Monday, December 28, 2015

New Year Resolution and yesteryear.

As the year 2016 ushers in , everyone talks of new year resolution. I think it is a good idea to write your own new year resolution. The past is past, what is done can not be undone. What really matters is learning from the past and move in a right direction. I will write another blog to details the specific new year resolution for 2016.  But here I would like recall the major milestone of my life in year 2015. What I have not achieved in 2015 should be carried over to 2016. I will look back to 2015 by reminiscing on five major issues that affects me and those people around me. Those are family, Career, distraction, ambition, and disappointments.


1. Family:  As a married person, whether your immediate family or the extended family. Their welfare and their state of affair is a matter of concern. As for my immediate family, my wife has been extremely gracious in taking care of us with diligence and consistency unmatched by any other. My two lovely daughters had the best care possible, and they are provided the best environment for their growth at home and at school. Kunsal's summer reading class was an excellent idea, that she picked up reading fast from that summer program. My wife did her best even at time, with seriousness and stern that required to command children to do things. The kids are growing into a healthy and well rounded person. They are exposed to good environment and their play time is not shortchanged for any other things. In health wise, they get healthy food, at home and school. Even though it is still a struggle to urge them to eat healthy, they have not strayed too far away. Mom's discipline is needed to maintain order and keep them in a right path.  So they received maximum care , love and affection, at the same time, kids are told and showed that there is always a boundary that they can not cross. Overall, I am happy to see them in delightful mood, and their laughter and shout and playing is a wonderful sights.  Having said that, I should stress here that we the parents, have to be their role model, in our own behavior. They learn the most inadvertently from their parents. Therefore virtues such as patience, respect, politeness and good communication and principles are some of the things they should be acquiring from us, if we fail to be  exemplary for those.

As my extended family, my dear mom had some health issues, and fortunately she is getting better and no more relapsing. Our inability to visit them yet is a major setback. My brother Jampa Choedup's successful passing for Geshi Lamran was very joyous occasion. He is near the top and we continue to urge him to study until he is granted the title. We are hopeful for that.  Our niece Jampa Yangchen's entrance in D. Pharm was satisfying and now the ball is in her court. She has keep up her momentum. Now other major health crisis.   Owing to hosts of issues besetting Nepal, we could not take our kids to see grandpa.  But Choekyi's and kids trip to Canada was delightful and good for the kids and Choekyi.   There are many more memorable things in the 2015, but the above is what is on the tip of my tongue, and we should be cherishing. Now going to the career part.


2. Career: My career is steady and progressive. Every  year I venture in new territory and I take initiatives. If my staff  evaluation is anything, I have improved my rate besides being very consistent on my performance.  I urge myself to keep on improving, be more disciplined and aim for higher. I should be happy with my current career. There are challenges and moral issues that bother you for certain things. But overall, it is better to be playing save, that rocking the boat on issues, that do not directly affect you. But the very fact that whatever doesn't bother is the very reasons for uneasiness for me for staying quiet.  There is progress in my career, and no regress.  Let waite and see what other might come around after a month on my career related issue. So there is nothing much to share, other than that the status quo maintained. But I urge myself to be more dynamic, things need to change, it can not stay stagnant.  While career prospective looks good, I should point out that I should get rid of my distractions in life.

Sunday, December 27, 2015

A Bosterious Party

After attending few get-together party at the end of the year 2015, I have a taste of fun time and merriment for a sustained period. I say it is a temporary sensory pleasure, not at all lasting joy or happiness, which we only might attain from spiritual attainment and salvation.

The first time it was the gathering of friends from Tibet, where raising your glass to ruckus of revelers and the tasting food was unforgettable. Then at our family friend Pema's house, we had yet another ball around Thanksgiving.

Staying late into the night, singing a song to toast and dancing to the tune of traditional Tibetan dance is a hit. And the most recent one was at another friend's house. Where the gathering was small and limited to parents and kids, but still we stayed late night and sing song and danced to our joy. I heard some say that without music, life is boring. While I can say, with music life is enlivened and added pleasure.

