tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-137164152024-03-08T06:01:31.948-08:00MusingsThe existential angst of living...closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-29149660799362296592011-09-25T14:38:00.000-07:002011-09-25T14:38:42.244-07:00First impressions - Tbilisi<div class="p1">Just as with people, I often find my first 24 hours in a new city tends to set the tone and emotion for the rest of our time together. If that's the case, then I have to say I'm quite enamored with Tbilisi and Georgia thus far. The most impressive facet about Georgia so far is not the architecture, though it is surprisingly gorgeous; nor the food, though it is wonderfully rich - it's the people, how incredibly nice they are to total strangers like us. While "hospitality" is quite a cliched term in travel guidebooks, even I was surprised by just how spontaneous and genuine their affection have been for total strangers like ourselves. Though I no longer consider myself a road newbie at this point, I was still humbled and touched by just how generous they were; once again it proves the adage that there are truly nice people everywhere in the world. </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">Case in point, we've only been in the city for 24 hours, and already we've had more than our fair share of serendipitous encounters with strangers. Normally when I get one in a day, I'm counting my lucky stars. Getting a handful feels simply…overindulgent. Last night, when we were lost trying to find our hostel, a random guy off the street kindly escorted us all the way there, despite it being almost midnight. In the morning, a policeman very nicely helped us purchase our metro ticket to Rustaveli, and asked another stranger to take us through the station. Coming out of the sublime Obeliani baths, a very cute Georgian girl waved us into her shop for free (!) wine tasting. Sadly, her co-worker did most of the talking after we came in, I guess her mission was accomplished once we walked in. While buying water tonight, the women manning the register were only too happy to give us some travel advice around her homeland…just too many examples to count. In general, between Eric's fluent Russian and my non-existing Georgian, we probably only understood 2% of what anyone says to us. Nonetheless, almost everyone treats us with with seemingly infinite patience, and a wide wide smile at our feeble attempts of Georgian. If this first day is any indication, we're going to be spoilt rotten by the end of this trip. </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">The wonderful people aside, I have to say Tbilisi is definitely one of most charming cities I've ever been too. A total hidden gem, probably what Prague was like 30 years ago before it was crushed by tourists. The Mtkvari river runs through the heart of the city, and with the Narikala Fortress and Sameba Cathedral on the hilltops by the river overlooking the Old town, it reminded me a lot of Budapest or Vilnius. The country is by no means rich, and the capital reflects much of its hardship in recent years. Walking around, we would see scores of dilapidated buildings, torn-up streets, stray animals, and an occasional power outage or two. Nonetheless, the city has preserved much of its historical architecture, and has also invested in highlighting some key landmarks such as lighting up Narikala fortress and Baratashvili bridge at night. And most of this was quite tastefully done, so the dilapidation does indeed add a rustic charm to the streets, as clicheish as that may sound. </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">One of the highlights of today happened while we were wandering the streets near Freedom Square. While I was busy taking pictures, Eric wandered into a completely run-down building, which turned out to be the home of the Tbilisi Royal Theatre. While it looked like it was next to an apartment of crack addicts, when we stepped through the entrance, it really felt like we were just magically transported back to the 1920's (Midnight Paris, anyone?). Akvar the watchman very enthusiastically insisted on a tour, and started us at the foyer, which held a piano and an ancient movie recorder. On the other side was the cafe, which held some genuinely faded B&W photos of famous troupes & actors. Sadly it was all in Georgian, so we couldn't understand very much, but I can only guess it was a list of who's who who've come through the theatre. The extremely disorienting contrast of the exterior decay vs. the interior opulence, plus the wafting period opera music in the background, made me want to really step outside and check I'm still in the right century. Turned out Akvar was quite a student of history, and he very eagerly wanted to talk about Mao, Chiang, Stalin and their pals. Apparently he was drafted into the Soviet army at 17 and served for 3 years, is a pacifist at heart, and was no fan of the Russians. He was of course also very interested in the whole Taiwan vs. China issue - ("China? Taiwan?" <i>hand gesture - clasping together</i>). We scratched our heads and did our best to insist on the difference between the two, with copious amounts of hand gestures & word parroting. But I think we managed to conclude with handshakes and smiles all around - one for amateur diplomacy! </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">Another highlight was hitting the Obeliani baths, which is a Turkish bathhouse that Pushkin once called "the best bath he's ever had" (quoteth LP here - believe at your own peril). But there was definitely some truth to it. There's nothing that soothes the sore legs more than a nice bath at the end of the day. At 3 GEL a splash (<2 USD), it's was truly something everyone could enjoy. And indeed I think we saw variety of guys in there, the youngsters mixing w/ the senior citizens and everyone enjoyed chatting up in Georgian. After the bath we worked up quite a hunger, and stuffed ourselves with a feast of dish after dish of various meat products, and a serviceable bottle of wine with just 12GEL at this fabulous restaurant by the Mtkvar river. One can certainly get used to a life like this. </div><div class="p2"><br />
</div><div class="p1">K, time to hit the sack. </div><div class="p1"><br />
</div><div class="p1"><br />
</div>closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0Tbilisi, Georgia41.709981 44.79299800000001141.610907 44.580610000000014 41.809055 45.005386000000009tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-33959069367792235982007-12-30T02:17:00.000-08:002010-03-23T16:49:39.864-07:00Movies and BooksJust finished watching <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0907657/">Once</a>. It's this indie movie about musicmaking, great, great music, and watches more like a documentary than a movie at times. I typically don't watch the commentary, but was compelled to watch this one afterwards. I guess despite all the jadedness about the movie industry, there is something magical about believing in your movie idea strongly enough to be willing to shoot it on a micro budget w/ some friends, which was kind of how this movie hapened. Very cool. I also got around to watching <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/beat_that_my_heart_skipped/">The Beat that My Heart Skipped</a>, great movie as well. Darker than the other ones, but Dupri really gives a fantastic performance and I liked the whole nature vs. environment angle.<br /><br />Also just read a book called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/General-Theory-Love-Thomas-Lewis/dp/0375709223/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199005618&sr=8-1">A General Theory of Love</a>. It's one of the more scientific book on love and relationships I've read in a while (though I do think some of the discourse on neural networks could be more rigorous). It's similar to some other books I've read before like <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Can-Love-Last-Fate-Romance/dp/0393323730/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1269388142&sr=1-1">Can Love Last</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Necessary-Losses-Dependencies-Impossible-Expectations/dp/0684844958/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1199010219&sr=8-1">Necessary Losses</a>, but I think more rigorous and scientific, which the engineer in me really appreciates. It basically tries to analyze why and how we love using multiple disciplines, such as neurology, evolutionary biology, as well as traditional psychoanalytic techniques. Their thesis is basically that human beings relate not only on an emotional level but also on a biological level (they refer to it as 'limbic'), and essentially what therapy does is the therapist tries to go into the patient's world without losing oneself, and synchronizes their rhythms not unlike how two people could synchronize breathing, but instead focusing on emotional patterns. By resonating on similar emotional frequencies and patterns as the patient, the therapist can help to gently guide the patient to break out of unhealthy patterns. If one accepts the book's premise