My Working Life

Now I understand. When you grow older, there will be a lot for you understand. A lot to withstand from. A lot to stand against. A lot to follow. A lot to ponder. Where I am standing today, who I am today is all so mysterious to be. It seems so all of a sudden. Seems not long ago, I am a little girls. Seems not long ago, I don't have to care.

Working is really different. Friendship? No friendship. Or shall I say it will no longer be build on heart, but on money and advantage. People would not just like you for no reason. Even if they like you, people will not treat you well merely because of this reason. During the time I am working, I learned a rule to survive in the world. To say whatever wanted to be heard. To do whatever wanted to be seen. Follow the rule and play the game. Yes, this may sound cowardly. But If you want to do sth big and have your own say, you have to first learn to follow the rules and be a hypocrite. That is what I think, every successful person, no matter how good in nature, must know how to be a hypocrite to succeed.

And unlucky enough, my coworkers love to play and eat. So what can I do? Eat and play and mingle with them for sure. Building up friendship (or shall I say relationship) in a workplace needs money and investment. So, everyday, I kept on eating so much, paying $40 for a lunch. Pretty bad lunch. I cannot say is it worth it or not. Spending these money helps me build my status in this place. But think it over, this is just a summer job. Why would I care about my status.

Anyways, This is afterall a very good lesson for me. To let me verify that simple and easy are not the right words to describe the real world. A ZOO, or maybe, WILDERNESS, is.

Sorry Guys!

Sorry for the super duper small words, with a color illegible. Due to a very stupid mistake of mine, the words are all small, but I don't have the time to change it back. Anyways,smaller words make my entries less wordy.

If you have a problem reading, I suggest you:
1. Copy and paste it in word, then change whatever you want.
2. Press Ctrl and + button together to zoom.
3. Or, well this maybe a good eye training.

PrInCeToNgIrL~

My Fate...

Being a Catholic, I shouldn't be interested in Tarot, Zodiac or any game that will tell you about your destiny and future. Because your destiny is planned by God, and should not be revealed to you. Yet, I am tempted. Like all, I want to know about by destiny. I strongly believe in destiny, that there is a plan to guide you. Your name. Your face. Your birth date. Will there be another person in the world, with a same name, same birth date? Will our lives be the same?

Sometimes, I always think that if I know my destiny earlier, I will be able to change it. Maybe I am more a internal locus person than I thought myself to be. Wanting to ontrol my destiny, believe that I have the power to change my destiny. Can I? Even though I went to see Tarot, even though I seems to know about my destiny a wee bit. I always feel unsafe, always feel the result is a little bit too good to be true. Why, then, should I go to see him? Wasting time and money.

Curiousity is why. Pride is why. Knowing sth you shouldn't know. Listening someone assuring "YOUR DREAM WILL COME TRUE." This assurance is definitly worth $100 when you are in a total mess. It can calm you down. My future ends up laying out perfectly as I wanted. At least the big picture is. An early marriage. A son. A good family. A IT businessman. 4 years of different. Running a business. Quality life. That is too unreal. I shouldn't be too into this. But at least I know what I am going to do the coming two years. Study whatever I like, and don't waste time dating. Because whatever I study should not affect my destiny if it goes this way...I hope.

But I am lying. Still, I am determined to get ROSS!

What I Need - You

What I Need Is You

If one day you feel like crying...
Call me.
I don't promise that I will make you laugh,
But I can cry with you.
If one day you want to run away,
Call me.
I don't promise to ask you to stop...
But I can run with you.
If one day you don't want to listen to anyone...
Call me.
I promise to be there for you.
Very quiet.
But if one day you call...
And there is no answer...
Come fast to see me.
Perhaps I need you.

by SKL










When You Are Gone

When you walk away
I count the steps that you take
Do you see how much I need you right now?

When you're gone,
The pieces of my heart are missing you!
When you're gone,
The face I came to know is missing too!
When you're gone,
All the words I need to hear to always get me through the day...
And make it OK...
I miss you.

I've never felt this way before,
Everything that I do,
Reminds me of you.
And the clothes you left,
They lie on the floor,
And they smell just like you,
I love the things that you do!

by Karman

A Smile A Day Makes The World Beautiful

Do you know a smile a day can make the world beautiful? But not in my world, not in our world. The world is changing to be a more complicated, complex, interrelated world. Every thing is not as simple. You may not be able to read others mind just by reading their expressions or their lips. A new communication system is on set. A smile a day makes the world beautiful. But this will only work in the most innocent and simple world, like in the eyes of a child. Smile, even when your heart is broken; Smile, no matter what happens.

However, what we can see is the smile on the faces is fading away. Hidden, Disappeared. Teenagers especially, of this century. They replaces their smiles with an expression of pride, hatred, defense. When they are walking on the street and catch your eyes accidentally. They stare, they said on their face "Back of! You fcuking idiot." or "What are you staring at dude?" Those hearts, once sweet and innocent and bright, now became self defensive, angry, and annoyed. All because of the world that surrounded us.

Optimistic as I am, I still believe in smiling. If you step forward, and start to treat people with the right attitude, a pleasant expression, people will return it back. I always think the way to turn the world from wrong to right is to say "Hey! I am not armed! Be open and accept me safely. I will be your friend." Maybe, maybe this is stupid. But such a thought makes me happy, and feel more optimistic about our world.

Not until recent that I notice I am stupid. And this smiling and opening of mine is really a disadvantage for me. People will take advantage of you, try to make use of your kindness and innocence on the look. I am in despair. That this beautiful act and thought will turn into something that disgust me. I am afraid. Afraid of how can I take a future like this. Shall I choose to become what everybody are? A self defensive cold blooded robot? Or shall I continue my dangerous way.

A smile does not make the world beautiful now. A smile gives the criminals a chance. Lonely men in the world, they will make use of this smile to do whatever they cannot do. They do not know you cannot judge a person just by appearance. I am not as innocent and sweet as I look. I do have a brain, and know what's going on. I pity them. All of them. The people who try to protect themselves and hide their feelings and expressions. The people who make use of people's kindness to hurt them because they are lonely and afraid of getting hurt themselves.

They are pitiful. They are wrong, but sorrowful. They became this way because of our society, our culture. And this is the responsibility of all. Not one person. Please, do not be angry with the people who make use of your kindness and try to hurt you. They are timid and frightened. They are week and feeble, and need our help. Please, do not try to revenge this betrayal or hatred they give you. Instead, give them a message. A friendly message that may change a person or two.

Although in this progress, you may get hurt. You may get betrayed. But if you are smart and understand my words, you will not let yourself down. Because after those sadness, there will be a rainbow after rain. There will always be someone who can change because of what you do. And you know, you are doing something right.

A Scary Coincidence

何等巧合

1月25日, 雪災 = 天災
3月14日, 藏獨 = 人禍
5月12日, 地震 = 地災

1+2+5=*08*
3+1+4=*08*
5+1+2=*08*

*08* 年 *08* 月 *08* 日 奧運會
-----
地震個日係仲有 *88* 日到 *8* 月* 8* 日
四川-- *8* 劃
四川--Beijing 既 *8* 點鐘方向
仲有.. *8* 月 *8* 個日係初 *8*
1 個福娃頭上是*風箏*代表*濰坊*..
於是*山東*出事了!
1 個福娃是*藏羚羊*..
於是*西藏*出事了!
1 個福娃是*火炬*..
於是*火炬*出事了!
1 個福娃是*熊貓*..
於是*四川*出事了!
現在還剩下 1 條*魚*..

真是佩服*李白*!
在唐朝就知道今年奧運地震:

*北*暮蒼山蘭舟*四*
*京*無落霞綴清*川*
*奧*年葉落緣分*地*
*運*水微漾人卻*震*

Korean Disney -- Land of "Soule"

The Dream Korean Cultural Disney
---present to you: the Land of "Soule"

As mentioned before, I took Organizational Behavioral Psychology this semester. And one assignment during discussion session is to create the best DisneyLand based on cultural differences for a specific country. Our team (of 5 people) chose Korea. And this is our end product of my pride. I love creation :)

A Brief Introduction of the Idea:

Geography:
Compact, differ from Tokyo Disney

Themes:
Magic World (Fantasy), Travel back to Yesteryears, Fashion Kingdom, Economia, Oceanica, Tomorrow Land

Language:
East - Korean with English subtitle; West - English with Korean subtitle

Uniform:
East - traditional (modernized) Korean attire; West - USA costumes

Food Menu:
East - Korean and Asian food; West - American food

Parade:
East - "Sunrise"; West - "Sunset"

Rides:
East - more family based, education, less thrilling; West: thrilling, individual rides

The Earthquake Mourns

The Earthquake Mourns

Do You Hear..
the people singing a song of helplessness,
of hunger after those endless hours without a bite
of weariness after those thousand miles without a stop
of lost after those houses collapsed?

Do You See..
the children's fear in the eye
because they lose their home, their family?
Bits and bits, debris scattered every where,
those houses lost, and family broken?

Do You Taste..
the blood on those cuts after an earthquake,
the tears dripping down those rose red cheeks,
paper, grass, or an earthworm,
whatever people put in their mouthes to survive?

Do You Smell..
the frustration like a burnt cotton candy,
the mourning cries so sour
like green lemons sticking at your nose,
the rotten dead corps, once your love?

Do You Feel..
the people's despair, yet desperate to find
their love. People's hopelessness, yet aspire for a better
future. Feel the shaking of the ground? The stumbling
of the stones? The cracking of the crust?

If You Hear, listen close and reply.
If You See, watch and pray.
If You Taste, taste it with care.
If You Smell, find and search.
If You Feel, open your arms and help.

People in SiChuan need you.
A memorandum of 5.12 SiChuan Earthquake (the day right after I was born)

by PrInCeToNgIrL

--- tHe hIstORy oF MaRyKnOll ---

瑪利諾修院校舍列古
(星島) 05月 17日 星期六 05:30AM

(星島日報 報道)政府昨正式宣布，將有七十一年歷史的瑪利諾修院學校（小學部）校舍定為法定古。當局指該校舍保存甚佳，並糅合了裝飾派藝術、羅馬式、新喬治亞風格和哥德復興式等多種建築設計風格，為香港罕有的特色建築物。而該校校長對校舍成為法定古表示歡迎，並會繼續教導學生保護歷史的重要性，又宣布今天下午四時將向外開放校舍兩小時，讓公眾入內參觀。

今對外開放兩小時

發展局昨日刊登憲報，正式宣布根據《古物及古條例》，把位於九龍窩打老道一百三十號的瑪利諾修院學校（小學部）校舍正式列為法定古。發展局發言人表示，瑪利諾修院學校自一九二五年起一直為香港提供優質教育服務，該校的紅磚外牆讓不少港人留下深刻的印象，更成為了該區的獨特地標。

發言人表示，在一九三七年落成的校舍主要建築群，由於校方多年來並沒有經過明顯的改動或改建，校舍內仍保存古色古香的裝飾和地台，在配合校內的園景，大大提高了建築群的整體價值。

學校主樓採用中世紀修道院或學院的布局設計，列柱迴廊圍繞露天中庭。校舍建築群的自由新都鐸風格融合多種不同的建築設計特色，包括裝飾派藝術、羅馬式、新喬治亞風格和哥德復興式。禮堂內羅馬式的拱頂天花、面向界限街的麻石階梯、尖拱門、四坡或斜折形屋頂和建築物正面的塔樓，均是主樓顯著的建築特色。

瑪利諾修院學校（小學部）校長羅曾潔貞對校舍成為法定古表示歡迎，今天會邀請了發展局局長林鄭月娥 及古諮會主席何承天，主持紀念牌匾的揭幕儀式，並於下午四時至六時進行校舍開放日，讓公眾入內參觀。羅校長續稱，校方一直有進行校舍修補工作，亦重點讓學生明白愛護校園的重要，協助保護校內的一草一木，令校舍完好保存。記者 梁愚瀚


瑪利諾修院學校列法定古蹟
(明報) 05月 16日 星期五 11:35AM
九龍塘瑪利諾修院學校今日正式根據《古物及古蹟條例》列為法定古蹟。


發展局發言人表示，瑪利諾修院學校自一九二五年起一直為香港提供優質教育服務。在一九三七年落成的校舍主要建築群，展現出多種不同的建築設計風格，包括裝飾派藝術、羅馬式、新喬治亞風格和哥德復興式。

發言人說：「瑪利諾修院學校在香港學校的建築中甚為罕有，其校舍建築群亦展示了不同的建築特色，新舊建築可融合而無損原有的和諧觀感，是不可多得的範例。該校的紅磚外牆亦令不少香港人留下深刻的印象。」

「瑪利諾修院學校是有社會責任的業主和管理階層的良好典範。在校方及瑪利諾女修會的支持下，瑪利諾修院學校包括一九三七年落成的學校主樓和修院根據《古物及古蹟條例》被宣布為法定古蹟，並受該條例保護。」

瑪利諾女修會（又名「聖道明瑪利諾女修會」，其原名為「聖道明海外傳教女修會」）於一九二一年來到香港傳教和服務香港，並於一九二五年創辦瑪利諾修院學校。該校最初是一所幼稚園，校址位於柯士甸道。一九三一年，聖德肋撒堂成立後，學校管理層認為發展中的九龍塘區是瑪利諾修院學校的理想選址。窩打老道的新校舍於一九三三年開始興建。

一九三六年五月，當時的香港總督郝德傑爵士（一八八四至一九五一年）為學校主樓主持奠基儀式。翌年，瑪利諾修院學校遷至新校舍，為幼稚園至預科程度的學生提供優質教育，校舍自始亦成為區內的地標。

瑪利諾的學校運作因二次大戰 而中斷，校舍由一九四二至四五年曾改作日軍醫院。主樓旁邊的修院在二次大戰前開始興建，於一九五三年竣工。一九六○年，學校的中學部遷往何東道5號的新校舍，此後，窩打老道學校主樓便一直由小學部使用，而主樓旁邊的修院在一九九七年當小學改為全日制後，亦歸小學部使用。

於一九三七年落成的學校主樓採用中世紀修道院或學院的布局設計，列柱迴廊圍繞露天中庭。校舍建築群的自由新都鐸風格融合了多種不同的建築設計特色，包括裝飾派藝術、羅馬式、新喬治亞風格和哥德復興式。禮堂內羅馬式的拱頂天花、面向界限街的麻石階梯、尖拱門、四坡或斜折線形屋頂和建築物正面的塔樓，均是主樓顯著的建築特色。瑪利諾修院學校的布局和一九三七年落成的主樓保存甚佳，多年來並沒有經過明顯的改動或改建，校舍內仍保存古色古香的裝飾和地台。校內優美的花園和園景，亦大為提高了該建築群的整體性價值。

The Night The Angels Cried

We met one eve in Paris
when Roses were in bloom.
We held hands on the Terrace,
and kissed in the light of the Moon.

One look at you and suddenly I knew
that our love was meant to be,
from the thrill of your touch and your caress
you were the only girl for me.

We spent that summer together;
it was a season of soulful bliss!
There was heaven in the blue of your eyes,
and heaven in your kiss.

You were from the landed gentry;
a family of power and fame.
My folks were modest merchants,
without wealth or famous name.

But we went so well together
like our love was meant to be,
you were going to meet my family
who lived far across the sea.

The night we were to leave
you had walked to the corner store,
to stock up on some sundries,
that we couldn't buy offshore.

I heard a crash then sirens;
the sound made my blood run cold!
Your lady was hit by a driver
who was drunk so I was told!

That night my dreams were shattered
the soul within me died!
That night clouds covered Paris,
and that night the Angels cried.

By Ron Cole

The Price of Miracles

Can I buy a miracle?
a plaintive, small voice asked
of a Pharmacist at the local store
who was busy at his tasks.

Here Sir is all the money
I have in this whole world!
I need one for my sister
who's just a little girl!

The Doctor said there was no cure
for the sickness that she had
he said it'd take a miracle
he said that to my Dad!

How much do you have there
asked the concerned voice
of a nearby patron
who was about to make a choice.

A little over ninety cents
came back the child's reply
and I can get a nickel more
from my Aunt July.

Well, that's just my charge for miracles
came back the man's reply
who was a famous surgeon
and had heard the child's sad cry.

A life was saved because a child
loved his sister so
that he sought to buy
a miracle
at the Corner
Store!

by Ron Cole

Sweet Heaven Tears

Up upon the starry sky
is the heaven covered with cotton candy blankets
The darkest night, with the stars so shiny bright,
and the blankets so thick that covered the sky
is the night the angels cried

Lying on the cotton candy blankets
are sixty four angels crying for the earth.
the tears fresh like morning dew, knitting with each other like threads
tears of heaven fall from angels eyes,
pitiful of the dead, the poor, the sins.

By PrInCeToNgIrL

The Four

Dreaming in the middle of the night, at
four, about our future, forever.
Four hands holding each other tight,
the four weepy eyes of us,
after four ruthless fights.

He is not home still, at four.
I have been trying to call him, but
the ringing was so heavy like four elephants stepping
on my heart. It rang forever.
I couldn't sleep, and started to count little sheep.

One. Two. Three. Four.
Once I believed we are forever, a perfect group of
"Fantastic Four". But now forever is gone.
One fight might let us hold each other tighter,
but four? The End, there is no forever.

by PrInCeToNgIrL

On the 2nd Day of Work

How long have I been home? It felt like so familiar already, the feeling of being home. About 3 weeks I guess, after all those interview, map reading, high heels walking, self presenting etc. I finally found a summer job, or should I say, a place that is willing to accommodate one more person who is more or less useless. Well, don't get me wrong, I do have my own task to do, an individual task. I am working for Employer's Federation of Hong Kong. My boss is a staff of L.P. Lammas Holdings. My task is basically to refurbish the company's web page, which was created 8 years ago. Seem like an impossible task for me at first, as I know nothing about the company, and my job arrangements. Am I even working for Employer's Federation of Hong Kong anymore? Anyways, it is just like a little signal from God, a little test for my own ability. Letting me know that my dream is far away from reality for now, measuring my ability to innovate, create, and work according to others framework. Designing and rewriting the web page after briefly listening to the company's recent change is not easy at all. But at least it is an interesting job to do comparing to my past experience. I experience for the first time of my life, that working is not that fun after all. Especially working under supervision. Luckily my boss is not some harsh guy. I wish I could get to mingle with people here and start to find some fun in working. Going to work make me feel so grown up all of a sudden. Yet I realize how childish I was, and am. Seeing my colleagues doing their work with poise and confidence, I suddenly felt so little. Sooner or later, I will have to step out to this working world. Will I be then grown out of protection from school and need to face reality? Can I handle that? No matter how I grown gradually out of protection of my parents to a more independent girl, working is nothing like school. The environment is different, the purpose you once thought you have is different. Just like a terrestrial plant suddenly needs to get used to water. Just like a fish suddenly need to fly up sky. No matter how prepare they think they are, they still need a certain amount of time to get use to a different environment. And that is what we call experience.

I wonder what I will do in the future? I wonder what I am like in the future? Will I be happy? Will I be rich? But no matter how much I think about the future, I am in the present and I cannot know the future. What I can do is to seize every opportunity to learn and experience, to build by potential. Then, maybe, my future will be tightly hold by my hand, control by me. I can change my future from what I choose to do today.

為什麼中國人沒能利用早期成就

來源: 美國紐約時報 New York Times
標題: Historical Tremors

紐約時報：為什麼中國人沒能利用早期成就

在中國本週的地震中，都江堰那些死於學校廢墟中的兒童令人痛心，他們的國家曾經在地震活動知識方面領先世界。

他們應該被驕傲地告知，大約在2000年前，一位叫張衡的天文學家發明了世界上第一個地震儀。那是一個想像奇特的創造，中央是一個大型青銅器，周圍有八條龍，每一條龍嘴裡都含著一顆珠子。如果感應到地震，其內部複雜的槓桿系統可以確保龍口的珠子落到下面的青銅蟾蜍口中。通過觀察哪條龍的珠子落下，張衡可以確定地震的方位。而地震常來自西部的山區，那是都江堰所在的地方。

當我們看到四川悲劇，腦子裡縈繞著一個苦惱的問題。既然中國人那麼早就知道那麼多關於地震的知識，他們為什麼沒能讓世界逆轉的效應盡量最小化——至少達到美國那樣的程度？為什麼他們讓西方成為這個領域的領袖，讓他們自己一次又一次地深陷我們本週目睹的那種悲劇事件？

