Scribbles

Thomas Friedman, one of my favorite columnists from the New York Times, argues in his new book, The World is Flat, that we have reached a point where the physical and mental walls that barricaded individuals from participating in a global community and accessing information and knowledge have come tumbling down, resulting in a flat world.  He supports his theory by describing the enabling technologies and the shift in people’s beliefs all around the world that contribute to the massive globalization we are witnessing today.  This is far beyond outsourcing white collared jobs overseas.  This 500 page book articulates how the attitudes and thoughts of people all around the world have changed.  The rest of world is no longer trying to play catch up to the US; they are trying to get ahead of the US.  Globalization 3.0, he claims, is when everyone right down to the individual level, everywhere, can compete on a level playing field.

Before reading this, I had several threads of thought that closely mirror those presented.  But they were loose and unorganized.  And even though, through my own background, I am already familiar with most of the “ten flatteners” Friedman describes, I appreciate his taking out the time to organize and present these current events in such an informative and enjoyable read.  He summarizes those loose thoughts of mine nicely into a congruent theory, replete with anecdotes, statistics, and insight.

One of the author’s perspectives that resonated was on what the US should do in education and attitude towards the surrounding competition.  He conveys the point of how fewer students today find science and engineering an attractive field of study compared to just a few decades ago.  Not only that, but our government has done little to attract both homegrown and foreign talent to research and development in those fields.  Back in first grade when I declared my intent to become a scientist, it was met with sound approval and encouragement all around.  But nowadays, it’s treated as nerdy and uncool, thanks to a sense of complacency and misportrayal by the entertainment industry.  I wonder at what point in our society did being “cool” and having an analytical, quantitative mindset become mutually exclusive.  Regardless, if you haven’t been paying attention, the gap between US and the rest of the world is becoming surprisingly thin.  I couldn’t have found a better analogy to compare this to than the one Friedman conjures – the recent failures of the US basketball team in international competition.

Many critics claim he oversimplifies.  But Friedman does in fact present the many potential obstacles in the world, such as terrorism and political instabilities, that could erect the walls back up again.  He even describes how people with the intent of creating chaos can and will use the very same flatteners to bring those walls back up.  Nonetheless, he shares my view, which is to approach the future with grounded optimism and to spread the ideal of creating something positive for others.

My decision to undertake my studies abroad has been reaffirmed by Friedman’s ideas.  When you read his book, you will understand why I find my upcoming education at INSEAD so exciting and so crucial.

Finally returned to Vancouver after a year.  It’s one thing to know in your heart what a great city it is, but something completely different to appreciate it in person.  What a joy to be back, and greeted by beautiful weather.  We kicked things off with a visit to Granville Island and enjoyed a fantastic corner seat at the Sand Bar to soak in the views and a cold lager.  Let me close this short entry with a picture from their famous public market.

Our reunion trip to Lake Arrowhead this weekend was an absolute blast.  To commemorate our 10 years post pubescent school (even for those of us who haven’t grew past it), the ever diligent Dean headed the efforts to host lunch and organize a weekend trip.  For most of us, this was one of a handful of events where we’ve met up since graduation.

At lunch, we all wondered about the official reunion, as nobody heard any word of it.  Hey, what can you expect from the class president who also had to juggle the roles of football jock, classroom jester, and flatulator extraordinaire?  Nonetheless, we did a great job reaching out to all the friends that were still in contact with.  Kudos to all for showing up, whom I got to see for the first time in a loooong time.  One interesting stat: of the people present, only one was married and had a kid (to another one of us no less, who had his baby stand in for him, yeah!)

After mingling over the host’s awesome barbecue, we headed out for a cabin in Lake Arrowhead.  The first night there were eight of us, four gals and guys each.  We missed those who couldn’t make it, or rather, they missed out on our festivities.  Our two chefs for the trip, the grill guy and our resident comedian, really outdid themselves.  The homemade guacamole with chips and various marinaded grilled meats and veggies were fantastic.  We ate, talked and played.  Someone even brought a laptop to play the infamous Russell Peters clip that never ceases to kill me.  “Hey, hey! Beee a main!”

While the jokes and zings flew around all night, we kept busy with other activities.  What came in handy was what I had learned earlier in the week at Hawaiian Garden Casino and online: the nuances of Texas Hold’em.  We split up gaming chips and Uno cards for currency, and played tournaments all night.  The most unlikely people turned out as champions of our friendly tourneys.  Sure, one can argue beginner’s luck, but how do you explain the seasoned player forgetting the Jack in a King high straight?  While we duked it out over cards and beers, we learned some new tricks, ready to return to society to take some winnings from friends and co-workers.  Later, as people started dropping off and hitting the sack, being the responsible dealer, I kept the poker going to the end for those who weren’t ready to quit.  While it was fun, at some point we realized it’s different when the game was without real stakes, so we added a new twist: whoever folds or loses takes a drink.  Unfortunately I have no recollection of anything after this point.

The next day we set out to explore the lake.  I relished walking around the lakeside, watching the ducks, and listening to local performers sing and entertain.  The group walked on the docks for a closer look at the boats and the water.  Fantastic!  Yes, me and my affinity for water.  Meanwhile, the gals couldn’t resist going for some light shopping in the village shopping outlets.  The guys were, of course, complaining about how much we hate shopping.  Fortunately, another gal arrived to join us, so we had our excuse to make way back to the cabin for food.  Even though we returned a little later in the evening for the local concert and fanfare, we didn’t find anything really enticing to stay, so we bought some more poker chips from the toy store and resumed our cabin activities.

Back at the cabin, our skilled chefs prepped some delicious carne asada replete with spicy fresh salsa and cold brews.  During all the fun, our favorite PhD candidate earned himself a new moniker: “Tung Mai Ho,” begat from the combination of his name and that of one of the gals who couldn’t come.  Oh the ensuing hilarity… On the last day, we just had to leave a token of our appreciation to the nice people who let us freely use their cabin while being out of town.  The girls artistically arranged a basket of fruits, cheeses and munchies for Steve and his family.  We even signed a thank you card.  Hey, it’s the least we could do after the neck brace guy stained the daughter’s bed. As we took the bending roads down the mountain, we chatted and caught up on the details of daily life.  These car rides are where some of the most interesting conversations take place.  One of the best ways to really get to know people is by hearing them talk about their passions and dreams.  Steph told me about her work and future plans.  Later on, I also loved hearing Tung Mai Ho talk about his research.  You have to respect the man’s dedication to building something to help others. Arriving on the flatlands, we gorged on some tasty pho at a local place in San Bernadino.  If anything this group does really well, it’s knowing how to eat.  After lunch, we said our goodbyes here.  It wasn’t tearful or sad; it was appreciative and expectant of the next rendez-vous.

Little did I know how enthusiastic the munchkin of the group was to keep things going.  She managed to keep a smaller group for some more activities: house visits, Boomers, brief respite, a movie.  Years have passed since I’ve seen my old stomping grounds, and riding around the Ontario/Montclair area again could only be described as nostalgically quaint.

It would be only appropriate to wrap up with a final round of soup noodles.  The concluding late dinner took place at Noodle Planet near my place.  (I never realized such a place existed; why do I keep finding these places right before I leave?)  The fares are sans doute the best I’ve encountered in a long time for late night grubbing. The gang showed me the secrets of specialty condiments like red vinegar and powdered chile.  Yum!  And though I keep ranting about food, the secret ingredient, the most extraordinary spice is the presence of friends you feel completely comfortable with that makes the most delightful meals.

Best to all my precious friends, who help me savor the friendships of life.  I look forward to enjoying your company and seeing your smiles again, soon.

I can’t write anything coherent about today’s tragedy, other than I am overwhelmed with a mixture of grief, anger, and helplessness.  It completely brought back what I experienced a few years ago when the twin towers were struck.

My heartfelt wishes and prayers go out to the victims in London.