Yiting and I

Yiting, an amiable colleague on my beat, and I at the National Concert Hall. It was the last report she was going to file before quitting and going back to school. She's now in Korea studying Korean, and when she comes back, she doesn't plan on returning to reporting.

I envy her a little bit. I'd like to go somewhere, come back, and be doing something different than news.

Rough day at work today.

Good ol' days

Naoko, Midori and their roommate ready for omatsuri.

I miss those days.

Keeping busy

Just when I think that life couldn't get any busier, it always does. I've had either work, class, appointments or all of the above nearly every single day since February. Both my body and mind are totally drained, but I am happy.

Work is work. I'm steadily getting better at what I do, and while getting back onto good terms with my boss, I've also found a way to get around her when I want to. There are days like today - spending the morning at the Legislature watching MP's yell at the education minister - that really make my life miserable, but there are better days too.

My speeches are getting better. I gave another one on English TV news and how to report/present general TV news at Feng Chia University on Sunday. They were nice enough to laugh at (some) of my jokes and manage to not fall asleep. Preparation for the speech took a long time, but it was well worth it, since it was another chance to practice, a chance to ride the bullet train down to Taichung and also a chance to have dinner with Amy and Takeki at their new shop and restaurant.

Art class is going well. I've only attended two sessions so far, but I'm really enjoying them, whether I'm allowed to sketch flowers or made to draw boxes.

I've even made time to meet Mom and Dad for lunch or dinner once a week.

And somewhere in between, I've managed to fall in love.

Essay from 2002

Found this old essay I wrote for Japanese class in 2002, right before entering Waseda Business School. We were given a picture and told to write something to go with it.

２００２年度秋学期　文章表現５E




文化と人間関係
翁　郁容

　東京にある場所で超高層建築物と伝統的な漁業用船の写真を見ると、現代人と祖先に受け継がれる昔からの文化的遺伝を考えさせた。
なぜかというと、あの船は忘れられた文化的遺伝と家族の我々がここに居ている大切な理由の年寄りのようだった。

　現代人は仕事や学校しか考えていないそうだ。毎日、学校の為に早く起きなければならず、トーストを口に噛みながら学校へ飛び出し、学校が終わってから勉強し、家族とあまりしゃべらずに晩御飯を食べ、疲れているのでよこになって、また一日になってしまった。
その典型的な日は多すぎると思います。人生はあっという間に終わってしまうので、物質的なことばかり考えていたら、命の意味が失ってしまうと思うのである。その反面、生活の為にお金を稼がなければならないけれども、良いバランスも取れないといけないと思う。

人と言うのは祖先からのもので、文化と言うのは歴史からのもである。今日の生き方と様々な態度や作法は昨日の社会にもらったもののである。明日のものは今日から送るものなので、明日の為に今日から考えなければならないと思う。今日の社会にどんなものが足りないのか、どんなものがほしいかなどと言うことを次の社会がもらえるようにしたらどうだろう。我々の子供をどんな社会に住ませたいのか、どんな社会的な変更をした方が良いだろうかと言う質問を自分に聞いたらどうだろうか。

　先ず、人間関係から考えなければならないと思う。人は人が必要だとよく言われている。その必要の内容は様々な交換だと思う。
例えば、物質的な交換や、感情的な交換などは必要だと言えると思う。良い交換をもらいたかったら、良い関係を作らなければならない
とも言えると思う。その故で、全ての元は人間関係ではないかと思っている。

　明日の為に、子供の為に、今日から良い基礎を作りたいと思う。良い基礎と言うのは、長期的に考えて、良い人間関係を建てる
ではないだろうか。お互いに助け合って、親と親戚との強い絆を守って、有り難い態度で、豊かな未来を建てたいと思う。

Remembering

On career:
For the past two months and especially so in the last three weeks, I had been completely unmotivated. I fell into a downward spiraling whirlpool of negative thinking that my coworkers and most reporters have. I felt like I was flushing myself down the toilet, complaining along with everyone about everything, especially about my boss. Then Dad said, "never complain about your boss, ever." After I figured out why, my three-month motivation dry spell all of a sudden went away and ideas and energy came flooding in. I feel like a winner among most of my coworkers and peers, and I even proactively discuss things with my boss now. I had forgotten that complaining gets no one anywhere, whether or not the reason behind the complaint is valid. Now I remember. Thanks, Dad!

On family:
At dinner on my birthday, I remembered what a wonderful family I have. Everyone was so appreciative of each other, of our life, of the food on the table and of the chance to be together. It would have been even more perfect if Michael were there, but I suppose it makes the time when we can get all get together something to look forward to even more.

Trust

An article that Derek sent me that reflects so much of what I've seen and how I've felt about most local Taiwanese people.


～～窮人安於貧窮；富人渴望富有。～～


十年前，我帶年僅三歲多的兒子到美國旅行，寄宿親戚家。親戚拿個全新的兒
童汽車安全座椅給我，說：「這裡規定兒童一定要坐汽車安全座椅，這個給你
用，因為是借來的，請儘量不要弄髒，我還要還人。」


兩週後，我不再開車，他拿著半新不舊的安全座椅到量販店辦退貨。店員一聲
不吭，錢全數奉還。親戚得意地對我說：「美國的商店，兩週內都可憑發票退
貨，所以我們常來這裡『借』東西。


有些大陸人甚至連電視都『借』哩！你說，美國人笨不笨？無條件退貨的漏洞
這麼大，他們竟然都不知道！」


隔年，我到日本，在當地做事的台灣朋友招待我，出入都開車。我問：「東京
地狹人稠，不是很難停車嗎？」「沒那麼嚴重啦！政府規定要有停車位才准買
車，所以車子並不像你想的那麼多。」他說。


「哇！那你有停車位嘍？一定貴得嚇死人對不對？」


「你怎麼跟日本人一樣笨！先租個停車位，等車子掛牌後，再把停車位退
掉，不就解決了？」


幾天後，換成日本朋友招待我，待遇淪為兩條腿加地鐵。


他客氣地說：「東京養車容易，養停車位難。所以只好委屈你擠地鐵了。」


我馬上向他傳授「破解之道」。


沒想到他沒有「悟道」的狂喜，只淡然說：「真要鑽漏洞，其實到處都是，比
如家母住在鄉下，我把戶籍遷過去再買車就可以了。但是，我實際上就住東
京，沒停車位卻買車，左鄰右舍會怎麼看我？開車上班，我怎麼面對同事、上
司及正派的人不會這樣做。」


美國商店無條件退貨的機制與日本到處漏洞的法規，都建立在「信任」的基礎
上，當「信任」瓦解，社會也會崩潰。也因此，他們可以容忍政客做錯事，卻
不容許政客說謊。


台灣呢？


我們則是「假到真時真亦假」，每個人都虛虛實實，整個社會是在「懷疑」的
基礎上運作。但即使已是防弊重於興利，結果還是「敢的拿去」。


中國「信託」的「信用」卡，遭「卡神」套利百餘萬元，社會卻站到「卡
神」那一邊。「信託」與「信用」，難道是反諷？想法思維影響行為，而個人
行為又可擴及影響企業服務、社會運作。


記得去羅馬搭乘地鐵時，發現有售票機卻沒有驗票機。當場起了疑惑，到底要
如何確認乘客有沒有買票？那這樣地鐵不就鐵定虧錢嘛？這是我們的習慣想
法，總是想要替自以為的小聰明或貪小便宜尋求應對之道。對於義大利人而
言，我們會問這種問題才奇怪。搭車為啥不買票？乘車怎麼可以不買票呢？兩
方想法當下有了差異。


如果你真想知道是不是可以不要買票搭車？可以，的確可以入站搭車，但是你
要確保不會被富有正義感又雞婆的義大利人發現，因為他八成會去舉發你。到
時候罰款可就是車價的數倍，而且丟臉還丟到國外去，真是賠了夫人又折兵。


建立信任，不容易，卻很重要！


“人而無信，不之[知]其可也”不知在當今”唯利是圖”之社會中是蠻諷刺的事！
當彼此信任度越高，管理就越少


路.走對了.就不怕遙遠


在紐約.有一次參觀有名的「大都會博物館」。


付了錢，櫃檯給我們一個約10圓台幣大小的金屬片門票，


有兩條夾子。方便我們別在衣領上。


友人告訴我參觀中途可以隨時出來，


如果還要再進去，門票就不用繳回，


可以憑原本的門票再進入。


確定不再進去參觀，


就把門票丟入門口的壓克力玻璃櫃中。


我問：「門票的形式、顏色有每天換嗎？」


朋友回答：「沒有」


「那會不會有人把門票帶回家，過幾天再來呢？


或是10人進去只買5張門票，


其中一人再把門票帶出來給其他人？」


朋友大笑：「只有台灣人會這麼想！


美國人想法單純多了，進去就是要買門票，


不再進去，就繳回門票。


基本上美國人相信大家都是守法的好人，


所以門口工作人員很少。」





剎那間讓我覺得很慚愧，


我們的防弊多於興利的觀念，


鑽漏洞的念頭竟是文化的一部份。





最近幫台積電上課，


發現台積電的餐廳跟科學園區的其他廠商一樣，


採用外包模式,一樣乾淨整潔明亮。


所不同的是餐廳沒有人幫你打菜，


要吃什麼一切自己來，


發水果的地方貼了一張紙條----


每人限拿一袋(洗好切好的)。


連入口處也很少有人在管，


進餐廳自己用識別證刷卡，


月底自動從薪水中扣除。





一位台積電副理告訴我：


有一位員工被抓到吃飯沒刷卡，


第一次警告，第二次就開除了。





我發現.當彼此信任度越高，管理就越少，


彼此方便，成本自然下降，工作也越愉快。


相反的彼此猜忌.防範、圍堵、監督。


不但降低生產力，工作也被動，不愉快。


各位親愛的夥伴.您是否也發現.


當您和週遭朋友.同事.處於信任的環境中.


做起事情來都非常的有效率.而且默契十足.


但是.處於猜忌和不諒解的情形下.


任何事物都進展的很不順利.....


您了解了這道理.從現在開始.


就將心胸打開.用開放的心情.


信任的態度.來對待每一位夥伴.


或許剛開始.會發現.吃了很多虧.


大家都還是防來防去.....


那是因為您的夥伴還不習慣您的處世態度


記得.


堅持.....對的事情就要堅持.堅持才能天長地久.


路.走對了.就不怕遙遠


人生不是得到，就是學到

Boxes

After a taste of beauty, 鍾老師 got me cracking on the basics again. He had me make boxes out of sketching paper and sketch them, focusing on shades and the hardness/softness of the surface of the box and of the surface of the table it was sitting on.

難しかったです

Roses

These are the beautiful roses from Uncle Cody, still holding up from my birthday.

They're so nice to come home to.



They even match my bed sheets. :)

Birthday dinner

Thank you Mom, Dad, Daniel and Quyen! I'm truly so lucky.


Venue: San Want (神旺西餐廳)


Steamed egg pudding with seafood in a goose egg shell. Nice surprise!



Abalone and crab salad



Deep sea fish (bass?) with walnuts and saffron sauce



Bird's nest consomme



Yuzu sorbet to clear the palate



Lamb, which I shared most of with Dad and Daniel



Peach and ice cream dessert



Tiramisu cake



Unfortunately, Uncle Cody couldn't make it, but he personally brought me these beautiful roses. I really do love flowers.





Thank you Mom and Dad!

Another letter

From the sweet potato man.

今天是否開心的啟放快樂之緣！
雨下的精彩; 一點點的落滿葉片...
深厚油脂映滿白日晚霞!
一幅幅高畫素影劇讓人們編製填詞，
而過街的彩傘擬繪過千偏童寓...
看去點綴玲瓏的驚嘆詞！
繪聲繪影的粗細枝點搖抑著擬我的想像，
無數的快樂輕搖...
輕輕的水波反照，
石下的 天空甚藍，
石下的燈火宏艷，
登旁的氣息溫暖，
熱燙妳我！
記得帶傘！

Love letter

From the sweet potato man, whom I interviewed earlier this week.

郁容: 超級可愛的！近近公分之中，宛若夢漩，輕微躍語彈動耳際，真心的純直平仄言詞，那一瞬重擊，動心！
擬...像畫震伏四處，人間天堂...謝謝妳來

Happy birthday!

The first card I received. :)
From Eugene, visiting Taipei.
Perfect with with the wine and fruit theme that I just love.



From Janet, from Down Under



From Eddie in Atlanta

Dinner with Tim and Wilson

Tim was in town and him, Wilson and I got together for dinner at Taipei IUC? UIC? I can't remember which. It looked good from the pictures on the internet, but I wasn't very impressed. The food was not bad, but the ambience was not very inviting. I felt like I was in a very dark warehouse eating take-out noodles.

Work over CNY

Calligraphy event - there's a tradition where people do calligraphy at the start of the new year, hoping for a good start and setting a new goal.



Lots of time spent at the Freeway Bureau, updating traffic conditions, which were terrible this year, supposedly because the Ministry of Transport didn't warn people which days would be most congested and so to stay off the freeways or use alternate routes. I suppose the ministry could have done better, but also that people could have been smarter, since it's the same congestion pattern every single year...

Happy Chinese New Year!

Pictures taken during the festivities

My brother Daniel and soon-to-be sister-in-law Quyen at Uncle Cody's




Where am I? Hiding behind the camera, feeling bloated and not very photogenic.


Nelson and Judy



Nelson introduced Judy to me because she is also a Waseda graduate. She just graduated with an MBA from the School of Commerce (I graduated from Waseda Business School, which will be merged with her school this year) and came back to Taiwan to look for a job. She's been living overseas (Japan and Canada) for more than 8 years and is looking to make friends here. After a bit of chatting, it turns out that she knows my roommate, who is a priest and her counselor at church. Small world.

Office buddy

Abby's one of the few friends I have at work. Hm, must take more pictures of friends.

Back to school

I'm going back to school. :)

To art school, that is. I still can't commit to formally taking a class, but my print teacher (who became the head of the graduate school of print art last year) doesn't care - he just told me to come and "have fun" when I have time and he'll teach me as long as he's there. We need more teachers like this, so more amateurs like me will be encouraged to try and so that the art can become more popularized and grow as well.

It's been more than a year since I've sketched, and I've forgotten nearly everything I've learned. He's having me sketch for a while, and I suppose when the time's right, I can start carving and printing.


Amy called this "優子的害羞" because she says it looks like a shy girl. I suppose so, because the flower isn't facing forward, and even though it's beautiful and even has a little bit of fragrance, it doesn't want to be noticed and therefore is turning away.



The sketch didn't turn out that well, but I noticed that when I was doing it, I was smiling almost the whole time. Maybe it was the sketching, maybe it was the flowers or maybe it was both. But I've definitely rediscovered something else I love.


Since the top flower didn't turn out very well, 鍾老師 told me to draw a bigger one and to try again. I guess the second one on the left does look a little more like a flower. :)

Speech for high school broadcast club

An acquaintance called me at 22h30 one night, asking if I was off the next day. In a situation like this, it is never good. It turned out that the TVBS anchor the high school broadcast club he founded had fallen through, and he was in desperate need of another anchor/reporter to speak about what the job is like and how to become a good reporter or presenter to a group of 40 kids. Well, I was off the next day and I promised. I guess I wanted to help, and I thought I could use the practice and get a little more exposure. But I ended up making slides until 3 in the morning and running to the office in the morning to get clips of different types of news and also to take pictures of the news department. The presentation turned out alright - better than the last, but still could be better.


Production center - where editors come up with headlines, rundowns and monitor other TV stations' broadcasts



News gathering center - where the reporters work; a mess of desks, computers, press releases and newspapers



News gathering center - Abby typing her script



Video editing - reporter and cameraman discussing how the roll should be put together



Video editing - Irene voicing over her script (one of the few reporters that know how to edit videos too)



Video editing



Subcontrol room - where the program director cues the anchor, rolls video, etc



Studio - where filming is done or broadcasted live; the blue background enables the subcontrol room to put whatever the like in the background; since it's blue, we can't wear anything blue when presenting, otherwise we turn "invisible" and melt right into the background



Teleprompter - what the anchor reads from; controlled by a petal on the floor that the anchor steps on to scroll



As you can see, our station's equipment and facilities are quite behind, which gives a hint at how much penny pinching is going on here.

If anyone's interested, I can post the slides I made as well. Just let me know. ;)

Pictures from dinner sometime last summer

With the Musketeers and other extended family at 天母漁店.


Mom, Dad and I



Jennifer (who is even more beautiful now) and friend



Little Rae enjoying her squid noodles (which are my favorite, too!)



Uncle Tsu and I



Uncle Cody and Takeki



Uncle Tsu and Wise after a haircut and styling



The three Hsu geniuses



Auntie Cat, Auntie Jean the matchmaker and Mom



Auntie Cat, Auntie Jean and Shuhui



Uncle 阿寶 wife, Amy, 林老師, 小百合