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Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Showing posts with label life. Show all posts
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Monday, May 26, 2008
"孩子不是直接死于天灾，而是死于危楼"
父母们拿着用手一捏就化为粉末的水泥,悲痛地问我:看看这就是给我们孩子修的学校! 为什么国家从2006年开始就强令要对学校建筑每年进行两次安全检测,这样的建筑为什么能够通过检测???我回答不出来,能回答这些问题的人们,你们现在能安然入睡吗?
倒塌的墙壁仿佛是直接放在地面上的,看不出有地基结构
倒塌的墙壁仿佛是直接放在地面上的,看不出有地基结构
在悲痛的父母们的带领下,我们来到了这个镇的一所小学--富新二小,记得有听说在这个镇上有27个学生在地震中丧生的报道,但我们接下来看到的却不是这样的.
在这次地震中,这个镇基本上是没有一所房子倒塌,除了这所学校......
Friday, May 16, 2008
A Letter to My Son, on Starting Out In Life
Dear Seth,
You’re only three years old, and at this point in your life you can’t read, much less understand what I’m going to try to tell you in this letter. But I’ve been thinking a lot about the life that you have ahead of you, about my life so far as I reflect on what I’ve learned, and about my role as a dad in trying to prepare you for the trials that you will face in the coming years.
You won’t be able to understand this letter today, but someday, when you’re ready, I hope you will find some wisdom and value in what I share with you.
You are young, and life has yet to take its toll on you, to throw disappointments and heartaches and loneliness and struggles and pain into your path. You have not been worn down yet by long hours of thankless work, by the slings and arrows of everyday life.
For this, be thankful. You are at a wonderful stage of life. You have many wonderful stages of life still to come, but they are not without their costs and perils.
I hope to help you along your path by sharing some of the best of what I’ve learned. As with any advice, take it with a grain of salt. What works for me might not work for you.
Life Can Be Cruel
There will be people in your life who won’t be very nice. They’ll tease you because you’re different, or for no good reason. They might try to bully you or hurt you.
There’s not much you can do about these people except to learn to deal with them, and learn to choose friends who are kind to you, who actually care about you, who make you feel good about yourself. When you find friends like this, hold on to them, treasure them, spend time with them, be kind to them, love them.
There will be times when you are met with disappointment instead of success. Life won’t always turn out the way you want. This is just another thing you’ll have to learn to deal with. But instead of letting these things get you down, push on. Accept disappointment and learn to persevere, to pursue your dreams despite pitfalls. Learn to turn negatives into positives, and you’ll do much better in life.
You will also face heartbreak and abandonment by those you love. I hope you don’t have to face this too much, but it happens. Again, not much you can do but to heal, and to move on with your life. Let these pains become stepping stones to better things in life, and learn to use them to make you stronger.
But Be Open to Life Anyway
Yes, you’ll find cruelty and suffering in your journey through life … but don’t let that close you to new things. Don’t retreat from life, don’t hide or wall yourself off. Be open to new things, new experiences, new people.
You might get your heart broken 10 times, but find the most wonderful woman the 11th time. If you shut yourself off from love, you’ll miss out on that woman, and the happiest times of your life.
You might get teased and bullied and hurt by people you meet … and then after meeting dozens of jerks, find a true friend. If you close yourself off to new people, and don’t open your heart to them, you’ll avoid pain … but also lose out on meeting some incredible people, who will be there during the toughest times of your life and create some of the best times of your life.
You will fail many times but if you allow that to stop you from trying, you will miss out on the amazing feeling of success once you reach new heights with your accomplishments. Failure is a stepping stone to success.
Life Isn’t a Competition
You will meet many people who will try to outdo you, in school, in college, at work. They’ll try to have nicer cars, bigger houses, nicer clothes, cooler gadgets. To them, life is a competition — they have to do better than their peers to be happy.
Here’s a secret: life isn’t a competition. It’s a journey. If you spend that journey always trying to impress others, to outdo others, you’re wasting your journey. Instead, learn to enjoy the journey. Make it a journey of happiness, of constant learning, of continual improvement, of love.
Don’t worry about having a nicer car or house or anything material, or even a better-paying job. None of that matters a whit, and none of it will make you happier. You’ll acquire these things and then only want more. Instead, learn to be satisfied with having enough — and then use the time you would have wasted trying to earn money to buy those things … use that time doing things you love.
Find your passion, and pursue it doggedly. Don’t settle for a job that pays the bills. Life is too short to waste on a job you hate.
Love Should Be Your Rule
If there’s a single word you should live your life by, it should be this: Love. It might sound corny, I know … but trust me, there’s no better rule in life.
Some would live by the rule of success. Their lives will be stressful, unhappy and shallow.
Others would live by the rule of selfishness — putting their needs above those of others. They will live lonely lives, and will also be unhappy.
Still others will live by the rule of righteousness — trying to show the right path, and admonishing anyone who doesn’t live by that path. They are concerned with others, but in a negative way, and in the end will only have their own righteousness to live with, and that’s a horrible companion.
Live your life by the rule of love. Love your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, with all of your heart. Give to them what they need, and show them not cruelty nor disapproval nor coldness nor disappointment, but only love. Open your soul to them.
Love not only your loved ones, but your neighbors … your coworkers … strangers … your brothers and sisters in humanity. Offer anyone you meet a smile, a kind word, a kind gesture, a helping hand.
Love not only neighbors and strangers … but your enemy. The person who is cruelest to you, who has been unkind to you … love him. He is a tortured soul, and most in need of your love.
And most of all, love yourself. While others may criticize you, learn not to be so hard on yourself, to think that you’re ugly or dumb or unworthy of love … but to think instead that you are a wonderful human being, worthy of happiness and love … and learn to love yourself for who you are.
Finally, know that I love you and always will. You are starting out on a weird, scary, daunting, but ultimately incredibly wonderful journey, and I will be there for you when I can. Godspeed.
Love,
Your Dad
You’re only three years old, and at this point in your life you can’t read, much less understand what I’m going to try to tell you in this letter. But I’ve been thinking a lot about the life that you have ahead of you, about my life so far as I reflect on what I’ve learned, and about my role as a dad in trying to prepare you for the trials that you will face in the coming years.
You won’t be able to understand this letter today, but someday, when you’re ready, I hope you will find some wisdom and value in what I share with you.
You are young, and life has yet to take its toll on you, to throw disappointments and heartaches and loneliness and struggles and pain into your path. You have not been worn down yet by long hours of thankless work, by the slings and arrows of everyday life.
For this, be thankful. You are at a wonderful stage of life. You have many wonderful stages of life still to come, but they are not without their costs and perils.
I hope to help you along your path by sharing some of the best of what I’ve learned. As with any advice, take it with a grain of salt. What works for me might not work for you.
Life Can Be Cruel
There will be people in your life who won’t be very nice. They’ll tease you because you’re different, or for no good reason. They might try to bully you or hurt you.
There’s not much you can do about these people except to learn to deal with them, and learn to choose friends who are kind to you, who actually care about you, who make you feel good about yourself. When you find friends like this, hold on to them, treasure them, spend time with them, be kind to them, love them.
There will be times when you are met with disappointment instead of success. Life won’t always turn out the way you want. This is just another thing you’ll have to learn to deal with. But instead of letting these things get you down, push on. Accept disappointment and learn to persevere, to pursue your dreams despite pitfalls. Learn to turn negatives into positives, and you’ll do much better in life.
You will also face heartbreak and abandonment by those you love. I hope you don’t have to face this too much, but it happens. Again, not much you can do but to heal, and to move on with your life. Let these pains become stepping stones to better things in life, and learn to use them to make you stronger.
But Be Open to Life Anyway
Yes, you’ll find cruelty and suffering in your journey through life … but don’t let that close you to new things. Don’t retreat from life, don’t hide or wall yourself off. Be open to new things, new experiences, new people.
You might get your heart broken 10 times, but find the most wonderful woman the 11th time. If you shut yourself off from love, you’ll miss out on that woman, and the happiest times of your life.
You might get teased and bullied and hurt by people you meet … and then after meeting dozens of jerks, find a true friend. If you close yourself off to new people, and don’t open your heart to them, you’ll avoid pain … but also lose out on meeting some incredible people, who will be there during the toughest times of your life and create some of the best times of your life.
You will fail many times but if you allow that to stop you from trying, you will miss out on the amazing feeling of success once you reach new heights with your accomplishments. Failure is a stepping stone to success.
Life Isn’t a Competition
You will meet many people who will try to outdo you, in school, in college, at work. They’ll try to have nicer cars, bigger houses, nicer clothes, cooler gadgets. To them, life is a competition — they have to do better than their peers to be happy.
Here’s a secret: life isn’t a competition. It’s a journey. If you spend that journey always trying to impress others, to outdo others, you’re wasting your journey. Instead, learn to enjoy the journey. Make it a journey of happiness, of constant learning, of continual improvement, of love.
Don’t worry about having a nicer car or house or anything material, or even a better-paying job. None of that matters a whit, and none of it will make you happier. You’ll acquire these things and then only want more. Instead, learn to be satisfied with having enough — and then use the time you would have wasted trying to earn money to buy those things … use that time doing things you love.
Find your passion, and pursue it doggedly. Don’t settle for a job that pays the bills. Life is too short to waste on a job you hate.
Love Should Be Your Rule
If there’s a single word you should live your life by, it should be this: Love. It might sound corny, I know … but trust me, there’s no better rule in life.
Some would live by the rule of success. Their lives will be stressful, unhappy and shallow.
Others would live by the rule of selfishness — putting their needs above those of others. They will live lonely lives, and will also be unhappy.
Still others will live by the rule of righteousness — trying to show the right path, and admonishing anyone who doesn’t live by that path. They are concerned with others, but in a negative way, and in the end will only have their own righteousness to live with, and that’s a horrible companion.
Live your life by the rule of love. Love your spouse, your children, your parents, your friends, with all of your heart. Give to them what they need, and show them not cruelty nor disapproval nor coldness nor disappointment, but only love. Open your soul to them.
Love not only your loved ones, but your neighbors … your coworkers … strangers … your brothers and sisters in humanity. Offer anyone you meet a smile, a kind word, a kind gesture, a helping hand.
Love not only neighbors and strangers … but your enemy. The person who is cruelest to you, who has been unkind to you … love him. He is a tortured soul, and most in need of your love.
And most of all, love yourself. While others may criticize you, learn not to be so hard on yourself, to think that you’re ugly or dumb or unworthy of love … but to think instead that you are a wonderful human being, worthy of happiness and love … and learn to love yourself for who you are.
Finally, know that I love you and always will. You are starting out on a weird, scary, daunting, but ultimately incredibly wonderful journey, and I will be there for you when I can. Godspeed.
Love,
Your Dad
Sunday, February 24, 2008
The Boy And The Apple Tree
A long time ago, there was a huge apple tree. A little boy loved to come and play around it everyday. He climbed to the tree top, ate the apples, and took a nap under its shadow. He loved the tree and the tree loved to play with him.
Time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come and play with me," the tree asked the boy.
"I am no longer a kid, I don't play around trees anymore." The boy replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them."
