Cool breezes at night and sometimes in the day. Been spending time writing my autobiography. In fact, it’s completed. But now exploring ways to publish. You guys will like the book. Will let you know when it is available. It tells about things you do not know about . Things I never spoke about on the radio. So, give me some time to secure a publisher. I’ve also been working on a few other writing and visual design projects. Staying busy in the middle of wangfujing. You may see me in the streets there. remember to come up and say, “ni hao are you?” if you see me!

Time to catch up! I spent the past week in New York City. My friend Victor, whom I have known from the days I lived in Hong Kong, sent a ticket to me and said I must join him in NY for a small gathering of friends at his place that he is constantly building called “Victorville.” It’s a beautiful piece of property on Long Island. A very rural place where his boat is docked. I haven’t had such a relaxing week for a long time. And it was great to hang with friends. Some of these pictures are from his penthouse in the city, and some from Victorville. He proposes to make this an annual event. Having friends around the world always makes travel so much more interesting! The contrast of that week on the other side of the world is extreme to Beijing. I came back a few days ago to some gray heavy humid days here. But it is good to get back and into life in China. I have been working on my autobiography and it’s almost complete. I am seriously speaking with publishers. I am sure there will be a Chinese version of it as well as an English one. These rainy humid days are great for writing!

brooklyn bridge

bbq

old friend Vic and me

Vic and his friend

penthouse view

Victorville

I almost lost my life over the weekend! About noon on Saturday, I was skating at the Workers Stadium entrance area where many people practice. I had my iPod, and I stopped at a place between the road and the entrance gate so I could locate some music. I was in this large area, not even moving, when I felt a car come from behind me, brush against my left arm and then it continue to push me as it came across in front of me. He was heading for the gate entrance of the stadium and the idiot driver was not even looking where he was going! I pounded on the car as I was falling backwards. He finally stopped as I got up, brushed the dirt from my scraped bloody arm and attacked him with words I cannot print here.

“You almost ran me over and perhaps killed me! Can’t you watch where you are driving? If you made your right turn a little sooner, you would have directly hit me and run your car over me, for sure! I might be seriously injured or even dead right now! You f—–. You almost KILLED ME!”

He understood my English and Chinese. Finally, he said sorry as I made a fist, ready to reach inside his window. He was about 40 years old; he knew how to drive. I was wearing my helmet and I was on my skates which makes me very visible! Impossible to miss!

I explained the story to a friend of mine yesterday. She thought I might be exaggerating the story. I asked her how she would react if she had been in the same place walking with her 4 year old? She was silent as she thought about it and began to cry as she thought about the possibility. It was that life threatening!

Glad to still be here to write today. My arm will heal.

And don’t say, “be careful!” I was careful. I wasn’t even moving at the time! I was just…lucky! Rick 李柯 june 7, 2010

Went inline skating over the weekend as I usually do. 4-wheel Salomons on Saturday, and 5-wheels on Sunday for distance and speed around the city…Skated to Hou Hai for early coffee next to the lake and then ended up in the afternoon at Beijing Exhibition Center Theater near the zoo. It was to see a performance of Aladdin  3-D…I was surrounded by children and their parents. I totally enjoyed sharing the performance with all those kids, as I am often like a kid myself! It was a live show of singing, dancing, acting, and excellent 3-D portions. Totally worth it if you get the chance to see it, and Parsons (DBA Mr Magic) is an old friend who steals the show in his many appearances. Very funny! And you don’t have to be a kid to enjoy it.

On Sunday, I stated skating in Wangfujing and went to hou hai for coffee, and then to The Village SLT, and then to Lido area, then back to Wangfujing. I can skate for 5 or 6 hours easily around the city. I skated through a hutong and saw a traditional Chinese wedding. So colorful. Glad I had my camera.

I like seeing weddings… especially traditional ones in the street…

Rick 李柯

Had a lot of visitors in Beijing the past week. Always cool to show people around this city. And it takes me back to some places I had not gone for a while. A New York friend of mine’s daughter and her friend came to Beijing for the first time. I pointed them to the Wall, City, and Square of course..and took them to places like the Old Beijing noodle place near Hong Qiao and Lijun Peking duck in a hutong. I always seem to run into the owner there, and I told him that I did the English voice on a 20 min feature on him on BeijingTV…I learned that an American had helped him get his business going in the 1990’s…It was cool to take visitors there for an authentic experience.

ashley and chelsea in beijing

And this week I got together with Cathy, a friend of mine who worked for CCTV a decade ago and has since married Rob, a Canadian. With their son, they live in Canada. Well, they invited me to dinner with her family and friends, and one friend was Mr Li who is known for fortune telling. At one point he started offering fortune telling to those of us who are younger. I guess older people don’t need advice! He said I would have a very good year this year, and that my next ten will be smooth… I will buy him dinner if he is right! He is 76 years old…and has a great reputation in this…

(me and mr li, fortune teller)

He looked at out facial structures, said I had a warm smile and that would bring good luck…Anyway, it was good fun, and he has a great sense of humor. Do you believe fortune tellers?

