This is life!

The day of back to TW is getting close and close.

Many things were happened here.

Something's good, something's not so good.

Met many many people here.

Some people have good memory, some people have not so good memory.

It is life. Even we have burden on our shoulder.Or we need suffer many things.

Or so admire others' life. That's still not your life.

And the truth is, life will go on.

That's the basic law of life.

We still need to hold smile to face it.

Even though we may meet many judgments.

But others cannot live for you, just like you cannot live others' life too.

Just face it.

Fantasy had gone.

Life will go on.................... I will miss this. My America dream.

Last day....

It was the last day of three of us would stay together.....

It was yesterday....

Everybody had different plan and we would not meet together again in America.

So that's it. We had good time.

Some person told me that where the story began, where the story would end.

And I think this is probably would be the end of story.

L and J came to our house, J bought duck and L cook for us.

It was so happy when we cook together and enjoy our time together.

After dinner we went to ice-skating at downtown SJ.

I guessed this was my second time to do ice-skating.

First time I did it with some of my college classmates.

This time I tried to remember some skill of ice-skating.

I had to say that I was not good at this specially I had O shape of leg.

And the shoes were not as good as in TW.

I kept moving my feet left and right and I was lucky that I could move a little bit.

Mike was the best of skater in all of us. 

S was a talented skater and L tried very hard to do it.

I don't know why, but I felt so happy when I skated on the ice.

I felt that I like a child... flying on the ice......

After I saw video of my skating. I felt myself looked like retarded .... haha...

Our last meal////...... Thanks L and J

Bowling game

Yesterday night was friday night, we went to SJUS to play bowling, video game and ping-pong.

Before that we ate dinner and play poker which punished by push up.

Thanks for James and Mike for preparing our dinner.

It's really delicious.

Wow..... yesterday night was a very health night.

It's so amazing that you can see many kinds of entertainment environment in SJUS.

I am so admire them and it's not expensive. One man for two game's bowling, only cost us 7.25 bulks.

Sometimes, I would go blowing with some of my best friends in Taipei.

Basically, I am not good at this game. Basically I don't think bowling is a sport.

Anyway, we had fun.

I always try to treat this game as a way to practice straight line.

After that we went to play some video game and ping-pong.

Oh... ping-pong....

I play ping-pong since senior high.... but I don't know why I cant control my physical strength yesterday.

I always play over the court. haha......

Anyway, James seems the best of us and he kept staying on the court.

Damn.... I have to say that I don't like the feeling of lose.

I mean I'm not always a winner but I am a fighter..... goal catcher, if I quote Dan's words.

I will focus what I want and pay my effort to get it.

I really really don't like that feeling as a loser... haha

Anyway..... through this game... I realize one thing inside me... and I try to figure out why or what should I do for this kind of situation.

Not only for the position of loser but it also remind me when I always want to be a winner.

I mean like a leader in a team or represent of a company or as someone important...

Damn,... I felt myself so arrogant..... 

I hate that......I cannot control my desire well.........

I mean that I don't want to  pour my desire off..... because that's why I keep spurring myself to be best.

But I got to learn how to control it than it control me, right?

It's an attitude that how you treat people and also a art of balance.

I hope that I can keep in my mind of the doctrine of mean....

 

Treat your work as final work

This is what my friend told me today.

This is a very very good attitude about working.

And this sentence recall me back to 10 years ago.

I went to a pastor's speech at Taipei.

I still could remember that all his speech had one simple message which is "Attitude decides your depth".

Attitude decides your depth, he kept saying that, attitude decides your depth.

This sentence went into my heart and I kept thinking about it.

Today my friend said a similar sentence to me.

I guess she felt I was not enjoy what I'm doing now.

Or she was trying to do something she was not familiar before.

I could see that she put many efforts on it and I believe she can do well.  

I admit that after this years' working.

I fell into a kind of situation that I felt that I kept doing similar thing now.

Maybe I can improve my skill or thought more.

But somehow I lost my interests on it.

I need something more...... more....

It also remind me that last time when I met Wang-hua.

People who full of passion are always remind me something.......

