契丹人

Song for West West

2005-08-05T13:46:00.000-04:00

At 1:00 in the morning, Factory and I re-wrote an Eason Chan song for our beloved West West:

阿西

不能蒲頭
多年前早明言不能蒲頭
可恨在就算今餐能蒲頭
假若靜靜雞飲酒
就和我分手

臨開波前一刻才出發
全村也在等我才趕到
往日共你隊酒永遠是好
怎能預計似這般難共你飲杯Bordeaux
你話只衰一鑊
包保我無法拾回舊好

不甘心
靜靜偷酒飲
就像玩犧牲
想過搶酒飲
我差點講真

歷史一刻早已將Chardonnay轉送別人
我說別傷心
仍能恰當大方送贈人
約定日後你若和他隊酒
拿來食你尚有餘的花生
憐憫我自身的不幸
不緊要約到明年來生

* 不甘心
常常不開心
從前都准飲
今晚無得飲

不甘心
明明不開心
人人都准飲
得我無得飲
得一杯都飲

這都好
自小想嘗到的全飲過
如今我求不到才知道
我命運裡雖則當你是寶
天涯尚有更多的Heineken仍然未到
要這麼的慘酷
一賴野無法拾回舊好 *

不能蒲頭
死大力竟然吾俾人蒲頭
慘淡在是我知不能蒲頭
欺騙我能約定未來蒲頭
無蒲頭無蒲頭

數風雲人物，還看今朝

2005-08-02T08:45:00.000-04:00

Who is the real hero?

江山如此多嬌，引無數英雄兢折腰。惜秦皇漢武，略輸文采；唐宗宋祖，稍遜風騷。一代天驕，成吉思汗，只識彎弓射大雕。俱往矣，數風雲人物，還看今朝。

One Good Deed

2005-07-31T12:31:00.000-04:00

Tonight, Felix (aka Factory) and I did something that we are proud of.

We hopped onto a taxi at Admiralty to go home. Suddenly, Factory found a wallet in the taxi. We believed that it must be the last passenger who left it in the taxi, and we decided to bring it to a police station.

Before we arrived at the police station, I asked Factory how much money was in the wallet. He opened it and said, "There are some Reminbi bills..." Then there should be about RMB 1,000 (around C$150), I said.

We gave the wallet to the police officer on duty. He took out everything in the wallet and we were surprised by the amount of cash in the wallet. There were a total of $7,300 Hong Kong dollars and RMB 1,600 (a total of around C$1,400)!!! There were also three credit cards and two debit cards. The officer said that we were honest people.

Luckily, an ID card was also found in the wallet, and the police would be able to track the person down in no time.

Factory and I are happy men!!!

Principle of Alchemy Revisited - My First Equity Research Report

2005-07-25T09:40:00.000-04:00

Two months after my "Alchemy" post, I started my second career as an equity research associate. On July 21st 2005, People's Bank of China announced the appreciation of the Reminbi. My boss and I wrote a report on what is probably the biggest event in 2005 on the very next morning. We had it published by the end of day. It was a crazy yet satisfying day.

I am very happy about the report. Although I did not do any writing, I did most of the charts and data mining. Who would have thought that my very first report would be on the very important Reminbi revaluation!!! Talk about job satisfaction! Talk about sense of importance!

人は何かの犠牲なした何も得ることはできない
何かを得る為には同等の代価が必要になる
それは　錬金術に於ける等価交換の原則だ

All-Day Breakfast Place in Hong Kong

2005-05-24T11:56:00.000-04:00

I have gained at least ten pounds since last summer. This can mainly be attributed to a bad habit that I acquired over the last year at Ivey - eating LARGE breakfasts. Usually, I went to a breakfast place at Wonderland and Fanshawe once a week. I always ordered Breakfast #4, which included 2 eggs, 2 toasts, 3 sausages or bacon, and hash brown. The dish was GIGANTIC for a breakfast dish (as large as a typical Chinese dish for Sweet and Sour Pork). Then I did not need to have lunch that day.

