Zen and the Art of Chinese Kung Fu

Maturing

2016-02-07T03:27:00.003+08:00

Been ages since I last wrote a blog post. When I login just now, Blogger told me that I last wrote a post in 2014. That was two years ago! I was a younger, slimmer, single person in Taipei then. Now I am an older, married man working in Amsterdam and with a little more weight.

I don't know if people still blog these days. Seems that most people just share their status in a few words in Facebook now. Others who have more things to say and who are "sophiscated" use a platform called Medium. Who still uses Blogger.com now?

I did not expect to come to Amsterdam to work and to live. I am grateful for the life experience. Living in this beautiful city where people look different, the language is different, the culture is different, and the lifestyle is different. Even the climate takes a lot of getting used to. I grew up in Singapore where everyday was 28 degree celsius to 34 degree celsius, throughout the year. Here, I can't feel my fingers on my way to work in the winter.

A year before coming here to work, I visited Amsterdam for a business meeting. It was my first time to Europe, and I was dazed by the architecture. The streets looked like nothing that I had seen before in Singapore and in Taiwan. I liked it a lot, and I told my colleagues that I wished I could stay here to work. I went to a party where people could write anything that wanted on a big piece of cloth. I wrote "I want to be a Dutch when I grow up".

Somehow, it became a wish come true. Well, not exactly. I still look very Chinese, but I'm living and working in Amsterdam. A little more than half a year later, I was invited to fly here for an interview. I did not even know of the company before the headhunter contacted me. And to my surprise, I was given an offer. I hardly prepared for the interview, except for an hour on the flight.

Sometimes life does bring pleasant surprises. I am grateful for this one, and I'm looking forward.

Cheers.

Special day @ Amsterdam

2014-03-03T02:13:00.001+08:00

Special day @ Amsterdam, a set on Flickr.

Life is a mystery ♥

Happy 30th birthday, Mac - "1.24.14" Film

2014-02-03T22:24:00.001+08:00

Google Zeitgeist | Here's to 2013

2013-12-18T15:47:00.001+08:00

Two pictures of white tigers that I took in 2004.

2013-06-03T00:17:00.002+08:00

The year was 2004. I was a young tourist using the first digital camera that I ever bought. Posted the pics on Flickr. Interestingly, I found these pics on some third party sites today, long after the pics were removed from Flickr.

Re-posting the pics to Flickr again for the memories. I wonder how are these beautiful animals are doing now. Stay cool and happy!

Goodbye 2012.

2012-12-31T16:37:00.000+08:00

Yeah, it is the time of the year to say goodbyes. Goodbye to all things happened in 2012. Thank you for being a part of my life. I'm glad that I survived.

This year, I've grown older, just like all the years before this. I hope I had not grown much heavier, but I'm sure that I did not grow any taller. And summarizes my life in 2012 physically.

I changed job, and I visited few places: Boracay, Kyoto, and Osaka. I also read a few books and took some classes online. Not too bad. I didn't waste the whole year on beer and oily food. For that I am thankful.

I want to achieve more in 2013. Much more. I'm going to live like I've never ever before, and here are my guiding principles.

Be wise.
I have enough life experiences and knowledge about myself by now. Focus on the things that truly matter to me and learn to let go of the rest. Accept and manage myself with more love and wisdom.

Be kind.
Life is bigger than oneself. We are all temporary forms of life taking place on this planet. May I bring, through my words and deeds, a little more happiness and a little less suffering to other lives that share this time-space with me. Be less blind to the less fortunate.

Be urgent.
My years are numbered. Sadly, I can no longer call myself a young man. My shoulder-aches and facial wrinkles remind me of this every single day. Oh, the neck pains and backaches too. If there's anything that I want to achieve or experience in my lifetime, I better start now. Each day should be valued. In fact, there's nothing more valuable to me than my time.

Be happy.
With all the aspirations and busyness of life, in the end, happiness and gratefulness are the best things one can truly own in life.

