Everybody is a DJ

The other day I walked back from lunch with one of the younger analysts. He was a Chinese-American like me, so it was nice talking to someone who actually understood the slang I used or the pop culture references I made.

"So, what are you doing this weekend?" he asked.

"I dunno, I don't really have any plans yet," I replied.

"Well I'm spinning at this thing this weekend, you should come," he said.

"Spitting?"

"Spinning."

"Oh, you take a spinning class? Yeah I've done it at the gym a couple times."

"No, spinning." He made a motion with his hands.

"Huh?"

"I'm DJ-ing this weekend," he said slowly and patiently.

"Ooh! Cool, I didn't know you were a DJ." I didn't want to stroke his ego too much but I acted duly impressed.

"Yeah...let me know if you're coming so I can put you on the list," he said as we walked to our separate desks.

We crossed paths again as we were leaving for the day. "So, what kind of music do you like?" I asked to make conversation in the elevator.

"Well--what you listen to is different from what you spin." His lip curled in a slight one-sided smile, with the condescending air of an insider speaking to the uninitiated.

Yeah but you didn't answer the question, fucker.

I went to the club on Saturday night. It was nearly empty.

I know a lot of music but I guess I don't know that much about DJ-ing. I don't know how valid my opinion is, but I wasn't overly impressed by his gig. His set was fine. The only thing I remember is that there was an interesting segue into "Work It" by Missy Elliot.

I told one of my co-workers about it. "Oh yeah, there are some other guys in the office who DJ," she said absentmindedly. "Clyde is a DJ too." Clyde is a white guy in HR who wears really tight pants.

A week later, I went to my first Hong Kong Lacrosse Association practice and got hopelessly lost on the way there (SOML HK). I saw a young Indian guy walking along the sidewalk and he seemed to know where he was going. He was wearing a t-shirt with a field hockey logo on the back, so I inferred that he was also heading to the sports fields.

I asked him for directions and he was going to the same sports complex after all, so we walked together a couple blocks. In our little conversation, he asked me what my occupation was. I said I was a student, and asked if he was too.

"I'm a tailor," he answered.

Then he added, "In my spare time, I'm a DJ."

After the lax practice ended, I was walking to the metro and passed by a wall covered with ads. The most prominent one said:

Exciting Club Party
featuring DJ __
the 13th Best DJ in the World!

13th Best DJ? Why would anyone advertise himself as the "13th Best"? When you get past top 3 or top 5, nobody cares.

It didn't stop there. Everywhere I heard DJ this, DJ that. Soon it seemed as if every other guy I met in Hong Kong claimed to be a DJ.

Recently we got a new hire and she seems like a cool chick so I like her so far. We had a happy hour / chill party at her apartment to celebrate a co-worker's birthday weekend. I was helping myself to some food when I overheard some snippets of conversation.

"Blahblahblah yea when I was DJ-ing in Vancouver..."

What, even the new girl?!

It's official now. Every other person in Hong Kong claims to be a DJ.