Another wonderful year in the herbarium / 植標館‧美好的又一年

Four-year-old An says / 四歲的安安說

Dad's love / 爸爸的愛

冷冷的冬日早晨，我會先讀書暖身之後再去上班，這週讀了翻成法文的日式俳句，是我的年末寫照： 

冬日越來越深沉

如同

爸爸刻骨的愛

飯田竜太

On cold winter mornings, I will warm up by reading before heading for work. This week, I encountered a haiku translated into French, which perfectly summarizes my end of the year. 

Winter deepens, 

like 

the affection of a father 

Iida Ryuta 

We are all the same / 我們都一樣

表面亮晶晶，

內心很擔心。

Shiny on the outside, 

uneasy on the inside. 

Chubby Auntie / 胖阿姨

胖阿姨早上在萬芳醫院捷運站發報紙好幾年，每天她會給我好明亮的微笑，我的心情總是因此一振。前一陣子胖阿姨再也沒有出現，我想了幾個星期，幻想她或許生病了、或許遠遊。

Chubby Auntie had been handing out free newspapers in the Wanfang Hospital MRT station for several years. Every day her bright smile would light up my day. However, a while ago, Chubby Auntie  vanished without a trace. I wondered if she fell ill or if she went on a long journey. 

        那一陣子聽了繪本作家馬尼尼爲的演講，對於海的旅館有非常嚮往的心情，那是可以獨處的空間。

     I happened to attend a talk given by the illustrator Maniniwe then. I long to spend some time in her "Sea Hotel," where I will have all the time and space to myself. 

        也許胖阿姨去了海的旅館。

        想不到有一天居然在家裡的捷運站遇見胖阿姨，原來派報社不再雇用胖阿姨了。

        我居然如此想念一個近似陌生人的胖阿姨‧‧‧‧‧‧

     Maybe Chubby Auntie went to the Sea Hotel. 

     One day I encountered Chubby Auntie coincidentally in the MRT station near home. She explained to me that she is no longer employed by the newspaper. 

     Strangely, I miss such a stranger so much that my heart aches... 

Ghostly monster and elixir spring fairy / 鬼怪與長壽湯的仙女

三年半前去韓國玩，買了一堆繪本，雖然看不懂，但是看到圖就很開心。最近因為心醉電視劇「鬼怪」，不禁想起我最愛的繪本，強烈地懷疑這本書應該在講韓國民俗中流傳的鬼怪，我終於有衝動請身邊的韓文老師翻譯，果然是在說一堆饑餓的鬼怪的故事，不過他們有點笨，雖然會變出金子，卻無法得到他們想要的年糕，和帥氣的孔劉差真多。

I went on a picture-book shopping spree when traveling to Korea three and half years ago. Though I hardly understood the text, I did take much delight in merely looking at the images. Lately, the super hit drama "Ghostly monster" has reminded me that maybe one of the books I own is about the folklore character, the ghostly monster. I was finally motivated to ask a Korean teacher to roughly translate the story for me. As I had guessed, the book is about a bunch of starving ghostly monsters. Though they could conjure up gold nuggets, they couldn't get the deuk bog gi (rice cake) they crave for. Well, what a contrast with the handsome lead role in the drama. 

        我真心覺得韓國人很厲害，民間傳說也可入繪本和流行文化，哪天我也要來做個年獸的故事。

     I admire Koreans for their talent and marketing strategies from the bottom of my heart. It's amazing to see folklore used in picture books and pop culture. Some day I am doing to write a story based on Nien, a fierce beast in Chinese folk stories. 

        很巧地，昨天又在dpi雜誌裡讀到當時買的另一本繪本簡介，這本叫「長壽湯的仙女」，作者白熙娜的作品都很吸引我，主題是以韓國人習以為常的澡堂生活為背景，敘述一名和媽媽去泡澡的小女孩，在玩水的時候遇見老阿媽般的仙女，兩人短暫地玩一陣子，卻發展出情誼。

     Coincidentally, I read the summary of another book I had bought back then in dpi illustration magazine yesterday. The book is titled The Elixir Spring Fairy. The books of the author, Bae Hee Na are all my favorites. The story takes place in a public bathhouse. A little girl meets a granny-like fairy as she is playing in the pool. Their short but sweet friendship becomes a wonderful memory for the little girl. 

