Work follows you home

Sorry folks, I'm still unable to upload photos for some reason. My computer (the jewelery one, because the Mac is still out of commission) has been acting very sketchy since I recently tried to download Photoshop through a Chinese website. It seems karma or divine justice is smiting me for an attempted illegal download.

Moving right along... I am back in the states, and while the first few days were terrible, work has provided a nice break from what's going on at home here.
It's really quite cool how you can still be an effective team player on the opposite side of the globe, and maintain a fair amount of contact with business partners, coworkers, and even clients.

College taught us that the internet is for distractions, and the 'real world' has taught me that this can even manifest itself as serious work. I couldn't be more appreciative of an inbox with work enquiries.

An unexpected trip home

For those of you who actually read this, I thank you. I post here because it was supposed to be a way to let people back in the states into my life out here. The states has called me back for a short trip, as I come home to pay my respects and celebrate a life.

I leave in a few hours and hope to see those who are important to me while I'm home.

Weekend recap midweek

Four days of Gaelic Football, stifling humidity, and tropical monsoon downpours, and I could not have been happier with it. I was wholly unprepared for the professional atmosphere that the organizers set as well as the players from all over Asia, and the more than accommodating hotel staff.

We were greeted every morning with full breakfast, were transportation to and from the fields, and attended two banquet dinners. We only managed to play 4 games though as we were knocked out in the first round after an amazing first day that saw us advance to the finals winner's bracket for our division.
For those of you unfamiliar with the sport and unwilling to read the wiki-article I linked to, it is somewhere between rugby and soccer. For those with little rugby knowledge, I would say to imagine a soccer game where you play normally, but can also pick the ball up and punt it at people. Contact is allowed, though we were lucky to avoid any serious injuries on the weekend, save for plenty of blisters and bruises.

The rain, when it came down, was not gentle. It poured. Saturday had a 4 hour rain delay, and Sunday only slowed down for a couple hours, but in those two hours, I've never seen rain fall so hard or so fast. Below are some pictures of our men's team (having been defeated a few hours prior, and therefore a few drinks deep) clearing rain off the field for our women's team, who later won their division. It was a fun afternoon to say the least.


Unfortunately we didn't really get to see Thailand, aside from an evening jog through a local park, our trip was limited to hotel, a few pubs, and the football pitches. While it is dissapointing it is only motivation to get back there at some point in the future.

UPDATE: My browser is not allowing me to post pictures at the moment, I will have them up as soon as I can.

Bruised & Sore

I'm back to the familiarity of Shenzhen, and it appears the haze and smell have not changed a bit in the 4 days I was gone. The weekend was unbelievable and I will have a proper update (with pictures) some time tomorrow.

Mentionables:
- It did rain, quite a bit in fact
- Sadly there was no time for clubbing or any standard Bangkok hi-jinx
- 650 athletes (a relative term) in a hotel make for an interesting scene
- Can't wait for next year

Off to the Games

I'm out folks.
Heading off to Thailand for my first Asian trip outside of China. I'm excited, a bit nervous, and not looking forward to the alleged 4 day downpour that's been going on in Bangkok.
I thought I'd mix in some very poorly capture iPhone photos of the Shenzhen stadium where we train. I'll be sure to snap some pics this weekend for everybody here playing our home game.

OK, so I've been trying for 2 days trying unsuccessfully to upload these pics. I give up for the time being and will try again on Tuesday when I get back.

This is what the best meal I've had in Shenzhen looks like

Couldn't tell you what it was, because I have no idea, but someone said something along the lines of a carp.
We caught 7 fish that afternoon at this little fishing place outside of town. They cooked up 4 for us, 3 for dinner and one to take home. These fish were pretty sizable too, made for amazing eats. As the sun started to go down we decided to have the people there cook em up for us, asked for three different styles, and let them work their magic while we relaxed in our little bungalow, to share time with eachother and the mosquitos and other various creepy crawlies that dwell in the late summer air.



Hell of a day really, sit by the water in your own little bungalow, have a couple Tsint Tao's, look at the water, try to catch some fish, then eat em right where you caught em. Nice.



It was a much needed break, we've been working full throttle getting this company off the ground, our first job takes hold this week, and we're in the process of organizing a seminar for about 100 people to educate and sell our services. It's sexy putting on your suit and being toured around the function rooms of the Ritz, the Marco Polo, and various other 5-star digs in Shenzhen. What's not sexy is the cost, and we are rolling thin on the funds, our first job will be a nice breather as it takes care of our rent for a couple months. It's not just welcome, it's absolutely necessary for us at this point.
It's exciting and worrisome at the same time, but with our first little victory, we'll be able to breathe and stay out here a couple more months.

One night in Bangkok

I've been in Shenzhen a little over 6 months and have yet to really travel outside the immidiate area. Hong Kong is the exception at this point because of its proximity, but I really have not had the time or the opportunity to travel.

A couple months back I joined up with the Gaelic Football club in Shenzhen. I had no previous experience with the sport and still don't quite know all rules but I was told soccer was a sufficient enough background and it was an excuse to go run around a bit once a week. The team that the club represents, The Shenzhen Celts, was invited to the pan-asian Gaelic games (esoteric huh?) being held in Bangkok this year, so sure enough, I tacked myself on the list and as of today, and booked next weekend to go try a new sport in a country I never really thought I'd visit.

Pretty cool, minus the hit my wallet has taken. It has been 6 months out here without a paycheck to speak of. While we have two looming on the immidiate horizon, it does not make the current situation any easier. It's fun living the expat lifestyle, but it comes at a price, and they all make money, we, at this point, do not.

(on a side note, someone will need to correct my grammar and blatant overuse of ellipticals and commas, thanks)

We have not been living lavishly, but have not been roughing it either, and it's a fine line deciding what is an appropriate expenditure. Thailand was definitely someplace I've always wanted to visit, although I have to admit, Bangkok does not rank high on sites within the country. List be damned, I'm looking forward to it, and at the very least, it gives me a reason to work hard next week as we begin work with our first client!

Mergers & Acquisitions

The evolution of the TWC Logo

As any of you who read this know, our little group known as Anemoi started out ambitiously enough. Idea one was a bit involved, idea two is still alive and kicking, albeit on a low simmer, and idea three is the real potential make-or-break baby we roll up our sleeves for everyday. Idea three is the True Wind Consulting project, and as we speak it continues to evolve and mature. The initial problem was and is our lack of training experience that we bring to the table. While this has been remedied to some degree, the more we looked at our potential clients, the more we realized we were projecting ourselves more into the management consultant realm. This happens to coincide with one of our partners, and over a couple of weeks and many latenight discussions with a bottle of Dewar's, the decision was made to forge ahead allied with each other.

The new venture is not new at all, in fact, True Wind maintains its distinct separation as does its partner Saks-Gloweli, but the two now offer the others services as well, allowing us to bring clients a more thorough offering list.



The logo is in its final rework stages as well as a new and modified website. For those playing the home game the differences will be subtle, for those just tuning in... I realize your lack of interest, and I would suggest Perezhilton.com or whatever it is everyone wastes time on.