Saturday, January 29, 2005
In-N-Out and Light Bulb
In-N-Out and Light Bulb? What has In-N-Out to do with light bulb? Read on ...
In-N-Out is the only hamburger we eat nowadays, other than this burger, the only 'fast food' I sometimes have in this fast food nation is Subways sandwidth.
Last night, we were dining at the In-N-Out Burger that's closest to us, after sitting down and waiting for our numbers to be called, I started to pay attention to their lightings, we have been searching for lighting for XY's painting environment, and the bulbs we use were always either using too much electricity or the fluorcent bulbs were too yellowish. The bulb used in In-N-Out were just about right and emitting nice and bright light with the right color temperature.
After studying the bulb for a while, without much findings, I finally turned my luck to an employee at the restaurant, the girl was very kind to me, and confirmed that she would ask her manager and find out what bulb they were using. In my mind, I was grateful enough already, thinking what in the world the In-N-Out Burger restaurant has to do with our bulb question.
To our surprise, the girl came back in a few minutes with their bulb, and a note paper and a pen, letting me write down the producer, and their phone numbers, etc, and listened patiently for our story. I wrote them down and thanked her.
A few minutes later, while we were burying the last piece of nice and juicy beef with cheese down the throat, the girl came again with her manager (with a 'customer service' plate on her shirt), they are actually giving us one bulb to let us 'try out', this really made our day!
Happiness can be everywhere, could be from places you least expect, but a happiness from In-N-Out that's other than their greatest burgers? That's hilarious!
In-N-Out is the only hamburger we eat nowadays, other than this burger, the only 'fast food' I sometimes have in this fast food nation is Subways sandwidth.
Last night, we were dining at the In-N-Out Burger that's closest to us, after sitting down and waiting for our numbers to be called, I started to pay attention to their lightings, we have been searching for lighting for XY's painting environment, and the bulbs we use were always either using too much electricity or the fluorcent bulbs were too yellowish. The bulb used in In-N-Out were just about right and emitting nice and bright light with the right color temperature.
After studying the bulb for a while, without much findings, I finally turned my luck to an employee at the restaurant, the girl was very kind to me, and confirmed that she would ask her manager and find out what bulb they were using. In my mind, I was grateful enough already, thinking what in the world the In-N-Out Burger restaurant has to do with our bulb question.
To our surprise, the girl came back in a few minutes with their bulb, and a note paper and a pen, letting me write down the producer, and their phone numbers, etc, and listened patiently for our story. I wrote them down and thanked her.
A few minutes later, while we were burying the last piece of nice and juicy beef with cheese down the throat, the girl came again with her manager (with a 'customer service' plate on her shirt), they are actually giving us one bulb to let us 'try out', this really made our day!
Happiness can be everywhere, could be from places you least expect, but a happiness from In-N-Out that's other than their greatest burgers? That's hilarious!
Wednesday, January 26, 2005
Double Rainbow
今天是北京的27号，是我妈妈十周年的忌日，十年前归而未能送终的痛，总是不时地在我最不小心的时候刺我一下，提醒着我奋斗的目的是什么，也提醒着我我到底是谁！
今 天在家上班，下午三点多的时候，被一上午的雨搞的阴霾的天终于露出了一线阳光，XY提议打羽毛球，我当然兴然附和，正打得起劲儿的时候，随着又一小阵雷阵 雨，天空忽然 拨云见日，太阳在我的背后极强烈地射出光芒，在对面的天空中，出现了一个硕大的彩虹，持久不去，一直伴随着我们打球，也一直让我有着一种莫名的神圣感，好 像我打球有些什么特殊的意义似的。我的相机已经无法照出她的全貌，只好拍了几张相片，回来做了这个拼图 （collage)。
猛然想到十年前，那正是北京时间清晨7点，正是妈妈离开我们的时候，莫非是她老人家回来看我？如果是那样的话，妈妈，我把你拍下来了，从今天起，这张照片就在我们的墙上，你也看到了，我过得很好，你呢？
今 天在家上班，下午三点多的时候，被一上午的雨搞的阴霾的天终于露出了一线阳光，XY提议打羽毛球，我当然兴然附和，正打得起劲儿的时候，随着又一小阵雷阵 雨，天空忽然 拨云见日，太阳在我的背后极强烈地射出光芒，在对面的天空中，出现了一个硕大的彩虹，持久不去，一直伴随着我们打球，也一直让我有着一种莫名的神圣感，好 像我打球有些什么特殊的意义似的。我的相机已经无法照出她的全貌，只好拍了几张相片，回来做了这个拼图 （collage)。
猛然想到十年前，那正是北京时间清晨7点，正是妈妈离开我们的时候，莫非是她老人家回来看我？如果是那样的话，妈妈，我把你拍下来了，从今天起，这张照片就在我们的墙上，你也看到了，我过得很好，你呢？