Thank you, my friend

When we dine together......

Today is our last two dine together party.

I felt that time goes so fast.

I still remembered that first time we met Charles and Sophia.

Charles took us to Cantonese restaurant at 19 Ave..

Wow..... It had been 5 months already.

What is my next step?   

Where I should go?

What I should choose?

This kind of questions keep floating on my mind.

I can see that in everybody's face were full of happiness and sadness.

That's another sweet and bitter thing.

Snowboard & skiing contest in AT&T park

Like I said, there was a Snowboard & skiing contest in AT&T park yesterday.

I went there with my friends.

It cost me 27 bulks.

Anyway, it's a really good experience specially I will not go snowboarding this time.

Man.... I wish I had more money.

Anyway, I will use pictures and videos to explain this event.

There were two different courts.

One is for BMX(bike which is used for technique performing) and skateboard, another one is for snowboarding and skiing.

We went to BMX first.

There were some support vender's tent there.

And I won one T-shirt from one tent,sun glasses form NAVY and drank many free energy drink.

I needed to do fifteen hang then I can get the NAVY sunglasses.

I don't need that but I want to try.

I did and it hurts my belly now.

This is BMX-pro performer.  

And this is skateboard-pro performer. 

After stay there for T-shirt and drink.

We moved to another court inside of AT&T park.

This is the snowboarding field.

It was so cooool....... 

This is how they perform their good moves.

I think high score is depend on what kinds of move you did and how hard of doing it.

This is all of us.

We also met Jane and Rumi.

But I think that I will not be allowed to put their picture here, haha.

And like usual, we will do something stupid.

This was what we tried to pretend ourselves is a catcher for catching a home-run.

Today's happy karaoke part 2

It's so interesting today.

We arranged today to go to skiing and snowboard contest at AT&T park(It's a baseball court).

On the way to our friend's studio(It's a kind of apartment and we decided to drive another car to SF).

We thought that it might be a good idea to ask Hermit joined us.

He said OK and after we arrived his house on the sea.

His roommate was cutting his hair and she mentioned that they will go to Karaoke in JP town tonight.

And we were so glad to join them even though we went Karaoke yesterday already.

I mean at least that I was so happy.

The contest in AT&T park was so good. I will post it here tomorrow.

In there I met Jane and Lumi and asked them to join us too.

After we arrived there at eight clock.

We were surprised that there had many of her classmate in there already.

Before she mentioned that it might be three people only.

Her classmates are Artists. 

It was so coooooool.

I love and admire artist.

That's part of my favorite thing on this world.

And more people mean more fun.

I saw they were kind boring.

Even thought I was starving(I had stomachache during that time)

So I sang a very excited cantonese song for them.

That one is a movie soundtrack and it's a good song for opening.

It helps people get excited about it. And they did.

I felt so happy.

Even thought it was first time to see most of them.

I might feel a little bit nervous but I'm still happy.

I sang many songs again, haha.

It helps me release some stress. Hope their ears were not hurt so much by my voice.

And I was so happy to see Jane stayed with us, too.

It was so long I had not seen her since I moved to SJ ba.

She used to treated me very nice and I always went to church with her.

I like her so much in friend's way( She had married).

And it was so good we met her and spent good time together.

Like I said yesterday that God know my limits and God help me when I need it.

I felt that I am full of grace now.

It was not only because so many fun here but also so many good friends surround me.

Thank you, my Jesus.

These were all of us.

You guys ROCK!!

Today's happy Karaoke

Every time I had trouble or want to do something so bad, something will happen and it will save my ass.

Why I said that, because since I had arrived U.S. like 5 month.I want to sing Karaoke so much.

Hey don't laugh at me, I am Taiwanese.

We love Karaoke.

But it is so hard and usually there is no good Taiwanese song at all.

I need to thanks for James that he said there is one good place and he actually will go there today.

Before that he and mike cook for us. It's so nice.

Because James mother sent him some chinese medicine which is used for cooking.

And he cook one very good soup for us.

After dinner time, we went New-peters' Karaoke with him.

And another happy thing was I met some of my friends there.

