Tuesday, October 31, 2006

How to share something with your friend witout hardsell feeling

“Enthusiasm is that ingredient of vitality mixed with a firm belief in what you are doing that ensures the success of any project you undertake.”

- Dale Carnegie

Dear Candy,


Very often in any selling situation obstacles will have to be overcome before a buying decision is made. Resolving objections effectively is a process that involves careful, sensitive listening along with positive, factual responses to the buyer's concerns. Consider the following sales techniques when preparing to meet with, or engaging in any dialogue with your customers or prospects:


- Build a rapport
- Express genuine interest
- Produce a potential solution
- Motivate the client to take action
- Commit your service or product to enhancing their internal establishment

Source:
How to Sell Like a Pro

©2006 Dale Carnegie & Associates, Inc.

Monday, October 30, 2006

Check this blog out!


I have found an interesting blog online. The blogger is 莘莘學子, a student of Central Saint Martine, London. He has brought me to Switzerland by his snapshots.




Sunday, October 29, 2006

Something I have learned today

1) No failure, just feedback.
2) Time management- be specific
3) Let God works with me

Thank you, Bonnie!

Saturday, October 28, 2006

自由的空間- An inspiring article regarding design education


花旗集團香港區行長兼財經界人力資源諮詢委員會主席陳子政前天接受訪問時表示,香港學生普遍欠缺溝通能力、國際視野及創意,因此發展遜於外國大學生,「不少投資銀行都曾嘗試在本港大學招聘人才,但往往成功率不高,最後仍傾向聘請外國名牌大學的畢業生。」另外,一些英國劍橋牛津大學的教授亦認為中國和香港的學生在數學和科學方面的表現較同級英國學生為佳,但只懂背書,沒有自己的意見,以他們的標準來看,屬不及格。

今天報章報導香港理工大學曾嘉琪的產品設計獲得「紅點設計獎」二零零六年概念設計獎。她憑著畢業作品 Plate Tectonics(地表板塊構造論),贏得國際性「紅點設計獎」,並成為理大首位得獎學生。她表示自己很喜歡飲食,因此非常留意與食物有關的物件,靈感由此而來,將藝術意念融合於中西餐具中,令食物可以從美術中表現出來,其作品運用2D、3D及4D的效果設計出六件不同的餐具瓷器組合,其中有梯級型的餐具用以放置甜品,可說是一種食物的演出。「紅點設計獎」是源於德國,全球產品設計比賽之一,曾嘉琪說有來自近五十個國家的五千多份參賽作品角逐獎項,不少參賽者更是專業設計師。早前獲紐約ID雜誌選為全世界最優秀四十位設計師之一的理大設計學院院長 Lorraine Justice 認為亞洲的設計有本身的力量和美感,理大設計學院透過亞洲設計特質來優化人類生活。

國際商業集團認為香港學生缺乏創意,而另一邊廂香港學生則屢獲國際設計獎項殊榮,受國際設計專家高度讚賞,這到底反映了一個什麼的現象呢?

香港中小學教育偏重語文和數學的學習,加上學校老師為提升學生考試成績,頻密操練課業,因此孩子們那個司職邏輯、數學、數據及語言等功能的左腦會較為發達;相反,那些對右腦發展有幫助的科目,如美術、音樂與體育等都受到嚴重忽略,孩子們的右腦發展自然受到限制。我們的右腦側重形象思維(包括韻律、圖像、想像、節奏、音樂、空間立體感等),也就是感性的、直觀的思維,這種思維不需要語言的參與,通過右腦學習,能更好的發揮觀察力、綜合力和創造力。若我們不多運用右腦,久而欠之,右腦的神經細胞將會變得遲鈍,甚至退化。由此可見,在這個有利左腦發展的教育制度及高度篩選性質的考試制度下,那些左腦發達,語文、數理成績優秀的學生在升學進修方面較佔優;而左腦那群不精於語文、數理的學生自然受到淘汰。可是今天全球先進國家已步入知識經濟,誇國企業不再單看員工的學術成績表現,他們返而更要求員工具備創意。習慣使用左腦的學生,一時間無法轉用荒廢已久的右腦思考,求職面試自然缺乏創意表現,因此難與外國學生競爭。幸好香港尚有一些藝術和設計出路給喜歡運用右腦思維的學生選擇,這些學生有創意潛質,獨立自主,愛好藝術、文化、戲劇與音樂,多才多藝,在社會和教育制度壓力下仍奮力闖出一條光明路。今天香港不單需要創意產業的創意人才,就是傳統的工商、金融業也需要創意人才,才能幫助香港在國際巿場上取得穩固的領先地位。

Google的全球副總裁李開復曾在香港及美國大學讀書,他覺得創新精神在華人社會較少見到,區內的氣候和文化不鼓勵創新,他說:「到美國之前,我仍覺得自己是對電腦科學很有熱誠的人,但有熱誠之餘,我亦很看重成績的。我在史丹福大學的同學,往往用9成時間做佔總分3成的Project,但用極少時間準備佔總分7成的期考,不顧成績。然而就像創新的軟件《BitTorrent》,正是來自這些Project。」

香港社會需要重視創意,我們的教育制度更需要重視培育創意。沒有創意的社會,百業萎縮,毫無活力,香港難成活力之都,更難成創意之都。我們要改革教育,大力推動創意教育,香港才有希望,教育改革要從課程著手,視覺藝術、音樂及體育等科目亦應得到平等對待,更多的重視。而其他學術科目亦應注入更多的創意元素在課程內,才能譜出有效的創意教育。今天我們中小學生的課程仍是太沉重了,勤奮的學生每天起碼要花12小時學習,跟不上進度的學生就索性放棄學業,形成兩大極端。

我們若要培育學生發揮創意,就必須給他們「自由的空間」。
posted by Simon Lo @ 10/25/2006 04:26:00 下午

Just find a very interesting article regarding Hong Kong Design Education. It is quite true. Enjoys!

Will it arrive to somebody's hand soon?

I asked a clerk to deliver a card to my friend's desk yesterday. However, my friend did not give me any feedback.

Huh... hope it is on the way...

Friday, October 27, 2006

Current Tracks in Oct 2006



2006超级女声沈阳唱区10强

曲目:
1.恒星 - 艾梦萌
2.习惯 - 张楚格
3.明信片 - 王欣如
4.英雄 - 张冬玲
5.禁止悲伤 - 朱江
6.一个人回家 - 巩贺
7.福尔摩斯 - 李璇
8.骄傲 - 付静
9.收音机 - 罗丹
10.爱非 - 魏佳庆

You might think that I am only interested in R & B, Hip Hop, Hong Kong Pop and some oldies... Currently, I am listening the Album as above. It is from China, my motherland. The singers are fashionable, have brilliant voices and unique styles. Go and check it out!

Thursday, October 26, 2006

SD3445... Done

Glad... we are done with the SD 3445 class by Dr. Ernesto Spicciolato. It is a wonderful learning experience in the School of Design.

All of my peer's designed buttons are beautiful, funky and unique. I like them all. Here are my Top Five favorites:

- Merry-Go-Around House by Yanki
- Black Flower by Lisa
- Leg by Marble
- Fly Chicken by Fiona
- Flower Yarn Button by Cyrana

Moreover, we have receieved many helps from the the technicans in the SD Workshop. Without them, I am not sure if Mok, the first buttonwith my last name would come out nicely.

Thank you, SDs!


Discussing on design process in SD Workshop


Nice Works... our beautiful finishing buttons with individual styles


My very first Button in Red!





With Poly U Green Glass, Gloria and myself.



The logo was designed by Hoong and myself. Justin helped me on creating the AI file.


From Trials and Errors to Finishing Products...

Quick Snap in Y613 with Sahara

Wednesday, October 25, 2006

Words... may influence others... be careful...

“Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime.”

- Dale Carnegie


Dear Candy,

Good relationships are key to business success. Here are some tips on strengthening your relationships:

- Don't criticize, condemn, or complain
- Give honest, sincere appreciation
- Become genuinely interested in other people
- Smile
- Be a good listener
- Encourage others to talk about themselves
- Make the other person understand that you consider them important

Source:
The Dale Carnegie Course®

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Thank you, Wab Wab!



Wab Wab,

Giving me advice, spending time with me, and treating me dinner... you have encouraged and helped me so much.

Just want to give a big THANKS to you now!

Wish you the BEST!

Love,

Candy

Monday, October 23, 2006

Sit Back and Relax

I am not in control... somebody does... it's ok!

Let is be... be still, be happy!

Sunday, October 22, 2006

One at a time

I have found something important to make my life easier and happier...