of limbic connection, i.e., that by being together human beings do not only affect each other emotionally but also physiologically, then this is certainly one of the more scientifically sound explanations of psychotherapy I've come across. Interesting thoughts indeed.closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-73341796417556057792007-12-25T00:05:00.001-08:002007-12-25T00:56:15.938-08:00Life and moviesJust finished watching two great flicks - <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/paris_je_taime/">J'taime Paris</a> and <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/russian_dolls/">Russian Dolls</a>. Both movies elicited such strong emotions that I feel like I have to let some of it outpour onto this page. First, I guess since Paris is the major location for both of these movies, it really brought back a lot of past memories and emotions for me. I suppose the older you get, the more place you've been to and relationships you've been in, the more likely this will be. Still, there is something magical about Paris. For J'taime Paris, I can't help playing back my memories of what the various locations are like and what I was doing, at the same time as the characters are going through their scenes in the movies. It's kind of weird, kind of like parallel universes, at the same time it almost blurs the line between fact and fiction, movie and reality. There are the stone steps outside the Louvre's glass pyramid, where she laid her head on my knees and napped. I remember the sky was grayish-blue, with a slight breeze, and sound of running water behind us. Some tourists were nearby, but for that moment it was just us. At the same time on the screen, I see the characters from J'taime going through all the places I went to in Paris. The Montmartre where we looked over all of Paris in her splendor, the jardin de luxembourg where children play among the statues and where we held hands and looked for postcards, the cobblestone streets of a street market where the housewives buy their cheese and jamon...too many memories. And the <br /><br />Both movies reminded me strongly of the places I've been to and people I've been w/. I remember meeting Matt in Prague in the summer of '05, when Russian Dolls first came out. He was one of the few (literally two or three) Americans I met on that trip, and we both loved <a href="http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/auberge_espagnol/">L' Auberge Espagnol</a>, the prequel to Russian Dolls. Despite having never met before, I really felt like we were kindred spirits (and I would meet many more in my subsequent trips - it's hard to express how special that bond is among the community of solo travelers). He's a few years older, but we've had similar struggles when it came to work, love, and life in general. Hence our strong identification w/ l'auberge espagnol. He had the chance to watch Russian Dolls while in Prague, while I missed out, and so now two years I've finally caught up. I think Russian Dolls is quite a bit messier than l'auberge espagnol. I wouldn't say the character Xavier is particularly lovable, but he's realistic. He's a bit schmoozy, womanizing, and weak-willed; but so are all of us. I think there's a little bit of him in every guy - who doesn't occasionally fantasize about landing one (or more) gorgeous woman? When we meet a great girl, we are all torn by the internal dilemma of deciding to settle on this one or continuously pursue an even "better" woman out there? It's like opening a set of Russian dolls - when do you know this one is the last one? Just so happened that Matt and I both encountered this decision at different points, and our different decisions have led us down very different paths. Now a couple years later, and looking back, I guess the only takeaway is there's no clean answer for love is there? There will always be multiple people, intersecting at different times, and no one is ever so right that it begs the obvious. Instead most of us eventually make a decision - "this is it, this is where I draw the line and 'make' her the one." Not passively accepting her as the one, but actively choosing her to be the one. Because even though you damn well know there are or may be better ones out there, this is where you learn to stop opening up Russian dolls. <br /><br />And I guess marriage scenes are always touching; no matter how jaded we become, I suppose there's a part of us that always wants to believe in "till death do us apart". And yet now knowing what we know, clearly it's not realistic to expect that. So what do we expect? Is it just the best-faith effort at the time? That we will sincerely give it our best effort, even though knowing too well that we humans are too imperfect and transient to promise anything everlasting? <br /><br />At any rate, highly recommend these two movies. Onto a L'Enfant and Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter tomorrow.closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-84453785911647305132007-10-28T03:06:00.000-07:002007-10-28T03:08:04.812-07:00totally randomfinally found something that was worth writing about on facebook, saw this on somebody's wall today - <br /><br />---------<br />This is weird, but interesting! =)<br /><br />fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too<br />Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.<br />i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! if you can raed tihs forwrad it<br /><br />-----------<br /><br />At first I was like, "Ugh, I can't read that." Then I tried a little bit and found that wow, I actually could, and fairly easily too! Crazy huh?closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-16687418878028557762007-09-09T01:22:00.000-07:002007-09-18T10:18:38.364-07:00You can run, but you can't hideThree years...three long years. Yet I'm still not as far along as I thought I would be. Running from my past, but not quite far enough to forget it. When will it stop? When will it stop haunting me?closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-88060212201944059192007-09-03T23:11:00.000-07:002007-09-04T00:15:58.665-07:00Wow, does anyone even still read this?<br /><br />I think this is the first time I've been home in close to two months; the last time I was in the bay area was 7/12 I think, except for a brief night layover in Aug, though I don't exactly remember. Walking outside of SFO, aside from the 10-degree cooler wind, I'm not sure exactly what "home" is to me anymore. While I would like to say that "home" is wherever I am, and I'd like to think that I'm adaptable enough that I should just be able to shrug it off, it does nonetheless feel odd. I don't quite feel home - but then I'm not exactly sure what home is supposed to feel like. I'm back in my room, though the bed feels strangely alien. I look at my room, at the pile of accumulated mail, and it feels eerily familiar yet distant. I go downstairs to boil some ramen, since I really don't feel like eating out, despite being hungry from the crappy food. Maybe I'm just tired from being "out", though "out" would imply there is some "place" to be "out" of, no?<br /><br />I'm sure there are plenty of people who fly around all the time like I do, who make strange, remote hotels their homes for months on end. The consultants, ibankers, PEers of the world, many of my friends actually. I'm sure many of us are strong, resilient, adaptable; we make friends where we are, learn the local scene, explore the new city, try strange food, and we can check off another city in our been-there, done-that list. I'd like to think I am too, yet the longer I spent away, each time I come back it feels a little stranger. When I decided to move back to the Bay last year, I was so excited because I thought I would be coming home; as close to a "home" as there would be for me anyways, since no where is really home. It hasn't quite felt like that. It's been great, I've reconnected w/ some friends, and the environment is definitely familiar, but it's not quite the homecoming I expected. Obviously everyone is older and we're all taking our different paths now, but it's nonetheless been more remote than expected. Of course Taipei doesn't feel like home either. It's great, I'm really getting to know it and like it better, but it doesn't feel like a place I see myself living in. I sometimes wonder how John does it, whether Beijing or Seattle feels like home to him. Perhaps having your own place helps.<br /><br />And next year? I don't quite think I've mentally prepared myself to move to Beijing yet. Shanghai, yes. But BJ? That was not what I expected, though things are where they are now. I do think I'll look forward to exploring a new city, yet at the same time this wasn't what I planned. I had never envisioned going to BJ, and I guess maybe it won't be as comfortable or glamorous as Shanghai, but maybe it will be interesting. Regardless, I'm sure I'll learn a lot.