Random Thoughts by Pauline

No short-cut

I have often been approached for tips to master the English language. Every time, I would give an answer more like a cliché reply and people would think I am brushing them off.

Listen more! Speak more! Read more! Write more! Think in English more!

I am serious! I have been doing so ever since I was introduced this second language. Those who are not able to reach satisfactory English proficiency like to complain or rather excuse themselves saying that there is a lack of English language environment in Hong Kong.  I cannot agree with that. Hong Kong, a former British colony and branded as “Asia's world city” since 2001, abounds with English not only verbally and literally but also in the wide world of internet. An English environment is at our fingertips.

Then what has gone wrong that has thrown Hong Kong down to the category of “moderate proficiency” in a 2018 study of English proficiency in countries where the language is not the mother tongue?  Scoring 56.38, Hong Kong was ranked 30 just above South Korea with a score of 56.27. We can, of course, doubt the validity of this study but proactively speaking, we can take this as a chance for reflection.

Among others, the post-1997 cocoon mentality may be the main reason. Since or even prior to 1997 and especially after China’s rise in world status, many in Hong Kong and not only the young have been gloating that English would no longer be as important as it has been and that Chinese will soon replace English as the world lingua franca. This complacency is pure naivety. The position of English as a world language has not been built over decades but centuries. True, Chinese as a language is gaining international recognition and popularity and a day will come when it might be the one language for world communication. But we do not have to sit there and do nothing to wait for it to happen not to say, it might not happen in our life time.

It is this ignorance that has ostracized our young people into eluding the hardship of mastering English language. But no pain, no gain. There is only one straight road – surrounding ourselves with an English environment. Back then when I was at school, I would have to resort to listening to radio or spending a fortune to purchase cassette tapes.  Books would be in the library. There were English-speaking television programmes but they were quite limited and television sets themselves were luxury items. Now, the internet provides all that we want or desire. So nurture that thirst for English and you are already one step closer to mastering the language!

Random Thoughts by Pauline

My hands

Every time when I look at my hands, I think of my mother.

There was one time when we were at the jewellery shop. She was trying on a sapphire ring. As she stretched out her right hand to see if the ring looked good on her finger, she sighed and took off the ring.

"No ring will look good on my fingers. You see, they are so wrinkled."

Now I realize the heaviness of that sigh.  My hands look exactly like hers then.

People age if they are blessed with longevity. But is long life a true blessing? It is, generally speaking, if one possesses these three basic assets – fund, friends or family, fitness. Missing one, life can be very miserable. Think of these scenarios - rich and surrounded by lots of family members and friends but bed-ridden or rich and healthy but lonely fearing that everybody is after his wealth.

Even those who have the good fortune of being healthy, well-off with no financial worries, loved by spouse, children and grand-children can still be unhappy. These are the people who are reluctant to accept the fact that they are aging. No matter how healthy one is, he has to admit that he is no longer young and that his looks, his life vital signs etc. are changing. How one deals with all these determines whether he can age gracefully and happily.

Often we hear adult children nagging about their aged parents saying that they are like babies again. Sarcastic as this remark is, there is truth in it. The elderly want attention. To solicit that, some might “fake” sickness such as coughing their lungs out. They render themselves a burden. Others would stretch out their helping hand and putting their fingers in all their children’s pies. They make themselves a nuisance.

How should the elderly behave so as to be loveable? Well, be like good children – don’t speak unless asked, don’t ask if not told and above all, always be there when approached.

Random Thoughts by Pauline

The Senior Citizen Card saga

Rita treated me to a beef hodai (all-you-can-eat) in Tsimshatsui as an early celebration of Mother’s Day. This was so sweet of her!

We arrived at 7 and were told that we had two hours to enjoy the food. So we did ticking off our favourites from quite a number of colourful forms. There was broad variety ranging from salad to seafood and of course, all kinds of meat. Drinks were also included.

We had lots of fun barbecuing the meats, burning some and chewing over others. It was good value for money. Then at about 8:15, it was time of the last order. We had some sweet potatoes as desserts.

The whole evening was rather uneventful. We had our usual laughters and selfies. Customers were not that many.

We asked for the bill at about 8:45 stating that the charges would be for one adult and one senior citizen. The waiter, with the broadest smile, asked for my Senior Citizen Card. I showed it but he insisted to have it taken to the cashier. And I gave it to him obediently.

A few minutes later came another waiter with the bill and my card. He said to me that since we did not clarify our status when were seated at 7, I would not be entitled to pay the senior citizen charge which was about 60% of that of one adult. I rebutted that if that was the policy, then they would have to state it on the phone when the reservation was done or when we were seated. Our years of experience tell us that this claim is always made when the bill is asked.

