Filed under: Comment
So I’m coming into a stupidly hot Shanghai summer … however, as it’s not quite there yet, I’m getting to enjoy walking to work in a warm – not hot – temperature and a bright, clear sky and quite frankly, it’s bloody fantastic.
Maybe it’s because I’ve lived in mainly warm climates for the last 15 odd years – where it’s called winter when the thermometer say’s it’s colder than 80 degrees – however this shift in the weather has really affected my mood.
And in a good way!
I’m happy.
HAPPY!
Of course this is nothing new, people all around the World feel happier when the weather turns better … however having basically missed out on seasonal temperature change, at least to the extent you get in China, the whole ‘approach of summer’ is like I’ve never experienced it before and the feeling is addictive.
Apart from just putting me in a good mood, it’s the change of surroundings that makes it even more impactful.
The streets are full of happier people … dressed in brighter colours … saying “ni hao” when I wish them a good morning.
The trees are full of green leaves, gently swaying in the wind, making a sound that seems to be quietly shouting [I know, I know] that people should relax rather than run …
The streets seem cleaner, the sky is definitely brighter and the air seems to gently caress your face rather than try to rip it off.
And best of all, the Chinese community don’t look at my birkenstocked feet – and then my face – with a look that seems to say, “Call the Police, the local nuthouse has just lost one of it’s patients.”
Sure, I’ve had to go through a number of months of cold to get to enjoy this day …
Sure I’ve had to wear shoes for the first time in 15 years …
Sure I’ve had to buy my first coat in over a decade …
… but the fact is, having come through the other side of weeks of cold and grey, I feel much more positive – as if I’ve come through something tough and won – and while that is obviously a pile of self-delusional bollocks, the thing is, it’s only when you’ve experienced frustration and struggle that success truly feels sweet which is why I always tell my colleagues to not give up at the first, second or even third hurdle … because when you finally get that client to buy the idea, ad or strategy that has filled you with excitement for weeks, that’s when you truly know how good adland can make you feel.
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Absolutely right Rob, getting to the end of this post made me feel I’d really achieved something because I’d had to endure deep pain and suffering. Great way to prove your point, congratulations.
Comment by DH May 3, 2011 @ 6:37 amJust shows how talented I am with my writing – to create a post that puts the reader through the sort of pain I am describing is the sort of skill Jeffery Archer can only dream about.
Comment by Rob May 3, 2011 @ 8:46 amSo you wear shoes for 2 days and you think you’ve had it tough? Worse, you wear shoes for 2 days and link it to adland. You’re a master of post rationalism and a fucking delusional nutjob. I have so much more to learn.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 3, 2011 @ 7:08 amYou’re well on your way Billy – anyone who has such as optically challenged face as yours and yet still thinks he’s Brad Pitt is well on the way to World Class ‘post rationalisim’ and delusion.
Comment by Rob May 3, 2011 @ 8:47 amAnd happy? You’re happy? Of course you are, you had today/yesterday off. Bet you won’t be feeling that way when you wake up later and realize you have to go to creative la la land.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 3, 2011 @ 7:09 amBest comment you’ve ever written.
Comment by DH May 3, 2011 @ 7:13 amAnd don’t they just kill the escaped mentalists?
Comment by Billy Whizz May 3, 2011 @ 7:10 amThe photo of this post, the weird thing sticking up, did you choose it because it looks like a giant middle finger to everyone or did they build it because it looks like a giant middle finger to everyone? Commie bastards.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 3, 2011 @ 7:11 amJust to you Billy. Just to you.
Comment by DH May 3, 2011 @ 7:13 amYes … it’s all for you Billy. Both from me and the Chinese Government.
Comment by Rob May 3, 2011 @ 8:58 amEven I have to admit the advertising mention at the end of the post was a bit gratuitous. You have a point, it just wasn’t necessary to be mentioned in this post. Great to hear you’re happy but I agree with Billy, we’ll see if it is maintained when you get up for work this morning.
Comment by Pete May 3, 2011 @ 8:31 amYou fucking know it Pete.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 3, 2011 @ 8:38 amI totally understand what you mean Rob, but doesn’t the phenomenon you’re describing take a somewhat perverse turn when applied to cyclic events?
Comment by Rafik May 3, 2011 @ 8:48 amGood point Rafik – though in my defense, the weather change hasn’t been a cyclic event for me for 15 years … though having to crawl through barbed wire to get to some great work could be argued as being fairly cyclical. Ha.
Comment by Rob May 3, 2011 @ 8:59 amListening to your shit is cyclical.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 3, 2011 @ 9:02 amAndy will be proud.
Comment by DH May 3, 2011 @ 11:03 amHe would be, but he’s currently sunburnt to death and can’t laugh without ripping his skin apart. Probably.
Comment by Rob May 3, 2011 @ 11:49 amoh billy i take back that comment from last week about not being quite andy enough. you went and stepped it up a notch, didn’t you.
sorry rob, but this post is all billy’s.
Comment by lauren May 3, 2011 @ 12:50 pmI think it was more a lucky shot than him becoming better at this impersonation lark Lauren.
Comment by Rob May 3, 2011 @ 7:56 pmYou’ll find out tomorrow won’t you Campbell.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 3, 2011 @ 9:34 pmNow osama’s out the way, this is the next big thing on our minds.
Comment by DH May 4, 2011 @ 5:48 amAs Andy would say (which is why I’m saying it because I’m his brilliant deputy) “you’re only human Dave”
Comment by Billy Whizz May 4, 2011 @ 5:58 amSupposedly.
Comment by Billy Whizz May 4, 2011 @ 5:58 am