In Proust's eyes--Françoise and her headless chicken

For years, I spoke of Françoise and her headless chicken de Proust--sheer memory sur la recherche du temps perdu.

So I decided to find out whether it was true that Françoise put off a fight with her headless chicken... (the only one thing I recall from the limited amount of Proust I have managed to read so far in my life) and so I found...

When I went in, I saw her in the back-kitchen which opened on to the courtyard, in process of killing a chicken; by its desperate and quite natural resistance, which Françoise, beside herself with rage as she attempted to slit its throat beneath the ear, accompanied with shrill cries of "Filthy creature! Filthy creature!" it made the saintly kindness and unction of our servant rather less prominent than it would do, next day at dinner, when it made its appearance in a skin gold-embroidered like a chasuble, and its precious juice was poured out drop by drop as from a pyx. When it was dead Françoise mopped up its streaming blood, in which, however, she did not let her rancour drown, for she gave vent to another burst of rage, and, gazing down at the carcass of her enemy, uttered a final "Filthy creature!"

Proust, M. (1966). Remembrance Of Things Past. Vol. I. Swann's Way  http://www.gutenberg.org/: Project Gutenberg.  Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/7178/7178-h/7178-h.htm 

Quand je fus en bas, elle était en train, dans l'arrière-cuisine qui donnait sur la basse-cour, de tuer un poulet qui, par sa résistance désespérée et bien naturelle, mais accompagnée par Françoise hors d'elle, tandis qu'elle cherchait à lui fendre le cou sous l'oreille, des cris de "sale bête ! sale bête ! ", mettait la sainte douceur et l'onction de notre servante un peu moins en lumière qu'il n'eût fait, au dîner du lendemain, par sa peau brodée d'or comme une chasuble et son jus précieux égoutté d'un ciboire. Quand il fut mort, Françoise recueillit le sang qui coulait sans noyer sa rancune, eut encore un sursaut de colère, et regardant le cadavre de son ennemi, dit une dernière fois : "sale bête ! " 

Proust, M. (1966). A la recherche du temps perdu. Du côté de chez Swann  http://www.gutenberg.org/: Project Gutenberg.  Retrieved from http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2650/2650-h/2650-h.htm 

Comma, no comma in "Philosophy Scholar XYZ ABC"?

Didn't not intend to stay up so late-- actually, intended to go to bed earlier today.

Yet, yours styleless and Missy Bad English got stuck with this question about a specific usage of English punctuation, and finally got it resolved after 4-5 hours of studying the Chicago Manual of Style online...

"Comma, no comma in 'Philosophy Scholar XYZ ABC'?," which is posted in my "Research Kinda thing in Ratology" blog (Does it even exist? 8-O lol)

So they say, easy come, easy go.

Also, 4-5 hours to get to this answer, guess it's gonna be pretty hard for me to forget this rule! 8-O lol

Can't believe that I got it.... 8-O

Time to go nite nite.

First major project for 2013 accomplished: got to the toilet

Today I got the first big project for the new of 2013... I got to the toilet.  8-O

And, no ordinary toilet but the Modern Toilet... lol



What is significant about this toilet in comparison to any other toilets I frequent on a daily basis- other than it is actually a restaurant?  One step at a time, I- go go go... allez allez allez... with hands moving around helping me move...  I walked all the way from the area of Sogo Department Store in the East district （東區） to the West district （西門町） without the cane.  It took me only within 1.5 hours to cover the distance of 5.1 KM or so- not to mention the stairs I had to climb up to get to this restaurant on the second floor and on time!

I had thought that I might not be able to get this project accomplished to get to the Modern Toilet because I got out late and may not be able to get there by the meeting time.  Yet, I did it!

Though might need to treat my body with the Epsom salt bath tonight... the first major project for 2013 I accomplished today!

(Related post in Ratology at Large: Today I got my own behind up to the Modern Toilet)

My rehabilitation doctor

The recent times are some times with benchmark after benchmark...

In addition to walking diligently rain or shine almost ever day for all these years, I also go to do my physical therapy religiously.  As a result, I would upset my body once ever so often given the extended workload to the body and have to send the even more beaten-up-truck state of body into the shop to get it repaired by my rehabilitation doctor.  8-O lol

A rehabilitation doctor I highly recommend shall you be in Taipei!  

http://www.drhsu21.com/

A loose cannon losing the cane

Today marked the first day for this loose cannon to lose the cane....

