2/7/05 12:05pm Onboard a flight from Taipei to HK to Shanghai
Leaving on a jet plane, once again. Tired but glad I can finally have some down time to rest and relax. For some reason, my left eye has been a bit red and irritated though I don’t feel any discomfort nor is my vision impaired. Maybe I’m just tired and need more rest.
I have a lot of work to catch up on since the past few weeks have been dedicated to promotion only. A lot of deals, budgets and accounting reports need to reviewed both for my companies in Taiwan and LA. I’ve neglected both personal and business emails as well over the past month so my work is cut out for me.
I’m really looking forward to going back to LA even though it’s only for a few days. I miss the clear blue skies and sunshine in California and nothing beats driving down the freeway with the cool breeze blowing. I really miss driving my cars, of course, especially since I don’t drive at all when I’m in Asia. Sitting in the seat and starting up the engine is enough to put a smile on my face and in my heart. I’m thinking about taking a road trip alone to either San Francisco or Vegas but I don’t know if that’s possible since I have very limited time. Driving is a simple pleasure perhaps but it’s one the great joys in my life. I often times don’t even have the music on as I find it distracting. I enjoy listening to and feeling the engine especially when I rev up the engine towards redline. It’s as if the car is speaking to me-some of you must be thinking that I’m crazy! I’m not really into luxury sedans but I can appreciate a luxurious sports sedan with lots of power and torque. I guess I’m still a little boy with his collections of sports cars! I like cars with character and style more than anything. I appreciate and respect cars for their heritage and purity of design. This applies to both the body styling as well as engine design. A famous name is not so much as important as the originality and ingenuity of a manufacturer. Like music, some cars can be overly complicated, cluttered and lacking in originality and style. A few of my cars are older vehicles (60’s to 80’s) but they have a sense of style and coolness that current cars can’t match. A car can have some flaws but still remain a collectible and classic just as a singer often times may not have a “perfect” voice but can still move you. I feel many cars nowadays strive to be mechanically “perfect” yet have no soul or character. Just like a perfectly sampled computer piano sound or a perfectly played guitar solo, a “perfect” car often gives the driver an isolated and sterile driving experience. A great example that illustrates this point is a vintage Porsche 911. Never considered a mechanically “perfect” car, the 911 is probably one of the most classic cars in automotive history. Its rear engine layout is something very controversial as most cars are either front or mid engine, which supposedly provides better balance, and weight distribution. However, why, after almost 50 years is the 911 unarguably still one of the best and most loved sports cars in the world? Whether for normal road use or international competition the 911 is still at the top of it’s game. Not because it’s “perfect” by standard definition but because it’s efficient, stylish and simply a blast to drive. From the sound of its boxer engine, to its sometimes tricky handling, to its once very Spartan and plain cockpit, the 911 simply has a soul that most cars never even dream of attaining. Yes, there are cars that are faster, more luxurious, quieter, and easier to drive but they don’t possess a character and style that will last for eternity.
I often use car analogies to explain and compare many things in life including music, philosophies, love, concepts and people. People are like cars, for example. Some people are proud, strong, efficient and dependable just like some cars are. Other cars are flashy on the outside yet have inferior and inefficient engines. Some people have hearts of gold yet their exteriors are plain and simple. That to me is my 1987 Land Cruiser. A robust four wheel drive truck with no curves or fancy design yet has got an engine and charm that has got quite a group of aficionados. I’m the third owner of the car and it’s already got over 170,000 miles! It’s still in mint condition because it’s been taken care, loved and restored over the years. Most importantly, it runs like new and still turns heads on the road. I’m frequently accosted by people who ask me whether I’m interested in selling the truck. I’m always very flattered but still answer, “No way, this is my baby!”
DT
2005年2月7日下午12點05分，登上班機，準備從台北飛往香港，轉機前往上海
又一次，我搭上了飛機。有點累但很開心，我終於有空檔可以休息放鬆。不知為何，我的左眼有點紅紅、癢癢的，但我並沒有感到任何不適，視力也未受影響。也許只是因為疲累，需要更充足的休息罷了。
最近這幾個禮拜都在忙著作宣傳，我得利用這幾天的時間趕緊處理許多因此延誤的工作。我必須審核在台灣與洛城兩地的公司營運、預算及會計報表。過去這一整個月，我也少看了許多公務與私人信件，因此我想我的工作又排好了。
雖然只有幾天，我還是相當期待回到洛城。我很想念加州淨澈的藍天與陽光，沒有什麼感覺可以比得上在涼風的吹拂下，享受公路駕車的馳騁快感。我好想開我的車喔，因為我在亞洲都沒有機會開車。只要坐上駕駛座，發動引擎，我整個人就會顯得格外開心。我想要來個公路旅行，一路開到舊金山或拉斯維加斯；然而時間有限，還不知道能否成行。開車有一種簡單的樂趣，但這卻是我生活裡最大的享受之一。我開車時經常是不聽音樂的，因為它會讓我分心。我喜歡聆聽、感受引擎的轉動，尤其是當我猛踩油門，讓引擎轉速飆到快要破錶。有些人可能會以為我「花轟」了，但我真的覺得，這時引擎就像在跟我說話般。我對於豪華房車並沒有太大的興趣，但我很喜歡馬力大、扭力強的跑車。我大概還是一個喜歡收集跑車的小男生吧。我對於有個性、有風格的車子情有獨鍾。我深感佩服與尊崇這些具備純正設計血統的汽車，包括它們的車身設計與引擎構造。製造商的原創性與精細度遠比名氣大小要來得重要。就像音樂一樣，有的車子構造過度複雜繁瑣而缺少了原創性與自我風格。我有些車子是60年代到80年代之間生產的，它們的設計風尚與格調是現在許多車子無法望其項背的。有些車子雖有瑕疵，卻是值得收藏的經典之作；就像歌手一樣，有時候他的聲音並非處於「完美狀態」，卻依舊令人動容。我覺得現在的車子都在追逐技術上的完美，卻少了靈魂與個性。就像是一個完美取樣的電腦琴音，或像是一段精準呈現的吉他獨奏，一部「完美」的車子通常會給人無感、乏味的駕駛體驗。關於這個論點最好的例證就是「保時捷? ?911」這台經典跑車。從客觀技術上看來，911絕非「完美無暇」，但是在汽車發展史中，911的經典地位絕對是不容置疑的。它的後置引擎設計引起相當大的爭議，大部分的汽車都是前置或中置引擎，因為他們認為這樣會有比較好的車體與車重平衡。然而，為什麼即使在50年後，911仍然是世界上最受喜愛的最佳跑車之一呢？不論是在一般道路行駛或是國際賽道競速，911依舊保有其領先地位。這倒不是因為它做到一般認定的「完美」，而是因為它的效能、風格甚至是因為開起來超爽！從它的水平對臥式引擎設計，微妙精細的操控特性，到簡單的駕駛座艙，911擁有許多車子連做夢都沒想到要有的「靈魂」。沒錯，有些車子跑得更快、更豪華、更安靜、更易於操控，但是它們都缺少一種得以永世流傳的性格與風格。
我經常用車子的譬喻來解釋、對照生活裡的大小事物，包括音樂、人生觀、愛情、概念與人。舉個例子來說，人就跟車一樣。有些人猶如某些汽車般，傲氣十足、態度強硬、有效率且值得信賴。有些車則是金玉其外，敗絮其內。有的人則是金玉其內，素樸其外。這就像我那台1987年出廠的「陸地巡洋艦（Toyota Land Cruiser）」。結實有力的四輪驅動貨車，沒有流線、花俏的設計，但是它的引擎與獨特魅力，著實吸引了一票忠實的車迷。我已經是這輛車第三代的主人了，跑了超過17萬英哩！多年來，這台車一直被細心地照料、愛護與保養，因此車況十分良好。最重要的是，它開起來就像新車一樣，經常在路上傲視群倫。不時有人會跑來問我想不想賣。我總是自得意滿地回答說：「門兒都沒有，它是我的寶貝！」
陶喆
|
新浪
百度
开心
人人
豆瓣
搜狐
淘宝