yezi 的个人资料K-Express照片日志列表 工具 帮助
2007/12/27

最近这几天

12/24/2007
gluttony是天主教中七大死罪的其中之一。当年的但丁写《神曲》的地狱篇时,描述出的惩罚贪吃者的刑法就是让他们受尽雨雪的折磨。这次我在新加坡充分发扬了武松“三碗不过岗”的精神,但逢美食,必要品尝。结果呢,我于圣诞前一天的早上不幸“破相”,嘴上冒出了个大泡泡!!!
我妈和外公外婆今天从泰国飞新加坡。旅行团安排了一天的行程,而我也需要在公司完成圣诞前必要的工作,所以约好了晚上再见面。中午公司圣诞会餐,抽礼物,同事们在爵士乐暖融融的圣诞乐曲声中烘培出过节的心情。我们几个年轻人因为没有家人在这边,就被公司派去陪南海502的船员们吃饭过节。心情很好,因为又要去吃大餐,而且早早就可以下班。
晚上坐shuttle去圣淘沙,当水幕、音乐、激光的音乐喷泉演出结束后,我在人群中看到了外公外婆和我老妈。他们都很精神,这让我很放心。晚上我带他们去了Orchard Road, 就是新加坡最负盛名的乌节路,有点像上海的南京路或是北京的王府井。圣诞节的夜景布置得流光溢彩,淡紫色的街灯漂漂亮亮的悬挂在马路的上方,烘托出一片宁静的夜。巨大的圣诞树摆放在各大商场的门前,金色是高傲的贵族,银色是纯洁的精灵,多种色彩,多种心情。年轻的少男少女头戴圣诞老人帽,手中拿着一罐一罐的飞雪,随时制造些白色圣诞或是打雪仗的气氛。人群中常听见一阵叽哩哇啦,几乎同时摩肩接踵的人群突然分流,仿佛突然间有一座岛、一桩桥屯或是一个水坝。原来是一群人又玩起了喷射飞雪的游戏!
我最喜欢的购物中心TANG的圣诞装饰道出了这个节日的意义:神爱世人,甚至让他唯一的独子进入这个世界,最后死在十字架上,为的就是给人们带来永生。耶稣生日的意义竟然在于他的死。
12/26/2007
又上班了...
 
2007/12/18

21

21.
 
A number that divides, categorizes, and remains forever. And the number falls on me today.
 
I'm too calm. I tend to feel very lightly about the significance of birthday, if there is any significance to begin with. It's a special date; but it is also one of the 365 days of my year.
 
I do feel thankful for everyone in my life. You, to a large extent, have made me who I am today. Cliche does it sound like; but this is how I feel from the bottom of my heart. You have made me stronger along my path to my 21.
 
Should I ever mention any names, there will be tons.
 
Thanks! You all are my best presents of my 21.
2007/12/17

The Adulthood of the Travelling Me in Singapore - part 1

Shoot! The computer in front of me doesn't let me type in Chinese. Anyways...
 
I'm vacationing in Singapore right now all by myself.
Well, that's sort of an overstatement. At least I'm not with people whom I know before hand. The flight was long. It stopped by San Francisco and Tokyo before landing Singapore. Almost a whole day went by while I was in the air. But who cares? Leaving school behind is absolutely wonderful, especially after an insanely stressful and hectic semester in the Integrated Master in Professional Accounting program.
 
I felt more like a frequent flyer this time. Independent as usual. Maybe a little bit too poise. I shopped for some Shu Uemura products in Narita Airport and felt extremely fulfilling. The fact that I actually try to care about how I present myself in front of others is a big step to adulthood (and to me personally as well). I'm turning 21 in a few days. I want to look beautiful and act gracefully suited to my age.
 
I arrived Singapore at 11:59pm, Friday, Dec. 14. When I passed the custom and claimed my baggage, it was already Saturday. Warm and humid air rushed into my face the minute I walked out of the airport. Dude, this is how the legendary tropical weather feels like.
 
When the car pulled over by the curb, I pleasantly discovered that the driver's seat is on the right-hand side of the car, which means in Singapore people drive on the left side of the road. I've never seen this sight before with my own eyes. It only gets better when I'm in the car observing the driving. My heart jumps when the car makes a left turn into the left side of the road. My own driving experience is telling me "we're gonna crash" but obviously we're just alright :)
 
I spent my first night in Singapore in an apartment and met with Helen and Tracy. Life only gets better from now on.
 
Saturday morning: I was waken up at 5:30am by some very strange, low-pitched sound from a bird I couldn't spot from the 13th floor. Darn it! I'm jet-lagged already and a bird succeeded in ruinning my sleep. Does it really think itself as a rooster? Come on, look at yourself in a mirror before trying to be a rooster when you are obviously not!
 
