As scores for TEM-4 just came out today at my university, there is an air of tension lurking. Nervous to know the results, I scrolled down the list to find out where I was. And when I finally saw my score, I became silent. I flunked my examination, not literally flunked but way lower than my expectation. I entertained the notion that I must be on the top but turned out to be just average, well, maybe over the average just a little. This makes me think. Does scores really matter? And the question is not brand new to be asked. However, the answer is not well given by anyone or myself. The answer could be: of course, it is. The paper contains what most english learners need to know about english language. It evaluates your listening skills, comprehension ability, and writing skills as well. And the examination is somewhat authoritative. People think highly of it. Examinees prepare fully and concentrate on it. But the answer could also be: come on, you know what you are capable of. The paper is knowledge-limited. Your ability can not be shown on just a piece of plain paper.There are much more of you to be discovered, which can not be assessed by the examination. Anyway, what has come out is out. I just have to take what I have got. One thing is for sure, I still need to work on achieving the best of me.

Lately I've been reading a book titled River Town, written by Peter Hessler. It is about his life on the Yangtze River in China for two years. For those foreigners who have read it or are about to read it, I bet the stories in the book will absolutely resonate with you. I have heard of many anecdotes happened between foreigners and Chinese people. It is coming across the words "hot water" while looking through the book that makes me feel like sharing them all in CD community. The part I read is when Mr. Hessler was drinking Jasmine flower tea with Teacher Kong. He described it like this. The dried petals unfolding like blooming lilies on the surface of the hot water. And here it is, hot water. It is what catches my attention rather than how vividly or beautifully Mr. Hessler depicts the tea. Jasmine flower tea is one of the commonest tea in China and fortunately affordable for most people. Chinese people like to drink hot water in the freezing winter, unlike foreigners drinking cold water. I know this from a teacher. He once said that his mother presented a bottle of hot water when his foreign friend paid his visit to his home. He grabbed the water and was desperate to drink it out of thirst but tured out to be a tragedy. Ever since that, I bet he will never dirnk like that in China. Also, I was reminded of this story when I was helping in the office back in my university. A overseas student asked whether I could get a cup of water for her. As I was about to pour water into the cup, she reminded me whisperly," Please, cold water." At that moment, I could not help thinking if she was hurt like the man drinking hot water without a pause.

This friday I was in Pinghu for a one-night stay. My friend took me to his friend's new opened bakery. We, practically speaking, spent most of our time there chit-chatting. His friend was busy making fondant cake for one customer's wedding. Though it seems like not the right time to pay our visit, we still had a great time. She tried to spare as much time as she could to have dinner with us but was not able to hang out with us. There was a local festival then. So my friend and I take the opportunity to walk around for a while, beholding the beauty of the sight. After that, we walk back to her store. It was not very late but most of the lights in the stores on that street are out. People there really know how to enjoy their life, not like the ones in other places working their asses off until late at night. Seeing that, it just occurs to me that in the US hardly out are the lights in the stores. Storeowners leave the lights on even when the stores are closed, not as what we do here. I told my friend what I was thinking and he said it was creepy if we leave the lights on. Well, what makes me wonder is why American people keep the lights on. Is it for someone who will pass through during the midnight? Or just want to make sure surveillance the can still work given the dim light? Anyway, these are just some of my random thoughts.

How many times have you been through awkward moment? A few times? Thousands of hundreds of them? Uh...I lost count! And today, there was another one. But unfortunately, the one who had it is not me. Actually I was giggling hysterically. My friend and I hit the mall this afternoon to shop what is needed for the trip to Yunnan in a few days. When we crossed one clothing store, we stopped to take a close look at the details on the clothes, yes, from the outside not inside. So, the display was well set to catch the eyeballs of passers-by. To more specific, it is us. There was a folding door behind the display window for decoration, which confused those careless people, like my friend, to think that the folding door is the actual display window. So as he approached closer and closer, there would be a great noise generating due to the clash between his forehead and the window. What made me laugh is not the fact that he hit the window but how he reacted after hitting the window. He was like losing the ability to tell which direction is right to walk toward me. My first surprise turned into hard laugh. Clothes, you got him.

Today I watched a really really great movie called Orphan. I am supposed to watch it several days ago but I didn't find the source. With the help of my friend, I made it. The movie is great because of the following reasons. First of all, the plot is amazing. I guess it is adopted from a mysterious novel. It gets me going. I was almost expecting what was gonna happen all the time. Second, the actors and actresses are talented. As you can tell from the title, there must be a child in the movie. I admit that I underestimate children's acting. If you do, too, this will change your point of view. Moreover,the shooting is impeccable. The director knew how to make it work. One thing that I feel it different from others is that when you feel like something is going wrong but eventually it didn't. And it goes on and on, like no end. It was crazy. Last but not least, It's the common knowledge that help the movie succeed. Only when we are mature enough that we know what is right and what is morally wrong, the theme of the movie would resonate with us. However, that's the technique movie makes often use, doesn't it? I hope you will check this movie out. You can't miss it!

