咖啡。美少女。

Cafe in December

十二月的週末適合做什麼事呢？不用懷疑啦！當然是跟希芸妹妹一起出去玩！不過為了不要受寒，找個暖和的地方窩著，喝咖啡閑聊挺不錯唷！上個週末、上上個週末都是這樣過的～有了希芸妹妹的陪伴，讓我的每個週末都很幸福！

In December, how do you spend your time during weekends? For me, no doubt it is the only time in a week that I can meet my beloved Xiyun. With Xiyun, no matter it is to stay all the day at home or go out for an excursion, I feel happy and enjoy a lot. In December, the weather is always cold outside. However, it's really hard to reject the invitation from bright sunshine, especially in this season~



這一陣子，根據「陽光少年仔」阿坤四處打探的情報，找到這一家鬧中取靜的咖啡屋。坐落在新生南路的巷子裡，交通算便利的好地點，缺點是停車極困難。

Our friend Kun recently found a nice place in the downtown area. Near Ta-An Forest Park, there is a cafe shop located at the lane of Xin-Shen S. Road. The mass transportation system in Taipei makes it easy to reach the shop; however, it's difficult to find a parking space nearby if you drive.



愛喝咖啡的一家五口，爸爸、媽媽、乾爹、媽咪加上希芸妹妹，最近常常來這裡報到呢！然後媽咪繼續用著小小的 T11，為希芸小小的可愛模樣留下記錄。雖然已經有添購單眼數位相機的計畫，也看好機型及打算購置的鏡頭，不過這陣子公事家事都忙，買了也沒有時間用，就只能放著讓它變成過氣的機款～所以這個計畫就先擱著了。

We are a caffeine-philic family -- papa, mama, daddy, mummy and Xiyun. We came here quite often these days. With little T11, mummy continued snapping photos of Xiyun to record her childhood days. In fact, I planned to buy a DSLR and had the wished model as well as lenses in mind. Well, my recent life is like burning the candle at both ends. I hardly imagine the new DSLR would be kept in the damp-proof cage until it becomes an old-fashioned model. OK~ this plan is postponed.



來說說這裡的咖啡。這兒的熱咖啡都以沖濾式做法為客人提供服務。大部分的咖啡豆成品屬中至輕度烘培。客人點了咖啡之後，服務生先送上裝著現磨咖啡的濾紙以及預熱過的磁濾杯以及咖啡杯組；接著請客人先欣賞一下香氣，然後熟練地以神燈壺在客人面前濾出一杯美味的咖啡。

Let me introduce cafe here to you. When you make an order of hot cafe, bartenders here would no longer stay in bar. They first bring freshly crushed coffee beans in filter paper, pre-warmed cafetiere and cup to your table, invite you to have a breath of cafe deeply, and skillfully pouring hot water through cafe in front of you.



臨桌提供沖濾式咖啡的服務，是這個咖啡店的特色之一。而且就在咖啡完成的第一時間，客人幾乎「零時差」地立刻品嘗！喔～不要懷疑，入口的時間與溫度，可是決定咖啡口感的重要因素。

Serving on each table is an impressive feature of this cafe shop. With no time lag, you can taste your cafe immediately after it is made. Surely the time and temperature are important factors to tell you how good the cafe is.



【後記】對我而言，這裡的咖啡基調偏酸。同樣的咖啡品項，各家師傅的烘培手法會讓咖啡呈現各種不同的樣貌。若你喜歡耶哥雪菲清新的果酸口感，這裡是個好選擇；若你是黃金慢特寧的愛好者，那麼這裡的口味可能會讓你有點兒意外。不管我怎麼說，好喝與否，每個人的味蕾都長得不太一樣，還是請你自己去試試看吧！

2007。實驗室。大合照

大家一起來拍照囉！
Having a Picture Together?!

應該是十月下旬的事了～
所辦公室說我們實驗室的檔案照片太古老了，今年多了許多新臉孔，應該要交一張新照片做檔案更新之用。合照事小，不過說到要把大家集合起來，嗯～這個事情就真的有難度了！

It was around the end of October. The office informed our laboratory to give a lab photo to replace the previous one, which has been used for several years. Well, it sounds easy; however, it's a little bit difficult to get all labmates together.



正值學期當中，學生們要上課，而且每個學生的課表各不相同，不上課的人，實驗安排少說也是一週兩週以上的計畫，加上老師一共十七人的陣容，說大不大，但要把大家同時找來，為了實驗室大合照，還真是個詭異的理由。

During semester, junior graduate students have many classes to take. Besides, each of them came from different campus and/or institute, thus different schedule of classes for each individuals. For senior PhD students and research fellows, we don't have classes but we arrange time table for experiments in advance. It sounds mission impossible to gather everybody and take a photo.



不過，明怡果然能幹，不出半天，就搞定所有人的時間了！ 十月最後一個週四，上午十點半，好個吉日良辰，全員集合拍照啦！

How lucky we are to have Ming-Yi as an assistant in lab. She fixed the schedule immediately for everybody! The day to have a lab photo is the last Thursday of October, at 10:30am!



這又是另一件弔詭的事～ 我以為所上有指派的攝影師幫大家拍大合照，明怡笑了半天，說「學姊，你想太多了！」 結論是我們得自己來。

That's weird! I though we'd have a photographer assigned by office to take this photo~ Ming-Yi laughed and told me that we have to take this photo by ourselves!!



嘿嘿～沒有在怕的啦！不過就拍照嘛～還好我的小小 T11 向來都是隨身攜帶的配件，剛好前幾天帶了三腳架來實驗室，沒問題，給它拍了！

Heehee...It's no big deal, I have my little T11 as a part of me everyday! By the way, I had my tripod in lab last week for other purpose! Let's go! Have a picture by ourselves!



天空雖然不怎麼漂亮，但天光還不賴！所以在會議室拍好合照，當下就把人往外帶了。活動中心前的草地上，朱銘大師的太極「推手」成了我們的佈景～

We had the first lab photo in conference room. The sky though looked not blue, yet the skylight was good to take a photo outside. With T11 on hand, I walked ahead and led all labmates to the grassland in front of the activity center. "Tai-Chi", Ju-Ming's masterpiece, was the best scene for us! What a pretty picture we had!



才過一個多月，重看這些照片，該怎麼說呢？物換星移嗎？照片當中的臉孔已經跟現在不同了。實驗室原本就是個學生、研究人員來來去去的地方，明年十月的時候，不知道會有多少人離開或加入，看來每年都得重拍啦！

Just a month passed, one of the faces in photos has left lab. Is it the old Chinese idiom said "Stars move and things changed"? This is a quite common phenomenon in lab, people come and leave. I started to think about...shall we set taking lab photos on regular schedule every year!!

放射線療程

二○○七年十一月十六日
November 16, 2007


九月底第一階段化療結束，林醫師說先每個月回診一次，看看化療藥效是不是可以繼續抑制腫瘤，讓腫瘤持續縮小甚至消失。

The first stage chemotherapy has been completed at the end of September. Dr. Lin scheduled clinics for father once a month for follow-up. From the CT scan, there was no obvious change in size of the tumor masses which had been seen last month.


今天陪爸爸回診，電腦斷層看起來，化療的藥效似乎仍持續著，腫瘤雖沒有進一步縮小，但也沒有變大。爸爸主動跟林醫師詢問搭配放療的可行性。林醫師立刻幫爸爸寫了會診單給放射科的陳醫師，希望諮詢陳醫師的意見，看爸爸目前的體力及各項健康狀態評估是否可以進行放射線療程。

Papa felt disappointed for no further shrinkage of tumors and asked if radiotherapy can help or not. Dr. Lin suggested Papa to have a meeting with Dr. Chen in Dept. Radiology and see if Papa's condition is suitable for radiotherapy. Papa agrees. We therefore have to come back for clinics this afternoon.


上午十一點半門診結束，距離下午門診看診時間還有兩個多小時。爸爸說我平日實驗很忙，可能都沒有好好吃飯，所以這個等候下午看診的空檔，我們開車去林邊吃海鮮吧！我一聽當然說好呀～難得爸爸有好興致好胃口，我則托爸爸的福，可以享用美味的海鮮，豈有不好之理？！果然不出所料，真是豐盛美味的一餐！

We left hospital at 11:30 am. Papa told mama "Wenlynn was too busy to have a nice meal for days, let's go to Lin-Bian and enjoy seafood!" WOW~~~of course I loved this idea! It's also a blessing for Papa to have a good appetite!


下午看診，放射科陳醫師看了爸爸的各項資料後，告訴我們，目前爸爸的各項健康指數良好，因此爸爸可以接受放射線療程。不過放射科的業務量極為龐大，現在開始排，可能三週至一個月左右才能排到療程。沒有聲音的爸爸以點頭代替回答，陳醫師握著爸爸的手，告訴我們她的病人有許多在放射線療程之後，恢復聲音的案例，還特地起身陪爸爸離開診間。

We went to clinics for radiotherapy this afternoon. After reading in detail of all reports, Dr. Chen told us the health indexes for Papa were good and she will arrange the schedule for Papa to take radiotherapy. However, we were also informed the capacity of Dept. Radiology was fully occupied now and Papa had to wait for 3 weeks or longer. Papa nodded in agreement. Dr. Chen told us many cases of her patients had good recoveries after radiotherapy and finally could speak again.

前往停車場準備離開醫院的一小段路，媽媽和我，一邊一個拉著爸爸的手，沒有多說話，透過手心傳來的溫度，我們相信爸爸的病情在菩薩的護持下，將日漸好轉。老實說，家裡沒有爸爸的歌聲，好寂寞呀！光是想像又可以重新聽到爸爸的聲音，讓我的心雀躍不已呢！

On the way to parking lot, we walked side by side and held each other's hand. I can feel Papa through his hands...Papa was encouraged again and the blessings from Budda would help Papa gradually recover from cancer attack. You'd never know how lonely it was without Papa's voice at home...Just imaging Papa could talk to me again, I was cheering to caper!

預備--重機開跑

二○○七年十一月一日
November 1st, 2007

早在一個月前，就看到公告了～每個週末，老公會開車載我走市民快速道，回家跟公公婆婆一起吃晚餐。就在平面道路轉快速道的入口處，看到快速道路自十一月一日起開放重型機車行駛的公告牌。超期待的呢～

It has been announced for a month~every weekend, when we drive home by Civic Blvd. to have dinner with my parents-in-low, the notice was there and announced "Heavy motorcycle with cylinder volume equal and more than 550 ml are allowed to drive on express highways". I looked forward to the day so much to experience it!!




終於到了十一月一日這一天！原本以為老公會騎機車來接我下班，特地今天早上出門時選擇著褲裝。到了傍晚，接到老公的簡訊說已經到中研院了，開心地揹了書包下樓去，咦？沒有看到川崎小綠呀！怎麼回事？才拿起手機要問老公人在哪兒，電話就響了「妳不上車，還在那邊東張西望找什麼？我就停在你正前方！」。真是令人失望～我以為今天可以很拉風的騎機車走快速道回家說。老公叫我別傻了，說是今天的市快可能會比菜市場熱鬧，不要今天去跟人家一窩蜂！想想也有道理，好吧！改天再來試試囉～

The day, November 1st, I dressed myself in pantsuit for office this morning...I thought Michael would ride his moto to take me home. When my mobile showed up the message sent by Michael and said he was nearby, I happily went downstairs and felt disappointed~I didn't see our heavy moto -- Kawasaki ZRX1200R... just Michael was there waiting for me! Well, Michael might be right. He said the Civic Blvd. must be as crowded as supermarket today. We could have a try several days later. Sure~wait for another good day, I'll have my flight on express highway!




【後記】這個週末，我們終於有了重機行駛快速道路初體驗。超刺激的呢～這時候，佩戴全罩式安全帽的必要性就明顯了。在安全無虞的情況下，高速行駛所帶來的種種噪音跟震動，讓我有一種安全帽會飛出去的錯覺（我的帽子是3/4罩，全罩式對我而言太重了，脖子有撐不住的疑慮），看來裝備有升級的必要了。

ps. We later had a ride on express highway #61 at November 3th. It was indeed a fascinating ride! Vibration and noise were accompanied with high-speed riding, I felt my moto helmet was almost blown away~ the helmet I currently use is SHOEI J-Force II. It seems I have to upgrade my equipments now ^_^

有朋自遠方來～

HAPPY TIMES with FRIENDS from OKINAWA

October 5, 2008

Having been planned and waited for a month, it finally was the day that Tomomi would visit Taiwan and stay for 5 days!! What a coincidence it was! There was a typhoon attacking the northeastern part of Taiwan. The evening we met in the main gate of Academia Sinica and walked together to lab. A BBQ dining had been planned in lab to welcome our friends from Okinawa! We were twelve persons sitting in two tables for dinner. After being fed with plenty of food, Michael came to drive us home~ Tomomi and Ryoko(U) would stay with me at my house for two nights!!

一個多月來的書信往返，計畫行程，預定交通、住宿等等，終於到了這一天，來自沖繩的朋友抵達台灣！說巧不巧，颱風也選在今天拜訪北台灣！傍晚時分，天空已經開始飄雨，一行十二個人迎著風雨出發，今晚我們要去野宴吃烤肉，歡迎我們遠道來訪的朋友！

就別說晚餐吃得多撐了！走出餐廳時，風雨已經大到打不了傘、走路時會飄移的地步！體貼的 Arthur 開車送三個小女生回去住宿的旅館，老公則開車來把三個女人載回家。這兩天 Ryoko(U) 跟Tomomi 都跟我住唷！





October 6, 2008

It was originally planned to have a visit in National Palace Museum today. However, typhoon is now attacking Taiwan~heavy rain and strong wind kept us stay indoors. However, the power of friendship is even stronger than typhoon!! Arthur bravely drove his car to the hotel where Lisa, Ryoko(T) and Sayaka stayed, and took them to my house~finally, we had a joyful time having shabu-shabu together at home!! Meanwhile, Dodo was a superstar this evening~he caught everbody's hearts by his passionate rubbing!

今天原本計畫一趟故宮參觀之旅，可惜天公不做美，屋外風雨交加，台北縣市昨晚就宣布停班停課了，故宮當然就休館一天啦！不過，即便風強雨驟，都還是抵不過友情力量大！ Arthur 從汐止開車到雙連，然後把 Lisa，Ryoko(T) 和 Sayaka 載到我家來，颱風天一起吃涮涮鍋，超幸福～

臭豆豆今晚可是超級巨星呢！又是磨蹭，又是癡癡凝望，可愛的模樣輕易地擄獲每個人的心！





October 7-8, 2008

Pity that I could not join the trip to Hualien, National Taroko Park. I have and would like to save my work-off quota for Papa~ I cannot stand for this -- Papa goes to hospital by himself. Oh~of course, Mama is always accompanied with Papa, however, Mama is not as strong and healthy as before. I think they need my company.

可惜我沒辦法一起去太魯閣國家公園。我只是未雨綢繆啦，因為陪爸爸回診，看檢查報告可是全家人賦予我的重要任務呢！雖然媽媽寸步不離的陪伴爸爸，可媽媽自己也是大病號一個，讓爸媽去醫院我還真不放心。所以現在說到要請假，都會跟自己斤斤計較，雖然我的老闆從來不計較我請了多少假～做人還是要有良心的呀！



Thank Shuen and Yu-Chi's support!! They both arranged a day off work and went to Hualien with our friends from Okinawa~ I really worried about language and safety when I knew I could not take the trip together. Tomomi told me why she wished to visit Taroko~the place where Taroko Park located is named "Tien-Xiang" and it is the name in Kanzi for her beloved son!

說來真幸運！啟順跟育奇及時伸出援手，兩個人都請週一休假，這樣就可以帶我們的日本朋友去花蓮玩一回～老實說，原先朋友們說可以自行去花蓮時，我先想到語言問題，再加上我對此際台灣的治安狀況頗有疑慮，我還真不放心讓他們自己去呢！謝天謝地也謝啟順跟育奇，我心中的大石頭落了地！

對了～Tomomi 跟我說很想去太魯閣是有特別緣故的呢！太魯閣的位置在天祥，而 Tomomi 的兒子，名字的漢字就是「天祥」，所以 Tomomi 還特地在花蓮的天祥寄了一張明信片給在沖繩的天祥唷～




October 9, 2008

Quite busy on Monday as usual. I told myself not to exhaust myself~for this evening, we planned to have dinner together in a famous restaurant serving food made from flour. Besides, we'll have some dessert after dinner on the same street -- Yung-Kang Street. Although it slightly rained, yet when we saw each other again, exciting and happy mood soon "heated" everyone...Who saw raindrops on shoulder? Nope! All evaporated !!

恐怖的星期一，忙碌一如往常。不過今晚有重要約會，所以邊做實驗，邊期待傍晚時分到來。伊婷、曉玲、采馨、一凡、舶滄、Arthur 和我加上從花蓮玩回來的五個朋友，我們今晚要去永康街的「金雞園」大快朵頤！沒辦法，我太喜歡這兒的麵食了，口感精緻、作工細膩，宴請外國朋友不僅兼具特色與口味的考量，經濟實惠的價格更是讓主人面子裡子都顧到了。

今晚雖然下著毛毛雨，戶外溫度偏涼，但我們實在太「嗨」了，每個人可能都維持體表三十七度的高溫吧～毛毛雨落下來，來不及把我們淋濕就通通蒸發了！哈哈！




October 10, 2008

Last night Arthur, Bo-Tsang and I accompanied friends back to the hotel. It's a hard time for me to wave goodbye to my dear friends...They will visit the highest building in the world -- Taipei 101 -- today morning and departure in the afternoon.

昨晚，舶滄、Arthur 和我一起送大家回車站前的天成飯店。這是日本友人這趟台灣行的最後一晚了，討厭說再見的我，面臨了必須說再見的時刻...還被舶滄和 Arthur 嘲笑 >_<



Arthur came to lab and ask if I'd like to meet them in Taipei 101. Wow~really? Why not~Let's go!! This is the very first time for everybody! None of us have visited 101 before. I was impressed with the Damper Baby very much!! For more info, please refer to http://www.taipei-101.com.tw/ch/OB/damper/intro.asp ~

今天上午朋友們計畫抽空去參觀台北 101，下午啟程前往桃園機場，結束台灣之行。接近中午時分，Arthur 提議一起去台北 101 跟大家說掰掰吧！二話不說，走！我是都市鄉巴佬，第一次拜訪世界最高的建築 -- 台北101～我看到好大的阻尼喔！真是把我看傻眼啦～



After 101, it is the moment we have to say goodbye to each other...
Although we could not help but weeping...we knew it is tears of happiness and love. We hugged each other tightly and made a date to meet again in Okinawa when Spring comes.

結束台北 101 的參觀，這次真的要再見了。忍不住還是哭了...不過大家都知道這是充滿幸福與不捨的眼淚，用力地跟大家一一擁抱說再見，並且約好了～春天來的時候，換我去沖繩看大家！

「色、戒」之小女人的愛情觀。

LUST．CAUTION
a little woman's viewpoint of love

張愛玲原著，知名導演李安執導的「色、戒」上映了。當然，這絕對不是號稱「血管裡流動的液體叫汽油」的老公會一起去看的電影，於是跟瑞瑾約好了，下班後搭乘捷運板南線，直奔西門町絕色影城。

"LUST, CAUTION", which was originally a novel written by Eileen Chang, is a movie directed by Ang Lee and comes out in cinemas in September 2007. No doubt Michael, who claimed fluid flowing in his blood vessel is gasoline instead of blood, will not accompany me for this kind of movie. Well, Ruey-Jin and I are happy to go to movies together after office hours. By MRT blue line, we arrived at the movie theater in Shimending on time.



燈暗了下來，大時代的愛情就此展開。畫面出現濃妝豔抹的愛國話劇社成員們，以誇張矯飾的演技感動電影中的觀眾時，現實的電影院裡開始出現不同的窸窣聲響。有人笑，有人哭。不知跟劇中黃力宏的濃妝有沒有關係，還是因為劇中高喊的「中國不能亡」？
我，無風。也無雨。

The light turned to be dark, a story in a turbulent age was begun...When the screen came out the show by the patriotic young, with dramatized make-up on faces and very mannered performance to deeply touch the hearts of audiences in movie, I heard very different noise from audiences in reality. Some were sobbing and some were laughing. Well, I was not sure if sobs or laugh were induced by Lee-Hom Wang for he wore a lot of make-up or by the bombastic tone crying for survival of China!
What about me? They were playing scenes beyond my cognition and experiences...

接著一群大學生開始暗殺特務的計畫與行動。 單純的女大學生--王佳芝，不知是受到愛國心的驅使，還是為了那初初萌芽的曖昧情愫，答應扮演色誘特務的危險角色。為了讓精明的特務不疑有他，強迫自己與一名從無任何好感的男同學「練習」男女床笫之事。當特務因新的任命離開香港的那一幕出現，看著螢幕上女大學生沒有表情的臉，我聽到自己的心嘩啦啦碎了一地．．．

An action to assassinate the special agent was planned by those patriotic young people. Maybe it's because of the patriotic duty of Chia-Chi Wang, maybe just for the love in dark between her and Yu-Ming Kuang, the college girl promised her friends to take on a dangerous role to entice the special agent into lusting after her. Being undergraduate, pure and young, she forced herself to have sex with a man, who never attracted her, to get acquainted with the sexual activity and to play vividly as a mistress. Everything got ready for her but with a bad luck, the special agent took a new mission and left Hongkong. The moment she knew about the news, screen revealed a pretty but expressionless face, I felt like my heart was broken into pieces...



劇情在歷史課本記載的大時代裡進行。我看不見那些留名歷史的英雄人物，只見一個年紀輕輕的孤單女子，在感情裡浮沉、在大愛與小我之間掙扎。不問對方心裡想些什麼了，在袒裎相對的時刻，身體已經忠實地傳達了彼此的惺惺相惜。

The stories went on in the era that I only read in history class. I saw no hero but a young lady with a lonely heart, being struggling to make a decision of "to be or not to be". Not necessary to know thinking of each other, when they were face to face nakedly, twisted bodies faithfully delivered the message of love.

隨著劇情一幕幕接近尾聲，看同行的瑞瑾哭得傷心，我有的卻是了然於心的感動。沒有眼淚。因為～她的選擇，也是，我的選擇。瑞瑾擦擦眼淚，帶著微笑說，很替女主角感到不值呢～可不是？！問世間情為何物，直叫人生死相許！

The scenes were playing to the end...Ruey-Jin was so deeply touched that she almost became a weeping lady. I had no tears. The fate that Chia-Chi Wang finally chose in her life is what I would do if I were in that situation. Ruey-Jin wiped her tears off and with an understanding smile on her face, she said the special agent did not worth the love of Chia-Chi Wang that had made her sufferings; however, that's what love is. Just like the poem by the ancient poet Petőfi Sándor~ "Liberty, love! These two I need. For my love I will sacrifice life."＊



我該感到慶幸不是生在那樣的年代。不要怪女主角沒有想到同伴，當她身陷虎口，進退兩難的時刻，她的同伴們可曾體會她求救的話語？換做是我，選擇上刑場何嘗不是一種解脫！當槍響之後，不會再有毒蛇鑽心的恐懼，也從此不需承受辜負一份愛與信任的揪心之痛！

I think I am lucky not to grow in that age. Never blame on Chia-Chi Wang for her carelessness of her companies. When she was entrapped in a tough situation, who had ever thought about the difficulties she faced or been awaken by her warning cry to get her away from those tortures? To end the sufferings on the execution ground seemed a good way to free herself from this sad love. When the shot was fired, she also got rid of fears that is like a snake break-in her soul, and she would be relieved from the pain of betraying love and trust.

離開電影院，十點半的西門町人群擾攘。帶著各自的愛情，我們在捷運站入口處揮手說拜拜。說好了～下回有好電影還是要一起來喲！

We left movie theater at 10:30 pm. Shimending is still active and crowded by young people. With different viewpoints of love being shared, we waved goodbye at the entrance of MRT and made an appointment for next good show, how perfect we are as movie-mates~~

＊【附註】
此句摘錄一句匈牙利詩人裴多菲．山多爾 (Petőfi Sándor，1823-1849) 的名作，中文譯為「生命誠可貴，愛情價更高」。其實後半尚有「若為自由故，兩者皆可拋」，不過這顯然跟小女子的愛情觀不合，所以就省略啦！

This is a poem by Hungarian poet Petőfi Sándor (1823-1849). "Liberty, love! These two I need. For my love I will sacrifice life" is the half-part of a poem. The full version of this poem should be "Liberty, love! These two I need. For my love I will sacrifice life, for liberty I will sacrifice my love." It's obvious that the last half-part is disagreed with a little woman's viewpoint of love~ that's why I omitted the last-half >_<


　　

結婚紀念日

二○○七年　九月二十八日


時間過得真快，一轉眼，我已經結婚四年了耶～ 單身的時候，已婚的朋友跟我說：妳不要傻了，婚前婚後真的差很多。結婚以後，未婚的朋友則說：看妳這麼幸福的模樣，人家也好想結婚喔！

Time passed so fast, I've been happily married for 4 years. When I was a single, friends who were married said: Don't be silly! It's totally different in life before and after getting married! Now I am married, friends who are single told me they wish to get married for my life after getting married is even more joyful and happy than I was a single.




我該說什麼呢？！其實，婚前婚後真的差很多！老公的工作地點從台南的奇美醫院變成台中的中山醫大，光是空間距離就縮短了將近兩百公里，這樣算差很多吧！

O_o What should I say?! Well, it's indeed different before and after marriage. The distance of Michael and me was shortened from 350 km to 160 km for he quit his job in Tainan Chi-May Medical Center and moved to Taichung Chung-Shan Medical University. Isn't it a BIG difference for us?!

差不多的是我們的生活型態，一週最多三天住在同一個屋簷下；每個週末回公公婆婆家，共享一家人的幸福晚餐。結婚後的生活也依然忙碌精采。我們有各自的朋友與興趣，也有許多共同的朋友與嗜好。不住一起的時候，生活很自在；住在一起的時候，生活很融洽。

I think there was no big difference of our life style before and after getting married. We have 2 or 3 days a week living together. Weekend is the family day, we have dinner time with my parents-in-law every Saturday. While living together, we enjoy and share many things with each other. The other days, we live individually in two cities and have personal life, friends and interests. Living by oneself, life goes on an easy and comfortable way; living together, life is a harmony.




朋友們都會好奇，兩頭獅子一起生活，不會各執己見吵翻天嗎？不會吧～不要忘了，我們可都是有邏輯講道理的研究人員呢。當然會有意見相左的時刻！不過，「愛、信任、尊重」讓我們在表達自己想法的當下，也不曾忘記聆聽對方的見解。所以，有話好說唄～

Friends also are curious when Michael and I have a difference of opinion on something, whether we argue with each other or not. I dare not say "No, we never had a quarrel"; however, I am sure we did not spend time on issues that are not logical or reasonable. Because of love, trust, and respect, the moment we express self opinions, we listen to each other simultaneously.


【後記】我想我是充滿感激的。在感情的路上跌跌撞撞，我不曾因為愛情引起的哭泣或憂傷而不再相信愛情，或失去探索愛情的勇氣，這全都要歸功於家人給我完全的支持與信任吧～已入不惑之年的我，不管別人覺得我天真或孩子氣，我還是要大聲的說：夢想有理，愛情萬歲！

上山下海。二。三貂角燈塔。

September 2007

We certainly were well-prepared for this excursion! After breakfast, we had a good time with cute Hua. At about eleven o'clock, we waved goodbye to Hua's family and started over the trip. Next destination is Sandiao Cape Lighthouse.

這一回我們可是有備而來。吃過美味的活力早餐之後，跟小饅頭又玩了一回。午前時分，我們跟小饅頭一家人揮手說拜拜，重新啟程，前往今天的下一個目的地，三貂角燈塔。
　

三貂角燈塔。簡介。Sandiao Cape Lighthouse．Introduction


We left Sky Coffee and rode along the county freeway #106. Passing through "Ping-Shuang Tunnel", we were then running on a branch of freeway #2 and soon reached the main line of it. I felt like flying along the coast of Taiwan~

從天空咖啡出來，繼續沿著106縣道前行，過了平雙隧道，接上三角標公路2丙，途經貢寮，接上三角標2號公路，以近似飛翔的感覺奔馳在人車稀少的公路上~　


三貂角燈塔。Main building of Sandiao Cape Lighthouse


The sky turned to be cloudy...isn't it just the beginning of autumn? How come the effect of monsoon is so obvious?! Running on freeway along coast, the wind of a slight salty smell blew me up and made me feel as if I were a kite flying against the current of air to the sky~

此時天色稍微轉陰。時序才入秋耶！沒想到東北季風的影響已經這麼明顯。馳騁在濱海公路上，帶有鹽味的海風從耳邊呼呼吹過，腦中閃過古人名句，好個「浩浩乎如馮虛御風，而不知其所止」啊！


小路。通往位於陡峭山壁前的觀景台。
The only way to the viewing platform


It's so strange! On our arrival at Sandiao Cape Lighthouse, except Michael, me and our motorbike V-Star, there was no other visitors! Here showed an extremely good field of vision~

不過老公當然不會不知其所止～我們此行的第二個目的地，三貂角燈塔，到了！好寬廣的視野！不過真奇怪，放眼望去，這裡除了老公、我、勝利小星、燈塔之外，沒有其他遊客耶！雖然頗有「飄飄乎如遺世獨立」之感，不過我可還沒做好「羽化而登仙」的準備。


觀景台在望。Viewing Platform


Before we waved goodbye to the lighthouse, Michael asked me if I felt tired or not. He wished to ride along the coast to Yi-Lan and planned to return to Taipei by freeway #9. Wow~~ Of course I was very excited by Michael's idea! Go~go~go~Let's keep on riding for a blow~

離開三貂角燈塔前，老公問我累不累？如果不累，我們就繼續走濱海公路，到礁溪再接北宜公路回家，如何？哇～不累！不累！兜風可是我的最愛！當下重新啟程，繼續我們的公路飛行～


陪我們一路風塵僕僕的勝利小星。YAMAHA V-Star

We met the bullet train Taroko halfway and had a rush to chase it. Just a few seconds it ran so fast and disappeared from our eyesight.

走著走著，北迴鐵路濱海段出現了。巧遇前往花蓮的太魯閣號，不免跟它比畫了一下，不過只一下下，我們就被遠遠地拋在後頭，最後一節車廂就這樣自眼前消失。


大里天公廟。飛簷與藍天。
Dali Temple．Eaves Fly to the Blue Sky


Near the Dali railway station, there is a famous temple -- Tian-Gong Temple. It means the Master of Heaven in Chinese. We had a short stop here and prayed to GOD for father to make a complete recovery from cancer.

就在北迴鐵路濱海段大里車站附近，我看到香火鼎盛的大里天公廟，二話不說，停車到廟裡拜拜， 祈求天公賜福，助爸爸戰勝病魔。


飛簷像是迎天高舉的雙手。
Flying eaves look like Hands raising toward Sky


Today is a good day for excursion. No trunk, no traffic jams on the way! The weather though was cloudy, yet it did not rain. We met many motorbike riders halfway and waved hello to each other. What surprised me very much are those bicycle riders...to me, riding on freeway #9 is "mission impossible"! However, many bicycle riders were riding along freeway #9...Oh! My H~E~R~O~~

這一次飛行，運氣真不錯！不管北濱還是北宜公路，都沒遇盜恐怖的砂石車。沿路倒是遇到不少，或單槍匹馬，或三五成群的重型機車。最酷的是～我們在北宜公路上，遇到許多腳踏車騎士，臉不紅氣不喘地挑戰九彎十八拐～這這這真是太讓我崇拜啦！
　

上山下海。一。先吃為敬。

September 2007

A weekend of September. Michael and me, we had a date with a cute boy -- Hua. Though I felt sleepy to get up in early morning, yet the sky showed me with its charming blue and awoke me to enjoy it. We got ready efficiently and started a joyful riding~

九月的某個週末，早晨，天朗氣清。雖然愛睏，但不想錯過兜大風的機會，起床、整裝待發，花不到三十分鐘呢！老公跟我說已經跟小饅頭的爸爸約好了，今天要去天空咖啡吃早餐，嗯～很久沒去了，好期待～


鑰匙圈。A Gift for Dear Michael


A good season for excursion~I enjoy riding on the county freeway #106, the scenery is too nice to be true -- feeling that I am visiting somewhere like Utopia and remind me a child song singing the view of hometown, a river in front and hills behind...

秋高氣爽的好季節，走106縣道最合適了！石碇、平溪一帶的風景讓我有走入桃花源的感覺，而且會讓我不自主的哼唱起小時候的歌～「我家門前有小河，後面有山坡…」




平溪印象。Scenery of Ping-Xi Township


It was said the poetic lyrics was a work of a famous writer living in this area. The lyrics describes the scenery of hometown, it is so beautiful as if it was a painting...

還有一首小時候的歌，「看那邊綠樹青山風景真如畫，一彎流水幾枝野花圍著竹籬笆…」，描述的原來也是這一帶的景致呢～


夢幻的紫色野花。A purple Jalapa


I was hungry after one and half hours riding! Hua and his parents were on the way to Sky Coffee. We chose a table and made the order of our breakfasts, enjoyed delicious food and waited for their arrival...soon Hua's family joined us.

天空咖啡屋到了，肚子也餓了！就先來兩份天空的早餐吧！邊吃邊等候小饅頭一家人到來。才吃一半呢！可愛的小饅頭就以有點兒害羞的姿態出現了～四個大人一個小娃娃，好嗨唷～


NO阿伯和Q小華。Michael and Cute Hua


Again, I shot the breakfast served by Sky Coffee! A little bit different combination of the served set. Redbean soup is Michael's favorite sweets! The sandwich is made of HASH BROWN PATTIES~my favorite potato snack!

再秀一次早餐，稍稍不同的組合，紅豆湯好好吃唷～
注意到了嗎？三明治包的是我最愛的炸薯餅！


山中的可口早餐。Tasty Breakfast

第二次報告

二零零七年。八月二十四日。星期五。

Friday, August 24, 2007


帶著忐忑不安的心情，今天一早陪爸爸回診。
經過四次化療，全家人都很希望看到爸爸的病情獲得改善。
終於燈號亮出爸爸的預約號碼。

With fears that cancer cells are not easy to treat, this morning, I accompanied Papa to hospital for the result of the latest physical exam after the fourth chemotherapy. Waiting for our turn to see the doctor...

寬敞的診間，因為我們進入突然變得有點兒擁擠。　
爸爸坐在面對醫師的椅子上，媽媽姊姊跟我就面對醫師，站在爸爸身後。
看著爸爸的背影，因為化療的副作用顯得稀疏的頭髮，很心疼。
昨晚回到家，看到爸爸稍顯蒼白的臉色，心裡只有不安。

The spacious consulting room became a little bit crowded for our coming~ Papa took the seat facing the doctor, Mama, elder sister and me stood behind Papa. Looking at Papa's back, his hair went bald because of the side effect of chemotherapy. Last night I felt very agitated when I saw ashen-faced Papa at home.

林醫師打開爸爸的電腦斷層結果，螢幕捲～啊～捲～　
大家原本捲著的眉頭，跟著電腦斷層的結果，一點點地打開！
真是謝謝老天爺！腫瘤團塊因為化療的緣故持續縮小中！
左肺上方的壞團塊已經縮小到三公分左右，原本對化療不太有反應、位於肺中隔的那個腫瘤，似乎也縮小了！

Dr. Lin opened Papa's file and the films of CT scan were shown on the screen. Followed with the scrolling screen, the worry eyebrows of everybody turned to be happy shape!!
Thank GOD for HIS mercy!
Size of the tumor masses kept on going smaller under chemotherapy~ The malignant tumor located at the left upper lung has been shrunk to less than 3 cm in diameter. The other one at the center of Papa's lung, which did not respond well to the chemotherapy, also showed to be inhibited by C/T.

離開醫院回家的路上大家的心情都好極了！
雖然爸爸的臉色依舊蒼白，笑容卻如胭脂一般，悄悄地點亮了爸爸的臉龐。
媽媽鎮日深鎖的眉頭，在這一刻，開心得只剩瞇瞇眼了～

On the way leaving hospital, we were cheering for the improvement! Mama's curly eyebrows now disappeared. Papa's face though was ashen still, yet the cheering smile decorated and lighted up Papa's face at this moment.

我，當然是忙著給妹妹、弟弟打電話， 把這個好消息，傳達給未能同來、卻同步掛念著爸爸病情變化的～爸爸的孩子們。這真是令全家人振奮的好消息！

I surely was very busy calling younger sister and brother and telling the good news. It was indeed a great encouragement for everybody of our family!!

小鳥重獲自由！

A Funny Wooden Puzzle

學弟奕軒，在這學期的進度報告完成後，給自己放了一個不長不短＜三個禮拜剛剛好＞的假，然後跟他的天鵝，一起飛去捷克，進行一場〔布拉格之戀〕！奕軒出門前，問有沒有要託他帶什麼？我說我想要拉線的小木偶。然後MSN上面的奕軒就此呈離線狀態。

Having finished the progress report of this semester, Yi-Hsiuan decided to have a break from laboratory. With his girl friend, they took the flight to Czech and had a wonderful time in Prague. Before departure, he asked me if I wished him to bring something from Czech. I told him I want a traditional wooden puppetry. Since that day, Yi-Hsiuan disappeared from lab and showed offline on MSN.


A little bird in the cage.

在實驗室像小蜜蜂一般忙碌開心的過日子，不知過了幾多天，奕軒又出現在MSN，還以為是收假回實驗室了，不料竟是他在布拉格街頭的實況傳真！被吊胃口，說他找到一個可愛的木製品，我一定會很愛的那一種！然後，因為天鵝在旁等他有一會兒了，為免多生事端，奕軒匆匆離線。

I had my life in lab as usual, being busy like a bee but happy. One day Yi-Hsiuan showed up on MSN again and sent a hello to me. How suprising! He was on a street in Prague using the wireless connection. He told me he didn't find the puppetry I wished but he found something made of wood and was sure I would love it very much~ My heart was soon filled by curiosity. For his girl friend had been aside waiting for a while, he left MSN after the short conversation.



The little bird cries: Help~~

約莫一個月前吧！奕軒回到台北，出現在實驗室繼續為論文努力。神秘的禮物就是這個小傢伙，從布拉格搭飛機來到我的手中；從此，我開始絞盡腦汁想把小鳥從籠子裡救出來～

Yi-Hsiuan had safely landed in Taipei for days, appeared in lab again and worked hard for his thesis. The mysterious present was this tiny stuff~a caged wooden bird! Since the day it was on my hands, my brain was engaged by the idea of how to set the little bird free~


One of the key postures to get the little bird out.

總共花了兩週～快樂的小鳥，終於找到隨意進出鳥籠的方法！這期間，曾經被舶滄嘲笑地問：學姊，妳跟奕軒是不是有什麼過節？就連一向老實的忠哲也覺得：這個可能是整人玩具！

It took me two weeks to solve this puzzle. The tiny crying bird became a happy singing one! During the trial-and-error period, Bo-Tsang and Jhong-Jhei questioned and teased at the relationship between Yi-Hsiuan and me, since they thought this wooden puzzle is impossible to be solved! They said this must be a trick that Yi-Hsiuan wished to fool me :<


The last step to set the little bird free!

某天，麻吉學弟--小皓--到我家玩。就在他手上，小鳥簡簡單單地從籠子裡出來，打破所有關於我和奕軒感情不好的猜測！而且奕軒是對的～我真的很愛這個小東西。拐小孩的利器再添一件！

Yuan-Hua was the first person to set the little bird free. He went to my house for something else. We chatted at home and he had the wooden puzzle on hands and tried to solve it! Suddenly the little bird came out from the cage with his help and the rumor about Yi-Hsiuan's trick fell into ruin~By the way, Yi-Hsiuan was right! I love this tiny stuff very much, it is indeed a good toy to play with children!


The little bird sings: Freedom is priceless~

救出小鳥的關鍵角度和動作都在照片裡～下回借去玩的時候，請不要又想：拆了它的翅膀？還是破壞籠子？小鳥真的可以毫髮未傷地從籠子裡出來唷！

The key postures to save the little bird from the cage were shown in these photos. For anyone who wishes to have a try on solving it, surely I can tell you that the little bird could be set free without breaking its wings or destroying the cage!

李騰芳古厝。之二。

雖然天氣很冷，除了誤打誤撞的我們之外，另有一群參觀的人們，而且有導遊現場解說！跟在這一群偶遇的遊客旁邊，我也幸運地聽到一小段有關這座古厝的精采故事～

It was indeed a freezing cold day~ Except Michael and me, there was a tourist team being here with a curator guiding them around this historic buildings. We walked aside and heard from the curator about the history of this old house.



左護龍 ->正廳 ->右護龍
View from the Left Wing to the Right Wing.

不過天氣實在太冷了，冷得我直打哆嗦～過午的天色逐漸轉陰，在我的雙手凍僵之前，還是先努力的拍它幾張相片吧！

The air was extremely icy...I could not help but shivering. The sky turned to be cloudy in the afternoon. I thought I should shoot more before my hands got frozen. We therefore left the guided tour and walked through the old houses with my T11 shooting around.



內、外左護龍之間的穿廊。
A Corridor between the Inner and Outer Left Wing.

印象中，位於濱江路上的林安泰古厝也是兩進式四合院，不過，左右護龍不似李騰芳古厝這般，向外延伸並圈廓出內埕的範圍。相較於板橋林家花園的規模，三進大厝加上亭、台、樓閣及園林的設計，李騰芳古厝就顯得樸素簡單了。

I remembered other historic buildings that also represented the style of Chinese architecture. The first one is located on Bin-Jiang road of Taipei City -- Lin, An-Tai's ancient residence; and the other is in Ban-Ciao of Taipei County -- Lin's Garden. They all exhibited the hierarchy of structures in Chinese residence -- the ancestral hall had the highest status and the status declining of other rooms as farther away they were.



民生用水的來源。A Well.

但有一個事實是顯而易見的～李騰芳古厝的保存工作，不若另兩座古厝完善。不知是否跟古厝所在縣市的行政地位不同有關，經費短絀因而修葺不力？

It was obvious that the Li's historic houses were not preserved as good as the Lin, An-Tai's ancient residence and Lin's Garden. Is it because the three historic buildings belonged to the different administrative divisions and thus an inadequate financial support to preserve Li's houses?



配合古厝新建的公廁。
A Modern Toilet with an Old-fashioned Looking.

我家也有古厝呢！遠在雲林縣的老房子，聽阿公說那是我們的老祖先考取進士，皇帝所賜的進士宅邸呢！雖然只是一進四合院，庭、埕、廳堂、廂房等等，亦都是符合古代禮法的建築。

My family also has an old house that was assigned to be the historic buildings years ago. I heard from my grandfather about the house. It was a gift and built during the Tsin-Dynasty (清朝) for my ancestor had good rankings in the government exam. Although it was not as luxury as the three historic buildings I mentioned above, yet the court, yard, hall and rooms were built exactly in the manners of Chinese architecture.



陪我們兜冷風的夏朵。Honda Shadow.

差不多是我念大學的時候吧！某次的颱風過後，被強風掀翻的屋瓦，遭大雨毀壞的土角牆，讓老房子顯得不堪用且危險。伯叔公輩的老人家都說好了，大家一起來修繕這幢祖傳的四合院，卻因為老房子被列為三級古蹟，不可以隨意翻修，而讓老人家住在既不擋風也不遮雨的破舊房子裡。

Once there was a typhoon attacking our old house when I was undergraduate. Roof was blown away by strong wind, walls composed of clay lumps were destroyed by heavy rain, the old house looked toppling and dangerous. However, we could not and had no right to repair the house for it has been assigned as a historic buildings!! What a ridiculous situation it was!



離開古厝前的回眸。The Last Look.

說要列為古蹟保存，卻未積極具體的規劃如何保存及進行修葺等等相關工作，三級古蹟又如何？沒有配套措施，都只是說空話罷了！生活要先過得下去，才有餘力保存古蹟吧？！

Many old houses were assigned to be preserved for they are priceless in the view of historical meanings. They were "preserved" in a way of general ideas instead of a clear and concrete plan of tasks! For the old who live in the "historic buildings", how to make a living is more important and realistic issue than "preserve the historic buildings", isn't it?



再見了，古厝。
Looking Forward to Seeing You Again!

【後記】還記得老房子的窗戶有著精緻雕工的木質窗櫺，曾幾何時，已被鐵製窗格取代。那個我小時候要墊著小板凳才搆得著的蓮花灶，也在不知不覺中，已變身為現代化的流理台設備。灶腳的火爐裡，記憶中的煨蕃薯還燙手呢！莫非這一切都是幻覺？

不說啦！有一點發牢騷的味道了～我家的古厝位於雲林縣，大埤鄉，一個名叫「箔雁岸」的小村落。該找個機會特地回去拍照才是。