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我博客里极少放转发的文章，因为也没有什么人看，没有人关注的缘故。

不过总之是好文字，就好好的收起来吧。

来自豆瓣的 《海角天涯，招之即来》

海角天涯，招之即来

我外婆说，我舅舅小时候性子很揪。跟我外公吵完架，就把眼镜布塞眼镜盒里，拿几本书塞进书包，气哼哼的出门，在门口还会吼一声：我这就去美国！再也不回来了！
外婆说，每到这时，她就叹一口气，走进厨房。打两个鸡蛋，坠在碗里的面粉上，加水，拌，加点盐，加点糖。直到面、鸡蛋、盐、糖勾兑好了感情，像鸡蛋那样能流、能坠、能在碗里滑了，就洒一把葱。倒油在锅里，转一圈，起火。看着葱都沉没到面里头了，把面粉碗绕着圈倒进锅里，铺满锅底。一会儿，有一面煎微黄、有滋滋声、有面香了，她就把面翻个儿。两面都煎黄略黑、泛甜焦香时，她把饼起锅，再洒一点儿白糖。糖落在热饼上，会变成甜味的云。这时候，我舅舅准靠着门边儿站着，右手食指挠嘴角。我外婆说：吃吧。我舅舅就溜进来，捧着一碗面饼，拿双筷子，吃去了。

我爸说，我以前在房间里看书时，就像进了螺蛳壳，总是听不见叫喊我吃饭的声音。每当这时，他就叹一口气，走进厨房。往锅里倒油，叉着腰等油热起来，打下一个鸡蛋，叉着腰等，看着蛋白边儿被油煎得黑黄卷了，翻个面儿，往锅里点酱油、一小点糖和水，听着荷包蛋在酱油里咕嘟咕嘟声。等酱油和糖的香味把我抓到厨房门口时，他关火，把荷包蛋连酱汁一起装碗，扣在我的热白米饭上。指指：吃。

我妈说，我爸以前痴迷于麻将。中午出门，说好下午回来做饭，可是到天黑了都不见人。我妈说，每到这时，她就叹一口气，走进厨房。烧一铫子水，等沸了，一半倒进大广口瓶里，再往广口瓶里插一瓶黄酒，另一半浇上她刚抓的花生，摇一摇，把水倒了。倒油进凉锅，洒花生，起火。花生们像进了温泉，嘴里发出丝丝拉拉的声音。不管，拿铲子翻着炒，花生们怕烫了，开始劈里啪啦的叫疼，我妈很有同情心，就把火关了，就着油继续炒它们。等花生发出一片唏嘘声，我妈就把它们请出来，倒进一个洒了盐的碗里。顺手把黄酒瓶从广口瓶里拿出来，开盖儿。黄酒和花生的香魂半空搅着。这时候，我爸准就开始敲门了。

我爸说，我妈怀着我时，脾气大，常嫌他懒散，一生气就摔门而出，去厂里值夜班。每当这时，他就叹一口气，去菜场买三个鲢鱼头——那时鲢鱼头、鸡爪子这些还很便宜。我爸走进厨房，把每个鱼头剖两半，洗干净，尽去其腥。炒锅里下油，一点黄酒，煎。鱼头怕疼，发出呲呲求饶声，脸色发黄，我爸就关火，换个大瓷锅，把炒锅里的油、酒、鱼头一起倒进去，加水，起慢火，开始等。鱼头没警惕，在温热的汤水里睡着了。我爸像个巫师一样，看着星辰，算着时间，掀锅盖看见汤变得白浓，一勺下去都挂浆连丝了，就口念咒语，念句马里马里哄，洒葱叶。我妈就飕的一声，出现在门口了。

