April is coming soon is like 3 days. March went by so fast, so fast that I didn't even remember what I have done except for the few days in Puerto Rico.
There is another month before final exams. Yet, I have some much on my plate. Besides preparing for exams, writing my paper, doing experiments and thesis, I have to start packing up, decide on my departure date, plan for my parents' trips, and make my decision on grad schools. With 2 conferences and 1 Tzu Chi performance in the coming 3 weeks, I don't think I can get any of my works done during the weekends. I seriously need to start N.O.W.
But, putting the work aside, I would like share some thoughts. So, we had our first Tzu Ching informal gathering tonight after so many years. In the gathering, a friend who just came back from Haiti relief effort shared his experience there. Someone once told him that the Haitians are living in the hell and people in US are like living in the heaven. But, when they're satisfied with just a bowl of hot food and when we're unsatisfied of everything we have, who is living in hell, who is living in heaven?
This really made me think a lot.
I have been joining Tzu Chi since my freshman year. Although at first I joined Tzu Chi to fill up my free time, TC has somehow changed my perception of life. A Tzu Ching alumni once told me that TC is different from other charity organization that our mission is not only to help others but Master Cheng Yen encourages us to learn and grow up by seeing others' sufferings, in other word is to 知苦惜福. In the past 2 years, I have been doing translation for Daai TV drama. I used to hate it because of the workload. But, after what the TC alumni said, I started to view the translation job as a lesson, a lesson that teaches me to embrace and cherish life by watching others' stories. It made me realize that I'm one of the most blessed people in the world who are never short of love, education and all the basic necessity. And so, I should try to do many good things as I can. I think doing good deeds is like saving -- saving "blessings". We might not need it now because we're in the good shape, but we never know we might need it in the later day. Life is too short, we should start doing good now. Doing good thing doesn't mean that we have to do fundraising for the poor every now and then, but it is to incorporate the good values in our daily life. For example, using less plastic bags, switching off the light when we don't need it, eating less meat, those are definitely the good thing we can do for the earth. They are still many things we can do, I think I'll share it next time coz it's kinda late now. This is just some of my thoughts to pass on the Great Love from Tzu Chi.
Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Stranded
I wasn't plan on writing this... but, anyway...
Yesterday could be one of the superbad days in my life.
So, I was on vacation to Puerto Rico 4 days ago. (I didn't inform many ppl coz kinda felt bad for traveling again after visiting Hawaii 2 months ago.)
About the bad bad experience....
We missed the flight back to NJ yesterday. It was just disastrous!
It wasn't anyone's fault. It's just the faith, I could say. Our departure time was 4.10pm. So after finished eating lunch at 2pm, we decided to return the rental car. Given that we just dropped off a friend in airport at 12.30pm, we're actually located very close to the San Juan Airport, less than 10min drive away. But, we had a serious trouble finding the rental office, which is located off the Highway 26. Eventhough we have the GPS, it failed to locate the address entered and brought us to a dead end. So, we tried to enter another rental car office's location and the situation just became worst when the GPS brought us further and further away from the airport and towards the heavy traffic. It's 3.30pm by then. So, we tried the last chance -- going back to the place we stayed and from there, drive towards the airport area, hoping to find the exit to the rental office. Yes, we did find the place after much trouble, but it's already 4.08pm, and the is no way that we would make it....
Still, we went to the airport, trying to figure out what we could do to catch the next flight. Many airlines had the last flight taken off by 4.30pm from San Juan, and staying another night seemed unavoidable. How about getting the next flight back to NJ. It's spring breaks for many university now and PR is always the hottest destination for college kids. So, most of the flights were fully overbooked, if not fully booked. On top of that, many airline counters were closed by 5pm, and we couldn't do any inquiries. In that moment, I felt like we're in the Amazing Race game. The goal was not to win any prize but just to go home. Finally, we found American Airlines had few free spaces for 8am-flight the next morning at the price of $370 one way. Reserving was the last thing we can do after trying so many ways. We're all tired, distressed, frustrated at the end.
On top of that, it's even more disappointing to find out that my grad school application has been rejected by a university after logging into my mailbox that night, and I had to re-plan my future after these years. I was lucky that I still managed to hold back that time.
Still, not giving up easily, we decided to try doing the standby, which was to wait for empty seat available from the Continental Airline so that we could avoid buying the new ticket. This required us to be at the check-in counter by 4.3oam. But, if it's one of way to get home and minimize losses, we would give it a try no matter what. To be honest, the 9 hours after making reservation and before 4.30am was so difficult, and I hardly get any sleep. We got up at 4am, got our "standby" boarding pass at the counter, and checked in by 5am. The first flight by Continental Airlines was 6am. Boarding started at 5.10am. It seemed that there wasn't that much passengers, but I dared not to keep my hope too high. By 5.30am everyone has pretty much boarded, and the workers started issuing boarding pass to the standby-er like us. There were like 5 standbys before us... When the lady handed 3 boarding passes freshly printed from the computer to us, I just couldn't describe how relieved I was. All the tension disappeared, and I knew my smile just reappeared. I thank God sincerely for helping us pass through this tough moment!
I might seem calm writing this. But, I know I didn't handle the situation well and maturely. Hurtful comments, unfriendly emotions and hostile feelings have been thrown out. Serious harm has been done to us all, and I don't know if I'll be forgiven for that. I just hope I could have behave calmly and not emotionally... I wish I have a way to repair the crack in the friendships.
Yesterday could be one of the superbad days in my life.
So, I was on vacation to Puerto Rico 4 days ago. (I didn't inform many ppl coz kinda felt bad for traveling again after visiting Hawaii 2 months ago.)
About the bad bad experience....
We missed the flight back to NJ yesterday. It was just disastrous!
It wasn't anyone's fault. It's just the faith, I could say. Our departure time was 4.10pm. So after finished eating lunch at 2pm, we decided to return the rental car. Given that we just dropped off a friend in airport at 12.30pm, we're actually located very close to the San Juan Airport, less than 10min drive away. But, we had a serious trouble finding the rental office, which is located off the Highway 26. Eventhough we have the GPS, it failed to locate the address entered and brought us to a dead end. So, we tried to enter another rental car office's location and the situation just became worst when the GPS brought us further and further away from the airport and towards the heavy traffic. It's 3.30pm by then. So, we tried the last chance -- going back to the place we stayed and from there, drive towards the airport area, hoping to find the exit to the rental office. Yes, we did find the place after much trouble, but it's already 4.08pm, and the is no way that we would make it....
Still, we went to the airport, trying to figure out what we could do to catch the next flight. Many airlines had the last flight taken off by 4.30pm from San Juan, and staying another night seemed unavoidable. How about getting the next flight back to NJ. It's spring breaks for many university now and PR is always the hottest destination for college kids. So, most of the flights were fully overbooked, if not fully booked. On top of that, many airline counters were closed by 5pm, and we couldn't do any inquiries. In that moment, I felt like we're in the Amazing Race game. The goal was not to win any prize but just to go home. Finally, we found American Airlines had few free spaces for 8am-flight the next morning at the price of $370 one way. Reserving was the last thing we can do after trying so many ways. We're all tired, distressed, frustrated at the end.
On top of that, it's even more disappointing to find out that my grad school application has been rejected by a university after logging into my mailbox that night, and I had to re-plan my future after these years. I was lucky that I still managed to hold back that time.
Still, not giving up easily, we decided to try doing the standby, which was to wait for empty seat available from the Continental Airline so that we could avoid buying the new ticket. This required us to be at the check-in counter by 4.3oam. But, if it's one of way to get home and minimize losses, we would give it a try no matter what. To be honest, the 9 hours after making reservation and before 4.30am was so difficult, and I hardly get any sleep. We got up at 4am, got our "standby" boarding pass at the counter, and checked in by 5am. The first flight by Continental Airlines was 6am. Boarding started at 5.10am. It seemed that there wasn't that much passengers, but I dared not to keep my hope too high. By 5.30am everyone has pretty much boarded, and the workers started issuing boarding pass to the standby-er like us. There were like 5 standbys before us... When the lady handed 3 boarding passes freshly printed from the computer to us, I just couldn't describe how relieved I was. All the tension disappeared, and I knew my smile just reappeared. I thank God sincerely for helping us pass through this tough moment!
I might seem calm writing this. But, I know I didn't handle the situation well and maturely. Hurtful comments, unfriendly emotions and hostile feelings have been thrown out. Serious harm has been done to us all, and I don't know if I'll be forgiven for that. I just hope I could have behave calmly and not emotionally... I wish I have a way to repair the crack in the friendships.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Friday, March 5, 2010
take it slow...
So, it's been a week after the snowstorm. After the tranquil "snowday" weekend, I had like a frantic week with 2 midterms. But, everything is over now in 5 days, so I can kinda sit back and wait for my spring break. In the mean time, I also finished my 25-episode Thai drama in 6 days. Exam week usually speeds up the drama or Youtube consumption rate. My roommates and I both agreed with it. Now, I'm thinking of watching the part II....
Well, after almost 4 years of college, I'm gradually learning how to take things slow and also short cuts. Which I don't know whether it's good and bad.... So, I had a midterm on Thursday, and there was a thought lingering in my mind, "if 90% is an A why should I study 100%". On Wednesday night, I went out to celebrate my friend's b'day. Before the exam, I saw everyone was studying so hard for the midterm, I kinda felt guilty.... Well, a part of me actually like this kind of life with less kiasusism but it's so hard to escape from guiltiness...
There'll be another 75 days before my graduation. Yeah, fellow seniors, there are less than 80 days. Yet, there are so many activities on my calender book and unread emails in my mailbox ( I pretend they don't exist if they're still in bold) . I quit kendo so that I can enjoy my final semester n go to nyc everyweek (jk, will be so broke), but there are just so many activities from AZ and Tzu Ching. I felt so overwhelmed, but I know I can never run away from them. And then, I have only less than 1 month for my full-of-failure final year project. Oh gosh, I think my brain just gonna burst by thinking of this. Maybe, no sit back and relax time yet til May.
And then, I haven't even heard back one freaking grad school. Should I start looking for job now? Do I really wanna work right after graduation? Can take a year off and disappear from my life like what "guai lo" does?
Yeah, I should change the title to "How to take it slow"....
Well, you guys teach me.
Well, after almost 4 years of college, I'm gradually learning how to take things slow and also short cuts. Which I don't know whether it's good and bad.... So, I had a midterm on Thursday, and there was a thought lingering in my mind, "if 90% is an A why should I study 100%". On Wednesday night, I went out to celebrate my friend's b'day. Before the exam, I saw everyone was studying so hard for the midterm, I kinda felt guilty.... Well, a part of me actually like this kind of life with less kiasusism but it's so hard to escape from guiltiness...
There'll be another 75 days before my graduation. Yeah, fellow seniors, there are less than 80 days. Yet, there are so many activities on my calender book and unread emails in my mailbox ( I pretend they don't exist if they're still in bold) . I quit kendo so that I can enjoy my final semester n go to nyc everyweek (jk, will be so broke), but there are just so many activities from AZ and Tzu Ching. I felt so overwhelmed, but I know I can never run away from them. And then, I have only less than 1 month for my full-of-failure final year project. Oh gosh, I think my brain just gonna burst by thinking of this. Maybe, no sit back and relax time yet til May.
And then, I haven't even heard back one freaking grad school. Should I start looking for job now? Do I really wanna work right after graduation? Can take a year off and disappear from my life like what "guai lo" does?
Yeah, I should change the title to "How to take it slow"....
Well, you guys teach me.
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