Friday, February 26, 2010

Beauty of drawing sketches / 速寫,不只是我的事

那天為了買一朵很重要的玫瑰花,在課和課之間偷閒去菜市場,我躲在某個陰暗處速寫,過沒多久,一張熟悉的臉湊過來,是坐在我隔壁的小月,她和我打過招呼就離開了。為了把握時間,我等到晚上的北京行前說明會,當導遊先生鉅細靡遺地預習整趟旅行時,我就把顏色著了上去,也算是利用零碎的分分秒秒。

That day, for an extremely important mission of buying a rose, I stole some minutes between classes, traveling to the market nearby the school. I hid in a dark corner to draw a quick sketch, when a familiar face came out of nowhere—Ms. Moon, my neighbor in the office. She said a quick hello and left me alone to my private art therapy moment. However, I didn’t have time to color the picture until the evening, in the forever-lasting briefing before departure, when the tour guide droned on in detailed detail about the trip to Beijing. You can say I grasped the essence of time management.

今天突然間想到應該要把成品和她分享,結果好幾個同事趁機從作業堆裡爬出來小憩,大家吵吵鬧鬧的,從這個星期翻回上個星期到上上個星期的速寫,好像也去了好幾趟旅行,最後小月居然還雙眼充滿誠意地對我說,下次去河堤速寫時可不可以帶她去。

This morning it occurred to me that I should share the finished work with Moon. It came as a surprise that several other colleagues crept out of piles of test papers for a break and gathered around us. We made a lot of noise, turning from the sketches of this week to those of last week, to those of two weeks ago as if we had taken the trips within a few minutes. In the end Moon even came up with an idea. She said to me with total sincerity, “Please take me to the riverside with you when you go for sketches next time.”

上個月去花蓮之前,輔導室的妹妹一再吩咐,要帶回來花蓮的速寫,那是我的作業。今天離開辦公室,走進陽光裡的前一秒,同事們在我的身後大叫,「好好旅行,好好畫畫,回來要用圖畫帶我們去北京旅行!」

Last month before I headed for Hualien, my young colleagues in the counseling room kept reminding me to draw, which was the homework they assigned me. Today before leaving the office and walking into the sunshine, those beautiful ladies with whom I share my everyday work life shouted behind me, “Travel hard, draw hard, and take us with you to Beijing with your drawings when you come back!”

Stride / 昂首闊步的旅行

我要就這麼從二月跑進三月!

I am jogging from February into March at a confident and exuberant pace!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Traveling to the zoo / 到動物園旅行



我這一生中去動物園的次數屈指可數,上次去是十多年以前的事了。不過正如我總是和別人說的,一個人小時候如果直接跳過童年該做的事,越年長就得往回活,彌補之前的缺憾。

I hardly go to the zoo in my life. My last visit can be traced to a dozen years ago. However, just like what I’ve always told others, if one child, born with a middle-age mind, skips the must-dos for kids, he or she will be bound to make up for that later in life.

這麼老了到動物園,我比三歲的時候去開心許多,動物們各有其姿態,皮膚上的花紋渾然天成,比時裝秀還真實,我畫起來深深感受造物者的奇妙。

I am by no means a young visitor to the zoo, but to be honest, I am so much happier there than when I was three. Each animal is unique, the pattern on their skin is so natural that this visit feels much more real than attending a fashion show. As I draw, I can fully appreciate the magic hands of the Creator.

這個周末要去北京,除了低溫之外,如廁問題也令我憂心,小雪說,上廁所時可以看到大家的翹臀,我想斑馬排排站露出秀臀,是想要給我點心理準備吧!

We are leaving for Beijing this coming weekend. Apart from the freezing temperatures, I am also worried about toilet problems. Sharen said I’ll get to see everyone’s bottoms. Well, I certainly feel the zebras’ enthusiasm in giving me a lesson before the trip!

Saturday, February 20, 2010

Sugary Travel / 蜜糖般的旅行


我喜歡吃,但幾乎不太寫餐廳的介紹。下了一整個星期的雨,在屋裡待了五六天,在雨中走了一整天,走著走著,最後都會走進餐廳或咖啡店。

I love to eat, but I hardly write about restaurants.

It rained for a whole week. I stayed indoors for five or six days, walked in the rain for one whole day. Eventually I would walk into a restaurant or café.

珠寶盒-在安和路的巷子裡開了二店,整間店就是偶像劇裡的場景,做麵包的年輕人至少半打,女侍悠閒但細心的腳步在現實裡有點難找到,麵包和甜點美好地不像話,連名片用的紙磅數高到令我羨慕,而且最重要的是,客人並不多。

Boîte de Bijoux—the branch café located on An-her Road is the incarnation of a dream coffee shop that can only found in TV series. There are at least half a dozen young bakers. The waitresses prepared meals with such ease and care. Bread and desserts are unbelievably beautiful and yummy-looking. Even the paper weight of the business cards is perfect. Most important of all, it wasn’t crowded at all during my stay.

我不要問這家店生存的秘密,因為我想學著相信夢幻般的麵包店還是有存在於現實的可能性。

I don’t want to ask how the owner is going to make it because I want to believe that a café like this CAN survive gloriously in real life.

Friday, February 19, 2010

Traveling in the city / 認識城市的旅行

陽明山 / Yangming Mountain

象山 / Shian Mountain
這是一座被山包圍的城市,而我居然到最近才開始認識她;晴天的樣子,雨天的風情,都有迷人的地方。

This is a city embraced by mountains, and what shocks me is that I wasn’t aware of that at all. Whether rain or shine, these mountains breathe and change, beautiful in different ways.

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Traveling for the sun and the heart / 太陽和心跳的旅行






圖攝於陽明山 / photos taken in Yangmingshan
我喜歡爬山,尤其是上坡,我一直在等心臟發出急速蹦蹦跳的那刻,那一刻降臨時,剛開始會被不能呼吸的恐懼嚇到,可是過沒多久,等心跳的頻率降下來,會如此清楚地感覺到自己的存在,最後腦海中浮現一句話:活著真好,背景是紅亮亮的太陽。

I like to climb mountains, especially going uphill. I’ve been waiting for the moment when my heartbeats reach the maximum rate. At the beginning of that instant, I am first overwhelmed by the fear of not being able to breathe. But soon, when my heartbeat slows down, I am so aware of my own existence. Some words will emerge in my mind—it’s so good to be alive, with the red burning sun leaning against the sky.

再來就是一片寧靜,黑暗裡也覺得清明的那種。

Then I’ll feel total peace, the kind that makes me see everything in the dark.

Monday, February 08, 2010

Traveling with my alter ego / 和媽媽的小旅行


搭火車去十分寮的旅途上,我們談到很多私人的感受,我知道媽媽對於人生的界定和我很不一樣,但是我感謝她努力參與我喜歡的事物,成為其中的一部分。媽媽長大好多,我希望自己老的時候,面對挫折也都能充滿改變的彈性。

On our train ride to Shi-fen-liao Falls, I shared many personal feelings with Mom. I’ve always known that Mom looks for very different things in life than me, but I appreciate her endless effort to be part of what I love doing. Mom has grown up so much over the past few years. I hope I will be as flexible in my old age when confronted with difficult life issues.

Friday, February 05, 2010

Traveling to the sunset / 尋找日落的旅行



太陽掉進水筆仔田的瞬間,我的苦惱就這麼熔解了。

The moment the sun fell into the mangroves, my worries just dissolved…