I woke up late this Sunday, it was terrible since I was due to be installed (as in prayed over formally) during Sunday mass! 10.30am mass and I opened my eyes and my alarm clock read 10.30am!!
I got dressed in 10mins and was in church at 11am, just in time for the Eucharist part of mass..
That's when I realised, we're into first week of Advent. Yay!
Someone at work had given me tickets to an exhibition at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum by Cai Guoqiang. Pretty interesting and definitely better quality than the mock art pretentious stuff previously there. But whoa, the guy's violent. And I found it hard to stomach since mass was all about love, peace and joy in Advent.
Went home for a nap before a Chilli's dinner with Garin and Vinny.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Happy Advent to everyone!
Ecclesiastes
Chapter 3:1 to 8
There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Chapter 3:1 to 8
There is an appointed time for everything, and a time for every affair under the heavens.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to uproot the plant.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to tear down, and a time to build.
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; a time to embrace, and a time to be far from embraces.
A time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away.
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to be silent, and a time to speak.
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Palau - here I come!
My 2nd trip to Palau!
This time I have camera!
Can't wait for a break from the depression at work. My supervisor told me that I won't be getting a pay increment nor any bonus and this has affected my motivation at work bad.
This time I have camera!
Can't wait for a break from the depression at work. My supervisor told me that I won't be getting a pay increment nor any bonus and this has affected my motivation at work bad.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Can I please get a good night's sleep?
Saturday night I couldn't sleep well cos my ab muscles were killing me...
Sunday night I was woken up by what I thought was an earthquake - had to confirm later with a co-worker that I didn't just dreamed it. It was actually a 4.9 earthquake, epicenter off Yilan.
Tonight I will sleep like a pig! As soon as I get off this long draggy conference call...
zzz
Sunday night I was woken up by what I thought was an earthquake - had to confirm later with a co-worker that I didn't just dreamed it. It was actually a 4.9 earthquake, epicenter off Yilan.
Tonight I will sleep like a pig! As soon as I get off this long draggy conference call...
zzz
Never cede a century to a country that censors Google
Great article in the New York Times.
Advice From Grandma
Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Thomas L. Friedman
Why not? It has to do with the fact that we are moving into a hyperintegrated world in which all aspects of production — raw materials, design, manufacturing, distribution, fulfillment, financing and branding — have become commodities that can be accessed from anywhere by anyone. But there are still two really important things that can’t be commoditized. Fortunately, America still has one of them: imagination.
What your citizens imagine now matters more than ever because they can act on their own imaginations farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before — as individuals. In such a world, societies that can nurture people with the ability to imagine and spin off new ideas will thrive. The Apple iPod may be made in China, but it was dreamed up in America, and that’s where most of the profits go. America — with its open, free, no-limits, immigrant-friendly society — is still the world’s greatest dream machine.
Who would cede a century in which imagination will have such a high value to an authoritarian society that controls its Internet and jails political prisoners? Remember what Grandma used to say: Never cede a century to a country that censors Google.
But while our culture of imagination is still vibrant, the other critical factor that still differentiates countries today — and is not a commodity — is good governance, which can harness creativity. And that we may be losing. I am talking about the ability of a society’s leaders to think long term, address their problems with the optimal legislation and attract capable people into government. What I increasingly fear today is that America is only able to produce “suboptimal” responses to its biggest problems — education, debt, financial regulation, health care, energy and environment.
Why? Because at least six things have come together to fracture our public space and paralyze our ability to forge optimal solutions: 1) Money in politics has become so pervasive that lawmakers have to spend most of their time raising it, selling their souls to those who have it or defending themselves from the smallest interest groups with deep pockets that can trump the national interest.
2) The gerrymandering of political districts means politicians of each party can now choose their own voters and never have to appeal to the center.
3) The cable TV culture encourages shouting and segregating people into their own political echo chambers.
4) A permanent presidential campaign leaves little time for governing.
5) The Internet, which, at its best, provides a check on elites and establishments and opens the way for new voices and, which, at its worst provides a home for every extreme view and spawns digital lynch mobs from across the political spectrum that attack anyone who departs from their specific orthodoxy.
