we would have met in Paris, Barcelona, Montpelier...

--written long long ago

i and !

Tides of feelings flow,
in the ocean of time,
up and down,
left to right.

Isn't it just the same water,
meeting lighthouse's lights,
sun's shines,
over and over,
through the same darkness.

But somehow,
memory only keeps "now".

No one tries to change,
the size of the ocean,
no one tries to fill it,
with black or yellow water,
and any other color but blue.

The hardest thing is,
to change facing changes.

The girl is tired,
she lies down,
red skirts on white bricks,
yellow skin under blue sky,
black hair at pink cheeks,
with white smiles.

She looks to his direction,
with black smiles.
She turns to the other direction.
Will there be anyone, anything,
pick her up on his way,
or will she just wait, wave her smile,
hold herself up to her may,
to a season called, "sumtumn",
to a place called, "heavell".

She enjoyes these moments.
She suffers these minutes.
She tries to feel that,
the earth turns itself,
she tries to turn herself with.

She wants to chatch up,
with earth, then the sun, then stars...

tears for "galliano"

是那，微波的内卷裙摆，让我如此动心，
是那，迟到的一次错过，让我如此痛心。
从没有为了一条裙子哭过，
可是，我终究是哭了，
止不住，
也不知，
为何如此在意。。。

不就是一条美丽的裙子吗。。。
什么时候说不定就能找到一条同样的漂亮的。。。
还是无奈青春的即将逝去，
什么时候大概也就不再适合这么美丽的裙子了吧。。。

not going ---why?

Usually i overthink, and as usual, it happens today, now: so, i was originally going to see a friend of mine, someone i enjoyed a lot spending time with and want to spend more with. Comparing to Chicago, Amsterdam is no distance from Tilburg; comparing to internet chat, face to face chatting is by all means upgrading. But i cannot go, because of work, also because of his only having time during lunch and breakfast, because of work. And suddenly i ask myself, why is work so important? Usually with this thought, it is enough for me to persist in going instead of staying, but this time, it isn't. Bart Simpson puts it,"if it is too hard, it is not worth trying." For the very first time, i apply this principle, for the more long-run dream i am fighting for. And forgive me, my friend...and do not underestimate the dillema i have...^&^

Ein schoenes Gedichte-by Hesse

Das Lied des Lebens,
Blätter wehen vom Baume,
Lieder vom Lebenstraume,
Wehen spielend dahin.
Vieles ist untergegangen,
Seit wir zuerst sie sangen,
Zärliche melodien,
Sterblich sind auch die Lieder.
Alle verweht der Wind,
Blumen und Schmetterlinge,
Die unvergänglicher Dinge,
Flüchtiges Gleichnis sind.

导师获奖 Congratulations to Jan!

Jan Boone 是我两位导师之一。他从牛津博士毕业已经10年，已经当了好几年的正教授。刚刚听说他获了荷兰科学基金会的VICI奖。五年内将提供给他125万欧元研究经费。可喜可贺。深为他感到自豪！同时告诉自己：努力，努力，再努力！否则枉费了在这两位大家身边学习的机会！

Wholehearted congratulations to Jan for his winning the VICI grant! (1.25m euros ^&^)

雨中

一个人活着，和万万人区分开来的东西大概是灵魂。灵魂很抽象，它又是由同样抽象的精神构成。血肉之躯易朽，精神之躯长留。一个人的精神又是在什么时候显现出来的呢？我认为，非“非常境地”莫属。何谓非常境地，从雨中逆风骑车到接二连三的人生挫折，和各种面对着一时乐诱惑的选择等等。唯有在这种情景下，才有对精神高低的挑战，只有在这种时候，才能在精神上区分出少数人和一般人。你会在雨中逆风骑车时高歌吗？你会在几经挫折后仍看不到曙光的时候还保持微笑和信念吗? 你会在眼看着欲望就能达到最大满足的时候毅然选择去为明天的丰收而无不为例的辛劳吗？你不懈的努力了吗？你忘我的工作了吗？你是为了别人的幸福而奋斗吗？

Haiku written by me in 1997 (high school)

1. Milk for Sale

White fluid in a glass

heat steaming, appetizing,

it is not for me

2.

Fresh water walking

cold as ice in Antartic

moisting my dried throat

3. Blackboard

A stern dark lady

stands quietly in the classroom

clothes turn colorful

4. Truth

Just a plain surface

but never hiding defects

cause you love truth so.

5.

A boy with broken kite

sitting on Green grass land

waiting for the wind

6.

