I must at least try

I must at least try

In June 1985, two British mountaineers Joe Simpson and Simon Yates made the first-ever climb of the West Face of the 21,000 foot snow-covered Siula Grande mountain in Peru. It was an exceptionally tough assault – but nothing compared to what was to come. Early in the descent, Simpson fell and smashed his right knee. Yates could have abandoned him but managed to find a way of lowering him down the mountain in a series of difficult drops blinded by snow and cold. Then Simpson fell into a crevasse and Yates eventually had no choice but to cut the rope, utterly convinced that his friend was now dead.

In his subsequent book on the climb entitled “Touching The Void”, Joe Simpson wrote:

“As I gazed at the distant moraines, I knew that I must at least try. I would probably die out there amid those boulders. The thought didn’t alarm me. It seemed reasonable, matter-of-fact. That was how it was. I could aim for something. If I died, well, that wasn’t so surprising, but I wouldn’t have just waited for it to happen. The horror of dying no longer affected me as it had in the crevasse. I now had the chance to confront it and struggle against it. It wasn’t a bleak dark terror any more, just fact, like my broken leg and frostbitten fingers, and I couldn’t be afraid of things like that. My leg would hurt when I fell and when I couldn’t get up I would die.”

The survival of Yates himself was extraordinary. That Simpson somehow found a way of climbing out of the crevasse after 12 hours and then literally crawled and dragged himself six miles back to camp, going three days and nights without food or drink, losing three stone, and contracting ketoacidosis in the process, would be the stuff of heroic fiction if it was not so true. Indeed, six operations and two years later, he was even back climbing. All because, against all the odds, he tried …

Source: “Touching The Void” by Joe Simpson

Mama I love you

created by Minh Trang

Source of elements: Shabby Princess and Free Digital Scrapbook

Mồng 8-3 năm nay về nhà với mama. Hôm nay mua hoa tặng mama mà không hiểu lúc tặng nhỏ em nói sao mà mama lại nghĩ là bạn nó tặng bông cho nó.:(

Chúc maman nhiều sức khỏe nha.

Thanks for being  our mother, mama:)

What is your life made of?

My very first scrapbook - My life is made of...

The past, the present and the future

Be happy or be painful, day or night

My life, yes, is made of

Writing anything inspirational

Smiling with friends, colleagues and any acquaintance

Working with passion and enthusiasm

Having delicious meals

Dressing up like a princess

Traveling everywhere with beloved ones

Enjoying everyday with dear  family

- Minh Trang -

How a bout you!?

How to survive (and thrive) when you have a terrible boss

Everyone has a story about a horrible boss or client. Stories of office antics from yelling to disorganization are rampant, especially in the fast-paced public relations industry.

However, with just a few tweaks to your work style, you can successfully “manage up” and win over even the most difficult of managers or clients.

Here’s how:

1. Establish work preferences with them early in the relationship. Ask them how you can best help make their job easier. Soliciting feedback is essential and helps to diffuse tense situations before they escalate.

2. Don’t engage with craziness or take it personally. You are never going to win an argument with someone who isn’t rational. Instead, turn the demand or rant your boss spouted into a calm and positive opportunity. Don’t get defensive. Apologize if you truly made a mistake and arm yourself with solutions. “So it seems you weren’t happy with the situation. Here are some ideas regarding how we can fix things and move forward.”

3. Always follow up with clarification, in writing. After a meeting or a call, send a quick email with a bulleted list about your action items and responsibilities based on the discussion. And make sure you include deadlines. (For example: “I will complete the report by 2:00 p.m. and appreciate your feedback by 4:00 p.m. so we can send it out by 5:00 p.m.”).

4. Praise them. Yes, this is where some humility comes into play. Thank them when they provide you with clear direction. Tell them how much you learned from them by watching their presentation, etc. Most tough bosses thrive on positive feedback and want to be admired. Bonus points if you do this in front of other colleagues.

5. Over communicate. Frequently provide positive email updates. Not only are you documenting your work and achievements, but you are preempting any complaints they may have about you not working fast or smart enough. These updates can be sent even if the project is not completed, or if it has hit a speed bump. “I completed half of the media list and although there are dozens of editorial changes, I’ve also uncovered some great new contacts. I’ll have something to share with you in another hour.”

Understand that you can’t change others, but you can change how you relate to them. With some practice, you’ll become a pro at dealing with difficult clients and managers and enjoy a happy and productive career.

Lorra M. Brown is an assistant professor of public relations/professional communication at William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. She serves as the internship coordinator and advisor to the Student Public Relations Association. Prior to her faculty position, she held senior-level positions at Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and Weber Shandwick Worldwide.

Source: PR Daily

Weekly Photo Challenge: Peaceful

Nature is also peaceful…

Weekly Photo Challenge: Flowers

Apricot Blossom ("Hoa Mai" in Vietnamese)

I would like introduce all of u a kind of beautiful flower from Vietnam that Vietnamese (especially the South) always use for decoration in Lunar New Year….

I took these photo in front of my house, in occasion of Tet Holiday 2010.

Enjoy it!

Apricot Blossom-Hoa Mai

Apricot Blossom-Hoa Mai

Apricot Blossom-Hoa Mai

Đang đọc… Người bạn bí ẩn (When you reach me)

When you reach me – Rebecca Stead

Bìa phiên bản Việt được giữ nguyên, giống y chang bản gốc. Thích điểm này nhất nè.

Four mysterious letters
change Miranda’s world forever.

By sixth grade, Miranda and her best friend, Sal, know how to navigate their New York City neighborhood. They know where it’s safe to go, like the local grocery store, and they know whom to avoid, like the crazy guy on the corner.

But things start to unravel. Sal gets punched by a new kid for what seems like no reason, and he shuts Miranda out of his life. The apartment key that Miranda’s mom keeps hidden for emergencies is stolen. And then Miranda finds a mysterious note scrawled on a tiny slip of paper:

I am coming to save your friend’s life, and my own.
I must ask two favors. First, you must write me a letter.

The notes keep coming, and Miranda slowly realizes that whoever is leaving them knows all about her, including things that haven’t even happened yet.  Each message brings her closer to believing that only she can prevent a tragic death. Until the final note makes her think she’s too late.

(Source: http://www.rebeccasteadbooks.com/books.html)

 

 

 

Blue smile…

Scrap my face.

Credit: Shappy Princess, Digital Scrapbooking

Weekly Photo Challenge: Contrast

This photo is taken at my grandparent’s – where I was born. When I were a child, I used to spend time to make those

conical hats (in Vietname – it’s called “Non la” – leaf hat). We made those vietnames style conical hats to earn our living, til now.

I suppose that there’s a little bit contrast in this photo, so I post it for this week challenge. Hope that it’s not out of our topic:)

Conical hats is going to be produced:)

You could see some beautiful photos here for futher reference

Thanks for stopping by and leave me your comments

Happy Women’s Day!

Created by Minh Trang

Source of elements: Shabby Princess/ Free Digital Scrapbooking – Thanks for ur kits:)

Ngoi may mo lam cai scrapbook nay tang cho cac chi, cac em, cac ban cua minh. Hoi ay’ nay’ vi co rat nhieu nguoi di qua doi minh, va de lai an tuong sau sac trong tam tri minh va minh rat muon ghi dau ho vao scrapbook nay. ma khong kip. Yeu tat ca nhung nguoi phu nu cua toi!!\

Chuc nhung nguoi phu nu vi dai se co 1 ngay 8-3 hanh phuc va nhung ngay con lai tran day niem vui!

Wishing you all the best, my wonderful women!!