Showing posts with label snippets. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snippets. Show all posts

Thursday, April 30, 2009

Facebook without a face 没脸


Facebook is for you to show your face, and to see others' faces too.

It is a social networking website... for socialising. Anti social and anti face are not supposed to join.

I noticed many people joined the Facebook but shy to show their faces... no pictures, or half covered pictures..

What is the point of joining Facebook !

Facebook (中国大陆翻译成“非死不可”), 是让你可以显示你的样貌,同时也看到其他人的面貌。

这是一个社交网页。。。就是推动网上社交活动。那些抵御社交或不愿意露脸的人,不社会参与。

我发觉到有许多人成为会员,但却又害羞公布样貌,没有照片,或者只放半遮照片。

那参加Facebook 是为了什么?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Ring around the moon 月亮的圆环

The ring is much clearer and bigger in actual scene. The red dot is a bright star.
环的实景很清晰,也比较宽大。红点是一颗明亮的星 (@11:00 pm)


Today is the 13th day of third Lunar month, but the moon is bright and full.

I noticed there is a big white ring around the moon. It is an astronomical phenomena quite common but not its name. So I googled "ring around the moon", it explained as follows:

The ring around the Moon is an atmospheric effect caused by the refraction of Moonlight (which of course is reflected sunlight) from ice crystals in the upper atmosphere. The shape of the ice crystals results in a focusing of the light into a ring. Since the ice crystals typically have the same shape, namely a hexagonal shape, the Moon ring is almost always the same size.

Never mind the name. I called my neighbour to watch also. We have good ten minutes of "wah", "oh" "lah" fun.


今天是农历三月十三,但月亮已经是圆又亮。

我发觉月亮有一个大环包围着。这是一个相当常见的天文景观,但却不知其名。所以我用谷歌搜索得到这样的答案:

月亮的环,是一个大气层的效应。环是因着月亮的光穿过大气层上空的冰晶侧射而产生的(当然也是太阳光反射)。冰晶的形状,把光集焦而成为一个光圈。因为所有的冰晶都是同一形状 -- 六角形, 所以月亮的光圈几乎每次都是同一大小的。(本人粗糙翻译,有出错,请谅及指正)

不要太理会它叫什么名称吧。我也通知邻居出来观看,至少我们有十分钟的“呼” “哗” “哦” 的观赏兴致。

Monday, March 16, 2009

年轻的神父

年纪大了,看到年轻人,包括神父,修女都好像是自己孩子的感觉。就如自己孩子般,对他们有期望,有失望,也有希望,但肯定的是祈望他们永远过得快乐,过得好。

近年来,接触了很多年轻神父,包括本堂两位正副本堂,然后再读了【溪水信女】的转载文章[年轻修女,希望你......] 后,我也来轻松的谈谈年轻神父吧。

现在进入修院的修生,都必须有社会及工作经验,所以,大部分年轻神父,对世俗的生活,社会及人性,都有一定程度的了解和体验。七年的培训及陶成,他们的知识及神修,都足够应付他们的牧灵需要。当然在一些事情 、课题 、教友、教会及社会问题上,需要一段时间,吸取经验,增广视野,累积成智慧,以后的司铎生涯就会很愉快胜任了。

不过,有些东西,却是没分彼此,是必备及必须的。比如我选择了婚姻生活,必须负起责任,对另一半奉献及忠诚,要刻苦耐劳的工作,照顾孩子及家。我过得是个已婚的男人生活,一个做人父母,以身作则的生活。我不能再吊儿郎当的好像单身般的行为,但要维持一个丈夫 、父亲的行为及形象。

同样的,年轻人既然选择了修道生活,成为一位司铎,就要牺牲世俗的物质,过一个耶稣基督的福音使徒生活。他们的生活是个奉献 、简朴 、谦逊 、刻苦耐劳 、服务的生活,他们也要活出一个神父的形象和生活。这可能会误为保守,但世俗和修道生活,就如神父和家父,确是有很大的分别。

假如我的孩子愿意送一辆最新款的宝马汽车给我,我当然可以接受,因为我过得是世俗生活,能够及可以享受到最好的物质生活。不过我还是会考量我是否需要,也考虑我是否要提升我的身份到某个程度,因为在世俗生活里,汽车或某些物品,是代表身份的象征。

但作为一位神父,假如有一位教友愿意赠送一辆 Toyota Camry 给你,你应该知道你的答案是什么。不止汽车,就算是一部昂贵的手机如“蓝莓”或 I-phone,你应该以一位耶稣的司祭立场,作为考量。

对我的孩子,我希望他们不会怀才自傲,要谦虚,虚心向学,对人有礼及恭敬。同样的我也是希望看到年轻的神父有这样的德行。假如缺乏上述,他的生活将会过得不快乐,脾气暴躁,更糟糕的心高气傲,引来了对抗,生活就变得紧张。所谓涵于内 、形于外,你看到的这位司铎,是心浮气躁,缺乏那种修道人的平和 、可亲及内心平安仪态了。

年轻神父不要只以年轻人为服务的对象。神父是为所有人服务的神长。因为年轻,比较能够和青年人打成一片,推心置腹,这是毫无疑问的事实。危险的是,你会永远都张不大,不会成熟。但和长者相处,你可以学到生活的智慧;和年小的相处,你可以保持你的童真无邪及纯朴。

我要在此提出我常引用的处世警言:“男想女,隔层山;女想男,隔层纱”。不管是一位血气方刚的年轻人,世俗或修道者,包括我这位老头,都要警惕。天主经说:不要让我陷于诱感。。。就是说不要把自己处在一个诱惑环境里面,以免掉入陷阱。不要太高估自己抗拒诱惑的能力,特别是男、女之间的相处或肌肤的亲近。

孟子说的:“.....天将降大任于斯人也,必先苦其心志,劳其筋骨,饿其体肤,空乏其身,行拂乱其所为,所以动心忍性,曾益其所不能 。............... 生于忧患,而死于安乐。”,加上孔子说的:“ 饱暖思欲”,不必耶稣告诉我们,都应该知道这些千古圣贤的智慧良言,引以为鉴。

寂寞不只是老年人的痛苦,也是修道者的芒刺。在信友都离开教堂,神父把办公室的们关上后,寂寞就会来相伴了。修会神父还可以回到团体里面,但堂区神父通常都是形单影只,的确是一个很大的挑战。一天的辛苦,一天的经历,一天的故事,向谁分享 、倾述呢?这就凸显了自己个人的神修及祈祷生活的重要了。

今天,通讯科技的发达,手机 、电脑可以使到与朋友 、亲人的联系,容易方便。不要离群 、不要孤独,生活就会快乐,信德也更坚强。

不要太顾念私情。有时环绕在你身边的“亲近”信徒,和你吃喝玩乐的“内圈子”,可能是潜伏的陷阱,会使你歪离基督纯朴和正直的精神。你和他们可能都没有不当的行为,但却会误引他人犯罪。千万不要被人形成一个你好像被某些信徒“拥有”的形象。很多信徒会以和神父甚笃私交为荣(包括我本身),但当你的名字被提起,有人反应说:“他是我的好朋友”,你就得小心了,因为下一句可能是“我包你可以搞定!”

一年至少五十次站在台上,宣讲福音道理,数千只耳朵在聆听,加上不同的期望,确是一种挑战。所以,除了圣神的辅佑,还要多充实自己,虚心向学,聆听回馈,再以身作则,你的话就会掷地有声,淳淳善诱的福音了。

受华文教育的司铎,我更要劝请你们不惜代价,加倍努力,必要把英文搞好,虽不必能写长篇大论,但必须要交谈自如,这会加强信心,司铎工作更加完美。这是年轻人,下定决心,必能做到的事。

到你七十五退休高龄还有一段好长好长的路,所以你的健康是绝对重要的。工作之余,要有足够的休息及运动,保持身心健康,知道你本身的有限度,这段路就顺畅平坦了。

我可能是一派胡言,但确是我这老者的真言。我是衷心祝愿大家都过得快乐,幸福,忠心及真诚。

“滚滚长江东逝水,浪花淘尽英雄......" 今天的你是昨天的我;今天的我,是明天的你!你可以不必认真,但必须认清。

哈哈哈。。。。 就当是一阵过耳清风吧!

