Showing posts with label 浮光掠影. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 浮光掠影. Show all posts

Thursday 21 October 2021

科幻和哲学

最近迷上“老高与小茉”和“脱口秀大会”。(关于脱口秀大会,我改天写一篇再说说。)

这“老高与小茉”的YouTube Channel是薇介绍给我的,她说:“老高常说一些我很小的时候你给我说的事儿,那些我小时候没听懂的故事……”。薇开始时发了Spotify的link来,但我因为忙,没有机会好好认真的听。后来她又发了个YouTube video的link来,我正好有点空余时间,看了,就爱上了。

当年,爸爸因工作从槟城搬到怡保,我们从住在热闹的大家庭搬到个近乎举目无亲的环境。那首几年,感觉特别孤单(妹妹要等我差不多读完一年级了才出世),书籍也因而成了我最好的朋友。我们虽是小康之家,但妈妈在于买书订杂志给孩子这事儿上非常慷慨。(我们小时候资讯有限,别说没有互联网,即使是电视台、电台也就那么几个台 -- 也因此我可是非常热衷于用sw收听外国电台的。不看书的话,也实在没有太多其他选择)。开始时是以故事书为主,可是小孩子的故事,来来去去那几种变化,我很快就厌了,开始收集非小说故事类的书籍,就是自那时候开始看了很多如The Bermuda Triangle、Atlantis等的传说,学了一堆什么第四度空间、Schrödinger's Cat等词汇,又迷上了天文地理历史等。有阵子妈妈订阅读者文摘,偶尔也会看上了读者文摘的广告而买了一些精美的画册书籍。什么《十万个为什么》、《中国神话故事精选》、《历史悬案》等。在认识“卫斯理”之前,我已经是非常天马行空,脑洞大开的人了。

接着,我又疯狂的迷上科幻小说和电影。好的科幻,必定会丢一堆好的哲学问题。我就是在成长路上受到这些科幻小说丢出的问题影响,自问自答,和自己辩论,然后成了无宗教信仰但相信有“神”的这么一个人。

年纪再大一些,我绝对崇拜物理学家。总觉得他们都是最接近真理的人类。Einstein、Hawking、Feynman等无不是天真烂漫调皮有趣的灵魂。你想想,所有的物理理论,全始于科学幻想,爱因斯坦不就是靠想象写了相对论吗?而所有的物理理论,再深究下去,必定要碰及哲学思考。

而老高这频道,题材五花八门,人文社会、自然科学、未解之谜、世界趣闻轶事、悬案、都市传说、阴谋论等各种故事与传说。他每星期上载一个十多二十分钟的影片,天马行空,非常精彩。在过去的两个星期内,我一口气看了他过去几年的影片,喜欢得很。以后再忙,也可以每星期看一段十多二十分钟的影片,然后好好思考。

好多人说老高好多内容都不对,但我觉得,在天桥底听说书的讲故事,首先说书的必须把故事说得有条有序,再来故事必须精彩绝伦,听完故事的人意犹未尽,回味无穷,引发了无穷的想象与思考,回家再去查查看他所说的,再开阔视野(连看书都得“尽信书不如无书”,更何况是天桥底听故事)。而小茉更是扮演了天桥下听书者的角色,时而打岔,时而发问,时而调侃,有趣得很。 

据说老高以前每晚必须给小茉讲睡前故事,为了每晚的故事,每天都要收集各种有趣的奇闻异事,久而久之收集许多资料,最后干脆将收集的资料做成谈话型视频频道。大家有空可以到他们的channel去看看。

这儿先分享一个绝对会让你以豁达的心情面对生老病死的影片:

Wednesday 21 July 2021

从新迷上诗歌

过去几个星期,也不知怎的,问题特别多,日子过得特忙的。当工作上的某一件事终于告第一个段落时,我跟恩说:“帮我找Loki连续剧,我需要一些不用用脑的娱乐”。于是,在剧终前的那个周末,我们俩一口气看了五集。

看了Loki,自然而然就会在网上看些memes啊,讨论啊等等的。也不知怎的YouTube竟然介绍起“30 minutes of poetry with Tom Hiddleston”。一听,喜欢呢!

而几天后,当我们终于看了我期待万分的Loki Finale,老实说,我可失望了。我跟薇说:“listening to Tom Hiddleston reading poems is more exciting than the finale” 

也不知怎的,就把对Loki Finale的不满,化为到YouTube上找艺人朗诵诗歌的动力。就这样子,生活不再只是眼前的苟且,我还找回当年对诗歌的那种莫名情意结。

Saturday 11 March 2017

Hidden Figures

三八妇女节那天,我和朋友去看了"Hidden Figures",这肯定是最贴切的妇女节庆祝方式(虽然我们纯粹是巧合)。

去年,我在bookdepository的网站上买了本Hidden Figures,收到了才发觉自己无意中买了Young Readers' Edition,不过我还是一口气把它看完。书写得没怎么样(可能因为是少年版),可是这真实故事非常感人。

这是关于忍辱的故事,这是关于坚强的故事,这是关于向上的故事,这是关于永不放弃的故事……

在五六十年代的美国,种族歧视、性别歧视是今天的我们所不能想象的。而在这么恶劣的环境下,这几位African-American女性数学家、工程师在NASA里默默地为美国送人上太空做出巨大贡献。然而,在这本书之前,我们不曾听说NASA里头的'West Wing',历史书里总是忽略了许多真实的无名英雄……

看了这本书后,我一直期待着电影。一来我认为电影可以把这故事述说得非常感人,二来我希望电影可以让更多普罗大众知道这些不为人知的故事,当然,我也偷偷想念着Kevin Costner……



果然,电影拍得好看,在African-American Civil Rights Movement的历史背景上,它避开了煽情,娓娓地说着三位非裔女性的生活故事。有时候轻松活泼,有时候严肃沉重,有时候幽默有趣……娱乐性丰富的同时又引人深思。我们看着Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson 和 Dorothy Vaughan如何在事业上、家庭里、生活中处理种族及性别歧视课题,也看着她们如何互相鼓励互相扶持。她们各自都是颗闪耀的星星,身上都有傲骨,在道道不通的环境里走出了一条大道。




书里我印象较深刻的一幕
由于这真实故事本身非常激励感人,导演舍弃了花俏,只是很忠厚老实地把Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson和Dorothy Vaughan的故事简简单单地说了一遍。当然,这毕竟是电影,导演也并没有完全忠于史实,但当中的更改我是能够接受的。Kevin Costner、Kirsten Dunst和Jim Parsons的角色是虚构的,为的是增加电影的戏剧性。(否则也没有白人上司用铁锤把"Coloreds Only” bathroom sign拆下的一幕、否则也没有"Here at NASA we all pee the same color"这样的对白)

Taraji P. Henson, Janelle Monáe和Octavia Spencer的荧幕化学很好,电影的第一幕观众都轻易地爱上了她们。我们都喜欢她们之间的友谊,我们都相信她们的坚韧。还有久违的Kevin Costner,他演活了那种objective-driven,不拘言笑的强势领袖。我还意外的喜欢Glen Powell,不知道John Glenn的笑容有没有这么真诚灿烂。难怪这部电影拿下了2017年的Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture。



如果你和我一样,在这本书之前完全没听说过原来有这么一群女性数学家,在那个还没有电脑的年代,手握铅笔扮演着“human computers”的角色,把火箭和太空人送上太空,那么,你就该读这本书。如果你不爱看书,那么,请你务必要看这部电影。是的,虽然这只是部典型好莱坞程式的娱乐电影,但是Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson和 Dorothy Vaughan的故事太感人,我们不应该到现在才知道她们的存在。

如果你有孩子,请你带他们进戏院看这部电影,这是娱乐性丰富的历史课:(一)NASA航天史;(二)电脑的起步;(三)那个种族歧视、性别歧视的年代。

让你的孩子看看这些杰出的人才,因为肤色和性别,而当不上她们原本有资格当上的职位、而被隔离在不同的建筑物工作。而她们如何不自哀自怨地向上,如何排除万难地向前,如何在被亏待后仍然一心一意地奉献……让你的孩子明白我们必须尽己所能,我们必须永不停止的学习。

趁这个机会,和你的孩子谈谈人生与价值观……






请你也读:

'Hidden Figures': How Black Women Did The Math That Put Men On The Moon

The ‘Hidden Figures’ of NASA’s Early Years and the Woman Who Told Their Story

Overlooked heroes from technology’s early days inspire tomorrow’s STEM leaders

Saturday 11 February 2017

Ted Chiang的小故事

我果然去book depository买了Ted Chiang(姜峯楠)的Stories of Your Life and Others。究竟是过去的我预知未来所以顺流而行买了这本书,还是过去的我以自由意志决定了今天的我读这本书……我是依序泼墨成画,还是袖手看泼墨成画,或是依画泼墨



Ted Chiang至2015年为止写了十五篇短篇,七篇得奖(还有其他最佳作者奖什么的)。他的故事究竟有什么过人之处呢?可能,大家潜意识里都相信世界不需要像现在这样……



Ted Chiang写小说,你也不觉得高潮迭起,可是他娓娓道来,一些复杂的想法在有条不紊的信息积累后突然显现。平淡中奇幻暗涌。关于人生、人性的问题,时不时悄悄地渗透进来,我招架不住(可能也不想招架)。

如果你已经看了电影Arrival,问了自己很多问题,也享受这种头昏脑胀的过程,你会喜欢Stories of Your Life and Others。与其说是科幻小说集,不如就称之为短篇故事集吧。人文主义者写的短篇小说。八个小故事,无数大问题。

  • "Tower of Babylon" (Nebula Award winner)
  • "Understand"
  • "Division by Zero"
  • "Story of Your Life" (Nebula Award and Theodore Sturgeon Memorial Award winner)
  • "Seventy-Two Letters"  (Sidewise Award winner)
  • "The Evolution of Human Science"
  • "Hell Is the Absence of God" (Hugo Award, Locus Award and Nebula Award winner)
  • "Liking What You See: A Documentary"

Monday 23 January 2017

泼墨画

究竟是泼墨了才有物象再有意象,还是有意象了再泼墨方成物象,还是先决定了物象再泼墨方勾出意象?无论如何,终成幅画,是不是?




最近一口气看了刘慈欣地球往事三部曲*和好莱坞电影Arrival*,思绪有一点慌乱。都是泼墨画似的作品,看似迷蒙内敛,其实气势磅礴。泼洒在娟素上的水墨痕迹开初不成物象 ,随着渐渐成形勾出意象。然后,我知道我不知道。

你说,以我们的认知局限,在多维度空间里不小心一眼望穿时间长河,是一种怎么样的悲哀?
你说,若光锥之内是命运,在光锥之外存心或无意泼墨的,是一种怎么样的存在?

如果我不想谈哲学不想深究物理,只想介于知道与不知道之间,行不?
如果我不想知道真相,只想在当下规规矩矩做人老老实实做事,行不?


*注:
1. 刘慈欣的地球往事三部曲为《三体》、《三体II:黑暗森林》、《三体III:死神永生
2. 上网查了一下才知道原来Arrival是改编自科幻短篇Story of Your Life,作家是美籍华裔姜峯楠,看来我又得到book depository进货了




过去心不可得,现在心不可得,未来心不可得……

Monday 19 December 2016

I Rebel (Not a film review)

(If you have yet to watch the original trilogy, then please don't read this. Tons of spoilers here. But then, again, if you haven't watch the original trilogy, I'm sure you are not a Star Wars fan and this post has nothing to do with you.

If you are a Star Wars fans but unfortunately still not able to watch Rogue One due to circumstances, I share your pain and I'm so sorry for you. There are no spoilers here, unless you haven't watch the trailers. Well, then again, if you haven't watch the Rogue One trailers, I'm sure you are not really a fan and this post has nothing to do with you either)


If you grow up watching the original trilogy, THIS is the prequel that you actually wanted. (Well, maybe "prequel" is now such a bad word for Star Wars fans, Disney decided to use "spin-off" instead of "prequel" in all their marketing efforts). Rogue One ends a mere 10 minutes before the opening of the original Star Wars movie. It gives more depth and strength to Star Wars (those younger generations call it "Episode IV: A New Hope"), it makes me appreciate Star Wars more, it gives more weight on that opening crawl that caught our attention almost 40 years ago......If you always wonder about the exhaust port, the lack of Rebel Alliances as you grow older, Rogue One gives you the answers.


With "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away....." and not following by the iconic opening crawl, we fans were transported into something familiar but different.

First of all, there's no John Williams. It is not a Star Wars movie without John Williams. Period. (John, please live long and prosper). No, don't get me wrong, it is not that Michael Giacchino is not qualified, but John Williams IS part of Star Wars universe. (Luckily Giacchino still using the Imperial March and the cascading brass motifs).


Though Star Wars is always about "war" but Rogue One is the real war movie in the Star Wars universe. The final battle shows the real capability of Gareth Edwards. The stakes are higher, its battles are more violent and militaristic. The scope of the mass casualties incurred in ground and air assaults makes us cry for every unsung heroes in human history. The final battle makes Rogue One a Star Wars story worth telling.


Though I really enjoy watching Rogue One (it made me so excited that I have to do the original trilogy + The Force Awaken marathon a few hours after watching it), and I'm sure it will always be included in my Star Wars Marathon (be in original trilogy marathon or full marathon), it lacks of the joyous spark between characters that defines the original trilogy. Most of the new characters in this movie seems interesting but underutilized (except for K-2SO). Worse still, they don't spark the kind of chemistry between Luke, Leia, and Han, or between Rey, Finn and Poe. Well, they are not Hayden-Christensen-and-Natalie-Portman kind of bad chemistry, but you don't fall in love with the ensemble. The way they interact on screen make you suspect that they are not friends off screen.


Rogue One is darker and grimmer, but it is still a nostalgia piece to Star Wars fans. And by now, I'm sure you already know that Darth Vader is in Rogue One. If Darth Vader used to give you nightmares as a kid, wait until you see Rogue One! I am sure thousands of Star Wars fans secretly cried tears of joy! If you only knew the power of the Dark Side! Darth Vader alone worth the price of the ticket. So Star Wars fans, if you are still skeptical, don't be. Go watch Rogue One NOW!

Wednesday 14 December 2016

我是不是Star Wars粉丝?

朋友见我天天换Facebook Profile Picture,为Rogue One倒数,忍无可忍,问我“你究竟有多爱这部电影啊”?

这个很酷,有没有?


说来话长,三十多年来我长期被这部电影“熏陶”(我第一次看Star Wars,应该是叔叔租VHS回来,那时我还没入幼稚园,应该是四五岁左右吧),再加上我是家里老大,在外婆家也是老大,几十年来“骗”了一班小瓜和我一起成为Star Wars fans,一起疯狂。

以前在Friendster写了一堆与Star Wars有关的blog(当然,现在寻不回了),把我的blog搬到Blogger后其实也写了不少:

为了‘刺激’薇薇
最令人信赖的Darth Vader
Adidas Darth Vader
The Empire Gives Back
天行者
I Know
No, I am Your Father
The Imperial March
Do, or do not, there is no try
Why I Can Relate to Sheldon Cooper - Star Wars Fans
The Happiest Place On Earth
May the 4th, 2013
May the 4th be with You, 2014
May the Fourth be with You, 2015