6) A U.S. business community that has become so globalized that it only comes to Washington to lobby for its own narrow interests; it rarely speaks out anymore in defense of national issues like health care, education and open markets.
These six factors are pushing our system, which was designed to have divided powers and to force compromises, into the realm of paralysis. To get anything big done now, we have to generate so many compromises — couched in 1,000-plus-page bills — with so many different interest groups that the solutions are totally suboptimal. We just get the sum of all interest groups.
The miniversion of this is California, which, as others have noted, is becoming America’s biggest “failed state.” Californians had hoped they could overcome their dysfunctional system by electing an outsider, a former movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger. He would slay the system, like the Terminator. But he couldn’t.
Mr. Obama was elected for similar reasons. People had hoped that his unique story, personality and speaking skills could bring the country together, overcome paralysis and deliver nation-building at home. A lot of the disappointment settling in among Obama voters today is prompted by their dawning realization that maybe, like Arnold, he can’t.
China’s leaders, using authoritarian means, still can. They don’t have to always settle for suboptimal. So what do we do?
The standard answer is that we need better leaders. The real answer is that we need better citizens. We need citizens who will convey to their leaders that they are ready to sacrifice, even pay, yes, higher taxes, and will not punish politicians who ask them to do the hard things. Otherwise, folks, we’re in trouble. A great power that can only produce suboptimal responses to its biggest challenges will, in time, fade from being a great power — no matter how much imagination it generates.
Grandma said that, too.
Advice From Grandma
Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times
Thomas L. Friedman
Why not? It has to do with the fact that we are moving into a hyperintegrated world in which all aspects of production — raw materials, design, manufacturing, distribution, fulfillment, financing and branding — have become commodities that can be accessed from anywhere by anyone. But there are still two really important things that can’t be commoditized. Fortunately, America still has one of them: imagination.
What your citizens imagine now matters more than ever because they can act on their own imaginations farther, faster, deeper and cheaper than ever before — as individuals. In such a world, societies that can nurture people with the ability to imagine and spin off new ideas will thrive. The Apple iPod may be made in China, but it was dreamed up in America, and that’s where most of the profits go. America — with its open, free, no-limits, immigrant-friendly society — is still the world’s greatest dream machine.
Who would cede a century in which imagination will have such a high value to an authoritarian society that controls its Internet and jails political prisoners? Remember what Grandma used to say: Never cede a century to a country that censors Google.
But while our culture of imagination is still vibrant, the other critical factor that still differentiates countries today — and is not a commodity — is good governance, which can harness creativity. And that we may be losing. I am talking about the ability of a society’s leaders to think long term, address their problems with the optimal legislation and attract capable people into government. What I increasingly fear today is that America is only able to produce “suboptimal” responses to its biggest problems — education, debt, financial regulation, health care, energy and environment.
Why? Because at least six things have come together to fracture our public space and paralyze our ability to forge optimal solutions: 1) Money in politics has become so pervasive that lawmakers have to spend most of their time raising it, selling their souls to those who have it or defending themselves from the smallest interest groups with deep pockets that can trump the national interest.
2) The gerrymandering of political districts means politicians of each party can now choose their own voters and never have to appeal to the center.
3) The cable TV culture encourages shouting and segregating people into their own political echo chambers.
4) A permanent presidential campaign leaves little time for governing.
5) The Internet, which, at its best, provides a check on elites and establishments and opens the way for new voices and, which, at its worst provides a home for every extreme view and spawns digital lynch mobs from across the political spectrum that attack anyone who departs from their specific orthodoxy.
6) A U.S. business community that has become so globalized that it only comes to Washington to lobby for its own narrow interests; it rarely speaks out anymore in defense of national issues like health care, education and open markets.
These six factors are pushing our system, which was designed to have divided powers and to force compromises, into the realm of paralysis. To get anything big done now, we have to generate so many compromises — couched in 1,000-plus-page bills — with so many different interest groups that the solutions are totally suboptimal. We just get the sum of all interest groups.
The miniversion of this is California, which, as others have noted, is becoming America’s biggest “failed state.” Californians had hoped they could overcome their dysfunctional system by electing an outsider, a former movie star, Arnold Schwarzenegger. He would slay the system, like the Terminator. But he couldn’t.
Mr. Obama was elected for similar reasons. People had hoped that his unique story, personality and speaking skills could bring the country together, overcome paralysis and deliver nation-building at home. A lot of the disappointment settling in among Obama voters today is prompted by their dawning realization that maybe, like Arnold, he can’t.
China’s leaders, using authoritarian means, still can. They don’t have to always settle for suboptimal. So what do we do?
The standard answer is that we need better leaders. The real answer is that we need better citizens. We need citizens who will convey to their leaders that they are ready to sacrifice, even pay, yes, higher taxes, and will not punish politicians who ask them to do the hard things. Otherwise, folks, we’re in trouble. A great power that can only produce suboptimal responses to its biggest challenges will, in time, fade from being a great power — no matter how much imagination it generates.
Grandma said that, too.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
My abs hurt...
Tried this supposedly easy route on Saturday, under the overhang, you stretch out your right hand above the overhang while you're way over on the left side under the overhang, control the swing out, then without a foothole, somehow reach out above and over.
Now my problem was every time I cut loose, the swing out impact due to my big fat butts is so great that it'll pop my left hand. Repeat this a few times of flying out and forcing abs with a big grunt to put feet back on wall to smear a little and then reach up and over...
Tadah - wake up on Sunday with painful abs. It's not even that I did this many times, I tried that fall/stick back/fall/stick back routine perhaps 5 times before quitting...
I will be back. Damn that route, and ow ow my abs sure hurt.
Now my problem was every time I cut loose, the swing out impact due to my big fat butts is so great that it'll pop my left hand. Repeat this a few times of flying out and forcing abs with a big grunt to put feet back on wall to smear a little and then reach up and over...
Tadah - wake up on Sunday with painful abs. It's not even that I did this many times, I tried that fall/stick back/fall/stick back routine perhaps 5 times before quitting...
I will be back. Damn that route, and ow ow my abs sure hurt.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Switchable voltage on a hairdryer
Many years go, I exchange my Esso points for a travel hair-dryer thinking it would please my mom. It didn't. She thought it too small.
So when I moved to Taipei some 2 years ago, I took it along (it was in cold storage anyways). First time I used it here, it was on such low power it was barely spitting out any air. I concluded then, that for a travel model, it doesn't switch voltages and that Philips (the maker of it) sux. Woe to the poor friends who visited and stayed with me and tried to coax it to work...
Now fast forward to last week, I had taken a shower at the rock gym at Wanghua. And the folks there are so nice, they passed me a hair-dryer - similar to what I had but old model. As I was using it, I noticed this knob that says "voltage - 110 / 220" and you can switch between the 2.
A lightbulb went off in my head.
I went home and true enough, I had the same knob but in dark plastic so that it totally obscured itself within the handle *slap forehead*
I pronounce myself : woman with working hair-dryer.
So when I moved to Taipei some 2 years ago, I took it along (it was in cold storage anyways). First time I used it here, it was on such low power it was barely spitting out any air. I concluded then, that for a travel model, it doesn't switch voltages and that Philips (the maker of it) sux. Woe to the poor friends who visited and stayed with me and tried to coax it to work...
Now fast forward to last week, I had taken a shower at the rock gym at Wanghua. And the folks there are so nice, they passed me a hair-dryer - similar to what I had but old model. As I was using it, I noticed this knob that says "voltage - 110 / 220" and you can switch between the 2.
A lightbulb went off in my head.
I went home and true enough, I had the same knob but in dark plastic so that it totally obscured itself within the handle *slap forehead*
I pronounce myself : woman with working hair-dryer.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Melancholy
Birthdays never used to bother me, I hated the fuss and always felt that it was just another day to me - big, fat, hairy deal.
And growing another year older never made a difference to me.
Until now.
As I approach the big 4-0.
Suddenly, I'm depressed. I've been depressed since November began.
Thankfully, there are comforting/uplifting videos -
And growing another year older never made a difference to me.
