From Out the Cave

REVIEW

I can always find a mistake in my article written the night before, for instance, a “a” or “the” lacked, spelling mistakes or ideas not clearly expressed. I corrected some if I have the chance to take a second eye on my words, as I did when I was checking the comments in one of my articles and happened to view it for a second time.

I sit up late, and at midnight I begin to work on English blogging. I post late in the night then I go to bed without checking the articles. Not have enough time? Just an excuse. The fact is I really  DON’T have the habit to review and go over.

I schedule to review the words and expressions on Sundays, but I never open my New Word Note on that very day. Not just English, more things need to be checked or viewed again, but I rarely do that. I read tens of items in my google reader everyday and star many of them, but until now I haven’t read them for a second time, except for some I am searching for when needed.

I’ve read a lot of books and some of them are worth a second read, but few of them are read twice.(You can view the book index I read in my douban) I’ve done many wrong but I rarely look back. Some of the failures still haunt me but I just neglect them.

“ The best Treasure in your life is what you learn from your failures. One can also learn from success, the it remains on the surface not deeply in your heart and character.” Shi Yuzhu said in the hot TV program Win in China.

“ One can only learn from your failure only if you really go over it and clearly know why you failed, or they can burden you beyond your capacity.” Ma Yun added.

Every episode in Win in China shows the weakness of some players, which reminds of myself to review my past, especially the failures, to find out what is my disadvantage, what I indeed desire. Until now I haven’t figured out the answers but I actually begin to retrospect.

The key word to all the things above is “ REVIEW”. Review the flesh new words, review the inspiring items, review the books and review the past. Review and digest the things you’ve taken in. More nutrition will release if you review more, or they flow away. Such things always happen, as a result of which more mistakes are made. Although you may be learning the same thing and get the same materials, things will be different if you just review.

Persistence

There’s always a bottleneck for every learner in the long path of achieving success. For me in English, now I have to say, I feel it difficult to progress on. When I read English article, I can get the main idea, but if you ask me to explain that in English, I will say it is really tough. When I watch the videos I can understand what I can understand a week before, but I can’t catch the words and ideas which I can’t a week before.

That’s the problem named bottleneck.

I absorb new words and information like sponge everyday. I desire more and more. I just feel I am full in the morning while last night I was full. I do learn a lot, but that’s just not enough. Sometimes such situation reminds me: wow, low little I am achieving. I begin to be loose with the things going on, wandering the net while doing something less valuable. Or just search transitory excitement, after which I just feel more boring.

So I have to say to myself, persistence, persistence, persistence!

Be patient. Nothing changes overnight, unless it has accumulated for a long long time. I just do what I like and it’s also helpful for me. Maybe progress doesn’t show off in a month. It doesn’t matter. It’s just a part of my life, and part of my enjoyment. Don’t let other things unnecessary ruin you. Keep your lifestyle simple. The simpler, the better.

It’s easier to say that you stick to a simple life. So much temptation will attract you and give you the illusion that your life will be colorful and fantastic. But the reality isn’t always so. You drop off the things you are handling. Many people dreams big dream at the very beginning, but after so many visits to other parts of the wonderful and awful world, they lost their way and forget the initial dream, while the silly guys who continue the boring path to that goal are far ahead.

Persistence, a simple word, to say is one thing, to do is another thing. Hope us just hold on for longer.

Vacation 2.0

 Nowadays we are talking about Web 2.0. But what about Vacation 2.0?

Here's an article about Vacation2.0.Maybe we will get more from it, while the brilliant  summer vacation it going to end.

 Vacation 2.0

Link: http://freelanceswitch.com/working/vacation-20/

So you’re at the beach, in the mountains, in the country - it’s peaceful. You feel relaxed. The wind in your hair, the sun in your face, the overall boredom. Boring. It’s all nice of course, but you can’t seem to shake the feeling that you have better things to do. The project you left at the office does seem somewhat more interesting… The sun, the sweat, the overall frustrations of a creative workaholic. For me, it was this article. Okay, not this exact one, but one I have promised Cyan I’d write. Well - I screwed up. There, I said it. I promised something and didn’t do it. The shame.

