Paper work in government

Paper work to process workload with the Cal State is tremendous.  The extreme case is that if there one day additional consultant work, it will take three emails, 30 minutes of filling forms, three physical signatures and copies to get myself or someone paid US$300. For a long term project, it might be OK, but I am finding out in the summer, I spend three to four hours a week just to process these papers.  I guess that is why EDP, with their mediocre HR systems, is making so much money.  I can log in every two weeks and approve 25 employees timesheet and 5 overtime pay, it only take me 10 min.  That is still 10 min of work that I don't enjoy, but it is efficient.

Low spirit can start a vicious cycle

Overall, there are not that much to complain. Health is fine. Family are healthy. Finance secure. Eat well and sleep fine. Yesterday's project management class went especially well.  At the end of the class, lead by the energetic student Eddie, I got an standing ovation.

Today, a gloomy Sunday, Ying's family with new kids from JiangYin visited and D. Chen visited in the afternoon. Both are pleasant.  But I am depressed a bit. Because the recruitment is facing challenges and certification are forced to move to Monterey against my recommendation.

Dealing with challenges is never a problem for me, I am invigorated by it.  But a challenge that I can't do much about frustrates me.  Since I can't do much, I should not worry, just like the seven habits book states, only worry about things within your circle of influence.  But I can't help but feel depressed.

The road less traveled

I took the road that is well tried,

Scattered with deserted amour,

And smells of sweat, tear and blood galore,

I shall be telling this with a sigh,

For I was foretold to be one of them,

Yet I step further, 

And that made all the difference.

Happiness is nowhere,
But a direction that I can dash toward, full-speed,
Without contemplating other roads,

"I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference." - Frost

Institute for Innovation 2012-2013 annual report - message from the director

Message from the Director Dr. Eric Tao

For annual report 2012-2013

Innovation is the lifeblood of a region’s economic growth.  Throughout the United States, from the White House to the campus of California State University Monterey Bay, innovation, together with entrepreneurship, is touted as the utmost important strategy in business and education.

Leverage with local talents and U.S. government supports, the Institute for Innovation and Economic Development at Cal State University Monterey Bay has been providing programs and activities to support innovative research, foster cutting edge business projects, and support students and entrepreneurs alike in their creative quest for business opportunities. iiED also looks within the university and local research institutions to cultivate projects that assist students, investors, and entrepreneurs in successful internships, resources, and project development to develop new businesses jobs in the region.

With the support of many generous individuals, companies and the university over the last year, iiED has offered several entrepreneurship and technology workshops and competitions, a speaker series on entrepreneurship, salon conversations of innovative ideas, and provided technical assistance to new business ideas.  

We collaborate closely with the Monterey Bay Business Council, CSUMB’s Small Business Development Center and the College of Business, the Central Coast Small Business Development Center, Business Entrepreneurship Center, Youth Entrepreneurship Program, Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce and the Steinbeck Innovation Foundation. Many local business professionals, community leaders, and CSUMB faculty and administration also provided invaluable support to us. These programs helped foster new local businesses and trained students from CSUMB, Hartnell College, Naval Post Graduate School, Monterey Institute of International Studies, Monterey Peninsula College, University California at Santa Cruz, and Cabrillo College

With Ms. MaryJo Zenk leading the operations and faculty associate Dr. Brad Barbeau designing the entrepreneurship activities, iiED plans to enhance these activities and add additional programs such as investor-entrepreneur-innovator meetups, a youth technology camp, student start-ups, innovation awards and new entrepreneur training in the coming year.

I am very proud of what we have accomplished during 2012-2013 year, and excited to see where we will go in the future. Your support and participation is most important part of the iiED’s success.  I hope to see you soon at the Institute and at many of the iiED events.  

