g4chavi的部落格

這幾天都很忙，忙著寫履歷跟修paper，昨天跟老闆meeting之後挫折還挺大的，反正就是東修西修，啥都修不完，有時候看著自己的paper，覺得是不是寫的很差啊？怎麼老是覺得有問題在，主要是英文寫作方式的問題，解答問題時，思緒都很清楚，但是寫的時候就是少了甚麼，心理很鬱卒。

Ranmoor附近有個教堂，叫St. John's Ranmoor。這邊也有個Inn，老Ｏ說Ranmoor過去可能是個小鎮，大家騎馬到Inn休息吃飯，把馬牽到馬就吃飼料，現在這個Inn變成一般飯店供餐。更確切的說，這城鎮基本適用教堂來維繫村民，過去住在這一帶的民眾基本上都是為教堂工作，不然就是上層階級有上教堂居住的地方。這教堂一般不公開，若有心要上教堂，除了按照教堂的時間表活動外，就是要打電話給教堂預約時間，好讓虔誠的民眾找自己適合的時間去告解。

星期五去了老O的新家，一方面把履歷跟Paper的英文修正，一方面拿了一堆東西過去，由於老Ｏ搬家搬到距離市中心挺遠的住宅區，搭了公車終於到了他這個豪華住宅區Ranmoor，感覺這建築物是以前有錢人或是地主的住宅，老Ｏ租了其中一間套房，一進去面對外面的小草坪，還有大樹與窗外對外的市區，真是好地方。不過好玩的是，這棟住宅竟然住了四位台灣人，哇哈哈哈～我就說老Ｏ人在英國還竟然處在弱小團體中，果然是虎落平陽被犬欺啊！（說成這樣，那是不就暗指台灣人都是狗咧？！真是自打嘴巴。）

這幾天一直都在修paper，還是為了趕截期，吃東西也失去了興致，偏頭痛又回來了，一天都不知道要吃什麼才好，常常都是生菜沙拉配mozzarella cheese，算是我的最愛，不然就是泡麵一族，要給自己作頓飯都覺得很不願意，晚餐現在都想吃三明治撐過就算了，吃得特別西式，老Ｏ說我不是阿獨仔，幹嘛吃成這樣，但是我發覺我還挺享受吃冷食，很簡單輕鬆，反正就是「懶」字當前，萬夫莫敵啊！這三明治就是蛋加義式燻火腿，配上幾片薯片過過，喝杯咖啡，這樣還挺愜意地嘛～

去了老Ｏ新家，好像一個大使館的宿舍，一堆燈，拍的頭好暈，好有氣氛的地方，高級住宅區果然不一樣，像個劉姥姥進大觀園。

念博士班的時候，每天都忙到蓬頭垢面，也不知道怎打理自己，但是基本保養都還是做到，可是現在看台灣的一些綜藝節目，發覺女星對自己的保養除了美白、青春，就我個人來看都已經達到了一種病態的境界。
有時候看綜藝節目，覺得若有傳遞美容知識固然是一個很好的消息來源，但是誰也不知道產品或是一些醫療美容有沒有合法或是隱藏的傷害，看著這些明星（尤其女明星）；自己也覺得台灣的綜藝從相關美容討論開始似乎達到無所不用其極，好像女性除了自己保養美麗之外，身材雕塑，大家看起來個個是年輕貌美，年齡不在外表留下痕跡，可是我不禁懷疑，這些女星言談之中，暴露了多少自己對外的攝取過度，卻無對內在涵養的增進。

這幾天手機換新機（免費手機又來了），主要是合約到期了，換個手機也好，電話跟carphonewarehouse公司的員工協商，跟對方表示我企圖要跟這家公司解除合約，讓他們想辦法讓我繼續續約（這招我耍的樂此不疲，總要耍點心機，英國待久了，就是特別會在電話搞negotiation），主要是很不喜歡這家公司的帳單處理方式，但是來個獅子大開口，說沒我想要的月租與價格我就不要續約了，想來個直接換到O2本營公司續約，可以上網看帳單，明細又清楚，整體的服務也好多了。
P1i的手機原本是上週要送到，不知道為何遲遲未到，我又發了封信要服務人員跟我聯繫，結果最後得知的結果是缺貨，所以遲遲並未寄到。聽到他們的說法之後，我就有點不耐煩地說明，若晚到就是讓我的手機在市場價值下滑，我也沒必要等他們提供的手機，我想直接停合約。對方也瞭解我的不爽（難得英國電話服務還可以讓我耍大牌，一般都是客服比客人來的大牌，還耍臭脾氣，這次竟然讓我有機會甩起脾氣來了，待過英國的人遇到爛的客服，大概都有機會見識到客服人員的大牌，或被迫吃上悶虧）。沒想到這次抱著斷約的心情抱怨之後，隔天就來通電話說，手機會在後天早上七點前送到，請我務必繼續與他們續約。

原本以為博士畢業論文交了之後，我可以好好休息個一個月，就吃喝玩樂過上好一陣子，不過事已願違，老天似乎就是給我一個忙碌命的生活；兩週後就被journal paper通知我的paper被錄用，也就是說，我得開始按照editor的建議修正paper，十月中得遞交。
接著跟老闆匯報戰果，老闆似乎很誇張的說我是個genius，接著網路上又跟老闆商討修正部份，週三約好去餐廳吃飯順便討論未來其他的發表，兩天內跟老闆交換了六七封e-mail；每封老闆都很誇張搞戲劇效果說他還沉浸在喜悅中。不過我的心情這幾天像是搭雲霄飛車一般，看了editor的建議，心理還挺低沉，覺得自己的東西被接受的好勉強，心理悶了挺久；接著老闆要我傳editor的建議看看我們得下一步怎修稿。

今天收到International Business Review的來信，確定我的Paper被錄取了，有種被權威認可我研究的一種成就，我高興的像隻猴子跳翻天了，因為是當時的第一篇，自己也沒期望第一篇的Paper會被錄取，且又是在短短幾天下趕出來的，都是老闆挑戰我的潛能，都是用追稿的方式要我快步趕上，我真的是高興的跳上天了，直接電話過去給老Ｏ鼓躁狂吼，這幾天要把要修稿的部份帶到他那邊去，要他幫我潤稿，接著年底就要出發到義大利去發表囉～高興得樂翻天，第一次投遞也是第一篇被錄取的興奮度是極度高昂！每每都望著自己的報告覺得自己寫了一堆垃圾，沒期盼這自認地垃圾寫作被接受，高興極了。

首篇歷險記，就談談基本Cardiff的五四三。週末與Alvyn去了Cardiff，雖然難得是風光明媚，我倆真是不幸的遇上Rugby Match；人多也就算了，當地與附近的B&B都客滿了，遠至倫敦，Bath, Bristol, Newport等這些地方都塞滿了人。還好Alvyn當地有人脈幫忙，提供我們住宿與伴陪著晚間夜遊，所以真的是不幸中的大幸，本來打算當天來回曼城，三小時半的旅程也認了，可是真的是累翻天，看到車站是已經排滿人潮，像是看演唱會那樣大排長龍，共分成四五大排，每排至少排上了一哩長的距離，真是令人大吃不消。人多也算了，當地的車流人馬也相當擁擠，幾乎是路人人手一杯啤酒，傍晚時刻已經是醉漢滿地躺著，整個城裡散佈著酒精濃厚味道，人到處撒尿的腥味，以及騎警馬糞的臭味，小小的一個地方，被湧入的四萬七千人給塞爆了。
這張是人潮開始湧入的下午時刻，還不到大塞的恐怖狀況，黃昏時刻，街上、餐廳、酒吧、城堡、草坪上等到處都充斥人潮，像是電影Dawn of the Dead劇情一樣，一堆湧入的殭屍（改成喝酒鬧事的醉漢們），第一天到達是威爾斯隊伍大戰澳大利亞隊伍，整條街上聽到人到處吆喝的聲音，狂歡叫囂的吵鬧聲，可以說是很有趣但是也很恐怖的場面。
剛到的時候還想，難道是球賽嗎？怎麼到處都穿著球隊制服了支持球隊呢，果然經過證實後，球迷到是都是，甚至街上還有一度打了起來，不過我當個遊客還是閃的挺快地，免得遇上無妄之災。剛好拍到一張巨人照片，應該是澳大利亞的球迷，綁著黃色的圍巾，好大隻的一個巨人喔。
這是我剛從車站走到市中心時，吃飽飯後，剛從餐廳出來時，馬上被這群制服人潮給嚇住，心想，到底怎麼了？怎麼都是人啊！小朋友的臉上也都話滿個支持隊伍的色彩，甚至還畫上球隊寵物的模樣，甚至有球迷穿著大玩偶的戲服去參觀比賽，我真的對這些英國球迷佩服，真想不到他們怎能這麼瘋狂，或許英國的球類比賽算是一種宗教信仰吧？還是因為球賽與啤酒有關，所以趁著球賽瘋狂喝啤酒。
問了路邊的警察，我們到底可以往哪個地方走走晃晃，警察一副無可奈何的樣子，說現在這狀況很難說，要我們沿著城堡的邊緣，走到後公園去，有漂亮的花床（Flower bed），走在城堡邊緣，已經有不少人都在城堡邊上坐著，享受日光浴，Alvyn說這是Human bed，光看人就看不完，人的行為比花更有趣。
城堡前的兩個女騎警，負責維持散亂的人潮與當地的治安，車子開的慢，倒是有警察騎著馬穿梭在擁擠的人群中，真是個好主意，騎警真是雄糾糾、氣昂昂地，只是馬糞的味道真的很臭，跟狗屎一樣的臭，又是一大坨，空氣中瀰漫著馬糞的味道。不過這些騎警平常也都是騎馬嗎？不然這樣坐馬一天下來，腳都成了Ｏ型腿了，還會有劈腿那樣的酸痛吧！
到了當地還是得看看當地的傳統市場，果然靠海就是不太一樣，魚也特別豐盛，類別也有更多選擇，可惜沒辦法買魚來煮飯，不然一定快樂的天天吃魚了，我好像吃鱸魚喔！我好想喝新鮮的魚湯啊！現在只能祈求回家靠老媽煮魚賞我吃吃了。
Cardiff還真是挺奇妙的，還提供租車服務，看著人騎著三輪車，還真有趣，後面還可以載著一個人，真的是三輪車跑的快。上下車也不用上鎖，直接丟在路邊去商店買食物，不過這樣造型的車車要被騎丟或偷竊還真醒目，Cardiff這種商品出租還真逗，真有商業頭腦搞這種三輪車花招。
回家日落場景，其實也不能說是日落，但是看到西邊一大片濃厚的烏雲罩頂，然後夕陽獨立一片天，天邊被一條線給一分為二，這樣的景象在英國特別多，搞不好就可以站在晴天與烏雲交接處，一邊下雨、一邊大太陽，不過真的難得可以碰上一次晴天出遊，我也真是被老天爺保佑啦！
這短片是在火車上拍的，看著天空雲團與天邊的景色，透過樹林與陽光配合火車速度看著外頭景色，對我這個旅行者來說，別有一番風情。還好回程路上，沒有碰上酒鬼球迷隊，就怕是他們引吭高歌，又唱又叫又跳，或甚至在火車上吐起來了，真是一場虛驚的旅遊經驗，所以這次才叫歷險記啊。

八月底讀到兩篇中時電子報兩篇（請見此與此）關於高學歷與女子高學歷的報導，讓我不禁想著媒體的發達後，報導的客觀性與真實性，還有媒體下標語字眼的聳動性。讓我甚感無奈，並反思台灣近期綜藝節目上刻意誇張性，用字淺詞與許多膚淺的概念，甚至對於影響時下社會大眾。反思媒體的中立性與客觀性，從這兩篇報導上所看到的似乎喪失專業的水準，甚至失去媒體本身存在的重要性，就好像專出張嘴（筆）到處橫性霸道，成了東家長西家短的媒體鄉愿特性。

Quoted from washingtonpost.com: A Voice for Taiwan's Freedom, History
Sunday, August 26, 2007
By Richard Harrington, WASHINGTON, The Washington Post
Not a lot of metal bands appear at both nightclubs and the National Press Club in Washington, but Chthonic will soon be doing just that here. And on Sept. 13, the Taiwanese ensemble will hold a downtown news conference to discuss its "UNlimited Taiwan" campaign and its experience as the first Asian extreme metal act in the Ozzfest tour -- an appropriate showcase for a band called "the Black Sabbath of Asia."
According to lead singer and songwriter Freddy Lim, the September events are particularly important because they coincide with the Sept. 18 opening of the annual session of the United Nations, which Taiwan will once again attempt to join, an effort blocked every year since 1993 by China, which asserts sovereignty over the island.
Chthonic -- pronounced "THON-nic," it's Greek, meaning "of the underworld" -- has recorded a single called "UNlimited Taiwan" and made a short film for the song, protesting their homeland's isolation in the international community.
It's all part of an effort to drum up sympathy and support among younger fans who may not know that Taiwan has been self-ruled since Nationalist forces moved there in 1949 after losing a long-running civil war with communist forces.
It had a U.N. seat as the Republic of China until 1971, when China asserted sovereignty and threatened military action if Taiwan tried to secede. The United States has been trying to encourage a peaceful resolution ever since.
"The things that we can do are not too much," Lim admitted. "We didn't organize this tour for a political reason -- first of all, it's a musical tour -- but as citizens of Taiwan we had to express our political message in the same time when our country needs our support.
"We are just a heavy metal act and we have to fight for our own musical career, but at the same time we want to fight for our country."
Seeking international political recognition while asserting its independence has been difficult for Taiwan, Lim said. "In my opinion, and I think the opinion of all the citizens in Taiwan, they consider Taiwan is already an independent country," he said.
"We have all rights like the citizens of America: We pay the tax to our own government, we vote for our own president, we have our own army. It is for us an independent country, no doubt. That would be the point we want to mention: Accept unlimited Taiwan,' like the song.
"But we don't write anything political in other songs," Lim said. "All our songs are about mythology in Taiwan. I'm a fan of all kinds of mythologies since I was in kindergarten. When I started to write music, I made up my mind to write about things that normally human beings cannot do. I love to write about gods, ghosts, spirits."
Lim says he and his bandmates grew up on Slayer, Anthrax, Deicide, Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Cradle of Filth and Dimmu Borgir, "the bands we liked the most when we first listened to black metal in the mid-'90s, especially their arrangements."
He also cites Emperor and Enslaved from Norway and England's Hecate Enthroned, bands whose complex structures and arrangements sired the "symphonic black metal" movement. England's Cradle of Filth and Norway's Dimmu Borgir wrote about their native cultures after traditional pagan religions had been forcibly replaced by Christianity.
Chthonic incorporates stories tied to Taiwan's culture and history, including the struggle against the Han Chinese, who after assuming control of the island about 350 years ago, subjugated aboriginal cultures.
The band's 1998 debut, "Where the Ancestors' Souls Gathered," is about the original journey across the sea and the Han dreaming about a brighter future in Taiwan. The follow-up, "9th Empyrean," deals with a war between the gods of the Han and Taiwan's aboriginal people.
Chthonic's most recent release, "Seediq Bale," is also inspired by history. When the Japanese ruled Taiwan between 1895 and 1945, they banned traditional aboriginal practices, including facial tattoos. The Seediq, part of the Atayal, one of the 12 officially recognized indigenous peoples in Taiwan, rebelled in 1930, resulting in the Wushe Incident, an infamous massacre.
Chthonic makes dramatic use of facial tattoos, also known as "corpse paint." Painted rockers go back to Alice Cooper and Kiss, and death and black metal bands in the '80s and '90s embraced particularly dramatic, foreboding imagery. Taiwanese folklore had the Eight Generals, painted deities empowered with the eight Taoist spirits to be judges of good and evil.
"The makeup that we have is very traditional," Lim said. "Taiwanese Taoist priests would have to communicate with the gods and ghosts, to let the spirits into their bodies to transcend themselves. ... That kind of makeup lets our fans know about Taiwan, and they become more and more curious about Asian culture."
Chthonic's sound is generally familiar: Guitarist Jesse (the Infernal), bassist Doris (Thunder Tears), keyboardist CJ (Dispersed Fingers) and drummer Dani (Azathothian Hands) deliver machine gun/jackhammer accompaniment to Lim's throat-shredding, guttural screams.
But you'll also notice Su-Nung (the Bloody String) on ERHU, a two-stringed traditional Chinese violin. It's often buried in the tumultuous sound mix but sometimes gets a solo showcase that capitalizes on the sad, morose sounds that have made the instrument a favorite in tragic or melancholy films and plays.
Chthonic has recorded Mandarin and English-language versions, though Lim is clearly more comfortable in his own language.
"Some parts are really difficult to translate from Taiwanese, particularly the ones that are speaking of the gods or the spirits, and I don't want to write in English because it doesn't feel natural. It is not too difficult for us because we work with many writers in Taiwan to do something in English, but I feel like in extreme metal the fans maybe don't really care about the lyrics."
And his own lyrics are sung with such brutal energy that the actual language hardly matters.