最近又买了许巍的《在别处》，听了半天只有一两首喜欢的歌，但却觉得这张 CD 更象许巍、更摇滚、更少修饰、更真实。

他的那手《执着》，怎么谱曲、填词、唱得那么好啊？和田震唱的比较了一下，觉得都好听！


执着

作曲：许巍 作词：许巍
　 （歌词转自 音魁网 www.inkui.com）
每个夜晚来临的时候
孤独总在我左右
每个黄昏心跳的等候
转 是你无限的温柔
每次面对你的时候
不敢看你的双眸
在你温柔的笑容背后
有多少泪水哀愁
不管时空怎样转变
世界怎么改变
你的爱总在我心间
你是否明白
我想超越这平凡的生活
注定现在暂时漂泊
无法停止我内心的狂热
未来的执着
拥抱着你
Oh My Baby
我看到你在流泪
是否爱我让你伤悲，让你心碎
拥抱着你
Oh My Baby
可你知道我无法后退
纵然是我苍白憔悴
伤痕累累

五月过得有点乱糟糟的。先是让人揪心的地震，让我无语，不知道自己能做点什么。接着，就是繁忙的工作、生活，做不完的事，烦不完的心。

现在在一点点地清理思路，前进的步伐很小很小。

端午节，陪父母去了中国美术馆，在展出一些德国艺术家的油画，花了几个小时，一幅幅地看，让我想起过去在美国利用闲暇时间逛博物馆的样子，觉得很放松。主要参展作家有Casper David Friedrich和Gerhard Richter，我虽然不懂油画，但却很欣赏二位作家的作品，父母也很enjoy这个展出。遗憾的是，美术馆为了这次德国作品展出，居然撤掉了自己的固定展出，而且也许是为了迎奥运，有很多工程在开展，5层楼只有两层开放，又没有设置很好的路标和隔离带子以方便游客。前台的服务人员也是爱理 不理的。

看完了画展，我们溜达着到了王府井，途经四合院等比较旧的北京建筑，看到了在街上理发的、在公园里打扑克的、和象我们这样在街上看光景的。太阳晒在身上暖洋洋的，突然感觉到和写字楼、拥挤的地铁、永不中止的冷酷面孔完全相反的一种气息。于是突然很满足、很放松。... ...

The other day, I met up with a Yale student who participated in one of the programs I used to manage. I asked him what he was doing in the past few months as an exchange student at PKU, besides going to class. He told me he had been volunteering at a migrant school 2.5 hours away from Beida every week. He would take the subway for 2.5 hours to the school on the outskirts of Beijing, teach English to fourth, fifth and sixth graders for three hours and then travel 2.5 hours back to Beida for his Chinese class. The volunteer work basically makes up an eight-hour work day.

He puts me to shame. I've been saying I want to volunteer in the public health field since I moved back in November. Six months later, I haven't even got started. And there's the American student, who didn't even speak mandarin when he first got here in February. And right away, he hit the ground running.

One Chinese woman once told me that when she's made enough money, she'll start volunteering. Her income level is upper middle-class. There are many people like her, who feel that they haven't done enough to even take care of themselves. And there are others, who, like me, use the lack of spare time as an excuse. But the thing is, none of the people who are making these excuses (including me) are having a difficult life. In fact, we are living comfortably. Yet we can't find the time to spare for people in need or for a cause we believe in.

I believe the Chinese people, who are traditionally known for their hospitality, politeness and generosity, need to form the habit of volunteering. Not everybody need to do what the college student has been doing and give up a whole day every week to volunteer. If you could spare a couple of hours every other week, or even just a couple of hours every month, your time could be helpful to somebody or some project. Who can say we can't even spare two hours every month? That's one dinner with some friends.

