第三次来旧金山了，这次是一个人，不巧的是现在北加的山火仍在扩散，旧金山的空气质量极差。从机场乘地铁到市中心，下地铁后正犹豫往哪儿走，旁边一位美国帅哥朝我微笑了一下，临走还特意回头告诉我：You look very beautiful！仅此一句，感觉一天的烦恼都没了。好开心😄
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
Saturday, August 25, 2018
影视留声机
最近静下心来回顾了一些很喜欢的音乐，大部分都是经典影视剧的主题曲或插曲，现在很喜欢听。翻看着这些曾经喜欢的作品，发现不少都已经是十年甚至二十年前的了，惊觉过去这十年真是转瞬间就没了，又有点感伤。
1. 《你》-- 孝庄秘史 主题曲
一度很喜欢《孝庄秘史》这部剧，虽是戏说，因两位主演的精湛演绎将大玉儿和多尔衮都塑造成了可爱的人儿。而这首主题曲恰恰表达了多尔衮对大玉儿爱而不得的感伤，让人唏嘘不已。
2. 《故事里的事》-- 宰相刘罗锅 片尾曲
少年的记忆里清宫戏也很多，但故事不局限于后宫争斗，更有很多风趣幽默的故事片，比如《康熙微服私访记》、《宰相刘罗锅》、《铁齿铜牙纪晓岚》等，爷爷曾经很喜欢看这些剧，所以每次听到和它们相关的影视歌曲都会让我想起爷爷，而今爷爷已经去世七年了。。。这些影视剧也培养出很多经典的搭档，比如张国立、王刚和张铁林的铁三角。
3. 《女儿情》-- 西游记 插曲
年少不知愁滋味，这首歌当年看剧的时候几乎无感。成年后再看发现不仅歌好听，而且歌词极美，单曲循环过很多次。唐僧和女王的感情着实令人回味。
4. 《枉凝眉》-- 红楼梦 插曲
红楼梦这本书我读过至少两遍。第一次读的时候是中学，完全感受不到林妹妹对宝玉的爱。第二次读的时候是大学，忽然发现林妹妹对宝玉的爱非常之纯真。毕业后又完整地温习了87版电视剧，剧里每个形象都印象深刻，而这首极富古典气息的插曲每每响起，剧中那一个个鲜活的人儿就会浮现，这就是经典的魅力。
5. 《你是我记忆里忘不了的温存》-- 我爱我家 片尾曲
我18年才断断续续开始看这个当年很火的情景喜剧，越看越想家。故事里有一集还讲美国回来的姑奶奶，台词设计很棒，那句挂在嘴边的“为什么不呢”让人听着特别真实。那时候忽然就百感交集，觉得自己有一天终于也成了华人华侨的一部分，人生竟然这么不可思议。18年夏天回国，见到了奶奶、爸妈和叔叔伯伯姑姑们，奶奶真的是很老了，她和妈妈也终于开冰释前嫌，上次还在襁褓中的侄子侄女儿们也慢慢长大了。这真的是让人感慨：时间都去哪儿啦？都说物是人非，可于我却是物非人也非。。。
1. 《你》-- 孝庄秘史 主题曲
一度很喜欢《孝庄秘史》这部剧，虽是戏说，因两位主演的精湛演绎将大玉儿和多尔衮都塑造成了可爱的人儿。而这首主题曲恰恰表达了多尔衮对大玉儿爱而不得的感伤，让人唏嘘不已。
2. 《故事里的事》-- 宰相刘罗锅 片尾曲
少年的记忆里清宫戏也很多，但故事不局限于后宫争斗，更有很多风趣幽默的故事片，比如《康熙微服私访记》、《宰相刘罗锅》、《铁齿铜牙纪晓岚》等，爷爷曾经很喜欢看这些剧，所以每次听到和它们相关的影视歌曲都会让我想起爷爷，而今爷爷已经去世七年了。。。这些影视剧也培养出很多经典的搭档，比如张国立、王刚和张铁林的铁三角。
3. 《女儿情》-- 西游记 插曲
年少不知愁滋味，这首歌当年看剧的时候几乎无感。成年后再看发现不仅歌好听，而且歌词极美，单曲循环过很多次。唐僧和女王的感情着实令人回味。
红楼梦这本书我读过至少两遍。第一次读的时候是中学，完全感受不到林妹妹对宝玉的爱。第二次读的时候是大学，忽然发现林妹妹对宝玉的爱非常之纯真。毕业后又完整地温习了87版电视剧，剧里每个形象都印象深刻，而这首极富古典气息的插曲每每响起，剧中那一个个鲜活的人儿就会浮现，这就是经典的魅力。
5. 《你是我记忆里忘不了的温存》-- 我爱我家 片尾曲
我18年才断断续续开始看这个当年很火的情景喜剧，越看越想家。故事里有一集还讲美国回来的姑奶奶，台词设计很棒，那句挂在嘴边的“为什么不呢”让人听着特别真实。那时候忽然就百感交集，觉得自己有一天终于也成了华人华侨的一部分，人生竟然这么不可思议。18年夏天回国，见到了奶奶、爸妈和叔叔伯伯姑姑们，奶奶真的是很老了，她和妈妈也终于开冰释前嫌，上次还在襁褓中的侄子侄女儿们也慢慢长大了。这真的是让人感慨：时间都去哪儿啦？都说物是人非，可于我却是物非人也非。。。
Thursday, July 26, 2018
异乡人
昨日乘坐
Uber上班，司机是一位来自索马里的移民。他自称现在已经是美国公民，每年在美国十个月的时间用来工作，但是妻子和孩子都还在索马里，他在十二月和一月份会回到索马里和家人团聚两个月。我笑说那以后可以把家人都接过来住啊。他连连摇头说不会，美国只是用来挣钱的地方，家还是在非洲，况且非洲的孩子也不喜欢这儿，这儿（西雅图）的生活成本又那么高。我昨天因为有早上八点的小组会，所以出门较早，但是司机说他已经开车工作四个小时了。。。路上行驶的过程中，他还会不时地向我指出这儿即将有个什么公司，那儿即将有什么楼，一副对当地很熟悉的神态。
后来谈到非洲，他很义愤填膺地说起当年欧洲殖民时期英法意对非洲的掠夺，说南非的开普敦基本就是个给白人建的城市，他有时候遇到自称来自南非的乘客都会觉得那些人并不是真的来自非洲，非洲的政坛很混乱，国家领导人们都为自己的利益奔走，并没有为自己的国民考虑过。这样的评价让我想起曾经的中国。我提醒他，以前西方国家也侵略过中国，他有点吃惊不过又即刻转到非洲的话题上了。
看来我们对于自己的过去都很在意。
后来谈到非洲，他很义愤填膺地说起当年欧洲殖民时期英法意对非洲的掠夺，说南非的开普敦基本就是个给白人建的城市，他有时候遇到自称来自南非的乘客都会觉得那些人并不是真的来自非洲，非洲的政坛很混乱，国家领导人们都为自己的利益奔走，并没有为自己的国民考虑过。这样的评价让我想起曾经的中国。我提醒他，以前西方国家也侵略过中国，他有点吃惊不过又即刻转到非洲的话题上了。
看来我们对于自己的过去都很在意。
Sunday, April 15, 2018
温哥华
三月底因为公事去温哥华短住了几日，正值春寒料峭，但也有幸外出游览了一番。此行最大的感慨便是相比西雅图，温哥华才是真正的都市圈，有大城市该有的气质和风度，当然温哥华的生活成本也是略高于西雅图滴。
温哥华居民区的独立屋
因为住的是Airbnb，我选在了温哥华市区南边的一个居民区，这里的房子虽然也是木质结构为主，但是往往正面最显眼的是通往房内的阶梯，而不是美国这边常见的车库。另外，居民区的道路两旁满是大树，或开满了花朵，或刚刚发出绿芽，夏天的时候绿树成荫一定很舒服。这个区域公共交通也很便利，虽然没有轻轨(Sky Train)，但是去市中心或者去英属哥伦比亚大学的公车很频繁，二十分钟左右便到了。
英属哥伦比亚大学景观
英属哥伦比亚大学地理位置极佳，一片树林将校区和市区分开，校园很开阔，三面靠海，景色也是极美的。因为是公立大学，图书馆也是对外开放的，我在的几日就在图书馆工作。整个校园的建筑风格和很多美国大学相比更加现代化，所以设施都挺新的。这一点西雅图的华大就比不上。
温哥华市中心的西北边有一个很大的史丹利公园(Stanley Park)，这个公园在2014年被旅游网站"TripAdvisor"评为世界上最好的公园。来过的人肯定深有同感。史丹利公园四周几乎都被不同的水域环绕，内有各式各样的徒步路线以及温哥华水族馆。上图是从公园往市区的防线看。对面的很多高楼部分是住宅、部分是写字楼，试想生活在其中的人们每天可以看到这样的风景一定很幸福。在美国的很多城市，稍好一些的公园附近的公寓大多被亿万富翁占据，平民根本享受不到这样的待遇。
温哥华市中心街景
温哥华公共图书馆
温哥华的市中心很干净，也很适宜走路。这和美国城市市中心的杂乱无章又是鲜明对比。市容好、公共设施丰富对于居民的生活来说也是很幸福的事，比如市里的公共图书馆就很适合在逛街累的适合休息，或徜徉于书香之中感受大师的魅力。
当然了对于热爱美食的人们而言，温哥华更是天堂。此为后话。
真的好喜欢温哥华。虽然她在历史底蕴上不及很多欧洲城市，在生活趣味上却是满足了我对生活的几乎所有想象。希望阅读此文的你有一天也可以来到这个美丽的城市。
Sunday, October 15, 2017
Albert Einstein -- What I believe (1930)
The following was originally published in October 1930 on FORUM, vol. LXXXIV, No.4. It has been a great influence on me, so I would like to make it available to the public.
by Albert Einstein
Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose.
From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men -- above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received. My peace of mind is often troubled by the depressing sense that I have borrowed too heavily from the work of other men.
I do not believe we can have any freedom at all in the philosophical sense, for we act not only under external compulsion but also by inner necessity. Schopenhauer's saying -- "A man can surely do what he wills to do, but he cannot determine what he wills" -- impressed itself upon me in youth and has always consoled me when I have witnessed or suffered life's hardships. This conviction is a perpetual breeder of tolerance, for it does not allow us to take ourselves or others too seriously; it makes rather for a sense of humor.
To ponder interminably over the reason for one's own existence or the meaning of life in general seems to me, from an objective point of view, to be sheer folly. And yet everyone holds certain ideals by which he guides his aspiration and his judgment. The ideals which have always shone before me and filled me with the joy of living are goodness, beauty, and truth. To make a goal of comfort or happiness has never appealed to me; a system of ethics built on this basis would be suggicient only for a herd of cattle.