They were all girls.

They went there for celebrating one girl's birthday.

I felt so happy and almost want to join them.

Actually I went their room several times and there is one girl who can sing very good song.

I mean you can feel something in there.

We sang a lots of songs. Actually me and Stephanie sang most of the songs.

HA!HA!......

I do feel happy and thanks for this good friends.

I knew some of them don't like singing. They showed up just for supporting me.

I knew it. Truly thank you, everybody.

Life because you guys became more beautiful.

And thanks for God too. Because you know where is my boundaries and he will show up when I need him.

Because love, so this world rotates.

There is one song which I love is writed by Lee.

If I translated it directly will be like this.....

I thought it is the end that my heart will not be touched again.

After I met you, the feel of fall in love comes again and again.

Some people asked me why you are so good that I cant forget you.

I said if you never saw her, you would not know.

She is so beautiful that even spring cant compare with her.

But these things are not important anymore because if she would like to come to my life either.

I will follow you to every corner of this world.

Even though I don't know what is future like?

But does it too early to say goodbye?

I love this song so many years.

I believe more than 10 years ba......

This is all of us.....

And this is the birthday girl....Tingi...

Happy Birthday lo...... 

I had good time.... thank folks....

To my dear friend

My friend...

I heard you said that you make a decision of you will move to another place and got a high rise of position.

I am truly happy for you.

But I had to say that I feel sad too.

SInce we had so many good time that we spent together.

I realize that it became a habit that called you out every time.

And I'm really used to that you just showed up.

This few month I believe we all changed a lot.

You had new position and move to another place and I chose to stay at US for six months.

I do miss old time and after hearing that probably that's the last chance we can hang out.

I had to say I'm shock. But I'm truly thank you for your companionship and you taught me a lot.

I am appreciate it. 

Hope you have better and better day than before.

Hope that I can see you soon.

Good-bye is just a part of life and most important is we do treat every moment as gold.

Leaving no regret about it.

Oh! I gonna miss you.

Hope that one day you will memorize that one guy who ever spent good time with you.

See you.... later ......  on the trip of life.

We shall meet one day.

During this time, I will just play the moment that I recored in my mind.

Although I have bad memorize ability, but you, I shall remember.

farewell......... ^^  My dear friend

Cook video 1

Hi everybody.

It's really nice to leave message at here again.

This time I want to share about our daily life at San Jose.

Before this, I need to explain that I never really cook when I stay at Taiwan.

Of course I cook instant noodle before, but real dish. never.

After I got here, I mean SJ. I feel so many interest in cooking.

Like now, I cook three meals a day for four to five people.

I cook for everybody before in SF. That's like seven people.

During that time, I invited a student in AAU to share some works or course in our loft.

It's pity I left there, because I had invited Astro's designer to share with us too.

But anyway I had good life at here too.

Like I said, I cook three meals a day.

Usually mike will cook with me.

And Li-wei do cook too.Oh man, he is good at instant package.

Like a master.

He and Stephanie will help us do dish washing.

I want to share part of my joy about here.

So we took video and share with people.

Hope you can feel our happy at here too.

peace........

Naoto Fukasawa in connecting 07 (ARTICLE 1)

Naoto Fukasawa in connecting 07(ARTICLE 1)

We met Naoto at connecting 07 in SF. He was one of major speakers. Most of his speech was about his work and why or how he think he want to do design like that.He tried to explain it to everybody. But time is short.

He was not most attractive speaker on the stage. But everyone is touched by his work. Although he is quite famous now.He still try his best to do good design.After speech, I want to talk with him and maybe ask him to sign for me on his book.I bought it last month, Sept..

I didn't see many people want to talk with him. I mean like us. We looks more like design fan than designer. It's fun.And why not? We went to his seat, we introduced ourselves and try to discuss questions with him.I didn't ask many questions ,like I always do. Actually I wrote several questions and tried to discuss with him before. But I didn't ask all of them. I tried to act more polite and gave him more respect.But I still asked him several questions.

First of all, I asked one of my biggest question now. I asked him that sometime, I feel tired. Because I did many design which I felt meaningless. I apply many style but just for appearance.

Before he answer we should know that Naoto is famous about doing minimal design which is full of Japanese culture inside.I asked this question was kind respect what he did and maybe he would agree with my point.It's a little bit tricky.If he agreed with my point which was very shallow, I would feel sad. I apologized that I asked this kind tricky question.

Naoto answered that question in a different way.I didn't recored every words he said precisely.I just want to express what he said to us.

He said we should build one ability that allow us express our idea precisely.Once we got good idea, but we don't have good sense of beauty or good forming ability, idea will disappear.Which is very pity.And he encouraged us that keep practicing and experience more.I shouldn't feel too rush of myself and take baby steps.One day, my switch will turn on.Then I can realize. 

I felt that I'm relieved. And I know more about what I should do now.It's simple. Just keep walking.Recently, I just finished one presentation here. Of course I didn't do presentation like I always did.I only do design.And I felt desired that I want to change my design or execute process.People who know me closely will know that I do that all the time.It's kind normal to me.Because I feel boring easily. If I kept doing same thing.And I am lucky that the company which I stay provide me a Wacom tablet with touch screen. So I tried to apply it to my process.Even though I spent more time to finish it.And I am not satisfied what I did yet.But I do feel good.Because it's first time that I use that device and apply it in project. This is first story. 

The second story is that I met many good designer here and they showed me many of their design and sketches.I felt that designer here is more concerned about sketches than Taiwan's designer.And I do see some good sketches were pasted all over the wall.So I can compare it.I felt that it is true.When you see many many sketches on the wall.The good one will reveal it automatically.I am not saying good sketch means good design.But good skill's sketch will be more outstanding and attractive.I think this is what Naoto said why we should sharp our skill.Many things are like strategy than a random behavior.

This one is also reflect to what Naoto answered about another question.

I heard people asked him that why he did supernormal.He use a metaphor to answer.Like a seesaw, when every designer on this world try to make stuff outstanding and aggressive.Naoto think he should do something different with others.So he chose another side which was minimal and normal.Maybe some people will think it is easy when they saw what Naoto did.Like Milan furniture exhibition last year what Naoto showed in there didn't get many echo. But for me. It is more difficult.Because it required more sense of beauty and more precise forming ability.It is not easy when you reduce stuff from your design.So I think if Naoto answered that question in east way(more philosophy thought), people here will not understand.But they can understand strategy. It's more easy for west sociality.It is interesting if we compared same question where he answered it in different place.We can discuss that later.

There were few other questions that I asked him.Maybe I can share it with my thought to you guys.Here is some of his presentation pictures. Enjoy it!

I left piece of my heart here...

I look at pictures about here once and once.

I realize there is no place like this anymore.

What is grow up looks like ?

Why one person can has both happy and sad together?

Why one person can has both possession and abandon?

Does this is a reality or just a dream?

No matter what it is? Right now I tasted bitter and sweet both at same time.

What is well prepare? In connecting 07....

Past three days, I was really really busy.

I paid 495 dollars for student pass then I can join connecting 07 congress.

It is a really big design seminar which is host by IDSA.

It is held at different country every two years.  

We were lucky that it was held at SF. So we decided no matter how expensive it is we need to be there personally.

I am so glad that I made this decision and I really enjoyed this event.

I met many many people at both seminar and after party even my college classmate Mike(Fat-Fat).

I brought he and Brian to after party.

I'd like to share it to all of you. Please allow my slow typing and let us discuss this topic first.

What is well prepare? 

Let us think about it few seconds.........

Don't make your answer so quickly.

Let me tell you a story.

Before I went to this congress, my friend told me that I should prepare my portfolio.

I said same thing to one of my best friends here, Li-Wei.

I didn't do it, but he did.

A lots of people said well prepare means that you need prepare yourself at every moment.

I believe my friend did it.

At very first day of congress, we chose one interesting topic which is D.I.Y. design in Brazil. 

The speaker didn't show up and the host ask maybe someone here who can explain Brazil design.

At same time Li-Wei  raise his hand with confidence and said I can present my portfolio.

I had to be honestly that at same time I really felt embarrassed.

Then he run to speaker's platform.

Although many many people of that room was leaving.

But he still keep seven audience there and presented his work properly.

After that I feel pride of him.

He did a very good job and also gave us a very good lesson.

Which is what is well prepare and confidence.

No fear, just show yourself to this world.

Here is part of video that I recorded it at same time.

Please give him a big clap.

After everybody left, we went to platform and tried to pretend that we were invited by congress.

You know many people need to paid IDSA money to stand at this stage.

We can stand here for free. That's exciting.

what I learned from U.S. trip. Lesson 01

I had been long time that I didn't upload my blog.

Actually it means the life I spent at SJ is way much better that I used to be.

I feel so good when I stay here but I think there's a reason why I felt like this.

It is I lived at SF before so I got life to compare with.

This is not complain about life in SF, only feel so grateful to my lord.

Specially I had friends like Karen and Calvin who treat me like part of their family.

During that time they helped me a lots to pass through painful moment.

Truly thank you. My dear friends.

I tried to record my thought here. Because I found myself keep saying that what I learned from this trip is?....

So I thought maybe I really learned something here.  

I used to be afraid that to look back of my experience at here.

I am afraid that I learned nothing about design or how to do good design.

I start realizing that it is not only one way to persuade what I want or what I thought.

It was too limited that the way I think about design.

So there you go, you can see that I try to record here, my blog.

Somehow you really want to do it, it goes away. You need to catch them as the time you think about it.

There is a good movie which is called "short bus".In mandarin if I translated it directly it will become sex bus.

So when I first time saw this movie that I thought it was an adult movie which I was wrong.

It was a movie that you can see a lots of naked people and make love in it.

It's true. But like film review said after watching it, all sex scene were gone. 

So what I feel after saw this movie? What I left in my mind about it?

Now I had to agree with the film review.

what left in my mind about it which is distance between people.

And why it has any connection between what I learned here and movie?

It is distance. It is that we shared some fears with people who we fear. 

When I stay in Taiwan, I loved reading stuff about design.

About how they make such beautiful design.

I pretty know every famous designers and design firm, about their design and some stories.

Sometimes I believed in Magazines or books too much or enjoyed what they did too much.

It appears that they really had a high level position in my heart.

Like a design idol. 

After I got here, I met many people and some of them are really famous not only in U.S. but also in other countries.

Like dodge-ball game, I saw Yevs Behar there. 

He is a quite normal guy who stood in front of me and waited  in a line to get a drink.   

Yesterday's party, I met Dan Harden who is the founder of Whipsaw design Inc. and pre design director of frog.

We chatted with him like one hour.

We talked about every thing from culture to travel. 

I really enjoy it.

Suddenly I realize that they are not idol for me anymore.

More like a live people or a friend of mine.

We had same cares and same dreams that is what I want to said here, in this article.

So that's it. that is what I learned here. And it is the first lesson.

Thank you again my Jesus that you arranged this chance for me.

And you know me more then myself that you prepared this route.

Let me go through it. I learned more then if you put me at here in very first time.

Thank you for everything. I am happy now.   

Tomorrow's dodgeball game.....

Tomorrow is 2007 Bay Area Dodgeball tournament.

I heard people talked about it before.

But we cannot join for some reason.

It looks really funny.

Be an audience still a very fun thing.

check out last year's video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gm94dYkeXvc

Hari

Hari(Tension) is a Japanese way to express balance.

I read it from an article about Naoto Fukasawa.

He mentioned about when you discuss with other people. All you experienced is what people talk to you more than you response to others. Then, it is not a "Hari".

It needs to be a balance which means you need to express yourself.

And recently, I had learned about it and learned to express myself and express it  properly.

Thank my Jesus to give me this topic and help me go through it.

Even though, I still feel stomachache when I had discuss with others.

I can taste the tension situation.

But I still try to express myself.

I mean if I don't say something for myself, who will.....

I am happy I answer people when there is another man said I think too much again.

