ring bearers / 小花童

My Tiffany

小方從這個秋天開始去蘇荷美術教室上課，每周用不同媒材創作，我常常會問他當週做了甚麼，這是第一次我親眼看到他的作品，本來以為他只是借我看看，想不到這是要送我的禮物，很簡單但很貴重、來自一個四歲小男生的真誠。

Von has started to take art lessons in Soho Art. He is taught to create with different media every week. I often ask him about the classes, but this is the first time I get to see his artwork in person. I am even more surprised to learn that he means more than lending it to me for a glimpse. It is meant as a gift for me, a simple yet precious one from a sincere four-year-old boy.

Cravings / 渴望

昨天看了倫敦藝術大學的簡介影片，節尾是位先生說，創作都是出自於渴望渴望渴望，這幾個字因此深烙在我的腦海裡，我最近也是滿心渴求，有些能夠立刻得到滿足，有些卻只是想望，於是我決定把我的各種渴望轉換成圖像和小遊戲，希望把它們全部都說出來，自然又是全新的開始。

Yesterday when I watched the introduction of the London University of Arts, I was impressed by a sir saying that he created out of cravings cravings and cravings at the end of the video clip. I thus can’t get the words out of my mind. This probably has something to do with my recent fit of cravings, some of which can be immediately satisfied while the others are nothing more than wishful thinking. I decide to turn all my cravings into an image and a little game. I hope I can start all over again after saying them out loud.

如果你也嫌得發慌，請在下面的三個人當中選一，看看你是不是也和我一樣；下列的數字同樣挑出你喜歡的，看看你有甚麼潛在的需求。

If you are bored, please choose a person in the following picture to see if you have the same dilemma as me. Also, select a number that pleases you to see if you have any subconscious longing.

1. 想要吃掉整個香蕉蛋糕

1. craving to eat up a whole banana cake



2. 想要見到一個很久沒見的朋友

2. craving to see a friend whom you haven’t met for eons



3. 想到陽光普照的南法度假

3. craving to take a vacation to sunny southern France



4. 想要感受抱著一個一歲小朋友的溫暖

4. craving to hug a one-year-old baby and feel its warmth



5. 想要明天睡到自然醒

5. craving to sleep in tomorrow



6. 想要不告而別，躲到沒有熟人的世界

6. craving to leave without saying goodbye and hide in a world where no one knows you



7. 想要聞到義大利高級皮革

7. craving to smell high-class Italian leather



8. 想要參加一場婚禮

8. craving to be in a wedding



9. 想要毫無限制地購物

9. craving to go on a shopping spree



10. 想要在六星級的山泉旅館泡溫泉

10. craving to take a hot-spring bath in a six-star resort hotel



11. 想要來一頓艾美酒店的主廚特選早餐

11. craving to have a classic chef breakfast in Le Méridien



12. 想要對某人說我愛你

12. craving to say “I love you” to someone



13. 想要某家小餐廳的白牆上胡亂畫

13. craving to doodle on the white wall of a small restaurant



14. 想要在下雨的傍晚去公園淋雨散步

14. craving to take a walk in the rain on a rainy evening



15. 想要在高鐵的車廂裡大聲唱詹姆斯布朗的「你是如此美麗」

15. craving to sing James Blunt’s “You are so beautiful” in High Speed Rail



16. 想要點一把火把所有的考卷燒掉

16. craving to burn all the test papers with a torch of fire



17. 想要搭一趟三天三夜的航班

17. craving to take a three-day-and-three-night-long flight



18. 想要把頭髮染成七彩

18. craving to dye the hair colors of the rainbow



19. 想聽陽光的聲音

19. craving to hear the sunshine



20. 想住在美術館一晚

20. craving to spend one night in an art museum



21. 想在晚上湖中乘船聊天

21. craving to cruise around and have a relaxing chat on a small boat in the evening



22. 想在芭答雅的海灘上喝辣海鮮湯

22. craving to eat Thai seafood soup on the beach of Pattaya



23. 想一個人在家安靜一天

23. craving to spend a day alone at home



24. 想大聲說，我相信我的人生有無限可能

24. craving to say out loud that I believe that there are infinite possibilities in my life