在美国很多人搬到一个新城市后都会找在该社区作志愿者的机会。 有些人通过教会，有些人通过一些自己信任的组织。大家会找一些自己喜欢或擅长的事做，比如喜欢户外活动的会去进行一些公园、野外小径的清理、维护，喜欢历史的人会去当地的艺术馆、博物馆做解说，喜欢小孩的人会帮忙组织一些课余活动给低收入家庭的小孩，等等。人们既做了对社会和他人有用的事，同时也是在做自己感兴趣的事。

＊ Haven't written much lately, as life has been crap.

Well actually, not completely true, but there hasn't been a lot going on in my life. I also feel like I'm entering a different stage of my relocation now -- the stage where I really miss my friends in the U.S., the stage when I want to flee. (I guess the other stages include dealing with the bad air, trying to get used to the way people do things here, trying to navigate through the health care system, etc. etc.)

A series things that happened also seem to make this the lowest moment since I moved back. Among them, I've been hit again and again with some sort of cold or flu, which has become inconvenient, annoying and somewhat frightening. "Is there something seriously wrong with me?" I ask myself. "My last checkup was OK."

＊ There has been a few good things, among them my Spanish class. It's been going on for about a month now, and I love, love, love it. I don't know what it is, but being in a language class is just very refreshing, exciting and stimulating. It really helps me relax. For now I can say only a few sentences, but I really hope to keep working on this in the years to come.

* Went back to my hometown Harbin for my 10-year college reunion. That was actually a lot of fun, too. Saw some friends I haven't seen for 10 years, and even though everyone followed a different path and has a different life now, a lot of the personalities and friendship remain unchanged. This trip totally exceeded my expectations.

* Summer is here. Everybody's getting out their light-colored outfits. Everybody's wearing something pretty. Somehow I'm just lazy about it. Come to think about it, I'm still slowly warming up to this place.

All right. That's all the mumbling I'm going to do for now. I'd be bored reading this myself. ... Promised to post new photos, but still don't have any good scenery shots.

I saw a live acrobatic show for the first time in my life tonight. It's not something I would normally seek to do, as I more or less associate it with the circus and always feel that the moves are achieved through great physical pain. But tonight I went with a friend from the U.S. and a couple of his friends, just trying to be a good host (he was one of the participants at one of the programs I managed during my nonprofit time, and came to Beijing for a semester. We've been trying to meet up for a few months, but being the negligent friend I am, we didn't get the chance until tonight.).

I was surprised to find that I actually enjoyed the show a lot. There was nothing in the show that I haven't seen on TV: 10 people on one moving bike, people jumping through hoops of various heights, people stacked on each other, people catching high flying objects with their heads, some degrees of contortion, etc. etc. But the show becomes much more enjoyable when you are surrounded by people who are really into it. You clap together, wow together, and worry about whether the eight plates the girl is spinning might fall off or the third person being sprung into the air will be able to get steady footing on the second person's head.

I was amazed what the members of the troop was able to do. And this may sound lame and weird (because I've been so critical of China on this blog), but sitting there, among all the people who appreciated the show (half the audience was people from other countries and most of the rest were in Chinese tour groups), I felt proud as a Chinese.

最近喜欢上了许巍的歌，买了一盘CD,就有收集他所有CD的欲望。So far， 最喜欢的是漫步和礼物。其他的也都不错

漫步
很多事来不及思考
就这样自然发生了
在丰富多彩的路上
注定经历风雨
让它自然而地来吧
让它悄然地去吧
就这样微笑地看着自己
漫步在这人生里
yeah 当往事悄然而走远
只留下清澈的心
yeah 让我们相互温暖
漫步在这阳光里

羡慕这首歌的洒脱，向往简单的生活。

The train after work was packed. At this one stop, I was pushed around as people walked past me to get off the train. Then a few people got on. It was crowded.

I remembered ej's warning to me, "Some day there's going to be an accident in the subway." During rush hour, the trains are always packed. We were packed in there like sardines, or probably even worse. Sometimes it's hard to breathe and there's no room to turn around. One time there were so many people on this one platform that the subway staff temporarily stopped people from entering the station. They were afraid that someone might fall and the masses would walk over that person and kill him. That's a scenario that many people who have taken the subway can picture.

