oldflowerking

[oldflowerking]

May 2024 Vacation in Hokkaido- 2 of 7

II.  景點

札幌是北海道第一大城，但是想以後很可能會再來，加上那一天太冷，我們沒有去太多地方。上午隨意逛逛市區就急著去吃午飯了。四、五月份到日本一定是賞櫻。依據北海道官網的預測，我們去的那段時間正好是吉野櫻盛開。但是在札幌的圓山公園 Maruyama 和神宮只看到十幾棵櫻花，雖然粉的美麗但不是很驚艷，猜大概尖峰時段已經過了。

早上四點鐘天就亮，加上我們生理時差還沒調整過來，不到五點就起床了。吃完早餐搭火車到小樽也才八點多鐘，這個城還沒醒呢！小樽百年以前是個很繁華的商港，離碼頭不遠有一條運河供穀麥和貨物運輸。河岸仍然留著一排一排磚砌的儲貨倉庫，除了一些空在那裡，大多數已改裝為商店。一早街上已經有不少的遊客沿著運河照像、買紀念品。沿運河走到底有一幢三層樓歷史建築，樓下像普通的紀念品商店，但樓上像一個博物館，收藏了很多機械音樂盒和模型建築。

沿途開車時常常遠望到許多民宅前院種的芝櫻。芝櫻 (學名 phlox subulata) 是蔓延在地面的五瓣櫻花，各種鮮豔的顏色非常醒目。網走 Abashiri 南方的東藻琴芝櫻公園 Higashimokoto Shibazakura Park 滿山遍野的盛開, 像替大地上舖了一層地毯。老婆想買些種子帶回去送兒子，想波士頓地區氣候與北海道差不多，應該能種活。公園前有商店賣苗, 卻沒有人賣種子。我的評分：5。

層雲峽 Sounkyo 在北海道中部的大雪山北邊。看字面原以為是一個峽谷, Google Map 帶我們到半山腰就宣稱已到達目的地了。繼續盤旋開了十分鐘的單線山路，竟然沒有一個可下來看風景的停車點。好不容易看到一處巴士侯車站，儘管插著不准泊車的標誌，看四處無人就借它一用。小溪沿著公路流過，還有一座發電站，但是橋上卻設鐵閘門，鎖上不准進入。照了幾張相繼續驅車前往黑岳 Mt. Kurodate。有䌫車上山，遠眺大雪山脈群峯仍積雪綿綿。在山上小徑殘雪中走著走著，兩人都感覺這地方像以前在美國去過的一座山頭，卻想不起來是何年何處。

下山後彎回39號公路繼續往東就是另一景點- 層雲峽雙瀑。有稱銀河和流星的雌雄雙瀑，如白絲緞帶似的由百米落差流下。停車場後方是到雙瀑台的山徑入口，牌子上標示只有2公里，卻爬得腿軟。我們第二次坐下休息後起身準備往回頭走，一位正下山的日本母親竟然要求她兒子回身來告訴我們只剩下十米就到山頂，勸我們堅持爬上去。果然轉過小樹叢就到頂端觀景台，由這𥚃遠望銀河流星在不動石的兩邊飛舞，水聲瀧瀧，更是精緻。特別錄製兩分鐘影片留念。我的評分：4。

在這次旅行之前我還沒見過紅狐狸，但經過南部鄉下小路會見到像狗似的動物在路旁。在北見因為下雨得找一個室內的地方去，查到附近有個日本唯一的紅狐收容所，名字卻叫 Fox Farm，可能也是個培育中心吧？園內中間草地上放養了差不多三、四十隻狐狸，幾乎都有淡褐色的毛，中型犬般的大小。一些懶在草地上晒太陽，也有的躲在地上設置的樹洞𥚃。園區設計是讓狐狸養在野外自然生態裡面，但園內只有幾顆樹，草地也是秃秃的。前面籠子裡另外養了幾隻長得不一様的動物，短耳朶比狐狸可愛，標示說是日本浣熊狗 Japanese Raccoon Dog，卻一點也不像美國的浣熊。狐狸有它在日本神化中的地位，也是很可愛的動物，也但是園區設施卻陳舊不堪，急需整修翻新。 我的評分：2。

北海道山多，湖也多。我們此行一共去了大約九個湖。

洞爺湖在札幌西邊大約一百公里，但是坐火車得繞著海岸線走。我們大清早就離開札幌的旅館, 卻到快要中午才到達湖畔。洞爺因為2008年 G8 在這𥚃舉辦高峰會而出名。湖四周環境很商業化，也整理的很好。岸邊設有公園步道，擺了很多現代雕塑藝術品，有很多温泉旅館和幾家小餐廳。我們吃了中飯之後搭一條裝飾得像歐洲城堡的遊覧船到湖中心的大島。𡷊蠻大的，看標示圖可以環島走一圈7.6公里。島上還有博物館，要收費就不進去了。在𡷊上閒逛坐下吃了橘子，停留半小時後搭下一班船回湖岸。我的評分: 2.

著名的知床五湖 Shiretoko Goko Lakes 在國立公園𥚃。我們離開芝櫻公園後，由斜里 Shari 沿鄂霍次克海岸 Okhotsk Sea 到知床。天氣好，海面平靜無浪，搖下車窗讓陽光晒進來，風暖洋洋的，這一路開得舒服。吃完中飯後先到國立公園自然中心。很漂亮的建築，有很多展示介紹知床斜里的自然生態，後面有一段步道引到一個山泉流入海灣的瀑布 Furepe Fall。走五分鐘就看到一大群鹿，安靜的散佈在林間吃草。鹿早已經習慣人類的入侵，見到人來只看看你，低頭走開或跳過木欄離開步道。

服務處告訴我們五湖因為可能有棕熊出末，除了一小段之外必須參加有執照的導遊團體才能進去。導遊藍小姐在電訊內再三警告：3小時路程沒有上廁所的機會。第二天早餐不敢喝咖啡了。

知床這一帶從前是林場，愛奴族人在這裡砍樹蓋房子。成立國家公園之後區內除了小徑之外，儘量不外力干涉，保持為自然森林。我們十幾個遊客一邊走一邊拍手嚇熊。走到第一湖，小小的，心想這湖跟咱家佛州後院的蓄水塘也差不多。還好二湖、三湖漂亮多了！三湖最大，最美。我們到的時間正好陽光讓遠處雪山倒影映在湖水中。三湖到四湖的距離比較遠，得過一個山坡，遠遠的看見一隻狐狸懶在樹林草叢中晒太陽。四湖也不錯。五湖有幾個人用橡皮艇撈湖內生長過盛的浮萍。導遊也說不清為什麼這樣地方會產生生態不平衡。走了三個小時沒有遇到熊，回旅館的路上倒是看到一隻棕熊在車子前方不到三十公尺過馬路。動作很快，沒等我拿出手機照相就消失在路另一邊的林子裡了。我的評分：3+。

吃中飯時鄰桌是一家台灣來的遊客，我用南部台語結結巴巴的跟那位爸爸聊天。他們也是自駕，但是朝與我們相反的方向走。我提起明天的計劃是去阿寒湖，媽媽插嘴說值得彎到摩周湖去看看，但是最好能一早就到。

一早離開，設定摩周湖 Lake Mashu 為第一站。接近時眼角已經𣈴到邊上有湖水反光, Google Map 卻引導我一路上山。一直到達目的地的大停車場仍然看不見四周有湖的跡象。下車又遇到說中文的同胞，指點我往台階上去。半信半疑的爬上頂端才發現湖是在下面的群山之中。典型的火山湖，像奧瑞崗州的 Crater Lake。碧藍的湖水，半邊被稀疏的白雲掩蓋著。美則美矣，卻因尿急沒心情待久。我的評分：4, 但因無公共設施扣一點。

停了琉璜山 Mt. Io, 再往下開是屈斜路湖 Lake Kusshiro，網路上推薦的景點是所謂「砂湯」，形容在湖邊挖個坑就可以泡熱温泉。 真的有這種好地方？到達停車場竟然没有一個游客，湖邊只有一家小店，𥚃頭賣些木雕纪念品、冰琪琳。碼頭上散放了幾艘天鹅船，漆都斑斑駁駁的。我不死心，往上走到一個像露營區的地方，招牌寫著 Recamp, 我不懂這個字。亭子間𥦬戶都鎖上了，有一些劈好的木柴擺在地上賣，前頭擺了幾把大小鐵鏟出租。湖邊砂灘上的確有不少淺坑，但是沒水。這地方怎麼回事？離開臨上車前終於看到一輛遊覽車轉入停車場。我的評分：1。

阿寒湖是另一個火山湖，湖底生長綠球藻 Marino，被宣告為「國家特別自然紀念碑」。乘遊覧船可以到湖中小𡷊上的自然觀察展示中心看到球藻如何在湖底從漂流的絨毛藻，漸漸結合在一起為圓球狀，再經過幾十年長大像足球那麼大的綠色毛絨球。可惜中心只有繪圖解釋和在一個玻璃缸內裝幾個球藻供遊客觀賞。太可惜了，我倒認為這種特別的生態應該開發用玻璃底船或深入湖底隔著玻璃窗讓遊客近距離觀察。我的評分：4。

住在阿寒湖的隔天，原本計劃只過境釧路 Kushiro 吃過中飯就到帶廣 Obihiro 的。繞了許多鄉間小道，好不容易到了鶴居村卻沒有看到一隻丹頂鶴，只好繼續往下開，進入釧路濕原國家公園。

看到路邊有標示「溫根內訪客中心 Onnenai Visitor Center」，原來只想停下來休息一下再走，卻發現後方有整理的很漂亮的木步道，就留了下來。環繞沼澤區一圈需一個半小時，有非常開闊的原野，包括丹頂鶴在內的許多候鳥都會來這裡休憩過冬。

繼續南下幾公里順道探訪濕原展望台，在樓下吃了頓咖哩簡餐後再走小徑參觀北斗史跡展示館 Hokuto Historic Site Exhibition。北斗是繩紋時代 （BC 8000 - AD 800) 的遺跡，顯示此地在10000年前已經有人居住。但是現在展示區只有四、五幢籚草牆頂的仿造類帳蓬建築，𥚃面擺了些鑄鐵鍋示意而已。看板解釋北斗史跡發生在石器時代，百思不解。回家後看到資料提到日本的石器時代同時是中國的秦漢！我的評分：4。

因為在知床五湖沒能看到棕熊，我們到了十勝後又特地彎到北邊的棕熊保護區 Sahoro Resort Bear Mountain。經過多年的特區保護而北海道棕熊的數目卻愈來愈少，日本現在對熊的保護政策轉變到「共存」。2006年熊山成立為一個特定棕熊自然觀察園區。現在有1 1隻成年棕熊在15畝大的森林裡生活。我們先搭乘巴士，近距離觀看這500磅的龎然大獸。上車前還盤算著該坐那一邊才好看熊，但一看到有兩隻熊在水塘邊上，刷的一下，全車的小孩、大人通通都站起來湧到一邊的窗口了。三隻熊徜徉在樹林裡不慌不忙的邊嗅邊走，兩隻在水塘裡吃漂浮���果莓，蠻自在的。不像動物園關在鐵柵欄後的水泥房裡那般可憐。

車道之外有一段步道供遊客在5公尺高的圍籬後面看熊生活，進出都得經過兩道鋼欄柵門，這大概是最接近電影侏羅紀公園的地方了。我的評分：5。

[oldflowerking]

May 2024 Vacation in Hokkaido- 1 of 7

I.  北海道自由行 2024

自從前年由歐洲旅行回來之後就𣎴想再跟一大群人出遠門玩了。每天緊張的趕車趕船，到了景點又到處擠滿了人潮，停十幾分鐘打卡再趕下一站，這種玩法已經不適合我們這個年齡層的人了。老婆去年看到 YouTube 影片講日本北海道，就想去看看。提了幾次，見我沒動靜，又拿當地產的毛螃蟹影片誘惑我，我只好找資料，準備兩個人自己去玩。

因為是第一次去北海道，我行前參考了許多前人的旅行經驗。台灣有一位日本旅遊達人叫林氏璧，經營網站多年之後連台大醫生的職業都不願意幹了。他分享了很多親身體驗的城鎮和景點。加上許多 YouTuber 旅行記錄、旅行社的行程、各地區旅遊協會網頁，都是很好的參考。我須做決定的是要怎麼個走法。想玩很多地方，但是不要太怱忙，而且儘可能避免跟觀光旅行團的人擠。

我排了15天的行程：五月六日出發，二十一日返回。先到札幌 Sapporo，在車站附近訂了三天旅館，以它當據點坐火車到小樽 Otoru, 和洞爺湖 Lake Toya。第四天回新千歲機場租車，到滝川 Takikawa、美瑛 Biei、層雲峽 Sounkyo、網走 Abashiri、知床 Shiretoko、釧路 Kushiro、帶廣Obihiro、十勝Tokachi。回程先到機場還租車後住千歲 Chitose 一晚，隔天搭火車到機場返美。行程中只預訂了幾個大景點的旅館，前後都留有一天空檔，保持行程彈性，看情形再決定住那裡。

我們運氣不錯，全程只碰到兩天下雨。而且除了到札幌的第一天風大，氣溫只有攝氏六度，其他都是二十幾度的舒服温度。

第五天氣象預報後兩天會下雨，原來計劃隔天去大雪山的南邊看熊的，只好更改行程先去北見 Kitami。下午從層雲峽下山的路上果然開始飄雨。下雨天就只能找下雨天的活動。到狐狸牧場 Fox Farm 看完紅狐狸後找到一家溫泉泡湯去。自由行就是有這樣的好處。

我們旅行喜歡走山路和吃美食。北海道這兩樣都不缺。五月第二個星期，剛過「黃金週」，遊客不多，但也不冷清。粉紅色的櫻花也還開在樹上。楓樹、樺樹的葉子嫩綠，透過陽光，散發出淡淡的山林氣息。各地的海產都新鮮。沿海的魚、甜蝦、干貝、海螺、海胆更是又美味又便宜。南部是農業區，公路兩邊都是麥田和數不清的牛、豬大牧場。有名的十勝牛奶，鮮酪，冰淇淋，和甜點（六花亭總部就在十勝)。帶廣十勝地區的豬肉丼也是一絕。吃過之後回美國不要碰豬肉了！驚奇的是附近的國家公園。有大草原、沼澤，都整理的很好。下回有機會再來可以多待個三四天。

到北海道一定得提當地的溫泉。我從前出差到日本, 每次來去忽忙，除了開會討論就是吃飯。每次總是跟當地同事說等計劃結束，大家一起去泡溫泉喝清酒慶功，但是這夢想卻未能兌現。這次旅行總算泡夠了温泉。

沿途到處遇到台灣去的觀光客。有跟團坐遊覧車的，有夫婦帶小孩像我們一樣租車旅行的，也有好些單身背包客。大多數是日本旅遊的常客。我們在車站或在餐館有不懂的就問他們。每一個都好能幹，很願意幫我們，有鄉親真好。

[oldflowerking]

On LGBT Legislature in Taiwan

Written on 5/20/2019 and posted on LINE

我對國內剛通過立法的同性婚姻造成的爭執，有太多不解。首先不解的是，有這麼多社會上迫切需要改革立法的東西，民進黨主政的政府為什麼花這麼大力量將這事排在優先，搶著立法？同性戀是人類歷史古今中外存在的事實，只是當事人和旁觀者都不張揚，屬於那種能做不能說的一類人類行為。科學界也認同這不是一種病態，也不是可以學習或受影響而加入的行為。現在當事者不願存在暗處，也為了取得合法夫妻享有的福利及在社會上的人權，爭取法律認同。以現代社會的指標來看，也無可厚非。 我又不解一般人，除了少數有強烈的宗教信仰或遵從教條的，為什麼要強烈的反對？世界上道德淪喪的原因很多很多，我想不出是那些歸罪於同性戀的行為或受這些人直接或間接影響的？

同時間內美國阿拉巴馬州通過州法：限制女性除了懷孕造成生命危險之外，墮胎將受刑法處分。此法一通通，造成舉國喧嘩辯論，不下於台灣對同性婚姻法的對立。立法的基礎在於道德，所謂對生命的遵重, 連無法發聲的胚胎都有生的人權。（附註：阿拉巴馬州的教育評鑑一向是全國最後。)。我不解的地方是絕大部分的立法的議會代表都是男性老頭子，這些人的道德水準比女性優越？為什麼男人可以對於女性的身體和對她的自身行為有控制權？

