Week 5: A bit tired but nothing happens

Time goes past really quickly.

I guess searching for articles for 12 hours per day is a bit too much.  Besides, if I do not start writing I may never finish it.  Therefore I just changed my strategy, write an outline first, then look for the relevant materials, one section per day. 

Even so, all this work combined with reading assignments of other training programs is intimidating.  I find it hard to keep critical on the materials I am reading after a long day of such activity.  Fortunately, I am still progressing.  I have already had a grip on Tibet's holocene climate.  The next thing is the climate at present.  Considering the diversity of climate types in Tibet, there is also considerable work load.  But this will make a important base for my review and thesis.

I do not know how much time I have on this part, but I think I must be patient in next few weeks.

夜归

六点一刻，响动很大地收拾东西，往已经很满的书包里再塞进两本图书馆借来的书。35升的包也不够用了，还剩一本大部头只有抱在手上。穿过黯淡的咖啡厅，穿过黯淡的走廊，穿过黯淡的校园，路旁换了新的路灯，不会忽暗忽亮，也没有飞蛾扑火，但总是无端地让人想起维多利亚时代那些总是在不合时宜的场合熄灭的煤气灯。小路上偶有几个行人，都看不清面貌，年龄，乃至衣着，一个个都以很欧洲的方式，拉高了衣领缩着脖子赶路。走出校门之前超过一个人，他（她？）身上的绒衣提醒了我，让我意识到自己只是在夏装外套了一件风衣，于是竟一下子觉得萧瑟起来。

过街时没有车辆，不用按钮。公路消失在不远处的黑暗中，如同森林中的树木融化在它自己的影子里。这让我想起手上的书，想起作者一个著名的比喻：``[I]n the midst of the asphalt streets of the city I felt exposed to the powers of nature...signboards and street names, passers-by, roofs, kiosks, and bars must speak to the wanderer like a twig snapping under his feet in the forest....''刚刚入夜的城市和森林确实有着类似的特性：让旅行者感到孤独，不安，同时也有些兴奋。我头一次看到有人这样描写城市，描写他的（也是我的）迷失和对迷失的特殊喜爱，有相见恨晚的感觉。

我手里的大部头是他的 Passagen-Werk ，英译本 the Arcade Project 。这是他最后一部作品，没有完成。他把手稿放在手提箱里，随身带到法国和西班牙边境，想要逃到美国，但他的犹太人身份和一张让人过目不忘的脸孔让他最终没有跑成。这样的命运即使在那样一个动荡的年代，也显得过于诡谲和悲惨。或者，即使他逃到了美国，也还是会继续迷失下去。文盲说“牛人们的心灵都是孤独漂泊的~~~~~~大概因为找不到牛棚”，不无道理。

走过大小店铺都纷纷关门的街道，想象着北京进城卖菜的小夫妻们也在这般萧瑟的寒风中缩头缩脑地往家赶去，觉得城市其实在哪里都是一片森林，有几个我们熟悉的角落，几条安全的路径，我们便在上面日复一日地奔波着。有意迷失其中，常常可以有些发现和体验，其实对于越来越大规模复制的生活来说很有好处。不过即使是牛人，也最好可以有一个可以回去的棚子，供他们诗意地或者鸡毛蒜皮地栖居。

舌战

早上打了两个电话，一个10分钟，一个1小时。打完第一个电话郁闷得想撞墙，而且真的撞了一下。于是打了第二个，跟老妈说了很多话，好像只有当年登山之前说服她放行才说过这么多。结果没有解决什么问题，但是许多想说的话都说出来了，还是挺痛快的。按照父母的期望和意愿生活了很多年，现在终于可以名义上自己选择在哪里做什么样的工作了。不过，也说不定是已经被培养定型了所以就不用管了？

打完电话后差点想直接回宿舍呆着了，反正办公室电脑坏了……不过还是在办公室里呆到下班时间。一遍一遍地听自己从 CD 上扒下来的古典音乐 highlights，突然发觉拉赫马尼诺夫的第二钢琴协奏曲很好听，以前陶醉于第三的繁复华丽，对第二没有什么感情，现在倒觉得第二很亲切。听1812序曲也听 high 了。

相信

在每天工作12小时之后脑子都不转的时候最希望家人能来关心一下，结果没想到反被老妈倒了一肚子苦水。郁闷之余把这事告诉文盲，却又让她担心了。

但是我相信我的父母自始至终是把决定权放在我手中的，我也相信他们一旦能更多地了解文盲，他们的态度会由默许变为赞同。

文盲相信我能做的和将要做的，这对我而言就是最好的鼓励和支持了。

Globalisation and Environment

This is a lecture given by Andrew Dobson from Keele University. The argument of Andrew's is that environment, which is generally looked on as a casualty of globalisation, can be used as a weapon of (more equal) globalisation. Today's globalisation, led by G-7 countries, are asymmetrical globalisation. Instead of ``diffusion'' of people, technology and finance, it is ``transfusion'', i.e. things are flowing in only one direction. Environmental issues and arguments, he claims, helps globalisation in another way round, and can help achieve a more equal globalisation. The argument is quite convincing. However, my opinion is that environment can also serve today's globalisation in favour of a few countries' local interests. Consider Green Trade Barriers and Pollution outsourcing, these activities are responses to national environmental problems in a globalisation context. Is it necessary then, to stop such shameful practices and accept environment degradation, or sit back and watch environment degradation in other countries? Thus, to make environment a weapon to facilitate more globalisation, a framework of international law and enforcement is a necessary condition. Without this framework, the developed countries may still acknowledge their environment debt to developing countries and lower class but their actions will not be dependable. The subtitle of the seminar is ``Environmental languages in a global grammar''. My question would be how weaker voices in the world express themselves in this grammar. The argument still looks like from a Western perspective.

Week 4: in so many ways...

I think I was too used to Google's intelligent search. When I search on jstor.org I forgot to add some wildcards, thus last week I only got a few articles having the exact search terms I used. This week when I add `*' to the search terms, the search engine on JSTOR throws hundreds of results at me. It then become my burden to browse through all these and try to find some useful anecdotes or comments made by the travellers some 70 years ago. However, most articles focused on recent 50 years, which I also paid most attention to in my latest review, therefore I did not obtain much useful information here. But by searching for more information it is possible that I can figure out how historical events and policy changes influence changes took place in later years. On the other hand, my supervisor suggested that I pay some attention to the climatic and environmental factors in Tibet. These aspects may be the underlying reason for current (and past) pastoral system in Tibet, and can help assess whether a change to the system may fail (though the other outcome is very difficult to predict). I have borrowed some books on Tibetan pastoralism in the 20th Century. Hopefully they will also provide me with some clues. I will need to produce more writings next week.

水木文学版普鲁斯特问卷

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1.你认为最理想的快乐是怎样的？

可以让人不再去想

2.你最希望拥有哪种才华？

速读和强记

3.你最害怕的是什么？

不被人信任

4.你目前的心境怎样？

坚强而不坚定

5.还在世的人中你最钦佩的是谁？

梅斯纳尔

6.你认为你最伟大的成就是什么？

从小学体育不及格到3小时2分跑完马拉松

7.你自己的哪个特点让你最觉得痛恨？

太在意别人的态度

8.如果你能选择的话，你希望让什么重现？

没有水坝和污染的河流

9.你最痛恨别人的什么特点？

歧视和偏见

10.你最珍惜的财产是什么？

有 RMS 签名的书

11.你最奢侈的是什么？

一堆来不及看的书

12.你认为程度最浅的痛苦是什么？

上课时突然不能确定是否把宿舍门锁好了

13.你认为哪种美德是被过高的评估的？

没有

14.你最喜欢的职业是什么？

学者

15.你对自己的外表哪一点不满意？

没有

16.你本身最显著的特点是什么？

实际，按计划做事

17.还在世的人中你最轻视的是谁？

金正日

18.你最喜欢男性身上的什么品质？

乐观

19.你使用过的最多的单词或者是词语是什么？

考虑一下……

20.你最喜欢女性身上的什么品质？

细腻

21.你最伤痛的事是什么？

被父母误解

22.你最看重朋友的什么特点？

坦诚

23.你这一生中最爱的人或东西是什么？

信任和理解我的女性

24.你希望以什么样的方式死去？

“倒在打字机前”

25.何时是你生命中最快乐的时刻？

每个周日早晨，如果在9点前起床的话

26.你的座右铭是什么？

Happy hacking

注：普鲁斯特问卷考
http://www.chick.net/proust/question.html