去年,我百忙中还是抽空看了首场The Force Awakens,还和妹妹各打扮成Luke和Leia。看了半夜场出来仍然兴奋莫名,回到家还吃夜宵(半夜四点的还算夜宵吗?)才睡觉。六点半起床照样去上班,只是那阵子太忙,反而没时间给The Force Awakens写观后感什么的。我弟弟说不可思议,我也这么认为。



那时候我们隔了这么久终于有机会进戏院看Star Wars,再加上是首场,戏院里全是爱看Star Wars同仁,拿着light saber的,穿起jedi robe的,打扮成Darth Vader的,穿着Star Wars t shirt的…… 当音乐响起,或Millennium Falcon出场了,或是老朋友们回来了……一大群互不认识的人在戏院里拍手、欢笑、流泪……那种情绪,很难形容。



而我究竟是不是Star Wars粉丝呢?我个人觉得不是(你看人家都干些什么)

我没有接触Star Wars expanded universe、没有玩Star Wars video games/online games、我还没拥有Lego Millennium Falcon / Death Star、即使到了三藩市我也没特地到Lucas Film Headquarters走一趟、没硬闯Skywalker Ranch、我没和人家争执“who shot first”……

我顶多是偶尔买几件Star Wars t shirt穿穿、偶尔买些小玩具啦monopoly啦、我分得清哪首音乐是给哪位要角、听到Force Theme有时候会偷偷红了眼眶、我想要到Tunisia和Skellig Islands看看、我幻想某一天可以参加真的Star Wars Marathon、没事在家会来个“Star Wars Marathon”……

我,没有很爱Star Wars啦……

Tuesday 26 July 2016

Mount Victoria上扮鬼扮马


我们一从Interislander上岸,就到Mount Victoria报到,一来这可以看城市全景,二来我们向LOTR朝圣来了。

Mount Victoria上赏Wellington

Mount Victoria是看Wellington全景的最佳地点,可以360度欣赏这个美丽的城市。上山的路有点儿难驾,一来路很陡,二来两旁住宅都把车子停在街上,可是过了住宅区一切就值了。蓝天下这海湾城市显得柔情似水,我们看着渡轮在海面上穿梭,看鸟儿在天空上翱翔,都忘了时间呢。

Mount Victoria上其中一角全是住宅



我们一行人其实只有三个LOTR迷,但其他人都好配合,随我们花了近一个小时在Mount Victoria上寻找LOTR的蛛丝马迹。

我用Google Maps的Lord of the Rings Filming Location Map找到了Mount Victoria上的Hobbiton Trail。(为了到Mount Victoria,我特地穿了我的LOTR/Calvin and Hobbes Mash-up T Shirt,本来是为了自爽,后来才发现还真有个“Hobbiton Trail”,当然要拍照留念一下。)然后,一行人就开始自导自演自乐了一轮。

都是一班敬业的好演员



Monday 4 May 2015

May the Fourth be with You



Because coincidentally today is a replacement holiday, and because I have 2 toys awaiting in my drawer dying to celebrate May the 4th, of course I planned for something too when everyone in the Star Wars universe is excited.



First, I started with an easy one as warm up. Though totally not challenging, it is REAL fun to start my day with this.



Master Yoda had an easy win




After having some fun photo session with Master Yoda, I started the second project. First of all, this 3D puzzle is not easy, secondly, I CANNOT read Japanese! Luckily all schematic diagram is the same so I could pick up the pace after first few pieces.

















Sometimes it involved finding the correct pieces, sometimes I have to roll the pieces on pen so that I could get the roundness I want, sometimes it tried to kill me with all the tiny bends holes.


Patiently(of course, “Patience you must have”), pieces by pieces, parts by parts, I built my Millennium Falcon while waiting for Han Solo and Chewie to come home :)






Sunday 14 September 2014

Passionate Affair

快一年没进戏院了吧?我甚至已经想不起最后一套在戏院看的是什么电影了……

基于今天必须过槟城办点事,基于薇在FB上说我应该会喜欢,基于我太久没和自己约会,基于忙了这些日子我实在需要一些即兴与热情,于是,我就这样一个人,办了事,早午餐都还没有解决就买了张票,十分钟后拿着咖啡和面包进场。

完全不知道这是一部什么类型的电影、完全不存期待,大荧幕上打着Steven Spielberg的大名,又有Helen Mirren,心里稍微踏实了一点。

就这样,这星期天中午,我和一出美食小品有个passionate affair……

 

故事或许没什么惊喜,背后的意义也有点儿老掉牙,但这实实在在是一部让人欢喜的娱乐小品。戏院内笑声不绝,想必也有好多人在黑漆漆的戏院里洒了几滴泪。

我的星期天中午,有着连背影也会演戏的Helen Mirren,有着活脱脱一幕幕的food porn,还有那些在我脑中不知怎的酿出的虚幻香味。我仿佛闭气眼睛就可以嗅到香料弥漫的厨房, 也因此唤醒我几年前在法国小镇被美食折服的回忆。

总有一些厨师,可以在美食中让你尝到执著和诚恳……

Tuesday 12 August 2014

Thank you, Robin William


Thank you, Robin William. You made me laugh, and you made me cry.

When I'm at the transition stage from preteen to teenage, I asked a lot of questions about life. I'm still asking today, but it was Death Poets Society that made that transition smooth and less painful.

O Captain my Captain.

Thursday 4 July 2013

邮购初体验(续集)

上一回我谈起我的邮购初体验,邮购货物分为两批,第一批收到后我已经兴致勃勃地在这儿分享,却不知好戏在后头。

话说我四月五号已经收到Threadless的电邮,告知我邮包已经寄出,预计我可以在四月尾或最迟五月十日就可以收到了。结果我等呀等,等呀等的,到了五月二十一日我的邮包仍不见踪影,我心想难道死鬼Threadless让我尝一尝甜头后就立刻骗走我的美金40元?

为了印证,我就给他们写了封电邮。他们的客户服务态度一流,工作人员(Threadless Help Ambassador) Crystal二十四小时内已经给我回复。虽然只是普通邮寄(此公司暂时没有提供海外速递服务),但他们肯定了美国邮局已经把邮包寄离美国,并给我一个编号,好让我可以尝试向马来西亚邮政局咨询。

我到POS Malaysia的网站找来找去,就是找不着online tracking的方法,于是最后决定给他们打电话。接听的是一名女士。
我问:“我有一个两个月前从美国寄来的邮包至今仍未收到,是否有什么法子可以查一查出了什么事故?”
她说:"tak boleh"
我说:“美国那方有给我一个编号。”
她说:"Itu bukan poslaju, tak boleh track"
我问:“如果我给你我的名字呢?”
她说:"tak boleh"
我问:“如果我给你我的地址呢?”
她说:"tak boleh"
我问:“我是不是应该去海关局问一问?”
她说:"tak boleh"
我问:“那消费人究竟要怎么样才能问清自己的包裹可有被海关以某种理由扣查或充公?”
她说:"tak boleh"

老天!POS Malaysia何必请接线员当客户服务?让电脑自动回答"tak boleh"就行了呗!我们的邮政和海关系统真是让我百思不解,要是完全没有透明度,要怎么预防害群之马把消费人的包裹占为己有呢?

我在自己国家的邮政局碰了钉子,只好硬着头皮再给Crystal写信,要求他让美国邮局查一查是否卡在大马海关。也不知道是不是他们已经习惯了发展中国家的低效率,还是他们懒得和他国邮局沟通,反正Crystal说:"Oh no! At this point, we have to assume the order was lost in transit."她让我选择退款、Threadless credit或是从新给我寄上我原本订购的T恤。我还是选择了后者。

几天后Crystal告诉我其中一件已经断货,问我可要另选一个款式,或是Threadless credit,或是退款。我还是笃定地另选一件。最终,我在五月二十九日收到了Threadless证实把新邮包寄出的电邮,说Expected delivery is between June 14 & June 28, but no later than July 12,他们还给我送上十元美金的e固本,以示道歉的诚意呢!一眨眼已经是七月,我以为我的邮购包裹应该是“冬瓜水”了。心里暗自嘀咕,当以美金四十元买个教训就是了,什么鬼邮购!


今天回家看见包裹就放在饭桌上,"Smallish Bag. Big Ideas Inside",四十美元失而复反,兴奋得什么似的,赶紧打开包裹,把衣服排在床上拍照。薇和我等了几个月的Life of Pie终于来啦~

这么一来,我对邮购的信心虽没有significantly increased,但我对Threadless这家公司的诚信与服务非常满意,以后应该会成为常客吧?

Thursday 16 May 2013

Michael J. Fox



 Accidentally saw this on Youtube and I love it!! Can't wait for this show!

Micheal J. Fox is an important part of my childhood. Family Ties is practically one of my English teachers in my earlier life, where I have "weekly evening classes" for years; Back to the Future is one of my all time favorites, where I have the trilogy in VHS, VCD, DVD, and Blu-ray.

I'm thrilled to see him return with a new sitcom!

Tuesday 14 May 2013

我想,我快要成为Star Trek Fans了


(J.J.Abrams于Star Trek、Disney于Ironman 3,让我开始对Star Wars VII重拾一丁点儿信心)

2009年的夏天,我看了J. J. Abrams的Star Trek,被那部拍得神采飞扬的reboot电影迷住,又因为Super 8而把J.J. Abrams列入我“值得期待的导演”名单,所以今年夏天,我特别期待Star Trek Into Darkness……(spoiler alert: don't click on the wiki link if you haven't watch the show!)

电影还没正式上映,恩却发觉有些戏院已经开始sneak preview了,我们刻不容缓,庆祝了母亲节就赶紧到戏院买隔天的戏票。一来我们等不及了,二来我们要比薇薇更早看这部电影。哈哈!

J.J. Abrams果然没让人失望,虽然这次少了2009年的新鲜感,却依然是部娱乐性十足的好电影。原班人马因为有了上一部的铺叙,在这一部电影里头显得更加亲切,我爱煞了演员之间的火花,特别是Captain Kirk及Spock的友谊。而且,这一部电影新加入的成员非常出众,演技细腻又有个人魅力(放心,我的部落格里不会有spoilers)。

J.J. Abrams以第一部Star Trek证明他可以为这老franchise注入新生命,再以Star Trek Into Darkness证明他可以驾驽这franchise。我开始期待2016年庆祝Star Trek五十周年的电影,也开始严重考虑要认真坐下来看完一系列Star Trek电视剧及电影的可能性。我开始怀疑我会步上Sheldon的后尘......

不知道Amy是否已经如Sheldon所愿成了Trekkie?

Saturday 4 May 2013

May the 4th

We siblings are crazy Star Wars fans. So, even though tomorrow is The Day to be Remembered, we still must find time for our Star Wars Day celebration.


Isn't this the coolest siblings group photo? :)

Why I Can Relate to Sheldon Cooper - Star Wars Fans

I am not as smart, I am not as nerd, I am not as blunt, I am not as socially awkward as he does, but yes, I do think I can relate to Sheldon Cooper. (hopefully I am not 1/10 as arrogant as he is). He is just the extreme version of many of us.....

I have a lot to say, about why I can relate to Sheldon Cooper. However, instead of starting to explain myself, I would like to start with one simple crazy reason: Star Wars Fans.

If you want to know how we siblings trigger, discuss and execute our year-end-Star-Wars-Marathon, the enthusiasm level is probably almost like this:

"May the 4th" be with you!! :)



Why I Can Relate to Sheldon Cooper:




Sunday 28 April 2013

Bud Spencer & Terence Hill


Does anyone I know out there watched Bud Spencer and Terence Hill's movies before? I used to love them a lot when I was in primary school because my dad is a fan and we used to rent a lot of their movies VHR back then.

I don't know how my brain function. Out of no where, suddenly, I recalled the beautiful bright blue eyes of Terence Hill, and those funny scenes that brighten my warm afternoons during school holidays...

I guess it is time for me to ask En to download some old movies of them for me :)

Friday 12 April 2013

邮购初体验

我从来不邮购,特别是衣服。我对那些我摸不着布料、试不了剪裁的衣物完全没有信心。不过,前一阵子因为迷上Sheldon穿的T-shirt,曾经很认真地在网络上寻找便宜、可靠又提供国际运送服务的T-shirt网站,并且很认真地寻找那periodic table shower curtain

结果Sheldon's T-shirt买不成,却因为碰上Threadless大减价(再加上薇曾经在这网站给我买过恤衫,有了信心),而第一次在网上败家。

昨天回到家里,第一批货物已经收到啦~(这次邮购得分两批,因为其中一批是卖断货后重印的,反正是免费运送,我倒不在意)

因为是第一次,有点儿兴奋,赶忙拍照留念。 

Package from Threadless

里头有一件给恩的T-shirt,名为“Spoilt”(是的,threadless网站上的衣服都像艺术品,都有名字的)。我自己非常喜欢。很有顽童恶作剧的调皮,又只有电影爱好者才会发出会心一笑的设计。

SPOILER ALERT!你要是注意看,全和电影有关。而且都是非常要命的spoiler哦~不过设计师也算相当含蓄,大多数spoiler在你还没看过那电影前应该不会明白,我也还有几部电影没给认出来呢。













另外,我又买了三本笔记本(由左至右:Thumbper, Field Study 01, Break Free)。尺寸是我喜欢的小巧型,正适合作为我的旅游日记。

接下来,就期待另一批T-shirt的到来啦~

Saturday 23 March 2013

Hoover Dam without Transformers


We HAVE TO visit Hoover Dam, of course it is an engineering wonder, but more importantly, we watched The Transformers :) [Who knows maybe there is actually a secret base of Sector Seven here. haha!]

We reached here late and missed the last guided tour of the dam. Since we can't tour and learn about the inside, we decided to walk around and take some photos before heading to souvenir shops for some Transformers / Hoover Dam fridge magnets.

It's a very warm evening. The sun light made it hard to take good photos, but I still love the fact that all the photos are with blue blue sky :)










I have watched documentaries about Hoover Dam before, so I could understand why the Americans are so proud of this dam. This engineering wonder was built in year 1933, and I think it is safe to say that it helped the born of the Sin City Las Vegas.

Walking near the penstock towers was fun. I couldn't help but imagine a few Transformers will land on this place any minute from now and start fighting and I couldn't help start calculating the odds of getting out of here alive :)











After a short walk around the area, we finally ended up in the souvenir shop. Both of us was SOOOOO DISAPPOINTED with the souvenir shop at Hoover Dam. The souvenirs sold are with very bad quality, and super expensive! The fridge magnets / T-shirts / mugs are all badly printed with some lousy photos of the dam. And believe it or not, I still manage to find some year 2000 magnets, still on sale!?

And of course, most importantly, we don't see a single image of Transformers. I thought it should be a good way to sell Transformers at Hoover Dam? (Well, maybe this is just some crazy ideas from a non-American-tourist)

So, even though we'd like to buy a fridge magnet at every stop, both of us decided to skip Hoover Dam. Better continue our journey to Las Vegas before it's too late (Or it is never too late to reach Las Vegas?!)

On our way out, we saw a "vista point" and hence, as usual, I MUST go there and have a look. And what a surprise, Lake Mead looks so good from here. A very good conclusion for our Hoover Dam visit :)