週二(2/7)1.抽籤博杯2.年後甩油/假期後憂鬱

板橋區文化路段421巷11弄1號 (陽光甜味咖啡館)
新埔捷運站1號出口 旁邊7-11巷子進入20公尺 看到夏朵美髮院  左轉     PM7:00--9:30

抽籤博杯

Kau Cim Fortune Telling sticks         vagabondjourney.com

Kau Cim or Kau Chim is a fortune telling practice that is said to have been derived by the Yellow Emperor, the euhemerized founder of Chinese civilization, somewhere between the time he was teaching people how to build shelters, domesticate animals, and sow grain, and inventing Chinese Medicine, the bow sling, math, a calendar, a code of laws, the Chinese writing system, and a version of football. This just means that Kau Cim fortune telling is old — so old that its origins have long been lost to time, which generally means that the Chinese have been practicing it for the past three or four thousand years.

This fortune telling method consists of asking a question to an oracle, often in a Taoist or Buddhist temple before an alter. This is generally done by bowing in prayer and asking a question to the deity whose statue you’re in front of, either whispered or aloud.

Once the prayer and asking have been completed you then pick up a cylinder of 100 flat bamboo fortune sticks and shake it at an angle to the ground so that one eventually falls out upon the floor. Each stick has a number inscribed on it, and no two sticks in a set are the same. The number on each stick corresponds to a particular fortune.

Kau cim sticks

Once your stick is chosen, you then toss a pair of jiaobei blocks upon the floor. These blocks are made from wood or bamboo and are carved into a crescent shape, and are used to answer yes/ no type questions. One side of each block is round (representing yin), and means “no,” and the other side is flat (representing yang), and means “yes.” An affirmative response results from a toss where one flat side and one round side faces up. A negative answer comes when both round sides are up. If both flat sides face up at you it is generally thought that the Gods are having a laugh at your expense or you asked a silly question that you already know the answer to.

Jiaobei blocks

After you have the responses to your question you then need to have it interpreted. The number on the Kau Cim stick that you drew corresponds with a fortune that’s printed upon a piece of paper. Though what it says often needs to be interpreted by a specialist — a fortune teller or a priest — as it is written in poetic form and can come off as cryptic, especially since the characters can have multiple meanings. The fortunes generally cover a one year period, starting at the lunar new year, and if the fortune is one of the 100 in the Guan Yin lexicon, it will read something like this:

    Live in the wilderness with only the ravens as friends.

    Know yourself and do not envy others’ wealth.

    Everybody’s capable of finding their own bread.

    But nobody gets to see the whole world.

A modern interpretation will then be provided by a priest or the fortune teller, who adapts the response to meet the parameters of the question.

Q:

What do you think about the Fortune Telling sticks?

Have you ever done this fortune telling practice?

Do you know any of the Taiwanese Custom?

Do you believe in superstitions why and why not?

What are the other fortune telling methods?

What do you think the custom of casting jiaobei blocks?

What to do when you don’t know the answer to solve your problems?

Where are the good places to visit during your holidays?

年後甩油/假期後憂鬱

Getting back into shape after Chinese New Year       myactivesg.com  Sport Singapore

So, it’s back to the work grind for most of us after the first three days of Chinese New Year celebrations. Chances are, most of us may have overindulged in the many sinful festive goodies over the holidays while visiting our friends and relatives.

Of course, there's no harm in enjoying these calorie-laden delights once in a while, and it’s hard to reject when your well-meaning grandparent or great grand uncle stuffs you with more and more food. But with that behind us now, it’s time to get back into shape with these tips from ActiveSG!

Do not go into extreme dieting

One can easily lose weight by lowering carbohydrate intake, but when it becomes extreme, there is also the risk of losing lean muscle mass and a decrease in metabolism rates, which are undesirable.

Pick up where you left off

If you were following a diet and workout plan before the festive season, resume it! This will help you get back in shape at a moderate and healthy pace.

Anaerobic over aerobic exercises

Feeling fat and feel like long distance running will do you some good? Not really. That can make you burn muscle rather than fat. Instead, interval training and sprints over short distances can help you reap more effective results!

Find a workout buddy

Most of us lack motivation when we’re working out alone. With a friend around, exercising becomes a whole lot more fun. Besides, it is not that difficult to find a friend during this period who wants to burn some fats from the feasting as well. So hit the buttons on the phone and start sweating with your friends!

Post-vacation blues     wiki

A person may suffer from post vacation blues after returning home or to a normal routine from a long vacation, especially if it was a pleasurable one. The longer a trip lasts, the more intense the post vacation blues may be. This is because after the person returns home, they realize how boring and unsatisfactory their normal lifestyle routine is when compared to the activities he or she did while on their holiday/vacation. It is easier to overcome/adjust to a normal routine the shorter the trip was. Post vacation blues may result in tiredness, loss of appetite, strong feelings of nostalgia, and in some cases, depression. Jet lag may intensify the post vacation blues.

Q:

How to getting back into shape after Chinese New Year?    

What to do when getting back work after days of Chinese New Year celebrations?

How often do you do exercise?

Do you get stress after holidays?

What are your opinion about post-vacation blues?

Have you ever feel post-vacation blues?

How to overcome the post vacation blues?

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周六(2/4) 1.休假症候群2.旅行真好! 下午 4:00pm--6:00pm

板橋區文化路一段421巷11弄1號 (陽光甜味咖啡館)

新埔捷運站1號出口 旁邊7-11巷子進入20公尺 看到夏朵美髮

左轉       聚會時間下午4:00pm--6:00pm

休假症候群

How to Cope With Post Holiday Syndrome      wikihow

After spending a wonderful holiday over the New Year period, some people feel blue and find that it's difficult to function normally in their daily rhythm. As defined by the DSM IV, holiday blues, holiday depression, these commonly used terms depict the mental distress occurring after the winter holidays and festival season.

Expect some letdown.

The holiday season is both joyful and stressful at once. There is family to get along with, gifts to buy and return, people to visit, activities to throw yourself into, plenty of festive food to eat, sales to rush to, and parties to plan and attend. Topped off with the excitement

of New Year's Eve, your adrenaline has probably been pumping a lot of the time during the New Year's period. Returning to the usual routine and probably quieter workplace than normal can dampen your spirits just by the absence of exciting things to do and look forward to.

Take it easy

    Take it easy when you're settling back down into your usual routine. Your more rested self is a good thing and gives you an opportunity to take a renewed perspective on your work, routine, study, or home life pace.

    Perhaps the break has given you perspective on your life, job, relationships etc. If so, this is a good time to consider making changes to improve your situation, especially because not making the changes can prolong your blues.

Do things that give you cause to look forward to something.

Revive the excitement of anticipation by arranging fun activities, such as having dinner with friends, starting a new class for a hobby or interest, attending a sporting event regularly, going to the movies

, etc. Choose activities that meet your budget and interests, and that you know will give you a thrill.

Eating well and keeping up regular exercise

will enhance your mood and help you return to good shape and fitness levels. If you're worried about not keeping warm enough during the colder weather, have more healthy chunky, warming soups that will both warm and fill you up without carrying lots of calories. Warm salads are also an excellent choice during winter.

Eat away your blues.

Eat foods that boost your serotonin (feel good) neurotransmitters. Suitable foods containing tryptophan (the building block for serotonin) include bananas, poultry, dairy produce, and peas.

    Keep exercising no matter the weather, lethargy and weight excuses. Exercise will give you the mood-boost you need and gets you moving again. If you're living in a cold climate, there are plenty of winter exercising options such as walking, skiing, and gym workouts. You could also stay inside and exercise on an indoor exercise bike if you have one. For those in a hot climate, swimming, hiking, and water sports are ideal mood lifters.

Q:

How to cope with post-holiday syndrome?

Do you feel holidays blue?

Why people feel sad after holidays and festival season?

How to relax?

What are tips for getting back to work after holidays?

How to learn to take it easy and enjoy life?

Why do people get depressed during the holidays or after holidays?

旅行真好!

Wonderful Benefits Of Traveling       Adam Siddiq  lifehack.org

Traveling is wonderful in many ways. It captures us with a sense of wanderlust and has us longing for more destinations to visit, cultures to experience, food to eat, and people to meet.

You’ll find a new purpose

“To travel is to take a journey into yourself.” – Danny Kaye

Traveling is an amazingly underrated investment in yourself. As you travel you’re exposed to more new people, cultures, and lifestyles than you are living in your homeland all the time. With all the newness in your life, you’re also opened to new insights, ways of seeing the world and living, which often gives people a new purpose for their lives. If you’re feeling stuck on what your purpose is, what you want to do with your life, the career or educational path you want to pursue, go travel…you might just be surprised about what you discover as a new sense of life purpose and direction.

