Taking that walk, getting that air….and reflecting on where I am, and where I was…..I thought back to my father. He worked for the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) for his whole career, retiring a few years back. I remembered going to some of the various project sites he was involved with, and one specific one in East Hartford, Connecticut, where he put me up on the bulldozer to have my photo taken.

So thinking of this photo when I was walking today, I came back to the office and gave my dad a phone call. I asked him if he remembered these pictures and he quickly said he would dig them up with my mom in the photo albums from the family days and scan it for me.

Getting that email and opening the photos today….it kind of brought a tear to my eye…..

I so clearly remember that day, how happy I was to be boosted up onto this “monster truck” (I loved monster trucks when I was a kid)…..I felt like I was on top of the world! Anything was possible…..I remember being encouraged to think like an engineer….to go on site surveys with my dad and “uncle” Mel (not really uncle, but an awesome guy and one of my dad’s best friends).  Also waking up early to see the hot air balloons.

this was 1982. I was 2 years old. I didn’t want to have anything get in my way….I would drive that bulldozer my whole life, barreling through whatever got in my way…..me against the world.

And now….this tear came to my eye today….my heart sinks, or skips a beat as I look at these photos…..I’m so far from home….so alone…..in inner China….factory city of Dongguan.
But this is where the CONSTRUCTION IS. I was in USA just a few months ago…and man, I hit pretty much every corner of the country….New York, New England, Florida, California…..Virginia / Maryland……It was exhausting….but I saw what I saw in USA…..and while at first arriving in New York, thinking I would stay permanently again, that New York was still the center of the world……but maybe I was just overly excited…maybe I was just looking for a reason to stay with my friends and family back home……I am told its common to expats in Asia to have this feeling after not being home for so long.

I have to keep up my “fight”, my pursuit to bulldoze where there is opportunity to bulldoze. There may be some small bulldozing projects in America right now,….but major construction is here in China, for the foreseeable future.

But yes…it has been quite an emotional rollercoaster, I should know its not going to be easy and normal ride, but this morning I definitely struck a cord.

I’m up for the adventure…..Go big….or………..go home.  And going home is no longer an option for me.  I have something to prove.

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I always get upset at myself, I know that as Chinese New Years approaches, crime is higher, as people want to get extra cash for the holiday, to afford a bus ticket, to buy gifts…..so I should have realized.

It happened last night in Coco park, Shenzhen…..I had my suit on from the Guangzhou Chinese New Years party…..and was drinking and dancing with friends. Suddenly….as I’m addicted to using my mobile phone every 2 minutes, I touch my side pocket and my phone is GONE. Dave Ho is with me, and I scream my phone just got jacked! He checks his pocket, and also his is gone!!

Unbelievable…..both our phones were stolen in the same 2 minute interval……looking around to possibly (yea right) see who it was….we got off the dance floor and asked around….phones were powered off….

Security had been good actually, they had bouncers on the dancefloor as they said its been happening a lot (phones getting stolen on the dancefloor) and they put guards there to watch out for this…..but still the thief (probably multiple) managed to get 2 phones in a couple minutes and not get caught….

Feel like a stupid foreigner in China when this happens…..but even Chinese people there telling me about the many phones they have had stolen…..now adding to the list my bike stolen a couple months ago and a couple years ago my laptop taken off my chair in a restaurant.

Kind of funny / ironic because earlier today I was in Guangzhou saying that Shenzhen is a safe place…..then again my health is in good standing….and all my mobile data (except my recent photos from a couple days) are synced on the internet….so I can re-import contacts from google contacts, calendar etc…

That is one reason I’m not as upset….my data is all synced on the internet…..even phone numbers I got yesterday, had already synced on google contacts (checked last night) so I am setback some money…and a bit of frustration (heading to China mobile now)…..

So I’m on the market for a new mobile phone….I guess I want one with hard keys anyway…..

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* Buying more American goods – planes from Boeing, cars, and other services. But its not saying specifically if it will help American companies that are in China.

* Saying they will enforce replica products more in China – this is a big one for all these Chinese ecommerce guys I know….as it seemed in the past China didn’t cooperate with America’s (more generally “western”) demands to stop Chinese people from so easily copying US trademarked goods and selling them. As I have said, I hear news in China about internet businessmen going to jail for selling fake products….and many people I know are exiting the business of selling knockoffs.

* Chinese governments will add more of their budget to pay for American software. Hu Jintao says they will enforce all Chinese government agencies are using legally purchased software, such as windows and other American / western tools.

A lot of my information came from the follow meeting report with Chinese president Hu Jintao and US president Obama:

Obama said at a joint news conference later with Hu that while there are vast opportunities to expand U.S. trade and investment with China, both countries must create conditions to ensure their economic relationship is balanced.

“I did also stress to President Hu that there has to be a level playing field for American companies competing in China, that trade has to be fair,” Obama said.

The U.S. exports about $100 billion annually to China in goods and services, supporting about half a million American jobs, according to the White House. Officials said Wednesday the new deals with China would support up to 235,000 jobs in the U.S.

