兩週一聚 (二十一期) 「假如你是一本書......」【瑪格麗特‧愛特伍 : 認同与生存】 / 2weeks1gather (#21)「If you were a book...... 」【Margaret Atwood: Identity and Survival】

兩星期前在 Vince 処報名時,自以為這題目是易如反掌 a piece of cake ,但到真正在今早提筆寫的時候,才明白為什么網友「周游」說這是一條『頗難度高的題目』。雖然我在香港中學時代時曾晝夜不眠,啃了好几本厚厚的中國文學巨著,包括【西遊記】丶【鏡花緣】丶【水滸傳】丶【三國演義】等,來到加拿大後又趁着在Grande Prairie, Alberta 当夜班 graveyard shift 看更時,讀透了那本看破紅麈丶中國四大名著之一的【石頭記】(紅楼夢)。但是喜愛並不等於深愛,深愛亦不一定表示認同,認同亦未必有需要將「彼」書和「此」我成為「個體」。無論我閱讀了多少本中外奇書,能夠令我如Vince說『披起書衣﹐自我介紹』的卻真是廖廖可數。

如果我真是要和一本書打上關係,我是会選擇渥太華出生的女作家瑪格麗特‧愛特伍（Margaret Atwood )在 1972年出版的【Survival: A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature】,在【生存】這本書中, 愛特伍用「受害者」四個不同的思想角度,透過加拿大文學家的寫作,來分析這個年輕國家在世界上生存的覌點和見解 (i.e. the what, why, and where of 'here is Canada as a nation' and 'yes, we have our national identity') 。她的結論是加拿大作家無論是寫有關大自然 (Nature the Monster)丶野獸 (Animal Victims)丶原居人 (First Peoples) 丶家庭 (Family Portrait) 丶移民 (Failed Sacrifices: The Reluctant Immigrant) 等等,他∕她們的基本主題焦點都是「生存」,而故事多会認同主角為「受害者」,勿論victim是用正面或負面眼光和行動來達到這生存目的。

对我這個在歐美主流文化中生活多年的華裔,愛特伍【生存】這本書是引起我內心很大的共嗚。撇開我自己不談,中西歷史倒有很多有關認同和生存的例子:

• 在二次大戰前守舊封建社会,女性要三從四德,嫁鳮隨街,嫁狗隨狗,被丈夫遺棄或中年守寡的女人是二手貨丶過期品,她是討不到男人欢心丶失敗的「黃臉婆」,什至是刻死老公的「掃把星」,她的孩子是「油瓶仔丶油瓶女」。舊社会的女性受害人不單只是要受難,還要自咎負上責任,被迫与罪咎認同 (and in the judeo-Christian western culture, it was Eve who offered the apple to Adam, thereby committing the Original Sin and getting us all in trouble)。

• 二次大戰後有些街坊小童在亍边讀連環图丶在戲院看李小龍的時候,与「財叔」丶「三毛」丶或「唐山大兄」等故事人物認同,立誓長大後要殺滅日倭,要為無辜死在「蘿白頭」武士刀下的南京百姓,和上千過萬同胞報仇雪恨。他們是与同族受害者認同。

• 近代年青人在政治風暴中与某黨某派宣傳書籍丶印刷品丶口號認同,鬥跨鬥臭XYZ,或正如上任美國總統布殊說:『You are either with us or against us!!』世界的戰爭衝突分水線是和各國的宗教和價值覌認同有直接關係。

• 最近很多網民与無辜被「人肉搜索」的受害人認同,大家要為改善網絡世界內外的生存條件而聯合反抗「黃色暴力」。中國的「人肉搜索」第一案, 在2008年4月17日於北京市朝陽區人民法院亞運村法庭開庭審理。。

以我個人來說,認同是我在北美西方主流社会裏,每天要面对的現實,是每分每秒為生存而作出的衡量過程丶决定。在日常生活工作環境中,華裔洋化多點保守華僑会搖頭嘆息說:『你們這群忘本丶黃皮白心的「香蕉仔」丶「香蕉女」!!』,是如魯迅在【阿Q正傳】說的「假洋鬼子」;但是板起唐人的臉孔丶態度丶覌點和「老外」(多么親切的招呼!) 打交道,又恐怕会被主流社会拒諸門外,備受歧視丶排斥。

正如我在2008年8月24日答覆網友 Inner Space 說: "我認為 (華人在海外生存的) 關鍵是在乎:
(1) 內覌: 每個人对自己的認同和接受程度;
(2) 外覌: 社会对這個人的認同和接受程度。”
而認同的覌念是隨時日磨練而轉變,是人類生存的演變過程之一。

結語: Vince 出的「假如你是一本書......」兩週一聚題目,的确令我想起了很多埋藏在心裡有關「認同与生存」的問題,所以也就趁此机会借題發揮。雖然我在這篇文章披上了愛特伍【Survival: A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature】的書衣來介紹自己,但俗語有云:『穿上龍袍,亦不似太子』,我在此只是沾Margaret Atwood 的光,也有可能誤解了她原書的本意。但正如我前述: 喜愛並不等於深愛,深愛亦不一定表示認同,認同亦未必有需要將「彼」和「此」成為「個體」。我雖不認同我是「受害者」,但对愛特伍的寫作思想卻是深有敬意,所以在此冒昧做了一個作家思想和讀者回应的聯繫,請各位幸勿見笑!! (I do sound very Chinesy here, do I ?? <;-)

請到「兩週一聚」師奶亭処參閱其他∕她会說話的書:

http://2weeks1gather.wordpress.com/

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Updated 20090901:
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Below are my blog articles on Margaret Atwood's "Penelopiad":

希臘神話【潘妮洛普】: 觀點與角度 / Margaret Atwood's "The Penelopiad": Point of View

* 上集Part 1: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/10/margaret-atwoods-penelopiad-point-of.html
* 中集Part 2: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/10/margaret-atwoods-penelopiad-point-of_20.html
* 下集 Part 3: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/10/margaret-atwoods-penelopiad-point-of_2901.html

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Related Links and References:

* "假如你是一本書......" http://memoriesblossom.blogspot.com/2009/08/blog-post_18.html

* "中國文學" http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E6%96%87%E5%AD%A6

* “Survival: A Thematic Guide to Canadian Literature” http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survival:_A_Thematic_Guide_to_Canadian_Literature (also Photo Credit to Wikipedia)

* “「人肉搜索」第一案 是惡魔還是天使” http://news.wenweipo.com/2008/07/16/IN0807160084.htm

* "酒吧女老闆遭「人肉搜索」被當二奶攻擊" http://news.wenweipo.com/2008/07/16/IN0807160086.htm

* 2008年8月24日答覆網友 Inner Space http://mindnecessity.blogspot.com/2008/08/icon-815-32-shawn-johnson-199010.html
- Inner Space: "... 在海外的中國裔外國人，多存 mixed feelings.... ”
- Haricot: "我認為關鍵是在乎:(1) 內覌: 每個人对自己的認同和接受程度(2) 外覌: 社会对這個人的認同和接受程度
我是用「內覌」和「外覌」的社会心理學角度,來解釋為什么海外的中國裔,会有如您說『... 多存 mixed feelings ... 第一類, 第二類, 第三類, etc ...』。換句話說: How a person sees and reconciles him/herself + how society labels and accepts or rejects this person => Mixed feelings => Choice of reactions and actions.”

* "Chinesy" Urban Dictionary http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Chinesy
- Chinesy (adj): not to be confused with chinese, a crude term referring to people with oriental descent who exhibits the following collection of characteristics: stinginess, having zero social life, the extended development of the left cerebrum (i.e., very adapt at mathematics and will most likely involve themselves in a career related to engineering), and in most cases, the ability to play a popular imported Japanese game that requires the player to imitate dancing by stepping on arrows embedded within a platform.

香港申訴專員主動調查機電署升降機維修監管制度 / Office of the Ombudsman's Direct Investigation on Regulatory System of Lifts in Hong Kong

The following are my comments to Space's Aug 29, 2009 blog article "鳴冤 申訴: 申訴專員批機電署制度鬆散". To see his original text and diagram, please go to:

http://mindnecessity.blogspot.com/2009/08/09-08-27-2055-2005200815421-12345-13.html

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Space兄:

Thank you for the useful info and links provided in your Aug 29, 2009 blog article "鳴冤 申訴". Here are my comments, based on my limited understanding (and possibly misunderstanding) of The Ombudsman Ordinance in Hong Kong and the associated governance structure:

>> ... 申訴專員公署的“職能”... 不包括：教育市民和宣揚公義 ...也沒有宣傳教育的職級，去減少冤情冤案發生，而只是負責調查冤情冤案發生了後，去為含冤者申訴，顧此這祇是治標之法，而不能治本 ...

I agree with you that anticipating problems before they happen is better than investigating complaints after-the-fact (i.e. prevention vs control). However, I would submit that the overall responsibility to prevent problems and deliver public good in an effective and efficient manner lies with the line departments. I don't think the Office of Ombudsman would have sufficient resources and expertise to educate the public on each and every function of all government departments, agencies, and operations. As well, The Ombudsman Ordinance stipulates the independence of the heads of organizations when it comes to carrying out the latter's mandates and authorities:

條文標題：機構的首長的職責

所涉機構的首長已採取的任何行動，或該首長就有關調查所針對的任何決定而採取進一步行動的任何權力或職責，均不受該項調查影響。

While the Ombudsman is the watchdog of the community, he/she is not the watchdog of the heads of departments or crown agencies. This brings me to the distinction btwn an Ombudsman and an Auditor General.

>> .... 是誰鳴冤申訴呢？據明報報導是因為：“去年發生連串升降機事故後，申訴專員主動調查機電署升降機維修監管制度後，發現制度鬆散及執法不嚴。”顯然沒有人鳴冤，而是申訴專員主動出擊，申訴專員有沒有 overstepping 審計署的職能呢？還是與審計署的權責 overlapping 了呢？

While an Ombudsman's main job is to deal with citizen-initiated complaints (among other functions as specified in Chapter 397 The Ombudsman Ordinance and those mentioned in their website), there is no expressed prohibition (based on my cursory review of the info) to stop an Ombudsman from proactively addressing a well-publicized public concern, in this case 連串升降機事故. By grabbing the bull by the horns, the Ombudsman is mitigating simultaneously the political risk of the Chief Executive Officer行政長官 and the health/safety risk of the public. In the risk management business, the worst that could happen is for two government depts/agencies to argue over jurisdictions while people are in harm's way, hurting or even dying.

(to be continued / ombudsman vs auditor)

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References / Related Links:

* "Direct Investigation on Regulatory System of Lifts" Issue Number 2 of Reporting Year 2009/10 (27 August 2009), Office of The Ombudsman, Hong Kong http://www.ombudsman.gov.hk/ombudsnews/ombe_2_0910.pdf

* 機電署擬修例增升降機安全 http://news.gov.hk/tc/category/infrastructureandlogistics/090827/html/090827tc06005.htm

* "Lift regulations to be upgraded" Electrical and Mechanical Services Department http://www.news.gov.hk/en/category/infrastructureandlogistics/090827/html/090827en06006.htm

* Current English Ordinance and Sub. Legislations, Hong Kong http://www.legislation.gov.hk/blis_ind.nsf/WebView?OpenAgent&cap=CurAllChinDoc*1*0*-

* Chapter 397 THE OMBUDSMAN ORDINANCE

* Office of the Ombudsman, Hong Kong http://www.ombudsman.gov.hk/tc/service_areas.html

美國家族: 愛德華甘乃迪逝世 / Legacy of a US Family: Edward Kennedy Passed Away

"The last shall be the first !!"

US President JFK was reportedly encouraging his youngest brother Edward Kennedy that at some point he too should run for the Presidency of the United States. At the time, both Jack and Bobby Kennedy were already heavily involved in US politics. Unfortunately, the two older brothers' lives and careers were cut short by assassins. While Ted Kennedy did try to challenge unsuccessfully then President Carter, who oddly enough was also democrat, his political career was really derailed by the infamous Chappaquiddick incident in which his woman passenger had died.

However, Ted Kennedy's political star did rise again and he eventually became one of the longest serving Senators/legislators in US history. He was most remembered for his left-of-centre social agenda to help vulnerable sectors of the US society, especially his tireless campaign to revamp the health care system, an issue that is being fiercely debated across the US these days. His show of support to then Presidential candidate Obama was his last public appearance in Washington. Senator Edward Kennedy's death yesterday concluded the last page of a political legacy that many said was just as brilliant as the rest of the Kennedy family.

"... Quality health care is a fundamental right, not a privilege. ..."
(August 2008)

Senator Edward Moore "Ted" Kennedy (Feb 22, 1932 – Aug 25, 2009) died of cancer at age 77.

References:

* Above article is based on numerous media reports broadcast today)
* Photo: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_kennedy
* Ted Kennedy's position on various issues: http://www.ontheissues.org/Senate/Ted_Kennedy.htm#Health_Care

窮光蛋白日旅遊古巴 / Staycation in "Cuba"

Wikipedia: "A staycation is a neologism for a period of time in which an individual or family stays at home and relaxes at home or takes day trips from their home to area attractions ..."

While lounging at the local outdoor swimming pool this afternoon, I was trying to convince myself that I was having a staycation in Cuba ....

"Now, all I need is to imagine the Queensway traffic noise was from the cars speeding along the Malecón in Cuba and my bottle water was a tall glass of Mojito."

Except that: My Mojito tasted a bit flat, the mother next to me kept on speaking to her daughter in English, and the sign behind the life guard said "Do not dive" as opposed to "No te saltas".

Oh well, I guess it will take some getting used to.

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Photo Credit 攝影图片: http://www.common.wikimedia.org/ - El Malecón, Habana, Cuba

Reference: "Staycation" Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staycation

徐娘半老,風韻猶存 / Older Woman In Praise of Younger Lover

This afternoon, I went over across the river to Gatineau to see a Québecois film entitled: "Les grandes chaleurs". The characters were supposed to live in la ville de Québec and the city of Lévis across la fleuve, but the story could have taken place anywhere.

A woman's unfaithful husband had passed away and the 50-something widow was pursued by a 20 years old suitor. She felt guilty professionally because she had counselled the then emotionally disturbed young man two years ago. It was also socially awkward because of the age difference and the reactions from her two matured children, family friends, and the pubic.

However, her resistance melted away in a shower scene when the sight of the young man's naked body was too much for her desire and lust to bear. Nevertheless, she resisted further temptations and was considering the seduction from an older gentleman, her boss.

(*** spoiler alert ***)

Then all hell broke loose when she found out her husband's mistress had been her own sister who also had a liaison with the older gentleman. Feeling betrayed, she no longer felt obliged to fulfill her end of the bargain by upholding the society's morality for everyone. The movie ended with the woman kissing her young lover while they were driving into the sunset of la belle province.

Eh bien !!!

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Reference/Photo Credit:

http://www.lesgrandeschaleurs.com/

Les grandes chaleurs - Au cinéma dès le 7 août 2009

Gisèle Cloutier, 52 ans, travailleuse sociale, découvre peu avant la mort de son mari et de l’aveu de celui-ci, qu’il a entretenu depuis des années une relation secrète avec une autre femme.

Yannick Ménard, 20 ans, jeune cleptomane incorrigible, est un ancien client de Gisèle au centre jeunesse. Fragilisé par une tentative de suicide, Yannick est secrètement devenu amoureux de Gisèle. Lorsqu’il apprend qu'elle est veuve, il tente par des moyens hors du commun de se rapprocher d’elle.

À la fois fascinée et inquiétée par leur écart d’âge, Gisèle succombe à Yannick, mais la relation naissante est perturbée par les visites impromptues du patron de Gisèle en pleine manœuvre de séduction, de ses deux enfants et de sa sœur. C’est le début d’un enchaînement de quiproquos et de surprenantes révélations… tout ça en pleine canicule.

舞道情趣 / Shall We Dance?

People don't say TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) at the end of a work week anymore. But for me it still means relaxing, taking it easy, and even going out boogying (altho not as often and late as it used to be in my younger days). In this city, there are several drop-in dancing halls/studios open to the public for a small fee. While disco is definitely out, salsa, meringue, Argentina Tango and other latin-American dancing are still very popular. I also enjoy a few ballroom dances such as Cha-cha, Rumba, and Jive.

Another type of dancing I like is Zumba which I do every week at the YMCA/YWCA. According to Wikipedia:

"... A Zumba workout mixes body sculpting movements with dance steps derived from cumbia, merengue, salsa, reggaeton, hip hop, mambo, rumba, flamenco, and calypso and Salsaton. The routines feature aerobic interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms. It targets areas such as the glutes, legs, arms, abdominals, and the heart. A Zumba class is typically not formulaic in that instructors often add on their own music choices and choreographies to make their class presentation locally unique. ... "

So while many of us will never become a Fred Astaire or Ginger Roger, it's still a great idea to go to a dancing hall, studio or the Y, swing fast and slow to some dancing music, and get an aerobic workout at the same time.

Shall we dance?
_______________________

References:

* "Dances": Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dance
* 【舞蹈】: 維基百科 http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E8%88%9E%E8%B9%88
* Zumba: Official Website http://www.zumba.com/

香港經典兒歌童謠 / Children's Folk Songs & Rhymes of Hong Kong

最近和網友新鮮人談及香港經典兒童歌曲童謠,之後我上網找了几首阿媽及其他/她親戚敎落丶一代傳一代的廣東話文化「宝物」,貼在這裏与众共享。

在這個日新月異丶國際化的社会,有些人或許会將「經典」和「老土」混為一談,但我認為人類的進展和生存,基本上是從歷史教訓中學習磨練,是由溫故知新中取善捨惡,慢慢地積聚經驗丶進化演變而成。对我這個在北美生活多年的加籍華裔來說,兒歌童謠不單是我和母親丶家族之間生命重要一頁的寫照,帶回孩提時代的一段甜蜜回憶,而且那些歌詞也是代表和反映当代民間的言語丶習俗丶和思想。

沒有過去的人是沒有將來,就讓我這個加國「土佬」和您們在這裏懷舊几首經典兒歌童謠,象徵式地支持和保護廣東人的「文化遺產物」。

1a. 我阿媽教落的童謠【氹氹轉】:
氹氹轉,菊花園,炒米餅,糯米團,阿媽叫我睇龍船,我唔睇,睇鳮仔,鳮仔大,搦去賣,賣得几多錢?賣著個臭銅錢!

1b. 在YouTube找到的兒歌【氹氹轉】:
氹氹轉 ,菊花園,炒米餅 ,燸呀燸米團 。五月初五係龍舟節呀 ,阿媽佢叫我去睇龍船 ,我唔去睇 ,我要睇雞仔 ,雞仔大我 leg 去賣 ,賣得幾多錢 ? 賣左幾多隻呀 ? 我有隻風車仔 ,佢轉得好好睇 ,睇佢氹氹轉呀,菊花園 ,睇佢氹氹轉呀,氹氹轉又轉 。



2a. 我阿媽教落的童謠【月光光】:
月光光,照地堂,年卅晚,摘檳榔,檳榔香,嚼子薑,子姜辣,買蒲達,蒲達苦,買豬肚,豬肚肥,買牛皮,牛皮薄,買菱角,菱角尖,買馬鞭,馬鞭長,起屋樑,屋樑高,買張刀,刀切菜,買籮蓋,籮蓋圓,買條船,船浸底,浸親兩個番鬼仔,一個蒲頭,一個浸底,一個摸茨菇,一個摸馬蹄。 (孩子可以更改故事)

2b. 在YouTube找到的兒歌【月光光】:
月光光，照地堂，蝦仔你乖乖瞓落床，
聽朝阿媽要趕插秧囉，阿爺睇牛去上山崗，啊...
蝦仔你快高長大囉，幫手阿爺去睇牛羊，呀...
月光光，照魚塘，蝦仔你乖乖瞓落床，
聽朝阿媽要捕魚蝦囉，阿嫲織網要織到天光，啊...
蝦仔你快高長大囉，划艇撒網更在行。
月光光，照地堂，年三十晚，摘檳榔，
五穀豐收堆滿倉囉，老老嫩嫩喜洋洋，啊...
蝦仔快0的眯埋眼囉，一覺瞓到大天光，啊...



3. 我三嬸唱給我cousin聽的童謠【點蟲蟲】:
點蟲蟲,蟲蟲飛,飛到荔枝基,荔枝熟,摘邊buk,邊buk啖啖肉。

4a. 我阿媽教的【排排坐】:
排排坐，食粉菓, 豬拉柴, 狗生火, 貓兒擔櫈姑婆坐,坐爛「羅柚」唔好賴我!

4b. 比較文雅一點的版本【排排坐】:
排排坐,食粉果,豬拉柴,狗透火,貓兒擔凳,姑婆坐,坐埋一齊,唱支歌。

5a. 我五叔教落的童子軍「名曲」:
河邊有隻羊，羊邊有隻象，象邊有隻馬騮仔，好似你噉樣!!

5b. 我暗地裏笑他的童子軍「名曲」:
童子軍,食雲吞,打爛碗,賠十蚊,無得賠,賠碌棍,碌棍愛嚟搏差人!

6. 有點俗套不雅的街坊小童「唱囗簧」:
拍大骳,唱山歌,人人話我冇老婆,扚起心肝娶翻個,有錢娶個嬌嬌女,冇錢娶個豆皮婆,食飯食得多,XXX成籮,XX沖大海,XX打銅鑼。 (X = 身体機能, bodily functions)

7. 中英合併,取笑警察的民謠:
ABCD,大頭綠衣,捉人唔到,吹BB!!

有興趣者,請參看【維基百科】,有關廣州西關區的童謠。

Reference:

Wikipedia: 『.... 西關是中國廣州的一個傳統區劃。位於荔灣區內，方位大致為：北到西村，東至人民路，西、南瀕珠江邊，是明、清時期對廣州城西門外一帶的統稱，該名沿用至今。....』

(http://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-hk/%E8%A5%BF%E5%85%B3)

“中風: 女腦科專家之第一人身經驗" / "My Stroke of Insight" by Jill Bolte Taylor

There are many scientific theses and medical journals on stroke, a disease that often kills or paralyzes its victims. But none is more revealing than the first person account by brain scientist and stroke victim Jill Bolte Taylor whose video presentation below provides us with her insight into the concept of "self" and the way her brain functi0ned during and after her stroke.



Here are my other blog articles of interest:

1. 軀体、靈魂、自我 (上册) / Body, Soul and Self (Part 1 of 2) http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/04/body-soul-and-self-part-1-of-2.html

2. 自閉症作家唐娜、威廉姆斯的【此地無人】/ Donna Williams' "Nobody Nowhere - The Extraordinary Autobiography of an Autistic" http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/04/donna-williams-nobody-nowhere.html

Reference: The above video clip is from http://www.ted.com/ with the following text:

"... Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: One morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke. As it happened -- as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding -- she studied and remembered every moment. This is a powerful story about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another ..."

Related Links:

1. "Jill Bolte Taylor" Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jill_Bolte_Taylor
"... Jill Bolte Taylor (born 1959) is a neuroanatomist who specializes in the postmortem investigation of the human brain. She is affiliated with the Indiana University School of Medicine, is the national spokesperson for the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center, and is the consulting neuroanatomist for the Midwest Proton Radiotherapy Institute. Her own personal experience with a massive stroke, experienced in 1996 at age 37, and her subsequent eight-year recovery, has informed her work as a scientist and speaker. For this work, in May 2008 she was named to Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world. "My Stroke of Insight" received the top "Books for a Better Life" Book Award in the Science category from the New York City Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society on February 23, 2009 in New York City ..."

2. "Stroke" Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stroke

3. 【中風】: 維基百科http://zh.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%E4%B8%AD%E9%A2%A8&variant=zh-hk

「兩週一聚」第二十期題目: 【有一天】(三) / 「2weeks1gather」#20: 【One Fine Day】(Part 3)

(三)

數年之後,在一個暮秋的晚上,我和女友在郊外露營,我們瑟縮在睡袋內以身体保持大家溫暖,帳篷外漆黑一片,遠処森林野犬怒吼,我不能入睡,心裏有預感知道我病危的嫲嫲会在這深夜逝世。或許在憤怒和悲哀之間,我是選擇了逃避,和女友出外露營,不願与家人圍床目睹死亡帶走我深愛的親人。

憤怒的青年就是要打破上一代壓下來的責任枷鎖,在年青的我來說,什么中西宗教儀式,不論是僧道唸誦七日七夜的梵經,燒金銀衣紙賄賂陰司路過金橋銀橋,或是敎宗保祿在埾馬可廣場週末祈禱,募集信徒捐款起宏偉圓頂尖頂的大敎堂,都不能帶回我逝去的親人和童年的欢樂日子。我答应有一天,我將会重溫舊夢,找尋那失去的孩提回憶,繼續和嫲嫲爺爺上街市買餸,和街坊小童玩兵賊丶抓子丶十字界豆腐,与同學上賽西湖捉金絲貓。在那寂靜的郊野深夜中,我在嫲嫲離去的時候熟睡了,在夢中我似乎又回到那彼得Pan永遠不長大的兒童樂園。

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

English Précis of "One Fine Day":

The story is about the coming of age. How the worry-free world of innocent childhood all of a sudden crumpled to an end with the death of the family's patriarch, the grandfather. Unwilling to shoulder the burden of being the bloodline's eldest grandson, the young man was looking for escape, grasping the last straw of fading memory, trying desperately to return to that one-fine-day when the telephone never rang.

( Fin / 完 )

>+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Update 20090817:
(The following is in response to the comments by Fresh Designer 新鮮人)

Sorry I did not explain well the links and relationships btwn: 上一代的壓力,中西傳統,和死亡,童年等等.

You see, in the traditional Chinese family, the eldest male of each generation was responsible for the continuation and prosperity of the lineage (血統，世系，門第)。So when the family patriarch in the story died, the responsibility fell onto the shoulder of the eldest son, the young man's father. However, the eldest grandson was also expected to participate and represent the next next generation in the funeral ritual conducted by the nuns and monks. Having been brought up in colonial Hong Kong, the young man found himself being pulled apart by the need to be a "feudally-good" grandson in front of family friends and relatives, and his own belief that the whole funeral ritual was nothing but pure superstition, or even worse, a money-making scheme in the name of religion(s). As Best Actor pointed out, coming of age is always a bittersweet feeling and it is reflected in the young man's desire to run away from the imposed responsibility and remain in Never Never Land (named in J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan story). The mention of 彼得 Pan is also an indirect inference to the so-called "Peter Pan Syndrome" which became popular in 1983 after the publication of "The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up", by Dr. Dan Kiley who, according to Wikipedia, also wrote a companion book, The Wendy Dilemma, published in 1984. I hope the above helps clarify the storyline.

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

Updated 20090831:

Peter Pan syndrome / Puer aeternus

Peter Pan syndrome is a pop-psychology term used to describe an adult who is socially immature. The term has been used informally by both laypeople and some psychology professionals in popular psychology since the 1983 publication of The Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up, by Dr. Dan Kiley. (Kiley also wrote a companion book, The Wendy Dilemma, published in 1984.)

Puer Aeternus is Latin for eternal child, used in mythology to designate a child-god who is forever young; psychologically it refers to an older man whose emotional life has remained at an adolescent level, usually coupled with too great a dependence on the mother. The puer typically leads a provisional life, due to the fear of being caught in a situation from which it might not be possible to escape. He covets independence and freedom, chafes at boundaries and limits, and tends to find any restriction intolerable.

( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Pan_Syndrome#Peter_Pan_syndrome )

「兩週一聚」第二十期題目: 【有一天】(二) / 「2weeks1gather」#20: 【One Fine Day】(Part 2)

(二)

爺爺打齋回魂那一天,我們一家大小都披麻戴孝,親朋戚友都齊集在我祖母的住所,客廳所有傢俬都被推入了睡房,留出來的空位是堆滿了紙紮的祭品: 金橋銀橋丶僕人奴婢丶平治房車丶花園洋樓丶和其它所有凡人在世間可夢而不可求丶只能在陰間享用的奢侈品。多個和尚道姑在我嫲嫲家中吵吵鬧鬧,我低下頭偷望到場的親戚。

做999行業的二叔不耐煩地聽打齋主持唸超度經文,生和死二叔日見耳聞,倒不是新鮮事,他不滿的是「神棍」虛張聲勢,大發死人財。 坐在一旁的四嬸也沒有做聲,她是基督教信徒,祭死人丶燒衣紙丶拜偶像是犯了她宗教大忌,但為了保持中國傳統,和表示对老爺奶奶的尊敬,她仍願意披麻戴孝,但繫在她腰上紅紅的一双筷子,是很明顯地对众人表明立場: 『我是身懷六甲,紅白二事要分得清楚,有孕的女人是不能參加這道佛教的祭禮。』其他來憑弔的親朋戚友都是白了頭髪的一代,或許他們是看到了尾站列車的告示: 「今夕吾軀歸故土,他朝君体也相同」。

突然的肅靜把我從沈思中驚醒,父親低聲地对我說: 『您是爺爺最年長的男孫兒,是時候替他洗臉丶穿衣丶過金橋丶過銀橋丶入冥界了。』室內鴉雀無聲,众人期待的眼光投向我這嫡孫身上,狗和尚壊道姑煙黃的牙齒迎著我笑,在那時我才恍然大悟,原來我這長子嫡孫,是舊式中國傳統文化丶仁義禮信的接傳人,同時也是新一代思想丶科學丶理論的代表者。我站在地球上東西兩塊厚硬地殼之間的爭據點,受盡兩方面的壓力和震蕩力。

(待續) Part 3 Please click here --> http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2009/08/2weeks1gather20-one-fine-daypart-3.html

「兩週一聚」第二十期題目: 【有一天】(一) / 「2weeks1gather」#20: 【One Fine Day】(Part 1)

(一)

有一天,我在廉租屋邨家裏玩耍,母親在做家務,一盤盤的濕衣服塞滿了客廳一角,一大堆用膳後的碗碟仍在厨房內待洗。香港八月的天氣就是酷熱潮濕,令人汗流夾背,透不過氣來。突然電話響起來,媽媽除下黃色的洗碗膠手套,提起手筒。
『喂? ...... 噢!! 希望不嚴重罷!!!好,我会告訢他。』
『媽媽,是誰打來?』
『是嫲嫲,她說你爺爺突然頭暈不舒服,我相信是老人病痛,沒大問題的。』
我突然感到心頭一涼,潮濕空氣在空中凝結成冰點。
『媽媽,妳一定要快些趕去看爺爺!!』
『儍孩子,我還有家務要做呀!』
『不!!妳一定要立刻去幫爺爺!!』
我心急了,狠狠地將手中吃了一半的水晶梨擲在地上,在記憶中,那是我第一次向媽媽發脾氣。
『好啦!好啦!不要急躁牛頸!!』我驚詫的母親實在不想在家裡除了要服侍一個壊脾氣的丈夫外,還要家教一個牛脾氣的兒子。之後她不發一言,關掉了洗衣机和厨房石油氣爐,拿了門匙出門。三十分鐘後她來電嗚咽說: 『你爺爺中風死了!』

(欲知後事如何,請看下回續集 http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2009/08/2weeks1gather20-one-fine-daypart-2.html)

Photo: Hurricane (original source of photos cannot be confirmed)

*「每週一聚 2weeks1gather」第二十期的題目由我出 : 寫「有一天」! 請往我Haricot 微豆處報名, 和http://2weeks1gather.wordpress.com/処參閱其它文章。

先入為主的文化價值覌 / Cultural Bias

In the evening of August 10, after working out at the gym, I stopped by Dick's on Merivale Road for a charcoal-grilled Angus burger and a chocolate banana milkshake. Interesting enough, this classic North American small-town style diner was run by an Asian woman and her daughter (the teenage son was too busy playing games on a hand-held gadget).

Now, don't get me wrong. I have eaten Chinese food cooked by Italians and Japanese food prepared by Chinese. I no longer share the general public's notions of Jesus Christ having blue eyes blond hair and Santa Clause having a big white beard and laughter that goes "Ho!!Ho!!Ho!!". I even found Jackie Chan playing western cowboy in the movie Shanghai Noon perfectly normal. However, call me behind the time or politically incorrect if you must, I am still used to seeing the main characters in West Side Story, Grease or American Graffiti played by western actors and actresses.

Anyway, the food at Dick's was really good and if it had not been for my diet, I would have ordered a coke float and some home fries to go with the burger and shake. The next time I go there, I will try their bison burger. Now, that is very western, don't you think?

(Photo Credit: Wikipedia / Shanghai Noon movie poster)

自動提款机 / ATM Automatic Teller Machine

After a teleconference at noon, I bicycled downtown to deposit a cheque to pay off my line of credit (LOC). Wearing my exercise outfit and covering in sweat (it was sunny and over 25 deg), I decided to do the transaction thru the ATM instead of bothering someone inside the office. What a mistake !! The machine took the cheque but refused to transfer the money. So, I had to go inside after all. The teller then told me nobody in the office had the key to the ATM to retrieve the cheque. Upon seeing my photo ID, she was willing to transfer the daily maximum, but not enough to pay off the LOC. I can now understand why John Connor wanted to live off the grid.

That reminds me of an incident in Rome several years ago. I was using my bank card trying to get 300 Euros from the ATM outside an Italian Bank. I punched in the code, the machine made some noise, then went dead. No cash and no card. I wasn't pleased and tried to go inside the bank to speak to the manager. Now if you have been to Rome, you will notice most banks are highly secured against intruders, including their customers. There is always an armed guard, who would size up the people first before letting them go in one-at-a-time through a double-door security space. You step inside this one-person cylindrical cubicle, the street door closes behind you and essentially you are imprisoned inside while being scanned. If the machine thinks you are not a robber, then the inner door opens and you can step into the bank.

Except in my case, the armed guard would not even let me go into the cubicle. After much sign language, I realized he didn't like the backpack I was carrying. I had to put it away in a locker supplied by the bank before I could step into the security space for scanning. Once inside, I tried my best to tell the manager the ATM took my card and the cash. After much grumbling, she begrudgingly opened up the ATM and gave me back the card, but not the 300 Euros that had been deducted from my account. Well, of course, why should she trust a human when her ATM was perfect and never told a lie? To cut the story short, I had to ask my Canadian banker to intervene before the Italian bank would cough up the 300 Euros.

(Are you listening, HAL 9000?)

「兩週一聚」第二十期題目: 【有一天】 / 「2weeks1gather」#20: 【One Fine Day】

今早在南杏処答应接力出第二十期題目,詳情如下:

指引:
1. 文章以『有一天, .....』為開始。
2. 文章中一定要有這字句『... 才恍然大悟,原來 ...』。
3. 內容任君選擇,工作丶經歷丶科幻丶故事丶日記丶散文丶隨筆等。文責自負,作品字数不限,以中文為主,但英丶法文亦無妨。

例如:
『有一天,我在翻閱舊相片, .......... ,我才恍然大悟,原來阿德是領養子, .........』;
『有一天,阿健的妻子对他說, .......... ,他才恍然大悟,原來貝夫人診所和家庭計劃指導会都是在修頓球場區.........』;
『有一天,波士在她辦工室宣佈, ............ ,各員工才恍然大悟,原來波士是為他/她們着想 .........』;
『有一天,囡囡天真地問, ............. ,媽媽各才恍然大悟,原來她是在电視上學來的, .........』

4. 欢迎各位參加,有興趣者請在8月15日之前(或之後亦可)到微豆Haricot網站処報名通知http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2009/08/2weeks1gather20-one-fine-day.html。各位在8月中登貼上佳作後,請勿忘留言閣下之網絡連結(URL),亦懇請电郵文章的簡介往「兩週一聚」2weeks1gather@gmail.com。
5. 有關「兩週一聚」以文会友的活動丶規條丶和訊息,請往「師奶亭」總部查詢 http://2weeks1gather.wordpress.com/。

蠢老豆 / A Foolish Father

魁北克省一位父親,讓七歲兒子在郊外駕駛運動型多用途車（SUV），孩子未成年無牌駕駛会觸犯法律不在話下, 全車男女大細五人似乎都全沒有戴上安全帶,這還不夠, 他還將過程全部拍攝為視頻及登上YouTube, 更吹噓炫燿他七歲兒子能駕車時速高達70公里。這新聞在8月3日被加拿大國家电視臺CBC報導廣播, 覌众大為嘩然,指駡這父親不負責任。第二天, 這位「蠢老豆」告訢記者, 承認兩年前是不应讓七歲男孩駕車, 解釋他是很自傲兒子的技術, 但仍認為当時汽車時速最高只是40公里, 情况是非常「安全」云云。

魁北克省警方現已对這事件進行調查。

References:

* 加拿大國家电視臺CBC報導視頻: http://www.cbc.ca/national/blog/video/crimejustice/driving_kid.html
* CTV Montreal article "Father of child driver speaks out"Updated Tue Aug. 04 2009 7:01:05 PM: http://montreal.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090803/mtl_youtube_090803/20090804/?hub=MontrealHome

The father of a boy who was caught on video driving a car on Quebec roads has spoken out. The Sûreté du Québec has launched an investigation against parents who posted a video to YouTube showing a seven-year-old boy driving a car while his father films and encourages the child.

"I regret it. I shouldn't have done it, but how many parents let their child drive, in the city, on streets?" said Sylvain Fortier, the boy's father.

The child was driving on dirt roads near St. Lin, on Quebec's north shore. He was not wearing a seatbelt. Fortier said he's ready to face fines or go to prison if necessary. The incident, which occurred two years ago, was exaggerated, said Fortin, who bragged on film that the child was driving 70 km/h.

"I was proud of my son. He was able to drive a car, maybe not at 100 kilometres, and not at 70, but at 40 kilometres, on a small road," said Fortin.

The video also shows the boy's younger sister sitting on her mother's lap in the back seat of the car. Neither appears to be wearing a seatbelt.

The Sûreté du Québec has not yet laid charges.

暴風雨和龍捲風(旋風) / Thunderstorm and Tornado

The cold front that had moved in at around 16h00 on August 4, 2009 brought not just a thunderstorm to Ottawa but also an estimated F-2 size tornado to the Mount Laurier area further north. Nobody was killed there but many roofs were torn off, picket fences strewn about, power lines downed and trees uprooted. There were lots of lightning and heavy rain in my area, but thank goodness no power outage or major damage.

Photo Credit 攝影图片:　龍捲風(旋風) Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tornado

(Note: This blog article is backdated 12 hrs to Aug 4 23h59)

屋頂浣熊 / Raccoons in the Attic

交免費租的頂樓住客

今早拂曉時間,我在睡夢中被住在樓頂間的浣熊吵醒,本來嘛,我是知道它們在春末那時已不請自來,鑽入了頂楼住霸王屋,但由於三丶四月是浣熊生育季節,我不想那些初生吃奶的小浣熊早夭,所以沒有下逐客令。浣熊是非常聰明的晝伏夜出動物,它們的「手指」可以非常有效地用來開儲物室的門和扣了蓋的垃圾桶,夜間這些帶了「眼罩」的小賊子由屋簷經後花園的樹爬落草地,之後便四処尋找昆蟲丶小鼠丶和植物吃,黎明之前就爬上屋頂,捲伏在簷下屋內的巢中呼呼大睡。

但是相見易同住難,我不介意它們交免費租,弄糟了的垃圾桶我也可以在早上打掃,我最害怕的是如果浣熊住客家門不幸,有成員在巢中逝世,夏熱潮濕,对人類來說,在空氣和健康方面都会有嚴重的負面影響。這一個隱憂,將会令我在不久的將來,爬上閣仔,鑽進那樓頂的空間位,与浣熊家長談判遷移一事。我明白遞交下逐客令書可能会帶來不必要的磨擦,住客会反唇相向,露牙現爪,所以我会携帶垃圾桶蓋乙個,作為盾牌使用,以防不需也!!

攝影图片Photo Credit: Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoons

To read my previous raccoon-on-the-roof story, please click here: 浣熊 / Raccoon http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2007/05/raccoon.html

路上盜,非常道 / Les Doigts Croches aka Sticky Fingers

I miscalculated my timing and missed my workout at the gym before their closing time at 8 pm. All of a sudden, there was a free time slot, a rare event these days. Given it's the long weekend, I decided to bicycle to the ByTowne Cinema and watched the late movie. Les Doigts Croches is a Quebecois comedy about five Montreal thieves trying to retrieve their loot after serving time in jail. They ended up near the Spanish-Franco border where they started a pilgrimage journey of over 800 km. I quite enjoyed the ending which you will need to find out for yourself. Mais oui !!

Related lotusandcedar articles:
* Camino de Santiago / The Way of St. James (Part 1 of 2)
* Running the Camino de Santiago "The Way": Jenny Biondi Anderson 815.6 km, 9 days 5 hrs 29 min (Part 2 of 2)

References/photo credit:
* Wikipedia / Sticky Fingers (2009_film)
* Wikipedia / Les Doigts croches