You’ll realize that we all share similar needs

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” – Mark Twain

Tony Robbins has said many times that no matter what your background is, all human beings share 6 common needs. As you travel more, you notice the truth of this even more…and as that happens, you are more adept in being able to relate to people regardless of their background.

You’ll realize that it’s extremely easy to make friends

“A journey is best measured in friends, rather than miles.” – Tim Cahill

One of the first things I learned from traveling solo is how easy it is to make friends. Something magical happens in how people can show up more raw and real when they’re out of their conditioned environment and open to express themselves without feeling judged. That rawness and realness ends up inspiring others to be authentic, and that’s how you can become best friends with people when you’ve only known them for a few hours.

You’ll realize life is a wonderful gift

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” – Helen Keller

“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” – Mark Twain

Life is a wonderful gift. It really is, and as we travel and experience more of the world and life, we often become overwhelmed with gratitude and appreciation for all the beautiful moments we enjoyed and people we’ve shared them with. More often than not, this is a realization that we can experience and take action from now while we’re still alive with energy rather than stacking up regrets by the time we’re on our death bed. Rather than waiting until you’re saying “I wish I had”, live so you can say “I’m glad I did”.

Q:

What are the benefits of traveling?

Where do you really want to visit?

How to make friends during travelling

Sharing with friends your travelling experiences?

How to find a new life purpose?

“Rather than waiting until you’re saying “I wish I had”, live so you can say “I’m glad I did”.’

What make you stacking up regrets?

Are you dare to come out of your comfortable zone?

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週四 (2/2)1. 許願清單2.鹽水烽炮/平溪天燈

2/2 星期四 年初六    為年後開張 聚會日
敬請多出席 支持 

許願清單

Wishing List                  personalexcellence

The whole point of creating your list is to maximize every moment of our existence and live our life to the fullest. It’s a reminder of all the things we want to achieve in our time here, so that instead of pandering our time in pointless activities, we are directing it fully toward what matters to us.

Your wishing list is meant to be a list of everything you want to achieve, do, see, feel and experience in your life.

Travel all around the world

Traveling — it’s the single best activity that exposes you to new cultures, broaden your mind, move out of your comfort zone, allow you to meet new people, and experience the wonders of the world.

Take part in a triathlon

A triathlon is a “multiple-stage competition involving the completion of 3 continuous and sequential endurance disciplines.” Modern-day triathlons are swim/bike/run events that are done in that order. If you think that a marathon is tough, wait till you try a triathlon — the ironman triathlon consists of 3.86 km (2.4 mi) swim, a 180.25 km (112-mi) bicycle ride and a 42.2 km (26.2-mi) run (that’s a marathon-length race!), raced in that order and without a break!

Scuba Diving

As humans, we spend all of our lives on land. Yet there is a whole world under the sea that we’re not privy to! Do you know that 71% of the Earth’s surface is actually the ocean? And do you know that because of the ocean’s depth, it contains about 300 times the habitable volume of the terrestrial habitats on Earth — and many ocean species are still to be discovered?

With scuba diving and snorkeling, you have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the marine life — and see, feel, and experience the vast ocean in person.

Climb a mountain

Why risk your life to climb a mountain when the journey is fraught with rocky terrains and with ever-changing weather conditions? For some, mountain climbing is an external conquest; some find enjoyment in the sport; others see it as a step in their personal growth journey. Whatever it is, mountain climbing is a feat that takes physical endurance and mental tenacity to accomplish.

Befriend a stranger

Who says that there needs to be a reason to start a friendship? A connection can start anytime, anywhere, in any way. I have many great friendships that started off from the most random of situations.

Perhaps the most random one is with a near-stranger, whom I met once in college and did not speak to him for the next 9 years (except once when we bumped into each other on the streets). One day, he was sorting through his phone contacts list, saw my name, and decided to message me. Fast forward today, and he is now my husband.

Not saying that the next stranger you contact is going to be your romantic partner, but rather, that a great friendship can start in any way.

Publish a book

Being a writer isn’t about having tip-top grammar and literary skills, though it’s important to write with good english. Being a writer is about having a message to share with the world. Prior to their hit series, J.K. Rowling (author of Harry Potter series) and Stephenie Meyers (author of Twilight series) were not professional writers — in fact, Meyer’s only professional work was as a receptionist in a property company!