The first place we hit was Vivo City, one of the newly built shopping malls that is closest to where I reside. Since it is already approaching Chrisitmas, sales are everywhere. Cheerful people filled the whole mall with the upbeat holiday spirits. All the holiday decors put me so into the mood of shopping; fortunately I tricked myself into thinking "this is only my first day in Singapore. there is gotta be more and better." But I do have to say, I'm totally in love with this department store called "TANGS". It has a classic, Renaissance-styled store that make me feel like a princess walking into my palace. Gorgeous place! Oh btw, I had Laksa for lunch, one of the staple food in Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia. I've only had it once down at the food court in the Oriental Plaza in Beijing.
 
Sentosa - the famous island on the southeast coast of mainland, Singapore. We took a train through a bridge to get to Sentosa. There stands the Merlion statue on the top of the hill, overseeing Singapore and its people. The beach consists of very fine white sand. I watched my footprints form as I step into the sand; and the waves will come and smoothen them out. My trail on the sad is forming and unforming with a few seconds apart. Time seems to be the solution to everything. See... every step I take, it is a fresh start. And the wrong path I've walked, the wrong things I've done, the past I've regretted... all can be and will be brushed away by the waves of time. The time might be short like a split second, and it might as well be so long that lines start to appear on your forehead.
 
I found Sentosa even more charming when I accidentally saw my previous colleagues from Lazard Beijing and Hong Kong offices- Helen, Chen Jing, and Sigi with two other Lazard people! I'm in total jubilance! What are the chances of me meeting them in this particular island in this particular country on this particular date? Thanks to Sentosa!
 
When the night falls, we went to Bugis (one of the most popular shopping places) by the MRT (the subway here). There we ate at Seoul Garden, a Korean buffet. This is the first time I've seen a restaurant having something that could BBQ and hotpot at the same time on the stove. I had so much Bulgogi, Kimchi, and kelp soup. I "sarang" (love in Korean) Korean food!
 
Before we even finished eating in Seoul Garden, my jet-lagged body was already exhausted. I dropped dead on my bed around 7pm Saturday and didn't wake up till 6am the next day!
 
2007/7/25

我是拿铁

You are Latte. You are steamy and creamy and well-liked by women.  You are more style than substance.
Which Caffeinated Beverage are You?

我形式大于实质?汗... 晕...

其他的还是蛮喜欢的。再确切的说,我这杯拿铁,应该是由脱脂奶或豆浆加太妃糖坚果的糖浆做成的(toffee nut latte, non-fat milk or soy milk)。

 

小学记忆

我在懵懂中一路向东,东边是大海的方向。大海能带走每条河流,却带不走我深深的乡愁。这就是记录了我生命初始的原生态又孕育了我在那之后一轮生肖年的成长的天津塘沽。

一方水土养育一方人并不尽然。虽然这里的水含氟超标,这里的土盐碱龟裂,但我所认识的这里的人却都还是蛮单纯的。虽然塘沽像其他地方一样有它世俗的一面,但它不是一个弱肉强食的地方。我得益于塘沽的宽容,也从中学会了对人情事故的宽容--

我有去课外班的经历,经历丰富多采却从不带一点儿被迫的成分,因为我一旦不喜欢了,我就是那第一个从课外班获解放的孩子。我兴趣广泛但没有任何特长,大概跟这个有很大的关系。

我并不是一个一直被老师所看重的好学生。我被分在2班,而小学六年下来,我们班是体育年级老大,但学习和纪律都并列最差的班。在这样的班里,我的体育“天赋”被慢慢挖掘出来--我先是参加过两次的60米短跑,最好成绩是年级第六,得了一个汤勺以资鼓励。于是我发愤图强混进了学校长跑队,告别了汤勺的耻辱,换来了近一年的每天20圈×200米跑。后来教练觉得我孺子不可教也,太业余了,没有去区里市里参加比赛的资质,便劝退了我。不过业余的我也有了一段风光的日子,我先后在三次环东沽石油新村的冬季长跑中跑进前二十名,最好的一次成绩是第三。本来应该拿第二的,结果我进了校门一激动,没看清哪儿是终点线,居然被我后头那位抄小道给暗算了。

学习嘛,我一直没人督促,成绩在班上还好,但算不上年级里的数一数二。五年级数学的应用题让我记忆犹新... 它怎么就这么难啊???!!!第一次数学考试下了90分(是89分),我妈也是第一次给我的数学赵老师打电话,我第一次有了“我是差生”的感觉。当时隔一年,六年级升学考试结果公布时,我居然是全校第一名(好像全塘沽区也是第一吧)... 一个好又不是最好的学生居然拿了第一,我想当时老师们的心里一定最有落差吧。要不然为什么我六年小学生涯,只有六年级的期末评语居然全是优点,毫无一丝瑕疵? 这真是”胜者为王,败者为寇“的典型态度。

我是班里的班长、小队长、中队长到最后两年的大队委,但是大队长的职务在当时,是我想也不敢想的。小学四年级就可以评市级三好学生了,可我到六年级才获此殊荣。现在回想起来,我究竟有什么突出惊人的表现被评上了市级,自己特不明白,真挺扯淡的。

在小海鸥艺术团里,我是个不折不扣的一般舞蹈“演员”。一个六年级的“师姐”,却跟四年级的小毛孩们一般个头。当年艺术团从三位又高又漂亮又特有舞感的美女里挑演“黛玉葬花”的人选,我真是羡慕死了她们了。像我这个笨手笨脚身材又差的愣头青,不得把黛玉葬花演成李逵探母了。

在红领巾广播站的日子是最美好的。我先是为每周三的文艺广播做前期准备和编导,后来大家也没计较我的声音是否还可以听,我就兼起了周三广播员的任务。到了六年级中期,我的良师益友杨冀老师给了我一次闪光的机会,让我继任了广播站站长的职务。我喜欢这种实干的工作,记得那年的“元诞”(元旦圣诞)活动搞得十分成功。不过,一直让我偷着乐的不是我当了多大一官儿,而是有一次,在我和其他几位文艺组组员的主打周三广播中,我们竟破天荒的播出了泰坦尼克的主题曲--“我心永恒”。我一直有一种感觉,就是那天听到这首 “My heart will go on”的同学们,在他们的心中,有一盏灯被点亮了。那盏灯就叫做世界。

嗯... 中国天津市塘沽区东沽石油新村海洋石油第二小学--我的启蒙母校。

2007/7/23

夜吧

跟陈依伦这个巫婆的第一次见面,我们便去据称为京城最火的CLUB--“MIX”里“堕落”了小半个晚上。

虽然这几年在美国这种光怪陆离之地混着,虽然我的大学在过去的一年被评为“No. 1 Party School”,虽然自己很多的朋友(连我室友也是)都去奥斯汀第六大街的CLUB里狂欢加醉酒,我居然连CLUB的门槛都没迈进过。曾经应邀与许多好友一起去过一个被冠名为“XX活动第X届成员Reunion”,结果公寓里的同学会变成了Jello shots (一种做的跟果冻似的超强劲的酒)、震破耳膜的Hip-Hop、疯狂的群舞(就不形容了)、男女同学(不管认识的不认识的)相互放电的天堂。实在是受不了这种疯狂,再加之自己不到21岁喝酒年龄,又乖到了没有fake ID, 总不想被警察逮到自毁前程,于是中途就溜掉了。

所以我以CLUB与我自己的个性不符、我与朋友CLUBBING感觉奇怪、为了保证我的人身生命财产安全为由,拒绝各种CLUBBING行为,直至昨晚...

跟巫婆出入工体大大小小的CLUB的感觉不同。她是一个要玩得忘记自我可又不放纵的家伙。当她跳上DJ台在众目睽睽之下自我享受、毫不做作地跳舞时,我在舞池里有一种“那是我的朋友,嫉妒吧”的自豪感。

不过说起这些夜吧,还真是什么人都有。

1. 年轻人--不用多说。年轻人来讲究的是“lost in music and dance”。他们常常成群结伙,在舞池里诠释着不一样的青春。

2. 二三十岁的人--可能想让自己暂时忘却那已经慢慢必须担负的家庭、社会等各方面责任 。

3. 男女朋友--唉... 还用我多费口舌吗?真浆糊。

4. 吸烟的人--真是太讨厌了... 十个人里有五个都叼着个烟头,男女都一样。常去夜吧的人,耳聋或得肺癌的机率应该是很高的。

5. 穿着讲究些的人--

男生--很多穿那种特别show肌肉的背心,或是立着领子的polo,或是有些顽皮的西装外带各种样式的帽子。比起肌肉男,会穿衣配帽的男生仿佛更可爱些。

女生--坎袖背心和牛仔裤是犀利的经典搭配;而最近风靡的过腰长衫和泡泡裤,则似乎更加妩媚。再少些布料的... 都快走光了,穿跟不穿又有什么两样呢?

