I've finally decided

...to come out of my hibernation and return to public life on cyberspace. Maybe I'd had it long enough, longer than the time you spend waiting in the queue outside the only toilet in a mall (it could be worse if you are the only one who needs to attend to the physical nessecity standing whilst all others in front of you must bent their knees to some extend. Equally worse for ladies. Ahem.) 


But it's been shorter than I had expected. Or maybe being absent for so long would just be more boring than blogging, I don't know. I just wanted to rise again and declare my ressurection, which might indicate regular or irrgular updates as before.


As part of my reappearance, a new title, which must best decribe the moral of my current living condition, is badly in need. This 'I'm actually thinking of a new title...' thing is what I have to make do with since I've got completely no idea what the right one should be. So bear with me. Or better off, if someone of you out there happens to come up with a brilliant idea, don't just sit there and fix your eyes on the screen. Make it seen here! I promise a sweetie for the winner.


So for your participation, I'll draw the curtain and reveal what's behind:


Neither do I made up my bed nor tidy up my desk every day. If I did, something horrible might have happened or someone big who's intent on entering my room must be on his/her way. The mess reflects a relaxed mood. That's my theory. I said 'something horrible might have happened' because I enjoy the cleaning as both an ordeal and a process of alleviation. When the cleaning is done, I'm always exhausted and half-relieved. My room was as tidy as those of most girls', when I and my girlfriend were splitting up. Now it's as chaotic as it's always been.


All materials, including personal statement, reference letters, transcription of my university grades, etc., for the applications of a postgraduate programme has been sent to where they're supposed to be. So I've got nothing important at hand other than the two students I have to take care of. Tutoring a girl who repeats her mistakes would be the worst thing for every tutor in the world. You never know whether she is the real pain in the arse or your good self. She just sits on her arse(sorry for using this word twice) whilst you do all the tutoring yourself. Lucky me. The other girl is clever and easy to teach though.


What else? Cooking for both my father and myself when he's home whilst making do with instant dumplings when he's out. Mom eats her lunch at her office restaurant and returns home for a nap. So I play with the kitchen devices and appliances more than she does. I love the microwave oven.


But I decide to quit before being converted into a complete house-husband. Ahem.


Ta in advance for the title!
12.12.05 16:56


I'm leaving in just one hour...

It's not the blog whatsoever. Dad and I need to pay a trip to Changsha. He's going to sign a contract with a local publisher for his so called 'academic works' on a traditional Chinese poetry. He's not in a very good health condition so it's gonna be my job to carry all those books and stuff for him. But to tell you the truth, I don't have the least interest in the contract thing. I'm more interested in the renowned Hunan cuisine or Xiang Cai. Anyway I'm gonna be away for about two days. Photos and stories will be here when I return.


Weekend is still two days away but I'd better say it in advance in case I don't come back then.


Have a nice weekend!


哥哥姐姐们，咱这个周末就吃地道的湘菜了。娃哈哈！还有水淋的湘妹子！娃哈哈哈！
15.12.05 06:40


Pictures coming soon...

I'm back but have been quite busy since I arrived home. Hu Ming gave me a big assignment which I mustn't slack-translating a reference for Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) into Chinese within two weeks. I could finish the task in 5 days though. Hopefully. It's an 8-page booklet to be exact and full of terminologies which I've never known before.


So would you be so kind as to bear with your lovely patience with the pictures I took last Saturday. Ta very much!
19.12.05 16:19


Pictures as promised

I've been a little bit remiss with this blog again, what with the translation I promised to finish ASAP. Now that the deadline was told to be extended, I needn't plod on so heavily in the field which is completely new and odd to me. In fact I've done almost half the job and now I'm able to care about things here.


One week ago Dad and I popped over Changsha, the capital city of our neighbouring province lying to the south. Dad was not in a very good health condition so we only stayed for one day, which unfortunately deprived of the chance to visit some of the most famous tourist attractions. Following are what I spoiled.



One statue outside a Bank of China office building.



All cities in China lose their appeal when the idea of transformation/prosperity is just about hemogenization: skyscrapers, busy streets, luxurious cars ...



Hunan Art Gallary opposite to the hotel we stayed in. Note the upper left corner. Dracula was here. hehe



An alley in a local park. Very beautiful place to be.


 


Nothing much to it, right? I'm afraid this couldn't make a proper entry post. But hey, if I were given a longer stay I would have explored more. And if I were to make another trip, I would take a close watch at the Yuelu Academy, the quintessential part of the city.

25.12.05 17:11


The Christmas Greeting

I found the following Christmas greeting on Butterfly's blog, which was also passed on from her poet friend, quite lovely and readable.


Please accept with no obligation, implicit or explicit, my best wishes
for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender
neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practised within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion or secular practices of your choice, with total respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, and their choice not to practise religious or secular traditions at all... and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2006, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society
have helped make Britain great (not to imply that Britain is
necessarily greater than any other
country nor is it the only "BRITAIN" in the northern hemisphere), and
without regard to the race, creed, colour, age, physical ability, religious faith, sexual
orientation and choice of computer platform of the wishee.
By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms.
This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal.
It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting.
It implies no promise by the wishee actually to implement any of the wishes for
her/himself or others, and is void where prohibited by law and is
revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher.
This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual
application of good tidings for a
period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, whichever comes
first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance
of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.


And Merry Christmas to all my fellow 20sixers!!
25.12.05 17:52


Final entry for 2005

嘗試用中文。其實根本不想寫。一年一年就這麽來來去去。好輿壞就在一瞬間，只隔一層薄薄的紙，這張紙叫運氣，或者命運。


一個多小時以後就公立二零零六年了。


I don't think I'm really bothered with the New Year. New year's eve should be reserved for retrospection and I only reserve the best story for myself.


Wish everyone a very happy, healthy and peaceful new year.

31.12.05 14:46