Life is Beautiful | 0.2

了輛巴士車，‘嘀’了EzLink卡，司機對我說：「謝謝。」
我驚訝了一煞那，然後和他開玩笑說：「那我也要謝謝你載我回家。」
司機笑著 回答：「不是啦，你還錢嘛。」

我下車時，司機從他駕駛的座位上大聲的說：「Bye bye.」
我在下車前跟他揮了揮手。

巴士經過我的時候，我們同時揮手說晚安。

偶爾与陌生人這樣溝通，感覺蠻開心的。

Micro Outlook of Life

A teacher said to a student who is an avid photographer, "When you take a photo, that instant will not be there anymore."

How true.

Life is a compilation of split second images.
What we see in an instant will be gone immediately, period.
There will be no exact duplicates, period.

Each breath we inhale and exhale is history.

How long can we keep the captured images on photos?
How long can we keep the captured images in videos?
How long can we keep the captured images in our memory?

Life is Beautiful | 0.1

Life is beautiful when an old couple in their 80s are seen walking hand in hand along the street.

The old man is gently leading his frail spouse whose right side of her body shows signs of a mild stroke.

In the past, the old lady may be the one who has been taking care of him and now it is his turn to do the same for her. Or the old man could have been doing the caring for her ever since the day they met.

At this point, it is those bonded hands that are more intriguing.

These wrinkled hands that refused to part makes life really beautiful.

Conversations with a master | one

Apprentice:
Master, I was traveling on a course but got bumped off suddenly. I have lost my way. Do I carry on with my journey?

Master:
My young apprentice, imagine that your journey is like a flowing stream heading to the sea. When your path runs like that flowing stream, you will bound to encounter water from other paths. Their currents may be stronger than yours and thus would alter your original course. Learn to flow with the new additions. It doesn't matter which path you take because all paths will eventually lead to the open sea.

Conversations with a master | two

Master:
My young apprentice, why are you gazing at the stars?

Apprentice:
Master, I gaze at the stars because I find them mysterious, lonely and sad at the same time.

Master:
How so?

Apprentice:
They flicker about, like trying to catch your attention. It's as though they wish to tell you something. They are always up there, waiting patiently and silently, hoping someone would notice them. And by the time we take note of them, they would have died and disintegrated, leaving behind a very delayed broadcast of a 'video projection' of themselves.

Master:
You have described the stars as though they have a life of their own.

Apprentice:
Yes, master. I choose to retain this world of fantasy so that I can visit it occasionally when I am tired of the real world.

Master:
And what are you tired of at this point?

Apprentice:
Sacrifice.

Departure | 師叔 李玉仁

 
 

 這是李玉仁師叔。
他是李伯芬師傅的弟弟，也是李家班第五代掌中藝術家 － 善於掌中木偶表演、製作以及彈奏琵琶。

在農曆十二月二十七日，李玉仁師叔因心臟病離開人世。
這世界又少了一位傑出的藝術家。

今早，我打了通電話給伯芬師傅，向他拜个年。但所聽到的是這樣的消息。

我一時不知如何反應。但是，師傅的語氣幫了我一個大忙。

師傅的語氣是平淡的。

師傅的語氣是自然的。

師母去年年頭過世的時候，師傅的語氣也是一樣平淡自然的。

師傅的語氣告訴了我： life goes on.....

很快的，我沈重的語氣轉變成開朗的語氣，繼續与師傅閒聊。



是看開了？

還是麻木了？

一個人活到一大把年紀，眼看著周圍的親朋戚友一個個離開人世，是會看開，還是會麻木呢？

Photo by Beng Tian using Canon Powershot S3IS

Departure | 師母

尊敬的師母：

多謝您這大半生，一直陪伴著師傅，一直照顧著他，一直照顧著孩兒們、孫兒們和他的徒兒們。

您雖然已故，但您會永遠留在我們的記憶里、心裡、電腦里、照片上和博客上。

師母 您安息上路吧
這一世的軀殼您已用盡了

師母 您安心上路吧
您周圍所留下來的人
都會安然無事
周圍所留下來的人
流過眼淚之後
都會繼續在各自的軀殼走完這一世

師母 安息上路吧
時間會過得很快
我們一定會隨著緣份
再次見面
再次相會

師母 安心上路吧
輕輕松松的在那另一个空間
展翅而飛
輕輕松松的在那另一个空間
快樂的奔跑
輕輕松松的在那另一个空間
好好休息，好好充電
因為每一世的軀殼都需要很多力氣去撐

我們就在下一世
隨著緣份的牽連再見吧！


Photo by Beng Tian using Canon PowerShot S3IS and Nokia5610

Memory | Floppy disks

 I was unpacking some stuff and found these....

My gosh! Floppy disks!!!

For those who have not seen this before, it's a double-density 5¼-inch disk. Here's the link to Wikipedia for more details.

I remember the flapping sound it created whenever I sent my documents there to be saved.

I used a camera phone to take this picture.

My use of a white envelope as the base created an accidental glow from the areas that are white. It was as though I had used a filter.

An accidental soft-focused look to bring out the nostalgia.


Photo by Beng Tian using Nokia 5610

Memory | Photo prints & negatives

The picture on the left is an original print. The one on the right is a reprint.

Both photos have been kept in an album since 1999.

The year now is 2009. The reprinted photo has faded.

It's a matter of time that the original print will start to fade.

Thank goodness there's a new technology that allows us to convert our negatives into soft copies that can be burnt onto a compact disc.

I can now back up all the negatives I have.

Photo by Beng Tian using Nokia 5610