Surprisingly, Rafa was ousted by his compatriot Ferrer in the quarterfinal match of Australian Open. Even more surprisingly, the defeat was in three straight sets. The bickering for "Rafa Slam", that is, Nadal to hold all four Grand Slam trophies at one time, could be put to an end.
Nadal was not in the top form throughout the tournament. It could be seen from his comparatively high figure of unforced errors, as well as his abnormal sweating on the court. According to the post-match interview, Nadal seemed to have a hamstring, though he refused to talk much on it. Instead, he chose to praise his opponent.
This is sportsmanship. I just have not seen Rafa to find excuses when he is beaten, which rarely happens. Tennis is an individual sport, which winning or losing could only count on oneself. And tennis is brutal, which victory could come from a mere break point. Thus, players are animal, otherwise they could not tear their prays apart. It would be of huge difficulty for an animal to tune back to human-being after the match. Rafa does it graciously.
2011年1月30日 星期日
2011年1月26日 星期三
神童 - 20110126
昨天，香港有一過氣神童，因暴斃於東莞而登上多份報刊頭版。真可謂「生榮死哀」。
聞說，神童白手興家，於十多歲當經紀，廿多歲時事業登頂，身家達廿億。曾幾何時，神童左右美女如雲，和大量娛樂圈女星過從甚密，是眾港男的偶像。女星們的私密特質，經神童的「口述歷史」，繒形繒聲，也是獅子山下的一點集體回憶。
不知何故，神童崩潰了。又暴肥又生毒瘤，他的墜落，也叫大家非常心涼。如今，巨星殞落，不少人更大呼活該呢。憎人富貴欠人貧嘛。
俱往矣。叫人難忘的，是神童的打扮。一頭蓬鬆的濃髮，五官均偏大。中等偏肥的身形，頂著大肚子，霎眼有點像陳奕迅。恤衫永遠不別頂端兩顆衣鈕。深色西褲，赤腳踏懶佬鞋。想裝瀟洒，卻總是得出一副淫穢相。
幾時，有錢人能長得較好看呢？
聞說，神童白手興家，於十多歲當經紀，廿多歲時事業登頂，身家達廿億。曾幾何時，神童左右美女如雲，和大量娛樂圈女星過從甚密，是眾港男的偶像。女星們的私密特質，經神童的「口述歷史」，繒形繒聲，也是獅子山下的一點集體回憶。
不知何故，神童崩潰了。又暴肥又生毒瘤，他的墜落，也叫大家非常心涼。如今，巨星殞落，不少人更大呼活該呢。憎人富貴欠人貧嘛。
俱往矣。叫人難忘的，是神童的打扮。一頭蓬鬆的濃髮，五官均偏大。中等偏肥的身形，頂著大肚子，霎眼有點像陳奕迅。恤衫永遠不別頂端兩顆衣鈕。深色西褲，赤腳踏懶佬鞋。想裝瀟洒，卻總是得出一副淫穢相。
幾時，有錢人能長得較好看呢？
2011年1月25日 星期二
Two Combatants - 20110125
By flipping through channels, I watched the round four match between Kuznetsova and Schiavone, when they were levelled at 9-all. At the end, the Italian outlasted the Russian at 6-4, 1-6, 16-14, in 4 hours 44 minutes.
The scoreline itself is crazy enough to shit pants. And the quality of tennis showcased by both players could change one's view on the boring perception of women tennis.
Female tennis players are prone to error. Double faults and unforced errors fill a substantial part of the game. And the nauseating grunting, too. A cult, with Sharapova as the leading figure, seems could only unleash their energy via shouting. Even the boring Andy Murray made fun with it, and wondered whether any woman was giving birth in Sharapova's game. He was not exactly correct. Baby's crying is quieter than Maria's grunting.
Back to the classic combat. Both Kuzny and Francesca are attacking players. A hack of winners flied on every angle of the floor. And one point to note, women could not get aces easily from their serves. Thus, if rally is on, every point could be dauntingly long, which was the case of this match.
The highest praise to this dog fight - it's like Federer versus Nadal.
The scoreline itself is crazy enough to shit pants. And the quality of tennis showcased by both players could change one's view on the boring perception of women tennis.
Female tennis players are prone to error. Double faults and unforced errors fill a substantial part of the game. And the nauseating grunting, too. A cult, with Sharapova as the leading figure, seems could only unleash their energy via shouting. Even the boring Andy Murray made fun with it, and wondered whether any woman was giving birth in Sharapova's game. He was not exactly correct. Baby's crying is quieter than Maria's grunting.
Back to the classic combat. Both Kuzny and Francesca are attacking players. A hack of winners flied on every angle of the floor. And one point to note, women could not get aces easily from their serves. Thus, if rally is on, every point could be dauntingly long, which was the case of this match.
The highest praise to this dog fight - it's like Federer versus Nadal.
2011年1月24日 星期一
對抗 - 20110124
昨晚，看《星期日檔案》，有一港男，名龐一鳴，膽敢向地產商挑戰，嘗試一年內不光顧與其相關公司。
這是一件很有種的事。試想像，要恪守諾言，他一年內不能逛商場，行超市，搭巴士 . . . . . . 多可怕。看龐君的生活，出入靠單車，吃必街舖，買必街市，工餘放紙鳶 . . . . . . 多可怕。
單看節目，龐一鳴似率性天真。行年三十七，年前竟用九個月浪遊南美，還在鏡頭前給一年後的自己寫一封顏色斑爛的信。這些不是現實港人幹的事。就是沒女友埋怨，父母也罵不長進吧？只是，搞對抗，浪漫不能缺。
對我來說，龐的舉措，部分可行。例如，吃選擇小店，買菜幫襯街市。這是品味問題。商場有啥吃？全是連鎖店。超市又有甚麼買？都是一般貨色。要吃有個性的東西，當然小店；至於餸菜，要新鮮的必定街市。
踏單車上班嘛？不必妄想，硬件軟件皆缺也。單車徑，不知還要規劃多久；踩上馬路？撇開酒鬼不提，那些如狼似虎的司機，像是撞低人有分加似的，叫單車怎敢跟他們爭？車毀人亡呀！
這是一件很有種的事。試想像，要恪守諾言，他一年內不能逛商場，行超市，搭巴士 . . . . . . 多可怕。看龐君的生活，出入靠單車，吃必街舖，買必街市，工餘放紙鳶 . . . . . . 多可怕。
單看節目，龐一鳴似率性天真。行年三十七，年前竟用九個月浪遊南美，還在鏡頭前給一年後的自己寫一封顏色斑爛的信。這些不是現實港人幹的事。就是沒女友埋怨，父母也罵不長進吧？只是，搞對抗，浪漫不能缺。
對我來說，龐的舉措，部分可行。例如，吃選擇小店，買菜幫襯街市。這是品味問題。商場有啥吃？全是連鎖店。超市又有甚麼買？都是一般貨色。要吃有個性的東西，當然小店；至於餸菜，要新鮮的必定街市。
踏單車上班嘛？不必妄想，硬件軟件皆缺也。單車徑，不知還要規劃多久；踩上馬路？撇開酒鬼不提，那些如狼似虎的司機，像是撞低人有分加似的，叫單車怎敢跟他們爭？車毀人亡呀！
2011年1月19日 星期三
Neither Here Nor There - 20110119
The idiom means "unimportant". And could also be the title of a hilarious travel book, written by Bill Bryson.
While searching for something to kill time from the bookshelf, I noted this stuff. A paperback one, which the paper is stained by age, it could hardly be described as good looking. And although I have read another book from Bryson, on "nearly everything", I could never recall an ounce of what the hell inside. Since it seemed that most of the books have been covered, and rather reluctantly, I picked it out.
So, life sometimes is really like a box of chocolates, that you never know what you get next. Neither Here Nor There is a savory one, albeit its ugly facade.
The book is a travel note around Europe, in an American perspective. Much of the content must be fictitious, whilst the attitude of different peoples should be quite true. According to Bryson, Europeans were pompous and the supposed-to-be-everlasting-naive Americans were scorned. The most interesting thing is, Bryson poked fun at the "discrimination". From Norway to Yugoslavia, most of the countries may not be as enchanting as we may have imagined. However, laughter were coming by waves.
Somehow, Yukio Mishima's quote, "when I am telling a tragedy, you treat it as joke", is painfully true.
While searching for something to kill time from the bookshelf, I noted this stuff. A paperback one, which the paper is stained by age, it could hardly be described as good looking. And although I have read another book from Bryson, on "nearly everything", I could never recall an ounce of what the hell inside. Since it seemed that most of the books have been covered, and rather reluctantly, I picked it out.
So, life sometimes is really like a box of chocolates, that you never know what you get next. Neither Here Nor There is a savory one, albeit its ugly facade.
The book is a travel note around Europe, in an American perspective. Much of the content must be fictitious, whilst the attitude of different peoples should be quite true. According to Bryson, Europeans were pompous and the supposed-to-be-everlasting-naive Americans were scorned. The most interesting thing is, Bryson poked fun at the "discrimination". From Norway to Yugoslavia, most of the countries may not be as enchanting as we may have imagined. However, laughter were coming by waves.
Somehow, Yukio Mishima's quote, "when I am telling a tragedy, you treat it as joke", is painfully true.
2011年1月14日 星期五
焗蛋糕 - 20110114
公司搞焗蛋糕班。飯腳們照辦煮碗，自行報名，組成一隊「蛋糕兵團」。
焗蛋糕班也流行了至少七、八年吧？在短癮時代，此「潮流」如此長久，自有因由。架生是其一：在平均三百呎擠四個人的豆潤家，焗爐絕對是大而無當。需求是其二：拍拖初期，女仔送蛋糕給男仔是指定動作。方便是其三：聞說，焗蛋糕超易，因為配料已執齊，「廚師」們只需搞幾搞，放之入焗爐便成，絕無失敗之理。就是平常不煮飯的女同事都能做到。因為，其過程猶如叮飯般簡單。
這些蛋糕會好吃嗎？估計不會。況且，嚐甜的男子始終是小眾。說這些蛋糕好味，也不是味道好，而是當時感情好罷了。
焗蛋糕班也流行了至少七、八年吧？在短癮時代，此「潮流」如此長久，自有因由。架生是其一：在平均三百呎擠四個人的豆潤家，焗爐絕對是大而無當。需求是其二：拍拖初期，女仔送蛋糕給男仔是指定動作。方便是其三：聞說，焗蛋糕超易，因為配料已執齊，「廚師」們只需搞幾搞，放之入焗爐便成，絕無失敗之理。就是平常不煮飯的女同事都能做到。因為，其過程猶如叮飯般簡單。
這些蛋糕會好吃嗎？估計不會。況且，嚐甜的男子始終是小眾。說這些蛋糕好味，也不是味道好，而是當時感情好罷了。
IDD - 20110113
This morning, I received a phone call from US, and talked to a foreigner for half an hour. Weird.
These days, everybody could be kept in touch rather causally. Thanks to iPhone, Skype, 3G, Facebook and so and so, we could track down others, in words, by sound, or face-to-face, at once. In the sense of communication, the world is quite seamless.
Because of the infinite innovation on communication gadgets, people are now suffering the "compulsive connection disorder". That is, people have to be maintained online, wherever and whenever they are. The result, as a HKU student told the press, that he had engaged most of his time to deal with the less-well-known friends in Facebook, busy on updating himself and getting himself updated to the trivial stuff. The predicament is quite understandable. We could easily discovered that via Facebook. Some of the patients would give their "Like" to a piece of crumbled cake, and the dialogue would go on in that page. This is what we are addicted to, sharing.
Just like a balance, when the availability of communication means increases, the quality of communication decreases.
These days, everybody could be kept in touch rather causally. Thanks to iPhone, Skype, 3G, Facebook and so and so, we could track down others, in words, by sound, or face-to-face, at once. In the sense of communication, the world is quite seamless.
Because of the infinite innovation on communication gadgets, people are now suffering the "compulsive connection disorder". That is, people have to be maintained online, wherever and whenever they are. The result, as a HKU student told the press, that he had engaged most of his time to deal with the less-well-known friends in Facebook, busy on updating himself and getting himself updated to the trivial stuff. The predicament is quite understandable. We could easily discovered that via Facebook. Some of the patients would give their "Like" to a piece of crumbled cake, and the dialogue would go on in that page. This is what we are addicted to, sharing.
Just like a balance, when the availability of communication means increases, the quality of communication decreases.
2011年1月12日 星期三
罷工 - 20110112
公司男廁的三個尿兜，可能對國泰空姐按章工作的新聞，耳濡目染，竟然在同一時間「罷工」起來。
三個並排的尿兜，彷彿天氣太冷，如穿上外套一樣，各自蓋上同款白罩。也不排除，天氣冷得太久，連尿兜也冷死了。三個被「裹屍布」套著的尿兜，如三個雪白的小墳墓。看到了，也差點忍不住要向它們獻花呢。
衍生的後果可不是鬧著玩。尿兜通通打柴，男士們便唯有找馬桶解手。馬桶範圍小，不是每篤尿均能全數順利入內的。須知道，眼界、能力，因人而異。後生仔心火盛，射得太高，可射到廁板上；年長的機器壞，滴到一地尿花的，很是平常。大陸那些甚麼「行前一小步，文明一大步」的口號，並非人人身體力行的。結果，廁所板、馬桶邊沿、地板等，都佈滿尿漬，可苦透了要大便的人。
其實，尿兜也真是一個偉大的發明。除了拒絕行前一小步的人之外，不論你的國籍膚色，兄弟的大小美醜，尿兜都會不動如山，為人服務。從尿兜，我們可以瞥見大同，感受佛性。再者，人若心情欠佳，小個便，一泄如柱，總能將煩悶暫時帶走。所以，尿兜也是男人的避風塘。
三個並排的尿兜，彷彿天氣太冷，如穿上外套一樣，各自蓋上同款白罩。也不排除，天氣冷得太久，連尿兜也冷死了。三個被「裹屍布」套著的尿兜，如三個雪白的小墳墓。看到了，也差點忍不住要向它們獻花呢。
衍生的後果可不是鬧著玩。尿兜通通打柴，男士們便唯有找馬桶解手。馬桶範圍小，不是每篤尿均能全數順利入內的。須知道，眼界、能力，因人而異。後生仔心火盛，射得太高，可射到廁板上；年長的機器壞，滴到一地尿花的，很是平常。大陸那些甚麼「行前一小步，文明一大步」的口號，並非人人身體力行的。結果，廁所板、馬桶邊沿、地板等，都佈滿尿漬，可苦透了要大便的人。
其實，尿兜也真是一個偉大的發明。除了拒絕行前一小步的人之外，不論你的國籍膚色，兄弟的大小美醜，尿兜都會不動如山，為人服務。從尿兜，我們可以瞥見大同，感受佛性。再者，人若心情欠佳，小個便，一泄如柱，總能將煩悶暫時帶走。所以，尿兜也是男人的避風塘。
2011年1月6日 星期四
Details - 20110105
Hong Kong is an affluent place. We love brand names, and our bags are full of high tech gadgets. However, do these stuffs make us look smarter? Quite otherwise. Not to mention the adverse effect of too much brands. And the boredom of sameness is another issue. To me, the biggest problem is, we are too careless, especially men.
Perfunctory is a very common characteristic among Hong Kong men. They just ignore details. Maybe most of their time has been spent on chasing the trend. Freedom is one of the few fundamental rights we could enjoy here. Thus, in everyday life, most of our comrades adopt the laissez-faire attitude, which is extended to the administration of their body. Overgrown nose hair and fingernails could be seen everywhere. The unmanned eyebrow is an analogy to any rape scene on grass. In winter, they are too lazy to caress the dry skin, which results in a face with map of ever changing boundary.
Men here do not always put on their clothes in the right way, no matter how luxury they are. They could not count the number of belt loops properly, and usually miss out one of the double rear loops. Some people would carelessly tuck either pant leg, or both, into the socks. And the worn-out heels of leather shoes are common eyesore. It could be even worse if the price tags have not been removed.
Unless manner could be rediscovered, the taste of Hong Kong men is still under par.
Perfunctory is a very common characteristic among Hong Kong men. They just ignore details. Maybe most of their time has been spent on chasing the trend. Freedom is one of the few fundamental rights we could enjoy here. Thus, in everyday life, most of our comrades adopt the laissez-faire attitude, which is extended to the administration of their body. Overgrown nose hair and fingernails could be seen everywhere. The unmanned eyebrow is an analogy to any rape scene on grass. In winter, they are too lazy to caress the dry skin, which results in a face with map of ever changing boundary.
Men here do not always put on their clothes in the right way, no matter how luxury they are. They could not count the number of belt loops properly, and usually miss out one of the double rear loops. Some people would carelessly tuck either pant leg, or both, into the socks. And the worn-out heels of leather shoes are common eyesore. It could be even worse if the price tags have not been removed.
Unless manner could be rediscovered, the taste of Hong Kong men is still under par.
2011年1月4日 星期二
真與假 - 20110103
新年伊始，華叔大去。引申出很多真假莫辨的情狀。
例如感想。長毛和馬丁那些，是真的。看他倆人，沒有一面倒歌功頌德。前者說不後悔「癌上腦」論，後者說二人最親密時期是基本法起草時，個人情感無遮無掩；鄭家富和李永達之流，感情疑幻疑真。看他們出鏡，亢奮上身，不排除受鎂光燈影響。
至於特首和民建聯的，肯定假。因為，他們不約而同表揚華叔對政改通過作出的「貢獻」。這絕對是死亡之吻。相比成立教協、支聯會，此「貢獻」何堪一提。而且，民主黨決定支持政改時，華叔佔甚麼席位呢？再者，此「貢獻」是如斯富爭論性，言之是否要挑釁大眾？
說到底，最真的，已逝了。
例如感想。長毛和馬丁那些，是真的。看他倆人，沒有一面倒歌功頌德。前者說不後悔「癌上腦」論，後者說二人最親密時期是基本法起草時，個人情感無遮無掩；鄭家富和李永達之流，感情疑幻疑真。看他們出鏡，亢奮上身，不排除受鎂光燈影響。
至於特首和民建聯的，肯定假。因為，他們不約而同表揚華叔對政改通過作出的「貢獻」。這絕對是死亡之吻。相比成立教協、支聯會，此「貢獻」何堪一提。而且，民主黨決定支持政改時，華叔佔甚麼席位呢？再者，此「貢獻」是如斯富爭論性，言之是否要挑釁大眾？
說到底，最真的，已逝了。
2011年1月1日 星期六
Year End - 20101231
The media is busy on reviewing the year of 2010.
As such, we could easily rejuvenate our memory on those so-called big events. The Philippines Massacre, the Nobel Prize, ethnics issue on surrogate mother etc. The flooding of review should have occupied our mind, for a while at least, if we have not been putting too much time to shoot angry birds in our iPhones.
Regardless ideology, no matter which year we are in, actually, the tone of every review is the same. Bittersweet. Even our CE use this magic word in the official Facebook page. To create an aura of disinterest, media would select both good and bad news for their review, the truth is irrelevant. While the time is dogged, people need some good news for hope. When the tide is so smooth, the herd needed to be alerted and thus, some bad news have to be covered to play wolf.
Then, does the review do any good? Could we learn from the past? I am afraid it's very unlikely. Common sense says, North Korea would keep on bluffing, China would hold up her iron fist, and Uncle Sam would continue their lavish lifestyle by crediting from the rest of the world.
Look forward to the history repeats.
As such, we could easily rejuvenate our memory on those so-called big events. The Philippines Massacre, the Nobel Prize, ethnics issue on surrogate mother etc. The flooding of review should have occupied our mind, for a while at least, if we have not been putting too much time to shoot angry birds in our iPhones.
Regardless ideology, no matter which year we are in, actually, the tone of every review is the same. Bittersweet. Even our CE use this magic word in the official Facebook page. To create an aura of disinterest, media would select both good and bad news for their review, the truth is irrelevant. While the time is dogged, people need some good news for hope. When the tide is so smooth, the herd needed to be alerted and thus, some bad news have to be covered to play wolf.
Then, does the review do any good? Could we learn from the past? I am afraid it's very unlikely. Common sense says, North Korea would keep on bluffing, China would hold up her iron fist, and Uncle Sam would continue their lavish lifestyle by crediting from the rest of the world.
Look forward to the history repeats.
Wii - 20101228
我是「遊戲機大鄉里」一條，星期日才正式玩過Wii。
其實，早兩年在友人家也試玩過，不過維時僅數分鐘，記憶著實模糊。今次，玩了一、兩小時，體會較深。
玩了那些熱門的模擬運動遊戲，如保齡球、射箭、劍擊等，感覺新奇。和從前的遊戲機比較，Wii確是突破。回想從前的電子遊戲，不論種類，劃一以手指活動便成：左手把玩十字操縱杆，右手按A、B鍵。人只須呆在電視前，玩個七、八小時也是尋常。可是，Wii顛覆了電子遊戲的玩法，玩家往往要全身動起來。例如保齡球，拿著無線控桿，只要玩者模擬打真保齡的動作，無線感應器便能將動作幻化成真的一樣。我們玩時，便在室內劃出一條賽道，如打真保齡般滑動起來！又譬如射箭，玩此遊戲時，操縱杆要接駁一個額外的感應器，玩時，左手便如拿弓，右手如拿箭。瞄準時，左手感應器更會因時間過久而振動。真是新鮮的體驗。
當然，Wii的遊戲和真正的運動還有一大段距離。但硬是要著眼「缺點」是多餘。試想想，不用花費什麼，便能隨意過過癮，也是挺爽的。
其實，早兩年在友人家也試玩過，不過維時僅數分鐘，記憶著實模糊。今次，玩了一、兩小時，體會較深。
玩了那些熱門的模擬運動遊戲，如保齡球、射箭、劍擊等，感覺新奇。和從前的遊戲機比較，Wii確是突破。回想從前的電子遊戲，不論種類，劃一以手指活動便成：左手把玩十字操縱杆，右手按A、B鍵。人只須呆在電視前，玩個七、八小時也是尋常。可是，Wii顛覆了電子遊戲的玩法，玩家往往要全身動起來。例如保齡球，拿著無線控桿，只要玩者模擬打真保齡的動作，無線感應器便能將動作幻化成真的一樣。我們玩時，便在室內劃出一條賽道，如打真保齡般滑動起來！又譬如射箭，玩此遊戲時，操縱杆要接駁一個額外的感應器，玩時，左手便如拿弓，右手如拿箭。瞄準時，左手感應器更會因時間過久而振動。真是新鮮的體驗。
當然，Wii的遊戲和真正的運動還有一大段距離。但硬是要著眼「缺點」是多餘。試想想，不用花費什麼，便能隨意過過癮，也是挺爽的。
訂閱：
文章 (Atom)