Suddenly fire burns

wet steam kisses little lips

hot snake spreads inside

7.

Fragrance fills the yard

jasmine blossoms in my heart

flying in my dreams

8.

Quietly you come

and touch my hot face gently

still cold in my heart

9.

Down the radio aerial

a slow drop flops on and off

dripping clothes up top

inspired, by, Barash

Monkeys, they use no toilets,
as pollution is far away from where they live, the trees...

Humans, they learn to use toilets,
though the learning process takes long, many a years...

Monkeys survive, and satisfied seeing every day a blue sky,
no monkeys asks why,
it's all right if no monkeys cry;

Humans strive, and always strive more to thrive even other humans die,
no humans asks if justice is on their side,
it is right not all humans are kind;

Humans were monkeys,
are they more than monkeys?
not quite-sometimes;

Biological evolution, slow and substle over time,
monkeys are monkeys,
humans are humans,

Brain evolution, selfish and selfisher never mind,
you are you,
I am I.

...

Human beings and Creativity

1. Human beings are created to not to be too creative
--> too strong enterpreneurialship is not encouraged.
2. We are creating so many new things that today's world is so diversified, but not just a big variety.
-->what about the source for the innovation in societal forms? why is there such a diversity of societies? what are the biological references of social revolution into the division of collective and individualistic societies?
3. Nature doesnt make leaps. The inetia of status quo is because the status quo is already adapted.
4. There prevails the diverged evolution:
-->biological (slow and hence habitual acts prevail-bees and me story
-->cultural (fast and human beings are the ones who create new environment)
As a result, problems emerge due to the discrepancy of the two, for instance, biological sweet teeth to distinguish good fruits and bad ones, however meaningless man-made sugar food.
5. The best guarantee we have, is still that there is no guarantee of eternity.
--> what are progresses for? getting closer to the end? shouldn't we then slow down the process of progressing?
6. Human beings have developed the ever-increasing powerful violence and efficient killing means, unlike the poisonous snakes not hurting each other.
7. Human beings are biologically endowed to be bad at dealing with slow growing big problems, however good at fast obvious small problems to respond, to react and adjust; and we are not good at killing with our own bodies which accounts for the outstanding functioning of the brain.
--> Are institutions today actually lowering our adaptive capability as everything is too well taken care of by the institutions?
8. Size of the brain only matters cross-species, not within. The bigger the brain, the more social the species is. Monkeys, for instance, also tend to choose the "best cooperator".
9. Consciousness is one of the evolutionary result of human beings: to be aware of the awareness of the surroundings and to reflect actively. "if i see it, i would know it. If it smells bad, it is bad."-by human judges. On the contrary, dogs are very alert, but not aware.
-->where does consciousness come from? maybe like enough H2Os makes wetness, enough nerves cell makes conciousness.
10. what are the functions of conciousness: 1. self-reflection quality to rationalize (i want to, but i cannot-however, the pursuit of perfection is ultimately evolutionary given the more sophisticated rule of competition for survival of human beings) 2. externalization of problems in order to solve it. (all kinds of tests and experiments) 3. we are hopeful monsters, however, big ideas tend to be wrong.
11. What if we could see how others see us? that is why we need to put ourselves in others' shoes.
-->Game theory means that your payoff not only depend on your own actions, but also others' and hence it requires the evolutionary development of our anticipation ability.
12. why is it more difficult to toiletry children than cats and dogs? because we evolve from the trees.
13. Altruism is ultimately biologically selfish. Kindness only happens by manipulation.
14. What is the group's effect on creativity?
15. Why do human beings keep learning?
16. What is the link among instinct, intuition, consciousness and creativity? (Blink)
-->Intuition is not always good. Look at Bush administration's reliance on intutions and its decision makings in absence of important information.
17. Other species got distinct because of the environmental change, but we human beings are taking the initiative of changing the environment, wouldnt it cause the danger of ruining ourselves instead of prolonging our civilization?
18. What is the nobelity in the pursuit of perfection?

next masterclass: http://www-psych.stanford.edu/~dweck/ Carol Dweck -the psychology of success

my plan from 7th November on...

Today, I had a 25 minutes talk with my supervisor after a long long time. I am glad that finally I could meet him regularly. I am also glad that he asks me to make use of the academic environment, meaning staying 8 hours at least a day in the office. So, my plan: 7:30-9:30(information-news, journals, great minds), 10:00-12:00(skills-maths, game theory), 12:30-13:30(woods walk), 13:30-15:30(input-papers), 16:00-18:00(output-thoughts, literature review), 18:00-19:30(dinner and piano), 20:00-22:00(meeting deadline). Special activities: Monday (5-7pm Badminton, 7-8pm dinner at home); Wednesday(6-7pm dinner at esplanade, 10:15-11:15pm Squash); Friday(4-5pm Jogging, dinner at esplanade). Starting tomorrow... 8th November...till 8th December to have my first evaluation!-Good luck, Ting. Thanks, Eric.

Halloween 2007

霍夫曼的故事

这个歌剧很值得一听：http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%9C%8D%E5%A4%AB%E6%9B%BC%E7%9A%84%E6%95%85%E4%BA%8B
（故事内容)

birthday day

my birthday is the ninth day of the ninth lunar month-the Double Ninth Festival
Origins: The festival began as early as the Warring States Period (475 - 221 BC). According to the yin/yang dichotomy that forms a basis to the Chinese world view, yin represents the elements of darkness and yang represents life and brightness. The number nine is regarded as yang. The ninth day of the ninth month is a double yang day, hence the name "Chong Yang Festival". (Chong means "repeat" in Chinese.) The ninth month also heralds the approach of winter. It is a time when the living need warm clothing, and filial Chinese sons and daughters extended this to make the festival a time for providing winter clothes for their ancestors. The Double Ninth Festival, therefore, also became an occasion to visit the graves of dead family members. It is an occasion to remember one's ancestors, the sacrifices they made and the hardships they underwent.
I want to celebrate hence my birthday by writing about my granduncle-Jiang Dong, whom I always admire, follow and love, someone I dream of, think of all the time-
想念叔公

将近一年了，时间为您的离去而从此变得踟蹰不前。在独处的时候小亭我一如既往地给叔公您写信，亦一如往常，有的写了一半就暂时搁下了，写完了的却又不知道地址栏该填哪里好。偶尔会天真地想象着时间如果倒流的景象，想象着您微笑着回答我一个又一个天真的问题，从人生的困惑到世间的万象，从如何克服迟到的坏习惯到什么是人类的终极目标。偶尔会因此格外羡慕爸爸拥有那么多聆听您教导以及与您朝夕相处的机会。为什么我的时空和您的时空交叉就那么少？不知道这一切变换又是谁在安排，没有人能自己选择融入哪段历史，历史也并不会点名选择谁与谁活在他的空间里。而叔公您，现在又会是在哪个时空里呢？它与我所处的时空是否已经如风筝断线般，还是其实您在云端，只是太遥远太遥远罢了？
每每我享受着人世间的种种幸福时，我总是在想，叔公您会知道这一切吗？您会为我的成长而欣慰吧。每每看到自己极不愿意看到的众生苦难，我知道，叔公您曾经如何无保留地帮过其中一些人。而我又岂能撒手不管呢？又当我开始审视自己作为一个炎黄子孙的身份时，您的言行思想便历历在目。情不自禁地， 我为中华民族能有这样高贵的灵魂而满心自豪。
还记得去年12月10日的那个难忘的日子，那一天我握着您的手，不肯放开，带着对您高贵灵魂的所有的敬意，心疼着您受尽苦难的身躯。您的双眼过了好一会才吃力地慢慢地睁开，从来您都是那么精神抖擞，但那一刻，尽管您的眼光里还是充彻着力量， 您的身躯是显得如此虚弱。 而您平时严厉的表情此时却换成了无限的慈祥和笑意。我的两行泪水完全停不下来了。爸妈大概怕我伤心过度想把我带走了，后来您咳起来了，呕了，我走出病房后又循声而回，轻轻的慎重的揉揉您的背，您似乎觉察到了，咳嗽声慢慢平静下来了，我当时感觉到的是一丝的欣慰却又万分的不舍……这么危急的关头我又如何舍得让叔公的身影离开我的视线一步呢？后来，我没能留下，留下的是永远的遗憾。于是那一天，那痛苦的一天，我无一刻不在想您，离开医院后的每分每秒都让我觉得没有意义，那么难受。不记得看到和听到什么，只记得自己一直回忆着最后短短几次见叔公的情景，想象着叔公是不是喝水了，是否还在咳嗽，医生会怎么诊断。正如我担心的，那天的见面，竟然成了，永别。
世间有千千万万美景，可是景色再美我也从未留恋而不返过。唯独叔公的病房，曾经如此让人难以挪步离开。每每我走进那间病房，我感受到的是一种从未有过的幸福，一股从未有过的力量，您的病房是一个我从未如此向往过的地方。病房里常常还不只我一人，旁人和我说话，一不小心就会走神。我的目光总是难以离开您那孱弱而刚强的身体，我知道，在那个身体里面，跳动着一颗不平凡的心。而这颗心不可能永远跳动。为什么我不是医生，即使与叔公您非亲非故，至少可以名正言顺的守在您的身边，照顾您，敬仰您。那天晚上，您就走了，我似乎是知道的，但是当见到无法坐直的您，我是那么震惊，英勇无敌的您终究是要回归大自然的。
虽然我也知道，您的脚将不会再因为疼痛而抖动了，您的肚子将不会再饥饿难忍了，您还是会拥有着以往的宁静， 只是， 作为庸庸碌碌的世人， 却再也无法聆听您这位智者的教诲了， 也再也无法亲身感受您灵魂的伟大了， 这样的罕见瑰宝，是造物主的恩赐，赋予了您高于万万人的人格，赋予您威慑红黑界的正气，赋予您超卓的才智，赋予您关心国计民生的博爱。从被诊断为肺癌晚期到您离开人世，为期十个月，却从未发一句呻吟，从未叫一次过痛，从未叹过气。到了最后的一个月，书本对于您来说已经太沉了，您已没有无力捧起，您就读读参考消息。在最后的日子里，您还忍痛完成了《马克思主义﹒爱国主义﹒佛学》……
还记得您给我爷爷的挽联，"爱日常忧年岁迈，招魂何处云天遥！"而现在的我，仰首长叹，声声叩问："叔公，您在哪里？云天为何就这么遥遥……"