從電影到人生

2012-11-24T16:14:00.000+08:00

這個週末看了兩部電影，兩部完全不一樣的電影。

第一部是「少年Pi的奇幻漂流」,敘述一個男孩和一只老虎在大海中的漂流和求生過程。電影讓我想起多年前看過的「浩劫重生」,男主角同樣是野外求生，並且因為寂寞而依賴其它。Pi 依賴的是一只想把自己吃掉的老虎，Tom Hanks 則是依賴一顆不會講話的排球。

人生與自己、人與神、人與大自然－是我解讀到的主題。也許這些也是除了人與人之間的愛情以外，最重要的題目。

少年Pi這部電影對我來說，有一個特別的意義。我在雅虎上班時認識的一位主管、同事、朋友參與了這部電影的製作。這位同事姓丁，他在製作團隊中擔任視覺設計師。我為他感到骄傲。

第二部電影是在電視上看到的，「那些年，我們一起追的女生」。電影裡的男女主角很可愛，故事的主題我認為是青春、初戀、回憶－剛好是第一部電影比較沒有談到的地方，卻也是跟大家非常貼近心中的事情。讀書的時候，誰沒有暗戀的對象？初戀的回憶，誰又能夠忘得掉？

我曾經在 Quora 看到一個問答讓我印象非常深刻。問題是“為什麼搖滾樂團 U2 會那麼成功？”。被票選為最佳的答案，答案中提到回憶。U2 的歌曲已經成為許多人成長過程中的一部分，聽著 U2 的歌，想起年輕時候的戀情，不知道對方現在過得好不好。我想這是很多成年人都會有的經歷。

回憶、經歷、人生，甚至是命運或因果。沒想到活到三十幾歲的我，才剛剛開始體會和思考。

Bus routes and life.

2012-07-26T13:07:00.000+08:00

Bus routes. They are almost always identified using a numerical number, and they seldom change. The route itself may modify a little now and then, but they seem to be there forever. At least those that I am familiar with. There are a few routes that have been a good part of my life. I remember SBS 157 and SBS 336 in Singapore very well. 157 took me to my primary school in Upper Bukit Timah. 336 took me home from Jurong East Interchange. They are nostalgic to me because they formed a connection between two personal destinations during certain years of my life. I got to know them because of certain life situations or decisions that I might or might not had control over. Fate.

These bus routes are interesting because after a while, they become interwined with our lives. I've waited for 157 for hundreds, if not thousands, of times. I stood there waiting and looking up multiple times a minute, hoping to see her from not too far away and coming towards me - so many times that she was almost like a childhood girlfriend to me. The more I rode with her, the more familiar I became with the route, the scenary outside the window, and sometimes even the smile of a particular driver or a specific vandalism behind a specific seat. There were times when she kept me waiting, and there were times when I was disappointed to see her because she was full. I took her on my nervous rides to school exams, and I took her home feeling spiritually empty after the exams. For most of the rides, I felt asleep and kept knocking my head against her windows. Deep down in our hearts, mine at least, the feeling towards a familiar route number and an unfamiliar one, is very different.

Here in Taiwan, I am familiar with 251. I used to ride with her from my aunt's place to my office. Going home with her was particularly intimate after a long day at work and it was very late in the night. There is something romantic about taking a bus ride at night, especially when it is a quiet night and a quiet bus. The bouncy seat, the deep engine roar, the strangers getting on and off occasionally, and the fast moving scenery and lights outside the window. They give me an adventurous yet lonely feeling, not so different from the feeling of life itself.

Recently, because of changes in my life, I am becoming familiar with 278 and 74. I kind of like them so far. Clean and on time, easy going, and not too expensive to go out with. I hope we will become good friends and have many good memories together.

Cheers to all the bus routes that had took me home. Thank you.

Boracay Trip, July 2012

2012-07-15T17:43:00.002+08:00

After working at a company for 6.6 years, I've decided to try something new. It was in this context that I took a vacation at Boracay. I wanted to take a break before I began a new adventure.

I chose Boracay Island in the Philippines for several reasons:

I wanted to go to a beach to relax and to get tanned.
Boracay is relatively near to Taiwan, and the cost was manageable.
Boracay is recommended as one of the most beautiful beaches by several travel magazines.

