"It won't take your mom long to get permanent residence," said the immigrations official to Michelle, the Chook's mom, on the phone. "She isn't an Asian." When Michelle, who as the daughter can sponsor her mother to New Zealand told us this story tha...
It's the simple things in life that give us the most pleasure. The most meaning. And what can be more meaningful than sinking your teeth into the denials and accusations of Winnie M&M and the latest shenanigans of leaders like Zuma and Malema? L...
"Right," said the exasperated customs official at Auckland international airport to the poker-faced Chinese gentleman. "In your country, if yew make a false declaration on re-entering yer country, what happens?" Marion (The Chook) and I had arrived i...
Thabonk! Skrreek! The bottom part of our bed collapsed at about two in the morning the other day here in Shanghai . "Oh for - - sake!" Marion, The Chook, moaned as we lay there in a half-resurrected position, sleepily trying to figure out what had ha...
In the railway station Marion goes off for a smoke and I cover her seat with her jacket and mine to book her spot. A Chinese woman promptly comes over and sits on the jackets, clearly relieved to find a seat. "Zheli you ren, xiaojie". This seat is ta...
The most powerful memory of my father is the last one. I was starting to walk from our home to school on a large plot in Boksburg when I heard him calling me, "Rod, Roddy, Roddy!" Age seventeen, angry and rebellious, I was annoyed because he would of...
It was Chinese New Year here in Shanghai this Friday night. Sitting in our apartment on the 22nd floor was like being in a high-tech Star Trek movie. The fireworks started during the day and by 10PM our home in Shanghai was aglow with spectacular fir...
In about 1991 I remember having some female friends when living in Cape Town. Some were divorced or going through one. Two in particular one evening were discussing how they were going to wangle more money out of their "ex's". They were laughing and ...
A young Scotsman, Wee Tom, disliked his nickname for obvious reasons. His schoolboy friends had seen him in the shower and he was very wee where matters are supposed to count. "Ha ha, Tom, when you get it up you're going nowhere. She will fall asleep...
Source : Sapa /dbm/tk
An email joke doing the rounds at the moment is titled "An incredible story of luck and inspiration for us all!" It shows a picture of an extremely ugly, fat man with a gorgeous blonde clinging to him. Let's call the...
CRACKING CHINA was previously the title of this blog. That title was used as the name for Rod MacKenzie's second book, Cracking China: a memoir of our first three years in China, which is now available at Exclusive Books and other good bookstores. ISBN-13: 9780620451079.
Or contact the publicist, Helco Promotions, at (011) 462 2302 or E-mail helco@mweb.co.za.
All who were involved in the Cracking China project publication found the book hilarious.
Rod and his wife, Marion, AKA the Chook or chookie, lived in China for five years. They have now moved to Auckland, New Zealand, where they hope to give Kiwi-land a crack. They live in a six-bedroom house along with the family, altogether seven rather individualistic and opinionated (sometimes self-opinionated) people and a small, mad terrier, Joey, who thinks he can pick up a rugby ball with his mouth.
Long ago Rod completed a post-graduate degree in English partly under the glacier presence and tutelage of J.M. Coetzee (who nevertheless encouraged Rod to keep writing). Rod has recovered from that ordeal.
He has written numerous other books, including two blockbuster novels and one novella. He is patiently waiting for publishers to See the Light.
Rod's links
Kalahari.net CRACKING CHINA, Rod's witty memoir about living for three years in China, is now available for orders on this website.
Knowledgethirstmedia Knowledge Thirst Media: Ordering CRACKING CHINA, the memoir, is NOW available for ordering on this website
