My father was a restaurant owner. My name is Vincent Lim. I'm a chef and restaurant owner. Running a Chinese restaurant is one of the hardest and most1 things in my life.

When we first arrived in Australia, my dad2 a Chinese restaurant. I would go there on a3 basis to help him out. And slowly I developed my4 for cooking. The hard work that my dad put into Chinese food makes me feel so proud that I am lucky enough to learn from a5

The first dish that I ever learned to cook was the fried rice, which is the easiest but also the 6 one to get right. From years of experience, I can7 you the difference between a good fried rice just from the feel and from the smell, without even taking a bite.

To lots of Chinese immigrants like us, the restaurant isn't just a business. It's a sense of 8 . The wok hei (锅气)9 every ingredient in the wok, producing an appealing smell. The fragrances of the food10 the air and lingered around so much longer. Those memories, they become nostalgic (乡愁). The sense of home is what makes a11 good dish taste.

In 2017, my dad passed away. I reaized that my love of cooking dishes from my childhood. I 12 the restaurant that I own today. Cooking was a13 way to my dad. I wanted to 14 everything that he taught me. Cooking15 all the hard work and memories that we had.

Eighty-year-old retired tailor, James McKay, spent Saturday night in prison after hitting 30-year-old Keith Smith over the head with his walking stick. McKay's wife, Laurene said that, while McKay is usually a（n）1 and pleasant person, he had been driven to this act of2 by literally getting wet just once too often. He could no longer3 it.

Smith lives above the McKays. He is a（n）4 gardener, and also a fish collector. Unfortunately, the water he5 over his balcony（平台）every day ended up on the McKay's floor, or too often, on the unsuspecting McKays themselves.

"For the last two weeks, since Smith moved into the flat above us, we dared not go onto our6 ," said Laurene. She added that it wasn't only the water7 their balcony from Smith watering his plants that8 them, but also the way he cleaned his fish9 . "We'd be sitting there happily reading our newspapers, when suddenly so much water would come from above that we'd be as wet as if we had10 with our clothes on! We could hardly11 the smell of fish!"

And on Saturday evening it was just too12 , "It was James' birthday," Laurene recalled, "and it was such a beautiful night to enjoy the starry night13 . I made him a birthday cake. The candles were a great sight as you can14 , but James didn't get to blow them out." Instead,

Smith15 one of his larger tanks over his balcony and both the McKays and the cake were wet through. "I have never seen him move so fast and I couldn't stop him. He was up there in a（n）16 ."

Smith is not going to take things further with the police. He has also17 to change his ways from now on. And what of James McKay? As he left the18 station,a large crowd of supporters sang him "Happy Birthday". "Definitely the most exciting birthday ever!" said the19 old man. "The best since my20 , I'd say!"

In a heartwarming tale from Georgia, a 72-year-old senior recently celebrated his college graduation in cinema studies, an achievement made even more special by the presence of his proud 99-year-old mother.

Sam Kaplan of Lawrenceville decided to start on his educational journey at Georgia Gwinnett College in 2019, half a century after he had firstly chosen not to get higher education following his high school graduation in 1969. The catalyst for his return to academia came when he heard a radio announcement about a degree programme in cinema studies.

Recalling that moment, Kaplan said, "I was driving down the highway when I heard about the degree programme. The next exit led to Collinsville, so I immediately exited, and within five minutes, I was enrolling in classes. I've always had a passion for writing and storytelling. I longed to transform my narratives into screenplays, but I realized I needed the basic knowledge to do so,"

Kaplan admitted that the journey was a mix of anxiety and excitement, but it proved to be greatly rewarding. He graduated with a 3.975 grade point average and perfect grade honours, majoring in cinema and media arts, and had desires to continue creating screenplays in the future.

"It was an exciting and nerve-wracking (神经紧张的) challenge. Re-recognizing myself with the art of studying and communicating with fellow students was a lot of fun," he told FOX5 Atlanta.

The most heartwarming thing of Kaplan's graduation day was the presence of his mother, 99-year-old Virginia Kaplan, during the ceremony. Virginia expressed her huge pride, saying, "I am so proud of him. He faced numerous challenges but insisted, and I am delighted, pleased, and extremely proud," the mother also added. "With his new degree, he's going to stand out in whatever he does. Who knows, I might even make an appearance in the movies."

