Japan 2012: Nagoya + Shirakwa-go + Takayama

A wonderful trip with my dearest Ho Mei, and his bandmates, beautiful Iris, and very cool Kwong.

Thank you to Kwong who helped booked the flight and hotel, and information on the minshuku (民宿) and coach bus to Shirakawa (白川鄉).

Day 1: HKG-NGO, Fushimi, Sakae, Nagoya, CoCo Ichibanya

Flight HKG-NGO, dep 1020 31/3.

 

Arrived Nagoya without dramas, quick plane ride and a movie and we arrived. Took the train on the Meitetsu Line 名古屋鉄道 to Nagoya city. Got to Hotel Wing. Cozy, clean, small room, with easy access from Marunouchi station (丸の内). 

  

We arranged to meet up with Iris and Kwong in the evening, had a bit of time before redezvous, roamed around a little bit~ 

NB: Canon did not pay me. (they should)

The many sides to my dearest... 

Silly+cute:

 

  Cool dude.

 

 Walked towards Sakae, and came across a cute mailbox...

 Sakae Sunshine

Marunouchi station (丸の内), whilst waiting for the cute couple. L: ticket and fare adjustment machine, with Japanese man looking like he's doing a no. 1. R: cute courtesy umbrella stand. 

 We proceeded to getting the tickets to Shirakawa (白川鄉) at the Nagoya Bus Center. After that we were hungry! Had dinner at CoCo Ichibanya Curry House. It was YUM!

Day 2: Cafe de Crie, Nagoya Castle, Higashiyama Park, Onmyo-za

Breakfast at Cafe de Crie, simple tasty breakfast. Little versions of everything with plenty of packaging, even had little pot of lemon juice in case you want to make the tea into lemon tea...

 Lovin' my "deer-in-headlight" look!

All posters/ads/notices are quite cartoony. This is one of them we passed by on the way back to the rendezvous with Iris and Kwong.

 Nagoya Subway Map. (I did a similar photo at BCN, no funny facial expression though!)

Meijo Park, Nagoya Castle.

Plum blossoms. We were a little too early for cherry blossoms. Still, loved it.

 Street performer, doing tricks with diabolo, and solving rubick's cube behind his back in 2 mins... very entertaining and impressive! :D

Inside the keep, Honmaru Palace:

Other happy snappy's around Meijo Park...

 I particularly found this flower interesting...

Zodiac pix.

 Ad for peach-flavoured canned drink? :P

Nomnom... ^^

Snacky after morning stroll~

View along walk back to subway station - City hall

 Interesting subway station design~

 Sakae station - underground shopping malls.

Yummy lunch! Huge pieces of fish, proportionally less rice compared to sushi train in HK. R: menu - these sushi has functions, beautify skin, relieve stress... etc...!

Top train: foods; bottom train: tea cups and soy sauce dishes; table: aftermath.

Next stop: Higashiyama Zoological and Botanical Gardens

Absolutely beautiful flowers at the greenhouse~

Yummy Sakura-flavoured ice-cream! :D

Subway towards 中京大学文化市民会館 for Onmyoza concert. Females only car - to avoid 痴漢

 Onmyoza concert. Absolutely awesome.

Day 3: Shirakawa

Bus departs at 9am, so it was an early morning... HM getting brekkie for us... ^^

 Meitetsu bus center.

 Coach rest stop.

 Shirakawa!!! Absolutely beautiful scenery, gorgeous weather.

My v. cool bf.

Lunch~ Yum!

Sightseeing around Shirakawa: (fr top left clockwise: before+after renewing the roof of these 合掌屋,  cute cookies, "you and those figurines look alike", 坑渠蓋)

 

[hm's pic]

Back at our minshuku...

 

Dinner after going to the nearby bath house~ 

 Oishi-desu!

 - the evening ended early, but it was a quality evening <3

Day 4: Takayama (day) + Nagoya (night)

Breakfast at minshuku, so delicious!

Very helpful lady at the information centre helped us cancel our ticket to Nagoya from Shirakawa, so we could spend a few hours at Takayama because there's actually not too much to do at Shirakawa, and it was pouring down that day!

 

Takayama. Lockers for my luggage (note to self: please pack lighter next time, Japan is very civilised, no hot water bottle necessary).

 Lunch. Yummy local place. Plenty of different locals having lunch off work.

BUNNY SHOP!!! Very excited Karen around this shop. It's absolutely awesome. Didn't end up getting anything because it was difficult to choose! Went back twice to admire the cuteness though. :)

My uber cute bf. Raar~

Dango~ nom nom

HM @ turtle house.

Around Takayama...

 Hida~! Takayama~!

The rainbow after the rain, on the way back to Nagoya.
"If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain."

 The original tickets were cancelled and the helpful lady at Shirakawa information centre arranged for us to get our refunds back. YAY, got budget for ____ (pick one: food, souvenir, ... JAZZ at livehouse...)

 the B Nagoya - nice lobby ^^

 As it turns out, HM found out that there's a livehouse near by, asked if I would like to go for jazz. "Sure!" was my answer... and off we went.

