What a long and hectic week it was! Three
days in hospital, two days in school for parents’ assembly, and then a busy weekend
preparing for the new school opening, I’m glad finally now, I have some moments
to relax.

My son’s life in Middle school started from
a 10-days military training—it is said to be the toughest one among all the others,
so he came back with a pretty tanned, thinner version. There were doubts among
the parents, but personally I thought it was not bad to prepare those a little
spoiled kids to have a taste of the real hardship, because the middle school
life won’t be easy and they really need to be mentally, physically ready for
the coming battle.

The study load in Middle school has
increased four times even five times than primary school but with only half of
that time, and less than 50% of them could go to the high school, so what else
could we expect?

The food was terrible, the living condition
was awful and the training was hard. But when I heard him babbling about the
friends he’d made, the money he’d saved, and how they missed home, how they sneaked
out at 5:00 am to pack up, I thought it was worth it.

The school also prepared two days’ parents
assembly for us to know better about its teaching staffs, its education concept
and mostly important, to prepare us as the parents for the coming three years. Some
doubts start to wear off.

It’s still a new school and I couldn’t
shake off the nagging thought that the reason why we chose it over a private
school is because of my disease. I can’t deny the fact that this choice is a
relief financially.

Sometimes I kept asking myself if it is the
right decision. Now I think I should place more faith in this school, in our
decision, and in us.

Today, the new quality engineer is on board. He is from another city that means he will take shuttle-bus for commuting, as a new comer he will spend period of time to learn something new that is different from his previous working style. As he said, the previous company he worked for is a big company than that of now, I guess he will suffer a difficult time, because our company is pretty small than most of others, not only the size of the company, but the headcount of employee. The advantage of small company has a relative good welfare and has a more flexible working style, the disadvantage is that we will take some multi-function tasks because of short-hand and it is becoming common to amortize some tasks to share work loading from trans department that means we have to afford more to keep balance even we need frequently work overtime. I am not sure whether the new comer can adapt new working environment, but, I hope he can do it well.    Anyway, everything has two side, all depend on how decision you make, I hope the new quality engineer can endure the transitional period and do a good job in his position.

Anyway, there is a good news to my wife, because today she received an offer from another company which she will be working for from next month. What's more, the company is very close to home, the reason why my wife chooses to leave current company is because she suffers a lot during the past months, too many work overtime ever need work overtime over twelve hours a day. If it's an occasional case will be acceptable, actually, it's gradually becoming a common case especially when running new projects. In her department, the quit job rate is always high even nobody would like to play the role of department manager because of big pressure with endless report and have to deal with rude requests from customers every day. It's really exhausted experience not only from mental but from physical, of course, working under such high pressure can get a bit more salary than others. But, it doesn't worth it, so my wife makes the final decision find another job escaping current working environment.     As the discussion with the interviewer, the new working environment will be much better than before. At least, my wife no longer endures endless overtime and can possibly enjoy a whole weekend without interruption so that she can share more time to have fun with kids. Anyway, I do hope my wife can find a right way that she is looking for this time.

One of my new year resolutions in 2019
is to run half-marathon. It’s a bit challenging for me cause so far, the
longest distance I’ve ever run is 5 Kms, which I run regularly, still we are
talking about half-marathon here–four times plus. So, I check APP KEEP, finding that there
is a 56-days detailed training plan for running half-marathon. I even found a runner
circle in WeChat mini program “Check-in“ (小打卡)，which so far is the best facilitator for
anything I want to keep at. In these days, if you want to develop yourself,
you could almost find anything you need in the internet—from learning program
to the learning community—and even better, most of them are free or charged a
little—honestly, comparing to the fees for those after-classes of my son, that
“little” can be totally ignored. For example, I want to acquire some
basic financial knowledge, and there is one program in QK charged you 9.9 yuan
in total—9.9 yuan, seriously? I am always in for those beautiful journals,
which is known as 手帐 in Chinese, and I found one
program, and it only cost me 19 yuan. There are also many circles (sort of
learning community) in “Check-in“ free to join in,
which almost cover everything, from reading to writing, from exercising to art
and almost anything in between. My son likes drawing. However, you know
the kids, they hardly settle for anything, and they are kind of scattered and
even sometimes self-sabotaging. Last summer holiday, I introduced him
into one of the art circles, where you upload your pictures daily. It intrigued him almost at once. During last
summer holiday, we drew pictures together and uploaded them to the Internet. He
always received more likes than me—which encouraged him even more. It’s really
a wonderful experience. We are now in an age where knowledge has
no longer only stored in the teachers’ minds and you have to go to the school
to learn. It’s an information surplus era and
knowledge is close at hand.

