My summer and Harry Potter

Owing to some technical problems, my trip was abruptly cut short....

Here I am again, in my room reading books.

Have just finished the latest Harry Potter book.... the ending is okay, kind of expected, but it's still worth to read...

I love the way J.K. Rowling feels, "Life has a way through death, so as Love", this really cheer things up, isnt it?

I have spent my last 2 weeks of my life in a largely chaotic way of life, but this is also one of the few weeks that i have truely enjoyed myself.

Started my learning lesson... though i know how to drive an automatic, however, it's quite different when riding a manual.... i especially hate the necessary move of stepping on the clutch when applying break.... o well, so user un-friendly... i guess the only car I'll ever consider buying apart from an automatic is a semi-automatic (only available in sports car like ferrari or porsche ^^)

Watched several movies lately, both in cinema and VCDs.... "Transformer" is excellent, never expected it to be this good, really beat the other movies in the same category.... Watched "Sideways" as well... guess i'll have a different feeling on it when i watch it again in 10 years or so.....

Apart from my movie frenzy, reading has become my daily routine as well.... apart from HP, another book on my list include 'The runaway jury' by John Grisham and 'Man and boy' by Tony Parsons..... I'm so into books that i must look like a bookworm, cause i cant even leave my books when travelling on bus or MTR......

Had a few wonderful moments with my friends, eating and drinking with friends is what i did most lately..... had spent some time on the beach having sunbath.... life cant be better than this~

Still got a lot of things on my to-do list.... really wanted to learn how to swim butterfly stroke.... and tennis as well..... i'll squeeze some time for it~

I'd better be back to my book now.... i hope i'll write soon. Till then, take care my friends.

Leave town notice.

I'm leaving for a few days.

Gone for good.

Hope this will be a good break for me.

I'll miss you all.

"So kiss me and smile for me,
Tell me that you'll wait for me,
Hold me like you'll never let me go."

10 days.

Ten days,

Ten whole days since i have last updated this place.

What am I doing??

不眠...

Sleepless.... Fallen in love with this song... Great Lyrics by 林夕.

化 - 楊千嬅

別離未算久 別漫談如摯友
令清修的我再失守
別凝望太久 令面容如刺繡
像一針一血的引誘

一巴一巴 情感打不化
沒碰著你再愛誰未算假
何必擔心下半生 何苦不信任緣份
談多幾次心 自然就似情人 唯有甘心
無需等的別要等 庸碌一世沒遺憾
人家不費心亦能恩愛互吻 誰說別人未襯

淚還未轉圈 便被人嫌我怨
扮開心果也夠辛酸
舊情未算短 令別人如副選
像他的衫也該 你穿

收得多花 遲早火花都化
未信共對上百年未愛他
何必擔心下半生 何苦不信任緣份
談多幾次心 自然就似情人 唯有甘心
無需等的別要等 庸碌一世沒遺憾
情不必太深 若能不執著你 誰不懂去互吻

如果戀愛為結婚 如果擁抱為名份
何苦等半生 沒人沒有情人 如果甘心
誰的心可及你狠 誰肯恩愛亦榮幸
難刻骨銘心 亦能找到護蔭
忘愛自然合襯

Food Hunting week

Made an effort to keep writing but that seems quite futile....

Hopefully this can soon change as I'm gonna have my holiday soon~~ Must achieve what I have planned for the summer~

The last week has been my Gourmet week.... tasted some of the best food around.

Thursday, school, then sneaked out in the afternoon for my friend in TST. Japanese food plus Friend plus Harbour view. Life couldnt be better. Later that night, another friend in Central for a Triple-O's burger..... have you ever seen a burger so large that i (notice, i got big hands) couldnt get hold of it single-handedly.... wow!! Double beef patty and beacon is paradise. Also, the strawberry milkshake is a must have~~~ Longing to go there again~

Friday, nothing special. School and then got a driving lesson.... pretty ordinary...

Saturday, Got a nice sleep and the wake for a medical appointment in Mong Kok..... wander around for a while.... meet with Kathy and had dessert in Pokka Cafe (unexpectedly good) (that's the first meal of my day).... enjoyed shopping in Langham (I wanna buy the new Liverpool Jersy with Torres' name on it~) We chatted for so long that we only got dinner at 10.... It's always good to check up on how my friend is doing~~

Got back to hall.... finally cleaning my room since exam..... As now i knew i have passed my exam i can throw away my past papers and notes without worries~ guess i'll forget some of the knowledge for my whole life..... ^^

Hong Kong is crazily hot these few days.... Guess I'll spend my next few days in my room only (no outdoor please, at least for this few days).... gonna do some reading and getting myself ready for the driving exam~

A week's summary.

