Thursday, July 31, 2008

燒烤牛扒 ∕ BBQ Steak

BBQ in the backyard or at the cottage is a must for many Canadians during the summer season. This was what I had last Saturday at a cottage located along the Rideau River. I always like my beef on the rare side, with a generous portion of potato and mixed salad on the side. I am not much of a wine drinker, so I may spend the whole evening nursing on a glass of red/white, while others will finish a bottle within an hour. But then I always like swimming in the lake (including the occasional skinny-dips at night if it's not too buggy) and I don't want to have to deal with the effect of alcohol in the water. Oh, I love summer !!

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

青山依舊在,幾度夕陽紅 / A Sunset to Remember

滾滾長江東逝水
浪花淘盡英雄
是非成敗轉頭空
青山依舊在
幾度夕陽紅


白髮漁樵江渚上
慣看秋月春風
一壺濁酒喜相逢
古今多少事
都付笑談中


源自: 明代楊慎(1488年-1559年)所作的【臨江仙】     

Monday, July 28, 2008

Missing photo + Responding to your comments

As per my note below, I have added the missing 廉租屋邨 photo and responded with thanks to comments provided by:

Tofufa
Hyacinthus
新鮮人
樸老
啤酒花™_J
Wo_木土人_od

Please visit the series "展趐不回顧 ∕ Leaving the Nest Part 1 to 5" to see my responses.

啤酒花™_J: Please click below to see those in this Feb 2007 blog article「花開堪折直須折,莫待無花空折枝 (一) / Reminiscing in Front of a Cl...

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

Original message dated July 26, 2008:

In my last post, there is a photo missing. I will upload it on either Sunday or Monday. At that time, I will also respond to all your comments. Thank you for your patience :)

Haricot

展趐不回顧 (五) ∕ Leaving the Nest (5)




"Land of the silver birch,
home of the beaver;
Where still the mighty moose

wanders at will;
Blue lake and rocky shore,

I will return once more ..."

我尋覓外國大學的時侯,都是有點像漁翁撒網式,上丶中丶下都有去申請,第一間回信确定接收的是美國夏威夷大學,当下我大為高興,持着批准信件告訢父親,那知他面色一沈,很簡單的說個『不能去!』拒絕給我任何支持。在他的世界覌來看,夏威夷是充滿了袒胸露背,搔首弄姿的草裙舞孃,一個年輕孩子又那能扺擋那沙灘上迷你三點式的春光誘惑,一心一意在學堂內讀書呢!!!

我聽後滿肚子的不高興,這樣難得的机会,一生人可能只有一次(看草裙舞和讀書),他又怎可以這樣無理無情,加以留難!! 沒多久,有人提議父親送我往加拿大就讀,聽說那裏天氣奇寒,冰天雪地,暴露皮膚的机会不高,也不容易見到穿比基尼的雌性尤物。父母和众親戚商量,大家都对此選擇並無異議,於是在翌年八月,我手提兩箱隨身行李,在啟德机場告別父母親戚(和我的女友),從香港經夏威夷往加拿大,開始那漫長的人生道路。

後語:

【展趐不回顧】不是一篇政治分析論文,它只是簡單素描当年我長大之地香港的時代丶背景,和普通年輕人的心態。社会是隨著時日而變,今日在香港長大的學生,不再是在「米」字旗下讀填鴨式的教育,他們有日新月異的高級科技,從螢光幕丶網絡丶和傳媒処窺看到整個世界,正是:『秀才不出門,能知天下事。』但話雖如此,今時今日,我這走江湖的的井蛙,仍会是鼓勵後生的早日離巢,放眼世界,唐代韓愈說得好:『... 故欲獲真知灼見,則遊歷尚已。』

(完)

攝映图片 Photo Credit: Wikipedia
* Beaver 水獺
* Moose 大角麋,駝鹿
* Algonquin Park, Ontario, Canada 加拿大安大畧省阿爾貢金(印第安人族)公園

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

展趐不回顧 (四) ∕ Leaving the Nest (4)