Without the sense of collaborating with like-minded beings in the pursuit of the ever unattainable in art and scientific research, my life would have been empty. Ever since childhood I have scorned the commonplace limits so often set upon human ambition. Possessions, outward success, publicity, luxury -- to me these have always been contemptible. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.
My passionate interest in social justice and social responsibility has always stood in curious contrast to a marked lack of desire for direct association with men and women. I am a horse for single harness, not cut out for tandem or team work. I have never belonged wholeheartedly to country or state, to my circle of friends, or even to my own family. These ties have always been accompanied by a vague aloofness, and the wish to withdraw into myself increases with the years.
Such isolation is sometimes bitter, but I do not regret being cut off from the understanding and sympathy of other men. I lose something by it, to be sure, but I am compensated for it in being rendered independent of the customs, opinions, and prejudices of others, and am not tempted to rest my peace of mind upon such shifting foundations.
My political ideal is democracy. Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized. It is an irony of fate that I should have been showered with so much uncalled-for and unmerited admiration and esteem. Perhaps this adulation springs from the unfulfilled wish of the multitude to comprehend the few ideas which I, with my weak powers, have advanced.
Full well do I know that in order to attain any definite goal it is imperative that one person should do the thinking and commanding and carry most of the responsibility. But those who are led should not be driven, and they should be allowed to choose their leader. It seems to me that the distinctions separating the social classes are false; in the last analysis they rest on force. I am convinced that degeneracy follows every autocratic system of violence, for violence inevitably attracts moral inferiors. Time has proved that illustrious tyrants are succeeded by scoundrels.
For this reason I have always been passionately opposed to such regimes as exist in Russia and Italy to-day. The thing which has discredited the European forms of democracy is not the basic theory of democracy itself, which some say is at fault, but the instability of our political leadership, as well as the impersonal character of party alignments.
I believe that you in the United States have hit upon the right idea. You choose a President for a reasonable length of time and give him enough power to acquit himself properly of his responsibilities. In the German Government, on the other hand, I like the state's more extensive care of the individual when he is ill or unemployed. What is truly valuable in our bustle of life is not the nation, I should say, but the creative and impressionable individuality, and the personality -- he who produces the noble and sublime while the common herd remains dull in thought and insensible in feeling.
This subject brings me to that vilest offspring of the herd mind -- the odious militia. The man who enjoys marching in line and file to the strains of music falls below my contempt; he received his great brain by mistake -- the spinal cord would have been amply sufficient. This heroism at command, this senseless violence, this accursed bombast of patriotism -- how intensely I despise them! War is low and despicable, and I had rather be smitten to shreds than participate in such doings.
Such a stain on humanity should be erased without delay. I think well enough of human nature to believe that it would have been wiped out long ago had not the common sense of nations been systematically corrupted through school and press for business and political reasons.
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. This insight into the mystery of life, coupled though it be with fear, has also given rise to religion. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty which out dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms -- this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religiousness. In this sense, and in this sense only, I belong in the ranks of devoutly religious men.
I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own -- a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotism. It is enough for me to contemplate the mystery of conscious life perpetuating itself through all eternity, to reflect upon the marvelous structure of the universe which we can dimly perceive, and to try humbly to comprehend even an infinitesimal part of the intelligence manifested in nature.