"Sorry, I don't have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money."
The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.
One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited. "Come and play with me" the tree said.
"I don't have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?"
"Sorry, but I don't have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house."
So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then.
The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said.
"I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?"
"Use my truck to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.
Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I don't have anything for you any more. "No more apples for you," the tree said.
"I don't have teeth to bite" the boy replied.
"No more truck for you to climb on."
"I am too old for that now," the boy said.
"I really can't give you anything. The only thing left is my dying roots," the tree said with tears.
"I don't need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years." The boy replied.
"Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come, come sit down with me and rest."
The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.
This is a story of everyone. The tree is our parent. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad. When we grown up, we left them, and only came to them when we needed something or when we were in trouble.
No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they can to make you happy. You may think the boy is cruel to the tree but that's how all of us are treating our parents.
Love your parents. And appreciate them before they are gone.
Time went by, the little boy had grown up and he no longer played around the tree every day. One day, the boy came back to the tree and he looked sad. "Come and play with me," the tree asked the boy.
"I am no longer a kid, I don't play around trees anymore." The boy replied, "I want toys. I need money to buy them."
"Sorry, I don't have money, but you can pick all my apples and sell them. So, you will have money."
The boy was so excited. He grabbed all the apples on the tree and left happily. The boy never came back after he picked the apples. The tree was sad.
One day, the boy returned and the tree was so excited. "Come and play with me" the tree said.
"I don't have time to play. I have to work for my family. We need a house for shelter. Can you help me?"
"Sorry, but I don't have a house. But you can chop off my branches to build your house."
So the boy cut all the branches of the tree and left happily. The tree was glad to see him happy but the boy never came back since then.
The tree was again lonely and sad. One hot summer day, the boy returned and the tree was delighted. "Come and play with me!" the tree said.
"I am sad and getting old. I want to go sailing to relax myself. Can you give me a boat?"
"Use my truck to build your boat. You can sail far away and be happy." So the boy cut the tree trunk to make a boat. He went sailing and never showed up for a long time.
Finally, the boy returned after he left for so many years. "Sorry, my boy. But I don't have anything for you any more. "No more apples for you," the tree said.
"I don't have teeth to bite" the boy replied.
"No more truck for you to climb on."
"I am too old for that now," the boy said.
"I really can't give you anything. The only thing left is my dying roots," the tree said with tears.
"I don't need much now, just a place to rest. I am tired after all these years." The boy replied.
"Good! Old tree roots are the best place to lean on and rest. Come, come sit down with me and rest."
The boy sat down and the tree was glad and smiled with tears.
This is a story of everyone. The tree is our parent. When we were young, we loved to play with Mom and Dad. When we grown up, we left them, and only came to them when we needed something or when we were in trouble.
No matter what, parents will always be there and give everything they can to make you happy. You may think the boy is cruel to the tree but that's how all of us are treating our parents.
Love your parents. And appreciate them before they are gone.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Think it over
Think it over……好好想想……
Today we have higher buildings and wider highways,but shorter temperaments and narrower points of
view;
今天我们拥有了更高层的楼宇以及更宽阔的公路，但是我们的性情却更为急躁，眼光也更加狭隘；
We spend more,but enjoy less;
我们消耗的更多，享受到的却更少；
We have bigger houses,but smaller famillies;
我们的住房更大了，但我们的家庭却更小了；
We have more compromises,but less time;
我们妥协更多，时间更少；
We have more knowledge,but less judgment;
我们拥有了更多的知识，可判断力却更差了；
We have more medicines,but less health;
我们有了更多的药品，但健康状况却更不如意；
We have multiplied out possessions,but reduced out values;
我们拥有的财富倍增，但其价值却减少了；
We talk much,we love only a little,and we hate too much;
我们说的多了，爱的却少了，我们的仇恨也更多了；
We reached the Moon and came back,but we find it troublesome to cross our own street and meet our
neighbors;
我们可以往返月球，但却难以迈出一步去亲近我们的左邻右舍；
We have conquered the uter space,but not our inner space;
我们可以征服外太空，却征服不了我们的内心；
We have highter income,but less morals;
我们的收入增加了，但我们的道德却少了；
These are times with more liberty,but less joy;
我们的时代更加自由了，但我们拥有的快乐时光却越来越少；
We have much more food,but less nutrition;
我们有了更多的食物，但所能得到的营养却越来越少了；
These are the days in which it takes two salaries for each home,but divorces increase;
现在每个家庭都可以有双份收入，但离婚的现象越来越多了；
These are times of finer houses,but more broken homes;
现在的住房越来越精致，但我们也有了更多破碎的家庭；
That's why I propose,that as of today;
这就是我为什么要说，让我们从今天开始；
You do not keep anything for a special occasion.because every day that you live is a SPECIAL OCCASION.
不要将你的东西为了某一个特别的时刻而预留着，因为你生活的每一天都是那么特别；
Search for knowledge,read more ,sit on your porch and admire the view without paying attention to your
needs;
寻找更我的知识，多读一些书，坐在你家的前廊里，以赞美的眼光去享受眼前的风景，不要带上任何功利
的想法；
Spend more time with your family and friends,eat your favorite foods,visit the places you love;
花多点时间和朋友与家人在一起，吃你爱吃的食物，去你想去的地方；
Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment;not only about survival;
生活是一串串的快乐时光；我们不仅仅是为了生存而生存；
Use your crystal goblets.Do not save your best perfume,and use it every time you feel you want it.
举起你的水晶酒杯吧。不要吝啬洒上你最好的香水，你想用的时候就享用吧！
Remove from your vocabulary phrases like"one of these days"or "someday";
从你的词汇库中移去所谓的“有那么一天”或者“某一天”；
Let's write that letter we thought of writing "one of these days"!
曾打算“有那么一天”去写的信，就在今天吧！
Let's tell our families and friends how much we love them;
告诉家人和朋友，我们是多么地爱他们；
Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life;
不要延迟任何可以给你的生活带来欢笑与快乐的事情；
Every day,every hour,and every minute is special;
每一天、每一小时、每一分钟都是那么特别；
And you don't know if it will be your last.
你无从知道这是否最后刻。
Today we have higher buildings and wider highways,but shorter temperaments and narrower points of
view;
今天我们拥有了更高层的楼宇以及更宽阔的公路，但是我们的性情却更为急躁，眼光也更加狭隘；
We spend more,but enjoy less;
我们消耗的更多，享受到的却更少；
We have bigger houses,but smaller famillies;
我们的住房更大了，但我们的家庭却更小了；
We have more compromises,but less time;
我们妥协更多，时间更少；
We have more knowledge,but less judgment;
我们拥有了更多的知识，可判断力却更差了；
We have more medicines,but less health;
我们有了更多的药品，但健康状况却更不如意；
We have multiplied out possessions,but reduced out values;
我们拥有的财富倍增，但其价值却减少了；
We talk much,we love only a little,and we hate too much;
我们说的多了，爱的却少了，我们的仇恨也更多了；
We reached the Moon and came back,but we find it troublesome to cross our own street and meet our
neighbors;
我们可以往返月球，但却难以迈出一步去亲近我们的左邻右舍；
We have conquered the uter space,but not our inner space;
我们可以征服外太空，却征服不了我们的内心；
We have highter income,but less morals;
我们的收入增加了，但我们的道德却少了；
These are times with more liberty,but less joy;
我们的时代更加自由了，但我们拥有的快乐时光却越来越少；
We have much more food,but less nutrition;
我们有了更多的食物，但所能得到的营养却越来越少了；
These are the days in which it takes two salaries for each home,but divorces increase;
现在每个家庭都可以有双份收入，但离婚的现象越来越多了；
These are times of finer houses,but more broken homes;
现在的住房越来越精致，但我们也有了更多破碎的家庭；
That's why I propose,that as of today;
这就是我为什么要说，让我们从今天开始；
You do not keep anything for a special occasion.because every day that you live is a SPECIAL OCCASION.
不要将你的东西为了某一个特别的时刻而预留着，因为你生活的每一天都是那么特别；
Search for knowledge,read more ,sit on your porch and admire the view without paying attention to your
needs;
寻找更我的知识，多读一些书，坐在你家的前廊里，以赞美的眼光去享受眼前的风景，不要带上任何功利
的想法；
Spend more time with your family and friends,eat your favorite foods,visit the places you love;
花多点时间和朋友与家人在一起，吃你爱吃的食物，去你想去的地方；
Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment;not only about survival;
生活是一串串的快乐时光；我们不仅仅是为了生存而生存；
Use your crystal goblets.Do not save your best perfume,and use it every time you feel you want it.
举起你的水晶酒杯吧。不要吝啬洒上你最好的香水，你想用的时候就享用吧！
Remove from your vocabulary phrases like"one of these days"or "someday";
从你的词汇库中移去所谓的“有那么一天”或者“某一天”；
Let's write that letter we thought of writing "one of these days"!
曾打算“有那么一天”去写的信，就在今天吧！
Let's tell our families and friends how much we love them;
告诉家人和朋友，我们是多么地爱他们；
Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life;
不要延迟任何可以给你的生活带来欢笑与快乐的事情；
Every day,every hour,and every minute is special;
每一天、每一小时、每一分钟都是那么特别；
And you don't know if it will be your last.
你无从知道这是否最后刻。
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Begin to blog with Windows Live Writer
Finally, I find a free and handy WYSIWYG desktop blog tool. The installer file is really small, only around 2MB. Before this tool, I also tried another blog tool, which is Zoundry blog tool. Zoundry is also easy to install and handy to blog, but its appearance is really ugly, not like gorgeous Windows Live Writer:). From now one, I will keep blogging with Window Live Writer in home.
Monday, January 7, 2008
3 Ways To Claim Your Life Back - How To Step Away From Your Computer
“You do anything long enough to escape the habit of livinguntil the escape becomes the habit.”- David Ryan
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Lea Woodward of the Location Independent Living blog.
There is no denying that the rise of the computer coupled with the increasing availability of high speed internet, has made one of the most significant impacts on our lives in the past few years.
I know for sure that I’d be lost without mine and I’m not alone…a survey earlier this year by Kelton Research reported that 84% of responders stated that they were “more dependent on their home computer now than they were just three years ago” and that 65% of them spend more time with their computer than their own spouse.
Ever since I realised that my chronic eye strain was getting worse to the extent that I couldn’t actually see straight on my screen when I was tired, I’ve been trying out different ways to limit the time I spend on my laptop. It’s not an easy task as a location independent professional who relies on my laptop to run my business, work with clients and stay in touch with friends and family.
So just how can you overcome your computer addiction, claim your real life back from your virtual one and step away from the screen?
Here are 3 of the most effective ways I’ve found…
Time yourselfThe first step in reducing the amount of time you spend in front of your screen is to get an idea of just how much time you do actually spend there.
In some cases, this may be a real eye-opener. For example, I estimated that I spend an average of 6 or so hours at my laptop every day. The real time? Over the course of 5 days, it was closer to 10 hours each day. Talk about being in denial!
Once I realised this I started to keep a much closer eye on the time I spent doing specific tasks on my computer - aimless surfing, twittering, facebooking, blogging, product creation and client work. Doing this helped me deduce that a whopping 40% of the total time I spent on my laptop was really not that productive - instant things I could address to help cut down my computer usage and tighten up on becoming more efficient when I am sitting in front of it.
Simple tools like Togglr, Tick and yaTimer can help you keep track of how you spend your time.
Plan specific activities away from your computerIf you don’t plan specific activities for whilst you’re away from the computer, then you are much more likely to fall into the trap of aimless surfing or playing Solitaire when you have spare time to kill or just need a break from the work.
Planning something specific to do when you take a break from the computer will not only give you some structure to this time, it can help you structure your day more efficiently as a whole.
Some of the most effective activities to plan are ones which you’ll really enjoy - reading a book, a walk in the fresh air, playing with the kids, catching up with a friend on the phone or even just sitting down for a mug of tea in a more comfy chair. If you make these activities really pleasurable, you might even find that spending time away from the computer becomes something you begin to do more frequently.
Uninstall and remove unnecessary programsThis might seem an extreme solution but it’s also an effective one. Removing all the programs, services, tools and software that you don’t use for your work means that you won’t be tempted to spend unproductive time on the computer in your breaks or when your work is done.
Unplugging from the internet is the other biggie - reducing that temptation to spend an hour surfing aimlessly - and when you do go online to achieve a specific task, try using your time tracker to give yourself a limit and help focus you on the task at hand.
It is also a useful activity to spend time at the beginning of each day to review your planned activities, identify what you’ll do whilst at your computer and more importantly, see what could conceivably be completed away from it.
So if you’ve noticed yourself spending ridiculous amounts of time on the computer and thought about cutting down, try these tips and let me know how you get on.
Lea Woodward writes about escaping your location on her blog, Location Independent Living. Give it a read or subscribe to her feed.
Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Lea Woodward of the Location Independent Living blog.
There is no denying that the rise of the computer coupled with the increasing availability of high speed internet, has made one of the most significant impacts on our lives in the past few years.
I know for sure that I’d be lost without mine and I’m not alone…a survey earlier this year by Kelton Research reported that 84% of responders stated that they were “more dependent on their home computer now than they were just three years ago” and that 65% of them spend more time with their computer than their own spouse.
Ever since I realised that my chronic eye strain was getting worse to the extent that I couldn’t actually see straight on my screen when I was tired, I’ve been trying out different ways to limit the time I spend on my laptop. It’s not an easy task as a location independent professional who relies on my laptop to run my business, work with clients and stay in touch with friends and family.
So just how can you overcome your computer addiction, claim your real life back from your virtual one and step away from the screen?
Here are 3 of the most effective ways I’ve found…
Time yourselfThe first step in reducing the amount of time you spend in front of your screen is to get an idea of just how much time you do actually spend there.
In some cases, this may be a real eye-opener. For example, I estimated that I spend an average of 6 or so hours at my laptop every day. The real time? Over the course of 5 days, it was closer to 10 hours each day. Talk about being in denial!
Once I realised this I started to keep a much closer eye on the time I spent doing specific tasks on my computer - aimless surfing, twittering, facebooking, blogging, product creation and client work. Doing this helped me deduce that a whopping 40% of the total time I spent on my laptop was really not that productive - instant things I could address to help cut down my computer usage and tighten up on becoming more efficient when I am sitting in front of it.
Simple tools like Togglr, Tick and yaTimer can help you keep track of how you spend your time.
Plan specific activities away from your computerIf you don’t plan specific activities for whilst you’re away from the computer, then you are much more likely to fall into the trap of aimless surfing or playing Solitaire when you have spare time to kill or just need a break from the work.
Planning something specific to do when you take a break from the computer will not only give you some structure to this time, it can help you structure your day more efficiently as a whole.
Some of the most effective activities to plan are ones which you’ll really enjoy - reading a book, a walk in the fresh air, playing with the kids, catching up with a friend on the phone or even just sitting down for a mug of tea in a more comfy chair. If you make these activities really pleasurable, you might even find that spending time away from the computer becomes something you begin to do more frequently.
Uninstall and remove unnecessary programsThis might seem an extreme solution but it’s also an effective one. Removing all the programs, services, tools and software that you don’t use for your work means that you won’t be tempted to spend unproductive time on the computer in your breaks or when your work is done.
Unplugging from the internet is the other biggie - reducing that temptation to spend an hour surfing aimlessly - and when you do go online to achieve a specific task, try using your time tracker to give yourself a limit and help focus you on the task at hand.
It is also a useful activity to spend time at the beginning of each day to review your planned activities, identify what you’ll do whilst at your computer and more importantly, see what could conceivably be completed away from it.
So if you’ve noticed yourself spending ridiculous amounts of time on the computer and thought about cutting down, try these tips and let me know how you get on.
Lea Woodward writes about escaping your location on her blog, Location Independent Living. Give it a read or subscribe to her feed.
Monday, December 31, 2007
女儿经
女儿经
女儿经，仔细听，早早起，出闺门，烧茶汤，敬双亲，勤梳洗，爱干净，
学针线，莫懒身，父母骂，莫作声，哥嫂前，请教训，火烛事，要小心，
穿衣裳，旧如新，做茶饭，要洁净，凡笑语，莫高声，人传话，不要听，
出嫁后，公姑敬，丈夫穷，莫生瞋，夫子贵，莫骄矜，出仕日，劝清政，
抚百姓，劝宽仁，我家富，莫欺贫，借对象，就奉承，应他急，感我情，
积阴德，贻子孙，夫妇和，家道成，妯娌们，要孝顺，邻居人，不可轻，
亲戚来，把茶烹，尊长至，要亲敬，粗细茶，要鲜明，公婆言，莫记恨，
丈夫说，莫使性，整肴馔，求丰盛，着酱醋，要调匀，用器物，洗洁净，
都说好，贤慧人，夫君话，就顺应，不是处，也要禁，事公姑，如捧盈，
修己身，如履冰，些小事，莫出门，坐起时，要端正，举止时，切莫轻，
冲撞我，只在心，分尊我，固当敬，分卑我，也莫陵，守淡薄，安本份，
他家富，莫眼热，行嫉妒，损了心，勤治家，过光阴，不伶俐，被人论，
若行路，姊在前，妹在后，若饮酒，姆居左，妯居右，公婆在，侧边从，
慢开口，勿胡言，齐捧杯，勿先尝，即能饮，莫尽量，沉醉后，恐颠狂，
一失礼，便被谈，肴面物，先奉上，骨投地，礼所严，动匙箸，忌声响，
出席时，随尊长，客进门，缓缓行，急趋走，恐跌倾，遇生人，就转身，
洗钟盏，轻轻顿，坛和罐，紧紧封，公姑病，当殷勤，丈夫病，要温存，
爷娘病，时时问，姑儿小，莫见尽，叔儿幼，莫理论，里有言，莫外说，
外有言，莫内传，勤纺织，缝衣裳，烹五味，勿先尝，造酒浆，我当然，
无是非，是贤良，姆婶事，决莫言，若闻知，两参商，伯叔话，休要管，
勿唧唧，道短长，孩童闹，规己子，是与非，甚勿理，略不逊，讼自起，
公差到，悔则迟，里长到，不可瞋，留饮酒，是人情，早完粮，得安宁，
些小利，莫见尽，论彼此，俗了人，学大方，人自称，晒东西，也莫轻，
秽污衣，寻避静，恐人见，起非论，他骂我，我不听，不回言，人自评，
升斗上，要公平，买对象，莫亏人，夫君怒，说比论，好言劝，解愁闷，
夫骂人，莫齐逞，或不是，陪小心，纵怀憾，看你情，祸自消，福自生，
有儿女，不可轻，抚育大，继宗承，或耕耘，教勤谨，或读书，莫鄙吝，
倘是女，严闺门，训礼义，教孝语，能针凿，方成人，衣服破，缝几针，
鞋袜破，被人论，是不是，自己寻，为人母，所当慎，奴婢们，也是人，
饮食类，一般平，不是处，且宽忍，十分刻，异心生，若太宽，便不逊，
最难养，是小人，再叮咛，更警心，妯娌多，都一心，本等话，莫生瞋，
同茶饭，莫吵分，一闹嚷，四邻听，任会说，非为能，吵家的，个个论，
公姑闹，不安宁，各自居，也要命，命不遇，只是贫，那时节，才理论，
这等事，当自忖，管家娘，更须听，赶捉牲，莫纷纷，动宰割，忌刀声，
亲锅厨，休铮铮，最不孝，斩先脉，夫无嗣，劝娶妾，继宗祀，最为切，
遵三从，行四德，习礼义，难尽说，看古人，多贤德，宜以之，为法则。
女儿经，仔细听，早早起，出闺门，烧茶汤，敬双亲，勤梳洗，爱干净，
学针线，莫懒身，父母骂，莫作声，哥嫂前，请教训，火烛事，要小心，
穿衣裳，旧如新，做茶饭，要洁净，凡笑语，莫高声，人传话，不要听，
出嫁后，公姑敬，丈夫穷，莫生瞋，夫子贵，莫骄矜，出仕日，劝清政，
抚百姓，劝宽仁，我家富，莫欺贫，借对象，就奉承，应他急，感我情，
积阴德，贻子孙，夫妇和，家道成，妯娌们，要孝顺，邻居人，不可轻，
亲戚来，把茶烹，尊长至，要亲敬，粗细茶，要鲜明，公婆言，莫记恨，
丈夫说，莫使性，整肴馔，求丰盛，着酱醋，要调匀，用器物，洗洁净，
都说好，贤慧人，夫君话，就顺应，不是处，也要禁，事公姑，如捧盈，
修己身，如履冰，些小事，莫出门，坐起时，要端正，举止时，切莫轻，
冲撞我，只在心，分尊我，固当敬，分卑我，也莫陵，守淡薄，安本份，
他家富，莫眼热，行嫉妒，损了心，勤治家，过光阴，不伶俐，被人论，
若行路，姊在前，妹在后，若饮酒，姆居左，妯居右，公婆在，侧边从，
慢开口，勿胡言，齐捧杯，勿先尝，即能饮，莫尽量，沉醉后，恐颠狂，
一失礼，便被谈，肴面物，先奉上，骨投地，礼所严，动匙箸，忌声响，
出席时，随尊长，客进门，缓缓行，急趋走，恐跌倾，遇生人，就转身，
洗钟盏，轻轻顿，坛和罐，紧紧封，公姑病，当殷勤，丈夫病，要温存，
爷娘病，时时问，姑儿小，莫见尽，叔儿幼，莫理论，里有言，莫外说，
外有言，莫内传，勤纺织，缝衣裳，烹五味，勿先尝，造酒浆，我当然，
无是非，是贤良，姆婶事，决莫言，若闻知，两参商，伯叔话，休要管，
勿唧唧，道短长，孩童闹，规己子，是与非，甚勿理，略不逊，讼自起，
公差到，悔则迟，里长到，不可瞋，留饮酒，是人情，早完粮，得安宁，
些小利，莫见尽，论彼此，俗了人，学大方，人自称，晒东西，也莫轻，
秽污衣，寻避静，恐人见，起非论，他骂我，我不听，不回言，人自评，
升斗上，要公平，买对象，莫亏人，夫君怒，说比论，好言劝，解愁闷，
夫骂人，莫齐逞，或不是，陪小心，纵怀憾，看你情，祸自消，福自生，
有儿女，不可轻，抚育大，继宗承，或耕耘，教勤谨，或读书，莫鄙吝，
倘是女，严闺门，训礼义，教孝语，能针凿，方成人，衣服破，缝几针，
鞋袜破，被人论，是不是，自己寻，为人母，所当慎，奴婢们，也是人，
饮食类，一般平，不是处，且宽忍，十分刻，异心生，若太宽，便不逊，
最难养，是小人，再叮咛，更警心，妯娌多，都一心，本等话，莫生瞋，
同茶饭，莫吵分，一闹嚷，四邻听，任会说，非为能，吵家的，个个论，
公姑闹，不安宁，各自居，也要命，命不遇，只是贫，那时节，才理论，
这等事，当自忖，管家娘，更须听，赶捉牲，莫纷纷，动宰割，忌刀声，
亲锅厨，休铮铮，最不孝，斩先脉，夫无嗣，劝娶妾，继宗祀，最为切，
遵三从，行四德，习礼义，难尽说，看古人，多贤德，宜以之，为法则。
Monday, December 24, 2007
Merry Chritmas! 字符图片
圣诞字符图片
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Sunday, December 16, 2007
Top 10 ways to un-bake your brain
Feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed or fatigued? Having trouble making decisions, falling and staying asleep and solving problems? A bit low on energy, just all-around baked? Life does that to us sometimes. The good news is…there’s a short list of simple practices that, done regularly, can pretty quickly un-bake your brain…and your body!
How stress bakes your brain and breaks your body.
Stress is good. Huh?! That’s right, I said it. Stress is GOOD…when there’s a reason for it. Stress is good when you need to be on high-alert, when you need a shot of energy, adrenaline and clarity to get you through a brief period of intensity. It created changes in your physiology that allow you seemingly superhuman abilities.
But, when that stress becomes chronic, the exact opposite happens. The changes in your body’s chemical (endocrine) and electrical (nervous) systems caused by stress can be hugely destructive when endured over an extended period of time.
