Software Production

Party, party, party, Susie likes to have me in her parties.
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I started to realise that you dont need to be a super smart, rocket scientist to produce software that clients will accept. It is all about expectation management, planning and quality assurance. There is no bullet proof software, it largely relies on how well we educate our users. Everything is possible, if you use the software the right way.

To Help or Not to Help

The Infinity people


I feel like a queen of East Europe!


A couple of drinks in the old Hog's head in St Mary Axe, wow, it is all like the old days.
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When going through the UK immigration, I volunteered to help an old Chinese man to answer immgration officer's inquiries. Amoung all oriental looking passengers (I came out of a 747 loaded with Japanese), I stepped out because I hope someone would also step forward to help my father or mother when they are traveling abroad alone.

I was tired and exhausted after 13 hours flight, but trying hard to keep my cool. The old man was from GuangXi, a retired teacher. I filled out the landing card for him, patiently waiting in the queue.

However, the old Chinese man is annoying in a brutal mannerless Chinese way. I did not feel his appreciation (it is not like I want him to thank me, but if he can put a little bit of thoughts for me, sweet but useless comments like "I am sorry to take your time, but..." I think I would be much more than happy to help him through). Of course his attitute was really his best weapon, I did admire his fearless and nothing-to-lose bluntiness. Nevertheless, that annoyed the hell out of me. As if he deserved to be served.

Although he has got a full set of documentation to allow him to get into UK, the immigration officer's attitute was not of his best. Question: How long is he going to stay? Answer from the old man "5 months" So I immediate translated but the old man added "maybe 6 months". So I faithfully ferried the answer to the officer, who was not amused "5 or 6 moths?". "Can you just put down 6 months to be sure" "I was expecting a truthful, concise answer when you replied". After the routine examination, he was let go and my passport was handled. The officer was not able to find any empty page to stamp, he was giving me the nagging about my lack of attention to my travel document, the old man standing behind the line raised his voice in Chinese "Why don't they let you through?" Immigration folks hate people talking in language they don't know, especially they thought we are traveling together. Dirty looks exchanged, oh god, I just want to get to my apartment and rest.

Finally I went through, though the old man is annoying, I worried that he won't be able to find his luggage from the laggage reclaim bells. I lead him to the reclaim area and pointed to him where he should find his luggages then I went to find mine. Again, he was sticking to me, nagging "what should I do, what should I do" Totally not using his brain cells but hoping I would find his luggages and pamper him all the way out. To this point, I was most annoyed to a point I want to run. But he really had no options without knowing anything. I ran around to find his bags (with him in tow), just before he got the chance to get on hold of me again, I quickly ran toward the "Nothing to claim" exit and shouted "You should also get out from here". I was worried he might catch me so I really walked very fast.

Broken Heels

I was such a violent walker, especially when wearing my 3 inch heels (these are really my favorite heels, they are so comfortable though very high, classic style, they go with any outfit). When crossing the busy street near Liverpool street station, I thought my heel was caught between the cobble stone. It turned out that the heel on my right foot has broken into half.

I quickly calculated what my options are, plan A, I limped to the shoe and key making shop next to the station. Pleading "Can you do something about it?" handing my poor shoe to the shoe expert "I just need it to hold up for one day, just let me pass today". The shoe expert was so cool, he explained "love, this cannot be fixed within one day, you need to have the whole heel replace." "Can you just tape it up or glue it together" "Nope, I have seen many stressed ladies like you, but the good news is that you get to do some shoe shopping".

Sex and Men

Reading another film critic's work about Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution". She described Tony Leung's performance in the film astonishing, especially the sex scene. "Have not ever seen any actor expressing his distress and loneliness during sex to a degree that you feel painful as if your heart is torn. At fierecely violent and aggressive moment, his thighs trembled because of fear and excitment. This devil who dictated many innocent lifes let out his deepest anxiety and insecurity during sex."

What a powerful description, I regret I didn't have the chance to watch it carefully. However, this makes me think about the relation between males and sex. Is it the incredibly unfulfilling desire not to be lonely pushing men to be more sexually aggressive than women? That's what makes men different from other male animals? The desire has surpassed the need of survival?

