Fun time @ Halloween

I know, these pictures look a bit crazy, and in fact, we were this crazy.

All of us rented costumes and celebrated Halloween in Taipei where nobody does it. I could see people's eyes when we entered Dan Ryan, the famous chain restaurant from Chicago. The restaurant was full, and 40% of the tables have foreign customers, so I felt a little more comfortable with my costume on and whip at hand because I supposed foreigners are not too suprised with a Halloween costume. We are a group of 14 people full of noise, wherever we go, whatever we wear. It was the same at that night. The whole restaurant became totally quiet when we entered, and people stopped eating or talking because we were so striking that we drew all the attentions. And soon, it became very noisy because of us, and people kept coming asked to take picture with us. Kind of embarrasing but fun.

And then we moved to a bar next to Dan Ryan. Can't remember the name because we didn't stay long. People also stopped talking and looked at us, which made us bored. So we walked toward MRT station, and excitingly talked about how could we scare people on the street and the tram. That was really a fun walk, when we tried not to talk too loud on the street, we realized it was impossible for us even for one minute. Foruteen people with various costumes parading on the street at a early night was so hilarious, especially we talked all the time with very high volume.

Next stop was MRT station (subway station in Taipei) on Nanjing E. Rd. Of course, here people still looked at us, but now, with curiosity. So people even came to us and asked if we were staff from MRT cuz we stood separately at each waiting line instead of gathering together to wait for the tram. Originally we planned to scare people on the tram, so each of us entered from different doors and cars, then moved toward to gather at the car in the middle. However, we didn't scare anybody and felt people peeked at us with interest. Anyways, we played a good entertainment but in a city like Taipei, where people are not very interested in celebrating Halloween, our behavior only made us looked like circus actors rather than a bunch of spooks.

Finally, when we finished the parade and lay on the couches at Brown Sugar (famous bar with great band), we were all wasted. Especially I stroke my whip all the time with my high heels on (oh BTW, I am a SM queen with French maid dress, kind of insane), and I was afraid all the time that I would meet somebody I know on the street. Yes, it was a great night but it's more like Cosplay in Japan rather than a Halloween party in the States cuz people were all too good looking and not like ghosts at all!!

p.s. "SM" stands for "Sadism & Masochism", and "Cosplay" is a famous activity in Japan where people dress like characters in comic books. My role was "Lolita" at that night. Google "Lolita" and you can find a lot of interesting pictures.

Store check @ Watson's
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People kept asking if we came from a show since we were too high profile and noisy ~
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All these pretty sweeties...no wonder we didn't scare anyone on the street
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Happy Halloween !!
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Parading on the NanJing E Rd. in Taipei
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Holloween Prelude

好累喔! 只是挑選萬聖節要穿的道具服就已經人仰馬翻了. 雖然說我的這群好同事們個個都是好相處的人,可是挑三撿四的能力也實在是一流的.七個人簡直都要把一間服裝出租店搞翻了.試穿了幾十件頭套面具造型服不 說,還把假髮道具散的到處都是. 尤其這堆人中沒有一個是說話小聲的,搞到最後四五個老闆和工作人員都不停的在我們背後收拾,並且七手八腳的忙碌翻尋我們的要求,和回答我們永不間斷此起彼 落的大嗓門問題.

最後呢!我們經過英倫王子.北歐公主.清官貪吏.皮裙機車妹.白雪公主.荷蘭奶妹,和狂野爆走卒.彩髮衝冠貓王.森林假 虎.和無數的詭異造型後,終於選出 了七個適合的角色扮演: 甜美性感超女.非洲無敵土著.美腿俏騷女傭.名模級海盜婆.高塔羅紗女王,迎親小牛苦力和高調閃亮巫女.很快的,在本週末就會大肆出動到台北市各大餐廳酒 吧狂歡做樂了.

慘的是,這裡面的人穿的全都是季節不對的衣服,不是厚重的像坨棉被,就是單薄的只有一片斜肩獸皮,看來到時可有得玩囉!!

無敵過敏王

過敏總是說來就來,就像爭先恐後在百貨公司週年慶時拍賣花車前的歐巴桑們一樣,又兇又急的伸出雙手,在我的身上抓下一道一道,又粗又紅的條痕來.但沒有預 告,不知道哪個夜晚會不經意的就猛撲而來,也許在睡前,也許硬生生的把我從美夢中給撼醒. 即便已經沉沉入睡,那突如其來的紅疹就像尖銳的警報器一般,狠狠的戳醒我來.

剛開始的時候,我以為是回台灣不適應溼熱的氣候,所以總是開著冷氣,期待著天氣快些轉涼.尤其總在睡覺時發作,不能擁有好的睡眠品質的確痛苦. 然後我停止吃肉,想著是不是能稍稍解毒.沒有太大幫助後我甚至開始只喝礦泉水,洗冷水澡,避免用肥皂,少吃一些容易發的食物. 沒用沒用,時間一到過敏就來.

當我過敏到同事朋友們都快開始懷疑這只是我缺席的藉口時,我換了床墊窗簾床單,還把整個房間大掃除了一番,結果還是一樣.這是不是一切都是一種懲罰,懲罰 我沒有順著自己的心意做事. 過去的三個多月來,不論生活有多麼開心,交了多少新朋友擁有多少新體驗,每當夜裡一個人得承受過敏的痛苦,狼狽的耙著滿身的紅疹時,就後悔自己幹嘛跑回 來,重新適應環境的痛苦真不是可以說得出口的. 尤其又是那麼奇怪的症狀.

醫生說除了身體的原因,心理的原因一定也有,所以要我再試試看,如果真的不行就得換環境了.

火星爺爺的紀念超人

紀念超人的花蓮民宿海岸邊



原來廣播的力量這麼大!

火星爺爺托聽眾告訴我,那個花蓮海岸懸崖邊的民宿 "紀戀館"已經開張好一陣子了. 屋中陳設都一如我當初設計的一樣, 有保管箱,有便宜沒負擔的秘密保管箱,有供永遠遺忘用的焚化爐,還有會煮好吃小菜的熱情女老闆. 我興奮不已,當下請了半天的休假,跳上計程車到松山機場買了票直奔花蓮.

紀戀館絕不是什麼藝術民宿,沒有奢華的鋪陳,也沒有過於矯情的裝 飾品,簡單的木造建築隱隱懸在崖邊,唯一引人注目的是大片大片的落地玻璃窗,把浪花和海水的氣息緊緊的導引進屋內.在地震颱風多的花蓮,老闆娘不惜成本的做法讓我嘖嘖稱奇.最驚人的是進到民宿大門以後,接待櫃檯旁那個大開窗的六角玻璃屋.

這是個用來吃早餐的起居花房,鑲著藤蔓般黑色骨架的玻璃桌上簡單的鋪著棉質的蘭紫色碎花桌布和放著同色系的椅墊. 白色的窗櫺和屋樑把擦拭的明亮的落地窗照的採光絕佳. 往窗外望去,三百公尺青草小路後面就是海邊,不過坐在這屋裡看不到那令人不安的深絕斷崖,只覺得小路的終點接的就是寬闊大海了. 說真的,就算像我今天兩手空空而來,我都可以在黑色的藤椅上冥想一整天了,何況是那些有著回憶保管箱的人們!

陳美憶老闆娘說, 48號保管箱上,有一個汚漬,好像是當初搬運工人安裝時受了潮,生了鏽的痕跡. "雖然我現在安裝了防潮的設備,可是那個保管箱看來特別不討喜.是嘛!誰希望自己的回憶有汙點呢?"

我隨他走上二樓藏品屋,一眼看見了他說的那個汚漬. 奇妙的是,在多數人眼中看來是瑕疵的生鏽痕跡,我看來卻是一朵黑色玫瑰的別緻圖騰. 是我的! 我當下對女主人說,這個保管箱是為了我特別留著的. 她笑笑, 你可以親手放進你的回憶,然後選擇要把鑰匙寄放在民宿裡或是自己保管.

我想到了那個下雪的小鎮午後,銀白的雪花在我的車窗上飛揚,車裡放的是周杰倫的軌跡. 雪花淹沒了我的視線, 耳裡迴盪的是周杰倫少見的清晰咬字:


我會發著呆　然後忘記妳
　接著緊緊閉上眼
　想著那一天　會有人代替
　讓我不再想念妳

　我會發著呆　然後微微笑
　接著緊緊閉上眼
　又想了一遍　妳溫柔的臉
　在我忘記之前

心裡的眼淚　模糊了視線　妳己快看不見

紀念超人的美意,怕是只有親身嚐過情感回憶的人才有辦法體會那種懷藏秘密之樂吧!

超人大頭貼 之 紀念超人



雖然我不知道以後會不會想要紀念你,但今天我不想記起你,所以要把你鎖在遙遠的懸崖邊. 如果我忘了你,一年365塊錢不會是個大負擔;但如果將來的我想要紀念你,我永遠可以找到那時一起聽過的那首歌,還有當時空氣中瀰漫的Ralph Lauren Blue香水味道. 爲了對將來的我負責任,我得好好的留下那段回憶.

人,平安就好

在紐奧良的朋友一家人,自從颶風Katrina之後就一直失聯,怎麼也沒法得到他們的消息.每每聽到電視上聳動的轉播和令人鼻酸的畫面,我的心就一直往下 沉. 雖然每天回家後第一件事就是試著播電話,可是卻總是聽到沒有訊號的語音. 而只要一想到他們一家人對我的照顧和熱情,我怎麼也安心不下來.

我 仍然契而不捨的打著電話,一周了,十天了,雖然認真的相信他們一定都安好,可我還是要親耳確認才能放心. 今晚當電話那頭終於通了以後,我開心的要掉下眼淚來. 伯父充滿活力的聲音和伯母樂觀開朗的話語,讓我更加堅信台灣人真是有最棒最堅毅的民族性. 即使經營的旅館給洪水整個淹沒,即使沒了收入,可對於政府給予的照顧和信心卻一點不減. 電話中我也得知,紐奧良並不如電視中危言聳聽的糟糕,政府投入就災的努力也得到當地人的肯定. 不但提供三個月的糧食水草,也正積極修復堤防,規劃未來重建的補助計畫. 當然糟糕的事情也有,可是被誇張的成分居多.

我 還天真,問說既然市區進不去了,怎麼買東西. 哥哥告訴我,要開一個多小時才能找到商店,週遭的店即使沒有被洪水波及,也都鬧空城,沒有人上班了. 現在大家都只能靠軍糧過活. 他憂心的說,還是台灣好,世界末日的電影劇情,已經開始在美國上演. 而伯母則說,她不擔心,總會有辦法的. 慶幸的是,在撤退到休士頓的期間,郊區的家中沒有淹水,還能有個避風港安心的待著.

還好還好, 人,平安就好. 只要人平安,未來的一切都有希望.

Jazz meets Cuba

還有什麼比在南風送爽的快適夏夜裡欣賞拉丁節奏的爵士演奏,交融著古典樂的氣質和哈瓦那的熱情來得更加享受的呢?

國家音樂廳少有的安排了這樣一場濃濃拉丁風味的表演,奔放的熱力Salsa節奏,讓歐洲的古典樂披上了海洋風情般的熱帶色彩. 我彷若重回紐奧良嘉年華的遊行隊伍般,熱切的感動起來.雖然現在紐奧良一片水深火熱,我的腦海裡仍舊停留著花車掛滿亮透珠串的繽紛畫面.夜裡看紐奧良的遊行別有一番特別的趣味:夜色中成群的黑人們漾著燦白的笑容和炫華的服裝搖擺唱跳著,他們的熱情活力和天生下來就是為了舞動的身軀,彷彿3D畫般光影來回晃動,在音樂廳裡的每個角落搖擺著. Salsa和曼波樂曲調一轉,森巴沙沙揚揚的爵士樂,帶著濃濃的曖昧激情和淡淡的哀愁,是那晚在芝加哥 Jazz Bar裡難忘的微醺後恣意揮灑.

沒見過有人可以把古典樂演奏成拉丁爵士版的,可以把雄壯的土耳其進行曲搖身變成了盛宴般的古巴進行曲,橘黃燈光映照下的是莫札特的40號曼波,藍色地燈傾洩出一席貝多芬森巴五號的流光艷影. 沒見識過匈牙利舞曲非洲鼓樂版的我,當然也沒聽過德國國歌的望春風那卡西版,還有爵士鼓的京戲和幕府鬼太鼓版. 每一個演奏的巧思和藝術通俗化,都充滿了如國慶煙火般的絢爛驚喜. 直到最後全場觀眾起身在莊嚴的殿堂裡起舞,我都還不敢相信自己不是在一個動感的戶外酒吧裡邊喝邊扭呢!

精采的演出,是德國古典藝人Klazz Brothers 和古巴打擊樂手 Cuba Percussion合作的夏日爵士派對.我以為自己就坐在芝加哥湖邊的白金漢噴泉旁草地上,吹著沁涼的晚風,想像自己在加勒比海郵輪上愜意的喝著色彩斑斕的Sex on the beach快意享受著.

Eventually, I got my "just for fun philosophy" post-MBA life, but still sick for the long past great fun days in Champaign....

天堂

牽著你在天空飛翔 這樣看世界不一樣
有了你在身旁笑的臉龐 世界或許就這麼寬廣

忽然就忘記了慌張 人海之中你最明亮

無意間的影響 漸漸擴張 你豐富我 生活感想

何必尋找所謂的天堂 原來我因為你 不想再去流浪
情願平凡 不擁有一切也無妨 有了你在心上 依然是天堂

這是光良一首歌的歌詞,一直很喜歡那份看似平凡卻很遙遠的意境.書讀得再多,地方跑的再遠,見的人面再廣,最後人們渴望的,不都也還是一份簡單的生活, 和一個人相依相靠一輩子. J 是MBA的學姊,現在又剛巧在同一家公司. 今天替她過生日的時候,她很用心的做了一個簡報 (不愧是香檳和 JNJ 出身,什麼事都要用power point 做),把她快樂的MBA和工作生活詳細的分享給大家,然後要大家分享什麼是幸福. J說,對她來說,生活中有許多朋友和深愛的人是幸福的,而當另一個同事 C 公佈懷孕的消息時,大家熱烈興奮的說,果然幸福的最高點就是小生命的形成啊!

我在旁邊坐著笑著, 原來,真正的幸福是, 有人可以分享一切的故事,有人可以一起慶祝生命,共度分分秒秒. 幸福是, 可以參加 party一起尖叫 搶著說話,開車時有人可以坐在旁邊聊天,回到家可以大聲說我回來了,分手時有肩膀可以擦眼淚, 被好朋友背叛時有人會比你還生氣, 一起擠在同一張沙發上看DVD, 吃飯時叫很多小菜來分享, 永遠記得你現在開始不吃肉, 買到好用的化妝品時帶著一票人下班後去採購 ...

突然想起幾個月前的三十歲生日,那時的意外驚喜,和同學們細心安排的感人黑玫瑰 party,讓我覺得自己不可思議的幸福. 每每想到客廳裡滿滿擠著半夜從香檳各個角落聚集而來的各國同學們,那份感動仍然讓我激動不已. 而今,許多原來的好朋友卻因為誤會而不再往來. 人的來來去去總是令人感嘆哪...

如果找不到永遠的一個人,可以分享所謂的天堂,那麼找一群人吧,找到一個可以讓你暫時不需要再去流浪的地方. 即使生命中,這群人會來來去去,但幸福, 就是永遠都可以找到一群人,一群可以分享,讓自己世界更明亮的人.

Starting a new MBA in J&J

This company really mirrors when I studied for my MBA. I saw people having team meetings, preparing presentations so seriously that I felt like going back to my first semester of my MBA. Teams (Brands) work together and compete with each other, but create great friendships because of close interaction. And the real life MBA is applied to all lessons we had before: Marketing, Finance, Logistics, Supply Chain and so on. The simulation program we had in mini ABP (Global Tycoon) perfectly reflected what I am doing now: Plan, execute, and present. The only thing different is that people don't have lots of home parties due to limited space in Taipei, and most of time people just hang out in a resaturant or Karaoke. But this happens only in the Marketing department, and I am in Financial Planning.

I was lucky to eyewitness all this right after joining J&J, though, and realized that my MBA life still lasts. I made lots friends here with marketing people and was invited to most of their events/parties. Almost all of the party members are MBAs, and therefore we share very close thoughts and similar behaviors, knowing the same MBA jargon and jokes, and laugh or mourn for same situation. When we were celebrating one member's birthday or cheering that another's expecting, I can feel people are sincere, and I finally understand why people always say, the only reason to stay in this company is this group of people.

Maybe I still have to suffer from my inefficient job in the future. Maybe I will still think there's nothing exciting or no career path available here, but, I will have the same thought and reason to hang on for a while. After all, we have to find a way to live happier, no matter where we are, or what we are doing. This is a cruel but realistic world, only those people who believe they can survive will survive....

Mandy's Gourmet Trip In Tokyo

This June, I had a very nice trip to Tokyo, and also visited Hakone, the famous hot spring place, and Yokohama in 5 days. Since I've been to Tokyo before alone, so a relaxing gourmet trip was a great choice before I went back to Taipei to start my new job.

After 2 months, I finally put these pix together and to share my crazy gourmet trip...don't be scared when seeing me eating so much food in a few days!!

Mandy's gourmet trip in Tokyo

習慣

很多事都在習慣之後結束,從習慣之後開始.

剛開始的時候,走路都慢慢的,習慣那份散居的閒情後,覺得自己以前匆匆忙忙趕車趕上下班的急性子可笑的很,也不會在聽到捷運車滴滴滴的警示音響起後還匆忙的想要擠進車廂裡. 一個多月的早晚奔波趕捷運之後,竟也習慣了趕著上下電扶梯的擁擠和忙碌.閒情,當然也就早不知道到哪去了.

然後,慢慢的接受了每天汗流浹背的悶燥空氣,還有烈焰般的火炙陽光,也習慣了出門撐傘的標準動作. 害怕人多要排隊的我,居然也開始打起了頂著汗臭和嘈雜也要逛街挑路邊攤的無畏精神.

吃小吃攤開始騎歐兜麥大啖黑砂糖ㄔㄨㄚ\ 冰,習慣了這樣的擁擠生活之後,魂縈夢牽的,還是在香檳開著黑玫瑰穿梭林間逛圖書館的閒情雅趣啊!