Tuesday, 16 September 2014
Saturday, 24 May 2014
Sunday, 18 May 2014
Sunday, 9 March 2014
Run for a Reason - MSF Orienteering 2014
Dear friends
When you pray, what do you pray for normally? A better world? Good health? A harmonious family? Better performance at work? Be more efficient?..
Doesn't matter what it is, I am sure everyone's prayer is out of good intention.
This year, I joined the MSF Orienteering (https://ssl.msf.hk/oc/home/en) after 8 years. While running across Cheung Chau Island, I felt this rush of adrenaline again. Remembering how it felt that year with my hand tied with a map and an ecard, running frantically like a maniac for a checkpoint, reading a map and discussing with groupmates about the landmark and land feature of the each checkpoint, calculating the marks we obtained and which checkpoint to forgo.... I love that feeling.
So, this year, with my besties M and T and a new member, K, we ran a total of 11km and registered at 22 checkpoints, gaining 520/900 points. The result was not bad indeed. I am so proud of myself because truly, I ran all the way without feeling tired. And, unlike last time, we completed the race as a team.
4 people, 8 feet, 1 direction.
Team Yggdrasil, go go GO!!!!!
When you pray, what do you pray for normally? A better world? Good health? A harmonious family? Better performance at work? Be more efficient?..
Doesn't matter what it is, I am sure everyone's prayer is out of good intention.
This year, I joined the MSF Orienteering (https://ssl.msf.hk/oc/home/en) after 8 years. While running across Cheung Chau Island, I felt this rush of adrenaline again. Remembering how it felt that year with my hand tied with a map and an ecard, running frantically like a maniac for a checkpoint, reading a map and discussing with groupmates about the landmark and land feature of the each checkpoint, calculating the marks we obtained and which checkpoint to forgo.... I love that feeling.
So, this year, with my besties M and T and a new member, K, we ran a total of 11km and registered at 22 checkpoints, gaining 520/900 points. The result was not bad indeed. I am so proud of myself because truly, I ran all the way without feeling tired. And, unlike last time, we completed the race as a team.
4 people, 8 feet, 1 direction.
Team Yggdrasil, go go GO!!!!!
Tuesday, 18 February 2014
Hong Kong - The Pearl of the Orient
Dear friends
Do you know why so many foreigners came to Hong Kong are so eager to stay, find a job and settle down, rather than going back to their home country so much so that including the locals and the Mainlanders, we have more than 7 million people?
Yes.
It's because it's a multi-national, democractic, free, convenient, civilized, well-managed, fair, efficient and effective city where you can find opportunity everywhere and at any time.
Other than being a world-class city, we also have many UNESCO world heritage sites. Most of the sites are in the country parks, which makes up of 40% of Hong Kong's precious land.
Please click on the link and you will understand what I mean.
Hong Kong
Please help preserve our dimiishing countryside. Please preserve our backyard. And most important of all, please help preserve what makes and help this Pearl of the Orient grow and glow. And our first step, please help sign this petition:
Stop damaging our countryside!!!!
Happy Feet
Do you know why so many foreigners came to Hong Kong are so eager to stay, find a job and settle down, rather than going back to their home country so much so that including the locals and the Mainlanders, we have more than 7 million people?
Yes.
It's because it's a multi-national, democractic, free, convenient, civilized, well-managed, fair, efficient and effective city where you can find opportunity everywhere and at any time.
Other than being a world-class city, we also have many UNESCO world heritage sites. Most of the sites are in the country parks, which makes up of 40% of Hong Kong's precious land.
Please click on the link and you will understand what I mean.
Hong Kong
Please help preserve our dimiishing countryside. Please preserve our backyard. And most important of all, please help preserve what makes and help this Pearl of the Orient grow and glow. And our first step, please help sign this petition:
Stop damaging our countryside!!!!
Happy Feet
Monday, 17 February 2014
When Spring is Calling, We keep Blooming
Dear friends
Spring, a season of love, is also a season of 'nuts'.
Kind of self-absorbed right?
Well, let me be. :)
Spring, a season of love, is also a season of 'nuts'.
A season of forcefulness that kind of pushes you to start looking for something divine, something that makes your heart skip a beat, something that scares you a lot, yet the only thing that helps you grow.
I am this kind of person. One that is always looking for adventures which can help me become a better self, physically, psychologically, mentally and spiritually. The adventures that can help me feel complete. So this year, like last year, I take on a lot of challenges.
The first one being Standard Chartered Half Marathon. I guess what doesn't kill me, really makes me stronger. It is because the longest distance I had ever finished in one go was 14km. In view of this, I trained very hard and within two months, my accumulated running mileage was 200+km. And now, I am right here, having fulfilled my dream of completing my first half marathon with flying colors - net time: 2:02:34hrs.
I am proud of myself.
My friends and family are my fuel.
