two wheelers

credit: Baptiste LeJeune

Bicycle sharing has been in operation in major cities for over a decade, with Citi Bike in NYC, for example. Docking stations took up vital car parking spots throughout the city. Over time, it became the new normal.

Starting in China, with the ease of technology and GPS, a number of startups (e.g., Mobike, Ofo, oBike) have been competing over the last few years for the dockless bicycle sharing market. Venture capitalists have infused millions and their markets have expanded to Europe, Australia and other Asian markets. The wheels unlock with a code, and GPS allows a user to locate the nearest bicycle.

In many major cities though, many have complained about the clutter. Although users get points deducted for traffic violations and/or inappropriate "parking" of the bicycles, the concept of dockless gets mired with appropriate parking spaces. While one would think that people would just park these in front of their doors for door-to-door service, it was really random where these were "hanging out" (e.g., in a pedestrian tunnel, middle of a field, inside a private and secure parking garage, in the middle of an alley).

While Singaporeans appear too orderly for such thing to arise, there have been protestors in other cities who have taken the bicycles and hung them up in trees and other outlandish spots.

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Update September 20, 2017:

Mobike made its debut in the U.S. market by launching a pilot program of 180 bicycles. While Washington, D.C. already has a dock-based Capital Bikeshare program, officials believe this would serve a different market and in different neighborhoods. However, the company is planning on mobilizing a local team if necessary to move and re-park the bicycles neatly.

Ironically, Spin, a U.S. based startup, also launched a pilot with initial 100 bicycles in D.C. Although it has also launched pilots in other cities, including Bay Area, it has been in very select neighborhoods like South San Francisco, rather than it being as prevalent as the dockless bicycles in Singapore and China.

taxing time

The causality dilemma of the chicken or the egg has me wondering whether awareness causes subconscious behavior and/or recognition of events that one would not have normally connected, similar to synchronicities as noted by Carl Jung (11:11 (part 5)). While Venus in retrograde has finally gone into its shadow period, Mercury started its retrograde on April 9. It would seem as though this should impact me more with the double whammy that Virgos are ruled by Mercury and that I was born when Mercury was in retrograde.

While it isn't entirely uncommon for me to leave my phone(s) in different rooms/offices, it was odd that not only did I lose both phones while transiting in Australia (full circle (part 2)) but also last week while heading to a client in Portland. Even after retracing my steps throughout the campus, it took many hours before my mental capacities reminded me that Apple has a "find my iPhone function". Of course, Mercury would not be in retrograde if my flight back did not get delayed multiple times, resulting in me missing my coding class altogether.

Mercury rules intelligence, memory, communication and transportation, including commerce/ agreements, mechanical equipment/phones/computers and travel. Those who were born with it in retrograde though would generally have challenges with these aspects (perhaps, as part of past karmic life) to overcome. Interestingly enough, I had a lisp as a child and had to go to speech therapy to work through it. In addition, I had taken journalism for a few years in high school to improve my writing skills. During much of my early years in my professional career, as well as in childhood, I was always misunderstood, whether in written or verbal form. When I learned about Myers-Briggs, it provided some rationalization to this since I was an INT(F)P in an ESTJ world. However, I was probably destined in some way to be in such an environment to work through this.

While it was an unpleasant situation, I was not surprised when I opened up my Turbotax last night and my 2016 tax file, which was mostly completed, disappeared yet was present enough to be a blank space, and say it could not be opened once clicked upon. My new coding sleuthing could not save me from the practically all nighter although it was quite fun to try to put my new learnings to use. Somehow, I feel though that in the rush attempt and with the retrograde in my natal charts, I paid more than POTUS. To rub salt in the wound, my hotel room tonight turns out to be 1040. 😟

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As I waited for my order tonight at Mickey D's prior to class, a gentleman, who had ordered french fries and coffee was short, as either the voucher or gift card he had presented did not cover tax. He was probably homeless, and the escalating exchange between the cashier and him eventually drew my attention even with my headphones on. There was a whole line behind waiting. When I realized what was occurring, I paid the difference, yet somehow it did not end the hostile exchange, resulting in the man throwing the hot coffee at the cashier, who went around the counter, to engage in fisticuffs.

I am not sure what was more disturbing: a fight stemming from such a trivial matter or all the people who were too busy pulling out their phones to record the exchange inside and outside the store rather than stepping in to assist in diffusing the situation. I am hoping that when they replay their videos, they feel a bit slighted when hearing me stating "shouldn't you help rather than record?" I would like to think the miscommunication had to do with Mercury in retrograde; unfortunately, I think it has a lot to do with the signs of the times with the current POTUS who incites fear, hatred and ego, not to mention blasting on social media. The difference that everyone was standing in line waiting for was a whole 26 cents.

to err is human, to forgive, divine

Many years ago as I was killing time at an airport, I decided to pick up A Conversation with God by Neale Donald Walsch (see rest in peace). I had seen it in bookstores for years and although I was curious as to the contents, I was also anti-organized religion and still figuring out my thinkings around the divine. It turned out to be a trilogy, each building upon the foundation of the previous book. It was not at all what I had expected, and as one concept in the book noted, a person would generally be compelled to read the book at a time when he/she is receptive to the message.

Years before that, as I was getting my cellphone fixed at a Verizon store, I had a riveting conversation with a stranger. He was the spouse of the store manager. He and their kids pick her up as part of their daily routine. She did not want to leave me stranded so her family ended up hanging out at the store while they waited for her. He and I got into a deep discussion on religion, and he introduced me to an interesting thought that the spiritual leaders of Christianity (Jesus Christ), Muslim (Muhammad), Buddhism (Siddhartha Gautama), etc. all studied from the same school/temple. Jesus' life between 13 and 30 are not covered in the Holy Bible, although other historical relics seem to indicate that he traveled east, as far as India, and learned from the spiritually advanced eastern civilizations.

When I was in high school, I turned to religion during some troubling times. At that point, I was such a fanatic that I was convinced my parents would go to hell lest they accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior. It was an ongoing personal quest until one day, my mother declared that their Buddha is my Jesus. This gave me pause, and something I could not reconcile until over a decade later. So the concept that their teachings were founded from the same core place made a lot of sense to me. Many of the lessons in each religion have overlapping themes. The trilogy built on that initial foundation for me.

Similar to my thoughts in 22, these spiritual leaders do not have to be mutually exclusive. The thought that there is no hell (see rest in peace), with living in the 3D to experience life, as we are all part of one divine universe, being the closest to hell, so to speak, was mind boggling. Hitler, the current POTUS...these are individuals that rise to power from a collective consciousness that occurs to provide humankind an opportunity to evolve. Many fear that the current POTUS is setting the world back decades; however, the global solidarity and activism stemming from opposition to such (pussy riots) are at least different reactions to Hitler when even the United States was complacent until Pearl Harbor forced its hand.

My college roommate's ex at the time had always lived with tremendous Catholic guilt although her family and friends fully supported her homosexuality. When I read this trilogy, the first person I had thought of was her. When I reached out to her to perhaps suggest the trilogy, her response was that she had read them months before, and she had never been happier, releasing the guilt and truly accepting who she is.

The Little Soul and the Sun: A Children's Parable by the same author illustrates one of the concepts in the series that was instrumental to my learning of forgiveness. Knowing that someone's negative action was from an experience I had asked for before this life helped me to minimize blaming in my mind. It still did not prevent the hurt as I would not be experiencing life if I was not feeling hurt and any other negative feelings that come from such interactions and related lessons. Understanding that someone was living out his/her soul contract with me though has helped me process those moments better, at least when I'm conscious enough to take a step back to remind myself of that. As noted in jer-bear, my karma is the only thing that I have learned that I could change.

During that time, I had a few colleagues who "stabbed me in the back" due to fear and jealousy as the 2008 financial crisis was rearing its ugly head, and this really helped me to turn the other cheek, as difficult as it was to do so. Ultimately, it got me to Asia, and in one situation, the karmic cycle had one of my colleagues apologizing to me years later for his continued behavior during that time. While he acknowledged that he was manipulated by others, he took full responsibility for his decisions and actions, and during his guilt, he had hoped that I would retaliate, surprised that I never did, which I know some falsely attributed to weakness. When the tables turned and I had the advantage, I still chose to do the right thing regardless of it benefitting him, which he was thankful.

We may never know how karma ultimately plays out, especially over the span of numerous lifetimes; however, with absolution and when it rains, it pours, I am thankful for the opportunities to cut the karmic ties that bind us, and hope that we all continue to pay it forward for the collective conscious to evolve in its enlightenment.

"If you cannot find a group whose consciousness matches your own, be the source of one. Others of like consciousness will be drawn to you."

Conversations with God: an uncommon dialogue, Book 2 

shhhhhhhhooshhhhhhh

In a country where one can get bootleg DVDs of recent movies for the equivalent of less than 50 cents, it is easy to catch up on every movie or sitcom that you've ever wanted to see in the comforts of your own home. Yet there are certain movies that just need to be experienced on the big screen with a good tub of buttery popcorn - just don't forget to bring your earplugs and salt. As noted in the al fresco to go post, the South likes sweet so many times the salty buttery popcorn is no where to be found. Instead, they have popcorn covered with a sugary coating with no other flavors.

Vietnam is similar to China in its censorship. There was a protest against China and its quest to take over  South China Sea this weekend which the government made sure that all the local news outlets covered; however, certain international coverage were blocked when I tried to search for it on the internet. The censorship though seems quite random - porn is accessible but Facebook is not. For example, certain violent scenes in True Grit such as chopping off fingers made the cut but not shooting someone at close range.

Regardless of the big screen though, you are still in the comforts of a living room - just someone else's. People have no regard for general courtesy. Sometimes people read the subtitles out loud. Sometimes people are translating and/or explaining scenes for their movie mate but act as if the entire audience could also benefit from it as well. Sometimes people are having complete conversations with each other or on mobile phones that have nothing to do with the movie. As noted in got milk?, there seems to be a need to talk over the speakers. While amusing and bordering on offensive for its stereotype, sometimes I wonder if the PSA here is all that effective...

Perhaps they should consider what a theater back home (Alamo Drafthouse) did.

me love you long time (part 4)

As expected from the last post, I'm beginning to see a pattern. I went on my first business trip to Hanoi since arriving here. During my taxi ride home in HCMC tonight, I got the typical questions: do you have a family?; are you married?; what do you do?; and how old are you? as well as advice on where to stay to save on rent (at least he didn't add 'so that I can save money to find a husband').

This time the driver was probably in his late 20's/early 30's, and instead of the lecture on getting married and starting a family. I got flowery compliments such as American Viet Kieu's must look younger and more beautiful than the local women. I even got an offer to get free scooter driving lessons, including the gift of his scooter (ummmm, I wonder what he expected in return).

And yes, I got a phone number...he made sure to slip me another piece of paper along with the cab receipt. This will surely make my mother's stress level go up to think that she may have to support him and his family (not sure where she got this crazy idea since she stopped supporting me at the age of 18, including not paying for most of my college). 😌

lady in waiting

Finally making her debut in a new outfit that coincidentally befits its name, she has patiently been a lady in waiting. Vietnam experienced its first iPhone craze in 2010 around the time I was researching things to bring. Contrary to the enormous expectations and initial shortages, I have seen a few vendors that have them in stock (not entirely sure of their authenticity or premium). There have been speculations that the shortages are due to the small orders that the local carriers ordered, as they were worried about the true demand given the cost compared to local salary.

Since factory unlocked ones are not sold in the US, I had to get creative which included possibly involving friends or relatives of friends. In the end, my friend Zaj hooked me up. So the phone has been sitting in its original box for months waiting to come out and play. I ended up ordering two skins, unsure about whether one would make it through customs as well as how it would be perceived. After much thought, I ended up dressing her up in the one that reflected my personality. Voila!

decalgirl ~ lady in waiting

I have discovered that most phones are not equipped with voicemail (further research unearthed that the option is available but only for end-of-month contracts - see luck be the lady post). Even businesses do not have voicemail beyond the receptionist. My curiosity usually solicited responses with the attitude of 'no big whoop' and everyone has your mobile number to get a hold of you. 

When I first started working after college, we were told to check voicemail at least twice a day. This has evolved into perhaps once a week and sometimes once a month. That's because pda's have made it easy to just send emails (or even text messages) if you needed to find someone and have them call you. Although it was commonplace for people to give out cell phone numbers for work purposes, I was always reluctant, and ended up carrying two phones so that I could disconnect at my whim. Also, I'm in the camp that thinks it is rude to either check your phone or talk on your phone while you're spending time with someone (unless you let the other person know in advance that you're expecting a call or message).

Yet even with cell phone voicemail, I know so many in the US that either don't leave voicemails, opting to text if they can't get a hold of you, or don't bother listening to voicemails and just call you back to cut to the chase. So perhaps voicemail is not really needed, and was one of those things that you don't use when you have it but feel the need to have it just because...

luck be the lady

I dip and dabble a bit in feng shui, primarily out of intellectual curiosity. I don't come close to living my life based on it, but I have used it as a tie breaker. For example, when determining whether I should purchase my Houston abode, I tried to use feng shui to talk myself out of purchasing a place that just felt right but was well above the budget I had established. They say that unless you custom build a house, that no house is exactly perfect to an individual based on feng shui. Fortunately (or unfortunately), in my amateur feng shui research, the house turned out to be perfect for me. Did that explain the positive vibes in my quick perusal of the house?

In my quest to get a sim card, I encountered many unsolicited advise. The mere mention that it was on my list of 'to do' was enough to get a list of items to consider. In the states, my selection process was based on reputation of carrier, costs of the various packages/promotions/data plans and in some cases, the type of phones offered. Here, phones are purchased directly from the vendor; carriers are all the same in reputation and signal; promotions are comparable; minutes are minutes regardless of whether you use it for data or voice; and your options are prepaid or end of month. Most opt for prepaid to avoid having to make a trip to pay a monthly bill (yes, it is primarily a cash-basis country). However, in trying to heed the various advices, I noticed that all the 'good' combination of numbers were the end of month options, which require deposits, minimums and a contract period ranging from 3-9 months. Clearly the better combinations required higher minimums with longer term.

It ended up being a numbers game. Mobile phones range from 10 to 13 digits, the smaller the better. Factors to consider after that included increasing numbers, lucky vs. unlucky numbers, combinations that were easy to remember, and numbers that are compatible with an individual's basic element (e.g., metal, fire, water, etc.). After visiting 2 stores to find 10-digit numbers and spending over 30 minutes staring at a terminal looking at combinations, I was still SOL on getting a sim card.

In a country where the average salary is circa USD $12,000, it is jaw dropping to hear that people spend USD $200,000 for a perfectly increasing number, USD $132,000 for 9 successive 6's, and USD $50,000 for 6 successive 8's. And that is purely for the phone number. Whether you believe in numerology or not, you are forced to get sucked into the local beliefs because if you want respect from friends and access to business contacts, you have to get a VIP number.

Perhaps it is the luck from my Houston house, or it's the year of the cat (which calls for 12 fortunate months for the pig), God looking out for me, or simple coincidence, my real estate broker had a connection who worked for one of the local carriers but in her home town. After convincing him that it was for a close relative, she was able to secure me a 10-digit combination that has increasing numbers, a number of 9's, and easy to remember. However, to secure this number, I will have to wait 6 days as he's still on vacation for Tet.  Hope it is worth the wait.

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Update March 19, 2011:

I met someone yesterday who had a series of 8s and 9s for his mobile number. When I commented on it, I was told that he spent USD 10,000 for the number. In addition, supposedly he has 3-4 other numbers that he paid for which he doesn't resell as he uses it to let relatives, etc. borrow them when they are in town.