這個問題不僅限於地震科學。幾乎在所有的技術領域，中國都曾經領先，無與倫比。在和平和戰爭時期都發揮巨大作用的馬鐙就是中國人發明的。印刷術、火藥、指南針的應用（培根曾說這是三項定義現代世界的發明）據說最初來自中國。還有接種疫苗、廁紙、分節拱橋（segmental arch bridges）、鐵鍊、也許還有象棋——這份清單似乎長得看不到頭。

然而，在16世紀，中國的創新能量莫明其妙地萎縮了，現代科學實際上被西方壟斷。曾經有過中國的歐幾里德（Euclids）和阿基米德（Archimedes），但從來沒有中國牛頓和伽利略。一個世紀接一個世紀，這個領域逐步落後；它變得貧困、落後、被反复無常的自然折磨。

四川災難中有一個奇特的悖論。都江堰是中國最偉大的古代奇蹟之一，聞名全國。在公元前256年，有一位叫李冰的工程師，他關心岷江每年的洪水災難，完成了一項龐大的引水和灌溉計劃。這項工程耗時數十年，但歷時2300年，它依然屹立，而且仍然在發揮作用。

然而，中國人有沒有延續他們早期的防洪工作？就和張衡一樣，李冰的專家技術沒有延續；年復一年，數以千計的中國人死於洪水；本週的地震中大約有400個水壩受損。

歷史學家長期在爭論，為什麼中國人沒能利用早期的成就。有人認為，這是因為缺乏內部競爭。也有人認為這是因為所有中國青年男子長期渴望成為儒家官僚，而不是成為工程師或科學家。

然而，也有不少人（主要是中國的仰慕者和樂觀者）認為，黑暗、不科學的四五百年僅僅是中國歷史長河中的一滴水，一個暫時的停頓，如今中國的創新能量又回來了，大學和科研機構興盛，猶如回到偉大朝代的黃金歲月。

最好是這樣。呼喚現代化的中國往往對民眾的福祉展現出驚人輕慢的態度：摩天大樓的建造很少注意安全標準，遠遠不能抗震；巨大的水壩倉促落成；地鐵的建造也是不謹慎的匆忙，例如穿過積水沖積層上海地鐵系統；高速公路隧道的鑽孔經過地震斷裂帶。

如果中國不偶爾停下來喘息，那麼它的未來——至少就自然界偶然的地震瘋狂時刻而言——將繼續以災難為標誌。在本週之前，都江堰還是中國為之驕傲的地方；如今，它的遭難是一座悲劇性的紀念碑：紀念一個背離其非凡光輝歷史的文化。 （作者 Simon Winchester）（原題：歷史的震動）



譯文為摘譯，英文原文:

Historical Tremors

IT is a cruel and poignant certainty that the children who died in the wreckage of their school during the earthquake this week in Dujiangyan, China, knew all too well that their country once led the world in the knowledge of the planet’s seismicity.

They would have been taught, and proudly, that almost 2,000 years ago an astronomer named Chang Heng invented the world’s first seismoscope. It was a bizarrely imagined creation, with its centerpiece a large bronze vessel surrounded by eight dragons, each holding a sphere in its mouth.

A complex system of internal levers ensured that if an earthquake ever disturbed the vessel, a ball would drop from a dragon’s care into the mouth of a bronze frog positioned underneath. By observing which dragon had dropped its ball, Chang Heng could ascertain the location of the quake. And always, as the emperor for whom Chang Heng fashioned the device noted, the earthquakes came from the mountains in the west, where Dujiangyan lies.

As we watch with mounting melancholy the devastation from Sichuan, a question lingers, and troublingly. Why, if the Chinese had come to know so much about earthquakes so early on in their immensely long history, were they never able to minimize the effects of the world’s contortions — to at least the degree that America has? Why did they leave the West to become leaders in the field, and leave themselves to become mired, time and again, in the kind of tragic events that we are witnessing this week?

The question applies to very much more than the science of earthquakes. In almost every area of technology the Chinese were once supreme, without competition. The stirrup, so hugely important in peace and war, was invented by the Chinese. Printing, gunpowder, the use of the compass — the three inventions that Francis Bacon once said defined the modern world — are all thought to have been first made in China. So too, many think, were vaccination, toilet paper, segmental arch bridges, iron chains and perhaps chess — the list seems endless.

And yet, in the 16th century China’s innovative energies inexplicably withered away, and modern science became the virtual monopoly of the West. There had been any number of Chinese Euclids and Archimedes but there was never to be a Chinese Newton or Galileo. The realm fell steadily behind, century by century; it became impoverished, backward and prey to the caprices of nature.

There is a peculiar paradox in the Sichuan disaster. Dujiangyan is known across the nation as the site of one of China’s greatest ancient wonders. In 256 B.C. an engineer named Li Bing, concerned about the catastrophic annual flooding of the Min River, completed a huge water diversion and irrigation scheme. It involved cutting a long trench through a granite mountainside — achieved by the patient process of burning grass bonfires on top of the rocks and pouring cold water until the granite cracked. It took decades, but Li Bing’s 2,300-year-old project still stands less than a mile from the town’s ruined school, and it still works.

And yet, did the Chinese continue with their early expertise in flood prevention? Just as with Chang Heng’s seismic mastery, Li Bing’s expertise counted for nothing; year upon year, thousands of Chinese die in immense inundations in the great rivers that course across the country; some 400 dams sustained damage in this week’s quake.

Historians have long debated why the Chinese so signally failed to exploit their early promise. Lack of internal competition, some suggest. Others blame the long-held central ambition of every young Chinese man to become a Confucian mandarin, a bureaucrat, rather than an engineer or scientist.

Not a few others, however — admirers of China and optimists in the main — say that in the long sweep of Chinese history, a mere 400 or 500 dark, non-scientific years are a mere blip, a hiccup, and that China’s innovative energies are now roaring back, with the universities and scientific institutions brimming as they did back in the golden ages of the great dynasties.

That had better be the case. China, in its headlong attempts to modernize, has often demonstrated a dismayingly cavalier attitude toward the well-being of its people: skyscrapers are built with little attention to safety standards and are invariably far from earthquake-resistant; huge dams — not least the monstrosity that has so ruined the Three Gorges of the Yangtze — are erected in a slapdash fashion; subways, like the system burrowing through the waterlogged alluvium beneath Shanghai, are built with incautious haste; freeway tunnels are bored through earthquake fault zones.

If the country does not occasionally stand back and pause for breath, then its future — at least so far as nature’s occasional moments of seismic madness are concerned — will continue to be marked by calamity. Until this week Dujiangyan was a place of which China could be proud; today its wreckage stands as a tragic monument to a culture that turned its back on its remarkable and glittering history.

Simon Winchester is the author of “The Man Who Loved China.”

倒數

從事投資顧問的我，從來都很愛自己的家人，愛自己的伴侶。至少 ，我以為是這樣。

我每天的主要工作是緊貼著香港及美國股市，就是這樣，已經花掉大半生時間。餘下的時間就安置在情人、朋友、及家人身上。為了《愛得太遲》的內容，為了對家人、情人的內疚感而流過眼淚，但淚痕風化後，仍雖繼續為「將來 」而賣命。為了《無事常相見》的歌詞，為了曾被冷落的好友而眼淺過，但深呼吸一口氣，還是要營役餘生。

為了未能抽空回家團年，為了未能抽空陪女朋友驗身 ，我們竟花得起寶貴的時間來冷戰。但我想，父母、伴侶，都是最親的人，應該會明白的。

我的生日快要來臨，但沒有期待過，因為，根本沒甚麼值得慶祝。反而，想一個人靜下來，享受一刻的寧靜。在南丫島的度假屋內，我準備感受一個較孤單的生日。

在晚上，靜坐在度假屋的露台，沐浴在帶有點點鹽份的微風中，整個世界都變得很寧靜。突然，我迷迷糊糊的聽見頗陌生的聲音，我再細心一點聽…… 原來，他在跟我說話：「……年青人，我希望今年送您一份很特別的生日禮物，甚麼也可以。」