 

It was HM's second time there... my first time. The food was much better than I thought. (we knew that they served pizza and pasta...) The place was cozy but professional (imo).

The music was FUN! Particularly love the pianist, vocalist, and the drummer.

 After set 1 HM had a chat with the pianist and I asked the vocalist for an autograph (I had a marker with me!). They found out we were visiting from HK... and they were such fun musicians, and asked HM to play the drums after their second set. IMO he should've (he's awesome drummer imo) but I guess perhaps next time...! 

A photo with the musicians (minus the bass).

HM got a CD from the drummer, it's a NEWLY released jazz cd that the drummer and his brother recorded with other musicians. Naturally we asked for his autograph too, and had a look, it was Ghibli jazz! Calculated probability.
Photo of a happy chappy HM. :D

Day 5: Last day in Nagoya

Breakfast at IRIS conference room. (This trip: Hotel Wing, Iris conference room. Destined to be Zodiac related...)

 the B, street view.

 

So, story goes, jazz ended up pretty pricy, and we ended up spending the refund we got from the bus at Doxy, (granted, it was well worth it!!) The morning we had to hang around Sakae because we pretty much juz had enough for the train ride to the airport! We went to Nagoya Park, which isn't really a park but a shopping mall. We indulged ourselves with the Japanese products, and concluded they are SERIOUS about EVERYTHING, nothing is JUST an anything. There isn't just a lunchbox, just a cushion, just a cleaning product...

 Street view, beautiful weather.

 Coffee back at the B to collect our luggages... free coffee...! HAHA!

 Scenery along the way to the airport... such beautiful weather... sad to go!

 

 Centrair. Doesn't this airport resembles HKIA?! Well they must've copied us because ours were built first! Also very cute Japanese mascots for the airport. I particularly like the clouds - there's a normal cloud and a storm cloud!

 

 Sky deck, solar panels.

 Nagoya from the air...

What an amazing experience for my first time on Honshu! Music and food were the highlights of the trip, and the sweetest photo taken (yet)!

I am the luckiest girl in the world with the bestest bf!

Some of the things that hurt us here the most, are your regrets over the past, insecurities over downtime, and self-doubts over decisions to be made.

Heck, the past was only warm-up practice, downtime gives us a chance to set a new stage, and it's you we call "the boss."

Fear, like joy, usually means that you're exactly where you should be, learning what you're ready to learn, about to become more than who you were.

The dots ...

So as it turns out I have decided to take on the offer.
Peanuts, and skeptical about how things will turn out. Nonetheless, shall go at it head on and see what happens.

It's such an uneasy decision and I must learn to make decisions without worrying too much what other people think. Though when it comes to my parents it is a little harder. It's hard to not feel judged.

I believe the dots will connect. Eventually.

Interview, round II

Thank You for staying close for my first interview, and thank You for making it a good experience.
I have got another interview in an hour, please let me present myself the best I can, and please guide the way for the perfect job for me. You're the man with the plan, I am ready.

Also thank You for making Dr. M.W. like me enough to want to see me again tomorrow.
But, one thing at a time, let me focus on the task at hand right now.

Crosses to Bear.

It is a true test for Lent, and Easter, this news.
Prayer for God's grace, may He grant me the wisdom and whatever ability I need to face it, to be the better person.

Iridescent

When you were standing in the wake of devastation
When you were waiting on the edge of the unknown
With the cataclysm raining down
Your insides crying, "Save me now"
You were there, impossibly alone

And in a burst of light that blinded every angel
As if the sky had blown the heavens into stars
You felt the gravity of tempered grace
Falling into empty space
With no one there to catch you in their arms

Do you feel cold and lost in desperation?
You build up hope, but failures all you've known
Remember all the sadness and frustration
And let it go
Let it go.

梁繼璋曾給兒子寫過一封信

香港電臺知名主持人梁繼璋曾給兒子寫過一封信，這封信很快流傳於各大網站，很多父親看後感觸很深，我覺得不只給兒子，其實適合所有人看！

下輩子，無論愛與不愛，都不會再見----送給兒子的備忘錄

我兒：寫這備忘錄給你，基於三個原則：

1. 人生福禍無常，誰也不知可以活多久，有些事情還是早一點說好。

2. 我是你的父親，我不跟你說，沒有人會跟你說。

3. 這備忘錄記載的，都是我經過慘痛失敗得回來的體驗，可以為你的成長省回不少冤枉路。

以下，便是你在人生中要好好記住的事：

（一）對你不好的人，你不要太介懷，在你一生中，沒有人有義務要對你好，除了我和你媽媽。

至於那些對你好的人，你除了要珍惜、感恩外，也請多防備一點，因為，每個人做每件事，總有一個原因，他對你好，未必真的是因為喜歡你，請你必須搞清楚，而不必太快將對方看作真朋友。

