Taiwanese aboriginal dance performance in Paris

Henri, Mimi's father, sent me two photos from his watching a Taiwanese aboriginal dance performance by the Amis Kakeng Musical Group at Centre Culturel de Taiwan a Paris.

Amis is the largest indigenous tribe in Taiwan (11 tribes in total). Wearing the traditional Amis clothing, the troupe performed rousing traditional Amis songs using the kakeng (a percussion instrument made of bamboo) and other traditional Amis instruments, including bamboo nose flutes.

photo

Photos reflect the moments of truth
Distance is beautiful but sometimes cruel
No one can not be replaceable
sad but true...

sweets vs poison

Fool asks advice for jealousy...

Wiser:
Love is like sweets with different fillings. When the nasty green-eyed monster jumps in, jealousy is then filled and the sweets becomes a poison...
It tastes sweet but turns out to be toxic in the end, blacking your heart, clouding your eyes, consuming your soul, and making you a real nasty monster...

Fool:
*sigh*...poison wrapped in the candy... it tastes so sweet and strong, when I try to quit it, it doses more and manifests itself as sadness, hurt, anxiety, fear, loneliness, paranoia, self-doubt and anger...

Wiser:
What are you afraid of?

Fool:
I am afraid of... I don'know... being left alone? losing the one I care?

Wiser:
you sure? you have known the answers, haven't you?
you need courage to face the truth...
and you need time to heal the wound...
understand its nature to avoid hurting yourself again in the future.

Fool:
How long will it take? I feel silly and helpless...

Wiser:
That's why you need courage.

Fool:
Ha, I am now like the lion in the Oz
lacking of courage...

Wiser:
Soon you will realize and do what you should have done...

global citizen

An international course provided by IBO for young people. Three programmes are offered: Primary Year Programme (for age 3-12), Middle Years Programme (for age 11-16), and Diploma Programme (for age 16-19). Their mission looks quite cross cultural:

These programmes encourage students across the world to become active, compassionate and lifelong learners who understand that other people, with their differences, can also be right.

Here is the curriculum module.

three cat cookies

soul is free...

both sides, now

Took this photo of Mom when she was going to the appointment for her knee problem checking. She was trying to get herself tidier for a better post (in fact she looked already good enough). All of a sudden, she sighed and said, "this photo is recording my worst moment in life..." When hearing so, my heart was like being squeezed and tears brimming in my eyes... a wrong investment decision of hers has created a critical issue in Family and also an argument between she and us. Now, this issue has been solved temperately but the argument still hangs...

Parents raise children enduring all the difficulties in no matter physical, emotional or financial aspects. Children at that time are, in fact, sort of their burdens, sweet or bitter whatever, blocking on the way of this man and woman's personal career/life. Gradually, things are changed... parents are aging and becoming dependent, whereas juniors grow up and start their own lives. Now, parents seem become... hmm... sort of the burdens, standing on the way of the youngers' career/life, especially if financial or physical problems encountered. How ironic! Parents sacrify their most precious period in lives bringing up the kids without complains, whereas we now complain their ruining our lives.... even though we are upset, can we really say so? how can we?!

Both Sides, Now - Joni Mitchell

Rows and flows of angel hair
And ice cream castles in the air
And feather canyons ev'rywhere
I've looked at clouds that way

But now they only block the sun
They rain and snow on ev'ryone
So many things I would have done
But clouds got in my way

I've looked at clouds from both sides now
From up and down, and still somehow
It's cloud illusions I recall
I really don't know clouds at all

...