我想，我大概已經進入了夢境，跟神仙對話。我微笑回應道： 「是神仙嗎？那…… 我真的甚麼願望也可以提出？」

「對。」

「那，我就希望有一雙眼，能夠看透每一隻股票升跌時間。」

「沒有問題，那對眼睛已經給您了。」

夢醒了，一笑置之。

第二天，回到戰場上，我看著升得頗急的「森力鋼鐵」，心想 「它還可以升多少天」呢，突然間，有個發光的「3」字浮在「森力鋼鐵」之上。三天後，它真的插式回落了。原來，這份生日禮物是…… 真的。
我善用這雙上天賜給我的「眼睛」，在股票市場嬴了很多場勝仗。不過，我已經有很多天沒有見過家人和女朋友了。

今天回家，一推開門，就向著自己的房間走去，隱約的聽見媽媽說：「明天是爸爸生日，你可以回來吃飯嗎？」不過，爸爸立即搶著說：「不用回來，你忙你的工作吧！」

我放下了工作包，就走到客廳跟爸爸說：「如果可以的話我會……… 」突然，我看見爸爸的頭頂出現了一個發光的數字……「35」。我立即給嚇呆了。之後，我慢慢回到房間， 35天後，爸爸會……

爸爸生日那天，我盡能力完成手頭上的工作，回到家，爸爸已經睡了。我在房間像小朋友的哭起來。三天後，我請了假期跟父母飲早茶，看見爸爸的發光的數字是「34」……原來，這是我還可以見他的次數。慢慢地，我也看見媽媽的頭上浮現了「45」這個數字。原來，看著自己跟家人的相處日子在無情的倒數，心，是很痛，很痛的。

星期天，被我冷落了的女朋友終於來電，想見一見我 。我們就相約在又一城的COVA見面，因為我記得，她很想到 COVA吃甜品，但我一直未有時間陪她。我到了好一陣子，她還沒有出現 ……半小時後，我看見站在大門口的她……頭上面出現了「1」字 ，我……還看見她身邊多了一個「他」。這次之後，我們真的再也沒有見面。

一個星期後，我辭掉了工作，盡量陪伴在家人的左右 ，用儲下來的積蓄跟他們去旅行，直至爸爸患了重病 …… 直至爸爸頭上終於出現「單位」數字。最後陪伴爸爸的幾天，我盡量逃避正面面對他，最多也只是低下頭跟爸爸說話 ，因為我不希望看見「3」、「2」、「1」。

在隱約看見爸爸的「1」字那刻，我離開了病房，走到街上。在途中我一直淚流滿面，眼前的東西都已經看得不清不楚。在醫院大門外，我看見媽媽，抹乾眼淚後，她的頭上竟然出現「1」字……媽媽 …… 我轉身看著身邊的途人，全部都在頭頂掛著發光的「1」 ……我呆呆地退後一步，就看著馬路上的巴士撞向自己，來不及反應，我已經眼前一黑。
很光…… 很光……原來，已經天亮了 ……原來我還在度假屋的露台上。多謝祂的「生日禮物」，我想，我大概知道餘下的路應該怎樣行。
我們 ……是不是要看見「倒數」，才會懂得珍惜可以親眼看見他 / 她的「這一次」。

朋友：就由今天起，每次與父母、親人、伴侶、朋友見面，就請珍重珍惜。要學懂世事無常。

The Sand On Your Hand

His voice, his messages, his shadow.
His smile, his assurance.
Once so sweet, but I know
Promises are just empty bottles,
that make most sound, but never mean anything.

Remember how we met,
those heatbeats, those conversations.
Once so happy, but I know
Bliss is just a delicate glass bowl,
that reflects warmth, but shatters by a tender touch.

You think you love, you think you have,
Friendship, spirit, fame, beauty,
Once so safely secured, but I know
Everything appears safe, but can just go away
like sand on your hand if you don't cherish.

by PrInCeToNgIrL

My Shadow and Me

What fun we have,
my Shadow and me!
He's my companion and friend
when there's light to see!

He's somber when I walk,
and playful when I run!
My Shadow and me
always have fun!

Then you came along
and now there are three;
there's you on my arm,
and our Shadow and we!

by Ron Cole