Leslie Cheung: Thanks Thanks Thanks Monica

＊妳以往愛我愛我不顧一切　將一生青春犧牲給我光輝
　好多謝一天妳改變了我　無心來奉獻　柔情常令我個心有愧
　啊…啊…啊…啊…　Monica 誰能代替你地位

＃妳以往教我教我戀愛真諦　只可惜初生之虎將妳睇低
　好多謝分手妳啟發了我　祈求原諒我　餘情隨夢去妳不要計
　啊…啊…啊…啊…　Monica 誰能代替你地位

△呵　想當初太自衛
　呵　將真心當是偽
　呵　當光陰已漸逝
　方知它珍貴　妳已有依歸
　負了妳錯愛　此美夢永遠藏於心底

Repeat ＊,＃,△

From Dusk Till Dawn: Salma Hayek Table Dance

Pussycat Dolls: Sway

When marimba rhythms start to play
Dance with me, make me sway
Like a lazy ocean hugs the shore
Hold me close, sway me more

Like a flower bending in the breeze
Bend with me, sway with ease
When we dance you have a way with me
Stay with me, sway with me

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now, give me more

Sway me, make me
Thrill me, hold me
Bend me, ease me
You have a way with me

Hey, yeah, sway me
Sway, sway, sway

Other dancers may be on the floor
Dear, but my eyes will see only you
Only you have that magic technique
When we sway I go weak, I go weak

I can hear the sounds of violins
Long before it begins
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now

Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now
Make me thrill as only you know how
Sway me smooth, sway me now

Sway me, sway me
Sway me now

Benetton’s Creepy Kisses

Brother James asked if I have a gift for him. I thought a while and sent him a picture of Pope kissing Egyptian imam.  I put a scripture on it: Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of an enemy.

James fed me that scripture weeks ago. And I think this Benetton’s “Unhate” campaign well matches the second half of the scripture. Otherwise, I can’t understand why the holy fathers condemned that ad. They kiss each other that way all the time. Are they acceptable? Well, they have their freedom but I have difficulty if they kiss me on lip. It’s about hygiene. Nor would I kiss their hands. It’s just very very very odd. If there should be any body contact, I prefer shaking hand.

James might kill me for mixing things up. But, that’s one of my strength. It is fun to mix non-related elements together. In that way, I can come up with something so-called new.  No, there is no such thing as 100 % new in creativity. But we can always combine old elements for something new.

The “Unhate” campaign also features other impossible kisses between world leaders. North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Lee Myung-bak, President of South Korea, kiss like lovers do. Of course, US President Barack Obama is one of them. He is responsible for kissing Chinese President Hu Jintao and Venezuelan leader Hugo Chavez.

Leaders unite against Benetton’s ‘Unhate’ ad campaign, saying that it is improper use of  their images. The whole incident is just boring except I can send a “gift” to James. Why? Because it is not the first time Benetton goes that direction and works on provokive ad. Both the campaign and leaders’ responses are expected.

And because that ad is boring, I have to put it on a song, Everybody loves Somebody Sometime, to keep myself from falling asleep. Those creepy kisses will be fine on that song.

Will I buy clothes from Benetton? Are you kidding?  I almost forget that brand. There are just too many interesting fashion brands in the market and they are unnecessarily a big name.

John Lewis: Lord knows it would be the first time…

So, how you start your Christmas?  Mine is a tradition and a twilight night zone. Every year around this time one of our good friends, Note, would make horrible statements in sunday school. He would tell monkeys that God has the power to throw them into hell and they should fear him. As usual, I said, “Note, look, that’s true but you don’t have to tell those kids. It’s Christmas! We should set the mood and it’s about time for the first advent chocolate.”

Then, Note said, “Cat, I know. You like that John Lewis advert.” I rolled my eyes and said, “Trust me, you would love it and I don’t think you should follow the  mentality of guardian’s editors. They are lunatic somehow but they like it too.”

And I hope you’d also like that advert. It is an ordinary day. The piano sets the mood. The boy wakes up for his first advent chocolate. The Christmas countdown starts. Few shots of waiting come afterward. Those shots are ordinary scenes of everyday life. They are just beautiful in that production. The creative team catches those moments and makes them in a way like poem.

The advert can’t be perfect without that song, Please Please Please let me get what I want, sang by a female vocalist. I think it is a wise choice because it leaves space for different interpretations. I’d love to put it into a prayer. During Christmas time, it is touching to hear a confession:

Please Please Please let me get what I want. I want to be a good man. And Lord knows it would be the first time…

Well, I hope Note would understand this: the number of jerks is more than that of good man. And jerks don’t care if they will burn in hell. So, we should save the breath and enjoy whatever good in our lives. And, believe this, the money we earn is clean and we shall be rich in every aspect of our lives.

Slient Monks: Hallelujah

Bee Gees: Stayin’ Alive

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I’m a woman’s man: no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm, I’ve been kicked around
since I was born.
And now it’s all right. It’s OK.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
the New York Time’s effect on man.

Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother,
you’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’,
and we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive.

Well now, I get low and I get high,
and if I can’t get either, I really try.
Got the wings of heaven on my shoes.
I’m a dancin’ man and I just can’t lose.
You know it’s all right. It’s OK.
I’ll live to see another day.
We can try to understand
the New York Time’s effect on man.

Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother,
you’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’,
and we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive.

Life goin’ nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin’ nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me yeah. Stayin’ alive.

Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk,
I’m a woman’s man: no time to talk.
Music loud and women warm, I’ve been kicked around
since I was born.
And now it’s all right. It’s OK.
And you may look the other way.
We can try to understand
the New York Time’s effect on man.

Whether you’re a brother or whether you’re a mother,
you’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Feel the city breakin’ and everybody shakin’,
and we’re stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive.
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin’ alive.

Life goin’ nowhere. Somebody help me.
Somebody help me, yeah.
Life goin’ nowhere. Somebody help me yeah.
I’m Stayin’ alive.

Lily’s Birthday: Her cup overflows with love

This was Lily’s birthday and her mom asked her to open her present. Apparently, Lily was a big fan of Disney. There were Disney’s DVD, drawing pack, pajamas, snacks etc etc. At the end, her mom asked where she wanted to go with all those things and she said, “Disney.”  Without delay,  her wish was granted. Then, the little Lily just bursted into tears with great joy. I don’t think words can express her happiness. Here is the video.

Lily is only six and I am sure she can’t fake herself. She is just lovely and it is so good to see something beautiful happened in the world. Her mom said Lily was  excited. But, what I see is her cup overflowing with love. People have the tendency to pursue good and happiness. That is also why Hong Kong media is leaving behind. They have only one direction, something bad and ugly.

Good things are contagious. Here is the reaction of a little girl who watched Lily’s video. It triggered her good memories with her father and she also cried.

Oh, dear, I cried with her, too and she reminded me of God’s love. His divine love is unconditional and is so great that it makes our lives complete. Then, we function. Then, we live. With such great love, I am sure he won’t call us as slaves. He treats us as friends, daughters and sons. We are just like Lily and live with abundant love from God. What? God calls us as slaves of righteous? It is such an unlovely saying/expression from Peter. And, through out the Bible, he is one of the biblical figures I dislike.

活得清醒

朋友説很喜歡 Canon 那個單身女仔去旅行的廣告，我問：「你説那個？」他沒有答得很清楚，又或者我完全沒有把那個廣告女郎放在心上，事後我才知道他説的是那個拿著地圖自己開車去旅行的後生女廣告。朋友説那廣告很能反映現代女性，我見在座兩位女性朋友笑得很開心，所以不便多言，然後心裡呵呵呵。事實上在座那兩位朋友雖喜旅行但甚少一個人出發，可愛的女人就是沒有多心就接受恭維。

據我所知朋友的妻不喜歡自由自在的旅行方式，是故男的有些微怨言。朋友都算是個文人書生，那種男人就算愛妻，都喜稱自己的妻子為賤內，所以嫁中國揸筆男(文人?)和嫁滿身銅臭的生意佬一樣，是女人的悲哀。我時常招呼那些口出胡言的朋友，說他們配不上自己的妻，是一朵鮮花插在牛糞上。他們都笑笑，抗辯幾句，就乖乖收口。

就男女的嫁娶問題，Whale 提供了最新的情報。說由於 Globalization 的關係 ，異國婚姻日益普遍日益平民化。雖然 Whale 的口氣永遠脫不掉他英國人那種講階級的取態，但我為那些能走出困局追求愛情的男男女女感到高興。你知道中國的佬要是土起來無論中港台都會是大同小異地麻甩。女人如在華人社會未能開花結果，走出框框去追求自己所渴慕的愛情沒有什麼錯。

而那些別樹一幟非理性地迷戀自己太太的人往往很好玩。我就遇見過閉上眼睛讚美自己妻子的人，明明與事實不符，男人説的時候笑，妻子又笑，朋友表面接受不了罵罵罵，但大家聚會還是咪咪嘴笑，一室皆春。

那些接風的飯局怎能與我們的聚會相比？中國人非常喜歡飯局，一街都是飯局式的節目，但我就最討厭那些食客三千的所謂韻事。到今天我也認為志雲飯局式的節目是土多於一切。出席飯局的人表面吃吃笑吹吹風，就算不是笑裡藏刀，也不見得特別有趣。我時常想：一個有公信力的大機構如要靠個人名義拉關係，是一種失敗。但鼓吹承工作之便拉關係可以嗎？西方叫這種拉關係做 networking，也就是「合法貪污」。當然「合法貪污」的規則複雜得多，但內裡講求的是道德。

本來除了香港，我並不相信華人社會可以恰如其分地處理「合法貪污」的，但我現在連香港社會也不太相信。香港，官有官的「合法貪污」，政界有政界的「合法貪污」，商界有商界的「合法貪污」，報界有報界的「合法貪污」。And they are just ugly! 香港市民時刻保持冷靜，用自己那張僅有的選票拒絕那些「肥佬」的人，我認為他們才值得尊重。我們由政治熱血變為冷靜，全拜香港失敗政客和劣質傳媒所致。政客固然討人厭，傳媒也不遑多讓。今天，我會問：只不過是個記者，又不是科學家，憑什麼要我相信他們手上一個看來從鴨寮街買回來的核測儀？有專家 endorse ? 那專家又是否合格？要踢爆東京核騙局？唔怕得罪講句：慳 D 啦！

我記得 Harry Potter 最終回有一幕講 Hogwarts 受到 You-Know-Who 那班壞人攻擊，全校師生張開最強的保護網保衛校園。同樣地，我也盡我所能活得清醒，保護弱者和我所愛的人。God Bless!

Breakfast at Tiffany’s: Moon River

Moon river, wider than a mile
I’m crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you’re goin’, i’m goin’ your way

Two drifters, off to see the world
There’s such a lot of world to see
We’re after the same rainbow’s end, waitin’ ’round the bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

(moon river, wider than a mile)
(i’m crossin’ you in style some day)
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you’re goin’, i’m goin’ your way

Two drifters, off to see the world
There’s such a lot of world to see
We’re after that same rainbow’s end, waitin’ ’round the bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me