You know, the one thing I’m profoundly grateful for is the ability to think freely, unbound by place. A lot of this stems from trauma I’ve faced, like shutting down a business in seven days due to U.S. visa issues, or leaving a recycling yard venture behind against my will. These experiences forged a resilience in me, a capacity to think outside the box no matter where I am.

I’ve been truly blessed to spend the last three months in China, where I’ve focused intensely on writing. My first book, which is more of a memoir, is nearly ready. I’m finalizing the title—it will likely be called Read the Book—and it tells the story of how I got to where I am. Following that, the next book is the real play-by-play. Tentatively titled The Real Play, it details my real estate deals: the disasters, the windfalls, and the lessons learned. It’s for readers who want the unvarnished truth.

This second book will also serve as the foundation for a research paper I want to work on, called The Economics of Fear. This concept came to me a few years ago after hiring a bookkeeper from Pakistan. He would call, insisting on “important” meetings, telling me, “Sir, you’re doing everything wrong.” I eventually realized he was instilling fear to cloud my judgment and cover his own actions. It was around this time I had what I’d call a mental breakthrough (not a breakdown), which led me to make a fear-clouded decision—like purchasing a property online for double its value in the middle of nowhere, Missouri.

This sparked my obsession: What does fear do to the human mind? To the minds of presidents and prime ministers? Look at Donald Trump. How is Canada reacting? When Mark Carney speaks, is it based on fear—the fear that 90% of your exports go to a neighbor who might turn hostile? Are we acting out of fear or love?

The psychological concept of fear is fascinating. As The Four Agreements illustrates, fear makes you do things that aren’t good for you. It’s a weakness, a disease that crawls in. America instills fear to control. Entrepreneurs are fed fear of failure and loss. People pour money into low-yield investments scared of the rest. Fear is multifaceted, and I want to weave my findings from about 50 deals into The Real Play—including, of course, the most interesting one: the purchase of the jail in Georgia.

So, watch out for those books.

On a personal note, it’s interesting that China, out of nowhere, has become the place I’ve stayed longest after Karachi, Toronto, and Austin. My Chinese is mama huhu (so-so), improving little by little. If all goes well and we can stay another year, it will be essential for cementing the language.

Living here is fascinating. You feel the shadow of the “West is best” idea, but China feels vastly more efficient in its fundamentals. To really dive in, you have to embrace the language and culture. The other day, at a pharmacy for my daughter Zara, the pharmacist didn’t just sell Tylenol. She remembered our last visit and suggested we look into herbal medicine. That doesn’t happen in the West, where big pharma, the food industry, and bureaucracy often break down the foundations of what could be a greater civilization.

My wife and I were discussing how we don’t have many people like us in our circle. We’ve come from the East, gone to the West, and now returned to the East—but not the same East. That’s the predicament. It baffles me why more people don’t make such journeys.

I’m feeling good lately, working on the books and some research papers from past projects. If I can help others avoid the same hardships, that would be meaningful.

The kids are doing well. My little one is swimming at a facility with a huge Olympic-sized pool. The teachers are loud but effective. My wife has also agreed to learn swimming, which makes me incredibly happy.

Overall, I’m doing very well. I want to get into the habit of writing here every two weeks, if not more. So, if you like these blog posts, please leave a comment or send me a message. Sometimes I do get lonely, and it would be great to connect.