Among the U.S. companies involved are General Electric, Honeywell and Navistar. Boeing had been in negotiations with China over the aircraft deal for several years, but awaited final approval from the Chinese government before it could go ahead with the sale.

“We want to sell you all kinds of stuff,” Obama said. “We want to sell you planes. We want to sell you cars. We want to sell you

software.”

What has been really interesting to me, as an effect of my being so open about my business, my life, my location….friends from all over send me emails, and notes, and status updates on facebook, or tweets on twitter. here are a few lately:

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This Shenzhen ecommerce meetup came from a open forum discussion over a month ago on the Shenzhen stuff internet marketing group I made years ago. People had been asking for me to call a meeting and get all like minded people together. So this wasn’t a two or three day prepped event, it had been discussed for a few weeks via online forum.

Still, I was trying to guage what people wanted, I didn’t want it to be another “bar drinking networking event”, but rather a way to connect chines and foreigners in a neutral setting focused on business.

In the past I had presented at a punch party speaking about USA & China business differences with Guang Yao in the Nanshan High Tech Park, at the King Dee building, and after talking to the group afterwards, they told me I could use this new King Dee company meeting rooms for other events in the future if I ever needed. So I remembered this for this event, as it’s a very nice, professional setting in a high tech park…only thing is its hard for people to find, especially foreigners, as it’s a new area in the high tech park, and taxi drivers don’t know the names of the streets yet.

There were 3 speakers for this first event, I would speak generally / high level on the differences I have noticed between Chinese and American / European (western) ecommerce, Guang Yao would speak about Chinese Social Media (download pdf slides), and Huck Liang would speak about Importing goods into Mainland China via Hong Kong.

As expected, people had trouble finding the new King Dee building. A map and photo was posted on the event page, and….as much as I didn’t want to, I listed my mobile number so people could call if lost or needed more specific directions (thinking to setup a separate phone number now to post online). So while it was supposed to start at 1pm, we allowed general meet and greet between attendees while I and others were doing are best to text and voice call people to direct them to this location.

Approximately 50 people attended the event, from Shenzhen standard email blast to the Shenzhen stuff event page, couchsurfing post, and direct invites from myself and others attending, I definitely feel it was a success, especially for the first meeting of its kind.

I spoke from about 1:30 to 2, we took a quick break, then Guang Yao spoke. I had asked him to present in English, but he insisted he was more comfortable to speak in Chinese as he is not confident of his English. A common issue, I and other foreigners here just have to learn that we are in China, and if we want to do business here and learn, we have to become fluent in Chinese!

Huck couldn’t attend, but he gave me his notes on how to present on importing into China, which I presented on the whiteboard.

After the 3 presentations, I wanted a bit of an open forum about what the next steps are for the group, how often to meet, what topics / focus, good day or time to meet. Seems people liked the Saturday afternoon, and the fact that its not in a bar or restaurant. I think when its in a bar or restaurant, mainly only foreigners go. Some wanted to have meetings focused on startups, new technologies, comparing English and chinese business practices. I am more interested in keeping a more focused group based around internet marketing and ecommerce, but maybe we’ll branch off into a couple different groups.

Date hasn’t been set yet, but approximately 1 month from now, after the Chinese New year, on a Saturday afternoon in the same King Dee meeting rooms. Looking for speakers, hope to keep it focused on internet technology and marketing.

Incoming search terms:

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Maybe its also because I am surrounded and entrenched in the side of the balance that is destined to increase their standard of living (asia), and sadly watching my hometown friends (mainly via social media) decrease their standard of living (western world).

How am I witnessing / noticing this rapid balancing of the global economy? Here are a few examples:

Decreased Standard of Living in Western World:

American Unemployment: I’m not an economist, but I read the headlines, seems its been at a steady 10% for at least a year. Really I could quote numbers and facts, but I’m generally speaking, and I don’t think anyone out there can deny the job market in America sucks. Over the years, I’ve seen my good friends losing jobs in America, I have gotten blanket emails from people hunting for any job they can get. I am not going to go into people’s names, but my friend got laid off just a couple weeks before Christmas….amazing, heartless, sad….but it is the reality of the world today.

European Union country bailouts – Again, I’m not an economist, and briefly look at the financial news headlines, but constantly seeing an additional country in the European Union looking for a bailout. And therefore I have seen my friends in China who received Euros get crushed seeing their income decrease significantly and their costs of living in China grow.

Increased Standard of Living in Eastern World:

Chinese Inflation: Its really been crazy, and did greatly affect me in 2010…..rising costs of salaries, food, taxis. If you’re in China and you’re not currently receiving Chinese Yuan (reminbi) and simply in China as a backoffice for sourcing or it services, I’ll be direct- YOU ARE SCREWED! Anyone in China should be looking to sell in China, receive local currency, and hedge their bets receiving foreign currency….

Chinese Government investment in Infrastructure – Again, this is scary, and I can’t remember exactly when it started happening, but it did during the period I was living in China – China stopped investing so much buying US dollars and US treasuries, and instead took the money it was receiving from American and other foreign buyers of their products and invested in growing their transportation system, power , dams, highways….its CRAZY. And my friends back home in America think I’m living in rice fields….man…no clue!

