Tsai-Wei's Sound Journal

The sound of applause

2008-09-06T00:27:00.004Z

I have been struggling with the PhD thesis. I have been having difficulties in putting myself down to the writing mode.

Today, I had some exciting ideas about the research when I was on the way to the college. Thinking through the journey, I started to write them down on my notebook as soon as I got a table and a chair at the college.

One hour later, I wrote down the main ideas and took a break. Looking around me, there was a graduation ceremony taking place in the Great Hall. Sounds of people cheering and clapping were non-stopping. I listened to the sound with my heart. I really enjoyed listening to these sounds...

'I want to graduate, too.' I said to myself.

Encouraged by such stimulating and positive sounds, I determine to finish this thesis to get my applause in the graduation ceremony!

When being shocked

2008-08-27T21:09:00.002Z

Today I was walked through a forest alone. A unlashed dog considered my bag had food for him, he attacked me and bit my bag hardly.

While being shocked and struggling, I said no word. I did not scream either. For the feeling at that moment, I don't think that I can find a sound to represent.

The irresponsible owner of the dog simply shouted aloud at me about ten meters away. 'Lift up the bad! It thinks that there is food!' Despite that, he just left me to fight alone with the mad dog.

When I saw my bag and clothes were stained with mud because of the dog bites and dog stepping, I was so angry. I said to the man, 'you should not unlash your dog!'

But the man simply continued walking away and said, 'sorry?'

Yeh, excellent! I have not met him for a long time-- a racist! He pretended that he could not understand my English!
When encounter such kind of anger and frustration, what sound can I make?

Later on, I reported it to the police.

驚嚇時的聲音

今天在一人走過森林時，只因手上提一包包，被一放縱的黑狗視為有食物的誘惑而向我攻擊，緊咬我的包包不放。

當我驚嚇與掙扎之餘，我沒說話，也沒尖叫。那時的心情，真不知要用何種聲音表達。

可惡的狗主，遠遠在十多公尺處大叫，「把包包舉高，那狗以為是食物！」之後就放我一個人和狗奮戰。

當我看到我的包包和衣服皆是狗咬或狗踩的泥巴塊時，我很生氣，對那狗主說，「你不應該放狗四處跑！」

只見那狗主根本沒停留，一直往遠方走去，對我說：「什麼？」

哈！好極了，好久沒遇到了—— 好一個種族歧視的！假裝聽不懂我說的英文！
面對如此的氣憤與無奈，我能出何種聲音？

之後我去報了警。

Some pic and sounds

2008-06-09T14:06:00.003Z

A small piece of my artwork is published in the online publication /seconds.
You are very welcome to visit it via the link.
All feedbacks are welcome! Thank you!

Guy Fawkes Day

2007-11-05T13:24:00.000Z

On the way home in the evening, I walked in a typical English street-- two floor houses line up at both sides. It was on Saturday night when Guy Fawkes Day was coming in 3 days. As a tradition, people set fireworks to 'remember' the 'fun' of it.

Blocked by the houses, I could not really see fireworks but hear them coming from every direction. The feeling was very nostalgic to me.

When I was an undergraduate in Taiwan, I used to see fireworks for the National Day and Chinese New Year with friends and family-- in a nice cool night, enjoy the colourful scenes and aural sensation. By making the sound 'Wah-Wah', people expressed their excitement and amazement.

Walking along in this dark English street, the aural experience triggered my visual and emotional memory of the events in Taiwan. I do miss them...

Tree leaves fell so much. 'sa sa sa sa sa...' Together, they played a tune with the heavy duty sounds of fireworks. Its a tune of English autumn.

Central Line

2007-09-08T20:26:00.000Z

The noise caused by the tube train when going into the tunnel is always very loud and terrible. I complained to the company before but their response was unsurprisingly disappointing.
Today, 3 little girls was playing a game with this noise...
Once the train went into a tunnel, they used their fingers to block their ears and at the same time, they scream loudly. They laughed when they were doing it and they looked at each other to share the joy.
Once the train left a tunnel, they clapped their hands to give the better sonic ambience an applause.
Haha! ^_^ What an expression! I wish I had the courage to join them!

Waiting for a blood test

2007-08-24T15:58:00.000Z

This morning, I went to the Langthorne Health Centre for a blood test. This was my first visit to this health centre. When I arrived, there had been around 30 to 40 people waiting-- a long queue that required me to wait for an hour!

We were waiting to be called from one of the two nurses (one male one female) working in the clinic room to have a blood test.

What I found interesting during this hour of listening was that people who were in the room with the nurses where trying to speak happily and be excited. Young and old, all were laughing at whatever joke they could generate with the two nurses. I guessed they were trying to disguise their anxiety-- like children, the adults were scared to have a blood test, too!

