年尾趕交貨 / Year-end Rush

前數年聖誕和新年之間,我都会取假數天,但這個年尾,我卻要趕著自己交貨,其實這不是上級命令的,只不過我想在三月告假,往歐洲旅行和跑馬拉松賽,現在早些開始做,到二月尾時就不会忙亂了。

In the last few years, I usually took the days between Xmas and New Year off. However, I could not afford it this year because of my own commitment and not because of my boss' expectation. I plan to take March off to travel to Europe and do a marathon and would like to start work early so I will not have to rush at the end of February.

下雪了 / Skier's Delight

(補寫十二月廿七日)

終於下雪了!!!一個滑雪者的願望,豐雪 :)

Finally, it's snowing !! A skier's delight - Let's have more of the white stuff :)

禮物盒日 / Boxing Day

(補寫十二月廿六日)

初來加拿大,真以為聖誕之後一日,就是「打Boxing」拳擊日,後來才知道是和聖誕禮物盒有關。十二月二十六日仍是假期,但很多公司都以這星期作為Boxing Week Sale,所有貨物都有減價和折頭,商場顧客擠擁。我沒有什么需要,也就不去爭購。反正埾誕太商業化,就失去了原本節日的意思。

When I first came to Canada, I thought that "Boxing Day" was really a day for punching each other out as opposed to dealing with the gifts. Anyway, December 26th is still a holiday and many retail stores are using the Boxing Week to sell goods at great discount prices. The stores are full of bargain hunters but I am not one of them because I simply do not need anything. I do find that the true meaning of X'mas is lost when the whole thing becomes too commercialized.

第34街的奇蹟 (1947) / Miracle on 34th Street (1947)

(補寫聖誕日)

火鳮已入焗爐裡,又凖備放DVD入机 "第34街的奇蹟 Miracle on 34th Street",每年都有看這1947年拍的黑白片,可能是先入為主的關係,總覺得新拍的不及原片好。雖然外面沒有雪,但屋內卻有節日氣氛。

The turkey is in the oven and I am ready to put the DVD with the move "Miracle on 34th Street" into the machine. Every year, it has almost become a tradition that I see this 1947 black and white movie. Perhaps I am biased, I do like the original one better than those made later. Well, there is definitely a festal atmosphere inside the house even though there is no snow outside.

母親與孩子 / Mother and Child

這幅塗鴉之作,或許有中西合璧的意思,左边是國会,右面是龍柱,母親的旗袍上有鳳凰,孩子穿的,是這裡常見的小童衫,十字架有點宗教意味,那烏鴉或許是代表死亡或疾病,人物和整體來說都是相合的。我從未有拜師,業餘图畫手筆,請不要見笑, 祝各位新年愉快 !!!!

This picture is just a doodling with a mix of east and west elements: On the left is the Parliament building, the right a column with a carved dragon. Embroiled on the mother's chi-pao is a phoenix. The child wears an outfit that is quite common in Canada for kids. The cross might have religious implication and the raven is perhaps a symbol of death and illness. In that sense, the people and objects are all complementary to each other. I have never taken any art lessons, so please excuse the amateurish look. Bonne Année !!!

冰雨 / Freezing Rain

(Chinese version of "冰雨 / Freezing Rain" posted on Dec 23 2006)

Last Friday, I was the last one leaving the office. Before I left, I sent out an electronic card to my colleagues and workers in the regions, thanking them for their support in 2006. As I said a few articles back, many organizations were discouraging exchange of gifts, so an electronic card was the most straight forward and simplest. As I exited the office building, the temperature dropped from +23 inside to -1 degree outside. It was drizzling and the rain blurred the neon-light signs from across the street. For an instant I thought I was back in Hong Kong on Nathan Road shopping and preparing for my trip to study overseas. The traffic light changed from green to yellow and the impatient pedestrians who tried to go around me on both sides soon brought me back to reality. I pulled my hat down to my eye brows, pulled the collar up to my chin, took a deep breath of cold air, and merged myself into the tide of homeward bound workers on Christmas Eve.

Upon arriving at the home doorstep, the temperature was still hovering around -1 to -2 degrees. The light shower had turned into freezing rain that coated the sidewalk and the street with about half-an-inch of ice. Under the street light, the water crystals shimmered in the cold air. My neighbors who had come home before me were all sitting around the fireplace having their supper. I could hear the faint laughter through the window frame. Once inside the house, I did not bother to take off my jacket but went straight down to the basement to the spot where my father had used to keep his odds and ends. For years, my father had been the one hanging up the Christmas lights and ever since his death, there had been no decoration outside. For whatever reason, I decided to find and hang up the Christmas lights myself this year, in his absence.

The freezing rain was still coming down but it started to peter out. I stood next to the window, looking at the Christmas lights my father had left behind. The string of decorative lights twinkled in the cold winter air, just like old time. I sipped a mouthful of hot tea to warm myself up and thought to myself: "This seems like a new beginning."

冰雨 / Freezing Rain

(英譯 English version posted on Dec 25 2006)

昨天星期五,我是最後一個離開辦工室,臨走時寄了一張电子咭,給各省分部的同事及員工,多謝他/她們在2006年的努力支持。如前数天說,這边很多机構,都避免禮上往來,一張电子咭,坦白直說,大家從簡。從辦工処出來,氣溫由室內的23度轉變至零下一度,毛毛細雨,把对面店舖的招牌燈色弄模糊了,一瞬間,我還以為自己仍在香港的彌敦道,購物凖備出國留學。交通燈由綠轉黃,不耐煩的行人,在我左右穿插,把我從矇朧中驚醒,我將帽子拉低蓋至前額,外衣领翻上來,深呼吸一口冷空氣,就怱怱地投入那聖誕歸家的人潮中。

回到家門,氣溫仍徘佪在零下一至二度,毛毛的細雨已轉變成冰雨,行人路和街道都套上了半多寸的薄冰,凝結了的雨點,冷空氣在街燈下閃閃生光。比我早歸的鄰居,都已和家人在屋內圍爐取暖,他們吃晚歺談笑之声,隱約地透過窗框滲散出來。入到屋裡,外套也沒有脫,就下地窖,在父親以前存物的地方,找尋他留下的雜物。以前父親在生,都是他替我在屋外掛聖誕燈,他不在,就有好几年沒有燈飾了。今年心血來潮,自己就尋找他以前買的串燈,將那五彩的聖誕燈掛上去。

冰雨仍在下着,但似乎式微了。我站在窗旁,望著窗外父親留下的燈飾,在寂靜的寒夜裡閃鑠,喝了一口熱茶,帶來了一陣子的溫暖,我想,或許這就是一個新的開始。

白色聖誕 / White Christmas

今年的天氣反常,不知是否和地球溫暖有关系。還有四天就是聖誕,但出面氣溫是大約零度左右,所有地上薄薄的積雪都不見了,今早還看到有些北雁,仍未南飛。在這個処於北面的國家,沒有白色聖誕,就總缺乏節日的氣氛,大雪紛飛,顧客才会多去商場購物,孩子才会出外玩雪堆做雪人。通常在十二月,我应已開始滑雪,但天氣如此溫暖,雪靴雪橇等都要到天氣冷點才可以出場了。

This year's weather is really strange, maybe it has something to do with Global Warming, We are four days away from Christmas and yet the temperature is still around zero degree and the thin snow on the ground has all disappeared. This morning, I even saw a few Canadian geese hanging around instead of flying south. In this northern country, the absence of snow during Christmas really hampers the festival spirit. Until the snow flies, customers will not rush out to do more shopping and children will not be able to build snow castles and snowmen. Normally by this time in December, I would have already started my skiing. But with such warm weather, my ski boots and skis will just have to wait till the temperature gets colder.

街頭露宿者的心声 / Homeless Man Speaks

Yesterday, I read an article on the Globe and Mail about the blog by Philip and Tony of Toronto. Philip, who has a MBA from Harvard and teaches a computer science course at the University of Toronto, met Tony near a coffee shop. Tony once had a family and his last job was a driver. Unfortunately, he was laid off and his wife passed away about seven years ago. His children could not take care of him and without income, he ended up living on the street. However, even as Tony's age approaches 60, he is strong as ever. He has his integrity and way of looking at the world and the necessary will and wisdom to survive in the harsh Canadian environment, especially when night temperature could dip to 20 or 30 degrees centigrade below zero.

In the blog "Homeless Man Speaks", Philip reports and sometimes interprets what Tony says. The rich text and pictures provide the readers with a good sense of Tony's view points as well as his stories about life on the street. For example, in one post, Philip asked Tony about his wish, and the latter responded: "I would have my wife back." In another, he was asked about his expectation of the blog's impact on the readers. He thought hard and replied that it was really important that the young people be brought up properly so they would not get into trouble later in life.

Dear friends, there are many homeless people in this world and I am not expecting that we will be able to help everyone of them. However, during Christmas and New Year, when we are together with our family and friends, I would suggest that we should appreciate what we have, how lucky we are, and think about the homeless people such as Tony.

Photo credit: Taken by Philip, please see the blog by Philip and Tony at http://homelessmanspeaks.wordpress.com/

街頭露宿者的心声 / Homeless Man Speaks

昨天閱讀加拿大「世界郵報」的一段新聞,提及一個在多倫多的博友和一個街頭露宿者的友情。那一位博友名叫「菲臘普」,哈佛碩士畢業,在多倫多大學教授电腦,他每天上咖啡店,總遇到一個在店外俳佪,叫「東尼」的流浪漢,初時只是點頭,後來熟了就開始交談。原來「東尼」本來是有一個家庭,也有一份司机的職業,接送一些出名的大明星。但不幸公司裁員,妻子在七年前去了世,兩個兒女又誤入歧途,不務正業,不理会養大他們的父親,「東尼」年過半百,沒有收入,又沒有兒女照顧他,無家可歸,終於淪落街頭。但不要以為這個以乞為生的流浪漢,就只是想討人可憐,他的人生覌點角度,是有他自己的一套,不乏人類生存的智慧和尊嚴。他雖已接近60歲,但仍是一條硬漢,一年四季在街頭露宿,由其是冬天深夜,攝氏零下20或30度的天氣,不是您和我都可以做到的。

博友「菲臘普」就覺得「東尼」的遭遇,發人深省,值得放上網絡,讓我們飽衣足食的幸運人,有机会聽聽和明白街頭露宿者的故事。在這個叫「露宿者心声」的綱誌,是由「菲臘普」以文人手筆,翻述「東尼」的生活見解,图文並荗。其中有一節,是問及「東尼」的願望,他回答說:「我真希望我親愛的妻子仍在生,能見她一面。」又有另一節是問他:「您希望這個博誌,对其他人有什么幫助影響?」他忍著那心酸的淚水說:「就是叫世上的父母,要盡責敎育子女,不要令他們誤入岐途。」

讀者們,世上的街頭露宿者很多,我也不是建議您們每遇到一個行乞的,就一定要大解善囊。我只是想,在這聖誕新年節日,與朋友和家人團聚的假期間,我們這些飽衣足食的,就一定要珍惜寸隂,把握現在,愛我們心裡的人,更不要忘記,比起街頭露宿者「東尼」,我們是多么幸運啊!


