Diary of a CEO: 09/12/2004

2004/09/17

Last night, I invited OS team for dinner; this is the last Dept. I invited for group meal since April; that's the time my bonus get paid; I was thinking how to compensate all the company employees, so, I craft this departmental meal one by one and choicing different restaurant since then; OS team were reletevitely young, as they handle internet related business such as e-commerce, digital content and applications, variety of job description required variety of people to join us, this is why I pick 33 temples as the restaurant for last night.

I havn't been to this restaurant for 2 years ( last time we went there for the farewell of A. -- former OS dept. manager ), they expended, the owner rented next door and build a double size restaurant then before; lady boss didn't change her charactor at all, according to her, this is how she attract customers -- she will yell, shout at the guest and talk dirty, drinking and dancing around tables -- this is all sound awkaud if your are a new customer, so, I bet most of the guest here are familar with her style or being introduced by an old customer; last night, she did the old trick again, our table set 15 persons, I think most of them don't feel comfortable about her approach, this included me, she is sometimes gone too far, other than this, the cusine they prepare were delicious, this is a Janapese cusine devloped in Taiwanese way, I mean , the dish they demostrate are modified to the Taiwanese taste; every one is so enjoy the meal and half of the OS team wear attracted by the cats the restaurant kept near the toilet, they play around with the cats and forget we have a group meal and to wish J. a good start back to school; I took this chance to conduct J.'s farewell dinner last night.

Finding my next goal is very important to me, it seems I am wasting my time, my life in the office, I must revisit my goal and new year resolution today and to retrieve what's in the plan and to implement a few of them, otherwise the low morole will kill me.

Fruit developed a very bad habbit, which is shows no respect to her parent, I was really disappointed, checking her home work was not the obligation from me, going home late, I checked and advise her what's wrong and remind her to corret it, she was upset and deny it, her attitude really make me angry, I told her I will not sing on the parental connection book tonight and will wait for her teacher to call me, then I will discover every bad behaviors she developed at home; me and my wife really don't understand, she is 12, I knew this is the growth development and she is in the reble youth, I am fine with that, but to compare with other kid, who don't wash face, brush teech every day ? who don't take bath when sweat and who don't flush toilet once using ? she it too lazy and with bad attitude, how can we saving face for her, the only 2 tools we can exercise are : call the teacher and reject to sign on the parental connection book; her brother is now stay in school, she can't blame us bias and alwary spoil her brother any more, but, we don't see any improvment in her behavior, she is really terrible.

Sound is another headache, to her mother appreantaly, his nature and hyper active put her in the cross road again, she though of transfer him back to normal school. she is so indicisive these day, when the school called her up and update Sound's statue, she feels the Forest is not a good place for Sound to grow, they don't care if Sound sit in the classroom, this is a all paly no learning environement; again, the confrontation between expermental school and parent erupt. I need to smooth her down and bring her back to our core prinspal -- provide Sound a good childhood memory and create a better room for him to touch; playing in elemantary school is not a big deal, we should not take it too seriously; not to mention we have an option to transfer him any time.

Tonight, I will attend the ' Life " offical opening premium at the President Theater, this will make my 4th time to this film, I don't mind and I am enjoy it. Professor Chuang called yesterday and had a " Do something ' emotion, I am liasion in beween to have a grand screening in Chin-Nan Universtiy. where the earthquake hit and the emotion of student tear apare with the citizen, the reconcill of film make re-glue the feeling for them.

2004/09/16

The Public Media Gruop opreation seminar take place this morning, before the seminar, I didn't know this is a recorded program to be aired on PTV -- The public TV station on Channel 53, as one of the panelist and the only perosn who don't really garner the experience in running a TV station, this is quite a challenge for me; I study the topic " The imagination and reality for Taiwan Public TV Gruoup -- a seminar by citizen " and come up with my view point 2 weeks ago, as the organizer -- Taiwan Media Watch Foundation request all the penelist to submit the one page summary for his speech, I did wrote one and send it on time; today, I am simply elobrate in what's been print out as the hand out to all the attendee.

This is a fun experience, I am not shame on TV -- I knew it before, and to face the camara, I think I am qualifed to deliver message properly and my reaction to question is brillant - you know, smart in detecting and to probe the questions and to deliver answers fit the situation. sometimes my answer will be interesting -- I mean, I love to think from different angel and to creativly deliver my thought to the audience.

I am not sure how many citizen is interested in having a good publci TV system , but I know if the fund coming diretly from the people, the opposition power will bury you , think of the law makers stand by the people and clamied this TV tax ? it won't work, as the media and quality of live always come after the life itself, if the budgetary system favor this ideology approach instead of tackleing " Mud storm " " Flood " " Crime and Security ", then any party won't win the next election. the most serious problem in Taiwan is the articheture of the country and the priory setting, again, this is always a " resource allocation " mathamatic.

when reveiwing article from PTV website, I learnd a few practice of running PTV from UK ( Channel 4 ), French ( the believe in local movie and production ), Aus. ( The SBS system ), and understand that this is a issue crossing bundiary. a fun challenge as well.

Recieve the pannlist fees 1000, I bough the instance lottory, hope some prize come up, it may conpensate my personal expense on the dinner tonight.

2004/09/15

On my way to the office this morning, Meat Loaf and the " Bad out of Hell2 " music accompany with me, and I think of Stone -- my high school classmate; he was a fan of Meat Loaf and the exclusive songwriter Jim Steinman who wrote brilliant songs to Meat Loaf's album . and Stone sung and copy their repertoire, he had a student band -- in the 70"s, almost all the student band singing top 40 or copy what they like the most from their listening experience; Stone and his band members -- we knew each other from high school to university and I knew every band members. Lead guitar and Drumer they are brothers, after graduation and unlist from the military, the family immegrate to the States, Bass player who is my neighborhoor, married and devoiced and re-married agian, now he is in the States too; Stone -- the lead singer of the band, died young -- I am not sure when did he passed away, but I heard that was a car accident in Australia which took his live, they play Rainbows, Deep Purple and of course The Eagles and performing in varies student party at campus, I remember introduce them to our colleage to perform too.

after that, I met the band members of Starry Eyes -- then an amerture student band, but regularly performing in the club -- the Parco, this is how I connected to the musician's world, Yen become close friend of mine, Strarry Eyes getting popular, I play the role as tour manager to arrange their first outdoor gig in our colleage. after my service in military, me and Yen establish our first artitst management company, even though the company is on longer existing, we are close friend still, even I am away form the music industry, we see each other, update each other from time to time.

Stone coundn't hear the " Bat out of the Hell 2 " is really a pity, he never know there's sequel release of the Classic album " Bat out of the Hell ", We study the lyric from the music and found Jim's writing is weired, the lyric something means nothing or sound nonsense to us, the irony or ridiculous lyris didn't hurt out love of his music , today, the music bring me through the tunnel of time, and I think of the pass , the music and the people; Dr. Andrew said, when we are 30's, spend 92% of our time think about outself, but when we grow to the 50%, we only spend 29% of time think about ourself, memory is what we left when times goes by.

Last night, my wife feel sorrow and panic agian, when the Dean of Froest Elementary School call home to her and update the life and behavior about Sound, she went almost break down; the detail is not compelling, the point is when the dean told me wife about their collective observation and suggest her to buy the book -- a book talking about ADHD ( Attention Defecent Hiperactive Dicease ), she can't stop crying, was the dignosis we been a few years ago was ture, how come these children profession's opinion toward the same result, will they keep Sound in the school after 2 weeks of trial study ( this is a probation period ), if we have to take him back, where to put him and how to help Sound and help us overcome the jounery ahead of us ? she had no answers, I tried to analyse where we are and provide the solution one by one, as these solution are hypothesis, I am tried to comfort my wife and don't let things getting worst; think about that -- a father must work for the whole family and at the same time taking card a over -active kids and a deep depressed wife -- the mirrow reflect won't feel good, I must solve it one by one. on the coming Sat. I will arrange an intimacy conversation with Sound and explain to him the situation we are facing, how he gonna do to make believe his is qualifed to study in Forest is the topic I want to address; the foutune is on his hand, as parent, this is the best we can do now.

Dinner with Yu were pleasure as usual, long time friend who we exchange live and working expeirence in between made us the friend in deed, he've been heavly devoted to Christian for 20 months, since then, the first porting of our meeting with be the preaching and prasing of God, he tried to lead me to the gate -- where God is shining and guiding, I always listen and fully understand how important religion bring him out of the pain he's been suffer, then we update our current sitaution, M. his elder son decided to have new career in China, M. sold his car, prepare capital and pioneering to his own venture, this make Yu happen, he thought this is the first time his son want to go independence; every parent carry the never ending worry about their children, it's a mix of complain and expectation, he pay his due to the elder son for 10 years; cause by the confrontation of religious prinspal, his second son don't want to talk to him anymore -- they are from the same priest and the thing turn out to be awful, second son have worked with me in the record company and dream of becoming an artist one day, this dream didn't come to reality, but his religiour belive lay a heavy conflict with the family, this is totally beyond my imagination; Shark Fin was what we had last night, he live in simply and humble life now, all I said to him is I am hungry for the soup for a while, come and join me for the soup and to share everything in between.

Sound didn't call home yesterday, his mother ring him twice, this is what I don't feel comfortable, the letter today I will send the message of contact with mother, to handle my wife's sorrow last night, I sacrifice the sleeping time , I feel tired now.

2004/09/14

Being Alone is the pleasure I hope recently, when asked by an old friend about my happy status, this is what come from my mouth; I said to her I am retired from ' love ; less passonate in business activity, didn't create any excuse or reason to go out alone without family companion; is this a symbol of aging or losing energy; I don't know; but watching more and more Europen movie is a fact, the fact of reflecting my life to what I hope, the up and down and surprise full of the film is what I hungry for; but now, it's quite, not dead water; stagnate is the status I can't stand; I must find a way out, this is why " Being Alone " is what I am looking for.

Had a dream the day before yesterday, I dreamt about Sound, he participate on a 200 meter racing and win the gold madel, amazingly, he break the world recored, I can remembered clearly the record he made is 18.88 seconds to finishing 200 meters; I wrote him this story today, as Sound is on a boarding school now, I begin to write him a short letter diary, to subject for today is he break the world record in my dream, and the interpretation is a father's love to his son, for the health and happiness in his life.

Heavy study the Public Media issues, with help from C. I managed to come up with an in-depth viewpoint, I am invited to attend the seminar to present it, another testing water session in front of me.

the food in Amico is not as good as before, they must change chef, only 3 tables for lunch today, compare with my memory, the business is far worst than before. I didn't eat much as I have to prepare my stomach for dinner with Yu.

2004/09/13

Economy Diary show the interview with me month ago and put on the photo which were taken during the interviewing; the article looks nice and my bold head didn't looks bad -- one day before the interview, I just had my hair cut, that's why the new hair stly -- hariless scars me today; the article mention my hobbit in blog and use of all the advance digital devices, it's been a while for media exploures, this is a OK things.

yesterday, have a lunch with 2 YPOer, the networking officer introduce me and J. the new members' to do's and we raised a few question about this community; J. is a young second generation who heil his father's tire business and trun it to a " racing car tire specilist " then create a new market of its own, young, energetic and creative; after the lunch , J. suggested to have a ' ice-breaking " coffee with me, so we move to next door and get to know each other , he is pretty open and straight, told me about how he take over father's business 6 years ago and how he devoted himself to the unknow business and earn his repution now. very Amearcian way - not a cowboy, but a pioneering in wide range so to speak.

modifying car with racing gadget is J.'s habit, he took me for a ride and send me home, the car he re-model trun into a racing car, he didn't drive very fast, but I know when he along, he must be the easy rider; glad to know a new member hungry to know new member and build the itimacy in between.

I told him I am prudent in this new organization as I don't want to put any second thought to the people I initative contact, this will mis-place me in the organiztion, prudent didn't mean no passion, I will participate and involved in every event if I could and to learn as much as I can.

we talked a lot about Forum - the sub-group in the YPO organization.

2004/09/12

Heavy rain for the last 48 hours cause a big flood in Taipei area -- both Taipei city and county suffer from the 911 flood, a few street were sink in the water and the damage of property lost is increasing.

wife pick up Sound on Friday afternoon, as this is the second day he stay in Forest Elementary School, his mother take a very careful look as him, she found he is changing, when went home, the first thing he do it rush to his room, finishing the toys he want to sell on Sunday, he will arrange his fsirst flee market warehouse clearance to the neighbors, then Sound began to read, this is abnomal, as far as we know, his first love at home is " TV ", but after school, he skip it and didn't mentioned it, reading withing our advising. his mother was so happy, but I hold back a little bit, as this is only the second day in school, next week, the whole week experience will set a different case maybe.

Diary of a CEO