Writing is a form of power.
Words are transparent needles, threading together the wildest of dreams.
Writing is a form of manifestation.
Because writing, photographing, and creating leave a trace in this world—
The world as I see it is exactly what I write, capture, and create.
Writing is a form of influence.
Everyone who sees me writing becomes part of my pendulum’s system.
Whether you believe it or not, the moment you pay attention to me, that itself is a form of belief.
Writing can rewrite history. Writing can predict the future.
I am a novelist, and I will write a book for myself with my own hands.
Here’s something mystical: Why do I want to quit drinking? Because one night, in the middle of the night, I couldn’t sleep and was just sitting there in a daze by myself. I heard my future self from three years from now, full of resentment, regret, and helplessness, pleading for help from the me of today. She was crying, disappointed, tormented. She said she also wants to have a good life.
I was really moved to tears. I want to save her, just like I want to travel back to the past right now to help.
在加州混,必须多少懂点西班牙语
在加州住一阵儿,你会发现一个残酷真相:很多地方不是去不了,而是念不对。
念错了没人当面纠正你,但一定有人在心里默默贴标签:“外地人”。
San José:不是“San 乔西”,而是 桑·霍塞。J 发喉音 /h/。
La Jolla:不是“拉焦拉”,而是 拉·霍亚(La HO-ya)。LL = /j/(耶音)。
Mojave:不是“莫贾维”,是 莫哈维。J 仍读 /h/。
Vallejo:不是“瓦列霍”,是 瓦耶霍。LL 发耶音 /j/,J 发喉音 /h/。
Calle Real:不是“卡列瑞尔”,是 卡耶·雷亚尔(KAI-yay ray-AHL)。LL 发音要注意,还有Real重音在最后的音节。
想当年央视足球解说员一度把足球队Real Madrid 说成是“真马德里队”,后来才改成“皇家马德里队”。
其实皇家也不对,那个Real是“王家”的意思,西班牙只有王室,没有皇室。
加州硅谷有一条路叫El Camino Real: 艾尔卡米诺·雷亚尔(el cah-MEE-no ray-AHL)。意思是:国王大道。
这个Camino一看定冠词El就是阳性。
阴性和阳性在西班牙语里非常重要。
Los Angeles是天使城,Los是阳性定冠词,Las Vegas 是青草地,Las是阴性定冠词。
懂了西语逻辑,加州地名瞬间从“英文”变成语法化石。
El Niño(艾尔尼尼奥,洋流现象)对应的是阴性的La Niña(拉尼尼阿)。后面的四个字母是“儿童”。
地名El开头的有一堆阳性:
El Cajon
El Monte
El Cerrito
El Centro
El Dorado
对应的是阴性开头的的La
La Habra
La Mirada
La Palma
La Puente
La Mesa
圣人的地名也分男女
San Francisco(旧金山)
San José(圣荷塞)
San Diego(圣地亚哥)
San Bernardino(圣伯纳迪奥)
San Rafael(圣拉斐尔)
San Mateo(圣马迪奥)
Santa Ana(圣塔安娜)
Santa Barbara(圣塔芭芭拉)
Santa Clara(圣塔克拉拉)
Santa Monica(圣塔莫尼卡)
加州的问题在于:它的名字从来就不是用英语起的。
你不用会说西班牙语,但你必须会念加州的西班牙语。
最后测试一下,Jalapeño辣椒,应该怎么读?