寒盡不知年 No Time to Die

While I was never enamored with the Bond series, Daniel Craig’s portrayal was my favorite by far so to watch his reign ending in a cliche was a disappointment.  The graphic elements were stunning though from the hill town of Matera, the poisonous zen garden of Safin… to the lithe silhouette of Paloma in the rippling black ball gown while kicking villains’ butts with her long legs.

向來近鄉情怯, 睽違長長三年COVID, 總算決然告假一個月回台北探親.  如今旅行不如疫病蔓延前自由自在起而行, 核酸檢測, 全面酒精消毒, 防疫旅館隔離, 衛生署鄰里日日電話查詢, 才剛到埠我已精疲力盡.

However, there was one Bond signature that I absolutely resonate with, the gadgetry.  I had been fascinated with beautifully design machinery growing up and eventually joined the confederacy of product designers. For my homecoming trip to Taipei, I amassed a list of quarantine essential:  rotary calendar(decided not to bring in the end as it is style over function), vintage binoculars, harmonica, and SwissCard Classic.  Each and every came in handy!

只好阿Q思維, 隔離當閉關休生養息, 客房色澤格調意外的與LK行裝相搭, 水族缸似的大窗, 窗景弔詭, 後現代的斷續寒砧斷續風.  最心曠神怡是乾濕分離, 占房間一半的寬敞浴室浴缸, 泡泡熱水澡, 煩惱兩邊站. 

My grandfather had a pair of the folding opera glass dated back to the 60s I think.  Something wasn’t quite right with the spring and it didn’t collapse fully that I constantly had to suppress the urge of taking the whole darn thing apart!!!  Grandpa had gone to the heaven decades ago.  I got mine on eBay and enjoyed watching hummingbirds and squirrels in my backyard since.  Occasionally I looked up to the sky through these lens and waved:  I see ya, Grandpa :)

COVID三年LK下廚早羽煉成仙, 飯來張口還真不習慣, 然, 墮落不過一瞬間的事, 加上寶島佳餚誘惑:  早起清粥小菜, 中午燻鵝片豬血糕, 下午茶仙草粉圓, 晚膳酸菜豬腳... 沒兩天, LK已酒足飯飽富泰圓滾如小豬呵呵叫. 

I quarantined at the Parkview Hotel.  The room was super nice with mid century x mod decor and a sleek granite bath plus tub.  The view through the floor to ceiling window was however very Quentin Tarantino(where’s the park?). Not sure if I would be under the suspicion of voyeurism if I raise my binoculars.  I did track a tiny white butterfly fluttering across the rain-eroded concrete walls one early morning, sweet.

難得獨處, 偷得浮生半日閑, 痛快極了!  早起早睡, 畫圖讀書, 看偵探影集.  自備古董望遠鏡和foldscope顯微鏡, 於有限空間觀察寶島生態; 也帶了口琴, 隨著線上免費課程學奏Take Me Home, Country Road 結果嘛, 就是鄰居可能會報警 :P

Solitude is the necessary respite to restore one’s sense of self.  In quarantine I am finally cultivating the habits I long desire.  Eight hours of sleep, daily reading and sketching, warm bath first thing in the morning and the last thing at night.  Playing a ditty on the harmonica.  I tried Take Me Home, Country Road following a YouTube lesson.  To be fair, it sounded more like a distress call of the hyenas...

這段日子其實心情頗沈重, 職場動盪變遷, LK的頂頭上司, 位高權重, 人亦美貌, 出入如電影明星, 莫名的病倒, 請長假就醫.  老闆雖難搞, 多年來我們早建立團隊情誼, 人生如斯無常, 我深心期盼她早日康復. 

After a couple days, the quarantine meals started to feel repetitive, due to my gluten-free dietary restrictions.  Delicious nevertheless and I especially loved the Taiwanese delicacies like the smoked goose degustation lunch from a Michelin big gourmand eatery.  Self restraint out the door I satisfyingly devoured the last morsel.  Glad I brought the SwissCard utility tools.  Both the blade and miniature pair of shears spared my teeth and fingernails from tearing vacuum sealed clings and sliced fresh lime for my afternoon tea!

回到台北, LK媽不免開始執行母親特權: 嘮叨.  在她心目中, LK之所以健康時亮紅燈(去年三場手術), 是因為生活壓力大(?)和個性抑鬱(?!)  我左耳進右耳出, 懶得和老人家爭辯.  不愛多言, 不慣東家長西家短不代表抑鬱, 言之有物是品德.  至於壓力, 活在這世上誰不辛苦, 我等皆苦中作樂, 無謂深究. 

Like numerous other workbots, I too had a difficult time leaving professional duties behind.  Mind you, I am not even in the medical field or the first respondents saving lives.  During the first few days of my vacation, I checked work mail hourly and had a team TB via zoom the morning after checking into the quarantine hotel. And now?  A well rested body and brain seemed to diminish the absurd sense of self importance.  Dear reader, there you have it, I went from No Time to Die to The World Can Wait... in *Jamie Bond style.