Alright, finally time to be myself again...

A lot has happened this week but i just failed to find the time to record them down here.... this place is like my pool of pensive (in case you havent read Harry Potter, it's kind of memory storage medium) (just want to live with the hype of Harry Potter lately, with the movie coming and the possibly-last book soon)... It's seldom of me to visit my old entry... but everytime i do i'll spend the whole evening for it.... soaking myself into my old, precious memories....

It's really been a long week end starting from last thursday till today..... took me some while to recall what i have done over the week.... but i guess the most appropiate one word description to my week would be 'obsession'..... feeling obsessed lately....

Thursday. School as usual. Feeling more and more at ease when treating patient.... Sometimes, a bit of self-confidence really make good to better... have to convince myself that i can do it, and i can do it well... Maybe, this apply to myself as well... You can never do things that you thought you cant.

Friday... busy preparing for the Public Health Presentation.... had an unexpectedly easy clinic as i've got no patient that day. Get to know a nice elective student from Australia, it's been really great chatting with other people who share similiar views (especially towards dentistry).... Make me more and more wanted to head to Australia for my elective as well~~

Exam results released that day.... All pass (I mean the whole class pass, not just me....).... Well.... I'd rather have some more competitive exam (meaning i'd rather have fails (even for myself) than pushing everyone to fifth year straight away)..... Both good and bad.

Had the annual dinner with floormates that night..... lots of laughters when the old guys get together.... suddenly have a feeling of home in there.... I'm glad I'm on of them~

Saturday and Sunday... Feel like a loser.... been obsessed... sometimes, excess determination is not a good thing... gotta learn to control myself or else opportunities are gone that way..... I shall bear in mind.

Monday... got my last Paedo Clinic for the year, once again, feeling I'm competent in doing the dental work.... really, that's a good feeling, I'm satisified, the patient is, and most importantly, the tutor is as well.... what more can i ask for??

Farewell to a floormate Ho, who's leaving for Australia..... it's a wonderful dinner~~

Got back to hall and feel extremely tired.... cant imagine i can sleep with my jeans and socks on, without the pillow and face down on my matress..... slept all the way till morning....

Tuesday, once again, dental work filled my day.... got back home and had dinner with family. Heard that my cousin is doing fine for her degree, that's not bad afterall, isnt it? Once again, fallen to sleep immediately after dinner..... this time on my home's lovely crouch.... wake only 5 mins before 9...... had to rush for brushing and got back school~

Wednesday.... late for the morning lesson.... but nothing much missed.... it's a really relaxing lesson coz there's nothing much to discuss (i'm having a group discussion lesson).... spent my afternoon on my presentation thing.... and on evening it's finally the day. Got the work presented.... nothing eventful.... but so glad it's finally over and it had earned me a place to get to Bali for the dental conference in the upcoming september~~ Hurray~~

I guess that shall conclude my last week, I'll keep on writing, though may not be as frequent as before. I'd really appreciate if you'll come visit my place from time to time ^^

PS. Feelings only generate hate. Are man supposed to be without feeling?? Will this make a better place?

Confused.

Fernando Torres

Welcome to the family, Torres.

You will never walk alone.



From Liverpoolfc.tv

WHY TORRES TICKS THE TACTICAL BOXES

For starters, it's a phrase that's been abused too often in the past. He's here to improve the team as much as possible, not to 'complete' it.

But make no mistake: this is, in himself, a complete centre-forward, with the potential to get better still.

And most importantly, one who changes the dynamics of Liverpool's attack.

Irrespective of his individual ability, which people will always quibble about ('is he world-class?', 'does he score enough goals?', etc), Torres is the type of player who will not only suit Benítez's system but combine unique individual talents with a mature team ethic.

Whether or not he is worth £20m is moot. If you can buy one individual who, as well as contributing directly himself, brings the best out of four or five others, then how do you put a price on that?

