bound for Beijing

The week progresses...

As Monday turns into tuesday and into 4 a.m. on wednesday I'm thinking about how much catching up I have to do. There are things I need to do, things I need to buy, things I need to tell you, pictures I need to take, phone calls to make, etc. And that's not even considering what madd crazy catching up I have to do once I get home...

I thought I was going to have loads more time. Maybe the jetlag is setting in, maybe the days are just shorter over here in Asia. Maybe I just have too much to do, but ultimately, taking time to breathe in the fresh air (read: smog) and the experience are on the list. One of our guys just mentioned that he thought this would be more of a vacation. Guess that means I'm doing my job as it's to make sure this is way more than a vacation...

But today, we're on the way to the great wall. Things have been coordinated, things have been executed and we're bound for Beijing... So far today: u pat 4 a.m. to be downstairs to meet breakfast at 4:40, to check out, make sure everyone's awake, pick up the coffee, double check the luggage, tip the bellman, bus to airport, check in, waiting in line, another busines, wait, board plane, wait longer and it's now 10 a.m. and the boys sitting next to me are having way too much fun! We're all together here on this here flight and honestly, it's funny to have my first class boys crammed in the economy cabin. And in China, green beans are a breakfast food...weird huh?

Anyway. Last night we were hosted by ChinaVest, a consulting company from what I can tell that will help you deal in China in addition to market research and such. I met a guy last night from LA who, last June, quite his job at an advertising agency and moved to Shanghai. He was about my age. Mr. Theleen, our host, referenced the younger generation (standing before him at the reception during the remarks) and how we're going to be the ones to run the world next and how it couldn't be a more capable generation and we're such a massive talent pool and the like. I was surrounded by the youngest, most dynamic, interesting and captivated individuals under the age of 30 and I was honored to be a part of that reference and conversation.