Saturday, January 22, 2005
天下无贼
刚刚看完《天下无贼》，感触颇多，美国的电影恐怕很难让我看后还要想很久的，所有的角色，如果让我挑，我会想当那‘傻根儿’，不烦心，没有烦恼，心地又善良到能感动贼（当然一个是怀了孕的贼，另一个是怀了孕的贼的男人）！
可是这太难了，倒不是说追求心地善良什么的那么难，没有烦恼是挺难的，几年前对自己说下的“不能让钱折腰”的话，似乎还在耳边回响，可自己似乎一天一天象自己的敌人。
生活像一辆出站的火车，确切地说是象不载人航天器，没有回来的那一天的。就像很多移民来美工作的人们一样，说是来几年看看就回去，等来了，才意识到没有买回程的票，也似乎没有回程的票可卖。
好了，火车开动了，看风景吧…… 当心！树枝！
可是这太难了，倒不是说追求心地善良什么的那么难，没有烦恼是挺难的，几年前对自己说下的“不能让钱折腰”的话，似乎还在耳边回响，可自己似乎一天一天象自己的敌人。
生活像一辆出站的火车，确切地说是象不载人航天器，没有回来的那一天的。就像很多移民来美工作的人们一样，说是来几年看看就回去，等来了，才意识到没有买回程的票，也似乎没有回程的票可卖。
好了，火车开动了，看风景吧…… 当心！树枝！
I am the luckiest !
Later last year, after knowing my father-in-law's cancer, then surgery, my mother's twin sister was found to have lung cancer, and while both me and xy have been worried about both of them, while a lot of family members horrified, worried for them, both of them showed STRONG buoyancy.
My father-in-law was the only one in his family that seemed NOT worried, he was so positive dealing with the disease, as if it were a cold or flu. A few days after the surgery with 25 cm of his colon removed, he actually drove the people who came to pick him up back home! Of course he has been the strong person in the household, always took care of others. But being able to show that buoyancy in front of this kind of challenge is very very impressive. As a happy and strong spirit as I am (or I think I am), I am totally unsure that I would be able to do it if I were him.
On my aunt's side, as a strong believer in God, she gave her whole life and fate to God, always worked hard, never worried, and was always optimistic about her future life. Even though recent news had it that her white blood cell count has dropped to 2400, which handed a big roadblock to further chemotherapy, she still poured all her love to her family, to her work, to God.
Whenever I looked at these people in my life, I really felt I was so lucky, I was lucky to have a healthy body, I was lucky to have a good job, (or maybe I should feel happy just to have a job), be able to do what I like, and be able to feel the great results.
I am the luckiest, I feel lucky, I feel really blessed. I need to find someone to thank for...
My father-in-law was the only one in his family that seemed NOT worried, he was so positive dealing with the disease, as if it were a cold or flu. A few days after the surgery with 25 cm of his colon removed, he actually drove the people who came to pick him up back home! Of course he has been the strong person in the household, always took care of others. But being able to show that buoyancy in front of this kind of challenge is very very impressive. As a happy and strong spirit as I am (or I think I am), I am totally unsure that I would be able to do it if I were him.
On my aunt's side, as a strong believer in God, she gave her whole life and fate to God, always worked hard, never worried, and was always optimistic about her future life. Even though recent news had it that her white blood cell count has dropped to 2400, which handed a big roadblock to further chemotherapy, she still poured all her love to her family, to her work, to God.
Whenever I looked at these people in my life, I really felt I was so lucky, I was lucky to have a healthy body, I was lucky to have a good job, (or maybe I should feel happy just to have a job), be able to do what I like, and be able to feel the great results.
I am the luckiest, I feel lucky, I feel really blessed. I need to find someone to thank for...
Friday, January 21, 2005
Who does chicken wrong?
For those who don't understand Chinese jargons, 做鸡 - literally 'do chicken' could mean 'being a prostitute', so the tagline of KFC "At KFC, We do checken right" can be misunderstood as "At KFC, it's right to be prostitute"
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
No matter how much money, it's not enough
There are two articles caught my eyes today:
One was an 'careless subscription' from Salary.com, tell me that Salaries will move up in 2005, based on their surveys. And interestingly they attached a quote from Arnold Schwarzenegger:
"People are always making a fuss over my $15-20-million salaries. Believe me, the amount is meaningless once Maria finds out about it. She's already spent half of my salary from Terminator 7!"
