J & B Blended Scotch

Justerini & Brooks blended scotch

If I remember correctly, I had this bottle in winter, 2004, in Taiwan. It was my beginner-level whisky, which can be categorized as the same level as Suntory whisky. But the difference is that Suntory is more mild and smooth, making peace with your tongue and nose. J & B is more like a young guy…always listen to rock & roll and like spicy food.

Maybe it's just because of the unique climate pattern in Scotland, I can taste the salty touch of J & B. Have you ever eaten pears or any kind of fruit with Chinese plum powder? The sweetness and sourness of the fruit will be blended by the plum flavor, and that makes a great combo. I think that's the spirit I can get from J & B.

Well, I know! I need to control the amount of whisky I drink every day. It's just I really had a hard time falling asleep this week.

I pray to God…please give me strength and wisdom to deal with all the difficulties in my life. I am pretty lost right now since I may not remember to forgive, to be considerate, and to give love. Give me some clues, please. And I will follow and learn.
Thank you…!!!

歲月

親愛なる君へ :

妳是否也像我一樣注意起臉上的皺紋、光澤以及斑點！
從2007年12月到今天，我買過大概十次酒，沒有一個店員檢視我的年齡證明！
呵呵！我換了好幾家店買，結果都是一樣的！
可見，他們沒有把我當作熟客，很純粹地從我臉上就可以判斷我絕對超過法定飲酒年齡！（在Indiana，法定飲酒年齡為21歲！）
還記得我剛來美國時，就連買一包煙都要看駕照！唉！歲月摧人老啊.......！
這個月拿到印第安那州合法的駕駛執照了！接下來，就是買到車，開始我在美國的自助旅行！

我計畫在考完博士檢定考後，要好好去玩一個禮拜！ 去看看所謂的美國大峽谷！

那天，我靜靜地從窗外向外望！在美國唸書，已近三年了！我每晚面對相同的街景；
與其說是思鄉，還不如解釋成『無聊』來得貼切，只覺得心裡感覺不到那麼強烈的鄉愁！
從大學開始，我就好像每幾年一輪，一直在外鄉打轉！
大學加上兵役，就在外混了六年！工作五年後，又赴美留學至今！
若是論文順利，算算我在美國又待上五年有餘！
說到這裡，
我真的很感謝我的父母親！支持我到今日，他們真的辛苦了！
媽到現在仍在餐廳工作，爸退休後就連一架新車都捨不得買！
我真的希望趕快回國，就是待在家裡每天聽你們念兩句，我也要看你們快快樂樂地！健健康康地！
博士的光環，在我心中，抵不上你們抱佑佑時滿足的笑容！

Political Week

This week was actually quite political to me. First of all, Hillary Clinton came to Terre Haute on March 20th (Thursday). What’s more, she was just about 100 meters away from me in front of my apartment. I knew I would not be able to stay too close to her any way so that I just watched her from my apartment window. Out of security concern, she was surrounded by several bodyguards, looking vigorous and younger than how she is on TV. This was the first time for me see a politician celebrity so close and real. Well, I do not have the right to vote In the US and I am not one of her fans. It was just an interesting experience for me to see a “possible” US president candidate in front of my place. Hahahaha…it was not like the things you can see every day out of your window.
Second of all, Ma Ying-jeou won the president election on March 22nd (Saturday), Taiwan time……Hurray!!!!! Well, I am not a KMT fan, neither a DPP one. I am just a critical Taiwanese who is really tired of Chen Shui-bian’s presidency. I was very excited about Ma's victory and impressed by his calm and reasonable delivery of the speech when he knew he won the election. He just showed Taiwanese people his manner of integrity, modesty, and wisdom. I really hope Ma can lead Taiwanese people toward a better future by presenting the advanced development of our democracy in Taiwan. (By the way, I may have something to say to Lien Chan, Wang Jin-pyng, and James Soong: if you three cannot fully support President Ma, please at least don't do anything harmful to him or KMT, just for gaining your popularity. I don't think you three are better than Ma. To be honest, you three can just retire if you cannot devote yourself to Ma's presidency.)
Well, well, well! I have enough political excitement this week. Last but not least, DO NOT think you can escape and get away from a justice judge of your corruption and scandals, Mr. Chen Shui-bian. You'd better wash your ass before you go to jail.


Do you see the future of Taiwan?.....

可...樂在工作，但...不樂於工作

親愛なる君へ :

妳是否也跟我一樣徹夜難眠？昨天我非得喝上一杯Whisky，才開始慢慢有睡意！

最近，我開始看車了！以前，我對Nissan沒什麼好感！現在反倒慢慢開始喜歡美國的幾樣車款！就拿Altima來說吧，我一坐上駕駛座就覺得無比舒服！甚至比Toyota Camry還來得好！有種與車對話的感覺！好像我手握方向盤，車子便對我說：『How are you doing today, my lord!』。反正我就是慢慢看，慢慢挑到一台屬於我的車！

想到車，也許就會想到工作、家庭和旅行！我想，我不會成為一個工作狂！很多人會把工作當作生活，認為工作帶給他們價值！我正好相反！我會覺得是我賦予工作價值！沒有我的付出及努力，工作是沒有意義的！這樣聽起來好像覺得我應該是很積極很樂於工作的人！也許，我會樂於工作，但我不會讓工作來決定我的生活！我不會讓工作牽著我的鼻子走！我想，也就是因為如此，我才毅然決然辭掉台灣的工作，來美國唸書！

來到美國，發現『工作』對美國人來說是「需要」，而不是「必要」。你會聽到一般父母親愉快地談到自己的兒女終於找到工作了！就連丈母娘找女婿都要挑一個有工作的！好像有工作的，晚餐後賞一杯咖啡加蛋糕 ; 沒有工作的，還是識相點，早點告辭回家去吧！這其實是正常的！我該來美國時，美國政府並不給我社會安全號碼，所以我不能買車掛車牌！一直到我開始在Lab上班，才發給我！---說穿了，也就是說，你得要工作，而工作賺錢後，就會有消費，有消費就會帶動經濟成長，而國家稅收也就會成長，國家有錢了，才會有能力執行更好的社會建設及社會福利！

回到剛才的工作態度，美國人要「工作」，但並不會熱衷於工作！他們的行政效率並不高，數學又差勁！一個簡單的證照要花上四個禮拜以上才能到手！相較於台灣，他們的行政人員可以開心的在上班時間聊天講手機，你卻對他們沒輒！不高興啊，去申訴啊！了不起被念兩句，不會有什麼大礙！只要說個藉口，很容易就能矇過關！（我的教授說，美國人說理由的功力從小就開始培養了！他還準備出一本學生之理由大全勒！）那你說美國人民都在做啥勒？……….休閒！美國人一年花在運動上的錢會讓我們台灣人瞠目結舌！他們會開上三小時的車，花上一百元美金（相當約台幣三千元），就是為了看一場球賽！要不然就是自己上場玩，便宜的高爾夫俱樂部練一桶球也不過才五元美金！打18洞，最便宜的也才三十元（這是中西部喔！東西岸的話就不止這個價錢了！）

當然啦！要是跟法國人比！那美國人還是務實一點！法國人會為了一杯咖啡，而在賽那河畔吟詩的！美國人不會，他們會說：『oh, come on! Give me a break. I would rather watch football and drink beer than sit there for just a piece of poem crap.』難怪會有人說，美國人是個沒文化的民族！

所以，算算你的工時吧！如果你一週工作超過45個小時，就要開始檢討啦：是效率不夠？是工作量增加？是被其他雜事影響了？還是你下班後沒其他事可做了？故意加班！！！成吉思汗打下萬里江山，死後所葬，也不過就是幾尺！宋朝儘管弱不禁風，受外敵欺侮，但文化發展卻是中國的鼎盛！停下來，欣賞一下今晚的月亮吧！有一天老到走不動的時候，如果你心中只有年輕時的工作，那種心境，是何等淒涼寂寞啊！！！

First Time In the US: Dental Care and Haircut

The toothache finally got me walk into a dental clinic. My doctor was Bruce Anshutz. He was so great that I almost felt nothing when he tried to make my tooth "numb!" Well, let's say it might be a good beginning for me to "like" to see a dentist. The treatment did not take a long time. Before I fell asleep, everything was done. Bruce then explained how he "fixed" my tooth. Temporarily, he filled the CAVE with some medicine and not-so-strong material. If I don't feel any toothache within a month, Bruce is going to put stronger materials in the CAVE. All the treatment today cost me only USD $21.

(As a matter of fact, he suggested to go back Taiwan, have the root or nerve taken out, and put a cap on. Guess what?! If I had all the treatment here in the US, I would have to pay at least USD $1600.)

Well, I guess I have to cross my fingers, hoping I won't have the toothache this month.

In the afternoon, I asked Yoshiki a favor for taking me to the barber's. The barber was still a student. After she was done with my hair, she asked her instructor to check how well she just did. I gave her 70 out of 100 points. Overall, she really concentrated on the work and was willing to communicate with her client. Her attitude and job enthusiasm were worth appreciation. On the other hand, I may not complain anything more since I only paid USD $5 for the haircut.

Do I look younger because of short hair? Jejejejejeje…

三十歲男人的活力 ＋四十歲的男人的腦子

親愛なる君へ :

還記得我跟你說過的，所謂「單純的喜樂」嗎？
我今天看一齣戲，戲中男主角是哈佛的高材生，億萬身價的他情願去當速食店的小工，體會汗水、勞力換來的一餐滿足！
他一個月所得還不抵不上以往一餐的花消！但他覺得很開心，很知足，很踏實地去實現他的夢想！
很簡單的訴求，似曾相識的劇情！但我還是細細地看完！為主人翁喝采！
又一次，粗茶淡飯和心心相扣戰勝了錦衣玉食及同床異夢！

以前，我會相信，這樣的劇情真可以發生在現實生活中！
現在，我卻堅信，有千萬身價後，一樣要粗茶淡飯！ （是千萬，不是億萬喔！我沒那磨貪心！）

但這些都不是重點！

令我著迷的，是他們同吃一枝KFC玉米的快樂！是他們颱風天看海的瘋狂！
就是做最簡單的事，也莫名地快樂！因為有他/她在身邊！

廣宏一說：「四十歲以後單身的男人，他們對心靈上的渴望，早已勝過肉體的歡愉追求，究竟他們這不惑之年，一晚纏綿悱惻一次後，也只能選擇不惑了吧！這時他們面對女人，是比少時更敏感，猶勝體貼，卻也更容易被誤解成戲弄人生！」（取自 08/03/06 戲弄人生：http://www.styleblog.com.tw/style_b/article.aspx?name=bukuly&no=7940）

我沒有戲弄人生的本錢！第一，就算我還可以一晚七次，我也不想因為過渡縱慾而早死！（嗯！兩三次還可以啦！哈哈哈哈！！！）第二，我也沒那麼有錢有閒，身邊也沒有名模辣ㄎㄚ圍著我團團轉！ 但是，我倒是漸漸有廣大師說的敏感！說起來，好像有點『鹽吃多了、路走多了』的感慨！呵呵！我還沒老到那種地步！最起碼，每週三次的健身，那些一肚子肥油的美國佬和「少年家」也不見得跟得上！

那我是啥！？三十歲男人的身體，卻有四十歲男人的體會嗎！？ ...我開始懂得，為什麼老爸喜歡看「背叛愛情」！也開始知道，為什麼和一個二十幾歲的小姑娘鬥嘴會開心個30分鐘！看到溫馨的電視廣告，會想掉眼淚！（唉！奇怪勒！我更年期又還沒到！）

其實，再一次就好，我真的很想再感受一次，那心頭炙熱的愛、那份癡狂、那眼角滲出的甘甜！幾句話就能顫動心悱，隻字片語，就能讓心口發熱！

Chivas Regal (12 yrs) + Missing Moment

Well, really! I swear I did not just grasp a reason for drinking!
This bottle of scotch just came at the right time and at the right place.
What can I say!? This is a coincident by God's hands…(I guess)!

Take a look at those Chinese words on the invitation card: 『執子之手，與子偕老』, which means " Let me hold your hands till the day we both leave the world." (I prefer this translation. "Till the day we are both old" seems not to express the inner meaning.)

I was flipping through your wedding pictures, sipping whisky. I remember you poured me glasses of sake once while we were eating hot pot in Yangmingshan. I drank up the whole bottle and then had a nice evening walk with you and friends. The tiny rain drop was like cool steam shower, falling on our warm faces and palms…

I guess I would also be drunk in your wedding like your father.
KANPAI, my dear. Here is a song for you.
Please remember … you and he always have all my best blessings!!!

Reserve A Breakfast Talk 13 hours Later

What is the farthest distance you can talk to a person?
Who talks and listens to you during breakfast every morning?
When was the last time you felt being loved and cared by someone in your mind?

Well, first of all, I don't know the exact number of mileage. It takes a trip on an airplane for more than 20 hours any way.
Second of all, I always feel talking to "her" during my breakfast every morning…though she lives in Taipei whose time zone is 13-hour different from mine!!!
Thirdly, I am not sure I once felt being loved or cared…but I am so sure that I feel she is always there with me … ALL THE TIME!!!

When she told me that she was getting married, I felt like a father, wondering if the lucky guy was really "qualified"!
When she got married, I hated myself being stuck in the US and failing to see the most beautiful bride in the world!
When she said "the platform" is a place where she can feel me being with her, I went back to her words and read line by line, again and again.

Every morning, I make myself a cup of coffee, do some casual reading online, and pay a visit to her "platform." It seems like a breakfast talk with your family before going to work.

I can not help but wonder why people sometimes ignore the advantages of these daily talks with their family. Maybe there is no such a "distance" that makes them feel the desperate necessity to talk to each other. Gee, what's in their mind? Having a meeting with boss or clients? Buying another LV purse or Lexus car?

~Life should be wasted in wonderful things~…the words I got from a commercial (though I forgot what the commercial was about).

So what are those wonderful things? Well, I guess they depend on what you treasure…in your "value system." Have you ever heard about French people? They seem to always delay things, indulge themselves in pleasure, and live a very casual life. From a perspective of an industrial society, French people are not productive and efficiency. However, they may be the people who know how to enjoy life best. Why hurries? They'd rather spend 30 minutes enjoying a cup of café au lait beside riverbank than rush in and out of Starbucks. Hahahaha…I start to like this life attitude actually. This is why I spend time "talking" to her every morning…with music and coffee!!!

You are having a nice dream, aren't you? My dear…
May you and he have all the happiness and love in God's hands!

相依相隨

真情真美
詞 趙麟，曲 陳彤，孫楠、許茹云演唱
(男)真情真美，真如一池春水，風吹點點漣漪，感受細致入微。
(女)癡心無罪，付出沒有不對，就算一生一世，從此相依相隨。
(男)不必在乎是誰，翻轉是是非非，把前塵做白紙，寫上無怨無悔。
(女)我們都愿意給，只要愛的純粹，就算有苦有累，我們一起去背。
(合)愛是多么可貴，貴在有所作為，只要同去同歸，成敗也無所謂。
(男)來日風雨中有沒有傷悲，無論怎么樣一起來面對，百轉千回，縱橫南北，敞開我們的心扉。
***********************************************************************************
大陸原版射雕英雄傳的片尾曲是「真情真美」，唱出小說中郭靖與黃蓉的愛情故事！
呵呵！在台灣上映時，卻是用陳亦迅的「十年」作為片尾！！！...真是強烈的對比！

認識一個人十年，和一個人在一起十年，算不算是很久！？
我喜歡李亞鵬和周迅演的射雕英雄傳！儘管很多人批評這個版本：
李亞鵬把郭靖演的太過憨傻、周迅演出黃蓉的機靈聰慧，但卻缺乏靈氣！！！
但我不在乎！我看重的是他們表現出郭黃兩人無怨無悔，生死相隨的愛情！
十年後，你會不會記得那天？---第一次牽妳的手！握在掌心裡的微溫…
十年後，你會不會記得那一刻？---第一次相擁？抱在懷裡的感動…
十年後，你是否還想牽他的手？是否還有勇氣，互許另一個十年？

我妹問我，對我來說，什麼事最難？
她告訴我：『放棄』最難！尤其是要放棄一個人時，最難！
我想，她是對的！揪扯十多年的感情線，不是說斷就馬上可以忘記一切的！
但我想問：難道硬拉著不放就是愛嗎？難道堅持下去就是勇氣的表現嗎？
嘴上說的很好聽：不會輕易放棄這段感情！但卻一直做出折磨對方的事情！
這就叫做『堅持』嗎？這就叫做『真愛』嗎？
我好累！...昨天是十週年紀念！也沒什麼好記的！
不要怪我，我不是『放棄』！我只是要一個，能在乎我的人！

Life always finds a way...

I have never been so depressed on Monday and Tuesday this week. First of all, I could not tolerate my toothache any more and decided to go to a dentist in the neighborhood. Well, health is more important than anything, isn't it? But I had to pay USD$51 just for the exam and X-ray. (I screamed in my mind: why don't you just rob the bank?) My hesitation stopped me, and that took me to another dental clinic near Honey Creek Mall, Aspen Dental. This clinic will not cost me a penny for the exam…however, I got to wait until next Wednesday to meet the scheduled time for the exam. Wow, how wonderful!

Anger, disappointment, and pain dragged me out of Aspen Dental and I went back to the dentist near my apartment. Again, the fastest appointment I could have is next Tuesday morning. Hahahahaha…God really has a sense of "humor." As soon as I went back to my apartment and was ready to take and rest for further studies of my statistics, my internet was dead. Well, let me tell you something, Mr. God: You are not……funny at all!!!!!

Alright! You want me to have some frustration! Fine, let's feel it and taste the bitterness.

Despite the toothache and the dead internet, I finished my assignment and went to the statistic class on Tuesday. Well, Well, Well…while Yoshiki and I sat down in the lab and checked our homework, I took a look at my emails since I failed to get online at home. Then guess what!!! Dr, Marte sent out the email, telling us the class was cancelled because of the coming snow storm on that night! The email was sent at 4:59pm while Yoshiki and I left for school at around 5:03pm!!!!!

What the heck! We just stayed at the lab, finished the assignment, and submitted it online. As we were on our way walking back, it was snowing very hard, making the campus all while.

Hahahaha…that was actually very beautiful…something I'd never have a chance to see in Taiwan. Maybe this is life…huh...going up and down just like being on a roller coaster. At that moment, I guess I finally realize what Dr. Barratt said about the optimism. No matter how you feel, life will be just the way it is. You smile, things will go on; you cry, things will still go on! So why makes yourself miserable? Just enjoy the moment…

Yoshiki and I were taking pictures while we were walking back.
Mark this day, Frank! From now on, you are an optimist.

By the way, the next day, March 5, was a sunny and warm day. Yoshiki and I went to Leclub and enjoyed a nice afternoon workout. ^_^

Damn Pimple

Notice the giant pimple around my upper lip!? Damn…it hurts. Sometimes I really wonder why a 31 year-old man like me still have pimples coming out from his face! I mean I am old enough…shouldn't it be the "feature" of teenagers? Well, it doesn't sound like I am still in my twenties or something, does it!? Besides, I wash my face every day, put lotion on, and even do extra cleaning every week! Shouldn't those be enough for face-care…for a "man"? What!? Or should I put moisture mask on my face every night before bed time? Ahhhhhh..., come……………on!!! What's next? I should probably play Britney Spears' songs and put cucumber slices on my eyes?????
Some said that pimples are symbols that represent potential problems of your health. Maybe I've got a few digestion problems these days. I know it. It's all about my toothache. I have been using only right side of my teeth for the past few days. Sometimes, I could not really chew well. Maybe that's the problem. Ahhhhhhh…I really want to go back Taiwan right away.










Night, March second, 2008: after two-hour work out and five-hour statistics studies--tired, thirsty (for sake), a little bit sleepy, not happy with the pimple!!!