for multiple interests...

I am traveling to the United States, LUCKY;

but it’s for business, not for pleasure, UNLUCKY;

My flight number is UA888, LUCKY;

I missed the flight, UNLUCKY;

I missed only by five minutes, LUCKY?

I missed it anyway… UNLUCKY!

I changed the flight to the second day same flight, LUCKY;

I should be smart enough to change it to the immediate next flight on the same day, UNLUCKY;

I got one extra day to stay in Beijing and had no plans, LUCKY? UNLUCKY?

Had beer with a good friend in my apartment, chatting about all sorts of stuff, laughing and kidding… I am LUCKY for have friends like that;

Downloaded Edgy Eft CD from internet (I wanted to do this long ago), and finally upgraded my laptop from Dapper to Eft, LUCKY;

Was invited to a dinner party in Texas BBQ, where orginally was John Bull bar. My friend Holden renovated the place, it looks completely different from before, still unfinished, but felt quite comfy. Food was amazing, we had several meat mountains piled up on our table, chicken, pork, and beef, everything taste great. People I met on dinner table all related to cell phone software development industry, I could even talk geekish to them! Cool. Definitely LUCKY;

Had a sound sleep last night, LUCKY;

All luggage packed (yesterday), LUCKY;

Thinking of the exciting week to come, to meet coworkers who I have been talking over IRC for months but never meet in person, feeling quite excited, LUCKY;

Received several emails about people to meet in San Francisco, where to go, and a friend offer to pick me up from the airport, LUCKY;

I am blessed. Thank you, dear friends, you made my life wonderful. : )

I was feeling a bit uneasy to read about myself in quite a few blogs after the edgy release party in Beijing. There must be more, but these are the ones I came across so far:

http://linux.chinaunix.net/news/2006-11-03/3130.shtml
http://blog.zoomquiet.org/pyblosxom/
http://tarkus.2gang.net/blog/index.php/ubuntu_release_party_in_beijing

I was described as an young/vulnerable/non-technical/timid intepreter in these blogs, not to mention there are also some harsh comments on the mistakes I made during translation from Mark’s speech. The closest to praise I got so far, as one guy put in his blog, “she’s working so hard but still couldn’t get the joke, I am feeling sympathy to her.”

I must have learnt a lesson from this to get over it, or several lessons.

Lesson No.1: Taking notes while translating;
Lesson No.2: I sit too far from Mark, and my hearing is not as good as my speech, sit closer next time;
Lesson No.3: More preparation & rehearse if possible;
Lesson No.4: Dress up formally, and professional body language;
Lesson No.5: Never take public speech lightly, cause people seem less tolerant to public figures.

Well if I did have learnt these lessons and never repeat the mistakes again, then everything worth it. After all these bloggers were quite right about my performance on the day, I did suck! Usually I am cool in public occasions, but that night I was caught offguard due to so many unexpectations and my translation was way below my average standard.

I am moving on…

I must have aged a whole year in last week.  Organizing Edgy release party as well as government meetings, business meetings, following up with clients,  planning for the coming trips, and maintaining several websites… gee I am busy!

And now… I am exhuasted, an exciting week will be coming, I need some sleep to get ready for it.

: )