La Vita È Piena.: Blog

CNY Greetings

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 02:50:15 GMT

This is an interesting text-greeting that I had been meaning to put up. Was sent to me during Chinese New Year:

新年好！恭祝你家庭大興，生活昌平，事業朝陽，愛情懷柔，萬壽延慶，財富豐台，心胸海澱，文采通州，事事順義！

Thought that was creative and very Beijing.

Enjoy!

I Got Mooovz!

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 06:15:39 GMT

In my never-ending quest for perfect habitation, my search has brought me to the slightly more expensive, but infinitely superior Chaoyangmen area. The new place is in a re-done hutong area that has done a suprisingly good job of retaining the original feel of the community (it helps that many of the current residents lived there before the re-construction).

My roommate (more him than me) and I found a place in Nangongjiangying #3 (南弓匠营3号楼) which literally means the "south bowmakers camp" and is, precisely as the name suggests, where bowmakers used to live. I have to admit that the attractiveness of the apartment did increase because of the name. To the west, just across Chaonei Xiaojie there are a good amount of "real" hutongs that I do believe are protected....at least until the Olympics.

All in all a good move. Welcome to all who may pass by my door to enter and sit on the floor (or the couch...but that didn't rhyme with door...and this is Asia afterall).

Back on Stage!

Tue, 05 Dec 2006 05:30:31 GMT

有过了很长一段时间才有机会写一个blog! 工作很顺利，天天学习新的东西 - 若是继续下去的话就好。除了工作以外，我还在努力於开拓生活的其他方面，上上个月我跟北京的国际节日合唱团(TM)audition，被收了，并在经过好几场排练和自练，上个周末12/6终于在位于故宫西南隅的中山音乐堂参加了Handel的Messiah。站在台上现在对我来说变得越来越容易了，虽然还有一些顾虑，但我能够看到我自己在成长、在适应，这是我所想要到台上去的原因。现在有及回到上海去再上一次台，或许这次就更有兴趣了，也可以圆满大家的心愿，在中国成为电视上的人物了。嗬嗬！

等着看。。。

Lost in Chaoyang

Mon, 25 Sep 2006 05:56:56 GMT

My blog writing had trailed off when things started getting complicated...after I left Beida, looking for work, going back to the States and then moving across town after finding my new job. I have been here for about three months now at Hollyhigh International (www.hollyhigh.cn) and it is quite the experience. I never thought that I would end up at an investment bank, but all the same, here I am and learning quite a lot. The work is varied and interesting, but somewhat overwhelming considering that I really did not have any experience in the field. But things are going well and now that my life is settling down (although I will be moving again this week) I can sit down and write a little bit about what I'm up to.

I have to be honest and say that I have made a concious decision to make sure my social life did not suffer with the onslaught of a high-pressure job. I have tried (and succeeded) to keep meeting up for dinners, stay active in the alumni group and I have even joined the Beijing International Festival Choir (www.beijingifc.org) and if anyone is in Beijing on December 2nd, be sure to come and see our Messiah concert at the Forbidden City Concert Hall! This past weekend was my first experience with the choir and it was very nice. I helped out backstage and got to know a bunch of the crew, all fantastic people. Sunday I had a little meeting about a small "learning club" for local chinese kids and chinese kids who grew up abroad. Interesting stuff, but still a lot of kinks to work out. Then in the afternoon I met up with my friends from BTV (you may remember the contest I was in this past Chinese New Year) and did a show on foreigners working in Beijing. I'm not sure when it will be on, but I'll be sure to make an announcement on my blog as soon as I do.

All in all, Chaoyang has been a little too healthy for my social life and I have slowly been accumulating a sleep deficit, which I hope to pay off during the upcoming National Day holiday. Although I shall take a couple days and head over to Tianjin to see Zhang Xinyuan and here new little boy. Also, to get away from Beijing for just a little while. It will feel good. Next trip is to Shanghai. Not sure when....November? Burrrr!!!

Rollerblading in Beijing

Tue, 01 Aug 2006 01:25:05 GMT

On my short 3-stop bus ride from home to work I have begun to see another side of Beijing different from that of Beida. There are still the regular hang-abouts roaming the early morning streets, but unlike Beida, professionals (also known in Japan as buzinesu-man and in China [via Taiwan] as 上班族) are added into the mix along with all of the peripheral services that go along with them. There are the 北京早餐 or Beijing Breakfast stands that go with every bus stop along Chaoyang Park Road South, the volunteer bus stop wardens with their yellow shirts and red flags, making sure that people don't get run over and that the buses stop at the right places...and then there are the rollerbladers.

Not along my route, but at the end, in front of Junwangfu (the palace that I work at, which was moved from Xisi in the west of the old city), there are always rollerbladers, and quite good ones at that. There are old ones, young ones, ones with helmets and ones without. They go in circles around the central ring or up and down the ramps at the small platform on the side of the park. I'd never taken China as a place for rollerblading, but I am becoming more and more convinced that China is a place of lasting fads, and I say lasting because there are just enough people (because of the sheer number of the whole) who remain interested that the fad does not entirely fade away. I see rollerblading as one of these, added to the list of outdoor ballroom dancing, outdoor pingpong and other outdoorly visible activities.

Interesting.

Stories of Life

Thu, 06 Jul 2006 02:55:54 GMT

My friend gave me this on MSN one day and I think that it must be one of the coolest things that I've ever seen. It makes you realize just how many people are in this ever-smaller world of ours and the limitless possibilities that make up the human experience.

Highly reocmmended:

http://www.storycorps.net

Enjoy and Learn!

-Josh

Back and Forth

Sat, 27 May 2006 03:09:10 GMT

This last trip back home to the US makes me realize that I am just at the beginning of a yo-yo like existance. I have this queezy feeling in the pit of my stomach that I will be bouncing back and for the from one place to another forever. Of course, I've chosen this and know what I've gotten myself in for and I secretly enjoy it, but still, it is a torn life.

Going between New York and Florida when I was young was oft refered to as having the "best of both worlds" and that is also true with China. But that was when I was young. My very mobile life is in conflict with establishing any kind of stable base from which to begin a life. God forbid I should have any kind of relationship going on. It would be over before it started. But that is another story.

However, be that as it may, this opportunity to go back to the States and see home once again and recharge my batteries (and be reassured that there is a place in the world where things do stay the same) has been a great one and I am ever grateful to my "students" for funding my latest jaunt. I do hope that they will read this and practice their English a bit!

New York City was as it ever was: a city. They are all the same to me on a macro scale (of course little things are very different in the details) and New York this time simply reaffirmed that. I was really unimpressed. I do not enjoy the noise and annonymity of large cities, impersonal and unapproachable by definition. But I have to say that I gained a new appreciation for Central Park this time. That large of a green space, striking that big of a contrast between the forest of concrete and the forest of trees, is simply amazing. Walking in the Rambles I truly felt like I was out somewhere back home like Grimes Glen or back in my own woods. I couldn't see a thing that resembled so-called "civilization." But then in about five minutes I was back on the edge of the city that looked like a cliff rising to the sky from a sea of green.

