Gertie-Yunis's Manor : Carpe Diem

My first business trip to Canton Fair

2008-05-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

It was only 2 weeks after joining this company that I had my first 4-days business trip to Guangzhou, for the 103rd Canton Fair.

* my buyer badge

103rd China Import and Export Fair (4/24-4/27)

People:Hong Kong – Regional Manageress Ms A, Merchandising Manageress Ms V Holland – CEO Mr Fire, Supply Chain and Sourcing Manger Mr Crab (my head), Director of Design Marco

Venues: Liuhua Complex, Pazhou Complex

4/24 Arrived with Ms A at White Swan Hotel in the evening, took a quick rest, taxi to a Japanese Restaurant to meet our colleague, and dinner with supplier. The taxi driver must be from other province because did not know the place, and nearly drove us to somewhere unknown. Those Dutchmen drank alcohol like water. Then on the way back to hotel, they had gone… mad. While the CEO heard that we three ladies shared a room, he just came to check like discovering of the New World. This night I could not sleep…

* Liuhua Complex

4/25 We went to Liuhua Complex where it looked like the Kai Tak Airport. Ms A, Mr Crab and I as a group to visit existing suppliers. Along the way we found many of our products being fraudulent used or copied by other companies, by hiding our logo, changing the design a tiny bit, or even simply put into their catalogues. Crab and Fire ordered those people to take away the products, and I took photos of the booth numbers and the products as evident. Fortunately the three Dutchmen are strong and tall so that those people only argued "We made the length 2cm shorter, is it still copycat?" or "You use aluminum, but we use steel, it is not copy." Otherwise it would have happened like seizing the catalogue from Ms A's arms rudely, "Any prove? Do NOT take it if you do not buy!"

Dinner we had a BBQ at the hotel. I ordered two glasses of watermelon juice. After the first dish of salad I was almost full but still ordered a little dish of grilled mutton and mushroom, and made a puzzle of Stitch with them. While they continued their happy hour at the bar, I was sleeping deadly in the bed.

* Garden inside the hotel

* Stitch made of grilled eggplant, mushroom, cucumber and mutton

* Lovebird in the hotel

4/26 A, V and Fire stayed at the Liuhua Complex; Crab, Marco who looks like Colin Firth and I went for sourcing at the new Pazhou Complex. Pazhou Complex is made up of two centres, and now constructing another two centres. The complex is huge but quite remote, and Marco said HKCEC is much more beautiful. Thank you. While we passed a booth hung up all chains Marco asked if I like playing with the chains. I replied no. Then he told Crab, "She does not like SM." (!!!) They laughed and talked in Dutch again and again since. To put a word of Ms A, "They must be talking dirty things." Sure. At 2p.m., we sent Marco off to MTR station for gather with Fire and Ms A to Hong Kong. We then went back to the complex and wait for an hour before getting on the first coach at 5p.m. back to hotel. Dinner at a steak house where the food looked good but… roasted duck breast was too tough to cut by a saw, cheese cake and tiramisu are iced to hard like a brick. The restaurant manager explained traditional cakes have to be put into fridge, but I wondered he meant freezer. We could not press the spoon into the cake. The most shocked thing is the waiter said he could reheat them with microwave oven. What!? After the meal, Crab suggested to have foot massage so we walked two hours (and consulted a Hotel manager) for a qualified foot massage centre. This is a good one. It is amazing that my feet and legs (and myself) were exhausted but turned out feeling light. The hot old ginger made me hot but comfortable. Following the master massage my knees and thighs, the great painfulness in my right thigh made me mute. After all, I had my best sleep ever.

* Pazhou Complex with a mascot looks alike Doraemon

* my roasted duck breast, looks pretty, but tough

4/27 The sleep was too nice to get up the next morning. Just a quick but rich breakfast we jumped to a van towards a factory meeting. On the way they slept at the back while I kept talking to the driver. One reason was I am talkative, the other reason was I do not sleep at the front seat. With the tight schedule, we visited a wholesale centre and found several of our products being copied; one of our previous suppliers produced a double of our products with a factory and sell at the wholesale centre.

In the evening, we took a train to Shenzhen and transit to Hong Kong.

I was exhausted but, happy.

A little donation

2008-05-20T09:01:00.000-07:00

2:28 p.m. on 12th May, Gertie-Yunis was at home, sitting in front the computer, working hard for a company project. I knew nothing about the devastating earthquake in Sichuan until the radio news at 2:30 p.m.

All happened unexpectedly. I could not help to hold my tears when I saw the survivors fleeing from the earthquake-stricken areas, and crying for their missing or dead relatives and friends. It is miserable. However, there are many heroes. Many fathers and mothers and teachers sacrificed themselves to save their kids and students.

Though they lost their homes, they are eager to fight for their life; on the contrary, in Hong Kong where has no natural disaster, some people choose to end their life just because of unhappiness or a breakup…

However, there are news stated that many animals had abnormal behaviour before the earthquake e.g. over ten thousands of toads run away from fields, animals in the zoo acted anxiety, and only humans alerted nothing.

All I can help is to donate as much money as I can. I only hope the money can really help the victims, not being stolen by greedy officers

New job, new beginning

2008-04-05T22:34:00.000-07:00

Thursday 3rd April 2007 was my last day at company S. Starting from Monday 7th April, Gertie-Yunis will join a new company.

I worked in an American company which has over 500 staff in Hong Kong office. Now I will switch to a European company which there are only 7 staff (including me) in Hong Kong office. How would it be? My parents and friends warned me that I will have to do everything in a small company. I might have to work very hard. I think it could be a good opportunity to learn more than in a big company. Even it sounds dangerous to make tours to China factories every month, as long as the transport is arranged by company and factories, it will be safe.

In addition, Gertie-Yunis works from 9a.m. to 10p.m. In fact, I arrived at office at 8:30a.m. In company S, I need to work from 7:30a.m. till 11p.m. for two whole months in October and January, plus heavy work. I am used to work very hard.

The other reason beckoned Gertie-Yunis is, the new company pays much higher. S is big, but big does not mean good. My salary has been pulled down.

Gertie-Yunis never worry about being fired because of excellent attendance record, works very hard and gets low paid. But I made up my mind to fire the boss, for money, prospect and other reasons.

Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T02:25:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter!

Gertie-Yunis have to stay with family for this long weekend.

It is really good to catch up some sleep as I do not sleep much during working days. However, momi woke me up around 7 o'clock every morning.

Holiday means Happy to dadi, because it is His holiday. After got up early, momi and I worked together to scrub the floor, wash and hang the washing on the line to dry, and cook a lunch, so when dadi got home at noon, he could enjoy the meal and had his favorite afternoon nap.

After lunch, I leaf through some magazines, search the job hunting websites, chat with friends, then select some photos of brother's wedding dinner with momi, and take them to photo studio to develop.

Due to the unstable weather, momi is struggling with pains from fingers of the left to her neck, both dadi and I also feel "rheumatism" on our shoulders, so we visited our Uncle who is once a practitioner of Chinese medicine. Then he discovered that several bones of neck and backbones are not at the proper position. So Uncle helped to put them back. While my bones "kur-la" I "Wahhhh~", but feeling much released.

On Sunday morning, we went to Gold Coast. It was noon, not many tourists around and only a few stalls were opened. So we went for lunch: Donar Kabab (very different from the one I had in England), Curry Lamb with Naan (slightly spicy, the lamb was fresh and soft), Ham-Cheese & Mushroom Pizza (Feta Cheese smelled good, but I was full after tasted one and a half slice of the pizza), and we ordered a Sweet Lazzi, Mango Lazzi and a Cream Soda. All cost us only HKD211, excellent. I paid the bill, just to celebrate parents' 34th anniversary. At night, I found some acnes on my face! The curry!

I did not spend the four-day-long holiday abroad, just stay with my family and catch up some sleep is so enjoyable.

This sales lady is really...

2008-02-16T06:37:00.001-08:00

After paid dadi's aunt a courtesy call on the fourth day of Chinese New Year (Sunday), we went home via Shatin New Town Plaza, so we strolled around. Momi was attracted by a pair of gray short boots with patent leather and lace which costs only HKD100 in a big sale at a boutique called P.I.T. nearby the train station.

A sales lady named Candy promoted the shoes to my mom, but dadi did not like the idea to buy shoes during New Year. This sales lady smiled at first that nothing is a taboo but became impatient when my dadi murmured a few times. "Nothing is a taboo in our industry otherwise, we cannot do business!" We just ignored her since momi was really fond of the short boots, so she asked for a new pair.

"OOCH!" momi's foot was nearly hurt when she tried the boot. A very slim nail was found inside the boot. However, the sales lady said there was nothing inside just by a quick touch, so momi told her to feel the place. Then she inexpressively went for a new pair.

So we got a new pair. But immediately I found there were not only some spots of color difference but also two clear "ditches" on the front. This Candy said they were glue that can be removed but, how can she remove those "ditches"? Momi still wanted another new pair but when she saw this sales lady pulled a long face, she gave it up.

Just at the time, this sales lady Candy complained, "Why don't tell earlier you are not buying, Ms?" turned and left immediately. What a manner? Is there any rule we have to buy what we have tried? Is there any reason consumer has to buy something no satisfy? We do want to buy something. I've never heard "tell earlier if not buying".

I wonder how this Candy pulls a long face and complains to a customer. She does not fit into a sales job.

Happy New Year 2008 the Year of Rat

2008-02-07T02:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

I wish you all a Happy, Prosperous and Healthy Year of Rat.
2008 is a year full of hope. Gertie-Yunis has to set targets and go for them.

1. Get an ideal job, get promoted, raise the salary, normal working hours, never again to work a month continuously from 7:30 a.m. to unknown time to off without a day-off (it is hard to recover no matter how many facial treatments I have).

2. Take a master course, but need to know which course I want to take as soon as possible: Marketing, Finance, Interior Design…

3. Travel around the world, eager to visit galleries in Europe, especially Uffizi of Firenze, Lourve of Paris; visit Santa Clause and his village; see sakura and red leaves in Osaka, Kyoto and Nagoya, to experience the snowy day in Hokkaido; go to Egypt, Greece, Vienna; visit New Zealand by working holiday before 30 years old…

4. Good health -- I wish all my family, friends, relatives and Dai-guai May May have good health. No more sensitive nose, no more sensitive / allergic skin, no more acnes, all scars disappear.

5. Improve personal relationship: self-protection but also be tactful, more communication with others, and be the old self -- positive, optimistic and active.

6. Slow down when speaking: be patient, speak slower that every one can hear comfortably and clearly.

7. Get back my skills: save my piano and drawing skills from out of practice, as well as English, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese, just in case.

8. Exercises: my badminton friends who are either working in China or moved overseas. The main reason is I am lazy. I never like doing exercises. That is why I am so slow-witted. It is great not to be alone, not necessary to talk to, but have a company.

9. Have an ideal husband: he must love me and my family (including Dai-guai), has his career, has a desire to advance, loves family life, likes sports and has healthy lifestyle. He must not smoke or addict to alcohol or speak dirty language or addict to famous brand or ani-com or games. That is not too demanding.

Fire around the hill

2008-01-02T01:59:00.000-08:00

A hill fire has broken out yesterday at 2:24p.m. on Por Lo Shan in Tuen Mun. About 30 walkers were trapped and later being rescued by fire fighters. The hill fire later became grade three wildfire and has threatened the Tsing Shan Temple and Yeung Siu Hang Village where about 200 residents have to evacuate. The firedrake spreads over to the westside of the hill towards Lung Kwu Tan and is still burning. The scene of fire is over 300 hectare.

My momi takes a walk along this trail every Sunday and Gertie sometimes would join her. I remember there was a hill fire that not long ago, and fire breaks out again. This hill is already like the Rocky Mountain, and just rank with trees and grasses after rich rainfall this year. It's sad that this fire has burnt the lovely trees and greenly grasses in a second but it may take 20 years to recover.

However, in my memory, this hill often catches fires since in my childhood, then helicopter flow back and forth to deliver "water bomb", but the fires were not as fierce.

Did the plants start fire itself because of too dry, or did someone throw a cigarette end carelessly?

How are the terrapins and goldfish at the hill?

Oh please all fire fighters, flying service and civil aids keep on putting out the fire, save the plants!

* after 6p.m. on 1/1/2008

* after 9p.m.

Goodbye 2007. Be a new girl.

2007-12-31T07:02:00.000-08:00

Cannot believe today is the last day of year 2007, I have to say goodbye to my past.

Tomorrow will be 2008, a new day a new beginning. Gertie-Yunis wants a new self. I have to determine, not just simply say it.

I am not young now. Day has gone day by day, opportunity would not stay, but I stay at the same level. No, I am going backward. No matter my reaction, my thought, my health, my work, my salary, relationship with colleagues, my temper… worse. Every time I was in a deep thought, when I think of my family and friends would go away at any moment, other people are striving for the best, people at the same age are having not hackneyed life, I am so breathless with anxiety.

At this age I am not able to do what I want to, on the contrary, still dilly-dally. I am afraid I would become a homeless old maid die of cold by the roadside!

Tomorrow, new beginning, a reborn me.

I bought myself a Christmas gift

2007-12-30T05:39:00.000-08:00

I received two gifts this Christmas, all from my associates-- a pair or stockings with patterns and a mirror of Snow White. All cost around HKD10, but they are for a happy Christmas.

I bought a pair of pants to momi, paid them an Indian lunch in Kowloon City, but got no Christmas gift... woo... Momi told me to choose a pattern and promised she would knit me a scarf for this Christmas, however...

Momi went with my in Christmas Eve upstairs and downstairs to read all models and prices in all shops. Sony Ericsson K770i, I fall in love with it once it comes to the market, though it is not very special or gorgeous, I like its thin body, it is cool. But momi kept on persuading me to buy other models other girls buy, creamy white, pink, or even K850i. Then, she got angry and went away because of my fault... and "5 o'clock now, I can buy no fish!"

Momi complained to dadi about I cannot make up my mind on the mobile. Ai, I have told her which model I want but she keeps on telling me that K770i is too much for a guy. I don't want too lady style!

On Christmas morning when we had breakfast, I said I want to buy a mobile by myself, momi said she wanna go with me, cause she wanna see how I buy a mobile. I refused immediately because I can buy nothing with her as she would have millions of opinion. And so, I bought my own Christmas gift in a minute, alone. Then I spent a whole night to study it, and more unexpectedly, my brother sponsored me HKD1,000! Hooray~

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-25T08:00:00.000-08:00

I wish you all a fabulous Merry Christmas 2007 and a Marvelous New Year 2008!

May May - Prison Break

2007-12-12T03:39:00.000-08:00

May May is enjoying lying anywhere in her cosy bathroom.

* Hey, why are you staring at me?

* Can you see the Heart shape on May May's tortoiseshell?

* May May loves to lie on the stone

Suddenly, Momi gets in to wash the bathroom with a toilet brush. Once May May sees her scary-as-ever toilet brush, she RUNs.

* HELP!

She jumps up to a rack and the rack falls down (it is too messy to take any photo as prove).

Momi is so angry. She punishes May May by putting her into a small plastic box, places her outside the bathroom.

The box is too small to turn her body. May May does not like it, so she tries hard to climb up, she has to RUN AWAY.

May May is trying hard with her hind legs. She jumps out! Prison Break successful.

I pity the poor May May. As the Uncle Sun comes to our living room after hiding for ages, I think it is time to give May May a sunbath.

May May loved to have sunbath, but after 21 years, she wants to whiten herself.

Look at her! She RUNs away from the sunlight by making herself a 90 degree against the ground. How difficult it is.

* May May, "The ultraviolet of afternoon sunlight is too strong, it would hurt me, idiot!"

Miss Potter

2007-12-07T06:15:00.000-08:00

Beatrix Potter was born on July 28th 1866 in London. At the time, the British were feudal-minded, people did not respect females even they were talented. Beatrix did not get marry at young age like other females to house themselves, instead she stuck on to her dream, created popular characters and published, such as the famous Peter Rabbit.

The Potters was a typical Victorian family, lived in a large house with several servants. The mother had overprotected her two little kids – Beatrix and Bertram. She never let them made friends because "the village kids have germs". Brother Bertram could go to boarding school however, Beatrix was educated at home under governesses, and made friends with her pets. Since 1882, the Potters spent their summers at Lake District where Bertram studied insects while Beatrix painted the landscape and animals with water color, and created stories for self entertainment. The Lake District and her animal friends had inspired the tales of Peter and Benjamin, and other characters later came out.

* Beatrix Potter at age 15, with her family pet Spot the spaniel

At a later age, Beatrix had defeated some real estate developers in several auctions, and bought over 4,000 acres of farmland with her huge fortune from selling her books, which had saved the nature from devastation. She had devoted her love to the nature. She had bred the rare and threatened Herdwick Sheep indigenous to the Lake District, and became the first woman to be selected President of the Herdwick Sheepbreeders' Association; she also showed her passion to farming, to ensure the traditional farming methods would be preserved. When she died, she passed all her farmlands, cottages, etc., to National Trust, to preserve a beautiful nature for future generations. Otherwise, people now would not be able to enjoy the gift of the Lake District.

Back to the movie. When Mrs Potter did not approve Beatrix's marriage to Norman, the determined Beatrix accepted her mother's advise to have a "calm down" summer at the Lake District, to prove that her love with Norman was true. Unfortunately, this separation was for ever. Norman was cough to death so suddenly. Why Norman died so quickly? I was so curious to know if he was died of pneumonia or galloping consumption.

The fact is neither of them. I searched some websites and found out the truth: he was died of pemicious anaemia within a few weeks.

More than that, again, this movie has digested the history to make Beatrix younger, also re-arranged the sequence:

1. The Warne brothers did not decided to publish The Tale of Peter Rabbit until Miss Potter had successfully printed and sold several books herself.
2. The Tale of Two Bad Mice was inspired from the dollhouse Norman made for his niece, but not of her own in childhood.
3. Jemima Puddle-duck was a real duck that kept hiding her eggs at Hilltop Farm, and the story was written after Norman's death.
4. William Heelis was neither a groundskeeper nor a childhood friend of Beatrix, in fact, she was older than he.
5. The publication sequence has been changed in the movie. Though Peter Rabbit was the first book published, the second published Jemima Puddle-duck in the movie was in fact the twelfth book published in real life.

This story moves smoothly. In between there are lovely animated Peter Rabbit and Jemima Puddle-duck take part which make the story more lively; the Lake District and the natural landscape are beautiful and fresh which colorized the movie. "A place propitious for giving birth to great men", it is no wonder to have million inspirations when one is having such a comfortable and tranquil live there.

The performance of Renee is fair. Her acting has not much improved indeed. She tries to imitate the accent of British upper class ladies but gives a strange feeling; on the contrary, Ewan McGregor is much competent to be Norman and delivers Romance. However, the length of the movie cannot be longer, so is not enough to tell more about their romance. (At least I feel not enough)

Although this movie has been criticized, Gertie-Yunis thinks it worth watching as it depicts the life story of Peter Rabbit's author, along with the beautiful scenery of England. Even my momi, who does not like watching movie, has sat down quietly to watch it. See? It is quite a good movie.

Director: Chris Noonan

Casts: Renee Zellweger, Ewan McGregor, Emily Watson

Source:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Potter_(film)

http://www.peterrabbit.com/?territory=1&country=1

http://www.hop-skip-jump.com/

http://asp.mov3.com/trailer/index.asp?mov_id=2393&ver=B5

Back to Macau (2) Old days were gone

2007-11-18T08:09:00.000-08:00

I miss the old Macau and Taipa I used to have in my childhood...

Unfortunately, all nice and familiar villagers were gone, old style restaurants were gone, newspaper stand was gone, fire station was gone, the river next to our old home was gone, the huts behind our old home were gone, the old streets we used to cycle were gone... all replaced by new tall buildings and Chinese immigrants. Even my mom cannot find her way... Taipa has changed tremendously over the years, 10 years. Both Macau and Taipa become more commercial, town building is not well planned, cluster of tall buildings here, cluster of others there. Too many casinos are grouped together in the city center, which produced constriction.

Old days were gone, memories stay.

Construction sites are everywhere. Dust is everywhere. I felt nasal obstruction, almost suffocated and eyes felt dry the whole day. After I got home my right eye was red with gum... in this morning when I got up I have ophthalmia again. When I was in Macau I see the blue sky; when I look at the photos I find grey-blue sky and buildings covered by dust, a hazy view.
One more thing made me dislike the new Macau and Taipa is the manner of the service providers. Waiters and bus drivers, who we meet a lot, are so impolite. Their manner is even worse than people in Mainland China. How can a bus driver put his legs on the steering at the bus terminal? Shame on him!

*My Momi's birth place, next to the cafe, located at Rua Horta e Sousa.

*Next to the "Ship builing asso." was the house of my grandparents, a place where I had my holidays in childhood; the tall buildings behind were once a shuttle area where needed rescue by firemen in Typhoon days...

Back to Macau (1) The Venetian Resort Hotel

2007-11-18T07:54:00.000-08:00

My mom took Dadi and me to revisit Macau when I had a compensation leave on a recent Friday (which I planned to sleep).

Momi has been to the new opened Venetian Resort Hotel in September, when she joined primary school alumnus trip to her birth place to visit former teacher. After she came back, she could not stop praising "Venetian is so huge and grand. We have walked for three hours but could see only a little of the place." So she decided to broaden our horizon.

However, I am not amazed by the Venetian. It is not huge, instead, just a normal size shopping mall for big brands. The ceiling is only 70% like a real sky because only the rear of the sky has lights on, the middle is quite dark. You would feel it is 7:00 a.m. or 6:00 p.m. When you were there you do not feel the ceiling is so low but when you look at the photos you do. Though the architect tried to build a copycat Venice, it looks just not a Venice. People who have not been to Venice might be amazed by it but those who have been to Venice could find the difference.

Hmm, because that day it was crowded, momi had to walk slowly, so she thought the "plaza" was huge. The day we went was not holiday, we arrived at noon, and there were only a few people...we just spent less than an hour included the casino. On the other hand, this casino has divided into smoking and non-smoking areas. However, the smoke and strong aroma still choked me to sneeze and sensitive eyes so dry.

*Casino sight from upper floor, so OPEN.

*Painting under the ceiling is great.

*These paintings under the corridor ceiling remind me the Vatican Museum, but more glitterings.

*The Copycat Venice, the sky looked like early morning.

*If the "blue sky and white clouds" could have brighter sunshine... it would be perfect.

*Outside the Venetian, it looks more like the Saint Maco Plaza.

Released

2007-11-04T07:22:00.000-08:00

The October Buying Trip was finally finished. Our company has been moved to new office.

After a whole month, I finally can enjoy normal day off these two days. It is already past eleven in the morning when I woke up. Gosh! I already wasted half a day!

There was no day off during the whole October: 6:00 a.m. – get up, 8:30 a.m. – back to office, 10 p.m. – go home; finalization week: 5:30 a.m. – get up, 7:45 a.m. – back to office, after 11:00 p.m. – go home... all required by the senior, but only me listened to her...

10/26, the buying trip was over. I had to stay in showroom for vendors to pick up samples, while my colleagues were packing all stuff at the office for moving to new office (I pack our stuff when I came back earlier in the morning). When I did not have time to assign number onto labels for moving, they pasted them onto the cartons which had to be moved already, so SMART, that I had to climb up and down for counting one by one, over 300 cartons in total. And they all went home... I had no choice but was "lucky drawn" as one of the two coordinators, but the other one was super lazy, he passed all label matters to me and he did the computer moving stuff (only 13 computers, and actually we managed our own one).

10/27, I still had to wait for vendors to collect samples, on the other hand wait for removers to remove stuff from our department. He said lunch time from 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. In the end, he was urged by the secretary to come back at 4:00 p.m. At 5:00 p.m., all our stuff had been removed, he told me to go to new office and he would go after a while. As a result, I was the only one to wait for over two hours at the new office. Then, he and the stuff arrived. Of course, I was the one to check the number of stuff we received, while he chatted on phone and then asked me "finished?"

All the others praised for his "responsible". Well, playing NDS at the old office was really responsible.

10/28, it was a day-off, however, I had to stay with my momi in the hospital in the morning, then had to pick up my friend at the airport at 4:00 p.m. However, the Oasis had several delays so that I could not see my friend until 7:15 p.m. How did I spend the 3 extra hours? I went to the said Great but nothing special Sky Plaza... there was someone to go with me, however, he did not tell me the flight had been delayed after he checked online, he slept and blamed me for not checking online. He was so responsible. It was who told me everything was okay?

After all, I had to work in that either cold-as-icehouse or hot-as-an-oven office, and suddenly got a flu and headache and dizzy plus stomachache.

Luckily, I will have 3.5 day annual leaves and 6 days compensation leaves on the way.

Ocean Spring Resort (4) Ghost?

2007-09-25T07:41:00.000-07:00

Gertie-Yunis had some experience about meeting ghost while stayed out before, and heard some ghost stories happened in hotels, however, the met with ghost this time was indirect. Did it count as one?

Back to this hotel. At night, dadi and I were watching TV happily, momi was washing her face in the bathroom. When she turned right to get her towel, at her corner of her right eye she saw something white flashed before the tall mirror towards the bedroom. Momi said she felt it was ghost, but I who can feel "it" felt nothing. Perhaps because I placed the sutra on the bedside cupboard?

Next morning after we left the hotel, the tour guide then told us, "in the early years when the hotels were building, we had thousands of pile diving but failed to reach the bottom. The management immediately set up an altar to worship the god. Then we succeed. It is a miracle. Formerly this is a Japanese munitions warehouse in the world war, after their defeat they had to retreat. They worried their military confidential would be revealed. All villagers were slaughtered then. See, the temple there is built to 'look after' here."

Oh~ so what momi has seen may be really...

Ocean Spring Resort (3) Looking for dadi at hot spring

2007-09-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone praises the hot springs at Ocean Spring Resort. According to the tour guide, there are over a hundred hot springs, with many characteristic hot springs, for example, with coffee, beer, milk, Chinese angelica, ginseng, plus Chinese and European styles. But it is a pity we only have two hours on it, in between we had to look for dadi...

We told dadi to wait for us after come out from dressing room. However, he did not come out after 20 minutes Hence, I asked three staff for help, and I forgot dadi knows no Mandarin Chinese.

The staff said he saw a man looks alike dadi at the "feet bathing area" in the dressing room. "I asked if he is Mr Huang, he replied no." the staff asked again, "Do you come alone? He said, 'I soak (his feet) alone.'" Another staff led some uncles out and asked us "Is it he?" But.. no.
After one hour of being "mad women", looking for dadi along all pools, and being stared by everyone, momi rushed to the dressing room for seeking more help. I was not reconciled and went back to the pool rear. Suddenly an old man stood there. "Oh DADI!" All staff cheered too, "My Huang is there!"

Of course, momi was angry with dadi. "Where have you been? We thought you collapsed in toilet!" As it turns out, dadi thought that feet bathing pool is a hot spring, he thought males and females have to separate like in Japan.

"A man asked me if my surname is Huang? I said no, I am Wong ma. Also, I soak there alone ah." Ai, last time we went to Tomamu Resort in Hokkaido he was so smart to try a Jacuzzi, enjoy spa and have sauna by himself. Dadi insisted we are stupid! Gosh!

As a result, we had about half an hour left, we gotta hurry up. Momi and I went to indoor and outdoor Jacuzzi, a imitate beach with cave and waterfall, several small very hot spring... dadi went to Doctor Little Fish for eating his cuticle of feet, this funny experience made him a little child cheered, "The fish bites me, it is so funny!"

Other tour group members said the characteristic hot springs are great, unfortunately we did not have chance to enjoy... we really wanted to come again, but these hotel... maybe those villas cost several thousand dollars a night would be better?

Ocean Spring Resort (2) Browse around

2007-09-15T09:15:00.000-07:00

Apart from the hotel, this trip included:

Zhanyuan – once upon a time, there was a well-known merchant from Macau bought a piece of land in Zhongshan and built a grand house in classic style for his mother. He named this house "Zhanyuan" after his mother's maiden name. However, Old Mrs Zhan felt too lonely living in this huge house. She lived there for only three months then moved back to live with his son in Macau. The Zhongshan government then picked this grand house to be a spot for tourism.

There is a garden planted lots of litchi trees, longan tress, peach trees, mongo trees, wampee, etc. All these very large fruits make me mouth water. When other tour members went to watch acrobatic shows we strolled the street of the garden. Near by the stage is a snack-bar. I ordered almond milk with ginger sauce… the spicily ginger made me cry.

.Zhanyuan, Path of Wealth .Mango tree at Zhanyuan

Agricultural workshop – a part of a University of Agriculture. Balsam pear mix pumpkin - horrible lumps on the skin; cucumber mix sponge cucumber, etc., what a eye-opening event. Then we had a mini-lecture, a researcher taught us how to identify herbs, and shared some prescriptions. The result of their good intentions was to promotion man-to-man. Momi consumed HKD500 on the herbs. Suddenly came another salesman, "That researcher is old now. Just one more civil servant point he can upgrade to a higher class. Please buy one more..." Then, momi spent another HKD250, and worried if she has been cheated. It is odd that they sell one more can get one civil servant point.

Yunjin Buyi clan – a clan came from Yunnan, a "country" led by females, looking for better life in Zhongshan. In this clan, all females have to work to support their families, while males have to weave cloth, do household duties and cook. What a different culture. The ladies introduced their teas and dried fruits, so that the money can be sent back to their distant homeland as tuition fees for their babies. However, every time the tea we bought tasted so different from what we had in tea shops, how can we be confident with their products? All dried fruits are put to dry under the sun on the ground. We do not know how many flies and insects have visited them... so no matter how hard these ladies promoted their products we finally left with nothing.

If there were no downpour and gales, we would have eaten along the Fishermen's Wharf at night, because the meals were little. As for the Adventure land, I am an old maid since child age, I do really not like to play them, in addition, I would not play as I am with my parents.

There are some other places we visited but, they are nothing so special that I want to write about.

Ocean Spring Resort (1) Hotel Watery

2007-09-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

Ocean Spring Resort has been introduced on TV travel programs for its beautiful scenery, luxurious accommodation, especially the most attractive hot spring resort. How is it in reality? It has been opened for a year now, my friends and colleagues went there last year with good compliments of the beautiful hot spring, it is a must go. So, why not?

As soon as I stepped in the Ocean Spring Resort area, the environment is really good, only cannot see clearer under gray sky. The hotel we booked is the newer and prettier Hotel Neptune between the two, which obviously more Middle East style. However, it looks neither fish nor fowl after tied Chinese red lanterns.

Back to the hotel room. There is a French style glass door, outside is a balcony with chairs and little round tea table. It is really nice to look out the landscape widely from there. The bathroom is quite new, there are glass walls to separate the toilet and the shower room; next to the shower room is a bath, where the wall beside can be pulled aside to look through the room, to enjoy the landscape when you are bathing.

.garden, looked out from the balcony.

.tall ceiling of the balcony, great.

The two four feet wide single beds are big, plus a "highest-ranking" imperial concubine chair and a screen, but no dressing table.

When the leader came in to ask if the room is okay, a service lady asked us to close the balcony door, because "it will be wet". Then we found that the corridor floor was already wet. We shut the glass door immediately, and the glass was wet then moisturized once it was shut. The floor was wet than ever even we placed cotton towels on it we failed to absorb the water. We had to change to slippers since we could not stand or walk with sports shoes on that slippery corridor. When we walked along the hotel lobby the floor was wet and slippery too. All windows and glass doors were moisturized.

In no time a thunderstorm came with downpour, we dare not to run due to the slippery wet ground. Drainage pipes and ditches can hardly find. Ponds are everywhere. We have no choice but rush to Mediterranean style pavilion for shelter from rain (I am not sure if it is a pavilion). My jeans are sucked and colored my right sports shoes into blue and blue. Luckily it is man-made leather which does not absorb rain water, otherwise I would have no shoes to wear.

However, both sports shoes and socks of my parents are sucked with rain water. Momi tries to dry the socks and shoes with a weak hair dryer, but it wets again the next morning. There is air-conditioning in the room, but, without any drying function. What…

A ride on Highways

2007-08-25T20:43:00.000-07:00

9 months after I get my driving license, I finally jumped on a private car and had a ride on Highways at a rainy night. It was a Golden access driving course (just squeezed out a few hours before deadline). I drove from Yuen Long driving school, got on the "circular" Highway to Tolo Harbour, passed through Shing Mun Tunnel, Tuen Mun Highway and back to driving school by Yuen Long Highway. Total 73 km.

When I marked the schedule a month ago (sunny for a whole month) I thought it would be great to drive at night (no sunshine, since I apply a plaster on face I have to hide away from sunshine, otherwise my face will be red and swollen like Spiderman) and it would be perfect if it rains (learn the skills), I thought it would not happen but it did.

The second day, I drove from driving school to the airport (overcast & wet weather) which I can drive up to 110 kmph on North Lantau Highway! Though I had driven 70 mph the same speed here in the UK (on A40 which learner can go, not a higher speed M40), I felt great! Total 99 km.
There was a funny thing that the first time I drove through a paid tunnel, I got to pay toll, but I did not drive closer to the little tollbooth, my palm could not reach the officer's fingers, even though I was nearly stood up (cannot… cos my foot was on the break, it's a auto, not a manual car) I cried out "my arm is too short~" then the lady officer stretched out her whole right arm to catch my toll which was nearly dropped onto the ground. She might think I am a little idiot. The tutor teased me for that...the next time I paid tolls, I was smarter.

Do you think driving a manual van cool? It is! I can drive a manual van, but the seat does not fit my short legs; so I choose an auto private car this time, it's more comfortable that no more hand break and gears, my hands only need to control the steering; no clutch up clutch down, my left foot can rest all the way.

The Years Flow By

2007-08-05T04:22:00.000-07:00

Last time I have introduced The story of Ah-Fa, this time I want to talk about another favourite song The Years Flow By.

I admire Anita, Mui Yim-fong (10 October1963 - 30 December 2003) very much since I was kindergarten pupil, properly because she had sung the theme songs of Dr. Slump and Arale-chan (スランプアラレちゃん) and The queen of the thousand years (せんねんじょおう).

When I was about five years old, I held a pencil and sang "The years flow by..." I sang and sang, and that little terrapin petted inside the small aquarium stood up, listened and nodded with rhythm. I was so young that I listened to the songs and sang out Bad Girl, Evil Woman fluently, but never understood the lyrics. Hence, I listened to The Years Flow By and thought it was about "watery durian", even daddy had explained the meaning I was too young to understand.

I have listened to numerous ads versions, new revisions throughout the years and find no one else can sing better than her, but made me sick. In my opinion, only Anita Mui can sing out the meaning and feeling of the song, that no other 20-year old girl could give, because she entered show business since as a singer when she was five, she performed Chinese operas and pop songs in numerous restaurants and nightclubs, all her experiences made her matured rapidly.

When I have grown up, I found the score and played it self. However, I cannot get that feeling. Well I understand the lyrics now.

Sorry I am not good at giving comment, so there please look at the lyrics, listen to the song and try to understand, and feel it (sorry again I will not translate the lyrics). (After posted the original version at my old newsgroup in 2003, Anita died…)

The Years Flow by
Lyrics by Cheng Kwok-Kong Music by Kitaro

望著海一片滿懷倦　無淚也無言
望著天一片　只感到情懷亂
我的心又似小木船
遠景不見　但仍向著前

誰在命裡主牢我　每天掙扎　人海裡面
心中感嘆　似水流年　不可以留住昨天
留下只有思念　一串串永遠纏

浩瀚煙波裡我懷念　懷念往
外貌早改變　處境都變　情懷未變

Chinese version originally posted at my old newsgroup a day in 2003, revised & translated in Feb 2007

"The story of Ah-Fa"

2007-07-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

The radio program is playing well-known children's songs, e.g. Doraemon, Dr. Slump, and The Queen of the thousand years. When I croon to accompany the songs, it comes my favourite The story of Ah-Fa that I feel like to weep.

I was about ten or eleven the first time I listened The story of Ah-Fa and it was a certainly fortuitous. I watched TV stealthily one day and the children's programme was playing the MV of this song. In the MV, a kitty accompanied a little girl, they read and played together. They were very happy until one day the kitty disappeared, the little girl cried, and grew up. I could not help but shed tears. It is too miserable, but the world is cruel.

Every time I heard this song, I recalled the days of playing with the cat of my grandmother's next door, the snatches I gave the cat some fried egg with leeks when I was a child, also recalled the little goldfishes, terrapins, birdies I had kept, unfortunately they passed away one after another...

Though there are numerous children's songs which are pleased to listened to and to sing all through the years, only The story of Ah-Fa is so appealing. I was always touched to weep by this song especially the solo by the little girl at the first part, her voice is so pure, so innocent, and conceals sorrowful. I can say it is a soul-stirring song which touches my feelings and can move everybody else.

The story of Ah-Fa

Music by 鄧雨賢 Arranged by 徐日勤 Lyris by林夕 Sing by 袁鳯瑛

(I try to translate, the meaning)

名字叫阿花搖著尾巴 It's name was Ah-Fa and was waving its tail

牠只喝牛奶哪日跟我在喝茶 It only drank milk but on that day she had tea with me

陪我讀書偷懶從來無責罵 It accompanied me and never raped me when I shirked

夜晚阿花專愛樑上爬 Ah-Fa loved to climb to the beam at night

然後我變得強又高 Then I become strong and tall

花貓卻沒有變胖只有換了毛 Kitty had not fatter but moulted

元旦母親祝我年年進步 mommy gave me blessing on New Year's day

但永沒對阿花講句長壽不老 But never blessed Ah-Fa a longevity

從末忘記那天淋著雨水 Never forget the day I got wet in the rain

當天我獨個上學只有六七歲 The day I went to school alone I was about six or seven

而我終於知道為何流眼淚 And I finally realized why I teared

在那日阿花消失世間裡 On that day Ah-Fa disappeared from the earth

(I would not translate any song again... horrible...)

Chinese version originally posted at my old newsgroup a day in 2003, revised & translated in Feb 2007

Panda & Dolphins

2007-07-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

I received a parcel when I got home after work. I had no idea of what it was until I saw the stamp of Thailand. It is from my "brother no.2", who works in Thailand since last September.

"Maybe it is his marriage photo~haha~" It is not a surprise, as he has a nice Thai girlfriend there.

Inside the parcel I found a lovely birthday card attached with a pretty dolphins bracelet. I love them. The Panda looks like me (dark circle) and I love dolphins. Baby me was a dolphin!

Inside the birthday card brother no.2 apologized because the post card he sent to me in May has been returned with a very bad shape. And he emphasized he has never forgotten my birthday~
Haha, it is all because I emailed to complain him in early June, "Wu~ Brother no.2 has forgotten my birthday! Poor me~"

So this time I emailed him again, "I forgive you la, because you are my brother no.2! Kiss x 100,000,000"

Hahaha~ he said I am his genial little sister, he is also my genial brother no.2!

The mysterious lost of photo album

2007-07-14T08:37:00.000-07:00

I recently wanted to review my traveling photos, so I searched out all photo albums and rearrange the order at the same time.

"It's my first flight, the sky is soooo beautiful!" "Italy's tiramisu is super delicious." "Hokkaido 8.5 Milk is very smooth and does not cause allergy~" "I lost my way with Hong Hong in Edinburgh and nearly missed the train..." all these old memories had gone a long way, but the photos flashed them back.

My appearance have changed during these ten years: Owl shape glass to titanium glasses to contact lenses; chubby face now slimed and have acnes; short hair to curly hair to bobbed hair; clothes size from 14 to S (does not change la, never grown taller...)

Unexpectedly, the South Korean travel album which had been lost for almost 5 years came back so suddenly. Instead, I lost the photo books of my first year to study in England! Bermuda!
Oh God! I lost all my memories of first year in England! I searched every corner of my bookshelf and desk and emptied the cupboard, but got nothing. It just like what had happened five years ago.

What a mystery!

Wu~ I may have to wait another five years till the photo book wants to come out.

Sunbath

2007-07-08T03:17:00.000-07:00

Today is Sunday, a shiny and hot Sunday.

I would love to walk under the sun and be tan in the past but now I have to hide behind curtain and under umbrella. Not only because the sun nowadays is too bright and harmful to our skin, it is the doctor told me not to have any sun beam onto my face. The sun will leave dark scars of acnes on my face. I already have some...

My skin tone is not white but yellow which looks greasy (indeed I am). I dislike this color and it is impossible to be white, so I prefer walk under sunshine. I believed tan is beautiful and healthy.

When I was young, I used to go swimming at the pool in early morning. Sun and wind had tanned me from face to toe but leave me shiny (not dry like safe guard). I like that healthy tanned skin.

However, since I have eczema and sensitive skin I stayed away from beach and swimming pool. Once I tried to swim at the beautiful Bonkok Beach, Malaysia, just less than a minute I rushed back to hotel room to shower. My skin became red and swelled; my lips became so dry and bled. The salty sea water hurt me. Chlorine at swimming pool hurt me too.

It is so sad I cannot enjoy sunbathing and swimming.

When it is always cloudy and gloomy by pollution these days, shiny sunny days is especially rare and precious. Some day when all acnes are gone, I would have sunbath again, even I do not swim.

Dai-guai's funny story (2) Dai-guai is not stupid

2007-06-09T07:01:00.000-07:00

o Dai-guai of today, enjoying 'sunbath'

30th December 1993, a day before moving house.

In that evening, we were cleaning our old home and preparing to move to new home the next day. There were rubbish and saw dust all around on the floor, not yet been swept. May May who always walks freely at home was crawling out from toilet to balcony, and was crawling over the doorsill towards dinning room. I stopped her immediately.

I kneeled down and spoke to her, "Don't come here, you cannot eat the saw dust on the floor, it would hurt you. We are moving to our new home tomorrow. You have to remember, if you heard Daddy Momi say 'We are leaving, bye-bye', you must come out immediately, otherwise they will forget to take you away, no one will feed you and you will die. Understand?"

May May was looking at me.

I asked, "Do you understand? Nod your head if you understand."

May May nodded and looked at me.

I said, "Understand? Then go back to the toilet, don't come out."

May May turned and crawled toward the toilet, she looked at me over her shoulder when she crawled over the toilet doorsill.

I reminded her again, "Remember to crawl out once hear 'We are going, bye-bye'!"

May May went back to the toilet. I was not sure if she was really understood.

I went to the new home alone next night. Daddy Momi and elder brother delivered the last few cartons of stuff to home at about midnight. Once the door was opened I could not wait and asked, "Where is Dai-guai?" Momi opened the carton on top right away, there came our unfailingly cutie Dai-guai extending her neck. I was so happy.

"When we were leaving we said 'Goodbye old home, we are leaving, bye-bye. Anything left?' we heard 'bang bang' from the toilet, then we saw Dai-guai rushing out madly, I said, 'Aiya, I nearly forgot Dai-Guai!' She knows we are leaving, she is so smart." Momi told me.

Haha~ Dai-guai really understood my words, she was waiting for them to say goodbye and come out.

Who say terrapin has no spirit?

What an Interview!

2007-05-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

I went to a very big buying office for interviewing for assistant merchandiser one afternoon recently. The interview was pretty bad. I had a feeling of not liking the company once I stepped into the reception area, it was too cool that have no feeling of belong to. My strong six-sense foretold me I will not work that company.

After 90 minutes of writing, excel and typing test, I was led to the interview room. As soon as I started my self-introduction the HR interviewer blacked face and frowned and started judging me...

That woman asked a load of questions that I was asked when I had interview with current company. But the HR of current company asked in a much warmer way and did not criticize me. That woman's tone and manner were too bad, it seemed she did not know other questions apart from judging and criticizing me for no work for half a year, then have interview after working two months. She was so icy, unfriendly and "inch".

I told her I would like to handle client independently from procurement till end shipment when she asked what I want for my career. Then she said something made me lost my temper-

(All her conversations were said in a very inch manner)

"Assistant does what an assistant have to do, that is to assist merchandiser. We won't let you an assistant to handle a billion dollar account, it is impossible. If you want to be a merchandiser, you have to wait for years." I said "Of course I know!" She questioned "Have you ever handle a client independently?" I replied firmly "YES!" I did! If I did not how could I did the writing test about shipment problem that was merchandiser's duty to solve?

When she heckled me with having that interview after working two months, I said to her "I applied this job early this year but had no news from you. Then Sxxxx hired me in March and so I work there. Until yesterday night at 7 pm you called me if I am interested in this job I said yes because I am still in probation period and so I come for interview." And "I knew your business nature when I applied for the job but after months I cannot remember any, you called at 7pm yesterday and I OT till very late and reached home very late so had no time to browse your website. So I know nothing about your company now." I know it is very bad I am but I do not need to be polite to the HR. She criticized me for no work for 6 months (not all my fault) but assumed I am still unemployed? What is in her brain?

That was only a first interview, and that HR asked questions of second interview.

That company is very big. It is a merger of several international buying offices and retailers. The first sight I read its' powerpoint intro stated it has over 250,000 employees, in my mind was a worldwide layoff of Ford etc. For some people might think it is great to work in that company but not for me, that's too big.

Besides, in my point of view, receptionist and HR/Admin represent a company. If they are not nice not friendly, so do the rest, that company is not good at all.

Dai-guai's funny story (1) the clumsy terrapin

2007-05-17T08:17:00.000-07:00

I think Dai-guai is clumsy at all time. She does not know how to eat if no water; she holds the food in her mouth, searches for water, then looks at you and asks for help if the water is not deep enough. She just does not know how to eat.

Furthermore, every time we feed her, she only looks at us or our fingers, then crawls like asking us to feed her, she just does not know the food drops into the water already. So we often say her, "Clumsy."

On the contrary, my friend Guai-Mui's over 10 terrapins are all so smart. They need a little water and fight for food, some even do not need water to eat. It is such an opposite of Dai-guai... we can only say she is cute.

That is the reason I objected strongly every time my parents suggested to free Dai-guai to a park, since I had seen a terrapin being eaten by a group of other terrapins. My terrapin is such a clumsy naive simple darling, I am afraid she would not only be bullied but also be eaten!

No day and night

2007-04-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

I have been so busy for over a week that I hardly know the day and night.

Every morning I get back to office at 8.30 a.m., have breakfast and a glance of AM730, then start my work. Firstly my colleague and I go to the other side of the office for handling over dozen cartons of testing samples, then back to my sit for clerical work. Every time I receive a call about more testing samples arrive, I immediately jump to the other side.

There is no easy job. Especially for those have square-shape face, who is said belongs to work hard type, wherever they work they are always busy. Wherever I get to work, just meet the busiest period the colleagues say they have never had. No matter the last two companies, or this company.

The General Manager of 2nd last company would have lecture with you if he saw you were about to leave office at 10 p.m. (already OT for 4 hours)

The Miss LV who was promoted from receptionist to Merchandising Manager always told you to OT urgently just when you shut down the computer.

The manageress now is a Taiwan Chili. She goes home early to wash her underpants (my colleagues say so to give vent to their anger), but gives order "you have to OT till midnight or stay at office to finish the job." Can any job ever be finished? She disliked the colleague of US office because they do not work fast, so she took the job which they need one month to finish and promised we can complete it within two days. Unfortunately, the information given by US side were repeatedly wrong, plus our computer system, even the outlook and excel were down several times a day… just she did not listen to our explanation, only replied, "I don't care. Don't you finish it, don't go home!”

At last, we OT for a week and got it done. That devil manageress still dissatisfied, "you have taken it for over one week!"

She is too brutal.

My colleague said Taiwanese are very harsh, that never appreciate your hard work no matter how good you have done a function or a project, because OT is the basic requirement. Oh~ Those Taiwanese who work in Taiwan are so poor~

As a result, we have OT till about midnight for almost two weeks. I heard that there were thunderstorms but I knew nothing about days or nights since I was too busy at work. My colleagues were so healthy and strength but now are all torn out, with dark circles, big acnes, red eyes, headaches every day. (For myself, my skin is never good and now has more acnes, eczema together even on my eyelids) My colleagues say, they have never been so busy though they have worked here for years.

More unfortunately, the arm of my eyeglasses was broken during OT. I need to pay much before I receive my salary.

Is it because of my hard life, or am I flourishing the company, so have good business?

Busy April

2007-04-15T00:08:00.000-07:00

I am so tired because of work. Our department enters the peak season this April. I have to work over time every night till after 11 p.m. that I have to call a taxi home. It was already midnight when I arrived home.

Besides handing clerical work, I have to unpack dozens of cartons of samples every day for checking quality, packaging and all details then, pass them to QC department for lab testing. The samples are so dirty. I can hardly know how come the tree skirts, hanging ornaments and additional materials for lab testing can be so oily, dusty and sticky, that made me and my colleague sneeze and itchy. Every time we finished checking the samples, we became 'black hands gang'.

Also, I have to type over 400 pieces of purchasing orders before 23rd April. However, about 70 pieces are still on hold by the US buyer that I can do nothing... (my team have to handle a double number of items than other teams) Then we are required to split each item on purchasing orders into 16 break-flows that include 16 ports, ship dates, in-store date, quantity, and else. Our manager tells us to finish within 2 weeks, but we cannot, because the buyer changes the details every day so we have to retype every day. We are so angry and one of the merchandisers said she would send the buyer a virus email if she changes the break-flow again.

That's why our department have to work overtime every night till very late... why the manager does not require us to work on Saturday (we are 5-day work), because then they have to give us compensation leave instead of taxi fees (we have no OT paid).

The merchandiser said we have to OT till after 11 p.m. the whole April...

It's really tiresome to work OT every night. One of the assistants said when she first came to work she had to OT till after midnight for a successive 3-month two years ago, that means I am luckier. That's why she can handle all stuff by herself relaxingly now.

It is a felicity of being a dog in Japan

2007-04-06T02:55:00.000-07:00

I watched a TV program not long ago. It stated that Japanese treat their dogs like a family member, they love them so much. What people have, so do their dogs.

The dogs can wear pretty lovely clothes; they can enjoy massage and sleep so comfortably (well, and that Aromatherapy…); they can swim in a pool with pretty nurses; they can have birthday party, with tasty cakes for doggies, their owners hold buffet for them, makes meals for them, which the food look so delicious; they can have beauty treatments, that owners have their hair made aside, dogs have their own hair made here, but the outlook does not look so good. That doggie was frightened, it screamed all the time.

What if the owners have to work abroad? Send the dogs to the beautiful hotel, which there are TV playing videos the owners recorded in advance, that can comfort their dogs; some people fixed the clock of a feeding machine, which helps arranging meals on a certain time set, doggies would know it is time for meal and wait beside. There is a CCTV connected the machine and owners' computer, so that the owners can watch their dogs when they are working busily at office; the owners can set a video which their dogs love to watch before leaving home, and their dogs really sit in front of the TV and watch it.

I know that dogs love playing with water but scare of bathing, because my friend has a battle every time she wants to bath her dog (but better than bath a cat), a Japanese invented a doggie bathing machine, which let the owner sit it with his dog and bath together for 30 minutes… so meaningless, why don't they bath together in their own bathroom?.

Just like in Hong Kong, Japanese live in small flats, with long working hours, they do not have time or room to keep a dog. So here comes a business called rent a dog for holiday. That is, people can rent a puppy home for two days, and return to the shop on Sunday evening. That shop will try to arrange the same puppy for the same client. So, the puppy has a good relationship with the client. It is good to have such a shop. However, I would not rent a dog for holiday even there is such a shop in Hong Kong and if my home is allowed to keep a dog, because it is already tired to keep my terrapin Dai-guai.

It worries every owner if the dog is ill. There is a veterinarian paid a special visit to Mongolia for traditional Chinese medical science and acupuncture-moxibustion therapy. He went back to Japan and heals patient dogs with acupuncture-moxibustion and cupping therapy. I can see the dog did not feel anything uncomfortable, this proofs that veterinarian's practice is good.

Lastly, owners are very sad when their dogs died. Mobile undertaker's service just fit their needs. A host will hold a funeral on the lorry which with a mini hall within, then cremate the body. The facility is very environmental friendly designed that would not form any stink. The whole ceremony will last about one hour, and then the owner can take the ash back home for their own shrine.

Momi says these Japanese have done too much to their dogs. To an extent they are spoiling their dogs. I do not totally agree with her. Don't talk about other pets, dogs are our loyal friends, they deserve our love. These Japanese respect life, though it is a little bit extravagant.

I did not care about how much I had to pay the vet when Dai-guai was ill.

I remember that some years ago I watched a RSPCA advertisement in the UK. It was about a family kept a puppy because it was lovely. However, when the puppy grew up, its' loveliness and naughtiness became annoyance and disaster. That family used the loyalty and trust of their puppy, led it into a traveling bag, then, cruelly, threw it into a river. This advertisement gave a message that we need to think thrice before we keep a pet, we have to respect life. However, there are many such merciless owners in the world.

My left eye has become inflamed, again

2007-04-01T02:17:00.000-07:00

My left eye has become inflamed quite often in these recent months.

Sometimes it is because I accidentally put the eye cream into my eye; sometimes it is because dirty water splashed on to my eye when I am bathing my Dai-guai May May; sometimes it is because I remove my contact lens uncomfortably; sometimes it is because I have greasy eyelids that cause irritation easily.

But most of the times there is no reason at all. My left eye has the itch so suddenly when I read books, use computer or watch TV. I rub my eye naturally and make it even itchier. I pick up a mirror and look into it. WAH! Blood capillary burst. My eye gets bloody red with excretions around.

Is it because of my feculent fingers? No idea. My hands never touched my eyes at all, it is just suddenly has the itch. Is it some dust blew into my eyes? No idea.

I was sitting on the sofa and watching TV yesterday night. My left eye had the itch again, so unexpectedly. I looked into a mirror, my eye was red again and flooded with excretions and tears. How come it happened again? I think I have to heal it with "traditional way" – close my eye and wash it with light salt water.

I wish I will never develop inflammation in my eyes again!

Busy Bee

2007-03-25T07:54:00.000-07:00

I am quite busy recently. I am quite busy that I do not know I am doing, cannot remember what I have done.

I release purchasing orders everyday after the buying trip in February, and will start following up samples from next week. Then in April I may temporary be transferred to another team for their buying trip. I will be much busier… I only wish I can learn more new things and gain more experience.

The administrative said they do not want employees to work over time as late as 8 p.m., but our head is a Taiwanese, and Taiwanese believe that work over time means a good employee. Some of my ex-colleagues say they would never work for Taiwanese companies, because their past experiences proved that Taiwanese companies like to 'kill', only work but no going home, so harsh and so busy.

I remember that some years ago there are some Taiwan factories in mainland China. The windows of staffs' dorms were blocked by iron bars, emergency exits were also locked. As a result, when fire broke out the staff could not flee, they were died or injured.

Luckily I am not working in a Taiwanese company.

Back to the topic. Colleagues of other departments such as administrative, accounting, quality control, IT, logistics, leave the office one after another just at 6 p.m., only we of merchandising department are still working hard… as long as our manageress is at office. If you want to leave earlier, the manageress will call you for a 'meeting'.

I go home at about 8 p.m. and it is said normal. Some friends who are merchandisers of fashion have to work till 10 or 11 p.m., and sometimes even have to stay over night at office.

BAD Seesaw

2007-03-17T07:51:00.000-07:00

I cannot remember when my last time to play seesaw was.

When I was small I lived in public housing estate. There was an old style greenly seesaw with orange seats placed at the middle of the small playground downstairs. However, I had never sat on it.

Because of a very bad experience.

When I was one and a half year old, mom took me and my elder brother to the estate next to ours to apply for China Visa. My 5-year older brother and I went to play with other kids at the playground happily. However, when my brother and I were playing happily with the seesaw, another kid wanted to play too. My brother got down from his seat and I followed him. As a result, without the weight of my brother, the side I was sitting on rose suddenly, brother made his eyes pop out, waved his hands and screamed. I knew nothing. My right toe just touched the ground and my left leg was still on the seesaw…

“Wuuuwaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh~~~~~~~~~~”

My little feet could not stand stably because of top-heavy, “Paalaak~~” I fell down on the brick-made ground heavily, chin cracked, two baby front teeth loosed, fresh blood not only filled my baby mouth, also poured out from the wound on my chin. GOSH!

“Wuuuwaaaah~~~ I hate gorgor! Bad gorgor! Wuuuuwaaaahh~~~”

I cannot believe the one and a half year old baby me could still scolded my brother and hit the ground with the pain. Mom and the aunt from neighbor heard the people outside the office screamed “my God!” and heard my cry at the top voice (mom said so), immediately rushed out and were shocked to find me a bloody face. Mom held me and rushed home to clean my wound then to a clinic, and left my pale brother behind.

It is over twenty years now, the about one inch scar can still be seen. But you cannot find it if you do not specially look at my chin. The most hateful thing is when it has an itch, plus always has acnes on it, it would be extremely itchy!

Later every small playground has been laid plastic mats to protect kids. Therefore, I considered my injury a big sacrifice. Ha! I do not care, I am happy is the point.

(Tell you one thing, I tell this story according to my memory, and I remember every detail of it. I only did not see my pale brother. However, I cannot tell you what I had for dinner yesterday because I cannot remember that.)

Chinese version originally posted at my old newsgroup a day in 2003-2004, revised & translated in Mar 2007

A letter to Donald Duck

2007-03-11T05:35:00.000-07:00

To my dearest Donald Duck,

I miss you so much. How can you leave me without saying a word?

I was stunned when I found that you only had your head left stuck in the life buoy. Where is your body? What happened? When did the accident happen?

Oh my Donald Duck, I am very sorry! I did not take good care of you when you were in perfect condition, but left you somewhere, dropped into a bag, fell on the ground, left you on school bus carelessly, made you stayed in the icy cold night, shivered alone at the Lost Property Office.

And I, always say I love the chubby you dressed nostalgically, at the same time I bended you front and back…

Ultimately, your old body was torn apart.

I searched every bag I have. Unfortunately, I could not find out where your body is.

I am really very sorry! My Donald Duck! I really hope to find the shark which had eaten your body, to get back your body, and let your head and body back together!

I hope you can rest in peace.

From your incapable owner

(My Donald Duck, actually is a nostalgic Donald Duck phone chain my friend bought me from Tokyo Disney)

Chinese version originally posted at my old newsgroup a day in 2003-2004, revised & translated in Feb 2007

S.T.U.P.I.D

2007-03-01T23:30:00.000-08:00

One day, I watched a TV programme about how companies today recruit new people, that require job seekers to write essay, take aptitude test and IQ test. This reminds me an interview experience after university graduation.

That day I went to a job interview. First, there was an aptitude test. Next, a 10-minute English multiple-choice test. Finally, to complete 20 IQ, mathematics, graphs and logical questions within 30 minutes.

We needed to calculate the points we got at aptitude test, to see whether we were to suit the post of Sales & Marketing Trainee; the English multiple-choice questions was to test our grammar, it was very simple, I finished it and revised twice within 3 minutes; and for that 20 questions… alas… I am really STUPID. I gave up the IQ test and the mathematics.

Sample question: 2 fathers and 2 sons go to buy 3 chickens, then how can each of them brings home a chicken?

I spent half a day on thinking over it, and got no answer, neither did my daddy. Besides, I knew I had once heard this from a radio program, but I have forgotten it totally. To the contrary, mommi and my elder brother told us the answer just in 1 second.

Hmm~ I understand now, daddy and I are STUPID father and daughter, elder brother is really my mommi's son!

Answer: Grandfather, father, son

Chinese version originally posted at my old newsgroup a day in 2003-2004, revised & translated in March 2007

May May's chamber is destroyed

2007-02-23T03:07:00.000-08:00

Today is the sixth day of the New Year of the Lunar Calendar, uncle no.2 and his wife, uncle no.3, aunt no.6 and aunt no.7, all on maternal side come to pay a courtesy call and play mahjong together, that is such a jolly time. In the meantime, an accident happened:-

Uncle no.2 needs to look after his unhandy wife to toilet. When he stepped onto the wet shower place with his slippers, he slipped and fell and knocked his afterbrain onto the wall, then sat on terrapin May May's chamber. We were startled, he is seventy after all.

Luckily, May May's chamber had been the pat for him, otherwise he would have badly injured. There is a "little house" built on his afterbrain now, but no dizzy so I think he is alright, just the blood pressure gets higher.

The chamber is destroyed, poor May May was aghast by the accident. Luckily uncle no.2 did not sit on May May, or else she would have been a "terrapin cake".

In the end, my big brother buys a new larger and more comfortable chamber for May May as her compensation.

* May May is leaving her broken chamber.

A Happy New Year with May May

2007-02-19T04:40:00.001-08:00

Me: May May, say Happy New Year to everyone la~

May May: Happy New Year! Wish you wealthy, healthy and always be young… be diligent in your study.

May May murmured and was shivering: it is too high, put me back on the floor ~

Happy Lunar New Year!

2007-02-16T06:58:00.000-08:00

The lunar new year is coming, have you cleaned your home thoroughly? Have you decorated your home with flowers yet?

If you not, get hurry~

Here, I wish you all a prosperous year of the Boars first !
Those enjoying single life, meet your great darlings
Those with sweethearts, blossom is my blessing
Those married, life is bliss and romance
Those studying, get full score and distinction
Those working, get salary raise and promotion
Once more, I wish every one of you healthy and happy !

Dreamwalker

2007-02-13T00:47:00.000-08:00

Sometimes we read news about dreamwalkers walked 3 km to another town, did house cleaning, or something ridiculous, but do you ever have experience of dreamwalking?

According to wikipedia, dreamwalking, or sleepwalking or somnambulism: "engaging in activities that are normally associated with wakefulness (such as eating or dressing), which may include walking, without the conscious knowledge of the subject." is kind of Sleep Disorder.

Some days ago I watched a British TV program about curing dreamwalker. In the program, the guy (I forgot the patient's name and also the host's name and everything…) was a serious dreamwalker. From the series of video taken, he woke up two to three times every midnight, he cooked, he ate (included his cat's food and dog's sausages), he punched the wall, he smoked (nearly burnt his bed), he whipped his girlfriend or anything, he jumped out of his bedroom window which is on the 1st first, totally naked… all these made him tired in daytime, like he has never had slept.

He had tired everything such as consulted different doctors and treatments, but nothing can cure him. He became irritable and consent to help in a study about dreamwalker, and so this TV program. After investigation, it was concluded his dreamwalking was a result of an unhealthy stressful lifestyle.

He worked under great pressure every day because he got businesses for himself, some kind of art or crafting, he smoked 60 cigarettes per day, drank 5 cans of energy drinks and 12 cups of dark coffee (3 liters) a day, he ate unhealthy food, he talked with clients on phone till very late at night, he read or used computer till he thought it was time to sleep. As a result, his brain was still working even though he was sleeping. He only entered the rapid eye movement period but never slept deeply, and woke up.

To help him, the host toke him to have a talk with an expert, and arranged him to a Sleep Centre in Edinburgh for a one-week treatment. He tore off all detectors and was the first patients ever walked into the inspection room and switched off the computer during dreamwalking. While it entered the forth day, the expert knew that the schedule should be tighter, so arranged him a two-day relax and detox treatment, just everything for total relaxation: body massage, spa, oak and milk and fruits for breakfast, more vegetables, cut the cigarette number from 60 to 12, coffee from 12 to 6, no more energy drink, do a little reading and go to sleep before he is sleepy; on the other hand, the host, helped in a study so as to make him a dreamwalker by no sleep for about 2 days: alcohol, pubs, coffee, going out here and there, mini car racing, etc., as the host said, "let me sleep, please!"

Guess what happened? The patient had dead sleep for the following three nights; to the contrary, the host woke up at night and had a dreamwalk.

One more thing, before the end of the treatment, the host invited a professor to have a hypnotherapy for the patient. He first did not believe in hypnotherapy, but once he started he felt his limbs were numb and so light, and he could not wake up till the professor told him. "I feel so relax and very different now." He claimed.

The former patient later says since he keeps the healthy lifestyle, he is much happier than ever, he can smile, he has pink and shine on his face, his temper has improved and gets more business, while his mother and girlfriend need not to worry about him jumping out of the window or eating cat's food.

The program concluded that any body who has unhealthy lifestyle, worries, pressure of modern life and depressions, can become dreamwalker.

My momi warns me to sleep earlier, because she believes I would become a dreamwalker some day, as I do not have quality sleep and wake up several times at midnight. I am not sure if I had been a semi-dreamwalk, but I did punch the wall once or twice when I slept and woke up because of the pain, or suddenly woke up and sat at the bed rear, without knowing what I was doing, then laid down and slept again.

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_disorder

Nightmares

2007-02-11T01:40:00.000-08:00

The strange dreams I dreamt with repetition are only odd dreams. About from last year, I started to have these sorts of dream:

1. I saw myself from the glass door of the bookshelf, so pale, mouthful of fresh blood was dripping out, and my throat was grasped by a pair of invisible hands. I felt suffocated and struggled to wake up from the dream, my heart beat fiercely… the dream was so real, I really breathed hard.

2. I saw myself through glass door. My mouth shed blood. Once opened my mouth, teeth came off one by one, and dropped. I woke up. I was terrified. I toughed my teeth at once and knew they were still there, however left a lingering fear.

3. I was looking into a mirror, as if a dental check. My teeth suddenly turned into fragile white coral, blood oozed. Furthermore, my teeth were numb, my gums and cheek swelled and galled… after woke up my gums were really swelled.

4. A dream in a dream. I struggled to open my eyes, the clock was pointing at 11 a.m., I immediately got up and washed and dressed; suddenly I back to bed again, it was after 2 p.m. already, I got up hastily; and then I struggled to get up again… as if I was awake, and finally I opened my eyes with difficulties, it was only about 8 a.m. How come it was so real?

5. I saw myself woke up from sleep. All on a sudden, two invisible hands were pressing strongly my belly and waist and back, so ache. My hands struggled to get free but failed. I was pressed vigorously twice more… I do not know if I had once gotten back conscious, all in all, the feeling was so real. When I woke up in the morning, my belly and waist and back were all in aches.
Could it be said that I was pressed by those odd hands?

Does anyone who can interpret dreams, can tell me why I had the dreams with such a sense of reality? I am puzzled.

Strange dreams

2007-02-08T01:14:00.001-08:00

Do you have any profound dreams?

I have quite many strange dreams: being chased, but my feet adhered to the ground; riding on a horse and flying over the Tuen Mun Highway; Tuen Mun becomes a Venice; sitting inside a compartment of a train or a light rail, I meet my aunties and some school mates I have not seen for many years; having recess in classroom with my primary six classmates…

No Big Deal.

There is one dream I have dreamt of several times, so that I can remember it very clearly:-
In the dream, I am walking on the road in somewhere like suburbs, on the right is a beach, on the left is a shabby house, the wall facing the road is collapsed, the other three sides left standing hanging rolls of dried corpses in shabby clothes. There are adults' also children's.

Every face is withered, nose is dented, eyeballs are gone, teeth are lost, only left one or two. It is almost a skull. Skin is withered and yellow. There is nothing but skin and bones. Would it be muscle underneath? Lines are visible… just like the corpse for anthropotomy.

I have this dream for several times, and I don't know why…

Chinese version originally posted at my old newsgroup a day in 2003-2004, translated in Feb 2006

The Holiday

2007-02-07T02:33:00.000-08:00

After viewing the trailer of THE HOLIDAY I really wanted to watch this movie, because I quite like Kate Winslet, though I have not watched TITANIC (I hate Celine Dion's My heart will go on, it's like a haunting ghost).

In England, Iris (Kate Winslet) is in love with a man who is about to marry another woman; In L.A., businesswoman Amanda (Cameron Diaz) finds out the man she lives with has been accosted by his young receptionist. These two women who have been failed in love affair have never met. They meet online at a home-exchange website and swap house for a two-week Christmas holiday. This mends their hearts and leads to two love stories.

In Iris's English cottage, beautiful Amanda meets Iris's handsome big brother Graham (Jude Law) and quickly fall in love with each other, but then long-distance love has complicated their situation; Iris meets her old labour Arthur (Eli Wallach) who is a quozzie, also a retired Hollywood legendary screenwriter. She helps Arthur to gain back self-confidence by coaching him to walk, in the meantime, she alters her mind about love, and falls in love with film composer Miles (Jack Black).

This movie writes two love stories, but it obviously lays particular emphasis on the beautiful couple, because audiences would always expect something happens to them. Graham appears to have many love affairs, but a widower with two little daughters. The couple is deeply in love with each other but they belong to two different places parted 6,000 km, can they keep their relationship through long-distance? Especially when Amanda is a boss in L.A., could she give up everything and move to a small town in England? Can Graham tolerate her temper after passionately in love? The most amazing thing is his two little girls presume Amanda as their new mother and approved. At the end of the movie, the never cried after 15 years old Amanda suddenly in tears, it takes as if Graham is his Mr Right. And to my surprise, it's really funny to see Graham as a man cries like a baby. I wonder if their relationship can last long because it's built in bed.

On the other side, Iris's story is shorter. Inside Amanda's house, Iris is excited like a child. It is understandable since she is from an English countryside. As there will be a tribute night is organizing especially for Arthur for his contribution to Hollywood, Iris helps coaching Arthur to walk. In the meantime, she gets inspirations from Arthur, quits the ambiguous relationship with her old love, and starts a new love with Miles. Miles, far from handsome, is actually talented, humorous and frank. Every time Miles appears he brings us joyful time. Nevertheless, does anyone feel the love between Iris and Miles?

The relationship of Amanda and Graham is more complicated, there are lots of unsolved problems, probably will leave to audiences' fantasy. To the contrary, Iris and Miles's is simpler. Nonetheless, there is not enough time to go through their relationship, hence, "in love" can hardly be felt but good friends. This movie should be written on feminine side: romance, ideal, "true love" can overcome anything; For men, it is unrealistic and irrational. Besides, in reality can anyone exchange home and car with strangers? It's truly a risk danger.

The cast of the movie is very strong. Cameron Diaz is gorgeous and a real star, but crow's feet come out when she laughs; I like Kate Winslet the best, she is matured, beautiful and sweet (I never think she is fat), she made the grieved and perplexed back-up girlfriend so real; Jude Law is handsome and cool, but does not look like a single-mindedness; Jack Black is really not attractive but he can make us burst into laughter; of course we cannot forget Eli Wallach as the retired Legendary screenwriter Arthur, he is a bit cynical and a but cute, and looks very alike the teach I most respect.

There is another perception. The mood of this movie is very like LOVE ACTUALLY, a love story happy ending. Yet it could do better if we are able to enjoy this movie in Christmas instead of New Year.

Director: Nancy MeyersStarring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, Jack Black, Eli Wallach

Source: http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/theholiday/index.html

Terrapin May May Wong Says Hi

2007-02-02T01:54:00.000-08:00

May May WONG is Gertie-Yunis's dearest pet terrapin, also called Dai-guai, because there were two other younger male terrapins.

Her story started on 3rd August 1986, when Momi came home from market –

Momi, "Ah mui, close your eyes and stretch out your hands. Guess what is it?"
I did it and felt a tiny little thing moving on my palms, "what is it? It can move!"
When I opened my eyes I saw this 5 dollar coin size terrapin crawling on my palms.
"'Wao~it's so lovely~"

This little terrapin settled down at our home henceforward and has her own name May May.Today, Dai-guai has turned from an agile shit-eating baby into a lazy picky old maid.

After petting her for a long time, I found out this red-eared terrapin is native of Southern United States instead of Brazil.

Gourmet NO Paradise?

2007-01-30T02:00:00.000-08:00

I believe the recent hot topic should be the incident of oil fish (Lepidocybium Flavobrunneum) is being touted and sold as cod fish.

My family eats fish almost every day. However, since the industrial dye - malachite green was found in eel and some kind of fish, we stopped to buy frozen fish fillets such as cod fish. We were not aware till the next day after the report about oil fish is being sold, my big brother found oil on his pants, and noted it was not caused by fish oil capsule. But we are lucky enough. Unlike other people, we did not have diarrhea or being embarrassed due to excessive secretion of oil from the body. We are lucky not to have our Dai-guai fed with the fish fillet. Otherwise ishe would not have diarrhea like that poor doggie but gone to heaven.

We had nothing to eat in 2006 since food scare over vegetable, fruit, seafood, poultry, egg, etc. were contaminated with suspect toxic and chemicals. Just as we think everything is back to normal in 2007, supermarket giant ParknShop has been accused of labeling oil fish as cod fish that caused excessive secretion of oil. Oh God! We else can we eat? How come Hong Kong has become 'Gourmet No Paradise'?

Who else can we trust?

My wish of 2007 is no SARS, bird flu, dengue fever, Norwalk virus can threat us, and we Hong Kong people can have something Good to eat.

My Japanese Pen-Pal came to Hong Kong (2)

2007-01-24T22:58:00.000-08:00

After lunch I took Kaori and H to China Travel Service at China HK Centre HK-Macau Ferry Terminal for booking HK-Macau return ferry tickets and hotel room. The cheapest was HKD880 departed from Sheung Wan HK-Macau Ferry Terminal, HKD976 if departed from China HK Centre. I spoke up, "I paid only HKD760 for Christmas package for 2, how come it costs so much this time?" the staff replied that was impossible, I said, "I bought it, it won't be impossible." Immediately a flash back on my mind "that HKD760 was for a double room indeed, excluded ferry ticket…" of course I did not let the truth slip. I chose the Taipa Hotel which was the cheapest packet for them and led them to the Shun Tak Centre, just made sure they could find their way to get aboard.

After that, we did not have much time left, so I cut down the number of places. Here are the places we visited that day:-

12:10 pick them up from a guesthouse at Chung King Building
13:00 lunch at Kung Tak Lam at One Peking Road
14:30 China HK Centre HK-Macau Terminal
15:15 MTR to Sheung Wan Shung Wan HK-Macau Terminal by ==> Western Market
16:30 Tram to Admiralty Pacific Place for tea
17:40 Hong Kong Park (where I joined drawing competitions during secondary school period)18:25 Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens (very dark, so animals part closed, I had primary school trips there for drawing competition)
19:00 Peak Tram (~8 mins) ==> Peak Galleria
19:55 top floor of the Peak for Hong Kong nightview
20:00 Symphony of Lights (beautiful! Nightview is gorgeous! It could be clearer if no smog)20:25 Burger King for dinner, starving… I missed Burger King
21:30 Minibus downhill, cheaper and faster than bus, no queue too
22:00 New Star Ferry Pier in Central. Honestly, the new clock tower has failed to make a nostalgic style, the old one was far better
22:20 Start ferry to Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier
22:35 TST MTR Station and said goodbye
22:40 took coach to home
23:30 backed to home, FoOtSoRe~

Although I am a big girl now, it was my first time to be a local guide for my foreign friends. Due to the tight schedule, I selected only a few places according to their requests. And these places are representative. Both Kaori and H adore Hong Kong's gorgeous night view. H who loves to photograph took lots of photos too.

What is more, it was a chilly day… Kaori did not bring any thick clothes because she thought we were having warm winter, as I told her in last December. Luckily, I took my windbreaker with me just in case, and let her had it, it did help a bit though could not stop her shivered on the Peak.

My Japanese Pen-Pal came to Hong Kong (1)

2007-01-24T01:41:00.000-08:00

In the afternoon of Saturday 6th Jan 2007, I received an email from my Japanese Pen-pal Kaori, who is currently working in Sri Lanka. She is coming to Hong Kong, she is already on the plane! It is really thrilling! In the evening I received her call that she was staying in a guesthouse at Chung King Building. How did she find these guesthouses?

After confirmed with Kaori the meeting place (Tsim Sha Tsui MTR A1 entrance) and time (noon) of next day, I started my planning. Kaori is different from other Japanese girls I know, she is not crazy about LV, Gucci, Burberry, etc. On the contrary, she loves to visit historical places, temples and churches, to see real life of various cultures.

Therefore, after we met up the next day, I firstly took them to lunch. I planned to take them to Canton restaurant for our wan ton and tea with milk, but H wanted to have tea at Chinese restaurant and Kaori wanted something not greasy, so we went to Kung Tak Lam at One Peking Road for lunch. The table was opposite to the sea, the view could be the best if there was no smog. Kaori and H ordered Sichuan noodles with peppery sauce, Shanghai cold wan ton, Shanghai dumplings (in steaming basket), fried green onion pancake, steamed barbecued pork bun and egg tart with puff pastry crust. The Sichuan noodles was with peanut sauce instead of peppery sauce (vegetarian does not eat spicy food), so I who do not eat spicy food can have it; cold wan ton was nothing like Cantonese wan ton and was not tasty; the stuffing for dumplings was so loose… then I remembered the stuffing was not pork but vegetable; egg tart with puff pastry crust, well, I never liked eating the puff pastry crust; fried green onion pancake was not greasy, what it used seemed not green onion (vegetarian does not eat green onion), but it was still tasty; steamed barbecued pork bun is always my favourite, it was small and delicious.

The quality of the lunch was average. 5 dishes of dim sum, 1 noodle plus 3 tea cost almost $200, but luckily, I presented my HSBC credit card which gave us a discount of 15% off, so the net payment was $166. This lunch was not cheap yet. Probably we ate with the sea? The food of Ka Choi Seafood Restaurant located at Sam Shing Estate where my family and I normally go are tastier. 4 to 5 dishes of dim sum for 3 with tea only cost $50 to $60.

Nowhere in Africa

2007-01-22T21:06:00.000-08:00

In 1938, the German-Jewish Redlich family manages to escape from the Nazi terror to a remote farm in the primitive Kenya. They need to get through an ordeal since their sudden change from upper class to refugees.

The Redlich couple, Walter and Jettel thinks they can start a new life after escaped to Kenya. However, when it comes a totally different living environment and unclear future, Walter is not able to cut Germany out of his heart because the rest of his family are being tortured by Nazi, Jettel resists every adjustment and always keeps in mind the upper class lifestyle. Contradictions and conflicts occur frequently between the couple. Living in impoverish country, the parents feel desperate. On the contrary, the shyly little daughter, five-year-old Regina becomes sturdy. She is not a bit afraid of the strange world. Instead, she is curious to everything in this new exotic place, very enthusiastic about learning local language and customs, and makes friends with the natives immediately. Regina insists to join festivals and play dramas with Black kids; even her mother's "Black kids have germs" can not stop her association with the natives. On the other hand, the family chef Owuor looks after Regina meticulously, his love makes the little girl loves him even more than loves her parents. Owuor is also the communication bridge between the parents and the daughter.

In addition, the appearance of Owuor makes the movie warm and full of love.

Then, who is the Angel of Africa exactly? Owuor defends the family, so he is the Angel; in Owuor and the natives" hearts, the innocent Regina is their Angel.

Director: Caroline LinkStarring: Juliane Köhler (as Jettel Redlich), Merab Ninidze (as Walter Redlich), Sidede Onyulo (as Owuor), Karoline Eckertz (as older Regina), Lea Kurka (as young Regina)

Chinese version originally posted at my old newsgroup a day in 2004, Revised & translated in Jan 2006.

The exceptional Confucius

2007-01-19T07:23:00.000-08:00

I went to Shandong for holiday in November 2006. Our tour guide Xiao Lung told us the life story of Confucius Kongzi when he was introducing Confucius Temple, Kong Descendants' Mansion, Kong's Graveyard, 'Kongzi, surname was Kong, forename was Qiu, courtesy name was Zhong Ni, English name was Johnny (smile)…'

The witty Xiao Lung also mentioned that, 'Kongzi was indeed very ugly! He had Goggle-eyed which were full of blood vessels, snubby nose, projected upper teeth, monster ears, projected brow, sycee-shaped head which water could fill the hollow, plus his huge figure, he's really scary! His father was 72 when he married Kongzi's mother who was just a teenager. She had no status because she was a concubine, so she had to give birth to Kongzi at a massif, so he's called Kong Qiu, which meant massif. Kong's father detested his ugly face and abandoned him in a wilderness. However, when he saw a wolf fed his son and eagles sheltered him with their wings amazingly, he deemed his son should be an exceptional child and bought him home. Kongzi was a scorn in his childhood, his father died when he was three, but he was still diligent in his study… he led a wandering life then… We had a TV series about Kongzi some years ago, at the time people criticized the actor was ugly and that was disrespectful. On the contrary, we had beautified him totally.'

I have heard this story before. The Kong's file described him exaggeratedly as a freak of nature.

In my opinion, the sculpture of Kongzi has also beautified 'Johnny Kong'. Eh? He looks a bit like Zhong Kui, a deity who protects us from evil spirits.

Eh, I think it is no good to talk about Kongzi like that…

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/ on 22nd Dec, 2006

Charlie Brown Café

2007-01-16T20:14:00.000-08:00

I went to a Charlie Brown Café one evening for my friends' gathering. I had been longed for visiting there since I knew its existence, because I am a fans of SNOOPY. You can see how excited I was.

It is a chic and lovely café with French windows, comfortable sofa, decorated with characters of PEANUTS everywhere: Charlie Brown, Lucy Van Pelt, Peppermint Patty, Linus Van Pelt, Marcie, Sally Brown, Woodstock, etc., and my all time favourite SNOOPY! The Pilot Snoopy is undoubtedly the smartest. We can also watch the Snoopy cartoons playing continuously at the middle of the café.

Though it is a café, there are not many choices. Well, we still have ordered some drinks:-
Charlie Mocha – its introduction mentioned 'double espresso' that made me gave up but my friend said it was much better then the 'S-bucks';
Linus Latte – I was attracted by its mug on the menu but it came out a paper cup. Well, there was nothing special except it kept me awake from sleep till after 5am.

Besides, these were the food we ordered:-
Carbonara – clams, mushroom and cheese with fettuccine, quite okay;
Rye bread with chicken salad – came out White bread… didn't the cashier knows English?
Charlie's Pasta Pizza – it was special, but wrapped spaghetti inside was not a good idea… too tough and hard, difficult to be cut by knife;
Charlie's Drumsticks – small but tasty, served with potato and apple salad

Also desserts:-
Charlie's Angels – looked at the presentation, we thought it was same as the soft and layered cake (probably Angle Cake) we had in the UK, but it was far from it, we were so disappointed;
Charlie's Waffle – molded with 4 characters, but I can only remember Charlie Brown and Snoopy, 'oh sorry Snoopy, I have to cut you and eat you…'
There are a few types of merchandise of Snoopy and Woodstock such as mugs, plush toys, badges and key rings at the shop, but I did not buy any… I had to stay away, otherwise I would have gone crazy.

It was a nice visit and I think I will visit there again, just have a cup of cappuccino and sandwiches~ and enjoy sitting with Snoopy.

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/ on 21st Dec, 2006

Are we hoaxed?

2007-01-15T04:50:00.000-08:00

Regarding the post about United Nations will abandon Traditional Chinese and change to Simplified Chinese in 2008 I uploaded to previous blog (edited and re-posted on this blog on 14th Jan), I have got a reply from a Taiwanese net pal: the spokesperson of Foreign Affairs clarified the fact on 11th April, 2006 that this is not true.

The Taiwan Ministry of Foreign Affairs has checked with the UN after the news in March 2006, and was told that as to respect the sovereign state of China, the UN started to use Simplified Chinese since 1971 and there is no prohibition against using Traditional Chinese. Therefore, that news was only a rumor.

Even if we were told the truth, just one day before I wrote that topic I heard presenters were discussing this case on radio, as well as radio news about 45,000 people signed to against the UN's abolishing Traditional Chinese. Would there be any news to clarify the truth but I did not notice?

Then are we all hoaxed?

Sources: http://www.ettoday.com/2006/04/11/91-1927685.htm and http://zh.wikinews.org/wiki/%E8%81%AF%E5%90%88%E5%9C%8B%E6%97%A9%E5%B7%B2%E5%81%9C%E7%94%A8%E7%B9%81%E9%AB%94%E4%B8%AD%E6%96%87

Paris, Je t'aime

2007-01-14T07:53:00.000-08:00

Paris, Je t'aime is a collective film consists of 18 shorts about 'Love' which each story is written and directed by various International Directors. This film introduces every stratum of the society and shows us the today Paris through people living in different times, cultures and environments. Some of the shorts are about foreigners visiting Paris, for the purpose of exploring every corner of this city to enhance the message of Paris is the 'City of Love'.

I was impressed by these shorts:-

Quais de Senine
Director: Gurinder Chadha

Some men expect to attract women by making frivolous remarks but failed; on the contrary, women favor gentlemen who respect them. Same as the Muslim girl, I despise those men who make fun of women.

Loin du 16e
Director: Walter Salles, Daniela Thomas
Cast: Catalina Sandino Moreno

A young mother takes care of other's baby as a nanny, while her own baby is left at the day-care centre; she sings the same nursery rhyme to comfort her baby and master's baby, but gives different feeling… Mommy is missing baby now, is baby also missing mama?

Bastille
Director: Isabel Coixet
Cast: Sergio Castellitto

An unfaithfully husband determined to look after his cancered wife … I was moved and nearly wept. Why people always do not cherish till they are going to lose? Besides, the husband said he bought CHEAP Agnès b with his wife, that Agnès b instead is a favorite brand of many Hong Kong youngsters. Anyway, my French friend told me long ago that Agnès b in France is simply a Giordano.

Tour Eiffel
Director: Sylvain Chomet
Cast: Yolande Moreau, Paul Putner

A pantomime lives contentedly with his imaginary cat, milk, cabinet and car. His drollery makes people a belly laugh, but behind his merry face is a lonely heart. Fortunately, he finally met his soul mate for life. If we can smile at frustrations and make the best of things like this pantomime, then we are able to make our spirit healthy.

Parc Monceau
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Cast: Nick Nolte, Ludivine Sagnier

When we were suspecting the relationship of the old English speaking man and the young French woman according to their sly conversation, to our amazement, they are father and daughter! This really surprises us. Simultaneously, it shows that no matter what life we are having, parents will always support us, but we may not feel their love until we become parents.

Faubourg Saint-Denis
Director: Tom Tykwer
Cast: Natalie Portman

A beautiful actress broke up with her blind boyfriend. Her acting was outstanding, that's why her boyfriend misunderstood that she wants to break up. However, she should not make fun of break up. That's what we have to aware, be responsible. Natalie Portman is a real beauty, she looks so beautiful in this short. By the way, Nat's dialogue on phone at the beginning likes a beautiful poem, though a sad one.

I don't think exceptionally good, but it is a certain we can read the real-life Paris. The 18 love stories: impressive, funny, usual, are all everyday matters that commonly happen around us. When the location switches to the feeling noble Paris… Paris, is indeed nothing special.

Actually in Hong Kong, Love is everywhere.

Directed by: Olivier Assayas, Frederic Auburtin
Source: http://www.parisjetaime-lefilm.com/

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/ on 13th Dec, 2006

Traditional or Simplified?

2007-01-14T07:08:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, many Chinese people and I were greatly astonished by the news that United Nations announced to officially replace using Traditional Chinese by Simplified Chinese from 2008.

Traditional Chinese was simplified from pictograph. Each component of each character is a meaningful picture, a unique ideographic which provides visual comprehensibility, e.g.「手」looks like a hand,「人」looks like a man,「國」is a Country formed with city walls surrounding a mouth (person) and a dagger-axe.

The Traditional characters of today first appeared with clerical script during Han Dynasty and became stable since the 5th Century during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. However, traditional Chinese has many strokes, plus its complex structure make troubles to writing. Thus, simplified characters appeared in different places nationally. The Chinese government believed that the traditional Chinese was too difficult to learn and caused the problem of illiteracy in majority (mainly peasants), therefore, the government started to study character reformation in 1951 and carried out the standardized Simplified Chinese policy in 1956, with the aims to unify Chinese, make it easy to identify, fast to write and to eliminate illiteracy.

Yet over half a century has gone now, over 1.2 billion people of the 1.3 billions are still illiterate. This clearly shows that simplified Chinese does not help to eliminate illiteracy, as illiteracy is the result of ineffective social policy and frequent corruptions.

I learnt simplified Chinese at secondary school, used it for coursework and exams, since subjects like Chinese language, Chinese history and Chinese literature accept using the simplified. Otherwise, we need to write hundreds of Traditional Chinese characters for essays for these subjects, it would be so tiresome especially to write pages quickly during exams.

Using Simplified Chinese is convenient. Nevertheless, why Hong Kong people, Taiwanese and overseas Chinese oppose the United Nations' adoption of simplified Chinese?

1. Characters with more than 10 strokes have to be cut down to below 10 strokes, but those below 10 strokes were unnecessarily simplified, e.g.「馬」(horse) is already simple, but the simplified「马」seemed to have horsehair shaved; though the simplified is easier to write, it loses the sense of beauty, the visual comprehensibility and the vigorous of Chinese.

2. Some unrelated characters are simplified and look similar, but some others sharing the same component do not need to be simplified:「勸」(persuade) became「劝」,「灌」(irrigate) is still「灌」; some words are different in Traditional Chinese but are same in simplified:「乾」(dry) is「干」but「幹」(to do) is also「干」. This indeed raises the complexity.

3. Some people fear that the UN's decision of adopting simplified Chinese would be a pressure causing Chinese worldwide to abandon the Traditional characters. Furthermore, as the mainland Chinese who were born after 1956 do not know Traditional characters, a few decades later,
Traditional Chinese would possibly be obsolete, then even archaeologist cannot decipher Chinese history and culture recorded with these characters. This is a risk of losing our 5,000 years old culture. Someone conjecture that it is a conspiracy to destroy Chinese culture.

From the UN's point of view, China is raising in influence nowadays, its 1.3 billion of population are using simplified Chinese in contrast with only 30 millions are using the Traditional Chinese, it is no reason to keep on using the latter administratively.

Hence, to simplify the Traditional Chinese is a consequence of evolution that no cause for much criticism should be made, it is not either any conspiracy.

Humans always prefer to pick up the easiest. Many foreign Chinese learners who are attracted by Chinese culture lose the courage to the difficult Traditional characters and turn to the simplified. Notwithstanding the new trend, Traditional Chinese can stand the test of time, and we won't lose the 5,000 years old history that easily. As long as we wish to keep the Traditional characters and to protect the traditional culture, why not we Hong Kong people, Taiwanese, or overseas Chinese learn and understand both characters ourselves?

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/ on 6th Dec, 2006

The Heat of learning Chinese

2007-01-14T03:14:00.000-08:00

Just watched the Sunday Report 2006 someday ago about the Heat of learning Chinese in the West, due to the effect of Beijing will host the Olympic Game 2008.

In America, there are over 600 universities and 100 middle and primary schools already have or going to have Chinese as academic subject. Some schools in Washington D.C. have even set Chinese course as compulsory. Chinese became a subject of the Advance Placement Program for high school from this autumn, and will be included in examinations in some universities next year. If a Chinese imported Chinese teacher can pass both Putonghua and English level test, the monthly salary ranking will be from over HKD20,000 to over HKD30,000. After 3 or 4 years, the first group of local university trained Chinese teachers will graduate to ease the short of Chinese teachers. Someone of the educational circles stated that, the 21st Century will be the world of China and Putonghua will replace Spanish to become American's second language.

In addition, as China is becoming powerful and influential, Chinese nannies who are proficient in Putonghua are now hot property. Some parents like Jim Rogers, founder of Quantum Fund, pay high salary for them, because they want their kids to learn the most difficult language at early age so that they can have predominant role when they grow up.

According to a nanny agency, there is a strict standard of choosing Chinese nanny. The nanny should adore children, be proficient in Putonghua and experienced with rising up child. However, not many nannies can fulfil all requirements. That is the reason why the annual wage of an ordinary Chinese nanny is about 60,000USD and can reach up to 100,000USD for a senior.

Apparently, it is easier for a Mainland Chinese teacher to receive high pay for teaching Chinese in America, than the teachers from Hong Kong. Nevertheless, as Hong Kong people's rising Putonghua standard, the advantageous position of familiarity with Western culture and higher English level, those experienced teachers and nannies may take the proficiency test and get a 2:1 for teaching qualification, then seize this golden opportunity for good.

I am a Hong Kong Chinese, with fair English, Putonghua proficiency test pass, okay well, I do think I need to introspect and, keep it up.

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/ on 1st Dec, 2006

2006 Have a warm Christmas in Macau

2007-01-13T00:56:00.000-08:00

A silly me accompanied two friends on a journey to Macau for Christmas 2006. I nearly do not know the places because I have not been backed to Macau for Christmas for over 10 years after Grandparents moved to Hong Kong. I never memorized the routes when I went out with others, but this time I had to walk around with my friends, got on and off buses without any idea, and we could get to the destinations. Hey, we have lucky stars over us.

This trip was mainly for eat and walk, ate from day to night, walked from morning till dark, our stomach were full, feet were with corns.

My favourite still is the very delicious Pork Sandwich of Oi Kei, behind the Antigo Posto de Bombeiros (Old Fire Station) of Taipa Village. My friends questioned how special Oi Kei Pork Sandwich is? The specialty is: the pork is fresh and soft with bones, and is fried lightly, unlike Dai Lei's oily deep fried.

O Santos Comida Portuguese at Rua do Cunha still keeps its' very best standard, very tasty. My friends all agreed that the food and service there are the best.

Casino is everywhere in Macau, but can find no one on the streets. We went sightseeing the 12 casinos, the outlook design of Sands and Wynne are very plain, all in brown, nothing a bit of the Las Vegas. The constructing new Casino Lisboa looks exactly like a font. For the residential, they are match box with 99% brown outlook. There is nothing impressive even it is called a Mansion.

We also went to the new hot "must visit" Macau Fisherman"s Wharf. However, it is the most disappointing one. They tried to rebuild the Volcano, Coloseum, Vatican City and European style housings to show the different cultures and styles of countries they chose, but they failed. The work is too slack. I can see there were no strict inspections over the work.

* Coloseum at Fisherman's Wharf

In addition, the atmosphere in restaurants and shops isn't pleasant. There were a few customers but gave us impolite and slow service, we had to wait for ages for a tea or rice.

Lifestyles are so different. Live in Macau is leisure, while in Hong Kong is a hurricane. Hong Kong people see time as money so that everything has to be quick. On the contrary, Macau people enjoy leisure and carefree mood that everything is unhurried. THIS made us sick.

Initially I wanted to have a boat trip at inner harbour again, but sadly the pier next to the Maritime Museum has been constructed into a road connecting the Sai Van Bridge. So we went to S. Francisco Garden, through a path to Guia Hill Municipal Park. On the way we passed and played some facilities for health, did a little exercise, then went straight to Guia Fort & Lighthouse for some photo shootings. I like the western style architecture, though it is not very outstanding, it is a very romantic place for seeing sunset. Unfortunately, the beautiful scene was destroyed by constructions sites around.

* Guia Lighthouse

After 1999's reunion, Macau has become stronger and wealthier. She is experiencing a boom in economics. Infrastructure, real estates, casinos and tourism are all developing rapidly; this change is much larger than in 2003: flooding in new mainland immigrants, construction sites, imbalanced social development and the green caused air pollution. For example, the brook in Taipa Village is now covered by buildings, Taipa became a manmade basin… it was a sunny day with temperature 20 degree Celsius, but I felt it's hot like a summer.

Even a gentle wind breeze over my face at inner harbour, trees and grasses dance with me at Guia Park, fresh air leaves me forever.

More about ME

2007-01-11T23:56:00.000-08:00

Personality:
Impetuous, naive, perceptual, low-profile, clear mind of likes & dislikes, ties of friendship, stubborn…
Hobbies and Interests:
drawing pictures, literature, music, art, cycling, travel, lost in bookshops, making friends, RAF, Egypt, talk to myself, look at the mirror and say "keep it up!"
Good at:
Mandarin Chinese, English, little Japanese, dreaming
Bad at:
Memorizing routes, mathematics, arguing, foul language
Other Skills:
Piano (Grade 8 only), drawing pictures (comics, sketching), singing (Soprano in choir), cooking (not too bad)
Who I hate:
Gossipmongers, who break promises, grasping, selfish, villain
Wishes:
To be an architect or interior designer, proficient in languages, get a desirable job, marry the best man, travel around the world, have a little white house or lighthouse with whirly staircase
My haunts:
Library, bookstore, no fixed address

My Favorite-
Colour:
White, red, light colour – pink, lime green, light yellow
Places:
Home, libraries, bookstores, comfortable places with flowers, trees and grassland, near the sea
Food & Drinks:
Chicken wings, Shanghai noodles & dumpling, vegetables, mami cooked food, soya milk, fruits, tomato, potato, cream soda
Books & Authors:
Peanuts, Barbapapa, Patlabor, Reader's Digest, Agatha Christie's, Sherlock Holmes Series, Brian L. Weiss's, Anne of Green Gables series, Cao Yu's (Chinese Dramatist)
Movies:
E.T., Totoro, Laputa, Billy Elliot, Evita, Matrix, Kill Bill, Anne of Green Gables series
Singers:
Faye Wong, Anita Mui, Ah Bull (Tan Kheng Siong), MaDonna, BeeGees, Queen, Bon Jovi, Dido, Enya, Sarah Brightman, Chake & Aska, Aikawa Nanase, Every Little Thing
Musicians:
Beethoven, Mozart, Andrew-Lloyd Webber
TV Shows:
I'll show them who's boss, E.R., Friends, National Geographic, BBC, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Blind Date, Cold Case, C.S.I.: Miami, Who wants to be a Millionnaire?, Doctor Who?
Comics & Animation Characters:
Peanuts - Snoopy; Barbapapa; Sailor Moon – Mercury / Mizuno Ami; Patlabor - Noa Izumi; Laputa; Totoro; Peter Pan; Hime-chan's Ribbon - Nonohara Himeko & Borota; Snowman
Actors:
Chow Yun Fat, Keanu Reeves, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Robin Williams, Tom Hanks, George Clooney
Actresses:
Josephine Siu, Natalie Portman, Cate Blanchett, Nicole Kidman, Noriko Sakai, Adachi Yumi
Idols:
Helen Keller, Qiu Jin (female anti-Qing Empire revolutionist)
Animals:
Dolphins, tortoises, dogs
Flowers / Plants:
Bamboo, lotus, lilies, narcissus, Delphiniums

Originally posted at http://gertie-yunis.Blogspirit.com on 27th Nov, 2006

Announcement of New Blogs

2007-01-09T06:53:00.000-08:00

My first blog at Blogspirit (http://gertie-yunis.blogspirit.com/) has expired on 24th Dec 2006 and so posts will be moving to Sina blog, Yahoo blog and Blogspot. Some more old posts originally posted at closed Newsgroup will be moving to these 3 blogs as well:-

Chinese Version
Gertie-Yunis's Cottage
http://uhotaru.mysinablog.com/

English Version
Gertie-Yunis's Villa
http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/gertie-yunis/
Gertie-Yunis's Manor
http://gertie-yunis.blogspot.com/

Though my Blogspirit was a bilingual, I will separate them into Chinese and English blogs. Therefore, there maybe only English or Chinese version for some topics. Hmm, I will try to translate if I can have more spare time.