Update: March, 2015

I’ve started taking a translation course this month for two evenings a week, and I must say — translation/interpretation really isn’t what I thought it was! There are so many techniques to learn in translation, and being fluent in the subject or target languages does not mean that you can translate.

We are currently learning English -> Chinese written translations, and it made me feel quite inadequate in terms of my Chinese abilities, so I borrowed the Chinese translation of “The Great Gatsby” to: 1. improve my Chinese, and 2. study the translations in hope that I’ll learn something. (I absolutely love “The Great Gatsby”, and I was so happy to see that this Chinese translation did it justice)

In the end, I decided that written translation is not for me. Well, the oral translation part of the course will start in a couple of weeks, so maybe? Hopefully??

The most important things in life

I think that the most important things in life, and something that money cannot buy, are health and happiness. After getting ill from gastroenteritis (I finally recovered today… Thanks to everybody who made me feel better when I was sick; you realize just how important friends and family are when they’re there for you when it counts), and after hearing about the sudden death of a friend’s fiance, I realized that to accomplish anything in life, we must be healthy, and of course the motivation to keep living life is happiness. After what happened to me in my last relationship, it’s nothing compared to what happened to Deb… I’m so sorry for her loss, even though I didn’t know her fiance. But they were a happy couple ready to get married, and it makes what happened to me seem like child’s play. So please appreciate those around you while you still can. Life is short and fleeting, so never take life for granted! Don’t be afraid to try new things, because you only live once.

Looking forward to spending some quality time with my grandma tomorrow. <3

Wolves and Sheep

There are many types of people in this world, and the ones to watch out for are the “wolves” and “sheep”, because they’re the ones who can be deceiving at first sight.

What do I mean by wolves and sheep? I am referring to wolves in sheep’s clothing and sheep in wolves’ clothing.

I am fortunate enough (or unfortunate enough) to become acquainted with both types. The wolf in sheep’s clothing is pretty self-explanatory; they’re the ones who appear to be genuinely sincere and will have you and the whole world fooled until they show their true colours. However, we cannot wear rose-coloured glasses forever, and in those cases, we must accept the truth and move on. We cannot expect others to change just because we want them to; for a change to happen, it must come from oneself.

As for the sheep in wolf’s clothing, I would say my dad is one of those, as well as a couple of my friends. Outside they appear to be cold and mean, not the type of people you’ll want to become friends with unless you’re also cold and mean, but on the inside, they are actually warm and extremely friendly. I think for these sheep, how they appear is a result of their environment; they might not have grown up coddled and protected from the harsh realities of the real world, thus leading to their strong and cold exterior. This is in contrast to the wolf where the opposite might be true; they might grow up educated on how to act like a sociable being, but that still doesn’t change who they truly are inside. I think those people who knowingly hurt others for their own selfish needs are despicable.

So, what does this all mean?

1. Don’t forget those who have hurt you before. You can forgive, but never forget.

2. Don’t judge a book by its cover; try to give everyone a chance, and don’t disregard them through stereotyping.

3. We cannot change the past, but we can choose to change the future. If you have done things in the past that you’re not proud of, make it a goal to change for the better. You’ll be happy, and those around you will be even happier!

4. Not everything in life can go the way we want them to. Nothing is perfect, and the same goes for relationships (whether it’s friendship, romantic relationships… a relationship goes both ways). So, after trying our best and things still feel wrong, let go and move on. It’s for the best.

5. Lastly, as mentioned above: We cannot expect others to change just because we want them to; for a change to happen, it must come from oneself. So don’t try to force change. You can mention it, and let them decide if they want to change. Respect their decision, but it doesn’t mean that you need to stick around.

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Even if it’s already winter, that doesn’t mean I can’t have ice cream when I’m feeling a bit blue. Something sweet for my bitter mood.

7-11 milk soft serve, made from Hokkaido’s Tokachi Province milk. It’s a new product and currently only available at a handful of 7-11’s around Taiwan. It’s delicious, and tastes just like the soft serves that I had when I was in Japan! Now, if only they can come out with lavender flavour…

Taking Flight

This poem is reblogged from JTran’s blog (reactiveness.wordpress.com). It’s such a simple poem, but for some reason it stuck with me for the whole day.

“Come to the edge, A said.
I’m afraid, B said.
Come to the edge, A said.
I’m afraid, B said.
Come to the edge, A said.
And B came to the edge.
Jump, A said.
And B jumped.
And B flew.”

– Anonymous

JTran said she saw this poem in “Why Him? Why Her?” by Helen Fisher.

I think this poem relates not only to relationships, but life in general. Sometimes, we just have to learn how to let go. Get out of your comfort zone and try something new. Leave the lake, and you will discover the ocean.

The hummingbird is a symbol of joy and happiness in life. Did you know that their wings move in the shape of infinity (or the number 8)?

Where will your wings take you?