色彩聯想 / Colour Associations

Here are my immediate thoughts associated with …

Green = environment, new employees
Pink = gay, pink-collar ghetto, Cadillac
Blue = blue sky, music
Orange = fruit, Orange County (USA), Orangemen (in Canada)
Yellow = skin colour, Chinese, Yellow-brick Road

(I left the above comments at Kempton's blog article http://kempton.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/colour-association-43rd-edition-of-2weeks1gathering/)

「兩週一聚」第43期題目:【色彩聯想】 / 2weeks1gather #43: "Colourful Thoughts abt Colours"

1. 我讀中學時喜愛穿藍色恤衫,大學是棕色,現在是黑色。為什麽有不同的口味轉變?我也不知道怎樣回答。顏色喜厭是非常主覌的一件事,或許「色盲」的基本定義是: 少数服從多数?

2. 自從認識 K 之後,我特別留意自己衣服顏色的配襯,不是男人進化過程踏入新階段,只不過是我敵不過她幽默的一句: 『You know, I have to look at you all day.』男為悅己者溶!!!

3. 在繪畫方面,我对顏色選擇是非常保守,通常只用幾個最基本的 complementary colours,加點黑加點白,以深淺色調 hue 把平面顯示為立体,沒有抽象派般大胆豪放。

4. 但当我拿起攝影机旅遊的時候,我就蛻變成狂蜂浪蝶,四処飛覓追尋七彩鮮艷的顏色。回家後又喜欢用电腦軟件轉變色彩溫度丶濃淡丶色澤丶糙滑等,有時樂極忘形,把相片弄至和現實天然顏色脫節,美其名曰:「攝影皆作」。

5. 總括來說,我沒有極喜愛或極厭惡的顏色,也不会自欺欺人說我对美術有任何修養,不過無何否認,顏色是和音樂一様,能帶給我一些很有創作性的喜悅。正如中國春秋時代的兵學家孫子指出: 『... 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。 ... 無窮如天地,不竭如江河。 ...』

請往【兩週一聚】網頁參看其它有色有彩的文章: 10年7月30日第四十三期 "色彩聯想"

References:

出題人: 隨意捲Randomcoil

有說從星座、血型能看出一個人的性格；我覺得一個人所愛的顏色更能表現他／她的特質。
今期題目「色彩聯想」其實是一個遊戲。玩法如下：想一想… 那個顏色最能代表你，並解釋你的選擇。
玩法一：
這是你最愛的顏色嗎？打開衣櫃，你大部份的衣服又是什麼顏色？
玩法二：
問你身邊的人，他／她會用什麽顏色形容你﹔請他／她解釋他／她的選擇。他／她的答案跟你的吻合嗎？
玩法三：
任向色彩聯想﹔各色其式！紅、黃、藍、（黑、白)… 我們來調出千變萬化的色彩吧！

旅遊加勒比海聖露西亞島 (二) / Travel to St. Lucia in the Caribbean (Part 2)

The 2010 trip to St. Lucia started at the MacDonald Cartier International Airport in Ottawa. In the photo below, you can see one of the control towers at the far side of the perimeter. For many years, when I was working close to the airport, I used to jog along the country roads and ski in the farmers' fields during lunch hours.K and I had some quiet time inside Air Canada's Maple Leaf Lounge before boarding the plane to Toronto where we spent the night at the Westin Hotel near the Pearson Airport.The next morning, We rushed back to the airport to catch the flight to St. Lucia. Prior to departure, I had a cafe latte and croissant at the Maple Leaf Lounge there.Five hours and 15 minutes later, we arrived at the Hewanorra International Airport. Welcome to St. Lucia !!!

(to be continued)

博友網上交流切瑳之我見 (三) / Exchanges Between Bloggers (Part 3/3)

(Cont'd from Part 2/3 http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/07/exchanges-between-bloggers-part-23.html)

Part 3: Not Every Exchange/Blogger is "Intellectual"

Some of us are fortunate enough to have an education, a job, and ways to self-improve. However, I am highly aware of ppl in other sectors of our society or in other countries where resources and opportunities are hard to come by (jargon: social-economic stratifications) and where richness, wisdom and happiness are defined quite differently. Therefore, I would caution against falling into the trap of calling ourselves "intellectuals", riding the intellectual hobbyhorse and expecting everyone to be on the same merry-go-around.

