Internet Booking

I just don't understand why they only allow a small portion of tickets to be sold via the internet. I only managed to get 5 tickets (I wanted to buy 7) at HKD200 for the YYM concert and they are rear balcony seats. I won't complain, as loads of HKD200 tickets are choir seats. But couldn't they allow more tickets to be sole on-line so that people don't have to queue up?

Yo Yo Ma

Tickets sale starts tomorrow. I won't queue up but shall book via the internet.

Stephen Kovacevich

Find a new set of Beethoven Sonata. This guy came to HK many years ago and I didn't think he was brilliant. But this set of Sonata (I only listened to a few) is good. His playing was fresh, full of insights and impactful.

My Personality

Your Personality Profile

You are dependable, popular, and observant. Deep and thoughtful, you are prone to moodiness. In fact, your emotions tend to influence everything you do. You are unique, creative, and expressive. You don't mind waving your freak flag every once and a while. And lucky for you, most people find your weird ways charming!

The World's Shortest Personality Test

魏徵

Because of 毓民, I have come to know about this essay by 魏徵:

諫太宗十思疏 魏徵（摘自舊唐書 列傳 卷七十一 列傳第二十一 魏徵）
臣 聞 求 木 之 長 者 ， 必 固 其 根 本 ； 欲 流 之 遠 者 ， 必 浚 其泉 源 ； 思 國 之 安 者 ， 必 積 其 德 義 ． 源 不 深 而 豈 望 流 之 遠， 根 不 固 而 何 求 木 之 長 ． 德 不 厚 而 思 國 之 治 ， 雖 在 下 愚， 知 其 不 可 ， 而 況 於 明 哲 乎 ！ 人 君 當 神 器 之 重 ， 居 域 中之 大 ， 將 崇 極 天 之 峻 ， 永 保 無 疆 之 休 ． 不 念 於 居 安 思 危， 戒 貪 以 儉 ， 德 不 處 其 厚 ， 情 不 勝 其 欲 ， 斯 亦 伐 根 以 求木 茂 ， 塞 源 而 欲 流 長 者 也 ．

凡 百 元 首 ， 承 天 景 命 ， 莫 不 殷 憂 而 道 著 ， 功 成 而 德 衰． 有 善 始 者 實 繁 ， 能 克 終 者 蓋 寡 ， 豈 其 取 之 易 而 守 之 難乎 ？ 昔 取 之 而 有 餘 ， 今 守 之 而 不 足 ， 何 也 ？ 夫 在 殷 憂 必竭 誠 以 待 下 ， 既 得 志 則 縱 情 以 傲 物 ． 竭 誠 則 胡 越 為 一 體， 傲 物 則 骨 肉 為 行 路 ． 雖 董 之 以 嚴 刑 ， 振 之 以 威 怒 ， 終苟 免 而 不 懷 仁 ， 貌 恭 而 不 心 服 ． 怨 不 在 大 ， 可 畏 惟 人 ．載 舟 覆 舟 ， 所 宜 深 慎 ， 奔 車 朽 索 ， 其 可 忽 乎 ？

君 人 者 ， 誠 能 見 可 欲 則 思 知 足 以 自 戒 ， 將 有 所 作 則 思知 止 以 安 人 ， 念 高 危 則 思 謙 沖 而 自 牧 ， 懼 滿 溢 則 思 江 海而 下 百 川 ， 樂 盤 遊 則 思 三 驅 以 為 度 ， 恐 懈 怠 則 思 慎 始 而敬 終 ， 慮 壅 蔽 則 思 虛 心 以 納 下 ， 想 讒 邪 則 思 正 身 以 黜 惡， 恩 所 加 則 思 無 因 喜 以 謬 賞 ， 罰 所 及 則 思 無 因 怒 而 濫 刑． 總 此 十 思 ， 弘 茲 九 德 ， 簡 能 而 任 之 ， 擇 善 而 從 之 ． 則智 者 盡 其 謀 ， 勇 者 竭 其 力 ， 仁 者 播 其 惠 ， 信 者 效 其 忠 ．文 武 爭 馳 ， 君 臣 無 事 ， 可 以 盡 豫 遊 之 樂 ， 可 以 養 松 喬 之壽 ， 鳴 琴 垂 拱 ， 不 言 而 化 ． 何 必 勞 神 苦 思 ， 代 下 司 職 ，役 聰 明 之 耳 目 ， 虧 無 為 之 大 道 哉 ！

I like the second paragraph. And I think all leaders, whether national leaders or company leaders, should read it.

My Hidden Talent

Your Hidden Talent

You're super sensitive and easily able to understand situations. You tend to solve complex problems in a flash, without needing a lot of facts. Decision making is easy for you. You have killer intuition. The right path is always clear, and you're a bit of a visionary.

What's" Your Hidden Talent?

