August 30, 2005
Centipedes in my Garden
There is a centipede living in every potted plant in my balcony garden. I think they are from the same family since they all got flat, orange body of however many segments (dictionary says between 15 to 173). They usually come above the soil after dark. If I am lucky in the morning they would still be out, but much less active than in the evening.
I don't know if they will ever grow into the really huge centipedes that span the side of A4 paper and confuse the heck out of you when they move. I hope not. I have seen one of such kind in a nearby dinner joint. That's one active and jolly centipede, just blending in with the laughters of the poker players.
...繼續閱讀
I don't know if they will ever grow into the really huge centipedes that span the side of A4 paper and confuse the heck out of you when they move. I hope not. I have seen one of such kind in a nearby dinner joint. That's one active and jolly centipede, just blending in with the laughters of the poker players.
...繼續閱讀
August 27, 2005
EVANGELION~Project EVA
A while ago I asked my freshman students about why they enjoy reading Japanese manga (e.g., One-Piece) or watching Japanese animation. One of the most common responses is that these cultural products motivate people to want to be better and to try harder in their real life. The conversation took place in a general ed class in which the students learn about the concept of cultural imperialism.
I am about to teach the class for the 5th semester and I plan to hold more "real" conversations with my students about the cultural products they consume, make meanings out of, and enjoy. There is a point in many critical theory students' careers that they find it hard to deal with pleasure. My hypothesis is that this happens sooner than later, especially when the student have not opened their minds to the schools of critical theorists that actually deal with pleasure and desires (e.g., Foucault).
So I am a Japanophile, aka harizu in Taiwan. I enjoy watching Japanese TV, animation, and films. Japanese TV is the reason why I have a Ph.D diploma stashed away somewhere in my place. And I am going to re-embrace the pleasure associated with such an interest.
Lately I have started to watch Neon Genesis Evangelion. The storytelling is the first thing that got me. It's got hooks, tension, suspense, raw emotion, and absurdity. Oh yes and the blue-hair pilot is totally my type. But I just want to mention the opening theme song and concur with my students--
Yes, even a 30-year-old woman gets hot-blooded from watching an animation TV series about towering transformers. I always get the feeling of bursting into tears when I hear this part of the theme song:
そっと触れるもの求めることに夢中で
運命さえまだ知らない、いたいけな瞳
You gently seek out your desires, with innocent eyes that have no way of knowing your fate
だけどいつか築くでしょう、その背中には
遥か未来目指すための羽があること
But someday I think you will find out that what are on your back are wings heading for the future
Perhaps deep down I am still learning to master the transformer with expectations as great as protecting a city under attack.
Allez EVA
...繼續閱讀
August 25, 2005
Donuts United
A while ago a student brought two dozens of Mr. Donuts to share with the class. He enthusiastically offered me one, but I turned it down. (Uh-huh I saw the sugar-coated chocolate and I knew it wasn't going to be a pretty picture once I sink my teeth into one of them. And I am not sure how I would begin the second half of the class with a mouthful of chocolate and rainbow sprinkles) Later he offered it again and I finally took it (So much for the "self-image"). Now that I think about it, that was really rude of me not to take it the first time. After my first bite, he asked me what I thought.
"It's alright."
Could I have been more rude? The poor kid probably lined up for hours just to get those made-to-sound-scarce two dozens of Mr. Donuts and I couldn't even feign a little more excitement for the effort?!
At the time I was thinking about the 10NT donuts that I used to munch on as a kid walking home or waiting for the bus. I took piano lessons from some hotshot teacher near Shida. After my lesson, my mom would buy me a snack--usually a 10NT donut from the nearest corner bakery--and wait for Bus 236 to take us back near the mountains. My mother, my beautiful mother, often dressed me in nice dresses with polka dot prints. However, my clumsiness never measured up to the look.
I know a lot of people who have studied piano as a kid. But has anyone ever fallen asleep during a private piano lesson? I am fairly sure that it all happened on the same sleepy day. My head was about to kiss down to the piano keys and my teacher was still on with her demonstration. After class, at the corner bakery, I reached into the baking pan to pick one of the newly baked donuts and...
...dropped it on the ground.
It was like 4:30pm and I suddenly woke up.
Should I pick it up and pay for it along with a new donut or should I leave it and get a new donut? What's the etiquette here? Where have my manners gone?
I do enjoy donuts. They are good with coffee and relatively cheap. They are good on the go. Great element for any short stories or films about friendship. Thanks to my student, I am able to appreciate how they come in even more diverse sizes and shapes. And they could travel great distance to make people realize their common taste. The first time I went to New Orleans, I was nuts about their beignets. After working in Taiwan for two years and visiting there the second time, it's like
"Hey, the corner vendor at Shida Rd. sells the same thing everyday!"
Well, it's not exactly the same thing. And that's the beauty of it.
Have you donuted today?
...繼續閱讀
"It's alright."
Could I have been more rude? The poor kid probably lined up for hours just to get those made-to-sound-scarce two dozens of Mr. Donuts and I couldn't even feign a little more excitement for the effort?!
At the time I was thinking about the 10NT donuts that I used to munch on as a kid walking home or waiting for the bus. I took piano lessons from some hotshot teacher near Shida. After my lesson, my mom would buy me a snack--usually a 10NT donut from the nearest corner bakery--and wait for Bus 236 to take us back near the mountains. My mother, my beautiful mother, often dressed me in nice dresses with polka dot prints. However, my clumsiness never measured up to the look.
I know a lot of people who have studied piano as a kid. But has anyone ever fallen asleep during a private piano lesson? I am fairly sure that it all happened on the same sleepy day. My head was about to kiss down to the piano keys and my teacher was still on with her demonstration. After class, at the corner bakery, I reached into the baking pan to pick one of the newly baked donuts and...
...dropped it on the ground.
It was like 4:30pm and I suddenly woke up.
Should I pick it up and pay for it along with a new donut or should I leave it and get a new donut? What's the etiquette here? Where have my manners gone?
I do enjoy donuts. They are good with coffee and relatively cheap. They are good on the go. Great element for any short stories or films about friendship. Thanks to my student, I am able to appreciate how they come in even more diverse sizes and shapes. And they could travel great distance to make people realize their common taste. The first time I went to New Orleans, I was nuts about their beignets. After working in Taiwan for two years and visiting there the second time, it's like
"Hey, the corner vendor at Shida Rd. sells the same thing everyday!"
Well, it's not exactly the same thing. And that's the beauty of it.
Have you donuted today?
...繼續閱讀
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