And, of course, what he is worth to Liverpool depends on how much he gives the club over the next half-decade (or more), not how he does in the first few weeks of the season when the critics will be hyper-sensitive.

If, in the next few years, he helps land some of the trophies that matter, that will justify the outlay. He doesn't have to score 50 goals and win the World Player of the Year, simply help the team win games. Wayne Rooney only scored 14 league goals last season, but he contributed in a number of ways to United's title success.

Reading a whole host of testimonials made in recent years by many of the the leading lights of the Spanish game –– Frank Rijkaard, Raul, Ronaldo, David Beckham –– it's clear just how highly rated Torres is.

They have waxed lyrical about him. The same applies to his ex-coaches, from youth level up to first-team bosses, and some of La Liga's retired greats.

Each talks in awed terms of Torres' pace, his power, and his skill. But perhaps more tellingly, every last one mentions at least one aspect of his psychological make-up. Because more than anything, it is this last thing that will determine just how much of a success he proves in English football, and is what gives him a much better chance than most.

He is labelled mature, determined, responsible, mentally strong and a winner. To captain Spain's third-biggest club at the age of 19 highlights remarkable personal qualities.

But to also be its local hero, talisman, and principle goalscorer, when that team lacked overall quality, speaks of an ability to handle immense pressure. While he now has the new pressure of a big price tag, he has, at long last, lost the overwhelming burden of carrying an entire club. At Liverpool, others will share that weight.

How he will fare in English football cannot be foretold –– no signing comes with a guarantee –– but what's clear is that Torres has the potential to be a legend at Anfield.

He has never worked with a coach anywhere near as good as Benítez, and certainly not played with so many top-class players at club level. He has the ability, in the right setting, to see his game go up a notch or two from his previously impressive highs.

Torres is not a player whose reputation has been founded on hard, cold figures; he was not so prolific in Spain that his stats were uttered in hushed tones, as proof of some outrageous talent. Having said that, 75 league goals in 173 games, which edges close to a goal every other game, is still a fine record.

But as regular watchers of Spanish football will attest to, he is a footballer who needs to be seen, a footballer capable of special things.

Rather than a great goalscorer, he had been a scorer of great goals. While he may never be ultra-prolific, Torres has that gift of scoring goals out of nothing: a curling shot from distance, an outrageous lob from an unlikely angle, a spectacular flying volley, a thumping header.

It's said by some that Torres misses too many chances. It's also noted that he has never hit 20 league goals, although having managed 19, that's a tad pedantic. In that sense he's like Michael Owen: his best league total for Liverpool was 19, and he was also accused of missing too many chances. But good strikers aren't afraid to miss. The best keep getting back in there, and win the team enough games when it matters. Bad strikers are the ones who never miss any because they shy away.

Torres is also someone who, like Thierry Henry, can create his own chances. And that's a priceless commodity. Anyone who can score goals out of nothing is a valuable asset. Torres runs at defenders with pace and directness (but also intelligence), and that in itself can win a host of free-kicks and penalties, and simply create panic in opposition defences.

Of course, 'panic' is not measured by statistics. But it makes defences crumble, and others can profit. Like Henry, he can drift wide to where he is very comfortable, either to pick the ball up and run infield to shoot, or merely to create space, or chances, for others.

From a tactical point of view Torres ticks all the boxes. The Reds now have a quick striker who can play centrally, either in a pair or, as he did in Spain, on his own: something that never suits smaller strikers, who can't offer the physical presence, and usually require a 'bodyguard'. It instantly limits things, if you have to include one player just to get the best out of another.

It's not so much the quantity of goals Torres will score that will elevate the team, but his ability to score the kind of goals that few other strikers can, and to offer a different threat to the Reds' top duo last season.

While Kuyt and Crouch shared an impressive 32 goals last season, 30 came from within the penalty area. But it's not just that the pair finished these chances in the box –– without fail, they either received the ball inside the box or right on the very edge. That requires accurate supply. What Torres provides is the ability to take the ball into the box himself, perhaps from as far back as his own half; or to score from outside the box with his powerful shooting.

Complete

One thing Rafa Benítez was not able to utilise during his first three years was a 'complete' centre-forward: the quick, strong and tall striker who could be relied upon to score goals as well as link play intelligently, create chances for others, work for the team and hold the ball up.

