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

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 Revoir & See you there!
 
 

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 

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 

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。

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

我是大坑西新邨居民

 ＂呢度都就拆啦！做乜仲花錢裝修呀？＂十三年前裝修師傅的一句話，記憶猶新。當年隨丈夫搬回老家，生活開始了新的一頁，就這樣跟大坑西新邨連繫起來。

相比起邨內大部份原居民，即自光民村年代的一群（本邨歷史在網上有詳盡資料，在此不贅），我在這裏的年資算淺，十三年前所聽到的重建傳聞，其實再早於十多年前已困繞著邨民，只是有些懷著既來之則安之的心態如常生活下去，但也有終日憂心的一群，特別是長者。今天，這個日子終於來臨，也就是全邨民必須面對的時候；說真的，近日邨內原有那悠閒安逸的氣氛確實消失了！

近日媒體或某某對本邨都有＂詳盡／獨特＂的見解或評論，不論他們是否邨民又或是長年服務本邨居民的單位，所以每逢看到這些報道，總覺得可笑。其實＂抽水＂也應該有＂抽水的道義＂罷！而當看到一些較為中肯及貼近實況的報導時，心中也會慶幸世上仍然有盡責的主筆，為此而感恩。

或許是一般報導篇幅所限，又或許事件中有太多細節，如果不是生活在本邨的人，確實很難有較全面的掌握，所以很想用這篇網誌說出一些我的所見所聞，盼望盡量為各方面作一個較客觀的闡述。（盡力客觀啦！畢竟我也是邨中人😅，見諒！）

(A）一般理解：大坑西新邨是老人邨。

(B) 我見到的卻是：有老年、有中年、青年丶學生甚至嬰兒，這是世代的繁衍，新生代的出現，甚至第二代回流。

1. 這裏殘破，不宜居。
2. 由於總共有八幢，各於兩段不同時期落成，所以在樓齡而言部份確是殘舊，而平民屋宇有限公司只作最基本的維修（即通常是治標不治本對策），直至極其嚴重如公共供水系統長期失效影響食水及冲厠水供應，才不得不新建明喉而至終把問題解決了。

至於其他公共設施，如外牆翻新（當然是選擇性做較易的部份，不過也算有做吧！）、更換走火門、保安巡邏、（無奈地）為邨民棄置大傢俬甚至裝修廢料、修葺公園大樹和維修，、每月洗地、維修走廊長期滴水喉管（須然仍然失敗）、修補地面⋯等。

或許可以說他們做得不好、不夠好，甚至在較舊的幾幢成效更不堪入目，但我確實見到這些工作在進入重建程序前仍不斷進行。

至於不宜居的室內，確實有，尤其沒有升降機，住在較舊及高層或年長居民，即使想維修也有難度。但也有部份非以上情況的邨民仍可以為自己搭建一個舒適的窩居，我是幸運的一個低層住戶，不得不說：即使是龜速wi fi , 我的家仍然很宜居。

1. 大坑西邨居民沒有公屋資格。
2. 說真的，以前我也以為是這樣，否則不會是全港現今唯一的廉租私樓。但原來部份原邨民確實有其公屋資格（詳情參大坑西新邨歷史），因此把＂大坑西邨居民沒有公屋資格＂硬套用在他們身上，確實不公。

加上，很諷刺的是，重建原是為了改善民生讓邨民及更多香港居民有屋可住（+業主有錢賺），但到頭來，有特別歷史背景及需要的邨民連恩恤安置也落空，由一個不合適居所搬到另一個不合適居所。

或許大家會覺得，有補貼又有新屋住，怎會是不合適呀？

1. 大坑西邨居民享受了廉租這麼久，現在重建有補貼又有新屋住，還要求多多！
2. 邨民當中有不同背景，先撇除非原租戶和已經漸漸有經濟能力而不想住在此的舊邨民。原災民、長者（也曾經年輕過，為香港付出過的人）、經濟問題、不能與家人同住問題、精神情緒健康等須要獨處⋯等等的一班人，願意以日日行樓梯住在基本維修的舊樓來換取廉租和一個喘息空間；或許我們不應用＂享受＂這個字眼，因為我看見的這一切，邨民在背後是要付上代價的，更何況廉價與否，都是有交租，在商言商，租戶與業主，各取所需。邨民只需一片瓦，就這樣簡單。

（抱歉如果眼裏只有金錢這個概念的讀者，可以不再讀下去，免浪費你的寶貴時間）

再進深一層而言，部份長者除了體力問題、沒有人租給他們、沒能力在餘生重新適應等，因而不願一搬再搬，為的只求心態上的安穩狀態／安全感= 安享晚年！這又豈止是本邨居民的卑微要求嗎？所謂的不合適，怎能在＂以人為本＂這個概念下撇棄這方面的考慮呢？！

1. 業主回遷安排合情合理？！
2. 業主與邨民在重建上的溝通，如果以10 分計算，我眼見的是3分，反而由部份邨民組成的關注組是有9分的主動牲。我必須認同，在私人市場上業主就是業主，某程度上可操租戶生死權，我們的業主絕對有此霸氣，但又並非完全＂無得商量＂；至少十多年後，我終於見到他們和居民見面解說，會收取意見書，也會安排社工進註，亦會有上訴審批回遷資格的可能，姑勿論後續如何，所以這三分是他們應得的。

但至於回遷安排是否合情合理？在業主和上文提到的某某來說，又或者已經急不及待投資在本邨新建房屋的人來說，回遷安排是101%合情合理，無可挑剔。

在部份邨民來說，一天未清楚解釋及承諾邨民對現在和將來的憂慮，亦不安置好有特別需要邨民的話，這個回遷安排肯定未合格，也就是大家很難理解為何在滿有疑慮的狀態下，業主不能稍停下來。

我呢？我會說，業主有超過100 個理由，無論是可以或不可以又或不想公開的原因，目的是要把握時間展開工作。邨民有多過100 個理由，相對是較坦蕩場地公開原由，不想阻礙重建但至少不要臨老流離失所。我只有一個意見，當業主不再視自己為＂主＂，試試作為一個邨民，現今的回遷方案是可以有改變，變得更人性化，更好，變得更合情合理，最終能更順利地推展這個原是三嬴局面的重建項目。

大坑西新邨是私營還是公營，我相信業主與政府自有定論，其實表面字眼上也不怎麼重要；當真正以民為本（請別忘記除了各大香港居民之外也包括本邨邨民）的時候，什麼合不合資格（又不是炒家富豪），恩恤與否（能夠寬容一點嗎？），申請程序規定（規程是死，人是活）云云⋯要解決，其實不難，何必互相折磨？

主祐大坑西邨全邨民

2023年夏