I didn't bring much in the way of "food" from the US with me to China. I figured I'd be able to survive just fine, and I have. That doesn't mean I don't miss certain things from home. I think the item I miss most...milk. Yes, they have milk here in China, but it has a weird taste. I can't drink it straight, I only put it in my cereal. Back in the US, I would drink milk like a horse drinks water, by the gallon.
This morning I brewed my first pot of Tim Horton's coffee. This is a chain that commands the Canadian coffee & doughnuts market; it is also all over Buffalo, NY, where I'm from. My mom & dad were nice enough to put together a nice package of stuff for me. A friend of mine here goes back to the States every couple months, so they shipped it to his house and he brought it back for me. I also got some candy canes (my team was very intrigued by them), sponge candy (another Northern NY treat), a Vonage v-phone (which is sweet!) and most important of all; the DVD of "A Christmas Story." In the spirit of this movie, I will likely enjoy some Beijing Duck & Christmas carols sung by the Chinese for Christmas dinner.
Anyway, back to the coffee. It was good. No, it was great. Thanks Mom & Dad!
07 December, 2006
05 December, 2006
Sense of Pride (Part I)
Last Friday, December 1st, I was on my way into the office when some sort of feeling hit me. I wasn't sure what it was, but I think I knew what caused it. I always gaze out the car window on my way to work, to see what's going on in Beijing.
I was listening to some Dave Matthews Band that particular morning (on the iPod, of course). I typically try to listen to some mellow, relaxing music at the start and end of each day; for reasons I think one could only understand if you were working in Beijing. Music (like beer), sometimes sparks my thoughts, ideas & imagination.
This particular Friday was one of the most clear days I've witnessed in Beijing since I've been here. I could see the mountain ranges that surround Beijing (Beijing is basically in a bowl) in the distance, noticing some of the temples that sit top of the bare mounds of rock. The bone chilling wind was blowing, the leaves were churning & thousands of people were making their way to begin another day.
Beijing is booming, obviously. I can't even imagine how much manpower & money is behind the construction & cleanup boom going on in Beijing; and all over China for that matter. This was the first thing that "hit" me on this particular Friday. I noticed some construction workers hanging off the side of a newly constructed building putting some finishing touches on the windows. Three months ago, this building was a long way off from finished. Now, it's a masterpiece in the Beijing skyline. What must go through their heads when these guys, many earning only a few dollars a day, finish these huge structures of steel & concrete? Do they feel proud of what they did? Do they get any sort of "reward" upon completion? Do they tell their kids about it...point it out to them as they ride their bikes by? These blue collar workers are changing this country just as the blue collar workers in the US did after WWII.
In addition to the hundreds of construction projects I see each morning, I see the people of Beijing out on the streets & in the parks. Mostly I see the "older" generation of Beijing'ers. There are many small parks around Beijing, most of them contain some exercise equipment & ping pong tables. It's now December, with morning temperature highs close to 20 F. This is not stopping these people from rising early (I see them around 7am each day) and getting outside to start their mornings right. From the groups of old ladies doing tai chi, to the old couple playing a game of ping pong against each other, to the old man keeping his flexibility in tact on the aerobic
exercise equipment. These are for the most part, the "Mao era" generation sticking to some of the ways many Chinese began their days with back then. Why aren't the younger generations participating? They're out changing this country in a different way.
The 20 & 30 somethings of China are a powerful group of people. They are ready to take on the the world and make their country the best. I first began to really notice this first hand as I was conducting interviews for my first time in China back in July. At some point in the interview, I would try to get a feeling for just how energetic a particular candidate was (it's very hard to tell personality types due to the language barrier). I ask..."Why do you want to work for Lenovo?" I would guess that 80% of the responses were along the lines of ... "I am proud of Lenovo for moving beyond the walls of China. I want to be part of this great company who is helping China to become an international business power." Other responses... "I like ThinkPads." "I like Lenovo computers." This is a very open ended question, but the answer I am always looking for and interested in hearing about is the "I want to change China like Lenovo has" answer. The days of international companies only coming to China for unskilled cheap labor are over. Yes, companies do still and will still come here for that. However, more & more companies are coming to China for skilled labor. While still comparatively cheap, these are not factory jobs. These are real world, global, make or break the bottom line jobs. The days of companies hiring locals to manage only their "China branch" are also over. Companies are flocking to China to hire engineers, designers, programmers, business-types; to help & run pieces of their global company. The Chinese working for these companies do not want "boring" jobs. They don't want the "shit" work that westerners don't want to do. They want to get their hands dirty; increase productivity, come up with break-through ideas, release products faster, become the "big boss" and make more money. The one major downside to the "hungry Chinese professional" ... turnover. On average, turnover in China is at about 30%. People here jump from job-to-job, mostly just looking for the bigger paycheck, some looking for more responsibility and some to just try different things. This is scary for companies investing in China, especially when you invest in a lot of training (both on-the-job and curricular). How to get by this? I haven't fully figured it out, but I've been working on it. My team is still new enough that I won't see the turnover itch for another 4 months or so. You can never manage to retain 100% of your employees all of the time, no matter where you are. However, I don't want to be losing 30% of my team come April (new fiscal year begins, yearly bonuses have been awarded). Do you?
How do you manage all of this growth? Is it possible? Well, it must be, but there will surely be a lot of problems. From scandals to failure, they all exist in China. But where don't those things exist? In any country and in any company, those things exist.
So, what did cause that "feeling" on Friday morning? It was the people of Beijing. Seeing them changing this country made me feel good about being in this country with them. Seeing them continue on with some of their traditions made me hope, for them, that they continue to keep this country with thousands and thousands of years of history going along so they can all achieve a little piece of what we in America call "The American Dream." Have a job, have a family, have a home. I think anywhere you go in the world, "American" can simply be replaced.
I was listening to some Dave Matthews Band that particular morning (on the iPod, of course). I typically try to listen to some mellow, relaxing music at the start and end of each day; for reasons I think one could only understand if you were working in Beijing. Music (like beer), sometimes sparks my thoughts, ideas & imagination.
This particular Friday was one of the most clear days I've witnessed in Beijing since I've been here. I could see the mountain ranges that surround Beijing (Beijing is basically in a bowl) in the distance, noticing some of the temples that sit top of the bare mounds of rock. The bone chilling wind was blowing, the leaves were churning & thousands of people were making their way to begin another day.
Beijing is booming, obviously. I can't even imagine how much manpower & money is behind the construction & cleanup boom going on in Beijing; and all over China for that matter. This was the first thing that "hit" me on this particular Friday. I noticed some construction workers hanging off the side of a newly constructed building putting some finishing touches on the windows. Three months ago, this building was a long way off from finished. Now, it's a masterpiece in the Beijing skyline. What must go through their heads when these guys, many earning only a few dollars a day, finish these huge structures of steel & concrete? Do they feel proud of what they did? Do they get any sort of "reward" upon completion? Do they tell their kids about it...point it out to them as they ride their bikes by? These blue collar workers are changing this country just as the blue collar workers in the US did after WWII.
In addition to the hundreds of construction projects I see each morning, I see the people of Beijing out on the streets & in the parks. Mostly I see the "older" generation of Beijing'ers. There are many small parks around Beijing, most of them contain some exercise equipment & ping pong tables. It's now December, with morning temperature highs close to 20 F. This is not stopping these people from rising early (I see them around 7am each day) and getting outside to start their mornings right. From the groups of old ladies doing tai chi, to the old couple playing a game of ping pong against each other, to the old man keeping his flexibility in tact on the aerobic
exercise equipment. These are for the most part, the "Mao era" generation sticking to some of the ways many Chinese began their days with back then. Why aren't the younger generations participating? They're out changing this country in a different way.
The 20 & 30 somethings of China are a powerful group of people. They are ready to take on the the world and make their country the best. I first began to really notice this first hand as I was conducting interviews for my first time in China back in July. At some point in the interview, I would try to get a feeling for just how energetic a particular candidate was (it's very hard to tell personality types due to the language barrier). I ask..."Why do you want to work for Lenovo?" I would guess that 80% of the responses were along the lines of ... "I am proud of Lenovo for moving beyond the walls of China. I want to be part of this great company who is helping China to become an international business power." Other responses... "I like ThinkPads." "I like Lenovo computers." This is a very open ended question, but the answer I am always looking for and interested in hearing about is the "I want to change China like Lenovo has" answer. The days of international companies only coming to China for unskilled cheap labor are over. Yes, companies do still and will still come here for that. However, more & more companies are coming to China for skilled labor. While still comparatively cheap, these are not factory jobs. These are real world, global, make or break the bottom line jobs. The days of companies hiring locals to manage only their "China branch" are also over. Companies are flocking to China to hire engineers, designers, programmers, business-types; to help & run pieces of their global company. The Chinese working for these companies do not want "boring" jobs. They don't want the "shit" work that westerners don't want to do. They want to get their hands dirty; increase productivity, come up with break-through ideas, release products faster, become the "big boss" and make more money. The one major downside to the "hungry Chinese professional" ... turnover. On average, turnover in China is at about 30%. People here jump from job-to-job, mostly just looking for the bigger paycheck, some looking for more responsibility and some to just try different things. This is scary for companies investing in China, especially when you invest in a lot of training (both on-the-job and curricular). How to get by this? I haven't fully figured it out, but I've been working on it. My team is still new enough that I won't see the turnover itch for another 4 months or so. You can never manage to retain 100% of your employees all of the time, no matter where you are. However, I don't want to be losing 30% of my team come April (new fiscal year begins, yearly bonuses have been awarded). Do you?
How do you manage all of this growth? Is it possible? Well, it must be, but there will surely be a lot of problems. From scandals to failure, they all exist in China. But where don't those things exist? In any country and in any company, those things exist.
So, what did cause that "feeling" on Friday morning? It was the people of Beijing. Seeing them changing this country made me feel good about being in this country with them. Seeing them continue on with some of their traditions made me hope, for them, that they continue to keep this country with thousands and thousands of years of history going along so they can all achieve a little piece of what we in America call "The American Dream." Have a job, have a family, have a home. I think anywhere you go in the world, "American" can simply be replaced.
04 December, 2006
29 November, 2006
Only in China
Went to dinner with a couple friends tonight. Nothing fancy.
One of the guys asked for some "cheese fries." He asked in Chinese, so to limit the confusion.
Picture says enough.
One of the guys asked for some "cheese fries." He asked in Chinese, so to limit the confusion.
Picture says enough.
25 November, 2006
Doing my part to support the North Korean economy
This afternoon, I met up with Lina (girl I met Halloween weekend). I decided we would go ice skating over at one of the many malls that dot the Beijing streets. It was pretty funny to walk into the rink and see only Chinese people. Mostly little kids out there having a good time, there were also a lot of figure skaters out there practicing. I saw one little girl, likely 5 or 6, that could be an Olympic hopeful in another 10 years.
This was Lina's first time skating, she was actually pretty good, just a little nervous. I didn't show off my skills too much, didn't want to intimidate her ;-). I was followed around the rink by a little boy who was just learning how to skate. He was pretty funny, I tried to help him a little bit, but I think he was scared of me. Skating around definitely made me feel like playing hockey. I've got to find or get the rest of my needed equipment over here soon, maybe when my brother comes.
A couple friends of mine wanted to meet up for dinner. So, from the rink, it was on to a North Korean restaurant near my apartment. Ray has been talking about it for about a month now, so I figured I'd give it a shot. He's told me about the Saint Bernard he had there a few weeks ago, made me sick to my stomach. He promised he wouldn't order the dog this time around... though I am sitting here wondering about one of the dishes we had.
The atmosphere of the place is pretty much like a typical Chinese restaurant in Beijing, nothing special about it...other than the constant stares, the guys in leather coats keeping track of us & the waitresses wearing some weird North Korean costumes with Kim Jong Il pins on. All of the waitresses there were also very cute. I wonder if they're allowed to date Americans? Doubt it.
The restaurant is owned/run by the North Korean Embassy in Beijing. I am told the girls and other workers there commute back in forth in groups and cannot travel by themselves, must always be with at least one other North Korean.
It was definitely an interesting experience, will go back for sure. The food was really good; still wondering about that one dish though...
This was Lina's first time skating, she was actually pretty good, just a little nervous. I didn't show off my skills too much, didn't want to intimidate her ;-). I was followed around the rink by a little boy who was just learning how to skate. He was pretty funny, I tried to help him a little bit, but I think he was scared of me. Skating around definitely made me feel like playing hockey. I've got to find or get the rest of my needed equipment over here soon, maybe when my brother comes.
A couple friends of mine wanted to meet up for dinner. So, from the rink, it was on to a North Korean restaurant near my apartment. Ray has been talking about it for about a month now, so I figured I'd give it a shot. He's told me about the Saint Bernard he had there a few weeks ago, made me sick to my stomach. He promised he wouldn't order the dog this time around... though I am sitting here wondering about one of the dishes we had.
The atmosphere of the place is pretty much like a typical Chinese restaurant in Beijing, nothing special about it...other than the constant stares, the guys in leather coats keeping track of us & the waitresses wearing some weird North Korean costumes with Kim Jong Il pins on. All of the waitresses there were also very cute. I wonder if they're allowed to date Americans? Doubt it.
The restaurant is owned/run by the North Korean Embassy in Beijing. I am told the girls and other workers there commute back in forth in groups and cannot travel by themselves, must always be with at least one other North Korean.
It was definitely an interesting experience, will go back for sure. The food was really good; still wondering about that one dish though...
24 November, 2006
T-Day recap
Thanksgiving was pretty relaxed in China. We headed to Steak & Eggs for our 4:30 dinner reservation. This was good, because I'm used to eating T-day dinner around 4pm. S&E was packed. Paul (the owner) was going nuts (entire cook/wait staff is Chinese, he finally invested in English lessons for them, progress is noticeable). Good meal, lots of wine... lots of Chinese talking going on at the table (since we all brought Chinese dates). It's amazing how Chinese girls create instant friendships with each other. I've noticed it a lot recently, especially at work. The girls just gravitate to each other and become instant friends.
After a couple of hours @ S&E and too much food, it was time to head for some post dinner cocktails...on to Centro in the Kerry Center. We got a table, ordered a couple bottles of wine & just relaxed. After a couple hours, I decided it was time for a cigar. Smoked on a smooth Romeo Y Julieta for about an hour, it was great. The girls wanted to head to Suzie Wongs, so that was the next & last stop for the night. When I got home (around 2am), I decided it was time to start dialing and wishing friends and family a Happy Thanksgiving.
After a couple of hours @ S&E and too much food, it was time to head for some post dinner cocktails...on to Centro in the Kerry Center. We got a table, ordered a couple bottles of wine & just relaxed. After a couple hours, I decided it was time for a cigar. Smoked on a smooth Romeo Y Julieta for about an hour, it was great. The girls wanted to head to Suzie Wongs, so that was the next & last stop for the night. When I got home (around 2am), I decided it was time to start dialing and wishing friends and family a Happy Thanksgiving.
22 November, 2006
Thanksgiving festivities...in China
Tomorrow will mark my second holiday in China (Halloween was the first). I've noticed that many of the Chinese think that Thanksgiving is on Saturday, still haven't gotten to the bottom of that one, but I think it's because a lot of people will have "Thanksgiving parties" on Saturday ... although, they don't really understand how Thanksgiving came to be. I failed at giving the team a taste of Thanksgiving...I tried to order lunch delivery from Steak & Eggs too late (Monday). Oh well, I'll give them a taste of American Christmas.
This will be the first Thanksgiving ever, that I've spent away from my parents (awwe). For the past 5 years that I was in Raleigh, NC for Thanksgiving...I've gone to Buffalo, went to NYC once or my aunt & uncle have Thanksgiving at their house & my parents come. This will also be the first Thanksgiving that I won't be out partying the night before (Wednesday night booze fest is a tradition in Buffalo, likely many other cities too). Unfortunately, I can't really take off for the "US holidays" ... so, will be in the office bright & early tomorrow.
However, I will be having Thanksgiving dinner at an "American" restaurant: Steak & Eggs (It's owned by a guy from Canada, close enough). I'm meeting some other American guys there around 5pm tomorrow evening. We're all bring dates (Chinese girls that don't speak English), so they can experience their first Thanksgiving feast.
I don't think there will be much going on here for Thanksgiving, but I'm interested to see how the day goes. I'm sure I'll see a few strange things (maybe some turkeys being slaughtered on a side street in Chaoyang?).
This will be the first Thanksgiving ever, that I've spent away from my parents (awwe). For the past 5 years that I was in Raleigh, NC for Thanksgiving...I've gone to Buffalo, went to NYC once or my aunt & uncle have Thanksgiving at their house & my parents come. This will also be the first Thanksgiving that I won't be out partying the night before (Wednesday night booze fest is a tradition in Buffalo, likely many other cities too). Unfortunately, I can't really take off for the "US holidays" ... so, will be in the office bright & early tomorrow.
However, I will be having Thanksgiving dinner at an "American" restaurant: Steak & Eggs (It's owned by a guy from Canada, close enough). I'm meeting some other American guys there around 5pm tomorrow evening. We're all bring dates (Chinese girls that don't speak English), so they can experience their first Thanksgiving feast.
I don't think there will be much going on here for Thanksgiving, but I'm interested to see how the day goes. I'm sure I'll see a few strange things (maybe some turkeys being slaughtered on a side street in Chaoyang?).
The wonders of VoIP
I brought my Vonage router from the US to China when I came here (holy sh!+, it's been 3 months already!). However, I failed to remember that I can't just plug "appliances" in to the walls here. That's exactly what I did with my Vonage router, blew it up.
Through the ever-growing guanxi, I managed to finally get the router fixed & got it back last night. Plugged it in & it worked like a charm.
Because I'm feeling a little home sick (really, just a little... I do like it here), I'm posting my number up here for any one who feels like giving me a call... to harass me, ask me questions, just say hello, etc.... 919-342-0730. More times than not, you'll likely get my voice mail though. Amazing that this number connects instantly from the US. In addition, I dial out using US area codes...sweet!
Through the ever-growing guanxi, I managed to finally get the router fixed & got it back last night. Plugged it in & it worked like a charm.
Because I'm feeling a little home sick (really, just a little... I do like it here), I'm posting my number up here for any one who feels like giving me a call... to harass me, ask me questions, just say hello, etc.... 919-342-0730. More times than not, you'll likely get my voice mail though. Amazing that this number connects instantly from the US. In addition, I dial out using US area codes...sweet!
21 November, 2006
I don't get it!
Blogger is now accessible from China again. I'm not going to ask questions or wonder, I just hope it stays this way.
New Beatles Album ... "Love"
help
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
My cousin pointed me to this today (as he was up at 1am procrastinating). You can have a listen to the newly released Beatles album for free.
It's basically a "mix" album, all Beatles. Great stuff, will be an iPod addition.
http://www.thebeatles.com/hearlove/index.php
20 November, 2006
More pipes blocked in China
stop
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
Wikipedia is now blocked...again. It was opened up for the last week, but now gone again. Between the blogs & the wikis, this is starting to get annoying.
http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/internet/11/17/china.internet.ap/index.html
Slight delay moving my blog, will happen at some point this week.
17 November, 2006
Chinese medicine...yum!
img00055
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
This past weekend, I came down with a "cold." I'm sure it has nothing to do with the fact that 99% of the buildings in Beijing (likely, across China even) do not turn their heat on until15 November.
So, all week, I've been in the office sniffling, coughing, blowing my nose..all of the good stuff that goes along with being sick. I've got some over the counter meds from the US, but they don't seem to be working.
So, this morning, my assistant came in with some Chinese medicine. I didn't even ask what the ingredients were, although I was & still am definitely wondering.
She told me I need to take two bottles, three times per day. These things are little glass bottles with foil wrapped tops. Comes with little straws to poke through so you can chug. Kind of looks like the test tubes used for blood samples.
As for the taste...absolutely disgusting. This is by far the worst tasting stuff I have ever had. I can even still recall the taste of the "iron" ... medicine we used to have to take as kids, iron was better than this crap.
So far, no signs of it working, but I'll give it some time & force down another four bottles today... if only I could mix it with some Johnny Walker, hmmm....
15 November, 2006
Blog on the move
moving
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
Due to the never ending blocking issues here in China, I'll be moving the blog yet again.
Friend & colleague Esteban (http://steveglas.wordpress.com/) has been gracious enough to provide me space on his server. So, assuming another solution isn't in hand by the weekend, the move will happen prior to Monday, then back to the blogging!
Will keep everyone posted on the new location...www.manninchina.com will forward to the place I end up.
10 November, 2006
The team
PB090186
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
Last night I hosted a dinner for my team & 3 colleagues from AU who are here in Beijing to train them. Edgar, China teleweb GM, also joined us.
My team is only 50% built, but it is a strong team! For all, this is their first experience working for an international company.
We had a great dinner & I was "forced" to ganbei (cheers=chug) with everyone at the table at least one time...needless to say, that turned into a lot of beers.
I'm going to learn a lot from this team, hopefully they'll learn a few things from me too...
09 November, 2006
He shoots...it wide!!
Colin at shoot out004
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
My cousin plays hockey for the UNC club team. Last week, they had a shoot out vs. Duke during intermission at the Carolina Hurricanes. Usually these slots are reserved for 5-8 year olds skating around in circles, but this is close enough.
Here's a video of my cousin shooting it wide and embarrassing himself in front of thousands of people. My suggestion to him was to just flick the puck up into the stands at his dad & then run the goalie. That's what I would do.
I can't embed the video on the blog, since I'm still "locked out" but here is the link to the video on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6KMA7EvJ0c
07 November, 2006
North Korea gearing up
north_korea_map
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
Slowly but surely, North Korea will go through dramatic changes.
Remember a few weeks back, my post about a potential trip to North Korea (which generated quite a stir), well, that trip did happen. No Americans were allowed to go, but some Europeans & Asians did make the trip.
Here's an article covering it... Roger Barret is the guy I spoke to about going on the trip... 2 hours after the "nuke test," he called me to say there would be no US passport holders allowed.
http://articles.news.aol.com/news/_a/north-korea-said-to-be-hungry-for/20061105163109990002?cid=774
North Korea will change.
04 November, 2006
Bottom of the ocean in a bowl
Seafood-Dalian
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
This picture doesn't do justice in terms of describing what I had for lunch today in Dalian, I found it online.
It basically looked (and tasted) like someone scrapped the bottom of the ocean & put it into a bowl for me to enjoy. I had no rice with the meal to hide the stuff, so I was stuck tasting all of the gross stuff. Thankfully the Hennessey mixed with green tea that I drank last night (ok, drank a lot of) was still in my stomach to mix with the creepy stuff.
