Zhuang Yujie

A: My day starts with sleeping in. Once the alarm goes off, I basically sleep as long as I can and set my departure time so that I leave at just the right moment. Then I check LINE to see what I need to take care of at work that day. Luckily, I live very close to work now, so my mornings are anything but poetic. (Haha)

A: Near CTS, the studio (in Banqiao), and live houses.

1. A popular vegetarian restaurant in Yansan Night Market (near Daqiaotou Station). The vegetarian braised rice cake and tofu-skin noodles are highly recommended.

2. Tic Tac Cafe (踢他咖啡): I recommend the cocoa espresso—a shot of espresso blended with chocolate, it’s both energizing and delightfully sweet. The melon milk tea has a subtle melon flavor and rich milky aroma. You may want to add a little sugar or ask for a touch of honey.
   
   Fan page:www.facebook.com/tictaccaf

A: Rehearsing and making music, watching movies and TV series. I recently watched a German series, *Dark*—it was so good!! I feel that European and American aesthetics are quite different, so the storytelling approaches in their dramas are different too. And Germany itself has a strong philosophical bent, so the show is pretty profound, and the storylines it explores are really thought-provoking.

A: Turning 30 feels like a turning point in my growth—a kind of rite of passage!

I had been at CTS for a long time then, and wondered whether I should change my work environment. It just so happened that The Tic Tac wanted to release an album around that time, so I thought maybe I should use that moment to seriously pursue something. If you’re asking whether you have to give certain things up to fulfill your dream, I don’t think that’s necessarily the case. Whether you have a job or not, you can still do what you want to do.

Many of my friends around me make music while working hard at their jobs. Have they given up on their dreams? They simply haven’t made a public announcement saying, “I’m going to do this.” And since my profession is considered a pretty good job by many people, whenever I step away from the anchor desk, everyone makes a big deal of it. I’m not that remarkable, really. What’s remarkable is “sticking with one thing and doing it well for a lifetime.” Dreams aren’t out of reach; it just comes down to whether you “want to.”

A: From a listening perspective, music is very much like a mirror because you can’t fool it. Your mood and feelings in the moment are reflected in the music you choose. One interesting thing is that when chatting with friends, you can analyze their preferences and behavior based on the kind of music they choose. When creating music, a person’s personality comes through in the way they arrange and perform it. You see, “it’s a mirror.”

A: *Love in the Time of Cholera* tells the story of a love triangle spanning more than half a century. After finishing it, I felt like I was the heroine (laughs). I also came to realize that the more chaotic the times and uncontrollable the circumstances, the more romantic it is to keep doing what you want to do if you’re willing to persevere. It’s really good; after finishing it, you’ll want to start reading it all over again. I once heard that novelists set a kind of threshold: once you cross it, you can quickly immerse yourself in the world they create. I’m not sure whether it’s because I’ve read some of his other works, but while reading this one, it was easy to understand the story he wanted to tell.

A: Taiwan is convenient and full of warmth. It’s a place with a high degree of openness and freedom, which is what attracts me. In a way, I think it’s quite prosperous—it’s just that people have gotten so used to it that they don’t really notice.

When it comes to safety, it’s perfectly safe to walk alone at night, even in the early hours of the morning. That would be very dangerous in many other countries. Taiwan has 24-hour convenience stores, fast-food restaurants, beauty stores, and hypermarkets, as well as night markets packed with all kinds of street food. Taiwan is wonderful!

A: Rather than an expectation, it’s more of a standard I have for accommodations. When looking for a place to stay, I pay particular attention to the bathroom. It should basically be bright and spacious, and having separate wet and dry areas is a bonus!

A: I pass by Hotel Jireh quite often, usually on my way to pick up a late-night snack (laughs). Every time, I take another couple of glances inside. It’s bright and clean, with a touch of stylish design, and the front-desk staff are so thoughtful. When I checked in, they even offered me a glass of water—I was amazed!

I highly recommend the bathroom. It’s spacious and gets great natural light, so I think the ladies will love it. The marble countertop is gorgeous too—I took several Instagram-worthy photos (laughs).