The second one was this news that "First 'Survivor' Winner Dodged Taxes", of course they categorized it it 'Oddly Enough' section, but it still feels reall odd.
However, after giving a little more thought to these, a conclusion is not that hard to make: "everyone needs a little more money than they have". Don't I need a little bit more? Don't YOU? Will there be an end? For sure you and I will say "Sure, there is", but whatever you and I answer, compare that to what you 'had' answered 5 or 10 years ago (had you answered before), and I can guaranttee it's not the same anymore.
But don't feel bad, as I am not, I see that as a 'progress', you will have the 'trouble' of managing your million$$ when you have a million $$, and that's certainly a nice problem to have.
"Lives, like money, are spent. What are you buying with yours?"
-Roy H. Williams
One was an 'careless subscription' from Salary.com, tell me that Salaries will move up in 2005, based on their surveys. And interestingly they attached a quote from Arnold Schwarzenegger:
"People are always making a fuss over my $15-20-million salaries. Believe me, the amount is meaningless once Maria finds out about it. She's already spent half of my salary from Terminator 7!"
The second one was this news that "First 'Survivor' Winner Dodged Taxes", of course they categorized it it 'Oddly Enough' section, but it still feels reall odd.
However, after giving a little more thought to these, a conclusion is not that hard to make: "everyone needs a little more money than they have". Don't I need a little bit more? Don't YOU? Will there be an end? For sure you and I will say "Sure, there is", but whatever you and I answer, compare that to what you 'had' answered 5 or 10 years ago (had you answered before), and I can guaranttee it's not the same anymore.
But don't feel bad, as I am not, I see that as a 'progress', you will have the 'trouble' of managing your million$$ when you have a million $$, and that's certainly a nice problem to have.
"Lives, like money, are spent. What are you buying with yours?"
-Roy H. Williams
Monday, January 10, 2005
Office life
How is your office life? Busy? Productive? Boring?
What about killing?
The other day, when we were having a meeting in our conference room, we all noticed that the plants in the big conference room was replaced, one of my colleagues actually talked to the worker who replaced the plant, and the word he got was "The office environment is unhealthy to the plant, so they had to be swapped out after certain number of months, in this case, it was 6 months".
Wow, what an office environment we have, even the plants will get sick living in our office room! Even you count in they live in the office 24 hours a day, and we only struggle there 9-10 hours, and yeah, we have holidays and vacations. But would you choose to live there if you have another choice?
What about killing?
The other day, when we were having a meeting in our conference room, we all noticed that the plants in the big conference room was replaced, one of my colleagues actually talked to the worker who replaced the plant, and the word he got was "The office environment is unhealthy to the plant, so they had to be swapped out after certain number of months, in this case, it was 6 months".
Wow, what an office environment we have, even the plants will get sick living in our office room! Even you count in they live in the office 24 hours a day, and we only struggle there 9-10 hours, and yeah, we have holidays and vacations. But would you choose to live there if you have another choice?
Tuesday, January 04, 2005
Fund Raising
XY and I are seriously thinking of running some fund raising for
Tsunami victims, we have thought about all our friends, and ZJ is one
of them who signed up to help, I am calling a meeting for our
neighbors to see what we can do, XY can donate an oil painting. What
can I do? selling my used computer parts? or free lessons on
Chinese? how about my early version of autograph, LOL
We will see, hope we can get something going!
Tsunami victims, we have thought about all our friends, and ZJ is one
of them who signed up to help, I am calling a meeting for our
neighbors to see what we can do, XY can donate an oil painting. What
can I do? selling my used computer parts? or free lessons on
Chinese? how about my early version of autograph, LOL
We will see, hope we can get something going!
Monday, January 03, 2005
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
Last Friday, I took a day off to go to San Francisco Legion of Honor
to see a show called "Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya", and our friend
P, told us about a wonderful book his company recently published, and
went on to get #1 on the "New York Times best sellers", it's called Confessions
of an Economic Hit Man, I am starting to read this book this
weekend, and could see why it went to #1, the author has a very real
experience in 'being a hit man', and had the guts to write it out, and
I really admire also P's courage to publish it.
to see a show called "Courtly Art of the Ancient Maya", and our friend
P, told us about a wonderful book his company recently published, and
went on to get #1 on the "New York Times best sellers", it's called Confessions
of an Economic Hit Man, I am starting to read this book this
weekend, and could see why it went to #1, the author has a very real
experience in 'being a hit man', and had the guts to write it out, and
I really admire also P's courage to publish it.