On a fundamental level, it can degrade body tissue, lead to weight gain, increase your risk of heart-disease, diabetes, stroke and various forms of cancer. On a mindset and emotional level, it can increase anxiety and depression, decrease cognitive function, creativity and problem solving ability and destroy your sleep, which then cycles back around to further deteriorate your body and brain. The good news is…
You can un-bake your brain.
While we’d all like to rid ourselves of the daily brain-burn, most of us are not willing to extract ourselves from the professional and lifestyle circumstances that are creating that stress (though, I have to tell you, trading in my Ferragamo’s for barefeet has been pretty friggin sweet for me).
So, for those who choose to endure, rather than extract, here are 10 powerful practices that will help get you back to a calm, focused, relaxed and rejuvenated state of mind and allow you to take back body and health:
1. Mindfulness-based stress reduction™
Developed by acclaimed psyhcologist Jon Kabat-Zinn, more than 20,000 people, from all walks of life have now completed this 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction training with remarkable results. And, the good news is, now you don’t have to live in Massachussetts to do it. There are many trained affiliates or you can do it at home with Kabat-Zinn’s book and audio CDs (or mp3s) with only 45-minutes a day.
2. Get lost in great music.
This is pretty intuitive, but there is actually significant research that reveals listening to the right music can actually be a powerful de-stressor and help get you back into a better state of mind relatively quickly. And, if you think listening to music drops you into the chill-zone, try learning or playing music. A fascinating study on the impact of playing music on stress reveals that keeping a guitar handy in the corner of your office and cranking out Stevie Ray Vaughn’s Little Wing on your lunch break will help you feel oh so much better!
3. Get Active for 30-minutes a day
Yes, you heard right. “But, how am I going exercise when I already don’t he enough time in the day?” Simple, exercise is the master key to pretty much everything. It’s why I covered it first in this months’ lifestyle evolution series.
A NASA study revealed that people who exercise work at near-100% efficiency during the last two hours of the day, while those who do not work-out become 50%-less productive in the final two-hours. Now, extend that to what’s become a 10, 12 or 14 hour workday and you being to see exercise create a huge savings in time and productivity. It not only creates the time to exercise, but allows you get even more done, too.
Plus, exercise is hugely effective at alleviating stress and, done about 3 to 6 hours before sleep, can allow you to sleep better, too.
4. Take a breath break
The way you breath directly reflects your levels of stress. When we’re in high-alert, stressed states we tend to take faster, shallower breaths. In fact, this can become so exaggerated, it can lead to hyperventilation and even leave us unconscious. When we’re calm and relaxed, though, our breathing tends to be slower, deeper and less labored.
The interesting thing is, we can actually reverse-engineer this response to obliterate momentary-stress. What does that mean? If we consciously alter our breaths to make them deeper and longer, within a few minutes, this practice will actually force your body out of the high-alert, fight-or-flight stress response and make you much calmer. In fact, this works so well, it has become the staple of many corporate stress-management programs.
