What a day - surprising, interesting, beautiful.

8am on train to Guangzhou, China.  There was SUNSHINE!

What's this all about... TWO wine fairs... 

I need to calm down and chill out - after a  LONGGGGGG  & InterestinGGGGGGGG day!!!  [Read on..]

Foreword: I'm going to write this in English - so I can share with my business partner (and friend/ travelmate) who shared the super interesting day with me.  :)

What a day!?

Story began... 2-hour sleep last night, then I was there at Hunghom Station by 6.48am.  Got my Starbucks (there is only Starbucks where I could get the coffee... ) Caramel Macchiato + Cheese Croissant, I was ready to board the Kowloon-Guangzhou Through Train!

7.03am - I met my travelmate at tne gate of the train.  "I'm jealous!" She saw my Starbucks carrybag.  SORRY that I assumed she would have had breakfast with family in the early morning at home - so I didn't call her up and asked if she would like something from Starbucks.

7.05am - WE were at Starbucks.  "Hey - I got a RAT at home this morning!  Hahaha... " (I was like @_@")  

"RAT!!!!!!???????"

7.06am - "Yeah - a rat!  We live in rural area!  I was freaked out - I'm a city girl!" (I was like -_-")

7.25am - We were on the train... Chat chat chat chat...

9.35am @Guangzhou East Station.  "We are getting off," I said.  "Oh - we are HERE!?"

10.12am - we were at our 'destination', the fairground.  

bla bla bla... bla bla bla... bleh bleh bleh... ehhh... ehhhhh....

3.15pm - "We have time before the train at 16.56, let's go shopping!"  I said.

3.32pm - We were at a 'plaza'.  There was JUSCO supermarket, H&M, and Pacific Coffee.

3.40pm @Jusco supermarket.  "Hey - this is the GALLO olive oil from Portugal!"  I said.

3.42pm - We were in front of the WINE & SPIRITS section.  "Hey - look at that!  You can do instalment payment for the cognac, the Hennessy.. and all these!"

3.46pm - "Oh... Can I... go there..." - "I didn't have time to buy the special shampoo for my new hair style [my red juicy tomato]... let me get that here!" - so I bought my shampoo!

4pm - We ended up, "Let's go Pacific Coffee."

4.15pm - Oups.. I found a little creature FLOATING ON TOP OF MY CARAMEL LATTE!!  "@_@"

4.20pm - I got my NEW cup of caramel latte.  "Let's go!  It's time."  I said.

4.23pm @Metro station (3 stops away from Guangzhou East station).  "We have to walk a little bit faster..., " I said.

4.46pm @Entrance to the customs, then the train flatform.  It was CLOSED!!  "Turn over the ticket, it says you have to be here 10 minutes before!!.. bla bla bla bla bla...."

4.56pm @Ticket office, with four others who missed the train too.

4.56pm @Ticket office.  "Shall we take the train to Shenzhen, then back to Hong Kong?"  I asked.  "Let's go!"

5pm @(another) Ticket office.  "Earliest, 1-class, departs at 5.50pm," the ticket officer said.

"OK...," I said and paid.

Tickets then were in my hand - 17.40 departs, written there.  "Wasn't that the officer said departure at 5.50!?" - I thought.

5.07pm @Entrance to the train flatform.  "Hi, you are here too!" - my friend said to a lady we met at the 'first' ticket office, who missed the train.

"Yes, here I am too!"  the lady said.  "Oh hey... " - she saw the other two people who (kind of) missed the train right in front of her.  They are first-time visitor to Hong Kong/ China from Australia!

Here, four of us were there again, waiting for another train, but only to Shenzhen.

5.15pm @Waiting area.  My travelmate + myself + Ms. lady were sitting together and started chatting.... bla bla bla bla bla.. hahahahaha... 

"Oh, so you two are selling WINES!"

"Oh, so you are an architect from Hong Kong!"

"Oh, your last name as LUKE, but the Chinese is same as me!"  I told the lady - Ms. LUKE the Architect.

5.38pm - Travelmate + myself + Ms. Luke the Architect + the Australian couple @train to Shenzhen.

6.59pm - Train arrived at Shenzhen.

7.xxpm - "Where are the two Australian tourists?  Hope they didn't get lose." - Ms. Luke the Architect got off the train with my travelmate and myself.  We walked and chatted on the way.

7.xxpm - "Oh, here you are again," Ms. Luke the Architect spoke to the Australian tourists.  

7.xxpm - We walked altogether to the customs.  Then due to different identity documents each of us held, we went through separate counters.  Then we were finally at the ticket office at HONG KONG SIDE!!

I went to washroom.

I came back, "Where are the Architect and the couple?"

"I don't know - I thought they are here at the ticket kiosk..."

"Let's see on the order side at the counter.  Perhaps they don't have the currency!?"

