倚天熱

自少（小五左右）我就是金庸迷，每一套小說都讀完再讀，依然津津有味；當然，十多年前推出的新修版，又為一眾金迷注入新的動力：比較新舊版及品評金老所作的改動是好是壞！

其實這十多年來兩岸電視台把金老多部名著拍完又拍，不過年前才開始「再度」追劇，所以趕上2019的倚天熱，發現買了多年的新修版倚天原來未讀完！於是趕快「刨書」，由於新修版之前一版（即「新版」）讀過太多次，金老的改動不難察覺，大部份都令情節更合理，唯一不喜歡的只有結局：我認為寫得太著跡了。對於沒時間做比較的朋友，可以看這懶人包。

至於2019版的電視劇，我想最為人討論的話題是這兩個：（一）周海媚由年青時飾演周芷若到今天「升呢」飾演師父滅絕，（二）女主角們大「撞樣」，我花了不短時間才分得開芷若和趙敏！原因不難想到。

模棱兩可

這句成語相信無人不識，正因為如此常用，我想反而不太多人會深究其出處！最近讀了一首唐詩「正月十五」，模棱兩可一詞正來自該詩作者蘇味道：他是武則天時代的官，文采是高的，但做官及為人就認真不算高明高尚，他既喜歡阿諛奉承，又往往立場不定，意圖面面俱圓，想不到做騎牆派也出事，他曾因為對武則天選繼任人模棱兩可而被責難；而他對武則天男寵張易之擦鞋，在武還政李唐後就被算帳，貶官外放至死。

誰害了王昭君？

在中文世界長大的朋友多數知道王昭君是史上四大美人之一，不過我是最近讀《元曲故事》一書才知「昭君出塞」故事的詳情，原來故老相傳王昭君因為不肯賄賂為她畫像給皇上選妃的畫師毛·延壽而被忽略冷落，以至在漢元帝為求兩國和平時要把宮中女子嫁給匈奴王（正確名稱為單于）為后時自薦出塞！連詩仙李白都有一首詩《王昭君二首之一》提及這個典故：

漢家秦地月，流影照明妃。
一上玉關道，天涯去不歸。
漢月還從東海出，明妃西嫁無來日。
燕支長寒雪作花，蛾眉憔悴沒胡沙。
生乏黃金枉圖畫，死留青冢使人嗟。

有兩點值得討論：首先，這對昭君真的是壞事嗎？單于乃係打得漢朝「買佢怕」的傑出領袖，昭君由一個無地位的妃嬪晉身一國之后，還為單于繼後香燈（雖然要跟隨番邦蠻俗在單于死後再嫁給其子！）其次，有網民質疑漢代未有畫到像真人的技術（甚至連畫紙有否得用也成問題！），皇上不像會倚賴畫師選妃呢。試比較一下：與其花時間看幾十幅圖，倒不如一次過集合候選人看著真身來選吧。

Suunto watch

I have been a long-time Garmin user who has spent several years on Vivoactive and Forerunner tracking my biking and hiking activities (some running and swimming too) I can't say I am a big fan: the sync mechanism is not always reliable. Need 3rd party app (dwMap) for GPS navigation on the Vivoactive and it kills the battery fast (no more than 5 hours) My original Garmin HR belt that came with the Forerunner died finally so I figured it's time to try out a wrist-based HR fitness watch and I decided to go with Suunto this time. It is known for its long battery life and somewhat accurate wrist HR (with the slimmer Spartan Trainer model)

Obviously there is a huge learning curve when it comes to switching brand, which I can still handle for now (not sure about several years down the road :P) Here were a few things I ran into during the first week of using it:
1) The software running on the watch itself requires update right away. Otherwise it won't sync with the Suunto App on your phone via Bluetooth.
And the way to update is via a piece of software called SuuntoLink on your PC/Mac (and the USB cable) SuuntoLink syncs to Suunto's own portal: Movescount.com.
The odd thing is that Suunto App and Movescount use separate login!
And the latter is supposed to be obsoleted by the development of the former so they are NOT entirely compatible (see the point about sports mode later.)
Sounds complicated? Oh well.

