ADD YOUR MEMORIES , COMMENTS AND THOUGHTS AND CONVERSE WITH OLD FRIENDS.. HERE

TO WRITE IN THIS BLOG, CLICK THE "NEW POST" LINK IN THE UPPER RIGHT HAND CORNER OF THIS PAGE (MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR OWN FREE GMAIL ACCOUNT AND ARE LOGGED IN.) A flurry of emails have been exchanged recently. Many of them contain memories of our days at Yuet Wah, the teachers and priests who taught us and life in Macau over 40 years ago. As you look back at the past please use this space to jot down your recollections and thoughts. Or use this space to converse with friends. It might revive old experiences we all shared but have long forgotten.

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

June 11, 2007


Hi Peter and Paul,
It was so great to meet both of you in San Francisco this Saturday (see photo attached-shows too much of my gray hair). Now that I have met and seen both of you I do remember Paul. I think you were the one who had that cool looking hair style that would have appealed to the girls. I took a look at the 1963 class photo again and saw that you were standing to my immediate left. What a coincident that I would meet you almost a half century later to take another photo this time with you on my right and all a few years older. I don't remember Peter probably because you were one form behind me most of the time because of Mr. Wong (I'll let you tell that story). I don't think I hung out with either of you very much because I was somewhat of a square and by the standards of that time you two were quite the 'rebels without a cause'. It was good hearing those stories about the prank played on Mr. Wong, etc. Too bad I didn't know you both better or I'm sure we could have shared some more interesting stories. My life then was not near as exciting as yours.
I still remember all those strict fathers and teachers. I especially remember Mr. Tzau (can't remember how to spell his name) our Form 5-6 English teacher from the American West Point Army academy. Ran our classroom like an army academy. He seemed to scold us more than teach and talk a lot about West Point and America. But he was as gentle and kind as a kitten outside the classroom. He seemed to be very impressed with Marilyn Monroe as I recall. I also remember a Portuguese English teacher in Form 3 by the name of Mr. Vitalis or maybe I am mixing him with the other English Portuguese teacher, who loved to listen to his Victor Borge record over an over again. He turned me into a Victor Borge fan and I've been listened to his comedy performances ever since until he recently passed away. I remember visiting the Portuguese teachers who lived in some kind of community housing for Portuguese bachelors I think. The more I think about those days long ago the more I begin to remember. The nostalgia of these reminiscences makes me feel a little younger. Maybe someone has a list of all the teacher we had from 1961-1963 in Form 3-5 that they could share with us so that I can refresh my memory. I have a pressing need to feel younger as I not so gracefully age.
It is good to know that both of you are doing so well in spite of Yuet Wah. You have a cool uncle with a very liberal and healthy sense of humor showing us that very funny picture of himself 50 years ago. And your mother looks so young for a person of almost 90. Hope to keep in touch. I may stop by if I come down to the LA area or over to Hong Kong. Take care both of you and thanks for the delicious dim sum lunch. Hope you both get to see Ernie. His memory is much sharper than mine and he can probably share far more stories than I, especially with the help of his high school diary. What a treasure the diary and all those photos have been.
Best Regards,
Frank

23 comments:

Hamster said...

Hi Frank,

Thanks for making the time to join us for lunch. One interesting fact is that you & I went to Yuet Wah together, & 40 something years later one of your beautiful daughters went to the same university as I did. I was surprised that you did not censor some of the Chiu brothers' conversation in the presence of your daughters. I didn't think they were old enough to hear what we had to say !

Keith mentioned that I looked almost the same but a little solemn in the picture. Frank, you did not post the picture of me after the bill was paid by my uncle. I looked much more relaxed in that picture.

Anyway, it was great meeting you & your family after all these years. Let's continue to perpetuate this Yuet Wah brotherhood spirit
and share some memories together. I am still hoping that we can hook up with Ernie soon.

All the best,

Peter Chiu

Hamster said...

Hi Peter,

I'm afraid that you are a bit outdated with regards to today's kids. They have been exposed to much more of the !@* in life than you or I will ever know. These are not the naive kids like the good old days. I'm sure they were as amused as I at hearing all the antics.

