We held the break even party last night at Hung Yui - a very old typical Taiwanese cusine restaurant; this is the long awaited result; the company set up 4 years ago and begin it's operation 3 and half years before; last year the financial result is still in red, not only in red, but have a single year lost of close to 400 millions NT; Begin with the fisical year 2004, we made a annually break even budget, this great challenge come to an reality on March 31, the endling day of our fisical year. we are not only turn the company to blue status , but expend our business to a new pleatue; as I promised to all our managers before, if the annual break even arrived as budget, I will drink a lot, get drunk and let everybody feeling happy.
I don't like the feeling of getting drunk, I never enjoy drinking so to speak. but last night, I want to and I must ; the restaurant I choose is an idea place to have drink, we started our drink routine with Beer, then Shiao-sing wine. a little bit dizz. a little bit fuzz, I didn't refrain from drinking with my colleage - in a Taiwanese attitude , bottom up; to accompany with the alcohol, I ate double portion of meal and drink a lot of water; my face turn red, my touge can't flur smoothly, but I didn't vomit; we had a great night last night.
as the GM award first judge panel finished in one day - we set the record of complete 2 days job in one day; I take the day off and accompany with my wife, we go to Bali seeing Shio Tan, he is been away from us 9 years until coming Nov. 17th, his mother place a thrine next to him, whenever checking his status, we will know if his mother still in good shape. a strange feeling.
we suppose to find a cafe' near the beach , accidentally, we follow a sign and visit the artist cafe' call " Yuang Shen Mellow House ", a nice place , my wife bougher 2 rigns with great satisfaction.
complete the G melody first judge penel discussion yesterday, the 2 days meeting was shorten to one day due to efficitive meeting control, yes, I am proud of it; so, I had a day off today, supposely I should be in the office for tons of diary operation, but when asked my wife yesterday during our Red facs duck hot pot -- she bring back her car from the maintainance work and we resume our life with a car... she suggested me to take a day off and seeking my opinon of where to today.
without second thought, I reply with : let's go to Bali and chat with Shiao Tan, she agreed, we visit him by 10:40 am , the I found he is been away from us for almost 10 years, he passed on 2006, Nov. 17th, his mother who is a Christian also bought one site next to him, when seeing the thrine empty still, I feel comfortable.
we decided to go to Shanchi and find a cafe' close to the beach, accidentally, I asked my wife to follow the sign to a artist house studio cafe' called " The Grand Mountian Mellow House " we drove for 30 minutes when first saw the sign board, as it didn't mention the kilo and minutes, so we drove all the way until we found the place, cemetric artist and a painter - the couple making the studio a cafe, it's quite warm and my wife bought 2 beautiful rings at the house.
Called M. for the missonary tour, the venue is OK now, so, I am acting as the manger to handle the tour, I should met up with Yu Kwang for this.
Section chief of GIO call at noon and friendly remind me how the pick the nominees from the Golden Meloday , I know this is from his good intention and I am also aware that the value of mainstream maybe dilute this time and the judgy penel didn't find exciting works from the major lable, this is what he afriend, challenged by the mainstream and the possible boycott of the award ceremory event. the more I digest his words, the more I feel the presure hitting me.
Tonight, the break even party will take place, as I promised all the mangers to get drunk tonight, if we really achieve the break even status, on the way to Tsamsui and back, I don't feel like I should hure myself simply because I had a promise to screw my body, there must be a smart way to handle it. have the attitude to drink , but not necessary the attitude to get drunk and humiliate myself.
A very bad mood yesterday; a few unpleasant matter come up yesterday; my good intention to bring new President of S. did't pay off; to introduce him the city / country and the culture / local practice was the idea when we have the first few encouter, that's why I initative the montly meal with him in ordr to make him familare with the new town as soon as possible.
As S. relocate to Tapei alone, he suggest to have our monthly meal done in weekend, this is sort of sacrifice my family time, well, I take it as this is his new assignment and we need their support as well; but how come after the meal, he talked to his colleage that therie is not time to go over business or operation anymore. if he want to learn about our business, it will be easy to set up meeting in either HQ or comperation company.
Then the cost of recording one frogram, she urge all the panel to consider move it from our condidate list.
Finish 2 days' panel discusion fro Golden Meloday for 2 days, I was scared
2 kilogram coming back to me; I am so frustrated. the late night supper to the night market wan't a good idea; the obesity control medicine gone for months, now this is a battle beteen appertize ( Desire ) and control ( Rationale ); I wan't plan to eat tonight, but as I complete the sturcture of multi-channel management flow, I fell like relax and asked my wife if she favor to have a pan flied oyster omelette with me ? the answer is Yes and the result is gain another 2 kilogram.
The resolution for 2005 is keep my weight under 65 kilogram, this is the ultimate goal and should be strickly obey.
YP wrote me a poet so beautiful, she is an artist herslef, I reply with the same mood in English, this is my reply to her:
You are going through the process of 「From Good to Great」, I am proud of having a friend like you; logic in mind and sentimental at hands; You holds your believe, stronger and tighter than anyone I know, and turn the believe a castle of dreams. A dream castle consists of our dreams too.
I recalled the movie 「A Beautiful Mind」, how John Nash live his life out of this world; It reflect to me another film 「Spicy」, how nostalgia hurting people; and the echo of the song reach to my heart, this is the melody called 「Time for me to fly」by an American band - REO Speed Wagon ; how I wish to share your dream and to live your believe.. This is the perfect comparison between Normal and Noble.
Let us serve your dreams.
she replied with a higher anticipation, she echo with a warm attitude, it seems like we've know each other for a very long time, the fate bring us together, so close. I had a strange feeling...
I am not uesed to work on weekends; as the sun shining in early spring, this is not the time to stay at home, watching monitor and scrach your back figure out how to " Solve " the company problem.
This is not a planned holiday for me and my wife, Sound go out with his grand father, Fruit followed her grand mother to the Sports club, we had an unexpected day off, as noboday's home, we having the itimacy course in the early morning, afterward, I propose to go to the movie " Lighting the sea of live " the winner of foreign film at the Oscar this year; this Spanish film hightlight the rights of human life, debation on whether an incapable person can committee suicide by other helpers; the debating point is : if normal person committ suicide, but didn't kill himself, he or she won't be sentenced, but an incapable who want to terminate his life seeking other's help ( cause he can't perform it by himself ), then it againt the law; it deal with the diginity of life, yet the length of live; the point is well taken.
after the movie, we went for the Forgotten Desert exhibition - the Dazzing Dunhung art, the fransco and other art peices reflect to my collection at home and in the office. I love the mystic flavor of Dunhung art - the silkroad discovery, but I only stayed there for less than a hours, fortunately, I found 2 nice and quite cafe's in the National History Musumn, it open from Tuesday to Sunday, on second floor ( western cafe ), third floor ( blecony Chinese window dressing with the scene of Lotus pond ) and fouth floor ( Chinese tea house ), this is a great hideaway - to read, write or even share.
Moving to new office yesterday morning; I wasn't in town for the relocation process, a decision to rent and expend business were made in a roughy manner; Chairman approved it without go through the board meeting; Approval of new fisical budget in Tokyo, the following day, we signed the leasing contract and hire the interior designer; our F and A dept. perform a mission impossible -- they convert an empty place to a full functioned office in 15 days. Feng Shui master pick March 30th as the best timing to move, we should be in the new office between 9 to 11 am. both me and COO were out of time at the desinate time; accidentally, we were all in Shanghai, he go for the business, I was invited to delive a speech at Shanghai Conservitary Shool of Music.
April 4th was my first day in new office, my secretary must be exhausted moving everything in my old office to the new one; as driver left earlier than expected, she had to do it alone, a girl without help, I feel sorry about that; but I knew she will make my office the best place in the world, I am right about it; the new office in larger than the old one, everthing is settled except the Budda ( Kwang-In Status - frasco painting by Dun-Hunag art institution ) was hangged on the wall; I tried to familiar with the new office scent and flavor; A new expetriat came and knock my door, this is his first day report to duty, without speaking any local language, he must overcome the culture / living / working difficutly in short.
First Managers' meeting started 9 o'clock sharp at the new conference room; as I asked managers to conduct a " closing report " at the meeting, one by one, the result was amazing, I've been in this company for 4 years, this is the first time I realized how my co-worker push me to grow, they tried their best to tell me how good they are and how they serious about this business, I am touched by their sincerity and I promise to make them even better for the year to come; Ben, an engineering manager who report his closing statement in a more managinal way, I am so impressed that he is not thinking in a techonical way, S. - marketing mangers tell us how may event we've conducted for the past year, CH. the most systmatic / organized person in our offcie present a closing based on the business / operation goals we set earlier... I knew that all of them doing this not for pleasing me, but to tell me they are ready, ready to take a greater responsibilty, and the other way around, they will asked me to deploy more resource to help them achive the goals ahead.....
Lunch with C. at the accliamed the best curry restaturant in Taipei - The Magic Curry, the taste is so good, but the converstaion is even better; C. explore her intention to work with me in the near future and to build our dream together, a very long accqutiant bring us to the cross road today; to know each other in private, to graduatly understand the value proposition we shared, to exchange idea about public affaire, then to appricate the complimetary role we play now; this will make the ultimate team forever; I am thrilled and overwheming to this direction, this is not about making huge money, reaching the peck of mountain or winning some turnament in the sports game. but to find a soulmate turn to partner in life; the glue grows and the chemistry turn to catalyst; we know what we want and we will deliver what we hope; Side Media is the platform for us the share our life... I am so happy.
T. called me last weekend, a cold call after the unpleasent ISP alliance broken down; he wish to initative new businee with us and asked to see me today; we met in the afternoon, his idea or suggestion wasn't realistic, I didn't challenge why the agreement in between can't be realized, when telling him the telecom world seems more complicate then entertainment - where I orignially came from, he nod and said : of course, in the world of entertainment, you can tell the good guy or bad guy, here in the tele / internet enviromenment, everyone putting on the mask, how you can distinglish good from bad. I am shocked. you know, we should never trust any one in the telecom world, he brought me a new about our VP's where about, he join Sparq, a co-petitor so to speak, no wonder he is calm about his leaving.....
Meet with H. brother at Regent for dinner, a courtesy meal to check this person, at the first sight, I determined not to hir him as my driver, when asked his career path and his idea of driving for me, the answers were not solid enough to convince me we are pale in the diary working relatiohship. the more I get to know H. the more I awared about his fakeness, I should keep distance from this person.
I don't feel comfortable to hire a friend's relative to be my driver, this just don't feel right. Do I know my friend well ? yes and not, I miss the 15 years of his life in German, I never consult his friend, I know none of his family. I should not be so itimancy with him; so, I should not accept his idea of having his youngest brother to drive for me.
Second reason is : he had a job now, not a driver, to take a driver's job is lower his social position in the career development map. if he don't think this is a lower development, then I have a greater obligation to make his job better , and I have to consider a drivers' career in our company or be with me; this is a wrong rationale also.
Third reason : I don't know how long I will keep a driver with me, this recruitment if done with the standard procedure, then I don't mind when to let go a driver, but if the recruitment is a mix up . then I can carry a burdon more then simply hiring a driver.
H. is too sensitive, nothing right or wrong, change the meal is not what I want, but this should not be in top of my agenda. any hiring for driver should accomodate to my schedule. he is too sensitive, this is anothe factor keep me from hiring him.
A domestic turbulance occured today at home; my wife's car send to the maintainance factory, a rare holiday without a car, we promised our son to the movie " Robot " -- a good one directed by the same group who did " Ice Age "; before going out for the movie, Sound wish to conduct his " Flee Market " in front of our house, as we will be late for the show, so, I didn't agree with his proposal. it seed the unpleasant mood.
I had a plan to bring everyone to a trip - either Taimsui or Tien-mu by MRT; But at the lunch, we went for a Shu-Chuang restaurant near Taiwan University; Sound send his unhappy message to the lunch table, he refused to eat and refuse to talk, there's no way to go out further in such a mood, so, we return home after the meal.
I went up to the top floor - my study room to do my fist iPod - the shuffle, again, the furstration come when dealing with the software installation; I had a six sense before fix the software, I knew that I will encounter with the installation problem again; it keep me busy for 2 house until my wife called my mobile phone and asked me not to talk to my daugher - Fruit again, never show my caring to her... I understand that another revolution is taking place now, I clean my table in a rush and going down to the living room - the show is on, I am not too late to witness the quarrel between Fruit and her mother.... she never stop talking back, I can't stop yelling at her, and return to the AV room , finishing one bag of milky-peanut naughty suger candy, then it all come to a silence ; her mother endure the bad attitude for years, this time, she can't help but punish her on her chic, squeeze her face with finger, she was so mad about Fruit... we almost giving up on her.
