燃油加價

塞車

清晨醒來，收音機廣播員在報告新聞，提到麻省的油站在中午時分，預料會加油價超過三美元一加侖。這陣子，原油價格一直上漲，加上颶風 Katrina 侵襲，煉油業受到很大的影響。

猛然記起車子的汽油快用光了，決定上班前到油站一趟。早上六點多，睡眼惺忪的在 Hess 油站入油，當時的價格是 $2.66 一加侖。駛車經過美孚油站，$2.58 一加侖。好奇怪喔！通常美孚的汽油比較貴呢。

黃昏六點多下班，約了女生們去市區吃晚飯，平時只要四十五分鐘的車程，今天因為波士頓紅襪子在 Fenway Park 有球賽的關係塞車！害得我在高速公路上、然後街上坐了足足一個半小時，無聊到可以在車子裡面照相，真是浪費汽油了，更不用說遲大到呢。

晚上歸家時經過早上入油的 Hess ，果然漲價了：$2.89 一加侖，從早到晚，我省了約8.6%左右，高級汽油更升過三美元呢。來美國東岸這麼多年，第一次看見油價超過三美元。那麼說，一向捱昂貴油價的西岸，恐怕更貴到不得了。

下次換車，倒要考慮考慮買一輛 Hybrid ，奈何 Hybrid 的馬力不大，樣子又不夠型、不夠款，價錢也不便宜唷！雖然有稅務上的優惠，但是車子貴，由於車子罕有，維修又要帶回代理去，條數究竟怎樣計呢？

Providence WaterFire

Ever since my college roommate introduced me to the Providence WaterFire, I have been trying to go there at least once a year. Many weekends during the summer in Providence, Rhode Island, bonfire is set up in the river after sundown; music is played. One can enjoy a boat or gondola ride along the river to get close to the bonfire. Many people either walk or sit along the river to appreciate the atmosphere. The intent is for people to slow down from our hectic lives, relax, and enjoy a moment of tranquility. In the Northeast, summer time is precious. Need to take advantage of it as much as possible!

In addition to the lovely smell of the bonfire, occasionally, there is jazz performance and ballroom dancing with a live band on the street among the old buildings. What more can you ask for when you can enjoy live music and have a drink outdoors? Even though I rarely dance, I still enjoy watching others. It is a very happy pretty scene. Sometimes, there are jugglers and other street performers as well. One year, RISD (Rhode Island School of Design) displayed student exhibits. The whole environment is very romantic and cultural.

I went to the WaterFire last Saturday with a group of friends. Except for the fact that there was no roasted chestnuts (not that I can eat nuts anyway), everything was what I expected it to be. Nothing can beat spending time with a group of fun people! Here are the pictures:

http://gigglesword-2005waterfire.blogspot.com/

Leftover Flowers

A doctor donated all the flowers from her wedding to her floor in the hospital. It was such a nice gesture! I was told that there were a lot of gorgeous flowers. The doctor must have spent a fortune on them. After the volunteers delivered the center pieces to the patients, other visitors, employees and nurses came down to see if there was anything left. They took whatever they wanted. Only white flowers were left. When I arrived at the front desk, there were a pile of leftover flowers on my desk, very messy.

My heart sank while staring at the mess.

I thought, “How inconsiderate to leave a mess behind! What a waste!”

I have a soft spot for flowers. I decided to pick out the good flowers and started to make an arrangement using the leftovers. I usually do not make Western floral arrangements. To my surprise, it turned out okay. Other visitors and staff gave me lots of compliments. One visitor asked me if the arrangement was for sale. The other security guard said he wish he could give it to his wife. An old lady thought that it was professionally done. Then, there came the spoiled brat…

This around 7-year old girl came over with her family after visiting her grandfather. They took some flowers before their visit, but she wanted more. There were still some leftover flowers that I had not used. Her mother asked if her daughter could take a stem. Of course! Flowers are to cheer up people. The little girl started picking the flowers.

She whined to her mother, “but these roses do not have stems…”

She started staring at the new arrangement…

Her mother asked, “Could we take a rose from this arrangement?”

I said, “Sure.”

Nope. Not only did the little girl take a rose, she started pulling the arrangement apart! My heart started to ache again. Ouch, ouch! Her mother tried to stop her.

She apologized to me, “We just do not want her to cry for an hour on the way home.”

I absolutely cannot tolerate whiney spoiled kids... My imaginary foot was already in this little girl’s behind while they were walking away from the front desk. If I were pulling that sort of act with my own parents as a little kid, I would have been yelled at a long time ago!

Anyway, I rearranged the salvaged piece. The picture above is the finished product.

