Insist stubborn

When I saw this van, the first picture came to my head was red heated charcoal all around those nice sweet potatoes, you could smell from very far away on the street corner, feel the warmth,  and you just couldn't wait to buy one for a big bite immediately, especially during Winter time.

I am not sure whether they are still using charcoal these days, I guess and I wish they insist, because the taste of sweet potato will be different, if it isn't.

Year 2010, my own career is still being affected by the financial crisis. People and friends keep on telling me that I shall stop working as a design consultant only, but working with build, too; i.e. a main contractor, to gain more client and money. I do struggle for a while, I even plan to see if it is feasible; but when I look at this photo, I take a break from my worries and remind myself something once again that I insisted in the past 20 years......

......to be a design consultant, because I am a designer not a contractor even people say there is no conflict in this two roles, but actually it does. I am stubborn, even I don't have much work to do while the market is changing and my client can't /don't want to afford a design professional any more; and I am sure for some days later, I may come to a financial difficulties as a result. But what is the point to have my own company if I can't insist to be myself?

Will the sweet potato seller earn more living if it was being modernize with electrical equipment? or computerized? Yes! but I am sure he won't...that is what people's thought of his (my) stubborn, we guess.

No risk no gain?

I am addicted to Facebook game after I discovered there is no point to continue invite or connect real friends, who you've actually will keep contact in your daily life. So I just concentrate to a game call "Restaurant City".

This is a game for operating a virtual restaurant or cafe, you can have bigger shop area with more staff by operating day after day to gain your virtual coins and level up. You will have to pay your staff by feeding them after working each 4 hours, you have to buy or exchange ingredients to cook your dishes; and the most attractive part is...you can shop and buy to decorate.

I am not surprise of how this game attracts so many people to play, that can fulfill their shopping wishes and cafe dream. Basically you will never lose and have no pressure to run this business, even if you do nothing and just online every day 24hours, you will gain your shop area and level up. In case you forget to feed your staff, they "died" but can "live" again whenever you feed them. So there is absolutely a risk free business. Will any of player gain an experience to open a cafe in the real world? I just wonder!

I won't play full day, as I do need to take a break from the virtual world and back to reality to face my real risk; but if you ask what do I gain? I can tell besides of layout practice and the pleasure, it will be patience and self control...I am sure you know what I mean.

One at a time

Monday is always the most busy day of the week. I am a rush lady, when there are some tasks stuck up in my brain, I will get rush and want to finish them all at once. This is killing me, because my blood pressure will rise immediately follow with a quick heart beat, then I have to sit down and figure out what is really urgent that should come first in my schedule before I "died".

I have this bad habit since I had my career. The good side is I usually finish my task earlier than it should = rarely miss the deadline, which is very important to me as in the design field; but the truth is, actually I have enough time to finish one by one, rather then complete some of them simultaneously to increase my work load.

Worst of all, this bad habit affects my daily life,too. Say each Monday when I am back to my office, I will want to turn on all lights, copier, printer, air conditioner, server, computer, wash cups, boil water, charge mobile, check email, reading blogs, write blog, flip today's calendar, water the plants......all at once. I know it is insane and no need, but, I do have this feeling to push me through; now, I will take a break after turn on the light, take a big breath, act one after the other.

Although I have to force myself of having a more controllable work path, I do think this is a must, to learn acting one thing after the other. To gain a bit more time of thinking, a chance of changing to the matter which seems no hope; like standing in front of a soft drink vending machine, all sorts of drinks are there, even if you want more than one, you still need to purchase one by one. You may want to select another taste when the one just comes out from the machine, so why hurry to have two or three at the same time?

 

No more tears

This photo was taken on a beach in front of a hotel located in Phuket, year 2006. These flowers were attractive because they were growth after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster in 2004.

Here, Nai Yang Beach was not the major affected area during that disaster, but still, the beach was destroyed and was still under reconstruction when I had visited. Staff were busy in their seasonal maintenance, and began to replant in the sand. Gardening and decoration could be re-built, for the sea itself, it was not suitable for swimming yet, it needed more time to recover, like people who lived and worked there.

