little. yellow. different. A weblog by Ernie Hsiung

synchronized swimming

Yesterday, I went to see Stephen at a fundraiser for the San Francisco Tsunami, the gay synchronized swimming team. (The term “gay synchronized swimming” might be kinda redundant, I realize.) One of the swim routines consisted of a medley of “Going Back to Cali” by LL Cool J, with “California Love” by 2Pac and Dr. Dre.

I would like to think that artists get royalties each time a song gets played, and somewhere in a music studio somewhere in the hills of Southern California, someone - most likely an English butler, because my imagination is kinda vivid like that - had just delivered Dr. Dre an envelope with a check sealed inside. Dr. Dre would inquire as to who was the latest person who played his song, and the butler would squint at the envelope, adjusting his monocle, before answering, “why, it looks like a ‘San Francisco Tsunami,’ sir. It appears to be a gay swim team.” And then Dr. Dre would nod before going back to producing his music or drinking his 40 or smacking his bitches or whatever.

This is what goes on in my head, I swear to God.

Also: I’m looking for a job. If you guys know of any good web development and blogging positions, drop me an e-mail. Ernie at this domain.

didn’t see your email posted so: i don’t know if you’re interested, but paypal is hiring webdev’ers. gimme a holler if you’d like more info.

but, sorry to hear you’re looking

It’s a pretty impressive sight as you’ve seen, but you didn’t go on a good day. You want shock-n-awe?

Go on nude swim day.

Why isn’t gay synchronized swimming an official Olympic sport yet?

You know Ernie, you NEEDED to go to see what the alternatives were out there for you. I see Kevin is joking about hiring you back at Yahoo… I wonder if you will go back. I also know Google is shopping… I don’t know how if it is coincidence or what, but things have really fallen apart on 360 since you’ve left. I like to think you were the one holding it together

anyway, where-ever you end up, I wish you the best. I doubt you’ll have trouble finding work

Even though things didn’t work out in Canada, It’s cool that you took a chance. You would have always wondered if you hadn’t.

“It’s cool that you took a chance. You would have always wondered if you hadn’t.”

Ayup.

OMG, I can’t believe that you didn’t bring up gay synchronized swimming at dinner last night. Good luck on the job search.

Ernie, which one in the water is you?!

You will get a job soon, to doubt, and then you can enjoy the stories and experiences of travel back and forth through customs for work. This is an experience I wish I had done . . .

I love that image. Now I will be imagining Gary Glitter getting piles and piles of envelopes from various sporting events.

hmmm… the synch swimming would be fun to watch. gay or not. its amazing how they’re able to “dance” in the water like that.

good luck on the job search.

Hi Ernie! My name’s Kimpo and I don’t really have a blog or anything, but I justed to tell you that I’ve been reading yours for a while and find it highly amusing, and also touching at other points. I’m from UCLA, by the way.

Actually, men aren’t allowed to compete in synchro b/c it’s not sanctioned by the Int’l Swimming Federation. The World Masters’ Swimming Championship was held last year at Stanford, but it was almost cancelled because they had invited Tsunami to do synchro, and FINA said that they wouldn’t sanction the event if they allowed men to do synchro. Such fucking bullshit….

I don’t suppose you can be lured down to NZ? Yeah, it’s a bit behind the US in terms of online savvy, but it’s a kick-ass country to live in. : )

[…] Ernie, Min Jung and Cindy (who just moved to SF)—you guys came on such short notice and made my night on Wed.! […]

also sorry the vancouver thing didn’t work out. it was neat to see you blog about my adopted hometown.

but i’m sure more good opportunities are bound to come your way.

hey ernster, if you are interested in facebook, let me know. I have a friend there that would love the referral bonus. Isn’t that what it’s all about?

i love your blog. read it often. but ll cool j doesn’t sing going back to cali…..

um, yes, ll cool j does in fact sing “going back to cali.” it’s on his “walking with a panther” cd. and i don’t think ernie was talking about the track by notorious b.i.g. cuz how lame would that sound with california love?

(I’m a bad blog reader. I’m playing catch-up today. I’ve been a bit busy lately.)

It cracked me up when Stephen handed me his business card. Being a knitter and all, we were talking knitting - and then I read the synchronized swimming part. It made me giggle. Now I’m really loving the image of Dr. Dre getting his check.

Okay, previously my friend Scott and I thought that the gayest thing ever was having standing tickets to the Seattle Men’s Chorus Christmas Show (we just learned that it’s not the Seattle Gay Men’s Chorus … the gay is implied).

Thank you for this bar raising post.

I would just like to say that I take this to be exceedingly offensive considering that I am a synchronized swimmer and have seen many girls pour their soul into the sport only to have it torn down by an arrogant cretin such as you. Although I find you to quite funny at times but to call this sport of dedication gay appalls me.

I have no doubt in my mind that this sport requires a tremendous amount of effort and dedication– you need to be in top physical condition, you need to be a team player, you need to have a keen mind in order to memorize and learn all the moves that need to be done for any given routine. The fact of the matter, however, is that the sport is FABULOUS and just… well… gay.

Look at Austin Powers and his opening sequence for Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. I doubt he would have made anything more or less with the connotations that this sport carries. If popular media displays it as such, and everyone in the audience laughs and recognizes the meaning portrayed, you really can’t deny the evidence that everyone’s thinking the same thing.