（二）沒有人是不可代替，沒有東西是必須擁有。

看透了這一點，將來你身邊的人不再要你，或許失去了世間上最愛的一切時，也應該明白，這並不是什麼大不了的事。

（三）生命是短暫的，今日你還在浪費著生命，明日會發覺生命已遠離你了。

因此，愈早珍惜生命，你享受生命的日子也愈多，與其盼望長壽，倒不如早點享受。

（四）世界上並沒有最愛這回事，愛情只是一種霎時的感覺，而這感覺絕對會隨時日、心境而改變。

如果你的所謂最愛離開你，請耐心地等候一下，讓時日慢慢沖洗，讓心靈慢慢沉澱，你的苦就會慢慢淡化。不要過分憧憬愛情的美，不要過分誇大失戀的悲。

（五）雖然很多有成就的人士都沒有受過很多教育，但並不等於不用功讀書，就一定可以成功。

你學到的知識，就是你擁有的武器。人，可以白手興家，但不可以手無寸鐵，謹記！

（六）我不會要求你供養我下半輩子，同樣地我也不會供養你的下半輩子，當你長大到可以獨立的時候，我的責任已經完結。

以後，你要坐巴士還是Benz（賓士），吃魚翅還是粉絲，都要自己負責。

（七）你可以要求自己守信，但不能要求別人守信，你可以要求自己對人好，但不能期待人家對你。

你怎樣對人，並不代表人家就會怎樣對你，如果看不透這一點，你只會徒添不必要的煩惱。

（八）我買了十多二十年六合彩，還是一窮二白，連三獎也沒有中，這證明人要發達，還是要努力工作才可以，世界上並沒有免費午餐。

（九）親人只有一次的緣分，無論這輩子我和你會相處多久，也請好好珍惜共聚的時光，下輩子，無論愛與不愛，都不會再見。

Blessed.

FB album. Blessed.

A Sunday in March.

- Drove to Hamburg Villa, Ma did flowers for church... beautiful orchids.

- Went to Ricci Hall @Pok Fu Lum. Great sermon. It was about politics. It wasn't politics. The priest's sermon was about saving politics. It is good to have politics, and where there's people, there'll be politics, be it a family, church, office, or the very city we live in. No human being is perfect, we all have sinned before. It reminded me of how we shouldn't judge. I learnt not to judge through another way, another realisation, but a fact to me nonetheless. It was good to see Michael 哥哥, pretty much the only person I recognised. (Funny little side story: this must've happened when I was 2 yrs old, he was the first person who bought me 麥精維他奶, warm, in a glass bottle. This is actually my own memory... Apparently he's also the guy who gave me my first rose. Ha!).

- Lunch at 白玉蘭 @IFC. Beautiful plates... [photo ^^] Food was great - dim sum nom nom... comfortable environment, good service, very posh area but price was surprisingly affordable, not cheap, but for a place that class, not bad. @$110 (Auntie Flora [阿花] and family, Michael, Doris, Chan's) 

 

- HKJC HV for a few hours... Pa and Ma went Wan Chai... It was great set up for me. Did some reading about making a cat-friendly practice. Also watched the movie New York, I love you. Was a good movie imo, not fantastic, but I enjoyed it anyhow. :)

 

- Dinner at Heichirou with 波王張, Auntie Pat and Auntie Winnie. Uber yummy dinner, 片皮鴨 was the feature definitely, but plenty of other yummy foods completed with dessert.
- Drove home. :)

Be

"People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self centered; Forgive them anyway. If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; Be kind anyway. If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; Succeed anyway. If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; Be honest and frank anyway. What you spend years building, someone could destroy overn...ight; Build anyway. If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; Be happy anyway. The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; Do good anyway. Give the world your best you have and it may never be enough; Give the world the best you've got anyway. You see, in the final analysis it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway."
-Mother Teresa


- from asanji's fb status.

曬命事件簿

其一:
HM treated me to 《東京事變 Live Tour 2012 Domestique Bon Voyage》戲院直播 yesterday. The experience was different, can't say I've seen a concert broadcasted before, but I enjoyed the date, a lot. It was perfect, in my eyes.

We met up at Tai Wo station, (I have spent the afternoon with V and her mum at Kadoorie Farm & Botanical Gardens), took the train to Tsuen Wan West. Along the way we had some funny conversations, not intelligent, by any means, but I had a good laugh till my cheeks hurt. Along the short walk to the cinema we passed by a bus station, where there was a bus he could take back to TP, but he said he'll take the train so he can accompany me (I practically melted?!). It wasn't long till we ended up at the mall we need to be at, and we had a meal at a cute cozy cafe, I ended up getting a vegetarian noodle soup, and bubble tea. I got quite a sweet deal - dinner was on me and HM got the tix...