I thought, after I came back to HK, I would have to settle for the small breakfast at McDonald's (I don't understand why can't they SUPER-SIZE the breakfast). I think God hears me. One day, I read a magazine and it said there is a all-day breakfast place in HK. Whoa! The Frying Pan at O'Bailey Street! Here I come, baby!

It was another typical day of CFA study. Anita (my study mate) and I decided to try this breakfast place for our dinner! We didn't find it strange to have eggs and toasts for dinner, and in fact we found it very cool to do so.

I believe the owner has put a lot of effort into the restaurant decoration. The wall was painted in light blue, which gave me the "sunny morning" feeling. There was a clock with a frying pan shape. The best part was the glass doors. I could imagine sunlight coming in and shine all over me when I am having breakfast and reading newspaper. The food would be more delicious that way.

We went over the menu, and we decided that we would share the "4x4x4 Monster Pan." It included 4 eggs, 4 bacons, 4 sausages, 4 toasts, 4 sides (for which we chose grilled tomato, baked beans, garden salad and lyonnaise potato) and 2 drinks.

The Pan came, and both of us were so happy just looking at the plate. It was a plate FULL OF FOOD!!! Who says SIZE doesn't matter?

I tried the toast first. The amount of butter on the toast was just right. Too much butter makes it greasy, and too little of it makes it plain. I also put baked beans on the toasts. Then I tried the eggs and bacon. Then I tried the lyonnaise potato. Wow! How could they slice the potato to such thin slices??? And they were marinated so that they tasted even better!

The sausages were another surprise. They actually looked like the patty in a McMuffin, but again it was the marination. I believed they added black pepper, and there must be more than that. I wanted to ask the owner about the marination, but I did not want to be thought of as a spy for "commercial secrets." Hehehe.

At the end, we were both very satisfied about the breakfast at night time. It only cost us HK$110 (C$19). I will go there again (this time it will be day time).

Ngau Kee Revisited

2005-05-14T12:08:00.000-04:00

The 咸魚茸蒸肉餅 was too good. I told myself that I would have to revisit Ngau Kee Food Cafe (牛記餐室) when I returned to Hong Kong for good, especially after hearing from the grapevine that it is going to close down in June.

I studied for CFA for the whole day (this was especially tough because I was dealing with derivatives... damned butterfly spread...), and I thought this IS the way to reward myself for a hardworking day. Both Anita and I are big fans of Ngau Kee. When we saw a full house in the restaurant, we were not surprised. They even set tables and seats outside the restaurant because they just simply had too many customers.

We ordered 咸魚茸蒸肉餅, 椒絲腐乳通菜 and 薑蔥爆雞 (something Michael Lee just wouldn't try). As usual, I gulped down two bowls of rice because of the 咸魚茸蒸肉餅. The spring onion in the 薑蔥爆雞 was the key - the sauce made it so tasty that I ate lots of spring onion (this could scare Michael Lee quite a bit). We also ordered two cokes, and they were served in "old school" glass bottles!!! I always think that coke is sweeter in bottles.

We asked for the check, and it cost us HK$150 (C$25) - way better than Orient Express!!! I talked to the restaurant owner and asked her when exactly was the restaurant gonna close. She said, "We are not closing down. We are moving to Gough Street (歌賦街) at the end of June." I told her that there were rumors about Ngau Kee closing down. She said they were looking for new places since the landlord chose not to renew the tenancy agreement at the end of the term. They were thinking of closing down if they could not find a place. Luckily, they found a nice location on Gough Street. Whew! THIS GOOD RESTAURANT IS STILL OPEN!!!!!!!

The restaurant owner was so nice to us that she gave us some delicious dessert (楊枝金露) for free. Hahaha, this is exactly how you do business!

Fullmetal Alchemist

2005-05-07T13:15:00.000-04:00

Fullmetal Alchemist is a Japanese anime that I am currently hooked to. The storyline surrounds the "Principle of Alchemy," which gives me a lot of thinking.

人は何かの犠牲なした何も得ることはできない
何かを得る為には同等の代価が必要になる
それは　錬金術に於ける等価交換の原則だ

If one does not sacrifice anything, he won't receive anything in return.
If one wants to receive something, he has to give up something of the same value.
This is the "Principle of Alchemy - Exchange of Same Value."

