How are you? Have you had a good weekend?

On my side, I have put-off my airplane ticket for China from Dec 10, 2013 to March, 2014, since I was required to be in Springfield Jan 27 to Feb 28 for my art exhibition in OTC 2014; Even though I go back China, Chinese National Academy of Arts will be closed for its winter vacation Dec 27 to Feb 23, 2014; I will miss Chinese New Year's Day on Feb 1, 2014... but if I stay here, I can not only save the cost of 4 tickets, I can also attend a free English lesson since Jan 7 every day, until I leave for China...

Now, here,specially, I would like to thank Mr. Lonnie Funk, the President of Rolling Oaks Group of Companies LLC and Affiniti Management Services LLC, Mr. Tony Martin, the Assistant Community Director of my department, just because of their friendly help, I have been having a comfortable, clean and stable place to live since Sep 13, 2013 and I will have it until I leave for China. After updating the housing contract, I just be able to make the final decision.

However, you cannot imagine, just I changed my airplane ticket, a heavy ice and snow hit Springfield, MO on Thursday, the ground was so slippery, so that I fell over oneself out of the National Art Shop, could not stand up until I got help. :- ) And the weather was changed so cold, that I could not help regretting, even I wanted to change the ticket once more. :- )

To be honest, I myself did not really think that I would spend the cold winter in the US since I had been thinking of coming here in the warm season, but stay in Shenzhen, China or Sydney, Australia in the winter. Since it seems like it was the God wants me to try to live here in the winter, I would like to try as well. So, instead of changing my ticket once more, be in much more clothes, I went to a Chinese Restaurant Friday dusk.

Can you imagine? As soon as I went out of the door, I felt so nice for I found the air was so clean, the view was so beautiful in the snow, some squirrels were running and climbing the trees, especially, I found a clump of plants still alive with their red fruit and green leaves in the white snow, the golden lights from the houses and the cars carried the thick snow by the streets or running on the road made me feel that I was in a world of fairy tales. My heart changed happiness and I could not help appreciating the God for he has given me the good opportunity to experience another beautiful view in the winter.

Even though the wind was just like a knife cutting on my face, still I took out of my camera to take the wonderful views in my eyes.

After walking on the ice and snow for about 30 minutes (usually I just go there by walk for about 15 minutes), I saw the light of the Chinese Restaurant and I found it was still open. I was so touched when I saw the hostess Mrs. Kathy Xiaoqing Yan and her husband; my heart was warm when I was eating the delicious food in the cold and the snow season.

During I was there for about 40 minutes, I did find except the customs who sat down to eat in their small restaurant, at least 5 or 6 groups of students came here to carry their food in the boxes. Saw Mrs. Yan, her husband and their employees working hard on their positions, it was full of the respect to the couple of American Chinese in my heart. After all, they had also two young students who is 8 years and 11 years old, also needed to be looked after at home in the so snowy evening; after all, they had to pay much more effort to keep helping more students in the cold, icy and snow season, when all of the schools had been closed because of the bad weather. So that I could not help to go out of the door, to take some photos for their small Chinese restaurant in the cold wind.

I am thinking, God and Bible teach us to thanks given always. Yes, every one who lives in the world, at least 200 people work for us, from clearing the street, repairing the road, offering the electricity, heater, food, fruit, vegetable, water, education, medicine, social insurance, to every thing… we should really thanks given for our each meal, a cup of water and anything else we have had…

With so many applications in my heart, this week, I painted 2 new paintings, on each of them, includes the plants that I had met in the snow, you can see them via the links below.

This is the first time I painted two a little bit bigger size paintings in my travel. It should owe to my former classmate of Missouri State University - Mr. Zhu Bin. By his good help, I bought a big board, a peace of sheet iron, some magnets, plus my own felt Nov 28, and we made a professional Chinese painting board 220cm x 110 cm (86.61 inches x 43.30 inches ) on Monday, Dec 2.

You cannot imagine how I was happy when I was working on my new paintings by my new professional painting board. One hand, I felt lucky enough for I could paint again in my travel; the other hand, I re-felt the happiness and enjoyableness in my painting itself, it seemed like my birds, plants and stones were all smiling to me… :- )

When I was working on my new paintings, more than once I thought, I could work fast with happiness right now, just because I have had a new board.

A painting board is just the platform of an artist; a country is just the platform of the country machines and organizations; a organization is just the platform of its departments and employees, unemployment just means to lose the platform to work. From this meaning, the substance of management is just to create, manage and run a best platform, to offer the organizations, departments and individuals the best work and development room and conditions…

If I want to develop my own project much better, I must work on a best platform via some methods: To “ graft ” my project on to a big platform; to cooperation with some organization; or to create a platform by myself.

No matter what kind of situation will happen to me in the future, this project will certainly go forward. The difference is just size and speed.

Do you think so?

This week, except painting and dealing with jobs in my travel, I have also attened a simple but warm wedding of two students of Missouri State University as a photographer whom was invited.

You can hit the link to see the big size photos

How about you? Do you have anything special to share this week?

Shirley Yiping Zhang
Dec 8, 2013