Throw a mega party

Get to know your friends’ friends and introduce your friends to others by throwing a mega party! Throwing a mega party is not just about the drinks, it should be about having the right company — people whom you enjoy hanging around and who are great to converse with. Plan ahead, identify a venue (someone’s home will suffice; or you can always rent a space), set aside a little budget (having a party doesn’t have to cost a bomb!)

Q:

What do you really want to do in your wishing list?               

Do you want to take part in a triathlon/ scuba diving/ mountain climbing?

How to be a friend to a stranger?

Why is good that talking to a stranger?

Do you like holding parties?

Have you ever thought that publishing a book?

Do writers make good money?

      

鹽水烽炮/平溪天燈

Yanshui Fireworks Festival    Posted by tainancity

Yanshui Fireworks Festival (Yánshuǐ Fēngpào 鹽水蜂炮)

Once a year, the little town of Yanshui draws attention to itself with a big bang. Over the years they have found a real recipe to get noticed. If you want to call on the gods to come take notice of you, what better way than to launch a cacophony of fireworks? And if you want to get the attention of thrill-seeking tourists, why not point the fireworks at the crowd? Whether or not the gods are taking notice of these fireworks displays is hard to measure, but year after year, this little town in the north of Tainan County gets the attention of thousands of festival goers and tourists. It is also getting some international attention. In some on-line articles, it’s been voted the 3rd most dangerous tradition and the 5th most dangerous festival in the world.

typical fireworks are also on display

The history behind this festival began in the late 19th century. A cholera epidemic broke out about 1875 and the town of Yanshui was hit hard by it. After several years, the population had dwindled and the people decided to call on Guān Dì (關帝), the god of war, to help give them strength in their fight against the disease. They used fireworks to attract the attention of the the god, and have been doing so ever since.

Both Pingxi Sky Lantern Festival

Both Pingxi (平溪) and Shifen (十分) are both towns rich in culture and history and provide a nice glimpse at Taiwan's beautiful natural scenery. Events such as the Sky Lantern Festival draw visitors year round to create a Chinese Lantern (天燈) with a wish written on it to set into the sky, all for a modest NT$100-200.

During Chinese New Year it is especially encouraged for tourists to visit Pingxi and release a Chinese lantern into the sky!

Pingxi is special for its unique architecture and design, as its market area, Pingxi Old Street (平溪老街), is built into a hill with a train track going overhead right through the middle with shops around selling local food and gifts. Visitors are able to check out shops built during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as wooden houses built during the Japanese occupation era.

A nice route to follow is first disembark at Shifen Station (十分) to visit the old streets town area and waterfall. Continue on the train towards the terminal station, Jingtong (菁桐), to visit the town and its historical attractions. Finally, walk back along the tracks to Pingxi (around 20 mins) to enjoy a nice snack and set a lantern into the sky. Hopefully by then it will be dark enough for you to light your lantern and watch it fly over the horizon. Don't forget to stand on the train tracks as you let your lantern go!

In 2017, the Lantern Festival (元宵節, Yuanxiaojie) will be held on 11 February.

Q:

What do you think that the yanshui fireworks festival?

Have you ever took part in the yanshui fireworks festival?

“(Yánshuǐ Fēngpào 鹽水蜂炮) it’s been voted the 3rd most dangerous tradition”

Do you know any of special traditions in the Chinese New Year?

Have you ever visited both pingxi (平溪)?

Introducing your ideal tourist spots to forging visitors.

What do you think the sky lantern festival?

Have you ever released a Chinese lantern into the sky!

Read More 看完整內容

週四 (1/26)1. 過年的”吉祥”習俗2.雞年運勢?

板橋區文化路段421巷11弄1號 (陽光甜味咖啡館)
新埔捷運站1號出口 旁邊7-11巷子進入20公尺 看到夏朵美髮院  左轉     PM7:00--9:30
1/26 為農曆年前 最後聚會
2/2 為年後開張 聚會日
敬請多出席 支持 
新年事事如意

過年的”吉祥”習俗

Traditions to build wealth     Jessica Mai

Clean before Chinese New Year to get rid of bad spirits.

As much as Chinese people believe in good luck, we also believe that there are bad spirits keeping us from it.