我常後悔我從小受的人文教育太少了。學工程科學除了羅輯以外，接受大多是僵硬的訓練。成年後接觸不同的人，聽各式各樣的故事，看了些書，對事情只能靠直覺和自身的價值觀來看，卻説不出個道理來。 離國已久，思想脱節，若有得罪之處還得請同學原諒。

Written on 5/21/2019 and posted on LINE

我的了解是同性戀不是心理疾病。我不知道會不會受外界影響而”變壞”。年輕人可能㑹想嘗試新的經驗，但我懷疑有男孩會受”誤導”而會不喜歡女孩而去喜歡上另一個”臭男生”。

我曾與我兒子對現在社會上的傾向－ 尤其是好萊塢電影，好像是在 glorify LGBT 的生活方式，有過討論。他説我們不懂幼年期間小孩對這種 weir kids 的霸凌。美國基本還是個基督教國家，大眾好像對“非典型”的人是特別排斥，看用來駡同志的字眼有多少就知道了。現在百花齊放甚至立法保護彩虹人士，我覺得是鐘擺效應。 相似於公司及社會注重保護黑人民權是因為種族歧視至今仍然嚴重，對納粹思想的敏感是因為 Holocaust，過度貧富差距導致仇富的言論當道…。 過一陣子風氣過後，大家又注意别的事了。LGBT 只是一群圈内人的生活方式，我們看不順眼，但沒什麼低級，但是也没什麼比別類人美好之處。 我反對的是想將自己的想法強加在別人的身上。

冰與火之歌完结篇中龍后説她知道什麼對人民是好的，發誓要為人民建立一個美好的新世界。被問到若別人也認為自己知道什麼是好的又怎麼辦？她說他們可以想，但是他們沒有選擇的權利。這段話是這集𥚃最好的對話！

[oldflowerking]

Wonderful Youth (1) 小時了了 (一)

Written on 11/28/2018 and posted on LINE

今晨在臉書上讀到維勤兩年前辦畫展寫的‘展覧自序’，才知道我這個八年的同學和幾十年的朋友和我竟然是老鄉－ 我們都在虎尾出生，在新營成長。

我父親是臺糖的公務員，每幾年他調差我們就搬家。 第一個工作在雲林縣的龍岩糖廠。生我時母親是高龄產婦，得到車程兩小時的”城市”，虎尾，才有婦產科疹所。虎尾鎮上開業的斐玉梅醫生是舊識，據我爸媽說我是被她鉗出來的。所以是她救了我一命！

我對龍岩的記憶不多，只記得幾件在小學幹過的壞事。但是這幾年墊定下我説正港台語的根基。二年級時父親調彰化的溪州，我也轉學到台糖辦的南州附小。敬慈是我同班同學，幾年後又在南光同學，數十年後才又在美國見面才知道我們兩家人住在五分鐘車程的距離。 但那是後話，下回再敍。在溪州也只待了三年，記憶比較多一些，但也只是片斷。一直記得八一水災，水淹到腰，我們全疏散到廠區的一幢好像是鋼鐵造的大樓，上面有康樂室。 我記得我很有心眼的一到那兒就佔了一張撞球枱，我跟我哥哥弟弟就睡在枱上兩天，興奮無比。另外我還參加了合唱團到校外比賽，那首“我也笑哈哈哈哈，你也笑哈哈哈哈，⋯” 我到現在還會唱。 但沒次跟別人聊起這檔事卻沒人記得，沒人知道這首歌，讓我自己懷疑是不是真有這事還是發生在另一個平行時空中？

搬家到新營，轉入公誠國小唸五年級下學期。 第一天上課，算數課講雞兔問題我好像還沒有學過（當年各小學教學進度都一樣嗎？）下堂課老師説每人把算盤拿出來上珠算課，我又儍眼了。小子不敏，從來也沒學過珠算。 老師也知道太晩了，放羊吃草吧！我就坐在教室最後排，隔壁桌坐的是吳修學，兩人對眼相望一拍即合，成了好朋友。這段時日，心理學家有個叫什麼症候名字的。姊姊和哥哥三人都在青春反抗期，爸媽操他們的心多，就沒人管我。 結交了幾個新朋友天天在㚈頭鬼混，看武俠小說，打彈珠，作業沒做就騙老師説忘了帶了，靠一點小聰明還能過關沒留級。 畢業後考初中，果然落榜南光。要知道我家的公家宿舍和南光中學是斜對門，就算由家後門出來轉個圈走到教室也不超過三百步。但是我就是要體驗天將降大任於斯人的鍛練， 天天得斜背書包帶了便當騎半小時腳踏車到新營中學上學。在新學校又是完全陌生的環境，打了幾場架，經過一年的鍛練之後，趕緊求情轉學到南光。 初中升高中一待五年，跟各位同學有緣同窗求知，經過許多改變一生的事。 之後的事，下回分解。

我記下這些是受幼麟前面幾篇文章的感召。年長之後喜歡憶當年，但年輕一輩的沒興趣聽，只有跟老同學嘮叨了。

[oldflowerking]

Night Invasion 夜襲

Written on 11/30/2018 and posted on LINE

南臺灣的地方選舉將一首軍歌夜襲變成大眾歌曲，實非任何人所能預測。 我們這一代的男生，只要當過兵都能朗朗上口。兩年的兵役除了是每個中華民國國民應盡的義務之外，對每一個人的含義都不同。

大四那一年大概是我這這輩子最忙的一年。

暑假時送別佳人赴美，從此以後人生的唯一目標就是用最快的速度到美國去！ 我由淡水搬到萬華的台糖學苑，每星期有三天搭火車到學校。 上課得拼成績，沒上正課的幾天補托福，補 GRE，和到南海路的美國新聞處查美國大學的資料。下學期的時候考預官，考托福，考 GRE，考留學考，考畢業考。一個接一個，天天唸書，每個月都在考試。

六月先到成功嶺再到兵工學校受訓。一陣立正稍息齊步走之後，我被分派到槍炮組，接受的訓練是各種槍炮拆裝及保養，另外學了一大堆由美軍那抄來的補給申報表。同學們幾乎都是各名校機械系或電機系的畢業生。空閒聊天當中發覺像我這樣積極籌劃出國留學還不少。幾星期後各人陸續收到留考結果通知，一大票人都哭喪著臉，原來無論是台清交，幾乎是全軍覆沒。幾個月後抽籤發放部隊，我抽到”金馬奬“！原先是説那一師在金門，再來有人確定是在小金門，更新的消息是有一個連駐大擔島。結業回家幾天告訴爸媽這消息，我媽説，“嗨，聽説金門的砲彈鋼好，你回來時候別忘了替我帶一把菜刀！“

漂了兩天船到金門料羅灣港，再換船到小金門。下船時大伙沒忘了跟那位留在船上的同期預官擁抱拍肩祝他平安到大擔島。那時正好碰上周恩來過世，下了船就聽到對岸的喇叭隠隠約約的在唸一大串名字，我們玩笑説老共在歡迎你來金門了！聽聽⋯，那不就唸到你名字了嗎？那其實是在唸各地去弔喪的名單。第一次感覺到“萬惡兇殘的共匪”真的存在，而且就在不遠。

到連上報到時已到開飯時間。跟連長、副連長同桌吃飯，看看四周，水泥建築的營房，倒也不錯。飯後那位在等退伍的支援排陳海晏排長説他帶我回排上安頓。走了大約十多分鐘，天已經漸暗，到了曠野中的一個碉堡，開了鉄皮門進去，有一盏五瓦的灯泡在頂上亮着，昏黄的燈光下可以看到裡面上下舖已經擠了約十來個人，每個人點了蠟燭看書或寫信。靠在門邊有一張門板橫著，我知趣的打開舗蓋棉被，睡這兒吧！ 哨兵每兩小時一班，每次換哨，門得打開兩次，十一月的冷風颼颼灌進來，我睜眼到天亮，心想他奶奶的，這還是當官啊！

隔天起床，全排集合跑步打莒拳，發現這排有近二十人，那這些人都住那兒了？ 老排長帶著我去看其他排兵，竟然散住在另外三四個土坑𥚃！這土坑就是在地上挖約一公尺深度，凹進去可以睡兩個人。找到士官長多領了床毛毯，碉堡門口也就湊和著過。 晚上裹著毯子加棉被，點上蠟燭，看著佳人的照片寫郵簡，想天將降大任於斯人也 ⋯。兩星期後裝備檢查，掀起門板才發現我天天是睡在十幾箱手榴彈上。

知道在外島有得是空閑時間，所以帶了一箱書，準備再考留考。但是在小金門搬了兩個營區之後又搬駐到大金門，再調到衛生營當後勤官，一直到移防回台灣卻始終沒打開過那書箱。主要原因是惰性，其次是當年的氛圍。好像留考沒過是不允許出國的 （過了一年因故改了法令又變可以了），在外島服役能請假回台灣考試是不可能的事，我能怎樣更認真？怎樣改變現實？就連與國外通訊都被暗示會有不好的紀錄存”檔”。  我每回寫完郵簡得寄到我住在台北的姊姊，請她幫我投郵。美國來的信件也得寄到她家地址請她再加信封寄到金門給我。即便如此變通及尊重所謂的體制，還是許多次被輔導長約談，對著桌上他已拆封的郵簡談我與寄信人的關係。沒有人敢提什麼個人隱私，跟什麼人爭人權爭通信自由？ 我們單純的心覺得世界就是如此。

金門炮戦發生在1958年，但1975年我到小金門時老共仍然堅持著這場失敗的戰爭。 只是換上只裝紙傳單的空包彈，而且達成了那個單打雙不打的默契。 雖説是空包彈，但是運氣壞讓彈殻碰上腦袋瓜兒還是會送命的。  所以每逢單日得早點由彈子房收攤，先彎到小巷𥚃買半斤海蚵再回碉堡。七點鐘一到，第一發炮就帶著咻聲過來，準時得可以憑聲音對錶。 小金門的蚵仔是極品，新鮮的，現挖不泡水，飽滿肥大有姆指大小。 加沙茶醬下麵條，每月發餉的那星期幾位排長幾乎天天聚一塊宵夜。 

那年過春節，晚上連上加菜，粉蒸肉，白斬雞，黃花魚，喝平常的老米酒不盡興，各人私藏的白金龍都上桌了。年初一早上的早點名只剩值星官代表，草草解散。一半的官都還躺著呢！不到半小時，突然全島警報大響，戰情電話通知全體武裝緊急在各據點待命。 出什麼事了？老共打上岸了？一個小時後傳來消息，原來是大陸那邊派了條船送了幾個俘虜到金門釋好拜年。  

從步兵連𥚃的支援排調衛生營也是很奇怪的事。突然接到人事派令後我去見營長，問他我是否做錯了什麼事，導致他生氣把我調走？他笑説衛生營是個涼單位，一般得靠關係托人情才進得去，他還在猜我有什麼有力的後台呢！我要不去的話他就寫簽呈把我留下。我一聽是個涼單位，就打個哈哈説我還是聽從上級命令吧！ 

 後勤官主要是管車輛和寫簽呈申請補給。我管呈，副營長管簽！平常沒事，但就怕刮颱風。風把鐵皮屋頂掀了，窗玻璃咂了，下面修補都是我的事。身邊的都是國防醫學院出身的醫官（嚴中原後來當了三軍總醫院院長）或是台大、北醫、高醫剛畢業的預官。 常看到他們看病在半途中回房間查醫藥手冊，我當時想看病也沒什麼了不起，跟修汽車也差不多吧！營長是赤腳醫生訓練所出身的老醫官，有一次我提到我的耳朵上方各有一個孔，常會有分泌物出來，有時候還會發炎。他說裏面是個小囊球，找那天他有空幫我動個小手術挖掉就行了。多年後我 google 後知道那是 preauricular pit, 原因是在老媽的胎𥚃沒長全，有條裂縫，沒有什麼囊球！  

每次看營內名冊總看到有個叫蔡宏圖（國泰蔡）的人事官，但待了一個多月卻還沒見過他，據說他代表陸軍到台灣參加足球比賽。又過了一陣子，下午營部前來了部吉普車，營長趕緊出去敬禮迎接，下來了個三顆梅花的上校和蔡宏圖。我心想在外島請假回台倒也不是不可能的事！  

管車輛有許多好處。每天全營採買、拉水都靠我的三部卡車，演習行軍得依頼我的醫護車，我週末到金城打牙祭也只須跟營長的駕駛士官打個招呼就可由他開吉普車接送。全營長官對我這個一條槓小少尉恭敬得很，我也肚子𥚃清楚我這是狐假虎威。 但保養車還得靠資深士官長才行。我運氣好遇到一位浙江藉的紅標三柺士官長。 他有一項特異功能，就是能塞一嘴的小黃魚，用嘴唇跟我聊天，用舌頭剔開魚刺，用牙嚼魚肉吞下，呸，吐出魚骨頭，不漏一個節拍，不愧是來自魚米之鄉！ 他不嫌我們預官無知，要求不高，平常買些滷菜、米酒陪他聊聊天，我們個人演各人的角色。遇到裝備檢查，他有他的管道拿到零件讓每輛車都能動。  

回台灣駐中壢高山頂。大家重回到”文明世界“，高興的很，但過了不到一個月醫官就抱怨説抗生素用到缺貨。我還不知大難臨頭，總算平日待人不薄，有人指點我晚上得巡一下停車場。原來幾部醫護車在天黑後就變成附近流鶯做生意的工具，停車場已成了紅燈區。從此以後毎天晩餐後加上一項例行工作：去確定車門都是鎖上的。  

到了台灣就又回到現實世界了。 星期六休假北上台北到我哥家，寫信到美南各大學要入學申請表，買了本如何申請美國硏究所指南，學寫英文作文，譬如我的志願、我的強項、為什麼我是貴學院最合格的硏究生、希望能獲得貴系的奬助學金、⋯。學用單指打字填申請書，跑淡水找以前的教授要推薦信。 每星期六早上出營門後就重覆的沒停的做這些事，一直到星期天晚上搭最後一班到中壢高山頂的客運車。 

回台灣後與美國的通信也方便多了，但收到郵簡卻愈來愈少。太忙？病了？我上封信説錯了什麼了？ 我表達情緒太消極？“你要是真來不及，也不必勉強趕在今年⋯“  我感覺到似乎傳説的‘兵變’要來了，卻拒絕承認。 小說𥚃頭的故事罷了，怎麼可能發生在自己身上？ 

鐵打的營盤流水的兵，新的菜鳥預官報到後，我漸漸進入數饅頭的日子。 退伍前晚受邀到山下唯一的一家飯店吃最後一餐，被逼著乾了五六杯高梁，攙著好弟兄高一腳低一腳的唱著夜襲走上山，“腳尖著地，手握刀槍，英勇的弟兄們挺進在漆黑的原野上⋯”。  還沒進營房就把一肚子飯菜都祭土地公了。  

隔天起床，換上老百姓便裝，隔著窗望著外面進行的早點名，一年九個月過去了。

[oldflowerking]

移動菜圃 Mobile Vegetable Pot

12/25/2014

上星期六 (12/10/2014) 才學到用箱子做有機莱圃。我照様做了一個，放在後院種些葱、香菜之類的作料。 材料：1）Centrex 27加侖的塑膠儲藏盒 x 2, Costco 賣$7.99 一個; 2) 透水不織布 3' l x 2'w (你沒有的話須在Home Depot 買一卷；3) PVC 3/4" x 1/2" bushing，3/4" male GHT x male NPT adapter; 3/4"橡皮 gaskets 兩三個疊成約 1/4"厚；4) 磚塊x 4; 5) Top soil x 2 bags。全部材料不足$40。 上面的盒底得鑚孔排水，大約10-12 個 3/8" - 1/2"直徑的孔即可。下面的盒子邊上鑽孔按上 PVC 零件外接一段短水管可排水到外面草地。盒蓋可以用來晚上防凍。

後記: 原意為放在後院，種平常燒菜常用的 spices, 隨吃隨採。  種下了香菜、蒜之後長得不錯, 缺點為土上佈滿蠅類小蟲生長, 肥皂水殺不死, 又不能噴殺蟲劑, 只能希望週邊的蚚蜴多飽餐。

[oldflowerking]

在美國必須知道的30句俚語

2/12/2015

你在美國已經四、五年了，為什麼一開口說話，當地人還以為你是觀光客呢？ 

你拿到學位之後, 順利進入一家公司開始工作。為什麼第一次參加會議, 感覺你好像搞不清楚你的經理到底是贊成還是反對那個討論提案？ 

我剛到美國留學的時侯，上課聽教授講課沒有什麼問題，但是第一次去看伍迪愛倫的電影，全場笑聲不斷，我卻弄不懂他們在笑什麼。 指導教授給了我一個半額助學金，在他的實驗工廠做實驗。 一天廠裡的技工問我有多少經費可花在機架上，我好不容易找到教授得空，他回答説，"Go tell him you only have a shoe string budget."  我儍笑半天，弄不清楚我到底是有還是沒有經費可用？ 

剛開始講英文的時侯，總覺得知道的字彙太少，説一句話得在腦子裡不斷的找單字來翻譯心中想好的中文詞句。漸漸的學會注意用正確的基本文法譬如陰陽性，時式，假設句。 然後慢慢的, 總算有信心一口氣講出整句話，也比較少被別人要求再重複説一遍。 但是還是常常聽不懂老美在講些什麼。 為什麼？  問題出於當地人話裡多半夾著俚語或是慣用語。

 基本的俚語：

 1.     A piece of cake  像吃蛋糕一樣簡單，意思是太容易了。 當有人請你做一件事或是交代你一件任務，説這句話表達你的信心。帶有一點輕眺，有一點驕氣。 另外一句用甜點的俚語是 Eat humble pie，意思是被指認出錯誤之後才謙虛下來。許多人覺得 pie 跟 cake 不都是甜點嗎？ 但是你要是說I willfix that right away.  It's a piece of pie. 或是説 Sorry, I am eating my humble cake，就沒人聽懂你了。

2.     A ball-park figure  大略的估計。有點像 guesstimate。 問的人知道你沒有準備， 回答時用這句也是宣告你不能對接下來要講的數字負責。老美喜歡用球賽來引喻事情，其他的例子像是 on the ball 表示對某件事情已充分準備；carry the ball 意思是負責完成某件事；drop the ball 則指犯錯誤或把事搞砸了。

3.     Blowing smoke  吹牛，但更適當的翻譯應該是唬弄人。

4.     Break a leg  祝福對方好運，成功。 這是一個非常奇怪的慣用語，剛剛聽到人對你説這話，你會冷在那兒不知道說什麼好。

5.     Bust your chops  找碴或是找你麻煩。Chops 這字是指腮鬢鬍子，所以 bust 你的鬍子像現代人説"打臉"。

6.     Close call  差一點就發生意外或受創。 可以用在人身或事情上。字面上好像是中性的字，但絕大部分用在臨近不妙的情況。

7.     (Get) cold feet   形容對一件事膽怯不敢做。 Get這字在口語中好用的很, 除了當"得"用, 還常用來接被動詞，譬如 get by, get to the point, get hold of something/someone,  get caught, get chewed out, ….

8.     Cut to the chase  直接了當的説，不轉彎摸角或 beat around the bush。   你可以説自己將要 cut to the chase， 但是對別人這樣子説，就含有命令的口氣。 開口之前，你得先秤秤自己斤兩。

9.     Dawn on (someone)  恍然大悟。 這地方 dawn 得當動詞用，形容自己或別人慢半拍，突然了解一件早就該知道的事。舉個例子, It just dawned on me that Arizona does not observe day-light-saving time.

10.  Elephant in the room / The 800 pound gorilla in the room   兩句都用在形容一個重大的議題。拿象形容重大也就算了, 但是為什麼是800磅的猩猩?   史上紀錄最重的猩猩才600磅重而已！  這就是俚語。

11.  For the love of God / For God's sake / For Christ's sake   字面上的意思是看上帝的份上，但實際上只是表達某種程度的挫折感和不耐煩。比如說，你的朋友天天向你抱怨她的丈夫，你受不了了，向她説 For the love of God, why didn't you divorce him?   還有一些人把這話當囗頭襌用，雖然比那個 F--k 四音字文雅一些，但也刺耳得很。

12.  Hold his feet to the fire  盯緊他不容他逃避責任或偷懶。 不難想像不管是古今中外，嚴刑逼供都是一樣的吧？

13.  Hang in there  堅持下去。換句話説就是"掛在那兒"。常用在鼓勵對方。

14.  In the loop  直接説就是在圏子裡, 有特別的消息管道。 請對方遇事情通知我一聲，可以說 Please keep me in the loop.   相反的，out of the loop，就表示沒被包括在圈子內，久了之後就變成 out of touch 了。

15.  My (or your) two cents   客氣的開場白來提出我的意見或請你提出你的看法。這不是很難了解的慣用語，但是千萬別説 three cents, five cents.

16.  On the house  商家請客, 這件東西不必付錢。  On是一個難搞的英文字, 簡單指在上方的意思, 但它用在太多的片語、俚語, 譬如on the go指忙得很, on the loose指沒被逮到, on hold是暫停, 除非你是語言學家, 不然沒什麼邏輯可以幫忙記這些。

17.  Play by ear  可以説是英文的"摸著石頭過河"。 也不能説是完全沒有準備，只是沒有完全準備好。 另一個俚語有同樣的意義是 Wing it。

18.  Pull someone's leg  開人玩笑。 Boss: You receive a 15% raise this review period.  You: Are you pulling my leg?

19.  Read between the lines   了解別人話中強烈暗示的訊息。 那個訊息雖然沒有被直接說明清楚，但是有心人應該体會到其中的含意。

20.  Ring a bell  好像記得那件事或是那個人，但是不很確定。  相反詞是 Draw a blank, 完全沒印象。

21.  Rub elbows with someone  與某人交際。手肘用複數？ 很難想像什麼樣的交際會讓兩個手肘都跟對方磨擦到。用這話時會帶一點輕視的負面味道。

22.  Sacred cow  指一件被視為不容許質疑、批評或改變的事。 尤有進者,它不容許挑戰的理由是不合理的。 所以用這個字來形容一件事的時侯，往往是要特別指出那件事需要改變，但是當權者不允許。

23.  Throw (someone) under the bus  被設計陷害了。在外頭不小心得罪人, 做輪下鬼都不知道是怎麼死的。

24.  Twist his (or my) arm   施壓力説服。雖然不是很情願，但絕對不是受到脅迫。有人喜歡喝酒但是老婆管得緊，想加入朋友群喝酒，就説 Please twist my arm.

25.  Under someone’s wing   受庇護, 也用在受教導。這話沒什麼負面的意思, 但是 under someone’s thumb則指受控於人了。

26.  Up in the air  事情沒確定，不知道下一步是什麼。 前幾年有一部很棒的迪司尼動畫片取名為 Up, 講一個小頑童跟隨一個嘮叨老頭坐氣球掛籃升空到南美洲探險的故事，是取其雙關語意思。

27.  Water over the bridge  事情過了就算了，不必再多談。有像是中國人說船過水無痕的意味。注意這話要是出自老闆口裡就表示他要你轉變話題了。

28.  White elephant  指一樣東西沒所麼實用價值, 也沒法賣掉, 但卻很難捨棄。中文裡的雞肋- 食之無味棄之可惜，可勉強用來解釋這句俚語。 白象的原意很有意思, 誰若有興趣可上網 Google一下。

29.  With no string attached   沒設條件的。可用在做一件事沒要求回報, 或男女交往沒有不能〝劈腿〞的限制。

30.  (Take it) with a grain of salt  當參考而已, 不必太認真。 

以上是我在美國多年來悟出的一些經常用到但是不容易由字面直接了解它意思的俚語。字典裡都查得到, 但不見得解釋清楚它們用的時機和方法。當然還有太多其他俚語了，下回再收集一些來聊。

 美國國務院出版過一本指南大概是我看過最好的參考資料：

http://americanenglish.state.gov/files/ae/resource_files/in_the_loop_pages.pdf

後記:  自從在運動機上孕孃構想，這篇文章在我心中擺了好幾個月了。 更改增減數次於 2/12/2015 定稿後，電郵給四個在臺灣及中國長大的王家子姪另 cc 給祖揚弟，信中說以此文當祝賀他們農曆新年的禮物。 結果收到一封謝謝的回郵，其他石沈大海。夫復何言！

[oldflowerking]

Kitchen Ventilation Hood under $500- 30-inch, under-cabinet, baffle filter, SS

As we were going to replace our cooktop, I thought this could be the right time to replace the ventilation hood as well.   But while I was researching the gas cooktop (you may see my comparison in one of my early blogs), I found it was difficult to do a similar head to head comparison in range hoods. 

There are basically three types: oil cup, aluminum mesh filter, and baffle.   In our last few houses, we had plenty of experiences in the first two types.  Almost all hoods installed by the home builders are the ones equipped with aluminum mesh filter.  It works okay if you only do boiling, stewing, and maybe some light grilling.  And you better be diligent in cleaning the filters in dishwasher every few days.  Otherwise you may unwillingly get drips of old bacon grease in your vegan dishes.

Many Mandarin-speaking kitchen hood manufacturers claim that their hoods are specially designed for the “Asian stir-fry cooking”.  They almost exclusively use a 2-oil-cup design.  The oil cups are mounted either under the blowers or behind the base plate.  In their ads, they emphasize the strategic positioning of the blowers, strong suctions, space-age design of the oil cups, automatic “spray cleaning”, blah, blah, blah.  All marketing B.S.!   A majority of these hoods tend to be the loudest in the market with a mediocre CFM.  Although they claim they place the blowers especially to suit the North American burner configuration, these models are pretty much the same as the ones sold in Taiwan or China.  After so many years, you would think they must have done tons of revisions and improvements.  Wishful thinking!

So I have always wanted to try the baffle type for our next kitchen hood.  From an engineering standpoint, it makes sense.  The open-channel baffle provides the least resistance for steam and oil mist to pass through.  The stainless steel plates also seem easy to clean.  However, they traditionally are expansive (over $1000) and targeted to “professional” cooking.   During my search on Internet, I was surprised to read some listed around $400. 

Most brands have a web site and include fairly detailed specifications on features and performance.  Some of them even provide videos to reveal the hoods’ internal components and the clean steps.  In addition, I found a few “expert” reviews that compare these low-cost hoods with their name brand counterparts.  Although the reviews were not from the Consumer Reports or CNET, but you can use your judgment in determining the objectiveness of the writers.  Amazon’s user reviews are also helpful but sometimes conflicting because of the users’ background.  I did the desk work and narrowed my choices to 3 brands- XtremeAir, Golden Advantage, and Cavalier.  Cavalier has gained good consumer reviews but costs more than $600, so I soon decided to drop it.  I also got another brand, Windster, from one of the installers.  

I called Sears and a few other local retail stores to see if anyone had some units in the stores but was disappointed that none of them has more than one or two models in display.  But you know what?   There are actually some advantages living in the Southern California.  Most of the companies selling products made in the Asian countries are located in the LA suburbs.  3 out of these 4 companies have an office within 30 minutes of driving from my house.

Let  me share with you a trick.  If you try to call for some technical questions, don’t connect to their sales department.  Try the customer service instead.   Companies tend to staff their CS department with engineers or technicians.  The Windster guy was very helpful and knowledgeable on the phone.  In the begining, he tried to direct me to a few close-by retail locations but soon realized there was not a single store that has both models I wanted in display.  He finally agreed to my request to visit his office, where all models were there but not connected.  He was nice enough to hook one unit up when I showed up and ran it for me to hear the noise level.  They are reasonably quite- 5.4 sones (about 55 dB) at the maximum fan speed that creates 650 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of suction.  The warranty program was better than average: 2 years for the parts and 1 year for labor.  All models has a 6-inch duct connection on top plus a 7-inch short-stack adapter so it may easily fit into my existing 7-inch ducts.  I like their new model, RA-30, which has a low 6-inch height and a $420 price tag.  It also has two light sockets that can hold either 35W halogen lamps or 8W LED lamps.  But I have a big concern on the design that the funnels drip oil onto the baffles below.  The technician assured me it was not a problem, but I believe the missing grease tray was either the result of cost cutting or an engineering oversight.  I was also surprised to see the baffles were attached to the box by magnets.  Aren’t all stainless steels non-magnetic?  I obviously did not know material well enough.  I was explained that the body and baffles were made of 450 stainless steel, which I checked later was indeed magnetic but has a corrosion resistance property similar to type 304 stainless.  An older model, WA-38, is supposed to be the same as RA-30 but have two SS oil trays behind the funnels.  The baffles are inserted to the frame under the blowers and were spring retained to prevent vibration.  Other manufactures using this type of baffle insertion just let the baffles sit on the frame.  The only thing I dislike is that it is a couple of inches taller.    

The CS answering the phone in Golden Advantage was polite.   He admitted its hoods were sold primarily through mail orders and invited me to see the models in its office.  My GPS directed me to an area that I don’t expect to visit again.  Two blocks away from the office, I almost had an accident in trying to cross the intersection.  Climbing upstairs into its “Office and Showroom”, I found myself standing in a ball pan with 10 or 12 people working on their desks.   A young man greeted me and turned the light on to reveal the space behind the office.   He pointed one unit hanging on the wall and another sitting on the floor next and said these are it.  This was the time I learned that AKDY and Golden Advantage are actually sold by the same company.  The man explained to me they were pretty much the same.   “They will last 4-5 years without problems.”   I challenged, “Should the motors normally last 10 years?”  He changed his tones, said, “Oh yah, of course.   Just most people today stay only 4, 5 years in the same house.”   Wow, really?   The hood uses 2 centrifugal blowers to generate 900 CFM, and comes with a 8-inch duct connector.  I would need a reducer to connect it to my existing duct.  The LCD control panel and touch sensor looked nice, but my experience tell me the replacement would be expensive.  It also has a remote control!  I believe the rep told me the hoods were made of 18-gauge, 403 stainless steel.  But perhaps it was because how these hoods were presented, I did not like their appearance.  The stainless steel surface did not appear to be polished, and the bends were not squared.  The Golden Advantage model has a height of 9.84 inches.  The front edge of the hood would be on my face even if it meets the safety codes.  AKDY is shorter than the Golden Advantage, but I did not like it places the oil channel outside the box.  The guy did not offer to show me the internal, and I did not bother to ask.   I later learned that both models receive a 4-star review from the Amazon’s users.  Most of the comments praised their strong suction but complained their noise.

XtreamAir advertises its hoods were made of “1-mm thick, non-magnetic stainless steel.”  I also like the 10-year warranty on motors and the rest with 2-year in parts and 1 year labor.  It has a high air flow at 900 CFM and a maximum noise of 6.5 sones ( about 55 dB).  But the squirrel cage blowers increase its body height to 9.8 inches.  The 8-inch duct connection also discourage me to pursue it further, and its office is over an hour away from me.

I decided to purchase the Windster WA-38 for several reasons:

It comes with a grease trap besides buffers. 

Based on several sources I found, it was made in Taiwan.  Most of the American consumers do not distinct the product origin between Taiwan and China.  But as far as the steel material is concerned , I believe Taiwan is still head and shoulder above the Chinese.  I also recall the WA-38 appears a little better in workmanship when I checked them both in the show room.

Spring retained baffles may not help to reduce noise, but to me, it reflects their engineering efforts.

It has a 6”/7” connection.

680 CFM and fairly quiet.

I checked the price on amazon.com, build.com, and a local retail store.  Three of them had virtually the same price.  I bought the hood from the local retail store since they offered a 15% discount for the Labor Day Sales.  Although I have no problem buying stuffs from the mail orders through Internet, but the local stores offer another level of protection if anything goes wrong.   I paid $415 plus local tax.   A local professional installer charged $105 to remove the old hood and install the new.   It works great.

The following is a chart that lists all key attributes side-by-side.

[oldflowerking]

Thoughts during Mom's stay in the hospital

Mom has been in the hospital for a while, and I have been accompanying her in these days.  Watching her ups and downs is unbearable sometimes.

I really don't mind the physical burden as the others pitied me.   But you know what I hate?  I hate to remember the names of those ever changing nurses, therapists, and technicians.   I am not friendly by nature, but I have learned to build affinity with people over the years.  I know people wanted to be noticed.  I have also been taught that people liked to be remembered by their names. The society has evolved to a point that almost every industry has developed its own process to gain most efficiency of product delivery and, as a result, profits.  Since they all gears toward the general public, their processes were dehumanized.   Unless your wealth or status falls outside of the 99 percentile, you would be treated as an assigned code by the so called optimized process. In hospitals, someone has decided that 12 hours a shift, 3 days a week is the "optimized" way for the nursing professionals.  Therefore, even you may stay in the same bed, you may see 4 RNs, 4 NAs, 4 LVNs.   Mom has gone through ER, Regular Room, and then ER, and ICU.   5 different beds in the last 10 days.   How many nurses have we seen? The specialists were grouped in several departments in a hospital.  The RT, Respiratory Therapist, is in charge of breathing treatments and suction.  Speech Therapists is responsible for swallowing assessment.  I guess there is a pool of probably 10 to 15 specialists in each department. So far I have seen probably over 10 RTs and 5 SPs coming and going.   At first I tried to write down their names, but after a few days, I just read from their name tag. What if I were a billionaire?  I guess Steve Jobs might have two or three dedicated nurses, a few full- time specialists, and a handful of doctors that he had immediate access 24 hours a day.  Then he still died in his young age anyway.  But I believe he was much more comfortable in his late stage of illness.   Is this one of the differences between a millionaire and a billionaire?

[oldflowerking]

A Day of Turning 60

I told Mom yesterday that tomorrow would be my 60th birthday.  She looked at me puzzled, and said, ” Are you that old?”   I reminded her that we just celebrated her 98th birthday last month.   She smiled and showed that facial expression I saw frequently now whenever she feels embarrassed because of mixing up. 

Today is just like any other day.  Waking up around seven before the alarm sounded.  I picked up the Sunday newspaper and fund a leftover muffin made from extra batter of the carrot cake Lee made yesterday for the Clubhouse party.   I had that for breakfast while watching one of my favorite commentary, “This week with George Stephanopoulos.”  Egypt is a mess!  But do I really care to understand who is killing whom for what reasons?  I switched to another channel interviewing the NYPD commissioner.   A liberal judge ruled that the Stop-and-Frisk policy is unconstitutional.   No one can argue the crimes in New York are decreasing drastically during the Giuliani and Bloomberg days.  Why the racial distribution of  people got stopped by policemen have to agree with the demographic profile of the city?  Should I argue that the grades in a school should be distributed like its student demographics?  Can I demand the percentage of CEOs in the Fortune 500 have to match the gender and racial distribution of the country?   Another channel, please.  Click!  The chairman of RNC wanted to ban CNN/NBC from broadcasting the republican presidential candidate’s debate because they are mad of these two channels dared to show the Hillary Clinton biopic.   Are they really that desperate even the election is still 2 and a half years away?  What’s wrong with these kids!

I saw Lee working in the backyard, so I decided to also do some yard work.  Ever since we moved into this house, I have yet actual seen watering on the front lawn.   I was told the responsibility belongs to the HOA.  But why our roses have not grown as well as our neighbor’s?  Did the sprinkler heads clogged?   I might as well check them myself.  One was indeed clogged. 

You know, a scary thought came to my mind quite a few times lately.   Based on Mom and Dad’s health history, I may get to live to my 90’s if I don’t have an accident.   So I still have one-third of my life in front of me!   What am I going to do in the next 30 plus years?   Everything I have ever done- learning how to crawl, walk, and talk; schooling, marrying, raising 2 kids, working for 3 companies, building a generation of contact lens manufacturing, saving and investing money, and all other stuffs have altogether taken two-third of my life so far.   What then?  A new carrier?  Getting new hobbies?  Or just sit around talking about the good old days?

We headed out to lunch.   Lee told me my siblings have put a ‘surprise’ party together.  So I have to act well, not to ruin the fun.  

Besides the Happy Birthday cards from my two insurance agents, I received 3 presents already.  Two days ago, I received an UPS delivery.  It was from Teb, our Schwab investment adviser.  It was just a standard corporate fruits-and-cookies basket and probably paid by his company, but Teb was sweet to do that.  A bigger surprise was a Zegna travel bag from Stephen and Alex.  Made of very nice Italian leather, of course, but it is just way too expensive.  Stephen has never inherited a frugal life style from the Wang family.  Wandering how much poor Alex has to chip in.  George and Hueiyun also gave me a light jacket Saturday.  I was surprised that I fit in Size ‘S’.   Thanks to the 2-hour daily work out.  I will have to remember their important events and pay back the favor.

I guess I acted okay to please everyone waiting for me in the restaurant.  Nice to be in LA with the family together.  It is just too bad that Dad wasn’t here.  He would have been so happy to see us like that.   I miss him. 

We had to skipped dinner because of the big meal at lunch.   Lee split the remaining birthday cake and gave them to our neighbors.  She was in the first house for 20 minutes and trapped in the second one for more than half an hour.  Old ladies sure like to talk.   I caught Janice driving home when we left house to take a walk.   I went back home and take the plate to her within 3 minutes of time!

I went to bed with a full stomach.  It was just a common day.

[oldflowerking]

That old closet next to our bedroom was probably the worst part of the house.  Typically storage closet is not an area that a homebuyer would spend a lot of time to check during the house hunting, but it affects the quality of living greatly once you move in.  I hated it almost immediately when I came here last December.  Although being a walk-in, it is small and in an odd T-shape.  The previous owner was a single woman.  She  put up probably 10 wire-racks on the walls to supplement the shelves built by the builder.  For two of us, I had no idea how I was going to organize our stuffs.  Remodeling has become a priority.

I lingered in the Home Depot's ClosetMaid section many times, but it was not obvious to me how to put together from those display modules.  I did not want something as extravagant as the designs on most web sites.  All I want is something similar to what we had in the Jacksonville house- the one that Charles had his carpenter put together based on my hand sketches.

A sales rep from California Closet referred by the local Home Depot came to the house and gave me a quote of $1800 and then raised to $2000 in her follow-up e-mail confirmation.  Then, someone forwarded me a link to EasyCloset.   It has a great design tool for handy homeowers to lay out the space with dimensions and design each wall by picking from a list of pull-down menu for hanger, shelf, and drawer sections.  The best part was that you can send your design to their in-house designer for expert adjustments.  The guy calling me back on the second day was both knowledgeable and easy to communicate.  And he was from New Jersey instead of Bangalore.  After eliminating a section of small shelves on one of the overcrowded walls, I was able to get the cost down to less than a thousand dollars.  The designer reminded me that I needed to strip down everything currently on the wall.  So the sequence-of-event has to be: demolition, wall patching, painting, carpet replacement (by Home Depot), and then closet installation.

It took me more than a week to complete.  I really like how it turned out. 

My labor in the total project was around 50 hours. I probably save between $800 to $1000 in demolition and installation fees.  Is it worthwhile?  If I had a consulting job for these hours, I could make $7500.  But nobody hires me.  This way, at least I know the supporting bars are secured to the studs, double nails on each, and all panels were hung according to the spec.  I will not get a surprise in the next few years. 

[oldflowerking]

First Month's Impression on Los Angelus

After 6 months, we finally sold our house in Florida and moved to the Walnut home.  Both selling and moving were quite an experience.  I will write a blog separately for these events.    But I would rather document down my initial impression about LA first before immersing myself in this area and adapting to its culture.

Los Angeles is a much bigger city than any other places I have ever lived.  Before moving to here for good, I probably came here at least 30 times.  But those trips were just a few days or a couple of weeks most.  Visiting and living are very different.   I knew the traffic was going to be challenging.  I also knew the traffic I commonly encountered during weekends was deceiving.   Weekdays were much worse.  But now it seems to be getting more and more congested.   I got stuck on I-10 in the last two Saturdays driving to Mom's nursing home.  LA drivers also seem to getting more and more impatient to people making dumb mistakes on the road.  I always thought the drivers in LA are kinder than those places like Jew Jersey because nobody know the highways really well.  They tolerate your mistakes and let you cut in.  But no more.  These LA drivers are catching up.

There seems to be Chinese spoken people everywhere.  I went shopping in Costco on a Sunday afternoon and found almost half of the shoppers were Asian.  I normally write the combination codes in Chinese characters on the back of lock so I don't have to memorize them.  This method can no longer be an encryption.  And no more private comments in Chinese to Lee about passing-bys. 

But on the other hand, high quality Chinese restaurants are abundant.  Go to Rowland Heights, San Gabriel, or Alhambra, you can have choices between Hung-Kong style Cantonese, spicy Hunan, bitter hot Sichuan, and authentic Taiwanese within 2 blocks.  I have not had a bad dumpling so far.  When in Jacksonville, we just hoped there would be a sit-down restaurant that serve more than all-you-can-eat buffets.  Now my wish has been inflated to an Asian bakery within walking distance from our house.

Haggling is a necessary skill.  You need to negotiate constantly to a quoted price.  We got ourselves 40% off from the original offer on our gym membership but later found we overpaid.  Is this the new American culture influenced by its new Asian immigrants?

It also appear to me that white people here are much outspoken to protect their rights.  I was frequently reminded where the waiting line was in the stores.  My previous experience was that everyone understand there were unwritten rules and everyone trusted the others would follow these rules.  Like a food stand without any a marked check out line.  People may get their food from left or right, but by visual you sort of know who is in front of you, so you just follow that guy.  In here, those white mama has to tell you, hey, the line is behind her. They think they have to remind you how to behave properly.  Latinos are also very sensitive.  I was given a lecture by a Walmart customer service manager because she did not like my comment toward the so-called "store policy" and asked me to leave.  So I just stop shopping in Walmart.

[oldflowerking]

Another Lipstick- Yard Beatification

Considering the present Jacksonville housing market, I figured I would need all the helps I can get to sell my house.  Landscape seems to be a good investment.  And even before some of the shrubs died, our front yard was Hodge-podge with shrubs and flowers put together by the house builder.  Even if we decide not to sell the house soon, we may enjoy it ourselves.  

The first landscaping company was recommended by our trusted lawn care guy.  Al and his designer partner, Dave (a CLP), proposed to remove all existing flower plants, shrubs and relocate the corner bottlebrush to the flower bed further from the house.  Al suggested we create a "barrier" that blocks a direct view to our neighbor’s house.  I liked the plan, but their quote was $5,900.  So in the meantime, I decided to get a second opinion.  Brian, a self-taught young landscaper, was recommended by the nursery on Fort Caroline Road.  His plan kept the existing flower bed layout, saved the pittosporrum shrubs but added Texas sages and junipers to create a 3-layer design.  I thought it is on the uncreative side but should be much cheaper.  2 days later, his quote came as $1875.   Not really a bargain either.

After 4 weeks, I wore Al out and he came down to $4,000 by eliminating the 15 square-feet triangular piece in the corner and forfeiting half the Mondo Grass.   We had a deal.

The original landscape installed by the builder-

Work in progress-

The bottlebrush did not like its move well.  Although I had continued to water every day, it appeared devastated.  All leaves turned to a grayish brown color in the first week and shed almost completely after 3 weeks.  On a trip to the neighborhood nursery for additional Mondo Grasses, I asked the owner, Tod, if a bottlebrush behaving like that still had a chance to survive.   He showed me the Osmocote and 9-59-8 plant food and gave me specific instructions of burying the fertilizers in four one-foot-deep holes surrounding the trees.  I has to be honest that I was very skeptical.  But the 20-dollar treatment would be a worthwhile investment to convince me that to plant a new tree would be unavoidable. 

To my big surprise, in 2 days, I noticed a few tender sprouts came out of one of the branches.  I continued to water the tree everyday for about a week.  New leaves appeared on all main branches.  Tod just taught me one principle of the nature- all things want to live.

I planted another 70 bundles of Mondo Grass around the oak tree and then added some yellow daisy called French Marigold.   Total project cost reached $4300.   Does it help selling the house?  We will see.

Renovated landscape after 3 months-

[oldflowerking]

The iPong was great!  But to bend over picking up 100 balls every few minutes is more exercise than playing ping-pong itself.   And I certainly ain't going to spend $150 to purchase a catch net on-line.  How difficult can it be!

DIY: 

25 ft x 6 ft polyethylene 1" mesh net on eBay for $23

1/2" PVC pipes, connectors, wing-nuts and screws, and cord for $16

6 hours of labor including design, cut, drill, and fit.

Plus lessons learned: 

Have you tried to cut a piece of web to size?  The net behave like a two dimensional spring.   And it is non-Newtonian, i.e., when you pull in one dimension, the other dimension shrinks and shrinks non-proportionally.  I figured out to thread the holes through a rod or pipe, and then I can cut a straight line by following the rod.   But how do you cut a triangular piece?

I spent at least another 4 hours in fine tuning the net.  The balls just don't GLIDE down into the box underneath as I first designed.  I finally made it like a pocket and cut a hole in the middle.  Although the balls still can't glide down to the box by themselves, it takes a minute to pad them down the path.

I am glad I did not glue the pipe connectors!   Mech Engr. always make mistakes thinking things in a form of "rigid body".

[oldflowerking]

八寶粥 Eight Treasure Congee (Chinese)

January 28, 2012

今年的年三十是在一家韓國華僑朋友家吃餃子過的。這麼多年了,他們倒還保留了這北方傳統。餡裡面藏了小塊的栗子(順利)、銅板(財)、紅棗(早 = 快？)、年糕 (高升),誰吃了誰好運。一桌都是近六十或七十歲的人了,還都搶著比誰吃到的「寶」多。結果每個人都吃撐了肚子。

回家後突然想吃以前媽做的臘八粥。以前冰箱小,她總是將做好一瓦罈子的粥放在窗檯上。天冷靠近玻璃窗能比在餐桌上涼些。我們早上拿個乾淨的杓從罈裡挖一大塊放在小鋁鍋裡熱。吃了胃裡熱乎乎的上學。

我知道家裡常備糯米和紅糖。有紅豆、大紅豆、花生、蓮子、桂圓肉(龍眼乾)、紅棗這幾樣一定要有的材料。但還缺兩樣才能湊足八寶。結果到廚房的儲藏室裡找出一包barley (查電腦字典有的說中文是大麥或青稞), 又找到一包小赤豆, 像紅豆的暗紅色, 但是只有米粒那麼大。勵平說那小赤豆得煮得久才爛得了。吃完中飯, 我將各式乾貨(一杯或兩杯量)洗淨裝在碗裡泡著。躺在沙發上看完華爾街日報睡個二十分鐘午覺醒來想著如何熬粥。紅豆得燒爛, 但我喜歡花生嚼在齒間有些脆不是綿綿的感覺。紅棗最好不要燜到皮開肉綻, 而且桂圓煮久了會失去那特有的香甜就像吃中藥了。嗯…

我拿了個小鍋猛火煮那小赤豆。吃定了它沒澱粉不會溢出鍋來, 我可以一邊看電腦網路Yahoo Finance一邊讓它滾。過了十五分鐘我的老毛病又犯了。想這小赤豆沒這麼頑故,讓它早跑了那麼長時間該也差不多了！ 把等在爐台上裝了糯米的大鋼鍋也開了火,雙管齊下。十分鐘後檢查爐上兩個鍋- 糯米已爛水也半乾, 但另一鍋小赤豆卻像小赤佬似的還硬著的。趕忙在米鍋裡加了兩碗水,擰了中火再燉。轉過頭看看還攤在桌上的幾樣料,沒多考慮就把那紅豆、花生、蓮子都倒到米鍋裡了。不到三分鐘只見米漿沸騰泡沫四溢,趕緊轉了小火。拿杓在鍋裡攪拌又發現米都黏鍋底了。但是嚐了紅豆花生發現它們居然還是生的。基本物理原理: 想不要米槳濺得四處就得降低溫度,低溫下紅豆花生就不容易熟。這就像在黃山項上燒熟一鍋飯得花平常一倍的時間同樣的道理。這下好了,電腦網路不必看了。接下來半小時, 我就不停的攪拌,加水,嚐生。

嚐起來還真有媽做的口味。只是花生和蓮子生脆了些,得下回改進。記下流程供下回參考。

材料:  紅豆-  一坏; 大紅豆- 一杯; 花生-半杯; 蓮子-半杯; 大麥- 半杯; 小赤豆、花豆、碗豆或其他豆類-  半杯; 桂圓肉(龍眼乾)- 半杯; 紅棗- 半杯; 紅糖- 一杯半左右; 糯米-  一杯.

將耐煮的材料如小赤豆、紅豆、大紅豆、花生、蓮子分鍋先煮。按各樣耐煮的程度先後入鍋。譬如先大火加蓋煮小赤豆二十分鐘後加紅豆, 大紅豆, 轉中火。過五分鐘再加花生, 蓮子。十分鐘後再加紅棗一起燉十分鐘應該即可。 用大鍋加十碗水煮糯米, 大火���小火約二十分鐘後加入另一鍋內所有的材料。轉文火,加糖, 不時撓拌避免黏鍋底。熄火前三、四分鐘加龍眼乾。

[oldflowerking]

December 1, 2011

These pictures were taken at the pond near my subdivision's entrance.  I have passed it probably more than a thousand times but have never seen anything birds in it before.

Both #1 and #2 use a manual setting f/5.3, 1/640s with Nikor VR 55-200mm F/4-5.6G lens.  They are cropped from photos with different focal points.  # 3 were taken with f/5.3, 1/500s, my first manual setting trial.

[oldflowerking]

November 11, 2011

Taken on Bowan's Beach, Sanibel Island during my recent trip to Fort Myers.

Nikon D7000 and Sigma 17-40mm lens.  auto-focus, f/6.3, 1/1600s.