Lost in Translation II

Guess I was too "deep" in my last blog entry. Haaa.. Here is something for those who are visiting me this year.
 
Please learn it by heart before you ever come to China! Well, being a chinese in Singapore doesn’t mean you are a chinese in China. I am still found myself "lost in translation" sometimes.. (Hmmp..maybe it is easy for some of you…But I bet even Siow Wei doesn’t know all of these!)
 

FOR FOOD LOVERS

Spoon                   调羹,汤勺

Napkin                  餐巾

Tissue                   餐巾纸

Straw                   吸管

Mashed-Potato                 土豆泥                                                     

Milk Shake                         奶昔  

 

FOR HOME-MAKER

Air Con                 空调

Mouse                  鼠标

Thumb Drive         U

Cooker                 煤气灶

Water Heater       热水器

Foot Reflexology   足疗,足底按摩

 

FOR BRAND-PEOPLE

Microsoft              微软

Apple                   苹果

Sony                    索尼

Nokia                   诺基亚

Hitachi                  日立

Samsung              三星

Panasonic             松下

Canon                  佳能

 

FOR THE LOST

Left Turn              左转,大转弯(on the road

Right Turn            右转,小转弯(on the road

U-Turn                 掉头

         

FOR DESIGNERS

Emboss                    浮雕,凸

Die-Cut                     刀板

Hot-Stamp                烫印

Gloss Lamination    光膜

Matt Lamination      哑膜

UV Vanish                过油

Saddle-Stitch           骑马钉

W-O                         圈装

Aluminum               

Acrylic                    雅克利

Frosted Surface      磨砂表面

Styrofoam              泡沫塑料,宝丽绒

Translucent            半透明的

Hi-Resolution          高精度的

3D Image                   三维(立体)图像

Graphic Design        平面设计

Stapler                       订书机

 

FOR THOSE WHO VISIT JB

DVD (not shoot from cinema one)                  大碟版 

 
 

Lost in Translation

When man learns to walk, it gives him a new sense of confidence to roam and explore freely. Perhaps it is a sense of freedom.
 
Throughout our life journey, we choose our own path and pace. God gives man the freedom to walk but he leaves man to choose his own directions. Fate is nothing but a compass. We walk our own destiny.
 
Because we are never meant to be stationary – does it mean that we have a higher chance of getting lost? Or rather, if we are trees, rooted ourselves in the middle of a jungle, does it mean that we have found our spot and can never be lost.
 
At times, when I am given the opportunity to choose (at the cross-roads), I often felt lost and uncertain. Cos’ I am always making mental sum on which is the best direction to go. Perhaps, there is no such thing like a "best direction"?
 
I love travelling on a straight road. I dun mind the straight road being bumpy, rocky, sharp bended curves or even full of potholes.. At least, I know I have only one way ahead. Be it day or night, rain or shine, there is only one direction that I need to focus. The only thing I need to decide is my own pace.. it doesn’t matter if it is fast or slow.. I will get there anyway..
 
You see, there can never be too wrong to pick a wrong pace… However, sometimes we have to pay a heavy toll if we picked a wrong path. That is when we got confused and lost. We all know that there are some routes in life that don’t allow a U-turn. And there are cross-roads that share similar fate but contrasting destiny.
 
What do we do when we are lost? Most of us would stop walking, leave that confusing place and try to find a clearer road. And what is a clearer road? A road without cars? Or a road with lots of signs? What if we can’t find that clearer road and ended up being "more lost"? Then again, how can one be "more lost" when he is lost?
 
When you are lost, you wish to see someone familar on the same road as you. Cos’ you know that familar face is going to lead you out of the lost state of mind. The "best direction" mentality doesn’t apply here anymore. You just want to get out.
 
I am not lost… In fact, I have a clear path ahead of me.. However, I have just took a left turn and found myself standing in an interchange of fate and destiny. Sitting near the information booth, I saw a line of people feeling lost…praying for a sign. I wish I can lead them but I know whichever direction I point is going to affect a chain of events and destiny.
 
Feeling really heavy and helpless, perhaps, it is best that I get back to my own road.
Like what my creative director has said, it is good to fly with a string attached sometimes, at least you can control your high and lows. A kite without a string can never take flight. A kite with a broken string will eventually falls.
 

Visitors of my Blog

I start to believe my blog has more than 1 loyal reader – other than "Tee KoPeh" Sam.. Afterall, you can’t blame for this late faith cos’ Sam is the only one putting constructive comments on my blog. Though many can debate about the substance of his comments, Sam posted the most numbers of comments. (Followed by Tracy, Bobo and Joanne. – You see, these ladies aren’t any loyal readers – They are under my "Compulsory Reading Programme" – cos’ I will give them "Weekly Blog Comprehension Test")
 
Yesterday, I was chatting with Meijie over the phone..  I am so surprised to hear how updated he was… Unlike Sam, he was a quiet subscriber…who sneaked in silently and left silently. (Anyway, that is how quiet Meijie is…even at Hotel 25, he came, he slept and he left.) Man, I start to see how compatible Kalinda and Meijie are - they are really slient lovers!
 