6. 中年男人--最夸张的就是这群人。他们西装革履,他们神色悠然,他们口吐烟圈,他们觥筹交错。他们的旁边年轻MM如云,吧外有专职司机在BMW或奥迪A6里等候。也许是出于公事应酬的身不由己?也许是因为孩子他妈已人老珠黄?也许灯红酒绿的生活真的像抽鸦片一样,那力量能麻醉到人最末梢的神经,使人堕落、萎靡,最后在极度的快乐与痛苦中结束生命这一遭。

这就是我的北京印象之夜吧。

2007/7/19

无厘头

足球
“只要打平,就能出线。”--中国队
“只有打赢,才能出线。”--乌兹别克斯坦队
 谁出线,谁出局,似乎在几个字的变化当中表露无疑了。
 
女人男人
有些女人是矛盾综合体,明明怕疼到连验个血都哭哭啼啼,可是却常常在虚荣与潮流间屈服,痛并“高挑”着。于是高跟鞋应运而生,让女人矛盾到底。
有些男人也是矛盾综合体,明知矛盾的女人追不得,却还偏偏心甘情愿迎难而上,直至满头灰尘。于是刮胡刀被发明了出来,专门削削男人的锋芒与锐气。
 
中国的蝙蝠洋人的狗
蝙蝠,就是西方文化中嗜血的Vampire。狗,就是中国文化中讨好低贱的奴才命。
可是风水轮回,西洋犬成了忠贞老实的象征;而在中国的蝙蝠,也因偕着“福”的音,把嗜血多年的形象给平反了。
 
有两样东西可以多吃
1. 吃苦
2. 吃亏
 
也有两样东西别给别人吃
1. 吃豆腐
2. 吃黄连 (特别是别给哑巴吃)
 
医院与牢房
住医院的ER与住牢房的死刑犯关押室其实没什么本质上的区别。一个在你身上动动刀子,然后剥去手套,宣布死亡时间; 一个在你身上练练枪法,然后弹壳落地,宣布世界和平。
 
还是医院
最贵的拍照不是照相馆的婚纱照,而是医院里的CT影射。所以,以抢银行为业的人,应该转个业,改抢CT柜台吧(请勿模仿)。
 
没头没脑
如果你看到了这里,那我就恭喜你获得了没头没脑的感觉。
2007/7/18

北京地铁

若是一个人, 能用眼睛听, 耳朵说, 嘴巴嗅, 鼻子感觉, 而又能用触觉看见的话, 他/她的世界一定蛮新鲜的。
 
地铁
我终日进出地铁, 最开始是一号线, 后来是环线、13号线倒,在后来,我只坐13号线。
早晨的我总是昏昏欲睡,在13号线的座位上打着盹。我无法用眼睛去观察(),于是练就了我其他的感官。
 
嗅 - 空气绝对是判断车子里有多挤的标准之一。有时,缺氧的感觉一瞬间袭来,接下来就是新洗的衣服味、古龙水味与鲜“榨”的汗水味一起发酵,然后“蒸蒸日上”的古怪味道。
 
感 - 膝头被什么人撞了一下,原因不是急刹车没扶好就是又有n人挤进了这个沙丁鱼罐头。头轻轻地向旁边倾斜,一点一点,犹如被精密的齿轮所控,然后突然大跌(比熊市还快),碰上邻座人的肩头,又瞬间回到直立的圆点。打盹的人周而复始地活动着他们的头颅,直至目的地快到时,懵醒过来,起身准备下车,对自己的头与别人的肩亲密接触的点点滴滴仿佛毫无记忆。
 
听 - iPod一路再开多大,周杰伦再怎么一路向北,地铁都是一路吵闹。铁轨滋哇声、广播正经声、“什么什么你大声点儿”的手机声、“你TM挤什么挤”的大爷声、“行行好”的乞讨声,声声入耳啊。
 
 
2007/7/17

不用在意

重新动笔,是需要很大勇气的。
我希望我的博客是我自己的东西,不用在意别人是否在一旁注视。
我承认,我的中文水平退步地很厉害,真是对不住原来的恩师们,尤其是菜花和老黄。
很久不上网,不联系同学,不聊MSN,然后再突然回到故地,匆忙地追赶着四年前就离开了月台的时光列车。我,还赶得上吗?
总还是一个乐观向上的人,中国教育的“完美”model。心里觉得总有一份默契,会让我们在路上的哪站偶遇。
北京,我回来很久了。
2006/7/25

我猜我猜我猜猜

大家来捧捧场, 猜猜他是谁吧...
2006/7/10

意大利----擦干巴乔的眼泪

球王贝利三十年的乌鸦嘴的坏名声终于在今天的世界杯决赛中得到了洗刷... 意大利在点球大战中以5比3击败法国,在24年后再尝世界杯冠军的喜悦,也擦干了巴乔94年痛失点球后的眼泪.
 
由于卫冕冠军巴西八进四的失利,我把目光转向了我一直喜爱却又曾经让我失望掉泪的意大利队. Toni, Totti, Del Piero这些"老"名字唤起我很多的回忆,很多从10岁到16岁当球迷看球的回忆: 我在小学同学录上"最崇拜/喜欢的人"一栏中就写得就是Del Piero的名字; 半夜起来看意甲尤文图斯的比赛; 98世界杯看德国战车的长传冲吊,看荷兰橙色军团的进攻式足球,看巴拉圭的神奇门将(一下子想不起他的名字了...); 有一阵关注过孙继海在曼城的比赛,但更多时候因为欧文和小贝而看利物浦和曼联; 02年在朝外从逃晚自习在音乐教室看球被生活老师逮个正着儿到与朋友们名正言顺地在阶梯教室看中国对巴西...
 
自从我03年来美国后,足球就从我的世界中退了出来. 足球在美国受欢迎的程度实在是不能与橄榄球,棒球和篮球相提并论. 最贴切形象的例子就是"football"这个词在其他英语国家都是足球的意思,可偏偏在美国"football"只能让人想到充满身体碰撞的橄榄球,即美式足球. 我在Houston的时候看了两年火箭,等到上了大学后学会了看橄榄球--看着自己学校的橄榄球队由Vince Young的带领下拿到05年全美大学橄榄球比赛的总冠军. 好象这三年来只有一次看到了真正的足球--05年的联合会杯--还是一个朋友从网上下载刻了盘给我看的.
 
直到这次德国世界杯,我才又重拾足球,重温它曾带给我的无限乐趣. 虽然这次美国是全程直播,但跟NBA季后赛类似,大部分比赛是在需要有Cable才能接受到的ESPN频道播出. 我住的家没有Cable,所以只好在西班牙语频道(德州有很多墨西哥裔)看Spanish版本的世界杯. 看球却没有了评论员的指指点点(其实当然是我自己不懂Spanish)对我来说可是第一次,但这反而需要我自己观察分析球场上发生的很多事情,让我受益匪浅. 最有意思的是西班牙语频道的评论员是我"听"到过的说话最快的,嗓门最大的,声音变化最夸张的,每当进球时,只看屏幕上"!GOL!"字闪烁,背景声音是评论员长达半分钟的"GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL"...
 
今天的比赛唯一让我心寒的是齐丹在加时赛110分钟的冲动之举. 足球比赛头球可取,故意以头顶对方球员的腹部决不可取. 很多人都为齐丹辩护说那一定是Materazzi恶语中伤自找的,可Zidane是法国队队长,是三届世界足球先生,是制造意大利门前险情频频的法国队灵魂人物,这样的事情做了只留下一辈子的悔恨. 他足球生涯的句号就这样画上了?
 
世界杯就这样画上了句号. 我是否又要暂别足球直到2010的南非吗? 希望不是吧. 无论怎样,足球已化为我的本性的一部分,就算分别也不怕失去. 其实什么不都是这样,当我们所在乎的人和事与我们合一了,化为一体了,就算分别也不怕失去.
 
我爱足球,我爱世界杯.  
2006/5/16

今天放了假

终于考完试了! 爽死了!
 
周日忙了一整天,我才从学校搬家回到HOUSTON. 走时真是有恋恋不舍的感觉, 因为这一年有许许多多事情发生在这个校园--我的校园. 同年的朋友问:"你相信我们大学的第一年已经上完了吗?" 我和她对视了一下,然后不约而同地摇了摇脑袋. 当这个暑假过完, 听惯说惯了Freshman的我要改口称自己为Sophomore了, 随之而来的又会是什么呢?
 
考前考后这些天, 我参加了一个国际性会议(15th World Congress on Information Technology), 两个结婚周年纪念, 还有好几次别的活动. 在汇集世界各地IT商界人士的WCIT中, 我听到了世界精英对IT及人性发展未来展望; 在两个结婚周年纪念的活动中, 我看到了神圣而又甜蜜的两个人之间的爱情; 在其他的几次活动中, 无论是Longhorn Life's End of the Year Event或是与几个朋友在家里看电影, 我都感受到了友情在其中的孕育与成熟. Nelson Chou曾经这样告诉我: "...I used to only study and study back in my school years. When I started working, I realized I hardly used anything I learnt from school. These things are quite short-livedl however what will last for eternity is your relationship with peopole. Treasure the people around you and your relationship with them" 我觉得我终于在这个学期末找到了一个应有的平衡.
 
今天放了假, 有一种很不一样的感觉. 大学第一年画了个句号, 是时候我来翻开生命中新的一页了.
 
 
 
2006/3/24

LeaderShape--F4: Free, Fun, Food and Friendship...

