My trip to the USA was great – a post only about it is due for later.
Oh well, so many things are due. New Year resolutions? Maybe I made some in my post “December: a time to look back at 2006”. Not so sure about them actually.
But 13 hours time difference, a 26 hours trip back from Chantilly-VA, too much food & booze, an extra 2.5 Kg body weight and a mountain of newspapers, mail and e-mails (sorry if I did not reply to YOU yet), files spread all over my office, lists of “TO DO” and stuff to put well are not exactly conveying a feeling of inner well-being. I guess you might know what I mean if you are right now getting back to work.
I stare out of my window in the early morning, right into the darkness with some patches of white snow. I start the year simply feeling I don’t know much about China. Call it a mid-life China crisis. I was reading the latest China Economic review and it added to my feelings of ignorance (the magazine is too damned good). People ask me to give seminars, lectures, write articles. I face writer’s block. I reckon I should slow down, continue to improve my Chinese (hey! at least I started doing it!), become as much as possible “unavailable” and deeply inhale China. OK, that’s a stupid expression, now that Beijing is officially the worst polluted city in Asia with an index of 142 – according to a study of the Asian Development Bank. Beijing politicians must not be too happy with that news but neither am I. The WHO recommended limit is 20. Even Bangkok (40.6) fares better (and is such a fun place, oh boy). If you think your city is bad, relax: New York (27), London (24), Paris (22). I tried to buy some new face masks but the store was out of stock. I wonder why.
Today I went to the Powerhouse Gym. I measured temperature and humidity: 25C and under 30%, thanks to the aircon blasting furnace heath on us. Saving energy is not for this decade I guess. So I limited myself to a slow 4K run to avoid ending up with a sore throat. The first run since 2 weeks. Gosh, January feels really hard.

Sun had a nose operation just the day before to hopefully get rid of her chronic sinus problem but we could hardly refuse Clarisse’s invitation to their party at the Grand Hyatt (Oriental Plaza) on Saturday 16 December. Sun showed all her courage and determination, took loads of medicine and we ended up both happy to join the party for the DLA staff, family and friends who all had much fun in the stylish setting – performing on stage and making the kids happy with Santa Claus (and the gifts). Good example on how to motivate Chinese staff and make them feel part of the company.

The dessert was exceptionally nice and a real threat (my benchmark for desserts is set very high…). The staff had some stylish girls too (and were too late in avoiding my camera).

We found some old friends back and made new ones.