2) I previously paired a Wahoo RPM Cadence sensor to my Garmin via ANT+. This Suunto watch does not support ANT+. Fortunately the Wahoo also works with Bluetooth. On the Suunto this is under Bluetooth and "Bike POD"

3) It can display the moonphase on one of the watch face. I am obsessed with this feature even though I have absolutely no use for it.

4) I had a whole bunch of my own routes saved on MapMyFitness. And I rely on it to search for interesting routes done by others. It's relatively easy to sync those routes to my watch. I just need to export the route in the GPX or KML format and then import to Movescount and sync the watch via my PC.
This link explains GPX vs KML

5) I got WhatsApp notification displayed on my Suunto ONCE (oh yeah, it can display Chinese unlike the Garmin) but no more.
I think it has to do with running the app in background but too much trouble to figure it out.
I gave up on this feature for now.

6) Even after I paired my Wahoo RPM Cadence sensor as a Bike POD on the Suunto via Bluetooth, the cadence is not shown while riding with both existing biking "sports mode". After sync-ing the exercises to the phone, the cadence is not shown in the app either. Turns out only Movescount.com shows it. However, one can create a brand new Sports mode and customize the fields displayed on the watch. So I created a "custom biking" mode with several screens of cadence and other stuff I care (like the current time! I haven't figure out how to see the current time while using a "sports mode" to record my exercise yet) It is capable of showing more fields than my old Garmins for sure.
However, I do need to warn that once you created Sports mode on your Suunto App on your phone, you cannot create Sports mode on Movescount anymore. I am not ready to give up this yet (I am an old schooler who prefers using computers to phones)

7) The biggest selling point to me is the long battery life while using the watch's GPS for navigation. Of course that's one of the first feature I tried! I found there are 2 ways to get into the navigation "mode": simply choosing navigation from the main menu (this will NOT record your exercise). Alternatively, while recording your exercise (say with the "custom biking" sports mode), one of the automatically displayed screen is the navigation screen, which has a menu that you can open using the bottom right button. You can choose an existing route using the menu option.
This is a route I uploaded and rode:

Compared to the Vivoactive and the Forerunner, the Suunto Spartan Trainer certainly looks cooler (less dorky) The UI is intuitive enough (once I got used to it since it's very different from Garmin) I need to do a really long ride to test its navigation capability. So stay tuned for my next review.

奧斯卡爵士樂

繼2017年的La La Land之後，又有一套和爵士樂有關的電影在奧斯卡頒獎禮大出鋒頭，就是贏得本屆最佳電影的Green Book。一如既往，電影甫獲獎即惹來議論紛紛，以下幾點值得一提：
荷里活被指「左膠」當道，傾向頒獎給題材和少數族群如黑人或同性戀者相關的作品，Green Book似乎也符合以上「條件」：故事主線是黑人音樂家Don Shirley到美國南部巡迴演出時僱用一位白人司機Tony Vallelonga（也有Shirley和白人同性戀者好事被撞破後被補的情節）
有人批評故事老掉牙，倒過來是白人音樂家僱用黑人司機之類的題材，肯定沒有掌聲。
也有「相反意見」指電影焦點放在白人司機多於黑人音樂家，即是「不夠左膠」？
而Don Shirley後人指先人當年在南部根本未有受到幾多歧視，和司機也沒有建立起友誼，有誇張失實之嫌（不過Vallelonga的兒子則力指電影以事實為主）

各位請欣賞一下Dr Shirley的演奏：

大地之歌

老友今日傳來這張CD封套的照片：

我記得多年前讀過馬勒這套《大地之歌》的相關資料，知道馬勒當年迷信，害怕寫第九首交響曲後就要歸天，所以在完成這首交響曲不敢將之命名為《第九交響曲》（不過他後來發表《第九交響曲》，之後始終無法完成《第十》！）我也知道德文歌詞源自唐詩，當中有李白的作品，就沒有再深究；近年醉心讀唐詩，所以對《大地之歌》的唐詩原作十分好奇，方知雖然#1, #4, #5&#6樂章一早被考究出原詩，#2&#3的原作卻是迷團重重。直至作品誕生差不多九十年，學者才對兩者有較深入的研究，#2被斷定是錢起的《效古秋夜長》，#3則有可能是德詩所參考的法文詩集作者受李白詩啟發，大部份屬自由發揮的創作。維基百科有德詩和唐詩的對照表，值得一讀。

