Let's Have a Date, My Dear!

#2013-0130

"What do you think we should do today?" I asked my wife.

"Oh, you remember this important date," my wife replied, "I thought you had forgotten about it."

"Of course I wouldn't forget -- Where shall we go to celebrate our anniversary? We just can't climb Mount Sinai this year, can we?" I chuckled to myself, recalling our "romantic visit" to the Holy Mountain (Mount Sinai) on January 30, 2009.

My wife chucked too. It was obvious that she could tell that same story in detail, just as I can. About four years ago she and I had actually cooperated in writing down the whole process of our Holy-Mountain Climbing. And I later included my English translation of that "short story" in my first book of fiction, A Story Untitled + 9 Other Stories, which was published in Germany last year.

Anyway, I should do something to celebrate our wedding anniversary this year too. So I talked with her about it. I asked her what she wanted me to buy her as a gift. She said, "As long as you remember this special date, I will be satisfied; you don't have to buy me anything! -- I'm telling the truth . . ."

"At least let's have a date, darling!" I insisted that we have a luncheon date. We went to a nearby restaurant (called "Farmer") and enjoyed ourselves there until 2:20 p.m. or so.

文定之喜 (The Engagement of Andy & Jessica)

#2013-0127

彥鼎茗雁文定流程（參閱下列照片 1-12）

彥鼎茗雁文定喜宴流程（喜宴流程摘記如下---參閱照片 13-22）

播放音樂：11:30 a.m. 開始播放麗卿所製作的音樂

播放新人婚紗 MV：12:05 p.m. 開始播放《新人婚紗MV》（約15分鐘）

新人第一次進場：進場前2分鐘，輕聲播放 Love Story (三姊彈奏的)［銀幕上畫面à Love Story］

M: 各位嘉賓！我是新娘的父親的同學。

JH: 各位親朋好友！我是新娘的母親的同學。

M: 今天是個大好的日子，我 . . . .

JH: 還有我！我們和大家一起來到這兒 要見證一個美麗的「愛的故事」。

M: 是的，這是一個美麗的 Love Story！

JH: 女主角是我們很多人看著她長大的 茗雁，她美麗大方、聰明、有智慧，做事積極 . . . .

M: 沒錯！-----那男主角呢？誰是那位「幸運的青年」？

JH: 男主角是 彥鼎，所有認識他的人，都說要 給他「按」好多好多個「讚」，他英俊瀟灑、年輕有為、聰明、有創意 . . . .

M: 哇！好期待喔！現在就讓我們 以熱烈的掌聲 先歡迎新郎倌（彥鼎）進場！

（註：喜宴主持人 M = Mookoo Liang; JH = Jean Huang 

以下細節大多保留，給讀者充足的想像空間。）

喜樂二人組現場演奏１：

主婚人上台敬酒致意：

喜樂二人組現場演奏２：

播放新人生活 MV：第二次進場前，播放《新人生活MV》（約8分鐘）MV播放完畢，喜樂二人組就位［於主桌附近］；室內燈光變暗！（銀幕上畫面à新郎、新娘照片）

喜樂二人組現場演奏３：現場演奏《燭光中的溫暖》---- 配合新人第二次進場

新人第二次進場：行列順序：(1) 燭光行列在前，慢慢走到定位，站在走道兩邊；(2) 新郎、新娘手牽手，隨後緩緩前進，走到主桌；(3) 持燭者，在新人通過後，緊跟在新人後面，也走向主桌；(4) 持燭者圍繞著主桌站立，直到《燭光中的溫暖》演奏完畢。最後，室內燈光亮起，主持人說話，持燭者回到座位。

奇妙的禮物（L, O, V, E 的真諦）：

JH: 哇！太感動了！「燭光中的溫暖」傳達的是最美的祝福 . . . .

M: 老婆！我們結婚三十多年了。我也覺得我們一直很幸福。

JH: 是呀！老公！那是因為我們從上帝那兒 獲得一項很棒的禮物。

M: 你是說，那份最奇妙、最寶貴的禮物嗎？

JH: 沒錯！. . . .

此時JH接手---抱小蜜蜂，
讓凡偉和雅慧協助將
禮物道具 準備就緒

M: 我們現在就要把最奇妙、最寶貴的禮物，送給茗雁和彥鼎。. . . . 來！請新郎倌和新娘子現在稍微側個身，看看我們要送的禮物是什麼 . . . . . . . .［禮物準備好了］禮物出場！-----音樂！

LOVE禮物出場！
（凡偉L、雅慧O、羿伶V、茗皓E）

配合禮物上場，播放《愛的真諦》---當作背景音樂

M: ［指著LOVE］ 這個神奇的禮物，它是無價之寶。尤其是婚姻生活中，你們確實需要這個寶貝。
這個寶貝禮物［對你們來說］至少包含四個意義：

首先是 L (代表Listen/Listening)：傾聽----要認真傾聽。

其次是 O (代表Observe/Observation): 觀察----留意…需要。

再來是 V (代表 Verbalize): 言語的表達----良好溝通。

最後一個是 E (代表 Equal/Equality)：平等對待；相互尊重

（註：故事內容保留，讓讀者自由想像、自行填充。）

新人致謝詞：

喜樂二人組現場演奏４（逐桌敬酒時間）：

以上照片由 Peter Chan 提供 / Thanks to Peter Chan for his sharing the above photos!

My Son's Son

#2013-0125

Four hours ago my son changed the front page of his Facebook, using a photo of his son (= my grandson) in the right place. The photo is so charming and delightful to me that I'd like to keep it in my blog for future reference. See the photo on the right. And, down below, you'll see two more pictures that were taken on the same spot on the same afternoon!

