Money Money Money! January 30, 2007

 

I am in the middle of negotiating my monthly income. I’m not one of those who can keep a straight face when talking about money. However, it’s got to be done, for my self respect.  In fact, I found a good website about how to keep a straight face which might come in useful in the future (next year- I like to see my income increase every year, even for only 5% mainly because of the fluctuation).  I learnt this from my very nice accountant.

Anyway, the website is

http://www.wikihow.com/Keep-a-Straight-Face

 Another good website about why it is hard to keep a straight face is

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/2349981.stm

I will be good at it some day, I’m sure!

Pacific Coffee January 24, 2007

I’ve never been one of those coffee lovers but since Pacific Coffee  just opened a new shop downstairs, I’m addicted to their Cappuccino. I never actually put sugar in it, mainly because I try to limit my sugar intake. However, I just found out that a cup of medium Cappuccino has 60-80 cal.

It’s not a great deal  but it is something isn’t it? I might just go back to my English tea or organic green tea (homemade by myself). It costs me next to nothing and from what I know, it gives me only 2 cal which I might already used  it up during the tea making process.

Ferry Tales : What’s the difference? January 24, 2007

Last week, I wrote an email to HK magazine which is a weekly free magazine in Hong Kong about the demolition of Star Ferry and Queen’s Pier. Many of the Hong Kong people protested against the idea of privatising the public space and environment for the profit of a global elite.

In the past, the British colonisers claimed their possession of Hong Kong by landing on the Queen’s Pier. So to me I see it as an attempt to erase quite an important part of the history and to rewrite the history of Hong Kong, the ex-colonial. 

I am a frequent traveler to Hong Kong since I was young. My father used to travel to Hong Kong for over 50 times. To us, and I’m sure to many people out there, it was the terminating point, the landmark and the history of Hong Kong. People in many generations can relate to it more than the IFC building or any other high-rise buildings here.   

History is there to reflect on and create a future. It makes no difference whether they demolish the pier or not. British was a big part in making Hong Kong as they are today. They are the foundation of Hong Kong wheter you like it or not.  

It is a misconception to think that the shopping mall, high-rise buildings and cars are the symbol of the rich and wealthy. It is only an extravaganza of shameless commercialism.  

Most importantly, the government are privatising the Hong Kong land for a retail space for American and the Europeans’ brands.  This is modern day colonialism! What’s the difference again?

Music to my ears January 23, 2007

I need good music.

I think I use up my gym songs too much too soon. You know what I mean?

As soon as I get a selection of new gym songs, I worn them all out by listen to them over and over again before I even leave the house. Is that normal?

Now I’m in need for the new selection, the hardcore upbeat ones. The one that makes me want to move, to dance to spin.

I love exercise, don’t get me wrong. But my motivation relies heavily on how good music is. I can run faster and time pass by quicker when I listen to a good song.

And I hate the music that no one sing in it. How do you call them?

It might be because I am a little bit of a control freak, but I need to know when the song begins and ends. Please don’t tell me that the rythm will tell me and all that crap. Because when I exercise, I don’t have enough energy to hear the music in the way that those ‘music lovers’ do. I need to hear something upbeat, someone sings and tell me a story to pass time and tell me that those 4 minutes has passed or about to pass. Then I can keep counting my exercise time by counting the number of songs instead. Very pleasent and not copyrighted, if you want to do the same.

But first, give me a few good gym songs, who ever you are out there?

Chestnut January 23, 2007

 

I love Chestnut!

I like to snack – who doesn’t – and I watch my calories and fat intake, that’s why I like chestnuts. They have only a fraction of the fat and calories of other nuts and I feel satisfied by a small bag of them!  and I don’t feel guilty eating them , that’s the most important point.

No other contries in the world roast chestnuts as well as they do in Hong Kong….and Thailand, I may add.  You can smell them long before you can see them.

But these days they don’t cook them in a big extra large wok and sand anymore.

I was so pleased to see the old style roasted chestnuts in Causeway Bay the other day, on the footpath somewhere. But then it was cooked by an old fragile man. I can’t imagine how heavy and tiring it must have been for him to stand there and keep tossing and turning the chestnuts.

May be I should set up a stall for roasted chestnuts and cook them in his way, earn money and skip the gym altogether.

First Post January 22, 2007

I have been wanting to have my own blog for a while.

Who would have thought that I will decide to set up my blog after a 45 minutes spinning class on late Monday night. 

It might worth noting that I burnt 380 cal. and 16% fat today. Not an impressive performance by my own personal record but I think that’s all I can manage on a cold winter’s night in Hong Kong.

Good Night.