Ten Tomatos A Day

I got up at 6:45 this morning, a little late than yesterday, because I didn't fall asleep immediately after I took the shower. I laid in bed thinking how much coffee I'd drunken at the afternoon party yesterday. Then I fell asleep without waking up till this morning.

I took Bus 909 to DaAn Sports Center to exercise after breakfast. On weekends, I prefer the sports center in the morning, because the only free time slot for seniors is in the morning, the bus is not packed, and the traffic is not bad. 

While waiting at DaFeng Bus Station, I saw a small swallow hatching the eggs . I wonder if it is the same swallow which gave birth to 4 chicks last month. I am expecting to see another few chicks in two weeks. Swallows often produce two clutches per year, with a clutch size of 3-5 eggs.

Statistics show that the hatching success of baron swallows is 90% and the fledging survival rate is 70~90%. Average mortality is 70~80% in the first year and 40~70% for the adult. Although the record age is more than 11 years, most survive less than four years.

Arriving at DaAn Sports Center at 8:20, I walked into the fitness center full of people, young and old, men and women. As most equipments were occupied, I picked up two dumb bells of 2 Kgs to do the weight training. In no time, I found my favorite equipment was empty, I grabbed it and exercised for a couple of minutes.

When I spotted an empty treadmill, I jumped on it. I practiced Pomodoro method on treadmill for the first time. I set the slope at 6 and speed at 4.3, I did slow jogging for 25 calories and fast walking for 5 calories, I increase the speed to 4.5 after 3 tomatos, and 5.0 after 6 tomotos. I finished 9 tomatos for 3.2 Kilometers for 40 minutes. My goal is 10 tomatos a day, losing 300 calories on each run.

From 11:00 till 12:00, I watched Stanford Executive Briefings No. 2 “How Great Companies Achieve extraordinary Results with Ordinary People" by Charles O'Reilly III. While listening to the one-hour lecture, I thought of the management of the residents in Wugu. Is there a chance to motivate Brother Jimmy and mental ill residents to build a team, to make WuGu a better place to live, to learn, and to share.  

After lunch, I took a nap for 30 minutes, rode my bike to the Eslite Bookstore on the 4th floor of Yes Life Shopping Mall. It was my lucky day, the founder's corner was not occupied. And I stayed there for two and a half hours reading, writing, and thinking. While I was reading, I received a line message from a female resident at WuGu informing me that Brother Jimmy went back to XinDian. I lined Brother Jimmy instantly if he would have dinner with me. It is beneficial to make friends with a few residents at WuGu, I could be updated about Brother Jimmy around the clock.

At four o'clock, I went to Carrefour to spend my credit card points. Carrefour was packed with shoppers on weekend. There were stalls for customers to sampl the products, from beer to kimchi, just to name a couple. At first, I only tasted the alcoholic drinks because I wore my teeth alighments. Walking down the aisle, I couldn't help trying everything available. I was almost half full when I left the Carrefour.

In the evening, I watched the Snowpiercer (설국열차), a 2013 post-apocalyptic action thriller film based on the French climate fiction graphic novel Le Transperceneige. The film was directed by Bong Joon Ho, marks Bong's English-language debut, almost 85% of the film's dialogue is in English. The SnowPiercer train carries the last remnants of humanity after a failed attempt at climate engineering to stop global warming has created a new Snowball Earth. The lower-class tail-section passengers rebel against the elite of the front of the train.

The DVD stopped in the middle of the movie, so did I stop watching it, because it's too violent. Hopefully I won't have a nightmare!

Golden Ladies Reunion

I got up at 6:30 this morning. Sunny and bright outside. I had a sound 8 hours sleep in the living room last night, from 10:30 in the evening till 6:30 in the morning without waking up inbetween. After taking a hot shower late yesterday evening, I couldn't wait to hit the sack. I fell asleep instantly, in less than 3 minutes. I couldn't have expected more than a good night sleep to end the fruitful day and to start the following day full of excitements.  

I live in a three bed rooms apartment, the living room is bigger than the main bedroom. I love my living room, its about the same size of my penthouse in downtown Taipei. With a handy backup room, I am like a crafty rabbit with three burrows.