Such get -together is fun and stress relieving.  We savoured sumptuously the delicious food while the kids are playing together in separate rooms. The absence of children gives the parents time to themselves for some relief and fun from their regular stressful parenting.   My only concern is that while the parents and kids both have some good time, the loser is the kids. They do not go to bed at their usual time, because of such party. And I also don't know if leaving them all to themselves during our partying time is a good idea.

Some young boys, are little rough and playing aggressively sometimes. To the point of quarrel and conflict that is not healthy at all for young kids. The children have been left without much parental supervision, play their games and watch TV often in a small secluded room,away from the sight of their parents and elders, which might not be sensible things.

 I have clandestinely observed their movement, and most of the time, kids are engrossed in watching a movie on their tablets or TV and Other. Other times, they play video games.

On this Christmas Eve, we host a dinner for our friends at our house.  Tsering has worked out a menu, and everyone has been invited.  In total at Tenzin Kunsal's call and tally, there are over 30 people old and small. This is probably he biggest gathering in our house for years.   T  prepares and purchases things for the dinner. I have cleaned the room, and did my part for the success of the party.

This ones a while get- together is a social norm; that builds friendship, networking and rapporteur. A sense of Tibetanness is felt with all Tibetan friends coming under one roof.

Two essential things I learnt when attending  for such party is that you should, at least, be able to sing few songs. So when it comes to your turn, it will not be a bombshell.  The second thing is participating in the merriment is important in any way possible, so you will not feel out of touch. Since such gathering often disrupts the kids' regular hours or sleeping pattern, so such mass of the adult should be minimized.

As at all, another place, the Christmas Eve, party at our house is another joyful occasion.   Again late night, doing a round of sing songs and drinking into the wee hours, is a way of living for work and not working for living philosophy of life. . But I left sorry for the kids, who are left to themselves with minimum interference.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Cocktail For Overseas Chinese

The Office of Tibet, Washington D.C hosts a cocktail party for overseas Chinese. It was intended for Chinese outreaching efforts. The guests invited are predominantly Chinese intellectuals, activists and writers and journalists. Other distinguished guests include representatives of various campaign organizations and human rights activists of capitol hill. It was a  night of empowering speeches, entertainment, networking and revelry.

Kydor Auktsang in his welcome speeches stressed the office's outreach effort with the Chinese dissidents and this gala evening is the first step of much more in the offing. He outlines the nature and critical issues of Tibetan struggle, by stressing on the common ground of the Tibetan people and Chinese.  The evening is intended to bring together like-minded people and to deepen the rapport and good will amongst Tibet supporters, and it serves that purposefully.

With the departure of  Chinese liaison officer, the Office of Tibet is left with a vacuum. The Chinese outreach initiative suffered owing to this significant figure as a go-go person in strengthening and expanding people to people contact with the overseas Chinese. To a predominantly Chinese guests, the best way to communicate with them might be their mother tongue Chinese. Kydor la's  well-meaning speech on the significance of middle path and the policy of CTA is all delivered in English. Thus, the impact of it might not be felt as strongly as it would have for the Chinese only speaking if parleyed in Chinese.

Present at the meeting is another prominent Chinese dissident, Wenjing Chen, the father of Chinese democracy or Nelson Medal of China. His speech delivered in Chinese and translated into English consecutively was very critical and provocative. He stresses the importance of having a plurality of thinking and views and political ideology in exile Tibetan democracy. Such a well-represented democracy that is tolerant of other views will be a tremendous example for the Chinese democracy activists.  I believe he is among those few Chinese who indeed support Tibetan people's right to self-determination and freedom. He bashed against those who emphasizes on conformity and uniformity of approach and thinking.  The speech has a strong element of dissatisfaction at the state of affairs in regarding the Chinese and Tibetan.  Mr. Wen blasted Chinese President Xi saying that under his leadership, the rights of Chinese and Tibetan people have gone down the hill.   He busted the myth of Chinese President Xi's leniency and progressiveness and bold reform initiatives.  He made it a point that there is not telling sign of such a change shortly.  


It is a fun-filled event, with all the representatives of Tibetan communities and NGOs, and such exchange of Tibetan and Chinese should be organized more frequently.