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. **

It takes two to tango.

剛完成了阿根廷酒宴會，然後回家看見新婚好友的First Dance片段，是火熱的探戈(TANGO)，又是源自阿根廷的舞蹈，令人迷醉得很。

迷醉，包括情迷和陶醉。情迷，是因為那種發自內心的熱情；陶醉，是因為熱情帶來的嚮往感覺。還有的是，有些舞蹈表演也會有些一個人表演的時候，但探戈則是兩個人的（It takes two to tango），而且是大家相互緊貼著，有種說不出的親近。

自己不懂甚麼關於音樂或舞蹈的，但我能感受到那種熱情，欣賞那兩個人走在一起的感覺，亦看得見兩個人之間的對話。其實，早於兩年前，我已看見...


< http://www.untitledjournal.com/photogallery/2009-08-16_2/index.html >

那是我於2009年買的兩枝花和緣葉。看著它們，拍下了這輯相片，然後，我覺得它們好像在跳探戈舞那樣，繼而我建了這一網頁（請把滑鼠拉到相上面，按左即放大相片；在相片的右下角有個圓形/箭咀圖案，左按滑鼠，即可讀到每一張相片背後的意思）。

卑利街的天空，特別高：序

卑利街，位於中環某個角落。相信這幾年來，有不少人跟我那樣，在這裡留下了足印，腦海裡收藏了不少以卑利街為背景的片段。

於這條路上，我曾哭過笑過、跟萍水相逢的朋友擁抱過、緊握過他的手、又吻過我愛的他，還試過於這兒從另一個角度看天空－坐在路邊看，甚至躺臥於街上看。

這裡的天空特別高。

***
Peel Street is located somewhere in Central. On this street, I cried, I laughed, I hugged new friends who I have probably met just once ever so far, I held my lover's hand tight, I kissed, I also looked at the sky from a very different angle - I looked up into the sky while sitting on the street, or even lying on the street.

The sky here is so high.

"Grandma, I love fish & chips. I hope you like too."

Thanks God for the sunshine during holiday, bringing me the mood to move my temporary office to the beach! So, despite some kind of upset mood for some reason, I went alone to the beach in a Sunday afternoon!

Lovely sunshine - really wanna get tanned (a bit).

I took the one-hour-ride ferry from Central to Mui Wo. I particulary chose the 'ordinary' one, meaning it is cheaper & slower. Really enjoyable seeing the blue sky, the blue sea and feeling the heat from the sun!

Whenever I was on the sea, I could feel the energy from the Nature. Another thought was - we, human beings, might think the Nature belongs to us most of the them. Yet, think deep, that might not be the case. We are in fact in the hand of the Nature! Especially these days, we are kind of immersed in the thought about earthquake, tsunami, tornado,etc. - that is true and we should have recognized that fact easily!

Anyway - so I stayed there on the beach under the sun for around two hours, and decided that I wanted to move to another place - Discovery Bay!

One of the best place I like in town. When I was there, I felt more like I'm away from Hong Kong!! It's like a little corner of expats!

I got to say clearly, I AM CHINESE. Just that my lifestyle or some of my thinking is not that 'Chinese'. Probably that is the reason why I love being away from Hong Kong, or stay there in Discovery Bay! There, I found 'my world'.

Bit tired after some sunbath indeed, so I went to a restaurant and wanted to stay there for dinner. I sat beside another table of four - Mom & Dad & two little boys. Did not mean to pay attention to their conversation, but I overheard a few words there.

Dad was holding the all-in-one phone, taking video of the boys. He asked the younger one to say a few words to Grandma. Then he said, "Grandma, I love fish & chips. I hope you like too."

Next moment, I smiled from my heart. Kind of touching for the fact that this little boy reminded me something.

It seems when we love something, we want others to love that too. This is especially true when we were kids, we somehow thought that whatever we loved, our family, Mom & Dad, and Grandparents would love them too - or we wanted them to love those too. When we grow up, it seems there are a lot more temptation/ choices around - then we got the money to buy something we 'love' or they 'love'. 'Individualist' mentality came in. We would then easily forget that sharing something we love with others, or when someone else wants to share with ourselves what they love - is actually some kind of blessings!

Spread your passion today - tell others what you love, and love what others love too!

***
P.S. "Hey, I love wines. I hope you like too."

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.*

Apart from wines: Paleography (Part II)

(Continued)

So, who wants to know when some words were written? What is the use of doing that? To answer that, I first want to share a story - actually an experience of myself.

Some years ago, I was involved in a project at work. I was sent to Utah in the United States by my boss. Why me? Two reasons: I practice western calligraphy, and I type fast. I guaranteed you, in Hong Kong, if you tell someone you are a calligrapher, that sounds like you are an artist and you will then be linked to the idea that 'you don't earn much'. If you tell someone you type fast, that sounds like you are a typist and (again) you will then be linked to the idea that 'you don't earn much'. So neither one of them would be considered as having some valuable skills.

Well - but with both of the skill sets, I was sent far away to the middle of US on a business trip. Plus, there was basically no one else in the company who could take over that. No one got such skill sets combined! So, those skills which were almost of 'no use' were turned into opportunities and my valuable assets!!

So, what I had to do there? And what was the project about?

There were two objectives: first, I got to do a typing test there and see how fast I could type (I couldn't do it online because no one knew the effect of the transmission rate of data via the internet line. So I had to be physically there to type with the system there.); second, I got to learn reading those so-called 'ancient writing'. As someone who knew calligraphy, it is easier for me to learn the basics about 'ancient writing'. So, that was my first encounter of the term 'Paleography'.

If not because of such experience, I bet I would never have thought there were people who really study the ancient writing, and what was the reason behind the study.

The reason of study was to trace our family lineage, and know our family story, plus history. Those doing these studies are the genealogists. They are the one who study genealogy, which is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. And Salt Lake City in Utah is more like the centre of such study in the world.

To trace the lineage, there were thousands of ancient records which the genealogists would refer to. Examples of records are census reports, birth records, death records, passenger list on board sailing to other places. Since these records are all hand-written, and there were abbreviations to understand and decipher. So there came the use of 'Paleography' - first analysing the writing, then understanding the words written there. Hence, with further analysis of the words identified, the family lineage could be traced.

While everything is now being digitalized, and with the development of search engine - all records got to be turned into TYPED ones. So, my typing speed has become the benchmark of the data centre doing typing jobs. As someone who learnt some basics of paleography, I got to teach the typists how to read the ancient words after I came back to Hong Kong. I also had to do a training manual on Paleography.

So that was it.

Today, I still remembered when I was in Utah, I was taken to the archive centre to see those original copies of records. I was really amazed to see thousands of real records from ages ago. Some records were turned into microfilms for archive, because the originals were too fragile. I have been reading all those calligraphic hands in books, but then all a sudden, those real ones were in front of me!

Apart from the surprise seeing all those, it was amazing that the 'unwanted' skills (calligraphy & typing) have brought me to learn something about the extraordinary subjects: 'Paleography' and 'Genealogy'.

(End)

P.S. To view the 'digitalized database' of family lineage, please click HERE for link to the UK site, or HERE to the US site.

Also, click HERE to read the profile of Abraham Lincoln and the related record images, so then you will have better idea about 'Paleography' and 'Genealogy'.

Apart from wines: Paleography (Part I)

Quite a lot of times, we say wines are a mix of arts and science. Probably that is why it is not that easy to 'thoroughly' understand wines. It's not easy - you got to be an artist to appreciate the beauty of wines and the culture behind; on the other hand, you got to be a scientist to understand winemaking as it is indeed a chemical process (the alcoholic fermentation) involving some microorganism (the yeast).

Grown up in Hong Kong, and being educated all through my primary school and secondary school years, it seemed to me arts and science are rivalry. They were separated into two 'streams' in the school - I could only choose either Arts or Science. Arts subjects include History, Geography, Chinese History, etc., whereas Science subjects include Physics, Chemistry, Biology, etc. Since then, my world was split into two.

Until I started working in the wine industry, and being told that wines are a mix of arts and science - I realized that my world has become one again.

Although I chose the Science stream, but I have never given up Arts. I practice western calligraphy, I could stay at museum and just be there staring at an artpiece from different angles for half an hour. So, I am really glad to be immersed in the 'One World' again now - wine is like a glue that put Arts and Science together.

