The hardest decision I have ever made. (Revision)

revision 修改版

The hardest decision I've ever made was about whether I should move back to Taiwan in 2001. Back then I was working for a marketing company in Fremont, California. Just as with other companies in Silicon Valley which were suffering the big business downturn mostly due to the bubble economy in the US, my company started to lay off its employees in order to stay in business.

hardest 最困難的
whether 是否
back then 回到那時
marketing company 市場行銷公司
just as with... 就如同...
Silicon Valley 矽谷
suffer 受苦
business downturn 生意下滑
mostly 主要
due to 由於
bubble economy 泡沫經濟
lay off employees 裁員
stay in business 繼續營運


Just before I was locked in for unemployment by the management, I had no idea if I would be shown the door somewhere down the line or remain employed. I had no clue about it, and there was nothing I could do at that moment. Situations had turned so uncertain that each and every day staying at work was a torture for me. I was getting so tired of waiting for the outcome, and it had made me go schizophrenic. Therefore, I decided to submit my resignation to my boss one day. He "acted" shocked, yet soon he approved my request without saying anything. That was a relief to me. I got everything wrapped up and left the company which I had worked at for a couple of years in one month. That's the hardest decision I've made.

locked in 被鎖定
unemployment 解雇
management 資方
be shown the door 走路
somewhere down the line 某個時間點
remain employed 維持被雇用
no clue 不知道
situation 情況
uncertain 不確定
each and every day 每一天
torture 虐待
outcome 結果
go schizophrenic 變精神分裂
submit my resignation 提出辭呈
acted shocked 假裝震驚
approve 核准
request 請求
relief 解脫
wrap up 打包

2009 Review

A few months have passed since I last put some words on my blog. I feel like saying something now before the end of the year, just as with other bloggers who would do the same thing on their own sites.

blogger 部落客
site 網站(Website)

First off, 2009 feels like a plain but somehow exciting year to me and my family. This has been our second year since we relocated to the beach side. So now we can get to see lovely scenery at the beach, and from time to time we go for bike rides along the trails. To decently describe what my life is like now, "a pastoral life with peace and quietness" may hold true for this.

first off 首先
feel like 感覺像是
somehow 有一點
exciting 精彩的
relocate 搬家
beach side 海邊
get to see 有能力去
lovely 美麗的
scenery 景色
from time to time 偶爾
go for 追尋
bike ride 腳踏車騎乘
along the trails 沿著步道
decently 像樣地
describe 描寫
pastoral 田園的
hold true 適用; 適合

Secondly, I think I will plan to take a two to three-day vacation somewhere next year. Frankly, I haven't done so in ages, so I am pushing myself to work on it. I feel that I have hit a wall at my work, so getting myself unwound seems really essential for me now.

secondly 其次
frankly 坦白說
in ages 很多年
hit a wall 碰到瓶頸
unwound 放鬆(過去分詞)
essential 必要的

Last but not least, all I want to say to all my friends is, "Wherever you are, may 2010 be a year filled with love, hope, peace and prosperity for you." Catch you later.

last but not least 最後一項要點是
be filled with 填滿
prosperity 成功

Happy Farm

People in Taiwan are highly addicted to Happy Farm now. Media hype should take the blame for it. As for me, I think it is such a good idea using Facebook to find friends that you haven't been in touch with. However, I don't think I will draw attention to that "Happy Farm" thing. Maybe I am just too old for it.

be addicted to 沉溺於

media hype 媒體的渲染

take the blame for... 為...負責

in touch with... 與...連絡

draw attention to... 對……表示注意

The hardest decison I have ever made.

The hardest decision I've ever made is about whether I should come back to Taiwan in 2001. Back then I was working for a marketing company in Fremont, California. Just as other companies in Silicon Valley were suffering a big downturn mostly due to the bubble economy in the US, my company started to lay people off in order to stay in business.

Back then 那時候

suffering 受苦於

downturn 低迷

due to 由於

bubble economy 泡沫經濟

lay people off 裁員

stay in business 保持營運

Just before I was locked in, I knew I might be shown the door somewhere down the line. On second thought, I would be lucky to stay employed. I didn't know about it, and there was nothing I could do.

locked in 被鎖定

be shown the door 被請走路

somewhere down the line 某個時間點

on second fought 另一種想法

stay employed 被保持雇用

Things had turned so uncertain that each and every day of my staying on my job was a torture for me. I was getting so tired of waiting for the outcome and it had made me go schizophrenic. Therefore, I decided to submit my resignation to my boss one day. He was shocked. But soon after that, he didn't say too much and approved my request. I got everything wrapped up and left the US in one month.That's the hardest decision I've made.

uncertain 不確定

torture 虐待

outcome 結果

schizophrenic 精神分裂

submit 提出

resignation 辭職

approve 批准

request 請求

wrapped up 打包;完成

Buy or rent?

Since years ago it has been a craze in Taiwan that many people are riding bikes. They are doing this for various reasons. However, for the most part, they ride bikes either for keeping themselves in shape, for saving gasoline expenses on their vehicles, or the like.

craze 一時流行
various 各種不同的
for the most part 主要地
keep in shape 保持健康身材
gasoline expenses 汽油花費
vehicle 車輛
the like 等等

Speaking of myself, with the hope of following such a trend, I bought an inexpensive bike on the Internet about three years ago. I soon regretted buying such a cheap one. First, its parts get easily worn out so that I have to spend lots of money fixing it. Tires, brakes, for example, or some nuts and bolts, you name it, need to be replaced. Therefore, I told myself that if one day I was going to get another one, I would probably buy a very nice one, much nicer than the one I have now.

speaking of 提到
with the hope of 為了
trend 潮流
inexpensive 不貴的
regret 反悔
worn out 磨損
tire 輪胎
brake 剎車
nuts and bolts 零件
replace 替換

But soon I became schizophrenic and I had a different thought again. The thing is, I have seen some friends of mine who bought a nice set of wheels but have never committed their time to keeping them in good condition. Years after being ridden, those name-brand bikes turned into pieces of junk as well.

schizophrenic 不同想法; 精神分裂
had a different thought again 另外的想法
the thing is 事情是
set of wheels 腳踏車
commit time to 花時間去
ridden ride的過去式
name-brand 名牌的
turn into 變成
piece of junk 一片廢鐵

So, I think the better way to enjoy riding is why not go to the bike rental shop that is just right next to my apartment. Rent it for a few hours. Go for a spin, then return it. I will never get hung up about maintaining a bike.

rental shop 出租店
get hung up about 擔心
maintain 維護