Lanrick Jr. Bennett holds a unique title in Toronto: bicycle mayor. He led a Halloween Kidical Mass ride recently, which I attended with my daughter, son-in-law, their two dogs, and my granddaughter. He is working towards making cycling mainstream and safe for all residents in the city. I did not know that Toronto had a bicycle mayor; I surely would have voted for him in an election.

The bicycle mayor program is run by BYCS, an Amsterdam-based global NGO that believes "bicycles transform cities and cities transform the world". Standing in the strange but wonderful Bentway, a park built under an elevated expressway, Bennett says, "BYCS has 150 bicycle mayors across the world. And through a few friends putting in some really nice letters of encouragement, BYCS offered me a two-year term as an advocate here in the city of Toronto, becoming the first bicycle mayor of the city."

Bennett says he is boosting the work being done to make cycling more mainstream in Toronto. "I am giving a bit more exposure to the great work that has allowed me to be able to ride a bike throughout the city. It's getting better, we're seeing more infrastructure（基础设施）, and we're seeing more people not wanting to depend on cars as their primary piece. I'm happy that I have been part of a fantastic group thus far," says Bennett.

Since there's still a lot of work to do, Lanrick Jr. Bennett has been working hard to improve cycling conditions in Toronto, and his efforts have been recognized by the community. He has been advocating for more bike lanes（车道）, better lighting, and other safety measures to make cycling a practical option for commuters（通勤者）. It's great to see people like Lanrick

Jr. Bennett working towards making cycling safe and accessible for all residents.

The Beauty of Creative Friendships

I recently walked through an incredible exhibition in Venice. It 1 about 75 art works that a Dutch-American artist created during the time he spent in Italy in 1959 and 1969. The pieces on show included his ink-on-paper drawings, some gestural drawings, landscapes and sculptures.

Born in 1904, de Kooning spent the majority of his artistic career as a (n) 2 but in 1969, while visiting Rome, he 3 an old friend, the sculptor Herzl Emanuel, who invited him to his studio and 4 him to try working with 5 .

At age 65, de Kooning 6 his first sculptural works, 13 small clay items. It was the 7 of a new artistic era for him and, over the next 15 years, sculpture became a (n) 8 and inseparable part of his career.

Later, after I left the exhibition, I was 9 by how beautiful it was that de Kooning began making sculpture because of the initial 10 and encouragement of his 11 . It got me thinking about the often unacknowledged role that some friendships play in the creative process of 12 across all types.

We often think about those friendships that journey deeply with us in our private lives, 13 us through emotional ups and downs. But friendships that develop our professional selves are also 14 .In offering courage, insight and clarity on the work that we produce, these friendships 15 the overall quality of our lives.

Samuel loved animals since childhood. When he grew up, Samuel worked in the 1 near his hometown.

There was a 2 animal called Luna, the only white tiger in the zoo. Samuel and she had a special 3 that no one else could understand. When young, she was subjected to ill treatment. By the time the zoo 4 her, she was already shocked and did not try to 5 anyone. With great love and patience, Samuel was able to break Luna's shell.

Unfortunately Luna died during childbirth. Samuel could not cry. He had to take out the cub as 6 as possible before it was too late!

However, the little creature was shy and 7 at everyone trying to touch it. But Samuel was not afraid. He showed the same 8 and patience that he gave to his mother, gradually opening his heart.

One day, Samuel's wife got a job abroad and he had to move with her. Samuel cried when the day of 9 came, In the following five years, he couldn't really be 10 . Therefore, they 11 her job and returned to their original city.

But when he returned to the tiger cage, he could not see Blanca anywhere. Rather 12 , Samuel leaned on the glass of the cage. "Maybe your friend could not 13 you for forgetting or failing him," Samuel thought.

Suddenly he heard a loud sound of a glass blow behind him. Blanca 14 as quietly as possible to Samuel's surprise, and jumped to the window. It was Blanca's game when he was a cub. Samuel jumped in surprise and. 15 . But the moment he saw that great friend, he knew they would never separate.