The story of MUSiC

'When I was young I listened to the radio, waiting for my favourite song...'

小時候的我，就是在音樂中長大。

爸爸最愛聽披頭四(The Beatles)及許冠傑，當然，我對他們的歌曲亦不陌生。

「夜之中，喜愛倚星塵，從頭重讀我的心裡日記，遲遲才去睡，原因每頁都有你。」
'Hey Jude, don't make it bad, take a sad song and make it better...'

有時候，我還會在抽屜裏將錄音帶翻來翻去。曾幾何時，我也愛上聽民謠(Folk)及Oldies。

'Maybe I didn't love you quite as good as I should have
Maybe I didn't hold you quite as often as I could have
Little things I should have said and done
I just never took the time
You were always on my mind
You were always on my mind'

也許，就是爸爸愛聽英文歌，長大後的我，英文也不錯吧！至少，從聽英文歌的過程裏，我學會了讀準許多的英文字。

小學及初中的時候，正是香港樂壇百花齊放的時候。流行歌手如梅艷芳、張國榮、譚詠麟、陳百強、以至之後的「四大天王」，組合樂隊如Blue Jeans、Raidus、Beyond、太極、草蜢等等，各自各精采。那時候，大家都開放地接受各種不同的音樂；那時候，就是很「多元化」。

不過，就在那時候，亦發生了一些深深影響著我的事。

先是早在大概我還讀小四、五的時候，爸爸與媽媽分居了。
當時大概還少，不明白他們之間發生了什麼事。只見爸爸常常發脾氣，又不喜歡媽媽打電話找我們兄妹倆。往後有一段很長的時間，我倆都認定了媽媽是「罪人」。
當我們長大了，在我中五會考後，阿姨把事情的真相告訴了我。聽了之後，我還記得自己強忍著淚水，心裏很內疚。那時，真的恨自己的不體諒，後悔一直以來冷漠對待媽媽。至於爸爸，他在久病的痛苦中依然努力工作，供書教學。那一刻的我，才知道什麼是「當頭棒喝」。

「在世間飄泊/孤身彷似浮雲/心底裡每思親添百感/父母恩千丈/一生把我護蔭/有若明燈驅黑暗/念往昔恩義/好比天際慈雲/開解我赤子之心/為我脫厄運/枕邊解我病困/更望神恩多指引/父母恩/勝萬金/春暉寸草心/推衾送暖/舐犢情深/盡孝守本份/此生遵照父訓/掛念慈親悲不禁」

另一件重要的事便是一九八九年的民運。
當時我只有十一歲，大概只在數年後才明白整件事。可是，一直以來我依然記得在小學有蓋操場，我們所有學生與老師坐在那裏，唱起了幾首民運歌曲。就在那時候，我最敬愛的宗教科老師哭起來。不知為何，我也哭起來，附近的同學也哭起來。

「也許我告別將不再回來，你是否理解？你是否明白？也許我倒下再不能起來，你是否還要永久的期待？如果是這樣，你不要悲哀，共和國的旗幟上有我們血染的風采」

這次的經歷，讓我了解到兩件事。第一可算是老師的重要性。從前，我也只是視老師為教授課本知識的角色；原來，老師對人生及社會的態度亦影響著學生。更重要的是，他們也是有情感的。看到那位老師的真情流露，我更加明白他們並不需要時常保持冷靜、嚴肅。這些，大概直接影響我現在如何作為一個老師吧！另外，八九民運令我了解到自由的重要性，亦明白凡事應尋根究底，從多方面去找出事情的真相。

中學時期的我，前半大多是在找尋自己的時候。我試過留了一把很長的髮，也試過很「男仔頭」；試過努力追上別人的成績，也試過縱情玩樂；試過愛上歷史，也試過瘋狂讀數學。這些那些都是青少年必經歷的吧－「我是誰？」

'Everybody's searching for a hero / People need someone to look up to / I never found anyone who fulfill my needs / A lonely place to be / So I learned to depend on me / I decided long ago, never to walk in anyone's shadows / If I fail, if I succeed / At least I'll live as I believe / No matter what they take from me / They can't take away my dignity / Because the greatest love of all / Is happening to me / I found the greatest love of all / Inside of me / The greatest love of all / Is easy to achieve
Learning to love yourself / It is the greatest love of all'

