Lets see, last week on Monday I went to a Chinese wedding reception. Phoebe and Erine finally got married. It was in a nice restaurant, large space, with a lot of traditional Chinese functions. I haven't seen Alvin and Tina for a while so it was nice running into them. Alvin seemed like he was doing well landing a couple more modeling jobs including TVCs and an HSBC print ad. He lost his phone and actually today Tiff lost her phone as well! Some sort of phone adversion in their family. Phoebe and Erine had a great video played during their wedding, the producers did a good job giving Erine sort of a boyish charm. I think it was a success over all, well done.
I dropped by the
Canadian Consulate in Central to grab some information about businesses. I had met up with Tiffany there and she hung out with me for a while. We had some "famous" Wonton Noodles and then dropped by my student's store,
SJSJ in Lan Kwai Fong. Yeah so she lost her phone some time between when I last saw her and when she got home. I got a nice picture with the huge Christmas tree in TST though.
I'd like to thank Willa for inviting me to tonight's McMaster Alumni buffet dinner. I enjoyed the free food and the chance to socialize. The first person I ran into tonight was actually my collegue at
SME Education, Alex. That was the biggest shock. He teaches English some evenings and I teach his phonetic classes once in a while. The dinner was nice, I wanted to talk to Willa about my plans for a business in China but I didn't want to mention anything about it around my co-worker. I got to meet several important people from McMaster Unversity including
Peter George the President. I met a nice girl who just came in from Calgary and is working for marketing at
Giordano. We plan to have coffee and maybe I'll show her Hong Kong. Sounds like a plan right? I have a side interest in the retail business. It was nice meeting university students again, I was starting to feel as if I haven't spent enough time talking to people who actually have something meaningful to say. But, I guess if someone tried to talk to me in Chinese about something complicated I wouldn't really have anything meaningful to say either.
Why Sugar? Actually this has nothing to do with my sweet tooth, I headed down to Lan Kwai Fong again, to club
Sugar, this time for Priscilla's birthday jam. Like always out with the Canadians makes it really fun. We just party different than Hong Kong people. I got into a discussion about that with one of Priscilla's friends. Why in Canada I had no sense of being Canadian, but now that I'm in Hong Kong I'm proud to be Canadian? Priscilla invited two of her co-workers out as well. One of them is a girl from Japan who asked me what nationality I was. From my previous experience with my international friends I know Japanese people consider us Canadians, even if we look Chinese. Naturally I would be tempted to respond Chinese, but out in the east I start to refer to myself as Canadian. Why is it so comfortable hanging out with non Hong Kong people in HK? Is it just the comfort of people and the cultures I am familiar with? There was the regular laughing at my horrible Chinese accent (thanks Eva...), and followed by some good old-fashion University partying. The bill was a little hefty but it was for a friend's birthday. Happy Birthday Priscilla. It was great to see Tiff again, Priscilla's friends, and to meet a couple of new people. Sugar was comfortable. The rooms were nice but few people. I did enjoy having the space since I like to dance, but there was less of that excitement that is usually there when the room is jam packed. The compliments last night were really flattering.
Today is my day to relax. I haven't stepped outside at all today. I kind of expected this so on my way home last night I dropped by a 24.7
Wellcome. Usually I spend the day going over old mail, looking at my budget and cashflow excel files, chatting with friends, watching episodes of The Apprentice, and reading news articles. I managed to catch Stephanie online, I haven't seen her for a while, and poured a bunch of living away from home emotional feelings onto her. I was speaking to her and my brother at the same time and they both had started to look at Christmas gifts. Actually looks like Stephanie is just about done, I haven't even started though I'm not too sure what to do. Since I have been doing my own budgets and reviewing my current cashflow it has helped me from going out and spending like the rest of HK likes to do. As Christmas comes around and I have to start thinking about gifts I need to decide what I can afford and whom am I buying for? Mid November and it looks like Christmas is upon us.
A side note, I was reading an article in the
Economist and it reminded me of an aspect of Hong Kong and China that I really do not like. The medical system. I think I've said it before but I'll say it again, I just can't trust the doctors here. Not too long ago one of Tiff's friends became ill and was prescribed a whole buffet of antibiotics. He started to turn out even worst and out of concern she asked me to get a hold of a few of my cousins. I got great responses and I want to offically thank Yvonne, Ethel, and the twins for always being there when I need answers. For a north american doctor having multiple antibiotics, for a small localized skin infection, is a bit much. But doctors here just over prescribe to make it seem like you're getting your money's worth. All the drugs are given to you on the spot and that includes the needles. I rarely get needles, and when my old roommate went and got a needle full of what looked like water to me, I was already suspicious.
A lot of thoughts have been running through my head these days about my future. Today is my lazy day, but I really can't be lazy for too long, there's a lot to do in life still.
