Dimma

This photo is from IKEA when I went to see furniture. This 'dimma' is actually a dimmer. It gives me a good laugh to see the model name is dimma.

Home

Keelung Heping Island

Finally I went back to Heping Island, a place I called home. It was very hot that day. I did not see many pedestrians on the street. No problem finding the place at all. It was like I had never been gone, although things do have changed a bit there, especially when 2 of my favorite restaurants were gone.

I've moved so many times over the past 10 years. It feels like every time I feel settled down in one place, and then I need to be ready to move again, with changes and changes and challenges ahead. I thought I would be afraid to come back to see this place again, only to realize that I have moved on and traveled so far. Home will always be there in my memory, with the layout and people it used to have, with the happiness and sorrows it requires to be complete. The desperation to ride the scooter through the dark night to be home, the reluctance to take the early train to work every Monday morning are still heart felt, however, I need to get myself ready for tomorrow.

Nice Painting

I went back to Tainan for the Dragon Boat Festival. Went through some of my books, and saw this one. Nice stories from a new writer about a town in late Ching dynasty where everyone in the town was a thief. One painting is included at the beginning of each chapter and they all look nice. I used my new camera (showing off now) to take close-up shot of the book, and the results look very nice.

Where Is The Spec?

I know WWDC will be held next Monday, and if Apple releases new iPhone, I can check their website and get all the spec, product introduction, and also watch the keynote for the product release right away.

What about the new product release from the much anticipated EEE PC? From the website, we only get the press release. That's all. Computex has started few days ago, and today when I checked Asus' website, well, EEE PC 901 and 1000 were still not there, as shown on the dated screenshot. I am sure some website system can be set up so some people can prepare the material for the new product ahead of time, set up a date in the server so when the time is up (the time when the product is released), and material will be published automatically on the website.

Apple had done a terrific job in the regard. When the product is released, customers get to know the product online right away, to order right away, or know the lead time if the product is not immediately available. Other companies should really learn from Apple.

Camille Pissarro

It was cool and rainy yesterday morning. I took half a day off to visit National Palace Museum for Camillo Pissarro's exhibit.

Very very quiet when I was there. Was surprised I did not have to wait in line to get tickets, and when I went in, it was like my private museum. Maybe National Palace Museum has not done a very good job at promotion or keeping the public informed, at least I've heard so many media talking about Jean-François Millet's exhibit at the National Museum of History. Not that I'm complaining to feel like owning the portraits for 2 hours, but I love impressionism, and do hope everyone would enjoy it too.

They provide very good audio tour. Because I carry headset for my cell phone all the times, so I rent a cell phone SIM card to access the audio service. All I had to do was to replace the SIM card on my cell phone, and punch in the numbers by the paintings to get the audio. It is a lot more personal and lighter than the regular humongous machine we normally get at the museums. That 100NT (around 3.3 USD) is so well spent, as they provide lots of useful information of the background the artist, the Barbizon, the Impressionism, and Pisarro's family.

I bought the book as souvenir. I never like replica of paintings very much, as I can always remember how much nicer the original looks like, and the replicas are just not the same. It's good that I go to this exhibit early, as I can always go back. Few weeks ago, I was just considering if I wanted to make a trip to New York before I start my new job, and the only firm agenda was to visit Metropolitan Museum. I did not make it to New York, but come on, Pissarro is just within reach, 20 minutes from where I live by taxi. And we have Millet's Gleaners and Angelus in Taipei now. I can't be more happier.

This exhibit also shows many of Pissarro's etchings, Jean-Francois Millet's etchings, letters, and paintings from Pissarro's family. It is so profound and, just simply amazing.

Vienna Teng

Michael recommended this artist to me, and I love her. Good music. Good voice, though I think she would sing even better if she has professional training, but then she may lose her originality. I don't know.

It is good to see her live video on Youtube. I also love "Between" and "Gravity", which are also available on Youtube. I actually bought 2 of her albums on Amazon. 7.99 each with no DRM vs 9.99 each with DRM on iTune. There is an easy winner. Her albums are good to listen to at night when the surrounding is quiet and silent. Her lyrics are also very well written. I am including Eric's song below. Why Eric, not Sean? Sean's song? Chanson? Wahaha.

-----Eric's Song----------------------

strange how you know inside me
I measure the time and I stand amazed
strange how I know inside you
my hand is outstretched toward the damp of the haze

and of course I forgive
I've seen how you live
like a phoenix you rise from the ashes
you pick up the pieces
and the ghosts in the attic
they never quite leave
and of course I forgive
you've seen how I live
I've got darkness and fears to appease
my voices and analogies
ambitions like ribbons
worn bright on my sleeve

strange how we know each other

strange how I fit into you
there's a distance erased with the greatest of ease
strange how you fit into me
a gentle warmth filling the deepest of needs

and with each passing day
the stories we say
draw us tighter into our addiction
confirm our conviction
that some kind of miracle
passed on our heads
and how I am sure
like never before
of my reasons for defying reason
embracing the seasons
we dance through the colors
both followed and led

strange how we fit each other

strange how certain the journey
time unfolds the petals for our eyes to see
strange how this journey's hurting
in ways we accept as part of fate's decree

so we just hold on fast
acknowledge the past
as lessons exquisitely crafted
painstakingly drafted
to carve us as instruments
that place the music of life
for we don't realize
our faith in the prize
unless it's been somehow elusive
how swiftly we choose it
the sacred simplicity
of you at my side

Gone for a Dance

The movie tells story of how passion for dancing passes down 3 generation, and in each generation the man abandons the family to pursue his passion. I am not quite certain if Guy, the second generation, abandons the pub he creates with the girl friend to pursue his passion though, because he has creates a happy life and good business with her, and he leaves everything behind right after his mother's visit.

Maurice commits suicide. Guy refuses to be found and stay connected with his own family. His son, Francois, has to verify Guy is his real father from Guy's ex girl friend. Francois wants his wife to think he is dead. When we feel shameful, it is always easy to just escape. The director chooses dancing as the incentive, but it can be anything, and it can happen to anyone.

There are a few dancing clips in the movie, and most were like shot for 3 minutes and only were included in the movie for 1.5 minutes, so they don't look complete and make me feel odd. The only dancing I like is when Guy and Francois dance together and Guy presents the audience with the new Gene Broadway (Francois). That is a successful and complete dance.

Laura Brown came to my mind. Laura is one of the 3 major characters in the Hours. She also abandons her family when her children are little. Nothing is mentioned how her husband deals with it and how the kids go through it especially when the husband dies quite early. It would be interesting to investigate that.