Our most feared competitor, TIME!

wow... it has been nearly 1.5 months since my last blog entry. despite the unstable economy and uncertain future ahead, there is plenty of work to be done. i've been occupied with back-to-back events, new projects, personal errands, and the list goes on...

i have been involved in quite a bit of new biz pitches and brainstorming sessions lately. and i feel i am running out of creative juice. being creative and coming up with big ideas for clients is my day-to-day job, which could pose challenges to some (e.g. accountants and ibankers, no offense). there is never a "best idea" because like the chinese saying goes, "the is always another higher mountain". we are not competing with other creative agencies to win a business, but rather, competing with time, time to come up with something to boost the "wow" factor when the client hears our idea.

if we had all the time in the world, we could use this time to look for ideas, get insights, be creative to come up with a kick-ass campaign. but we don't... so the only way to compete with time is to use it to read, to see, to converse, to listen, to experience, to come up with the big idea that is slightly better than the one prior. this is a really difficult task and often times, an around the clock commitment.

for a financial consultant, his or her job ends at 4:10pm when the stock market closes, but for creative consultants, it doesn't really end at all...

3 years after 3 years after 3 years, 9 years coming la boss...

well it has only been 3 years but it feels more like 9. today is the last day of my third year at the company, so despite how tired and busy i am, i felt i needed to put in a blog entry on this very special day.

lets do the top 10 again. so here are the top 10 learnings during my 3 years at the company:

1) enjoy the advantage of being a part of the digital influence team as you can always get away for using twitter, msn and facebook at work.

2) be a trend setter, not a follower. my hotel slippers has become the talk of town and many ex-colleagues still remember this fashion statement years after they've departed.

3) leave on time if you've done all your work. it just means that you are more efficient than the person sitting next to you.

4) don't feel guilty to close the elevator door on someone if you are in a rush. they will learn to walk faster next time.

5) you can often forget people's name working in a big company. the easiest way to recall their name is to tell them that you've lost their mobile number and then ask them to spell out their name again.

6) there is such thing as a stupid question, so think before you ask.

7) talk less, do more. its the only way you'll be able to get off work at a decent time and enjoy what's left of your social life.

8) when you ask for a favour, be prepared to return it.

9) there are tonnes of pencils lying around the office but not one pencil sharpener.

10) when you know there is going to be a fire drill, take the elevator to the lobby 10 minutes before the alarm goes off or hide in one of the washroom stalls to catch up on facebook on your mobile phone.

to commemorate my 3 years, i accidentally bought myself a seiko watch for quite a deal. 3 years and all i could afford is a seiko... this makes tony leung look good.

Discussing the Divine Comedy With Dante

i'm sure this painting is no stranger to many, but for those that are unfamiliar (like myself), do spend some time and see if you can point out all the famous personalities.

there are 103 people in this painting, 100 famous personalities. this piece is called "discussing the divine comedy with dante" by dai dudu, li tiezi, zhang an - 2006.

however, does anyone know why the artists created this piece? what were their motivations? what message are they trying to convey?

answers here:

http://i.gae.ro/painting/

http://cliptank.com/PeopleofInfluencePainting.htm

First iPhone, now iChange, what next?

created by swiss automaker, rinspeed, the ‘iChange’ is a concept that basically replaces the dashboard and key vehicle controls with the iPhone.

with the iphone, the driver can transform at the push of a button, from a single-seater sports car to a vehicle that accommodates three people. the extra seats are contained under rear end of the teardrop-shaped panel which pops up, creating more room. other features of the car include lightweight (only 2324 lbs), an electric motor, solar panels powering the cooling system, a smart fuel consumption and battery system, etc.

in my humble opinion, iPhone will not be around forever and it will eventually be replaced by a smaller, sleeker, smarter phone. by the time the car goes into production, apple will probably come up with another kick-ass product to replace the iPhone. and what if the iPhone breaks down, does that mean the car won't start or function properly? hm... doesn't seem too practical to base the concept around a phone.

maybe it's immature to criticize, so let's revisit this after the geneva motor show.

Rolls-Royce's WIP - The 200EX

More close ups to come... so stay tuned!

Reporting Live: Top Gear Live @ HK

first time in hk, last stop of the global tour, so how was it? let's just say it was what i had expected, nothing more, nothing less.


me getting overly excited at the entrance

something i could never own. sigh...

this seems more affordable and right for my size

fits me perfectly!

surprisingly, this was the only car girl at the show. it's sad but true. nonetheless, she was hot and i had my fair share. ~_^

for more photos of the exhibition, visit: www.alivenotdead.com/lazymardafcuka/Top-Gear-Live-HK-profile-507012.html

and now, onto part 2, the main event!

let the show begin!!!

there were a few empty seats but close enough for a full house.

my favourite part of the show - car football.

here's a taste of the show, drift at its best. never thought that hkcec would allow this but they did. = ) i am sure you can catch more of the excitement on youtube.

all in all, it was a decent show. the live experience definitely beats watching it on tv or internet. the sponsorship support was lacking though as a result of the current economic situation; hence, the exhibition could have been bigger and better. i also felt that the WOW factor was missing and there could have been a special stunt to top off the show, given this was the last stop. nonetheless, i hope they will inject some new and fresh ideas into the show and i look forward to catching it again.

You know you are getting old when...

you start talking about:
- life insurance policies
- quiting smoking
- eating healthy and sleeping early
- how parts of our body cannot function properly
- where to find good deals for wedding rings

these were some of the topics that my friends and i discussed this evening while we were paying a visit to a friend at the hospital. depressing really but necessary.

shit hits the fan and hence, i've been doing a lot of self-reflection lately. i realized that i'm about to finish the 1st chapter of my life's trilogy (given i live to be 90) and how i've really done nothing for myself and in some cases, the people around me (i.e. parents, close friends, charity). maybe its a good time to re-arrange my priorities and really understand the life cycle. maybe becoming a monk can help speed up my thought process...

Thank you for walking with me

人生的路那麼長恰如由鬧市走到草原
由草原走到海灘 由海灘走到沙漠
在每一個階段也有人陪你走 免你於孤單
其實還怨什麼呢? 分手時刻固然傷心
但每一個歷經過分手的人
如果想起那時呼天怨地的情景 不禁會笑自己傻
我現在不是活的好端端的?
如果可以豁達地想想，那一段日子沒有他/她的出現
真不知怎樣把空餘的時間填充
有時分手不一定是為了性格不合
感情淡然或是第三者
當一個人的生命列車要轉軌時…
在旁的伴侶未必能並肩而行…
只要能陪他/她走過十分之一的路程
那已經是一種榮幸

Happy Birthday!

i got a special call from my parents tonight wishing me a happy birthday. i was like "huh?". i then realized it was my lunar birthday, which happens to be jan 15th (feb 9th), tomorrow. i guess they told me this in the past but i never really celebrated with the lunar calendar.

since there will not be a feb 29th this year, i will do a special celebration entry for myself. i wish myself a happy birthday. i am not going to list out my wishes because the list would go on and on. the best birthday wish a person can get is to have all his/her wishes come true (greedy!).

here is a little birthday gift for myself. a 1999 acura 1.6el with all the works. well, not all the works, just some personal touches on the outside and under the hood. more could of been done if i still had her. sigh... just a way to commemorate my first love. i miss u and hope you are in good hands.

Have you ever looked up yourself on the internet?

i did this once several years ago and didn't get much. i was browsing the net tonight and thought, "what the hell, lets look up myself on the internet". the results were a bit more pleasant this time.

with google, using my real name "kevinon" as the keyword, i found my twitter and blogspot at the top 5.

with google, using my online nickname "lazymardafcuka" as the keyword, i found my vox blog (no longer in use), my AND account (yeah!) and youtube channel at the top of the list.

with yahoo, using my online nickname "lazymardafcuka" as the keyword, i found my youtube channel, AND account and forum posts at the top of the list.

however, it was very disappointing to see that my blogspot had a technorati authority ranking of 1, which basically means no one reads my blog.

I got my copy, did you?

Wake up call

"wake up call" is a term that we often hear or use, but i hadn't realize the true meaning of this phrase until i got one today.

usually, i don't like to write about my personal issues on my blog, but i will make this an exception. for those few who are aware of the drama that has happened in the past two months, you probably know what this is and who this involves, so i won't get into the details.

for the past two months, i've been struggling to make a decision on whether to let go or keep trying. the answer seemed to be clear at first because i am a logical and analytical person. 1+1=2 and that is the only correct answer.

up to that very moment, i had thought all my assumptions and analysis were spot on. but someone proved me wrong and made me look at the equation differently. 1 plus 1 can equal to 11 or 1 or whatever you what it to be.

today, i learned several important life lessons:

1) don't assume because its makes an ASS out of U and ME
2) how you see yourself can be very different from how other people see you, so get a different perspective in life
3) excuses can make yourself feel better but will come back to bite you in the long run
4) what is the closest distance between two people? COMMUNICATION
5) be yourself and nobody else
6) be responsible for your own actions
7) there is a chinese saying: 錯要認,打要企定 (meaning admit to your wrong and be man enough to take the punishment)
8) do not take things or people for granted
9) be a man of your word and don't make empty promises
10) action speak louder than words

these are very fundamental elements that we were told to live by, that our parents made us believe in, preached by our teachers and mentors, but how often do we really live by these rules? i for one haven't lived up to these rules and i think its time for me to start from the basics once again.

I got a $1,000 lucky money!

billion, you did it again! as a marketer, i've not seen too many dm stunts that have caught my attention, but your lucky money gimmick took me by surprise.

happy cny to all! stay healthy and wealthy in 2009.

KO's 2008 Top 15

i haven't blogged in a while due to personal reasons as well as work overload, so here is one for the time being.

usually it's 10 but i have 5 more, so here's my 15 in no particular order of importance...

1) got promoted (also got an increase in salary too, unbelievable...)

2) visited manila, donzol, taipei, okinawa and seoul (for the first time)

3) moved from kennedy town to causeway bay (a lot faster getting to work now)

4) three of my best friends broke up with their girlfriends (i became the forth)

5) bought my first pair of pumas (i am an adidas fan, what a sin!)

6) became an alive not dead member (and i refuse to join facebook)

7) got the stomach flu at least 6 times (that really sucks)

8) hiked for the first time in hk (i intend to hike more in 2009)

9) the u.s. screwed the rest of the world (which in turn screwed up my career plans)

10) increased my alcohol consumption (which strangely reduce my alcohol tolerance)

11) had my 7th birthday (those of you who are mathematicians can probably figure out my birthday)

12) closed my start-up in canada (because someone had stole my primary client which was my cash cow)

13) lost some more hair on my head and grew some elsewhere (as a result of stress)

14) got locked out of msn for more than two weeks (it took the msn folks two weeks, 6 cs and technical support to figure the problem. i wonder how much they get paid...)

15) swam with whale sharks up close and personal (an once in a life time experience)

i look forward the good times ahead in 2009 so wish me luck.

Going and saving green this holiday

Going green = using old magazine covers to make flower ribbons and inside pages as gift wrapping paper, i thought i would be a bit more environmentally friendly and put old magazines to good use

Saving green (green aka money) = given the economic uncertainty, me being a cheap axx and how people tend to throw away gift wrapping paper after unveiling their present, i thought it would be wise to save a few bucks

by the way, the gifts inside are not expensive either, so matches my overall green strategy. BUT it's the thought that counts. LOL.

Giant pandas are gentle creatures

ok, the ocean park incident was an one-off. giant pandas are in fact very gentle creatures and only attack when someone steps too close or crosses the boundary.

check out these footages and you'll see what i mean:

baby scares the shxt out of mommy!


trying to escape during the sichuan earthquake


great team work (unfortunately, the bigger one couldn't get thru)

Billion, clever DM stunt!

My Chinese white dolphin encounter

from wiki:

the chinese white dolphin (traditional Chinese: 中華白海豚), also called indo-pacific humpback dolphin, is a species of the humpback dolphin and is one of eighty cetacean species. the adult dolphin is usually white or grey in colour. the population along the chinese coast is unique in that they exhibit a pink-coloured skin. this colour of the skin is not a result of colour pigmentation, but is actually from blood vessels used for thermoregulation to prevent overheating during exertion. the adult's body length is about 200 - 350 centimetres and the infant's body length is about 1 metre. the average weight of an adult is around 150 to 230 kilograms.

now that you have a bit of background on the chinese white dolphins. let me share with you my white dolphin encounter.

i was lucky enough to be invited on a "chinese white dolphin spotting" junk with the ocean park folks a few weeks back. i was not particularily excited about this trip because i had no idea what i was expected to see. we took off from a pier in tuen mun and headed towards the waters between new territories and zhuhai (red box indicated in the map below). after a 50-min ride, we came across our first sighting...

it was near impossible to capture photos of these animals surfacing the water with a regular digital camera. during each sighting, we had to keep quiet and maintain a distance of at least 50 meters. luckily, the wife brought her canon eos 350d camera and her 24-105 lense. according to the guide, these chinese white dolphins often followed fishing boats, hoping to catch a quick meal.

we had around 7-8 sightings within 3 hours and below are some great images i captured (at least to my standards):

Reporting Live from The Clinton Global Initiative Event in HK

it was a honour for hk as well as asia to host such a large scale and high-profile event. i was lucky enough to be a part of this momentous occasion, a once in a lifetime opportunity i may add.

although i was working, i did get a glimpse here and there on what was happening. i am not going to highlight the dignitaries and VIPS, the speeches, etc. as you can probably find all these at http://www.clintonglobalinitiative.org/NETCOMMUNITY/Page.aspx?pid=2437. so let me show things that weren't broadcasted in the media.

while gloria macapagal-arroyo (philippines' president) was delivering her speech during the panel discussion, there were a bunch of filipino protesters outside the grand hyatt. as you can probably tell from the signs held by the protesters, they were chanting some nasty words.

singaporean minister mentor lee kuan yew, at 85, showed he had lost none of his edge despite being fitted with a pacemaker at the past weekend with a remark about women ''rebelling against being slaves of their husbands or in-laws.'' (perhaps implying on the appointment of Clinton's wife to the secretary of state?)

Some close up shots of bill during the staff photo section:

The 2008 Christmas Song (only for those who haven't received this in email)

You'd better watch out. You'd better not cry.
You'd better keep cash. I'm telling you why: Recession is coming to town.
It's hitting you once, It's hitting you twice.
It doesn't care if you've been careful and wise. Recession is coming to town.

It's worthless if you've got shares. It's worthless if you've got bonds.
It's safe when you've got cash in hand. So keep cash for goodness sake. HEY!
You'd better watch out. You'd better not cry.
You'd better keep cash. I'm telling you why: Recession is coming to town.

Finance products are confusing. Finance products are so vague.
The banks make you bear the cost of risk. So keep out for goodness sake, OH.
You'd better watch out. You'd better not cry.
You'd better keep cash. I'm telling you why: Recession is coming to town...