九天的春假就这样结束了...
 
校园又回复了往日的喧闹与忙碌. 我也不能再懒散地沉浸在我的最爱"Grey's Anatomy"电视剧中了. 大概没有什么人愿意这么快就重返校园, 但每人不愿意的原因却又是千奇百怪. 我的原因是"LeaderShape".
 
LeaderShape是一个发掘和训练大学生领导才能的机构. 它与全美七十多所高校合作, 旨在塑造心中怀有"机会, 梦想, 人际关系, 行动, 诚信, 社区和积极变化"的未来领袖. 在百事公司的赞助下, 我和另外四十多个商学院的学生得以在这次春假中参与完全免费的LeaderShape六日营. 六天下来, 我对自己,对别人,对社区,对世界上热门的事件和被遗忘的角落,对自己真正的激情与梦想作了很多思考, 也对我今后想要的生活和想做的事情画出了草图.
 
这两年在美国的学习生活给了我很多启迪, 也引发了我无限的思考. 中美的教育之间究竟有什么不同? 我不敢乱讲, 只举一个小小的例子. 我12岁的时候迷上了足球, 初中一年级每周周日与家属院里的小孩子大孩子男孩子女孩子们踢球. 我曾一度想接受正式的训练, 成为下一代的"铿锵玫瑰". 可惜我的梦想被"只有学习才有出路"的大众理念所打碎, 我也被精心地制造成了"社会有用人才"之一. 我不明白为什么孩子们只可以成为"科学家"或是"CEO"而不可以成为慈善机构的负责人或是服务社区的志愿者. 我在"LeaderShape"中"众里寻她千百度"的梦想就建立在这个"不明白"上; 事实上, 我希望可以在中国设立一个类似于LeaderShape Institute的以人为本教育机构, 而我能有一大帮接受过特殊培训的"老师"(我希望每一位读者--我的朝外同学们, 我的美国同学们以及所有志同道合的朋友们都能来支持我)和更多想乘梦想飞翔的孩子们(中学及大学生为主)一起合作寻梦.
 
我知道我的梦想有很多很实际的困难, 但我特别希望我能得到大家的支持和合作. 我希望我的孩子们可以做他们心里所愿所好所热切的事情,可以成长在一片放飞自己放飞未来的蓝天下.
 
You are the change you want to see in this world -- 甘地
2006/2/27

Emergency Called Off...Not Ricin After All

Just want you guys and gals to know that I am PERFECTLY safe and healthy, and according to the latest news, the white substance found in my dorm is not Ricin or any other toxics. As I said earlier in my blog, I actually felt SAFER because everyone here is trying his/her best to ensure all the residents of my dorm (of course, including me) to be 100% safe and healthy.
 
Too much drama for the weekend...
 
I did have a very exciting weekend even if the evacuation hadn't had happened. I went to Asian American Campus Ministry's Talent Show 2006 this Saturday night, and I just can't quite describe with my limited words how AWESOME the show is!!! The theme of the show is EvolUTion (FYI: UT is my school's name), and it is interpreted as "the process in which individuals and communities change into a different and more complex form in pursuit of God's character and work". It fits perfectly what this ministry is about, and gving "Evolution" a brand-new Christian definition is truly creative.
 
I had my co-ed intramural basketball game with my team AACM "Heffalumps" at 4:30pm this Sunday. Luke and I were actually playing against each other at this game, which I didn't have any idea till I saw him on the court :p Luke's team "Hoops" (I think that's what it is called) is really good. The girls really contributed a lot of points to the team, but we did a superb job messing up their bball strategies. It was a very tough game, but we won at last by two points. So we are 2-1 in the division, and if we could win next Sunday, we are going to the playoff! Go Heffalumps!!!
 
I want to end this blog by chanting my team's chant:
"Heffas, you know, what you gonna do,
You gotta rock with the white, and roll with the blue!" 
2006/2/26

Ricin in My Dorm Building -- 篦麻毒素离我仅一步之遥

Moore-Hill (my dorm name) has made it name known to the multitude by an ricin incident Thursday, Feb. 23rd, 2006.
 
Related News Links:
http://www.dailytexanonline.com/ (this one has TONS of EXCITING pictures... sadly most of us, the residents of Moore-Hill, didn't get the chance to eyewitness the scene)
http://www.cnn.com/2006/US/02/25/UT.ricin/index.html (CNN news, my personal favorite news source... but i found an inaccurate account quoting from a school official, who said all the residents were moved to another dorm... darn it! where am i writing this blog??? in my dorm room!!!)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricin#In_Austin.2C_Texas (my favorite online encyclopedia, very up-to-date... the incident of Moore-Hill is already in the article about Ricin)
 
Check those links out! I personally learnt a lot about this potentially biological weapon.
 
