What is your passion and what are you doing about it?

This featured topic of today’s Monday Morning Mail came to mind after I had a coffee with a former, very talented colleague who left his previous job and immediately went on to chase his passion. The colleague’s name is Kidd Huang, and he worked with me in Beijing for several years before leaving for a music job (one of his passions). But music wasn’t his most prized hobby. Besides his family (wife and parents), his most treasured passion, Kidd told me he loved photography. Photography is Kidd’s driving passion, and I found out for years he has been an accredited Getty photographer. After leaving his job in the music industry in late March of this year, he booked a ticket to Tromso, Norway and drove to the Lofoten Islands to witness and capture the Northern Lights. Kidd’s photos are below, and they are just amazing. Kidd trekked two hours to capture many of these.

Kidd was named one of the top 100 Creators in China in 2022 by the popular Tuchong platform in China. For more of Kidd’s photos, you can follow him here: https://kiddhuang.tuchong.com/work

I have written about my daughter, Jacquelin’s passion for surfing. Well, this past weekend she entered her first competition and placed third. In her youth we couldn’t wake up Jacquelin for anything, but now she regularly arises at 5 am to hit the freezing cold surf, in a wetsuit of course. Here is a photo of Jacquelin before her competition, Lisa and Jacquelin waiting for her event, a photo of her award, and a video of her surfing pursuits.  Surfing is Jacquelin’s pet passion, and she tells me she feels at peace in the surf.

Unfortunately, I was not at her event as I am in Asia now. This past week I was with friends and colleagues in Singapore who I have worked with for years (one of my passion projects), and then with friends, Christian Olsen and Mirsad Midzic, in Bangkok, Thailand doing a bit of sport and eating (two other passions of mine). Here are a collection of photos from the past week. I am feeling very lucky and fortunate to have the time and opportunity to spend time with all of these friends.

In the area of desserts, a great passion of mine, this is one of my favorites from Bangkok. This is mango sticky rice and it is divine.  Thank you Christian for making this a stop on our Bangkok journey!

I hope all of you fathers had a great Father’s Day this past weekend and you have time, as well, to chase your passions.