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A Hard & Big Choice-- Shirley's 92nd Friendly Greeting -- Sun, June 17, 2007

Hi,Dear Friends

How are you? Have you had a good week? I do hope that you are well and have a relaxed weekend.

This week, the biggest thing in my life is that I have to make a big choice. I am lucky that to be offered two opportunities to study international business administration in two American universities in Ohio and Chicago. The first one is organized by the Shenzhen City government for one year. The second one is organized by one of the best universities of China. It will offer a studying for one year and a working opportunity for another year.

I am in a big contradiction for the hard choice so that my throat and head are in pain now. After all, if I would, I would give up my current work and learning and I would learn 12 lessons within 12 months.

Also, I am smiling when I am facing the choice. It was really a big wish of mine to have an opportunity to study administration in an advanced country since I was major World Economy and International Business Administration for 5 years while I was carrying some heavy working duties. After being a manager for years, since 1996, I started to fly to Shanghai in most of my holidays and weekends for 3 years for I did not think that my language and literature educational background would support me to work for a long time in the financial information industry and there were not many universities to offer graduated student lessons in Shenzhen then. Sometime, I flied 3 cities one day. I was the only student that went to the classroom by airplane. Then, since 2000, I started to learn international business administration for my doctoral degree for 2 and half years. Very often, I rushed into the classroom with an empty stomach after cooking ok for my son. Then I rushed into a night market to buy food after my class. I had not entered any movie house and the biggest park within the first 11 years since I came to Shenzhen.

I am smiling also for the huge changing of China and the funny feelings in my heart. To learn some thing in a Western university, as my son does, was just a too far away dream when I was young as him. The Chinese gate was closed, I did not have a financial ability and not a good English level to support me to go abroad then. Right now, the gate of China is opening. I have had a financial ability and an English level already. But, I have to think of the opportunity cost and time cost, my own dream and my personal life as a woman, instead of a manager only.

After thinking and thinking, I have made a basic decision. I would like to give up the opportunities to learn how to be a best manager in the U.S. It is really a pity on my career road. It is also another opportunity to learn the other things that I really love from my childhood, to work on something more realistic with my limited life.

After all, the partner company of the cooperated project of our company is just from the U.S. If it is successful, it will bring the company a revolutionary reform and be a summary of my career life. If it is failed, I will retire ahead and to do something I have no time to do now, or maybe I will go an art or music colleges in China or abroad?

I know clear that it is not easy for me to make a big achievement in a single painting, music, language field. But, if I can combine painting, music, calligraphy, poem, Chinese culture and modern technology together, maybe I can create a unique model with my own knowledge copy right in Chinese language learning field. After all, I was major Chinese language and literature for 5 years and be a college teacher for 9 years. Along with time, something has been clear day and day in my mind. I can really do many things in this field.

As a woman who has gone over for so many working years alone, I would really like to go back home or make 50% of my time at home in the near future. To create something new and to be a true woman, instead of a manager for whole of my life.

How do you think of my thought? Have I made a stupid or a smart choice? If you were me, what would you choose?

Shirley Created Art -- Chinese Xieyi 0143: Enjoying the Fun of the Nature
My teacher wanted me to create some new style and new size pictures in my art lesson. So I created this picture even though I did not very much like to paint this kind of pictures. However, the more I painted it, the more interested I was. So, I coloured it with many different colours according to my own imagination. I took two photos for it. This one was taken when it was still wet. My teacher was satisfied with my work and I got 90 marks. How do you think of this picture? Do you like it?

Shirley Created Art -- Chinese Xieyi 0142:A Song in the Spring
Chinese traditional painting theory thought that a good picture should include poem, calligraphy, painting and stamp together. So, I have been thinking how to combine my learning of painting, calligraphy, Chinese classical poem, also plus my music creating together, to create my own style. I got an idea Wednesday night. So, before going to my office Wednesday morning, I created two birds, then, I wrote the calligraphy of a poem and I created some flowers to match the poem in the night. Instead of drafting them with a pencil, I created all of things with Chinese brushes and colors directly. As soon as I completed it, I realized that I did not make the structure very good, it seems like too loose. So, I will try to re-paint it when I have time. Do you agree with me? Do you like it?

Shirley Sings a Chinese (Beijing) Folk Song-- 059: Guxiang Shi Beijing -- My Hometown Is Beijing
Beijing is not only China’s capital, but also my birthplace and my first hometown. So, since I heard this song, I have been enjoying it. I love it for its Beijing’s dialect and its strong local tone. There is a lot of taste of Beijing Opera. I had learned it 11 months ago, in June 2006. But then, I could not sing it alone, so that my teacher sang it with me together. Saturday night, I asked my teacher to direct me to re-sing it, even though my throat and head were a little bit painful. I did feel it was a comfortable process to sing. I really hope that my song will bring you a big smile and be a little bit help to you to improve your Chinese listening level and to know more about Chinese culture.

Chinese Classical Poem 0087 & Shirley Created Music-0077: Chun Xing Jixing -- The Association from the Spring Scenery in My Traveling

It was a spring season. A poet came to a city that had experienced a war. Luxuriant grass was covering the former busy city grate. Instead of seeing any citizen, there was only a water of gully turning to the west via the city. There was no one under the fragrant trees, there were only some flowers dropped down to the land lonely, on whole of the road that he was traveling in the mountains. What he could hear was the singing of the birds for nothing. With a peaceful and easy language on the surface, expresses a sad emotion in his heart. I have created a picture, a piece of music and calligraphy to match the poem and I do hope that whole of my effort will be a little bit help to you to learn Chinese language. I do hope that with the effort by all of us, to reduce the war in the world.

Shirley Written Chinese Calligraphy -- Running Regular 015: Chun Xing Ji Xing --   The Association from the Spring Scenery in My Traveling.
I wrote the calligraphy of the poem on one of my painting on Wednesday. But, I do feel that the pictures of flowers are not on the best suitable place. Anyway, I really hope that what I have explored will be a little bit help to you to know more about Chinese culture.


I am just a learner on art, music, English, French and the work on the web site in my free time. Anyway, I would really like to do a little bit things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be An Electronic Bridge Of Culture Exchange, Friendship and Language Learning. During the process to help the others and to improve myself.

I do appreciate your understanding, directions and supports. I do hope to get your great help continuously now and in the coming time...

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn or shirleyz004@yahoo.com. You are welcomed to publish your opinions in the forum.

Shirley
Written and Edited on Sun, June, 17, 2007

In the Past 3 Months -- Shirley's 593rd Friendly Greeting - May 6, 2019
Happy Chinese New Year! -- Shirley's 592nd Friendly Greeting - Feb 5, 2019
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year! -- Shirley's 591st Friendly Greeting - Dec 25, 2018
The Road Is Long, Far & Winding, Still I Am Seeking My Dream -- Shirley's 590th Friendly Greeting - Dec 11, 2018
Take Opportunity - Shirley's 589th Friendly Greeting - Nov 11, 2018
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