生日

今日生日, 第一樣節目係...... Alexandre Volya 的 E&M midterm~~ 哈, 真滴汗。考完後下午要帶實驗。

但今年生日很特別: 生日前一日, yunily 她們弄了一頓豐富的午餐... yunily 還自己弄了一個生日蛋糕 - 是久違了的港式蛋糕, strawberry 加 whip cream 的 angel cake, 十分好味, medical building 裡面每個食到的人都讚口不絕。還是弄到前一晚的三點多呢, yunily 真謝謝你哦。

有相post先補~ 待續...

Fix Your Laptop DIY

離開香港之後發覺部 Laptop 的風扇有點吵耳. IBM Thinkpad t43 的特點係: 風扇幾乎長開。可能因為薄的緣固, 內部的 air circulation 不太順暢, 需要風扇輔助。所以, 風扇噪音特別惱人。

七月保養期結束前已經拿過去最後檢查, 要fix要換的的做好了; 現在的風扇問題成為自費活動。IBM 的逾期保養費很貴, 檢查(~hk$500), 還有人工和零件......不如自己來好過。

上網買了合適的 fan assembly, 全新的要 US$65, 幸好找到一個二手賣 recovered parts 的地方, 連郵費在內也只是 US$32, 十分抵玩。然後好似砌積木咁, 拆散成個laptop - 拆keyboard, 拆fingerprint reader, 拆hardisk, 避開粒cpu拆風扇, 塗散熱膏...... 弄了一個多小時。

最後弄完, reboot, 靜多了。可惜laptop與 desktop 不同, 一定要用特定的零件, upgrade起來麻煩多了。但真的很便宜, $32 才港幣二百多, 以後有乜壞都可以自己搞掂。有需要的各位不妨到上址找找, 有international shipment的, 省下給技術支援的一筆。

正在發夢, 可唔可以自己換 laptop 的 cpu 甚至底板呢。底板麻煩在要支援其他 ibm 的hardware, 但cpu只要找一粒啱socket的就可以吧...唔......

男人‧美

昨晚, 和Joyce在電話裡談到港男選舉 (至於怎樣聯想到「港男」, 姑且略過不表:P), 令我想起近年的選美節目 ...... 與其說是選美, 倒不如說是一埸又一場的鬧劇。

通常, 當人想到「美」這個字, 多數會引起比較女性化的聯想。然而,對我來說,「美」就是「美」, 從來也不是雌系的名詞。一對老態龍鍾的夫婦, 一邊握著拐杖, 一邊握著對方不再動人的手, 在公園慢慢地散步; 看著他們的背影, 想到兩老數十年的風雨飄搖、執子之手...... 這, 是美。

大半年前, 看一個關於美容工業的節目後, 我寫過一篇, 胡亂地談女人的美。我說, 女人的美, 是創造主的藝術, 是一種清新幽遠、動人心絃的氣韻。上帝給男人的恩賜, 是使他學習, 在一個女人身上, 窮一生的時間, 尋找和發現這種醉人的味道 - 日新又新、不會隨歲月流逝。這樣的美, 選美既選不出來, 但也決不是少布暴露的泳衣, 或低胸高叉、使人想入非非的晚裝。固然, 為人不可迂腐過時, 將時裝工業看成一無是處, 但過尤不及, 便有點狗尾續貂了。

看港男的選美, 因為時間一貫有限, 便選擇乎合眾人口味的項目。也由此可見, 流俗的文化是如何為男人定位 - 健美、肌肉、寬闊的肩膊和結實的胸膛, 近來甚至要平滑幼細的肌膚, 就像廣告海報上的模樣, 也是一件待價而沽的商品。記得聽過一篇講章, 深得我心: 男人的肩膀寬闊, 因為他們要學習背負別人的將來 - 是責任和承擔; 結實的胸膛所代表的價值, 是一個意願, 要為所愛的家人提供安全的感覺、是學習捨己成全他人的精神。爸老了, 怹的肩膀沒有細膩的皮膚, 胸膛也沒有結實的肌肉, 但我要說, 我的爸很美 - 他的美, 在於怹是一個榜樣, 代表著一個男人, 窮盡一生為家人尋求幸福的努力。這是男人的美, 是路遙日久的韌力, 是含辛茹苦的意志, 是千錘百鍊的決心。沒有動心, 沒有驚奇, 沒有令人嘩然的體格, 沒有冠冕堂皇的禮服 - 男人的美, 是點燃自己的勇氣, 是使人默然肅立的敬意, 是歲月無聲的留痕。

