Always the Hours

Jack London's "Credo"

2006-12-09T01:50:00.000-08:00

I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out
in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom
of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time.
-- Jack London's "Credo"

I feel touched by these poetic sentences. They are so beautiful and meaningful, aren’t they?

my nightmare

2006-07-16T07:01:00.000-07:00

Few days ago my mother was so drunk that she fell down senseless, like a heap of meat on the street. Her motorbike lay on the ground, too. A good haerted passer-by saw her and called the police. Then a policeman visited our house and we were asked to take the 80 kg-meat home.

Since this has been happening for a long time, we were not surprised. Indeed, we have been warning her about drunkenness, but she has never listened even once to us.

I remember that, when I was a boy, she always yelled and blamed us after coming back with an unbearable stink. She would shout with tears that she didn’t belong to this family and nobody loved her. I was so horrified that all I could do was just to hide in my blanket until the thunderstorm terminated.

Now I become more sympathetic about her marriage, from which she has been suffering all these years. Sometimes I wish she had never married to my father and given birth to six children; she would have been happier without us.

being tired

2006-06-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

I have been lazy these months. Working makes me inactive, lazy and idle. When I come home, I want to do nothing, like a couch potato. The job is really tiring. Worst of all, I get fatter now. I even don't like to walk:(

Facing my blog, I become speechless most of the time though I'm desperately willing to write something down. It has been abandoned by me for almost five months. Poor baby.

Don’t I like and enjoy my job? Or I just feel tired? Don’t know. Anyway, blogging is at least still exciting to me and makes me feel that I still have energy.

the opera kid

2006-06-04T23:53:00.000-07:00

Compared with another female singers version, the child is still amazingly good.
The song he sang is from the opera Magic Flute.

opera kid http://youtube.com/watch?v=oFrub-L0FuQ&search=opera

female singer http://youthchoirinfo.org/drakie_mozart.mp3

Bush and Brokeback Mountain

2006-01-27T07:37:00.000-08:00

http://www.youtube.com/w/Bush-Brokeback-Mountain?v=7RXYEb_lmDk&search=brokeback%20mountain

Bush is quite embarrassed at talking about the movie"Brokeback mountain'...
ahaha

Central Park

2006-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

I like Central Park near my apartment in Burnaby very much. Before leaving Vancouver, I took some pictures of it.
I still remember the lake was frozen that day, and all the ducks were on the shore. The sun penetrated through branches of trees, melting in the cool air.
Everything here was being still, as if the park had existed for a long time, and it has not been bothered yet.
A quiet , wonderful and magnificent world.

what else could I say?

2006-01-17T06:10:00.000-08:00

the writer's illustration

writer

cover of the book "So Weired!"

Few days ago I turned on TV and saw a Japanese illustrator talking about her new book that describes her life in Taiwan. It was almost the end of the show, so I just heard few points.

She said she was surprised that Taiwanese are too close and they are not aware of it. She said there is not much personal space, even in the street. When walking, you could almost smell someone in front of you. When talking to someone, you could see his/her nose hair and even see him/her spit incautiously.

It is also weird to her that Taiwaneses fart naturally when there is someone else.

More, she said she admires Taiwanese are very brave. They are not afraid of everything. They invest on stocks so crazily that they spend all their money. Many of them eventually lose everything if they fail. The way Taiwanese ride motorbikes shows they are not scared of death. They just live without fear.

Quite funny! It is very interesting to hear that. I never think it is a problem to be too close. I wonder maybe because the street is too small and it is too crowded in the street. We become accustomed to be close in the street, and don’t think it is a problem. I believe it is not a problem in a lot of countries at all .heh

nose hair... farting...motorbike...Mmmm...what else could I say? ><

is it true?

2006-01-11T20:41:00.000-08:00

----Mrs. Barbara Bush, after touring the Astrodome complex in Houston on Monday (9/5/2005), said: "What I'm hearing, which is sort of scary, is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is so overwhelmed by the hospitality. And so many of the people in the arena here, you know, were underprivileged anyway, so this is working very well for them." She commented during a radio interview with the American Public Media program "Marketplace."

It is very horrible if she really says that. But I think no one would be very surprised if she whose son is Bush really said so.

twilight zone

2006-01-10T07:56:00.000-08:00

I don't think I will say something like "It is not your business" when I have a job interviewin the future. It is the culture thing. Even I hate this kind of question, I will still answer it.
Here it doesn't belong to legal issues, not yet.
It is sad, isn't it?

