In Mood For

Was going to search something on a's blog, then found this... aiyo...
http://shallwetalk.blogspot.com/2008/12/in-mood-for-mo.html

Thanks wor, that sounds quite (overly) flattering, hohohohooo...
Time flies. Indeed, I miss those times too... those were the days.

Ping-pong Egg

Reading the news, come to think of it...
the bacon and egg pie that I had at Starbucks the other day, that too well-done (obviously over-cooked) egg yolk looked and 'behaved' (at least I felt so) exactly like those faked buddies...

多久了

昨天午飯時, 老頂的老頂問我來了這些日子覺得怎樣.
然後她問我來了多久了, 我說(原來已經!)3個多月了.
她說原來這麼短時間(!?), 她感覺上我來了很久了.

究竟是好事還是壞事?

Sharing is Happy

Pictures of HOCC's free outdoor show "快樂是免費的"
@ Diocesan Boys' School 2008.02.08
Thanks Seven and Bernard for taking the shots and allowing me to share here.

Nice weather. Everybody sat under the sky and on the grass.
The opening with 天空之城 under such sky, a little breeze, and a very attentive crowd was very touching.


The stage was formed by 4 (only!) table tennis tables.



(L) Guitar for the song 風見志郎 tributed to environmentalists, including Dr周兆祥 who also attended the concert;
(R) HOCC brother the music director


Mr Ho the dad


Big bite Eason


Great guitarist Ellen


Very nice and clear voice as usual Eman


Spokeperson Wyman


Gang on stage having fun




Party till sunset. The closing with 美空雲雀 was very powerful and moving.


Some more by 杜汶澤 (!)
http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/tochapman1999/article?mid=35976
http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/tochapman1999/article?mid=36120

Fortune Favours the Brave

I was there. It was indeed impressive, not only on the music but the messages and of course, the amazing fact that this did happen in HK, and in such best of times worst of times.
People may say this is not that uncommon in the foreign lands. This is HK, and we know what it's like.
There are always passionate few. So we see all sorts of indies, arts groups and minority interests groups carrying with them their mission and passion. Still, it is very encouraging to see someone who is already in the club but still care as much. How many could resist striving for more when they are shelthered in the comfort zone and enjoying privileges in the epic centre?
This is HK, and we know what it is like.
But do we know what and how it is liked?

Too bad the news below was only THAT narrative. I didn't take pictures as usual, but I wish I could source some to share here. I wish and I bet all can feel it.

快樂是免費的音樂會 Rundown
01 天空之城 (二汶哼唱)
02 青山黛瑪
03 安妮寶貝
04 楊子經書
05 Smarty Pants
06 少年維特
07 破曉 (原唱林憶蓮)
08 共享陽光。Sing (原唱蔣慶龍 / The Carpenters)
09 快樂 (原唱許冠傑)
10 愛多80年 (原唱顏福偉)
11 The Best is yet to Come (at17)
12 Goo Vibration
13 夕陽無限好 (陳奕迅)
14 戰友 (劉浩龍 清唱一段)
15 畫出彩虹 (原唱陳百強)
16 愛德蒙多
17 Over the Rainbow (at17)
18 查理淑儀
19 Hero (原唱 Mr. Children)
20 風見志郎
21 地球大合唱 (HOCC at17 陳奕迅 劉浩龍 周柏豪 梁祖堯 湯駿業 胡蓓蔚)
22 明天會更好 (HOCC at17 陳奕迅 劉浩龍 周柏豪 梁祖堯 湯駿業 胡蓓蔚)
23 海闊天空 (HOCC at17 陳奕迅 劉浩龍 周柏豪 梁祖堯 湯駿業 胡蓓蔚) (原唱 Beyond)
24 美空雲雀
Encore
25 真情細說 (原唱李樂詩)

香港經濟日報 2009.02.10
何韻詩抗海嘯 免費快樂正能量

何韻詩於剛過去的星期天，在旺角拔萃男書院運動場草地舉行免費音樂會，是其新碟《Ten Days in the Madhouse》 另一波推廣活動，用意是以音樂傳遞正能量，符合主題「快樂是免費的」。當日天公造美，陽光明媚，阿詩的好友以至觀眾，均能快快樂樂過了一個下午。