Where is the Post Office

Yummy Japanese beef, Sandy and I got really full just a couple of pieces of these highly fatty meat, Uncle Thomas had another 3 or 4 plates all by himself.
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I need to send out some document to my bank in Japan, trying to find the post office nearby the client which is right next to Bank of England. The building is certainly historical, but the interior sucks. I feel like the living maid in the movie Gosford Park, working in the dark mezzanie.

Anyhow, I quickly googled the post office near by bank station, keyworded "post office bank London". The result came very satisfactory, I am in 30 something Lambard street, and the post office is 10-15 Lambard street. I farewelled the group from lunch and walked toward the post office. The address numbering system is very confusing, the number jumps from 82 to 21, I started to have bad feelings. I walked the same segment of road up and down twice, I still cannot see the 10-15 Lambard. Desparate, I went to ask for direction from the newspaper guy. He didn't even look at me when saying "straight down". I kept walking on Kings William's road, very confused. I thought the post office is in Lambard street? A couple blocks passed, I gave up and retrieved back to the office, thinking I shall return tomorrow morning with clear idea where the post office is.

Checked on the google map the next morning (10-15 Lambard street is really hiding near King William's road side), I was all confident in finding it this time. However, failure hit me again. Frustrated, I went to the Pret-a-manger to buy a crossiant to cheer myself up (also wanted to ask where the hell the post office is). The nice lady behind the counter say "Post office? You have to walk toward Monument, it is right next to the Tesco". "But the google map says there is a post office on Lambard street". "Oh, that's the name of the road, Post Office Court!".

Critics

I was really shocked to realise that an ex-colleague of mine who always looked so confident, talked so well, and damn knowledgeable of everything about progamming actually collapsed when being pressed to produce a piece of software.

I guess we all need a bit of silliness in life, I was silly enough to think I can do certain things and I go ahead thinking optimisitcally that I will finish it within 2 weeks. I think he is too obssessive to create the perfect software, no silly thinking like mine.

London Seems Strange

Standing in the Ginza crossing in Tokyo, autum is in Tokyo.
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Returning to London again, walking on the street, I suddenly find that people are bigger in size, women are not really paying attention to their looks (trainers with dressing suit? Oh My God, London is turning into American), and there are a lot of rubbish on the street. Look carefully, it is lacking attention to details everywhere. Most of the Victoria era buildings have been converted to modern dwellings, such as office or pubs or apartments. But the bathrooms or kitchens are just not completed (of course, they are not meant to be functioning that way when the whole living space was designed in 19 century). I cannot believe that I am getting used to Japanese standard so fast and I started to understand the culture shock hitting Irene when she first came to London. London is rough, yes. I walk on Fenchurch street feeling that I am really small and fragile.

My French colleague made an very interesting comments about women in London. He can feel their sexuality, very obvious, whereas you do not feel so much about it with women in Tokyo. I have to agree with him. In London, women are more like an open book showing their desire, wants and dont-wants. In Tokyo, women, though dressed very girly, are playing down their sexuality as much as they can. They are cute, but not sexy. Perhaps that's what a harmony, balanced, smooth social operation needs. It is just a bit of less fun, maybe that's why Japanese men have to find their lovers in Ginza with money.

Unstoppable

My friend, Thang, passed away last Sunday. I was hoping to see him again in London before I boarded on the plane, planning buying another set of DVDs so we can watch together in his Newbury Park flat. Just 2 days before my trip, I received the emails from his family saying that he's in the intensive unit back in his hometown Phileadaphia and it's going to be his last few days alive on this planet.

31 of the age, he struggled with this acute lymphatic luekimia for 1 and half years. I was very angry when knowing he's fallen seriously ill last year, he had every right to live, to have a normal life, fighting with his wife, kids, getting old, wrinkly and naggy, then die with all his family and friends around him. As time progressed seeing him being tortured by chemo theropy and god-knows-what drugs the doctors gave him, I still had hope that all these pains and suffer will pay off one day when he is healthy and building up his muscles again.

I am not sure how to feel, feeling happy that he is not suffering anymore and, at the same time, feeling truely depressed because there is indeed no hope for his recovery.

Office Politics

I feel like the queen of India

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Have read about office politcs in novels and seen that on TV, never had a chance to be set up or back stabbed, it was quite an interesting experience to realise how vulnerable and trusty I have been. Perhaps I have been lucky, on the other hand, perhaps unlucky because I am not at all prepared.

It is interesting to find out that I could have this type of emotion (I always thought I do not care too much), but it is not very pleasant. This is useful, I am thinking more how to protect myself and trust people less.

Another Day with 4 Meals

Intersting cow.
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We had brief and short breakfast in Excelsier, than went to the Tapenyaki place for good Japanese beef lunch. The beef is tendor, but not as good as we had anticipated. After a long walk in the imperial palace garden and Yasukuni shrine, we set out our quest to find the deep fried pork cutlet in Shinjuku. Lucky we were, we found it before Sandy went crazy (she is again hungry). We walked around the town, I was showing Sandy those pretty boys walking on the street (those with pretty faces, long and dyed-golden hair, in suits) are usually those working in the pub, entertaining female guests. Sandy was shocked and we went to Shibuya as part of our condense Tokyo tour.

Until now, we have walked for almost 6 hours and were all exhausted. Uncle Thomas wanted to have really good Japanese beef, so we again went to the Yakiniku place which sells the Yamagata beef. The meat is so rich and juice, we ended our day with the 4th deal of the day.

Traveling with Huen's Family means Nonstop Eating

All tourists in Tokyo's must have. We took pictures before leaving for Nikko. Sandy is such Huen's family's girl. Keen for foods/cooking, can-eat-alot and strong... stomached.
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We set out to Nikko because the weather on Sunday is going to be bad. Food is aways important, and my uncle vowed to spend all Japanese yen he has brought with him. So I took them to the stand-up soba parlour (the place where cute young girls refuse to eat). Each of us devoured a bucket of soba with delicious cold flake fish dressing. We drank it up with the soup from cooking soba, yummy. (Oh, also 2 bows of rice with grilled pork bellies).

We went to Asakusa, getting reading to board the train. However, we visited the department store and bought the most expensive Unagi bento box and a couple additional unagi and grilled salmon jaws to eat in the train.

Thank god that we were not distracted by food when visiting temples and hiking (because there is no food around). However, after 2 hours of walking around, Sandy claimed that she is hungry. (The way she puts it is "um... I can eat something"). We strolled along on the Nikko street, sat down to take a break to eat the grilled rice cake with delicious black sugar coating and green tea, still feeling not satisfied. But it is too early to go back to Tokyo, we ate another couple of onsen menshu made of Chestnut paste in front of the train station, and came to the conclusion that we should eat the famous Yoba tofu cookings in Nikko.

The restaurant I remember doesn't open for dinner so we turned into a little Hiroshima style Okonomiyaki restaurant. We had tepanyaki and a pancake. Sandy and I down 2 bottles of hot sake to get warm (it was really cold in the mountain and we were not well prepared).

After 2 hours of train ride, we were finally back to Tokyo but then Uncle Thomas claimed that he is hungry and demanded me to come up with a choice of snack. Running out of idea of restaurant still opening at 10pm, we went to Tsukiji for the 24 hour sushi shops. We sat down and had a huge sashimi platter, sushi, fishhead stew. We walked out the door and Uncle Thomas cannot believe how cheap the meal is for such a good quality food (compare to Hong Kong), he almost wanted to turn back in again to have another plate of Otoro sashimi. Too tired I was, I stopped him and promised we'll come again tomorrow.

Uncle Thomas and Sandy are in Town

We are studying the menu, it is actually not difficult at all as we can pretty much guess half of the items with the Chinese characters. We later found out that our waitress is Chinese, great! We spoke in Chinese and had very pleasant meal. This is a D.I.Y. deep fry restaurant, you control the timing of your frying.
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After the tempura, we continue walking to the middle age man's hang out, Yarakucho. The street is crowded with people eating grill screwers. We sat down and ate again.

Swim across Sun Moon Lake (4)

My sister Grace. My mom thinks Grace is more real a daughter to her than I to her. One day I went fish shopping with my mom in the traditional market, the stall owner asked "is this your daughter?" "Yes", "Oh, you have many daughters" (Because Christine, Irene, Grace all had been shopping with my mom before). I sometimes wonder whether the stall owner would think that my mom had a lot of different boy friends that's why all her daughters look different.

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I forgot to mention the scary journey of sending Akiko to the airport the day after we finished the swim. We had happy DimSum with my whole family including the Golden Pig. When we realised it is about time to leave, it was already 30 minutes overdue. Grace drove us to the bus terminal nearby, but we rarely took the bus to the airport since driving is the most convenient way (and it is always possible to find some free hand to drive). The bus terminal has changed since the last time I took the bus 15 years ago. We were almost near the end of the bus terminal drive way but still cannot find the ticket booth.

