Saturday, 22 January 2011

Sight see Shanghai by Metro

Aha! Now I can conquer Shanghai on my own with this little book in tow. Although all written in Chinese (gulp), I am very excited to be exploring Shanghai's nooks and crannies on foot, by train and trying all the culinary delights!


Listed in the book are 9 lines with over 39 big "must-stopover" and 328 places to eat, shop, see, have fun.


Woohoo, Shanghai here I come with my train travel card in hand. 


(The book on right cost RMB39.80)

Winter Wonderland in Shanghai

This morning, when I threw open the curtains of my bedroom, I was delighted to find a winter wonderland waiting just outside my window. everything looks like a dream. snowflakes swirling and falling so softly, the streets dusted with a white powder and the cars shivering silent in their shroud of snow. The trees too took on a new set of white clothes and if they were in a costume party, no doubt they are pretending to be Christmas trees!

With a hot cup of tea in hand, I spent a few minutes on the balcony. In the cold, admiring the snow, catching the fresh air, enjoying the tranquility and serenity of the moment. How happy I am in Shanghai, with its array of unfolding beauty.

You raise me up

Whatever achievements we have clinched, or status in life or at work, let us always be grateful and remember all those "bear"s whose shoulders we have stood on to get to where we are today. Our mother, our father, elder brothers and/or sisters, husband or wife, teacher, boss...each had a role to play. May we spend a moment to silent thank these special people who has raised us up to a higher level, a level which we could not have gotten there on our own efforts or intelligence alone. Be grateful.

Thursday, 6 January 2011

Creativity - Surmounting mountain(s) of fear


Rachel Chan, my dear friend who is famous for her creativity and also for being at the very frontiers of innovation and design, threw a small party for her creative "oddball" friends. Ali, a University Professor teaching creativity and innovation from Canada, to Iran to China and HK, Jane a coach and social architect, Fiona a business development guru, Dirk a fancy hotelier, Edmund a microbiologist turned designer, Cecilia a little bird with big wings of change, Patricia a newly minted government official bent on making HK creative and me, a dreamer, planner, realist - all rolled in one.

For one hour, as we sipped champagne, drank beer, heady tody and orang juice, we explored the tenets of creativity. What kills it? What makes it burst forward?

The first thing is fear. Fear is one of the killers of creativity. One prefers to "keep the harmony" (sounds so Chinese!), not stand out, not to ask questions and not to question authority or the way that things are being done. Out of fear of upsetting others, of disrupting the system, the way of "life" as everyone else knows it. Fear.

Only when we overcome fear, we can step forth into the realm of creativity.