Of course the trip back home was nice. And the expectation as we drove the 6+ hours from the City to Naples made it all the more wonderful. We stopped in Corning on the way up and spent about 2 hours rummaging around the craft and kitsch stores that line Market Street, which the girls loved (the two guys that were with us had to go back to China early for work stuff). They were very impressed with the small-town uniqueness of Upstate. Once we got to Naples, and got them situated in their rooms at the newly rennovated (though not quite finished) Maxfield Inn, I made my way back up County Road 36 to the same old Feather Street. Driving up to my old house in a car by myself kind of felt like a real "homecoming"...not being picked up at the airport or transported around. I came myself, back home.

Of course things were the same and the sauce was cooking on the stove, ready for our dinner that night that I would bring our guests to. They really liked the food...despite it not being Chinese ;) I, of course, ate far too much and made sure that it would last me. The unfortunate thing is that we only had time for one meal of sauce and noodles...next time 吧。Apple pie and cookies were also on the menu while I was at home, completing the culinary experience of the homecoming. Entirely enjoyable. I still have to make sure that I make sauce here. I'm just too lazy I guess.

This time coming back to China, however, I was a little apprehensive. Knowing that I had job searches waiting for me and other issues to deal with (water damage costs, translations, etc.) did not make my return entirely welcoming, but at the same time, when I arrived at my apartment, it did seem like home. Familiar things, smells and people are what make home home and China definitely has those. I suppose that I can accept two homes, but it is also difficult. Not sure I really want to, but it seems that I have no choice. Just have to make the best I guess!

匿名召集！

Wed, 10 May 2006 12:51:44 GMT

我最近又有望再现于电视上了！是个主持人的角色，但导演说我的名字太难记，让我起一个既好听又好记的匿名，想争取大家的意见看看最了解我的人能不能想起一个适合我的名字！无条件、无限制！

谢谢！！

山和酒水

Sun, 07 May 2006 16:15:47 GMT

跟某些朋友相比，我的生活就像一个没完没了的大假，但这五一还是要做大一点。原本的计划是跟苍蝇铭、大舅（后来Felix也入队了，但后来又退了）在上海或杭州一带骑单车游玩江南，但因为大舅回美国开会、费力克思在南京苦读，而张殷铭因为工作的加重不能玩得那么投入，所以计划完全变样了。不过，到现在还是最精彩的一次旅游之一。

29号到上海，跟一大帮人吃本帮菜，也当然有“文明可爱”的上海代表金诗薇操作，吃的很好，聊得很久，总算是生日过了，而且过的很开心。晚上大聚会跟我一直以为回国的Dave Dorson居然在我生的那一天有他回国的聚会！

30号开始有点奇怪，上一天一个人晃晃悠悠的走在上海街头上又累又热，所以跟张总经理找了任务，果然一直忙得要命的他还有空练吉他问我能不能给他买guitar pick，而布置这个任务的时候用的都是英文，到了吉他店，忽然发现我不知道怎么说guitar pick，只好解释说我到的是“弹吉他的那个小片”，店主一开始有点不清楚要的是什么东西，后来大悟道：“噢！你要的是皮克！” 晕。。。后来发现我上一天买的东西和Felix送我的《留德十年》一书赖在The Spot。因为时间还算比较充足就找了找公车坐，但走来走去发现我已经走到了人民公园，就上车到The Portman，顺利夺回了东西。下午吃了还算不错的新加坡粿条，就出发到杭州。车上我跟YM交换MP3听，还是我大收获，但大部分还是我自己的音乐！

1号爬山一天，15公里，三座山，终在西湖边上的葛岭看杭州的暮色。有几次我真的迷醉了，龙井周边的绿油油的山坡、一排一排的小茶树、北有江南有湖，好想回去做那边的一个小富农。虽然这一天是收获最大的，但无言以喻这样的美，自然真是神奇。

2号 == 今天我感觉应该叫“杭州日”。做的都是杭州人喜欢做的事情：喝茶、打牌、吃饭。中午和YM的朋友在美院附近的地方闲了四个小时。一边吃饭，一边打牌，一边反复的讨论新的游戏规则，最终让了我赢14块钱，不知道是被动的赢还是被动的赢，但总算一生中赢的最大一把。刚好回到大学路坐车去跟“叔叔”的朋友吃饭（长辈称呼的问题一直困扰着我。。。我们叫uncle应该是亲叔叔，但这便叫Mr. Zhang就不对了还是“叔叔”吧。）摆了一大桌，11个人，男女老少皆有，很热闹，而是我被叫“小谭”次数最多的一次晚饭。大概喝了八大瓶啤酒，连续不断的干干干。。。都把我灌醉了。这也是一种热情。后来，吃饱喝饱，全体撤散，后来到南山路，最后在酒吧跑了几个小时（详情请见http://spaces.msn.com/maohunwan）我这里就不多写了。总算topped off在那里就回家。

3号这一天YM泡了一天家，反反复复的朝拜“白瓷神”，下午出发到长途汽车站买票，只有4点多的车了，所以就回到他们家的车道钱塘江的江边观汐。多听了叔叔讲年轻时每年到这边横泳钱塘江比赛，现在污染多了，但还算比较好的水，只是游泳恐怕不太好。半小时又上路了回到北站，告别时，还带着醉意的YM跟我说“那我就不送你了”，动不了了。就这样告别了还在向往着的杭州、准备深入上次潜入的扬州城。 === 到了扬州已经快十点，见了高峥的父母和祖父母，拜访完我们就出征过夜生活。夜市已经关了，茶楼也没什么有意思的活动了，所以就到避风塘吧。吃吃吃，喝喝喝，乐乐乐，跟高峥侃了一会两个人突然累了，说明天还得早起呢。

4号 == 假期一直睡过十一点的高峥，一大早就起了，还催我早点洗澡出发。。。还要赶早茶呢！扬州的早茶她说一般是六点开始，我还以为是那种香港的早茶（自从早上七点直到下午两点都可以去）。。。。。先待续。。。房子进水了，脑子也进水了。 -------- 继续 == 早茶时在一个什么地方（请高高补充一下）我都忘了，但很漂亮，在护城河边上，也就是御码头的旁边。只不过我们因为晚到需要等40多分钟才能坐下点菜，站在两桌人的中间看谁先吃完，好似两只大鹫准备扑过去抢占位置，但我们最后坐下之时，已经是唯一一对尚未就做的饭客。。。郁闷。但东西确实很不错，三丁包终于吃到了。。。mmmmmm 后来就开始走路了，先到爷爷家拿墨镜和其他东西，就从小巷钻来钻去，看到了幼年的高峥烧断晾衣线的地方、幼稚园（最终毕业的那个）、小学、初中、高中，都很不错，就感觉是small town的那样。中途留意的唯一个景点是个园，我其实不太爱看人群挨肩挤来挤去的地方，所以在五一期间一个景点应该算是够了的。整个院子都很美，但只是没有看到一个卧室，都好像是迎客厅。。。下午的热把我们两个冒汗的累人从何园大门回到市中心“文昌阁”旁边的一个茶楼坐了整个下午，爽！后来饿了，回到家里附近的一个中式快餐店吃本地小吃“饺面”以当我的生日长寿面，还有一个巨大的五丁包！饱！

回高峥家里拿了背包，即告别全家而去。高峥可爱的妈妈欣然跟我们随行到火车站“观光”，我就直接上车了，充满着谢意和旅游的累的我离开候车厅之前，回头看了一下高峥和他母亲的背后，忽然感觉回家的幸福。

Max's Visit

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 02:20:39 GMT

久违的Max终于回到中国了。Well, I guess "Hong Kong is an inseparable part of China" but at least back to Beijing. Our lovable tyrant of a director and eccentric Englishman finally did make it to the Northern Capital, but unfortunately for only a short time.