Just as I was thinking this, the Subway Man showed up, in yellow uniform. Every day, there are these people in yellow uniforms at subway stations to keep order (I think they're volunteers). They make sure people are not getting pushed under the train when it comes into the station and that not too many people try to get on the train as it gets ready to leave. To do so, they usually have to raise their voice and repeat the few phrases again and again and again: The train's coming into the station... Please don't push each other... Please wait in line... Please wait for the next train. ...

Their job is repetitive and nobody really listens or pays much attention to them.

But this Subway Man was different. About 5'3'' tall and 60 years old, he talked very little. As one woman ran to the door of the train and tried to get on, he pushed gently from behind so she could get on the already packed cart. The train was full, but with his push, this woman got on. Then came another person. "Hurry, hurry," he said, pointing to our cart. "There's room here." "Where?" I was thinking. But sure enough the second person got on, too.

Within less than a minute, he got five more people onto the train, without raising his voice a single time. Each time he just assisted them in the slightest ways, but I can't imagine those people getting on the train without his help. As one last person ran toward our cart, the bell rang signalling the train's departure soon. "OK, OK, please wait for the next train here," he said gently as he stopped the woman.

Somehow I really liked this man. He never once yelled or shouted or showed annoyance or bitterness, but he got his job done. People were orderly and most got on the train as they wished. It's a change from this noisy, busy and crazy city, where so many people in the service industry are pissed, impatient or just plain incompetent.

As the train was leaving, I looked through the glass door at the old man and couldn't help but smiling. He just finished looking around the station and appeared to be satisfied that everybody was safe and the train was leaving. Then he caught my eyes.

He smiled back.

I had just finished dinner Monday evening, when I was notified that there would be an electricity outage in 15 minutes and the outage would last an hour. "What am I going to do? I don't even have candles at home," I complained upon hearing the news.

Fifteen more minutes of light and life as usual, and then it would be all dark. What can I get done in the next 15 minutes? What should I do? I asked myself. It's odd that once you are used to having light and water and all the other conveniences, it's a little upsetting to see that being disrupted. I was kind of at a loss as to how I should use these "last" 15 minutes. Strangely, I chose to wash my dishes first. When I was doing this, I realized that I could use my laptop, which was fully charged, to help me get through the outage.

It turned out to be a relaxing hour. I looked at past photos on my computer while listening to my favorite songs. Also got a phone call from one of the dearest people in my life. It was almost the best hour in the past few weeks, as I get through hectic work, and get checked and rechecked for my health. It was also right after I was told that my health seemed to be fine, at least for now.

Over the weekend, I was talking with y and ej about how fragile life is. The Chinese student who was attacked by American teenagers for no reason, stumbling into traffic and killed by a moving car; the killing and raping of a British woman in India; and the unfortunate things that were happening to friends of our friends... It's amazing how someone could be smiling and being loved and enjoying life one day, and yet suffering or even dead the next day. When I was a cops reporter, I wrote about car accidents after car accidents and killings and rapes. And then there's watching others get sick and getting sick myself. Until this day, I feel that it's a miracle each additional day a person gets to live.

But at the same time, it's amazing to see how resilient life can be. People get sick, people recover; people make mistakes, people correct their courses; people get their hearts broken, people fall in love again. After each day you survive, when you wake up in the morning and see the bright sun, it's another day.

... 


Lights were on. Electricity was back. Life went back to normal. Tomorrow will come soon.
 

下午，电话铃声响起，是个奇怪的号码。以为是林子里的朋友，但昨晚刚通过话。

接听中，听出居然是刚回国时在代英语课时教过的学生，当时几个人的公司把他们送到北京进行一个月的专职英语培训，为去澳大利亚进
一步进修做准备。记得一个月当中学生很努力学习，问了很多关于在国外生活、交流的问题，英语进步很快。我到现在还记得自己震惊的发现（确切的说是这些学生让我回忆起中国的学生对老师表现得多么的尊重），因为我本身作为被聘用的老师，感觉学生是我的客户，只是想尽我所能，把课上好，针对学生的需要，帮他们准备出国。

想不到，短短的一个月过后，有那么一两个学生保持了联系。更想不到，会接到一名学生从澳洲打来的电话。听起来他们在那边一个月来适应得很好。非常enjoy当地的优美环境、学校里和世界各国去进修的学生的接触、和当地的host family的融洽相处。电话中洋溢着excitement. 让我不禁想起自己第一次
出国的情形。深深地祝福这些学生，这一年里在澳洲一切顺利、学业有成！

I'm finally studying Spanish. I don't know why, but even though I've only had one real Spanish lesson, I feel that it's become the highlight of my life outside work. I'm so excited!!

Always wanted to learn Spanish. I still remember telling EJ that I heard somewhere that if one speaks Spanish, English and Chinese, that person can talk to 98% of the population in the world. I was excited about this tidbit, but EJ looked at me and said, jokingly, "Why do you want to talk to so many people?"

So I've been wanting to study Spanish for years. My best friend in the U.S. is from Latin America and I remember watching Italian and Spanish movies with her. Really enjoyed that, and thought it would be so much more fun if I knew Spanish. Always wanted to travel throughout Latin America and spend a lot of time in Italy, for some reason.

The first time I tried to learn Spanish was when I was in Reno, where I enrolled in a beginner's class. Then I quickly realized I had no time to even go to the class, let alone spending any time after class to learn the language. I dropped the course after going to just one class and didn't learn anything.

Then I tried it again in North Dakota. This time I tried to learn it on my own. I often had to drive long distances for interviews in rural areas, so I bought a Spanish tape, hoping I would be able to learn from "immersion." I simply couldn't get it. The only phrases I learned from that were, "Hola" and "No habla Espanol." (I don't speak Spanish.)

They say the third time is the charm. But for me this was not true. I tried to pick up the language on my own again in 2005, when I got seriously ill and had to cut back to working three days a week. Along with the Spanish book, I also borrowed cantonese CDs from the local library and a keyboard -- these three things were the top three things I wanted to learn. Before long, dust gathered on my keyboard, the Spanish book was deserted, and I learned one cantonese sentence -- "ngo mu sig gone guang dong wa" (or something like that) -- which means "I don't speak cantonese." I'll just use my illness as an excuse for these sorry results.

But I did realize it takes more than curiosity and personal interests to go through with your plans and reach your goal. Now I'm trying Spanish again and the excitement remains -- I've learned why the words "Austria" and "Australia" look so similar; I've learned what is "bonita," which I hear a lot from a Jack Johnson song a friend introduced me; and I've learned where the word "sincerely" came from (try "without wax" ;-). I find the language difficult, especially when I bring so much of my way of learning English into this, which is totally counterproductive. But I'm glad I'm giving this a try again. And I'm hoping that one day, I'll be able to use this language -- even if just for a little bit. I think you get a lot more when you travel if you talk with the local people. And I hope if I get that opportunity, I'll be able to say more than "No habla Espanol."

＊长周末，妈妈过生日，好像这几周来才有机会去见妈妈，也难得有和两位姐姐同时见面的机会。想不到北京，是如此的大、如此的忙，和家人、朋友同处一城市，却很难有机会见面，一整天也好像只能办一件事。

＊《我叫金三顺》真的很好看。早就有几个让人信赖的人推荐，但一直到这周末才有机会看。Funny, sweet,short ...真是周末消遣的好电视。我看得天昏地暗，昨晚和前天晚上熬了夜，今天起床就嗓子疼，结果今天在家一天看了8集，感觉现在眼睛要瞎了。明天还要早起。

First, venting. I went to a cancer hospital for a routine checkup. The doctors are excellent -- in their expertise. But I have to say, most of the docs and admin staff have little work ethics. ...

I went for one of those expensive special appointments, where three "expert" doctors are present. Because this kind of appointments are expensive, it's a lot easier to get in and saves me a lot of time that would have been spent waiting in lines. But I was shocked to find out later that one of the three doctors was actually an impostor -- not that he wasn't a doctor, but he wasn't the doctor he claimed to be when he signed off on the summary note. He was a young surgeon with the last name of Zhong (which was on the name tag he wore), but he signed the last name of Wang instead. The reason is probably because he as himself couldn't charge as much. When I realized that, I called back the department to ask the doctors names. The woman who answered said she didn't know -- which was hard to believe. I also realized that was probably why the admin staff refused to tell me the doctors' names before I went in and why the doctors themselves were avoiding the question when I asked them their names.

I would have been happy with the young doctor if he didn't sign a false name. He was actually a pretty good doctor. But did he know how wrong it is to lie to his patients? In the U.S., perjury is a crime. I don't know what those doctors were thinking -- that their patients were so dumb that they didn't deserve to know? There were people traveling long distance on trains to see a decent doctor here, and all they get is this?

All the admin staff acted like they could care less. One even said out loud that she wished the appointments were all canceled so she could have a relaxed afternoon. Another doctor, in the middle of chatting with a friend, forgot to prescribe me one of the tests I needed. Haven't these people have any friends or family members who were once sick? Didn't anyone tell them treating the patients kindly and civilly is also part of their job?

I know someone would say, "You should have known this before you made the decision to move back." Well, I did know this! I did know this is the reality and I did mentally prepare myself. But what's the reality doesn't necessarily make it right. What's been always happening might not mean it should or will be like this forever.

Old songs, old times. I'm not sure why, but I've been listening to Zhao Chuan a lot lately. Getting on the bus to the hospital for my checkup, I put on my iPod and turned to the Zhao Chuan songs. These songs are at least 10 years old -- I listened to them when I was in college in China. And this time they brought me back to the old times -- the fall of 2005, when my middle sister and I sang along these songs on our way to the clinics for my cancer treatment.

Actually both my sisters and I love Zhao Chuan's songs, and the days of my cancer treatment, when both my sisters went to the U.S. to help out, became some of my most cherished time with them.

I still remember my oldest sister would cook up any dish that came across my mind -- It doesn't matter whether she knows how to cook it. She would do it oh so bravely. And I would devour it as long as I'm not vomiting from my chemo. I remember my oldest sister dragging me out to take a walk every day -- no matter how much I hated it. I was extremely weak in the beginning and could walk less than a block before having to turn back, while at the end of her two-month stay, we were walking for an hour every day.

I remember my middle sister gave up celebrating her son's first birthday to be with me for my surgery. I remember her cooking four different dishes for every meal, lest I get bored with the food and not eat enough. I remember her busy taking care of me during the day and working through much of the night to communicate with her colleagues during their daytime in Beijing.

I've know people who were hit hard emotionally by cancer. I've known people who refused to have pictures taken when they lost their hair during chemotherapy. But for me, the days of the treatment were difficult but precious memories. I learned so much about myself, and so much about family. And in the fall of 2005, I spent the best quality time of my life with my sisters. If nothing else, singing along Zhao Chuan's songs with my sisters made it sweet enough.

Haven't updated this blog forever. Haven't been on Facebook forever. Have a ton of email messages waiting for my reply. Haven't posted any photos of Beijing that everyone asked me to. I've been MIA, a bad friend in general, missing friends' birthdays and big events.

At the same time, so many things are going on with my dear friends, both in Beijing and far away. Two are pregnant and happily preparing to become mothers. One just celebrated her birthday with a big trip to Europe. One's business in Minnesota is flourishing. One is walking the A.T. Another seems to have just fallen in love.

Best wishes to all my friends! Even though I haven't written for so long, I've grateful to get updates from you and know you are doing well.

As far as my life, it's been mostly work and family. Been working for three months now and am getting used to the rhythm here. Happy with my job and coworkers are in general easy to get along with. The transition is going smoothly.

