Another New Building
Back just in time for another building dedication. And it wasn’t even the building I thought it would be. I guess that means we will have another dedication again soon. But this was a new company building. Well, ground for a new building anyway. And so off to the dedication on Wednesday.
Unbelievable how things grow here. This was my third dedication ceremony in a little over two years of working here. That seems to be typical in this fast paced society. We are growing fast. But that is the norm in this country. Business is up everywhere. So we add new buildings. We also hired over 400 employees last month alone. And folks are still lined up daily for more jobs.
I’m even getting pretty familiar with the dedication ceremony. They tend to be similar: A few speeches. A couple of company Directors turn some dirt. Ceremonial (fake) money is burned. Everyone sticks a few pieces of incense in the urns. A barbecued pig is blessed and the pork is passed amongst the guests. Major strands of fireworks are set off in each corner of the site. And of course, there is some champagne and fruit juice. There was even a little seasonal lychee to go around this time.
The building will be a little of a walk from our current site. It’s a couple of blocks away. It will primarily house warehouse and wood drying activities, but may also include upholstery operations. We can use a bigger facility for that.
But with over a million square feet of space, a new building blocks away is really going to make tours difficult. I already do 3-4 tours a week for guests from all over the world. Just on Thursday, I had two tours alone. It takes over two fast paced hours to do a simple tour. This is really going to be tough now. But that’s progress! And nice to be a small part of progress like this, for a change.
Labels: building, China progress
From the USA to China
So much fun! Sitting in a seat for 14 hours! Who came up with this exhilarating ride? I’ve had more fun watching grass grow.
Okay, I shouldn’t complain. At least this flight is not one of the 16 or 19 hour flights. But it did start an hour late, and that was after a flight to San Francisco from Denver that started 7 hours earlier. To say the least, it has been a long day already! I figure it will be 27 hours between my leaving my sister’s home until I walk into mine in Dongguan.
Hey! I got Business Class Upgrade too! This upper cabin is pretty nice. The seats sure are BIG! What a change that is! But getting a window seat with poor kidneys is not so good. It is pretty tough to climb over these extended seats all around me. You can’t have everything, but this is still a better alternative than downstairs in a cramped Economy seat.
It’s been a great trip. Chicago, Grand Rapids, Charlotte, Waynesville, Winston-Salem, High Point, Chapel Hill, and Longmont, CO. Six different beds in two weeks. Thanks to all who shared their space and homes during the time. And great to see so many friends and family!
Now it’s back to real humidity. After a dose of 7% humidity in Denver, I could use a little moisture. …………. Probably not gonna want as much as I’m gonna get though! I’m going from Colorado’s 99°F and 7% humidity weather to temps of only 88°F, but with humidity constantly over 75%, the heat index is always over 100°F!
And I thought Michiganders were funny talking about high humidity! Can you believe the Coloradans saying they had “haze on the mountains!” And how could they complain about temperatures in the 90’s? With wind and the dry humidity, it was like sitting by a warm fireside. It felt soooooooooo good!
Well, now back to China’s daily dose of tropical rainforest weather! Here we go again! Hopefully, I’ll be back to writing regularly again soon.
BTW, photos are posted in links on the right. There’s NEOCON business pics! Then there’s Grand Rapids photos from Sam’s! Several albums are from North Carolina visits to Cataloochee in the Smoky Mountains, to Winston-Salem and even Chapel Hill. And of course, there are many of my great niece and nephew and our time around Denver including a few with the gorilla at Casa Bonita. What a great trip!
Labels: Air travel, China
Humidity??!!?? Ha Ha!!!
Ha Ha! Michiganders! Such humor! “High humidity today.” Hahahaha!! What a blast! “High humidity!” Are you kidding me! This ain’t high humidity. This is GREAT humidity! It’s FANTASTIC!! Ohhhhhh! How I miss this! Blue skies! Warm days. Cool nights!
I’ve been asked several times what I enjoy most here. The weather is high on that list. But you know the elbow room is too! I mean I can stretch out most anywhere. I am driving (a little scary at times, after not being behind the wheel in over six months!) and there are no froggers jumping across the road. It is just so comfortable to drive without extra obstacles of walkers, bicycles, and just millions of people.