These quotes that we used to encourage ourselves were the flags that waving in the midair on the race day:
These quotes that we used to encourage ourselves were the flags that waving in the midair on the race day:
1. Sweat is fat crying!
Copyright © 2010 San Diego Chiropractor.
2. Run if you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must. Just, never give up.
3. Our greatest glory lies not in never falling, but rising every time we fall.
4. Impossible is just an option, not a destination.
5. I was born to be awesome, not perfect.
Copyright @ Thecrazylady's Weblog from Wordpress.com
Kind of self-absorbed right?
Well, let me be. :)
Love
Happy Feet
Happy Feet
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Today I am...
Dear friends
7 years ago, a girl joined her first 10km marathon to see how far she could and would go. During the race, she kept telling herself she couldn't make it.
But, with her friends and students' support, today, this girl joined another marathon under the same organizer. This time, she is no longer afraid of the distance. She is no longer afraid of not being able to complete the race. Today, she rose above all the circumstances and completed her first Half Marathon, with flying colors.
Today, indeed, is a day of celebration.
Official Time: 02:03:17
Net Time: 02:02:34
Thank you for all your trust, support, guidance and love.
Love
Happy Feet
Friday, 14 February 2014
Thursday, 13 February 2014
My Childhood Friend - Shel Silverstein
Dear friends
Do you like literature?
Literature has been my friend since I was 5 years old. My dad used to recite Chinese Tong and Sung poems to me when I was little. He would ask me to follow his pace and read aloud after him, imitating his pitch, his meter and his move. I used to recite the 300 Tong poems with him. I was fascinated by how diverse and multidimensional each and every poem was, especially when we used another point of view to read them, they never failed to bring us surprises.
However, today, I am not sharing a Chinese poem. Rather, I would like to share a number of poems from one of my favorite poets, Shel Silverstein. I don't know much about him but my heart always melts whenever I read or hear his poems. Every word that he wrote, every line that flows; every thought, every feeling, every hope; every twist and every irony. You just cannot help to shed a few tears, chuckle at an implausible arrangement and laugh at a childhood memory.
So here it goes, enjoy!
The Missing Piece
The Giving Tree
The Toy Eater
Love
Happy Feet
Do you like literature?
Literature has been my friend since I was 5 years old. My dad used to recite Chinese Tong and Sung poems to me when I was little. He would ask me to follow his pace and read aloud after him, imitating his pitch, his meter and his move. I used to recite the 300 Tong poems with him. I was fascinated by how diverse and multidimensional each and every poem was, especially when we used another point of view to read them, they never failed to bring us surprises.
However, today, I am not sharing a Chinese poem. Rather, I would like to share a number of poems from one of my favorite poets, Shel Silverstein. I don't know much about him but my heart always melts whenever I read or hear his poems. Every word that he wrote, every line that flows; every thought, every feeling, every hope; every twist and every irony. You just cannot help to shed a few tears, chuckle at an implausible arrangement and laugh at a childhood memory.
So here it goes, enjoy!
The Missing Piece
The Giving Tree
The Toy Eater
Love
Happy Feet
Wednesday, 12 February 2014
Who Deserves Your Stars?
Dear friends
What can possibly make one happier when one can be home with one's family, have dinner, chat and even cuddle on one of these coldest days in the history of HK?
The first three days of work have been slowly eaten my morale away once again. Like all other teachers, I have to wake up at 5 or 6 something just to get ready for work. But these days, HK is experiencing its coldest February, with record low temperature of 5 to 6 degree Celsius! As I have been working on this s2 literature module since... forever...(?) a feeling of resistance and disgust has developed inside my system, so much so that, today I fell ill as a result.
Perhaps only partly because of it... I don't know... But I had this acute headache that I couldn't stay at work after 6pm to finish up what I had been working on. So I went home.
In fact, originally, I was supposed to be at my parents' home for my baby niece. She just came back to HK. But i was so sick that before I got any closer to her, I went straight for the toilet and puked the entire history of my day out. Then I went right to the sofa and slept until my mum woke me up for medicine. My parents were so worried about me that they poured out the entire medicine chest to look for the right medicine for me. They even tried the water twice to make sure it was of the right temperature for drinking.
I was touched and even wanted to apologize for not taking good care of myself. But all I could say at that moment, semi-unconsciously, was that they were too loud and were adding up to my headache. How ungrateful I was! But deep down, I appreciated thier care and love. So, after waking up the second time which was just 45 mins ago, I said thank you to my mum, first time, after a long time...
Now, as I am heading back to my own home, I feel this new source of energy inside me, that fuels me to go another mile further, that helps me to remember once again, who I should spend my brightest days and share my brightest stars with.
I love you, mum and dad.