When You Need Cash
Money, without it living in Hong Kong is very miserable. I don't like having to pick and choose what I do here because I need to think about how much money I have. I did a cashflow analysis recently which has strengthened my resolve to save money by not needlessly spending and going out. It pretty much cuts out my plans for a new cell phone. I turned down going to a birthday party hosted by one of Connie's friends. I ended up going to one last night since it was Gloria's birthday. Lets see what's ahead, Priscilla's birthday, and then Phoebe and Erine's wedding. It was amusing when I carried the wedding invitation into SME. I learned the term "Red Bomb" (in reference to the invitation in the red envelop) and how costly it is to attend such a wedding. Looking forward to clubbing with Priscilla and her friends this weekend for her birthday at Sugar.
The educator's role has really come upon me. Tonight is suppose to be my first night tutoring a girl that works as the new Manager for
SJSJ. She's one of Gloria's friends but her commitment has been lacking. I need to start designing a curriculum to teach her, which could eventually lead to teaching other managers and execs. On top of that I had lunch with some of my old students yesterday after they wrote the BULATS exam. I had a lot of feed back about how hard the examination was, apparently almost all the questions were what they considered level 3-4. One of the mothers wants me to tutor her child so I have been thinking about how I could use this opportunity to develop a working curriculum to be reused or modified later for China.
A side note, a lot of interesting things in the IT front. I especially like Google's new
analytics service. I've attached it to my own domain and to
Readership as well to track the usage. If I end up developing more websites this will be a great free tool to gauge the success of my designs.
Lets end this posting with something interesting. I finished off a writing class yesterday with some students and we got into a discussion about how independant girls are in Hong Kong. What girls pay attention to here are much different then what girls pay attention to back in Canada. For example, some girls commented that guys should always have tissues with them. Additionally, girls commented that it is common, and an accepted practice, that guys should be carrying a girl's handbag. I feel so sorry for the guys in Hong Kong...
When To Accept a Gift?
It has been busy, since I am just spending time in the office helping people out. I'm not getting paid but the benefit is basically that I am busy and it forces me to get up and out each day. I don't allow myself time to get rusty. I know some people when they stop working they become really lazy and inactive. These actions are perpetual, if they start they snowball, so it is better to be busy then to get lazy. I've been working with a
Fortinet Fortigate 100A security appliance. It is one of those intergrated solutions, console/web admin interface, with built in AV and IPS (basically an IDS, but can respond to triggers). My "co-workers" have been driving me crazy. I don't mind spending time helping them design a network setup and setting up the firewall system, but I get pulled away to help fix English for proposals and applications as well. They had problems with thier SMTP server this morning, basically not understanding the configuration, and were asking me about it as well. Some things you can do at the same time but editing a form in English, troubleshooting a mail server relay problem, and configuring a firewall are not things that can be finished concurrently. I am investing a lot of time into the company but I don't have the pay to show for it. A few people are planning on leaving the company at the moment as well.
Today was a good day for taking pictures. Kristie, the design instructor, had ever so nicely agreed to help me take pictures. They turned out well, but not good enough. I have a lot of work to do infront of a camera to build up a portfolio. A lot of the problem lies with myself. Connie mentioned how it just seems unnatural for most guys infront of a camera. Posing I can get use to, but learning to smile will take some time.
The main topic though is what to do about accepting gifts. I'm sure this happens to quite a few girls, so their opinions are probably what I need the most. If someone of the opposite sex gives you a nice (or some-what expensive) gift and you are friends with them but only have known them for a short period of time, do you accept? Lets be more specific. If the gift is not something that can be returned, has been bought specifically for you, say hypothetically speaking a silver necklace, from a friend who lives on their own and works at a low paying job... should you accept? I say girls might have an easier time with this situtations because sometimes it doesn't have to be a friend who does not know them well, but it could be a man who is interested in them. Often times a male will end up buying gifts to try to attract the female. This seems to be a view strengthened by media and commercial companies. The gift can not be return, so I suppose it is something I should accept, but in light of the fact that I am so concerned with my own living budget, I can accept the fact that I am taking resources away from someone else's hard life. Do you buy a gift in return? Even if I am watching my own budget? I'm already debating about money I shouldn't spend, and staying at home when I am invited to go out. I turned down one karaoke but since Priscilla's birthday is coming out then I will probably go to that one. I'm not sure why I feel guilty, I just wonder how other people deal with this situtation.
Edit (13/11/2005): A friend mentioned something else of interest. If a man gives a girl a gift, the girl will feel obligated to decline if they have no intention. The man should be able to take the rejection. But for a girl, if you accept then you are showing intention, if you reject then it is insulting and damaging. Is this right?
