High Output Management

I finished The Da Vinci Code in 2 sittings.  I normally read really slow, but I just couldn't stop.  I know I wrote about the book last time, and this will be my final entry on the book.  I honestly cannot remember the last time I read a book that made me feel this way.  I couldn't put it down.  And the ending was so good. So so good.  I don't really want to write what the book is about, because I may give too much away.  It's one of those books that is better read when you know very little bit about it.  I will say this, however, it seems to be a good little history, art and religion lesson rolled up into one.  In Shanghai, it's being passed around like fat blunt.  Puff puff pass, puff puff pass... all it takes is two sittings for you to get high on the book.  Everyone who's read it can't stop talking about it.  Come on, try it.

I'm about to start High Output Management.  It's is supposed to increase my productivity as a manager.  I am told that it is a very good book.  Will let you know how it is for those interested.  I'm also thinking of reading one Chinese article a night and try to work on improving my Chinese reading ability.  It will be very difficult to do and require a lot of discipline since I'll have to sit for about 3 hours a night diligently sifting through the Chinese Dictionary for unknown terms and characters.  Discipline I don't really have considering I've been out almost every night again this week.   This discipline thing is one crazy bitch.

BUT

I didn't bar hop.  And I didn't hit on too many locals.  And the drunk times occured not because I opened my wallet, but because people were very generous to me.

Slow and steady wins the race.

The Da Vinci Code

Really, really, really good book.  Please pick it up.  Have you read The Tipping Point?  To fulfill my duties as a connector, I'm telling you that The Da Vinci Code is a really interesting book.  Apparently, most of its facts are quite accurate, although I've read on various parts of the Internet that some are not so.  It is a true test of my faith, one that has been dwindling since I've come to China.  Perhaps due to the influence of other religions or perhaps due to my laziness.  Whatever the case, I certainly feel apart from God.  Perhaps this realization will help bring me closer to Him, just need to stop and smell the roses I suppose, I've been on overdrive since coming to this city. 

On a less serious note, I found this funny article to share:

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20031126c1.htm

Hotels in China 'orgy' to reopen

BEIJING (Kyodo) Two hotels involved in a mid-September "orgy" involving nearly 300 Japanese travelers and about 200 prostitutes in southern China are preparing to reopen after being forced to close down, news reports and hotel personnel indicated Tuesday.

A court hearing on whether the hotels bore any responsibility for the incident has apparently been delayed, the news reports said.

The five-star International Conference Center Hotel in Zhuhai, a coastal city bordering Macau, is preparing to reopen but has not set a date, according to a hotel receptionist and the People's Daily.

The three-star Yuehai Hotel is also gearing up to reopen, a receptionist said.

The People's Daily reported that in mid-November the hotel was undergoing a remodeling and would not allow photos.

Police ordered the hotels closed after the incident came to light around Sept. 27.

The Zhuhai Intermediate People's Court has delayed a hearing on whether the hotels did anything illegal. The hearing had been set to begin by the end of November, but a court official said Tuesday there was nothing on the calendar.

A Zhuhai-based reporter with the official Xinhua News Agency said he had no recent news about the hearing.

Earlier this month, Zhuhai police gave the court an exhaustive report on the Sept. 17 incident, which came a day ahead of the anniversary of Japan's 1931 invasion of China and outraged many Chinese, including some foreign ministry officials.

The police report lowered the original prostitute count from 500 to less than 200, but it stuck to estimates that the male tourists paid up to 1,200 yuan (around 15,000 yen) per person for the party.

The women were hired in Hunan Province and met with the Japanese tourists at a Yuehai Hotel banquet, according to local media. The party apparently spilled into public areas of the International Conference Center Hotel, which is suspected of helping the Japanese group to arrange for the prostitutes.

Defendants in the court case would include "hotel managers, nightclub bosses, pimps, prostitutes and employees of a local Japanese-funded company," the China Daily reported Nov. 19. The report added the court could impose sentences of up to 10 years in prison.

Public opinion is mixed on whether the Japanese travelers or the hotel should bear the blame.

People who fault the hotels say they lost face for China.

Chinese authorities have not provided the Japanese Embassy in Beijing with the information it wanted to help understand the Japanese side's involvement, an embassy official said Tuesday.

The Japan Times: Nov. 26, 2003

Happy Birthdays to Lana, Kevin, Kay, Kristina, Amy, Donald, Sush, Karen, Jaclyn, Jaime, Christine, Michelle and Elena

Mariah

Mariah Carey was here last week for her first time performance in China.  I didn't have enough in me to be bothered to go see her but her debut in China, I'm told, was a disaster.  She was 1 hour late for her press conference in Shanghai.  And her concert... she also showed up an hour late.  I can't imagine I missed much though, the ad campaign on the ground didn't seem as intense as the Rolling Stones concert here.  I don't think a lot of cash was put into it and so I don't think the production would have turned out too good anyway.  That's my thing nowadays, looking at production for shows.  It's such a talent to be able to put on a good show.  Britney, Madonna, Janet Jackson, when you pay a couple hundred to see their concert, you know you're going to be blown away because the show is going to be that fucking cool.

What is it about girls here that like to give hickies???  What is it about me that lets them do it?

Nothing much is going on in Shanghai.  Kinda the calm before the storm I suppose.  I'm still downloading every episode of Star Trek Enterprise that I can get my hands on.  I think girls that know things like the ramifications of a warp core breach or what travelling at impulse speed  means are soo cool.  Live long and prosper!

I got the new Jay-Z album.  Like it much more than the G-Unit one.  I would have to say that my favorite track on The Black Album is Change Clothes produced by The Neptunes.  Dirt off your shoulder is pretty cool too.  Gotta love that Timbaland beat.

New Beginnings

I think there is going to be some changes in my life soon.  Can't quite pinpoint it yet, but I get this feeling everytime something significant is about to happen.  People often ask me if it is going to be a good thing, I always say that it depends on how I look at it.  I'm always the optimist, so I'm certain that it is going to be good.

For one thing, I've decided I need to stop going out so much.  I was out everyday this week.  Monday was drinks with Ronny, Tuesday was drinks with Bernice, Wednesday we all watched Matrix and then went for drinks, Thursday I was at 97 for more drinks, Friday was a little party at Paulina's (although I fell asleep) and yesterday I hung with my friend Bobby at Babyface and then 97.  All these places I go, almost like I'm searching for something.  I know, however, that whatever I'm searching for, I'm not doing it at the right places.

Watching Matrix was funny.  Went with a crew of 15 people.  We all had drinks beforehand and so were a little buzzed.  People in the theatre must have been so damn pissed.  I myself was a good boy, but when you get a group of alcohol influenced kids together, no matter where you're at, there's bound to be trouble.  Popcorn throwing, shushing each other and just straight cracking up in the middle of very serious parts.  My friends decided to light up a couple cigarette's too, annoyed the shit out of people around me.  Actually, I was getting a little annoyed too.  Didn't help that they sold Heineken's at the food counter either.

Although it was all fun, I couldn't help but think how young people act sometimes.  Perhaps I'm too serious??? 

I just figured out the bus route from my house to my office.  Taking a cab to work, which I have been for the past 3 months, has cost me about 20RMB per trip or about 40RMB a day.  The bus, costs 1RMB.  You can imagine how much money I can save!!!  From 800RMB to 20RMB...

Saw The Italian Job today.  Got my hands on The DaVinci Code so I'm trying to finish up Built to Last.  Couldn't help but think of the strong product placement in The Italian Job.