變身金剛 (Transformers!)

小時候，我總是和弟弟搶著玩不同的變身金剛。

機械人經過幾個不同角度的扭轉，就會化身為一輛戰車、一艘戰鬥機或航空母艦。我總是對於如此簡單卻巨大的變化嘆為觀止。細細的關注自己每個扭轉的動作如何將機械人一步步變為迥然不同的運輸工具。

沒想到，Syzygy竟成為我長大後的變身金剛。

Syzygy的船艙中麻雀雖小，五臟俱全。廚房、起居室、書架、衣櫥、網路、臥房一應俱全，儼然是一個小小的套房。然而當我們決定出海時，所有東西都得擺放定位，搖身一變為一艘機動的船舶：

床上鋪上一層布，上頭的艙門打開，就成了所有備用帆布與帆布袋的暫時儲存空間。散落在座椅上電腦、閱讀中的書本都安分的回到該歸屬的位置。廚房原先擺放出零食的小空間，取代的是海圖、手套、備用的雨衣與繩索。原本被當作躺下來做日光浴，或是當天氣好我們用作午餐空間的甲板，就成為發號施令的船長掌舵空間。


Rob總是驚訝我如此熱衷於他視作繁瑣無趣的準備工作，殊不知我是在享受失去的童年快樂，享受著一艘如此巨大的玩具，在我數十分鐘的一個個步驟之下，悄悄變身的樂趣！

Translation:

When I was young my brother and I used to love to play 'Transformers.'

With just a few twists and turns, these toy robots would become tanks, ships, airplanes, or even aircraft carriers. I was fascinated by these simple but dramatic changes. I loved to watch how each little action would step by step create this transformation from robot to vehicle.

Much to my surprise Syzygy has become the Transformer of my adulthood.

Although Syzygy's interior is small, she has all of her vital organs. The kitchen, bookshelves, clothes closet, bedroom, bathroom are all there. It's like living in a miniature studio apartment. But when we it's time to sail, everything has to be put in its place. With a few decided actions this floating apartment is transformed into a boat:

We first place a cloth across the bed and open the forward overhead hatch. The bed then becomes a place for storing sails and sail covers as they come in from off the deck. The books we are reading and our computers have to be taken off the cabin benches and each returned to its designated spot. The snacks in the galley are stowed in their lockers and the former kitchen counter becomes a navigation table covered in nautical charts. And our outdoor seating area, where we soak in the sunshine or have lunch in good weather becomes the place where the captain stands to steer the boat and gives orders.

Rob was surprised by how much I enjoy a job that he sees as drudgery. What he didn't know is that I was reliving the joys of my youth, playing with a big toy, step by step transforming our living space into a sailboat, having fun with my giant Transformer!