I took Bus 918 and Bus 99 to XinChuang Sports Center to meet up with Brother Jimmy and fellow residents from WuGu. We used the fitness center from 10:00 till 10:45, and the swimming pool from 10:45 till 11:30. After lunch, Brother Jimmy went to New Taipei Hospital for rehabilitation, and I came home and took a nap until 2 o'clock.

I arrived at the Golden Ladies Reunion held at Lydia's mansion before 3 o'clock. Lydia reserved the downstair basement lounge and prepared a full table of fruits (lychees and grapes), desserts (cookies and macaroons), Japanese rice wine, freshly brewed coffee and steamed milk. Seven of us enjoyed a sumptuous afternoon chitchat full of laughter for two hours. I talked mainly about my teeth alignment, and I am so looking forward to my perfect teeth alignment at the end of year 2025. And I can smile heartily as I wish.

Five stayed behind for dinner at a Hakka restaurant in the neighborhood for another two hours about health, food, and exercise. I took the bus back to XinDian, on my way home, I stopped by the JingXin Library to pick up books and DVDs I requested a few days ago.

In the evening, I watched Stanford Executive Briefings No.1 “The Power of Persuasion” by Robert Cialdini”, explaining the principals, 

1. Reciprocity:People are more likely to give back when they’ve received something first.

2. Scarcity:People fear loss and desire what’s limited.

3. Authority:People respect experts and those in authority.

4. Commitment and consistency:People like to stay consistent with their commitments, even small ones.

5. Consensus: the power of the crowd

6. Liking:People prefer to say yes to those they like.

All principals are important to all cultures, but the ranking of the importance of principals varies from culture to culture, from contry to country.

There are 8 DVDs of Stanford Executive Briefings, each one lasts for one hour. It looks like I shall be busy watching the DVDs till the end of June. The informative Stanford Executive Briefings were old, but the information is still as valuable.

A Room of One's Own

I got up at 6:30 this morning. It was the second night I slept in the living room. I felt like a college student full of spirit and freedom. The living room is the main place I spend my day. Like Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own", I want to make my living room a cozy and comfortable place for me to think, to write, to rest, and to connect with the world.

Besides cooking in the kitchen, eating in the dining room, I sit on my huge CEO desk in the living room most of the time, reading, writing, teaching, learning, watching DVDs. I need to get rid of most of the junks in the living room, mainly volumes of old dusty books.

From 8:15 till 9:00, we read the NHK easy Japanese news online about the Dogo Onsen in Eime Prefecture. In early June, Matasu Yama City officials decorated the Dogo Onsen with Sudare woven from reed with simple strings. Sudare are traditional Japanese screens or blinds, can be either rolled or folded up out of the way. Sudare are used in many Japanese homes to shield the verandah and other openings of the building from sunlight, rain, and insects. They are normally put up in spring and taken down again in autumn. The light structure allows breezes to pass through, a benefit in the hot Japanese summers. 

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/news/easy/ne2025060312172/ne2025060312172.html

I like hot spings. I usually go to Wulai onsen on cold rainy winter days. When in Japan, I usually take the opportunity to visit onsen area. I have been to a many famous onsens all over Japan. 

https://goconnect.jp/2024/08/30/nihonsanmeisen-the-most-prestigious-hot-springs-in-japan/

At 10:15, I received a line call from WuGu Director that Jimmy behaved a little strange, and stayed in bed the whole morning. He seemed to have something on his mind. I told the Director that maybe Jimmy felt depressed because he talked too much of the family matters with me yesterday. I am sure he would be okay soon. Like most people with schizophrenia, Brother Jimmy has drastic ups and downs. When he has hard time controlling his emotions, he tends to hide himself in his fantacy world. Brother Jimmy has low self esteem, and becomes sensitive and denfensive when he is compared with others. 

Brother Jimmy told me that he contacted the young relative in a huge debt in Beijing before the online visual meeting last Saturday afternoon. He received a very condescending message from the young relative graduated from the Department of Computer Science, Beijing University. And Brother Jimmy was so upset that he refused to sign the power of attorney.