China too expensive? Then try Southeast Asia: I’ve been part of this, but **** link many foreigners who have been crushed by rising costs in China have moved their operations to Southeast Asia, such as Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam where inflation hasn’t been as severe. This is for both services and product….as manufacturing products has increased significantly in China as well as serviced workers. This, obviously, will increase the costs in these countries over time as well, therefore higher salaries, more tax incomes to those governments, improvements in infrastructure – you get the idea.
I have talked to many, and the general idea is….America and somewhat Europe “overate” by overborrowing, *** will smith link **** spending more then they could afford, to buy things the didn’t need to impress people they didn’t like. But that is what the AMERICAN DREAM is, right? Buy a big house in the suburbs, nice car, and drive to your comfortable office job in corporate America. Everything will be ok, whats to worry about? Well, sadly, now people see what to worry about….its a house of cards…..outsourced all manufacturing, and serviced jobs, used the money saved from doing so to buy the products and serviced that have been outsourced with borrowed money…..

Now, China has all the money, America is deep in debt, people don’t want to admit this, but everyone is holding their breath to see what will happen next. I am already hearing stories about Chinese factories opening up factories in America to save costs and do JIT (just in time) delivery for short quantity runs….seems similar to what the Japanese car manufacturers did like Toyota a while back.

And therefore, I feel this “world is flat” concept has happened much faster than we expected, at least for me personally. I guess the next frontier is outer space, then it will be the earthlings complaining the martians are taking all the jobs, instead of americans complaining the chinese are taking all their jobs.

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I almost feel guilty even blogging about it, to have such a privileged upbringing in America, well fed, educated. Yet what I am supposed to do, that is where I was born, and I am doing my best with the cards I was dealt with in life. In one way, I kinda want to have the struggle, to make me harder in life…not so gullible and soft…..maybe that’s why I kinda “vent” about Americans taking things for granted (as Piotr comments on my blog every so often)….I guess I just appreciate things so much better….and wish other Americans would too, and live their life in a more….giving and appreciated way (if that makes any sense).

Should I therefore ignore it? Stay in 5 star hotels in the expat areas? Take taxis around, ignore the beggars on the streets and the street vendors hustling to make ends meet? What if that was me, what if that is me one day. I choose to embrace rather then avoid.

But really, the people are so happy…kids, moms, dads, aunts, uncles. THEY TREAT ME LIKE A MOVIE STAR., makes me feel awkward in a way, but if it makes them happy, hey, I kinda like it too. Witnessing them all making a living on the street. I’m meeting people, adding friends on facebook, meeting people come off the jeepneys from their office job, they are shopping for some small christmas gifts.

There are jobs called “barkers” which are people who get customers to board certain jeepneys and get a commission for each person they get on the jeep. This is an illegal job forbidden by the government, but locals still organize it at nights (as daytime the police are too strict). Marie’s auntie tells me that the jobs can pay for the milk to feed the barker’s children…and if they don’t have this job their baby may starve.

One of the barker girls (no, not Bob Barker’s models from the Price is Right TV show) tells me she just had a baby in early September, and is now back on the streets screaming on the top of her lungs pulling in customers onto her jeeps instead of others there. How strong, how tough…..told they drop out of school in the 1st grade and grow up on the streets….so therefore their english is limited. Added a few on facebook….amazing to me FACEBOOK is worldwide….and since its free they all have it, logging in every few days for a few pesos at an internet cafe.

So the idea of changing the transportation system isn’t so black and white. What would happen to these jobs – barkers, jeepney drivers, tricycles? If an organized transportation bus line came in, it would definitely get rid of a lot of these jobs….

Just wondering what is right and what is wrong….in life…in city planning. Over population. Limited resources. Countries with the haves, and have-notes.

Especially during the holiday season….makes you think.

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Foreigners think I’m crazy, and even local Filipinos think I’m insane….but I take local transportation. I have been here since Friday and I still have not taken a single taxi yet this trip. They are hard to deal with for the most part, but also…its the “easy” way. I want to learn the local way. I want to feel how it is to live daily life in the Philippines.

And life is HARD here!! I do see some beautiful malls, but the public transportation is horrible. The subway is called the MRT, and it is constantly jammed with people….I think worse then subways I had seen in Beijing, China. They need security guards to hold back people from crushing into the overfilled trains.

Pollution is rough…I have blown my nose many times and had black soot in the tissue….walking through construction zones, crammed with too many people and having exhausts from trucks blowing into my face with dirt and sand coming from the backs of their tires.

Tricycles zipping around, loud motorcycles. Police inspection checkpoints into most major stores and malls. The list of what you see on the streets can go on and on.