His comerade in arms, the Big Fu, in cooperation with yours truly, arranged for a meeting of the Beijing-branch of the HNC clique to meet at the Hakka House in Houhai. Being soonly (that's not a word btw) out of a job and watching money where I can (I am going to Hangzhou for the May holiday), I took two buses from Beida all the way to Lotus Lane...1.5 hrs. And who do I meet but my fellow conspirators walking to our arranged meeting place. We timely entered our appointed baojian and sat down with tea and talk. However, it seems that for most of our other 同学, Labor Day will be a 名副其实的 holiday. Our 7:00 reservation turned out to be 8:00 for the rest of our 10 person group.

After a fantastic meal (88折 thx to 饭桶网), magnanimously financed by the visitor himself, in truly un-Chinese style, we set out for a leisurely walk along the banks of Qianhai in search of the No Name bar. Now, for those not in the know, the No Name does have a name, which is in point of fact No Name. With the combined efforts of Max's hearing of the bar, Yuan Mingfu's knowledge of the place and my directions, we finally made our way. A Chimay and 2 hours later, with work looming over me the next day we separated and each went our own ways. Diliya and I back to Haidian, Max and Yuan down to Chongwen...along with Jin and Wang...and the rest to their respective corners of this megalopolis of a Jing.

Season of Change - 继 “季节” 风

Fri, 28 Apr 2006 01:37:20 GMT

Never have I had a birthday full of so much change. 28 years of my life have been full and absolutely without regret, but the lack of direction in my life is beginning to get to me. I love being in China and there are things here that I am able to do that I would never be able to do back home because of the expense. The only problem is that there are so many opportunities. Decisions have always be tough for me because I am the kind of person who wants everything and afraid that if I choose one path, that I will miss the other. So, where some people tend to have a clear vision into the distant future - career, marriage, kids, retirement...I do not. I know that I want these things, but I also want the things that will be taken from me if I should one day have such a life - spontenaity, freedom, choice.

Today is my last day at the CCER. Beida has been my China home for so long that I feel sort of like a kid going off to college, leaving home for the first time. China is, of course, not my own country despite my being very comfortable living here, and sometimes the prospect of going out into the world beyond Beida is daunting. Walking through campus is like nothing else. That is one of the things I'll miss the most. I am also spoiled by the office environment here. Perhaps I'm in need of a hard, demanding boss that will push me to realize my full potential, but I do think that this is much more enjoyable.

Digressing.....the May holiday will be a great time for me to recollect my thoughts and prepare for what comes after. All the best to everyone and enjoy your Labor Day!

郭征记

Tue, 11 Apr 2006 03:20:54 GMT

今天从南京回来，“月退” 还是酸疼疼的，但脚倒是没有问题了。Wall walk后还是挺有成就感，虽然我开始的地方不是跟大家一起（我做了周五晚上的火车，七点半到南京就赶到玄武门了），但我仅仅漏掉了最先两个小时，八点正式 “参征”。其实，十二小时中的十个小时还算坚持，而且我觉得我很值得。以下就一步一步介绍我们的 “万步行” 大活动。

我是从火车站作了南京开不久的新地铁，真得很不错，标示、地图乃至广告牌都具有香港地铁的清爽与现代的感觉（其实，甚至字体也都一样，包括每站的毛笔字的站名），从火车站经过耳目熟悉的 “新模范马路”、“玄武门”，终于到达鼓楼站，下车，打车，直奔中心门口，把东西扔到前台后面，就回到出租车。原前往的解放门在途中改成了玄武门因为Robert“龙头”Daly跑得快一些，已经差不多到了玄武门了。到了雄伟的玄武门就下车开始找，都没有找到，原以为是走在城墙上面，而一位保安老爷子说需要回到解放门才能上墙，郁闷。不过，幸好往回走的时候刚好碰上了Robert和两个同学（一个本届的、一个下一届的）。又转回来了，走到了一个卖兰花的小花市场就开始做指路志愿者了，叫大家“往厕所走”。这一段其实非常漂亮（照片后加），是一片年轻的松林，地上是一片湿地，长着绿油油的小草，透视无数的树身间看到了灰色的城墙，其凹凸不平的墙身讲着数百年的故事。

这片漂亮的湖墙之间的公园走到头了以后，我们开始走野路了，通过一片荒地（值得提出的是南京的荒地还是长着绿草的），就上了一个小山坡，然后进入了另一个小公园，原来也是城垣的一部分，现在长着松乔。不久，下去了到居民区的小巷里面，便到了大马路边上，此后大部分城墙都见不到了，但我们还是沿着护城河走，可惜护城河在这段已经变成了臭得卷鼻毛的污沟。

好累啊待续。。。

郭征 - 非人也

Tue, 04 Apr 2006 08:16:39 GMT

终于决定无论如何去参加Nanjing的Wall Walk。虽然本来就很想参加，但一直在徘徊。徘徊的原因也就是既然是一个我很想参加的活动，但这样连续不断的南北长跑已经开始令本人疲惫不堪了。我每次到上海去都很高兴能见到我所有的朋友，但有一个part of me是想选一个周末什么都不做，留在家里看电视、练吉他、享受北京短暂的春季。不过，我不是这样的人，结果还是不能错过这个好机会。

所以，还是继续矛盾着 “固定” 和 “流动” 生活，总会有一天我会停下来。具体什么时候到南京还不知道，要不是周五晚上就是周六早上然后跟大家catch up！

Changes in Nanjing

Tue, 28 Mar 2006 08:02:57 GMT

Well, as all of you will probably know, I went to Shanghai over the weekend (arrived Friday) to attend the HNC career day. As I am a pretty much an introvert, I met a few people, but not those that I had expected to meet. But I was grateful to meet the people I did and have found some new ideas for my future work/life. Saturday in Shanghai was great, filled with lots of walking (龍華寺) and lots of good food (お刺身) and lots of drink (お酒). I also got to see quite a lot of the south of the city and peruse the celebrated literary troves of ChinaVest's offices.

I left Shanghai on Sunday morning (missing my 8:44 train only to get on the 9:00 one that was late by half and hour and went to Nanjing West instead of Nanjing Station), but that was actually a good thing. By going to Nanjing West I got to see parts of the city that I hadn't seen before and wish I had. We took Zhongshan Road all the way along, which passed through "Bailing the River Gate" (挹江門), then by what apparently used to be the original Republic of China administrative section where many of the buildings looked similar to those inside Beida; about two or three stories tall with Chinese roofs but a very typical western style layout; but all in all done in a very tasteful way. I have to say I remain an ardent fan of Republican Era architecture. Great stuff. Which, reminds me that I didn't get to go to 1912 Street where they've restored some period buildings and made a bit of an entertainment district something akin to Shanghai's Xintiandi.

