Michael Plant writes:

Jim

PS Styrofoam will replace Gaiwans in modern China. Get yours while
you can. The East romanticizes about us like we do them.

You know, you're right. I'd never thought of that.
Gather ye gaiwans while ye may! Thanks, Jim.

Some might think I'm joking, but those who
know me know I'm not.

That's right: we know you never kid around.

This seems an appropriate time to remind the world of an idea that
hasn't yet been implemented: a gaiwan that, on its outside, would use
the famous artwork that graces those takeout coffee containers from
Greek diners and luncheonettes, including the slogan "It is our
pleasure to serve you". Sasha: the interior would of course be white.

/Lew
---
Lew Perin /
http://www.panix.com/~perin/babelcarp.html

Lewis 9/21/06

Michael Plant writes:

Jim

PS Styrofoam will replace Gaiwans in modern China. Get yours while
you can. The East romanticizes about us like we do them.

You know, you're right. I'd never thought of that.
Gather ye gaiwans while ye may! Thanks, Jim.

Some might think I'm joking, but those who
know me know I'm not.

That's right: we know you never kid around.

This seems an appropriate time to remind the world of an idea that
hasn't yet been implemented: a gaiwan that, on its outside, would use
the famous artwork that graces those takeout coffee containers from
Greek diners and luncheonettes, including the slogan "It is our
pleasure to serve you". Sasha: the interior would of course be white.
/Lew

But, if they were made in Japan, the interior would be black. I don't know
why they do that. How about paper gaiwans? We've seen paper underwear
why not paper teaware? I'm sure it could be rendered impermiable to water.
Any engineers out there?
Michael

Jim said:

PS Styrofoam will replace Gaiwans in modern China. Get yours while
you can. The East romanticizes about us like we do them.

Michael Plant answered:

You know, you're right. I'd never thought of that.
Gather ye gaiwans while ye may! Thanks, Jim.

Oh yeah, he's right. Most of my students and several of my colleagues
are Chinese. They seem to have this air of vague amusement about my
using gaiwans at work or speaking of brewing gongfu style at home.
Most of them drink coke [speaking generically, as a Southerner] or
coffee. Some might use a teabag. The most traditional put a few leaves
of Chinese-grocery-store tea in a mug and microwave it.

I think they view me using a gaiwan as I would if they came to work in a
suit, tie and fedora carrying a brief-case: a quaint,
quasi-anthropological holdover.

Wait until my queue grows long enough to braid.

Best,

Rick.

On Thu, 21 Sep 2006 14:24:07 GMT, Michael Plant wrote:

But, if they were made in Japan, the interior would be black. I don't know
why they do that. How about paper gaiwans? We've seen paper underwear
why not paper teaware? I'm sure it could be rendered impermiable to water.
Any engineers out there?

REI has plastic, collapsible plates, bowls and cups for backpacking.
Perhaps we could suggest they find someone to produce a collapsible gaiwan?

--
Derek

"Those who speak most of progress measure it by quantity and not by
quality." -- George Santayana

On Wed, 20 Sep 2006 10:12:32 GMT, Michael Plant wrote:

BTW, there is nothing sacred about Roy Fong, and as a public figure he ought
to be subject to the same ridicule as the rest of us suffer. Ha!

I don't suffer ridicule. I've experienced so much that I've come to enjoy
it.

USENET is a particularly poor medium for transmitting humor. Sarcasm and
facetiousness are not always clear, as they depend upon the comprehension
of the reader. Given that many who may post on USENET in English are not
native speakers and that humor differs by culture, it can be asking for
trouble. Plus, humor isn't even universal within a given culture.

For example, it wasn't all that long ago, and in this very group, that
someone took me to task for a perceived insult because that person took my
..sig quote personally, even though it was randomly inserted by my
newsreader. No direct offense was intended, and yet it was taken.

The point being that one can cause offense without intention, and one can
be offended and yet miss the point.

--
Derek

"There is nothing worse than aggressive stupidity." -- Johann Wolfgang von
Goethe

Richard Chappell wrote:
Oh yeah, he's right. Most of my students and several of my colleagues
are Chinese. They seem to have this air of vague amusement about my
using gaiwans at work or speaking of brewing gongfu style at home.
Most of them drink coke [speaking generically, as a Southerner] or
coffee. Some might use a teabag. The most traditional put a few leaves
of Chinese-grocery-store tea in a mug and microwave it.