Grace stopped in front of the gas station, I jumped out and asked people around. The time is really running short, if it takes 1 hour to get to the airport, Akiko would be there only one hour ahead of her departure time. As I was panicking looking around, there is an airport bus leaving. The driver saw me being disappointing and nervous, he stopped the bus in the middle of the road and opened the door!

I ran back to Grace's car and pulled Akiko out. Pushed her into the bus and threw her lugguages while the cars behind us honking like crazy. My heart was ponding after we both drove off and waited in front of the red light. Grace turned to me "Are you sure this bus going to the airport?" Holy Shit! I ran off to the bus, knocked open the window on thd driver side, shouted at the driver (because it was raining and noisy) "Are you going to the airprot?" He knodded. "How long would that take" "75 minutes".

My heart sank, but there is nothing we can do. Chances are Akiko is going to miss her flight. I went back to our car and Grace threw me another question "Does Akiko know which terminal to go to?" Shit! I ran to the bus driver again (Thank God the red light wait is long enough) "The Japanese lady is going to Terminal 2, please help her" He knodded again.

Grace and I then went to pick up my mom and Golden Pig, on our way to shopping, I was still worried and kept checking my phone if Akiko might call. Smart Grace suggested maybe Akiko's flight is not exactly 4 o'clock sharp, after consulting our travel agent, the departure time is 4:30. What a relief.

Thesis not yet Finished?

There are small mountains stacked by slacks of stones everywhere in this mountain. I was helping out.
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I had a terrible dream this morning, I was on the way to California visiting a friend. Getting on the bus then I realised that I had not finished my thesis, and didn't talk to my supervisor about my trip. Everything seemed undone and unfinished, how am I going to get my degree and start to make money? I was anxious, nervous, upset and tired. Yet I didn't know the way out.

Chopping it off

My boss in London is really an ecentric character. He told me he would cut off the hair if it is sticking out in the morning. I am generally very happy with my haircut but for some reason, the hair on my right side seemed to have the perfect opportunity to be rebelious. That might have something to do with my strange hair current. But the unruly hair really drove me mad. I chopped them off as my boss in London did.

Swim across Sun Moon Lake (3)

The Swimming 3
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It took us 2 and half hours to cross the lake. I was a bit in a hurry (oh well, I want to check whether my dad is OK, and also, I am a very impatient person). However, I'm also worried about Akiko, what if she diappears in the lake? I didn't abandon her the whole trip. However, there is no rush, really, the slower the better since you are not able to enjoy this water and this scenary if getting on the shore. I was too bored waiting, so I invented a number of way to sit, sleep, hold our floating device. I almost like sun bathing in the lake (the result is not very good, my back has a big X from my bathing suit).

When reaching the shore, I held no anticipation to find my dad in the gathering point, but to my surprise, he came up to us in the finishing line. What a relief, I thought there is going to be some work to find him in the crowd.

Just like last year, I polished the whole lunch box (what a waste not to finish the food in your plate, it is not environmental friendly, either). Feeling all good, we took the boad ride back to where we started. I recovered Akiko's bag with all our clothes miraculously from the side of the street (I really had no choice but leaving it in the side of the road).

Finishing the swimming without any glitches. But I found that I have bigger balls than most of the guys attending this swimming acticivty in our group. Some of them is worried about swimming in the place that you cannot touch the floor (hey, this is a lake, what do you expect?) Some of them whinning about the coldness, some of them wondering where to put the eye glasses. Oh my god, be a man, purse your lips and try out the adventure yourself. There sure would be unexpected, but that shouldn't be anything unhandlable for a 40 something old.

Swim across Sun Moon Lake (2)

Not really worrying too much about my father, because I was a bit angry. He wasn't really listening to the briefing last night, yet he appeared to be very into the game and the plan. He even raised questions and had conversation with the captain, how could he not understand everything? I have told him to practice swim like 6 months ago, how can he drop out midway through? Unprofessional and lazy butt, I was angry because he is just using his age as an execuse, not to be strong and train himself. He thought that's the way to get attention? Ha ha, sorry, I do not like weak people. Sorry, you get no sympathy from me. Go rest in the shore, see you later.