Let’s analyze the “issue”, lets analyze vacations. Widget, widget, widget, vacation. Most people would say it’s a time when they unwind, take the time to be with friends and family, basically - have fun. That’s ok. Worker 2.0 doesn’t work that way. He may crank virtual widgets, be it in a text, code or pixel manner, but the concept of a vacation doesn’t work for him anymore.

We can call ourselves geeks, web workers… It truly doesn’t matter. What matters is that we have serious issues. Vacations are one of them. We get bored, we want to check e-mail, we want to surf the Net. Laptops and mobiles don’t stay at home, but in our pockets. The problem with the concept of a classic vacation is that for a lot of us - they are boring after some time. We need a challenge. Tim Ferris calls for the death of vacations and outlines a concept of mini-retirements. The idea is not to wait for retirement to explore the world, but to do that in six month chunks. What Tim says makes sense, and yes, sometimes we just need to disconnect to connect once again. Unfortunately, most of us won’t end up changing our lifestyle in that way, but the idea of taking time off on a recurring basis is something we all need to do.

Work is not a Dirty Word
The concept I call Vacation 2.0 is basically a vacation survival kit for the creative geek. Yes, you in the back. The designer, the programmer, the writer. You know that after a week or two you just want to get something done. Well, David Allen can’t help you now. It doesn’t have to be six months, it can be six days, but do it regularly. Sometimes though, we end up wanting to do work on vacation. That’s ok. As long as it isn’t business. Forget billable hours and forget working for clients. Deadlines won’t work in your favor while you’re trying to relax. Believe me, it didn’t work for me. The problem we face when taking work to the “beach” is that we do want to work on something, but we don’t want the stress of doing it. It won’t make you happy, and it sure won’t make your clients, editors or partners happy.
While all the fuss then? Why don’t I just forget everything? Well - boredom. I’m a writer, a designer. I need to keep my hands, or in this case, my fingers - busy. In order to keep your creative sanity you need to work on your…

Skills and Passions
Read a book, learn something new. If you’re a coder, why not whip up some little application that you don’t need, but want to make. Writer? Write a novel, a short story. Designer? Try a new technique, and by that, I mean analog. Sketch, plan, dream. You know you always whine about not having enough time to try a new programming language or design a wallpaper. Well guess what - take a little time and try. Actually, it will make you happy. We all rest both our mind and body in different ways. You don’t need to eliminate what you love to do (writing, design,…), just eliminate the stress associated with it.

Back to Basics
As well as creative output, our many input channels like e-mail or RSS can sometimes seem to take all our time. Well, as with creativity, implement those lifehacks you’ve been reading about. Check e-mail once a day or once a week. Don’t watch TV, and keep the RSS, but check them sparingly. As for e-mail, setup that snazzy auto responder so people know not to bother you. Vacation 2.0 is about staying on top of your game and enjoying it. Eliminate the stress. Stay creative. Most of all, enjoy yourself.

Unlike the rest of the team, Ivan Brezak Brkan still has to balance his freelance interface design and new media writing/copywriting career with a busy university life. New media and blogs are his outlets of choice - and “new” marketing his passion. Find out more about Ivan at IvanBrezakBrkan.com.

