就是要不離不棄Nellie Mckay

阿皮：雖然我從沒見過妳，但我願為妳一身黑…

今天是我那十八歲狗的三週年忌日。即使牠已經走了三年，偶而還是會在路上遇到一些非常不熟的鄰居，以關心的口氣詢問怎麼沒帶狗出來走走…

因為養狗遛狗的關係，認識了很多養狗遛狗的街坊鄰居。說起來，狗比人更容易讓人記憶，很多鄰居在我牽著狗的時候會和我打招呼，一旦我一個人走在街上遇到這些人時，他們卻連看也不看我一眼… 當然不是他們無禮或是有眼無珠，實在是我長得平凡無奇，還不如我的狗特別哩。

看看因不景氣而產生的棄狗潮，這些始亂終棄沒有良心愛慕虛榮的飼主們真該立法重罰，除了罪該萬死的不尊重生命，愛賣弄炫耀心理作崇，我真的很不了解這些人的心態，是什麼樣可怕的人會拋棄寵物呢? 感覺上比拋妻棄子的人更令我心寒… 說來說去還是一句，小貓小狗孤苦無依沒有生活技能又不能開口乞食，一旦被遺棄就是聽天由命了。

獻給牠一首可愛的「小狗歌」，感謝牠十八年來的陪伴。說實在的，和貓比起來狗還是比較貼心的。

Nellie McKay －The Dog Song

Nellie Mckay的歌詞通常很長，而且最可怕的地方是她每次在現場唱起來都會不一樣，不但歌詞不一樣，有時連曲也會變…反正她自調自唱，隨時想到哪唱到哪，這是一些要排練千遍以至完美的藝人所做不到的。Amazon曾說她晚生了三十年，也許是因為她隨興爵士般的音樂及無懈可擊的聲音，還有那十分70年代的長相及打扮…

I'm just a walkin' my dog
singin' my song
strollin' along
It's just me and my dog
catchin' some sun
we can't go wrong

My life was lonely and blue
yeah I was sad as a sailor
I was an angry 'un too
Then there was you
appeared, when I was entangled
with youth, and fear, and nerves
jingle jangled
vermouth and beer
were gettin' me mangled up

But then I looked in your eyes
and I was no more a failure
you looked so wacky and wise
and I said, lord I'm happy
'cause I'm just a walkin' my dog
singin' my song
strollin' along
it's just me and my dog
catchin' some sun
we can't go wrong
'cause I don't care 'bout your hatin' and your doubt
and I don't care what the politicians spout
if you need a companion
well just go right to the pound
and find yourself a hound
and make that doggie proud
'cause that's what it's all about

My life was tragic and sad
I was the archetypal loser
I was a pageant gone bad
Then there was you on time
and wagging your tail
in the cutest mime
and you was in jail
I said woof, be mine
and you gave a wail
and then I was no longer alone
and I was no more a boozer
we'll make the happiest home
and I said lord I'm happy
'cause I'm just a walkin' my dog
singin' my song
strollin' along
it's just me and my dog
catchin' some sun
we can't go wrong
'cause I don't care 'bout your hatin' and your doubt
and I don't care what the politicians spout
if you need a companion
why just go on by the pound
and find yourself a hound
and make that doggie proud
'cause that's what it's all about
that's what it's all about
that's what it's all about
that's what it's all abow-wow-wow
that's what it's all about
(pant) (pant) (pant) (pant) (pant) good dog

※Basic Theories of Wing Chun

Since I have been talking about Wing Chun for a while and never wrote anything about it in English. I guess it's about time to introduce Wing Chun to non-Chinese readers now. From my understanding, some may say Wing Chun, Wing Tsun, or Ving Tsun, it just tells us how difficult to translate Chinese into English. In Chinese 詠春 literally means "Spring Chant", how beautiful is that. Some say it's the name of the founder of Wing Chun, and a beautiful name like that of course the founder was a woman...

I have practiced Wing Chun for a year and I really enjoy it. I guess it's one of the martial art actually suits female. It doesn't require a lot of strength but it can strike powerful and fast. The secret are relaxation, shifting and feelings, which female knows the best. Anyway, I'll explain it more on the way. Enjoy.

Here is the Chinese version.

※一週最愛Favorite of the week


Most Wing Chun attacks take the straightest possible path to the target (usually a straight line) to break the opponent's structure, and we called it "centerline". Besides centeeline theory, there are horse stance, the vertical fist straight punch and motionless elbow.

二字拑羊馬Horse stance is double-weighted stance, each foot has 50% of power, and that makes you firm and flexible.

日字衝捶The vertical fist straight punch is the shortest path between your opponent and you, in that case you can attack your opponent faster and more easily.

不動肘The elbow is kept low to cover the front midsection of the body. When the elbow is down, it's harder for your opponent finds an open space to attack.

If you want to strike more effective, first at all you have to relax. After you are relax then you can stick with your opponent in order to control he or she. The you can feel what your opponent's power and go with the flow, then it the matter of timing, distance and position.