So we went to the other side, we found the couple and the lady!  The couple didn't have enough change, so they had to go to the counter and get the ticket!

7.45pm - we were all on the train at HONG KONG side, sat down and ready to go back to the city!  

"We are back to the civilized," the lady said.

7.50pm - I was on a phone call, "Sorry, I missed the train, and I don't think I can make it to arrive there at 8.30.  Please don't wait, and kindly pass my message to...."

I missed the event, which i thought was important, and I really wanted to go.  I was supposed to be there to meet someone who just retired and is going back to his home.  I wanted to try best to make it, because either I meet him this eve, or we never know if we will ever meet.  And, I want to send my warm THANK-YOU to him, for his support during his time here.

He will leave Hong Kong next Monday.  But, I missed it to meet him before he leaves.

8.03pm - my travelmate got off, as she lives closer to the New Territories.

8.30pm - Ms. Architect and myself were on the taxi, going to Lan Kwai Fong.

"Bye there, we'll meet again."

8.42pm - I was walking along Wyndham Street.  Party animals around.  I felt like going somewhere for food & wine.  I was starving and tired.

8.48pm - Well... no... nothing interesting.  Let me go back home, cook and get my FULL bottle of Blanquette de Limoux by myself!

9.15pm @Supermarket nearby home.  I picked one thing I wanna get for my 'dinner'.... then I thought.. ok... save time - let me do all my shopping for the weekend/ next week.

9.22pm - [Whatsapp] "I couldn't find the booth number for these two exhibitors...."

9.24pm - I 'parked' my shopping cart aside.  With my new 'smartphone' - I was working there... finding the 'answers'... DONE!

9.35pm @HOME sweet home.  "Oh - my lotus flowers... what's happened?  Seems you are all so tired... like dying... oh no, please!"  

10.01pm - Salad + Spaghetti w/ Carbonara sauce + Blanquette de Limoux in glass @dining table!!!!  

10.38pm - FINALLY.  I'm back here, home.  Interesting day!

I missed the chance to meet someone I might never meet again in life.  

I met someone new friend, same last name (in Chinese character) as me, shared the similar experience - got stopped at the gate while the train was there at the flatform underground... then we met again at the station... all the way back to Central, Hong Kong.

It's the TGIF (Thanks God It is Friday).

I wanted to do something I wanted - not as I wanted at the end; I was not expecting something I probably would not want - but all a sudden, it happened.  

Never mind - life is full of surprises.  Nothing good or bad, nothing true or false, nothing matters as the end of the day (or life).

Are you in a relationship?

Are you in a relationship?
A/ I'm unavailable, but I'm not in a relationship.
B/ It's complicated.
C/ I'm not in a relationship, but I'm so occupied.
D/ All of the above.

** Just for fun. **

My dream tonight: skydriving!

Probably I will have a dream tonight: skydriving!!

Year: 1956
Place: Mountains around Palermo, Sicily
What I was doing: listening to the sound of car engines, happily playing the symphony.

*The inspiration comes from The Porsche 911 Targa 4 and Targa Florio, the discontinued car-racing legend in Sicily, Italy.*

Why I got to keep writing - Reason II.

Had an inspiring week, especially through the sharing and chat. Really thankful to meet friends around, new friends, old friends.

Then I found another reason why I got to keep writing. Thanks all friends who said my words could bring some inspiration to them sometimes. Because of this, I MUST keep writing, and share all I have!! Really my luck to have the ability and persistence to bring the spark to others.

My apology to English-speaking friends. There are really a lot I want to share with you, however, due to my packed schedule, I eventually could not keep up the pace doing both Chinese & English. Try best to write in English from time to time.

Why I got to keep writing...

Just realized - the reason why I got to keep writing, not because I forget easily, but because I remember all things too well. I have to find the way to 'leave' them... nail the memories down on paper, then I will have the room to store new memory!!

Right - that's why! That's exactly why!

"A Beautiful Mind"

Watched the movie "A Beautiful Mind" again.

I could not recall how I felt at the time when I first watched the movie. Yet, watching it again now made me feel so much about the story and life. Today, I saw love and persistence in the movie.

We are always bound with uncertainties, and changes. When we are up to some potential changes, there are uncertainties. Then there comes the reluctance of changes because we are uncertain how things could go. Things may go really wrong and unacceptable. Or, actually - make a bet, things may go great out of expectation too!

Life after all is a game, we got the chance to make better life out of the change, or we can end up miserable because of the change we decided to go after. However, I believe 'perception means the most' or 'perception is the reality'.

If we perceive the change is going to be good, it gonna be good. We got to believe first. If we never believe things will go good, it will never be good - perception made us believe changes are no good.

That applies to how we deal with problems. Do we believe that the problem can be solved, and it's a matter of time & trick? How much time & effort are we willing to spend on solving the problem?

