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Last post for Year 2015!
(Quietly, and shamefully, first post after 2 years of non-blogging)

Dear Readers!

I am back and kicking!

It is this time of the year again to summoning up 2015. Year 2015 has been a roller-coaster journey for me. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely say THANK YOU to all who has been with me for this roller-coaster journey. Along the way, you encouraged me, being my listener, pulled out your torch in the dark tunnel whenever I am lost, gave me the help I needed most AND/OR you discouraged me, you responded me in cold manner, you undermined my potential... ALL in ALL, THANK YOU. Without these, I will not be where I am and who I am, right now.

A few determinations I take pride in myself, and with immense gratitude of the following:

1. I had breakthrough the very discriminative immigration policy/employment opportunity (in the UK) to land myself not only an employment but two.
2. I realized that a change within myself (human revolution) has the potential to change the direction of my life. In short, I literally take charge in ALL ASPECTS of my life and I am not dependent on others in deciding it; and not blaming others for what I have to face.
3. The oneness of one and the environment (one of the very principle of Buddhism). I felt supported by the forces of the universe in realizing my mission in life and to go about my daily life, too. More empowering-ly, I felt that I can 'instruct' the forces of the universe to work on behalf of myself. I strived to be of constant 'conversation' between the flora and fauna I encountered daily. P/S-I still say thank you to plants and animals I came across daily. Call me insane :)
4. Able to recognize the importance of supporting others. To literally see others being lifted out of their suffering is the most liberated feeling ever. Such a life state. Strive to go OUT THERE and do more!
5. To celebrate life itself! A day of life in the universe is more worthy than all the treasure of the universe combined. This branches to the following determination.
6. To shift a larger part of my diet towards non-animal based. Who are we, human being to say that we should consume animals to survive. Meat is not a need any more, it is a want. Ever more so when we see people who are likely able to afford more are simply wasting their food. All to the bin. Pathetic.
7.  To appreciate the people and the circumstances even if it is at a very shitty moment. That's the opportunity to re-determine and to get ourselves together, re-focus and march towards our goals.
8. To appreciate the ties of friendship, family, colleagues. To always strive so that the relationship blossoms at greater heights.
9. To be able to summon up courage to encourage the person right in front of me, right at that moment, no hesitation.
10. To cast the transient and revealing the truth. The importance of  beauty of diversity - people of different races, cultures, nationalities, beliefs all come together to realise a life full of happiness not suffering. Let's all, human being celebrate the world's most beautiful unity in diversity.

Three cheers for life(lives)! Three cheers for humanity in diversity! Three cheers to welcome Year 2016 - The Year of Expansion! Let's take this opportunity to expand our life force even just a millimetre.

Happy New Year 2016.

Loch Ness © zhenrontan 311215

This is a view I have captured the way driving down to Drumnadrochit alongside the Loch Ness where Monster Ness is still asleep. :) The Sun is always shining. Vow to be the Sun!

Sum up for 2014a.

Dear Readers,

It has been literally a year now since my last blog. Thank you if you are still following. There is so much to write about this year. I am not sure whether I have even at this point decided to write down everything I intended to blog about.

This year marks a really significant year for me and for the people in my environment. To be honest I do not know where to start off with. Anyway, let me put them in a 'at presence' format and then started to add in flavours and spices here and there just like when one is preparing for Chinese food - it is all about the layering (a famous quote by an American born Chinese chef featured in the food programme on BBC iPlayer).

Now, I am renting a place at a shared accommodation at Basingstoke, Hampshire, a town South East of England that I never even heard of before. Just as a token of appreciation, I would like to say some words of appreciation about my housemates. They are John, a Portuguese pharmacist; Ella and Lydia, two Romanians ladies as care workers looking after vulnerable people with needs; and an English lady working as a station enquiry officer. They are a bunch of lovely people indeed, I felt so fortunate to have them in this point of my life. We spent this Xmas together, spoke about our own problems/challenges and encouraged each others when life is down. It is a bit like the Buddhist Discussion Meeting I participated monthly.

Being granted an opportunity to work at Design ACB here is itself truly an amazing thing. Everyone knows that it is indeed extremely hard to get a job in the UK as a non-EEU national. However, I am able to put the practice of the Lotus Sutra into reality and persevere through hardships and champion it, making the impossible possible. My determination during that hard time was 'as earnestly as though to produce fire from damp wood or to obtain water from parched ground'. At the moment, I am the only non-EEU employee there. Very diversified cultural background, as we have colleagues from German, Italian, American, Polish background. Colleagues at ACB are very helpful when it comes to any technical / work-related questions; and very crazy too when it comes to 'playtime'... They are very beautiful human beings. There is so much to learn, I hope I do not disappoint them, especially those 3 young directors, sincerely respecting them from the bottom of my heart. There are a lot of challenges ahead but I have decided to face each of them head on! Bring it on! I am surrounded by beautiful, helpful and playful colleagues, I appreciate that a lot. Thank you ACB.

As for friendship, I think 2014 has been the most significant year when it comes to building bonds between friends. I met so many people this year, meeting at least 200 or so of them this whole year. Some are existing friends, housemates, some strangers, etc. Friends, I called are those whom I have spoken and met with and had a heart-to-heart conversation, let it be issues associated with work, family, friendship, society, economy, politics, architecture, food, Buddhism, you name it... Each conversation and encounter are very unique in its own way and had since then planted a seed in the bottom of my heart. These are the seeds of friendship. I have decided to mention the big word here together in this friendship section - L O V E. I had met a special one this year too, a very beautiful lady with very distinguished characters. That was what attracted me most, we have so much in common, we are both Buddhist, we had been letter-writing the old fashion way... Thank you for sharing your life with me. Though it was short but it has impacted my my life in some way. Please stay the way you are and be happy. I will always chant for your happiness and people around you.

On 17th July 2014, that day marked one of the most important day in my life - Graduation. A recognition for completion of my Masters Degree in Architecture.  So much effort was put in along the way, those countless nights drawings in the studio, doing models, eating Dominos, those countless power naps, those tears and laughters... They all surfaced into my mind at this very moment once again... I have to thank the ever highly respected Professor Alan Dunlop, lecturer Penny Lewis, lecturer Simon Leeman for their words of encouragement and the help they provided in any kind of dimensions throughout these 2 years within the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture - Masters Unit 2, the Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom. One point need to be noted, they strived hard to assist me in the dimension of job-hunting too, sincerely appreciate that and thank you! Leaving University does not mean the lecturer - student relationship cease there, we managed to keep in touch with each other in different dimensions.


Your Blogger,
Ron.

Summary of 2013. What is next in 2014?

Hi again readers from the world, this is just a post I am reflecting myself for the entire soon-to-end year 2013. Although I only blog once in a blue moon, I still feel very connected with my dearest readers let it be in wherever part of the world. I appreciate your time reading my post and hopefully able to find similarities in like-minded people and interesting future awaits us. Right, I am going to structure this post in different themes: faith, love, study, family, career, friendship and others.