25. 想要不在意白頭髮

25. craving not to care about hair graying



26. 想要突破瓶頸

26. craving to smash the artist’s block



27. 想畫一張讓自己都驚艷的圖

27. craving to draw a picture that amazes even myself



28. 想在海邊的夕陽下聽你彈吉他

28. craving to hear your guitar music in the company of the sea and the sunset



29. 想把最可愛的科基狗Shorty抱在懷裡

29. craving to hold Shorty, the cutest Corgi ever, like a cushion in my arms



30. 想到亞馬遜河流域探險

30. craving to go on an adventure in the Amazonian rainforests



31. 想把腦裡的細胞撕成碎片再重新組合

31. craving to take apart all the cells in my brain and piece them together



32. 想坐在里斯本的小咖啡館裡發呆

32. craving to sit and do nothing in a small café in Lisbon



至於船上的三個人：

As for the three people on the boat:



A. 你已經等不及實現你的渴望了。

A. You can’t wait to realize your cravings.



B. 你的內心因渴望而騷動，但你還在觀望。

B. You stir inside because of your cravings, but you are still hesitating.



C. 你要不是耳根清靜，就是沒有聽到內心的聲音。

C. Either you have a super-zen state of mind, or you do not listen to your inner voice.






the art of babysitting / 當保姆的藝術

周六的早晨有些懶散，與其禁止兩兄弟胡亂玩，我拿起相機記錄他們探索客廳的過程，因為眼光從保姆變成旁觀的攝影師，居然還覺得他們作亂的行為挺有創意，等到一切像世界大戰過後的慘狀，我們再來比賽誰清理得快。

I am kind of laidback on a Saturday morning. Instead of prohibiting the two brothers from doing this and that, I take up the camera to record their exploration of the living room objects. I thus become an objective photographer rather than a nanny. From my new perspective, I find them to be rather creative. When the living room becomes a total mess, we’ll compete to see who can win the title of the best cleaner.

 
  

 
 

 
 

 

Little Wing / 小翅膀

這首由Caterina推薦的歌很適合滴滴答答的下雨天，哪也去不了時，就幻想夏卡爾般的畫面、配上慵懶的旋律，在屋子裡的日子也變得愜意悠閒。

This song, recommended by my pal Caterina, is perfect for rainy days. When the rain traps me in the apartment, at least there is still a Chagall-style image to swim in. Along with the relaxing guitar melody, time spent confined to the house can be pleasant in its own way.


小翅膀

吉米罕醉克斯



她漫步雲端

滿腦子都是馬戲團的狂想

成天乘風飛行時只想著

蝴蝶、斑馬、月光和童話故事



我悲傷時，她來到我面前

免費送我一千個微笑

她說：沒關係沒關係

你要甚麼就從我身上拿走



她帶著小翅膀飛翔

小翅膀啊



Little Wing

by Jimmy Hendrix



Well she’s walking through the clouds

With a circus mind that's running wild

Butterflies and zebras and moonbeams and fairy tales

That's all she ever thinks about

Riding with the wind.



When I’m sad, she comes to me

With a thousand smiles, she gives to me free

Its alright she says its alright

Take anything you want from me, anything

Anything.



Fly on little wing,

Yeah yeah, yeah, little wing



Getting married / 結婚

傑哥終於要結婚了，儘管我們是個內斂的家庭，還是掩不住激動的喜悅，我和竣弟甚至已經開始幻想當乾爸乾媽的日子。

My brother Jei is finally getting married. Though we are a reserved family, we still can’t help showing our overflowing joy. Jun and I have even started to imagine being godfather and godmother to Jei’s future kids.

媽媽在電話上問未來的弟妹：妳確定了嗎？對於這個人的習性妳都瞭解，還是願意嗎？她搶了神父的台詞，但卻更有份量，因為那代表我們對她的全心接受和喜愛。

Mom asked my future sister-in-law on the phone: Are you sure of the decision? Having thoroughly known this person’s strengths and weaknesses, are you willing to go down the road of life with him? She stole the priest’s lines, but they were far weightier coming from my mom. The questions symbolize our heartfelt sincerity and love for her.

出席年底紐約的公證婚禮對我來說是個不可能的夢想，所以在這裡先獻上無窮的祝福：我親愛的弟弟，祝你幸福！

It’s an impossible dream for me to attend the notarized marriage ceremony at the end of the year in New York, so here are my early best wishes: My dear Jei, happy marriage!

England in the lane / 巷口的英國

這個星期去剪頭髮，卻像是在黃昏天色轉暗時去了一趟英國。位在巷口的髮廊，藏身在舊公寓的二樓，裡面裝潢得像迷你的精品旅館，設計師是年輕的花美男，因為我摘下眼鏡之後甚麼也看不見，只記得設計師細細長長的手指輕柔地揮著銀色的剪刀，還有他低頭垂下來的棕黃色瀏海；外頭的馬路上車輛不斷飛過，車燈形成延續的模糊的色塊；不過最棒的經驗則是髮廊裡的完美音響反覆播放著James Blunt的歌聲，應該是他的滄桑讓我有置身英倫的感覺，特別是1973這首歌，不僅帶我去了英國，還讓我回想到從前的日子。


I took a trip to the hair salon this week, but it was much more than that. It felt like I was transported to the UK at darkening dusk. The salon, located on the second floor in an old apartment in the lane, is decorated in the style of a boutique hotel. My new designer is a beautiful-looking young man. Since I am practically blind after taking off my glasses, all I remember is his long and slender fingers softly wielding silver scissors and the brownish-yellow bangs that flow when he lowers his head. Cars on the roads outside race by unceasingly, their headlights forming never-ending ribbons of colorful splotches. However, the soul of this experience actually lies in the auditory luxury—the perfect stereo playing out James Blunt’s emotion-stirring voice in the tiny yet enchanting space. It’s the ruggedness in his singing that gives a fantastic touch of British feel, especially the song 1973. The melody and lyrics not only take me to Britain but also remind me of past wild days.

1973

詹姆斯布朗



西蒙娜

妳漸漸地蒼老了

妳的旅程

都刻在皮膚上



1973

by James Blunt



Simona

You're getting older

Your journey's been

Etched on your skin



西蒙娜

但願我當時知道

之前看起來如此強烈的一切

現在都消失無蹤影



Simona

Wish I had known that

What seemed so strong

has been and gone



當時我總在星期六晚上打電話給妳

我們會在外頭待到天都亮了

然後我們唱：我們又來了

儘管時間流逝

我會一直在

1973年的某間酒吧等妳

唱著：我們又來了



I would call you up every Saturday night

And we both stayed out 'til the morning light

And we sang, "Here we go again"

And though time goes by

I will always be

In a club with you

In 1973

Singing "Here we go again"



西蒙娜

但願我現在是清醒的

我才能看清楚

雨已經停了



Simona

Wish I was sober

So I could see clearly now

The rain has gone



西蒙娜

我想一切都結束了

我的記憶播送著我們的歌

同一條老舊的歌曲



Simona

I guess it's over

My memory plays our tune

The same old song



當時我總在星期六晚上打電話給妳

我們會在外頭待到天都亮了

然後我們唱：我們又來了

儘管時間流逝

我會一直在

1973年的某間酒吧等妳

唱著：我們又來了



I would call you up every Saturday night

And we both stayed out 'til the morning light

And we sang, "Here we go again"

And though time goes by

I will always be

In a club with you

In 1973

Singing "Here we go again"

Where is the moon? / 月亮在哪裡?

我派了四顆柚子把台北的秋天送到地球的另一端，因為它們遲遲沒有回音，我在等待之際寫了個故事，把我最愛的月亮也變成主角了。


I sent four pomelos as the cultural ambassador of Taiwanese autumn to the other end of the world. When I didn’t hear from them long after their departure, I wrote the following story while waiting. Better yet, I made my favorite moon one of the protagonists too.

Be my Cookie Knight / 餅乾騎士

我每天都要有畫面可以想像，當我很集中注意力於工作時，畫面就會消失。某一天當我快陷入苦悶之際，Pam偷偷放了一包Walkers的義大利檸檬白巧克力餅在我桌上，吃完之後畫面也來了，謝謝Pam當我的餅乾騎士！

I need to fantasize about different images every day. However, the pictures are nowhere to be found when I concentrate on work. One day when I was about to sink into the swamp of boredom, Pam secretly left a pack of Walkers’ Italian lemon and white chocolate biscuits on my desk. After I savored the lovely dessert, a new and funny image descended, which pleased me more than anything else. Thanks to Pam for being my Cookie Knight!

Going to the library / 上圖書館

上個周末去圖書館時，發現身邊的大叔大嬸弟弟妹妹都穿得很居家，我對這個現象有非常樂觀的解釋：大家把閱讀當作日常生活的一部分，所以穿著也要自在，讀起書來才能更愉快。

Last weekend I had a lovely discovery when I went to the library: I found many library-goers clad in home wear and slippers. I can’t help interpreting this phenomenon from a very optimistic angle. Reading must be viewed as part of the daily life, and when we read, we should be feel comfy in what we wear. After all, not most of us will agree that reading while dressed in gowns or suits is enjoyable.

我不禁想到上海人愛穿睡衣出門，他們也穿睡衣上圖書館嗎？

I can’t help thinking that inhabitants of Shanghai love to go out in pajamas. Do they also go to libraries in sleepwear?

Kai / 小楷

楷，一歲四個月，跌倒後大哭兩分鐘便忘了所有身體上的苦痛；聽到音樂時無法不扭動身體，躺在大人懷裡喝牛奶也要抖一抖，應該是拉丁人轉世；喜歡探索媽媽阿姨衣服下的秘密；最近的字彙開始增加，會叫舅舅和公公；月亮不再是ball了，是一種聽起來很像ㄇㄨㄟ的越南發音。


This is Kai, one year and four months old. Whenever he falls, it takes him two minutes to cry and leave all the physical pain behind. He can’t help swaying his body upon hearing music, even when he is drinking milk in an adult’s arms. Must have been Latin in his previous life. His favorite pastime is to explore the mystery underneath the clothes of Mom and aunties. There has been an exploding increase in his vocabulary lately. He’s finally learned to say “uncle” and “grandpa.” The moon is no longer classified as a ball, but it sounds like muei, probably the Vietnamese version of “moon.”

My Wish / 我的願望

這個夏天走進好幾個台北的大學校園裡，發現原本的樹林或空地紛紛有工程在進行，高高的鷹架擋住視野，心中不由得升起煩悶之感。

This past summer I happened to find one enormous change among several university campuses I visited in Taipei—there is construction work going on where there used to be flat land. The gigantic scaffolds blocked the view, and the sight of cluttered machinery caused me to feel stressed and fidgety.

之前常和小方讀薇吉尼亞巴頓於1942年寫繪的「小房子」，故事主角小房子原本生活在充滿雛菊和蘋果樹的鄉下，一望無際的視野讓它能夠領略白天晚上和春夏秋冬之美，但隨著都市化的發展，小房子周圍興起各式各樣的高樓大廈和公共運輸，它再也無法感受自然的更迭。最後小房子被遷回鄉下，看起來好像是種解決方式，但從21世紀的觀點來看，我們還有多少鄉下呢？

Von and I would often read Virginia Lee Burton’s The Little House written in 1942. The little house lived in the countryside full of daisies and dancing apple trees. The expanse of land enabled it to experience the beauty of day and night and change of four seasons. However, with urbanization, all kinds of buildings and public transportation were erected around the little house, and it could no longer see anything or feel the change of nature. In the end, the little house was moved back to the country. This looks like a solution. Yet, if we think about the ending from a 21st-century perspective, how many rural areas do we still have left?

哪一天我們才能明白建築物應該因應人各方面的需求，而不是變成建築物的奴隸，而一望無際的視野對於人類的身心發展其實是無比重要的呢？

When can we realize that architecture should meet humans’ mental and physical needs instead of our being the slaves of buildings and the profit they bring? And an expansive view actually matters more than anything else in mankind’s long-term well being?