Until now.
As I approach the big 4-0.
Suddenly, I'm depressed. I've been depressed since November began.
Thankfully, there are comforting/uplifting videos -
Monday, November 16, 2009
Last Sunday of ordinary time for this year
I attended mass at Holy Family to get an earlier start to the day and was rewarded with a good sermon.
The Jesuit priest talked about this Sunday being the last sunday of ordinary time in the liturgical year and about how to take stock of this year now that we're almost to the end of it. Based on the Ignatian spirituality exercises, he suggests doing this 3 :
1. give thanks for all the blessings you've had this year
2. say sorry for all the wrongs you've done
3. how else can you provide more, give of more.
Very inspiring, I need to give this more thought.
The Jesuit priest talked about this Sunday being the last sunday of ordinary time in the liturgical year and about how to take stock of this year now that we're almost to the end of it. Based on the Ignatian spirituality exercises, he suggests doing this 3 :
1. give thanks for all the blessings you've had this year
2. say sorry for all the wrongs you've done
3. how else can you provide more, give of more.
Very inspiring, I need to give this more thought.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
the politics of taiwan
I think most non-Taiwanese people looking into Taiwan's political scene would find themselves being more sympathetic towards the current ruling party - the KMT. For the simple reason, they appear to speak better/sound more intelligent, have better accents (at least not heavily accented Hokkien sounding peasants).
My colleague had a friend who's a DPP activist and well educated. She helped me setup a lunch with him and he explained the DPP's cause and a little of their history. Mostly he explained why Taiwanese are so emotional about the DPP and it's always said that the DPP loves Taiwan more.
For one hour, Harry spoke non-stop, with such intensity I didn't dare argue with him. He presented to me, in that 1 hour, a whole lot more intelligence and compelling reason why the DPP is such a popular party, especially in the south. The KMT's biggest supporters are in the city, and most Taipei.
Most of it is historical baggage I feel. From the KMT's earlier discrimatory preference for the Nationalist army and their family, whom the KMT rulers felt gave up everything they had for the ROC's cause (Republic of China) - the same party founded by Sun Yat Sen. Who is viewed as the founding father of Taiwan.
The DPP however, views Taiwan as home, unlike the KMT who up until recently, viewed Taiwan as its temporary home, all things China are cool, all things Taiwanese are well, temporary and of a lower importance.
And for this reason, most in Taiwan feel that the DPP genuinely loves Taiwan (爱台湾), a very common refrain.
While I think Harry's an idealist and that in reality the KMT no longer harbours any notions of reuniting with China, there's a lot of emotions still. Worse, these emotions are borne of war, up to as recently as the 1950s, communist China was still lobbing bombs towards Taiwan, and people remember, all too vividly.
So now I know why Taiwanese politics is so melodramatic.
My colleague had a friend who's a DPP activist and well educated. She helped me setup a lunch with him and he explained the DPP's cause and a little of their history. Mostly he explained why Taiwanese are so emotional about the DPP and it's always said that the DPP loves Taiwan more.
For one hour, Harry spoke non-stop, with such intensity I didn't dare argue with him. He presented to me, in that 1 hour, a whole lot more intelligence and compelling reason why the DPP is such a popular party, especially in the south. The KMT's biggest supporters are in the city, and most Taipei.
Most of it is historical baggage I feel. From the KMT's earlier discrimatory preference for the Nationalist army and their family, whom the KMT rulers felt gave up everything they had for the ROC's cause (Republic of China) - the same party founded by Sun Yat Sen. Who is viewed as the founding father of Taiwan.
The DPP however, views Taiwan as home, unlike the KMT who up until recently, viewed Taiwan as its temporary home, all things China are cool, all things Taiwanese are well, temporary and of a lower importance.
And for this reason, most in Taiwan feel that the DPP genuinely loves Taiwan (爱台湾), a very common refrain.
While I think Harry's an idealist and that in reality the KMT no longer harbours any notions of reuniting with China, there's a lot of emotions still. Worse, these emotions are borne of war, up to as recently as the 1950s, communist China was still lobbing bombs towards Taiwan, and people remember, all too vividly.
