Treadmill...to Die for ?!

Boom-boom-boom...

Boom-boom-boom... 

Why am I here? a baby of one year.

Mom,  what is this for, do I need to crawl? 

Hey, baby can you try once more,

as fast as you could so I can move

my teacher is waiting 

exams are haunting

I must be hurry cos’ year two is coming !

Hey, little girl don’t block my way,

I have proposals & dozens of meetings 

my clients are waiting 

big boss is haunting 

I must be hurry cos’ probation is ending 

Hey, young man please keep running,

We shall follow you on the same paving 

our business are failing

our mortgage is haunting 

We must be hurry cos’ the bank is closing !

Hey, Mr & Mrs don’t falling 

old pa & grandma are chasing 

keep the tread smoothing 

her doctor is waiting

Nursing home’s quota is holding  

We must be hurry cos’ our last chance can’t be missing ! 

Hey, everybody don’t panic 

I am done with no more rush

Plug off the treadmill cos’ I don’t need to run

The god of death is haunting  

My graveyard is waiting 

 send me a daisy if you are willing

the beauty of nature that I missing !

Hear Me

 

click to enlarge

Hi, Hi!

What a super hot summer in Hong Kong right now, let's have some reading under the sun...or in your comfy air conditioned corner with a smoothie or ice coffee :P
The sixth book of  Petit Paris series was released yesterday, you can say it do has some relationship with book 4 Jardins Secret & book 5 Point Zéro . You may aware there is an arrangement, not intentionally at the very beginning, but developed as time goes by:-

Book 1 - Pont Neuf......explore Paris
Book 2 - Entrée Sortie......explore Museums
Book 3 - Chat Noir......explore Belle épogue

Book 4- Jardins Secret......explore Gardens......reminding Friends & Families
Book 5- Point Zéro......breathtaking Churches......reminding Faith & People
Book 6- Hear me......"listen" to graffiti & the silent voices......reminding the Be-forgotten
Book 7....?

I've always has some difficulties to tell my friends what the genre of my book should be, because it consist of photograph, painting, song like text, a mixture of three but not quite definite as Photography, Arts or Poetry; so I will usually say it is my "sketch book" 公仔書 as I will describe in Cantonese - a sketch book of all my experience and thoughts to express through these three "channels". 

It's always enjoyable while writing, to recap a lot of my pleasure during the trip, the amazing moment of different hours in a long day, them - peoples that flash into my mind! By the end of the book, I may be lost or sad somehow, but never give up Hope! 

Two more books to finish in the year of 2021, I wish you can continue to walk through this journey with me, until the end of next year. Let's see what would Petit Paris lead us to...?!

 

Graffiti, merely?

I love walking, street, alley, riverside, local stalls...although it will drain off all my energy at the end, almost every night when I’ve returned to the hotel; but walking is really the most enjoyable activity in Paris, I can adjust my momentum wherever I like, “freeze” ......when attractions like this.

Texture & colour are the highlights which draw me close, all of the unknown fonts are transform into beautiful graphics; but in fact they do mean something for the specific group of persons or individuals in a specific moment.

Sometimes it’s sad to find them being painted on the public facilities, especially onto the heritage architectures which did shock me in the first place because I thought the citizens here do treasure them more than balustrade, mansion doors, pavement, post box...,etc. But when I walk along to discover more & more of them, I start to understand a bit more of their anger, the only way to express their accusation of being ignored by the government? the empowered? for months...years...?

Although that‘s not a tourist would like to see when visiting a spot, it’s the reality that we should face & to deal with the problems, there is no way to hide. A destructive act onto the public canvas may not be a perfect way but at least, a beam of hope for “them” to aware, to awake!

思維靜院

教會為着解構聖經中的書卷 ~ 雅歌，特別舉辦了這次三日兩夜的靜修營，也是我一早計劃好離職後給自己一個靜思的日子。

半小時的快速船，離開市區往長洲山上的思維靜院，和朋友一起步行上山，原本十多分鐘的行程，因為入錯分义路，在雨中花了差不多三十分鐘才到步.…忘記了告訴她，能夠一次順利到達陌生目的地，在我的前半生，出現的機率微乎其微, 不過現今有GPS, 我還是肯定在入夜前必定到達 :P