We face problems in life everyday - big or small, life-threatening or easy-going, or about finding out the 'truth'. In fact, how we deal with problems is actually a matter of our mentality and mindset. Also, it's a matter of how persistent we can be.

Be persistent requires loads of effort, generating from within. It is not easy. I am sure. Really not easy. After all, we are just human being, and not perfect at all. We could be weak sometimes. However, I am sure while we are just human being, getitng the support & love from someone around could actually makes the difference. That's also what I saw in the movie.

Wish you all my friends - enjoy loving others, and being loved by others.


The Trailer:
http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2279866649/

Happy Thanksgiving!

Taking this opportunity, I want to say THANK YOU to all of you reading here.
Share with you here, "What Does THANK YOU Really Mean?",

When it comes from the heart from deep inside the nicest feelings
and the most special thoughts,
"thank you" means so much.

It means thank you for taking the time to show that you care.
It means 'you really made my day.' and
sometimes it means that you really make all the days so much better.

"Thank you" means you make me feel so nice, and
I wish I could do the same for you ...
just by letting you know how much you mean to me.

- Chris Gallatin

Something between

There were times I felt sad and miserable. It could be about work, about study, about family, about relationship, about.. whatever it could be actually.

I did think that rational thinking and sentimental thought are 'anti-' ones. They just couldn't really live in harmony every moment ever in life. At the miserable moment, it was as if my rational thinking and the sentimental end were completely disconnected, or they were fighting with each other.

That's how 'emotions' come in, I bet.

Somehow, it's interesting to understand more deeply what 'emotions' mean to us (or actually just oneself). With such understanding, we learnt who we are, and what matters to our lives. Few days ago, my friends and I were kind of leaving facebook messages to one another about 'emotional quotient' and 'control over emotions'.

In fact, I believe neither we control emotions nor emotions control us. We just co-exist together. We are ONE, ever and after when we're still alive here on the Earth. How we live together actually is more important than how we control each other. Some people might call that 'balance', some might call that 'harmony' (as what I suggested above), and perhaps some would call it 'calmness'.

It is not easy to live everyday with such harmony, simply because we could be so easily affected by the environment - people around, work, living, etc. - that's why! Then, when people are disturbed, they would want to seek the 'harmony' again. They would want to go away to somewhere and just explore, hoping to 'rebuild' themselves or to find their 'identity' again. Either they believe they want some 'trigger' or simply 'getaway' for some free-mind moments.

Well - probably it helps. It helped me before. True. However, it turned out I realized the most important is not where we've been to and who we've met, bringing some changes to our lives. How we perceive all things around is in fact the key!

Perception is almost everything!

Because of perception, we might discriminate against somebody or something.
Because of perception, we might have missed some wonderful opportunities.
Because of perception, we might let our beloved down or let our own selves down.
Because of perception, we might have perceived something not the fact or the truth (if there is ever 'truth').

So, what made up 'perception'? Well - honestly, I don't know if there is any scientific research about this, or if there is any discussion from the philosophical point of view.

My view (yea - MY view, it's another perception again, probably) is, perception comes from many things combined - our family background, our experience, how we grow up, where we grow up, our peer group, our colleagues, what we heard of, what we were taught... All everything brought 'perception'.

Eventually, we seem to be back to the loop again - so almost everything is about perception, and perception seems to be from all those mixed, then it was indeed our rational thinking & sentimental end which act like 'sensor' to that mix... Isn't that a loop?

Perhaps, it is. We live, and we are in the loop - that's life I believe.

Yet, to live in it (or out of it), we would sooner or later know who we are, what we want, and how we want to live our lives - we then build up our reserves for rational thinking and sentimental end (just like the savings account and current account in the banking industry!?). We know what we have in there, and how much we have - so once we get those 'ingredients' for the mix - we know where to put them, and whether put them as 'active' or 'archived'. Structured and clear - that makes the perception which would lead us to our own opinion and understanding how the 'harmony' works in ourselves.

I do think everyone is a unique individual - and they have their own ways to figure out the 'harmonious way of living'. Mine doesn't necessarily work for others. With such 'harmony' - we just don't have the issue about 'control over emotions'.

'Emotion' just doesn't exist! We live happily no matter it's good times or bad times.

My dear friends - I wish you always happiness!

P.S. After all, I think there is the chemistry between rational thinking and sentimental end. There is always something between - I just couldn't explain. Yet, probably it doesn't matter - as long as it works to have that 'harmony'.

Beauty of the Nature

Praise.
Appreicate.
Love.

***
Never felt myself a 'professional photographer'.
Just happened I would like to capture the moment,
and what I saw through my eyes, heard with my heart...

I felt that I saw 'beauty' through my eyes, and
I heard the voice from deep inside all things around.

Believe it or not,
the Nature is alive - just like us.
It speaks,
it sleeps and wakes up,
it breathes,
it needs energy...