From Out the Cave

 From Out the Cave

when you have been at war with yourself for so many years taht you have forgotten why

when you have been driving for hours and only gradually begin to realize that you have lost the way

when you have cut hastily into the fabric

when you have signed papers in distraction

when it has been centuries since you watched the sun set or the rain fall

and the clouds drifting overhead pass the flat as anything on a postcard

when,in the midst of these everyday nightmares,you understand that you cold wake up

you could turn and go back to the last thing you rember doing with your whole heart

that passionate kiss

the brilliant drop of love rolling along the tongue of a green leaf

then you wakeyou stumble from your caveb

linking in the sun

naming every shadow

as it slips

当你和自己斗争多年以致早已忘了原因的时候,

当你开车数小时逐渐发现自己迷路的时候

当你轻率地剪碎衣服的时候

当你心不在焉地签字的时候

当你仿佛已经几个世纪没有欣赏过太阳或雨点落下

以及头顶漂浮着平坦的像明信片上的白云的时候

当你明白你可以每晚从黑梦中惊醒的时候

你可以回头,回到你记忆中上一次全心全意做的那件事当中.

那热情的一吻

那晶莹的爱情水滴沿着绿叶滚动

然后你会醒来

从洞 中蹒跚而出

在阳光下眨着眼

为每个影子命名

在他溜走的时候

 The first time I listened to the poem, I was touched. Something in my heart was aroused and it leaded me to enjoy a peaceful life, after so many wars with myself. And the voice is so peaceful that it comforted me and made me be patient and peaceful with my work and myself.  

That poem is from the Crazy English YM lends me. At that time I was determined to pick up English for the days left in the summer vocation. I felt I was a kid in the crossroad and wondered where to go. The target is there but which route to take? Then I felt I should get a buddy and strive together with him/her, then I turned to YM. Her way of living inspired me something new I cant’ describe. But this poem write it down in words. It’s exactly what I want to express and kind of living way I really appreciate. 

 Then I was out of the Cave, that was built by myself. Still, I spent a lot of time in the dormitory, but my heart open for other kinds of lives. And I began to look far. A beautiful picture extended in my mind.  

The picture would be reflected by what I write, so I named my blog From Out the Cave. After I stumbled from my cave, I wanted to name every shadow slipping, but the first is to name my thought, and I named it From Out the Cave.  

Download the mp3 From Out the Cave:

http://www.isload.com.cn/store/8qniks6rtycuo/1-02 From out the Cave.mp3/downlaod 

Podcast

Sth. Interesting found!

 I’ve been watching Youtube for a week or so, but now I’ve found something more useful to practice English listening: podcast! I download itune, a product of Apple Company. It can subscribe many free podcasts. Itune download the videos and you can watch them for as many times as you want, also, put them in you mp4. Youtube doesn’t allow download, but I can do it in a special way. Despite of this, I won’t download the short video. And Youtube doesn’t do well in managing you files while itune does better. Another difference between Youtube and itune is that the podcast on itune provide high quality videos while Youtube low quality ones. And higher quality, more time to download, absolutely. 

Still, one problem, it’s hard to connect the website, even harder than Youtube.com and other foreign websites. 

 Itune download website: http://www.apple.com.cn/itunes/download/ 

Loneliness and Solitude

Link:Loneliness and Solitude

Time

Tonight I happenned to open the file of Win In China when I finished watching The Apprentice. Contrast with The Apprentice, Win In China is more linked with local market and it’s even more successful and useful for us, Business School students in China.  

Ma Yun, a entrepreneur I admire very much, said, the men born in 1980’s are not going to compete with the ones born in 70’s, 60’s or even 50’s. They are going to compete with the future. They must be patient and treasure the time. 

Yeah…for us born in 80’s, the most powerful weapon is time! Just time!

Years ago Zhuang Zhong, a SYSU student maybe 4 or 5 years ago but now a teacher in New East English cooperation, held a speech in the Mega City here and said, “You are so miserable to live and study in such a desert city, no professions, no academic atmosphere, no elder students to guide you. But you all, as any one in his youth, have the most powerful weapon, time!” 

Time, we are always complaining that we have no time, no matter whatever we are doing. When we are browsing the website for entertainment, we say we have no time to finish the homework. When are we busy playing games, we say we just have no time to have the book read, and it remains unread until the last moment for the exam. The most we have is just what we lack. How funny! 

