2021/08/27

Obsess to the voice of Stacey Kent

 

Stacey Kent candid moments album cover

I just can't stop listening all this week...Stacey Kent!
 
The first time I've heard her vocal was years before from a French online radio, a song call "C'est petit rien" in her "Breakfast on the morning tram" album. Then I started to aware of her unique voice, some people said it's the sleepy voice just after wake up...
 
A voice light as feather, sexy & emotional. Originally I thought she is French but actually she is an American Jazz singer. No matter what, I also started to write down some more songs title that attracted me such as "Que reste t'il de nos amours" & "It might as well be Spring", etc.

I know, I know, purchase online or listening on Youtube are the easier ways, but I am a bit old fashioned :P , so I try to find her CD...

Unfortunately, HMV was closed in Hong Kong since 2019, it's even more difficult to look for this "vanishing" CD product, I am afraid. And fortunately, on the other hand, I found a few from another store although it's not her French albums, it's a double CD set, Hurray x3 !!!
 
I can't explain but her voice keep me working in a peace of mind, so comfortable like a bird talk next to my ears...my obsession began, my pleasure :)
 
 


 

Autumn Breeze Sale 2021

Hey, pal,
"Summer Cool Sale" of Book 2 Entrée Sortie is coming to an end after a few more days up to   31 August 2021 (date included). So, I think it may be nice to have an "Autumn Breeze Sale" before our Winter come for Book 3 Chat Noir, what do you think?

39% reduce in price from 1 to 30 September 2021
                                                          
click to enlarge

Meaning, you can purchase in 
$1.99 (US) from Apple Books 
or $15.46 (HK) from Google Books

Enjoy! together with the forever free 
Book One : Pont Neuf of Petit Paris series.



If you like my books, feel free to write a review after reading or rate by Star(s) as you like. 

Au revoir!
Oiseau Distrait

2021/08/20

SQUARE in Tsim Sha Tsui East

It's been a while not going to the Tsim Sha Tsui East district, until recently I was having a gathering over there.  So I've decided to go earlier, buy some time, hanging around to see if there is any big changes.

Tsim Sha Tsui East commercial building viewing from footbridge

Actually not much, when I was standing on the footbridge looking towards this view, same feeling of the good old days as I was a student, still...a lot of "squares".  
Tsim Sha Tsui East is always a bit isolated and therefore even though it is a tourist + commercial zone, I feel more relax here compare with the Canton road section. 
 
A new high rise with rectangular windows in earth tone
Except this new building (to me) I've discovered near the harbour, I will say it looks nice to fit into the surrounding, subtle & decent; again square square square... 
 
Finally, I found "Square of the Day" in a dramatic colorway that attracted me. I thought the purplish shade was due to deterioration of the glass curtain material instead, but did create another unique scenario I love.

Square curtain walls of a hotel in purple shade

Looking into windows of the buildings from street in or after the twilight time is one of my "hobby", it's interesting, imaginative and even with surprise sometimes; I will always imagine the look of the peoples who live inside, what is his/ her job, what are they doing right now/ or waiting for someone may be...under the bright white or moody yellowish luminescent; weird thoughts, I know :P

close up of a room interior through curtain wall of a hotel

What do you think?

2021/08/17

難過的一天

星期日,在商場售賣的電腦螢幕上,正播放着阿富汗政府把國家及人民拱手相讓給塔利班的消息,我停下來,心中很不安。

星期一,在新聞得知連總統也不理人民生死⋯逃走了!滿腦子問號"神啊!當地人民,特別是婦女,將會如何?能承受嗎?"

今天早上,心裏仍然不安,手機已經傳來弟兄轉發在當地婦女的一個 IG Post, 述說她的絕望。接着,在Times 看到一篇曾經是當地駐軍的退役美軍細説這麼多年究竟在當地發生什麼事,為何美軍對阿富汗政府軍的訓練和所付出的會如此不堪一擊⋯⋯

前幾天,仍在繼續看奧巴馬的書 A Promise Land, 回想書中提及過他要做一個十分艱難的決定:應該增加阿富汗駐軍,還是定下撤離時限?當中要考慮的因素實在太多…

以上一個一個零碎的片段,今天在腦海中不停地交錯浮現。日間,好不容易地勉強集中精神完成一些工作;晩飯看完新聞後,又回到無助的感覺,實在沒辦法繼續工作下去。 

以往會認為始終是遠方的內政,離我們很遠,也很難做到些什麼,所以不會太上心;只是自從香港社運,地球暖化不能逆轉及Covid-19 之後,我感到正在其他國家發生中的事,已經和我們緊緊相連着,只要是地球人便不能幸免,至少,我們的心會被牽動,為當地人民著急!

不經不覺地今天,我在香港渡過了十二多個小時,生活"如常",但對於在阿富汗的人民、婦女,這十二小時是何等漫長.…沉重!即使我明白世界的苦難有定時,也非人可改變,但有時確實難以承受,唯有求神憐憫,求祢保護你所愛的子民!







2021/08/14

Jan 2021 Hong Kong

Colorful fruit stall along Sheung Wai
Today is 14 Aug 2021, 
 七夕 Qixi Festival in Hong Kong, but I am not going to write the story of it, instead, something about my yearly appointment on 1 January to Pok Fu Lam on the Hong Kong side.

Right after, I would walk towards Central to take the MTR way home. Before that, I must walked through the narrow streets "up & down" in Sheung Wan; which was enjoyable if you had "strength" and love the old stuff, like this. 

Well, we can still see this kind of stalls in some other old districts like Sham Shui Po, but always a bit different here, may be due to the sloped narrow streets and the "fainted" color of shops nearby. You would get the feeling of returning to the 70's - 80's liked travelling in time machine. 

I loved the kind of  "slow" motion, the aroma of livelihood, the tranquil moment while most of the people were still sleeping after the crazy night on the New Year's Eve... as well as the antique color that could always be captured.

I took this photo simply by my "ancient" iphone SE, as my usual practice, the lighting & color to be reflected as real at that moment as possible, that's the moment of us!

Actually there was the hawker inside, but I tried not to interrupt & therefore took this angle, which was fine provided my "models" were feeling comfortable :p


和興臘味家


Before I left this district, one of my favorite spot, here...a very traditional Chinese sausage maker, I wished they would never replaced the incandescent light bulbs, never... the yellow tone that eventually vanishing !

Usually a lot more sausages will be hanging all along on those horizontal railings, by the end of January close to our Chinese New Year, imagine how spectacular it will be; the most happiest festival for Hong Konger, a few more months to go. 

I can't estimate what will going to happen in the coming months before my next visit in 2022, both the pandemic of Covid-19 or the political changes in Hong Kong, but I have confidence as always, hope in human nature...wish we & you all the best!




2021/08/11

再見,朋友!

今天無意中得知有一些朋友已經在短時間內離開了香港,一家移居他方。雖然這也不是什麼奇事,但和大家道別一句也沒有,甚至連WhatsApp 通知也欠奉,感覺還是酸溜溜的;是因為未必會再見?又或是離去怱怱呢?!

每個人都有他們對未來的計劃與期望,加上新世代的交通及通訊便利,其實身處何方也沒有特別的距離感,不過,今天的感覺有些不一樣;令我整天即使在工作中,思緒仍難以集中,因為今次的"距離"似是很遙遠⋯

昨天晚上和朋友閒談,告訴他們,如果有一天他們也要離去,請務必和我見一次面,好好道別!我還以為這是一個很低的要求,原來不知何時,這已經成為一個可能不能實現的"強求"了,心中不是味兒⋯

生活了數十個寒暑,對不少幻變的世事,算是勉強學會了如何去面對。作為基督徒的我,亦實在會多一分力量,深信神掌管一切的信心;或許,這也是我心中此刻仍然可以有一份平安,雖然我不知明天會如何,會否仍然是我能"承受"的狀態,我仍然希望有"希望"~似是廢話罷😅!不過,我是認真的,因為我們同是地球村的地球人,神所愛的子民,願你們~我的朋友們⋯一切安好!


(窗外突然下着雨,似是代替我們的道別⋯)




Summer Cool Sale

Hey, pal,

Sorry again it seems I do forget to tell you there is a "Summer Cool Sale" 
for Book 2 Entrée Sortie of 39% reduce in price from 1 to 31 August 2021
                                                          
Book cover of Entrée Sortie
click to enlarge
Meaning, you can purchase in 
$1.99 (US) from Apple Books 
or $15.46 (HK) from Google Books

Enjoy! together with the forever free 
Book One : Pont Neuf of Petit Paris series.

Oiseau Distrait