From 10:30 till 11:00, the Taipei Medical University 623 classmates had an online English conversation on Health. We shared about how to stay healthy by leading a good life.

After lunch, I took a nap from 12:30 till 13:00. In the rain, I rode my bicycle with my raincoat on to the Wheatland Center at 1:30. I tried the Pomodoro method to divide the two hours class into 4 tomato sessions, including free talk session, hands on art work, karaoke, slow jogging. It was quite successful.

At 4:30, I received an instant photo of Brother Jimmy riding the indoors bicycle. The photo was taken by WuGu Director. It was very nice of her to update me of Brother Jimmy. It would be wonderful if Brother Jimmy could lead an exercise team at WuGu to help himself by helping others.

    

One Fine Morning

I got up at 6:30 this morning, I slept on the floor in the living room last night. My living room was packed with books, clothes, shoes, bags, plus a lot of junks. I need to throw away many "garbages" to make room for a better and simpler life.

Brother Jimmy and I met at the XinDian Sports Center at 8:20 We went to the swimming pool jam packed with senior citizens till 9:30. We chatted at the Family Mart on the 3rd floor for an hour. Brother Jimmy told me a lot of sad family stories. He complained a lot about family members fighting over the real estate property. I think most people in China are just too poor to be decent.

There is a saying, people would die in pursuit of wealth, just like birds would die in pursuit for food. When I was young, I was lucky to be able to study and work hard so that I can enjoy the financial freedom now. I am so happy that I don't have kids to worry about. It is a pity that many young people can't make ends meet and rely on their parents. In the end, they miss the precious opportunity to become independent.

From 10:45 till 11:45, Brother Jimmy and I used the fitness center for an hour. It reminded me of our good old morning routines at XinDian Sports Center last year. After lunch, Brother Jimmy took Bus 918 to New Taipei Hospital for rehabilitation, I rode my bike back home and took a nap for 30 minutes. I reported the fine morning activities with Brother Jimmy to WuGu Director. 

Brother Jimmy didn't use the cane today, he said that it's too troublesome. I think the good practice of riding the indoors bicyble twice a day at WuGu helps him boost his physical strength. So long as Brother Jimmy builds a good habit of doing exercise, controlling the diet, and taking medication, he should be able to live a quality life for at least another five years.

I watched a few English and Korean podcasts on YouTube till 4:30. It has been more than 3 hours (12 tomatoes) since I sat before my desktop. I took a walk in the neighborhood for an hour and met a  Hakka neighbot on the street. She told me that she would visit ShanDong China next week for 9 days at a cost of NT$39,999.

After dinner, I read a book "Happier at Home" by Gretchen Rubin. I agree two things are important in life, health and happiness. I do exercise to keep me healthy and I follow my heart to help people around me, which in return makes me happy.

In the evening, from 9:15 till 10:00, four members read online "How to Persuade People--Use these techniques to gain business and add club members" from Toastmaster Magazine June 2025. 

Robert Cialdini, in his 1984 book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, identifies seven key principles:

• Liking:

  People prefer to say yes to those they like.

• Social proof:

  People are influenced by others’ opinions.

• Authority:

  People respect experts and those in authority.

• Reciprocity:

  People are more likely to give back when they’ve received something first.

• Scarcity:

  People fear loss and desire what’s limited.

• Commitment and consistency:

  People like to stay consistent with their commitments, even small ones.

• Unity:

  People are motivated by shared identities and values.

https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2025/june/how-to-persuade-people

I borrowed the book by Robert Cialdini from JingXin Library, and read it with interest. Eeading is good to expand the horizon in life.

Twelfth Invisalign Set

I got up at 7:30 this morning. The weather was bright and sunny. I felt refreshed and happy, because I had a sound sleep last night. 

I put on the 12th Invisalign set at 9:30 yesterday evening. After dinner, I brushed my teeth, but I didn't put on my teeth alignments immediately. Upon the request of one student of Monday Japanese class, I recorded NHK Japanese news reading without teeth alighments on from 8:00 till 9:30. I couldn't notice the recording differences with or without teeth alignments on. As I am used to speaking and talking with my teeth alignment on. 

I am happy that I am half way done with my teeth alighment. There are a total of  25 Invisaligh sets. I should be able to complete the teeth alignment before the end of 2025. It's a big achievement to be have teeth aligned within one year! I am proud of myself!

I didn't do much this morning. I bought some vegetables from a vendor on JiangGuo Road. I watched a few Japanese podcast episodes on YouTube. From one episode, I learned the Pomodoro Technique, a popular time management method (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato. 🍅) 

The Pomodoro Technique helps people focus on work during 25-minute intervals and take a five-minute break. The method improves focus, minimizes distractions, prevents burnout, promotes accountability, boosts motivation. It’s easier to commit to 25 minutes of work at a time than a whole afternoon of non-stop work. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1BvrkPF2LE

After lunch, I took a nap for 20 minutes, and took Bus 909 to DaAn Sports Center. While waiting at the DaFeng bus station, I noticed that the swallow is hatching again for the second time. I google the information on swallows reproduction, and knew that they reproduce twice a year, from May through June, and from June through July.

As soon as I arrived at DaAn fitness center, I jumped on a vacant treadmill immediately. I tried the pomodoro method today. In stead of running non-stop on the treadmill for 40 minutes. I divided the running process into two intervals of 25 minutes as well as the weight lifting process. I exercised more than one and a half hours today. 

I took Bus 650 to JingXin Library to request a few books online. Then I took Green 13 to DaFeng Road. I went to the Carrefour, and used my credit card points to buy a bottle of sesame dressing. I arrived home at 5:30. No sooner than later, I took a nap for 30 minutes.

At night, I watched "One Fine Morning (French: Un beau Matin)" a 2022 romantic film about a former philosophy teacher who has been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease called Benson's syndrome, which affects the cognitive abilities and sight. He was placed in a nursing home for the full-time care. His apartment is packed with books. A note was found about his declining health, along with other notebooks identified as a rough manuscript of an autobiography with a title written in German: "An einem schönen Morgen" (lit. on a fine morning).

While I saw the movie, I can't help but thinking of ailing Brother Jimmy, I don't know how long I can keep his company. But everyday begins with one fine morning.

Sunny Monday

What a sunny day it was this morning! I cleaned the bedroom after I got up. Just about I was ready to throw the blankets in the washing machine, my husband suggested we do the laudry after the plum rain season.

The online Japanese reading group started from 8:30 till 9:30. We read the recent news about the introduction of remote interpretation serice for foreigners by the Japanese police station. In a globalized world now, foreigners can be found in any country.

We learned a popular Japanese song of "A Foreigner" by Kubota Saki in 1979, the year I left Taiwan for the graduate school of Louisina State University Medical Center in New Orleans. A Foreigner is full of exotic scenes and melodies. 

I wired NT$20,000 to my tenant for the interior renovation. I don't mind spending NT$185,500 dollars in total for fixing the roof and curtains, I am in a way grateful that someone can take care of my penthouse downtown Taipei.

Before noon, I rode my bike to my Korean teacher's place. We had cold noodles and red wine for lunch. We had cheese cake and coffee after lunch, sang a few Korean songs, conversed in Korean for 30 minutes. I rode the bike to WenShan Sports Center to exercise for one hour and a half. In the downpour, I rode my bike back to XinDian with my raincoat on.

After dinner, I spent two hours recording the Japanese news and drama script.

I have been busy communicating with relatives in Beijing about the inheritance of the old court house recently. More than 30 years ago, I stayed overnight with my cousin at the old court house in the winter.

A Relative with a Huge Debt in China

I received an email from one of the young relatives in Beijing this morning. He listed his huge debt with a dozen banks in China, and a huge amount of money he borrowed from his friends. Now he cannot pay off his financial obligations. He wanted to liquidate the real estate of the family old court house in Beijing and got his share to pay the debt.

Brother Jimmy didn't go back to WuGu last night. After the online family gathering on WeChat at 7 o'clock, he told me he would head back for WuGu. But he was too exhilarated, lingered in the neighborhood, returned home, and stayed overnight without notifying me. 

I had no idea he was sleeping at home, when I went to his place to collect the leftover from the refrigerator this morning. I had no one to blame but myself for being too optimistic about Brother Jimmy's mental condition. Brother Jimmy couldn't copy with any dramatic shock which might in return cause his mental breakdown.

I made an agreement with WuGu accordinly today. Brother Jimmy can only stay at home overnight with my permission. And I will stay with him at home to make sure he takes the medication timely. I don't mind taking the responsibilities, because it is the least I can do for a dear brother with unspecified Schizophrenia.  

Head Start Public Speaking Contest

Recently I have waken up at night, maybe it's related to the feeling of stress. My night sleep is divided into three parts. I fall asleep immediately when I hit the sack. I wake up at midnight, at 2 or 3 o'clock, and stay awake for a while. Then I fall asleep again till I get up in the morning. When I wake up at night, I keep staying in bed, and thinking of many things in life, oftentimes about Brother Jimmy. When I get up in the morning I always feel refreshed and uplifted.

When I was young, I usually slept the entire night without waking up. As I get older, my sleep interval becomes shorter at night. During the day, I usually take a 30 minutes nap after lunch, followed by another late afternoon 30 minutes nap at around 6 o'clock. In the evening, I usually have good energy to read, to study, or to watch youtube after dinner till I go to bed before 11 o'clock. I don't know what most seniors do in their daytime. Do they experience the sleep intervals at night?

This morning, my huband got up earlier to prepare the fresh soybean milk for me. I leaf home at 7:30 to participate in the Head Start Public Speaking Contest as a judge at Taiwan Library in Zhonghe. It takes about 20 minutes to get there by MRT. The contest started from 9:00 sharp. Prior to the start of the contest, a brief orientation was given by the Education Specialist for the Jump Start & Head Start Schools. 

It was a very challenging job to be the judge for 48 speech contestants in the grade school. All of them were eloquent and impressive. At the end of 3 hours speech contest, I felt exhausted and doubted about my ability to judge objectively. I received a stipend of NT$2,100 dollars. It has been a long while since I last got a paid check for an event.

Brother Jimmy and I met up with relatives in Beijing online via WeChat to discuss about the inheritance of the old house in Beijing from 4 till 5 o'clock for one hour. It was the first time we gathered online to discuss about the family matters. I wrote them emails separately and collectively afterwards. 

Brother Jimmy was happy to get involved in the family matter. He showed me six big volumes of family letters collected by my father. I felt so grateful to my father for ducumenting the family story chronologically that I could start to get to know a little bit more about the family history from now. 

It was a long day today, I didn't take any rest, but I felt happy and achieved to be able to do something for the family.

Double Six, Lucky Day

I had an appointment with Brother Jimmy at XinChuang Sports Center at 10 o'clock this morning. I got on Bus 918 before 9 o'clock and transferred to Bus 99 at XinPu Bus Station. I didn't know where XinChuang Sports Center is, so I googled on the internet beforehand, and was advised to get off at the KaiYuan Plaza station. It took me more than 20 minutes to walk to the sports center, as I had no sense of directions. 

Brother Jimmy invited more than a dozen WuGu residents to join the sports event. We enjoyed the jacuzzi and swimming pool till 11:30. There are two swimming pools at the sports center. The standard 50 by 25 meters pool is restricted for qualified swimmers only. The qualification is non-stop swimming for 200 meters. I'm thinking about taking a qualification test in the future.

The jacuzzi at XinChuang has a splendid view over a big floor to ceiling window. It felt great looking at the green trees against the blue sky outside while laying on the jacuzzi bed. It is like having a luxurious vacation at a five star hotel on a tropical island.

At 12 noon, we took the bus back to WuGu. While Brother Jimmy rode the indoor bicycle, I joined the online Zumba and Taichi classes for 30 minutes. It was raining when I got off Bus 918 at CiJi Hospital. I rode my bicycle home and laid flat on my bed till 4:30.

This morning, I took the opportunity to make acquaintance with a few residents. I listened to their stories, happy and sad. An expert swimmer resident told me he used to be a team member of XinChuang Swimming Squad. After a head injury due to the traffic accident, he stayed at WuGu. I also taught two residents how to hold their breath while immersing their heads in the swimmingpool.