Sounds of laughter were constantly spread out from the clinic room...

Finally, it was my turn. When the nurse was taking my blood, the other nurse spoke... She said to her patient-- 'Are you OK? I think you need to lie down on the bed now. xxx (the name of the nurse who was with me), could you help?

Oh, No! That woman's face had gone pale and she was about to faint over!

I guessed joyful conversations would stop for a while...

The first cicada chirp of 2007!

2007-05-29T06:48:00.000Z

29 May was a very nice day for sound listening!
I was doing my regular jogging at the Hon-Shu-Lin (mangrove) protected area around the sunset time. Along the route, there were not only mangrove but also trees and bushes. Some but few people have been living in this protected area.
While I was enjoying the slow jog, a piercing chirp of cicada called my attention and made me saying:
'Hei! Cicadas! It's you again! Welcome back! It's year 2007!' ^_^
Later, while I ran passed a local resident's house, I heard a person chopping professionally. From the sound of the chop, I could tell that the knife was the big square style and the chef has been cooking for years-- the chopping speed was fast! Mmm... yum yum, it was dinner time and many mums of Taiwan were busy at preparing the dinner for the families. Chop chop chop, mums build up the fast chopping skill through her years of love and tolerance for the family!
Sounds of cicada and summer, sounds of mum and love... What a listening jog!

The crow of a phoenix

2007-05-20T15:36:00.000Z

Have you noticed a peculiar sound made by the train of Taipei Metro (Damshui line)? I am talking about a sound made when the train is about to depart. For me, it is like a crow of a big bird, a phoenix maybe!
Actually, I heard the same (almost) crow when I took Shinkansen in Japan. The name of that train was White Bird. Therefore, when the train was departing and I heard the sound, I imagined that it was the crow of the white bird! Immediately, I fell in love with it--It was a sound with a sense of myth and magic. At the same time, it gave me a sense of freedom-- the white bird is about to fly!
Two days ago, I suddenly noticed that our Taipei Metro has the crow, too! I was so happy to discover it! Without travelling all the way to Japan, I can now hear it in my hometown! However, I wonder how on earth I just notice it?! haha! ^_^

Hearing the young people chatting aloud

2007-05-19T13:36:00.000Z

It was very crowded in the train of Taipei Metro on Saturday afternoon. A group of young people were chatting loudly about recent TV soap operas that they enjoyed. By commenting on each show, they were enthusiastic to share their views with their friends.
I was standing right next to this group. Despite the train being crowded, they were so loud and excited!
In fact, I did not feel their loudness disturbing. On the contrary, I really enjoyed the atmosphere built by them. They were full of energy and happiness. I envy them having so many good friends to share life experiences. It's a kind of happiness I have not had since graduating from the university in Taiwan!
Good friends, loud laughs and happiness... They are priceless!

Sounds of rice paddy

2007-05-19T13:08:00.000Z

On 14 May, I took a long walk with my good old friend. Although the day was hot, there were wild wind cooling down our sweat. When we were passing Quandu, we heard sasasasa sounds. It was the wind blowing the rice paddy. The sounds of leafs rubbing were so light and comforting.
Around the nearby place, we also heard 'gagagaga' sounds. They were sounds of wind blowing bamboos...
We stopped walking for a while and gave these sounds our attentive listening. They were soooooo beautiful!
It was Monday when most of the people were working. It was Taipei where most of the rice paddy had gone. It was relax and quiet when most of the places in Taipei were busy and noisy. Yes, we felt very lucky to have such an experience!

Bike riding

2007-05-05T14:02:00.000Z

There is a route for bike riding between Danshui and Quantu. A few days ago, my brother lead me to ride on this route. We started late in the afternoon which ended with an evening ride. But you know, it turned out to be an amazing experience....
Around 6:30pm, the sky was dark. When we were riding, it was a grass field on our right-hand side and the Damshui River on our left. As street lights were not installed intensively, we depended on our dim bike lights.
Being in such an environment, I heard millions of insects singing! They were so loud and they penetrated my head with the powerful sonic force! Riding through their route with speed... jjjjjiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii.....(I passed through the route and sounds faded out)... WOW!
Unforgetable!

Missing a sound of London

2007-04-19T07:51:00.000Z

Recently, just before returning to Taiwan, I noticed the beauty of birds' chirps from the flat I lived in London. They were very clear and crispy. From the texture of the sounds, I could also feel the freshness of the surrounded air. I enjoyed listening to them when I got up, when I studied and when I was about to go to bed.
In my flat in Taipei, I can hear birds chirping, too. Comparing to the people living in the Taipei city centre, I am very fortunate to have these sounds around. However, after so many years of loving everything about Taiwan and complaining everything about London, I begin to feel dissatisfied with the birds' chirps in Taipei! I am surprised by my feeling but really, it is how I feel now! When being in the flat of Taipei, I feel sounds of birds' chirps are not so clear and crispy as those of London. As the flat in Taipei is much bigger than the one in London, the chirps of Taipei birds are not so close to me either. The air in Taipei... bears so much noises-- it is polluted.
Since when my feelings of Taipei and London have changed? Why do I miss London so soon? What happened to me? Am I ready to settle down in the UK?

Taiwanese opera

2007-04-19T07:40:00.000Z

A few days ago, I went to a local restaurant with my family. When I was eating, I suddenly heard a familiar tune of Taiwanese opera. It was the owner of the restaurant watching TV.
I used to hear this tune of Taiwanese opera often when I was little. After so many years, the programme is still shown during the dinner time. I suddenly realise that the combination of hearing the tune of Taiwanese opera and having dinner is a sense of nostalgia to me!

The sound of snow falling

2007-03-22T11:52:00.000Z

In the afternoon of 20 March at Goldsmiths, it suddenly snowed. It last for less than 30 min, I guess, and no snow was accumulated in the street to be traced. Seeing snow falling was a very nice experience. It was very beautiful.
However, I have never heard any sound from snow falling.

Yoko Ono once made an instruction as an artwork that invited people to tape the sound of snow falling...
Tape Piece III (Snow Piece):

Take a tape of the sound of snow falling.
This should be done in the evening.
Do not listen to the tape.
Cut it and use it as strings to tie gifts with.
Make a gift wrapper, if you wish, using the same process with a phonosheet.

She also composed a song Listen, The Snow is Falling:

Listen the snow is falling over town
Listen the snow is falling everywhere
Between Empire State Building
And between Trafalgar Square
Listen the snow is falling over town

Listen the snow is falling over town
Listen the snow is falling everywhere
Between your bed and mine
Between your head and my mind
Listen the snow is falling over town

Between Tokyo and Paris
Between London and Dallas
Between your God and mine
Listen the snow is falling everywhere

Snow dream
Snow fall
Snow fly
Listen
Listen

Back to Goldsmiths College...
For those people who work indoors without having a window, they would not know that snow was falling beautifully for a while. Without the existence of the sound or visual trace of snow, they missed it. Unless someone shouts aloud with excitement-- Snow, snow, it is snowing!

My favourite London sound

2007-03-18T23:43:00.000Z

Peter Cusack mentioned about a Japanese girl whose favorite London sound was the sound of frying onions in her kitchen. The reason she said so was because she just came from Japan to London not long ago. When she was frying onions, the sound of frying made her feeling like being home in Japan. By knowing her preference of London sound, we can learn that she was homesick and the sound was nostalgic for her.
As I have been living in London for quite a few years, I do enjoy listening to many sounds of London. Nevertheless, there is a sound that always touches my heart of missing home. That is the sound emitted from the P. A. system of the Piccadilly line saying-- 'this train is for Heathrow Airport'. When I hear it, I cannot stop wishing that I could take this train and get off at the airport. Then by simply taking the plane, I can return to my family in Taiwan! Yes, I am almost there! Just take this train and get off at Heathrow Airport! I am almost there!
It is always my happiest moment when I can actually complete this wish!

Hot Fuzz

2007-03-18T23:28:00.000Z

I went to see the film Hot Fuzz. At the end of the film, the police officers Nicholas and Danny were about to start another mission by turning on the siren of their police car. Because they enjoyed working as police officers, Danny said to Nicholas happily-- 'Bring up the noise!'
Haha! Although I always hate hearing the piercing siren, the film makes me realise that these two men actually enjoy hearing it! It makes them high! ^_^
Enjoy what you do and where you are. Then you would enjoy the soundscape around you! ^_^

Surrounded sounds of football fans cheering

2007-03-18T22:56:00.000Z

Last evening, on 17 March, I was walking in the left-hand side of New Wanstead Road from north toward the Wanstead station. The road allowed traffic to operate on both directions and each of them had 1 lane. On my left-hand side, there were shops with displayed windows. On my right-hand side across the road, there were a trendy pub, a traditional pub and a cafe.
As I walked close to this section, I started to hear football fans cheering and singing so loudly and happily. They probably just won a goal. I thought the sounds came from my left-hand side. But after scanning at shops one after the other one, I could not see any crowd. Suddenly, I discovered that the cheering sounds were from the pubs on my right-hand side! I then realised that it was the reflective effect-- those glasses of the displayed windows were cheering with the fans, too!
Being so impressed by this special experience, I stopped with my mouth widely opened, then followed by a big smile... ^_^
What an interesting soundscape we have!

Sounds of home

2007-03-16T16:32:00.000Z

In the Sounder Space conference, Nigel raised the question: 'What are the sounds that tell us-- we are home?' This question touches me very much. Nevertheless, what are my answers for it?
When I am in Taiwan, my family's voices and laughter, TV news, mum cooking, Pa chatting on the phone, Pa walking with sounds of slippers, Ma making coffee...
When I am in London, I don't feel home. Sounds that make me feeling like being at home are... MSN jingles, maybe. It is my only connection with friends in Taiwan.
Oh, a new sound that tells me that I arrive (London) home is the creaky sound made by the small rusty metal door when I push it to enter the front yard of the house. I wonder if the number of sounds that can tell me 'I am home' will increase in the future. Perhaps it has been, simply I have been refusing to accept them!

One ear listening

2006-12-06T21:07:00.000Z

Today, in the tube train, the woman stood in front of me was a bit unusual. She wore a hearing aid on her right ear. But when she turned her hear around, I was surprised to see that it was not another hearing aid but a headphone riding on her left ear! Since the volume is rarely quiet when listening to music in the train, isn't this habit damaging her precious and good ear? Doesn't she care?
Secretly and carefully tracing the cable line of her headphone with my eyes, I noticed that there was only one headphone. The other one bas been cut off... Oh my! her music has always been mono!!!

The funeral

2006-10-23T05:13:00.000Z

It's the day to attend my auntie's funeral. It's a ceremony full of Taiwanese sonic culture-- traditional Chinese musical instrument playing, monks and nuns chanting, words family saying aloud together as part of the ritual, and family members' sobbing sounds...
I did bring my audio recorder with me. However, in this very sad occasion, I had the difficulty in taking the audio recorder out from my bag to press the 'rec' buttom.
For the sadest part of the ceremony-- when the family members were bowing and kneeing to her, I really cannot record it. I think I would not like to hear this kind of sounds again.
But later, I still did it, because this is the very last trace of my auntie. If I don't grab something now, what else of hers can I hold? Fading memories?
A few days ago, I left on my auntie's altar a CD of her voice. I recorded her in 2004. In this recording, she was singing a song, 'the big elephant', when she was babysitting a neighbour's baby girl. She sounds so relax and joyful. I think this recording should be something that my uncle and cousins would like very much. However, after giving it to them, I am not so sure if what I did was appropriate or not.... I hope they don't consider that hearing her voice is like killing their heart...
Her voice was very gentle. She was always smiling when I was with her. With all these good memories I have of her, I think I should not cry in the funeral. I am happy with what we've been together. All the experiences we had shared should make us smile always.
I am glad that I have had her voice recorded. She has a very caring and joyful voice.

Auntie

2006-09-28T00:59:00.000Z

Mum called from home to inform me that my auntie's situation of liver cancer has turned really bad in the last few days. She was taking mafin to ease the pain. When the effectiveness of mafin was gone, she would scream and kick for the killing pain she had to take....

Since the call, I could not stop imagining the scream of my auntie... Tears would then come out of my eyes...
She was such a caring and generous auntie...

She screamed...

The power of such an imaginary sound...
It is very strong. It haunts my mind. It hurts me whenever I think of it...

4 days later, she left...

Love you forever, my dearest A-Mei Auntie.

My name

2006-01-19T11:57:00.000Z

Still thinking about the experience in the Job Centre Plus.
I don't like to transfer my Chinese name into English. It never sounds right. Being in the UK, I have to transfer my Chinese name into English. I don't like it. I think my Chinese name is beautiful only when it is written in Chinese. When presenting it in English, it really means nothing in literature but a way to draw my attention... When turning it into English, calling my name is no longer a nice way to draw my attention...
Having the thoughts that English speakers are ethnocentric, I think that I am ethnocentric, too... How can it be possible to expect all the people I meet in the UK to be able to speak Chinese and pronounce my name nicely before they meet me? This is an argument that can be very frustrating if I really want to make a fuss about it...
Leave it...

Can I get hold of every kind of sounds with mic?

2006-01-19T10:32:00.000Z

I take Central Line almost everyday. When the train comes out from the tunnel of Stratford to Leyton, there is always a moment of 'sonic boom'-- the doors are banged by the change of air pressure. When I stand by the door of the train to listen to the big bang, I can feel that the door, my body and ears are pressed by the air. However, do you know how this experience can be recorded?
Perhaps I should admit that not every sound can be recorded. There is no need to be insisted about owning every sound with audio recording... For some sounds, we can only let them go. Accessing them with our attentive but limited hearing and mind... For some sounds, we can only let them go...

Nike Centre, Oxford Circus

2006-01-17T11:43:00.000Z

Standing in front of Nike Ccentre, Oxford Circus, I acutally can not figure out where I am! Am I in Oxford Circus or Warner Village in Taipei Shi-Yi district? I cannot identify what detailed sounds I am hearing. Instead, I perceive a sonic mask layered by sounds of crowd and traffic. I am immersed in the sonic mask. Described by one of my interviewees, the sonic mask sounds '嗡嗡嗡' (won-won-won)...

Job Centre Plus

2006-01-17T11:18:00.000Z

I was waiting in the Job Centre Plus of Walthamstow for an interview for National Insurance Number. Interviewees sitting in the waiting area were speaking non-English languages with quiet volume. I could not identify what languages they were speaking. The centre was generally quiet. Only when the interview officers called our given numbers then I could hear loud sounds. When the interviewees entered the centre, a stuff of the centre gave us numbers. So we were identified with numbers. Later on, when the officers called our numbers in English, their loud volume broke the quietness. At the same time, one of the interviewees sitting at the waiting area would stand up and run quickly to the interview officers.
Sometimes, interviewees' name would be called to collect some documents from the counter. You could here that those English pronounced surnames called out by the stuff of the centre were not English names. Here, they managed to turn foreigners' names into English, and said aloud...
In the Job Centre, the opposition between English/loudness/authority and foreigner/quietness/subjection is presented day after day just like this, I think.

English and Britain

2006-01-12T14:08:00.000Z

Travelling on East London Line, although being in the UK, none of the languages I hear from the passengers is English. I thus realise that English is not equal to Britain. But why many of my interviewees think that by taking away 'English' and adding in Mandarin then a London site can sound like Taipei?

Passing Surrey Quay to New Cross

2006-01-12T13:59:00.000Z

I am taking the East London line to New Cross. This is a route I do often. I know that I am very familiar with all the scenes and sounds along the route. However, I have never felt easy with this route. I have never felt a sense of belonging here. I cannot link myself to this environment despite that I know very well where trees, bridges, buildings, signs and other things are along the route. I see myself always being a foreigner in London.

A whining girl

2006-01-11T12:56:00.000Z

Sitting on the central line, a girl is whining to her mum. Suddently, the noise of the train get louder. I cannot hear the girl's whine. A sense of happiness of being with my mother is cut off...

Wishes for 2006

2006-01-01T11:28:00.000Z

For the new year 2006,
I hope my PhD is going well (although now it is very slow...). The supervisors will say me to-- 'you've been working really hard. It's progressing really well!' ^_^
I hope my friends and family are all happy and healthy, laughs and chats all the time when we gather! ^_^
I hope my boyfriend is going to tell me-- 'would you marry me?'
YES! ^_^

My mum's childhood name

2005-12-23T14:55:00.000Z

My mum grew up in Yu-Jing, a very countryside place in Tainan, sounth of Taiwan. Few days ago she needed to buy a good and warm duve for my brother. She thought about the hand-made duve shop next to her childhood house. Through my aunties, she managed to talk to the shop owner in the telephone. When he talked to my mum, he still called my mum as A-Yo-ah, the way neighbour and family have called her since she were born there. The way they call her is very different from the way people in the city or people that she is not familiar with. Rather than A-Yo-ah, people in the city and in her daily working environment call her Mrs Chen.
She felt that she is in the childhood again... After she shared with me about the experience, she started to recollect her childhood memories, the living environment...
When I grow old in the future... who is going to call me Shiao-Wei? I will miss this name very much because it's only called by my parents and relatives...
Perhaps I should ask my boyfriend to call me Shiao-Wei to prevend such a name I love from disappearing from my life...

Kids in Tesco, Leytonstone

2005-09-19T13:33:00.000Z

4pm in Tesco. Kids are crying here, there, shouting here, there. Tesco is big here and offers a big space for them to produce loud volume without being complained. In addition, I envy the freedom kids have in such a venue. They have the previlage to shout out without feeling wrong/bad/embarassed. Although adults can shout aloud, too, we dare not and would not. It is almost considered as insane. Adults are trained to be quiet in the public.

1 Week after moving to a flat in Leytonstone

2005-09-18T13:31:00.000Z

St John’s church in Leytonstone has many kinds of bell ringtones. I cannot figure out what means what. Is it for wedding, service or practice? Being public sounds, I think the church should have the responsibility to inform the public what they mean.
Sounds of bath water drained in a different sound from yesterday. It was less computer-processed quality.

Thames Festival

2005-09-17T06:30:00.000Z

I heard many sounds and I did not have an audio recorder with me. Sometimes it is not necessary to record every sound in order to ‘own’ it—so that experiences and memories will not fade away. By keeping listening experiences in memories, experiences changes and distorted in the ways I like. Perhaps that’s way I enjoy recollecting memories through sounds. By listening to the played-back sounds of my past, I perceive and focus on the imagined part instead of the acoustics of sounds. I am not into finding new sounds but narratives hidden behind sounds. What do sounds relate to you personally? What do London sounds relate to Taiwanese sojourners?

I heard many London sounds that I have never experienced before.
- Navy band was so spirit-up-lifting, particularly the sounds of metal xylophone. They made my tiring feet recharged immediately.
- Mexican-Indian performed on nicely-built open-stage instead of being poor street performers.
- People who were in the competition of rowing counted numbers to coordinate moving pace while switching sides. They sounded nervous but also tried to be calm.
- The Chinese guide spoke really good English. He also had a good sense of humour. People liked him very much and they liked to go to him to have more conversations.
- The two teachers in St Francis of Assisi School enjoyed teaching in the observatory classroom. The shape of the dome helps them to speak easily without forcing themselves to be loud. Pupils can hear easily. The sounds of raindrops on the roof of the observetory do not disturb their lessons. But those raindrops sounds happening on the outside plastic roof are very loud.
After I asked the teachers about their acoustic experiences in this room, they seemed to have many views about it. Later, I returned to the classroom and heard that they were telling other visitors their acoustic experiences again.
- A kid was walking with his skateboard-with-a-handle on a bridge inside Holland Park tube station. The sound was not disturbing.
- At home, when bath water almost drained, the pitch of water sound changed. It sounded like the original sound was computer processed/distorted in the quality of electroacoustic work! So, why process with computer? I can just record it! Cage's spirit: there are enough sounds in our world. Listen to them. There is no need to make new sounds.

A listening on the top of Greenwich

2005-09-09T15:36:00.000Z

I am going to move out of New Cross on tomorrow morning. My favourate place around New Cross is the square next to the Observatory of Greenwich. I used to jog every weekend from New Cross to here. After having a few good breaths in the early mornings, I returned to my flat with great calmness and confidence.

4:30pm, Friday
On my right hand side there are two British women chatting about other peoples' love affairs loudly. Behind me are people of different nationalities. They are speaking different languages. Some are in Chinese. By listening carefully, I can tell that they are from China.
The two British women on the right are still loud. It is difficult for me not to listen to their conversations.
Suddently, the PA system of the observatory museum is announcing: 'We are closing in 25 mins'.
The two British women's voics are loud.

I open my eyes, blink blink.
I see the paramid roof of Canary Warf. In the cloudy and sunny spell afternoon, sun shines just right on top of the paramid. It is very bright.
By opening my eyes, I realise that I am in the UK. What I just experienced in the listening journey, which allowed me to cross easily and freely among corners is like a dreamwalk. After opening my eyes, I am taken to the present reality. I return.
The pressure of the visual is very huge.

In my room, New Cross, London, 7am

2005-03-09T15:20:00.000Z

Back to my room, where sounds of airplane can be heard very frequently. This time, these sounds do not remind me of going home or endless travelling between Taiwan and London. Surprisingly, they remind me of the floatplanes in Vancouver and Victoria! Multi-culturalism, peoples’ friendliness and beautiful sceneries of Canada have impressed me very much. I have also experienced so many sounds that I could never imagine, such as the floatplane, the steam clock, Canadian English, traffic signals for passer-bys, etc. However, I could not imagine that my long-term attachment to the airplane sounds would be changed from the cause of home returning to the cause of 7-day new experiences in Canada. Sonic associations can be changed so easily?! By travelling among different countries, my sonic constellations are constituted by more than the sound events of Taiwan and London. By listening and mediating carefully, there are also sonic constellations of Paris and now, Vancouver to assist my orientation. Because the experiences of sonic constellations all happen in the past, there is a possibility that these sonic constellations can provide me a sense of nostalgia. I enjoy my trip in Canada. I miss the Korean food there! Obviously, what can make me miss Canada and also my past in general are no longer restricted in elements of Taiwan but multi-culture. This should be a phenomenon reflected through my interviewees.

T&T supermarket, Richmond, Vancouver, 18pm

2005-03-07T15:17:00.000Z

I was told that T&T is the biggest Chinese supermarket in Richmond (Many names of places in Canada are the same as the UK but being placed differently. What is in the north in the UK goes to the south. What is dominated by English white in the UK is dominated by Chinese in Canada. Feeling quite displaced.).
In Richmond area, 70 present of population are Chinese, which includes mainly Taiwanese, Hong Kongese and Chinese. T&T is one of the largest Chinese supermarket in Richmond. Walking around the store, Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese and various Chinese dialects can be heard. At the same time, musak is played through the broadcast system to generate senses of comfort and carefree to the customer. As playing musak is a common feature in supermarkets around Chinese countries, the seemly featureless tune in fact makes customers feel at home. This is a sonic example of how globalisation helps people to feel at home in a foreign place.