Energy. Where does it come from?
I think it comes from praise, appreciation,
and most important of all - love.

Love the Nature, treasure the Nature.
If you have not yet noticed the Beauty of Nature,
take a slower pace at life today, and
spend a few minutes every day to have a look around.

Or, just close your eyes, listen to the sound from the Nature.
You'll hear the whisper from the Nature,
and the chit-chat among all the different ones alive.

Sooner or later,
you'll learn to appreciate and treasure the Nature.
Eventually, that also means you'll learn how to
live well with your love for the Nature.

'Cya' - in the dark.

It was a wonderful day - for I finally realized the 'dream' to have wine tasting in complete darkness.

Thanks all my guests for coming. I am very much sure that for guests who come, they have to take away their 'identity', be open-minded enough, be able to speak about wines openly, and most important, they got to take the courage to go outside their 'comfort zone'. That was not easy for all - but all made it, and found it was an interesting experience. Plus, I truly thank for their encouragement and kind words.

That was, in fact, another experience for me being the host of the wine tasting session. I was participating some other 'in the dark' experiences - yet, being the one involved in the 'in the dark' activity as the facilitor, that IS something!

I wouldn't have imagined the 'difficulty' that I would encounter.
I wouldn't have imagined how my guests would react at the end of the day.
I wouldn't have imagined how I could work with people who have got that special 'talents', serving the wines in complete darkness.
I wouldn't have imagined.... a lot which I couldn't really express well in words at the moment.

Just all mixed up - I was just shocked.

And when I was calling around to re-confirm with the guests - the last sentence was 'cya' - then I was thinking 'cya in the dark'. Ok - how am I going to 'see' them in the dark!?

That was the question i was asking myself.

Anywayz - thanks again to my friends (and new friends) for their encouragement. Without you all, I wouldn't have been able to realize my 'dream'.

I promise, I will stick on to the values about life & work, and the true fact that everyone is born equal as human being. Doing something good for life and impact for others - that is a good experience. I earn much more than I would have if ever I am just working for the sake of work and making a luxury living.

Precision - the value

It WAS an amazing day - or I should say it has been an amazing week for me!

Started from Sunday - Monday - Tuesday - Wednesday - today, Thursday - I have been meeting people from all around, different background, different generations (as local Chinese, we say '3 years = one generation', that's why I said 'different generations').

We talked about work, we talked about life, we talked about love, relationship, friendship, experience... and finally today - I came to a quick chat over SMS on 'value'. Thanks my dear friend bringing up this word and his long message indeed - that was SOMETHING!

The story began this morning, when I met a friend who is actually an artist + designser + drinker + my 'tequila partner' (once she put this term on me!). There we were talking about some designer work she did. I met her working partner as well. THAT chat has brought me some new thought indeed.

An artist, a designer - people whom you might think that they always have 'free mind', they want freedom, they have their own 'temper', they have their sensation, and sentimental moments. Well - that's what people think about me sometimes as well, although I am not really an artist.

I thought so too - there is the 'free mind', there is the creativity or freedom or 'space' these people want. Yes, we need 'space'. We need the room to think and to create. I always said that too.

Yet, after chatting with my friend and her working partner - I realized their work actually requires a high level of 'precision'. They have measurement, they have schedule, they have to follow all those - if the measurement is not precise or if they miss some numbers - OK, all everything could be screwed up!

Same here - even though I am not really an artist, and not designer - but I organize events. I couldn't afford to have a lot of variables, I have to pin down almost every details as far as I could. I need precision as well.

So there came the point - I then came up in mind my friend's name: 'Mr. Scientist' I called him. He is the one I truly think that he's a scientist. I do think he loves science - I do think he got his talents about science subjects (sorry, I still don't really understand what he studied... I knew the 'term' only which I'd better not telling here... just to avoid any embarrassing situation).

Just one short message saying that 'precision is an arts. Science is about precision, so it's an arts too!' And he was so nice to reply me even though I did believe that he was real busy at work. His long message told me quite something about how precise science could be! And I was told that 'precision' is actually the 'value' of his study!

THE VALUE.

I never thought that those are indeed something I would call 'VALUE'. I knew those are important - being precise is important. I took it for granted already - business should be precise and concise; reports or whatever documents (except legal ones, excuse me for such bias) have to be precise, so-called 'to the point'; my event logistics have to be precise as far as I could; despite the concept or artistic elements a designer wants, all everything has to be precise!

In fact, those are values as Mr. Scientist suggested! Those are just built-in values already. Values seem to be something out of question, that's the belief we have learnt. Interesting enough, I do believe my desinger friend, Mr. Scientist, and myself are not those really detail-oriented people, we love freedom, we love being casual sometimes, we don't really like working on tedious tasks - but we are all built-in with some kind of value - we strive for precision, although we are not detail-oriented.

Frankly, this idea sounds bit ridiculous and weird - don't you think there's contradiction? Read again - 'We strive for precision, although we are not detail-oriented'. Somehow, I think my friends and I were all pretty lucky - we managed to start working on something that requires high level of precision, which has been our value so far. Plus, we could manage that. Although we are not detail-minded, meaning we do not like working on tedious tasks, there are others who are talented at those indeed. I believe there's nothing right/ wrong or seniority! It's all about our values, our preferences, our talents and our roles & responsibilities.

I know there are some people who truly believe in their values (although they don't know that's actually 'value' - just like me, I wasn't thinking about the word 'value' for the precision I love), but turned out in reality, they have to put that aside, because they believe there is not the opportunity in front to present how valuable their 'values' are. Or simply, those values couldn't get them to a sound paycheck or good position at a company.

Well - if that's really the value we believe in. No matter what, we got to believe. It is such belief/ the value, which makes the difference.

Atomic Collision

Overwhelmed by really thoughtful mood, I couldn't stop thinking a lot. I have spoken to people from different industries, different background, new friends, friends I know since childhood years, business partners, professors, my students... all the chats and sharings made me think.

I was telling my friend this afternoon that I suddenly felt like I am not the 'usual self' at the moment. Somehow, I felt bit annoyed by that. I couldn't find out the way to express, instead, I found a picture here to describe.

That's the picture from google after I typed 'atomic collision' for searching an image of that.

I think that best describes what I am facing - probably I am now in the stage shown in the middle: in transition. Put that in simpler terms, probably that means 'transformation'.

Thanks for everyone who shared with me their thoughts, listened to my ideas & discussed with me the issues I had, and ones who spent time accompanying.

Do think the 'transformation' will be completed very soon... July is coming - that will be another new stage of living.

Remarks: anyone knows that after the transition stage, is the 'total mass' the same as before though?

***

A kind of distance (II)

（Continued）

I believed there are quite some kinds of interaction between man and woman. Some of those are just superficial, not really 'friends'; some of those are really friends, they talk whatever they feel like, could be just something out of imagination or something about reality, all the sharings are really from deep inside their hearts; others are couples who would eventually get married.



I know friends who are quite into each other. They talk whatever, share all the laughter and tears. Yet, they wouldn't go with each other even though they both felt some kind of 'connection' in between. They know for sure that they could only be friends for the rest of their lives.

Actually, I once asked my friend, why that could happen. Why keeping that distance, and not just go closer to each other & stay together? -- that's the thought 10 years ago.

Today, 10 years later, my mind has changed after some life experiences about health, work, family, and relationship. I found it's sometimes good indeed to keep some distance away from somebody. Just not to let the relationship go further...



Once I thought that's either because one is not confident at walking rest of life together, or just doesn't have that courage. Later, I realized that there could be mutual understanding between them. And there is somehow a taste of love indeed.


In fact, such taste of love could be two feel a great sense of connection. Probably love doesn't mean that two have to go together, get married, and live together; even if two get married, it doesn't mean that there is true love between them.

P.S. Some friends did leave me messages after I wrote a quick line about 'a kind of distance' on facebook. One sugggested me listening to a song, another was mentioning a movie.

I listened to the song, and felt it's more about someone passed away, the partner could no longer hear his/ her breathe. All he/she could do is to feel the 'zero distance' in heart... whilst in the movie, it seemed to tell even two are together, they could be far apart from each other at heart.

Well, I think both of these are different from that kind of distance in my mind. The one I have in mind doesn't make people sad or regret. The distance is making a truly loving relationship. It makes two get even closer, and the relationship last forever.

＊＊＊
At the 'wine + food tasting' afternoon, I was looking at the glass on the table next to me, and the sunset. There, I felt like seeing that kind of distance. It's reachable, but you just don't wanna catch it...

A kind of distance (I)

Sometimes, you'd prefer keeping a bit distance away from somebody...

***
Have been wanting to write this piece 'A kind of distance' for a few days. However, I was just too busy - busy out there in the day, and busy at home in the evening. And I just slept for like 4 hours a day, making me so tired and not having the mood to write. Just don't feel like looking at anything, not reading, not thinking, and not writing. Although I know I've got lots of words to say, lots of things to write, just simply NO - I need some rest.

Then a week is gone, and it's going to be a public holiday on Friday. Long weekend is here!! On this Thursday, I would like to take a break, and work hard again tomorrow.

That's why I feel like writing again.

I was pretty busy on the day before holiday. My schedule was packed with meetings. Luckily, one of the meeting was actually a 'food + wine tasting'. While I was there at the restaurant for the long meeting, I got the chance to see the sunset, and the nightview of the Victoria Harbour. Probably that's good - bit relaxing time out of busy work!

After all the work, I felt like if I went straight back home - I would be thinking about work at the end. So, I decided, I should go out for a while, and have bit rest (of mind). I ended up heading to Central.