The journey consisted of a two and a half hour flight from Taoyuan to Kalibo airport, followed by a one and a half hour bus ride to Caticlan Jetty Port, and finally a 15min boat ride to Boracay Island.

For four nights, we stayed at the Boracay Recency Lagoon. The room was great; big and clean. The bed was very comfortable too. The killer feature of this hotel was its swimming pool. I have no regret with the choice of lodging.

We visited three beaches in Boracay:

the White Beach,
the Bulabog Beach, and
the Puka Shell Beach.

The White Beach was definitely the most popular and busiest part of the island. The beach was divided into two halves: the outer part which was closer to the sea and the inner part which was closer to the mainland. The outer part was filled with beach chairs provided by various hotels. The attendants recognized which hotel one was staying from one's beach tower. We spent several hours a day on these chairs, listening to the waves and falling asleep under the sun. The inner part of the beach was filled with restaurants and bars. Happy hours started at as early as 12 noon!

Personally, I felt that the bars and restaurants covered too much of the beach. The beach would be more even more beautiful if those shops were located further inland. Nevertheless, the scenery at the White Beach was breathtaking, especially at Sunset.

Puka Shell Beach was my personal favorite. Located at the North East part of the island, it was beautiful and quiet. The scenery was postcard like. It was the most beautiful beach that I had ever visited, and if I ever return to Boracay, this will be my number one destination.

This was my first time to Philippines. The natives of the Boracay Island seemed to be less wealthy than I expected. During my TuTu rides, I saw houses where there were only dirt tracks and puddles of muddy water. A local school had the infrastructure of what one would expect from a 70's movie. The living conditions of the natives reminded me how fortunate I am and how comfortable my life is. It also taught me how unequal resources are distributed across the world today and how important good governance is.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable vacation. If possible, I plan to have a beach vacation at least once a year in the future. Traveling makes the eyes see, and the sea makes the heart sing.

Awakening

2012-04-07T00:06:00.001+08:00

There is a law on thermodynamics which I neither remember its number nor understand. The law states that things tend to move from an orderly state to a disorderly state, from organized to chaos, from new to old. I came to realize only recently that it is during the transitional state, between new born and dead, that beautiful things come to be. A flower is most beautiful when it blooms. A wave at sea is most alive when it rises. And this is a code of life.

The Apple Way of Life

2011-08-27T00:36:00.001+08:00

Steve J. sold us a set of values; his beliefs of design, aesthetics, innovation, and dreams. And these values were embodied in #Apple.

Book review: Thinking strategically

2011-06-20T01:10:00.001+08:00

It has been quite sometime since I last finished a book. Today I picked on an easy one. Easy as in thin. "Thinking strategically (Pocket Mentor)" by Harvard Business School Press.

Surprisingly, the tips that the author offers are more like basic tips to good decision making. Things like seeing the big picture, clarifying the objectives, gathering and analyzing information, and determining actions and priorities. I expected more.

Nevertheless, there is one good pointer that I especially like: identify the single most important information required before setting out to gathering information. Time is precious and information is everywhere. A smart decision maker has an idea of what he is looking for before he starts to search. This is one good thing I've learned from the book.

I'm going to step up on my reading. The pile of books on my chair is collecting dust. :)

The zen of office relocation

2010-12-11T19:31:00.002+08:00

Yesterday was the last time I went to work at Roosevelt Road Section 2 NO. 100 at Taipei. Nope, I did not quit my job. At least not yet. The company I work for has relocated to another building in another part of the city. I will be going there to work on Monday.

The office at Roosevelt Road is very conveniently located. It is right in front of a subway station exit. It is walking distance from National Taiwan Normal University and just two subway stations away from National Taiwan University. The neighborhood of these universities are filled with shops, eating places, and, of course, young people - who can resist such a busy, youthful, and friendly environment?

Most of my awaked hours, for the past five years, were spent at this office. This was the place where I worked, learned, met and interacted with people. I ate and experienced the other end of the digestive cycle there too. It was a place rich in happiness, frustration, and memories to me.

