Friday, February 10, 2012

支边日记 (1)

天儿终于冷起来了。

找工作那会儿就知道这里的冬天很可怕,所以从秋天开始工作起,我就一直等待着那种只能用Brutal来形容过的冬天的来临,谁知该来的竟一直没有来,不仅没有冰,连雪也下得很薄,还连着几个小阳春天。一开始我还一本正经地戴帽子、戴手套,后来帽子戴不住了,最后连手套都免了,天儿暖的时候,连羽绒服也不用穿就能满校区跑。直到昨晚,寒潮突然降临,抖抖嗖嗖走在回家的路上,我才慢慢地想起,嘿,手套和帽子都忘办公室里了。

这里的冷超出想象。打出娘胎,我还没在这么冷的地方生活过。走在风里吧,那风竟不是风,是小李飞刀的刀。一刀、一刀,割得脸生疼。最疼的还不是脸,是鼻子,冻得里头的软骨都仿佛变脆了,真害怕稍一用力,啪一声,断了。凡是脸上凸起的地方都是重灾区。中午趁着外头还有点太阳,我顶着风,走回家拿借书证,到家一照镜子,好嘛!整张脸变关公了!据说这叫Wind burn,跟Sun burn还真没两样。这么多burn几次,我会不会有健康的小麦肤色呢。。。

晚上我学乖了,全身上下,露在外头的地方都包了个严实,可恨眼睛要露在外面看东西,要不然也一起包起来。一边走着,一边突然想起来号称美国人类学之父的Franz Boas,曾经在天寒地冻的Baffin Island跟爱斯基摩人呆了整整一年,穿他们的皮袍子,跟他们打猎、坐狗拉雪橇,住冰屋子,他那时候的感觉是什么样儿的?他会不会觉得冷,觉得孤独,无助,想家?他给未婚妻写了N多信,其中一封骄傲地宣称,他也能像爱斯基摩人一样打猎了,终于变成了他们的一员。在这遥远的美国大中西部,要变成这里的一员,我感觉比Boas变成爱斯基摩人的一员,还要难。毕竟,Boas能在爱斯基摩人那里寻找到温暖的心和真实的友情。作为第三世界国家国际打工仔的我,能在这第一世界国家的边陲小镇,寻找到怎样的心和怎样的感情呢?

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Danish Royal Ballet

第一次坐得离舞台这么近,有点窥视的感觉了。可以清晰地看到跳舞的人剧烈起伏的胸膛,听到他们落地时舞鞋碰地的达达声。第一次知道他们不光在台下挥汗如雨,在台上也会如此。一挥手之间,汗珠散成一个优美的圆弧,无声息地落到地面。

最后压轴的是一个群舞,叫Earth。全部都是男的。很难想象这样一群人有什么好看的 -- 没有高高踮起的脚尖,没有旋转的红舞鞋,更没有轻纱罗裙、修长双腿。可是,偏偏是他们,舞出了别样的妩媚。

领舞的是Thomas Lund,这个从ballroom dance进入ballet世界的舞蹈家,让我领略了什么叫做男人的舞蹈。我真的找不出更好的词汇来形容看他跳舞的感觉。不需要夸张的妆容,不需要华丽的舞美,他看似不经意地一举手一投足,那种扣人心弦的美,已经如暗夜盛放的茉莉花香,阵阵袭来。那是一种近于蛊惑的境界。

Lund对自己的身体控制得那么精妙,如同最美的女子,增一分则多,减一分则少。那是数年如一日的严格训练得来的身体,每一寸都是活的,却又绝不拖泥带水。难怪有人评价说他是世界上动作最干净的舞蹈家。此言不差。看他跳舞,有一种吸烟的快感,吞进去,吐出来,悠悠的,却又是似有若无的。虽然他根本看不到我,却似乎他能看透此时我心底的一切想法,我们的对话,他用他的肢体,我用我的心。事实上,我在他面前噤声了,因为他是那么雄辩、才思泉涌,将我折服。

在Earch之前上演的Amlus,与此相比,简直就是一支甜烂小曲。而Earch,是不折不扣的命运交响曲。

Friday, March 11, 2011

Way Out

One of my friends at Pitt told me today that she was offered a job recently. I am so happy for her. She is a sweet young woman, very gentle, and considerate. Two years ago, I temporarily lived in her apartment for a summer because of a teaching position. She accommodated me with pure friendship and warmth. I still remember the nights that we spent together having long chats, and watching YTYCD or American Idol together. We also watched a musical with a group of people in that summer. We had dinner in a sushi buffet twice.

She's a devoted Christian. She believes God's words full-heartedly, and God does show her THE way and love her the way she loves HIM.

I remember I called her one of my darkest days. She said: "We should drop off our worries. If it turns out we both find good jobs, our current worries will become a total waste. God will lead." At that time, I was surprised how cheerful and peaceful she could be in face of a hard dissertation project, a committee member who is not that nice, and uncertain future. But looking back, I do find my worries and stress caused not by the workload but by the feeling of uncertainty and insecurity are such a waste. She seems to have more courage than I do in terms of dealing with the time of crisis. I think that courage comes from her belief, from HIM.

Big bless to you, my friend. After the whole PhD thing, I do believe that there's a way out for everybody. The key is HOW we deal with uncertainties and hardship that we don't expect/welcome in our lives. I do believe that suffering, in some way, is a blessing. He knows that I can handle the suffering because I am stronger than others. In other words, I deserve the suffer. I hope I deserve it, at least.

Friday, March 4, 2011

温暖的瞬间

再看了一次Once,只因为偶尔在咖啡厅里听到了那首已经变得烂大街的Falling slowly。我再一次被深深地感动了,被那没有拥抱热吻上床的guy and girl的故事。他和她不是没有欲望的人,是有欲望却知道爱起于何时止于何处的人。他们都为着理想在奋斗,但也同时明白现实与理想之间的距离,特别是那个girl。当她只能用捷克语说“我爱的是你“,当她最终失约,当她在guy买给她的钢琴上奏完一曲回头看向窗外时,我都觉得她美丽无比。

有很多心情是说不出来的。每个人都有自己的无声话语,说向深深的记忆。

相遇可以是童话般的,但童话人物真的只适合活在童话世界里。

就比如,Glen Hansard 与 Maketa Irglove 最终还是分道扬镳了。但他们有过Once,有过曾经在一起的回忆。他们造就了彼此的人生。