The breeze / 微風

Live lightly like the breeze. 

The owl boy Wayne / 貓頭鷹男孩韋恩

I am only eight, 

but I have to wear glasses and braces. 

Well, as long as I can blow bubbles,

nothing can cause troubles. 

My first marathon race / 我的第一場馬拉松

給了Nike辦的Women's Run!雖然事前已經先自己練習過跑十公里，去賽跑的時候心情很不一樣，晏蘋說到現場會很興奮，果然聽到快節奏的音樂和很動感的教練，我等不及要起跑！

Nike's Women's Run was my first marathon race. Though I had practiced running for ten kilometers twice before the run, it felt very different to run in a race. I was kind of skeptical when Irma told me that I would feel the excitement on the spot, but the loud music and hyper coaches really turned me on on the spot. I couldn't wait to begin! 

        剛開始得在人群中鑽來鑽去，漸漸地人潮開始拉長，果然和大家一起跑步比自己在操場上練圈圈有趣多了！沿路不時有工作人員喊加油，這些鼓勵的話語超級有力量，讓我能夠再次加快腳步往前進。我按著一貫的速度，慢慢超過一些跑者時，不覺得是自己變快了，心想也許是別人變慢了，但是馬拉松的精神真的是和自我的競賽。

     In the beginning I had to worm my way out of the crowds, but little by little, the runners began to thin out into long lines. It was indeed much more fun to run with others than practicing alone on the university campus. Along the way, the staff kept rooting for us, and I had to admit, their words were really uplifting. As I progressed at my speed, I gradually ran past some runners. I didn't feel I was running faster. Instead, I couldn't help wondering if they had slowed down. To me, a marathon race is more about competing with myself than with others. 

        我們從仁愛路上高架橋，跑在平常車輛行駛的道路上有種很奇異的感覺。我隨身沒有帶任何手錶或計時器，所以對於跑了多遠沒有什麼感覺，倒是看到沿路的距離牌之際才有恍然大悟的感覺。八公里左右有撞牆期，但是有經驗的跑者知道千萬不要停下來，因為會熊熊發現雙腳不是自己的，再起跑就難了，這時有位跑在我身邊的選手對我說：「你好厲害！」我看著眼前的其他選手，不解地回答：「為什麼呢？」她說：「我從剛才就一直跑在你後面！」被她這麼一說，我的雙腿像裝了推進器，又加速往前衝！

     We ran along Renai Rd. and then went on the Jianguo Expressway. It felt weird, in a good way, to run  on the roads normally for cars. I had neither a watch nor a a timer with me, so I couldn't tell how far I had gone. It was not until I saw the sign that indicates the distance we had covered that I got a clue. When I had run for eight kilometers, I felt I was about to hit the wall, but experienced runners know better than stop to walk because then it will be hard to start again. The legs will feel so heavy that it will require more determination than ever to break into a run again. At this moment a runner next to me said, "You are amazing!" I looked at the runners ahead of me, puzzled by her words. I asked her why. She replied, "I've been running behind you." Upon hearing her words, I couldn't help pushing forward as if my legs were equipped with propellers.  

        結果我以六十三分三十秒完賽，是六千零五十一名選手裡的兩百一十六名喔！以一個跑短跑慢到從來沒有機會跑大隊接力的人來說，我在四十歲的時候找到我的天空！

In the end I finished the race within 63.5 minutes, ranking 216th out of 6,051 runners. I always thought of myself as a super slow runner, so low that I had no chance to run in a relay race in my life, but I found my talent at the age of 40! 

Water warriors / 水戰士

我們和鴿子的對抗持續中，每天每天十三樓居民都想破頭，希望能用和平的方式迫使鴿子家族搬家。

Our fight with the pigeons has continued. The residents on the floor rack their brains to make the pigeons go away peacefully every day. 

        雖然潑水節剛過，對面家的爸爸買了水槍，帶著男孩展開保衛家園大戰。鴿子在黑漆漆的夜裡被水噴，因為感到不安穩，的確去另覓新居了。

     Songkran Water Festival was over, but our neighbor bought a new water gun for another round of battle. Attacked in the midst of dark night, the pigeons did move away for a safer shelter. 

        這次躲在陽台邊的冷氣機縫隙裡。

     This time two pigeons hide in the crack between the wall and the air-conditioner next to the balcony.

Grapes and wisteria / 葡萄和紫藤

小狐狸的困境：葡萄和紫藤，我可以兩個都要嗎？ 

The dilemma of the fox: Can I have both grapes and wisteria? 

Today / 今天

My whole being is full of good will! 