As long as you want to learn, you can
and you will, at any time, at any place.

First day in the year 2019. Everything goes as usual. We more or less receice and offer some wishes. That is sweet to have news from friends, even though we do not often contact. Last night, many guys stayed late for the celebration of the coming new year. End of the three-day new year’s holiday. After having rested up well, I am ready for it. And I wish everything goes well in the new year and a prosperity in everything. This new beginning is the starting line of new year’s journey. All is new, all should be on the way as always.

Wandering on the strret, the scent of osmanthus flowers came into nose. I was struck by that familiar smell of autumn. Yes, the mid-autumn is coming around the coner. At this moment, it is becoming cooler and the more like a perfect time of harvest of farming. Yet, people in cities can not fully enjoy that beautiful naturally. Apart from the scent, the sky is clean and with good quality of air. The peaceful moment exsits in remote countrysides. In the vast space among the remote land, the difference of civilization between the wild and the modernization is obvious to obseve.When we are working in the office, we do not connect with nature. We are blocked and saved in flows of people and vehicles, and tall buildings too. Even in parks, we can only have a glance of few flowers which are merely cultivated by gardeners. Those trees moved from hills to replant in cities never have that chance going back to the earth.If you got the holiday to visit somewhere, you are recommended to a place far away from cities. Then you can have yourself relaxed toally. If you tour to somewhere, instead of the pose of a vicotry with hands, you are supposed to walk slowly and have a look around peacefully. To remain calm in the mundane society is not an easy thing, particularly in the current situation full of the pursuit of life struggling. We almost can not spare a piece of time for a drink tea or a talk with friends. We’d rather like choosing to text messages via wechat or place an order from an app.What are you waiting for? Please, put away your phone and go around.

Here comes to the end of October, yet it is not willing to say goodbye to the great time of autumn. This month is extremely perfect with ideal weather. It brings the comfortable feeling ot living. The fact is in two months, it will arrive the year 2020. I still remember the scene of spring festival which came just few months ago. As we are aging, time seems to seed up faster and all of a sudden surprises us that the new year is coming again. At the same time, most guys just feel not that good. That is because many of us do not think we have already achieved something nice. The reality wakes us up and tells us of the truth about life which is always a book with a adventure story.Each of us composes the story and tells to others of his/her own. That is the beauty of the world. We get to know the excellence from others, and we learn to adapt ourselves in the new environment. We are inspired by heros, we are encouraged from great people.The nice weather makes us sense good. The wonderfulness of life usually does not come out easily, it lies in our patience to discover it.

Last midnight, I met a sudden heavy rainfall as I almost finished the jogging. I just ran in the rain slowly for the last twenty minutes. I was wet by the sweat and then again by the rain. It is hardly to tell which is which, because the smell of both sweat and rain made it impossible to distinguish. It stopped at the time I did the last step of the jog. It did not last long, the blue sky was clear in the moonlight. Though I was fully soaked, the experience of rain was great. It was at twelve o’clock in the night as I was back. Quite and cool, I liked that time. The beginning of autumn is to come on 8, August. According to the lunar calendar, it is about to enter into the season of autumn. Precisely, hot days won’t occupy too long. It is unthinkable to live without an air-condition. You just sweat by doing nothing while an air condition rescues your life. It was wise to go out in the night. By the way, there are few guys and vehicles. That is my way. Surely, some others choose doing it in the morning. Anytime is all right as long as you feel fine.

Time, time... It is taught me many things.  some things we thought didn't exist, we come to discover there're actually real. But somethings we firmly believe in, after some time we find out , they never existed at all.  Like what ? ...    when I was a child, I would grow up quickly , in order to make money to change all of what I would wanna get or own. After some time I find out, I have lost lots of things ,although I have got some what I wanna look forward.     when I was at school or campus, I've hated studying with heavy homework, but just wanna go to play without sorrow and anxiety. Several years passed, I go into the society campus, I am jealous of the my child's time that I could learn knowledge, read any books, get along well with school-mates without abandon or fear of boundaries.    Future is always coming to me after the today,  and I am running in my line, as time goes on. Well... I did everything I could, I do everything I can, and then I will do everything I would.    

Yesterday is a history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the “present”.