To Live! And to Write for Life!

自2009年初因為一個中國同事的請求，著手寫第一篇英文履歷系列文章，我就有個很強烈的信仰。
我希望幫助大家深入接觸全世界（不是只有遊山玩水或出出差），因為唯有一定程度地去了解不同的文化，才能不被自己的文化洗腦(每個文化多多少少都有洗腦)，才能認識自己的優缺點，這才是真正提升國際競爭力的第一步（這個議題我今天就此打住，不想花時間批評某個愛耍嘴皮的政府）。
我非常有幸認識世界各地的人們，了解他們的信仰及想法。（2011.08.11 請看"個人成長 Personal Growth" 之 “我身邊的小人物、大道理“ 的新文章）雖然我不可能在這裡全部分享給大家，但是我給的第一個建議就是：頻繁使用英文，由簡至深。藉由英文你能夠和全世界溝通，更快速得到更多的各方資訊，還能幫助你研判你接觸到的中文資訊的正確度！而且你的英文程度也會自然提升。想要去補習班上課提升英文程度之後才跟外國人溝通其實是本末倒置。

(網頁內容不定時更新)
寫履歷的第一步是選擇格式。選對了事半功倍，選錯了沒人要看!
這不是誇大其辭，而是因為不同的職業使用的格式不同，以下四種格式哪個適合你?
1. CV (Curriculum Vitae)
適用於博士學歷者及申請大學教授職務、實驗室或研究院者
(因為我沒有博士學位，所以沒寫過CV，建議有興趣者去國外大學網站上看大學教授的網頁。
他們都有PO自己的CV。)
2. 按時間順位排經歷
適用於碩士以下學歷者。這包括在校生、應屆畢業生、在職者(從小員工至大老闆)。
根據工作經歷多寡，格式必須有些不同。
在職學生、應屆畢業生和職場經歷尚不多者，請點此繼續閱讀。
職場老鳥 請點此繼續閱讀。
3. 按工作項目排經歷
適用於想轉跑道，或經歷觸及過不同產業者。必須小心撰寫，才不會被誤以為是被炒魷魚或不會做人才換工作。
4. 電子履歷表格
你被應徵公司要求上網填他們的表格，有時允許你夾帶你的原履歷，有時不允許。
通常這種公司都是國際知名大企業。遇到這種難搞的表格怎麼辦? 請點此繼續閱讀。
若有疑問歡迎發問。寫完英文履歷後，歡迎連絡筆者，筆者可以提供意見。(留言或迴響皆可)
但筆者在此聲明不會校訂或幫人撰寫履歷，因為花錢請人代筆對你只有壞處。西方人最不能忍受職員做假。將來能力不足被抓包，你將付出一生的名譽。

影片最後 Pi 問作家："Which story do you prefer?"
注意：他不是問你覺得哪一個是真的，或哪一個比較可能發生，等等。他問的是「你會選擇相信哪一個故事？」
prefer 本身代表有不只一個選項可以讓你自由選擇，沒有強迫中獎。例如如果我去早餐店，服務生問我想喝甚麼，我問他有哪些選項，然後假如他說有茶又有咖啡。我可能會說這樣一句話：I prefer tea over coffee for breakfast.
回到電影情節。作家說："The one with the tiger - it's a better story!"

最近兩年來筆者的生活感想很多，也看到很多社會文化和制度對人們的壓迫和扭曲人性的現象。
今年夏天我將辭職離開工程界。九月進入倫敦政經學院社會心理學系寫一篇有關 組織/公司人事結構扁平化（或維持扁平）所遇到的困難 的論文。
現今我們一般人民已經能接受職業無貴賤，每個工作崗位都可以培養出高度專業知識的概念了。
所以工業革命那一套老闆說了算、員工要聽話的強硬管理已經被人詬病。（一篇很有趣的文章 當老闆這麼說...）

Chapter 4 - Background Information on Human Rights
4.5 Q&A  http://eycb.coe.int/compass/en/chapter_4/4_5.html
Compass 不只是一本給老師而是專門寫給年輕學子的教育手冊。幾十年來，歐盟中學生都熟悉它的內容，更懂得自己有哪些權益並且更懂得尊重他人。

