Big Tony

So, I met up with Big R last night, at XTD,
and ran into Tito & parents,

Alton

and Joyce. By the time, we were done drinking, and celebrating

Alton

getting his firm off its feet, it was 3
black and soda, and 4 double Glenfiddich down the can. Elle’s office and

Alton

’s design office is in the same tall building, and
Joyce had offered to give

Alton

a tour of her floor. Elle magazine and it’s 8 other publications, seem to be
staffed with hot woman. (So she tells us.).

Seemed everyone was in a chill mode last night, so when I told Cortney that we
were out, the only thing he said, was to drop by Bar Rouge. Now here is how
small

Shanghai

is. I go to Bar rouge, and at least 4 of the poker guys are already there.

Anyways, I get introduced to Da Ge again. Da Ge has always been one of the
nicest guys with the weirdest digs. He apparently owns a couple of shopping
complex, big cars, has body guards, and has a portfolio of property in dev, and
is rumored to be part of the PLA, post de-commercialization. So, he tells me
that he doesn’t have a girl friend, is 42, and says that money is crap. He whispers
that he has 52 Yi, and really, he would only need to leave 100 million to his
kid, so the rest is just so unnecessary. Now, trying to get my numbers correct,
52 Yi, is 5,200,000,000. Regardless if it’s in USD or RMB, it’s still quite a
bit. Tells me that he is looking for love.

He seemed quite lonely, at times he would
gaze away and lose himself. Understandably, amassing 5.2 billion rmb at age 42,
is an achievement that few have gotten, but time and time again, I see this
loneliness in the eyes of people that have actually done it. It would be
interesting to find out how he got there, but only to find out how it’s
possible to get there, without becoming despondent and so alone. Perhaps the
resolve to get there, create an environment devoid of soul and spirituality. I truly
feel bad for those, that from day one, has already gotten it. Sometimes the
desire to achieve is just as fulfilling as the achievement. The process itself
is more rewarding than the actual rewards. On self reflection, I guess, setting
a goal at a self made personal wealth of 5-10 mil USD at retirement age of
45-55 is okay. A family and 2-3 month of vacation every year, and at least 10
good friends in my phone, that I can call at a moment notice. This would be
enough. Picking up an interest in cooking, and the arts, and having passive
revenue streams that pays daily expenditures, while facilitating this type of
lifestyle should be preventive medicine from losing one’s desires and soul.

Lifestyle? I was having this discussion
with

Alton

,
about living.

My family is moderately well off.

In the realm of Rich Dad and Poor Dad, my
family would actually be considered Poor Dad mentality, with Rich Dad type of
business. It’s weird. I guess it has to do with their upbringing. Conservative
entrepreneurs, and it has rubbed off on me. The reality for most people is
that, they are usually trying to make ends meet, but have a small saving. Or
they are leveraged, and still trying to make ends meet. The more liquid your
assets are, the more investment risk you take on. The more investment risk you
take on, the easier it is to lose your pot. It’s harder to lose a property,
than on stock. Stock works on cash, while property works on financing. One
feeds a mortgage or loan, like you would a savings account. In poker terms,
checking all the time, not wasting ante, and playing your cards only when you
have the nut is the same way fiancé should be managed.

Low key people their types are called, that
live a low profile existence. They do not speak of living low profile, simply
that they live comfortable, it’s not something you try to reach, you just do. My
dad have problems buying anything that cost over 10 USD unless it’s for
business. My mom on the other hand, will take the bus if she can, irregardless
of taxi, or our own cars, but seem not to have a problem buying land on
speculation. I can’t say they are sophisticated investors, just lucky ones. Even
the most recent 4 year property boom in

China

, has only been taken advantage
of from my urging. They live below their means, but comfortable, and take few
risks. Dad and Mom would never feel comfortable at Bar Rouge or a French
restaurant. Dad (who officially turns 70 in a couple of days) periodically
calls to ask me if I want to go to Burger King or get a Pizza.

I remember, giving my mom an invitation to
Gucci. She was excited to go, like any girl going to a big ball. (I am sure,
that this was what she had in her head, because she asked me if there was
dancing) But once she got there, she seemed shy and a bit out of place. It was
a weird realization that this is not the environment that she naturally belonged
to, the shishy, luxury, pretend world of what is considered high society. She
is much happier talking to her kids and friends, holding babies and doing
interior decoration on homes. She likes being a mom, it makes her smile.

I love them, my parents are so cute.

I later came to realize my upbringing was the
reasons why the PR biz was fun, but got old very quickly. It wasn’t satisfying.
In fact my satisfaction came more from working with my team, than becoming
successful.

On a separate example.

I recently met 2 gentleman from the

Midwest

. The man quietly explained, that once you built a
power plant, there is no upside or downside, it has a life of it’s own. The
interesting part is that they used the excess heat from the power plant and the
excess farm land that they had to purchase to grow tomatoes in green houses. Because
the produce was grown in green houses, it was non seasonal, and fetched a great
dollar during off seasons. He told me this story, as they are about to look for
coal bed methane extraction rights. Without blinking, he simply said, this was
the business they were in, and really didn’t know how to do anything else. Just
to put this in prospective, gas rights are anywhere between 10-100 million to
buy and yield in multiples of that. This was a 50 year old gentleman, wearing
simple but neat clothing, confident, modest and almost without ego, explaining
his “simple” business. The words “good people”, comes to mind immediately. The
sophistication of what they do is undeniable, yet the word simplicity comes to
mind, when thinking of these gentlemen.  

You come to realize that THESE are the men
that made money, and quietly supported their family and the community. They pay
their taxes, and after a certain amount of property purchases, conservative
investments, and cash savings, lived quietly, like regular income people.

One of the partners bikes to work, because
he liked to, and although he lived well below his means, and worked out of his
basement, he lived the way he wanted to. Would one want to be a slave to making
money to support a pretense of the music video lifestyle image, or would one
simply enjoy life’s pleasures, most of which, can not be bought anyways?

Is it the small town environment that made
these people the way they are? Is it the upbringing? Or was it a realization
embraced once someone have reached a certain amount of savings?

Reflecting internally, what would be My
comfortable balance?

I think, I actually wouldn’t mind flying a
plane, but I would never buy one. In fact, I would love to fish, but probably
don’t want to keep a boat, unless it made economic sense. (Not social sense,
mind you, economic sense) A big open comfortable living room with a view would
make economic sense, and actually a basketball gym, would be great usage of space,
rather than a massive garage with multiple bling vehicles.

Balance, and what one is looking for in
life. The smoke and mirror of the flash, the jaded ego, the chip on the
shoulder? Or down to earth sincerity and true caring? I guess, maybe that’s why
people of

Xiamen

were more agreeable to me, than
in

Shanghai

. The
pretense is lower, the ego is smaller, and the level of sincerity is so much
higher, it seems.

It’s in the environment devoid of soul,
that someone like Da Ge would seem alone. He spoke as if he has already done
everything, and seemed bored.

I think I would rather be at a comfortable existence
holding on to 1-2 million, instead of 200, if the trade off was to be in a spiritual
void.

The right partner with the right mentality
about money, principal, spirituality and the sincere down to earth personality,
would be key to living and sharing this existence.

The path seems to be clear at this point.
No?

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 11th, 2005 at 9:23 pm and is filed under Religion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.