Closing the June Chapter - a Late Reading Gathering

Goldies June reading marked a perfect ending of June activities. Our reading gatherings would always be seasoned with amusing flavors or added in some side dishes. Sometimes side dishes would outplay the objectives of reading. So, it didn’t surprise us that this month’s reading gathering even covered more features:

First, Lydia invited all of us to read at her place and booked the recreational room so that we
could sing Karaoke to add variety to our reading.
Second, share the tour excitement with those who didn’t went on ShangHai and ChiangNan Tour.
Third, show off the chipaos and other trophies we brought back.
Fourth, read a Chinese poem.
Fifth, photo shot definitely.
Lastly, bring a dish or a kind of snacks for a potluck party.

With so many objectives, our reading was certainly made short again. This time for a change
I’d like to focus the minutes on our reading no matter how short it was or how other side dishes sounded crazier and more exciting.

We began with reading at around 5:30 pm after Sherry showed up with the poem 寒山寺Linda prepared for us. The reason Linda chose it for us must be because we saw a couple of 寒山寺’s during our trip in ChiangNang. Actually we could all recite it as it’s a familiar poem to everyone. Amy impressed us by demonstrating how Japanese sing it. .

Then we moved on to the magazine reading. PPT usage is the main topic for T/Ms magazine May issue. I found it less beneficial and practical to me as I have had some experience in applying PPT in my job field and T/Ms presentations. Nevertheless, I did learn a few ideas from the articles like:

Page 24 Sidestep the PowerPoint Trap by Ellen Finkeistein, CC
- Use a slide title that actually say something
- Use images, diagrams or graphs, the Tell ‘n’ Show method.
- Divide bullet points into individual slides.
Etc.
Page 22 PowerPoint Made Easy by Narges Nirumbala ACB
- Cut the fat or ‘de-clutter’ your slides. We should have only the most vital information on each slide.
Page 16 Do you Blog? By Lin Gresing-Pophal
This article pointed out all the problems I have in maintenancing this blog; write regularly,
remember that anyone can read it and be specific. Also, the best blogs are those that provide
valuable information and also ask readers to comment and provide their insights.”

Though we rushed quite a bit to finish the reading, our questions were answered, our doubts were clarified and our thirst for knowledge was quenched.

Trini
0703

Make It Happen - A Dream Come True

Make It Happen - A Dream Came True

Among goldies, Sherry is a real action taker. We can see the spirit “Make It Happen” in her.
It happened that she was the first one who saw the slogan “Make It Happen” on the wall when we just embarked on H.K. Airport and walking through the long and narrow corridor.

“Make It Happen” was the theme of Taiwan Council Harry Fang, DTM, set since he took the office, now District 67, in 1999. Harry is no one else but Lydia’s better half. The theme became a hot slogan later. He himself also spared no sweat to promote Taiwan Counsel into District 67.

So, without hesitation we asked our tour guide to take a quick photo for us before we walked out the gate into H.K. Airport. When some other tourists tried to follow suit to take photos, too, the door behind us closed fast and no way to open it. We were excited that we seized the chance in time and couldn’t help feel very proud of ourselves.

While we commented that we should tell this exciting coincidence to Harry, how successful this slogan is, we saw some more “Make it Happen” in different sizes throughout the Airport. Ha, everyone can have the chance to take pictures now! What a drag!

Well, my point is: Dreams bring us hope and help us grow, execute our dreams and “Make It Happen” just like we made goldies travel together come true!

Trini
0630

Promoting T/Ms While Traveling

Speak to be heard, write to be remembered. This is what we should learn to do. When planning our ShangHai trip, Sherry proposed to make visiting some T/Ms clubs in ShangHai and meet T/Ms there one of the special features of the trip. Her mind always works ahead of us. We certainly love the idea. Yet, when our final itinerary of the trip was out, it had been through a lot of changes. Visiting T/Ms clubs or T/Ms there had to be ruled out due to our limit time there.

Though we failed to build link for T/Ms on the two sides, T/Ms training program was still effectively promoted to all the tourists around us. Certainly Sherry did the most work, her enthusiasm and passion aroused interest and received positive feedback from every one. I must say T/Ms training program won’t have been so successfully applied throughout the world if it had not been for T/Ms like her. She even grasped every good chance to make speeches on the bus, not a minute wasted. Pity that I didn’t think of taking photos to record the moment.

Linda, Lydia and Pamela all did their share introducing T/Ms and explaining how T/Ms program works. Pamela actually took action earlier and joined a T/Ms Club in Shanghai. I in a way took the easiest job sitting beside enjoying what they did and echoed a little bit. They helped District 67 promote T/Ms in a way no one ever did and taught me a lesson – passion and enthusiasm are keys to success and essence of living. People who heard they talk would never forget them. They truly add colors to their lives.

Sherry, Linda, Lydia and Pamela, how thrilled I am to have you around!

Trini
0630

ShangHai and SuHang Sealed with Five Golden Flowers

I have no idea since when we were nicknamed "Five Golden Flowers”, neither can I tell if it meant good at the beginning. We were too happy, too excited to constrain ourselves from quacking, giggling, and teasing each other. We simply couldn’t care less about other’s impression on us. What I can be sure is that it definitely made we five golden ladies more attention-captured and in the end we did reverse others’ negative thoughts if there were any and left positive remarks. .

I wasn’t feeling quite comfortable with the nickname at first. I didn’t feel like becoming the center of focus. Yet, who wouldn’t feel flattered when being compared to flowers? We were five golden flowers that functioned as a flower of five petals. We, as the nickname implied, did almost everything together while taking our turns to mingling with other tour members; hopping up, jumping out, squeezing in, rushing out, dressing up, making funny faces with mustache on, creating interesting scene for good photo effect, etc. We made every moment delectable.

We five goldies are actually five different kinds of flowers. Each flower has its unique fragrance and special features; outgoing, bright-colored, poised, composed, reserved, elegant, introvert or extrovert. One of the most attractive things about the flowers is their beautiful reserve. - Henry David Thoreau
I remember once I used a microscope to observe a tiny flower that is hard to tell its shape and form, I couldn’t believe my eyes when seeing how colorful, delicate and exquisite form it has through the lens. To me, every flower is a mystery, a book pending to read. And no matter what kind of flowers we are, it’s the essence of the flower that counts. Whether we can leave a significant impression on people relies on how well we live our lives.

Certainly we can never leave such an impression on people like the “Impressions of West Lake” we watched at XiHu Lake left on us; so intriguing, striking and inspiring. Yet, we can certainly strive our best to make it happen even just a slight bit. Again, It is not the years in your life but the life in your years that counts. - Adlai Stevenson
Trini
0630

Beginning with ShangHai 新天地

I was totally enchanted with the delicacy of ShangHai XinTianDi the moment I walked in the entrance. Must say it was a good arrangement of the travel agency to begin with our China tour by bringing us to ShangHai XinTianDi. It’s breathtaking and a truly classic place I must say. I love Taipei. Yet except Taipei 101, I haven’t seen other unique features or corners like ShangHai XinTianDi.

It blends the architecture and charm of old ShangHai with modern features. It’s a true realization of the east meeting the west. Tourists will be fascinated the moment they lay their eyes on it and intrigued by its glamour. The narrow lanes, stores and restaurants sophisticatedly decorated with stone and wood carved totems here and there on all walls around us, stone and brick paved paths, sculptures, fountains, etc. It’s certainly the very place for people to unwind and relax, but perhaps only tourists and rich people there?

We didn’t have the energy to come here the first night we arrived due to the distance and tiredness. Now it’s too early to savor all its beauty and free ourselves in its luxury.
All the shop doors were still closed, yet showing off their best pose to lure anticipation.
Next time definitely.

Next tour site is City God Temple城隍廟 near ShangHai Old streets. It’s Located next to the Yu Garden, known today as the Yu Garden Market, a large temple complex. Pity that a few of us had an appointment with a Chipao tailor and couldn’t have a good look of it. Just took
Two photos to trace my foot print.

Right after lunch we went on our tour to SuZhou and HangZhou and wouldn’t be back until the 5th night. I’d like to talk about our tours in ShangHai all together first before I move on to SuZhou and Chiang Nan.

On the 5th night after we came back to ShangHai we went to同仁堂 where provides the best Chinese Medicine to have foot massage and experience its true feature. We had dinner there afterwards before heading for The Shanghai circus World ,to see the ERA-the Intersection of Time (上海ERA時空之旅). It was a great Acrobat show combining traditional Chinese Acrobatic arts and technology, I can never imagine how all the stunts were trained possible. The whole troupe won a burst of applause.

The day’s program hadn’t finished, we still have one more , the Bund Tourist Tunnel 觀光隧道, to experience the technology combing light, sound, laser and visual effect. We got on the last train in time. No doubt ShangHai has done a lot to attract visitors from around the world. It was really getting late, and we all head for the hotel to rest.

The 6th day in ShangHai, we took the City Trolley tour, visited the 1st Church ever built there. It’s inside is not different from those big ones that I saw in Western countries.

Shanghai is worth visiting again for a long exclusive stay.

Trini

0707

Seeing ShangHai at Midnight

Tourists see the world, travelers experience it. To be travelers, they look deep and experience what people there do to get some insight. For our ShangHai and ChiangNan trip, we were simply tourists. We saw a lot of scenery spots within short six days, or five days to put it exactly. But we all gave our words that next time we go to ShangHai we will immerse ourselves and spend all the time there to experience its beauty, culture and modern features - no more hotels one after another, luggage on and off buses , tour guides and lured shopping,

Sherry had her wild plan in mind to venture in ShangHai for the whole 1st night there. I decided to pass it. Yet the unexpected delay of the flight made it impossible for Sherry to make such night venture as no more transportation available. The heavy rain in ShangHai made things complicate. We were caught at HK Airport, in the plane exactly, for two and half hours more. When the plane finally took off we were already exhausted. It’s sometime past 11:00 pm after we walked out the customs in ShangHai Airport. We were eager to look for Pamela. There she was! We five were together finally. After the very late dinner, Sherry was reluctant to sleep away the 1st night, and Pamela insisted on bringing us out to experience a little bit night life in ShangHai hopefully we could enjoy a midnight coffee in 經貿Center. So we five took a cab hanging out in PuDong for an hour.

We had a close look of 經茂大樓, the tallest building in ShangHai, 東方明珠, and some other famous buildings. The neon lights made great decoration to them and presented its magnificence at night. We witnessed the grandiosity and luxury of Tomson Riviera 湯臣一品. We strolled at the HuangPu bank a while looking at 上海灘. The lights were out when we stood there, could only feel the river breeze caress our face and hair. We headed back half satisfied lamenting that how nice it would have been if we could have been out just two hours earlier. The cab driver did an amazing job, too by taking up the role as a camera man. I could tell it must be his first time to do the service to tourists. I’m also sure his business will boost a little bit adding the photo-taking service into his business.

It was around 2:00 am after we got back hotel. After quick showers, we hit the sack. We had to get up early in the morning preparing for the first tour program.

http://picasaweb.google.com/taipeitmtrini/ABigGlamorousShangHaiChiangNanTripII#

http://picasaweb.google.com/taipeitmtrini/ABigGlamorousShangHaiChiangNanTripI#
Trini

0703

The First Goldies Trip Abroad

A Dream came true! A dream for goldies to travel abroad all together. After around two months communication and discussion back and forth on line and face to face, the 1st goldies trip to China finally took place. When the itinerary was final, It turned out to be a quite different one from what we originally planned.

The trip plan originated from Pamela’s invitation to all goldies to ShangHai. She has an
apartment there due to her work. She’d open her home to goldies and we were all supposed to stay there during the whole trip. The other important mission was to visit some T/Ms clubs there and meet T/Ms in ShangHai. Interestingly, we ended up joining a tour group and had no time to meet T/Ms there at all. But one mission we did fulfill as our originally planned was we had our Chipaos tailor-made. How? It’s an amusing and incredible story. I’ll put it in my next minutes.

To enjoy a good beginning, I left home earlier than i scheduled. I took it very easy for the first time not like my usual self at all always in a rush. I thought I would be the first one at the Airport, didn’t notice Linda and Lydia were standing in front of the counter. It took me a while to recognize them. Well, who could blame me, they stood there with their back facing me both wearing black and white. What a good start! We didn’t see Sherry. No need to worry, she has much more traveling experience than anyone of us.

After a few photos taken to enjoy the moment, Sherry showed up. After passing the customs, she went to explore on her own at the Airport. What an independent woman! Linda, Lydia and I took some more photos in the waiting area for fun. Thanks to the advanced technology, taking photos is just a click away. Sherry slid in showing us her on-fashion nail polish just put at a duty free store. Without wasting any time she made friend with a tour member immed. I couldn’t wait to see what’s next for the following five days.

The 1st Murphy’s Law happened totally out of blue when we made a transit in H.K. to ShangHai. Right after we boarded the plane in HK and just when I was excited that in two hours we will arrive ShangHai and see Pamela who would be waiting for us at the Airport. What a shock it was when it broadcased that we had to wait for two hours on the plane as there was a heavy rain at ShangHai Airport. Though Pamela might check the arrival time of the plane before going to the airport due to the bad weather, we made a call to her. What depressed us was our night program would be cancelled. There were a lot of unnecessary complaints made by other passengers on the plane. So the Murphy’s Law for the day is “What is likely to happen would definitely happen.

The Airline pulled out the food cart to feed us immed. As the meal was light, we were treated with ice cream later. It was a great relief that two hours later, the plane took off. Another thing I didn’t expect was the temperature check because of epidemic H1N1. The air attendants checked our temperature first, than after the plane landed, a medical team got on the plane completely protected in white robe, mask and hood. I guess it was once-a-life-time experience to us. Everyone got a laser check. What a weird feeling to me!

When we finally arrived and walked out the customs, it was already 11:00 pm. We saw Pamela. Yeah! We were in ShangHai, China. Real excitement just began!

There were so much to write about and I will continue in separate articles. But first
Before I forget, I better put our itinerary below first:

Day 1: Arrived ShangHai 上海 to experience its modern and old-time beauty.
Day 2: 1) See ShangHai’s XinTienDi (modern area) 新天地. It is a crowded busy area at night combining both old and new structure.
2) Garden of Lions in SuZhou蘇州~園林城市
3) Night tour at QuiLiSanTang in SuZhou 七里山塘 The river is seven km long and served both economical and military purposes.
Day 3: 1) HanShanSi (temple) in SuZhou. (Silk)
2) TaiHu Tour 太湖
Day 4: 1) WuXi SanKuo - Castle無錫~吳中勝景 三國城
2) Tea Pot Factory
3) XiHu, HangZhou Enjoy the dance show of Impression of West Lake
杭州~西湖印象西湖山水歌舞
Day 5: 1) XiHu, HangZhou Boat & lake tour
2) ShangHai - HuangPu River bank, Tunnel trip, Acrobat show etc.上海ERA時空之旅, 觀光隧道
Day 6: ShangHai, City Trolley tour, Church 徐家匯天主教堂

Accommodation/Hotels:
ShangHai: 博龍國際 & 唐朝 大酒店
SuZhou: 春申湖

HangZhou: 東方假日
WuXi華美達

Restaurants:
ShangHai: 天一閣風味,

同仁堂藥膳風味, 傣家村風味
SuZhou: 水鄉風味, 評彈宴
HangZhou: 紅泥風味、山外山風味
WuXi: 乾隆宴、太湖風味

To be continured

Trini

0629

The One of the Kind Demo Meeting of L.V. HsinDien T/Ms Club

Staying competitive edge by attending T/Ms meetings regularly!

When I first joined T/Ms club, there were only less than twenty T/Ms Clubs in Taipei, and they are all English T/Ms clubs. Now with more than sixty T/Ms in Taipei covering five languages, T/Ms has prospered in a fast pace which demonstrates its fast expansion and polularity today. It's an amazing achievement accomplished by many enthusiastic, devoted and dedicated T/Ms.

On Friday, June 5th, a demo meeting was give in Hsindien aiming at building an advanced T/Ms Club. This soon-to-be advanced T/Ms club will be named "L.V. HsinDien T/Ms Club. It was organized by Y.S. Liao, DTM, past Div. H Governor and incumbent District PR, with the help and support by Sherry, a member of goldies. Originally Sherry planned to build a new community club for HsinDien and invited Linda and me to support. Surprisingly, it gave way to this advanced T/Ms Club to build first. The original idea of having a community club open for public is still in process, just a while later.

I have been always impressed by Y.S.'s dedication and passion in helping build new clubs or support weak clubs. There are many special features of the club according to him to make it a unique T/M. To name a few:

1. All the members are experienced and capable T/Ms to make the club an advanced one.
2. Over 80% members are officers of District 67 i.e. club, area or divisions' officers.
3. Challenge, flexible arrangement of meeting roles and variety is the characteristics of the club meetings. Mirror speeches, knowing your assignment at the last minute by drawing lots, impromptus speeches, etc. are just a few.
4. Once a month meeting gives all the officers less pressure.
5. Developing leadership especially is one of the missions of the club.
6. Making the club and sponsor's name easy to remember, acronyms like L.V. & Y.S.L. were applied.
7. Integrity, dedication, service and respect are the spirit of the new club.
etc.

I was the first who entered the venue. Most of the participants gathered first at Starbucks nearby. Sherry invited a T/Ms friend Mr. Norton Moise, from New Zealand to give a short speech. It added one more feature to the demo meeting. Mr. Norton is a physicist, and a retired professor. He paints and plays bridge. What an incredibly respectable gentleman.

The demo meeting was completely different from regular demo meetings giving diversity and creating excitement. It was prolonged for at least half an hour. After taking some photos, it was almost ten.

Under Sherry's request, I drove Mr. Norton Moise back to his hotel. It was a pleasure and honor to me. We chatted in the car all the way to the hotel. I learned a lot about him though our conversation. You will see from my next article a rough picture of him.

This club is for sure to build. I also wish Sherry success in establishing a regular community T/Ms club soon.

Trini
0606

My Encounter with a Physicist T/M from New Zealand

There are many onces in a life time. I just had another one this week. Through Sherry, I had a wonderful encounter with a retired Physicist who happens to be a T/M, Mr. Norton Moise. He’s a friend of Sherry’s friend and came to Taipei from New Zealand for sightseeing. After a few e-mails back and forth between we three, I finally got the chance to meet this physicist T/M, and had a very special week.

He was thoughtful to send us a picture of him in advance so that we would know what he looks like. What surprised me most was when Sherry told me he’s eighty two years old. I thought he was at his 60s. On Thursday evening, I finally met him at the demo meeting of L.V. Hsien Tien TMC, an advanced T/Ms Club. After listening to his speech and talk, I found him very lighthearted and warm.

Sherry gave me another surprise by asking me to escort Norton back to hotel. Well, it was an easy and pleasant job getting the pleasure of chatting with him, just two of us. I didn’t know the exact location of his hotel and had to pay more attention on the direction I went. Still I managed to keep chatting all the way and hope that he felt our conversation enjoyable. I was impressed when hearing he say has never really retired despite the fact that he retired three times. He moved to New Zealand to teach in an University there after retiring from his teaching in the States. Then back to teach again after his second retirement there. From him I learned that to some people they would never get used to retirement. They keep rolling to keep their brain in good shape. His story is inspiring. The last surprise was when Sherry mentioned he had a heart pacing device on his chest. The only sign of his age is his slow pace in walk. With all his inconvenience, he travels, enjoys life and makes himself a pleasant company.

He’s truly a man of intelligence. He also paints, and is an amateur painter. He sent a painting to Sherry before he arrived. It was in all the pictures we took after the meeting. He played bridge as a hobby. His bridge partner is an entrepreneur and had chance to played bridge with the richest man in the world, Bill Gates. He shook hands will Einstein when he was 16 which was the inspiration for him to study physics and become a physicist. He certainly lives his life to the fullest.

Pity that I had class on Saturday and must let him play bridge alone at the Bridge Center with a partner that the center helped to arrange. Or it will be my greatest honor and joy to play bridge with him. I picked him up after the bridge game and accompanied him to the hotel waiting for Sherry to join us for dinner.

Sherry suggested we dined at the Ambassador Hotel. Three of us had much fun there chatting, taking photos and enjoying the cuisine the hotel served. Sherry was in a very high spirit throughout the dinner creating a cheerful atmosphere for Norton. I bet we must have drawn a lot of attention from the staff there. The whole restaurant seemed to be our playground. Good that there weren’t many customers yet then as we had quite an early dinner.

I hope my small car didn’t make him uncomfortable though he said it was perfectly fine. Norton is tall having two long legs. Whenever he got off the car, I could tell how his legs suffered bending them in the narrowed and limited space in front of his seat.

I won’t be able to see Norton again for his last few days stay in Taipei. Sincerely wish him a safe trip home and here thank him and Sherry for making my weekend delightful and enjoyable.

Trini
0606