        很偶然地在三年半後才發現自己買的書究竟在說什麼，這真是最棒的聖誕禮物！

     I hadn't expected to learn anything about the books I  purchased a long time ago, but right because of that, this surprise turned out to be the best Christmas gift!

Shimen Reservoir / 石門水庫

Greek moon / 希臘的月亮

入秋以來，陸續和好久不見的孩子見面，聊聊生活、工作，漸漸地這對我有很療癒的效果，讓我可以跳脫自己小小的世界，徜徉在人生各種可能性裡。

Since this past fall, I've been catching up with some girls that graduated a few years ago. Through sharing the past few years together, I feel greatly soothed. This enables me to jump outside my small box and swim in many possibilities of life. 

        那天從希臘左巴走出來時，冬夜的氣溫有點涼又有點暖，子榕指著又胖又黃的月亮，下面還掛了幾顆星星，一起走到車站的路上，我碎碎唸著那些有的沒有的擔心，分手的時候子榕笑笑地說：「不要想那麼遠啦。」

     As we walk out of the Greek restaurant on a Saturday evening, the cool and fresh winter air greets us. Zi-rong points at the fat and yellow moon, under which hang some twinkling stars. On our way to the bus station, I go on with my murmur of unimportant worries. When it's time to say goodbye, Zi-rong reminds me with a smile, "You should live in the present."  

        雖然還沒有親眼見證過希臘的月亮，但透過和孩子們的言談，大概就是如此黃黃藍藍、涼涼暖暖吧！ 

     Though I have not got to witness the Greek moon in person, I can imagine that it's blue and yellow, cool and warm like what the girls tell me! 

Headache / 頭痛

頭痛是我今年的關鍵字，雖然醫生說是生理原因，但鼓隊打起來的時候還是忍不住想是不是也有心理因素。

"Headache" is my word of the year. Though the doctor confirmed that it should be attributed to the hereditary factor, I sometimes can't help wondering if I have imposed too much pressure on myself. 

        要送走2016年之前又發了一場頭痛，腦裡的鼓隊打的節拍越來越密集，他們說：不要再鑽牛角尖那些無謂的小細節，數我們的節奏！！！ 

     Before seeing 2016 off, I suffered from another headache. The beats of the drummer intensified with time passing. The thunderous music screamed, "Forget all about your obsessions with the insignificant trifles. Focus on us!" 

        軍隊離開的隔一天，我全身上下變得很柔和，為自己還舒服地活著這件事感到喜悅，沒有精力想不重要的瑣事，到辦公室做的第一件事是塗鴉。

     The next day after the drummers left, I softened from head to toe, feeling acutely the joy of living without physical pain. I couldn't afford to give thought to what had been bothering me anymore. And surprisingly, the first thing I did when arriving at the office was doodling. 

        真好，這一年結束之前，我突然明白頭痛的意義了。

     How nice that I have finally figured out the meaning of a headache before the year ends. 

How do you say "I love you" / 怎麼說「我愛你」

我們喜歡和八歲的楷維亂聊一通，常常聊著聊著就會得到重要訊息。某天他說到了喜歡的女生，很有自信地和我們說小女生也愛他，我和媽媽不得不接下去問：「你怎麼知道？」他竊竊自喜地回答：「她兩本作業本一打開就寫著『我愛方楷維！』」

We love to chat with the eight-year-old Kai. Often we will discover his big secrets as we ramble. One day he mentions his little girlfriend. He tells us with such confidence that the girl loves her too. Mom and I just can't help asking, "How do you know?" He replies with self-important pleasure, "She wrote on the first page of her two notebooks, 'I love Kai!'" 

        不同於那些曖昧不明的關係，孩子們直率、不害羞的示愛方式多麼動人，於是我也在我的筆記本上留下同樣的字眼，記住愛人與被愛的美好。

      Far different from the play-hard-to-get love games, the ways children say I love you are so straightforward and brave. Thus, I have the same words written down in my journal to remember the beauty of loving people and being loved. 

Fuyang Park / 富陽公園

想念速寫的我，今天的太陽也鼓勵我出走，到城市裡的小森林富陽公園畫畫，這裡連星期天也一樣清閒，我坐在小徑上，偶爾有爬山客經過，大部份時候我獨自享受一整片綠意。

I miss sketching badly, and the sun today beckons me to go outside for fresh air. I travel to the forest inside the city--Fuyang Park. The hidden corner is quiet even on weekends. I sit on the narrow path, having the green garden all to myself. 

     台北人很會生活，帶著蘋果電腦來山的書房工作娛樂，有竹林和陽光作伴，這樣別有一番風味‧‧‧‧‧‧

        People in Taipei certainly how to make full use of the park. The hills are their outdoor study with the bamboos leaves swaying in the background and sunshine streaming in from the four sides... 

Neil Gaiman says / 尼爾蓋曼說

「我希望在新的一年裡你會犯錯，因為如果你犯錯，那意謂你在創造新的事物、嘗試新的事物、學習、生活、自我推進、自我改變、以及改變全世界，你在嘗試之前沒有做過的事，而更重要的是，你正在做某件事。

不管你害怕什麼，採取行動。

明年及永遠，不停犯錯。」

旁觀者的意見：非小說選─尼爾蓋曼


"I hope in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing the world. You're doing things you've never done before, and more importantly, you're Doing Something.

Whatever it is you're scared of doing, Do it.

Make your mistakes, next year and forever."

The View from the Cheap Seats by by Neil Gaiman

Physics of love / 愛的物理學

這週感受了好幾個人戀愛的快樂，忍不住也變得輕飄飄的‧‧‧‧‧‧

I have experienced some people's happiness of being in love this week, so I can't help flying like them ...

愛的物理學

金仁旭

質量和體積不成正比

那個紫羅蘭般小巧的丫頭

那個似花瓣輕曳的丫頭

以遠超過地球的質量吸引著我

一瞬間

我就如牛頓的蘋果般

不受控制地流落在她腳下

咚地一聲

咚地一聲

從天空到大地

心臟在持續著令人暈眩的擺動

那是初戀

Physics of Love 

by Kim Inwook 

Her mass not in proportion to her physical volume 

That nymph as delicate as violet 

That nymph as airy as petals 

Attracts me far more than the mass of the earth 

In the blink of an eye 

Like Newton's apple 

I fall at her feet involuntarily 

"Bang!" 

"Bang!" 

From the sky to the earth 

My heart continues fluttering at a dazzling speed 

That is first love 

Orangutans keep me company / 紅毛猩猩陪我

木柵動物園辦了慶祝開園三十週年的寫生比賽，剛好給很想寫生的我一個大好的機會。進園的時候只剩不到兩個小時，挑了很近出口的紅毛猩猩，心想畫得再糟，我也要做到！

Mucha Zoo has recently held a 30-Must-See sketch contest to celebrate its thirtieth anniversary, which gives me a fantastic opportunity since I long to sketch so much! When I arrive at the zoo, I have less than two hours left. I choose the orangutans' enclosure, which is very close to the entrance. I am not in a very good condition for sketching, but I am determined to have the painting done by hook or by crook! 

        平常去動物園都只是走馬看花，這次有機會久坐在定點，不只看紅毛猩猩，也聽遊客的話語。紅毛猩猩動來動去的，必須要很有耐心，才能捕捉他們的外型和精神；遊客也來來去去的，常常丟了一句話：「喂，紅毛猩猩！」沒多久就走掉了，不知猩猩會不會也說：「喂！人！」

     I always hurry from one enclosure to another when visiting the zoo. This time, I am lucky to have to spend a long period of time at the same spot. I observe not only the orangutans but also the visitors. The orangutans hardly stop moving, so it takes patience to draw their portraits. The visitors move as much as the orangutans. Usually they'll give curt greetings like, "Hey, orangutans!" and leave within one minute. I wonder if the orangutans also greet them, "Hey, people!" Or maybe they don't bother at all. 

