Saturday, March 31, 2007

Crazybusy?

'How are you doing? Still very busy?'
'Yes. Definitely.'
This is the highest fenquent dialogue between my father and me. I have just read an article in FT by Lucy---- TOO CRAZYBUSY FOR SEX? THEN BRING YOUR BLACKBERRY TO BED. She pointed out a truth that white-collars are crazybusy most of time. Is it good or bad? I claim that I am busy. Quite similar to her, I am aiming for, which is: "You are marvel" or more exactly, "Stop to have a good rest." However, her husband always says, in magisterial sort of way: “You lead a very happy and very full life. You wouldn't want it any other way.” Paused and thought for a while. I am in a similar situation as Lucy. "My busyness may not be the thing that is about to push me over the edge. It may be the thing that keeps me sane."
How about myself? I would like to go for travel, especially, go home and have a thorough rest. What's that for? To better work. A week at home is the higher bound. A longer time-period would probably distress me. That's the way I am on. It doesn't matter whether it is good or not. It is always give and take. Sword has two sides. The following are some reasons to be crazybusy given out by Lucy:

Being busy means you get things done and this is one of the biggest pleasures in life. The saying, “If you want to get something done, give it to a busy person,” is quite true.

■Crazybusyness makes you feel important, which is always nice.

■Being crazybusy is exciting. Dashing around doing things raises the heartbeat agreeably. And if, as Dr Hallowell warns, it is a drug – then so what? It doesn't have the side-effects of crack cocaine.

■Being busy encourages the right sort of thought. I have nearly all my flashes of inspiration (such as they are) when I'm doing something else – talking to someone, cycling, putting the clothes in the tumble drier.

■Being very busy discourages the wrong sort of thought. It crowds out thoughts like: what am I doing with my life, what is the point of me as a person and I'm going to die soon. And that is its single greatest blessing. It is why, now, when I think of all the things to be done today, I am reminding myself that they are a security blanket to protect my soul.

According to her arguments, I am not crazybusy. So, move on. Keep fighting!
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Saturday, March 24, 2007

No Choice is the Best Choice----Toastmaster Project 4

A little boy went to the supermarket with his mother, ‘Mummy, I want this biscuit.’

‘OK. Take it.’

After a while,

‘Mummy, I want the superman. It is a new style. He is omnipotent.’

‘No. You can not take it.’

‘Please. Dear mummy. I really like it.’

‘No way. You have taken the cookies already. Or, alternatively, you can take the superman instead. You can only choose either one. Now you have the chance to choose.’

The little boy gazed at his mother eagerly. He caught the sharp light from his mother. Silence, superman in one hand, cookies in the other, this one or that one, finally, he slowly put the biscuit back and took the superman.

Does this familiar to you? We have to choose something since our childhood and this continues in our whole lives. We make choices everyday, from tiny affairs, such as which clothes to dress on, what kinds of food to eat, to issues that are regarded as critical to our future lives, such as our careers. What should we do? Which one is better? It is hard to say. Strain at a gnat and swallow a camel, is that we are worried about. We hesitating, halting, and faltering. Time went by before we realize it. Hence, I am thinking, if there are no choices, what would happen? Will it be worse? I don’t think so. If you have no choice, just do it. Try your best and enjoy it. No choice is the best choice. In the ancient war, the situation is fight to win or die. Which will you choose? The answer can’t clearer any more. Definitely you will do your endeavor, and the probability to win is increased. That’s one of the ideas in old military strategics.

We tend to put ourselves in a wall, and it seems that the world outside the wall is always better.

After four-year’s study at the university, most of my classmates began their careers, others went on pursuing higher degree. Half a year later, we gathered and sat down to talk. Those who had went to industry complained that work is hard. You were busy every day but never busy with your own affairs. You don’t have time to enjoy yourselves, and you should take full responsibility for what you have done. Life is more comfortable to be in the campus. Others, like me, also made some complaints. We are very busy as well. Classes after classes, projects after projects, study more than 12 hours a day. What’s worse, we are not sure to what extend we will benefit from it in the future. It is better to start job career earlier and cumulate experience.

It turns out that we are never satisfied where we are. But think about that, you never have the chance to choose and never know there’s alternative. Then, you take what you have for granted. Won’t you be happy with it? No choice is the best choice.

However, we do hold the chance to choose most of times. Nevertheless, once you have made your choice, there is not choice any more. How to move on? Just do it. Do your endeavor and enjoy it. Give away ‘if only’. Delete ‘if only’ from your dictionary. There is not ‘if only’ in the world. No choice is the best choice.


