11.2.08

Surprise! Surprise!

作為女生,本應偏幫女生,可是理智告訴我,自己種的因,自己承受的後果,整件事裡並不存在「受害者」。

誰跟誰發生關係,是怎麼樣的關係,那是他們的私生活,與外人並不相干。況且男歡女愛,在你情我願的情況下,並沒有所謂的對與錯。親熱/裸照被廣泛傳閱,實屬不幸;但既是她們自己的選擇,就不能擺出受害者姿態,為自己的行為申辯 -- 根本沒必要向公眾交代私生活嘛。

很天真很傻?真正天真的,是那些篤信藝人形象即其真實個性的粉絲吧。

大概每個人的尺度與標準有別,自問比較理性和自我保護,明白世事原沒永恆,當一段關係結束之時,如何保證對方不會變臉?一封信或一通短訊尚有可能成為對方用以威脅自己的把柄,何況是裸照?況且黑客猖獗,放在電腦上的數碼照片外洩,半點也不稀奇。

女生總會為自己所愛的人做許許多多傻事,然而有些值得有些不;凡事宜先作最壞打算,因為一切可能發生的惡果,日後都必須由自己一力承擔。

Surprise! Surprise!情人節頭盤:agnes b DELICES 出品一盒四圓罐果仁古古力(心心眼)

古古力味道不俗,不過叫貓愛不釋手的還是那些精緻的小圓罐



很期待‧情人節主菜(.☆▽☆)゚♪゚

10.2.08

Current books on the nightstand

終於可以稍事休息,躲在貓窩看看日劇讀讀小說,悠閒過一天 o(^-^o)(o^-^)o

先整理一下 reading list,把小說 blog 的閱讀報告搬過來,就不必再受清單字數限制 о(ж>▽<)y

Current books on the nightstand (2007)

Book title: Streams of Silver
Author: R.A. Salvatore
Status: In progress
Review:
Better than the 1st book, way to go Drizzt!

Book title: The Crystal Shard
Author: R.A. Salvatore
Status: Finished
Review:
Reading this right after "The Dark Elf Trilogy", one could definitely see that Salvatore has come a long way. Can't wait to read more about Drizzt's adventures after coming to the surface world.

Book title: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
Author: J. K. Rowling
Status: Finished
Review:
Much better than the 2 preceding books, yet I still think that many casualties were pointless, but a good read anyway.

Book title: The Dark Elf Trilogy Part 3 -- Sojourn
Author: R. A. Salvatore
Status: Finished
Review:
Drizzt got the best mentor and companion one could ever ask for, though it left him more miserable when the blind ranger was no more, but it's for Montolio that Drizzt decided to set out and find his own place in the world -- The Icewind Dale.

Book title: The Dark Elf Trilogy Part 2 -- Exile
Author: R.A. Salvatore
Status: Finished
Review:
In Part 2, we get a closer look at Drizzt's darker side, his conflicting emotions and his unbearable loneliness. It's such a relief that he made friends with Belwar and Clacker, though he's forced to exile to the surface world alone in the end.

Book title: The Dark Elf Trilogy Part 1 -- Homeland
Author: R.A. Salvatore
Status: Finished
Review:
This book gave me a brand new idea of elf's dark skin kin, drow, and of the Underdark. One couldn't help but feel for Drizzt's tragic fate (I suspect there're more implicit analogies between drow's way and capitalism though, no doubt the author is for communism).

Book title: The Reporter Who Made Himself King
Author: Davis, Richard Harding
Status: Finished
Review:
Interesting to begin with, but the ending? Just don't expect too much.

Book title: Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini
Status: Finished
Review:
Paolini's "adaptation" approach could be irritating sometimes. How could he shamelessly "adapt" Le Guin's magic system (magic=ancient language) to his own book?!(he needs a writer's bootcamp!) Nonetheless, I like the story, Eragon and Saphira.

Book title: Eldest
Author: Christopher Paolini
Status: Finished
Review:
Paolini really needs to polish his writing skills, the lengthened paragraphs get so boring that I have to keep skipping them (without missing anything important!), and I could totally tell what would happen next, which is a bad thing for a fantasy writer.

Book title: ひとりぐらしも5年め
Author: 高木直子
Status: In progress
Review:
LOL

Book title: The Five People You Meet in Heaven
Author: Mitch Albom
Status: Finished
Review:
Innovative idea, but not as inspiring as "Tuesdays with Morrie", still, what can I say? Albom is one of my fave authors.