Other than the seafood, Dalian is a really cool city. Other than the fact that there are tons of Chinese around, I don't feel like I'm in China.
I've finished up with the head hunters, made some very good progress with them. A couple of contracts to get approved on Monday, some tests to review & hopefully new additions to the team within the next couple of weeks.
Off to do a few interviews now, then I'll have about an hour of sun light left to look around the city & snap some pictures.
03 November, 2006
First "inner" China trip
a_team_van
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
I've flown in and out of China from the US a few times now, but today was my first visit to the "local" terminal at the Captial Airport in Beijing.
The first thing I noticed as I was looking out the windows in the terminal is that the planes are huge. No puddle jumpers exist in Beijing (maybe in the less popular/remote cities). I suppose it is due to the massive amount of people in China. My flight was pretty much full.
Next to me, I found what I assumed were first time flyers. Two guys, maybe in their 50s. Thet strapped in tight, read the emergency pamplet about 5 times, front-to-back & looked really nervous when we took off. Maybe this is just their ritual though.
I had my iPod on & plugged into my ears the entire time...was never once asked to turn it off...suprising, but I didn't mind.
After I picked up my bag, is was time to head out for a taxi. In Beijing, you stand in a long line, but the taxis are in a line longer than the eye can see....not in Dalian. I was shocked. I got outside to find at least 100 people in the line ... no taxis! They were coming what seemed to be every 3-5 minutes...not happy. However, a friend of mine in Beijing told me about the airport shuttle. So, I went in, told them where I needed to go & they agreed to take me. The A-Team van, 80RMB and 30 minutes later & I'm at the hotel.
The van looked very similar to the A-Team van, only there were windows along the sides & it was blue. But it did have a similar paint job & a fin on the back of it.
Full day scheduled tomorrow with head-hunters & interviews, hopefully I leave here with some new employees!
02 November, 2006
Officially locked out of Blogger in China
locks
Originally uploaded by MJM80.
Access to blogspot.com blogs was removed last week, however, I could still access my blogger dashboard & publish. Today, that access is no more. This SUCKS
I will figure out another solution, or end up using a different blog. I'm sure Google will have this fixed soon with those who make the decisions here...right.
For now, I'll use flickr.
Off to Dalian tomorrow for recruiting
29 October, 2006
28 October, 2006
27 October, 2006
The sabs
Sabres streak continues...Saturday night, they'll try to break the season opening streak held by the Leafs (they are currently tied - 10-0)
"Hottest tickets in town? Sabres expect season sellout"
I hope Buffalo breaks out the old blue & gold for Saturday night's record-breaking game.
"Hottest tickets in town? Sabres expect season sellout"
I hope Buffalo breaks out the old blue & gold for Saturday night's record-breaking game.
26 October, 2006
Blogspot (Google's Blogger) blocked in China
Well, it looks like Google's Blogger is again blocked in China. I was having some issues last night, but thought it was just temporary. I can't view any .blogspot blogs. WONDERFUL.
I think it may have to do with the recent announcement that China will require ALL bloggers to register, with REAL names. Not sure how they'll go about doing this & validating the blogger's identity, but this means all of the major blogging platforms will need to comply & make some changes...hopefully in the very near future.
Read here...
I think it may have to do with the recent announcement that China will require ALL bloggers to register, with REAL names. Not sure how they'll go about doing this & validating the blogger's identity, but this means all of the major blogging platforms will need to comply & make some changes...hopefully in the very near future.
Read here...
Lenovo Stat causing controversy
Lenovo Stat, a capability announced by Lenovo & the NBA this week, provides statistical analysis showing which five players prove to be the best combination on the court at any time during the game. I don't follow basketball, at all, but this is pretty cool. I hope a version comes out for the NHL (Lenovo also has its hands in the NHL, with the Carolina Hurricanes).
Lenovo Stat made the homepage of yahoo.com today in the US. This will likely provide some great buzz for Lenovo...people love controversy, especially when it involves some of the best athletes in the world.
"If computers ran the NBA, Shaq would be benched"
25 October, 2006
Trip cancelled
The trip to North-East China is cancelled for this week. I think we may have hit the jackpot at a couple colleges in Beijing, we'll see soon enough. If not, trip is back on for next week.
In the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting a review on my experiences recruiting/interviewing/hiring in China.
In the next couple of weeks, I'll be posting a review on my experiences recruiting/interviewing/hiring in China.
24 October, 2006
Happy B Day blue fellas
I grew up watching the smurfs, it was only today that I realized that my father is only 361 days older than the blue guys.
Smurfs birthday
Smurfs birthday
Thanks DUDE
So, my ride to and from work sucks. It takes a little over an hour each way. I got hooked up with a driver through a friend of mine here, I was in desperate need since I was given no assistance at all when I arrived in Beijing in terms of how I should get to work, what my options were, etc.... So, the main guy picks me up each morning at 7am, he usually doesn't pick me up from work...one of the other guys in his "circle of drivers" does.
Most of them are pretty good, they take the same way and typically try to drive fast. However, I got stuck with a guy a couple of weeks ago, who seems like he just recently learned how to drive. He takes a "short cut" which actually adds 30 minutes to the ride (I think he takes the short cut to avoid the tolls). He constantly slams on the brakes, doesn't know how to turn...I can go on & on.
Well, as I've mentioned, winter is rapidly approaching Beijing. The evenings these days are hanging around 8-10 C (high 40s/low 50s F). This is not exactly the weather in which you want to drive around with your windows down. Well, tonight, I was stuck with the shitty driver. He took the short cut & had the windows down. I don't know how to say "Please roll up the windows jackass" in Chinese, but I do know how to say "too cold" in Chinese. I tried it...he didn't understand. Tried to motion, he didn't understand. I think he understood, he just didn't care.
He's ten times worse than the worst taxi driver I've had in Beijing. Thanks DUDE.
Most of them are pretty good, they take the same way and typically try to drive fast. However, I got stuck with a guy a couple of weeks ago, who seems like he just recently learned how to drive. He takes a "short cut" which actually adds 30 minutes to the ride (I think he takes the short cut to avoid the tolls). He constantly slams on the brakes, doesn't know how to turn...I can go on & on.
Well, as I've mentioned, winter is rapidly approaching Beijing. The evenings these days are hanging around 8-10 C (high 40s/low 50s F). This is not exactly the weather in which you want to drive around with your windows down. Well, tonight, I was stuck with the shitty driver. He took the short cut & had the windows down. I don't know how to say "Please roll up the windows jackass" in Chinese, but I do know how to say "too cold" in Chinese. I tried it...he didn't understand. Tried to motion, he didn't understand. I think he understood, he just didn't care.
He's ten times worse than the worst taxi driver I've had in Beijing. Thanks DUDE.
23 October, 2006
Preferred Customer
Just about every morning, I visit the coffee shop just around the corner from Lenovo's R&D campus. I get in around 8am each day, the coffee shop doesn't open until 9am, so that kind of sucks. I'm a "regular" there. They know what I want, so I don't even have to order. Sometimes, I can spot them on the "look out" for me, if I'm not there at my usual time of 9:15am.
The two guys that work there know very little English, but I try to teach them a new word each time I visit. Simple stuff like "cool" & "awesome" ... OK, I throw in some practical words too. They play basketball & they think I do too, because I'm tall. I was brutally honest with them one morning though, and I told them basketball sucks (they had no clue that was a negative comment, because I said it with a smile). I told them I play hockey...the only description in Chinese I could give them was the word for ice. One of these mornings I'll bring my ThinkPad over and show them some NHL action on the SlingBox. I'll try to catch the Sabres (who are 8-0 at the moment).
A cup of "Coffee Americano" runs RMB 19 at this place. That's about $2.40 USD. A bit on the pricey side, especially because it's not a large cup of coffee, they only have one size. But, it's really good coffee. However, last week they started giving me a discount. The first time, it was about RMB 2 (about $.25 USD). Today however, they bumped it to RMB 4 (about $.50 USD). So, I'm now at less than 2 bucks a cup. I think it may be because I am their only customer in the mornings. Also, I think I am their only foreign customer period.
Man, I feel like a VIP today. If I keep teaching them some new words, show them some hockey & pretend to like basketball, I bet I'll get it down to RMB 10 by year's end.
The two guys that work there know very little English, but I try to teach them a new word each time I visit. Simple stuff like "cool" & "awesome" ... OK, I throw in some practical words too. They play basketball & they think I do too, because I'm tall. I was brutally honest with them one morning though, and I told them basketball sucks (they had no clue that was a negative comment, because I said it with a smile). I told them I play hockey...the only description in Chinese I could give them was the word for ice. One of these mornings I'll bring my ThinkPad over and show them some NHL action on the SlingBox. I'll try to catch the Sabres (who are 8-0 at the moment).
A cup of "Coffee Americano" runs RMB 19 at this place. That's about $2.40 USD. A bit on the pricey side, especially because it's not a large cup of coffee, they only have one size. But, it's really good coffee. However, last week they started giving me a discount. The first time, it was about RMB 2 (about $.25 USD). Today however, they bumped it to RMB 4 (about $.50 USD). So, I'm now at less than 2 bucks a cup. I think it may be because I am their only customer in the mornings. Also, I think I am their only foreign customer period.
Man, I feel like a VIP today. If I keep teaching them some new words, show them some hockey & pretend to like basketball, I bet I'll get it down to RMB 10 by year's end.
22 October, 2006
Where I'm going this week
Later in the week, I'm taking a short trip outside of Beijing, for work. I'm having a rough time finding some key language skills for my team (Japanese & Korean), so it's off to Dalian & somewhere in Jilin province (not sure of the name of the city) to locate the skills. Dalian has a large population of second generation Japanese, as well as some schools that specialize in teach Japanese. Jilin province is home to many Korean immigrants, I'm told many of which come from North Korea.I'm looking forward to it, but more than anything, I hope I find the skills I need.
Inching closer to North Korea...
Beijing Happy Valley
I had heard about some amusement parks in Beijing, but had no idea what to expect. Would it compare to places like Six Flags or Cedar Point? I doubted it...I was right.
A few weeks ago, I told a girl (LinLin) that I would take her to Beijing Happy Valley, an amusement park on the west side of Beijing that just opened this year. So, yesterday afternoon, I picked her up (in a taxi, of course) over at the Drama College of Beijing, where she attends (OK, she's 22 ... it's not that young). She is a phenomenal singer, plays some weird Chinese stringed instrument and is an aspiring actress. Her English is about as good as my Chinese...so, I'm sure you could imagine all of the in depth conversations we had throughout the day. I was quite happy though, because we only had to pull out the electronic Chinese/English dictionary one time. However, the more I have to "dummy up" my English over the next year, the more I worry what I'll sound like when I get back to the US. I can't imagine it will be too much different.
Anyway, we arrived to no lines at the ticket counter and as we walked into the gates, it seemed like we were the only ones there. I'm thinking we'd have the freedom to hit the rides within minutes...rather than hours. Boy was I wrong. As we rounded the corner to the first "ride area," I saw the masses.
I forgot to mention, this was the first time LinLin had ever been to an amusement park. She's from north-east China. All I knew was that she would try all of the rides, and wanted to go fast. First up was a roller coaster. This was one of those coasters that hangs from the track, and you ride belly-down, like you're flying. So, after standing in line for about an hour, and getting stared at every other second by the many young Chinese, we were strapped in & ready for the ride. She loved it, and now wanted to hit faster, more exciting rides (not sure if there would be any more).
