Wednesday 30 April 2008

Comments for Michella Jade Weng, Anchor 給主播翁郁容的批評指教

I've had quite a few interesting comments about me as an anchor recently. Here are some of them for your amusement.

最近有一些對於主播翁郁容的批評指教,
還蠻有趣的,和大家分享一下。

Ann (friend): Hey, my mom and I saw you anchoring last week. She wanted me to ask you, "is that your real hair?"
Me: No, that's actually a helmet. When I'm done, I take it off and put it on the next anchor. Just kidding. That really is my hair. Amazing what they can do, huh?

Ann(朋友): ㄟ,我和我媽上週末看到妳播新聞,
她要我問妳,"那是妳真的頭髮嗎?"
我: 不是,其實那是個頭盔,
我播完就拆下來,換下一位主播戴。
開玩笑啦,是我真的頭髮,
那些人可以把我頭髮變這樣,實在是有夠厲害。

Ms Su (hair stylist): I saw you anchoring a few days ago. How did your hair end up with corners on the top right and left?
Me: My friend's mom asked me if that was my real hair, and I said it's actually a helmet...
Ms Su: I can't believe they're doing this to your hair. It looks flat on top! And how did they come up with those corners out of thin air?
Me: Sigh. I don't know. Our MD was complaining that our hair's too flat and wanted me to get a perm so it stands up. She said anchors should have poofy hair, so they look more authoritative and have more of a presence. I think I'd much rather wear a helmet, but to prevent her from making me actually get a perm, let's figure something out and cut my hair so they can't possibly make it flat with corners anymore.
Ms Su: Aiya. Let's give it a shot.

Actually, the monitors inside the sub control are viewed in 4:3, and all the TV's in the station are old, so they're in 4:3, too. This is because the old standard is 4:3, so everything is shot in 4:3. But the problem is, newer TV's that people have in their homes are viewed in 16:9, so what was originally a little flat seems really really flat and I guess makes the "corners" in my head really obvious. I believe that's part of the problem. But the good thing about having strange hair (and strange make-up) on-screen is that no one (including the paparazzi) recognizes you in public. Heh heh heh. I guess I don't have to start behaving just yet.

蘇老師(頭髮造型師): 前幾天看到妳播新聞,
妳的頭髮怎麼冒出兩個角?
我: 我朋友的媽媽問說那是不是我真的頭髮,
我跟她說是頭盔...
蘇老師: 他們怎麼把妳頭髮弄成這樣?
上面看起來是扁的!
還有那兩個角,他們哪裡生出來的?
我: 嘆氣。不知道。我們經理那天說
我們頭髮都太扁了,要去燙一燙,
看起來才有主播的氣勢。
我覺得我寧願戴頭盔,
不過避免真的被抓去燙頭髮,
我們想想辦法把我的頭髮剪到
他們無法吹扁,生角。
蘇老師: 哎呀。好吧,來試試看。

其實,副空/台裡都是看4:3的monitor,
因為以往的標準就是4:3,
但是大家現在家裡都是16:9的電視,
所以原來扁扁的看起來更扁,甚至"長角"。
我認為部份問題在這。
電視上有個怪髮型(和怪妝)的好處是,
出門不會被人(包括狗仔)認出來。
嘿嘿嘿。
看來還不用開始“乖一點“。

Big bird (anchor sempai at another TV station): You being an anchor is really a pity. You have a complicated brain. You ought to be doing something suited for complicated brains.

This one got me thinking. Still thinking. I have a few ideas. Stay tuned. ;)

大鳥(別台的主播前輩): 妳當主播可惜了。
妳是個腦筋複雜的人,
應該去做一些腦筋複雜的事。
這個讓我想了好幾下,現在還在想。
已經有幾個想法了,別走開喔。 ;)

Tuesday 29 April 2008

Happy birthday, Daniel!







Quyen made Daniel Mom's birthday pork feet noodles. Happy boy he was!

Thanks, Quyen!

I love Ada's warm salad! 我愛Ada的溫沙拉!





Ada's amazing warm salad: couscous with mushrooms, asparagus, greens, endives, baby nappa cabbage, walnuts, pine nuts, almonds, zucchini, eggplant, oven-dried tomatoes in olive oil... With some of the ingredients first grilled, then tossed, there was a fragrant smokiness and warmth that really hit the spot. Yum yum yum. I love warm salads, but this one is probably the best I've ever had. Second best was a wilted shungiku salad with tiny tiny fish. I had that at a music cafe in Tokyo, of all places!

Also, we had a shrimp and white asparagus sandwich with poached egg on the side, and angel food chocolate cake with whipped cream.

Two dishes, one dessert and three hours later, Ann and I were two happy, happy girls.









Nonzero:
仁愛路四段27巷4弄5號
+886 2 2772 1630

A-chan!





I went to meet A-chan at the Japanese rock band L'arc en Ciel concert Saturday night. He's the lighting designer for them. I was exhausted from having to be at work from 4h00 that morning, but I was so glad to see him and his work. The first time I saw his lighting design was at the Hirai Ken concert several years ago, when I was going to Waseda. Sometimes I enjoyed his lights more than the music itself. Absolutely amazing.



星期六晚上去看A-chan,
他是和日本搖滾樂團彩虹來台灣的。
他是彩虹的燈光設計師。
早上四點就上班,我真的累死了,
不過還是很開心能看到他,
還有他的燈光作品。
第一次看到他的作品是
幾年前還在早稻田讀書的時候,
當時是平井堅的演唱會。
有時候他的燈都比音樂還要精彩,
真的是amazing.

Seafood dumplings 海媽媽水餃



A food feature on seafood dumplings I filed last week. I personally really love these dumplings. Have a try if you get a chance. :)

My favorite flavors are squid and kelp. They might sound strange, but wait until you actually taste them!

Pity the weather was lousy. I really wanted to go pull some kelp out of the sea with the dumpling store owners.

Speaking of the owners, the husband reminds me of Uncle Tsu!

Dad and Uncle Tsu:



They don't look so similar through the camera, but in real life they do. Roy thought so too.

If you're interested, you can order dumplings by calling:
+886 921 933 189
This number goes straight to Hai Mama 海媽媽。
Let her know I referred you. :)



喜歡吃水餃的觀眾朋友,看過來!
今天的台灣吃透透,
我們要為您介紹基隆養生又新鮮的
海藻和軟絲水餃;
老闆說,他們的水餃因為夠鮮甜,
連醬油都不用需要沾,
真的是美味又養生。##

[輕鬆音樂 + 基隆港畫面]

來到基隆和平島,
這裡海鮮最美味;
這兒有一樣很特別的名產,
海藻水餃。

民眾: 做法不一樣,很好吃,
跟一般的不太一樣 很新鮮。
干貝和海苔(口味)很好吃。

民眾: 好吃。

記者: 這是什麼口味?

民眾: 這是軟絲。
就是能吃到它的原味,
沒有剁成醬,還是一粒一粒的。

到底是什麼水餃讓這群民眾
讚不絕口,一塊來看看。

[音樂 + 製作快動作]

業者楊家芝: 有干貝、軟絲、
還有海菜的、海苔的、紫菜、
速食六種口味。

老闆用標榜養生的海藻,
研發出海藻水餃,
不過它可相當費工。

業者楊家芝: 它要經過挑石,
然後再煮,煮好切,
切好再來拌豬肉跟蝦仁。

記者: 為什麼會選擇用這些海草
還是藻類的東西包水餃呢?

業者楊家芝: 因為現在的人
比較注重養生。

挑乾淨的海藻放下去煮,
咦?從紅色變綠色了!
老闆娘說這就是葉綠素
被煮出來的關係。

另外,還有一款特別受歡迎的口味,
軟絲水餃。

業者楊家芝: 軟絲是用新鮮當地的軟絲
來做的,吃起來口感脆脆的。
吃了感覺就是有東西
在嘴巴裡面跳。
我們軟絲要七斤,肉三斤,
蝦兩斤,然後還有三斤的菜,
就是以軟絲為主。

老闆娘說,最重要的是軟絲,
一定要很新鮮。

記者: 為什麼(軟絲)死掉了
還會(有吸力)?

業者楊家芝: 因為新鮮所以還有吸力。
如果不新鮮,它沒有膠質,
它就不會這樣子,
你就一拔就起來了。
所以你這樣子給它拔,
你看,拔不起來。
有"咚咚咚"的感覺。

軟絲水餃裡還加了
秘密武器-貢菜,
讓口感更加特殊;
而且採用的肉都是黑豬肉。

業者楊家芝: 因為我們都是做冷凍水餃,
宅配的還有外帶的。
你如果沒有用新鮮的
黑豬肉的話,會有一個味道。
一般的豬肉的話會有一個腥味。

[背景音 + 倒入、攪拌畫面]

每一顆水餃都是
剛剛好一口的大小,
但每一個餡料
都幾乎快要滿出來。
吃這裡的水餃,
老闆娘的建議是,
直接吃,不要沾醬油,
因為水餃裡充滿了
大海的鮮甜味,吃原味,
更能嚐到絕佳的好滋味。

[民視新聞 翁郁容 吳政諺 基隆報導]

Cows at the Legislature 乳牛來到立法院


A rough translation of a really silly story I had to do last Friday. It was ridiculous, but after some coaching from Jiaying, we made it pretty funny. The things we do to keep ourselves sane…

上星期五的採訪,
真是受不了的新聞,
不過佳穎姊教了我這麼做。
哎,苦中作樂。


標題:
搶救苗栗酪農 帶牛上立法院
"我沒有生病" 苗栗牛羊上立法院
苗栗牛羊展健康!到了立院不能下車
苗栗牛乳沒事啦! 喝給你看!

Headlines:
Saving Miaoli’s dairy farms, dairy cows brought to Legislature
“I’m not sick.” Miaoli dairy cows brought to Legislature
Miaoli dairy cows and goats show they’re healthy! Unable to get off truck at Legislature
Miaoli milk is OK! Watch me drink!

主播稿:
愛之味傳出販售病牛乳,酪農說牛乳生意掉了兩成,而為了讓消費者安心,今天苗栗縣的酪農就載了兩頭乳牛到了立法院門口,準備現場擠牛奶,喝給大家看。畫面相當有趣,一塊來
看看。##

內文:
[[NS TRUCK PULLING UP]]

一輛大卡車、兩頭乳牛、兩頭羊,到了立法院。

[[NS TRUCK BACKING IN]]

苗栗酪農: 來 再來 再來

把乳牛載到立法院,原本民代和酪農打算現場擠牛奶、喝給大家看,表示苗栗牛不是病乳牛,不過,咦,怎麼不讓牛下車?

記者: (牛)不能下來嗎?

苗栗酪農: 不能下來 不能下來
等一下會交通大亂
我拉不動牠啦

不能現擠牛奶,只好賣力的喝,一個口號,一口牛奶。

苗栗酪農: 安全衛生 可口好喝!

CHOTTOMATTE KUDASAI! 這邊還有記者沒拍到,幫幫忙,再喝一下!

記者: 等一下! 還沒來! 馬上來!

苗栗酪農: 苗栗鮮奶讚!

記者: 原本以為你要擠牛奶

苗栗縣長 劉政鴻: 不行 不行 牛乳漲了之後
牠會自動到榨乳機 手不能去碰
怕感染

記者: 所以馬英九long stay的時候
是錯的囉? 他上次也是用手

苗栗縣長 劉政鴻: 沒有啦 沒有啦 你不要害我

這群酪農、民代一個下午喝掉好多好多牛奶,而且還在大熱天從苗栗載了這幾頭牛和羊上台北受苦,這全都為了表達,他們的牛奶安全又好喝。

民視新聞 翁郁容 宮仲毅 台北報導




Anchor’s script:
After reports of milk from diseased Miali cows were distributed into the market for sale, dairy farmers reported a 20% drop in sales. In order to win back consumers’ confidence, Miali dairy farmers drove two dairy cows to the Legislature today, planning on milking the cows on the spot and drink the milk to show that the milk is indeed good to drink. Let’s have a look at what happened.##

Reporter’s script:

[[NS TRUCK PULLING UP]]

One truck, two dairy cows, two goats appeared in front of the Legislature Friday.

[[NS TRUCK BACKING IN]]

Miaoli dairy famer: Keep coming, keep coming…

After driving the dairy cows to the Legislature, civil servants and dairy farmers from Miaoli originally planned on milking the cows and drinking the milk in front of everyone, showing that there is absolutely nothing wrong with milk from Miaoli farms, but hey, how comes the cows aren’t being let off the truck?

Reporter: you’re not going to let the cows down?

Miaoli dairy farmer: no, no. There’s going to be a traffic incident. I can’t control them.

Unable to milk the cows for the cameras, they decid to the drink milk they prepared beforehand. One slogan, one gulp.

Miaoli dairy famers: safe and clean, delicious and tasty!

Hang on a second, one of the reporters is late. Can you take another sip for us?

Reporter: wait! We’re not ready, almost there!

Miaoli dairy farmers: Miaoli milk, the best!

Reporter: we thought you were going to milk the cows.

Miaoli county commissioner Liu Zhenghong (pinyin): no no, when the cows are ready to be milked, they’ll go into the automatic milker. We can’t touch them with our bare hands, for fear of infecting them with bacteria.

Reporter: so when Ma Yingjeou was on his long stay, he did it wrong? He used his hands.

Miaoli county commissioner Liu Zhenghong: no no, don’t get me into trouble now.

Dragging these two poor cows and goats to Taipei, and drinking so much milk themselves in one day, these civil servants and dairy farmers from Miaoli wanted to show that their milk is really safe to drink.




(some pictures via TVBS news)

Change, I'm ready 變化,我準備好了

I’ve been feeling a little uneasy lately. I think something is about to happen, and my life is going to change. It’s a very strange feeling. I’m going to hope and will it to be a good change. Whatever it is, I think I’m ready.

Change, I am ready and waiting.

最近感到有點不安,
好像有什麼事情即將發生,
我的人生也將跟著改變。
很奇怪的感覺。
我希望,我也用意念讓它是個好的改變。
不管是什麼,我覺得我準備好了。

變化,我準備好了,我在等你。

Thursday 24 April 2008

Lunch with Sergio



Lunch with Sergio (friend from high school at NEHS) last week. Same old Sergio. :)

上星期和Sergio吃中飯,
一點都沒變。 :)
Sergio是我在實驗中學的朋友。

What a mess 有夠亂



My desk is a humongous mess. So's my room at home - it looks like a typhoon just blew through. I spent half the day sleeping and the other half the day doing laundry, cleaning my room and getting a facial. These types of messes usually occur after long stretches of work, especially night shifts. I can't stand messiness. But sometimes it happens. But even after cleaning up my desk, I still have to live with the mess next door. If an earthquake happens and you can't find me on TV or at home, look under my neighbor's pile of tapes and documents and I just might be there. We need caution tape and a sign saying "beware of mudslide."

我的座位真是亂得一塌糊塗。
家裡也差不多,看起來好像颱風剛吹過。
今天睡了半天覺,另一個半天,
整理房間,洗衣服,和做臉。
通常連上好多天班都會這樣,
尤其是晚班。
我真的受不了亂七八糟的環境,
但是就算我把自己的清好了,
還是必須繼續忍受隔壁的。
哪一天發生地震,在電視上沒看到我,
在家裡也找不到我,來看看我有沒有被埋在這底下。
真的要拉一條封鎖線了,還要有個牌子"土石流危險區"。





Tuesday 22 April 2008

12/13

Twelve days down, one to go. I have the world's biggest headache and temper right now. So tired. Anchoring the 7h00 Taiwanese news after getting off the night shift and then covering the Songkran Festival live and getting drenched 12 times by kids armed with water pistols, cups, bowls, pails and buckets of water really took a lot out of me. Plus, the past couple of mornings, Roy and I were assigned to camp outside incoming Premier Liu Zhaoxuan's (pinyin) apartment building from 7h30 and to follow him wherever he goes and stick a microphone in his face whenever he appears. In order not to lose him on the road today, we ran about four traffic lights and made half a dozen more violations. Sigh. One of those trying times. And my cameraman partner is quitting. Aigh.

已經十二天了,再撐一天就好了。。。
頭痛得不得了,脾氣也壞得不得了。
好累。
下小夜,接著播早上七點台語新聞,
然後隔天又到潑水節連線,
讓持著水槍,鍋碗瓢盆和水桶的
小朋友潑水,大整特整,
整了12節連線,真的元氣大傷。
加上這兩天,我和政諺被派到
準行政院長劉兆玄家外面守,
從早上七點半開始守,跟車,塞麥克風,
為了跟車,光今天就闖了最少四個紅綠燈,
為歸了更多的交通規則。
哎。無奈。磨練。
然後我的攝影好搭檔也要離職了。

I thought the Songkran was supposed to wash all the bad luck away? I think the only thing it really washed away that day was all my make-up and perhaps any dignity and authority Michella Jade Weng the news anchor may have had. But since I had fun, and the audience enjoyed watching me getting chased around and hosed down and completely unable to see or hear but still trying to report between mouthfulls of water, maybe it just means that the festival really only does its magic in its native country.

我還以為潑水節的灑淨會把霉運
給通通洗掉,但是我看被洗掉的
只有我的妝和主播翁郁容的權威感
和尊嚴。
不過因為還蠻好玩的,
而且記者被追著到處跑,
被潑得亂七八糟,
眼睛看不見,耳朵也聽不見,
然後還邊從嘴巴吐水出來邊連線,
觀眾看得笑死了。
或許潑水去霉運只在
native國家才有效吧。。。

Looking forward to my precious day off Thursday. Maybe the clouds will part Friday morning.

期待著星期四寶貴的休息日的來臨,
或許星期五,烏雲也就不見了。

Friday 18 April 2008

Unbelievable 不可思議

I made the papers today, unwillingly and unknowingly. The FTV publicist who provided this story to the newspaper reporter was told no less than three times that stories like this should not be released, and yet, she did it and gave the reporter a copy of my personal photos that were passed to her to return to me. No consent. No heads up. Not even a call by the reporter to verify. I found out this morning when John my scientist friend in the US emailed me and said he saw this article on the Internet. How rude of them to do this and not even have the courtesy to tell me. I wonder what makes her think that I won't find out? She also hoped that Mama would not find out and would not be mad. Gosh! And she is a terrible liar, too! GRRRR!

今天我上報了,
但是是在不知情,不情願的狀況下。
跟平面媒體講這新聞的企宣大姊,
已經被告知至少三次
不要發佈這樣的新聞,
但是她還是做了,
而且提供給記者我的私人照片。
這些照片原本是別人拿給她,
託她還給我的。
沒取得我的同意,也沒打招呼,
連記者都沒打電話來查證。
是今天早上在美國
當scientist的朋友John
寫email給我說他看在網路新聞裡
看到這篇報導。
要這樣做也不先講一下,
讓我從別人那邊先聽到,
真是沒禮貌。
難道新聞出來我不會發現嗎?
Mama不會知道嗎?
她希望Mama不會發現,不會生氣,
但是真的是氣死我了...
而且她說謊的技術還真的很糟。
GRRRRR!

I hate it when my family background is mentioned or discussed in the press. What family/families I'm from is no secret, nor is it something I deny, but when it is broadcasted to people who don't know me, I feel that it takes points off my integrity and professionalism. All three times I've been in the papers, it was talking about me as daughter of so-and-so and goddaughter of so-and-so. I didn't think of it much at first, but I really don't like it now. GRRRRR!

很討厭我的背景被媒體宣傳,
我是誰家的小孩不是個祕密,
來問我,我也不會否認,
可是當這宣傳給不認識我的人的時候,
我總覺得只會將我的integrity和專業減分。
三次上報,每次都是跟我是誰的女兒,
誰的乾女兒有關,
以前沒想那麼多,
但是現在真的非常不喜歡。

My boss tried to comfort me by saying, "now you know how people like Demos Chiang (designer/businessman and great-grandson of Chiang Kai-shek) and other kids of well-known businessmen feel when their names appear in the papers. It's usually only about how they are from such-and-such family and never about what they've accomplished themselves." I don't know how comforting that is, but I give her an A for her effort.

我老闆試圖安慰我,跟我說,
"現在妳就知道蔣友柏和
企業界第二代上報的時候,
都只被講背景,
不被講自己的成就的感覺了喔"。
不太知道那是哪國的安慰,
但是還是感謝她。

Oh, I was so upset. Upset that I was sold out by our own publicist and upset that it was once again about my family background. At the same time, I was worried that Mama would be upset and reach through the computer and strangle me or something. I had a stomach ache all day. I called her and she said, "Baby, old skin falls off and new skin grows in every 48 days. This too will fall off and go away. Don't be upset. I don't care. I've seen too much of this to waste my time being angry. You can tell reporters this story if you want. It will be funny, to the point and also draw the bad attention away." Professional, she is! Sometimes she is my strict and scary Professor Higgins, but today, she was my gentle and loving fairy godmother.

喔,我今天真的好生氣。
生氣我被公司自己的宣傳給賣了,
生氣又是被寫那種事。
但同時,
我也很害怕Mama直接從電腦的另一邊,
手伸出來把我給掐一掐還是怎麼樣。
整天都在肚子痛。
後來小夜的新聞發完之後,
打了電話過去,
Mama竟然說,
"寶貝,皮膚的更新週期是48天,
48天候,這八卦就會像妳的舊膚一樣
剝落,消失。
不要生氣。我不在乎。
這種東西看太多了,
我才不浪費我的時間
為這種事生氣。
妳要的話可以跟記者講這故事,
因為好笑,to the point,
而且可以轉移焦點。"
哇,真是專業!
有時候她是我嚴格又恐怖的
Professor Higgins,
不過今天,她是我溫柔又慈祥的
fairy godmother。

(Prof Higgins是Audrey Hepburn在
My Fair Lady裡面嚴格又恐怖的美姿美儀老師,
而Fairy Godmother是用魔術幫灰姑娘
變出一套禮服和馬車讓她順利解脫
邪惡的後母,嫁給王子的仙女乾媽)

But I have to admit, it's a hilarious story. And I look so funny in my old Californian suntan and shorts. Lanchi was making fun of me and calling me "Michella Tan." Well, I'm not mad anymore. One more bit of experience under my belt.

不過我承認,
那故事倒是蠻好笑的,
而且我那時候好黑喔,
加州陽光和短褲的女孩。
嵐綺還叫我"米雪拉黑"。
好啦,不生氣了,
現在又多一個經驗了。

Wednesday 16 April 2008

Product testing the world



One of my favorite bloggers, Emi Guner, calls a day with no day care "a day for product testing the world." I love that. Check out her blog. :)

Tuesday 15 April 2008

Party hopping 跑趴



This is Carina Lau at a Fendi party this past weekend. Sporting a spring/summer dress and jacket, Carina's entire outfit for the evening is valued over TWD 300.000 (USD 9.900), the publicist told me. I was there to report; of course not on the outfit or her beauty. It was on her gossip - why was she suing a particular media? Is she really pregnant? Why was she drinking like mad last night? Will her boyfriend propose to her tomorrow night? More or less in that order. I hate these kinds of reports, but well, I have to execute what is ordered.

這是劉嘉玲出席一場Fendi的party。
穿著一身Fendi春夏的服裝,
公關跟我說整套價值三十多萬台幣。
我是到那裡採訪的。
採訪什麼?
當然不是她那那套衣服,也不是她的美麗。
要採訪她為何告某媒體,
是不是真的懷孕了,
昨晚為何喝得爛醉?
真的很討厭這種新聞,
但還是得執行。

Here's the press invite that was faxed to us.

這是傳真過來的採訪通知。



It reads:
Superstar heavyweight Carina Lao
appears for the first time after apology incident,
personally designs Baguette bag.



Other guests include:
Daughter of ABC corporation owner, Wang AL
Second generation of DEF airlines owner, D AT
Sons of GHI hotel owner... etc

I only recognized (Jenny's brothers) John and Fudy's names, but Anita and Lorna from junior high school also showed up at the party too. I never knew what family they're from or what their Chinese names were.

我只認得(Jenny的弟弟)阿福和福弟的名字,
不過好久好久不見的國中同學
Anita和Lorna也都來了。
我從來不知道她們家是做什麼的,
也不知道她們的中文名字。

The crazy reporting and jockeying for a view/shot of Carina Lau aside, I however, had very mixed feelings that night.

不談又擠又瘋狂的劉嘉玲的採訪過程,
我那晚心情十分複雜。

1. It was good to see old classmates, especially Lorna, whom I haven't seen in 17 years. (Thank you Anita for re-introducing us!)

1. 很開心見到老同學,
尤其是17年不見的Lorna。
(謝謝Anita重新介紹我們!)

2. My old classmates were so glamorously standing on that side of the red carpet, wearing the latest, most expensive clothes and stilettos, holding a champaign glass in one hand and an expensive purse made of animal in another. Meanwhile, I was on this side of the red carpet, behind the cordon, wearing jeans I expect to dirty and tear, a jean jacket with Chinese embroidery and knitted top underneath (I didn't look bad, just casual). I had in one hand a microphone and in the other hand a notepad full of scribbles. AND I was squished to death but still trying to dodge big cameramen holding big betacam video cameras, moving around trying to get a good shot of the actress. I almost got smacked in the face by someone's video camera that night!

當我小時候的同學站在
紅地毯的那邊,光鮮亮麗,
穿著最新,最貴的衣服,高跟鞋,
一手拿著香檳杯,
一手拎著某動物製的皮包。
我呢,卻是站在紅地毯的這一邊,
被隔在拉線的後面。
我穿著不心疼弄髒,弄破的牛仔褲,
中國風的牛仔外套,裡面搭著針繡上衣。
我一手抓著麥克風,
一手拿著寫得亂七八糟的筆記本。
而且我經被擠到不行了,
還要躲那些動來動去,
要取到好畫面的攝影
和他們又大又重的機器。
那晚差點被攝影機K到!

3. Although envious about the royal treatment, I didn't agree with how these kids allowed their names and their family's names to be used in such a frivolous manner.

3. 雖然羨慕她們可以有這樣的頂級優待,
我不太能認同把自己的名字和家裡的名聲
借出去用在這麼frivolous的事情上。

After some asking around, I realized that some attend these parties because they feel like it's something like a girl's night out, and the event organizer will loan party goers clothes for the night so they can look appropriately beautiful (or handsome). Some attend to find another cute and rich guy or girl to date and to show themselves off. Some attend to know the rich. And some attend because their friend or acquaintance organized the party and they were asked to show up to help create buzz.

後來問一問,
發現有些人參加這些活動是因為
覺得像姊妹掏出去玩一樣,
而且主辦單位還會借衣服給參加的人穿,
讓貴賓們都美美的,帥帥的。
有些人參加是為了可以交有錢的男女朋友,
或去炫耀。
有些人參加是為了認識有錢人。
還有,有些人會參加是因為
活動是朋友或熟人辦的,
然後被拜託去捧場,
幫忙製造話題。

I don't think I'm up for these kinds of gatherings. I don't like being compared, because there are always people who are better looking, have more money, have more influence, have more friends... I especially don't want to be labeled as someone of such-and-such family. It's as if I am nothing and nobody without my family and without the last name I've inherited. And worse, it's as if my effort to live a meaningful life and my hard work to have a successful career also mean nothing. No, thank you. If I were asked to help a friend out by attending one of these commercial/retail events, I would have to think long and hard. If I promise this one time, it'll be much harder to turn down the next ones.

我想我可能不會想去這樣的聚會。
我不喜歡被比較,
永遠都會有人比自己
漂亮,有錢,有影響力,
有更多朋友。。。
我更不喜歡奉上
誰誰誰家千金的頭銜,
好像沒有我家的背景,
我什麼都不是,
沒有我爸爸給我的姓,
我誰也不是;
更糟糕的是,
我對生活的認真
和對工作的努力,
也就從此消失在眼前。
所以,no, thank you.
如果是朋友要我幫忙
出席這種商業/消費活動,
我真的得慎重考慮,
因為有一也就有二。

I guess I'm not party hopping material. Perhaps people will feel I'm weird, but I feel OK about it, because I'm Michella Jade Weng.

看來我真的不是跑趴的料。
或許人家因此會覺得我是個怪人,
不過我覺得還好,
因為我是米雪拉郁容翁。

(Carina Lau's picture via UDN)

Sunday 13 April 2008

One down, six more to go! 過了一夜,還有六夜!

What a day! Let's see, anchor work from 6h00 to 12h30, a lunch of soup and veggies, Japanese sound bite work and translation before heading out for afternoon assignment on hemophiliac kids, file story, head back out (no dinner!) to interview Dr Albert Schweitzer's grand daughter, Dr Christianne Engel who was in town for a charity concert, catch an exclusive interview with Dr Lee Yuan-tseh on his views of the Hsiao-Hu talk at Hainan (he didn't care about cross-straight relations or economic partnerships, it was all about environmental protection), hurry over to a gossip assignment on Hong Kong celebrity Carina Lau, run into Dominican classmates (Lorna whom I haven't seen since 7th grade) who were party hopping there and then practically crawl back to the station around 20h30, starving, freezing and exhausted. Luckily in the end, the Carina Lau and Lee Yuan-tseh stories were handed to other people to file and we only had to do the Engel story. One night down, six more to go.
頑張るぞ!

有夠忙的一天!
六點到十二點半,播報工作,
下午採訪前幫忙掐日文訪問和翻譯,
出門採訪血友病小朋友,
發完沒吃飯又出門,
採訪史懷哲孫女Dr Christianne Engel
來台灣參加慈善演奏會,
碰巧遇到李遠哲,
採訪他對蕭胡會的看法,
(他跳脫兩岸關係,完全講世界環保)
然後奔到劉嘉玲八卦任務,
還碰到兩位剛好到那邊跑趴的國中同學
(其中,Lorna七年級就沒再看過了),
然後幾乎是用爬得回公司,
快餓死,快冷死,也快累死。
還好劉嘉玲和李遠哲的新聞
被分給別人做,我和鐵金鋼只負責
Dr Engel的部份。

小夜第一夜結束,還有六夜。
加油!

What an ugly anchor. Who's this? 好醜的主播,這誰啊?

Welcome to FTV news, my name is Oreo 歡迎收看民視新聞,我是Oreo

This morning, I started off the Mandarin show saying, "Good morning, welcome to Formosa TV news, I'm Oreo."

Goodness. How did this happen? My name in pinyin is Weng Yurong. However, after coming to back to Taiwan after growing up in American and then going to graduate school in Japan, I was speaking with more of a Beijing accent, and everyone kept asking me if I was from China, so I started following Mom and Dad's Taiwanese-Chinese way of pronouncing it "ong," which is also not the proper "wong" pronunciation. This way, I tried to say it the proper Taiwan Mandarin way, "Wong Yurong," and it came out sounding like our dog's name, "Oreo."



"Ong" makes my full name easier to say, because when you say "Yurong," it involves rounding the mouth and the tongue. "Ong" doesn't involve rounding of the mouth, but "Wong" does, and when you say it all too fast, it all rolls together. When "Wong Yurong" all rolls together, it sounds like "Oreo."

I almost cracked up when "Oreo" came out of my mouth this morning. Oh gosh. Dilemma. Shall I continue with my hick Taiwanese "ong," Beijing "weng," or Oreo "wong"? What a dilemma.

今天早上,新聞一開場我說,
"早安您好,歡迎收看民視新聞,我是Oreo."
天啊,發生了什麼事?
說實在,標準國語的"翁郁容"真的很難唸。
"翁郁容"三個字都需要
把嘴巴嘟起來,舌頭捲起來,
所以如果唸太快,全部會捲成一團,
然後就聽起來像我們家的狗"Oreo"。

剛從美國和日本回來台灣的時候,
我的國語有北京腔,
尤其我嘴巴扁扁的"翁weng"
不是台灣嘴巴圓圓的"翁wong"。
一天到晚被問我是不是大陸妹,
我就決定用爸媽台灣國語的"翁ong"。
"ong"沒"wong"那麼圓,所以其實不難唸,
但就不是標準(台灣的)國語。

哎,到底要用俗台灣國語的"ong",
還是大陸妹的"weng",
還是家裡狗狗Oreo的"wong"呢?
真是頭痛。

Chaoqun dumplings 超群水餃



上星期去採訪前年因為一場摩托車車禍
遭到頭骨蓋和顴骨碎裂的朱超群,
關心他最新狀況。
顴骨手術已經做好了,
但是現在還在努力包水餃,
籌頭骨蓋的70萬元手術費。
今年18歲的超群
來自經濟狀況清寒的單親家庭,
但是因為媽媽不願意接受同情,
決定開始和超群以及親朋好友
包水餃,自己賣水餃籌醫藥費,
也藉此教育超群如何自己釣魚,
而不是只給他魚吃。

Last week, I did a story on an 18 year-old boy named Chaoqun (pinyin) in need of TWD 700.000 (USD 23.100) surgery to make his skull whole again. Thirty percent of it was crushed to bits during a motorcycle accident two years ago, along with part of his cheek bone. He comes from a single-parent home with very limited financial resources, but instead of taking charity from people, his mother decided to start making dumplings with Chaoqun to earn the money need for his surgery. She used this opportunity to teach Chaoqun how to fish, rather than to just feed him fish.

會去採訪他的淵源是
他到了我們公司附近發傳單。
那時候是中午出去買
"星期二潤餅"的時候
拿到他的傳單。
快餓死的我,兩個禮拜沒吃到潤餅的我,
接觸他的第一時間 沒有多關心,
只發覺他一顆眼睛不太對勁,
想說拿了傳單,先去排隊買潤餅,
邊排邊了解。
還沒走到潤餅攤,當天搭當阿任
就打電話來,"樓下有一個
需要幫忙的人在發傳單,去看看!"
啊,就是他,阿任也拿到傳單了。
看了傳單,讀了他的故事,
打電話給主管請示,獲准採訪。
潤餅終於買到了,趕快跑回公司,
把潤餅丟在桌上,和把午餐直接
一口吞下,嘴巴都沒擦的小謝
一起拿著機器和麥克風
先回樓下拍超群發傳單。

The story of how I met Chaoqun goes like this:
Tuesday afternoon, he was passing out flyers for his dumplings near our station. As I was on my way to buy my favorite Tuesday vegetable wrap lunch, I also got a flyer. Because I was starving to death and dying for my vegetable wrap that I haven't had in two weeks, I didn't pay too much attention, only noticing that there was something strange about one of his eyes. I took a flyer and decided to find out more after I got in line at the veggie wrap stand. But before I got there, Zen, my cameraman that day, called me and said, "hey, there's someone passing out flyers and looks like he needs help. Go check it out." That was him. Zen got a flyer too.

As I stood in line, I looked at the flyer, read his story and called my assignment editor for approval, and got it. As soon as I got my veggie wrap, I ran back to the office, threw the wrap on my desk and grabbed a microphone and camera with Xiao Xie, another cameraman who also basically just swallowed his lunch and didn't even have time to wipe his mouth, and ran back downstairs to film Chaoqun passing out flyers.

傳單發完,和超群約好待會到他們店裡。

以下是訪問的文字記錄,內容很不錯,
可惜一分鐘半的新聞只用得到一點點。
數字是time code,也就是拍攝時間。

After Chaoqun was finished, we said we'd meet him back at his shop later.

This is the transcript of the sound bites, which were quite good. Pity we can use only a small part of it because our stories are only a minute and a half long.


(街上發傳單)
124045
你這個可以訂購嗎?
可以啊
中午也可以送到嗎?
可以啊
那我去跟我的同事講一講
這樣我的同事也可以幫忙一下
謝謝

(passing out flyers)
- Can we order these?
- Sure.
- Can you deliver them at lunch time?
- Sure.
- Let me tell my coworkers about this. This way they can help too.
- Thank you.

124203
你好 可以參考一下
12種港式餃子口味水餃

Hi, please have a look. Hong Kong style dumplings in 12 flavors.

(店裡包餃子)
140522
填餡料叫"填"
把上面押著就叫做"壓"
再來是捏
再來是合
成品就出來了 "成"
填 合 壓 成
之前舅舅教的形狀

(making dumplings at the shop)
This is filling the dumpling. This is pressing it. Then this is squeezing and closing it. And there you have it. My uncle taught me to make it in this shape.

141432
(之前做過)顴骨手術
那時候還沒有做這一塊的時候
眼睛是在鼻子的旁邊
視力 焦距 沒有辦法去平衡
之後裝上去還是沒辦法平衡
就做復健 看東西都用左眼
不能用右眼看 不然我會頭暈
We already completed the cheek bone reconstruction. Before we did that though, my eye was next to my nose. My eye sight and focal point was off and I couldn't keep my balance. After the cheek bone was put in and my eye was pushed up, I still can't keep my balance. So I did rehab and now I look through my left eye. I can't use my right eye, because I get dizzy if I do.

141527
包了幾個月的水餃才能做這手術? 幾個月?
一年
前年出車禍 去年動手術 差不多

- For how many months did you make dumplings to get this surgery? How many months?
- A year. The accident was the year before last, we did the surgery, so yeah, that's about right.

141540
接下來還有一個手術
這個時間可能會更長喔
上個手術十萬 包一年水餃
這個七十幾萬
那我不就要包個好幾年才能做

There's still another surgery coming up, but this one might take longer before we can do it. If the last surgery cost TWD 100.000, and it took a year of making dumplings, then this next one costs TWD 700.000, then that means I'll have to work lots of years.

141600
如果不做這個手術呢?
危險 加上如果遇到夏天
我就完蛋了
因為夏天很熱
熱的話 我的腦壓會升高
升高的話 我自然就會頭暈頭痛
甚至可能比較嚴重
我可能直接昏倒吧
像剛剛在發宣傳單的時候
太陽蠻大的 我就躲在屋簷下
我就覺得已經在暈了

- What if you don't do this surgery?
- It's dangerous. That'll be it for me. It gets hot in the summer, and when it gets hot, my brain pressure goes up, and when it goes up, I start having a headache. When it's bad, I can even pass out. Like when I was passing out flyers earlier, I was in the shade and already feeling dizzy.

141632
頭痛有什麼辦法嗎?
醫生是有開止痛藥給我
我不想常常在吃止痛藥
能忍我就把它忍下來
忍不住我再去吃
因為止痛藥這種東西
本來就不能常吃

- Is there anything you can do about these headaches?
- The doctor prescribed pain killers, but I don't want to be taking those all the time. If I can bear with it, I won't take them. I'll only take them if I can't handle the pain, because pain killers aren't something you're supposed to take all the time.

141710
冬天穿再怎麼多還是涼
真的感冒的話
以去年跟前年的經驗是
可能小小的咳嗽
然後去看醫生
醫生跟你講說你喉嚨化膿
你要住院

In the winter, no matter how much you put on, it's still cold. If I get sick, my experience last year was, I had only a mild cough and I went to see the doctor. The doctor said I developed puss in my throat and I had to be admitted to the hospital.

141737
有想過當錢籌到了,手術做好了,
你接下來要做什麼嗎?
接下來 一樣繼續朝著這方向走
因為一路走過來
都是接觸水餃 餐飲業
我累積的經驗也僅史在這邊
我當然是順著這條路走
把我們的水餃發揚光大
而且我們的水餃很好吃
因為每一顆都有用愛心下去包
就好像回到家
媽媽煮一頓愛心餐一樣
吃起來就很有味道

- Have you ever thought about what you'll do after you've come up with the money and have had the surgery?
- This whole time, I've been dealing with the food and beverage industry, and all my experience has been just here. So I'm naturally going to keep walking down this path and make our dumplings famous. Besides, our dumplings are really good, because each one of them are made with love. It's like going home and having a meal that Mom made with love. It tastes really special.

141811
今天媽媽呢?
媽媽在家裡休息
媽媽本身年紀也大了
我也不喜歡她那麼辛苦
每天要陪我包水餃
包到那麼晚
可能在趕貨的時候
前年去年的經驗是熬夜包
媽媽包到流鼻血
我看得也是不忍心

- Where's your mom today?
- She's at home, resting. She's getting old, and I don't like her having to work so hard. She makes dumplings with me every day, until late at night. When we're rushing orders, last year we were making dumplings through the night, and Mom started getting nosebleeds as we were doing it. I couldn't bear seeing her going through that.

141857
那時候出車禍
有看到跟我狀況一樣的
他是變成植物人
我還有的選擇
我沒有必要去自殺想不開
鬧自閉之類的
因為我有選擇
只是看我自己怎麼選
我選擇的是 我自己慢慢走出來

When I had that accident, I saw another patient who also had an accident, but he became a vegetable. I have a choice. I don't have to go and commit suicide or close myself in, because I do have a choice. I chose to slowly come out of it.

141925
說不在乎別人的眼光
是騙人的啦
但是還是得去面對
畢盡這也是我自己造成的
那沒有辦法
我選擇我去解決它
我不要去逃避
也感謝可能還在醫院的病患
因為我看到他
我才自起走出來
因為我有選擇 他沒有選擇
我今天選擇他沒有選擇的路做給他看

If I said I don't care how people look at me, I'd be lying. But I still need to face it. After all, I caused this. There's nothing I can do about what happened, so I chose to deal with the problem. I don't want to run away from it. But I also want to thank that patient in the hospital, because it was after seeing him that I was able to stand up. I have a choice, but he didn't. Today, I'm taking that option that he didn't have.

142021
謝謝你們這兩年對超群的照顧
今天超群也做了顴骨手術
接下來就是頭蓋骨
我一定還是會靠我自己的努力
到處去發宣傳單
當然我也想去幫助別人
所以我們每個月也會
捐水餃去給孤兒院 育幼院
謝謝你們

Thank you for the support you've given us over the past two years. I've completed my cheekbone surgery. Next is the cranium. I'll work hard and pass out flyers myself. Of course, I want to help other people too, so every month, we also donate dumplings to orphanages. Thank you, everyone.

----------------------------

新聞發完後,同事跑來催我,
趕快把超群餃子訂購資訊
貼到公司內部網路,
讓大家也可以來幫幫超群。
真是好有愛心的同事喔。

After I completed the story, a coworker started bugging me to put the information on the intranet so people at the office can have a chance at buying dumplings and helping Chaoqun. I have a compassionate bunch of coworkers.

----------------------------

我就寫:

頭骨蓋30%碎裂的朱超群
還需要賣60萬顆水餃
才能進醫院把頭骨蓋重組。

他現在的狀況是
頭右上方沒有骨頭,
不但撞到就會腦出血,
夏天到了腦腫脹容易昏倒,
因此希望能夠盡快做完手術。

超群偉大的媽媽
不願意接受人家的同情,
希望以賣水餃的方式來為超群籌醫藥費,
所以想說訊息繼續傳出去,
看看有沒有人想向他們買水餃。

我自己還沒吃過,
但是超群跟我說,
他們水餃很好吃,
因為是用愛心包的。

口味和價錢如下:
高麗菜鮮肉餃 95元
青韭菜鮮肉餃 95元
養身清香速食餃 135元
嚴選東督牛肉餃 135元
香菇豆苗鮮肉餃 135元
黃金玉米鮮肉餃 135元
杏鮑菇鮮雞肉餃 135元
港式魚蛋鮮肉餃 129元 (特價,原價165元)
XO干貝鮮肉餃 129元 (特價,原價165元)
日本鯛魚鮮肉餃 129元 (特價,原價165元)
海鮮花枝鮮肉餃 129元 (特價,原價165元)
大個蝦仁鮮肉餃 129元 (特價,原價165元)
自製XO干貝醬 350元
港式紹興醉雞腿 250元
香菇貢丸 130元
包餡貢丸 130元
花枝丸 150元
墨魚貢丸 180元
枸杞貢丸 180元

每包水餃640克,大約24/25顆。
匯款隔天送貨。

超級愛心美女Angel說,
下訂單和繳錢都可以找她,
讓大家方便訂購愛心水餃,
幫助努力又陽光的朱超群。

所以訂購,繳錢,請找Angel,分機xxxx。

如果親朋好友也想訂購,
請撥超群陽光生鮮手工水餃專賣店 02 8257 3636

Michella Jade 郁容
(三不五時在賣水餃的女孩)

----------------------------

希望超群能夠快快籌到錢,
在炎熱夏天來到之前能夠完成手術。

Hopefully Chaoqun will be able to get the money he needs for his cranium surgery and gets everything done before the blistering summer comes around.



(picture of Chaoqun and mother via Liberty Times)

Friday 11 April 2008

I love rice crackers 我愛煎餅






Pictures to show Oneesan that I especially loved the rice crackers she brought from Tokyo.

讓Oneesan知道我有多麼喜歡
她從東京帶來的煎餅。

Like my cartoon superhero glasses?
喜歡我的卡通超人眼鏡嗎?

Where's Waldo? Waldo在哪兒?






During a press conference held by Tibetans and Tibetan supporters to boycott the Beijing Olympics.

(thanks, David!)

Comfort food 吃了會讓你心裡也很舒服的食物

Grilled zucchini, mushroom, walnut and organic baby spinach salad:



Nonzero's not for everyone. But if you're looking for healthy comfort food, it's a good choice. Here are a few things I've had lately. Oh, the other day, I got about five big packs of Yilan tianxi (pinyin) mushrooms from a press conference, and I took it over there and had Ada cook (she grilled) it all and shared it with everyone who dined there that night. Some of the guests even came to thank me as I was leaving. It was a good feeling.

非零餐廳不是每個人都會喜歡的餐廳,
但是你如果想要吃一頓讓你的心靈也舒服,
健康又好吃的飯,來這邊就對了。
前幾天在記者會上拿到大概五大盒的
宜蘭天喜菇,當天晚上就拿去請Ada
全部煮一煮(她用烤的)然後請當晚
在那邊用餐的人一起吃。
當我離開的時候,還有人跑來跟我說謝謝,
感覺真好。

Risotto with fresh squid ink:




Organic greens with pine nuts, olives and oven-dried tomatoes marinated in olive oil:


Grilled peppers, greens and fish sandwich:



Passion fruit marscapone (?):



Mushroom capellini:


Fritata (reminds me of Mama's):


Me in strange hair and make-up:


Sometimes if I'm really beat after work but feel like eating, I'll stop by and have a cup of soup, a small salad and a small main dish with a little bit of Dad's whisky that he left there. It's very satisfying and helps me unwind.

有時候工作到很累,
然後下班後還有點胃口,
我就到這裡,來杯湯,
一點沙拉,一點主菜,
一點Dad留在那的whisky。
我的心和胃都感到滿足,
也可以好好放輕鬆。

Nonzero 非零餐廳
台北市仁愛路4段27巷4弄5號
+886 2 2772 1630

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I really do love flowers 我好愛好愛花




I really love flowers. I cannot live without them. Orchids are my favorite these days. Not only have I come to the point where I'm not longer killing them, the ones I've repotted are even growing new roots and leaves. I'm so proud of myself! I've gotten so quick at repotting that I can do it in between cooking dumplings after work. Oh, that sounds so sad and lonely. Ah, such is my life.

我真的很愛花,
幾乎要變成"花痴"了。
沒有花,我活不下去。
最近最喜歡的是蘭花。
除了已經不是蘭花殺手,
我換盆的蘭花也都開始長新葉,新根。
真是so proud of myself!
現在換盆快到下班後
可以邊煮水餃邊換。
哎唷,聽起來好孤單悲哀的生活。
哎呀,我的生活就是這樣啦。

Here are the flowers I currently have. It got so hot so quickly recently that nearly all the flowers have bloomed.

最近養的花。突然變好熱,所有的花都開了。










For the office:
帶去辦公室的:




A small one for the bathroom:
化妝室的小小株:



Some pear blossom cuttings too.
還有梨花支喔。



If you like the fancier arrangements, this is my current favorite florist:
如果你喜歡當中比較有造型的,
這是我最近最喜歡的花店:
Santa Ana 聖她安娜
台北市大安區瑞安街23巷4號
+886 2 2700 8574
I always ask Ms Xu to help me. They did the flowers for Daniel and Quyen's wedding.
我都找一位許小姐幫我。
Daniel和Quyen婚宴用的花是他們那邊的。


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