Saturday, December 24, 2005

'Joy to the world'

Merry Christmas!
I wish everyone happy and peaceful moments.

Vrolijke Kerst!
Ik wens iedereen gelukkige en vreedzame momenten toe.

Fröhliche Weihnachten!
Ich wünsche jedem glücklichen und friedlichen Momenten.

聖誕快樂!
我祝大家有愉快與祥和的時刻。
christmas tree with Taipei 101 in background
Christmas tree in Xinyi shopping district
santa on his way
Sunset, Christmas day, Puli

Sunset, Christmas day, Puli
Sunset, Christmas day, Puli
Christmas tree

poinsettias
angles on a table
tinsels
gilded pine
christmas balls
tinsels

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Distractions

Just back from a 'shopping spree' together with a friend. Well, actually nothing was ever bought, but just doing that (not buying) took us well over half the day.
Have you noticed how everyone seems to be in such a rush to buy things, to shop, to consume, to spend, to splash out! It's Christmas, and even in a country where probably only around 5% of the population is Christian, this is "the season to be jolly, la la la la la", for bus-ine-sses.

We managed to walk around, comparing and complaining about the price, the specifications that don't exactly fit our requirements (better said, wants), about the 'freebies' we could squeeze out of each vendor... all the time, our minds hovered and dwelled on but a laptop and a digital camera. Material goods made of cold alloys and churned out of an even more mechanical production line. Goods we didn't even buy. Sure, they are cheap compared to other places in the world, but when it comes down to the basics, do we really need things we already have?

The walls and pavements, shop windows and human billboards, buses and taxis, neo-lights and lazer lights flash advertisements for the latest gadgets, for the 'hippest' clothes, for the most fashionable foreign brands, for the most 'popular' accessories and jewelries. They rob people of their basic needs and pockets, while fulfilling with empty wants and temporary satisfaction and happiness. Everywhere and wherever you go and turn, dazzling lights, artificially moulded model modern men and women, grippling sounds of music and dance, and enticing smells of fragrance and foods consume you in a raw, but silent high.

And I found myself caught in this pulling whirlpool...wanting, desiring, craving. But, luckily, at least this time, I resisted and stood firm.

But undoubtedly, sometime soon, other tidal waves of sensual distractions and physical pleasures will try to capture the body and mind.

And I thought Christmas was mainly about giving, caring, loving and sharing.

Monday, December 19, 2005

New Kitten!

I've adopted a new cyber kitten from bunnyherolabs.com and named her after my own cat, Kitty : P

Feel free to play with her.

No need to remember...

"Husband and wife should not remember grudges,
Dwelling on grudges, hearts will part;
Father and child should not remember hatred,
Dwelling on hatred, relationship ceases."