Haven't really had a life otherwise. There just doesn't seem to be enough time, and I feel like I'm so behind on my email and stuff. Beijing is huge and I haven't had a chance to explore it at all. On most weekends, I spend four hours on the road to see my parents, or spend three hours round trip to see a good friend who is a mother-to-be on one of the days. (I never got along with my family better. Mom and dad have been a great help.) The other day is used for grocery shopping and clothes shopping, (I donated most of my clothes, so I always need new clothes whenever a new season comes. This has proved to be a big headache, as the clothes here are very expensive in Beijing and not really my type.), and whenever possible, vegging out in front of the TV. Joined a gym a month ago but went only once -- the sales person who sold me the membership couldn't help but calling me the other day, saying, "I've never seen you here. Do you want me to pause the membership for a few weeks?"


I'm slowly getting used to things here, but still don't feel very much connected to the city --  the happenings, the talks of town. I guess the next big things are going to the gym regularly, a routine checkup, my mom's birthday, exploring the city a bit, and maybe even some spring sports. Already dreaming of vacation in September, when I hope to go to Singapore for a friend's wedding and maybe some sightseeing in a couple of neighboring countries. Also hope to take my parents on a trip domestically at some point.


So please keep being patient. I promise I'll post some photos by May 10th.

最看不上的，就是那些身强体壮的中青年男人，上地铁却飞奔向座位，抢座。或者是不缺胳膊不少腿的年轻人，看到站着乘车的老人，毫无反应。

每天上班进写字楼的大门，95％的人不会去用手扶住往回弹的门，考虑一下后面的人，偶尔有人如此做，却经常是外国人。

地铁拥挤的时候，一开门等车的人蜂拥而上，还在下车的人们挣扎着往下挤，边喊小学生都会说的话，“先下后上，先下后上！”


国内的大学多少年来扩招，培养出一批又一批的“人才”，却很多出来不但工作找不到，不具备任何实用的技能，而且连最起码的礼貌和道德都没有。好友一次看一本关于人的性格的书，边笑边迅速指出我属于书中所说的完美主义者，对自己高要求，对周围的人也严格要求。可是基本的礼貌、礼节和道德，不是任何文明社会的人应该具备的吗？为什么香港那么小的地方、人口密度那么高，社会却能有序地运行，人们排队上MTR, KCR， 无论在哪，慢行的人总是在自觉地 让出一部分道路，让快行的人通过。我们自豪的说中国现在什么都能和发达国家相比，有飞快发展的经济、有耸入云霄的高楼，可为什么没有人自豪地说，我们不随地吐痰、不随处点烟、不忘记考虑他人呢？

十年未见的朋友，因为家事突然出现在北京，晚上一起吃饭，我问他家人、工作的情况，他问我回国的感受。

两年多前治病时帮了很多忙的一位朋友，前两天前突然来了一封email，问我怎么样，还告诉我她最近搬了家，生意也很好。

最近很忙，基本上头也不抬地工作，之后就是休息、读书。没有精力去做其他的事，昨晚突然想起已经好几天没有和姐姐和好友通电话了。

生活中，永远没有足够的时间去多关心亲人、朋友，却总是有一天会发现工作、生活的变动，又要各奔东西。有很多人，真的就象流星划过夜空，永远不会再见。

终于加入了一家健身房，于是决定昨天去上一节瑜伽课。有朋友告诉我说，做瑜伽要去专业的瑜伽馆，但我只是想活动活动
腿脚，对瑜伽课没有那么高的要求，就去了健身房。

教课的老师很漂亮，每个动作好像也很到位，可是一堂课过后，还是觉得有点不适应。

老师经常会在做某个动作的时候，告诉大家这动作可以瘦腰、或收腹、或提臀。我对瑜伽了解很少，总觉得作瑜伽是为了健康、放松、修身养性之类的，听到这么罗罗嗦嗦的对美容效应的讲解，感觉怪怪的。

老师好像也蛮严格的。中间有一个动作我做不出来，就停下来了，老师带者责怪的口吻说，怎么不做了？我说，柔韧性不好，做不了这个动作。她立刻批评：就是柔韧性不好才要练嘛！

另一个动作，老师要求把膝盖放在耳朵两侧，有一个学生的动作不一样，老师竟然大声的说了3遍， 你听到我说的话了吗？ 并走到该学生面前，责令，别做了，
做的不好会受伤的。

希望她是救了那个学生一命，否则我会感觉从来没见过这么不平和的瑜伽老师，好像脾气比我还不如。

今天懒死了。一天呆在家里，哪都没去。天都黑了，看看冰箱里好像弹尽粮绝，决定去采购。

－ Saw a Pizza Hut on my way to the grocery store, so I went in. I've been missing chicken wings lately -- you know, the spicy kind, with the white dip, with celeries on the side. I didn't eat chicken wings that much when I was in the U.S., but the dish brings back fond memories. When I was in school in Reno, my roommate and I used to eat pizzas (with the chicken wings, soda or beer, and much better than the Pizza Hut pizza) on Fridays and watch movies. I also remember vacationing in Wisconsin's Door County one time, only to find the restaurants there close super early in the evening. We ended up eating broiled fish at a bar; but because we were so hungry from looking for places to eat everywhere, we ordered salads and chicken wings first. Those were some of the best tasting chicken wings -- because I was soooo hungry!

This Pizza Hut in Beijing didn't have the kind of chicken wings I talked about on the menu. Maybe they localized the food to appeal to the Chinese taste. To my surprise, it was also a nice sit-down restaurant that's not cheap as in the U.S. Then I remembered a friend of mine once told me that in El Salvador, people dress up to go to Pizza Hut. Maybe one day, people in developing countries will pay only what it's worth for food in chains like McDonalds, KFC and Pizza Hut.

-- 从Pizza Hut 撤退，进了超市。看什么都好吃，买了很久没吃过的麻花、年糕，希望今年不要把自己吃爆了。 
选好的水果都没买成－－到了交款处，人家问我称了没。不知道手续这么麻烦，就放弃了苹果和金橘，还好还有一盒包好了的小芒果。

－早上起来只吃了一顿饭，却盘子碗什么的用了一大堆。洗完了碗，又去收拾卫生间，一想国内人工这么便宜，真不应该自己干。

－最近好像一直有买不完的东西，因为搬了新家。春节期间姐姐带我去了IKEA,疯狂购物，回来后意识到自己碗盘子都买了、刀叉也买了一套，
连几乎从来不会用的wine glass 都买了，却没有买象筷子这样很基本的东西

－YY告诉我说，以后博客不要用中文写了，太容易懂了，没劲。

我又开始想出去玩了， 所以我知道自己生活已经进入正轨。 每当，生活很忙、很乱、处于过渡阶段的时候， 就什么都不想，只是拼命去做需要完成的事。但一旦安定下来了，有心思了，就会想下一站去哪。有的时候是旅游，有的时候是下一个目标。

春节休息得很好，把家也又收拾了收拾，做做卫生，买了一些要盘盘碗碗之类的。这两天，就心里痒痒的，想出去玩了。估计半年内，是没有时间了，但九月份，新加坡一个很好的朋友结婚，于是又想着去参加，朋友也说能去的话还可以玩玩老挝、柬埔寨之类的有很好的天然风光的国家。

最近也读了两本关于走美国东部的Appalachian Trail 的书，颇有感触。感觉爬山，走trail,接近自然，是我向往的生活，是能让我快乐、给我充电的的活动。其实在长达三千多公里的trail上背着三、四十斤的背包，吃着简单重复的晚餐，睡帐篷，一周洗一次澡、没有朋友聊天说话，每天重复地一步一步往前走，是很单调、辛苦而孤独的生活。但想到这样可以每天呼吸新鲜的空气，看美丽的高山、树林，清理自己的思绪，过简单的生活，就很向往。

想到一位朋友在一个月后就要踏上这样的征途，经历这样的艰辛，享受这样的简单，就不由的祝福他，希望他如愿以偿，成为每年踏上AT的几千人中十分之一的幸运者，能完成这六个月的长征，也希望他得到他此行想要得到的东西。

最近几天在看韩剧，其实没什么情节，写得也不怎么好，只是一个搞笑的轻喜剧吧，挺无聊的，但不知为什么，今天打开电视，没有播放这个电视剧，
却感觉少了点什么，好奇怪。

记得新年的时候，和几个朋友去看话剧《开心麻花》，因为很久没有生活在中国，所以很多针对当前的流行文化编出的搞笑片段都看不懂。最严重的就是，话剧中有一段居然讲起了韩语，而且我好像是唯一一个听不懂的人。

回来后，好友问话剧怎么样， 我开玩笑说，所有的references之中，我好像只听懂了 E.T.这个词。  这么说来，我现在看韩剧，也算 对中国
文化的学习喽，不算我无聊。：）

I enjoy classical music only when I go to concerts -- because there the sound is perfect, the architecture matches the music and you feel like you are connecting with the people creating the beautiful music and sharing the moment with an audience that's as enthusiastic about music as yourself. Listening to classical music anywhere else, I feel, doesn't do such music justice.

That's why the first time I heard Swan Lake at one of Beijing's subway stations, I was shocked and felt weird. "Classical music in such a crude structure with so much noise and so many people milling around?" I couldn't help saying that out loud to myself. Nobody was paying any attention to the music. Everyone was busy trying to get to their destinations. And the music was so loud that I could hardly hear myself talk.

"This is not the right way to listen to classical," I thought.

But I wasn't shocked or uncomfortable when I heard classical music at the station again -- that was when I had started working and had to spend at least two hours on the subway commuting every day. I remember feeling tired, and cold each time the train's doors opened, allowing frigid air to get in. But at this particular station -- the Lishuiqiao Station -- beautiful piano music (such as Bach's Menuet) or symphony music would often come in when the doors opened, compensating for the annoying, cold air. It also brought a nice relaxing moment to the crowded, dull and tiring ride. The music could always momentarily take me to a different world -- blue skies, mountains, forests, a lake, or even a beautiful concert hall.

Finally one weekend, I got off to ask why this station was one of the very few playing classical music. A staff member told me the head of the station had lived in Europe before. He ordered the music after stations on Line 5 (the newest line) got new sound equipment.

Since I moved closer to work, I only spend 10 to 15 minutes on the subway getting to and from work. The commute has become much more tolerable, but the classical music is gone because I don't go by the Lishuiqiao Subway Station anymore. Often I have my iPod on so I can listen to my favorite piano music or songs. But once in a while, I would think of the Lishuiqiao Station and its music, which made me smile.

I hope the music is bringing something good to other commuters as well.

***************************
Most embarrassing subway moment. I was at the Llama Temple Subway Station, waiting for a friend to pick me up. A couple of Caucasian backpackers walked by, looked into the station gate and spoke German with each other. They looked lost, and finally before they left the area, the woman turned around and asked me in English, "Excuse me, do you speak English?"

"Yes," I replied enthusiastically.

"Can you tell me where Llama Temple is?" she asked.

Ha, it's my turn to be helpful and give directions, I thought, after two months of getting lost endlessly and asking for directions to even commonly known locations in Beijing.

"This is it," I said, extremely pleased with myself.

She looked inside the gate hesitantly, but decided to believe me anyway and led her partner into the station. Then it suddenly hit me -- there's the TEMPLE Llama Temple and this is the Llama Temple Subway Station. "You are looking for the subway station, right?" I asked, quickly stopping them.

"No, the temple." she said, using her forefingers to draw a square in the air.

"Oh, sorry. This is the subway station," I said, embarrassed, and turned to the security guard standing next to me.

"Do you know where Llama Temple is?" I said in Chinese.

Without any hesitation, he pointed toward one of the roads nearby and said, in English, "Llama Temple."