Rambling 050829

Yes.... It's another of my ramblings... since there is nothing especially exciting or insightful I can think of to say... I'll just ramble on.... ~.~

OK.... so, let's see... what's been going on in my life.....

1. This Summer Vacation, several brothers and sisters have came back to Taiwan to visit, and I am very fortunate to have met with most of them: SW, Tina, Jennifer, Yunnice, Bunden (did I miss someone? @.@|||)... I also know that BaoBao was back with Tang Mama, plus Sophia will be visiting in Sept, Cindy is coming back for several month's stay... I have to say that it has felt much less lonely here in Taipei! ^^~

2. On Aug. 25 (Thu.), Carina has left for Manchester, U.K. to get her MBA (and hopefully a great guy, Mwah~), and that is a great temporary loss that I will feel very deeply. After all, the two of us had 相依為命'ed for 2 years since I came back to Taiwan... I am very thankful that I still have Christine as a great companion, but she is also leaving next spring.... These changes show two main things: one, I have been really lazy in making new friends since I came back; and two, I really need to start giving my future direction more serious thoughts and actions... >"< (heavy stuff... really don't want to get into that... makes me depressed... and just want to procrastinate... Orz)

3. I will officially have been without a functional computer for 4 whole weeks tomorrow. Currently, the information I have since last Monday was that the motherboard was causing the problem, they had send it back to the manufacturer, but because this item/model has gone out of production, they are having trouble finding a replacement... Being without a computer for 2-3 weeks is still bearable.... But to not be able to use computer at home for one whole month has been very, very inconvenient and annoying!! Last week I thought I was dealing with this whole situation pretty well, but today, I finally think I have had enough!!!!!! But the frustrating thing is, there seems to be nothing I can do to improve the situation!! >o<~

4. I have finally received a sort of clear answer from my boss that I am qualified (worked at Pilarquim for over 1 year) to use the annual trip fund of NT$20,000 to travel overseas. Of course, I don't have annual leave yet, so I will have to bear a significant decrease in my salary for the month I take this trip, but it is way worth it!! Right now, the problem is, I don't have anybody really suitable and available to go on this trip with, and I haven't really decided on where to go yet... Many things to consider, neh... Anybody has good suggestions? Anybody want to come with? XD

Overtime~~

OK, I will be working overtime today... I haven't left the office late for a while now, but today is Friday, and there are a number of things I have to finish before leaving for the week:

1. Quote product prices for 4 customers to Sao Paulo Sales Representative.
2. Translate the Executive Summary of a management proposal.
3. Confirm order details for 1 Ecuadorian customer.
4. Write e-mail for 老板 to Brazilian Joint Venture partner.
5. E-mail to new Chilean customer's questions about samples recently sent.
6. Weekly Working Report + Weekly Quotation table.

As it's already 3PM now... I will most definitely not be able to finish it by 5:30pm... Good thing is that today I can stay late... Just a couple of weeks ago, I had had to e-mail my bosses two consecutive Fridays to tell them that I am leaving some very important work unfinished and leaving for the weekend / day because I have pre-arranged plans, etc... Good thing they have not said anything negative about these incidences, but I don't think they will stay silent if this happens too often.

Of course, this doesn't mean that I won't do it again in the future when it is necessary, nor will I feel guilty about it, since I try to do as much work as I can in the official work hours, and they don't give me any overtime pay for me to finish additional load. However, I don't mind staying late once in a while to finish stuff since I don't really have a life to go back to (only a 32-inch TV... -.-)...

So, anyways, enough procrastinating (yeah, some of you may have realized that's what all this rambling is about... ha ha...), and back to work, lor... XD

Anniversary Rambling~~~ XD

Well, I still haven't started working on my article on the HuaLien Trip...
My computer is still not fixed... They found out that the ASUS Motherboard had some problem and was the reason of my computer going crazy... Since it is still within the 1-year warranty period, it was sent to ASUS for repair or replacement. Hopefully they will get it back soon and everything can be normal again... We'll have to wait and see... -.-

As for the past two weeks of my life without a computer at home... has been filled with TV and manga... mostly TV, lah... I still remember a time before my computer was broken when I almost never watch TV except the weather report every morning before leaving for work... Now, all my time at home after work is filled with hours after hours of channel-switching.... very pathetic, huh? Orz Just goes to show how important my computer is to me, its presence changes my whole lifestyle, even though the difference is only in the various ways to 混時間.... *sigh*

Well, that update on what I've been doing recently done, this post is mainly to recognize the 1-year Anniversary of this Blog! I realized a while ago that the anniversary is approaching. The first post was posted on Aug. 11, 2004, so now, it is officially one-year-old! Congratulations to myself for keeping this up for so long.... Mwah~

Time does pass by really fast, though..... It didn't seem like that when we are 混日子ing, but whenever you look back, you are in danger of being truamatized at seeing the amount of time that had already passed and will never come back.... >口< *sigh* don't get me started..... ~"~

男人不帥...

先看男生 (藍色) 完 再看女生 (粉紅色)，超好笑！ XD

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男人不帥版
女生回應版

選擇在研究所放榜那天，對她表白。 因為她不只一次的說過：「我喜歡聰明的男生。」 我不了解，女孩對聰明男生的定義是什麼？
我姑且認定它的意思是會讀書的男生。

他那天突然跟我表白，我嚇了一跳。大概是我們在聊天的時候，他老是說自己長的不帥，我只是敷衍他說：「我喜歡聰明的男生。」

我們是怎麼認識的？透過學校的BBS 站。聊過幾次天，知道她有同學讀我們學校，她總是帶著羨慕的口吻說：「能念× 大真好。」

我們是怎麼認識的？透過學校的 BBS 站吧，聊過幾次天，他真的很無趣，也不知道要聊些什麼，老是說自己念Ｘ大多有前途，家裡又有錢像是挖金礦的，後來知道我有同學讀他們學校，我總算像是發現新大陸一樣終於有別的話題繼續跟他哈拉，「能念Ｘ大真好。」

見了面後，她的第一個疑問居然是：「你不會瞧不起私立大學的學生吧？」
面對她的問題，我愣了好一會，才回答她：「不會！」
我發愣是因為我壓根沒想過這個問題。

聊了幾次見了面後，我真的相信網路上真的有那種隔著螢幕就覺得自己像是比爾蓋茲的男人，但是比爾蓋茲雖然不帥，總比他好看一萬倍。 後來我問他：「你不會瞧不起私立大學的學生吧？」 是因為我不想被他認為我是那種念野雞大學的女生遇到念Ｘ大的高材生就好像蒼蠅看見大便一樣興奮，而且，拜託，他比大便還醜。

她活潑、大方，比我高一些些，對我來說是個漂亮女生，我們倆的組合應該很像美女與野獸，想到這裡，我忍不住笑了起來。「笑什麼？」她問。「沒有。」「才怪！快說。」「真的沒有。」「哼！才怪。」她的表情很豐富。經常不由自主的吸引我的目光，觀察著她的一頻一笑。

八個月過去，我認識她的大學好友，他認識我的大學好友，每個人都說我們是一對的，可是，我知道不是。 因為她始終與我保持著適當的距離，不言情不談愛，卻每天會跟我連絡，與我分享著她的生活她的喜怒哀樂，漸漸的我被制約了，我變成宿舍裡最愛接電話的人，因為我不想錯過她的任何一通電話。 我喜歡她，可是我從來不敢開口，因為她對我來說太漂亮，我非常沒有把握能追得到她，所以我認真的準備研究所考試，因為她曾說過她喜歡聰明的男生 ?

之前聊天的時候我就知道他對我有意思，但是拜託，我就算拜金也不想拜他ＯＫ？當當朋友是無所謂，至於當情人甚至未來的伴侶，連窗戶都不必有了。

後 來漸漸熟了，我認識他的大學好友，他認識我的大學好友，大家偶爾一起約出去，大概是因為我是個傻大姊個性的女生，對男生沒有什麼戒心，所以很多他的朋友都 認為我們是一對，拜託，他的朋友眼睛都埋在土裡面嗎？後來我的閨中密友跟我建議不要跟他太靠近，所以也就與他保持適當的距離。還好他那時要準備研究所考 試，我也就槳的輕鬆，「我喜歡聰明的男生」，我還是繼續這樣敷衍他。

研 究所終於放榜了，我想，我應該真的是個聰明的男生，因為台、清、交、成我全上了。我鼓起十二萬分的勇氣對她表白。可是電話另一頭的她居然一直哭，哭著對我 說：「對不起，我沒有辦法。」我喜歡你，可是我沒有辦法愛你。」她邊哭邊說我很心痛，但我還沒有時間整理自己受傷的心情，因為她一直哭，我得要先安撫她。 「沒關係啦，我們還是可以當朋友，妳不要傷心。」我說出這樣的話。可是，為什麼呢？受傷的明明是我，我是被拒絕的人，為什麼妳一直哭呢？？掛上電話後，我 十分的沮喪，也有著很莫名奇妙的心情，她究竟為什麼要哭的淅瀝澕啦的？我們不是分手的戀人，而是我是被拒絕的人，為什麼妳表現的比我還傷心？？

後 來有一天晚上我在看八點檔的時候，他突然打電話來，他說他台、清、交研究所都考上了，我一邊祝福他一遍看著緊湊的劇情也沒注意他在說什麼，突然他對我告 白，「因為我真的是一個聰明的男生」，天啊，為什麼這個八點檔的編劇這個可惡，明明人家正要開始幸福為什麼又安排男主角被車撞死，嗚嗚嗚真可憐，我一邊哭 我邊跟他說，「對不起，我沒有辦法，」嗚嗚嗚真可憐，明明女主角等了好幾年，終於要撥雲見日了，為什麼男主角要死嗚嗚嗚，「我很喜歡你，可是我沒有辦法愛 你。」嗚嗚嗚，好可憐的女主角。

經過一些時日後，我才明白，原來女人對於聰明男人的定義是這樣的。會唸書、有成就，還有要長的好看。自己不在意，手帕交們也會施與壓力。原來長相是基本條 款，這是我無法橫越的障礙。

事隔多年，我居然在公司尾牙的餐會上，遇見了當年那個跟她表白，她卻哭成一個淚人兒的女孩。她仍有昔日的美貌，卻失去了當年的 光采與氣質。她抽中了微波爐興高采烈的上台領獎。

過 了好幾年我也就忘了這件事，後來我遇到我的真命天子也就結婚了，外子雖然不是什麼高階主管，生活也就安安分分的過著。一年外子公司尾牙，居然幸運的抽中一 台微波爐，天啊我多想要一台微波爐想很久了，這次居然手氣這麼旺被我抽到，看來等等趕去再簽幾張樂透彩看能不能中頭獎。

我開始想，她是那個部門的？ 我怎麼從來沒有見過她？

我的眼光追隨著她，看到她在業務部小誠的身邊坐下，我才恍然明白，她是小誠的妻。而小誠是我的部屬。

摸彩散場後，小誠帶著她到我面前介紹著：「副理，她是我老婆。」我笑著對她點點頭。我看見她眼裡閃過的那一抹驚訝與尷尬。

我們又在洗手間外巧遇，她等小誠，而我等我的妻。

「你老婆很漂亮。」她說
「因為她喜歡聰明的男人。」我說
「你還記得？真不好意思。」
「聰明的男人，得賺很多錢讓她變得更漂亮。」我笑
我看見她尷尬的笑，並且瞄了地上的微波爐一眼。

她感覺到自己的窘困，在一個當年自己拒絕的男人面前，她為了抽中一台微波爐而喜悅，這一台微波爐大概比不上他老婆的一雙鞋價錢。而她跟小誠卻連一台微波爐都得冀望摸彩。「你老公很帥。」我說。

Sneak Preview~ ^-*

Possible free HuaLien 2-day-1-night trip coming up~
So... look forward to some fun comments and ramblings about it next week!

Whether or not there will be pictures will depend on:
1.) If the digicam (or battery or memory card) did not have any problems.
2.) How well they come out.
3.) How long it takes for QT-Queen of Procrastination and Destroyer of Computers to download, organize, and upload the pictures on the Web.

Ha ha... Anyways, just wait and see, lor~ ^^"

Summer Cravings! XP~

Ok... So, now that I am over my bad Monday Blues... I will go back to what enhanced it -- the fulfillment of my Summer Cravings over the weekend! (If you do not understand what I am talking about, scroll down to read the previous post and all the comments! ^^")

Speaking of summer cravings...
I am sure one of the first things that pops out of everybody's mind is -- 剉冰！
Yep, I had a serious case of craving for 剉冰 (shaved ice) over the last several weeks, but they are not just for any kind of shaved ice, there were two types of shaved ice that I was specifically craving for:　綿綿卡布奇諾 and 鴉片粉圓！ Of course, I also crave for our Candlelighters' Shaved Ice Fundraising Event, but that was more a craving for the fellowship activity... hee hee...

Now, lemme introduce these two types of 剉冰 to you:

1. 綿綿卡布奇諾冰 -- LINK
Actually, the first time I had this, was last spring when Soap and Ken came back to Taiwan for their Wedding Banquet. Soap was the one who found recommendations of this shaved ice store on the web and insisted on trying it when they came to Taipei to visit after the Banquet... Instead of the usual chunky and crunchy shaved ice, 綿綿冰 is made by shaving frozen milk very finely, so just the shaved ice itself has a mild and creamy flavor. Even more unique is the 綿綿卡布奇諾, which is made by very finely shaving a large cube of frozen cappuccino ice. The cool thing is that just the shaved ice itself, without any extra flavoring, has a very clear coffee flavor! I fell in love with it that first time I tried and have always tried to have a plate of 綿綿卡布奇諾 whenever I go to 士林夜市... It is even greater because this really cool and unique shave ice is only NT$50! XP~

2. 鴉片粉圓冰 -- LINK
鴉片粉圓冰 is pretty famous in Taiwan... Its name came from the fact that it is very simple yet very addictive: once you try it, you will get hooked on it... (OK, OK, maybe not every person will be affected, lah, but at least I was... XD) It has been so successful that they have opened dozens of chain stores since thirty-some years ago and have even branched out and registered/patented their specific type of 粉圓 in other countries! 鴉片粉圓 is a little lighter in color and smaller in size than the usual 粉圓, and maybe because the type of sugar they use to cook it, it has a very fragrant sweet flavor that makes it special. I first had it when I started going to Grace Baptist Church (懷恩堂) with Carina, which is located near 公館. We would usually find something to eat around the area after the English Morning Service, and since there is one 鴉片粉圓 store in that area, we tried it out and have been going whenever we are in the mood since... It also has 地瓜圓, 芋頭圓, 紅豆, and 酸梅 flavors, and they are all very good, too, however I always have the same 鴉片粉圓... Most of their shaved ice costs NT$40 a bowl.

Now that I have described these great shaved ice, have you started drooling yet? Well, make sure you get a chance to try it out some time, lor... XD

P.S. Let me know if you know of any other good eats in Taipei, bah~~ You all know how I love all kinds of food... >w<

Wall-hitting, Computer-smashing Mood!! ~"~

So... for most of you guys who know me... you know that I am a pretty even-tempered person... I believe I am very easy to get along and don't have drastic unpleasant mood-swings.... Even when I do show some negative moods, I usually forget about them within one minute's time...

However, for some reason, today, I have been feeling like just hitting my head on the wall or smashing my computer.... Why, you ask me? Nothing extremely serious.... but just the added-up effects of a lot of 不順利 small hassles that pulls at me and irritates me without end.... computer problems big and small both at home and at work... trouble with shipments... overseas sales representatives evading responsibilities and pushing them on me, etc....

I won't be able to list out really well the details of all these issues... First because it would take too much time to explain those small details clearly; secondly, even if I do list them out, they would all seem like very petty, insignificant matters that shouldn't cause me to be in such a bad mood... Honestly, I have held-up to these things before and it's not like they have only occured today... But for some insane, unknown reason, I have been in this bad mood the whole day...

I keep feeling like picking a fight with someone... but knowing I can't and my "reasonable superego" not really wanting to... I keep reminding myself that these are really no big deal, and that I should be more "professional" and not let these things affect me and damage my good relationship with my colleagues who have always been very helpful and friendly to me and who has nothing to do with these frustrations I'm having... But when I talk to them or they to me, and when I try to control the negative or sarcastic tone in my voice and try to smile at them, I just feel soooooooo pretentious..... Because the smile is not sincere.... It's like the smile had been plastered on my face with some very bad glue and it can fall off and show the nasty ugly face / mood underneath any second.... I guess that just worsens my mood... = =+

It's just very weird, this bad mood... especially when we had just enjoyed a surprise long weekend caused by a Typhoon break last Friday, and I had some good relaxing time (watching lots of TV and going to 士林夜市 to fulfill my craving for 仙人掌綿綿冰店's 綿綿卡布奇諾...).... Really boggles my mind why I am like this... But the news that the shipment leakage problem was pretty serious is really, really not helping... = =+

(Note: for you guys out there, it is not my period, and you can save the stupid, insensitive, sexist remarks / jokes.)