Everywhere, Nowhere

I'll translate it when i am in a better mood.
This song is really touching, especially if you are one of those who always on the go.

到處留情/張信哲
Lovers Everywhere/ Jeff Chang

十二號 漫步加州的樂園
遺失一臉幽怨 沒對你再有留戀
十六號 沐浴九州的溫泉
遺失癡心一片 大概我情緒快要復元
手裡行李送檢 再不過重 沒有懷念
自嘲 自傷 自憐 已成過期舊證件
逐點漏低掛念 直到沒法心軟

沒故意 留下底片 捕捉 幸福的片段
這張明信片 路邊一角任選 沒故意 提及辛酸
換取 陌生的掛念 不知你那張臉 留在那間酒店？

二十號 大笨鐘的陰影前 還清所有虧欠 贖過了我那晴天
廿六號 復活島的古跡前 留低貪嗔癡怨 或藉故忘記帶往樂園
禱告 在聖母院 我的聖母沒有復現
默哀 在山手線 旅途太長夜太短
號哭 在彰化縣 害怕被你聽見

沒故意 留下底片 捕捉 幸福的片段
風光明信片 並非寫信地點 沒故意 提及辛酸
換取 陌生的掛念
P.S.再說一遍 前事已經湮遠

20 days to Spain...

I'm very jumpy, and lazy to do everything. Ayyyyyyy

The End of Chen's Era..

20 May, 2008. After 8 long years (feeling even longer for some ppl), Ex-president Chen finally stepped down from his long-held throne. What's awaiting him remain unclear. Whether imprisoned or hidden, certainly that he will not be forgotten. He was once the hero of us all, yet ended up being accused for down-to-the-hell economics, chaotic politics, corruption, and worst of all, a depressed atmosphere in the society. The story sounds pretty familiar and virtually every promising politicians end up this way. Well, we have all passed the age to believe so naiively that politicians will lead us to a happily ever after. But isn't that what we suppose to expect, a strong, promising leader? Or at least someone who is not getting us nowhere?

I personally have supported DPP and Chen ever since very young age. I grew up in an age when KMT was losing power and democracy boomed. In distinction of old "authority" and "dictatorship", DPP first told us that WE, not any politicians, are the true masters of this land. And WE, not any others, can decide our future. And Chen was the star born in that era.

December 1994, Chen became the first Taipei City Mayor elected by the public. He didnt let us down. The Taipei city changed and blossomed as my age grew. We had our first metro line, then second. We had our immense bus network, and even better. You might ask that "During chen's mayorship, you were only like 11~15 years old, how can you feel?" But anyone who has lived in Taipei for those years should have experienced the optimistic feeling filled in the air. People became wealthier and happier. And for the first time, we felt so proud of our own city and country.

With this feeling and expectation we sent Chen into the president house, and then we kept him there for another 4 years. But things changed, always started subtly but somehow accumulated to be inreversible. 

Autumn 2006, when I came back from Austria, the first thing welcoming me is the demonstration against Chen and the corruption of his family. I was so sad. Especially the personwho lead the demonstration was absolutely nothing but an untrustable jerk. Should there be another leader, maybe I would accept the fact more easily. But even I could not deny the fact that the society faced serious recession and chaos (which media helped a lot as well), let alone the scandals, corruption, etc etc etc. I'm lucky to stay in, if not the top, the upper middle class of the society, where poverty and hopelessness is out of imagination. Yet i can still feel the overwhelming gloom. People just somehow lost their hope, and it's really, really sad.

But is it all Chen's fault to blame? Just like someone has said "power is the beginning of decay"? I guess there's too many underlying problems regarding the development of Taiwan. As I dont have a clear head and high interest in politics, i cant really point out what we did right and wrong during these years. Is it that we just selected the biggest target to blame? Is it fair? Have DPP waken up from the sweet success years ago? As a long supporter of DPP, I am really upset by them as well. 8 years ago we based ourselves on the recognition that WE ARE TAIWANESE. 8 years after, the same topic growing ever more extreme, but still we are a lonely country in the world, under the death threat from neighboring countries, losing our business to all the surrounding area. TAIWANESE, a beautiful, adorable name but still not able to be seen or heard in the world. Our patroism became the cheapest product to be speculated by the politicians. And still we are getting nowhere.

8 years. For better or worse it's over. I'm still a supporter for DPP. However i paid my best regards to the new president Ma, as time is creating him into another hero. For me, I dont expect any hero more. I only hope to grab back the pride we once had in our mind to be a member of this small yet strong island. And there will be a day when everyone of us hold our head up high again, to breathe the promising feeling in the air.

Earthquake in 101!!!

Okay, earthquake is no big deal but NOT WHEN I AM ON 67th FLOOR!!!!!!

Becuz of the structure of building, the feeling is not really shaking but SPINNING, FLOATING. At first i thought i had headache again but no it's earthquake!!!!

5 minutes after the earthquake i was going downstair to grab some drinks... but found out astonishedly that all the lifts are shut down for inspection! The central control room announced immediately to calm down the people but i think it just made things worse somehow lol.

No news has been announced yet on the media. Luckily as I'm leaving KPMG, I hope this would be the very first and last one as well... let's pray i dont have to walk 67 stories down to go home....

ahhhhhh

I figure blogger is somehow smarter, but more difficult to use. I've posted an article for 3 times but it kept disappearing. Pretty mad, ahhhhh.

To U (Bank Band with Salyu)

Ever since seeing the film "All about Lily Chou-chou"  was I deeply attracted by the voice of Salyu. How can one depict such a voice... it can be cold and distant, but it can also be warm and soothing. Whichever it is, it's difficult for one to ignore her songs, and they just somehow linger on and on...

I've read some review randomly saying that the "U" in the title actually means "Universe". The lyrics, beautiful and poetic, yet very difficult to be translated. With my mere knowledge of Japanese, I can only follow the existed chinese version translated by others, try to figure out what it really means, and translate again to english. So it's not a very perfect work but whatever... 

To U (Bank Band with Salyu)

池の水が鏡みたいに空の蒼の色を真似てる

The pond imitates the color of blue sky like a mirror
公園に住む水鳥がそれに命を与える
Thus the birds living in the park would be alive

光と影と表と裏

Like light and shadow, in and out

矛盾も無く寄り添ってるよ

Close to each other without contradiction

私達が　こんな風であれたら
I hope we can be similar as well

愛　愛　本当の意味は分からないけど
Love, love, although I never understand the real meaning of love

誰かを通して　何かを通して　想いは繋がっていくのでしょう
"Let's connect ourselves for whatever and through whoever"

遠くにいるあなたに　今　言えるのは　それだけ
This is all I could say to the distant you

悲しい昨日が　涙の向こうで　いつか微笑みに変わったら
All the sorrow and tears might turn to smile one day

人を好きに　もっと好きになれるから　
If you love somebody, just love him more

頑張らなくてもいいよ
No need to oblige yourself

瓦礫の街のきれいな花　健気に咲くその一輪を

A flower blossoms beautifully in the debris-covered street
「枯らす事なく育てていける」と　誰が言い切れる？

Who could ever assure it would continue growing?
それでも　この小さな祈りを　空に向けて放ってみようよ
Nonetheless we can still try to cry out this small wish to the sky

風船のように　色とりどりの祈り

Our pray will then float in the sky like colorful balloons

愛　愛　それは強くて　だけど脆くて
Love, love, so strong yet so fragile

また争いが自然の猛威が　安らげる場所を奪って
Endless fights and natural catastrophe once again take away our peaceful place

眠れずにいるあなたに　言葉など　ただむなしく
All the words become silent for the sleepless you

沈んだ希望が　崩れた夢が　いつの日か過去に変わったら

However, the sunk hope and destroyed dream would finally be gone

今を好きに　もっと好きになれるから
If you love the present, just embrace it tighter

あわてなくてもいいよ
There's no need to panic

愛　愛　本当の意味は分からない
Love, love, though i still have no idea what it means

だけど強くて
It's strong

雨の匂いも風の匂いも　あの頃とは違ってるけど
The feeling of rain and the smell of wind might one day alter

この胸に住むあなたは　今でも教えてくれる
But I know you still live in my heart

悲しい昨日が涙の向こうで　いつか微笑みに変わったら

The sorrow and tears will one day become the smile again
人を好きに　もっと好きになれるから　
If you love somebody now, just try to love him more

頑張らなくてもいいよ
There's no need to oblige
今を好きに　もっと好きになれるから　
If you love the present, just embrace it tighter

あわてなくてもいいよ

There's no need to worry

Insomnia in busy season

Looking forward to a refreshing trip in Thailand. I'm going and nobody can block me.

As summer time approaches finally i found again my long lost passion in everything. I start expecting the life in Manchester, trying to get in contact with all kinds of new/old/distant friend. The world is so big and so small. We are so different yet so similar.

Get up, stand up, I'm gonna wear my floral dress and dark sunglasses again, fuck all the duties, client complaints and deadlines. Really.

I Love April

I love April, together with the tender sunshine and warm breeze, feeling just like the movie setting of Shunji Iwai. Winter has gone and life gets to move on. Again I start wearing skirts to work, yet now it's time to leave.

Congratulations to Evie, looking forward to your wedding in next Spring.

Congratulations to myself, finally gonna get rid of this tower, the highest prison in the world.

Insomnia

Can't sleep again, and i'm sure it's not becuz of the caffeine.

Congrats

I almost bursted into tears when you told me you are accepted by U. of Leicester. You know what it means?
Finally you can compensate me for the promise you broke, that you would visit me while i was in Austria. ;-)

But that's not the only reason you know. It's like I'm gonna have a family here, comprised by good old friends. After 8 years knowing each other, yes, we are as close as relatives. Somehow I feel i'm even closer to old friends than my own family members. I will know whom to call, whom to weep and tell my loneliness, and most importantly I AM NOT ALONE.

And now finally i start to have some fantasies for my future graduate school life in a cold wet country. :) :)

Erinnerung

Zwei Jahre schon vorbei, und jetzt wunsche ich noch mal Linz besuchen. Was habe ich damals gemacht, und was habe ich dort verlassen? Ich kann sogar nicht erzählen, ob ich diese Stadt liebe. Viele entäuschten Tagen habe ich dort verbracht, also auch viele schönen..... Weißt jemand, dass am Ecke der 12en Stocke des Raab Heim kann man so schönen Sternen gucken?

Jetzt kann ich kaum irgendetwas sehen, weder die Zukunft noch den Mut.

Was vorbei ist wahrscheinlich nicht die Erinnerung, sondern meine Jungend, und alle Deutsch Kenntnis dass ich verlernt habe.

Perhaps Love

This song somehow clings to my head this few days..

(Placido Domingo)
Perhaps love is like a resting place
A shelter from the storm
It exists to give you comfort
It is there to keep you warm
And in those times of trouble
When you are most alone
The memory of love will bring you home

(John Denver)
Perhaps love is like a window
Perhaps an open door
It invites you to come closer
It wants to show you more
And even if you lose yourself
And don't know what to do
The memory of love will see you through

(Placido Domingo)
Oh, Love to some is like a cloud
To some as strong as steel

(John Denver)
For some a way of living
For some a way to feel

(Placido Domingo)
And some say love is holding on
And some say letting go
And some say love is everything
And some say they don't know

(John starts joined by Placido)
Perhaps love is like the ocean
Full of conflict, full of pain
Like a fire when it's cold outside
Thunder when it rains
If I should live forever
And all my dreams come true
My memories of love will be of you

(Placido Domingo)
And some say love is holding on
And some say letting go

(John Denver)
And some say love is everything
Some say they don't know

(John starts joined by Placido)
Perhaps love is like the ocean
Full of conflict, full of pain
Like a fire when it's cold outside
Or thunder when it rains
If I should live forever
And all my dreams come true
My memories of love will be of you

Noch 6 Monate oder bereits 30 Monate

Jänner ist hier.

Also andere Monate ist vorbei. Keine Lustige, und das Leben so schlecht wie immer. Das Wetter ist auch schlimm, so wie Herr Lohmann gesagt hat:

"Ich denke dass es auch keine Wetter in Taipei gibt. Es ist weder zu heiß oder zu kalt. Oder es regnet, oder alles kommt zusammen"

Jetzt es regnet, und kalt.

23 Years Old, Restless

Another year has gone by, yet not having any particular feeling. As the age grows, birthday seems less and less important and easily forgotten. A sweetie cake is a must, even it's me who has to pay it.

Talked with Yi-jye tonight, remembering the icy 21 birthday, half of which dedicated to the hospital in Linz. I've always thought that I have got rid of the so-called post-erasmus syndrome, cuz yeah, life gotta move on. It's easy to opress oneself. Close the eyes, shut the ears, clench the jaw and face the truth.

But it's the joy of drifting that keep one restless, the sudden surprise of strangeness and the stimulation of cultural shock. Fingers tapping on the map, and one pick randomly the next destination. One starts to feel bored in a fixed place, one starts to hate the unchallenging routine.

So that's how I know I never got out of post-erasmus syndrome ever. Becuz one learned to fly.

During these years I gradually learned to follow the destiny. And this time I believe i heard it, telling me the turning point is just in front. All one needs is to grab the chance, spread the wing and -- fly.

And that's gonna be, here I come again, europe, and my 23.

Distant Lights

"Dear Angeline

We have carefully assessed your application and are pleased to offer you a place on the 2008 MSc Accounting and Finance programme. We receive over 800 applications for this programme for around 40-60 places so congratulations on your success- we are delighted to welcome you to Manchester Business School."


Guess i finally see the distant lights shining... after such a long, long time.

Dream

Now i finally understand how important dreams are.

The job was too boring recently so i kept weaving dreams. I've got plenty of time weaving a life for the next 3-5 years.

"just clench your jaw till you frown,
just dont let go or you may drown"

The inevictable evil in the life

I hate my job.

Loss of freedom is not what i mourn, since i earn the freedom in terms of wealth. The loss of being a complete person is what i grief.

The abyss of hatred hidden under the sweet mask, and the feeling of superiority embedded in silence. Those composed my daily life, and i cannot stop despising myself for being such a hypocrite.

To hypnotize oneself is always easy, to wake up is not.

Truth

The truth is, the truth is always cruel.

I hate all the excuses. We have already thousands of shit in front of us, and what i need least are the excuses and the bad attitude.

Growing up means -- at least for me -- being responsible for oneself AND his loved ones.

2500 euro a child in spain!

Zapatero: "Cada familia recibirá 2.500 euros por cada hijo que nazca a partir de hoy"
http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/254922/0/debate/estado/nacion/

Every family will receive 2500 euro for every newborn child from 3rd July!

Good job Zapatero! Now i'm seriously considering giving birth to some kids in spain and earn my graduate school tuition...
Maybe 10 children would be enough?

So Nervous

David is coming to Taiwan!

so another 6 months have passed. So unreal, but somehow so true. Can't believe we've made it again. 6 months and 6 months, hope and disillusion. The emotion changes 3 times a day.

But finally we've proved ourselves unbeatable for another season.

Can't believe the flat image in the screen will soon become concrete again, and the words will jump beyond the screen and transfer into voices. The air warmed, and the eyes lit.

I'd rather trust it's not only pure luck, but our persistance and pride carries us on and on. There will be no distance in the heart, neither here nor there.