後半的時間，我愛上了Britpop，愛上了他們的諷刺、頽廢、憤世嫉俗。Suede, Blur, The Verve, Mansun, Kula Shaker, Pulp, Oasis, Stereophonics, Manic Street Preachers. 1996年在電影院看了我十八歲第一齣三級片 'Trainspotting'，更令我追捧組合如Iggy Pop。
身為Suede的狂迷，我與友人更大膽地混入Grand Hyatt的Club JJ's為見Brett Anderson一面；1998年與同一友人第一次遊英，去了V98，感受過萬人草地大合唱The Verve的 'The Drugs Don't Work'。

'Now the drugs don't work
They just make you worse
And I know I'll see your face again
'Cause baby, ooh, if heaven calls, I'm coming too,
Just like you said, you leave my life, I'm better off dead'

從中六到大學，我的生活便是音樂、電影、戲劇、文學、clubbing... 還算精采吧、豐富吧。

一九九九年是最難忘的一年。
那年兩個家人差一點離開了我；那年我的「知己」出現了；那年我第一次拿了GPA3.7。

原來死亡可以不動聲色的出現。一次在一個晚上，很晚了，深夜；另一次持續了好幾個月，每一天都在身邊。那時，第一次，我了解到自己的「堅強」。

「如你若有事我會很寂寞/我獨個行樂怎可快樂 /我沒你的運氣能先走/畢竟能早登天國/但你若有事/我要孤獨做人就從頭再學/學習到天邊海角 一人拼搏/我這主角沒有襯托」

然而沒有「知己」的出現，我又怎撐下去？
十多年前沒有這個時機，竟然在九九年的暑假，我們踫上了亦連繫了。多謝他的出現、他對我的了解及他令我更看清自己。

「遺憾我當時年紀不可親手擁抱你欣賞/童年便相識 餘下日子多閃幾倍光/誰讓我倒流時光一起親身跟你去分享/遺憾印象 沒有你家中那面牆/拿著你相簿 從前拍過的相/多麼妒忌你昨日同過的窗/早些看你美麗模樣 /對你天真的讚賞」

畢竟，那年不是愉快的一年。
就在他的離開，加上死亡的威脅，我「堅強」的捱下去。捱了，得到的竟是學業獎。知道了，我卻一點開心也沒有。

大學主修英文的我，很愛文學。不過，我的願望其實是修讀電視電影。
每一次想起，腦中總響起家駒唱的「海闊天空」－「背棄了理想/誰人都可以」。是的，我也是其中的一人。
可是，理想與現實，有時候是相矛盾的。
因為她，我放棄了理想。
大概，興趣也可以作替代，補上了。

(to be continued...)

My 'monkeys' @ X'mas party

《如果世界是100人村》

目前全世界有63億人口，
如果世界縮小成
只有100人的村子，會變成怎樣呢？
這100人之中，

52人是女性，
48人是男性。
30人是小孩，
70人是大人，
其中7人是老人。

90人是異性戀者，
10人是同性戀者。

70人是有色人種，
30人是白人。

61人是亞洲人，
13人是非洲人，
有13人來自南美和北美，
12人是歐洲人，
剩下的是南太平洋地區的人。

33人是基督教徒，
19人是回教徒，
13人是印度教徒，
6人信仰佛教，
5人相信樹木或石頭等，所有大自然的事物都各有其靈魂。
24人信仰其他的宗教、或者沒什麼宗教信仰。

17人說中國話，
9人說英語，
8人說印度話和烏爾都語，
6人說西班牙語，
4人說阿拉伯語。
這些人佔去全村一半的人口。
剩下一半的人口包括了說孟加拉語、葡萄牙語、印尼話、日本話、德語、法語等語言的人。

在這個有著各色各樣居民的村子裡，
最重要的就是要學著去理解和自己不一樣的人，
並接受他人原本的模樣。

另外，也請你試想一下，
在這100人的村民之中，
有20人營養不良，
1人瀕臨餓死邊緣，
但也有15人過於肥胖。

至於全村的財富，
有6人擁有其中的59﹪，
而且他們全都是美國人。
有74人擁有其中的39﹪，
有20人分著剩下的2﹪。

至於全村的能源，
有20人耗費掉其中的80﹪，
有80人分用著剩下的20﹪。

75人的食物來源不虞匱乏，
也有地方可以遮風避雨。
可是，剩下的25人
可不是這樣。
有17人喝不到乾淨、安全的水。

如果你銀行裡有存款，
錢包裡有錢，
家中的角落還看得到零錢的話，
那麼，妳是8個最富有的人當中的1人。

如果你擁有一輛車，
那麼，妳是
7個最富有的人
當中的1人。

村民之中
1人受過大學教育。
2人擁有電腦。
14人不識字。

如果你可以免除
被干預或被逮捕、被拷問或死亡的恐懼。
並本著你的信念和自我意識
來行動和發言的話，
那麼，比起無法這麼做的48人，
你真是幸運多了。

如果你可以不必畏懼
空襲、武裝襲擊、地雷等形式的殺戮、
或來自武裝集團的強暴和綁架，
那麼比起無法脫離這些恐懼的20人，
你真是幸運多了。

1年之中，村裡
會有1人死亡，
不過，1年終
也會有2名嬰兒誕生，
到了年底，村裡就有
101個人了。

如果你可以讀到這，
那意味著這一刻，你的幸福
將會增加2倍甚至3倍。
那是因為
有人想到你，
而且，還給了這篇文章給你，
另外，就是你擁有閱讀的能力。

最重要的是，你可以
活在這個世界上。

曾經有人說過：
從你手中送走的，
會再回到你的手中。　

所以請你
發自心底的歌唱吧！
自在的跳舞吧！
用心的活下去吧！
就算受傷，
也當作沒有受過傷似的
去愛吧！　

請你去愛這個
有你和有其他人的
村子吧！　

如果我們之中有更多的人
懂得愛這個村子，
相信一定可以拯救這個村子，
使這個村子
不因暴行而有所分裂。

背影

今天看你扶着拐杖緩緩的走着──你喘着氣，腳步很重。
不知道為什麼，鼻子總是偶爾酸一酸，眼眶也泛起淚水。
你看着伯父的相片，說笑似的話各人都以為你會先離去，我忙著說：怎會？
走的時候，我的心很沉重。

想起這首歌：

不要不要假設我知道 一切一切也都是為我而做
為何這麼偉大 如此感覺不到
不說一句的愛有多好 　只有一次記得實在接觸到
騎著單車的我倆 懷緊貼背的擁抱

難離難捨想抱緊些 茫茫人生好像荒野
如孩兒能伏於爸爸的肩膊 誰要下車
難離難捨總有一些 常情如此不可堆卸
任世間再冷酷 想起這單車 還有幸福可借
(任世間怨我壞 可知我只得你 承受我的狂或野)

經已給我怎會看不到 雖說演你角色實在有難度
從來虛位以待 何不給個擁抱
想我怎去相信這一套 多疼惜我卻不便讓我知道 懷念單車給你我
唯一有過的擁抱 難離難捨想抱緊些 茫茫人生好像荒野
如孩兒能伏於爸爸的肩膊 哪怕遙遙長路多斜

你愛我愛多些 讓我他朝走得堅壯些 你介意來愛護 又靠誰施捨

From A to Z

Acceptance
Belief
Calmness
Dialogue
Expectation
Face
Genuineness
Holistic approach
Individualism
Justice
Kindness
Love
Maturity
Nurturance
Observation
Pleasure
Questioning mind
Recognition
Sharing
Truth
Understanding
Variety
Worthiness
Your colleagues
Zero

The ORACLE

Your fortune: Excellent

• Everything is promising, and if you are moderate in anything and modest and faithful, you're sure to get on in life. Patience is the best policy.

• wish: Change your mind and do your best, and your wish will be realized. (HUH?!)
  
• expected visitor: He (or she) is likely to come. (What visitors?)
  
• missing thing: Look it for at a higher place. (Oh god... so exact?!)
  
• travel: It will pay well when you travel far away. (How far is 'far away'?)
• business: If promising, it will be profitable. (Save it!)
  
• study: Devote yourself to studying without hesitation. (I AM!)
  
• speculation: Do not sell now. (Sell what? I don't have a clue.)
  
• game and match: You'll always win. (Really?)
  
• love: Platonic love brins you happiness. (Oh god... 'Platonic love'?! And... spelling mistake 'brins'.)
  
• removal: You had better move sooner. (Everyone knows moving is a headache!)
  
• childbirth: It will be all right. (No way it's happening to me!)
  
• illness: Be faithful, and you'll recover from it. (I have no idea how 'faithful' I should be.)
  
• marriage proposal: The first engagement won't be successful, but the second one will be realized soon. (If the first is not successful, why try?)
  

How INTERESTING!

LTP - a breakthrough again!

Last year, you all performed so well to get the 2nd runner-up in the overall results:

This year, you all excelled again! And it's the FIRST footdrill award - 1st runner-up!

My best wishes to you all for the many years to come...
Next year, I'll be in another division supporting them in the competition...
Yet, LTPNSD will always be in my mind and deep down, I want to express my heartfelt thank to Simmy - you're a great leader! And I'm happy still to pass this division to you. You make the cadets STARS!

At Emily's Wedding

It's always great to see 'old' friends. Congrats, Emily!

Poor English at Tai Po Market KCR Station

A must-see: LUST, CAUTION

PLOT:
1942 Japanese - occupied Shanghai. A group of wealthy women, wives of officials in the collaborationist government, play mahjong and gossip, while outside their villa plainclothes security man pace in the cold. One young woman, a friend of Mrs. Yee, the hostess, begs her apologies, and leaves the game early for an appointment. She makes her way to seedy café, pick up the phone, and dials. At the other end of the line a young man picks up. They chatter idly for a moment. Hanging up, he turns to the group of men gathered around him: "It's now" They holster their guns, hide small axes in their sleeves, and move out. In the café, the young woman pays her bill and leaves. She hails a tricycle cab on the busy street, and rides away... toward a destiny that, in the single moment, will weave together the threads of passion, truth betrayal, violence, and sacrifice that have led her to this final, fateful winter evening of her life.

REVIEW:
I wasn't prepared to see an award-winning film but a film starring Tony Leung Chiu-wai, my favourite local actor. Without much expectation, you could always get surprise.
Tong is definitely the star in the film, having known that she's an almost inexperienced actress on silver screen. The innocence of a college student, the passion of a patriot, the sophistication of a veteran - she has them all. Her role is convincing, judging from head to toe or to every inch of her body, or even the little bits of her facial expression and body language. And the most controversial scenes frequently talked about show her opening up herself and devoting to the art.
For Leung, it's an absolute breakthrough. I dare say, I've never seen him going beyond like what I saw in the film. The villain, the violence and the fury added together used to have nothing to do with Leung, now he's the one, hybrid. He's turned himself into someone the audience never thought of or related him to. And now, he has proved himself a real actor - one that can be so all-round.
I don't know how to say much about Ang Lee, but he's a genius. His insight into the deepest parts of any stories has brought juice and bones to his production. He sees something nobody pays attention to and magically turns it to the SENSE.
I highly recommend this film, with my utmost respect to the excellent work of the director, and the leading actor and actress.

Cheers for WOMEN

Pan's Labyrinth

The brutality of reality, the wildness of imagination and the difficulty of making choices - Pan's Labyrinth has them all.

Dubbed the Best Foreign Film by the BAFTA, along with Best Art Direction, Costume, etc. This is a must-see for everyone. I won't say it's at all a fairy tale for children like Narnia, or a serious drama for adults. It's sort of an in-between, maybe, for the not-so-young and not-so-mature people like me.

The film sets at Spain Fascist period when everyone's at war. We can't escape from the portrayal of how cruel war can be. All the bloodshed, bombing, killing and 'stealing' - people show they comprehend well 'the survival of the fittest'. At wartime, soldiers fight to follow commands, 'without questioning'. Ofelia's mom tries to impress her new husband with the well-dressed daughter and a coming son. Mercedes risks her life to deliver mails and food to her brother Pedro. All of them hold on to their last breath to deal with the brutal world.

And as for Ofelia, life is full of pain. She lost her father and follows her mom to the captain, the step-dad. She hates to compromise and she's looking for a way out. Later, the little girl discovers from the faun that she's the long-lost princess of the underworld. Upon the completion of three tasks, she'll be given a chance to go back to 'her kingdom'. She has seen the giant toad that consumes the old tree, 'fairies' that can transform into anything, hideous monster that eats humans and any creatures and all that imagination can lead you or beyond. The magical world fascinates her, so much so she wants it desperately in order to escape from the pains in reality.

But among these, when facing the reality and the magical world, the brutality and the wild imagination, all the people concerned have the most difficult task - making choices. Can choices be said RIGHT or WRONG? We can't deny choices are not always made alongside rationality. Either you choose to live as traitors/cowards or to risk your life in wars, to obey your parents or to follow your heart, or even to sacrifice others for yourself or you for others, you are bound to make (difficult) choices. Here, with the decisions, all characters bear the consequences. Aren't it universal truth? But we judge. We hate to regret on choices we made, and somehow are unwilling to accept the outcomes. So what if...? Who can be there to judge which is better or worse, right or wrong then?

Pan's Labyrinth is certainly not a happily-ever-after-ending type of story and tries to create a hero(ine) for audience to identify with. It's a very dark adult fairy tale. We have every reason to admit all bads turn to goods in the end. Yet, can we be as innocent as Ofelia who believes in fairy tale, or her mom who thinks fairy tale never exists? And more, does the underworld or the long-lost princess ever exist? Or after all, isn't it true that all of us are just drowning ourselves in the fantasy of a desperate and lonely girl who tries to believe there's still hope?

Well, for me, I choose to let my imagination go wild.

Words of Encouragement

We have to experience sadness
so that we may better measure joy.
Life has a way of balancing the sorrow with the joy,
the disappointments with the hope,
and the emptiness with the meaning.

In search of my voice

「萬一有聲音沙啞，最好的方法就是少講話、多休息、補充水份。如果休息幾天後還是沙啞，就該找耳鼻喉科醫師檢查一下聲帶有沒有長東西或有其他問題了。」


... 幾天... 我的... 已經是兩個星期...

打從中學開始，我的聲帶已不斷地損耗
今天的這把聲音，大概低了十六度

當天年少無知的我，說著唱著的是否悅耳？
今天的，說話聲音都變得很難入耳

人大了，什麼都變得可怕吧

Lingering

The flashbacks
The fantasies
The false hopes
Never tired of showing up
Night after night
Reminding me the shadows
The mist
That left unclear
Yet at times
Giving me the light
The sparks

That I yearn for

And then

I move on

愛回家

勤力過 捱罵過 如做錯
誰又會原諒我 懷念家中被窩
想去躲 這樣吃力 求甚麼

投入過 麻木過
磨練過 沉悶過 疲累過
其實我進取麼
時間從未敢蹉跎
賺到幾多
賺到的只是你
能被你溫柔無微的照顧
被你那麼在乎
平日有你縱壞已忘記辛苦

活著有你多好
多麼渺小都變寶
躺在平靜被舖上漫談來日旅途
回到家中便有你多好
一碗暖湯的鼓舞
沾濕我眼睛
有人祈求我歸家 來互抱

唯獨你 明白我
成就過 誰若說 容易過
曾受了氣幾多
能聽我解釋因何在這被窩
賺到的只是你
能被你溫柔無微的照顧
被你那麼在乎
平日有你縱壞已忘記辛苦

活著有你多好
多麼渺小都變寶
躺在平靜被舖上漫談來日旅途
回到家中便有你多好
一碗暖湯的鼓舞
沾濕我眼睛
有人祈求我歸家

自問已經得到
得到你比一切好
躺在平靜被舖上望浮雲在過路
回到家中便有你多好
張開兩臂的鼓舞
沾濕我眼睛
眼前繁華有幾好 來互抱

Digging...

Currently reading:

In the mood for...

What/Who they are or where they are - does it matter?


























Well, and one more...

in memory of my dear sandals - you belong there.

A dream came true

Khao Sok National Park - THE OLDEST RAINFOREST IN THE WORLD!


















































It had always been my dream to go to a rainforest and get close to REAL nature! Well, there I was - in the OLDEST one, rather, coincidentally!
You couldn't believe how amazing it was. Trust me, the pictures only show as little as, maybe, just 10% of how stunning the scenery was.
The mountains and trees were gigantic and hundreds and thousands of species of insects, reptiles and animals were everywhere. Not to mention the energetic spiders crawling here and there not only around the canoe, but OUR BODIES!!! I was a little worried about the bites and clearly they're either too little or they're no meat-lovers.
The ways we travelled through the fabulous rainforest were canoeing and elephant trekking. Most memorable of all was having the helmsmen brewing nice tea and coffee for us (my friend and I, plus three other Aussies) with a log fire.

A day to remember

Twelve years ago
It was 'The Road Not Taken' that changed my life
And now
You were at the crossroads
You made a decision
You moved on
And on
And never ever regret on 'The Road Taken'
OK?

關西京阪神之旅 - 第八日

0930 - 起床
1000 - 吃早餐
1030 - CHECK OUT
1110 - 乘搭南海電鐵到關西國際空港
1200 - CHECK IN
1405 - 航班起飛
1615(香港時間) - 到達香港國際機場
1720 - 乘搭AIR BUS回沙田
1810 - 回到沙田第一城

關西京阪神之旅 - 第七日

0815 - 起床
0915 - 吃早餐
1000 - 出發到JR大阪駅
1030 - 乘搭JR到姬路
1135 - 到達姬路
1145 - 乘搭LOOP BUS到姬路城
1200 - 入城
1330 - 回市中心
1340 - 吃小食
1400 - 乘搭JR到神戶
1500 - 吃午餐
1610 - 到達RHINE異人館
1635 - 到達風見雞之館
1700 - 乘搭JR由三丿宫駅到神戶駅
1730 - 於MOSAIC GARDEN等待花火大會
1830 - 吃便當
1930 - 花火大會開始
2020 - 花火大會結束
2115 - 乘搭JR回大阪
2145 - 回到酒店
2215 - 吃晚餐

關西京阪神之旅 - 第六日

0900 - 起床
0930 - 吃早餐
1000 - CHECK OUT
1030 - 到VILLA FONTAINE CHECK IN
1132 - 乘搭阪急電鐵到奈良
1220 - 到達奈良
1230 - 避雨...
1320 - 到達東大寺
1430 - 吃午餐
1500 - 前往春日大社
1545 - 前往奈良市中心
1630 - 乘搭阪急電鐵回大阪
1745 - VILLA FONTAINE小休
1930 - 吃晚餐
2100 - 回到酒店

關西京阪神之旅 - 第五日

0730 - 起床
0815 - 吃早餐
0845 - 出發到JR大阪駅乘車到UNIVERSAL CITY
0930 - UNIVERSAL STUDIO JAPAN
1200 - 午餐
1830 - 離開STUDIO
1845 - 晚餐〈迴轉壽司〉
1930 - 搭JR回大阪駅
2015 - 回到酒店

關西京阪神之旅 - 第四日

0930 - 起床
1030 - 搭地下鐵御堂筋線到難波
1200 - 午餐於蟹道樂
1315 - 逛難波、黑門市場
1500 - 回酒店小休
1600 - 出發到心齋橋
1800 - 晚餐
1840 - 搭地下鐵到港區
1900 - 港區
2015 - 搭地下鐵返回中津
2045 - 回到酒店
2300 - ZZZzzz

關西京阪神之旅 - 第三日

0800 - 起床
0830 - 吃早餐
0915 - CHECK-OUT
0930 - 搭地下鐵到京都駅
1005 - 搭JR到龜岡駅
1040 - JR馬堀駅
1050 - TOROKKO龜岡駅
1118 - 乘搭TOROKKO觀光小火車
1145 - 到達TOROKKO嵐山駅
1210 - 午餐
1315 - 到渡月橋、嵐山公園
1344 - 搭阪急到河原町駅
1430 - 河原町、先斗町
1629 - 搭JR到大阪駅
1730 - 到達東橫INN梅田中津
1930 - 晚餐
2030 - 逛阪急三番街
2200 - 回到酒店

關西京阪神之旅 - 第二日

0745 - 起床
0845 - 到LOBBY吃早餐
0930 - 乘搭80號市巴士到清水寺
1000 - 清水寺
1045 - 產寧坂及二年坂
1200 - 吃午餐
1300 - 往高台寺方向、圓山公園
1330 - 八坂神社
1415 - 於祇園小石吃甜品
1445 - 搭12號市巴士到金閣寺
1545 - 金閣寺
1630 - 搭205市巴士到四条河原町
1700 - 新京極、錦小路市場、大丸
1900 - 搭5號市巴士到烏丸五条
1915 - 吃晚餐
2030 - 回到酒店

關西京阪神之旅 - 第一日

0430 - 起床
0530 - 於第一城車站搭乘A41到機場
0640 - 到達後於CHECK-IN COUNTER知道航班延遲了
0730 - 入了禁區, 到大家樂吃早餐
0930 - 到了閘口
1005 - 才開始上機
1030 - 才正式起飛
1545(日本時間) - 到達關西國際機場
1645 - 乘搭AIRPORT LIMOUSINE到京都
1830 - 到達京都駅
1845 - 乘搭地下鐵到烏丸五条駅
1900 - 於TOYOKO INN五条烏丸CHECK-IN
1930 - 於WARAWARA居樂屋食晚飯
2100 - 回到酒店收拾行李, 梳洗, CHECK EMAIL
2330 - ZZZzzz...

可中可英

剛剛看完蔡寶瓊老師的《我很蠢，但我教書》。
Prof. Dora Choi was my lecturer for the course Sex Education and I was so much inspired by her lessons.
那年上她的性教育課，深深感受到她那種放得下「自己」與各中、小學教師分享知識及意見。
For so many times, she was there sitting on the stool, looking at all her students, or at times taking up a book and quoting some lines for discussion, and engaging everyone to be in this very interactive way of teaching and learning.

作為英國劍橋大學社會學博士，她併棄了所學的英文專有名詞，把各式各樣的主義、現象及詞彙都繙譯成中文（廣東話）。
For most of the teachers, it was certainly a relief, especially those who teach Chinese Language or some mainland teachers.

許多時候，我們所用的語言都似乎給予了我們一些權力。
And that's what she called 'power language'.
顯然，在現今社會，英語仍然被視為最有權力的語言。
Haven't you noticed there's only 1/4 of all secondary schools EMI schools?
這一百一十四間英文中學也被冠以「名校」之譽。
And quite recently, the scandal of bribery (concerning a DGS teacher accepting bribes from some parents for 'reserving' places at the 'elite' school) just shows the tip of an iceberg about how the public implicitly accepts English (schools) as something superior to Chinese (schools).

教統局對於語文政策所存在的問題就是缺乏彈性。一方面令學校爭相「升格」為英文中學，以維持它們在家長心目中的「尊崇地位」；另一方面令學生無所適從，讀中中的注定英文程度不如英中的，讀英中的又不一定可有效掌握其他科目的課程。
Which medium of instructions should be used should be in the hand of the school body, the teachers and the students, not the bureau itself which shows no flexibility and vision to the policy.

最可笑的是，這些所謂的英文中學也不是裏外不一。用廣東話教授課程的仍然存在。
I'm not going to criticise those 'fakes' but aren't they also the victims of the ineffective policy?

我想，用什麼語言，自由都是在我們的手。
Given, we have to polish our languages so as to have the authority to use them in whatever ways we want.

回到大學的語文政策，我不得不說中大推行得宜。
At CU, I wasn't able to experience how Chinese and English can coexist without dominating one or the other - I was an English major!
不過，中大學士課程令我能接觸到不同學系的知識，更賦予學系相當的自由度於教學語言，甚至於學生論文可用的語言。
Being able to enjoy the flexibility at CU, I couldn't imagine how horrible it'd become with my initial plan to study at HKU when my A-Level results released.
我應該感到慶幸。至少，當有什麼嚴重的事件在校園發生時，我不需要為「必須交上英文報告才受理」而苦惱又氣過半死。

Today, we must give bilingualism a new perspective, reflect and reposition it to make us more sensible individuals.

我們都是「可中可英」的。

Dreamgirls OST

CURRENTLY LISTENING:

Recommended songs:

• 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going'
• 'Dreamgirls'
• 'Family'
• 'I Am Changing'
• 'I want You Baby'
• 'Listen'
• 'Love You I Do'
• 'Move'
• 'One Night Only'
• 'Patience'
• 'When I First Saw You'

帶我遊花園的書展

從稅務大樓到第一個展廰，花了我四十五分鐘，大會的遊花園徑真的很厲害！

我的「斬獲」：

Item No. 1: 林夕的散文集《我所愛的香港》
Item No. 2: 李碧華網誌集《給母親的短柬》














先買的兩本書竟然是中文書，很驚訝吧！
不能不說的是我的中文是OK的，哈哈！

Item No. 3-5: Reader's Digest (back issues x 3)
Item No. 6: Dale Carnegie's Public Speaking for Success














You wouldn't believe it! The back issues only cost me $5 each!!! (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)
As for the other one, well, obviously, I'm digging into public speaking now... apart from my enthusiasm in solo verse speaking and prose reading, HAHA!!!

Item No. 7-9: 'Never give up!' memo pad (x 3)
Item No. 10: McMug & Mcdull 2008 Calendar
Item No. 11: U Magazine (the latest issue) + small lovely bag + 'green' bag























Oh and even if you don't have much money to spend on books - here they are - the nice bookmarks for every visitor!











Last but not least, this year I'm lucky enough to save myself from 'burning money' in the Book Fair coz the English books published by Oxford and Longman are BLOODY EXPENSIVE!!!

Amount spent: $300+

上年回顧：
總值七百大元的三個半小時

A year ends, another begins

On that day
New places, new faces
Expect to say, to
Everyone, 'Hi, I'm your mate!'
Indifference shown
Since we were afraid to express
The excitement that came slow
'Hello,' and more words were suppressed
Every day to every month
Bits by bits we grew
Excellence in every race we won
Shines on us and we all glow
To become stars that brighten up our class

一首學生原創的打油詩

一年就是如此過　欠交功課實太多
若然老師迫下我　必定準時交功課

知識增長的確有　功課練習也足夠
死記硬背皆沒有　如此學習係一流

幸好上年考得好　入到G班受指導
好老師確難遇到　都可算係執到寶

來年境況實不明　或者留班都未定
若能回歸此班中　必定努力讀英文

07.07.07

The BIG day!

A LOVELY from my dear 1Ers

THANKS!!! I love it VERY MUCH! Reminds me of the Mario games I played when I was young... HAHA!!!

Thanks for the birthday song today and this ADORABLE gift! :)

《始終有你》

點點燈火彷彿流螢　照亮百家姓
成全這小島變巨星
東方跟西方的文明　邂逅了衝勁
繁榮這裡　遇上安定

明艷紫荊風中爭勝　找對了路徑
花瓣開得繁盛
人人能力大小也力拼
任誰留下血汗　就是個精英

香港始終有你 (香港始終有你)
讓萬眾掌聲響一世紀
香港始終有我 (香港始終有我)
十萬個驚喜多一世紀
感謝你　小天地　創天地
盛夏冷冬各種天氣　不捨不棄
才會了不起　香港始終有你

獅子山觸得到長城　血脈裡感應
和諧靠你　賦予生命
明艷紫荊風中爭勝　找對了路徑
花瓣開得繁盛
人人能力大小也力拼
任誰留下血汗　就是個精英

香港始終有你　(香港始終有你)
讓萬眾掌聲響一世紀
香港始終有我　(香港始終有我)
十萬個驚喜多一世紀
感謝你　小天地　創天地
盛夏冷冬各種天氣　不捨不棄
才會了不起　香港始終有你

(因為你在這裡)
讓萬眾掌聲響一世紀
香港始終有我
(因為我在這裡)
十萬個驚喜多一世紀
感謝你　小天地　創天地
盛夏冷冬各種天氣　不捨不棄　
才會了不起　香港始終有你

The Memories...

It may be the end of a story,
but it's just the beginning of the sweet memories...

順德、番禺之旅（二）

起床時間：七時正（拍門式morning call...）
早餐：福盈酒店西餐廳－－自助早餐

節目：祈福農莊