what can I do?

Often enough I asked myself, what can I do? Not that I have a problem and I am looking for a way to solve it, but for the things worth doing by me, as an individual. I must have been endowed with some characterized abilities that it is preferred for me to do certain things and not the others. Recently, I find the list of things shorter and shorter, I am getting disappointed and less confident. If you ask me now, "Hi Ting, how are you doing?" I would say, "doing what first?" Would I be able to walk out of this "doing what" crisis, I dont know. It really depends on if I succeed in the next few things that I would be engaged in. Would I be able to succeed, I guess then it depends on whether I would stop writing this blog right now and get started...then I start...

new update

i moved to amsterdam last friday, and i had a wonderful weekend there: because i am lazy, and Qi-qi is good at writing. Please find out what i did and why the weekend was terrific in Qi-qi's blog: http://xueyunqi.blogspot.com/
^&^
need to work on my PhD: my current question is: how to separate the effects of institutions and culture on corruption respectively? Anyone?

how to mAKE cAKE?

Ingredients:

• 500 grams Mascarpone
• 4 eggs
• 4 baliy (sweet) coffee
• 5 spoons of sugar
• 1 package dry biscuits
• 1 bag of coco powder

Process:

1. seperate yolk from egg white
2. stir egg white until it is soft and creamy and freeze it (3 hours)
3. put sugar into the yolk (5 minutes)
4. add wine and the egg white as one layer
5. dip biscuit in coffee as another layer
6. one more egg layer
7. finally, put the coco powder on it

Try it, it is more than delicious!

how to model social order change?

Anyone knows the answer?

Happy Birthday, my dear friend, Fishy!

Fishy is an old friend of mine...and the kind of friend that I jumped to my feet when I heard from her, after not hearing from each other for 5 years. She is even in UK now...how kind is fate to me... I still remembered how much fun we had playing together in the school basketball team as well as the threesome basketball competition, how we lost the school volleyball chiampionship and cried together with the runner-up, and laughed together for the runner-up in "badminton double female"...
Besides sport, we performed on stage dance as well as sketches and English plays together and how funny it was that we both ended up playing the male roles as we were both considered so cool kind of boyish(more a lack of male supply in our college), yet how we both liked guitar so much and crazy about boys who played great guitar...
Dear Fishy, though the deadline is hanging up there, threatening, I am still taking the time to wish you a happy birthday-because your happiness would make me feel simply good! And the more, the merrier...^&^

To agree or not to agree...

