to be colorful

Soon one year passed. Now it's November and xmas is coming.
For this year, I didn't go abroad traveling because of covid and also I got quite a lot of work load and don't have time planning for a trip.
But since looks like covid is ending and trip restrictions are limited by most of the countries, hopefully I - actually all of us, can have a nice trip with free minds without masks.

So I bought a car for about 4-5 months and continued practicing. Though I can't say I love driving but to drive is much more convenient for sure. I can drive to my grandpa's house which is about 1 and half hour from my home. And I can drive to other places and do things and stuff. 
Hopefully for 2022, I can drive with more confidence and get more fun from it.

Lately I've been thinking about "styles". What does it mean? How can we find our styles? To be honest, I'm an easily affected by surrounding things so I change styles a lot and also easily got drawn to different styles. For example, I recently think of different styles,

      English - more like england style with patterns and it is classy

      American - more like casual with colors. But it has city and countryside types, including new york (black/ grey/ white) and texas maybe.

      Japanese - simple and femine. Alwasy elegant shirts and pretty skirts.

      French - Lazy beauty kind. 

Lately I've been watching youtubers' works regarding cooking. I found out that to cook at home can not only save money and choose the healthy food for good health purpose. But the thing is since I still live in the rented apartment for now and it doesn't have the cooking place- which means I'll need to keep looking for new places to stay if I want to cook at home. But still, it is always fun to watch the cooking-related videos, especially the Japanese kind, because they not only will introduce how to cook but also show how they clean the living surroundings and it helps me a lot.

For now I'm watching Japanese youtubers such as nami's life, hana channel and eiko channel. They're realistic and easy to understand. I'll continue to look for other good cooking channels and share.:)

For CNY this year, I traveled to Nepal and it is an experiment with surprises, because frankly I don't go visit south asia a lot and especially the place with such religious atmosphere. 

When I landed and stayed in Kathemandu, I found out road is not flat- basically they're mud, soil and rocks. Electricity is not stable- sometimes electricity would fail and all lights are off. Most people on streets are guys. But I got to tintin's place- the temples in durbar square, which was the main purpose I went.

For this trip, I think I didn't see the thorough Nepal, especially I didn't join the famous trekking, which is quite a miss. Nepal is the country surrounded by high mountains so it is a big suggestion that trekking is a must. If you're interested in Nepal, maybe survery trekking info and arrange such a tour would be more fun. 

Even though 2020 just started for one month, there are already news around- taiwan's presidential election/ kobe's tragedy/ coronavirus. They are intense issues and they happened unpredictably in the beginning. 

We all know that bad things happen, but during this hard time, aside from looking for solutions actively and complaining passively, maybe we will need to calm ourselves, do our best, and see how it goes. The world now has many problems- either politically or environmentally. Our, human's, reaction will show how much development we gain.

Just got back from Kaohsiung and quite lazy and tired. But there're some notes I'd like to put down,

1. So many tea houses for black tea with milk in Kaohsiung (and they're all with sugar...)

2. Still very hot even though it's winter time fo now.

3. Very crowded in certain areas, ex night market/ harbor warehouses for handmade stuff sales

4. Many motorcycles on roads.

2018 went by. Here comes 2019.
I literally am not pleased with 2018 at all. That was a terrible year. But from job perspective, it gave me development, even though there was lots of work loading. I traveled a lot for biz purposes- surely to China mainly. Anyway, my best wishes to 2019, and here are new year's resolutions,
1. Stay healthy/ happy,
2. Less fantasy/ more reality (quoted from ally mcbeal),
3. Meet more people/ experience more anything,
4. Need an official relationship.

Even if the new year's resolutions are almost the same every year, but hopefully, it'll come true some day. :)

So I tried some steakhouse in Taipei, including 沾美, 紅屋, steak-inn, Ruth's chris. Personally, I like steak-inn the best. But in average, all four have good quality of food and service. For 沾美, I just tried it today and it is buffet for lunch. The shrimp is fresh and the dessert is delicious. For 紅屋, don't really remember much of it (I ordered a steak at that time). For Steak-inn, I ordered steak with goose liver souce. The meal is tasty. For Ruth's chris, I ordered a steak but don't really recall anything special either. Anyway, I believe there's so much more other steakhouse in Taipei. And when I have time and money (of course..), I'll try others too.:)

So, I went to Paris for a trip last week. I was quite overwhelmed by this city. At first, I thought Paris was a city with brands, fashion, beauty etc., and honestly, I don't quite care about these, so I didn't have much interest in Paris. But after visiting this place, my view on it was changed. It is a city with so much culture and history and arts. I went to musee de Orsay, le Lovre etc. I saw the most famous Mona Lisa, and paintings from Renessance, and Van Gogh's masterpieces - everything is so astonishing. I also went to Notre Dame, where is the place for the story of hauntch back. And the opera, the famous gate and champ elysee clemanceau (the spelling shouldn't be correct..) The versallie where once marie antonie stayed. And above all, they have cafe everywhere! And people in paris just are used to having a drink after work or during the days. 

So I have two conclusions after this trip. One is to be away from smart phones or computers. The other one is to eat health and walk a lot, so that we can be as thin and fit as paris people are. And that's also the healthy way to live.

Paris trip is really a big surprise to me. I love the way they live and their attitudes to see things. Classy!

Today I finished my Japanese N2 test. I have to admit that I hardly studied for it, and it's like my first test since graduation from my graduate school from NTNU. Ever since graduation, I barely studied, so should I say the old tests I took since junior high till graduat school, they don't really represent how I like to study. They only are the symbols that I was forced to study. But anyway, I do like language learning. For example that Japanese test, I went to supplimentary schools years ago because I liked to learn it.

Well, in Taiwan, especially back to my age that time, we had to study for a better future, not because we spontaneously liked it. But the good thing about studying is that we get to know more things profoundly. We'll have a more widened perspective for the world. So, even if most of the time studying is so annoying and boring, continueing will always lead to a good end.

I've heard of this place for a long time, but never had chances to go there. So, during the CNY, I went there with my friends and want to know how good it is, so that so many people to spend quite a lot of money there.

So, yesterday, I prepared some thousands and my friends and I ordered some crabs first. Honestly, the crabs were good. So was the oyster. After that, we went to the sushi place (we've waited like an hour or more just to wait for the sushi place). We ordered sushi and sashimi. But, I don't know if I was already full or what, I didn't think the sushi was that good for this amount of money. I've went to Tokyo before and had sushi there. Personally I think the oridinary sushi place in Tokyo is better than the sushi in here..

But anyway, the atmosphere there is very nice. The design and lights there were high class. They also sell modern glasses and cups. And of course, there are lots of see food and grocery imported from Japan. So, it is still a place worth going.

Wow.., another year passed by. This past year, ok, still no change.. I'm still in a mess. No further progress, not much excitement.

This year is the year of snake. Tough I'm not the snake lover, i still hope this snake year can have more luck and fun. All the bad luck in love can go away.. This is the small hope but it seems so difficult for me.  

If I can have true love in this year, I'd faint I think. With all the obstacles in the past, I think the great joy would be with someone you love and he/ she loves you back the same way. Hopefully everyone can have the one and live happily ever after - just like the fairy tale in Disney. 

Wish that all the best in snake year and god.., I really need good luck in my love life. (no joking)..

Today my graduat school classmates and I went to visit a friend in a hospital. She was our graduate school classmate too. But she got stroke in the beginning of this year. We went there and found that she could barely speak and move. According to her family, she is doing regular exercise in order to recover and be back to normal. She was crying when we were there, and we showed our concerns to her and her family. She was once a hard-working office lady and had business trip around the world all the time. It was a big shock to us when we first heard that she had stroke. After visiting, on the way home, we were talking about the importance of health. It is important for us to realize how health is the base of everything. We should try to exercise more when we are young. Even getting older, we still have to have regular exercise or walk more. And also show our concerns and love to our family and friends more.

Live the life!

So, I spent four days in Seoul, Korea. I have some findings in Seoul,

1. Korean young people like to be "pretty". Most young ladies or guys in the street will dress nice. They have their own styles, more like mature styles.

2. Some stores are more in Seoul compared to those in Taipei. For example, family mart are more in Seoul. And, Outback (yes, the stakehouse), Lotteria (yes, the burger place) and a coffee house called Caffe Bene, which has a commercial starred by the actor I like. And, interestingly Missha are everywhere in Seoul, just like 7-11 in Taipei. The face shop and skin food stores are quite a lot too.

