Site Update

Today is N’s birthday. Yet I could not make it home for the celebration with S and N and other families. Alone in the office study room to take care of academic chores and class preparation. Finally, I gave up the more productive efforts and in to spending time on upgrading a xoops site under my management.

The site’s core files have not been updated since last September, I suppose. Though quite a few updated patches have come out in the meantime, I simply refuses to integrate them due to the consideration that ruthlessness in this regard may cause site users graver inconvenience. The other reason is simply my want of time in doing it with the utmost care and patience, both of which are essential to a successful and smooth update. I never imagined that the update would finally occur on such an occasion—being alone far away from S and N, having mild headache, and regretting for not being able to attend N’s birthday party.

Yet the update has finally been done and the site now looks running pretty well. Since the server machine was rebooted yesterday to deal with unknown problems, I’ll take a note of how long this time the server will keep running before another needed reboot. The module Protector is a real pain in the ass. I still cannot figure out how it should be set properly and how well it would run with other modules. I’ll just keep an eye on it.

Broken Apart

易‧解»
天地解而雷雨作 雷雨作而百果草木皆甲坼

Earth and sky are breaking loose, followed by thunderstorms. Hence the newly grown skins of flora all broken apart.

The Second Coming

S called me for an event already happening, yet not in its full presence.

Though a bit surprised as it exceeds daily expectations, I did feel the burgeoning of something new inside.

We had a long talk through the phone, exchanging thoughts regarding the impact the event may have on our life. This, of course, is of the line of thought that resides on the reality principle. Reality, for sure, demands that the event be stopped.

Can reality ever think otherwise?

Deep inside my heart a voice did sound otherwise, singing to me a celestial bliss the event's coming will bring us.

Along with the bliss will come hardship? Yes. Ordeal? For sure. A great disruption of our already planned and scheduled life? Definitely.

To deal with that disruption will be the greatest and the gravest challenge we will face were we to decide welcoming it. We will need courage, wisdom, and love to house the bliss coming to us.

To be ready to not be ready. This is the essence of hospitality, of hope, and of future.

After thoughts and tears, I have made up my mind to receive the gift, to welcome the guest into my house, into my life, and to believe at the same time that the blessed guest will enrich my life, will make my days countless ones teeming with life.

This is the Second Coming.

And I have nothing at hand to prepare myself other than the patience in love and the faith in hope.