由 chenkaren 發表的所有文章

life

Bright heart

436 則迴響


Last year around Halloween, I was invited to participate in a carnival for Tuesday’s Child, an organization that helps children with the AIDS virus. I was asked to attend because I’m on a television show; I went because I care. I don’t think that most of the kids recognize me as a celebrity. They just thought of me as a big kid who came to play with them for the day. I think I liked it better that way.

　　At the carnival they had all kinds of booths. I was drawn to one in particular because of all the children that had gathered there. At this booth, anyone who wanted to could paint a square. Later that square was going to be sewn together with the others, to make a quilt. The quilt would be presented to a man who had dedicated his life to this organization and would soon be retiring.

　　They gave everyone fabric paints in bright, beautiful colors and asked the kids to paint something that would make the quilt beautiful. As I looked around at all the squares, I saw pink hearts and bright blue clouds, beautiful orange sunrises and green and purple flowers. The pictures were all bright, positive and uplifting. All except for one.

　　The boy sitting next to me was painting a heart, but it was dark, empty, lifeless. It lacked the bright, vibrant colors that his fellow artists had used.

　　At first I thought maybe he took the only paint that was left and it just happened to be dark. But when I asked him about it, he said his heart was that color because his own heart felt dark. I asked him why and he told me that he was very sick. Not only was he very sick, but his mom was very sick also. He said that his sickness was not ever going to get better and neither was his mom’s. He looked straight into my eyes and said, “There is nothing anyone can do that will help.”

　　I told him I was sorry that he was sick and I could certainly understand why he was so sad. I could even understand why he had made his heart a dark color. But…I told him that it isn’t true that there is nothing anyone can do to help. Other people may not be able to make him or his mom better…but we can do things like give bear hugs, which in my experience can really help when you are feeling sad. I told him that if he would like, I would be happy to give him one so he could see what I meant. He instantly crawled into my lap and I thought my own heart would burst with the love I felt for this sweet little boy.

　　He sat there for a long time and when he had had enough, he jumped down to finish his coloring. I asked him if he felt any better and he said that he did, but he was still sick and nothing would change that. I told him I understood. I walked away feeling sad, but recommitted to this cause. I would do whatever I could to help.

　　As the day was coming to an end and I was getting ready to head home, I felt a tug on my jacket. I turned around and standing there with a smile on his face was the little boy. He said, “My heart is changing colors. It is getting brighter…I think those bear hugs really do work.”

　　On my way home I felt my own heart and realized it, too, had changed to a brighter color.

散文

The 6 Biggest Skincare Mistakes

11 則迴響

The 6 Biggest Skincare Mistakes

You already know it’s a sin to go to bed without washing your face (right?!), but that’s just one of many common bad habits that can seriously screw with your skin Unique Beauty.

To determine the most unforgivable beauty mistakes, we talked to board certified dermatologist Debra Luftman, M.D., co-author of The Beauty Prescription and dermatologist for Simple skincare. Brace yourself for some tough love—trust us, your skin will thank you later!

Mistake #1: You pile on the products We’ve all done it—you hear rave reviews about a new treatment and immediately think, Omigod, I need that! Before you know it, your beauty arsenal consists of toners, moisturizers, scrubs, retinols, cleansers, creams, and more. Not only is applying all of these products excessive and time-consuming, but you run the risk of irritating your skin. According to Luftman, your daily skincare routine should really cap off at three to four products. “You only need a cleanser, daily sunscreen, and a treatment-oriented product—like a moisturizer, acne treatment, or anti-aging product,” Luftman says.

If you’re constantly tempted by a new mask or cream that you bought, keep it out of sight so you only use it occasionally. And nix harsh scrubs and toners from your daily routine—they should only be used two to three times per week, Luftman says.

Mistake #2: You skimp on sleep and water There’s a reason your face resembles a celebrity mug shot after a night of partying. “Sleep and hydration are essential for skin health,” Luftman says. Not getting enough water can literally leave your skin thirsty, making it look dry and dull, so make sure you’re drinking enough water every day (and it’s not necessarily just eight glasses!). And hitting the sheets a little earlier can help give you a healthier glow. “Sleep is so important for skin turnover and for blood volume coming to the skin,” Luftman says. “It just makes all the difference in the world.” Stay fresh-faced by aiming for the recommended 7-8 hours of sleep each night Unique Beauty.

Mistake #3: You pick products that try to do too much When a single product promises you clearer skin, fewer wrinkles, and smaller pores, who wouldn’t want to snatch that up? The problem: It’s highly unlikely that a product will contain enough of each ingredient to live up to all of those claims—and if does, it’s probably too harsh for your skin. “Women are now tending to use products that multitask. Unfortunately, that means choosing products with more and often irritating ingredients,” Luftman says. Her suggestion: Check out the ingredient label—anything after the first three ingredients isn’t doing much. Instead, stick to products with fewer ingredients that are targeting a specific issue, says Luftman.

Mistake #4: You put on products a little haphazardly Yes, it actually matters which products you put on first, which ones you combine, and when you apply them! When it comes to layering products, you want to put on the treatment-oriented product first, says Luftman. For example, if you’re using a retinol or acne treatment, you should apply that before a basic moisturizer. And talk to a dermatologist before using more than one product with irritating ingredients, like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid—two common OTC acne-fighters. Finally, use harsher products like retinols at night, since they can make your skin more sun sensitive, says Luftman.

Mistake #5: You leave your makeup on at the gym We know it can be a little unnerving to work out totally bare-faced, but your skin will be better for it. Even mineral makeup formulas that swear they won’t clog your pores can still cause you to break out after a sweat session, says Luftman. Keep makeup removing wipes in your gym bag so that you have no excuses. Feeling too exposed? You can get away with wearing a very basic tinted moisturizer—just make sure it’s oil free, says Luftman.

Mistake #6: You’re skipping a daily sunscreen We know you’ve heard it a million times, but it’s worth repeating: “The most important step not to miss on a daily basis is the use of an SPF,” says Luftman. Not only can it protect you against sunburns and skin cancer, but new research found that people who use a daily sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher have significantly younger-looking skin. Luftman’s suggestion: Simple’s Protecting Light Moisturizer with SPF 15, an oil-free formula that shields against UVA and UVB rays. In this case, it’s fine to let a moisturizer pull double-duty as a sunscreen (See mistake #3). If you plan to be in the sun for an extended period of time, be sure to layer on something a little stronger—like SPF 30 or higher TTFD.

職場

15 Differences Between Employees and Entrepreneurs

發表迴響

39

Ever wondered what it takes to make the leap from employee to entrepreneur? It takes some key shifts in mindset, habits, and comfort levels–resulting in some key differences between the types of people who thrive as employees and succeed as entrepreneurs wismec 200w. Some people generalize employees as followers, and entrepreneurs as leaders. Yet there are entrepreneurial employees, and there are entrepreneurs who know when it’s time to follow someone else’s lead. The difference between these two types of people isn’t always clearly defined.

So, what are some key differences between employees and entrepreneurs?

1. Employees seek direction while entrepreneurs create a path.
Employees tend to seek help when a problem arises at work. Entrepreneurs create the solutions that keep the organization moving forward.

2. Employees do while entrepreneurs listen.
It’s the employees who get most of the work done in any organization. But in order for them to do it well, the entrepreneur at the helm has to listen to their needs and ensure they maintain a productive and positive work environment for staff.

3. Employees take fewer risks while entrepreneurs live for them.
While doing things the safest way can actually be good for an organization, it takes a risk-tolerant entrepreneur to believe in and build the organization in the first place.

4. Employees are often specialists while entrepreneurs are generalists.
Entrepreneurs need to know a little bit about a lot of things, in part so they can empower the specialist employees who work for them. In fact, a Swiss-German study found that specialists tend to be employees for life, and in fact prefer that role.

5. Employees get paid for their role while entrepreneurs get paid for results.
Entrepreneurs are sometimes the last to get paid in a company, because their compensation is tied directly to performance and profit.

6. Employees love holidays because they get the day off while entrepreneurs do because they can work all day with few interruptions.
A lot of entrepreneurs rejoice when holidays come along, not because they’re taking well-deserve time off for rent apartments in hk, but because they can be productive all day without being disrupted or distracted.

7. Employees appreciate steady employment while entrepreneurs are comfortable without job security.
Entrepreneurs know that it’s risky to build a business and that they must sacrifice steady employment in order to build the company.

8. Employees follow rules while entrepreneurs break them.
It’s a strange paradox, but to create a successful business an entrepreneur has to disrupt something, break a rule, or change the game. But in order to keep the entrepreneur’s company going, the employees need to be there to uphold the new status quo.

9. Employees are responsible for some decisions while entrepreneurs are responsible for them all.
Whether positive or negative, the entrepreneur is ultimately burdened with the impact of decision-making at all levels of the organization.

10. Employees execute tasks while entrepreneurs plan.
An employee can take work day by day, whereas an entrepreneur has to consider how well the tasks are being performed relative to the long-term plan for the business.

11. Employees like structure while entrepreneurs like infrastructure.
While employees generally prefer to have a defined range of responsibility, entrepreneurs consider how each person’s role contributes to the business–and its growth–as a whole.

12. Employees work to a schedule while entrepreneurs create their own.
If they don’t develop strong time management skills, entrepreneurs can burn themselves out working too many hours each week.

13. Employees are always working while entrepreneurs are always selling.
And it can be exhausting. Entrepreneurs have to sell investors on their ideas, clients on the value of their products, staff on the benefits of working there, and even their families on why they’re running a business.

14. Employees can enjoy more social interaction while entrepreneurs often work in a silo.
Entrepreneurship can get lonely, especially at the beginning. It helps to have a mentor or other group to bounce ideas off at the early stages of starting a business.

15. Employees dislike failure while entrepreneurs embrace it.
Failure means learning Roger Dubuis hong kong, and entrepreneurs know that failure is more likely than success–and failure can lead to success. Employees would rather not fail at their jobs as it can lead to fear of losing the steady employment they value.

散文

摘自张爱玲《秋雨》

604 則迴響

008

雨,像銀灰色黏濕的蛛絲,織成一片輕柔的網,網住了整個秋的銅鑼灣 髮型屋世界.天地是暗沉沉的,像古老的住宅裏纏滿著蛛絲網的屋頂.那堆在天上的灰白色的雲片,就像屋頂上剝落的白粉.在這古舊的屋頂的籠罩下,一切都是異常的沉悶.園子裏綠翳翳的石榴、桑樹、葡萄藤,都不過代表著過去盛夏的繁榮,現在已成了古羅馬建築的遺跡一樣,在蕭蕭的雨聲中瑟縮不寧,回憶著光榮的過去.草色已經轉入了憂鬱的蒼黃,地下找不出一點新鮮的花朵；宿舍牆外一帶種的嬌嫩的洋水仙,垂了頭,含著滿眼的淚珠,在那裏歎息瑪沙 射頻瘦面槍它們的薄命,才過了兩天的晴美的好日子又遇到這樣黴氣薰蒸的雨天.只有牆角的桂花,枝頭已經綴著幾個黃金一樣寶貴的嫩蕊,小心地隱藏在綠油油橢圓形的葉瓣下,透露出一點新生命萌芽的希望.

賞析：

有的時候不是那麼喜歡張愛玲的文字,就像這篇秋雨,別人都會寫溫暖潮潤的氣息,而她則寫得幽暗而陰森,光是筆觸就讓人感到寒冷而戰慄了.

但也許這正是張愛玲文字的魅力,張揚的,陰暗的,卻又是如此真實,探測到人內心的最深處.這篇文章用筆細緻,只用了比喻和擬人,就把秋雨寫得栩栩如生,又帶入了一層沉悶而寂寥的色彩. 於這文來說,充滿了灰色、憂鬱,黯然,寥落,一種生活無厘頭的滑稽言語治療師,唯一萌芽的一束希望之光,僅是那株低矮的無人問津的桂花樹.