Yet somehow people stay positive, stay strong. There is a photo I took today of a mother and her daughter across from me on the jeepnee. The girl was so sweet, eating her chips (yea, not the most healthy diets…) and giggling. All the while looking out the window there is traffic, police holding large guns, “barkers” yelling to get customers into the next jeepney. And this mother and daughter calmly and noticeably contently enjoying the time together. The ride was about 30 minutes, and you could see them taking turns sleeping….mom napping when I took the pic, later the daughter leaning into the mother and getting some rest.

I really wonder how I could sleep on a jeepney…..maybe if I grew up in this environment I would be used to it.

TO BE USED TO IT. to be used to living in this day in and day out.

Then others kind of say I am not really seeing the real life. I mean, I can say this is fun and idea-sparking for me….but I can just hop on a plane and come and go when I please. I am not “trapped” in this life every single day.

So many hate the commute between Quezon City and Makati. Quezon City is where the majority of staff for call centers live, and Makati is the main “downtown” for call centers and outsourcing. They can spend up to an hour and a half each way, between buses, traffic, and MRT trains. Thats 3 hours a day…and this is in no way a relaxing commute. When I have taken these trains and buses, its not been as easy as when I’m in New York or Shenzhen, China…..these are so jam packed all day around that I can never get a chance to open my laptop to write some blogs or proposals and emails…..instead I am forced to only try to use my mobile phone to check some emails quickly…..but even then I am afraid it may get stolen if I am showing off my phone too much in the open.

If I had to make that commute each day….man, I can barely handle it once! It would wear me down more then when I was stuck in the daily grind back in New York between 2003 to 2007….I need to do something when I’m traveling….write, read, make logical thinking inside my brain. But this type of commuting seems mind-numbing…..

And am I supposed to support this type of living? Open a call center in Makati, hire workers in Quezon City, and put them in that daily ratrace commute? seems horrible life and why would I want to support that? And to put them behind a cubicle, count their hours, their time management, and bean count their work performance.

There has to be something else, something better……

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It was great to see his operations, parents are both actively working in the office.  Met with his inhouse web marketer, Nat, and used a few hours in the conference room going through marketing online.

The fascinating part to me was not my passion, internet marketing, but instead the after effects of his having a baby with his wife and starting a family.  He said how much his life has changed, his eyes have opened to life in a whole new way.  He loves his new addition to his family, and has put it way ahead of his current business…..making him find new ways to manage his business that has been consuming the past 5 years of his life.

We have been in touch even while I was overseas in China / Philippines, and have discussed ways I could help too.  Its also especially difficult for him, because just as he is having his new baby daughter, his father, who started this family business – is coming into retirement…thus adding more stress / responsibility on his plate.

In his shoes, I wonder what I would do.  Its his family business, who have put all their time and money into growing and building this business.  Yet his father is the one who started it, has the sales and client relationships, now its passing on to him.  And at the same time, he is in love with his wife and new baby, who demand more TLC (tender love and care) and the work is piling up.

This is one of those hard (maybe easy to some) decisions you have to make

MONEY  OR LOVE / FAMILY

And it makes you think, what is life all about?  He and I were driving around a bit today, and in cars seems when real stories come out.  We both seem to agree money isn’t everything, and that Americans are under false sense of security with their jobs, home mortgages, nice new cars, and other possessions.  Money comes and goes.  So do possessions.  I think they can be replaced rather easily.  But life, love, family…those are things that we have to think about….can’t get time with our family back.

And this is another reason I am waiting for marriage, sure everyone says you can’t time things, and it happens when you least expect it, but….right now I have to develop business…and still “Find myself”.

Having too many choices has been confusing.  I talked to my friends in China, and they are jealous of American freedom, especially mine that I utilize (As most americans don’t really appreciate/realize/use their true freedom), to go where I want to go, get loans rather easily, and do the job I want to do.  In China, friends tell me they have to work a certain job in order to save money, to pay for family, to pay back debts, etc.  But we have this in USA as well.  ITS CALLED AN EXCUSE if you ask me.

Its hard to do what you really want to do in life.  Even me now…I am hesitatnt to think I can really do what I want to do, and make money with it, for fear that it won’t make much money, or that I won’t impress my friends and family.

So back to Mike Andrews, he is a guy in a crossroads as well…..trying to live up to his family’s hopes and desires by maintaining and growing the family business, yet at the same time, in love with and wanting to spend more time and attention to, his wife and daughter.

What would you do?

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• Chinese or Filipino workers who are excelling in their job and want the opportunity to work in America
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While in China I was able to get a work permit in China after some time, it was a hassle and annoyed me, but now looking into getting a foreigner a visa in America, that seemed easy! I’m going to take some notes from my PAID consultation with an immigration lawyer earlier today:

H1B Visa – lasts around a couple years, the immigrant must have higher educational degree, that from an overseas university program that is accredited by an authorized USA agency. This demonstrates the immigrating person has taken the time and invested in their education so that they can add value to the US population, not someone without any education coming in to try to grab jobs from Americans at a lower salary. After a couple years, they can apply a green card.