The office at Roosevelt Road, or Guting as we usually call it, is also the one and only place in Taiwan that I am extremely familiar with. The neighborhood is familiar with me too. I know the staff at the convenient store, where I bought breakfast and coffee almost everyday. The owners at some of the eating places recognize me and can anticipate my orders. Even the old lady at the home electronics shop across the road, whom I bought my heater from, knows that I am a foreigner and chats with me about her daughter. I feel at ease and resourceful there. I know exactly where to get juices and where to get beers. The office has been, indeed, my second home in Taiwan.

Our minds suddenly see things that we are familiar with, things that we spend a lot of time with, once we realize we won't be seeing them so much in the near future. I knew breaking up in a romantic relationship is painful. But I didn't know an office relocation could bring up feelings of sadness too. At times like this, life reminds us to stop for a second and cherish the things, people, and environments that we so often take for granted.

Repositioning

2010-09-28T00:19:00.004+08:00

So you had a product idea. But after some research, you realized that the market already had a super dominant player. What would you do?

There are many things you can try. Today I like to rumble about this thing called "repositioning".

Type I
Position your product as solving similar needs but serving a somewhat different market or context.
Mac versus PC.
Toyota versus BMW.
Sedans versus SUVs.

Type II
Build a much better product, invent a more superior technology, find a much more efficient way to build the product, or be so much cleverer in marketing and distributing it.
No need for citing examples, because this is most people's first reaction to market competition.

Type III
Position your product as solving a somewhat different need for the same market.
Facebook versus LinkedIn.
Skype versus MSN Messenger.
Converse All Stars versus Nike sneakers (by the way, Nike bought Converse in 2003).

Type IV
Position your product as something different from your super dominant competitor's, different to the extent that he is no longer so much of a direct competitor.
Most things that are "personal" versus "industrial" and "commercial" versus "military".

Exercise:
eBay versus Amazon, which type do they belong?

Disclaimer: The only business strategy books that the author has ever read are by Scott Adams.

Lessons for product managers and designers from Stephen King

2010-09-04T17:07:00.001+08:00

The latest post on Life Optimizer stated 17 lessons from Stephen King on how to be a successful writer. Since I am in the field of product management and design, I could instantly see how these lessons apply directly to me.

Below are the 17 lessons with my interpretation in italic:

Do what you love
Practice, practice, practice
Be serious
Ignore naysayers
Have a (business executive) supporter
Immerse yourself in the field
Be consistent
Study the work of others
Study the market
Spot ideas
Keep the momentum going
Get the first draft out as quickly as possible (prototyping and iterative product cycles)
Get rid of the inessentials (fight feature creep)
Be your own first customer (design reviews)
Don’t do it for the money
Do it for the joy
Do it to enrich others and yourself

Read the article on Life Optimizer »

Choices

2010-08-15T22:46:00.000+08:00

May we all have the wisdom to make our choices.
And may we also have the heart to forgive them.

War Movies

2010-05-30T00:39:00.005+08:00

While war movies typically show so many images of death, the stories behind them are about life and living.

One can find so many core emotions and elements of life, with so much intensity, in a good war movie, such as:

- anger,

- bravery,

- brotherhood,

- cowardice,

- cruelty,

- disappointment,

- death (of course),

- family,

- fear,

- hopelessness,

- illness,

- leadership,

- loneliness,

- love,

- loyalty,

- nationalism,

- pain,

- politics,

- righteousness, and more.

These are some of my personal favorites:

War movies are more about life than death.