<br /><br /><br />***********<br /><br />And I feel like I've gone through a mini relationship (could I call it that?) within these few weeks, at least some of the similar type of drama. The excitement of ambiguity, the highs and lows, the arguing, the inevitable reality and acceptance of reality, and the aftermath. I sometimes am not quite even sure why I like her - it feels a bit irrational. She's not exactly the type I've liked before, though there are things that really endear her to me. That said, I can't quite bring myself to do what I need to do - road to a women's heart is littered w/ the bodies of many nice and sweet guys, and I'd like to avoid becoming yet another one. I would like to just flip a switch and be that cocky, funny, aloof guy that every men's rag tells you to be, yet it feels like going against nature to me. Funny and cocky, yeah, that's not too hard. Aloof is where I find real difficulty - it's hard to stay away when I genuinely want to know how her day was or what she's feeling, or seeing a trinket that reminded me of her. Yet this desire for open myself up and to be close will be the death of me, I'm sure. I think it's human nature to value what is difficult, and I've already made it too easy. Sigh. Well, I'm sure this month long break will end things very quickly as it should.<br /><br />*********<br /><br />Garry's recommended photography books came today - I'm excited. It's high time to get more serious about photography instead of posing around and shooting on probability. Time to get disciplined and stop dicking around. And to start another project too. I think the thing that's most disruptive about constant work travel is disrupting your personal time and rhythm. People always ask me whether the jetlag gets to me; actually, it doesn't bother me much anymore. I've gotten to the point where I can sleep almost anywhere, anytime. It's the social disruption that bothers me the most. The inevitable distancing from friends and lack of time to do my own thing that makes one tired of traveling. Well, I should be here for almost a month this time, hopefully I can do a thing or two on my own.closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-10833617812466156852007-05-25T03:19:00.000-07:002007-05-25T04:11:13.690-07:00Organizational behavior 101?I used to think studying organizational behavior and management was all bullshit. A bunch of guys sitting in the ivory tower thinking they know how to run a multinational? What a crock. But the more I work the more I realize how important organization--loosely defined as in how you organize people, structure reporting, allocate time, reward & punish behavior, etc--is. I'm still not convinced of the value of sitting in an undergrad class with 200 other people to read a 800pg textbook on organizational behavior. It just doesn't strike me as something you can learn in a classroom. Without lots and lots of work experience, you just won't understand. And even if you do, each situation is highly unique and nuanced, and once you abstracted it into a case study it just seems to lose the subtleties that make org problems difficult.<br /><br />At any rate, now I am quite convinced that how you organize a group of people, has a huge effect on how productive they will be. Unfortunately, I haven't figured out a way to quickly become good at it.<br /><br />Exhibit #1 -<br /><br />Suppose you are the country PM for country X. you have been charged, ultimately, to win this market (let's use search market share), where you're currently getting your butt kicked. You need to convince engineering with your the overall strategy and product roadmap, deliver the products, and hopefully win lots of users. Suppose now also that your engineering office in X also opened recently, so you've now scoured the country for a bunch of top-notch engineers, all eager and excited because they want a chance to work at G.<br /><br />Great, since a technology company absolutely have to hire the best damn engineers, you're off to a good start. No argument about that. But brilliant engineers don't necessarily sign up to crush some competitor or win a market. Few smart people join IBM thinking, "Gee, I'd really like to help Big Blue crush Microsoft or Sun or Oracle today." Smart, talented engineers join a company usually because they want to solve really challenging problems, enjoy the environment, want freedom and resources to pursue what excites them, and in general try to build cool shit.<br /><br />Now you have a dilemma. You know (or think you know) what you have to do to win. Build product X, partner with Y, syndicate Z, improve infrastructure W, on and on. But the engineers may not at all be interested in X, Y, Z or W. Maybe your most talented UI engineer happens to<br />really get off on tweaking the subtleties of image search. But you just know that working on image search is useless for winning traffic right now, doesn't move the needle. What do you do? You can't force great engineers to do what they don't want to do; it'll be a disaster. At the same time, having him work on low-priority projects is just waste of talent. And maybe he's not the only one. Maybe some other senior engineers all want to work on a different skunkworks project, because they've all vested, and now only want to work on some pet projects.<br /><br />So out of an office of maybe 15 engineers, you might only be able to convince half to really put their hearts into what you need to do to win. That's 50% efficiency, a terrible waste of eng talent and time. At the same time, you can't throw rank and ask the eng director to just crack that whip and get everyone in line; it might work elsewhere, but not at G. And even if it works, it would ruin the team culture and camaderie, so that option is out.<br /><br />So, how do you reconcile the two? The easy answer might be, "Oh well, just find what people are interested in, and define Y projects in such a way that each person finds what they're looking for. So you can have your cake and eat it too." I think that works up to a certain extent, but it's not so easy, since it's kind of like sanding a square hold to fit a round peg. You can kind of do it, but it's not optimal. I think engineers are most motivated and productive when they find something they are really passionate and inspired about, not when you retro-fit a project to match their needs. You don't have as much of this problem at startups, since they are usually self-selective; people who don't identify w/ a startup's mission usually don't join it, unless there's a good chance of a good exit. And you can screen people out based on their stated interests. But in the case of G, where we're just trying to hire the damn smartest people we can find, it's not like we screen people based on their passions, especially in a remote office. In fact, we're known for only interviewing for ability, rather than work history or interest.<br /><br />So what exactly do I do then? I need to win the market. But I also need to build a high performing, happy, and inspired eng team. How do I make the two work? I don't have a good answer for this, and I'm thinking about it every day. Comparatively, writing specs weren't all that hard...<br /><br />Now I understand why good managers certainly earn their pay.closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-71281703112230705362007-04-29T03:31:00.000-07:002007-04-29T03:32:09.434-07:00Ladies, do you know what you're missing out on?<a href="http://geeksugar.com/228844">Word</a>! lol...closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-9648792414648841782007-03-09T05:08:00.000-08:002007-03-09T09:59:34.268-08:00Great, I'm going to completely fail my OKR this quarter, god I suck. Have had zero time to write. Lack of discipline. This is pathetic. So much to say, but so little energy to say it. John, I know how you feel now.<br /><br />Have you ever been in it so deep that you don't even know which way is up anymore? There are nights when I've just completely worked so much, so much so that when I'll go into safeway at 2am to grab a bottle shampoo, but end up wandering up and down the aisles lost. I'll walk in circles not be able to find it because I can't shut my mind off and I continue to think about work. So I can't focus and am just wandering aimlessly in this gigantic empty Safeway, w/ a couple of graveyard shift boxing boys staring at me with the "WTF is this retarded guy walking around in circles at 2am in a Safeway?"<br /><br />Since I just got home and I need to get up at 9am, I should probably head to bed but then again, since it's 5:15am already not sure it matters anymore. God, I hate it when the damn birds are chirping before I get to bed.<br /><br />Am I learning a lot? I supposed so. I don't know. I alternate between feeling great knowing that I've done more in six months than I did in two years at MS to feeling like shit knowing I really still haven't done anything, and that the bar for distinction here is set nice and high. I pretty much feel like I can run anything after this, but then I don't know if that's my hubris speaking or actually some well-earned self-respect?<br /><br />Holy shit, there are some big names in this thread...Jakob Nielsen? http://battellemedia.com/archives/003413.php. Great points raised - maybe video play isn't really about monetization at all...ok, must stop writing. Damn it, see even now I can't turn it off. I just damn well can't.closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-13174037489709220822007-02-25T03:16:00.000-08:002007-02-25T03:17:39.863-08:00Almost famous...