L Visa – This is when a company has a branch office overseas, or has a USA branch office from its overseas company headquarters. The staff has been working for this sponsoring company for at least 1 year and then is TRANSFERRING their position to a position in the company’s American office. This may work for Shadstone, as I have companies in USA and overseas, and have to prove to the US government the worker has been on my payroll for at least 12 months. But the company (sponsor) also has to be qualified, being in business at least 3 years, and

B1 / B2 Visa – I compare this to when I first started coming to China, and I needed a business visa to get into the country. The way this works is you get approval before coming to America, that you are not coming for employment, but simply for business developing (making contacts, relationship building, networking). The catch is you have to prove that you have “ties” in your home country and won’t just bail and stay in America, or try to get married to an American. These ties are normally financial and family – minimum amounts of cash in the bank, and close relative (kids, wife, etc).

Green card (permanent resident) – seems this is the ultimate before getting a US passport / citizenship. This means you can stay in America indefinitely, work here, etc. Its the closest you can get before becoming a citizen, and the way to stay here more then in USA over a couple years.

So my dad tells me I should be careful publicizing that I help immigrants get into the country while the country is having economic problems and Americans are without jobs. But in a way, immigrants are the hardest working people, they are the ones who built this country hundreds of years ago, my grandparents and others grandparents worked so hard and created the competition for everyone to be great.

Anyway, I will get more follow up contacts with my new immigration lawyer, she is very informative and I think its a great way to reward hard working staff.

The red, white, and blue truck, dubbed ‘K99,’ will dish (and cone) up a variety of pup-friendly flavors like “Dog Eat Hog World,” a concoction of cured leg of pork and chicken. Then there’s the classic “Canine Cookie Crunch,” which is vanilla ice cream topped off with dog biscuits.

The truck will open for a “pet party” in the park.

“The weather has been so hot, we thought dogs deserved a cooling treat as much as anyone else,” said event organizer Sally Bezant.

Why does this world need an ice cream truck for dogs when there are starving people in the world….its amazing…..
Then it keeps making me think about “the world is flat theory”, the re-distribution of wealth….internet and technology breaking down economic, political, geographical, and cultural divides in order to allow all people on earth to have the same opportunities and chances.
Yet, there are still these strange stories…dog ice cream truck…..that still makes my jaw drop…..i guess indirectly this goes back into the economic ecosystem……manufacturing, servicing, etc. But couldnt they come up with other ways to utilize their savings or investment……
Sure, we are all free to make our own decisions with our own money…but i cannot imagine these people are aware of how others live in this world. Wondering if they were more aware, more informed, having experienced how others lived, they would make different choices with their hard earned cash.
Spending time in various parts of the world, usa, europe, asia…..my eyes are so wide open…..my perspective on life will never be the same….no matter where i end up living, or spending the rest of my life, i will appreciate what i have, and not “waste” my money on frivilous things such as a doggy ice cream truck.

To my blog title – IS THERE ENOUGH MONEY IN THE WORLD to support dog ice cream trucks, and feeding starving children that exist now?  Is it natural resources?  Oil, wood, stone, gold that a country has, or has taken ownership of, that determines which country’s people should have certain amenities?  Just really makes me think, and hope, that everyone in life has a fair chance……but right now seems a little unlikely.
My friend ken in new york was chatting to me about this topic, while visiting in china….that he cannot think about it too hard when he spends so much money on “non critical” things back home…..or else it will get to him. He also was joking and said if he were to move to philippines that he wouldnt make money anymore and convert to a humanitarian.
Maybe it is affecting me too…..but it is true, why do we need to buy and own some crazy piece of material….to just enjoy life and experience it. “tread lightly”
Anyway…..just seeing both sides of the spectrum really makes me think, starving kids on the street to ice cream trucks for dogs……and i thought i would reflect

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I took a quick snapshot of me right now, I’m hanging out in flipflops I bought here in the Philippines for $2usd (100 pesos), some cargo shorts I bought with a friend for about $5usd in China – and an old tank top I had in USA.  I’m enjoying, I’m relaxed, kicked back.  Slinging message on twitter, replying emails, organizing my workflow.

So the email James got goes like this – (NOTE – this is NOT written from me, haha)  Well, I never had the chance to buy all this crap here:

Check this out…

I just finished selling (or giving away) all of my personal
possessions.

Not too long ago my life consisted of a massive 6-bedroom
house (with many rooms I never even went into!) and
5 cars. Yes, FIVE cars. I’m a car guy, what can I say.

I had accomplished what many consider to be the
“American Dream.” I had the huge house and all the
toys. The Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMWs, a Rolex
collection, an expensive wardrobe, amazing furniture,
a massive home theater, a 1,000 gallon saltwater
aquarium, the works.

And now I have NONE of it. And I’ll explain why in
a moment…

Here are some “quick facts”…

For the first time in over 20 YEARS…

- I don’t own a car.

- I don’t own any furniture.

- I don’t own a TV.

- I don’t own any books.

- I don’t own a huge closet full of clothes.

AND…

- I don’t have a HOME. Not a house,
or apartment, or anything.

By now you’re probably thinking…

“John, what the hell are you doing!?”

I decided to do all of this because I wanted
to do a new experiment on myself…

It’s a challenge of MINIMALISM.

