Mt. Baldy Visit

We got a deal from Travelzoo for round trip on the ski lifts and all you can eat buffet.  It was not a bad deal.  However, don't expect high on the breakfast buffet which has very limited choices. Not to mention the long waiting line due to the music festival event. Taking the chairlift to the restaurant was the best part of the excursion though. It was the very first ski lift for Wu-Liang and he survived!
  
Southern California has many fine mountains to hike, run, snow-shoe or ski, and 10,064 ft. Mt. Baldy is one of the most prominent. Initially, I'd like to try the trail  to the summit of Baldy, called 'Devil's Backbone', with a 3000 ft. elevation gain in less than 3.6 miles. Then we chickened out and decided to turn to 'Thunder Mountain' with much less strenuosity. The summit did offer us a fairly grand view of San Bernardino area. It was quite an experience considering we haven't done hiking in such a long period of time.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011, Movie)

This is an action movie, not a drama. It moves quickly and has lots of sub-plots that are not all that hard to follow.  I found it much less confusing and complex than the first film.  Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law are good. 

Lost turtle

No, it's not our new pet. Just a poor lost turtle wandering in our backyard. It's quite big and heavy.  Our neighbor claimed it back later on. And we learned it's name Gilbert. This is not the first time he fled home.

The Warlords(投名狀) (2007, Movie)

This movie is a brilliant glimpse into a Chinese rebellion.


所謂的「投名狀」，不過是句口號而已，被這咒語緊箍著的，只有金城武一個。李連杰一開始就是機會主義者，「結義」是他反攻對手的一個手段，後來不斷的出爾反爾，更加印證他以自我為中心的本性。滿有發揮的一個角色，李連杰也證明自己除了拳腳外，還懂得演戲，只是連他口中「為天下蒼生」的口號都有點勉強，這樣的陰謀家還能講兄弟情義嗎？

而劉德華呢，血性莽夫，其實也不盡然相信這位大哥，由蘇州開始，一次又一次不自覺「反」李連杰，看似尊重的行為卻釋放出「嘲諷」的意味，是因為根本上他不明白什麼是戰爭謀略。當賊匪，為的是跟自己的兄弟謀生活，「搶錢、搶糧、搶娘們！」攻城，與敵人／手下敗將講義氣，基本上除了最後「或者大哥是對的」，而把自己送入絕路之外，都不怎覺得他把李連杰當成大哥。

倒是金城武像個傻小子，嘴唸著的不是「大哥的話是對的」便是「凡亂我兄弟者必殺之」，熱血得有點白痴，最後才會像個傻子般既殺嫂又殺兄。題外話：雖然金城武整部戲的造型戴著帽子，究竟有沒有剃頭？不似李連杰「剃就剃吧」或劉德華的「平頭裝」，但當官後的「青靚白淨」清裝模樣的確驚艷──是因為從來不覺得他的樣子適合當古人，但這個造型跟戲中的時代完全沒有違和感。

GasLand (2010, Documentary)

In this Oscar-nominated documentary, director Josh Fox journeys across America to examine the negative effects of natural-gas drilling, from poisoned water sources to kitchen sinks that burst into flames to unhealthy animals and people.


Everyone needs to see what is being done to our home, our land, our country is being poisoned. However, the camera work was too shaky and blurry, that plus the narrator's low murmuring voice made me nauseous trying to watch this.

Evergreen Cup Tai Chi Chuan Championship (常青盃太極拳錦標賽)

I participated both individual and group competitions of Yang’s 24-Form (24 式太極拳). After a tiring long day, I got the chance of watching all forms demonstrations from talented people around the world. Although no winning trophies for myself, I believe there is always next time.

香巴仁波切傳授＂岡波巴四法＂

岡波巴四法(Four Dharmas of Gampopa）講解:

 祈求加持我與一切衆生，
 願轉心向法：（Turming mind toward the Dharma）
 願法順於道：（Dharma may follow the Path)
 願道清迷惑：(Path may clarify the confusion)
 願開惑成覺： (Confusion may dawn into Awareness）

岡波巴為噶瑪噶舉教派之祖師，密勒日巴大師之弟子，也是第一世噶瑪巴杜松潛巴之上師。