<a href="http://chalain.livejournal.com/43015.html">http://chalain.livejournal.com/43015.html</a><br /><br />wow, I am speechless. I came _this_ close to working on the feature that made Digg frontpage. Just a hair away and it would've been me, I don't know how I would've felt...closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-12061104032609376692007-02-23T17:28:00.000-08:002007-02-23T18:24:56.284-08:00Fireside chat with Hillary ClintonWe have a program at work where they invite famous people to come speak, and Eric would interview them. Today we had the rare opportunity to hear Hillary Clinton and that was definitely a treat. It's hard to imagine having these kind of opportunities elsewhere, though I really hope they'll bring Obama in too at some point for a good compare & contrast :)<br /><br />So I'm blogging this live a la wonkette or dkos style -<br /><br />Interesting notes so far<br /><br />- Her policy cornerstones really seem to focus on universal health care, education, alternative energy and climate change. I'm not convinced this will work nationally, i.e., to win the election, but then again she could be tailoring it very much to the G audience. Personally, I'd rather hear more about Iraq, the economy, and redefining our foreign policy in general.<br />- Key message - restore confidence at home and respect abroad<br />- No escalation of troops into Iraq. Wow, that's surprising.<br />- No continued unconditional funding of the reconstruction unless<br />- A few nicely placed snipes at W and Cheney, me likes :)<br />- Wants to start dialogue with states such as Iran, Syria whom we're not talking to now.<br />- Will extricate us from Iraq if W doesn't get us out.<br /><br />Unfortunately, Eric lobbed her some softball questions in the beginning which ate up all the time, so the only serious question she took was on Iraq. Would have loved to hear some more.<br /><br />Thoughts afterwards -<br /><br />Hillary is a great, great public speaker. Probably way underestimated when compared to her husband. But her style is quite different, I feel she's much more formal. She's incredibly intelligent and eloquent, but lacks that little bit of warmth or informality to really connect with the audience. It was kind of like listening to a grad school lecture. Bill, on the other hand, was great at making you feel like he was speaking to you personally, even though he may be delivering the State of the Union. It's interesting - it's as if you don't want to be <span style="font-style: italic;">too </span>perfect in your delivery, because then you lose that personal touch. A little bit of colloquialism actually goes a long ways in establishing trust and credibility, and invoking emotion. I've heard Obama is also a phenomenal speaker, though I haven't had the time to watch an entire speech. W, for all his faults, is also an underestimated public speaker. He has an uncanny ability to project sincerity while speaking, But unfortunately since there's nothing upstairs, and his language command is so pathetically poor, it's hard not to laugh at his fluff after a while.closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-7489175486260919492007-02-21T00:55:00.000-08:002007-02-21T01:25:10.627-08:00To be or not to be?There are moments in one's career, inflection points, where people's opinion of you are formed, careers are made or broken, and decisions truly matter. Unfortunately, I just had one this morning, and I royally fucked it up. Rarely do I want to retract a past conversation as badly as I want to now. Unfortunately, I don't even know how I let it get to this point, it all happened so quickly. I think it's the first time that I've yearned for the simpler days at M, where I did not have to face situations as I do now. Things weren't easy then, but it was straightforward how to build one's career. Where as it's not clear to me now what to do next. Never do I feel as old as I do now - being all of twenty-seven I feel I am no longer a naive fresman when it comes to navigating the labrynth of the professional world and should know a hell of a lot better. But I don't. Damn my ignorance.<br /><br />Before me lie two options - one to be the country PM for T/H, where I am in essence driving all the product strategies and decisions for these two markets, the other to be an international search PM, where I run and maintain the system that improves our core product for all intl markets. It's very much a depth vs. breadth tradeoff, and unfortunately while I committed to the intl one, I am very much having second thoughts now. Unfortunately now that I've committed to both my managers I don't see a good way of backing out of this w/o a major hit to my professional credibility. I don't want to appear fickle, indecisive, and frivolous, and yet by changing my mind within 24hrs I manage to achieve all three. I really wished I had thought through carefully before I made my decision and spoke up about it, unfortunately I did not get a chance to reflect and seek some senior advice until today. Which has really made me change my opinion a whole lot, albeit a bit too late.<br /><br />Unfortunately, I am where I am now. No point in bitching about how stupidly I handled myself up to this point. What to do next? Should I continue on my current path? Should I speak up and announce a change of heart? Despite talking with some friends, ultimately it is my and only my decision to make, and now I understand the terrifying pressure and loneliness of choice and consequence. Only I am responsible for me and what happens to me, no one else. Wasn't that what aging was supposed to bring? The type of self assurance to handle oneself confidently and competently in such situations? Why do I still feel so clueless and inept?closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-28644909794595984662007-01-22T01:41:00.000-08:002007-02-21T00:55:14.484-08:00My Q1 OKRNow that my blog readership has completely dwindled to zero, I guess it's a good time to do a reset and wipe the slate clean. Sadly, I haven't been able to write much here, due to work completely leeching away any illusion of my having free time. Working with three time zones - EU, Asia, and US does wonders for your sleep schedule. I've flown 6 times within the last three weeks (Taipei, London, SF) and haven't had any jetlag at all, I guess my body has slowly realized that resistance is futile, and it has given up complaining.<br /><br />To be honest, I'm not happy with this. I haven't quite figured out what to do yet, since I've never been quite so overwhelmed. Nonetheless, here is one thing I do commit to do to regain my life back. I want to start writing seriously. After reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Washington-Zoo-Writings-Politics/dp/1586484575/sr=1-1/qid=1169455435/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-2160324-1295266?ie=UTF8&s=books"><span style="color:blue;">The Woman at the Washing Zoo</span></a> (Big props to <a href="http://huatchye.blogspot.com/"><span style="color:blue;">Huat</span></a> - one of the most well-read literati I have ever encountered), I was tremendously inspired by how much she cared to write, even when she was on her deathbed. I also enjoyed the expository essay format very much, it showed me a glimpse of what could be done with non-fiction writing. I've always struggled to find a home for my writing "voice" - I don't quite have the wit or charm to do any sort of column writing (though if you ever want a great example, check out <a href="http://www.ohsu.edu/academic/acad/ahc/newsletterspring2006.pdf"><span style="color:blue;">Domi's writing</span></a>), and I lack the elegance and variety to do topical writing, like travel writing, justice. But writing essays to argue something? That, I think I can do.<br /><br />I'm not a fan of New Year's resolutions; their time horizon is much too long to effectively hold oneself accountable, and most inevitably end up unfulfilled. However, there's something I'd like to borrow from work. At G, we do this exercise where every quarter we set something called OKRs - <span style="font-weight: bold;">O</span>bjectives and <span style="font-weight: bold;">K</span>ey <span style="font-weight: bold;">R</span>esults. Basically, this is the report card that we get graded against every quarter, and it is public for all to see. G gives us long guidelines on how to properly write OKRs, but one basic point is have actionable, measurable key results that justify how the said objective was achieved. So here's an experiment - to truly hold myself accountable, I will start creating personal OKRs this quarter, starting with this one.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Objective</span>: To improve my writing in a disciplined manner, and through writing, regain some balance in my life.