It wasn't particularly crowded at the cinema, the seats were comfy, and I was well fed (maybe too well fed...). The feeling of it being streamed live from Tokyo, people actually watching this while we were watching it just felt funny for some reason. I shouldn't really be surprised, because Skype existed for YEARS?!!

The concert was great! To be honest I only know maybe 10-15 songs by Tokyo Jihen, and I'm sure the level of appreciation HM has is far greater than mine. I must admit the first half hour or so I was REALLY sleepy. Prolly coz of the food? The sleepiness dampened and I was really enjoying the concert, the performance was great. I like Shiina Ringo, but I never saw her perform, she was totally into it and a great performer! There was such glamour! The guitarist was awesome, with the MANY guitars he changed in between songs (I swear there was at least TEN). The drummer was very cute, he took his camera out on several occasions to document his band members, and the audience. I also liked his make up! He had stars/glitter on his eyelid and below his eyebrows! The bassist seems to be the most mature of the 5, he was 陶醉 in his own music too. Couldn't help but notice how his wrists were wrapped up for support, hope he doesn't get arthritis too soon. The keyboardist was awesome! He also played the guitar. I swear a keyboard makes a band complete, just doesn't sound nearly as nice when they don't have it (then again, I still like Zodiac's music though they don't have a keyboard).

I really enjoyed the live broadcast, although I must say I would prolly have more of a "high" if we were actually in the concert, definitely felt idle and not participating enough! However, I am by NO means complaining. It was a wonderful evening.

其二:
究竟誰陪誰...?
Ma took the day off, and we spent the day together. Went to SKM/SSP for food - had snake soup (!) and glutinous rice, fishball/fishcake noodle soup and vege, kaya french toast, then had hazelnut coffee. Before the coffee we visited a stationary shop and my mum bought me arts supplies <3. We also managed to visit a new design school in Hong Kong (SCAD). We had the coffee at Jockey Club Creative Arts Centre. Next went to Jordan for her haircut. I just waited with her while she got her haircut (thank goodness for iPhone games!). It was at a small flat in a building close to Kowloon Park. The hairdresser was this older man (retired) and only taking few appointments. The convo included how good it is for me to accompany my mum, but in all honesty I think she's accompanying me? If she didn't take the day off I'll be just at home, prolly moping. After that we went in a clothing shop, and she bought me a jacket, the style looks like the black jacket I'm wearing at the moment, only more stylish, better quality, and posher! SPOILT. 曬命-ing. We then went towards PCC and walking through Kowloon Park. The flowers 風信子 were beautiful... We went to the wet market and bought some vege, then I came home while she went to PCC.

...
So many more things to brag about but I think I should call it a night for now.

Forgiveness

"Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.” It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.” Forgiveness is the remedy. It doesn’t mean you’re erasing the past, or forgetting what happened. It means you’re letting go of the resentment and pain, and instead choosing to learn from the incident and move on with your life. Remember, the less time you spend hating the people who hurt you, the more time you’ll have to love the people who love you."

- from dalal's status.

What is Love?

- found this in the "from people >> jas k" folder today (2003).

What is Love?

A group of professionals posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year olds.  "What does love mean?"  The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined.  See what you think:

Rebecca – age 8
When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different.  You know that your name is safe in their mouth.
Billy – age 4
Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.
Chrissy – age 6
Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.
Terri – age 4
Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is okay.
Danny – age 7
Love is when you kiss all the time.  Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more.  My mommy and daddy are like that.  They look gross when they kiss.
Jenny – age 4
Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it everyday
Noelle – age 7
Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.
Clare – age 5
Love is when mommy gives daddy the best piece of chicken.
Chris – age 8
Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day

Jessica – age 6
When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.
Mark – age 6
You really shouldn't say "I love you" unless you mean it.  But if you mean it, you should say it a lot.  People forget.

Not finding time...

actually all these reflections are reposted from my private blog, the original entries were from ~2yrs ago. just wanted to put in a place where i'd like more people to potentially see it.a bit of bombardment of these "reflections".
maybe oldie, who knows, but i think goodie.

i think this doesn't have to apply to God. can apply to anything that you want to give but 'don't have time' for.



The Poem.

I knelt to pray but not for long,
I had too much to do.
I had to hurry and get to work
For bills would soon be due.

So I knelt and said a hurried prayer,
And jumped up off my knees.
My Christian duty was now done
My soul could rest at ease.

All day long I had no time
To spread a word of cheer.
No time to speak of Christ to friends,
They'd laugh at me I'd fear.

No time, no time, too much to do,
That was my constant cry,
No time to give to souls in need
But at last the time, the time to die.

I went before the Lord,
I came, I stood with downcast eyes.
For in his hands God held a book;
It was the book of life.

God looked into his book and said
"Your name I cannot find.
I once was going to write it down ...

But never found the time"

Emergency Telephone Numbers...

These are more effective than 911
When:-

You are sad, phone - John 14
You have sinned, phone - Psalm 51
You are facing danger, phone - Psalm 91
People have failed you, phone - Psalm 27
If it feels though God is far from you, phone- Psalm 139
Your faith needs stimulation, phone - Hebrews 11
You are alone and scared, phone - Psalm 23
You are worried, phone - Matthew 8:19-34
You are hurt and critical, phone - 1 Corinthians 13
You wonder about Christianity, phone - 2 Corinthians 5:15-18
You feel like an outcast, phone - Romans 8:31-39
You are seeking peace, phone - Matthew 11:25-30
If feels as if the world is bigger than God, phone - Psalm 90
You need Christ like insurance, phone - Romans 8:1-30
You are leaving home for a trip, phone - Psalm 121
You are praying for yourself, phone - Psalm 87
You require courage for a task, phone - Joshua 1
Inflation's and investments are hogging your thoughts, phone - Mark 10:17-31
You are depressive, phone - Psalm, 27
Your bank account is empty, phone - Psalm 37
You lose faith in mankind, phone - Corinthians 13
It looks like people are unfriendly, phone - John 15
You are losing hope, phone - Psalm 126
You feel the world is small compared to you, phone - Psalm 19
You want to carry fruit, phone - John 15
Paul's secret for happiness, phone - Colossians 3:12-17
With big opportunity/discovery, phone - Isiah 55
To get along with other people, phone - Romans 12

Alternate numbers:
For dealing with fear, call - Psalm 3:47
For security, call - Psalm 121:3
For assurance, call - Mark 8:35
For reassurance, call - Psalm 145:18

All these numbers may be phone directly.
No operator assistance is necessary.
All lines to heaven are available 24 hours a day.
Feed your faith and doubt will starve to death.

A little perspective...

• if you woke up this morning with more health than illness... you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week
• if you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... you are ahead of 500million people in the world
• if you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death... you are more blessed than three billion people in the world
• if you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep... you are richer than 75% of this world
• if you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish someplace you are among the top 8% of the worlds wealthy
• if you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful... you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not
• if you can hold someone's hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder... you are blessed because you can offer healing touch
• if you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and further more you are blessed than over two billion in the world that cannot read at all.

Sunday, 30th August, 2009. St. Thomas More, Bateman - homily
True all these 'feel good' things may seem irrelevant sometimes, and definitely feels cliche more often than not, but maybe sometimes, just sometimes, they remind us something we've just forgotten or put aside at the back of our minds.

Bill Gate's speech to highschool kids

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this! Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. he talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

1. Life is not fair - get used to it!
2. The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.
3. You will not make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
4. If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you see your boss.
5. Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping: they called it opportunity.
6. If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.
7. Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the the parasite of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
   -- that i don't like. i don't think Fr Michael mentioned that tonight. hello, if you don't want kids, don't have them. far out.
8. Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.
9. Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time..
10. Television is not real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
11. Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

Sunday, 30th August, 2009. St. Thomas More, Bateman - homily

Why do bad things happen to good people?

By no means does this explain everything, but perhaps sometimes keeping this in mind may help understand become more at peace with what is going on... and hopefully we can be graced with Serenity.

The Butterfly

"One day, a small opening appeared on a cocoon; a man sat and watched for the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole.

Then, it seems to stop making any progress.

It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could not go any further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and opened the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily.

But it had a withered body, it was tiny and had withered wings.

The man continued to watch because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would open, enlarge and expand, to be able to support the butterfly's body, and become firm.

Neither happened!

In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a withered body and shriveled wings.

It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and goodwill did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening, were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings, so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes our struggles are exactly what we need in our life.

If God allowed us to go through life without any obstacles, it would cripple us.
We would not be as strong as we could have been.
Never been able to fly.

I asked for strength ...
and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.

I asked for wisdom ...
and God gave me problems to solve.

I asked for prosperity ...
and God gave me brain and brawn to work.

I asked for courage ...
and God gave me obstacles to overcome.

I asked for love ...
and God gave me troubled people to help.

I asked for favours ...
and God gave me opportunities.

I received nothing I wanted ...
but received everything I needed.

Live life without fear,
confront all obstacles,
and
prove that you can overcome them.

WHY GO TO CHURCH?

A Churchgoer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.

"I've gone and done it for 30 long years now," he wrote, "and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the preachers are wasting theirs too by giving lengthy sermons at all."

This started a real controversy in the "Letters to the Editor" column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

"I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!"

When you are DOWN to nothing...God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical and our spiritual nourishment! When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say," "Jesus, could you get that for me?"

- taken from St. Thomas More Bateman Website.

Three Kinds of Love

Love that Takes is a Love that Breaks
Love that Ties is a Love that Dies

... but...

Love that Gives is a Love that Lives.

Patience...

Beautiful pictures...

- found this online. i liked it enough to share...

