Saturday, April 19, 2008

The Last Lecture





從來都害怕面對這一刻。

從來都害怕走進這個地方。

小周末的晚上,到紅磡大酒店送別一位長者。她是朋友的母親。安息晚會是以天主教儀式進行,予人一種平安的感覺。儀式進行期間,卻又再觸動我的神經思緒,腦裡浮現年多前為母親設靈的場景與情景。


從來總會在紅白二事與好久不見的親朋戚友見面。當處於凝滯的氣氛下,大家惟有互訴失去至親之痛,不知不覺間,自己卻哭起來,實在有點失儀。面對至親的離開,同事的眼睛是哭乾了,但她堅定的眼神卻告訴大家她是撐得住。
最近閱讀了一本美國大學教授Randy Pausch的著作 "The Last Lecture",當他被證實患上胰臟癌,只餘下幾個月生命,但Pausch依然完他人生最後一課。感動人心的演講的真正觀眾,其實是Pausch膝下的三名幼子。最終透過互聯網的傳播,感動了無數的人。
生死有時,任何痛苦/美麗的事情也總有完結的一天。"We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hand"。
在世的人都應好好活下去,將負能量轉化,努力尋夢,無悔、無憾。




Monday, January 21, 2008

Home Alone



‧40年前,粵語片年代的童星王愛明、溤寶寶,小小年紀演出一幕幕獨留家中照顧弟妹的寫實片子 (反映五、六十年代的香港大部份是貧困戶,又沒有birth control 的概念,家庭成員眾多。為餬口,爹娘早出晚歸,大家姐總要背著阿老六或老七...甚至老九/老十,邊燒菜、邊督促各弟妹做功課,又要教細佬妹待人處世之道,簡直係半個家庭指導員)。


‧20年前,有郭亞女事件,阿媽把女兒禁錮家中。


‧2008年1月,8歲及14歲兒童被獨留家中。


‧2008年1月,老鬼我在書店門外遇上被「遺棄」的 6歲女童 -- 還記得周日晚上,路經書店門口,留意到一名女童,她身體在打震,雙眼泛紅,最後終於按捺不住,淚水如噴泉溢出,老鬼走上前的時候,小女孩像樹熊般擁抱著老鬼嚎哭......「阿...阿....媽話去睇書,吾知佢去o左邊呀」女孩情緒好激動,好不容易才能夠開腔。老鬼安撫她後,隨即帶她往書店內走,結局當然係母女團聚,猶記得她們重聚一刻的情景:阿媽皺眉頭「吾准喊呀,死女包,等我死左你先喊啦」,說話時還以手指指著阿女的太陽穴。當阿媽見老鬼我在怒啤時,稍為收歛起來。


究竟這個城市發生什麼事? 上一代看我們不知所謂,我們看下一代卻是搖頭嘆息。上一代教子女要勇於承擔,活出真我,但沒有指引他們認識周邊的人和事,對人的基本尊重。上一代給予子女發揮的機會,卻沒有鼓勵他們接受失敗的磨鍊。稍有壓力/不如意,便不堪一擊。


做人難,做父母難,做人子女也艱難。由細至大,每當看著父母時,彷彿看到自己的將來,希望下一代不會覺得自己是食古不化的老骨頭。

Wednesday, January 02, 2008

Andy Lau Live Concert 2007






老鬼不是劉華粉絲,亦從來不會自掏腰包購買劉華的album。那為何要去看他的騷呢?
1.老鬼大佬的友人送來免費票子 ,位子不錯
2.身邊不少友人成日話好喜歡劉華,覺得他很帥,又識演戲唱歌!
基於上述兩個理由,就決定走去紅館,看看有幾好。
一如所料,劉華好賣力唱、跳,說話極得體,擅長搞氣氛,還擺出他大情人的pose。播放20年前的舊相及唱舊歌,是劉華風格的騷。
兩者比較,老鬼較喜歡看郭富城的concert. 單是那360度旋轉舞台、他的舞功及 Piano Solo 表演,為粉絲們帶來不少驚喜,也感應到他下了不少苦功。

A Tribute to Dan Fogelberg


午夜,上網聽收音機,喇叭傳來80年代當紅 DJ余劍明的聲音,她正主持一個 Dan Fogelberg 紀念特輯。她提及 Dan 寫 "Leader of the Band" 的靈感是源於 Dan 的父親是樂隊領班 ,說著說著,音樂亦響起來。聽著這首單曲,老鬼不禁拿起結他及樂譜,以僵硬的手指撥動弦線,腦海又浮現了中學時代與學長一起彈結他、一起 jam 歌 (我們同是 Dan 的粉絲)、一起比賽、一起飲維他奶、一起成為headboy & headgirl、一起走堂、一起鬥咀的日子...Dan的歌帶給我們很多美好的回憶。
i was sad when i heard the news of Dan's passing recently. He was a talent singer song writer and his best known songs, "longer", "same old lang syne" are good examples of his velvety voice and emotive lyrics which made over a dozen albums. i thought Dan is in God's choir and band now. The world was richly blessed and will continue to be, as his legacy will live in so many hearts of people.


Goodbye Dan, rest in peace.

********************************************

Lyrics: "Leader of the band" - Dan Fogelberg

An only child, alone and wild
A cabinet maker's son
His hands were meant for different work
And his heart was known to none
He left his home
And went his lone and solitary way
And he gave to me a gift
I know I never can repay
A quiet man of music
Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once
But his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love through discipline
A thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls
Took me years to understand

(Chorus) The leader of the band is tired
And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument
And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt to imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy to the leader of the band

My brothers' lives were different
For they heard another call
One went to Chicago
And the other to St. Paul
And I'm in Colorado
When I'm not in some hotel

Living out this life I've chose
And come to know so well
I thank you for the music
And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom
When it came my time to go

I thank you for the kindness
The times when you got tough
And papa, I don't think I said, "I love you" near enough

Thursday, December 27, 2007

First Entry

望穿秋水,老鬼的第一篇網誌終於寫好了。

忙忙忙 - 老鬼終日埋首工作,那有心思建blog呢? 及至近日,聽聞老鬼下崗,再次萌起寫blog的念頭,望藉文字/影像自況日常經歷,為的是要阻止老人癡呆症提早出現。不講不知,讀番書的老鬼的思想卻不太開明,成日話寫blog是年青人玩意,自己與時代脫節,文筆粗疏,寫得老套,請多多包涵。

12月底,又是回顧與展望的時候,希望老鬼時刻緊記要堅持寫blog,引用她寫"關於自己"的內容,提及要寫寫寫...寫至最後一口氣。


為祝賀老鬼的blog 開張大吉,謹此送上特飲推介: SINVINO (西班牙語SIN解作無;VINO解作酒),是充滿歐陸香檳式氣泡但又無酒精的飲品,產品更標榜是無添加,有提子味和蘋果味,(老鬼最喜歡喝蘋果味,好有飲香檳的感覺,沒有酒精,老少咸宜。) 由美國Crystal Geyser Water Company製造,現於CitySuper 有售,每枝盛惠$13.90,還有一個好時款的紅色手抽袋贈送。老鬼拿著它走在街上時,也有途人被紅袋子的外表吸引而上前向老鬼問 "是什麼東西來的?"。

飲勝 Cheers!

P.S. 老鬼是誰? 聲稱是一名土生土長的 "香港婆" (據聞3歲時曾短居菲國)。