晋铎(成为神父)是团体及教会的大盛事,天人共庆
(总主教介绍五位新神父 2、2、2009)

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Snippets 生活花絮

A week ago, received a call from Sr. Theresa Chew asking for telephone number of the doctor who had treated my wife's Trigger Finger. She read about my wife's successful surgery from my Blog and wanted to recommend her two fellow sister Nuns from Kluang who have the same condition for treatment. (see January Blog posting)

Two days later, Sr. Theresa called again to inform that the two sisters have successful treated by the same doctor at the Tung Shin Hospital. One of the sisters who had done an operation before on one of her fingers, has her two fingers treated this time and was amazed by this revolutionary and simple procedure.

To their surprise too, the doctor waived his professional fee of RM200.00 each (totaled RM400.00), but just the nominal hospital charges of about RM 75.00 only. They met a kind and generous doctor!

With thanks in their hearts, they left for Kluang on the same day few hours after the surgery.

I understood the Rev. Sisters have to do their own house chores, including cleaning and washing. These were the most probable cause of their Trigger Fingers. So they came with Trigger Fingers, returned with Happy Fingers. But always remember, not to be too trigger happy fingers --- take it easier with your mopping and cleaning!

Talking about house chores, we are better off with a housemaid to do for us. My maid has no "trigger fingers" but other condition.

I wanted to highlight not her medical condition but the importance of insurance cover for the maid.

Recently she has a gynecological condition and warranted urgent specialist attention. If we sent her to Government hospital, she may have to wait for a long time, or even not getting any treatment at all. So with the maid's consent, my wife brought her to see a gynecologist for treatment that cost more than a thousand Ringgit. The maid was aware and agreed of the cost which she may have to bear all. But we were considering whether to bear the full or part of the cost in view of our maid's low wages.

A few days after the treatment, my wife remembered that we have taken up an insurance policy (optional) for the maid against sickness (?!) and accident. She was not sure whether it covered this gyne condition and the treatment, so she called up the insurance company to enquire. She was advised by a friendly staff to submit claim forms and relevant documents for consideration.

Two weeks after submission, my wife was informed by the insurance company that the claim has been approved and payment was ready.

Insurance cover is very important for us but also for the housemaid too. For peace of mind, the less than hundred Ringgit annual premium is worth it.


大约一个星期前,周丽娜修女来电查问医治我太太“扳机手指”的医生的电话号码。她从我的部落格上看到我太太成功治好这个状况的帖子,所以她要介绍两位有着同样状况,在居銮的同修会修女,到吉隆坡来治疗。(参看正月旧贴子)

两天后,修女再次来电,告诉我她的两位修女姐妹,已经成功的接受了这位医生的治疗,他们的“扳机手指”问题解决了。其中一位修女本身是位护士,一支手指也曾因同样问题,而动过手术治疗。这次她是两根手指有问题,所以感到很惊讶这么简单及革新的治疗手法,就能把需动手术的问题解决掉。

更惊奇的是,这位医生看她们是修女,过得是奉献生活,慷慨的免收他的专业手术费(每人两百元,共四百元),而只是收取医院大约七十五元的费用而已。

怀着感恩及感谢的心情,他们在同一天,治疗程序过后几个小时,回返居銮。

据我所知,修女们都必须自己去亲身做打扫 、清洗等家务,这些都是形成“扳机手指”的可能因素。这次修女们带着“扳机手指”前来,带着“快乐手指”回去,我希望他们以后不要太“随意手指”做家务 - 抹 、扫、洗都要小心!

说到家务,我们比较轻松,因为有佣人代做。我的佣人没有扳机手指,但却有其他的医药状况。

我不是要谈她的医药状况,但是要强调购买保险的重要。

最近我的佣人健康出现问题,得了一种妇女病况,需要马上给予医药治疗。假如我们送她进政府医院,她不只要等很久,还可能不会没得到所需的治疗。在她的答应下,太太把她带起一家私人妇科医疗所寻求治疗,费用将超过整千元。佣人事先知道,并也答应可能要负起所需的医药费用。因为她的低收入,我们也在考虑是否要承担全部或部分的费用。

几天后,太太才记起有为佣人购买医药及意外保险(选择性),但不知道她现在的情形是否在保险范围之内,太太就马上拨电话到该保险公司询问。该公司一位很愿助人的员工指导太太填妥索偿表格及有关所需文件,如医药报告等,呈交上去,让保险公司考虑赔偿决定。

两个星期后,太太被通知索偿已被批准,偿额支票也已准备好了。

保险不只对我们重要,对外来的佣人也是重要。不到一百元的年保费,换来心安理得,何乐而不为之!