First of all, I would like to share a wee bit about my faith. I am born into a Buddhist family so I am a Buddhist by heart. To be exact, I am practicing Nichiren Daishonin Buddhism. This is a sect of Buddhism founded by a lay priest in 13th Century Japan. A wee bit of explanation here: Nichiren taught devotion to the Lotus Sutra (entitled Myōhō-Renge-Kyō in Japanese)— which contained Gautama Buddha's teachings towards the end of his life — as the exclusive means to attain enlightenment (in other words Buddhahood). Furthermore, Nichiren believed that the Lotus Sutra contained the essence of all of Gautama Buddha's teachings relating to the laws of cause and effect and karma. This devotion to the sutra entails the chanting of Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō (referred to as "daimoku") as the essential practice of the teaching. That is what I do every morning and night or whenever I can. Performing daimoku is likened as accumulating good fortune in life, let it be wealth, health and happiness. Another aspect I would like to share with you my dear readers is the lay organization of Soka Gakkai International. Soka Gakkai has, together with its international offshoot Soka Gakkai International (SGI) been described as "the world's largest Buddhist lay group'. SGI is a lay Buddhist movement linking more than 12 million people around the world. SGI members integrate their Buddhist practice into their daily lives, following the Lotus Sutra based teachings of Nichiren, a 13th-century Japanese Buddhist priest. Just as the lotus blooms in a muddy pond, all people can manifest the Buddha nature--inner resources of courage, wisdom and compassion that can equip them to overcome life's challenges and lead happy and fulfilling lives. As "engaged Buddhists," SGI members aim to create value in any circumstances and contribute to the well-being of others. Their practice sparks a process of ongoing inner transformation and empowerment known as "human revolution." The promotion of peace, culture and education is central to SGI's activities. Most of the content here are exactly copied and pasted from the source . So in other words, I pride myself as a lay world citizen who helps in promoting world peace. I have grown much in faith, get inspired and am constantly sharing my view on life based on the Buddhism principle I live with, that is why I always say Buddhism is a reason and it is a living Buddhism as we infused those principles into our life. I received my very own Gohonzon on the 17th June 2013 and I have been appointed as the Young Men District Leader for my local SGI district. That means more responsibilities to bare. I learn and I will always learn no matter what.

Although this section here is a little bit private but I know what I am talking about now. As for love, I met very interesting people in my life throughout this year. We have much in common and shared really much like-minded views, let it be life, career, faith or in general the future ahead. I believe if I really pursue and follow my instinct I will fall in love once again. :) Yet, there is this girl that I really liked and I can sense that she has the same chemistry for me too. But we felt the timing is not right at the moment. Maybe more on me, that I am not prepared yet and I wish to travel and explore more in my career, in particular the various locations for my work in the future. Yet, it seems that she wanted a guy that is settled right this moment. Well, time will proof if this chemical equation works out or not. Speaking about love, of course self-appreciation is another form of love as well. I love myself too. I believe one has to appreciate oneself first before appreciating and loving someone else. 

Speaking about career, I regard myself as a really fortunate chap having the opportunity to work with Danish firm schmidt hammer lassen architects SHL in their Shanghai office. The working environment is truly a fusion one between Danish culture and a Chinese one, very fascinating one. I do enjoy all the moments with my colleagues, my boss! We went partying, we stayed late together in the office etc. Also, the model making experience is truly something that really inspired me a lot here especially for my model-making skills. This 3 months period of internship is actually an eye-opener to me looking at China. I think I would like to spend more time understanding about China and the Chinese people and of course the Chinese culture. I would rather say it is also about understanding about myself especially exploring the Chinese root within.

Friendship - This is something I really benefited from a lot this year. I met some really amazing coursemates whom we can talk about hearts. Although we come from very different culture, background yet we still share very similar thoughts in study and life in general. I moved flat this year in Aberdeen. I am grateful to have met very interesting housemates. We shared thoughts, we go out for drinks and we encouraged each other in life. I think life should be like that. Friendship is a two way thing, the weigh should be balanced up, no less no much. Also, from my experience I would like to encourage you to appreciate your friend who stood up whenever you need them by your side. There is a saying goes, 'A friend in need, is a friend indeed'. In particular I met two very goodfriends of mine now. Both from Klang. We got closer when we knew that we could trust each other and we could share our views in life with each other. We even talk about secret lol. Well, one of the very many secret. :) Let's vow that we should keep this kind of friendship let it be 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 or 40 years in time and we could make it in Shanghai / London / India / SG / Msia or any way in the world. By that time we will have family etc. hahahaha... :)

Long story cut short, 2013 has been a roller coaster year for myself. I hope it has been the same for you too! Let's look forward for the new year! 

(P/s: I will touch up this post with some photos tomorrow on the New Year Day)

Your Blogger,

Ron.

M.Arch Student Studio Project - Suzhou Boat Facility

Hi All again!

I just got up from bed after lying for 5mins and decided to share with you the ongoing website update of work that me and my peers are doing for our Masters in Architecture projects here in Scott Sutherland School of Architecture. The project site is in Suzhou near Tai Lake. Suzhou is located to the West of Shanghai. The studio work is led by Professor Alan Dunlop, Penny Lewis and Simon.

Please click into the website. It records the findings of interesting facts, and see with yourself how the design evolved. I am doing an industrial project - Suzhou Boat Facility. In this boat facility there are mainly 3 distinguish volumes (programmes) - 1. Offices+Canteen, 2. Testing workshop+Drawing Studio+Mould Loft, and 3. Boat Building Workshop. Please have a look into my work from the start of last year September 2012 until the present time. This is the link.

This studio project is interesting and is never done before for a Scottish / British architectural master design studio unit to brave herself to tackle some of the issues that topped the priority list faced by the growing Chinese population, such as who is responsible to look after the growing ageing population, the housing needs for the growing population, the shift from one-child policy to a more liberal more-than-one child policy, the elimination of education through labour system, the multifacets industrial autonomy etc... ... the list continues.

I see the problems the Chinese facing currently as vast opportunity especially looking from the perspective of architecture, politics and socio-economy. Also, the problem-solving that are happening now or will happen soon (as I seen) are regarded as a precaution steps developing economies should take note of. This eventually lead me think about the Rise of China  or maybe some of you think otherwise, well it is far too early to draw a full stop on that now.

Well, that's enough for now... My body is reminding me that I should get back to sleep now.
Take care! :)

Please leave me comment regarding the studio design project via my university email - 1015612@rgu.ac.uk Thank you for reading.


From your author,
Zhen Ron.

Greetings from the Author: Random

To my dear readers around the world. 

Just to update you if you not have already known, I am Zhen Ron a Masters in Architecture student currently studying at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, United Kingdom. Thi

Something about me here:

I am a keen explorer of the world and my inner self. I am eager to see how much further I can challenge myself in regards of career, study, friendship, relationship, anything... I am a positive thinking person, bright and always cheerful. Happy to befriend with any one, I do not agree with the notion of 'the higher education level you get, the civilized you are'... I do not judge people on first sight and do not like to be judged so as well. I respect people who respect their own selves. I believe in the law of attraction, the law of cause and effect. To me I think Buddhism is not so much a religion but it is indeed a way of life and the Soka Gakkai International always emphasizes as the living Buddhism. I am studying in the field of Architecture now and wish to bring great change to people / society at large in any way I can. Life is simply great with all the challenges ahead! One thing I always encourage myself so not to be defeated is to live the dream of those that are not capable of realizing theirs, there is a kind of mission that I carry and bound to be accomplished.

Well, as stated like the title this blog should be random and it's time for me to go to bed now.

Goodnight all.

From your handsome author,

Zhen Ron.

The billion dollar Chinese marriage market / industry.

This is an article from CNN I found interesting and it is certainly an eye-opener for the West who is not aware or do not know anything about the marriage market in China. This is quite common practice happening in China and some of the Asian countries.

Article By Katie Hunt, CNN on November 4, 2013 -- Updated 0157 GMT (0957 HKT)

- Beginning of article –

Shanghai (CNN) -- Liu Jianle smiles as he spots a potential suitor for his recently divorced niece among a sea of white personal ads pegged to a board.

Pencil in hand, he jots down the man's details -- 33 years old, 1.7 meters tall (5 feet 7 inches), 140 pounds, a property owner, divorced but no kids.

The only wrinkle is that his salary is $800 a month, not high by Shanghai standards. No matter, says Liu, his niece has a good job.

Welcome to Shanghai's marriage market.

Mister or Miss Right for their children.

Some write posters by hand listing their offsprings' vital statistics -- height, age, income, education and their hukou or registered hometown -- and pin them to umbrellas or shopping bags. Others come with a notebook to see what is available.

Liu is a veteran. He found his son a wife here and they've been married for more than a year.