The waiter explained that we were ourselves to blame, I was irritated and threatened that I would post this mal-practice online. Then he retreated pleading that he would lose his job if I were to do that. Rita, not wanting to spoil the fun of the evening, asked me to let him off. I stood firm. The waiter begged that he would pay the difference in cash to me because the company has this policy and he was to blame for not asking me when seating us down in the first place.

Why should I accept that? Redemption? Personal favour? I did not even know him!

In the end, Rita paid for two adults and I am writing here instead of posting this on popular dining websites!

Random Thoughts by Pauline

Animal care in great demand

We adopted Mimi about 15 months ago when she was already 10. She was not in the best of health - overweight for being fed with “growing” diet, dry eyes with sticky lashes, blood in urine, dry skin etc. On top of all these, she sometimes gasped with the tongue out.

As Mimi is a beloved member of the family, we have been doing our best to attend to her problems. The expenses involved are horrendous. Her special diet for dogs with urinary stones is $150 a bag of 1.5 kilo. Three small bottles of eye drops cost $922. We simply cannot understand why animal medical care is so costly.

But it is not just a matter of money, there is so much inconvenience  Last week, I took Mimi to the family vet to check on her heart problem. Recently, she pants and goes into spasm whenever she gets too excited such as when she hears strangers passing by our door.  The vet said that there are abnormal heart murmurs and advised us to see a veterinary cardiology specialist. She gave me the phone number to call.

I did the next day and was told that appointments for the week are only made on Tuesday. The lady said that I had to start making the call right after the line is open at 9 in the morning because time-slots are usually filled within an hour.

So the following Tuesday at 9 sharp, I made the call. But once the call was put through, it ended. Fortunately, I just had to touch that icon  to redial. That I did. Guess how many times in total? 183 times! My friend said that they had such experience when they were making online ticketing. But this was the very first time for me. At 9:23, I was put through and a recording told me I was number 21 in the queue. Another wait of 20 minutes! A human voice finally sounded at the other end at 9:43. In 2 minutes, the appointment was arranged. I was also told the charges, examination is $1800 and any thorough echocardiogram, electrocardiogram and thoracic radiographs etc. would start from $6000.

Of course, there is the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. I am sure the charges would be cheaper. I would definitely look into that!

We need more animal care providers. Hurray to City University of Hong Kong for establishing the College of Veterinary Medicine and Life Sciences.

Random Thoughts by Pauline

January 2018

I am a woman

I am a woman. In the eyes of the world, my function as a woman has been fulfilled – I reproduced. But I do not always look at myself as a woman, the female of human. In other words, I do not always show or exercise my femininity as some women are so skilled in executing. When I work with my colleagues or socialize with friends, my behaviour is never decided by the gender of the person I am with but rather a number of other factors such as the occasion, the degree of familiarity etc. In fact, I have been posed with embarrassing comments like “Oh, you’re too tough for men to get along with!”  The harshest would be “You are strong! You can survive the trauma!”

Women should always uphold themselves with pride and dignity. But the problem is we care too much about how others look at us rendering us live a life in others’ shadows. This eagerness to please or to reach up to people’s standards brings in compliments at times but more often disappointment, self-degradation and even self-destruction.

Women and maybe men can go to extremes to meet the expectation of their men or the circle they are in – plastic surgery to enhance their looks, child-bearing even in their 40s to satisfy their men’s hope of a descendant etc. But surgeries can fail, a child cannot hold a cheating heart. Children born of such relationship are most unfortunate. Horrific child abuse cases are not uncommon.

Women do not need men to live a fulfilling life. We do not need to wait for orders. But most important of all, we should not whine and moan and yet stay there in a victim mentality. We always have choices. We get stuck in a situation only because we allow it.

May all women love themselves and be their own masters! Happy Women’s Day!

Random Thoughts by Pauline

January 2018

 Last Christmas

I had never imagined that I would be left home alone for Christmas! Oh, yes, there was Mimi, the 11-year old Pekingese I adopted a year ago.

I was discharged on December 22, winter solstice, just in time for the traditional festive dinner with family. The doctor instructed me to wear that hard gear for a month so that the fracture in the knee joint could recuperate. But Hong Kong Women Teachers’ Organization had planned an exchange tour of 40 teachers to Chengdu from December 23 to 26 with me as the group leader. I could but forfeit the paid tickets. The Vice-chairperson and the Consultant had to take up the leaders’ role. 

