覃校長

昨天與p跟覃校長飯聚, 好開心. 上次見面應已是年多前.
還是老樣子.
還是真誠坦白正直, 讓人又敬又畏.
還是清脆利落, 廢話少說.
還是叫我地做細路.
還是落力如昔.
還是請客.

ps1. 覃校長可不是教育界.
ps2. 如果多幾個這樣的老板, 老師, 老公, 老婆... 世界有福了.

Fight Flights

Just found a pretty useful website about flights and airports around the world.

http://www.flightstats.com/go/Home/home.do

Easy to search, handy information on flight status, weather (airport location), airport facilities, travel alerts... you name it.
You can set alert (departure, arrival, default with cancellation, delay etc) to be sent to your email and mobile (to be figured out, may not support carrier other than Americans').
And other information such as frequent flyer program, promotion (haven't checked its updateness and relevancy), published ticket price (maynot be very useful), ratings of airports / airlines / flights, forums of whatever travel topics, etc.

For Record

~ A short and sweet lunch, with a touch of "secrets", if not gossip: 'semi-secrets', 'open secrets', 'as-is-secrets', 'to-be-secrets', '無不破的秘密'...etc. Anyway, 3 persons eating 6 dim-sums and 1 fried rice in 45min was not bad after all.
~ Birth of the "Sighing Party (Club?)" with founding members t and moi - you are not welcome to join though
~ Forgot to pick up my ATM card from the bank... too late to found out at 6-ish
~ Got on the wrong minibus to CWB while we had to go to Wanchai. Lucky that we found out before departing and we hadn't paid this red one.
~ A not-so-short but still sweet hotpot dinner. Collectively, we let the initiators down by (1) not going to a beer-for-free restaurant; (2) not ordering specialty soup base like 'souffle' or 'cappucino'. Again, touched on 'semi-secrets', 'open secrets', 'as-is-secrets', 'to-be-secrets', '無不破的秘密'...etc.

~ a made the executive decision of having hotpot at t's place around x'mas time - t has reminded himself (by leaving message at his desk phone) to send out invitation
~ It was raining after dinner when we walked out of the building. Despite his long legs, t still missed the bus home.
~ Didn't get the time to go to Aquascutum to check a trench coat for b
~ Greedily got 4 Mrs Fields' muffins (buy-2-get-2-free) for breakfast - blueberry, strawberry and two banana walnut.
~ As usual, finished quite some conference calls and scheduled even more

In Peace

2006.11.22 US
May w's aunt (godmom) rest in peace...

Marketing Encounters

I believe Scott Adams must have had many terrible encounters with marketing...

EGGs

再講蛋. 其實我都幾鍾意食蛋.

烚蛋, 半生熟個隻.
~ 小朋友時每個星期天都會跟爸媽到海運吃早餐, 然後到婆婆家. 早餐不外乎是西苑新同樂的點心, 或我最愛美心餐廳的Corn beef加烚蛋, 加cabbage roll. 烚蛋必須是半生熟, 放在蛋杯上, 以小匙輕敲蛋殼, 退去1/3殼後, 小心explore微微晃動白白滑滑蛋白, 生怕中間黃澄澄的蛋黃會溢出. 加點鹽或maggi, 半溶的蛋黃蛋白實是天下美味.
~ 腐竹白果糖水. 把半熟蛋弄碎混在糖水中一同吃, 一絕.

煎蛋, 太陽個隻. 反蛋都得, 但蛋黃還是要"流"的.
~ 單吃太單調. 伴以叉燒飯多汁就... 嘩!
~ 用來點多士
~ 伴飯加maggi

炒蛋(加奶加cream特別滑), 多士, 加炒mushroom (pantry 有得食)...
Omelet with cheese and mushroom...
Carbonara 的靈魂蛋汁...
蛋香十足的crepe...
澳門鉅記的加蛋餅...
其他還有蒸水蛋... egg benedict... 鮮奶燉蛋白... 咖哩炒蟹的咖哩汁的蛋花... 稻亭冷烏冬的鵪鶉蛋... 嫲嫲的白蘭地滾水蛋加煉奶... 茶葉蛋... 不能盡錄.

好味道!!

Congratulations

... to little fish, chumike, sisman...

and on a different topic (yet), to dailo!!
ClapClapClap...

Happy Birthday

Belated happy birthday to p's wu liao!

Team

Dinner

2006.11.17 @ Lei Garden
Cousin hurried back from Melbourne for his very own 18-Year-Old birthday dinner (arriving in the afternoon), 'even' before meeting his own buddies.
Apology of dad, absence 'cos of trip.

咸蛋

不談近期的紅心鴨蛋事件, 卻可談談某專家談及有關咸蛋的兩三事 -
~ 咸蛋外面那層褐色的物料其實是燒過的禾稈草, 鹽, 少許沙灰(可有可無)
~ 用鴨蛋製咸蛋是因為鴨蛋蛋殼的密度較高及平均, 比鷄蛋(蛋殼的密度較低及沒那麼平均)容易掌握燻製的時間
~ 挑選時輕搖咸蛋, 有聲響代表不新鮮, 因蛋白因擺放太久而收縮, 令蛋黃輕易在殼內晃動
~ 新鮮足味靚咸蛋的蛋黃應貼近蛋殼, 是鹽份把蛋黃'吸'到一旁

只是道聽途說, 有興趣的可一試, 再跟大家分享.

On A-Year-and-Two-Day Old Day

... becomes blogger beta

會展頭

豆幾巴閉, 老板請了一個不列顛剛master畢業的男生幫她做手手腳腳.
問她對新同事有何評價.
"會展頭."
哈, 還是小女孩.

穿Prada的女人

在火炭上火車, 非常擁擠. 自自然然把背囊放下拿在手上, 希望多騰出一點空間.
緊跟我後面穿Prada的女人卻愈貼愈近, 不斷擴充她的'版圖', 甚至開始看起頭條日報來.
她的虎背緊貼我的玉背, 熱烘烘的, 好肉酸. 我清楚感覺得到她翻報的每一個動作.
更醜陋, 更惹人討厭的是她的自私, 只顧自己的'享樂', 妄顧他人的感受.
"不如我俾6蚊你去買份報紙慢慢睇. 如果cheapcheap地買份太陽報5蚊, keep the change."
真想對她說.

9 Months

First BBQ @ 2006.02.11 @ ParkView


Second BBQ @ 2006.09.11 @ Shek O


Very enjoyable!! Hopefully more to come!
Btw, a, how to create a link to my previous postings?

一週歲

這幾天反反覆覆, 思前想後.
突然心血來潮翻一翻敝blog, 才發現是當年今日開始blogging的. 至今(不計本篇)有posting 399件.
Time flies. Do I?
明年今日又會如何?

無心機

咪就係無心機

不要問,只要信HelpDesk

Something wrong with my mailbox. Called helpdesk and very promptly I was contacted by someone from India.
Very "close-ticket-oriented" probably 'cos of SLA.
所以 - 不要問, 只要信.

不要碰我的飯桶

與b在BJ欣葉吃飯, 服務貼身煩人得過火. 不說別的, 我們的那桶炒飯, 服務員差不多每45秒就會來問一次(其實也不是問, 是邊說邊有所動作)要不要添飯. 於是我們(1)把一對筷子打cross放在飯桶上面; (2)警告他們再來打擾我們談天的話, 我們就要向經理投訴. 事實證明, (2)比(1)有阻嚇性.

Hilton Panda

'The' Hilton Panda (sorry quite dark)

Fire Drill

2006.11.08 @ PCP
BJ office building had a fire drill today. We were having a meeting at bigbigboss's conference room on 25/F. At first we (3 HKers) thought of hiding, but soon caught by the evacuating security personnel to 'advise' us to leave the building.
We were almost the last batch of people leaving the building. Since the fire exit is just next to Starbucks and Pacific Department Store, many people went straight into these places. I also went into Pacific and curious to see how a fire drill here would look like.

It's quite a scene downstairs where people should gather. There was a big crowd gathered outside Pacific, 2 fire engines, 1 ambulance and a stage. The floor was wet. One of the fire engines even had its 雲梯 extended and sprinkling water at the building. There was a stage with somebody talking quickly like hosting a TV show (with some strong beat background music). He asked somebody from the crowd to go on the stage for some fire hazard related quiz. He then asked the firemen to demonstrate the usage of some equipments on stage. The whole 'show' was captured by at least 3 cameras (sort of big ones used by TV stations) as I could see.

After taking a few pics, I decided to wait for the re-opening of the elevators while the big crowd was still enjoying coffee, shopping, the 'show' or all of the above. Given the usual efficiency of the elevators, it would take hours to get back to what I should be doing if I queue too late. Thanks god I was in the first batch when the elevators re-opened.

又來了

剛跟老闆談過話, 關於明年的安排. 大事不怎麼妙.
老闆有會, 未講完的下午再續.
各位兄弟姊妹, 有冇好介紹?

頭一回

今早吃早餐時, 侍應居然送上日文報紙.
幾時變成日本look? 不解.
是頭一回被誤認日本人(或起碼是懂看日文的人).

塞責與謬思

與b和cf在BJ office旁的酒店中菜吃午飯, 點了湯, 點心, 小食等. 這店的食物不錯, 但服務還是典型的國內標準.

小事之一
點了鮮蝦腐皮卷. 上桌時每件腐皮卷都已被一分為二, 可清楚看見饀料 - 橙橙綠綠的, 明顯是紅蘿蔔及西芹. 咁蝦呢?
"(問部長) 這是什麼?"
"腐皮卷."
"什麼腐皮卷?"
"(看看點心紙) 鮮蝦腐皮卷."
"不見蝦呢..."
"(左左右右研究一番) 我問問廚房..."

5分鐘後, 部長回來匯報 -
"其實是有蝦的, 切得很碎很碎混在一起... 這基本上是素食..."
聽罷不禁失笑.
基本上是素食. 什麼叫"基本上是素食"? 什麼基本不基本? 素就是素, 葷就是葷, 可沒有灰色地帶吧(齋可能不同).
還是第一次聽說素食可以是"基本上"這麼虛幻.
本人覺得這基本上是BS.

小事之二
b推介綠茶蛋撻, 於是我們就把點心紙上'綠茶雙色蛋撻'中的'雙色'刪掉, 以示只要綠茶蛋撻. 落單後也有一女部長來確認我們綠茶only的選擇.
等了很久, 蛋撻來了. 跟據Murphy's Law, 它們當然是"錯了" - 黃澄澄的.
沒有人說綠茶蛋撻不可以是黃色, 但跟據常客b的經驗, 這裡的綠茶蛋撻應該是綠色的.
向上菜的小妹引證一下, 她似層層的說: 這是綠茶蛋撻呀, 綠茶是個味道, 綠茶蛋撻是黃色的.
我們當然不肯就範, 驚動了部長, 把蛋撻退回去. 又等了15分鐘, 終於來了綠茶色的蛋撻.
在這蛋撻風雲中, 他們是aware這order是"單色"的; 可惜經確認後還是選錯了顏色.
本來也沒大不了, 但那公式的, 快過打針"我(地)冇錯"的反應, 可讓人牙癢癢 - 真不長進!

品櫥客

雖不常在Pantry打坐搗亂, 但多多少少都從老闆口中得知一些客人的小故事小習慣, 可感受到小店跟週遭隣舍的chemistry及那股人情味, 殊不簡單.
~ 來自英倫的madame: 當然(!)是愛喝茶. 老闆就特地買了靚靚花花杯碟讓她享用. 據聞她愛茶要夠熱, 夠濃, 少奶. 早餐之選也非"常規", 因而要在POS系統為她設定一個"tailored"的變數. 上回我在Pantry搗亂, 她來吃早餐嘆報紙, 沒有喋喋不休, 只靜靜地面壁吃着喝着讀着, 有點"請勿打擾" feel. 她在早餐後個多小時折返, 我以為她遺留了什麼, 原來她是來吃午飯 - 坐在同一位置, 讀着帶來的另一份報紙. e話, 她星期六常來幫襯兩餐.
~ 來自日本的女士: 也是靜靜的, 差不多每星期都來. 有一天Pantry已打烊, 卻有一日本男士敲門, 說要看menu. 原來他是這位女士的丈夫, 來是為太太預定之後連續6星期的午餐, 並安排每天送到家中, 讓太太安胎.
~ 有二話不說, 早餐未吃就先來 root beer 的老外男
~ 有吃 meatball sauce (走meatball) 鴛鴦粉 (angel hair 加 spaghetti), 不能吃辣, 看着mee siam卻兩眼發光, 略懂廣東話的老外女

當然, 不是所有進來Pantry的人和物都如老闆們般可愛: 有進來借並mess up洗手間, 唔該都無聲的阿伯; 有問Pizza Express在那裡的路人甲乙丙; 有問有無公仔麵的茶餐廳癡; 有等唔夠3分鐘就話太慢等唔切走人的香港精神佼佼者; 有話個牛油果唔順眼, panini個麵包又唔熟(!!)的阿太... etc etc

當然, 還有我等搞搞震之徒... hohohooo

打開門做生意, "面向世界", 真不容易.

Move Feast

2006.10.29 @ Temporary rented place
Busy at packing and moving, a move-fast-feast
~ Mooncake from Lei Garden
~ 'Leftover' from previous nite's dinner at Lei Garden
~ Ovaltine ice-cream
~ Jollie Shandy, Coke Lite and Sprite
~ Little plums

P for Pork

2006.11.01 @ Schnurrbart with P
As yum as usual - Ham & Fried egg on Farmer Bread, Knuckle

Simplicity is King

2006.10.27 @ Hilton BJ
My breakfast - nicely boiled egg, wheat toast with Brie, cream cheese, and cream cheese with nuts & dried fruit

Promenade

2006.10.14
Haven't been to the TST promenade for quite a long time.
Took a walk early in the morning and indeed love it so deserted.

Leaving Vegas

2006.10.29 @ Las Vegas airport
The 16-row x 3 only flight - airport staff and boarding tunnel seem too big for it.


Fire extinguisher

蒼海遺...

搬回舊(...新?)居了. 經過這幾天大大小小的收抬擺置, 不難發現(掘)有數的蒼海遺珠/豬.
有些很瀟灑的丟了. 有更多的是要掙扎一番才能猶疑地決定去留, 當中不少是去了又留, 留完又去, 生生不息...
身外物好, 身外人也好, 說的容易, 還是放不下的多.

How Professional Are You?

Back home and saw 3 letters from National Geographic. As expected, they are promoting subscription to the magazine. I love their photos but my experience of subscribing the magazine proved to be sort of 暴殄天物 since I usually could not finish reading. So I decided to skip this time and in hope of saving some trees.

Still, curious to know what offers they are making, I opened each of them to take a look. Given the same package (a year's membership and free gifts originally priced at $480), one of them offers the 'Preferred Professional Rate' at HK$345 (28% off), and the other two offer 'Preferred Professional Rate' at $224 (53% off). I'm interested to know how they do the segmentation of the 'Professionals'. Too bad that I couldn't decode the chain of numbers that tagged to my name, nor I have any idea to speculate on the very subtle differences in the ways my name and address are printed on the 3 letters so as to justify the 25% difference between the 'Preferred Professional Rate' offers.

Come to think of it - I am who I am. Disregard what 'profession' or 'membership' or certain purchase history or whatever preference that I (once) tag to, I should be the same ME in each of these circumstances. So, what is out there to justify 'discrimination' (price-wise, if not more) between the three but indeed the same ME?