Eric Tao, Ph.D

Director of Institute for Innovation and Economic Development

Journal of Summer 2013 Asia trip

陶翼青博士 (Dr. Eric Y. Tao)

簡歷 http://erictao.weebly.com/chinese.html

email: ericytao@gmail.com

skype: ericytao

台北市試院路22號

Taipei Mobile: 0955-931-724

Taipei Home Phone: 02-2236-6560

Emergency Mobile: 0928-590-895

Presentation topics:

A. 大規模在線公開課程 - 進步或惡夢

MOOC - brave new world of learning or crazy day-dreams

B. 不敗－創新祕方

Invincible Company - by balance between innovation and efficiency

C. “美國夢，台灣夢” － 我的求學留學歷程

Taiwan Dreams and American Dream - my U.S. study and career reflection

---

Summer 2013 Schedule

6/12 Arrive Taipei

6/13 9-12 cell phone - Monya lunch

6/14-15 Personal schedule

6/15 Sat 9AM－12AM 東南大學

6/16 Sun Open

6/17 Mon 上午 10:00~11:30 汎亞國際教育中心

中午 11:30~13:30 與汎亞國際中心及台灣ETS代表 午餐

下午 13:30~15:00 專車前往國立宜蘭大學

15:00~17:00 宜蘭大學國際事務處 17:00~19:00 返抵台北

6/18 Tue 8-12noon 德霖科技大學

2pm - 6pm en route 雲林科技大學 （5pm Taichung highspeedtrain)

6-8 NSYSU reunion

6/19 Wed Yunling University of Technology 雲林科技大學－”不敗－創新祕方“

6/20-23 Mainland

6/20    Taipei -> Beijing

6/21 Morning 建設銀行

4-6 PM Tsing Hua University at Beijing

北京清華大學 - ”不敗－創新祕方“

7-9PM 清华大学华商研究中心会宴请

6/22    Beijing->Taipei

6/23 Sun Taipei 5:00- > KaoHsiung 7:00

6/24 Mon NSYSU 中山大學 - ”中山夢，美國夢，台灣夢”

6/25 Tue Morning, Kaohsiung 8AM -> Taipei 10:30 AM

6/25-6/30 Taipei/Personal Schedule

6/27 14:00~ 實踐大學國際事務處 (TBD??)

7/1-3 Personal schedule in Taipei

7/4 Back to the US

Self-inflicted pain

Back to the U.S. and resume the relentless schedule of an old man wanting to accomplish too much.  6:30 my smart phone wakes me up with a weak yet eerily irritating music.  I open half an eye and start to check the stock market.  Most of the days it has no remarkable news, I turned on Bloomberg and let the video run, it works like a great lullaby, I fall back to sleep around 6:45 for anther 30 minutes or-so poor qualify nap.

Either I walk yoyo the yellow lab for an hour or I will prep my bike for commute to work.  I kept the NBC stock real time on on my ipad and start breakfast reading Mercury News.  The breakfast is usually rather substantial, a rich mug of coffee with milk, croissant with ham.  I would love some fruit with it but rarely. While I eat, every so often I scan the stock market, if there is movement, I might trade some.

I have been in and out of the stocks of several big-new companies, Bank of America, AIG, RBS, Citi.  The stock market goddess has been lay pity on me since the 2009 crash.  Most of my asset are from stock purchased after the year. I often make scary bets, hundred of thousands in one shot.  So far I am doing fine betting on the very likely of U.S. economy.  What surprised me since 2005 is the rise of real estate market in mainland China and Taiwan.  When my friend Fong suggest me to purchase an apartment in Shanghai for US$300K, I was incredulous. Now it is around $1M.

After either drive or bike to Monterey Bay campus, it is non-stop of meetings, emails, advising, classes, signatures. I try to walk around every hour also in school ITCD building, but often only get to do so a couple of times per day.  The day goes fast, before I know it, it is lunch time, I take a cup of tea and a snack bar.  Check the stock market again before it closes at 1PM PST.  A day goes fast, I usually have a thing or two that I have to finish that day, although I hate to bring home any CSUMB work, I have to do it at least two days a week.

- to be cont -

Keeping journal

Reviewed a interesting poster this morning called success indicator..  most of the item s are common sense.  But one criteria caught my eyes:

the successful people keep journal. The failed one said they will keep journal but don't.  Well.  Better start keeping journal  then.

My challenge is there are too many places to keep:  this blogger, 3434 yahoo blog, several note books, and evernotes.  Since many of them are semi public, and I don't think any media is completely safe,  I have been keeping the journal as if they will be published someday. 

That would be ding, or can be the worst nightmares.

Getting the oil changed of the old Lexus.  It has served me well over 13 years now..still going strong .  Just have to clean it myself regularly.   Since age 40, somehow I have become adamant on neatness.   Very different form my young days..  now I can not standard kids being Sloppy. How ironic.