We did find one ride that topped the coaster. It resembled a huge pendulum. It swayed back & forth, getting faster and higher each time. At the max height, you were just about upside down, then it would drop and swing you across to the other side. I don't think my hand had ever been gripped so hard before. It was thrilling for her, but she was a little queasy afterwards...there wouldn't be a second ride on this one for her. Like in the US, they snap pictures of the riders. I purchased one for LinLin...it was only then that I realized how bald I'm actually getting.
In all, the rides were OK...the atmosphere was very similar to parks in the US, just not as nice. They had the same cheesy games, that are almost impossible to win. The workers at the rides spoke over a loud speaker, trying to get everyone pumped up (I only knew that because people would cheer & clap). I would actually compare the atmosphere at Happy Valley to a state fair, rather than an amusement park in the US. It was a nice place though, and very clean.
It was a fun day at the park and LinLin definitely enjoyed it. It was cool to provide a new experience for her.
A few pictures from the camera phone...
The huge pendulum
A few weeks ago, I told a girl (LinLin) that I would take her to Beijing Happy Valley, an amusement park on the west side of Beijing that just opened this year. So, yesterday afternoon, I picked her up (in a taxi, of course) over at the Drama College of Beijing, where she attends (OK, she's 22 ... it's not that young). She is a phenomenal singer, plays some weird Chinese stringed instrument and is an aspiring actress. Her English is about as good as my Chinese...so, I'm sure you could imagine all of the in depth conversations we had throughout the day. I was quite happy though, because we only had to pull out the electronic Chinese/English dictionary one time. However, the more I have to "dummy up" my English over the next year, the more I worry what I'll sound like when I get back to the US. I can't imagine it will be too much different.
Anyway, we arrived to no lines at the ticket counter and as we walked into the gates, it seemed like we were the only ones there. I'm thinking we'd have the freedom to hit the rides within minutes...rather than hours. Boy was I wrong. As we rounded the corner to the first "ride area," I saw the masses.
I forgot to mention, this was the first time LinLin had ever been to an amusement park. She's from north-east China. All I knew was that she would try all of the rides, and wanted to go fast. First up was a roller coaster. This was one of those coasters that hangs from the track, and you ride belly-down, like you're flying. So, after standing in line for about an hour, and getting stared at every other second by the many young Chinese, we were strapped in & ready for the ride. She loved it, and now wanted to hit faster, more exciting rides (not sure if there would be any more).
We did find one ride that topped the coaster. It resembled a huge pendulum. It swayed back & forth, getting faster and higher each time. At the max height, you were just about upside down, then it would drop and swing you across to the other side. I don't think my hand had ever been gripped so hard before. It was thrilling for her, but she was a little queasy afterwards...there wouldn't be a second ride on this one for her. Like in the US, they snap pictures of the riders. I purchased one for LinLin...it was only then that I realized how bald I'm actually getting.
In all, the rides were OK...the atmosphere was very similar to parks in the US, just not as nice. They had the same cheesy games, that are almost impossible to win. The workers at the rides spoke over a loud speaker, trying to get everyone pumped up (I only knew that because people would cheer & clap). I would actually compare the atmosphere at Happy Valley to a state fair, rather than an amusement park in the US. It was a nice place though, and very clean.
It was a fun day at the park and LinLin definitely enjoyed it. It was cool to provide a new experience for her.
A few pictures from the camera phone...
LinLin amused by the mist...
The huge pendulum
Half way through the line for the coaster
Signs winter is coming to Beijing...
1. Belly shirt season is officially over
2. Winter coat sales (you know, the "real ones") at the Silk Market are booming
3. The kettle corn & yam vendors are starting to appear on the streets
4. The cold seems to be making people grow more impatient, line cutting is increasing
5. The Mongolians are hitting the vodka harder to stay warm
6. The girls in Beijing are starting to appear in their short skirts & black tights (I'm told the Korean girls especially like to dress like this in the winter) ... I'm not complaining
7. It's getting cold
2. Winter coat sales (you know, the "real ones") at the Silk Market are booming
3. The kettle corn & yam vendors are starting to appear on the streets
4. The cold seems to be making people grow more impatient, line cutting is increasing
5. The Mongolians are hitting the vodka harder to stay warm
6. The girls in Beijing are starting to appear in their short skirts & black tights (I'm told the Korean girls especially like to dress like this in the winter) ... I'm not complaining
7. It's getting cold
Buffalo Snow Storm - pictures from parents
Some pictures from my parents...
Buffalo Snow Storm - South Buffalo, NY
This disaster doesn't compare to that of hurricanes such as Katrina or the Tsunami in Asia 2 years ago, but reactions of help seem to have been quick, at least by State Farm Insurance. My dad told me that they showed up to the house the day after the storm to survey the damage. Two days later, the check arrived. That's pretty impressive.
Buffalo Snow Storm - South Buffalo, NY
This disaster doesn't compare to that of hurricanes such as Katrina or the Tsunami in Asia 2 years ago, but reactions of help seem to have been quick, at least by State Farm Insurance. My dad told me that they showed up to the house the day after the storm to survey the damage. Two days later, the check arrived. That's pretty impressive.
19 October, 2006
More on the Buffalo, NY snow storm
Here is a video & some pictures from my friend Ryan in South Buffalo, NY (where I'm from). The video is of a transformer exploding near by...it lit up the sky. He said the noise in the video is much different that the noise he heard...but either way, it was weird.
I spoke to my parents on Sunday, they were still without power, but I think they have it back now. They have a mess to clean up, as does everyone else around Buffalo. My Mom told me that many of the electrical outlets in my Uncle's house caught fire/sparked...leaving the walls scared and black. I can't imagine what a nightmare this must be for him & everyone else in Buffalo.
Buffalo has tons & tons of huge trees that line the city roads. As you drive down side streets in South Buffalo, you can't help but notice how the trees form the resemblance of a tunnel, due to the sheer size of them, as the hang over both sides of the road. It's a shame that many of those trees are now completely ruined and will likely have to be cut down. I'm sure they will be replaced, but how long will it take for them to get back to where they once where...likely 50 years or more.
Flickr stream...
The face of Buffalo has definitely been changed. I moved away from Buffalo about 6 years ago. Each time I go home, I kind of feel like I never left. I think that's mostly because everything seems to look the same, no dramatic changes. I think my next trip home will be quite different. On top of the fact that it will likely be about 9 months since my last visit, with the landscape change in addition, it's going to be a weird feeling.
I spoke to my parents on Sunday, they were still without power, but I think they have it back now. They have a mess to clean up, as does everyone else around Buffalo. My Mom told me that many of the electrical outlets in my Uncle's house caught fire/sparked...leaving the walls scared and black. I can't imagine what a nightmare this must be for him & everyone else in Buffalo.
Buffalo has tons & tons of huge trees that line the city roads. As you drive down side streets in South Buffalo, you can't help but notice how the trees form the resemblance of a tunnel, due to the sheer size of them, as the hang over both sides of the road. It's a shame that many of those trees are now completely ruined and will likely have to be cut down. I'm sure they will be replaced, but how long will it take for them to get back to where they once where...likely 50 years or more.
Flickr stream...
The face of Buffalo has definitely been changed. I moved away from Buffalo about 6 years ago. Each time I go home, I kind of feel like I never left. I think that's mostly because everything seems to look the same, no dramatic changes. I think my next trip home will be quite different. On top of the fact that it will likely be about 9 months since my last visit, with the landscape change in addition, it's going to be a weird feeling.
14 October, 2006
Holy snow!!!
My uncle sent me this pic from my dad. I tried to call home, but no answer. I'm assuming power is out. I spoke to my buddy Ryan earlier today on IM, he said it snowed. I didn't think it would be this bad in October!!!
(that's the backyard/garage)
13 October, 2006
Big Blue moves more into red
nytimes.com:"I.B.M. Division Moves to China"
This is a smart move by IBM...to succeed in the world of guanxi, the big guns need to be in country. Not only are the majority of their hardware suppliers located in China, but as IBM moves even more towards services, less hardware, they will increase their human capital sourcing from China (as they continue to do in India).
This is a smart move by IBM...to succeed in the world of guanxi, the big guns need to be in country. Not only are the majority of their hardware suppliers located in China, but as IBM moves even more towards services, less hardware, they will increase their human capital sourcing from China (as they continue to do in India).
11 October, 2006
More robots in China
With the biggest population in the world, short-order cooks may soon be out of a job in China.
"Chinese scientists invent first cooking robot"
Who knows what will get thrown in these things to get cooked up & served...I don't want to know, don't tell me...just let me eat it and if I get sick, I'll know never to eat that orangy, brownish, green thing that was still moving on the dish, again.
"Chinese scientists invent first cooking robot"
Who knows what will get thrown in these things to get cooked up & served...I don't want to know, don't tell me...just let me eat it and if I get sick, I'll know never to eat that orangy, brownish, green thing that was still moving on the dish, again.
10 October, 2006
The China Internet Saga
Well, this mystery (and misery) may finally be solved! After 10 days with no internet connection at my apartment, I think today may be the day I can plug back in.
Here's the run down, if you care to be bored...
So, after being BS'd by everyone for 10 days, my internet should finally be working when I get home tonight. To ensure this doesn't happen again, I told William that if it happens again, I will deduct 50% of the rent for that month. So, the landlord actually paid for one year of internet service, so this doesn't happen again. I doubt it was because of my threat, but I like to think that it is, because money talks more here than anywhere else I've seen.
Lesson learned...the phone is not connected to the internet (for me anyway) & money is connected to getting people to do (or not to do) things in China.
PS...don't forget to pay the $6 phone bill next month.
Here's the run down, if you care to be bored...
- Day 1 (September 30) - I report that my internet connection is gone, to my real estate guy (William).
- Day 2 (October 1) - William calls me and says that I need to pay my phone bill (which had been shut off a week prior). I can pay at ANY bank in China. New process to me, was never told I needed to worry about this, but OK, I'll do it.
- Day 3 (October 2) - I go off hunting for a bank that will allow me to pay my phone bill. ALL CLOSED. It's "National Holiday" in China...banks are all closed until Sunday, October 8.
- Days 4-8 - I am sick and suffer with no internet at home...wander down to SPR coffee at various points for an hour's worth of catching up
- Dav 9 - BANKS ARE OPEN! I wait in line for 2 hours with a number (178) in my hand to pay my phone bill. Guess how much the bill was ......... $6USD !!! I can't believe my phone (and, supposedly my internet) were both shut off for six bucks.
- I go home to test the phone...WORKS ... internet ... WTF, not working - William gets another call
- Day 10 - William calls me to tell me that the internet has been out in my apartment complex (didn't say for how long). He then tells me that it's out in Block D ... jackass, I'm in Block A. So, after calling his BS on that one, he finally tells me that the landlord "forgot" to pay the internet bill and will do it tomorrow (today). Guess what landlord, I'm going to "forget" to transfer the rent to you on time...and maybe not give you 100% of it!
So, after being BS'd by everyone for 10 days, my internet should finally be working when I get home tonight. To ensure this doesn't happen again, I told William that if it happens again, I will deduct 50% of the rent for that month. So, the landlord actually paid for one year of internet service, so this doesn't happen again. I doubt it was because of my threat, but I like to think that it is, because money talks more here than anywhere else I've seen.