可能,當身邊走過營役勞累的面孔,背後也隱藏著未為人知的決志和努力。這,也是美。

～～

今日 click 入翹的 xanga, 原來又係 銶記 一年一度的 Sports Day. 唔睇都唔知校長下年唔玩嘞。睇到 大興 的運動場, 突然諗起以前的 Sports Day: 第一年sports day遲到比奇叔鬧 (好明顯後幾年佢對我的態度好咗好多 ~~|| )、一早約埋麥記食早餐、lay 埋睇書捉棋比人摘名、第一次跑八百入圍、做 prefect「吔文吔武」.......對上一次有份的 Sports Day 原來已經係 5 年前嘞; 而且, 原來真係玩野犯規的回憶特別清晰，哈哈~~

又令我記得 Ms Cheung 係五月叫我寫野返校刊, 無乜 Incentive, 又唔想不了了之。有無人提議可以寫乜呢。

Ripples and Ripples

哈. 你個癲佬, 幫我傳得咁快, 連遠在英國的 Ruby 都問, 仲要係經過千千同Louis:) 咁好啦, 我唔洗講嘞, 哈哈~

Monte Cristo

"There are men who have suffered and who have not only gone on living, but even built a new fortune on the ruins of their former happiness. From the depths into which their enemies have plunged them, they have risen again with such vigor and glory that they have dominated their former conquerors and cast them down in their turn." said Albert de Morcerf
-<The Count of Monte Cristo>

I like the story of Monte Cristo, since I first read it 8 years ago. I, then, could not reason my passion for the plots, which, as I re-read it, unveils itself as a psychotic subtlety.

It is a story about suffer and revenge. It recalls the long buried emotions of mine, which, once sumoned, I still struggle to crush. In my childhood, I told my conscience to remember the names and faces, of those who deserve my memory, and their mistreats and betrayals to my family. "Vengeance. I will see to its ends" I remember myself uttering subtle vows, like Edmond Dantes did in the dungeon of Chateau d'If. I used to wish, strongly, in the future times of mine, a youthful fist will rise and strike the ages of the sunsets. It is the dark side of my soul, the part that is too far away from a noble heart. This story exemplifies it, and calls to the surface the long forsaken history.

It has not bothered me, however, for these many years it is well under my tame. But I know for myself, it is there for me to tame, whenever it calls on itself. I dared to judge, I wished to be the executioner, I was even tempted to substitute myself for the Supreme Providence.

Who am I to be the pay-back, and how far can I see to the past to justify my seeing to the ends? Once again it's my conscience that pulled me back, from the indulged and bewildered beast, who was roaring in the name of the Devil, and crouching in the obscure face of complete calm and tranquility. This beast, once broke out from its cage, will never cease to exist.

Forgive. Forgive. Forgive. For the avengers drain the last drop of blood from their souls in despairs. Blood shed is repaid by blood shed, and so are my sins. For if Jesus has once died, it is not either one of our bloods to be shed, as His blood repays all, and substitute with love and forgiveness. In the name and grace of God, and only by the grace of His, may the beast always be tamed, as much as it ever has been, until forever and ever.

Winning

Read an article on ChristianityToday: "Lessons from a Punker Ph.D."
Our world is about winning. It conveys messages to conquer, to take over, to control, and refers those otherwise as weak and cowardice.
In here, we lust instead of love, we debate rather than discuss and accuse instead of advice. We strive to win "short-sighted" battles - winning battles but losing the war.
It depends on how far we can perceive the war. Those who look into eternity affort to lose the moments and those who look beyond self dare to be defeated in the "self-centered" battles.
This is courage. An honor beared by people with broad capacity in their minds and hearts.