If you haven’t yet heard about minimalism,
or read anything about it, you should. Not
only can it (I believe) improve the quality
of your life but it can also make your business
a lot more profitable.

Minimalism is essentially focusing only on
the 3-4 most important things in your life
(or business) and ELIMINATING THE REST.

There many opinions on minimalism and how
to apply it, and some approach it differently.
Do some Google searches for “minimalism”
and you’ll find lots of great blogs about it.

It’s really a growing ‘revolution’ of sorts.

I don’t agree with everything he teaches, but a
decent book you can read is “The Power Of Less”
by Leo Babauta; and he’s someone with 6 kids.
That will get you started.

Everyone will have their own take on minimalism.
But I’m willing to bet you can benefit from it.

WHAT I HAVE LEFT…

So you’re probably wondering, if I got rid of
all that stuff, what the heck do I actually have
left? And how will I live?

Here’s a full list of the only things I now own…

- A small 28L backpack (that holds everything below)

- 5 t-shirts (4 short sleeve, 1 long sleeve)
- 1 pair of jeans
- 1 light jacket
- 2 pairs of shorts
- 1 pair of running/trek shoes
- 5 pairs of boxer briefs
- Assorted toiletries
- Clothesline & large ziplock bag (for washing clothes)
- 1 MacBook Pro 15″
- 1 64GB Wifi iPad
- 1 iPhone 4
- 1 Livescribe Pen & small notebook
- My passport & credit cards

THAT’S IT. That’s all the ‘stuff’ I own. ALL OF IT.

It seems like a growing trend.  I read more and more about this happening around the world.  I like to think back to one of my favorite movies – FIGHT CLUB – resisting resistance, and just letting go!  Why do we need this damn corporate job to buy things for a condo to show off to our friends.  I have been still even forcing myself to get out of that MATERIALISTIC mindset……where things you own make who you are.  I don’t want to associate myself with people who measure others in this way.  These people are not worth my time.  Let them run that rat race and show off to other rats in the cage.  Haha.

Later I think about too many people spend money they don’t have to buy things they don’t need to impress people they don’t like – a great quote by Will Smith and I think this gets more and more true, and sadly I seem to think so many people actually do this…

I HATE MOVING.  Every time I moved, I realized how much CRAP I would accumulate.  Things I used maybe a couple times, wasted time and money buying……but moving makes me realize each time that I have to accumulate less, live lighter, and JUST LIVE LIFE!!!!!

Life isn’t about HOARDING things.  When we die, we can’t take those precious possessions with us, right?  its about how we live life.

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SIDENOTE – On the ride there, I learned my name, Michael – is shortened to KILL (Kell) – the second part of Michael….funny right!

I met Marie’s aunt and 3 brothers.  They are visiting Manila (northern part of Philippines) from their hometown of Mindanao.  As I “dive” deeper and deeper into culture of the Philippines, I realize how fragmented it is.  Each region has its own language, own policies, own major religion.  For example, where I am in Philippines, it is mostly Christian – Catholic religion.  But in southern Philippines, in Mindanao, it is mostly Muslim. And, there are many tribal wars there in Mindanao, and reports that foreigners (white people, but yes, even Filipinos from outside Mindanao are not safe there) are lost / kidnapped, or murdered.  There is a bit of jealousy / hatred in the region of Mindanao towards outsiders (white people) who they feel have suppressed their people, stolen natural resources (oil, for example) for the embetterment of their own countries / people instead of the locals.

The brothers yesterday were there, and I was joking that if I were to go with them, I would die.  I joked that I should get a t-shirt that states “I have no money, and no one in my country will pay a ransom“.  One of the older brothers, the “stronger” one of the bunch, told me if I go with him there, I will have no problems at all.  I do hear it is a beautiful place, natural and lucious landscapes.  They told me I could try some shooting ranges to shoot RPGs, ak47 rifles, 45mm handguns, whatever I wanted.  Being the “adventurous” (or stupid, depending on your point of view) american tourist, I did consider their offer.  Posting on my facebook, I received TONS of feedback saying NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, as below:

Michael Michelini was just invited to take a trip to south philippines – Mindanao – Muslim area that kidnaps or kills white people…..they said they’ll protect me….and teach me how to shoot a gun….

considering….considering….??
17 hours ago · Comment · LikeUnlike ·

View Feedback (24)Hide Feedback (24)
Troop Onezerofive and Dartanion Reed like this.

Brian McKeon
dont f*ck with muslims mike, they’re wacko when they get militant

Grace Gonzales
Don’t think its good idea

Cindy Budhu
doesn’t sound kosher Mike…

Selene Quiñonez
YAY! not a good idea!

Jonathan Myers
Dude….forget it. You don’t need to put your life at risk to learn how to shoot a gun.

Lammy Yeung
U really never know~

Andrew Moran
you got an extra ticket?

Jason Barco
Andrew would ask 4 an extra ticket.. Lol.. And depending on the size of the gun and how many rounds of ammo they supply u with, that’s how i’d base my answer..