Book title: Why Men Don't Listen and Women Can't Read Maps
Author: Allan Pease, Barbara Pease
Status: Finished
Review:
Intriguing studies

Book title: 1リットルの涙
Author: 木藤亜也
Status: In progress
Review:
A tough task for my limited Japanese (..。)

Book title: Left Behind Book12 -- Glorious Appearing
Author: Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins
Status: Finished
Review:
It doesn't matter if you're Christian or not, it's inspiring in a way that you'd never look at the world and future in the same way. One of my fav fiction series.

Book title: The Last Battle
Author: C. S. Lewis
Status: e-read for the 15th time
Review:
How could I be so blind that I failed to see the reminiscences of the Bible between lines?? For the first time, I read this book from a total different point of view, and it opened to me a brand new horizon.

Book title: The Silver Chair
Author: C. S. Lewis
Status: re-read for the 15th time
Review:
Going to re-read it for the 16th time next year, definitely.

Book title: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Author: C. S. Lewis
Status: re-read for the 15th time
Review:
Still find it fascinating after reading it for the 15th time! Lewis' imagination has no limits!

Book title: Unstolen
Author: Wendy Jean
Status: In progress
Review:
Fascinating in a sad way.

9.2.08

美食精華遊

betty仔回來了!

最要好最要好的朋友在分別多年之後終於回來,往後可以一起聊天吃飯逛街,那種興奮難捺的心情,可以想像嗎?

新年美食第一擊:想找個地方吃吃喝喝好好話舊,於是跟 betty仔和她的男友 Harry到尖沙咀的King Ludwig Beerhall 吃德國下午茶自助餐 о(ж>▽<)y

極力推薦 King Ludwig Beerhall 的德國鹹豬手:皮脆肉嫩而且不算肥膩(心心眼)。

畢竟是德國菜嘛,甜品款式不算多,但尚算精緻

倒是食店裝修饒富特色,就連 Betty&Harry 也盛讚氣氛不俗,是個三五知己把酒談天的好地方,加上有多款德國啤酒供應,就連不好啤酒的貓也忍不住來一杯 wheat beer

貓&貓男素來鍾情恐龍展品/書籍/記錄片,自不忘跟太空館前的南美巨龍留倩影,不過從海報看來,還是 Discovery Channel 製作的恐龍特輯比較吸引

下半場:BBQ自助餐@美孚九華徑。食物新鮮選擇也頗多,加上收費合理交通方便,難怪午夜前全場爆滿座無虛設


是日智力題:

燒烤場有2隻汪汪,一隻名阿當,一隻叫士巴嗱,燒烤場主人突然問:蠢懵鈍在哪?

問:到底蠢懵鈍是另一隻狗還是一個人(燒烤場職員)?是1個人還是3個人(蠢、懵、鈍)?

8.2.08

Six Degrees Could Change the World

After a power nap, I decided to "clear up" some of the long forgotten podcast videos on my iTunes, and this one caught my eyes: "Six Degrees Could Change the World: Part 1".

Six degrees? Does it have anything to do with "Lonely Planet Six Degrees" on Discovery Travel & Living Channel? Whatever, sounds cool to me.

Or maybe not.

It turns out that it has nothing to do with traveling tips, but I'm glad that I watched this show instead, believe me, it's worth your time, too.

Ok, I know global warming is taking its toll, and it's worsening with every second that passes by, literally; I just never thought that it's that bad.

One might think: oh, come on, it's just 6 degrees, how bad could it be?

Here's how bad it could be, probably by the end of this century:

At one degree of warming, the Arctic is ice-free for half the year, the South Atlantic -- typically void of hurricanes -- experiences coastal hurricanes, and in the western U.S. severe droughts are plaguing residents, causing shortages in global grain and wheat market.

At two degrees of warming, polar bears struggle to survive as glaciers increasingly melt away. Glaciers in Greenland begin to disappear, while coral reefs are vanishing. Insects migrate in strange new directions, and who the hell knows what kind of damage it would bring to the ecosystem? All we know is that massive pine beetle migration would kill the Whitebark forest and thus wiping out bears' key source of food.