The philosophy of five

2010-03-23T00:41:00.018+08:00

前些日子，一部叫做2012的電影製造了許多話題。兩個星期以前，有個朋友問我如果真的確定了公元2012年會是世界末日，那我現在會怎麼做。

當時我回答說我會更珍惜我的時間，無論做什麼事我都要做得更盡興，工作也好，玩樂也好，連跟朋友吃噸飯我都要"更用力的吃"。

過了幾天我自己一個人的時候莫名的回想到這段對話，我突然覺得我說的那個態度，不就是我本來就應該要有的嗎？

很多偉大的人都曾經告訴過我們要 "live each day like it's the last" （很多酒鬼也愛這麼說，尤其那些已經沒錢但是還一直在點酒的，他們打從心裡希望喝到十二點就世界末日不用付錢了）。再說，誰也不知道兩年後會發生什麼事。我連明天上班會不會又再遲到我覺得都很難說。而且，每一天都是特別的，過了就沒有了，生命又少了一天了，不是嗎？

也許我可以用一個新的態度來面對我的人生 - 每一天都以"我只剩五年的時間"來思考。當我用這樣的一個框架來思考時，突然間，未來太遙遠的煩惱就變得沒那麼重要了，目前面對的許多事情也因此覺得沒那麼需要計較了，過去的許多遺憾還是很遺憾，但是我沒太多時間站在那邊遺（還是憾）了。

為什麼是五年呢？我認為如果時間拉得太短，我可能會自暴自棄，或著只顧當下的享受，明天就辭職，最後世界末日還沒到我就先變成了台北犀利，不是很實際。超過五年又太遙遠，不確定性太高，對我來說也有點缺乏急迫性。以五年來思考，我似乎比較會兼顧到當下的享受和長遠的意義，符合快樂學的概念。

幾個簡單"只有五年"的思惟範例：
- 工作的事情不用太過煩惱，先把手上的事情做好。
- 想要旅行多走走看看的話，計畫不要一直拖，今年就看來先去個哪裡好。
- 健康還是要顧好，不要只剩五年結果病個四年還得了。
- 手機不小心掉地上也不用那麼心疼了，還能用就好。

任何一件事情，context 和 time frame 很重要。每天都以"只有五年"的態度來生活，就是我的人生新哲學。

再不去睡覺，明天上班就肯定又遲到了。

長這麼大第一次參加演唱會

2010-01-31T04:36:00.013+08:00

今晚我第一次去聽演唱會，在台北的第一次，也是人生的第一次。很多台北的朋友覺得都這麼老了沒去聽過演唱會很不可思議。我想原因是在新加坡，至少在我年輕的時候，比較沒有演唱會。另外，我真的非常、非常喜歡的歌手沒那麼多。小的時候也沒錢，覺得以其坐在看不到舞台的角落，還不如待在家裡看電視。

我今天人生參加的第一場演唱會是羅大佑、李宗盛、周華健、張震嶽的縱貫線樂團世界巡迴演唱會"終點站"。

這四位歌手都是我非常、非常欣賞的。真的可以說是聽他們的歌長大的。小學的時候開始聽李宗盛的『我有話要說』。國中、高中的時候聽周華健的『花心』和羅大佑的『戀曲1990』。當兵的時候來到台灣，在一家不知名的 pub 聽到現場樂團翻唱張震嶽的『愛的初體驗』，也是第一次看到台灣人在 pub 跳群體 chacha。今晚只差沒看到黃舒駿唱『恋爱症候群』，不然真的會誤以為這是一場為我特別準備的演唱會。

這些歌手、音樂家、熱愛音樂和生命的人，他們的歌不但旋律好聽，歌詞更是讓我有感觸。人生、感情、挫折、幽默... 歌詞常常把我自己的心情、感觸形容得比我自己還要來得貼切。聽著自己的心聲，同時覺得自己並不是那麼的孤獨。他們的歌我還要一直聽下去。

一年前，我跟一位同事說，我應該趁人還在台灣的時候，去體驗一下參加演唱會的感覺。今天我達成了這個願望，而且十萬分的滿意。謝謝！

我的第一次，棒極了！

Three predictions for 2010

2010-01-25T01:15:00.011+08:00

Everybody likes predictions. Some like to make, even more like to listen. I think it is fun, and here's a piece of wisdom (or stupidity) from me:

1. This year's summer and winter will be more extreme than 2009's.
We are in an age of environmental changes. Scientists are telling us that human activities are causing global warming which is unbalancing the ecosystem (we listen, we agree, and then we think "whatever, there's nothing a nobody like me can do about it"). Every year's summer is hotter and drier than the previous. Which will be followed by typhoons and floods that are worse and more lethal. And then it will snow heavier than ever before. Seems to me that this is where things are heading towards. And the poor and underprivileged are always the ones who suffer the most from the resulting disasters.