火燒圓明園

在我們年代成長的朋友大多聽過火燒圓明園這件歷史事件，就算不像我這樣對中史有興趣的，起碼也聽過同名電影吧。其實上課學中史已是三十年前的事，現在關於火燒㘣明園聽得最多的是IG流傳那張爸爸叫兒子承認火燒㘣明園的笑話圖片（題外話：原來那張圖是「政治正確」的「淨化版」本，「完整版」諷刺性強得多）當然已不記得原來圓明園被燒兩次，也不記得課本有無提及中國人也有份參與搶掠，最近看到這篇詳細考證第一次火燒㘣明園的文章，值得一讀（如有興趣也可看看其他關於鴉片戰爭的新看法）

侯門一入深如海

這句詩相信大家都聽過，今日才知乃係唐代文人崔郊的作品《贈婢》，收錄於《全唐詩》，全文如下：

公子王孫逐後塵， 綠珠垂淚滴羅巾。
侯門一入深如海， 從此蕭郎是路人。

打算和友人分享一下這個故事， 於是Google一番，得到的結果多是簡體字，而少數繁體字文章卻都加油添醋，找到最好的是直接引用《太平廣記》及《全唐詩話》原文的這一篇。我姑且簡單在此講講該故事，話說崔郊愛上了姑姑的一名精通音樂的婢女，可是姑姑在不知情下以四十萬將該婢女賣了給高官于頔，崔郊唯有趁寒食節該女出外時送以上的詩給她。有嫉妒崔郊之徒將此事告知于頔，于頔於是召崔郊入府，于被評為「凌上威下，驕橫不法，朝廷姑息，無可如何」大家想想：怎會有好事發生？誰知結局極出人意表！于頔竟然說四十萬算不得甚麼，崔為何不早點讓他知此事？好得早日有情人終成眷屬，又贈予嫁妝！

此舉符合了于氏另一個評語：「善待士人，以市聲名」！

魏碑與行楷

自學習于右任標準草書後，也開始欣賞他較早期的行楷：

原來早年他研習魏碑，例如《龍門二十品》（介紹，詳解，二玄社出版的書）及《石門銘》。

而練習鋼筆書法的話，可以參考《實用鋼筆書法自學教材》中的一章，作者盧中南先生提供了練習用的千字，他介紹大家可從文字較小的墓誌銘入手，例如《元懷墓誌》及《張黑女墓誌》。

傳統中國武術vs現代格鬥技

今日看新聞見到「格鬥狂人」徐曉冬再次擊敗「武術高手」，這次對手是一位名田野的老師傅，這場「比賽」相當一面倒，可觀性甚低，如大家還有興趣可看看這視頻。還是去年對詠春丁浩那一場比較有趣：

作為業餘愛好者的我和朋友，只看此片段已看到幾點值得一提：

• 中國功夫欠缺抗打訓練 
• 中國武術衫亦是弱點，鬆身容易被人拉住衫領打頭 
• 主持說結果是平手，真是「假到無朋友」（不過徐和主辦單位則似乎甚有交情，對此沒有異議） 
• 拳手落地即停止進攻，對詠春相當有利，不用在地面抵擋巴柔的殺著。

在網上還找到（似乎是）懂詠春的人寫的分析，以及當日裁判的訪問，也提到以上幾點呢。

神遊歷史

今天和朋友在網上閒談，不知不覺東拉西扯看了多個話題：

• 祝枝山和唐伯虎兩位才子之間甚多趣事，例如唐伯虎為青樓女子題字。
• 祝枝山草書《美女篇》
• 唐伯虎不識秋香
• 蘇舜欽（字子美，和梅堯臣合稱"蘇梅"，同為宋詩"開山祖師"）飲酒的故事
• 蘇舜欽的書法極受推崇，米芾認為懷素自敍帖首六行由曾經收藏該帖的蘇氏補寫過
• 黃庭堅著有《薄薄酒》（薄酒可與忘憂，醜婦可與白頭） 其親筆書法收錄於《鳳墅帖》中
• 諸葛亮妻位居中國十大醜女之列

由明朝到宋朝再到三國，真是「大玩特玩」了。

回到以前

再介紹一下我很欣賞的Hana菊梓喬，她之前曾以Haley XC為藝名，是樂隊Pleasure Garden的成員：

去年推出的「回到以前」是她在Haley XC年代在SoundCloud發表過的作品（部份歌詞為配合劇集改動過），另一首「轉」亦相當出色。

Hana曾用真名陳曉怡參加台灣的歌唱比賽，14年就有人點名讚賞過，此文有她當年的視頻。

下一站天后

寫這篇文章，預了給人家說我是打手，就當我是打手好了。是緣上星期六無線頒了勁歌金曲最受歡迎女歌手給我目前最喜愛的女歌手Hana菊梓喬，之後各大小專欄作家論壇網民紛紛撰文批評，看得最多的是「誰是菊梓喬？」其次是「怎能和梅艷芳比較？」還有「她在其他頒獎禮沒有獎」我姑且逐一回應。
不知何時開始，人們開始以無知為榮？「忘記我自己」一碟曾登上唱片銷量榜冠軍，如果真心有留意香港樂壇，總會聽過碟中作品吧？
我要承認我很喜歡梅姐多首作品，而她天后之名實至名歸，但大家要明白她當紅那個年代大眾娛樂不及今天的多，電視台影響力亦大得多，如果說Hana深受無線力捧，靠劇集歌上位，其實大家又記得梅姐當年也是一樣？其唱片公司華星和Hana所屬的星夢一樣是無線之附屬唱片公司，梅姐第一首作品「心債」就是電視劇主題曲，其後大紅作品「赤的疑惑」「交出我的心」「飛躍舞台」等皆是（Hana第一兩首派台歌反而不是）。以歌論歌，Hana首兩張唱片18首歌沒有一首我不喜歡；反而梅姐的作品當中有部份我是一聽必轉台的。客觀地說，梅姐出道三年首奪勁歌金曲最受歡迎女歌手時，她已唱過「似水流年」及「夢伴」這些經典中的經典級數作品，得獎的「含金量」無可否認是高的，不過我相信當時也有人會說她江湖地位不夠吧。
最後想講講其他頒獎禮的認受性（BTW，新城頒獎禮Hana有一曲得獎），近年叱咤算是比較有代表性，不過也有網民數這個獎（及商台）多年以來的「罪狀」。其中我最想講的是商台95年的（中文）原創歌運動，連中文歌壇泰山北斗黃霑叔也曾作出以下評價：

需求忽然增加，求過於供，水準就會低降。香港市場狹小，創作人才本來就不多，市面上忽然每年需要，多於平時一兩倍，歌曲水準自然難以保持。其實，創作是不需要鼓勵的。有創作天賦的人，自然有不能遏止的創作衝動，非滿足了之後不會停下來。作品量多，很可能，質就降低。在短期效果看，市場需要，忽然激增，創作人自然收入頓升。但作品多了而水準下降，時日一長，就會變成惡性循環，令顧客停止享用不夠水平產品。以今天的香港市場狀況，回顧當天，本文作者敢說，95、96 年商台的「原創歌運動」，頗有椻苗助長之嫌，後果接近「好心作壞事」。

無論怎樣，作為一個樂迷及業餘獨立音樂人，好的音樂我一定繼續支持，不會受來自那間唱片公司影響。

分食制vs合食制

2019第一帖，是我很少寫的話題：「食」，對我來說飲食不是太值得多花心機研究的課題，不過今天在連登看到有人討論為何中國人用筷子而西人則用刀叉，其中一個回應指中國人以前和西人一樣一人一份自己食（原來有個專有名詞叫「分食制」），圍桌一起分享餸菜的合食制是外族（該ching說是清朝）引入的；後來查證，那是隋唐已有的習俗（和滿州人無關）。想起來我們朋友間自中學以後也有兩個詞語形容這兩種模式，就是「隻揪」和「群揪」也！

低莊

這個詞語屬於「識講唔識寫」一類，今日終於「的起心肝」去查查，到底是「低裝」嗎？還是「低莊」呢？搜尋「低裝」結果找到幾篇批評衛生防護中心的文章。

搜尋「低莊」就找到這個「爛爛地」但頗好笑的笑話。

既然在中文大學的網頁找到後者，應該是正字吧。

The sad story of the First Responder Bowl

As a football junkie, I try to catch as many college bowl games as I can (when I am in the country, of course) However, during my 20+ years of watching college football, I don't remember any bowl game that was cancelled, until today: lightning in the Dallas area where the First Responder Bowl was held. After delaying the games for hours, the weather is still bad (and dangerous to play under) and the game was cancelled! It will show up as "no contest" on the teams' official record. No stat from the game would be counted. At least it resulted in this satirical article. All commenters played along too!

How China works?

今天無意中看了探索頻道這個節目的一集"Network Nation"，老實說，作為矽谷IT人的我對中國大陸科網發展的認識不算深，這個節目真令我大開眼界。節目中提到福州一家NetDragon以網上遊戲起家，掌舵人眼光遠大把業務擴展，應用全息視像技術(hologram)於教育，例如把霍金「帶到」四家國內大學演講。另一項更令人驚嘆的，是靠著貼在腦袋的感應器探測並解讀腦電波的技術，中風的病人可經腦電波控制電極從而令已癱瘓的半身活動！節目又介紹了國內把無人機應用在農地勘察以至耕作，絕不是航拍過癮玩玩而已。當然也有應用在玩樂的科技，就是虛擬現實，我想比北美更為普及。最後想提的是國內網上直播內容的多樣化，節目中介紹了果殻網直播科學實驗的解說，可見在中國對這類題材深感興趣的民眾實在不少。

Guitar jazz

After several years of immersing myself in saxophone music, all of a sudden several new releases by jazz guitarists in the 2nd half of the year caught my attention. That included:

• Alex Skolnick Trio - Conundrum: I have been singing praises for this guitarist for years. He is one of the very few guitarist who shines in both metal and jazz. This is his trio's first new release in years though and it certainly didn't disappoint. As usual, he blended jazz with different genre including classical music (Erik Satie's Gymnopedie) and country (Culture Shock) Django Tango obviously pays tribute to the late great Django Reinhardt.
• John Scofields - Combo 66: the last album with him that I listen to was the one from the "supergroup" Hudson, which I moderately enjoyed (not a big fan of the vocals) I think I will stick with the ones with him as leader, like this Combo 66.
• Al Di Meola - Opus: Spotify doesn't have all of his albums. Too bad as I am very interested to hear his interpretation of the Beatles' music, recorded in the legendary Abbey road studio! So I am very surprised that two of his 2018 releases are available. Opus features his signature sound which has elements from Flamenco and other world music. Check out the tracks where he collaborated with keyboardist Kemuel Roig.

世界風景照片

幾個月前買了一支Amazon Fire TV，經常用來睇片，實在物有所值；不過，除了影片其實還有一樣很值得欣賞的東西，就是screensaver播放的世界各地風景照片！一直不知出於何處，今天終於按捺不住好奇心，原來是來自Amazon Collection, Fire TV 的部落格把全套貼了出來，真是很正！

台灣魚池鄉的日出

Classical New Release of Castelnuovo-Tedesco

Thanks to Spotify, this is the very first time I heard of the composer Castelnuovo-Tedesco, who migrated from Italy to the States because of his race and became a prolific Hollywood film composer. What I found most interesting though, is that the Naxos recording of his Concerto No.3 only features a violin and a piano. I googled quite a bit and there isn't much info (or other recordings) about this piece and seems to be written for 2 instruments intentionally.