HNC has also changed. Once I got out of the cab and looked at the tower being built behind the center I had known, the first thing that came to my mind was that "it's pink." The stark contrast to the yellow and green of the main building was a bit much for the eyes at first, but the fact that the neon pink (Felix's comment about which will ever remain in my memory) was still showing made the effect a bit worse than it would have been. Upon closer inspection, the new building will really be something. Three stories of glass that will encase the library should make for a dramatic studying environment with plenty of natural light...my fav. The apartments above will be quite roomy and I know where I'll be staying when I visit Nanjing! The other great part is the expansion of green space in the "well" of the Center...that space between the buildings that lets you escape the hustle and bustle of Shanghai and Beijing Roads (appropriately named).

The best part, however, was being greeted by so many familiar faces. Felix and Jonathan were there right off and welcomed me in...Felix even had a charger for my energy deficient mobile phone...and Jonathan was a great source of insight and information in my work/life search. Japanese for lunch was excellent, if not for the Panda Rolls, then for the feisty and entertaining service. Then after a nice rest and walk around the construction site (seeing the destruction of Jinyin Street) was a bit depressing...Laodifang relegated to a literal "hole in the wall" and diguo nowhere to be found. However, the ladies at the xiaomaibu were the same as ever and took me back to late nights sitting on the steps wasting time with my friends (i.e. living). To top off the night, Robert invited us for a pancake and beer dinner...a strange combination? No!! There was real maple syrup....ahhh.... Once again, Robert's experience and insight were also invaluable and gave me some food for thought that I hadn't even tried before...quite tasty. However, my time was fleeting and I had to make my way to the train station.

Now, I had rather horrible memories of Nanjing Station as the last time I went, the new station was under construction and the original station looked like it had gotten a 1-2 upper cut and cross in the last Station Fight...a complete mess. So, when I took the brand new metro line from Gulou to Nanjing Station, I was already in awe, but when I arrived at the station itself, I felt like I arrived in the 22nd century. It was like walking into one of those models that you see of space-age buildings that never get built. But this one was there. The whole thing was steel and glass, spotless, with a huge square in front extending all the way to the banks of Xuanwu Lake, upon which the moon sparkled. I walked out onto the square and just gazed at the golden-yellow 南京站 calligraphy above the station (not the best I'd seen, but hey...), took a couple pictures and went into the "soft-seat waiting room" and progressed immediately and unimpeded (or rushed) to the platform. All 8 platforms were contained under one gigantic roof open to the outside, which reminded me of a modern version of what I had seen at Liverpool Station in London. The space was simply huge. Taking the direct "Z" trains is always a pleasure, but these had individual televisions with earphones, which I had not expected. However, an afterthought was how these modernizations were really in a way westernizations, taking away the (admittedly) annoying, but (sometimes) endearing conversations with fellow passengers making their way, some for the first time, to far away places. But everything changes and for quite some time, I am sure that the hard-sleeper and hard-seat will remain a bastion of conversational culture that I can visit should the mood strike.

精典的春天

Wed, 22 Mar 2006 01:03:09 GMT

今天的北京是世界上最理想的地方了。可能是北京的天气一般比较极端，所以遇到如此理想完美的一天更觉得理想和完美。今天一醒来躺在床上感觉非常舒服，一开始也不想起来，但当我看到窗外碧蓝的天和微亮的东方太阳升起的光线，就有一个矛盾：继续躺在床上舒服着，还是起来享受精美的一天。既然要上班，我选了后者，也不会后悔！

出门还以为会有点冷，所以带了手套，但已感觉到那种清凉而不冷的空气吹过我的脸，就知道不会需要了，一扔就放在车筐里了。路上依然有许多人和车，但我不得不继续看我头顶方的那片深海的蓝，差一点被撞了两次。进了校园以后，当然更完美了，一封回家的信寄完了，继续往北骑，一过北大的“民主路”就进入了北大皇家园林般的校区，虽然树上叶子还没长出来，尚处于萌芽阶段，但“花树”都茂盛无比，远处一团一团、近见一朵一朵的粉红闪过了我的眼界，骑过未名湖添上了水面映出来反光。到了办公室，我本来就很欣赏的朗润园变得更完美了，不但有建筑的赤、绿、金、灰等艳丽的色样，又加上了天上的水晶蓝。耳朵也没有被拒绝享受这个美好的天，风声鸟语环绕四周，人们高兴的心情感叹着，更让我的心愉悦勃勃的。

还有一个小小的惊喜。虽然不得不进入办公室坐下来开始办公，但阳光一直在陪伴着我，在我旁边的档柜上闪亮着，透过我们办公室东面的小花窗的阳光不时地被窗外风摇的竹子半遮了，好似影戏，动作比较模糊但依然非常迷人。

“找工作”系列２

Wed, 15 Mar 2006 02:59:40 GMT

找工作的首则谢绝来自甘维珍公司。次则乃来自耶礼协会的关于他们 Hong Kong Office 的 Director position。老故事：经验不足，目前的位置需要具有三到五年相关经验的人来添。我自己也可以感觉到经验不足，对公司的事业范围了解得不够、知识集中于学术方面。可惜，我人本来有点心急，一下子就要看到结果，而且要的当然是好的结果。再说，因为还款的问题不能浪费时间去实习，现在只好自投于河、或泳或溺（sink or swim 的自创中文版！），只要有个公司愿意冒险，让我试图去“泳”就可以了。

这样的结果也是可以想象的，刚刚毕业也需要累积经验，但所困惑着我的问题是如何去累积。看看吧。还有机会呢。。。请继续关注下次的报道。

渝鄉人家

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:16:51 GMT

今天去了一個以變成我最喜歡的餐廳，重慶的，也應該算比較正宗。。。至少比較好吃，而且就在我家旁邊！很方便。雖然在左岸工社的二樓，但還是有一定的老重慶的氣味了，鋼樑之間突出木拱與灰瓦，桌椅也算是比較具有當地特色的，服務也出於意外。最好吃的幾道菜也可以說是四川、重慶典型的佳餚，一個是麻婆豆腐，比我上次吃的要少辣一些，但豆豉賦予了除了麻、辣兩個味道之外的異味。二是豆豉鯪魚茄子煲，又吃到了豆豉了，我的最愛，但這道菜還有另一套味道使它可口無比。三就是核桃酥泥，泥多於酥使得這個菜更好吃，稍偏甜，但保持核桃的小苦，特別。最後一道就是本店的蔥油餅。我以往吃的蔥油餅都是扁的，而且很飽福的，不過這次不一樣了，五個蔥油餅好像被吹的像氣球一樣大，輕而稍微鹹，剛好當洽了主食的角色，很棒！

很容易找到，任何人來到北京，我都會帶他們到這個地方（我還有很多菜沒嘗呢！）。在京的各位，當你們來到偏遠的北大唱歌就聚在那裡吧。

山水间江南小馆

Tue, 14 Mar 2006 03:16:01 GMT

This is a restaurant that I went to the other night with a British friend of mine who was in town. There isn't really much around Xizhimen, so I was surprised to find this place. It is located about 300m north of Line 2 Xizhimen Station Exit B and can be found by following the access road along the 2nd RR, then turning right onto 樺皮廠胡同. It's hard to miss as the outside has been done up with a typical jiangnan facade.

The food is quite good, if small portions, and the ambiance is also not bad ...very "jiangnan." They also have several private rooms off to the side. 12% discount on Fantong (but the address on fantong is not accurate. Follow my directions.)

Happy eating!

