Back in the late 1970s, during my first summer holiday in England , I found a job at the Homepride Bakery factory. It was a 10-week stint, working 12 hours a day, six days a week—five weeks on the day shift followed by five weeks on the night shift.

The work was long, exhausting, repetitive, and often boring. It was purely manual labour, but I worked through it without complaint. Looking back, it was a valuable experience that taught me discipline, perseverance, and the satisfaction of earning my own way.

By the end of the 10 weeks, I had earned just over £800. At the time, my annual college tuition was only £350, while food and accommodation cost around £20 a week. That summer’s hard work not only covered my education but also gave me a lasting appreciation for the value of persistence and the opportunities that came from determination.

So with the money I spent £500 on my first ever hifi system. Marantz amp, AR16 speakers...., a cheap turntable and a Koss headphone.



最後修改時間: 2026-08-09 08:08:31

What are your earliest life long hobbies that are still going?

This photograph is now more than 60 years old. The little boy carried a transistor radio in one hand, a camera tripod in the other, and a camera case over his shoulder. Looking back, it almost seems as though his future had already been mapped out.

More than six decades later, his passion for music and photography has never faded. The equipment has changed beyond recognition, but the excitement of hearing a beautiful piece of music and capturing a meaningful moment remains exactly the same. Some childhood passions never leave us—they simply grow with us.



最後修改時間: 2026-08-06 09:23:27

#26873

ich,

As you said, 施比受更為有福: It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Learn to turn a deaf ear to malicious words and unnecessary criticism. we cannot control what others say or think about me, but we can choose not to let their words disturb my peace. Protecting our inner peace is one of life's greatest freedoms.

Stay positive and remain curious. Curiosity keeps the mind young, no matter our age. Retirement gives us the gift of time, and with a lifetime of experience behind us, we are perhaps better equipped than ever to appreciate the richness of the world.

Learn about history. Explore different cultures. Read widely. Visit museums, concerts and historical places. Travel if we can, or travel through books if we cannot. Human civilisation stretches back thousands of years, filled with remarkable achievements, inspiring stories, and valuable lessons. There is always something new to discover, and every discovery helps us understand ourselves a little better.

We are also living in one of the most extraordinary periods in human history. As baby boomers, we have been privileged to witness an astonishing wave of innovation: the arrival of the first computers, fax machines, personal computers, mobile phones, the internet, plasma televisions, social media, smartphones, and now artificial intelligence. Few generations have experienced so much change within a single lifetime.
Rather than fearing new technology, we should embrace it. The internet has placed the world's libraries, museums, universities, and great thinkers within easy reach. Now AI has become a patient teacher, a research assistant, a translator, a travel guide, and even a conversation partner, available whenever curiosity calls. There has never been a better time to keep learning, asking questions, and discovering new ideas. Age is no barrier to learning. In fact, experience often makes learning even more meaningful.

Growing older is not about counting the years. It is about collecting moments of kindness, gratitude, generosity, wisdom, and inner peace. If we continue to learn, continue to give, and continue to wonder, then every stage of life, including retirement, becomes a journey worth embracing.

After all, the purpose of life is not simply to live longer, but to live better, with an open heart, an open mind, and a spirit that never stops learning. The best years are not necessarily behind us. As long as we remain healthy, curious, and connected, there is still so much to see, so much to understand, and so much to enjoy.





最後修改時間: 2026-08-05 07:15:31

#26872

Rcwy

I am still in Sydney, best time of the year. Summer in HK is so hot and humid.

Winter in Sydney is my favourite season.

The air is fresh, the sun is warm, and the outdoors is inviting. Every walk feels like an invitation to move, explore, and appreciate the moment.

Winter light has a quiet beauty. Light and shadow coexist in perfect balance—neither demanding attention, both modest in their hide and shine.









最後修改時間: 2026-08-05 07:03:42

#26870

I shared this to my close friends 10 days ago:

I told acquaintance or people I am not familiar with that I retired from Hospital Authority few years ago. For my family members and close friends, they know that I changed my vocation. Everyone can have different vocations in their course of life. I just quitted a fairly well paid full time job to another vocation. I chose to Do What I Love, Love What I Do after the so-called retirement. I picked up sports again: playing table tennis, badminton and squash when still in Hong Kong, as I found people who played such sports. I went to library to read book as I always like staying in library. Then I moved to Australia . I have very regular life pattern here, playing sports 3 times a week, gardening during the days, listening to lo fi and web surfing in my man cave 8PM-0AM Mon to Friday. Watch a movie on Saturday evening. I watch TV from 5PM to 7:30PM: 1.55 hours quiz shows and 1 hour news. Dinner always by 7PM. "Banquet" type dinners when kids and partners come once or twice in fortnight. Road trips to see flowers and other Australian places in Autumn and Spring. I drove about 40000Km road trips in the last 7 years, including at least 10 return trips to Sydney. There are other things we do, mainly serving other people and helping others. We are fairly busy every week but not overwhelming. I found time flies faster since I changed to this new vocation.
So whether it is retirement or not, our last journey on Earth is better if we are healthy, connected to others, strong sense of fulfillment. Be humble, be grateful, nice to others, more appreciation and less criticism, 施比受更為有福,turn deaf to bad/malicious comments. I cannot control what others say, but I can choose to ignore.

#26871

I found a TT group in HK which I just go and play every weekdays at the same time at the same LCSD venue most of the time. Thanks for the dedication of some members who wake up very early in the morning to book tables.


最後修改時間: 2026-08-04 21:11:21

JC,

Hong Kong now?
For the HK Hi-end HiFi Show this weekend?

In Hong Kong, there's been a surge in table tennis playing. Lots of old pals go playing it at LCSD stadia. When I just retired in the last decade, it was rather easy to book a table, but now it is a very difficult and painstaking job to get one.

最後修改時間: 2026-08-04 14:35:57

Now that some if not most of us are in the age of retirement, apart from eating healthy and exercising, what other things do you do? Still holding on to your life long hobbies and interests?

Listening to music, playing with screwdrivers and welders? Cooking and gardening, painting or photography?

Of course traveling and meeting friends.

Let's not forget

The differences of workout and sport

Sport..seem much more fun haha

I feel need a bigger bucket haha

我見到我表妹17歲個仔走去打boxing，好好玩呀

最後修改時間: 2026-08-03 20:12:31

I do farmer's walk as part of my work out.
What appears to be 'boring' and not fancy like other moves and curls is utterly functional and of importance.
If loaded and pushed, often the grip strength is the first to go.
You also would feel the burning of the core, traps and back.
Gradually load up and walk as much as tolerated.

Do it. It is one of the most underrated yet hugely benefiting compound exercises.

最後修改時間: 2026-08-03 20:06:39

哈哈 my farmers walk set up

Haha

好處就係在這個階段調節下左右的不平衡比較容易

also 一舉兩得 哈哈

重點係要注重姿勢

唔怪得知昨天睇完呢個運動嘅youtube，覺得好有親切咁即刻就做啦，到今天淋花的時候，唔怪得知有嗰種咁熟落嘅感覺，就係我淋花做的事情，不同的地方係沒有注重姿態，今天企到好直 haha ,明天繼續

其實我四個不同嘅地區都有 hose pipe set up ,就係因為我覺得每天時常都要做一啲負重嘅運動，我選擇用水桶 ，現在開始注重姿勢

其實我淋花嘅時候，雖然天氣好熱，我做這個負重運動，我 wear one 令人熱到發癲嘅外套的....直覺這種加熱負重運動對身體有益




最後修改時間: 2026-08-03 18:25:28

Nope haha

Make sense and seem easy

But why not to start tomorrow... I shall try , let's see I walk with my not so heavy weight at 5kg, 10kg... Haha I lets u know the outcome 2 weeks later haha



最後修改時間: 2026-08-03 07:48:29

red short Chi.... was hot... u was quite a handsome young man... ( i saw some of your photos)

how's about sport culture from the people u meet daily ...?

Me?

You must be kidding!! I am the most less sportive here.

Sportive when young and participated in most sports, football, swimming, diving, tennis, squash, badminton and handball. A qualified lifeguard.

Now, sports? Just watching on the TV.

有趣的有趣的分享

嘩年青嘅時候每個禮拜一至七日都做運動，這種儲存下來的一些東西係有用的，基本上我冇做運動都六，七年，但之前做很多，留下來的還有用，如果6，7年前不是做咁多運動，今日係冇可能做到某個程度嘅負重任務

但都好似這粒能量儲電池已經就嚟用完了

都邀請chi 介紹一下 ,他見到的本地英國體育文化

在這點我目前完全融入不到，但係我會入我家附近的草地滾球club ,覺得好好玩

應該係中四中5，打過幾次rugby，貪得意一齊玩，完全唔識，但最緊要有參與，衝呀衝呀避開呀...諗起都好笑，每次打完週身骨痛一個禮拜以上的

在我家附近好似見唔到有cricket嘅場地
到現在都唔明cricket點玩的

希望大家都有日常嘅正面體力勞動或運動

喜歡騎馬嘅人都幾多，休閒的性質，近鄉交開始嘅地方，都有人喜歡馬，點卡萊斯也不是運動，只是坐在上面行二十幾分鐘 haha

總會見到教人跳欄嘅地方及課程



最後修改時間: 2026-08-02 22:15:41

"澳洲運動員的文化是怎樣呢？"

澳洲普遍人都either睇 Rugby League或 Footy，以前叫 Australian Rules (football) / Aussie Rules。呢度同 local講 'football"以為你講 footy,所以我都改了口講 soccer。 Melburnians對擁護球隊好似宗教咁。Sydneysiders 擁 Rugby league teams我個人覺得冇 Melburnians個種feverish。Footy平均每場有三萬幾人入場:




另外 cricket都係熱門 spectator sports。澳職聯 soccer league都唔錯，可能咁令澳洲近幾次 World Cup都入到決賽週。大學時期我都踢過 業餘聯賽，當時是 migrants favourite sports，球場上冇乜人講英文，除了 Fxxk及 sxxt。近年多了好多 local participants and fans.
Tennis 60-90年代係黃金時期。 Margaret Court 24 GS titles及 64 major titles都係紀。。 Serena Willaims一直想追平 GS record，但應該唔得了。男子方面 Rod Laver -Rocket兩次年度 4個GS應。好難破到。
Asians喜歡的 table tennis及 badminton就冇乜資助。幾十年前我都識D人打 state team及那時是大陸人做 head coach。羽毛球就唔少人打，我每星期打兩 sessions。99%人 Asians (HKer, Chinese, Malays, Indonesians, Indians...)。
有 D private high schools對學業冇特唔要求，但 weekends sports係 compulsory。入學時要揀 Winter and Summer sports，個個人唔同 skill level都要參加。
另外好多運動都會有人玩，sports在 Aussies中係生活一部份 no matter whether you are spectators or participants。呢樣又係我喜歡澳洲生活之一，因為 中學5年我每星期7日都打波、練波、練田徑。暑假就去田訓 、排訓。

最後修改時間: 2026-08-02 21:15:02

Sport has long been woven into Australian culture. From primary school onwards, children are encouraged to be active through physical education, school carnivals, weekend club sports, and community competitions. For youngsters who show exceptional ability, there are often pathways into regional academies, state institutes, and national development programs. This broad participation creates a large talent pool from which elite athletes can emerge.

My boys go to the gym and playing volleyball every week. They're building healthy habits that can last a lifetime, while also developing friendships and learning to work with others. Those experiences often become as valuable as any trophy.

At least a few times every year, a lot of people joining the marathon, young and old, boys and girls.



最後修改時間: 2026-08-02 17:22:18

澳洲運動員的文化是怎樣呢？自發自自己的對運動熱情，還是推動出來的呢？

我都幾鍾意睇bmx，有機會都留意下世界各地不同的bmx運動員，是自己的熱情衝破極限的運動

英國這邊，運動員的優越性絕對普通，但是很有熱情的運動員，是發自他們是機的喜愛



最後修改時間: 2026-08-02 16:44:34

Talking about Scotland, Australia has had another outstanding Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland Despite the Games being much smaller than previous editions, Australia has comfortably topped the medal table throughout the competition.

By the final day, Australia had amassed around 65 to 67 gold medals and more than 150 medals overall, far ahead of England and the other competing nations.

Well done Aussie!