Tag: #experiencetoday

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English articles

Only you

experiencetoday


I never found the Netflix movie touching, but when the song Only You played in an Italian movie “Ora era” (Still time), tears came to my eyes.” 

It tells the story of a workaholic who is always on the go for work and chores in life. After his 40-year-old birthday celebration, he lost a whole year when he woke up the next day. It was his 41st birthday, and he was shocked. 

His days leapt forward so fast that he missed the birth of his daughter, the first time she called her daddy. Every time he woke up the next day, a year passed. One day, he was devastated to learn about his best friend having cancer. He was afraid to lose this friend the next time he woke up. That was a hurtful feeling. Like one day he spent time talking to his dad, but the next moment, he found himself in an empty house. His father was gone. Luckily, his best friend was still around. 

His relationship was a disaster, but he hated no longer living with his girlfriend and his daughter. He missed them so much. 

This special version of “Only You” carries all the sadness of losing the one you really love. Work can take up energy and jeopardize a relationship. 

The song brought out emotion in me. Maybe I feel sad about losing people I love – my parents, and the people I love. 

I know this song by Alison Moyet has qualities that have captivated me for a long time, and because of this remastered version, I feel the lyrics more.  

Songs sometimes help us express our feelings that are hard to express in words.

Looking from a window above, it’s like a story of love
Can you hear me
Came back only yesterday
I’m moving further away
Want you near me
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you

Sometimes when I think of her name
When it’s only a game
And I need you
Listen to the words that you say
It’s getting harder to stay
When I see you

All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you

All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you

This is going to take a long time
And I wonder what’s mine
Can’t take no more


Wonder if you’ll understand
It’s just the touch of your hand
Behind a closed door
All I needed was the love you gave
All I needed for another day
And all I ever knew
Only you

English articles

Bid someone goodbye

experiencetoday

I recalled the day I got the news about a doctor I admire passing away. Many of us anticipated this day would come but I was more shocked to hear the news when I was on a bus. 

The day before I read the news about a famous Chinese novelist who gave up treatment and died. I totally respected his decision as he said he no longer enjoyed food taste. And he’s over 85 and didn’t want chemotherapy. He’s actually an optimist and I always loved his openness on his talk show. He talked about love, poetry, history, movies and even sex more than a decade ago in this city. People were relatively conservative at the time. 

I let my tears run down and grieved, part of it, for the loss. I grieved, part of it, for my luck working with this doctor and being enlightened by his passion, innovative thoughts, and intelligence. 

No matter how stressful I was the rest of the day, I had to prepare all kinds of communication documents in a short time frame. But because of him, I pushed myself to complete the tasks. I learned to say no and get help when only I was asked to draft all documents. I am not a superwoman. 

When you live to the fullest, life can be filled with glory. His life is so meaningful and has inspired many to fulfill purpose. The purpose of my life is to explore little things with less stress and lead a balanced life. 

Celebrate moments when you feel happy, and cry out when you feel sad. Have a sense of curiosity and a little humour about the world. Don’t keep the emotion deep inside you and build it up till the balloon explodes. 

Observe what your body tells you. Have a sweet dream and a happy day. Every day is a new day. 

English articles

The last governor

experiencetoday

Did an egg tart make you think? For Hongkongers, it represented the mind of a man who offended two powerful countries to try to give us free hands to do more.  

In a recent interview, he told a renowned journalist based in Hong Kong for decades that he felt deeply sorry for what had happened here. Someone reminded him he was being photographed holding a yellow umbrella. Is that a sin? Is that awkward? 

Even though he is known as a famous sinner for a thousand years, he never loses his passion for Cantonese dim sum and delicacies. 

He told inspiring stories of two Hongkongers having made a fresh start in the UK – the first was a young doctor from a Hong Kong family; and the second was an excellent Hong Kong chemistry teacher who joined his old school. 

It is sad to let go of a place you have lived in for so long and reluctantly. His book and many of the memories are vivid in his head. You could feel the sadness on his face when he expressed his regret about not being able to return to Hong Kong in the future.  

He does not seem to be a governor or a politician, just an old man with many stories to tell. Some of them are about his encounters with diplomats and officials, some relate to people he met in Hong Kong and the UK. 

Time dilutes strong emotions. His love of Hong Kong egg tarts, for instance, can always touch our hearts.

English articles

The real price of dinner

experiencetoday


A 10% service charge is usually added to my bill when eating in a restaurant in Hong Kong. We expect to pay more for tipping. Fast food outlets and Hong Kong-style cafes are exceptions. In general, it is not too difficult to figure out the real price of my meal. My friends and I can sit down, eat our meals, and talk freely.

Dining in New Zealand and Japan is simple because I don’t have to figure out taxes, service fees, or tipping. What I see on the menu is what I will pay for. I like this practice as travelling on a tight budget may add stress when spending too much on meals. I prefer focusing on travel experiences such as enjoying the wonderful scenery, checking out an awkward rock formation, or visiting lovely penguins. 

Surprisingly, my friend told me that Kiwi restaurants may add a surcharge to the bill during public holidays, such as Christmas Day or Easter Sunday. This is 10% to 15% more to cover the higher manpower costs and operational costs of running a restaurant on a public holiday. A surcharge at the weekend is not common, but restaurants can do so.

Luckily, I didn’t come across this when visiting New Zealand. I was at the Agricultural Show and enjoyed good snacks outdoors. Prices were reasonable, and the tastes were fantastic.

Having to calculate the service charge and tip myself made me nervous about dining out in Canada and the USA. I felt embarrassed if I paid too little, and then I felt ripped off when I paid too much. I once ordered a coffee in a vineyard. When the waitress looked at me, I realized I had overpaid for the drink. I should calculate the service charge based on the pre-tax price. Well, I just smiled at her and wished her a good day.

Chinese articles

義務工作的轉化

experiencetoday

現代義務工作已不單是探訪，變得多元化。大家日常工作繁忙，故此閒餘時間除了想奉上愛心，也希望義務工作富有新意和意義。

除了扶貧外，和諧共融是近年義務工作的核心，強調來自不同文化、背景和身體狀況的人士彼此理解、接納、尊重和融合，如新移民、殘障人士和老人家，減少甚至避免歧視和排斥。

近一年來，我當過球類教練助理、血壓和脂肪比例評估員、陪同長者到農場的義工、與智障小朋友到商場購物，這些非一般的義務工作，實在富有新鮮感，除了可以學習與智障人士和長者相處外，也學會一些新知識或能夠一同享受郊野樂。

就譬如給予唐氏綜合症患者的服務可能是一些運動、音樂治療，讓他們有更多活動時間，他們不怕與陌生人一同玩樂，永遠有著Baby Face和矮小稍胖的身型，最初我對他們的年齡有點困惑，但學懂後，便會在用語上小心跟他們溝通。

另外運動也是一些非牟利機構的主題。我十分認同跟視障人士運動的計劃，嘗試過跟他們一同行山、遊公園和於海傍漫步。自己多走路之餘，也發掘了新路線。原來殘障人士想得到的幫助，可能只是如正常人般，外出走走，感受大自然的清新氣味和足下高低不平的道路。儘使看不見，部分人也是迷你車迷，鍾愛收藏車仔模型，閒時享受觸及車仔的感覺。

外出運動已享有放鬆和對身心健康的感覺，這次義務工作的難能之處是能夠細味他們這些平常事，感到他們也是血肉之軀，十分重視身心的感覺。沒有視覺，觸覺和味覺就取而代之，變得更重要。跟他們同行，你成了他們的導賞員，口述周遭地方，享受他們想像的世界。

共融就是多相處、多溝通和明白對方。

white bark trees
English articles

Reservoir hiking in Hong Kong

experiencetoday

Located in the New Territories and surrounded by beautiful nature and scenery, Shing Mun Reservoir has numerous trails that are suitable for people of all ages and fitness levels. 

A circular route around the reservoir requires about 1.5 – 2 hours to complete. However, it takes longer to hike along the reservoir, although people with basic fitness levels can manage it. My friends and I spent 4 hours completing the circular route. Half of it was pavement, half of it was a hiking trail. Many trails are under the shade of trees, suitable for hiking in sunny weather, but the reservoir views are mostly hidden by tall trees and branches. 

Hikers usually take the minibus 82 from Tsuen Wan to the starting point. Getting off any buses passing through Lei Muk Shue is another option as getting up to the starting point takes only around 20 minutes only. I walked along the road to the reservoir with an old lady who made it all the way from Shek Yam. She walks up to the reservoir almost every day and is a regular hiker to the reservoir. 

My friends and I started walking up the stairs from the left. We passed through Pineapple Dam, then the entrance to the Butterfly Garden Nature Trail after 20 minutes, followed by the Waterside paperbarks. The distinctive papery barks from the tall trees on the sides offer a picturesque setting for photo-taking. They are not particularly spectacular on a cloudy day but make the path cool and pleasant to walk along. 

After around 1.5 hours, we reached the Tai Shing stream surrounded by lush forests. We then turned to the shaded hiking path which seemed endless. After another 2.5 hours, we reached the Gorge Dam of Shing Mun Reservoir. This tallest dam is 84m tall and was built by the British Empire. A beautiful spot to take a selfie. 

As we walked towards Lei Muk Shue, we added another 30 minutes to our trip. The bus stop provides a few more bus options than the starting point of the reservoir. By the time we arrived at Tsuen Wan, we were starving and we only wanted to sit down and eat. 

Try the inexpensive curry rice at Bentoya on the ground floor of The Mills which is now a shopping complex revitalized from a textile factory in Tsuen Wan. The Taiwanese eatery Cha Fan at 8 ½ in Tsuen Wan has a variety of bubble teas and fruit teas that instantly quench our thirst and satisfy our palate.

Check out more pictures in our walk

potatoes
English articles

Growing potatoes

experiencetoday

Learning to grow vegetables on a small farm improves mental health and well-being. The joy of harvesting vegetables is beyond buying something that I like in a shop.

Today and yesterday, I took home a few potatoes from the community farm. Some were tiny, some were regular. All are organic and no pesticides are used. The skins are particularly tender and thin, so it is easy to rub them out for cooking.

Growing potatoes is very easy. Seed potatoes are handy when the “eyes” grow bigger and wider over a week or so. Simply put the seed potatoes in the soil with the eyes facing up. In January, when the sun was scarce, my brother planted around 6 seed potatoes. Surprisingly, they grew fast.

I was told that each seed potato produces 4 to 8 potatoes. So far, I have harvested 7 potatoes. They are quality produce, organic, and enough for 3 meals.

It is quite a lazy plant as some of my farm mates just leave them there on their farms. I could see potatoes near the root of the plants.

It took less than three months for me to harvest the first crop. The skin of some potatoes is exposed to the soil when they come close to the surface. I simply added some soil on top till they turned from green to yellow.

potato plants

Basically, when the leaves turn yellow, it is a sign that they are almost ready.

Since last summer, I have felt the power of horticultural therapy. Gardening, such as loosening the soil or planting sprouts individually, makes me feel mindful.

Learning what produce is cultivated on a farm is fun; growing from seed to harvest is surely a sense of achievement. I had beans and okra for two months in summer and now have potatoes in spring. Mints and herbs are usually grown in any season here.

Want to learn more about farming? Farm mates and an instructor taught me how to manage the farm and grow some vegetables. Many YouTube videos can help as well.

English articles

The happiest garden in the world

experiencetoday

My friend’s New Zealand trip just began. She followed my advice to explore the small French Akaroa town south of Christchurch. 

The Giant’s House is one of the key attractions in this picturesque town by the harbour. I missed visiting this special garden last year, and I can only blame the rain for that decision. After all, the joyous garden should be a place for taking pictures. Going there in the rain is no fun. 

My friend shared this Giant’s House with me, which was built by artist and horticulturalist Josie Martin. The house was built in 1880 by a bank manager who came from England. When Josie bought the place over 25 years ago, the house needed serious repair and had no garden. 

Josie has always enjoyed gardening and is passionate about art and sculpture. She has a dream of sharing her art with the community in a playful and magical environment.  Her house in Akaroa therefore has become a blank canvas for her creative work.

She turned fragments of lovely old china buried in the ground into mosaics for the floor of the conservatory and steps. The idea worked well. With the help of local craftsmen, her installations evolved and grew. 

The artist called Giant’s House “the happiest garden in the world”, which is full of elaborate, vibrant-coloured sculptures. 

As the artist still lives in the Giant’s House and manages her garden, it feels more alive. 

Why is it called “The Giant’s House?” It was named by a little girl, looking up at it from the valley below, believing it must be the home of a giant.

Chinese articles

多配偶的需要

experiencetoday

二人關係是否容許多一個情人？現代人與人的關係轉化，重視體驗和需要。Netflix 連續劇《You Me Her》便以輕鬆喜劇手法探討多配偶關係。

夫婦多年來的感情隨時間變淡，一位青春無敵的女伴遊給他們一點沖繫。理智地想，丈夫有機會升上校長，妻子是成功的建築師，可以直升為合伙人，大好前程，身住的地區更是傳統中層家庭居住的理想之地，為何要冒這個危險建立三人關係？

妻子從未向另一半透露自己結婚前有數過女朋友，可以相信嗎？

我認為劇集有缺情理，但喜劇歸喜劇，劇情已帶出現代關係的另一種需要，也講出三人關係不單只有性，愛、生活和彼此間的經歷也是如此重要，就算在西方社會，思想較開放，還是遇到不少阻礙和外界不善意的目光。

Netflix的另一生活小品《閨房設計樂》也描述一對前夫婦，與五位男女建立周末共居的關係。每個男女的性格和愛好都有所不同，只是重視性愛體驗，不想受一夫一妻的框架局限自己，也鍾愛周末享受團體生活，不假思索，不用太多安排更可在同一屋下看電影，也開派對。

其實，多年前，《魔登家庭》劇集大熱，不少觀眾都對多配偶的議題感到好奇。鍾於這現代配偶概念的男女就以遠久年代族群共居比喻，彼此扶持的重要性。配偶間的背景、經歷和技能都可以給自己幫助，無論是心靈上、能力上或是簡單的陪伴，都是十分重要的，這正正反映現代人在個體化社會生活其實不時感到孤單，才會引延多配偶的需要，而這些多配偶的關係，以突破一夫多妻或一妻多夫的族群建制，而是男女交叠對外延展的複雜關係。