Single Women 1 / 單身女郎 1

她們不為人知的過去

人們看到單身女郎目前的空白，不禁把那解釋成部分的殘缺，有時甚至以為，她們一輩子的愛情生活完完全全繳了白卷，在認識她們之前，我也曾經如此無知的認為。

歡迎來到單身女子俱樂部！往往不是我們主動選擇這樣的感情狀態，但是我們採隨遇而安的態度，決定好好享受輕鬆無負擔的日子。在我認識的單身女郎當中，每個人都有可以娓娓道來的故事，但是我們不看過去，那些往事只有在夏日午後、落日傍晚、不經意的文字書寫中，我們輕輕地道出某個片段，沒有鄉愁般地懷念，倒比較像是在輕描淡寫別人的人生。

如果他們還是執意相信單身女郎什麼都沒有，那只是我們選擇不說。單身女郎也曾經是別人的公主和夢想‧‧‧

Their Well-hidden Past

On seeing the blank state of single women's love life, some people can't help but interpret that as a kind of incompleteness. Sometimes they even presume that the emptiness lasts for a whole life. As a matter of fact, before I met my single gals, I believed so naively.

Welcome to our Single Gal Club! It's not really us that choose such a loveless life, but we do know how to get the most out of our carefree days. Among the single women I know, everyone has beautiful stories to tell. But we choose not to live in the past. On hot yet quiet summer afternoons, at lovely sunsets, in occasional emails, I get a glimpse of their history. They do not recount the stories with nostalgia. It's more like they are narrating other people's life, with a touch of humor and wisdom.

If they still believe that the term "single women" equals no love expriences, that's only because we choose not to say anything. In fact, single women were once some men's princesses and dreams...

For My Visible and Invisible Readers / 想對你說

最近常常聽到身邊的人說：「喔！我上了你的部落格‧‧‧」原先我總以為，除了我的幾位忠實讀者以外，應該沒有人定期來拜訪，可是當越來越多人和我說，他們也在注意我的動向，我的心裡不禁冒出一個大問號─我有多少名隱形讀者？

I've been hearing friends and relatives say, "Oh, I visited your blog..." I always thought that I had only some very faithful readers. Other people drop by occasionally either by accident or just to thank me for visiting their websites. However, when more and more people say the same thing to me, I can't help asking myself the question, "How many invisible readers do I have?"

我不喜歡八卦，也不擅分享內心最私密的情緒，很多時候我懶得吸引陌生人的注意力，我的孤僻及求完美的性格真實地反映在網路世界，如果說只有我一人獨自生活在這個書寫塗鴉的虛擬空間，我也可以理解。我好奇是什麼讓你們一直回來呢？

I don't like gossiping. Neither am I good at sharing my most intimate secrets. Oftentimes I am too lazy to attract strangers' attention. My loner and perfectionist personality is realistically reflected in the cyberspace. If I were the only person that was aware of the existence of my little blog, I think that'd be quite understandable. I am curious about the reason why you keep coming back.

前幾天去清大收展時，幾位很熱心的同學和老師在留言本裡寫下了鼓勵的話語，雖然只有少少的幾個人，短短的幾句話，我想我帶給他們一點感動，即使只是一瞬間，不知到他們有沒有機會讀到這篇文章，但是無論如何，我想要表達我的感謝。

A few days ago, I went to National Ching-hua University to wrap up my second exhibition. Some very nice students and teachers left their messages in my book. There might not be many messages or many words, but they let me know that I made a difference in their lives, no matter how slight. I am not sure if they'll get a chance to read this post, yet I'd like to express my heart-felt thanks.

親愛的讀者，我想對你說，我離自己的夢想還有好一段距離，雖然我鮮少沮喪，但是我不確定何時才會成功，我只知道，努力沒有結束的一天，我的人生因為掙扎、期待、跌倒、再前進而充實。不管你是因為何種原因認識我，甚至一而再再而三地回來，我要謝謝你，我的美術世界裡因你變得更豐富。

Dear readers, I want to say to you: I'm still so far from my dream. I hardly despair, but I don't know when I'll make it. I only know that my efforts'll never suffice. My life is enriched because of struggles, anticipation, failure and new determination. I don't care how you got to know me and why you keep coming back. I just want to say "thank you" because you make my art more colorful.

這張感謝小卡的靈感來自忠實讀者小金，每顆心都是誠摯的感謝，我製作了兩個版本，希望你會喜歡。

This thank-you card was inspired by my faithful reader Little Kim. Every heart represents sincere gratitude. I made two versions and I hope you guys'll love them.

