So almost 4 years after leaving the old H bank and came to Japan, studying the language, countless job applications and interviews, experiencing first hand the disaster and indignity that comes from working a gig-economy rater role, I finally managed to land an IMO pretty decent IT Support permanent position in one of the biggest automotive corporation in the world.
Much thanks to my boss who took a chance with me. Here's hoping I won't let him down.
So in 2019 when I was attending Japanese lessons I got really into languages and the novelty of watching people speaking a foreign language quickly grew on me especially Mandarin (Don't ask me why, I just enjoy it).
That's when I found a couple of interesting channels like Laoshu50500, XiaomaNYC, BlondieInChina, etc. and from time to time I'd watch their contents
Just found out yesterday that Laoshu has since passed due to unforeseen circumstances related to heart complications. Suffice to say it was indeed a big shock.
To be honest yeah the dude's not REALLY considered "fluent" from the viewpoint of the language learning community (really, just stock conversation starters).
But in his defense he's always stated that his goal is just to be more approachable to non-English speakers and watch their reaction as they light up seeing an American speak their native language, and in the process encourage other people to pick up a new language and hopefully able to see other cultures in a new light.
God knows we need more of that wholesomeness in these super partisan times.
RIP Laoshu. #LevelUp
Oh man, the last post was in May 2020 ! I really should write more damnit....
Quick recap:
- Binged a bunch of really quality ViuTV series since《玛嘉烈与大卫 绿豆》within a short period of time. TVB should really step up their game.
- Got a part time contract job as a Google Ads Rater in Sep2020. Looks good to have a side hustle initially but the actual pay is, well...let's just say it's gig economy. Lucky that there's a good resource for some reference and insights within the industry.
- Wifey bought a bike so that we could participate for FIT Japan Relola --- biked so much in Dec2020 my calves went sore.
- Took JLPT N2 exam in early Dec2020 and checked results on 25Jan2021 and I PASSED!!!!!!! (Results could have been better though considering I forgot about time management and didn't manage the last 3 long articles)
- First time went for interview on both Chinese New Year Day 1 and Day 2, spoke Japanese for nearly an hour. IMO it went well, but results still pending. Fingers crossed.
- On the same night 13Feb, there was an almost 90 seconds tremor across many parts of Japan. This was the longest and strongest tremor we've ever felt in Tokyo and even had to go under the dining table just in case. Found out later that seismologists said this was an aftershock of the 11Mar2011 Tohoku earthquake. WTF.
不過，香港電視迷最怕的，其實不是那些自命清高、看不起電視的朋友。而是比任何人都更看不起觀眾的，電視台。
聽起來好像很諷刺，是不是？觀眾即收視，收視是電視台的維生指標，如此一間電視台豈有不尊重觀眾的道理？好似係。事實上，多年來，香港電視台對觀眾不單「尊重」，更是「照顧」得無微不至。
以大台劇集為例。怕你接受不了，所以劇集橋段，來來去去都是那幾個套路，永無驚喜；怕你夜晚要做家務、切水果，眼睛無暇緊盯螢幕，所以一小時劇集永遠被對白填滿，猶如在小箱子播放廣播劇一般；怕你智商不足，所以劇中壞人幹完壞事，總有一記大頭特寫，露出猙獰神情；怕你諗錯隔離，所以劇中角色說謊後，眼神必有半秒閃縮（然後轉身露出半記奸笑）。
這就是多年來，電視台對待觀眾的態度。表面上，創作人只係驚你唔知。而實情卻是，佢根本當你無知。
電視台高層的態度亦當然一樣。這些年，每當被質疑劇集情節因循，作風保守，永遠不碰敏感議題，電視台高層永遠擺出同一張臉，答著同一個答案：怕觀眾不能接受。
是的。同性戀，觀眾不能接受。政治，觀眾不能接受。情節含糊，觀眾不能接受。對白語帶雙關，觀眾不能接受。結局太悽慘，觀眾不能接受。好人無好報，觀眾不能接受……聽起來，香港的電視觀眾，真像腦袋未經開發的一班傻瓜。難怪有人說，無綫電視荼毒了一整代的香港人。
