Love

This is not one of those story that we usually talk about that focuses on children's anxiety, culture or creativity. Read it carefully with your heart, skipping picture spoils the story. 
It's a very simple story of love. Possibly a good gift for the person you love. 

The author Andre Dahan (1935-     ) started writing/illustrating picture story book at the age of 52. 

Dear little fish, I love you so

I'll feed you bread so you will grow

Each day, I'll give you one sweet kiss

And promise you I'll never miss!

But on the day, my dear little fish, 

You grow too big for your small dish

I will take you to the sea 

And in one move, I'll set you free. 

How you'll be so glad to go

But dear little fish, I'll miss you so.

I will wait all through the day,

To see if you turn round this way.

And I will wait all through the night,

To see if you come back in sight.

Oh! I will throw my only hat

To see if you will bring it back.

At the first joy that I will see, 

Is when you bring it home to me.

Your back will be my favourite boat, 

And together we will sail and float,

Over the river and 'cross the sea,

To a small island with a palm tree.

There we will both live and play, 

"Catch the hat by night and day.

And I will know your love for me,

For you came home when I set you free

 

我的最愛

今天見到多棵盛放的白玉蘭，我不其然在公車上滿足地微笑。
之前在中關村圖書大廈搜購了多本好書，今天轉到旁邊的第三極書店，第七層竟全是兒童圖書，太不行了，心中很激動!!就像狼狗見到有人來跟自己玩時暫不定往前往後跳的那種感覺。
買到好書太美妙了，我會希望把書留在自己身邊，帶着上班，去街等！
很期待回香港時跟Bei bei 一起看，見到他都很喜歡那些故事令我最開心。

Retreat

我回來了！周末剛好碰上公司的活動季節，每一組也會自行安排一些活動，如唱k，食飯，溜冰等。我們組則去了五渡會所﹣兩日一夜retreat.
不要以為北京的鄉郊一定荒蕪，沒厠所等，這次我們去的會所是公司自己一班建築師設計，所以能試很多特別而現實生活客人未必接納的節點。(進口處地上物料define了室外內，但水池一直由外延伸入內，atrium成了一個雲石島，由subtle的玻璃小橋連接四周﹣聽說有些人喝醉後墮進水裹）

晚飯時，邪惡豬與吳剛又進入了激烈的討論（他們每一次一起都會的）。爭辯話題總是圍繞「中國人的本質」vs.「中國人做得到」一直以來我都覺得邪惡豬很不可以，什麼都拿出「中國人的本質」來大做文章，但這次經過史工(studio director)重新演譯其中的原因，令我有了重新的體會，亦會以此討論作為四月essay的中心。


在昨晚的討論中，吳剛激動的眼泛激光呢！他是個很敢言的人，希望每一個項目的小節點都做到最好，把中國整體的建築水平提高，要教育那些只想錢的發展商，對自己的設計作出堅持，因為讀了六年建築的，應不止是幫別人畫施工圖的機器吧。而邪惡豬則認為在中國工作重量不重質，凡事要順從甲方要求，要快，作為一個發展中國家，沒有時間去想小節點是否做得好，因為有更多更多人連住好的沒有，豈可以談質素呢。其實吳剛真的是一個對建築設計很有passion的人，他缺少的不是什麼「中國人的本質」而是一點處世的技巧（要達到目的不一定要直接教育對方那類情況吧）。我猜他也是遇到一點identity crisis.

不論那一方是對的，我認為一個公司有機會讓大家這樣爭辯也是一件很有意思事（除了後來為免大家爭着說話，凡說話的也要乾掉自己杯酒這事外）。

除了以上的事令我很glad有參與外，這兩天也過得很開心，從開車離開，開始見到奇怪山石景，到一起煮飯，烤全羊，看星星，跟狗狗玩（有四隻），跟小孩玩，玩WII!!!!，釣魚，snooker....全都很令我玩得很開心，又認識了更多朋友，真幸福。

More photos at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maoshan SOON

Picture Story Books in an (creative) architecture office

Recently, I've been bringing picture story books to the office everyday, showing them mainly to the people in my team. There are three distinct responses.

One of them have always been interested in picture story books, enjoys and comment on them critically.

One of them really loves them, spend a long time reading each book I brought back, and often exclaimed "This is a very touching story" or "These books are very meaningful" He said he never read such stories during free time, but has recently declared that he really wants to buy some and decided to go to the bookstore with me during the weekend. (He's now google-ing one of my favourite children's book author/illustrator Shaun Tan)

The third one can't understand most of the books I brought back, often ask "is this the end? what happens next?" But have secretly bought the books I showed him.lol
They also shared with me the books they like, one of them draw CG with his friend,and the other draws comics. But they told me not to show their creative work (website) to others in the office...

What effects can Children literature have on adults?

(picture: From Shaun Tan's - The Arrival, a long wordless story of immigrants. Highly highly recommended, go to the nearest bookshop and have a look. Also look out for The Rabbit - a story about Colonisation written from the perspective of the colonised.)

悅讀.「真」北京

一星期前，我說：買了三本書，很可怕
但今天我只行了1/3的中關村圖書大廈便帶了十半書回家。
用203元就能買到十本我很喜愛的書，這價錢，在Zara一件衫都買不到。
還有別的書想買，下次再慢慢選吧。

一直以來我都認為內地不會有好的兒童故事書，今天發現我又錯了，all my expectations about China are usually wrong. 這裹有很多來自日本，法國，奧地利和德國的兒童故事書，還有些中國風的，以前我都沒碰到過。你能夠想像我又多麼的興奮嗎........現在回想，當時四周是多麼的繁囂，我卻能清靜地活在故事中。

今天早上第一次在北京當義工，到五環路外，仿佛回到那人們想像中的中國﹣未舖好的路，沒有沖水的厠所，充滿垃圾的水道等,回到那穿得正常，四周的人都會望你的中國。

由發展中農村走到中關村﹣中國的矽谷，只是一程車，但那些移民來*的小朋友卻什少，什至從未外出過「真」的北京(perfect for my domination essay, which is real?)

Pictures: www.flickr.com/photos/maoshan

*他們父母從外省來北京工作，但因為房租貴，所以住到五環路外，沒有北京的戶籍令他們不能享受很多福利

Baby Samoyed + Urban China

My new friend is a baby. 2 months old.
I have a few great friends in Edinburgh, esp Marble and Fat Cow, whenever I feel sad or tired, I'd go for a walk to visit them. That's why I have cat food in my flat.

My Friday morning has been really perfect, as I've visited my friend, it's a huge Samoyed-to-be, now still a baby. She spent a lot of time playing and sunbathing on my feet.
Recently I accidentally revealed my love for picture story books to my coworkers here, now they make me bring a new book every morning, so they get something else to read apart from window frames and concrete mix.

I'm happy also because I am reading exciting and great books everyday, not only picture story books. At the moment, I'm reading Urban China 城市中国, a famous magazine, this issue I'm reading is on Chinatown. Something I have explored during my second year Asylum Seeker project. Culture Transplant. I so wish to share all the things I have read these days with you all - I am going to scan some good articles/pic books.

回家

上班,有時坐一輛開往大興長徒站的公車,車上的人拿著一包包-毛毯,電視機,碗碟,什麼都有.回家,不知他們在往那裡的家鄉呢?