Photo of my November2013 #22

Towards end of year, work is getting crazy as well as... Social gathering to mark the end of the year.

So my busy week ends with unfinished task and the annual dinner of Geological Society London. 

A nice dinner with sharing of the disastrous mud volcano Lusi in Indonesia (quite heart breaking seeing the destruction), as well as meeting lots of ppl.

And it reminds me it's another year - time to review and think about what to achieve next year...

Photo of my November2013 #21

Every Thursday evening has become my most enjoyable night, running, de-stressing, laughing, getting crazy, photographing and last but not least eating to reload after a run.

Sad to say, I got trapped for consecutive two Thursday nights after return, and I even missed the farewell dinner at 光華in Tai Hang last week :(

Anyways, here I am tonight to catch the late dinner even I can't make for the run. I miss you...

Let's run next week!!!

Photo of my November2013 #20

This is my 3rd consecutive years to be a speaker in the career talk for earth sciences graduates.

I always wonder, if I'm really bringing a taste of what an engineering geologist is like to them... Will they find the job interesting? Will they still want to make big money instead??

With all this in mind, my only sharing is always, how my job has broaden my horizon to this world and how the geological knowledge be applied to better lives of people. Hope they can feel my passion.

I may need a break after this, before I can think of something new to share...

Photo of my November2013 #19

My work routine has reached a threshold that I'm more like a consultation personnel or a training mentor to others than I'm working for my own task.

So, here's my new favourite place in the office. The Quiet Room... Which I can focus like half an hour and finish sth that kept opened on my desktop for ages...

Please do not disturb.

Photo of my November2013 #18

Random late movie coz of the stranger leaving his/her tix in Kubrick... Going solo of coz...

A HKAFF13 movie, Again, from Japan.

About a story of puppy love turn to be a tragedy...

'If you love someone who keeps hurting you, the only way is to ignore... Only then can you move forward.... To love someone is sometimes, to ignore.'

So sad but, true.

Thanks stranger for the nice movie

I'm contented.

Photo of my November2013 #17

We are getting old... But this family is getting charisma and sometimes, cute.

Few years (?) ago, when I graduated, we won't take this kinda casual shots.

Now is the time our generation is finally getting mature, and our parents' generation getting relaxed and making fun on us at times...

I present to you, my lovely, cute family... =D

What do I learn from Running...?

跑步教會我的事...

是不能後退。無論你多麼想放棄，跑到中途，你只可以完成。

無論有多少人支持你，你還得靠自己能力去完成；有人跟你牽手一起經歷雙雙到達終點，是錦上添花。

這些，都是這陣子跑步給我的。

我知道，只有我自己，才知道要怎麼 走下去。

Taken in San Francisco, 2013.11.

Photo of my November2013 #16

The coffee break before work @cinematheque, my favourite place to meditate, read and write.

Thank you stranger who left his/her gonna-be-unused HKAFF ticket to another stranger (that's ME)!! 

Mr/Ms stranger, to thank for your kindness, your tix money will go to Typhoon Haiyan survivors in the Philippines, through charity Habitat for Humanity.

Good movie is for sharing!!

Photo of my November2013 #15

A bad start of the day: the bus I took to site doesn't operate on weekday morning, and I left my closed border permit in the office.

Anyways, I still managed to site for field mapping works (thanks my colleagues).

It's been some time since my last fieldwork, and I just like doing simple geology task... The weather is just great for fieldwork. Observe some nice folding, too :)

My most enjoyable moment after field work is, a simple bite at local shops. This iced red bean drink is just sooo nice.

Contented. I should stay thinking simple, maybe.

Photo of my November2013 #14

A warm breakfast sharing with bro.

Sweet treat herbal tea from mummy. 

There's no place better than home... 

And no better person than my beloved bro, mummy and daddy.

Coz no one loves me more than they do. 

Song of the Nite: 雨水一盒

陳綺貞的曲   夏宇的詞

聽著
除了說, 這就是我要說我想說的, 再不知道我想些什麼要些什麼.
時間, 突然停頓...