By this I mean someone along the lines of Didier Drogba and Thierry Henry, or going a little further back, Blackburn-era Alan Shearer, when at his quickest, or Nicolas Anelka, when he burst onto the scene. Ruud van Nistelrooy, when he wasn't being blown over by a gust of wind, was another. It's notable that the aforementioned players all led the line in league title triumphs.
Kuyt and Crouch remain hugely effective players and, in their mid-20s, are still improving. No one in England offers more sweat for the cause than Kuyt –– again, stats don't really measure how the Reds won games like the one in Barcelona, in large part down to his sheer leg-work –– and no other striker in the Premiership can pose the kind of problems Crouch does.

But teams are so much more dangerous with pace in attack, and either of Kuyt or Crouch would benefit from playing alongside Torres, with his ability to get in behind defences. Torres can help Kuyt and Crouch bag more goals, and that's one of the reasons he's been bought. Not to score them all himself. Thirteen of Kuyt's 14 goals last season were close-range finishes, so getting him into those areas more often will help the team. Remember, this is also a player who hit the woodwork seven times, all with fine efforts.

Also, with so many talented midfielders now at the club, Torres gives the option of an attacking 4-5-1, particularly away from home in tougher arenas, where the Spaniard can do the lone striker stuff so well, but also help lead the kinds of lightning breaks that can win such matches.

While Torres' goals record is not remarkable, there are precedents that suggest he could yet turn into a real goal-machine. There are no guarantees, of course, and there will always be so much more to his game than goals, but two of modern football's greatest goal-getters were actually far less prolific at the same stage of their careers.

Torres arrives in England a fraction older than Theirry Henry was when he started his Highbury love-in. Before his move to London, Henry had scored just 23 league goals in 126 games for Monaco and Juventus. While also sometimes utilised as a winger, Henry was not noted for his clinical finishing when playing as a striker.

In a better team, and under a compatriot and mentor who thoroughly understood him, Henry came of age at Arsenal. His career strike rate went from a goal every five games to better than a goal every 1.5 games for Arsenal.

So if that's the example of the overseas' star who came good at 22/23, you can also look at another example closer to home.

Alan Shearer showed little sign of what was to come when, aged 22, he moved from Southampton to Blackburn in 1992. While he'd just enjoyed a fine season at the Dell, he left the south coast with very similar figures to pre-Arsenal Thierry Henry: 23 league goals in 118 games.

In four seasons at the Lancashire club he notched a phenomenal 112 Premiership goals in just 138 games, followed by 148 in 303 league games for Newcastle.

This is not to say Torres will automatically follow suit. But it does show that, at 23, some goalscorers are yet to reach their full potential, and a move to a better team can help unlock it.

Luis Garcia, a great little player, will be missed. But it's a team taking on a new shape.

Harry Kewell is fit and ready, and, if his problems are behind him and he can retain his pace and power, should be like signing a new top-class player.

Andrei Voronin, who often plays behind the main striker and who can also play in midfield, is another quick and powerful frontrunner. Not an out-and-out striker, he averaged a respectable one-in-three for Bayer Leverkusen, and is someone who can fit Benítez's ideal of four attacking players sharing 15 goals each. It's clear the Reds will be a big, strong side –– but, crucially, not at the expense of skill. All of these are technically gifted players.

While the elements continue to fall into place, the opposition haven't been idle, either, and even mid-tier teams are spending fortunes. While Torres will almost certainly improve the Reds significantly, the competition for the title will be hotter than ever.

All Benítez can do is make Liverpool better, and for me, Torres is one player who perfectly fits the bill.

Once again~

Once again... waking in the most ridiculous hour of the day...

Dunno why i can not put myself into bed again...

Nevermind, some music and light reading is going to bright my day~

Day-off

Great, it's such a lovely day.

It's so good to have a day-off in the middle of the week, that really recharge myself for the latter part of my week.... Glad I've used it well.

My best buddy Jeff is finally back.... Life is always fun to have friends around you... We headed to the newly opened Mega Box and shop around a bit... had a great lunch there and as usual, great movie~ Die Hard 4.0 (or Live Free or Die Hard, whichever way you call it) is quite a good movie, adrenaline-raising action thriller, and Bruce Willis is good as before...

Finally got my temporary driving license... longing for the day when i get my own car (Ferrari for sure) and drive around~

Have you ever have the feeling that people are all connected? And you can actually 'feel' them? I got such strong feeling today that my hatred seems to sear through my flesh...