In Lin Yutang's "My Country, My People", I quote him, "WE do not know a nation until we know its pleasures of life, just as we do not know a man until we know how he spends his leisure. It is when a man ceases to do the things he has to do, and does the things he likes to do, that his character is revealed"

This paragraph appealed to me a lot at first. At second thought, however, I would rather distinguish 2 types of people: the first type of people would not be explained by Lin in the above paragraph, because they rarely do things that they have to do. They typically neither follow the crowd nor subordinate to hierarchies and hypocracies to benefit more from others or they simply are very responsive and fast-adapting to the enviroment. Rather, they are the fighters in a heroic way. They take initiatives to change realities. Most of this type of people would be of "failers" in the common point of view, however great souls. After all, the very few among this group who has succeeded implementing the changes become great minds to survive in history. The second type is the soul survivers. They freeride on the society as much as they can, either because of limited capability or low willingness. Most of this group will be "successful" people who climb fast in hierarchies or successful in the sense that they never have too much troubles. The ones who "fail" in this group are the ones who are either rebellions or have too little education to earn well.

Do you agree with me or not? ^&^

Tango Takes Two...

this is amazing, have a look when you have time:
http://www.euronews.net/index.php?page=lemag&article=433730&lng=1&option=1

An excerpt to share with you...

Of Studies by Sir Francis Bacon

STUDIES serve for delight, for ornament, and for ability. Their chief use for delight, is in privateness and retiring; for ornament, is in discourse; and for ability, is in the judgment, and disposition of business. For expert men can execute, and perhaps judge of particulars, one by one; but the general counsels, and the plots and marshalling of affairs, come best, from those that are learned. To spend too much time in studies is sloth; to use them too much for ornament, is affectation; to make judgment wholly by their rules, is the humor of a scholar. They perfect nature, and are perfected by experience: for natural abilities are like natural plants, that need proyning, by study; and studies themselves, do give forth directions too much at large, except they be bounded in by experience. Crafty men contemn studies, simple men admire them, and wise men use them; for they teach not their own use; but that is a wisdom without them, and above them, won by observation. Read not to contradict and confute; nor to believe and take for granted; nor to find talk and discourse; but to weigh and consider. Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested; that is, some books are to be read only in parts; others to be read, but not curiously; and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention. Some books also may be read by deputy, and extracts made of them by others; but that would be only in the less important arguments, and the meaner sort of books, else distilled books are like common distilled waters, flashy things. Reading maketh a full man; conference a ready man; and writing an exact man. And therefore, if a man write little, he had need have a great memory; if he confer little, he had need have a present wit: and if he read little, he had need have much cunning, to seem to know, that he doth not. Histories make men wise; poets witty; the mathematics subtile; natural philosophy deep; moral grave; logic and rhetoric able to contend. Abeunt studia in mores. Nay, there is no stond or impediment in the wit, but may be wrought out by fit studies; like as diseases of the body, may have appropriate exercises. Bowling is good for the stone and reins; shooting for the lungs and breast; gentle walking for the stomach; riding for the head; and the like. So if a man's wit be wandering, let him study the mathematics; for in demonstrations, if his wit be called away never so little, he must begin again. If his wit be not apt to distinguish or find differences, let him study the Schoolmen; for they are cymini sectores. If he be not apt to beat over matters, and to call up one thing to prove and illustrate another, let him study 197 the lawyers' cases. So every defect of the mind, may have a special receipt.

getting up at 3am...

Maybe I was just too tired yesterday. I slept at 8:30pm and got up at 3am. Today is the birthday of my supervisor. Besides the plan Yang and I had to send him Yang's own painting, I think the best present I could present him is a nice piece of work.

PS: if you see me around today, I would most probably be too busy to talk much...

Don't ask me any question, I am not feeling well...

A collegue of mine: so r u working hard?
I: how do you define "hard"?
He: whichever way you want...
I: Maybe not sufficient...

I am not feeling well. I dont feel like any interaction at all. So if you happen to see me around, pls dont ask me any question.

What defines a perfect day?!

8 hours of sleep;
3 hours of digestion;
2 hours of piano;
1 hour of jogging;
10 hours of reading (200 pages).

How much time do I still have this summer? At least 6000 pages...

A reply to my "Dear Friend" and the other dear friends...