Though I have been practicing for weeks if not months to walk my cane instead of walking with the support of my cane, it remained buzzard to walk down the street without the cane in hand and it remains to be more effortful.  As a result, I cut down on the distance I traversed today to accommodate the change in my routine as per da Purta Plata Principle.

Three reasons why walking seems to be more strenuous without the cane:

1. When carrying a cane and even without using its support all the times, it provides a sense of security when walking.  As a result, the simple fact that the cane is not there when needed (which happens) makes me feel more tense and, I guess, makes the body more tense as well.  
2. The aforementioned psychological factors do have its basis in reality.  Though nothing skinny, I can be easily knocked down when people brush through me because I do have problems with motor control.
3. After using the cane to help me walk around for the past two years, I think the body has developed the "caned" habit.  The body is having confusions on how to walk.  8-O lol  I would simply have to give the body its time to find its path to walk.

One thing different I know between my losing da cane last round in 2008 and this time is that... the bodily structure has changed further and it would take far more work till... hopefully, one day the day will come, shall the day ever come, when I can walk again like how I walk post-June-19th-2007 accident and prior to Jan. 7th, 2011 when, noch ein mal, the body got reset to ground zero.

Whether the day will come or not, that's not my business now since- what good does it do for me such to entertain?  To stop me from working better at walk simply because it might be a dream never to be fulfilled?  I do know that I have to proceed with cautions.  In addition, the next phase... living with semi-invisible disabilities and the ensuing unfolding....

It's only the beginning of a new beginning.  The never-ending pursuits in life!

Yet, without the cane, today at large I walked!

Puerto Plata principle

Actually, other than my finally climbed up to the top of my world (8-O lol), another benchmark I am getting closer to is to get done with the lingering thought broadcasting symptom.

Regardless, delusional as usual.  If things coming out of my mouth is recorded as per da reality in my imaginary world, they'd be listening to two things that keep on getting repeated like a broken record.

"Stomach" and "Puerto Plata principle."

Stomach?  A reminder for myself to use the stomach muscles when moving.

"Puerto Plata principle?"

When I was in the resort of Puerto Plata, DR., there were open bars everywhere and they even come to restuff alcohol in the refrigerator on a daily basis.  A drinker's paradise!

The only problem was that it wouldn't be too much fun if I get too boozed up and wake up with one of them hangovers that last for days with me religiously worshiping the porcelain God by giving back everything I consume.  As a result, I had to be disciplined with my drinking- drinking enough to get the money's worth  yet not so much that I would wake up with a huge hangover.  It was an art to appropriate and an essential art to keep on drinking.... 8-O lol

So, during my recovery process and still, every day, when I find myself having the propensity to push and push even more, so I say to myself... "Puerto Plata principle."

Benchmark!

For the past few months, I have been working on da unterwegs zum losing the cane.  After getting better walking on "flat surface," I switched the emphasis of my training on slopes in the past few weeks... starting from observing how normal people walk on slopes and their postures.

The conclusion I draw from observing how normal people walk and trying to do the walk myself is that- when doing the slopes, the thighs are placed in front of the remaining of the torso and the torso has to be adjusted to the "right" angle (some kind of leaning forward) so that the center is located appropriately to make moving more ergonomic.  It is also not necessary for on knee in the front leg to be straightened before moving the one in the back forward.

In addition, I have to keep on reminding myself to use the stomach and leg muscles to help me move.  Another curious observation I made one day is that, when doing the slopes, the body does not adjust its own posture automatically and I actually have to use visual input to adjust my posture.

So I did my slopes... starting from the slanted surface possibly unobservable to the common people without the support of the cane..... adding more distance, speed and steepness gradually... till today, I conquered the slope at the Taipei Arena leading up to the south entrance without the cane!

So, I got up to the top of the slope... feeling like what Rocky might have felt when running up them stairs.... though all that I did was-- not counting the passersby- all along and moved my fat butts up da slope.  8-O lol

The benchmark had shifted gradually throughout the time.. starting for the first pole, the second to all the way up to the top.  Yet, what is accomplished today is one of the grand benchmark I set for myself!  Though I had not gotten the goal accomplished by the new year's eve.  3 days kinda variance?  Gladly accepted!

After this, awaiting is the cane-less walk!

My biggest accomplishment of 2012

Been working hard on the loosing da cane effort... with the past few weeks focusing on doing slopes without using the support afforded by the cane.  Because of the holidays, for 3 days, I had not been keeping up with my walking and doing da slope routine.

Yet, when going back to da really steep slope by the RT-Mart today, I realized that.. "man, still got it."

So it is... my biggest accomplishment of 2012, getting myself to the state that I can do this slope without da cane de moi.

Brova!

Fireworks at Taipei 101: Happy New Year!

Got myself to join the crowds by the intersection of Zhongxiao East Road and Guanfu South Road and saw a closer view of the fireworks at Taipei 101 although I usually try to avoid crowds huge as such.



Just so happen, because I posted the uploaded click on facebook while giving people my new year's wish, my friend Marc performing in Taipei realized that I am actually in Taipei. 8-O lol

The haphazard nature of life- and my no-one-knows-where-the-heck-Ratprincess-is existence.  8-O lol

Happy New Year wherever you are!

P.S. Today, I walked down to see the fireworks and back semi-cane-less- going almost as functiona as my grandpa Canon PowerShot A570 IS- though no nothing topnotch... 8-O lol
(This is cross-posted in Ratology- Handicapped at Large)

The rite of passage

Took on another translation job and also in the history domain...

I think the task of translating is a really strenuous task and a great learning opportunity since you have to really understand the ideas in one language before representing it in a different language.

Back to the key point.... what I learned from translating these articles in the domain of history... 20-20 hindsight after and only after getting done with the rite of passage for development in all capacities- perhaps?

Peanut brittle

My friend came to visit and I tried to show him around town... At some point, I was trying to explain the dessert originated from the town where I was born...


I was trying with all my might to explain that one of the ingredient for the dessert was made of caramel and peanuts...  with that thing looking mighty like this...

The discussion might have got a bit loud between the two of us... and these two nice English speaking girls came over and said... "It has ice cream and peanut brittle inside."

To be more exact, it is a dessert sort of like a wrap with ice cream and shaved peanut brittle inside.

Back at home, as I was clicking away with my Bejewel blitz... I came to my mind... "Peanut brittle?"

Might have heard of this term but it has never been in my dictionary. lol

Gotta thank the nice girls from introduce this word into my dictionary.

Next time when I give people a tour in Taiwan and see the same dessert, I will be able to explain to them, "That dessert is sort of like a wrap with ice cream, celantro and shaved peanut brittle inside."

How did I get there?

My life so far is strange...  above and beyond all things strange about me myselves...

Was thinking about how I get to many places that I got to...

In addition to getting to the petroglyph.. en route of  da Volcano in the distance and the discovery of da tourist information both later on down the hill.

Then I thought of how I got to have my internship at 市療.  My grades weren't impressive enough and I was only on the waiting list.  However, I was leaving for Vancouver and I didn't want to rush too much- not to mention that it was my first choice.  So I went and pleaded and somehow I got to have my internship at 市療.

Not to mention my being the first exchange students from my college to UBC... I don't know how on earth I got selected but I surely am happy that I was selected....

And, that's Goethe institute... I heard of it so many a time but it seemed to be beyond my budget.  Just so happen, I applied and I got the stipend to go study German in Regensburg....

Also like- as I was mindlessly clicking away on Bejeweled Blitz, pondering about the above notion and thinking to myself-- so ist das leben... good and bad luck- all balance out.  Just so happened, the score hit the 108K and more and hit the 100K benchmark.

How did I get there?

Have you ever pondered-- the how-did-I-get-there phenomena? 8-O

Nobody's gonna buy

Had a smoke as I arrived at the turning point of my daily walk...

These two young kids walked by and said something like, "Nobody's gonna buy."

Nobody's gonna buy the book?

A notion valid in both the reality and my delusional reality.

Immediately I thought of the commercial Jeremy Lin did for Volvo...


So the commercial ended with this statement in Chinese, "我是林書豪。我超越的是我自己。" (I am Jeremy Lin.  I surpass myself.)

So I thought and think... I am Ratprincess... I surpass myselves and beat my own record...

Also... less than 10 copies sold for my first book... da dissertation... A theory-based usability study- and never cited, I think.... 8-X

Yet, think I have, so far, identified at least 10 friends to buy the DWM book, which yet has to find someone to publish.... Regardless, should be sufficient in surpassing my own record?  Surely much easier to be Ratprincess than Jeremy Lin. 8-O lol

Go Jeremy Lin!  Go! Go! Go!

What I learned from my first-time translation experiences

One thing important I learned from my first experience in translating an academic paper, after all the years, let along the writing style, I still have problems with simple grammatical issues such as:

1. the book described or describes, has/had described
2. the definite article "the": national history(-ies) or the national history(-ies)
3. plural/singular and un/countable nouns: mutual understanding or understandings), 
4. prepositions such as "on," "in," "of, and "for" at times.

For instance, "The book described/describes people's mutual understanding(s) of the national history(-ies).

What does it mean in the context of all the writings done in the reign of Ratology?

Mindless writing, especially in the form, surely has not much bearing in the improvement of writing skills and the understanding of the language usage. 8-X (Ouch.. this b from hell surely is harsh... 8-O lol)


Ratology Reloaded: First time experience- translation: In my much younger years, I used to proud myself for being bilingual- only to realize after I came back to Taiwan that- me ain't so good in...

The blog that no one reads...

At around noon, when I was plowing away with the translation task, I checked the blog stats...

Oops... over the rooftop kinda deviation from the norm.... so to speak... 189 hits in one day while the total pageviews was 911 last month.

So I thought, though I get no autobot on me to visit, I surely had quite a few visits from the bots- automatic as well.... 8-O lol

First time experience- translation

In my much younger years, I used to proud myself for being bilingual- only to realize after I came back to Taiwan that- me ain't so good in Chinese composition no more... or, to be more exact... I've never written an academic paper for publication purpose in Chinese in my entire life...

Recently, yours handicapped in the body and in the head ying-ying-mei-dai-zi grade of unemployed workaholic (such way to replace "I" or "Is" is surely dasein-ish... Love it! 8-O lol) took on a part time job to translate a paper on the topic of history.

I have done translations before but was never at the scale of 23000 Chinese words... with a whole lot of terminology-- so to speak- to me- unheard of.

In the process of living through my first time experience in the department of translation.

So far, what I figured after the over 13000 words translated....

The process of translation is like what I do when trying to clean up my room- a whole lot of moving things around.

Ratology Reloaded: First time experiences- Bought!

Refrigerator is finally here...

The gentlemen who brought it in really beam like a beaver and zoom like a Cadillac... Wow... Admiration.

I haven't even finished reading one paragraph on the computer... they already got the old refrigerator out. 8-O

Was gonna buy it myself since I have never bought no refrigirator in my life.  Yet, my sister wanted to chip in and I said... fine.  8-O lol



Ratology Reloaded: First time experiences- Bought!: The refrigerator got too tired of breathing and decided to check out the other day.  Since it is now about 20 something years old, we decid...

Preface for Down with Meds- A revelation of Ratology

When I first wanted to work on a book on my health condition, depression was the label I had with panic disorder the side dish.  The older I grew, en route to the collection of an academic credit or two, and, one diploma or two, I collected as well a label or two, if not more. 

At the same time, in the beginning, I had wanted to work on a fictional story- through the story of a fictional figure my own story to tell.  Later, after I documented my life all the way into the psychiatric ward through the first person narration, I wanted to analyze the texts and turn it into a methodologically sound qualitative study.  At the end, I decided to simply let who I was speaking for herself- in good times, in bad times and everywhere in between- with the preferred bad English of my own- a combination of vernacular, faux Archaic English and more.

While I might not be able to dazzle you with brilliance, I intend not either to baffle you with bullshit.  All I want to present to you, I guess, is the rite of passage through the reflections in Dasein when la dirrita via era smarrita. 

No man is an island- not even a longer like me.  The compilation of this book would not have been possible without the love, help and support from all the fine people I have come across throughout the years.  This book is, thus, dedicated to, in Taiwan, New York and beyond, my families and friends as well as all the acquaintances, who have shown me the bright side of life whenever possible (in my realities shared or not shared with the external world)! 

At the same time, were not for blogger, Ratology might not have had itself to me revealed- a word of thanks to the service provider- albeit the fact that I might be, to them, on the servers, 1s and 0s. lol

Famous buildings in Taipei (as per East Metro Mall)

During the winter time last year, to hide away from the cold and rain, I took it down to the East Metro Mall ( 東區地下街) to do my daily walk. There I came across the long term exhibition for the selected 17 famous buildings in Taipei.

After many of a walk through them buildings- version miniature, I decided to walk them through at large.

Many a up-and-down of my health conditions after, I finally moved my butts through them all... and with my dear grandpa camera Canon A570IS, a camera almost as adama shorto as me, pictures taken and images captured.

Funny enough, some time after I started my walking them buildings at large, in the news, one day, I heard that mistakes in the labels were found in the exhibition that has been there for 10 years or more... and... eventually  they were corrected... (which, of course, made yours grandiose delusional thought it might have something to do with my diligent efforts in walking the walk- though such delusion was well-handled. 8-X)

Sure, were I who I was, these places could have been easily visited within 3-4 days- rather than extended for the duration of almost an year.  Yet, were I who I was, some of the path I traversed might not have occurred at all...  At the same time, the path I traversed... nothing but the consequences of walking the walk.

At the same time, some part of journey really resonated only too well with my beloved song de Whitesnake..


The the spirit of you can call me Al cuts it pretty well as well... (an youtube clip I inserted by mistake as  opposed to da "I don't know where I'm going...")


When walking da walk... "I don't know where I am going." (I just... go go go allez allez allez lol)
Right now... "I sure know where I've been."   (Hopefully)

Synchronously, my MBT sandal got totally worn out at the last spot... the presidential palace with the the sole totally out... Thank you, Mon chéri, for absorbing the pressure and helping me walk across continents and in all seasons... (Guess, I did leave traces on the path I have traversed... somehow.. 8-O 8-X lol)

If you are in Taiwan or will visit Taiwan, be sure to visit the following buildings and... beyond...

Bon voyage!

Historial building

1. 龍山寺 Longshan Temple, Taipei
2. 台北賓館 Taipei Guesthouse, Taipei
3. 台北故事舘Taipei Story House (Formerly known as 圓山別莊)
4. 台北當代藝術舘 Museum of Contemporary Art, Taipei
5. 北門 承恩門 North Gate
6. 台灣省立博物館 Taiwan Provincial Museum
7. 總統府 Presidential Palace (總統府 Presidential Palace Front view)
8. 淡水紅毛城 (Museum of Fort San Antonio)
9. 公賣局 Wine and tobacco monopoly bureau

Modern building

1. ATT 4 Fun (Formerly known as New York, New York 紐約紐約)
2. 台北101摩天大樓 Taipei World Financial Center
3. 威秀影城 Vieshow Cinemas (Formerly 華納威秀 Warner Village)
4. 台北世界貿易中心展覽大樓 Taipei World Trade Center
5. 新光摩天大樓 Shin Kong Life Tower
6. 大陸工程總部大樓 Continental Engineering Corporation Building
7. 富邦金融大樓 Fu-ban Financial building
8. 遠企中心 Far Eastern Plaza

(Cross-posted in Ratology- Handicapped at Large)

First time experiences- Bought!

The refrigerator got too tired of breathing and decided to check out the other day.  Since it is now about 20 something years old, we decided to get a new one.


Went with my mom and sister shopping for the next refrigerator today... with my sister's expert skills in haggling, bought a refrigerator for the first time today!

So they say, in Taiwan, Panasonic and Hitachi are two of the most energy efficient brands.  In addition, the freezer is at the bottom to make it even more efficient.

Since, with another 500 NT dollar, we could get cashback rebate and additional gift.  I bought a USB flash drive for myself for the first time in my life as well!

Down the memory lane with down with meds, over a thousand US dollar kinda spending for an unemployed psychotic who's still broadcasting thoughts...  Makes me wonder... lord... am I swinging to the other side characterized with shopping spree? 8-O lol

Yet, having lived without a refrigerator for the past few days, I guess, refrigerator is as essential as broadband in the modern time... 8-X

Regardless, two first time experiences in one day- I bought a Flash Drive for the first time in my life- (though-- whispering--- was waiting to buy 128 GB instead- although I didn't see 128 GB in stock- good excuse for a cheapskate like me) - en route to buy a refrigerator for the first time in my life!

(This post is cross-posted in Ratology Reloaded Blog)