一提起免費搞騷，經濟掛帥的香港人第一時間會問：「如何有錢賺？」，實際上這場演出的經費，原本已計算在何韻詩新碟的宣傳費內，只是她寧願少賣幾個廣告，省下來的錢正可用來製作這音樂會。選擇位於旺角亞皆老街的拔萃男書院，何韻詩有其個人理由，她本打算在女拔萃舉行，可是對方未能提供場地，而阿詩的父親曾在男拔萃任教，最終透過父親幫忙免費借用該校的草地運動場。

簡單看世界音樂會於下午三時開始，很多樂迷中午已開始排隊，人龍蔓延整條上男拔萃的山路，估計有數千觀眾入場。事後阿詩表示：「其實我們預計不到會有幾多人來，曾擔心會太多人，不過依照這場地來看，容納一萬人也沒問題。」今次的演出是新碟《Ten Days in the Madhouse》的延伸宣傳，之前還有一齣紀錄片《十日談》，探訪了多位精神病康復者，片中亮相的數位受訪者也有來看是次演出。「這張碟是我的起點，之前我一直在認識自己，繼而知道自己想要甚麼。我覺得《青山黛瑪》中的黛瑪就是我，希望用簡單的心去看世界。也許社會上有很多令人擔心的事情，但只要人能放開懷抱，就可以忘掉不快。」

音樂會主要演唱新碟歌曲，除了一曲《唐吉訶德》，其餘作品皆有出現，而為符合開心、陽光的主題，阿詩亦挑來幾首別人的歌來掀動氣氛，如林憶蓮的《破曉》、許冠傑的《快樂》，又有重新編曲的《畫出彩虹》以及《愛多八十年》，同是主題清晰信息直接的勵志歌。充當客席結他手的 at 17，也送上自家的《the best is yet to come》及《Over the Rainbow》作為回應。幾位好友如陳奕迅、胡蓓蔚、劉浩龍、梁祖堯等，全都即興上台，本來只唱一首《地球大合唱》，愈玩愈起勁，最後 encore 了《明天會更好》和《海闊天空》，原定 5 時完結的音樂會，最終接近 6 時才正式結束。

Eason 自任宣傳大使全程捧場的 Eason，就指何韻詩是他的學習對象。「她是近一兩年頗能影響我的人，她有很多 wild thinking，而且能付諸實行，這張新碟可說是海陸空進行，包括去海邊錄音、上天台拍 MV，以及這個空地音樂會，都讓我十分佩服。」Eason 來的時候，看見觀眾整齊有致地排隊入場，莫名感動。「觀眾一心來享受快樂，參予的過程已很難得，阿詩有如此號召力，很替她開心。」Eason 笑指自己就像何韻詩的宣傳大使。「早前我買了十隻《十日談》DVD，兩隻留給自己，其他就派給朋友，因為覺得值得推介。」

觀眾之一的 Alina 及 Chloe，對此騷的評語是：「很 simple，很 strong」；「與一般音樂會很不同，快樂是免費的信息，肯定已經表達到。」不論觀眾或嘉賓，均明白何韻詩搞這個騷的意義，讓快樂繼續蔓延中。

始作俑者阿詩曾表示，免費音樂會念頭參考自冰島樂隊 Sigur Ros，他們在 07 年，花上一個夏季，走遍冰島舉行免費音樂會，回饋家鄉的歌迷，整個旅程拍成《Heima》（冰島語意謂homeland）的音樂紀錄片，以 DVD 形式上市。除了免費 Show，在上月31 日，英國獨立報（The Independent）更隨報附送 Sigur Ros 的 CD《We Play Endlessly》。

不知所謂

Apple Daily today -
賭王何鴻燊昨被問及電盈事件時再三稱讚:「李生(李嘉誠)個仔好醒目，搵好多錢，賺好多錢，買好多物業，佢係叻仔，我好佩服佢，我唔係咁易讚人！」

Was chatting about the PCCW/ Richard Li deal lightly with Bjie last nite.
Conclusion: what a bandit. a thief. a shame.
When I was in shower this morning, I was thinking how would the father (superman Li) feel, for all the good deeds his son has been doing. Thumbs up?
I naively wish he would at least raise his eyebrows a little.
I wish he does have a heart. Or a mirror.
Then I thought of the Taiwan Chens family. You don't need a second thought on what you do, whether they are ethical or something close, if your whole family or close circle or whose expectation you care about is behaving and championing just the same.
Maybe I'm naive. Sometimes too simple.