Daniel Carrier
sounds like a set up.

Scott Katin
be sure to take LOTS of pictures.

Nornale Peralta
Don’t do it…even the native people have to get protection!

Alan Budhu
Get bulletproof underwear dude. Lol. Stay away.

Sabine Vogel
Stay away… keep safe…

Hasan Kazmi
LOL!. What is life without a little adventure.
On second thought, stay away.

Jonathan Myers
I have two words to say to you…….Daniel Pearl.

Nelly Paekukui
I don’t know about that one Michael. I would pray if that’s where the Lord wants you to go.

Brian McKeon
just remember mike, bullet proof vests don’t stop 7.62x39mm… course you maybe able to score an AK, and use one on the same vacation…

Michael Michelini
spent a long night with them last night at the bar……yea….more scared to go down there now after certain discussions…..
seems like China again “no problem…..don’t worry……we will take care of you!!!” haha, i guess people in every country say that, right

Steven W. Tabara
Mike, I’m sure you are aware of how quickly a safe situation can turn dangerous once you are on their turf. go with your gut…and trust that your hesitation is Gods way of telling you to stay where you feel safe.

Theresa Depuy
Don’t go and don’t let them get you drunk and talk you into going Stay safe!

Steven W. Tabara
Every year, adventurous American tourists are met with trouble while traveling in third-world nations. 5 years ago, while on a business trip to southern India, I cancelled an excursion to Delhi and the Taj Mahal because of reports of suspected terrorist activity near the hotel where I was scheduled to stay. As it turned out, a bomb exploded near … See Morethat hotel on the night I was to stay. This was considered a “safe” area located within the diplomatic compound in New Delhi.
I had a gut feeling…and I’m glad that I cancelled.

Michael Michelini
thanks Steve…..i do want to be that “adventurous american tourist”…..these are 3 muslim brothers that i do believe would protect me……and when else could i get a chance to go…

I feel the love on all the concerned feedback I received from this post…..but really….I am still considering it…..I want to experience!

It is really sad to me that so many beautiful places in the world have become warzones. Or dangerous for tourists. Makes you think why. I guess its because previous “invaders” to that land have made the locals no trust visitors…..and their own internal political mess, war, and/or struggles to top it off.

Maybe for now I’ll keep my cultural exploration of the Philippines to the northern part…..took this photo yesterday of a really pimpin’ jeepnee.

Incoming search terms:

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“how do I get myself out of this situation…..”

Thats it, that is the Chinese way.  Get things done. Raine told me not to worry, not to get stressed, and it would all work out.  I guess this is my mistake when I first came to China…didn’t leverage this relationship and way to use words to get it done.

I am attaching this photo Marshall from Shenzhen Standard News sent me.  It is about 15 minutes from me here in Shenzhen.  Its a COMPLETE knockoff of 7-11…..just 7-8 instead of 7-11.

JUST GET IT DONE, right.  Amazing. …….look at the people hanging out around it, eating bbq , living life.

I put this in the same post as my subletting issue, because its based on relationships.  Its based on people taking care of who they want to.  I am sure there is a way to justify this is OK to do, that is different from 7-11 brand…but my god…so similar.  Marshall and I were laughing about this one.

Another story is someone, I won’t name names, was talking about opening a coffee shop, but had no idea how to run a coffee shop.  Immediately, the idea is to have a friend get a job in a successful coffee shop, work there 1 year, learn how to operate the coffee shop and then leave to start their own…..

THIS IS WHY its so hard to run a service business.  I mean, sure this happens everywhere in the world.  But it seems like a way of life in China.  Learn, get paid, leave after you have learned all you can learn.  But its PRACTICAL. And that is China – practical, process oriented, get it done, don’t think about emotions – its business.

Anyway, sharing some reflections and thoughts for today…another day in China.

Foxconn shows off China plant after suicides

Foxconn, maker of iPods, opens sprawling China plant to reporters after 10th suicide this year

In this photo taken on Feb 24, 2010, a recruiter from Foxconn talks to job applicants outside the factory in Shenzhen in southern China’s Guangdong province. A Chinese employee of Foxconn Technology Group fell from a building and died Tuesday, May 25, 2010, state-run media said, in the 10th such death this year at the world’s largest contract maker of electronics, such as the iPod, Dell computers and Nokia phones. (AP Photo)
William Foreman, Associated Press Writer, On Wednesday May 26, 2010, 2:30 pm EDT

SHENZHEN, China (AP) — Foxconn Technology Group showed off a motherboard factory, swimming pool and a hot line center for workers with emotional problems Wednesday as the giant company — maker of iPods and other popular gadgets — tried to repair an image damaged by a spate of employee suicides in China.

Hours later another male employee fell to his death from a building at the company’s Shenzhen complex, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. The report said Foxconn confirmed the death, but it was not immediately clear if it was suicide.

The company’s media shy chairman, Terry Gou, earlier in the day repeatedly apologized for the 10 confirmed suicides this year and told reporters the firm would do everything possible to prevent more deaths. Nets were put on buildings to stop people from jumping, and about 100 mental health counselors were being trained.