What I Believe
Living Philosophies XIIIby Albert Einstein
Strange is our situation here upon earth. Each of us comes for a short visit, not knowing why, yet sometimes seeming to divine a purpose.
From the standpoint of daily life, however, there is one thing we do know: that man is here for the sake of other men -- above all for those upon whose smile and well-being our own happiness depends, and also for the countless unknown souls with whose fate we are connected by a bond of sympathy. Many times a day I realize how much my own outer and inner life is built upon the labors of my fellow men, both living and dead, and how earnestly I must exert myself in order to give in return as much as I have received. My peace of mind is often troubled by the depressing sense that I have borrowed too heavily from the work of other men.
I do not believe we can have any freedom at all in the philosophical sense, for we act not only under external compulsion but also by inner necessity. Schopenhauer's saying -- "A man can surely do what he wills to do, but he cannot determine what he wills" -- impressed itself upon me in youth and has always consoled me when I have witnessed or suffered life's hardships. This conviction is a perpetual breeder of tolerance, for it does not allow us to take ourselves or others too seriously; it makes rather for a sense of humor.
To ponder interminably over the reason for one's own existence or the meaning of life in general seems to me, from an objective point of view, to be sheer folly. And yet everyone holds certain ideals by which he guides his aspiration and his judgment. The ideals which have always shone before me and filled me with the joy of living are goodness, beauty, and truth. To make a goal of comfort or happiness has never appealed to me; a system of ethics built on this basis would be suggicient only for a herd of cattle.
Without the sense of collaborating with like-minded beings in the pursuit of the ever unattainable in art and scientific research, my life would have been empty. Ever since childhood I have scorned the commonplace limits so often set upon human ambition. Possessions, outward success, publicity, luxury -- to me these have always been contemptible. I believe that a simple and unassuming manner of life is best for everyone, best both for the body and the mind.
My passionate interest in social justice and social responsibility has always stood in curious contrast to a marked lack of desire for direct association with men and women. I am a horse for single harness, not cut out for tandem or team work. I have never belonged wholeheartedly to country or state, to my circle of friends, or even to my own family. These ties have always been accompanied by a vague aloofness, and the wish to withdraw into myself increases with the years.
Such isolation is sometimes bitter, but I do not regret being cut off from the understanding and sympathy of other men. I lose something by it, to be sure, but I am compensated for it in being rendered independent of the customs, opinions, and prejudices of others, and am not tempted to rest my peace of mind upon such shifting foundations.
My political ideal is democracy. Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized. It is an irony of fate that I should have been showered with so much uncalled-for and unmerited admiration and esteem. Perhaps this adulation springs from the unfulfilled wish of the multitude to comprehend the few ideas which I, with my weak powers, have advanced.
Full well do I know that in order to attain any definite goal it is imperative that one person should do the thinking and commanding and carry most of the responsibility. But those who are led should not be driven, and they should be allowed to choose their leader. It seems to me that the distinctions separating the social classes are false; in the last analysis they rest on force. I am convinced that degeneracy follows every autocratic system of violence, for violence inevitably attracts moral inferiors. Time has proved that illustrious tyrants are succeeded by scoundrels.
For this reason I have always been passionately opposed to such regimes as exist in Russia and Italy to-day. The thing which has discredited the European forms of democracy is not the basic theory of democracy itself, which some say is at fault, but the instability of our political leadership, as well as the impersonal character of party alignments.
I believe that you in the United States have hit upon the right idea. You choose a President for a reasonable length of time and give him enough power to acquit himself properly of his responsibilities. In the German Government, on the other hand, I like the state's more extensive care of the individual when he is ill or unemployed. What is truly valuable in our bustle of life is not the nation, I should say, but the creative and impressionable individuality, and the personality -- he who produces the noble and sublime while the common herd remains dull in thought and insensible in feeling.
This subject brings me to that vilest offspring of the herd mind -- the odious militia. The man who enjoys marching in line and file to the strains of music falls below my contempt; he received his great brain by mistake -- the spinal cord would have been amply sufficient. This heroism at command, this senseless violence, this accursed bombast of patriotism -- how intensely I despise them! War is low and despicable, and I had rather be smitten to shreds than participate in such doings.
Such a stain on humanity should be erased without delay. I think well enough of human nature to believe that it would have been wiped out long ago had not the common sense of nations been systematically corrupted through school and press for business and political reasons.
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. This insight into the mystery of life, coupled though it be with fear, has also given rise to religion. To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty which out dull faculties can comprehend only in their most primitive forms -- this knowledge, this feeling, is at the center of true religiousness. In this sense, and in this sense only, I belong in the ranks of devoutly religious men.
I cannot imagine a God who rewards and punishes the objects of his creation, whose purposes are modeled after our own -- a God, in short, who is but a reflection of human frailty. Neither can I believe that the individual survives the death of his body, although feeble souls harbor such thoughts through fear or ridiculous egotism. It is enough for me to contemplate the mystery of conscious life perpetuating itself through all eternity, to reflect upon the marvelous structure of the universe which we can dimly perceive, and to try humbly to comprehend even an infinitesimal part of the intelligence manifested in nature.
Sunday, July 30, 2017
西雅图的社区--Ballard
来西雅图一年多了，这里讲讲我自己住的社区Ballard，不知道还会在这里住多久。。。
Ballard是坐落在西雅图西北角的一个社区，西边紧邻普吉特海湾(Puget Sound)，风景很美。这里的地标建筑有黄金花园公园(Golden Gardens Park)和水门(Hiram M. Chittenden Locks)。因其便利的运输，早期的Ballard以各种不同的工业著称，这其中包括锯木厂(lumber mill,shingle mill)等，今天人们仍然能够看到由工厂旧址改造的各类商店和厂房，以及废弃的铁轨。
Ballard是西雅图快速发展的一个社区之一，因为这里距离市中心不到二十分钟车程，同时也是未来二十年内Link Rail重点发展的一个区域，所以Ballard吸引了很多在市中心上班的白领，加上这里的房价本来就低发展潜力高。近年来，该区增加了很多低层公寓、连栋别墅，以应对不断增加的人口。Ballard作为一个很年轻化的社区，也拥有很多年轻人喜爱的酒吧和餐馆。两年前我第一次来西雅图的时候，一位在当地生活过的朋友就带我去了一家以生蚝著称的酒吧，这家店名为The Walrus and the Carpenter的酒吧很受当地人欢迎，虽然不接受预定，很多顾客们还是乐意等上一个小时去品尝他家独特的菜式。Ballard的另一特色是每周日的农贸市场(Farmers Market)，一年四季皆有。这里你可以买到时令新鲜蔬果和各类花束。
Ballard部分区域地势平坦，所以如果你喜欢骑车，可以沿着Burke Gilman Trail向东骑行到华盛顿大学，向西北到黄金花园公园。北边还有格林湖(Green Lake)和木地公园(Woodland Park)，不过那里的地势较高，所以骑行会有很多上坡路。Ballard的公共交通还算便利，从这里可以乘巴士去市中心、华大、安妮皇后区(Queen Anne)等，但是因为西雅图道路设计的限制，很多公车路线如同过山车般曲折。喜欢户外运动的话可以向西到探索公园(Discovery Park)，这里有比较完善的徒步路线，天气好的日子里可以在公园里看到奥林匹克公园以及雷尼尔山。
随着西雅图无家可归者的增多，Ballard也慢慢变成了“受灾区”，经过Burke Gilman Trail的时候尤其明显。社区的主干道Market St上以及Ballard公园也经常可以看到无家可归人士简陋的地铺或帐篷。这个城市的管理者们一直叫嚣着要通过增加税收来解决问题，可惜不买账的西雅图市民认为现有的税金并没有得到很好的利用才使得这个问题严重到影响每个人。我作为外来人口，并没有投票权，但是也能够看出这个城市的管理者并没有足够的意愿去解决无家可归者的生存问题。这个国家对待弱者的态度一直都是在党派之间无休止的争执中能拖则拖，想要保持资本主义者的地位必须要损失一部分的利益，恰好又有那么一批对生活丧失信心或靠毒品麻醉自己的人，他们被政界人士利用一点儿都不奇怪。
所以在西雅图生活了一年的我对这个城市的解读也慢慢从期待到失望，尤其看着这个城市不断竖起的塑料感极强的公寓楼。我很好奇这个城市到底打算走向何处，这里有限的公共空间大部分被无家可归者占领，留给居民的是不断增加的房价和拥挤的交通。原本夏天的美好也因近年来日益增多的雾霾天气而大打折扣，去年和今年夏天周围山火造成的雾霾天气已经使得西雅图的空气质量一度比北京还要差。
西雅图，想说爱你不容易！
Ballard是坐落在西雅图西北角的一个社区，西边紧邻普吉特海湾(Puget Sound)，风景很美。这里的地标建筑有黄金花园公园(Golden Gardens Park)和水门(Hiram M. Chittenden Locks)。因其便利的运输，早期的Ballard以各种不同的工业著称，这其中包括锯木厂(lumber mill,shingle mill)等，今天人们仍然能够看到由工厂旧址改造的各类商店和厂房，以及废弃的铁轨。
Ballard是西雅图快速发展的一个社区之一，因为这里距离市中心不到二十分钟车程，同时也是未来二十年内Link Rail重点发展的一个区域，所以Ballard吸引了很多在市中心上班的白领，加上这里的房价本来就低发展潜力高。近年来，该区增加了很多低层公寓、连栋别墅，以应对不断增加的人口。Ballard作为一个很年轻化的社区，也拥有很多年轻人喜爱的酒吧和餐馆。两年前我第一次来西雅图的时候，一位在当地生活过的朋友就带我去了一家以生蚝著称的酒吧，这家店名为The Walrus and the Carpenter的酒吧很受当地人欢迎，虽然不接受预定，很多顾客们还是乐意等上一个小时去品尝他家独特的菜式。Ballard的另一特色是每周日的农贸市场(Farmers Market)，一年四季皆有。这里你可以买到时令新鲜蔬果和各类花束。
Ballard部分区域地势平坦，所以如果你喜欢骑车，可以沿着Burke Gilman Trail向东骑行到华盛顿大学，向西北到黄金花园公园。北边还有格林湖(Green Lake)和木地公园(Woodland Park)，不过那里的地势较高，所以骑行会有很多上坡路。Ballard的公共交通还算便利，从这里可以乘巴士去市中心、华大、安妮皇后区(Queen Anne)等，但是因为西雅图道路设计的限制，很多公车路线如同过山车般曲折。喜欢户外运动的话可以向西到探索公园(Discovery Park)，这里有比较完善的徒步路线，天气好的日子里可以在公园里看到奥林匹克公园以及雷尼尔山。
随着西雅图无家可归者的增多，Ballard也慢慢变成了“受灾区”，经过Burke Gilman Trail的时候尤其明显。社区的主干道Market St上以及Ballard公园也经常可以看到无家可归人士简陋的地铺或帐篷。这个城市的管理者们一直叫嚣着要通过增加税收来解决问题，可惜不买账的西雅图市民认为现有的税金并没有得到很好的利用才使得这个问题严重到影响每个人。我作为外来人口，并没有投票权，但是也能够看出这个城市的管理者并没有足够的意愿去解决无家可归者的生存问题。这个国家对待弱者的态度一直都是在党派之间无休止的争执中能拖则拖，想要保持资本主义者的地位必须要损失一部分的利益，恰好又有那么一批对生活丧失信心或靠毒品麻醉自己的人，他们被政界人士利用一点儿都不奇怪。
所以在西雅图生活了一年的我对这个城市的解读也慢慢从期待到失望，尤其看着这个城市不断竖起的塑料感极强的公寓楼。我很好奇这个城市到底打算走向何处，这里有限的公共空间大部分被无家可归者占领，留给居民的是不断增加的房价和拥挤的交通。原本夏天的美好也因近年来日益增多的雾霾天气而大打折扣，去年和今年夏天周围山火造成的雾霾天气已经使得西雅图的空气质量一度比北京还要差。
西雅图，想说爱你不容易！
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Footprints -- Jan 23
Asia
Beijing, Hangzhou, Hong Kong, Nanjing, Shanghai, Shangqiu, Taizhou, Wuxi, Xiamen, Xitang, Zhangjiajie National Park, Zhengzhou, Wuhan, Suzhou,
北京，杭州，香港，南京，上海，商丘，泰州，无锡，厦门，西塘，张家界，郑州，武汉，苏州
North America
Europe
Lithuania: Vilnius
北京，杭州，香港，南京，上海，商丘，泰州，无锡，厦门，西塘，张家界，郑州，武汉，苏州
North America
- Alaska: Fairbanks, Denali National Park
- Arizona: Tucson, Saguaro National Park
- California: Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Yosemite National Park
- Colorado: Boulder, Rocky Mountains National Park
- Connecticut:
- Florida: Key West, Miami, Orlando, Gainesville
- Georgia: Atlanta
- Hawaii: Maui
- Idaho: Boise
- Illinois: Chicago
- Kansas: Wichita
- Kentucky:
- Louisiana: New Orleans
- Maine:
- Maryland:
