又中又英 | Shooting fish in a barrel | 褚简宁
A Hong Kong friend recently read one of my columns in this newspaper and said it must be easy for a veteran journalist like me to write such columns. He said it would be like shooting fish in a barrel for me to write columns. I explained to him that writing columns is far from like shooting fish in a barrel for journalists. Columnists know thinking of column ideas is not as easy as pie as some people believe. If something is like shooting fish in a barrel, it means it is very easy to do.
Fishing requires skill and patience. I tried it in the US many years ago and often ended up not catching any fish. But it is easy to catch or shoot a fish in a barrel. A barrel is a large container made of wood. If something is as easy as pie, it means it's very easy to do. I spend a lot of my time daily reading newspapers and watching YouTube political commentators to get ideas for my columns. I then do research to make sure everything I write is factually correct.
During my time as a TV host, I had to bust my guts every week finding the right guest with the knowledge to discuss a particular topic that was newsworthy that week. To bust your guts means putting a lot of effort into doing something. People who choose journalism as a career know the pay is lousy, but they choose it anyway for personal satisfaction. They don't mind that it is not like shooting fish in a barrel.
＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊
一位香港朋友最近读到我在这份报章的其中一篇专栏文章，说像我这样的资深传媒人，要写这样的专栏一定很容易了。他说，写专栏于我就像瓮中捉鳖（shooting fish in a barrel）。我跟他解释说，对新闻工作者来说，写专栏远远不像瓮中捉鳖（shooting fish in a barrel）。专栏作家们都知道，要想出专栏的点子，不像有些人以为的小菜一碟（as easy as pie）。若某事像 shooting fish in a barrel，意即它易如反掌。
钓鱼需要技巧与耐性。我许多年前在美国曾试过钓鱼，常常一条鱼也钓不到。但要捉或射中困在桶里的鱼，却是轻而易举（shoot a fish in a barrel）。A barrel就是以木材制成的大桶。若某事是 as easy as pie，意即它是极之容易，不费吹灰之力。我每天都花许多时间阅读报纸，观看YouTube上各个政治评论员，以取得写专栏的灵感。我接着还要考查，确保我所写的一切都符合事实，真确无误。
我还是电视节目主持人的时期，每星期得拼了命的（bust my guts）找合适的嘉宾上节目，对方得对该星期有新闻价值的特定议题有所认知。To bust your guts意即投放许多努力、竭尽全力的去做某事。人们选择以新闻业为职志，都知道薪酬很糟，却仍是为了个人满足感而入行。他们不会介意那并不像瓮中捉鳖般轻易（like shooting fish in a barrel）。
[email protected]
Michael Chugani褚简宁
中译：七刻
