First day of school for my senior year in college...
I hope everything goes well, and I'll study as hard as ever. This quarter I'll be taking five classes so I will be extra busy. With graduate school application and tests, I might not be posting as much entries...but anyways it's a good way for me to practice writing skills.
Wish all the best to my family, especially to dear Reynold (brother-in-law). I know you will get past this hard stage. 加油!!早日康復!!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
蠟筆小新 (クレヨンしんちゃん)
第一次看到這本漫畫是國小一年級時 (1995年), 好像是看了第四集. 當時一看完就愛上了這個爆笑漫畫, 決定把一到三集也買下. 之後我也會時時到書店裡看有沒有新出書. 2000年到美國之後, 我也繼續收集, 每當一回台灣時一定去我常去的台南的展華書局報到, 問有沒有新的一集「蠟筆小新」.這本漫畫伴我一起成長, 也是我唯一有在收集的漫畫.
「蠟筆小新」把日常生活中遇到的事都描述了出來, 並以帶點諷刺的角度來解釋, 加一些搞笑的故事, 帶來給我們無比的歡喜. 小新愛搞笑又有點黃, 可是他也有懂事貼心的一面.小時候只是覺得小新舉動有趣, 說話又獨特無理, 可是最近一再回味前幾集, 發現在表面笑笑當中藏著一些諷刺: 社會對小孩的觀點, 小孩對社會的觀點, 上班族的生活, 婦女的形象, 以及各國文化的差別等等.
作者臼井儀人把這些觀念以及人物的情緒, 一個一個的畫到那些簡單的方形格子裡. 然而我們讀者所學的不是如何學壞, 而是如何在任何情況下以樂觀堅強的態度像小新一樣度過難關, 以客觀的方法面向社會.
臼井老師不幸身亡, 讓我們少了一個成長當中的夥伴. 今年八月底買的「蠟筆小新」49集也是他完成的最後一集. 以後如果有人持續下去, 應該也會感覺不一樣啦. 謝謝小新給我一個有趣又溫馨的童年回憶.
May you rest in peace!
「蠟筆小新」把日常生活中遇到的事都描述了出來, 並以帶點諷刺的角度來解釋, 加一些搞笑的故事, 帶來給我們無比的歡喜. 小新愛搞笑又有點黃, 可是他也有懂事貼心的一面.小時候只是覺得小新舉動有趣, 說話又獨特無理, 可是最近一再回味前幾集, 發現在表面笑笑當中藏著一些諷刺: 社會對小孩的觀點, 小孩對社會的觀點, 上班族的生活, 婦女的形象, 以及各國文化的差別等等.
作者臼井儀人把這些觀念以及人物的情緒, 一個一個的畫到那些簡單的方形格子裡. 然而我們讀者所學的不是如何學壞, 而是如何在任何情況下以樂觀堅強的態度像小新一樣度過難關, 以客觀的方法面向社會.
臼井老師不幸身亡, 讓我們少了一個成長當中的夥伴. 今年八月底買的「蠟筆小新」49集也是他完成的最後一集. 以後如果有人持續下去, 應該也會感覺不一樣啦. 謝謝小新給我一個有趣又溫馨的童年回憶.
May you rest in peace!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Number 4
One more year of college to go! I went down to UCLA with my parents yesterday, and brought a whole bedframe down, but luckily we are going to throw that heavy bed frame away when I'm done next year.
Every year my dad drove from San Francisco to LA to move my living equipments into the dorm, and drove again to pick those stuff up back to SF. The plan is: we rent the minivan at 11pm the previous day, woke up at 3am for a 7 hour drive to LA, move my stuff in, leave at around 3pm, and arrive at 10pm in time to return the car within a day. This schedule happens at September (beginning of school) and June (end of school)
Mom usually makes some sort of snack so we could have something to eat during the drive. While dad is driving she kept on stuffing food into dad's mouth...it was hilarious. She made sushi rolls this time. Yummy~
Hopefully I gather the courage to drive next time...14 hour drive is really stressful.
感謝爸爸媽媽!!