Sing Along

Recently I listen to 2 albums 99% of the time:
HOCC's "Ten Days in the Madhouse" or Khalil's "Orange Moon".

Actually every time I listen to Khalil, I would think how blessed this guy is. What else better than music on which a young guy who "love love love" from head to toe inside-out upside-down can unreservedly express himself, while earning lots of praises and admiration and fame and money and... you name it.
And of course he is sooooooooooo gifted in making and playing his music.
No complaint. Enjoy!

ps. It is indeed quite split-character switching between the 2 albums

In Orange Moon, one of my favourites and one of the "lummest":
singalongsong
曲/ 詞/ 編: 方大同
監: Edward Chan/ Charles Lee/ 方大同

I wrote this song it's not too long
cos' I've been thinking about you
I wrote this song maybe I'm wrong
To be caught up about you
Well I don't know what you think about me
Maybe you think nothing at all
But maybe you could just lie to me
And we could be in love you see

Oh it's a singalong song that's not too long
It's when I think about you that I hear songs
And you can singalong maybe if you want to
Cos' baby I wrote this I wrote this for you

I wrote this song it's not too long
cos' I'm the one who loves you
I wrote this song this can't be wrong
I don't wanna smile without you
Well I just want to make you happy
but maybe you want nothing at all
and how I wish that you're meant to be
forever and a day with me

Oh it's a singalong song that's not too long
It's when I think about you that I hear songs
And you can singalong maybe if you want to
Cos' baby I wrote this I wrote this for you

In every way you mean more to me
than you'll ever know
girl I'll do my best to show these words are true
and if you'd like to make a song
and be a perfect harmony with me
I'd find the greatest words to sing
so we could write our own romance

Oh it's a singalong song that's not too long
It's when I think about you that I hear songs
And you can singalong maybe if you want to
Cos' baby I wrote this I wrote this for you

Belated Merry

Yet to have the courage to tidy up the pictures in the States.
So, to mildly self-entertain...

This is a real stuff @ Fashion Island.
REAL stuff. Well, REAL but assembled.
150ft tall and forgot how many tonnes.
More to come... hopefully.

Magnet to Madness

Someone said:

這次，沒有任何花巧，真是首個（不知是否最後一個）免費音樂會，
不用門票不用分數來換不用捐錢，
只要你們敢來，我們就敢唱。
只因為，我們希望用我們的快樂，換取更多的快樂。
歡迎任何人士到來，到時見。

http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/geelee-gooloogutgut/article?mid=90037&prev=90472&next=89931

When I read this, I was thinking - for those "singers" who keep saying how much they love music/ singing, why haven't they done this.
Again, highly recommend HOCC latest album Ten Days in the Madhouse.
I like it for all reason and no reason. Just feel it.

I Jap

I 'jap', therefore I am.

7/F of that building opposite CWB Sogo, forgot the name of the restaurant. I've never been there for any of the eateries. Not until Bjie brought me there, as recommended by her friend - 金庸位公子 - and we (actually she) surely took that advantage and made 查大俠 Jr. talk to the Chef.
We just sat there and took whatever prepared by the Chef. Sashimi was very fresh and thus good, but not great.

Look at the overflowing urchin sushi (R) and it showed the magic of referra.

This was grilled 'chicken fish', quite tender and juicy. We ate a lot more other stuff and sake, not pictured here.


Then, here's the reborn Sakaegawa. Only so-so if judge by the quality of lunch we had. The menu now is quite cheap, yet I miss even much the old one in Ritz-Carlton.
Those were the days.
The days when we would go for early lunch and got a bargain. The days when we could ask for free ice cream. The days when we were a team. The days when we (believed we) were carefree.

Cheers on the Low Side

Recently very lazy... was prompted by a few 'readers' that I should at least show some signs of living.
So here I am.
I drink, therefore I am.

The very blueberry blueberry juice, very much taste of red wine (as you may easily recall those descriptions of wine being like 'berries'). So I mixed it with Elderflower syrup and ice, roughly in proportion of 3:1:2

Hot chocolate (L) not something spectacular but drink-able; long white (R) is like flat white, something between latte and cappuccino.

On days tired of coffee, would like a black tea latte (L) or alternatively green tea latte (R), both drink-able, mildly sweetened and tea-ed with foamed milk.

New Year News

Just heard that my successor at xxx has resigned.
ha ha ha...
Push factors? Pull factors?