The sound of applause

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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!