Crazy lazy food

I love food but am no foodie. I enjoy cooking from time to time but most of the time it's out of practicality - I've got to eat something, right? I can't afford to go to fancy restaurants all the time and I don't want to have another 茶餐廳 (local version of the greasy spoon) meal after a long day's work. So I tend to make something quick, usually only involves one pot/pan to minimize the pain of washing up. And sometimes I ended up doing something crazy for various reasons.
   
Last night, after going to my grandma's place for a belated 拜年 (Chinese New Year ritual - visiting your seniors), it's still early and the market hasn't closed yet. So I wandered around with no idea what to cook for the night. I thought of making a soup with cabbage, tomato and corn. But after I got the tomatoes, I passed by the fish monger and thought, "oh I haven't had fish for a while." I finally got a filet of some kind of white fish (don't ask me, I don't even know its Chinese name).
 
So then I started to think what should I do with the fish... And here's what:
 
Tray-baked filet of I-have-no-idea-what-fish-this-is with cabbage and tomatoes
 
Ingredients:

• Filet of fish, any fish
• 1 small cabbage (coarsely chopped)
• 2-3 tomatoes (cut in wedges)
• Salt and pepper for seasoning
• Ginger (few small pieces, squash them)

Method:

1. Pre-heat oven (around 220 degrees)
2. Drizzle oil on a baking dish (I use a disposable foil tray)
3. Put the chopped cabbage in the baking dish, drizzle a bit more oil on it
4. Cover with aluminium foil and cook in oven for 10mins
5. Meanwhile, rub salt and pepper on both sides of the fish
6. Take out the tray from oven. Put the fish on top of the cabbage, add the ginger and tomatoes and cover with foil
7. Put back tray in the oven and cook for 20mins (depending on the thickness of the filet)
8. Serve

* don't waste the remaining juice in the tray. it's yummy too. oh and I think you may also add some white wine in it.
 
P.S. All quantities, oven temperatures, cooking time are arbitrary. I'm not a professional cook and I just learn as I cook ;P
 
P.P.S. Sorry I didn't take any photo... Use your imagination.

閱讀報告一：戀人絮語 | A Lover’s Discourse

原名：Fragments d’un discours amoureux；英譯本：A Lover’s Discourse
作者：Roland Barthes (羅蘭‧巴特)

大家都說法國人很浪漫，我覺得只是一廂情願的想法。反而我認為法國人都喜愛分析、討論、辯駁。他們很多時候都思路清晰、見解獨特，別忘記法國出了很多有名的思想家、哲學家。而法國的教育很重視培養學生的思巧、辯論能力，他們從小就要上哲學課。當然，法國人喜愛談戀愛也是事實。(試問又有誰不喜歡呢？)

那麼，從哲學家的角度看愛情又會是如何？

戀人絮語是法國哲學家、思想家、符號學家羅蘭‧巴特的晚期作品，發表於1977年。

巴特透過愛到不能自拔的主角，以不同的符號，絮絮道出戀愛中的百般感受，以及剪不斷，理還亂的情緒，嘗試將愛情解構。到底，戀愛就是不理性的，我們又怎能作出準確分析呢？

某年從一個愉快難忘的法國假期回來，便買了這本書看。很不習慣這種文體，而且對書中提到的多位哲學家、思想家都不太認識，於是邊讀邊搔頭。可幸也有共鳴的地方。事隔數年，再次閱讀，仍然有很多不明白之處，可是感覺比之前更深。甜的更甜，苦的更苦。發現自己過了這幾年，仍然沒有學乖。

如果再有人問我，法國人是否很浪漫，我還是那句：我覺得我浪漫啲囉。

People always say the French are romantic. I just think it’s simply what we wanted to believe in. A cliché, a myth. On the contrary, I believe the French like to analyze, discuss and debate. Very often they are clear-headed and can come up with unique view points. Don’t forget that France is home to numerous great thinkers and philosophers. The French education system also encourages pupils to develop critical thinking and analytical abilities. From an early age, children start to take philosophy class at school. But well, the French do love to be in love too. I mean, who doesn’t?

So, what is love through the eyes of a philosopher?

A Lover’s Discourse, written by French philosopher, thinker and semiotician Roland Barthes, was first published in 1977.

Barthes presents all the signs of love through the narrator of the book, The Lover, who is eternally deeply in love. All the feelings, emotions, symbols, language of The Lover and The Other are meticulously analyzed. But love is intrinsically irrational. How are we going to deconstruct, analyze and make sense of it?

A few years ago I bought this book after an unforgettable, blissful trip to France. This type of literature was new to me. On top of that, I’m quite ignorant in the Western philosophers mentioned throughout the book. I found it a difficult read and didn’t really get much from it. There were bits and pieces that I could comprehend and like a lot though. Now, picking up the book again, there are still lots that I don’t understand but then something hit me deeper than last time. The sweetness got sweeter and the bitterness got worse. And I realize after these years, I haven’t learned a bit.

If someone asks me again whether the French are romantic, I’d say “I AM the romantic one.”