Hugs
Happy Feet
Copyright 2014 All of the posters created for this website are copyright of Lessons Learned in Life
Copyright 2014 All of the posters created for this website are copyright of Lessons Learned in Life
Monday, 10 February 2014
Inconsolable
Dear friends
The feeling of falling... failing and wailing.
In the abyss that has no ending, no landing.
Voice that is completely smothered by the fear that no one hears, no one cares.
A futile run that sheds no light... gives no grip and has no exit.
A battle that is bound to be lost, laden with helplessness and suffocation.
Drowning.
Sinking.
Weeping.
.
.
.
.
.
Moaning.
Dwelling in a feeling that you know shouldn't be yet you don't heed.
Hugs
Happy Feet/ Dumpling
The feeling of falling... failing and wailing.
In the abyss that has no ending, no landing.
Voice that is completely smothered by the fear that no one hears, no one cares.
A futile run that sheds no light... gives no grip and has no exit.
A battle that is bound to be lost, laden with helplessness and suffocation.
Drowning.
Sinking.
Weeping.
.
.
.
.
.
Moaning.
Dwelling in a feeling that you know shouldn't be yet you don't heed.
Hugs
Happy Feet/ Dumpling
Saturday, 8 February 2014
Everything Happens for a Reason. Just Make Sure It's a GOOD One.
Dear friends
If I tell you I believe in destiny, would you think that I am beyond remedy? >///<
T and A are the two hardcore hikers and runners of our hiking group. The hikes that they organize are state-of-art and dangerous. I always have so much fun exploring the untouched parts of Hong Kong with them. It is impossible to forget our first climb of suicide hill and then the breathtaking scenery and heart-stopping cliffs of Dog Tooth, Lantau. Indeed hiking with them is always exhilarating.
However, I always feel obliged to contribute back to the group, not only through preparing food, but also through organizing a fun dangerous hike. Therefore, about a week ago, after receiving an email about a hardcore bush-whacking hike Version 3.9/4 on 8 Feb, 2014 from another meetup group that I joined recently, I was more than excited. There, I thought, 'Finally, I can find a route that T and A have never been to and I am going to surprise them!' However, I was not allowed to join the hike because the quota was up. I was a bit upset because I saw the organizer keep adding new people into the hike while I was rejected. And then I found that actually, it was a celebration of the organizer's 500 hikes. As I do not know the organizer, perhaps, that was the reason I was rejected. Anyhow, I could not get rid of the negative feeling.
But then, some days ago, T and A reminded me to pick up the SC Marathon runner's pack today. Then I realized that I actually had no time for the meetup! And this afternoon, while I was picking up my friend M and my runner's packs amidst the thousands of running enthusiasts, I felt something tingling in my heart. The little voice inside me wondered what would have happened if I was admitted to that meetup? Who was going to pick up the packs for M and I? And it was drizzling today. If I went for the meetup, would I be able to run the 16km in Saikung tomorrow? I felt so relieved and was so strongly moved by God's plan for me. When He takes something away , He always gives me back something better. Just like the other time, He took me away from PC and shed light on my career at TL. Now I am happier than ever. So, I am sure that, He took away J for a great reason. And He has someone better, in His plan for me.
I just need to breathe, let go, trust, and breathe in the moment again.
Copyright 2014 All of the posters created for this website are copyright of Lessons Learned in Life
And on 16 Feb, 2014, I am going to breathe, focus, trust, run and breathe again.
A side-note:
After picking up the runner's packs, I went to Central Library to read and mark some compositions. There is this sacred corner on the 10/F called Special Reading Corner. One has to borrow books or bring your own computer in order to be allowed to work/sit/study there. So, after spotting a nice window seat, I went to the shelf and grabbed this random book.
I still remember those days. Those free days when I was allowed and loved running along the streets, around the stalls and building my own little haven with planks and vegetable baskets from the stalls of the old aunties and uncles who were selling vegetables or fruits nearby. And I remember the rainbow-colored beach umbrellas they had and the stainless steel planks which helped to level between the curb where my dad's stall located and the main road. It was there, I spent my childhood...
I had to look hard before deciding that this little boy was not me when I was 4. I remember the days when my father would put the flower baskets for some shop's grand-opening on this kind of trolley and I helped holding the overly decorated rattan tripod which made the flowers look grander. My little happy feet would run excitedly so as to keep up with him because he was bringing me to somewhere new. Somewhere outside South Lane. Somewhere I had never been to because my parents never had a day off to show me the world beyond South Lane at that time. And I knew that, my dear old dad would let me sit on the trolley, just like this little boy, and pushed me home if, I told him that I was tired.
And sometimes, he would give me this little treat, a glass of icy coconut milk as reward because I had been a good and helpful girl. And, the most interesting part was that I would yell "Boiled Water!" so that pedestrians would clear out a passage for us. I really felt like I was Moses, dividing the 'People Mountain People Sea' into two. Occasionally, when my brother or sister came along, my dad would sit us in those apple/ orange cartons on the trolley and we would feel like we were really driving in a cart and made those funny sound from Ferrari's gas exhausts...
Those were the days.
Those were the days when I was the happiest person on Earth.
Time and tide wait for no man. And now, we are all grown up and my dad retired. But memory of the old Hong Kong is as vivid and vibrant as they were long long time ago. I must admit that even though I hate living here, here is my home. Here is where my heart is.
Love
Happy Feet/ Dumpling
Friday, 7 February 2014
A Difficult Chess Game
Dear friends
'Hey, Happy Feet, sorry to wake you up at 11am, but do you think you can come to Wan Chai and have lunch with me at 12:30pm? I need an ear... but I only have 30mins to eat...'
I was waken up by a phone call from my best friend yesterday while I was deeply engaged in a Chinese chess game with Master Chau. It must have been a difficult battle since I was still playing the game when the sun was high above the sky. While I was struggling to get out of my warm and soft bed with my mobile in one hand, I couldn't help but noticed that there was something really wrong in her tone. This girl, whom I have known since S.5, didn't lift a finger when a fire broke out, sounded like she could tear a bull barehanded into two pieces.
I was in Wanchai at about 12 and I anchored in comfortable sofa on a corner of the Pacific Coffee which is closest to her office. In order that we could have more time to chat, I ordered a NY cheesecake, a panini with blue cheese, a spinach cheese quiche and two vanilla lattes for us. (Well, you have to understand, fatty foods like cheese and chips are remedy of all sorrows, according to Happy Feet.) After waiting for like... forever(?) and finished writing comments on two of my students' journals, my best friend showed up. For a split second, I did not recognize her, cause I did not expect her to show up in all black. Not only her clothes but her face was so darkened, her dark hair was messy and her lips were clenched so tight that it reminded me of that day when the black rainstorm signal was hoisted and I was waiting for longer than a lifetime for bus 108 to come. That's the expression I had...
So, before she started talking, I picked up the cheesecake and a fork and gestured her to dig in. I looked at her between bites and saw tears rolling in her eyes. Then she let out a sigh and started telling what happened this week. My best friend is employed as a secretary to a manager. But since the first day she landed this job two years ago, she has been everyone's secretary. Even though they knew that she was that particular manager's secretary, they manipulated her generosity and kindness by asking her favors which she, at first, thought was no big deal.
Of course helping one person is no big deal, but helping EVERY SINGLE SOUL in an office which has 7 FLOORS of EMPLOYEES???? That's, out of the question. So, my friend, like everyone of us here who only has 24 hours a day, has been trying to stretch her 24 hours into 48 if not 72... And apart from being that person's secretary, now, she is also unofficially the big boss's secretary who, on the first working day after the CNY, had to go to Toys "R" US to buy toys for a new born baby whom she didn't even know the gender of. And on that day, while she was supposed to have 1-hour lunch and like most secretary, should be able to get off work at 5pm sharp, had to go on a site visit in the New Territories after office hours.
She was upset, terribly upset. Not because she had a lot of things to do, but the fact that she thought she was incapable. She is the kind of person who does her best to complete tasks so meticulously and flawlessly that she prides herself on. Knowing that the problem was not her but the insurmountable work and extra requests from her colleagues and bossesssss, I sort of raised my voice and asked her to stop belittling herself and think of ways to prioritize the tasks or combine them or simply shake some of them off. She then just sat there and chewed on the lid of her coffee cup.
I knew that she was not looking for advice from me but simply somebody to hear her rant. But sometimes it's really enraging to witness your friend's weakness and that people are manipulating her. So, I told her perhaps, being a secretary was not a job for her. Perhaps, she could make use of her Degree in Teaching with her meticulousness and detail-mindedness as well as her efficiency to get a job in the field of Customer Services or Counselling? It's no use building others' dreams while forgetting your own, right?
But same as my little sister, she lacks confidence and doubts herself. She is afraid that she might have to idle for 3 months like last time when she changed job. She didn't want to be in that whirlpool of uncertainty, hopelessness and timelessness... again...
So, instead of saying anything more, I just gave her a pat on the shoulder along with a hug and told her that if she ever went back into that rabbit hole again, she could come to my little safe haven and live there for as long as she waned. My door is always open for her.
Sometimes, I just wonder what kind of life we Hongkongers are leading. Is it a life? Or is it just living? Why do we not just leave a job or a place which doesn't value our effort or our achievements appropriately? I remember one person told me that I should learn not to do anything new. Since if it goes well, I would be given more work; but if it doesn't go well, I would be in big trouble. And we should adopt that humility approach of saying that we cannot do something or we are just not that good in order to avoid extra responsibilities. And, when it comes to appraisal or time for salary raise, our bosses who keep on giving us new responsibilities, belittle us and tell us we are not that good.
