My Little Airport

托朋友從台灣幫我帶的CD，今天終於得手!

My Little Airport- 在動物園散步才是正經事

好可愛的小女孩聲音呀，還有像電動玩具的配樂，一早聆聽My Little Airport, 整個房間都清爽明朗了起來，整個人都覺得好舒服，早晨也變得好可愛。


陳綺貞- 旅行的意義

Tizzy Bac - 夏季熱

Hernia Surgery

I just had a Hernia surgery on Thursday. I guess I am just not very lucky because they say 8 out of 10 people who have Hernia are male and they usually find out when they are child.

However, me, a 26 years old female, I found out my hernia about a month ago while I was taking shower. It was on the bottom right of my stomach. At first I was all panic because I thought it was a tumor! But it disapeared when I try to push it back or when I lay down. Immediately, I go online trying to search for more info, I found out that:

“A hernia occurs when the contents of a body cavity bulge out of the area where they are normally contained. These contents, usually portions of intestine or abdominal fatty tissue, are often enclosed in the thin membrane that naturally lines the inside of the cavity. Although the term hernia can be used for bulges in other areas, it most often is used to describe hernias of the lower torso (abdominal wall hernias).” ...... 看原文

Hernia is so called 疝氣. It is kind of embarrassing having疝氣, especially for me because people always think it is a guy’s problem. So consciously, I feel awkward telling people that I have it. It’s just not something people will understand immediately. The response I got is always “I thought its only guy’s problem…” and one of my friend even feel so sorry for me because she thinks I can see and feel my intestine.

Another problem occurred was the complicated health insurance system in the great United States. It is the first time in 3 years I went to see a doctor. Therefore, I am completely new to this system. I found out that with the insurance plan I had, I have to pay $2000 deductible. For the next $5000, the insurance company pays 90% and I pay 10%. After that, they are resoinsible for the rest of the cost. I just wish I could have found out this earlier, but I got this the day before my surgery. My mom’s flight to here is only 8 hours away. I called her and she told me if I done it in Taiwan it only costs $100 dollars. But taking accounts of everything, it is better for me having surgery here than there…so I had surgery in the Great America, at the price of $2500 (probably more)

The surgery takes about 3 hours. The anesthesia is amazing that three minutes after the injection I am totally dead. The next thing I remember is that I wake up and the operation is done. The doctor said to me “you definitely have Hernia”. I said " yeah, so I didn't lie to you." Because I can’t make my hernia come out at his clinic so he is never able to see it.

Now I am relaxing in my apartment. Although sometimes the cut hurts like in hell, I get to rest for 5 days and have the best chicken soup my mom cooks for me ! yumyum. The wound is covered by a swab so I couldn’t tell how big it is. Hope it’s not too big so it won’t show when I wear my bikini!

尋找新住所

其實早就有要搬家的念頭了。我現在的公寓位在繁忙的Bleeker Street上，這裡是有名的觀光景點。離公寓不到三十歨路的地方就是有名的四角咖啡庭，向北走兩個街角就是華盛頓公園廣場，四處更是餐廳和酒吧林立。這裡的餐廳不到晚上三點是不打烊的，整條街一到假日就熱鬧滾滾來往人潮川流不息，我家公寓門口常常站滿了人，我有時候掏出鑰使開門還會有人奇怪得看著我哩 “Oh you live here?”

其實光就地點來講，這裡可真是黃金地段，北攻Union Square, 南守Soho，向東走到St. Mark吃日本料哩，往西又是著名的格林威治村，可是我已經再這裡住了一年了，我是個討厭一陳不變的人，一年來，我已經從每天出門臉上掛著個大微笑(路上行人看到我都會說Good Morning!)，變成現在每天出門一張舖克牌臉。而且我已經厭煩沒有冷氣、晚上要帶耳塞、廚房裡有蟑螂、浴室浴缸積水、還有門把老是掉下來的生活了。我要換公寓!!

我跟我現在的室友，Xi (希)一個剛畢業在紐約找到工作的北京女孩，決定要一起找公寓。我們的目標是 “Luxurious apartment”，所謂Luxurious apartment就是新建/有中央空調/有室內健身房/有空中花園，呵呵~有這麼好的設備，價格通常也是讓你嚇一跳。價格主要還是看地區，最便宜的Luxurious apartment其實在Financial District，也就是在low Manhattan靠近Wall Street 和Ground Zero的地方，所以我跟希決定，找一間可以改成兩個房間的One bedroom apartment, 這樣兩個人分起來…..一個人大約$1000-$1200雖然還是很貴…..不過如果可以有良好的生活品質，我就每個月少買幾件衣服跟CD…..說什麼都願意租!

明天我們就要跟Broker去看房子了，希望可以看到我們夢想中的apartment.

Karaoke

昨天是我近三年來第一次去KTV，我們一群朋友約在Chinatown Mott Street上的一家小KTV幫Eli小姐慶祝生日。雖然說，這裡的KTV真的沒有辦法跟台灣的錢櫃比，不過對於已經三年未涉足KTV的我來說，設備燈光已經不是重點，重點是聽到那已經快在記憶中消失的台灣 “老”歌 (就是我大學時代的歌…..之後的歌都不會唱了) 還有那拿著麥克風和大家同樂的快感。

這家KTV雖然小，但是也是有包廂的，我們一群人在小小的六號包廂，點了炸雞翅、鴨舌頭、還有啤酒助興! 我一口氣點了我大學時代的最愛加每次必唱---莫文蔚陰天、五月天擁抱、五月天彩虹、江美琪我多麼羨慕你、梁靜茹勇氣、李心潔又下雨了、辛曉琪味道….還有玫瑰人生!

真的好開心，我已經好久沒有聽到這些歌，這些陪伴我大學歲月的國語流行歌。好懷念以前大學生活，那些一考完試就相約在錢櫃KTV，然後還發現左右包箱都是認識的同學的日子，唉唉….真是時光一去不復返….含淚….

March of The Penguins

看完這部電影，你一定會愛上企鵝。

March of the Penguins是由華納電影和國家地理頻道一同出資拍攝的紀錄片。也是人類第一次深入南極拍攝帝王企鵝的遷徙活動。第一次在電影院裡看到預告片，所有的觀眾都笑翻了。看著一隻隻的圓滾滾的帝王企鵝排成一直線行走、尋找伴侶、互相取暖、躲閉風雪、照顧小企鵝，穿著黑色西裝的他們，感覺真像人類社會的小小縮影，有種熟悉的感覺。

根據紀錄片，每年的二月，南極的夏天接近尾聲，氣溫開始降低、南極企鵝們在此時，反而選擇離開溫暖的海洋，成群結隊的邁向冰原的深處，那裡長年冰天雪地，冬天氣溫甚至可驟降至零下八十幾度，沒有任何的生物能夠存活。為什麼堅持回去?因為幾世紀來，那是帝王企鵝們出生的故鄉，也是他們繁殖下一代的地方。

不知道是靠著什麼神奇的第六感，在一片純白色的雪地中，帝王企鵝們從來不會迷路，約七十里的路程，總是能有秩序的到達目的地。到達目的地後，企鵝們開始尋找伴侶，這一段真是超級可愛經典，你會看到原本一群散亂的企鵝，最後成雙成對，開始培養感情。他們會一起散步、互相依偎、或幫對方清理毛髮，跟我們對愛侶的表現其實很像的。

母企鵝在交配後，只會產下一個卵。剛產卵後的母企鵝，需要馬上進食，因為此時，她們已經近兩個月沒有吃東西，加上產卵消耗的熱量，她必須馬上回到海洋覓食，不但補充體力，也要儲存餵食之後孵出的小企鵝。所以孵卵其實是公企鵝的責任喔，母企鵝必須要小心翼翼的將在腳上的蛋，交給身旁的公企鵝，因為一不小心掉到冰上，蛋殼裂掉，小小的生命也就消失了。

公企鵝超辛苦的，孵卵是一段艱辛的過程，暴風雪經常來襲，雖然有厚重的皮下組織保暖，公企鵝們在此時必須發揮團結的力量，才能渡過難關。他們會聚在一起並將身體緊緊貼近，而且在群體中間的公企鵝會定期的移到群體的外圈，一方面是避免睡著，另一方面是輪流的抵擋風雪，好讓同伴也能享受到在內圈溫暖的體溫。

由於過程很艱辛，只有三分之二的小企鵝能夠順利被孵出和存活，小企鵝超可愛的喔，身上毛茸茸的，頭圓圓的好像一顆麻糬，兩個眼睛像發亮的小黑豆。這時換爸爸回海洋去覓食了，小企鵝由媽媽照顧。媽媽總是把小企鵝夾在腳中間，用肚子下厚厚的毛皮為牠取暖，所以小企鵝就在媽媽雙腿中露出一個頭。小企鵝和媽媽情深，即使長大，會自己走路了，也要硬鑽到媽媽的肚子下面睡覺，重溫孩提時代的舊夢呀。

不知道為什麼，看完了突然有種很幸福的感覺，可能是因為企鵝實在太可愛了，也有可能是從他們身上流露出來的愛情、親情、同袍之情感動了我。真希望能跟自己心愛的人一起看這部片，感覺一定會更棒。

我也要看愛的魔幻

好羨慕好忌妒，我也要看愛的魔幻啦。最近上網不管逛到哪裡都看到這個消息，就是愛的魔幻要到台灣舉辦演唱會了。沒有想到她們變得這麼紅。記得三年前從台灣到美國，我精挑細選了幾張CD伴我同行，愛的魔幻 Greatest Hits 就是其中一張。其實我從來就沒有聽懂她們在唱什麼，從來沒有。可是那夾雜著英文和日文的歌詞，怎麼聽起來就是這麼順暢，這麼有勁，這麼有味道，讓我每次聽到都忍不住想跳舞。還有女主唱那低沉性感的聲音呀，有時候聽起來好像在抱怨咕噥些什麼，正巧宣洩我埋藏在心裡怨恨，有的時候聽起來又一派瀟灑自在，撫慰我的心靈。這些感覺，第一次聽的時候如此，昨天再拿出來聽亦然。唉唉，不知道下次回台灣是什麼時候，一定要把她們的CD補買回來。盼望她們紅到美國來，也來紐約開個演唱會。

Friday Night, Movie Night

Recently, Friday night becomes my movie night. Not only that, I found myself living in a great neighborhood. Cause within 10 mins walking distance, there are Film Forum, Angelika Cinemas, IFC center. Different from the giant movie theater chain, each of them has its own specialties and personalities. I happen to see one great movie at each of the theater.

Me and You and Everyone We Know

Actually, I just got back from the theater. Today is a special day for both the director, Miranda July and IFC center. Cause IFC center is re-opening today with Miranda July's first movie. In the beginning of the movie, both IFC theater founder and Miranda July stood in front of the audience and made a short speech. Miranda even had a short Q and A session after the movie.

Though based on the name, the characters should be like you, me and everybody we know, that ordinary and dull. However, through the eyes of Miranda July, random people’s life is actually full of surprise. We are so indulged in our everyday life that forgets how interesting sometimes those mundane things are. Conversations between these characters are so plain yet so true that it reminds me of myself, especially the angriness, doubtness and happiness within me everyday from the moment I wake up.

By the way, Miranda July is so cool. I like her from the first sight. She looked so skinny jsut like in the movie. But she sounds so convincing and determined when she speaks.

Saving Face

This movie makes me laugh from beginning to end. It is a story about the process of identity searching among Asian American immigrants, the gap between the first and the second generation, and a battle between mother and daughter. Most excitingly is that the background is in New York, especially Asian communities concentration areas such as Flushing and Chinatown. The main characters are the daughter, and her mom. They both have their own secrets (the daughter is lesbian and her mom is divorced but got pregnant by a mysterious guy she’s in love with). They both are isolated from their families, societies and there is a huge gap and silence between them.

Most of the characters speak Mandarin so I feel I am a little bit luckier than other audience because I am able to get all the jokes. The love story between the daughter and her girlfriend is so genuine and touching that's my favorite part of the story. The film unavoidably shows stereotypes of Chinese especially on the first generation. However, it is somewhat true and reminds me of my parents and relatives (that's whawt makes it fun!)

Mysterious Skin

I know this would be a depressing story before watching it. However, my friend told me about the great soundtrack featuring slowdive music especially that Sigur Ros’s music appearing at the climax of the movie. So I went. It turns out that I was not only found of the music, but also the beautiful cinematography.

It’s so sad to see how this terrible experience of their childhood haunted their lives. Towards the end, they finally go back to the house of that terrible night. They cuddled in the sofa describing to each other what happened on that night, and here comes Sigur Ros’s music....then I remember the music and the boy's face last in my mind till I got home. Such a powerful movie...