Mis(s)Adventure 不定期連載之五：新年快樂 | Mis(s)Adventure, trial and tribulation 5: Happy New Year

Yes, I know I'm a month late to write about my new year celebrations. Must admit I've been procrastinating... (by the way, one of my new year resolutions is to kick this bad habit...)
  
Right, back to the subject.
  
I was planning to have a very quiet New Year's Eve. I just couldn't see myself going to Lan Kwai Fong or Wan Chai just to get myself drunk. I can pretty much do that any other day.
   
That day I left office after lunch and went to meet up a friend and spent some great time together. After that I needed to go pick up some stuff for my dear friend (but that's another complicated story) before going home for dinner.
   
Mid-night arrived unceremoniously as I watched Madonna's concert on DVD. I was about to send a text to wish a few friends happy new year when J texted me to see if I wanted to go out. And I thought why not? By the time I got ready to go out, half of the crazy crowd on the streets would have been gone. It would be bearable. Besides, I hadn't gone out with J for quite a while. So, to Wan Chai we went...
  
There were still a lot of people out there but not as bad as I thought. Most of them were actually on their way home. The two of us went to an English pub. We didn't want anything fancy. Just a (relatively) decent place where we could sit down and talk would be good enough.
  
We were about to finish our drinks and go when a young guy asked if he could sit next to us. Well, why not?
  
Then his friend sat down as well. J and I were literally stuck between them.
  
Then they started talking.
  
"What's your name?" 
"Where are you from?"
 
** yawn ** how boring...
  
"Where do you live?"
I said, "Hong Kong." (you stupid)
   
"Yes, but where?"
"Hong Kong Island." (sigh)
  
"But where in Hong Kong island?"
"Why would I tell you?"
  
"OK, let me guess. Pao Ma Dei?"
"Oh, so that's the only place you know how to say in Cantonese (and in a bad accent)? Nope, I don't live in Happy Valley." 
 
"Er, you look posh. The Peak?"
"I'm not posh. No." (eyes rolling)
  
"OK, Repulse Bay."
    
At this point, it was getting so stupid that it's actually funny. The other guy tried to say something else so that we wouldn't think they're creeps. J and I were trying very hard not to burst out laughing.
  
"Oh, I know I know. Stanley!"
"Erm... actually yes." I said. "We're from Stanley Prison. It's New Year's Eve and we got half day release. You see those four big guys at the door? They're the guards. They'll make sure we go back there safely, in less than half and hour."
   
It's very easy to BS when you're a little tipsy.
   
And that was obviously the biggest, worst, stupidest hint to tell them we really didn't want to talk to them any more. They finally gave us peace.
  
Don't say we're mean. We had been very patient with them. But there must be something more interesting to talk about than to find out where people live?
   
Or maybe I'm just too old for that.

Things better left unsaid

Don't tell me how you feel if you don't want me to be part of your life.
  
Don't tell me how sad you are if you have no intention to change your situation.
   
Don't tell me your problems if you don't want me to say anything.
   
Don't tell me you love me if nothing else is gonna change.
   
A lot of things are better left unsaid.
   
I know the road ahead is tough. So don't give me more problems than I already have.
   
I'm just glad to have you by my side, for now. Let's just enjoy the silence.

Merry Christmas

I'm writing this while still recovering from the bliss and hangover from last night's party. 
  
At first I was only expecting a small gathering with a few friends over a couple of drinks. As it turned out, I'm lucky enough to have more than a few friends. Even the one I least expected to see (but secretly hoped for) made it finally. 
  
Drinks downed, conversations flowed, jokes cracked, laughter echoed, hugs and kisses exchanged. What else do you need? 
  
"Happy birthday and merry Christmas"
  
Yes, I'm stuck with that all my life. And I'm glad you said that.

Dream on

I used to like dreaming. It often brought me to a fantasy world full of interesting things and people.
   
As I get older, dreams don't come so easily. Most of the time I can't even afford a 5-hour sleep. Dreams have slowly become a luxury for me these days.
   
Then suddenly one night last week, I dreamt. I dreamt of him. He who left suddenly for two weeks. I dreamt that he's back. Back for good.
   
Obviously it was too good to be true. I knew it even before I woke up.
  
A few hours later I got his email.
   
This is the kind of coincidence that I love and hate. Love that I seem to be one step closer. Hate that it's all just a dream.
    
And then I thought, have I missed all the wake up calls? Should I have left all this behind long ago?
   
Sigh...
   
"I sigh when you sigh". Really?

Where is the light?

I was talking to my colleague this afternoon and she suddenly asked, "Do you realize it's 29 October already?"
   
Time flies. It seems like yesterday that we're having fun on the boat, enjoying the summer sun. And look now, we're all set for the Christmas promotions.
    
And I'm still in that awful mess. I can't believe it's been more than six months.
    
It only took two months or so to send me from heaven to hell... And I'm still there. It will probably go on like this for a very long time.
    
Do I really want to get out of this? I don't know any more.
    
Silly. You said.