2009年6月15日 星期一

EMAIL CHANGE! (fr. Danny Yang)

Dear Friend,
This is Danny Yang 楊嘉維 from National Taiwan University, if you are getting this mail, then we must have met sometime, somewhere!
Anyway, I am changing my email address from this one to the following, starting today:
please send all future emails to the new address! apologize for the inconvenience!
Sincerely,
Danny C.W. Yang

--
Everything Is Possible
         The Impossible Just Takes Longer

Dann C.W. Yang
楊嘉維
National Taiwan University
Department of Finance Class of 09
mobile: +886-953-627-716

2008年6月30日 星期一

Ready to Rock'n Roll

In another 20 minutes I'm gonna head out and take the bus to Taipei 101

Not for another interview this time.

Today, July 1st, 2008 is officially the first day I start work at McKinsey & Company as

a summer business analyst.

Feeling kinda anxious, but very excited right now ~ I know what challenge lies ahead, but it is

bound to be one of the most rewarding summers ever!

Let's go!

2008年6月26日 星期四

Morning!? Night?

I woke up at 5:30am in NCU this morning to catch the bus back to NTU. Turning on my laptop, I saw Jill, a classmate of mine who interns at Morgan Stanley IB for the summer, was online. So I popped her a message:

danny: hey, morning!
Jill: .... night....
danny: no way~~~
Jill: I just came back from the office....
danny: and when do u have to go back?
Jill: in another 3 hours....Orz

Gosh, so what they tell us about the 20hr. workday of investment banking is real after all.... wonder what a day at McKinsey's gonna be like?

2008年6月23日 星期一

Sagittarius 射手座

射手座終極分析

樂觀與憂愁:射手座人的內心不是外表看上去那麼樂觀的,因為喜歡看的遠,容易擔憂的
事情也就多,在他們的字典裡,即使現在好,也不一定代表未來好,有時候很多人覺得很
好的一個工作或一個伴侶,他們很輕易的就會放棄掉,可能只是因為一個毫不起眼的小原
因。所以,這樣的外在表現,就讓人們覺得他們不喜歡被某件事情或某個人束縛住,追求
自由的,沒有壓力的感覺。


現實:常說射手座是追求夢想的人,但往往忽略了他們現實的一面,算計起來不會比處女
座差哦,只是更高明更隱藏罷了。射手座人的夢想是必須建立在現實的基礎上的,一般他
們很少談及自己的夢想,而是實際的去做一些向夢想靠攏的事情。如果可以借巧力完成的
事情,決不會多花一點工夫。所以有時候射手座也容易給人耍小聰明的感覺。可是,不得
不承認他們完成的還滿不錯。也許終其一生,他們都在考慮怎麼巧妙的做一些事情,花最
少的精力去達到最好的效果。所以,很多射手座看上去讓人們會覺得很懶,但是其實他們
的大腦可沒有停下過思考現實的事情。


拒絕低俗:幾乎所有的射手座內心都是驕傲的,其程度絕不亞於獅子座。只不過他們不會
顯現在臉上,外在的表現總是隨和的,恰當的。可是內在有著極強的自尊心,敏感也情緒
化。因為射手座人心中是驕傲的,所以他們拒絕低俗,不喜歡任何俗氣的、粗魯的事或人
。如果可以,他們希望一切有關的事物,都是優雅的、高尚的,值得品味的。而真正能讓
他們覺得值得交朋友或談戀愛的人是很少的,雖然表面上他們是很隨和的。

多情:很多人說射手座多情,尤其是男性。其實在射手座人的心目中,對於愛情確實有理
想化的傾向,和他們談戀愛,是一件高難度的事情。他們非常討厭俗氣的人,所以你不能
很物質或喜歡談錢,但是他們又很現實,所以你不能一文不名,各方面也必須有一定的實
力。物質與精神,你必須平衡的剛剛好,才讓他們覺得你值得去愛。或者,你有足夠的神
秘感,可以讓他們不知道你的缺點在哪裡,而盲目的愛你。一般,當然是沒有完美無缺的
人的,所以,可能像金牛座這樣永遠會讓射手感覺捉摸不透的悶悶的人,會非常吸引他們
;或者象雙子那樣,足夠機智,懂得察言觀色,捕捉他們的情緒,才會讓他們感覺到愛情
的甜蜜。一般射手的感情模式是,第一階段,你們還不熟悉,他(她)愛上了你,非常熱
情。第二階段,你們逐漸熟悉,而他(她)開始龜毛,整天挑剔你的毛病,無論是背地裡
還是當面。如果你有幸通過他(她)的挑剔過程,基本挑剔出的毛病為零或者你把缺點保
密的非常好;那麼進入第三階段,他們就又是忠誠和熱情的愛人了。但是基本能通過第二
階段的人非常少,所以有了射手多情一說。其實射手對戀人的挑剔,是源於對愛情的挑剔
,對喪失自由感的恐懼。


射手座人的人生,往往是幸運的,因為他們是聰慧的、明朗的、通透的。與眾不同,也許
是他們終生追求的夢想,希望每一個射手人,可以找到他們的夢想!

  人人都說射手座是感情的騙子,對愛情不尊重,只追求片刻的快感,是花心與沖滿慾
望的象徵。朋友們…你們瞭解射手座最真實的一面嗎?
射手座是大孩子,天真與善良,遇到愛情時,可能讓人感覺不認真,付出的比誰都少。可
是,知道嗎?射手座很想愛,卻也很怕愛!剛開始他們只是慢慢的付出,謹慎的愛,好怕
自己會受傷。可是在一句一句的愛,一天一天的相處下,射手座把帶刺的防備丟掉,開始
不顧一切的去愛他們所愛的人,在別人眼中,只是射手座為了達到某種目的而作的行動。
可射手座不介意,他會在自己幸福的想像中陶醉,希望對方能感受自己的愛,想對方覺得
與自己一齊是幸福的。
在射手座愛上了一個人,他會把自己放到最後。有苦自己承擔,可能會因為吵了一場小架
而不開心,卻也是最快認錯,無論誰的錯,他們都會包容,知道嗎?射手座會因為深愛一
個人而原諒他的背叛,會因為你的一句話付出很多。他們愛玩,在玩的同時,也希望把那
一份好心情帶給你,射手座是樂觀的。
 
人們總覺得射手座的世界很快樂,可是呢?射手座難過時沒有人知道,他不想讓別人
可憐自己,射手座不堅強,可是很善良。在你難過時哄你開心,讓你有依靠,分手後,他
會哭者去想屬於你們倆幸福的回憶,也不想愛的人因為同情而勉強和他一齊。他比誰都希
望自己愛的人快樂幸福,卻常常忽略了自己,全身都是傷也笑著告訴你,我很好不用擔心

  在所有人看到他的笑容以為他沒事,卻不知道失戀對射手座有多大傷害,華麗的外表
下有一顆脆弱的需要別人瞭解和安慰的心。知道嘛?你的一點關心,心思細膩的射手座會
記得你對他的好,把自己的愛毫無保留的送給你,射手座是不被瞭解的,可他們不會怨誰
。他們會傻傻的認為,讓我承擔吧,別讓別人也受到傷害。所以,不要讓快樂的射手座痛
苦,別讓他們最有魅力的笑容成為掩飾痛苦的偽裝,認真愛射手座。你會知道射手座的愛
,是充滿淚水的…

2008年6月15日 星期日

The Dream Computer

I've realized there are several things I really want to learn other than having an exciting career:

1. Pickup violin or guitar again
2. Practice photography - with the professional cameras
3. Practice filming video
4. Photo/Video editing, movie making (personal movies)
5. This is farfetched - fly an airplane
6. Travel the world, cruising.

I also happened to come across a dream computer, that will provide all the calculating power to use Apple's Final Cut Studio, and the Adobe Creative Suite 3:

Mac Pro:

CPU: 2x Intel Xeon Harpertown Quad Core processors 2.8GHz each
Hard Drive: 2 Terabytes 5,400 RPM
Video Card: nVidia GeForce 8800 Ultra 512 MB
RAM: 4x 1GB Quad Channel ECC RAM for Mac Pro
External Drive: eSATA 3 Gb/s 2 Terabyte External Drive

All of this, would cost around .... let's put it at 200,000 NT

Man, better work hard this summer and get that offer!

2008年6月4日 星期三

HDVC at McKinsey Taipei Office

It's not even a week since returning from the mini-BCR in HK, got an email from the McKinsey Professional Development team based in Shanghai, notifying us of a HDVC, or High Definition Video Conference for today. The purpose of the meeting was to introduce the staffing and PD team to us Summer BAs and Summer Associates.

So, it was a very nice Wednesday, finally the rain that has been seriously pissing me off for the past week has stopped today. There wasn't much sun, but as long as there's no rain, I'm very happy and content. After spending the morning reading the 'McKinsey's Marvin Bower', a book on how the firm first got started, its vision and other interesting anecdotes, it is a good read. Near noon, had to rush to Mgmt Building 1 for a meaningless Service III Interview. It was a complete waste of time and resources, I was in the room at 13:00, she asked me one question 'what did u do in World Vision Taiwan?', I replied, 'Translating' - and that was it, I was out of the room by 13:01 and soon on a 650 bus headed for McKinsey's Taipei office at 101 building.

I was actually the first to arrive (I think San was already in the office, since he's already on board and started work this Monday). Tiffany came a while later. San led us to the video conference room where the meeting would be held. As we wined down the corridors past that locked door, it's the first time I realize how big Taipei office really is. I used to think it was a very very tiny office, but apparently the last time I was here I'd only saw the point where the corridor took a turn. There are so many other rooms past that turn, another snack bar with cookies and drinks (where I grabbed something for lunch). 

The HDVC room itself is very much like the interview room where we'd all undergone the rigorous selection process. With the exception there are two huge flatscreen plasma TVs mounted to the wall, and a rotating camera positioned on top. At 2pm, the screen came alive and we could see the staffing and PD team in Shaghai on one screen, and ourselves on the other. This system is newly installed in TPO, and the broadband connection offered almost no-lagging real time video conference quality! 

After initial introductions, we were told what is expected of the Summer Associates and Summer BAs, what we should focus on during our program, how to be successful during our first engagement and ultimately to clinch the full time offer by the end of the program. It was a novel experience for me and Tiffany to use this kind of video conferencing, and after the meeting, it only deepened my impression how much emphasis they place on this summer program. It is definitely far more than an ordinary internship, we are really the potential pool of talent that they hope future BAs or Associates will come from. Looking at the listed criteria, it's gonna be an very exciting summer (nevertheless a daunting challenge), I can't wait to get over with all my finals and start work at McKinsey!!!!!

A Goddess Stepped Down from Mt. Olympus

That's how they described her - A Goddess Stepped Down from Mt. Olympus

Anne Sophie Mutter, one of the world-renown master violinists. 

Went to her live performance with the Trondheim Soloists at National Music Hall with Annie Sunday night. She performed some Bartok pieces, some concertos by J.S. Bach, and the very famous Four Seasons Concertos by Antonio Vivaldi. 

I'd heard of many different versions of Four Seasons (though I'd never stayed in the hotel with the same name ~ XD), but Mutter's interpretation was by far the most elegant and flowing experience! It's such a treat to listen to her play, I don't know how to describe it, but it's just an absolutely amazing experience. Another thing I'd found quite amusing was near the end, when Mutter was doing encore pieces, everytime she finishes one, she has to walk off the stage while the entire audience applauds and come back, then off and again - 3 times for each encore piece!! I did a simple tally, she'd walked on and off stage approximately 21 times during the entire performance! Now that is some workout! When she concluded her final encore piece, the audience gave her standing ovation as she led the other musicians off stage.

After the show, me and Annie waited in line for almost an hour to get her autograph! She looked a lot more 'aged' up close in person, but nonetheless she is really patient, signing her full name for each and everyone who waited in line, that must've been over 500 people!!!

It's been a really long time since I was last in the National Music Hall (Well, not really, was here last time for Annie's performance), it's such a enjoyable experience to relax and listen to great classical music. Though I know I probably shouldn't be saying this at all.... but, Annie is cute, really ~ it was a great night.