So now I know why Taiwanese politics is so melodramatic.
Monday, November 09, 2009
Fireworks!
Emily bought a place and she was supposed to collect her keys on Saturday. I went with her and we conducted an OOBE (out of box experience) on the apartment. I know, that's normally what we do, a marketing audit on our notebook PCs at the factory. Ditto apartment, we had a list and went down the list, e.g. check floors, check no scratches and panels are aligned.. yeah, it was really detailed. We were super anal and proudly so.
As you can tell, product managers are very detailed people :)
The whole affair took 2 hours and a cracked floor tile meant that they had to replace it another time, so the apartment is still with the developers.
After that I went to Wanghua gym to climb. I thought I'll be tired after the OOBE, but actually I climbed pretty well. By the time I was done, it was 8pm, time to grab a bite and home right? I offered to watch the gym for a bit while the gym owner (who is a very nice guy and belays me patiently when he really doesn't have to, since everyone comes in pairs but for lonely felicia), so that Ah Jing can go grab dinner. He felt bad and so just packed dinner back, and was back so quick. He told me that the fireworks were about to start, if I wanted to watch it. I was like, eh? Seems like Saturday was Taipei Fireworks Festival Day. Well.. and the display was going to be over the Danshui river, which was, yeah, right by the gym!
Sure, I grabbed my camera (for doing OOBE earlier, how convenient) and we climbed to the roof, climbed up the water tower and lying there on it, I got to video most of the display. It was simply magical. Now if only I weren't lonely Felicia, and if only I got to watch it with someone I loved. Sigh...
As you can tell, product managers are very detailed people :)
The whole affair took 2 hours and a cracked floor tile meant that they had to replace it another time, so the apartment is still with the developers.
After that I went to Wanghua gym to climb. I thought I'll be tired after the OOBE, but actually I climbed pretty well. By the time I was done, it was 8pm, time to grab a bite and home right? I offered to watch the gym for a bit while the gym owner (who is a very nice guy and belays me patiently when he really doesn't have to, since everyone comes in pairs but for lonely felicia), so that Ah Jing can go grab dinner. He felt bad and so just packed dinner back, and was back so quick. He told me that the fireworks were about to start, if I wanted to watch it. I was like, eh? Seems like Saturday was Taipei Fireworks Festival Day. Well.. and the display was going to be over the Danshui river, which was, yeah, right by the gym!
Sure, I grabbed my camera (for doing OOBE earlier, how convenient) and we climbed to the roof, climbed up the water tower and lying there on it, I got to video most of the display. It was simply magical. Now if only I weren't lonely Felicia, and if only I got to watch it with someone I loved. Sigh...
Sunday, November 08, 2009
The prennial complaint - "no time"
It's about time management. We all get the same 24 hours in a day, and don't we all admire those who can make the most out of it?
It's a wimpy way out to just dismiss things with a 'no time' excuse.
If you feel it is important enough, repriortise and make things happen.
Stop wimping out or making excuses for yourself.
It's a wimpy way out to just dismiss things with a 'no time' excuse.
If you feel it is important enough, repriortise and make things happen.
Stop wimping out or making excuses for yourself.
Monday, November 02, 2009
Happy All Souls Day!
Exasperation is pouring yoghurt into tea...I wish the dairy section folks at Amart supermarket by my home will stop putting yoghurt where the milk is supposed to be!
It doesn't help matters that,
1. clearly I can't read the chinese characters too well
2. milk doesn't translate into 牛奶 in Taiwan, they use this word instead, 乳. Argh.
3. there's often a shortage of milk since June of this year. Whenever that happens, to fill the gap where milk is supposed to be, they fill up with yoghurt.
4. Yoghurt and milk are in identical 1.5litre milk cartons. *slap forehead*
Happiness on the other hand, is planning to go for mass on all souls day and actually making it. I hope all souls make it to heaven tonight - hey, it was tough, getting off my ass, overcoming that small voice that wanted to go home, relax until the late night conf call tonight.
And finally, halloween is an American thing. But nontheless, happy halloween!
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