The Moment of Truth

There are times in life when you are faced with to make a decision, this is one that I will never forget.

Its been five years now since I've arrived here in Taiwan and five years to the date of today that changed my life.

Today is the five year anniversary of 9/21 Earthquake (6.7 on the Richter scale) that rocked Taiwan's central and northern region. This horrific event caused major damage to the homes of thousands, destroyed natural landscapes, and changed my life forever.

I still remember the night of the earthquake clearly in my mind. I had just moved to Taipei for about a month and was living at my father's friend's house. His apt. was on the 23rd floor and top floor of this building. That night I was still watching TV and was ready to go to bed. I went to the bathroom to brush my teeth. While brushing, the lights started to go dim and all of a sudden, I felt like I was dizzy and couldn't keep my balance. It turns out that the building was already swerving and within seconds later, the heavy rumbling started. I dashed out of the bathroom (with toothbrush still in my mouth) and ran under the dining table. That dash towards the table seemed like forever, felt like time was moving in slow motion. I saw the cabinets fall over, glass shattering, and the stairs twisting.

The earthquake seemed to last forever...and while I was under the table, I thought to myself that for sure I was going to die that night (big ass earthquake + 23F of a old building= Collapse building)

You know when some people say, "When your about to die, your entire life flashes before your eyes", I can assure you that saying is so TRUE. When I thought I was gonna a goner, I blanked out and started to see images of my life flashing by. It was like looking through a photo album of your life of all the good memories, bad memories, important events, accomplishments, family and friends. A walk down memory lane just before your about to kick it...

Here is the revelation that most people don't know. Its that at the end of that "walk down memory lane", all of a sudden everything was silent and you ask yourself one last question .... "If this is my last moment on earth, did I live a fulfilling life that I would have no regrets if I died"

I still remember clearly that at that moment, after remembering my great family, wonderful friends, all my unforgettable experiences and accomplishments, I thought to myself that "If I was going to die tonight, I would have no regrets as to how I've lived my life so far". At that time, I felt like I lived my life to the fullest everyday; I lived in various countries, traveled to more places around the world than most people would in their lifetimes, and continued to challenge myself and learned new things everyday.

Its ironic that in a time of possible death, its when I found the key to happiness in life. I realized that if I was ready to die that night without any regrets, it means that every day I live after that was a bonus. And therefore became even more adamant of not wasting each day and doing things that challenge yourself is what makes your life meaningful.

So from that point on, everyday I live, is a +1

I hope we stop taking life for granted and realize each day we are here is a blessing. Learn to live each day to the fullest and when you go to bed each night, you ask yourself "if tonight was my last night, would I have any regrets?" I hope the answer to that questions everynight would be "Yes"...



***Althought it was a extremely strong earthquake, I did not "meet my maker" that night. (Obviously)

Masstige: Luxury for the Masses...

I've always find it interesting to learn new terminology that help better explain consumer behavior. I was recently talking to a marketing friend and he brought up the word "Masstige". *This post is for you marketing people out there

Harvard Business Review recently defined "masstige" as the goods and services that occupy a sweet spot between mass and class. Basically they command a premium over conventional products but may not always be positioned at the top of their category in price.

You can see alot of these brands and products, such as The Body Shop, Sephora, CK, and Coach, are slowly gaining alot of popularity in the market. A phenomenon where prestige goods meet mass-market ones.

Its so true, nowadays, I can find designer labels at Wal-Mart & Costco. I think people are likely to spend a bit more money to have that feeling of prestige. This is definitely good movement as we begin to appreciate design and quality. As consumers become more aware know how to create an image without forking out tons of money, contrary to what most think.

We need keen eye and pick knockout items that cross economic lines. They might not be the latest designer products, but they have the look and feel of being expensive.

Is the Metrosexual Male a New Breed?

It's been over a month now since my discovery of this term Metrosexual and since the time I posted on my blog, I've gotten immense feedback. Seems like there is alot of interest on this subject. I've noticed that there are alot of guys who I would categorize in the Metrosexual category and actually alot of products that you can tell their marketing is towards that segment, such as Abercrombie and Fitch. Seems like there is a huge market out there.

But sometimes I stop and wonder, "Is it good or bad to be considered Metrosexual?"

Ok, it seems that there are alot of advantages to being somewhat metrosexual compared to being the traditional male role. I think the definite advantage is the attention to the quality of lifestyle that we partake. Having a decent fashion sense and knowing what's in and what is not is definitely another plus. Moreover, the tendency to have really great female friends is definitely a plus. Its not that I don't like having guy friends, but I find having a deep discussion about life is somewhat difficult when the most of the time, guys only discuss subjects such as cars, technology, sports and women. So in a way, I definitely feels a bit more evolved than the average Joe...

But with the good, also comes the bad. First and most obvious, the "straight or gay" factor... Most people misunderstand the term and think that if a guy is into that kinda stuff, then you're automatically gay. Another bad is the the difficulty to hang out with normal guys because sometimes you just don't enjoy the company. However, the worst is to have all these female friends around you who consider you their good guy friend, but don't think of you as a good potential boyfriend. So you're pretty much is kinda stuck in the middle in a obscure stage of your relationships.

I guess when it comes down to it, its really difficult to say whether its a good sign when guys are more in touch with their feminine side. Perhaps the acceptance of Metrosexuals is farther behind than Homosexuals.

What Do You Live For?

We all wake up every morning for a reason, what drives us to wake up and go out to achieve something we want. Some live for love, some for fame, some for fortune, some for power, and some for material things. Some just want everything...

For most things, its easy to prove accomplishments with material things, but for love, how can we prove love? Are diamond rings or roses signs of love? I don't believe there is a way other than a feeling.

Whatever it is, I think its important we know what it is and focus on that. Its the best and quickest way to find a meaningful and happy life.