After the 3 days off, many are sharing stories from the weekend. Let’s see. Saturday was an inline skating day. Went to Hou Hai and skated around the lakes. Was going to go to the midi festival but just felt like skating in the fresh air, so I didn’t make it this year. That night walked around in the cool night air in Wangfujing.

Sunday, attended a friend’s wedding which was held in the French Lafayette Chateau about an hour out of Beijing. I joined about 200 people for the wedding of Yu Min and Julia. Yumin had told me that the cards from guests would be displayed on a board. I wrote one for them and here’s what it said:

May 2, 2010

Yu Min and Julia,

I have known Yu Min since the early days of IE, when I went to the Microsoft office to complain about their new browser that had caused me trouble. I thought my computer would be destroyed. They were very helpful and a tall guy called Gao Yu Min came to help me.

He listened as I told him what I had done, and that something went wrong when installing the Microsoft program. He calmly and patiently looked at me and said 2 words which were magic to my ears.

“Don’t worry!”

After that, he did something to fix it and we have been friends ever since.

When he introduced Julia to me, he told me that something seemed to be happening that was very special.

So, here we are. At the marriage of Julia and Yu Min and I want to wish you both the very best.

In the future, there will some problems and hopefully, mostly small ones. You will hear the reassuring words from Yu Min that I have heard many times over the years that will help you in any difficult times.

“Don’t worry”

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness!

Rick 李柯

It was a combined western and Chinese style wedding and as the tradition goes, held before noon.

And Chateau Lafayette was a classic place for it. Very cool!

On April 11^th, I was in Guangzhou to co-host the China Daily 21st Century Cup with Min Min from the GZ Foreign Affairs Office. It is always an honor and a pleasure to participate in this yearly event. According to the China Daily, the competition was the finals from “the participation of a record one million students from over 850 universities across the country.” Wow! Big competition! No doubt, all of the competitors that day were excellent.

Congratulations to Li Yi from Xiamen for winning 1^st prize. And Tong Hua from Fudan U for her wins. These pictures are rare of me in a suit and tie. But hey, it was a special event! Min Min was an excellent co-host. Looking forward to next year’s event in whichever city they choose to do it.

min min, tong hua, me

me and li yi- first prize winner

Had a long day Saturday. It began with a 7:30 am train to GZ. Got there and went straight to the airport and flew to Beijing. Got home at 5 and then went to the Sandy Lam concert at Shou Ti. I may have been the only foreigner there that night. I have known Sandy for years when we were DJs in Hong Kong at Commercial Radio. Our studios were right next to each other and we were separated by a large window. Her on air name was “611” (in Cantonese.) She was heavier then but still had that cute face and small eyes. She lost the extra weight, left the radio station, started singing and became one of the best singers in this part of the world. Since I know her, I love seeing her concerts. They are never disappointing. People loved it when she sang her older favorites. The response was like thunder from the full house. I may have been the only foreigner there. But having played her music for decades, and knowing her from the beginning of her career made it special to be there. And, she looks the same as years ago. Great performance!

Went to GZ over the weekend and co-hosted the China Daily 21st Century National English Speaking competition finals. I will tell you more about that in the next entry, because the pictures are being sent to me…After GZ, came to HK because I am in the area. I have old friends here visiting from the UK and others who live here, so plenty of hangin’ wit my peeps! Foggy and rain every day, but that’s ok. It’s the weather we expect in HK this time of year. Had a chance to have the best noodles in an old section of TST. The best!

Also went to Macau for one day. Hung out with a few friends and had some great Macau food. Went to the casinos where I deposited some money in the machines. Nothing came back! It’s ok though. I take 100 HKD and play the machine until it takes all my money. I was up to 1000 HKD at one time, but instead of taking the cash, I put in back in machine. I was going for the big prize. Maybe next time?

Also, since I always wake before the sun, I went for a walk at 6am…I like the early morning quiet of the usually busy Macau. Went to the famous front of the facade and there was hardly anyone there.

It is always good to come over to Hong Kong because I am an official resident. “I’m Hong Kong People!” is the local expression.

But it is also great to get back to Beijing. I will go back in a few days to see the concert of Sandy Lam. I used to work in a radio station in HK years ago with her when we were DJs! Looooooong time ago!

Started the new season of rollerblading today. Skated to Ho Hai and sat next to the water at Starbucks and as I was about to sit down, a girl came up to me and asked me if I was from Joy FM? We spoke for a few minutes and she told me her name was Cathy and that she had listened to the program, especially as a student. We spoke for a few moments,  she brought her father over and we took this picture. I am always glad to meet people who were and still are connected to that radio program on CRI.

I bought a helmet to wear for safety from now on. I have skated for about 10 years now in Beijing and really only fallen once, a few years ago when I hit a hole in the road. I injured my shoulder that day. So, I have always felt safe skating. But I thought about it recently and decided to protect my head. So, you may see a guy with a helmet skating this year in Beijing. Hope you come up to me and say hello, or “ni hao are you?”

And if you are a skater, skate safely (I have seen that TV report on the net where the skater ran into a bus…)

Let’s be careful out there!