Birthday Gift from God

Around 5:20~7:20 pm, September, 28, 2009

That was a very windy day in the afternoon. Anchang and I went to that unknown lake for testing his new bait-casting reel: Abu Garcia Revo Premier. It is a very nice reel actually. Hearing the sound while Anchang cast his lure out, I know it’s very smooth and quiet.

Well, I tried my bait-casting reel several times with 3-joint swim-bait and 6-inch senko, but I could not get many bites. So I just changed my strategy to spinning rod and drop-shot (with 4 inch curly-tail worm: motor oil with red flakes). Soon I got one small bass about 20 centimeters. I thought bass might still wander around but tend to stay in deeper areas because of the strong wind. Therefore, I cast a little farther, let the bait sink there, and I started to twitch it slightly. Just after about 10-second twitching, I sensed a subtle bite so that I raised the rod tip. Wow…Wow…Wow…immediately, my rod bended down almost 90 degrees and I felt there must be something out there. Seeing the splash of water, Anchang and I both screamed out: oh, this must be a huge baby!!!

See…..How big her mouth is!!!!!!!!!

Yes…Yes…Yes….it’s a 59-centimeter bass.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh……….

It’s a dog…..hahahhahahaha!!!!!

Rig: Drop shot (3/16 bell weight with GAMAKATSU #1 drop shot hook

Lure: 4" Motor oil/ red flakes, curly-tail worm

Hahahahaha....she's so heavy...!!!!!

This is the best birthday gift ever..... ^_^
God.....Thank you very much!

不折的手

親愛なる君へ :

我永遠記得左學長那雙「氣張而不折」的手 : 看似柔弱如潺潺流水，實則剛強，萬鈞之力亦難折煞。每每見學長的「單手抓外迴轉」，氣隨勁走 ; 外人覺得其手被制，然開敞之手心，卻實際上緊緊牽動外來的勁道，掌控全局，環繞中心不斷旋轉!

如此基礎的基本功，竟涵蓋至重至深的人生哲理! 演練過千百遍的技法，想不到今日才真正體會其中奧義!

我往日對於幸福的執著，原來是那樣的狹隘! 越來越是握緊的雙手，什麼都抓不到。而且還不以為警惕，越是求而不得，越是盡力爭取，抓的更緊 ! 抓到指甲陷進肉裡，力竭了、心痛了、傷了自己、也傷了身邊的人~~~! 現在，把心放開，才猛然驚覺，我的執著讓幸福遠走、放開的手卻感覺幸福還一點點地溫暖著手心!!!

執著，放在心裡就好了! 太過分的我執，看似很有原則，其實卻給人喘不過氣的感覺 !

行筆至此，真想大笑三聲、劈劍一千、再好好地大醉一場! 哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈哈~~~~~~ 難怪我從以前到現在對洪七公和喬峰就是情有獨鍾，也許 我天生就是 個 閒散漂泊 的酒鬼 ~~~

【眼看人間百態、大義存心；笑談荒唐事，一醉了恩仇】

PS: 感謝朋友們的關心，我於文中從來沒有提及《親愛なる君へ》指的是誰! 我想以後也不用提! 因為這《親愛的你》，可以是任何人、也可以不是任何人，當然，也有可能是心裡不存在的人!

意志與體能の對抗

親愛なる君へ :

自2007年迄今，加入健身運動的我已經持續兩年有餘！

最近學校健身館暨學生活動中心落成，剛好，我也剛從台灣養了一圈肚子回到美國，為了不讓之前的努力「往下掉」，我和由樹仍然維持一週三次的基本健身時間！

窗外陽光和煦，新的健身館很是寬大，雖然還是聞得到樓下游泳池的氯氣，但總體來說空氣、設備、舒適性都改進步不少！（至少，不會像之前的鳥地方，人擠人，不時還會有美國人的體味、香水味，還有屁味！！！）

每次健身時間大約不超過兩小時，從一開始的暖身慢跑，及至針對固定體能的孤立訓練，我們絕不馬虎，但也不會操之過急！兩年下來的經驗，我們堅守一項原則：『寧可不進步，也不受傷』;「穩妥」二字是為必要！

其實，我健身的目的在於體適能，希望能寄鍛鍊強健體魄之力，予健全心智、意志之效！所謂內則以堅強意志而培養毅力恆心 ; 外則以強健筋骨而造就體力及耐力！

還記得剛開始健身的頭個月，那是腰酸背痛，坐立難安！但是一旦養成習慣，有時雖汗水淋漓、渾身疲憊，但仍精神健望！所以每次健身都要向自己的潛能挑戰！這次可以舉100磅，下次就要試試舉105磅！這說很容易喔，其實是很掙扎的：想想，肢體上的酸痛，還要做出平常不能做到的體能，這是…...意志與體能的對抗，也可以說，是意志力與體力的協調！

健身項目之一：二頭肌的孤立彎舉

這項是我認為最難的其中一種！因為進步很慢，一稍鬆懈，也很容易退步！而且，也容易不慎而受傷！

（說實話，我沒想過要練得力氣很大，倒是想把二頭肌練大一點！！！男人嘛～～～穿短袖時好看用的～～～呵呵！）

倦鳥

親愛なる君へ :

今年七月為了幾顆爛牙回台灣求救，過了整整一個吃喝玩樂、心情卻是沈佃佃的暑假！一踏上國土，熟悉的語言吵得我耳朵發疼！當然，隨即而來的是空氣，鼻子馬上就出現過敏的症狀！回到台南，光是一道道的小吃讓我的腸胃沒一刻閒著！貼心的牙醫每次只幫我治療一邊的牙，不耽誤小吃送進嘴的時間！

回來了，當然得在某種程度上「昭告天下」！說實在的，我真的沒啥好說的！我也知道大家都是關心，只是每見一個人都得再被問一次同樣的問題，然後我又得在細細地說明一次，真的有點累ㄝ！下次回去，我看乾脆開個記者招待會好了！

這個七月，真是體會良多！什麼叫做人情冷暖、什麼是刻在心裡的情感、什麼是人情包袱、什麼可是稱作「別有用心」？？？我想我多少是知道一點了！（雖然瘋瘋癲顛的，可我這雙眼還是雪亮的！反倒越是離我較遠的人，常常可以點頭知意！）

我真該好好體會、學習 鄭燮 有名的『難得糊塗』！把事都看給穿了，有時候不免落得孤家寡人的感覺！有時覺得很遺憾，身邊能親近的人，多半不瞭解自己，也不見他們用心來瞭解！（也許我也不盡然能瞭解他們）

現在，我不求什麼！只希望身邊多幾個知音人，只要能淡淡如水，也許清茶一杯、薄酒一壺，可談家常，可論古道今，那也就夠了！

Sugar Creek 『Brownies』

Connie : Go Everywhere

Take a look at this fat brownie….it's a small mouth bass!

That's right! I got this beauty under the bridge behind me.

I was so excited…that I've got no words to describe my happiness. This is my first small mouth bass and it has 37 centimeters.

This small mouth bass lives in Sugar creek. Probably she has never been caught. Look at her fat and perfect body….definitely more pretty than large mouth bass. Moreover, smallies fight till the last minute which gives fishermen unforgettable "pulling."

Rod: Daiwa 6.6' medium light

Setting: Drop shot

Lure: Jackall Flick Shake 4.8" worm (red flakes)

The left one is caught by Yoshiki! He got it in the first 10 minutes. We released them in a tiny pond under a tree before we were done with the fishing there.

After taking the pictures, we reluctantly release them in the creek. Hope they grow bigger and we may see them again next time!

I'm Loving BIG BASS

The Burns Lake in Hawthorn park was the first place where I started to do lure fishing. It's a beautiful lake surrounding by a forest, hiking trails, and camping sites, and family BBQ facilities. Hawthorn park is located around the back of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology (almost 15 to 20-minute drive from my apartment).

Take a look at the scenery….!!! Really hope we have this kind of beautiful parks in Taiwan.

Hawthorn park has lots of wild animals. It's spring time…so it's quite usual for people to see snakes, geese, turtles, ducks, and so on. This snake is probably a baby Northern Water snake.

Connie is still my best company….she takes me everywhere without any complaints and she never says "No."

I love you, Connie! Really……I really hope I could still be with you when I go back to Taiwan.

Toyota --- --- --- MOVING FORWARD

Do I look tanned? Oh, absolutely!

I've been enjoying outdoor fishing activities a lot recently.

I still remember the first three days in 2008: I didn't catch anything at all.

The picture was taken in Chinook Fish & Wildlife Area. I was using Texas rig with a Yum Crawbug. (1/8 bullet weight with 4/0 Owner Twistlock Hook.)

Oh! The rod and reel is my new fishing "weapon" :

Gander Mountain Advantage Series IM6 6.6' Medium Casting Rod

Shimano CU201 E7 (left-hand retrieve, 6+1 Ball Bearings, 7.0:1 Gear Ratio)

This picture was taken in the unknown lake beside Hawthorn park.

I guess it is over 37 centimeters.

Rig: Texas rig (1/8 bullet weight with Owner Twistlock Hook)

Lure: Gender Mountain 10" Grape color, Ribbon-tail worm

Oh! This is not a bass….!!! This is a puppy!!!!!! Hahahahahaha……

I broke my own record on June 3, 2009. This fat cutie was caught in Hawthorn park.

Rig: Drop shot (3/16 bell weight with GAMAKATSU 1/0 drop shot hook

Lure: Berkley Power Bait 4" black/blue, curly-tail worm

I measured it…it's 45 centimeters.

WaaaaaaaHaaaaaaa….I feel Soooooooooo…….. GOOD!

春天釣魚去

親愛なる君へ :

五月天氣漸暖，我的釣竿和魚餌們也蠢蠢欲動！
暑假已經開始，我偷了幾天的閒情，去拋了幾竿！結果大咬！
哈哈哈哈......！
現在論文進度暫時停一下！我的心情實在很想逃離這裡，透透一口悶氣！
也許就是待在這裡太久了，真想回台灣休息一陣子！
（唉！機票這麼貴我真是開不了口！）

Baby, Alien, and Bass

What the heck with my face!

Do I look like an alien from Mars, trying to kidnap a cute baby?

Hahahahahahaha…

The baby just took a look at me and he was probably thinking: where are you from, strange uncle!!!

Well, I once played peekaboo with him at Anchang's apartment. The baby was actually giggling after he saw my face!

Well, he started to cry after he found out this face was actually not his favorite!hahahahaha...

Coming back to Terre Haute, I went to Chinook again and got four fish in an hour!

Look at this beauty…she fought really hard!

This one was actually bigger…I guess it was almost 40 centimeters. Look at her fat belly…she was really feeding! While the sunset shone on the fish's body, the sense of joy came to my mind! After the picture, I set her free with all my gratitude, hoping that she will grow bigger in this coming summer!

Fish of over 14 inches can be kept by fishermen in Chinook Fish & Wildlife Area. But I still believe in catch-and-release spirit so that we may better maintain the population of bass. Our next generation can thus enjoy the happiness of fishing outdoors in the future.

Friendship & Memory

Nuria came back to Terre Haute for a short visit last week. It has been more than two years since she graduated from ISU. I was so excited and happy to see her. Looking at her smiles, I couldn’t help but recalling all the memory we had while we were taking courses together.

What I remember about this beautiful classmate? – She is diligent, smart, always positive, humorous, and the most important of all, kind to others. I know this may sound a little trivial for others, but not for me: Nuria was the first classmates I met who submitted her papers always with clean cover pages. Well, she did not need to do it unless it was requested by professors. As far as I am concerned, this showed the responsible spirit and respectful attitude toward the course, the professor, and her own hard work, and that did not reveal among many American students.

Nuria and I talked a lot while she stopped by the Language Lab. She thinks about going to some Asian countries like Korea and China and teaches English there. Wherever Nuria goes and whatever she does, she will always have my best blessing and friendship. Hope…we will meet in Taiwan or Asia some day.