Sounds Like A Plan

(This is an article I saved in Draft long time ago. It's fun to release now...)

It's been a long time not writing anything here. The last article was written two years ago when I just finished my military service. Time really flew and now I've already worked for my current employer for about 2.3 years; 3 years from my cycling trip in the east coast of Taiwan, 4 years from my university graduation.

The rainbow

R0011952-1
Originally uploaded by astroodie

This picture was shoot 1 yr and 4 months ago by an user on Flickr. And it was when I served my military training before becoming a Civilian Serviceman.

That was a period of time when I almost had no connection with the outside world. People like me in Chengonglin were under high pressure and had a very regular daily schedule.

BUT I DID KNEW THIS RAINBOW!

One of my friend in NTU saw the rainbow in the campus and took a picture of it. I got that picture, which was attached within a letter sent to my unit.

My appreciate again here for my considerate friend. Seeing the beautiful rainbow really helped a stressed soldier find the happiness and gave him the warmest encouragement when he's in need.

Good shot!

The Lantern Festival

Lantern Festival
Originally uploaded by TingChang

This photo was taken on the 2008 Lantern Festival, Tainan County, Taiwan. Also, it's my first shot recommended by the flickrers in some "high level" groups. Reading those comments and encouragement from other photographers is one thing you will get addict to it!!

Lantern Festival is one of the many traditions of Chinese culture. The day is on every lunar January 15th, and it is also the last day of the "New Year celebration." (through 12/31 to 1/15)

There's a tradition that people will hang some lanterns outside of the house. Kids are told and taught to make some lanterns and bring one to the street.

When I was a child, I remember my parents took my sister and me to the celebration fete every year. There would be many food stands, street vendors and some performances in the evening.

"Shooting" the lantern riddles is the most interesting traditional activity. Every riddle has been written on the lantern hanging on a wire. The host will take it down one by one and let the crowd guess the answer.

The riddles are usually designed in Taiwanese. Without good understanding of the language and and the culture, it's hard for people to get the points.

Nowadays, this kind of fete are rarely seen and replaced by big lantern festivals. (lantern works display, fireworks shows) The main festival (national level) will be held by a county or city government.

However, people in other places still have some smaller (in scale) festivals to visit.

2008 Taiwan Lantern Festival

After watching An Inconvenient Truth

[下午 12:34:19] .SSD says: there?

[下午 12:34:40] .SSD says: lunch?

[下午 12:34:58] .SSD says: i watch the movie An Inconvenient Truth

[下午 12:35:58] .SSD says: I have been waiting for watching this movie and finally I went to Blockbuster to get one

[下午 12:37:15] .SSD says: and that's really an fascinating movie although I fell asleep around 10 o'clock as I watching it...

[下午 12:39:09] .SSD says: I woke up around 8:30 and continued it.. finished it then bought my breakfast home and watched the extra information in the DVD

[下午 12:41:08] .SSD says: if you've heard of that.. it's not a normal story-telling movie.. no fancy story, no pop stars.. no special effects..

[下午 12:41:32] .SSD says: the only thing inside the movie is a PRESENTATION about global warming

[下午 12:42:23] .SSD says: a incredible presentation by Al Gore, American's ex- Vice President

[下午 12:43:05] .SSD says: I don't want to say too much on him. bc when u watch this you will know him

[下午 12:43:22] .SSD says: BUT i made a decision after watching this

[下午 12:43:58] .SSD says: I will buy some DVDs to share them with friends, as many as possible..

[下午 12:44:53] .SSD says: maybe I will take that to my English class, which is also an perfect material for English learning

[下午 12:45:03] .SSD says: and to my office...

[下午 12:46:13] .SSD says: maybe be buy one for the deputy Magistrate of Taichung County Gov't, if he didn't have one or have not seen the movie

[下午 12:47:11] .SSD says: and somehow I start to think about issues like what if Mr. Bush didn't win the election but Mr. Gore did

[下午 12:47:30] .SSD says: what would be the change he could make for the earth

[下午 12:49:33] .SSD says: will he be the Candidate of the Democrat to the Presidency election? obviously not according to the current situation

[下午 12:50:59] .SSD says: but what if he did, will he lose again?

[下午 12:53:20] .SSD says: I don't know, but I was very impressed by the ending of the movie. he's saying like, this is a question if we human being can transcend ourselves and the history?

[下午 12:53:41] .SSD says: and he said YES.

[下午 12:55:00] .SSD says: the build-up of democracy system is the proof. for many cases we human being figured out what is wrong and what is correct.. and we change it!

[下午 12:56:59] .SSD says: even on the environmental issue, we have some successful cases. to protect the O3 layer is the one. American Gov't and other coutries' contribution made the worsening situation become better

[下午 12:57:46] .SSD says: Al Gore points out that all we need or actually what the gov't need is the political will

[下午 12:58:56] .SSD says: this sounds pity for me.. sometimes we know something are right. but without political power we just couldn't make it.

[下午 12:59:32] .SSD says: it's the reality. but it's not the evidence that things have no way to be changed.

[下午 01:01:48] .SSD says: as we know, a well-function democratic system should transfer people's voice to the decision maker. Only if all of us believe THAT is a case. that do MATTER. then things are gonna be changed

[下午 01:06:01] .SSD says: somehow I was very very very touched by this movie not only the way Gore try to convince us how it is serious, but also that feeling, that people, us are facing a significant problem. and I see some heroic people working hard to solve and to help us understand the problem

[下午 01:07:47] .SSD says: those director, producers, even the singer who sing for the movie... sacrifice a lot and only thing in their mind is to support the movie and let it influence more people..

[下午 01:09:18] .SSD says: oh my, if you listen to that music.. you would certainly drop some tear or have some fire in your mind.. things are gonna be changed. people should wake up right NOW

[下午 01:10:10] .SSD says: and most importantly you are not alone.. hey I just can't help but feel that is really a good song, especially when it's in this movie

[下午 01:11:17] .SSD says: it seems i type too much on this, it's originally the messages I key in the Skype window.. to my sister

[下午 01:12:26] .SSD says: but she wasn't there.. ha so I keep typing and it's no longer some messages but become an article .. uh ha.. so I decide to let it be my words after watching An Inconvenient Truth.

http://climatecrisis.org/

Grand Pa

Last weeken, I went to Sun Moon Lake to participate in the Uni Cup Triothon. On the cruise, I was on a phone call with my Dad. After reporting our acomplishment, I was put to the line with grand pa.
It's abnormal he talked quite much. he used to a quiet person especially as getting older and older. somehow, he was different. He told me dad taking them to the Enping and have a nice day with the Philipian servant. asked me about the military life. and I say a lot as well.

I can tell how much they are desire to talk with
someone. and i was happy i could be the one on the side of the
telephone.

Green

This is an Macro shot. Look at that curly leaves ... very energetic, isn't it?