Did you bring it?

Rejoining the game of romance isn't an easy thing. After a few years, a man will lose that touch that moves a woman. So, it is time to retrain.

When chatting with a few friends, some bagua will be discussed. There was a case when a well-off guy was introduced to a nice gal, all things should have gone well... and it didn't. The well-off guy brough the nice gal to boston pizza on their 2nd date. If he was still in high school, it might have been okay, but at this age? He didn't bring it.

Another case, when a creepy guy asked out a nice gal, the guy said, "why don't we meet up at the food court?". If that wasn't weird enough, the nice gal showed up at the food court, hoping the creepy guy would at least take her some place else, he didn't. Food court is for friends, but if you are interested in the gal, you have to bring it. The creepy guy didn't...

The game of romance requires a guy to behave in a certain way while a gal is required to behave in a certain way. For example, the guy should shave (most of the time), be clean, take gal to nice place, and pay the bill afterwards. The gal on the other hand, is expected to smell nice, responsive, dress up and let the guy pay the bill afterwards.

When we age, things are being added to the that list of expectations, a nice place might have to be as nice as moxie, boston pizza and white spot are no longer accepted. (unless you know the chef there and special dish is prepared) Dress up might mean in dresses, showing off assets, clothes you wear from work are no lnger accepted. (unless you work at victoria secret and a special dish is prepared - you)

At the first stage of the game, people are always expected to bring it.

You always hear women say, "i don't need fancy food/presents/flowers/shoes/car...", and I believe them. You know why? Because I believe if the guy in both cases were charming enough, they would have pulled them off.

And that is it! The restaurant, the attire, the bill paying are just added stuff, what you are expected to bring in the first stage of the game, is actually, CONFIDENCE!

"高調國民" - 低調奢華的相反

每次回台灣都會學一些新東西,這次學了一些新字,像之前很流行的夯(還真的打的出來),到最近流行的很超過.這個很超過真的還用的很超過,這個有點很超過,那個有點很超過...

不過衝擊最大的是低調奢華四個字,照字面上,應該是代表想表現自己有錢,但又要表現自己的眼光獨特,不為俗套,但行家還是看得出來是有錢有品味的人.像古早用蘋果電腦的人,開SAAB的人...

但我在台北的某新建設有看見廣告,十四坪的空間,低調奢華的室內設計.不是吧,又不是黃金地帶,又不是什麼很大的地方,低調尚可以,奢華就一點也談不上.所以這四個字是可以濫用的.像一陣子流行的竹炭,奈米,油切一樣,加上重點字,就可以大賣.我還真的買過竹炭毛巾,和油切咖啡...

聽朋友解釋,這四個字已退流行,現在人完全相反,不是有錢扮有品味,而是沒錢扮有品味.怎講?

7-eleven裡就有一個成功的例子.我們知道新巴克代表的是一種時尚,而且還貴的時尚,不管喜不喜歡喝咖啡,手上一杯感覺就是不一樣.但現在時機壞壞,不想花錢在昂貴飲料上?7-eleven就提供了citycafe服務,基本上就是告訴店員你要喝拿鐵,店員就用機器沖一杯.你可能會說這有什麼了不起.利害的就是這,7花了很多錢去建立citycafe這品牌,加上看起來高級的杯子,中等價位,不錯的咖啡,成功的滿足那些有咖啡癮,又需要滿足虛榮心的中產階級上班族.想像早上拿這一杯出去,強過拿一杯花花綠綠美而美的咖啡吧?

像之前看過一些新聞說有出租名牌包的店,需要參加派對的真假名媛花不起錢買一個一年用不到兩次的包,就像燕尾服一樣用租的.還聽過更扯的,是香港有人在賣名牌袋,不是名牌的袋子,而是買名牌,用來裝名牌的紙袋或塑膠袋,上面還是有大大的logo,要買它做啥子?來做上下班的大袋子,很容易讓別人誤會你真的有LV還是GUCCI的東西,只是把他們的紙袋回收罷了,但說真的,有錢人哪會帶紙袋出門?

現在大概還沒有一個正式的名稱,最接近的就是國民,但國民只有提到俗又大碗,沒有講到品味,不如叫"高調國民"如何?

Slumdog Millionaire

He is one question from 20million Rupees...

A) He is lucky
B) He is a Genius
C) He is cheating
D) It is written

It is a good movie, watch it!

If I were a boy - the duet

I have heard the song by Beyonce, "If I were a boy", basically a song about a girl whining about her boyfriend. Here is an interesting version, Beyonce and R. Kelly duet. Instead of just the girl whining, now you have the boy bitching. Now we have a great song!

If I were a boy
even just for a day
I'd roll out of bed in the morning
and throw on what I wanted and go

Drink beer with the guys
and chase after girls
I'd kick it with who I wanted
and I'd never get confronted for it
cause they stick up for me

If I were a boy
I think I could understand
How it feels to love a girl
I swear I'd be a better man
I'd listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taking you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

(R. Kelly)
If you were a boy
then girl you'd understand
you need to stop listening to your friends
love, respect and trust your man

So I go to clubs with the guys
and sometimes flirt with the girls
I should be able to roll out
as long as Im coming home to you
and give you the world

But you are not a boy,
so you dont have a clue (ey)
How I work and pay the bills
girl and everything I do is for you (eh eh)

(Beyonce)
I'd listen to her
Cause I know how it hurts
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taking you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

If I were a Boy (Beyonce)
If I were a Girl (Kelly)

I would turn off my phone (Beyonce)
I wouldn't play games (Kelly)

Tell everyone it's broken
so they'd think that I was sleeping alone (Beyonce)
Girl you know thats wrong (Kelly)

I’d put myself first
and make the rules as I go
Cause I know that she’ll be faithful,
waiting for me to come home, to come home.

But you are not a boy,
so you can't understand
You are not a perfect woman
and I am not a perfect man (with me, with me)

I'd listen to her (eh eh)
Cause I know how it hurts (Kelly: and I know how you feel)
When you lose the one you wanted
Cause he's taking you for granted
And everything you had got destroyed

Kelly: Said Im sorry
It's a little too late for you to come back

but I cant let you go
cause Im too attached (Kelly)

If you thought I would wait for you
you thought wrong

But you're just a boy

裝箱

昨天，朋友勸我加快振作的時間，我看房間裡兩人的照片，覺得該是時間裝箱了…

裝箱是每個失戀過的人都會經過的階段。整理兩個人的照片，裝箱。 掛在房間裡的照片，裝箱。 她的衣服，裝箱。 原本要送的東西，裝箱。她的牙刷，丟掉。 用她名字的電腦密碼，改掉。 手機裡的照片，刪掉…

任何可以提醒我們的東西，都放進箱裡。不觸景，就不傷情。

放進一件物品，想起一段時間，上次照相的情景，上次她在這裡說過哪些有趣的事。 箱子漸漸滿了， 腦裡的回憶的箱子也漸漸滿了。

這不是逃避，這是成長的開始，是面對現實的開始。

又是開始孤單一個人，還是孤單一個人。 等到哪天，再開這回憶的箱子，可以微笑的想妳。如果妳多年後打開妳的箱子，你會怎麼想起我?

Sine Qua Non

In the movie Mr. and Mrs. Smith, when they were trying to kill each other, Mr. Smith said to Mrs. Smith, "I guess that's what happens in the end, you start thinking about the beginning."

So I did, I thought about us, I thought about where things could have been. More importantly, what is that I want? It is always difficult after a relationship, in the mix feelings of who did what, and fault finding. Somewhere in the foggy mind...

It used to be easier, Love that is. It is not supposed to be harder. But it feels harder now, everything has to start all over again, the soul searching, the mindles games, and the anwer to the unanswered quesion, "What is that I cannot live without?"

"Without which Not" - Sine Qua Non

I want Miss Independent

Artist: Ne-Yo

Yeah Yeah (9x)

OoOo its something about
Just something about the way she moves
I can't figure it out
There's something about her
OoOo its something about
Got a woman that want you but don't need you
Eh can't figure it out
There's something about her

Cuz she walks like a boss, talks like a boss
Manicured nails and such a pedicured boss
She's fly effortlessly
She moves like a boss do what a boss
Do she got me thinking about getting it boss
Its the kind of girl I need

(Chorus:)
She's got her own thing
That's why I love her
Miss Independent
Won't you come and spend a little time
She's got her own thing
That's why I love her
Ms. Independent
OoOo the way you shine
Miss Independent

Yeah Yeah (10x)

OoOo there's something about
Got a woman that can do it for herself
I look at er and it makes me proud
There's something about her
Something oso sexy about
Got a woman that don't even need my help
She said she got it, she got it no doubt
There's something about her

And she work like a boss, play like a boss
Car and a crib se go to pay them both off
And her bills are payed on time.
She's made for a boss, only a boss
Anything she telling them to get lost
That's the girl thats on my mind

(Chorus)

Mmmm now everything you say don't worry I got it
Mmmm and everything she got best believe she got it
Mmmm she gon' steal my heart they know that about it
Girl you're everything I need
Said you're everything I need

(Chorus)

Miss Independent
That's why I love her.

________________________________________

hm... I want a girl who wants me, but doesn't need me.

Holy Crap, that is young!

You know you are old when you move to 90s music, or remember how icq works. But when a friend sent me a picture of a Japanese Racing Queen, she is hot, but she is born in year of 1991... 1991! She is only 18...

That means she was 1 when I came to Canada. That means she does not know

Hot girls are born in the 90s now... holy crap!

深夜的雞肋

深夜(或清晨)四點,怎樣都睡不著,不知道是不是年紀大了,以前台灣回來從不會有時差的問題.這次回來連續在家昏睡了好幾天,上了三天班,還是每天下午三點需要回家小眠一陣才能回去上班. 每天晚上早早睡覺,但總在兩三點起床,然後,就睡不著了,接下來不是吃超早早餐,就是上網看別人的blog,要不,就是拿出台灣買的中國製造三國演義電視劇來看,在光華商場買的時候,是心抱著,反正一個人在家沒事做,可以看這種有夠長的電視劇,一共4500分鐘,84集.

結果,還蠻好睡的,本劇忠於原味,很慢很安靜,某大導演的赤壁,花了兩個多小時的上半集(而且什麼連環計,黃蓋詐降,蔣幹渡江,草船借箭的伏筆都沒有),電視劇很豪邁的用八集描述,hm...睡得很香甜

說到三國,這次在台灣,某位已婚男友在聽過我的最近演出的連續劇(而且是接近偶像劇的那種低能),語重心長的說,你是雞肋! 雞肋?

　　《三国演义》第七十二回 诸葛亮智取汉中曹操兵退斜谷中，曹操正在进退两难之际，适庖官进鸡汤。操见碗中有鸡肋，因而有感于怀。正沉吟间，夏侯惇入帐，禀请夜间口号。操随口曰：“鸡肋！鸡肋！”惇传令众官，都称“鸡肋”。行军主簿杨修，见传“鸡肋”二字，便教随行军士，各收拾行装，准备归程。有人报知夏侯惇。惇大惊，遂请杨修至帐中问曰：“公何收拾行装？”修曰：“以今夜号令，便知魏王不日将退兵归也：鸡肋者，食之无肉，弃之有味。今进不能胜，退恐人笑，在此无益，不如早归：来日魏王必班师矣。故先收拾行装，免得临行慌乱。”

後來,楊修這臭屁小子就被曹鬍子找個造謠亂軍心的藉口殺了頭.但雞肋就是"食之無味,棄之可惜"就被傳了下來,沒想到,一千多年後,居然被拿來形容我在感情中的腳色,氣阿,恨阿...

國境之南

老實講,如果之前沒有看海角七號,如果不是在去內灣的山路上再次聽到,如果不是三個失戀的大男生一起唱著這首歌,也許它不會那麼悅耳...

如果海　會說話　如果風愛上砂
如果　有些想念遺忘在某個長假

我會聆聽浪花　讓風吹過頭髮
任記憶裡的愛情在時間潮汐裡喧嘩

非得等春天遠了夏天才近了
我是在回首時終於懂得
當陽光　再次　回到那　飄著雨的國境之南
我會試著把　那一年的故事　再接下去說完

當陽光　再次　離開那　太晴朗的國境之南
妳會不會把　妳曾帶走的愛　
在告別前用微笑全歸還

海很藍　星光燦爛　我仍空著我的臂彎
天很寬　在我獨自唱歌的夜晚
請原諒我的愛　訴說的太緩慢

Me and my weird friends

Turtle, Piggy, Kappa and I are best friends since high school.

Kappa and Turtle both went back to Taiwan years ago. Piggy and I never left Vancouver.

When other friends look at us, they find us to be weird bunch. Always have trouble with ladies, not really settling down, looking back while looking forward. But we are truthful and stupid things happen to us when we are together.

As another best friend put it, "when you guys are together, you must be like spongebob squarepants and his friends". I think it is well put.

三人行

話說高中的三位好朋友,在畢業之後的十多年後,在台灣又重逢了.一個人是剛和女朋友分手,一個人是剛沒追到女生,一個是剛取消婚約.照理應該還有第四個好友,他卡在某個有神秘珈哩的國度.

現在,我們都年過三十,都在感情,工作走了一小圈,湊在一起應該是有很多話,沒錯,我們也去了很多地方.

第一天,烏龜從高雄上了台北,kappa開車來接我們,kappa也是今年才又成為有車族,法國車,煞車快磨完了,airbag的燈一直亮者,大概是白色,但是非常拉風.

先去深坑吃豆腐,kappa據說常去那吃中餐,吃飯時才發現,這兩位朋友加起來像三個女生,菜一次就點一大堆.接下來去烏來洗溫泉,我們都不是第一次在大眾池寬衣解帶,但彼此坦承相見到是頭一回.接下來又殺去宜蘭,特地吃當地有名的甕窯雞,又是沒頭沒腦點一堆.接下來直接殺去桃園飯店.晚上十點多,三個人晃去外頭找聽說會出來覓食的空姐.街走了幾條,空姐沒見到,只好在飯店附近的pub坐坐,有駐唱的地方,三個人大眼瞪小眼,才發現兩個朋友都抽煙,其中一個還抽的利害.其中一位說,這好像是我們第一次一起在pub裡喝酒,不過,我們看起來都惆悵多了.

隔日,住在附近的烏龜姊姊(大家都三十幾,叫大姐姐會有些尷尬),參觀她華麗的公寓,又去吃飯了.這幾天,吃多少不提,光是大便的次數就很破我個人紀錄了.香港來個朋友也是差不多時間到,去接她的迷路上,不小心經過一間go kart的地方.接到朋友,先去吃飯(沒錯,又是吃),原來還傷腦筋不知去哪吃,香港來的朋友比我們三個還熟,找個路邊攤就解決了.回頭去開go kart,就在隔壁的batting cage,又是用餐的時間,烏龜問烏龜姐何處有活蝦,原來又在隔壁.所以我們第二日行程都在同一個地方.送走了朋友,我們匆匆去新竹找酒店,找了幾間決定了一間在聽說台灣最大的百貨公司隔壁的商業旅館住,一問才知道,那百貨已經倒一年多了,那商業旅館是乾淨,但內裝像圓山飯店,不是豪華程度,是年代久遠.之前看見幾間電動間,幾個人又往城隍廟口走,我喝了一碗控丸湯,那兩個人居然一個人又吃了一大堆,當其中一個問我還要不要吃豆花的時候,我的回答是,"豆花個你XX,還吃什麼鬼豆花,都十二點還吃"

我現在連帶手錶都會緊得留下印子,賣夠甲啦,你們是夭鬼上身阿...

頭三天

回台的頭三天,像是打仗一般,一場又一場,今天才有時間結算,一共見了五位朋友,三位客戶,乘了兩次高鐵,六次小黃,跟很多次捷運,真正自己逛街的時間只有昨晚在漢神百貨的一個小時.btw, 穿西裝去逛高級服飾區真的很怪,很多專櫃小姐都投以懷疑的眼神,大概以為我是不知道哪一個西裝專櫃的服務員吧.

夜市倒是去了好幾個,台北的公館,高雄的六合,新堀江,吃了不少小吃,高級料理也吃了不少,感謝高雄朋友的爸媽百忙中還帶我吃超高級鐵板燒,吃龍蝦,39樓看高雄港,夠利害吧.

另外值得一提的是,第一天到,已婚朋友向我抱怨,來台兩年,見到的正妹大概只有五個,但我當天晚上和爸爸吃飯就見到好幾個,還有幾個疑似明星的,有一個真的很像是小s.所以證明,正妹只有晚上,東區,和高級料理餐廳出沒.

---------
actually, it was small S, I saw her picture on "apple daily" the next day, the exact outfit.

The flight in with an annoying neighbour…

Taking long flight is never a fun thing unless it is your first time on a plane. It was my first in a very long time to take China Airline. Last time was back in 1992 when I took China Airline to Vancouver.

Stuck in a cramp seat for 13 hours may become less bearable when your neighbour is annoying. In my case, I had an extra annoying neighbour.

It was a middle age Asian guy (I have no idea where he is from, I was guessing somewhere in Southeast Asia), he had a balding head with oversized glasses. He had his son (presumed) with him, so he talked to him all the time. Yes, even when he had his earphone on.

I later found out that his wife (presumed) was on the same flight, but was at a different row. How did I find out? A woman walked pass in the middle of the night and started chatting with him loudly and woke me up. You see, I had the aisle seat, and he sat beside me, so they had to talk over me, and they did, loudly.

During the journey, he would occasionally elbow me when reaching for stuff, move the arm rest up and down, (the only thing that divided our seats, my only protection from him), and moved his bag every 15 mins.

Those things weren’t the worst.

The worst was when he inhale loudly through his nose, hold for a sec and let out a huge “ah~” afterwards. It was loud enough to wake me up after I fell sleep a few times during the in flight movie. At first, I thought maybe he was trying to remind me that I was missing the best parts, but he did that during meals as well. He did it frequently, he did it proudly, even when everyone was sleeping.

Thanks, strange-middle-age-southeast asian guy, you made my long journey that more memorable, for the wrong reasons.

Soulmate - Natasha Bedingfield

Many people think there are at least one soulmate they should be searching for in their lifes. The thing is, you never know when you are going to come across one, and what do you do when you think you have met your "soulmate"? What if that person does not think you are his/her soulmate?

Here is a song that hit me this cold cold morning. Natasha's voice is quite unqiue, the song very much pop.

Incompatible, it don't matter though
'cos someone's bound to hear my cry
Speak out if you do
You're not easy to find

Is it possible Mr. Loveable
Is already in my life?
Right in front of me
Or maybe you're in disguise

Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone

Here we are again, circles never end
How do I find the perfect fit
There's enough for everyone
But I'm still waiting in line

Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone

If there's a soulmate for everyone

Most relationships seem so transitory
They're all good but not the permanent one

Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone

Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
If there's a soulmate for everyone
____________________________________________

Now, who knows how to love someone without being told?