        有時候只有我和紅毛猩猩們，周圍安靜地會給人在森林裏的錯覺。

     Sometimes there are just the orangutans and me. It's so quiet around us that I can be fooled by the illusion that we are in the woods. 

        說是我來陪孩子們，其實是牠們陪了我一陣子，替我做心情spa，可是我連牠們的名字都不知道。下次我再去的時候，我們一定要互相自我介紹！

     I would say that the kids keep me company for a while instead of the other way round. Being with them is surprisingly healing. Unfortunately, I don't even know their names. On my next visit, we have to formally introduce ourselves! 

Apples from Lishan / 梨山來的蘋果

帶孩子們去逛木新市場，遇見了蘋果攤的老闆，豪氣地請孩子們每人拿一顆免費的蘋果，還教大家把蘋果放在衣袖上擦一擦，孩子們也跟著學。

We went to Mu-xin market on a field trip the other day. The apple man invited every girl to take an apple for free. I was amused how everyone imitated him in rubbing the apple against their sleeve. 

        孩子散去了之後，我買了一袋蘋果，邊吃邊想到梨山的風景！

     After the girls left, I bought a bag of apples. As I ate one, I couldn't help imagining the scenery of Lishan! 

inside and outside / 裡面和外面

我從框架裡往外看，而那邊也是從框架裡往外看。

I look outside from inside the frame, and it's the same from that side. 

Sense of Taipei / 台北感

週五聽了李明璁教授的演講，他提到每個地方都應該有其特殊的文化氛圍，台北的特色是什麼呢？去象山健行的時候，得到了有趣的答案。

I listened to a talk by Prof. Lee Ming-tsung two days ago on how every place should have its own particular sense, i.e. culture and atmosphere. What is the sense of Taipei? I found extremely intriguing answers on a hike to Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain) yesterday. 

        現在的象山非常國際化，有國內國外的旅人，每個佇足點也都有強烈的特色，例如說，我們到巨石公園時，被排隊的人潮嚇了一跳，這裡又不是信義區的百貨公司，究竟在排什麼？原來大家想爬到石頭上拍照，有人認真研究如何爬上去，有人為了避開人潮，盤算著登上其他顆石頭，我強烈感受到大家征服石頭的欲望。而且這裡的旅人穿著打扮很多和逛信義區的人群沒兩樣，還有穿著小紅鞋來登石頭的女孩呢！我本來只是在遮蔭處發呆，後來忍不住記錄這個驚奇的畫面。

     Amazingly,  Xiangshan is a rather international tourist spot now. There are much more foreign travelers than imagined. Every stop in the mountain is unique in its own way. For example, upon reaching the Giant Rock Park, we were stunned by the queue. What were people lining up for? It turns out that they would like to take a picture upon one of the rocks. It was amusing to eavesdrop   people's talk about how to climb the rock or how to avoid the crowd by going up on another rock. I could feel their strong desire to conquer the rocks! Besides, most people would be mistaken as the shoppers in Xin-yi District since their wear was no different. In fact, it's important to look fashionable for the photo on the rock. In the beginning I was just watching people in the shade, but I couldn't help sketching the super interesting image later on. 

        往前走到逸賢亭，亭子前有做操的民眾，亭子裡有大叔拉著手風琴，旁邊還有舉重的男孩，大寶說這是象山上的World Gym！因為再度覺得很驚奇，我又拿出速寫本，想不到右下角的阿伯跑來讓我點歌，接著「何日君再來」，我只能想到「甜蜜蜜」，大叔演奏完還來教護心操，好和樂融融啊！

     As we moved ahead to one pavilion, in front of it were the locals doing exercise, and in the pavilion there were other stories going on. An old man played the accordion while a young man was lifting weight next to him. This is the mountain version of World Gym! Feeling amazed again, I took out my sketchbook immediately. The half-naked uncle in the lower right corner was eager to have me request a song. Since the previous one is a classic by the famous singer Teresa Teng, I had no choice but to request another song of hers. After the performance, the accordion musician came to teach me how to massage my hands. What a harmonious afternoon! 

        台北是個什麼元素都可以找到的地方，而且完全無違和感，可說處處有驚喜！

     The sense of Taipei lies in a wide mix of all the cultural elements, whether local or foreign. Strangely, nothing feels out of place here and there are always surprises to look forward to! 

The magnifying glass / 顯微鏡下

這學期和另一班的幾個孩子們一起修「造紙」的選修課，包涵了生物、物理、化學和藝術的內容，在生物方面長了很多見識，不過還有令我意想不到的大收穫，那就是當我變成孩子們的同學時，看到了只站在講台上看不到的風景。

I am taking a course on "how to make paper" along with some students this year. The course covers biology, physics, chemistry and art. I have learned a lot in science, but what I didn't expect is that when I become the classmate of my fifteen-year-old students, I've got an opportunity to a bigger world. 

        首先，孩子們會罩生物很不靈光的我，因為感受到學習上的障礙，我常常有「啊，原來跟不上的感覺是這樣啊！」這個經驗讓我變得比較能夠設身處地為小朋友著想。變成了同學之後，孩子們會問我：「你下週會來上課嗎？」在課堂上做實驗或手作時，就像和同齡的朋友什麼也沒有忌諱地和我閒聊。

     For starters, the girls will help me since I have difficulty learning biology. Now that I experience the frustration of learning something I am not good at, it often hits on me that I should be more understanding toward the kids that struggle. Often, the girls will ask me, "Will you come to class next week?" When we are doing experiments or making handicrafts, they will chat with me like I am their peer without being reserved at all. 

        更重要的是，在我突然又覺得自己像新手的時候，我的好朋友每一週都和我分享學習的挫折和進步的喜悅，以及多麼多麼喜歡我。例如她們大方地拿出帥哥老師的照片給我看，可是當我問：「你喜歡帥哥平淡的講課還是有趣的老奶奶？」又毫不遲疑地回答：「還是老奶奶好了！」這讓我開始對教到六十歲有點期待了。

     What's more important, when I suddenly lose confidence in myself, my good friends will share with me their progress in learning and how much they like me. For example, once they didn't hesitate to show me the photo of a handsome young teacher, but when I asked them, "Do you prefer him or an interesting granny?" I got a surprising answer, "It would be the granny!" This makes me start to look forward to having to teach until I am 60. 

        原來，放在顯微鏡下的心情是愛和鼓勵啊！

So what I get to see under the magnifying class is love and encouragement. 

後記：生物不好的我，只記得第一張圖美女的名字了：是紫背萬年青。

P.S.: I can only remember the name of the first plant: Oyster Plant. 

Another kind of life / 另一種人生

帶孩子們去電視台錄節目，我也得到好多刺激，原來電視台的人生是這樣啊！ 

Today I take the girls to a TV station for recording a program. I'm so inspired by everything I see! 

        本來沒有打算速寫，但是攝影棚裡太多好玩的東西，我在當觀眾時忍不住記錄了起來！

     I didn't intend to sketch, but I can't miss out on so many interesting gadgets. Don't worry, while my hand is busy, my ears are paying attention as well to the host, the writer, and the student guests. 

        我非常喜歡攝影棚裡黑色機器和亮橘色燈光的強烈對比，這位攝影師大哥發現我在速寫！ 也許做不了其他工作，但是能有機會去別人的工作崗位體驗一下，真的很不賴！ 

     I really LOVE the contrast between the black boxes everywhere and the fluorescent orange lights. Only the photographer in the above picture notices that I am sketching. 

     I might not have the courage to try another job, but it's so nice to experience something totally different! 

Then, / 然後，

做了同樣工作十五年是什麼感覺呢？我還是很喜歡這個工作，也喜歡遇到的孩子們，但是對於自己的工作意義有很多矛盾的想法，就像每個工作一樣，有理想的目標，同時也有現實的挑戰。

How does it feel to do the same job for fifteen years? Undeniably, I still like the job and the kids that I have spent time with along the way. However, I have to deal with more and more contradictory feelings in myself. As with every profession, it is essential to strike a balance between ideals and the reality.

        有一天楷維出門去上英文課之前，阿公公問了他：楷維，腦袋有戴著嗎？

他答：放在冰箱裡。

     One day before Kai went to English class, Grandpa asked him, "Kai, do you have your head with you?" 

     He answered, "It's in the fridge." 

        思維升上五年級之後，功課變多了，前天寫到十一點四十五分才睡覺。以前他總是每天早上帶著明亮的笑容對我說：上學很好玩啊！現在他就只是累累地微笑。

     This fall since Von was in fifth grade, he has much more homework than before. He didn't hit the sack until 11:45 p.m. two days ago. He used to greet me with a bright grin in the morning, saying, "It's fun to go to school." Now, he just squeezes a weary smile. 

        我說：那麼我們今天不要帶腦袋出去好了，身體走出去就好，腦子放在家裡，想像我們躺在沙發上一整個早上聊天。

     I say, "Then, let's go to school without our heads. We'll go with just our bodies and leave our heads home. Let's imagine lying on the sofa and chatting the whole morning." 

        還好他笑了。

     Fortunately, he laughs. 

        楷維嘻嘻笑地說：老師問我腦袋在哪，我就說要回家拿！ 

        我說：然後老師就氣到炸掉了！

     Kai giggles, "The teacher will ask me where my head is, and I will say I need to go home to get it." 

     I reply, "Then the teacher explodes with anger!" 

        然後，這世界上就再也沒有老師，也沒有功課了！

        我們三個帶著這樣愉悅的心情出門去。我又接著去給學生出更多的功課‧‧‧‧‧‧

     "Then, there won't be any teacher, thus, NO HOMEWORK! Hooray!"

     We three go out in a pleasant mood in the end. Finally, I go to work and give my students more homework...

Rainy face / 下雨的臉

週六的植標館活動，來了一位令人印象深刻的陸配媽媽，和女兒們一起玩，也問了我們很多個人的問題。

媽媽：你沒有自己的小孩嗎？

我：沒有，所以來這裡和別人的孩子玩。

媽媽：我剛來的時候，整天在家裡帶孩子，邊帶邊哭。

媽媽說這話的時候，外面的雨下得好大，好像是她全身上下的寂寞，怎麼倒也倒不完。

On Saturday afternoon in the herbarium, a Chinese immigrant mom brings her daughters to the workshop, but she is more enthusiastic about the lesson. She also asks us many questions on the personal level. 

Mom: Do you have your own children? 

I: No, that's why I am here to play with others' kids. 

Mom: When I first came, I had to take care of the girls on my own. I cried all the time. 

When she says these words, it is raining hard outside. It feels like she can never cease discarding her soaking-wet loneliness... 

Yes, you may. / 可以喔！

班上的孩子真的很有趣，說的話很有後座力，我常常當下沒有仔細感受，但之後再回想，總是會忍不住會心一笑。

My new kids always surprise me with really cool ideas. Their words often trigger backlash in me. I might not feel the power in the moment, but whenever I think about their responses later, I never fail to smile or laugh out loud. 

        這星期大家為了爭取交換學生的名額，為了能否讓他校的學生來住自己家，著實想破了頭。其中最可愛的想法是搖一搖妹妹，她很認真地問我：交換同學來的時候，我們可以抱在一起睡嗎？我當時只覺得：哇！真是可愛，但今天再想一下，才感覺到力道，是要多沒有心防的人才說得出這樣的話呢？ 

      This week the girls racked their brains hard to figure out how to accommodate the exchange students. One of the most amazing solutions came from Shakira. She asked me very seriously, "When my exchange partner comes, could I hold her when we sleep?" I was of course amused, but it is not until today that I see through what lies behind her words. I mean, how un-reserved can one be to come up with such an idea? 

        雖然我沒有辦法替交換同學回答這個問題，不過身為一輩子有著銅牆鐵壁的人，這次我願意說：好的，你可以。

      I can't answer for her partner, but as a very reserved person all my life, I am willing to say, "Yes, you may." this time. 

Too much beef / 牛啊，對不起！

下雨天最棒的享受之一是吃涮涮鍋，可是我對牛非常不好，連續吃了三天的牛肉鍋，是地球暖化的罪魁禍首。

One of the luxuries on rainy days is to eat hot pot, but I went for the beef for three days consecutively. Well, I feel very guilty about causing global warming to worsen...

Gifts on a rainy day / 下雨天的禮物

是無限的想像力！

Is endless IMAGINATION!

Happy Big Bear 

Big Bear loves rainy days, 

when there are traffic jams,

when he can sleep on the trams.

Big Bear has honey in his bag; 

not to hear his teachers nag,

Big Bear decides to skip school

because he wants to try the cool 

picnic in the rain 

with his honey mixed with the rain 

還有來自倫敦超級酷的禮物！

And this super cool gift from London! 

戴著它，下雨天也閃亮無比！

I feel my rainy days are extremely shiny when I wear it! 

Constipated roads / 便秘的道路

下雨天，道路飽受便秘之苦，車輛也開始有了自己的想像。

The roads suffer from constipation on rainy days. The cars can do nothing but revel in their own imagination. 

In her eyes / 愛人的眼睛裡

I am not the bush. 

I am the rose.

Wrong lunch boxes / 拿錯便當事件

方的、圓的，圓的、方的；

紅的、黃的、綠的，綠的、黃的、紅的；

每個便當

看起來

像你的，又像我的。

Square, round, round, square; 

red, yellow, green, green, yellow, red; 

every lunchbox looks like

yours, or mine. 

Power of plants / 植物的力量

雖然這個秋天做什麼都有點懶散，連植標館都去得比平常少，不過每次去之後，總是會獲得清新的力量。三年前開始的每日明信片計畫，原本每天都會畫一種植物，結果寫著寫著，就變成每日的喃喃了，這幾天我又想起了初衷，大自然也用念力對我說：趕快回到植物的懷抱吧！ 

I've been rather laid-back for a while. In fact, I don't go to the herbarium as often as before. However, every visit always empowers me no matter how reluctant I am before going. I am reminded of my everyday postcard project started three years ago in which I made it a habit to draw a kind of plant on a daily basis. Now I write only about my trivial daily life. Luckily, mother nature has been sending me the message, "Come back to us. This is where you belong!" 

Middle-age crisis / 中年危機

最近每天早上醒來，發現自己明亮不起來，腦中總是充滿關於存在主義的問題，但就是在這個時候，我變成了詩人，於是我決定對自己進行寫作治療。

Now when I open my eyes in the morning, I find I am no longer that bright person anymore. I am obsessed with many doubts about existentialism. It is then that I turn into a poet. I decide to conduct poetry therapy on myself. 

無聊

Boredom

無聊有什麼關係

把全世界的無聊收集起來

可以栽種

一大片看不見盡頭的

亞馬遜森林

What's wrong with boredom?

With all the boredom in the world collected,

we can replant 

an endless stretch of 

the Amazon Rainforest. 

中年危機

Middle-age Crisis

走著走著，

某一天的某一刻，

我開始懷疑自己的步伐。

「啊！」

過了好久，

我才發現自己患了

了不起的

中年危機。

i walked as usual. 

one moment, one day, 

i started to wonder, 

"Is it left or right foot first?" 

it took me long 

to figure out, 

i have the amazing 

MIDDLE-AGE CRISIS.

把你藏起來

（為了用英文也可以玩押韻，這首詩的中文版和英文版是完全不同的創作。） 

To play on rhymes, the English version of the last poem is not translated from the Chinese one. 

Middle-age Crisis

Are you my oasis

or the Isis?

寫完了，又若無其事地去生活。

Done. Time to go about my everyday life... 

Mom's love / 媽媽的愛

媽媽向小叮噹要無限增生的水果拼盤，希望我躺在家就有源源不絕的木瓜和香蕉可以吃。

Mom asks for a magic fruit plate from Doraemon, hoping that papayas and bananas can replenish themselves automatically for me when she is away. 

My new class / 我的新班級

很有畫面感！

gives me a lot of images to think about! 

把我變成詩人了！

and turns me into a poet! 

很久沒有這麼有創造力了！ 

The good news is that I haven't been so productive for a while!