All the words inspire me about the importance of time. Now I feel I have enough time. I am enjoying that I don’t have to do something. I just do what I like. Something’s got to more important than I did before, say, enjoying life, and English studying. No need to rush something I have to face when I graduate, more prepared for the job hunting but missing something just can be found in the university. Have time to do something, now. 

Something is going to change in my life. I’m sure of it.

Do Not Be Nice, Sometimes

Do Not Be Nice, Sometimes 

I have gotten something more in The Apprentice this time when Jessie is fired. Jessie is a good girl and a great employee, but she has a great character, which is her weakness, just like me. Omarosa treats her like a dog, but she just accepts it. I hate that great character, but I am still so kindhearted, too nice to the people who treat me bad.  

We Chinese always say be nice to others, even those who don’t like us and even treat us badly. But in the business world, maybe fighting back is a better idea, especially for a leader. A leader must has his own idea of what to do and how to do in a team, to be too nice may shows others that he is an easy-changed guy, he will take everything you do and forgive you, and even he has a weak heart and not fit to be a leader. That’s a misery for the team and the leader. 

I was always the leader in my team last year，but I still am. But sometimes I feel helpless that no one in the team endeavor to accomplish the task, how can I do? I just accept the fact some bastards won’t do anything and I have to take what they should do. That’s it! I am an easy-going man, and they just thought it is easy to talk with and if they don’t finish the job, I will do it. That’s problem. 

Of course there’s something for the stupid one, like me, say, exercise and skills when doing the job. But it’s not going to be like that anymore. I should save my time and energy and let those guys to know I am not that nice. I will tell those guys it’s their job to finish it, none if my business.

 Just do not be nice if it needs, especially for a leader.

Blog Together

It’s a wonderful idea to unit all the bloggers on the net on the same day to target one issue: the environment. I think I should be part of it. 

Here’s the video from Youtube.com. It will buffer for a while for those whose network is not so well, say, me. Just click the button stop, then wait for several minutes and then go to watch. It will work smoothly if you do so.

More Than Sexuality.

The men team lost again. It’s the forth time they are beaten by the women. Trump asked again: what happens? And it did happen, when I was watching The Apprentice. The Apprentice is a hot TV program like some kind of Truman show, which is imitated by Win in China (赢在中国). It started that Donald Trump, the biggest real estate developer, wanted to find a new CEO for one of his companies, a apprentice. And 16 candidates were selected, including 8 men and 8 women. They are divided into two groups by their gender. Each week they got an assignment, and the team lost will be at the board room, where one of them would be fired. 

 I just begin with the very first album. The Apprentice seems to have more than 6. Until what I have seen, four assignments have been finished and the men team lost again and again. Every time I am confident that they would win, they lost. It just makes me sad. When I want to go on with the fifth assignment, Trump, the standard maker, regroup the teams. And there are no men team or women team, and there are mixed teams. Now no hope that men team will turn it over, and win even once.  

Trump said to the women: “ You beat the guys fair and square. But you are coming a little close to the line, relying on your sexuality to win.” Yes, every time when selling or buying women use sexual strategies, which really help. Even in the advertisement, they made ads about sex, which is more attractive.  

The men lost. But It’s not just sexuality. It’s more than sexuality. There are two causes more important for the lost, in my opinion.

 First, it just didn’t come to the parts men are better at. Men are good at logic and have a full picture of something, while women are good at getting well with people and more emotional. Men would do better when come to such subject about logic or bigger deal. Just look forward to it. Second, all these men are leaders, but it confused and mess the team when leaders get together. They are in chaos when there are many leaders in the team. Additional to this, there is a bomb in the team, Sam! He is biggest problem in the team. But the fact is that after he left, the men team still lost.  

The Apprentice is a good TV program, no wonder it was hot years ago. And it’s also useful for us business student to have an interview, as some people say. If you are looking for some video like that , I give you The Apprentice.