2010年6月11日 星期五

看圖造句的日子

上星期六收到萬年曆的圖畫和草擬的字句,
經過一個星期的推敲,跟自己腦震盪一番,
終於proof-read (部份要作過)了365套captions,
第一個回合總算大功告成,午膳前send了出去,
對方大抵沒料到我這麼快完成,隨即送來另一個電郵,
一則表示謝意,一則再另派新的任務。
其實,「看圖造句」時要投入的感情蠻多呢!
就像要將過去的思想、經驗、感受、領悟來個解構,
將之融入圖畫,化作文字,讓它細碎地訴說自己的故事。
此刻,腦袋已經像打了死結般,什麼也看不清想不到了,
不想將喜歡做的事變成負累,今天暫且放下剛傳來的任務。

我想︰在適當的時候,停一停,抽離一下,
做一做別的事,將工作「保鮮」,
也算是讓自己「休息」、「充充電」的一個方法吧!

更何況,要做的事情還多著呢!

2010年6月5日 星期六

A letter on this 4th Anniversary morn

My Dearest Friends,

Today is the 4th Anniversary of my little cottage.
Time flies, at a speed one seldom identifies.
Thank GOD! & Thank YOU!
Today I suddenly want to write something to you
(or more accurately, to myself too).
I have been experiencing too much here,
much more than I can imagine,
much more than I deserved to.....
It seems to me that my life has been melting,
reconfiguring & consolidating with all experiences
from different environments throughout years.

Thanks for being my friends originated here the cottage,
enriching my life though I can't do much for you in return.
Your physical, spiritual,
hide-in-silent supports means a lot to me.
It's funny to me that we only met in the cottage/bookfair,
a "trading corner" in the world,
how comes we develop to this stage?
Sometimes I enquire myself:
What makes this little cottage so fruitful?
I can't deny that it's not the books here,
though I once wanna be.
The answer inside my heart tells, that's LOVE,
overwhelming the so-called success, rights....
I can taste your love,
consideration and recognition here, deeply.
That's so precious, so wonderful and so unimaginable.

Really thanks! Special thanks to Venus, Milly, Pui, Canning, Laiwan, Kevin, Jacqualine, Rita, Stephenie, Mei Mei, Stella, Queenie, Memory, Alice, Yuen Man, Joanne, Vivian, Thomas, Tommy, Stephen, Melani....
Thanks to my family, for never claiming against my
"unsuccessful business". And even sometimes being my volunteer, graphic designer or "courier".
That's another form of recognition.
I know that many of you I mention here won't read this letter.
But I still would like to write it down,
just because I want to keep it...
in my mind... in my life... there are so many angels!

Love,
Hilda

2010年6月3日 星期四

朋友的電郵

今個星期六,是書棧四歲的生日,忽然興之所至,
想約幾位因書棧結緣的好友食飯,當是慶祝書棧四周年。
於是,發電郵予venus和花姑娘,
又致電carmen,約定星期六一起晚膳。

今早打開電郵,收到花姑娘的回覆︰
「好,攪大佢))))))))))))))))」我覺得好笑,搞什麼?肚?

其後,又收到venus的電郵,內容如下︰
「I have the following idea for celebrating
My Book Cottage 4th Anni:
書棧四年
四年,你可能只來了兩三次書棧,亦可能已踏破鐵鞋,
無論你來是為尋書香,或為尋快將煙沒的街坊人情,
我們都歡迎你於今個星期六來書棧同賀書棧四歲。
Date: Jun 5 2010 (Saturday)
Time: 4pm to 7pm
Address: My Book Cottage
但你可否帶以下任何一樣東西來賀呢?
Drop us a note and state why/
how you came to My Book Cottage at the first time.
To reward the participants, My Book Cottage will....

Is this ok? 」

老實說,順便玩一玩可能會,大搞就從未想過,
對於venus自發的邀請draft我縱使不會照辦和send出,
但她的心意著實令我由衷感動……
我想︰人的價值,不在於擁有什麼成就,
也不在於事情的結果,而是在當中所經歷的真摰,
享受當下的五味雜陳,然後,將之轉化為點點的亮光,
讓它得以傳承,讓它化為前進的動力。

謝謝你,我的好朋友們!
是你們讓我看得更清、更遠、更闊!

2010年5月29日 星期六

拾荒者

昨天,我做了我人生的第一次……
就是如拾荒者般去回收場賣紙。
我將兩大箱書分兩次拖去回收站,
回收站的人問我︰「這些都是新書呀!」
我說︰「是呀!不過已經是舊版了!
之前送了幾箱給學校,但還有很多剩,
學制又改了,這些都變得沒用了……」
原來紙品的回收價是$1一個kg,
我拿了50kg的書去當紙賣,
換言之,我收到50大元!
還有幾箱,遲些再分幾轉拿去賣!

2010年5月24日 星期一

重疊的小徑


著手為插畫配上內容,一口氣配了十幾組內容,
無端記起,原來早在十多年前也曾想過做類似的事。

******

話說我中學年代已有收集書籤的習慣,
經常在居所和學校附近的書店/精品店徘徊看書籤,
還記得當年在白田商場一家很小的精品店認識了一位姐姐,
她知道我喜歡收集書籤,遂將她兒時所收集的都送我,
希望我可以延續她的興趣……

長大後,曾經想過寫一本以書籤為主題的書,
以不同的書籤為背景,再配以一個個簡單的小故事,
直至幾米<我只能為你畫一張小卡片>和<照相本子>的出現,
我發現心目中那本「關於書籤的書」在另一個層面落實了。

今日,望著要配字句的插畫,無端記起「書籤書」這件事,
(其實已經忘記了……雖然,我還是最喜歡silverstein)
原來在不知不覺間,竟然走到這段重疊的小徑。
是機緣?還是別有帶領?我無從知曉。
我只知道,直至目前為止,我沒有太大的壓力,
也慶幸這嘗試所帶來的意外「收穫」,
我想︰這已經很足夠吧。

2010年5月21日 星期五

Common Sense

今早讀明報,
發現連小鳥夜半的歌聲(或叫聲)都被我們異稟的香港人投訴。
我實在想不通,
難道要「立法」叫大自然一眾小鳥閉嘴,
還是要將世上的鳥兒滅絕!?

當人不斷為居住而佔據各大小角落,
為舒服方便而容讓地球暖化病入膏盲,
為私利而將公義逼至靠邊站的時候,
我們的老朋友Common Sense,原來早已消失於人世!

An Obituary printed in the London Times........

Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend,
Common Sense, who has been with us for many years.
No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth
records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable
lessons as: Knowing when to come in out of the rain;
Why the early bird gets the worm;
Life isn't always fair; and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple,
sound financial policies (don't spend more than earn)
and reliable strategies (adults, not children, are in charge).

His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-
intentioned but overbearing regulations were set in place.
Reports of a 6-year-old boy charged with
sexual harassment for kissing a classmate;
teens suspended from school for using mouthwash after
lunch; and a teacher fired for reprimanding
an unruly student, only worsened his condition.

Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked
teachers for doing the job that they themselves had failed
to do in disciplining their unruly children.
It declined even further when schools were required
to get parental consent to administer sun lotion or
an Aspirin to a student; but could not inform parents
when a student became pregnant and
wanted to have an abortion.

Common Sense lost the will to live as the churches
became businesses; and criminals received
better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't
defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and
the burglar could sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live,
after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of
coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and
was promptly awarded a huge settlement.

Common Sense was preceded in death,
by his parents, Truth and Trust,
by his wife, Discretion,
by his daughter, Responsibility,
and by his son, Reason.

He is survived by his 4 stepbrothers;
I Know My Rights;
I Want It Now;
Someone Else Is To Blame;
I'm A Victim.

Not many attended his funeral because
so few realized he was gone.

--------------------------------------------------

My comments: RIP, Common Sense.
I'll pray for your resurrection.

2010年5月20日 星期四

意義

電郵傳來一批插畫公仔,色澤素淡而溫柔,
帶點幾米的味道,我憑著直覺,理解圖畫附帶的意義,
這是我第一次,有意識地為插畫配上有意思的字句。
是的,要有意思的!

我想︰單單這個意義,足以讓我享受做這件事吧。

希望我有足夠的能耐,去理解、去演繹當中的「意義」。

2010年5月19日 星期三

網球手

高爾夫球手的問題搞定後,原打算再跟進我的網球手,
只是見問題不算嚴重,也沒有影響工作和生活,
故一直擱置至今。最近,姊姊發現了一位不錯的醫師,
今天,隨她去搞搞我這個運動家手和運書腰,
因為平時不大覺痛,以為應該沒有什麼吧……
豈料,醫師替我揉手時,我最初還能忍住不叫,
沒多久,我已痛得死去活,要推開他的手!
揉完手之後,渾身乏力,好像被人打了一身似的,
再拿起背包,才發現,幾乎連手都抬不起。

下個星期還要去搞搞隻手,
唉……要比d勇氣自己!加油呀!

2010年5月18日 星期二

三位「阿姑」

近幾天,難得跟三位「阿姑」閒談過,
剛想到,三位分別是昔在、今在和將在的「阿姑」。

先是上星期五,官姑(今姑)約我晚膳,
還以為她又想打我主意搞什麼……幸好不是!
事緣她正籌備裝修家居,知我最近搬家,
想特地來看看,於是,我索性提議回家煮意粉去也!
我告之搬家過程的奇事,她聽著我的分享,
望著「實景」的配合,便說︰
「本來很擔心裝修……看來神是要我來聽這個見證。」

星期日,得悉蔡姑(昔姑)已辭去現有工場的工作,
前天,我致電給她,順便問問近況,
與及往後的去向,她將於7月撤離現職,
期後會稍事休息,先行調養好身體,然後再啟航!

之後,無端想起胡珍(將姑),印象中極少跟她通電話,
便隨意給她一個surprise,哈!就看她能否順利畢業吧!
她正在趕功課,我這個電話似乎也不合時,
我想收口收線,但她還是耐不住引誘,要繼續聽下去!

幾位阿姑的性格南轅北轍,然而,在不同當中,
也有共同之處,就是有一樣的信仰,有一樣的使命,
祝願幾位阿姑在各自的崗位上得享神賜的能力和平安!

2010年5月16日 星期日

You raise me up!

Sometimes my heart is so burdened with all sorts of things.
I turn to be sentimental
& can't pull myself together & work.
I can do nothing
but only to pray for strength & peace.
And Your comforts come,
via Your words, with Your methods.
Knowing that You really listen & answer prayers.
Yes, I can walk on stormy seas becoz You raise me up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGK5ZYjZ6oY&feature=player_embedded#!

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.
You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... to more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... to more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand ! on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
And I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... to more than I can be.
You raise me up... to more than I can be.