How are you?

Since I came back to Shenzhen July 28, 2012, I have been working on the music that I had created for Chinese classical poems, because it is an important part of my comprehensive art exploration. I have checked and corrected the first group (about 30) of my translations and made much practice to sing them in Chinese and in English.

Also, I have been to Guangzhou to have a talking with a publishing house.

A good friend who keeps my archives has sent my file to Shenzhen Social Insurance Bureau to check it and to count my pension before I handle the retired procedure in the company. I will be able to live a comfortable life with the pension, if I do not work on my project. :-)

It seems like I am asking for trouble to work on it indeed. :- )

However, to be honest, I have no time to think of this question too much yet. I just think simply, finally I am free, why don’t I work on the dreams that I have being making since my childhood?

So, I do not very care for whether it can bring me economic benefits or cause me lose. I just enjoy the process of the studying, thinking, creating and exploration. If I can just support it to work by myself, I will work it as a little project; if I can find a big support, I will work with more people to enlarge it. I just want to do my best to go forward, instead of thinking of the result too much…

I am thinking, since it is something interesting and it can bring me a delight enjoyable feeling and a little sense of achievement, why don’t I work on it? :-) Since it is a project can help the others and this world, it will certainly be found by some people who have good insight. Also I am thinking, if my project were good like gold, it would be certainly found and it would off light in the world. If I myself were good like gold, I would be found and I would be cherished by the society and the people in the world, too.

Since my project and I myself have not been found yet, because both of us have not been the best yet. So, what I have to do is to improve my products and I myself with a clear mind and hard work.

The lucky thing is, except getting much spiritual encouragement; I have gotten a lot of actual help already:

-- Mr. Mike J has been helping me to work on the project as a volunteer for over 10 years, even though he had to look after his wife in the hospital, he kept sending back his corrections before the time I wished to get it. Can you imagine? He has known me since I painted the first painting and sang the first song, but he has not accepted any gift and we have not met each other yet.

-- Mr. James D. from Canada always responds me at the first time. He does not only correct my writing, but also, he tells me why I was wrong. Very often, his explanation is much longer than the correction itself. After listening to my singing in English, he made some voice files to show me what places I must pay more attention to their pronunciation.

-- Mrs. Xiaogang Z. is my English teacher over the cell phone. Always it is her to point out the grammar mistakes in my writing and teaches me to follow the regulations to work. :- )

-- Prof. Weiye M. kept coming to my place in the heavy rain ? he reached the garden I live on Sunday, but, he could not go off his car in the downpour. With the totally wet shoes, and the ached low back, he kept playing piano, listening to me singing, defying the rhythms and the pitches for my 27 piece of music for 6 hours. He will also connect and choose a professional company and coach me to sing and to make the record.

-- Mr. H in Beijing, who met me only once 12 years ago, had not only offered the actual help when I asked help from all friends in my cell phone from Australia in 2010, but also, he found time in his busy schedule to meet me, checked my works, introduced me to some officials, scholars and connoisseurs in person...

-- Mr. Fengqiang J and Ms. Qiuyue L. from a university publishing house spent a lot of time to discuss my series books and directed me to improve them.

-- Mrs Zhang who is my new cleaning lady and neighbor has done so much work to clean my home and she has helped me to live in a very clean and comfortable environment...

By so much help from so many good friends, I have really seen the dawn of hope in my future road.

So, even though I have had no time to see my doctors and to retire from the company yet, I have been working hard with a peaceful and easy heart. I will finalize the translations of the poems, complete the music and singing recording, finish the checking and editing of my writing for these poems, with the music and articles to match the paintings that I have completed in CNAA in Beijing, to complete the first group of comprehensive products in August.

Anyway, when I looked at my paintings, I did not satisfy them at all, I will re-paint them in Beijing next semester after I complete the music and writing work at home. :-)

I am quite busy right now, but, I do feel so much peace and leisure at home, I can write very fast and work in a high efficiency so that I am thinking, if I can stay at home with this comfortable style for a long time, maybe my health can be recovered naturally? :- )

After all, in Shenzhen (a city there are 10 million people and next to Hong Kong), I seldom use air-condition to make cool at home in the day time. Also I do not want to eat or drink any thing cold as I always wanted to do in the school in Beijing at all. I do enjoy the little bit moist air in Shenzhen by the Ocean, and I often feel the sweat is taking out something unhealthy from my body day and day...

I am confident in my comprehensive art exploration; I am confident in overcoming the sicknesses along with the time.

How about you? Do you have anything special to share?
I am just a student on Art of Painting, Music, English and Management, to work on the web site in my free time. I would really like to do a few things with what I have learned to make this little web site to be an Electronic Bridge of Inter-Art & Cross - Culture Exchange, Chinese Language Learning & Friendship Making. To help the others while to improve myself.

I would like to appreciate you for your understanding, directions, supports and help.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, you are welcome to write to shirley@ebridge.cn or leave your message on Message Board.

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Auguest 6, 2012(Beijing Time)