Loud Thoughts

Since when I became a fatherly figure? Guess I should have seen that coming when I became a father 20 something years ago. Sigh…

Had several conversations with young couples several weekends ago. The topic centered around relationship, commitment, and marriage: a rite of passage for every generations. The concepts are familar: experimentation is an entitlement for youth; relationship does not need a piece of paper to prove; commitment is in the hearts, certificate not required. I maybe old-fashioned (or just plain old), but I am pragmatic too.

Everyone knows that life is a one-way path; one cannot travel back in time and change what happened. Life, therefore, cannot be experimented. Experimentation implies the possibility to scratch and restart, to wipe clean the slate, or to do-over. That is simply not possible. You have already aged, relation has happened, emotions felt, and friends all knew. All important life decisions should be done carefully. Study up thoroughly, filter out gross defects, consult with the experienced. When time comes, there is no other way than commit and decide. Arrangement to make it seem possible weakens the decision and will contribute to the eventual failure.

Of course, there are stages of relationship in which no one get hurt too much if it does not work out: not calling after the 1st date, breaking-ups in various stages of relationship, etc. Society also allow reversals: divorce or anullment. But the point is simple: if the damage of separation is about the same, then a commitment holds up the relationship better than without one, therefore, why not choose it to have a better chance of success?

Put it differently, wouldn’t not committing an anticipation for failure? A long-term relationship requires whole-hearted devotion to maintain. The experimental mind-set from the on-set undermines the very basis of a long-term relationship. If a couple agree to experiment, they might as well admin not ready and stay at short-term level.

The hurt is not less painful out of a long-term experiment or commitment.

先看基础篇，再往下读。记住：成功不在点子，而在执行能力。全世界都能看这博志，你赢在更好地执行能力。没错，别妄自菲薄。再去读一遍基础篇。如果你准备好了，你一定行，也一定会赢。

改革开放最大的成就，无疑是法制和金融。最待注意的，就是教育及医疗了。中国的医疗系统，效率，满意度，及质量都低。几乎随手就能找到个好事业出来。不要想看医疗的专业，而看系统管理流程，及这市场。想想这市场有多大，13亿人，每人都需要医疗服务，人需要医疗服务时，是他最愿意花钱的时候，也是对服务质量要求最高的时候。也就是说，只要能提供高一点的质量，就会有人愿意“买”那服务。我门把重点放在系统管理上，才能扩大市场，而不局限在地区性的医疗。

什么是“医疗系统管理”？这可以大分两块：对医疗服务单位，或被服务的人群。也就是说，我们可以管理医师，医院，诊所，药房，物流，资讯，财物，培训，等等。或是面对病人提供服务：咨询，理赔，借贷，采买，仲介，老人服务，孕妇服务，安养重病服务，等等。

事业的基础是他的客户群，我建议中等收入家庭或中型企业。这应是中国成长最快，也是领导社会趋势的一群。

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Brendan Fraser, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh Directed by Rob Cohen

It is decidedly a bad movie. If it is not set in China with Michelle Yeoh and Jet Li, it will be a complete waste of time and money. The plot shamelessly copied Indiana Jones. The whole movie emphasized way too much on special effects and missed story telling and acting. Even the fight scenes, what Michelle Yeoh and Jet Li are supposed to be good at, are not impressive at all. Funny that Michelle’s English is far better than her Chinese.

I did not realize how important was Rachel Weisz until I saw that Mrs. O’Connell is not her. Brendan Fraser’s funny goofy became just plain goofy without her. The Lin character could have save it, but just wasted.

I probably won’t even recommend for rental.

1:40am, the nurse unlocked the door of Adobe Animal Hospital and let us in. We made an appointment 6 hours ago from 380 miles away. It was a long drive; I made sure not to drive too fast. Monty lay on our laps most of the time. Adobe is his hospital. He met his first vet here 6 years ago. We signed up for his obedience class next door. I learned Monty’s ferocious love of string cheeses in the class; his baby teeth left quite a few marks on my hand.

The hospital has a bit Stephen King movie atmosphere. A golden retriever’s humanoid pack members cuddled him. Cyber coughed blood earlier. A cat, in the carrier, had trouble breathing. A woman was in uncontrollable tears outside an exam room. Monty was oblivious and pretty much just rest on daughter’s laps, waiting patiently, as he always. Cyber needed to stay over-night. The doctor asked if CPR should be administered if the situation requires it. We dreaded the same question when he suggested that Monty stay the night. But he did not. Monty was not in morbid danger.