A little gem.

original link here: http://godsgracefulness.com/?p=539

Tips for Fun at Work

*adapted vetlearn.com*

• Wear different funny hats, sunglasses, or masks to the team meetings.
• Name the laboratory equipment and call it by name.
• Keep bubbles, crayons, and child toys to pass around at meetings.
• Copy someone’s hand using the copier. Type on it: “Need a pat on the back? Stand here.” Tack the sign on a wall where everyone can lean against it for the pat on the back.
• In the bathroom, put up signs that say “Looking good!” or “You are great—Smile!”
• Put up a humour/rumor board; first, make certain everyone knows what is appropriate humor for the clinic.
• Watch a movie together and discuss learning points from it that can be used at the clinic. Good movies to try are Apollo 13 and 12 Angry Men. Encourage the team to look for movies to use.
• Have a “Joy Jar.” Each month, decide that there will be a 25-cent penalty for a negative behavior, like saying “can’t.” The penalty money goes into the Joy Jar. At the end of the month, identify two people to be the Joy team. The Joy team decides how to use the money in the Joy Jar to spread joy in the clinic. For example, you might have a masseuse come in to give neck massages or get someone to come in and speak on managing stress.
• Help team members develop their sense of humor by supporting their sharing of funny incidents and stories. Look for opportunities to help people take themselves and their jobs less seriously. Share positive stories, and encourage others to share them with the team.
• Make sure you have a supply of fun office toys (e.g., Silly Putty, Slinkys, Pez dispensers, Frisbees, Nerf balls, Koosh balls).
• Bring a camera to work and catch people having fun. Put the photos on a “Wall of Fame” board with funny or heartwarming captions.
• Post photos from newspapers and magazines on a bulletin board, and have team members write funny captions on sticky notes around the photos.
• Put fun messages on employees’ paychecks to recognize their performance or special days like their birthday or work anniversary.

E Collar.

*lmao.

20 Tips for a Positive New Year

1. Stay Positive. You can listen to the cynics and doubters and believe that success is impossible or you can trust that with faith and an optimistic attitude all things are possible.

2. Take a morning walk of gratitude. I call it a "Thank You Walk." It will create a fertile mind ready for success.

3. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

4. Zoom Focus. Each day when you wake up in the morning ask: "What are the three most important things I need to do today that will help me create the success I desire?" Then tune out all the distractions and focus on these actions.

5. Instead of being disappointed about where you are, think optimistically about where you are going.

6. Remember that adversity is not a dead-end but a detour to a better outcome.

7. Don't chase success. Instead decide to make a difference and success will find you.

8. Get more sleep. You can't replace sleep with a double latte.

9. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

10. Mentor someone and be mentored by someone.

11. Live with the 3 E's. Energy, Enthusiasm, Empathy.

12. Remember there's no substitute for hard work.

13. Believe that everything happens for a reason and expect good things to come out of challenging experiences.

14. Implement the No Complaining Rule. Remember that complaining is like vomiting. Afterwards you feel better but everyone around you feels sick. www.NoComplainingRule.com

15. Read more books than you did in 2011. I happen to know of a few good ones. :)

16. Don't seek happiness. Instead decide to live with passion and purpose and happiness will find you. www.Seed11.com

17. Focus on "Get to" vs "Have to." Each day focus on what you get to do, not what you have to do. Life is a gift not an obligation.

18. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished____________.

19. Smile and laugh more. They are natural anti-depressants.

20. Enjoy the ride. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy it.

www.JonGordon.com

說話的態度

急事，慢慢的說
大事，清楚的說
小事，幽默的說
沒把握的事，謹慎的說

沒發生的事，不要胡說
做不到的事，別亂說

傷害別人的事，不能說
討厭的事，對事不對人說

開心的事，看場合說
傷心的事，不要見人就說

別人的事，小心的說
自己的事，聽聽自己的心怎樣說

現在的事，做了再說
未來的事，未來再說
如果對我有不滿意的地方
請一定要對我說！

Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Suess

Congratulations!
Today is your day.

You're off to Great Places!

You're off and away!

YOu have brains in your head. 

You have feet in your shoes

You can steer yoursef 

and direction you choose.

You're on your own. And you know wht you know.

And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.

Out there things can happen 

and frequently do

to people as brainy

and footsy as you.

You'll be on your way up!

You'll be seeing sights!

You'll join the high fliers

who soar to high heights.

Except when you don't 

Because, sometimes, you won't.

I'm sorry to say so

but, sadly, it's true

and Hang-ups can happen to you.

But on you will go

though the weather be foul

On you will go 

through your enemies prowl

Onward up many

a frightening creek,

though your arms may get sore 

and your gumboots may leak.

Step with care and great tact

and remember that Life's 

a Great Balancing Act.

Just never forget to be dexterous and def.

And never mix up your right foot with your left.

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will, indeed!

(98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed)

KID, YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So... Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.

So... get on your way!

 - parchment given to murdoch vet graduates 2011 at graduation dinner 2nd december, 2011.