每當日子渾圓飽滿 我就ㄧ愁莫展
我閃爍其詞 丟三忘四
我感覺自己 完全的不可靠
我是我猜我會 慢慢瘋掉




雨水一盒 

每當日子渾圓飽滿 我就ㄧ愁莫展 
我閃爍其詞 丟三忘四 
我感覺自己 完全的不可靠 
我是我猜我會 慢慢瘋掉 最好不要 
那些下午我決定要走 一無所有 
只能留給你雨水一盒 
我這麼孤單難以預料 
我想我是我會 慢慢瘋掉 

你必須了解我無法繼續下去 到未來那許諾之地 
在那裡我是那麼那麼愛你 
我們言不及義 不停的擁吻就像法國電影 
我從來不喜歡那些現成的人生隱喻 
除了 遙遠異地 
一台點唱機讓我 投下一枚銅幣 
慢慢跳舞 

即使在最值得一提的下午 
對於告別我還是顯得粗魯 
我在琴弦上把每個音都彈得飽滿了 
一顆一顆雨水都落在盒子裡了 
一顆一顆雨水都落在盒子裡了 

[ 一盒乾淨透明的雨水 我從來不知道 
  盒子上有個裂縫 雨水又要 
  滿滿一盒水又要 慢慢漏掉 ]

那些下午我決定要走 一無所有 
只能留給你雨水一盒 
我這麼孤單難以預料 
我想我是我會 慢慢瘋掉 
慢慢瘋掉 瘋掉 最好不要

I'm a runner

It's an old video, but I'm in tears when watching it...

I start running with a simple reason just to keep healthy, but as I move along... it's just more than for health.

It's a sports that everyone race together on the same track, but indeed... is a race on your own, and you pave your own way in the way you want.

With running, I gained trust in myself, believe that I can improve a little bit more with every step, have the courage to move one step more at a time, slowly... and I know I'm strong enough to face any difficulties and challenges in life.

Photo of my November2013 #13

It's mr ma who introduced pink martini to me some years back when I'm so into drama. And I fell for them.

You hardly can't categorize pink martini into a music type as they have so much variety. Just feel relaxed and calm listening to them.

And after the trip to Portland, I can understand where they are coming from.

Their new album is Get Happy, including love songs from different language, some very traditional.

Get Happy, even I'm alone on the long and winding road.

Photo of my November2013 #12

I dunno when I started to have endless meetings during working hours. Many of which are not constructive at all.

Why should we spend time on talking how things are done, rather than doing the actual product?

But seemed meeting is inevitable. Learning to do it effectively is my next learning point.

I wonder if I have spent more time on meeting than sleeping...

Photo of my November2013 #11

Experiencing life in a roller coaster in the past month, be it family, work and relationship...

Granny, work momentum, and dragged feelings towards someone that not gonna work... Am making me so exhausted.

Now, life is back to the old quiet routine, seemed nothing has ever happened in the past month.

I'm not sure what's next, my heart is gone and I'm confused. 

All I know is keep going and keep moving, seize the day and make everyday counts!

Photo of my November2013 #10

I'm back after a long journey, 5 countries and 3 continents in the past month.

Spent today with a dim sum lunch with my beloved grandma, then some quiet lonely moment at home sweet home with Leonard Cohen whom I fell for listening to his vinyl in Portland.

I missed my other granny, who used to be nagging to me in moment like this. I missed her, but I'm sure she's with me right now...

Granny, hope you are well in the other world. I missed you, you made us angry in laughter most of the time... but lovely indeed.

Photo of my November2013 #09

Planned to end this trip with a run, and it's obvious that running to Golden Gate Bridge is a must for me!

So here I go from the downtown area (I'm staying in doggy place called Tenderloin btw). It's quite a long way (14k+ Return) and with the exhausted body and sickness in the past two weeks... but I'm determined.

The roads are hilly prior to reaching the coast, and it takes me great effort to run up and down hill. Then it comes to the never ending trails along the coast-foggy weather making it so long! Glad that there are lots of runners and bikers that remind me to continue...

Finally there. But the fog blocks the view that I can merely see the bridge... feeling down but I should continue. 

