Beautiful Bodies and English Culture.
Are you happy with your appearance?
How important is it for you to look good?
Do you spend time and money on trying to look better?
Today, Neil takes an irreverent, off centre, out of the box, almost hilarious look at the thorny issue of **'self image'**. In order to maintain some personal distance and detatchment, he has chosen to write entirely in the 'third person'
Well, its certainly true, neil has gained a few pounds since washing up in the fragrant harbour. Siu mai + fish balls + fatty sushi, devided by desk job = love handles. Here are the cold statistics:
Before: weight=140lbs (10stone) waist=30ins.
Now: 160lbs (11 3/4 stone) waist =35ins.
The preocupation out here with looking good has not left him unaffected however and, as a representative of the caucasian peoples of the world, he has been trying to build up his muscles. Come on Sam, catch up mate! (hoho)
Neil wonders about how others feel on this topic. He is aware that, in the past, some have accused him of being vain and would like to scotch this slander once and for all by reminding people that he is merely following in the English tradition of making fun of himself. Self-satire is at the heart of what it is to be English! The world might laugh at the English, but not as much as the English themselves do. Its the only way we have left of feeling superior.
As many of you know, Neil is a traditionally pasty skinned English guy, disarming, loyal, sometimes charming, usually fake with an undercurrent of something nasty.
Most white English people certainly admire the golden skinned and shiny haired Chinese. He admired the white teeth, white socks and perfect fingernails of his BBC friends as a teenager and freely admits that the personal hygiene habits of Hong Kong Chinese families are way ahead of anything dreamed of by the 'one bath a week' brits. White people are dirty!
Neil doesn't want to get offensive, so he's going to stop here.
How important is it for you to look good?
Do you spend time and money on trying to look better?
Today, Neil takes an irreverent, off centre, out of the box, almost hilarious look at the thorny issue of **'self image'**. In order to maintain some personal distance and detatchment, he has chosen to write entirely in the 'third person'
Well, its certainly true, neil has gained a few pounds since washing up in the fragrant harbour. Siu mai + fish balls + fatty sushi, devided by desk job = love handles. Here are the cold statistics:
Before: weight=140lbs (10stone) waist=30ins.
Now: 160lbs (11 3/4 stone) waist =35ins.
The preocupation out here with looking good has not left him unaffected however and, as a representative of the caucasian peoples of the world, he has been trying to build up his muscles. Come on Sam, catch up mate! (hoho)
Neil wonders about how others feel on this topic. He is aware that, in the past, some have accused him of being vain and would like to scotch this slander once and for all by reminding people that he is merely following in the English tradition of making fun of himself. Self-satire is at the heart of what it is to be English! The world might laugh at the English, but not as much as the English themselves do. Its the only way we have left of feeling superior.
As many of you know, Neil is a traditionally pasty skinned English guy, disarming, loyal, sometimes charming, usually fake with an undercurrent of something nasty.
Most white English people certainly admire the golden skinned and shiny haired Chinese. He admired the white teeth, white socks and perfect fingernails of his BBC friends as a teenager and freely admits that the personal hygiene habits of Hong Kong Chinese families are way ahead of anything dreamed of by the 'one bath a week' brits. White people are dirty!
Neil doesn't want to get offensive, so he's going to stop here.
posted by Mr.Thomas at 08:09
8 Comments:
... and I thought you have a great gym and swimming pools at your place ^-^. I have been swimming a few times a week now and although I am still a "34 inch waist" man, I do feel a lot fitter than before...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sarah...am I getting dumb? I don't underzstand most of your comment! I thought sports socks are still. .socks and Spitting? and then what specificity! I was being general! and then. . .Long limbs are an advantage! Do I need to swing through trees in Hong Kong?! Man! COOL COMMENT! so wierd!
Sam! Yah man, as long as my waist isn't bigger than my chest. .I won't panic.
Chest: 42ins.
Hight: 5ft 7ins
Bicep: 14.5 ins
Head: 23 ins
age: 31 .5 years.
Wing span: 11 feet.
Range: 2 miles.
IQ: 152
EQ: 101
AQ: yellow.
NQ: 11 so far.
LQ: Yes, but only if someone fastens the other end to a rock.
Why do men love statistics!
Man, how did you get all those measurements... you gym rat ^-^. Let me take mine and will tell you later!
I think I am getting a bigger chest nowadays, definitely bigger than my waist, but not by much ^-^.
Take care bro and God Bless your tummy!
Head? Wing span?! :O
Hey Mel! Living in HK for 2 1/2 years. Yah, no casinos here. Not much of a gambler so I'm not bothered. Let me know if you ever visit. We can compare tattoos!
I'm not sure what to comment on so I shall cover a range of statistics.
To be fair mate, the Malaysians who were over in Sheffield were probably not the best cross section of the Chinese culture. For starters, because they are at university, they are highly eductated and due to that, they inversely have proportionally fashion sense. For example, white socks with black shoes. Hence what Sa says.
Re: Stats. Take a look at the cup final stats on my blog. (Dez shakes head and tries not to cry.)
Re: The whole posting. I know you were pointing to vanity but surely part of it has to do with health and well being too. It sounds pretty dangerous to be putting on nearly 2 stone on in weight in a county whose climate is similar to your own (unless it's all muscle!).
Does the school give health examination or check ups? Ill, sick, overweight teachers are no good to them either. So I think there are definitely other issues - overdoing the whole exercise thing can be accused of being vain but under doing it can lead to other problems.
Hey Sarah,
Thanks for the explanation. I love your style. Definitely an original thinker. your blog and comments are always energetic and surprising. I can't easily take off the teacher hat and I think that is making me a bit too critical. Sorry!
NQ,AQ,LQ. . .
I think the style of joke I like most is when we take something that's already slightly silly and just go with it and go with it untill the sillyness is even more obvious to the point of it being just plane stupid. The EQ,LQ bla,bla are just me being a bit like that with statistics. They're meaningless, I was being a bit stupid.
SOoooo tired now.....gooodnight .
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