長貧難顧

長貧難顧 - This Chinese saying means something like this: You have a friend or relative who is poor. He borrows money from you quite regularly. He doesn't have a job and has no savings. Although you don't mind helping, you know you cannot do it indefinitely.

I have a similar experience and this Chinese phrase pops up.This friend had borrowed money, not small sums, from me a few times already and I had no hesitation lending him each time because I trust him. He had paid me back only the first loan. However, recently he increased the amount. Now I am wondering whether I have been lending him money too readily in the past. I also wonder if he borrows from his other friends too.   

I think I will tell him nicely that he cannot depend on me every time. I hope he won't be offended.

spring cleaning

After hibernating for 12 years, the Snake will soon slither into our home with a big hiss. Have you started your spring cleaning?

In the old days, the family would pick a day or two and everyone would help out. From the floor to the ceiling, every space and corner would be cleaned. Every square cm of the floor would be scrubbed. Old and broken things would be discarded.

Nowadays I think it would probably be the job of the wife and/or maid with some help from the husband and children. It would also not be a big affair.

Well, I have already made a start - clearing and tidying things on my table and in the drawers and cupboards. Quite amazing that I had so many things to throw away.

I guess people are like that. They put things aside thinking they would need them in future or they are reluctant to throw away things they are nostalgic about and after 10 years the things are still there gathering dust. And so things accumulate.

大断桥 - 林建炜, 谢绮玲

武則天, 王羽, 葉玉卿

Wu Ze Tian, the woman emperor of China, was a powerful woman. She could control almost everything on Earth but she couldn't control her own biological clock. Like all mortal beings, she grew old and died.

Actually I was looking at some pictures of Wang Yu, the kung-fu star in old mandarin movies and Yip Yook Heng, the actress in adult-rated movies many years back.

This is Wang Yu in his prime years and in recent years when he is about 70. The One-armed Swordsman was one of his well-known movies.

This is Yip Yook Heng in her prime years and when she is 46 at which she made a come-back  after having retired for 15 years. Pretty woman was one of her movies.

There is a site called In 20 years - http://in20years.com/   You can upload a photo of yourself and it can show you how you will look in 20 years' time. I was trying out with Yip's photo (below) but it was not working. If you try and it can work, please send me a photo of Yip in 20 years.

粤曲 情淚浸袈裟 - 任劍輝

blink

I used to say 'blink your eyes'. Actually just blink is enough because blink means close and open your eyes quickly. Anyway, you can blink only your eyes, you cannot blink any other thing. However, I think saying blink your eyes is also not wrong.

I think most of us blink both eyes together. But some people can just blink one eye. Some can blink the left eye, some the right eye and some can blink the left eye or the right eye. A blink is not the same as a wink.


Last week I read two articles which said being slightly overweight is not a bad thing, even better than having the recommended weight. Actually I don't mind a little overweight, I only don't like a bulging tummy. But my friend said 'you look more like a boss with some stomach, most bosses have some stomach'. 

Well, I have only targeted to reduce the waist  a little; I didn't target to have a flat tummy.

hahahaha - hilarious names

A few days ago I watched a Cantonese movie. A female character in it has a hilarious name. I searched for other funny names. Below are some that I found. They are hilarious when you say them in Cantonese.

The first one means a lecherous old man .....

鲁任松

吴洁芬

游咏富

毛仁爱

钟乐海

李露媚

周生幸

胡莉貞

武仁胜

戴祿武

蔣文端 videos

If you are a 蔣文端 fan, here is a YouTube channel with a lot of her clips .

These 3 videos are from there.

蔣文端, 丁凡 - 觀音情度韦陀天花絮

老倌點將 - 康健

2013 first post

By the way, the stomach in the picture in the post below is not mine. My stomach is not so big. And the post is not meant to be a new year resolution. I don't have the habit of making NY resolutions. When I have an objective in mind I would try to set a target and work towards it, for example saving money for an expensive item like a holiday abroad.

Except for the house and the car, I prefer to pay upfront cash for furniture and electrical items and appliances rather than to buy them on hire purchase. The primary advantage of hire purchase is that you can use or enjoy the item before you could save enough money to buy it. The main disadvantage is the high interest rate you have to pay.

For houses and cars we should make sure that the monthly payment is not too harsh on us.  Otherwise I think it is better to get a smaller house or to do without a car.

2012 seems to pass exceptionally quickly. In the blink of an eye, 2013 is upon us and before you could blink again, it will be Chinese New Year.