Friday, October 29, 2010

WEEK IN REVIEW: A busy weekend ahead

First, happy belated birthday to Joe, who turned 26 on Tuesday. We celebrated at Souk trivia night, where it was 60 rmb-all-you-can-drink but not nearly as messy as the first time.

Tonight's Big Brother's post-Hong Kong team dinner, to be held at the normal Boozy Chinese Dinner place at 7:30. Afterwards we'll head to Jiangjinjiu Bar near Gulou (Drum and Bell Towers) to hear Autobots, Deploy! play for perhaps their last time. (Rumor has it that Jeff Orcutt is leaving us forever. Details to come as they become available.)

Tomorrow, a bunch of us will be going to Jehan's improv show while wearing our Halloween costumes. Others of us will be going to a party at Josh's place, guaranteed to be awesome because he's in the process of obtaining an ice luge.

A very, very busy weekend culminates with practice on Sunday at BCIS. Yes, we've officially moved indoors for the winter ... or have we?

In other news, China's central heating system -- namely how it's NOT ON -- can go fuck itself.

Oh, and Alicia's back from Shenzhen for the weekend. Welcome back, Alicia!

PICTURES OF THE WEEK:





From Jim and Tao's final ever trivia at Souk Lounge (bar is moving places, and we may be moving our quiz... stay tuned).

In lieu of GOOGLE GROUPS POST OF THE WEEK, we have...

EMAIL OF THE WEEK:

Chirona, 10/23:

Dear Friends and Family,

In memory of my friend Paige who passed away this summer, we have established an endowment fund through Brown. The fund has two main goals: one, to provide money for travel, tournament fees, etc... for those students who cannot afford them to still be able to play Ultimate, and two, to honor Paige's commitment to community service by donating money from the fund each year to a community service organization of the Ultimate team's choosing.

Attached is a more detailed description of the fund, and further information and donation instructions can be found on the fund's website: www.PVHfund.org.

Additionally, I am currently working on getting Paige V. Hicks memorial discs created, which we will be mailing out as a thank you for donations as well as selling to raise further funds.

I encourage all of you to donate even just a few dollars because every little bit counts.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.

Thank you in advance for your support in helping all of us to honor Paige's life.

With Love,
Chirona

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

RETROSPECTIVE: Poachers

Sometimes Beijing Ultimate just likes to get down, go ahead girl get down...



This was a fun summer night.


Pictures by Chirona.

Monday, October 25, 2010

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Hong Kong tourney runners-up



Big Brother went into the finals of the Hong Kong tournament with a 6-0 record but lost to United Colorum, 13-11, in a spirited and entertaining game.

Game scores:

vs. Shanghai, W 10-5 [?]
vs. United Colorum, W 7-5
vs. Hong Kong, W 11-4
vs. Singapore, W ??-??

vs. Monster, W 13-4
vs. Shanghai, W 12-7
vs. United Colorum, L 13-11

More pictures, commentary -- maybe even a video -- to come later.

UPDATE (11/14/10): Recap here, from the China Ultimate blog.

Friday, October 22, 2010

WEEK IN REVIEW: Hong Kong - ready, steady, go!

Preparing for the Pan-Asian tournament this weekend.

PICTURES OF THE WEEK:



Some typhoon Megi talk. The POST OF THE WEEK is an email from Wally:

Subject: Reality Check

I like you y'all and I'm psyched to play hot ultimate and win this fucking tourney. . . but it reality, this is not some macho show of who's the biggest stud (Jim's excluded of course), stand up to the silly typhoon and go balls out. . . People. . .intelligent people, usually try to avoid such natural disasters if they can. . . because a very real possibility exists that this so called phenomenon could inflict serious injury or something worse. . .

Yes, i am not a big fan of flights in storms, nor am I any less of a man if I don't fly to Hong Kong and play frisbee during a typhoon. Does anyone want to call me out on the stupidity of that statement??? Because up until this latest email from Kristen, she lives in Hong Kong, I feel like that's been the attitude and mentality of BB.

Somehow, I would like to think more of BB than this. We can wait an see, I suppose. Maybe the typhoon will suddenly dissipate and all will be good. . .

Her email to Joe and I is below.. .please read.


"hey guys -
so, just a heads up... not sure if you watch the weather channel or hear anything about hong kong weather...
but we have a super typhoon headed towards us.
it's apparently one of the strongest typhoons seen in the past 10 years.

not sure what that'll mean for your travel plans and flights, or what it'll mean for the tourney. i think most of the HK'ers are expecting the tourney to be called off at this point, but we're all still crossing our fingers."

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

RETROSPECTIVE: Tianjin scrimmage and clinic 2009

From last September 2009's clinic in Tianjin:






We're off the bus in the last two pictures because a jam on the highway stalled us for an hour or two. Which reminds me of the clinic this past weekend, where it took about four hours (according to Jim) to get to Tianjin. Traffic.

Monday, October 18, 2010

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Tianjin clinic

Big Brother traveled to Tianjin over the weekend to sponsor another clinic for our friends at the sports university.

