Despite the fact I just ate 10 Ferrero Rocher's I'm planning a new health kick i.e. lots of fruit, less crap, certainly no Ferrero Rocher's, eat more fish and veg and go to the gym at least 3 times a week.

I felt sick at the beginning of the week and used it as a bit of an excuse to not go at all this week but I'm definitely going to get 3 sessions in this week, maybe more. I really wanna lose the belly and get fit.

I'm still looking for my digital home. Twitter is getting a bit of a run out at the moment. The thing is none of these things are flowing very naturally for me. I have to think of ways to try and use them. Anyway, twitter seems to be THE social networking tool of the moment, lots of companies are using it for business. I was thinking of encouraging my work team to use it and regularly update it with what they're doing... so I can always know how busy or not busy they are. I wouldn't use this cynically. If they're not busy that's usually my fault, not theirs. anyway, I'm not sure that's going to work because they probably would not like the idea of me keeping such a close watch on them. I reckon there's definitely some clever uses for twitter though so I'm going to keep plugging away at it.

I was looking at techcrunch and endgadget all week, checking out the news from MWC on what new phones are coming my way. I wanna get a new camera phone. I'd love to check out an android phone.

I went to the TopGear show in Hong Kong on Saturday. It was OK. The banter between the hosts was painfully scripted and the VIP ticket was a bit of a rip off. It said backstage pass but it was more back door exit. It was good fun in the pub afterwards but yet again I spent way too much money.

I'm really trying to rain in my spending and get financially healthy (which I am not right now). I have to say Crystal has been really helpful, she's discouraging from spending any money on me, us, her. It's very supportive, it's cool.

My digital world

I'm waiting to get a new smart camera phone during the summer so I can snap pictures of stuff that happens during the day and add it the blog each time. There's a new Nokia N97 I like the look of, the Palm Pre looks good too. I don't think I'll bother with a new iPhone. It's a nice piece of kit but it's missing a nice camera.

I'm going to through a bit of a web phase. I'm looking at all the google tools each night, trying to convince myself on how I could employ them in my everyday life... I guess this blog is part of that phase too but I am hoping I can get it going into something interesting for me to look back on maybe also for others to see how I'm getting on, particularly family and friends back home that i don't get to see very often.

I'm reading a lot of www.techcrunch.com and www.engadget.com

I don't think I'll let too many people know of the blogs existence until I really get it up to speed. I'm trying to stay with the times and have a digital home, facebook is ok, but it's a bit to pop... a blog just seems like a bit more of an interesting way to do it... I can maybe make it a bit more unique and less of a crowd follower.

I saw a friends blog the other day. I thought it looked very cool. He wasn't trying to write about some existentialist views about the inner conflicts of a donkeys mind when confronted with religion... it was a very simple and fun diary of each day... nothing too personal... very light hearted. I think I'm going to try and go that direction (at least until I pick my own).

I came across another blog too... www.randomwire.com. I have no idea who's writing it... some english guy that lives in Shenzhen. That's the connection... anyway I'm definitely going to have a look at it and see his views on the Shenzhen. He has links to his flicker website with really cool pics of Shenzhen... the best I've seen on the new... expect me to rob loads of them and put up here.

Nothing too much happened in work today... my new years resolution to smarten up in work is not getting off to a good start. I didn't get till 12! But, the good intention is still there. I did sign up to the gym though. We've gotten such a good deal we've been asked to keep it secret from all other members. they'd freak if they new we got it for less than half of what they paid and we get this month free! I'm bringing in my gear tomorrow. I have some clients in for the day that i might have to bring for dinner but if I can I will go to the gym.

After tomorrow I should know a lot more about my new job opportunity. The client is in tomorrow to work with us to nail down some terms of business. I'm pretty excited about. It's going to come with a wider scope and a lot more accountability and responsibility than I have now, particularly on the numbers but I'm excited about the challenge. Hopefully I'll get paid a bit better for it.

Chinese New Year Resolutions

Blogging is hard to get used to. 

I told a few friends I was starting/experimenting with a blog. They didn't seem so impressed with the idea... I'd say they think it's a stupid idea... oh well.

They're not into the whole online social networking thing. Facebook does not appeal to them. It got me thinking that I need to be careful not to mention peoples names here and also to be respectful of others when I upload pics or updates onto websites like facebook that include others.

Work is looking good. I'm getting some sort of promotion. I'm not sure what it is yet... similar to what I'm doing now with some extra commercial/businessy responsibilities. I'm pretty excited about the prospect. I won't know any more about it until the next week but I hope it lives up to the expectations I'm building in my head. Either way it's a great vote of confidence and it feels great to be picked out for it.

I'm trying to get better and more professional at my work. At the moment I'm pretty terrible for coming in late... usually after 10am, I want to sort that out and start coming in at 8:30. I need to be more applied too when I'm in the office. I'm really bad for putting off for weeks small and simple tasks that should only take 2o or 30 mins to complete. I'm going to start dressing more smartly too.

I'm not feeling very well... I've had a little pain in my stomach since yesterday evening... I had Thai food for dinner. I think that's what gave it to me.

I'm joining a gym tomorrow... much needed... I was doing quite well before Christmas... eating well and doing lots of exercise but I've slipped into some bad habits the last two months and it's starting to show. I'm hoping the gym membership is going to re kick start me into action. A work colleague negotiated the price with the gym for a few of us to join. He did a great job and got it for RMB 2100, that's less than half price.

Very quiet in the office

It's Chinese New Year so not much happening. There's only a handful of people in the office. I have some things to do but it's a case of the less I have to do the less I want to do.

I told one or two people I was experimenting with writing a blog. I reckon they thought only very famous people should write one... maybe they're right... lets see.

Why blog?

With half an eye on when I eventually leave Shenzhen I wanted to make sure I have a good memory of all my experiences here in Shenzhen so I've decided to write a blog about it.

I'll probably blog a little about work experiences (to inspire my CV at some point in the future), my life here and maybe some random observations about China and the Chinese.

It's taken me ages just to write these few lines... it would be quicker if I was just writing for myself but if anybody else can read it too... that feels a little strange and I keep re writing sentences (probably replacing one bad one with another)... I'll have to learn to let go a little here and be a bit more natural with what I write and how I write.