Unfortuntely , many undesirable things happen in our work place .
Your boss might ask you to pick up his/her children when they are off school.
Your boss might ask you to do his/her homework if he/she goes to continuing education.

"Is it the twilight zone?"

heh

interview

2006-01-06T20:48:00.000-08:00

I don’t know why no one complains about resume form in Taiwan. Maybe some do complain about it, but I have never heard of any complaint from my friends. To have a job, in my resume I have to fill in some blanks unnecessary and private, such as my blood type, height, weight, health condition, I.D number and astrology. Also, jobs and birthdays of my family whom I live with now.

Gee.

Job interview is intolerable and annoying too.

Yesterday I had a job interview. Before talking to the interviewer, I had been waiting in the seat for more than half an hour. No one said sorry or explained anything to me. It was rude and impolite indeed.
And then when the lady appeared, I followed her into a meeting room. After asking several formal questions, she started to ask me some private, “impressive” and "unbelievable" questions- -she asked about my family and discussed about my star sign......

The most impressive question is whether I have a girlfriend or not--
Do you have any girlfriend now?..... why you broke up with her?..... Because you went to Canada?........ Before or after that?

Gee.

Words of Wisdom

2006-01-01T05:19:00.000-08:00

This post is from Wendy's blog. I really like it. It is full of wisdom and also inspires me. I would love to touch and hug my family and friends to show my caring and make them feel they are needed and loved by me.

But I am wondering, is life really better tomorrow? Am I pessimistic? But I am not sure about it. Or all we need to do is to believe it?

---------------------

On the occasion of her 70th birthday, Maya Angelou, a famous American writer, was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey. Oprah asked Maya what she’s learned about life. This is what she said:

I've learned that no matter what happens, or how bad it seems today, life does go on, and it will be better tomorrow.
I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.
I've learned that regardless of your relationship with your parents, you'll miss them when they're gone from your life.
I've learned that making a "living" is not the same thing as "making a life”.
I've learned that life sometimes gives you a second chance.
I've learned that you shouldn't go through life with a catcher's mitt on both hands; you need to be able to throw some things back.
I've learned that whenever I decide something with an open heart, I usually make the right decision.
I've learned that even when I have pains, I don't have to be one.
I've learned that every day you should reach out and touch someone.People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on the back.
I've learned that I still have a lot to learn.
I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

prologue

2006-01-01T04:49:00.000-08:00

I just came to Vancouver in September to learn English, experience a different life, and travell of course. Now I understand Canadian culture more and feel really relaxed and calm livinging here.
It is getting colder and colder. I hope I can survive in the winter time.(giggling)
One more thing, there are not so many maple trees in Vancouver as I thought.(sighing)

stranger

2005-12-28T22:57:00.000-08:00

I woke up at 4 a.m. I opened my eyes, hearing the silence in my room.
I felt lost.
My family had moved into this new house after I went to Canada, so I am in a whole new room.
It is a very clean, white room, and bigger than my old room too.
And this small town we live now is farther from my old house that we had been living there for twenty eight years. Much farther from crowded downtown as well.
I think I need time to adjust to the new environment.

I miss my old house. Even it was old and sort of dirty. Now the whole village is dead. People who used living here move to other places because of government's policy. Like birds, we fly to different direction sadly, and most of us had been living there for most of our life.

I miss Vancouver life too. I wish I could stay there more .
Everything now is so strange to me...

I feel as if I were a stranger or an alien in this quiet and empty town.

Goodbye!

2005-12-20T13:46:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,

I enjoy studying with you. You are very bright , and Wendy is a great reacher as well.
Good luck, I hope everything goes well for you!

eddie

free e-card

2005-12-16T16:44:00.000-08:00

I follow Wendy's post and make one e-card.

http://www.letterjames.de

I like the website.
The e-card is very interesting and special.
Also you can have different scenes to choose!

Andrew Wyeth's Christina's World

2005-12-14T15:57:00.000-08:00

Andrew Wyeth’s Christina’s world

When I look at this panting, I wonder if the girl is crawling on the ground. The painting shows her hopelessness and isolation. The girl seems to me she is alone and possibly is abandoned from her house. From her direction, we can see a wooden house from a very far distance in a wild and empty farm, which may imply that she longs for the house. Not that she wants to be back at the house, but she longs for the warmth of her home. Even though the house looks a kind of old and insignificant, it is her home anyway.

http://www.birdsnest.com/awyeth.htm
http://lala.essortment.com/biographyandrew_rgwd.htm
http://www.art.com/asp/display_artist-asp/_/crid--55/Andrew_Wyeth.htm

Icefield

2005-12-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

My friend and I joined the travel tour to the Rocky Mountains in Alberta in October.
We even went to the icefield.
Too cold to stand in the glacier, and the wind was very strong.
Before getting there, we had been sitting on the bus for almost one day , but it was quite worthy:)

And next day the icefield was shut down, so we were very lucky!

