Five months ago, life struck me with a series of events. I had a very difficult time dealing with the synergistic effect, but after I dried my tears, I marked my calendar and told myself this would be the beginning of a new stage of my life — I am going to rise from the ashes like a phoenix.
525,600 Minutes Since I Left Northwestern
Well, I would say I could measure the past year in how many times life has hit me — probably more than it did during all my four years at Northwestern combined. But just like what Khalid said to me winter quarter of my freshman year, “Pain makes you strong.” — with each hit, life has indeed made me grow stronger and taught me to appreciate things around me more.
《西北之聲》散文集序
2009 年 9 月 9 日，十八歲生日當天，我懷著躊躇滿志卻又忐忑不安的心情，離開了我的家鄉臺灣，來到位於埃文斯頓（Evanston, 芝加哥北部的郊區）的西北大學。當我第一次站在校園中，在密西根湖畔遠眺寶藍湖面上的點點風帆時，我的心中只盈滿了夢想成真的狂喜，對未來的期許卻依然模糊。當時我尚未意識到，我生命中最重要最難忘的四年，即將在這個鍾靈毓秀的校園中展開。
Goodbye Northwestern
Just a few days away from my departure. My boxes were shipped and my room is mostly packed up now. As I am getting ready to leave Evanston, I find it very difficult to believe that I have already spent four years at Northwestern. I still remember so clearly how excited I was when I first set foot on campus on my 18th birthday — I had seen so many gorgeous pictures of Northwestern in all the brochures that the Admission Office sent me, and when I was finally here, everything just looked so much better than the pictures.
Farewell, Meade Lab!
I couldn’t find words to describe my love and appreciation for the Meade Lab, so I made a music video. 🙂
一個人
我是聽校園民歌長大的孩子，這首葉佳修作曲填詞、潘安邦演唱的《年輕人的心聲》我已聽過無數遍，但前幾天我在我的 iTune 上聽見潘安邦清亮純厚、活力十足的嗓音唱著這段熟悉的旋律，突然覺得這首歌真的是我過去三年半來心情的寫照（或許除了我不會彈吉他之外），連我的名字都天衣無縫地融入歌詞裡了！
垂柳
今天下樓去拿信的時候，發現我的房子附近有一株楊柳，它迎風款擺的柳條立刻讓我想到了離開西北大學的前一天，在密西根湖畔看到那一排飛瀑般的柳樹。現在的它們，是否仍如同當日一般，在寶藍色的密西根湖前、芝加哥的豔陽下，瀟灑地舞動？楊柳在我們的文化中，似乎總帶著一絲淡淡的落寞惆悵——「年年柳色，灞陵傷別。」而人在異鄉，心緒似乎特別容易受到感動。
Window
Back in Evanston. I am sitting in front of my French window, looking at the glittering lake and listening to the music with which my heart has been beating in the past week. Just like my spring trip, this ASB winter trip to DC turned out to be one of the best weeks in my life: a charming city, a group of wonderful people, and an amazing journey.
Birthday Letter from Dad & Mom | 爸爸媽媽的生日祝福
It’s my 20th birthday today, and I received the best birthday gift from my parents. Thank you Dad and Mom — it reminds me of all the wonderful things I thought I had lost through the course of life; it reminds me of the kind of person I want myself to be; it reminds me of the attitude I should have when life challenges me.
Listening to the Rain
It has been raining this entire afternoon. One of the best things about my apartment is the giant French window facing the lake. I have been working in front of my window for a few hours, listening to the rain tapping its melody on this window. This reminds me of what happened last summer: in a rainy afternoon in Taiwan, after I had tea with my high school friends, I sat in front of my window at home, writing an article and listening to the rain.