At three degrees of warming, the Arctic is ice-free for ALL SUMMER! The Amazon rainforest is drying out, the ice cap of Alps melts, and El Niño's intense weather pattern becomes the norm. The Mediterranean and parts of Europe wither in searing summer heat, actully they got a taste of catastrophic heat wave back in 2003, in which thousands died across Europe.

If the world warms by four degrees, oceans could rise, taking over coastal cities, e.g. Bangladesh would be washed away, and Venice submerged. The disappearance of glaciers may deprive many of fresh water. Northern Canada's agriculture could boom and a Scandinavian beach could be the next tourism hotspot. A part of Antarctica could collapse, causing water to rise even further. So many major cities may dry up that it endangers our survival.

At five degrees of warming, uninhabitable zones could spread, snow pack and aquifers feeding big cities could dry up, and climate refugees could run in the millions. Human civilization could begin to break down with this drastic of changes to the climate. The poor would likely suffer the most.

At six degrees of warming, the oceans could be marine wastelands, the deserts could march across continents, and natural disasters could become common events. The world's great cities could be flooded and abandoned. This could be "the doomsday scenario".

This could be our world at six degrees of warming, am I exaggerating? You'd better check it out yourselves and take a really good look, National Geographic's "Six Degrees" website has an interactive world map that lets you look at the changes that could take place with each degree of global warming. The site also has six short video previews -- one per degree Celcius of global warming -- of what our world could look like in the future.

The program's based on Mark Lyman's book "Six Degrees: Our Future on a Hotter Planet", looks like I've found myself a new item on my reading list.

7.2.08

新年‧回憶

不想每年重複一遍有多討厭拜年的虛偽,幸而長大了,不必再被押解走遍港九新界從早拜到晚,只須在團年飯期間跟父系親人團拜、年初一到貓媽媽家午飯午飯,陪她往大舅舅家跑一趟,年初二再跟婆婆一家吃飯便可告一段落。

年假沒能睡至自然醒是一大遺憾,不過意外地,今年收到的利是竟不必「上繳中央」,該算是賺到了嗎?(雖然新年多給了家用,跟婆婆一家午飯又是貓買的單,結果拿到的利是總和還不足以補貼半數額外開支)( ̄□ ̄; )!!!!

從大舅舅家走廊看去,原來可以看見貓中學時經常光顧的一家車仔麵檔;跟貓弟弟閒聊,才曉得他也是那家店的常客(畢竟我倆的中學就在毗鄰嘛)。這一帶多是舊式建築,不過政府那麼愛清拆重建,恐怕五年十年後,貓&貓弟弟的少年回憶便會隨著這些舊式建築消失於香港版圖,只能在腦海一角的記憶回收筒尋覓。

6.2.08

So long, farewell

雖然電腦部把如何替e farewell拿來當會議議題,可是連日磋商的結果不過是「不了了之」 ( ̄∇ ̄+)

編輯部沒有為此開會討論,大家只是很有共識地相約最後的午餐,就連正在放年假的貓男也來參一腳,一行四人到蘇豪區的 Fat Angelo's 午飯午飯 о(ж>▽<)y

途經士丹利街,那家我們經常入內查看最新蘋果產品的專門店,赫然瞥見店門外貼有中英對照的澄清啟事,嚴正聲明該店與近日的裸照風波無關,被捕店員與涉案店舖是鄰近的另一家店,不禁嗤笑。

澄清啟事
大概這則啟事煞有介事得搞笑,反而惹來不少途人圍觀細讀 ( ̄∇ ̄+)

飯後轉戰旺角,從朗豪坊逛到新世紀,飯後軟磨硬纏貓男去拍大頭貼......可憐我們始終沒搞清楚貼紙相機的運作模式,總是糊里糊塗地錯過拍照/挑選相片/塗鴉的時限,結果總有數張(甚至全部)沒能塗上背景(淚),幸而印出來的效果還不太差。



塗鴉和剪剪貼貼的過程可說是最大的樂趣,拿著自製的「貼紙咭」,猶如小朋友分到夢幻糖果般興奮,快樂,其實可以很簡單。

晚上相約二少、Betty&Harry 逛維園花市,結果本來無法應約的Joyce趕來了,反而Betty&Harry被困團年飯局未能抽身赴約。不過恐怕並非損失 -- 人太擠,才逛了半條乾貨街(被擠到路中心根本甚麼也看不到嘛)便開始下雨,幸而身後的好心情侶把傘撐高,為我們遮風擋雨,我們一行四人才得以全身而退( ̄∇ ̄+)

鼠年可說是「年三十逛維園」年度活動最失敗的一年,還好撤退時剛巧上演一幕「醉酒洋漢大(舌)戰香港警察」,今年的花市活動才勉強算得上值回票價:

話說我們一行四人撒退時,身後醉酒洋漢與一名當值軍警發生口角,洋漢上前扯高嗓門,手指指似有所動作,另一名警官即時挺護同袍,指著洋漢斥喝:"I warn you......"

洋漢不甘被斥喝,目露凶光似要撲上前,幸而身旁女伴按著他勸他冷靜才不致發生暴力事件。

此時,不懾於洋漢霸氣的警官再次高聲警告:"Behave yourself!"

好英勇啊(星星眼)!

鼠年第一金句:Behave yourself!

5.2.08

pain ,hurt and frustration

裸照風波乃本週城中熱話,無論走到哪裡,總聽見身邊有人在熱烈討論。

裸照,沒多大興趣,反而好奇當事人會如何回應(否認)事件。

是勇敢面對?還是否認到底?

因此當貓男告知無線新聞剛播出陳冠希的「道歉聲明」時,即時上 youtube 找找看。

由開始時的矢口否認、堅稱那是「惡作劇的移花接木照」,到今日的塔里班式自拍聲明,實在好奇陳冠希如何承認當日睜眼說瞎話,以及對裸照事件作了甚麼樣的回應。

"I feel pain, hurt and frustration"?未知他在發表聲明前,有否知會涉案女事主,徵求她們同意?如此一來,等同默認整批裸照並非「移花接木的惡作劇」;他的「道歉」印證了女星們多日以來矢口否認的事實 -- 真正感到痛苦、傷害和沮喪的,該是因此而丟了苦心建立的健康形象/家庭事業的她們吧?

雖然在拍那些照片的當兒,她們就該作出照片會被公開的心理準備。

還是那一句:男歡女愛你情我願,成年人須為自己的行為負責,只能後悔,不能抱怨。

4.2.08

新年新氣象

屢次被問及為何日記不設「回應」功能,令想針對日記內容作回應的,要不到 guestbook 留言,要不作罷。

會採用這款日記程式,主要貪其顯示格式最能符合自己的要求;當日更花了不少心思設計板面,以「貓」為主題,調配色彩、更換圖像,將 layout 改頭換面,徹底個人化。花了那麼多心血設計的日記,自不會輕言捨棄;加上當時考慮到日記乃私密記事,是另一種形式的自言自語,大概沒必要設「回應」吧(?)當然,最重要的,還是CGI若要加入回應功能,修改程式編碼部分很麻煩,於是一直沿用。

Blog 熱之初,也有想過轉用 blog,畢竟 drag & drop 比編寫程式碼便利得多,但當時在板面設計上有所限制,加上始終捨不得放棄原來的日記設計,迅速打消了這個念頭。直至今天晚上,才心血來潮重新設計一個日記板面。

*SPOILER ALERT*

其實看畢【Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street】,回家已近午夜,但未知是否因首次看到一齣電影的男主角是瘋的、女主角是奸的,結局男女主角雙雙被殺的震撼,竟還有精神跑去研究如何替 blogger 的 template 改頭換面,畫畫改改砌砌的弄到04:46am!(汗)

終於有了可以 post comment 的功能,還不好好利用?呵呵~

p.s. Although【Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street】is rather "unique" in many ways, it's still very Tim Burton, and worth seeing.

3.2.08

Enchanted



早熟的drawback,大概是太早失去童真,因此從不相信聖誕老人,也不憧憬童話故事 -- 世上本來就不存在"and they lived happily ever after".

所以當看到【Enchanted】的 trailer,就急不及待想知道 Disney 如何在不破壞"happily ever after"的設定下,把生活在童話世界的王子公主帶入殘酷的現實世界。難得貓男獲贈【Enchanted】的首映戲票,雖然不設劃位,而且假日也得早起,但還是滿心歡喜彈彈彈地到會展看首映去 о(ж>▽<)y

不得不讚 Disney 勇氣可嘉,敢於拿童話故事元素來開玩笑:公主以歌聲召喚免費勞工,不過地點由森林換成 Manhattan市中心,召來的自然是蟑螂和坑渠老鼠;公主需要參加舞會但找不著守護女巫?不怕不怕,連小女孩都懂得有樣東西比守護女巫的法力還要高強 -- 信用卡!

Amy Adams 演活了童話公主的天真無邪,可惜當公主略嫌老了點

公主的好友兼首席智囊 Pip 集機智活潑可愛於一身


毒蘋果、玻璃鞋、true love's kiss 等等童話經典自然要好好利用,不過,Disney 是不會砸自己的飯碗的,自嘲式幽默恰到好處,結局仍是灰姑娘式大變身,然後吃下毒蘋果由心愛的人親吻喚醒......and they lived happily ever after.

雖然外國不少影評盛讚 Amy Adams 演活了童話女主角 Giselle,可貓卻覺得 chipmunk Pip 才是全劇的靈魂所在,尤其牠一鼠分飾兩角,扮男僕想加害公主時,那種唯肖唯妙直教全場觀眾捧腹 ♪(≧∀≦)

2.2.08

作者權益關注小組

寫作是很孤獨的一個行業,即使隸屬同一出版社,作者與作者間不一定有往來,要不是博益突然宣佈停業,旗下一眾作者大概未必有機會聚頭,更遑論要「團結起來」。

多得熱心的伍諾韻日以繼夜地發電郵聯絡作者、會見區議員和召集作者會議,「作者權益關注小組」才得以在今天正式成立。出席是日會議的22位博益/一本堂作者,固然關心(痛心)自己的著作版權和存書處理問題,然而大家早已達成共識,這次站出來,不僅為爭取個人權益,而是希望透過這次「對話」,為文化界做一點事,向公眾揭示文化界的不平等合約、為後來者爭取保障權益,也期望出版社能接納我們的意見,改變銷毀存書的決定。

我們當中,部分(包括貓)早已作了最壞的打算以及心理準備,料定SCMP會拒絕無條件歸還版權;當務之急,是爭取SCMP捐出打算銷毀的存書作慈善用途。喚醒香港人對文化界不平等現象的關注、為未來打算投身創意工業的新作者提供合約意見等,是我們的努力目標......那是一條相當漫長而崎嶇的路,沒有回報,卻須付出金錢時間精神,途中會有多少人退出?不知道,只知道現在能做多少是多少。

感謝劉慧卿議員為我們奔走,樂見梁家傑先生(以博益作者身分)積極參與,並給予我們寶貴意見。

「作者權益關注小組」成員逾20人,要找落腳點本來就不容易,要找一個適合作會議用途的場所就更難,幸而在劉慧卿議員的幫忙下,得以預約立法會會議室 -- 稅,原來不是白交的 ( ̄∇ ̄+)

散會後會合貓男,本打算看電影,可惜【Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street】戲票售罄,只好在朗豪坊晚飯晚飯,隨意逛逛~結果一逛,便在muji掃走一大袋零食,再自b+ab帶走2件毛衣,隨後再往ans拐去靚靚皮手套(精明消費~半價購入)~ 新年,果然是適宜敗家的月份 (..。)

ラブラブ~ねずみ@朗豪坊

雖然才剛吃過 MOS Burger 的蝦堡套餐和街邊的鮮炸魷魚,貓男還是堅持要到滿記吃甜品 -- 誰說獨女生才有兩個胃?

寒冷警告持續生效,已練成十級寒冰掌的貓實在需要一對真正保暖的手套(淚)

1.2.08

白老鼠

要不是昨天接到 Missha 店員來電,提醒今天晚上準時到 workshop 上課,大概早已把上月與 Joyce 相約報名學化妝一事丟諸腦後 ( ̄∇ ̄+)

說來也真慚愧,作為女生,長這麼大,竟連基本的化妝技巧也不會 (..。) 要不是打算轉職,需要打扮得"formal"些,恐怕亦未必會跑去學化妝。

不過所謂「學化妝」,也不過是個半小時的速成班而已。

真正汗顏的,是發現自己原來連最最基本的化妝知識也欠奉(汗)。Ok~ok~貓要到大學畢業才自一個中學生口中得知上粉底前要擦隔離霜、原來洗面膏不能代替落妝水徹底卸妝已夠白痴,可是這天上課才曉得化妝是由上至下,先由畫眉開始......連這點皮毛也不懂,還被導師取笑畫眼線猶如犯人接受行刑,真的汗顏汗到爪哇去了( ̄□ ̄; )!!!!

Missha 的 workshop
好戲還在後頭呢!一心想來學化妝,沒想到最後卻當了白老鼠,被導師「邀請」充當示範模特兒( ̄□ ̄; )!!!!

雖然導師讓貓手持小鏡子,可是慮及高舉鏡子至視線水平有礙其他同學看示範,結果不是合上眼,便是以奇怪的角度凝視手中小鏡;上眼妝時更慘,視線要不瞄向天花便是垂望雙腳,根本看不見導師如何上妝嘛!

Missha 的 workshop
唯一安慰,大概是導師示範如何使用遮瑕膏時稱讚貓的皮膚好,無需遮瑕,只要淡化黑眼圈即可 -- oh~黑眼圈,你的名字是可恨的永久性非法居民(淚)。

化妝,果然是門很高深的學問。過猶不及,剛學會丁點皮毛的門外貓,還是乖乖躲在家中練習練習吧 ( ̄∇ ̄+)

24.1.08

再見了,博益「一本堂」

有的痛,並非受創一刻即能感受得到;然而這種痛,往往是傷得最深、最難撫平的一種痛。

Denzel 自友人處聽得博益要結業的消息,向貓求證。當時還奇怪坊間怎會流傳那樣的消息?這可是博益耶!本地最老最具規模的品牌之一,結業?怎麼可能!

沒想到下午便接到出版社編輯的電郵。

讀畢電郵,當下的感覺仍是難以置信 -- 真的嗎?

無論多理解博益停業是事實,可是思考短路了,一切都來得那樣不真實。

那一刻,好比人們吃飽了,可是飽足的感覺要經歷20分鐘,訊息才能傳到大腦一般;所以收到博益停業的通知後,並不覺得特別震撼。

完了。不必再趕死線。不必再為寫小說徹夜不眠。終於可以在假日逛逛街或看一場電影...

是鬆一口氣?當真這樣想嗎?

是自己太喜歡寫,所以才會徹夜不眠地振筆疾書吧?誰也沒要求過作者週末淨躲在家中寫小說呀!誰又會為了那麼一丁點版稅奉上所有私人時間、精神體力,甚至健康?還不是因為真的喜歡寫!只要讀者一句喜歡,熬夜多辛苦也值得。

晚上跟編輯和幾位作者msn,不捨的感覺才漸漸湧上心頭 -- 已經出版的小說,一字一句,都是心血;筆下角色雖屬虛構,感情卻100%真實,好幾次邊寫自己邊難過得哭了。

那些既熟悉又陌生的角色,陪伴我撐過許多個熬夜的晚上;發生在他們身上的事情純屬虛構,卻在構思情節與落筆之際,於腦海上演過千百遍...然而這些,都不再重要了,最少在博益母公司SCMP的眼中,毫不重要。

對於外間狠評博益,希望大家先弄清楚一點 -- 整件事裡,決策人是博益的母公司SCMP,並非博益待作者不公。

博益及其子公司「一本堂」是很出色的出版社,能跟他們合作,絕對是一種榮幸。感謝出版社給我很大的創作自由,謝謝編輯予我無限支持與包容。

博益用心搞出版,它為文化界所作出的貢獻毋庸置疑。試問有多少家出版社願意不斷投資新作者,並且給予他們最大的創作空間?

然而在母公司SCMP眼中,「博益」只是一盤生意,而不是那個陪伴香港文化界成長的名字。而一盤生意,即使在有盈餘的情況下,只要達不到公司所期望的盈收,仍逃不過停止運作的命運。

跟旗下作者解約、拒絕談洽回購版權、截至三月底仍沒售出的著作及存倉書籍一律銷毀...這些都是生意人的商業決策,可以理解;可以理解,但不能接受。

出版物是SCMP的資產,如何處置這批資產,決定權當然在SCMP,可是一貨倉的心血結晶,一夜間銷毀,這是作者所不能接受的。我們並不冀望SCMP把餘書贈予作者,只是與其銷毀,倒不如捐贈圖書館或學校,最少也有作為一本書的價值,可供人閱讀、流傳。

誠然,當中所涉及的物流、存倉及行政費用和耗時都是驚人的,我們也沒奢想過SCMP會負擔這筆費用。只要SCMP願意無條件捐贈餘書,相信有心人還是有的。不少前博益作者都願意充當義工,出錢出力籌組贈書,為甚麼就不能先徵求我們的意向?

還有就是版權問題,博益擁有不少作者的「永久版權」,包括已故的黃霑先生和林振強先生的著作。無論是新的舊的,已絕版還是正準備付印的,全屬作者心血,既然SCMP已宣佈放棄中文小說這個出版市場,因何拒絕作者回購版權的意願?狠狠把我們苦心經營的文字、角色和故事活埋?

這次銷書,銷毀的不僅是倉庫內的存書,而是坑殺了廿多年的文化產物。作為一家文化企業,SCMP是否應該拿出一點點社會責任?稍微考慮一下停業對本地文化界的打擊或影響?

做生意,帳目無疑重要,可是 business integrity 同樣不可或缺。試問有甚麼比由一家欠缺 business integrity 的機構報道真相來得更諷刺?

p.s. 如果你有喜愛的博益/一本堂作者,記緊在這期間購買他們的作品了,因為三月過後,SCMP便會把所有出版銷毀。

p.p.s. 贊同博益作者爭取版權的讀友可到以下網址聯署簽名支持:http://www.petitiononline.com/scmpbook/petition.html

p.p.p.s. 很抱歉原訂新年出版的新書《藍色初戀17號》如今胎死腹中了,不過有可能會改為在網上連載,稍後再作公佈。

20.1.08

take it for granted

6:40pm 竟收到社長來電,說他剛剛把稿件電郵了給貓。

社長彷彿己習慣了星期六/日才交稿,而且十分、相當、極之理所當然地認為貓勢必會留在家中24小時 on standby,就為了隨時編輯他的稿件 -- 別忘了星期六/日可不是辦公日,貓並沒有責任留守家中等他的稿;即使碰巧在家,那也是「私人時間」,誰也沒義務替他辦公。

即使假日也得留守家中隨時候命?!You've gotta be kidding me!難道都不必上街?天底下哪有這麼便宜的事情,一個電話搖過來,24x7全天候工作的(而且每星期皆如此)?貓可不記得自己有簽過賣身契耶( ̄□ ̄; )!!!!

已好幾個月了,社長習慣得如此理所當然,理所當然得全不 appreciate 別人為他所做的,甚至毫不認為這對別人而言是一種麻煩和困擾。

要知道,世上並沒有甚麼是理所當然的。

工作如是,愛情也如是。

你可以揮霍別人的付出,但當早已透支的一方決定終止關係時,別問為甚麼。

是日(贈興)熱播:Happily Never After by Nicole Scherzinger



"I don't think I want this anymore,"
As she drops the ring to the floor.
She says to herself, "You've left before,"
"This time you will stay gone, that's for sure."

And he shattered something else
To drag her suitcase down the path,
To the driveway.
She had never gone that far.

Normally this would be
the time that she
would let him talk her out of leaving,
But this time, without crying,
as she got into her car, she said,

Chorus:
"No
'Happily Never After'
That just ain't for me.
Because finally,
I know
I deserve better, after all (ooooh)
I'll never let another teardrop fall."

As she drove away she starts to smile,
Realized she hadn't for a while.
No destination, she drove for miles
Wondering why she stayed in such denial.

She was laughing about the way he shattered something else
To drag her suitcase down the path,
to the driveway,
she had never gone that far
Normally this would be, the time that she
would let him talk her out of leaving, but this time, without crying,
as she got into her car, she said,

Chorus:
"No
'Happily Never After'
That just ain't for me
Because finally,
I know I deserve better
After all
I'll never let another teardrop fall."

I'm done, I'm done, said I'm so done,
I'm free, I'm free, so free
Free to feel the way I feel, yeah.

She inhales a breath she'd never breathed before
Don't want no drama no more.

'Cause she says " No
'Happily Never After'
That just ain't for me"

Chorus:
"I know
I deserve, better after all
I know I'll never let another teardrop fall"
"No
'Happily Never After'
That just ain't for me"
because finally,
I know I deserve better, after all
I'll never let another teardrop fall"

Said I'm done, I'm done, I'm done



Don't take it for granted, for one would certainly reach the point when enough is enough.

19.1.08

自從在【Gossip Girl】(ep. 10 "Hi, Society") 聽到拿來當配樂的"Apologize"後便愛上了這首歌,當時甚至不曉得歌名,幸好【Gossip Girl】對配樂選曲十分認真,除成立小組專門負責選曲,更與唱片公司合作,讓粉絲們可直接於網站購買或試聽歌曲,甚或直接購入幾位主角的 playlist ♪(≧∀≦)




OneRepublic Apologize
I'm holding on your rope,
Got me ten feet off the ground
I'm hearin what you say but I just can't make a sound
You tell me that you need me
Then you go and cut me down, but wait
You tell me that you're sorry
Didn't think I'd turn around, and say...

It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late

I'd take another chance, take a fall
Take a shot for you
And I need you like a heart needs a beat
But it's nothin new
I loved you with a fire red-
Now it's turning blue, and you say...
"Sorry" like the angel heaven let me think was you
But I'm afraid...

It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late

It's too late to apologize, it's too late
I said it's too late to apologize, it's too late
It's too late to apologize, yeah
I said it's too late to apologize, yeah-
I'm holdin on your rope, got me ten feet off the ground...


不過貓還是最近才留意到"Apologize"的原唱與作曲原來是來自美國 Colorado 的搖滾樂隊 OneRepublic,而"Apologize"正是收錄在他們的首張專輯"Dreaming Out Loud"的第一主打。

"Apologize"由 OneRepublic 作曲,Timbalake 只是無意中聽到這首歌後決定與 OneRepublic 合作,拿這首本來就已很出色的歌製作 Remix 版本,搶先收錄在專輯"Presents Shock Value"。結果這首歌大熱,卻沒有多少人知道原唱是 OneRepublic......

Show business 便是這樣,即使再有才華,長得再好看、歌藝演技再超凡,沒觀眾緣或沒走運,就是紅不起來。

這個圈子,沒有公平或一分耕耘一分收穫這回事。但既是自己選擇的,就只好認真地幹,然後將餘下的交予命運之神。

16.1.08

What the hell......

是日奉旨陪社長到星島開會商議豬肉獎頒獎典禮事宜‧‧‧且還是5:30pm才開始?What the......

還以為社長必會在駕車途中提出E辭職一事,沒想到全程他竟隻字不提!!!( ̄□ ̄; )!!!!

E畢竟是編輯部的重要生產力呀,難道社長認為沒有必要通知貓這個好歹也算是編輯部 team leader 嗎?是責任也好實際需要也罷,社長該不會以為單貓能獨自挑起整份報章IT版吧?!他該會不認為別家報社3-4個人負責的工作全推給貓吧?別說沒加薪,就是給貓雙倍工資也無福消受耶!(ノ `Д´)ノ

到底是環境使人變質,還是時間?

9.1.08

home sweet home

自從始創中心的IKEA關門大吉後,已許久沒跟貓男逛過IKEA了(淚),逛IKEA可是我倆的一大樂趣呢!o(><)o

(計劃中) 為防止kuro&toro竄進衣櫃,只好把原來的IKEA布簾門衣櫃換成木門的;然後為了節省空間,現時的睡床也計劃換成高架床(就是床板下的空間可以拿來改造成書房的那種床架);此外還得換一張新書桌,好配合床架的尺寸);然後再到無印良品選購組合櫃‧‧‧不過前題是要把東西雜物收拾好、髹上新油漆‧‧‧簡而言之,就是大掃除了(淚)

哪裡來的時間大掃除啊?!

結果逛了一個晚上,只買了一套碗碟、餐桌墊和食物包裝夾‧‧‧好想好想替貓公館來個"make over" o(><)o

8.1.08

One more, please!

偶然下發現了這個同心童心當代藝術展,便決定要帶 Pink Positive 大隊來拍個夠,剛好這天下午提早完成訪問,便順道繞到中環大會堂來個連環快拍。

要不是這隻巨型的吹氣 Dongguri,貓肯定會錯過了這個名為"one more, please! 同心童心"的當代藝術展

Dongguri 系列除了 character design 吸引,透明設計亦成功營造了獨特的 visual effect

Dongguri 的寵物(貓?)好可愛呢

Dongguri 簡單的黑與白可是指小朋友純真的內心世界,而彩色繽紛的花朵則象徵他們的童心?

簡單的線條與構圖,卻成功表現出跳脫的動感

天真爛漫的花花世界



同心童心 one more, please!2007香港當代藝術展:

地點:香港大會堂
日期:13/12/2007~17/2/2008
時間:9am~10:30pm

看畢童心展,步伐也彷彿變輕鬆了