Detour and Under The Radar

It has been over three years since I posted anything here.  Most of my followup websites are long dead with no chances for revival.  So what did I tried during all these times?

• FortuneCity -- dead
• HelioHost -- dead after a month of inactivity
• WordPress -- alive, but not updated (ZeroInsight)
• GoogleDrive -- alive, but not updated

It was a good run for all those sites.  But it would have been better if I had kept it all in a single source.  There was no grand plan to create a site servicing anyone, or any marketing ploy to draw viewers.  That never was the goal of all these blogs.  However, the journey taught me lots of things, and in that perspective, it was fruitful despite the lack of success.

Here are the three old blog during 2010 to 2013:  FortuneCity(left), WordPress(middle), and GDrive(right).  Maybe I will copy the posts to there someday:

Reblog: FortuneCity - 2011

Since FortuneCity is not longer available, I figure I copy the old stuff and paste it here. Luckily, Blogger supports CSS, so it is mostly copy-and-paste, then adjust some font size. :)

2011-07-30 SAT // 美術學校的廣告

* 美術教育，對孩子們的成長非常重要。 美術教育是一門必修課，沒有美術教育，就沒有素質教育。 * 我們的文化藝術的夏令營，為學生彌補了這重要的一課。 夏令營特安排每天上， * 下午都有一節美術課， 這也是我們文化藝術的夏令營是其它暑期班不可比的。 * 如您想讓您的孩子，這個暑期， 在加強英文，數學，中文的同時， * 還想在繪畫技能和創意方面得到強化訓練， 請家長們千萬不要錯過， * 每年只有這一次的大好機會， 請參加江老師美術學校舉辦的文化藝術夏令營！ * Art is an important to children's growth. It is an essential course, without art is to be without an inner quality. * Our art summer class allow students to make up for this important course. The summer class is prepared daily, * every afternoon's art class is our non-summer class(?) * If you are interested in letting your child join this summer, which reinforce English, Math, and Chinese at the same time, * and expand their art skill and creativity, head of the household, do not miss this opportunity, * each year this is the big oppportunity, please join teacher Jiang's summer art class!

2011-07-05 TUE // 少林功夫【一】

說起功夫，人們就會想起少林寺以及功夫高強的僧人。 少林寺和倍的寺院不同的地方，就在於功夫。 可是念經的僧人怎麼會和武術聯繫在一起呢？ 關於少林功夫的起源有多種說法，其中一種是： 沙林寺僧人打坐，坐累了， 就站起來活動活動的身體，打打拳練練武， 他們發現，這也可以得到一種精神上的修煉。 後來，少林的僧人結合，獸，鳥，魚，蟲的各種動作 以及民間武功的精華，逐步形成了少林獨特的功夫     少林功夫是中國寶貴的文化遺產， 有拳術，刀術，槍術，劍術，棍術 以及氣功等多種套路和功法。 它剛健有力，變化無窮， 所以學習功夫不僅可以鍛煉身體， 而且還可以修身養性。 1500多年來，少林功夫吸引了千千萬萬的愛好者， 成為中國廣為流傳的一種健身方法     少林功夫很早以前就流傳到國外。 現在世界上很多地方都有少林功夫愛好者， 很多人還不遠萬里道少林寺參觀學習。

2011-06-27 MON // Nothing Loss

There are days, where I just sit and think seriously -- morally and philosophically. I did not have much times or chances to do so in last few years, but this passed weekend I had one. Nothing earth shattering, or even revelational. However, the mental recognition of "I am alive" is refreshing even if physically, I did nothing.     In Taoism, there is an idea that actively pursing happiness results in emptiness, but a passive mind can find fulfillment. It is similar to the feeling from a long meditation.

2011-02-19 SAT // California Public School

Over the past two weeks, I got a chance to watch some interesting documents regarding public schools. First is a documentary movie called Waiting for Superman (2010), and another was shown on PBS called Not As Good As You Think - The Myth of the Middle Class School. Both documentaries point out some of the problem in the current education system, the inability to reform the current education system.     Waiting for Superman focuses on union contract of teachers that prevent firing of inept or bad teachers. One major problem is teacher-union organizations that holds political power, and pushes against any change in the system. Not As Good As You Think looks at one of the school district in Orange County, where district education administrators misappropriate the money. It started with public criticism from the community when they found out that administrators were using public money to build administration building($52 million), while schools were laying off teachers. And when the people from the community tried to change, they were black-listed by the school board. The board even go so far as to creating flyers asking local to fight back against these activists -- with names, phone numbers, and home addresses.     After watching those documentaries, I thought back about how teacher unions went crazy when LA Times did a study and publish a teacher-ranking list of Los Angeles public school teachers. So, with only internet, I figure it would be interesting what can parents do to find out more about their local schools: School Digger ~ This site shows public school rating. It also included a tool that shows what schools are in the zip code area. Another useful tool is CST Test Schore charts of schools with % of proficiency on various subject. GreatSchools.com ~ This site has its own rating of public schools (GREATSCHOOLS RATING), but there are several comments from parents also The National Association of Independent Schools ~ Load and load of information about schools, but may required registration Private School Review ~ For private shcools, it includes details like tuition per year Los Angeles Teacher Ratings ~ This rating was done back in 2009/2010 and it drew a whole load of fire from both sides of the public. Worth checking it out if you lived in Los Angeles. RateMyTeachers.com ~ Just like RateMyProfessor, this is for K-12... okay, it is mainly meant for high school students. Not As Good As You Think: The Myth of The Middle Class School: Part I and Part II     Well, anyways, that is it for me. All comments are welcome. My email is shown on the navigation menu...