- Massachusetts: Boston, Concord
- Michigan: Ann Arbor, Detroit, Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Traverse City, Holland,
- Minnesota:
- Montana:
- Nevada:
- New Hampshire:
- New Jersey: Basking Ridge, Summit, Princeton, New Brunswick,
- New Mexico:
- New York: NYC, Ithaca,
- North Carolina: Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh,
- Ohio:
- Oregon: Bend, Crater Lake National Park, Portland, Smith Rock State Park
- Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Longwood Gardens (Kennett Square),
- Rhode Island:
- Tennessee: Great Smoky Mountains National Park,
- Texas: Austin, College Station, Dallas, Houston,
- Utah: Zion National Park,
- Vermont:
- Virginia:
- Washington: Seattle, Lake Lenore Caves, Leavenworth, Mt. Rainier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Port Angeles, Stevenson, Vancouver,
- Washington DC,
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- Mexico: Cancun,
- Canada: Vancouver, Montreal, Calgary, Banff National Park,
UK:
- Blenheim Palace,
- Cotswolds,
- Cambridge,
- Coventry,
- London,
- Lake District National Park,
- Norwich,
- Oxford,
- Stratford-upon-Avon
Lithuania: Vilnius
Italy:
- Milan,
- Lake Como,
- Pisa,
- Florence,
- Rome
Last updated: 1/2023
Thursday, April 6, 2017
你为何痴迷，那一切有难度的乐趣
“希望你有高跟鞋也有跑鞋，喝茶也喝酒。
希望你有勇敢的朋友，也有牛逼的对手。
希望你对过往的一切情深义重，但从不回头。
希望你对想要的未来抵死执着，但当下却无急迫神色。
希望你特别美丽特别平静，特别凶狠也特别温柔。”
任何“乐趣”，不论是事业、理想，还是生活，如果没有时间、空间和爱这三个标准至少其一的检验，就不可能称之为“有难度”。而反过来，任何乐趣其内在的“难度”，如果能得到这三个标准至少其一的帮助，那也往往可以得到突破。
希望你有勇敢的朋友，也有牛逼的对手。
希望你对过往的一切情深义重，但从不回头。
希望你对想要的未来抵死执着，但当下却无急迫神色。
希望你特别美丽特别平静，特别凶狠也特别温柔。”
任何“乐趣”，不论是事业、理想，还是生活，如果没有时间、空间和爱这三个标准至少其一的检验，就不可能称之为“有难度”。而反过来，任何乐趣其内在的“难度”，如果能得到这三个标准至少其一的帮助，那也往往可以得到突破。
Thursday, March 16, 2017
首都华盛顿
因为一个会议，终于第一次来到D.C.。这个城市给我的第一印象很不错，单单Union Station就比费城的30th St Station优雅美观整洁。此次D.C.之行我选择了住民宿，在Columbia Heights一个美国人家里。第一次这么大胆地住在陌生人家里，我也很是佩服自己。好处是Columbia Heights是居民住宅区，比较安静，而且不用每天面对同样也是来开会的同行们，价格也是相对于Hilton实惠许多。坏处也有，第一天晚上自己有点不安，再后来天气恶化后可以听到窗外的风声，也多少影响了睡眠。总是很难十全十美的，这次能够来一个新的地方体验当地人的生活已经很不错啦。
或许此次旅行我最期待的便是华盛顿的樱花了。如果不是突如其来的暴雪，3月15号原本刚刚好应该是樱花盛开的日子。只可惜一切美好的安排都被大雪打破了。。。所以樱花没有了，每天我们都还风雪无阻地赶往会场，想想也是够拼的。也罢，等我到了西雅图，可以看明年春天华大的樱花。
趁着开会的机会，我也和许久未见的小伙伴碰了头。本科以及博士期间的朋友虽然各奔东西，但是听着大家的新闻感受着朝气和人气，心里暖暖的。最后也遇到了将来的同事，我很羡慕他们面对工作中的困难游刃有余，谨以此勉励将来的自己。
Union Station at D.C.
明月当空
或许此次旅行我最期待的便是华盛顿的樱花了。如果不是突如其来的暴雪，3月15号原本刚刚好应该是樱花盛开的日子。只可惜一切美好的安排都被大雪打破了。。。所以樱花没有了，每天我们都还风雪无阻地赶往会场，想想也是够拼的。也罢，等我到了西雅图，可以看明年春天华大的樱花。
花开时节
趁着开会的机会，我也和许久未见的小伙伴碰了头。本科以及博士期间的朋友虽然各奔东西，但是听着大家的新闻感受着朝气和人气，心里暖暖的。最后也遇到了将来的同事，我很羡慕他们面对工作中的困难游刃有余，谨以此勉励将来的自己。
Monday, February 27, 2017
邂逅那一抹绿@翡翠之城
也许自己真的是很幸运，2015年第一次去西雅图便爱上了这座城。西雅图毗邻山水，很好地诠释了中国人喜欢的生活方式，而那个夏天的翡翠之城也是异常的风和日丽。那个时候便和David约定以后要是能来这里工作就好了。
2017年第二次去西雅图正值情人节，为了工作面试，在一座心仪的城市和一家自己喜欢已久的单位。去的路上一直在默默准备讲稿，但返程5个小时的飞机上什么都没想，就只是在听歌，因为对自己的表现还算满意，至于对方是否也同样欣赏我就只能看我的造化了。而后仅仅两天便收到被录用的通知，彼时我已经回到费城，David正好也在。得知消息后的我特别激动，抱着David跳了起来。忽然想起七年前的我申请研究生院，陆陆续续提交了近20几所学校的申请，却是最喜欢的密大在春节期间给自己发了录取信。而今又是最喜欢的Fred Hutch给了自己工作机会。现在想来仍然会觉得不可思议。
过去的两个多月恐怕是这几年来最戏剧性的一个假期了。明明知道自己申请工作会很忙，却依然固执的选择了和David去英国过圣诞节。节日期间自然是经历了很多趣事，我们一起准备礼物，一起在宁静的英国乡间小路上散步，也没少逛节日里的伦敦博物馆。因为美国签证的问题，我一个人不得不滞留在英国，其他人都开始工作了，唯独我常常一个人待在David家里，默默地编写代码和讲稿。那段时间自己心情很不好，每次和David谈起来都会后悔为什么选择这个假期过来英国，为什么没有提早申请美国签证等等。耐心的David也没有很好的主意，只是提醒我不要去想这么多无关紧要的事情，好好准备接下来的面试。现在想来那段时间其实挺美好的，他的家人也都对我加以关照。一月底自己有幸去了University of Warwick统计系面试，某种程度上也不枉此次英国之行。原本以为自己表现不错，可是第二天收到消息说只给我一个短期的访问职位时，心里特别不是滋味，感觉自己好像被欺骗了一样。得知消息的当天我正好在伦敦的一家青年旅社，因为要等第二天的飞机回美国。心情不好的我虽然尽力掩饰，不让其他人看到，隔壁床位的一位阿姨依然看出我心中有苦说不出。她没有直接问我在苦恼什么，只是安慰我说会有很好的机会等待着我。得知我在为申请工作苦恼后，她很真诚地建议我去西雅图，因为那里朝气蓬勃，更加适合我。过去这么久，我仍然记得她，虽然不知道后来她怎么样，但是她的安慰却是很大的鼓舞了我，让我相信自己。她是英国人，也许正如她所说，不熟悉英国文化的我在英国工作的话，从专业上讲并没有什么问题，但是生活上我会觉得孤单。
虽然距离真正开始工作还早，我却是对将来西雅图的生活充满了很多期待。David和我终于可以不再为上次没能够游览奥林匹克公园而遗憾，可以开车去我非常喜欢的小城波特兰闲逛，品尝无处不在的海鲜美食、经典的星巴克咖啡，去欣赏华大春天美丽的樱花。。。总之有很多美好的事情等待着我们。要相信，人生走过的每一步都是值得的！
2017年第二次去西雅图正值情人节，为了工作面试，在一座心仪的城市和一家自己喜欢已久的单位。去的路上一直在默默准备讲稿，但返程5个小时的飞机上什么都没想，就只是在听歌，因为对自己的表现还算满意，至于对方是否也同样欣赏我就只能看我的造化了。而后仅仅两天便收到被录用的通知，彼时我已经回到费城，David正好也在。得知消息后的我特别激动，抱着David跳了起来。忽然想起七年前的我申请研究生院，陆陆续续提交了近20几所学校的申请，却是最喜欢的密大在春节期间给自己发了录取信。而今又是最喜欢的Fred Hutch给了自己工作机会。现在想来仍然会觉得不可思议。
过去的两个多月恐怕是这几年来最戏剧性的一个假期了。明明知道自己申请工作会很忙，却依然固执的选择了和David去英国过圣诞节。节日期间自然是经历了很多趣事，我们一起准备礼物，一起在宁静的英国乡间小路上散步，也没少逛节日里的伦敦博物馆。因为美国签证的问题，我一个人不得不滞留在英国，其他人都开始工作了，唯独我常常一个人待在David家里，默默地编写代码和讲稿。那段时间自己心情很不好，每次和David谈起来都会后悔为什么选择这个假期过来英国，为什么没有提早申请美国签证等等。耐心的David也没有很好的主意，只是提醒我不要去想这么多无关紧要的事情，好好准备接下来的面试。现在想来那段时间其实挺美好的，他的家人也都对我加以关照。一月底自己有幸去了University of Warwick统计系面试，某种程度上也不枉此次英国之行。原本以为自己表现不错，可是第二天收到消息说只给我一个短期的访问职位时，心里特别不是滋味，感觉自己好像被欺骗了一样。得知消息的当天我正好在伦敦的一家青年旅社，因为要等第二天的飞机回美国。心情不好的我虽然尽力掩饰，不让其他人看到，隔壁床位的一位阿姨依然看出我心中有苦说不出。她没有直接问我在苦恼什么，只是安慰我说会有很好的机会等待着我。得知我在为申请工作苦恼后，她很真诚地建议我去西雅图，因为那里朝气蓬勃，更加适合我。过去这么久，我仍然记得她，虽然不知道后来她怎么样，但是她的安慰却是很大的鼓舞了我，让我相信自己。她是英国人，也许正如她所说，不熟悉英国文化的我在英国工作的话，从专业上讲并没有什么问题，但是生活上我会觉得孤单。
虽然距离真正开始工作还早，我却是对将来西雅图的生活充满了很多期待。David和我终于可以不再为上次没能够游览奥林匹克公园而遗憾，可以开车去我非常喜欢的小城波特兰闲逛，品尝无处不在的海鲜美食、经典的星巴克咖啡，去欣赏华大春天美丽的樱花。。。总之有很多美好的事情等待着我们。要相信，人生走过的每一步都是值得的！
Tuesday, September 6, 2016
陌上花开，可缓缓归矣
意为：家乡田畔阡陌上的花已经开了吧，你可以慢慢赏，我很好，不必着急归来。。。
“吴越王简王妃每岁春必归临安，钱谬思之，王以书遗妃曰：‘陌上花开，可缓缓归矣。’吴人用其语为歌，含思婉转，听之恻然。”
“吴越王简王妃每岁春必归临安，钱谬思之，王以书遗妃曰：‘陌上花开，可缓缓归矣。’吴人用其语为歌，含思婉转，听之恻然。”
Sunday, July 24, 2016
欲买桂花同载酒，终不似，少年游
南宋词人刘过的感怀之作《唐多令》：
芦叶满汀洲，寒沙带浅流。二十年重过南楼。柳下系船犹未稳，能几日，又中秋。
黄鹤断矶头，故人曾到否？旧江山浑是新愁。欲买桂花同载酒，终不似，少年游。
其中“欲买桂花同载酒，终不似，少年游。”一句是指二十年后旧地重游，像以前年少时一样买酒品桂，只是时移世易，再没有年少时的心情。
Wednesday, June 29, 2016
话说天下大势，分久必合，合久必分
《三国演义》第一回：“话说天下大势，分久必合，合久必分。周末七国分争，并入于秦。及秦灭之后，楚、汉分争，又并入于汉。汉朝自高祖斩白蛇而起义，一统天下，后来光武中兴，传至献帝，遂分为三国。
偶然在朋友的留言上看到这句出自《三国演义》的著名论断，联想到这些日子来的国际政坛，不得不感慨历史总是惊人的相似。今人效仿古人，且常以取其精华去其糟粕自居，殊不知许多年后，当今人成了古人，后人成为今人，历史又是一番轮回。
偶然在朋友的留言上看到这句出自《三国演义》的著名论断，联想到这些日子来的国际政坛，不得不感慨历史总是惊人的相似。今人效仿古人，且常以取其精华去其糟粕自居，殊不知许多年后，当今人成了古人，后人成为今人，历史又是一番轮回。
Wednesday, March 16, 2016
Sunday, February 7, 2016
新年快乐
Happy New Year, everyone! Wishing you prosperity on the year of Monkey!
祝大家新年快乐，猴年吉祥！
Dave and I had a nice dinner together. We made some pork dumplings (although Dave was the one who actually made them and I was in charge of everything else :) ) and my favorite scrambled eggs with tomatoes and green beans (西红柿豆角炒鸡蛋).
Thursday, January 7, 2016
Philadelphia
My first encounter with Philadelphia was in 2013 while I was having an internship in New Jersey. A friend who lived nearby invited me to tour Philadelphia and to experience the history. Not surprisingly, we stopped at Chinatown for lunch. For a long time, I couldn't remember the name of the restaurant or the street on which the restaurant is, but I remembered the delicious Liang Pi from Xi'an from a photo taken by my friends. Only a few days ago, Dave and I found the place, Xi'an Sizzling Woks, and enjoyed Liang Pi again. We also stopped at Penn and were impressed with the beautiful campus as well as the renowned Wharton Business School.
It was a brief but quite enjoyable visit.
It was a brief but quite enjoyable visit.
The signature gate in Chinatown
Inside a Chinese restaurant featuring Xi'An Cold Noodles
Elfreth's Alley, one of my favorite spot
Display in a museum next to Elfreth's Alley
The Wharton School at Penn
Back then, neither of us would expect my later working in Philadelphia or at Penn. But here I am, working at the prestigious Wharton School with a well-known statistician, and another famous biostatistician from the prestigious Perelman School of Medicine. The friend who took me here the first time still lives nearby. This is simply how amazing life can be.
