12月 20, 2006

高尚職業

What do I really want to get from my career?

This question has been on my mind for the longest time. Every time when I was asked the same question, I reply in a heartbeat saying "A job that can help ohters".

But then, I came across this article recently, and it's pretty paradoxically interesting.

Whether a job is 高尚 or not, it all depends on the person. As long as you're excelling in your position and finish a job well done, you're contriuting to this society.

In the end, all services come with a price.

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12月 17, 2006

蘊味深長

I just don't understand why: the recent 告別 albums are done really good. Previously we had 自然捲's, and now comes 楊千嬅's!

The last album of Miriam 《Unlimited》 really stands out, and apparently she's a lot matured in this album.

Here's my pick of the best:

《她成功了他沒有》( 試聽/歌詞 ) is a sad story that talks about a then good-matched couple has to break up because of their different dreams about life.

「青春理想失去不意外...」
「為了錢 手裡沒餘錢...」

《大傻》( 歌詞/KV ) is a totally opposite story! The couple sticks to each other even though their dream goes astray.

It also is my favorite. It could be that the MV is somewhat related my to dream :-) Well, hopefully I don't need to close the store in the end--if I do have one in the future. But even so, it's not the end of the world! 辛苦不算醜!

This song also gives me insight about the recent power outage--yes, it'll be the fourth night I sleep wihtout power tonight. Last night was REALLY chilly. All my fish died already in the morning, and Sassy (my cat) and I were sleeping together trying to keep each other in warmth. When I woke up early in the morning, I felt like I'm living in a forest. Huge chilly forest.

But then I think, hey, the power is just out for a few days, but my house hasn't been damaged, and I'm still alive that I can enjoy Christmas and New Year (and more kakaka).

「我們還有 手仍能拖 (acutally not yet) 夢仍能造 眼仍能看 心仍能開
我們還有 嘴仍能親 (same here :) 事仍能做 戲仍能看 歌仍能聽 天涯陪著走!」

「誰都想很富有 誰都不必富有...」



生有限、活無限!

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12月 16, 2006

home sweet home

It's the first time I indulged myself in the office so much that I call it home! Sadly, it happens in times like this--there are still 320,000 households served by my energy company living in darkness over this chilly weekend (26F/-3C')!

One thing I'm touched though, is that there are many people who do have power at home calling on to the radio station saying that they can open their place as a shelter to those who are in need.

And thanks to my power-ful friends who extended thier offer saying that I can stay at their place :-)

And thanks for treating me dinner :-) I wish you the best whereever you go!

***
The Devil Wears Prada》is a good one! I don't know if the editor of American 《Vogue》is like that or not, but one thing I'm sure--Andy Sachs looks a lot better after she puts on the big name skirts, shoes (Jimmy Choo!), hand bags, and all those accessories.

A good reminder was from another change of Andrea. She used to say "I have no choice." since she was such a "good" employee that she fulfilled the Devil's every unreasonable request. She gained trust (but not appreciation) from her boss, but lost friendship, her boyfriend, and herself. And in every single setback in her life because of work, she found her execuse by saying "I've no choice". But then the Devil once said to her, "You're not no choice, and that's your choice." Finally Andrea knew what she should go after in her life, so she quit her job.

We do have a choice. We all have to choose.

***

Photoshop CS3 Beta is available for download, which is supposed to work better under Mac Intel system. Hopefully it's worth the wait!

Here's an overview of the new features.

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12月 14, 2006

(巴黎有) 摩天輪

If there isn't, create one!

***

Thanks for your insight! Institut Paul Bocuse is a dream next to impoosible, but that could as well open up a lot of opportunities.

***

Finally I got a chance trying out Lynn's Bistro. I heard a lot of good things about it, and was always curious about the food.

Apparently this is a small restaurant full of a lot of group dinners. We waited for an hour before we can be staged on a small table, served with bread (since we're complaining about the long wait and we're all starving).

The food turned out pretty good. I ordered one of their signature dish--crab cake, which was made with chunks of dungeness crab meat. A little bit try, and the lobster sauce wasn't generous enough. Also it's a little bit too salty and too rich to my taste. 評分:75

We also ordered their anotehr signature dish--French onion soup. Apparently this is one of the most famous dishes, since one of the tables ordred it at the end of their dinner! The thick bread soaked up hot and sweet onion soup, topped with a generous layer of well baked gourmet cheese. It's the best to try in this cold weather! 評分:85

The Owner and the Chef is a very friendly person. Since we (well, especially I) were curious enough she told us her culinary life:

She worked in the jewelry industry backed when she was in Vietnam. She then moved to Seattle and spent four years working as an apprentice in a local restaurant. She then flew to Houston, trying to get a job in restaurant. Unfortunately she was looked down pretty bad and wasn't able to get any.

One of the restaurant owners said that she didn't have any certificate, so no one would trust on her. So she flew to New York City, studied in French Culinary Institute, one of the best culinary schools where you can get a certificate in six months.

She then got a job in NYC, being paid $80K a year working as a chef, and those were the days in 80's.

She went back to Seattle, and was hooked up with some French businessman who wanted to hire her in the then unopened W Hotel--for merely $8/hour!

Well, of course, she is now the owner of her own restaurant that has been running for six years.

I asked if she would recommend people (like me) going into the industry. She answered without a thought, "Don't!"

Well, I asked the same question to every chef I met in the past (well, around four now). And every one of them gave the same answer--except Chef Christian, the executive chef at PICA :-)

Oh well, Chef Christian acutally did tell me the bad side of working in the kitchen, and he just can't say no to a person questing for a culinary school, right?

Anyway, thanks for much for the dinner. I got a lot more than the food--meeting Lynn, and had a great fellowship. I will sit on your suggestions!

After all, spending 5 years learning how to cook and get an MBA seems to be attractive.

***

Hope you'll get the paper done soon! I also want to know more about your profession :-)

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12月 11, 2006

多背一公斤自然捲



According to some numbers, there were 120.29 million inbound travelers going to China in 2006. How powerful it would be if all of them supported this organization!

***
自然捲 is going to break up... how unfortunate. Hopefully 娃娃 will have her throat healed up soon that they can bring more good new songs again soon.

They have the last album released recently, which I haven't had a chance to listen to it. But their previous album 《大捲包小卷》- 自然捲《C’est La Vie vol.2》 was pretty good. Very natural, very comfortable. Their lyric is lovely, and the melody 動人心弦.

Especially this one.

答應要一個人生活 有沒有把握 不會淚流
答應要一個人走 有沒有把握 無論多久 心還是熱的


Although at some stage in life it canhttp://beta.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif be unavoidably lonely, never give up the right to stay passionate about it! And not to mention that I'm not all alone--He is here with me!

答應要

詞.曲:奇哥

答應自己學會燙衣服
答應自己學會煮咖啡
答應自己一個人看電影
哭著笑著睡著了

答應自己學會坐公車
答應自己一個人吃晚餐
打包行李 要去旅行
呼吸一點新鮮空氣

這樣的日子 有多久了
影印一樣 反覆不停的複製著
這樣的日子 還要多久
像在沙漠上面奔跑 沒有盡頭

答應要一個人生活 有沒有把握
不會淚流
答應要一個人走 有沒有把握
無論多久 心還是熱的

搬家》is another song I like:

Are we moving moving moving
To a place with free
Are we moving moving moving
To a place wihtout lonely
I wish


I am moving to that place...

我相信。

***

Thanks for the shrimp chips and the soup. I've already finished half of it! Yum!!

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