Yesterday I was in China. I took many pictures (02_23_2004 in the photo blog) of my visits. The tours of the factories were nice. The train rides were exciting, as we went into the Red Country. It was nice to be able to share good times over a train ride and a bag of fish skin.

It is 10pm Tuesday, and I am getting ready to go to bed. Our flight is leaving at 11:50 am from Hong Kong on Wednesday. I will be in the air for 16 hours, and arrive back in Cleveland at 3:51pm Wednesday. I love that; getting another day!

This trip was nice, but not as adventurous as the last trip. I guess it had much to do with the fact that I was in HK for the first time. I ate more food this time, and was able to work less. We seemed to have more meetings than the last time. Although I am told that we are more busy that the last time; however I seemed to think that I did less. Not bad though.

As for coming back here anytime soon, lets just say, not any time soon. I think my trips to HK are exhausted for this year.

written on February 24, 2004
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I woke at 7 am to get to a train that took us to China. We went on several inspections of various factories. What a day. I got a chance to see what American consumerism can do to a country. Amazing. I was in a place that had a few Cleveland guys that were there setting up some machinery. Good to see Cleveland boys. Ha.

Images are in the Photos section of yesterday's Lan Tau island and fising village. What a trek. I saw the large Buddha, and took a ferry to and from the island. Great views of HK island. I will write more, but I have 5 more min left online. UGH!

Coming home Wednesday. I took some videos to post as well. You really get a taste of how this country exisits.

Lastly, there is a great shot of our sourcing guy and my father enjoying a nice bag of crispy tasty fish skins. Nothing beats a great conversation, and tasty crispy fish skin.

written on February 23, 2004
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Went shopping today at the Lady's Market in Mong Kok. This place is amazing. SO many people, so many wares. I was able to visit Jenny the purse lady. New styles, and new trends. I bought a bag to replace the one that was ruined in San Diego from my heavy cameras.

There are pictures as mentioned in the photos section. Dinner with the Sourcing agent (this guy makes Chupa-Chups in Spain) and the guy that owns the factory that we make our products at. Enjoy.

written on February 21, 2004
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To recap my Friday afternoon. Spent the morning relaxing over some great fruits and some wonderful cereal made of cream barley and mangoes. It was like a cold porridge. Loved it.

Had a meeting with our candy toy makers this afternoon, and met up with an old acquaintence who was responsible for designing the Super Soaker, the machine water pistol, and other great toys. We caught up on his travels, as he lives in Germany, Spain and HOng Kong. Great guy.

Reveiwed the candy dispenser of Pat Hentgen that I am working on. Thing is cool. Having dinner later with the guy that owns the factory that makes our other products, he is the one that introduced my father to the "mystery husks that maek your mouth numb". I am going to see if I can score some. Oh thisis food, and not drugs, it makes your mouth numb so you can eat hot Thai Chillies.

Buying tea later and learning how to make perfect tea as demonstrated by the tea lady near our hotel.

I love this city. Monday I am actually going to China. I got my visa last night. Taking a train into Guhangzau, FuTien to visit some factories. I love this.

I will post pictures tomorrow (sat your time) so be sure to check out this weekend, or review on monday. Love you all from here. Especially the DLB. I miss her liek crazy!!!

written on February 20, 2004
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Having a hard time with the 13 hours time difference. Well not that bad, but enough to get in the way of getting pissed off at AOL. Damn ISP garbage. Still can not connect, and using this PC to make posts. Not able to check email.

I am having meetings with more of our supplier and manufacturers. I am meeting with some designers tomorrow. We are going to be talking with some big people, Walmart suppliers. You didn't read that.

Missing the DLB like crazy. I hate being away from her on trips like this. 12 days, ugh. But I will be shopping tomorrow in the morning to get her some nice stuff. Oh wait is she reading this? Ah well. heh.

Been working out. The gym here is great, and I am eating so much better when I am over here. I am having a hard time trying to find food to eat. The people of Hong Kong are carnivorous. Pretty much everything is meat here. So I have to ask really detailed questions that no one can respond to because they speak Cantonese here. I get weird looks when I get served shrimp and explain that Vegetarian means no flesh. Its a cultural thing. heh.

Off to bed now. Exhausted. Had a great meal, and ran 5K this afternoon, so I will sleep like a baby. I upped some more pics, however, I seem to have the camera only with me in the taxis. Sat I will be taking more images, and sunday off to Lantau Island, for the Buddha.

Cheers, till tomorrow.

written on February 19, 2004
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Ok, it is now Wednesday and 3pm. You are in bed and I am making more errors here in HK. I just learned that over the course of a few weeks, I had changed some artwork to be a size that is completely arbitrary from what we are working on now. How could I have done this?

Anyway. The city is still exciting as before. More tea, more walking everywhere and more meetings with companies that produce the things that we use everyday.

Today was a meeting with Smurfit-Stone HK. Amazing company. They are the world's largest packaging company. The do almost 100% of the packaging for WalMart. I was taken around their in-house photo studio. I met all their photographers, and learned some new techniques. I love to shoot in the studio. They have an amazing place. Tons of cool equipment. I guess you would have to since they are the world's largest manufacturer of product packaging. Later, I had a meeting with the guy that makes the wine bottle openers that use a gas charger. Cool stuff, and had a great lunch at the Sheraton. I ate noodles.

This afternoon we canceled a meeting. I am hitting the gym to run these 'tits' off. Fat bastard. I can not understand how I became so fat. UGH! Anyways, The gym after this post. Tonight the Races. Horse racing. Anyone that knows my pops, knows his love for horse racing. I could care less, but I never get free time with him, so I have to be flexible.

Tomorrow, we will have some more meetings. All day. So light on the recreational stuff, but this weekend will be nice as I am going into China, and Lantau Island to meet the largest Bronze outdoor Buddha. Eating a vegan meal from the monks. (Been reading about Buddhism lately.)

Please keep reading. I have posts from the last 3 days, and I am updating the Photos section. 2-16; 2-17; 2-18 are updated. All the smoking way from HK, China.

written on February 18, 2004
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Arrived. Exhausted. 18 hours later, I am on the ground safe in Hong Kong. I left Chicago at 12pm on Monday, and it is now 8:45pm Tuesday. Weird, I lost a day, and I feel like I am still in the air.

I took many images of the Polar Ice Pack, and the North Pole. Check the photo section to see them.

Missing Dreamy already. I can not stand being away from her. I am going to try and call her in a few. Man am I already tired. I am off for the bed. More antics tomorrow.

written on February 18, 2004
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Sorry, gotta run. 8am, and Wed morning. I have meetings all day. AOL sucks ass. I have 9.0 on this machine, and I cannot friggn connect. Assholes.

SO I am making a post from dad's laptop, where AOL works becuase it only likes PCs.

I am safe and here in HK. Weather is like 70°. More later.

written on February 17, 2004
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In 8 hours I will be in the air again, off for China. I will be staying in Kowloon inside Hong Kong. We are making our way into China this time. Shenzhen. I will be making as many posts as my net connection will allow. I hope you all will be reading. This time I have worked out ways to get images to you live.

written on February 15, 2004
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After work yesterday, I went to the grocery store, and then the Arabic market. I found a Jell-O substitute, and was excited to see that it was darn cheap! $1.29 for a package of HA-AL Raspberry flarored. I bought 3 boxes. (Show up tonight and see what I made with it...)

Pita is super inexpensive there too; go figure. I spent $4.26 on 3 boxes of a Jell-O substitute, 1/2 lb of scallons, and 10 loaves of 14" pitas. The best kept secret in cooking is to visit local ethnic markets for the best prices. You have to hunt for items, but when you find, it is totally worth it. For instance, I bought Cumin(ground) from a chain grocery store. I paid almost $4.99 for 6 oz. At the Middle Eastern store, I bought 1lb for 1/3 that price. Same with rice and other grains.

Next week.

Since I am leaving on Monday for China again, this will be my last post. While there I will make sure that I keep up with my site; bringing you the best DanMerk.com as it comes.

written on February 13, 2004
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Leaving work yesterday, I realized how much I enjoy what I do. Making art for the masses, designing things that people have to buy. Working on projects with a team from the far east. I have friends in China, and Spain that I have met in Hong Kong. Going back next week.

Still searching for who I am. More in the photo section, and I added two more recipes.

written on February 12, 2004
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The past few days I have been thinking a lot. Sounds like another "woe's me" but I am looking for a destination here. Something is telling me to look within and find out why I feel so blah. I started today with a photo, and realized that there may be something in how I see myself. SO today in the Photo section, I began my search.

More to come.

written on February 11, 2004
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I had a realization on Saturday evening--I am an moron. Not an idiot, not a loser, but an moron.

Dictionary.com states :

mo·ron     
P   Pronunciation Key  (môrn, mr-)
n.
1. A stupid person; a dolt.
2. Psychology. A person of mild mental retardation having a mental age of from 7 to 12 years and generally having communication and social skills enabling some degree of academic or vocational education. The term belongs to a classification system no longer in use and is now considered offensive.

I have no weight to my conversations anymore. I seem to move towards making fun of something, slander, or nonsense. No girth.

All my life I have never been completely engaged in political conversations. I never liked discussing my beliefs with anyone because there are things that you can not argue. Faith. How can you argue faith? You can not.

This realization cam about on Saturday evening when I played poker over JP's and we had an interesting bunch of people at the game. The topic of politics came up, and of course I voiced an opinion. Not only did I sound like an ass, but it seemed that my "faith" or lack thereof was un-sophisticated. I have always had this problem. I speak with out research. I know how I feel, but without education; it is weightless.

This triggered a downer feeling the rest of the evening, and the next two days. I am realizing that when I speak, I sound uneducated. I need to listen more, and keep closed in my speech. The problem with this is that when I do not speak about certain topics, I come off as a moron, or uneducated.

I am beginning to think I am.

Photos are up. 3 Weeks worth. Recipe's updated.

written on February 10, 2004
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me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me

me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me
me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me me

Sometimes, I realize I talk alot. I also realize how much of an asshole I become when I talk about me. SO use this thread to tell me what *YOU* are doing.

Other than that, my car is broken and now fixed ($450) again. Working on invitations for the wedding, my piece for the 409 show, and making sure the DLF is happy. She is worth it.

written on February 06, 2004
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