Guardian Angel for Homeless Children

豁 達大 度
Generous, big-hearted and open-minded


Every so often I am inspired by the energy of people who work on causes much bigger than themselves. In their own way they are trying to make their own small corner of the world a better place to live. A famous saying here in America is, "THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY." Yes, we can't change the whole world, but if we all do a little bit close to home, the resulting total global effect can be tremendous.

Yesterday I met an angel for homeless children and women. Yvonne Leung, pictured at right, spent hours standing and talking to numerous people in one of California's richest neighborhoods, Manhattan Beach. I was really impressed by her knowledge of facts, her bright cheerful attitude, and her indomitable energy. She talked to the 500th person with the same bright energy she approached the 1st person that day.


Miss Leung represents the Los Angeles Youth Network, part of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Coalition www.lahsc.org . She rattled off facts and figures from her memory with no problems at all. The problems of homeless people are staggering indeed. For children, of course, there is even smaller hope than for adults. Some of her facts include:

• Los Angeles is the homeless capital of the USA. LA has more homeless people than New York, Chicago, and San Francisco combined.
• Social service agencies to help the homeless are overwhelmed by the sheer numbers and burdened with budget cuts.
• There are more than 8,000 homeless children in Los Angeles.
• Many of the homeless children are in danger from prostitution, drug use and crimes, abuse, and other terrible things children should never need face.
• More than 80% of the homeless children who come to Los Angeles Youth Network are successfully helped and placed back into home situations.
• It takes about $20 per day to care for a homeless child, including food, bed, counseling, and other help.
• The charity agencies have been hampered by government budget cuts. They need help in money, political assistance, and volunteer workers.

Miss Leung presented these facts with tremendous patience, energy, and persistence. She picked a good spot, next to a Starbucks on the sidewalk path to a beautiful beach. Not everyone donated or volunteered, but she had quite a few successes. Yes, I did and so did my friend/employee Joann Du. I didn't donate as much as I should, perhaps, but I donated some. For those reading this blog, I hope you also consider donating money and/or your time to a children's charity near your home.

I talked some with Miss Leung. In her young life she already has an impressive history. She comes from a fairly wealthy home in Orange County and studies at UCLA. Last year she went to China to teach English to rural schoolchildren. She has dedicated her energy to trying to help children here in the Los Angeles area. I think this young lady will go far in life. In Chinese, some might say, 燕 雀擁有 鴻 鵠 志, she's a little sparrow with dreams of becoming a swan. However, maybe that proverb doesn't fit. Miss Leung is already well on the way to being a swan.

Women in Running Shoes Explore Shanghai

Women in Running Shoes or WIRS are an amazing group of women who roam the world with indomitable spirit, insatiable curiosity, and a tremendous love of wandering. These incredible ladies, whether 19 or 89 years old, share bright intelligent eyes and invariably project the impression of hidden strength. I have met them all over the world in places ranging from big cities to remote mountains and deserts. Talking with them subtly reminds me that I am a small fish in a big ocean.

Recently in Shanghai I met 3 Women in Running Shoes with some great stories of their adventures in Shanghai. These ladies were University Professors from America with the job of training Shanghai university professors for specialized education methods. Consequently they were higher level than your average WIRS - they were Professors in Running Shoes, or PIRS. Their stories were fabulous. I am still shaking my head in envy and amazement.

I met the three PIRS ladies while waiting to cross the street near JingAn temple in Shanghai. We said hello and started talking. They were looking for a place to eat and so was I. We joined forces and went to an excellent small restaurant across the street. The restaurant staff didn't speak any English. I acted as the translater using my very limited Chinese language skills. The food was fantastic, some of the best I've had in Shanghai. It was a mixture of Shanghai, Southern Chinese, Thai, and Malaysian cuisine. As usual in Chinese restaurants, we had 3 times as much food as we could possibly eat. While we enjoyed the superb feast, the professors told me about their adventures.

They had arrived in Shanghai just a few days before our dinner. They didn't speak ANY Chinese language - a fact that didn't cause any hesitation. They immediately started exploring Shanghai and the surrounding areas on their own.

The first adventure came their second day in Shanghai. They decided to see the world-famous gardens of Suzhou, a city about an hour away by train. The 3 Americans arrived at the Shanghai train station without translator, Chinese friend, or any local person to help communicate. They bought tickets and took off for the train. They really had no idea which train car to board, let alone which seats to occupy. Somehow they figured out the car number. Then they located their seats by pointing to people at random until some men with guilty expressions got up and vacated their seats.

Exiting the Suzhou train station, the lady professors found an English speaking tour guide who was eager to show them the Suzhou silk market and the fabulous gardens. Suzhou is famous for two things - fantastic silk fabric & clothes, and the gardens. Our 3 PIRS ladies enjoyed the complete day. Returning to the Suzhou train station, they discovered that the train to Shanghai was sold out. Rather than wait for the next train, they took the local bus back to Shanghai. All this without any local friend to help them communicate or talk. What courage. What indomitable spirit. As the French would say, "Formidable!"

Fortunately Chinese people are very open and friendly. They love to help foreigners and take great enjoyment in watching us. I'm sure the Chinese take even more enjoyment laughing at our strange ways.

The next day our lady professors woke up bright and early to the next adventure. They wanted to learn how to cook Chinese food the real way. The hotel concierge informed them that cooking lessons required a minimum class size of 10 students. Undaunted, the 3 adventurers asked where was one of the best Chinese restaurants in Shanghai? Armed with directions, they wandered over to the restaurant and talked the manager and chef into allowing them to cook their own lunch....Chinese style. The ladies huddled in the kitchen, selected ingredients, and cooked their lunch under the supervision and teaching of the head cook. Once again, this was without any Chinese language skills. Sign language was used for communication. Incredible!

Knowing Chinese people, I'm sure the restaurant staff enjoyed this experience at least as much, if not more, than their foreign guests.

After their "authentic" lunch, our intrepid professors headed over to a local shopping market or Chinese bazaar. They bargained well, even better than most Chinese people. They described some of the clothes they bought and said the starting price was more than 300 RMB (Chinese money). I suggested that they should probably pay only about 40 RMB. Too high! They bargained the clever Chinese sales girls down to 20 RMB.

OK, so why am I trying to learn Chinese language? My adventures don't even begin to match theirs.

That night I enjoyed eating dinner and trading stories with them. It was a dinner I'll never forget. Undoubtedly I have to record their adventures here in my blog.

They had one more day of adventures planned. After that they started work at the University for a week or so. Today I got an email and learned they had a great trip and returned home safely. Ladies, BRAVA!!!

Life Survives in the Desert

Joshua Tree National Monument

Life survives and thrives even in the harsh environment of the desert. Joshua Tree National Monument is a desert park about 2 hours drive east of Los Angeles. Fortunately the American government saw fit to make a permanent park and wilderness area in this wild, harsh location. In the summer temperatures exceed 40 degrees C (105 F) and in the winter temperatures drop below freezing. Rain occurs occasionally, but never in heavy quantities.


I love desert terrain. There is a mystery here. The rocks speak of ancient stories held secret for thousands of years ...or longer. I wander through the rocks and cactus, lured to see what is around the next corner, beyond the next rock, over the next hill. It would be easy to keep walking and never return. The siren call of adventure is always beckoning and asking me to follow....

Anime Manga Professor

Do what you love and you will be successful

How many times did your mother scold you that you will be a total failure if you spend all your time reading comics, manga (Japanese-style comic books), and waste time watching anime (Japanese style animated movies)?? Does your dad ask when you're going to grow up and get a "real" job? Does your wife or your girlfriend complain that you are just wasting time reading Manga and watching Anime? Well it just ain't true in all cases. Sometimes you can be successful doing what you love.

My friend Northrop Davis is making a name for himself as an expert screenwriter and lecturer in the anime and manga fields. Professor Manga, aka Northrop, spends his early mornings, days, and late nights working like a slave to write film and animated adaptations of Japanese manga for Hollywood movie producers.













Northrop's dedication (some call it obsession) is starting to turn his roller-coaster income into lasting wealth and fame. Northrup the Professor Manga, has been rewarded for his efforts by being hired as a professor and teacher of anime and manga at one of California's prestigious universities, UC Irvine. The news article (shown in small print at left) is also available on the Orange County Register at http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/yourcounty/article_1187294.php

All joking aside, Northrop has developed quite a successful career. Northrop has sold three studio projects -- his Science Fiction/Action spec script Cyber Ship to Richard and Lauren Shuler-Donner and Warner Brothers, and two Pitches: one to Columbia and another to 20th Century Fox, both of which he subsequently wrote as screenplays.

As a filmmaker, Northrop has written and directed commercials which aired in 50 Southern California arthouse theaters and on television for over five years, and his student short film BUS prompted ICM chairman Jeff Berg to sign him to the agency. In addition, Davis’ novelization of his screenplay Cyber Ship is represented by Ellen Levine of the Ellen Levine Agency in New York City.

A recognized expert in manga, Northrop found and pitched the Battle Angel Alita Manga series to Twentieth Century Fox, who subsequently acquired it for James Cameron who is in production on the vfx-heavy film franchise (project title: Battle Angel).

Northrop is now working with his Japanese partner to set up as a Hollywood movie several great new mangas he recently discovered from Japan and got written permission to shop here, including one which has sold 30 million copies worldwide, and is highly regarded critically as well.

Davis is working with producer David Foster on one of the manga live action adaptations, that he will co-produce with Mr. Foster and write. Davis also recently completed writing a thriller script set on a farm which he plans to direct and is working with a producer on, and is also finishing writing a TV pilot. Currently, Davis is employed to rewrite a feature script.

Northrop lectured at the Asian VC film festival at the Directors Guild of America in May of 2006, as well as Duke University, CalArts, both UCLA screenwriting programs (undergraduate and professional), USC School of Cinema, NALIP and UC Irvine, where he will also be teaching a course on Japanese manga in the fall and is a member of the WGA (Writer’s Guild of America) and its Asian and Latino Writer’s Committees.

You can learn more about Professor Manga...er...Northrop Davis...by attending the annual Anime Expo in Anaheim California from July 1 to 4 www.anime-expo.org or by emailing Professor Manga at northropdavisfilmsllc@gmail.com

Go Northrop!

Northrup reads manga, typically written in Japanese。Therefore he will have no problem reading my Japanese congratulation note to him: ナスラプ教授、おめでとうございます！貴方がちょうすごいだ！

Some websites featuring Northrop Davis, Professor Manga. He has quite a publicity corps.
http://www.actfourscreenplays.com/northrop.html
Anime News Network - UC-Irvine Brings Anime into Academia
Animation Magazine UC Irvine Offers Manga & Anime Class
UC Irvine Extension Offers New Course on Manga & Anime in Response ...
New Course on Manga & Anime
dBusinessNews :: Daily Business News Delivered to Your Desktop
Man Bytes Hollywood » UC Irvine Extension Offers New Course on ...
Welcome to The Right Stuf International, YOUR Anime Superstore and ...
http://today.uci.edu/news/uciinthenews_060621.asp
Cool Videos Better News
Anime News :: News Goblin
World Famous Comics News Room: Daily Anime News & Updates!
Anime Nano
Anime on DVD
Otaku Review - Where Famous People Get Their Anime News
AnimeForest.com - Rent Anime DVD Online
Manganews.net - Premier Manga Scanlation Information Site
Anime News » Blog Archive » UC Irvine Extension Offers New Course ...

Living Generations

忍耐 Endure

This photograph I love. I found this lady last week at the Summer Palace in Beijing China. What a tremendous contrast. The tree has lived through many generations from the Qing dynasty forward. Certainly the tree saw many amazing stories of royal intrigue and modern people's lives. What stories could it tell, if only it could talk?

The old woman has skin to match the tree and probably has lived through similar ages. She has seen amazing changes through her life - war with Japan, civil war in China, consolidation by Communist Party, starving and poverty through the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution, and the opening up of China by Deng XiaoPing and his successors. Her face shows the lines of her endurance, her strength, and her character. Her eyes hint at the amazing stories she must have. Her expression shows her watchfulness and care gained from years of endurance.

Passing by the old woman are two young fashionable women of today's world. Dressed in their fashionable clothes and armed with text messaging mobile phones. I wonder how many changes and generations they will see in their lifetimes? Will they also have the amazing stories of strength and courage of China's older generation? Many years from now, will they also sit and enjoy the shade from this same tree? Will the tree remember them, by any chance?

If only trees could talk.

Fast Strike - the Key to Success

一切一殺 One strike, one kill
A key to success in business and life

One strike one kill is a traditional Japanese theory for success in fights and warfare. It also applies to success in business and life.

This seems like a bloody violent way to think of things. But it makes sense when you think of commitment. Commitment requires a total focus and concentration to success. To achieve one strike one kill you must have:

• Impeccable training and preparation. You must be thoroughly trained and prepared for opportunity. Constant training and preparation are necessary for success in any endeavor.
• Indomitable spirit. The courage to go for success, push hard and fast, and not surrender or hesitate when things look difficult or daunting.
• Ability to wait and identify the proper opportunity. Timing is important. Trying for success too early will waste your resources and energy. Wait too long and the opportunity is gone. You need to be able to see the opportunity at the right time, then strike.
• Proper speed and skill to take action and go for success.

Two years ago I spent nearly a year trying to win a big contract for a new factory. I tried using a long campaign to gain success. I answered many customer questions, provided a lot of free services, and gave some great advice when trying to win the project. At the end, the customer never gave me an opportunity to provide a quotation. I wasted resources, money, and energy for a long campaign. The eventual winners of the contract laid back, did nothing until the last 2 or 3 months, and then swooped in and took the job. That's when I learned - one strike one kill is a better strategy for success.