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Key Results</span>:<br /><ol><li>Write two essays that I feel are good enough to post publicly<br /></li><li>Dedicate at least two hours/week to improving my writing </li></ol>Let's see how this goes.<br /><br /><br /><p style="margin: 0in;font-family:Verdana;font-size:10pt;"><span style="font-family:georgia;"></span> </p> <p style="margin: 0in; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 10pt;"> </p>closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-9201476438483648362006-12-07T21:45:00.000-08:002006-12-07T21:49:18.419-08:00Commenting problems?Hey people,<br /><br />I've heard that commenting might be a problem on my blog since I moved to blogger beta? While I'd like to think that you all aren't commenting because of some obscure blogger bug, as opposed to you know, the alternative ;). But hey at any rate if so, email me and let me know.<br /><br />Moiclosetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-2272656263769849172006-12-02T16:00:00.000-08:002006-12-02T16:25:05.915-08:00All your world are belong to usHow awesome is <a href="http://www.couchsurfing.com/index.html?index=1">this</a>? And <a href="http://www.hospitalityclub.org/">this</a>? I first heard about Hospitality club from <a href="http://www.aldiuneak.blogspot.com/">Mir</a> from Barcelona whom I met in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vientiane">Vientiane</a>. I happened to check them out today, while doing some research on Portugal. She's a super warm and friendly girl with a kick-ass consumer products design job back in Barcelona (sadly, not fashion. I was hoping for some Zara discounts, sigh), but decided to postpone going back to take a freelance job in Bangkok. I've heard of house swapping before, but I think these are more targeted for the backpacking community. Argh, I'd do this in a heartbeat if I had my own place, but I don't know how thrilled Walter & Co. will be if I start hosting random foreigners at our place. I'll try to give this a try for Portugal though. It'll be great just to get away for a while.<br /><br />Man, I have some serious wanderlust going on. I don't know what's up w/ me. Obviously not a good sign 3 months in a new job, eh?<br /><br />Recently I've been thinking a whole lot about my twenties coming to an end. Here I am,<br />27 going on 28, with the big 3-0 no longer in a deniable distance. I am no where close to where I envisioned myself to be, professionally, inter-personally, or spiritually. What am I doing? This cloud of existential angst is perpetually hanging over me. Will I look back on my twenties a mere few years from now and be satisfied with how I spent it? Have I had impacted the world in a positive way? Have I seen the world? Have I learned how to be a Man? I don't want the usual platitudes of "carpe diem" and all that shit.<br /><br />I am reminded of the last scene of Garden State when the main character decides to throw off his shackles and live life. Fully. I somehow yearn to throw off the same shackles. But I don't know what shackles me. I am not centered. I just know I don't like IT right now...closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1164105066310759072006-11-21T02:19:00.000-08:002006-11-21T03:26:46.276-08:00I'm still aliveHello folks, yes I'm still alive. Hard to believe, I know. Barely, but yeah, it's me. I haven't disappeared into the abyss, though it's been about the same. Work has absolutely consumed my life, I haven't worked this hard since grad school, and I never thought I'd relive those days again... <br /><br />It's sad, I am re-reading my blog posts from SE asia just two months before, and it's as if I was reading someone else's posts. I can't believe it's only been two months, those memories are so vivid in my mind. I can still close my eyes and recall all those moments, the vibrant colors, the pungent smells, the sweltering heat, the side-splitting crazy stories...but most of all, the people. God, I love the people, I miss my friends from around the world. And I call them "friends", because I really feel like they are my friends, even though the longest I've known most of them is a few days, maybe even shorter. But there's something about traveling that brings people together. To say kindred spirit is to be so cliché, but it's so true. I feel like I've known them for years, that although I may not see them for years, I'll still be able to swing by at the drop of a hat, and say, "Hey, I'm in town in Barcelona/Vienna/Dublin/Oslo/Hamburg/Godknowswhere for a few days. Want to meet up?" And I know they will. And I know they'll put me up, show me around, help me out. It's the bond. The unspoken code of travelers. To a certain degree, being in a foreign land is a great equalizer, where the usual dividers like class, color, money, love, politics, and gender takes a backseat to getting to know yourself, and the world around you. There is something about traveling that forces you to live in the present, because there is no past and no future. So you focus on the person next to you. Because you never know what his/her story is, where they've been to, what they've seen, why they're here. And you also don't know how long you'll be w/ this person, and whether you'll ever see them again. So all you have is <span style="font-weight:bold;">now</span>. Now now now. Each "Hello" is precious; each smile an implicit nod, an acknowledgement of "Yeah, I feel you man. I can't believe I'm here too!" Each moment is a unique experience never to be repeated again in the same place at the same time. And so you learn to live in the present, because that's all you have. Sigh. <br /><br />I miss them so much. I miss traveling. I miss being on the road. I miss the humanity and the human interaction. It's not like I don't interact w/ people now; I deal w/ people every day. Writing hundreds of emails, having dozens of conversations across multiple (3) continents. Yet when I get home at 3am in the morning, I feel like there's something terribly artificial about this. It feels unreal. Maybe because all these interactions are not human-driven by the need to have a relationship, but product-driven to accomplish a goal - to launch a product, resolve a dispute, or come to a decision. 99.9% of the world do not care whether it's better to use bigram or unigram statistics to calculate log likelihoods for a Bayesian learning system. Really. I know, because I've been to places where taking a shower means bringing a bar of soap to the river. They can give less of a flying wombat's shit. Yet this consumes my world, my entire world right now. It feels absurd! I feel like I'm caught in the Matrix, where slowly you forget what real life was like before the virtual life. And strapping on that backpack with that ticket in your hand is like periodically taking the red pill, flushing you out into the darkness, unknown but full of possibilities. Terrifying, but exhilirating and enlivening. <br /><br />Well, enough of waxing philosophically. I do want to write a more lengthy exposition about my experience at The Company (sorry, I'm paranoid) so far, but I'm just too tired to do it justice. Suffice to say, there are things I really like about this job, that I wouldn't trade for the world. And there are things I'm not so thrilled about. It's very different than what I expected, but I guess that's part of the learning too. Well, till next time then...closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1157724753161565572006-09-08T06:55:00.000-07:002006-09-09T00:42:09.526-07:00Sabaidee!Laos is just absolutely fantasic! I cannot say enough good things about this place. I feel like I've finally found the SE asia that I was looking for. Laotians are unbelievably nice, even at major tourist destinations like Ventiane and Luang Prabang. While tourism is rapidly growing into a mainstream industry here, it has yet to affect Laos the way it has taken over Cambodia or Vietnam. Vietnam is perhaps not a fair comparison since it has a growing economy, especially as a manufacturing outsource destination. I think the closest comparison is Cambodia, and the contrast I see is that while both countries are equally destitute, Laotians are generally much happier and nicer, and if I may, optimistic about their future. Granted, I did not have time to venture off the well-beaten track of PP and Siem Reap, but in general the Cambodians struck me as weary and jaded from the tourism. Understandably, there is so much hardship that one cannot blame them from trying earn a buck or two off a falang like me. But there is no joy in their eyes when I step into a shop, museum, or street - only money. It's sad. I've heard that things are much better out in the provinces like Battambang, but it's quite difficult to get out there without actually knowing people, due to the lack of infrastrucutre. <br /><br />Conversely, it was such a welcome relief to not be mobbed by drivers, kids, and vendors peddling everything from rides to marajuana the minute I step off the bus in Laos. People here are genuinely happy to see tourists, amazingly enough. The locals would smile and say hello ("Sabaidee") as I walk through the streets and shops, answer my questions genuinely, and no one has yet tried to hard sell me