懷舊系列──電腦

TRS-80

最近，哥哥寄來一個連結：http://www.trs-80.com（和其他以下的連結）。這部黑白電腦帶來很多童年的回憶‧‧‧（這種披露間接告訴人家我年齡的秘密！既然這樣，不如加多幾年吧。如果我告訴你我用過Punched Card，你信不信呢？）

當年的電腦室不是任何人都可以進入，是電腦班或者電腦俱樂部的同學的專利。因為是唯一有冷氣的課室，夏天時可以躲在裡面涼涼爽爽的渡過。唸電腦班的同學，個個都是聰明仔，聰明女。嘻嘻，包括我在內！不知何因，雖然當年有蘋果電腦實驗室，但小時候對蘋果電腦不大感興趣（按此找Apple IIe 的Emulator：http://www.tomcharlesworth.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/）。

據說，電腦室中有一台TRS-80 叫「電力吞噬機」，如果把它開啟，整間課室會變成漆黑一片。當年的磁碟還是大大張的五吋半碟，為了省錢，我們把碟翻轉打孔，那麼就可以用碟的背面。記得有一位高我一班的同學，用BASIC寫了一個大富翁的遊戲，又有另一位同學寫了一個跑馬的遊戲。有時候在堂上，老師在前面講書，男同學們在後排跑馬。真頑皮。不過，男生們再頑皮的事還多著呢。至於我？我沒有他們那麼有心機，我只寫了一個測驗程式罷了。

每次到華盛頓的Smithsonian Museums，我都刻意要探望我的TRS-80才安樂。問你夠geek未？嘩！我小時候用過的東西，現在要到博物館才能找到！

Tidbits My Friend Knows about Me

The other day, I had my usual Thursday dinner with my girlfriends. We realized one of us knew quite a bit about another friend of ours, who was not at the dinner, down to the very personal details in addition to bank accounts.

I exclaimed, “Wow, that’s amazing. I bet you don’t know that much about me.”

She replied, “Hmmm, let’s see...”

Then, she started listing things:

“You have contact lens, but you wear glasses most of the time. You wear your contacts whenever you are decked out.” (Well, reasonable enough. Contacts dry up my eyes when I use the computer daily. I do look presentable when I go out.)

“You have your own blog. You use IM often.” (This one is easy…)

“When you are upset, you hide.” (I don’t hide that often.)

“You use 1,000 thread count bed sheets.” (It sounds so snobbish. Sure, I spoil myself. It is part of my beauty sleep. After all, need to pamper myself once in a while. People spend a lot of time in bed during a 24 hour period.)

“Your pharmacist hits on you. You call your ex, XXXXX, ‘衰仔’ sometimes.” (Name eliminated here to protect the not-so-innocent. Whoever knows me can fill in the blank. Hmmm, how to translate ‘衰仔’… ‘Idiot’?)

“You are a closet drinker. You have many bottles at home.” (Well, I don’t drink and drive, and I am not willing to crash at my friend’s place. Besides, I do not mind drinking alone so that I can have the whole bottle by myself. MINE! By the way, I don’t drink that often.)

“You have no specific color scheme on clothing. You wear size 4 or 6 on the bottom, size 2 on the top. You can possibly fit into a size 0. Depending on the shoes, you wear size 6.5 or 7.” (Now, that’s a bit scary… She knows my sizes.)

“You are very likely to pick steak over salmon at tomorrow’s Boston Restaurant Week dinner. You like to eat a mooing cow. You like your steak bloody rare.” (Dead on!)

遷就與坦誠

在我來說，朋友間互相遷就是理所當然的，很多事情，如果無關痛癢，我都欣然同意，積極參與。最主要，我喜歡看見他人開心。可是，久而久之，我實在懷疑別人會不會因而得寸進尺，被寵壞了。有朋友認為這種忍讓的行為，會導致他人踩到自己背脊有很多個腳板印。犯不著這樣嘛。

是我的錯嗎？也許。自認不擅長表達負面情感，常常一臉笑容的。公事上，這種態度對我幫助很大，實事求是，不讓情緒影響工作，不給面色人家看，樣子很成熟。私事上，這原來是一種心理障礙，生怕傷害了他人，怕引起衝突，更怕自己無理取鬧，小心眼，不再惹人喜愛。

不停告訴自己，某件事情非常雞毛蒜皮，不值得不快。理智與感情實在是兩回事。做了個實驗，鼓起勇氣告訴一位朋友我對他的不滿，當然這個粗心的人全不知情啦。好久沒向人投訴了，要不是著重這段友情，才懶得理呢。出乎意料之外，朋友一點兒都不介意，在電郵中和氣平靜的對話，解決了問題。舒服哂！

故事教訓：朋友間，有正面，還有負面，才能成長。

Fortune Cookie

After having dinner with my friends tonight, I took a fortune cookie with the following message inside:

“The love of your life will appear in front of you unexpectedly!
Lucky Numbers 1, 27, 3, 44, 37, 8”

Awesome! Looking forward to it.