So... why more work when we are not that good? Are we really not that good? Or, we are just not good at playing Chinese chess games with our beloved bosses?
Hugs
Eye-rolling Happy Feet/Dumpling
'Hey, Happy Feet, sorry to wake you up at 11am, but do you think you can come to Wan Chai and have lunch with me at 12:30pm? I need an ear... but I only have 30mins to eat...'
I was waken up by a phone call from my best friend yesterday while I was deeply engaged in a Chinese chess game with Master Chau. It must have been a difficult battle since I was still playing the game when the sun was high above the sky. While I was struggling to get out of my warm and soft bed with my mobile in one hand, I couldn't help but noticed that there was something really wrong in her tone. This girl, whom I have known since S.5, didn't lift a finger when a fire broke out, sounded like she could tear a bull barehanded into two pieces.
I was in Wanchai at about 12 and I anchored in comfortable sofa on a corner of the Pacific Coffee which is closest to her office. In order that we could have more time to chat, I ordered a NY cheesecake, a panini with blue cheese, a spinach cheese quiche and two vanilla lattes for us. (Well, you have to understand, fatty foods like cheese and chips are remedy of all sorrows, according to Happy Feet.) After waiting for like... forever(?) and finished writing comments on two of my students' journals, my best friend showed up. For a split second, I did not recognize her, cause I did not expect her to show up in all black. Not only her clothes but her face was so darkened, her dark hair was messy and her lips were clenched so tight that it reminded me of that day when the black rainstorm signal was hoisted and I was waiting for longer than a lifetime for bus 108 to come. That's the expression I had...
So, before she started talking, I picked up the cheesecake and a fork and gestured her to dig in. I looked at her between bites and saw tears rolling in her eyes. Then she let out a sigh and started telling what happened this week. My best friend is employed as a secretary to a manager. But since the first day she landed this job two years ago, she has been everyone's secretary. Even though they knew that she was that particular manager's secretary, they manipulated her generosity and kindness by asking her favors which she, at first, thought was no big deal.
Of course helping one person is no big deal, but helping EVERY SINGLE SOUL in an office which has 7 FLOORS of EMPLOYEES???? That's, out of the question. So, my friend, like everyone of us here who only has 24 hours a day, has been trying to stretch her 24 hours into 48 if not 72... And apart from being that person's secretary, now, she is also unofficially the big boss's secretary who, on the first working day after the CNY, had to go to Toys "R" US to buy toys for a new born baby whom she didn't even know the gender of. And on that day, while she was supposed to have 1-hour lunch and like most secretary, should be able to get off work at 5pm sharp, had to go on a site visit in the New Territories after office hours.
She was upset, terribly upset. Not because she had a lot of things to do, but the fact that she thought she was incapable. She is the kind of person who does her best to complete tasks so meticulously and flawlessly that she prides herself on. Knowing that the problem was not her but the insurmountable work and extra requests from her colleagues and bossesssss, I sort of raised my voice and asked her to stop belittling herself and think of ways to prioritize the tasks or combine them or simply shake some of them off. She then just sat there and chewed on the lid of her coffee cup.
I knew that she was not looking for advice from me but simply somebody to hear her rant. But sometimes it's really enraging to witness your friend's weakness and that people are manipulating her. So, I told her perhaps, being a secretary was not a job for her. Perhaps, she could make use of her Degree in Teaching with her meticulousness and detail-mindedness as well as her efficiency to get a job in the field of Customer Services or Counselling? It's no use building others' dreams while forgetting your own, right?
But same as my little sister, she lacks confidence and doubts herself. She is afraid that she might have to idle for 3 months like last time when she changed job. She didn't want to be in that whirlpool of uncertainty, hopelessness and timelessness... again...
So, instead of saying anything more, I just gave her a pat on the shoulder along with a hug and told her that if she ever went back into that rabbit hole again, she could come to my little safe haven and live there for as long as she waned. My door is always open for her.
Sometimes, I just wonder what kind of life we Hongkongers are leading. Is it a life? Or is it just living? Why do we not just leave a job or a place which doesn't value our effort or our achievements appropriately? I remember one person told me that I should learn not to do anything new. Since if it goes well, I would be given more work; but if it doesn't go well, I would be in big trouble. And we should adopt that humility approach of saying that we cannot do something or we are just not that good in order to avoid extra responsibilities. And, when it comes to appraisal or time for salary raise, our bosses who keep on giving us new responsibilities, belittle us and tell us we are not that good.
So... why more work when we are not that good? Are we really not that good? Or, we are just not good at playing Chinese chess games with our beloved bosses?
Hugs
Eye-rolling Happy Feet/Dumpling
Copyright at PharmcyWeek from facebook.
Wednesday, 5 February 2014
A very Important Lesson
Dear friends
Are you surprised to read two updates in a row? I am.
Being a teacher is not an easy job. Not to mention that it sucks all your time and energy into that vacuum of compositions marking and lessons planning. You are lucky if you can find a moment of peace at late night, before bed and reflect what you did the whole day. But, this year, my school administrators tried their very best to give us a 16-day Chinese New Year holiday, so here I am, having some extra time to type my blog and get myself fully-charged for my upcoming competitions and teaching.
I am not sure if I told you that before spring ends this year, I am going to participate in races such as SC Half Marathon, MSF Orienteering, TransLantau 50K and Streetathon 10K and skills based training courses like Basic Sculling courses 1&2, as well as Wilderness Training course 1. So, life will be more than hectic and I hope that I can handle all of them well. Actually, dragonboating for a fast team was also on my agenda. However, I have no luck in finding a team to join. Hopefully, after the sculling courses, opportunities will knock on the door.
As mentioned, in hopes of handling all the races gracefully, I have been engaged in some real hardcore training sessions with friends. Among all friends, T and A are the real blessings. Because these two marathletes are willing to be my pacers and mentors. They helped me pick up my instinct and taught me some valuable running and fast hiking skills, not to mention ways to boost my endurance. Even though I hit the wall today, they kept encouraging me and let me rest before I could start again. However, reading the Endomondo record, disappointment overwhelmed me.
5.57mins/km. It's like all my sweat within these few months went down the drain... Noticed my unusual quietness, the guys tried to cheer me up. T ran through my statistics on facebook and gave me this analysis and comment on my running performances:
statistical tendency min/km: (6.4, 6.2, 6.1, 6.9, 7.1, 6.0, 5.25, 5.57) your running speed is getting faster.
Indeed! How come I was so blind to my improvement? Apart from being faster, I am also able to run farther and for a longer time. When I was in Vadsø , I was only able to run 5-7km but now, I can run up to 12km with only 1 or no stop at all. So, perhaps just like T said, I must change my attitude and not be myopic and see what happens today only.
This, is a very important lesson in life.
And a very important lesson that I want to share with you today.
Love
Happy feet/ Dumpling
Are you surprised to read two updates in a row? I am.
Being a teacher is not an easy job. Not to mention that it sucks all your time and energy into that vacuum of compositions marking and lessons planning. You are lucky if you can find a moment of peace at late night, before bed and reflect what you did the whole day. But, this year, my school administrators tried their very best to give us a 16-day Chinese New Year holiday, so here I am, having some extra time to type my blog and get myself fully-charged for my upcoming competitions and teaching.
I am not sure if I told you that before spring ends this year, I am going to participate in races such as SC Half Marathon, MSF Orienteering, TransLantau 50K and Streetathon 10K and skills based training courses like Basic Sculling courses 1&2, as well as Wilderness Training course 1. So, life will be more than hectic and I hope that I can handle all of them well. Actually, dragonboating for a fast team was also on my agenda. However, I have no luck in finding a team to join. Hopefully, after the sculling courses, opportunities will knock on the door.
As mentioned, in hopes of handling all the races gracefully, I have been engaged in some real hardcore training sessions with friends. Among all friends, T and A are the real blessings. Because these two marathletes are willing to be my pacers and mentors. They helped me pick up my instinct and taught me some valuable running and fast hiking skills, not to mention ways to boost my endurance. Even though I hit the wall today, they kept encouraging me and let me rest before I could start again. However, reading the Endomondo record, disappointment overwhelmed me.
5.57mins/km. It's like all my sweat within these few months went down the drain... Noticed my unusual quietness, the guys tried to cheer me up. T ran through my statistics on facebook and gave me this analysis and comment on my running performances:
statistical tendency min/km: (6.4, 6.2, 6.1, 6.9, 7.1, 6.0, 5.25, 5.57) your running speed is getting faster.
Indeed! How come I was so blind to my improvement? Apart from being faster, I am also able to run farther and for a longer time. When I was in Vadsø , I was only able to run 5-7km but now, I can run up to 12km with only 1 or no stop at all. So, perhaps just like T said, I must change my attitude and not be myopic and see what happens today only.
This, is a very important lesson in life.
And a very important lesson that I want to share with you today.
Love
Happy feet/ Dumpling
Photography by Denise Hecht/ Copyright 2014 All of the posters created for this website are copyright of Lessons Learned in Life
Tuesday, 4 February 2014
My late 2013 to early 2014
Dear
friends
It's been again, a long time since I last wrote. Reading the date of my last post on 31, August, 2013, I wondered what I had done within the 4 months. Sipping the Pu er tea from my new insulted bottle, yes, memory rushed in.
After the Norwegian and Russian expedition, my normal life resumed. Some boring yet adventurous teaching days. In September, I was appointed the sole debate coach of our English Debate Team. So, I had to figure out, together with the students, what we should do to help the team grow, and glow. Hoping that we would be able to recruit some genuine Debate-enthusiasts, we reformed the team by dismissing every single team member. Then, we drafted another list of students from S.1 and S.2 only, and wrote them invitation letters. Knowing that some of them might wonder or had never debated before, we made a ppt and asked the English teachers to show them during one of their lessons. We included the team committee members, tournaments, training sessions, outings, achievements, and most important of all, both positive and negative feedback from students. Then, we proceeded to board decorations, recruitment, audition and such.
On top of all these, I was more than delighted to be able to work with my mentor, actually, she doesn't know that I regard her as my mentor, as the class teachers of 38 elite students. To confess, I am not a caring person, not to mention attention to details or being able to counsel them. But, hopefully, with my mentor's guidance, I will be able to be a trustworthy and loving class teacher. I am not sure if you have heard of this before. Many people think that teachers and students should be like friends. But, many of my colleagues, teacher friends and I denounce this. Not that we do not want to be friends of our students, it is just that it is not wise nor is it workable. One should understand the meaning of friends before calling each other friend. Friends are people who will go through ups and downs, highs and lows with you. They do everything if anything for your sake. That's how I differentiate my friends from acquaintances. Therefore, if I call my students friends, here is the package: They might ask me to do something, that as a teacher, should not do for them, like giving extra tutorials, extra notes, giving them hints of whatever they may be tested later, etc. Not that my students had ever asked me to do such things, it's just that I heard too many of such kind of ridiculous stories from my teacher friends that I would rather just be a friendly teacher and a good listener.
October and November ran away so fast that I didn't even notice and then and there, winter knocked on the door. The debate team joined 5 competitions of 3 tournaments and we ran 2 inter-school workshops and one inter-school debate camp. For my English classes, they just... fleet by. I was and still am thrilled actually, that most of my students like me. And I am happy to be able to inspire a few. When I was a teenager, I was always looking for someone to look up to, but with futility. Until I went to another school for matriculation, then I met her. She taught me Chinese Literature and gave me the liberty to express myself without telling me that, 'Your essay was better than great, but, you won't pass in the HKCEE, cause this is not what they want.' I am not sure if I told you this, I came from the best school in HK, according to the latest chart about the most competitive schools in HK in 2013. There, I grew to know what competition, competitiveness and failures were. It was also there, I learnt who I did not want to be. But it was in this new school, which ranked around 20-40 on that mentioned chart above, I learnt to be a human. I learnt to be compassionate, I learnt to take up responsibilities and I learnt how to be someone's friends. Both schools gave me revelations in life which I appreciate because, they help me grow to who I am. And in this school I am teaching at, I hope to be a good mentor, just like what my ex-students who graduated last year said, I was a great si-fu.
From October to December, I fell in love with cross-country running and road running. So, in order that I would not idle and be fitter and stronger, after 7 years of idling, I joined some competitions. Although I did well enough, I am not satisfied. After all, I know I am not in my fittest state, so, I try to make more time for running and hiking. Now, I try my best to run around 30km per week and hike around 20-30km per week. Hopefully, when 16 Feb comes, I will be able to finish it. A side note, I am not aiming at speed, but finishing the race. See if I can finish 21km in 3 goes.
Something interesting happened in December. My German friend came to visit me and he asked for my hand. Sadly recalling the marriage proposal from my Swedish boyfriend almost 1 year after our breakup which I rejected, I rejected this offer, too. I have known this German friend for 13 years. He watched me grow from a teenager to a woman and now, my early thirty. I asked my German friend a couple of questions and I knew he was not for me. I am looking for someone who can hike up mountains, trek through valleys and be with me through thick and thin. I know it's kinda stupid to set sth as harsh as this but I know someone like this out there and I am sure, one day some day, I will have somebody like him as a lifelong partner. I just, need to be patient and get myself ready. And this year, is a year of exploring opportunities while last was a year of preparation. I don't mean that the preparation is finished, it is a continual process and I hope I will be able to keep my spirit and my head high.
That's all I want to say at the moment. Thanks for reading.
May all of you have a MA'gnetic, 'MA'jestic', 'MA'gnificent, 'MA'gical, and 'MA'rvellous year with 'MA'stery over 'MA'ny aspects of life!!!
Love
Happy Feet/ Dumpling
It's been again, a long time since I last wrote. Reading the date of my last post on 31, August, 2013, I wondered what I had done within the 4 months. Sipping the Pu er tea from my new insulted bottle, yes, memory rushed in.
After the Norwegian and Russian expedition, my normal life resumed. Some boring yet adventurous teaching days. In September, I was appointed the sole debate coach of our English Debate Team. So, I had to figure out, together with the students, what we should do to help the team grow, and glow. Hoping that we would be able to recruit some genuine Debate-enthusiasts, we reformed the team by dismissing every single team member. Then, we drafted another list of students from S.1 and S.2 only, and wrote them invitation letters. Knowing that some of them might wonder or had never debated before, we made a ppt and asked the English teachers to show them during one of their lessons. We included the team committee members, tournaments, training sessions, outings, achievements, and most important of all, both positive and negative feedback from students. Then, we proceeded to board decorations, recruitment, audition and such.
On top of all these, I was more than delighted to be able to work with my mentor, actually, she doesn't know that I regard her as my mentor, as the class teachers of 38 elite students. To confess, I am not a caring person, not to mention attention to details or being able to counsel them. But, hopefully, with my mentor's guidance, I will be able to be a trustworthy and loving class teacher. I am not sure if you have heard of this before. Many people think that teachers and students should be like friends. But, many of my colleagues, teacher friends and I denounce this. Not that we do not want to be friends of our students, it is just that it is not wise nor is it workable. One should understand the meaning of friends before calling each other friend. Friends are people who will go through ups and downs, highs and lows with you. They do everything if anything for your sake. That's how I differentiate my friends from acquaintances. Therefore, if I call my students friends, here is the package: They might ask me to do something, that as a teacher, should not do for them, like giving extra tutorials, extra notes, giving them hints of whatever they may be tested later, etc. Not that my students had ever asked me to do such things, it's just that I heard too many of such kind of ridiculous stories from my teacher friends that I would rather just be a friendly teacher and a good listener.
Other than having a hectic and lucrative teaching life, one
particular joyful thing happened on 21 September, 2013. It was, the
arrival of my niece, Nicole. This little jolly bean, since its
birth, has been lavishing the family with joy and love. She doesn't
cry much but laughs, plays, eats and sleeps a lot, like an angel. It's like she feels so
safe being in this family that used to be filled with
confrontations, threats and fire because of my stubborn mum. And it seems that she knows when to show her little toothless grin and use her little head to bump into yours to show shyness. Anyway,
I am so glad to have her and witness her growth. I love her chubby
legs kicking and yearning to be free from grips. I love how she
sticks out her tongue when she laughs, and I love, the little knot
her eyebrows make when she frowns, trying to figure out who and what
is in front of her. She is a real joy to be with.
October and November ran away so fast that I didn't even notice and then and there, winter knocked on the door. The debate team joined 5 competitions of 3 tournaments and we ran 2 inter-school workshops and one inter-school debate camp. For my English classes, they just... fleet by. I was and still am thrilled actually, that most of my students like me. And I am happy to be able to inspire a few. When I was a teenager, I was always looking for someone to look up to, but with futility. Until I went to another school for matriculation, then I met her. She taught me Chinese Literature and gave me the liberty to express myself without telling me that, 'Your essay was better than great, but, you won't pass in the HKCEE, cause this is not what they want.' I am not sure if I told you this, I came from the best school in HK, according to the latest chart about the most competitive schools in HK in 2013. There, I grew to know what competition, competitiveness and failures were. It was also there, I learnt who I did not want to be. But it was in this new school, which ranked around 20-40 on that mentioned chart above, I learnt to be a human. I learnt to be compassionate, I learnt to take up responsibilities and I learnt how to be someone's friends. Both schools gave me revelations in life which I appreciate because, they help me grow to who I am. And in this school I am teaching at, I hope to be a good mentor, just like what my ex-students who graduated last year said, I was a great si-fu.
From October to December, I fell in love with cross-country running and road running. So, in order that I would not idle and be fitter and stronger, after 7 years of idling, I joined some competitions. Although I did well enough, I am not satisfied. After all, I know I am not in my fittest state, so, I try to make more time for running and hiking. Now, I try my best to run around 30km per week and hike around 20-30km per week. Hopefully, when 16 Feb comes, I will be able to finish it. A side note, I am not aiming at speed, but finishing the race. See if I can finish 21km in 3 goes.
Something interesting happened in December. My German friend came to visit me and he asked for my hand. Sadly recalling the marriage proposal from my Swedish boyfriend almost 1 year after our breakup which I rejected, I rejected this offer, too. I have known this German friend for 13 years. He watched me grow from a teenager to a woman and now, my early thirty. I asked my German friend a couple of questions and I knew he was not for me. I am looking for someone who can hike up mountains, trek through valleys and be with me through thick and thin. I know it's kinda stupid to set sth as harsh as this but I know someone like this out there and I am sure, one day some day, I will have somebody like him as a lifelong partner. I just, need to be patient and get myself ready. And this year, is a year of exploring opportunities while last was a year of preparation. I don't mean that the preparation is finished, it is a continual process and I hope I will be able to keep my spirit and my head high.
That's all I want to say at the moment. Thanks for reading.
May all of you have a MA'gnetic, 'MA'jestic', 'MA'gnificent, 'MA'gical, and 'MA'rvellous year with 'MA'stery over 'MA'ny aspects of life!!!
Love
Happy Feet/ Dumpling
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