G4alien's 365 & 1/4 的生活空間

從來英國後搬家找房向來都是挺順利，為了不想搬家跟找房的匆忙問題下，也事前提早了三個月定一個私人的學生宿舍。不過變數在天算人算下也沒來的及化險為夷，也讓我在七月裡像抹遊魂般盪來晃去。

就在搬家前夕，客氣的先跟學生房屋仲介打聲招呼說要搬家；萬萬沒想到仲介搞出個毗漏－與先前房客簽約到期日是在我合法搬入日期後兩星期多才完全終止，即使仲介願意退錢了事，我也沒法子說沒地方就沒地方的窩著。當時候的我可叫天天不應，叫地地不靈，慌亂程度就是央求玉皇大帝派太上老君就也不見得能即刻傳達消息；而我就像是火燒屁股似地在整理搬家的同時各方詢問可落腳處，其中還牽連到幫我搬家的台灣同鄉ＤＥＲＹ是否願意伸出援手配合挪移搬家時刻，幸好是強有力的ＤＥＲＹ與他搬家高手朋友幫忙；不然僅僅只有小貓三隻搬一整個家，即使誇張的說搬到物換星移，不如說是脫水休克。雖後來仲介提供儲藏室解決我搬入日期，我房屋內也塞滿紙箱與瑣碎的物品、堆積著室友暫放的私人家當外、油漆未乾的噁心臭味，還缺了個床墊的大床。就這麼狀況下，第一天在朋友的辦公室裡渡過。

接下來的兩週半也在忍氣吞聲下，在另一個私人學生宿舍中混亂的渡過；而生日也就這樣萎靡的渡過。然而生活經費不足與其他種種的原因下，也不得不窩在各處的辦公室。以牆而息，臥躺桌椅中度過了幾日，成為辦公室裡永遠最早到的研究生（其實是根本沒離開過）。但也在辦公室內認識了不少新的博士生，這應算是個新獲得吧！

後來在倫敦友人的邀請與中國朋友提供住宿條件下，去了趟倫敦生活數日，頂著恐怖份子襲擊的可能性，每日戰戰兢兢的渡過；尤其是搭乘地鐵時，更是無時無刻地擔憂是否隔壁座位上的黑塑膠袋內的物品是否為爆炸物；還是沒道德良知人留下的垃圾。處處可見刑警到處盤查與站哨，唯恐就是再一次的恐怖爆炸襲擊。也在剛到倫敦的連續兩天下見到了兩個倒臥的身體（或是屍體？倒臥在地鐵出口處與地鐵內部），也見到英國難能可貴的醫療效率處理屍體跟確定生存者的過程。

今天硬著頭皮看牙醫去，原本想說不要到緊要關頭才去看醫生，有問題先處理好。好不容易鼓起勇氣，去看了醫生；檢查結果就說還不是很嚴重，多拖個幾天等痛到不行再來看醫生。他用了一些藥測試看我的疼痛嚴重程度，結論就是多拖個幾天再來看，好像是我去給他鬧場似的。心裡頭是極度的不甘願，難道真要到痛到像出人命一樣才能看醫生嗎？

以前在諾丁漢看醫生，牙醫生的服務好到我沒話說，覺得英國看牙醫是一件享受的事情；到了曼徹斯特，牙醫生像是一個只會坑人錢的冷酷吸血鬼（不只說話態度，還外加面部表情！）上次看的時候還跟我說要收錢，我想說我是學生照理是免額才是，怎收起我錢來了。他只告訴我，要怪就怪英國總理吧！不然你就回你的諾丁漢看你原本大學院內的醫生算了；還外加分析說搭火車多少，又不一定可以退錢。最後還跟我結論一句「時代變化，政策變化；沒有事情是一定的道理。」還好像一付是我找他麻煩。

等日後搬家後，再來換個新醫生看。不然光受氣就受夠了！

dec 30, 2001 pm 05:04

01.一夜風雪

昨晚半夜挑燈夜戰上學期論文時接到一通電話,
電話中, ZP告訴我:"Wei 下起雪了。"
一得知飄起細雪
來不及掛上電話

英國人對寵物的熱愛可說是不下於愛孩子般，貓在英國算是很普遍的寵物，對貓的溺愛可以從貓對人的理睬來了解。我家隔壁的老英，養了隻黑白花貓，長相沒什麼特別，但給人的印象不是一個“跩”字可了得。這只老肥貓，一看就是缺乏運動，除了主人三餐餵食吃喝玩耍、飽食終日之外，就是扮起老大架子等著被人取悅、讓人噓寒問暖。

前陣子我家後院辦起一場ＢＢＱ，這只老肥貓從後院與鄰居相隔離的短樹叢裡鑽了出來，也來湊個熱鬧。我拿了小魚干來引起牠注意，沒想到這只貓連理都不理我，呼嗤呼嗤的樣子好似鄙視的態度來告訴我，它平常可是用燕窩洗臉，魚翅漱口。對我的乾扁小魚毫不理會，甚至連湊近聞聞意願也沒有。另外，它慢條斯理地沿著樹叢間走著，好像一副這是牠家後院，絲毫不放我這個屋主在牠的瞇瞇眼底。後來終於願意湊近來嚐嚐我們的魚，但還仍以散步的姿態走近，瞇著眼睛望了我一下，甩動了下它的尾巴，屁股就對著我，又是一付，“嘿，我已經依你請求來抬愛你的乾扁魚干，你可別因我的吃像來搶我的魚。”似乎完全搞不清楚這條魚是誰賜的，倒是反客為主，好像是我在覬覦牠的食物。

昨天這只老耍大牌的肥貓，又搞起了新花樣，現在不只是把我家後院當牠的個人領地，把整條街都當成牠的日光浴場。這兩天艷陽高照地把連日來的雪都給化了，這只花貓又出門逛大街，回來正好碰上從超市買菜回來的我。可能跟人相處慣了，也不怕路人甲乙丙丁，不顧眾人眼光，就開始牠的日光浴。不過也不看看場地在哪邊，就大大方方在街的正中央，動也不動的趴著享受牠的日光。更神氣的是，牠老人家就在街頭上磨蹭磨蹭的，抓起癢來。這時候更像個山寨主表現出“此路是我開，此樹是我栽﹔若要把路過，留下買路財。”一付無賴的樣子，真不知道牠的主人平常怎寵牠，把它給寵成“天下何其大，唯獨我最大”的神氣模樣。

不過現在這只黑白老肥貓也就是這付跩樣穿梭在各家前後院、在街上搖擺走路，才凸顯出牠獨特風格；但在主人懷裡又顯得特別溫馴與服從。真是一只千面老肥貓！

Ebay is a 24/7 market all over the world even at home. Though I've registered for 3 years and did nothing about that, suddenly I found a good place to do small business. Oscar was teased as an ebay-holic but now it's my turn. I wonder when I will feel tired of being a business person. People said I was born to be in business world as I used to be a busy type person.

Since starting my ebay career, Oscar is very cooperative in this regard. He got plenty of items for me to sell and of course, sell his company web. He hopes there will be more hits on his company web for a profitable and regular income. Well, that's the start of our cooperation in small business. Honestly, I've told Oscar my thoughts about his company web which presents not so interesting for a buyer, however, I am not professional in this territory. I know little about design and nothing about typography so my comments could be only genuine but not useful.

We sell "blah blah blah" as some American famous magazine and electron-music CD which I don't have any idea of it. Well, I am not English so I don't have to be like an English to live in England as if I know everything of England. The watchers and bids are more than what I thought. It is no doubt to predict that our sale will be successful and we still got plenty of items to sell before summer ends. "Power seller" is something I want to be on this online business. Oscar hopes his imagesofsubstance web could be promoted for better advertisement. I sincerely hope his web can be realiable for making money so it is a value for his to create those webs.

As a freelancer and designer, Oscar has to burden more unstability and uncertainty of life. I admire him that he can live in such a working environment and has his own studio for 13 years so far. Even though the biggest US magazine company invited him to work for them twice, he rejected twice due to some complicated moods and uncomfortable situation that moment. I don't know whether it is a shame or it is a chance that make me to know this person, however, that's his decision already and I cannot erase those of what he decided for life. Last few months again, he was informed to work in middle Asia with 50k pounds/year for being an art consultant/designer. He rejected this invitation because of me being there. I feel so appreciated for his decision as he knows that I experienced long-distance relationship for years and I am not confident at it anymore and not as sure as a positive result would be turned out. Age may make me see more and realise that chasing an uncertain dream takes time but cannot do it for two dreams at the same time. I admit myself as a no more dreamer but be more practical than what I used to be to experience life.