相片: 「菲臘普」攝,請上他和「東尼」的網看全文 http://homelessmanspeaks.wordpress.com/

利益衝突 / Conflict of Interest

An Asian friend of mine, who had just moved to Canada not that long ago, asked me earlier today whether he needed to thank his boss and colleagues with gifts during the Christmas and New Year celebration. At first I thought he was just joking, but then the frankness in his eyes told me it was not a hypothetical question. He genuinely wanted to thank them !! In the Canadian work environment, the practice of giving and receiving gifts during festival season really put both parties into a difficult situation. Does it mean the recipient is therefore obliged to look after the other person's interests? Is the giver trying to exert undue influence? More seriously, does the transaction raise the suspicion of corruption? This is no joking matter. So, I quickly explained to my friend that if a close colleague is getting married or having a child, he could pool money with other co-workers to buy a gift. But avoid giving cash (so-called "unmarked bills") or sending a big gift privately. I advised him to reconsider carefully, drop this idea of giving out personal Christmas/New Year gifts, and instead, buy a box of good chocolates and share them with his boss and colleagues. This way, he would avoid getting into the embarrassing and difficult situation I had just described. From a human resources management policy perspective, good work values and ethics means free from both real AND perceived conflict of interest. The latter means a person's actions and behaviours should not put him/herself into a situation that could create the perception of a conflict. Perhaps some people might say this approach is cold and inhuman. However, a clear and transparent conflict of interest policy will have the positive result of protecting individual workers, the institution, the investors/stakeholders, and the society as a whole.

Chinese Version:
This English article is based on the Chinese version I wrote. To read the original, please click: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2006/12/conflict-of-interests.html

利益衝突 / Conflict of Interest

今天有一個從亞洲來了加拿大不久的朋友,他問我在這裡聖誕新年大節日,需不需要送禮給上司或同事,多謝他們這一年內,对他工作上的幫助。我起初以為他是說笑罷,但他誠懇的眼光告訢我,這不是一個他虛設的問題,他是真想多謝他們!! 在這邊的工作環境,過年過節送禮,令双方面都難做。受了禮的就是不是一定要「關照」对方?送禮的又是否在扯「關係」?嚴重的更会被疑是貪污行賄,不是開玩笑的。於是我忙告訢友人,工作單位內,相熟的人結婚,生兒女等,都可和其他人合送禮物,但不要送現金,和避免單对單,沒有第三者知道的大賀禮。我告訢他心思考慮,打消了這個聖誕新年送禮的念頭,倒不如買一盒上品的「巧克力」, 公開請上司同事共吃,那就避免踏入上述的尷尬困境。在人事管理政策的角度來看,廉政不單止是完全沒有利益衝突,而是要在行動舉止上,都不要自困於会被人懷疑的尷尬地步。或許有人說這是太沒有人情味,但這公私分明的政策,是有保謢個人、机構、投資者、和社会的作用。

English Version:
I have translated this complete article into English, please click here: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2006/12/conflict-of-interests_20.html

趙梅伯教授 / Professor Zhao Mei-bo

When I was young, I had the fortune of belonging to a mixed choir conducted by Professor Zhao Mei-bo. What I learnt during that short period of time was something that I find useful for the rest of my life. Even today, the image of this internationally renowned pioneer giving us his instructions, pointers and advice still live vividly in my memory. Of all the things he taught, including rhythms, breathing and basic singing techniques, what I found the most unforgettable was his teaching on the art of expressing emotions in our singing. As I mentioned in my exchange with some of you yesterday, human emotions come deep from the bottom of our hearts. They radiate from our inner core to the outside world. It does not matter what the objects of our passion are, be it musical instruments, songs, or literature, we must play, sing, or write with our inner emotions !!!

趙梅伯教授 / Professor Zhao Mei-bo

年輕時,有机会參加一個在趙梅伯教授指揮之下的歌詠合唱團,時間雖短,但學到的卻是終生受用。這位國際音樂界老前軰,当年所指點、教導、和所說的,至今仍瀝瀝在目。隨學了柏子、呼吸、和基本的唱歌方法之外,留在我腦海最深刻的,就是怎樣放感情入唱的歌曲中。正如昨天回覆網友時談到,熱情是出在人的心底裡, 內向外的表示,不論我們喜愛的是樂器、歌曲、或文章,我們都彈、唱、或寫出一個感情來 !!!

（图片: 宁波日报/2005-09-26/王路)

Updated 20101229:
Here is one of the pubications written by The Professor

++++ Updated 20120130 +++++

Source: 國家文化資料庫 National Repository of Cultural Heritage

http://nrch.cca.gov.tw/ccahome/peopleGroup/artist/artist_meta.jsp?xml_id=0006045297

國家文化資料庫 系統識別號:	0006045297
中文姓名:	趙梅伯
外文姓名:	Chao Mei-Pa
性別:	男
出生地:	浙江省奉化縣﹙寧波府﹚
活動地區:	香港 美國 中國大陸
專長:	音樂教育 指揮 聲樂演唱
經歷:	1923年任滬江大學音樂助理 1925年受教於英國男高音赫伯、凱夫﹙Mr. Herbert Cave﹚。 1926年赴杭州蕙蘭中學任音樂教員並任杭州樂正社指揮 1926年受教於著名俄國歌劇家男低音賽利凡諾夫﹙Prof. P. Se1ivanoff﹚ 1927年任上海滬江大學大一音樂101課教師、滬江大學合唱指揮，上海美術專門學校聲樂教師，同時修完滬大課程。 1928年在滬蘇杭舉行獨唱會 1929年任教音樂於滬江大學及遠東大學暑期進修班。任上海俄人合唱團獨唱員。考取中比庚款獎學金，赴比京布魯賽爾皇家音樂院留學。 1932年於各省以法文演講，並由蕭淑嫻女士伴奏，演講與演唱中國民歌。 1932年受聘於布魯賽爾聖樂社﹙Concerts Spirituals﹚ ，擔任華格納之﹙Parsifal﹚孟德爾桑的﹙Elijah﹚與亨利舒滋﹙Schutz Henri﹚ 的神曲中獨唱員，並任比京電台廣播公司獨唱員。 1932年在日內瓦音樂院舉行獨唱會，由其師維南先生擔任伴奏﹙Maurice Weynandt﹚。 1933年獲得布魯賽皇家音樂家聲樂頭獎、羅雷亞學位與愛爾乾獎金， 復求教於世界著名歌劇家安素﹙Ansseau﹚與克拉貝﹙Crabb'e﹚。 1933年赴巴黎、倫敦與美國演唱 1934年紐約中美協會主持趙氏獨唱會。巴巴拉‧赫頓主持趙氏獨唱會。 1934年由駐美大使施肇基、羅斯福總統夫人、財政部長摩根索夫人等贊功下在華盛頓舉行獨唱會。 1934年全美廣播電台﹙N.B.C. WEAF ﹚介紹中國音樂並演唱法國近代名曲與中國民歌。 1935年在巴爾的摩舉行盛大獨唱會，由T. Arthur Smith Bureau主辦、由施大使夫人、Peabody音樂院院長夫人、約翰、霍布金斯大學﹙John's Hopkins University﹚校長Wood夫人及Hans Kindler華盛頓交響樂團指揮夫人等四十餘位名媛贊助。 1935年在美國東部與中部各大學如哥倫比亞大學、康乃爾大學、里奇蒙大學及紐約各大教堂演唱，並指揮巴爾的摩高契女子大學合唱團與芝加哥百老匯大學任聲樂教職。 1936年返中國，任上海國立音專聲樂系主任兼上海美專音樂系教授。 1937年全國大學中學校長及教務長等軍訓在牿嶺舉行，擔任五千餘人合唱指揮，並指揮牿嶺西人合唱團百餘人演唱貝多芬彌撒曲。 1937年任教育部音樂教育委員會委員。與蕭友梅、黃自、吳伯超先生等率領國立音專學生在南京大會堂演出並擔任指揮。 1937年任南京國民政府中央文化事業計劃委員會委員。應上海工部局交響樂第三十屆星期音樂會之邀，舉行首次華人演唱。 1937年教育部第二屆全國美展召開國立音專音樂大會擔任合唱指揮 1938年在上海舉行盛大基督教聯合聖誕慈善音樂會，指揮二百五十人首次演唱全部英名著高爾的﹙Gaul Holy City﹚「聖城」。 1939年創辦樂進團並擔任會長與指揮。指揮百人合唱首次演唱貝多芬C調彌撒曲。 1940年接受美國第四海軍陸戰隊之邀，任音樂顧問，每星期由其學生擔任獨唱節目。指揮樂進團在大光明戲院演出，有五千人不得其門而入。 1940年樂進團被聘在上海工部局交響樂團演出由趙教授指揮。 1941年與香港胡蓮亭女士在上海貝當路萬國教堂結婚。每星期主持英國XCDN電台趙氏音樂節目。 1942年組織之江大學及其它大學聯合聖樂團，每星期在上海樂聲戲院崇拜演唱，由斯義桂夫人李蕙芳女士擔任伴奏。 1943年婉拒汪精衛、褚民宜之邀請擔任偽政府南京音樂院長，潛入內地攜妻女逃往西安。 1944年得胡宗南將軍之助創辦西北音樂院 1945年西北音樂院學生舉行成立週年音樂會 1946年奉教育部長朱家驛之命與徐悲鴻、吳作人等接收北平國立藝專，任北平國立藝專音樂系主任，並籌設北平音樂學院。 1946年教育部主辦全國公費留學音樂考試趙氏擔任主試。訪問滬上音樂界後返北平。 1947年在北平電台發表音樂演講、任北平音樂協會主席。 1948年離平赴京轉滬﹙與胡適先生、梅貽琦校長等﹚ 1949年離滬赴港，遷居香港。香港政府教育部聘趙教授為學校音樂節第一屆聲樂評判。創辦香港樂進團。 1950年高足田鳴恩應中英交響樂團擔任獨唱。高足韋秀嫻獲學校音樂節女高音頭獎。 1951年任教於聖士提反、英華、真光、聖保祿、協恩等校。高足龐翹輝女士獲香港英文學校音樂節比賽冠軍，並在馬來西亞廣播電台演唱。 1952年高足許愛娟女士應中英交響樂團之邀擔任獨唱。 1955年擔任香港學校音樂節協會副主席 1956年擔任香港音樂協會執行委員 1956年高足費明儀赴歐臨別音樂會 1956年指揮韓德爾全部「猶太、馬加比」神曲 1957年於香港音樂協會講「發聲法」 1957年瑞典歌星威廉克勞森受教於趙氏 1957年美國黑人歌后瑪琍安‧安德遜赴港演唱並拜會趙氏 1957年首度演唱全部莫札德「十二彌撒曲」 1958年趙梅華赴比離別音樂會。於中英學會演講「聲樂與作曲」。指揮英名著「巴拂靈」首次演出。 1959年英名歌劇「第道和安尼斯」首次演出。高足英女高音安妮蜜爾絲擔任「米卡陀」歌劇主角。 1960年為門生舉辦獨唱會。趙夫人主持校際音樂比賽頒獎。 1961年巴巴拉赫頓訪老友趙教授。指揮舒伯特喜劇「羅莎蒙」。香港戲劇社主辦中國民歌演唱會，由高足費明儀，韋秀嫻，李冰，薛偉祥，姜成濤五位擔任。 1962年組織梅伯少女合唱團。高足譚鐵峰，韋秀嫻，黎碧芬榮獲英高級聲樂學位L.R.S.M.。 1962年首次全香港天主教與基督教聯合演出「彌賽亞」，由港督主持。 1963年曼彌‧奧伯倫訪趙教授。創辦星島日報「音樂週刊」並擔任主筆。高足莊表康，陳梧機榮獲L.R.S.M.學位。 1963年香港大學金禧音樂會，趙夫人頒獎。英著名明星曼爾奧伯倫訪趙氏。 1964年香港電台與大會堂聯合舉辦「中國民歌演唱會」 1964年趙氏女公子梅華在布魯賽爾獲鋼琴獎 1964年高足李冰在英獲亞培尼獎﹙Albani Prize﹚ 1964年英文演講「中國音樂為天地之和」 1964年高足何家光，鄧佩卿獲L.R.S.M.榮銜 1965年高足「西培尼獎」得獎人李冰音樂會 1965年高足曾麗嫦榮獲香港音樂節女低音獨唱頭獎 1965年大會堂主辦趙氏民歌獨唱會 1965年創設香港音樂院 1965年高足姜成濤赴巴黎深造 1965年高足王光正，鄧漢明榮獲L.R.S.M.學位 1966年梅伯少女合唱團全部節目安可 1966年高足譚鐵峰參加「蝴蝶夫人」演出 1966年聖士提反女校奪律敦治盾 1967年任教於香港大學選科擔任聲樂與合唱指揮課程 1967年高足龐翹輝赴日本參加「蝴蝶夫人」比賽 1967年高足薛偉祥考取倫敦三一院士獎 1968年高足許元貞獨唱會 1968年偕夫人及二位女兒梅蘭、梅瑩赴台旅遊 1969年移居美國加州聖荷西 1970年任勞史阿托斯長老會教會高級唱詩班指揮與音樂總監 1971年於辛浦森大學﹙Simpson College﹚任聲樂與合唱主任 1972年赴加拿大等地舉行旅行音樂會，演唱約二百餘次 1972年應聲樂大師齊諾貝干﹙Gino Becchi﹚之請第二度赴歐 1975年擔任全加州基督教學校音樂節聲樂裁判 1975年演唱德布西「有福的女郎」 1976年當選「兩百年來美國著名公民 ﹙Notable Americans of the Bicentennial Era﹚ 1976年擔任Mu Phi Epsilon聲樂獎金評判 1977年高足露絲‧韓得森﹙ Ruth Henderson﹚贏得加州音樂教師協會主辦全州高級聲樂比賽頭獎 1977年演唱布拉姆斯「鎮魂曲」 1978年任教於福特希爾大學﹙Foothill College﹚ 1981年擔任福特希爾大學聖誕音樂會指揮 1981年成立福特希爾大學女生合唱團，在各教堂與社團等演唱 1983年演唱德布西的「有福的女郎」 ﹙La Damoiselle Elue﹚ 1986~1987年受教育部之聘，任教於台灣東海、東吳、師大、國立藝專音樂系，擔任「特別講座」。 1987年指揮台灣國家實驗合唱團首次演唱普朗克﹙Poulenc﹚ 「榮耀頌」 1988年擔任香港學校音樂節第四十屆首席評判，與賽者六萬三千餘人並指揮「趙氏之夜」音樂會 1988年遷居洛杉磯湖林鎮休養 1990年在南加州音樂教師協會演講中國新音樂運動 1991年南加州長堤州立大學主辦「An Afternoon with Prof. Chao Mei－Pa」 1991年北加州合唱音樂營邀請趙氏演講 1921年寧波斐迪中學畢業，入滬江大學。
獎項:	1975年當選美國全國「傑出教育家」﹙Outstandi月Educator ofmerica﹚ 1975年當選加州名人錄‧美國名人錄 1952年指導聖士提反、英華女校贏得高級女子合唱冠軍。
重要展演或作品發表紀錄:	1932年著「黃鐘史」：La Cloche Jaune 法文版，由比京聯合大學出版社出版，並由法國利昆大學重版。 1935年巴爾的摩出版「黃鐘」﹙Yellow Bell﹚英文版 1947年由上海商務印書館出版「合唱指揮法」。 1954年在香港出版「趙氏名歌選」上下兩冊 1969年英文版「中國音樂簡介」出版 1985年「唱歌的藝術」在台灣重版,由黎明文化公司出版。 1986年「合唱指揮法」在台灣重版﹙第六版﹚由商務印書館發行。「唱歌的藝術」再重版。 1929年著「中外歌唱入門」，上海商務印書館出版。錄製中國國民黨黨歌，由德國高亨唱片公司發行，每周一由南京向全國播送。
備註:	趙雍生主編：現代中國音樂先驅─趙梅伯

內向与外向 / Introvert & Extrovert

In the North America work environment, it appears that the extroverts are in a slightly advantageous position than their introvert colleagues. I am basically an introvert, who enjoy the quiet nights, running alone in the wee hours of the morning, and skiing in the woods under the moonlight in the winter, when the snow is falling. But for work reasons, I spent a lot of efforts converting and refining my introvert personality to that of an extrovert. I now can comfortably go up to the stage to chair a meeting, analyze and articulate policies, address hundreds of guests, or shoot the breeze with total strangers. But deep inside, after taking off my work outfit, I am still the same voyageur, who enjoy the still of the night, jogging and skiing under the silvery moonlight.

內向与外向 / Introvert & Extrovert

在北美社会工作,在升職方面, 似乎外向的人,是比內向的同僚,処於較優的位置。其實我基本是內向的人,我喜愛夜靜,喜欢一個人凌晨跑步,冬夜白雪紛飛之際,在山林月光之下滑雪。但為了工作所需,費了不少功夫,把自己內向的性格,加工提煉,改變為「外向」。現在可以隨時上臺,主持会議,硏討政策,或向数百來賓致詞,或与素不相識的陌生人寒喧。但在我心底裡,脫了那工作外衣,我仍是那個喜欢夜靜,喜欢在那水銀瀉地的月光之下,跑步或滑雪的旅途者。

Thoughts on Global Competitiveness (Part 2) / 世貿竸爭 (下篇)

(意譯十二月十日英文版)

世貿的第二個基本問題,就是怎樣定斷每一個經濟中心發展轉變的速度。常聽聞市民關注,覺得應被保留的建築物和歷史遺物,都被投資者毀壞鏟平,以發展為名, 起了醜陋的大厦和停車場。支持保謢文物的人,就說發展實在太快,社会不應該只是經濟掛帥。但在投資者來看,除舊立新,是理所当然,發展越快就越好,保証不会在世貿市場,被淘汰出局。

兩方面不同的覌點,忘記過去,保留記憶,又誰是誰非呢?我認為在這日飛月異的新世界,發展是新陳代謝,是不可避免的階段。人類之所以能夠生存,就是依靠我們能記憶、也能忘記的双重能力。很明顯,人類的文明,是一代傳一代記憶積聚而成的,保存了千多年的歷史文化宝物,毀於一旦,就太可惜了。但是,能夠放棄和忘記過往,也是適者生存其中之一個條件。試想,如果您数千年歷代早先早宗,都在您腦中告訴您应該怎樣决定和做事,那又怎能創新?另一例子,我們總不能保留由出生至現在,每一刻身或心受的痛楚,能夠忘記過往,能將一部份記憶放入「儲物室」,是人類生存重要的適应能力之一。我建議在决定發展轉變速度之快慢,和討論文化遺物的去留,社会有關人仕,都需要合作,從社會進化發展的大前題來看,衡量建築物和歷史遺物,对這一代和後代的重要性和價值(留意這是包括社会經濟、文化、環保、本地行政等的廣泛價值)。又在討論期間,勿忘將主覌的「文化遺產」和「價值」定義,開心見誠的討論,希望能達成一個協議,同意「快、慢、去、留」决定的步驟和凖則。

在此,我選擇了中國戰略家孫子,在公元前五百一十二年說的一段話,作為這篇的結論:『是故智者之慮,必雜于利害,雜于利而務可信也,雜于害而患可解也。』就是說智慧的人,一定要居安思危,処害思利,利和害就像陰与陽一樣,双生双息,利中有害,害中帶利。故此在討論和策劃世界經濟競爭期間,我們一定要同意和判斷利与害之關係,一定要在利害中找出一個合理的平衡。孫子所說的原理,在今時今日二零零六年,我認為仍是很適用。

Thoughts on Global Competitiveness (Part 1) / 世貿竸爭 (上篇)

(意譯十二月九日英文版)

現代世界經濟競爭,先進的國家,都以知識來作其發展的「內燃机」,高級科技,商業管理,行政策劃,國際事務等,都要精益求精,用「天地人」的策略,取他人之長,補自己之短,加工硏究,取得競爭有利地位。故此,不論任何國家,都不能苟且偷安,自滿而不自進。

或許有些人会說,為什么國家之間,就一定要作有勝負的競爭,落後發展中的國家是輸定的了。民主自由派,就会指出人類平等,膚色和文化分別不重要,最重要是大家合作,不要拼爭。

我不是反对人類博愛的大前提原則,也同意基本的「人性」,是全世界國家都相同相有的。但我覺得,雖然合作是需要,但沒有競爭,人類就不会進步,例如:奧運金牌,諾貝爾等,都是以肋利奨品來鼓勵和提高水凖,故此健康的比賽,是「世界部落」正常的發展,治療天花和癌症的医學突破,就是对全人類都有好処的例証。故此,世貿競爭總括來說是好,但最基本的問題,就是以什么作為獎品(生意利潤?),又以什么方法能公益人類(自由市場?),我不在此長述,就拜托各位經濟學専家來解釋了。

(下回續)

愛情的分叉路 / What could have been .... ?

在一個很出乎意外的情形之下,看到了我初戀人的相片。当時我是忙著翻閱研究工作資料,相片突然在我眼前出現,我心理沒有凖備,就好像有一塊石頭,被投入一個安靜的湖中,感情波動,那一圈一圈的漣漪,就從我心裏擴散,把我的過去和現在聯繫在一起,而石塊直沈湖底,就激發起聚積了多年的回憶。

如前述,我一直都以為,情之一物,就像行李一樣,是完全沒有問題,受我控制之內。但造物弄人,又再提醒了我,這生命旅程,不是自編、自導、自演的。那晚臨睡之前,也悲從中來,卻不是糊乱猜測,如果沒有分手,我們的將來,会是怎樣?悲傷的原因,是這段情,基於当時的環境人事因素,根本一開始就是沒有希望,一開始就已註定我們要分手的了。今時今日,不是為自己做辯護或懊悔,只不過回顧当日愛情的分叉路,就有一個很強烈的感受,成熟的果實,是用失去的童真付回來的。

愛情的分叉路 / What could have been .... ?

I came across the picture of my first love when I was the least expecting it. I was doing some research and there it was, staring out of the page at me. The emotional impact was similar to dropping a stone into the middle of a peaceful and quiet pond: The concentric ripples could be felt right across the time span that links the past to the present and the stone just went straight to the bottom, stirring up all kinds of old memories.

As mentioned in a previous article, I thought I had put away literally my emotional luggage and everything had been under control. Life has reminded me once again that I am not the sole director. That night, I couldn't help but sobbed a little, not so much because of "What could have been ...?" but rather, of my reflection on the factors and circumstances at the time that inevitably would cause us to go our separate way in life. There is no self-rationalization or regret. As I look back at that juncture in life, I feel quite emotionally with a strong sense of wisdom gained, but innocence lost.

Thoughts on Global Competitiveness (Part 2)

Another thorny issue that often arises from the discussion on "Global Competitiveness" is about the pace of change. More specifically, people are concern that old heritage buildings and landmarks are being bulldozed over, only to be replaced by ugly high-rises and parking lots, all in the name of prosperity. The conservationists would argue that heritage loss is bad while the developers would say new development is good.

So, is the "new" always better than the "old"? This is almost like asking: "How much memory should I have?" As human beings, the reason why we survive is partly because we both remember and forget. The "remember" part is easy: We learn from the past, and build upon our experience. After all, civilization is mostly an accumulative process. The "forget" part is not as apparent but equally beneficial. Imagine if you have to make a decision and there are thousands of voices in your head from past generations and ancestors (not just your parents and spouse) telling you what you should or should not do. Or, if you can still feel vividly every little physical and mental pain you have since the day you were born. At some point, it is beneficial to be able to forget or at least to park part of our memory into storage. So, I would submit that whether a particular "heritage" item (building, landmark, etc) should be conserved or let go will depend very much on how much present AND future "value" (social-economic, cultural, environmental, geo-political, etc) the society is assigning to the said item in the bigger context of societal/human development and progress. As the words "heritage" and "value" are often defined subjectively if left unchecked, it is important that all stakeholders agree on the definitions and the decision-making criteria and process.

In closing, I would like to quote what the Chinese strategist Sun Zi said in 512 BC: "The wise leader will always think about benefit when he is in a risky situation, and risk when he is in a beneficial situation. Risk and Benefit are just like the Ying and the Yang; they come in pair and from within each other. They are not mutually exclusive and must be considered and balanced in the development and implementation of a strategy." I would suggest that the same principle applies equally well in 2006 AD when we talk about the 'good' and 'bad' of Global Competitiveness.

Thoughts on Global Competitiveness (Part 1)

In today's highly competitive global economy, every nation recognizes that "knowledge" is the engine for growth and prosperity (thus the term "knowledge-based economy"). Many leaders of developed countries are investing their future in key areas such as science and technology, business management, policy making/implementation, and international trade. Their approach is largely based on being at the right place, at the right time, and with the right people. Many learn from other countries and then add value to what they have learnt, thereby gaining an advantage over their competitors. For the country that originates a good idea, it should not just feel proud and contented but must continue to push the envelope further lest it be left behind.

Some people might suggest that we should not take a narrowly defined view of global competitiveness that creates win-loss situations between nations, especially at the expense of the developing and under-developing countries. The more liberal minded would suggest that human beings are all equal and that we should therefore cooperate rather than compete. After all, our difference is skin-deep (pun intended) and our universal human traits are more dominant than our cultural differences.

I do not disagree fundamentally with the "universal" view of humanity. Human being as a species does share a lot of commonalities across cultural divides. However, I would submit that healthy competition for a higher reward, be it the Olympic gold medal or the Nobel Prize, is good for our global village, as long as the ultimate benefits (e.g. eradication of small pox, research on AIDS and cancer) are being made available to many rather than just a few. The challenge is of course the choice of the primary reward system (e.g. profit) and the mechanism(s) by which the benefits are distributed to the rest of the world (e.g. multilateral trade). I will leave this challenge to my more learned friends in the micro- and macro-economic fields to explain and tackle.

(to be continued)

洗錢 \ Wasting Money

好几年前,父母親移民來加拿大不久,一日和他們逛亍,父親行過一間商店,突然止步,指著門口的招牌,以奇異的眼光对我說:「我相信加拿大人都是喜欢洗錢的罷。」我想想,不是呀,加拿大人,通常都不会將錢財揮霍浪費,我的朋友中,有那個人的手袋,價値是可以養活非洲一村人一個月的伙食呢?,「老竇」呀,您這話從何說起?正想回答之際,卻再細看那招牌,不覺啞囗無言,父親一點也沒有看錯, 廣告是明顯的說:『COIN WASH』

Several years ago, shortly after my parents had immigrated to Canada, we were window-shopping on the street one day when, all of a sudden, my father stopped in front of a shop, pointed at the front-door sign, and made a strange comment: "Canadians, they sure like to waste money." My immediate reaction was: "No, Canadians are generally frugal and I don't know anyone who owns a handbag that would cost enough money to feed a whole village in a developing country in Africa for a month. Where are you coming from, Dad?" But then, just as I was about to give him my two cents worth, I took a closer look at the sign, and was completely speechless. Sure enough, my father was right. The sign clearly said: "COIN WASH" which in Cantonese is the same pronunciation as "WASTING MONEY"

天地人:策略概念 / Strategic Thinking: Heaven Earth People

In Chinese history, Heaven, Earth and People represented and defined the concept of the world of the Middle Kingdom, from the Emperor down to the ordinary peasants. Having heard my explanation of this feudal system concept, my Canadian born colleagues found the idea intriguing and suggested that the western society could borrow and apply this Heaven-Earth-People model to basic business management. Of course, they are not referring to the blind superstition of worshipping heaven and earth, but rather to the systematic approach to business strategy: the right time, the right place, and the right people. This is not really the first time that my colleagues learnt about and appreciated Chinese strategic thinking. I mean, if you go to the local bookstore and look under Business Management for, say, Sun Zi's "Art of War", you will probably find a dozen translated versions by different authours, who all attempt to dissect, analyze and apply the twenty-five thousand years old manuscript to modern use. However, out of the million of readers who read great classics such as the Art of War, Dream of the Red Chamber, the Floating World of Flowers and Mirrors, and secret manuscripts on martial art and Zen, there are only a hand-full of people who really appreciate the true meanings of these writings. As Sun Zi said circa 512 BC: "There are only five basic tones, but the variation of the five makes great music; there are only five basic colours, but the variation of the five makes great paintings." His point was that with the same five tones and colours, ordinary folks could only make lousy music and pictures and yet these same elements would create masterpieces in the hands of genius. Colleagues and friends here and abroad, I will conclude by saying that learning is a life-long journey and that we should strive to explore, learn and appreciate the richness of the thousands of years of history and culture.

天地人: 策略概念 / Strategic Thinking: Heaven Earth People

在中國的歷史中,天地人,就是古代時期,上至君臣,下到庶民,他們所看到的整個世界及其定義。我前数天把這個舊的封建覌念,解釋給在加拿大長大的同事聽,他們聽後,大感興趣,認為今時今日的西方社会,仍可向中國歷史借鏡,應用「天地人」的原理,作為辦事之基本方法。他們所說的,当然不是拜天拜地的迷盲信仰,而是從天時、地利、人和的系統化策略角度來看。這也不是第一次我的同事,对中國的策略有接觸和認同。如果您到這裡的英文書局,在商業管理一欄看看,單是【孫子兵法】一書,就有不同的翻譯版本和作者,將這二千五百多年前的戰策,加以分析、研究、和應用。不過,無論是讀什麽書, 紅楼夢、鏡花緣、孫子兵法、武林秘笈、達摩禪修等,讀是一回事,真真正正能夠領悟到真理的人,就真是寥寥可数了。正如孫子在公元前五百多年說:『聲不過五,五聲之變,不可勝聽也。色不過五,五色之變, 不可勝覌也。』這就是為什麼,同樣的音調和顏色,在凡人手中,總是兒科音樂,塗鴉之作,但同樣的五音五色,在樂聖畫聖的手中,就成為朽世傑作!同事朋友們, 學無止境,数千年的歷史文化,我們還是要努力去深造,領悟其中奧妙!

自行車與我 ∕ Bicycle and Me

I mentioned in my previous article "Dream Maker" how I longed to own my bicycle when I was little. However, my family wasn't rich at the time. So, I used to just borrow my friend's tricycle and peddled up and down the long corridor of the apartment building. Boy, did I ever have fun !! When I grew older, my father earned a little bit more and we said goodbye to the nasty landlady who owned the little partitioned cubicle that we used to call home. Much to my delight, there was a bicycle rental place near our new residence. So I would rent a bike after school and played "cutting each other off" in the nearby empty parking lot with my neighbourhood friends. I wasn't the best, but not the worst either in terms of my skills. As to the idea of owning a bicycle, my father's response was still a disappointing "no" every time. Of course, after I entered secondary school, other teenager interests took over and the idea was in the backburner for quite a while.

自行車與我 ∕ Bicycle and Me

在上回『願望是自製自成的』一文,話說我小時很希望有一架自行車,但当時家窮,於是常往友人処,借他的三輪車,在大廈走廊踏呀踏呀踏呀的,直是好玩。到了我讀小學的時候,父親入息較高,我們搬出了板隔尾房,再不用看那「惡死」包租婆的眉頭眼額。更開心的是,屋村新居附近,有一間租單車的店子,放學之後,就租車往最近的停車場空地,和街坊小童「閘」單車,技術也與其他好手不分上下。但我每次問父親,可不可以買一架自行車,他仍是給我一個失望「不」的答案。入了中學後,興趣轉變,年輕人玩意多,買自行車之事又擱置了。

冬至 / Old Man Winter

「冬天老人」終於在這裡駐腳了!上星期,天氣還是溫暖的十五度攝氏,但前数天,突然來了一場冰雨,城市由深秋的灰黃色,一夜之間,變成了白茫茫的一遍,氣溫也下降至零下五度左右俳佪。我們較年青的當然高興啦,因為滑雪、溜冰、冬天露營等的冬天活動季節開始了。苦了卻是那些上了年紀的,地上封了冰雪,寸步難行。我的母親也自閉在家,呆了兩整天。可幸城市的清雪工人,不分晝夜,剷了街上和行人路的積雪,又灑了鹽來溶解結了冰的地面,母親又可自由出入,我也小一點担心了。您或許会問: 為什麽這裡叫「冬天老人」,不叫「冬天阿婆」呢?那我就不知道了。

"Old Man Winter" is finally here to stay! Last week, the weather was a nice +15 degree C. Then several days ago, we were hit by freezing rain. Overnight, the city changed its colour from a late autumn kind of yellowish grey to pure white. The temperature too dropped and hovered around -5 degree C. Of course, (relatively) young folks like us were just jumping with joy; it's the beginning of another season of skiing, skating, winter camping and other winter activities. Unfortunately, "Old Man Winter" was bad news for the older folks, who could hardly walk on the ice and snow covered roads. My mother basically locked herself up for two whole days. Lucky for her and other seniors, the city's snow crew worked hard days and nights, removed the accumulated precipitation off the streets and sidewalks, and sprinkled salt to melt the icy surface. Finally, much to my relief, my mother was able to go out again. Now, you might ask: Why do people say "Old Man Winter" and not "Old Woman Winter"? That, I must say I don't know.

『幸福的六年』 / My Son Autumn Snow 秋雪 - A Life of Six Years

I heard of the song and story about "Autumn Snow" the first time when I was visiting Christie's blog site. I am not keen on supporting commercial advertisements but do find this particular song special and meaningful and the words not commercialized or tasteless. I am therefore taking the liberty of providing the readers with the following information for consideration, with the hope that the broadcast song will help us better appreciate and understand the short but treasured six-year life of "Autumn Snow". My concluding thoughts: Life and time are precious and must not be wasted.

Here is the website where you can find the advertisement song of the Life Insurance Company 明治安田 in Japan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a3ahoLXTuM&mode=related&search=h

If you are searching for the words of the song and other related information about the "Treasured Six Years", please visit Christie's blog site:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/classicology/archives/cat_50000933.html

『幸福的六年』 / My Son Autumn Snow秋雪 - A Life of Six Years

我在這邊,還是第一次聽到這首有關「秋雪」的歌和故事,資料是從博友Christie 那処找來。我通常都不支持商業性的廣告,但發覺這廣告歌很特別,什有人情味,曲詞也不是商業化,庸俗之流,故將資料排列轉載如下,供各人參考,估計播放了之後,讀者对「秋雪」短暫但幸福的六年生命,有一個更深的認識。想到: 生命和光陰,我們都是要珍惜的!

日本明治安田生命保險公司之廣告歌曲:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a3ahoLXTuM&mode=related&search=h

在Christie的網址,您可尋找歌詞,和更多有關『幸福的六年』資料:
http://blog.livedoor.jp/classicology/archives/cat_50000933.html

Megan Williams / 美勤、威廉斯

Several months ago when I was in Italy attending a book-club function, I happened to meet Ms. Megan Williams, a Canadian journalist who now lives in Rome. Megan grew up in Toronto and graduated from McGill University in Montreal. She was awarded the prestigious Pulitzer Fellowship and furthered her journalism study at Columbia University in the United States. Megan (whose first name in Chinese is pronounced as beautiful美 and hard-working勤) is well known to the international media and her work has been published in many newspaper, including the South China Morning Post in Honk Kong and the Globe and Mail in Canada. You can also find recordings of her great work by several international broadcasting corporations in North America and Europe on the website. Her written articles and audio recordings also cover happenings in Africa, the Balkans, and Italy. She especially likes to write about Italian culture, politics, economics and everyday life stories. I enjoy tremendously her recent book "Saving Rome" in which there are nine short stories about ex-pat women living in Rome, each depicts a transient life in the Eternal City.

(Credit: Pictures and info from www.megankwilliams.com)

美勤、威廉斯 / Megan Williams

我上早幾個月,在羅馬偶遇到一個加拿大的寫作家,名叫美勤、威廉斯。她是在Toronto多倫多長大,在滿地可McGill University大學畢業,跟著接受了Pulitzer Fellowship獎學金,在美國Columbia University哥倫比亞大學讀新聞寫作。這位美勤的才女,文筆和創做力什佳,有好幾間大的報紙和傳媒界也登了她的大作,例如:香港南華早報,加拿大的Globe and Mail等。在北美和歐洲的電臺網絡,也有記錄了她書寫或閱讀有關非洲,巴爾幹半島,和意大利的文化、政治、經濟、和日常生活之感想。我最近讀了她的近作『Saving Rome救援羅馬』,甚欣賞她寫有關九個女人,住在羅馬的故事,永恒的古城,短暫的人生。

Top Five: International Business / 國際事務五項

1. 以本地方法或策略,搬上國際「戲臺」,後果当然欠佳。
2. 机構內政和外政不調和,有衝突或矛盾,令本地和外地業務行政均受影響。
3. 在人事管理方面,沒有國際事務專家,或可靠之外地「中間人」和外客打交道。
4. 未能護衛智慧產權,被外客灠用或複造。
5. 不明白外國之法制系統、工業組織、官方和非官方之談判過程,及其它國際事務細節。

1. Apply domestic methodologies or strategies to overseas operations and wonder why the results are poor.
2. Internal and external policies are not harmonized, resulting in serious conflicts that affect the domestic and international agenda and operations.
3. In terms of human resources management, fail to hire reliable international experts or "old hands" to act as "go-betweens" for the organization and foreign clients.
4. Inadequate protection of intellectual properties which end up being used in contravention of license agreements or being pirated outright by foreign associates.
5. Do not have sufficient knowledge and working experience with foreign legal systems, sectoral structures, official and un-official negotiation processes, and other fine points in the management of international affairs.

Top Five: Managing Science & Technology / 科技管理五項

1. 人事管理不善,有經驗之科技人員,对机構信心大失。
2. 受政治或經濟「短視」之影響,未能以足夠之人力物力,支持較長期性之科技項目。
3. 科技政策未能與机構之投資計劃吻合,形成半拉半推之不平衡狀態。
4. 未能護衛智慧產權,科技生產前途堪慮。
5. 沒有明確之政策方針,科技部「閉門做車」,與顧客和市場需求脫了節。

1. Poor human resources management resulting in loss of trust from senior and experienced science and technology (S&T) personnel.
2. Funding for long-term S&T projects are cut in favour of short-term political or economic gains.
3. There is a mismatch between the S&T policy and the organization's investment plan, resulting in a push-and-pull type of situation.
4. The future of the organization's S&T products is jeopardized because of inadequate protection of intellectual property (IP) rights.
5. Without clear policy direction, the gap between what the S&T personnel do and what the market and customers want widens.

Top Five: Policy-making in Organizations / 机構立政五項

(1) 基本分析工作不足, 目的和需求不清楚,令至選立的政策不善,或根本是藥不对症。
(2) 立政之前,沒有清楚解釋,或與受政策影響之人仕團體交談, 政策推行之日,羣眾嘩然,反对和拒絕合作,机構內部醖釀局面。
(3) 由於沒有足夠的人力物力去支持,或因其它因素,立成的政策遭遇實行的困難, 變了「紙上談兵」。
(4) 机構內部有意見分歧或矛盾, 不能言行一致,原本緊密的政策,開始發生漏洞。
(5) 政策沒有明顯的「責任框架」, 詳細表明怎樣才算成功, 什麼就是失敗,机構內誰人負責, 政策何時「日落」或「重申」等項目。

(1) Need assessment and policy objective are poorly articulated in the diagnostique and analysis work, thereby resulting in a policy that is less than adequate or even not applicable.
(2) There is a lack of communications/consultations with the people or groups that will be impacted by the policy. When the policy comes into effect, these people become upset and refuse to cooperate, which leads to a crisis situation.
(3) People and/or financial resources allocated to the launching and implementation of the policy are insufficient to assure success. This and other factors may cause the policy to remain just a paper exercise.
(4) There is a sharp division of opinions or irreconcilable conflicts within an organization over the policy. Without consistent and cohesive support, the well-meant policy begins to fall apart.
(5) There is no accountability framework that clearly defines success/failure (i.e. performance measures or indicators), roles and responsibilities of the parties involved, and specific target dates (including policy sunset/renewal).

Top Five: Human Resources Management / 人事管理五項

1. 有很多机構,老闆对傢俬,比对僱員還重要。
2. 與顧客接觸最多的,就是最「黑口黑面」的。
3. 內部鬥爭,各自為己。
4. 人事計劃不存在,與机構的三至五年長期計劃方針脫節。
5 下情不能上達,好意見不受重用,上層與僱員脫節。

1. Some organization invests more in their furniture than employees.
2. Those in the front-line dealing with customers are the least client-oriented.
3. Internal office politics create silos and an unhealthy work environment.
4. There is no human resources planning to complement the organization's 3- to 5-year strategic plan.
5. Decision-makers and employees are not communicating, good ideas remain unused and there is an organizational disjoint vertically.

分離

剛剛讀完了 Mad Dog 和 Ruth 寫關於現代夫婦關係的文章。我認為康希牧師在新加坡指出的, 是兩人之間精神和情感上的分離,只有夫妻之名,而無夫婦之實,他提醒教會成員, 不要失去了婚姻的神聖定義,淪至如中國人所謂「同床異夢,貎合神離」的地步。

上述的分離,卻與因經濟、工作、或其它原因而分離的情况不同,雖然痛苦的情度或許是一樣,但前者是婚姻破裂問題,後者是双方理智的選擇。當然,歷史亦有許多受環境所迫,沒有選擇餘地的分離。例如許多在1900年代過來的「金山阿伯」,在加拿大1923-1947 Chinese Exclusion Act 拒華入境法律的二十四年間,就不能與妻子兒女見面。有部分幸運的就終能與他們的配偶和孩子團聚,但有很多就孤零零的客死異鄉, 困窮到屍骸骨頭都沒有人料理,被政府草草地葬在公墳,無名地埋沒了在「金山」之下。

在今時今日的社會, 我認為精神和情感上的分離,是可以在宗教或愛的大前題下進行「搶救」的。因經濟、工作、或其它原因而分離的,我想仍是個人理智的選擇。無論在自己控制之內或之外,分離總是一件痛苦的事。不過, 我們既是現代歷史的一部分,就要以現代人的方法和眼光去解决上述的分離問題。在加拿大落根的,也就要加上學習上一代華人的辛酸史。在這方面來說,我們除了宗教,也要相信自已的獨立和信賴能力,把眼光放遠一點,以積極的想法,希望一個較好的將來。時代流轉,我們今天分離的感受,也就是明天告給後人的故事了。

同床異夢,貎合神離 / Same Bed Different Dreams, Same Togetherness Different Destinations

I read the articles written by both Mad Dog and Ruth regarding modern-day couples. I think Rev. Kong Hee康希牧師 in Singapore was referring to the loss in spirituality and meaning of marriage among some of his congregation members - married but still live a single life, or as the Chinese say: "同床異夢,貎合神離 Same bed different dreams, same togetherness different destinations."

This is quite different, although just as painful in many ways, for couples who have to separate for economic or other reasons. They are married but are separated and live as singles in different cities. A historical example was the many Chinese men in the early 1900's who had come over to "Gold Mountain" and then faced the harsh Chinese Exclusion Act 1923-1947 and were unable to see their family for decades or for life. The lucky ones were able to reunite later with their spouses and children. But, many died lonely and destitute and their bones were buried in mass graves under the "Gold Mountain".

In the modern-day context, I would think couples in the former case can be "rescued" if love can be rejuvenated (a big 'if' without a religious anchor, I presume). However, in the latter case, it's a matter of personal choice and priority as well as circumstances within or beyond one's own control. Nonetheless, both cases are equally challenging.

We are all part of history, including couples who are married but live like singles, married couples who live as singles in separate cities, and Canadians of Chinese descent whose ancestors went through the hardship of separation. I would suggest that in addition to faith in religions, one also has to believe in self-independence and reliance with a certain degree of hope for the future. As witnesses to these changes and as we are taking roots today, we will be the story-tellers to the generation of tomorrow.

願望是自製自成的 / Dream Maker

我兒時家窮, 父親入息不多,母親是家庭主婦,我們住在一個「惡死」包租婆木板間隔的尾房,一家四口一張床,最記得一回家就是上床玩。我們家庭沒有餘錢,很多玩具都是我用剩餘物資,例如「荷蘭水」蓋、香煙盒、核桃殼等自製的。但是年幼的我卻很羡慕他人有自行車,於是常問父母親可不可以買一架給我,當然,答案每一次都是失望的。我不知道您們年輕時有沒有這種感覺和經驗,就是所有要達到的願望,都是要自製自成的,父母很多時都不能幇忙。

When I was very young, my father did not earn much and my mother was a full-time homemaker. Our family rented a partitioned cubicle that was owned by this obnoxious landlady. The four of us all slept in one make-shift bed which also became my playground during the day. Since we were not well off, I learnt to make a lot of my own toys out of pop-bottle caps, used cigarette cartons, walnut shells, and whatever spared materials that I could find. However, the one toy I really wanted at that time was a tricycle. Many times I asked my parents if they could buy me one, and every time the answer was a disappointing 'No!' I don't know whether you had similar feeling and experience in childhood, but for me, I came to the realization at an early age that I would be my own dream maker, as my parents were often not in a position to help.

人生但求五十分 / The 50-Percent Solution

閱讀【散文集】有關「水族館」的來龍去脈,發覺「烏龜」先生似乎就是我以前老師說的,「人生但求五十分」那種人: 沒什麽上進之心,只求僅僅合格,以最休閒的方式,換取得每月最好的薪酬,又何樂而不為呢?!! 問題就是: 學如逆水行舟,不進則退,有了這種心態之後,也就是工作走下坡的開始了。

Having followed San Wen Ji's "aquarium" story, I come to the conclusion that Mr. Tortoise fits into what my old teacher described as "the 50-Percent Solution" type of workers. For them, the ultimate goal in life is just to pass, never to get overly ambitious, always choose the most relaxing way to earn their monthly wages. Hey, but why not if they can get away with it, right?!! The problem is that: Learning is like rowing a boat upstream, getting lazy will not get them anywhere. The 50-Percent mentality marks the beginning of the end of one's career.

Pictures of Venice / 水城「威尼斯」照片

Pictures of Venice / 水城「威尼斯」照片

Pictures of Venice / 水城「威尼斯」照片

Pictures of Venice / 水城「威尼斯」照片

間諜秘笈: 色性丶权力丶金錢 / The Secret Spy Manual: Sex, Power and Money

Back in the Cold War years of the 60's, there was a joke going around: After spending a lot of efforts, one of the superpowers was able to obtain the enemy's Secret Spy Manual. With much anticipation, the chiefs gathered around and opened their prize book, only to find that the manual contained just one page and three words - Sex, Power, and Money. Although the joke came out in the 60's, these same three words actually have a good grip on many people throughout human history, from the east to the west, from ancient villages to modern states. Over the 5000+ years of Chinese history, from the creation of mother-earth to the present days, there have been no lack of stories about power struggles, warring states, and the beauties whose smiles toppled the Great Wall and the Country. In the western civilization, one needs only to examine the stories of Caesar's assassination, Shakespeare's Hamlet, and in more recent years the British King who gave up his throne for his beloved American Countess (which was more love than sex). We are no strangers to these stories. Even today, we still quite often see these types of sagas being played out on different international, political, and commercial stages in both the public and private sectors. It appears that in this new millennium with all our technological wonders, some human beings are still at the same stage of evolutionary development as our ancestors thousands of years ago and still have that instinctive lust for Sex, Power and Money.

間諜秘册

聽說六零年代世界冷戰之時,有如下的一個笑話: 某國費了不少人力物力,終於取得了敵方的間諜秘册,但打開一看,只得一頁,上有三個字,就是:「sex性愛、power權勢、money財利」雖然這是数十年前的笑話,但細想不論在東在西,從古至今,似乎很多人都就走不脫這三個政治的因素。在数千年的中國歷史, 由盤古初開起,爭權奪位,一笑傾城、再笑傾國的故事就多得很。在西方文化,凱薩大帝被刺,莎士比亞的名著 Hamlet,不愛江山愛美人而退位的英皇(是love of the opposite sex),都是人所共知的故事。時至今日,在國際、政治、投資的公商領域,甚至工作環境中,也有很多時遇見或聽聞有關這方面的故事,就是和好色、弄權、貪財其中一個有關。故此不禁想到,難道在這千禧年的新紀元,科枝一日千里的社會,有些人的本能就和前人一樣, 數千年沒有進化?

Mile Swim

I learnt swimming from my father at the Southern Chinese Swimming Club in Shawkiwan, Hong Kong when I was really young. He taught me all the basics, from dog stroke, to back stroke to frog (breast) stroke. When I was in secondary school, I taught myself the cross (free style), or what I thought was free style. I would show off my "techniques" in swimming pools and at beaches, and the thought of continuous learning never entered my mind. It was when I joint the YMCA/YWCA here a few years ago that I realized how little I had known about swimming. I was not bad with short/medium distance, but when it came to the mile swim, all the imperfections in my swimming techniques showed up and multiplied exponentially. Did it ever cross my young and proud mind that I would have to learn swimming all over again? Of course not !! The mile swim really taught me a good lesson about life-long learning.

一里泳

兒時在筲箕灣南華會游泳棚,在父親教導下,學識了最基本的狗泳、背泳、蛙泳等。中學也敎了自己怎樣游自由式,在泳池海灘,大演身手,全無問題。於是乎自以為是,對游泳學習一事,不什重視。但自從參加了這裏青年館之後,才知道自己根本對游泳還只是畧識皮毛,短程還沒問題,但到接近一英里的時候,所有平時不察覺的小毛病,就以複合式的幅度增加。當時年少氣盛之我,又怎會想到這基本的游泳術,今天也要重頭學起呢?一里泳真是給了我一個很好的教訓。

Eye Witness

As we journey through life, I find that quite often we become willingly, unwillingly, or by coincidence, the eye-witness of an event in progress or a turning point in history. I am not talking about being an official witness in court or in Parliament. I am referring to those of us who will re-tell (in our old age) the stories to future generations as to what we see today on television, on the street, or during a trip and how we feel at the time. All these information that are posted on the web, including the images recorded on cameras or cellular phones, will be part of our stories to tell in the future.

轉捩點的目擊者

在人生過程中,發覺很多時候,在自己願意,或在巧合,或不由自主的情況下,做了一個事件或歷史轉捩點的目擊者.我說的見証不是上法庭或國會那種官方歩驟,而是我們在電視,旅行,或街上看見或感受到的,或偶然用手提電話拍攝到的.這些消息資料,也就存記在綱絡,供後人參考了.

加拿大軍人: 2006國殤紀念日 - 在法蘭德斯戰場 / Canadian soldiers: Remembrance Day 2006 - In Flanders Fields

Here is the famous poem "In Flanders Fields" written by Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) of the Canadian Army, to mark the end of Remembrance Day 2006 and to especially remember the Canadians soldiers who died in Hong Kong during World War II:

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe;
To you from falling hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

References: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Flanders_Fields

++++++++++++++++++++++
UPDATED 20131028

According to Wikipedia:

在法蘭德斯戰場（英文：In Flanders Fields）是在第一次世界大戰其間的最重要的詩作之一，也被認為是那個時期最流行的詩。這首法文迴旋詩體的英文詩是加拿大的軍醫約翰•麥克雷中校(英文： John McCrae )在目睹了他的年僅22歲的戰友 Alexis Helmer 中尉的死，於第二天1915年5月3日所作，同年12月，發表在英國倫敦的雙周刊 Punch 上。法蘭德斯是第一次世界大戰最慘烈的戰場，盛開着虞美人花。因為這首詩，虞美人花成為全球國殤紀念日佩花。

Translation into Chinese by Wikipedia:

在法蘭德斯戰場虞美人迎風開放
開放在十字架之間，一排排一行行
標示我們斷魂的地方
雲雀依舊高歌，展翅在藍藍的天上
可你卻難以聽見，因為戰場上槍炮正響

我們死去了，就在幾天前
我們曾經擁有生命，沐浴曙光又見璀璨夕陽
我們愛人也為人所愛，可現在卻安息在
法蘭德斯戰場

繼續和敵人戰鬥吧
顫抖的雙手拋給你們
那熊熊的火炬，讓你們將它高舉
你們若辜負死去的我們
我們將不會安息，儘管虞美人
染紅法蘭德斯戰場

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
UPDATED 20131108:

Photo credit: Facebook user "Canada Remembers"

Related info below:  http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=6009

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae 
Died: January 28, 1918

Regimental Number:	NA	Survived War:	No
Force:	Army	Regiment:	Canadian Army Medical Corps
Battalion:	No. 3 General Hospital	Company:
Place of Birth:	Guelph, Ontario	Country:	Canada
Next of Kin:	Janet Eckford McCrea, mother, 211 Paisley Street, Guelph, Ontario	Address at Enlistment:	At sea, between Canada and England. Wired his desire to enlist from the ship.
Date of Birth:	November 30, 1872	Trade or Calling:	Physician
Marital Status:	Single	Prior Military Experience:	Yes
Place of Enlistment:	Valcartier, Quebec	Date of Enlistment:	September 22, 1914
Age at enlistment:	41	Height:	6 Feet Inches
Chest:	40 Inches	Expansion:	4 Inches
Religion:	Presbyterian	Enlisted or Conscripted:	Enlisted
Saw service in:	Europe
Cause of Death:	Died of Illness	Battle Died/Wounded:
Date of Death:	January 28, 1918	Age at Death:	45
Buried at:	Wimereux Communal Cemetery, France	Plot:	IV. H. 3.
Commemorated:	Various
Prisoner of war:	No	Interned:
Gender:	Male	Ethnic Origin:	Caucasian

LAC Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 7202-2

Canadian Virtual War Memorial Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Research Notes

Link to Toronto Star article - Guelph house commemorates Flanders' poet McCrae (November 10, 2009) Named on Nominal Roll for No. 3 General Hospital (McGill), embarkation Port - Montreal, Ship - S.S. Metagama, and dated 06 May 1915.

Rank	Regiment	Unit	Company
Lieutenant Colonel	Canadian Army Medical Corps	No. 3 General Hospital
Major	Canadian Artillery	1st Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery
Lance Corporal	Canadian Infantry	85th Battalion

Images

Memorial to John McCrae at Essex Farm Cemetery, Ypres

Hand written "In Flanders Fields" dated Dec. 8 1915

Soldier, explorer, physician, educator and poet.  Author of "In Flanders Fields", possibly the best known poem in the world. Colonel John McCrae (1872-1918) was born in Guelph, Ontario, studied medicine at the University of Toronto where he graduated at the top of his class. He enlisted and fought in the Boer War in South Africa. On his return he took a fellowship at McGill University in Montreal. McCrae served as a special professor in pathology at the University of Vermont, an associate of medicine at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal and a lecturer in pathology and medicine at McGill University. He was also employed as a pathologist at Montreal General Hospital and as a physician at the Royal Alexandra Hospital ( Montreal) for Infectious Diseases. When the First World War began in 1914, McCrae enlisted as the Brigade Surgeon in the First Brigade of Canadian Field Artillery. He was responsible for a field dressing station at the front and treated those wounded during the Second Battle of Ypres in the spring of 1915. As well as performing his duties as surgeon, he also served in the Artillery, when needed.  In the summer of 1915, McCrae was transferred from the artillery Brigade to the Number 3 Canadian General Hospital in Wimereaux, France, where he was second in command of medical services. On January 24, 1918 he was appointed as consulting physician to the First British Army, the first Canadian so honoured. 4 days later, on January 28th, McCrae died from pneumonia, complicated by meningitis. He is buried at Wimereaux Cemetery in France.  At McCrae's funeral procession, Generals and nursing sisters stood side-by-side, silently watching the cortege pass. While an extraordinary soldier and physician, Colonel McCrae is best known for his poem “In Flanders Fields”. It is a lasting legacy of the terrible battle in the Ypres salient in the spring of 1915 and to the war in general. McCrae had spent seventeen days treating injured men -- Canadians, British, French, and Germans in the Ypres salient. McCrae later wrote: "I wish I could embody on paper some of the varied sensations of that seventeen days... Seventeen days of Hades! At the end of the first day if anyone had told us we had to spend seventeen days there, we would have folded our hands and said it could not have been done." The next day McCrae witnessed the burial of a good friend, Lieut. Alexis Helmer.  Later that day, sitting on the back of an ambulance parked near the field dressing station, McCrae composed the poem. A young NCO, delivering mail, watched him write it. When McCrae finished writing, he took his mail from the soldier and, without saying a word, handed his pad to the Sergeant-major. Cyril Allinson was moved by what he read: "The poem was exactly an exact description of the scene in front of us both. He used the word blow in that line because the poppies actually were being blown that morning by a gentle east wind. It never occurred to me at that time that it would ever be published. It seemed to me just an exact description of the scene." Colonel McCrae was dissatisfied with the poem, and tossed it away. A fellow officer retrieved it and sent it to newspapers in England. The Spectator, in London, rejected it, but Punch published it on 8 December 1915. For his contributions as a surgeon, the main street in Wimereaux is named “Rue McCrae”. His famous poem has become the lasting memorial to the war.

Type	Date	Description
Newspaper Extract	8/21/1918	The Battle of Amiens - Account by Captain R. J. Renison C.C.
Newspaper Extract	11/11/1921	In Flanders Fields - Stephen Leacock on John McCrae
War Diary Entry	6/1/1915	1st. Canadian Field Artillery Brigade

Men at age 30 blossom like flowers; Women at Age 30 are nothing but used tea leaves !!

Before you shoot me, the messenger, please read the article below that was quoted by Wendelin in the blog " La Casa de los Espiritus 精靈之屋"

Article from: 中時人間副刊
Title: Women Blossom Only After Age Thirty / 女人三十才含苞
Author: 劉黎兒 (20061022)
Translator: Haricot (Chinese to English)

" ............. Women younger than thirty are not mature emotionally and intellectually, nor are there any expectations either from themselves or others that they should be. They have gone through lives in a fog, floating from here to there without purpose. Their state of affair at this point is neither planned nor designed, and the encounters are more by chance than by appointment. However, age thirty is the magical turning point, when women start to think about their lives and their future. Colorful dreams and passion for a purposeful life emerge. They begin to take charge and decide what kind of a woman they should become. Age 30 is the age of awakening, when women realize their past is as valuable and murky as used bath water. During the transition period between age 28 to 32, women reckon that life has just begun rather than ended. All of a sudden, panic strikes and there is this urge to change and redesign their lives. By the time they are 33 or 34, many women have already changed their jobs, their lovers, marriages, etc ......."

After reading the full text of the above article, and the comments by our blogger friend Wendelin, I started to think about the old saying "Men at age 30 blossom like flowers; Women at Age 30 are nothing but used tea leaves !!". But, if that is old, conservative thinking of the past, then why did the author bring this up at this day and age in 2006? Why is there a need to specifically remind women that their lives blossom only after age 30? Is the author afraid that some modern women still fall prey to the old thinking, thus the article? I do not understand, nor do I agree with the author that women before 30 do not have the foggiest idea what they are doing. So it is with trepidation and mixed feelings that I decided to take the chance and publish this for readers to ponder over the subject matter and come to their own conclusions.

Haricot

男人三十一枝花,女人三十爛茶渣

在各位思者發炮之前,請先看看下列由 博友 Wendelin的「精靈之屋」雙重轉貼過來的一段文章:

中時人間副刊 / 女人三十才含苞 / 劉黎兒 / 2006-10-22

『.......... 三十歲之前的女人，心智要多成熟不容易，自己或別人也沒對自己太期待，總是懵懵懂懂、晃晃蕩蕩，好壞靠機運以及邂逅居多，但三十歲之後，女人的方向、人生色彩感都開始出現，自己可以決定要當什麼樣的女人，女人最珍貴的時期從此起跳；三十歲之後，如果因循二十八、九歲的調調懞然而曖昧度過的話，過了兩、三年 便會驚覺自己的人生現在才開始，女人作為女人既未結束，才要開始，便會匆匆忙忙想要改變自己，許多女人都在三十三、三十四時全部重來，像是換工作、換情人等......... 』

我讀完全上列之全文,再細讀 Wendelin 博友自己的評述,就回想起這「男人三十一枝花,女人三十爛茶渣」的舊說法.但如果那是保守的思想,為什麼在 2006 年,仍然需要特別指出,女人三十才含苞?難道就如作者所述, 三十歲之前的女人,總是懵懵懂懂?我就是不明白和不同意,故此冒被炮轟之險,在此供讀者參考,作結論.

除了天倫之外 / Beyond Kinship Love

熱血哺乳動物之中的母愛,是自然天生而來的,但人類的愛, 似乎就比較複雜了!我想愛就像宇宙能力的一種, 維持人與人之間的吸引和抗拒力.

Motherhood love is an intrinsic response in many mammals. However, human love appears to be more than just simple instinct. It is a universal energy force that binds and repels our species.

百年樹人 / Hundred Years old Tree "People"

後花園

Last respect

百年樹人 / Hundred Years old Tree "People"

我用手数,這棵樹大約有一百二十五個年輪,換句話說,樹的種子是在公元 1881 年落在這裏的泥土下發芽,過往百年多,它「看」着這個世界在它週圍轉變,直到 2006 年為止.

I counted approximately 125 tree-rings across the diameter of the trunk. In another word, the seed that was this tree found its way into the soil and started growing in AD 1881. It stayed on this spot and witnessed the world changing around it, until the year it was downed, in 2006.

百年樹人 / Hundred Years old Tree "People"

百年樹人 / Hundred Years old Tree "People"

百年樹人 / Hundred Years Old Tree "People"

百年樹人 / Hundred Years old Tree "People"

鄰居後花園,有兩棵五至六層樓高的大樹,過往夏天,很多雀鳥都在此起巢為家,松鼠也有数隻住在樹洞內.但在今年秋天的一場大風兩中,其中一棵被吹斷了一大半,可幸那数百公斤重的樹身沒有倒在居屋那方向,但卻壓壊了鄰居後園很多東西.後來樹醫生 tree doctor 來看,診斷兩棵樹都已介入暮年,樹心已非常軟弱,實不能活得長久.鄰居無夸,為安全計只得請樹專家 tree expert 砍下那兩棵老樹.為了紀念這兩位「百年樹人」,特攝数張照片, 在此為証,留作記錄云.

In my neighbour's backyard, there were two really old trees that measured five to six stories high. Over the years, it provided shelters for nesting birds and dwelling squirrels. Unfortunately, during a rainstorm last autumn, one of the trees was almost completely knocked down. Luckily, the hundreds of kilograms of wood did not fall onto this side of our houses. But it sure caused a lot of damages to our neighbour's backyard. When the tree doctor came, the prognosis was not good; both trees had its days and the core was too rotten for them to survive another storm. For the sake of our safety, my neighbour had no choice but to hire the tree experts to have the two trees cut down / put under. In view of the Chinese' respect for very old trees, I took some pictures as witnesses to these two hundred-years old tree "people", for the record.

修身,齊家,治國,平天下 / Refine One-self; Get Married; Govern the Nation; Bring Peace to the World

以前在老師教導之下,各莘莘學子,就都要牢記於心:「要先修身,次齊家,後治國及平天下.」或許是代溝的原因,年青的我就不接受那一套,我想:光是修身就是一輩子的功夫.齊家一事,如眾所知,不再是媒婥之言,首婚次嫁,離離合合,找一個終身的伴侶就不容易.治國平天下就更不像以前一樣,上京考試,一舉成名天下知,就可榮昇步入宮廷,處理國家大事. 故此一早就决定了自己的去向,就是要「收身,離家,自覺,遊天下. 」這當然和老師的願望背道而馳.時光流轉,今天的我,在加拿大住了很多年日,雖未曾踏足世界每一個角落,但可幸有機會遊遍北美,也到過其它好幾個地方,見了很多世面.如果今天遇到舊時的老師,他們又會怎樣想呢?

In the old school of thoughts, every scholar was supposed to remember the four goals of achievements, in the following order: Refine yourself which meant academic and spiritual refinements. Get married which usually referred to the young man putting his House in order. Govern the state/nation which meant landing a job with the government and becoming a mandarin. The last goal 平天下could mean flattening your enemies and/or bringing lasting peace to the world (depending on how you use the Chinese word 平). Perhaps it was a generation-gap thing, as a youngster I just couldn't accept such teaching. I thought: Great, it is going to take my whole life just to refine myself to perfection and be ready to get married. Without match-makers to do the screening and matching, and given the high divorce rate, the chance of getting it right the first time is very slim and not easy. Then, there is no more annual countrywide scholar examination that will provide a launching pad into the emperor's court to govern the nation and conquer the world. So, I decided at the time that my four goals would be: Pack up; Leave home; Self reflect; and Travel the world !! Obviously I was heading the opposite way of what my teachers were expecting. Well, many years have gone by and I now find myself well settled in Canada. While I am not a global trotter who leave footprints in every corner of the world, I have been lucky to be able to travel all over North America and a few other continents. Yes, I have seen quite a bit of the different faces of the world. I wonder what the comments from my old teachers would be if I run into them today.

情之一物

在我家的深處,在一個不常到的地方,就放了很多雜物,是多年積聚的回憶,每一件東西都代表那一段時日光景,是歡樂的,痛苦的,麻木的,成功或是失敗的,都像一件件歷史見証物,沾到手上,時光倒流,往事如煙,就在腦海中浮現.但在這些雜物中,卻有一個上了鎖的大皮喼,已有很多年沒有打開來看.其實也知道內裏存的是什麼,就是年青我熱戀時寫的日記,和一些大家一同拍攝的舊照片.但每一次想開喼來看,總是沒有勇氣,又將大皮喼放回那深處.自己也不明白這無名的恐懼,是不是害怕開了之後,就要面對現實,不能否認那年少氣盛,又不成熟的自我,還是恐怕舊情復發,觸動那深埋多年的慯心事,戀心淚,一動真情,就難以自拔呢? 其實人就是很矛盾,又想向前走,又忍不住要回頭看.人生日記就是自己手寫,但旅途中的故事,就滲入了其他很多人,既有萍水相逢,泛泛之交的,也有那無緣無份,年少無知的戀人.故事和戲是可以找人拍,歌是可以找人唱,但情之一物,又怎能找人照顧呢?

鎖上青年情感的手提箱 / The Suit Case

Somewhere deep in the basement not frequented by visitors, there is a collection of articles from an era gone by. Each piece represents a moment in time that might be happy, painful, paralyzed, successful or failing. Each piece is a witness to my own history, a mere touch of which will magically bring me back to the past, to a place where wisps of memories sing and dance in front of my eyes. But among the collection, there is a locked suitcase that, for whatever reason, I never have the courage to open and look inside. I know exactly what the contents are - a collection of letters to my first love and pictures of our time together. Several times I managed to unlock the suit case, but was not able to conquer this nameless fear and bring myself to actually opening it. Perhaps I am afraid that touching the photos inside will bring me face-to-face again with this youth who was so self-centre and immature. Or, perhaps reading the old letters will open the flood gate of emotions and unearth to the core years of love, bitterness and tears, to the extent I will be swept into a vortex of deep depression. How ironic it seems that we human always want to move forward and yet are often haunted by the past. We always want to be the master of our destinies and hold the pens that write our diaries, and yet our journeys inevitably will involve other people, be they ordinary friends or as in my case, my first love. Life is dramatic to the extent that one can hire actors and actresses to play it out for us on stage and in cinema. One can even hire someone to write, sing and serenade one's life story. But for the core love itself, one will be forever responsible.

The "Mini Meanies" in the Floating World of Mirrors and Flowers

Yuen Luk Luk's October 25th post on "Cursing the Mini Meanies" reminds me of the story in Chapter 19 of "The Floating World of Mirrors and Flowers":

..... After a few more days on the road, our travelers Tong-O and Ninth Uncle arrived at the City State of Qin Ran. Tong-O asked, "Ninth Uncle, have you been to this place before? I heard that the citizens here are short in both their statues and characters." Ninth Uncle replied, "The people here are famous for being defensive and mean and they speak with fork tongues. They will mislead you by saying sweet is bitter, salty is bland to make you all confused. Such is their practice here, so don't be too surprised." They disembarked, walked up to the city gate, through which they crawled through, and found themselves inside the city proper. The streets, lanes and steps were all so narrow and small that moving about was not exactly an easy task for our travelers. At the city centre, Tong-O and Ninth Uncle came upon the inhabitants who were no more than a foot tall for adults and four inches for children. To defend themselves from predatory bird attacks from above, they huddled close and walked in groups of three to five and carried weapons with them. Their postures were defensive and the speeches were equally barbed with poison, trickery and double-talks. Tong-O sighed, "I can now see why they are called Mini Meanies." .......

I am convinced that the Heartless People and the Mini Meanies are neighbours. As I asked in my post "The Floating World of Mirrors and Flowers" several days ago, are there many heartless and meanies among us? I hope that with the united will of the majority, righteousness will always prevail and that I will encounter less of them in our modern society.

鏡花緣之「小人國」

看到圓圓十月廿五日的『打小人』文章,就令我回想鏡花緣第十九回的故事『小人國』:

【節錄】
.... 走了几日，到了靖人國。唐敖道：「請教九公：小弟聞得靖人，古人謂之諍人，身長八丸寸，大約就是小人國。不知國內是何風景？」多丸公道：「此地風俗磽薄，人最寡情，所說之話，處處与人相反。即如此物，明是甜的，他偏說苦的；明是咸的，他偏說淡的：教你無從捉摸。此是小人國歷來風气如此，也不足怪。」二人于是登岸，到了城郭，城門甚矮，彎腰而進，里面街市极窄，竟難并行。走到城內，才見國人，都是身怪不滿一尺；那些儿童，只得四寸之長。行路時，恐為大鳥所害，無論老少，都是三五成群，手執器械防身；滿口說的都是相反的話，詭詐异常，唐敖道：「世間竟有如此小人，倒也少見。」....

這個「小人國」和我前数天所說的「沒心國」是鄰邦否?在這現代社會,沒心和小人又多不多呢?希望眾志成城,以正勝歪,少見他們也罷!

2006 萬聖節故事 / Halloween Story 2006

萬聖節脕上,下着微微細雨,到來拍門叫「Trick or Treat !!」的小朋友比舊年少,但有出來的就化裝得多姿多彩,有天使,小熊貓,超人等,真是非常cute.成人中除了有伴同子女的父母之外,也有一些童心沫老的「大牛龜」來湊熱鬧,找尋免費娛樂和糖果吃.也有趁機混水摸魚的,以下就是一個這類的故事,是真是假,由您定斷罷.

話說萬聖節那夜,有一的士司機椄了一個客,是一個年輕貌美的修女,那男司機色心大起,於是扮著苦面囗對修女說:「我生活了這把年紀,有的就是一個很柲密的心願,就是希望有一天能和一個修女接吻,不知妳能否成全我這個願望?」那修女聽後不知如何是好,於是說:「我的初吻,是只能給我教內的兄弟,你是信徒嗎?」那司機聽了,更加雀躍不已,忙說:「我就是信徒.」年輕的修女無夸,就給了他一個吻.那喜出望外的司機,情不自禁,大笑說:「哈!對不起了,我根本就不是什麼教徒,只想騙妳的初吻罷!」那修女回答說:「我也不是什麽修女,只不過是逢場作興,萬聖節男扮女裝而矣!」

On Halloween night, there weren't as many kids out as last year because of the drizzling rain. However, those who did come out were all dressed up as cute little angels, panda bears, supermen, etc. Beside the kids' parents, there were also other adults out trolling at night, such as the young-at-hearts who just wanted free entertainment and cheap candies. And then, there were those whose motives were not quite as clear, so let's listen to the following story and then you can tell me whether it's true or not.

On Halloween night, a taxi driver picked up a fare, a young and beautiful nun. The male driver was all "sexed" up and with a pretended sad face, he said, "All my life I have been waiting for this moment, my wish to be able to kiss a nun. I wonder if you could help me fulfill this dream of mine." The nun was much taken aback, but recovered quickly and said, "I am willing to help but my first kiss is reserved only to the brothers of my faith. Are you a believer?" At that point, the male driver was hot-on-the-trot and quickly replied, "Of course, I am a believer!" The nun had no choice and gave the man the kiss he wanted. Filled with excitement and joy, the cab driver could not help himself and shouted, "Ha!! I am not a believer; I just waned to steal your first kiss !!" The nun replied, "I am not a nun, I am just a guy dressing up as a woman on Halloween night."

一靜一動 / Qi Thinking

以下是我一靜和一動時不同的做法,提供各人參考:
一靜: 氣下丹田,心如止水.
一動: 形意合一,臨危不亂.
很多時候,心意散亂,就以這兩句提醒自己,不要等到像落地風箏一樣,那就太遲了.

This is what I visualize when I am practising my Qi:
* Rest: Qi settles in the Dan Tian; Mind stays calm as still water.
* Move: Form and mind merge as one; Will thrives amidst chaos.
I often use these two "mantras" (for lack of a better word) to gather myself together before I go too far down like a fallen kite.

The Diva Renée Fleming (3)

Photo Credit:
Her official website

The Diva Renée Fleming (2)

Photo Credit:
Her official website

The Diva Renée Fleming (1)

Photo Credit:
Her official website

The Diva Renée Fleming / 女高音 Renée Fleming

昨天友人告訴我,女高音Renée Fleming 在羅馬表演,可惜我沒有機會去欣賞.法國之世界日報說得好: 『她完美的歌喉能到達所有的調子,有無窮的氣量,充滿情感之音色,像生果一般的鮮艷甜蜜,她就是音樂界「十全十美」的定義.』明天我會趕去買她的新牒 "Homage - Age of the Diva" . 如果您想聽她的歌聲,請到 http://www.decca.com/features/reneefleming/homage_site/ 她也有自己的相片和新作品消息在http://www.reneefleming.com/ . Wikipedia 也有這位女高音的資料在: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renee_Fleming .

I wish I were at Renée Fleming's performance in Rome last week. As the French newspaper Le Monde says about her: "Voix parfaite sur toute les tessiture, souffle infini, timbre charnel, fruité ... Renée Fleming est la perfection même." Her new CD "Homage - Age of the Diva" will come out tomorrow and I will make sure I get one. Renée has such a great voice. I would suggest you listen to her on Decca's http://www.decca.com/features/reneefleming/homage_site/ (try it, the songs are great) and also visit her official website http://www.reneefleming.com/ (nice picture of the singer and info on her new releases). She is also mentioned on Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renee_Fleming .

鏡花緣 / The Floating World of Mirrors and Flowers

初中讀『鏡花緣』裏『沒心國』故事的時候,道行淺薄,做什麼讀書報告,也只是搬字過紙,根本就不明白作者的用意.現今雖不是大切大悟,但回想那個故事,見解感受又比較以前不同了.個人經歷,發覺無論在情場,商場,或戰埸,沒心國的人口倒不少,不過是很難知道在那衣冠之下,有的就只是一個大空洞!

When I first read the story "Heartless City" in one of the Chinese Classics "The Floating World of Mirrors and Flowers" (my translation), I was in junior high and did not have much experience. My book report was basically a transfer of words from book to paper with little understanding of the authour's deeper meaning. Now that I am, relatively speaking, more mature, my interpretation of the same story is quite different. Without sounding too negative, I do find that there are people coming from the Heartless City living among us. You may encounter them at work, in love affairs, or during wars. You just can't tell that under the suit or dress, there is a big hole where the heart should be.

Haricot / 微豆

鹹水中文 / "Lightly-Salted" Chinese

以前出外做留學生,是叫做「浸鹹水」, 意謂坐船過洋讀書.他們學成回鄉之後,就說得一口不鹹不淡的英文.反觀住在楓葉國多年的「華僑」,很多像我一樣,工作生活起居,用的都是英文和法文,中文少用生疏,很多時說的就是「鹹水中文」了,不知各位訪友察覺否?

In the old days of the ocean liners, people used to describe students going overseas for their education as "soaking in sea-water", a term that also inferred to their heavily Chinese-accented English upon their return. For Chinese Canadians who have lived here for a long time and are using mainly English and/or French on a daily basis, I wonder whether their Chinese is evolving the other way. Come to think of it, do you notice any English or French "accent" in the way I write my Chinese? Oui ou non?

戀與愛 / Falling in Love

今晚在家看 Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz, 2001), 其中有一片段,老婦告訴那年青主角說: 「戀愛就未必是愛,雙戀完畢之後那段長長的旅程才是愛.」您們認為她說得對嗎? (也請看San Wen Ji 散文集: 愛的定義)

In the movie Captain Corelli's Mandolin (Nicolas Cage and Penelope Cruz, 2001), there is a scene in which the old woman was telling the main character: "Falling in love is not love, the long journey after is." Don't you think there is certain truth to that?

初雪與初戀 / First Snow and First Love

今早望出窗外,看到新下的雪,一片一片的飄下來,真是好看.不知為什麼,初雪常給我一個半喜悅,半惆悵的感受.想有點像初戀一様,是一個開始,但知道是不長久的.

I looked out the window this morning and watched flakes of snow floating down from the sky. For some odd reasons, first snow often makes me feel happy and melancholy at the same time. Perhaps, it reminds me of first love - an exciting beginning that is not expected to last.

訓練跑馬拉松 / Training for a Marathon

難與易在乎個人的身心健康,和自算的時間目標.如果平時都有運動,醫生認為跑長途沒有問題,訓練就約四至六個月.至於在這段時間中,每星期的里数和速度多少,就在乎個人的時間目標了.以下的網址給作為參考:

Whether a marathon is going to be easy or hard may depend a lot on the health of a person's mind and body as well as his/her time goal. If an individual does regular exercise and the doctor tells him/her there is no problem with running long distance, then the training might take any where from four to six months. During this period, a set time goal may determine the required weekly milage and speed. Here is a suggested website to get people started:

http://www.runinjuryfree.com/training/marathon.html

旅遊南美洲阿根廷首都布宜諾斯艾利斯 / Travel to Buenos Aires Argentina South America

(下文由豆瓣 http://www.douban.com/people/Haricot/mirror 轉來此処共閱)

我曾探訪阿根庭的首都Buenos Aires,非常喜欢那地方,它有「南美巴黎」之稱,有很多建築物就像從歐洲搬來的一樣.我起程離開加拿大時是初冬,到達南美就是初夏,有可能是天氣關係,就覺得那裏真的有很濃厚的拉丁美洲熱情風味,男和女都穿得很上潮流,毫不保守.如果您有机会逗留,就一定要嘗嘗那边的夜生活.他們的晚歺是在九時以後才開始,吃完几乎是十一時至午夜,剛好是探戈舞精彩表演的開場時間,真是旦旦笙歌!阿根庭和大多拉丁美洲國家(除巴西外)都是說西班牙語,我因懂法文,故此看指示街招都不大有問題,但交談就是另一回事了.我不知由您処到南美要多少時間,但由Buenos Aires到Uruguay的首都Montevideo就只是一水之隔,不妨一遊.其他國家,如智利,巴西都不太遠,也可趁机遊覽.往南美最好是参加旅行團,自理旅遊也可,但就要非常非常之小心,很多我到過的南美地方,保安和看更的都有机關槍,黑店和黑的士行兇也有聽聞.大城巿旅遊區就沒多大問題.
　　
　　最後特此留下兩個websites給您欣賞,順祝旅途愉快!
　　
　　http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina
　　
　　http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buenos_Aires#Tango
　　
　　
　　微豆 / Haricot

田園之樂 / The Beautiful Countryside

田園之樂 / The Beautiful Countryside

以下三幅相片是十月初跑馬拉松賽時拍攝的,那処巧合又是一個農村地方,景色也和上述的農場不分上下.

The next three pictures depict the place where I ran the October marathon. It just happened that the race also took place in a farm area the scenery of which was just as nice.

田園之樂 / The Beautiful Countryside

田園之樂 / The Beautiful Countryside

離我家不遠,有一農場,是我練馬拉松的跑地.每年秋天,北雁南飛,常有数百隻雀鳥在此「驛」(翼)站休惉,吃秋收之後留在耕地上的榖麥,它們多是從北極圈左右地區南下途經此処,休息数天又繼續飛行餘下数千里的行程.我最近每次在農場跑步,都会趁机会拍一些田園的相片,享一享受秋天的景色,也是樂事也!

Not far away from where I live, there is a farm that is my favorite marathon training ground. At this time of the season, there are hundreds of Canadian geese and other varieties of birds feeding on the grains that are left over from the fall harvest. The geese usually start their journey somewhere near the Artic Circle and every year they will pass by this area en route to their southern destinations thousands of miles away. Whenever I go running in the farm area, I always take the opportunity to enjoy the fall scene and take some pictures of the countryside.

破產公司破產 / Liquidation Company Went Bankrupt

市面經濟好,破產公司就不景.不知道破產公司破產,又由誰處理其破產業務?

A bull market spells trouble for the liquidation business. So who is around to liquidate this bankrupt liquidation company?

跑馬拉松 / Running Marathons

這是我的第六個馬拉松,賽後休息一個星期,讓身體有時間復原.有人說生命就是個長程(我說也是長情)的馬拉松,但會問:跑呀跑呀的為了什麼?到了終點就完蛋了!我認為像跑馬拉松一樣,成功失敗不是完全放在過終點時的一剎那間,而是訓練自己對個人(及同伴拍檔)所有的認識,知道我們的能力和限度.這或許就是內在和外在鼔勵及嘉奨的分別罷.

I just finished my 6th running marathon and am taking a week off to give the body a chance to recover. Some people said life itself is a marathon, albeit a very long one, and in both the physical and emotional sense. If the comparison holds, then the question arises as to why all the efforts when the end does not seem to justify the means. Au contraire, I would submit that the quest to find out the capability and limits of ourselves (and of our partners and co-runners) is really a part of defining our existence. From that perspective, it's not so much the success or failure of our race at the end that is important, but rather the knowledge of who we are during the journey. The internal motivation of self-discovery differentiates those who continue and those who give up because of a lack of external reward.

微豆 / Haricot