Another Interesting and Useful Link

Tue, 07 Mar 2006 03:32:03 GMT

兩千年中西曆轉換

西元元年2月11日至2100年2月9日

http://www.sinica.edu.tw/~tdbproj/sinocal/luso.html

Thanks Academia Sinica!!

A Cangjie Dictionary for Hanzi Lovers

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 07:33:36 GMT

This is a very cool dictionary that is organized by the "alphabet" of Cangjie....the mythical creator of Chinese Characters. I'm still not sure how to use it, but it is very interesting and very complete.

http://www.cbflabs.com/book/dic/dichtml/dnadic0.htm

Enjoy!!

Josh

“找工作” 系列１

Mon, 06 Mar 2006 03:15:30 GMT

上次贴关于怀念北大的感言的时候，其实想的就是我将来的发展。因为找工作对我来讲还是比较新的一个事情，我还是想把一些经验和想法写下来，大家也可以说说一些建议或者鼓励的话也可以！

目前已经面试了两次。第一次是跟一个loyalty management（征忠管理？）公司，有点难解释，但也就是类似于有多个公司参与的积分卡的项目，在中国市场也应该是比较新的一个现象。我记得我们聚会的时候，每次都会看那种卡可以打折或积分，发现有很多万万没有预料到的组合，假如，丰联商场和某某家火锅店，莫名其妙的挂上钩了。我面试的公司就是以英国Nectar公司的模式去在这个行业里乱中立正，建立一个比较广泛和系统化的积分系统。

第二次面试是跟Kamsky Consulting。自“中心”以来，这个名字一直非常耳熟，从career day开始它的名字就铭记在我的记忆里，终于可以跟他们面试来了解这个公司。在恒基中心二楼的香港茶餐厅“先来先等”，还是Robert Saunders先等了，我为了避免塞车坐了地铁，结果时间没有预计好，反而迟到了五分钟。我看了Kamsky的网站以后对他们government relations部门还是比较感兴趣，不过，这个好想虽然还很重要，但目前转变很多，现在一个新的方向是帮助中国公司“走出去”。再想回来，这也应该是一个很大的发展趋势，能够在基层的发展阶段进入这样的一个“市场”的话，对长远的发展会很有帮助。

面试还是很有收获的，但两个工作还没有定下来是否用我，所以还是继续看有什么机会，如果诸位有所闻，敬请转告在下！

一首小詩

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 08:48:34 GMT

山高月遠覺月小，便道此山大於月

若有人眼大如天，還道山高月更闊

--王陽明

舍不得的北大

Thu, 23 Feb 2006 04:55:27 GMT

我在中国四分之三的时间都是在北大校园过的，在很大的程度上北大就等于是我的北京。这次回到北大肯定是因为有缘分，而缘分是不可断绝的，所以这段时间在CCER工作我还是感到很高兴，而且很幸福。因此我很舍不得它，也很舍不得北大，但现在因为经济的需要我必须离开这里了。

今天骑车上班感到了一种不可言喻的幸福，碧蓝的天、黑灰砖头砌成的教学楼和还覆着下沉的冰层的未名湖都是我会怀念的东西，能够天天看到它们真是一种不能替代的福利。中国的校园，犹如北大这样的“小世界”，与外面的世界很封闭，生活在这个环境中的人可以选择性地去和外面的世界接触，不想接触的话，完全可以自容于此地。这样的安全感很舒服，我不想失去它。

但世界这么宽阔，我又不能忽视它所具有的美丽和精彩。我只怕在北京的其他的地方生活会不会改变我对这个城市，甚至于这个国家的看法？我已经在这个国土和文化里开始扎了根了，如果发现有不适的地方，应该如何去面对？这些想法都有一点幼稚和不可抗拒的意思，但我毕竟有这样的感觉，还是想写下来；说出来的话才是真的，应该舍得说出来的。

註：新的單位尚未定

回北京感觉真奇怪

Mon, 20 Feb 2006 07:17:20 GMT

在美国快三个星期足以让我感到自己有一定的转变，好像开始恢复到 “美式” 的我。这并不是说“中式” 的我不是真正的我，但我本来就是美国的，这不能否认，但我已经开始不想飘扬在二者之间了，还是要打个基础。但是同时，考虑到一旦打了这个基础，不管是在中国还是美国，我都有一个担心，也就是怕我的思想会变得固执，不易适应新的事情。这次回来有这么一个感觉。

我这次从美国回来还是对中国有一点的看法。一下飞机就闻到了北京独有无他有的空气，交汇着无数个飞机的废气、烧煤的气味和那种黄土的异味儿，又亲切又讨厌。讨厌的是中国重浊难受的空气。美国的空气有一种新鲜无比的甜，离开了时时刻刻呼吸着甜蜜蜜的空气实在是太难受了。亲切的是回到中国的对，是一种无法言喻，但有很明显的对。可能是中国隐藏着我生活中需要的某一个东西或者人，也许是我生活隐藏着中国能解开的某一个迷，不论如何，还需要探讨一段时间，继续自我发现，希望中国是这个生活试验中的催化剂。

Long Vacation

Mon, 13 Feb 2006 04:34:14 GMT

Hi Everybody!!

Well, my vacation in the US is coming to a close and I'll be coming back to China soon. "Coming back" seems to be becoming more and more natural to say about Beijing. If all goes according to plan, I will have lived there longer than anywhere else in my life. This time being home really seemed like a "visit" as opposed to returning. It now seems that my life is going to become based in China...

I'll be looking forward to seeing all of you when I get back. I'll be arriving back on the 18th and then am planning to come to Shanghai on the 25th. I've been meaning to do that for quite a while now and I think it's about time. So...if anyone would like something special from the US, let me know and I'll see what I can do!! I've already had a few requests, so a couple more will not be a problem ;)

I hope that all of your vacations and visits home went well and wish you all the best in the coming year.

Worst Fears Confirmed

Sun, 05 Feb 2006 14:50:26 GMT

大家好！

我还没有看我自己上电视的景象，但我从某个老朋友获悉，表现并不是很理想。他说眼睛跳来跳去，而且中文说得并不像平常的那样，至少比现实生活中要 "worse" 。

我现在已经不在乎我自己的脸面，但只考虑到大家一向很支持我和相信我，确实有点遗憾我没有表现得更好。将来唯有可能上电视的机会，是电视台邀请我，否则我并不会再一次自愿地参加这样的电视节目。

不过，我还想听听大家的感想和批评，虽然我不想再参加这样的活动，但为了应付将来的public speaking和其他的需要应该继续努力。谢谢！

Excellent Website for Chinese History

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 06:51:26 GMT

This is a very good website for China information. I particularly like the History Section, very good. Lots of very interesting information and the English to go along with it.

http://www.chinaknowledge.de/

Enjoy!

在北京吃的一個好去處

Fri, 27 Jan 2006 01:50:02 GMT

昨天有個朋友來北京，在我家住一個晚上，第二天他走的時候我們在北大東門外的＂藍旗營＂車站旁邊的餐廳裡吃飯。就是一個小吃店，但特别的是他們是以粥為主要的菜的，各種各樣的都有，還有很好吃的鍋貼。有機會去五道口的話，不妨試一試！店名我現在不是很清楚，但就在成府路南面藍旗營車站旁邊，店前有個巨大的＂粥＂字。

註：店名叫＂嘉禾一品＂

正式宣布 - 才藝大賽決賽及頒獎晚會播放時間

Wed, 25 Jan 2006 08:45:35 GMT

第一場決賽：

一月卅日北京一台晚上十點 (22:00)

第二場決賽：

一月卅一日北京一台晚上十點 (22:00)

頒獎晚會：

二月二日北京一台晚上十點 (22:00)

我的演出會在第一場決賽以及頒獎晚會上出現，非常感謝大家的關心，希望你們能夠喜歡這個節目！第二場其實有很多非常精采的節目，請多關注。

Do you know this word?

Fri, 13 Jan 2006 03:16:20 GMT

有需要讲一下中文。我的相声叫《国际一担挑》，但我和我的搭档问了好多人这个“一担挑”，何谓其义，大部分人不知道，想问一下阁下的各位到底有有谁知道这个词儿。谢谢大家的配合！

Contest of Emotions

Fri, 13 Jan 2006 03:01:54 GMT

Enough Chinese entries.....time for an English one! Next time maybe I'll do it in Spanish, but I think my readership will be down on that one....hehehe.

So...this contest has been one heck of a ride. I've been staying at the Peony Hotel in the Mudanyuan area for the past 10 days and it has been a non-stop roller-coaster ride of training and scheduling. I hate to say it, but the organization on this event has been a sore spot for everyone. I'm sure that those working on scheduling our training and everything else are doing their best, but there have been countless last minute changes and on-the-spot requests for rehearsals that have been just taking their toll on us. We had a blow-out with one of our tutors for crosstalk (相声) and that set us back a bit, but now I think we're back on track after a positive response from the review committee. My song is also going pretty well I think. My partner is far better than I am, but I think that we are good together. It should go pretty well.

Last night, three of us had a blow-out session (发泄会吧) and complained about little things that we had been experiencing throughout the event such as countless repeated calls to confirm the same thing (mostly between 9pm-1am) when we were trying to sleep after a long day of rehearsal, last minute changes in time and location (on more than one occasion I had a time to meet but not a place and ended up starting half an hour or more late), unclear goals for what we're doing (i.e. what the judges are looking for and what we are actually there for....like prizes). Things like this have just been making us frustrated and begin to lose faith in the competence of our organizers.

But all in all, the camaraderie among the contestants and the fun that we have among each other has been good. I think that this will be the beginning of another group of friends that will last for quite a while....but of course not anywhere near what we have through HNC!!! HNC感情永垂不朽！

玄之又玄

Mon, 09 Jan 2006 04:05:21 GMT

从无到有，从有到无。这也是我在大赛中的常态。上次收到的电话令我有点失望，也不知道是否要参加这个比赛（其实我更想去上海拜访各位同学！）不过，还是去了。去了以后，莫名其妙，从无之中出现了有，一个导演过来了跟我讲他们的一个决赛选手不能参加一个相声节目，需要我“面试”看看我能不能替他。结果，被选上，恢复决赛资格了，有望获奖了，而不是仅仅伴奖。不过，经过一番培训之后，我发现我又体验到了无的感觉，就是“无”时间、“无”精力。不过，就像我那个相声里面的一段：“小美对我说要坚强！” 我希望可以对得起她，顺比赛中之玄，最后“有”一个奖。

跳过的决赛

Mon, 02 Jan 2006 09:15:45 GMT

哈哈！我多厉害啊！不用参加决赛就能进入颁奖晚会，了不起吧！

不过角色不是获奖，也不是颁奖而是伴奖。。。何谓伴奖呢？就是在颁奖典礼上面做伴随的表演咯！上个星期我收到了北京电视台的电话，说我不能参加决赛，但他们希望我能够在颁奖晚会上唱一首《花儿为什么这样红》的歌。他们说同样重视，同样要入住北太平庄的牡丹宾馆进行为期两周的培训并参加录制活动。我迟疑了一下，不知道是好是坏，最后决定“原则上”接受，也没有想得很清楚工作方面应该怎么处理，到了星期天想起了星期一又是大部分单位要放假的一天，没有办法和他们联系确认这个时间应该如何安排。比赛可过，但工作不可弃啊！

在大家的支持下面，我已经跨了一大步，你们大部分人不知道我“BZ”（中心前）是什么样子的，我基本上不愿意出头，不愿意参与任何活动的，更不用说上电视！现在我感觉又登上了另一个山顶，远望下一座更高的山。

所以，特此感谢各位朋友的支持和帮助，你们让了我多一点come out of my shell。虽然这次没有被选上争夺大奖，有了教训、有了经验，下次一定会全面攻击、尽力奋斗、胜利无敌！

圣诞节的触手

Thu, 29 Dec 2005 05:17:46 GMT

圣诞前夕过得非常美满，是在我一个瑞典朋友的家里过的，很有家庭的气氛，有圣诞树、圣诞老人也有三个很调皮并希望早点撕开礼物的小孩子。回家后跟家里通电话，就更美满了、更幸福了。

今天圣诞节在崇文门吃了早茶也非常好，但最铭记于我记忆里是我在前往公主坟地铁站的时候发生的一件事情。从人大西门“乘站”公交车（不能叫乘坐因为根本就没有坐下来），站了很久，终于到了目的地，下车非常拥挤，而且因为是地铁站所有人都涌往下车门飞溅到路边，站在车中间的人没有办法扶手。此时看到了我后面的一个老太太，她的一只带着粉红色的手套的手漂浮在人群中，好像急于抓到什么可以帮她站稳的东西，因此我不知不觉地伸出了我的手，放在了她的还在漂浮着的手的下面。奇怪的是她并没有抓住我的手，只轻轻的触摸了一下，好像不知所措地看着我，我也同样看着她，一秒如一天的看了一下彼此，就下了车。

是不是我一时的好意无意地使那个老太太吃一大惊啊？下车后一直在笑这个事情，觉得当时的10秒钟过得很慢很慢，但却是在我的脑海中留下了很深刻的忆迹。

Mixed Feelings for an Approaching Christmas

Thu, 22 Dec 2005 01:47:24 GMT

Beijing has become something of a second home for me. I've spent almost four years in this city and feel quite comfortable living here. I have great friends and want for nothing materially, but when the holidays come around there is always something missing. I read a story in National Geographic recently on war letters and the glimpse that they give into the lives of people affected by war. One was by an Afghani woman who had been living in the US while the Taliban were in power. She has gone back since and now feels like she is where she belongs. Strangely enough, I feel some of what she felt in the US living in China. I feel quite comfortable living here, but for all "laowai" living here there is a kind of social barrier that cannot be crossed. It is possible to cross this barrier individually, either with friends or family should you marry a Chinese person, but overall it is something that will always exist. On the other hand, going back to the US, I feel that there is an experiential barrier that cannot be crossed sometimes. Having been abroad for so long, there are many experiences that are difficult to express and have people back home identify with. I am sure that the US will always be my home because it is home, where my family is, but I also feel that there are many aspects of the society and country itself that I find to be quite foreign. A strange feeling.

Especially this Christmas (having spent so many abroad away from family already), I feel the need to find some sort of new meaning, maybe more religious and serious, maybe more secular and material -- I don't know, but something that makes this time special since it is so hard to spend it with family anymore. China is funny about Christmas. It seems to be just another excuse to have a party and a bit of fun. I passed by the Qomolanga Hotel, which is basically a converted Tibetan (Chinese style) temple that has been made converted, and the lobby had a huge Christmas tree and pictures of Santa on the windows...all done up for the holiday season. Christmas has nothing to do with religion here except for China's Christians. It has simply become a time for shopping and having parties. I guess that's fine, but for me it isn't enough. Getting some kiffles and nut roll as well as some decorations has helped a lot (thanks mom!!!) and I regress into something of a Christmas-bubble that feels very nice. This weekend will be nice though. I have been invited to a Swedish family's house for a Christmas dinner and gifts and of course glühwein (not sure if it's the same in Swedish, but I'm guessing it's close to the German), which will be some semblance of holiday normalcy to the season.

Well, after all this rambling, I'd like to wish everyone a happy holiday season....all the way from Christmas, through the New Year and onto Chinese New Year (1/29)....hope everyone is happy, healthy and at least getting wealthy! :)

尚未落下的休止符

Mon, 19 Dec 2005 07:49:07 GMT

刚过了一个很痛苦的周末。根本不是因为比赛的竞争或紧张，而是因为事间的时间，也就是说有很多事情需要等很久才能办成。比如，周六到城里去，首要任务是去Ikea买点东西，再到后海帮Loren定旅馆（找了很久才找到的，但我在此真的应该做点宣传，是叫近海莘莘的小家庭旅馆，在后海银锭桥旁的胡同里，非常热情和温馨的小院子），后来去了朋友的家拿走一些“回国遗产”，从中获得了一双很棒的roller blades!!! 领着一个装得满满的大农民工包和一个装得更满的背包，坐公车回家很费劲，又费时间，回家后一趴就不想起来了，累得不可再累了。不过，还是好奇，想解包看看新获的“遗产”有什么东西。收获真不小，家里不像以前那么空荡荡的了。

不过，各位更关注的可能是周日的比赛吧。原来告诉我需要一整天的时间真毫无虚言，我早上9点就赶到了三环边上、北外对面的北京电视台大楼，一进门就有一群外国人坐在一群圆桌旁边，叽叽喳喳的说着什么我都没理，其实我那天真的不想在那个地方，还饿着肚子的我只想睡个懒觉罢了。不过，吾亦无虚言，说要参加就要做的彻彻底底的，所以我等了一个小时之后，又进入了第二个“候场”，化了妆、走了台，就就了餐，需要整个上午。到了下午，添好了肚子，回到原来的“候场”，只好等到被叫去上台才可以离开那个地方，跟另外两个老外抱怨了差不多三个小时，此时终于听到了一声来自远方的“谭嘉煦”就到了表演室去了，在台旁等了一段时间，大概6级紧张，结果上了台以后，唱不出来了，词又忘了，可能唱出来的歌只有50%，但在这50%里面，评委还是很善意地表扬了我“音质不错”，还问我这首歌会不会不是我最喜欢的歌。毫无信心、丢尽了脸的我走出场子的时候，有人跟我说没关系，可以重录、补上，喝了水以后，回到场子，原来不像补，但最后还是重来了一次，这次虽然还有些错误，但还是唱上了80%。走了以后，在食堂吃饭，回家看电影就完了了一天的折腾。

Melody里面有一段是说“终于落下休止符的那首歌”。看来我的休止符还没有落下来，还在飘于空中，最后落地之处不知道会在哪里。虽然最后唱的一点也不完美，但是评为觉得我的声音很不错，要是换简单一点的歌，有可能进入前几位。看吧。一切未定。

一开始就没退路

Wed, 14 Dec 2005 05:56:22 GMT

朋友们！同志们！大家好！**掌聲**

谢谢所有致力于帮我選一個能夠讓我夺得冠军的歌曲的各位！复赛的事情一直困扰着我，总是赢得后才知胜负之险。你们所有的建议非常好，但我最后还是受到了物质条件的限制，也就是因为需要买一个伴奏盘给电视台放，我可以选的歌曲有所限制。最后还是选了陶喆的Melody。我現在已經需要換到繁體中文因為簡體的輸入法沒有＂喆＂字。我這個星期天將要花一整天的時間在北京電視台排練，不知道結果如何，但想先感謝所有鼓勵我的朋友。

另外，如果各位有興趣的話，建議你們找找聽跟這個blog同名的張震嶽的歌曲。非常好聽。

祝好！

For the love of corn!!!

Tue, 13 Dec 2005 02:36:50 GMT

Well, I personally thought this deserved a blog entry. We recently had a "Economic Man of the Year" event at the Center and various CEO's and other big-whigs were here leaving behind various presents, one of which was from Yili, a dairy company. They left a box of yogurt....corn yogurt. I personally think this is the inventive and experimental product that is able to be put out in a consumer market like China and would simply not fly in the US...come on...Vanilla Coke was quite the flop. People will buy anything here simply because they can. This said, there is an incredible love of corn here (not sure why), which makes making corn yogurt kind of make sense. But it was still a shock. I personally thought it was quite tasty and would recommend it.....but the concept of corn yogurt is almost as foreign as....well.....ah...use your imaginantion....mine's broken....

征求意见

Wed, 07 Dec 2005 08:08:12 GMT

这次blog要征求大家对我将要参加的才艺大赛（故意去掉“外国人”三个字）唱哪些歌的意见。我想麻烦各位亲朋好友提出两到三首你们认为比较好听并有竞争力的歌曲以供准备。最终会选出两首正式演出（一个主题歌一个备选歌）。

有几个条件先需要说明：

1. 稍微深情一点，不要太“有精神”的；

2. 考虑哪些粤语歌比较熟悉或易认，国语歌任选；

3. 歌手应该限于我比较熟悉的一些，陶喆、周杰伦、张学友、周华健等。

谢谢大家的支持！切记要多样化，尽量不重复！

林老師的講座

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 15:11:59 GMT

今天已經寫了一篇，但還覺得今晚我去林老師的講座值得去寫一下。講座系列就是CCER的人生理想系列，和經濟學關係不大，但又以中心的老師為主要講義者。林毅夫老師的名氣很大，原因是他所努力的工作很有意義，而且他做得非常好。但此次講座我最注意的不是他講的內容，而是在坐的觀眾，閃著一種渴望的眼光看他，好似林老師的言中含有甚麼需要吸收的秘訣一樣，一時不注意而錯過一個一生不可挽回的好機會。但大部分人因為在尋找這個秘訣，而沒有聽取林老師的（至少是我聽到的）意思。林老師以他重視比較優勢而聞名，也在今晚的講座裡面也提到過幾次他的一些經驗是因為他有一個絕不放棄的目標而不管在甚麼場合都要把他的工作做的最好，也當然提到過在某些特定的情況的＂運氣好＂。每個人的未來是未定的（所以叫＂未來＂），而是有自己的努力決定的，與他人截然不同。但我在這個講座上，站在致福軒的大教室講台旁，看著數不上數的年輕學生看望著林老師，覺得這種渴望有點崇拜的意思，把學生應該聽到的要對自己有自信、追求和希望放到一旁。因為我不是他們，我當然不知道這到底是否他們心裡面想的，但我相信the eyes are the windows to the soul，而看他們那渴望的眼神，確實讓我感到稍有的奇怪和擔憂。

Zhuangzi say: Can't we all just get along?

Tue, 29 Nov 2005 09:06:14 GMT

I've been auditing a class at Beida (only four times now) on Zhuangzi and thought it would be a good idea to put something up about the classes and some of my thoughts.

This Monday's class was on a chapter titled 齊物論-On Gathering Things. Most of the classes so far have been centered around Zhuangzi's concept of "getting rid of the self" or 無我. Once one gets rid of the self, there is no difference between the self and the other. In this chapter, Zhuangzi brings the masters of many schools (Legalist, Confucian, Names, Mohist and of course the Taoist) to prove his point. While they are arguing about things and their differences (是非) in each of their different schools, Zhuangzi takes another perspective, removed from the argument of defining things. Looking from the perspective of "no self" allows him to rise above the differences that are argued by the other schools.

A key part of this chapter was in discussing a famous theory of the School of Names, stating that "a white horse is not a horse" (白馬非馬), which was an attempt to clearly name all things in the world in order to make all relationships clear in an attempt to avoid discord. Zhuangzi counters that this will only increase discord, and replies that what should be said is that "all things are a horse" 萬物一馬也. Not distinguishing between tangible and unignoralbe realities in our lives may be what Zhuangzi proposes, and this situational flexibility allows him to say that all things can be a horse or a cow or a pig. They are simply names that are put on objects by people, mostly at random because of a percieved need to do so. It is this that should be overcome.

In another chapter of the Zhuangzi, he refers to himself as wanting to be a slippery salamander, able to slip through ideas, not being held to a fixed concept. The satyrical nature of this chapter of the Zhuangzi is something that is lacking in today's China (which a friend convinced me was a result of the continuation of the Legalist school in today's rather authoritarian China, i.e. the emphasis on Rule of Law, etc.). The lack of consideration that Zhuangzi gives to the concerns of his fellow thinkers is exactly why they cannot fight back. Their arguments are based on a logical series of comments and rebuttles that Zhuangzi simply refuses to enter into. The professor likened Zhuangzi to "Standing in the clouds holding the Sword of No-Self" 拿著無我劍站在雲端. The weapon he holds cuts the links between the self and the other, which are the things that lead to discord. He also removes himself (his heart if not his physical body) far from the discord that surrounds him by way of that severing.

While what Zhuangzi proposes is not the most comfortable because of its uncertainty, a conscious ignorance of the difference between things eliminating that difference is effective. If one can accept at will any other person's concept of what a thing is, it can be said he has given up his own concept of what that thing is and thus himself. With this attitude, he can get along with all people, avoiding discord and conflict. While this chapter is literally called "On the Gathering of Things," the main thought seems to be the ignoring of definition. Arguing over what is and what is not, what is good and what is bad, what is right and what is wrong, is pointless because it only leads to discord and everyone who still clings to the "self" will have different concepts of things. Therefore, the elimination of difference from the other is the elimination of the self, at which point the self and things can also be said to have become one not because the are the same thing, but because their differences do not matter.

長城與好漢的複雜關係

Thu, 24 Nov 2005 02:35:04 GMT

No...not a chinese blog this time, just a chinese title...

This past weekend I had a couple of friends in from HK and they wanted to go to the Great Wall, and I have been having the biggest itch to get out of the city, so we rented a car and made our way to Mutianyu, the convenient, yet not-so-packed section of the Wall. The driver was great, but like any typical siji, he drove like a maniac. He must have known the mountain roads like the back of his hand, because he was taking the turns like a grand prix driver, maintaining a constant 80KMH or above. A saying that I only know in Chinese sums it up: 有驚無險.

The Wall was the Wall. It doesn't change, which is uncommon in China, but possibly because of that it can be very enjoyable to experience. Anymore, I treat a trip to the Great Wall as a trip to the mountains...nothing more. Not sure if my inability to appreciate it makes me less of a 好漢 or increases my 好漢ness just by virtue of going there. I don't feel as if my level of 好漢ness has been increased in any way...although I feel a bit healthier thanks to the improved quality of the air once one rises above the ever-present sm/fog that settles in Chinese mountain valleys. However, one thing that did make me feel a like a little more of a 好漢 was going past the "this is the end of the Wall" sign onto the "wild Wall." This brings up another question: if one goes to a restored part of the Wall, does that count as being a 好漢? or is it the case that you're only a 好漢 if you go to the wild Wall? If we accept this precondition, we consequently have to question the veracity of the "open" portions of the Wall calling themselves the Great Wall at all and similarly question the 好漢ness of all those tourists who have climbed those sections. Personally, I like to think that one is only a 好漢 if one has been to the Wild Wall. I am a bit of an elitest, to which most of my friends will contest, and somehow it makes me feel special having been to the wild wall. So by way of amending the famous words of Mr. Mao, I would like to say that that 登八達嶺極可嘆，登野長城才好漢。

裁翼大賽

Sun, 13 Nov 2005 01:13:44 GMT

Some of you may know that I have been signed up (thank you Chen Hao) for the 外國人才藝大賽 (foreigner talent show) put on by BTV. For those of you who didn't know, SURPRISE! I don't know how far I will go, but they liked my Zhou Huajian (Wakin) and said that I could come back next time (being in mid- to late-December) for the next round of competition. I'm just hoping that I can get off of work for the 10 days of training should I make it to the third and final round.

At first I wasn't sure that I would be able to make it. I have been on the edge of a cold for the past week and simply haven't had time to get better....i.e. relax. I can't say that I'm nearly as busy as anyone else that I know, but still, my days are full, if not of work than of play. But anyway. Yesterday was the day of the first round of competition and not knowing when or where to go, I set of at about 9am to go to the BTV building on west Sanhuan near Beiwai. Literally all dressed up and no where to go, I arrived at the front door and found no one at home (or at least not the people that I needed to be at home) and I ended up going back home for a while, going to Ikea and then back home again. By this time I was beat and not feeling to well after having run all around the city and laid down for a nap. About 15 mins later the phone rang. It was Ms. Luo wondering where I was. I told her my situation and she asked me when I could get there. I said I'd be quick and set out the door.

Again, still thinking that it was at the west Sanhuan building, I went there only to find that it was the wrong place. They had another buliding out on 遠大西路 near the fourth ring. Arriving there, I was told that my scheduled time was 1pm (it was no almost 2:30), but true to Chinese form, time is flexible and I was squeezed in right away just before the judges took their break for the afternoon. With bright spotlights on me and two judges in front of me (one of which I think I've seen on TV before), still in my long wool coat, with microphone in hand (but not at the mouth...they had to remind me) I began. After a few questions to see if I understood Chinese at all, they said "OK you can sing now". So I sang. I had practiced a bit, mostly for the words, but the most challenging part was keeping the tone full. I was so nervous that I could feel my voice becoming weak....in addition to my knees shaking almost to the point of buckling....I finally finished and was congratulated in a very Simon (from American Idol for those who don't know) way with a "That was terribly.....good." And was told that I could come the next time.

Typically out of the frying pan and into the fire, I came out the door and was asked to do an interview with one of the reporters there. It was cool, but throughout the entire thing my knee continued to shake and ended every sentence with a "對,就這樣". All in all it went well, I was told by one of the people there that I made a very good impression and who knows, maybe one day I'll be on TV!