You know, there is always a different expectation when you are looking for a place to live for a few years versus a place to visit for a few days. We seem to expect more from a place if we are considering living there. So I was a little disappointed at the beginning of my apartment hunting journey because most of them look old and dodgy, a very different outlook compared to Ann Arbor. There are a few newly built high-rise apartment complexes, but the rent is so high that I decided to rent a one-bedroom apartment on Sansom Street crossing the 42nd Street, an area that is not too bad. Plus the five story building was advertised to be somewhat recent. Another friend who is based in Philadelphia helped me check out the apartment and informed me of its reliability. I agreed with its security and reliability, but it's only after living here for a while that I learned about the management. Still it is not comparable to what Ann Arbor offers.
Overall, Philadelphia is a city and also has things that Ann Arbor doesn't offer, such as the many museums around the city, a much larger variety of food options, and the proximity to many other interesting places such as Princeton, New York City, Washington. DC, etc. Best of all, the weather here is much more mild compared to Michigan. So I'm enjoying my life here. I like that there is the Reading Terminal Market where you can get fresh seafood, exotic desserts, etc; I like that there are more clothing shops in Center City so I can try out clothes before buying them. Yes, there is also New Year's Eve fireworks celebration here.
Locust walk on Penn campus
A typical street view in Philly
City bikes
Penn is a private university. As someone on a paid vacation (I mean post-doc), I don't enjoy much of the flexibility of being a student. What I do enjoy is the opportunity to hang out with those smart students, post-docs and professors, which is the more important part of work. If you were to ask me about my first job after graduation a few years ago, I would have wished that I become a faculty member immediately. The truth is that things have changed so much in the statistics profession that even those top candidates on the job market would postpone their start date as an assistant professor and instead consider working as a post-doc for a year or so. We call this "paid vacation time", because really there is no one pushing you to do anything, no teaching and you get to manage all your time by yourself. You do get less pay compared to being an assistant professor, but not much. The only thing you need to remember is that you will have to leave in two (or three) years. And in order to make that separation less unpleasant, you might want to push yourself to find the next higher "paid vacation" in time.
Wednesday, January 6, 2016
Happy New Year, 2016!
New Year is a good time to think about building up at least one new habit that will make the year more fulfilling. For example, I would like to get more focused on work when required and fully enjoy myself when it's time for a break. This way, I will achieve my goal at work and also get to have fun, which in turn makes working more fulfilling.
Here are my new year's resolutions:
- Goal in reading: 12 books
- Better time management
- Fitness challenges: leaner, stronger
- Eat clean, with more fruits and vegetables
- Check out more national parks
What are your new year's resolutions?
The last trip in 2015
For the last few days of 2015, I spent some time with friends in New York. Yuchong works at Columbia University, so I stayed with her at her riverside apartment. It was an excellent two-day visit, with lots of holiday special treats and pleasant views. No wonder people like to come to the Big Apple, because this city has so much to offer to everyone!
With Lazhi and Yuchong at Bryan Park and the largest Christmas Tree
A misty view of how noodles are cooked in a compact Japanese restaurant Totto Ramen
Bosie Tea Parlor: a great spot for a sip of afternoon tea
Fresh lobsters at Chelsea Market
Beautiful window displays around the city
Ikebana vases from Japan
Riverside church
Reading inside the Butler Library
Chelsea Market: a wonderful place to enjoy some exotic foods
How parking can be done in the city
Saturday, December 26, 2015
2015最喜欢的三位作家
年初的时候定下愿望，那便是今年要比去年多读些书。到了年底，发现今年反倒不如去年的阅读来得多。不过也算是看到了不少喜欢的书籍，不论是重温过去的经典还是新近发现，都感觉是极好的。接下来就把自己今年最喜爱的三位作家介绍一下。
排在第一位的当属林语堂先生。到了美国后才开始喜欢上他的，因为想借他笔下对于中国的介绍从另一种语言来了解自己的祖国。喜欢他的《吾国与吾民》，书中把中国近代社会人们的生活品性以及国人的价值观分析得很是到位，尤其因为原著是英文，也很适合推荐给喜欢中国文化的外国友人。他的《京华烟云》常被人与《红楼梦》比肩，也是长篇史诗类的巨著，书中各种人物以及历史背景都叙述得有声有色，林先生好像也说过是因为喜欢红楼梦才决意要做《京华烟云》的。我也特别推荐他的《苏东坡传》，苏东坡是林先生最欣赏的古代文人，所以书中不乏溢美之词，喜欢苏轼豁达人生态度的人应该也会喜欢。还有其他几本《生活的艺术》、《孔子的智慧》、《老子的智慧》等。个人感觉林先生的英文书籍是对于中华文化极好的传播。
另外一位推荐的是Bill Bryson, 一位西方作家。他的书籍涉猎深广，跨越他生活阅历过的美国、英国、澳大利亚，也有讲述历史的，写作笔法也很幽默，喜欢幽默类文学的人应该会喜欢他的书。I'm a stranger here my self带你领略美国和英国不同的社会风貌，充满了愉快的笔调；In a sunburned country是讲述澳大利亚的，让你了解到澳洲很多不为人知的历史，还有Notes from a small island和A short history of nearly everything.
还有一位是罗素, 一位哲学家。以前不喜欢读哲学类的书籍，觉得它们沉闷无趣，或许是阅历的影响，现在在去读，发现竟然非常喜欢，读后有种豁然开朗的快感。再加上罗素是一位非常全面的作家，他的讲述富含哲理又不失趣味，让自己情不自禁地去思考一些问题。他的巨著《西方哲学史》(A history of western philosophy)我仍在读，因为真得很长。其他的比如In praise of idleness, The problems of philosophy也都是推荐的。他有太多的书籍，只怕要一生阅读了。
排在第一位的当属林语堂先生。到了美国后才开始喜欢上他的，因为想借他笔下对于中国的介绍从另一种语言来了解自己的祖国。喜欢他的《吾国与吾民》，书中把中国近代社会人们的生活品性以及国人的价值观分析得很是到位，尤其因为原著是英文，也很适合推荐给喜欢中国文化的外国友人。他的《京华烟云》常被人与《红楼梦》比肩，也是长篇史诗类的巨著，书中各种人物以及历史背景都叙述得有声有色，林先生好像也说过是因为喜欢红楼梦才决意要做《京华烟云》的。我也特别推荐他的《苏东坡传》，苏东坡是林先生最欣赏的古代文人，所以书中不乏溢美之词，喜欢苏轼豁达人生态度的人应该也会喜欢。还有其他几本《生活的艺术》、《孔子的智慧》、《老子的智慧》等。个人感觉林先生的英文书籍是对于中华文化极好的传播。
另外一位推荐的是Bill Bryson, 一位西方作家。他的书籍涉猎深广，跨越他生活阅历过的美国、英国、澳大利亚，也有讲述历史的，写作笔法也很幽默，喜欢幽默类文学的人应该会喜欢他的书。I'm a stranger here my self带你领略美国和英国不同的社会风貌，充满了愉快的笔调；In a sunburned country是讲述澳大利亚的，让你了解到澳洲很多不为人知的历史，还有Notes from a small island和A short history of nearly everything.