"She's 1.69 meters tall (5 feet 6 inches) and beautiful like a movie star," he says. "He was happy to get the introduction."

With young Chinese told to put education and work before finding love, many struggle to find boyfriends or girlfriends, a source of deep concern for their parents in a society which emphasizes the survival of the family line.

Worried family members are joined by professional matchmakers, who try to make a living from the unusual gathering.

The city even organizes an "annual love and marriage expo" to help young people find love that attracts 18,000.

"A lot of kids who were born after 1980, they don't have siblings. So they grow up in an environment where you don't have the experience to meet with people of the opposite sex," Song Li, the founder of an online dating service, told CNN at the event in May.

The market has been around since 2004, says Li, who runs a professional matchmaking service from the park. With almost three times as many women looking for partners than men, it can be difficult to make a successful match.

Men can register for free, while she charges a fee of $500 for her female clients.

She also has an age limit; men born after 1970 can sign up, but women must be under 33.

"There's a shortage of superior men," she says by way of explanation.

It's a similar story at Fan Dongfang's booth. He says he matches 20 to 30 people a year and brandishes a clutch of wedding invitations as if to prove it. He also has a glut of women on his books.

"There are too many leftover women in Shanghai," he says, using a popular term to describe an educated, single, urban woman over the age of 27.

"Their standards are too high."

While the numbers stack up in favor of Chinese women -- according to the China Statistics Bureau, there are now 34 million more men than women in China -- this doesn't mean they will pair up easily.

Chinese men tend to "marry down" both in terms of age and educational level, observers say. Plus, many of China's unmarried men live in the countryside.

Distance is no obstacle to the parents' matchmaking ambitions, nor is their children's consent.

One mother displays a handwritten A4-sized poster in a clear plastic wallet seeking a match for her 36-year-old daughter, who works as an accountant in Toronto. The market has an "overseas corner" for parents who have children living abroad.

"I can't give you my name because my daughter doesn't know I'm doing this and I don't want her to find out," she says.

"I just want her to find someone with a stable job, who is tolerant and open-minded."

- End of article -

DEMOCRACY in Malaysia - DIED or REBORN, 05 May 2013

This is the first time I felt such a disappointment  and utterly helpless for what I can do more to contribute to my beloved country especially on this special day the 5th May 2013 - Malaysian 13th General Election. It is rather very disappointing to note the attitude and all the 'accidents' created by the Election Committee in this very election. 

With the 'Magic Show' for blackout and in just 10 minutes, the EC found another bag of postal votes and this turned the already winning Bentong PR-candidate Wong Tack (with 1k majority votes) to 1000 votes behind BN like a roller coaster in the Disneyland. In this very 13th General Election as well, phantom voters were caught with evidence, yet being ushered by police force into the polling centres, all these drove madness to the Rakyat! One of the footage of a phantom voter not even know what he supposed to defend if he is eligible to vote, Evidence (in the footage the crowd was yelling for identity card 'IC', a must-have document to prove you have the citizenship to be eligible for voting).

If you are aware of this citizens of the world, you will notice especially your Malaysian friends have changed their profile photo to black - protesting silently that the DEMOCRACY in Malaysia is gone. We also received encouragement messages and support from some of our FB friends from Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Hong Kong, China, South Korea, Singapore, Brunei and Australia by switching their FB profile page black. We hope for that the international society could exert some pressure on the Government. Please share this message out if you too agree with this movement.

On the other hand, looking at this 13th General Election, the Election Committee announced that this time round is the highest turnout for voters in Malaysia, achieving 80% voters turnout in history since independence. This is the highest in Malaysian electoral history, beating the 78.9 percent recorded in 1964 - quoted Malaysiakini.com. I am Sabahan originates from East Malaysia, Borneo - Looking at the current result for Sabah, I would said we actually has won and this is rather a great leap forward. According to the 13th General Election result, we have won 12 states (only one single win in 12th GE) and 3 parliamentary seats. From my point of view, most of the cities where mass media with internet access available have successfully made the change to vote for the opposition where the remaining majority interiors with limited and internet access is not available still voted for the same BN who has been constantly 'raped' for this course of 50 years (since the federation of Malaysia 1963) still placed their mandate onto the same 'rapist'. It is tremendously shameful and bizarre to say this but I have to say it, it is like handing out different flavours of condoms to the same rapist despite being raped constantly and so frequently. Please forgive my rudeness. Anyhow, this is already a great way forward to a balanced distribution of power for the government in Malaysia.

As you probably have already known, the mainstream medias in Malaysia are wholly controlled by the BN-led government with their cronies, thus it is very unlikely that the interior villagers/residents are able to access internet access with free media. They are being fed only with whatever information given to them. This truly is a sad case especially in Malaysia, largely a nation to be known as the leading economy in Southeast Asia. In my opinion, it is not too unbelievable to say that the access to free media is somewhat comparable to the fully crackdown of mass media in China. 

What I can say about DEMOCRACY in Malaysia anymore now? We just hope that there will be international intervention and help free Malaysia from this false government. One good thing most of the Rakyat has learnt is the need to be united no matter what, the urge for a Clean and Transparent Election! Some of the Malaysians have called for Bersih 4.0 in these few coming weeks. I just hope that no bloodshed and accidents, we are all indeed Malaysians! 

I have decided to write this post as I really felt that something has to be done to end this Corrupted Government who is sucking up all the Rakyats' money, safety, etc! I do not respect the government who won this 13th GE by buying votes (so openly) and flew those 60,000 foreign voters into the country just to vote for the BN! So furious, yet, finger-crossed still hope for international aid / intervention please. Thank you.

Camp Bongkud, Ranau.

Arkitrekkers, Nick Nearchou and Zhen Ron with two other volunteers from the United Kingdom, Holly and Annabel spent a lovely time contributing to the Community of Kampung Bongkud (Village Bongkud). It is considered exciting for Zhen Ron as this is his very first trip working (and of course enjoying) with Arkitrek outside the office. Photograph above shows the main common area where meals are served and most activities being held.

Being with the Community

With the arrangement made by the camp manager - Eve, Nick, Zhen Ron, Holly and Annabel were lucky enough to be presented some village dances by the local kids. They were then being invited to join the dance. They danced so clumsily, well, despite of that it is considered a good "side-read".

 

 

 These are some photographs taken during the dance.

On early morning the next day, they managed to witness the prize giving ceremony for the local kids at the Fajar Ceria Play School. The chief village, Bindang was invited to deliver a speech to the audience presented that morning. In his speech, he expressed his appreciation to Camp Borneo and all the volunteers who willingly work and contribute to the local community. Kids on stage with a Sumazau Dance. How adorable they are.

On the Building Projects 

Arkitrek is building a Community Hall and a Gravity Feed Water Tank at the Camp Bongkud. To ease readers (especially with architectural background), it will be easier for you to understand the project as we described along with the attachment of a plan of the community hall. 

The layout plan on the right depicts the simple arrangement of space organization in the community hall. Eve said that there is a need for a guest house so that people from the government department of any government official can stay overnight there if necessary.

The photograph above depicts the kitchen area where concrete is to be poured. It will be levelled at the height of the ground beam... Much work to go~

Currently, we are now at the concreting stage for the ground floor slab at the kitchen and pantry areas. Concreting seems easy, yet, until you tuck on your boots and start mixing with shovel you will realise how labourous the work is. 

Also, there is a lot of  precaution steps to be aware of and to get the right chemistry mixture reminds us of the boring (or maybe interesting) Chemistry classes back in school. The lower photograph shows a number of steel plates are embedded partially into the ground beam on a central axis.

 

 

 

  

These are some other photographs taken at the building site.

This photograph was taken after a labourous day under the Malaysian hot Sun! 