Let me just recap what I experienced on this while incident:
 
This was Friday, Feb. 24th, 2006. I came back from AACM just then, and was talking on Skype with a friend when someone fiercely knocked on the door. The knocking continued down the hall, and we were told that everyone needed to leave the room and go to Jester Auditorium immediately. The whole building was evacuated at 11:32pm. 21st street in front of my dorm was completely blocked by police cars. When I got to the auditorium, I was surprised by the huge number of people evacuated from my dorm... I didn't see more than half of them :p Anyways, that's a side point. People from the Health Service, Austin police department, etc. gave all of us a briefing on what was going on in Moore-Hill (most of us had no idea at this point why we were evacuated) and answered questions from the students. It was awe-stricking to know how serious and responsible everyone was in dealing with this toxic called Ricin (I guess since U.S. has always been having terrorist threats or attacks, this Ricin incident was a serious issue for everyone involved to know) and how concerned and educated a lot of students were to ask questions. I was very impressed by how all the people reacted towards ths issue.
 
The investigation continued till 1:15am (I called it "CSI: Austin"), and the girls who lived on the second floor and the guys who lived in the basement could finally go back to their rooms (the FBIs, members from the department of hazardous materials, and many other investigators especially investigated these two areas because the girl who discovered the toxic had lived on the 2nd floor, did her laundry in the 1st flr laundry room, and so on). 
 
Just now... yes, just fifteen minutes ago, me and my roomie wanted to go downstairs from the middle staircase of Moore-Hill, but it was yellow-taped and blocked. Three or four fire engines parked aside and a lot of investigators going in and out through the middle gate. I don't know if there is any new change going on, but for now, this is my latest story.
 
Let me add some pictures taken just now... to give you a sense of what happened...
 
By the way, I am very safe and healthy, and there should not be any concern about that :) 
2006/2/19

Valentine's Day or Single Awareness Day

I love the phrase "Single Awareness Day" as an alternative for "Valentine's Day"... 
 
2005/11/26

感动中...

网上遇黄烨, 得诗一首, 读后无语, 被感动得一塌糊涂...
 
 

The furthest distance in the world

  

The furthest distance in the world

Is not between life and death

But when I stand in front of you

Yet you don’t know that

I love you

  

The furthest distance in the world

Is not when I stand in font of you

Yet you can’t see my love

But when undoubtedly knowing the love from both

Yet cannot be together

 

The furthest distance in the world

Is not being apart while being in love

But when plainly can not resist the yearning

Yet pretending you have never been in my heart

  

The furthest distance in the world

Is not pretending you have never been in my heart

But using one’s indifferent heart

To dig an uncrossable river

For the one who loves you

 

 

世界上最遥远的距离

 

世界上最遥远的距离,不是生与死

而是我就站在你的面前,你却不知道我爱你

  

世界上最遥远的距离,不是我站在你面前,你却不知道我爱你

而是明明知道彼此相爱,却不能在一起

  

世界上最遥远的距离,不是明明知道彼此相爱,却不能在一起

而是明明无法抵挡这股想念,却还得故意装作丝毫没有把你放在心里

  

世界上最遥远的距离,不是明明无法抵挡这股想念,却还得故意装作丝毫没有把你放在心里,而是用自己冷漠的心对爱你的人掘了一条无法跨越的沟渠

    

2005/9/2

2nd Day in UT Austin

Sorry I have to write in Eng. again. I find it more time-efficient to write in Eng., so plz bear with me and my writing.
 
Economics prof. is an awesome guy called Daniel Hamermesh. Quoting from him, if money is not scare, time is. And needless to say, he is absolutely right!!! Now I realize I have been assigned reading after reading due less than one week from now, and three or maybe four out of all five of my classes involve some sort of diversity, society, or morals, which means I've got whole lot to read and digest over this three-day weekend (in the U.S., we have next Mon. off b/c it's Labor Day that day).
 
Eye-catching Scene:
First of school, I went out fourty minutes before class to get a supplemental reading book from a copy-&-printing place, and I was absolutely STUNNED by the scene I saw around the crossing of Speedway and 21st St.. It was like people, People, and still MORE PEOPLE, people who are going out and coming in from all eight directions!!!!! That was just the most magnificent scene I have ever seen on a college campus!!!
 
Most Disappointing Class:
Sociology for sure!!! My sociology is with this prof. called Haghshenas (don't even know how to pronounce his name), and he didn't even show up for the class today. Instead, there was a Chinese TA who only explained the syllubus for prof. H, and then dismissed the class. The whole class, which was supposed to be a hour and fifteen minutes long, was done in fifteen minutes. I guess the TA Mr. Wang was not to be blamed since he didn't know what the heck the prof. was going to talk about for the whole semester, and he didn all he could do to explain. 
 