2. A renewed international focus on tackling unique business challenges in China.
Everybody knows that the biggest market for at least the next twenty years is in China. No international corporation wants to be left behind in setting its foot in this new land of opportunities. However, the rules of the game is very different in China (try Googling for these rules). You either abide the rules or you forfeit your chance to grow with this market. This playground is different from the ones that western corporations are used to; and in 2010 they have come to a stage where they need to re-think their growth strategy in China.

3. All things mobile.
Mobile devices and ubiquitous computing have been hot keywords in the field of human-computer interaction since the 90's. However, we have finally and truly come to a point where mobile Internet devices are becoming ubiquitous. Factors contributing to this includes:

advancement in electronics and manufacturing processes that lead to hardware innovation,
advancement in data transfer protocols and bandwidth; we have broke the minimal speed barrier for truly usable Internet everywhere, and
a shift in focus from hardware to services. iPods and the iPhone App Store are two obvious examples to show that being able to manufacture and sell mobile devices cheaper than others will not naturally bring successes. The service and experience ecosystem is what really matters.

The market for mobile devices that also function as e-readers will grow like the MP3 players' in the late 90's. The story may be different, but the ending is likely to be similar: only a couple of manufacturers will survive, and these are the ones who offer highly integrated content providing services. But thanks to the iPod and iPhone case studies, the importance of building the ecosystem and focusing on content services is a lot more obvious this time. Hence, compared to the MP3 players' days, there will be a lot more competition in terms of deal makings with publishers, in terms of technological innovation, and in terms of user experience and design.

And as mobile Internet devices become more ubiquitous, perhaps "smart homes" will finally begin to take off in 2011. We will soon be carrying a potential remote control to our smart homes everywhere we go.

For the cost of an iPhone app

2010-01-02T22:32:00.016+08:00

I have a colleague who often travels on her own expenses to rural areas in Taiwan and other countries to do volunteering work such as building schools for the local communities. I am also aware of several friends who financially adopt less fortunate children in China and Africa through the World Vision organization. I am not one of these people. I seldom participate in volunteering programs and I did not regularly sponsor any charitable organizations in the past.

I think I have reach a stage in my life that the urgency to live happily and meaningfully is beginning to grow. And when I asked myself today, if I could have all the resources I wanted, what I would like to achieve, my answer was:

1) To help make the world a better place by lending a helping hand to those who are less fortunate. Especially those who are less fortunate in the sense that they are sick, disabled, or living in poverty.
2) To help preserve the beauty of the world by supporting the causes of saving endangered animals and preserving the natural habitats. Doing so also means saving the environment and, eventually, ourselves.

I believe the above goals are shared by the majority of the world's population living in developed countries today. I am being extremely late in recognizing them explicitly. I also recognize that there many other causes that are equally important and universal in the world today. So there is absolutely no intention of bragging here.

The first baby step that I decided to take to support the above goals (you will soon see that it is a really tiny step, but I believe it will enrich my life nevertheless) is to identify a non-profit organization that relate to these goals. After a search and comparison on Charity Navigator Rating, I identified two international organizations that align with my thinking: the World Resources Institute and The Hunger Project. Since I have a very limited income surplus (boss: I hope you are reading this), I decided to start sponsoring The Hunger Project first. I think it is heart breaking to see starving children, and I believe in educating and empowering the local communities to solve poverty problems at their cores. I am starting with an extremely humble amount a month, not much more than the cost of a good iPhone app.

The miserable amount that I contributing today is somewhat shameful, but I am sharing the story with you nevertheless. The point is I don't need to have all the resources in the world to support my goals. I personally believe this is a meaningful baby step, and also a great start for the new year for me.

