Goodbye May! / 五月再見！

Dadaocheng Wharf / 大稻埕碼頭

來去大稻埕碼頭看夕陽，與其說這裡是觀光景點，不如說是市井小民生活的場域。

Let's go to Dadaocheng Wharf for the sunset. It's more a public space for the locals than a tourist spot. 

        大家用最自在的方式放鬆，畫著畫著我也感覺像在家一樣自由。

     Everyone relaxes in their own ways. I can't help loosening up as I observe and draw how others live. 

        華燈初上，廣場上、榕樹下或廟旁的空地，紛紛成為卡拉ok歌手的舞台，排排站的塑膠椅向路人招手，邀請他們來聽一曲，還有毫不害羞的歐吉桑跳著熟練的舞步，多麼華麗的台北夜晚！

     As the sky darkens, the wharf becomes a performing stage for local singers. They can be seen on the square, next to the temples or under the banyan trees. Rows of empty plastic chairs wave to the passers-by, inviting them to be part of the show. Moreover, the music is accompanied by the sophisticated dance of middle-aged men. What a splendid way to spend an evening in Taipei! 

Good friend / 好朋友

上週的繪本課裡，當老師不斷問大家有否要分享的作品，我遲遲拿不出來，心裡勇敢和懦弱不斷交戰著，最後我安靜若無其事地走回位置上。

In the picture-book class last week, the teacher kept asking if we had any work to share with one another. Even so, my cowardice held me back, finally blowing away the last whiff of courage I had. In the end, I walked back to my seat quietly without saying or showing anything. 

        那天的課堂上，遇見認識好多年的Ada，下課之前她對我說不要害怕，她的鼓勵推了我一把，果然，老師和同學給了我許多回饋，之後我的生活看似相同，但其實一切都不一樣了。

     That day in class I happened to run into Ada, a friend I'd met years ago. Before leaving, she told me not to be afraid. Her words of encouragement made me take a huge leap. As she had predicted, I got so much helpful feedback after showing the work to the teacher and classmates. After that day, though my life appears to be the same on the outside, it has, in fact, become very different. 

Northeast coast in the rain / 下雨的東北角

爸爸生日，我們去東北角兜兜風。沿路雨越下越大，卻感覺很痛快。

On Dad's birthday, we go for a drive along the northeast coast. Though it pours, we are not daunted by the rain at all. Instead, we've never been so determined. 

        我在車子裡寫生，我們一邊沒有目的地喃喃，而車外的釣客則無畏風雨，等著出航。

     I sketch inside the dry and cozy car. Dad and I ramble on casually. Meanwhile, despite the rain, the fishermen on the cruise are ready to sail on the sea. 

        我們駛過一個又一個灣口，來到鼻頭角（上面的筆記有錯），風景美得令人屏息，我拿起筆，車子裡都是畫筆刷在紙上的聲音。畫完了，下車吹吹冷風，撲鼻而來的海洋味是當天最美好的禮物，當然還有超級動人的海浪。

     We race on the winding road along the sea, finally arriving at Pitouchiao. The scenery is so breathtaking that I can't help taking up my pens. The car is filled with the sounds of my brushes stroking on the paper. After finishing the sketch, I get off the car to take a closer look at the seacoast. The salty smell of the sea fills my nostrils, which is the best gift of the day, apart from the fantastic sea waves. 

        之後來到南雅奇岩，石頭、浪花、雨水，絕對詩意的組合。

     Afterwards we visit Nanya rocks. What an absolutely poetic combination of rocks, waves, and rain!

        最後來到很有異國情調的和平島，超級浪漫！

     We top off the outing with a photo shot at the super romantic Hoping Island. 

        不是我的生日，但收了比生日禮物還棒的大禮！

     It's not my birthday, but it's definitely a day much better than a birthday! 

Sketchy sketches / 速速寫

好久沒有速寫，我渴望感受日常生活的魅力，所以一早從坐公車的時候就開始我的速速寫遊戲，可能只是三十秒，或者是二十分，都充滿無限可能。

Since I haven't sketched for a long while, my whole being is packed with longings that scream for an outlet. So I decide to play the sketchy sketch game even when taking the short bus ride. Be it thirty seconds or twenty minutes, I know there are countless possibilities in the game. 

        我的雙眼看到的人事物都如此迷人，速寫當下就算龐大的公車擋住我的視野，也擋不住我的渴望。

     In my eyes, every detail is so charming and nothing, not even a gigantic bus in front of me, can stop me from recording their beauty. 

        生活始終是美麗的，只是我們常常被自己矇蔽了。

     Life is always beautiful, but we are often blind to it. 

Fishing / 釣魚

貓頭鷹小姐的身體對她說：我們去釣魚吧！ 

Miss Owl's body tells her, "Let's go fishing!" 

Nap / 午覺

睡了一場午覺，感覺自己在涼涼的海水裡輕輕地飄著‧‧‧‧‧‧

In my dream, my body floats lightly in the cool seawater...