Senses of Fern / 覺蕨

植標館最近規劃了一系列蕨類的展出和演講，在咖啡館裡學植物是我的初體驗！

     The TAI Herbarium has recently hosted an exhibition with Alpha Jade and a series of talks. It's my first-time experience to learn about plants in a cafe. 

        位於台大後門對面的靈感咖啡在小公寓的二樓，是很有趣的空間。

     Idea Cafe, located on the second floor of a traditional apartment building right across from the back gate of NTU, is a very fascinating place. 

        沿著樓梯上去擺滿了蕨類的圖片，感覺像要去參加一場蕨類盛宴！

     Along the staircases are exquisite pictures of ferns. I feel like attending a pompous fern party! 

        咖啡館充滿蕨類的綠意。

     The cafe is filled with lush green ferns. 

        參加講座的人數不到二十人，是低調卻奢華的派對。

     There are less than twenty guests, but it's a low-key yet luxurious party. 

        每位客人都拿到一瓶三叉葉星蕨當伴手禮。

     Every guest gets a bottle with Java fern swimming in it as a souvenir. 

        天花板也有玄機。

     Even the ceiling is decorated with projected images of ferns. 

        講師就是我一直都很尊敬的郭城孟教授，老師今天用超級有重點的方式教授蕨類的學習重點。老師說雖然蕨類無花無果實，但葉片有無窮的變化，就像巴哈的音樂。

     The lecturer today is my idol Dr. Chen-Meng Kuo. Today the professor teaches ferns in a super understandable manner. He says that though ferns have no flowers or fruits, the variation of leaf shapes and patterns is amazing, just like Bach's music. 

        結果到了中場休息時間，居然安排了兩位市立交響樂團的老師來演奏巴哈的組曲，我都快融化了，真是驚喜連連啊！

     Guess what? Then two professional musicians appear to perform Bach's music for us during the intermission. My heart totally melts at the surprise! 

        聽完演講再到植標館的庭園看展覽，這裡不只有各種蕨類，還有許多藝術作。主辦單位乾玉新創聯合郭城孟教授和幾位藝術家做跨界的合作，是很動人的展覽。

     After the talk, we move on to the gardens and greenhouse of TAI for the exhibition of ferns and artworks. The host organization Alpha Jade invites Dr. Kuo and several artists to collaborate and come up with an extremely impressive exhibition.  

        主辦單位利用植標館庭園和溫室的環境，搭配繪畫、雕刻、陶瓷等藝術形式，讓訪客可以更深刻體驗蕨類的重要性和美好。

     The host organization makes use of the fantastic space of the gardens and the greenhouse. Many forms of art such as paintings, sculpture and ceramics are employed to highlight the importance and beauty of ferns. 

        其實大自然就是最美的一場展覽不是嗎？

     I think nature is the most fantastic exhibition isn't it? 

        每種蕨類也被細心地附上名牌，以華麗的姿態面對訪客。

     Every fern is attached with a name tag for the visitor to know and learn more easily. 

        郭老師早上教的遠古蕨類家族在溫室裡都找到了真品，這是松葉蕨，有肉眼可見的圓球狀孢子囊。

     The fern families that date back to ancient times mentioned by Dr. Kuo can all be found here. This is psilotum nudum, with sporangia visible to the naked eye. 

        全緣卷柏，枝條呈壓扁狀，葉有四排。

     Delicate spikemoss: The branches are flat, with four rows of leaves. 

        木賊，葉子呈輪生狀，枝頂端有如松果般的孢子囊穗。

     Horsetail: Verticillate leaves, with a cone-like sporangium spike at the tip of the branch. 

        之前提過的伴手禮三叉葉星蕨！

     This is Java fern, which I've mentioned earlier. 

        這場展覽為期兩個月，從十二月一日到明年的一月三十一日，展區為臺大植物標本館庭園和溫室，開放時間為早上八點到下午六點，傍晚溫室夜景也是個大驚喜喔。每周三和六下午兩點有定時導覽，更多資訊請上乾玉新創。

     The exhibition will last two months from 1st December, 2015 to Jan. 31st 2016 in the TAI herbarium gardens and the greenhouse. It's open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day. The night view in the greenhouse is a huge surprise. There are guided tours at 2 p.m. every Wednesday and Saturday. For more information, please go to Alpha Jade. 

Chris Botti

弟弟送我去聽Chris Botti的音樂會，我坐在第三排正中央的位置，Botti帥氣的全身完全收入眼底，還有美麗的小提琴家Caroline Campbell和才華洋溢的黑人女歌手Sy Smith當特別來賓，聽完之後簡直就像在艾佛勒斯峰上看世界，視野都不同了。

Jun treated me to the concert of Chris Botti. Seated in the third row, I was only a few steps away from the handsome musician. Also, we were blessed to have the super beautiful violinist Caroline Campbell and super talented singer Sy Smith. I felt like being in seventh heaven after the concert. 

        以前曾經追過一位法國漫畫家的網誌，很羨慕他在音樂會時可以當場素描，雖然當下我必須全心全意欣賞視覺和聽覺的饗宴，不過回家之後練習畫Chris很多天才上手，因為他實在太帥了，站姿一定也是排演過的吧！

   I used to follow the blog of a French bande dessinee illustrator. I envied him for doing live sketches during concerts. I just had to focus on the fabulous performance, and it took me days afterwards to practice drawing Botti because I did not want to ruin his good looks. I wonder if he rehearsed the standing pose too....

about stars / 關於星星

很多星星藏在夜空裡，等到我們的雙眼適應黑暗之後，才意識到它們的存在⋯

Many stars are tucked inside the dark folds in the sky. They won't reveal themselves until our eyes are adjusted to the dark...

今年春天，小子們和我在社區裡尋找著星星的蹤跡，邊跑邊唱五月天的「恆星的恆心」：你和我，看星星，那夜空，多神祕⋯」

This spring, the boys and I look for the stars in the neighborhood. We run and sing Mayday's Persistence of the Planet: You and I, watch the stars. The night sky, is so mysterious...

about djembe / 打鼓和人生

儘管用單一的節奏重複打著鼓面，我卻不時亂了腳步，老師說，此時就打低音，果然那低沈的鼓音有穩住節奏的效果。

I found that I sometimes lost my tempo though there was only one set of rhythms. The instructor said, at moments like this, just go for the bass beats. The low and heavy sounds did help to keep the rhythms steady. 

和ㄧ群陌生人打鼓，每個人有自己的節拍，卻有共鳴的可能。反而是和家人，居然一片雜音，老師又說，也許是我們不知道自己的拍子，或者我們沒有聆聽別人的鼓聲。

There is the possibility of harmony when we play the djembe with strangers though everyone has their own rhythms. However, we might end up in cacophony when performing with people whom we think we know well. The instructor suggested that it's either because we don't know our tempos or because we do not listen to one another. 

我要像低音一樣穩如泰山，我不會輕易被拉著鼻子走。

I want to be as firm as the bass beats. You can't lead me by the nose.

Two pairs of hands / 兩雙手

前兩天躺在沙發上看電腦，楷維跑過來說：你的衣服捲起來了，這樣會感冒，於是他很細心地幫我把四端的衣角都拉好。

Two days ago while I was lying on my back staring at the laptop on the sofa, Kai saw me and said, "The edges of your T-shirt curl up. You'll catch a cold." He insisted on making them smooth and flat for me before going away. 

昨天去非洲鼓課，課程要結束時大家的手心又紅又腫，老師說兩兩一組互相幫彼此搥背，此時身邊的單身女性突然把偶數都用完，只剩離我有點遠的ㄧ位先生，而那些分完組的女性對著我們說：你們就一組吧！我還來不及感到尷尬，先生就大方地走過來說我幫你吧！我坐下之後，他的雙手替我把帽子拉上，很細心地拉平我的衣服之後才開始搥背，那是練過優人神鼓，跳舞像太極一般優雅的中年男子。下課之前我們互相感謝，大家帶著喜悅的心情不留下任何痕跡地再度踏上自己的旅程。

Yesterday I attended a workshop on djembe. At the end of the lesson, everyone's palms were red and swollen. The instructor wanted us to pair up and massage each other's back. Suddenly my dilemma as a single gal surfaced again. Before I could react, the other single women near me had found partners. Only a middle-aged gentleman who was kind of far away from me was left. At this moment, the single ladies looked at us suggesting, "Why don't you two form a group?" No sooner had I begun to feel embarrassed than he came up to me saying, "I'll help you." After I sat down, he pulled up my hood and    flattened my T-shirt with tenderness first. It was a gentleman who is as elegant as a tai-chi master. Then we thanked each other for the beautiful encounter and went on our own life journey without leaving any contacts at all. 

這兩雙手，熟悉或陌生，都如此充滿善意。

These two pairs of hands, whether intimate or foreign, are both so full of good will. 

My Camberwell Sunshine / 我的小太陽

今天要交上學期的所有作業，所以我又再度大包小包上學去，其實可以拿著畫走在路上讓我感覺很虛榮，經過小車票亭頭一轉，中東老闆又送來飛吻和溫暖的微笑，不要小看這個人喔，在我心裡他是我的坎貝爾小太陽，因此我得把這一刻畫下來。

Today we were supposed to hand in all the assignments for last term, so again I left home with my portfolio and tube. In fact, walking on the streets with my drawings made me feel so vain. When I passed by the ticket booth and turned my head, the owner from the Middle East gave me a kiss and warm smile. Hey, this guy is my Camberwell sunshine though I go to him at most on a weekly basis. I felt the need to draw this scene after coming home. 

交完作業之後就是黑膠唱片包裝的成發時間，在那之前我們看了別人的作品，心裡不是很踏實，不過善良的溫蒂一直安慰我大家都半斤八兩，也對，其實比起上學期，我真的是混多了，不過起碼得失心不會太重，而那之前很多人都跑來說他們很欣賞我們這一組的作品。

After handing in the assignments, it was time for the crit on the CD/vinyl package design. We had some time to walk around and take a look at others' works. To be honest, I didn't feel very sure, but Wen Dee was very kind to make me feel better by saying that her group work isn't so perfect. Well, compared with last term, I certainly didn't go all out, but at least I wouldn't be so heart-broken if in the end it isn't good. In fact, quite a number of classmates came and told us they love our design. 

我和溫蒂說我已經訂的六月中的機票要回家，本來很堅強的溫蒂最近變得很感性，她說到時候會很悲傷，我說沒有關係，來台灣找我吧！我送給她一塊鳳梨酥，她一直握在手裡，她說怕放進袋子裡會壓碎，真是令人感動啊！後來又和班上的好幾個非英國同學聊到台灣，我邀請大家到時來拜訪我，其實在家裡我都和嘉蕊說，我要回家結婚了，因為前幾年算命的丹尼爾說就是這一兩年，嘉蕊還非常認真地說：你一定要挑一個非學期中的日子，我要買一頂英國式的帽子去參加！我們每天在家就是這麼胡鬧的。

I told Wen Dee that I have decided to go home in mid-June. Wen Dee, who is always such a strong person, has become rather sentimental. She said it's sad. I told her that it's ok and that she can come visit me in Taiwan. I gave her a pineapple cake, and she just kept holding it in her hand instead of putting it down because she was afraid that it would be crushed in her bag. I found that very touching. Later we talked of the wonderful food that Taiwan can offer with other non-British classmates, and I couldn't help inviting them to come. In fact, in the dorm, I keep telling Jazel that I am going home to get married because that's what Daniel, the astrologer, said a few years ago. Jazel took it very seriously saying, "You have to choose a date when I can fly from London. I'll wear a British hat to go to your wedding." That's how we play every day. 

不是不喜歡畫圖了，而是我現在對於課程的架構有清楚的了解，不禁開始想我現在學的可能不是我想要的東西，最近大家對於能夠開心畫圖這件事很在乎，我覺得即使我脫離這個環境，我還是會畫畫。雖然之前有點低潮，但現在這一點我可以很客觀地看目前的學習和生活，不再是因為我想逃避。

It's not that I don't love drawing anymore, but that I have a clear understanding of the structure of the courses. I can't help thinking that what I am learning now is not what I am looking for. Besides, lately we have been talking about being able to draw happily and freely. I am sure that even if I no longer stay in this environment, I'll keep on drawing. I did have some low moments a while ago, but at this point, I can look at my learning and life objectively. I made the choice not because I want to run away. 

我反而要感謝之前的低潮，因為我覺得自己有打開心，看到身邊的許多好人，也感受到他們一直以來的溫暖。

I do have to thank God for giving the low moments. Because of them, I have got to open my heart and realized that there are many good people around me. I deeply feel their warmth...

做評論剛開始大家都很有活力，不過通常過了一兩組就會開始疲勞，我很慶幸我們是倒數第二組，因為我是個很不多話的組長，我的理論是：好的作品是不需要解釋的，而且我除了教書以外，真的不太喜歡在大家面前說話。

In the beginning of the crit everyone is upbeat, but usually after one or two groups, fatigue starts to creep in. I was glad that we were the second last group. I am not a talkative director. My theory is that you don't have to explain if the works are good. Besides, I don't feel at ease talking in front of people except teaching. 

我看著窗外的太陽想，今天真適合出遊啊！鑫很認真地站到椅子上聽。剛開始的幾組很嚇人，都是砸重金把畫稿送印刷廠，我越看就越汗顏了。

I looked at the sunshine outside the windows and thought, "What a day for going for fun!" Xin stood on a chair to get a better look. The first few groups were really intimidating because they spent a fortune having their design printed out in deluxe manners. I felt kind of embarrassed about what we did. 

要報告之前，婕蔓說：你一定要很驕傲地介紹喔！那些背後的小故事就不要說了。

Before the presentation, Germaine said, "You have to give the introduction with pride. As for the stories, leave them out of this." 

其實早上助教傑克來看過我們的作品就露出很愛的表情，但想不到，我也不過說了三句話，德瑞克整個就接過去說：這是我今天最喜歡的兩件作品之一。除了對小桃的手寫字稱讚不已，對雷蒙的吉他設計也很鍾意，然後又翻了我的研究檔案夾，他整個就很像吃了迷幻藥地說：你們讓我這一整天都不同了！我得很不好意思地說，人家都是塞進真的黑膠唱片，我們的是用黑色紙卡剪的，可是這些小細節好像都不重要了。我們這組的評論時間結束之後，小桃還問我：你覺得他們說的是真心話嗎？我回答：應該是吧！

As a matter of fact, Jake took a quick look at our package in the morning, and he appeared to like it. But,    when I said no more than three sentences, Derek couldn't wait to add, "This is one of my two favorite packages today." He gave a compliment on Momo's handwritten typefaces and Raymond's guitar image. Then when he thumbed through my development file, it was as if he took drugs when he said, "Oh, you have made my day." I have to confess that all the other groups used real vinyls in the sleeves while we had only fake ones cut out of black paper. But these details didn't seem to matter anymore. After the crit on our work was over, Momo asked me in disbelief, "Do you think they were telling the truth?" I replied, "I think so!" 

我們說這是個幸運的意外，對我來說，這是個很有趣的處境，之前我辛苦做的作品評價慘到不行，當時最看不過去的就是我現在這種作品，我想上帝要讓我嚐嚐這個立場的滋味。想起來最近一連串的事件要告訴我的就是：做你自己吧！有時候真的是不需要那麼努力的！

We said this is a happy accident. For me, this is an interesting experience. Before I worked so hard only to hand in really terrible works, and at that time I couldn't understand why works which were not so carefully done got better critiques than mine. I guess God wants me to taste how it feels to be in such a place. I can only say, what has happened lately keeps giving me the message: Be myself! Don't always strive for the best and give myself a hard time! 

但今天最令我高興的是，我們發現組長很強勢的組作品風格就是組長的風格，但婕蔓說我們的沒有，當然啦，我可是隨著別人搖擺的人嘛！我可以很驕傲的地方是，老師稱讚哪一部份做得很好時，我會很榮幸地補充那是哪個組員的想法。雖然我們的設計師一整天看起來都不是很開心，最後我還是和他說：你好像沒有很喜歡這個作品，但我得說你有很多好想法。

To my great happiness today, we found that if the creative director of a group is very dominant, the style of the package is exactly that of the CD. Germaine said that ours doesn't feel that way. Of course, I change my mind easily if it's a good suggestion. I am proud of myself in that whenever the tutors mentioned a strength in our design, I would introduce the member responsible for that. Though our designer didn't seem happy all day long, in the end I still told him, "You don't seem to like this package, but you do have good ideas." 

要離開畫室時小桃對我說：謝謝你！這句話比什麼都有力！那些有的沒有的都該被忘了！

Before leaving the studio, Momo said to me, "Thank you!" These two words are far more powerful than anything else. I think what occurred should all be forgotten! 

Tell a Story / 說故事

這星期CD封套設計就要收尾了，我必須承認這一次我做得很糟糕，因為沒有堅持，所以除了和組員無法好好溝通，自己也做得不開心。

This week our assignment of the CD cover design is coming to an end. I have to admit that this time I did a very terrible job. Because I wasn't able to stick to my role as a leader, I failed to communicate well with my team members and I was very unhappy doing the drawings.

昨天我和小桃很認真地討論，為什麼我們最後會感受不到畫圖的喜悅，甚至畫不出來，我們試著從原來的小框框裡跳出來，回到老師最初說的，設計的最初要能說故事，我們的品牌是TROJAN，以牙買加音樂為主，其實這個品牌背後的故事是很驚人的，你可以想像一個殖民地的音樂登上殖民國的流行音樂金榜，而且剛開始這些唱片都是用很簡單的錄音系統製作，我就無法想像哪天台灣新移民的流行樂能夠讓台灣人也朗朗上口。

Yesterday I had an honest discussion with Momo about why we didn't feel the joy of drawing anymore, and in the end we even didn't know what to draw. We tried to rid ourselves of the box imposed on us and went back to the earliest message the tutors gave--tell a story with your design. Our record label is TROJAN, which releases Jamaican music. In fact, personally I find the story behind this label very amazing. Can you imagine the pop music of a colony landing the chart top of its ruling country? Besides, in the beginning the albums were made with very simple sound systems. I can't imagine one day we'll all sing the pop songs of Southeastern Asian immigrants in Taiwan.

離開畫室時小桃說了一句話：不管我們的努力有沒有用，至少我們用自己的方式詮釋。這句話讓我不再被困於過去這兩週的苦悶。對，我要高興地畫，畫我想畫的東西。

When I left the studio, Momo said, "Whether we'll use our images in the end or not, at least we interpret the label in our own ways." This sentence set me free from the boredom that trapped me during the past two weeks. Right, I want to draw happily and draw what I feel like drawing.

今天做了一些研究，覺得踏實多了‧‧‧

I did some research and felt so down-to-earth.

關於人生和藝術，我要學的還多著呢！

About life and art, there is so much I have to learn!