2015.08.28 | 慶讚中元

[Volume 10 Issue 8, #2051]

The 7th Month of The Chinese Lunar Calendar

嚟到舊曆七月中, 即係大家所熟悉嘅中元節或盂蘭節, 又或者俗稱嘅鬼節.. 我覺得我係相信有往生後幽靈之說嘅, 因為自細我都好怕呢啲嘢㗎.. 譬如話如果屋企附近有喪禮(尤其係道教義式嘅), 我會因為聽到啲超度念經同打齋聲而唔敢去瞓覺, 我甚至唔敢經過辦喪事嘅屋企而要搵路兜.. 點都好, 人大咗情況就好得多啦, 我同自己講其實唔駛去亂諗嘢嚇自己.. 普遍上大家都係相信舊曆七月鬼門關大開, 幽靈會由地府傾巢而出在人間遊蕩, 大家可能因此怕怕.. 不過我又聽聞其實呢個月內雖然係鬼門關大開, 但係就只開俾尚在人間遊蕩嘅無主孤魂返回地府, 只係有入而冇得出嘅.. 我會選擇相信後者.. 其實我哋都存在於唔同嘅空間, 雖然就同時共存, 甚至有時係因為某些原因可以聯接得上.. 之不過, 正如人與人之間一樣, 只要大家互相尊重, 河水不犯井水, 查實都大可以相安無事.. 呢個月唔係謠言及商業電影講得咁恐怖嘅, 反而我哋應該遵守留傳世代嘅禁忌, 從而反映出我哋嘅尊重.. :)

it's mid of the 7th month of the Chinese lunar calendar, or commonly known as the Hungry Ghost Month.. i guess i do believe in spirits and souls in the afterlife world, as i remember when i was still young, i was quite haunted and bothered by all these "things".. for example, if there were funerals (especially the Taoist funerals) nearby, i would be scared by the noise of the chantings and instruments from the funerals until i dared not sleep, i was frightened to even walk passed the funeral that i wanted to avoid it by taking alternative routes.. anyway, it got better as i grew up and i told myself there is no need to be bothered by all the unnecessary thinkings.. i think most of the Chinese believe that for this month, the gate of hell is opened and spirits are free to roam for the entire month, hence probably the scare.. on the other hand, i have also read about another saying that, the gate of hell is open but only for wandering spirits to return or to be sent back to the afterlife world through the gate, only in they go and nowhere they could get out to roam.. now, i choose to believe the latter.. we are present in very separate dimensions, though both dimensions actually exist at the same time, and at times the frequency may draw us together.. however, just like between humans, as long as we respect one another, there should not be any worries.. this is not a month to be haunted by spirits like many old sayings and what are shown in commercial movies, but rather to show respects by observing the taboos passed down from generations to generations.. :)

2015.08.25 | 陽光水果

[Volume 10 Issue 8, #2050]

Fruits Infused Solarized Water

睇咗Twilight Anay嘅呢一篇貼, 話佢飲咗所謂嘅陽光水(solarized water)之後, 成個人都精神爽利.. 於是我就蠢蠢欲動, 第二日就即刻去買咗兩個玻璃樽返嚟自己整陽光水飲.. 不過就買唔到有色玻璃樽, 得呢啲透明無色嘅.. 唔緊要, 到時可以用各種唔同顏色嘅透光紙包住, 仲過flexible啦!! 好喇, 乜嘢陽光水呀你問?? 其實就係將你支(一定要玻璃, 唔可以用塑膠)樽入滿水, 再放喺太陽下曬佢兩個鐘, 就係咁簡單.. 呢度我就無謂囉嗦喇, 閣下若有興趣知多啲, 可以上網搜尋關於solarized water color therapy呢個古老治療, 睇睇各種顏色嘅不同效益.. :)

i read this post from Twilight Anay that he consumes solarized water daily and feels recharged and energetic all day long.. i was very excited about this therapy and the next day, i immediately went to buy two glass bottles and started making my own solarized water.. too bad, i could only get these transparent bottles since colored ones were unavailable.. never mind, in this case i can always wrap them up using different color films, even more flexible this way!! what solarized water you wonder?? simply expose your (glass only, not plastic) bottle of water under sunlight for a couple of hours and that it is!! anyway, i'm not going to be redundant here, if you are interested to know more, just google solarized water color therapy and read the benefits of this very ancient wisdom.. :)

最近喺網上睇到有人飲呢個生果泡水(fruits infused water), 雖然唔係新聞, 但係我覺得幾有趣噃, 一試無妨.. 於是靈機一觸, 我將兩者二合為一, 產生咗我嘅生果泡陽光水(fruits infused solarized water)嚟.. 就希望兩者嘅效益唔會相撞之余, 其實可以互補互惠啦, 呵呵!! 以下係試過嘅兩款, (1)醒神: 檸檬, 青檸同桔仔, (2)沁涼: 靑蘋果, 青瓜及薄苛葉..飲前我會加冰塊, 凍冰冰易入口, 再加半茶匙鹽(係鹽, 唔係糖!!)俾佢更加清涼.. 飲後感:- 靑蘋果, 青瓜及薄苛葉如果直接打成汁會好味啲嘅; 檸桔嗰個呢, 其實幾適合咁整而且好好飲喎, 我鍾意呀.. 拋開你嘅汽水同所有加工嘢飲,嚟試下呢個健康啲嘅啦!! :)

lately, i have also read about people drinking fruits infused water, likely an old story but i find it interesting that i would want to try too.. and so, i combined both ideas and came out with my fruits infused solarized water, with a hope that their benefits won't clash but rather complement each other, haha!! here were two that i tried, (1) invigorating: lemon, lime and calamansi on the left, (2) cooling: green apple, cucumber and mint on the right.. i would add ice-cubes to serve them chilled, and also half a teaspoon of salt (no, not any sugar!!) to make them taste even more refreshing.. my verdict, probably it's nicer to just blend apple, cucumber and mint into juice; as for the citrus one, i find it suitable for and taste good this infused-water way, i like it!! ditch your soda and all processed beverages, try this healthier one!! :)

2015.08.21 | 手機演進

[Volume 10 Issue 8, #2049]

The Chronicles of My Mobile Phones

我係喺2000年先開始擁有自己部手機嘅, 都相當肯定係朋友及同事之中最後一個「有機一族」.. 我認為自己都算係個中庸嘅手機使用者, 咁多年以嚟都只係換過6部手機, 平均每2.5年先至一次棄舊迎新.. 大家嚟睇睇下面我的手機演進史, 其實都用咗啲時間上網搵啲相㗎, 尤其係前幾部古董, 哈哈!! 你呢?? 幾時開始有第一部手機?? 用咩款?? 依家又係第幾部手機呢?? :)

i only started to own a mobile phone in year 2000, i am pretty sure i was the last to (finally) have one amongst friends and colleagues.. i consider myself quite a moderate mobile phone user because throughout these years, i have had only 6 phones all together, which means i ditched an old phone for a new one every 2.5 years on average.. look at the chronicles of my mobile phones, i actually spent some time searching for the pictures especially the antique ones, haha!! how about you?? when did you first own your mobile phone, what model was it?? and what is the phone you are using now after how many changes?? :)

2000: Panasonic GD90 2003: Sony Ericsson T630 2007: Samsung E900 2007: Nokia 6300 2011: Apple iPhone 4 2014: Apple iPhone 5S 2000 Panasonic GD90 各位朋友, 我人生中第一部手機, 仲有支大天線添, 哈哈!! 其實係眾多朋友及同事俾壓力, 話成日聯絡唔到我, 先決定去買嘅.. 升級為「有機一族」果然感覺良好, 記得身邊啲人比我仲興奮, 呵呵!! :D folks, this was my very first mobile phone, still with an antenna, haha!! a result of all the pressures from friends and colleagues that they could not contact me once i'm out.. it felt amazing to finally have my own mobile phone, everyone was even more excited than myself i still remember, hahahaha!! :D 2003 Sony Ericsson T630 上一部手機嘅殼甩漆甩到慘不忍睹, 親朋戚友嘈笑有損我型像, 叫我換過部啦.. 三推四讓之下, 終於買咗我第二部手機, 係有彩屏同相機㗎!! the paint on the previous phone scrapped off very badly until my family and friends could not take it and urged me to get a new phone (to match my image), haha!! and so here it was, my second phone with color screen and a camera!! 2007 Samsung E900 上一部手機都用咗好一些年, 直至四個角啲按鍵全部要大力㩒先用到.. 為免手指再痛, 於是乎就換咗呢部推滑式手機, (想當年)係好型㗎!! the previous ones lasted some years until i decided to get a new one, because i had to press super hard for buttons at the corners to get them working.. to save my fingers from further hurting, i got this slide phone which was so d*mn cool (back then)!! 2007 Nokia 6300 同一年第二部新手機, 唔係我作風噃!! 有法子, 因為上一部手機喺MV一列逼爆人嘅KTM內俾人扒咗去(@#$%^&*), 所以迫不得已立即要買過部新機.. 如冇記錯, 呢部手機係我第一部有得(龜速)上網嘅.. another phone within the same year, so not my style!! no choice but since the previous one was picked-pocket in a very packed KTM (@#$%^&*) at MV, i had no choice but to go buy a new one immediately.. if not mistaken, this was my first phone which has a (tortoise speed) web browser.. 2011 Apple iPhone 4 上一部手機其實非常好用, 當人人都開始用觸屏式智能手機時,我仍然對佢不捨不棄㗎.. 直至多次跌落地, 以致按鍵壞壞地同手機殼走位, 我先最終踏上觸屏式智能手機嘅列車.. the previous phone was actually a good and useful one, i was still holding on to it when everyone moved to use smartphones with touch screens.. until many falls on the floor causing the keypad to not work well and the shell came slightly off, i finally jumped onto the touch-screen smartphone bandwagon.. 2014 Apple iPhone 5S 最後, 我依家用緊嘅呢部, 當時好有可能係一時嘅衝動?? 因為身邊嘅朋友個個都upgrade, 喺我面前揚嘛.. 於是舊年去北海道前幾日, 按奈不住走去簽咗電訊公司嘅trade-in配套, 成為呢款手機嘅忠實粉絲.. 你問我會唔會好快又upgrade?? 可能㗎, 嘻嘻~~ :p lastly, this is my current phone, which probably was an impulse?? everyone around me was upgrading and showing off in front of me.. finally just few days before i went to Hokkaido last year, i took up the telco's offer for a trade-in plan, and happily became a loyal user of this phone.. will i be upgrading soon, you ask?? likely, hehe~~ :p

2015.08.18 | 行業專業

[Volume 10 Issue 8, #2048]

Profession versus Professional

想問下大家有幾何被身邊嘅親朋戚友咨詢同你行業有關嘅嘢, 但係你就覺得係需要其他專業人士去答覆呢?? 哈哈, 我知大家睇咗句嘢三次, 都仲係嘗試理解我想講乜.. 講簡單啲, 就好似去同一位事務律師咨詢關於捐獻及謀殺醜聞嘅意見(因為都係律師), 又或者叫一位心肺醫生去幫孕婦開刀生仔(因為都係醫生)咁.. 就正是今日呢篇貼嘅題材--行業與專業喇.. 大家都知我喺所謂嘅IT界搵餐飯仔食啦, 就因為咁, 身邊啲親友一有咩關於電腦嘅嘢, 就第一時間走嚟問我.. 老實講, 其實IT只不過係一個通用(甚至濫用)嘅名詞, 本身就係個非常之廣泛(到佢哋完全唔知有幾廣泛)嘅行業, 裡面有幾乎無限嘅領域, 而每個領域入面嘅每個分支都有佢哋自己嘅專家.. 我可能懂得, 或識少少, 甚至完全一竅不通嘅地方多得是, 但係因為我係個佢哋身邊嘅「IT人」, 所以就好似理所當然會知晒全部嘢.. 事實當時並非如此啦, 我係識得啲啲scripting, 但我冇可能識晒所有程式篇寫同網頁設計.. 我係識得(跟住說明書)裝軟件, 但我對於電腦網絡同硬件係零知識, 更不能講要我修理電腦.. too bad, 呢啲全部都係佢哋眼中嘅「IT嘢」, 我唔識邊個識?? 所以好多時候對於呢啲嘅expectation, 我只係有啼笑皆非嘅份.. :D

how often are you being consulted by people around you on things related to your profession, but you actually think those need professionals to answer?? haha, i know you read that sentence three times and are still trying to digest what i mean.. to make it simple, it's like consulting a solicitor on a donation and murder scandal (because they are lawyers), or asking a cardiologist to perform a caesarean delivery (because they are doctors).. it's exactly the topic of this post - profession versus professional.. you see, i work in the so-called IT line, and because of that many friends and relatives around like to ask me whatever computer related.. to be frank, IT is a very general term and itself a vast industry (they never have expected) that involves almost infinite areas and each sub-domain under every area has got their own specialists.. i may know, or know little, or even know nothing about many areas, but because i am seen as the "IT guy" around them, i am expected to know what they wanted to know.. this is certainly not the case, i may know a little scripting but i definitely cannot do all kinds of programming and web design work.. i may know how to install software (based on the manuals) but i definitely know nothing about computer networking and architecture, not to mention repairing a computer.. too bad, all these are just "IT" to them and i am expected to know all things.. many times i am just speechless on these expectations, i wonder if i shall cry or i shall laugh?? :D

2015.08.14 | 出埠歸來

[Volume 10 Issue 8, #2047]

Just Back Home from An Outstation Trip

有讀者問點解我最近咁靜局嘅?? 吓, 乜我好靜局咩?? 我有例常嘅新貼, 我又從未miss過其他blog嘅每一個貼喎.. 又或者因為我有超過一個月都冇回應任何留言?? 呵呵, 唔好意思囉, 其實真係冇乜時間去逐個貼逐條留言去回應囉(不過我有睇晒所有留言), 如我經常提及過啦, 睇blog留言優先嘛.. anyway, 我其實剛剛出埠做嘢返嚟咋, 因為冇(免費)wifi, 唯有靠部手機上網同睇blog留言, 所以留言金榜多日內都冇更新.. 噚晚一返到屋企, 就即時更新同埋寫咗今日呢個貼喇, 所以係簡短兼dry嘅.. 究竟我去咗邊呢?? 下面有三張相俾大家估下, 當然估中係冇手信啦, 哈哈!! 祝大家有個愉快嘅週末!! :)

some bloggers wondered why i have been so quiet lately?? errr, have i been quiet?? i have regular new posts and i have comments left for every new posts of other blogs.. probably i seem to be quiet because i have not been replying to comments since more than a month ago?? ooopsss, paiseh lah, i am really still finding time to do that (but i read all comments actually), the former tasks come in priority first, as i have always mention, hehe.. anyway, i am indeed just back home from an outstatin business trip, can't get (free) wifi and i just had to rely on my phone to bloghop and surf the internet, hence even the comment chart was not updated.. back home last night and i made sure all things are back on track and instantly drafted this post, so you see only this very short and brief and "dry" post today.. where have i been?? three photos below for you to guess, no souvenirs though if you manage to guess it right, haha!! have a great weekend ahead folks!! :)

點擊下面的縮略圖查看個別照片 Click thumbnails below to view individual photos

2015.08.11 | 是是但但

[Volume 10 Issue 8, #2046]

The Anything-Will-Do Attitude (a.k.a Cincai)

自從我大多數時候留喺公司自己整午餐後, 我發覺已經開始對午餐食啲咩冇乜要求喇.. 大家都知喺公司入面當然好多限制, 冇可能煮個九大簋出嚟㗎, 所以好多時候係求其有嘢落肚就得啦.. 唔需要諗要去邊度食晏, 唔需要煩要食飯定食麵, 而係自己有咩可以整到咩就食咩, 最緊要方便.. 就好似呢碟睇落「白賴晒淡謀謀」嘅米粉, 十分鐘內煮完五分鐘內食晒, 哈哈!! 味道如何?? 我其實幾鍾意喎, 不過就俾大家知我點整, 咁先可以定奪究竟得唔得嘛~~ :p 將蔬菜及切好嘅杏鮑菇改入微波爐, 高火烚佢4分鐘.. 烚好就將米粉放埋入去浸熟一分鐘, 唔駛再煮.. 飛乾水之後, 將米粉放落碟中.. 放入麻油, 生抽, 同我嘅「秘密武器」橄欖菜.. 撈均之後同蔬菜杏鮑菇一起享用..

ever since i spent most time cooking lunch in office, i realized i am slowly cultivating this anything-will-do attitude when it comes to what to eat for lunch.. you see, many things are rather constrained and of course we can't do anything fancy in the office, hence many times it is like "as long as there is something to eat, then that's it".. there is no decision needed on which place to go, rice or noodles etc but i eat what i can make out of the stuffs i have, and what's most convenient to cook.. for example, this bland-looking beehoon which was done in less than 10 minutes and finished in 5, haha!! was that good?? hmmm, i liked it personally but i shall let you judge if it is good by how i cooked it~~ :p blanch veggie and sliced eryngii mushrooms in microwave on high power for 4 minutes.. when done, soak beehoon together for another minute (doesn't need to cook).. throw away the water, place soften beehoon onto a plate.. add sesame seed oil, light soya sauce and, my "secret ingredient", preserved "olive vegetable" (those dark bits - i have no idea what this is called in English because it's a very Chinese thing, haha!!).. give it a nice toss, serve with veggie and eryngii mushroom..

2015.08.07 | 我在低頭

[Volume 10 Issue 8, #2045]

I Am Looking Down (At My Phone)

我諗大家見到上面張圖, 應該都唔知佢係乜喇.. 其實係我部手機內, 我比較經常用開嘅幾個程式啫.. 我記得曾經有提及過自己撘車返工放工嘅時侯, 一定係把握時間盡情用手機, 所以上一篇貼先會話咩「唔好去話人哋成日低頭玩電話等等」.. 最近就好似每日指定動作咁, 由左至右, 首先我會喺個語言學習程式繼續學三至四個法文module(我仲堅持緊, 唔係三分鐘熱度㗎!!), 之後就當然去睇blog兼留言啦, 跟住呢就會入whatsapp睇及回message, 最後如果仲有時間嘅話, 就玩一陣間游戲咁啦!! 嘻嘻.. 或者大家會覺得我實在係太過於「低頭」喇, 不過我想話都係以上搭緊車嗰段時間啫.. 事關我一到公司, 部手機就一定擺喺檯上一二角之後我就專心做嘢喇.. 又或者返到屋企, 我部手機就肯定留喺間房度.. 在室內, 我唔周圍去都帶住部手機嘅, 而且我係將所有聊天程式較靜音嘅(一直響其實好鬼煩), 間中記得「係噃, 我有部電話噃」時, 我先會睇下咋.. 所以呢, 如果我喺幾個鐘之後先回你嘅message, 就多多包涵喇, 因為我真係唔係每分每秒都check住部手機嘛！!! :D

okay, i guess you have no idea what the picture above is about.. it's actually a collage of the apps on my phone that i use more frequently.. i remember i mentioned before i fully utilise the time on my phone when i am in the train commuting to and from work, that was why in my previous post i said something like "let's not comment about people who keep looking at their phone blah blah blah", haha.. it's like a daily routine to me now that, from left to right, i'll first continue learning 3 to 4 modules of French on the app (surprise surprise i am still hanging on!!), then blog hop and spam comments, then read and reply my whatsapp messages and if i still have time, i'll go for some games!! hihihi.. well, if you think i'm too engrossed in my phone, i would say probably just throughout those commuting hours.. because once in office, my phone lies coldly on my desk while i focus on work.. or when at home, the phone is ditched at the corner of my room.. when indoor, i don't bring my phone around and i mute all the chat apps (to keep myself peaceful from all the annoying beeps), i only check my phone occasionaly when i remember "oh, i have a phone".. hence, please pardon me if i take hours to read and reply your message, especially during working hours or at night, because i don't look at my phone every minute and second!! :D

2015.08.04 | 避隨身聽

[Volume 10 Issue 8, #2044]

DO NOT All The Time Wear Ear/Head-phone

我哋先唔好談論去到邊都低頭睇住部手機, 因為我自已有時都係咁, 所以無謂自打嘴巴啦, 哈哈!! 今日呢篇係上一篇關於我隻藍牙耳機嘅延續, 我話我經常喺搭車或喺gym內會戴住聽歌, 有時喺屋企都會.. 我係講真㗎, 因為一喺(甚至未到)室外我就會即刻除落嚟㗎喇.. 經常都會見到街上有人戴住手機喺度享受聽歌嘅樂趣, 有啲更加係開大聲到連我都聽到佢喺度聽緊咩, 不過我唔會咁做.. 大家諗下, 我哋身在室外其實更加容易遇到意外, 譬如話有車honk你, 或者有人嗌你, 又或者後面有架搶匪坐住電單車殺到埋嚟.. 就因為對耳塞住耳機所以聽唔到呢啲預警聲, 而冇提起防備, 其實都幾危險囉!! 我就覺得唔好同自身安危搏過喇, 況且我對耳都需要休息嘅.. :)

let's not talk about how unsafe it is to keep looking at your phone wherever you go, because i sometimes do that, so better not slap on my own face, haha!! today's post is a follow-up to my previous post on the bluetooth earphone i bought about a week ago, i mentioned i always wear the earphone when i'm in the LRT and in the gym (and sometimes at home too).. yes, i really mean that because once, or even before, i am outdoor i will immediately take off my earphone.. while i can see many people enjoying their music through their earphones or even bulky headphones while walking outdoor (some even so loud i could hear what they are listening), i won't actually want to do so.. you see, we are more prone accidents outdoor, for example a car honks in emergency or somebody is shouting at you or a snatcher motorcycle is approaching, but because our ears are stuffed with a blasting device, we can't here all these alarms and did not stay alert!! it definitely is not safe and i don't think i want to take any risk, anyway my ears need some rests too.. :)