To make my fate even worse, I had earlier allowed my helper to take extra days off since her mother was in town. That would mean from December 23 to 26, the situation was me, an old woman and Mimi, an old dog sitting in front of the television watching whatever programmes we were fed with. I began to contemplate how I was to spend the Christmas night.

At about 6pm on 24th, came Teresa, my youngest sister with her basket full of goodies – salmon sushi, pizza, pasta and even the Christmas cake from my favourite cake shop. That was a very pleasant surprise because she has a phobia of dogs and Mimi has a phobia of strangers. I could not imagine the two of them spending a quiet silent night together in the same room. But that evening, except for the initial few barks, Mimi settled down very quickly. Teresa could sit comfortably without fidgeting or worrying that Mimi would bark.  

Miracles do happen. After all it was Christmas! 

Random Thoughts by Pauline

January 2018

The treatment

Mandy and Ken kept me company until I was admitted. Their drowsy eyes told me they were very tired. They even brought my helper from home to get me a change of clothes. I felt so indebted.

My knee was x-rayed right after. Luckily, no bones were broken or dislocated but the kneecap was very swollen. I had to wait till morning to be examined by the orthopedist. At about 11, I was wheeled to the room of Dr. Chang, the Resident Consultant in Orthopaedics and Traumatology. He suggested magnetic resonance imaging of the injury to evaluate the situation of the ligaments and cartilage within the knee joint.

That took place after another hour. Later in the afternoon, Dr. Chang showed me the images taken earlier. Fortunately, there was only a slight bone fracture but the joint was surrounded by fluid causing the swelling and the pain. He suggested arthrocentesis or using a syringe to draw out the fluid so as to reduce the swelling and therefore, the pain. However, l had to endure twinges during the process. Arthrocentesis was a treatment I had never heard of but I did not think I had a choice. So I agreed.

With the needle inserted and the doctor’s hands pressing hard on the swelling, three syringes of dark red blood were drawn. To distract me from the pain, Dr. Chang joked with me saying that the process was like milking a cow. And I replied saying that too bad, the blood was not good enough for donation. Here was one good doctor with a heart!

I was discharged the next day, 22^nd of December, winter solstice, carrying a heavy knee brace to actually immobilize the right knee joint for it to heal itself! But home is on the third floor of a building with no lift!

Random Thoughts by Pauline

January 2018

 The accident

In the late afternoon of 20th, Friday, I was careless and missed the last step as I walked down the staircase after a meeting at The University of Hong Kong. My 120-pound plus weight landed on my right knee. My friend Mandy, who was with me, though petrified could still say that I should go to the clinic nearby immediately. I gestured that I would have to sit there for a few minutes before I could stand up. It must have been an awful sight.

Two other events had been lined up for the rest of the day. I limped to the two meeting places and managed to present myself properly. But by 10:30, the pain crept in and I could hardly move my foot without moaning. The injury had to be taken care of. Ken, Mandy’s husband who had arrived to take her home drove me to the emergency ward of the Baptist Hospital. By then, the slightest movement of the inflamed right knee would bring chronic pain enough to make me scream. It was already 11 at night.

I was the 15^th patient waiting to be attended to by the one doctor. If each would take up 10 minutes, my turn would be past midnight. As expected, the doctor examined me at 1:00. He insisted that I would first be x-rayed and then hospitalized. Might as well because there was no way I could walk up to our apartment on the third floor of an old block with no lift service! 

Random Thoughts by Pauline

November 2017

Guilty as charged

Call me a foodie or a gourmand or whatever. I love food and the satisfaction it brings to my taste buds and stomach but more importantly to my spirit. A good meal paired with wine in good company is heaven on earth.

Food does not always have to be expensive or exotic but must be made from fresh raw materials, simply seasoned and served at the right temperature. Presentation is important as the eyes are also feasted. But it shouldn’t be overdone. I hate to think of all the fingers going over the food to have it elaborately arranged into a peacock or a panda. As to wine, I am not a sommelier but can tell good wines from the bad. One glass or at most two are all that I can and will consume even among close friends. And such relaxing evenings are not too frequent, maybe monthly.

Company is of paramount importance for a truly enjoyable meal. Bills are usually split but the birthday girl will be treated. So even though there can be one who does not fancy oysters, another can’t stand lamb, each pays the same. There shouldn’t be finger-pointing in restaurant choice. The principle is “if it is good, there can be the second visit or else, it will be one-off”. 

Whenever I dine out, I refrain from any calculation or consideration of calories, nutritional value, health risks etc and just let go. But underneath there is always a twinge of guilt of what I am doing to my health. I usually “punish” myself to have a simple salad the next day to keep the balance. I love fruits and never drink coke or those cartons of sugary water in all kinds of pretentious names.

Once in a blue moon, I cook. I also love watching cooking programmes and restaurant reviews. So before my teeth yield or my health deteriorates, I will keep this love of mine. 

Random Thoughts by Pauline

July 2017

Readiness

Every Sunday, I pamper myself with facial treatment and body massage. But before that, I treat myself to a set breakfast at one of the fast food restaurants rather than the usual cereal, toast and espresso at home not for the food quality but for a break from the weekday routine.

So this Sunday, I arrived at the food court at around 8. I noticed that the restaurant on this floor which only opens at noon was already bustling with activities. I couldn’t help watching what they were doing.

The two young men in crisp white uniforms were preparing fruit and cream sponge cakes. One was whisking egg whites while the other was applying coats of cream to the cake. They were focused paying no attention to me who was staring curiously at them through the glass divider. That was four hours before the restaurant was to open. I was sure that they were not the only two staff working. There should be even more in the kitchen -  arranging, organizing, cutting, dicing, slicing, peeling, defrosting, boiling, blanching and tenderizing etc.

The French names this whole process as the Mise en place literally means “set in place”. That means all is ready before the actual cooking.  The hours of preparation work are to ensure that the whole cooking process can be smooth and efficient and that perfect dishes can be brought to the customers’ tables at the soonest.

I stood there feeling the greatest respect for them and telling myself not to gobble my food again but to nibble and savour every mouthful! I also learnt a life lesson - preparation is the key to success! The greatest inventor of all, Alexander Graham Bell, had put it so aptly.  “Luck” is but “an opportunity” and for success to be ensured, there must be good preparation! 

The recipe is simple: success = opportunity + readiness!

Random Thoughts by Pauline

July 2017

Sunday morning walks

Sunday is my day for walking and public transport rather than driving. At about 8 in the morning, I walk down Ede Road to Festival Walk shopping mall, go up several floors to the food court to have my breakfast and then walk back to Kowloon Tong Station for the train to Hung Hom. Instead of changing to West Rail Line at Hung Hom, I get off there and walk to Tsim Sha Tsui.

Walks on Sunday mornings are really relaxing. There is not much traffic nor are there many pedestrians. Cornwall Road, for example, can actually be vacant with neither cars nor people. And when I arrive at the footbridge overlooking the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, I would stop and sometimes, even snap a shot of all those lazy-looking traffic lanes. One to two hours later, these would be filled with all kinds of vehicles carrying anxious drivers and passengers. I can also detour to the waterfront and walk along the promenade. There is the Victoria Harbor, though much down-sized, still amazing despite the maze of monstrous-looking mega buildings clustering the waterfront. One thought always comes to my mind as I stand there – we Hongkongers are miracle-workers. With our hands and those of generations before us, we have built this safe, clean and prosperous city we call home.

The footbridge brings me to the fountain in Urban Council Centenary Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui. I love fountains as the water columns transform the place into a fairyland. Sometimes, I would tip-toe closer to feel the mist. I become childish and girly! Well, there are not any on-lookers. The street-cleaners are too busy with their work as to pay any attention to me.

After crossing Chatham Road South, I arrive at Granville Road, one of the popular streets to tourists. But it is too early for shopping sprees. Shops except for some local restaurants offering breakfast, are not yet open. A big garbage truck is parked near the restaurants with cleaners busily removing bags and bags of rubbish from the door fronts and loading them to the truck. At the turn of the street, the newspaper vendor is doing the last bit of tidying up.

By then I would be all sweaty hyper with contentment for having exercised for about 30 minutes. I arrive at Carnarvon Road and only minutes away from my weekly 4-hour beauty session. 

Random Thoughts by Pauline

July 2017

Gym or park

I have a free pass to all the 23 branches of a leading chain fitness centre. That means I should have no excuse not to maintain my exercise routine. Well, I do have one good reason - I prefer jogging in the park and around the neighborhood of where I live to working out in the gymnasium.

Not that I have never visited the gyms. I did make an effort to familiarize myself with those work-out machines like the treadmill, the sky walker, the exercise bike, the vertical climber, the rowing machine etc. They all come with state-of-the art consoles complete with information on my heart rate, my speed, mileage covered and of course, the calories burnt.

To tell the truth, I have never enjoyed any of my visits to the gymnasiums. I don’t like the pungent smell of sweat, the deafening music, the stamping of feet on treadmills, the dazzling big television screens and in fact, the whole combat vibes of a boot camp. After all, I am not preparing for any major sporting events. I just want some physical activities for my aging body. Exercising to me has to be pleasurable and relaxing but it simply isn’t like that in a gymnasium. 

I know, I can talk myself into liking the gym. I can exercise there rain or shine undeterred by weather. I can have whole-body training. I can enjoy various television programmes. Then there are shower and drinking facilities.

But all these can hardly be compared to my jogging in the park. First of all, the air is fresh. When accentuated by the fragrance of the mock lime and the gardenia, it virtually puts me in paradise. If I go in the late afternoon, I can still savour the sun. In the evening, then I can have fun watching the lunar phases with the tune and the lyrics of Teresa Teng’s “The Moon Represents My Heart” vividly playing in my mind.     

As I jog, I meet real people so unlike the combatants in the gym – people walking their dogs though sadly not always the masters but the domestic helpers, couples chatting as they keep in pace with each other, families playing basketball in the nearby court, a man flexing his muscles under the tree, a kind-hearted lady attending to the stray cats or some elderly ladies sitting on the benches catching their breath. We might exchange a few words of greetings and just smile as we pass by one another.

So with my favourite tunes playing and my eyes so richly feasted, I am actually enjoying the jogging as I sweat and pant! How can I be persuaded to give up all these to exercising in the gym? 

Random Thoughts by Pauline

June 2017

The pianist

I was going down the escalator of a neighbourhood shopping mall when I was pleasantly captivated by some beautiful piano music – Somewhere over the rainbow! I quickened my step to get a look of the pianist.

He was a very typical middle-aged bald man. Seated with his face to the big floor-to-ceiling glass wall, he was all absorbed in his own world of music not to be disturbed. I stood and admired from some distance. His fingers were almost flowing effortlessly across the black and white keys while his feet were stepping on and off the pedals with equal lightness! He made my day which otherwise was gloomy and stuffy.

I started imaging what made him sit down and start playing the piano. He could not be showing off because he was not fussing around. Was he too early for an appointment? Did he forget his house key and got locked up? Did he own a piano? Was he simply re-visiting some long gone hobby? He could not be a piano tutor trying to attract some business! For sure, he was not one of those buskers for he would have played in the busy streets of Tsimshatsui or Mongkok! But of course, the piano is too big for street performance. He could not have been a mall employee because otherwise, he would have been all dressed up like one of those performing in the posh shopping arcades in Central!

Well, I had fun lifting myself somewhere over the rainbow way up high!

Oh, someday I'll wish upon a star

Wake up where the clouds are far behind me

Where trouble melts like lemon drops

High above the chimney top that's where you'll find me, oh

Somewhere over the rainbow

Way up high

And the dream that you dare to

Oh, why, oh, why can't I, I?

Random Thoughts by Pauline

June 2017

Private kitchen

Last Saturday evening, we four ladies were out for fine dining as we do at least once in a month.

The restaurant is one of those private kitchens that have mushroomed across the city in industrial buildings in Kwun Tong. My friend scouted it in one of the popular dining apps and made reservation the day before. Unlike other private kitchens that keep patrons in suspense of what they will be served, we were given the menu which could be changed according to our preferences. We did ask for the risotto with foie-gras and eel be changed to prawn.

The place was not fancy and could even be described as a bit untidy with the guitar tucked behind the door and the tables, three of them, pushed to one side of the small room. There were some classic posters on the wall. Our table was the only one properly laid with glasses and plates. We were the only guests.

To serve us, there were the chef, a cool guy who never uttered a word in our two-hour stay and the chatterbox waiter who commented on almost all our conversation topics. A bit annoying I must say!

For HK$500 per head, we enjoyed a five-course meal including pan-fried scallop with mango salsa as the starter followed by mushroom soup with black truffle, risotto with prawn, smoked A4 Wagyu and baked banana cheese pizza as dessert. To complement all these, there was a bottle of Semillon Sauvignon Blanc.

The meal was good value for money because the ingredients were all fresh and the chef though looking quite young had all the dishes delicately flavoured, carefully done and presented to us right away. Only the dessert was a disaster. We even began to wonder how this place was able to survive. The waiter who had been overly attentive showed us the lunch menu saying that the place could be full-house during lunch time on week days because prices are much lowered. As to the evenings, like other such dens, they only open when there is booking in advance.

It was an enjoyable dining experience worth re-visiting. I would surely recommend it to other foodies. Such eateries are often dreams come true for young adults and they rely on word of mouth. I shall do my part as a show of support for small businesses.