One culture, you have to admit, is changing another especially in terms of language. As often as Chinglish is heard, I find it interesting to share some of the most used Chinglish by Chinese people. 1.No zuo no die This one is catching up lately,which in Chinese is 不作死就不会死. It describes people who find trouble before trouble itself find themselves. So, it's kind of the opposite meaning of an English saying——Don't trouble trouble until trouble troubles you. And I've heard you can look this one up in Oxford dictionary now. 2.Give you some color to see see. This one is pretty old and may not be authorized by English-speaking people. It works as an warning that the person who says it is furious (or being playful between good friends) and wants to kick somebody's ass. 3.You jump, I jump. I will say this is the most confusing one. Because literally you have no idea what it means. It is used when two people are confronted with a dilemma(mostly is a dangerous one). Under that circumstance, one of them who says this is encouraging the other to do it first and he will follow him unconditionally. These are what I can think of right now. PLEASE leave your comments if you have any adds.

I was asked by my colleague yesterday whether I need to take one day off and I said I was fine. But she kept asking me the same question for several more times until she got it that I really didn't need it. Birthday is not much a thing according to my family values. It doesn't mean my family is weird or something. It is just some annoying stuff going on between my family members and I don't bother to mention it. When I was chatting with my friend, she brought it up my last birthday on which I was abroad and had nobody to celebrate with. I just came to know that I almost forgot what I was doing last birthday. And I just told them that I don't care much about this anymore like over and over again when asked by different people, as people who just meet you won't feel tired of trying to know where you are from. But today, it is different. I received a unprecedented treat. Just before going back home after work, my roommate texted me, making me go to the bakery store to get the cake he ordered because he could not make it there. And I was like fine, I will do it. On the way to the store, he called me up and said :"The sink is leaking and the floor is covered by water.""I was riding right now. Talk to you later." I knocked the door and he opened it. I saw he was hot, running around. The water runs out continually. I had to clean it up while he was cooking. Seriously, it was a mess! After almost everything was done, I decided to go to my room and he nearly shouted:" WAIT!!! You can enter only when I say it's okay!" I was thinking to myself:" Fine, I won't screw this up, even though I have seen it accidentally!" And he took sometime in there and happily sang:" Come in!" And I had to pretend I just saw it for the first time and surprised. It is surprising, though.

Clouds gathered above just like yesterday at proximately the same time. Winds began to blow from outside. The sky got darker till the point that I love the most. The color that makes you feel nostalgic was warning that a stormy rain was preparing to attack. I was set to go earlier than usual since my boss was concerned that it might not convenient for me to go home given that the pouring rain was yet to come. I rushed out of the door of the building in a delighted mood. The raindrop fell on my toe before I realized how severe the rain might be. I opened the umbrella and didn't let the weather ruin my good feelings. But not longer than five minutes after I set out, I was, technically speaking, blocked and had to take the hallway as a shelter to stay away from the rain. Seeing that it wouldn't become less severe, I decided to take the subway to go home. However, I still needed to be exposed to the rain when dashing to the entrance to the underground. After counting three, I was in the middle of the street, screaming without a care. The umbrella was distorted by the gusty wind and I was totally wet on the backside. My T-shirt was attached to my skin and I couldn't spare a chance to make fun of myself. I was getting smaller in the eyes of the beholders since I was leaving far, far away...

Accompanying the increasing consumption of the women clothing, the development of children clothing is ready to take off. CKF exhibition was scheduled to open on July 22, in which CKF design contest attracted the most attention. Since my friends were in the competition, I was lucky to get fully involved in it. And I kind of almost devote all my spare time to help him finish his collection. Those days after I got back from work I started to hand-sewing to make the pattern of the clothes. And it was several hours nonstop working, so my legs and back got strained. I just cut the crap to let you take a look at some of their works.

When I was in the first phase of a relationship, I cared too much about the significant other. I must have been crazy to ask about everything even if it is too minor to bring it up. I was such a man that hold on too tight. And only only after I was told that I went way too far did I know that I was wrong all the time. I was on the intersection of letting go of and keeping it. And it proved I was a stubborn person because it was after several relationships that I learned how to loosen up and let go. No one belongs to anyone. We are all alone. Knowing that, I felt it easier to have another relationship. It comes too late, for those who do not realize and already hurt somebody. It is the one thing that I take too long to know and many others on the way to come.