2011-01-08 SAT // Digital Afterlife

Yesterday I thought that you would never leave me But I feel that yesterday is now gone -- Lyric from Yesterday by Miss Destiny     Today I got an opportunity to read an article about digital afterlife on NYTimes. The article digs on the impact of Mac Tonnies -- a scifi author in his 30s, a blogger of scifi-related stuff with several online followers and friends. So, when he suddenly went to bed and passed away, many could not believe it. His online friends pull together to preseve his works and materials, Mac's digital footprint. However, some content cannot be retrieved because they have no access to his online accounts. His parents also don't have access to Mac's digital life. They never used computer before his death, and wasn't involved with Mac's digital presence.     So, what about myself? What kind of message am I leaving here? When I look back, it certainly started out noble and experimental. Before the term "blog" was used, I would create log entries. There were lots of things I tried out. It took a lot of effort and as you can see... none ever stick around. At times, I would complain and babble about stories that only I would know. At present, I am somewhat at my digital peace. I couldn't write much anymore. I don't know who to write this for. I don't know what to write anymore.     Certain things in life, even after you gave your best, and it did not amount to anything significant. But, nevertheless, you keep moving on. Article: Cyberspace When You're Dead

Random: A World Without Energy

This past weekend I tagged along with my friend to his sister's house.  They were holding a so called birthday party for their daughter, which none of her school friends and all of the family members and relatives from both the father's and the mother's sides.  Let just say, it is an Asian way of having a birthday party for a kid.

While I was there, there were about ten kids under 12 from various relatives.  They were curious, spontaneous, and loud.  However, they were full of energy -- wanted me to answer this and that, or told me to do this and that.  After helping setup the tables, chairs, and foods, I got some time to talk with my friend.

While the kids were playing in front of me, I began to ponder about personal energy.  Not in a physical science sense, but in term of action energy.  Just like these kids, these kids display action energy by being playful, and curious.  However, from my own observation, all the proactive persons I know are at least eight years older than myself.  Maybe it is the people I know, but most do more complain than being proactive.  To me, it is somewhat disappointing.  Maybe mid-life crisis age has been lowered?  Maybe I just know the non-proactive people.


Myself, I was no different during high school, college, and university years.  I was unsocial and move/act as needed.  Then I truly find my life meaningless after working for a year.  It was empty.  No one to really talk to.  Not really belong to any group.  I felt dead.  Then I found a meaning in this meaningless living.  It is illogical, irrelevant, and totally pointless.  I thought about what I had wanted to do, and just try to achieve them.  It may not be perfect, and it maybe not be true, but what the hell.  If there is only one life to live, just do what I always wanted to do.  In that sense, I have become somewhat childish and erratic, but it makes my life worth living more -- พูดดี คิดดี ทำดี จิตดี

Walk: A Place That Doesn't Exist

Today, I walked.

Supposedly, there is a store in Arcadia. But once there, there was no store by the name that I was looking for.

Supposedly, most people would be sad, angry, or disappointed after walking and jogging for 90 minutes. But once there, I have been relieved of another expectation.

Supposedly, people cannot help but to avoid pain and seek pursue pleasure. But once there, I found neither are likable or unpleasant. Neither could give me peace. Neither can comfort my eventual departure. Neither truly last in encouraging myself to continue.

I had mistook meaningful with desirability, like so many. At this point, I think it is the meaningful events of life that helps me understand that leaving, like coming, is another experience of living -- another meaningful event.

Simple Question. Long Time for an Answer

Ever got a simple question that you have no answer? Like, the name of that person you knew in high school. Or maybe a face of the person whom you used to talked back 10 years ago. I am sure each person has some of those questions around in there head. So simple, but simply unanswered.

I knew a Thai person back in high school that graduated couple years before me. We were not close, but she was one of the few Thai people I talked to in high school, which is something unique in itself. Along the way in the past 12 years, I had forgotten her name and it bothered me ever since.

However, over the pass weekend, I stumble on an old high school yearbook that finally answered my question. It seemed surreal, because it was the only yearbook from the 90s in the historical museum, which happened to be a year that included her and myself also.

I took pictures of her and some of my friends, and it reminded me about how long ago that was. Myself, I was impassive. Some of my friends, they look younger than high school kids. Then again, we were kids back then.

So, what is the point of this story? Be proactive, and the answer will be within reach. Even if it's 12 years later. I had been laying around playing games or doing the same things for most of my life, and the question remained unanswered for so long. It was not until I started to become more proactive in the last few years that I began to discover more answers to my questions, and my life. I observe, analyze, and question life until I was 25. At that point, when I found it meaningless to live, then I began to live a life.