我爸说，以前周末，我时常赖床到中午。拎不醒，叫不听。每当这时，他就叹一口气，走进厨房。把冷米饭加点水，加一块年糕，一起煮着；拿一块睡得和我一样沉的豆腐，点几滴香麻油，点几滴酱油，加一点盐，切点葱花，拿筷子一划拉，豆腐就醒了，变成一堆冷艳香浓的拌豆腐；拿两片五香豆腐干，切成薄片，扔进滚水里烫一下，没等豆腐干喊疼就捞起来，趁热倒上三合油，顺手把煮泡饭的火关掉，看泡饭米粒快和年糕融一起了。他说这时候，我准已经衣冠整齐，坐在桌前了。

我以前，有那么两年，每当心情不好，好像要在太阳穴那儿凝结成块诱发头疼时，就去买香肠、鸡蛋、青豆、青椒、毛豆和胡萝卜。在锅里下一遍油，把青椒下去，炒出一点味道，捞走；把五个鸡蛋打进青椒油里，看着它们起泡；再下一遍油，把冷饭下去，拿铲子切了米饭，让鸡蛋卷裹着；再下一遍油，把切好的香肠和胡萝卜，外加青豆和青椒倒下去。我妈这时就在远方开个窗提示我：别下那么多油！鸡蛋要分块儿！我不理她，继续炒。等蛋炒得浓黄香，眼看要焦黑时，停火起锅。把炒饭盛一大盆，花一小时吃完，一边抹嘴边的油，一边烧水煮茶。喝一口热普洱，打一个饱满的油香十足的嗝后，不好的心情就飘走了。

我妈说，每当她想我回无锡了，就去菜场买一只体格壮硕油头肥厚的鸡，洗干净了，放水里煮。鸡很生气，吐了许多浮泡儿，刮了。为了让鸡服气，她下了点姜和酒，放下锅盖慢火闷，把鸡只吃不锻炼的油都熬出来，浓黄的浮成一片一片。又拿一个锅，加点儿水，把一块块的五花肉搁进去，煮得五花肉见灰白了，去了水，下酱油、糖和黄酒，放下锅盖慢火闷，让肉慢慢闷红。她自己一旁继续扫地、逗狗、收拾沙发垫去。
——她说，这时候，我在上海，或者其他天涯海角的街上，不管走着还是坐着还是站着，准会忽然一皱眉，一耸鼻子，抬头仰望许久，然后对身旁的某人说：“我觉得，我妈好像在炖鸡汤和红烧肉。”

今天晚上留班工作，碰到老板11点钟来办公室，老板叫法拉利，不出意外是意大利人，工作时间永远异于常人，每天都从午夜工作到凌晨再回家睡觉。他问我你今天看到乌戈没有，乌戈是另一个意大利人，第一年的博士生。我说看到了，不过他现在不在。老板想了想，说也对。

下午的时候办公室周围突然一篇嘈杂，同年级的德国女孩安娜大声说我不相信你居然发了这种邮件。回头看乌戈正在给大家看他发给老板的邮件，意大利文写的，他把文字拖到Google translate里，得意地向我们笑了。文字的大意是：经过我的调查，在亚洲的美女里，有中国的，日本的，韩国的，菲律宾的，泰国的还有新加坡的，我认为韩国的美女最骚，婊子最多(with most bitches)所以我希望你赶快派我去韩国工作，我要去和韩国妞从早到晚做爱。同组的女孩子都陷入了崩溃，同是意大利来的茱莉雅直接进入了暴走状态，说乌戈不要跟我说话我不认识你。上个周末我还看到他们在净室里亲切而友好的拥抱。乌戈把茱莉雅抱起来转了一圈，大家都笑了。

更早些的时候法拉利决定要派乌戈到韩国去学习制作石墨烯的新技术，却迟迟没有定下时间。乌戈不停地去催问他，法拉利回复说如果你能列表仔细研究(research)哪个亚洲国家的婊子最多的话，我就派你去。

再早些放寒假的时候，乌戈回了一趟意大利，当时欧洲大陆正经历着几十年来最大的一次风雪，之后乌戈花了一周时间，从意大利和女朋友一起，绕过阿尔卑斯山脉，在寒风雪地里骑摩托飙到120公里，经过巴黎布鲁塞尔最后过隧道回到英国。

前几天去曼彻斯特开学术会议，第二天早晨被对面的敲门声吵醒，是乌戈在敲茱莉雅和另一个同事的门，乌戈说和我一起分享一个房间的马修洗澡去了，我一个人好孤单。

今天看到这么一个视频，突然让我整个人都像打了鸡血一样，为什么呢？视频在这里：

视频大概录制于5-6年前，视频发生的地方是第十一届希腊国际吉他艺术节，视频里的是我初中的好朋友。视频里提到的陆海涛老师曾经在第二届国际艺术节上当选最佳青年吉他演奏家。这些都是背景知识。而事实上，在7-8年前刚到新加坡的时候，我曾经受到这位同学的鼓舞拜在陆老师门下学吉他。当时学校的规模还不大，也没有网站，每次上课都只有两三个人老师亲自指导。

中间的部分大概略过。

现在，我的好同学在美国读着博士，能够熟练（甚至专家级的）演奏吉他和钢琴；而我困在剑桥这个小地方，一事无成，声称自己热爱音乐，却无法演奏任何乐器。即使当年学会的吉他也全部还给了陆老师。

人对自己学会的东西遗忘得比想象还要快。我却一再不知反省，只把时间向不明目的的聚会里买醉。

我想必是我认识最混球的不知上进的人。我想从现在起我该做个一点一点进步的人。

不知道有没有人和我一样经常很晚才回家。关于这件事，最基本的印象大概是骑车在几乎无人的街上飞速的骑车经过，看着暗黑的影子不断的从左右超过自己，再融化在橘黄色的路灯里。这件事说起来很有几分感伤的味道。

写了一大段，想想还是删了。

不过也要强调，这是一种意象，倒并不是一种生存状态。我觉得把人的情感世界用具体的意象呈现出来，是件美好的事儿~

总觉得最近很长一段时间里陷入一段人生的低潮期。却偏偏不能承认，因为并没有做好继续向更低滑落的心理准备。

也发现自己思考方式里有一个很大的漏洞，我最习惯的思维方式是推己及人，将自己放在别人的位置思考；无论是何等细致的换位思考也不可能提供完全真实正确的对别人观点的理解，思维本来就因为个体而各异；我的所谓推己及人也由此变成了一个伪命题，因为这并不曾也不可能发生过。除了对事实的陈述，比如这朵花是红的，天上下雨了等等之外，恐怕没有任何判断能够称作是完全而正确的吧，包括这句话在内，于是我又陷入了一个无法自证的悖论之中呢。

不断的觉得自己在向边缘滑落。如果没有人拉我一把，恐怕就止不住这脱离的趋势了。我很害怕，忍不住要哭起来。

其实挺离谱的，情人节，有表白的，有约炮的，有分手的。不少人说情人节不过是商家造出来的卖东西的机会而已；我现在却有各种理由怀疑，这或许是那么一群充满恶意和讽刺的人们创造出的又一个谎言呢。不过无论如何，恐怕这也不能阻止任何人享受情人节吧。正如有人说，有爱的人，每一天都可以是情人节 — 真是不负责任的托辞 — 连情人节都不是情人节，还有哪一天会是呢？

有时候看到用伪命题来反驳伪命题的情况。觉得现在人的思维真的挺有意思的，只选择性相信那些自己愿意相信的东西。

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新的NBA赛季挺不错的，华裔球员林书豪打得不错，现在他的每场比赛我都看了。

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有时候觉得我或许有种自我毁灭的倾向。拒绝承认自己的成绩，认可自己的失败，甚至否定自己的存在意义。后来才明白原来人都有那么点儿末世情结，希望明天就是世界末日而今天应该不顾一切的纵情疯狂；后来也明白人其实都虚伪得很，明明向往着有欲望，却偏偏惺惺作态，摆出道德高尚的高姿态，以显得自己卓然不凡。

我想起初中的时候我一直有那么几个小本，大小比现在的iphone还短一点，质量很拙劣，硬塑料壳的封面夹着切成小块的横格本，用螺旋状的钢丝串起来，翻页多了钢丝会夹坏纸，本子便一页一页的散下来。其中一个拿来记英语单词，平时揣在兜里偶尔看看，一个拿来写数理公式，用是用不上了，写了反而心安。第三个拿来写了各式各样的新体诗。当时写了很多，有关于冬天和雪的，有关于大象和蚂蚁的，有很多写天上的云和教学楼中间枯涸的水池。那些拙劣的诗让我觉得很不一样。仿佛自己是个成熟的人。

后来想起来一个故事，不知是我自己的梦或是在某本书里读到，梦见自己是一头衰老的山羊，在一个黑漆漆的房间里等待死亡的来临，周围没有一点亮，只剩下深不见底的绝望。每次想到这个故事，都觉得很惨。

给上网本升级了内存重装了系统，修好了十年前去新加坡时妈妈给买的电子钟，给羽毛球拍缠上了新的护手，自行车灯换了电池，在网上订了一个纯平显示器。

今天骑车超过十英里先去实验室加班再去同学家吃晚饭。

不知道为何充实一点儿的生活感觉挺满足的。

 

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坐在厕所里看书的时候我突然意识到，文艺的最大敌人居然是贫穷，而我对此无能为力。

有本书里做了这样一个计算，即使我十天看一本书，一年只能看36本，终我一生不过只能看完区区2000本书，这离我理想中的生存状态有多远？而意识到这一切的时候，才终于明白自己不过是幼稚的生存在自己创造的一个虚拟飘渺的目标里，茫然努力的人。

这事实不光让人气馁，更让人不知所措。其实我觉得我可能是活得太认真，以至于刻意地活得随意而已。一切都显得好不容易。

突然意识到(taking way too long)对于比较熟悉的事情就容易下笔千言（离题万里）。

不能怪我写不出风花雪月，原来这是因为我不是风月中人呐！！！

嗯哼。

Windows 7 Starter edition has been haunting my Dell 1012 for over a year. It is supposed to out-perform other operating systems and is strongly recommended by all the bench-marking softwares and experts of these softwares who write netbook  guidelines.

I’ve browsed too many blogs and commentaries where people have contradicting opinions about these operating systems. The simple fact is, Windows 7 Starter is simply not light-weight enough for a resource-limited device such as a netbook. The system’s constant CPU usage of 50% even when idle is unbelievable. Moreover, who’d imagine a browser like Chrome would take longer to boot than the IE (or occationally, MATLAB) on my home laptop?

Windows XP on the contrary, was developed more than 10 years ago and was designed for computers back then (when dual-core was alien and a quad or oct-core computer would certainly sound like alien invasion.) It ran smoothly on those devices — there is no reason to believe that they won’t perform better on our comparatively powerhouse devices, aka netbooks (quite an irony… ah, the beauty of Moore’s Law…).

Hence was my conclusion that Windows XP is the right option for my Netbook (Did I mention that it is a beautiful Dell 1012, with Intel Atom Processor @1.6GHz? And I have recently upgraded the RAM to 2GB myself. More on the RAM upgrade if people are interested enough). I am writing this blog on my netbook, which runs Windows XP Pro SP3 right now. Glad about that choice. Would certainly recommend anyone with a similar spec netbook to opt XP over 7 Starter.

Enough blabbering. Here comes the actual thing.

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To install Windows XP, which does not support virtual CD by itself, the easiest way is to use an external CD drive, which should be available on the internet for about 20 pounds (but who uses CD drive nowadays anyway?). The second best option I have come across (actually I searched all over the internet for it…) is to install XP using a USB stick (minimum 1GB required, though… but again, how many USB sticks nowadays is even vaguely less than 4GB…).

Make sure you have a CD or CD image of Windows XP available. If you use a CD image, you should load it into your vitual CD drive.

To start with, you would need three softwares:

1. usb_prep8
2. peToUSB
3. bootsect

These will enable you to setup the USB stick as a booting device for your PC. You should be able to find them easily on google. But if you can’t and you absolutely need one leave a message here.

Insert the USB stick.

If you have a PC which already has XP installed. It’ll be much easier to use these tools, but if not, (say you have a PC running Win 7 or Win Vista, do not panick, here is how you can bypass some problems that you might encounter if you follow other Internet tutorials :p)

After download, unzip the files into separate folders. Copy the content of PeToUSB to usb_prep8 folder. Now, right click on all the exe files from these folders, select property and tick the box next to run as administrator, click OK.

next, instead of starting the usb_prep8.cmd program directly as told by other tutorials, here is the proper way of doing it on Win 7 or Win Vista:

Go to Start button, in search panel, type cmd; where the program cmd shows up, right click and run as administrator. Using ‘cd’ and ‘cd..’ command to navigate to the folder which contains usb_prep8, type usb_prep8.cmd and it should run in the cmd window

<Will insert a plot in the future>

The program PeToUSB should start automatically and identify your USB stick. Tick ‘Quick Format’ if it is not selected (or the next step is going to take you more than 20 mins to finish). Click Start. Format should be very fast.

Do not close the PeToUSB window or the cmd window previously opened.

Instead, open a different cmd window using the method mentioned above. Navigate to the folder containing bootsect. Type ‘ bootsect.exe /nt52 I:’ but replace I with whatever disk number your USB stick is on your PC. If everything goes well, it should say “Successfully installed bootsector onto your USB device” or something similar. Close this cmd window.

Now close the PeToUSB window and you should notice the first cmd window changed into a series of options from 0 to n (can’t remember how many options are there).

Basically just follow instructions from 1 to 4 and ignore the other options. Select 1 and enter the driver where you put your XP installation CD (or image); then select 2 and enter a lettter which is not currently used by any of your disk drives, the default option T: should be good enough if you are not nerdy enough to re-number your drives (logically, if you were, you would not bother to read this article anyway); select 3 and enter the drive letter of your USB drive. select 4 and ‘y’ and yes and accept all the options to follow: you should see XP installation files being copied to your USB stick.

After this your USB stick is a powerful booting device and you are ready to go!

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Next part is about the installation of XP.

First start your netbook with the USB stick plugged in. Press F2 (or whatever the corresponding keys that’s used on your netbook) to enter BIOS setting screen. Change the SATA mode from AHCI to AHA because AHCI is not inherently supported by stock XP (sadly). Change the boot order to USB first; Save and restart.

The netbook should now boot from your USB stick. select option 1 (which shows up as the second option…), text mode. If you did not change AHCI to AHA or some other modes, your hard drive would not be recognized by XP and you’d only have your USB stick as a possible partition.

Delete and format and ensure that there is only one partition available (Yes, the stupid XP installer does not recognize multiple partitions). Your netbook should restart and take you to the GUI interface automatically. Then install XP as you would do with CD installtions.

After a few steps, XP is ready to go. Next thing to do is to install all the drivers for your netbook. You should be able to find them from the netbooks’ supporting website.

Now you should be able to enjoy the smoothness of the light-weight yet still perfectly designed and tested system, Windows XP on your netbook!

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On a separate note, there is likely to be an issue with Standby mode: if your netbook goes into standby mode, it may not be able to wake up no matter what you do; this is because the SATA driver now is set to be AHA mode which does not normally support standby

Again, do not panic. get the SATA driver for AHCI from your netbook’s support website. But installing the driver itself is not as easy as installing those for other hardwares.

Unzip the installation files for the driver, it would not install automatically. Instead, you should go to Device Manager (right click My computer –> Properties –> Hardware –> Device Manager), select ‘ATA devices’ then ‘Primary IDE devives’, right click, select update driver; select specify the location rather than search on internet; select do not search; select ‘Have Disk’ and locate the driver files you have unzipped; follow instructions until the driver is installed. The computer would prompt to be restarted, do so.

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It is a long time since I wrote anything this long… Although it is likely that this post will help no one, it is still good to keep this tutorial as a sort of reference in case I’d need it in the future.

 

I’ll go do some proper work now…

Stay hungry, stay foolish.

 

2:13 am 10/02/2012