They are enjoying, aren't they? (From Left: Nick, Holly and Annabel)

Others

In an occasion, Zhen Ron and Eve went to nearby hawker stalls to get some fresh fish and vegetables to cook. The hawker stalls are about 10 minutes drive from Camp Bongkud site. There are a lot of BBQ chicken skewers for sale, they looked so tempting and irresistible. Zhen Ron had bought some snacks and also managed to get some photographs of what are sold there. Nick and Holly loved the Chicken Skewers and BBQ Chicken Wings so much. They craved for more~ This is the food bit.

 

 

 

From top: Fresh fishes, BBQ Chicken bottom, and BBQ Chicken wings.

During the stays in Camp Bongkud, it rained quite often as work at site was not able to begin on 1 particular whole day. Yet, they managed to get themselves busy up with some interesting chatting sessions and some card games. Zhen Ron introduced some card games which are quite popular amongst the local Malaysians. The topics they were having concludes cultural differences, study and life experience in the UK and Malaysia. 

In an occasion, Holly was drying her clothes on the drying lines. All of  a sudden she was shouting out loud: " A giant spider!" It was at a quite corner and it seems invincible. It is a very colourful one. It would probably glow in the dark. Here is this pretty babe:

 

 

Look at that pretty babe! Holly was trying to get a detailed image of the spider.

Yeah, one more thing to mention - Shaznini! Oh, look at the name Shaznini, what can you think of? A lady? A place? ... ... No, it is a kitten. An evil one~ Shaznini was born at Camp Bongkud. She has been wondering around the camp all this while. Need not to mention, of course the source of food is the leftover one coming from the gappers or the students. She is evil because she will jump onto the table and grab your food! She is a bad kitten. Nick was pissed off with Shaznini once she tried to grab Nick's food from the plate. On the other hand, she will entertain the gappers whenever she can but ONLY after she has eaten. Her entertainment during the stays for the gappers made her eligible to be included into several posters created by different groups of gappers who volunteered at Camp Bongkud. Here is Shaznini: Look at her evil face... She is Hunting for food without mercy~

LOvely Girl on the Train

 Just a quick buzz, I met a lovely lady on this train down to London.
Happy. :)

A Current Update of Me. Now and then?

Dear fellow readers,

It has been quite awhile since the last blog. I am still constantly combating my fundamental darkness - Procrastination. I wanted to blog for quite a long time already since the starting of Semester 2 in January but tick-tocks it went and I ended up preparing food, drugged myself with Facebook, sending CVs, travelling around for both leisure and Gakkai activities, thinking impossible stuffs... imagining having a special someone beside me... talking nonsense...  I have a very 'weird' characteristics - I will blog in a certain period of time frame to update my current circumstances for both myself and also for those who wanted to understand how am I doing so far. Thank you for your concern.

Seeing photographs of my dear coursemates from UCSI University who graduated last June was really awesome. Loads of photographs, seeing those photographs, it means all of you are ready to embark for another crucial check point in your life. Congratulations to Linxin, Hui Hui, Wei Shen! :)   (Sorry if I have missed out someone)... But the same feeling goes to you! Here, I would like to wish you a great and an enjoyable working life ahead. For those who wanted to continue for their further studies please do so as study never ends as if Winter will always turns to Spring. You will always find something fresh, something new or perhaps somebody that will paint together with you for the rest of your life... Is it not amazing? Life is full of fun, surprises, energy, hope... ...!

It has been really quite happening these few months after Semester 2 at Scott Sutherland School of Architecture ended in June 2011. As you might probably have known that I am still currently waiting for further placement news. I would rather said this process of 'struggling' is somewhat very exciting but also discouraging in certain ways, it depends solely how I viewed this. Yet, there are alot of amazement and things to share with you.

There were quite a numbe of offers for me on the work placement. First, 'Sonspims & Bowrn' Architects in Edinburgh accepted me but no pay is given. Though they are quite a big firm in Scotland. Realising I could not afford the expenses to work for free so... That was happening at the end of June. Later on, I saw an email from RGU, it was the Conservation Summer Technical School organized by Historic Scotland at Stirling. I had decided to join this as it is about Building Conservation & Heritage which I am interested in. I had a session with Procrastination Devil and hence I missed the dateline for the application. It was closed! I felt a total guilt! I mean a total GUILT!

Despite two days late, I wrote the reason for my participation and why Historic Scotland should select me. I had written down everything and posted it later. To my surprise 2 days later, I received Historic Scotland reply and telling me that I was accepted to join the Summer School! Wow! Deep in my heart, I knew this was the protection of Shoten Zenjin. ;) I expressed my gratitude to Gohonzon. Needless to say, the Summer Course was really awesome. I shall post some photographs. We learned alot of the insights of Building Construction mainly on Construction, materials and little on design. But as an architectural students, this is really one defining point and I will always remember it. This Summer Course was a steering wheel for my direction for both career and study. Let me explain, during that week, we were introduced to meet professionals: Stonemason, Brick layer, Welder, someone who casts iron, etc...

During the demonstration work, they showed us their daily task and we were asked to join and do our part. I could recall seeing all of them, mostly already in their 50s still showed keen interest in their work and absolute attention on details too. There was a Stonemason, with glasses demonstreted his sensitivity in work and also attention to details. He was showing us the technique on chamfering the edge of the Granite block. At the first attempt, he did it but he said that was not perfect enough and he went for the second and the third attempt. We were so amazed with his seriousness and professionalism attitude. At that particular moment, I was so embarrased for myself that in the design studio the word 'Design' exists on everything but not the treatment on the materials itself. How careless I am. And now to my best ability, whenever I design or on the drawing board, materials treatment will be one of the priority concern. They are so prefessional that I feel a sense of guilt if my attitude towards design is still the same as before.





I met new friends across Edinburgh, Glasgow, Falkrik, Stirling. I am a person who really treasure friendship alot. I viewed this as a life-long benefit for all of us. It is not easy to have been given this chance to study in the UK, to have this opportunity to meet great friends across Scotland. This is not just a case of coincidence. It surely not.

Right, about the Job Placement hunting: As I could remember I have been sending out my Cover Letter + Examplar of Work to various architectural firms across the world I would say. In term of geography, the furthest one ever reached California, America. I have tried Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, Hong Kong, China and some of the Europe contries. Interestingly, I have several offers from London but all offers no salary at all. Quite reluctant actually. Can you imagine this feeling as hope has been given but all coming back is either rejected or without no pay? It somehow very discouraging, but thanks really to Nicherin Daishonin Buddhism as I am able to stay strong in faitth. For me faith is the fundamental support one has. Without faith he/she will be a walking dead without soul~

I managed to presevere and again I received an email from RGU, that Highland Council has a post for year out student. Without hesitation, I phoned up Mr. S to enquire the details for that post. We engaged in a good chat. I submitted my CV + Examplar of works. Just before the Conservation Summer Course started, I was granted an opportunity for an interview with the Highland Council. I was so excited, really. I was brimming with high spirit while participating the Summer Course. After the course I went up to Highland Council, Dingwall office for the interview, we had a great chat, I would say a heart-to-heart dialogue. We discussed about study, work, family, culture, life, and a little bit of Buddhism. The interview / dialogue went for 1 hour... haha...

Anyway, after 1 week wait, I was not successful for that interview. But Mr. S was kind enough to reimburse me the expenses going down for the interview, though not much was only 35 quids but he showed his appreciation in a post to me. Thank you Mr. S. I will take your advice and hope we will meet again in the near future.

My dad visited me at Aberdeen. He was with a friend, Mr. Chia. Though the trip was so short but we did really cherish the time we had. And on this trip down to London, I might join him for the remaining of this stays in London before flying back on the 4th October.

Right, that's all for now, I am on the East Coast Service train from Aberdeen to King Cross London. Yes, I am going down to London again to 'smell' the architecture there and also of course to support a grand event the 50th Anniversary of Sensei visit to Europe. There will be 500 youths across the whole Europe participating the event! :) I am very much looking forward on that.

Have a nice day Readers,

Zhen Ron.