A VC - Latest Comments in Thinking About Christmas

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 13:12:15 -0000

That¹s so funny, josh slept through the first act on gotham gal¹s shoulder
too

And he¹s 12!

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Tim M — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 12:44:43 -0000

Fred,

Merry Christmas -- 1st time reader & 1st comment. Found you from another VC blog. What a great post re: x-mas and all that comes with it.

We took our boys to see the Nutcracker for the first time this year and had a wonderful time. Watching their necks crane upward with rapt attention, not wanting to miss a single step as the story began was priceless. As the first act wound down, my 11 year old slowly put his head on my wife's shoulder the result of too many late nights hanging with the extended family; however after intermission (and a box of $3 dollar Skittles) he was ready for the pageantry and 2nd act zeal. I loved sharing this experience with my boys, wife & their grandmother. My Mom gave us this present of the Nutcracker & it was a great experience for all to share.

Lastly, great article re: search vs. display advertising. Peace & Happy new year.

Tim

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Giordano — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:42:36 -0000

Understood, but still I think visiting Asia will be very enlightening and interesting, and add some perspective to the way you see things. It happens to pretty much everyone. Also, I say "Asia" but really there isn't such a thing... every country is so different, and different places in the same country too. The ideal trip would be at least a month, and would include China (cities, rural, historical sites), Japan, Korea, India, Hong Kong and South East Asia (SIngapore for city life, Philippines, Indonesia, and Thailand for beaches and sigths, Vietnam for sights). If you lack time, a 10 day trip to China can be enough to get a sense of the country, then you could go to Japan for a week for the next vacation, and then a further trip to S-E Asia, and one to India. I know it's a lot of stuff, but the area is really so big, and so diverse, that everyone would be hard pressed to point to a single country or area to visit. Naturally, when the time comes, feel free to ping me: in the last couple of years most of my time was spent traveling around the region (mostly on business, but still...), so I can give you some pointers.

Also, maybe talking with some people investing here in China could be interesting for you, even if you don't plan to do it directly, to get a different perspective and a feeling of the market here.

Cheers,
Giordano

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:54:09 -0000

Thanks. This is super helpful

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 02:30:17 -0000

I'm going to come soon. The big issue for me is asia is too far for us to invest wisely from NYC and I am not moving there any time soon. So a visit will largely be personal. Which is ok, but not as enlightening

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Giordano — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 23:59:34 -0000

Yes, you must. And Shanghai too. And call me beforehand :)

I had Christmas back home in Italy, even though we're all atheists, because since I left several years ago I only get to see my family and friends a couple of times a year. As my parents get older, it's very evident how spending some time with them become more important.

Now back in Shanghai, off to HK for NYE. And at the end of January, a whole week off, spent on the beach in Boracay, in the Philippines. Being an expat in Asia has several perks, double-holidaying one of them :)

Cheers,
Giordano

Re: Thinking About Christmas

david n — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 10:35:19 -0000

Youre not alone, Ive made it a personal mission to get as many people from NY/LA out here to see HK and the rest of Asia for themselves. I grew up as a fairly closeminded NYer and around plenty of them, and not one of my family/friends that has visited has left without being blown away.

Asian cities are going thru tremendous development, have some of the most amazing buildings around mostly because they can accomplish more for much cheaper and with govts that are well-capitalized. Pollution and clean water are the biggest problems, but are driving forces behind the alternative energy projects.

Will have plenty of suggestions for when you start thinking about an Asia trip in the next couple years.

Re: Thinking About Christmas

isfan — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 09:41:23 -0000

For many of us that are not particularly religious, Christmas seems to be about an excuse to celebrate with others. It turns out to be a tradition that brings people together.

This year I started a tradition I would like to share with all of you. Each one of our three girls (aged 8-12) made a specially decorated box with a memory stick in it. The stick contained a message and a song for the girl's mom (my amazing wife Quebec Girl :). Every year, the girls will add a new message and I hope this continues into adulthood. It will be a point of anticipation every year and we'll end up with a wonderful sequence of messages in one place where we can see the girls grow up. It will be a privilege if this inspires you to do something similar.

Here is a link to our youngest girl's message. We weren't originally going to post these but decided it might inspire others. http://www.youtube.com/watc...

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:53:05 -0000

I guess it is dismissive of religion for my personal subscription. But not for others. My mother is very religious and gets great joy and comfort from it. I believe in religion's powers but I prefer a less defined spirituality for myself

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Scott Chait — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 21:03:17 -0000

Perhaps I was reading too much into it, but it sounded dismissive to me. Oh well, you can't please all the people all the time!

Re: Thinking About Christmas

david n — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:56:55 -0000

Fred - you've been an important mentor in my life for the last couple of years. Ive drawn upon your wisdom in technology and business, but what Ive valued most are your insights on famly and life. Ive moved from NY to LA and now to HK, and one of the few constants has been AVC. I've been meaning to enter the discussion for a long time, this post motivated me to do it.

Out here, the holiday season seems like its extended from Thanksgiving to Chinese New Yr (end of January). And I'll continue to treasure the extensive time spent with friends/family more than any materialistic gifts. Gotham girl put it well when she said 'everyday in your house is xmas', and similarly, every day on AVC is xmas because the gifts, the thoughts, everyone shares here is truly special.

Its been a difficult 2008, but Ive enjoyed thinking through it with everyone here. Cheers to 2009.

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 06:19:13 -0000

Thanks david

I need to visit HK. I've never been and feel like I am flying blind a little bit because of my lack of personal experience with that part of the world

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:16:09 -0000

I didn't say anything about other's beliefs. I just said what I believe. You are reading too much into my words. I am fine with what you believe but you are clearly not fine with what I believe

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:00:07 -0000

2000 to 2003 for sure and I learned that easily made money is easily lost, you can't change what you had for breakfast, and survival, persistence, and tenacity are the most important skills in difficult times. Most of all I learned that working with the right people on the right problems is the most rewarding thing you can do in business

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Gotham Gal — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 04:18:56 -0000

Every day in our house is Xmas. One day, in the future, we will return to the tree, which (besides the mess) I always did enjoy. It is the celebration of the season not the holiday.

Re: Thinking About Christmas

SamJacobs — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 14:19:46 -0000

Fred-

Good stuff. Happy Holidays. I'm curious as you survey that past 47 years, and really the past 25ish that you've been working, what strikes you as the most challenging/difficult period and what lessons you learned.

Anyway, I continue to enjoy the blog.

All the best,
Sam Jacobs

Re: Thinking About Christmas

minicrivera — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 12:56:25 -0000

As our kids grow, we see how they have shifted from asking too much gift to just one gift each this year. But more than the gift, we still celebrated the 9 masses before Christmas mass (a traditional Filipino way) and the usual family dinner. It's about the family.

Merry Christmas to you Fred and to all your readers.

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Scott Chait — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 12:13:40 -0000

"I don't subscribe to any religion invented by man (which is all of them)"

Pretty arrogant statement there. Not, "I believe they were invented by man," just the definitive statement. And, more importantly, rather dismissive of other people's beliefs. Totally undermines your wishes of Merry Christmas and holiday spirit.

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:48:08 -0000

Thanks

Re: Thinking About Christmas

kenberger — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:37:48 -0000

Plenty of hollywood blockbuster cliches (which I don't tend to go for, Slumdog is much more my speed), but certainly a must-see.

Maybe not a must-see for today or yesterday's Christmas Day debut: the nyc theaters were overwhelmed.

Has a Gump / Joe Black vibe too.

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Aruni S. Gunasegaram — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:13:16 -0000

Merry Christmas Fred. Yours is one of the very few blogs I read religiously (yes, I used the term religiously on purpose)! This is the first time we have celebrated Christmas at home. We've always traveled to other places to visit family. It's been a fun time with family and friends who stayed here as well.

I was raised Christian but have similar beliefs as you. I enjoy Christmas more now than ever before because our kids' eyes light up and they get so excited about it. They are stll young and I'm in such awe of them and their enthusiasm and excitement about life!

Here's to continued luck in 2009 and beyond...

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Ed — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 11:07:42 -0000

"Merry Christmas everyone, including all Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and other faiths out there. Have a wonderful holiday and let's share some gifts with each other that really matter this year."

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Michael Lewkowitz — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:51:42 -0000

I don't think many of us did - but thankfully we are caring more now and more importantly our kids our caring more and earlier too. And in that caring is more opportunity to create and build great things.

And I somehow think that the things we are creating now have much more of a 'family' feel to them --- of caring and closeness.

Quick personal note as I was typing... my wife just got a note from someone in a local online mom's group who had posted anonymously about being in a tough spot for the holidays and being sad for the kids. The community rallied and help her make Christmas what she was hoping for for her kids. What mattered was the caring to help others with what was meaningful to them. It's a big part of online connection... an openess to share ourselves and a desire to make meaningful connections.

That's magic and in this chaos makes me think of the classic Satchmo - "What a Wonderful World".
http://igniter.tumblr.com/p...

Peace, love, and happy holidays to you and yours Fred and to the extended 'family' of friends and followers...

Re: Thinking About Christmas

Alex Iskold — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:19:43 -0000

Fred,

You said it so well in this post:

There is meaning that is forced down our throats that is actually meaningless and there is meaning that is innate to use and grasped by our intelligence and souls. The second one is what really matters in life.

Re: Thinking About Christmas

fredwilson — Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:06:15 -0000

Thank you and thanks for the story and the link. That's exactly the kind of gift I'm talking about