Lesson learned...the phone is not connected to the internet (for me anyway) & money is connected to getting people to do (or not to do) things in China.
PS...don't forget to pay the $6 phone bill next month.
09 October, 2006
North Korea...to go or not to go?
Over the weekend, a couple of friends here in Beijing told me about a trip to North Korea, planned for the last weekend in October. Basically, it's a golf/sight-seeing trip with a "business" twist.
As soon as I heard about it I immediately said "I'm in." How many chances does one get to go to North Korea? I'm not afraid to go...what's the worst that could happen? Well, I guess there are plenty of bad things that could happen to a US citizen in North Korea...but what are the chances of them happening?
So, I started looking into it this morning. My main concern was the possibility of getting a "North Korean" stamp on my passport. Would US Customs say "WTF were you doing there? Get the hell out of the US and never come back?" I doubt it, but hey, who knows with the political mess going on there. I couldn't get an answer to this today, the US Embassy in Beijing is closed today...Columbus Day. (Kev (brother) left some info. in the comments section, thanks Kev!)
I then called the group in Beijing that is organizing this. They needed some info. from me and then called me back just a little bit ago with the news.... Turns out, North Korea had their first nuclear test today and it was "successful." Well, politically, the shit will likely hit the fan late tonight (US morning). So, these guys aren't too keen on taking some Americans with them this time around. Four guys, including myself got the rejection based on today's news. DAMN!
But, not to worry...they are planning another trip in May 2007. So, assuming that North Korea doesn't completely fall apart or the US and/or any other countries don't invade it by or before May 2007...I'm definitely in for the next trip.
Why would I or should I not go?
You can see the 4.2 quake it caused recorded here...
Here's the info. I originally received...
"A unique opportunity to combine business and pleasure in Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), often referred to as N. Korea - a combination of business, golf and sightseeing!
One full day golf
A full one-day Golf Challenge on the par-72 Taesong Golf Course (beside Lake Taesong). Prizes will be offered, and a percentage of the money raised will be donated to the Korea Sports Fund.
One full day of business
A seminar on Monday morning covering:
Business overview of N. Korea economy, foreign trade policy, investment climate and environment
General understanding of business and trade opportunities
Overview of investment policy and laws governing foreign and JV enterprises
Meetings (by arrangement), or business-related industrial and factory tour on Monday afternoon.
Plus: Monday evening Reception with members of the Pyongyang business community in attendance."
As soon as I heard about it I immediately said "I'm in." How many chances does one get to go to North Korea? I'm not afraid to go...what's the worst that could happen? Well, I guess there are plenty of bad things that could happen to a US citizen in North Korea...but what are the chances of them happening?
So, I started looking into it this morning. My main concern was the possibility of getting a "North Korean" stamp on my passport. Would US Customs say "WTF were you doing there? Get the hell out of the US and never come back?" I doubt it, but hey, who knows with the political mess going on there. I couldn't get an answer to this today, the US Embassy in Beijing is closed today...Columbus Day. (Kev (brother) left some info. in the comments section, thanks Kev!)
I then called the group in Beijing that is organizing this. They needed some info. from me and then called me back just a little bit ago with the news.... Turns out, North Korea had their first nuclear test today and it was "successful." Well, politically, the shit will likely hit the fan late tonight (US morning). So, these guys aren't too keen on taking some Americans with them this time around. Four guys, including myself got the rejection based on today's news. DAMN!
But, not to worry...they are planning another trip in May 2007. So, assuming that North Korea doesn't completely fall apart or the US and/or any other countries don't invade it by or before May 2007...I'm definitely in for the next trip.
Why would I or should I not go?
You can see the 4.2 quake it caused recorded here...
Here's the info. I originally received...
"A unique opportunity to combine business and pleasure in Pyongyang, capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), often referred to as N. Korea - a combination of business, golf and sightseeing!
One full day golf
A full one-day Golf Challenge on the par-72 Taesong Golf Course (beside Lake Taesong). Prizes will be offered, and a percentage of the money raised will be donated to the Korea Sports Fund.
One full day of business
A seminar on Monday morning covering:
Business overview of N. Korea economy, foreign trade policy, investment climate and environment
General understanding of business and trade opportunities
Overview of investment policy and laws governing foreign and JV enterprises
Meetings (by arrangement), or business-related industrial and factory tour on Monday afternoon.
Plus: Monday evening Reception with members of the Pyongyang business community in attendance."
06 October, 2006
Being disconnected sucks, so does being sick
Well, I'm on day 6 with no internet and phone and it completely sucks. I tried a conference call from SPR coffee using Skype, didn't even come close to being a 2 way conversation, I could not be heard on the other end. Supposedly the banks will open back up on Sunday and I should be able to pay the bill then, we'll see. The other piece to this puzzle is, how long will it actually take between after I pay the bill and when the service will come back on, God knows.
Today was supposed to be "Lost in Beijing" day, but I caught something nasty on Wednesday. I've been drinking a lot of watermelon juice (never had before, it's very good), because I was told it will help put nutrients back in my body? We'll see...I'm feeling a bit better. So, the Beijing tour will have to wait until a weekend in the future.
Today is "Mid-Autumn Festival" or "Moon Day" ... it's a day for family reunion and eating moon cakes. I haven't seen to many traditional things going on in Beijing these days...maybe because I'm in the more "western" area of the city.
Today was supposed to be "Lost in Beijing" day, but I caught something nasty on Wednesday. I've been drinking a lot of watermelon juice (never had before, it's very good), because I was told it will help put nutrients back in my body? We'll see...I'm feeling a bit better. So, the Beijing tour will have to wait until a weekend in the future.
Today is "Mid-Autumn Festival" or "Moon Day" ... it's a day for family reunion and eating moon cakes. I haven't seen to many traditional things going on in Beijing these days...maybe because I'm in the more "western" area of the city.
04 October, 2006
Lost in Beijing
On Friday, my friend Will and I will embark on a journey around Beijing. Our means of travel...subway, buses & rickshaws. We don't know where we'll end up or what we'll see, but we do know that if at any point we are seriously lost, we simply get in a taxi and tell him where home is.
It should be an interesting journey, with many pictures and stories about what we saw. Stay tuned.
BTW...still no phone or internet connection, so I find myself in SPR coffee again and having to take a call via Skype here for work.
It should be an interesting journey, with many pictures and stories about what we saw. Stay tuned.
BTW...still no phone or internet connection, so I find myself in SPR coffee again and having to take a call via Skype here for work.
Yes, you've seen me on "CHIPS"
As I was walking over to the coffee shop yesterday, for my daily feed of the internet, I came upon this accident. Just as in the US, many "rubber-neckers" were checking it out, myself included. Thankfully though, traffic did not come to a hault, as it was on one of the secondary roads
02 October, 2006
Sometimes this place drives me nuts
Things operate very differently over on this side of the world...especially when it comes to money, paying bills and buying items with "credit."
My apartment is not a "serviced apartment." A serviced apartment is basically like a hotel...everything included in your night's stay (or year's stay)...electric, water, cleaning, internet, phone, etc.... These items are included in my rent (for the most part), but I have to take care of paying for some of them on my own. Power, gas & water were the only ones I was aware of, until today.
My phone has been turned off for about a week now...yesterday, the internet went. The only way I can fix these things are by calling my agent from CBRE (real estate company). William has to take care of these things for me, since he is the middle-man. He's been "working on" the phone issue for about a week now...no progress. Today I called him and basically snapped. I'm kind of fed up with no one telling me how to get things done around here. So, today he tells me my internet is turned off because I haven't paid my phone bill...weird, I don't have a DSL modem. To fix this problem, I have to go to a bank, any bank, and tell them I want to pay. Great, easy enough...well, its "October holiday" here, banks are closed until Thursday. WONDERFUL.
So, here I am back in SPR coffee using the free wireless.
Not all was lost though...as I was out today looking for a bank to fix my communication issues, some random guy started talking to me. I wasn't really in a mood, but I gave him a chance. Usually these random people only want one of two things...1) practice their English or 2) sell you something. Turns out, he's an art professor at a university here in Beijing. He's also quite an accomplished artist. (OK, he wanted to sell me something, but he was a nice guy.)
He asked me if I wanted to see his work...OK, why not, maybe it will cheer me up. So, we wandered back into an alley and into his little studio. It was awesome! Mostly portraits. This guy is really a talented artist.
I'm not that into art, but I decided to buy one of his pieces. So, here's a pic of my first piece of art purchased in China. I'll write up an explanation about it another time.
My apartment is not a "serviced apartment." A serviced apartment is basically like a hotel...everything included in your night's stay (or year's stay)...electric, water, cleaning, internet, phone, etc.... These items are included in my rent (for the most part), but I have to take care of paying for some of them on my own. Power, gas & water were the only ones I was aware of, until today.
My phone has been turned off for about a week now...yesterday, the internet went. The only way I can fix these things are by calling my agent from CBRE (real estate company). William has to take care of these things for me, since he is the middle-man. He's been "working on" the phone issue for about a week now...no progress. Today I called him and basically snapped. I'm kind of fed up with no one telling me how to get things done around here. So, today he tells me my internet is turned off because I haven't paid my phone bill...weird, I don't have a DSL modem. To fix this problem, I have to go to a bank, any bank, and tell them I want to pay. Great, easy enough...well, its "October holiday" here, banks are closed until Thursday. WONDERFUL.
So, here I am back in SPR coffee using the free wireless.
Not all was lost though...as I was out today looking for a bank to fix my communication issues, some random guy started talking to me. I wasn't really in a mood, but I gave him a chance. Usually these random people only want one of two things...1) practice their English or 2) sell you something. Turns out, he's an art professor at a university here in Beijing. He's also quite an accomplished artist. (OK, he wanted to sell me something, but he was a nice guy.)
He asked me if I wanted to see his work...OK, why not, maybe it will cheer me up. So, we wandered back into an alley and into his little studio. It was awesome! Mostly portraits. This guy is really a talented artist.
I'm not that into art, but I decided to buy one of his pieces. So, here's a pic of my first piece of art purchased in China. I'll write up an explanation about it another time.
28 September, 2006
F'ing hilarious
Thanks to Hazen for passing this one along. I'm going to see if I can teach one of the little begger kids here to dance like this.
Worst online survey ever...RED HERRING
I received an email earlier this week from Red Herring. One of those massive mailings from the "Co-Chief Operating Officer," Daniel Essindi. It was announcing a new forum that Red Herring is launching called, "INNOVATION." How original.
Quoted from the email...
"Red Herring is launching "INNOVATION" an exclusive forum where the innovators covered in Red Herring magazine will meet to share ideas and to echange notes face to face."
[notice the spelling error "echange"]
I thought, OK... I'll check out the survey. Maybe they will provide some more info. on what this thing is all about. Ask me questions about what I'd want to get out of such a forum, who I would most like to participate in the forum, ask me what type of opportunities or partnerships I may want to make. Wrong. Here's what they asked...
"Would you spend more than $7,000 to participate in this gathering?"
Hell no. For an event where executives will talk about "Innovation" & likely not share anything useful. What's the point of the forum, please Red Herring, share that information before you ask someone if they would spend MORE than $7,000 to attend.
They don't even have anything about this on their homepage or in the "Events" section of their website. I understand this thing may not be baked yet, but at least have some idea of what the goals of this forum would be.
Check out the survey yourself if you'd like...
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?A=148971658E19193
Quoted from the email...