Come to think of it, I leant a lot of my life's lessons while working on the railroad track as a labourer and let me assure you that the steel gang's language of engagement (such as: f this and f that; you c, go f yourself) and way of thinking (e.g. "Chinese are like socks, they stink - but oh, you are ok!!") are less than "intellectual". Nonetheless, I learnt a lot from these non-intellectual exchanges.

So, that's my two bits worth of opinions, or to use your term, my "ranting" from this side of the pond.

Cheers

ps: As to the many other issues you have raised in your 13-page article, they are equally important, but I just don't have time to address them all. Sorry !!

博友網上交流切瑳之我見 (二) / Exchanges Between Bloggers (Part 2/3)

(cont'd from Part 1: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2010/07/exchanges-between-bloggers-part-13.html)

Part 2: No Way to Old Way: Circumstances Appropriate Responses (CAR)

In order to function efficiently, our evolved primate brains (apology to the life-by-design groups) need to establish reference points based on information and experience gathered as we chug along our life journeys. Let's face it, settlers and immigrants need to adjust and change if they are to survive and function well in the new environment/country. For example: I am no longer the young adult who bid farewell to friends and relatives at the airport many moons ago. It is therefore quite normal and understandable that with these new reference points, ex-Hong Kongers would say "no way" to the "old" way of evaluating the merit of an argument based on the speaker's 年歲丶輩份,丶面子丶性別丶國籍 (種族 if your spouse is a "foreigner" 聚或嫁了洋鬼子老公/老婆).

Again, when I find myself on the receiving end of being examined thru these lenses, I would keep my cool and refrain from having knee-jerk reactions. If I am dealing with someone with deeply ingrained "traditional" values (relative to mine), I usually keep quiet and don't bother. However, if the individual is open to suggestions, I would explain my point of view, but without imposing my own values, or watering down my basic principles. The degree and nature of engagement will depend very much on the situation at the time, and that's why I call it (jargon alert!!): Circumstances Appropriate Responses (CAR).

(to be cont'd --> Please stay tuned for Part 3/3)

博友網上交流切瑳之我見 (一) / Exchanges Between Bloggers (Part 1/3)

The following are my comments in response to Snowdrops' July 19, 2010 blog article entitled "Thoughts on Online Intellectual Exchanges (updated)". I would strongly recommend that you read her article (see reference below).

My comments are posted in three parts.

Part 1: Judgment on What I Say, not Who I Am

Snowdrop, I understand where you are coming from and indeed I share many of the same sentiments. There are times when people just drive me crazy by passing judgment on who I am, rather than what I say. You know the type who would start a conversation with: "Are you Chinese or Japanese?", implying (in my own mind) that whatever I say from then on will be stamped : "Asian" or "Made in China". It's often a losing battle Snowdrop and I no longer counter with an "I am Canadian" jab and the "Why did you ask?" look. I have stopped over-reacting for two reasons:

1. Start with myself. To be fair, I should give ppl benefit of the doubt. Really, most ppl posing the questions are genuinely just trying to be friendly. They might be insensitive or at the worst, as the cliché goes, politically incorrect. However, in my mind, they are innocent of being racists and I should not be overreacting. Without a chip on my shoulder, I try to respond politely, the dialogue proceeds and in most cases everyone soon sees beyond skin colours, genders, etc and focuses on the issue at hand.

2. Even if a person start his/her next sentence with "You Chinese ...", I can still hold my tongue and resist being provoked. For one thing, I am comfortable under my skin and have no reason to be drawn into defending myself, and for that matter, all persons labelled "You Chinese", be they rich or poor Hong Kongers, PRC capitalists/communists, or anyone of the remaining 4 to 5 billion souls all over the world.

In Part 2, I will address more specifically the 排輩論級 issue you've raised.

Reference:
Snowdrops: http://crispapples.blogspot.com/2010/07/rambling-thoughts-on-academic-exchanges.html

【召觀音記】/ Call Forth the Godess of Mercy

【召觀音記】

新鮮舉頭
繞煙萬縷
嗜悲感受
孤獨無愁

巔巔祈求
菩薩保佑
財神歡笑
雨順風調

小朱噩夢
來勢兇兇
陰雲暗湧
黑幕重重

微豆電郵
觀音求救
我佛慈悲
拂掃是非

網上紅塵
輪徊轉運
世界雖小
神靈漂渺

風吹邁走
叩頭頓首
雲湧千遍
萬靈磨煉

幻變無一
阿彌陀佛
化身众生
博友圖騰

無事生非
塗鴉滿地
意重言微
以此為記

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The above was in response to Fresh Designer's July 19, 2010 blog article entitled "風雲幻化" in which he said:

風吹邁走
雲湧千遍
幻變無一
化身眾生

My poem is based on his four-liners as well as some of the comments made by other bloggers there. Please make sure you read Fresh Designer's original post at http://freshdesigner.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-post_19.html
UPDATED: Please also see 新鮮人 "回你的留言" in the comment section of this blog.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Photo credit/caption: "The Ottawa Sky" by Haricot.
* I took the first three at the Ottawa Bluefest site on July 8, 2010 when right in the middle of the concert, a cold front moved in (visible as a curve line across the sky). Fortunately, the downpour lasted only for abt 10 minutes.
* I took the last photo at the Rockcliff Park on July 11, 2010. The pavilion there provides an excellent vintage point of the quiet and peaceful Ottawa River which divides the Province of Ontario and Quebec. Boaters can take the waterway down to Montreal, where it joins the St. Lawrence Seaway which empties into the Atlantic Ocean.

香港私隱專員吳斌 vs 審計署長鄧國斌 / A Bun Fight, Hong Kong style

The following are comments I posted on Space's July 18, 2010 article entitled: "斌斌之爭"

In essence, the article is abt the public row btwn two high-level Hong Kong officials, Privacy Commissioner Roderick Woo Bun 私隱專員吳斌 and Audit Commission director Benjamin Tang Kwok-bun 審計署長鄧國斌.

【明報專訊】審計署去年發表報告炮轟私隱專員公署是「大花筒」後，近日引發兩大巨頭互罵。審計署長鄧國斌日前接受訪問時，再揶揄私隱專員吳斌處於「半退休工作」，只因審計署介入才積極工作。吳斌昨日召開記者會，反擊鄧國斌言論構成誹謗，本來上周已發出律師信，但因不想花費巨額公帑才打消念頭，但昨日就以嚴辭炮轟鄧國斌是「公務員之恥」、歧視老人。....

Here are my comments to Space.

(Small Bun = the younger 審計署長鄧國斌
Big Bun = the older 私隱專員吳斌)

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

A Bun Fight, Hong Kong style

Based solely on the info supplied in your article, I would like to make the following comments as an outsider:

1. The purpose of an external performance audit (not an internal audit, or an investigative forensic audit) is just that - to determine whether public resources have been used in an effective and efficient manner. Therefore, it is within Small Bun's mandate to pass judgement on the good/poor performance of Big Bun's organization, including the latter's leadership in the delivery of results, or lack thereof.

2. While, it is fair game for Small Bun to pass judgment and make recommendations and corrective measures/options in his audit report, he is NOT Big Bun's immediate boss and has no authority to evaluate the performance of the Privacy Commissioner as an employee. This might be confusing to some readers. But the CRITERIA for evaluating an employee's performance and the TERMS OF REFERENCE of an auditing exercise are very different.

3. Auditing report should be evidence-based. It's one thing to report poor performance based on analyzed data/info, but it's another to speculate Big Bun is "semi-retiring" while on the full-time job. It is therefore understandable why Big Bun feels he is being personally "attacked".

4. On the other hand, there is no info in the article to show Small Bun is discriminating against "old" people as a group. Big Bun does not represent seniors in Hong Kong and his demand for an apology in this regard appears groundless.

5. If Small Bun is not doing a good auditing job, he is accountable to his boss. Again, it is not up to Big Bun to demand Small Bun to make an apology to all public servants.

6. As a government employee, Small Bun has the right to request legal counsel assistance in dealing with litigation arising while carrying out his officially assigned duties (which I assume would include the interview during which he made the "unfortunate" statement). To avoid any perceived conflict of interest, Small Bun is wise NOT to engage his own departmental legal counsels to deal with the letter from Big Bun's lawyer.

7. The big boss of them both should intervene and stop this "Battle of the two Buns" being played out in the pubic domain.

Haricot / Monday, July 19, 2010 5:59:00 AM (HK time)

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

Reference:

***** Please read Space' article at: "斌斌之爭" *****

Update 2010-0719:

Additional comments have been posted by Space and Haricot at http://mindnecessity.blogspot.com/2010/07/roll-his-sleeves-up34semi-retirement.html , including relevant website addresses of both the Govts of HK and Canada.

紅鯛, 鮭魚, 嫩菠菜 / Red Snapper, Salmon, Baby Spinach

【夏廚】
紅鯛鮭魚嫩菠菜

白炒清蒸隨心意
青春常駐!!

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

貼堂佳作

(作者: 嗜悲 Space)
紅酒干邑老普洱
淺嘗深酌任我為
愈久愈佳!!

(作者:新鮮人)
吞拿鯖魚華沙必
鮮劏活吃啱心意
愈生愈美

「兩週一聚」第42期題目:【塞翁失馬】 / 2weeks1gather #42: "Life is Full of Surprises"

Prologue: The following article is based on a real story. Some facts are modified to protect the identities and privacy of the individuals involved.

塞翁失馬 / Life is Full of Surprises

當敎育部在九月批准阿健提早退休的申請紙時,他心裏感受真不知道是什么味兒,是憂?是喜? 還是像打翻了的五味架?

大約兩年前,四十歲的阿健在一間公立中學任教一份入息頗好的體育教練職位,他備受學生的愛戴,同事的支持,事業如日中天, 他躊躇滿志,從未有想到退休這一回事。

校長曾私下对他說:『阿健,你的表現良好,我会向教育部推薦你升級加薪。』他聽了心下一樂, 眼瞳遙望美好的將來。

但是平地一声雷,輕微的麻痺原來是腳癌的先兆,緊急手術之後,阿健失去了一截下腿,一個昂堂六呎的男人,一拐一拐的從三樓教員室往楼下操場。肢體殘廢看得見,但心理損傷卻是隱藏在深処。校長也再沒有重提升級一事。

妻子对他說:『你要是做得不愉快,為什么不暫停工作,休息一会兒,我的入息也可以暫時支持我們倆口子的生計。』阿健聽妻子的勸告,請了病假,在家裡呆了数月,最後還是决定申請 permanent disability, 提早退休。

退休之後,阿健在家裏納悶,直到有一天,海地島發生大地震,死傷無數,很多學校被夷為平地!!膝下猶虛的阿健和妻子商量,打定了主意。

在渥太華机場,阿健和妻子依依不捨,臨別時,她倚偎在他懷裏說: 『Ken, now that you have finished your job with the School Board, it's time to find out your real purpose on Earth. 』

想到這裏,阿健心酸了,海風撲面吹來,點點淚水隨風四散。

"Monsieur Ken?" 一把熟悉的声音,把他扯回到現實,一個帶有 Creole 口音的教師關切的望著他。"Ça va?"

"Oui, ça va, Madame Prospere !!"

在加勒比海的艷陽下,阿健和他的海地島同僚,看著一群學生,在凹凸不平的操場中,嬉哈追逐玩耍。

Postscript: Ken's wife eventually joint him overseas. They are now devoting their lives in helping children in developing countries.

Photo caption/credit: A teacher and her students in an under-funded village school (photo taken by Haricot)

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

Related articles:

* Lotusandcedar: "愛情的分叉路 / What could have been .... ?"
Chinese: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2006/12/what-could-have-been_12.html
English: http://lotusandcedar.blogspot.com/2006/12/what-could-have-been.html

Reference:
* Other articles with the same theme/title: http://www.2weeks1gather.wordpress.com/
* Vic: 兩週一聚第四十二期題目: 塞翁失馬
第一次出題，想過幾個題目，覺得這個和生活的關係最大有否試過失去了某些機會/人/事/物而非常不快過了一段時間，可能是幾天，甚至幾年後想起如果不是失去了某東西，就不會有今天自己滿意的生活?七月十五日，談一下你的經歷

水牛雞翼 / Buffalo Wings

This post is in response to Fresh Designer's July 7, 2010 blog article entitled "冰涼透心 醉轉彎" in which he says "醉轉彎"即是"醉雞翼". Here in North America, we have a snack called "Buffalo Wings 水牛翼". While many ppl have heard of Pegasus, the winged horse, less is known abt winged buffalo. No, we are not talking abt ghost buffalos coming back to haunt those who have driven the once mighty herds to near extinction. We are talking abt wings of the feathered kind 雞翼 chicken wings. So why does the food industry call chicken wings buffalo wings? Please read on ...

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

"A Brief History Of Buffalo Wings"
By Claire Suddath, Time Magazine, Sep 3, 2009

A good sports bar needs three things: beer on tap, a television on the wall and a menu that offers Buffalo wings. Wings can be found at nearly every Super Bowl party and barbecue outing in the country, and they are the favored excuse of businessmen who want to visit Hooters. Yet the greasy, finger-staining bar-food staple is only 45 years old. The Buffalo wing was invented in 1964, which makes it younger than Demi Moore, Johnny Depp — and even Barack Obama. On Sept. 5, Buffalo, N.Y., will hold its fourth annual National Buffalo Wing Festival, a two-day celebration for all things wing. But how did the spicy snack come about? And why is it served with celery?

There are at least two different versions of the Buffalo wing's origin, although they contain the same basic facts. The first plate of wings was served in 1964 at a family-owned establishment in Buffalo called the Anchor Bar. The wings were the brainchild of Teressa Bellissimo, who covered them in her own special sauce and served them with a side of blue cheese and celery because that's what she had available. Except for the occasional naysayer who claims to be the true inventor, these facts are reasonably undisputed. The rest of the story is anybody's guess.

In 1980, Teressa Bellissimo's husband, Frank, told the New Yorker that the wings had been invented out of necessity; the bar had accidentally received a shipment of wings (instead of other chicken parts) and didn't know what to do with them. However, Bellissimo's son, Dominic, disputed his father's story. Dominic claimed that the wings were an impromptu midnight snack Teressa created on his request; he had been drinking with friends and asked his mother to whip up something for them to eat. The stories don't necessarily contradict each other — perhaps Teressa decided to serve her son some of the extra chicken wings from the mistaken shipment — but all three Bellissimo family members have since passed away, so it's impossible to verify which version is correct. The city of Buffalo doesn't seem concerned about the details of its namesake dish; the northern New York town has celebrated Chicken Wing Day every July 29 since 1977.

Proper Buffalo wings should be snapped in half so that they resemble tiny drumsticks rather than their original, harder-to-eat akimbo shape. They are then deep fried without any coating or breading, after which they are slathered in that zesty bright orange sauce — a combination of melted butter, hot sauce and red pepper — that coats your fingers and somehow manages to get all over your clothes no matter how many napkins you use.

For many years, the wings were a regional food found only in New York and surrounding areas. But something that delicious can't be kept a secret forever and by the mid-1980s Buffalo wings had spread across the country. In 1993, a Philadelphia radio station hosted the first annual Wing Bowl eating contest, and over the years it has grown to become one of the competitive-eating circuit's most prestigious events, drawing crowds well over 20,000. The Wing Bowl record currently belongs to Joey Chestnut, who in 2008 consumed 241 wings in two 14-minute periods.

This year's Buffalo Wing Festival will include a competitive-eating contest as well, although, according to the official roster, Chestnut will not be in attendance. Never fear: by the end of the weekend, 80,000 festivalgoers will have eaten an estimated 27 tons of Buffalo wings in just two days. They'll probably forgo the celery, though.

References:
* Fresh Designer: http://freshdesigner.blogspot.com/2010/07/blog-post_07.html
* Time Magazine (article and photo): http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1920434,00.html

兩周一聚六月訪問微豆 / E-interview of Haricot by 2weeks1gather

The following "e-interview" was conducted by Readandeat of 2weeks1gather and was subsequently published on June 27. Please feel free to provide me with your comments.

Photo caption: "Happy as can be !!" (photographed in South Africa)

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

兩周一聚六月訪問Haricot微豆
六月 27, 2010 by Readandeat

Haricot是兩周一聚的老朋友，幾乎每次的活動他都有份參與。你對他的名字不會感到陌生。這個訪問不期望大家可以深入了解他，反而是他可以了解我們(正確地說是我而已)怎樣看他。

這次做的訪問，讓我想到一個很基本的社交問題：到底如何打開話匣子呢？

兩個素未謀面，平時不太往來也不太熟絡的博客，忽然要「坐」在一起，一方要想辦法了解一方，另一方要等著給另一方了解，比訪問名人明星要難。

基於隱私問題，有些問題我不敢問，所以要旁敲側擊看看有沒有地方可鑽空子。

柏樹冬青耐冰雪
我問了Haricot一個很普通的問題：「可否說說為何叫自己做微豆？」

Haricot寫道：「豆莢是一個豆類稙物家庭，一棵豆可以生好幾個豆莢，一塊田裏可以有成千上萬的豆豆。微是微小、微不足道之意。」

見微知著，微豆應是一位謙謙君子。

我對博客寫博這件事是很有興趣想知的，Haricot寫博已有幾年，所以我問：「我見你寫博的頻率不是很密，寫博在你的生活扮演了什麼角色？」

Haricot的回應是：「我經常提醒自己，日常現實是第一生命 First Life ，網絡只屬第二生命 Second 或 Third Life，不可輕重倒置，終日沈迷寫博。我覺得文字、音樂丶和數碼系列都有一種和諧的音韻丶節拍共同性，寫博是給我一個用中西文化思想融會貫通，用左右腦合併創作的機會 。」

Haricot還有其他的網誌，我問他：「你有另一個博，名字也有柏木 (cedar)這個字，可以講為何你以此木命名自己的博嗎？另一種植物 lotus在你心目中有沒有特別意思的？」

他這樣回應：「在小學六年級畢業的時候，校舍的老木匠在我的紀念册上寫上： 『柏樹冬青耐冰雪﹗﹗』,過到來加拿大在冰天雪地長大生活，我才明白他的深意﹗﹗﹗如果柏樹屬剛，那麼蓮就是柔，剛柔並濟，互相調衡。蓮是有湖水藍色眼睛的一朵北國 blue lotus 花。」

好一個隱含剛柔並濟的寓意。小學時請老木匠寫紀念冊，至今仍然記得其寫的內容，Haricot可真念舊。有些博客的文章難辨雄雌，Haricot的文章卻很容易就看出作者不是一位女性，雖然他自認嘴饞，要跑去老遠的摩洛哥學煮摩洛哥菜。

有讀者留言問他：「你對中外文學及本地政治 /政策都有深厚的認識和獨特的見解﹐能否和大家談及你的興趣和分享心得﹖」

這條問題不好答，Haricot也寫得很詳盡：

「先談中外文學：我是化工畢業，科技出身，不敢自稱對文學有「深厚」認識，不過我是很羨慕那些能文能武的才子佳人，所以自己亦東施效顰，學上動中帶靜，不在外奔跑忙碌的時候，也會偷得浮生半日閑，在後花園淺嚐中西文學佳作。我的興趣包括：中國文壇的四大奇書 (最喜歡石頭記∕紅樓夢)，唐詩宋詞，魯迅及其他∕她作家的文摘，中國近代流行的「小小說」等。加拿大作家我首推 Margaret Atwood (是喜歡她的幽默感)，美國是 Stephen Kings (讀他的恐怖小說有如吃充滿沙粒的粗糙紅米 coarse and gritty)，我有空也會選讀一些世界名作家的中丶英文譯本。最近手不釋卷的包括：張愛玲的 【對照記】；Jooste, Pamela “Dance with a Poor Man’s Daughter”；Lawrence, Hill “The Book of Negroes”；Patchett, Ann “Bel Canto”；Gordimer, Nadine “Beethoven was 1/16th Black”等。

「關於本地政治/政策：我在礦產公司和科技行業工作之時，很多時要戴保護頭盔丶穿上藍領「蛤乸衣」、加上防毒面罩，在溶爐和有毒氣的工廠內部與勞工界丶白領階級一起工作。所以我轉至做管理一瓣的時候，對科技丶政策丶人事管理都會考慮從Grassroot 「草根」階層方面的觀點角度來看，拒絕在「象牙塔」內閉門做車。我亦很幸運能夠有一個信任我的總幹事波士，給我很多機會和加拿大聯邦丶省丶域丶巿政府及其它國家的政客丶官員丶NGO丶工商業等代表打交道，令我明白了政治 politics 和政策 policy 的來龍去脈丶時空異同丶及互帶作用，知道substance 和 process是要雙管齊下，二者不可缺其一，思想由operational 轉向 strategic，久而久之就產生了所謂 gut feeling 第六感覺。」

一講政治，我馬上投降。Next。

思鄉不還,落根而生
我承認對Haricot的認識不多，只知道他住在加拿大的渥太華，所以我問了這樣的一條問題：「你寫了很多有關渥太華的文，你喜歡這城市哪一地方？如果可以選擇的話，你會選擇在哪裡安享晚年？」

他的回答很老實也很直接，簡直把我槍斃了：

「不算很多罷，在 lotusandcedar 的 853 篇刋登文章中，有提及Ottawa 或渥太華的只佔 4 至 5%。我最喜歡渥太華河對岸魁北克省的 Gatineau Park (滑雪丶游水丶跑步……)。你說什麼安享晚年？我自己從未想過，亦從未有人這樣問過我，您是第一個﹗﹗﹗」

這個故事教訓：應該事先多下點功夫，才去做訪問。

「感覺上你已經融入了當地人的生活，加拿大是否已給你一種家的感覺？」

Haricot始終是一個偏重理性的人，他的回應是：

「從自然生物擴散論來看，移民遷徙，是生物以擴散來繁殖和改良品種，這個生命演進的過程，對個體丶母體丶和整個天然系統都有進化和改善的作用。從個人生活觀點來看，生命是一個旅程，出身長大的地方，我當然有很多童年回憶，雖是紅棉絮丶蒲公英亦會有懷鄉之念。但在這電訊網絡全球化丶科技日新月異的21世紀中，我是相信：”Root is where I come from. Home is where I settle.”」

好了，Haricot經常周遊列國，這一點應該沒有錯了。

「你到過一個地方時，會否想到在那兒住下來的呢？看你經常去旅行，你是如何選目的地的呢？譬如這個夏天的旅行，你為何選聖露西亞島 St Lucia這個地方？你是如何安排你的旅程的？」

他回應：「年青時我一早就決定是要「收身,離家,自覺,遊天下」，所以旅遊見世面在我來說，是生活情趣中佔很重要的一部份。我歷年旅遊活動大約可分為下列四類：學生工作；公幹出差；私人旅遊；特別旅遊。現只談私人旅遊。

「如果公幹出差是和社會有權勢的官員、商家打交道，那麼私人旅遊就是深入民間，明白普羅大眾日常生活的學習好機會。我在這裏說的不是包伙食、狂購物、及走馬看花那種「跟團」旅遊；也不是在郵輪上享受娛樂設施、奢華服務、上岸購物那種「全包」旅遊。我說的是住在賓館民宿、吃在小食店、和本地人有交有談那種「自理」旅遊。在我來說，「某某人曾到此一遊」與「某某人曾到此一遊和學習」是有很大分別，前者純粹是個人享樂(這也是無可厚非)，後者是以『行萬里路勝讀萬卷書』的心態去跑江湖丶見世面。所以在選擇目的地和安排旅程時我都會儘量考慮上列各點。例如這次和K去聖露西亞島St Lucia 度假，我們上網找了一間價錢中肯，位處Caribbean加勒比海旁的小旅館，早、午、晚三餐都會在附近的一個小鎮吃，除了讀書、游水、遠足外，亦會探訪一位好友的母親和兄弟姊妹，見識本地的風土人情、家庭生活。」

「你很喜歡旅行，有什麼地方讓你留下很深刻的印象或者你想再去的呢？」

他回應道：「情迷意大利，想再去羅馬永桓城　 /　 La Roma Eternal
City﹗﹗﹗」

On the Seven Hills I walk with you my heart trembling.
In silence we stroll as the Fivme Tevere goes meandering.
Through the ruins of popes and conquerors, of isola, contrada
and monte;
eternal is built on the foundation of many a rich conte;
on top of the layers below, yet to be discovered:
Will there be a fountain of youth,
that the Roman used;
where Paolina turned into Victorious Venus?
Or a conduit to life eternal,
underneath the Colosseo;
where the gladiators lie?
I want to be with you my love – per questo,
Till life eternal – in sempiterno

紅棉花燦爛，傲骨喻錦華


關於Haricot的生活，有讀者問：「你是好動之人，該健康又健美，怎麼還說要靠參加馬拉松來減重？」

「我雖是好動之人，但如果不小心飲食，仍可以在數月內潻增十多磅﹗﹗我報名參加馬拉松賽跑，飲食就自然成了訓練的一部份。馬拉松賽是結果，但也是推動力。A marathon race is both an end and the means to a healthy life style.」

另一讀者又問：「我母親常說『甚麼年紀便做甚麼事』，這句話在微豆身上適用嗎？」

「很容易答!! 不適用，她不是我母親啊 (just kidding!﹗﹗)。 其實我天生反叛性強，深信性別丶種族丶年紀等不是重要，最主要的是一個人的能力和紀侓。當然，『能夠做』和『應該做』是不可以被混為一談，我的做丶或不做反應 response 亦要在乎形勢和環境，例如: 我不會單人匹馬衝入KKK十字架營火會大喊『打倒種族歧視﹗﹗﹗』。所以我的答案是：CAR = Circumstances Appropriate Response。」

Haricot的網誌是中英並用的，為保留原文的風味，讀者的英文問題都不會譯成中文了：「Sounds like you have endless energy but how do you balance work and play?」

Haricot的回應是：

「Two suggestions from two different perspectives: (1) Time management: There is no such thing as “I don’t have enough time”. It is just a matter of priority (e.g. attending to a sick child vs going to the office). (2) Seven of Nine 九之七: (a) Regenerate in your “alcove” (whatever that is) from time to time; (b) Work efficiently like the borg in Seven; (c) Play and experience your humanity !!!」

要找一些字眼形容Haricot，我感到有點困難，謝謝讀者提出這個問題：「可以用五十個中文字內來形容一下你自己嗎 ?」

Haricot用了下面五十個字形容自己，真的不多不少，標點符號不算在內：

無花秋月鈎，楓葉遙招手
吻郎望郎歸，淚凝眉眫淒
心結難解心繫珮
雁行成數雁不回
雖曾再會
情已去
覆水難收
夢已虚
無緣

「這五十字可說是形容過去的我。但我是不是一個無緣的人? 可不是啊!!! 只不過，香港和加拿大是兩個不世界，我也是少談在加拿大的風花雪月。

故事還未寫完，其它一切一切，有待下回分解。」

這個下回到底如何，我也想知道啊

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兩周一聚七月專題: 仲夏聯想101 / 2weeks1gather's July Theme Article: Mid-summer Dream 101

Here are two haiku 徘句 each with 20 words or less:

【夏日】
木棉楓樹蔭
徘言絕句兩岸通
一笑,心思!

【冰淇淋】
仲夏白沙灘
碧海藍天弄潮兒
紅色比堅尼

Reference:
漢徘,徘句 (續集) / Chinese and Japanese Haiku (Part 2)

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

兩周一聚七月專題: 仲夏聯想101
by michelle

夏日不經不覺又來臨了，無論你身在南半球還是在北半球，在炎熱的日子之下會想起些什麼？一個冷水浴? 一隻黃螞蟻？還是一位舊情人？

來，齊來築起兩周一聚七月的仲夏101，請把你的聯想在下面的回應處記下，讓我們在這裡收集101件無名小故事、物件、回憶、盼望．．．

留言留事次數不限，每次字限二十。

截止日期 : 7月底。

旅遊加勒比海聖露西亞島 (一): 度假歸來 / Travel to St. Lucia in the Caribbean (Part 1): Back from vacation

I just came back and will post some more articles and photos within the next few days !!!

Photo Credit:
Wikipedia / St Lucia (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Lucia)