rebranding life june

OMG. It has been over four months already. what have I done to rebrand myself? Let’s see, my new place looking good, new job is not bad actually liking it. Oh yes, the big rebrand is the exercise. I HATE running or exercise really but somehow I started my first squash class in march and I am loving it. Yeah, hitting the wall gets out all the frustration and uncertainty in my mind. Lots of time I will say WTF as things get pretty chaotic, the only peace you have is to stop fighting your mind. I abhor running, shopping doesn’t count. Whatever reason, I start to jog lately. Of cos there is some inspiration somewhere. Gotta admit the book ” Born to run” from christopher mcdougall spank me hard I picked up the running shoes. Check this out.http://borntorun.org/

Everything has its origin – re-branding journey

The simple ABC we are looking, using everyday from writing, advertising, books to emails people write do has its origins. I am reading the story tonight and it’s very interesting to know our alphabet is trace back to between 1900 and 1800 BC. A beautiful story spans some 5000 years, the story took me travel vast distances, meet an emperor, a clever Yorkshireman, a Phoenician princess by the name of Jezebel, and the ‘purple people’. Within the story I slowly sink into my own journey and wonder what is my true origin and in order for me to rebrand myself I need to search for where and what exactly I am here for. This morning I have read a beautiful verse from the bible – Psalm 52:8   I am like an olive tree flourishing in the house of God; I trust in God’s unfailing love for ever and ever. My thought wonder to the vision of a beautiful Olive tree growing in the good soil. Drinking a glass of wine while I am writing this, greedily gulp of the sweet fragrant of the wine thinking perhaps my life is like the terroir of the wine. The connected typification and conditioned tradition together make up the essence of ME.

I guess in the process of rebranding myself I have look at the existing self  and see what was the essence of the good part and what needs to be revised. Just like a tree being prune and although it’s hurtful I know a new life will spring in time.  I think we adapt and change daily according to our mental plan. I do have dream but what’s the difference between a DREAM and a FANTASY? It’s dangerous to stuck yourself in the fantasy and not knowing what exactly you are living for. Perhaps having a dream require some pain and action don’t you agree?  Just think of having set the time on the workout machine, it requires you to walk or run or crawl 🙂 one step at a time till you reach the time you set out for yourself.

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Day 1 a journey to rebrand myself

I haven’t been blogging for a long time I almost miss it. Let say life is shit last year for many including myself. The recession hits the business like never before, my relationship sank rock bottom sometimes it feels like a plastic bag over my head with my hand tied. Fortunately I met a group of super heros and now formed a company name ATG//Against The Grain. Why super heros? Not only they all have super power but every single one of them is quirky in a way. Yeah, a bit weird but very creative. Still remember the first time meeting (couple days) we all start with meditation and I am like – should I just keep pinching myself so I won’t fall asleep if I close my eyes for more than a few mins? I so appreciate the opening as everyone do have a chance to clear out their minds and focus for the rest of the day session. I chose to pray while other meditate. Although I don’t mediate like others but I do enjoy the group dynamic and intimate energy within the team. That is an upgrade of a team building for sure. Right now after struggling in a very tough relationship I am completely drain to the tee. I seem to not knowing what I am capable of anymore and lose all confidence on myself. I can’t believe sometimes relationship can drain you dry like this. 2011, the year of “rebranding myself”, as I’ve  just declare a heart bankruptcy and absolutely need to rebrand myself just like our city of calgary I decide to start blogging about my journey. Speaking of that, the other day I got interviewed by Omni TV regarding the topic of such. City of Calgary wanted to hire a consultant agency in LA to rebrand our city and spend around $200k but not surprisingly opposition in rise. My take on that? Money is not really the main issue. For say if the result can’t deliver than doesn’t matter how much the city or me (as a tax-payer) spend, on contrary if what the company does successfully revive the city and have it’s brand explode than go ahead and JUST DO IT. I love calgary although it’s kind of boring compare to many other cities in Asia especially Hong Kong but everyday looking at the majestic mountains of the great creation from God. I am graceful and content.

How am I going to rebrand myself? No idea, just start blogging and figure it out.

I am going on a holiday with my virtual girlfriend.. see you there my friend?

Let me share something weird with you.. want to date your fav character? Even they don’t exist in this world..

ATAMI, Japan (AFP) – Long a favourite of lovers and honeymooners, a Japanese beach town with fading sparkle has found a new tourism niche in the wired age by drawing young men and their virtual girlfriends.

One recent sweltering summer’s day, a tour bus from Tokyo pulled up at a sun-kissed beach at Atami, a Pacific coast resort southwest of the metropolis, and disgorged more than a dozen excited, iPhone-clutching young men.

The determined youngsters, paying scant attention to the bikini-clad girls frolicking on the sand, instead headed straight for a bronze statue that depicts Kanichi and Omiya, a couple from an old love story set in Atami.

The focus of the men’s attention — and of their smartphone cameras — was a tiny black and white square, a two-dimensional barcode that, thanks to “augmented reality” (AR) software, brought to life the object of their desire.

“Look, it’s like I’m in a snapshot with her,” said Shu Watanabe, 23, as he showed off his iPhone display, featuring himself next to the image of a doe-eyed cartoon character named Rinko, a smiling high school girl.

Rinko may only be digital, but try telling that to Watanabe or the legions of other fans of “Love Plus”, a dating sim or simulation game that is played on handheld Nintendo DS consoles and also boasts AR applications for iPhones.

Its creators, Konami Digital Entertainment, have long thrilled young men obsessed with high-tech, manga and anime, known as “otaku”, by letting them chase virtual girls in the alternative universe of their digital dreams.

The hit videogame made headlines when a 27-year-old Japanese man known only as “Sal 9000” staged a tuxedo wedding late last year, which was watched by thousands online, with his favourite cartoon girl, Nene Anegasaki.

But in the latest edition, game makers have gone a step further and teamed up with the very real city of Atami, an onsen or hot spring town 100 kilometres (60 miles) southwest of the Japanese capital.

They have selected 13 romantic locations which can be overlaid with images of Rinko or her teenage friends Manaka and Nene, who have all swapped their usual sailor-style school uniforms for casual summer wear.

Local souvenir shops in the resort town have caught on and capitalised on the love-struck new clientele, selling Love Plus-themed souvenirs, from good-luck charms to steamed buns and fish sausages.

The local Ohnoya hotel even offers traditional rooms to the unusual couples, which feature two sets of futon beds and another barcode panel that allows the men to visualise their girlfriends in a flattering summer kimono.

Love Plus, released only on the Japanese market, has become the country’s most popular dating game since its release last September, selling nearly 430,000 copies, according to research firm Enterbrain.

The secret is that the dating game goes a step beyond the genre’s usual boy-meets-girl script and asks players to build long-term relationships.

“In conventional love games, you went up stages to make a virtual girl fall in love with you, so that she would accept you as a boyfriend or express her love for you,” said Konami spokesman Kunio Ishihara.

“But players of Love Plus are in a scenario where they are a high school boy who is already dating one of the virtual girls. The goal is to see how good you can be to her and to build a relationship.”

Love Plus is an open-ended “communication game” with basic voice recognition software and a screen clock that keeps real time to make players feel like they are really sharing their life with a girlfriend, Ishihara said.

That means that the girl can get moody when neglected by a player who is not sufficiently committed, and that she demands attention when she feels unwell.

If players want to go on a summer trip with their girlfriends, they have to convince her and plan ahead through virtual communication, Ishihara said.

The fans milling about town clearly enjoyed the challenge.

“With earlier love simulation games, we only scored girls, as bad as that sounds, and that was it,” said Naoyuki Sakazaki, aged in his 40s, after taking iPhone shots before the bronze statue in Atami.

“Love Plus is fun because the relationship continues forever.”

The popularity of Love Plus has been a welcome shot in the arm for Atami, which has seen visitors decline some 40 percent since its 1970s heyday.

More than 200 Love Plus fans have stayed at the Ohnoya hotel alone, while well over 2,000 have visited the resort town for the campaign, which kicked off on July 10 and runs until the end of August.

Young men have come from as far as South Korea and Taiwan, say locals.

Atami’s business association was at first hesitant and puzzled by the story line, in which a high school girl spends a night at a resort hotel with a man.

“Some people were opposed to taking part in this campaign, saying the game is immoral,” said association member Saiki Ota.

“We also didn’t expect it would sell that much.”

But they eventually realised the economic impact of the project, he added.

Konami’s Ishihara stressed that the game has no sexual content.

“The virtual girls can kiss you as a way of communication, but nothing happens when she sleeps next to you at the hotel,” he said. “We have no intention of trying to sell a product with pornographic elements.

“I think Love Plus fans would get offended if somebody tried to disrespect his girlfriend like that.”

I love breakfast, even the egg and bacon ice cream!

I love ice cream, who doesn’t really? Well where I come from, there are many exotic flavor of ice cream. Those are the Durian ( the fruit that smells like cat – pee and I ran away from home every time my parents opened one),Taro, lycee, black seasame, watermelon,cocout etc. But how about egg and bacon ice-cream? Not sure how I got into watching Heston Blumenthal’s show but I really enjoy it. This is something I want to try.. Yum or Yuck? This is a good way to gain weight for sure 🙂

A heart that is crying out…

I have been listening to this songs many times today. It is a great song I want to share with anyone who somehow step through this blog. Tears rolling down silently down my cheek when I think of people who I love are suffering or going through insanely tough times during their lifetime. Life can be fun, amazing but it can be cruel and cold. You can fail many times on the way. You might bleed the whole way and don’t even remember when was the last time you can even feel the pain. Is your heart becomes stone cold or it is steamy hot?  Are you going through some really tough time?  We are not meant to walk alone in life. Reach out. Seek and you will be found. Often we think everything in the world is grey and nothing is going right for you. No one in this whole wide world cares and the feeling of loneliness just killing you inside. My dear friend who is reading this, life is how you walk out and take charge of.  Have you heard of this little tales of two cities?  I have shared this to someone very close to me once.

A traveler nearing a great city asked a woman seated by the wayside, “What are the people like in the city?” “How were the people where you came from?”  “A terrible lot,” the traveler responded. “Mean, untrustworthy, detestable in all respects.” “Ah,”said the woman, “you will find them the same in the city ahead.” Scarcely was the first traveler gone when another one stopped and also inquired about the people in the city before him. Again the old woman asked about the people in the place the traveler had left. “They were fine people; honest, industrious, and generous to fault. I was sorry to leave,”declared the second traveler. Responded the wise woman: ” So you will find them in the city ahead” – The best of bits & pieces

You have come a long way, keep going but this time with a different attitude and boost yourself with a dash of faith. You are worth it, see.. I am writing this just for you!

Japanese Penguin Goes shopping?

Ok, you gotta watch this. This is a rare one-of -a kind story and video. I can’t help but want to post on here to share.

No river can return to its source, yet all rivers must have a beginning.

Love the quote from Proverbs. All things have a beginning, including you and me. Not to mention there is a purpose in life as well. You should see my googly eyes from working too much on the computer tonight though 🙂  That’s the problem of being a designer and lately the Social Media rush make it that much intense. I feel like swimming daily in an information overload sardine can, with never ending spam in your DM (direct message). But hey there are occasional great information and people. Yea, actual people like me! I promise I won’t spam your DM if you add me 🙂 So have you tweet today?  You know what I mean if you did.  Welcome to the  virtual world of relationship! You are here reading this Isn’t it?  You can connect your cousins over in Asia, North America. Other friends in Africa or South America. A sparkling romance over at somewhere in a far away land – that’s a tough one. I can tell you all about it but then you have to check in every so often. My life story involved moving around a lot. So I will say “I am here but EVERYWHERE.” Your memory, your passion and your relationships/connections make a place you called HOME. without it, you are homeless, bare naked, an empty shell. How many are waiting for that pair of reaching hands? I am not talking about just far away land but people around you and in your community. Once a while I  have learned to peer through this cruel reality with a new pair of  lenses. I would like to embrace this world with appreciation and with that shall come with actions. We are the steward of the world and everyone around. ” So what am I going to do about it?”.

Through a good friend Chad, I have met a group of amazing artists lately. They are passionate about the arts and their serving hearts are priceless. YES! I love when people around you care about what’s going on around the world and most importantly – Act upon it. In this blog, I have a section called action 1-2-3 and a page where I usually like to put in organizations that I personally encounter in one way or the other. This time I am so exiciting to have an opportunity to participate in a worthy  cause –  A brand new organization named “Arts for Humanity Global”.

AFHG “Our mission is to inspire and empower humanitarian efforts through the arts and sciences.  We are passionate about the arts and their underlying ability to transcend cultures and differences. Though we are a new non-profit organization, our team is highly experienced, knowledgeable and committed. The Haitian earthquake has shifted our efforts and brought us quickly into high action, connecting people together and organizing efforts to bring relief to Haiti.”

So far I met couple of the team members on the phone (We are the world isn’t it?) and I adore their hearts of giving. It’s a part of themselves they are sharing other than time and money. Being creative really is s all about coming up with new ideas or shall I say patterns as “nothing new under the sun”. With different talents,  I can see the vision and mission carry the fire of love and pass on to the next generation. So many stories to share. But today I want to listen to this song. Watch this video if you like, I have pulled out from YouTube. It’s the video of “We are the world for Haiti”. I purchased the song to show a little support and I know it’s a very small way.  But hey, I am only a small fish in this big wild world!  Enjoy!

Need a life purpose or looking for life coaching?

Lately I am obsessed with Twitter, RSS feeds and all sorts of Social Media. In a way, you can get the information you want in the shortest time and connect with strangers (literally strangers) very easily. Well, it’s good and bad. I have hired someone from Twitter and turned out to be fantastic and met people online where we can share valuable information. Now I found out couple more like minded foundations where they are using actions to do goods for the world. Like giftofrelife.com, the foundation is named Re:LIFE  and it is a social movement and strategy for personal and community transformation. Re:LIFE stands for a “Regard for Life” that addresses a problem known as “The Myth of Motivation.” I met Ed and Megan couple years back when Re: Life just formed. Couple years later I looked back at where it has gone, wow it really has transformed into something great.  If you are not a happy person and need a life purpose, please check this out. These are some amazing people and team that served well.