Showing posts with label Trailwalking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trailwalking. Show all posts

Monday, 19 August 2013

I LIVE FOR THE APPLAUSE: HYPERACTIVEGAYBOY X GARRETT POPCORN X LADY GAGA MAKING MONDAYS POP!



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I WAS THIS EXCITED
TO MEET CASON CRANE...
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BUT I PROMPTLY TURNED INTO A WALLFLOWER
IN HIS PRESENCE

(I'M SHY AROUND MY CRUSHES.)

ALL I GOT WAS THIS BLURRED PIC.
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SO I JUST SAT DOWN...

LISTENED...

AND BECAME ONE...

WITH THE CARPET.
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THANKS TO THE 'CHICAGO MIX' BAGS OF GARRTT POPCORN ON THE SNACK COUNTER,
MY NIGHT - SLOWLY - GREW MORE AND MORE COLOURFUL.

CHEESY CHEESECORN™   TO WAKE MY PALATE UP
+ SWEET CARAMELCRISP® TO RESET MY ENERGY BACK TO #HYPR! 
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...IT WAS SO GOOD,
I HAD TO KEEP WORKING THROUGH MY LITTLE BAGGIE
ON THE STEPS OF STANDARD CHARTERED BANK'S HEADQUARTERS
WHILST ADMIRING HK'S MAJESTIC SKYSCRAPERS.

GOSH, THIS POPCORN - THEY WERE INVENTED IN CHICAGO OVER 60 YEARS AGO.
THEY'VE CERTAINLY COME A LONG WAY!
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SO IRRESISTIBLE,
I HAD TO POP THE LID
ON THE 1 GALLON TIN (PINK, NATCH)
THAT SCOTT SCHROEDER, GARRETT POPCORN'S EVP & CHIEF BRAND OFFICER,
GAVE ME FOR MY BIRTHDAY.

IT WAS A GRAND OPENING.
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#HYPR HEART GARRETT POPCORN.
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MONDAYS ARE MANIC AT THE OFFICE.

BUT TODAY, I'M TAKING MY GINORMOUS TIN OF GARRETT POPCORN
TO HELP MAKE MONDAYS MARVELOUS!

AFTER ALL, IF IT MAKES ME HAPPY TO EAT GREAT POPCORN,
SURELY, IT HAS THAT EFFECT ON OTHER PEOPLE, TOO!

WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE ANOTHER
GRAND OPENING!

APPLAUSE, APPLAUSE!

// HAPPY MONDAY, 
 HYPRS! //







Tuesday, 30 July 2013

THE #FITNOTFAT WERQOUT™

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THE #FITNOTFAT OUTDOOR WERQOUT™
WITH FAB FITNESS TRAINER, J BRIDGE HUDSON.

WE'RE SO NOT SHOWING OUR BICEPS OFF - STOP!
WE'RE SHOWING OFF OUR MATCHING HIS-AND-HIS PARA'KITO WRISTBANDS. 
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GETTING #FITNOTFAT IS A PROPER ENDEAVOR.

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HYPERACTIVE'S #FITNOTFAT OUTDOOR WERQOUT™ ESSENTIALS:

* LIFETRONS' SUPER SEXY PORTABLE SPEAKERS,
TO BLAST UPLIFTING GOSPEL HOUSE IN HI-DEF STEREO SOUND

* MEDICINE BALL,
FOR POWERED-UP BOOTY PUMPS AND PUSH-UPS

* PARA'KITO WRISTBAND AND CLIP
TO KEEP ME FOCUSED ON GETTING #FITNOTFAT,
NOT ON SCRATCHING MOSQUITO BITES!


I got a truckload of birthday presents this year - THANK YOU. I do love prezzies and can't imagine throwing a birthday party that says "No presents, please." I mean?!? It's fun to give and receive! That's also why I don't believe in people who say they're Top Only or Bottom Only - but let's save that for another blog entry.

This year, I thought I'd give myself a present, too.

I signed up for personal training with my dear friend, Bridge, who also happens to be the 2012 Mr Gay HK 1st Runner-up. I'm tired of being fat, especially when I have to stand for photos in the middle of my Mr Gay HK winners! So I decided to get #fitnotfat.

