I’ve been self-employed for more than one year now, and feel that there are a few things I need to adjust.
Part of the motivation of self-employment is to spend more time with the family, but that didn’t happen in the last year. In fact, I actually spent less time with my son than before I quit the job. And I’ve neglected his Chinese a little bit. That needs to be changed.
I’ve also struggled with how to best manage my time and routine. During my last full-time job, I had a stack of A4 printout that was no longer being used, and planned my day on the blank side of the paper. I would write down the date on top, scribble down tasks I needed to do that day, as detailed as possible, then prioritize the list by writing a number in front of each task, from 1 to 9, with 1 having the highest priority. I would go through my day based on that list and cross tasks off as I finish them. If tasks didn’t get completed during the day, I would copy that off to the next day. It worked really well for me.
For whatever reason, I’ve fallen off that wagon. I will start doing it again. I also need to discipline myself to go to bed earlier.
Managing schedule is another challenge. Sometimes clients call around the same time. I suppose how to balance that is an issue many of us (independents and/or small business owners) face.
We are also tidying up our condo, and hopefully will sell it soon. A little plug here: it is in a great location, walking distance to Metra, EL, downtown library, cinema, bookstores, restaurants, parks, all that good stuff. Dear reader, if you or somebody you know are interested, send me a note.
I’ve also volunteered for a few things. Accept my apologies here, my friends, for I truly didn’t have time to finish them at the moment. Some got started, but I need more time.
Maybe this is all part of the mid-age thing, being busy and having many things to take care of.
Riffing off on the recent reports of merchants starting charging for plastic bags in China and gas price increase all over the world: These days, 9 out of 10 times, I tell the cashier that I don’t need a bag while shopping here in the US. Plastic and paper bags are free here (the common question of “Paper or Plastic” when you check out). I do ask for one when I need it, nothing wrong with that. A close and reliable source has informed me that the Swedes have been charging for plastic bags for a while. Good for them, I say.
IMHO, the general population in the US are living an EXTREMELY wasteful lifestyle: the gas-guzzling SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicle, Hummer, anyone?); the aluminum and plastic cans and bottles; papers and junk mail; stupid and over-the-top product packaging; fast food packaging, disposable plates, chopsticks, forks, and knives; gadgets, laptops, and phones that use different power adapters; batteries; computer waste, the list goes on and on. It baffles me to no end why we behave in such a bone-headed way. In the last year or so, I’ve worked at a client in a western Chicago suburb, a training center in New York City, a financial firm in downtown Chicago. Of all the places, and I’ve looked for them, not a single one has paper/plastic/aluminum recycling receptacles.
There are efforts to curb that waste, but we need to do much more, such as: encouraging the purchase of fuel-efficient vehicles via tax credit or other incentives, remove the subsidy to oil companies and tax their record-breaking revenue for energy research and development, define sensible regulations for less wasteful yet still tasteful packaging, encourage and make it easy to recycle, etc..
It was a clear sky in LA, but looking down, the city seemed to be covered in smog. After working on Sql Server 2008 material in LAX airport for a while, I boarded a turbo-prop for San Jose. Landing time was windy, so it was a bit bumpy. The only flight attendant, Cindy K, joked that “United throw in a few rides free of charge”. She was helpful with my luggage, with an easy smile.
So I checked in Radisson Hotel around San Jose airport afterwards. I booked the hotel through HotWire. It was a sweet deal, around 60 dollars per night. HotWire is a great site, especially for hotels. I’ve used it three times, all pretty satisfied.
Google map is awesome. It even provided me with information on how to get to Santa Clara convention center via public transportation. So I walked to the Gish station, saw Mexican, Moroccan, Japanese, and Chinese restaurants along the way, and got to the Santa Clara convention center in a jiffy. This is the first time I stepped on the VTA, and I was impressed: it has bike racks. I also saw signs in English, Spanish, Chinese, and Vietnamese, and people seemingly from all parts of the world. Now that is the America I love!
Oh, I am here for the MySQL conference. Unlike Sql Server conferences I attended in the past, I don’t know many people in this community, so my objectives are to talk to and learn from people, schmooze, and network, and score as many free food and drinks as I can. So don’t disappoint me, MySQL!
I just read some news on wenxuecity.com, a popular overseas Chinese portal, and saw pictures below about the torch in Paris. Come on people, when you go down this low to fight for the Olympic torch with a disabled young lady sitting on a wheelchair, what kind of f****** moron are you?
I doubt an ordinary American reader would ever see these. All s/he sees are cropped images of Tibetan people being beat up by Nepalese police, and the caption would say something like a Chinese brutal crackdown. Yes, MSNBC and Chicago Tribune, I am talking about you, although you two are not mentioned in a lot of netizen’s complaints. I personally saw the pictures myself. It is an image where people seemed to be locked in a cage. The only problem is: that didn’t happen in China. In the case of MSNBC, that image probably has been taken down because I couldn’t find it anymore. For Chicago Tribune, that picture was printed on the front page in the print issue a few days ago. I may go to the library and take a picture of it when I get a chance.
Of course, footage of thugs rioting and burning down shops in Lhasa is conveniently ignored or just mentioned in passing.
Here are a few examples, so readers can understand where some Chinese’s complaints are coming from.
From Washington Post. The event in the picture happened in Nepal, but the Washington Post implied that it happened in China
Fox News. The caption says “Chinese troops parade handcuffed Tibetan prisoners in trucks” Do the soliders look like Chinese soliders?
German Bild. Sorry, that’s not China. That’s Nepal. Check out the cutting, how creative!
German N-TV. Sorry Nepal
Before CNN’s cut
After CNN’s cut
BBC’s caption for a picture of an ambulance: “There is a heavy military presence in Lhasa”
This could be a lengthy entry (It turned out to be one. Man, I’ve been working on it for hours, but I feel good afterwards, because I feel compelled to write about it and let it out of my chest.) In fact, I thought about writing this in both English and Chinese, but I don’t have the time and energy, so you will have to put up with it, dear reader.
I don’t know much about the Tibet region, so I don’t have much fact on it. Here are just some thoughts that have been going on in my mind. If I come across as being preachy, I apologize. In addition, I understand that the term of Western media is very general, but when it comes to the event in Tibet, it does look they use one voice.
For people in the west
1. In a democratic society, which China clearly is not but I think it is on that path, one certainly has every right to express his/her opinions and should be encouraged to do so;
2. When one tries to express his/her strong feelings and convictions, it needs to be done in a respectable manner. One also needs to have the humility to realize that his/her conclusions could be wrong, one-sided, and/or incomplete, which could be a result of drinking too much of one’s own kool-aid. But by all means, call it when you see bull, whether it is happening in China, US, or whatever country, with the right attitude, so serious engagement can ensue, which in turn brings positive changes.
3. The world is not just black and white. There is a lot of gray in between. The “you are either with us or against us” thinking does not fly in majority of cases. It’s best to put the high-minded, holier-than-thou, and condescending attitude on vacation. Mia Farrow, PETA, Gay pride parade people, you are giving good causes a bad name with your antics;
4. Political grandstanding and cheap shouting match in our media has seriously hurt the US, and drove the American people apart. See Jon Stewart’s excellent point in Cross Fire here (I am sorry, the bow tie guy Tucker Carlson in that show looks like a total arse). Although that show is close to 4 years old, it is still very much relevant. I am impressed with how much Obama was able to have some impact on the tone of deliberation in this primary campaign, though.
One interesting side effect of the whole Tibet business is that Western media companies have lost a lot of credibility in Chinese readers. Believe it or not, many Chinese people who can read English, especially younger generations, actually did think Western media is a model of objectivity. It certainly is way more diverse and better than Chinese government’s official mouthpiece, Xinhua. However, seeing many who cropped, edited, manipulated, PhotoShopped Tibetan riot images and videos to make the stories go certain directions, which is pretty well documented here, I am sorry to report that that illusion is gone for a lot of people. I was one of them a few years ago, but the post-911, Iraq war, and many other incidents changed my mind;
5. It is wrong to think the Chinese government as a communist, totalitarian regime, but that seem to be a lot of people’s impressions, especially in the US. Prior to Deng Xiaoping, yes. Since the early 80s, no. And I do give the regime credit for lifting millions and millions of people out of poverty. Certainly there are human rights violations and heavy-handed government measures, but the majority of people have the individual freedom that’s not possible 10 or 20 years ago. There are still enormous challenges facing China. And yes, stability is the key, because the country has a long way to go to play catchup;
6. Diplomacy conducted behind doors such as frank, private conversation always beats publicity stunt. Heck, I would use the Olympics as leverage, but I wouldn’t use it publicly to humiliate people and a government;
7. Listen but don’t necessarily buy exiles’ opinion wholesale. Remember curveball and Ahmed Chalabi? Granted, those two are mostly stooges of Bush and Cheney, but hopefully you can see my point here;
For China
1. Don’t have the knee-jerk reaction of rejecting any negative comments and/or constructive criticism out of hand. Some are very valid. Listen, draw the lesson, and move on;
2. Olympics is a great way for people to get together. Welcome everybody with open arms and treat everybody with respect, be they from America or Zambia. That does not mean that you should bend backwards to accommodate foreigners, but neglect your own fellow countryman, which I have seen happening;
3. Get rid of the internet Great Firewall once and for all. That does not mean one would not regulate the Internet, but it is time for GFW to go. Imagine the goodwill and positive publicity that will generate, both inside and outside China;
4. Tone down the rhetoric. Talk to Dalai Lama, publicly or in private. I don’t know much about him and his proposals, but he has a great deal of popularity and credibility in the West;
5. Engage in meaningful dialogue. You can certainly brush aside the usual political hackery from smartass journalists. Stop employing the usual rhetoric such as “一小撮别有用心的人的阴谋是不能得逞的”
6. Have a realistic expectation. Be prepared for more freak circus shows prior and during the event, but do your best;
7. China, don’t you ever turn back to be the inward-looking country that we once were for so long. Keep opening up, embracing challenges, and moving forward. Learn from others. Learn good things from others. At the same time, it is equally, if not more, important to learn from other’s mistakes, so it will not be repeated or the damage minimized. Maybe I am not qualified to make recommendations, but since I’ve been preaching throughout this post, I thought investigating, investing in hybrid technology and put out policy guidelines for the nascent auto industry is money well spent;
8. Both the United States and China are great countries. By working together, the benefits to people in both countries and around the world can be enormous. That should be the only way to go, because confrontations can possibly lead to the end of the human race;
9. And to Liu Xiang and all other athletes, do your best. I am with you and will cheer you on whatever the results
Another group that I feel I can vouch for is the Overseas China Education Foundation. I met with their Chicago volunteer group last year, and was impressed by the group’s compassion and dedication.
I had some issues with ViEmu for Sql Server Management Studio on Sql Server 2008 CTP 6. So I wrote Jon. He got back to me very quickly. It turned out that the version I installed was an older one. I downloaded the newer one and it worked out of the box.
So I am a VI / Vim aficionado. In fact, I consider learning VI to be the second best investment I ever made so far in my life. The best ever happened about 5 years ago, when I finally taught myself touch typing. (I didn’t see or touch a computer and typewriter until my early twenties.) I tried to teach myself touch typing maybe ten years ago, using a high school typing book I borrowed from the local library here. That didn’t work out very well. Five years ago, I purchased a touch typing software off the web, maybe 25 dollars or so, and finally became a decent touch typist. Now I kick myself for not learning touch typing earlier.
After that, typing is not a hindrance anymore. Using Vim actually makes it enjoyable. It has made a huge difference in my life.
There is so much to learn in Vim. So far these are my most-used commands:
w
b
)
(
G
gg
cw and cNumberw
cfSomeAlphaNumericCharacter
ctSomeAlphaNumericCharacter
dw and dNumberw
C
cG
dd
.
yy
p
P
fSomeAlphaNumericCharacter
;
*
i
I
a
A
o
O
/
%
:g/^$/d to remove blank lines
Macros (q, then a letter, followed by actions that you want repeated later. For example, suppose I have a list of tables that need to be truncated, I will go to the first line, start macro recording, press I truncate table, Esc, j, then q to stop recording. For the rest of the lines, I just do Number@MacroName)
That’s all I can think of now. According to Vim Tips Wiki site, this collection of tips is the best. I found that most of the tips need to be followed consciously for a while before they become part of you. What are yours you can share with me?
After our last experiment, we drew a Swedish flag with Logo. Major code improvement:
1. Introduction of variable for flag size;
2. Using the direction keyword instead of turnright and turnleft to make it less ambiguous to the code reader.
Here is the final product:
Here is the code for it.
# Begin logo code
reset
x=400
canvassize 1.6*x,x
canvascolor 65,105,225
penwidth 0.2*x
pencolor 255,255,0
go 0,0.5*x
direction 90
forward 1.6*x
go 0.6*x,0
direction 180
forward x
# End logo code
Chinese flag is next. This will be a bit challenging. We will need to figure out how to draw the stars, and tilt them in the right direction. That should also give us ideas on how to draw the US flag.
2 things are of interest:
1. The code above works for KTurtle 0.6 on Ubuntu 7.1 with KDE 3.5.8, but the same code does not work on Sabayon Professional 1.1, with KTurtle 0.6, KDE 3.5.7;
2. After the Swedish flag, I thought drawing other Nordic flags is just a matter of changing colors. Turns out that is not the case, because there are subtle design and dimension differences, especially for Norwegian and Icelandic flags.
My son had the idea, and I just implemented it in Logo. It’s been really fun. We learned typing, math, geometry, and all that together without even knowing it. We did it on Ubuntu with KTurtle. By the way, it looks KTurtle’s Logo implementation is not consistent with documentations found in other sites. The next version of KTurtle may fix that.
The idea he came up with was to divide a canvas into 3 equal parts and paint them in different colors: white, black, and red. Below is what I came up with. I drew my implementation on a piece of paper and explained what I was going to do. It’s actually not as easy as we first thought. The things we learned: difference between GO versus FORWARD or BACKWARD, TURN commands and the fact that GO does not change the turtle’s direction (in other words, the direction is maintained unless you change it). In fact, DIRECTION is actually a better keyword for me to use here for this purpose, I should remember to tell him tomorrow morning. I should also introduce variables later, at least to define the canvas size.
We will do a Swedish flag together, then Chinese flag, followed by American flag, probably in the order of difficulty. This site was pretty helpful in figuring out different colors and their corresponding RGB codes.
