Dou Wei

Rock music from that era... maybe because I was still too young and clueless, I didn't get into it much. I'd occasionally listen to Zhang Chu, but I can't really comment on the "Magic Stone Three" (referring to three influential rock musicians from the 90s). I just know that the 1994 Hong Kong Coliseum concert was a huge sensation.

Last night, before bed, my music playlist randomly played "Don’t Break My Heart》I suddenly became curious as to why Dou Wei chose to leave the Black Panther band at their peak, and his departure almost signaled the end of an era.

Why did he make this decision? I looked up the clues compiled by people online, and it's interesting that the finger is pointed at Faye Wong. Some also say it's related to Dou Wei's personality. Now that so much time has passed, these old cases are only clear to the people involved, and what remains online are just legends. But at least one thing can be verified: Dou Wei left Black Panther, and Black Panther left Dou Wei, and it's difficult for either of them to return to the Black Panther they once were.

56MM

Recently, I switched to a new lens. I didn't think too much about it initially, I just knew I wanted a large aperture and something good for portraits. So I went straight for the Fujifilm 56mm F1.2 APD version.

Switching from my familiar 35mm to 56mm (which is actually around 80mm equivalent after crop), it's been a bit hard to adjust, especially since this 56mm F1.2 APD lens, due to a special element, effectively has an aperture of 1.7. But it cost around 8,000 RMB (Chinese Yuan), which, looking back, feels a bit like a bad deal. But, it is what it is.

I chose the Fujifilm XPRO2 for my camera, so I'm kind of stuck down this path now, unless I switch camera systems entirely and go to something like Sony. If I were to choose again, I'd go for the A7III. But that would be a pretty big cost; I'd have to sell all my Fuji stuff and buy Sony. Putting aside whether I'd even like the system, the expensive Sony lenses alone would probably be a struggle.

PS: The 56mm F1.2 APD lens really performs well in low light, especially with its beautiful bokeh. Here are three test shots:https://www.caicai.me/photography

Homeowners' Meeting

First time ever attending a homeowner's meeting, mostly because the parking spot I bought can actually fit two cars, but currently it's only marked for one. The property management and the homeowner's committee are discussing how to charge if we want to park two cars. It was pretty interesting, the meeting lasted almost 1.5 hours.

The scene was super awkward, because the three parties were all representing their own interests: the homeowners representing their own, the committee wanting to charge for the extra space used, and the property management wanting to charge a management fee. I'm thinking this kind of situation doesn't really have a clear industry standard yet.

Everyone says Greentown Property Management is great, but they don't really explain exactly what "great service" means. The property management in our community is actually already pretty good, like they deliver packages to your door. And the cleaning lady comes to clean in front of our door every day. Most of the homeowners are willing to pay more for these services. It's weird though, after the homeowner's committee was formed, there have been all sorts of problems. It makes you think.