This morning I flew to HL for an oral defense of one former student at N_HU. The flight was domestic. Stepping into the airport I’ve noticed a little change in the deco. One small yet tidy smoking room sat there. I walked into it like a bird following geo-magnetism for directions and stood there watching the planes on the field for a cigarette.
Strange yet familiar feelings. For how many times had I been here flying to and fro between my home and HL in the first two years of my working life? Now I was standing here at the same place yet in different time. Many things had become memories, precious parts for sure. Yet more definite is that they would be memories alone and never be able to come realized again in life. Much like the road not taken, how can one go back to the junction before and choose to not choose the road already taken?
I want to hang on where I am now at N_TU for a while. To see how long can I persevere in the situation and survive. That probably has something to do with man’s dignity, with not to admit self-defeat too soon, not to back down oneself too quickly, and it has to do with pushing oneself to limits to expand and drain one’s potentialities.
Life is never easy.
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
Saturday, July 24, 2004
Bicycle
This morning I took the bicycle with N to find a shop to install a back seat so I could ride it with N sitting in the back. The bicycle is a free gift from S’s previous applying for a new credit card. It has been put unused for over two years. Then I decided to make it pay.
The process of the seat installation, however, was quite to my surprise.
We went to the first two bicycle shops only for embarrassment. The shopkeepers, well, were snobbish to say the least. They just cast a gaze at the bicycle before bluntly refusing our request. The reason? The bicycle, as a free gift, is a piece of junk and not worth the efforts. In addition, we could not find the kind of seat that can fit to the poor structure of that junk. Though they may not expressly used the word “junk,” their speaking tones and facial expressions could never make it more plain.
I and N felt mad about those snobbish people. Really mad. They should have helped us solve the problem, but instead they even suggested us to buy a new one. Oh, yes, thank you very much, as___le. We are not so stupid as not to have that really good-for-nothing idea.
Finally, we entered a shop whose keeper and his daughter warmly welcomed us with kind help to install the seat. We were so well treated that in the end we equipped the bicycle with more gadgets to make it more comfortable and prettier.
I and N have a very good time from then on riding our little bicycle to bookstores, to snacks, to schools, fully enjoying the fun of free riding.
Capitalism, who can deny, easily makes people look nasty, even nastier than is expected to be.
I and N have made a common decision that next time when we need a new one, we will go to that warm and hospitable shop for sure.
The process of the seat installation, however, was quite to my surprise.
We went to the first two bicycle shops only for embarrassment. The shopkeepers, well, were snobbish to say the least. They just cast a gaze at the bicycle before bluntly refusing our request. The reason? The bicycle, as a free gift, is a piece of junk and not worth the efforts. In addition, we could not find the kind of seat that can fit to the poor structure of that junk. Though they may not expressly used the word “junk,” their speaking tones and facial expressions could never make it more plain.
I and N felt mad about those snobbish people. Really mad. They should have helped us solve the problem, but instead they even suggested us to buy a new one. Oh, yes, thank you very much, as___le. We are not so stupid as not to have that really good-for-nothing idea.
Finally, we entered a shop whose keeper and his daughter warmly welcomed us with kind help to install the seat. We were so well treated that in the end we equipped the bicycle with more gadgets to make it more comfortable and prettier.
I and N have a very good time from then on riding our little bicycle to bookstores, to snacks, to schools, fully enjoying the fun of free riding.
Capitalism, who can deny, easily makes people look nasty, even nastier than is expected to be.
I and N have made a common decision that next time when we need a new one, we will go to that warm and hospitable shop for sure.
Friday, July 16, 2004
S's eye Surgery
Today S underwent the laser eye surgery to cure her myopia. S made fun of herself as a housewife who always searches for the best (read, cheapest) price on the buy. One of S’s friend happens to be a relative of an ophthalmologist who offers probably the cheapest price for the surgery around the town. S of course jumped onto the boat of the best buy in no time. The surgery takes only five mins for each eye, and myopia will never be a problem since then.
S encouraged me to follow her steps. Yet I, simply speaking, flinched from the possible pain (despite its being a very short-term one) and the imagined horror to stare with eyes wide open at the laser light cutting into my eyes. Urghh……
Call me a coward. I live quite comfortably with my pair of glasses up to now and, I believe, will feel the same in the days to come. No need to put myself through the torture. Definitely no need at all.
S encouraged me to follow her steps. Yet I, simply speaking, flinched from the possible pain (despite its being a very short-term one) and the imagined horror to stare with eyes wide open at the laser light cutting into my eyes. Urghh……
Call me a coward. I live quite comfortably with my pair of glasses up to now and, I believe, will feel the same in the days to come. No need to put myself through the torture. Definitely no need at all.
Saturday, July 10, 2004
Lag Behind
After a few days of work, everything comes to a stand still. A rare moment indeed.
Yet I am again behind the schedule of submitting the final evaluations of a few courses. Got to catch up with the schedule for a few chores. Have to submit a bio-note and an abstract, respectively, for papers to be published; to email back one professor regarding his invitation for a written paper from me; and to read through two MA theses for coming oral examinations.
Well, life sometimes looks just like this: always busy in short of a moment of peace at which my own thinking and writing can commence.
Yet I am again behind the schedule of submitting the final evaluations of a few courses. Got to catch up with the schedule for a few chores. Have to submit a bio-note and an abstract, respectively, for papers to be published; to email back one professor regarding his invitation for a written paper from me; and to read through two MA theses for coming oral examinations.
Well, life sometimes looks just like this: always busy in short of a moment of peace at which my own thinking and writing can commence.
Friday, July 2, 2004
Euro 2004
Tonight we the whole family are watching the semi-final match of Euro 2004. Yes, I mean the whole family, including N. I know this sounds a bit abnormal and even unhealthy for such a small kid to stay up so late at night. Yet N insists to be woken up to enjoy the game with us. After a few failed attempts to wake N up, I and S thought that it would still be better for him to keep sleeping. Yet around the middle of the first half N suddenly woke up by himself and joined us.
Unfortunately, the match is much to our disappointment as our favorite Czech Republic loses the game to Greece by 0:1. Yet we still had a good time to watch the game as a family, making fun to each other, to the game play, to the referee, and to the players' performance.
Always wonderful it is to have a familial gathering like this.
Unfortunately, the match is much to our disappointment as our favorite Czech Republic loses the game to Greece by 0:1. Yet we still had a good time to watch the game as a family, making fun to each other, to the game play, to the referee, and to the players' performance.
Always wonderful it is to have a familial gathering like this.
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