"Classes with Culture" email

Hello,

Sorry for the long break in contact. Library's been closed for reflooring and been busier myself, so less online time. When writing, I also get bogged down in all that comes up, trying to get everything in in one long piece. I'll try to keep things short enough that I'll dare to start. So, about Culture Classes and only about Culture Classes...

I've been enjoying Calligraphy. It's satisfying using the maobi (brush) and seeing the stroke come up so dark and sharp on the paper. My Chinese teachers have always complimented my handwriting, but there's a lot more to calligraphy than it looks--manipulating the maobi is something to get used to. I still start each class doing badly, but I've been getting better over the weeks.

First few weeks were practice of basic strokes used as components for characters. Since I'm left-handed, my teacher gave me different examples, the way characters were written in the Qing(?) dynasty--all weird and curvy. I would have rather had the normal set so I could easily use the characters that I already know, but it's not bad. Only about ten classes, barely over an introduction, so I won't be too set in one track. Mine also seem easier than the right-handers', so that could be a good thing over such a short time.

This week did signatures, in cursive. Have to move really fast, and the result is nearly unintelligable, but we have to sign whatever poems we write, so it's gotta be done. Also have to write our names in non-cursive, and not in Qing dynasty style, or else no one would be able to read mine. I use the right-handed strokes, but teacher says it doesn't matter much what mine look like since I haven't had the right-handed stroke practice.

My Chinese Painting class has been getting a lot more interesting. The first week we started off with B&W fish by diluting our calligraphy ink for a blended color. The ones I turned out were really faithful to the example and I got a lot of compliments.

Second week the teacher was on a trip, so he had some of his calligraphy students teach, but they didn't know any painting, so we repeated our fish--badly. I don't know what happened the second week, I think maybe the paper was different, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't get enough water out of the brush. Even moving the strokes much faster than before, the paper grabbed the ink like a paper towel and all my strokes were too blob-shaped. I got frustrated and left early.

The next time we met, Allison and Jean-Michel, the two I sit with in calligraphy class, were inspired by my first fishes to try out the painting class. This one was a lot more fun because we got into color. The colors are a lot easier to get right without worrying about wateriness. It also looks a lot cooler. Still doing fish, but GOLDfish, so not in the same style (Googly eyes!). Today I practiced them again, this time with plants, and have the hang of it (teacher said, "Beautiful"). We all bought a box of paint tubes (only NT$50), so I can practice outside of class or when I get back. Think next up is either birds or bamboo.

Love,
Laszlo

Reply to "Hi, Haven't heard from you for a long time. Are you still alive?? :>" email

Hey ----,

Yeah, still alive. But our library's getting major reconstruction on the inside, all torn up, so no internet for me nights or weekends anymore. Sad.

So instead, yesterday I did some hiking. Not anything big, but just the mountains surrounding Taipei. I want to go down to some larger ones, though I'd need to get some warmer clothes. Taiwan's tallest, 玉山, is taller than Mt. Fuji. Though for that you need a permit and a guide, so I'd go on some surrounding peaks.

So I took the subway way south to the last stop and walked off towards the mountains. Few minutes from the station I hit a trail. The mountains are really close in and really steep. Lots of places it was just steps all the way up a slope. Sometimes steeper-than-normal steps and switchbacks--very steep. It was fun. Got caught in a downpour near the first peak. Sheltered with a dozen old people playing mahjong in a hut near the top.

Maybe the tail end of Typhoon Mindulle we got. People were scared it would be bad cause it was moving up the island so slow, it could have hung over us for days. But it mostly headed out again before reaching Taipei, so only the south got the flooding and mudslides.

Alright,
Laszlo