About a week before Chinese New Year, there is a lot of dusting, sweeping, and mopping going on in my home. Houses are cleaned to their entirety to sweep away bad luck and "inauspicious breaths," 

Any cleaning after the eve of Chinese New Year is considered bad, because you're potentially sweeping away any fortune coming your way.

Red is our lucky color.

This color is traditionally believed to bring wealth by warding off the spirits of bad fortune.

It doesn't matter what it is you're buying — if it comes in red, get it!

We emphasize the number 8, and avoid the number 4.

Numbers are not just numbers, especially during Chinese New Year. Even numbers are preferred because of their belief of balance and harmony. But the two numbers you have to remember for your wealth are eight and four.

The number eight in Cantonese is "bot" and is supposed to sound like "fot", which means rich. So, if you believe in the superstition, this number is supposed to bring you wealth.

We don't shower on the holiday.

One of the oddest superstitions I have followed is not showering, and especially not washing my hair on Chinese New Year. This superstition can be compared to the idiom, "getting yourself into hot water," or a bad situation.

Instead, the night before the holiday, we bathe in tea and pomelo leaves to wash away the bad luck and bring good fortune.

We exchange red envelopes.

These red envelopes are a major part of Chinese New Year, and are handed out throughout the two weeks. We go from relative to relative to bai lien, which means greeting the new year together, and exchange these envelopes. Exchanging red envelopes means giving blessings of wealth and good fortune to each other.

We plan our meals carefully.

Food is a major part of Chinese New Year, and eating certain meals is supposed to bring you wealth and prosperity.

For dinner, however, we prepare a feast: fish, chicken, long noodles, dumplings — the list goes on! Each food has its own superstition: Fish is supposed to bring a "surplus" of wealth; dumplings eaten during the celebrations are supposed to bring you more money; pomelos and tangerines symbolize fullness, wealth, and good fortune. 

Q:

What are the superstitions during the Chinese New Year?

What people consider as "inauspicious" in Chinese New Year?

What are your lucky colors?

What are the ways to bring wealth and get rid of bad fortune?

What are the flowers you do believe can help to bring wealth?

What is your lucky number?

What are the food you consider as lucky food?

雞年運勢?

Year of the Rooster 2017: Zodiac Luck, Romance, Personality...       chinahighlights.com

Are You a Rooster?

People born in a year of the Rooster are called "Roosters" in China. However, Rooster years are generally dated by the Chinese lunar calendar (starting on Chinese New Year), so if you were born in January or February, use the tool on the right to see whether you're a Rooster, according to "popular astrology".

2017 is a year of the Rooster. Roosters should be more careful in 2017.

The Luckiest Things for Roosters

    Lucky numbers: 5, 7, and 8

    Lucky colors: gold, brown, and yellow

    Lucky flowers: gladiola, cockscomb

    Lucky directions: south, southeast

    Lucky months: the 2nd, 5th, and 11th Chinese lunar months.

Things That Roosters Should Avoid

    Unlucky color: red

    Unlucky numbers: 1, 3, and 9

    Unlucky direction: east

    Unlucky months: the 3rd, 9th, and 12th Chinese lunar months

The Rooster's Personality: Observant, Hardworking...

People born in a year of the Rooster are very observant.

Roosters are always active, amusing, and popular within a crowd. Roosters are talkative, outspoken, frank, open, honest, and loyal individuals. They like to be the center of attention and always appear attractive and beautiful.

Roosters are Healthy and Enjoy Sports

People born in a year of the Rooster are typically healthy people. They are active and enjoy sports, such as hiking and swimming. Roosters don't get sick very often because they tend to fight illness well. Even when they do become ill, they feel better quickly. Roosters are a little sensitive, and they feel stressed and moody at times.

The Best Jobs and Careers for Roosters

Roosters are more motivated than other animals in the Chinese zodiac, making their careers a priority in their lives. Roosters are hard working, multi-talented, and can deal with a variety of jobs.

Good career choices for Roosters are newsreader, sales person, restaurant owner, hairdresser, public relations officer, farmer, athlete, teacher, waiter, journalist, travel writer, dentist, surgeon, soldier, fireman, security guard, and police officer.

Q:

Do you believe in zodiac signs or star signs?

Do you believe in luck?

Can we tell one’s personality by his zodiac sign?

What are your lucky numbers, lucky colors, and lucky flowers?

How to attract good luck?

What are the best jobs you desired?

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