Now my son's son is two years and three months old. He is interested in playing on the slide, on the seesaw, etc., and he enjoys exploring something new to him in the playground.

A Large OOPS

#2013-0117

I help make the bulletins for St. James' English services on Sundays. In order to prevent (or reduce) my possible mistakes in the bulletin I'm making, I usually ask Warren to proofread my first draft of the bulletin. Warren is my good friend at the same church and he is an English native-speaker from the US. He is very willing to give me a hand, so the correction (or modification) can always be done during the week, by email, before I send the final [revised] version to the church office for printing.

I am happy about this regular job of mine. Sometimes I refer to it as part of my weekly routine. But, to tell you the truth, a "routine" like that can be very rewarding. And it can be so interesting or surprising to me that I can't help having a little chuckle, a big smile, or a loud laugh!

Just take the bulletin for The Epiphany for example. See the photo on the upper right. What's wrong with the front page of the bulletin? Oh, on this page there is an error that even Warren, an expert editor and proofreader, had not detected until the worship service was almost over [on the morning of Sunday, January 6]. However, he was the first person who told me that I had not changed the year from "2012" to "2013." -- What an OOPS! My dear friend Warren must have chuckled at that mistake!

Then, during this week, I accidentally created an even larger OOPS. I bet you won't want to know about it. But if you are interested in knowing about it, read the following email messages:

The 1st email -- from me to Warren:

Dear Warren,

. . . Attached is a draft of the bulletin for the coming Sunday (January 20). Please check and see if it is okay. If you find anything that should be changed, don't hesitate to let me know.

Thanks very much & best regards.

Jerry Liang (梁金連)

The 2nd email -- from Warren to me:

Hi, Jerry!

I found a rather large OOPS in the bulletin. The Psalm is Psalm 36, verses 5-10.

I had to chuckle about the Psalm you included in the bulletin, because I cannot figure out from where you got it. Can you let me know? I'd like to solve the mystery.

. . . .

Best wishes in Christ,

Warren

The 3rd email -- from me to Warren:

Dear Warren,

I think I've now made all the necessary changes, including the capitalization of Julie's last name and the change from Psalm 96 to Psalm 36:5-10. And I have added to ANNOUNCEMENTS these words: "St. James' will have St. James' Annual Convention this afternoon. Both Chinese and English congregations are welcome to join."

Regarding the large OOPS in the original draft of the bulletin, you raised a very "good" question. Even I had no idea why I had quoted the wrong one, Psalm 96. However, I remember I "copied" the contents (as well as the title) in the Lectionary Page that I usually follow. It seemed unlikely for me to make the mistake on the contents and on the title at the same time, because my quotation had been done on the Internet and I had linked the same Lectionary Page! I felt quite puzzled myself about the OOPS. Then I spent quite a few moments trying to find out when Psalm 96 should be used. I checked the lessons for the previous Sundays/months and those for the coming Sundays/months.

Finally, I found that Psalm 96 was for the second Sunday after the Epiphany in 2010 (three years ago!) according to the BCP version [instead of the RCL version] of the Lectionary. I used my office computer when making the bulletin for this coming Sunday. Was it possible that the link that I used on that computer connected me to the BCP version instead of the RCL version? This might be the real cause of the OOPS!

Just smile, anyway.

Jerry Liang (梁金連)

(影片轉載) 佳鴻千華婚宴 四度C樂團演出

#2013-0110

One month and one week ago, something significant . . . Oh, yes, . . .



Yes, one month and one week ago, something very important happened to Qianhua (the bride) and Jiahong (the bridegroom), whose wedding banquet was held at Ya Yuan Xin Chao, a new and beautiful restaurant in Taichung City. As good friends of the bridegroom's parents, we (most of us being members of the band called "Four Degrees C") joined the wedding and, what's more, we presented a special performance in public to congratulate the newly married couple [and their relatives].

土歌的農舍 (Place to Go)

#2013-0107

Jiwei zhu Zhongbu de Luotuo xiong-sao, xiang yue qianwang Luotuo #30 de nongshe (Canyue xialie zhaopian 1-4). Na nongshe weiyu Miaoli-shi (苗栗市) yige jiaozuo "Yangguang Shanlin" (陽光山林) de difang. Ta you ge meilide mingzi, chengzuo "TuGe de Nongshe" (土歌的農舍), yinwei fangzi de zhuren Luotuo #30 jiu shi A-Tu Ge (阿土哥).

Some of my Camel Brothers and I went [together with our wives] to visit Camel #30's farmhouse this morning. The farmhouse, a villa-like wooden building (see photos 1-4 below), is located at "Woods in the Sunshine" -- somewhere in Miaoli City. The building has been named "Place to Go" because its owner, Camel #30, is usually called A-Tu Ge or Tu Ge (meaning Brother Tu) by us.

Notes for the English readers:

1. In the Chinese language "土歌" and "土哥" are homonyms; the former means native/local songs while the latter means Brother Tu. (Tu, written as 土 and pronounced as too or two in English, literally means the earth, ground, land or soil.)

2. In the second/English paragraph above, I've intentionally replaced the Chinese phrase "土歌的農舍" (possibly implying Brother Tu's farmhouse) with a creative term "Place to Go" because, as you may have noticed, the Chinese name Tu Ge (meaning Brother Tu) sounds a bit like the infinitive "to Go" in English.

當日 (1/7) 中午，阿土哥請客，我們前往「棗莊」用餐。

下圖為「棗莊」停車場旁邊的公用廁所，以舊穀倉

加 "頂蓋" 而構成，很快就被綠色植物覆蓋了呢。