Neverland

2005-12-07T15:54:00.000-08:00

It has stopped snowing since few days ago, but now the snow has started melting. It is said that it doesn't snow very often here, so LUCKY ME!

Standing in the falling flakes, I took these pictures in the front of the library.I remember seeing two people throwing snowballs at each other happily that day.

While looking at these pictures, I feel that I am going into a snow-covered Neverland where there are elves and giants, creatures that always exist in fairytales.

Maybe I won't have the chance to see the snow in the coming weeks, so I have started missing it before I even leave.

Enjoy the Sunshine

2005-12-05T16:38:00.000-08:00

The most precious lesson I have learned in Vancouver is to enjoy the sunshine. Because there is not so much sunshine, especially in winter. It is always gloomily dark, which reminds of me the movie “Dark city”, a city without daytime at all.

I remember when I first saw people wearing T-shirts, lying on the grass of a library on a cool sunny day, I was kind of surprised because we never do that in Taiwan - we always have sunshine. We take it so much for granted that we never think it is so important.

Yup, enjoy the sunshine. Go out to do something cheerful rather than staying at home feeling dull. Just make yourself happy!

Look, the SNOW is falling!

2005-11-30T16:20:00.000-08:00

November 28

When I opened my eyes around 8 am yesterday, I saw something falling outside. “Oh, my goodness, it is raining again. It has kept raining for lots of days! ” Just as I was complaining the weather, my roommate was coming out his room , saying: “Look, the SNOW is falling!” “No way, it is not so cold. You must be kidding, right?” I said to him. But then I opened the window and saw “something” WHITE falling and it was SNOW indeed! I yelled loudly:”Oh, my god. It is snow!” I was so excited and then stretched my hand out of the window. It felt like rain, wet and cold.

It was so impressive !

My heart was full of happiness. I had never ever seen snow, so I went outside to see the snow falling. Not like the snow I watched in the movies. Very small flakes. It was not very heavy, but I liked it.

I closed my eyes, tried to hear its silent sound in this noisy world, inhaled deeply and smelled its scent. I imagined from the sky there would be more and more snow falling to the ground, and all I needed was just to wait ......

So Foggy!

2005-11-24T18:11:00.000-08:00

Never have I seen such heavy fog in my life! So foggy!

Fog floats into Vancouver everywhere. Edge of all objects becomes blurred, not sharp anymore. The top of the buildings can’t even be seen. I feel as if I was put into a silver, white tunnel where I can’t see anything most of the time .

Though it is very poetic, it could be dangerous as well. If I were a driver , I would be very scared and panicky . Hehehe

I shall not live in vain

2005-11-23T16:33:00.000-08:00

IF I can stop one heart from breaking,
I shall not live in vain;
If I can ease one life the aching,
Or cool one pain,
Or help one fainting robin
Unto his nest again,
I shall not live in vain.
-----Emily Dickinson (1830–86)

What is the meaning of our life? To be successful? Have a wonderful family? Make a lot of money? Or just be kind to those around us ? But how many of us would choose to devote their life to helping , comforting others who are suffering from heart-break, pain ,sickness, catastrophe?Needless to say, some noble generous, kind people would choose it.

I feel touched when I read this poem. There are so many painful incidents happening in our daily life. Many people are suffering . And for the sensitive poet, she just wants to help those who are suffering-- even just one heart ,one fainting robin--for this is the essential meaning of her life.

However, the saddest part is that suffering from all kinds of reasons is inevitable eventually.

about Emily Dickinson:

http://www.online-literature.com/dickinson
http://www.cswnet.com/~erin/emily.htm
http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/dickinson.htm

Result Summary

2005-11-21T15:55:00.000-08:00

Hi guys,

Thank you very much for doing my survey. Here is the result.