All about Paper / 紙醉紙迷

阿瑪菲是遊南義的重頭戲，千萬名旅客來到此處就是為了造訪阿瑪菲海岸線和沿路幾個具有明媚風光的小鎮。我們一早從熱鬧的蘇連多搭巴士前往阿瑪菲的途中，山路九彎十八拐，但沿海的風景令人讚嘆到每一刻都值得紀錄，所有長途跋涉的辛勞都被我們拋諸腦後。而阿瑪菲就是等待於終點的驚嘆號，遊客如織，店面充滿蓬勃的生氣，海岸邊處處都是急於享受夏日陽光的泳客，五彩繽紛的遮洋傘從沙灘的一端延伸到另一端，好像說著，人生來就是要盡情享受。

Amalfi is one of the highlights of traveling in South Italy. Thousands of tourists come here for the amazing Amalfi coast and several towns located along the way known for their unique features. We took a bus in the morning from the bustling Sorrento. The narrow roads turned and twisted, but the seascape was more than stunning. Every scene was worth recording. The beauty of nature made us leave way behind the difficulty of independent traveling. Amalfis is the quotation mark that awaits tourists at the final point. Tourists fill the streets, store owners shout to bring in more business, and the beach is crowded with sun-bathers eager for the caress of sunlight. Everything says, "Life is all about carpe diem!"

我來到阿瑪菲除了享受美景之外，另外還抱著滿懷的期待，因為據說這裡的手工紙是出了名的，旅行途中雖然經過不少販賣手工紙的精品文具店，卻大多不是用來繪畫。果然一走入主要的購物街，便接二連三地看到阿瑪菲牌的水彩紙，最後因為攜帶方便的考量，選了17 x 24公分的迷你size，不過千萬別小看它，因為這本紙冊價錢不菲，算一算下來，每畫壞一張17 x 24公分的紙張就等與丟近水溝一枚50元台幣。

Apart from enjoying the beautiful views of Amalfi, I went for something much more important. The town is said to be known for its hand-made paper. I'd traveled around Italy only to find hand-made letter sets in many stationery boutiques. Fortunately, Amalfi didn't disappoint me. Some stores on the main shopping street do display the one and only brand of Amalfi paper. I chose the mini-size of 17 x 24 cm given the limited space in my luggage. However, it's far from cheap. Whenever I ruin a piece, it means I waste a 50-NTD coin.

這樣珍貴的紙畫起來是怎麼樣的感覺？阿瑪菲紙必須吸大量的水，而且在吸水之前需要一點時間消化，水量中等的效果很像寫書法時，有一些地方會出現細小的白點，感覺有山水畫裡的蒼勁。

How does it feel to paint on such precious paper? Amalfi paper absorbs much water. Before that, it takes some time for the paper to digest. Without that much water, the effect reminds me of writing calligraphy. Some teeny-tiny white spots appear even within large blocks of color. That feel is kind like in mountain-and water ink painting.

因為這次的旅行，我和如此特別的紙相遇，這是我體驗世界的方法。

Because of this trip, I had a beautiful encounter with such special paper. And this is how I experience the world.

Si tu es sage / 如果你乖

不透明水彩繪於瓷磚

旅行出發前，大家對我決定和母親同行這件事，有許多超乎我預期的反應，連簽證處的小姐也不放過我，「你和媽媽的感情一定很好吧！」弄得我不知所措，因為我們的關係遠比單單一個「好」字複雜，而且我自己也抱著戰戰兢兢的心情，因為就我過去旅行的經驗，每天24小時的相處可以讓情誼堅定的兩人惡言相向，甚至從此之後就形同陌路，這就是自助旅行的威力吧！

在旅行途中，童年的回憶再度浮現心頭，媽媽整天帶著我東奔西跑，我們之間多少也有摩擦，不過小時候哪懂這些事情？事隔二三十年，現在輪我帶著母親晃來晃去，我們開始玩角色顛覆的遊戲。等火車或步行的途中，我會對她說：「今天要記得寫日記，否則爸爸媽媽下次就不花這麼多錢帶妳出來玩！」我們都了解其中的幽默，便會心一笑。

爸爸媽媽也扮演過孩子的角色，而我，也有當父母的潛力。所以，如果你乖，我們就一起去海邊吧！

Acrylic on tile

Before I headed out for my annual trip, many people were surprised by my decision to travel with my mom. I was bombarded with the same question, "You two must be very close..." Even the lady at the Italian embassy didn't spare me. I was often struck dumb since I don't think such a simple statement could summarize our relationship. As a matter of fact, I was sorta anxious because well as we know each other, taking a trip together is a mighty test. We have no place to hide when required to spend almost 24 hours together every day. It's not uncommon that good friends find that friendship fallen apart after an unpleasant trip. All in all, I was by no means optimistic about what was going to happen.

On our journey, it dawned on me that we were doing nothing than review my childhood, when I was my mom's burden. She literally carried me around all the time. We sometimes didn't get along that well, but as a kid, I barely knew much about friction and stuff like that. After more than 20 years, it was my turn to take my mom around. Though I am the daughter, I couldn't help getting into this silly role-play game. While we were waiting for the train or walking, bored, I would say to her, " Hey sweety, don't forget to write down in your diary which places we visited tonight. If not, I, as your parent, will never take you on any trip next time." We both understood the humor of my words and we would burst out laughing like crazy.

Well, parents are once others' children and I have really good potential of being a parent. So if you behave yourself, we will go to the sea together!

Postcard Queen / 明信片女王

義大利是如詩如畫的購物天堂，所有你想得到的美好事物，誘人地陳列在亮晶晶的櫥窗裡，蠱惑著內心澎湃的旅客。我喜歡逛街，就是一身邋遢裝扮，我也趾高氣昂地踏進精品店，眼睛用力地收進一切美景，小至閃爍的珠寶，大至美麗得不像話的店員，再吸入令人迷醉的皮革和香水味，享受完一切便拍拍屁股走人。

Italy is a perfect shopping paradise. All the beautiful things you can imagine lie so enticingly in the glittering display windows. They allure the excited tourists silently, yet magically. I love shopping. With my sloppy looks, I step into the boutiques with my head up high. My hungry eyes absorb the beautiful scenery, from the dazzling jewels to the Barbie-cute clerks. My nose smells hard the intoxicating leather and perfume. When my five senses are satisfied, I walk away without even asking the price of one item in the store.

一路上盡是提著精品購物袋的遊客，LV、Gucci、Prada、Furla，我看不出來這些高級名牌用在我的身上，會讓我變得多迷人，最多別人只會問我，是在哪個市場撿到的便宜。當然，我對促進義大利經濟繁榮也有貢獻，我是個明信片迷，只要看到滿坑滿谷的明信片，所有理性在剎那間瓦解，而義大利恰巧又是在這方面相當傑出的國家，於是從北到南，我在各個書報攤留下倩影，也帶回來不少旅行的紀念。

On my trip, tourists with name-brand bags were spotted everywhere. LV, Gucci, Prada, Furla are among the top-ranking favorites. I don't know if those fancy products can make me a more charming person. It's more likely that people ask me if they are counterfeits I find in a specific nightmarket. However, I do have my Achille's heel. I am a postcard fan. I melt on seeing racks of postcards. Italy is especially well-developed in this area. From the north to the south, I left my traces at numerous newspaperstands and brought home with me lovely souvenirs of the trip.

我不想一人獨吞這些令我血脈噴張、腎上腺加速的作品，同時我也想小小地介紹背後了不起的藝術家和攝影師，他們的傑作需要其他人的賞識。

I don't want to keep the joy all to myself. There are postcards that send my blood rushing all the way to my head. I'd love to introduce the artists and photographers behind the gorgeous images as well.

北義的利古力亞省以五個連續的小漁村著名，這個景點位於一號漁村Riomaggiore。攝影師名為Marco Pasini.

Liguria, in North Italy, is noted for five sea villages. The scenery in the postcard can be found in Riomaggiore. The photographer is Marco Pasini.

威尼斯的聖馬可廣場舉世聞名，因此商業明信片的數量不在話下，不過這是我最喜歡的一張。

Piazza San Marco in Venice is world-known, so there are tons of postcards taken of the tourist spot. This is my favorite.

托斯卡尼的美麗不用我多說，這張明信片卻捕捉到平日生活的燦爛，濃郁的色調讓平凡的人物和房子比觀光景點更動人。攝影師為Marco Donnini.

The beauty of Tuscany has been broadly introduced. However, this photo captures a moment in the ordinary daily life. The rich colors turn the banal subject into something more fascinating than tourist attractions. The photographer is Marco Donnini.

老實說，我並沒有親自來到位於羅馬的這座橋，但明信片的美讓我難以拒絕。攝影師為Claudio Corrivetti.

To be frank, I didn't visit Ponte Sisto in Rome, but the postcard is just irresistible. The photographer is Claudio Corrivetti.

在羅馬拉渥那廣場附近有個花市，但游某人始終未去過，本張明信片攝於此。攝影師為G. Gasponi，出過四本書，有一系列專門以羅馬的貓為主題喔！

Near Piazza Navona in Rome, there is a flower & vegetable market, but shame on me. I didn't make it that far. The photo was shot here. The photographer is G. Gasponi. His works can be found in four books and he has a series on the cats in Rome!

卡爾賽達宮堪稱與凡爾賽宮其名，真實的相片美得太虛幻，我倒偏愛Alessandro Cocchia的童稚詮釋。

Caserta Palace is often compared with that of Versailles. Real photos are too beautiful to be true. I prefer Alessandro Cocchia's child-like interpretation.

拉斐羅位於南義的山丘上，每年夏天這個俯瞰著藍色海洋的山城會舉辦一系列的藝術季，宣傳的明信片張張令人驚艷。圖中為鋼琴家Isabel Ettenauer，她的演出主題為「The Joy of Toy」，時間為2006年7月12日。

Ravello is a small town located on the hill in South Italy. Every summer, Ravello hosts an art festival covering all genres of perfomances. The postcards for promotion are really impressive. In the picture is the pianist Isabel Ettenauer. Her concert, "The Joy of Toy," was on 12th, July, 2006.

卡布里島是遊客必到的觀光景點。島上土生土長的攝影師Umberto D'Anniello不僅拍攝商業景點，也有平凡中見偉大的作品。

Capri Island is one of the must-sees for tourists. Umberto D'Anniello, the photographer born on the island, takes shots of Capri Island from various perspectives. If you are interested, please go to his website to learn more about his works.

Opposites / 對比

When I was little, I thought it a universal idea that white skin covers all the defects on one's face. After I spent some time abroad, I learned that it was completely the opposite. For many people outside at least East Asia, getting a suntan is one of the best luxuries that life can offer. Because of different values, I often see this picture on the beaches.

OK, it's me. How can you tell with all my sunglasses, scarf, coat and umbrella?

很小的時候，我對於「一白遮三醜」這句話，毫無存疑。後來出了國，才慢慢發覺外國人多麼熱愛曬太陽，古銅膚色象徵著有錢有閒。近年來去旅行，常在沙灘上看到這樣充滿著強烈對比的圖面。

是啦，是我沒錯。奇怪，我都包得這麼密不透風了，你怎麼還認得出來？

Colorful Italy, Colorful Banner / 繽紛義大利

My Italy / 義大利印象

因應忠實讀者小金的來信，也順便澄清我沿路不只有欣賞可人的帥哥，我決定來篇義大利彩色印象的報導，讓各位生活黑白的朋友也能有番視覺上的饗宴。

In response to the request of my faithful reader Little Kim, also to clarify that I did not only look at handsome guys on my whole trip, here is a photo report of the colorful Italy. For those whose life is black and white, don't miss the feast for the eye!

瞧！五顏六色的傘，令人不禁想參加威尼斯的面具嘉年華！

Look! Umbrellas of all colors! It really put me in the mood for being part of the Venetian carnival!

南義的陶瓷藝術，不僅吸引的遊客的目光，也點綴了天然淳樸的山城。

The pottery painting art in South Italy not only attracts swarms of tourists but also brightens up the primitive towns on the green hills.

南義盛行的手工拖鞋色彩繽紛，師傅在五分鐘之內就可以為客人完成量身訂做的個人款喔！

The tailor-made sandals are quite popular in South Italy. Professional shoe-makers can come up with a pair of personalized espadrilles in five minutes!

手套店處處可見，靠近一些還可以聞到濃濃的皮革味。在義大利若要過著不注重品味的生活，還真是難上加難！

Glove stores are found everywhere. Take a closer look and you'll smell the lovely leather. It's really impossible to lead a sloppy life in Italy!

vacanza romana / 羅馬假期

義大利是一張大調色盤，不論是人或建築，吃的或穿的或用的，上面的顏色豐富地令人想隨之起舞，生活黑白的人應該去那裡旅行。

Italy is a gigantic palette. Whether it's people or architecture, food or clothes or daily goods, the colors are so dazzling that they make me want to dance wildly. Those whose life is black and white should take a trip there.

離開羅馬之前，很幸運地在書店找到了Sasek先生在1960年代完成的繪本，他把羅馬用極可愛的方式呈現，這本書令我愛不釋手。

Before I left Rome, I was lucky enough to find this book written and illustrated by Sasek in the 1960s. He presented Rome in such an adorable way. I think it is going to remain one of my life-long favorites.

Lasek的書名為─「這就是羅馬」，我看到的羅馬和他的內容不太一樣，以上在機場捕捉到的宣傳海報道盡我對義大利的印象。

The title of the book means "This is Rome." Well, the city I saw is kind of different from his version. The poster, which I caught a glimpse of in the airport, says everything I remember and love about Italy:-).

Sticky / 融化的冰淇淋

What's more sticky than the melting popsicle? In the meanwhile, it's a luxury for the summer season!

PS: This is the first time I feel like explaining the medium. It's acrylic on wood. And there is a little story about the wood. It's actually a broken piece from the stool in my students' classroom. I thought it a waste to let it lie there. Two weeks ago, a girl even fell from the stool and got seriously hurt!

說到「黏達達」，我不禁想到融化的冰棒滴在手上，雖然有點不清爽，不過吃冰真是炎炎夏日奢侈的享受！

註：我不太習慣說明每張畫的媒材，但是這幅作品實在太特別，是壓克力畫於木板上。木板取材於教室的破板凳，昨天看了覺得丟了可惜，便順手帶回家創作。前幾個星期，倒楣的韻心還從板凳上摔下來呢！