唐代韓愈:『坐井觀天,曰天小者,非天小也,其所見小也。夏蟲不可與語冰,非無冰也,以其未見冰也。』

話說我年輕時,打算離開家庭,闖蕩江湖,但我入世未深,所知丶所見丶所聞都是從媒体処傳來,人云亦云,所以世界覌是非常狹隘,以下例子,可見一斑:

* 日本: 死架仔;蘿白頭;財叔;三毛流浪記;中國勝利丶日本掃地;保衛釣魚台; ...
* 印度: 阿差;金舖守衛;咖喱;包頭教; ...
* 英國丶美國丶歐洲: 無分別,都是西方國家白種人;紅鬚綠眼;鬼佬/仔/婆/妹; ...
* 加拿大: 同上,不過冰天雪地; ...
* 黑人: 都是從非洲來的; 泰山野人記; 美國種族暴動; ...
* 紅番: 牛仔片裏,住尖帳篷,騎沒鞍馬的蠻人,好兇惡,要小心; ...
* 愛斯基摩人: 在北極住冰屋的原始民族,有點似唐人,但又不是唐人,真奇怪; ...

由於当時父母入息少,家裏沒有电視机,住在廉租屋邨的街坊小童,也和我一樣,不是藍血家族,也不是知識份子,所以我們除了知道香港時事之外,思想丶意識丶形態都很本地化,沒有什麼世界觀,情感多於理智,就像早期的電子遊戲一樣,low resolution解析度非常低!!!

(下續: 事與願違/夏威夷的草裙舞嬢)

(請閱讀: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/03/italy-roman-holidays.html 唐代韓愈【原道】:『坐井觀天,曰天小者,非天小也,其所見小也。夏蟲不可與語冰,非無冰也,以其未見冰也。淺隘之子,蟄居鄉曲,見聞有限,遇事好以臆度,中者十一,不中者十八九,皆坐井觀天,夏蟲語冰類也。故欲獲真知灼見,則遊歷尚已。』)

Note: This article was actually posted on July 26, 2008 11h45
攝映图片 Photo Credit: Wikipedia
* 我離去後的廉租屋邨老巢

展趐不回顧 (三) ∕ Leaving the Nest (3)


魯迅1925年4月18日【华盖集: 革新与保古】: 『不革新,是生存也為難的,而况保古。我們目下的当務之急,是:一要生存,二要溫飽,三要發展。苟有阻碍這前途者,全都踏到他。』

中外古今,每一個年代都有「憤青」,年輕的一代,反叛性強,很多時对現實就是不滿,对上一代的一套更加就是不能接受。或許叛性就是青年人尋求自我獨立的推動力,沒有這活勁去發展創新,社会就会故步自封,不能達到新陳代謝,適者生存,不適者被淘汰的階段。

所以当年我看到做打工仔的父親日捱夜捱,為三斗米而折腰,入息僅足糊口,曾有一段時期更要上押店,和向我的袓父借錢來維持家庭支費,我就是不能接受那種現實,也不想重走我父親那條路。

為了生存丶為了溫飽丶為了發展,我是很渴望能夠離開家庭,自謀生計,一方面是可減輕父母親負擔,另一方面是想告別香港那彈丸之地,要旅遊世界每一個角落,實踐我自己「收身,離家,自覺,遊天下」的願望。

但話得說回來,我当年雖是滿腔熱血,但在思維和感情方面卻是非常淺薄和不成熟,我告訢女友說: 『我唔想做一個普通嘅人。』她聽我這樣說,傷心哭了。沒有錯,我是坦白,說出了我心中想說的話和志願,但卻忘記了对方的期望,誰会將感情投注在一隻震趐欲飛的離巢鳥?!!

References: 『修身,齊家,治國,平天下』
* http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2006/11/refine-one-self-get-married-govern.html

(下續: 狹隘的世界覌)

Monday, July 21, 2008

展趐不回顧 (二) ∕ Leaving the Nest (2)

『後生仔好食懶飛,送咗佢去外國,等佢學吓自立啦!!!』
"Send your son abroad! Young people need to get off their butts and learn to become independent !!!"

封建規範列明女人有「三從」之義: 未嫁從父、出嫁從夫、夫死從子,而婦女在家庭的权力也是和父丶夫丶子有直接聯系,故此養兒防老(俗稱「跟仔」),是上數年代很多寡婦的唯一退休保障。我「細婆」的丈夫(我外祖父)是在和平之前,在香港走難返鄉下時過身,所以我相信她对我母親語重心長的勸告,是多年守寡得來的經驗和教訓。

但是我父親的想法卻是從傳統父系社会男人的角度丶覌念來看,與母親和「細婆」的邏輯迥然不同。【三字經】有云:『養不教,父之過』,雖然老父入息有限,但他仍是想要縮衣節食,供我往外國留學,而我的祖父也勸告他說: 『後生仔好食懶飛,送咗佢去外國,等佢學吓自立啦!!!』

(下續: 我自己的想法)

Saturday, July 19, 2008

展趐不回顧 (一) ∕ Leaving the Nest (1)

『妳千祈唔好俾佢去,佢去咗就唔返嚟架啦!』
''Don't let your son go, for he will fly away and never come back!''


我寫完上一篇網誌【生老病死, 生離死别 / Human Existence and Experience】之後,不禁想起当年自己離鄉別井,遠渡重洋,單身來到加拿大時的心情。其實在我未被批准入大學之前,我的「細婆」(即外祖父的第三個妻子)是非常反对我去外國留學的。我的母親雖然不是「細婆」的親生女,但我的外祖母(第二個妻子)很年輕就去了世,所以「細婆」有點像我母親的繼母。

她給母親的勸告,也是很有那時代女人的思想丶覌點丶背景丶和理由。在一個封建家庭中,女人其中一個主要責任就是「漚仔」,懷胎九月之後,如果嬰兒沒有早夭,出生後生母就暫用阿牛丶阿豬丶阿狗等畜生的乳名,希望可以欺騙那些奪取人命的邪神,令嬰兒有机会生存多一個月,到滿月擺酒之日,就正式將他/她的真正姓名和(長子謫孫的)學名,加入族譜作為記錄。

既然養兒育女是這般艱難,而兒女早夭病逝(俗稱「養唔大」)的机会又這麼高,做母親的又怎会放心看著年輕的後代,還未開枝散葉,就單人匹馬,投身異域,離開她的羽翼保護之下呢?!!

(下續)

Sunday, July 13, 2008

生老病死, 生離死别 / Human Existence and Experience

(Words of encouragement to a blog friend)

This morning on the radio, I heard a good line from a punk rocker who, oddly enough, also believes in Buddhism. He said: Buddhism is not about suffering. It is more about our expectations not being fulfilled in life. His idea is to seek happiness from ordinary things, such as looking at the moon or the blue sky - no expectations there, we are all part of nature :)

Sometimes we need to put things in perspective. We are not the first in the human race to go through 生老病死, 生離死别, nor will we be the last one. It is all part of the human existence and experience, for thousand of years.

Thursday, July 10, 2008

街頭露宿者追悼會 / Memorial Service for a Homeless Man

A homeless man who many said had touched their lives passed away at age 51 of a heart attack on Canada Day. For the last 10 years or so, many downtown office workers were greeted by Mr. André Hamel and his dog Muff at their favourite spot on O'Connor Street. "He never asked me for money," said a woman interviewed by CBC Radio. "He was always cheerful and humorous. We will miss him."

The sentiment was shared by the hundreds of people who attended a community-initiated memorial service for Mr. Hamel on July 10th. Many wept and remembered the man who had brightened up their days. "I wish I had talked to him," admitted the CBC interviewer. "Instead of treating the homeless as human beings, some people "see" them as part of the city landscape."


Mr. Hamel's dog Muff is currently cared for by another street person, Mr. Darryl Dempsey. "Every time I take him for a walk, he thinks I'm going to take him to see André," said Mr. Dempsey. It is evident both Muff and many downtown office workers will miss Mr. Hamel's smiling face for a long long time.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sources of information:
* http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2008/07/09/panhandler-dies.html?ref=rss
* http://ottawa.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20080710/OTT_Homeless_080710/20080710/?hub=OttawaHome
* http://www.care2.com/c2c/groups/disc.html?gpp=780&pst=756809
* The Ottawa Citizen: Article by Jennifer Campbell, Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Related References:
* My previous blog article dated Dec 21, 2006:街頭露宿者的心声 / Homeless Man Speaks
Chinese: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2006/12/blog-post.html
English: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2006/12/homeless-man-speaks.html
* Please see the blog "Homelessmanspeaks" by Philip and Tony at http://homelessmanspeaks.wordpress.com/

Photo Credit:
* http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/photogalleries/template.html?topic=08-07-10-hamel (Pat McGrath, The Ottawa Citizen)

Monday, July 07, 2008

55歲自由身 / Freedom 55

以前加拿大某間保險公司的投資理財部門,常在電視賣一個叫"Freedom Fifty-five"的廣告,意会該公司提供的投資服務,可以幫助顧客在55歲重獲自由身,有足夠的收入,享受無憂無慮的退休生活。於是有很多打工仔打工女,就常以55歲為退休目的地或工作總站,他/她們都希望能像告廣上那对頭髮還未白的「後生」男女,躺臥在加勒比海幼滑的白沙灘上,悠游自在,享受那温暖的海風和鮮甜的生果美食,在四季如春的天堂島嶼上旅居。

但不幸得很,有佷多人的夢想是隨著股市在新紀元下跌而成泡沫,我有几個在電腦科技行業做的朋友,更被公司解僱,不但失業,而且計劃用來作提早退休用的大量股市花紅丶儲蓄金也完全被貶值,由每股佰多元跌至十元左右。所以如果今天您問這些打工仔打工女,有沒有55歲自由身freedom fifty-five的机会,他/她們可能都会給您一個苦笑,調整退休年歲至freedom 65或75不等!!!

我不是反对打工仔/女投資,只不過想指出前車可鑑,投資者应該先明白股市和其它財務市場的交易規律和冒險性,然後才作一個理智的决定。不過,世界輪流轉,新一代的年輕人很多未曾嘗過「大閘蟹」的滋味,仍以為股市永遠是有起無落,对他/她們來說,55歲自由身仍是一個非常有可能的美夢啊!!

Thursday, July 03, 2008

加拿大首都渥太華國慶日 / Canada Day in Ottawa the Nation's Capital

在加拿大國慶日早晨,我跑完了HBC (Hudson Bay Company) 舉辦的10公里賽跑之後,就在首都渥太華市中行街丶映相丶吃雪糕丶聽音樂丶和看各式各樣的賣藝人在街頭表演,逛了整個下午。晚上十時和母親往國会山莊Parliament Hill看放煙花,那裏人山人海,和我們一樣往看熱鬧的估計大約有七萬五千人,有男有女,扶老攜幼。加拿大是多元文化國家,少數民族visible minorities佔總人口約13%,所以人群之中除了亞洲裔人仕之外,也有來自世界不同地方的移民和他/她們的後代,濟濟一堂,很有節日氣氛。

Photographs 攝影圖片: 由下至上
(一) 孩子們爬攀國家藝術館National Arts Centre (NAC)前的雕刻像上玩耍
(二) 離國会山莊不遠的Major Hill Park 公園,有火車接送到訪小遊客
(三) 國会前的威靈頓亍Wellington Street 人山人海,都是來看熱鬧的本地人和遊客
(四) 晚上十時,人群聚集在國会山莊Parliament Hill,欣賞加拿大國慶日放的煙花Canada Day firework

Related Link: http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B8%A5%E5%A4%AA%E8%8F%AF

Tuesday, July 01, 2008

加拿大國慶日: 10公里賽跑 / Canada Day 10k Run



每逢七月一日加拿大國慶,我都会趁趁熱鬧,有報名參加HBC Hudson Bay Company 的10公里賽跑,。還記得初學跑步時,友人說這中程距離,应該在40-50分鐘之內完成,於是我每年訓練,都以每公里4至5分鐘為標凖速度。当然,我這個業餘「損」(選)手和那些18-22歲的年青運動員一比之下,就真是「蚊脾同牛脾」,相形見絀了,他/她們通常都能在30-35分鐘左右完成賽事。正如我自嘲說: 『天生我才必有用,但芭蕾舞和賽跑冠軍,就要等來世了!!!』
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