Tonight, I was reading some books about letters. Then I came across a word that reminded me of another subject which I was interested in some years ago. Apart from wines, that is a subject that puts Arts and Science together. It is called 'Paleography'.

It is a study of ancient writing. Somehow, it is a scientific study of an artform. It requires analytical skills and a strong sense of ordering in order to decipher and recognize the words, hence identify when the words were written.

One who is reading here may ask, who would want to know when the words were written, and why there is the need to do that. I will answer that in next piece of writing.

(To be continued)

P.S. If you want to play a little game and get a touch of what 'Paleography' is about, please visit check out the website HERE.

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/

What Life is All About? (Part II)

[continued]

I doubt suddenly because I felt quite some heartbreaking moments these days,
despite the happiness and wonderful moments shared with good friends & very special person around.

On 24th - I spent the time making the tiramisu for my friends;
25th - I had lunch with my family, then party with friends at night til late;
26th - rest after whole night drinking wines + shots (tequila, vodka, moutai) + beer with vodka;
27th - originally thought of working, but then I gave up. Instead, I went shopping for food, and did some cooking for my dear (though for sure my cooking skills need to be improved...). Plus I watched 'A Beautiful Mind' again.

28th - I am back to crazy work. All my holiday mood was completely gone. Found so many emails jammed in my mailbox after the few days of holiday - kept replying, kept thinking, kept doing work.

That's why I got the question in mind,
all the ups and downs, all the happiness and sadness, all the holiday & work led me to the question:
'What Life is All About?' -- 'What Living is All About?'

Keep working, keep loving, keep repeating,
keep seeing people come and go,
keep experiencing life and death,
keep smiling, keep crying,
keep jumping, keep yelling,
keep reading, keep writing
keep drinking, keep getting drunk,
keep exercising, keep eating.

No clue - simply no clue, no answer.
Or a mix of the above is actually the 'answer'?

Right, so...
'(Why bother) What Life is All About?' -- '(Who cares) What Living is All About?'

Just keep going - work well with passion, love well with heart, live well with our souls. Then no matter what life is all about, no bother.

What Life is All About? (Part I)

I doubt. Suddenly I was in doubt - what life is all about?
Or, should I rephrase it as 'what living is all about?'

There are people spending millions or billions of dollars for the super expensive hobbies,
there are people on the street, begging for just a few dollars to survive.

There are people starving somewhere out there in the world,
there are people wasting the food out there just because the food doesn't taste 'good'.

There are people fighting for life in hospital,
there are people killing themselves for not being happy.

There are people getting drunk everyday, simply to 'escape from reality',
there are people working hard to fight on and keep themselves going in reality.

There are people asking 'why the bad things always happen on me?',
there are people asking 'why I have to recall the bad things all the time? No worries, be happy!'.

There are always different thoughts about life, and about living.
Some people may have never thought of that, because they simply live the life,
yet, there are some people (perhaps like me) always thinking the meaning behind
almost everything including life & living.

I didn't mean to have myself trapped in there and keep thinking,
bet I learnt the way out already.
I also didn't mean to be just thinking, not acting, and not living my life at the fullest.
Yet, thinking sometimes could help us redefine our goal in life, who we are, and
where we are heading to.
Without thinking from deep inside, I felt like I am just a machine, a gadget,
not a human being with heart and soul.

Once there was program failure, or not enough battery,
the machine, the gadget would simply be DEAD, relying on someone to help.
Only if we are one with heart and soul, and dare to spend time thinking,
not playing around on the internet without talking to anyone at all,
then we are ALIVE!

So here comes the question of the day at this late hour,
'What life is all about?' -- 'What living is all about?'

[to be continued]

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.

Per Caritatem Ad Veritatem/ Through Charity to Truth

EXCERPT FROM THE SPEECH BY SCHOOLMISTRESS AT THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF MY SECONDARY SCHOOL:

"We do not acquire our strengths without effort and example. Rosian [that is how students at my school were called] strengths are formed by daily good habits fostered early in life during our formative years at school and consolidated by our teachers.

Yet, to some extent, the school epoch has been influenced by the rapid changes in our universe. This is inevitable. People have become more self-centred, less appreciative of what they have, taking life for granted and working only for material betterment. Therefore, we Rosians have a duty to make our Rosian strengths better known in order to counteract the current trend which is so detrimental to our future.

Notwithstanding our strengths, I find there are two characteristics that we need to work harder to achieve. The first is that we need to be more outward bound. Let me explain. As I have mentioned, Rosians are hard-working. However, as hard workers we seem to look only at the work at hand and often lack the spur of dynamism of forward thrust which is one of the main characteristics of the modern age. We need to widen our perspective and become more 'aggressive' in life, as a Rosian once said to me. Personally, I prefer to use the word 'progressive' in our approach to life.

In life, we need to make progress, to look forward and to be ready to assume responsibilities, without waiting for people to tell us. In simple words, we need to be leaders. Among Rosians who are still studying, we need to take an aggressive approach to boost our knowledge. In school, we should not wait for our teachers to spoonfeed us. Instead, we should look for knowledge and for ways to make progress in our studies. IN life, we need to look for ways to serve the society and for ways to learn how to do things."



***
That was what guided me through my childhood years... well... Looking back now, seems that my 'values about life' indeed came from the above. Perhaps that's the power of education in childhood years... take care all the kids around you - they are the future!

What if I'll be losing you...

"What if I'll be losing you?"

That has been a question in mind recently.
I couldn't stop thinking of that,
just because I feel so close towards you.
Perhaps too close that I feel like I should step back,
and get a bit away from you.

I know, if I get too close to someone,
I will be madly into that person.

I know, if I keep a distance there,
I feel comfortable that we'll stay close forever indeed.

I don't know, if I keep too far away from you,
whether I would still be happy or not though.
That's because for sure,
I'll be losing you one day.
You will be away.

I don't know, if I really pull myself real close to you,
what would be next, or how it would be if someday,
I'm losing you......

Anyway,
I am sure that I got to stop thinking of this.
Enjoying the moments should be more important -
no matter if I could stay close to you,
or if I decided to keep the distance from you,
or you'll really be going away one day.

What if I'll be losing you?
It no longer matters, because I had enjoyed the moments.
That would be lasting forever, even if I will be really losing you.

I want to be with you (end)

It has been quite some time since we had the chat at the coffee shop.
Right - I still recalled the first time we caught sight of each other,
and all the happy time we've been through.

THAT first sight seemed to be saying, 'I want to be with you'.
Even until now,
the feeling of 'I want to be with you' is still so strong.

I know that's in you, that's in me too.
Yet, I am quite sure that this kind of 'being with you'
doesn't mean that we wanted to be staying together like a couple.

Probably we know ourselves really well,
and we know each other too well.
We know also very well that we are not the ONE for each other.

We really treasure the time we stayed together,
happiness, sometimes silence, sometimes sadness,
we could share everything, anything we could.

Perhaps when we love someone,
we treasure the time we have together and
what we can do for each other.
It doesn't really matter the way we stay with each other.

As long as we know each other is doing well,
it's already the way to say 'I want to be with you, FOREVER'.

I want to be with you (1)

I forgot when I first met you,
it seemed to be even before I was born.

All I remembered - I saw you there coming up from the escalator
in front of me, while I was reading at coffee shop.

Not knowing how it happened,
we caught sight of each other, and we smiled to each other.

Then you walked pass me, and I continued reading there.

***
Few days later, I was reading there again.
The same spot.

There you came up from the escalator,
and we saw each other again.
Just like the first time.

I bet you were not that busy this day.
You came up to me and took the empty seat in front of me,
without asking whether anyone was taking that seat.

I didn't know who you were, you didn't know who I was either.
Yet, we said HELLO and started chatting there.

From the book I was reading, the book you were reading;
then what I studied, what you studied;
where you have been to, where I was going around some years ago;
what you were working at, and what's my job.

We kept chatting, until a few hours later - it was getting dark.

***
Since this day, we kept in touch with each other.
Sometimes, we chatted over the phone.
Sometimes, we texted each other.
Sometimes, we met up for a round.
Sometimes, we just got together without saying a word to each other,
just enjoyed the silence.

(to be continued)