The Keys to Your Heart

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free. In love, you feel the most alive when your partner is patient and never willing to give up on you. You'd like to your lover to think you are stylish and alluring. You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please. Your ideal relationship is open. Both of you can talk about everything... no secrets. Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment. You think of marriage something you've always wanted... though you haven't really thought about it. In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

What Are The Keys To Your Heart?

Satantango

I went to see this film on Monday. It was 7 hours long. I wanted to leave in the middle of it but then I thought since everybody said this film was good, let's give it a chance. I stayed till the end (started at 2:00pm and ended at 11:30pm with two breaks in between). I didn't understand the conclusion. My wife was so into it that she did not speak much yesterday. What a film! For your info, you can still buy tickets for the second show of it on 01OCT05.

Tired

I think I may be sick or something. I have been feeling extremely tired each day for the past week. And I haven't done anything physically demanding except playing tennis on Monday. And I have put on some weight lately. What kind of disease is this?

Busy October and November

Bought a lot of tickets recently: Wang Jian, Cirque du Soleil, Berlin Phil, Turandot, Jan Lamb. Going to buy: Yo-Yo Ma, Ah Lam's concert, HK Arts Festival, etc. The most expensive one is Berlin. Plus the HKD1400 CDs bought last Sunday in Sino Centre, I guess I'll have to spend less in other areas.

Tungpo, You're Wrong

Can you believe it? I queued up at City Hall Central at 9:00am and I was the eighth in the queue (there were at least 30 people behind me). The $300 tickets were gone in the first five minutes for both concerts! People were buying like 20 tickets per person. I ended up buying $800 tickets with a 10% discount!

Ready to queue up tomorrow?

I've got the "friends of Cultural Centre" card today (10% discount for all LCSD sponsored concerts) and I am ready to queue up for the BPO tickets tomorrow morning. I have taken a half-day leave for it.

Wang Jian

I have just bought 10 tickets for Wang Jian's concert on 23OCT05. I was going to get the HKD150 tickets, thinking that I would be able to sit at least in front of the performer, no matter how far it would be. But I was told that HKD150 are seats located at the back of the stage, facing the audience (behind the performer). I was quite disappointed and forced to buy the next category up, which is $250, and that's the balcony on the side. And you know what, seats that face the performer, no matter how far they are from the stage, cost you $350!

Sky-High Prices for the Berlin Philharmonic

I was happy that the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) is going to make their debut in Hong Kong very soon. However, I was shocked (and sad!) to learn the sky-high prices for their forthcoming concerts. The prices set for the two concerts taking place on 13 & 14 Nov 2005 are $2,500, $2,000, $1,600, $1,200, $800 and $300. Think about it. If my wife and I were to attend both concerts and we were to buy the second cheapest tickets ($800), it would cost us $3,200! For some families, this could mean one-third of their monthly household income. How could ordinary music lovers afford to attend BPO's concert? For comparison, if my memory serves me well, $800 is more expensive than the most expensive tickets ($780) for Philadelphia Orchestra, which visited Hong Kong some months ago. Both are LCSD sponsored events. I wonder what makes such a difference.

Of course, the BPO is arguably the best orchestra in the world. But if you compare the concert prices with those of Europe, the UK, or the US, you would find that there is a significant difference - London Philharmonic Orchestra's tickets range from 10 pounds to 50 pounds; Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's tickets range from EUR19 to EUR118. The tickets of BPO's concerts in the Philharmonie (their home) range from EUR28 to EUR99 only! So why are they charging such an outrageous price here in HK? But hang on, they are charging a higher price in Beijing - RMB4,800 for the highest price. We should perhaps feel lucky here in Hong Kong!

There are discounts (half-price) for the disabled, students and elderly. I support that. But is it necessary to sponsor students to buy tickets of all categories, including the most expensive ones? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to restrict these discounts to, say, tickets at $800 or below, so that the overall price can be lowered? And has the German Consulate in Hong Kong sponsored it, so that it would truly become a cultural exchange event? It seems that the event has turned into a social gathering function only for the rich and the government officals instead. Apart from the Chief Secretary, the Honourable Mr. Raphael Hui, others in the party probably won't be able to enjoy the music anyway.

I wish the BPO and Sir Simon have a good time in Hong Kong. Of course they will!

林海峰是但o翕發花癲

I want to go Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!


林海峰是但o翕發花癲
日期：2005年10月12,13,18,19,20日
時間：晚上8時
地點：伊利沙佰體育館
票價：$280及$180
9月6至8日Manhattan信用咭優先訂飛
9月9日起於各城市電腦售票網公開發售

Satantango

http://www.hkiff.org.hk/eng/events/bela7.html

I am going to this movie on 19SEP05. Seems like an interesting film, but 7 hours! Never watch such a long film in one go!

Yo-yo Ma

He is coming again on 09Nov05, having an all-Bach programme. I am going to attend it. Seems like Nov is a concert month, as Berlin Philharmonic is also coming in Nov.

Short Trip

Just come back from a short trip to Shanghai. Loads of work are waiting for me in my in-tray. Got to have a busy day today.