Monday, December 23, 2013

Janice's Special Thanks to Judy–After Her Published Book《素娥隨筆》



12/23/2013

Judy:                                                                                                                      

         I was totally immersed in your writing late last night after I got back my farewell party from choir group.  I pondered very deeply whether I should just post it in our web blog without commenting anything at all.  Then, I weighted in carefully in my mind, Judy, you are really reflecting a lot from your essays about your life in which I did not know before.
         You and I were just classmates who shared the passion for writing at 成大青年寫作協會 during my first and second year in college, trying to balance my college life between tutoring to supplement my meager allowance and getting good grades.  Of Course, dating my current husband kept me busy too.  One of the most memorable events at 成大青年寫作協會 was the visit from 詩人- 余光中.  You and 周南山 was one of the organizers for that event.  I was so impressed about how you were able to invite such a famous contemporary poet, an international acclaimed writer who I constantly read and read with my sister, a graduate of Chinese Literature Department from National Taiwan University and engaged in a back & forth dialogue with her about how he wrote ‘為什麼天空是那麼台北.’  I was still in Hsinchu Girls’ Senior High school overburdened by loads of exams one after the other when she was in Taipei.  The geographic expression along with his modern construct of words puzzled me a bit.  How insane are the people who could present the poetic artistry with such subjective rhythm from his inner mind?  That was me back then.  I was in awe when I saw you up there in 青年活動中心 holding the candle reading his poem that night.
            Our relationship grew closer during our senior year when we joined 成大畢業紀念 編輯.  Again your expertise in editing as it related to compiling all entries from all other Departments of fours years was top-notch.  You were on top of us including Katy Lan, Bo-Chen, me and among other editors.  That was me then, again.
            Eventually, graduate school, marriage, family and career planning were intertwined in our lives.  We were quiet for a long time until my first trip back to Taiwan in 1997 with my family.  You arranged the class re-union for me with Taipei folks.  I was surprised from your shared public information that Bo-Chen was released from the White Terror period’s typical vanish and imprisonment.  I was kept in the dark for 30+ years from his many letters he mailed me from his jail where he was housed.  That triggered me with the project of reconnecting him and the rest of other dear classmates that we have so lost from 36 years.  We were on the same page ambitiously enough to publish our NCKU-71FLLD class albums, not only the first volume, but also the 2nd volume until we had to pass the baton to the young juniors of NCKU-FLLD in 2013 due to our approaching old age. 
            Thanks for your book【成大人吾倆化工情】given to me while I was playing tennis with your husband, and 蘇福欣 at 網球 場.  My love of tennis and writing and your inspiration to me was special.  
            Our life speaks bundle from our relationship with Bo-Chen whom I still have vivid memory from the incidence of being chased out by an American at  where we held one of very few BBQ trip together as FLLD class during our senior year.
            Well, let your essays be known to everyone in our class.  Without your guidance and constant encouragement to supervise us with the project, we couldn’t have shared with others our rich NCKU-71FLLD history as indicated in the preface by our favorite Teacher Harold – Japanese Professor.   We thank you and your 6 sections of memoir/essays/stories.  It will give me some insight about how you were influenced by your beloved parents, cousin (真理大學台灣文學館名譽館長), husband and all famous writers in your life.  I am looking forward to posting them in our web blog.  You make us, NCKU-71FLLD proud.
I certainly can use your motivation to reach another stage of my life – retirement - starting 1/1/2014.

THANKS JUDY!



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