Andrea 是我來的第一年住在樓下的鄰居，常常邀請我參加她泰國同學的 party，跟著她白吃白喝的，有時她煮多了就找我當食客，我永遠記得玩麻將時她爽快地說〝幹〞跟手舞足蹈地大喊〝胡了〞的模樣，牌品有夠不好的 ^^”，原本應該鬱鬱悶悶的第一年，幸好有她豐富我的生活。Andrea 看起來就是時髦的城市女孩，但在這鄉下地方，她倒也過的輕鬆自在，很享受自己的生活，有她獨有的步調，她就是這麼一個有自信的女孩。
〝Morocco 真是個非常奇妙的地方，你永遠猜不到下一秒會發生什麼，前一秒才被要錢的小孩搞的不勝其擾，接下來卻有好心的店家邀我到他的店舖喝薄荷茶，〝不買東西也沒關係，只是喝茶〞。這是真的，因為我幹過兩次這種事，就坐在凳子上跟他們喝茶聊天，然後我說我該走了，從沙漠到大都市工作的 berber 店員說歡迎我下次到沙漠裡他的家玩，留下他的地址跟 e-mail 給我，如果我真的再度造訪 Morocco，我想我會去的。 --- Andrea 3/31/07〞
看著 Andrea 的照片，因為是一個人旅行，很有生活的味道，有很多饒具風趣的小細節，看著 Andrea 騎著駱駝橫跨撒哈啦沙漠的照片，羨慕起她一個人旅行的自由心靈。
Andrea was my neighbor downstairs during my first year in USA. Because of her company, the first year which was supposed to be a little gloomy became bright. She took me to her Thai friends’ parties where we could always eat and drink for free. We were used to play mahjong together and she always shouted so loudly when she won or lost. Andrea looks just like a city girl in fashion, but she did enjoy her life in this small country city. I think that’s because she has the confidence in herself, she feels comfortable everywhere.
Since she quit her job previously, she decided to have a wonder in Morocco. Before she departed, she asked for my address and was surprised that I still live in the same place. Maybe in a shining afternoon, she strolled on the beautiful streets in Fès, and got tired so she walked in a café to have a drink and write some postcards, including this one:
“ Morocco is really a magic place. You will never know what is gonna happen next second. When you just get exhausted by those kids who keep asking for money, then a kind owner just invites you to have a drink in his shop. He may say, “You don’t need to buy anything. Let’s just have a cup of tea together.” That’s real because it happened to me twice. I just sat there and talked with them. When I said I should leave, one of the service persons gave me his address and e-mail, and invited me to his home in the desert next time. I think I will go if I visit Morocco again. --- Andrea 3/31/07”
Maybe because it’s a journey by herself, Andrea's pictures revealed a flavor of life, including many interesting details that we may neglect if we are touring, not living. When I am watching the picture of her crossing the Sahara desert by riding a camel, I am avid to have the free mind she has.
Recently I was busy preparing for my seminar. Today I finally finished it. It’s such a relief~ 萬歲~ \(^^)/
Good music is necessary when preparing for presentations. It can’t be too loud, and it can’t be too slow. It must provide me a pleasing and comfortable aura. Feist just released her new album “The Reminder” on April. Since the new album was not on hand now, I reviewed her last album “Let It Die”. It was so right that my iTune kept playing it during my preparation for the seminar.
At first I thought Feist is an attractive European, but actually she is from Canada. She started in music as a vocalist in a punk band called Placebo (not the famous British band Placebo). After a voice damage, she took up guitar and found her own music. The first album “Monarch” didn’t draw a lot of attention, but the second one “Let It Die” successfully sailed into the international audience. Feist’s music includes a little folk, a little jazz, a little bossa nova, and a little rock.
Feist must love dancing. You can see her little movements in her each MV. Among them, I like “One Evening” the most.
How come you won’t love this cute weird woman after watching this MV?
Feist, One Evening
The evening was long, my guesses were true
You saw me see you
That something you said, the timing was right
The pleasure was mine
The time and the place, the look on your face
Sincerest of eyes
If you're ready or not, the state of our hearts
There's no time to take
When we started both brokenhearted
Not believing
It could begin and end in one evening
We were caught by the light
Held on to the day till it became ours
The minutes went by, the cab is outside
There's no time to take
When we parted, moving on
And believing it could begin and end in one evening
When we started both brokenhearted
Not believing it could begin and end in one evening
When we parted, moving on
And believing it could begin and end in one evening
