Showing posts with label oiseau distrait. Show all posts
Showing posts with label oiseau distrait. Show all posts

2024/08/02

Medium Friend Link of ~August 2024

 Hi, hi!

I do wonder whether there will be anyone...Hellooooo...anyone reading this post because we are all sticking to our TV, I guess :D, it's the weeks of the Olympics!!! That's fine, me too; how can we not be excited & be proud of our Hong Kong athletes, right?

Two gold & one bronze medals already, I'm sure there will be more upcoming, with my fingers crossed. But no matter how, I still would like to prepare this list for you, in case you want to have something to read between the gaps of the competitions.

Here we have the selected articles for you in August, you can read them for free via these friend links, exclusively for readers here and those who subscribe to my Author website

You don't need to have a paid account on Medium, but you're always welcome to join, then I can buy myself a cup of coffee while you're reading, clap, leave a comment, or subscribe via email on Medium; feel free as you wish.

Enjoy :D

Poetry:-


Essay:-


Photo Stories:-


2024/07/04

Medium Friend Link ~ July 2024

 Hi, hi!

Wow! What a super not Summer this year, how about staying somewhere under the shade, or in a well conditioned corner, grab a lemonade or your favorite iced coffee for a break?

Here we have the selected articles for you in July, you can read them for free via these friend links, exclusively for readers here and those who subscribe to my Author website

You don't need to have an account on Medium, but you're always welcome to join, then I can buy myself a cup of coffee while you're reading, clap, leave a comment, or subscribe via email on Medium; feel free as you wish.

Enjoy :D

Poetry:-

👉 Hope To Be A Magic Bean

👉 Catch The Flee Flare


Essay:-

👉 Sorry, It's Me

👉 The Isolation

2024/06/28

Mysterious case of missing book cover image on Amazon KDP...finally solved!

 Hi, Hi!

After spending a whole month, all books of the Petit Paris Series were finally ready on Amazon; using extra time on this platform was expected, which has already listed all the timelines required for each processing stage, you just need to add a bit of extra, or another extra time for the things done.

I was facing the problem of missing book cover images in the store after the books were alive a month ago, so I contacted the staff and sorted out some of the possible causes that might implied. One of the obvious possibilities was the RGB color profile that had to be used instead of sRGB. 

But strange enough, the first and the only cover of Book One had no problem at all in its sRGB profile. I tried to convert all the others to upload again but hopeless.

I used .tiff file instead of .jpeg to reserve the details, which should be acceptable within 50M and what I had submitted was around 20M. If the first cover had no problem, then why should the other had?

It seemed there was no clue to solve this issue, the only possible way was to add the cover images in the A+ content but truly speaking, it's not a good idea in long term. So, I decided to leave my desk & went out for a walk. 

This is always a good advice to those who are stuck in problems, and most likely can be solved after a reboot...of our mind!

When I returned home, I reviewed all the files again and finally discovered something, there were two choices of tiff-8 & tiff-16, I selected 16bit, the same reason to reserve details while it didn't exceed the file size limit. But, 'Why not have a try?' I told myself, so I changed four covers into tiff-8 instead...

Volià! Problem solved within an hour. So why is there are conflict in file sizes? and why didn't Book One in sRGB, tiff-16 face any problems? 

I'm afraid there will never be an answer from me or Amazon, but no matter how, I can finally settle my headache and move on. Happy publishing!

2024/06/01

Medium Friend Links ~ June 2024

Hi, hi!

Have a break and want something to read? Here we have the selected articles for you, you can read them for free via these friend links, exclusively for readers here and those who subscribe to my Author website

You don't need to have an account on Medium, but you're always welcome to join, then I can buy myself a cup of coffee while you're reading, clap, leave a comment, or subscribe via email on Medium; feel free as you wish.

Enjoy :D


Poetry:-

👉Free You Now...Smile

👉You Know Why...I Prefer To Walk


Essay:-

👉Destruction

👉ISBN Paradox

2024/05/09

Oiseau Distrait Author Website Launched !!

 Hi, Hi!

Can you discover anything difference here...to...your...right...Voilà!

Oiseau Distrait Author Website was launched on 3 May 2024, Chirps! Chirps! Hurray! 

This is one of my favourite photos, so I use this as my website header, I hope you'll like it, too.

In my new birdhouse, you'll know more about me through a detailed profile on my Home page. 

Follow by a BirdTalk page for my blog posts to chat with you about anything that interests me, including some of my update status. Most of all is...I'll select more of my Medium articles with friend links from time to time for you to enjoy, so stay tuned.

A summary of all published books can be found on the Books page, including their bookstore link. (Remember, local readers can only purchase from Google Books because Apple Books is not available in the Hong Kong region.)

A new short fiction in Chinese 遇見彩虹 was just released on the same day, so why not go to have a look, see if it will ignite your imagination?

There is an Archive page at the end, a hidden story of my before & after, in case you find any trace of who I am...I'll be grateful to you if you can keep this secret for me :P 

Because it'll be more fun to join me in a new world of literature.

So, that's it for tonight...Oh! one more thing, you're always welcome to subscribe to my newsletter via my website, don't worry, it's obviously will take some time to prepare as I am a forgetful bird. 


Au RevoirSee you there!
 

 

2024/04/19

Medium Friend Links of April

Hi, Hi,

Did you try to read my Medium article from the Friend Link in the previous post? Is it working? I hope so.

How about a few more for April.


Poetry:-

👉Tiny Flower Of The Wild

👉Hello, Anybody Here?


Prose:-

👉Jack Under The Moon ~ Nothing scary but romantic

👉Beautiful Calligraphy ~ Of the Islamic World


These are selected free Friend Links for readers of the Cocoa Design Life Blog you can view them freely in Medium directed vs the links; if you like it, simply clap or leave a comment as you wish, or subscribe via email, Happy April reading :D

Oiseau 


2024/03/15

Friend Link for my post in Medium...Testing, testing

👉I'm Robin, Your Messenger

Hi, hi,

It's been a long time away because I'm on another writing platform Medium, I've spent some time over there writing and enjoying the community, it's been almost 8 months, time flies!

But I didn't forget my friends here that you may not be a member of that platform, even if you can still find me via my profile page Oiseau Distrait, I'm trying to figure out to see if my posts can be freely read by you guys here via a Friend Link.

Usually, I will write around 5 posts per week on various topics, but there is no automatic system for me to link them here except manually, so let's try whether this one is working? If yes, I'll see if there are any possible solutions to update the list here per week or two.

You may ask what happens to my earnings if a free link is used, well, yes! I earn nothing via a non-member read, but the post can be read by you, so, it's fine. You can also share this link freely if it works, and maybe someday, if you want to join the community as a member, you're always welcome. If not, claps & comments do help...or even just read 30 sec, my pleasure.

To reduce my workload so I can concentrate on my writing, I won't prepare the picture here, but there is always one in the Medium post. And one more thing regarding the language written is still majoring in English. 

Okay! Here is the first one, let me know if it works and whether you want to read more in the future.
Bye & see you! 
Have a happy Friday.

Oiseau 








2023/10/20

兩個月的Medium 生涯

不知不覺間已經在Medium 寫了兩個月稿,有趣的是,原來在剛加入時,內部正在調整政策,導致作者在九至十月間的收入大幅下降,對一些在此寫了多年並賴以為生的作者影響很大。你沒有看錯,真的有人可以以此為部份生活的收入來源,不過還好的是,對於我這個初到貴境的小人物,也就沒什麼影響了。而且早些改革,也會較易適應,可以逃過被一些舊有機制或漏洞影響,滿以為隨隨便便寫幾隻字便可以賺大錢⋯(從來也是不要得的想法)。

每當一個網絡平台運作好一段日子,總會產生大大小小的問題,例如小圈子群體,又或是有心術不正的人鑽空子藉著漏洞找著數;這裏也不例外,尤其涉及金錢收入,還好的是暫時也算處理掉,可以讓我專心寫作。

由於平台以英語作者和讀者為主,大家來自全球不同地區,以至在寫作題材上可以接觸或涉獵得更廣;但當然也會因著非母語的局限而影響文章的內容及質素,這也是必須要學習及好好鍛練的方向。兩個月長時間的閱讀及寫作,第一樣學會了的是:

The first thing for a writer to learn is Humble!

