New Project

I started writing for an academic site recently, with two papers submitted so far, one on a play and one on art history. Although I get to choose the topics to write on, completing a paper is harder than I thought. First is the short deadline, second is the amount of literature you have to read, research and digest before even writing the first line.

Despite this, I really enjoy the lightness and satisfaction pressing "send" after hours at the computer. Aside from knowing I have met the deadline, I get to savor the new knowledge I have gathered from my intensive research. I am pretty well versed on the play "Fences" by August Wilson and the art scene in New York in the early 50's.

It has really broadened my horizons. I think I have found my vocation, flex time, solitary work, reading and writing. Only thing I have to work at is time management and my tendency to procrastinate, creating undue pressure. It's going to be a challenge since my brain only kick start when a sense of urgency is detected. Bad habit.

I am looking forward to developing a regular schedule with this site and of course to the remuneration it brings!!
photo

Tis the Season

Annual report season has arrived, meaning I will be holed up for weeks translating page after page of essentially the same thing. After twenty odd pages it becomes tedious, tedious and more tedious. Can't complain since every little word counts.

What brightens the project is working with a really nice liaison lady. She is polite, understanding and professional and we have bonded well after three years of partnership. Even better, she has a great sense of humor. In our mad race towards the deadline over the years, we have perfected little jokes to lessen the stress. Last minute amendments are met with long sighs on both ends. How come first drafts are perennially late in coming?

Since my little mishap with the azaleas, forgetting to water them, I am searching for another flowering plant to place amongst the paraphernalia I love having on my writing desk. Scented candle being one of the must haves. Hopefully, the blissful ambiance can buffer the craziness surrounding the deadline. I am ready!

Change of Scenery

Poems by Walt Whitman with a bouquet of pale pink roses

I have experienced countless writer's blocks since I begin to write in earnest. Some days my mind would be a total blank. Some days, I would be muted by a lack of words to express my intended meaning. Most days, I would be editing myself to death by rewriting a paragraph over and over again. It is not pleasant to say the least.

I have recently subscribed to a mobile network which gives me the freedom to take my laptop everywhere but the downside is the battery lasts two hours at most. Under this very real time constraint, coupled with a heightened self awareness that I have just ordered a coffee occupying someone's table for a lengthy time, work has become more productive. The mind works in mysterious ways. For some reason, this two hour deadline has given me a purpose to finish or polish whatever piece I am working on. Words simply flow.

Not that writing at the usual desk is a bore and a chore, but a change of scenery has really worked wonders. The people watching is a great distraction but the best thing is taking off the pressure of writing in a relaxed environment. I would definitely do it more often from now on.

Words

Whenever I sit down to do any serious reading, I always have pen and scrap paper with me. The purpose is to mark down words I don't know or just vaguely. I hate reading something without knowing its intended meaning. The reading is done, but no meaning is deciphered from it. A half way comprehension is hence a complete waste of time.

This modus operandi has been going on for several years. I even have a notebook especially for my new found vocabulary. It's truly humbling to acknowledge one's ignorance in face of all the circled words. I still can't suppress a jolt looking at their numerous counts every time. I consider myself as pretty literate but when an elusive word keeps escaping or a phrase is used over and over again for want of a better one, I know I am still a long way off from mastering the language.

The saying "you are what you eat" can be translated to "you are what you read". I try to stay away from summary, synopsis or any truncated work. In this day and age where information is brimming, one wants to be briefed on everything, making highlighted versions extremely addictive. Tempting it may be, there is a reason why an original work is written a certain way, it is meant to be savored.

Emerson puts it, "So in writing, there is always a right word, & every other than that is wrong. There is no beauty in words except in their collocation. The effect of a fanciful word misplaced, is like that of a horn of exquisite polish growing on a human head."

Well said.
(photo: www. wordpress.com)

Writing

Each man must look to himself to teach him the meaning of life. It is not something discover; it is something moulded. ~ Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I experimented with a mixed bag of projects last year. There had been no shortage of ideas and parties who initially shared the enthusiasm, but soon diverged as our values clashed. After dismal attempts at partnership, I realize this is not my optimum work mode. In this muddled phase of everything is working but not working either, I have a major identity crisis. What am I doing?

I still believe in my pet projects but the one that manages to win out is writing. I have been writing weekly articles for a travel website. Since the deadlines are really tight I have to prioritize and adjust some facets of my daily schedule to meet them. However, the many abrupt changes recently have upended everything and I decide it's high time to take a sabbatical to reorganize and recharge. While reworking the schedule for the articles, the editor tells me he is leaving for Burma in mid-January and since there is little Internet access, he tells me to write on areas I haven't covered. The usual practice is getting a nod from him before proceeding with a new topic. With five articles and a month's work in my repertoire, he says he is confident and assured with whatever I come up with. Wow.

I think this is the biggest acknowledgement I have received in my life. I am finally doing what I love and getting recognized by a professional writer. It seems like a cloud has lifted and I can see my way. I don't have a muddled identity anymore. I write.

p.s. My professor has been right all along. It will be a long road with many twists and turns and there will be bouts of losing myself and doubting my sanity, but have faith.

(photo www.artsjournal.com)

Gratefulness

White Azaleas

I had a wonderful professor in college who was also the Dean of English and she played a pivotal role in my decision to major in English literature. On the first day of our Medieval English class she read us a poem in old English. The spelling and pronunciation of the words were totally foreign to me but I was mesmerized by her melodic voice. Her wealth of knowledge was like a magnet drawing me to take as many of her classes as possible.

One day, she told me to see her after class. I didn't give it much thought as she liked to see students individually about their essays. I was so surprised when she said she wanted to recommend me for a summer exchange program to study Shakespeare at Cambridge University. I was dumb struck and very flattered. The decision to go was made then and there.

We actually lived on the campus, in Trinity college and our meals were served by students volunteering for the summer. The mess hall was exactly like Hogwart's. We had classes in the morning and after lunch. By four o' clock, tea would be served in the courtyard. After that we were free to roam about. I was drawn to the cluster of book shops selling old books and maps. I loved the musty air and the dust that trailed the book from the moment you took it off the shelf to the final puff swirling in the afternoon light when you opened the creaking pages.

The program included excursions to Stratford to see the place where the bard had lived and to London to watch a play by the Royal Shakespeare Company. We saw the comedy "Much Ado about Nothing". The highlight though was attending class every day where quite a few of us had a crush on our professor. Mind you, our class was supposed to be an intensive study of Romeo and Juliet. Our professor was a born story teller and would venture off with stories in the middle of discussing a thematic scheme of the play. We implored him to read us something in old English every day and he accepted with a broad grin.

This was many years ago, but to this day, I continue to feel blessed and grateful for having the Dean as my mentor. She was one harsh grader and she would always say to us, "critique your work as if I was grading it". Her training was military but appreciated in afterthought. I have been contributing articles to a tourism website recently. One prerequisite is an excellent command of the English language. As I write, a familiar voice from the distant past materialize to guide me through, "Is this a run on sentence, is this redundant, is this metaphor balanced or is this pun intended?"

Her parting words when I left school was a quote from Emerson. I finally knew what it meant.
~Most of the shadows of this life are caused by standing in our own sunshine.

Celebratory copy

I received this year's annual report copy in the mail two days ago. The deadline was real tight this year, but I didn't expect to see it in print so soon. Compared to the subdued red cover last year, this year's design had a celebratory feel to it. It reminded me of Christmas lights.

It is my second consecutive year doing translations for this association. I am going to keep this copy alongside 2008's copy on my bookshelf reserved for writing work. It still feels surreal to see your own words in print. I wonder what it's like if it's not a translated work but my own writing. I bet it would feel real gratifying.

Delivered

Photo by Terry Bear


Photo by Terry Bear

I am so relieved the translation project was completed in a little more than two weeks. It's much faster and streamlined compared to last year. There was a little mishap towards the end though, when I received a call saying the authors of the two remaining scripts could not be located.

The deadline came and went and three days later, I received the final scripts. By this time, I have completed eighteen drafts and these two were submitted in a matter of hours. I wasn't worried about the deadline because by now there wasn't one. I just hated having things unfinished.

I have been criticized that when I commit to do something, I have to get right on it like a full steam engine. This personal attack is really stupefying to me. How else can you complete anything otherwise, if not for full commitment? I don't feel a comeback is necessary for the criticism, just that people have different values.

My belief is under-promise but over-deliver. After all, my company's reputation rests on it.

I am happily looking forward to my next project. I have finally found a budding photographer to take photos for my posy portfolio!!
(photos by Terry Bear)

Adason

Adason Lo

I was real happy to receive a call from the LUA three weeks ago to do their annual report second year in a row. My work revolves translating Chinese scripts into English drafts. Over the past two weeks, I have received an onslaught of scripts and slaving away with them, not daring to slack because the deadline is real tight this year.

Translation is a very solitary work, which suits my personality and work style perfectly. I could just email the finished drafts without the need to meet with any clients. Since there is only me in the company of the Chinese characters and English alphabets, the downside is after several hours with them, my brain is stuck.

It doesn't help that I am my own worst critic. I would edit the draft a zillion times before submitting them. A word or a phrase would jump out at me and I would go "whoa, where did this come from?" and I would edit the whole piece from the beginning. There are times when I simply could not fathom a phrase that would retain the gist of its intended meaning from one language to another, then I know it's really time to STOP and unwind.

Surfing the tv channels, I chanced upon a singing competition on television. My thumb was hovering over the remote's button but the singing I heard made me froze. It was one of my favorite songs and it's sung so beautifully. I ended up watching the whole episode.

It turned out this brilliant singer is Adason Lo. He is 23 and really talented. He has over 10,000 fans on his facebook page already. He sings, composes music and even plays the piano and violin. His songs are all by my favorite artists, and a lot of us fans, even judges, think he interprets them better than the original artists. That first time I heard him sing on TV, I went "Wow". I have followed 9 episodes now, the show is the highlight of my Sunday evenings.

He wrote a note on Oct. 1st on his page, thanking his fans for the support. At last count, there were close to 400 encouraging comments. Like a lot of fans, I felt touched by his note. I left a comment telling him that his singing and especially his talent had touched a lot of people and to do his best this Sunday.

Being able to immerse myself in this beautiful voice of his helps me unwind completely. With a freshened mind, the phrase I have been struggling before would pop out out of the blue. Can't wait till tomorrow night to hear Adason sing again. Ganbatei!!

Thanksgiving

I am really thankful that I made a career change last year. As I read the daily news of people being laid off, especially in the financial sector, I am so grateful that I left my old job.

I have ongoing writing projects which I am really grateful for. I am also blessed in more ways than one because I am working in my "ideal" enivronment, in the comfort of my home, a nice working pace, no commuting, no customer service, no office politics and in the company of my kids.

Yes, I have a lot of thanksgiving to do.

Translation Project

This is a copy of the translation project I did in September. It was surreal to see my own words in print. I went back to check my drafts and realized that over 98% of the contents were from them.

I was whining a lot about the deadline and the amount of material while I was doing it. Well, now that it's in front of me, I am so happy I persisted with it. It's immensely rewarding.

Taking a break

I submitted 6 translations yesterday. I started on them the next day ( the day of Studio White's opening) after the client confirmed the project on Sept. 25th.

I slaved away and out of stress, opened my bottle of limited edition Black Label!! Anyway, 6 down and 14 more to go, but today I am taking a well deserved break.

I got a 7 feet tall display cabinet for the expanded collection of Pastel b. and Petit enjel. The cabinet will be delivered this afternoon (2-6). Before that, I will head out to get some more ribbons and threads, something I enjoy.

I found a seamstress in the same building of Studio White. She is a super nice lady, and we will be working with her on the new collection of Petit enjel and Pastel b., something I enjoy, too.

I guess the reason why I was so cranky is that I have been postponing the things I wanted to do and instead, stuck with slaving away with this project on topics I totally despise. The project is related to the job I left almost a year ago. As I translated the 'lofty goals and accomplishments' of these committee members, I could just feel bile in my mouth. Ok, I exaggerated, but you get the picture.

Anyway, I am dumping this project today, yes pity just for today, and heading out to do something I really enjoy, working on the happy items of Petit enjel and Pastel b.!! Yay!!

Deadlines

I have retired from "active work" for almost a year now. During this sabbatical, I have lots of time to unwind from the accumulated stress from my previous job, and do what I love best. I spent a lot of time reading, browsing in the libarary, bonding with my kids and pottering around the house. The best thing is - there is no deadline!!

All of a sudden, I am bombarded with freelance projects from all sides, and the dreaded deadlines are looming before me with the capital 'D'. Along with it is stress, stress and more stress. People don't understand why I am so stressed and ask me to take it easy, dada, dada....

What they don't understand is that I have to put my name and my company's name on each page of the project. This calls for perfection, at least a standard I could accept with conscience. I have accepted that I have a type A personality. I set very high standards with my work and this is the only reason that people entrust their projects to me.

Geez, I only hope people with mediocre standards would shut up, go on with their mediocre lives and quit criticizing. I, on the other hand, hope to expand my horizons and lead a better life. :)