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Friday, March 16, 2007

积极

发觉自己不够积极,至少不如以前积极。记得以前做家教的时候,每次都要激发学生的学习热情,每次看着她们又对学习充满兴趣的时候我都很满足,每次在激励他们的时候也在激励自己。每周家教一两次虽说累但是也是我自我反省,自我激励的时间。常常觉得他们的一个通病是 “君子动口不动手”。现在觉得自己也是这个毛病。事情是多,可是动手就会慢慢少了。会教他们要计划好每天要完成的任务,会教他们如何比较合理的安排学习计划。现在想想,自己在以前是有这么做的,为什么现在却忘了。每天忙忙碌碌,但是就如无头苍蝇,其轨迹是维纳过程,你不知道他下一个时点会在那里,对他的最好预测就是在原地。所以自己转来转去又转回原地。

做学生的日子屈指可数了,高考有倒计时,我是不是也该给自己一个倒计时牌了。高考每天读啊读,做啊做的,累但是没有一点点动摇。现在一点小问题就小题大做的,积极一点,没什么大不了的,做就是了。
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Thursday, March 15, 2007

Data

I have been dealting with the data for a long time. It is very tiresome. What's worse is that I spent half a day in the library siting in front of the Terminal but got nothing I want. I was almost beaten. I almost cry. But I can not be beaten by such small difficulty. Anyway, I have much more clean data now. And I have to futher match them one by one.

I am exhausted. My thesis topic is still hung. Last time, I talk to my supervisor. He told me to match the data and do the literature review at the same time. So, I come back to match the data and read the papers I have read before and then summarise them. But, I am always confuse that, I even don't have a topic how can I do the literature review? How can I judge which part of them is important to me? Why every time is dealing with the data? To now, I don't see the light. I have no idea when and how I can get out.

Am I really very monoric? I even can not work out a thesis, how can I do a good job in the financial market? How can I sell myself. What you can do to the company?

I don't like to accept it. And I am not so bad, am I?

Come on! Keep on trying! Just stress, silly!
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Saturday, March 10, 2007

Enjoy now suffer later?

I have not updated my blog for a few days. Some one has complained that. The reason, or more precise, the excuse is I am too busy. Too busy. That's what I usually say. Busy with what? Study. How many classes do you have? Six hours a week. Six hours a week and you are very busy and even don't have enough time to sleep? That's what my parents ask me. I said yes. Beside classes I have to read papers and do my thesis. And how's your thesis going? Every time I call them they will ask the second question. I just start it, a lot of work has to do later. Every time they also get the same answer.

How? You may ask.

I don't like to do it. I don't know how to process.

Then, discuss with your supervisor.

He is very busy. And I have switched my topic twice from last semester. At the beginning, I learned something. But, some time later, I went into the bottleneck. And I can't see my progress. Probably, I pace up and down at that level.

This afternoon, I went to the Toastmaster meeting as usual. But today's meeting is special. It was the International Contest and Table Topics Contest section. I am not qualified for the International Contest but the Table Topics Contest. Hence, I take the risk to participate in the Table Topics Contest. The Table Topics is like this.

The chair will get you a topic, usually a common statement. When you get the topic, you read it out to the audience. Then, you give out your opinion whether you agree with the statement or not. Definitely, you have to give out you reasons which support your arguments. You are tend to get a high mark if a story that support your argument is delivered. The time limit is 1-2 mins. Less than 1 min and more than 2.5 mins are unqualified.

Today's topic is "Enjoy now, suffer later." A very usual statement. And I think we were all told in an early age. Our parents, grandparents, uncles and aunties, teachers all deliver this statement to us. Do you agree with this statement?

To me, I agree with it. However, I don't like it. I agree with it, like ABC usually says the actor's line from a HongKong movie, 'Everything has to pay back'. You don't just live for this moment. The life cycle we have learned from the class. When you maximizing your entire life utility, you have to balance. Balancing your utility in the early stage and late stage of your life. Which, in my opinion, is the life-style you have chosen. I am conservative person. So I don't like to take risk. I don't like to suffer later. To avoid that I follow the way our seniorities have told us, suffer now and enjoy later. Nevertheless, I don't like it either. Do we really have to suffer? Why can't we enjoy the whole life? I think it is because of our mind set. The way we think. The way we live. If we change our mind set and look things at the other angle, we can enjoy our lives all the time. The sword has two sides. Every day is a good day. Next time when you suffer from sth, try to think it in another way and you'll find that it is not so bad. Then we can enjoy our life. Take it and enjoy in it. Thesis is neither boring nor tiresome. Try to enjoy it. Anyway, we learn and progress by doing that.

Think about what kind of life-style you like and enjoy it from now.
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