Most Exciting Event:
Gone to Texas!!! It's a two-hour event right in front of the famous symble of UT --the Tower.
I was fulfilled with a very strong sense of pride during the welcoming event, and I couldn't feel more proud of myself to be a longhorn (a student of UT Austin) when the tower was lit entirely wild orange (the school color) for and only for the freshmen.
 
Got Lost Twice:
The first time was not really my fault b/c I didn't know Kelly Conway, my FIG (Freshman Interest Group) seminar mentor sent a second email to update the classroom number. I ended up being 15 minutes late for the class!!!
The second time was in Welch, the chemistry building, when I was looking for my sociology classroom. It's Room 3.502, which means 502 Room on the 3rd floor, but somehow, I read 5.302, so I went to the fifth floor, and couldn't find my classroom. Luckily, I was not late for that class...
 
I haven't even started a lot of things that I plan on doing on campus...:S Lots of reading to do this weekend... and UT has its first home game for football this Saturday...
 
Btw, recently the whole city of New Orleans, Louisiana is evacuated b/c of Hurricane Katrina!!! A lot of people are actually moving or already have moved to Houston and surrounding areas for accommodation. I didn't really catch up with the news a lot, but I overheard today that UT Austin was admitting students from Tulane University (a good private college in New Orleans) who couldn't go to college for now b/c of the hurricane. Very coincidentally, I got accepted to Tulane University as well as UT Austin, but I ended up choosing UT over Tulane. And I have been thinking if I were to go to Tulane, then what would happen to me if all a sudden hurricane comes... I would not get to go to school at regular time, and I would probably be one of those Tulane students who lined up at UT admission to see if I could get a chance to study in UT. I couldn't feel luckier to be here at Austin, guys!!! I guess I am just pre-destined to a longhorn or something!!!
 
Anyways, so much of my college story. See if I could survive the first weekend on campus!
 
Yezi Katherine Jin
09/01/2005 @ Moore-Hill, UT, Austin, TX
 
 
 
 
2005/8/29

The Third Night in Austin

Oh, yea! This is my third night in Austin, TX. I finally got my internet access from my dorm, so I could surf the internet from the most convenient place in the world--My Room @@@, Moore-Hill.
 
The music is playing from my computer right now, playing some Chinese songs from my friend Yuki. I looked around my room, and it felt just right in the sense of being my habitat for the next four months. I shared Room 214 with an Indian from India named Alaknanda Renukuntla (try to pronounce it, guys!!! :P), and so far, we get along quite well.
 
I moved into my room last Friday afternoon, Aug. 26th. It's SUCH a scene to see so many people moving in, and guess what, Friday was just a beginning of moving in. Later on Saturday and today, the scene just got more and more magnificent. I've been meeting old and new people these two days, and I don't have a feeling of not belonging or anything like that. I don't know how my attitude has changed over the summer, but every crannies of these Forty Acres brightens me up with its welcoming warmth. As you could see, I'm lov'n it!
 
The scarest thing ever that happened to me tonight was that there was a cockroach crawling at the far end of my bed!!!!! Gosh! It's the second time that a cockroach somehow got onto my BED!!!!! Thanks to my Houston home, where cockroaches have been my frequent visitors, I have developed much immunity not to jump or scream. And thanks goodness that my roommate hated cockroaches so much that she immediately jumped in to help me. We basically took everything off from my bed, and even removed the mattress and boxes under my bed. The cockroach rushed out from bunch of boxes, and fled to my closet!!!! The next thing we knew, all my stuffs were out of my closet! Luckily Alak (my roommate) found the cockroach and killed it with the sole of my Old Navy flip-flop. Thanks goodness!!!!! At least I am not sleeping with a living insect tonight!
 
Yeah, that's my little "cockroach hunting adventure" for tonight, and I do truly hope that won't happen again, EVER, period!!!!
 
I also want to thank you guys for helping my friend get all the guitar information. He eventually decided to take his guitar along with him, but he might still buy one before he gets back to the States again, so the info. that you have provided is still going to be very useful to him. Thanks for making him feel like Beijing and people in Beijing are welcoming! Well done, ya'll!
 
I hope I could write even more, but it's past midnight already, and my roommate needs some good rest before her placement tests tmr, which means I couldn't stay up either. Anyways, school starts this Wednesday, and I'll tell you guys more about my college adventure.
 
Yezi Katherine Jin @ *** Moore-Hill, UT, Austin, Texas
08/29/2005 12:14AM