海的浪漫

看了一段新聞，關於一個麻省的漁夫，在撈魚時撈到一個遺失了三十九年的錢包，三十九年後物歸原主。話說當年，一位三十五歲的年輕人坐遊艇出海，遺失了錢包，內裡有十至十二張信用卡和證件、現金和三百元的支票，漁夫發現失物距離遺失點大概有二十五英哩。如今，現金和支票都沒有了，可是，那些信用卡和證件還在，而且還保留原狀。今年七十四歲的老伯，收到久遺的錢包，甚為感動。

聯想起一套名為”Message in a Bottle”（中譯「瓶中信」）的電影，男主角把裝有一封寫給亡妻的信的玻璃瓶，放進海浪中，後來由女主角在沙灘漫步時拾起，觸動她的心，展開一連串追尋男主角的活動。海浪隨隨拍岸，偶爾看見垃圾一大堆地被帶回岸上，心裡懷疑一個玻璃瓶能夠飄浮到那裡去呢？坐在海邊，令我感到很渺小。雖然科技日新月異，人類出盡法子上太空，海對我來說依然神秘莫測。

Quotation – President Wilson

You are not here merely to make a living.
You are here to enable the world to live more amply,
with greater vision, and with a finer spirit of hope and achievement.
You are here to enrich the world.
You impoverish yourself if you forget this errand.

Woodrow Wilson
28th President of United States (1856 – 1924)

假如

假如一天，事過境遷後才發現，曾經有一段時間自己有生命危險，簡單例子如被恐怖份子襲擊、被壞人綁架滅口等等，你會有甚麼感想？ 每次發生類似的情況，除了感到自己天下無敵外，我還覺得上天在告訴我時辰未到，恍惚要我反思甚麼似的‧‧‧其實，有很多平時懶理但又必須的事情，等著我去做。

也許，目前最逼切的是選一兩個值得信賴的人去執行自己的Health Proxy和決定要怎樣死。Health Proxy 是一種授權書，當沒有能力決定自己的健康需要時，由執行者決定處理。至於要怎樣死，想不想安樂死，還是願意當植物人，把這重大任務交給誰，那就要花點心思了。曾經想，可不可以列入條文，指定要用盡所有應得的保險賠償金額為止？若把一個人像電影Forever Young（中譯「天荒情未了」） 中的男主角般急凍，需要多少錢呢？或者會很貴，負擔不來。好，如果完成了這一項，可以獎勵自己去學跳降落傘，克服畏高症。

活生生的人很避忌談立遺囑的事兒，可是，人總有一天離開人世，安排身後事是自己的責任，總不能讓已經很傷心的親人來奔波。有一次，由於電視台籌款，到一家賣墓碑的店鋪交收，發現店的一角坐著兩個看來很健康的女人，正在挑選她們的墓碑，她們還頗講究呢。那麼如果想把自己火化，是否應該事先選骨灰盅呢？會造陶瓷而又想火葬的，何不為自己造一個獨一無二的骨灰盅？到底人的骨灰有多少，需要一個多大的容器呢？突然想起電影Meet the Parents （中譯「非常外父揀女婿」或「門當父不對」）的一幕，貓貓Jinxy 在祖母的骨灰堆上灑尿！

每當盤點自己有甚麼一直想做，但還未做的事情時，總發覺多著呢。在書局看過一本書，名字叫”101 Things to Do Before You Die”，裡面列舉了很多有趣的東西，雖然有些搞笑成份，不妨可以參考一下。當然，渴望做甚麼，很個人化，涉及個人哲學、宗教取向而定，如果可以替自己度身訂造一張清單就更好了。其實，在我來說，除了儘量吸收體驗各種事物外，最重要的是在繁忙的步伐中停下來，告訴身邊的人們對自己有多重要。不知是因為疏忽、害羞還是吝嗇，甚少對親朋戚友說：「我喜歡你。」、「我掛念你。」、「謝謝你。」、甚至「我愛你。」畢竟，因為他們的影響，所以有今天的我。現在不說，還等幾時呢？

孤兒院的小男孩

幾個星期前，跟一個在領養中心工作的朋友吃晚飯。她提到一般人只喜歡領養剛出生的嬰孩，不喜歡領養有病（即使是輕微病）的兒童，也不喜歡領養年紀比較大、已經懂事的小孩子。雖然明白這些人的理由，他們可能怕看見小孩子病得辛苦，可能怕醫藥費重，可能怕小孩子知道他不是父母親生的，將來會跑掉，但是，聽到他人這些條件，心裡總是有點兒不舒服。近日，心裡不停浮現了一個多年前在孤兒院認識的小男孩‧‧‧

話說多年前，在美國過了第一個學期後，十二月尾回香港渡聖誕假，剛好母校的少年崇德社安排到孤兒院探訪，身為前社員，當然湊熱鬧地跟去了。雖然少年崇德社是婦女團體，但是那天男生們也有份參加。不記得地點了，到達孤兒院後，有負責人解釋那班小朋友的來歷，有些被遺棄，有些因為父母犯事入獄，沒人照顧，等等。然後，負責人帶我們去一個大廳，那裡有很多小朋友乖乖地圍圈坐著等我們。

負責人介紹：「小朋友，這些哥哥姐姐來跟你們玩呀！」

然後，小朋友們便爭相找玩伴。一個大概五、六歲的小男孩跑到我面前，燦爛地笑著舉起雙手說：「姐姐，抱抱！」我然後一句：「哦，抱抱？Okay。」接著，這小孩就拉著我周圍跑，拆聖誕禮物，一時要抱，一時要玩，東跑西跑，就這樣搞到我們夠鐘要離開為止。第一次體驗到跟小朋友玩原來是這麼累的！可是，我倆都玩得很高興。我不知道他進孤兒院的原因，看他那麼乖巧可愛，聰明伶俐，做父母的怎麼捨得把他丟下不理？

如果照朋友所言，看來這個五、六歲的小孩子會留在孤兒院長大。他的生活過得怎樣？還活著嗎？他的學業成績怎樣？有沒有唸完中學？有沒有唸大學？有沒有帶眼識人？他對這世界的看法又如何？會不會因為他初成長的不幸，變成大奸大惡呢？不知為何，突然很掛念他（雖然只是一面之緣）。


A Boy from an Orphanage

Few weeks ago, I had dinner with a friend who works at an adoption agency. She mentioned that prospective parents usually like new born babies. They do not like to adopt sick kids (even with not light illness) or those who are already too old and are able to understand things. I understand their reasons. They may not like to see their kids suffering from illness. They may be concerned about the medical bills. They may be afraid that the kids are old enough to know they were adopted and then run away. However, when I hear their adoption requirements, deep down inside, I do not feel too comfortable. Recently, a boy whom I met at an orphanage came into my mind…

Years ago, after I finished my first semester in the US, in December, I went back to Hong Kong for Christmas. My Alma Mater’s Z-Club had organized a visit to the orphanage. As a prior member, I certainly decided to tag along. Although Z-Club was a female group, there were a bunch of guys joining us. I cannot recall where the orphanage was. Upon arrival, the host explained to us the origins of the orphans. Some were given up. For some, their parents were in jail and could not take care of them. Thereafter, the host brought us to a big room full of kids sitting quietly in a big circle.

The host introduced us, “Hi kids, they are here to play with you!”

Then, all the kids got up and found their playmate. One 5 or 6 year old boy ran to me with a bright smile and held his arms up in the air, “Miss, hug!” I replied, “Oh, hug? Okay.” Afterwards, this boy brought me running everywhere, unwrapped Christmas presents. Sometimes, he wanted hugs. Sometimes, he wanted to play and run around. We played till it was time for us to leave. It was the first time ever that I realized how tired one could be to play with kids! However, we were so excited. I did not know why he was in the orphanage. He was so adorable and smart. Why did his parents give him away?

If what my friend said was true, this 5 or 6 year old boy probably ended up growing up in the orphanage. How is his life? Is he still alive? Did he finish high school? Did he go to college? Did he make friends carefully? How does he view this world? Would he become super evil because of his unfortunate past? I do not know why. All of a sudden, I miss him even though we had only met once.

Learning Style

Boston University Marsh Chapel

When at a party, a guy (who met me for the first time) pointed out that I was a multi-color note taker, I politely smiled. Today, I took a quiz on cnn.com regarding learning style (click here to take the quiz). The result tells me that I am a perfectionist (as described below). Hey, this guy was quite accurate! Whoever has seen my notes knows that I make pretty notes. In fact, in the past, my old coworkers commented, “if you see a spreadsheet with colorful cells, colorful words and comment bubbles, you know who did it!”


The Perfectionist:
You know you are one if you're compelled to organize your notes -- alphabetically -- before you can even begin to look at them. How do you stay so organized? You're equipped at all times with multi-colored highlighters, file folders and a detailed study schedule.

What works best?
Dr. Robert Massa, Vice President of College Relations at Dickinson College, says perfectionists should pick their professors carefully. Students who think linearly and are especially well-organized tend to do better in classes where assignments are clear-cut, objectives are understood, and solitary hard work will produce the desired results.

While perfectionists may seem well-suited to the demands of a big college workload, this isn't always the case, experts warn. Dr. Laurie Rozakis, professor at Farmingdale State and author of "The Complete Idiot's Guide to College Survival," says that even if you're extremely well-organized, you can get bogged down in the minutia of the subject you're studying. The solution? Partner with a classmate who is your studying opposite. "If you see the tree in the forest, then find one other person who sees the broad picture," Rozakis recommends.

What doesn't work?
Often, perfectionists are well-suited to larger classes where there is less interaction with classmates and more solitary learning, Massa says. So perfectionists may want to avoid small intimate classes, which involve many group projects and team work. Other experts agree. The key is to know your strengths, Rozakis says, and plan your life accordingly. Sometimes perfectionists are hesitant to start something if they can't complete it. So students should plan the work ahead of them, leaving time to complete it all.

白頭到老

「白頭到老，永結同心」這句祝福話語，相信大家都聽得多，說得多。近幾個月，不斷有人打破健力士世界紀錄大全，最年老（二人總和）結婚最久的消息。

首先，今年六月，一對住在英國的夫婦，丈夫105 歲，妻子100 歲，可惜丈夫在六月中旬過身。能活到105 歲已經很了不起啦，死亡率圖表才是到114 歲而已。

然後，七月中，美國賓夊凡尼亞州另一對夫婦，丈夫105 歲，妻子100 歲，結婚74 年（結婚年齡：男的31，女的26），他們歲數的總和是205 年293 日。

七月尾，美國羅德島，丈夫101 歲，妻子99 歲，但他們結婚82 年167 日（結婚年齡：男的19，女的17）。

八月初，在日本，丈夫104 歲，妻子103 歲，結婚72 年（結婚年齡：男的32，女的31）。

幾天後，在法國，丈夫107歲，妻子100 歲，結婚81 年（結婚年齡：男的26，女的19）。

看了這些數字，發現他們在他們那年代不算早婚，過三十歲才結婚，當年算非常遲了。想想我的平均預計壽命（根據1994 年美國的死亡率）大概還有50 年，看來，我不會打破世界紀錄了。

再看看這些夫婦有甚麼秘訣：

法國的說他們有共同口味，互相尊重，不吵架。

日本的丈夫說：「你要有很多希望，想活下去，我最享受的是我們一起渡過的時間。」但是妻子卻說：「活了這麼久，你會悶。我現在甚麼都不享受。」（怎麼口供不同的？！）

賓州的妻子說：「你要常常快樂，把生命看著如你所想的。」又說：「他令我快樂，我也令他快樂，我們永不吵架。」可是他們的女兒嘲笑她爸爸說：「他不大講話，但這也不奇怪了，媽媽不讓他說一個字。」〈看來，當丈夫的很會忍讓。〉

那麼，一個人要長壽，要婚姻長久，就要有希望和忍耐力。哈哈，我可能有先決訣條件呢。可是要嫁一個不會把我氣炸的人，身為女版Jerry Seinfeld ，機率還是比較低。

Mathematical Models on Dating and Gift Giving

I came across a news article titled “Study: In dating, extravagant gifts keep on giving” (partially quoted below). Typically, this sort of study is done by psychologists. The conclusion of the study seems to be reasonable enough. As the therapist quoted in the news article put it, "The more the energy, cost, extravagance - the attention - that goes into (a gift), I think the assumption would be that he is really interested", efforts count.

When I found that the study was based on mathematical models, I became very curious. I went straight to the source, the Royal Society website in the United Kingdom (click here for the pdf file). Not knowing mathematical models can be used in abstract human interaction such as dating, I was astonished! The fact that I even attempted to read through the study proves that I am such a geek (hey, geeks are trendy nowadays).

At a certain level, the study has sensible statements. There are several factors such as attractiveness, cost of gifts and payoffs, stay or ditch after mating, etc. They are cold and humorous at the same time. For examples,

- A person does not know how attractive he or she is to others for sure, but the person would know whether or not he or she is attracted to another person.

- A male only gives cheap gifts to an unattractive female. He gives valuable or extravagant gifts to an attractive female depending on her decision to sleep with him or not.

- Once a female decides to mate, the male would then decide whether he wants to stay or ditch after mating.

- A male’s best policy is to stay with the attractive female that he has just mated with, and ditch the unattractive female after mating with her.

- A male gains (has a positive payoff) as long as he mates. It does not matter whether or not the female that he mates with is attractive or not!

- A female gains (has a positive payoff) only when she mates with an attractive male and he decides to stay.

I think the study tries to prove a point that by looking at what a man gives a woman, the woman can tell whether the man is really attracted to her. If the man is not attracted to her, he will bolt after mating. (bastard!) To have a biggest payoff for a female, the female needs to be attracted to the guy who is also attracted to her such that he will stay. (happily ever after!)



Study: In dating, extravagant gifts keep on giving

By Michelle Lefort, USA TODAY
Tue Aug 9, 7:09 AM ET

If you want to win the object of your affection, an extravagant gift that has no resale value is the way to go.

That's not the opinion of a battle-weary veteran of the dating scene. It's the conclusion of a mathematical model created by researchers at University College London.

Dating obviously involves gifts, and not just among humans. Gift-giving also appears in the mating rituals of some insect species. A team of applied mathematicians created a sequential calculation as a model of dating. The new study, designed to explore the role of gift-giving in courtship, appears online in the biological science journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

…

會考放榜

剛剛看到報導，今天是香港會考放榜。會考對我來說已是非常遙遠的事，那天有人歡喜有人愁。因為已經安排到海外升學，當年甚麼壓力也沒有。眼見其他的同學，有的順利考得上中六，有的要重讀中五，有的要出外奔波報預科班，有的報師範學院，有的憂愁找工作。我見到很多人在哭，徬徨得很。會考對很多人來說，是人生的轉捩點。最記得有位同學，因為家境問題，本來他讀書成績很好，也沒法繼續唸上去，只好找工作，我很替他不值。自那天以後，我再沒有見過他，不知道他現在怎樣？由於起步比我們早，他的事業成就也許遠比我這個停留在學校多年的好。

其實，中二那年我開始感到壓力，由於有個聰明的兄長，一位教世界歷史的老師，當眾問我打算在幾年後的會考拿多少個A，他人對我的期望頗高。反而，中二那年第一次連優異生也做不成，差點兒被父母放逐到外國去，中三才返回正軌（哈哈，是一位男同學令我發奮向上的）。當年會考那一連串的考試，由中四開始準備。小時候，雖然功課好，但很怕數學。小學時被派去考難度高的數學測驗，由另一位教過哥哥的中學老師改卷後，告訴哥哥我的數不大好，其實聽後有點沮喪。最記得中五時，一位數學老師用心良苦不停地央求我做功課（當年頗為懶惰，想起那些座標幾何也怕怕），因為他怕我附加數學不合格云云。

放榜那天，雖然其他科目比附加數學高分，但最高興的還是附加數學拿到個C！立即跳繃繃地跑去找數學老師報喜，告訴他，我不但合格，還是個C呢！老師說：「那多好！我本來預計你最高拿個D呢！」誰知道，待我來到美國後，數學成績非常好，當年在麻省的數學奧林匹克比賽排頭一百名內，連美國中學的老師都以為我會主修數學。當時我想：打死都不唸數學！展展轉轉，如今竟然從事與數學息息相關的行業。所以啊，世事難料，沒有絕對。今天即使有錯失，不等於此刻已註定將來失敗，走的只是一條預料不到的路，可能比意料中還好，還有趣得多。

男人的聽覺

讀了一段題目為”Men do have trouble hearing women”（節錄於本文末端）的新聞報導，突然想起一位朋友介紹過的一部電影，名字叫”Before Sunrise”（中譯：《愛在黎明破曉時》或《日出之前》）。片中有一段對話（也節錄如下），與這篇新聞有相關處。隨著科技的進步，我們發現（或證明）男人與女人的分別越來越多。

原來，男人要認真耐心的聽女人講話，他們用的是聽音樂那腦部分。那麼，懂得欣賞音樂的男人是否較佳的聽眾呢？快快盤點身邊會音樂的男人吧。難怪，有這麼多男人，左耳入右耳出啦！莫說當女人要找男人傾訴，男人不明白女人的含蓄婉轉，連女人叫男人到超級市場去買東西也成問題。真的，小時候媽媽投訴爸爸買錯東西，長大後我也曾投訴男生買錯東西。想起那耳熟能詳的一句：「包做錯嘢。」我就會心微笑了。

Men do have trouble hearing women, scientists find
Sat Aug 6, 7:29 PM ET

LONDON (AFP) - Men who are accused of never listening by women now have an excuse -- women's voices are more difficult for men to listen to than other men's, a report said.

The Daily Mail, quoting findings published in the specialist magazine
NeuroImage, said researchers at Sheffield university in northern England discovered startling differences in the way the brain responds to male and female sounds.

Men deciphered female voices using the auditory part of the brain that processes music, while male voices engaged a simpler mechanism, it said.

The Mail quoted researcher Michael Hunter as saying, "The female voice is actually more complex than the male voice, due to differences in the size and shape of the vocal cords and larynx between men and women, and also due to women having greater natural 'melody' in their voices.

"This causes a more complex range of sound frequencies than in a male voice."

The findings may help explain why people suffering hallucinations usually hear male voices, the report added, as the brain may find it much harder to conjure up a false female voice accurately than a false male voice.

Before Sunrise

(Eurail coach car. Man and woman argue in German. Woman slaps man, grabs newspaper)

(Céline looks up from book, disturbed. Moves to another seat, across from Jesse. They glance over at each other)

(German woman leaves car)

(Jesse and Céline look at each other, smile. Céline looks away)

Jesse: Do you have any idea what they were arguing about?

(Céline glances up at him, looks over)

Jesse: Do you - Do you speak English?

Céline: Yeah. No, I'm sorry, my German is not very good.

Céline: Have you ever heard that as couples get older, they lose their ability to hear each other?

Jesse: No.

Céline: Well, supposedly, men lose the ability to hear higher-pitched sounds, and women eventually lose hearing in the low end. I guess they sort of nullify each other, or something.

Jesse: I guess. Nature's way of allowing couples to grow old together without killing each other.

(Céline smiles, small laugh, turns away)

頑皮的「救命恩人」

「出外靠朋友」這句說話很對。今天回醫院，再次見到兩年前的「救命恩人」──Mike。兩年前，他逢禮拜天在櫃檯當值，一個頑皮長不大的中年男子，常常打電話來我櫃檯戲弄我。今天，他假扮一個病人打電話過來，呻吟地說：「我要回家，來接我回家‧‧‧」嚇得我半死。

一天，我在送一個病人離開醫院，途中感到不適，告訴Mike，他立即把我安置在輪椅，推我到急症室，無論我怎樣趕他回崗位，他還是陪著我，還拍拍心口地說：「不用怕，他們會好好照顧你，如果你需要留醫，我們要確保你住在頂級的病房！」Mike等到我的朋友們出現才肯離開。

另外，一位相識的義工，她很關切的問我想喝些甚麼。想起，能夠在醫院出事，真值得興幸。本來，我打算於那個週末獨自前往英國渡過我的生日。如果我在倫敦出現問題，那就不堪切想了！（話又說回來，如果病真的在英國發生，我大可以旅遊倫敦的醫院，試問又有幾多人可以光顧外地醫院呢？）

一直，想跟Mike道謝，還買了朱古力報答他。可是，再回醫院的時候，他已經轉了更，改為在星期一到星期五白晝上班。我要上班，沒有機會見到他，朱古力當然被自己吃光了！今天，我們再碰面，他問及我兩年前的病情。他還記得呢。可惜，我沒有準備朱古力。

我唔發嬲勿當我病貓

常常聽到別人說：「你真好人。」我都會笑著回答：「哈哈，別激怒我。」可是，大部分人都不相信，我有可怕的一面。平時，若不滿意的事情單一地發生，這睡火山並不會爆發，爆發的機率不高。由於整個星期不理想遭遇的累積，引致心情不大好，原來小小的事情可以因為心情差而誇大。幸好本人性格頗固執，才不會單獨悶在家中，為了平衡心理，情願與友人們嘻嘻哈哈的渡過。

相熟的朋友們，懂得只聆聽我的牢騷，不給我甚麼意見，不教我怎樣做，對此異常感激。Bili bala地發洩過後，我又恢復跳蹦蹦的模樣，雨過天青，有時我甚至替令自己不滿意的人講好說話呢。可能因為這樣，他們覺得我不記仇，性格隨和。最怕的是人家把我這好相處的性格，當作好欺負。把周潤發在監獄風雲中的一句話：「亞Sir，我大聲講嘢唔代表我冇禮貌！」改成：「喂！我好人唔代表我好欺負！」

這幾天，腦海中不停地出現聖經中的一段經文，可能是自幼在基督教學校成長及被洗腦的結果──歌林多前書：「愛是恆久忍耐、又有恩慈，愛是不嫉妒，愛是不自誇，不張狂，不做害羞的事，不求自己的益處，不輕易發怒，不計算人的惡，不喜歡不義，只喜歡真理，凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐，愛使永不止息。」容忍有限度，並不認為可以一一遵照以上的經文，完美地去過每一天，可是，有這指標總比沒有好‧‧‧「好！我忍你！」

創作文章

上週末由於發了一個可怕的惡夢，決心把夢中各個東拉西扯的畫面連在一起，串成一個故事。結果，寫了近整個星期，還沒有寫完。突然發現難度相當高，以後看書，看電影，要三思才作出批評。

故事的骨幹很重要，需要反反覆覆的修改。整個星期，一直遲疑，怕如果把故事開端登出來，以後改不了。其中的細節也很有挑戰性，恍惚每個細節都要想清楚，是否合情理，有沒有破綻。尤其當要寫到一些自己不熟識的環節，還要做資料搜集，從中學到不少。分分鐘可以給自己藉口，到些從未去過的地方考察。

最後，耐性和毅力是關鍵。還沒有寫完故事，有多次想放棄，每天放工回家，對著電腦，有時可以天花龍鳳的寫，有時甚麼都寫不出，懊惱非常。到底以寫作為生的人，怎麼可以天天交稿？

介紹人

到底介紹人的角色如何界定？

今天親身體驗，要擴大生活圈子，少不免通過別人介紹。可能是本人性格內向的關係，有介紹人在場，尤其與異性第一次見面時，感覺上比較安穩。

很少機會當介紹人，有機會的話，我會謹記。

共同點

早幾天，又到ivillage.com的網站做了兩個心理測驗：

“Who’s Your Mr. Right?”

“Which Candy Heart Are You?”

雖然是兩個不同的測驗，似乎結果（節錄如下）差不多，有關連。

Who is Your Mr. Right?

You scored 50%
The Confident Chap
You definitely know what you want -- a guy who's sure of himself. It's this self-assuredness that has gotten him where he wants to be. Perhaps he's at the top of the corporate ladder, the president of his condo board or the most sought-after when his friends need advice. What you gain in a relationship with this guy is a companion who knows most of the answers and will make you feel safe and cared for. As great as this type of support can be, the reality is that your ideas and his won't always mesh. And once you tell him your take on a situation, he may argue with you and try to get you to see things his way. Don't let this get you down or make you stop thinking for yourself. As long as you don't let his strong personality overpower you or take away your independence, you and Mr. Confident can make quite a pair. After all, a difference in opinions makes any relationship more interesting.

You scored 30%
The Fun-Loving Fellow
Party on! Whether at a gathering with friends or in line at a movie, you pick out the most personable guy of the group, and it's easy to see why: You enjoy a good time and a good laugh and need someone who can appreciate these as much as you do. A man like this is great to have in your life because he can hold his own in any situation, and with anybody. The one downside is that he is not necessarily discerning. He may as easily chat up your three-year-old niece as his beautiful next-door neighbor. But don't let his flirting be his fatal flaw; instead, remember it's what drew you to him in the first place. But do keep in mind that his "playfulness" may make it tough for him to settle down.

You scored 20%
The Sensitive Guy
Isn't he sweet? You definitely go for the guy who has a serious case of feelings -- whether he wears them on his sleeve or not. Manners seem important to him, and to you. And it's a good bet your soul mate would as easily tune in to ballads on the radio as he would stage a protest against cruelty to animals. Tapping into his soft side, however, may not always be so easy. A guy who's clued in to his feelings may also be protective of them. So if you find yourself face-to-face with one of these sweeties, don't wait for him to make the first move. Let him know you want to get to know him better. Sensitive types think with their heart as well as their brain -- he'll get the hint.

You scored 0%
The Sporty Stud
In your arena, this guy is number one. You favor a man who likes football over one who brings flowers. Why? For starters, you're attracted to a competitive spirit and the drive to win. Not to mention, a guy who loves the game is probably pretty playful. Translated into a relationship, these qualities can be top-notch, although the same qualities that initially attract you may also drive you crazy. A competitive guy, for instance, may make a terrific athlete, but that same quality may also make him feel like he's in competition for your feelings -- with your friends, your family, your job and so on. Likewise, you may sometimes feel like you're in competition with his friends, athletic hobbies, etc. But remember, this type of man considers himself a team player, which means that in a relationship, you'll be able to count on him to be supportive, interested in your opinions and willing to work together to make the two of you a winning pair.

Which Candy Heart Are You?

You scored 50%
"FAX ME"
Does business tend to come before pleasure in your life? "Fax Me," a more modern heart message, was recently introduced for the tech-savvy crowd, and this means you. Your ideal mate is someone who supports your lofty ambitions. But potential dates will have to work just as hard to win your attention because you are so preoccupied with your career. Be mindful of what they say about all work and no play. This Valentine's Day, consider leaving the laptop, cell phone and PDA at home and really painting the town red.

You scored 30%
"SWEET TALK"
So you're a sucker for a smooth talker. Who can blame you? Your dream lover is thoughtful, creative and willing to tell you how much he cares -- over and over. Beautiful art, pretty flowers and, most of all, happy endings inspire you. As the eternal optimist, you're always sure things will work out for the best. What's in store for you on Valentine's Day? Twenty-four hours of romance, whether that includes jetting to Rome on a whim or simply whispering sweet nothings in your paramour's ear. This day was made for romantic idealists like you.

You scored 20%
"MARRY ME"
Your secret is out. You hope that someone will say these words to you -- whether emblazed on a candy heart or not -- and fast. If you haven't already found "the one," you are actively pursuing him. You crave the security and commitment of a serious relationship. A stable family man is most likely to sweep you off your feet. Your perfect Valentine's Day: either getting engaged or actually walking down that long aisle. (By the way, you're not alone. "Marry Me" is the most requested heart message, says Lory Zimbalatti, marketing manager at NECCO, the company that manufactures Sweethearts Conversation Hearts.)

You scored 0%
"KISS ME"
"Kiss Me" is a classic heart message that has been showing up in bags of candy since the late 1800s. You personify this heart because you are romantic, passionate and downright sexy. A hot night -- with a hot guy -- is your version of a great date. But even those who can keep up with you may have to look elsewhere for commitment. As of this February 14, you seem to be perfectly happy living the single life. Chances are, you'll spend Valentine's Day lip-locked with your latest crush. Lucky guy!

Cutie Pie

The other day, I received an email from a long time cutie pie friend. He looked like Leslie Cheung, a HK pop singer who is already dead. Once upon a time, he used to be a very popular jock (with a brain) among girls in school. No, we did not date each other. He dated one of my girl friends. He was my best friend. We were on the phone forever. After he moved to Australia, he became my pen pal. Once each of us started dating, we lost touch. We have not talked for ages. He is now married and is a father of two while I am still single. I have never thought that he would be more mature than I am: settling down. I guess love causes miracles.

Lately, almost every time I went back to Hong Kong and talked to him on the phone, he had some lifetime event happening. Eleven years ago, he moved back to Hong Kong. Seven years ago around Christmas, he got married. Two years ago in the summer, his second child was born. Anyway, his email was to announce his new cell phone number. What a nice surprise! All these years, once in a while, I would remember him, wondering how he is doing and whether he still has the good looks. Although there was no romantic feeling, he and I shared quite a bit of our adolescence.