I think they view me using a gaiwan as I would if they came to work in a
suit, tie and fedora carrying a brief-case: a quaint,
quasi-anthropological holdover.

To some degree this is correct, but it also goes the other way. I have
a number of friends who are Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese... for the
most part all of them readily admit I am more Asian than them. Their
parents love me as the son/daughter they wish they had which I find
funny. But my house, decoration, literature, and tea/teaware have
turned many of them onto their past and their heritage. Which I think
is great. I have a great connection to my Italian heritage and my
families history and tradition, and I think that helps people stay
grounded and understand themselves better. It gives people a sense of
belonging and significance that is missing from the
homogenized-white-bread existence that everyone shoves down our
throats. I'm not Italian-American, I'm Italian... I *live* in America.

I find it is a subtle challenge to them to "Out-Asian" me. Whether to
prove something to themselves, their parents, or to me I could care
less, but if it gets them thinking beyond what Paris Hilton did
yesterday or what the current "hawt" look is or what Starbucks tea is
"the best" then my job is done and I feel great. I take some flack,
always have, it is tough to not to when someone finds you are a big,
tough, former hockey playing 100% Italian who follows the philosophical
teachings of Taoism, that collects Yixing Teapots, enjoys Asian
culture, very deep into tea, and can cook better Chinese than their
moms/grandparents (an honor to me).

Your students may laugh outwardly, but I would venture to guess it has
more impact than you will ever know. Even if it only affects one
student, that is a great thing in my eyes.

- Dominic
Drinking: Upton's Ancient Maiden Puerh

9/21/06

On Wed, 20 Sep 2006 10:12:32 GMT, Michael Plant wrote:

BTW, there is nothing sacred about Roy Fong, and as a public figure he ought
to be subject to the same ridicule as the rest of us suffer. Ha!

I don't suffer ridicule. I've experienced so much that I've come to enjoy
it.

USENET is a particularly poor medium for transmitting humor. Sarcasm and
facetiousness are not always clear, as they depend upon the comprehension
of the reader. Given that many who may post on USENET in English are not
native speakers and that humor differs by culture, it can be asking for
trouble. Plus, humor isn't even universal within a given culture.

For example, it wasn't all that long ago, and in this very group, that
someone took me to task for a perceived insult because that person took my
.sig quote personally, even though it was randomly inserted by my
newsreader. No direct offense was intended, and yet it was taken.

The point being that one can cause offense without intention, and one can
be offended and yet miss the point.


LOL, ROTFLMAO, Hehehehehehehhehe.
Good one, Derek!
Michael

Michael:
We've seen paper underwear why not paper teaware? I'm sure it could be rendered
impermiable to water.
Any engineers out there?

Here [erhem].
Technically no prob, you could even boil water in a paper pot, but ...
???

Karsten



Michael Plant wrote:
Lewis 9/21/06

Michael Plant writes:

Jim

PS Styrofoam will replace Gaiwans in modern China. Get yours while
you can. The East romanticizes about us like we do them.

You know, you're right. I'd never thought of that.
Gather ye gaiwans while ye may! Thanks, Jim.

Some might think I'm joking, but those who
know me know I'm not.

That's right: we know you never kid around.

This seems an appropriate time to remind the world of an idea that
hasn't yet been implemented: a gaiwan that, on its outside, would use
the famous artwork that graces those takeout coffee containers from
Greek diners and luncheonettes, including the slogan "It is our
pleasure to serve you". Sasha: the interior would of course be white.
/Lew

But, if they were made in Japan, the interior would be black. I don't know
why they do that. How about paper gaiwans? We've seen paper underwear
why not paper teaware? I'm sure it could be rendered impermiable to water.
Any engineers out there?
Michael

On Thu, 21 Sep 2006 15:45:05 GMT, Michael Plant wrote:

LOL, ROTFLMAO, Hehehehehehehhehe.
Good one, Derek!
Michael

HEY! That's NOT funny!

--
Derek

"Against criticism a man can neither protest nor defend himself; he must
act in spite of it, and then it will gradually yield to him." -- Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe