《算投陽匆記》第一回

第一回　黑衣軍窮追不捨　汗天雷風雲重現

汗寶苞一行三人加快腳步地逃到了雨竹林，離勇村還有二十來里路。後面的追兵似乎放緩了，苞紫姑娘轉過身已經看不見剛才還窮追不捨的黑衣人了。

「他們沒跟上了，咱歇會兒吧。」苞紫喘著氣說。

「依我看，要歇咱還是到了勇村再歇。」寶立隆一面說，一面拉著苞紫要她繼續趕路。

「可是⋯」苞紫看著汗大俠，似乎想說些什麼，卻被寶立隆接著說：「別再可是了，我難道還不清楚黑衣軍的作風嗎？肉包子才剛咬在口，他們哪肯就這麼輕易罷休？」

來，游泳去。

前天和貓夫人還有我們七歲大的兒子到附近的一個湖玩，剛好碰見國家地理雜誌（或是探索頻道、或是孤獨星球）正在那裡舉行某個奇怪的遊戲競賽，遊戲需要兩個人在湖裡一起游泳，其中一個人游正方向，另一個呢則得游反方向，游完之後便可以拿到某些獎品。我跟貓夫人提議說反正沒事，我們可以試著玩玩，她游正方向，我游反方向。

遊戲開始時我們便跳入水裡，開始慢慢地游。也不知道游了多久，遊戲也沒規定參賽者得游個多久，貓夫人突然舉起了一個藤籃子說：「欸，我捉到了一隻螃蟹！」然後就把籃子拿到湖邊，把螃蟹倒出來，讓牠在湖邊的草地上爬。

五雜想

個人覺得字款在設計當中扮演著舉足輕重的角色，特別是傳達訊息的公共告示版的設計上，不同的字款可以有決然不同的效果——時而恰到好處、時而完全不行。以前的我很愛看《孤獨星球》(Lonely Planet)（現稱《地球腳步》[Globe Trekker]），喜歡那種有點無拘無束的自助旅行，那種想去哪就去哪的心情。也很喜歡翻書本版的《孤獨星球》，在為旅行作準備時參考——總覺得旅行的一部份樂趣在於做功課。現在家裡沒裝電纜電視，所以就只能在旅行時好好利用酒店裡過看《孤獨星球》的癮。Debbie Travis 是一個住在加拿大的英國人，是一個無師自通的室內設計師。移居到加拿大過後，以自己的一點點靈感佈置自己的家，後來覺得自己的室內設計也不錯，便就開了小小的店，開始做室內設計的工作，從此一炮而紅。貓夫人和我喜歡看她主持的節目，喜歡她大膽卻不失細心，隨性卻又不傷大雅的設計。也給了我們很多靈感——家，在硬邦邦的水泥後面，也可以佈置得很溫馨。（我們的家也在一點一滴之下慢慢地建立起來。）剛在電視新聞中瞄到印度超載的列車又不知何故出軌，導致死傷慘重。我常想印度應該重新規劃當地的公共交通設施，加多一些網路也好、班次也好、或工作人員也好；讓當地人可以更安心地到處走走。不知道從什麼時候開始S島流行起腳踏車文化。每每走在人行道就會被突如其來的腳踏車嚇個半死，沒被撞倒是萬幸中的大幸，卻也因為抱怨滿天飛，搞砸了出門的興致。

註：剛開始時我想寫個《二十雜想》，目的是想鍛煉自己寫部落格的能力。想通過『我看我寫』的方式訓練自己看見什麼就寫什麼的能力。所以就趁某次搭巴士時把二十件我看見或想到的東西列出來，結果⋯二十個標題打好了，卻寫了將近⋯九個月。所以，把一大串的標題刪了，寫個《五雜想》就算了；卻也只證明了一件事——我寫部落格的功力還不成氣候吶。（怒吼）

Precise Judgment

One day in a kingdom far-far-away, King F decided to walked the land of his kingdom, paying visit to his fellow citizens, with a large group of followers (for very obvious reason.) Sir K, the highest-ranked knight in the kingdom was summoned to lead the entourage together with his deputy, Sir M.

King F went around to talk to a few villagers, asking them their daily life, if they have been doing well, and asking their opinion on the kingdom. Of course, King F wasn’t really expecting truthful answers when he asked the questions, and of course, the villagers knew and wasn’t really giving truthful answers. The villagers know better of the consequences if they didn’t give the right reply.

My irritation bar

So I was with a group of friends on a trip, and we were wandering through the night bazaar on the streets, except that it wasn’t really nighttime just yet, and we were actually looking for a place to have our meals. Then, I realised that I have left my wallet in the hotel room, which I would need it as I was holding on to the trip’s fund. I told my wife (and the group) to wait for me (while wandering), while I rush back to the hotel to get the wallet.

Back in the hotel lobby, while I was waiting for the lift, a large group of tourists came and waited with me — to be precise, they were behind me. They were chatting so loudly at the lobby which had already raised my irritation bar, but I chose to ignore them. After a while, the lift came and when I was about to move forward to enter the lift, the group of tourists rushed forward and started occupying the lift, squashing and pushing me into the lift. Since there were so many people, the lift door didn’t want to close and started making the “lift car is full” beeps. My irritation bar was already raising rapidly, but this group of people just ignored the beeps and kept on chatting and chatting, louder and louder — literally beside my ears.

I remembered my wife and the group of friends were still waiting for me outside on the street, I really didn’t have any more time to waste with these people. The noise and the ignoring-the-lift-beeps were already raising my irritation bar to the exploding tip, when I shouted very loudly, “QUIET!!!” and off one of my leg went (as if reflex) and kicked on one of the fat guy out from the lift, and I continued to shout, “I WAS THE FIRST TO WAIT FOR THE LIFT!!!”

…

Then I got up, and picked up my pillow from the edge of the bed.

Breaking News

It was a sunny day when I was sitting right in front of the television, I saw the news telling me about a gigantic volcano in Congo is about to erupt in three hours time. The eruption is predicted to cost damage to an area of more than 200 km radius — and one of my friends is leading a research expedition in Congo at the very moment!

So I quickly called up this friend of mine and told him about the eruption, screaming loudly, “didn’t you watch National Geographic, you idiot?!!” when he sounded suspicious of my information. I screamed at him and told him that the only way for him to avoid that eruption (and all the damage that it’s going to cost) is to evacuate Congo immediately. And I even plotted the only escape route for him:

“Now you can only run to India! Faster!”

La vita è bella

Today is the day of the second ultrasound scan. Looking at the TV monitor, with only 53 mm long, majority of the facial features are quite well-developed, and the limbs are already actively moving, huh! I can even see the leg trying to kick, like trying to tell us to stop disturbing his/her sleep. Everything is just so adorable, when the sonographer said, “now, s/he is trying to flip over.” Life is amazing.

I like it when it rains

I like it when it’s the rainy weather, when it started to rain heavily, washing away the built-up heat, dirt, and seems to wash away a lot of the unhappiness. I like to listen to the drizzle and the sound of raindrops hitting onto the window. The sight of misty surrounding, and the smell of fresh rains would just make me feel a lot better.

When I was a lot younger, I used to fold many paper boats and keep them in my drawer. When it started to rain, I will bring some to the rushing drain and floated a few of them, and looked at them drifting away — sort of hoping that they will find their way to the ocean and join the ships. (My wife told me that she used to do this too.)

Occasionally, I like to walk in the rain and get drenched, sometimes it makes me feel better after that, for no apparent reason. (Not that I have lots of apparent reason to get drenched in the rain, either.)

p.s. the photo was taken while it was raining heavily, and by the time I finished the post, the sun came out and dry every bit of water away… (-.-”)

My 2nd pair of Timberland

I bought one pair of Timberland trekking shoe around 10 years ago, the very first few things that I bought for myself, using my own salary. The shoe lived its legend, accompanied me for more than 6 years, until it finally decided to give up and bid me farewell.

So, after a few years of wearing leather sneakers, cheap running shoes, I have decided to buy another pair of Timberland during one of the recent visit to the town. “Just wanted to find something more comfortable” was what I thought to myself. (Not saying that those leather sneakers were of bad quality, though, just not as comfortable as wearing a Timberland trekking shoe.)

Spending for slightly under $200, I got a very nice pair of trainer with soft and bouncy sole, which keep my heels well protected, and my feet dry all day long. I think this pair of shoe will continue its predecessor’s legend to keep me company for another few more years.

6 things — of work

Part of my work now (for about 2 years) includes going for corporate events, and do event coverage — sometimes photography, sometimes videography, and most of the time, both.

The good part about this is that, (a) with luck, I got to enjoy the food served during tea-breaks, lunches (or occasionally, dinners) — though they are most of the time not so appetising; (b) I’ve got the chance to look at different people, sometimes behaving weirdly absurd; and (c) there are sometimes training or courses that my other peers do not get the chance to attend, while I could, so it’s sort of a training opportunity for me.

While, the not-so-good part about it is: (a) there are rarely people who notice how important (at the moment) our work is; (b) no one will notice if you have do your work well, or they don’t bother if they are actually causing you to not do it well — like walking/standing/talking right in front of the camera and all you can capture is their greasy hair; and (c) everyone will notice if you do not do your job well!