Always take one at a time...

Saturday, October 21, 2006

Mindfulness Practices for Stress Management

禪 清心與壓力管理

社會的飛速進步和發展,資訊發達和知識爆炸,給人帶來莫大的身心壓力。緊張與忙碌的生活及學習,導致種種身心緊張,不少人老是覺得不舒服,出現「工作及學習倦怠感」、「睡眠障礙」、「慢性疲勞綜合症」、「資訊污染綜合症」、「矽谷綜合症」等等「亞健康」症狀。

本課程旨在向同學介紹安心癒合法 (Mindfulness Practices for Stress Management,又稱正念療法)。這是一種結合免疫學、神經科學和心理輔導的整全癒合方法。大量的循証研究顯示,本方法具有提高免疫系統功能,減低焦慮和壓力等正面作用。課程將結合坐禪,令同學掌握安心癒合法,有助放鬆心情,同時培養專注,求取內心深處寂靜的領悟,促進身心的和諧。

預期的學習成果同學完成課程後,可望能﹕
- 掌握安心癒合法的概要
- 學會放鬆身心及面對壓力
- 培養專注,對自我的身心及思想有更深入的了解
- 懂得有技巧地面對焦慮、壓力和痛苦- 轉化及避免過度負面的情緒課程內容
- 坐禪簡介
- 清心之道
- 壓力管理
- 深度放鬆
- 焦慮與緊張
- 情緒癒合
- 悟  

主 講 人︰ 李懷敏博士, PhD(H.K.) 

I have attend the workshop as above which has given me insight to solve the current problems. Here are the Key Points:

- Life is the matter between breath in and breath out. If it stops, the final result is death
- Don't punish yourself because of somebody's mistake and misunderstanding
- Relax, focus on one point and go by the flow
- Create psychological space in order to grow, think and "move around"
- Live moment by moment
- Eat slow and appreciate what you have
- Don't Rush... you have time

Friday, October 20, 2006

GuangZhou Tianhai Decorative Warknitted Fabric Co., Ltd.

We had learn so much about the lace production at the largest lace factory in China. This one day trip helped us to understand more about coloration, quality control test, finishing...

So FUN!

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Help... I need somebody...

Should I say some more about my current situation?

No way... I am getting there...

HELP!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

New Program from AIS

Just received a postcard from The Art Institute of Seattle, my old school regarding the Bachelor of Science - Fashion Marketing, their new program.

Honestly, I miss my time in Seattle very much... the freedom, the creativity, the people, the fresh air, the rain, the mountain, the sea view in library, the kitchens in culinary department, the life drawing session, the nude models...

Shall I turn back time?


Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Solution for Stress

“Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration and resentment.”

- Dale Carnegie


Dear Candy,


Often fatigue at the end of a work day cannot be attributed simply to the hard work we've done. Our own negative reactions to the stressful, daily grind drain our energy and stifle our potential for success. Here are a few tips on how to relieve some personal frustrations so as to increase productivity without resentment:

- Fill your mind with thoughts of peace, courage, health and hope
- Count your blessings instead of your troubles
- Cooperate with that which is inevitable
Source:
The Dale Carnegie Course

Monday, October 16, 2006

So much work with little time

What should I do?

Which one I should do first?

Which one I should do last?

...

Gosh... HELP!!!

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Back Pain

Sewing with a wrong sitting posture is not very good for the back... I am experiencing back pain currently due to the "long" hour sewing section. Therefore, putting on massage lotion and taking painkillers might give me an instant relieve.

Thank you very much for massaging my back yesterday, Fun! It was nice.

Saturday, October 14, 2006

Designed in China from Business Week October Issue

With more than 400 design programs in Chinese schools, Asian design education is undergoing its own revolution

Pay a visit to the Asian Lifestyle Lab on the tropical expanse of Hong Kong known as Kowloon. Housed within Hong Kong Polytechnic's School of Design, students in the lab are researching how people use rice cookers, what they need from tennis shoes, and how to create eyeglasses that fit well atop the bridge of an Asian nose. The four-year-old program is attracting interest from a growing number of global companies like Philips Design, Yahoo! (YHOO ), Nike (NKE ), and Reebok.


Design is on the rise at HK Polytechnic and other Asian universities as academia rushes to respond to China's dictate that innovation must be a priority. The country is trying to move from "Made in China" to "Designed in China," and many believe that design education is a part of that equation. There are more than 400 programs in China alone right now, with an estimated 10,000 designers graduating every year.