Coincident, my dear friend was in Central, AND I was having a bottle of red wine in hand...

Finally, we went to an old friend's 'private kitchen', ordered some bites, and we started drinking! We chatted and chatted... and our conversation made me feel like starting this 'A kind of distance'.

(To be continued)

At the 'food & wine tasting', I got wines with great food, plus the wonderful 188-degree harbourview. Not to miss - there was the sunset & night view. That is the relaxing moment out of the busy time.

The green under sunshine

Thanks for my devil-angel friend's invitation to go out for a drink on this Saturday night. Not going to Central which is just close-by, we went to Tsim Sha Tsui across the Victoria Harbour.

So there I was walking to the pier in Central, then I took the ferry.

I like taking ferry. Just simply because I felt happy to see the harbourview, and enjoy the seabreeze. And ferry is not that 'automatic' as compared to other transportation means in town. I chose to go on the lower deck. There I could hear the sound of the engine, smell the gas from the machine room, plus see what the sailors do there. Somehow interesting indeed.

Across the harbour, we went to a bar where we could see the full harbourview. All I could see were the buildings in fog, and the colorful lights. Looking at those, I asked my friends what the people in there could see - would it be just the fog?

All a sudden, I felt these buildings were like strangers to me. On the other hand, the fog made me feel so bored.

I could remember the foggy morning overseas, but sunrise would have got the fog away. Fog would be replaced by the sunshine. However, in Hong Kong, I just felt the humidity and the boredom only.

The foggy night also reminded me of the sunshine after rain in Australia a few weeks ago. Also, the green under sunshine indeed.

I love blue. I love green, too.

I saw the untouchable dream.

It was quite a weird day today.
Or I should say it has been quite a weird week.

These days, I had quite some chats around
with friends, with family, and people whom I have not met for some time as we were all too busy.

We talked, we shared -
about happiness, excitement, childhood memories, work, love,
moody moments, laughter with tears, sadness with smile...

Then,
I found that I have been away for lot of time,
I wasn't here by their side.
Perhaps I knew it for long time,
but still - I wanted to go out and see the BIG BIG WORLD.
I wanted to take a deep breathe out there, and see if the smell is the same;
I wanted to see the sky, and have a look at how blue it is.

Today, I am here.
I was listening to the stories from my friends,
hearing the voices from my family,
and the scream from my little baby nephew.

I AM HERE.
I am ready to devote all my energy to work, family, love, friends, passions...

BUT, The thought of 'I AM HERE' made me feel weird this week.
Why was that - I have been thinking of going away as far as I can,
how come all a sudden I would say 'I am here'?
I asked myself.

Then today, I got the answer when I sent my friend a text message.
I was telling him that 'I saw the untouchable dream'.

I realized that I am only PHYSICALLY here, but
my mind is there with 'the untouchable dream'.

'The untouchable dream' has always been in mind probably.
However, it's just a dream - without any form,
not even something you could describe in words,
and you just can't touch it, hold it, or see it.

But today,
I felt like I saw it - 'the untouchable dream'.
Seeing that made me think it has become reachable.
Perhaps that is the reason for 'why I am here?'.

To reach the dream,
I have to be here, keep going,
and keep moving forward.
And, simply devote all my energy to work, family, love, friends, passions...

Then one day, a dream will no longer be just a dream.
I will be able to touch the dream.
In fact, I will be living there forever, because I have it realized!

Do you hear me?

Thanks for my 'devilly angel' friend's call for drink in the afternoon.
Although I was kind of sick this morning,
I was so tempted to have a glass of wine tonight.
Perhaps some wine could help me feel better...

There, I was in Central for a drink!

My friends were not there with me finally - for no matter reason.
So, I was having my glass of wine, with the magazines I grabbed from the 'FREE' tray.
It was all emtpy there indeed, no one was there, except me & the bartender.
I didn't talk to him at all, instead - I was there reading, and thinking.

Sometimes, I could see the 'phantom' around - because there was a staircase,
with the glass door, having the spotlight shining over it.
When people walked down the staircase,
their shadow was like phantom passing by...

I spent almost like an hour and a half there,
reading and thinking.
Then I saw the two chairs there, nearby the window, looking over the street.
The seats looked really familar to me,
yes - really familiar.

I guess it was not because of the seats AT THAT PARTICULAR BAR,
but the distance between the chairs, and also the distance from me to the chairs.

I recalled at the occasion, when I was sitting next to another so close,
with the distance between that two chairs I've seen.
We were chatting, laughing, having fun, toasting, drinking.
Sometimes, there were simply silence, because none of us bothered to talk.
Why not just continue with people-watching, and enjoying our own thinking,
while sitting beside each other?

There was another occasion,
where we were at such long distance like that between me and the chairs -
nothing we could talk,
but we could only show some signals to each other.