“We need some time,” he said. “But we are confident. We are extremely determined.”

Gou said he has been having trouble sleeping at night because of the suicides, the latest one reported Tuesday when a 19-year-old man jumped from a building after working at the plant for about a month. The Foxconn head also said he dreads the sound of his own phone ringing after work hours because he’s afraid it will be news of another death.

The tour with six busloads of journalists went through the palm tree-lined streets of the sprawling factory complex in the southern city of Shenzhen, near Hong Kong. The walled-in industrial park employs 300,000 workers and looks more like a small city with fast-food restaurants, bakeries, Bank of China branches and towering dormitories for workers.

Foxconn was trying to address allegations from labor groups that the workers were killing themselves because of hellish conditions in the factories, which churn out iPhones, Dell computers, Nokia mobile phones and many other big-selling electronics. Critics allege that Foxconn manages its plants with a strict military approach and workers must work too much overtime on assembly lines that move too fast.

Gou didn’t take questions about such issues at a news conference, but he insisted the vast majority of workers were happy, and too much attention was being given to the troubled few.

“We want to make every worker have a happy life and work environment here,” Gou said in a long, rambling speech that ended abruptly when he said he had to leave for a meeting.

I have to say, I can guarantee that the factory is making their staff work overtime to get the same salary they were getting before. i am sure it is an effect of the rising costs in China and the battle of worker’s salary versus company keeping their profit margins vs customers keeping their price as low as possible.

Its not exactly easy for Apple, Dell, and other buyers to just pick up and leave, they have invested a lot of time and money with Foxconn for the manufacturing moulds, the training of assembly lines, the quality control guidelines. But I am certain these buyers are pushing to keep their prices from increasing in the face of Chinese costs of livings increasing.

Follow Up, May 31, 2010

Back in Shenzhen, and getting more insight and ideas about the recent suicides at the Foxconn factory here in the city. Since this is the actual city (great, the city I live in is the center of Chinese factory suicides…great PR!) I get more inside information about how come these things are happening, as a follow up from my post a couple days ago, from my talk with Huck Leung of FOB / LC Ltd.

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But then it says, WHAT IS WEALTH , what is being rich? The quote a Michael Reiter, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona paper calling it:

“Wealth” is the present value of the expected stream of future utility [human happiness] that an “infinitely lived individual or a dynasty” [or a nation] could hope to extract from the real resources available now and in the indefinite future, assuming these real resources are allocated and managed now, and over time, so as to maximize that present value of future utilities (at the “proper” discount rate).

Two practical points can be extracted from this abstract definition.

First, economists think of wealth not just in monetary terms — as cash, stocks, bonds and real estate — but in terms of human well-being.

Second, and most importantly, the wealth a nation believes itself to possess is based strictly on the citizenry’s expectations about the future. It is in good part a figment of the citizens’ imagination.

Yea, I know, that is a bit deep for me too, but basically what we are saying is ITS ALL IN YOUR HEAD. Cash in the bank, the value of your house, the value of that PATENT on a super cool new invention. Wealth is the idea that over time, you will be able to pay for the things that you and your family need. But what if the US dollar crashes? What is the value of home continues to decrease. So the TRADITIONAL idea of RICH and WEALTH can dissipate very quickly.

Then the article talks about CASH FLOW, and how everyone thinks real estate is an easy bet, surefire way to make money in the longterm. But its all about RISK PREMIUMS – or risk vs. reward. When everyone is thinking the economy is great, people will have jobs to pay their rents, and rent prices will increase – real estate investors push prices of houses / buildings higher – EXPECTING that they will get a higher, and stable income / cashflow of rental income.

Well, as we have seen with the real estate market, its not that easy, and there has to be

1) someone ahead of you that will buy your house for more then you paid for it (minus the cost of borrowing the money, and the cost of the inflation of money)
2) someone will rent it from you, and pay the rent on time, and pay the rent that is higher then your costs of maintaining it.

Actually, I think the same thing is happening right now in the Chinese real estate market – THE PRICES HERE IN CHINA HAVE SKY-ROCKETED.  And I keep hearing from more and more chinese businessman that they CANNOT LOSE, and that the prices will keep going up.  And they do not want to waste money on paying rent to someone else….they want to earn the rent for themselves.   These are all signs to me that a crash in the market is near.

Anyway, I don’t want this to be too technical, but my point is, WEALTH IS ALL IN YOUR MIND. Based on what YOU PREDICT the future to be. And if you say its not your prediction, then yes, maybe you’re right, its the HERD, the market’s prediction of the future. And you cannot for sure control a herd of mindless sheep, that get scared and run as soon as they hear something bad coming up ahead.

And of course i’m not saying SPEND ALL YOUR MONEY NOW, and don’t save. But I am thinking, and also tryin to get into that mindset, that richness is not really cash in the bank – but how you live your life, and living the life you want to live. Being able to secure that lifestyle, for the longterm, with some cushion in case you hit a speedbump along the way.

That, my friend, is what we should call wealth!