2009/12/31

Happy New Year

Today is the last day of the year 2009, we have had a difficult year but it's nice to see we are still survive. May we take this chance to give an applause to ourselves and people who help the world to overcome this year. Wish you all to have


a wonderful year of 2010 full of hope, joy, success and love!

See you next year and thank you to everyone who have been visiting this blog and being my greatest support this year.

2009/12/29

Nav bar

This is what I want to do long time ago - to reactivate the nav bar. Hope this move will let my reader feel more convenience. Enjoy!

2009/12/28

Mr. Ultraman

ultraman in his gardenIt was year 2002, a sunny afternoon; I was sitting in the box of a second hand store on the floor of street side, somewhere in Sheung Wan. A girl passing our store, looked at me for a while then walked away. I thought, well, another stranger that would not be interested in me...such an old toy.

After half an hour, I saw her again from far far away, then gradually she came closer and closer to me, she looked at me again and picked me up. The owner sold me out in HK$30.00, that was around US$3.8. My heart beat very fast, I was really excited and wanted to know what would my future be?

On that sunny afternoon, I was go to have my lunch with colleague as usual, when I walked passing a second hand store, I discovered an Ultraman in a box of old toys. His design and excellent proportion told me that he was an original design from Japan - his home town. I told myself that I had to save him from the box; so I finished my lunch within minutes and went back to the store, I really doubt if the owner would ask for too much that I couldn't afford, but how lucky to me, I paid and put him in my hand full of joy.

I was being cleaned and stand right next to this girl's office desk, she told me that I will be her guardian from now on. Whenever she felt upset or received too much pressure from her boss, she would look at me and I said, "you can overcome this!".

Years passed, she was resigned and I stayed at her home for a while right next to a sunny window with plants as my neighbourhood, how relaxed. I used to tell myself that I was no more value and being treated as rubbish some years ago, I retrieve my respect and confidence of being a guardian to a human being today, just simply because of I am glad to be in this position, I know I gain respect if I respect my job, even if not as great as to "save the earth".

Where am I now? of course in her new office again, because we depend on each other...this is my precious value that I treasure.





2009/12/21

My Safe Haven - Lawson

Lawson- a Japanese 24hrs convenient store that I lovedNight time Lawson in Japan
most. I remember when I was first visited it almost 15 years ago in Tokyo, I loved it instantly and tend to walk in wherever I found one on street.

Originally I thought it is because of the items that sell inside are so attractive in terms of it's extra mini size and lovely package design, but it shall be the atmosphere that it gives me a feeling of "safe haven".

Besides snack, hot or cold drinks, oden (a Japanese winter dish of boiled egg, daikon radish...,etc in a specific soup), beer, desert, magazine, maps, newspaper, body wash, lotion, toilet paper, one time battery charger......., etc, etc.Any thing that your daily life need can be found inside such a small store, no matter when, even in the late night of 3:00, you are lack of nothing.

This morning, when I preparing this post, I take a break from my tag to Lawson and discover that, besides of the feeling of safe haven,it reminds me that our life can be simple and basic, what we human actually need to sustain our life is not much, but we are really over consuming. We need clothing but not couture, we need food but not big dishes, we need a shelter but not an over decorated flat...I doubt whether we can walk backward and back to our basic, if we can, our planet and next generation will have a chance.




2009/12/17

Merry Christmas to all of you

Christmas card by Protowork
Hi guys!
protoworkricky just finished
our new Christmas card,
may I use it to
wish you & your family
have a wonderful X'mas Joy
with God's blessing!

2009/12/14

You've got mail

vintage red postal box in Japan
Last month, I saw a T.V. news reporting there was a new shop opened in Beijing called "郵政慢遞"meaning : Slow Post.The idea is you can write a letter to anyone, set a specific delivery date, tomorrow, a week, a month, a year or even 50 years later; the post office will keep your letter in their safe box and send out on time. Is that interesting? just like a real function " Time Capsule".

You can imagine that, it attracts a lots of customer instantly. Some of them write to their parents after 30 years of making promise to some achievements; some to their lovers, their kids or even to themselves. The owner said they will try their very best to deliver the mail because they thought this is not only a business, but a kind of "romance". I take a break afterward, and think...yes! this is the kind of romance that we've forget and lost somehow someday.

My colleague always wonder why I feel so happy to make a post to the mail box, even it is only a business letter. I think this is the reason, the feeling of waiting a reply, to deliver something to someone waiting on the other side of the world ... by starting to write on a selected paper, a card, putting into an envelop, add a stamp and walk to the nearby mail box; all action we've did is for preparing a connection to someone.

Although in modern world our email replace most of the paper transfer, and I do support to reduce using paper in any channel that we can, but I still wish to receive/ send a real Christmas card and once to enjoy the "romance of waiting"....


2009/12/07

Miss Lady Air Bag

DIY Miss Lady air bag with smiley faceHi everybody, I am Miss Lady Air Bag, how is your day? happy? sad? busy? messy? joyful? boring? if you feel lonely at any time, just come to me, I will give you a big hug full of warm and sweet air.

I was created by protoworkricky in year 2009, he is a colleague of protoworkannie (yes, I am living in her office right now). She usually work alone in the morning, or sometimes in holiday, so I was created to be a companion to her.Not joking, everyday in the morning when she's back to office, during coffee break, working in the backyard or leaving office, she will talk to me; it always seems that she can get a full recovery of energy after that.

Having companion is important in our life, especially when we are experiencing different up and down situations. He/ she can be a human, a pet, a pot of plant, a diary, or even a toy like me.

What I just want to say, you are not alone if only if you are willing to share of just say "Hi" to the one next to you, they are always there and ready be your companion.

p.s. - I know my photo is not sharp, because I was too excited to have my first photo and I was swinging and laughing.

2009/11/27

Marshmallow Sakura

marshmallow sakura in the park of japanAs a foreigner, we don't always have chance to see the blossom of sakura in Japan, especially at the end of April. We were so lucky to see these picture in reality inside a park of Tokyo that year. The first impression to me was : Wow! incredible, what a "marshmallow trees !" They just look like those marshmallow in white, pastel pink, blue, green (even in purple nowadays) which we did taste when we were kids.

Hong Kong is a small place, earning living was difficult in those day when we were young; it was a luxury for us to have marshmallow which could only be found in department store or theme parks.They were "deluxe" not only because of it's cost or specially located, but the time that our parents could spend with us to share this joy.

When I grown up, these colourful marshmallow become popular again, and can be found any where in Mongkok. I was so excited to buy one and finished it within seconds......but it's not the same anymore. Is the taste different? No, quite the same; or due to it's value? may be, it cost little and easy to find, that we don't feel so treasure ?! But the most important is, I am not with my parents at that moment......I miss my childhood.

I think the only way is to take a break, spend some time with our parents, having chat time, T.V. hours or even a short morning breakfast, knowing that the time we can share together is becoming short; be their "kid" again, you will remember that moment and keep to the bottom of your heart even they are not next to you some day.



2009/11/23

Virtual, Virtual, Virtual

neon sign at night time in tokyoDo we really need to be a different person, just escape from the past? make new friends? to new places? join new groups? new hobbies? so we can have new life? really a total new life and new me?

I've get lost when I began to get in touch with some of my over 10 years friends in the virtual world this month, although the network of connection seems so close and easy, I can't "reach" them any longer; they are far outside of my memory, I don't know who they are, it's so sad!

Have you discovered that, in one sudden day, some of your friends who used to be working/studying or playing with you so close, chat a lot from day till night; having similar thoughts, both of
you will shout to the same boss ......when time pass by, you no longer recognize them, they seems as strangers, so bad and so sad!

It's seems they just don't want you to be part of they life anymore, which reflects the old him/her; or truly you don't really have any good to them besides bad memories, this may be the fault of our own?! may be ......yet so true.....

Could friends be real and forever? I think, yes! if you are true to them, you should get at least one out of ten who can treat you in the same way. Too optimistic? then one out of a hundred (if you've got this many) and it should worth to live in a real you.

Being in the virtual network, I could not ask for any from my virtual friends, when I take a break from "my lost", I learn to relieve from anything that have no return with no regret; but treasure to those just right next to you, no matter in virtual or real life.


2009/11/16

Creating Miss Lady Flower

quick sketch
Creating Miss Lady Flower

Miss Lady Flower

DIY paper craft floral globeHello everyone, I am Miss lady flower. I was created by protowork annie in February this year, she gave me a very special task to perform. Guess what? To bring sunshine and happiness to an auntie who need to stay in the hospital for the rest of her life.
I am living next to her bed right now, every morning when she wake up, I will smile to her and say good morning. Although I was made of fancy paper, I don't have the real aroma of flower, I have the blessing from her friend that will never forget.

If you have someone in your memory of love, it's my pleasure to deliver your remembrance to him/her; just forward me with your blessing & I will give them a big hug!




2009/11/09

Follow your dream

snack on shinkansen ASAMAto KaruizawaWhen we get use to the rhythm of our life, we just don't want to have any changes; gradually we forget what we did dreaming of but just working, day by day, month by month and year after years......

In that spring, we get a ride on Shinkansen ASAMA 521 ,fly towards our destination of Karuizawa......my dream comes true! Isn't that so simple? Yes! as simple as a ride on Shinkansen and I am feeling so happy forever after.

Take a break from your normal path, waken your hidden dream and take a little step forward.
No matter how far the destination may be, you act a little will bring you closer to your dream and one day, you are there! I am waiting for your sharing of that happiness some day!


2009/11/05

Simply Ramen

RamenAfter a long walk in the busy district "Kichijoji", we are exhausted. An aroma attracts us to follow street by street and shop by shop......finally we come to here 蔥太郎 -a Japanese ramen shop.
Is this bowl of "Mr ramen" nice looking? not only this, but really yummy with a touchy feeling.
Whenever you feel dry, lack of power, or anything feeling worse than these,

TAKE A BREAK
! Go to grab a big mouth of ramen with a spoonful of hot soup, feel the sincerity of the chef's belief in making simply a bowl of ramen, you will be grateful with full power and ready for the next move !

P.S. - There was once a ramen shop in Hong Kong that gave me a great support whenever I needed a refreshment. But one day in last year, the touchy feeling was gone forever when the chef went back to his home town. Miss your ramen so much ...清水師傅.