(photo: Jojo)

Dear "Dear Friend" and the other dear friends，

it was truly a refreshment to read such a letter (in a column) that expresses rich feelings in a cat-calm and bamboo-cool way. I then reread the manifesto of the Tilburg Circle and Jojo's translation of Alfred Herrhausen's quotes. How I miss the brilliant minds! Now I cannot help myself in quoting the following from Jojo's list of 19 important quotes:

1. Many overlook that capitalism, as a society of individuals requires enormous moral efforts by its members and moral beliefs that economics alone cannot foster or demand.
2. If even the Cosmos is not a constant but instead constantly changing and evolving, then the only constant is that there will always be change.
3. Only when society’s hierarchical structure has been understood by the individual, can it flourish, because it then focuses its efforts not on changing that structure but on moving through it.

herewith attached is the column that Jojo wrote for the 13 others among whom I proudly claim one:

PS:(Jojo, in such a nice way you write, not only the means like the language, but also the ideas. I can only say that I cannot agree more with you to benefit from association with it. ^&^)

Dear Friend,

After awaking from post-graduation delirium[TJ1] and realizing that neither my parents nor the IB Groep deposited a cent in my account, panic has set in[TJ2] . A stage of life has ended and I am about to embark[TJ3] on a new one, if alone due to a sweeping [TJ4] cut in income i.e. study-finance.

It is times like these that lead one to reminisce[TJ5] the many missed opportunities and mistakes of the past and to wonder: how much of my failure can I blame on you, my friend? According to Greek philosophers, such as Arcesilaus, most of it. A great mind does not need friends; on the contrary, they belittle[TJ6] one’s greatness and limit the reach of one’s mind.

Even though I have never hesitated in blaming others for my blunders[TJ7] , this time I have chosen to take the (frankly unjustified) liberty to disagree with Arcesilaus. Not only do friends not limit one’s reach but they expand it. Their thoughts and views offer constant refreshment to the mind and their stories and dreams let our fantasy flourish.

Should I be forced to count the hours of the past years that will remain with me forever, it will be those only a friend can supply. Nothing can outweigh the shared experiences, the many troubled hours; the disagreements and the days spent dreaming.

The time we will spend with our childhood friends will surely diminish. We’ll be spread far across the globe, disconnected from one another. We won’t hear from them, have little time to think of them, but they will be there.

And now and then we shall meet; in Singapore, Accra, in Buenos Aires. They will grab us by the shoulder and shake our hands with laughing eyes.

And to that, I am already looking forward to, dear friend.

Yours sincerely,

Sergeant Awesome

---

[TJ1](暂时的)精神狂乱, 精神错乱, 说谵语状态, 狂语, 精神极度兴奋

[TJ2]开始,涨潮

[TJ3]上船, 上飞机, 着手, 从事, 装于船上, 登上

[TJ4]扫荡的, 彻底的, 广泛的, 规模大的

[TJ5]回忆

[TJ6]轻视, 使渺小, 使...显得渺小

[TJ7]大错, 失误

A capital blunder.
重大的错误

Blunder out a secret
漏嘴说出了秘密

After Amelie...

Amelie was a movie that drowned me in happiness, despite of whichever subtitle, be it Dutch, English or Chinese. The first time how I got to know Amelie(the girl) was indirect, through Jean-Marie, (the one in the photo), my best friend, on his birthday night. He was translating simultaneously...Soon after, when he returned the USB stick I lent him, I found a folder in it called "Surprise, or not?" with the movie script in French and English, his own translation...How time flies! It was already 4 years, 2 months and 15 days ago...

He recently got a job, an excellent one. It was unfortunate that his birthday happened this year right before that. The consequence was: he probably didnt read my birthday present which was made by my clumsy Latex powerpoint skill...

Here, if you allow me, I only presented to you the email I wrote him: (and JM, maybe you could open the file i sent you? or should I post it here too for you to read? life is busy, but also short.)
subject:

Hi, ! , c'est moi...i...

Dear ! ,

when time is tight,
when the air of spring is light,
when the sky is no longer bright,
your birthday arrives.

what can I,
type or design,
to make you feel the biggest wish of mine,
to let you see my widest smile,
......

LaTex is not an easy program to ride,
mile by mile,
destination closer-by,
everything aside,
i sigh,
why,
are you not in my sight,
the friend who has a birthday tonight..

good night and good bye,
you are always on my mind!

love,
i


ok, if you ask me why i posted this, and is it because i am feeling a bit nostalgia? maybe...

Yang cutting cakes...



















Zoey presenting her present...

More dishes, more people...

For the poll: did everyone who voted know that it is multiple choice?
According to the poll, I am going to post the followings:

Yang had a birthday party...

