Water Getting Colder 水越來越冷

For the month of November, I mostly swam in the outdoor pool, covering a distance of 107,100 meters over the 30-day period. At the beginning of the month, the pool (water) temperature was around 77F and I would often keep swimming until I had to leave the pool. Then some cold weather caused the (early morning) air temperature to drop from about 73F to this morning's 56F. Over the same period, the water temperature also gradually fell, first to about 75F, then 73F, then 70F, then 69F and finally (so far) to 68F yesterday.

十一月份我大部分在室外游泳池游泳，總共游了十萬七千一百公尺。月出水溫二十五度左右，真的很舒服，可以游很久。慢慢來，因為有冷氣團的緣故，所以氣溫（一大早）從二十三度降到十三度左右，同時水溫從二十五度降到二十四、二十三、二十一、一直到昨天的二十度，真嚇得要命！

The Road to the Swimming Pool

Yesterday I felt cold the whole swim. The previous day (69F), I would still take rests between sets, but yesterday I did not want to stop. Yesterday I just swam 2,500 meters non-stop, taking about 55 mins 15 seconds. After I got out of the water, I headed straight for the hot showers. I must have been cold as I could hardly feel the hot water.

The building that is part of the swimming pool complex

昨天，游泳的時候，我一直覺得很冷。前天（二十點五度），會偶爾休息在水裡面，但是昨天我不敢停下來（因為怕冷），因此一直游、一直游，過了五十五分、兩千五百公尺以後就起來了，馬上往洗澡間去。浴室的水雖然很燙，但是我沒甚麼感覺，反而繼續發抖。

A great place to study or work right next to the pool

Although the water temperature in the outdoor pool will continue to fall, I really like the pool’s surroundings. After swimming, I can find a very comfortable and quiet place under the sun’s warm rays to get on with my work. In this way, I can happily spend an hour or two there before getting on my bicycle and heading home.

Cheng Ching Lake seen through the trees

游泳池的水溫會繼續下降。不過，我非常喜歡游泳池的環境。游完了以後，就可以找一個很舒服、很安靜的地方坐下來，在陽光之下做我的工作，這樣子可以很快樂地度了一到兩個小時的時間，才騎腳踏車回家。

And the best of British luck! (Where did you see so many minis together?)

Training with the Best 跟最好的人一起訓練

As the temperature drops and I get to experience winter, my swimming training changes emphasis, at least a little.

當氣溫（還有水溫）降低，冬天慢慢地臨到的時候，我的游泳訓練方式有稍微所改變。

In addition to (currently) swimming about 3,500 meters each day in water around 22C (71F), I also practice my surfboard catch and pull at home in the outdoor half of my office.

除了幾乎每天在游泳池游三千公尺以外（目前水溫22度左右），在家裡也會練習抓水的動作。

I also spend some time each day replaying the freestyle races held at the Beijing Olympics on a large flat screen. I watch things such as swimming style, turns off the wall, etc.

我每天在電視上會重新看北京奧運游泳比賽，特別注意選手姿勢及游泳技巧，轉身，等等。

As I study my swim coach Karlyn's freestyle DVD, I pay even closer attention to the swimming techniques of these Olympic swimmers. Here are some snapshots of the TV action:

當我在看游泳教練Karlyn的自由式DVD，會特別注意這些參加奧運游泳比賽選手的姿勢。在這裡為各位舉幾個例子如下：

The start of the ladies' 50 meters freestyle. Dara Torres (aged 41) took silver, losing to a young German girl by 100th of a second. 女子一百米決賽。Dara Torres (41歲)拿到銀牌。

Campbell (left 左), Torres (right 右)

Frontal view of Grant Hackett of Australia, the Olympic 1,500 meter record holder.

Rebecca Adlington of the U.K. broke Janet Evans' world record (since 1989) in the 800 meters free. Her stroke is definitely worth watching!

At the turn in the 100 meter men's freestyle. Note Alain Bernard's (right) feet are firmly planted on the wall with a wide stance to get maximum push (as are the feet of Eamon Sullivan, the world record holder (left).

Alain Bernard celebrates victory in the 100 free. If you watch the video of the race, you will notice slight differences in style. Sullivan's elbows are straigher than Bernard's when out of the water (but they are not straight during the catch and pull).

If you want to get good at something, then learn with the best.

