This longggggg China New Year holiday drives me insane – as I’m sure a lot of other business owners (chinese and foreign) – it still amazes me how a country of such size and current global influence can completely shut down – so many of my favorite restaurants are still closed. Things should start opening up again friday and the weekend, and then China will be back to business as usual.
I hope my pictures aren’t getting too boring – more empty office pics below. but this is about all i see each day as I come to work during the holiday…
But in a way, a holiday this long makes everyone reflect on what they are doing with their lives, and what they want to do in the future. So many discussions with people on chats and in dinners these days about how they like or dislike their job, the way their career is going, the business they are in. Its like a fresh start for some, as they don’t return to their old companies after the holiday.
This is scary for business owners, as some factories and offices have some of their top workers not return to the office after the holiday….without even a notice. The worker just decides they need a change in their life, want to stay in their hometown with family, it doesnt even have to be about money! (well, usually it is, heh)
But this holiday has allowed me to focus on USA business. I’m on 3rd shift (almost) waking up around 1 or 2pm in China, and working until about 3 or 4 am. Afternoons are emails, accounting / financing, and planning. Then normally a dinner or drink with s ome friends in shenzhen – then back to the office to crank out some phone calls or USA hour type work.
Wondering if I should stick on this schedule after the holiday or not……..
Seems more and more I do USA business – its just what I am strong at, and I should focus on my strength. Let the staff manage their projects in the morning, I come in after lunch, check on progress, do my emails and planning with them. Grab dinner, then do USA calls.
Comments
Hey Mike,
just got caught up again on your blog. man you post a lot. very interesting things you have up there too. Dealing with that landlord – its amazing how everyone just wants to take advantage of every situation and they have to try to screw other people over to do it. dishonest bastards. why cant people just try to make an honest living. anyway that kid with the threats seems silly. you gotta laugh it off but be careful. keep all correspondence and threats as proof of what you received. and tell several people about it and give them correspondance in case something does happen there will be mutliple people with information about this guy and the other guy with the threats.
nice new office – seems clean very clean. How many people do you have working over there? Looks like you have 6 or 7 monitors in that one room and it looks more like a computer lab than an office. I don’t know if id be prone to getting much work done in that type of environment. You should think about redesigning it making it more cubicle like (as in giving everyone their own space to be able to post stuff, pictures of their friends and family) you don’t have to reinvent it, the offices here in the USA work and they work by giving people their own space and a little bit of privacy. it looks like you don’t have that much space so maybe think about putting desks/tables around the walls, and give everyone space to put their stuff. This way people aren’t staring at each other the whole day yet its not hard to see if someone’s goofing off or wasting time. And make sure people are comfortable too. remember that chair you were sitting on here in the apartment. I was like dude, your gonna hurt your back and you kept sitting in that chair that was falling apart and you tied it together. man You held on and got through it. it looks like you have nice office chairs now that create an atmosphere of people being able to get work done.
great posts man – keep it up. if you have some free time this week, give me a call too. I have skype now so we can talk
tty soon
Piotr
Thanks for being a loyal reader Piotr- yea I have been blogging more then usual, as I have been thinking a lot ,and have less people around me to talk face-to-face with, thus I just blog what I feel and see if anyone reads it. I am doing it mostly to get my ideas out in the open, and out of my head.
About the worker who is threatening me, I think he is cooled off now…..made a phone call today.
As for the new office – COMPUTER LAB – hahahah, yea, guess so, well I want it to be an open atmosphere…..but I think the staff would prefer there own cubes and privacy. But, I am upstairs (its a multi-level location) so they can do what they want in the future. This was a good first way to get it laid out, we’ll see how it molds….
Yea, I will never forget the chair, and the futon, in San Diego man…..probably messed up my lower back for life sleeping on that futon for so many months. Anyway, live and learn. Health is more important then I may have said years ago…..
cheers brotha!
Mike
i have to say this Piotr guy is really intellegent! what does he do? is he writing anything? seems to be a silent but deep thinker. it’s great to have some really smart friends, mike!
Piotr is an expert computer genius! he has always been a deep thinker, and the voice in my ear to make me think more logically and take more time before making a decision.
I lived with him for a few months in San Diego, california during my change from a day job to a full time small businessman, and he helped a lot during those days.
envy you for having such wonderful friends! and it also reminds me how important it is to be a better thinker. you can provide such terrificl experience to your family and friends! not to mention how much trouble it can save for yourself.
and one more thing, i think you should try go to bed early and make up the time by waking up early. it is said the midnight is crucial for one’s health. at least that’s what traditional doctors say.
hahaha, thanks Nigel, thanks for caring about me and my health….but these days I am pushing harder then ever…..
Yes, friends are the center of our lives, my father always told me you are who you surround yourself with …..so if you make friends with people who are not serious or hold you back, then you will be on their lower level too.
keep challenging yourself, each day
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