Monty’s bane was in our minds when we started the journey from San Jose 19 hours ago. We heard that Monty puked all over the places last Saturday. After 3 days of intermittent vomit, his care-taker took him to a vet who prescribed antibiotics and potassium. That did not help. He stopped eating and grew weaker. On Friday, we decided to bring him back to Adobe if he can endure the ride. At 3pm, we arrived LA. At 7pm, we started the return trip with Monty in the car. A round-trip to LA takes 14 hours of driving, mental preparation, and several pain killers along the way.

Adobe confirmed that Monty lost 20% of his weight in that week. Imagine that. We had a bit trouble falling asleep, although extremely tired after the long drive.

Sunday moved through its normal rhythm but always with a conscientious awareness of Monty. We would jump at the phone whenever it rang and check our cell phones for missed calls. After about 12 hours of electrolytes, via IV, the vet decided to ultra-sound his abdomen. The phone rang quickly, “We strongly recommend a surgery to extract an object.”

More waiting ensued. Finally, slightly passed 11pm, “We found a peach pit. It bruised, but not ruptured, his intestine, moving slowly toward the end. He has woken up from the surgery. We will keep him here until he eats. We expect full recovery in a week or so.”

Suddenly, the air seems lighter and the TV became more interesting. “This must’ve costed me,” I thought to myself as I fell asleep.

Epilogue: Monty is back home Monday afternoon. He is a bit weak and slow, but happy, lazy, and hungry. Like always.

Yep. It costed me.

先看基础篇，再往下读。记住：成功不在点子，而在执行能力。全世界都能看这博志，你赢在更好地执行能力。没错，别妄自菲薄。再去读一遍基础篇。如果你准备好了，你一定行，也一定会赢。

什么是Sports Bar？啤酒，下酒菜（油炸，土豆，大块肉），大营幕电视，几个大厅，台球。 要热闹，但能聊天。啤酒要凉，菜要热，椅子要舒服，电视要看得到但听不到。不必低价，但不能贵。服务员要有个性，有礼貌，动作快，不必美丽，但得可爱。

是的。这是专对男士的市场，但女性同胞不能被排斥在外。另外，得有个卖点。这卖点，看个人巧思。我有一招可供参考：自助啤酒。

进门每人发一电子卡，入座后自取杯子，自选饮料，续杯一切自助。

Wall-E Directed by Andrew Stanton 27 June 2008 (USA)

Light hearted semi-sci-fi that is really about human characters. Pixar actually make us feel the emotions from animated robots that do not speak; I did not anticipate that. This movie is surprisingly touching and entertaining.

The playwright did not even try to make it scientifically credible. If technologies exist to sustain a large vessel that carries a large population for 700 years, how did it ruin earth? If the vessel has the technologies to restore earth after 700 years (clearly without much innovations during those years), how did those people who had more resources 700 years ago failed?

But it is not for the engineers in you to watch. I enjoyed it and did not think about it too much after.

Based on true conversations or email exchanges.

11am
VP #1: Sin-Yaw, some of them are very not happy at you?
SYW: Who are “they?” And why?
VP #1: You know. What you wrote and what you said recently?
SYW: ?!?!

4pm
VP #2: At this point, it is best that you refrain from contacting anyone from ERI.
SYW: You wish me to erase 3 years of my life? You also believe that I am the cause of all your troubles?
(VP #2 stopped communicating.)

8pm
VP #3: Sin-Yaw, hell is breaking loose in Beijing. Many think it is your fault.
SYW: How so, I left 3 weeks ago.
VP #3: Exactly. Had you not left, this will not happen.
SYW: I see it is entirely my fault.
VP #3: Had you not left, they wouldn’t have the chance to make wrong decisions. And you would have kept it quiet anyway.
SYW: So they want me back?
VP #3: Hell no. It is all your fault, why would they want you back?
SYW: …
VP #3: Oh yes, the attrition is also your fault.
SYW: I guess my career at Sun will be quite limited now.
(VP #3 laughed so hard we have to end the conversation.)