Intersection of Government street and Yates street, Victoria, 18pm

2005-03-03T15:15:00.000Z

The sound of pedestrian’s beep is like a bird! Nice, but need to learn that it is not of birds to be confused.

Victoria Inner harbour, Victoria, 17pm

2005-03-03T14:14:00.000Z

First time hear and see the sound of floatplane. Before, I can only imagine it from the text about Tamsui used to have a floatplane airport in the Japanese period. I tried to record the engine sound but always too late. Again, too many good sounds are missed just like this.

4 hours after the flight landing

2005-03-02T15:13:00.000Z

My ears and nose are blocked because of flu and landing. I commented the customer hall was quiet is probably affected by my blocked ear. I couldn’t hear things well. I did no how loud I spoke. I didn't know what sound I have missed. Why there hasn’t been anyone finding a way to unblock our ears after landing? Is it not necessary? Is it something we can only depend on chewing gum, health and luck?

Jacky Shih’s house, Vancouver

2005-03-02T15:12:00.000Z

It’s not far away from the airport. However, I hear only very subtle flight sound occasionally in the sky. Jacky doesn’t even sense it or complain about it. The residential area is so quiet. No police siren, no car horns, no people shout. I don’t even hear him from my room. So far, at 11pm, I can hear one very subtle flight sound, rain sound, occasionally car passing through the wet road. Jacky only complain about snores from his dog—it snores to loud and out of rhythm! He said his father complained about that too. So they don’t want the pet dog to sleep in their rooms. This is probably the first case ever about a master complaining about his loud snoring pet dog!

The customer Hall, Vancouver airport, 19:30pm

2005-03-02T15:08:00.000Z

The first object/sound before really entering the space of Vancouver, the customer hall, is a big Aboriginal-style waterfall, in visual and sound. The customer hall is spacious (later on, I realised that it was not that big. Simply the whole airport was built with glasses and suspensions). There were many people queuing for passing through the customers. However, it was quiet. Perhaps it was the acoustic design of the building. It was quiet all the time expect the broadcasts.

Flight BA85, at Vancouver international airport, 19:30pm

2005-03-02T15:01:00.000Z

Just arrived at Vancouver from London Heathrow. I was waiting for the flight door to open and enter the ‘real space’ of Vancouver. It was still the sound of flight engine while we were waiting for the door to open. Everyone seemed to want nothing but the door to open. Walking from the flight cabin to the bridge is the first environmental sound of Vancouver a tourist can hear. Walking from the bridge to the flight cabin is the last sound of Vancouver. When I was thinking about recording that moment of sound, crowd started to move forward. I had to follow. There are always sounds missed to be recorded like this—when you think about it, it’s too late. Anyway, welcome to Vancouver.

A relaxed trip in Taipei metro 2, Hon-Shu-Lin, 9am

2005-01-19T09:38:00.000Z

This morning I had the second chance to collect my 'relaxed journey' of Taipei metro. I normally feel good in the ride between Tamsui and Peito. However, because I was in a hurry to go to apply for Canadian visa, despite being in the 'relaxed path', I was not relaxed at all. In this case, should I record or not? In other words, I was not relaxed but the soundscape of the route was relaxed (Defined by whom? the public?). For the purpose of producing a 'relaxed journey', should I take my mood or the soundscape of the journey as the principle to define 'relaxation'?

I chose the former and I recorded on the way home.

A relaxed trip in Taipei metro, Hon-Shu-Lin, 17pm

2005-01-18T15:37:00.000Z

I planned to record a piece of my auditory memories of Taiwan. It is a journey with Taipei metro that should be relaxed. Taipei metro is new, spatious and clean. It is also pretty quiet. It's very common to see passengers taking a nap during the trip.

When I take the London tube, its rediculous noise and everywhere rubish often remind me of the comfort of Taipei metro.

I was ready to record the sound of Taipei metro. After I got on the train, I heard a constant noise that badly broke my aimmed relaxation. 'Looking' around, I realised that it was the vibration of a ventilator's cover! Hey, this is not supposed to happen in my auditory memories of Taiwan! In Schafer's term, the noise of this loose cover has broken my 'sound romance'! After one minute, I could not bear with it and I turned the recorder off. I decided to find a 'proper' metro to record the 'relaxed journey'.

Recording auditory memories

2005-01-18T05:55:00.000Z

To record a piece of auditory memory means to record an original sonic event that has finished. Even if the original sound source is still sounding and the event remains happening, since the surrounded people, weather and architecture have all changed, the sound we hear now is no longer the same as the original one. In this case, to record audio memories is to ask for a sounding object or a person to perform. What I record is the documentation of sounds' performance.

To record auditory memories, I, the recordist, perform to be a speaker or be silent.
To record auditory memories, the sound object or the person, performs to make sounds.

Recording auditory memories involves activities of performance. Is it a performance?

Cotton candy making, Bali, 3:30pm

2005-01-16T15:09:00.000Z

When waiting for the street vendor making a cotton candy for us, all we can do is to look at the bamboo stick twisting with sugar webs emitted from the spinning machine. Unlike other street vending business, there is no specific sound made to attract the customers. The only sound it produces is the spinning machine. It's neither loud nor quiet but people do ignore its existence. When I play the sound back to my parents, they cannot tell what it is.

Unfortunately, because there was no customer making an order during the recording, listeners have difficulties to tell the sound source from the recording. I am thus puzzled: Before turning off the recording button, should I say to the vendor 'I would like to have a cotton candy please'? If I do so, the listeners would understand what the recording is about. However, what I record would become a performance rather than a cultural documentation. Should I consider issues of recording morality? Or should I give communication the priority? In fact, even if I try to keep myself silent during recording, it is a performance. There seems to be a dilemma between sounding and unsounding of a recordist.

A factory worker, Tamsui, 11am

2005-01-15T14:50:00.000Z

When visiting a factory, I asked a worker what his favourite sound is in the factory (this is an old and boring question often seen in soundscape studies but still, very accessible and useful!). I wondered if it should be the bell of lunch break. He replied yes but then hesitated for a second. He said, 'oh, no. It should be the bell of going home.' He explained to me that the bell of lunch break is ok but when he thought about the routine dishes offered by the same restaurant, he lost the excitement.

The sensation of listening is connected by his appetite?! Interesting!

Peito market, Taipei, 12:30-1:30pm

2005-01-15T08:10:00.000Z

I shopped with my mum in the Peito market. Yells of street vendors, conversations between the different vendors and us, sounds of chickens and traffic... I love this place so much since I was little. The market enables me to feel the warmth of my birthplace and the local people.

Metro escalator, Taipei train station, 12pm

2005-01-14T12:15:00.000Z

Because of the recent escalator accident, Taipei metro starts to hire many staffs to remind passengers the awareness of safety. Standing at the end of escalators, they repeat: 'Grab the arm firmly, stand along the right-hand side, be careful when stepping in and out of the escalators...'. These staffs use amplified speaker cones to chant the reminders all day long. This is a new sound in Taipei. How long will the sound last? This new strategy of Taipei metro is rather political. I believe that the company is scared of be blamed by the public and politicians. Comparing to the escalators in London tube, Taipei metro has provided very excellent safety for the passengers!

Perhaps we should also consider a suggestion given by a reader of the Liberty Times. He believes that the accident was caused by the fancy but highly distracted audio-visual advertisements installed around the escalators.

New sounds keep generating. Reasons of generation are varied. The sounds out of politics sometimes really irritate me.

Eating in a hot pot restaurant, Tamsui, 7pm

2005-01-13T14:43:00.000Z

For some reason, the automatic door of this restaurant makes the same 'din-dong~' sound as the convenient shop 7-11. Once I started to have this thought, the more door rings I hear, the more I felt strange at eating here-- how come I would eat a hot pot in 7-11?!

My bed, Tamsui, 7am

2005-01-13T05:29:00.000Z

After returning from London, this is my first morning lying on the bed at home. I heard unfamiliar sound. It is like drilling into a wall. I woke up to find it. It was my father doing something I have never seen before-- he was grinding coffee beans with a machine.

I arrived home last night. Because the toilet and shower have changed to the new ones, many familiar sounds have gone.

I return to Taiwan to record nostalgic sounds, the familiar sounds of home, but many things have been changed. I also realise that there is a sound frequently exists in Taiwan but has been ignored. It is the rain sound which does not exist in my auditory memories of Taiwan while I was in London. And in fact, travelling all the way from London, it is the sound I really want to avoid in order to collect the targeted sounds!

Before landing at Thailand

2005-01-12T09:16:00.000Z

When the flight is about to land, as usual, the pilot speaks to the passengers about welcome, weather etc. I wonder why all the pilots have mature and attractive voices. They all sound very 'pilot'!

Piccadilly Line to Heathrow Terminal 3, Zone 2, 18:30pm

2005-01-11T10:30:00.000Z

I suddenly realise what the sounds of the London tube are. The reason I finally learn perhaps is because I am listening to them when the tube is running in an open space. The sounds are: 1) the high pitch of wind (because the train runs); 2) the low pitch of train running on the rail track; 3) The announcement broadcast by the tube driver; 4) the conversations and sounds made by the passengers.