Every year my dad drove from San Francisco to LA to move my living equipments into the dorm, and drove again to pick those stuff up back to SF. The plan is: we rent the minivan at 11pm the previous day, woke up at 3am for a 7 hour drive to LA, move my stuff in, leave at around 3pm, and arrive at 10pm in time to return the car within a day. This schedule happens at September (beginning of school) and June (end of school)
Mom usually makes some sort of snack so we could have something to eat during the drive. While dad is driving she kept on stuffing food into dad's mouth...it was hilarious. She made sushi rolls this time. Yummy~
Hopefully I gather the courage to drive next time...14 hour drive is really stressful.
感謝爸爸媽媽!!
Monday, September 14, 2009
Nostalgia
Just watched Toy Story with my niece this afternoon. I have to say, after 14 years I still think it is a solid movie. This current viewing evoked similar emotions and laughters that I had felt when I was 7 years old. Couldn't believe now that a computer graphic animation movie would have nostalgia factor...after all, it seemed like just not long ago that I went to the theaters for it.
But the nostalgia factor seems to be a positive one. You know how sometimes when you haven't seen something or heard something for a long time, and you experience them again...the end result wouldn't be as well as you imagined it to be? Well this isn't one of them...maybe because this doesn't rely on pop culture references, one-trick-ponies, or jokes, but the most important aspect is that it has a strong story. Take our situation for example. When my 3-year-old niece watches Toy Story, she reacts to what the screen is showing. And while she might not understand what Buzz or Woody are talking about, she knows what and why they are doing. Story propels the characters' actions. A good story could be told with actions instead of words, and this is also apparent in the Pixar short films. After going to Pixar 20 Years of Animation Exhibit in Taipei, Taiwan, I could understand the efforts that went into creating unique and compelling stories (and the world surrounding them) for every one of their films.
The only thing that I felt different was the vast improvements Pixar has since Toy Story: level of detail, surface textures, movements of the characters, and much more. Even Toy Story 2 improves a lot from the first one both animation and story. These are changes for the better. Hope that the upcoming Toy Story 3 will have superb graphics and most of all, a good story!
But the nostalgia factor seems to be a positive one. You know how sometimes when you haven't seen something or heard something for a long time, and you experience them again...the end result wouldn't be as well as you imagined it to be? Well this isn't one of them...maybe because this doesn't rely on pop culture references, one-trick-ponies, or jokes, but the most important aspect is that it has a strong story. Take our situation for example. When my 3-year-old niece watches Toy Story, she reacts to what the screen is showing. And while she might not understand what Buzz or Woody are talking about, she knows what and why they are doing. Story propels the characters' actions. A good story could be told with actions instead of words, and this is also apparent in the Pixar short films. After going to Pixar 20 Years of Animation Exhibit in Taipei, Taiwan, I could understand the efforts that went into creating unique and compelling stories (and the world surrounding them) for every one of their films.
The only thing that I felt different was the vast improvements Pixar has since Toy Story: level of detail, surface textures, movements of the characters, and much more. Even Toy Story 2 improves a lot from the first one both animation and story. These are changes for the better. Hope that the upcoming Toy Story 3 will have superb graphics and most of all, a good story!
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Shelf Life
I still think toys are cool. Just to have a character, object, or piece of memorabilia from fiction is a very accomplishing thing to do.
These are some of the toys I obtained since coming to the United States. I put as much as I can on this tiny shelf, so some of them are still in boxes and bags. The majority of them are in Taiwan.
Most of these are after 2001...only Buzz Lightyear and Doraemon are before I came to the US.
The table is a bit messy because I just transported the whole thing from my room to the kitchen area (my room is now the baby room for my nephew)
I think I can make Toy Story 4, 5, and 6 with these now...
Enjoy!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
玩伴
"Play with me! 舅舅 Let's play! Again! Again," my niece, Tera, yelled.
These phrases and more are the ones I hear this past week. My second sister, brother-in-law, and their children moved back from Texas to California during late August, so they're living at our house. When I came back to the states they were already living at our apartment. I haven't seen them in almost two years.
Tera is very demanding and hard to handle. At three years of age she already has a mind and opinion of her own. I need to follow what she said when I play with her. When she wants something, she wants it...to the point which would drive a person cuckoo!!
I am Peter Pan, Hook, kitty, princess, baby... I am a lot of characters. This is what I have to do when I play with her. Sure it was interesting...for the first day! But when she literally begs to play with me every day, it starts to get vapid and annoying. Sometimes I want to leave the house just to get away from her...breathe some fresh air~
It's a wonderful thing to be able to see my niece and nephew, each time seeing them a bit grown up. My first big sister's daughter, Erika, is now almost two years old. When I was babysitting Erika, everything seemed pleasant, but taking care of Tera is indeed a tough tough job @@...I can only imagine how difficult it is for my sister to teach or lecture her.
I think no one can fully appreciate the greatness of our mothers until one has her/his own children.
These phrases and more are the ones I hear this past week. My second sister, brother-in-law, and their children moved back from Texas to California during late August, so they're living at our house. When I came back to the states they were already living at our apartment. I haven't seen them in almost two years.
Tera is very demanding and hard to handle. At three years of age she already has a mind and opinion of her own. I need to follow what she said when I play with her. When she wants something, she wants it...to the point which would drive a person cuckoo!!
I am Peter Pan, Hook, kitty, princess, baby... I am a lot of characters. This is what I have to do when I play with her. Sure it was interesting...for the first day! But when she literally begs to play with me every day, it starts to get vapid and annoying. Sometimes I want to leave the house just to get away from her...breathe some fresh air~
It's a wonderful thing to be able to see my niece and nephew, each time seeing them a bit grown up. My first big sister's daughter, Erika, is now almost two years old. When I was babysitting Erika, everything seemed pleasant, but taking care of Tera is indeed a tough tough job @@...I can only imagine how difficult it is for my sister to teach or lecture her.
I think no one can fully appreciate the greatness of our mothers until one has her/his own children.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
9 9 9
Happy September 9, 2009...the last single digit repeats for quite a long time, until 2101 or 3001 depends on how you look at it.
Monday, September 7, 2009
Cousins Gathering
<-At Ricky/Pauline's house, with their two children, my big sister, Gary, Grace, Richard, and Jerry... Every once in a while the cousins from my mom's side of the family (most of them are in California) would get together and have some chat and fun, usually during holidays. Three days ago I went to Ricky's house in South San Francisco for the gathering. Not a lot of my cousins were there, but Jerry was there.
Jerry is the only cousin in the family who goes to military academy. He graduated from West Point last year. This October, he would be sent to Iraq for a year. He said he will be doing computer stuff in Iraq, but wants to go to the front line!
How brave...
He wants to be in the CIA or FBI eventually. I think he can do it.
I don't know what makes him so eager to be in the military and in combat...movies? toy guns? A while ago I was looking at photos of me when I visited him. I was about 6 years of age and he was 9, and we played various toy guns, running around his house using furnitures as obstacles. But I wanted the games to stay games or even simulated situations and not become real life.
However, I think every guy should go through some time in the military, 過著一個有規律的生活. 有些人認為是浪費時間, 可是台灣現在只當兵一年, 以後也變募兵了, 所以我覺得如果跟別人有關係的話當個兩三個月的兵也不錯, 而且不用真正上戰場, 實現一下小時候的夢想
Good luck, Jerry! We all appreciate your courage and your service and dedication to the United States.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
Upgrade
People like luxury...well most people do. That's why every type of tranportation has its higher-class seatings for the people who have more $$$. I used to travel back and forth betwen Taiwan and United States at least once a year before graduating from elementary school. In fact I think I have traveled roundtrip for more than 30 times! 
Sometimes my family got enough mileage for an upgrade to business class, and that means horray for all of us! Since this year is the 50 year anniversary of China Airlines (中華航空), the mileage required for an upgrade was lowered...so my parents said why not and we're in for Dynasty Class.
Our flight was at 11:30pm on September 2 from Taoyuan International Airport. Since we live in Tainan, we have to travel down to Kaohsiung first and then take an airplane up to Taoyuan. This means two waiting period...and also two chances for VIP lounge...and our dinner problem is solved!
高雄小港機場華航貴賓室: very nice environment, less people so less noise, a little bit short on the variety of food, but overall a very enjoyable place.
桃園機場華航貴賓室: big resting areas, great food including various noodle soups, but did I just entered a 夜市? So many people walking around, taking food, talking on phones....這根本把好氣氛都毀了~
I guess it's better to come here during the morning, when there is no one sitting next to you, sneezing and coughing while going on facebook...and it was an uncomfortable situation during flu season @@
The Dynasty Class seats on the plane was a bit different from what I remembered. I didn't remember I could extend my legs completely without touching the front row before, and I'm sure my legs didn't grow shorter. But it was a change for the better. And yes, I kept taking pictures like crazy. The movie selection menu for our individual TV was outdated because this airplane was an older model, but it didn't prevent my from watching a lot of movies...eh...actually I watched only one movie: Running the Sahara (決戰沙哈拉), which was about three runners (one of them, 林義傑, is from Taiwan) that ran across the Saharan desert from St. Louis, Senegal to Cairo, Egypt in about 100 days.
I sort of felt guilty while watching them struggling to achieve the impossible while I was lying on a comfortable chair drinking apple juice. Their courage and perseverance could be discerned in their actions and I think this shows their character more than anything else. Going back to California means the end of a wonderful summer in Taiwan; it means the start of the ongoing advancement in learning. We need to exert the perseverance like those runners. At the end of the run, they've reach the oceans of Egypt and their reward comes with the sense of achievement and the cold ocean water. Our sense of achievement may have yet to come, but we should work towards it. 任何事都是先苦後甘啦.
這次回到美國後發現以後回台灣遊玩的機會不多了. 以後回台灣可能是找工作的時候了, 不過我也很期待這時刻的來臨.
Saturday, September 5, 2009
六年八班
國小畢業後到美國讀書已經有九年了, 在台灣認識的同學也漸漸的往各自的方向升學...
到美國之後我是每年暑假或寒假都匯回台灣, 找一下還有再聯絡的好友, 也順便看著台灣各地流行,美食,娛樂,和觀光的演變. 但城市再怎麼改變,餐館再怎麼更新,親朋好友的感情都永遠不會變, 每次回到台灣跟朋友見面都是一樣歡樂, 只是現在做的事的不是玩玩具槍或電玩, 而是到餐館聊天, 但我們聊的內容除了最近的生活, 另外也都有談到小時候所發生的趣事.
每次回台灣都有以點不好意思邀小學朋友出來見面, 因為怕他們已忘了我了. 這次回台灣也是一樣,才打電話給兩三個朋友. 可是在台灣我的學校朋友也只有到小學而已, 所以更應該要不能失聯.
參加了兩次候鳥計畫讓我能回台灣實習, 每次都有不同的收穫, 認識了不少有趣的朋友, 去了不少地方
日月潭, 大雄....啊不...遠雄海洋公園, 台北淡水, 八里腳踏車, 皮克斯動畫展, 台中(看照片而已), 當然還有台南 我的故鄉.
最遺憾的是沒有機會去到南投的天梯, 而且因為莫拉克颱風的侵襲 讓中南臺灣災情嚴重, 希望受災地區能早一點重建完畢, 另外更要對那些熱心的義工們感激, 讓他們回復正常生活. 祝大家都身心平安.
到美國之後我是每年暑假或寒假都匯回台灣, 找一下還有再聯絡的好友, 也順便看著台灣各地流行,美食,娛樂,和觀光的演變. 但城市再怎麼改變,餐館再怎麼更新,親朋好友的感情都永遠不會變, 每次回到台灣跟朋友見面都是一樣歡樂, 只是現在做的事的不是玩玩具槍或電玩, 而是到餐館聊天, 但我們聊的內容除了最近的生活, 另外也都有談到小時候所發生的趣事.
每次回台灣都有以點不好意思邀小學朋友出來見面, 因為怕他們已忘了我了. 這次回台灣也是一樣,才打電話給兩三個朋友. 可是在台灣我的學校朋友也只有到小學而已, 所以更應該要不能失聯.
參加了兩次候鳥計畫讓我能回台灣實習, 每次都有不同的收穫, 認識了不少有趣的朋友, 去了不少地方
日月潭, 大雄....啊不...遠雄海洋公園, 台北淡水, 八里腳踏車, 皮克斯動畫展, 台中(看照片而已), 當然還有台南 我的故鄉.
最遺憾的是沒有機會去到南投的天梯, 而且因為莫拉克颱風的侵襲 讓中南臺灣災情嚴重, 希望受災地區能早一點重建完畢, 另外更要對那些熱心的義工們感激, 讓他們回復正常生活. 祝大家都身心平安.
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