unreality, to find ourselves on top of the hill, on the top level of the temple. After a few steps, a youngish puppy ran out and started barking at us insistently until we were a sufficient distance from a curtain that it seemed to be guarding ( I guess it was in training for being posted downstairs). Having had a good poke around, enjoying the abscence of vendor harassment, we headed back from the temple, and caught a taxi back to the train station, for the final leg of our journey.
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK
sounds cool
shame you wont have any pics but i suppose it gives me an excuse to visit there one day (as if i need one
)take care!
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Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
right, zooming back into the present for a moment: It's my last day in Xi'an. I met a friend from uni here and she's shown me around most of the archaeological sites that I hadn't already seen. The terracotta warriors were cool, but something of an anticlimax, while Banpo museum was much more interesting archaeologically.
Also, I've climbed two pagodas (big and little goose) pictures to come soon (when I get back to a decent internet connection - yay broadband)
If anyone has any special requests from China, they should make em quickly!!
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK
small purple elephant (though a panda will do)
back
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
note: it must be able to fit in my bag
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
The official Emma Peel wannabe
226 posts
Location: Colchester, England (UK)
Hi lovely,
Sorry that the Terracotta warriors were disappointing - how come? You still going to come and see them at the British Museum with me?
In addition to your good self if you can easily get hold of some Chrysanthmum tea (what a tough word to spell!) I would be v appreciative!
Enjoy the Forbidden City and Great Wall - can't wait to see the pics! Only 4 days to go (And 2 hours *wink*).
Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
"Always keep your bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds" - Emma Peel
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
In Beijing, now, in a hostel, suddenly aware that I'll be back in 3 days which seems like no time at all- AAAARGG!!!
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
The official Emma Peel wannabe
226 posts
Location: Colchester, England (UK)
Don't worry - we'll try and make Cambridge as exciting as possible for you - it doesn't have to be aaaarggg - it can be - oooooooooooooooo!
How is Beijing?
"Always keep your bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds" - Emma Peel
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK
thats why its a small purple elephant :P
cant wait to see you mate!
swing by camden if youve got the time! back
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
hmmph. well I'll try but I'm making no promises. You wouldn't rather have a red book?
I'm writing notes on my adventures over the last few days, I'm going to have to type it up later when I'm a little less busy.
Saw a Beijing opera: was truly wicked!
Am going to try to find a tai chi sword tomorrow among other things
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK
wouldnt it be easier to find a tai chi sword among other swords?
back
The official Emma Peel wannabe
226 posts
Location: Colchester, England (UK)
Linden - you make me giggle
26 hours to go ......... not that i'm counting
Teehee!
"Always keep your bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds" - Emma Peel
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
sam: you're a smartass but I still love ya!
Just done my last minute shoppingL have to go and pack now: My chinese has had a good work out today. I didn't find a sword like I wanted
but I did find a black silk shirt (at least I think its silk) and a 2 gig usb drive both for about a tenner each: is that good value for the USB drive?Also, I have bought looooooaaaaddddsss of tea, a furry mao hat for a friend of mine, and a few new toys that I'm going to bring along to PLAY
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
2000 posts, woot, etc, etc
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
1,810 posts
Location: London
Almost back in blighty honey
squeeze ya soon
L
xx
A kiss blown is a kiss wasted, the only kind of kiss is a kiss tasted.
I'm a woman. We don't say what we want, but we reserve the right to be pissed off if we don't get it. That's what makes us so fascinating and not just a LITTLE bit scary.
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK
£10 for 2Gb is ok
and of course im a smart ass ive got to do something with my time and winding people up seems as good a calling as any back
The official Emma Peel wannabe
226 posts
Location: Colchester, England (UK)
Only an hour and fifty minute until you're in hugging distance!! Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!
"Always keep your bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds" - Emma Peel
Macaque of all trades
8,738 posts
Location: wombling free..., United Kingdom
See you at play A couple of balls short of a full cascade... or maybe a few cards short of a deck... we'll see how this all fans out.
The official Emma Peel wannabe
226 posts
Location: Colchester, England (UK)
home!The angel has landed
"Always keep your bowler on in times of stress and watch out for diabolical masterminds" - Emma Peel
Carpal \'Tunnel
2,895 posts
Location: Cambridge UK
yep!
dammit: now I have to stay awake til 5am China time, 10pm english time before I sleep!
Because ActiveAngel sounds like a feminine deodorant
Like sex, I'm much more interesting in real life than online.
'Be the change you want to see in the world around you' - Ghandi
Carpal \'Tunnel
6,942 posts
Location: London, UK
heya man!
welcome back to sunny england
now wheres my elephant?
back
Momma Bear
4,525 posts
Location: Telford, Shrops, United Kingdom
can't wait to see you guy! Hoppers are angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.
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