Just-talking-out-loud

Another way of saying 'Do Not Enter' - Oct 2009   Fall is settling gracefully on the city but I can’t enjoy it as much as I would like. I always detested when others would talk or decide for me. To me being part of a union is a similar experience. I know there are advantageous in being part of the union. It provides certain job security but does it really useful for all type of professions at any different levels. If you are highly specialized in the line of work you are doing and you are also good at it, there is no reason for you to be dependent on your union. And if your employer doesn’t value you and your job, it is even better for you to leave. I am too cynical to view the unionized environment as a system that makes my life easier. The only thing they do is to attract more slackers. Then, there will be only those who work hard no matter what have to pay the price. We should let people to shape their own future. 

I'm watching a lot of Frasier lately. It's been one of my favourite shows but I never watch the whole thing. Now I have started from season one. These two brothers with their snobby attitude really crack me up. And then, there is their down to earth father. Frasier got ride of his father chair because it was old, ugly and it didn't match his apartment decor. Now, he is trying to replace it with something that his father likes.  Martin Crane (the father): " Okay, I'll tell you what chair I want. I want the chair I was sitting in when I watched Neil Armstrong take his first step on the Moon. And when the US hockey team beat the Russians in the '80 Olympics. I want the chair I was sitting in the night you called me to tell me I had a grandson. I want the chair I was in all those nights, when your mother used to wake me up with a kiss after I'd fallen asleep in front of the television. Y'know I still fall asleep in it. And every once in a while, when I w...

When he emailed me to tell me that he would be flying to East Coast to attend a conference, the only thing I did was to invite him to come over. I didn’t consider driving for 2hrs to go see him. It has been a while since I am over that painful crush. As I didn’t think anything would ever happen between us, I decided to settle for just a friendship. So we became friends and we are still friends. It has been more than 3 months since I haven’t seen him. I didn’t really miss him the why I missed other friends. However, when I saw his phone number on the caller display before I listen to his message I knew it was him. It is ironic that out of all my friends, his phone number is the only one that I know by heart.

This is a very cute animated film, produced by number of students in France. What stood out to me was the beautiful scenery. I think the story is happening in Santorini. If you like calamari, you shouldn't watch it because next time you want to eat it, you would have a hard time. The Oktapodi official website is here .

If everyone’s reaction to Obama winning the Noble Peace prize is WOW!, what that really means?! It makes me sad to think that even the Nobel Committee is corrupted. If Obama attempted for a world free of nuclear weapons rather than a middle east free of nuclear weapons, I would never ever question his right to receive this prize. Or talking about a premature decision, how is that possible that you are a president of a country and your country, your army troops are still in war and you are considered for the Noble Peace prize. If the war was ended this year, I would have no complains that he was awarded in 2010. There will be a lot of "waiting and seeing"*. I want to see what the consequences of this award are internationally. I still hope for a better and safer future worldwide. If that happens (if this prize leads to peace) I will write a letter of apology to the the Nobel Committee. *From The Cider House Rules.

Now I know where my home is. Anywhere that I am surrounded with my family is called home . I will be home soon.

It was a busy week at work. There were too many people calling in sick. On Tuesday ,I was asked to replace a colleague and teach two of her back to back classes. I only had 15 min to get ready. The preparation included my colleague showing me her ppt presentation and going over what she wanted her students to know. Surprisingly, I wasn't nervous at all. The first class didn't go as smooth as I hoped but then I was fully ready to tackle the second one since the content was the same. Another colleague was away on a conference and he missed all the fun that rest of us had. Today, this was what he wrote on his facebook status. I found it hilarious.   "Note to co-workers: in case of staffing shortage resulting from H1N1 or zombie outbreak, the bottles of gin in my desk can be used for disinfectant or Molatov cocktails."