Many years ago, I learned this same lesson during rock climbing. In rock climbing one strike one kill is better known as go for it with complete focus. Rock climbing is one of those strange sports where your brain divides into two parts. One part of your brain quietly says, "No problem, we can do this." The other part of your brain screams, "I'M GOING TO DIE!!" The key to success in climbing is to make the "DIE!!" portion stay quiet until you really are in a truly dangerous situation. Then maybe it's time to turn around. During a difficult rock climb, you must eliminate any extraneous factors, sounds, wind, ideas and focus only on doing 1 more move upward. You must be thoroughly prepared. You must train constantly to make sure you have the strength, ability, and confidence to move forward. And you must jump or move at the right time to do the next move in balance and prepared for the next move.

During rock climbing, the only times I fell was when I was worried that I might fall. When I was confident, then (usually) I would go through the moves with no problem. One of my friends had a similar story. He climbed quite high up on a rock and then had to do a jump to grab his next handhold. He didn't know what was above him for his hand, but he knew he would hit the ground if he missed. The first time, he worried about the ground and jumped tentatively. His hand felt the big hold but missed. He fell and landed in a tree, dropping harmlessly to the ground. NO PROBLEM. Now he knew that he could fall and live. He immediately climbed up again to the same point, jumped with confidence, grabbed the handhold, and finished the climb with no problems.

One move one climb. One strike one kill. One day one life. Go for life with confidence, proper training, and ability. Live each moment with complete focus as if it is your complete life. You will be successful.

My friend the KungFu Master

The last few weeks in Beijing I made friends with a Chinese KungFu master. Master Shi is 84 years old and a great teacher. He has about 6 or 8 students who train hard in Chinese Kungfu 6 AM every morning in Beijing's DongDan Park. Master Shi is still very flexible and his stances and moves are still strong and graceful. His students move with flowing grace and are great martial artists. I enjoyed watching them every morning while I did my own exercises at 6 AM.

Master Shi and his students spoke no English, so I had to communicate with my limited Chinese language. No problem. People with similar interests find ways to communicate even without language. Master Shi invited me to train with his class and learn from him. I would LOVE to do do. But unfortunately I was leaving in just a few days. Next time I'm in Beijing, I'll try.

Here are some of the pictures of my friends in DongDan Park:

There's no place like home

Yes, there's no place like home. Finally after a month travel I returned to my home in Huntington Beach. It's great to be back, to eat local foods, and to see my wonderful wife and other friends.

Huntington Beach has been my home for only 2 years. I'm still getting used to it. But I love the beach in the morning, dolphins swimming just off shore, surfers in the waves, and doing karate in the parks. Mountain biking and hiking are great in this area, as is kayaking. There are better places to live, but also many worse places. Best of all, my heart is here where my wonderful wife is.

History Preserved in Stone

一字千金
One word is worth a thousand pieces of gold

Recently I saw how ancient Chinese art was copied precisely and preserved by carving in stone. It's a tremendous way to preserve and distribute family heirlooms and historical documents.

My wife and I enjoyed visiting her great-uncle and aunt at their little piece of heaven-on-earth in Suzhou China. Suzhou is famous for beautiful gardens, water canals that go throughout the city, and for the beautiful TaiHu Lake. My wife's great-uncle retired here and built a big house with a fantastic garden in the back. The house is stuffed with traditional Chinese art and calligraphy.

The first picture is an exact copy and stone engraving of a calligraphy work from my wife's great-grandfather, written in about 1932. The original calligraphy work was copied and then carved into slate stone. Many people believe you can understand someone's spirit and inner characteristics by examining their writing and art work. This is a great way for a person's descendents to gain a small understanding of their ancestor.

The second picture is a copy of a famous Chinese poem. The calligraphy is written in "picture" Chinese characters. It is quite difficult to read, but fascinating. All Chinese written characters originated as images or pictures of related things. This fascinating poem shows graphically where the Chinese characters originated, with mountains, fish, and other items drawn in Chinese form. Both these pictures are preserved by carving into stone.

Chinese Martial Arts in the Park

I love martial arts - karate, Chinese kungfu, TaiQi, taekwondo, and others. The Chinese martial arts are elegant, graceful, and flowing. Every morning in Chinese parks, many people enjoy TaiQi - with empty hands, swords, or fans. Others enjoy kungfu. One crazy foreigner is often found doing Japanese karate in the park. Here are some pictures.

Return to Blogger Universe

王侯將 相寧有 種乎
Kings and marquises, prime-ministers and generals; such men are made, not born.

Hello everyone. I'm returned to Blogger Universe. I allowed myself to become too busy traveling around the world and wondering about daily small things. Now I'm back to relating some of my stories and experiences around the world.

My wife Wonderful Jane and I just purchased a home in Shanghai. We will be moving here after all the renovation is finished. We plan to live some times in China, some times in USA. No doubt we will experience great adventures in the coming years. Already I'm learning how to communicate and try to act polite and like a gentleman - certainly a difficult job for anyone who grew up in mountains and the desert.

Current dateline: Shanghai. It's a beautiful day with sunny skies.