"Red Herring is launching "INNOVATION" an exclusive forum where the innovators covered in Red Herring magazine will meet to share ideas and to echange notes face to face."
[notice the spelling error "echange"]
I thought, OK... I'll check out the survey. Maybe they will provide some more info. on what this thing is all about. Ask me questions about what I'd want to get out of such a forum, who I would most like to participate in the forum, ask me what type of opportunities or partnerships I may want to make. Wrong. Here's what they asked...
"Would you spend more than $7,000 to participate in this gathering?"
Hell no. For an event where executives will talk about "Innovation" & likely not share anything useful. What's the point of the forum, please Red Herring, share that information before you ask someone if they would spend MORE than $7,000 to attend.They don't even have anything about this on their homepage or in the "Events" section of their website. I understand this thing may not be baked yet, but at least have some idea of what the goals of this forum would be.
Check out the survey yourself if you'd like...
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?A=148971658E19193
26 September, 2006
Great quote...something to live by
My brother sent me this quote last month, as I was beginning my journey to China. It's a quote from the Marines, so I'm sure they all learn it & many likely try to live by it (they must, if they get shipped out).
It's something I am definetly living by over here in China.
"Unhappiness does not arise from the way things are but rather from a difference in the way things are and the way we believe they should be. Comfort is an illusion. A false security bred from familiar things and familiar ways. It narrows the mind. Weakens the body. And robs the soul of spirit and determination..."
(last line is "Comfort is neither welcome nor tolerated here.")
I've never been one to get home sick...not that I don't miss home (my family, friends and the things I'm "comfortable" with), but when you're out of that comfort zone, you can't just sit back, hide and think about how you wish things were...you have to deal with it, take advantage of it & learn.
It's something I am definetly living by over here in China.
"Unhappiness does not arise from the way things are but rather from a difference in the way things are and the way we believe they should be. Comfort is an illusion. A false security bred from familiar things and familiar ways. It narrows the mind. Weakens the body. And robs the soul of spirit and determination..."
(last line is "Comfort is neither welcome nor tolerated here.")
I've never been one to get home sick...not that I don't miss home (my family, friends and the things I'm "comfortable" with), but when you're out of that comfort zone, you can't just sit back, hide and think about how you wish things were...you have to deal with it, take advantage of it & learn.
24 September, 2006
Robots in China
Thanks to Jim for passing this blog entry on the "Chinese Beauty Robot" over to me.
Does China really need robots to dance, bow & greet people? In place with 1.4 billion people, I think not. Although, robots are cool (I had a cool when when I was a kid, but my brother and sister broke it). So, if nothing else than to make an impression and show that China can be "high-tech", then OK.
But back to my question...in a country where you can find a person for any job and typically, people only do one specific job, why are robots needed? When you can walk down the street and see 50 guys planting 25 plants...when you can look at a construction site and see one guy with a screw driver, one with a hammer and one with the wrench (not one person with all 3 tools)...why robots?
I'm just wondering if China plans to increase its already massive population with robots walking around the cities. But hey, maybe they can give the massages in the WCs, that would be a little less creepy, but still creepy.
Does China really need robots to dance, bow & greet people? In place with 1.4 billion people, I think not. Although, robots are cool (I had a cool when when I was a kid, but my brother and sister broke it). So, if nothing else than to make an impression and show that China can be "high-tech", then OK.
But back to my question...in a country where you can find a person for any job and typically, people only do one specific job, why are robots needed? When you can walk down the street and see 50 guys planting 25 plants...when you can look at a construction site and see one guy with a screw driver, one with a hammer and one with the wrench (not one person with all 3 tools)...why robots?
I'm just wondering if China plans to increase its already massive population with robots walking around the cities. But hey, maybe they can give the massages in the WCs, that would be a little less creepy, but still creepy.
Traffic from Iraq?
It's not visible in google analytics. My brother, a US Marine in Iraq, visits my blog periodically. I know, because he references topics in emails to me. However, the little orange dot does not appear in google analytic's "Geo Map Overlay."
I'm assuming then, that the military bases in Iraq (and likely elsewhere around the world) don't use in-country IT infrastructure. That's likely not possible in Iraq anyway, since if it even exists these days, it's likely pretty crappy. But, if the military uses some US IT infrastructure (satellites likely), wouldn't traffic still show up? I guess not, since it's not. Maybe they don't want website and/or blog owners around the world to know that there are US military forces in Baghdad.
I'm assuming then, that the military bases in Iraq (and likely elsewhere around the world) don't use in-country IT infrastructure. That's likely not possible in Iraq anyway, since if it even exists these days, it's likely pretty crappy. But, if the military uses some US IT infrastructure (satellites likely), wouldn't traffic still show up? I guess not, since it's not. Maybe they don't want website and/or blog owners around the world to know that there are US military forces in Baghdad.
23 September, 2006
DVD? ... No. ... Sex DVD? ... No.
I took a walk late this afternoon over to the big electronics shopping center near my apartment. I knew I'd get heckled here & there, but didn't think it would get as bad as it did. On a typical day of walking around the Chaoyang area, you'll get asked if you want "DVD" at least once or twice. Well, today, in the 2 block area I was walking, I was asked 29 times if I wanted to buy DVDs. Granted, some of these geniuses asked me twice (once on the way into the building & once on the way out)...a good salesmen never gives up, right?
I even had some women holding their little babies asking me..."you want DVD?" (the kids, with their "ass pants" on ... ass pants are basically pants or shorts with the seat cut open...the only explanation I can provide here is that it saves on diaper costs, but likely not good for the environment).
Usually (as the Chinese pronounce... u-u-lee) they give up after one wave of the hand, shake of the head or a simple "bu" (no). Tonight, 80% of them tried a second time. "DVD?" was quickly followed by "Sex DVD!?" ... yeah, like I want to buy your cheap porn.
So, after all of the excitement, I figured I'd contribute to one of the rickshaw guys. He didn't know what he was getting himself into when he decided he'd peddle me along for a couple of blocks...
I took it easy last night, but it's on to a party at Suzie Wong's tonight...should be interesting.
I even had some women holding their little babies asking me..."you want DVD?" (the kids, with their "ass pants" on ... ass pants are basically pants or shorts with the seat cut open...the only explanation I can provide here is that it saves on diaper costs, but likely not good for the environment).
Usually (as the Chinese pronounce... u-u-lee) they give up after one wave of the hand, shake of the head or a simple "bu" (no). Tonight, 80% of them tried a second time. "DVD?" was quickly followed by "Sex DVD!?" ... yeah, like I want to buy your cheap porn.
So, after all of the excitement, I figured I'd contribute to one of the rickshaw guys. He didn't know what he was getting himself into when he decided he'd peddle me along for a couple of blocks...
I took it easy last night, but it's on to a party at Suzie Wong's tonight...should be interesting.
22 September, 2006
Squatters!
I have yet to attempt "squatting" and I will try my best to never have to. I can't see how guys do it. How they don't walk out with stuff all over their pants is beyond me. Plus, I am a bit of a freak about my clothes being wrinkled, so I'd hate the fact that I'd need to go iron my pants when done. I guess since the people here grew up having to always use them, it's natural...kind of like riding a bike, only messy.
Today though, there was a guy who I think is among the elite of squatters. He was "on the squatter" talking on his cell phone! Now, how the hell you do that when you're "on the squatter", is beyond me.
Here's a squatter...
As you can see, there are no "handicap" rails in there...so, you better have some
strong legs, and be able to squat for as long as it takes...
So, a bit of a disgusting post, but there you go.
Today though, there was a guy who I think is among the elite of squatters. He was "on the squatter" talking on his cell phone! Now, how the hell you do that when you're "on the squatter", is beyond me.
Here's a squatter...
As you can see, there are no "handicap" rails in there...so, you better have some
strong legs, and be able to squat for as long as it takes...
So, a bit of a disgusting post, but there you go.
21 September, 2006
How does communication work in China?
I'm having a hard time figuring this one out. What I've experienced thus far is that
usually, when you ask for something, after a few times, you get it, after a while. There is not typically any communication between the time the person actually agrees to do something and when you get the result (basically, they don't tell you that they agree that they'll get or do it). This isn't always the case, but I'm finding it to be the majority of the time.
How am I addressing this? I'm trying to balance it. I don't want to be a complete
pain in the ass and constantly ask for things and for updates, etc... But, sometimes
I have to be, otherwise it just doesn't happen. Sometimes, if it's not something
really important (like ordering a refrigerator for the office), I just let it slide. Asked once, it was acknowledged, 2 weeks and counting, no fridge. I'm going to wait this one out though. I'm also going to try a few other experiments like this. I need to see what it takes to get things done, and more important, provide some sort of motivation for things to get done...quicker.
Could all of this just be due to the fact that I'm a foreigner who can't properly
communicate here because I don't know the language? Or maybe because I have not accomplished enough guanxi yet? I'm not sure. People are always on their cell phones..talking, text messaging. Outside of work, text messaging is one of the favorites pastimes here, especially with the girls you meet. So, I don't think there is a lack of communication overall...but seems to be in the workplace.
More digging needed on this one...
usually, when you ask for something, after a few times, you get it, after a while. There is not typically any communication between the time the person actually agrees to do something and when you get the result (basically, they don't tell you that they agree that they'll get or do it). This isn't always the case, but I'm finding it to be the majority of the time.
How am I addressing this? I'm trying to balance it. I don't want to be a complete
pain in the ass and constantly ask for things and for updates, etc... But, sometimes
I have to be, otherwise it just doesn't happen. Sometimes, if it's not something
really important (like ordering a refrigerator for the office), I just let it slide. Asked once, it was acknowledged, 2 weeks and counting, no fridge. I'm going to wait this one out though. I'm also going to try a few other experiments like this. I need to see what it takes to get things done, and more important, provide some sort of motivation for things to get done...quicker.
Could all of this just be due to the fact that I'm a foreigner who can't properly
communicate here because I don't know the language? Or maybe because I have not accomplished enough guanxi yet? I'm not sure. People are always on their cell phones..talking, text messaging. Outside of work, text messaging is one of the favorites pastimes here, especially with the girls you meet. So, I don't think there is a lack of communication overall...but seems to be in the workplace.
More digging needed on this one...
19 September, 2006
Bikes everywhere!
I'm not sure how many bikes there are in china, but I bet there are more than cars. Most are very old, beat up bikes. As long as it works, people don't seem to care. Plus, if you're peddling around on a new bike, it is likely to be someone else's bike soon enough. Tons of bike repair guys line the streets...fixing/replacing tires, greasing chains, selling locks.
It's estimated that there will be 3 million cars on the roads, sidewalks, grassy areas (they driver anywhere) of Beijing by 2008. I also read today that Beijing is going to prohibit all personal vehicles from being on the roads of Beijing during the 2008 Olympics. However, those people who do own vehicles will have free access to public transportation during that time. This is a good move by Beijing officials. Traffic here is already a mess, hopefully they will see an improvement with this move during the games.
Came across this article on nytimes.com....in the Netherlands, most people ride bikes. Only, they likely aren't covered in dirt or bruised from car bumpers like the people of China. They also pay big money for bikes there, that will likely never happen in China.
15 September, 2006
Friday in Beijing, take a look
Here are some pictures of Friday evening in Beijing...
"Getting ready to peddle my ass off"
"Just a little cat nap before I go party it up"
"I'm sleeping too, but you can only see my toes"
"Bicycle races!!"
"What a mess...don't worry, the guy in the blue hat will fix it!"
"No fruit for you!"
OK, I'll let you see
So, some people have been asking for a picture of the "girlfriend." She's not really my girlfriend, but I have been spending a lot of time with her in the evenings...we'll see how it goes!
BTW...I am not drunk and I do not photograph well and the painting in the background is classy, huh?
Back rubs in the WC...enough already!
First... WC = Water Closet. If you come to China, you should know that (I didn't my first time), but that's what they call the bathroom here.
Anyway, in my first month of living here, there are a few things that I'm not very fond of. Yeah, there are the typical ones like traffic, spitting everywhere, taxi drivers, etc... but I won't complain about those, because actually, it's just as bad as any major city in any country around the world.
Some irritating things:
Anyway, in my first month of living here, there are a few things that I'm not very fond of. Yeah, there are the typical ones like traffic, spitting everywhere, taxi drivers, etc... but I won't complain about those, because actually, it's just as bad as any major city in any country around the world.
Some irritating things:
- BACK RUBS/PATTING in the bathrooms. This doesn't happen everywhere, but you will find it at some of the bars in Beijing. A lot of places have bathroom attendants...use a comb, take some mints, hand you a towel. But here, while you're standing at the urinal letting it flow, they sneak up behind you and start giving you a back rub. Come on, is that really necessary & how many people actually like that? Not to mention, when you start punching my back, it hurts my aim, so you might get some on your shoes (they don't care). So bathroom attendants...no more back rubs at the stalls. Relax, I'll give you 10RMB, just give me a clean towel to dry my hands.
- Ordering food. Why does it take so long for people to order food here and why do the waiters & waitresses stand over you as soon as you sit down to wait for your order. Give me some time, then I'll order and it will only take a minute, rather than the 10 minutes it usually takes people here to order food.
- Cell phones in meetings. I hate this. Everyone carries their cell phones with them around offices...and a lot of companies have "cell phones" as their office phones. In any given meeting, with any given company, there are at least 10 phone calls during the meeting. Many times, people answer the calls & some times even walk out to take the call right during a discussion. This is far worse than doing email or chatting on IM during a meeting. Cell phones off!
Dinner with "the team"
Last night, I hosted a dinner for my new team. Not my entire team, you know, since I'm having a few problems with the recruiting these days. I also had a colleague from Tokyo & guy from the HR team there who has been providing me with a ton of help, great guy.
So, we headed over to a restaurant near the office... English name "Hot Fish." As usual, a bunch of weird stuff on the menu, but thankfully no one ordered anything too weird (like duck stomachs or duck tongues...yes, they were on the menu).
On the way to dinner, it was determined by the HR guy that we would have some Chinese Wine. This is not wine, it's a liquor and some types can likely be used as jet fuel. I've had some here & there before, but not to the extent of last night's dinner.
There was a choice given to me between 38% & 52% (76 proof & 104 proof respectively). I opted for the 38%, but I was quickly correct by the HR guy ... "52% much better!" OK, I'll trust him.
Only 4 of us were going to drink the wine...we also had beer. When the clear liquid was sitting in front of me, just about filled to the top of a standard sized wine glass, I got a little scared. Jokingly, I quickly raised my glass and said "ganbei!" ... thought I would use it to break the ice a bit. Because no one, including me, was about to drink their first glass to the bottom. I then attempted a simple "toast" in Chinese... "I welcome you to our company" ... I butchered it, but they more or less understood what I was trying to say. Throughout dinner, there were many "cheers" and simple sayings and thanks in English. It was all very nice.
After the first glass of the "wine," we started to get a little courageous. It was time for the "ganbeis" to begin. I started off the first one, it was hilarious. I had strategically been sipping on mine as the others had barely touched theirs...bottoms up!
After 1 & 1/2 bottles and about 10 liters of beer, it was time to call it a night. The HR guy was smashed, I was on my way and as we walked out of the room, I saw a few guys stumbling around... Thursday night must be wine night.
So, we headed over to a restaurant near the office... English name "Hot Fish." As usual, a bunch of weird stuff on the menu, but thankfully no one ordered anything too weird (like duck stomachs or duck tongues...yes, they were on the menu).
On the way to dinner, it was determined by the HR guy that we would have some Chinese Wine. This is not wine, it's a liquor and some types can likely be used as jet fuel. I've had some here & there before, but not to the extent of last night's dinner.
There was a choice given to me between 38% & 52% (76 proof & 104 proof respectively). I opted for the 38%, but I was quickly correct by the HR guy ... "52% much better!" OK, I'll trust him.
Only 4 of us were going to drink the wine...we also had beer. When the clear liquid was sitting in front of me, just about filled to the top of a standard sized wine glass, I got a little scared. Jokingly, I quickly raised my glass and said "ganbei!" ... thought I would use it to break the ice a bit. Because no one, including me, was about to drink their first glass to the bottom. I then attempted a simple "toast" in Chinese... "I welcome you to our company" ... I butchered it, but they more or less understood what I was trying to say. Throughout dinner, there were many "cheers" and simple sayings and thanks in English. It was all very nice.
After the first glass of the "wine," we started to get a little courageous. It was time for the "ganbeis" to begin. I started off the first one, it was hilarious. I had strategically been sipping on mine as the others had barely touched theirs...bottoms up!
After 1 & 1/2 bottles and about 10 liters of beer, it was time to call it a night. The HR guy was smashed, I was on my way and as we walked out of the room, I saw a few guys stumbling around... Thursday night must be wine night.
13 September, 2006
Yahoo, Google & Software in China
So, Yahoo! & Google are experiencing new growth in China and I can even find people to fill my team...and this is not a small company in China!
Yahoo! has managed to double their size in China over the past year. But, it wasn't really Yahoo who did it (although, the brand name likely helped), it was China-based Alibaba, who took over management of Yahoo! China, who has spurred the growth. You can see the story here.
As for Google, they recently opened a brand new complex in Beijing. If that's not a sign of significant growth, I don't know what is (OK, they do have googles of money, so that helps).
When I was in Beijing back in July, I was out to lunch with William, the guy who was helping me find my apartment. We happened to be sitting next to a table full of Yahoo! employees (I could tell from their badges :-)). So, I asked William to talk to them for me (since I knew 3 words in Chinese at the time) and to give them my card. I was thinking, maybe I could lure them away from Yahoo!. But with what, my business card that was only in English?! Needless to say, no one ever contacted me.
The recruiting efforts are proving to be difficult. More on that in a later post coming soon.
Last, I came across this Business Week article: "China: The Next Software Center?" I've got a lot to write about in this regard...between Google, Yahoo, software jobs & my experience thus far. Stay tuned.
Yahoo! has managed to double their size in China over the past year. But, it wasn't really Yahoo who did it (although, the brand name likely helped), it was China-based Alibaba, who took over management of Yahoo! China, who has spurred the growth. You can see the story here.
As for Google, they recently opened a brand new complex in Beijing. If that's not a sign of significant growth, I don't know what is (OK, they do have googles of money, so that helps).
When I was in Beijing back in July, I was out to lunch with William, the guy who was helping me find my apartment. We happened to be sitting next to a table full of Yahoo! employees (I could tell from their badges :-)). So, I asked William to talk to them for me (since I knew 3 words in Chinese at the time) and to give them my card. I was thinking, maybe I could lure them away from Yahoo!. But with what, my business card that was only in English?! Needless to say, no one ever contacted me.
The recruiting efforts are proving to be difficult. More on that in a later post coming soon.
Last, I came across this Business Week article: "China: The Next Software Center?" I've got a lot to write about in this regard...between Google, Yahoo, software jobs & my experience thus far. Stay tuned.
Driverless cars in China???
I would prefer not to be around when these things hit the roads of Beijing.
I hope they will be able to react to all of the other cars on the road (and bikes and people) not following any of the traffic laws, such as...lanes, lights, tailgating, etc....
I hope they will be able to react to all of the other cars on the road (and bikes and people) not following any of the traffic laws, such as...lanes, lights, tailgating, etc....
Prep'ing for the Beijing Marathon...
OK...not the whole thing, less than 1/4 of it actually...10K to be exact. Even that will be hard for me. Could you imagine me trying to run 26.2 miles, in one day? It would probably take me an entire day. Maybe some day I'll get to marathon status, for now... 6 miles will be my max, and I'm not even there yet.
So, I started the running/lifting back up around September 1, when I finally received my club membership at my apartment complex. Running outside here on a regular basis is really not something I want to get into yet, for many reasons! I've been getting in 3-4 days per week, typically only 3 miles, but have done 4 a couple times. My pace...it's at 10 minute miles... not horrible, but certainly not impressive.
I was talking to my buddy Francis, from Buffalo, this morning. He's an experienced runner. Ran cross-country through high school and still runs today. His advice for me (to get to 6 miles for the race) was the following:
So, I started the running/lifting back up around September 1, when I finally received my club membership at my apartment complex. Running outside here on a regular basis is really not something I want to get into yet, for many reasons! I've been getting in 3-4 days per week, typically only 3 miles, but have done 4 a couple times. My pace...it's at 10 minute miles... not horrible, but certainly not impressive.
I was talking to my buddy Francis, from Buffalo, this morning. He's an experienced runner. Ran cross-country through high school and still runs today. His advice for me (to get to 6 miles for the race) was the following:
- 2 weeks prior to the race ... run 5 miles at pace
- 1 week prior to the race ... run 5 miles at pace
- In between those runs & leading up the the 10K run, continue at 3-4 miles - 3 days /week
- As for the 6th mile, he says I'll just push it out on race day
11 September, 2006
Remembering from China
I'm sure the blogs are buzzing with recounts and stories and thoughts from and about 9/11. Being on the other side of the world remembering it is a bit awkward. I don't see all of the coverage on TV, or my friends or colleagues talking about. Surprisingly, no one here (Chinese, American or other) has even mentioned it yet today.
I've read many articles the last few days asking where the old America is ... the America that came together in the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months after 9/11. No one should expect that to last forever. People move on, but they don't forget.
So, I'll recount my story...
I was in Buffalo, NY for the weekend, flew home on September 7. We were celebrating the 21st birthdays of a couple friends of mine. So, needless to say, it was going to be "one of those weekends." We had an awesome weekend, beer was involved and so was trouble (too be expected with a bunch of 21 year olds).
My friends Ryan and I (we were roommates at the time in Raleigh), flew back to Raleigh on Monday, September 10, through DC. Hung over, ready to get back into our routines, just another travel day, no big deal.
The next day, Tuesday, September 11, I began my usual routine (though, I was a bit late that morning, you know, due to the weekend). So, I was in the living room ironing my clothes, with the Today Show on, as it was every other morning.
"Breaking News" ... plane hits World Trade Center. The reports coming in were that it was a small plane, maybe a 4 seater. Some people were calling in saying they thought it was a commercial airliner, everyone figured it was an accident. Soon after, watching on live TV, the second plane hits. This is no accident. I was in shock, thinking this couldn't be real. It was on TV, a movie or something. I couldn't just sit there anymore, I had to turn off the TV, so I drove into the office.
Not much working going on... people in the halls, talking, on the internet, watching the TVs. I didn't last long in the office, I had to go back home and watch on TV.
I remember my girlfriend (at the time), calling me. She was hysterical. Her grandmother had been in New York on a trip. I believe she was staying at a hotel very close to the WTC. They couldn't get a hold of her, so of course, the worst is expected. She was OK though, managed to get out of the city & was safe. There are countless other stories like this, only many did not have a good outcome.
I can't imagine what it must have been like to experience this tragic event in the city, in person. Nor could I imagine what it must have felt like, and still feel like, to know someone who died...be it in NY, DC or PA.
My brother joined the Marines shortly after 9/11 (boot camp in March 2002). I actually never asked him why he joined, not sure if 9/11 actually had anything to do with it. There are plenty who did enlist due to 9/11 & thanks to everyone who did, still active, and those who will in the future.
So, how is 9/11 perceived or remembered in China? I don't know.
I've read many articles the last few days asking where the old America is ... the America that came together in the minutes, hours, days, weeks, months after 9/11. No one should expect that to last forever. People move on, but they don't forget.
So, I'll recount my story...
I was in Buffalo, NY for the weekend, flew home on September 7. We were celebrating the 21st birthdays of a couple friends of mine. So, needless to say, it was going to be "one of those weekends." We had an awesome weekend, beer was involved and so was trouble (too be expected with a bunch of 21 year olds).
My friends Ryan and I (we were roommates at the time in Raleigh), flew back to Raleigh on Monday, September 10, through DC. Hung over, ready to get back into our routines, just another travel day, no big deal.
The next day, Tuesday, September 11, I began my usual routine (though, I was a bit late that morning, you know, due to the weekend). So, I was in the living room ironing my clothes, with the Today Show on, as it was every other morning.
"Breaking News" ... plane hits World Trade Center. The reports coming in were that it was a small plane, maybe a 4 seater. Some people were calling in saying they thought it was a commercial airliner, everyone figured it was an accident. Soon after, watching on live TV, the second plane hits. This is no accident. I was in shock, thinking this couldn't be real. It was on TV, a movie or something. I couldn't just sit there anymore, I had to turn off the TV, so I drove into the office.
Not much working going on... people in the halls, talking, on the internet, watching the TVs. I didn't last long in the office, I had to go back home and watch on TV.
I remember my girlfriend (at the time), calling me. She was hysterical. Her grandmother had been in New York on a trip. I believe she was staying at a hotel very close to the WTC. They couldn't get a hold of her, so of course, the worst is expected. She was OK though, managed to get out of the city & was safe. There are countless other stories like this, only many did not have a good outcome.
I can't imagine what it must have been like to experience this tragic event in the city, in person. Nor could I imagine what it must have felt like, and still feel like, to know someone who died...be it in NY, DC or PA.
My brother joined the Marines shortly after 9/11 (boot camp in March 2002). I actually never asked him why he joined, not sure if 9/11 actually had anything to do with it. There are plenty who did enlist due to 9/11 & thanks to everyone who did, still active, and those who will in the future.
So, how is 9/11 perceived or remembered in China? I don't know.
10 September, 2006
18 holes & whiskey
Just lost a long post due to a firefox crash & I'm really not in the mood to re-write it at the moment. So, here are some pictures from golf... I'll explain & write about my Saturday in Beijing at some point tomorrow...
08 September, 2006
Lost in Mandarin
I haven't written much about my "work-life" in Beijing much. I have to figure out a balance there...what I should put out there and what I shouldn't.
Anyway, I've been in a bunch of meetings here over the last couple of weeks, mostly with vendors/recruiting companies. Most of the people can speak pretty good English, but I always tell them at the beginning of the meeting to feel free to discuss in Chinese. What usually happens then...? The entire meeting is run in Chinese & I'm off on the side-lines. Thankfully I always have colleagues with me from either HR or Procurement, and also, my assistant who gives me some written play-by-play.
I don't like this much, because I feel disconnected and out of the loop. This is really motivating me to learn the language at a much faster pace (hence the lessons and "girlfriend"). Not that I'll be able to understand much of what people are discussing in business meetings after 3 months, or even 6 months. However, I'll catch things, I'll catch the major points, I'll be able to understand some of the emotions going on in the room. Right now, I'm limited to trying to understand the body language.
As the frustration sets in, I just take it like any other challenge...it's something that's going to make me better in the long run. It may suck right now, but it will be worth it.
Anyway, I've been in a bunch of meetings here over the last couple of weeks, mostly with vendors/recruiting companies. Most of the people can speak pretty good English, but I always tell them at the beginning of the meeting to feel free to discuss in Chinese. What usually happens then...? The entire meeting is run in Chinese & I'm off on the side-lines. Thankfully I always have colleagues with me from either HR or Procurement, and also, my assistant who gives me some written play-by-play.
I don't like this much, because I feel disconnected and out of the loop. This is really motivating me to learn the language at a much faster pace (hence the lessons and "girlfriend"). Not that I'll be able to understand much of what people are discussing in business meetings after 3 months, or even 6 months. However, I'll catch things, I'll catch the major points, I'll be able to understand some of the emotions going on in the room. Right now, I'm limited to trying to understand the body language.
As the frustration sets in, I just take it like any other challenge...it's something that's going to make me better in the long run. It may suck right now, but it will be worth it.
Date night
So, the "girlfriend" is in the works, on to the second "date" tonight. I can understand why a lot of people here (Americans & Chinese) were telling me to get a girlfriend...my Chinese is already getting better! However, this girl's English is pretty good, so we speak English. I have her review my lessons with me, it helps to do it in an informal way. With my teacher, it's just "by the book."
I'm going to have to find another one that doesn't speak much English at all. This will force me to learn at a much faster pace. I'm not sure there's going to be time for all of this though.
I'm going to have to find another one that doesn't speak much English at all. This will force me to learn at a much faster pace. I'm not sure there's going to be time for all of this though.
06 September, 2006
George Bush likes corn
I saw this sign posted on the door of a little store near my office this morning. Later, during lunch, I made a stop back with someone who could tell me what the sign said. Ignorant me was thinking it was in some way poking fun at GW (not that I'd really care).
In a nut shell, the sign is trying to tell the Chinese how good corn is for you, that you should eat more of it and why. They're using GW to try to sell corn!! No clue why. The store that has the sign on it sells corn out of a "crock pot." I am going to have someone ask them in a couple of weeks if their corn sales boosted after putting the sign up.
There you go...pic of the day
How do you know when it's time to shave your head?
I'm not bald, yet...but it's creeping up on me. I can already see the spot on my head where the hair will fall out. It's the front of my head...like an up-side-down triangle.
I don't worry about it too much, because when it gets worse, I'm just going to shave my head. I can't do the "comb over" (although, I have a small one going on now).
Maybe the barber shops/salons in Beijing will be able to work wonders for me. Maybe they have some secret potion to prevent baldness and grow hair back (not back hair, I have plenty). I'm going to venture out this weekend to see, since I am due for a cut.
I came across this article (Tim, there's hope for you when your hair falls out).... wonder if it will actually work & how it will work ... Rogaine like? Daily medication? Injections? Who knows.
I don't worry about it too much, because when it gets worse, I'm just going to shave my head. I can't do the "comb over" (although, I have a small one going on now).
Maybe the barber shops/salons in Beijing will be able to work wonders for me. Maybe they have some secret potion to prevent baldness and grow hair back (not back hair, I have plenty). I'm going to venture out this weekend to see, since I am due for a cut.
I came across this article (Tim, there's hope for you when your hair falls out).... wonder if it will actually work & how it will work ... Rogaine like? Daily medication? Injections? Who knows.
05 September, 2006
Bike trucks
One of many bike trucks on the streets and sidewalks of Beijing. This guy was peddling slow in front of me, with his collection of boxes and bags of who knows what.
04 September, 2006
People watching in Beijing
I haven't been carrying my camera around with me, but I'm making an effort to do so. I want to try to capture at least one image a day of life in Beijing.
I took a walk down the road tonight to locate some new DVDs (got a hold of Superman, Miami Vice and World Trade Center, if I'm lucky, one of them will actually work). Typically, there are at least five guys at various points along my walk asking ... "you want DVD?...DVD?...DVD?" On top of that, the little begger kids are out in full force.
Any way, this is a shot of a group of people arguing about something. I couldn't tell what it was but they kept pointing at books on a table in front of them. A large crowd began to gather after I took this shot, along with some "security guards" keeping an eye on things.
I took a walk down the road tonight to locate some new DVDs (got a hold of Superman, Miami Vice and World Trade Center, if I'm lucky, one of them will actually work). Typically, there are at least five guys at various points along my walk asking ... "you want DVD?...DVD?...DVD?" On top of that, the little begger kids are out in full force.
Any way, this is a shot of a group of people arguing about something. I couldn't tell what it was but they kept pointing at books on a table in front of them. A large crowd began to gather after I took this shot, along with some "security guards" keeping an eye on things.
"The Club House"
Jimmy's apartment is known as "The Club House." It's the hang out, the bachelor pad, the party place. It's an amazing place...over 5000sqt, huge dining area, living room, outdoor patio which looks over downtown Beijing & tons of cool stuff.
He invited me over for dinner Saturday night. His Ayi (maid), Rose, was cooking dinner. Rose is Jimmy's live-in Ayi from the Phillipines. Very nice lady & an excellent cook. After some tuna, spring rolls, shrimp & veggies, it was onto a few beers and hanging out in the club house.
From there, we were off to Face, a new bar near Jimmy's. Face is trying to cater to the "upscale" crowd in Beijing, which I'm sure they will do. It's pricey, but a great atmosphere...couches, nice lighting, plenty of room. Jimmy had a girl out, whom he met the night before. But, we were also heading out to meet a couple other girls...one who I met the weekend before and her friend, which Jimmy knows. So, it was time to for the juggling act, it was hilarious. In the end, Jimmy told the girl with us at Face that he was heading to the bathroom...he never came back. Needless to say, she was not impressed. I had already made my way to the next location... Baby Face. (In all, Jimmy ended receiving over 15 text messages from the girl...the last one reading, FU).
This was the first "dance club" I've experienced in Beijing. It's located on a strip with five or six other places just like it. We met up with Steve & some of his friends from Russia. A few hours & some vodka & plenty of my moves on the dance floor, I was completely soaked. It was disgusting, but it didn't scare away the girl I met up with (she must like sweating).
I'll end my recap there...it was a great weekend & the "girl friend" is in the works.
He invited me over for dinner Saturday night. His Ayi (maid), Rose, was cooking dinner. Rose is Jimmy's live-in Ayi from the Phillipines. Very nice lady & an excellent cook. After some tuna, spring rolls, shrimp & veggies, it was onto a few beers and hanging out in the club house.
From there, we were off to Face, a new bar near Jimmy's. Face is trying to cater to the "upscale" crowd in Beijing, which I'm sure they will do. It's pricey, but a great atmosphere...couches, nice lighting, plenty of room. Jimmy had a girl out, whom he met the night before. But, we were also heading out to meet a couple other girls...one who I met the weekend before and her friend, which Jimmy knows. So, it was time to for the juggling act, it was hilarious. In the end, Jimmy told the girl with us at Face that he was heading to the bathroom...he never came back. Needless to say, she was not impressed. I had already made my way to the next location... Baby Face. (In all, Jimmy ended receiving over 15 text messages from the girl...the last one reading, FU).
This was the first "dance club" I've experienced in Beijing. It's located on a strip with five or six other places just like it. We met up with Steve & some of his friends from Russia. A few hours & some vodka & plenty of my moves on the dance floor, I was completely soaked. It was disgusting, but it didn't scare away the girl I met up with (she must like sweating).
I'll end my recap there...it was a great weekend & the "girl friend" is in the works.
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