Whenever I took a break, stood there, and looked at these flowers; the big contrast of the desert like beach to these pure and dedicate petal would remind me how fragile life could be compared with the power of nature, but on the other hand, life could also be as tough as a "Flaming Phoenix" that reborn if only if we have belief......Blessing to Haiti.

Beautiful life

A lot of people said, they own their life, so they will live as they wish. How to live in such a short period? 50 years, 60 or 80 years...... are all depends of what we want it to be like.

We may wish to achieve success in our career, at least be a successful person in others' eye; so we keep on studying, work hard, being promoting, again and again until we get reach to the desire level as we think we should be.

We may wish to be accepted as part of the group, so we talk like them, think like them, dress like them; play what they play, ignore what they hate until we think we were in.

We may wish to tell others that we are meaningful and our life is full of fruitful rewards, so we arrange thousand and thousands of task for ourselves to achieve; helping others, learning new things, doing exercise, seek for new friends, participate in all events, chasing all new or hot technology...until we get exhausted and seems we are not wasting a minute.

Are these wrong? No! definitely not, there is no right or wrong of how we live as far as we know why & enjoy. But if we can take a break, I would like to ask, will it be nice if we can live as simple as a sunflower, it's life time is short, it is small, no pleasant aroma, fragile; but blossoms to reflect it's best, has confidence in her face, be what she is , being true to herself as simply as a small flower who wake up by the sun every morning, the only one task is to deliver the warm to anyone who meet her,I think...... this is a beautiful life.

Hi ! Stranger

Have you ever fear of one day when you wake up, you are no more in a place that you are familiar with? I am not talking about travel or work in other countries, but your hometown, the place where you've grown up.

I had this fear since Hong Kong was returned to China in 1997; and recently, this uncomfortable feeling do affect my daily life.

I love H.K. very much, I grown up here, we have our local culture as a small city, we work hard and play hard,too. This small international city was built bit by bit though different generations, so naturally.

These days, everything around me are so weird. The most frequent heard language is Mandarin, limousine buses to China cities everywhere on the street follow by hundred and hundreds of people nearby, bicycle rider on the pedestrian, fake products occupy the low end market; rarely international T.V. advertisement but wine, snack & health product from China. When I walk to the tourist area that used to be like Tsim Sha Tsui & Causeway Bay, what I can find are extraordinary luxurious brands target to big spender from China, too. Our city is operating only to serve our motherland - China.

I know this is the fact that I have no hope to change, but before I become a total stranger to this place, I wish I can take a break, just for one day, one hour or one minute, back to the H.K. that I loved, the place that I would like to spend the rest of my life there and stop being criticize like a "devil".

Vanishing Beauty

When I saw this on the grassland of a park in Japan, I thought it was a manhole cover; when I walked closer, it's not what I thought but a decor or a sign - a beautiful metal piece with bird, tree, sakura and the park's name.

You may say "why bother?"if comparing with the size of the park, this icon is so small even visitor may not aware of it's existing.

Actually this is something that I admire - detailing with sense of beauty. Not only Japanese, there were lots of good craftsmen found in Europe, or even old Chinese; they had technique as well as good sense of beauty, but are now vanishing !

Technology creates new materials which control the outlook of the end product, see what we've got in our modern architecture ? curtain wall, curtain wall and lifeless curtain wall......designers or architects are no more working by their design sense, but the availability of product or technique in the market.Where are the architecture master like Gaudi who left us the marvelous Sagrada Familia, Guell Park, Casa Batllo'? Human feel stone structure with fine metal details......

Hey! protowork annie, you must be insane, we are in the year 2010; there is no luxury time waste for such an art piece. We need "landmark" that draw money to our city !!

I know, but I just want to take a break from the reality of what money oriented lifestyle that surround me; and that's why I can only write a post to express my never come true desire here.
I will wake up then, just give me one more minute.