Sending signals without words could be interesting sometimes.
It was as if telling something with your body language, or just a raise of your eyebrow,
and then shout without any noise 'Do you hear me?'.

So, do you hear me?

Coffee Break

A really fruitful (long) day I had...

* 5am - went to bed.

* 8.45am - waken up by yelling, banging... then realized the door couldn't be opened - something wrong with the lock!
So, my mom & sister called the security from downstairs to help & see if they can open the door from outside.
Here came the story...
(1) how to pass the key to the guy outside, provided that there is not even a 3-mm slit anywhere near the door.
(2) Solution was, keys were put inside the box, and I got to throw that from 5th floor my window to ground floor! [BANG!!!]
(3) Finally, lock was broken, door opened.

* 10am - New LOCK! New KEY! Already time to start working... so finally, couldn't go back to sleep.
Less than 4 hours sleep got me another EQ-training session - "How to control my temper under the 'lack-of-sleep' condition!"
Ok - kick start at 10am.
Emails... some voluntary work... some freelancer work... reading my final itinerary again to see what else i needa get ready...

* 12.35pm - Finally could step out, and go for lunch. Lunch with friend in Mongkok - across the harbour!

* 1.20pm - Arrived, 5 minutes late. [sorry, my friend.] Nice chat, inspiring again.
PLUS, happy to see the Tuzki exhibition there - and I read a line there 'Alcohol (I'll go mad if I have a sip!).
I couldn't stop laughing there... Thanks my friend for asking me to go lunch all the way there that far, where I spent most of my childhood years around there.
[To: my lunchmate, please move back closer to my area... although you gave me really good excuse to go all the way there to buy flowers.. enjoy exhibition... ]

* 3pm - Going back to Central. Walking there with the raindrops... and at the flyover in Mongkok...
Suddenly I felt like I saw CHAMPS ELYSEES in front! I was back to Paris - my beloved Paris.
Although this is probably not the No.1-favorite city, she has been really close to me.. in many ways.. and I miss her!



@Mongkok, Hong Kong



@Paris, France











* 4pm - back to Central. Finished some quick phone calls on the way... then settled down at coffee shop at IFC, Central.
By now, I had one cup of morning coffee, while watching the video clip - JK Rowling's speech at Harvard (2008).
Then coffee for lunch.

Should STOP there (I thought, because coffee made me sleepy!).
Yet I got to have meeting for another potential freelance job at 5pm there at this coffee shop.
Didn't bother to go here and there, so I came up here one hour earlier before meeting time.
Coincident, the one whom I was going to meet was there at the cashier when I was standing there, reading the menu, struggling if I gonna have another THIRD cup of coffee.

So there, we ordered. He went to his meeting at 4pm there, I went to the other end of the 'corner' to do my own reading & another freelancer thing...
So there, I was having my third cup of coffee - a latte.
I chose the bar side where I could have the streetview - under the rain.

Sitting there, looking around, I felt like I was there at the train station in Rome.
I turned back to the barside, ready to go through the documents in front. BUT,
the guy next to me caught me turning - then said HI.

AND, what's next...
he is one of the partners there, from New Zealand;
we started talking about coffee... italian espresso bar... my visualization of 'roma termini espresso bar';
we chatted... and chatted.. and he realized I was having a regular latte,
and he is so 'professional' - 'Would you like to try our special latte? It's double shot... (bla bla bla). It's free,
I make you one, and see if you have any comments. Like it?'

My braincells which take charge of the 'curiosity area' are always so active, so i said, 'Oh, that would be great!'
3 seconds, he jumped to the bar, and made me the 'double shot latte' - my FOURTH & FIFTH coffee!!??

While he was making the 'special latte' - I was sending sms to my lunchmate... telling him that I got like 3rd, 4th, 5th coffee...
his reply was 'where is the wine?'.
Stunned for few seconds, the 'special latte' was in front.
Two different types of lattes - Mr. New Zealand then asked me to try.
OKAY - 'wine tasting' became 'coffee tasting'!


* 4.30pm - I did nothing that I originally planned to do... kept chatting there... then phone rang,
and I spent like another 15 or 20mins chatting over the phone about a potential project to kick off later in May/ June.
After phone call, Mr. New Zealand has left.
I finished the 'special latte' finally, and I saw the South China Morning Post there,
I picked that up, flipped quickly to the horoscope page - CAPRICORN: "By next week's new moon, you could surprise yourself by what you decide to do."

* 5.15pm - My REAL meeting finally started. Partly business, partly personal sharing.
Ended up, I was asked why I like wine & travel so much.
HUH - I couldn't count how many times I have come across such question.
Everytime when I answered, I felt so grateful & happy that I am on the track putting together my interest/ hobby & my work/ living.
Frankly, no matter utlimately whether my 'vision' or 'dream' could be made true or not - and for sure, there is some kind of hardship out there on the path,
I still believe that I am living a life which is so wonderful and beautiful.

