May in Shanghai

This is probably the best time in Shanghai. The weather over the weekend was glorious, and it looks like it is going to stay for a few more days.
After last 2 weeks of crazy travel, I can take a breather this week. My parents are visiting this weekend. The planning is adding a bit of stress. Oh well, what can I do but embrace it with patience.
The other day I had a revelation of some sort. I realized I actually "love" my job. Despise all the traveling and paperwork struggle, I actually love the job. I had never loved my job. I loved some part or some project phases, but never once I said to myself that I love the job itself.
That's bad... Does it mean there is no returning to architecture?

Exhausted

Really exhausted from a week of traveling, and I am only half way through this 2-week craziness. I was in Xiamen Monday, Putian on Wednesday, back home for an evening and off to Haikou on Thursday, back home later Friday evening.
I am leaving again on Sunday to Shijiazhuang and return in Monday night. Tuesday, I am going to Macau for 2 days then Guangzhou on Thursday.
I feel like a traveling salesman.
The tiring part is talking. It is almost on par with rushing through the airports.

Best View I Have Woken Up to...

in all my business trip traveling in China. This is from the new Indigo Hotel in Xiamen. I have been to Xiamen several times. But never get to experience what the city actually is like. Across the water is a little island of tourist attraction. Nice, eh?

Life

I think moving from country to country is a great experience. It uproots your life, tosses it into the air, and really tests you on every aspect of your life. This test has no pass or fail, because it is just not right to judge.

Ask me 5 years ago, I would never predict that I would spending my Saturday night in Shanghai staying at home watching double feature interviews of Architect Wang Shu on CNN, and Damien Hurst on BBC.

The day to day problems also surface from the move. It magnifies them. At the same time, one's perspective on the problems also changed. It doesn't give solution, NO! It just gives you more boundaries.

And there is no google map to help navigate through this forest of life issues. I admire one of my new colleagues here in Shanghai. He has this absolute clarity on how to go about life. Most people will think that he is a slack ass. But I see him as inspiration. Why worry yourself when things are not in your control.

Yet, there is always easier said than done.

Right this moment, I just want to go see the Hangzhou History Museum and Damien Hurst Retrospective at the Tate Modern in London. That's all. Arts help!