Given the small size of San Francisco’s Japantown, they manage to throw down an annual grandiose cherry blossom festival, celebrating the coming of spring and giving the Chinese New Year festivities a run for their money. Sui and I had wanted to check out this party years prior, but this time we finally went with like-minded individuals; thanks to Jeff for organizing the trip.
(For those unwilling to read through my usual event-oriented rants, you can go straight to the pictures)
It was a once-in-a-lifetime event. The Olympic torch’s solitary North American stop was San Francisco, so carrying the flame through our city symbolized our embrace of the Olympic spirit, save that one minor detail concerning the host country of this year’s competitions. It’s sad that having the games held in China has overshadowed the actual athletic contest (thus far), and activists are using the controversy as a launching pad for their own little soapboxes.
But no, all I wanted was to see someone tackle a runner.
Our office was a scant two blocks away from the official route, so we took a stroll down to the waterfront to catch a glimpse of the action. It was, as expected, a sea of crazy: banners and signs everywhere, people shouting incomprehensible slogans, and clashes between pro-Chinese supporters (much more than I had expected, although reports say the Chinese consulate shipped them in from elsewhere) and free-Tibet-now demonstrators.
More pics can be found in the album. (I’d post them here but a recent software upgrade broke parts of the site)
The abundance of carny games and people at the Santa Cruz Boardwalk was slightly disappointing, so our entourage headed along scenic Highway I, meandering our way along the Californian coast, enjoying great views of the ocean and for for those of us sensitive to winding roads, motion sickness.
Following a coworker’s recommendation, we stopped at an unmarked area off the highway, where a slanting trail lead downwards to a cozy patch of sand and rocks isolated from the rest of the world. Panther Beach, as it is known, was a picturesque location; rocky cliffs shelter its beauty from tourist eyes, lapping waves erase yesterday’s footprints, and September winds add an encouraging chill:
Jeff has the executive summary of this story; read on for my long-winded version.
It was a foggy day, but certainly most days in Daly City are foggy and a hint ominous. Jeff was throwing a housewarming party, and in the name of good impressions and high partying standards we dropped by Costco to pick up much-needed culinary provisions (i.e., food). As Jeff was backing out of the garage, I noticed a little ball on the ground in the driveway, curled up and somewhat chilly.
Giving him a tap of my foot, I expected the mouse to get the message and run home. He was very tiny, and I didn’t want to accidentally crush his long tail with my foot nor allow 3000 lbs. of Scion the same opportunity. Contrary to expectations, however, the little guy didn’t budge, and a few more pushes ensured he was out of the blind vehicle’s rampaging path. He remained hunched low to the ground and his lowered eyes betrayed none of his intentions.
Seems like Mr. Carnegie was onto something.
Maybe two or so weeks ago, I discovered that my mom’s new Accord didn’t come with updated maps, which are stored on a DVD in the back of the car. The dealer didn’t want anything to do with it, so our only recourse was to call up Honda and ask for a new one.
Like I wrote, I had already written one letter asking about the situation, but that didn’t prompt any response. I had been reading Dale Carnegie’s book on peer influence and interpersonal relationships, so despite the 70 years that have passed since he gave his advice, I figured I’d give it a shot and use his techniques in a second letter to Honda.
And lo, three days later I got a call from a Honda customer support manager. She was nice, gave me a bit more information on how Honda DVD’s worked, and volunteered to replace my mom’s DVD if in fact they gave her one older than what she was supposed to have.
I’ve been on a non-fiction reading kick lately, buying a lot of books that I heard were interesting or looked fun on bookstore shelves. It has been a good mix of serious and mature material (The Art of War and The Wealth of Nations for starters…) and, well, more entertaining stuff (consider books like The Alphabet of Manliness).
I had a ton of fun reading Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends & Influence People, though, since it made a ton of sense to me and I can relate to many of his points just via common sense. It’s nothing earth-shattering, to be sure, but it’s nice to be reminded, once in a while, how small changes in behavior and attitude can make a difference. As such, his advice basically boils down to “be nice, lay the praise on thick, avoid criticism, be sincere in your dealings”.
Of course, after going through The Dictionary of Corporate Bullshit, I have a certain cynicism for some of Carnegie’s supposedly timeless words of wisdom, especially on how it applies to the workplace. It certainly seems like a lot of business interactions follow his advice – brainstorming sessions that “don’t judge”, employee motivation via praises and pretty pens, business civility and use of euphemisms for everything good or bad, etc. As a matter of fact, the only thing the business world hasn’t mastered is the ability to be truly sincere on the above points.