Happy Halloween

It's a fantastic feast, but not popular for celebration here. However I still found some interesting stuffs in the supermarket of Taipei 101.
Just for fun...have a smile...

From Ending To Beginning

Yesterday was the last working day in Taipei Neihu Technology Park. We will move to a new building in downtown from next Monday. It's very near where now I live. Excluding traveling days, I may go to my office by walking. For me, it's really a good luck and an unexplainable fate. I am very familiar with this area since my first serving company is located here. It's also near Taipei 101. Who can predict where I will be? About 5 years ago, I didn't know I could hold on my current job up to the present and our company will move to this downtown.

The past few weeks a lot of things changed. Some friends were laid off and some is going to quit. To go forward the past few months, I lose an important distant relationship with my friend, but I found new land for my soul, I learned how to do self-healing, I got warm friendship and comforts. As well as those kind consideration, there were also some critical comments and warning to pull out myself from the sad mood. I knew very well no matter which way they expressed, they indeed cared and concerned me. As Mountainmama sent me this quote "There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction ~ Winston Churchill”, I would rather believe that everything will be arranged in its best way.

I think we all got some difficult issues for learning in this life, perhaps in family, friend or career, in physical or mental area. Sometimes I couldn’t help myself to fall into self-pitying, but I won’t allow that emotion stay too long. Now I am looking forward to my new working tempos.

Here I paste some wisdom quotes for myself and share with my dear friends.

About maturity~

Henri Bergson:
To exist is to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly.

About expectaion~

Joan Didion:
To free us from the expectations of others, to give us back to ourselves -- there lies the great, singular power of self-respect.

About beginning~

Lazurus Long:
Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.

Beyond Planning

I got a surprised notification this morning. Actually it wasn't a good one. My staff told me he will resign the job as I chatting with him how to go to our new office from next Monday. It seemed he already made up his mind since he already got an offer. I really felt regretful I was told at the last moment. It's not a good timing now just after I finished the project plan of the next year.

But...when is the good timing to tell the bad news to the relevent persons? If it happened to me? How will I do?

In the other way, I sincerely bless his new career and wish he indeed get a better one. I think the following projects won't be easier than the past jobs if he really felt overloaded or pressured. He won't be happy for the coming year. Everyone deserves a better life quality if he already got a new chance.

Another thing out of my plan is I was asked to have a business travel for one week in middle November. New project, new challenge. Though it's not scheduled in our annual plan, it's not a bad thing for me. I persue myself that I just need time to think and plan how to proceed it well, and I commit myself to try my best.

Most people don't like change and movement especially beyond their planning or expectation. But not all things come as our wish. The truth is most things couldn't be decided by ourselves. So to keep a peaceful mood and think those are nothing special is very important. Not an easy job but a good lesson for life.

Deal With Unpleasantness

How would you react if any uncomfortable situation happened between you and your family, your best friends, or partners? Will you adopt a straight way to speak out your feeling? or pretend you didn't care? or persue yourself nothing happened? Either which one, they might embrace the good side and the bad side. It is really hard to get the balance for all.

An unexpected visitor came to my house yesterday. If he just stayed for a while or a couple days, it's all right. But I was told just one hour before his coming and said he might stay for a couple weeks. I felt uncomfortable. I felt my private space was offended. I am not good at hiding my feeling, so I said some serious words to my family last night. After then I kept quiet for a few hours. Why some person often ignored the others' existence?

Today is Sunday. I have done a whole day of housework. The guest is still here. I was trained to be a polite person so I couldn't expel the guest. It seems I couldn't change the thing. I tried to remove my focus from his long stay. I kept myself in my room, listen to some music, and watched a movie to cheer myself. Later I will have a beauty treatment on my face and keep relaxed. I need to drive out the negative emotion quickly. Why should I let others effect my good mood and add wrinkles on my face?

Here is a good quote for all my dear friends.

"To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance"
- Oscar Wilde (1854-1900)

I also paste some happy tips from website by google search. Now I am trying to practice these as my spiritual homeworks.

It's more important to be happy than to be right.

You can either be happy, or unhappy. Choose happy.

Learn to show cheerfulness even when you don't feel it.

Treat everyone as you want to be treated.