Veterinarian's Oath

Being admitted to the profession of veterinary medicine, I solemnly swear to use my scientific knowledge and skills for the benefit of society through the protection of animal health and welfare, the prevention and relief of animal suffering, the conservation of animal resources, the promotion of public health, and the advancement of medical knowledge.
I will practice my profession conscientiously, with dignity, and in keeping with the principles of veterinary medical ethics. I accept as a lifelong obligation the continual improvement of my professional knowledge and competence.

Raya/Ahava/Dod.

Somewhat beautifully put.

Self-Respect

August 2, 2009

Modern Love

Those Aren’t Fighting Words, Dear

By LAURA A. MUNSON

LET’S say you have what you believe to be a healthy marriage. You’re still friends and lovers after spending more than half of your lives together. The dreams you set out to achieve in your 20s — gazing into each other’s eyes in candlelit city bistros when you were single and skinny — have for the most part come true.

Two decades later you have the 20 acres of land, the farmhouse, the children, the dogs and horses. You’re the parents you said you would be, full of love and guidance. You’ve done it all: Disneyland, camping, Hawaii, Mexico, city living, stargazing.

Sure, you have your marital issues, but on the whole you feel so self-satisfied about how things have worked out that you would never, in your wildest nightmares, think you would hear these words from your husband one fine summer day: “I don’t love you anymore. I’m not sure I ever did. I’m moving out. The kids will understand. They’ll want me to be happy.”

But wait. This isn’t the divorce story you think it is. Neither is it a begging-him-to-stay story. It’s a story about hearing your husband say “I don’t love you anymore” and deciding not to believe him. And what can happen as a result.

Here’s a visual: Child throws a temper tantrum. Tries to hit his mother. But the mother doesn’t hit back, lecture or punish. Instead, she ducks. Then she tries to go about her business as if the tantrum isn’t happening. She doesn’t “reward” the tantrum. She simply doesn’t take the tantrum personally because, after all, it’s not about her.

Let me be clear: I’m not saying my husband was throwing a child’s tantrum. No. He was in the grip of something else — a profound and far more troubling meltdown that comes not in childhood but in midlife, when we perceive that our personal trajectory is no longer arcing reliably upward as it once did. But I decided to respond the same way I’d responded to my children’s tantrums. And I kept responding to it that way. For four months.

“I don’t love you anymore. I’m not sure I ever did.”

His words came at me like a speeding fist, like a sucker punch, yet somehow in that moment I was able to duck. And once I recovered and composed myself, I managed to say, “I don’t buy it.” Because I didn’t.

He drew back in surprise. Apparently he’d expected me to burst into tears, to rage at him, to threaten him with a custody battle. Or beg him to change his mind.

So he turned mean. “I don’t like what you’ve become.”

Gut-wrenching pause. How could he say such a thing? That’s when I really wanted to fight. To rage. To cry. But I didn’t.

Instead, a shroud of calm enveloped me, and I repeated those words: “I don’t buy it.”

You see, I’d recently committed to a non-negotiable understanding with myself. I’d committed to “The End of Suffering.” I’d finally managed to exile the voices in my head that told me my personal happiness was only as good as my outward success, rooted in things that were often outside my control. I’d seen the insanity of that equation and decided to take responsibility for my own happiness. And I mean all of it.

My husband hadn’t yet come to this understanding with himself. He had enjoyed many years of hard work, and its rewards had supported our family of four all along. But his new endeavor hadn’t been going so well, and his ability to be the breadwinner was in rapid decline. He’d been miserable about this, felt useless, was losing himself emotionally and letting himself go physically. And now he wanted out of our marriage; to be done with our family.

But I wasn’t buying it.

I said: “It’s not age-appropriate to expect children to be concerned with their parents’ happiness. Not unless you want to create co-dependents who’ll spend their lives in bad relationships and therapy. There are times in every relationship when the parties involved need a break. What can we do to give you the distance you need, without hurting the family?”

“Huh?” he said.

“Go trekking in Nepal. Build a yurt in the back meadow. Turn the garage studio into a man-cave. Get that drum set you’ve always wanted. Anything but hurting the children and me with a reckless move like the one you’re talking about.”

Then I repeated my line, “What can we do to give you the distance you need, without hurting the family?”

“Huh?”

“How can we have a responsible distance?”

“I don’t want distance,” he said. “I want to move out.”

My mind raced. Was it another woman? Drugs? Unconscionable secrets? But I stopped myself. I would not suffer.

Instead, I went to my desk, Googled “responsible separation” and came up with a list. It included things like: Who’s allowed to use what credit cards? Who are the children allowed to see you with in town? Who’s allowed keys to what?

I looked through the list and passed it on to him.

His response: “Keys? We don’t even have keys to our house.”

I remained stoic. I could see pain in his eyes. Pain I recognized.

“Oh, I see what you’re doing,” he said. “You’re going to make me go into therapy. You’re not going to let me move out. You’re going to use the kids against me.”

“I never said that. I just asked: What can we do to give you the distance you need ... ”

“Stop saying that!”

Well, he didn’t move out.

Instead, he spent the summer being unreliable. He stopped coming home at his usual six o’clock. He would stay out late and not call. He blew off our entire Fourth of July — the parade, the barbecue, the fireworks — to go to someone else’s party. When he was at home, he was distant. He wouldn’t look me in the eye. He didn’t even wish me “Happy Birthday.”

But I didn’t play into it. I walked my line. I told the kids: “Daddy’s having a hard time as adults often do. But we’re a family, no matter what.” I was not going to suffer. And neither were they.

MY trusted friends were irate on my behalf. “How can you just stand by and accept this behavior? Kick him out! Get a lawyer!”

I walked my line with them, too. This man was hurting, yet his problem wasn’t mine to solve. In fact, I needed to get out of his way so he could solve it.

I know what you’re thinking: I’m a pushover. I’m weak and scared and would put up with anything to keep the family together. I’m probably one of those women who would endure physical abuse. But I can assure you, I’m not. I load 1,500-pound horses into trailers and gallop through the high country of Montana all summer. I went through Pitocin-induced natural childbirth. And a Caesarean section without follow-up drugs. I am handy with a chain saw.

I simply had come to understand that I was not at the root of my husband’s problem. He was. If he could turn his problem into a marital fight, he could make it about us. I needed to get out of the way so that wouldn’t happen.

Privately, I decided to give him time. Six months.

I had good days, and I had bad days. On the good days, I took the high road. I ignored his lashing out, his merciless jabs. On bad days, I would fester in the August sun while the kids ran through sprinklers, raging at him in my mind. But I never wavered. Although it may sound ridiculous to say “Don’t take it personally” when your husband tells you he no longer loves you, sometimes that’s exactly what you have to do.

Instead of issuing ultimatums, yelling, crying or begging, I presented him with options. I created a summer of fun for our family and welcomed him to share in it, or not — it was up to him. If he chose not to come along, we would miss him, but we would be just fine, thank you very much. And we were.

And, yeah, you can bet I wanted to sit him down and persuade him to stay. To love me. To fight for what we’ve created. You can bet I wanted to.

But I didn’t.

I barbecued. Made lemonade. Set the table for four. Loved him from afar.

And one day, there he was, home from work early, mowing the lawn. A man doesn’t mow his lawn if he’s going to leave it. Not this man. Then he fixed a door that had been broken for eight years. He made a comment about our front porch needing paint. Our front porch. He mentioned needing wood for next winter. The future. Little by little, he started talking about the future.
It was Thanksgiving dinner that sealed it. My husband bowed his head humbly and said, “I’m thankful for my family.”

He was back.

And I saw what had been missing: pride. He’d lost pride in himself. Maybe that’s what happens when our egos take a hit in midlife and we realize we’re not as young and golden anymore.

When life’s knocked us around. And our childhood myths reveal themselves to be just that. The truth feels like the biggest sucker-punch of them all: it’s not a spouse or land or a job or money that brings us happiness. Those achievements, those relationships, can enhance our happiness, yes, but happiness has to start from within. Relying on any other equation can be lethal.

My husband had become lost in the myth. But he found his way out. We’ve since had the hard conversations. In fact, he encouraged me to write about our ordeal. To help other couples who arrive at this juncture in life. People who feel scared and stuck. Who believe their temporary feelings are permanent. Who see an easy out, and think they can escape.

My husband tried to strike a deal. Blame me for his pain. Unload his feelings of personal disgrace onto me.

But I ducked. And I waited. And it worked.

Laura A. Munson is a writer who lives in Whitefish, Mont.

original link here

Political correctness for teachers...

 * took this off Chee Kia's facebook* - made me laugh this morning.

 

Political correctness for teachers...

No one fails a class anymore, there merely "passing impaired."

You don't have detention, you're just one of the "exit delayed."

Your bedroom isn't cluttered, it's just "passage restrictive."

These days, a student isn't lazy. He's "energetically declined."

Your locker isn't overflowing with junk, it's just "closure prohibitive."

Kids don't get grounded anymore. They merely hit "social speed bumps."

Your homework isn't missing, its just having an "out-of-notebook experience."

You're not sleeping in class, you're "rationing consciousness."

You're not late, you just have a "rescheduled arrival time."

You're not having a bad hair day, you're suffering from "rebellious follicle syndrome."

You don't have smelly gym socks, you have "odor-retentive athletic footwear."

You're not shy. You're "conversationally selective."

You don't talk a lot. You're just "abundantly verbal."

You weren't passing notes in class. You were "participating in the discreet exchange of penned meditations."

You're not being sent to the principals office. You're "going on a mandatory field trip to the administrative building."

It's not called gossip anymore. It's "the speedy transmission of near-factual information."

The food at the school cafeteria isn't awful. It's "digestively challenged."