Barbecue Pork Rice

Thirty six years of age later this year, I first saw her appearing alongside Eddie Kwan and one of my all time favourite actresses Gigi Lai in 'The Link' back in 1993.

I remember cursing her character as she was so evil and manipulative. She was also rather wooden in her role and I remember hating her for a long time after. Of course this was during a very young age and I didn't appreciate the fact that it was just her second series and that she was only 20 back then.

I saw her again in 'At the Threshold of an Era' which was done from 1999 to 2000, but she didn't leave much of an impression then as there were some other spectacular performances from Gallen Lo, Roger Kwok and Flora Chan (Oh Flora...)

Recently I caught up with TVB's blockbuster production which spanned 80 episodes over 2008 and 2009 - 'The Gem of Life' where she teamed up with Gigi and Eddie again, along with a whole long list of superstars. It was not one of the better productions, but it allowed her to develop more of her character from a seemingly evil and manipulative person (sound familiar?) to someone the viewers sympathised with her predicaments. Sort of shows how much she has improved in acting, commanding most of the scenes she is in.

Then I watched 'Secret of the Heart’ after which was done back in 1998 - again one of the bigger productions, her character was allowed to develop from being very money minded (sound familiar) and simple to a kind hearted and determined woman. Her on-screen chemistry with Sunny Chan was genuinely moving and viewers were left gutted for Sunny at the end of the series.

I've just finished 'To Catch the Uncatchable' in which she stars alongside Dayo Wong. Produced back in 2004, this comedy series is very different from the routine TVB comedy due to the comical presence of Dayo, but once again the on screen chemistry between her and Dayo is amazing. Her character, an insurance agent, acts like a 38 (sam pat) tai-tai and her the way she bosses Dayo around is so funny.

Aiming to catch the 'Armed Reaction' series soon to see more her in a different role, but I think we can safely say she has progressed well since the times of 1991 when she set alight the stage during the Miss HK Finals into the mould of a superstar.

Hard to imagine her lasting to where she is through all her well publicised personal troubles, but I guess no pain no gain, what a wonderful superstar, the lovely Ada Choi Siu Fun.

impossible

People keep saying that through fate we can eventually find the one we love.

In actual fact, they are lying to themselves, reasoning that their love is fate.

Because it is impossible to find a person who loves you as much as you love them.

As fate would have it, we always seem to be chasing the impossible.

It’s just human nature.

"I want to smurf Smurfette."

The Only Smurfette in the Village.

Years ago, Yang was telling me this argument that Smurfs are asexual creatures. What it is, if you watched the Smurfs when you were growing up is that the whole village with the exception of Smurfette (until they added Sassette) were males. He argued that they reproduce ala Gremlins by coming into contact with water - which is why each time it rains (at the start of the programme) they run under mushrooms for cover.

Well, in actual fact, Papa Smurf didn't create Smurfette. Gargamel did. She was sent in as Gargamel's evil spy with the intention of destroying the Smurf village.

Then there was Nanny smurf. Being an old flame of Grandpa Smurf's, Nanny enters the cartoon series after being trapped inside a cursed castle for centuries. It is unclear if she is a naturally occurring female smurf or if she was somehow created via sorcery like Smurfette and Sassette.

This itself provides an argument that as Smurfs may be asexual, its just the fact that a Smurf could have been more feminine than the rest, earned enough money and went to Bangkok to get a 'sex' change.

Thus, Tranny Smurf became Smurfette. And then it became socially acceptable that tranvestites could co-exist with the rest of the smurfs, it paved way for more tranny smurfs to come out of the closet.

Banks and Insurance

It is now harder to get a loan to buy a new house.

People are complaining how difficult it is to set up anything new with banks is.

Well, serve's them all right!

Several months back, I moaned about the vultures in the guise of banks and insurance agents, leeching off others. Every single deal had only one thing behind it - more money.

Money has grown to such importance that the greed of men ensured a swift downfall into what we now call a recession.

For all the singular dollars the banks have made over late payments or overdrafts or missed repayments, karma has had a strange way of working back against them.

As we speak, several banks face several billions (some trillions) of dollars wiped off their portfolio. Same goes for some of the insurance companies like AIG.

Maybe we'll all learn to be a bit more prudent now.

What of the Louis Vuitton's when you have kids at home to feed?

People Change

It's funny how we always have the best memories where they should be, in our minds.

Usually we remember people the way we want to remember them, but sometimes after some time, we find that that same person has changed.

I guess it's the same for myself.

I seem to be more tolerant towards certain issues that I would not have compromised in the past and opened up to enjoy life more.

The past is always a memory, but we still have a long way to go. I hope we can make it in the end.

Sic vis pacem, para bellum

JD commented that people have been comparing the current economic crisis to the Great Depression. The only thing missing is a World War to churn the economy by setting up weapon plants and giving people jobs in the manufacturing side.

Will Israel and Gaza be the new World War?

Sic vis pacem, para bellum

Foot in mouth

Ian Rush had a successful season at Juventus but returned to Anfield in 1988 claiming:

"I couldn't settle in Italy - it was like living in a foreign country."

Another examples of footballers putting their foot in their mouth.