由-位作者猶衷地勸戒我們,不論是對舊或新的作家而言。而這確實是一個很重要的提醒,無論在登出的文章被讀者批評,又或是被編輯發還稿件,當中要經歷的即使並非全部和現實出書所遇到的一模一樣,卻也有不少相似的地方;接受批評肯定是其中一様,有些不一定是以文字回應,‘完全靜默不回覆’便是另外一種批評的方式,代表著自己的文字工作仍有很多要改進的地方。

不過整體而言,平台內部存在著一個community的理念,即是希望互相幫助,讓更多人可以寫出好文章,也就是說讓讀者看到較有質素的作品,加上"尊重"是網路世界必須有的一個態度,但願可以繼續在這裏擁有自己的一片天空,藉文字工作造就一些非金錢可買的夢想。

2023/08/22

Medium & Blogger, why not both?

 
i'm grateful to write under this beautiful sky
Hi hi, 

It's been a while that I'm writing nothing here, but actually I am writing in some where else - a platform I've discovered recently call  Medium (not new); which is a bit different from blogging, because first of all, you need to open a free account by start reading articles including you can view a maximum of 3 nos. of member-only articles per month; then you can write of course, but why is it so? 

The member-only articles can generate a small amount of income to the writer in several different ways, although it may not support a full time writer, at least we can buy a cup of coffee to continue writing, that's great, right? and the most important is , the overall reading / writing atmosphere over there is different, more sincere, I would say.

You will find longer and deep dive posts, readers just willing to read more even if you don't put any images along with. I've been using half months time to go through articles and was being inspired a lot. I think it's really the culture of different platforms that could affect the overall reading or writing experience.

Being an author/writer needs to go through a deep learning curve, you may not agree because it seems there are so easy for us to publish anywhere online, but it's so true and I keep this in mind seriously. Unless you are well trained in advance, most of us are keep learning to improve ourselves while keep on writing and reading simultaneously, years after years. (except for the talented and the celebrities). 

I have to tell you, as a reader, I do feel tired to find quite a huge amount of so call "coach" blogs which teach you "how to get 1000 followers" " how to get paid within a months blogging...",etc, etc. And on the other hand, as an indie author, what I really want to learn from our online mentor, is not the "TEN things I have to do", or "TWELVES tips to help you become a successful writer"..., etc, etc. Finally, I did find some good pieces over there, which helps me to write in another perspective; again, it take times but it's worth, I'm sure.

So, you may ask, am I saying that Blogger is not as good an Medium, and I am going to leave? No, no, no! As I've mentioned they are different, I always feel relax to write here, even when I am not promoting my book...Oh! my book, that is for another story to tell, may be later :P  

Cocoa Design Life has always been a leisure & relaxing corner that we can bird talk , just like what antleeli & ricketeer's originally designed, that's why I would love to fly over here, stay for a while and keep talking to you if you don't mind; I wish you do feel the same, too! No stress, no target to reach, no expert webinar to attend but just a quiet bird talk.

See u :D




2022/12/31

Unveil the art

 


Hi, hi,

There is no way for me to skip writing this post because I really want to show you what exactly I saw...introduced by Li...created by an fabulous artist...a beautiful art piece in the window shop that was mentioned in Au Revoir on my last night in Paris. 

Yes, they are real, they are for sale, they were in the arrangement of a hemisphere, the one Li said that she has to stopping by every time. I am totally agree that they are truly stunning when I saw them that night, the overall size is within one meter, hanging right above eye level of the passenger but you will never miss them. 

There are some others in different colorways, smaller but cool ! I do wish to tell you where they can be found, but sorry again...I forget, because it's not the matter of where it were, if you love it, it will always in your heart, au revoir :)

2022/12/30

Au Revoir, Petit Paris

Au Revoir book cover
click to enlarge

It will be hard to write this post I’m sure, the last post to end my series of Petit Paris ~ the first poetic travelogues that I’ve never had & the first e-book series that I’ve ever published. Three years are neither short nor long, long enough to write a book but too short for a forgetful bird to become an author, it’s only the beginning… I hope. 


When this project was started three years ago, as I’ve mentioned in <Au Revoir>,  time flies like a spark, when it has to end the journey which seems has begun not long before,  I am a bit of emotionally un-detachable, at least, still at this moment.

Solo trip is always a valuable experience to whom you are, what you have or haven’t. You have to face everything on your own, surprisingly amazing moments or unexpected horror, imaginary or real. 

