Guitar Lessons

After a mild hic-cup with Yamaha - they kept delaying the start of lessons. The 4th time in a row they pushed out the start, I asked for my $ back.

Went to Kawai - across the street from my place. Incidentally I first checked them out, but somehow assumed Yamaha would be more professional.

The good thing about Kawai, other than distance is that it's 1-on-1 coaching. Considering I'm a complete neophyte, perhaps it's a better thing. I had this mental picture of a sweet mild patient young lady teacher.

Instead this guy in a black leather jacket carrying a coffee - with a bad ass attitude to boot. Like a rocker! And he went on to waste most of the lessons impressing me with riffs from all genres. He likes bluegrass a lot - but I have this distaste for anything cowboy right now :(

He's pretty good and eventually we got to playing some. My rockclimber fingers - which I assumed would be strong, actually aren't! I can't stretch them out far apart enough. He also said I need to practise at least half to an hour daily. Gah!

It was interesting.

It's dark out...

Sometime ago, 2007, in Singapore HP office, end of work day

Felicia - "oo, it's dark out, time to go home"

Singapore co-worker - "don't be ridiculous, turn your headlights on when you drive home"

Today, Mar 17 2008, Taiwan HP office, end of work day

Felicia - "oo, it's dark out, time to go home"

Taiwan co-worker - "don't be ridiculous, it's only 6pm"

As you can see, when it gets dark out, it doesn't necesarily mean time to go home.

Speaking of it being dark out, I was pretty bumped out last 2 weeks. Skipped all exercise, dinners out... stayed home and watched TV and pretty much convinced myself into depression.

Til Karine's realism... she is right - every job has it's ups and downs. And I realised how silly I was. I've forgotten to count my blessings.

Slowly snapped out of it this weekend. Went climbing and then to watch Taiwan's Bike Expo on Saturday (touched and felt all those super expensive racers).

Sunday morning I woke up earlier to watch the last stage of the Tour de Taiwan before going to 10.30mass at St John Bosco's. A deadly combination - speed, muscles and hunks :) I like!

And I have 1 more friend in Taiwan now - Kuansie officially moved over this weekend. And... now I can gatecrash the Far East Shangrila's gym. My muscles are still sore from yesterday - legs and arms from exertion and stomach from overeating at the eat-all-you-can mala hotpot place with Kuansie.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

Yesterday's Responsorial Psalm 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6 was a much needed balm. Oh when will Lent end?

Even though I walk in the dark valley I fear no evil; for you are at my side.
The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
In verdant pastures he gives me repose;
Beside restful waters he leads me;he refreshes my soul.

He guides me in right pathsfor his name’s sake.
Even though I walk in the dark valley
I fear no evil; for you are at my side
With your rod and your staff
that give me courage.

You spread the table before mein the sight of my foes;
You anoint my head with oil;my cup overflows.

Only goodness and kindness follow me
all the days of my life;
And I shall dwell in the house of the LORD
for years to come.

Beware the Ides of March

I need a holiday...

The PH level in the office is getting to me... People here are way to acidic for me.

I wonder if it's because it's predominately a pre-merger Compaq organisation. A lot of folks here are long time Compaq employees, some have worked for Compaq all their lives. So this organisation is very very Compaq, with Compaq processes and with long serving Compaq employees. In fact, many still talk about Compaq like it's who they still work for. Truth is, HP bought Compaq - Compaq as a company should be defunct. But the Compaq culture remains strong. And its a very different culture from HP. It is more individualistic, aggressive work culture - almost bothering on hostility.

Or is it cos I am dealing with Texans. The cowboy 'fight-em-all', 'shoot-em-up', 'draw!' mentality is so ingrained that everything's a fight with them. There's verbals fights, there's email fights, there's conference call fights, there's face-to-face fights... At the end of a fight, when my colleagues sit back and say with pride and contentment - 'oh that was a good fight'...
This is way too unprofessional for me.

Or perhaps this is a personal Lenten challenge : remain positive, be a change catalyst.

Or, give up & find a new job, or perhaps return to cPC.

Beware the Ides of March, beware the devils within us all.

Bjork in support of Tibet

The Associated Press
Friday, March 7, 2008
SHANGHAI, China: China will be stricter on foreign performers after Icelandic singer Bjork shouted "Tibet! Tibet!" at the end of her concert in Shanghai this week, the government said Friday.
A statement by China's Culture Ministry said Bjork's outburst "broke Chinese law and hurt Chinese people's feelings."
Bjork shouted "Tibet!" after a passionate performance of her song "Declare Independence" on Sunday. The outburst drew rare public attention inside China to Beijing's often harsh rule over the Himalayan region.
The statement, posted on the Culture Ministry's Web site, also said "there is no country that admits that Tibet is an 'independent country.'"
Bjork has performed the song to support other independence movements in the past. She dedicated the song to Kosovo while performing last month in Japan. The lyrics include the phrase "Raise your flag!"
China's 58-year rule over Tibet has drawn frequent condemnation from foreign governments and activists, often inciting a prickly nationalism among the Chinese government and ordinary people. Many Tibetans consider the exiled Buddhist spiritual leader the Dalai Lama as their rightful leader.
Copyright © 2008 The International Herald Tribune www.iht.com

Living in Taiwan which China views as a thorny renegade province, there're some parallels to Tibet. Except China has not invaded by force... yet...

The Lord's faithfulness

Yesterday's reading was so moving... esp the last 2 verses. I had to re-read a few more times.

Isaiah 49:8-15

Thus says the LORD:
In a time of favor I answer you,
on the day of salvation I help you;
and I have kept you and given you as a covenant to the people,
To restore the land
and allot the desolate heritages,
Saying to the prisoners: Come out!
To those in darkness: Show yourselves!
Along the ways they shall find pasture,
on every bare height shall their pastures be.
They shall not hunger or thirst,
nor shall the scorching wind or the sun strike them;
For he who pities them leads them
and guides them beside springs of water.
I will cut a road through all my mountains,
and make my highways level.
See, some shall come from afar,
others from the north and the west,
and some from the land of Syene.
Sing out, O heavens, and rejoice, O earth,
break forth into song, you mountains.
For the LORD comforts his people
and shows mercy to his afflicted.

But Zion said, “The LORD has forsaken me;
my Lord has forgotten me.”
Can a mother forget her infant,
be without tenderness for the child of her womb?
Even should she forget,
I will never forget you.

Best Asian expat city - Singapore

From the Taipei Times today, the best asian city according to expats is, Singapore!

And Taipei ranks no. 6 within Asian cities, no mention of what the rank is within global cities.

Majula Singapura!

Day Tour to Yeliu & Junming Museum

Garin & I had wanted to do this tour for a long time. Since Kim and her friend were here, we all went as a 4-some.

Yeliu are rocky outcrop carved out by erosion - the most famed of which is called Queen's Head.

The weather was perfect even the no. of tourists couldn't marr it - we kept getting swamped by the China & Korea contingents...

Next was the Junming Museum. But enroute, we managed to persuade the driver to take us to Teresa Teng's tomb. I have no idea why I wanted to go, guess cos it's nearby and on my tourist guide book :)

Junming is a pretty famous sculptor. When u see his works, then it all looks so familiar. We've had his stuff displayed all over back home. But he really blew me away especially with his wood works. Real creative guy and very very prolific. His works span the whole mountainside, from metal to bronze to stone to wood... I was really impressed.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8062670@N07/sets/72157604018796581/

Was a great tour! Worth every last $. Thank you e-go tour and Garin for making all the arrangements and bookings.

I'm also relieved to have my apartment back to myself.