5. Biofeedback
What the heck is biofeedback? It’s using your tapping into your bodies own signals and manipulating them to create a very specific change in state. Usually, this involves heart-rate, blood pressure, breath-rate, sometimes even galvanic skin-response. There are many approaches, but, generally, you use a simple machine that reads your physiological markers and then you are instructed to either alter your breathing pattern or visualize something specific in order to bring those makers back into the chill-zone. Biofeedback is great for people who like tangible scientific and fairly quick results. Some resources include:
- StressEraser – This is a very cool, iPod-size, high-tech biofeedback device that trains you to alter your breath to calm down. I’ve been working with a review-copy of one of these devices for about a week now and will have a full-review of it in a few weeks. But, so far, I’m impressed.
- BioMedical.com - online clearinghouse for biofeedback software and devices, information and audio/video
6. Psychoacoustics
What the? No, it’s not some wacky drug from the 60s, psychoacoustics is the use of certain audio and visual technologies that allow people who have a lot of trouble with meditation or mindfulness to drop into that same zone, without having to focus so hard on getting there. A number of researchers have build goal-specific audio programs and tools around this technology in an effort to allow more people to use these tools. Resources include:
7. Game-out.
Okay, so this isn’t blanket permission to while away hours in front of your TV or computer or hang out with the local skate-rats at the arcade. But…games that, by the very nature of the elements of the game, require intense concentration, also tend to serve a powerful de-stressing function. In fact, they may induce a similar relaxation-response to meditation.
My advice, though, is to see if you can combine your game-playing with your exercise and get the combined benefits of exercise and concentration-training in a single time-efficient slot. Plus, it’ll lead to less, rather than more, couch/sitting-time, which is always a big benefit in a nation of declining health and expanding waistlines.
8. Re-pattern your sleep.
I’ve already spent a lot of time on this in my recent article, Are your sleep habits making you fat, nasty and dumb. There I listed 5 ways to immediately improve your sleep. Sleep is hugely important in mindset and stress reduction. Lack of sleep leads to fatigue and brain-fog which leads to unwillingness to exercise and inefficiency which, in turn leads to longer work-hours and poorer sleep. It’s a vicious cycle, so any mindset-tuning program must also take a serious look at your current sleep habits.
9. Midday power-nap.
A short power-nap, no more than about 30-40 minutes can be incredibly refreshing. The trick is not to go too long, because if you drop too far into the deeper stages of sleep, waking can be jarring and leave you not refreshed, but actually significantly grumpier.
In fact, midday power-napping is gaining some serious traction as a power-performance and mindset rejuvenating tool, leading companies to begin to open power-napping pod centers in major cities. New York has a number of them and it’s getting increasingly more difficult to get an “appointment.”
10. Write things down.
In my recent article on non-finishing, I talked about something called the Zeigarnick Effect, a phenomenon where you remember the details of a task until it is completed and then promptly forget it all. It’s like completing the task wipes your mental slate clean. Similarly, when you write down the unfinished tasks that are swirling around your mind and detail not only their current status, but critical task need for completion, you create a significant amount of mental “space.” This space go a long way toward returning you to a calmer place.
While this list is not all-encompassing, it goes along way toward providing a set of easily-implementable practices, tips and tools to help un-bake your brain, de-stress your life, improve your sleep, relationships and work performance and help return health and fitness to your days.
A few other great life-balancing resources to explore include:
And, for those following along in my lifestyle evolution series, setting up a power-plan for 2008, we’ll integrate many of these into our bigger picture plan.
Please share any other techniques, practices or tools that have helped you in the comments below.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Top 10 reasons why you'd miss working
Here are the top 10 reasons you'd miss work:
10. Cubicles. Dilbert gave cubicles a bad rep. But cubicles are like a daytime slumber party. You can goof around, shoot rubber bands, and listen in on other's conversations.
9. Stress relief. The real world is serious stuff: money, health, kids, fighting with the spouse. It may be counter-intuitive, but work is where you get away from all that stress.
8. Money. Scamming people gets old; real money is hard to come by unless you're working.
7. Co-workers. Where else can you meet and interact with so many people you have things in common with? Work is a veritable cornucopia of friendship possibilities.
6. Free office supplies. Come on, we all do it.
5. Weekends and vacations. If you're not working, weekends and vacations wouldn't be half as much fun.
4. Dysfunctional boss. What else would you and your co-workers have to bitch about over beers if not your abusive, dysfunctional boss?
3. Fluorescent lights. OK, I got nothing here. They suck.
2. Anecdotes. Work provides an endless supply of dysfunctional anecdotes. Sure, you can talk about politics, religion, and kids, but those topics get old fast.
1. No housework. The only get-out-of-housework-free card I know is working. The harder you work and the more money you make, the less housework you have to do.
We love to hate it, but I think work is way underrated. What do you think?
10. Cubicles. Dilbert gave cubicles a bad rep. But cubicles are like a daytime slumber party. You can goof around, shoot rubber bands, and listen in on other's conversations.
9. Stress relief. The real world is serious stuff: money, health, kids, fighting with the spouse. It may be counter-intuitive, but work is where you get away from all that stress.
8. Money. Scamming people gets old; real money is hard to come by unless you're working.
7. Co-workers. Where else can you meet and interact with so many people you have things in common with? Work is a veritable cornucopia of friendship possibilities.
6. Free office supplies. Come on, we all do it.
5. Weekends and vacations. If you're not working, weekends and vacations wouldn't be half as much fun.
4. Dysfunctional boss. What else would you and your co-workers have to bitch about over beers if not your abusive, dysfunctional boss?
3. Fluorescent lights. OK, I got nothing here. They suck.
2. Anecdotes. Work provides an endless supply of dysfunctional anecdotes. Sure, you can talk about politics, religion, and kids, but those topics get old fast.
1. No housework. The only get-out-of-housework-free card I know is working. The harder you work and the more money you make, the less housework you have to do.
We love to hate it, but I think work is way underrated. What do you think?
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