* 8pm - I was hungry. BUT, the bookstore next to the cinema there would be under renovation soon - discount there.
Too hard to resist this kind of temptation, so I spent another almost like 20 minutes there reading...
Lucky, nothing got me interested. Empty-handed out from the bookstore!

* 8.30pm - Hunger made me realize that I got to eat something. No more (window) shopping - so there, thinking what to eat..
I decided to cook tonight. So I bought the mushroom - small brown ones and some button mushroom...
Holding the brown paper bag of mushroom - I was finally on the way home after the LONG day!

Chilling there... wind on my face... nice harbour view...
However, I thought of the harbourview in New York City, the tall buildings of Manhattan,
I had the imagination of Sydney Opera House - that's another harbourview.
I thought of the Adriatic Sea, where I was watching the sunset over a glass of Croatian white wine...

* 9pm - Finally HOME. Couldn't work on anything... really...
Then I realized there's still some pasta in the fridge...
I just re-heated that, and finished that up. Got the 'keep-the-doctor-away' APPLE, ate it...
Finished my emails... facebook-ed a while..
Jotted down the notes about the meetings/ phone conversations I had...
Shower... washed clothes...
Spoke to my friend about welcoming her & my backpack... 12am*

***
After the long day - tired, but still with excitement.. and some thoughts to share:-
we'd better be thankful all the time, not to take things for granted,
and stay with the simplest belief that - everyone were born 'equal', we came here, living here, then eventually one day, we would move on to 'another world' for living,
Let it go, let it be - if anything seems like going wrong.

BUT while we are living here, we are all DIFFERENT individuals.
Everyone got their talent, and own interpretation of 'self', 'life', 'value'... etc. - how you want to live your life is ultimately your own choice.

Whether you choose to stick to your past, not to look ahead;
whether you choose to love the life you live, or live the life you love;
whether you choose to believe in your talent, and go out to create your own opportunities in order to make the way out to realize your dream,
or believe that your talent is not really fitting in the opportunities available and sit there thinking where to find the opportunities...

After all, it's all up to you - you live your life, you take hold of that, and you are responsible for that.

If you would say 'I have no choice, but xxxx' - that's actually your choice not to consider anything else at all. Fine.
Yet, once you go out to have a look, be open-minded without too much your ego, you'll see there are choices.

Back to the question why I like wine & travel. I made clear answer,
I like wines, because over the wines, I made wonderful friends, and I got to know people from all around;
and the subject of wines could keep me on the go all my life - both academic pursue & practical enjoyment!
I like travel, because that made me realize the difference in culture, and the understanding of 'somebody' I don't know - or even not speaking the same language at all,
but we could somehow communicate.

During my days away from my 'comfort zone' - I learnt truly a word - 'RESPECT'.
I don't speak French, no Italian, no Spanish, no Czech, no German...
but sometimes, just a smile, a nod, a handshake - could be meaningful - it gives all you met the 'respect' that everyone deserves.

Probably it's out of this 'respect', trust could be built and true friends were made.

At the silent night.

At the silent night, I was listening to the radio.
Lying on the bed, but I couldn't get into sleep.

Earlier at night, I was telling my friend that
seemed like I caught a cold, and got bit headache,
so I would like to sleep earlier.
Unexpectedly, another insomnia night.

I probably knew the 'origin' of insomnia, I'm not going to talk anything about that.

Apart from the 'origin', I thought of... ...
the 'DOLL' dim sum in the fridge, so then I was eating while leaving this note;
the Cammomile tea from Mr. UK, I was drinking my tea;
the Chinese poem by Mr. Pak;
the night when I slept on the train because I was stuck at the train station;
when there wouldn't be any insomnia night (?);
and the story I am writing, and HIM & HER in the story;
a glass of Italian Pinot Grigio.

Sunrise on the way.
Although I am bit tired, but I'm still in my thinking.

飲完杯酒... 醒神又開胃... ^_^ | Awake and good appetite after a glass of wine... ^_^

寫完上篇「飲完咖啡... 仲眼瞓... |Even more sleepy after coffee...」後，不到五分鐘，好友致電問候，跟他說剛留言，未吃晚餐，但很睏。

然後，多得他相邀出外飲了一杯紅酒，頓時醒神又開胃。

淺嚐便可，用了一杯，各自歸家。在家附近打包了雲吞麵，回家吃罷，感到很滿足！

***

5 minutes after I wrote the note '飲完咖啡... 仲眼瞓... ><|Even more sleepy after coffee... ><', my dear friend called me and asked me how I was doing. I then told him about my message, and I haven't had my dinner yet, but I was so sleepy.

Then, thanks for his invitation to go for a glass of wine, WOW, then awake and got very good appetite.

Just one round, we left and went home. Then I bought wanton noodles back home, finish that. So nice!