LED Backpack

One night around 10pm, I haven't ate dinner yet so I was pretty hungry. Out of all possibilities, I decided to make a McDonald's run.

Keeping in mind that it was 10 pm, it was already dark out. What made it worse was that it was also raining. Anyone knows that driving at night is already more dangerous, even worse with rain as visibility is greatly reduced.

I was driving in the right lane, just cruising, not speeding at all. While driving, I like to change my music to something I like listening to. That itself is already a great distraction. I drive, I glance at the screen to see what the song is, and change if I don't like it. I keep doing that till I saw someone on a bike, probably 2 seconds ahead of me at most. I saw him at a very last moment, If it wasn't for the reflective stickers on the bike paddles, I might have not seen him till it was too late.

I'm not mad at him, but why was he riding a bike at night in the rain with out reflective gear? It is just so dangerous! Just because you can see a car coming, does not mean that the car sees you as well! Pedestrians J-walking, or cyclists should wear something reflective, it helps so much, you have no idea. If it's not a law, it should be made into one.

Anyways, my dad again, always finding interesting things on the internet, has sent me this YouTube clip. I think it's pretty cute. What do you think?

Side note: The song used is called "Paper Mache" by Rita Calypso.

Life Is Like A Cafeteria

I just remembered about a story when I was at a buffet tonight. This story is not mine. My dad found it and sent it to me. It was written in Chinese and I translated it to English for you. =) Excuse me if somethings sound funny. xD

An elderly man from Eastern Europe came to the States, and wanted dine in a Manhattan restaurant. He sits down at an empty table waiting for someone to wait on him to order. No one comes. He waits for a long time; until he saw a woman carrying a plateful of food sitting down across from him.

He asks the woman why was there no one waiting on him. She answers him telling that it was a self-serve cafeteria. "You start at one end, and choose the dishes you like, and proceed to the other end. At that other end, there is a cashier; they will tell you how much you need to pay."

The old man says he since then understands the rule of how America works. "Here, life is like a self serving cafeteria. As long as you are willing to pay for it, you can have whatever you want; you can succeed. However, if you just wait for someone to hand it to you, you will never succeed. You have to get up and get it yourself."

Life is like a self serving cafeteria, well said!

Self serve. It means you have to count on yourself, take action, and look for opportunities. Of course, success needs opportunities, but lady luck does not favor the people who sit back and wait.

In life, we often see this situation. Two identical students graduate university. A few years later, their worlds are vastly different. We also often see a lot of success and failures. Some people who are full of talent, are not able to be successful. There are others who mettle, and are able to do something skillfully.

Talent is important, but talent does not result in success. Success requires action, striving and construction.

Vicissitudes of things, people have changed. (Google translate, I really cant do any better at translating)

[Google Translate: Vicissitudes: A variation in circumstances or fortune at different times in your life or in the development of something] (If you think that I know the word "vicissitude" you think too much of me lmao!)

"Gold will always shine" "Wine aromas are always pleasant" This idea is undergoing change. In this competitive world, "It's the strong who survives" is not only a law of nature, but also among humans.

How do we find a place on this Earth? The elderly man says it well: "Life is like a self serving cafeteria. As long as you are will to pay, you can have anything you want."

Everything is up for grabs, only if you have to ability to take it.

How are you able to afford the things you want?

You can only succeed however, "if you just wait there for someone to hand it to you, you will never succeed. You have to get up and get it yourself."

Finished!

Finished what you might ask? Well, I'll tell you. I finished my mid terms exams!

Yes, you heard me correctly, I, Jack, has finished my mid term examinations! I had a total of not 1, not 2, but THREE! Can you believe it? Neither can I!

Okay that was relatively cheesey, but yes, I finished all 3 of my exams. For the past 2 weeks I have done nothing except assignments and study for these exams. In fact, I only had a total of 6 days to study for 3 exams, I was so swamped! Never have I ever in my life worked so hard before! (for school work) I feel so accomplished. I was really organised and time management was relatively spot on. I still procrastinate here and there, but I suppose thats in my nature. I am trying hard to rid of bad habits!

Originally, I was going to celebrate the end of my exams by buying McDonald's. However, when my mom picked me up, I asked her "What do you want to eat for tonight?". She replied "Want to go to that buffet that we have a buy-1-get-1-free coupon to?". "Sure!"

So, I had a buffet instead. It was at Imperial Buffet at Warden and Eglinton. Nothing special It was amazing, mostly Asian food for white people. haha!

*Edit* Apparently a certain someone got mad when I said "Nothing special". It turns out that we went to the same restaurant on the same night! But She left before I arrived lol! Missed her by just a little! =(

The dinner started with me asking to buy a martini (you know, to abuse my legal right... xD), only to have my request rejected. During the dinner, my mom and I discussed a few things. Only 1 of two things are important.

1. I may go back to Taiwan for Christmas if the time between the last final exam and the first day of school is sufficient enough for a small vacation. The purpose of the trip is not so much to kick back, relax, and go on a shopping spree. It was more to see my grandparents, and other family members that lives in Taiwan. By no means (assuming I'm going back) am I not going to "kick back, relax and shop like crazy" hahahaha

2. My oldest cousin on my mom's side might come to Toronto for 1 or 2 months, during the summer break this upcoming summer. She just started grade 8. Yea shes so young. haha. Can you remember when you were in grade 8?

Now that I have some time to myself, I should schedule some weekly time to practice my violin and piano. They been collecting dust for a while. I find that it's such a waste if i just let it sit there. If I could, I would like to learn guitar properly as well.

*Break* Was on the phone with my dad.


So, my mom tells me that, my dad doesn't want me to go back. LOL!

I guess, I'm not going back then. scratch number 1. LOL! I know why though. We already talked about this. he wants me to focus on school, and try to finish in 4 years. So I have 3 years including this one. oh well.

The Law of the Garbage Truck

So, some of you may know that my dad isn't in Canada. He sends me emails once in a while about various rather interesting things. Moral stories, gadgets, or some random cool thing lol.

Quite a while ago, he sent me an email about a story. I'm sure either he found this story, or someone forwarded to him.

So, here's the story.

One day I hopped in a taxi and we took off for the airport. We were driving in the right lane when suddenly a black car drove out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his brakes, skidded, and missed the other car by just inches! The driver of the other car whipped his head around and started yelling at us.

My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. And I mean he was really friendly. So I asked, “Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!” This is when my taxi driver taught me what I now call, 'The Law of the Garbage Truck.'

He explained that many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it and sometimes they'll dump it on you. Don't take it personally. Just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. Don't take their garbage and spread it to other people at work, at home, or on the streets. The bottom line is that successful people do not let garbage trucks take over their day. Life's too short to wake up in the morning with regrets. So....Love the people who treat you right. Ignore the ones who don't. Life is 10% what you make it and 90% how you take it!

Have a marvelous, garbage-free day! The seeds you plant today, determine the harvest you reap tomorrow.

Something to keep in mind. =)