Results Summary

Total: 21 people

1. How many movies do you watch every month?
Response Percent

less than 5 90.5%

5-10 4. 8%

10-20 0%

a lot , more than you can imagine,
I am a movie maniac 4.8%

2. What type of movie do you like ?...(choose as many as you want)

Horror 42.9%

Science fiction 33.3%

Action 19%

Comedy 81%

War 14.3%

Romance 71.4%

3. Do you like to go to the movie theater or rent a DVD?

Theater of course. I enjoy
wild screen, popcorn ,and sreaming! 42.9%

Rent a DVD. How comfortable it is! 0%

Both 57.1%

4. If you go to the movie theater, what kind of behavior don't you like or tolerate ? (choose as many as you want)

Making sounds, such as
whispering, snoring and screaming 85.7%

Getting Up and down from the seat ,
walking in and out 66.7%

Commenting 61.9%
Eating popcorn or drinking 28.6%

5. You like the movie because it can ...(choose as many as you want)

Make you laugh 76.2%

Make you cry 52.4%

Make you Reflect 57.1%

Help you spend time well , or give something
to do(better than feeling dull ) 47.6%

Take you to another world 66.7%

Those Who Shouted Teresa

2005-11-21T13:16:00.000-08:00

One night a man stood in the street shouting at the top stories of the block: ”Teresa!” And then another man came to help him. They even counted to three and then shouted: “Tereeeesaaa!” Meanwhile a small group was passing by and saw the two men shouting. They joined them and counted to three and then everybody together shouted: “Te-ree-saaa!” Every now and then somebody new passing by joined them . Around twenty people there helped him shout Teresa. They even thought of a way to shout efficiently-- ’T’ should be shouted low and long, the ‘R’ high and long, the ‘sa’ low and short. Suddenly one of them asked him; ’Are you sure she’s at home? ’ The man answered ‘No.’ Another one said:’ Did you forget the key?’ The man replied he didn't live there. And he was asked who lived in the top stories and why he was standing down below calling Teresa. The man said that they could call another name or try somewhere else. “It is no big deal.“ He felt embarrassed at that moment and said so . Finally, someone said they should try one last time and then everybody would go home. They did. Still no one answered. So everyone was leaving , including the man. Just when the man was turning into a square, he heard somebody still calling: ’Tee-ree-sa!’

The description above is from the two page story named “The Man Who Shouted Teresa”, written by Italo Calvino in 1943 , at age twenty. Even now it is still humorous and original. In this absurd story, the man initates some ridiculous behaviour , and more and more people follow him blindly without knowing the reason . Even when they had realized the truth, they still wanted to try the last time! However ‘Teresa’ even doesn't exist! So what is the point for them doing this? How ironic it is ! Calvino intentionally has his character dismiss the guy first who questioned the situation as having a “ freckly face” , and implies he is the only conscience in our society, so he will not be liked or be welcomed by those "initiators. " Blind obedience is not only found in this story but also in our history and real life . For instance, in the Second World War, weren't those who believed in Hitler’s leadership or the Japanese government just like those followers who shouted Teresa ? They just believed in them, but didn't really know the reason.

This story is interesting , but it also cruelly revels the ignorance and stupidity of human beings . Because the story never ends, like a endless circle, there will always be someone stubborn standing there trying to call Teresa , like in the end of the story, and this person will replace the man shouting first, and more and more people will join him. Thus, he will also be replaced.

about Italo Calvino:

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/7504/numbers.html
http://www.italo-calvino.com/

(See? Human being is always stupid )

A survey

2005-11-16T17:08:00.000-08:00

Please take a moment to answer the questions in this survey. I would like to know your opinion about watching movies in your leisure time.

Click'>http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=695401528889">Click

10:15:43

2005-11-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

One day my clock hanging on the wall broke all of sudden. Without any sign or warning. It stopped at 10:15:43 technically. However I still heard the sounds ,“Tic-ta , tic-ta” lingering in my room, like ghosts in the darkness.

And then I imagined that it was just like a coma. Although it couldn’t move, it still had its own mind. If it could speak, it probably would yell at me:”Fix me right away, you BASTARD!”

“All right, all right!” I would answer that with a sort of guilt.

traveler

2005-11-08T17:16:00.000-08:00

No matter how far you travel, you can never get away from yourself. It’s like your shadow. It follows you everywhere.

----Haruki Murakami , After the Quake

lovers

2005-11-03T16:02:00.000-08:00

I went to Stanely Park in Sepetmber and saw an artist doing this. It was really amazing and surprisingly beautiful. I thought I walked into a fantastic and imaginary world.

The artist didn’t seem to use any chemical tool to create art.

These two erective stones in this picture are just like lovers, standing and facing to each other. There were a lot of stones like them on the shore in Stanely Park.