I swam slowly with Akiko, it is not like last year, where a large quality of people ran into the water, it was much better controled this year. I remember last year, I had to kick and being kicked in order to get forward. My goggles were wacked a couple of time, it is like playing Rugby in water. The water is cool and nice, we can see the green mountain hidding in the fog. However, Akiko cannot swim long distance, we needed to stop every 100 or 200 meters.

At the 1100 mark, I got Akiko to get on the floating platform where we can have chocolate and water. It is all very interesting scene, because getting on the platform required some energy. Many swimmers just hopped around the platform to rest, and the life guard broke the chocolate into pieces and fed the swimmers in water one by one.

While we were resting, Akiko waved and shout "Liao Pa" to the boat driving pass us. Oh my god, that's my dad on the boad, who is also waving like mania to us. Oh great, at least he was ferried to the other end, I should be able to find him there.

My Conversation with Mom

禤妙云 says:
女兒，睡了否？
Joey says:
還沒啊
Joey says:
吃了嗎
禤妙云 says:
吃飽}
Joey says:
暑假放完了,還是要 果汁給廖小文喝
禤妙云 says:
我現做二十四孝的娘
Joey says:
那是廖小文的福氣
禤妙云 says:
今天開始弄果汁
禤妙云 says:
對你好像有虧欠，你會吃味否！
Joey says:
不會啦,我是女超人啊
Joey says:
女超人不用人家疼哦
Joey says:
還要拯救地球
Joey says:
很忙的
禤妙云 says:
我在心疼你的
Joey says:
挨游
Joey says:
以後要你幫忙的地方多的哩
禤妙云 says:
但能盡我所能來疼你，
Joey says:
已經很好了啦,我覺得很滿意,你好好的,開開心心,廖小文,廖老爺少氣你一點就好了
禤妙云 says:
但我會先照顧好自已來疼惜你
Joey says:
你肉麻的話講完了沒有,手有沒有酸
Joey says:
去玩麻將啦
Joey says:
聽得我都不好意思了
禤妙云 says:
很好
禤妙云 says:
拜拜

Swim across Sun Moon Lake (1)

I went back to Taiwan for the annual lake crossing swim in Sun Moon Lake. I decided to get my dad to join because I think we have been ignoring him, it is not fair to take mom out traveling all the time (oh well, mom is a much more pleasant companion and she cooks). Taking my dad has another plus, that is, I can fulfill my dream of driving a broken car, with a dog sitting in the backseat and blasting Beatles or Beach Boy's music in summer time. I don't have a dog, but my dad has.

We set out our adventures on Saturday afternoon, of course, dad's nagging about life accompanying us the 3 hour trip to the lake. That's OK, I had Beatles and the dog (though Ilang is not very friendly to anyone but my father).

Dad and Akiko were not paying attention to the instruction, we had a bit of fuss about where to put their clothes and wallets. In the briefing the evening before, we were clearly instructed not to bring anything to the meeting point. I had to put everything into Akiko's bag and then begged strangers to allow me leave the bag with them. I know why my dad refused to go with only swimming wear, he wants his cigerattes with him ALL THE TIME.

We jumped into the cool lake after an hour of queueing and waiting. I was responsible for Akiko and my dad, however, no pressure at all, they all have insurance. Dad dropped out 2 minutes into the water. We climbed up to the floating platform, I was eyeing Akiko in the water, saying to my dad "Ok, get your clothes, keep warm, I will come back to look for you". I then jumped into the clear lake and swam off with Akiko.

Summer Vacation

Our family memebers are all into this veggie drink fashion recently. Grace, Kevin, my mom, my brother and I are drinking fresh made fruit and veggie juice in the morning religiously. It does work very nicely for me, my terrible eczma on my face went away. My mom goes to my brother's house to take over my nephew, Golden Pig, from my sister in law by 6 am. Then she makes the fruit juice for my brother (making him drink up the juice while he is still half sleeping, he then drops back to the bed). My brother's eczma comes all over his body in a very severe form. Little blisters filled with blood, and he often scratches until they break. It is so hard to see some good piece of skin part from his face and it is so hard to imagine the condition is remedied by daily fruit juice.

While I was in Taiwan, chatting with my mom, she said that my brother's eczma attack came back again. "Why?" I asked "If the fruit juice not working anymore?". My mom said "Oh, because I am on summer vacation, no one is making him fruit juice every morning".