Ouch!

Under the greenhouse effect, I'm sure this year's temperature in July will be record breaking... Argh. I'm sure I'll soon become this when I get there. I'm also worrying if Immigration will allow me to come back as my visa expires in August?? And the horrific memories of not being able to open my eyes after taking various vaccines...

Sigh, why do I always choose a difficult path??

***

I still haven't accepted the offer yet. I guess I'm still waiting to get enough adrenaline to press the button--or more seriously, I'm still trying to make sure I have unwavering conviction that this is the correct direction I should be heading to. Sometimes I wonder if I could be a successful entrepreneur, since I don't have this "Just do it" or "Bias for action" attitude (ironically, these are some of the key competences my current company is looking for, no wonder....)

Sometimes I do admire my courages friends who let go of a lot of things to follow their vocation: this friend (A) I just had dinner with tonight traded his Boxster to fund his startup; while this friend (B) volunteers full time teaching English in rual parts of China with a PhD in his CV...

What is holding me back?

代價....

沉重的代價....

見死不救吃喝拉撒的動物

Today I found out that I am accpeted by the school... I have until May 1 to accpet the offer.

I guess I still have not realized the risk of quiting my current job and entering a field of unkonwn working towards my "dreams". I was still laughing if off when poeple reminded me repeatedly that I am heading a future of no future, especially at this age in life.

Whenever I heard of these warnings, honestly, my other part of me tells me just to quit. Wouldn't it be easier for myself, and for people around me, to see my life continues as it is now? Sure, I won't get very excited staying in this field doing more or less the same job over and over until 30 years later. But does that really matter? I can earn enough to support my expensive hobbies, to continue the mortgages, and probably set up my own family easier? What do I want? Who do I think I am? You want to change the world? Forget it. With limited time, limited opportunities, and limited everything, the world won't change because of me.

*proof*

I feel like I'm giving power to these thoughts as I write them.

This song... is telling the truth to all "idiots" who don't want to follow the rules....

(白：……還沒有熟的一個果子，然後一些人就很餓，饑不擇食，然後忽然發現一個果子以後，撲上去把它摘下來吃了，一口吃下去，甚至於連嚼都沒嚼就咽下去，咽下去以後發現肚子痛，然後又苦又澀的感覺，你說他應該不應該吃，你要說不應該吃，他餓；你要說他應該吃，他吃的是個澀的、是個不可以吃的東西……)

你的踏板車要滑向哪裏
你在滑行裏快樂旋轉著
有人看著你為你祝福
我曾經和你有一樣的臉龐

如今這個廣場是我的墳墓
這個歌聲將來是你的挽歌
你會被教育成一個壞人
見死不救吃喝拉撒的動物

請你不要相信她的愛情
你看黎明還沒有來臨
請你不要相信他的關心
他的手槍正瞄準你的胸膛

如今這個廣場是我的墳墓
這個歌聲將來是你的挽歌
你會被教育成一個壞人
見死不救吃喝拉撒的動物

啦啦啦啦啦

(白：……我一直預感著有一場災難要來的，可來的太快，而且扎扎實實的就落在我頭上，是我最怕生事的人的頭上，它奪去了我最心愛的兒子……)

《廣場》 by 李志 （2006)

Courtesy of 燕窩

Didn't the students are told not to stay in the square for their parents' sake? What is the reality now? Where are those who were fighting for their dreams?

At a time like this, when I am emotionally defeated, quotes like these help a lot:

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Christopher Gardner: [to his son] You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.《The Pursuit of Happyness》

人不發夢枉少年!

****

無國界義工 has some good programs that target at rebuilding old school buildings in rural parts of China. May be one day, I could set up a cooking school there too :-)

有著落

Ha... didn't expect that there are people responding to my invitation :) We're going to try out the new Facing East Taiwanese Restaurant in Bellevue. Hopefully we'll be able to get a table!

Talking about Valentine's Day, there are a lot of people voicing out against it. Doing a Google search on "anti-valentines" you will find a lot of results :-) And the 去死去死團 from Taiwan is becoming very popular too! Well, that's pretty similar to Single Awareness Day, but more exaggerated.

I don't agree with what that 團 is doing, but do think that we need to become more aware of people around us that are singles, or in whatever way we're different. (Hum, and that reminds me of someone who complained about the lack of topics because of age differences..... I'm skeptic that age is the main reason blogging us to be close friends?)

Really like today's bible quote:
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)

Anyways, 情人節快樂!

(Oh, btw, I found my 夢中情人 today! And have printed out her picture in the digital imaging class to stress test the paper and printer :-) yeah, I'm THAT superficial....

love... is BLIND!)