The country is making significant investments. In 2004, HK Polytechnic hired Lorraine Justice, formerly head of Georgia Tech's industrial design program, who has 20 years experience teaching American design. Justice was responsible for co-organizing the First China-USA Industrial Design Conference in Beijing. She now heads a design research program as fresh as any program in the U.S., with multidisciplinary partnerships, sponsorship from global companies, and a focus on ethnographic research. Last year, the school embarked on a partnership with the business school to award joint master's degrees to 30 students. And this year, mainland China is bringing the program to Beijing's Tsinghua University.

INQUISITIVE ADVANTAGE. However, even as schools pop up, few have evolved from a classical focus on aesthetics and products to embrace design thinking and research of the nature that HK Polytechnic promotes. The best Asian schools provide students with first-rate technical skills, but their graduates leave without the ability to work across disciplines or to use design strategically. They're not about to do much business model innovation, for example. Much of this may be attributed to Asian education systems from primary school on, which still tend to stress repetition over independent thinking. Says Justice: "The U.S. has a quick advantage. We grow up asking questions. This carries over into our advanced education. They don't have that in China, and it will take them years to develop that mindset."

Nevertheless, that U.S. advantage won't last long. Already schools in China, Korea, Japan, and even India are pulling together design concepts in new ways to land spots on our Global BusinessWeek Design Schools list [LINK TO LIST]. As the Asian schools' competencies grow, a few U.S. design schools are partnering with them. At Oakland (Calif.)-based California College of the Arts, Yves Béhar, founder of fuseproject, recently launched a partnership with Korean cell-phone manufacturer Pantech that brought 20 Korean design students to the U.S. for a brainstorming workshop over the summer. CCA students then returned the visit to present prototypes for the new phones on which they'd collaborated. Pasadena (Calif.)-based Art Center College of Design has partnerships with Tama Art University in Tokyo as well as INSEAD in Singapore. Smart U.S. schools will follow suit.


By Jessi Hempel

After reading this article, I feel very proud to design a button for the course of SD3445 from School of Design in Poly U. It's interesting to explore their facilities in A Core and glad to make a few new friends there.

On the other hand, I have italic and bold part of the article as above. There is somewhat true regarding her opinion toward the difference between Western and Asian Design Education System. In Hong Kong, you are told and follow what the instructor's teachings most of the time a.k.a. “Duck Feed” education system. Instructors teach technical skills, industrial basics, theories and demonstrate their practice. The rest of skills development and critical thinking is depending on student’s creativity, time, dedication and effort.

Since students are lack of critical thinking and self-acknowledge on our own skills & talents. We do not dare to question on unsure situation, challenge the instructor’s expertise and raise issue as necessary. This is what I have found in Poly U. The FAQ section is very short and usually nobody asks question.

However, I believe there will be a change soon as there are more Foreign Instructors coming to Hong Kong to teach and Students having exchange programs. Hopefully, our education system revolution will enhance our society.

2nd Note

Welcome to my Blog!

It is a place for me to communicate with friends & family all over the world, share my thought & study experience in Hong Kong...

Enjoys and thank you for stopping by!

Candy

Oct 14, 2006

1st Note

Switching From Friendster to Blogger is not an easy decision... I will start writing more about something fun around my campus life in Poly U. Stay Tune!

Candy

Friday, October 13, 2006

Black Friday

Although today is October 13, 2006 (Friday), the weather is nice and the sun shines through the day.

13 strange things have happened. Let's take a look!

1) I woke up around 5 o'clock this morning.
2) After taking Magee's 45 mins Fat burn Cycling Class and Dileep's 1 hour Hatha Yoga Class, my neck pain was gone.
3) I lied because I forgot to log out in the SD computer studio.
4) I sold all my HSBC stock with the price of HK$146.00 per share.
5) I almost completed my SD button project. Big Thanks to Ernesto and William with their helpful tips!
6) I gave Mimi a big hug in SD studio.
7) I had lunch with Chris Man.
8) The presentations from Year 2 students of the BA (Hons) Intimate Apparel were interesting. I was envy that they could travel all over the places for their internship experiences.
9) I met Sexy again.
10) I left my water bottle in MN 108.
11) Somebody wanted me to see him/ her on the following Monday with a "professional" excuse.
12) Kristina told me to be her fitting model.
13) I laughed really loud today.

Do you know which is true and which is false... GUESS!!!

Thursday, October 12, 2006

Hi, Sexy!

Nice to see you today! When shall we meet again?

Hahah...

Candy
xxox

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

Are you a Leader?

“Life truly is a boomerang. What you give, you get. ”

- Dale Carnegie
Dear Candy,

Leadership is the creation of environments that influence others to achieve group goals. People support a world they help create. To develop the leader in you, try the following guidelines:

- Develop personal leadership
- Communicate to lead
- Recognize human potential
- Build cooperation
- Make decisions
- Manage conflict and change
Source:
The Leadership Advantage

A Wonderful Day


9:00am Arrived Poly U and supposed to work on a homework with Microscope for the class of ITC4612.
10:00am Handed in my Library Coupon and Librarian told me that my Certificate would be ready in three working days.
10:30:am Met Mimi and Cyrana in Shum Shu Po for the Material Library Project.
11:00am Received a HK$3.00 Deal from a nice store as above which made my day.
11:20am Had a nice lunch with Mimi and Cyrana.
1:15pm Arrived MN108 and worked on the homework again.
1:30pm Class... Learned about Lace and Embroidery.
4:45pm Found Ernesto and Roger in the secret smoking area.
5:00pm Headed to the Kimberley Street with Chris Man and received a Free set of Acrylic boards for the SD3445 Project as below. (The Store Owner was so COOL!)
6:00pm Got the Mighty Mouse & Mini-DVI to VGA Adapter for my Mac-Book in Mongkok (Made Sure that the Mouse came with two "Button".)
7:00pm Had a slow dinner with my Mom...


Oh my God... what's a Wonderful Day!

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

Confused, but True...

菩提本無樹
明鏡亦非台
本來無一物
何處惹塵埃

It's a hard one... some know, some don't...

Monday, October 09, 2006

MacBook Camera Test



It is only 1.3 Megapix Cam... but my friends and I have made a few beautiful snaps.

Thank you!

Love,

Candy

Sunday, October 08, 2006

From MySpace to face time...The news article that made me think!

Student gives up online pals for real-live friends

October 8, 2006

BY MARTHA IRVINE For some, it would be unthinkable -- certain social suicide. But Gabe Henderson is finding freedom in a recent decision: He canceled his MySpace account.

No longer enthralled with the world of social networking, the 26-year-old graduate student pulled the plug after realizing that a lot of the online friends he accumulated were really just acquaintances.

He's also phasing out his profile on Facebook, another social networking site that allows users to create profiles, swap message and share photos to expand their circle of online pals.

''The superficial emptiness clouded the excitement I had once felt,'' Henderson wrote in a column in the student newspaper at Iowa State University, where he studies history. ''It seems we have lost, to some degree, that special depth that true friendship entails.''

Across campus, journalism professor Michael Bugeja -- long an advocate of face-to-face communication -- read Henderson's column and saw it as a ''ray of hope.''

It's one of a few signs, he says, that some members of the tech generation are starting to see the value of quality face time.

'Reaching a saturation point'As the novelty of their wired lives wears off, they're also are getting more sophisticated about the way they use such tools as social networking and text and instant messaging.

''I think we're at the very beginning of them reaching a saturation point,'' said Bugeja, director of Iowa State's journalism school and author of Interpersonal Divide: The Search for Community in a Technological Age.

In the October issue of the journal Pediatrics, researchers at Stanford University released findings from an ongoing study of students at an upper-middle income high school in the San Francisco area. One survey found that most students were members of at least one social networking site -- 81 percent of them on MySpace. They also found that 89 percent had cell phones, most with text and Web surfing capabilities.

Henderson is enjoying spending more face time with his friends. ''I'm not sacrificing friends,'' by signing off MySpace and Facebook, he said, ''because if a picture, some basic information about their life and a Web page is all my friendship has become, then there was nothing to sacrifice to begin with.''

AP
Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.


After reading this news article, I will reach out and spend more time with my friends.

Let's meet up and have fun, pal!

Saturday, October 07, 2006

What's up, Candy?








Nothing Much... still hanging... in Poly U...

Thank you very much for those who have loved me, taught me how to draw, fixed my fabric cutting skill, put up and had lunch with me!

Candy
xxox