You are the master of your time, a totally stranger on earth there ; you can mute in most of the time, just see and feel, think & rethink…or, you can seek, a new friendship that might start, to be an immigrant for a week, to act like a local for an hour.

You can capture all the moments by your phone (camera) or simply to remember the unique memory…just for you, yourself on that date, at that time…happy or sad.

You can try anything new, participate in an adventure that you’ve never did before or, have an apple in hand, just enjoy under the sun & relax. 

You can follow the norm to all the hot spots or you can walk in your own way, your own destination in your own pace. 

You can…
…Yes, I can find another angle to see the world, to discover more instead of following the norm; something I might mis-understood when it was presented without the truth in depth.  I can listen the voices behind that might fainted for over a while…it’s not barely a vacation but also a chapter of my life started from October 2019 and keep on transforming in December 2022. 

The last book in this series is a wrap up of what I met during the trip, and because of it is the last one, it urge me to take the last chance of sharing of what were or might be overlooked, but really meant something in this series. 

Actually I took almost 1000 photos, for all the selected photos, they should cover what I discovered in the whole journey; I do wish you can feel travelling with me while reading. 

“A book has to be edited prior to publish.” I think this is the norm or general rule that I do agree but will leave it for this very first time. The free prose lead my thought to and fro from one moment to another, but raw and real time that I really want to attach, sorry for the free-flow' if it makes you feel lost sometimes :P 

I am a real forgetful bird, it’s hard for me to remember the name of people I’ve met, especially for those I didn’t even ask. But, seriously, I do remember their faces, their tone of expression when we communicated;  I still remember right at this moment…almost three whole years, so memorable. 

Color & aroma, are the ever lasting sense for human beings, whenever I close my eyes, fly back to Paris, they are there, still there…all the same…!

I know I have to end right now, the post and the obsession to this journey. I am moving on for a new novel,  in another language...may be; I don’t know when can this be completed? Hopefully not too long and is for sure not too soon, by that time, I wish you are still here to be my companion , Merci beaucoup et Au revoir !

2022/09/02

Café de Flore


Watercolour of Café De Flore in the book of Dream a little Dream
Click to enlarge

Café de Flore has always been famous since 1885, even there was one located in Omotesando in Japan (not sure whether they are from the same organisation). The name came from a sculpture of the goddess of flowers - Flora (Flore in French), and the season of spring in Roman mythology.  

Delicious hot chocolate and elegant Art Deco interior design may be some reasons why people loves to visit Café de Flore, but most of all are due to the attraction by it’s history, a hub where the intelligence gathered around  in the 1920s. Even though we may not know the story of each of them, at least, Ernest Hemingway, Pablo Picasso were the well known. 

In my previous blog post introducing the book ‘Left Bank- by Agnés Poirier’ , Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir and Albert Camus were the names among those that frequently appeared, as what they called French intellectuals who really acted as the icons here.

 Café de Flore was a place for them to hang around, expressing their thoughts, ideas, awareness of the world issues (political & culture) , especially for France & America; or in person (Female & Male, You & I) that matters, then transformed their avant-garde thinking into plays, writings, journals, music, poem…,etc; even though they might not be acceptable in those days. It became a place that dreams could be made, no matter what the reality might be in chaos.

So I put this into the center page of my book, as a symbolic of the belief that any of us can embrace. We can have numerous dream, great or humble, global or for one’s own; provided the motivation is not evil, there is always a path to reach the success, nothing to do with the rocket sciences but keep trying and move on. 

Whether you like to stay in Café de Flore or Les Deux Magots; you are in Hong Kong, France or elsewhere; you are a teenager or old guy, male or female, rich or poor…, dream is no boundary once you act. 

2022/08/26

Left Bank & Dream a Little Dream

 


Paris never fails us of her attractions, especially for those who love shopping. Whether the  prosperity impression, luxurious living or the Bohemia life style , what people used to call; are actually a very different scenario of what Paris was experienced & had been transformed after WWII.

While writing this series, I was accidentally found a book “Left Bank - Art, Passion and the Rebirth of Paris 1940-1950” by Agnés Poirier. A book that opens my eyes wide and solve some of the queries inside me during the trip. 

During the WWII, the third republic lead French into a shameful act, allow the occupied of the Nazis without defense, it might prevent major casualties as they originally thought but in fact, not to the Jews here, as mentioned in the book, over 13000 Parisian Jews (one third are children) were sent to death in Poland in 1942 & 80000 Jews were sent from France to concentration camps…this is still an ached in some of the Parisians nowadays. That explains to me why so many Jewish memorial museum were built in Paris. I feel sad, too. 

The intellectuals, how they survived to face the lost of their Jewish friends each day but couldn’t say, would there be any hope to dream for their future? To continue their philosophic expression? Publication? Playwright? Artistic life? simply to live or left?

Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Sylvia Beach, Albert Camus, Ernest Hemingway, Jacques Jaujard, Pablo Picasso, Henri cartier-bressan…some of the characters in the book, the intellectuals who were there…their dreams didn’t vanish but transformed and camouflaged in another way to preserve the seed of hope. What they had been struggling, physically, mentally & emotionally (whether succeeded or failure) left a trace in the Café de Flore, café des Deus Magots, the Louvre and many other places in Paris. 

The huge impact in the field of their specialties & their “third way” are still influencing a lot of us in the modern age.  Café de Flore may be famous of it’s hot cocoa, but in depth, there’s always been the stories behind like Hôtel La Louisiane, the Shakespeare & Co., Le Tabou…that flourished.

Dream a little Dream book cover
Click to enlarge

Dream a little Dream is the second last book of Petit Paris Series, my first draft was finished in February 2022, the moment of the 5th wave of COVID-19 in Hong Kong, should I still bring out this message to my reader? absolutely Yes, without any hesitation! the hope to end this pandemic as same as the hope to end war. If they could survive in their own ways and achieved even more in 10 years, we can, it's not only a dream!





2022/05/14

I love Haussmann

Okay, I know this is a bit weird to have all these cross over below :P  but let me explain something:-

I am really obsess to the Haussmann architecture, especially the Attic floor. Well, you may think it's the smallest, least luxurious, most of all, it's usually for the maids... but, it has the best view overall! Don't you think it's quite difference from the concept, like us who live in Hong Kong? Lots of people are willing to pay extra to live in a penthouse of a high rise residential. What a contrary ? 

Of course the reason is quite simple indeed, even thought the highest Haussmann building is only six levels, without an elevator in the good old days, there is no way for the bourgeois to climb so high, no matter how stunning the view is.  In addition, how could they ask their VIP to climb stairs for gathering day & nights!That's why the construction concept behind is to have the best floor on level 2, which did make sense; regarding the stunning view? any where you see in Paris are "stunning" why restricted to the window views of your apartment? 

Back to the modern time, I will be 100% excited to live in a Haussmann building on the 2nd level, but as a tourist, it's also interesting to stay for a while on the Attic floor, which usually has a sloped ceiling, with a small balcony open wide to enjoy your daily sunset... you can find it in some B&B rentals, and I am sure I will go for a try next time. 

Watercolor of Haussmann architecture front elevation in the book of Exquisite
center page in the book of Exquisite

In the mean time, what I can do is to draw a nice picture of her, to share with you in my new book & hope you will like it, too. But this is not the end, see what I've discover...

Sim city game of Paris view in daylight
Ha ha! I am building a virtual Paris in Sim City! in my leisure moment, of course. A game I've found accidentally after returned from the trip, there are a lot to be developed, although it's not 100% real with so many restrictions, the Haussmann building are not bad, what do you think?

Sim city game of Paris view at night
The night scene do imitate some of the mood in reality, I don't know how long will I continue to play for the expansion until a "longer La Seine" can be made, let's see.

Finally, I would like to share with you the photo below, a real scene of my beloved architecture I took viewing from the Center Pompidou. One of my favorite view, neat & decent; not for the bourgeoisie only, but for everyone who love to stay. 

A scene of Haussmann architecture line up under blue sky in Paris


2022/05/07

Exquisite - Book Ten Of Petit Paris


Book cover of Exquisite - Petit Paris
Click to enlarge


This is the most difficult book I’ve written in Petit Paris series, why? It seems there are so many elements that I can use to express “Beauty”, but is it the only thing that I want to say? No, I’m quite sure.

Writing book is always for the public but at the same time also personal I shall say, and this is my own feeling during these few years, that’s why you may love it or not; but beautiful things created by artists, designers, architects, craftspeople …and the final piece are always dominated by commercial, religious or even political reasons in most of the time. Take it or leave it, getting rich or broke, being famous or no one ever knows…now or in the future!

My thought was complicated while writing “Exquisite”, there are tensions between beauty ~long lasting ~preserve ~transform ~handmade ~technology…too many want to incorporate, too little can be captured, cos’ Beauty always has two faces, exterior & interior.

I was a commercial interior designer, I knew the struggle inside to convert “the beautiful thing in your eyes” to the one in “their eyes”. It’s even harder for us to produce & complete them even we may not think it is good enough or even ugly…but it has to be done, no matter how. For the truly beautiful things can be demolished/ vanishing just by a simple decision from some powerful people/unit who knows nothing about beauty at all! Weird but it’s the reality.

I think this is the reason to explain my excitement when seeing beautiful things that were preserved so well in Paris. Which also lead me to think of those behind who created and made them long long time ago. 

It seems the word Craftspeople is a bit old fashion nowadays, for everything takes time to complete may not suit in our new age, less and less youth are willing to take part in this sort of careers but not totally. Japan is a good example which did an excellent job in this field, recently in Hong Kong, there are also some young craftspeople who start to realize handmade items and to preserve rather than replace are valuable; furniture, book, glasses, cheongsam, leather goods, architecture…hopefully there will be a lot more in the future.

It’s quite simple in my theory, whenever people is willing to spend time into a certain thing, to make it nicer, to bring joy to someone, he/she has a kind heart, the beauty inside. 


2022/04/27

Forgotten Chap - 01

INSANE

The land of mine…

no one knows why

they were there

long long time ago

arrogant of a human nature

who dare 


The people of mine…

no one knows why

not from your womb

not being tied

nonsense of a human nature 

like you


Creation of God

that is the truth

the master who own

you, too

 

 

Oiseau Distrait
24 April 2022

2022/04/16

Spring Shower - Point Zéro



Spring Shower - Point Zéro for Petit Paris by Oiseau Distrait
click to enlarge

 

Hi, hi! 

Spring is coming...already came? how about having a Spring Shower to read a free copy of Point Zéro , just for a limited period of time 15 to 22/4/2022. 

Simply go to my Oiseau Distrait page & grab from the book link, feel free to leave a comment or star, if you like it :D

Happy reading in Happy Easter!








2022/02/26

Happy rainy days

Watercolor of walking in rainy day - La Rue of Petit Paris

Unexpectedly shower is the norm in Paris, locals told me “never leave home without an umbrella” and it’s absolutely true. They said the weather here may drive you nuts sometimes, the extreme cold & wet days in Winters continue for a whole week, it makes them feeling emotionally sad. That’s why whenever the sun comes out, everyone gather in the park, along the Seine & café . I did experience a few times here, a great hug by the warmth of the sun was wonderful, relaxing joy & laughter’s around the place, so enjoyable.
 
And if you know this norm, to explore under the rain on street is interesting, too. Unlike Hong Kong, due to the lower Haussmann building skyline here, I will always feeling there are more spacious even walking on a street or alley; if you are not in the busy office hours, the momentum is much slower, people rarely in their rush mode, except in metro station. So, I can enjoy the water color like scenery in rain…j’adore !
 
That’s why I choose to record this moment in my book, although the painting is not good enough as I think, I start to enjoy painting rainy day for its neon like color way , hopefully I can practice more & more to finally create my perfect rainy day.
 
In the meantime, wish you can walk with me with lots of imagination! :D

2022/02/19

來來去去 / To & From...where


Book cover of La Rue - Petit Paris by Oiseau Distrait
click to enlarge


我想,今次La Rue 的網誌,應該先用中文寫,因為這本書所涉及的內容,在今天,對身處香港的我們尤其切身。

兩年前去旅行的時候,完全沒有想過香港又再次出現移民潮(上次是1997年);如果你有看第六本書Hear Me, 也許會記得當我回來的時候,心繫巴黎的其中一件事,便是繁華背後,瑟縮在街頭巷尾的一班移民;其實我所眼見的也只是冰山一角,在不遠的市外,流浪著幾十萬的非法移民~這是昔日法國為着補充勞動人口而大開中門的後果。過多的移民突然衝擊着整個社會的結構,包括文化、經濟、生活配套、民生等等;但是,為什麼即使法國處於這個局面,仍有人離開故土而遷到這裏呢?

為着更好的生活、下一代有更多發展的可能、更自由的空氣、逃離窮困無望的家鄉…?!任何想像得到的原因,同樣適用於歷世歷代全球的移民潮中,今天,香港也不例外…是無奈?又或只是基本人類求生的慾望?

今年隨著親人及身邊的朋友也相繼預備離開,姑勿論基於任何原因,絕對不是一個容易的決定,特別是對於一群進入收成期在港生活了幾十年的中年人。也許近日也會從不同媒體聽到他們移民前後的際遇,但既然作了決定,無論離開或留下,還是應該積極去面對未來,一步一步地和家人去共同解決前面的問題。身為香港人的我,仍然很熟悉及相信我們的適應能力,更何況有不少是為着下一代而決定的,深信無論在任何地方,你們還是可以生存下來的。

對於決定留下的人,香港仍是我們心繫的故土,仍然很想努力"耕耘",是基於一份信念,更是對神作為一切主權的信心!

 

An Asian lady on the street in Paris



A local lady on the street of Paris

I think it’s better for me to write this blog post for La Rue in bilingual, because what this book addresses is emigration, a direct impact to us in Hong Kong even under the haunting of Covid since 2019. 

There was no clue for me to imagine the emigration wave appear once again in HK (last time was in 1997 & 2014) when I was returned from Paris, I did plan to include this topic in one of my book but simply for the scenario I saw in Paris, i.e.: of those who struggle to survive there…the uncontrollable result for the government of France to bear due to the drawn in of required working power…influx as a result which crashing the vulnerable society.

Actually what I had seen as mentioned in the book of “Hear Me” was only the tip of the iceberg, millions of immigrants are still scattered outside the boundary of Paris without any support behind a “hidden barrier”. But why people keep on leaving their homeland to somewhere which might not be their real “heaven”!

A chance for future of their own & the next generation, freedom, better living standard, to survive, escape from the mess of their own countries? all these could be the reasons to emigrants around the whole world, as well as in Hong Kong today; is it barely resigned or just a basic instinct of survival !

There is for sure more & more of my friends are going to leave in 2022, a huge decision they have to  make,  especially for those who are in their middle age ~ time of their harvesting period but now has to be started all over again somewhere. It’s hard but it has to keep moving forward by all means, I am pretty sure they will make it because they are “Hong Kongers”, the toughest to survive - a genetic code that we all have.

 


 

 

2022/01/08

Drawing the Magic Moment

Magic Moment watercolor drawing in the book City Of Light

Twilight time is always my favor moment wherever I am, the mysterious blue is stunning and attractive, it's the perfect time to enjoy before dark.

During the trip, I rarely took photos at night. There are some reasons behind such as Tired - after walking a whole day long, sometimes without eating enough (to save time especially during visiting museums :P); it will killing me to bring along with a tri-pot for shooting night scene. Well, I can increase the ISO of course as an alternative, but I have to confess I am stubborn, I don't like the noise resulted of high speed. How about to use my light weight titanium tri-pot? it’s a bit small for my D300…the one that fits, my Manfrotto, sooooooo….heavy! I quit :P

Temperature - it’s quite cold at night, usually in single digit or even 1-2 degree only, it takes time to explore stunning scene, not knowing for how long to discover one, because my target are definitely not the tourist spots; so, the cozy and warm hotel room always win.

Safety - I should be pretty safe at night in the tourist zone such as 1er of where I stayed, and most others zones up to 8er. But photo shooting is not “safe” sometimes, the desire of chasing a perfect scene makes me lost of my way, it happens often in Hong Kong (but it’s never a problem because H.K. is small & familiar to me). 

An exhausted normal height Asian with a camera getting lost in the dark alley of an unfamiliar city…I guess I could be… or, if I am safe by luck, return late night by metro is not a good idea either; unless by taxi or…

Drawing the Magic Moment watercolor with photo reference
Am I having too many concerns? I think so. When I was writing this book, I did regret of not taking more night scene photos, I have to assist by recap of my memories with the help of online reference – not a perfect experience, feeling there are something missing… 

The watercolor drawing as well as the book cover are really my wishes to “be there at that moment”, not only in twilight time, but also at night on the roof top; hopefully someday, I shall return to Paris … together with my proper gear for a midnight walk.