I still afraid that I am a freak.... but I mean man, you don't know what I being through and if I felt uncomfortable. I will try to express it properly. I don't want to hurt you but what you said to me, it hurts.

I am who I am. If guys don't like it, maybe it was not always my fault.

呼.....................

No body can live your life for you. You must know that...........

Lives in San Jose

I had moved to San Jose like 3 weeks.

The lives is really good. 

Many different place if you compared with San Francisco.

Like weather or people here etc. many things are different.

Generally, I like here.

 

(mission peak at Fremont, here have good view)

(french restaurant at Santana row)

Santa cruz

Sept 1 is Labor day. So it makes this weekend is a long weekend.

After our roommates' long distance bicycle trip(they rode it to Suasulito). 

We were planing to go to Santa cruz which is a old surfing spot.

Really? I though surfing start from penguin. Whatever!!

Because I will move to San Jose. For reducing one more trip to San francisco, I packed my stuff and brought it with me to the trip of Santa cruz.

Thank for li-well to pick us up.

It looks like so many people want to go to beach today.

We took 1 hour to there and it should take half hour only.

 We were planning to go to there and maybe we can surf there. But we didn't have any surf board or swimsuit.

But after we arrived there, it was indeed so many people there but it's ok, I guess.

It is a very big beach and contains many volleyball court there.

After we arrived there, we were attracted by many good figure female and followed them to play some volleyball with them.

My friends told me that they might be teenager. well! OK.

And we play volleyball about 3 to 4 hours.

We didn't go surfing even that e didn't touch ocean at all, ha ha.

 It's a beautiful place but it might be a traditional holiday spot and many tourist there.

So it is not so beautiful to me.

We just went back from Lake Tahoe. It's really beautiful in summer.

We went to a Chinese restaurant after beach volleyball.

I feel so good and I'd love it.

And actually I'm so enjoy to spend time with my friends today.

Thanks for everybody I felt great.....

I love summer.... and to stay a place's weather is like summer everyday.

I think I will enjoy it....

So long!! San Francisco......!    

Thanks for Richard's sharing tonight

Today is Wed and it's our snack dinner again.
Jane had cook for us so many times.
So today we decided to let her take a rest...... And everyone prepared one dish of food.
I prepared Fried tomato with eggs, hot shrimps with wine and fish ball soup.
Each dish was first time I ever tried.... and I saw many many times of recipe...
Just like I do presentation before. I will rehearsal many times in my brain.
But I waited until 6.30 p.m.. It seemed nobody came home. I am so hungry.....
I had to wait otherwise food will not hot enough.
Finally, everyone came back then I can cook.... because I prepared every condiments before so I could do it in a short time.
It was really funny after you saw people do it before and now I do it same.
Just like first time I saw myself can draw something good.... It feels good.
After I served every food on the table and everyone started eating.
I took a rest and watch people eating just like Calvin would do after he served food to us.
I felt satisfied again.........^^
I really enjoy this kind of feeling. And starting understand why people said food could provide happiness to people.
I am not saying that I can cook. I started cooking since I came here.
But I can test similar feeling.....
They ate too fast that I forgot took photos today even Richard's share later.... It's pity.
Richard is a AAU's student and he study at industrial design master degree now.
Now he is a second years student.
I mentioned him before. He did a really good presentation today.
Everyone focused on him and felt interesting.
He shared with us until 11.00 clock.
I guessed everyone like his work during school.
But I saw other things. Such as personality.....
Every time I heard people talking about his own situation.
I cannot help that I will start to simulate myself to that situation.
I will think if it was me, what I would do at that moment or a period of time.
He learned design since before he applied AAU one year.
It means he learned design about 3~4 years.
But how long I had been design business?
4 years for college and 5 years for working. It's almost 10 years now....
How shamed am I? Really...... How shamed am I>....?
There are some thing I need to learn form this man and it's very important.
I shall not avoid anymore.... I need find my passion back.......
Yes it's passion............ How far you could go for LOVE? This is a Car-tier's new slogan.
How far I could do for design.......... for what I love... to do .. ?

Thank you again.. Richard ..... It's really nice to meet you at SF..