進入相對寂靜的世界，人聲、手機聆聲丶媒體資訊…被大自然的風聲、雨聲、鳥語、晨曦一一代替。完成每節的聚會之間，總能享受完全屬於自己的時空。

一望無際的海面，除了七八隻老鷹翺翔之外，也看到弟兄姊妹各自靜思於小角落；夜間，亦能望到山下長洲居民的燈火，船隻歸航的指示燈… 此刻，很舒服。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

第一個晚上，在房間用風扇代替冷氣，除下口罩，打開窗，享受着雨後樹木的清香；思考着神與人/ 人與人之間關係的點點滴滴。第二個晚上，索性把風扇也關掉，讓風聲、雨聲、蟲鳥夜鳴陪伴入睡…. 此刻，很平靜。

 

這裡，有一個小角落，掛着一個手作風鈴，在疾風中發出噹噹巨響; 但行近細聽，柔弱溫婉的餘韻隨着中間水渠口蓋緩緩擦向鐵通發出，似乎有未完的說話…望着晴空的白雲，聽着聽着…此刻，忘我。

其實離開繁囂並不太難，離開資訊對某些人來說才是最不習慣；是恐防遺漏即時新聞還是害怕會被遺忘的一刻？

重回現實的晚上，關掉一切媒體裝置，雖然窗外傳來的是車響人聲，眼前的小山丘旁邊萬家燈火，心中卻傳來柔柔鈴聲，此刻 ... 重回我的小角落！

設計師系列...還要繼續嗎?

 忽然心血來潮，都係寫埋呢幾句先睇書。係臨熄機嘅時候，突然睇到＂設計師系列＂呢幾隻字，腦海中突然諗起，係喎，我仲應語應該繼續寫呢個系列呢？

書

這幾年間，花多了些時間看書；應該説是幸福地可以騰出時間及心情來看書。隨了刻意地把家中所有設計書籍、畫册及雜誌重看一遍之外，也把所有中英文小説、信仰書籍都重看了。真的，在工作以外的時間，花了差不多三年；還沒有把新買及弟弟借給我的繪本計算在內⋯⋯好書~實在令我着迷。

朋友勸我還是去圖書館借閱罷，兩年前我認真地重新申請圖書証，終於展開借書之旅，結果借閲了不到十本，又回到買書的日子。也有朋友叫我閲讀電子書，結果嘗試了兩三頁，沒錯，不是兩三本，又回到買實體書的日子。幸好，我並非愛情小說迷，否則一定破產收場⋯⋯

上週，因為要找一些資料，從書架上取下Mitch Albom 的 the five people you meet in Heaven,由於有些內容已忘記了，於是又快速重看了一遍。就是這樣，在人生中不斷地重看，又是另一番滋味；翻開變黃了的首頁，寫下這是2006年買的，書背仍貼着$66售價的純白標貼，嘩！時光飛逝！

但每次藉着這小小的標記，令我回想當天買此書的時日情景(即使有些已忘記了)，也很令人回味；或許，這也是我喜歡買實體書的其中一個原因，它，會陪伴你＂成長，老去，再重生＂

原本打算在這個網誌分享一本，我剛剛在昨晚看完的書，但是寫到這裏，有關閲讀的點點滴滴已不經不覺地把篇幅延伸了，也許還是遲些再介紹罷；又是我晚間閱讀的美好時光了，晚安！

旅貓日記

這是一篇被遺忘了的網誌草稿，應該也有兩年之久。還記得那段時間重新到圖書館借書(包括這一本)，前後還看了夏目漱石的＂我是貓＂和另一本，川村元氣的＂如果這世界貓消失了＂，三本貓書，各有特色。

我喜歡貓，因為她們有個性，尤其耳朵呈三角形的短嘴貓；她們形態優美，悠然自得，不會隨便驚動你，除非她感覺到你喜歡她，而此刻她也想和你在一起。 

看旅貓日記，要預備一盒紙巾…主人翁因為一個原因，帶着小貓展開幾次探訪之旅，昔日的朋友，單戀對象…目的是為她尋找新居，看看她喜不喜歡新主人及環境。一次又一次的旅程，也換起主人翁的記憶與思念; 即使貓咪仍未有最終決定，無奈分別的時間已到.… 當你明白原由之際，貓咪選擇了她自己的想法…

已經是兩年前的閲讀，我已忘記主人翁及貓貓的名字，也忘記是三次或共四次的旅程，但此刻仍然記得那份着急、不捨和無奈的心情；同樣地，代入貓兒的角色，你確實會有另一個打算，不是為著自己的去向，而是對方，你所記掛的人/或貓！

結局如何，如常地留待你去經歷…旅程，仍是要繼續…

The History of Modern France

 

The History of Modern France

It's been a while for me to introduce some reading from my book shelf recently. Here is what I've got from a book store...by chance!

 

I walked in my leisure momentum towards Festival Walk in a sunny day, looking for a language grammar book, but it seems it's more & more difficult for me to find what I wanted in small book shop, unless I go to those super huge chain store...which I am not really enjoy. 

 

Due to the limited shop space to keep the stock, I thought I would leave in empty hands, but suddenly this book caught my eyes. Voila, I really need this, a quick review at the back cover and paid; a similar feeling of joy and excitement as I've bought The Fox and The Star .

I am not familiar with History of any country except a bit more of Hong Kong, of course. It's always be my most headache subject when I was a student, never pass in my exams. But I will be triggered to search the history of some countries after certain readings such as the memoir of a specific person, a trip, a painting or a story...when I grown up.

To have a glance of the history of France can be easily found online, but as usual, history can be boring if the writer mess it up; and on the other hand extremely attractive that leads the reader to view in wider angle , this book belongs to the latter. 

When I read through the details and have a bit more understanding to the background of the formation of Modern France, the Fifth Republic since the First Revolution, the "looping" of political, economic, basic human needs, or desires... all counted. Leading of the influx of immigrant, complicity of the social problems...after the vanished of the Monarchy & the "glorious" period of Napoleon's Empire.... facing the terrorist attacks in the modern age, again bearing the history that weight.

I continue to research more regarding the French National Symbols: the Cockerel and the Tri-color National Flag; the history of French Jews...A lot to explore, a lot more way for us to introspect, for all of our own countries, too. 

Thank you, Mr. Jonathan Fenby.

 

 

Transparent Integrity

 

Whenever a sunny day, there is always a wonderful moment in the afternoon for light to play with shadow, they attracts me, so I stop working to join them for a while, usually not a while but long enough for me to think of something that we've missed like...transparent integrity!

I forget where have I learned these wordings from, a book may be; but they were written on a post-it which pinned on my notice board since 2016. The shadow play in this afternoon reminds me of it, the transparency that has to be as crystal clear as this, I think, as a person, a human being...

I wish I won't lost mine!

做個放下的設計師

2021年4月18日，星期日，晴，11:00 a.m.

 

將最後一個地盤handover 俾客人，係最後一個，正式係我卅多年嘅室內設計生涯劃上一個句號！離開地盤嗰一刻實在有唔少感觸，不過同時又有D輕鬆、興奮同迷惘嘅感覺，心情都好複雜吓；畢竟係畢業之後第一份同唯一一份職業。

呢個收爐計劃始於2017年(乜咁早？)，係呀！我嘅壞習慣，因為大決定我一定要一個較長嘅過渡期。仲記得當時好友勸我，駛乜咁決絕話唔接就唔接(室內設計工作)？又唔係冇經濟需要，接吓D相關嘅工作，例如淨係做設計，唔做地盤；又或者做畫圖都可以吖…

老實講，如果你都係行內人，你一定會明白，做室內設計係冇得做D唔做D嘅，尤其我又唔係乜嘢出名大公司。而且淨係做一部份，個成品係好難做得完整嘅…你明啦！更重要嘅係，唔完全放低，就冇辨法係人生下半場開始另一個新體驗~畫公仔書。

2017年基本上已經開始做半職設計師，同步兼職教書；係2019年正式開始畫公仔書，一切由頭學起。最諷刺嘅係我越係準備引退就繼續有客，結果都係堅持只接親戚朋友屋企，限時至2021年一月一日為止(原定時間)…終於總算勉強如願。

人生就係咁㗎啦，唔決絕就會拖拖拉拉，搞不好到死嗰一日又話有D乜乜物物心願未了云云…其實乜嘢都係自己決定；我好清楚＂了結＂咗我嘅專業會換嚟乜嘢，有好有壞，有可以或唔可以承擔嘅狀況…不過好肯定嘅係…無悔！(加，唔能夠唔承認嘅不安全感)。

如果你問我，咁而家寫網誌呢一刻已經差唔多＂收山＂左大半個月有多，係唔係好寫意咁畫緊公仔書，享受人生呢？梗係…唔係啦！只可以話係正式開始斜槓族嘅低/冇收入生涯，希望七月份會有個暢順D嘅工作流程啦。不過今日，我已經冇唔捨得離開我嘅事業嗰個感覺(雖然有時仲諗緊以後填表要係職業嗰欄度寫乜？)，反而係呢段短短嘅時間裏面，除咗順利完成第六本公仔書之外，

我又唔經唔覺咁重拾放低咗好耐嘅平面設計，哈哈！雖然係義工，不過真係超級＂大滿足＂。

所以世事難料，鼓起勇氣離開安舒區，為自已編織新一頁，呢一刻，仍然期待！

我與布魯塞爾的距離

今天終於有些時間，坐下來靜靜地寫網誌。翻查觀看香港國際電影節的網誌，原來並沒有寫第43th 及44th界的紀錄，回想一下，為什麼呢？還記得在第43th和朋友一起看由Robert De Niro 及Gérard Depardieu 在大館上映的1900 ，上下集全長五個多小時；再加一套The Eyes of Orson Welles, 也似乎我是有打算為它們寫一篇觀後感的，因為圖片也預備好，而兩套戲也實在好看.…不過，應該是＂忘記鳥＂足足兩年多😅

而第44th 呢？應該是因Covid-19 而取消了。 今年，HKIFF45雖然有實體場，我還是在網上購票觀看，也只選了這一套 Ghost Tropic (Director: Bas Devos)；不知是否因為疫情關係，多少也影響了片源，能吸引我的不多；幸好沒有失手，又是一套好戲。

 

由 Saadia Bentaïeb 主演的一個中年穆斯林婦人，因為夜班工作在回程的布魯塞爾尾班車上睡過頭，結果要步行回家。一小時廿五分的劇情，差不多全由主角一手包辦；全套戲稀有的對白，夜靜的街角，便利店，大宅，醫院…遇見的人、物、狗… 隨着燈光、場景、配樂，彷如置身其中，和 Khadija (主角名字)一起在寒冷的夜空中遊走，很靜，很靜… 感受她的疲憊、失望、關注、擔憂、無奈、放下…

當她終於疲累地回到住所，我的思絮仍被＂今夜＂發生的一切事情牽動著，良久…才入睡，但天色已是魚肚白！

愛美麗狂想曲

"行者無疆、始於足下" ~ 何等令人嚮往!

昨晚剛剛播完大結局的愛美麗狂想曲, 是一套整體上營造了一個"夢幻世界"而令人產生無限幻想的電視劇. 失婚婦人為生計重投社會工作, 認識了一班中產階級, 互相構建了一些理想和感情線. 中產公關、國際級CEO、, 富二代、畫家、作家… 咖啡店、畫廊、酒吧、甜品店… 

不羈的"浪漫"最終, 主角由"師奶仔"脫變成旅遊攝影作家, 發揮潛能, 實現夢想!

已經好一段日子沒有值得我花時間追蹤的電視劇了, 四十五分鐘讓我稍為逃離現實, 帶我進入似乎認識卻又有點陌生的世界, 再折返人間. 我是一個可以很專注又投入劇情/電影情節的觀眾, 因為這樣才能嚐到劇中人物所感, 從而進入另外一個時空, 這是我享受的。

現實中, 全球處於不平衡的狀態之下, 先別說追夢, 單是求生, 在這一兩年變得格外困難. 不論是香港、緬甸、印度、美國、歐洲… 或許正因如此, 這套電視劇帶回一些久違了的"美好時光" - Belle Époque! 在每一個人心中, 總會有或曾經有憧憬, 應該會是美好的一面罷, 即使在此時此刻的現實中難以成就, 我想, 還是該先藏於心底, 誰知有一天不會如王麗美(劇中女主角)般"重生"呢?

雖然你或許會說王麗美之所以能重生, 畢竟在際遇上遇到兩位愛慕她的伯樂; 但不能否認的是在失意時, 她只是有限度地停留在傷痛和自憐的境况; 在沒有自信時接受朋友的鼓勵, 很快可以振作起來重新出發; 在迷惘時, 仍能理性地作出一些重要的決定… 改變現况, 始終離不開一些自強和樂觀面對的特質, 但願住在地球村的我們, 無論處於那一個國度, 面對着什麼困境, 仍能譜出屬於你的"狂想曲".

Sing Hallelujah to the Lord

 

I am in the Sacré-Cœur, walking around, admiring the grande architecture, huge organ above...then an “angel” voice awoke me....click to listen

Hallelujah hallelujah
   Hallelujah hallelujah
Hallelujah hallelujah....

(Sorry for the noise in the background, feel the volume of the interior...isn’t it amazing?)

Open my eyes in a panic mode, I am already trapped or better say I was buried by a crowded of tourist from my “motherland” simply because they squeeze for a glance to the priest who will start the mass quite soon. A few ladies notice my shock, although I’m sure I can see from their eyes, they are a bit of embarrass & feel sorry to interrupt but, my best viewing angle is absolutely un-replaceable, so I am totally “under-covered” within the next two minutes.

I am not sure whether I should force to escape but at the same time I do feel embarrassment, too, because Hong Kong had already returned to China, therefore.... you know what I mean :P , but miracle happens, I close my eyes, besides of

Hallelujah  hallelujah

Hallelujah hallelujah

Hallelujah hallelujah....

Nothing more but peace & joy, that’s all.
A moment that I’ll never forget, a gift from God! Hallelujah!

Back to the angel voice, I just can’t stop to hear more & more, one voice after the others...I was “trapped”! There is mass ready to be carried out, so I sit down on the bench nearby, bow down my head, close my eyes, listen to the lovely voice, so tranquil & peaceful...so...so...”Dark”!!! I am short of my breath...

My King James

Why King James Version and what is it? 
If you have one, by comparing with the following words, you will know what versions it belongs to.

For example:-  Genesis Chapter 1:1  
heauen (original Hebrews typeface) - 1611 version
heaven - 1769 version as well as in Modern English version

You can easily find the details in WiKi and also www.kingjamesbibleonline.org ; worth to check it out. Basically it can be known as:-

The King James Version (KJV), or
The King James Bible (KJB), or
(AV) The Authorized Version.

It is one of the most accurate English translation of the Christian Bible to be read in the Church of England under the authorized of King James, translated by 54 translators worked for 7 years. 

What I am having should be a 1769 standard version because 1611 version was using the archaic English language in the Elizabethan & Jacobean era; whereas the 1769 version is more “readable” and still reserve it’s poetic feeling with a flow of rhythm, so when you read out loud, they sounds beautifully.

  

Some other words like: remoone (1611), remove (1769  and modern version) in Corinthians 13:2 
It’s quite easy to identify and of course you will also find a letter "To the most high and might prince James" at the front page of the bible, too.

My King James Bible was a wonderful gift from my husband during his “flying” to Israel yearssss....before. The timber cover (walnut or sycamore may be?) is sooooo....special & human.
I choose to use the “ancient” verses in KJV for the highlight im my Point Zéro which are exactly what I wish my reader could read them loud to enjoy the "classic breeze", that’s why here they are, I hope you’ll love it! Enjoy!

P.S.: stain inside page are due to deterioration only.

Where are the hearts?

The Church of Saint-Germain I'Auxerrois

It may be a good time to write this book cos’ we are in the shadow of Covid-19 in the whole world, but while I am completing book 5 and ready to release, vaccines brings us a small light beam....a little hope, at least.

To recap some of the sceneries while the early explosion of the pandemic, some people thought it’s only a matter of life & death, so they just don’t care and reject any protection act but “Freedom of their own” not others who also has “Freedom to survive, being free from affection by others.”

Not until the reality force everybody on earth to face it’s cruelty, we’ve already lost millions & millions of life, thousands & thousands of families became fragments.

Sometimes, I was thinking, isn’t it a similar scenario to our religious belief? 

In Paris, there are numerous église = cathedral/ church, some were built centuries before (like the one above was found around 7th Century), a truly historical monument. They are breathtaking especially when you’ve entered, to experience the atmosphere of  its’ holiness, remember Sacré-Cœur in Montmartre? Or église St-Eustache near Forum des Halles? Although there were mass held every week or even daily, a place for the faithful hearts, in fact, Catholic or Christian who still attending regular mass or Sundry services are rare nowadays in this country, why?

Basilique du Sacre-Cœur

I was quite surprised when I knew it, meaning the flourishing of église doesn’t reflect the flourish of spiritual lives. 

Would the Bohemia life style can bring us some hints? a life style that attracts me, too; or, if we really living in this way, when facing the question of life & death again one day, not only on earth but above, could we be “vaccinated”? 

...I’m afraid the answer is no!