As I run along the bridge, I'm so touched that I can run on this famous yet one of the most difficult bridges to be constructed! Running to the deck, the fog cleared the way and I can see the tower! It's a slender and elegant, yet strong bridge. 

I'm glad that I did it, and finally find out single trip is 13k already!! -.-"

I really like run the world - and run the world's famous bridges too!!

Photo of my November2013 #08

This is the only day for city sightseeing in San Francisco.

So, it is a must to visit the most famous yet old public transport system here (continue with our Cities As System workshop): streetcar and cable car.

The cable car is primitive, to change the direction of the cable car, it is done by manually operated turntable. Each cable car requires a three-man crew.

I met this Cantonese guy on the cable car.. And when it stopped at terminus, I'm not yet done with exploring how the cable car works. So I asked whether I can stay for photographs, and that's how we started our conversation (first English, then Cantonese)! 

He said girls from Hong Kong are shy, and get blushing red face with jokes... Anyways, I'm not sure how long what he met girls from HK, as I'm sure this is not the case!!

Very funny for him to ask me where I come from, when I said HK, he asked exactly which part it is... And found our we are both from Kowloon... Haha

Happy to chat with strangers, that's part of the fun when you travel. Especially you feel connected as you communicated through Cantonese in a foreign place!

:)

P.S. Stay happy, Wylie. Live for yourself! Carpe Diem!!

Song of the Nite: Love

I love Muir Woods.
Looking at these redwood trees which are more than a thousand years old, i'm feeling small.



















For all the people and things that I feel important in my entire life, they aren't comparable to these trees at all.
My life is just like a blink of the eye, not even enough to form a tree ring on them.

So, why should I care... and why should I love?
It's complicated, and I'm confused.

(P.S. I miss you, but you just don't give a shit...?)



Love - Priscilla Ahn (John Lennon Cover)

Love is real, real is love
Love is feeling, feeling love
Love is wanting to be loved

Love is touch, touch is love
Love is reaching, reaching love
Love is asking to be loved

Love is you
You and me
Love is knowing
We can be

Love is free, free is love
Love is living, living love
Love is needing to be loved

Photo of my November2013 #07

In Napa Valley where wine should be more popular, I found this petit local coffee shop opposite to coffee giant Starbucks. 

Without hesitation this is a must-go (anti globalisation...!)

The roasting table has a rack with rubber stamps for every coffee blend sold - only on the list.

How great it is just to concentrate the taste that you think is right for customer, focus on the taste that you should brewed only... Rather than pleasing the customer(client).

Coz you are the expert and you should know what is best for them.

Photo of my November2013 #06

On the road to Napa Valley for wine flights with fine cuisine, but then someone requested another round.

So we were in a bar and started random conversation: the samurai bartender who likes HK and keep saying American jokes; 'snob' Londoner but indeed a Scottish who has a very cool violinist gf; and finally, an American woman originated from Canton with a high tech IPO company (can't understand her Cantonese though).

Interesting conversation and... That's what I called LIFE!

Carpe Diem.

Photo of my November2013 #05

It's so ad hoc but we managed to make it. Good hopers knew for more than 20 years met in San Francisco.

How amazing it is. I'm so overwhelmed...

Happy to see we are all the same as we were. Same as the old days but mature.

My friend, your quote is with me. 

"Believe in my decision made at present as the best in my life."

Will see you lovely ladies soon, in SF and HK.

Photo of my November2013 #04

Match boxes from the vintage shop in Portland called SMUT.

They are from all over the world and every of this little box has its story.

So, how many stories can be unfold from this small wooden box...?

Photo of my November2013 #03

Crazy doughnut time in the midnight with colleagues. Best in Portland.

Sweet food, sweet colleagues. I'm happy.

"Good things come in Pink boxes."

Photo of my November2013 #02

Tribute to Andy Warhol - love it.
i love this city. nostalgic with wonderful state-of-art urban planning, creating a city FOR the people.

This is Portland.

 

Photo of my November2013 #01

Just wanna celebrate my special double '3' birthday with a monthly album...
"Photo of My November 2013"

Like this very american way of billboard... VINYL forever.