Righteousness.

Kind of overestimated my own ability and underestimated the poor quality of my dental work in junior form and certain degree of 'shit-happen'ness.... Today is the perfect demostration of why not to put yourself in full gear when it's the first day back in school....

Originally I'm close to finishing most of the procedure for my patient with the cementation of a crown.... Right before I'm going to cement it, i found that the tooth has some problem... I can either leave it there or to investigate.... i chose the latter.... Once i knew that the restoration has dislodged.... I could simply recement it.... hoping that nothing would go wrong (as some dentist in private practice will do).... somehow feel that this is not the right thing to do... I did not care how much more work I'll have to do, at least I can feel good with my conscience.

Really proud that I can make this decision today.... dunno if you ask me the same question 2 years from now on, will I be able to do the same.... I dont want to think too much... just for the fact that i had been a good dentist, that's it. (or maybe I'll never be a dentist, who knows?)

Got a burn in my stomach today in lunchtime... I really shouldnt eat, I'd rather have a shot of alcohol to numb myself.

Amnesia.

電影《無痛失戀》的情節成真！美國及加拿大的研究人員成功利用藥物幫助人們忘掉不快記憶，以後要「無痛失戀」，毋須像戲中主角占基利般光顧洗腦公司，只需吃一片藥即可！

原用於治高血壓心絞痛

加拿大麥吉爾大學及美國哈佛大學的精神病學家利用一隻名叫「propranolol」的藥物，成功「抑制」心理創傷病人的部分記憶，但其他記憶則不受影響。「propranolol」普遍用來治療高血壓及心絞痛，副作用是會令病人失去部分記憶。

研究人員找來19名意外或強姦受害者分成兩組接受研究，要求其中一組一邊憶述10多年前的可怕經歷，一邊服用「propranolol」。10天後，研究人員發現服藥的一組受害者回憶起可怕經歷時，心跳沒有那麼快，少了緊張的徵象。

「毋忘記憶 免不快情緒吞噬」

麥吉爾大學的納德教授解釋說：「回憶往事時，我們腦部會從記憶庫中存取及復元舊記憶。我們的做法是在病人復元記憶的過程期間，給病人吃藥，以減少記憶帶來的情緒作用。藥物只會影響記憶的情緒部分，不會影響到記憶的意識部分，因此病人會記得所有細節，卻不會被回憶帶來的情緒吞噬。」

研究人員認為，記憶的運作好比製造玻璃，玻璃製造時先經過高溫融化階段，降溫後才成形。記憶也一樣，回憶往事時，記憶先經過一個不穩定的「融化階段」，後才成形，故可用藥物「干擾」記憶重新成形過程。

此外，紐約大學科學家在另一個研究中成功將老鼠腦內一個特定記憶刪取，但保持老鼠其他的完整記憶。研究人員播放兩種音樂給實驗老鼠聽，在播放時同時對老鼠施以輕微電擊，令老鼠將兩種音樂與電擊聯繫在一起。研究人員接讓老鼠聽其中一種音樂時，給一半老鼠吃一隻叫「U0126」、會令人短暫失憶的藥物。結果發現，吃了藥的老鼠不再將這種音樂與電擊聯繫在一起，但在聽見另一種音樂時，仍做好被電擊的準備，因此證實藥物只刪取了一個特定記憶。

Isnt this interesting and great?

Waking in the middle of nowhere.

Just popped up... looking at the bright sunshine from the windows, without second thought i was on full alert..... it'd be bad if i go late on my very first day back to school.... but luckily, no fear was unfound... I couldnt get myself to bed again.... I guess I'll use this time to gather myself and think of the procedures I'm going to work on my patients today..... pretty good mental exercise.

Forgot to mention in my last post, I had watched the "Departed" by Martin Scorsese... When was the last time they give the Best Director award to those who copied directly from others??

Life's back to normal.

Alright. My holiday's over.

School resumes tomorrow.

Rest myself a little in this extra long weekend and hopefully I'm going back to school refreshed.

This week has been a totally crazy-fun week for me, despite the poor weather... started a couple of new books, movies, gaming.... and enjoyed some very relaxing drinking occassion with friends.... what more can i ask for?

I shall keep writing on a more regular basis from now on.... stay tune.