2015.11.30 | 我係阿添

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2078]

Hello, My Name Is Tim

各位朋友, 如果你(1)跟咗我呢個blog有一段日子, (2)有睇咗我上一篇講最近曼谷之旅嘅貼, 及(3)驚訝於俾我帶過去嘅呢隻啡色毛茸茸小東西嘅話.. 好喇, 唔駛專登放大啲相, 唔駛夾埋對眼, 因為佢當然唔係Fing-Fing啦, 佢確實係其他玩意嚟, 哈哈.. 其實我覺得嗰篇貼係對佢嘅一個聰明帯入, 似係試探民聲咁, 如果冇人察覺就可以不了了之, 如果有人察覺到就可以正式同大家介紹喇.. 好啦, 各位auntie和uncle, 請以你哋最熱烈嘅掌聲, 歡迎阿添!! :)

hello folks, if you (1) have been following my blog, (2) have read my previous post about my recent Bangkok trip and (3) were surprised by this furry little brown thing that i brought along.. okay, don't have to zoom-in the photos and squint, he is of course not Fing-Fing but something else lah, haha.. i guess that post was a pretty witty way of introducing him huh?? like testing water to see if anyone noticed, if no then I'll just keep quiet, if yes then I'll formally introduce him to everyone.. so, aunties and uncles, please give your biggest applause to welcome TIM!! :)

2015.11.26 | 又再曼谷

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2077]

It's Bangkok, Again..

當呢篇貼出街嘅時候, 我應該已經辦好登機手續, 等緊上機由曼谷飛回家喇.. 係呀, 今年第二次嚟曼谷, 今次係兩日公事另外再加兩日逍遙遊.. 其實都冇乜要寫囉, 所以一篇貼搞掂佢當係作個紀錄啦.. 我哋大家都喜愛精簡嘅(旅遊)貼嘛, 唔係㗎咩?? 哈哈!!

when this post is published, i should have already checked in and waiting for my flight back home from Bangkok.. yeah, this is my second trip to Bangkok this year, this time two days on business and another two days on leisure.. nothing much that i have to blog, so just one simple post to conclude it all and for a record.. i think we all love short and sweet (travelogue) posts, don't we?? hehe!!

酒店就喺正國家體育場對面, 由十九樓房間望出去嘅靚景色.. hotel is located directly opposite of the National Stadium, great view from my room on the 19th floor.. 喺曼谷其實唔係行街買嘢就係食嘢, 今次好似食日本嘢多噃.. :p i guess it's all about eating in Bangkok besides shopping, and i think i had Japanese more this time.. :p 當然少不了小食啦, 因為樓下就有間麥當勞, 隔離就有間7-11, 怪佢太過方便, 哈哈!! of course, did not miss out snacking since McD is just below and 7-11 is just next door, blame the convenience, haha!! 最後, 展示下兩日逍遙遊所斬獲到嘅戰利品, 當然比上一次少得多啦~~ lastly, some clothes i bought during the two days on leisure, surely less than what i had from the previous trip~~

2015.11.23 | 今時往日

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2076]

The Present (pun intended) That Invoked My Thoughts

呢啲禮物同生日及聖誕無關, 而係嗰一日見到侄仔喺度忙緊包禮物而有感而發.. 我問佢送禮物俾邊個, 佢話「我都唔鍾意個老師, 但係班主任又話一定要送份禮物俾呢個老師」.. 聽完佢咁講之後, 我即時覺得好唔對路.. 點解小朋友將學校老師啲話當係聖旨咁㗎?? 老師一句說話, 佢哋永遠唔會忘記, 永遠唔敢不服從.. 反而係家長苦口婆心一再叮囑, 佢哋永遠唔會記得, 永遠聽唔入耳.. OK, 我承認我以前都係咁樣嘅, 不過點解呢?? 究竟係乜情況和大前提之下, 送禮物俾老師已是必定及必然嘅事?? 我記得以前絕對冇咁嘅必要喎.. 我知個用意係要答謝老師教育之恩, 不過要答謝都可以有好多其他方法啫,例如親口講多謝, 親手整張答謝卡, 唱番首歌或排個表演節目等.. 我一路以嚟都以為老師係無私奉獻, 不計回報地教導及教育莘莘學子, 學生學有所成就係佢哋最佳回報.. 點解搞到依家咁物質化?? 我經常都會見到好多家長東奔西撲, 為嘅只係幫自已嘅子女凖備禮物送俾學校老師.. 從何時開始學生答謝老師又要關到家長事㗎?? 校方規定學生一定要送禮物俾老師, 學生在沒有經濟能力原因之下, 唯有將個波推俾家長.. 我個人覺得咁樣係助長小朋友過份依賴嘅性格, 同埋讓佢哋潛意識下認為好多嘢係隨手可得而且理所當然嘅.. 唔駛付出就望有回報?? 對我而言, 係教育小朋友絕不能容的事..

this has nothing to do with birthdays or christmas but i have something to say when i saw my nephew busy wrapping a present the other day.. i asked who was the present for and he replied "i actually do not like this teacher, but my class teacher told me that i must give a present to this teacher".. i heard what he said and immediately thought that was rather peculiar.. why are kids so submissive to the orders of teachers in school?? one word from the teachers, they will never forget to follow and will never dare to disobey.. whereas kind advices from parents even though patiently repeated numerous times, they will never remember and will never willing to listen.. okay, i admit i was like that too, but why?? on what occasion and why has it become a compulsory thing to get teachers a present?? i don't remember i had to do this last time.. i know the intent is to thank the teachers and show appreciation, but there can be many ways of doing it, like saying thank you, drawing a card with simple notes, singing a song or putting up a performance.. i always thought teachers are selfless and ask for no return but hope students learned the best from them, the best return would be outstanding students themselves, why has it made so materialistic now?? i have always come across parents busy helping their kids prepare presents for teachers, since when students thanking teachers must involve their parents?? the school ask students to get presents for teachers, and the kids throw the balls to the parents because they are probably financially incapable.. i personally think this causes kids even more dependent on parents and makes them take for granted that everything can be available.. getting what you want without putting in effort?? a big no no in bringing up children, if you ask me..

2015.11.19 | 班戟一日

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2075]

A Day of (Two Years Quota of) Pancakes

上個禮拜日, 友人話我知佢有免費班戟餐券, 不過有效限期係當日.. 有咩大問題?? 即刻去商場食佢落肚咪搞掂囉, 收工!! 之但係友人繼續話, 餐券有嘅唔係得一張而係六張, 每張可換兩件班戟!! 死喇, 當下先知大件事喇, 哈哈!! 嘗試打俾其他朋友, 但係冇個要為咗兩件班戟而出現, 到底我哋兩支公應該如何搞掂啲班戟餐券而唔嘥嘢呢??

last sunday, my friend told me he has got some vouchers for free pancakes, only valid through that day itself.. what big deal?? we shall just get the mall and wallop them right away, all done!! but he then added, he has got not just one but six vouchers, each entitled us to two pieces of pancakes!! now, that indeed was a problem, haha!! we tried calling up other friends but none available, how could we two finish all these pancakes and not wasting any??

好喇, 於是就雄心壯志去咗城中新開張嘅商場, 搵到間班戟食肆, 開始我哋首輪班戟免費食.. 就當係下午茶兼運動前小食, 我哋每人兩件約五吋嘅班戟, 配打鬆咗嘅牛油同蜜糖(或是只不過係糖漿)以及一杯西茶, 完全免費.. 對一個成年男人嚟講係冇難度啦, 所以之前擔心搞唔掂啲餐券嘅隱憂, 立即化灰.. 我哋就喺度諗:「一陣gym完再到返嚟」..

alright, finger crossed, we went to the new mall in town, found the cafe and hopped in for our first free pancakes.. i considered that our tea time cum pre-workout snack, we each had two pieces of 5" pancakes served with whipped butter and honey (or was those just syrup) and a cup of tea, all for free.. easy peasy for guys i would say, and hence there gone the worries that we may not be able to handle the remaining four vouchers.. "we shall be back again after our gym session", we thought..

gym完再喺個商場行咗一陣之後, 我哋再到返同一個地方, 再次遞上兩張餐券.. 呢碟嘢係每二輪, 大家知我唔會同一碟食物重複貼上多張不同遠近不同角度嘅相啦, 確實真係我當日第二份班戟呀!! 係就係依然食得落肚, 但係就硬係覺得, 呢第三及第四件班戟, 同剛才尚未消化嘅第一及第二件班戟, 齊齊喺我個肚內發大, 哈哈!!

after our workout in the gym and a little walk in the mall, we went to the same place again and handed another two vouchers.. this was our second round, as you know it is not my style to repeatedly post multiple photos of the same food zoomed-in and zoomed-out and from different angles, it was really my second plate of pancakes for the day!! still able to chuck them down, but i just felt these third and fourth pieces were starting to expand together with the first two which were still soaking up in my stomach, haha!!

好喇, 時到如今, 我哋不得不放棄原先諗住要打包嘅最後兩張餐券.. 我其實都唔係咁喜歡食班戟嘅, 一年來都唔知有冇食過一件, 所以是日係數個鐘頭內就食兩年嘅份量?? 夠了就是夠了, 最終將剩下嘅兩張餐券, 毫無條件割愛俾埋嚟坐喺我哋隔離枱嘅食客.. 嘩嘩嘩, 好有運(雖然一開始有啲愕然)嘅朋友哦, 又或者有運嘅係我哋自己, 因為有其他人幫手完成「任務」?? 哇哈哈哈~~ 後記: 唔好同(免費嘅)班戟開玩笑!! :D

okay, we had to forget about the last two vouchers that we initially planned for the pancakes to be taken away.. i am actually not a fans of pancakes and i don't really eat pancakes even once in a year, so this was my two years of quota in just few hours?? enough is enough, we gave the remaining two vouchers, unconditionally, to the diners who came in sitting next to our table.. oolala, lucky they were though dumbfounded initially, or probably we were the lucky ones to have others to take over our "mission"?? muahahaha~~ P/S: NEVER FOOL WITH (FREE) PANCAKES!! :D

2015.11.16 | 時間倒流

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2074]

If We Could Turn Back Time...

如果時間可以倒流, 你會唔會第一時間整張list出嚟, 然後慢慢咁去完成嗰啲曾經, 甚至乎依然令你後悔/錯過/遺憾嘅事呢?? 又或者拾取經驗及教訓, 將一切無可挽留嘅僵局徹底洗牌, 然後從頭開始?? 又或者撇脫啲, 過去讓它過去, 無謂執著, 一切往前看?? 我相信人生之中, 無論幾開心幾樂天嘅人, 都必定會有某些遺憾.. 可能事過境遷, 不過每當回首過去, 表面上似乎看破一切, 但係實質上可能仲會耿耿于懷.. 除非呢個人真係神仙, 可以徹徹底底忘記一切囉, 不過我覺得好難, 點都會有條刺係個心裡邊嚹住嚹住嘅.. 所以你話, 如果時間以倒流嘅話, 我真係會有好多嘢想做囉.. 係係係, 雖然而家發夢尚早, 不過噏吓噏吓可能上天會突然間讓奇跡出現呢?? 其實間中發下白日夢, 人生先會有希望嘛, 哈哈!! :D

if we could turn back time, will you immediately draw up a list of those things that have made you felt regret or even still feeling regret, and then get them done one by one?? or maybe learn from experience and redo all that have led to now awkward situations, so that you can start all over again?? or probably just do nothing but to accept that bygones are bygones, there is no need to cling on to the past matters but to move on is more important?? i believe no matter how happy and optimistic a person is, he or she would have some regrets.. unless he or she is an almighty, i guess it is quite impossible to totally forget about the past, even though something may seem to fade with time, they are actually still buried in the heart.. hence if i could turn back time, i guess i really have a lot to do.. oh well, i know i know maybe it's too early to dream but then don't you think it feels more hope if we actually daydream once in a while?? haha!! :D

2015.11.12 | 物流追蹤

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2073]

About Shipment Tracking

我諗如果話我哋大家都已經習慣於網上購物及送貨上門, 應該都唔會有錯啦.. 老實講, 今時今日嘅我, 網購已經多過去商場血拼, 以致朋友都說笑話我係個「寶寶王」, 哈哈!!咁大家都好清楚網購流程啦, 俾咗錢就可以追蹤貨物最新狀況及現時送到去邊.. 一般「正常」程序係放鬆自己耐心等待貨物送到上門, 或者係隔好耐都未有收到先去查下物流.. 但係唔明點解, 我就似乎對於物流過於緊張, 可以去到每日都要追蹤, 甚至一日追蹤幾次嘅地步.. 或者係得我會咁, 唔單止緊張自己會收到嘅嘢, 自己寄出去俾人嘅嘢都同樣緊張, 要對方證實收到我先輕鬆落嚟.. 或者真係自己俾自己不必要嘅無形壓力, 因為要送到嘅始終會送到, 除非係極少可能嘅閃失.. 怪就怪雲端數據過於方便啦, 呵呵!! :p

i guess it is not wrong to say that we are all very used to purchasing things online and getting them delivered right to our doorsteps huh?? frankly, i actually shop online more than i shop in malls nowadays, until my friends tease and say i am a "Baobao King" now, haha!! and you know well, after you have made payment, you will be able to track the status of your purchase and trace where the shipment is at that time.. the "normal" way would be stay relaxed and wait patiently for the stuffs to be delivered, or only check the status if it is taking too long.. but, i do not know why but i think i tend to get over-anxious about my shipments most of the time, to the extent that i can't help to check the status of the purchase and shipment everyday or even several times a day.. so this is just me, not only i am kan cheong about things delivered to me, i am also very kan cheong about things that i sent out to friends, only to feel relieved when friends confirmed receiving the stuffs.. guess this is some unnecessary pressures i give to myself, because if it is going to be delivered, it will be delivered, unless something went wrong which is probably unlikely.. blame it on the convenience of cloud data, haha!! :p

2015.11.09 | 麥記納塊

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2072]

The Nanoblock That Made Many Had McDonald's Every Thursday..

如果唔係新加坡一位朋友告之, 我其實都唔會知道麥當勞翌日開始發售呢啲Nanoblock嘅.. 好啦, 見自己已經有咗兩個(左邊嘅漢堡包同薯條), 係幾個月前一位香港朋友送嘅生日禮物, 唔爭在買埋其餘嘅湊夠一套啦.. 好喇, 於是就踏上征途, 每個星期四早上就去大排長龍嘅麥當勞考驗自己嘅耐性.. 以為自己好早啦, 誰不知自己面前永遠都有條長龍!! 點都好, 最後都可以喺「重重壓力」嘅情況之下, 買齊一全套, 哈哈!! 真係難明突然由邊度嚟嘅咁多人, 為呢啲Nanoblock掀起熱潮.. 所以今日拎出呢條可能你自己都不停咁問嘅問題: 點解啲人會咁瘋狂於買麥當勞玩具?? 我呢, 其實好簡單地視佢哋為「私人珍藏品」囉, 每個人都有自己十分喜歡嘅嘢㗎啦, 就好似河馬媽媽永遠唔會覺得自己夠晒鑽戒同名牌手袋.. 唔係錯㗎, 因為我認為每個人都會為自己喜歡嘅嘢而咁做, 最重要嘅底線係, 應該量其能力去得到自己應得嘅, 而唔係佔他人便宜去滿足自己嘅慾望.. 大家又點睇呢?? :)

i wasn't aware about this Nanoblock thing until a friend in Singapore messaged me just one day before its launching day.. okay, i actually already have two (the Big Mac and Fries on the left) which my friend in HK sent to me as birthday gift months ago, i thought since i already have two then might as well get the rest to make a complete collection.. as such i hopped on the journey, exercising my patience at McD outlets which were packed with people every Thursday morning.. i thought i was early, yet there were always a long line before me!! anyway, i still managed to get mine and have a complete set of collection, after a couple of weeks of "peer pressure" from the other collectors, hahaha!! where did all these people come from and why a sudden flux of fever about this Nanoblock?? so here's the topic for discussion today, which i supposed you have always been asking: why are people so crazy about McD's toys?? i simply see them as purely "collector's items", everyone has got what they most fancy about, just like Hippomama can never have enough of diamond rings and Airmess handbags.. it's not wrong because i guess everyone does this for what they fancy, if and only if we do what we can afford and deserve but never take advantage of others for the sake of our own pleasure.. what would you say?? :)

2015.11.05 | 油醬麵包

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2071]

How You Spread Jam and Eat Your Bread

仲記唔記得一個月前, 我哋傾過啲十分微不足道嘅話題, 例如你點去食塊麵包?? 對半折, 一片食, 打孖上甚至三塊一齊嚟, 我知道你知我又要再講更加微不足道嘅嘢, 哈哈.. 我從來都冇去留意自己一向嚟會搽幾多牛油果醬喺我塊麵包上, 直至最近嘅曼谷之旅, 喺酒店食早餐嗰一日.. 其中一位友人將兩塊牛油同一塊果醬(酒店俾開嗰啲一塊塊嘅方便裝呢), 一滴不漏全部拍喺佢塊麵包上, 面不改容就咁食落肚!! 天呀, 我即刻呆咗喺度無話可說, 因為之後發覺原來自已只係用咗半塊牛油同四份一塊果醬.. 其實呢, 我自己就覺得薄薄一層有啲味道就夠喇, 厚厚一層油同糖喺塊麵包上面查实有點恐怖囉.. 就好似我平時食薯條咁, 只會點一丁點醬(甚至唔點都冇問題).. 唔似好多人咁, 幾碟幾碟(任拎唔嬲嘅)辣椒醬灌落肚, 似係飲醬配薯條多過食薯條點醬.. 可能人老咗, 我已經食得比以前清淡, 而且開始減少食重口味嘅嘢.. 之不過我又始終覺得, 喜歡食乜就食乜唔係咩大問題, 健康嘢又好垃圾嘢又好, 最重要係食得中庸及理智.. 過於乾淨或會造成不堪一擊, 盡情享受但不能過咗火, 講到底就係一個中肯加平衡, 就好似我哋生活上好多事情一樣.. :)

still remember a month ago we talked about some trivial topics like how you eat your bread?? fold, flat, one on top another or even a triple-decker.. okay now you know i am going to talk about something even more trivial, hehehe.. i never pay attention to how much butter and jam and whatnot i spread on my bread, until what i witnessed the day we had breakfast in our hotel during my recent Bangkok trip.. one of my friends splatted two blocks of butter and one block of jam (those small convenient packet of butter and jam, you know??) onto one slice of toast and then just eat it as it was!! OMG, i was speechless i was shocked as i was watching him, because i realised i actually only used half butter and quarter jam for my toast.. i personally think a thin spread would do to bring taste to the toast, a thick layer of fats and sugars on top looks rather scary to me.. just like i would only use little to no sauce for my fries, unlike many who would eat plates of (free and bottomless) chili sauce for a packet of fries, like they are eating the sauce with fries (and not the other way round).. maybe as i get older, i started to appreciate lightly flavored food more, for instance i cut down oily and spicy food now.. but i still think it is perfectly fine to happily eat whatEVER we like healthy or junk, but always hold on to the principle that modesty is the key.. too clean and we end up vulnerable, enjoy but don't go over the board, it's all about a modest balance, just like many other things we would do in life.. :)

2015.11.03 | 唔係咁大

[Volume 10 Issue 11, #2070]

The (Not That Big As I Thought It Would Be) Triple Cheeseburger

呢個就係我幾日前喺麥當當所食嘅三層芝士漢堡包(请數芝士後再數牛肉餅).. 係呀, 當我話要個雙層但我係朋友幫我買咗個三層, 我第一個反應係碌大眼+擘大咀+飆冷汗!! 我戰戰兢兢地打開個盒, 拎出個包再360度仔細望佢幾眼, 喂, 其實都唔係餐牌上所見我所想像中咁大啫~~ 食完個包之後再調整下思绪, 查實都唔需要大驚小怪啦.. 我哋何尚唔係已經默許, 喺保持價錢競爭力嘅大前提之下, 今時今日啲肉餅其實已經剩下當年嘅一半厚度啦.. 所以今日嘅三層其實等同當年嘅雙層, 依家我卒之明白點解我每次食完一個雙層芝士漢堡包後, 始終都唔覺有嘢落肚, 哈哈!! 之不過又冇能力去買多份餐, 事關啲嘢真係越嚟越貴, 連喺街邊食一餐分分鐘RM10都冇得找.. 以前唔係咁㗎記唔記得?? 當年係有錢學生先可以去麥當當, 家下我去麥當當係因為個「雜饭Auntie」郁下都收我RM7一碟飯.. 百的價漲錢縮水, 但依舊更多的「捐獻」!! 教我如何不愛我的國家??

this was the Triple Cheeseburger (count the cheese then the beef patties) i had some days ago in Donald McRonald's.. yes, petrified was my reaction when i asked for a double but my friend bought me a triple instead!! i gingerly opened the box, took out the burger and gave it a close scrutiny.. that was my extra virgin Triple Cheeseburger experience really, but hey, it was actually not that big as what i saw on the menu and imagined it would be~~ i finished my burger and reorganise my thoughts, what's there to be surprised about?? we have kind of "consented" that while keeping price competitive, the patties are now just half the thickness of what they used to be.. so this triple is probably the double we used to have, and now i know why i would always feel "tarak rasa" even after gobbling a double cheeseburger, hahaha!! but can't afford to get another set because things are getting more expensive, even eating at roadside stalls can cost us RM10 a meal, sometimes i think having fast food are more economical.. it wasn't like this remember?? back then only the rich students could afford Donald McRonald's but now i go to Donald McRonald's because the chap fan auntie easily charges me RM7 for a plate of rice.. price up and money shrinks further, and yet even more "donations"!! tell me how i not love my country??