But the stores! OHHHH! WOW! I mean I can walk in a store with an aisle to myself! My elbows are not being banged by thousands of shorter shoppers bumping me from all sides. It is just soooooo comfortable! You just can’t believe the difference between the huge numbers of people in China and the comfort of the extra room in stores and all walks of life in the US.
And it has been GREAT being back. I had dinner and drinks last night with about 20 friends from my past in Grand Rapids. And we had great Sam’s ribs. Didn’t even use chopsticks! What great pleasures here!
Labels: China, Michigan, weather
Home
It’s summer! Temperature is rising. Storms strike daily. The humidity is going UP, UP, UP. Umbrellas are popping everywhere. Lychee is in season. And I don't care! I’m GOING HOME!!!!!!!!!
Yes, it’s finally back to the USA. It’s been six long months. Someone asked me if my eyes are slanted now. I don’t think so, but I can sure use chopsticks better now!
Long Trek starts Saturday!!!
| Date | Time | Flight | Place |
| 9 Jun 07 (Sat) | 1245 - 1420 | UA 896 | HK - Chicago |
| 12 Jun 07 (Tue) | 1050 - 1239 | UA 1228 | Chicago - Grand Rapids |
| 14 Jun 07 (Thu) | 0900 - 0853 | UA 5948 | Grand Rapids - Chicago |
| 14 Jun 07 (Thu) | 1040 - 1337 | UA 772 | Chicago - Charlotte |
| 21 Jun 07 (Thu) | 0830 - 1018 | UA 517 | Charlotte - Denver |
| 24 Jun 07 (Sun) | 0825 - 1800 | UA 869 | Denver - HK |
It may look like a short flight, but that is actually about 16 hours!!
Tuesday night the 12th is a get together at Sam’s in Kentwood, starting at 7 PM.
Wednesday, I’ll start at 5 PM at Logan’s on Alpine in Northwest Grand Rapids.
Let me know if you can attend, and do your best to stop by, or catch me along my travels.
Labels: Home, USA
Boot Camp Training for Guards and Hair Dressers!
My sister spotted a very interesting Reuters article and video about the hair industry in China. (Click here for the website.)
It’s typical of most training over here. They like to do it more to a “boot camp” than some conference room presentation. I even saw similar marching by the guards for a hotel near my apartment the other day. Can’t you see asking guards at a hotel in the US to line up and march for a couple of hours on a Saturday afternoon!
Labels: boot camp, China, Hair
Guards marching in unison in drills at a hotel near my apartment in Dongguan City.
Labels: boot camp, China, Dongguan
My usual ride to and from work. We have five vehicles, including a couple of buses. Any and all get used for my daily commute.
Labels: China, Roads
Meet My Drivers - Nicknames Anyway
He’s “The Honker” one of my favorite drivers. Yeah, I have nicknames for them. I haven’t shared their nicknames with too many people, and they don’t speak English, so they wouldn’t understand anyway. But here’s a summary:
- The Honker – it should be apparent why he has that nickname. If you look back at my recent posting about honking horns, you know it happens a lot here. He is probably personally responsible for the replacement of every horn in a vehicle at Decca. He wears them out.
- There are rides that I prefer to call him The Rocker. He has one of those incredibly irritating ways of rocking up and down on the accelerator. You know: zoom around, off the pedal and coast, zoom around another car, and then drop back again.
- The Flasher - I guess you could say he is the silent “honker.” Instead of honking the horn, he flashes his lights at others. And he is constantly doing it. Someone in a lane nearby starts to move in front of him and he flashes. A motorcycle is slow in front of him, and he flashes for him to move out of the way. Surprisingly, most others respect it, and just make room for him.
- New’un - He isn’t the newest driver anymore, but his name rhymes closely with New’un. And besides, I still can’t pronounce his real name.
- Deep Throat- Not because of any dark secret. No, he has that annoying local habit of clearing his throat deeply and spitting out the window. Happens almost every trip. But he is recently vying to take The Honker’s moniker by outdoing him in use of the horn.
- Lead Foot - I’ve struggled for a better nickname, but he can be a little heavy on the foot. But heck, so is everyone else really. I have been toying with some kind of bad luck nickname for him too. For as good as he seems to be at driving, he seems to get into more close calls than anyone else. Probably a relationship between the luck and his speed. We do usually get there pretty quick.
Riding the roads of China is always a wild experience. I have to have something to keep my mind off the hazards. The nicknames have helped ………… at least some anyway..
Labels: China, Roads