anything. It's been really wonderful. I can't help but be saddened by the inevitable loss of innocence, that in 3-5 yrs Laos will grow into a well-oiled tourism machine, rolling in tourists by the conveyor belt and presenting a polished but fabricated experience. Am I too pessimistic? "Responsible" and "sustainable" tourism is suddenly no longer a catch phrase but a very real problem faced by these countries and us, the traveler community. As we travel the world in pursuit of that last undiscovered beach, lost ruin, or hidden village, are we helping these people and places or expediting their extinction? Will people a hundred years from now lament our imprudence, much as how we shake our heads at the brute who clubbed the last Dodo bird to death? I don't know, I have no good answers. Thus far I've tried as much as possible to respect the local customs, support the local artisans, and in general avoid being an ugly tourist. I'd like to think that everytime I step out to a new country, I'm in a small part being an ambassador for Taiwan, for Chinese people. It brings me as much joy to point Taiwan out someone on the map as it does to see a magnificient temple, to tell them about our customs as it does to learn about theirs. But yet, I cannot avoid this nagging feeling that what I give is pitifully little compared to what I've received in their magnanimous generosity and hospitality. Sigh. <br /><br />I just got back from a two day trek through the Laos jungles in Luang Prabang, which involved a 50km bike ride the first day, and 15km kayaking trip the 2nd. I am sore as all hell, but it was absolutely fantastic. We biked to a remote village to watch a provincial dragon boat race on the Mekong. We were extremely fortunate, as the boat race is an annual event that brings villages from all over the province together in celebration, so we really got to see a slice of the local life. Afterwards, we biked for another hour and stayed overnight w/ a local family, then kayaked back via the Nam Ou and Mekong river. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3147.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3147.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3155.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3155.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />My Tour de Lao team, sponsored by Lonely Planet<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3165.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3165.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Giving new meaning to the term "Garage Band"<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3158.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3158.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Disco, anyone? <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3162.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3162.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Row, row, row your boat<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3186.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3186.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3170.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3170.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1157264983383502672006-09-02T22:53:00.000-07:002006-09-03T09:23:05.186-07:00More pics from the roadMy crowning achievement in SE Asia thus far - <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3094_exposure.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3094_exposure.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />OK, j/k. Just couldn't resist :) But guys, really. It is <strong><em>_that_</em></strong> good outside of Seattle (or should I say it is <strong><em>_that_</em></strong>bad in Seattle?)<br /><br />Pics of other good friends from the road<br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3040.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3040.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Jeff from DC. A great, great guy all around. We traveled for almost a week in Vietnam. Totally reminds me of my freshman roommate Jonah. Carved out of the same mold, and even plays a mean axe just like Jonah. I got to relive some memories as we did a little dual jamming on our Ha Long bay trip, entertaining the boat w/ some sing-along. Though we did find out it's much tougher to find common music that everyone knows w/ an international crowd :) <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3083.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3083.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Jen and Pete from Pittsburgh - the only few other Americans I've met so far. They fit the all-American archetype to a T and just great fun to hang out w/. Funny enough, Jen's obsessed w/ Google btw. I swear girl knows more about it than I do! <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2954.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2954.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />More mates from across the Isles, Deutschland, and Norway! <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3030.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3030.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />Man and Boy<br /><br />Amazing views from Ha Long Bay<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3056.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3056.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /> <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP3065.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP3065.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1156988976054118352006-08-30T18:36:00.000-07:002006-09-02T04:46:22.926-07:00Random thoughts from the roadI just can't say enough good things about other travelers in SE Asia so far. People have been so awesome, I've been making friends everywhere. On the plane, on the bus, on tours, in guesthouses...you name it, I've met people there. I also met one friend on my last trip through Europe, but I just have to say I really like the SE Asia crowd. There are a lot of kindred spirits out here, lots of people who are at a crossroads in life, so they've quit their jobs, stopped out, or postponed whatever it is they're doing to come out here to figure out where they're going in life. I really enjoy that. <br /><br />I really love the traveler's credo. Not that there's an explicit one, but in general I've found that most travelers out here share a similar mindset - Leave things/people as you find them as much as possible; Help another traveler as you'd like to be helped, etc. I really like it. <br /><br />Other random thoughts from the road<br /><br />- Things worth its weight in gold in SE Asia: Toilet paper and mosquito repellent. Laugh, you say? You'll thank me someday. Trust me. <br />- Thai mosquitoes >> Cambodian mosquitoes >> Vietnamese mosquitoes (thus far)<br />- Kareoke videos are just as cheesy in Khmer as they are in English. Except they're a lot more violent! I saw one typical boy-girl breakup song video which proceeded as usual. Just when I was about to fall asleep, the dude pulled out a gun and shot the girl in the head at the end! Definitely woke me up.<br />- What is it w/ SE Asian's love of Kareoke videos on long bus rides? It's only amusing for maybe the first hour! <br />- Always, always ask about what services are included while looking for a massage. Always<br />- When standing in a river, should you ever notice Cambodian folks pointing at your feet in horror and moving back, RUN like all hell and don't look back. (Generally it means there's a snake moving toward you at high speed)<br />- <br />Ticket to SE Asia: $1160<br />Cab ride: $2<br />Apocalypse Now (one of Saigon's biggest clubs) admission: $5<br />Rocking to 'Ice Ice Baby' w/ fellow Vietnamese hipsters: priceless. Did you ever think Vanilla Ice will be back in vogue again?!closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1156517370944783242006-08-25T07:49:00.000-07:002006-08-28T08:32:25.306-07:00Technical difficultiesI've been having technical difficulties trying to post, hence the lack of posting lately. I'm able to login and publish posts, but I can't access anything from *.blogspot.com domain, so I can't see my own or anyone else's posts. I don't know if it's a Vietnam-specific issue (seems unlikely), but it frustrates me to no end. Blogger really is a pretty crappy solution, maybe when I get to Google I can help make it better. Until then, sigh. But apparently the posts can be seen in the US, so I'll just post blind and hope it turns out ok :)closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1156305680932507362006-08-22T20:32:00.000-07:002006-08-27T18:09:31.880-07:00Me matesInterestingly, I've been traveling for almost two weeks now, and I have still yet to meet a single American. I've met people from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Israel, and just about everywhere else, but not the US. Sadly, it seems to confirm the stereotype that Americans don't get out of their backyard. I read a stat once that something like over 90% of Americans don't even have a passport?! How sad is that? <br /><br />So far I've had no trouble meeting people at all. It seems that SE asia circuit is much more social, even compared to Europe. I haven't had a single night by myself when I didn't want to. Some nights I've basically had to decline going out or else I just wouldn't be able to get up the next day. It's certainly been a welcome change compared to certain days when I was traveling through the Baltics last year and I'd go a couple days without speaking to anyone, literally. That was character building, but also a bit challening at times. Still, SE asia circuit is definitely a great place to chill and party, and I think you also get further away from the obnoxious American frat boys on the European circuit. <br /><br />I was talking w/ a woman from the UK and she just raved about the S. America circuit - Chile, Argentina, <br /><br />Shout outs to some of the people I've been hanging out w/ so far - surprisingly, a whole lot of British people. I just got on a tour bus today again w/ a bunch of Brits, they were all totally awesome. Completely shatters the stereotype that Brits are cold and reserved. <br /><br />Me mates - Matt (Australia), and Lina and Sarah from UK<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2752_resize.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2752_resize.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />More mates - Sara, Binit, Becky, and Ashley (all UK)<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2824.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2824.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Yun Jeong from Korea - her English wasn't great, and obviously my Korean was non-existent, but we had a blast anyways. Hand gestures gets you a long ways<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2703.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2703.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Hey HC, I met a couple of cute Malaysian girls at the airport, btw. Sorry I didn't get their contact info, otherwise I'd totally hook you up ;)<br /><br />Other pics<br /><br />Sunrise, Ankor Wat - unfortunately, it was very cloudy that day, so the picture could've been much better<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2856.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2856.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Carving, Ankor Wat<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2763.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2763.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2896.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2896.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Monk, Ankor Wat<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2902.0.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2902.0.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2924.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2924.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Old woman, Ankor Wat<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2930.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2930.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1156074766106377532006-08-20T04:41:00.000-07:002006-08-20T08:44:18.940-07:00Mixed feelingsBeing in SE Asia evokes mixed feelings in me, and Cambodia only reinforces and intensifies them ever more so. To co-opt Dicken's words, "it is the best of places, and it was the worst of places". There are things I love about this place, like the amazing food, beaches and jungles, simple country people (when one can find them), and the rich history and cultural heritage. On the other hand, there are also things that just make me angry or sad: the blatant commericialism and consequent exploitation and callousness, the income disparity and utter depravity, and the sheer corruption and apathy at times. I now understand how HC feels about India; our love-hate feelings must be pretty similar in this regard. <br /><br />Somehow I always seem to have transportation issues when travelling. I managed to score a super cheap flight from BKK to Phnom Penh (PP) for $50 total, including taxes. Before I could congratulate myself however, I didn't realize that Thai immigration takes forever to process, with multiple stages before and after security screening. As such, I went through the first stage thinking I had plenty of time, so I did what I naturally do when I have time - eat. After a leisurely breakfast at KFC, I went in again, then realized I needed to go through immigration again, then two security checkpoints, and take a bus out to the plane! Needless to say, I missed my flight and was kicking myself all morning. Then I had to go buy another flight out, which fortunately did not cost an arm and a leg, but did make me wait for almost 6hrs at the airport. Lesson - no more KFC at the airport from now on. <br /><br />After that fiasco, I finally landed in PP and I felt like I was transported to another world. Despite my "acclimatization" period in Thailand, I was still not fully prepared for Cambodia. While perhaps not as bad as parts of Africa where there're no running water or electricity, this is definitely a 3rd world country. The abject poverty in parts of Phnom Penh asserts itself in your face, and it's difficult to ignore. Coming into town on the back of a moto, the road is equally shared by motos, bikers, cows, naked kids, hand carts, and a million other moving things. Backpackers inevitably stick out like a sore thumb with our signature tevas/flip flops and backpacks, and so as soon we step out onto the road we are mobbed by drivers throwing themselves at us yelling, "taxi/tuk-tuk/moto, sir?" or "hey you, where you go?" (the singularly most annoying expression in all of SE asia). And we'd be assaulted by beggars and street children, some of whom make your heart ache, but others who just blatantly guilt you into giving them money. And though I know they're guilt-tripping me, I still can't help feeling guilty, and I hate that. Things are old, broken, dirty everywhere, and the streets are littered with trash. When you turn the corner beyond the tourist areas, I feel like I'm walking into the slums that I've only seen on TV; children running naked without clothes, rolling and playing in the dirt. Shacks assembled from driftwood and metal pieces, burning trash in the streets, animal feces splattered on the ground It's certainly an unglamorous side of travelling, but I'm very glad I get to see this side of SE asia. Without this I would simply be another naive tourist who roll in for the sun and beaches, and head out without a look behind the scenes. <br /><br />If I had to describe PP in one word, I'd say "hard". I feel like PP is a hard city; its people are hard, its environment is hard, and its fortune is hard. I don't think I mind the poverty so much as how it's changed people. For example, my tuk-tuk driver kept pushing me to go to a shooting range, which is a popular tourist stop, after I came out of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum">Tuol Sleng</a> museum, where Pol Pot interrogated and tortured his prisoners before sending them off to the Killing Fields. After the museum, the last thing I wanted to do was touch a gun, and here was this guy getting in my face, pestering me non-stop to go to the range, so he can earn his commission! I wanted to yell at him so badly for his insensitivity, then restrained myself, since I figured he's just trying to survive and make money however he can. It's also sad to see how the street urchins have honed their craft so well, they know exactly who to target (female Westerners in pairs or groups), how to close ("you not give me, you make me sad") and what to ask for ("food for my brother/sister/mother/family"). I really can't blame them, but at the same time, it's disheartening. I'm pretty sure if I was in their place, I would probably be doing the same thing. Civility is often a luxury only practiced by those who can afford it. Yet I wonder, and this applies to all nations striving to catch the great capitalism train, like China, if a little something is not lost during this mad rush to modernize and capitalize? <br /><br />Well, on a lighter note, I think the market is a wonderful place for photography. The vibrant mix of colors and lighting just creates all sorts of opportunities that can make even an amateur photographer like me look good :) <br /><br />Mmmm...breakfast<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2698.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2698.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Shopping heaven for ladies<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2693.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2693.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />A simple, wonderful woman who sold me some scallion pancakes. I bought one from her for breakfast, and after making an entire round at the market, I decided it was so good I just had to go back and get another one. When I went back, she recognized me immediately, and her face just totally lit up. Despite us not being able understand a word from each other, I feel like she was one of the few locals with whom I really connected. She was genuinely delighted to see me because I liked her food, not because she saw flashing dollar signs screaming "easy tourist money". These are the little moments that keep me from becoming totally jaded while on the road. <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2701.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2701.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2685a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2685a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Mother and child - the kid was bewildered by my camera, but she soon took to it quite eagerly :)<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2705a.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2705a.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />And more sombering photos from Tuol Sleng<br /><br />Prisoner's cell<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2713.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2713.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Photos of the deceased<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2710.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2710.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Prison hallway<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2714.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2714.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1155611845666976742006-08-14T20:00:00.000-07:002006-08-16T09:36:04.306-07:00Pics!More pictures! <br /><br />Quick post before I get eaten alive by the mosquitoes...<br /><br />Wat Pho temple<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2589.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2589.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Temple of the Jade Buddha<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2610.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2610.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Men playing some form of checkers using...bottle caps? <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2633.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2633.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Oh beautiful, glorious, CHEAP food! (340 baht, about $9) <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2639.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2639.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2637.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2637.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />A wonderful street vendor who provided me lunch <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2641.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2641.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I had a blast trying to speak to her using my pidgin Thai picked up from the back of my LP guide. It's pretty amazing how far you can get by on facial expressions, a map, and lots of smiles. We managed to chat about my photos, what to see and what to what to avoid (Q: what does gun gesture + south of Thailand equal? A: mafia country!), and she taught me how to count to 10 :) Thai is damn hard, I tell ya. Their writing alphabet seem so complicated. Now I understand why people complain Chinese characters are so hard; to the untrained eye it must look like the friggin' Egyptian hieroglyphs! <br /><br />Now boarding: flight to Hell! <br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2647.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2647.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />At the Ancient City<br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2659.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2659.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2666.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2666.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2654.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2654.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />I finally decided to get a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/amabot/?pf_rd_url=%2Fexec%2Fobidos%2Ftg%2Fdetail%2F-%2F1741041848%2Fref%3Dpd_cp_b_title%2F102-7084361-6524134%3F%255Fencoding%3DUTF8%26v%3Dglance&pf_rd_p=168736601&pf_rd_s=center-41&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0471798347&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1N423TNRPJN0AQV7P2KB">travel photography book</a> to actually teach myself how to shoot better photos. Prior to this I had always been a trial-and-error photographer, basically getting by just by shooting a large volume of shots and picking the best ones. While digital photography affords one the ability to do so, it obviously doesn't get one very far, and I bit the bullet and splurged on an actual guide. It was 850 baht (~$21), but I think it's totally worth it. Now I can really consciously work on getting better on this trip. I just picked it up yesterday, but I think (hope) my composition is already getting a little better!closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1155494500364431162006-08-13T11:34:00.000-07:002006-08-13T11:50:13.263-07:00TouchdownWe interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for this update --<br /><br />*************<br /><br />I just touched down in Bangkok after a brutal, 24hr flight (thanks to a 2 hr layover in SFO and 6hr layover in Narita). I'm completely beat, since I haven't slept much the previous couple of nights either, thanks to moving craziness. In total it's been about 8hrs in bed out of 3 days...ouch). I'm staying at the <a href="http://www.shantilodge.com/bangkok/index.html">Shanti Lodge</a>, which looks to be really awesome so far. <br /><br />The craziest thing happened in narita though - I ran into Tim Choi, good friend whom I haven't seen in a long time at the airport!! He was on a flight back to sfo and I was waiting to transit to bangkok. I walked into this japanese food court to get some food, and i heard someone call my name. I was like, "wtf? there must be a mistake." I turn around and lo and behold, there's Tim! Crazy huh? We hung out for an hr while I ate some food and caught up, that was really cool. Talk about a small world. <br /><br />Thus far, I'd have to say I think Thailand's rumored heat is overrated. Nyc was hotter and more humid. The mosquitoes, however, are not. I've only been here a couple hours and the assault has already begun in earnest. I count half a dozen so far. This must be the new guy welcome...closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13716415.post-1155363125028191532006-08-11T22:45:00.000-07:002006-08-11T23:12:05.043-07:00We're not in Kansas (or Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania...) anymoreYes, that's true. For those of you who worried, we haven't been perpetually stuck in the twilight zone between Chicago and the cornfields of Ohio, despite what this blog may have you believe. I just haven't had time to write anything halfway decent, and I hate to just ramble all over my blog. So I'll have to give you a brief, whirlwind picture tour of the rest of our trip before I dash off to Thailand tomorrow. <br /><br />Corn! We are children of the corn! <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMG_0170%20Corn%20field%20near%20Ann%20Arbor%2C%20MI.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMG_0170%20Corn%20field%20near%20Ann%20Arbor%2C%20MI.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />This is the closest this city boy has ever been to a real corn, outside of Safeway. Naturally, it was quite exciting for me. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMG_0172%20Yu-Kuan%20is%20one%20of%20the%20children%20of%20the%20corn.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMG_0172%20Yu-Kuan%20is%20one%20of%20the%20children%20of%20the%20corn.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Somewhere along the way in Erie, Penn, we found this Nascar-themed Buffalo wings haven, and we just had to go. I mean, that's why people do on road trips right? Apparently people come from all over, including neighboring states, to this place to eat. Besides the over-the-top decor, they also offer about 30 different levels of hot wings, from the mere tangy, to truly atomic. Apparently the atomic version has something like 25,000 units of spice-ness (I don't remember the exact scientific name) per unit of food, which requires you to sign a consent form and liability waiver before they'll let you try it. I kid you not. <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2382.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2382.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2383.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2383.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Sneak preview at Oct's cover of Hot Rod magazine! <br /><br /><a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/1600/IMGP2373.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/2361/1217/320/IMGP2373.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>closetmusicianhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13523912506077789246noreply@blogger.com0