Using Hand Paddles 使用劃水板

在游泳池附近所看美麗的日出 Beautiful sunrises seen near the swimming pool

我幾乎天天會化一點時間穿上劃水板游泳。主要的原因就是好的劃水板可以協助矯正姿勢及游泳技巧，以及加強強化手臂肌耐力。因為會降低水阻，而且會讓划水更順暢，所以游泳的速度會加快，真的會讓我覺得很過癮！喜歡使用TYR牌 “Mentor” 的劃水板。紅色 (L) 比較適合高級女性泳者，藍色 (XL) 適合高級男性泳者。你游的速度並不重要，要看你的姿勢好不好，你的手多大等等。
使用之前，要首先游泳一段距離才把牠們穿上去。譬如，我今天早上先空手游三千公尺，然後靠著劃水板再游一千公尺。因為可以游地更快，所以只需要十七分二十五秒就可以把一千公尺輕鬆地游完。

TYR牌 “Mentor” 的劃水板：紅色 (L)、藍色 (XL) TYR “Mentor” Paddles: Red (L) and Blue (XL)

I spend a little time almost every day swimming with hand paddles. The main reasons for this is that good hand paddles can help correct one’s stroke and swimming skills, as well as strengthen one’s arm muscles. Because the paddles reduce the water resistance, while increasing the smoothness of the stroke, the speed at which one swims will also increase. This really makes me feel really great! I like to use the TYR “Mentor” brand of hand paddles. The red color (L) is more suited to high-level female swimmers, while the blue color is best for high-level male swimmers. How fast you swim is not really important. Instead, you need to see how good your technique is, how big your hands are, and so on.

Using the Red (Large) Hand Paddles 使用紅色 (L) 劃水板

Before using the hand paddles, I will first swim some distance before I put them on. For example, this morning I first swam 3,000 meters without the paddles, and after that swam 1,000 with the paddles on. Because wearing the paddles can make me swim faster, I just needed 17m 24 secs to complete the thousand meters with them on.

游泳水的溫度現在23C－24C 左右。 The pool’s water temperature is currently 73F－75F

23 Years Ago and Now 二十三年前與現在

時間過的真快！我們已經結婚了二十三年！我們在高雄訂婚了（秀金的老家），而且現在住在高雄，真有福氣！ How time flies! Hsiu-chin and I have already been married 23 years! We got engaged in Kaohsiung (Hsiu-chin’s home town), and now we are living in Kaohsiung. We have really been fortunate!

我與秀金結婚照片 Hsiu-Chin and I in our wedding picture

在高雄訂婚 Engagement in Kaohsiung, Taiwan

在中正紀念堂合照 Photo taken at the Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall in Taipei

十幾年前在台北合照 Photo taken at our Taipei home over ten years ago

在夏威夷慶祝二十年的婚姻 Celebrating 20 years of marriage in Hawai'i
昨天美麗的晚餐（高雄）（次子Morrison 跟美國朋友Micah）A nice evening meal in Kaohsiung (Our younger son Morrison (standing) can be seen with his friend Micah)

現在的我們（長子James拍照） Hsiu-Chin and me now (Photo taken by older son James (not pictured)

Swimming Freestyle 101 游泳自由式一零一

(有音樂，請把Playlist暫時停一下　There is music, please pause Playlist)

今天跟各位稍微分想本人目前「自由式一零一」的小部影片，包括我的游泳教練Karlyn (Aquatic Edge 創辦人) 給我六個以下的目標。我的姿勢還有不少缺點，請各位多多指教。　
Today I am posting a short clip of my "Swimming Freestyle 101". I have much yet to learn. On the clip I have included the six goals prepared by famous swimming instructor Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen, which are as follows:
1. Streamline (保持直線)
2. Focus on the tiles (注意看下面的瓷磚)
3. Don't cross the centerline! (不要過中線)
4. Extend and pause (將手伸出來，稍微休息一下)
5. Surfboard catch and pull (抓水，撥水，好像躺在衝浪板上一樣)
6. Put the UMPH in the front (在前面出力)

Extend and pause (將手伸出來，稍微休息一下)

新的泳帽 A New Swim Cap

新的泳帽 A New Swim Cap (Aquatic Edge)

我最近開始戴一頂新的泳帽。雖然只是一頂很便宜的帽子，但是對我來說，是一頂很寶貴以及有特別意義的泳帽。那就是我在夏威夷的游泳教練跟一個關於自由式的光碟片所寄給我的泳帽。能夠跟一位那麼傑出游泳教練學習是一個榮譽。在「師說」那片文章裡，韓愈強調：「古之學者必有師。師者，所以傳道、受業、解惑也」，意思就是說：「古代求學問的人一定有老師。老師是傳習道術、教授學業、解釋疑惑的人。」我雖然半年以上天天在游泳池好好地游泳，但是有不少的「疑惑」。想去找老師修正我的姿勢還是會讓我有一點不好意思，好像跟韓愈所寫的「今之眾人，其下聖人也亦遠矣，而恥學於師」一模一樣了。可是，連孔夫子有很多的老師：「孔子曰：「三人行，必有我師」 （意思就是說當三個人一起走，裡頭一定有一位是孔子的老師）。假如歷史上「至聖先師」有老師，我們一般的百姓為什麼沒有老師？沒有老師，我們做事情就「事倍功半」，有好的老師，而「事半功倍」。

I have recently started wearing a new swim cap. Although it is just a cheap item, to me it is something that is very precious and has special meaning. It is a swim cap that my swim coach from Hawai’i sent me together with a DVD on freestyle swimming. To be able to learn with such an outstanding swim coach is indeed a great privilege. In his famous treatise on teachers, the T’ang dynasty writer Han Yu emphasizes: “In olden times, those who sought to learn all had teachers. As these teachers taught moral principles and skills, they were able to explain and resolve the doubts that people faced.” Although I have been swimming at the pool almost every day for the last six months or more, I still have many “doubts” about my swimming skills and technique. When I think of seeking out a swim coach to improve my swimming technique, I still feel a little embarrassed. It is just like what Han Yu wrote when he said: “Most people these days are so far removed from the sages of the past, yet they feel it is a shame to study with a teacher. However, even Confucius himself had many teachers: “Confucius said: “When three people walk together, there will always be my teacher among them.” If history’s “most venerable of teachers” had teachers, then why do we ordinary folk not have teachers? When we do not have teachers, we only get half the results with twice the effort. However, when we have good teachers, we get twice the results with half the effort.

我的游泳教練 Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen (Photo courtesy of http://www.usms.org/)

自由式的光碟片 Freestyle Swimming DVD (Available from Aquatic Edge)

退休了以後，我希望… After I retire, I hope...

希望住在一個又漂亮又暖和的國家 I hope to live in a beautiful and warm country (like Taiwan)

將來退休了以後，我希望可以住在一個又漂亮又暖和的國家（譬如台灣），希望能夠幾乎每天早上騎腳踏車到游泳池在那邊好好地游泳。希望可以住在一棟又漂亮又方便有幾層樓的小房子，在那邊過一個很愉快的生活。退休了以後，我要繼續在家裡工作，主要的原因是為了讓我感覺生命有價值。我另外要繼續讀書，譬如我希望好好讀文言文。中國人有一句話：「活到老，學到老」。我希望在我家附近有不少好朋友，也希望偶爾可以搭飛機，到國外去看一些好朋友。又希望能夠繼續賺一點錢，可以減少生活各式各樣的壓力，也為下一代留下一些遺產。

我明天早上要騎腳踏車到游泳池…

我要在家裡工作 I want to work at home

After I retire, I hope I will be able to live in a beautiful and warm country (for example Taiwan). I hope almost every day to ride my bicycle to the swimming pool and to have a good swim there. I hope I can live in a beautiful and convenient multi-storied house, and live a happy life there. After I retire, I wil continue to work at home, the main reason for this being in order to enable me to feel that my life has value. In addition, I will continue to study. For example, I hope to study classical Chinese in depth. The Chinese have a saying: "Live to old age, study to old age." I hope to have several friends living not far from my house, and I also hope to occasionally be able to catch a plane and fly overseas to visit some good friends over there. I also hope to be able to continue to earn a little money, so that I can lessen the many pressures that I face in life, and also leave an inheritance for the next generation.

Tomorrow morning I will ride my bicycle to the swimming pool...

希望幾乎每天早上好好地游泳 I hope to have a good swim almost every day

高雄國際機場（可以飛到日本，夏威夷...）Kaohsiung International Airport (can fly to Japan, Hawaii...)