Discover your own caffeine shot

2009-10-31T12:09:00.006+08:00

I didn't like the after taste of coffee when I was younger. But I didn't like chili or beer when I was younger too. As a child, I was puzzled by the fact that some people around me preferred chili sauce to tomato sauce, beer and coffee to coke. "Why would anyone prefer bitter or unpleasantly spicy stuff to sweet pleasures?" I thought. But things changed as I grew older.

After I moved to Taiwan to work at an Internet company, I started to drink coffee regularly. In retrospect, there were three factors that caused this behavior:
1) I began to appreciate the bitter taste more as I grew older.
2) Coffee was free at the workplace.
3) I often felt tired and coffee gave me mental boosts.

I have a weak stomach, so sometimes I end up spending a lot of time in the toilet if I have had too much coffee. Other than this problem, coffee usually sharpens my mind and is a catalyst that helps me to get into the state of flow at work. The stimulant helps me to be more focused and productive, and I end up more enjoyed with the task at hand.

It is so critical that we discover what our own passions and values are. Being in a career that one is passionate about and living a lifestyle that is aligned with one's values are like having a big good cup coffee every morning. I wish to get my life into the state of flow pretty soon. I'm going to make myself some coffee of life.

My first visit to Tokyo and Hakone

2009-10-18T20:40:00.005+08:00

I had never been to Japan in my life, until October 2009.

Several of my friends at work planned a trip to Japan. Since I had never been there, and that traveling to Japan from Taipei was easier and cheaper than traveling from Singapore, I decided to tag along. My Taiwanese friends had been to Japan many times before. It seems to me that Taiwanese enjoy visiting Japan very much. It was his third vacation in Japan in this year alone for one of this group of friends.

Japanese have a unique culture. Something like an extremely disciplined craftsmen culture to me. They have certain 規矩 or rules, like taking off one's shoes in fitting rooms and the shoes must point outwards. They respect self-discipline, and they trained hard to achieve excellence in whatever they do, be it car making or sushi making. Paying attention to detail is also one of the many other things that we can learn from this culture.

It was my first trip to Japan. My observation may be flawed or incomplete. It should be. But I was very impressed nevertheless. And I was inspired.

It was a great trip.

Think about what you've learned from your last romantic relationship

2009-09-06T22:47:00.004+08:00

I've always enjoyed being alone in my room, with dim lights and music in the background. It first started in college. I managed to have a single dormitory room in my senior year. It was great. This kind of setting gives me a laid back, relaxed, calm, and sensual feeling. It usually helps to have a beer or wine too.

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Relationships. How many romantic relationships have you been through so far? It is my belief that 99% of relationships begin and end the same way. The context may be different, but the emotional stimuli are the same. Beginnings are always filled with joy, excitement, and irrationality. At the beginning, "This person whom I admire finds me attractive too" - what a feeling of happiness and joy. At the end, "Why does it have to end this way? Where has the love disappeared to?" - what a feeling of disappointment, bitterness, and sadness.

Having being through a few relationships myself, I find that if we put aside the emotions, there is a lot that we can learn from each relationships that we go through. From what the other parties told me and from my post-reflections, I learn more about:
1. What aspects of me are attractive to others?
2. Where are the flaws in my personality?
3. What qualities tend to attract me?
4. What do I really want and need from a romantic relationship?
5. How can I improve in my dealings with conflicts in relationships?

With each relationship that we go through, we stand a chance to grow spiritually. With the aid of some self-reflection, we can learn more about a special aspect of ourselves that no other type of experiences can offer.

What you've learned from your last romantic relationship?

Self Reflection

2009-08-23T23:34:00.003+08:00

For most of us who have the luxury of living in a democratic society and with no shortage of basic life necessities, there is really no excuse for us not to strive to make the most out of our lives.

And I believe a regular habit of humble self reflection is part of the key to a happy and satisfying life.

So much things happen around us each day. So much things we say and do. Self reflection is a timeout for us to examine our behavior and to compare it with our personal values. The importance of aligning what we do with our personal values cannot be over emphasized. There is no point in making a ship go faster when it is heading towards a wrong direction.