I'm glad I had a chance to meet you, Paul, and your relatives. You are an interesting clan. I'll take a look at some of the newer photos on the GreatBear2 website to see if I can recognize you. Ernie said you were in Form III & VI with us. I hope things go well with you wife.

Best Regards,
Frank

Hamster said...

Hi Frank & classmates,

Most of our Yuet Wah classmates only remember you from the old class picture more than 40 years ago. After meeting the Frank Geefay in San Francisco last week, I can vouch that Frank looks much more sophisticated & better looking than when he was still sucking on his thumb in Yuet Wah. Paul Chiu & I enjoyed the company of you & your family.

If you have a chance to come to Seal Beach, I'll be more than happy to show you the Pacific Ocean of Southern California, as it is just a stone throw away from our house.

Best regards,

Peter Chiu

Hamster said...

I look forward to paying you a visit at you home a stones through from the ocean. But I had better do it soon before the melting ice from greenhouse emissions causes the ocean to engulf you property. I equally extend you an invitation to visit me. My home on the other hand is about 40 miles distant from the ocean and well outside its embrace or stones through distance for at lest the next few thousand years. By then it might also be beach front property but by then there won't be anyone to through any stones. I'm still trying to find your school day photo. Keep in touch.


Best Regards,
Frank

Hamster said...

Thanks for your complements. However you weren't very observant that day because I'm still sucking my thumb. As for my good looks, they were never good then as now, the main difference being that at that time I was a scrawny young kid and now I am a graying old senior. You are the very first person to ever describe me as sophisticated in any context. I'll gracefully accept this complement not because I deserve it but because I need it, actually crave it.



I look forward to paying you a visit at you home a stones through from the ocean. But I had better do it soon before the melting ice from greenhouse emissions causes the ocean to engulf you property. I equally extend you an invitation to visit me. My home on the other hand is about 40 miles distant from the ocean and well outside its embrace or stones through distance for at lest the next few thousand years. By then it might also be beach front property but by then there won't be anyone to through any stones. I'm still trying to find your school day photo. Keep in touch.


Best Regards,
Frank

Hamster said...

Hello Frank,

If indeed you are coming to visit me in Seal Beach, it is not the greenhouse effect that I worry about. My only worry is that I may not remember who Frank Geefay is due to my age. So don't wait too long. Being the engineer that you are, precision is the key. Forgive me for misleading you to believe that my house is just a stone throw away from the beach. I took the measurement of the distance & my final measurement is the beach is exactly 3 sling shot distance from my house. Now, are you satisfied or do I have to find another alternative means to measure the distance. I can't stand engineers. They are just too picky...just kidding !!!

Pls also bring Ernie with you when you come. In Seal Beach, we are not just known for the beach but also for our seafood.

Your friend,

Peter

Hamster said...

Hi Peter,

That's OK if you don't remember me. I'll probably not remember you either so we will have even more to talk about. We can retell stories as though we never heard them before allowing us to have many more interesting conversations. If I do find a photo of you during the Yuet Wah days I'll make sure to send you a copy via email free as well as everyone else on the planet as my email contact list is quite extensive and email if free.

By the way does your sling shot have 5 or 20 lb. of tension? I need to estimate the trajectory based upon it's lofting range since they make very small sling shots and humongous ones. I also need to know if you are angling the shot up and by how many degrees. Don't worry about your height or the length of pull (retraction) since I already know your build. I was able to judge your stone throeing distance by your body size but sling shots are a totally different story. It would also be helpful to know how many feet your house is above sea level as well as the weight of the stone being slung since I am assuming it will land in the water. 3 sling shots distance could be as little as 50 yard or as much as a half mile. As you know engineers need plenty of data to work with or we are totally lost.

Does Seal Beach really have seals on the beach? I'm kind of scared of seals especially during mating season. They might mistaken me for one of them since I heard that sharks often mistaken people for seals as well as other sea food and as you say Seal Beach is known for it. Take care and I hope you realize that I'm also just kidding.

Best Regards,
Frank

Hamster said...

Hello Frank,

Your demand for accuracy is too tall an order for me. Can you come & show me the technicality of taking measurements which will meet the requirement of an engineer ?

Peter

Hamster said...

Hi Peter,



A layman such as yourself can simply tell me how many feet or fractions of a mile you live from the shores of the Pacific Ocean. How soon we forget the lessons of vertical acceleration and lateral velocity taught to us by Fr. Cotta(?). But to be honest with you I usually fell asleep in his class as, I'm sure, did you and have no recollection of anything he taught. I remember following his instruction in doing some chemistry experiments with no idea of what I was doing or what the experiment was all about, a total wast of time.


Best Regards,
Frank

Hamster said...

Frank,

Great to have the opportunity to meet you & family in
SF.
The next rendevous will be in Macau, and Victor will
sort out the logistics, right Victor?

Paul

Hamster said...

Hi Paul,

I was good to see you and Peter again after 45 years. If we wait again this long to meet we'll all be over a century old. We should definitely not wait that long, at least not in this world. Hope you have a good trip back to HK.

Best Regards,
Frank



Best Regards,
Frank

Hamster said...

Hi Peter
I appreciate your self-acknowledgment as you may have looked into your reflection. Remember that days we when out lunch at Fat Siu Lau on my payday when I was teaching. I was the same after the bills were paid.
Love to Shirley & Gary.
=
Victor
P.S.: Anyone notice the handsome look for our dear old friend, Mr. Lawrence Rocky Ka-chiu Wong in one set of the posted pictures?!

Hamster said...

Hi Victor
Your pay check was big enough to cover the Fat Siu Lau's lunch. That was the reason why you didn't look solemn after the lunch.
When I come to Macao, I would like to see the same expression of you at Fat Siu Lau, just to verify what you have just said is true. Lunch or dinner, it doesn't matter.

Peter

Hamster said...

Peter,
You will be a terrible expression to this expected occasion, the prices oyster chicken fry rice or the roast pigeon have gone up many times while the taste is no as good and furthermore my pay check is well look into by my lady. Did she tell you so last time in Seal Beach? But I did hide some savings for entertaining the Chius.

Victor

Hamster said...

Victor,

Since you are my god father, I'll be considerate and will try my best to stay within your budget. You haven't mentioned abalone, bird nest, lobster, shark fin & rare fish. Have they fallen out of favor ? Since you are the host, it's really your call.

Peter

Hamster said...

Peter,
You are scaring all those reading your message. I am now very much relaxed as Keith has said he will take you up on your next visit. Both abalone and bird's nest may not be good for us should you delay your visit.
=
Victor

Hamster said...

Victor,

Reason why I've been in complete silence all along as Peter is expensive in taste. I'm more than happy just to have a bowl of wun-ton noodle with you guys.

Stephen

Hamster said...

Stephen,
Peter should learn from you how to get IN before UP.
Rgds=
Victor

Hamster said...

Victor:

I am regretting for raising an offer for Peter to take UP. After so many years of tasting "American Dishes" I thought that he has lost appetite in "Chinese" ones.
Anyhow when you entertain the Chius, don't forget to invite me, notwithstanding you keep up a little bit secret money.


Keith

Hamster said...

Victor is very smart. He has a secret entertainment acct that his wife doesn't know about, which makes me wonder who he has been entertaining, or being entertained ???!!!

Peter

Hamster said...

Dear all,
This is what I have been aware that when correspondences or communications are so convenient that almost all our secrets are exposed. Mind our Ladies are watching. Now my Special Entertaining Hidden Account (SEHA) with you has been reviewed, my Internal Revenue Officer (code: SYLVIA) with contact yours (code: SHIRLEY) to look into the account's movement. Normally that goes back for 50 years with all its UPs and DOWNs.
=
Victor
NOTE: This msg is only for all GB2 and Top Confidential

Hamster said...

Ups & Downs come with age for some people. The `down time' for Victor has been a major concern for ALL PARTIES concern. Only Sylvia says she doesn't care after all these years. But In & Out will never go out of fashion. Just ask Stephen Lo....

Peter

Hamster said...

Peter,
I have been very poor in Trigomoetry and Geometry and doesn't know how to work out the curve line of ups and downs. All I know is that all goes up will come down. But for 'ins and outs' are global tradings, Chinese is different from America, our output is always more than our import as the former is still the world's leading manufacturer and supplier. We need to export a lot of garments to buy an airplane, a lot of footwear to buy a Mercede, a lot of opportunities to have an output.
=
Victor