New Year 2013's Eve

Hanoi is moving to the new year 2013 in very cold weather - about 12 degrees now outside. I am too lazy to go outside to enjoy the atmosphere of a new Solar year. So really a good time to write a new entry for the blog and a right time to look back the year of 2012 :-).

The most expensive thing I did was to buy a small flat (will be a cozy home) with so much support and encourage from some family and friends. Another good thing happened to me was to spend my summer holiday in Nha Trang and in the biggest "cruise" in Halong Bay - terrific. And my success in applying for the UK Visa was unforgettable. In addition, after so much effort, I could finish some difficult things. 

My work at university was not too bad and teaching went smoothly.

What I considered to be my little unhappiness was my son's rebellious behaviors. He is growing up and obviously his attention now is paid to so many different things, not as I expected. Sometimes, what he did really shocked me. Pity that now and then I lost my temper and got furious with him. I am learning to accept the fact that he is going to slip out of my hands and comfort myself that I have still time to guide him to the right track.

And I am still struggling to overcome bad things in my spiritual life in 2012 ... Some things turn out to be not what I think.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

Attending an important meeting

One aspect of my job is to attend meetings. Almost every week I have one. But today 's meeting was different. We joined the meetings with top leaders of the university. Compared to our university's leaders, we are nothing, just like their little children or grandchildren. We are too young. We spent most of the time in the meeting room listening to the principal presenting our 'development strategy' in the next few years. He is 85 years old and really an eloquent presenter. We like listening to him. Some deans and some key advisors gave some ideas about the proposal and some more  wanted to do the same. But time was limited and we have to continue next week.

Life is full of surprises

When I am in London, I am going to see "The Phantom of the Opera". The selection of the musical turns out to be a nice surprise to me. First, I was promised to be taken to the theater, a must-do thing when we visit London. Then I was given a list of so many interesting musicals. Wow, what to choose when I have no experience. Some of the musicals have film versions already and I watched them. So I chose "The Phantom of the Opera". At the moment I chose it, I just based on my own teaching experience. Somewhere in my English book, they mentioned the name. So let;s give it a try. But I did not know anything about the content. I guessed it had something relating to ghosts, scaring things. After we made the final decision and the tickets were booked.I thought I should read about the musical. What I needed to do was just to open my Tab. To my surprise, nothing scary in the musical. It turns out to be a love and mystery story. And immediately I fall in love with the theme song "The Phantom of the Opera". I watched it on youtube again and again. I must be really more interesting when I watch it live... Looking forward to that.