How nice it was to leave 2008! So many expectations for 2008. So many stories linked to the number 8. Glad to enter a more normal year now,2009! A year ago, 2008 New Year’s Eve started for me in a club in Beijing that had INDOOR fireworks at midnight! Luckily there were no injuries, unlike this year in Bangkok where more than 60 perished in a similar club fireworks display. So a peaceful start to 2009 was perfect… And safe! Went to the Great Wall to celebrate the first hours of 2009. Beautiful and close to nature. Then back to the city on Jan 1 to ease into the new year. Hope you all had a cool start to the new year. Wish you all the joy in the year ahead.

Just came back from the US where I enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving in San Francisco. It’s always a pleasure to visit California even though I have never actually lived there. After a week of seeing friends and going to new places, it was time to fly to Hawaii and hang out with my brother and some old friends from the days when I lived in Honolulu. Hawaii does not change very much so it is easy for me to get around. Spent my birthday, Dec 10th, in Honolulu and had an authentic Hawaiian dinner of lomi lomi salmon, poi and things that I cannot find in China. Hawaii remains a special place for me since I lived there before leaping across the Pacific to China. I am now back in Beijing where it is nice and cold. What a contrast between Hawaii and Beijing! Luckily, I enjoy the 4 seasons here. My apartment is very warm! 

Went to Shanghai last weekend. Met with some old friends and did some hanging out …and visited a place I used to work when we made Joy FM programs a decade ago. Love Shanghai! But in Beijing now. Met with a former colleague today from the now bankrupt satellite radio company I worked for in China. Great potential…lost dream! Anyone wanna buy a used satellite over Asia? Perhaps I will dress as a used satellite for Halloween!

you guys are right…haven’t written on this for a long time…sorry! I have been in Beijing..went to Olympics and Paralympics..and took one of my favorite pictures…nice to be in this after Olympics time now…weather is cooler and I am still rollerblading in the streets…perfect time…if you see me…stop me and say “hello!” Went to Hebei over the national days, did not drink any San Lu milk, and relaxed…these days I am teaching English speaking to some professional people…seems that there are many people in China who need some help with this…and I am also writing a novel and an idea for a movie…lots to do! I am still focusing on the “creative” side of life in China! and “always looking for the Joy in life!”   

A few days ago, a friend of mine who works for a satellite radio operation in the US asked me how the satellite radio project that he knew I had worked for was progressing in China? I had to tell him that I have no idea at this point…I have not worked there for 2 years. In fact, very few people knew about my work in this area…so I will share it with you guys now…In addition to and apart from my FM radio work, I worked for a company which has satellite space above China…and it would have provided at least 60  different radio channels available to all of China! Maybe even more channels! And no commercials! Very exciting! Like XM Radio or Sirius Radio in the US (you can look them up online.) I worked as the music channel consultant/director for this operation for a few years and my job was to design and execute at least 20 music channels. Each channel would provide a specialized kind of music. Some with music from other countries; some with music from China. 24 hours a day! Well, as I told my friend, after 10 years it has still not happened. I did design the channels but did not get the chance to execute them. Very frustrating! If it does happen, and perhaps it will someday, I would still love to be a part of it. But for now, as far as I know, it is not happening like we planned years ago. In the US, it is the most exciting radio happening now! Hopefully, some day China will have this kind of radio option available to everyone who loves music and and a modern way to enjoy something much more advanced than “regular AM/FM radio!”  

It’s been a busy time for me recently. Let me bring you up to date. I was in ShenZhen May 12th…the day of the horrific earthquake. I was an invited judge of an English speaking competition which will be on CCTV 10. I did not feel the earthquake itself, but like the rest of us in China, and the world, we have felt the aftershocks. We still do…and I do not mean just the physical ones. On May 19th, I was in Wuzhen, which is a remote canal city near Hangzhou. We did not hear the massive horns like in Beijing. But instead, we stood looking at the peaceful canal that night and set a few flowers floating in memory of the deceased. It was a private offering, and extremely meaningful. Very personal… 

Came back to Beijing and was a judge in the Outlook English speaking competition finals. A half a million people tried out for this competition! You will have to watch to see who the winners are. You will be able to see it on CCTV 10 in the near future. I have been consulting English speaking skills for a large cell phone company and a few other clients. And doing some voice work for various products and services. Also doing some writing these days on an autobiography which seems to be taking forever! But I am reminded of the past these days as I am taking the time to clean out storage boxes in my apartment that contain too many pictures and other junk. But I am saving people pix and throwing away pix of scenery, objects, etc. The people pix are irreplaceble. The scenery can be seen on the net easily. 

One of my students asked if I enjoyed being on the radio or teaching more? I enjoy them both, but in many ways I enjoy teaching. I can see immediate results and in many ways it is very rewarding! I will always cherish the bond with the audience and my colleagues of Joy FM on CRI. But that program will never come back as it was. In fact, the name is now used by another radio station in Beijing! I have no idea how that happened! So strange! Wonder who gave away that name so easily which CRI used for about 15 years? Anyway, it is not my concern. But, I do encourage all of you who were part of that program, especially as a listener, to “always look for the JOY in life!” And hope to hear from some of you here on this blog…

Last weekend was very cool..Once again I hosted the China Daily 21st Century Cup, this time in Beijing at my old home, The Friendship Hotel. This year I co-hosted with Jane Zheng whom I first met a few years ago when she was working with Radio Beijing on “Touch Beijing.” In fact, she almost became a co-host of Joy FM at one time. It’s always amazing to me to hear the contestants from many cities in China speaking almost perfect English! Congratulations to all the participants; they are very talented! And it was great to meet so many who were there to support the event. Looking forward to doing it again next year! 

spent the past week in Hong Kong (for residence renewal) and then Macau to catch up with old friends and see the “New Macau”…fun…then came to Thailand a few days ago…sitting in internet cafe right now and ready to go out and explore the sights here…in Bangkok with my brother…had coffee with a guy I have know for years…he works on the radio here…he has been here for 5 years…perfect place…he does a morning show here…we shared radio wars stories…I will be back in Beijing mid-next week…don’t want to miss the spring in Beijing!