During the painful job hunting process, this is what keeps me from giving up. I believe, with the amount of sacrifice I made, I will receive something of the same value.

Jonathan Ritchie MBA Memorial Award

2005-04-27T04:25:00.000-04:00

I sincerely thank my colleagues for giving me the Jonathan Ritchie MBA Memorial Award.

The criteria for the 2005 Jonathan Ritchie MBA Memorial Award are as follows:
- Approaches life with enthusiasm and energy
- Demonstrates a genuine caring attitude
- Supports and encourages his/her fellow classmates

Here are the testimonials from people who nominated me for the award:

First nomination:
George has volunteered many hours of his free time to give tutorials and prepare student tax returns. He had the guts to strap on the skates in the Ivey Hockey League, even though he’s never played before. He’s a hell of a good man and deserves to be recognized.

Second nomination:
I nominate George Choi for the Jonathan Ritchie MBA Memorial Award. His relentless commitment to his fellow students makes him the best candidate. Whether he is organizing an accounting tutorial for students or a Tsunami disaster relief drive George brings 100% of his passion to everything he does. By generously sharing his time, enthusiasm and energy with his colleagues George has set an example for all of us – for these reasons I believe he is the best candidate for the Jonathan Ritchie MBA Memorial Award.

Third nomination:
Let’s be honest now, George can't sing a lick (Laundry). And truth be told, he can barely skate, let alone play hockey (Ivey Hockey League). But George has the guts to try to integrate and make Ivey a better place. If this is not approaching life with enthusiasm and energy, what is? George also isn’t the guy who would steal your limelight – not by a long shot. He’s merely the guy in the shadows helping international students with their tax returns and keeping the MBAA books long after we have gone home at night. George may be as flashy as a milk dud, but without him Ivey is not the same. Not even close. He deserves this award.

Fourth nomination:
George Choi is one of Ivey’s best kept secrets. I can think of no one more deserving of this award. George always displays concern for his fellow classmates, never says “no”, and works tirelessly. With a quiet leadership style, George approaches all that he does with genuine care, enthusiasm and unselfishness:
- Was more than the MBAA Treasurer – always open to lend an ear and help his fellow classmate with everything, besides financial issues
- Completed over 100 tax returns through his volunteerism with TaxWorks over two years
- Prepared and presented a Tax tutorial to help his classmates, many of whom were vying for the same jobs as himself
- Answers a lot of phone calls and e-mails just before key assignments in various financial classes are due. Gets tons of tax questions these days.
- Writes scripts and performs in Laundry for two years
- Builds bridges between Canadian and international students
- Inspires his hockey teammates. His team has gone from last to vying for first in playoff finals.
- Is always a gentleman – his Playboy of the Year award could not be further from the truth.

Fifth nomination:
If there is one person at Ivey whom you will always find happy and cheerful it’s got to be George. You need any help whether its academics, tickets for events or help with taxes, George is ready to help. Tireless work without ever asking for recognition, if this doesn’t qualify George for this award, I don’t know what does. George is a gem of a person who has helped everyone he has met at Ivey in a selfless manner and with a smile. Great job George.

I am very happy just to get nominated and read these testimonials, and winning the award is like a bonus to me. I am very happy to get to know lots of friends from Ivey. This is more important than the award itself.

My Hockey Career

2005-04-27T04:06:00.000-04:00

First, apology to frequent visitors to my blog. I was busy and lazy lately.

I should first provide an update on how I end my hockey career. It was Team White (my team) vs Team Black in the championship game. As I mentioned on my MSN name, "There is no grey area. It's Black vs White."

We were tied 3-3 after two periods, but Team Black scored twice in the third period... We lost the game 5-3...

Then both teams went to Alibi for beer and chicken wings. At the end, who cares about the score? Beer and chicken wings are more important than the game itself.

So this is the way I end my hockey career. I hung up my skates and gave my equipment to my friends after the game.

I love hockey, and I enjoy every moment of it.

My Hockey Career Has Been Extended By One Game

2005-03-24T11:12:00.000-05:00

Last night, the Ivey Hockey League playoffs started. I was playing on Team White, which was seeded #4 in the 4-team league. We were playing Team Blue, the #1 seed, in a semi-final game last night. During the regular season, our record against Team Blue was 0-4-2.

Before the game, I was asked to give a pep talk. Said I, "I am gonna hang up my skates at the end of the season, and I don't want this game to be my last one." Everyone on my team was pumped up, and we were ready to take on Team Blue.

At the end, not only did my team beat Team Blue, we shut them out 3-0. It was a total team effort. Our goalie couldn't do anything wrong during the game, and he was our first star. Our defense just shut down Team Blue's offense. Our forwards got the transition game going too, scoring the first two goals on Team Blue's turnovers in our zone.

My team members said it was my pep talk that put everyone's energy level up a notch, and they wanted me to think of a better speech for the final. I still have six days to come up with it.

It was a memorable night. I am grateful that there is one more game left in my hockey career.

Great Food in Hong Kong

2005-02-27T11:13:00.000-05:00

02/26/2005
Ngau Kei Restaurant on Staunton Street at Central. Clara and I were hungry after hours and hours of mahjong, and she recommended this place. We had the best dish of the restaurant - meat pie with diced salted fish (咸魚茸蒸肉餅). That dish itself can make me eat three bowls of rice.

02/27/2005
Casa Nostra on Caine Road at Central. It is an Italian restaurant. Felix had lamb chops and he said it was delicious. I had Italian sausages. What really surprised me was the mashed potato. Monica said condensed milk was added to the potato. Now I understand why it tasted so good! The white wine was also excellent. I had home-made gelato as dessert and I almost swallowed my tongue! We had nine people and the meal cost us HK$1,800 ONLY!!! That is less than C$40 per person. What a deal! What a meal!

Howard Hughes

2005-02-27T10:46:00.000-05:00

Here are the things that Howard Hughes did of which I found funny:
1) waited for clouds for eight months
2) q-u-a-r-a-n-t-i-n-e
3) closed himself in a room and produced bottles and bottles of "apple juice"
4) decorated his house like a spider web

What a Night in Hong Kong

2005-02-25T13:56:00.000-05:00

What I did today (last Friday before heading back to Canada):

1) two interviews
2) lunch - rice with chicken (Hainan style) - one of my favorites
3) karaoke for 5 hours
4) drinking at pub till 2am

I had to leave the pub early to avoid the painful hangover the next day. This might have disappointed my friends, but I don't want to throw up again. I have to thank my friends though for what they did for me. This is only Entertainment in Hong Kong - Part 1. Part 2 will commence tomorrow and will involve mahjong!!!

竹枝詞 - 劉禹錫

2005-02-13T17:05:00.000-05:00

楊柳青青江水平
聞郎江上踏歌聲
東邊日出西邊雨
道是無晴卻有晴

中原文化
實在值得塞外之人學習
如此好詩
足令契丹人竟折腰

I am proud to be an AICPA!!!

2005-02-12T01:00:00.000-05:00

After watching Hitch, how can you not be proud to be an accountant? You can be pathetic at dancing. You can have extra hair on your back. Your Allegra will still find you cute...

How can you have both teams going to the board room?

2005-02-11T01:32:00.000-05:00

When you have cucumber with gay men on one team and bodywash on your face on the other...

The most devastating loss I have ever had

2005-02-10T14:58:00.000-05:00

We were playing Team Blue - the best team in the league - last night. We had two full lines of forwards and defensemen, while they had only seven skaters. We were leading 1-0 after one, 3-1 after two, and it looked like we were pretty much en route to snapping out of the three-game losing streak...

Then Team Blue scored two quick ones to tie the game... Then we scored with three minutes to play for a 4-3 White lead... only to surrender three goals (including an empty-netter) in the remainder of the game...

It is how we lost the game that disappointed me...

I love JIT

2005-02-10T13:18:00.000-05:00

My itinerary is as follows:

February 15, 14:00 (EST) Derivatives Midterm
February 15, 16:00 (EST) Travel to Pearson Airport
February 15, 22:00 (EST) Fly Toronto - Anchorage
February 16, 01:00 (PST) Fly Anchorage - Hong Kong
February 17, 07:15 (HK) Arrive in Hong Kong