***

This Kidfresh is one of the things that I would like to see myself doing in the future :-) Well, actually, I'm interested in setting up cooking classes like what they do, and hopefully that would improve relationship between parents and kids.

Oh well, this is an old idea, but that doesn't mean it can't be done innovatively...

好幸福

I think Sassy got spoiled already. She now crawls to my bed every night and has to sleep with me. When I just get into sleep, she's gotten 1/4 of the bed; but then when I wake up in the morning, I found myself having 1/4 of the space instead--and Sassy is still sticking right next to me!

Look at her, so satisfied, so enjoyed, so spoiled....

Talking about satifaction, I'm sure Ho Gor is very pleased today too, as he's started to help doing some housework--and I assigned my favorite job: bathroom cleaning. See how he looks after accomplishing such a big task!


***

After listening to your story about the trip, I have better understanding of what I should do with my career change. I'm so glad to learn that it's actually not unachievable at all--at least there are people doing it now, and in the future.

I am so excited. I know it's a long way to go, but I can't wait to start!

***

Went to Joyo.com and ordered the 《三峽好人》 VCD, only USD$4, in which ￥20 is the shipping cost :-) But still, it's a good price to our standard. 賈樟柯, 大力支持你!

他從一個貧瘠的土地來到北京之後，就認定了他的人生道路，成為一名優秀的導演。在大學期間，他觀摩了上百部的電影，同時，結識了日後在他的職業生涯中很重要的幾個伙伴。 (quoted from here)

It's not easy to find the direction in life, yet stick to it no matter what. I'm glad you did it!

Talking about movie, I have quite a few old movies I want to watch:
《Me and You and Everyone We Know》
《Match Point》
《Paradise Now》
《Paris Je t'aime》
《As It Is in Heaven》
《三億日圓極度初戀》
《死亡筆記（前篇）》
《死亡筆記：最後的名字》
《墨攻》
《傷城》

告別 2006最後一天

耶和華在滄海中開道， 在大水中開路， 耶和華如此說： 你們不要記念從前的事， 也不要思想古時的事。看哪， 我要做一件新事； 如今要發現， 你們豈不知道麼？ 我必在曠野開道路， 在沙漠開江河。(Isaiah 43:16, 18-19)

2006 was a year of rediscovering myself. Although this is a life-long process, I guess I have at least find the direction of where I should be heading.

2007 is going to be a year of risks, challenges, and living with nothing but faith.

And I'm all set.

***

Thanks for the cakes! The homemade cheesecake was YUMMY! And the greentea mousee cake was unbeatable.

And of course, the souffle and the serradura were all very good.



I look forward to trying your homemade stuffs again one day in my life!

幸福何時敲門?

《The Pursuit of Happyness》 has a plot that is pretty easy to predict--you almost know what's going to happen next even without watching the trailer or summary. However, it's still a very touching story, not to mention that Will Smith did a very good job.

And the story was just in time when I was discouraged by a recent setback during the quest for my career.

In the movie, Chris lost his wife, and almost lost his son when he's approaching the bottom of his career because of an incorrect investment. His son and Chris needed to sleep in men's room since they got expelled from a motel because of long delayed rent. After that they lived in an emergency shelter every night.

However Chris never gave up. He wanted to give the best to his 5 year old. Unfortunately he didn't know where he's heading to. And when his son asked one day, "Where are we going?", all Chris can replied was, "You gotta trust me, all right?"

"I trust you." replied his son.

It was this trust that Chris hanged on to, and he worked hardly to earn a full time position as a stock broker.

I was thinking, what would I feel if I were Chris that all I had left with was a luggage that I had to carry to work every day? May be struggling in a kitchen some where around the world trying to wait for my break? What if all the bad luck kept happening to me, and I had a family to feed?

I don't know. But I surely will need the trust and encouragement from my loved ones.

Just like in the movie, when Chris' son, who suffered together with Chris every day, said to him, "You're a good poppa." It meant a lot, I mean a whole lot, to Chris.

I need your trust.

Some quotes that hit me:

Christopher Gardner: You gotta trust me, all right?
Christopher: I trust you.
Christopher Gardner: 'Cause I'm getting a better job

Christopher Gardner: [to his son] You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period.

Christopher Gardner: Don't ever let someone tell you, you can't do something. Not even me.
Christopher Gardner: All right?
Christopher: All right.

I don't know what I'm going to choose, but in prayers I seek.

全因主的聖名，勞苦可得安靜；
行走於孤單困惑裡面有主傾聽。
全因主的聖名，愁心可得歡樂；
祈禱的必得勝，我以性命來做證！

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.

(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 :-)