I decided to post this before tomorrow:
Yang officially ended the first day of his being 25 at 17:50 today.
On 10th July, 2007, 17:50 we started birthday dinner with 8 dishes cooked by Xiaochang, Yang(the star) and myself. So "WE" refer to the ones in the picture, the ones that we could not avoid inviting as they remembered Yang's birthday. We avoided many other friends of Yang's also because Yang is a bit party-adverse. Well, pictures tell better than words. I am gonna put some nice pics on and you are free to ask questions about them.
BTW, we came up with a new incentive for dish washing. We took turn in washing dishes and the one who was washing in the kitchen will be discussed about by the rest around the table. ^&^

About the most popular dishes...

[The dishes above were the most popular ones, as they were finished rather quickly:
Top: Chinese Brocolli and Chinese Mushrooms
Bottom: Black Tiger Shrimps]
^&^ hehe, now you have seen both the food pictures and the photos of us, let's have a vote here, "more food pics" or "more people pics"? leave your vote in the comments...

Catch up with the stories...

I remember that I promised implicitly Qi-Qi that I would post a story every day till 10...Here comes the third: Matthew.
28th June, I bought a take-away pizza and took the bus to Trento train station at 13:13. It was not easy to say goodbye to Canazei; it was even harder to not to be laughed at by the whole bus when I asked the Italian bus attender whether eating Pizza was allowed in buses. (my dear readers, if you are confused at what the connection is between the 2 sentences, you are on the right track of the Ting's logic. So you are fully prepared now?) The pizza was delicious, my stomacache was serious. The peak was reached when I reached train station Trento. I took the painkiller with the cup of hot tea without mine putting the teabag in it.(That is the only way I could get a cup of hot water travelling in Europe.) My backpack weighted 18 killos, the pain added double more, now the painkiller killed eventually several killos so that I could catch the ES to Rome.
My dear readers, have you had the background color in grey yet? Good, the hero was already on board. Matthew drew my attentions with his echoing laughters at my translation of "little dog-friend" to the chinese characters on a passenger's green handbag. He then immediately showed us his tatoo "安“（peace he translated, i said, "tranquility"). After eyeing at his wrist where the tatoo was on, I couldnt help myself checking out all his body "decorations" including the silver necklaces and earrings. "He must be another 'luxurious outside-poor inside' pretty man".
Eventually, my curiosity didnt manage to escape from his decorating the table with his blue towel. He basically covered the whole table with it. Then he started to exhibit his "treasures" on it-the book "tipping point", a leather diary notebook, ...I had to sit on the other side to be able to enjoy his "show"...(thanks to verona, the train changed the direction, so my reseat seemed so seemlessly smoothy.) I disguised myself by reading the biography of Veron Smith in between. My disguise, however, didnt escape from his eyes. After his finishing the diary writing, he packed everything speedily and scared me big time by sitting opposite to me, "Hi, so where r u up to?" I didnt get that question until he repeated it 3 times...Then he asked 10 questions without answering any question i squizzed in...we talked about coincidence, fate, connectors, tipping point, economics, nobel prize winners, Samuels Bowles, we discussed for about 3 hours--most shockingly, he commented, "the ones who believe in fate are the ones who have faith on coincidences." The conversations were as smoothy as the eurostar train that in the end, he showed me his travelling photos, including his personal ones, like his brother's wedding pic. After the photos sharing, he got off in Firenze, as planned..."I will write you an emaill..." he dropped that line before he got off, like every American...upon that, I am 200% sure that he wouldnt for 99%.
Nevertheless, huu, my stereotype was successfully smashed by the cunning Matthew.
(herewith exhibited is a pic Matthew took on his first day at the Palace Ruins in Rome)

[picture taken by Matthew: Rainbow On the Tree]

Go, Green Gang

I hope you, my dear readers, still like my backward narrative order of telling, as they are at the very least the fresher memories. After "die" Ei, this is a story told by "das" Ting about a boy- "der" Ernesto!
He is someone who offered me many hands when I was in troubles-somewhere to stay, his shoulders for my green backpack, his summoning the group to wait for me and Jens, his hot water boiling for my early morning tea, and of course his sarcastic hits on my vulnerable heart. ^&^
He coincidentally had a green shirt on when I was having my green day. (I bought my favorite green watch in Vatigan museum shop) So you can see now that me and my green gang leader were sitting for an afternoon Macchiato near the green cactus。。。