Secret Garden

Walking in Akihabara of Tokyo, it's quite the same as other small modern city; lots of people, mini size residential, lots of small shops, promotion advertisement everywhere. A stunning scenery that attracts me...greenery around hundred steps of staircase among red brick architecture, that leads to a Torii ( A traditional Japanese Shinto gate) in bright red, I think there must be a shrine behind, a place for city people to find their peace of mind if only if they are willing to take a break.

We have our own secret garden, too; a place deep into our heart, where we can be true to ourselves. We can take off our mask, no matter it's the role of an employee, a father, a wife, a professional, a son, a friend, a lover, a supporter......we can express our happiness, sorrow, depress, anger, fear...without affecting anyone.We can also gain recovery, rejuvenate our body and mind by just load down our burden for a little while.

It's not difficult to create one, but never ever stuck into it and refuse to come out and face the reality anymore, or otherwise we will make such an amazing place as a trap in our life, a place where we refuse to grow up......this is for sure not the intention of a "secret garden".

Coke or Pepsi ?

This is the first post in year 2010, what should the content be?...... Let's talk about blogging.

Have you discovered that when you are thirsty and need something to drink, you may be attracted by those beverage in hundred of choices, full of colourful packages and new taste? But at the end, you may still go for Coke or Pepsi?

This is my experience, like reading blogs. I have my special preference of blog that I like, same as you guys; I like blogs that is not too long, meaningful and have true feeling of the author. Or in another approach of informative only with good selected content.

At the end of year 2009, I take a break and think, may be I should try to stay a little longer on those blogs that are not my usual cup of tea, some blogs which tell special experience, weird inventions, boys and girls, DIY fashion or music...,etc. See if they can inspire me, too. A change of taste to wider our view may be good, O.K. so how about lemonade or fruit vinegar?

My Safe Haven - Lawson

Lawson- a Japanese 24hrs convenient store that I loved

most. I remember when I was first visited it almost 15 years ago in Tokyo, I loved it instantly and tend to walk in wherever I found one on street.

Originally I thought it is because of the items that sell inside are so attractive in terms of it's extra mini size and lovely package design, but it shall be the atmosphere that it gives me a feeling of "safe haven".

Besides snack, hot or cold drinks, oden (a Japanese winter dish of boiled egg, daikon radish...,etc in a specific soup), beer, desert, magazine, maps, newspaper, body wash, lotion, toilet paper, one time battery charger......., etc, etc.Any thing that your daily life need can be found inside such a small store, no matter when, even in the late night of 3:00, you are lack of nothing.

This morning, when I preparing this post, I take a break from my tag to Lawson and discover that, besides of the feeling of safe haven,it reminds me that our life can be simple and basic, what we human actually need to sustain our life is not much, but we are really over consuming. We need clothing but not couture, we need food but not big dishes, we need a shelter but not an over decorated flat...I doubt whether we can walk backward and back to our basic, if we can, our planet and next generation will have a chance.

You've got mail

Last month, I saw a T.V. news reporting there was a new shop opened in Beijing called "郵政慢遞"meaning : Slow Post.The idea is you can write a letter to anyone, set a specific delivery date, tomorrow, a week, a month, a year or even 50 years later; the post office will keep your letter in their safe box and send out on time. Is that interesting? just like a real function " Time Capsule".

You can imagine that, it attracts a lots of customer instantly. Some of them write to their parents after 30 years of making promise to some achievements; some to their lovers, their kids or even to themselves. The owner said they will try their very best to deliver the mail because they thought this is not only a business, but a kind of "romance". I take a break afterward, and think...yes! this is the kind of romance that we've forget and lost somehow someday.

My colleague always wonder why I feel so happy to make a post to the mail box, even it is only a business letter. I think this is the reason, the feeling of waiting a reply, to deliver something to someone waiting on the other side of the world ... by starting to write on a selected paper, a card, putting into an envelop, add a stamp and walk to the nearby mail box; all action we've did is for preparing a connection to someone.

Although in modern world our email replace most of the paper transfer, and I do support to reduce using paper in any channel that we can, but I still wish to receive/ send a real Christmas card and once to enjoy the "romance of waiting"....

Marshmallow Sakura

As a foreigner, we don't always have chance to see the blossom of sakura in Japan, especially at the end of April. We were so lucky to see these picture in reality inside a park of Tokyo that year. The first impression to me was : Wow! incredible, what a "marshmallow trees !" They just look like those marshmallow in white, pastel pink, blue, green (even in purple nowadays) which we did taste when we were kids.

Hong Kong is a small place, earning living was difficult in those day when we were young; it was a luxury for us to have marshmallow which could only be found in department store or theme parks.They were "deluxe" not only because of it's cost or specially located, but the time that our parents could spend with us to share this joy.

When I grown up, these colourful marshmallow become popular again, and can be found any where in Mongkok. I was so excited to buy one and finished it within seconds......but it's not the same anymore. Is the taste different? No, quite the same; or due to it's value? may be, it cost little and easy to find, that we don't feel so treasure ?! But the most important is, I am not with my parents at that moment......I miss my childhood.

I think the only way is to take a break, spend some time with our parents, having chat time, T.V. hours or even a short morning breakfast, knowing that the time we can share together is becoming short; be their "kid" again, you will remember that moment and keep to the bottom of your heart even they are not next to you some day.

Virtual, Virtual, Virtual

Do we really need to be a different person, just escape from the past? make new friends? to new places? join new groups? new hobbies? so we can have new life? really a total new life and new me?

I've get lost when I began to get in touch with some of my over 10 years friends in the virtual world this month, although the network of connection seems so close and easy, I can't "reach" them any longer; they are far outside of my memory, I don't know who they are, it's so sad!

Have you discovered that, in one sudden day, some of your friends who used to be working/studying or playing with you so close, chat a lot from day till night; having similar thoughts, both of you will shout to the same boss ......when time pass by, you no longer recognize them, they seems as strangers, so bad and so sad!

It's seems they just don't want you to be part of they life anymore, which reflects the old him/her; or truly you don't really have any good to them besides bad memories, this may be the fault of our own?! may be ......yet so true.....

Could friends be real and forever? I think, yes! if you are true to them, you should get at least one out of ten who can treat you in the same way. Too optimistic? then one out of a hundred (if you've got this many) and it should worth to live in a real you.

Being in the virtual network, I could not ask for any from my virtual friends, when I take a break from "my lost", I learn to relieve from anything that have no return with no regret; but treasure to those just right next to you, no matter in virtual or real life.

Follow your dream

When we get use to the rhythm of our life, we just don't want to have any changes; gradually we forget what we did dreaming of but just working, day by day, month by month and year after years......

In that spring, we get a ride on Shinkansen ASAMA 521 ,fly towards our destination of Karuizawa......my dream comes true! Isn't that so simple? Yes! as simple as a ride on Shinkansen and I am feeling so happy forever after.

Take a break from your normal path, waken your hidden dream and take a little step forward.
No matter how far the destination may be, you act a little will bring you closer to your dream and one day, you are there! I am waiting for your sharing of that happiness some day!

Simply Ramen

After a long walk in the busy district "Kichijoji", we are exhausted. An aroma attracts us to follow street by street and shop by shop......finally we come to here 蔥太郎 -a Japanese ramen shop.

Is this bowl of "Mr ramen" nice looking? not only this, but really yummy with a touchy feeling.
Whenever you feel dry, lack of power, or anything feeling worse than these,

TAKE A BREAK! Go to grab a big mouth of ramen with a spoonful of hot soup, feel the sincerity of the chef's belief in making simply a bowl of ramen, you will be grateful with full power and ready for the next move !

P.S. - There was once a ramen shop in Hong Kong that gave me a great support whenever I needed a refreshment. But one day in last year, the touchy feeling was gone forever when the chef went back to his home town. Miss your ramen so much ...清水師傅.