I told the Director of WuGu that I could accompany Brother Jimmy and residents to XinChuang Sports Center every Friday. It fun to make friends with people around Brother Jimmy. There is no time like the present. I plan to use both the fitness center and the swimming pool for two hours. As I know where XinChuang Sports Center is now, and I shall get off the bus at Material Testing Center station. It takes less than less than 5 minutes to walk to the center.

Grain in Ear

It's another rainy day, another busy day, the first Thursday of June. According to the Farmers' calendar, today is "Grain in Ear", the ninth of the 24 solar terms, a good day to sow, to take action, and to pray for the good fortune.

Thursdays are usually full of activities. The online basic Japanese with 623 classmates of Taipei Medical University began from 8:15 till 9:00. We practiced singing a famous enka "Like the waters flow in a River" by Misora Hibari. I could memorize the entire lyrics by heart. I watched the video this morning, I felt touched again by the profond meaning of this popular song among Japanese people. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuM3xdX3W1Y

I watched an intermediate Japanese podcast, talking about a recent phenomenon. People are less interested in the news. Likewise, I don't like to watch or listen to the news. In the past, my husband and I used to listen to the BBC news before we went to bed. Now I prefer to lay in bed quietly before I fall asleep. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9K5Xz408ix0

From 10:30 till 11:00, another English conversation class with 623 classmates took place online. We talked about hobbies. Rai likes hiking. Her husband likes gardening. Cindy likes traveling. Cindy saw two polar bears walking on the ice searching for food. She also saw an arctic fox family of five when she was in the Arctic. Polar bears are endangered because the number of walrus reduced rapidly due to the climate change. I also enjoy hiking and traveling. I like reading manga and watching anime, too.

After lunch, I took a nap for 30 minutes.  It was raining when I left home with my raincoat on to the Wheatland Center from 1:30 till 3:30. We learned "Go Right Away", a new song by the Energy Group, a debut song at the closing ceremony of the World Masters Game 2025. Then we sang karaoke and practice slow jogging. It was still raining when I left the center. 

Courtyard House in Beijing

I got up before 7 o'clock, the weather was cloudy. I left home at a quarter to 8, to the DaAn Sports Center. While waiting for Bus 909, I enjoyed observing young swallows flying back and forth under storefront overhangs near the bus stop. They are eager to hone their flying skills and grow their wings before they embark upon their journey to the south to spend the winter.

I arrived at DaAn Sports Center at 8:40, the bus was crowded with people, young and old, the traffic was jam packed on the street. I usually go to the DaAn Sports Center in the afternoon, it takes less than 20 minutes from my place to the sports center. But it took around 45 minutes this morning. While running on the treadmill, I saw the broadcasting of the Roland-Garros 2025. I looked at the tennis players with admiration. Their arms are full of muscles. I only ran for 30 minutes, not as long as 40 minutes, because the guy running next to me had the armpit odor, I could barely stand. While using the weight lifting facilities, I saw a muscular woman training her legs to lift the barbell. I wish someday I can do the same.

The reason why I went to the sports center this monring, it's because Brother Jimmy and I had an appointment at noon with a relative's friend from Beijing, about the inheritance of our grandparents' courtyard house in Beijing.

At noon, I had lunch with my farm house friend and my Korean teacher till 2 o'clock. We listened to the presentation of Riway's Purtier, an expensive product of deer placenta for an hour before lunch. I'm not interested in direct marketing business. I only joined the lunch gathering to pay the traveling fees of NT$8,880 for five days shopping tour to support my farm house friend who is in the direct marketing business.

I didn't take a nap today. I watched No. 6 DVD of Demon Slayer. I ran into an interesting podcast for intermediate Japanese learners. I also recommend it to the Monday online Japanese classmates. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lu2HUZqG-LQ

From 9:15 till 10 o'clock, we had online Toastmaster Magazine reading in English. As I was in charge of tonight's reading, I selected the feature article about visualizing your goal by creating a vision board. Four of us shared our ideas and thoughts. https://www.toastmasters.org/magazine/magazine-issues/2025/june/visualize-your-goals