We brought Sound out for dinner, he didn't eat at lunch, so we took him out to the night market, when return home, I want to discuss with my wife what to do about our daughter ? should we bring it over to her teacher? or should we still want her to enter a private high school - are we wasting time and money try to change her, will it all in vain? we don't have the answer, Sound want to show his good will to his mother, massage on her back, her mother feels pain and realized that with this heavy hitting, Sound might hurt his classmate last week; if he can't well control his emotion, the bigger trouble will come.
return to my room and taking the shower, Fruit knock the door and present me the letter she wroter, she beg for my forgivenss and explained that she will try to change her attitude, improve and change, never judge a person by its appearacne -- I am an ugly father to her, this is one of the reason make my sad.
Fruit wrote her mother and brother letter too, I hope this is a giant step for the family, I love to hold their hand, pad their shoulder and hug with them all the time... I really did.
Pope John Paul Jr. passed away this morning, Videcan conduct a Sunday Mesaiah in the St. Peters' church. a great man influenct more than 1 billion Christians, leader to the leader, influence to the people who influence to the world. shall be respected, how come media in Taiwan didn't take it as a Head line news, paporandi is the king for the media in Taiwan, a upside down situation, it make people sick, really sick.
Arrange the first dinner with newly on board Chairman of S. he claimed himself as a cowboy in town and share with us his rare experience in Phillipine.
Initaitaly, I am planning to invite local country manager to the dinner, head of music was not availalbe, so I bring the mobile phone company GM to the dinner first. I choose Really Good - a seafood restaurant famouse for it's flesh Taiwanese cuisine and bone-china table wear; I discovered this reataurant 8 or 9 years ago, that's when my and my wife take a stroll at the neighering area and found this garden restaurant with a very local name " Really Good?", so we entered and tried it the first time, then I became a regular guest and hosting countless dinner here in my entertainment period.
S. is new in town, S. is a local, I host the dinner first time and breifly introduce the pre-history of Taiwan - a term designed by local pro-independent wing. during the dinner, S. take a break told me my COO is planning his leave, I didn't follow and I should not asked COO, I don't want to bringing presure to anyone.
Discussed with Sound about his betting classmate last week; our family make an agreement with Sound when he fought with other student at Forest School the first time, according to the school regulation, bad behavior of student will get a point for the mis-havior, if a student receive 3 points, then their parent must take him back and stay at home for a day -- The panalty for mis-behavior student is asking him to go home, can you image how these kids love to go to school - contridice to our rationale; when it happed the first time, we warned Sound, if we receive the order from school to bring him home for a grounded day, we will not sent him back to school again, as we don't want to bring too much trouble to the school and we feel sad about him; this agreement made him very nervous; last week, he hit someone and get another point, my wife told me that there's a big chance that he will get the one day panalty, if it does happen, father have to keep his word and transfer him back to normal school... what should we do?
We think it over -- that's the day before our leaving for Shanghai, my wife was so blue, I promise to come up with a solution before we fly out. then I decided to withdraw the family panalty , instead, to know the reason why he can't control his emotion, hitting others and discuss with him , ask him to think hard and to produce a solution we all pleased; I had a back up plan to suppor Sound, but we want him to think it through before I deliver my answer.
we had this conversation last night, as I learn from my wife, after the hitting classmate issue, all the school student protest him, rule him out of the playing circle, no one want to be friend with him, he receive palaty at school already, then I told me I wish to release the " Never go back " decison ,but he shoud told us how to prevent it happen again; his answer satisfy us, he said he will prepare a note - a written note for himself and keep it at the pocket, whenever there's a chace he will play outside or enter the group activity, he will reach his pocket , take out the note, read it before join the game, this is how he plan to control his temper, I am suprised that he really think hard, and I wish what he means trun to an action in his life, there will be more confrontation ahead of him. he must leant how to handle it by himself, parent will never be with him all the way.