Decisions to Be Made
I've a lot to think about recently. First off is a personal decision about spending money. Since I am trying to survive here in HK I should be smart and save as much money as I can. Living a simple life so to speak. My father has pushed this, and I should know better but maybe I am just weak as a person. It has been difficult saying no to all the situtations that come up. Friends inviting me to go out, clubbing, karaoke, even to go eating. Hong Kong can be a lonely place for me if I need to always say no to my friends here. I hate it, but I can't affoard to live like other people.
In fact, I am not like everyone else. I should keep my goals in mind but living in a place that is filled with consumption I get swept along.
Take buying a cell phone. My mind has pretty much decided on the Sharp 703 SH. The price has gone up recently ever since they figured out how to fully unlock the phone. After my extensive research I've concluded in the short run that buying a phone from Japan is too much of a hassel. Thanks to Stephanie, Yoji, and Akira for putting the time and effort into finding information for me. Basically the phones are all on contract if you want a good price. Yahoo auctions has a few posted both of the
903 SH and the
703 SH. The price is better than buying it in Hong Kong, but probably just as much of a hassel. I'm tempted to buy this week because Sai was looking into getting a phone as well. I figured if Sai, My brother, and I all decided to get a phone at the same time we have some power to bargin. I'm actually speaking with Sai right now and he just might end up buying it in Pacific mall since the price is about the same.
I just got home after a meetup with Kevin and Henry down in TST. It has been a productive night and it has left me with many questions. We've started to sketch out our design for a business. We talked a lot tonight and there is a solid plan forming, but it will push me to take that first step. That risk, can I leave this comfortable environment to live in a totally new location that I had never planned to live in before? Kevin is a good mentor so far, his business sense is keen and I look forward to doing business with him and Henry. But, decisions about my future need to be made.
Playing the Catch-Up Game
I just had to post. I've been chasing updates for over a month now. When you're busy one just doesn't have the energy to post updates. I tend to leave notes in a text file until I have time to really write it up. After I moved I haven't been able to get online consistantly which has also made updating difficult. I can't say that I will always be up-to-date but I will always try to catch up. My cousin made a post in
his blog not too long ago about why he is blogging. I looked at the reason why I blog and what he says is completely true.
1) I blog so that I have a record of my past. This is my journal. My weblog.
2) I blog so that others can see what is going on in my life when it is not easy to tell them myself.
Stephanie and I were keeping in touch via email for a while. She would update me on her status in Japan and I would try to do the same about Hong Kong. The email started to run for pages and pages, I would only get a reply in once a month so there was a lot to fill in. It just isn't easy doing it for everyone I want to speak with, and I can't expect others to have enough time to write back so blogging is the obvious way to announce how my life is going.
There are those that don't have time to read, they want short summaries of my life. I don't know maybe I should start writing executive summaries at the top of each posting.
There's a number people who have stopped updating their blogs and so I have lost touch with their lives. It seems like a hassel but when I look back at my old entries I'm glad I made the record.
On a totally different note I finally got paid by United Oriental College. I can now walk away from that horrible school. My students told me they got paid as well, I think this only happened because 10 of them went to the police station to file charges.
Casting for TVC
I couldn't sleep last night, I don't know if it was because today I actually had my first real casting call or because I just haven't been sleeping properly in general. First off, this casting call really isn't anything, I'm a nobody. The role looks like a background role. I had recieved a call yesterday from Amy who works for
Mastermind telling me about it. This is through my contact at
Starryland. I ended up today at Quarry Bay. The company name is called Picture Industries.
I was suppose to find a "Betsy" when I got there, but she wasn't around. Another girl helped me fill out my form and gave me the script. Looks like my biggest problem will always be the fact that the scripts are written in Chinese. I don't know of these are typical scripts but it was a bit strange. I had to pretend to be a boy who likes being hit by a girl. I need to beg her to hit me harder and then I pretend that she just slugged me one across the face. Well I did my best, I have to admit though I felt strange doing it. Hopefully I will land a part in this TVC (TV commercial I think).
I headed over to Readership right after to teach an hour long conversational course. This is my first time back at readership in a while. I miss the kids actually. The place changed a bit. After teaching so many 3 hour classes, 1 hour seems to run by so quickly. My three kids are Timbo, whom I've had before, Thomas, and Vincent.
After my class was done I went to the computer centre in Wan Chai. I was waiting for Gloria. She took her sweet time, and I don't quite understand the story but she was left behind in some location by her co-workers so she had to take a taxi. Gloria has been really helpful to me, and often has gone out of her way to help me out. She's looking into a new notebook computer so we spent some time wandering around the computer centre looking at notebooks. The favourite so far is Fujitsu. Oh while I was waiting around for Gloria I ran into Johny. I pretended to steal something from his bag, his reaction time was so slow.
I headed back to Mong Kok afterwards and had drinks with Carman and Kammy. I guess Kammy will be at SME in Yau Ma Tei coming up this month and Joesphine will be at the other location. No more flirting around with Josephine this month.