Moving / 搬家

去年參加佳怡的喪禮之後，從主持人身上得到了靈感，想要好好地重寫阿嬤的故事。這次還請了同事如慧家的小亮和小佑來合作畫插圖，雖然實際準備的時間不長，但因為是一直在腦海中的故事，所以寫起來很順暢。

Last year I was inspired by something said by the host of Chai-y's funeral, which prompted me to rewrite my granny's story. Because of the story's narrative, I even invited the sons of my colleague Emily, Liang and Yo, to illustrate the story together with me. I didn't spend much time making the book since it had been a story that I wanted to tell all these years. 

        這是我第一次和別人合作做繪本，剛開始並不確定自己的想法是否有辦法成真，對於不能讓小亮自由發揮想法，我覺得很過意不去，但因為如慧的決心和堅持，慢慢地我們找到了合作的方法。，以前都是自己一個人埋頭苦幹，有了伙伴之後，我得到意想不到的力量，例如說，如果我進度快，把當天的進展拍給小朋友看時，他們也會加緊腳步，這之間我們互相鼓勵，產生很美好的能量。

     This was a very special experience because it was my first time doing collaborative work. In the beginning, I wasn't sure if the plan was feasible. I hesitated at first for I felt a great sense of guilt in not being able to let Liang exert his creativity. However, thanks to Emily's determination and persistence, we gradually found ways to collaborate. In the process, I gained much strength from my partners, and this was what I couldn't imagine when I worked all by myself. For example, we would share what we had done with each other on a regular basis. Our mutual encouragement made me feel that I could go on and finish the project with ease. 

        孩子們在過程中同樣的稿必須畫很多次，我非常感謝他們的耐心，而能看到這本書的讀者，翻開的時候都感到很驚喜。

     Liang and Yo had to redraw the same pictures several times before the final version. My thanks to them are really beyond description. The design and arrangement of the images also surprise readers when they open the book. 

        雖然今年我沒有入圍信誼的繪本獎，儘管之前有些沮喪，不過因為常常失敗，對於輸贏想得很開了，同時也趕緊自我檢討，我想應該是我的故事要從小朋友的觀點來說，必須把死亡的議題更具像化，不過我也能更寬闊地想，寫故事要回到開心做的初衷，然後不要忘記問問小讀者的意見。

     Though I wasn't even shortlisted this year in the picture book award of the picture book competition held by Hsin-y Publisher, I bounced back soon after taking my time to get over the frustration. I guess  constant failures have turned me into a very powerful person. Fortunately, friends gave me great feedback regarding how to revise the story. The best advice is that I should try to tell the story from a child's perspective and give concrete imagery especially when it comes to a difficult issue like death. Meanwhile, I remind myself that I should write out of joy and constantly consult my young readers. 

        這個星期終於拿到印出來的書，只印了三本，我想我之後一定又會把這個故事做華麗大變身，到時候這個故事各時期的樣貌排在一起來看時，就會很驚人！ 

     This week I finally got the printed version of the book, and there are only three copies in the world. I will definitely transform the story into another one when I feel ready. Then, the books I have written along the way will be amazing when they are juxtaposed together! 

Smell of spring / 春天的味道

雨停了，春天植物開花的味道又瀰漫在空氣中；聞到柚子花香味，便直覺地聯想到灑滿陽光的春日。

When the rain stops, the smell of spring fills the air again. The fragrance of pomelo flowers remind me of spring days full of orange sunshine. 

The city on a cloudy day / 陰天，城市裡

還是好迷人。

Still has irresistible charm. 

Tai chi / 太極

春天裡，練太極。

Practice tai chi,

in warm spring

Pigeons / 鴿子

社區的鴿子們最近發現我的書房外是絕佳的築巢地點，於是展開了和我的同居生活。我不知為何感到很惱怒，不過在這一場戰爭裡，我好像是居弱勢的一方。

The pigeons in our neighborhood have discovered that our roof is a perfect habitat, so for the past week, we've been living together. My typical poise vanishes into the air whenever my ears pick up the slightest noise they make. Still, I have to admit that they have the upper hand in this war... 

Morning exercise / 做早操

春天的早晨，我喜歡特地繞路看做早操的人們，看他們緩慢優雅地擺動身體，我在短暫的某一瞬間也能慢下腳步，吸一口芳香的空氣，然後大步往前邁進。

On spring mornings, I will go out of my way just to take a glimpse at the elderly do morning exercise on the square. Their slow yet elegant movement gives me the freedom to imagine that I can slow down for a second. After inhaling the fragrant morning air, I take a big stride forward with confidence. 

Clue / 線索

總是在不知所措的時候，看到上帝刻意留下的一些線索。

In moments of confusion, I still see clues that God has left deliberately for me to see. 

        七歲的楷維戴著牙套，也即將配眼鏡，但還是會說出孩子般的話語，要我緊緊抓住童年的尾巴。

     The seven-year-old Kai now wears braces, and his small face is going to be weighed down with glasses, but sometimes he still blurts out childlike remarks.  It's God saying to me, "Hold onto the last traces of childhood!"