拖福檢討。

下雨天

我的心情和外面的天氣一樣。


趨近零度的雨天是什麼感覺？又濕又冷，
大概把台北的冬天那種走在路上的滄桑漂泊再描深一點就是。
只是再深一點超過一個極限就會讓人很想哭，
卻又說不上來為什麼，
但其實我應該說的上來的，因為我剛剛知道TOEFL成績。


真像被打了一拳的感覺。


待了大約5秒鐘不知道怎麼回事，誰能告訴我2分是怎麼回事？
我的Reading只拿兩分是怎麼回事？
沒聽說過TOEFL有倒扣，
閉上眼睛點一點應該都有十幾分吧？兩分？


總分：70，Listening:26，Speaking：19，Writing：23，
Reading：2。
這間學校要求每個section 18以上。
我的Reading只拿兩分，所以我有16分的short。


拿出GRE單字開始背的時候腦袋裡一直浮現「2分」，
到底兩分是什麼東西？
你給我零分我還可以和自己說電腦壞了。


雖然沒時間好好做題目我確定我至少有幾題答對的啊，兩分？
如果時間夠的話我的實力會在哪裡呢？
聽，說和寫。Listening目前一般的拖福考題我算很有自信了，
Speaking的問題主要在「不知道要講什麼」，「沒有idea」，
而不是不會講英文。Writing，一般的分析寫作現在難不了我，
反正同一篇模版套一套成績差不多就好，我沒有要當作家。


閱讀很難，難到我開始覺得自己是不是有閱讀障礙。
我念的原文書一直都是理工的文章，
而且還是international edtion的理工科文章。
也許是我潛意識在排斥一些人文科學，
怎麼覺得同樣是學術文章難度那麼天差地別啊。
單字量不夠，知識不夠
(如果那個領域已經有所瞭解文章讀起來快很多)，
練習不夠，速度太慢，問題還真是多。


平常做練習題做得就不怎麼輕鬆愉快，
考試時一個時鐘在螢幕上跑幾乎沒辦法思考，
加上這次運氣差遇到不負責的testing center以致於
第一大題幾乎全用猜的，
可是，這些都不至於造成「2分」啊。
兩分代表，30題我只答對兩題，
這到底是怎麼回事，兩題？
寫過去的信全被ETS石沈大海，
(查一查才發現，ETS受害者還真不少。)
自認倒楣好好準備一下一月再來吧。



下一次我閱讀一定要拿20以上。

First of May.

Written:Barry/Maurice/Robin Gibb(Bee Gees)

When I was small, and Christmas trees were tall,
we used to love while others used to play.
Don't ask me why, but time has passed us by,
someone else moved in from far away.
Now we are tall, and Christmas trees are small,
and you don't ask the time of day. But you and I,
our love will never die,
but guess who'll cry come first of May.

The apple tree that grew for you and me,
I watched the apples falling one by one.
And as I recall the moment of them all,
the day I kissed your cheek and you were gone.

Now we are tall, and Christmas trees are small,
and you don't ask the time of day.
But you and I, our love will never die,
but guess who'll cry come first of May.

When I was small, and Christmas trees were tall,
do do do do do do do do do ...

Don't ask me why, but time has passed us by,
someone else moved in from far away.

Moonlight madness Sale at WoodBurn.

After the wonderful tanksgiving night, Willy and I

drove to Woodburn store cneter for the midnight shopping directly,

on the way to woodburn we just had a bad forefeel

cause there were "TOO MUCH" cars on the high way in the midnight!

We arrived there about 15 mins before midnight,

there were already lots of person lined up in front of the stores...

I can't believe that there were so many nighthawk here in US

for the Moonlight madness Sale...

Yes,it is sheer madness for us to do it...XDDD

I had no idea if the price the night is really great or not,

I just felt ..wow....lots of people everywhere!

I can not enjoy my shopping time cause it's so crowded there,

Can you stand if you have to line up for couple of

hours to check out? I can't cause I am not that young anymore.lol

Our second point is a electrical appliance store...

(I can't remenber the name cause I almost tired out then..)

We went back to PSU at 8:00 in the morning...

I just bought some clothes and an experience that

"I won't go to midnight shopping again!!It's almost kill me!"

But Thank you Willy for taking me with you, anyway.

Thanks Thanksgiving.

Our juicy Turkey!

Turkey is the most common main dish of a Thanksgiving dinner,

that's why Thanksgiving is also called Turkey Day.

The USDA even estimated that about 269 million turkeys

were raised in the country in 2003, about one-sixth of which

were died for a Thanksgiving dinner plate.lol

The use of the turkey in the USA for Thanksgiving just because of

a turkey could feed more than a chicken,XDDD

therefore it's a more cost-effective feast.Acturally it remains

me of the old Chinese proverb:

"People are afraid to be famous as well as Pigs are afraid to be fat"

Of course I went to Freda's place again!Claire and Russ are

very hospitable hoster and I always meet some nice friends

from other countries there!

In the pics I just pretended that I made the dish,lol

actually I was sick the day before the big day and

lay on my room all day long...It's a tragedy that I missed

the preparation for my first Thanksgiving in US!

Claire and Russ's house is still so lovely with a lot of nice

friends there and with a lot of merry atmosphere.

Willy, my classmate in PSU.He told me he would stay home alone

in his house at thanksgiving night.It's irrational to stay alone

in the big day so I asked him if he wanna joining us,

he accepted immediately and did have a wonderful time with us.

After the dinner, on the way to our midnight shopping,

he just told the others again and again:

"Freda's host parents are really great!Much better than mine!"

Becky, Joyce and Micro arrived the night before the big day

and helped with the preparation.I really hope that I had

joined them...It must be very intersting...lol

Claire drenched the turkey with its juice and Russ carved

it into pieces of meat.Claire said American always puted the

turkey juice into mashed potato and make it better.Russ told us

them sometimes called those people who was a little foolish

"Turkey"! Then, a Chinese guy just declared:

"A turkey is carving a turkey!" XDDDDD

The Thanksgiving dinner, of course, is really really

wonderful.Freda's Korean friend cooked a super good food

called "bulgogi"(?).I amost finished one third of it...>//<

Becky made the great "tea egg" as well as sweet apple dish.

I have to say that Becky just has the talent for cooking,

how about become a chef in the furture?I suppose you will

become a successful cook!

Claire said that the organic turkey wouldn't make you

sleepy, however I still felt sleepy sice I ate "TOO MUCH".XDD

I had forgetten what we talked during the dinner time but

still remeber we laughed a lot all the way.

The lovely desserts!I have to announced that the Cheesecake

that Claire made is "super" "extremely" "international" delicious!

I have to lose weight but I can't help myself to eat one piece by

one piece!Of course the Chocolate cake is great also!


After dinner we played some games as usual,

I didn't join the brick game cause I played the card game

with another group...but I heared that they had to

write a word by their buttocks if one lost the game...XDD

Thanks again to Claire and Russ for giving us such a

wonderful Thanksgiving night.^_^

Thanks Freda for inviting us and thanks to all the friends there

to spend a wonderful night with me.Thanks to god to bring

all of you guys to me,Amen.

強迫症。

11月23號的圓月。

強迫症（英文Obsessive compulsive disorder，縮寫OCD）
即強迫性神經症，亦有譯作沉溺，是一種精神官能症，更具體地說，
是焦慮症的一種。患有此病的患者總是被一種強迫思維所困擾。
患者在生活中反覆出現強迫觀念及強迫行為。
（有時，這還與某種焦慮有關）患者自知力完好，
知道這樣是沒有必要的，甚至很痛苦，卻無法擺脫。


Wiki百科如是說。


其實從很早已前我就注意到這個名詞，
那時後我一天至少洗三次澡，
外出和居家的衣服完全分開。(分開洗分開烘方開放)
洗完澡吹完頭髮可以因為天花板滴下的一滴水從頭到腳重洗一次。


做錯了一點小事會鑽牛角尖個好幾天，
知道無濟於事卻無法自制，把自己累的半死卻也相當無辜。


「人幹嘛要過得那麼痛苦？」對於這樣勸我的朋友，
我只好報給一聲苦笑。所謂的強迫症精髓所在，
就是在於無法自我控制，
嚴重一點還會導致自我毀滅的傾向。

造成強迫症的理由主要是遺傳，
也就是所謂的「個性」。
平常並不會出現，往往是在有所觸發的時候發作。
「某一件事情的刺激下，為了克服某種焦慮，
反覆出現過多或重複的強迫觀念及強迫行為，
導致中樞神經興奮和抑制失調。
從而強化並導致了這種習慣的形成，
導致了強迫症的形成。」Wiki百科如是說。


是以皮膚過敏的嚴重是那個投下來的石子，
造成我對所有接觸皮膚東西的留心。
我可以放任地板上滿地落髮好幾個月，
我可以容忍燈上的灰塵滿面。
但是接觸到皮膚的，我的衣服我的床，
椅子和某部分桌面，
擦拭洗滌的次數頻繁到讓人很難想像。


外出的時候，指尖絕對不會觸碰到臉，
因為無法避免手指沾染外面的塵垢。


搞不好我一輩子無法養寵物，或是結婚，
因為如果不去改變這些，我無法和別人一起居住。
貓狗或是男人簡直像是個會走動的超級大細菌，
會造成我極大的精神壓力。


這樣講起來好像挺恐怖的，
不過目前來說似乎一般的心理輔導或藥物控制，
對強迫症患者的助益都不很顯著。



別和我說別想太多就好了，如果可以不要想太多，
那就不叫做強迫症了。慢慢改吧，
說不定哪天，就像奇蹟出現一樣會突然想開。



至少短時間內不會對我生活造成太大問題，
我不是害怕接觸外界，
只是需要一點絕對不容外人觸碰的，自己的空間。

A Grateful Letter in Thanksgiving.

The Thanksgiving Show in Focus.

Thanksgiving is a traditional holiday in US to give thanks .

It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of Nov. in the US.

(In canada in Oct somewhere?)

People gather together with their families or friends, have

some great foods and give thanks.Thanksgiving meals are

traditionally family events where certain kinds of food

are served, take turkey, for example.

Turkey is the featured item in most Thanksgiving feasts,

that’s why sometimes Thanksgiving is referred to as

“Turkey Day”. Claire said that we can help her to prepare

the turkey this year…(you know, we have to stuff the turkey

with a cereal-based stuffing and roasted it).I think we are

going to have a lot of fun then.

Of course there are still many other traditional foods for

thanksgiving, such as sweet ppotatoes, corns, rolls and

pumpkin pie, of course. Often guests bring food items or

help with cooking in the kitchen as part of a communal meal.

In keeping with the holiday theme of giving thanks, during

the socializing or meal, people talk about what they are

thankful for or tell about experiences during thepast year

which have caused them to feel grateful.

Therefore I wanna giving thanks to my parents first, thanks

to them for supporting all my education and all my life in US ,

because of them, I do not have to worry about making money

and can focus all my mind on studies or wonderful student life.

Second, I wanna saying thanks to my grandma for encouraging

me seek my own dream, because of her I know that I do not

have to regret or feel sorry for all the mistakes I have made

before, they were all gone.

Third, I wanna sending the thanks to my friends in Taiwan

and in US, because of them, I do not feel lonely anymore,

they make my life colorful and wonderful…

Thanks a lot, Jessica, Freda, Becky and Joyce…

Thanks to Claire and Russ and Sally and all the others friends

from Focus and PSU, you guys make Portland like my home

town and you are all my families..

Last but not least, I am grateful to God for giving me such

a healthy body and mind so that I can adapt the whole new

life in US in a very short time, thanks for God to bring all

the friends to me here. God make my regular life remarkable

and I really appreciate his kindness.

May all of you have a nice Thanksgiving, amen. ^_^

Happy Sunday night with Jessica's families.

Remenber the truffle chocolate ?

I said that they are the gift to Jessica for the potluck today..

Unfortunately it was quite obvious they had no luck...XDDD

(The chocolates is terrible...)

I do like the kind of party,

we can just enjoy our time together.

Making fun of Becky and Eric, cooking some Chinese foods...

or just hang on as high school girls...

I suppose we are the very kind of friends with the same "tone",

it's really lucky for me to meet you guys here.

Actually Jessica and Freda lives really closely..

I mean..they are neighbors ,so Freda can just

talk a walk for 10 mins to Jessica's place for visiting.

Jessica's house is really really lovely,

with the lovely two cats and a lovely host mom and

lovely little Kristine(Drama Queen).XDD

What we had for dinner today:

Jessica:Curry chicken and Rice

Freda:Boz

Becky:Friend oolong noodles and Bubble tea

Amy:Chocolate Brownie

Browine Recipe:

a package of browine,some chocolate,

four eggs, a cup of water and a pakage of

JELL O chocolate pudding mix,some balck coffee..

Just melt the chocolate, mix with the others

and stir to combine then pour into pan....

bake for about an hour..(It depends..)

Freda said it's not bad.^^"

Bubble tea is great!All the foods are just very successful.

They said it's just as the early Thanksgiving dinner.^^"

Thanks a lots you guys...

I did have a great Sunday night.

Lily(cat) is shy...She just hidden in the basket all day long

out of many strangers in her house...

As she showed up after dinner, we just forced her to take pics

with us...XDD(poor Lily...)

It have been raining all day long today....

Becky started to sing some Chinese songs as the

time we were waiting for the bus..

well...it did make me feel a little homesick.XDD

Thanks for Jessica, you must will have a nice dream tonight..

and...

How about have a Microwave potluck party

in my dorm next time?

Truffle Chocolate.

I came to make the truffle chocolate in the gloomy saterday

with some Chinese Muisc in my laptop..

On the way with my hand covered with the very rich chocolate mud,

I felf as a painter, and I recalled having been in love with painting

as I was a very young young girl.

and Just wondering....Why I don't paint anymore now?

What else I have lost since the busy life?

I sniffed the aroma of the Chocolate all the way I made it.

I am a lazy cooker, u can c the regular recipe here.
All I need are just

CHIRARDELLI bittersweet chocolate and unsweet cocoa powder.

and a microwave oven, of course.

Put in microwave oven and microwave until it melted.

Put the container of the melted Chocolate into

the freezer of the icebox for cooldown...

Do not let it stay inside too long or it'll totally freeze,

I wanna making it flexible.

Use the spoon to seperate the flexible soft Chocolate and

form it into many tiny balls.

Roll them in the cocoa powder immediately.

It's so easy huh?anyway I'll not eat them myself,

they r the gift to Jessica for the potluck party tomorrow.

從優勢談語言。

校園裡的鐘

在這兒認識了幾個英文系畢業的好朋友，
有時候難免會覺得自己的語言能力不如人家。
懂得的字不如人家多，表達意思的詞句不如人家漂亮，
這些都是要花時間每天摸慢慢學的。沒有速成的路。


大學時代有個很有意思的老師，
他叫做Joe。他講話的方法很好玩，
往往讓人覺得他有滿腹經綸卻難以表達出來。
低年級某年的物件導向程式課堂上他說過：
「我們資訊系學生的優勢在哪裡？你看看那些經濟企管的學生，
你會用電腦打報告他們也會，你會用MSN聊天他們聊的比你更高興，
所以我們要學寫程式。」
其實現在很多非關資訊的學系也有程式課，
有興趣的人或多或少都會摸一點。在這資訊報炸的時代，
我們這些科班出生的資訊人選擇了熱門卻往往失去了優勢，
這到底是幸運或不幸呢？


突然想到江清水還在當系主任的時候提到
關於「第二專長」的問題，
他覺得發展第二專長就是優勢所在的方。
比如說你拿了資訊學士不要去拿資訊碩士，
去拿法律去拿生物去拿政治乃至於去拿語文，
去學一些組合起來讓自己「特別」的東西，別人就難以取代你，
至於要學什麼就純粹看「眼光」了，
未來的發展是很難說的準的。


還記得小時候想學醫，
這個願望在台灣這地方十個小學生大概有九個都一樣。
我知道我的天賦和科學和這些都沒有關係，
陰錯陽差選了硬的要命的資訊系高等教育，
畢業了飄洋過海新的生活該考的該念的該玩的一個沒少，
關於未來的每一個選擇好像都會影響一輩子那麼沈重。


只是我的優勢在哪裡呢？
我會寫一些程式，會一些別人不太知道電腦資訊，
如果剛好碰到做過的Project也能侃侃而談心得，
丟給我一些新的程式語言我可以學得比別人快些，
有點基礎背景的緣故。


忘了那年是誰問wjeng老闆：
「到底哪些是最重要一定要學的語言？」
他回答，只有兩個：「中文和英文。」
他的意思應該是要強調我們在學的是邏輯思考能力，
而不是某種特定程式語言，畢竟語言是一直在改變的。


其實到後來會越來越覺得真的語言就是邏輯，
不管是C，Java，中文或英文，都一樣。
學最基本的那一套規則，剩下的就是拼命去記憶細節，
把規則套用在每個細節上去變化。
對了，回到最原本的「練習」上了，
花時間去讓自己熟悉，想辦法讓他變成生活的一部份，
強迫自己去接納去改變，
看看哪天能開花結果登峰造極。


Jessica強迫自己面對全英文的環境來加速適應，
英文系畢業的她尚須如此自覺，
也許我也該下個決心斷中文斷個幾個月試試看，
看最後會變成文字啞巴還是慢慢可以適應
學術文章外的英文作文吧。
至於些下來到底要念Biotech還是純CS，
也許還是得和師長多談一談，
但話說回來我實在很討厭這種壓寶的感覺。

SUPER COOL SEATTLE DAY TRIP!!!

We had a very rush super cool Seattle DAY trip today!

Somebody just warned me that it’s very very tired to

take such a one day trip to Seattle. However, we did have

"a large number" of fun and enjoyed ourselves even if

we were too tired to talk on our way back!

Thax for dear Russ again! You are our SUPER STAR

that every one wanna taking pics with You!

And Thax for all the others that showed us around

the beautiful Seattle city.

(Actually Portland city is much more beautiful.XDD)

This Pic looks like a Movie Poster Right?XDD

DUB:"We are friends of this life"

On the Smith Tower,

which is one of the highest building in the world.

The view there...is ..wow...

really wonderful.

I took a lot of pics there.

On the street.

On the Monorail station.

After a whole day walk,I felt tired(and looks tired)

but really happy in the super beautiful sunset there.

Another Movie Poster.XDDD

The streets:

Seattle is a beautiful city, of course,

with beautiful streets and beautiful seaside.
However, I supposed the city stands on hills with a lot of slope,

some of them are really steep and Becky almost tumbled over

on the way to THE VERY FIRST STARBUCKS…

and further we have to pay extra taxes in WA

therefore I still prefer the Portland City.

actually we were very lucky today cause it's sunny day!

China Town China TOwn everywhere.XD



Lunch:

We enjoyed our lunch at Salmon Cooker,

a very "Sunny" resturant.

It's the first time I had lunch under the sunshine!!!

XDD Do not do it to me again plz!!!(Amy cried!)

However,the seafoods there are great!What we had..

Amy: Salmon and Caesar Salad

Jessica: Vegetable Burger
Freda: Salmon sandwich + Potatos
Becky: Cheese Burger

(Jessica is a vegetarian...but...

Why Becky ate Cheese Burger at seafood resturant?)


Smith Tower:

after lunch, Russ said:"The weather is good so

Let's go to Smith Tower first,

after that we can have some icecream!"

(Russ ate his words!!!We did not have iceream after all!)

Freda found that "TAIPEI 101" is on the list!

We should be very pround.XDD

We took elevator to the top.The prospect from the balcony

was breathtaking.I took millions of pics there.





PIKE PLACE MARKET:

we went to Pike Place Market after

hiking out the China Town.

Both man and cats here have to make money their own.

(XDDDD)

We have decided to visit the market again next time.



The very first STARBUCKS in the world:

My reading teacher Tao told me that she do not like STARBUCKS

at all cause everything inside is very expensive,

and her friends always call it “FOUR BUCKS” out of

you have to spend more than four dollars every time you visit it.

BTW,Becky bought a vanti(Super Big) size ice Mocha in

another StarBucks. Everybody Looked at her drink and slavered…

She didn't wanna sharing with us then had a stomachache

as she back because of she didn't have dinner

but drank a lot of Coffee. Therefore the story of Becky

tells us that do not have super size Coffee along

(You have to share with your friends).XDDD

Kidding Kidding, actually we all putted our straws

into her ice mocha.XDD

I bought a logo Mug back.I love it!

I showed my Oregon ID as I paid for it for avoding taxes charging,

The guy behind me said:"You come from Oregon?...

It's really a wonderful place to stay..You are so lucky"XDDD

Space Needle: We visited the Gift Shop there Only.XDD

I know that one day trip is too rush to experience

the whole city,nevertheless,

we still enjoyed our time with each others

and felt very tired but super happy on the way back.

Maybe next time we will stay overnight there and

have a longer trip together.^^