Last week, Juliana left me a heart-warming note on my MSN…asking how am I doing in Shanghai. She read about my "low moody" thread and sent me her wishes. Though it was a short exchange of words.. it feels good to have someone watching over you. I was very touched by her sincerity. (Ouch! Joe, that’s mushy!).. Anyway, she just celebrated her 28th birthday last night – I can’t wait to demostrate my singing talent too – sang her a birthday song over the phone! (See photos )
 
At 930pm just now, Gareth called. Strange, I thought…cos’ I no longer order "XXX Pizza" from him anymore. Ever since he moved house and achieved his 1st "X" (I mean his Baby X lah), we hardly gather anymore. Still, he is a good old brother to the clan and a very caring one too. (Selectively to Kalinda and me only, I guess). Yah…Gareth is a little bit biased..but what to do. He like big body parts…so me and Kal kinda qualify.
 
Back to his call - Gareth just wanted to say hi and spoke the most heart-melting words – "We miss you leh". I nearly flipped off my chair! I asked him "what’s up, man?"… He answered "I just read your blog and feel like calling you lor".. Funny, I didn’t post up any XXX call girls in my blog…Anyway, I just gained another loyal reader now.
 
THE ARRIVAL OF FRIENDS (See, they are in the "Future" now!)
These 2 weeks, I have friends coming in from Singapore…and dropping by to visit me. I just met Charlie for lunch last Sat and Scott just stayed over my house last night! Tomorrow I will be meeting Desmond and Yogi. It is so great to have friends coming in and out.. makes me feel so at home.. (with all the 8days, Straits Times, etc they brought with them..haaahaaa)
 
Scott just left my house 1 hour ago.. (See photos ) Felt rather bad that I didn’t have enough time with him (as I have been really busy over the past few days). Scott was here for a business trip and he personally extended 1-2 days just to meet up with me. The time we spent together was really short (just over 2 dinners) but we did have a good heart-to-heart chat.
 
Before he took off just now, he actually gave me a lot of encouragement, asking me to stay on and keep my chin up. Felt kinda sad when we bid farewell, cos’ he is also another brotherly figure.
 
Okay..let’s not get too mushy…. Anyway… I am looking forward to meet Desmond + Yogi tomorrow..( Cos my PSP Game is with them now..) Opps.. sorry..er.. I mean I miss their presence too…
 

The Future is Here

I was watching the movie "UltraViolet" 2 nights ago. After 20 minutes into the movie, I got kinda "switch-off" – not because of the lousy story plot - but more on the futuristic settings that the movie-maker designed.
 
You see, "UltraViolet" is a movie about life in the future. You carry a handphone that can do 3D Live Conferencing, you carry weapons in Compressed 4-Dimension Space and your hair/attire changes colours as you please. It was pretty impressive…Afterall, if you are working on a futuristic movie, you should go all the way out to design and produce the future at your "wildest imagination".
 
The moment of anti-climax came when I noticed something really familiar in the movie. 40% of the action acutally took place at Shanghai Puxi - at the world famous "Pearl of the Orient" and "JinMao Tower". Dun get me wrong, I love Shanghai but I tot the movie-maker should fabricate and design their own futuristic settings – and not using popular locations that people are so familiar with. Imagine seeing Starwars being shot at our own backyard… how convincing that this is the future, huh?
 
On the other hand, I tot it is not a bad idea to be in that "future state"…so I popped over to Puxi yesterday and visited some of those scenes.. and got my pictures taken.
 
I hope this strengthen my point - "See you in the future!"

No Mood for Blog

I have tried to type in something for my blog this week.. but I just can’t get my words out. Feeling so moody and down.
 
It has been a very bad week for me. I was down at the local Shanghai hospital with a very bad fever, cough, flu and throat-infection… And coincidently, my son was admitted to (Singapore) hospital for the wrong reason. He got himeself a deep cut on his forehead and needed stitches. 
 
When Felicia called me on Wed about Elkan’s fall, I was feeling so down and desperate… Here am I, feeling so sick and lousy..and at the same time, I felt so helpless and pissed that I couldn’t be with Elkan. Things just fell apart at one go and it’s  just so damn frustrating putting them back in place.
 
Thanks to the internet and my IP phone. I felt so assured when Chups sent me those photos of Elkan. Felicia called twice to re-assure me that my son is doing well. I was at that very edge to come home immediately. Pardon my language, but really, fuck the responsibility here… my family and loved ones matter to me most.
 
Wanna to hug Elkan so much… Somehow, his fall has made me so homesick.. Thanks to Tracy, Meijie, Joanne, Duuk, Juliana & Kalinda…visiting Elkan and giving him so much love. 
 
And thanks to Yixi… your comments and jokes on my blog kinda cheer me up. :)
 
The toll is heavy.. I just have to endure for a while more. I am coming home soon.
 
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