Friday, October 15, 2010

Announcing: Bangkok Hat Tourney, February 12-13, 2011

Facebook page here. Beijing has been known to have fun at Bangkok Hat -- ask either Betsy or Doc.

The following note is from Tri of Bangkok:

Greetings ultimate folks! I'm happy to pass along the word that the Dawgz finally set the date for the 11th Bangkok Hat. It will take place on February 12/13, 2011. (It is a little later than last year because we want people to avoid the hassles of traveling during Lunar New Year time. Sorry, can't please everyone.)

Important FYI- It will be at the same fields/facility. If you didn't see the guns in the past, allow me to remind you that it's an Army base. Therefore, it maybe NOT be available when political problems (ala Red Shirts) arise. So, we hope it wouldn't be a surprise or a problem for you when the tournament hits a major wall. (We tried to look for back up fields but nothing is nearby that can hold 6 games simultaneously.) Let's hope for the best.

Registration site is not ready yet. Look for it in a few weeks (late October). Check our website later on: www.bangkokultimate.com And you can email the committee if you have any specific questions (or suggestions) bk.hat.tourney@gmail.com

Meanwhile, check your work calendar and for flights. Hope to see you in February.

Cheers!

Tri and co.

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Monday, October 11, 2010

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: Ken Dry's birthday party - epic


Photo from Kevin Reitz


I wasn't at this party because, like mentioned earlier, I'm Stateside (Overland Park, KS, currently), but Kevin Reitz was. He takes it away on his blog:

Ken's birthday was a week ago, but we got together and threw him a redneck party on saturday. It was one of the best random costume parties in Beijing so far. Everyone got into character, spoke in a southern accent, and used plenty of white trash slang. Please read the remainder of this post in a southern accent... think Forrest Gump.

Howdy Folks! This here's a story about me, Cleatus. As you can see, i'm a handsome man, but none too bright. I ain't never won no awards fer thinkin and my momma never did send me for no book learnin. My wheels still turning, but the hamsters dead.

It goes on to detail all levels of hilarity. Go read it.

POSTSCRIPT: Via Urban Dictionary, Cleatus is "a classic slack jawed yokel type moron" [sic].

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

RETROSPECTIVE: The barber is in

Dalian Open, Saturday night party: hmm, how could I have forgotten that this happened...






From the Dalian Facebook album

POSTSCRIPT: Mike Shyu finally made public his Dalian 2009 Facebook albums. Here and here. And while we're at it, here's his 2009 Tianjin clinic album and Hong Kong 2009.

Monday, October 4, 2010

WEEKEND ROUNDUP: It's the holiday and this blog needs time off as well

Frisbee golf was *probably played over the weekend at Chaoyang Park, though this writer/editor wouldn't know because he was on a plane Sunday morning to New York City.

We'll be back in a couple weeks. We'll continue posting retrospectives and random stuff as it becomes available, but Week in Reviews and Weekend Roundups will be temporarily MIA.

Friday, October 1, 2010

WEEK IN REVIEW: Did trivia happen if no one remembers the fuck happened?

Last October, we had a three-day party at Ellen's apartment to celebrate New China's 60th birthday. That's a long time to be idle with friends, no matter how much you enjoy their company. This year, the party on National Day eve lasted just a few hours, but major props to Alex Ornik (new from Tufts) for hosting.

PHOTOS OF THE WEEK:

I've asked several people now, and only one of them -- Jim -- actually remembers what the face-off category was.

Kirby, who was on the winning team, mis-remembered the category.

Baby Girl, whose goons friends nearly got into a fight, does not remember.

Ingrid and Peach -- forget it.

Nina does not remember.

Boehner does not remember.

Jeff does not remember.

Was Joe even still around?

But it was finally decided, more or less, by this email by Jim:

The team that won trivia sat in the middle. (wasn't that the team baby girl and boehner were on?) They went head to head w/ Nina and Kirby's team I thought. Final category was... web comics? drink off? Kirby lost. I think.

We did classics (i think), web comics, and a drink off during the night. I have the sheet at home w/ the scores if you want me to look it up when I get back.

So there you have it. Open-bar nights are brutal.

Trivia's off for the next two weeks, but will resume Oct. 19.

Without further ado:



Video coming soon.

GOOGLE GROUPS POST OF THE WEEK:

Tao and Jim, back to back on 9/28:

Many of you already know, but for those who need the details for tonight's party:

*What: Jim and Tao's 20th week anniversary trivia *What, part deux: 60 rmb all-you-can-drink Tsingtao drafts and well drinks
*What, part tres: Teams up to 6, we'll put you on a team if you can't bring your own; takeaway prizes every round, including a bottle of Skyy for final winner.

*Where: Souk Lounge, located at the west gate of Chaoyang Park next to Annie's Pizza and The World of Suzie Wong's. Between Liangmaqiao and Tuanjiehu subway stops on line 10.
*When: 8:30 pm. Though we'll be there early, probably drinking.
*Why: You ever see Jim drunk? Because it's happening tonight.


AND

Tao neglected to mention that I am supposed to be on a flight at 6:55am the following morning, so there is no excuse not to come out. Help me try to be the latest Beijing Ultimate player to miss a flight due to partying!

Booyah!