3. Korean young ladies are more "open". Let me explain. I saw a young beautiful young lady in a restaurant. She dressed nice and had make-up, but, the way she sat is as if she ate at her home (didn't look nice..)

4. Quite many beautiful girls in the streets. They more whiter and have redder lipstick. It did look more feminine.

The moon light is so pretty and soft. As I looked up to the sky tonight, I realized it's a full moon today. And the weather is so good that the moon seemed prettier and softer than before. From the old times, there're always poets or singers to write or sing about moon, and they're all romantic works. The most famous one in Chinese world would be the "Moon can represent my heart" by Teresa Teng. This song is sung many times also by other singers till now. It is a classic love song. Surprisingly last time Hayley Westenra sang this song in Kao Hsiung sport campaign very well. I think that is because her voice is so pure and full of love.

It is a full moon day. It is a romantic day.

月亮代表我的心

你問我愛你有多深　我愛你有幾分
我的情也真　我的愛也真　月亮代表我的心

So, many of my friends started to use smart phones, either i-phone or htc. I don't really know how to use them and what's so good about them, but I do know it's spreading everywhere, especially I work in IT industry and most IT people pay attention to this kind of IT fashion. I still use my old phone right now, well, to receive and call out. But if my friends show me their new smart phones, out of curiosity, I still will try their functions and of course, the games. This trend is so big that my family also start to think about to change their phones. How about me? Since no more budget for me to spend, and besides I'm not a fan of little games, I don't think I'll change my cell to a smart phone that fast. I really am not like an IT person.

So, I had a chance to visit DongGuan in China as a biz trip, and had to stay there for more than two weeks. Wow, it's my first time to go abroad for a biz trip and stay in a industrial area for so long. The first day I arrived, I felt excited but worried because many friends already told me DG is not a safe place. I was first arranged to stay in our company's dorm but at last was put to a hotel because all dorm spapces were full. For these two weeks, I stayed in a hotel and took daily shuttle to the factory for work. All Taiwanese workers worked in a small office and sat side by side closely, which was another special experience for me. There were some special points I'd like to take as note,

1. People in DG didn't use bathrooms well. Or I should say all bathrooms in China are dirty...

2. People in DG work inefficiently. For example, the servants in hotels weren't good at service part.

3. The place I stayed had bad air. Is it because it's in industrial area or all air in China is always gray and polluted?...

4. Some guy workers in DG were cute. (Shy).

So, lately I joined the exercise- "boxing". I'm not a sports-lover but since my friends joined this class and I'd love to gain more strengths so I joined too. Every Saturday I'll go to the gym and dance the boxing dance and do the exercise. Even though boxing exercise is not the most popular one among ladies in Taiwan, it has many credits already worldwide. If you've seen the tv show before like "ally mcbeal" or " sex and the city", office ladies in the US often join this kind of exercise class after work to improve their body status. I think the most popular exercise for ladies in taiwan should be yoga because it can stretch the body and won't move so fast so that everyone can keep up with every movement. Anyway, there are so many kinds of exercises and no matter what you join, as long as you have regular exercise every week, it would benefit your body a lot especially for those who work at office and hardly have chances to exercise.

See you in the gym! (or at the park!)

For the four seasons, I like autumn the best- it's not very hot or very cold, it's just well-balanced. I love walking in the street in autumn especially in the evening. I can feel the breeze and the changing of trees- they're becoming yellow and withering. With the wind, the leaves fall. Sometimes luckily a leaf is falling in front of me, and I always tried to catch the falling leaves. Sun isn't that burning and air isn't that stuffy. I love being in the park as well. I'll just wonder in the park and feel the cool weather. Even though there's not so much pretty yellow leaves in Taiwan, the atmosphere of autumn stays the same. It brings the news that winter is coming soon. So during the duration, I'll just hold up to every moment of autumn when it's not going away. Sadly, autumn in Taiwan is always short. Before I can catch up every detail of it, it just silently changes to winter. And, I'll have to wait for another year for the next autumn- that's how the nature is operating. It just fallows its rule and we should appreciate everything the nature gives before it goes away.

I just love the season of fall.