还有一位是罗素, 一位哲学家。以前不喜欢读哲学类的书籍，觉得它们沉闷无趣，或许是阅历的影响，现在在去读，发现竟然非常喜欢，读后有种豁然开朗的快感。再加上罗素是一位非常全面的作家，他的讲述富含哲理又不失趣味，让自己情不自禁地去思考一些问题。他的巨著《西方哲学史》(A history of western philosophy)我仍在读，因为真得很长。其他的比如In praise of idleness, The problems of philosophy也都是推荐的。他有太多的书籍，只怕要一生阅读了。
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Steve Jobs
The biography book of Steve Jobs written by Walter Isaacson has been around for a long time since Oct 2011. I remembered being very emotional learning from the news that Jobs passed away. Back then, I've already had my first Macbook from Apple and liked using it a lot. Jobs and his company impressed the world, so his leave was a shock even though people all knew Jobs had been struggling with his health since 2004. I was eager to learn more about him and also understand why he has been so influential and why Apple is so popular. Of course, the next year I also purchased my first iPhone and again enjoyed the experience.
I didn't get to read the book until this summer, when Dave's mother Sarah bought me this book as a birthday present. I kept it with me and would read a little every day before going to bed. Sometimes the book was so intriguing that I ended up falling asleep really late. Recently I finished this book and have to admit that my attitude to the book and more importantly to Steve Jobs has also changed.
Because of my own background experience, I sometimes do not see things from the same perspective as those from journalists. I would perceive them as opinions from rich people who often do not know what is actually happening. Nevertheless, I respect those who do a reasonable job in their own position regardless of their background not only because they do things, but because I might be wrong since I do not know everything. For example, I had no idea of the presence of Apple and its great products until after I came to the US, which was July 2010. By then, Macbook, iPod, iPhone and even iPad were becoming more and more available. Unfortunately, I had not had the privilege to experience any of them.
It's only after using Apple's products that I started understanding Apple, which also helped me understand what the book is trying to convey, that Apple and Jobs really wanted to make great products.
I bought my first product from Apple, a Macbook Pro, in Dec 2010. For the first time, I realized that computers could be made so well, which was a different experience from having my old Dell computer. I liked the look, the stunning screen, the convenient multi-touchpad, the various tools for viewing photos, the music player, the iTunes which allowed me to listen to podcasts, the Mail app that allowed me to synchronize multiple accounts, the terminal command, and so many others. Later after I had my first iPhone, there was also the joy of synchronizing songs from my computer to my phone, and the iPhone was an excellent music player, way better than the MP3s that I had previously. Of course there are also things that I do not like, such as how my photos and music files are stored, how some of my Chinese files could not be identified properly (which could also be a problem with copyright issues), how Apple always likes to ask you for your ID when doing anything, etc. In the modern world where more and more open-source hardware and software are available, it is also arguable whether the closed and integrated model Apple is doing will last.
My worst relationship with Apple was when my iPhone 4S stopped working properly starting from the past summer. The battery would suddenly drop from 80% down to 20% and then the phone would shut down completely in cold weather. To make matters worse, the wifi connection on the phone once stopped working. The genius bar in the local Apple store told me that they couldn't fix it and suggested upgrading to a new one. I would love to if I'm in a better position, but I was able to fix it myself with a little advice from someone online who had the same issue. I understand that there is a lifetime for electronics, but the frequent breakdown of Apple products makes me wonder if the whole thing is necessary or simply some business trick that is aiming at boosting their sales revenue.
That being said, I think Jobs is not only visionary in making great products, but also a great businessman who understands deeply how business works. He once had the famous saying that people don't know what they want until you show them. Jobs may not be a nice guy to work with, but he was able to combine ideas (although without acknowledging other people who originally thought of the ideas) and introduce solid products that excite millions of people. For that, I admire and respect him, even though I dislike some of his ways of being a top manager.
Let us remember, not only Jobs but the products that bear his name and ideas, and eventually become our companions in our life. Still they may not be perfect, but we enjoy being friends with them and let them be part of our lives.
I didn't get to read the book until this summer, when Dave's mother Sarah bought me this book as a birthday present. I kept it with me and would read a little every day before going to bed. Sometimes the book was so intriguing that I ended up falling asleep really late. Recently I finished this book and have to admit that my attitude to the book and more importantly to Steve Jobs has also changed.
Because of my own background experience, I sometimes do not see things from the same perspective as those from journalists. I would perceive them as opinions from rich people who often do not know what is actually happening. Nevertheless, I respect those who do a reasonable job in their own position regardless of their background not only because they do things, but because I might be wrong since I do not know everything. For example, I had no idea of the presence of Apple and its great products until after I came to the US, which was July 2010. By then, Macbook, iPod, iPhone and even iPad were becoming more and more available. Unfortunately, I had not had the privilege to experience any of them.
It's only after using Apple's products that I started understanding Apple, which also helped me understand what the book is trying to convey, that Apple and Jobs really wanted to make great products.
I bought my first product from Apple, a Macbook Pro, in Dec 2010. For the first time, I realized that computers could be made so well, which was a different experience from having my old Dell computer. I liked the look, the stunning screen, the convenient multi-touchpad, the various tools for viewing photos, the music player, the iTunes which allowed me to listen to podcasts, the Mail app that allowed me to synchronize multiple accounts, the terminal command, and so many others. Later after I had my first iPhone, there was also the joy of synchronizing songs from my computer to my phone, and the iPhone was an excellent music player, way better than the MP3s that I had previously. Of course there are also things that I do not like, such as how my photos and music files are stored, how some of my Chinese files could not be identified properly (which could also be a problem with copyright issues), how Apple always likes to ask you for your ID when doing anything, etc. In the modern world where more and more open-source hardware and software are available, it is also arguable whether the closed and integrated model Apple is doing will last.
My worst relationship with Apple was when my iPhone 4S stopped working properly starting from the past summer. The battery would suddenly drop from 80% down to 20% and then the phone would shut down completely in cold weather. To make matters worse, the wifi connection on the phone once stopped working. The genius bar in the local Apple store told me that they couldn't fix it and suggested upgrading to a new one. I would love to if I'm in a better position, but I was able to fix it myself with a little advice from someone online who had the same issue. I understand that there is a lifetime for electronics, but the frequent breakdown of Apple products makes me wonder if the whole thing is necessary or simply some business trick that is aiming at boosting their sales revenue.
That being said, I think Jobs is not only visionary in making great products, but also a great businessman who understands deeply how business works. He once had the famous saying that people don't know what they want until you show them. Jobs may not be a nice guy to work with, but he was able to combine ideas (although without acknowledging other people who originally thought of the ideas) and introduce solid products that excite millions of people. For that, I admire and respect him, even though I dislike some of his ways of being a top manager.
Let us remember, not only Jobs but the products that bear his name and ideas, and eventually become our companions in our life. Still they may not be perfect, but we enjoy being friends with them and let them be part of our lives.
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