my Japanese friend- Ei

Ei was with me for the last evening in Rome. We met at 8am in the morning to make the very precious appointment at 4-5pm at the Spanish Steps. She is such a friend that I treasure so much that I came on time. Being starving, I awarded myself with such delicious piece of cake, though I never honestly love desert before. Ei and I finally got together and went up the steps for a list of things: a beautiful painting for my future babies, a delicate cup for Ei's morning coffee, the Rome "before and present" architecture book...and a delicious italian dinner (no pizza, Ting likes pizza least compare to other wonderful italian dishes). We ended up in a nice restaurant with a dinner of beef, salad, pasta, mossels for only 35 euros in total... Ei is a very considerate person, though she was tough once food striking the family decision of having a dog. After all, she likes the dogs very much now. I hope it is not post-rationalization...^&^ She likes to walk and get lost in Tokyo as one of her regular activities...^&^ well, of course, She also likes Ting and Ting likes her...My dear friend, every day, I am closer to our next reunion which I am very much looking forward to^^

back from Italy

The 15 days in italy was a dreadful period, filled with unfortunate accidences, pains and losses. Having said that, it does not mean that I disliked it. To the very contratry, these challenges have made all the meeting people the best memories of my year. Alone I was in the picture, however, so many stories to tell about every friend I treasure in the trip. After my shower, I will gradually reveal every one of them slowly, if my friends do not object to it.

The English Version for Yury- Tears in music...

His hands are dancing on the piano like no one did before, the music out of it are bouncing in the air. There were moments that I wanted to dance with the music, so powerful, so embracing, the sounds are so beautiful as if they are from heaven; there were moments that i wanted to stand up as if sitting is not in harmony with the living music. Now, in Alexander Nikolaievitch Skriabin's（Poeme "Vers la flamme"），Op.72（1914), Sokolov stopped at the very climax and stood up at the same speed as the music and the whole audience rose to their feet. How bravo! How incredible! The applauses got more and more intensive. After he thanked the audience 3 times, he finally sat down, and sth. quiet was played, as quiet as the night and we just forgot that 1 second ago, we were in bright daylight with fire and energy. Now it is night filled with chilly air and tranquility. Suddenly, my tears ran down and left on my face a warm trail, they were tears of respect for such a perfectionist for beauty; they were tears of warmness contaged by the love of the artist; they were tears of sadness leaked by the uproaring music. I couldnt believe my ears what I heard, the sound was simply too complex, too beautiful, too multi-dimentional to be true.

I am starting to stutter now, I know, I want to say more about why I love his performance so much and say it more exactly, but somehow I cannot, just as Sokolov put it, "if I could tell you why I love piano so much, then I must be loving it not very much."

There is one thing I can tell though, that is--for days to come in the future, I will not skip my daily piano practice no matter what.

他让我落泪。。。

在亚历山大·尼古拉耶维奇·斯克里亚宾诗曲“朝向火焰”（Poeme "Vers la flamme"），Op.72（1914）的高潮中Sokolov站起，依然表情严肃，在全场的欢呼声中离场了。年迈的听众们却少有的坚持着；掌声越来越强烈，他终于出来了，又回去了，如此反复几次后，他终于在钢琴前又坐下了。这次没有炙烈的高潮，是平静的一小段。我不知怎地，眼泪禁不住流出。。。我想象着这位完美主义音乐家在演奏前的每一分钟的准备，或者说过去50年的钢琴生涯里的点点滴滴。。。感动的时候说不出话，也写不出来我为什么受感动，大概正如他所说的，“我要是知道我为什么如此深爱钢琴，我对它的爱也就大概很值得怀疑了。”

我只知道以后的每一天，我再也不会因为别的事情而耽搁了我的钢琴练习了。。

http://www.rogev.com/sokolov/index_en.htm

好朋友她发来了天籁之音。。。

强力推荐： http://bbs.fzdm.com/v122141.html

顺便附上我的听后感：

云儿荡着阳光的秋千一摇一摇，
草儿在微风的挠挠下笑折了腰；
是谁又唱起那首歌谣，
它在随风飘，随风飘。

谁说童话里只有美好，
童话里的悲伤谁知道；
是谁在痛苦中笑，
笑着唱那首歌谣。

女王生日的这一天(beautifully, belovedly, benevolently)

Listening to that humorous song, "we will all go together when we all go";
Chatting with a non-humble friend, "A man must seek to surround himself with objects of both physical and spiritual beauty at all times, shouldn't he?";
Gazing at the plump green tree, "couldn't I have a bite of it? you proud you!".

Oh, what is one supposed to do in her office when the queen has her birthday? Is it relevant? What is relevant?
Oh no, what is one supposed to do in front of her computer when she is 24? Is it relevant? What is irrelevant?
Oh lord, what is there to be chosen to do when one is so incredibly powerless on earth? Is there a choice? What is the choice?