Mandik's Architamism

一絲不掛

2010-03-26T23:06:00.000+08:00

分手時內疚的你一轉臉　為日後不想有甚麼牽連
當我工作睡覺禱告娛樂那麼刻意過好每天　誰料你見鬆綁了又願見面

誰當初想擺脫被圍繞左右　過後誰人被遙控於世界盡頭
勒到呼吸困難才知變扯線木偶　這根線其實說到底　誰拿捏在手

不聚不散　只等你給另一對手擒獲
那時（以為）青絲　不會用上餘生來量度
但我拖著軀殼　發現沿途尋找的快樂
仍繫於你肩膊　或是其實在等我捨割　然後斷線風箏會直飛天國＊

這些年望你緊抱他出現　還憑何擔心再互相糾纏
給我找個伴侶找到留下你的足印也可發展　全為你背影逼我步步向前

如一根絲牽引著拾荒之路　結在喉嚨內痕癢得似有還無
為你安心我在微笑中想吐未吐　只想你和伴侶要好　才頑強病好

一直不覺　綑綁我的未可扣緊承諾
滿頭青絲　想到白了仍懶得脫落
被你牽動思覺　最後誰願纏繞到天國
然後撕裂軀殼　欲斷難斷在　不甘心去捨割　難道愛本身可愛在於束縛

無奈你我牽過手　沒繩索

教育家

2009-07-30T11:19:00.003+08:00

聞說，本港有部份學校，為了應付校內的頑皮學生，設立了一系列特別制度，例如將成績和操行欠佳的學生歸納在同一班，並將他們的上課時間更改為早上十時至下午二時等。這種做法，等於對這班學生採取放棄態度，違反了教育家的宗旨。

小時候的我，在上海中學就讀，是老師們眼中的頑劣學生，一次我因為犯了校規，被訓導主任捉個正著，對方更要求校長將我開除。當時校長面露笑容，向訓導主任表示：我們身為教育家，正是要將頑皮的小朋友教好，假如小朋友犯了過錯便被開除，我們還能夠稱得上是教育家嗎？

當時我被這番說話深深感動了，更忍不住流淚。雖然已事隔數十年，但仍然銘記於心。

後來，這位校長來港定居，轉到蘇浙公學任職。

數十年後，倪震因為成績欠佳，無法在原校升讀預科，於是我向這位蘇浙公學校長求助。

我：校長，現在有一位小朋友，比我以前更加頑皮，你願意接納他，成為貴校學生嗎？

校長：當然無問題，是哪一位小朋友？

我：我的兒子。

現在回想，實在慚愧。

這位真正的教育家誰屬？正是曾先後於上海的上海中學及香港的蘇浙公學任職的沈亦珍校長。

（摘自 am730 與倪匡談話，17/7/2009 ）

良師頌

2009-03-21T17:21:00.004+08:00

良師頌

那次一位學生送了這首歌給我。
我想：曾作為老師的我，一定是受了某些老師的啟蒙。
我要感謝：
小學時教過我的Mr Yan(他見到傾偈的同學會掟粉筆)，Ms Shum
中學時令我變得堅強的訓導老師 Mr Josiah Lee
中一二時的英文老師 - Mrs Yam, Mrs Law
中五時的數學老師 Mr Mohammad
中六時的班主任及英文老師 Ms Lancaster
中六七時教我中國語文及文化的余老師
中六七時的Literature in English老師 Mr Dominic Lee
大學時修讀Shakespeare，得到 Professor Louise Ho 的認真教導
PGDE的蔡寶瓊教授及劉兆瑛教授

沒有你們，不會成就今天的我

感激你們對我撒下了種子
我不能說今天那些種子已經成為美好的果實或花朵
可是，我可以說
這些種子，經歷風雨、時間的洗禮
它們都堅壯地成長了

因此，我的人生也變得豐富、變得有意義

************************

年輕的我　　時有困惑
純真可愛　　疑問卻多
誰為我啟蒙　教導我思考
知識禮義　　明是與非

成長的我　　時有挫敗
內心苦惱　　難覓曙光
誰令我開懷　更在我身邊
多番勉勵　　燃亮了我

良師啊　　是你一顆
愛心關懷　燃亮了我
師恩浩蕩　齊頌贊歌
感激恩師　培育了我

如今的我　　懷有抱負
立身處世　　行事有方
誰令我堅強　敢面對艱苦
師長教導　　成就了我

良師啊　　是你一顆
愛心關懷　燃亮了我
師恩浩蕩　齊頌贊歌
感激恩師　培育了我

A dream comes true

2008-11-05T13:13:00.004+08:00

It has been 45 years since Martin Luther King delivered his speech 'I Have a Dream' at Lincoln Memorial, Washington; today, Obama is elected as the new US President.

Below is an excerpt from King's speech:

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

他和她的故事（終結）

2008-11-02T12:00:00.006+08:00

今天的她兩年後又不自覺地想起一幕又一幕與他的畫面：

- 記得那一次她不舒服要到醫院看診，他緊張一已。不停的來電令她又感動又痛心；

- 記得那一次在卡拉ok，只有他和她兩人，他唱了「時光倒流二十年」；

- 記得他寫了一個故事送給她，她也寫了一個給他，內裏的意思，只有他和她知道；

- 記得那一個清早他要回去，掉了銀包，打了好幾次給她說著每一個細節，就是一句「再見」卻不會說；

- 記得，又不想記得，他回去後幾個月都沒有了消息。再聽到他來電，卻是他和另一個「她」的痛苦糾纏－她知道，也許他和她只是一場夢。

- 記得他回來過，帶她到他小時候上的幼稚園，也在附近的平台花園坐下來，他唱了「安靜」給她聽；

- 記得很久以後，當她差不多忘了他的時候，他又再次出現－那是多麼巧合－但她不想再與他有這麼多的「巧合」了，它們令她太深陷；

- 記得有一天，他說痛苦終於完了，他又跟她訴說了許多許多，就像往日；這次，她只是聽著，她不想跟他說起她和另一個「他」的故事；

- 他和「她」、「他」和她，究竟是怎樣的？互相的打探是怎麼了？他跟她說，他對「她」說，她是他的「紅顏知己」；

- 記得他在更忙碌的時候，總會有時間致電給她，就算是短短的一兩分鐘；

- 記得他還是會送她愛吃的朱古力；

- 記得她要找人傾訴時，他總是隨時陪伴左右；

- 記得，記得與他的真的太多，為什麼？

今天，他和「她」十年崎嶇的愛情路完了，不是終結，而是他們會一起走過平坦的路。

留下來的回憶，她會記得，永遠記得

這一刻，她也記得那年他給她的「煙花三月」－
她想：那條紅線還繫著他和她嗎？

過氣老師之有感而發

2008-10-05T12:45:00.007+08:00

自殺教師留言：我需要輔導「讓別人開心自己卻很苦」

(明報)10月5日星期日 05:05

【明報專訊】深水埗官立小學女教師梁翠玲，前日疑被工作壓力逼上學校天台跳下身亡。校方透露，她除教學任務外，原來還負責組織排球活動，又加入訓輔組應付校內最頑皮的學生，但翠玲性格活潑開朗，死前「毫無先兆」。不過，原來她早已背着龐大壓力，不時與好友舉杯訴苦，酒醒後，在網絡上寫下最後一則留言：「讓別人開心時，往往自己卻很苦……我都需要輔導。」

教師斥教局政策製造壓力

香港教育專業人員協會（教協）副會長黃克廉指出，教改給教師帶來大量額外行政工作及評核試等，已過度虛耗教師精力，雖然教育局有設立輔導熱線，「但教育局的政策正是教學壓力的來源，教師怎會打去求助？怎會得到真正的渲泄？」中大精神科教授李誠的最新調查則發現，教師壓力主要來自教改，感情及家庭影響反而甚微，而他們的自殺指標比常人高3倍，與4年的調查比較，情况並無改善。李醫生呼籲當局正視問題，「因為調查數據顯示，每當一名教師自殺身亡，即意味着有30名教師嘗試過自殺，另有數以百計教師泛起過自殺念頭！」

年僅24歲，人緣極佳的梁翠玲老師逝世後，觸動了很多學生、朋友與家長的悲哀情緒，網絡眾多留言悼念者，勾畫出這位「最美」女教師的生前點滴。她的補習學生盛讚梁老師有教學熱誠，「換了幾個老師，個個都教得唔好，最後都係梁老師幫我補番，成績真係比以前好咗好多！」該學生原打算前天到梁家聆聽教誨，但老師卻「難以置信」地去世了。有六年級的學生則說﹕「我們班36人寫了36封給梁老師家人的信，要珍惜生命！」

翠玲昔日中學同窗嘆說，「她是排球健將，也是校內的風頭躉」，但因為家庭問題，自小居住在親戚家中，但幾乎所有朋友都說翠玲「總是樂觀天真開朗」。有同學指翠玲生日將至，「這兩天，我正找麥當勞為你搞生日會，為什麼你要走呀？」其實，翠玲早已在酒杯和網絡中跟好友透露過「需要輔導」。

兩周前與舊同學借酒澆愁

約兩個星期前，翠玲與舊同學借酒澆愁，有男友人勸勉說：「為何總要想一些負面的情緒？不如開心地活。」但她的悲觀揮之不去，「如果人容易開心，酒吧就無生意了。」有女友人附和說：「找不到童年時的單純快樂。」

翠玲則留下最後一則留言：「開心原來是這麼難得到，讓別人開心時，往往自己卻很苦。尋找快樂的日子，離我很遠，我都需要輔導。」及至前日，在死亡邊緣上掙扎多時，一度向友人表示「戰勝了自己」的翠玲，突然從深水埗深旺道校舍天台躍下身亡，跌在校舍最注目位置，屍體在兩個多小時後才被移走。其父母和親友昨午返現場拜祭招魂，哭成淚人。

該校曾副校長說：「有些人可能將問題埋藏在心內，主任校長均未接獲梁老師任何求助。」但他承認，任教數學和常識的翠玲除了擔當5C2班主任外，還兼任組織排球隊，又加入訓輔組，與2名主任和9名老師，輪流應付校內的頑皮學生。警方指出，正循工作方向調查翠玲的壓力源頭。

********************************************************************************

才剛離開教學事業的我，深深體會到梁老師的壓力。可是，我從沒想過自殺。

也許老師所承受的壓力是別人感受不到。面對教育局近十年來所推行的一連串教改、出生率下降、殺校等等，學校方面為求自保，不斷加重老師們的負擔。校方要求他們要繼續進修，成為碩士甚至博士，就是為了把師資成為推銷的賣點之一；又「鼓勵」老師帶領學生參加地區性、全港性，甚至乎國際性的比賽，從而推廣學校的「優越」。有些學校更盲目追上潮流，仿傚各大補習社的宣傳手法，要求老師拍攝所謂的「專業照」。校董會及校長成為了市場推廣策略主管；老師們成為了推銷員；學生及家長們當然成為他們「尊貴」的顧客。可是，當時間及精神都投放在宣傳的時候，又如何專注教學的素質呢？

我遇過的老師有些教得好又有教學熱誠的，總是得不到應有的待遇。有合約制的維持了好幾年也不被轉為長約；有些只是0.95, 0.9, 0.8, 0.7的教師，薪金無理被減；有的持有大學學位，卻只有文憑教師的待遇。這些都只是冰山一角。

我見過借酒消愁的老師，批改作業到零晨時份的老師，因壓力而患上精神病的老師，躲在教員室突然大哭一場的老師，被學生恐嚇而受驚的老師...。

大家都說那位梁老師沒有求助或接受輔導，其實，心理上的支援是否足夠應付現今老師面對的壓力？因壓力而令精神上受困擾的當然需要接受專業或專門的治療，但是實際上老師的工作量並沒有減少。若果梁老師這次選擇在學校內自殺的舉動沒有令有關方面正視老師所面對的困難而作出更實質的行動，對教育事業的傷害只會愈來愈大。

無可否認，在七年的教學生涯裏，作為教師的我可更清楚自己的潛能。老師可以是教育家，更可以是輔導員、活動策劃員、文員、作家、「影帝/后」、娛樂家、演員、義工、保安員、會計文員、推銷員、司儀等等... 等等。有些時候，我想起超人，更想起蜘蛛俠；可想，我比他們都更「萬能」。是的，在這個教學生涯裏，我明白到「能者多勞」，與及「能力越大，責任越大」的道理。回想七年的「萬能俠」生活，多姿多采，但也發現自己身心疲累了。

希望大家也不忘「老師也是人」這個鐵一般的事實；請大家「手下留情」。

校方、家長和學生們，請你們多關心教師；他們主要的工作是education，不是service。

老師們，雖然「悄悄的我走了」，也寄語你們「多保重」。

未來，我也望能對教學事業有一點的憧憬。

Love is Noise - The Verve

2008-10-01T11:52:00.000+08:00

Will those feet in modern times
Walk on soles that are made in China?
Feel the bright prosaic malls
And the corridors that go on and on and on

I was blind - couldn't see
We are one incomplete
I was blind - in the city
Waiting for light wind to be saved
Cause love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again
Love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again

Will those feet in modern times
Understand this world's affliction
Recognise the righteous anger
Understand this world's addiction?

I was blind - couldn't see
What was here in me
I was blind - insecure
I felt like the road was way too long, yeah
Cause love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again
Love is noise and love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again
Love is noise, love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm feeling again
Love is noise, love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again, again, again, again, again

Cause love is noise, love is pain
Love is these blues that you're feeling again
Love is noise, love is pain
Love is these blues that I'm singing again, again, again


Will those feet in modern times
Walk on soles made in China?
Will those feet in modern times
See the bright prosaic malls?
Will those feet in modern times
Recognise the heavy burden
Will those feet in modern times
Pardon me for my sins
Love is noise
Come on

放榜

2008-08-04T08:00:00.001+08:00

Don't give up. Don't be stressed.
Feel down or depressed.
Man I've also had those bad days,
when I just wanna give up like the rest,
and let me tell you somethin' yo.
You know yourself best.
Stay strong. Right wrongs.
That's the key to success. Let's go.

當失去信念　如何再去接受挑戰
放榜坎坷的一天　眼眶沾濕的一天
我似給添上污點

輕生這意念　不經意膨脹　沒法被認同
沒法再尋覓我位置　沒法可走近一點

為應試　我發力拚盡每一次
我豁盡我鬥志　汗也滴過淚也灑了多次
為進步撐幾多通宵總不會遲疑
但這次　我卻沒法面對失意
再已沒有鬥志　再努力也沒法改變天意
朋友和我遠多一點　不得已

同伴失去了　重讀只給取笑
留在家半秒　如像喘息不了
前途像末路不知怎算
困惑了　厭倦了　註定了
路是沒法走過

如若這世要　長恨只得苦笑
情願短痛了　毋用漆黑尖叫
求原諒做逆子的不肖
戰敗了　跌下了　告別了
現實是我輸了就輸了

今天我發現　原來要我接受挑戰
渡過漆黑的深淵　撐過多載的辛酸
我最終爭氣一點

彷彿這世上　不經過磨折　沒法被認同
沒挫折難道會合意　沒創傷怎算經典

自那次　我已學會面對失意
我奮力再去試　汗再滴過淚再灑了多次
沒有捷徑可給登天不必去懷疑
敗了戰　我更學會預計波折
我再拾我鬥志　若再敗了便奮起再一次
遇上運氣再差一點　不緊要
曾是輸透了　承受千夫恥笑
無用多怨了　如若珍惜分秒
頑強盡力是不該多算
算盡了　計盡了　怨盡了
就是付上不夠

明白今世要　人若不甘輕藐
無用多怨了　期待一天開竅
全無止境付出不緊要
去盡了　撐盡了　搏盡了
日後在那高處會心笑

so keep ya head up high,
and just take it one step at a time.
Your story's just begun. Believe me,
I ain't tellin you no lie,
but hey, dreams can come true.
This goes for me and you.
The rest? I leave that up to you

Alright, I'm 30, but I'm happy!

2008-07-07T22:57:00.008+08:00

THANKS EVERYONE for the heartwarming birthday messages!

Below are the presents from my students:

(Top left) From Jacqueline & Piera
(Top right) From my Gorgeous 4G
(Bottom left) From my Greatest 5G
(Bottom right) From my Excellent 2E

"I couldn't be happier!"

一個關於「屋」、「橋」、「鎖匙」和「小白兔」的故事

2008-06-18T16:35:00.004+08:00

十一月十九日

今天是某電視台台慶之大日子。

大家應該知道每逢台慶，壓軸戲是大抽獎。
抽獎方式為每一位幸運兒將輪流選一條鎖匙開啟一度門，如果開得到，便有大獎。

今年的禮物非常特別：
一、大屋一間，遠離煩囂
二、橋一條，可建築於任何地方
三、小白兔一隻，是全世界獨一無二的

你認為哪一個是大獎呢？

假設，屋代表目標；橋代表一生；小白兔代表愛情，你的選擇又說明了什麼？

不是《承諾》，是《海闊天空》

2008-06-04T20:55:00.003+08:00

十五年後，依然記得

今天我寒夜裡看雪飄過
懷著冷卻了的心窩漂遠方
風雨裡追趕霧裡分不清影蹤
天空海闊你與我可會變（誰沒在變）

多少次迎著冷眼與嘲笑
從沒有放棄過心中的理想
一剎那恍惚若有所失的感覺
不知不覺已變淡心裡愛（誰明白我）
原諒我這一生不羈放縱愛自由
也會怕有一天會跌倒
背棄了理想誰人都可以
那會怕有一天只你共我

5G every success!!!

2008-03-19T22:45:00.001+08:00

Tonight's the darkest night

2008-02-20T21:30:00.000+08:00

TOTAL ECLIPSE OF THE HEART

Turnaround, every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming around
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit restless and I dream of something wild
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit helpless and I'm lying like a child in your arms
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit angry and I know I've got to get out and cry
Turnaround, Every now and then I get a little bit terrified but then I see the look in your eyes
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart

And I need you now tonight
And I need you more than ever
And if you'll only hold me tight
We'll be holding on forever
And we'll only be making it right
Cause we'll never be wrong together
We can take it to the end of the line
Your love is like a shadow on me all of the time
I don't know what to do and I'm always in the dark
We're living in a powder keg and giving off sparks
I really need you tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight
Forever's gonna start tonight

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart

Turnaround bright eyes
Turnaround bright eyes
Turnaround, every now and then I know
you'll never be the boy you always you wanted to be
Turnaround, every now and then I know
you'll always be the only boy who wanted me the way that I am
Turnaround, every now and then I know
there's no one in the universe as magical and wonderous as you
Turnaround, every now and then I know
there's nothing any better and there's nothing I just wouldn't do
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart
Turnaround bright eyes, Every now and
then I fall apart

Once upon a time I was falling in love
But now I'm only falling apart
There's nothing I can do
A total eclipse of the heart
Once upon a time there was light in my life
But now there's only love in the dark
Nothing I can say
A total eclipse of the heart

The wider world

2008-01-08T21:50:00.000+08:00

曾經有這一天
那是早上
那是回去工作的途中

如往常
我一路走一路想著工作的事
不過仍依稀感到頸與肩膀的疼痛
是太勞累了

正當我將頭往後一仰
嘗試暫時紓緩那些痛

我看到一片藍
又看到一點白
我停住了

很久很久沒有看過那一片天空

那一片天空有著我最愛的藍
有著無盡無止的藍

它　從來沒離開過

我發現
當我疲倦、煩惱、不開心的時候
我只會低下頭
沉迷在一些煩瑣
一些其實並沒有大不了的事

當我需要分享的時候
我只會看到我的朋友、家人
眼內只有他們
但若果有一天
他們都離開了我
我該怎樣了？

我並沒有發現
從前那片藍藍的天
那些白白的雲
那一幅美麗的圖畫
到了現在　甚至將來
仍然在

我們並沒有發現
我們所看見的
是那麼少

也許
我應該開始多一點
停下來
仰望一下

'What a wonderful world!'

The story of MUSiC

2007-12-28T12:33:00.000+08:00

'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

2007-12-21T17:50:00.000+08:00

《如果世界是100人村》

2007-11-10T23:33:00.000+08:00

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

2007-10-27T23:34:00.000+08:00

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

2007-10-27T00:40:00.000+08:00

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

2007-10-20T17:34:00.000+08:00

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!

2007-10-14T15:30:00.000+08:00

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

2007-10-01T23:06:00.000+08:00

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

Poor English at Tai Po Market KCR Station

2007-09-30T17:01:00.000+08:00

A must-see: LUST, CAUTION

2007-09-29T23:59:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-28T21:56:00.000+08:00

Pan's Labyrinth

2007-09-26T21:53:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-24T19:01:00.000+08:00

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

2007-09-22T18:07:00.000+08:00

「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

2007-09-09T13:06:00.000+08:00

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

2007-08-29T13:33:00.000+08:00

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...

2007-08-25T22:14:00.001+08:00

Currently reading:

In the mood for...

2007-08-17T21:55:00.000+08:00

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

2007-08-16T20:20:00.000+08:00

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

2007-08-08T20:40:00.000+08:00

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

2007-08-05T18:50:00.000+08:00

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

2007-08-04T23:30:00.000+08:00

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

2007-08-03T23:12:00.000+08:00

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

2007-08-02T20:51:00.000+08:00

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

2007-08-01T20:41:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-31T21:05:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-30T20:30:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-29T23:30:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-27T12:29:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-20T09:01:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-19T22:46:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-12T11:01:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-10T23:55:00.000+08:00

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

2007-07-07T00:07:00.001+08:00

The BIG day!

A LOVELY from my dear 1Ers

2007-07-06T23:14:00.000+08:00

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》

2007-07-01T00:00:00.000+08:00

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...

2007-06-27T23:59:00.000+08:00

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）

2007-06-24T23:59:00.000+08:00

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

順德、番禺之旅（一）

2007-06-23T23:59:00.000+08:00

起床時間：八時正
交通：火車
集合地點：羅湖關口
往順德交通：直通巴
到達時間：大約十二時
午餐：福盈酒店旁酒樓－豪華的貴賓房

節目一：清暉園

只需十五元正便可進入這個名為中國十大名園之一的「清暉園」。當日實在太熱，我想大概有卅四五度左右，所以便直闖「清暉藝廊」。原因很簡單－空調。內裏有多個展覽，包括順德粵劇名人、龍舟、自梳女及科舉制度。

其中的自梳女介紹最吸引我。看了那些內容及相片，令我想起我的姨婆（即祖母的姊姊）。原來，早在幾十年前，她們這些自梳女就是獨立女性的代表－女權主義的先鋒－失敬失敬！

按這裏看更多清暉園的及其他相片。

遊畢整個園，經過一輪汗水的洗禮，最後再到藝廊－－「過冷河」。

節目二：順德雙皮奶

出了清暉園，對面街有一間老字號食燉奶，正好可以順道歇一歇。我吃的是凍雙皮奶。吃了一半，才懂後悔。那碗甜品甜得像一大碗煉奶！下次還是學精一點－－燉奶是要熱吃的。

離開店簡直是萬般痛苦，在街上彷彿看到海市蜃樓－－太熱了！！！

節目三：新世界購物中心

到了一座叫新世界的購物中心，好比香港的旺角中心。我指的不是它們相同的受歡迎程度，而是商場的殘舊程度。一間又一間的小舖，賣的低品質的衣服及飾物，沒有一間吸引我。倒是頂樓密集式的美容中心叫我吃驚。每一間美容中心都滿是容人－－有的修甲，有的沐足，有的做面部謢理等等。更吃驚的是客人的年齡－－少至小女孩（大概只有十歲吧！），年長至五十多歲。原來順德的女士都懂得打扮起來。不久的將來，纖體應該會成為潮流吧！

節目四：美的海岸花園

大概五時，已經厭倦汗水的痴纏，便坐計程車回到「豪華別墅」。我說的這座豪華別墅總共有三層，屋外有小魚池及石子路。說說內裏的結構吧：
地下：一個三層樓高的客廳（有Plasma大電視）、飯廳、廚房、麻將房、車房
二樓：主人房（有一個mini theatre及大浴室）及一間客房（有浴室）
三樓：兩間客房（均設浴室）
我入住三樓的其中一間客房，以日式設計。面積不知有多大，但肯定比起自己自住的單位大一至兩倍！不能不提，那個浴室內有日式大木桶作浸泡用，另外還有一個有按摩、蒸氣、放音樂等功能的浴室設備。進了去，我不想到外邊走了。

晚餐：名酒樓，嚐了多個得獎的菜色－－好滿足！
飯後消遣：沐足

I'm a marking machine, just a marking machine...

2007-06-22T20:40:00.000+08:00

Monday is a lovely day.
Tuesday for lazy bones.
Wednesday a heart attack - killed the F.1 listening exam paper and the first 4 tasks of F.4 listening.
Thursday another crazy morning - marking non-stop (while listening to MP3 songs at the same time) from 9 to 12 - F.4 listening (Task 5). Craze for sports - ended up playing 3 hours' badminton.
Friday could stun everyone with my obsession with marking:
-- 2 hours in the morning - F.4 listening (Task 6);
-- 5 straight hours in the afternoon - F.4 listening + reading (finished!);
-- NOW, having marked for 1.5 hours - F.4 writing (Task 2);
......
The list carries on...
Content...
Accuracy...
Organisation...
Genre...
TERRIFIC!

Dragon Boat Festival

2007-06-19T18:09:00.000+08:00

It's another BOILING HOT day when all these BRAVE people rowing to be the champion of the annual dragon boat festival in Shing Mun River in Shatin.
Named one of the largest and most celebrated competitions in Hong Kong, it's included in the list of programmes of celebrating the 10th year of the handover this year.
Having lived in Shatin for almost 7 years, this is the first time I got so close to the crowd and the boats - really exciting!!! The paths along the river banks were cramped with enthusiastic audience, squeezing themeselves into space for better views of the boats and the competitions and amateur and professional photographers setting their cameras to shoot the best shots of the competitions. I was one of them.
One of the most unforgettable must be this boat (see left) which couldn't went straight -- ended up crossing the line towards the banks. And at this point, the crowds couldn't help but teasing and mocking how stupid and unprofessional these boat rowers were. Well, it's a scene, I must say. The boat finally reached the finishing point about 2 or 3 mins later after the second last one.
Funny, huh?!

5 mins save lives

2007-06-17T21:39:00.000+08:00

近來因為睡得太少，不敢亂闖捐血站，否則又是「無功而回」。
昨晚睡得充足，今早一直想著捐血這事情。
坐言起行，下午走到旺角銀城的捐血站。
站內已有大概三十人等候捐血，所以見過護士又驗過血紅素，還得等上一個小時。
曾捐血的都知道右手執筆寫字的人，多數捐血時都是在右手插針的。還是我比較特別，「強勁」的血管竟然在左手。護士叫我試捐右手，因為未有捐左手的椅，我說可以。主要原因是上一次捐血時，有一位護士曾幫我檢查過兩邊的血管，都說可以。
今次這個護士，「掃」了幾次我的右手都見不到血管，說了這些話：
「妳咁瘦，應該容易搵到血管，但係妳睇，一條都見唔到，妳係咪好凍呀，d血管收埋哂。」
無奈...
卒之，還是用了左手捐血。
今次是我第一次不打麻醉針... 事實... 也不是那麼痛－太好!!!
五分鐘，那暖暖的一包血便填滿了。
「心滿意足！」

Experience more important than health?

2007-06-16T16:10:00.000+08:00

Quantity: 1,000 scripts
Time allowed: 4 weeks
Place: Assessment Centre
Equipment needed: Computer

Would there be any insurance on my eyes? And what about sudden heart attack after sitting in front of the computer for SO LONG marking?

CRAZY

First marking day: 121 scripts (5 hours)
Second marking day: 149 scripts (5 hours)
Third marking day: 90 scripts (3 hours)
Fourth marking day: 113 scripts (3 hours)
Fifth marking day: 82 scripts (3 hours)
Sixth marking day: 157 scripts (4 hours)
Seventh marking day: 105 scripts (2 hours)
Eighth marking day (LAST DAY!!!): 176 scripts (4.5 hours)

TOTAL: 1,001 scripts

'好燒'好食!!!

2007-06-12T22:30:00.000+08:00

星期二的晚餐：

前菜：菠菜
主菜：．．．好．．．燒（日文漢字）

最重要：自家製的

"The Last Polar Bears"

2007-06-07T21:52:00.001+08:00

Author: Harry Horse (Richard Horne)
Place of birth: COVENTRY!!! (Oh, how I miss Warwick...)
Age: 47 (1960-2007)
Occupation: Author, illustrator, political cartoonist

Plot:
In the winter of his life (78 years old), Grandfather embarks on a journey to the Great Bear Ridge to search for the Last Polar Bears. Accompanied by his faithful dog, Roo, a dog of character and strong views (she can even talk and speak for herself!), Grandfather sets sail on the ship Unsinkable and pursues his life-long dream. He regularly writes to his 'child' about his encounters with the weird talking animals - penguins, rabbit, wolves and many more. Will Grandfather and Roo reach the G.B.R. and see the last polar bears?

NEED MORE? Drop me a line and I can give you more about this wonderful book!

An expedition to Kiu Tsui Island

2007-06-03T21:30:00.000+08:00

Getting so tired of the city life, I decided to go to Sai Kung, one of my favourite 'countryside' in Hong Kong. Just couldn't waste the blue sky and the bright sunshine!

Was originally just intended to stroll around the town centre, after taking the delicious 'trolley noodles' (a poor translation it might seem, but was coined by my lovely students some years ago, HAHA!!!). But by the time we walked towards the pier, a woman came to sell us the boat trip ticket to Kiu Tsui Island, where, I must say, had ever been heard of yet with no idea how it looked like and what it's about. It cost only $20 for a round-trip and it's worth taking a ride simply to explore this 'mysterious' island.

Then, we hopped into the 'kaido' and headed to the island. As I heard, there's this small island called Kiu Tau (see the picture) linked by a tombolo (check this out from wikipedia!) to Sharp Island, where the pier is in Kiu Tsui, at low tide. It sounded EXCITING already! We're so lucky as to see that tombolo, with swimmers walking through the crystal water on what I called 'pebble path'. It's amazing! Feeling the waves splashing each other from two sides of the tombolo - it's the very NOVEL thing I've ever seen in my life! The water was so clear that some people were actually snorkelling. But the sand...

What a fun expedition today! Haven't really enjoyed myself this much since the trip to Pattaya in the Chinese New Year holiday. And I said to myself: OK, the summer holiday is just 1 1/2 months from now, let's look forward to that!!! HAHA!!!

分手快樂

2007-05-28T18:33:00.000+08:00

最近一位女性友人與拍了九年拖的男朋友感情出現問題。
男的想要自由，想嘗新。
女的，因為一路感情很穩定，一時接受不了男方提出分開。
他們有著時間的約定。
男的了無牽掛；女的牽腸掛肚。
作為朋友的我，看見她那麼痛苦，不知可以做什麼。
對於他，我不想置評；對於她，我只想她能早日放得低。
這首歌，很能表達我的心聲。
希望「妳」知道箇中的意思：

我無法幫妳預言　委曲求全有沒有用
可是我多麼不捨　朋友愛的那麼苦痛
愛可以不問對錯　至少要喜悅感動
如果他總為別人撐傘
妳何苦非為他等在雨中

泡咖啡讓妳暖手　想擋擋妳心口裡的風
妳卻想上街走走　吹吹冷風會清醒的多
妳說妳不怕分手　只有一點遺憾難過
情人節就要來了　剩自己一個
其實愛對了人　情人節每天都過

分手快樂　祝妳快樂　妳可以找到更好的
討厭過冬　厭倦沉重　就飛去熱帶的島嶼游泳

分手快樂　請妳快樂　揮別錯的才能和對的相逢
離開舊愛　像坐慢車　看透徹了心就會是晴朗的
沒人能把誰的幸福沒收　妳發誓妳會活的有笑容

妳自信時候真的美多了

「不認不認毋須認」

2007-05-27T22:41:00.000+08:00

一路以來，道德高地是政客兵家必爭的制空點，這樣不民主，這樣不關心貧苦大眾。沒想到，反傳統道德最近也成為一個高地，這樣是打壓言論自由，這樣是不義判決。

中大學生報編委在淫審處遞交抗議書，對被評為二級不雅的兩期學生報申請上訴。上訴就上訴，為什麼要說第一次判決結果是「不義」？不什麼義？如果是不公義，是否又要研究什麼才是公義？如果編委會「你最想同什麼動物做愛」的問題，是想挑戰傳統觀念的底綫，跨越建制的規範，那又有什麼才算義？義在這個思維下早就應該沒有了既定的意義了。當每個人憑自己的信念做了該做的事，都會認為自己是正義之士。淫審處成員根據各自認為社會大眾所能接受的標準作出判決，也會認為自己做了一件正義長存的事，問題是正義的定義也是隨時代地點而流轉的。要挑戰建制，我建議學生們不要再借助建制的字眼了，否則有輸打贏要之嫌。與其抗議判決不義，不如說判決不公平、不準確、不恰當，這麼多選擇，幹嘛要動輒擺正義上台？用字如此不講究，又如何用精確的文字技巧打破大眾對性的討論框框？

戴上口罩，頭上有一把紙刀，寓意遭權威迫害，學生們表面上垂下頭，精神卻站在言論自由的高地。言論自由，不失為金融業以外香港最重要的支柱。但天下沒有免費午餐，言論不能不負責任。你看馬力，他何嘗不是挑戰香港人的記憶力與良知？不過他沒有受審裁就是了。

我堅持出版自由，但也堅持環保，紙張有價，像以過時粗口諧音做標題出現在今時今日的學生報，被砍下的那段樹木真是枉死。為什麼一份大學學生報需要有兩版情色版？香港似乎不缺這方面的渠道，要有專家學者學術解答的信箱並不缺，要看情色小說，別老說《金瓶梅》，內地台灣都足夠我們看過夠。難道學生報沒有更多讓中大生得到思考的題目了嗎？性當然要談，但談得夠水準才不枉印刷的紙張。

我沒有意思要唐君毅復生來對學生們的表現做一個義或不義的評價，只要求蔡子強先生解釋一下為什麼不認錯就是將來對社會有承擔的表現。

我沒有意思說學生用性來挑戰權威有錯。我只驚訝那些問卷設計的水準之低，情色小說必要性之低，用「大波蓮」來做筆名的譁眾企圖之高。他們在意圖上沒有錯，所以不可以認錯。

但眼高手低，不認錯也可以平和謙厚一點。如今以純熟的社會運動姿態，無辜讓性這樣等閒事鬧上刑事，萬一有人受不住壓力認錯，就平白讓言論自由這牌匾給侵蝕了。

林夕
載於U Magazine, 78期

The story of two monks

2007-05-19T13:37:00.000+08:00

Once upon a time, two monks were walking in silence through the forest; a younger monk, Anjan, and an older monk, Ananda.

Eventually their path led to a stream. There they saw a beautiful young lady, exquisitely clad, standing on the bank. She was distressed because she wanted to cross the stream, but did not know how without getting her fine long robes wet.

Without hesitation, Ananda scooped her up, crossed the stream, and set her down in dry ground. She thanked him and continued on her way, and the monks continued on theirs, again in silence.

Anjan was uncertain, distressed and confused. He became more restless and then finally he spoke.

"Brother Ananda," he said, "I do not know what to make of it. You know our order is an austere order, and we cannot so much as speak to a woman. But you saw that lady, you picked her up and carried her across the stream! And yet..." he continued, almost choking, "You just keep on walking as if nothing happened."

"It is quite simple," Ananda replied. "I set her down on the opposite bank, but you, Brother Anjan, are still carrying her!"

- Traditional Zen story

"Join world cities in action on climate, HK urged"

2007-05-16T21:46:00.000+08:00

Leading European politicians yesterday urged Hong Kong to join a network of cities sharing their experiences on climate change and to put all climate-change policies in the hands of a single, powerful top official.

Anders Wijkman, a Swedish member of the European Parliament, and British member of parliament Elliot Morley made those appeals at a seminar on climate change organised by the British consulate-general and Civic Exchange.

Mr Wijkman, the parliament's rapporteur for a post-2012 agreement on climate change, said that since environmental issues involved diverse factors and sectors, it was best to if policy and implementation was put in the hands of one powerful top official.

In Europe, for the past couple of years, climate change is no longer just an environmental issue," he said. "If I were in Hong Kong, I would not put the responsibility on the environmental protection [authority], but on the chief minister, because it affects all sectors."

Mr Morley, Prime Minister Tony Blair's special representative on the Gleneagles climate change dialogue set up by the Group of Eight nations, said Hong Kong could learn more about how to deal with the issue if it followed London and New York in joining some low-carbon-city networks.

Although Mr Morley did not name any networks, some of the most cited are the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group - which involves leaders of 46 of the most polluted cities, including London and New York - and the World Cities Leadership Summit.

"Hong Kong's involvement in that kind of organisation, where people can share experience and ideas, can be a very good thing," Mr Morley said after the breakfast seminar, "The Politics of Climate Change - Shaping Post-Kyoto".

It was held as talks about climate change in Hong Kong are intensifying before an International Conference on Climate Change in the city later this month.

Mr Wijkman said various sectors, from food to agriculture, had a significant impact on carbon dioxide emissions and that it was difficult to oversee them holistically under different policy portfolios. The European Union was considering action on all fronts, from limiting vehicle carbon emissions to eco-product design, he said.

Mr Morley said moving towards a low-carbon economy was an inevitable trend that was bound to affect people's daily lives. "Carbon will become as important as their salaries, and it will be managed at the individual level," he said, citing Britain's innovative proposal of a personal carbon credit card - through which a person can track the carbon footprint of their purchases.

The European politicians flew to Beijing yesterday to meet officials from the environment and resources committee under the National People's Congress.

(15 May, 2007, SCMP)

怎樣談性才是'對'?

2007-05-15T23:06:00.000+08:00

性，怎樣談，也死！
譚嘉瑛
新婦女協進會外務副主席

看到各大報刊對中大學生報情色版的評論，同道問道，妳/你們撐中大學生報嗎？「撐」，這陣子團體忙著很多的「撐」，空間漸細，沒錯，不「撐」開那有氣抖。可是，伸手伸腳也一一給折斷，言論收窄，聲音壓止。再來個「淫褻及不雅物品條例」，民意訴求，紀律處分。可恨是，我們只得一則「淫褻」條例，給它評一評，過關蓋印，什麼也是淫褻和不雅 (當中包括阿嬌被偷拍的身體、劉嘉玲被侵犯的照片)。

性，根本是眼前走不掉抹不去的，卻被硬生生說似是何等神秘不可冒犯，可是人人也在談，為何假惺惺。

各大傳媒每天報導獨家猛料勁料，圖文並茂展示「偷窺」、「纏擾」得來的性話題。這樣談性，還是擔心銷量而已。可是，大家還是邊鬧邊買，邊買邊鬧。

電台談性，醫學專題太乏味，燃情小品假浪漫，還是嘩眾取寵夠賣點，來個「選舉我最想非禮的女藝人」，結果道歉還道歉，Show照加廣告再接，大家還再給他/她們多加進賑，人氣非常。

正正經經的作個人物專訪吧，結果「同志‧戀人」遭強烈勸喻，強加「鼓吹同性戀」、「影響青少年」，大家也來砌砌民意數字，「直」指「同性」不是好的性。

為著怎樣談性，我們也費盡思量，碰釘無數。過往我們反對「貞操大遊行」，反對「淫褻」條例強硬管制，回響著婦團無低線，道德淪亡，沒有好好保障女性福祉。抗議「架勢堂」事件，譴責不尊重女性身體自主麼，又說婦團保守落伍，不懂情趣。我們舉辦「性與人權」工作坊，沒有真人表演，沒有玩具試玩，總擔心招生不足。「女‧性‧網」談性，還是找找過來人分享，總比學術泛濫好，有hit rate才有回應，有回應才有討論。軟性硬性談性，談何容易。

與其上網看雜誌入影院接受真正性教育，還是讚嘆中大學生報的勇氣，以年青人角度談性，打破無謂禁忌，引起性議題討論思潮。情色版內容豐富，涉及主題廣泛，慨歎就是學生入世未深，敵不過「道德審裁處」，碰上一樣的釘子。

筆者只是想說，談性，現在怎樣談，也死！談性，談不來，再談吧。學生勇士受祭旗了，還有千千萬萬個勇士嗎？

*****

身為曾是中大學生的我，心情很矛盾。不煩厭地又要再說，曾幾何時我在性教育課摘了個A，不期然覺得自己有責任對這事件有一個立場。我以為那又不是一樁悍衛道德的人對言論自由及性作出批判。事實上，當我看過那份問卷，再翻閱幾篇情色版的文章，不禁慨嘆這些學生編輯似乎做得太馬虎。我在那裏尋找的是　－　意義。他們對於指摘的一些回應，對我來說只是自圓其說。對於他們的那份加入情色版於學生報中的勇氣，不可置疑。勇是勇，勇得沒有條理。他們應該熟悉他們的讀者，所身處的社會，所背負的道德思想；他們應該知道怎樣做才能把這些性議題慢慢滲透於這些那些當中。一來便是最受爭議的性事如亂倫及獸交，哪會有人讓他們順利過關呢？至於他們設計這些題目背後的目的，確實模糊。我贊成社會應多談論性，但中大學生報所採取的方向只是自尋死路，更讓衛道之仕有藉口扼殺討論的空間及自由。講性，我們當然要那份不怕說的勇氣，但我們也需要一些智慧。

'Mama, I love you!'

2007-05-13T10:11:00.000+08:00

Mama - Spice Girls

Click here to watch the music video

She used to be my only enemy
and never let me free,
Catching me in places
that I know I shouldn't be,
Every other day I crossed the line,
I didnt mean to be so bad,
I never thought you would
Become the friend I never had.

Back then I didnt know why,
Why you were misunderstood,
So now I see through your eyes,
All that you did was love,

Mama I love you, mama I care,
Mama I love you, mama my friend,
My friend

I didnt want to hear it then but
Im not ashamed to say it now,
Every little thing you said and did was right for me,
I had a lot of time to think about,
About the way I used to be,
Never had a sense of my responsibility.

Back then I didnt know why,
Why you were misunderstood,
So now I see through your eyes,
All that you did was love,

Mama I love you, mama I care,
Mama I love you, mama my friend, my friend

But now I'm sure I know why,
Why you were misunderstood,
So now I see through your eyes,
All I can give you is love,

Mama I love you, mama I care,
Mama I love you, mama my friend,
My friend

Mama I love you, mama I care,
Mama I love you, mama my friend,
You're my friend

Triumph, the Jamboree!!!

2007-05-12T23:14:00.000+08:00

It's an utmost surprise!!!

Well, I didn't expect these 'little kids' could win in the Jamboree, given that they only practised twice for it. So, yeah, NOTHING is really IMPOSSIBLE!

My note to them after their speeches:
'You all looked GREAT on stage! WELL DONE! Remember, it's not easy to speak in front of such crowd - you're BRAVE ones!'

Here's a note in reply:
To: Ms Mok
Thank you very much! Actually I don't care about the result. Because I think it's just a practice for us to get some experiences about public speaking. But thank you for your word "BRAVE" and your teaching.
P.S. My words may be ugly and spelt wrongly, but that's what I think in my heart.
Yours
Edward

So right! The process and the experience are far more important!
'HURRAY!'

4 the Gorgeous... Thank you!

2007-05-08T20:17:00.000+08:00

Here comes 'Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End'!

2007-05-05T15:49:00.000+08:00

We find our heroes Will Turner (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth Swann (Keira Knightly) alled with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) in a desperate quest to free Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) from his mind-bending trap in Davy Johnes Locker while the terrifying ghost ship, The Flying Dutchman and Davy Johnes, under the control of the East India Trading Company, wreaks havoc across the Seven Seas. Navigating through treachery, betrayal and wild waters, they must forge their way to exotic Singapore and confront the cunning Chinese pirate Sao Feng (Chow Yun-fat). Now headed beyond the very ends of the earth, each must ultimately choose a side in a final, titanic battle as not only their lives and fortunes, but the entire future of the freedom-loving pirate way, hangs in the balance.

In theatre on 24 May, 2007.

You can't miss it!

To my dear SPS students

2007-04-24T22:27:00.000+08:00

We always cheer and say, 'S-U-C-C-E-S-S... success!!!'
And this cheer is from me to all of you for the HKCEE!
And with my best wishes...

The Holiday

2007-04-17T23:59:00.000+08:00

I guess I have nothing to say about this movie here except JUDE LAW.

I won't deny that I love this handsome British actor, having this lovely British accent, acting as a seemingly flamboyant bachelor, yet a loving father of two little angels, living in... oh god, the fantastic Cotswolds, BRITAIN.

我要吐苦水

2007-04-16T23:23:00.000+08:00

近來真的很大壓力，有時大得令自己都透不過氣來，心跳也時快時慢。對於心臟特別弱的我，也經常精神緊張的我，也怕自己會有一天支持不住。
從來都知道教語文特辛苦，聽、說、寫、讀，四項都要兼顧，功課也特多。對於我來說，改作文是最痛苦。教低年級還好，一篇文大概只有一百五十字，而且幾乎每一篇都差不多，五分鐘便行。話雖如此，一班三十一人，一個作文題可以改上兩三個小時。一個老師，一天有多少個兩三個小時呢？加上高年級的作文，太駭人。一個學期，四篇一百字短文，四篇二百五十字長文。計一班三十一人，一篇長文起碼用上十分鐘批改，加上來便是六個小時。這些三小時，六小時好像不太多，但當一個老師教上三班的時候，那是小時可以堆積成數十或數百個小時。
教統局曾說老師教節時間不長，這是事實。不過，我們可以只出現在課室，胡亂說東說西便完成了我們的工作嗎？那些備課時間呢？那些煩瑣的行政工作呢？班主任要處理的班務又如何？那怕課外活動及校內委員會有十多樣事項，跟著又要有足夠的專業發展時數。這些加起來，我有時想：我有多少個我，每日有多少個小時？
若連這些都花上了廿四小時，我又何來有時間陪家人，見朋友，更不要說消遣娛樂，做運動嘛，我要說，老師是最不健康的人吧！
就以自己為例，工作繁重，睡眠不足之後，壓力也大。壓力給我不時的偏頭痛。過去的幾個月，我買了三盒頭痛藥，我自己都開始有點怕。腳嘛，每天站著授課，小腿的肌肉越來越繃緊，有時也會痛。改簿改上兩個小時，頸痛、腰痛、手痛等等都出現。我可以讓它們休息下來嗎？堆積如山的功課海，就快要湧過來－－太駭人。腸胃嘛，更可怕，種種情況，不得不說我有的似乎是林夕所患的「腸胃焦慮症」。而對於心很弱的我，不時的心跳不均勻，已給我響起了健康的警號。
有時在想，可以捱多久？
有時在想，我要離開。
往時，有學生的安慰，我會支持下去。
現在，我真的很迷惘。
真的很想放棄。

不方便吐露的真相

2007-04-13T10:48:00.000+08:00

美國前副總統戈爾現身說法的電影《絕望真相》登場之後，氣候暖化問題幾乎成為報章雜誌上最新的賣點，一時之間每個人都感受到電影《明日之後》式的恐懼、反省，甚至開始身體力行，把冷氣調到25度，等等。

等等，其實早在95年聯合國曾召集二千多個科學家，出了一份有關全球氣候暖化的報告，詭異的是後來有參與的科學家站出來質疑人類活動與暖化現象有多大關係。

關乎全人類生死存亡問題，該是說一不二吧？像我們國歌一樣，起來，起來，起來，不願做地球村難民的人們，行動，行動，刻不容緩了。

等等，熱血與恐懼之餘，理性一點看，綠色生活，環保大計，何嘗不是一門大生意？所謂有機食物，價錢要賣貴幾倍？除了愛不斷換車的玩車族，還有甚麼市場狀況會令全球車主都送舊迎新？符合歐盟標準的汽車，就正如第三代手電帶來的商機，這是被道德感召之下過着綠色生活的人不妨看透的經濟現實，政治現實。

北極冰層不斷溶化，除了北極熊冬眠失調外，初生小海豹也因為冰層不耐暖化，承托不了小海豹而崩陷成湖，每天便有無數沒有機會學懂泳術的海豹，平白無辜的淹死在北極洋中。

當北極終於逐漸回復一個洋的身份後，科學家正在憂慮，而政治家商家則開始搶地盤，因為堅冰化水，採探極地下的資源就更加容易，到時候石油及礦物的供應，就有了一個新大陸。最得益的當然是俄羅斯，普京喜上眉梢，笑言他們可以少穿一點皮草了。西伯利亞不但有可能值萬億美元，而且氣候轉暖後，就擁有了大量適宜耕種及人類居住的地方，又反過頭來節省了暖氣的資源，這當然也包括飛機航綫可以縮短而減少用原油。

這暖化問題的另一面，簡直讓人心寒，我們一日不改變生活方式，不讓所謂文明與大自然對立，人類對大自然不斷苛索，北冰洋變回北極洋，我們還可以苟存多久？

中國已經知道人多不好辦事的道理，日本香港也已經屬於double income no kids的社會結構。香港人口向老化邁進，人口出生率年年下降，據說其中一個理由是兩夫婦太忙，不夠精力進行比較頻繁的房事。而我早在很多年前已開始聽過的理由是，這個世界太差了（不知是指香港還是泛指活着做人是苦的），才不願意再製造受害者。

總覺得這是不敢背負責任的藉口，做人既然苦，不若死了算數。但當Stephen Hawking，早前提出地球要早滅亡幾分鐘之後，便驚覺暖甚麼化？太陽早晚會燒到盡頭，是我們留下來的文明，原來都是一場虛妄，說甚麼紅樓夢永恒傳世，說甚麼真正藝術經得起時間考驗，都是妄語。

我們還有甚麼好執著的。這樣的願景，究竟是化境還是絕景？

- 林夕
（載於U Magazine, 72期）

笑忘書

2007-04-12T21:42:00.000+08:00

張敬軒 - 笑忘書

作曲：張敬軒｜填詞：林若寧

要背負個包袱
再跳落大峽谷
煩惱用個大網將你捕捉
還是你抛不開拘束
你昨夜發的夢
到這夜已告終
沉下去頭上散落雨點沒有彩虹
你還在抱著記憶就似塊石頭很重

*得到同樣快樂彼此亦有沮喪
童話書從成長中難免要學會失望
經過同樣上落彼此墮進灰網
沉溺煩擾磨折何苦多講*

我快樂到孤獨
我缺乏到滿足
遊戲就算愉快不會幸福
人大了開心都想哭
我每日要生活
我每日要鬥苦
捱下去連上帝亦也許沒法攙扶
我前路有右與左面對抉擇難兼顧

擁有同樣寄望彼此亦有苦況
棉花糖從成長中曾送你愉快天堂
經過同樣跌盪可會學會釋放
童話情書遺書尋找答案
曾經... 曾經... 回憶當天三嵗波板糖

HKIFF

2007-04-10T23:50:00.000+08:00

Grbavica [10 April, 2007, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre]
It's set in post-war Grbavica, where people still mourn for the pain they have been suffering for a decade through. Esma and her daughter, Sara, lives in the district of Sarajevo, where people wait for dead bodies to be evacuated and identify their families. What's between the mother and daughter has been the hidden truth of what's happened to the father - said to be a 'shaheed' (who fought for Bosnia and died in the war). When Esma starts a relationship with a man she met at work and Sara urges her mother for the 'death' certificate of her father for the school trip, the ugly past uncovers. Esma was raped by the Chetniks and gave birth to Sara (a 'bastard' she called...). We come to realise how hard it can be for the woman to look at her daughter's face and constantly reminds her of the humiliation.
The opening scene and one towards the end highlight the sharing of pains among the women in Grbavica along with the singing. Though I couldn't possibly understand a word, the melody carries itself a sense of melancholy, misery and despair which touches the heart of not only me, but everyone in the theatre.
It's a worth seeing film that urges us to reflect on war, once again.

Princess (Animation) [9 April, 2007, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre]
MISSED again coz Mr Chow constantly called on me... ZZZzzz...

The Free Will [8 April, 2007, Kwai Tsing Theatre Auditorium]
So far the worst choice I had for the festival.
It certainly aroused my interest at first of the topic - rape. Theo, a convicted rapist, who is released from prison and tries to enter what his mate called 'hell'. The constant rouse of violent desire and hate for women makes him incapable of fitting in the society. All the more, a sense of loneliness soon consumes him. The same happens to Nettie who starts her new and independent life and tries to cut off connection with her father. She encounters the same difficulties Theo has dealing with the opposite sex. Sooner, their gradual understanding of each other's pains draws them together and they fall in love.
However, the film doesn't end in ease but in pain and confusion. Theo commits the crime again and breaks off relationship with Nettie. Nettie, in desperation, chases him after and finds Theo in the same condition ends his life to release himself again, not from the concrete prison, but the mental.
I said 'confusion' in the end but in fact, I feel that the director doesn't explain lots of things and tries to prolong some parts unnessarily. The 163-min long film seemed to me a 4-hour film filled with loads of gaps and blanks. All these create the emptiness and fragments of the plot development. I try not to be too critical, yet I must say, I'm truly disappointed at how the director handles the subject matter 'unwisely' and clumsily.
If loneliness is the issue, there shouldn't essentially a rapist and a victim of abuse. If not, what exactly is the focus? The fact is, there's none.

Don [7 April, 2007, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre]
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS!!! There's always so much to explore from Bollywood movies and this one with some shadows of Infernal Affairs, Matrix, Jackie Chan and Mission Impossible, we're looking at nothing like those Hollywood blockbusters with loads of violence and sex. The film does have lots of action and exciting scenes, sex appeal and complicated plot. It also maintains its own Bollywood style of singing and dancing (which always brought the audience to laughters...). The most surprising thing I found in it is the ending. I can't tell much coz I really wanna you to go and see for yourself (and you'll know why I liked it so much about the ending).
For the plot, Don is the villain who's in the 'dirty' business and VJ, as a street musician, (un)luckily asked by a police officer to be a replacement of Don for they have the same looks. All the complications start with twists and suprises throughout.
P.S. This film is already a remake of a classic back in the late 80s - SUCCESSFUL as it was!

Flanders [7 April, 2007, Hong Kong City Hall Theatre]
MISSED because of hangover...

Black Book [5 April, 2007, Hong Kong Cultural Centre Grand Theatre]
Everyone might say, 'the old song' when a film is set at WWII concerning how Hitler carried out massive genocide of the Jews. Well, this film gives us not only bad Germans killing innocent Jews and people in a country. It poses bad Germans vs good Germans (who would negotiate justice with the 'enemies'), brave Resistance people vs treacherous companions, and many more of these shifting the perspectives of the 'stereotypical' to the 'uncovered'. We are told that a Jewish lady falls in love with a German officer, a mate sells everyone out in the Resistance for money and honour, a declaration of liberation means revenge and dangers - it's so much so different.
The black book, as the title, discloses all the conspiracy and plots and serves the key to unfolding the truth to the characters and the audience.

Jindabyne [4 April, 2007, Hong Kong City Hall Theatre]
Finally, I managed to catch my first film of the HKIFF 2007.
It's an Australian film about racism, honesty, family, love and gender conflicts. It all started with the murder of an aboriginal young woman, whose body was found by four white men fishing in the wild river on a mountain. Their decision to tether the body to a tree and leave it in the water (out of 'good' intention to keep the body 'intact') triggered outrage from the community people (especially the aborigins) about their indifference to report discovery several days later. But the matter doesn't just end up in more hate issues between the white and the aborigins; it leads to the breaking up of relationships of the couples and lovers, and even that of a family.
In the meantime, Claire and Tom have long hidden their true emotions from each other, which along with the controversial incident, bring them into vigorous confrontation of blames and distrust. While Claire once left Tom for 18 months after her first delivery of their son, Tom has long endured the scare of losing Claire again, which may again leave him alone with the son.
All these chaos settle when every character comes to uncover the truth and open themselves up for love and trust.
It's an inspiring film in many different ways for reflection but maybe the director still needs more tactics on delivering the message to the audience effectively.

Thirteen Princess Trees [25 March, 2007, UA Times Square]
MISSED again! Thanks to my torturing stomach pain...

London to Brighton [22 March, 2007, UA Times Square]
MISSED because of time-consuming staff meeting... (again, with loads of bullshits and stuff, excuse me!)

The Queen

2007-03-10T21:56:00.000+08:00

Love Me Knot

2007-02-14T17:08:00.000+08:00

Am I wrong to be annoyed that my boyfriend never buys me Valentine's Day cards, flowers or shows everyone he loves me by making some sort of gesture? He says cards and flowers are often meaningless and he would rather show he loves me in his own way.

Sounds as if you have a bad case of Valentine's blues. I also get annoyed - but it's with the way the commercial sector manipulates relationships and businesses cause expensive, unrealistic expectations between partners.

Women are led to believe that if a man really loves her he'll bring her anything from flowers, chocolates, and poetry to diamonds, cars and furs - that is, love with a conspicuous price tag. Men who don't shower their sweeties with goodies are seen as wanting.

But you aren't asking for the moon. You just want to feel cherished. You're entitled to have a tender gift from this chap occasionally or have him hold your hand in public every now and again.

I think you should accept your boyfriend as he is and not have a hidden agenda to change him. You can't change him, anyway. All you can change is yourself and that's a lot, because as you change you tell people, especially your boyfriend, how you expect to be treated.

If you want a romantic gesture every now and again, you must tell him clearly. Since blokes tend to go blank when it comes to displays of affection, your boyfriend may need some specific suggestions. For example, tell him you like lilies instead of just saying you like flowers. The goal is to create a win-win situation - when he goes to the flower shop he knows what to get and knows it will please you and you get the flowers.

The card and flower industry shouldn't get rich from your boyfriend's gestures, but he needs to show his love for you in a way that reflects your needs, not his. In lasting relationships partners shape their behaviour to please their mate. That ability to bring joy to each other can be very satisfying and enhances relationships.

As people choose to alter their behaviour to bring happiness to others, they grow emotionally.

You need to let your boyfriend know why you feel annoyed. Just as you respect his need to be a bloke, he needs to sometimes please the girl in you. Making you happy should motivate your boyfriend to change a bit.

And I hope you can find some way to reward him, and to encourage him to make you feel loved in a girly way.

- Sharon Glick

The Lake House - getting nowhere

2007-01-29T16:57:00.000+08:00

It took me lots of courage to watch the movie, starring Sandra Bullock (the main reason) and Keanu Reeves. After their 'Speed', I couldn't bear watching another one starring the actress as I really think she looks like a witch! I had expected it to be a 'romantic' love story driving little girls with fantasy crazy about loads of cliche. Quite surprisingly, it impressed me with its storyline, telling us Cate (Bullock) and Alex (Reeves) are indeed communicating with each other in 2-year time span, one in 2006 and the other 2004.
All the way through I thought: Wow! This story was amazing - felt like time travel at times. And with all those details building up the relationship of Cate and Alex - I couldn't say it's all just cliche. Coming to the part when Cate waited for Alex in the restaurant but he didn't turn up, the scene was heartbreaking adding to her hopeless feeling of not being able to meet Alex and having a future with him. I took my breath deep later when Cate finally walks in Alex and his brother's company and having realised that her hidden passion for Alex takes over her once again, the bad news comes - Alex died in a car accident.
If the scriptwriter was a genius, s/he wouldn't alter the past. It was a wrong step that brought the great fall to the movie. At last, Cate actually ran back to the lake house, sent Alex a note, trying to avoid the accident. And of course, she succeeded. The craziest and stupidest ending no scriptwriter should ever do - altering the past without dealing with the FACT or REALITY of the present.
There were only FURY and ANNOYANCE in me I felt for it.
Next time, watch wise!

ps. by the way, 'The Lake House' was inspired by the Korean movie 'Il Mare'

When Hong Kong meets Mainland China

2007-01-24T21:41:00.000+08:00

Read this article on SCMP on Jan 4, 'HK students in great leap northward', reporting the lives of some of the Hongkongers studying at several universities in China. The most facinating thing from the report was not about how WE Hongkongers shone brighter than mainlanders academically, but...

Quote 1: "I really think the English lessons are unacceptable. If my English teacher was in Hong Kong, I think he would be sacked," Ms Wong said. "I think my English is deteriorating after studying here for one year."

My response: I just couldn't help LAUGHING OUT LOUD! ^O^

Quote 2: Adjusting to different living styles is also a huge step the students have to make -- including different hygiene standards and different working hours.

My response: [keeps nodding head] I couldn't agree more. I had been tolerating the stinky smell of my 'bathroom-mate''s towel (couldn't find a better word to describe someone sharing a bathroom with me) whenever I sat on the toilet (pardon me!). What on earth did she have on her body? Dung???

Quote 3: "In the newspapers in Hong Kong, there are opinion pages and people have different perspective in looking at the same incident, ... There is no such thing in mainland newspapers and something is missing here."

My response: Does freedom of speech ever exist in China, by the way?

I'm not trying to be mean or whatever, but we have a long way to go before we can really be 'united'. (Well, I'm not looking so forward to it, anyway!)

我們的這個社會

2007-01-22T19:28:00.000+08:00

鏗鏘集被指鼓吹同性戀　遭廣管局強烈勸喻　港台稱裁決堪商榷 (明報)

【明報專訊】香港電台「王牌」電視節目《鏗鏘集》一集探討同性婚姻、名為《同志．戀人》的節目，昨日被廣播事務管理局裁定「報道內容不公、不完整和偏袒同性戀，產生鼓吹接受同性婚姻的效果」，不適宜在合家歡時段播放，故向港台發出「強烈勸喻」。港台昨日迅速發出新聞稿回應，對廣管局的決定「表示失望」，反駁指廣管局裁決「值得商榷」，強調節目並非「性傾向討論」，只是希望展示同性戀者面對社會壓力的感受。
有港台製作人員坦言，廣管局的裁決令人感到「憂慮」，擔心社會的討論空間日益收縮，令傳媒無法協助市民了解弱勢社群的聲音。有傳媒學者指出，近年廣管局的成員組成層面日益狹窄，根本無法有效了解及反映社會各階層的聲音。

合家歡時段播放明光社：傳媒應反省

另一邊廂，明光社總幹事蔡志森贊同廣管局發出的勸喻，發現內容偏袒同性戀者，並希望傳媒能夠「認真反省」。
廣管局於去年7月接到22宗市民投訴，指港台《鏗鏘集》7月9日播出的《同志．戀人》節目，指內容「偏袒及宣揚同性戀」、「提及一名基督徒的反對意見，令觀眾誤以為所有基督徒都是缺乏理性，對基督徒不公」、「沒有提及同性戀的不良方面如愛滋病」等。影視及娛樂事務管理處跟進後認為投訴不成立，但一名公眾人士決定上訴，並交廣管局審理。

《同志．戀人》接22投訴

廣管局認為，同性戀及同性婚姻合法化在社會極具爭議，故節目須遵守持平原則，但節目只講及3名同性戀者的意見，故報道不公並鼓吹同性婚姻，節目亦不適宜於合家歡時段播放，兒童可能不理解同性戀而受節目影響。

港台：屬時事特寫有字幕提示

不過，廣管局指部分投訴不成立，例如節目並非對基督徒不公、愛滋病主因並非同性戀行為，節目亦有播出警告字眼，例如節目開始時有字幕﹕「本節目涉及同性戀題材，敬請留意」。
記者在港台網頁重溫該半小時節目，發現內容主要有關兩名女同性戀者及一名男同性戀者的自白，談到個人經歷及對同性婚姻的看法，家人及朋友的眼光等。
港台發言人說，對廣管局的裁決感到失望，認為值得商榷，而節目屬時事特寫，不是性傾向辯論節目，旨在反映公眾未必熟悉、但少數社群關注的社會現象，以提示同性戀者面對社會壓力的感受。港台表示，廣管局決定「影響時事節目的取材及編務，值得社會辯論」。就港台對裁決表示「失望」，廣管局發言人表示沒有回應。

香港雖是一個國際大都會，是一個文化大溶爐；但對於這些「不同」，我們的接受度又有多少？對於一切的「不同」，我們都全盤接受，還是置若罔聞？
這邊廂廣管局向港台發出警告不可鼓吹同性戀，那邊廂又為什麼設立平等機會委員會？我們的社會是否都自相矛盾？更何況《鏗鏘集》所展示的只是同性戀者本身所面對的社會壓力，並沒有任何鼓吹成分。然而，當這一輯反應不同社會聲音的報導，演變成「道德捍衛者」的武器，藉以「引導」大眾對同性戀加以排斥及邊緣化，那社會各階層的小聲音只會愈來愈細小。
部分西方國家已接受同性婚姻合法化，對於他們，也有著面對宗教道德的壓力；不過，他們亦明白到同性戀只是性取向的一種，同性戀更是生活的另一種模式。在香港，我們都說是自由社會；可是，真正的自由社會不是強行過濾「可接受」及「不可接受」的價值，而是讓各人有獨立自主權去決定「誰是誰非」。
若這次的警告奏效，香港的社會只會有更多的歧視，而我們的視野只會更加狹窄。作為國際大都會的其中一份子，我們是否都應反思我們有沒有廣闊的視野？

My Wonderful Christmas & New Year 2006

2007-01-02T21:41:00.000+08:00

Dec 21 - am: slept till late - afternoon: bank matters - night: nice gathering dinner with Alan & Sasa in a Japanese restaurant in Kwun Tong

Dec 22 - am: shopping at C!ty'super - afternoon: went back to St. Paul's and met my lovely students / took LOTS of photos, played some WILD games and chit-chatted for TOO LONG at KFC - night: met my secondary schmate Debbie up at Festival Walk / her sister was so nice as to make a big pot of rice wine :)

Dec 23 - am: ??? - afternoon: superb teatime gathering with u-mates at Ruby Tuesday in Kowloon Bay (welcome back, Derek!) - night: had a nice dinner with mom

Dec 24 - am & afternoon: exhausting hike for 12km passing through Lai Chi Wo (I almost fainted with vigorous heartbeats - goosh! Yet, what an achievement!) - night: bought loads of veg and good beef for shabu-shabu

Dec 25 - am: Chinese 'dim sum' lunch with mom :) - afternoon: burnt money at IKEA for some more furniture for the 'new' flat :[ - night: dined out

Dec 26 - am & pm: hiking day AGAIN! Met up friends at 10am in Fanling for Hok Tau hiking trail / Took only 1 1/2 hrs to reach the BBQ site called 'Lavendar Garden' / Carried on with the hike at 3pm but... GOT LOST! Failed to follow the path again and ended up in Tai Po Industrial Estate >o< - night: ???

Dec 27 - Macau Trip (Day 1) - 11am: met my u-mates in Sheung Wan for the Turbojet to Macau - 2pm: had our first Portuguese meal (YUMMY!) - Hunting for Italian icecream (gelato) and souvenirs (almond cake, etc... you name it!) - Settled for a while watching some really OLD TVB drama series at Karen's sister's home - 5pm: Checked in to the hotel (wonderful!) - 7pm: Food-hunting / Believe it or not, we had our second Portuguese meal! - 9pm: Casino (Edmund won a double from the slot machine!!!) - 11pm till 3am: UNO marathon... ZZZzzz...

Dec 28 - Macau Trip (Day 2) - 3-5am: Chatted with Jenny on a large double bed... HAHA!!! 9am: We're superwomen / Jenny and I went down to have our buffet breakfast ~o~ - 12nn: Checked out - 12:30pm: Amazing! We had our THIRD Portuguese meal (YUCK!) - Afterwards: Went to the Fishermen's Pier (BORING, I assure you!) - 3.15pm: TEATIME for pork chop bun!!! - 5:10pm: LUCKY enough to catch the Turbojet back to Hong Kong (Thank XXX!!!) / Almost threw up... :(

Dec 29 - am: BIG BREAKFAST! - 1pm: HIGHLIGHT OF THE DAY -- WORLD CARNIVAL!!! / Extremely exciting and fun! Got a big hand, YEAH!!! - 6pm: Enjoyed a nice cup of Irish coffee at Pacific Coffee Company in Sheung Wan - 7.30pm: Dinner in a bar restaurant - 9pm: Met Luica at Twenty-One-Twenty-One in Lan Kwai Fong :D - 11.45pm: Took 88R back to City One Shatin / Car accident kept me waiting at the tunnel entrance for 40 mins >o<

Dec 30 - afternoon: KFC lunch (my favourite! HAHA!) - night: cooked a nice dinner at home

Dec 31 - afternoon: did shopping at the supermarket in Seiyu for the party at night - night: party with sushi, salad, Japanese dumplings, wine (FABULOUS!) - till late: MONOPOLY craze! HAPPY 2007!!!

Jan 1 - afternoon: 'dim sum' lunch - night: hot pot dinner in Fo Tan with family and friends :)

Not a "Scoop" at all

2006-11-25T18:26:00.000+08:00

Gave this film a shot because of "Match Point" I caught on the plane in the summer. I'm not a fan of Woody Allen, after all. Would really wanna hear from some of his fans telling me what's so good about his movies. Anyway, I expected a so-called light-hearted movie about an almost naive journalist Sondra Pransky (Scarlett Johansson) trying to scoop a big story hinted by a ghost (a dead journalist) about this aristocrat Peter Lyman (Hugh Jackman - just love his accent! :)) being a tarot card killer. Woody Allen casted himself as Sid Waterman, a magician. Sondra dragged Sid into this 'investigation' but she turned out giving her heart to the suspect without knowing herself being in jeopardy. The ending was quite disappointing and Allen's role is as annoying as how Sondra felt towards Sid at times. Not surprising and not entertaining at all. I remembered I struggled to choose "Metrosexual" instead of "Scoop" - a total failure.

給我的女朋友們

2006-11-19T21:51:00.000+08:00

今天他跟我說：為什麼妳的女朋友們在愛情路上都那麼不幸運？
我跟他說：我也不知道。

正在拍拖的妳們、單身的妳們、失戀的妳們：
妳們都是我的好朋友，
都是充滿優點，也有缺點的平常人。
平常人都經歷這些吧－
在拍拖的，有時候很甜蜜，有時候不是也常常為他們的自私、遲鈍而感到不開心嗎？
單身的，雖然常常很想嚐戀愛的滋味，但是又不能馬馬虎虎找個張三李四便拍拖嗎？
失戀的，也許常常想到跟他們有多開心的時候，卻不能忘記他們對自己的不解溫柔嗎？
而我呢，我也是平常人，我也有走過這些路。
有一刻，這個他曾令我以為可以付託終身；
那一刻，我很想跟那個他拍個散拖；
有一刻，另一個他令我心痛得每晚都要哭過才睡；
這一刻，我感到一刻的滿足，但是我又擔心下一刻。
我們都是平常人，但是我們每一個人都是與別不同的。而因為大家的不同，要找一個能一起相處的同伴也著實很難。找到了，很怕失去；找不到，可是還有一絲期待。

All's fair in love and war

2006-11-11T15:31:00.000+08:00

Be as HYSTERIC as no one can imagine
Be who you really are and who you can potentially be
And be who you are not?

Look at you, how a love-struck woman you've become!

《人來人往》

2006-10-28T22:26:00.000+08:00

朋友已走　剛升職的你舉杯到凌晨還未夠
用盡心機拉我手
纏在我頸背後　說你男友有事忙是借口
說到終於飲醉酒
情侶會走　剛失戀的你哭乾眼淚前來自首
寂寞因此牽我手
除下了他手信後　我已得到你沒有
但你我至少往後　成為了蜜友

閉起雙眼你最掛念誰　眼睛張開身邊竟是誰
感激車站裡　尚有月台能讓我們滿足到落淚
擁不擁有也會記住誰　快不快樂留在身體裡
愛若能夠永不失去　何以你今天竟想找尋伴侶

誰也會走　剛相戀的你先知我們原來未夠
借故鬆開我的手
藏在貼紙相背後　我這苦心開過沒有
但試過散心旅遊　如何答沒有

閉起雙眼我最掛念誰　眼睛張開身邊竟是誰
感激車站裡　尚有月台曾讓我們滿足到落淚
擁不擁有也會記住誰　快不快樂有天總過去
愛若為了永不失去　誰勉強娛樂過誰
愛若難以放進手裡　何不將這雙手放進心裡

時間會走　剛失戀的我開始與旁人攜著手
但甚麼可以擁有
纏在那頸背後　最美麗長髮未留在我手
我也開心飲過酒

Boost 'boost' and make a boost

2006-10-24T22:01:00.000+08:00

'BOOST' is a word we should all know.
Why?
It appeared five times on the headlines when I read the two local English newspapers - you just can't miss out!

LEARN it:

boost
verb [T]
to improve or increase something:
The theatre managed to boost its audiences by cutting ticket prices.
Share prices were boosted by reports of the President's recovery.
I tried to boost his ego (= make him feel more confident) by praising his cooking.

boost
noun [C usually singular]
when something is boosted:
The lowering of interest rates will give a much-needed boost to the economy.
Passing my driving test was such a boost to my confidence.

The bard's '55' for the world

2006-10-18T21:19:00.000+08:00

Not marble, nor the gilded monuments
Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme;
But you shall shine more bright in these contents
Than unswept stone, besmear'd with sluttish time.
When wasteful war shall statues overturn,
And broils root out the work of masonry,
Nor Mars his sword, nor war's quick fire shall burn
The living record of your memory.
'Gainst death, and all oblivious enmity
Shall you pace forth; your praise shall still find room
Even in the eyes of all posterity
That wear this world out to the ending doom.
So, till the judgment that yourself arise,
You live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes.

My Dominant Intelligence

2006-10-08T20:50:00.000+08:00

Your Dominant Intelligence is Linguistic Intelligence

You are excellent with words and language. You explain yourself well.

An elegant speaker, you can converse well with anyone on the fly.

You are also good at remembering information and convicing someone of your point of view.

A master of creative phrasing and unique words, you enjoy expanding your vocabulary.

You would make a fantastic poet, journalist, writer, teacher, lawyer, politician, or translator.

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

他和她的故事（四）

2006-10-07T20:05:00.000+08:00

過了不知多少個夜晚，他和她的晚上都是拿著電話筒渡過。說東說西，他們似乎是有說不完的話題。

在某一夜，他說起自己很喜歡唱歌，問了她想聽他唱什麼歌。提了許許多多的歌，他突然說有一首歌很想唱給她聽，是古巨基的《中箭》。她說從來沒有聽過，他卻說不要緊。接著，他透過電話唱了這首歌：

　她恨下雨天　她酷愛古典樂　她沈默寡言　她時常逛書店
　那一天她講了　丘比特常失手　愛情太危險　
　她跟我約好了　讓彼此自由一點
　
　*我開始思念　和她的每一天　聊了一整夜　說自己的從前
　忽然在心裡面　我隱約有一種痛的感覺　
　也許是我　被她命中了　我心中的缺

　#我猜是我中了箭　在遇上她第七天　那一瞬間　我有些暈眩　
　像全世界　從此被偷走時間
　我中了愛情的箭　很痛但是心很甜　我躲不開　也不想避免　
　她沒發現　郤在我身上應驗　我中了一箭

唱完了這首歌，他歎了一聲，說了一句話：「為什麼我不一早就認識妳？」

她沒有回應，因為她的心很甜，卻同時也很痛。因為，她知道他已有女朋友。

一點點光

2006-10-06T23:59:00.000+08:00

那根木條燃燒著
末端的火光
與黑夜的天空是強烈的對比
黃黃的一團火
在躍動
我用這團火在空中畫了幾個圈
寫了幾個字
全都投射在腦海裏
它們都消失了
連火團也消失了的時候
那依然靜俏俏地燃燒著的火
變了金黃色
沒有剛才的拼勁
卻有不屈的精神
靜靜地
又在燃燒著

How Do I Live (sung by LeAnn Rimes)

2006-10-02T21:12:00.000+08:00

How do I get through one night without you?
If I had to live without you
What kind of life would that be?
Oh I need you in my arms
Need you to hold
You're my world my heart my soul
If you ever leave
Baby you would take away everything good in my life

And tell me now
How do I live without you?
I want to know
How do I breathe without you?
If you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive?
How do I
How do I
Oh how do I live?

Without you
There'd be no sun in my sky
There would be no love in my life
There'd be no world left for me
And I
Baby I don't know what I would do
I'd be lost if I lost you
If you ever leave
Baby you would take away everything real in my life

If you ever leave
Well baby you would take away everything
Need you with me
Baby don't you know that you're everything good in my life

And tell me now
How do I live without you?
I want to know
How do I breathe without you?
If you ever go
How do I ever, ever survive?
How do I
How do I
Oh how do I live?
How do I live without you?
How do I live without you baby
How do I live

An editorial from BC Magazine (14/9)

2006-09-19T22:41:00.000+08:00

"On another matter, wasn't it lovely to see the great and talentless of the local entertainment industry bonding to complain about something meaningful - sadly it wasn't about the imprisonment of a blind journalist in China, nor was it about pollution, global hunger... nor even about a flash of bra strap and some back-stage photos. Voyeuristic probably, and out of order if the pictures were of a member of the public, but Gillian Chung of pop duo Twins is not any old joe shmo, she's a 'celebrity,' an actress and singer who has used the media to fuel her ascent to superstardom, riches and the glamorous lifestyle she now enjoys. The hypocrisy of her position and her inane comment about the effect of the pictures on her young fans thus have no need of comment. Gillian, if I may be so informal, without the mass-market magazines and the paparazzi you would probably still be just another office girl. I suspect that as Gillian (massive publicity), Easy Finder (increased sales) and other local media (again increased sales) all benefited from the photos, so expect to see more voyeuristic exposes conveniently timed to coincide with said artist's new film, album, tour etc. Now if only they could find something worthwhile to complain about, or make better use of the time by learning to sing."
*****
I just couldn't agree more with what Simon said. The whole thing is a farce.

M.E.

2006-09-16T11:26:00.000+08:00

Two dreams -
With shots of faces in subconsiousness
Reminding them of their coherence
Those eyes that meet with sparks
And conversations filled with laughs
The repulsion of generation between this woman and man
Yet unites them with the touch of hands

Two shadows of wish
Now become one of hers and his

Trip to Britain -- Day 9 -- Edinburgh -> Stirling

2006-08-12T23:51:00.000+08:00

It wasn't a very good sleep coz of the cold. My throat was dry and nose stuffy - damn!

Fanny brought me to the Writer's Museum, featuring the famous Scot literary figures - Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. I was nice building donated by a 'LADY'. Anyway, we walked between the rooms which exhibited some of the manuscripts, books and poetry by these great writers. Yet the gift shop was quite disappointing with nothing much but several postcards on the rack and few copies of the writers' works. Well, the good thing about it was that I could save the money for 'souvenirs'!

Then, we rushed to the train station, aiming to catch the train to Stirling. I really wanted to thank Fanny of checking train schedule, helping me with the ticket machine and seeing me to the platform - what a considerate friend! She didn't join me as she's been to Stirling for two times. Certainly would bore her to death if she joined. What she would do in the afternoon I guess would be taking a nice nap (HAHA!) and preparing for dinner! (She said she would make a Chinese soup! :))

The train to Stirling was a bit delayed but it managed to arrive at 1pm. I straightly grabbed two postcards and sent them back to HK on the platform (there was a mini WH Smith shop). While I was wondering how to get to Stirling Castle (coz it's heard that it would probably take 30 mins to walk up the hill), I bumped into a train assistant to enquire the way to my destination. It turned out to be just a 10-min walk from the city centre! That's why I decided to take my time and have lunch at O'Brien's (hand-cut sandwiches). Let me say, that's the best sandwich I had ever had in this trip! It's YUMMY! It's the special of the day, tootsies with bacon, sausage, tomatoes and radish. Most of all, it's HOT!

Trip to Britain -- Day 8 -- York -> Edinburgh

2006-08-11T23:52:00.000+08:00

The terrorists' attack news was overwhelming - heard that thousands were stranded at the airports all over Britain, not to mention Heathrow. The stupid security measure included a transparent plastic bag to contain all your 'handcarry' stuffs and mind you, no liquids whatsoever to be arried onto the plane. A hilarious scene would be seeing moms drinking the baby food (milk?) for security check in front of the customs... OH MY GOD!!! :D

Anyway, I would definitely phone up Qantas in the coming days to ensure my flight back to Hong Kong was all right.

One of the highlights today was my breakfast. I'd been expecting cereals, yoghurts, milk, juice, toasts and a full English breakfast (with sausages, bacons, baked beans, eggs and sad to say, black pudding) - and YES, all were granted!!! Except that the eggs were fried instead of scrambled; I was happy to miss out black pudding! :P

I thanked the B&B owner for the hospitality when I checked out. I really wanted to stay longer. Next time, I should grab someone with me to try the double/twin room of this B&B and the ghost trail in York.

(See the long queue here? That's for Jorvik! ->)

Then, it came to my almost final destination of my trip in York - Jorvik Viking Centre. The guidebook had already warned about long queues - well, I saw one myself when I got there, not surprisingly. It took about half an hour for me to get in. Interesting time machine, nice ride (but not with the horrible smell inside the tunnel... YUCK!) and detailed exhibition of the viking communities. After the centre, I went to St. Mary's Church (ruins) and then the train station for my train to Edinburgh.

The ride was alright though it lasted for almost 3 hours - I read Lynn Truss's book all the way and enjoyed my Walkers' crisps.

(<- Gorgeous! One of the festival venues)
Finally, I met Fanny at the train station and our first stop was of course her flat. There're seas of people all over the streets because of the annual Edinburgh Fringe Festival and almost every person you saw gave out flyers or received flyers of the arts activities. Phew!

I unloaded the big burden on my shoulders which approximately weighed about 15kg by then. One bad thing I found was, unfortunately, that I caught a cold during my stay in York! So SAD! I had to take LEMSIP instantly! Anyway, Fanny and I had some nice chat coz we hadn't seen each other for TOO long. We went out for groceries and had our dinner at KFC, our FAVOURITE! Haha!

After dinner, we had a leisure walk around the town. We strolled around some of the university buildings, Homebase and festival venues. At about 9 something, we headed back home!

PS. Edinburgh was much colder than other places I had been to that I needed to wear the 'warm' jacket! And mind you, it's so WINDY.

(Just see how COLD I was!)

Trip to Britain -- Day 7 -- York

2006-08-10T23:53:00.000+08:00

Quite a good sleep again last night - brilliant! It's indeed something to do with the 'thickness' of the pillow! I got up at 8.15am so taht I could have enough time to wash up, pack stuffs and have my breakfast. My backpack was about to EXPLODE! Well, who cares? Thank Karen for her 'capable' bag! :D

I checked out at 9.45am and headed to King's Cross. The train was not yet prepared when I got there at 10.10am. My shoulders couldn't stand the weight of the backpack and I could feel the pain at my back, knees and feet! Finally, I got a seat and quickly put down the backpack - what a relief! The guy sitting next to me, as I found out, was going ot Hartlepool, Newcastle, hehe! He had a weird accent - when he's talking on the phone, I could only understand 60% of his conversation. Anyway, it's a FULL train, coz it's running from London to Aberdeen! GOODNESS! It'd be 7 hours altogether for the whole journey! York's only the 2nd stop of it!

The train arrived at 12.30pm and I rushed to ask for left luggage! :) Then, I was only carrying my small bag for this trip in York! HURRAY!!! Believe me, I was actually STUNNED by the first sight of York when I got out of the station. What I could see were huge walls surrounding some parts of the city!!! And the most amazing thing was people indeed walked on the walls to travel from one part of the city to the other! I was more appealed by the city centre with River Ouse (rhymed with 'muse') cutting through and lots of gorgeously decorated shops. I managed to get a place to have lunch - Michael's Brasserie. The main reason of choosing it was the special menu - roast beef and yorkshire pudding with gravy - traditional English cuisine!!! It cost me almost 8 quids for the food but it's worth every penny of it! (I just LOVE the gravy so much!)

After lunch, I really need to get to the guest house and 'unload' stuffs (my backpack, OK?!). It's a 5-min walk from the city centre in a quieter area but loaded with B&Bs. Mine was just - EXCELLENT. Absolutely cozy with bed, wardrobe, desk, shower, basin - utterly CLEAN!!! What should I say? 28 quids with such a lovely place to stay in along with breakfast - highly recommended! The owner was nice and most important of all, he showed me how to open the window! :D

I walked back to the city centre, visiting the famous York Minster. It contained the world's largest medieval stained-glass - the Great East Window. It's also the largest gothic cathedral in Nothern Europe - amazing! However, the 'cost' of maintaining it was unbelievably high - which was about 3,000,000 pounds per year, as the 'minutes of history' suggested - goodness me! That's also why almost each major part had to receive entrance fee - the main cathedral area, the tower, and the undercloft, treasury and crypt. Well, it's worth the money but I'd better save mine! :P After all, I'm not a 'religious' person.

Later, I went to Clifford's Tower, which resembled very much of what I visited in Kenilworth. A remaining part (tower) of the York Castle - how SAD! Anyway, this time I made use of the camera to photo myself. The panoramic view up on the tower was breathtaking - UM!!!

For my own interest, I found the entrance to the city walls, and I climbed and walked from Cromwell Road (castle area) to Micklegate. It's just wonderful while you're high on the walls and on your left were roads and on the right residential areas. I wondered if any other cities in the world would have this amazing 'architecture'!

Getting back to the city centre, I was disappointed with all the shops, including internet cafes, closed. I bumped into a supermarket called Budgen for fruit and water, and a bakery for cornish pie and sandwich. The pie was... rather... not my cup of tea. I actually avoided the crust as Ian Wright said it wasn't meant to be eaten in his TV programme (when he visited Cornwall)! :P

Since the weather wasn't that good (getting cloudy), I rushed back 'home' and looked forward to enjoying my time in my cozy room. The dinner was chicken tikka salad sandwich and loads of white grapes - healthy stuffs. There came my interesting experience ever of having a shower in a corner of my bedroom! I really wanna get someone to take a picture of me, haha, but it's a dream!

Buried myself into the bed, I read 'Eats, Shoots and Leaves' (cost me only 4.99 quids for hardcover) and I fell into sleep at 10.30pm.

Trip to Britain -- Day 6 -- Shakespeare's Hometown

2006-08-09T23:54:00.000+08:00

What can you ask for with a DEEP sleep after two nights of torture? I slept from 9pm last night till 3am (woke up by a call) and then 5.50am today. Though I really wanted to carry on with the sleep, I had to get up, wash myself and get ready for my 'ultimate' journey - Stratford-upon-Avon!!! Believe me or not, it's already my THIRD time visiting this Shakespeare's birthplace. It's like... 'going home'.

It's kind of cool today and it's really a scene to see an Asian girl wearing tee and shorts (how brave she was!). Well, I'm quite sure she didn't know much about the weather in the UK, haha!!! She's shivering when people were waiting for the train to Stratford-upon-Avon at Leamington Spa. I got into a nap on the train - guess I needed plenty apart from the hours I had last night. Anyway, when it's finished, it was time to get off!

The train station seemed 'alien' to me - so desolate everywhere. And I couldn't recall walking to the city centre. How unbelievable! I wasn't sure at all; it's either I had a poor memory or I took the coach in the past two times.

Everyone seemed to have a clear direction - Royal Shakespeare Theatre. I got the tickets from the box office, grabbed every leaflet for the Complete Works Festival (Can you believe it? Ian McKellen is going to play the title role in King Lear early next year!!!), and bought myself the programme for Henry VI. By the way, the riverside was the same in my memory - splendid scenery it had. To my surprise, the performance was 3 hours and 10 mins!!! (What should I do with the 2nd one at 3pm, when I planned to go back to London by the 5.40 train?) Finally, I decided to sit back and enjoy the show, and would figure things out after the performance and lunch.

It's definitely exciting for me as it's the FIRST RSC performance I saw - absolutely fabulous! The actors and actresses were undoubtedly brilliant. I liked Earl of Gloucester and Talbot most as they're just so convincing and moving in their roles. The theatre I went was the newly built the Courtyard Theatre. It's nothing like the globe except for the shape I guess. The stage allowed actors/actresses entering from different directions where they could get so close to the audience. It's certainly amazing to be the audience (for FREE) while others had to pay at least 5 quids for the show! :)

I rushed to the city centre after the performance so as to catch lunch. Hussain's was closed - disappointed! It's said to be Ben Kingsley's favourite Indian restaurant. Then, I just bumped into The Oppo, a fine Italian restaurant. The set menu served cold poached salmon salad with watercress, asparagus and new potatoes, following a dessert of strawberry and cream and short bread. The cost? Well, the most expensive in this trip!

After lunch, I walked to Holy Trinity Church. A SAD feeling just rushed into my heart when I was entering the church. That feeling was disturbed though when the grave of Shakespeare was 'guarded' and everyone entering it had to donate 1.50 quids - money sucker! (Not in terms of the amount of money, but how they get money from the dead!)

(from left to right: River Avon, Shakespeare's grave, Shakespeare's birthplace)

I gave up the idea of watching the 3pm performance coz I couldn't afford to go back to London so late at night. So, the rest of the time I was strolling everywhere and taking pictures. The train back to London was LONG and the sad thing was I couldn't sleep...

My dinner turned out to be Burger King since it's difficult to get anything in Barbican at 8.30pm. It's lucky that I bought a can of potato & leek soup last night, so that would become my 'entree' then! :)
A BIG mission tonight was to pack all stuffs into my backpack! Well, it's not as difficult as I thought! The only thing left in my small pack was my slippers! :D

Trip to Britain -- Day 5 -- Stonehenge & Salisbury

2006-08-08T23:55:00.000+08:00

A bad sleep AGAIN! I was 'on and off' sleep till 3am and couldn't sleep because of the noise from the streets and the next room. There're obviously two men talking in that room and they're just too close to the windows that I could hear their voices CLEARLY! GOODNESS ME! I had the thought of calling the security guards to WARN the guys next door! I listened to mp3 music but of course, the 'sound' was just as disturbing. Finally, I needed to move to the other side of the bed to sleep - until GOD KNOWS WHEN, I fell asleep. Not long later, it's already the morning - BLOODY HELL!!! (Sorry for the offensive words, but you can see how frustrated I was!)

The first stop of the day was Marylebone where I needed to change my train ticket to Wednesday for Stratford-upon-Avon. Thank god - the ticket assistant actually saved me from paying the 10 quids for this change. I was late then for my planned schedule for Stonehenge (Salisbury). Anyhow, this was the place I wanted to go, not Avebury or Old Sarum where I could have visited if I set off earlier. ('Thanks' to the noises last night!)

The train ride was GREAT for me with nothing but SLEEP. I even set the alarm to go off at about time of arrival so that I wouldn't end up in the middle of nowhere. This was how I regained my energy for the day to spend. Yet, after the ticket check, I was unable to get into sleep. :(

When I got off the train, I didn't get the Explorer ticket then coz I thought the round-trip would be more suitable for my journey. It turned out to be THE SAME! (of 6.99 quids!!!) If I had known it's the case, I'd have got myself the Explorer (at least that's something as souvenir!)

It's a UN on the bus - loads of people of different nationalities. I bet no one could tell me when to get off! :D A nice bus ride coz it's FAST and the scenery was superb.

STONEHENGE - a stone circle was what I saw that appealed to every visitor. Extremely mysterious of how people put those big stones into the shape. It must have cost millions of lives, sadly, like the Great Wall in China. One important thing I must say was the weather. Unlike yesterday, the sky was blue, the clouds were white and the sun - was at its 'peak'. It's so BOILING HOT and I had to put my hat and sun lotion on! The audio helped explaining the history of Stonehenge but I was feeling the boiling blood in me I had to rush for the seeing. The lunch I had there was good enough - a sandwhich with tuna mayonnaise and sweet corn.

I headed to the city centre of Salisbury at 1pm. It's a small town I would say but I loved the 'simplicity'. The stroll around the city centre was relaxing and I had taken some nice pictures. My main stops where the post office and most of all, Salisbury Cathedral. The cathedral was HUGE! The 4-quid donation was worth paying while St Paul's Cathedral charged you lots more for nothing but 'looking' - here, at least we could take photos! Since I wasn't at all a 'religious' person, I didn't join the guided tour. Besides, there're heaps of nannies in the group - NO WAY!

(from left to right: River Avon to Salisbury Cathedral, garden view, inside the cathedral)

I took the 4.20 train back to London Waterloo. Getting tired after last night and the day trip, I returned to Barbican and gave up the theatre idea - wise choice, after all. I could sleep at 9pm.

Trip to Britain -- Day 4 -- The Millenium Mile

2006-08-07T23:56:00.000+08:00

The bed was 'unbelievably' soft that my back actually ached and I felt like I hadn't slept for ages. BAD!!! What's worse, the English weather had come back - grey sky and clouds and odd showers. The only good thing about travelling alone was to schedule own itinerary, like when to set off. I got up at 8am! Last night I bought myself cereal bars and (whole) milk for breakfast - fantastic! Though it's a terrible sleep I had last night, the breakfast was refreshing.

I set off at about 9.30am in order to catch off-peak tubes to places. But before that, I had to get myself an umbrella. It turned out to cost me bloody 9.50 quids!!! But, what could I do?

One good thing about rain was that it brought cooler weather. I arrived at Tower Hill station and there're already crowds of people pushing their ways to Tower of London. Don't wanna join them at all for 'jewellery exhibition'. But well, they're going to see the glamourous Great Star of Africa diamond, the largest and finest cut in the world!

I walked past the Tower Bridge and began my 'Millenium Mile' journey. The Design Museum was not in sight but I caught two interesting hip architecture, Greater London Authority Headquarters and the Scoop (what a good name!).

(from left to right: Tower Bridge, Greater London Authority Headquarters, The Scoop)

The most amazing stop along the Millenium Mile was certainly Shakespeare's Globe Theatre for me! It's hard (yet easy) to believe the tickets to any Shakespearean plays were mostly sold out, except the standing (yard tickets). Well, I just didn't think my legs could stand the 2-hour performance. I actually gave up the idea but access the theatre by joining the theatre tour. The tour (including the exhibition) cost me 9 quids (holy s***!). The experience was nice after all. Not only would I be able to see the globe theatre, the tour guide had been extremely resourceful as to provide us with lots of information, namely the difference between the seats, the yard standing, and the puritans vs theatre. And of course, some more quids were 'lost' at or 'sucked' from the shop! :D

I was so indulged in the Shakespeare's tour, I almost forgot the time. It's already 12 when I stepped out from my 'wonderland'! The next destination was Tate Britain (by 1pm) - NO WAY! I walked as quickly as I could, passing Tate Modern and Gabriel's Wharf, stopping a while for Southwark Cathedral, getting quick lunch at the film cafe of National Film Theatre, and sweeping Jubilee Garden and London Eye. At last, I managed to get to Lambeth Bridge by 1.30pm and got my way to Tate Britain. By the way, the walk was just FANTASTIC along south bank!

I rushed to the galleries for Turner; lucky enough I caught the guided tour up in the first hall of the Turner galleries. Just loved the 'free' and 'paid' tours today coz these really helped people know more about what they couldn't get from the audio commentary.

After Tate Britain, I headed to Oxford Circus for the TIC, yet turned out to be a shopping tour - at FCUK and Clarks. I bought a bag and 2 pairs of shoes (GOODNESS!). My legs sore and I decided to give up TIC and went to Leicester Square for theatre ticket (esp. Les Miserables).

Les Miserables didn't have good seats and at the time, I got a call from Luica. We planned to meet up at Tottenham Court Road for books and dinner. But before that - time for unloading!

I bought three good books - The Time Traveller's Wife, On Beauty and Freakonomics for around 17 quids - still a bargain. While I was worrying over how to pack all things into my backpack later on, we reached the fine Italian restaurant, Carluccio's. GREAT MEAL! Most of all, I enjoyed the chat with Luica about all things! :)

Trip to Britain -- Day 3 -- London Market Walks 2

2006-08-06T23:57:00.000+08:00

Woke up at 8am. It's not a very good sleep coz I could feel the tiredness, yet I brought myself up and took the notebook to write down what happened yesterday. Finally, I washed myself at around 9am and I felt more refreshed.

A nice coffee was my breakfast - a stimulating drink. We went to Columbia Street, the 'flower market', together (this time with Brad, too! :)) by bus. What a comfy ride! I couldn't actually take a bus myself here unless I knew pretty well about the bus route! After getting off the bus, we could see people carrying pots of plants from the other side of the street - could really tell where the market was then. We came across an upstairs 2nd hand bookshop but the price was still too high. Anyway, we squeezed ourselves into the crowds and later found a shop selling salami, olives, bread, cheese and balsamic vinegar!

We walked to another market - Spitalfields and passed Brick Lane, a famous place for Indian food. I tried the salt beef bagel there (extremely nice to go with mustard!). The bagel itself was just so-so.

The market fascinated me with contrasting styles - old and modern. It was loaded with massive variety of goods - mainly clothes, accessories, photos, etc.

(<- Luica and Mandik, taken at Spitalfields)
Finally, we went back to Bow by the same bus (No.8). It's so bloody hot on the bus - like sauna as Luica said. I packed and got ready to City University Finsbury Residence at 4.45pm. I said a brief goodbye to Luica and Brad - but I really owed them a BIG THANKS!!! They had given me a nice start for my trip in Britain - comfy bed, nice meals and drinks, and wonderful walkabouts. Most of all, meeting friends is always FUN!

I took the tube to Barbican - it's so quiet everywhere on the streets. Anyway, simple check-in, I paid the money and got the key to my 4-night home. The room was clean enough with the basics. I mean what more I could ask for for 21 quids per night? The kitchen, though, was a bit messy so I decided not to eat there! I put down stuffs and ran quickly to supermarket. I saw costcutter on my way from the tube station to the residence but I wanted to take a walk round the place first. Luckily, I saw some people carrying Tesco bags from another direction, so I just follow the 'clue'. GREAT! There's a Tesco Express just one street away from the residence. I bought the 'necessary' things - water, milk (:D), cereal bars and my dinner! I decided to explore the residence for some time so I didn't go anywhere else. Having unpacked all the stuffs, I could just relax and plan for my journeys in the coming days.

MISS YOU ALL!!!

My room at City University Finsbury Residence: