利物浦自從失去榜首寶座之後，似乎一直無法找回以往的神勇狀態，加上這次主場失利，紅軍過去五戰三和二負，難怪德國籍教練克洛普說他們目前的目標是聯賽前四名。以心理的角度來說，利物浦全隊上下心中念茲在茲的是上一季贏得冠軍，最近連串失利與勝利荒讓他們心理壓力倍增，結果上戰場反而容易讓敵軍有機可趁，一舉擊垮了主場連續68場不敗的神話。 Continue reading “伯恩利：力壓紅軍 護級在望”
Mad World 一念無明 (Republishing May 2017 Piece)
I rarely watch some emotionally heavy movies, for I find them very unbearable. Crying for loved ones is not what I enjoy watching in a cinema. I stick to my principle all the time so that I can pick cheerful and funny movies when I enter a cinema.
Yes I love sad songs, but sad movies often tick me off.
But Mad World is a different story. I bought a movie ticket to support this film of Shawn Yue and Eric Tsang, just as how I supported Trivisa starring Gordon Lam and Philip Keung.
In this movie Shawn played the role of Tung, who suffered and recovered from bipolar disorder. And Eric, his father who abandoned the family when Tung was little. Continue reading “Mad World 一念無明 (Republishing May 2017 Piece)”
西布朗：三分全取 降級未除
英超排行榜上坐在榜末第二位的西布朗，今次拜訪西米德蘭郡的敵手狼隊。西米德蘭郡的德比大戰，也就是同城或同郡兩支球隊的對抗賽，原來2008年的報導說西布朗對壘狼隊是全英格蘭最盛大的德比賽事。狼隊足球會在摩連納斯球場迎戰西布朗，在這個2020/21賽季也是備受注目，因為狼隊獲勝可以上探第11、12位，而西布朗勝出則可以慢慢累積積分，以便在季末之前脫離降級區。
開賽沒多久，西布朗的巴西籍右翼馬圖斯佩雷拉被絆倒，結果贏得罰球。但是慢盡頭顯示，在禁區外狼隊後衛韋利保利祇是將球清除，但佩雷拉傾身向前輕微接觸保利就跌倒了。在我看來，簡直有跳入禁區內博取罰球之嫌。粵語說的「插水」，這個形容詞再生動不過。 Continue reading “西布朗：三分全取 降級未除”
你說，寮國到底有什麼？What is there in Laos? (Republishing July 2017 Piece)
A friend of mine brought me this book from Taipei early this year. I was eager to read it in a leisurely manner, for I know Murakami’s travel essays are still very good. The Chinese version of What is there in Laos? was translated by Mingzhu Lai. For me, it is a great pleasure to read Traditional Chinese arranged vertically from right to left. Although it is a Japanese-styled expression, I often find refuge in Japanese- and Murakami-styled Chinese-language written by Lai.
According to Murakami Haruki, Laos is a country where everybody slows down everything. Even dogs have a lot of free time for a siesta in temples. Travellers who wish to save money enjoy their time a lot in Laos, whose cuisines fall between Thai and Vietnamese dishes in terms of taste. And the price is cheap. Continue reading “你說，寮國到底有什麼？What is there in Laos? (Republishing July 2017 Piece)”
熱刺發威 盃賽豐收
這一場英格蘭足總盃第三圈賽事比較特別，因為利物浦以北的克羅斯比（默西賽德郡）有一支業餘球隊海運Marine AFC 對上英超勁旅托登罕熱刺。
海運隊是足總盃歷史上第二支晉級第三圈的第八級聯賽球隊。以英格蘭足球聯賽的級別來說，熱刺比海運高出了足足150 個位置。但是海運隊絲毫不懼怕，除了教練暫時從正職工作崗位上休假一星期準備這場賽事。熱刺領隊穆里尼奧表示，尊重海運隊為對手就是派出最佳陣容之後打敗他們。 Continue reading “熱刺發威 盃賽豐收”
Wu Bai – the rocker cum traveller (Republishing Sep 2017 Piece)
Poet rocker Wu Bai is known for his music career with his band China Blue comprises dummer Dean “Dino” Zavolta, keyboardist Yu Ta-hao (nicknamed Big Cat) and bassist Chu Chien-hui.
The reason he picked up a camera to start shooting around – as he wrote on this book Wu Bai Story (《伍佰．故事》), was that he wanted to get himself a background on his computer. And he started with colour photos, only switching to black and white films, when he travelled in Angkor Wat, the Cambodian city where only black and white films are sold.
Apart from music and occassional acting opportunities, Wu Bai also travels extensively. In this book – as he put it, he went to Tokyo to take photos of Japanese office workers. From his perspective, he was curious if these office workers feel tired for their lifestyle – everybody follows the conformity of the society, puts on the same suits, walking in the same direction, eating at eateries after work. And he put it very bluntly – don’t they feel stupid? Continue reading “Wu Bai – the rocker cum traveller (Republishing Sep 2017 Piece)”
南安普敦：小勝紅軍 繼續攀高
利物浦繼前兩場相繼悶和西布朗維奇與紐卡索之後，這次作客拜訪南安普敦竟然落敗，結果無法在榜首位置擴大領先優勢。
英格蘭前鋒丹尼英斯一開賽就來一記看似傳球實際朝向龍門，結果殺利物浦的巴西門將阿里森一個措手不及。南安普敦這一球在開賽兩分鐘內攻入，利物浦之後一路進攻試圖扳回一城，結果90分鐘過去依然徒勞無功。利物浦的塞內加爾邊鋒馬內一直領軍反攻，有一次龍門邊輕敲叩門被英格蘭籍後衛史堤芬斯掃地出門。史堤芬斯是英格蘭青年隊國腳，曾經出征21歲、20歲、19歲、18歲以下賽事。 Continue reading “南安普敦：小勝紅軍 繼續攀高”
好戲之人一生精彩 Great actress, great life
For Cantonese drama fans, Lee Hong Kum was a respectable senior. I always saw her acting when I was watching Hong Kong TV drama during my childhood years. Lee Senior was a great actress who played her roles naturally. The Justice of Life, a drama during my primary school years, was the most impressive work for me. She played Alex Man’s mother in the drama and people addressed her Aunt Ming, while Stepthen Chow greeted her Aunt Pretty. During my Year 3 and Year 4 at NTNU, I was always reviewing these Cantonese dramas before bedtime. This was how I comforted my Cantonese soul deep in my heart. Continue reading “好戲之人一生精彩 Great actress, great life”
曼聯：力爭上游 重返榮耀
紅魔曼聯這一仗真的很不容易，因為阿斯頓維拉升級上英超之後目前排名第七，確實是強勢回歸。曼聯若以為維拉很好欺負所以可以輕取三分，那就未免太天真了。
曼聯第一球來得有些驚喜，因為從半場爭取控球權有些勉強，英格蘭籍球員雲比沙卡再從右邊傳球到禁區，維拉兩位後衛守在龍門前，另一位英格蘭籍球員明斯嘗試以頭球頂出禁區，結果來不及了，就被法國前鋒馬西亞來一記頭槌破網，曼聯在半場休息前先拔頭籌。其實明斯大可大腳將球清掃出禁區，但偏偏半高不低的傳球就是很難拿捏，用頭或用腳必須當機立斷，否則可能隨時丟失江山。 Continue reading “曼聯：力爭上游 重返榮耀”
每時每刻都是逆境球 It is all about moving forward in life
I make time to follow quality programmes, including Sharon Cheung’s programme. Malaysian and Taiwanese friends might not be familiar with Sharon Cheung. She was a journalist when Hongkongers were unhappy about the performance of their first Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa. She asked the then chairman of PRC Jiang Zemin if he was to appoint Tung for a second-term. Mr Jiang could not hold back his anger and described her as ‘too simple, sometimes naive’. Which then becomes the name of her YouTube channel. Continue reading “每時每刻都是逆境球 It is all about moving forward in life”