Working Tonight

Tonight I shall be working. Who knows what time I will end up with my work? It does not matter. Today is a very special day -- January 11th. And for that, there needs to be a special post. Today's post begins:

Love is such a beautiful thing.
In love, our minstrels will gladly sing
Firstly of love, and the joys it brings.
Everyone loves to hear wedding bells ring.
But oftentimes, love may sometimes fail,
Over trifling things -- so cry not a pail.
Over the hills and beyond shall we sail
Kept afloat by economies of scale.

I wish to wish my girlfriend happy birthday! She's getting smarter with each passing year, and she grows more and more lovely too. (Visit her page if you don't know for sure.)

Since it is also a new year, I suppose it would be appropriate to learn some new stuff. So, I append some "good advice" below, translated from Mandarin. (Sourced from a newspaper article in 2006, but transliterated and translated by me. All error is mine, all praise goes to Dong Fang Ri Bao!)

• 《压力是一个信使，耐心地倾听他。》
  ya1 li4 shi1 yi1 ge4 xin4 shi3, nai4 xin1 di4 qing1 ting1 ta1
  Pressure is a messenger, patiently heed its message.


• 《把压力作为一种挑战，你的竞争能力将会增加。》
  ba3 ya1 li4 zuo4 wei4 yi1 zhong3 tiao3 zhan4, ni3 de jing4 zheng1 neng2 li4 jiang1 hui4 zeng1 jia1
  Treat pressures as a challenge, your competitive abilities will increase.


• 《生活中每个事件的后面，都隐含著益处。》
  sheng1 huo2 zhong1 mei3 ge4 shi4 jian4 de hou4 mian4, dou4 yin3 han2 zhu4 yi4 chu1.
  Behind every incident in life, there is outstanding benefit.


• 《不要拿自己和别人比较，你是独特的。》
  bu4 yao4 na2 zi1 ji3 he2 bie2 ren2 bi3 jiao4, ni3 shi1 du2 te2 de.
  Don't compare yourself with others, you are unique.


• 《不要重复你过去的错误，过去是一张作废的支票。》
  bu4 yao4 zhong4 fu4 ni3 guo4 qu4 de cuo4 wu4, guo4 qu4 shi1 yi1 zhang1 zuo4 fei4 de zhi1 piao4.
  Don't repeat your past mistakes, the past is an invalid cheque.


• 《不要忧虑将来，将来是一张期要。》
  bu4 yao4 you1 lu4 jiang1 lai2, jiang1 lai2 shi1 yi1 zhang1 qi1 yao4
  Don't worry about the future, the future is unavoidable. (not very sure about this one, actually)


• 《不要嫉妒，应当满足。》
  bu4 yao4 ji2 du4, ying1 dang1 man3 zu2.
  Don't be envious, but be satisfied.


• 《不要高傲，放弃自大。》
  bu4 yao4 gao1 'ao4, fang4 qi4 zi1 da4.
  Don't be arrogant, renounce self-importance (ego).


• 《这个世界是个人舞台，不要由于悲哀和痛苦而感到不安。》
  zhe4 ge shi4 jie4 shi1 ge4 ren2 wu3 tai2, bu4 yao4 you2 yu2 bei1 ai1 he tong4 ku3 er2 gan3 dao4 bu4 an1.
  This world is everybody's stage, don't become unsettled (not peaceful) due to sorrow and suffering.


• 《空余时间帮助别人，你的焦虑很快会被忘记。》
  kong1 yu2 shi2 jian1 bang1 zhu4 bie2 ren2, ni3 de jiao1 lu4 hen3 kuai4 hui4 bei4 wang4 ji4.
  Help others in your free time, your worries will soon be forgotten.


• 《当你有病和面临问题之时，应当快乐，把它简单当成付清过去的欠款而已。》
  dang1 ni3 you3 bing4 he2 mian4 lin2 wen4 ti2 zhi1 shi2, ying1 dang1 kuai4 le4, ba3 ta1 jian3 dan1 dang1 cheng2 fu4 qing1 guo4 qu4 de qian4 kuan3 er2 yi3.
  When you have illness and face problems, be happy, keep it simple and treat it as paying for your past debts.


• 《批评是推动你前进的一种（动力），要把批评当成是一种祝愿。》
  pi1 ping2 shi1 tui1 dong4 ni3 qian2 jin4 de yi1 zhong3 (dong4 li4), yao4 ba3 pi1 ping2 dang1 cheng2 shi1 yi1 zhong3 zhu4 yuan4.
  Criticism is a kind of motivation that spurs you to progress, treat criticism as a good intention.


• 《不要在背后批评他人。》
  bu4 yao4 zai4bei4 hou4 pi1 ping2 ta1 ren2.
  Don't criticise people behind their back.


• 《不要想著复仇，应当宽恕和忘记。》
  bu4 yao4 xiang3 zhu4 fu4 chou2, ying1 dang1 kuan1 shu4 he2 wang4 ji4.
  Don't wish for outstanding revenge, but forgive and forget.


• 《把快乐给别人，永远不要给别人痛苦。》
  ba3 kuai4 le4 gei3 bie2 ren2, yong3 yuan3 bu4 yao4 gei3 bie2 ren2 tong4 ku3.
  Always give happiness to others, never give others pain and suffering.


• 《观察你的心思，控制思想的流动，不要有浪费的思想。》
  guan1 cha2 ni3 de xin1 si1, kong4 zhi4 si1 xiang3 de liu2 dong4, bu4 yao4 you3 lang4 fei4 de si1 xiang3.
  Observe your thoughts, control the flow of thoughts, don't waste your thoughts.


• 《笑声是减压的解药，笑你自己的错误，请不要笑别人的错。》
  xiao4 sheng1 shi1 jian3 ya1 de jie3 yao4, xiao4 ni3 zi4 ji3 de cuo4 wu4, qing3 bu4 yao4 xiao4 bie2 ren2 de cuo4.
  Laughter is a remedy to reduce stress, laugh at your own mistakes, but please don't laugh at other people's mistakes.


• 《把你所有的焦虑投降给上苍，保持放松。》
  ba3 ni3 suo3 you3 de jiao1 lu4 tou2 xiang2 gei3 shang4 cang1, bao3 chi2 fang4 song1.
  Surrender all your worries to God, stay relaxed (keep cool).


• 《每天练习静坐15分，将会带给你心灵和身体上的祥和，喜悦和放松。》
  mei3 tian1 lian4 xi2 jing4 zuo4 15 fen1, jiang1 hui4 dai4 gei3 ni3 xin1 ling2 he2 shen1 ti3 shang4 xiang2 he2, xi3 yue4 he2 fang4 song1.
  Practice sitting quietly every day for 15 minutes, it will give you quick-wittedness and your body health, happiness and relaxation.