We have a lot of fun, Bridge and myself. We're both extroverts; outdoor exercise suits us much better. And we werqout later in the evening, since we're both frighteningly busy. We gossip a lot. It's fun having the non-threatening presence (as opposed to predatory 99% of the time) of another gay man, with whom to decompress and just process the day's events.  No judgment. Just two, strong, black women - gabbing.

We gab whilst we roll out my IT band - that tough group of fibers that run along the outside of the thigh. We gab whilst doing squats, lunges, chest passes - any exercise that doesn't require me to focus on counting or on some belabored breathing. I'm only ever quiet when I jump rope or do push-ups or burpees (yuck).

Unfortunately, whilst we gab, mosquitoes feast. The mozzies at Sun Yat Sen Park are notoriously huge, bloodthirsty suckers. Half the time, I was either clapping mosquitoes dead or scratching at the big, angry bites. The next day, I came prepared with a bottle of mosquito repelling spray and some ointment to rub on inflamed bites. I did the whole ointment thing all over again after I showered. My body was riddled with spots - battle scars from my war against mosquitos. I went to bed, defeated.

Enter Plug PR to the rescue, with a care package from Para'Kito. The mosquitoes are... nowhere. Don't see them. I've been a happy camper since then because all I have to do to get myself #fitnotfat is get into my werqout clothes. I have my wristband on all-day anyway, and my bag is similarly clipped. I've got a "protective shield" around me.

"It smells nice," Bridge noted.

"Citronella, I think."

"I don't even feel like I stink post-werqout coz I've got this beautiful smell around me."

"Well, that's not an excuse not to wear deodorant..."

"I used to not wear deodorant when I had a desk job and wouldn't need to be out on meetings."

"Really?"

"Yeah... It's tough to find a vegan deo. Most have harmful chemicals."

"In the Philippines, you could get tawas... I don't know what it's called in English... It looks like a rock..."

"A crystal - yeah I've seen it!"

And so forth. We mouth ourselves off for hours and hours. Meanwhile, I'm getting a good werqout in. It might be tough to believe this, coming from bossy, old me - but working on my physical shell is also doing wonders for my soul.

I celebrated my birthday last week, surrounded by the beautiful, amazing people who have made this Hyperactive Hong Kong life so meaningful.

It has been eight years since I first got here.

And I feel like I've only just begun.


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DARK CHOCOLATE!
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B3: BRUNO, BENJIE & BRIDGE
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CHEERS TO #HYPR!
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WITH MY BELOVED AD
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AT MR GAY HK'S MEDIA MEET & GREET AND SEND-OFF PARTY FOR MR GAY WORLD

(L-R): RYE BAUTISTA, ANNA ADASIEWICZ, EMMA HAMMONDS, #HYPR,
LEGGY MODEL LAURA FROM GERMANY, AND HELENA CHAN OF ASIA'S NEXT TOP MODEL

PARTY POLA!

 

// WE START OUT WALKING 
AND LEARN TO RUN! //




Wednesday, 3 April 2013

The Diva Video Of The Day™ Gloria Estefan / Don't Wanna Lose You




I got back to listening to Gloria Estefan because of Shakira and The Voice. Shakira was asking a young Latina singer to choose her, Shakira, as coach because, although she is a global Latin music superstar, she needed the Gloria Estefan to be by her side and lead the way. Anyway.

The sentiments of this song echo how I'm feeling right now. Yucky, cheesy, touchy-feely moment, ew. My friend, Tia, messaged me last night saying "No James! Great days ahead! xx" Exactly. I mean, make lemonade out of lemons and all that. The truth is, I will not give up what Chris and I have shared for six years just because he's moving to Canberra.

Fuck Canberra.

This is a relationship forged and strengthened in Hong Kong! We've had everything stacked against us - age difference, cultural differences, dissimilar value systems... and yet somehow we've made it work.

Go, us!


I don't wanna lose you now 
We're gonna get through somehow 
I don't wanna lose you now 
Or ever!


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TAI TAN COUNTRY TRAILS
Ph / Caroline Manchoulas
  // JAMES + CHRIS //




Tuesday, 2 April 2013

The Diva Video Of The Day™ Irene Cara / Out Here On My Own




Always reaching
For that rising star
To guide me far
And shine me home
Out here on my own

When I'm down and feeling blue 
I close my eyes so I can be with you 
Oh, baby, be strong for me 
Baby, belong to me Help me through 
Help me need you 


4 days.

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WEST SAI KUNG COUNTRY PARK
   // THE HYPERACTIVE GAY BOY //




TAI TAN - THE FINAL TRAIL

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SHARP PEAK IN THE BACKGROUND,
I THINK...
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CARO TAMES A PUSSYCAT.
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SOMEONE'S REALLY PRETTY HOUSE FACING THE SEA.
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THEY'VE GOT SOME REALLY PRETTY POTTED PLANTS, TOO.
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LIKE I SAID.
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THAT SMILE.
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THE MOMENT WE GOT TO THE BEACH, I HURRIEDLY THREW MY CLOTHES OFF AND PLUNGED.
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PEACE AND QUIET.
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CHRIS TALKS ABOUT HE MOVE TO CANBERRA,
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CARO TALKS ABOUT THE CASE OF THE ORPHAN ADOPTED FROM TURKEY.
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HYPERACTIVE WANTS A COOKIE.
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SUGAR RUSH.
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SHARP PEAK AS SEEN FROM TAI TAN.
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HIKING ALONG THE COAST.
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TAI TAN VILLAGE, HURRAH!
LET'S LOOK FOR BEER!
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BEER MAKES HIM HAPPY.
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FRIED RICE MAKES ME HAPPY.
// WALK WITH ME. //









Friday, 29 March 2013

JACOB'S LADDER

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ONE FOOT IN FRONT OF THE OTHER.
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SO THAT'S WHERE WE'RE TO GO.
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AND SO IT BEGINS.
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I JUMPED WELL ENOUGH IN FRONT OF THE PACK TO TAKE THIS PIC OF CARO AND CHRIS TURNING A CORNER.
// PATS SELF ON THE BACK. //
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CARO SOLDIERS ON.
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CHRIS HARDLY BREAKS A SWEAT.
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CLEARLY,
THIS IS A HAIRY HIKE.
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 MUST HAVE BEEN TAKEN ON STEP NUMBER 473 OR SOMETHING.
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YAY, WE MADE IT!
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QUIET MAJESTY.
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SHARING THE VIEW WITH SOME MOUNTAIN BIKERS.


Woulda been much easier if I weren't trashed the night before. I don't know what even prompted me to get up from bed. But I did. And I walked the walk I told myself, come on, this is maybe one of the last walks Chris and I were to do together before he leaves for Canberra.

But damn it, I wish somebody had warned me about Jacob's Ladder! I would have stayed in bed and simply done another walk with Chris the next day, no problem.

One foot in front of the other, I urged myself as heavy beads of sweat burst from my pores like gushing water from a faucet. My lungs strained painfully against my chest. But I wasn't about to get beat by steps, no no no.

I counted 549 steep steps.

I could be wrong.

I was cross eyed by the time we got to the top.







Friday, 22 March 2013

WRITING IT UP AS WE GO ALONG

chris adams james gannaban photo IMG_6096_zpse31192a7.jpg  photo IMG_6099_zps19344996.jpg  photo IMG_6114_zps73907454.jpg chris adams photo IMG_6123_zpsae5a3bb5.jpg  photo IMG_6137_zpsbff5f10a.jpg JAMES GANNABAN photo IMG_6141_zpsa217dc7a.jpg  photo IMG_6145_zps36813b64.jpg  photo IMG_6147_zps47717017.jpg  photo IMG_6151_zps91b46bfc.jpg  photo IMG_6152_zps58311980.jpg  photo IMG_6156_zps83b41820.jpg


A very literary group makes for fun company on the trail. Caro is the business brains behind lesbian erotic publishing house, Lady Lit. Joe Lam is publisher of Dim Sum, which has been carrying my column, The Cockpit, for a bit over three years now. We literally wrote the hike up as we went along.

We ended up in Pui O beach - almost. We decided that the food was too expensive so we just had beers. We finally ended up in Cheung Sha.

Good times.