Perfect 8

When I was single, group C married couples will always try to hook me up with single girls.  "Try" is the operative word, they will only probe you with questions like, "you like long hair?", "you like teachers?", "you like girl with no car?"... then, I would wait and wait for them to set a blind date... and nothing happens.

Of course, married couples have other priorities.  So, when they ask again, I would just politely tell them that I am not ready.  When I am ready, I would tell them that I need more time just to stop them from asking those silly questions.

There was this one time however, a married dude asked me, hey I have a cute single friend I can introduce to you.  I asked him to tell me more, he did a pretty crappy job at describing the girl (she is nice, is a good girl...), then he concluded that she is a 8, as in 8 out of 10.

Then I said, "get me a 10!"  He never tried to hook me up again.

I thought about this conversation a few days ago, and I thought, who am I to pick a 10 out of 10?  I am not a 10!

Good Luck James - part 2

連續兩餐都是和最近結婚的好朋友吃飯, 不知怎麼想起自己幾年前寫的good-luck-james, 算算自己又老了幾歲, 又多了幾位結了婚的前女友, 現在只剩一位...

這個魔咒大概要到我自己結婚才會停止.

有時會想, 這些與我分手不到一年就結婚的前女友們, 到底是生理時鐘到了, 還是, 已經體驗過最差的男人, 見到好一點的男人就趕快訂終生, 好像股票止跌回升就馬上出售.  這是比較賤的朋友說的. 會安慰的朋友就說, 是因為她們錯過了最好的, 見了還不錯的男人就趕快訂終生.  好像股票過了高峰開始下跌, 就趕快賣出一樣.  

無論如何, 她們都過得幸福, 才重要, 至少, 我有些安慰...

The German Restauranteer

Last month, I was enjoying lunch at a Japanese restaurant, when an elderly gentleman turned around and asked him what the characters mean on his tea cup.

I told him I do not know because they are written in Japanese, and I can't read Japanese.

After the meal, I asked the gentleman if he enjoyed his meal.  He said it was great except it was a little greasy, but he added, he has been spoiled with good food in his life.  This gentleman in his 80s, has been running restaurants since the 60s.

He spoke with an accent, and I asked him where he is from, he said Germany.  Then, he told me that he came to Canada in 1948 to work at a mill on Vancouver island.  Later, found himself owning a restaurant in downtown Vancouver, back in the 70s.

What is more interesting is that he told me the name of his first investment advisor, Peter Brown.  You see, Mr. Brown is the founder of Canaccord Capital, a TSX listed investment firm.

Talk to your neighbours during meals, you might find some really awesome stories.

The gathering of BCD

A very good friend of mine a 2 day stay in Vancouver before flying back to Taiwan.  He is a married man with two kids now.  That would be a D friend.  My other friend is also married but without kids.  He would be a C friend.

Meeting up with these very good friends in different life stage is a very interesting thing.  We can talk about the politics in Taiwan, cars, watches, women, work...  But beyond that, it is hard to talk about their relationships with in-laws and raising kids.  I could just listen.

They all have different priorities in life, I won't be seeing them often.  I used to live with the D friend, we used to play video games together, I used to work out with the C friend, we used to have lunch often.  Not so much now.

With my best friends from high school getting married all in this year.  The A group friends will be getting very very small...

八卦不是關心

人是八卦的動物, 看水果日報, 數字日報賣那麼好就知道了.

但如果發生在自己身邊的人,就更有意思了, 不管是朋友還是朋友的朋友, 還是不認識的人, 他們發生的事, 從工作順不順利, 和哪個人吵架, 感情有沒有著落, 有沒有新歡, 還是分手, 是不是有試著生小孩, 婆媳關係如何... 都是其他人討論的焦點.

我們會美名關心, 問你的事是因為在意你.  其實, 那是屁, 就算不在意的人我們也照樣關心.  而且真關心為什麼不直接關心當事人, 而是在背後關心? 要真關心就問問他過得怎麼樣, 需不需 要幫忙,還是當當他的垃圾桶, 聽聽他的抱怨.

聊八卦是爽的, 是用負責任的, 但是也是完全沒有價值的, 多真關心你的朋友吧!

不團結的台灣人

人是很有趣的動物, 不能完全離開團體.  身在國外, 當然也會參與許多故鄉的社團.  很不幸的, 國外的台灣社團就是台灣的縮影, 有小圈圈, 有政治立場, 有八卦.  

當然, 熱血的義工很多, 但閒著沒事的人更多.

令人扼腕的是不團結. 常聽到, 他們都如何如何, 都是誰的錯. 都是從同一個地方來的, 但什麼都要分我們, 他們...

年初冬奧時, 看見紅色的加拿大國旗海, 每個人興奮的表情, 很難想像台灣會有同樣的景象出現, 光是自己的定位, 藍色還是綠色就吵不完.  很多一窩蜂的態度, 或只見眼前的利益, 都看得出來台灣人對未來多麼的不安, 不用說自己是不是台灣人, 或對台灣有何認同, 有錢賺, 或心情爽, 什麼都好說話. 無論是崇日還是韓毒, 台灣人好像喜歡的是外來的東西多, 自己卻很滿足的抱著隨時可被取代OEM的權利, 在工資低的地方幫大公司賺錢, 反正, 有錢賺就好.  

我母親覺得台灣人本質是好的, 只是被50年代的移民帶壞了, 我反而覺得台灣人本來就如此, 勤勞, 樂天, 但近視...

我以我是台灣人為榮, 但也為台灣人難過.

The flower boy

On the most recent wedding, my best friend pointed at the flower I was wearing and asked, "how many flowers have you worn?".

For each wedding I have helped, I got to wear a flower, usually a rose on my chest.  To be honest, I don't remember how many I have worn.  On the list of things I have done in weddings, I have been the bestman, groomsman, videographer, emcee, setup, usher, sorta wedding planner, driver...

The only jobs I haven't done are probably pianist, photographer (will get to do that next month though), makeup artist, and bride's maid...

I kept some of the flowers, but after a few, I just couldn't remember whose weddings they belong to.

Weddings are fun, not just to attend, but to be part of it, the controlled chaos.  Between wine and flowers, applauses and slides, there are the newly wed, holding hands, and that is the closest thing to total happiness, and that is why I wear the flower.

愛看戰爭片

我愛看戰爭片, 不是為了看像Saving Private Ryan血肉橫飛的畫面, 許多很冷牌的電影, 例如美國南北戰爭的Glory, Gettysburg, 不是阿湯哥的Last Samurai, 而是像黑澤明的影武士, 或天與地.

有許多動作片是很單次元的, 有好人, 有壞人, 最後好人贏了, 警察姍姍來收屍, 好人傷痕累累的抱著妹離開.  戰爭片不一樣, 尤其是有歷史背景的, 通常可以看見人性最好也是最糟的一面, 可以看見人類為了貪婪而用盡方式去殺對方, 同時, 也看見同袍之情, 為了生存, 願意為身旁的兄弟犧牲.

另外有武器, 有戰略, 有爆炸, 誰不愛看?

The Killarney Saga

A friend said the guys from Killarney are weird.   He was right, a few years back, we were all unmarried, still playing video games. 

Things have changed though, 4 guys from Killarney are getting married in September and October, all in Vancouver.  Which means the weird guys from the east side are getting hitched in an amazing pace.  

Good for us!  I say!

Older and Wiser

Another year as come and gone, like my friend said, every time when I am having a birthday party, it signified another year gone.

I wish everyone I know to stay healthy, live active life.

I also wish everyone to make their personal targets, at work, at school, at life.

And I will keep the last wish to myself.

I am yours - Jason Mraz

Saw this guy in concert last year, this is a great song.  Actually, the whole album is pretty good!  Lucky is another great song from the same album

_______________________________________________

Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it

I tried to be chill but your so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks, now I'm tryin to get back
before the cool done run out I'll be givin it my best test
and nothin's gonna stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some

But I won't hesitate no more,
no more, it cannot wait
I'm yours

Well open up your mind and see like me
open up your plans and damn you're free
look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
listen to the music at the moment people dance and sing
Were just one big family
And it's our godforsaken right to be loved loved loved loved loved

So, i won't hesitate no more,
no more, it cannot wait i'm sure
there's no need to complicate our time is short
this is our fate
I'm yours

Scooch on over closer, dear
And I will nibble your ear

I've been spendin' way too long checkin' my tongue in the mirror
and bendin' over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
and so I drew a new face and I laughed
I guess what I'd be sayin' is there ain't no better reason
to rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons
it's what we aim to do
our name is our virtue

But I won't hesitate no more,
no more it cannot wait
I'm yours

well open up your mind and see like me
open up your plans and damn you're free
look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
listen to the music of the moment come and dance with me
ah, la one big family
it's your god forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved, loved

open up your mind and see like me
open up your plans and damn you're free
look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
listen to the music of the moment come and dance with me
ah, la happy family
it's our god forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved

it's our god forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved
listen to the music of the moment come and dance with me
ah, la peaceful melodies
it's you god forsaken right to be loved loved loved loved

Guys, show your dicks!

When I was shopping for cars back in Spring, I had consultations from lots of friends, guys had tons of suggestions, from european to japanese.  Girls on the other hand, had no idea why cars are big deals to guys, to some of them, cars are cars are cars.

The thing with cars and guys are simple.  A car is the extension of a guy's dick.

Never mind what a guy is telling you, how the job requires a more presentable car (that doesn't explain the 300hp), or safer car (that doesn't explain the highest speed of 250km/h), or they need to drive clients (that doesn't explain the 2 door coupe)...  he just wants a nice presentable part of himself.

That is why when a guy has the chance, he will get a 2 door car, preferably with more than 200hps, preferably black.  I have been trying to talk friends out of buying a crappy Audi TT, or a impractical Accord Coupe...

For those guys who have grown up, they will op into a SUV, because they are safer (not always), and give better vision (but many of them seats lying down, that doesn't give much vision).  All they are doing is to avoid buying the unavoidable Van for future family members, to preserve part of their manhood, SUV is their last resort.

For myself, I got myself a black, totally unreliable, not exactly fast coupe... hey, i want my dick to look good!  

Grumpy older man

It is almost that time again, age is slowly creeping up on me.  Although I have been telling everyone I have met this year that I'm 33, it still sucks when I age.

It's not like I cannot feel it either, I get sleepy all the time before lunch after lunch, during and after conversations...

The worst effect is probably the grumpiness that comes with aging.  I mean I should become more patient and wiser.  But I'm finding myself getting frustrated more easily.

Frustrated at traffic, at pushy sales, chatty friends, speed of my computer.  

Of course there might be reasons other than aging causing my grumpiness.  

But getting older does kinda suck.  Especially when I always have feelings that when someone ages, it is the time to check if the person has accomplished enough.

I always feel under-accomplished, and that sucks!

Kayaking marriage

My friend and her husband just came back from a 3 hour kayaking tour.  Ms. Cake asked her how it was.

She said it was exhausting, all the paddling with and against the current.  She wanted to quit a few times but knowing that her husband won't be able to paddle the kayak by himself, she soldiered on and survived...

Ms. Cake told me about the conversation and commented that it is a perfect metaphor for marriage as well.  The couple is on the same boat, with clear goal in mind, one cannot quit because the boat won't go anywhere with just one person paddling.

Beautiful analogy, I said, and I added, "they should have fun and enjoy the scenery on the way to their goal as well".  Like my married friends.

其實我很不浪漫

最近不知道怎麼了, 面書上出現了一堆為女人寫的文章, "其實你不懂女人", "女人只要你的溫柔", "男人必看"... 光是看名字就很反感了.

今天早上, 看了女王的文章, 叫"他很不浪漫", 要不我拜讀過女王的文章, 我會把它當作靠腰文跳過去, 但女王至少還是兩性作家, 應該不會太靠腰.

看了以後, 就明白男生和女生成長的歷程, 曾經自己也是扮浪漫的小男生, 寫歌, 送花, 溫暖接送情. 不知道什麼時候開始, 會被罵, 被嫌, 不夠浪漫, 像根木頭.

其實, 我很不浪漫, 很少買花, 很少稱讚, 很少擺闊, 但我省下來計畫以後...