日出而作

Temperature: 24 c
Weather: Clear

Not too long ago when I was still working in Klang, I received an email from a good friend of mine, Kevin, who is a corporate lawyer current residing in Hong Kong (Kevin, if you are reading this, yes, I am talking about you).

He told me his vacation to Beijing had just been effectively ruined by the partners when he was out of the blue told to stay back during the weekend to finish an IPO project. He reckoned that I should feel blessed and lucky working in Klang because while he was literally camping in front of his computer 24/7, I was enthusiastically discussing with my fellow Rotaractors about the coming trip to Port Dickson. What a stark contrast!

I was unable to fully comprehend his predicament. What sort of work would require you to glue your backside to the chair and your eyes to the monitor 7 days a week? There’s always tomorrow right? Further, there is always unfinished business so why the hurry? My biology teacher told me that we need at least 8 hours of “good quality” sleep everyday to ensure our body functions well. Legally and biologically speaking, how could one be compelled to work until midnight？That’s insane and should not be permitted! Have you ever heard of 日出而作，日落而息?

Kevin is a person who is always on the move; I have never seen him sitting down doing nothing. The only moment he does nothing is when he sleeps which I am not too sure either because chances are he might be planning his plan for the next day in his dream! So having known him to be of such character, it was normal for me to assume that his busy schedule was more or less self-inflicted.

“Take it easy Kevin, you only live your 20s once.” That was my piece of advice to Kevin.

Few months later, ironically, my karma caught up with me and it turned out it was my turn to work my butt off until and, sometimes, beyond midnight. I would look at the digital clock in my monitor which indicated that it was already midnight and ask myself, “it’s sleeping time for all normal human beings and what the H am I doing here in the office?” Oh, that’s because I still have 2 unfinished assignments and the deadline for these assignments is 9 am tomorrow. And Harnniann, why didn’t you finish it sooner since it was so urgent. Oh, that’s because the 2 assignments were only given to me at 9 pm and I am expected to finish it before 9 am the next day!

Ok, now I really have to eat the humble pie and swallow back the piece of advice I gave to Kevin: take it easy Harnniann, you only live your 20s once!

日出而作，日落而息? Well, it is more like 日出日落皆要作，大病不死方能息.

I am not complaining though. Didn’t I purposely quit my job, abandon my house, leave my country and come to China just to experience life? It would not worth the efforts if life in China is exactly the same as Klang, would it?

p/s:-

Mom, the word "sucks" is not invented by the Chinese. It is commonly used by the Angmos to mean "bad, awful, lousy, not good" etc. Engtee is joining 慈济. She will join them to bake cookies next Monday and Tuesday.

Croco Aunt, I got your comment. Thanks! Unfortunately, I am not able to reply your comments as I am firewalled from entering my own blog. China bans blogs. But all comments are sent directly to my email, so I could read comments via my email.