Sunday, February 25, 2007

Appearing Again in the "Internet Forest"

Welcome to 聚言莊 (The House Where Words Gather). I've set this place up as a temporary Internet home while I figure out what to do about my old site: Hong Kong Entertainment News In Review. For those of you who don't know me, here's my story -- presented wuxia style (so please allow me some dramatic license and pardon my referring to myself in the third-person):

Day in and day out, day after day, the Hong Kong entertainment circle winds through the lives of its followers by majestically producing projects, personalities, rumours, and, sometimes, titillating scandal on its quest for profit and fame. For years, Sanney Leung -- the Short-Haired Webmaster of the Western Plains -- would use his "Ten Fingers Conquering Dragons" writing kung to chronicle events and happenings for entertainment circle fans around the World. He started out by writing a few article translations for friends by e-mail. Soon, the e-mails grew larger and larger so he established a website where his friends could see the articles with greater ease. After many years and many transformations, the website evolved into Hong Kong Entertainment News In Review -- an online fixture of the HK entertainment scene with a modest but respectable following.

Things were going fine until the Short-Haired Webmaster of the Western Plains was stricken with nasopharyngeal carcinoma --
a cancer common among the people of South Eastern China. Suddenly, he was forced to abandon the website and concentrate on fighting for his life. Following a bitter struggle of many months, the Short-Haired Webmaster won the battle with cancer (though the war continues) and returned to his online home only to discover that a dishonourable opportunist had invaded and seized his domain, holding it hostage in hope of being paid a ransom. Exiled, the Short-Haired Webmaster wandered the Internet for weeks before deciding to set up 聚言莊 (The House Where Words Gather).

So this is where I am today, unsure of how to proceed with my role in the HK entertainment "Internet Forest". Do I go down the road of Mo Yung Fuk (Murong Fu; 慕容復) and try to restore my "online empire" or do I go down the road of Fung Ching-Yeung (Feng Qingyang; 風清揚) and retire to living out my days in seclusion in the backwoods of Mount Wah? As with any life decision, it's a complicated one. I'm still recovering from my cancer treatments but, when the healing is done, it will be back to the world of paycheques and bill payments so I don't know what the time, energy and passion situation will be for me then. Much will depend on what kind of work I end up doing, how my health ends up shaking out and what the Cold Hand of Fate has in store for me.

In the meantime, the House Where Words Gather will serve as a place for me to practice my writing and scrape the rust off my brain by sharing my thoughts on things related to the HK entertainment circle and re-connecting with friends and former readers. Right now, I'm slowly plugging in the 14 month gap in my HK entertainment knowledge. I'm hoping to use this place to talk about things I discover during the process and solicit comments from people on what events I should catch up on and what movies and things I should see. Don't worry, I won't be boring you with minutiae like what I ate for breakfast or the color of the shirt I'm wearing today.

28 comments:

Anonymous said...

Welcome back, Sanney! I'm glad that we'll be able to read your thoughts and opinions on all things HK Entertainment once more. You've been missed. :)

Anonymous said...

Welcome back! You must be a real wuxia fanboy. You named your blog after a mansion in DGSD, you referenced DGSD and SPW and you ripped off the beginning of LOCH. I see you also ripped off the title for the first Zatoichi movie (Life and Opinion of the Masseur IChi). Nerd.

Anonymous said...

Sanney welcome back! The world of english speaking Hong Kong film enthusiasts have missed you! After your site went down I was forced to scour the net for another site to provide the same information. These days I have to check about 4 and they still don't provide the me with the same breath of knowledge as yours

Anonymous said...

I'm glad that you return. Good luck

Sanney Leung said...

samurai79,

Yes, I really love wuxia. In fact, I love wuxia so much, I want to take it out behind the middle school and get it pregnant.

Glad you caught all the references. You must be just as much of a nerd as I am -- especially if you caught the Zatoichi and Legend of the Condor Heroes references. :-)

Anonymous said...

It's good to see you back. I like the name of your blog.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back Sanney! We lovers of HK Ent. gossip have sorely missed you. Congrats on your regaining your health. I'm a Leung that won tickets for a movie premiere in HK from your site a long time ago. Hope your blog and your health blooms in this year of the Golden Pig.

Anonymous said...

Thank god you are back! You were truly missed. If you need to start up a Paypal fund to get your old site back up, just say the word, man!

I love LoveHKFilm.com but your site helped me so much in the day-to-day gossipy showbizzy side of HK entertainment.

I always think of your site and Ross' as the twin pillars of my HK film education: Ross for the reviews separating the wheat from the chaff, and your site for the ins and outs of the people in the HK entertainment world.

And, now, with Kaiju Shakedown, no more, we need your site more than ever.

All the best, welcome back, you were missed.

- Glenn

YTSL said...

Welcome back to cyberspace Sanney! And with your sense of humor, etc. intact too I see... :)

Also, have to say that I sure hope that you'll elect to go the way of Mo Yung Fuk -- since I've often felt lost without your Hong Kong entertainment updates and efforts to compile a complete list of Hong Kong movie releases for each year -- though absolutely not if it's at the expense of your good health.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back, the internet has missed you quite a bit! :)

Beckie said...

It's great to be able to read your commentary on the web again! My visits to the HK Entertainment Review website go back many years. I was surpised and sad the day when I visited and some odd domain ad came up. I just wanted to say thanks for your previous years of hard work translating the HK gossip for everyone! Glad to hear you've recovered from your battle with cancer. Wish you good health now and in the future!

eliza bennet said...

Welcome back Sanney,

It is a joy to be able to read you again and yes, you have been missed (a lot).

Another wuxia fan (fave book LOCH)

Anonymous said...

Welcome back, Sanney. You and your website have been missed by many. You have my best wishes for your health and happiness.

Wuxia--this westerner has seen many movies but read no books. Are there any novels that anyone reading these comments might recommend (English only--sorry!)?

just me said...

Hi Sanney,

I was one of your loyal lurkers on your Hong Kong Entertainment News in Review website and just want to say I'm so glad you're well and back on line again. Welcome back.

cheers

Anonymous said...

Welcome back Sanney! You were missed! Looking forward to reading your blog-great name.

Anonymous said...

Hi Sanney, so happy to finally be able to read your thoughts. I've bookmarked your blog so please write more but also take good care of your health ya. Cheers :D

Anonymous said...

nice to see u bak!
i really missed ya site....

neo

Anonymous said...

Wuxia, HK flix and "30 Rock" references! We long-time lurkers missed you. Welcome back.

Anonymous said...

Welcome back, Sanney!!

Anonymous said...

I'm really glad that you're alright,Sanney! I missed your knowledge of HK movies and i'm grateful that you're back...WELCOME BACK1

Anonymous said...

I never had a chance to read any of your previous news articles and opinions...but I'm really excited that there is another website talking about the HK movie industry!! ^__^ Looking forward to your posts!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sanny,

Welcome back to the wacky world of Hong Kong cinema and as said, it's been an empty time withouy your musings on the sheninigans within the industry. Then again life comes first and I'm glad to see you at this point, appearing perky. :)

Best
Kenneth
www.sogoodreviews.com

Anonymous said...

Welcome back! I read your other site and am glad you are recovering. I came here via the LoveHKFilm MySpace entry. Look forward to reading more from you!

back_gammon said...

Welcome back! I've really missed your presence on the web - yours was always one of my favorite reads.

Anonymous said...

Sanney! A big big welcome back! I'm TREMENDOUSLY glad that you're alright now.

It wasn't the same without you. I agree with glenn. Should you need funding at any time to get back your site, just say the word!

Real glad to have you back.

Anonymous said...

Yes, welcome back! you've been missed!

Anonymous said...

Sanney!

Welcome back, boy! Just managed to spot your new blog in the Internat bamboo forest. Hope you're getting a lot better and hoping that many more words gather in this House soon!

Lest

Anonymous said...

Welcome back ! I've really missed your page, you do a great job. I'm delighted to hear your health is back on track too; I hope it continues to stay that way.