shu flies :: 舒飛

Color real: Papakaori at VVG Something

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Mon, 28 May 2012 15:40:00 +0000

I am a huge fan of Tom and Lorenzo's Mad Style series, in which they analyze the costuming on Mad Men (i.e. the most depressing series on American television right now. Oh God, the latest episode was wrenching). One of the things they focus on is the interplay between characters' clothing and their environment, such as the way Trudy Campbell often literally blended into the decor of her apartment. I know real life is obviously very different from a TV drama with meticulous art direction, but Tom and Lorenzo's posts have started to influence the way I think about clothing and my own surroundings. The other day, I realized that my closet and our apartment seem to come from two different universes. My home is bursting with color (I like to say that our color scheme is rainbow), but I'm always dressed in grey, black and navy. Maybe that means when I'm out and about, I like the safety of being camouflaged in Taipei's asphalt and concrete, but when I'm home, I feel comfortable expressing a different side of myself. To varying extents, everyone experiences a dichotomy between their public and private selves, and mine manifests itself through color.

I've been thinking about color theory for the past couple of days because I recently attended a mini-album workshop by Japanese artist Papakaori at VVG Something (好樣本事). I've admired Papakaori's creations for a while, but I nearly passed up the opportunity to take her class because I was feeling very tired on Saturday morning. I decided to go at the last minute and I am so happy I did. Just sitting amid her handmade journals, collages and crochet items filled me with energy, in part because she is a genius with color. It was like spending the afternoon in a rainbow.

Filaments

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sun, 27 May 2012 15:46:00 +0000

It's been a hectic couple of weeks for me, as you can probably tell by my lack of posting. Ron and I were eating dinner at a restaurant today when I looked up into the pendant lamp hanging above our table and noticed the gorgeous light bulb. Check out all those filaments! I first learned about hand-blown vintage-style light bulbs a few months ago when I did a story about Fun Fun Town. They import Edison bulbs from Ferrowatt in South Carolina. I had no idea that there was an entire company dedicated to supplying authentic reproduction light bulbs for historic properties and people who are really, really into esoteric lighting fixtures. It's one of those little things that just fills me with glee. I love learning about communities of enthusiasts who are passionate about something I had no idea existed. It reminds me that there is still so much to discover out there. I don't know what kind of light bulb this is, but I love it, in part because I'm so used to compact fluorescent light bulbs now that one with filaments seems almost exotic. I would have spent more time examining it, maybe even twisted out of its socket for a closer look, if it weren't for the whole risk of electrocution thing.

I'll be back to my regular posting soon. I always feel bad about slacking off with updates. I'm going to set a goal for myself -- from now on I'll try to post a couple of times per week. Please let me know if there is anything you'd like me to write about.

謝謝媽咪！Thank you Mom!

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sun, 13 May 2012 08:02:00 +0000

I've always been fascinated by scrapbooking. I love the idea of presenting photographs and ephemera in a totally idiosyncratic way, the tactile joy of playing with paper, glue and ink, and that rustling noise scrapbooks make when you flip through them. It wasn't until a month ago, however, that I decided to try my hand at modern scrapbooking (in other words, making layouts to showcase one thing instead of just attaching them to the page). I don't know why I waited so long... I'm now obsessed! I love planning layouts and I've been gleefully playing with craft supplies I haven't used since grade school: glitter, puffy paint, stickers, rhinestones, those glue sticks that go on purple but dry clear. Of course, I had to make a special layout for Mother's Day.

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Air conditioning: A foul temptress and cruel mistress

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sun, 06 May 2012 15:47:00 +0000

The past few days have been gorgeous: sunny and warm, but not too hot, with a pleasant breeze. I know it is not going to last, so I'm trying to soak in as much vitamin D as I can before the humidity becomes overbearing. After interviewing author Aling (阿羚) last month, I became curious about how long I can last before I start using the air conditioner. Aling is the author of several books about environmentally friendly residential architecture. Most of the people she interviews don't use air conditioning, even those who live in the Taipei Basin. Their trick keeping their windows open and creating a constant cross breeze through their house or apartment.

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The root of my (current) neurosis

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Wed, 02 May 2012 13:12:00 +0000

Last week I had a bad toothache. I went to the dentist today hoping that it was just a gum inflammation, but it turns out that one of my fillings cracked and the cavity deepened so much that I need a root canal. My dentist reassured me that the pain would be no worse than having my wisdom teeth pulled. Oddly enough, that did not make me feel better. I don't know if people do this in other countries, but in the US root canals are seen as the worst thing possible. People say stuff like "I'd rather get audited than get a root canal!" or "My c-section hurt less than a root canal!" or "That jerk! I'd rather have a root canal than talk to him!" My dentist got his DDS at NYU and I wanted to ask him if he'd ever heard that particular idiom, but I figured it would be better to stay focused and just ask questions about the procedure itself. Ugh. BOOOOOHOOOHOOOHOOO WAAAAHHHHH!!!

Sigh.

Two of my favorite things

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:23:00 +0000

I have been a little bit quiet recently because my shoulder muscles have been stiff and sore, thanks in large part to my computer use. Though it was indeed very amazing, I do not want to repeat the most amazing conversation I have had in Taiwan so far anytime soon, so I have been trying to limit the amount of time I spend hammering away at my keyboard. As a result, my blog has been more silent recently... but I did want to share two of my favorite things with you: my embroidered cat accessories from blah blah blah. I've owned both of these things for more than a year and I can't believe I have never shown them off. The medallion on top is sewn onto a little handbag. I nearly fell over when I first saw it. It was a little pricey, so I debated purchasing it for a few days. At the end, I realized that all I've ever wanted to do with my life is own something with a little portrait of a cat wearing a suit and shooting a rainbow from the side of his head. It always hangs near my bed because I want it to be the first thing I see in the morning. I bought the bracelet a while later to complete my little cat family. Whenever I wear it, I make Ron ask me what time it is so I can look at it as if it is a watch and scream "it's the CATTING HOUR!" I really love both of these things. blah blah blah is located at 5, Lane 30, Fuxing S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市復興南路一段30巷5號), tel: (02) 2779-0608. I haven't been there in a while because I don't want to subject myself to any more temptation, but I highly recommend a visit.

The most amazing conversation I have had in Taiwan so far...

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sat, 14 Apr 2012 14:30:00 +0000

My confidence is now slightly more durable than George's feather wands

Last week, I developed a horrible crick in my upper back. By the late afternoon, I was feeling so desperate that I ran over to a bare bones massage place near my house. It was my first massage there, and will probably be my last, but over half an hour of getting my muscles pounded and my back cracked, I learned several things about myself from the masseuse: I'm not a real American because I am not white, but my husband is, though I should have married another ABC. My muscles are really flabby and I should have had children five years ago because I am now 30 and they will probably come out with some health problem, if I can even conceive. I also sweat a lot. It just went on and on and on and on and on. I even got a grilling about how much money I make and spend on rent. It was like a concentrated version of every boundary-violating chat I have ever had in Taiwan. My friend called it "offensive conversation bingo," though the masseuse did miss his chance to criticize my spoken Mandarin. Maybe he thought doing so would be redundant.
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These old houses

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:33:00 +0000

Jenna of Lao Ren Cha recently wrote a great post about building preservation in Taipei (or the lack thereof) and how many foreigners -- and native residents -- bemoan this city's lack of architectural pulchritude.

It's true that Taipei is a mass of concrete and that many of its most gorgeous structures, including the Baroque-style storefronts built during the Japanese colonial era in what is now Datong District (大同區), are poorly preserved. Taipei is not like London or San Francisco, where you are bombarded with breathtaking views every time you turn a corner. Its beauty is something you have to look for. But that's one of the things I love about living here. Every time I stumble upon something that I find lovely, it feels like my own private discovery, even if it is a structure that has been documented on Web sites like Remembering Taipei (記憶‧台北). Sometimes it's not even a particularly interesting building. I love the little house above because it is so typically Taiwanese: the bright red doors, the bit of sloping slate roof topped with a graceful finial, the blue paint that still looks cheerful despite being coated in layers of grime, the green and white address plate, and the bicycle parked outside. It is a home struggling against urban decay, but it still looks cozy.

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Dark-adapted eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:01:00 +0000

When I was 13, I became obsessed with the book A Dark-Adapted Eye by Ruth Rendell writing as Barbara Vine. The title keeps repeating itself in my head as the days become longer and the constant rain and gloom gradually lift. I thought I was doing okay with the lack of sunlight and I joked with my friends that it was because my brain had finally given up ("Freeeeeedumb!"). But the recent stretch of sunny days and the buzz of spring that fills the air makes me think that I might have been wrong.

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That Taiwanese cushion, part two... now with yarn!

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sat, 24 Mar 2012 16:32:00 +0000

About a year ago, I wrote about a crocheted cushion cover that made me wonder what daily life was like for Taiwanese people who grew up in the 1970s and early 1980s. That particular cushion was made in a starburst pattern with a palette of acrylic yarn in autumnal colors. Well, as it turns out, there is another Taiwanese cushion! And not only do I own one, but I also have the yarn... to make another one! [Commence girlish squealing]
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Instameet Taipei: Da-an Forest Park, the Jade & Flower Market and Huashan 1914

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:46:00 +0000

I promise that I'm not going to turn my blog into a Instagram-dump... but I love that little app! I like being able to browse my friends' photos, the editing function is fun to use and the #cat tag always has the cutest kitty portraits to explore. The other day I asked Ron what filter I should apply to a photo and he said, "Why not just use normal?" Shhh, Ron, shhh...

These photos are from last week's Instameet. There were only three attendees (Ron, James and me), but that was fine. You know what they say: three's a crowd and four's an angry mob. I'm kidding, I made that up (but that is how the mind of an introvert works). We visited the Taipei Mosque (above), Da-An Forest Park (大安森林公園), the weekend jade and flower market (建國假日玉花市) and Huashan 1914 (華山1914).

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Instagram 2: Stealing flower souls with my phone

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 15:49:00 +0000

Last week, I stumbled upon three women with their smartphones in the air, all intently taking photos of the tree in the second photo above. The next day, I walked past the same spot and there was another small crowd in front of it. Of course, I got jealous of everyone and had to stop, too, even though my husband and I were on our way to a late lunch and he was really hungry. If you read blogs about Taiwan or keep up with other local Instagram users, I'm sure you've scrolled through plenty of photos of blossoms -- but after the long, cloudy winter, it is wonderful to see any signs of spring. Now it would be nice if the sun would come out for more than one day at a time. Effin' sun.

Want to meet up with other Instagram users? Instameet Taipei takes place tomorrow (Sunday) in Da-an Forest Park. I'll be there, but please don't let that scare you away. For more information, click here.

Saving faces: Brenda Zlamany's "888: Portrait of Taiwan"

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 07:20:00 +0000

All images in this post are by Brenda Zlamany and used with permission

"888: Portraits of Taiwan" is an amazing project by American artist Brenda Zlamany, who traveled to 33 villages and cities to create 888 portraits of Taiwanese people from a diverse array of backgrounds. In addition to her watercolor sketches of each person, Brenda also photographed them with their portrait and asked them to sign it at the bottom.

Iphone-agraphy

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:35:00 +0000

After avoiding it for half a year, I finally created an Instagram account and discovered my new favorite way of frittering away my precious time. There are so many cat lovers on it! If you tag your photo with #cat, you'll get a bunch of "likes" right away! If you click through the #cat tag, you can see photos of other people's cats! My favorite way of spending time. Oh, and I've enjoyed browsing photos of Taipei, too, and the Bay Area when I'm feeling a little homesick. My extremely creative Instagram username is catherineshu. Let me know if you have an account, too! I'll also share some photos here from time to time. Click through to see a few more of my snapshots.
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Bowling alley time machine: Yuanshan Bowling Alley (圓山保齡球館)

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:52:00 +0000

Located near Jiantan MRT Station (劍潭捷運站), Yuanshan Bowling Alley (圓山保齡球館) is rich in retro atmosphere -- and by retro atmosphere, I mean it's hella old. My Dad remembers going ice skating in the building, which was constructed in 1966 and is still completely funktastic. (I was totally born too late. Dammit, why aren't I 60 years old?).
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This must be the place: Itis Edition (版語)

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:24:00 +0000

Have you ever wondered where in Taipei you can find a carefully curated selection of 1950s and 1960s books about art, design and architecture? If you have, then you are probably my soulmate. We could run off to Itis Edition (版語空間) together. It is a tiny store located near Liuzhangli MRT station (六張犁捷運站) that sells vintage books sourced from the US and UK by illustrator Yihsin Wu (吳怡欣). Last time I went, I saw catalogs from industrial design expos that took place in the mid-1960s, a book about dormitory design from around the same era and several volumes about illustrator Ben Shahn.

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Light bright: the Taipei Lantern Festival (台北燈節)

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:05:00 +0000

I really adore the lights and colors of the Taipei Lantern Festival. The giant lanterns are up at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial (國立國父紀念館) and Taipei City Hall until Feb. 12 and there are also free music and dance performances every night. For more information, check out my Taipei Times article or the festival's official Web site.

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Happy Year of the Dragon... er... George!

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 15:18:00 +0000

Happy Year of the ~~Dragon~~ George!

I can't tell if George approves.

A little birdy told me! Fortune telling at Longshan Temple Underground Mall (龍山寺地下街)

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 11:37:00 +0000

I'm not a superstitious person... well, not anymore. When I was little, I read a children's book called The Ghost Hunting Handbook (or something like that). During the day, I was really excited about the possibility of finding a ghost, but at night I would freak out. For years I slept with the covers pulled over my head. By the time I was in high school, however, I was reading publications like the Skeptical Inquirer. I no longer believe in ghosts, souls or the afterlife -- and I definitely don't believe that you can tell the future. I also feel dumbfounded every time people tell me that Ron and I should have children during the year of the dragon because I can't believe that people are seriously planning their family around an astrology chart. But I still love the ritual and creepily magic atmosphere of fortune telling. When my friend Lauren told me about fortune tellers in the Longshan Temple MRT station underground mall (龍山寺捷運站地下街) who use live birds as divination tools, my head exploded.

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I can't believe I didn't eat that! (or the Dihua St Lunar New Year market)

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 17:04:00 +0000

My friends and I went to the Dihua St (迪化街) Lunar New Year market today. It was my first year braving the crowds to sample all the snacks and I consumed a sausage, balls rolled from sweet potato and dough, lots of fruit chips, quail eggs on a stick, and a cup of sugar cane juice. Afterward, we went out for Japanese food. As I look through my photos, however, my heart and belly yearns for all the food I didn't eat. Beef jerky, corn on the cob brushed with butter and sprinkled with chili pepper, cookies, pastries, every kind of candy...

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Papercuts by Tim Budden at Suho Memorial Paper Museum

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 11:48:00 +0000

One of things I enjoy most about interviewing artists and designers is being able to ask them about their process. No matter what materials they use, they always have a different way of starting and a different way of getting bringing their ideas to fruition. I'm especially intrigued when the works they turn out are extremely intricate and complex. When artist Tim Budden starts on a large-scale papercut, he has to figure out how to balance the design with making sure that the final piece does not tear or warp. Every one is a feat of engineering, even though it is made with just a sheet of paper. Tim's work is on display at Suho Memorial Paper Museum (樹火紀念紙博物館) until March 24 (for more information about the exhibit, please see my recent article for the Taipei Times).

生日快樂, Mom!

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:07:00 +0000

Happy birthday to my beautiful mother! Before my wedding, my Mom scanned in all our family photos and gave me a USB with every file sorted by year, occasion and date. I've been browsing through snapshots of our trips to Taiwan when my brother and I were little before my paternal grandparents immigrated to the US. We had some fun times.

No, you shouldn't have. You really shouldn't have. You really, REALLY shouldn't...

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:45:00 +0000

"Money doesn't grow on trees... hey, wait a second..."

One of the differences between Taiwanese and American etiquette that I had the hardest time getting used to are the different gift giving rituals. In Taiwan, you are supposed to refuse a gift several times before you finally accept it. The first time I gave a present in Taipei, I was befuddled when the recipient signaled "stop" with his hands, shook his head and firmly said, "No, no, thank you." He repeated that several times. I practically had to shove the gift into his face. I actually panicked. I kept thinking, "Is he seriously going to make me drag a two pound box of candy back home, where I am going to eat the whole thing?" After going back and forth for a bit, my friend finally accepted it, and I realized that he had just been trying to be polite. After all, who turns down box of delicious gourmet toffee?
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Dealing With Depression and Living Abroad, part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:06:00 +0000

(This is the second part of a two part post. Please click here for the first one).

3) Don’t listen to the depression (or dumbasses)

When my depression and anxiety take a hold of me, I get overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy. I used to get upset during breaks home from college because I was scared that my professors would realize I was stupid when class started again. My Mom would remind me that I usually got good feedback on my papers, but I wondered how long I could maintain the façade of not being a blithering idiot. I felt being "found out" was inevitable and I dreaded the moment.

I struggled with those feelings for a long time. My parents came to visit me during my first semester in graduate school. I started crying during lunch and apologized for being a horrible daughter.

My Dad said, “I know what’s happening. That’s the depression talking. It will say things like that, but you just can’t listen.”
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Depression and Living Abroad, part 1: Sometimes the easiest path is the hardest one to take

noreply@blogger.com (Catherine Shu) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:03:00 +0000

When I first moved abroad, I was scared. I had the benefit of living with my fiancé, but when you are depressed, you feel alone even when someone you love is holding your hand. At times, I felt like I was jumping into a void and I questioned the wisdom of my decision. At the same time, I also knew that if I let clinical depression dictate what I did with my twenties, I would regret it for the rest of my life.

Over the past four years, I’ve done better than I thought I would. I’ve been able to enjoy most of my time here and manage my depressive episodes. I don't want to prattle on like I'm an expert on dealing with depression and anxiety while living abroad. All I know is based on my own experiences, but I'd like to be able to help someone who is asking the same questions I was five years ago.

This blog entry ended up longer than usual, so I've split it into two parts. The second part is here.

1) Don’t listen to dumbasses

I felt like I was caught between two cultural attitudes about depression when I was growing up and neither of them were helpful. There was the Asian attitude, which was to sweep things under the rug, and then there is the American one, where everything is pathologized, medications are carelessly prescribed and you feel like something is wrong with you if you don't run around farting glitter and rainbows all the time.

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