看過 Ramsey Clark 當天晚宴上的發言，我覺得當場翻譯翻得不精準，很多文字上的重點和情感都不見了 - lost in translation！
所以我特別一字一句抄下來，然後翻譯，希望各位能瞭解這位美國人的發言內容。
“Every visit I’ve had to Taiwan has been a joy because of its beautiful people and such a beautiful island, though I recognize and feel how hard the road has been.  And um since I first set foot on China and saw it in 1948 and the long great struggle of people here, it made me sad to realize um how difficult for all of us the struggle remains, and how dangerous the moment and the future is, and how current events have made this part of the world, in which Taiwan is so prominent, so dangerous for peace on Earth at this time.  We see the struggle in southeast Asia and the conflict between 2 great powers - my own country the US and the PRC - both of which has the capacity to arms nuclear weapons to destroy life on Earth. ...

 

這節課的教授告訴我們這群不是英文系的學生說在文學裡面，怪獸的出現代表某個社會問題/現象。
吸血鬼 Dracula 代表的(意義之一)是19世紀貴族勢力衰敗對上中產階級興起的問題。狼人則是不能自己(因為他無法控制自己的身體)的中產階級。而科學怪人則是不被社會接受及關懷的下層階級的悲歌。
在西方文學的世界裡，真的是充滿象徵 symbols!
 
我這禮拜寫的則是另一個的科學怪人中的主題：
Shelley presents an interesting pair of characters - Frankenstein and the monster - to examine many problems of the humankind.  The monster has learned many abstract concepts such as justice and social life.  When he reflects on his past and behavior, issues are brought to our attention.  Frankenstein too reflects on his.  They share many similarities but their take on fate vs. free will is quite opposite.
Frankenstein believes fate has pre-determines his life although readers easily see that he is almost always free to choose.  For example when he is in Ingolstadt, he does not bother to contact his family at all.  Instead he claims it is fate to work on the project.  When the monster begs to have a companion created, Frankenstein agrees and says he understands that a creator has duties toward his creation.  Later he breaks his promise, provoking the monster to make him a lonely person too, but he blames it on fate again.  His idea of fate, when he in fact exercises free will, shows his irresponsible character.
On the contrary, the monster is conscious of his decisions.  When the French family moves away, "feelings of revenge and hatred" fill his mind and he says, "I did not strive to control them; but, allowing myself to be borne away by the stream..."  He wants to destroy something but chooses "inanimate objects" instead of "anything human."  Finally when Frankenstein dies, the monster says, "What does it avail that I now ask thee to pardon me? I, who irretrievably destroyed thee by destroying all thou lovedst... I was the slave... of an impulse which I detested, yet could not disobey."  This shows he understands his own weakness but holds himself accountable for making himself even more miserable, although readers know that society does not leave him many other choices.
The theme fate vs. free will is a lesson about the responsibility toward oneself.  Because Frankenstein refuses to take responsibility, he is full of hatred on his deathbed and even asks Walton to continue his hatred.  In contrast, the monster says death will bring him peace and happiness.

Dracula is more than a horror story.  It was very scary for the English readers at the time of writing because it points out a few major fears of at-the-turn-of-the-20th-century Britain.
You can read it online for free.  Just go to Google and search keywords "read Dracula online."
This week, I would like to share 2 passages by my classmates and my Prof.'s discussions on how different monsters are related to class problems in additional to my essay.

"Alice in Wonderlands" is actually 2 books  - "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass."  They are not only for children but also adults.  Of course, children and adults see different parts of the books.
Have you read the books too?  What were your thoughts and opinions?

 

A few readers have asked me to post my writings because they like my lean writing style.
Actually, I tend to write applied documents such as complaint letters and such today :)  But lucky you, I am taking a Fantasy & Science Fiction Literature class on Coursera.org.
I will post my homework assignments and the comments I receive from other classmates.  So here is my essay assignment for Unit 1: Grimms' Fairytales: