不做中，不做保，不做媒人三代好。
There were three stories of matchmakers. There were all related to a person call J.
The parents of J were fond of being matchmakers. They always told J that the world was not getting better and we need to select people more wisely. And we need to have opinions from other for this decision. Recently they were making a pair to get married. For that they did a lot of works. His mother even went to the rural country-land where the family of the girl was at to make the marriage.
But it of course needed a lot of pain. Because that family demanded a lot of money. They even asked the family of the boy to share his flat with her. What share means here is that, the ownership in a legal term.
The family of the boy shivered.
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Another story was from a friend of J. J was a good friend of C. He felt that C was such a good person and yet he had no girlfriends. Therefore, he tried to arrange a dinner with C and a secondary school classmate a few months before.
The dinner went on smoothly. Everyone was pleased. C and the girl was apparently having some nice talks and J himself had a good meal that night. For the sake of not intervening this emerging couple, J decided to leave earlier.
And a few months later. These emerging couple did not couple. For very strange reasons I could not possibly state like Watson in Sherlock Holmes.
-----------
The last story went to J himself.
Recently he had his ship driving tutorial with his friend G. G and J were good friends despite being having a complicated teacher-student and employer-employee relationship. G knew J had no girl friend and thus, he asked if J wanted him to introduce him a girl, of whom G was a tutor as well.
"No!" J knew the consequence already.
31 Jan 2012
Reliance
I had my driving examination for the second time yesterday. Unlike the first time, I passed. The examiner was nice and I was not under great stress in the course. Luckily there were not a lot of cars and the course he selected was perhaps the easiest for me among the three.
After that I did not go back home since I just had my cold weekends there. I did not have a good sleep, partly contributed by the cold weather and the bedroom which initiated my allergic rhinitis! As a result, I rushed back to hostel. When I was on the bus, I phone friends for dinner. But then, I realized that most of them were no available, claiming themselves having appointments with parents or girl friends. Few of them I was not able to dial to.
I was in a lost that I asked myself when I should come back to the hostel finding them. I should have gone back to home embracing my parents telling them I passed the examination. The air might be cold but the atmosphere will be warm.
The opposite is the truth in the hostel. I should blame myself making this wrong judgement.
Luckily I still have friends in the CU campus and I rushed to their room having a light dinner with them. The meal was very awful in the UC canteen, as usual. But it was the best meal I had this year. Because I still was able to find where to rely on.
29 Jan 2012
Heaviness
Tomorrow will be a day of paramount importance because I will have my driving license examination again.
I still remember how I was defeated last time: being unable to break the car inappropriately and driving too closely to the cars nearby. They were the two fatal mistakes that you wish you would not encounter if you are really a driver. Yet I made them last time.
That's why I have this repeated examination tomorrow.
The mistakes were not taken away these days and I think about them when I was not occupied. I was afraid of committing them again tomorrow, which could cost me another sum of money and time for an examination, of which I lacked seriously.
And my parents comforted me. They asked me to be free from the stress and get a early sleep tonight. "Let it be." They said.
I found the melodies of this song come to my head. Let it be. Let it be. Let it be. Let it be. Whisper words of wisdom. Let it be.
What a joy to be with them.
I still remember how I was defeated last time: being unable to break the car inappropriately and driving too closely to the cars nearby. They were the two fatal mistakes that you wish you would not encounter if you are really a driver. Yet I made them last time.
That's why I have this repeated examination tomorrow.
The mistakes were not taken away these days and I think about them when I was not occupied. I was afraid of committing them again tomorrow, which could cost me another sum of money and time for an examination, of which I lacked seriously.
And my parents comforted me. They asked me to be free from the stress and get a early sleep tonight. "Let it be." They said.
I found the melodies of this song come to my head. Let it be. Let it be. Let it be. Let it be. Whisper words of wisdom. Let it be.
What a joy to be with them.
25 Jan 2012
Balance
If I were the one who unifies the country and have to make a long term plan, I would then again make a centralized government first and then redistribute the generals to different regions. That means I would grasp all the military power first.
It is because I did not have the heavenly authority. Generals and tacticians will overthrow me if they were not pleased. If they were given soldiers they will start war again and the country will be in trouble. Get the military power first is of the uttermost importance.
These generals should be grouped into three and be rotated from time to time so they will first have a balance of power during the governance and at the same time, not be given enough time to communicate with the local powers to generate adequate military basis.
And then I will quickly use the talents of these tacticians to build the torn economy. Do you know that 曹操 was in fact quite a good economist that time? He introduced policies that were not the best but the most suitable for that time of being to the people that time. He of course had a high tax burden (because of the wars) and at the same time, he allowed the people to have their own properties if they work hard. The economy was so strong and it was one of the causes that led to his victory.
It was a very silly plan during my dream.
It is because I did not have the heavenly authority. Generals and tacticians will overthrow me if they were not pleased. If they were given soldiers they will start war again and the country will be in trouble. Get the military power first is of the uttermost importance.
These generals should be grouped into three and be rotated from time to time so they will first have a balance of power during the governance and at the same time, not be given enough time to communicate with the local powers to generate adequate military basis.
And then I will quickly use the talents of these tacticians to build the torn economy. Do you know that 曹操 was in fact quite a good economist that time? He introduced policies that were not the best but the most suitable for that time of being to the people that time. He of course had a high tax burden (because of the wars) and at the same time, he allowed the people to have their own properties if they work hard. The economy was so strong and it was one of the causes that led to his victory.
It was a very silly plan during my dream.
Feudalism
Finally I ended the video game by unifying the countries.
I could not sleep after that because I was deeply troubled by a mind game that I set to myself: What to do after the unification?
Why I have to think about this because the history told us that the 司馬 family was obviously wrong to establish the feudalism (封建制度), which can perhaps be understood by a system that the central government will give almost all the military, political and economic powers to the Kings within realms. The 司馬 family without doubt wanted to please his friends who supported him to get the crown by introducing this old system. But then history repeats itself and the family was punished.
The Kings did not want to support this family after that and make the business themselves. The central government soon realized this point but it could not control their expansion. These Kings did not have any talent to govern their lands. All they know are just corruptions. Economics are bad and they need to have wars to promote it.
And the world became a piece of mess.
I could not sleep after that because I was deeply troubled by a mind game that I set to myself: What to do after the unification?
Why I have to think about this because the history told us that the 司馬 family was obviously wrong to establish the feudalism (封建制度), which can perhaps be understood by a system that the central government will give almost all the military, political and economic powers to the Kings within realms. The 司馬 family without doubt wanted to please his friends who supported him to get the crown by introducing this old system. But then history repeats itself and the family was punished.
The Kings did not want to support this family after that and make the business themselves. The central government soon realized this point but it could not control their expansion. These Kings did not have any talent to govern their lands. All they know are just corruptions. Economics are bad and they need to have wars to promote it.
And the world became a piece of mess.
23 Jan 2012
Pessimistic
I decided to go to Jacky Cheung's concert this year.
My mother objected it strongly, when she knew this decision. "You can listen to his music in the computer! Why bother to spend money for it?"
"It is important." I told her. "Do you miss Leslie Cheung? Do you miss Anita Mui? or Do you miss Roman?" In my mind, there were also Beyond and Beatles and Queen and Led Zepplin and many others.
"People are getting old and they will die eventually. I am afraid that I won't be able to attend a concert of our best singer in Hong Kong."
"Last year, I attended the concert of George Lam. I was perhaps the youngest one in the stadium. It might look aweward, but I feel good because I love his song. He sang so well and he was so energetic that even the old people in the stadium moved their bodies. Live music is different. Mum."
And you also know that there are few singers in Hong Kong now. Most of the alleged singers does not deserve the name.
My mother objected it strongly, when she knew this decision. "You can listen to his music in the computer! Why bother to spend money for it?"
"It is important." I told her. "Do you miss Leslie Cheung? Do you miss Anita Mui? or Do you miss Roman?" In my mind, there were also Beyond and Beatles and Queen and Led Zepplin and many others.
"People are getting old and they will die eventually. I am afraid that I won't be able to attend a concert of our best singer in Hong Kong."
"Last year, I attended the concert of George Lam. I was perhaps the youngest one in the stadium. It might look aweward, but I feel good because I love his song. He sang so well and he was so energetic that even the old people in the stadium moved their bodies. Live music is different. Mum."
And you also know that there are few singers in Hong Kong now. Most of the alleged singers does not deserve the name.
21 Jan 2012
Prey
Hong Kong is a forest. In the forest, you have no choice if you want to survive. The way to do it is to fight and eat.
That the three actors ate their bandmate in the mountain when they were very hungry was not the only cannibalism in the drama When Heaven Burns. In fact, the director wanted us to know more about our Hong Kong, and ourselves, that we are also animals in the forest.
We eat people we don't know. Can't you see the stock market? Every day there are so many people lose so much money to a few who earn most of the money in Hong Kong. The losers have no way to recover except to borrow money from these few people, and they could lose these loans again.
We eat people we know. Can't you see that many of us who treat friends as a mean to success? We step on our partners to gain a higher position. In business. In academics. In relationships. Is there any difference between us and the wild beasts who would eat their prey?
Life is getting harder and harder. I know it.
That the three actors ate their bandmate in the mountain when they were very hungry was not the only cannibalism in the drama When Heaven Burns. In fact, the director wanted us to know more about our Hong Kong, and ourselves, that we are also animals in the forest.
We eat people we don't know. Can't you see the stock market? Every day there are so many people lose so much money to a few who earn most of the money in Hong Kong. The losers have no way to recover except to borrow money from these few people, and they could lose these loans again.
We eat people we know. Can't you see that many of us who treat friends as a mean to success? We step on our partners to gain a higher position. In business. In academics. In relationships. Is there any difference between us and the wild beasts who would eat their prey?
Life is getting harder and harder. I know it.
Feast
I just finished the annual dinner with my family. As usual, my mother and my father and I sit together to have a dinner.
We did not talk too much, again as usual. Father was not having a good mood, and mother was so tired to talk. Since they did not say anything, I felt a bit dumb if I appeared talkative.
There were many dishes on the table. They were really good taste and at the same time, more than we can handle in one night. In fact, whenever I come back home, mother would prepare excess meals that we have to finish them in the next days. I suggested that we should make a simple dinner next year, since we are having heavy dishes in usual days.
What should the simple dinner be consisted of?
Just salty fish and white vegetables, supplement with a warm atmosphere and sounds of chat.
We did not talk too much, again as usual. Father was not having a good mood, and mother was so tired to talk. Since they did not say anything, I felt a bit dumb if I appeared talkative.
There were many dishes on the table. They were really good taste and at the same time, more than we can handle in one night. In fact, whenever I come back home, mother would prepare excess meals that we have to finish them in the next days. I suggested that we should make a simple dinner next year, since we are having heavy dishes in usual days.
What should the simple dinner be consisted of?
Just salty fish and white vegetables, supplement with a warm atmosphere and sounds of chat.
Answer
The PRC invasion to our Hong Kong is a fact.
I feel that I am not using the precise term despite using a correct term, since infection would produce more resonance.
One of the most important problem is the pregnant PRC women coming to Hong Kong for the delivery. It is not just a problem to our obstetrics department and also the whole society. When the baby is born, he or she will "enjoy" most of our resources such as health care, educational and political rights in the future. Of course, scientifically, the implication is still yet to see. But considering the parents they have, I have to be pessimistic.
One time I talked to some of my classmates about these issues. Should we help the delivery of these babies endlessly? I told them we should not: we have had limited resources for our local mothers already. We should never entertain unlimited pregnant women from that weird realm.
Their response was as follow. "In the interview the answer is not like this......"
I become more pessimistic about the Hong Kong. Perhaps I feel guilty of what I said. Perhaps.
I feel that I am not using the precise term despite using a correct term, since infection would produce more resonance.
One of the most important problem is the pregnant PRC women coming to Hong Kong for the delivery. It is not just a problem to our obstetrics department and also the whole society. When the baby is born, he or she will "enjoy" most of our resources such as health care, educational and political rights in the future. Of course, scientifically, the implication is still yet to see. But considering the parents they have, I have to be pessimistic.
One time I talked to some of my classmates about these issues. Should we help the delivery of these babies endlessly? I told them we should not: we have had limited resources for our local mothers already. We should never entertain unlimited pregnant women from that weird realm.
Their response was as follow. "In the interview the answer is not like this......"
I become more pessimistic about the Hong Kong. Perhaps I feel guilty of what I said. Perhaps.
Hell
When heaven burns, it becomes a hell.
I spent a lot of time watching this series. It is brilliant. It is brilliant not because it is perfect. Charmaine Sheh was not the ideal actress to perform the emotional character Hazel. Moses Chan was not the best person too, though he was very good-looking to do all the fighting and playing guitar.
Originally, people would be mainly attracted by the cannibalism in the drama. But then, I would be more interested in how people would respond to life events. How do they change are what we change when we come across with significant problems which troubled us in the past.
We can see ourselves from the characters. Have you ever told a lie that you think you are doing the right things and minimize the harm? Are you playing God when you think about it? Can we know if we are doing right? There are so many philosophic questions being raised in the drama. These questions are waiting for the answers for more than two thousands years and they still need us to respond.
I would love to hold a course to teach the philosophies in this drama, if CUHK would love to hire me.
I spent a lot of time watching this series. It is brilliant. It is brilliant not because it is perfect. Charmaine Sheh was not the ideal actress to perform the emotional character Hazel. Moses Chan was not the best person too, though he was very good-looking to do all the fighting and playing guitar.
Originally, people would be mainly attracted by the cannibalism in the drama. But then, I would be more interested in how people would respond to life events. How do they change are what we change when we come across with significant problems which troubled us in the past.
We can see ourselves from the characters. Have you ever told a lie that you think you are doing the right things and minimize the harm? Are you playing God when you think about it? Can we know if we are doing right? There are so many philosophic questions being raised in the drama. These questions are waiting for the answers for more than two thousands years and they still need us to respond.
I would love to hold a course to teach the philosophies in this drama, if CUHK would love to hire me.
18 Jan 2012
3
After the Korean trip, life still goes on as I spent the time on a few things that are much more interesting than the module I am currently in. They are When Heaven Burns, Medicine and Surgery and, last but not least, The Three Kingdom video game 11.
I had a taste of it many years ago when the version of which was 9. That time I might be so attached to the novel that I decided to become a character in the game. I remember that I chose 劉備 and was determined to unify the country with his people and land. Of course, I was not capable of doing it and left the game unfinished that time.
This time, under the influence of my roommate RW, I chose 曹操 to play. And I soon realize that why he was so powerful in the history: He had many people to govern his land and his had many generals who were all very exceptional.
And I also recognized his tactics in his time was the only way to win: He did not also his enemies (who were surrounding 曹操 himself in the country) and made a lot of big and quick fights. He tried his best to expand his land, getting more resources and talents in early time, which established the success in the long run. The economics will prosper soon with talents to make good policies.
It still works today.
16 Jan 2012
iGeneration I
The Philosopher in our university previously had an interview with a local newspaper group. He said: the electronic devices are killing our generation. (哲人指路 樹思考路標)
Yes. It is smothering us. Whatever you want, you just have to touch the screen, something will come out from it and satisfy you. You can listen to the music when you plug in your earphone, which makes you completely live in your own world without recognizing the outside. You can play the games if you want to, and as a result, you become a hero or the best car racer when you want to. You were looking for some news coming from the Facebook? You will have an instant notification. You thought that everything is under your control.
It is not just the electronic devices. How about shopping? In the past, we need to really shopping (that's why we add -ing as a suffix) in a shop to get the things. Now, we just, again, have one click on the button. They will send the commodities to our living place.
We can easily get what we what. We thought we control our lives better than anyone else in the past. Do you think that William Shakespeare could get a pad for his writing? Do you think that Picasso can have everything he wanted when he lived? Probably not, huh?
In this sense, we might be right. We can at least temporarily satisfy our want.
Except that we could not control our desire in the long run. I could not imagine how we feed this beast in our hearts these years. What have we used to feed this beast? Perhaps we have spent many lives for it.
13 Jan 2012
Mask
During our trip, we always ask ourselves if the women before us (particularly the more beautiful ones) had been operated by plastic surgeons for appearance.
It is so common in this country. You should have known that some parents will give money to their children for surgery when they reach 18 years old. The parents does not think it is a problem. Why bother?
The advertisments are everywhere. On one side of the Metro you saw a few posters showing the amazing power of change with the pre-operation pictures and post-operation pictures. On the other side there are a few posters with some plastic surgeons crossing their arms before their chest. Full of confidence for both people.
Perhaps some of those beautiful people are having the innate beauty rather than the value-added type. As a result, it would be not pleasing if we judge the nature of beauty of these people.
I beg to be more logical: since there are more people who are not born to be beautiful than those who are born to be attractive. These group of people will be more likely to have operation to change their appearance. And it will be logical to think that the number of these operated people will be larger than those who are born to be great.
As a result, you are more accurate if you think the beautiful person before you had done plastic surgery.
12 Jan 2012
Cliche
"No pain, no gain." What a boring cliche. However, I proved it again during the skiing trip.
On the first day, I fell so frequently that I could not possible count it. I found my thigh and gluteal muscles too painful to seat myself in the dinner. Also I could not turn my head nicely because the muscles had contacted for a whole day. And yet, I learnt the most on that day: at least I could finish a short beginner course.
On the second day, I decided to be conservative: I refused to learn a 360-turn for I was afraid that I would be soon hospitalized with the possible injuries. I already learnt how to ski using the snowboard facing forwards slowly, and sometimes and have the board straight to achieve a high speed. Therefore, it was not so hard to me to finish the longest course in the resort (and according to KW, it is the longest beginner course in the world) easily. But it is just too easy that I thought I should move on to learn something new (and something great).
On the third day, I tried myself to slowly turn myself when I was in a down-slope. As anticipated, I fell badly again. One time I just wanted to give up, just lying on the slope and looking at the sky. What is the pain for? It could not help you getting anything. It was worse than doing nothing because you were suffering. But it was suffering for something. It was for challenging myself and push myself out of the comfort zone. I was no longer a toddler to cry for parents when I get hurt.
I stood up and tried again. Finally I could have a few nice turns.
On the first day, I fell so frequently that I could not possible count it. I found my thigh and gluteal muscles too painful to seat myself in the dinner. Also I could not turn my head nicely because the muscles had contacted for a whole day. And yet, I learnt the most on that day: at least I could finish a short beginner course.
On the second day, I decided to be conservative: I refused to learn a 360-turn for I was afraid that I would be soon hospitalized with the possible injuries. I already learnt how to ski using the snowboard facing forwards slowly, and sometimes and have the board straight to achieve a high speed. Therefore, it was not so hard to me to finish the longest course in the resort (and according to KW, it is the longest beginner course in the world) easily. But it is just too easy that I thought I should move on to learn something new (and something great).
On the third day, I tried myself to slowly turn myself when I was in a down-slope. As anticipated, I fell badly again. One time I just wanted to give up, just lying on the slope and looking at the sky. What is the pain for? It could not help you getting anything. It was worse than doing nothing because you were suffering. But it was suffering for something. It was for challenging myself and push myself out of the comfort zone. I was no longer a toddler to cry for parents when I get hurt.
I stood up and tried again. Finally I could have a few nice turns.
11 Jan 2012
Pride
After the harsh Paediatrics module exam, we quickly packed all our belongings for the trip to Korea. The trip lasted for 5 days. We went to skiing for 3 days, spending around 24 hours in total in the mountains.
Was it surprising? One night when we told YV that we had done it via the Skype, he was completely shocked. I know. It was not typical, especially when one of my secondary classmate who went to Korea at the same time, who turned out having skiing for only one day.
It was very painful, I can assure you. I knew nothing about skiing at the first day. Luckily, It was RC who coached KW and I on the first day. But I still had to fall for more than 100 times on the first day. I had bruises everywhere, especially the gluteal region. On the second day, since my gluteal region was no longer able to sustain any force, I had to fall with my whole back. It was even worse because my neck got hurt.
What for? What was the pain for? After all, you still did not know anything about skiing if you compared yourself with the people on the expert courses. Instead of skiing, they were dancing. For me, instead of skiing, I was just trying to stimulate my cerebellum to work to gain body balance as though I was a toddler.
RC said something remarkable. "I want to tell my sons that I did something great. Just after the module examination we went straight to other country for skiing for 3 days. He would be amazed, right? I don't want to tell my sons that I was just a hardworking student drilling every detail of the textbook. I am a great father."
Was it surprising? One night when we told YV that we had done it via the Skype, he was completely shocked. I know. It was not typical, especially when one of my secondary classmate who went to Korea at the same time, who turned out having skiing for only one day.
It was very painful, I can assure you. I knew nothing about skiing at the first day. Luckily, It was RC who coached KW and I on the first day. But I still had to fall for more than 100 times on the first day. I had bruises everywhere, especially the gluteal region. On the second day, since my gluteal region was no longer able to sustain any force, I had to fall with my whole back. It was even worse because my neck got hurt.
What for? What was the pain for? After all, you still did not know anything about skiing if you compared yourself with the people on the expert courses. Instead of skiing, they were dancing. For me, instead of skiing, I was just trying to stimulate my cerebellum to work to gain body balance as though I was a toddler.
RC said something remarkable. "I want to tell my sons that I did something great. Just after the module examination we went straight to other country for skiing for 3 days. He would be amazed, right? I don't want to tell my sons that I was just a hardworking student drilling every detail of the textbook. I am a great father."
9 Jan 2012
20
Just before the series of the Korea Trip, I would like to comment on one news of entertainment. A story about love.
There was a Li who was a teenager 20 years ago. She was an actress partaking in some small productions. She had a impressive appearance but was not fantastic. However, one day, the story changed its direction. she was invited to join a movie which was directed by a Poon. Poon was an artist who was not only a director but also a lyricist. He was known as 浪子詞人. He had a family and had a daughter. He was 20 years older than Li. Despite these social restraints and obstacles, nothing was gonna change his love for Li. They fell in love during the production. For Li, Poon wrote a song called 最愛是誰.
But they did not stay together that time. And then Poon divorced. Li had a few relationships with guys and gave birth to a baby girl.
Recently in 2009, there were news suggesting they were planning to get married. "We felt good when we were together." Poon said to the media. It took him 20 years to marry his one.
How many stories were left untold.
There was a Li who was a teenager 20 years ago. She was an actress partaking in some small productions. She had a impressive appearance but was not fantastic. However, one day, the story changed its direction. she was invited to join a movie which was directed by a Poon. Poon was an artist who was not only a director but also a lyricist. He was known as 浪子詞人. He had a family and had a daughter. He was 20 years older than Li. Despite these social restraints and obstacles, nothing was gonna change his love for Li. They fell in love during the production. For Li, Poon wrote a song called 最愛是誰.
But they did not stay together that time. And then Poon divorced. Li had a few relationships with guys and gave birth to a baby girl.
Recently in 2009, there were news suggesting they were planning to get married. "We felt good when we were together." Poon said to the media. It took him 20 years to marry his one.
How many stories were left untold.
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