Question Myself

No news for this weekend. The sunshine finally went through the heavy clouds. I like the cool and sunny day. I didn't go far and just walked around in the neighborhood of my house. I felt comfortable while the breeze brushing my hair. Like the other weeks, I did a lot of laundries and housework after a whole week of working days.

The major task for me in the 4th quarter is the budget preparation for the next year. By this year end, about 80% of our project plans will be confirmed. It means I almost know how tight my schedule will be for the coming year. In some way I might feel upset because I will get more responsibility and challenges. Some places I never visited in the past projects. I am not sure if I could make that succeed.

A few weeks ago I read the quote from mountainmama's blog,

Nothing in life is to be feared. It is only to be understood.

~Marie Curie

I think it would be a good reminder for me to dispel my doubts and fears for facing the uncertainty. In addition, I need make more efforts and spiritual construction before I go for the new area.

Sometimes I felt so lucky to get more chances for traveling than others, though most of them were due to my job required. Those travels did give me different views and growth for life. No matter where to go and what to experience, it will be only a part of my life journey. As the author, Stephen Covey, stating "the 90/10 Principle",

10% of life is made up of what happens to you.
90% of life is decided by how you react…

So... why I need to worry about the 10% of uncontrollable life?

秋．散戲

行道樹依舊翠綠，在這個城市，要能體會到"一葉知秋"似乎是不容易的。從薄毛衫添上身的那刻，才稍稍覺得有秋的味道。 我喜歡這個季節，帶點浪漫的詩人氣息，可惜這兒的氣候，四季不是那麼分明，"秋"的停留往往短暫得讓人來不及駐足欣賞.

經歷了這個夏天熾熱、過度燃燒的激情，我想，這是個適合"悼念"儀式的季節，所有不開心的、傷痛的、不平的、遺憾的．．．都該在這個時候告別。或許，待冬季沉澱過後，來年的春又將會有新的輪迴。

突然有股悠然又惆悵的情懷蔓延著，很想很想讀讀席慕蓉的詩：

『散戲　　　　(1982.10.30)

　讓我們　再回到那 最起初最起初的寂寞吧
　讓我們　用長長的 並且極為平凡的一生 來做一個證明
　讓所有好奇好熱鬧的人群 都覺得無聊和無趣

　讓一直煩擾著我們的 等著看精彩結局的觀眾 都紛紛退票　頹然散去
　

　這樣　才能回復到 最起初最起初的寂寞吧
　到那個時候　舞臺上 將只剩下一座空山 山中將空無一人

　只有 好風好日　鳥喧花靜

　到那個時候 白髮的流浪者啊　請你 請你佇足靜聽
　在風裡雲裡　遠遠地 互相傳呼著的

　是我們不再困惑的 年輕而熱烈的聲音』

Unfairness And Puzzle

There was a bad news for these two days. Our head office is cutting back in personnel. We felt terrible some of our good colleagues were in the list. We couldn't figure out what standards for the list. We saw other department still add new staffs in the title of project assistant manager, so why to lay off those basic level of staffs? For sure, we can do nothing for such a cruel event. It 's hard to comfort those good friends now. I think they need more time to accept the fact though they were asked to leave by this Friday.

Such unfair cases exit everywhere. No acceptable reasons were given. sometimes you indeed have talents and skills, but you need good luck to accomplish your success. Who is the real loser? So far we don't know. Maybe those management had their good reasons for their doing.

We also heard it might have another cutback action. How to ask the left staffs to show their loyalty in the current unstable atmosphere? What I hope is my team could survive if that happened. As for me, I should do well what my duties and build good skills in case of that bad things falled on me.

Here I sincerely wish those good friends will soon get recovery in their career and get much better one than they had. May all the resources come whenever they need.

Clearing Useless Stuffs

This weekend was a cloudy and rainy day. My mood was a bit affected and stuck by the weather. After staying for half a day, I decided to step out for 'hunting'. By a chance, I walked in a bookstore. I felt fresh for a while when I found new stuffs-memo papers and notebooks with cute cartoons. I hadn't spent much time outdoors since it's very wet outside.

For a moment, I didn't know why I was so blue for the whole weekend. Though I enjoyed the silent hours but I didn't like the anonymous emotion came. To drive out the unwelcome feeling, I chose to watch a comedy- 'The Proposal", acted by Ryan Reynolds and Sandra Bullock.

I don't know how about your way , but it works that those simple things always can bring me simple happiness. It's an easy approach to expel the pressure from me.

I guessed there should be some useless stuffs on my mind, and I had to take actions for cleaning up. It had been a long time since I rearranged the layout of my room last. I thought it would be a good timing for making change as well as brushing my blue mood. Trying to dispose of some useless stuffs, I was getting delighted whenever throwing one away.

Later, I will continue my cleaning job...both for environment and spiritual land...

Next Station, Happiness

Lately I paid a lot of efforts on movie making by disposing some photos and music. I felt like to find a new pleasure park for my heart. I enjoy the peaceful mood while concentrating on my movie project.

Time to the fourth quarter, many friends looked like more busy and impatient. These words just came to my mind when I walked on my way home tonight-'Next station, happiness'. If there is a real station named 'Happiness', I think most of us would pay for the ticket. I believe that indeed exists in our own mind and everyone has his unique approach to 'Happiness'.

In most circumstances, sometimes we made us breathless just because we gave too much pressure on ourselves. One of my friends told me she felt unhappy. As I knew she alway set some standards and targets for herself. These days she might get to the bottle neck for work and feel powerless for her current status.

What about your approach if you fell into the same situation?

I think it's good to keep us walking on the right way to our goals, but never push ourselves too much whenever the things went out of our expectation. Ask yourself what you want? Had you done your best? If yes, just let it passed. You still have time and another new chance to make it better. It means you have the oppertunity and space for improvement. More reference for you, there are many dimensions of our lif. We shouldn't overemphasize any of them, unless it's our choice for our own happiness.

For releasing the unpleasant mood, I usually take a deep breathe, then to do something interesting. Maybe a cup of coffee, a comedy, a slow walk, reading or chatting, it would be useful to transfer my focus to a light mood. Here I share a fantastic idea for you.

Imaging....

"You were shipping in the sea. Soft wind blowing. You got your tempos to enjoy the melody of sea waves...."

Well, could you feel that?

Art Of Rejection

Did you have the experience that you want to be alone for deliberation, but you might be interrupted by unexpected things? such as a market research call, noise pollution, friend's visit, or any kind of invitation. What will you react then? I think most people would get impatient at the first moment. For sure, I am not exceptional. Sometimes I would felt sorry for my first reaction. To feel for others, they might really need our supports at that time, but were unfortunatly rejected by us.

Words are arts and tough lessons. I know I'm not capable of all hard works or requests, so it indeed happened that I had to say "NO" to others sometimes. Although using words improperly might be hurt to others, my basic principle is never promise others what over my capability. Once you promise but fail to do, it might hurt others more than your first rejection.

In another situation, for those people always used to ask for other's help, you might have a soft heart to give him a hand occasionally but coudn't be his hands all the time, right? So don't feel embarrassed to say "NO", just remember to give him a chance for helping himself and growing up.

Words could be miracle and healing. In the other way, if we can give others our hands easily and willingly, never be stingy to express our kindness and consideration. I believe good people will always be blessed.

Be Kind . Be Good

I heard of some friends suffering from illness today. Many sorrows came to my mind. I wish they will soon overcome the hard work with all resources and great courage.

Meanwhile, I also had an introspection on myself. As the same age of people, I should be grateful to God for my good health. I think God give everyone at least a tough issue in his life. Some met bottle neck in career, some fell in unpleasant marriage or relationship, some got sick and some worried all they thought. It seems we all have different issues to learn and conquer. Some can pass through but some might quit in the half way.

I am not sure if you believe the saying of transmigration of the soul in Buddhism. Whenever I met something unfair or horrible, I would have a dialogue with myself- Perhaps I was not good in the past or the previous life so that gave me the test and the chance to learn. I think what we done to others will pay back to ourselves someday. Through some actual cases and my past experience, it's indeed a small world and we might meet each other somewhere occasionally. So do good things and try to be kind to others as possible as we can.

Video Tour to Xian 西安遊

This video contains three parts: Xian Old Town(西安古城), Hua Qingchi(華清池) and clay figures of warriors and horses buried with the dead(兵馬俑). All pictures were taken by my colleagues in the latest business trip. Though I didn't go to Xian with them, I felt as if I had being there.

I think the greatest thing during business trip is to squeeze some time to arrange a short tour.

Come to follow me.... Wish you enjoy it! Just click the play button of the following video or visit this web.