20100713 Let's go fly a kite...

It's been a while since I posted something on my blog. One year to be exact...I will do a recap of all the things that happened this past year, I promise! But let me write about the present first...








Jensen(千賢) has been talking about kite flying for a few months now and finally, he bought the "kite of his dreams". Although it cost him an arm and a leg, he's still happy and excited about his new toy. I got caught up with his excitement so...he decided to invited me, Cheru and Natz to fly kite with him at the Star of the Ocean (海洋之星) which is a really great place for kite-flying and for picture taking.









Jensen's kite is not the ordinary kites like the ones we see in the "Kite Runner" or "Mary Poppins". It's the big one that has two strands for pulling...Jensen is really good with it and he taught me how to fly it...I was scared for a while but had a great time after I get the hang of it. The wind is not really appropriate for kite-flying that day and the kite didn't stay in the sky for long. Nevertheless, we still had fun. The view is great, the company is great and seeing the kite fly on a beautiful sunset sky is a great way to end the day. Hope we can do it again soon!

Thought for the day:

It's my first time to "fly a kite" and the feeling is really wonderful. The instant that you pull the strings and see the kite soar to the sky is really.....WOW!!! It's overwhelming and amazing. It really gave me a sense of accomplishment. Really hope to do it again soon!

2009.09.26 難忘的生日

9月26日是屬於我的日子...是一個很難忘的日子

那天原本只有我妹、我弟、麗平、心儀、柏清與蓁霓要幫我慶祝生日因為要當兵的朋友就去當兵了，要工作的就去工作了，要上課的去上課，長話短說，大家都要忙、都有自己的生活，但誰知道，從６個人變23個加那天下午約我見面的瑞豐跟瑤瑤。我應該這輩子會永遠記得這一天吧！！

生日的前兩三個禮拜。。。
柏清有一天去我們辦公室聊天時，突然跟我說："凱，幫你慶祝生日好不好？" 我回他說："好ㄚ但我不想打擾到你們的時間，如果不行的話，就算了吧！" 他說："OK的啦！地點我定，人我約，你負責去就好。＂我也只能說"OK"

生日的前一個禮拜。。。
柏清帶了一個壞消息去辦公室找我，他說："凱，我約不到人ㄝ。怎麼辦？" 還以為什麼壞消息呢！我就跟他說："唉喔，沒關係啦！我知道你盡力了！有你們（原本那６個人）就很好了！大家那麼忙，而且要當兵的都去當兵了，要做實驗的也在做實驗，還能約誰呢？其實我自己有想過今年不會一個人過生日就不錯了。真的沒關係啦！"
他很內疚的說："我對你很不好意思，約不到人。" 我就一值安慰他說真的沒關係，不是他的錯！

生日的前幾天。。。
9.22我請國務處的同仁與我們的助理學生吃泰式料理，順便幫大毛慶祝生日。。。這樣的慶祝方式對我來說其實就夠了！

生日當天。。。
早上先被我姑姑的電話吵醒，講完繼續睡！然後被余老師的電話吵醒，因為打錯他就掛電話了，繼續睡！再被我菲律賓兩個好朋友的簡訊吵醒，真的受夠了！只好起床囉！洗澡、翻譯、跟我妹他們吃午餐、翻譯、想睡又去睡、起來、跟我弟的朋友心儀打個招呼、洗澡、出發去漢神巨蛋跟瑞豐還有瑤碰面。
大概有一個月沒看到之前天天可以看到的瑞豐，感覺很開心。跟他們兩個聊好久，他們拿禮物跟卡片給我，叫我先打開卡片，卡片都是用拼圖的，很酷呢！看完瑤的就看瑞豐的，看完，眼淚就流著不停！他們一直叫我不要再哭了因為很多人會看，很丟臉！哈哈哈　我們應該有聊了超過兩個小時，聊了很多美好回憶，也聊了以後的規劃，突然讓我想到我多麼想念他們了！
等柏清的電話，等了快一個小時，因為他要載我跟我妹他們去吃飯，慶祝我生日，他遲到了快一個小時，原本5:30PM 就要到一家西式的餐廳叫oogenlust，結果拖到6:30PM才到，我弟跟他朋友已經在外面等我們等很久了，我想說這家餐廳不錯ㄝ，願意等人等那麼久，服務不錯呢！從漢神巨蛋到餐廳的路，柏清的電話，響著不停，我妹的也是，其實有怪怪的感覺了但就沒想很多，想說我弟只是在問我們怎麼那麼久。進去餐廳我弟就帶我們進去算一個包廂，裡面應該有四五張桌子但我不知道它是包廂，我弟還一直堅持叫我坐中間那個位子，然後一直說要移桌子，我就說我們坐最邊邊那個就好啦！幹嘛一直要移桌子呢，人過去不是比較快嗎？他就是堅持要搬桌子！還在跟他討論的過程，莫名其妙被一個人嚇到，就是親愛的弼晉！
我就很開心的說："阿！！！弼晉，你來啦！＂　他就說："你怎麼會來這邊?" 我就問他說："那你怎麼也會在這邊？" 我就有點不好意思！怕說他是跟別人來！剛好是巧合而已！我就問他他是跟誰來的。他就說朋友，他也回問我，我說柏清。其實我覺得不對勁但不敢想太多，怕失望！他講完就又走出去了(原來我弟在跟他說，其他人在廁所躲)。看到他的表情就覺得很好笑！他們就把門那邊的簾子關起來，叫我坐在中間的一張椅子，突然。。。陳姐的小寶貝們：阿婕跟阿咪拿蛋糕出來，嚇我一跳！我就一值追問他們還有誰，有沒有陳姐，有沒有其他姊姊跟哥哥？阿咪差點把全部講出來了，幸好被阿婕阻止，不然所有的驚喜就沒了！柏清就叫我先坐下來，我的神秘來賓都會先露腳出來，我再去猜他是誰？如果猜錯，那個人就要在我的臉塗奶油。。。結果第一位來賓我就猜錯了，看到是阿賢時我就哭了，我已經快兩個月沒看到他，所以可以在我生日這天看到他特別開心。阿賢出來之後，我的好朋友們就一個一個出來了，有陳姐、劭潼、志忠、沁琳、千賢、建華、惠芳還有樹人大學的余老師也來了還有大雄。雖然秀如跟至穎沒辦法參加，我還是有收到他們的祝福跟禮物，真的很開心很開心！最後，志忠也打電話call皓鈞、阿德跟老大一起來參加，六個人的PARTY變成23個！原來他們都躲在廁所躲很久，也都快餓死了！不好意思讓你們等很久喔！

這是我這輩子最難忘的生日，應該以後的生日趴雖然也會很難忘但不會贏我2009的生日趴。

＊highlights of the day:

1. 第一次有人幫我辦一個surprise party
2. 阿咪規定大家要唱三個版本的生日歌
2. 蛋糕上面有巴黎鐵塔
3. 家人跟好朋友撥時間幫我慶生真的讓我很感動
4. 第一次有大約23個人幫我慶祝生日
5. 從看到阿賢（第一個來賓）哭到要回家的時候
6. 最重要是很開心因為我身邊有貼心的家人跟好朋友們在照顧我


真的很感謝你們讓我有這麼難忘的生日！！！

因為一場國際研討會。。。。。

在二ＯＯ七年十二月十日那一天，意外的認識了一群研究生。看起來都不怎麼樣，但過了一年半後，沒想到我會為這些研究生掉了那麼多眼淚。那時候我們是被叫去幫忙他們所上辦的研討會，到會場時都不敢跟人家講話，因為他們看起來一個比一個兇，一個比一個酷，怕惹到人家，所以只好安靜的站旁邊。研討會的第一天就慢慢的認識了他們，早上的休息時間跟大概七八個同學聊了一下，其中有一位還很有禮貌的問我說：姐姐，你叫什麼名字？害我尷尬了一下，想說我有這麼老嗎？！？誰會想到，他真的變成我乾弟。另外一個還在那邊噹我，我不小心看了旁邊的同學，他就說我喜歡他同學所以一直看他，讓我超無言的！我心裡想說：這些學生還蠻白目的，剛認識而已就可以這樣噹人家了。其他同學大概在研討會的第二天才認識的。我在那三天跟他們相處的很愉快，認識了一些很不錯的人。我想說路上遇到，應該多多少少會跟彼此打招呼吧！沒想到。。。我會更進一步的認識他們，而且都變成好朋友。

二ＯＯ九年六月十三日是他們的畢業典禮，那天雨下的好大，他們從研究室走到大禮堂，沒有一個是乾的，但看到他們在那邊吵吵鬧鬧就覺得很好笑，幫他們調碩士服的時候就有一種怪怪的感覺，我一直想到底是什麼，從來沒有體驗到這種感覺，到幾個禮拜後，看到無辜的小白在收東西的時候，才知道這感覺叫心痛。我真的替他們開心但自己很傷心很心痛，因為這代表我們都要分開走自己的路了。我很傷心因為我們見面的機會應該不會很大，要工作的就去工作了，要當兵的就去當兵了，但我也很開心因為他們終於要畢業了，可以脫離研究生的生活了，每次想到他們畢業典禮那天的笑容，我自然都會對自己笑。

他們讓我這一年半的生活很豐富很精彩，該笑的也笑過了，該哭的也哭過了，該氣的也氣過了，我在他們研究室有很多美好的回憶，就算不是每個回憶是快樂的但至少是美好的。無論如何，在我心目中他們是一群勤勞、會拼命、友善、尊敬師長、貼心、有禮貌的一群好朋友。你們都畢業了，我這幾天的眼淚絕對是真心的，我一定會很想念貼心又很照顧我的乾弟瑞豐、愛打我又愛跟我吵架但也很關心我的至穎、愛戳我而唯一會跟我迷路的柏清、會用很噁心的聲音叫我「凱」但也會幫我出氣的志忠、默默關心我的阿賢、跟我一樣愛海豚的建華、白目又可愛的弼晉、幫我做漂亮的項鍊的秀如、烤魷魚烤的很好吃的家銘、在收東西而莫名其妙被我罵的小白、吃水餃常遇到的炯麟、跟我很有緣的小朱、天真而常被志忠欺負的皓鈞、一年後才知道我不是台灣人的士凱、常被志忠搓鬍子的老大、不小心被我妹噹的阿德、實驗室在八樓的信有、還有我其中最傷心的一天陪我去看海的沁琳與千賢（雖然你們是一年級，我也先寫著，怕明年會很忙，會沒時間寫，不好意思）。

朋友們，親愛的朋友們，我祝你們學業與事業成功，一天比一天開心，天天健康，有空偶爾來看看我吧！就算以後沒有機會見面，你們永遠在我心裡的，一定會三不五時想起你們，希望你們也會永遠記得我和我們這一群外籍生。

Goodbye is not forever…somewhere along the road, our paths are gonna cross again and even if it didn’t, just look at the stars once in a while and remember that somewhere around the world, one of us is also staring at the sky wondering if you see the bright stars twinkling above us and remembering our fun times together. Take care my friends. You will always be in my heart forever.

2008跨年的花蓮之旅

It's been a long time since I posted something on my blog... It's already 2009! Wow! Time flies when you're having fun...

After I came to Taiwan 3 1/2 years ago, I celebrated my new year's eve with different people...
Dec. 31, 2005~with Nicole羽喬+David博印+Cherry
Dec. 31, 2006~with Dan+Zen+Lee+Cherry+阿蕊+琴琴+Dan and Zen's classmates
Dec. 31, 2007~with Diana+Jerome+Nicholas+東穎
Dec. 31, 2008~with Cheru+Lool柏清+Jerome至穎

Although I enjoyed all the new year's eve celebrations I had in Taiwan, 2008 new year's eve was the greatest so far... what separates it from the other celebration, you ask? Well, all the other celebration were just dinner but in 2008, we went to Hualien 花蓮 (Jerome's hometown) for three days (Dec. 31~Jan. 2)... We had a great trip... It was fun... funny... and refreshing... The trip really helped not only me but also my friends recharge after a busy December to face a BUSIER January... This is what happened on our trip...

At first, I really don't have any plans for new year's eve. What do you know? Lool suddenly asked me if I have any plans for new year's eve. When I said that I have no plans, he asked me if I want to join him and visit Jerome's hometown: Hualien. I really wanted to go to Hualien for a very long time but didn't have the chance. I asked him if I can invite my sister and Natalie, he said okay but Natalie can't join us coz she still has lots of reports to do... At first, Sam浩鈞 and Adrian志忠 were joining us but in the end they backed out coz they still have some work to do at home (such a pity)... then Lool said that his friend is joining us AND at the end he also backed out coz he was called back to work due to an emergency... so in the end it was just me, my sis, Lool and Jerome who went to Hualien.

December 31, 2008: We left Kaohsiung at around 8:45 AM on Dec. 31... Lool drove and Jerome gave the directions. It took us 14 hours to drive from Kaohsiung to Hualien. Heck, a 5~6 hour drive turned to 14 hours drive! Why? Well, we stopped at so many places... Purpose: to take pictures, visit some scenic spots we see on the way and to go to the restrooms. First, we took a detour to 小野柳 to take some pictures. We also saw sunflowers that were as big as our hands and even as big as our faces on the sides of the road. We kept on stopping and took lots of pictures of the sunflowers... There was a really big one but there was a big canal that separates it from the road and only long-legged people, in short, tall people can go across the canal. So... only Jerome got to stand beside the big sunflower. We were so jealous but after a while, we saw another big one so we stopped again to take a picture of it (Yehey!). When we saw the sign of Hualien, we were so happy but after a while we realized that it is only a sign... there is still a long way to go before we can reach the borderline of Hualien (2 to 3 hour drive to be exact, sigh). On the way, we also visited 瑞穗, ate their 饅頭 and drank their milk. For dinner, we ate at 涂媽媽肉粽 and液香扁食 (扁食is actually what we usually called as wonton). Lool was missing this wonton store for 10 years so we visited the place to make him satisfied. The wonton of that store is really good, it is not too salty but tasty and its really suitable for cold nights. Then, we checked out the new year's eve concerts of Hualien and in the end we just left the place... we were too tired to party (after a 14 hour drive, who wouldn't?) We visited the kiosk of Jerome's parents before going back to Jerome's home. His mom and dad are so hardworking and friendly. They are so accommodating and warm... They actually remind me of my own parents (which I miss terribly, by the way). They treated us with their red bean soup紅豆湯... It was VERY DELICIOUS!!! They want us to try other stuff but we were too full already... Thanks, uncle and auntie! The red bean soup was really great!!! They add taro balls 芋圓and sweet potato balls 地瓜in it which made it better! The truth is I don't really like red beans much but I really liked his parents' red bean soup! If Lool goes back to Hualien because of the 扁食, I will go back to Hualien because of Jerome's parents' red bean soup. : ) Then... we went back to his home and rest because we want to see the first sunrise of 2009! We lie down around 11:45 pm thinking that we will stay awake until 12 and at the end we slept through the countdown and and the fireworks (sigh).

January 1, 2009: Together with Jerome, Lool and Cheru (my sis), we went to see the first sunrise of 2009. Afterwards, we went back to bed and woke up around 8 something AM, took a bath, ate an early lunch and went directly to Hualien Farglory-Ocean Park花蓮遠雄海洋公園, then to National Tong Hwa University 國立東華大學, Shin Kong Hualien Ranch 新光兆豐休閒農場 and ate dinner at 鯉魚潭. Jerome ordered shrimp cakes蝦餅, kangkong 炒空心菜, shrimp fried rice 蝦仁炒飯,
fried small shrimps 炸蝦, day lily soup 金針湯 and a special dish, which can only be found in Hualien, called 活跳蝦, the shrimps are actually small, alive and VERY fresh. It was mixed with soy sauce, vinegar and some chili sauce. It was alive when you put it in your mouth... At first, I was quite afraid to try it but after a little persuasion from Jerome (he said that there's no icky smell and you won't feel the rawness of the shrimp), I tried it. It's quite good but it won't be on the list of my favorite food. I actually ate 1/3 of the whole dish and Jerome ate the other 2/3. Afterwards, we went to the downtown of Hualien and checked out some stores and just walk around. I also met up with a friend whom I haven't seen for a while: Angela. We talked and catch up and before going our separate ways, we took a picture and I promised to visit her in Taipei. We also bought some midnight snack before going back to Jerome's place. His parents let us tried their 豆花 or what we called soybean pudding in English (not so sure of the English term). I feel that its quite different from the other 豆花 that I've tasted and because I had a cold, his parents were so thoughtful. They added 薑汁 juice extracted from the ginger to make my cough and cold better. What do you know? I was feeling a lot better by the time I left Hualien. Thanks again, auntie and uncle.

January 2, 2009: It is the last day of our trip. We plan to drive back before lunch and at the end we left Hualien around 11:45 AM (still before lunch). Before we left, we visited 知卡宣森林公園 to see the beautiful flowers. Afterwards, we went to buy some 手工麻糬 and packed 麻糬 at 曾記麻糬 and went back to Jerome's place to get his scooter so he can show us the way to the highway back to Kaohsiung. His mom packed some Zhongzi 肉粽 for us to eat on the way and grass jelly 仙草凍 for us to share with our friends in Kaohsiung. Both stuff are really good! It took us about 7 hours to reach Kaohsiung. We had fewer stop overs this time... Just took a picture at a plateau with a bed of flowers and two or three restroom breaks. Then, we went to 里港in 屏東for some pork knuckles and wonton soup. I haven't been to that place since April (our spring break) and misses it a lot actually. After dinner, Lool drove us back to the dorm and he went back home.

Thought on the trip: I felt more recharged after the trip and I felt closer to Jerome and Lool. It was a pity that Sam, Adrian and Natalie can't join us but the trip was still great without them (sorry guys). This trip will be on top of my list of great trips. The friends are great, the place is great, the foods are great... Everything is perfect for me! I did not regret one bit on going on this trip. I hope there will be more trips like this with Jerome, Lool and my other friends in the Electronic Engineering department.

4-Trez...

Got the chance to talk to Janice the other day...
We talked about many things...
I can see that we are all quite different now from who we were before, yet somehow, still similar... I realized that we grew so apart from each other... Looking at your pictures from your gimiks and outings, I am kind of jealous because I can't be a part of it...

I value our friendship, that's no doubt, we really had great memories together...
I hope our memories of each other won't be of those times only...
We all grow up, move on but I don't want to stop being your friend...
We may not be as close as before but I hope our friendship will still continue to grow...
I hope we will have a chance to go out on a trip... and just have fun...

nothing in particular...

Well, nothing in particular really...
It's been a long time since wrote anything in my blog so...
I just stopped by to leave a simple message...
It has been a relaxing week because our boss, other department heads and the president went to China for a business trip...
We will be busy again next week...
Enjoying this week...

Stupid-Idiot-Moron

What you take me for?!?
Stupid.....

Such a pain in the ass and a HUGE ass kisser...
stupid-idiot-moron!

You single-handedly destroyed my good mood, moron!
Someday..... someday..... you will meet your match.....
Let's see what will happen then.....

GGGGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR