The owl boy Wayne / 貓頭鷹男孩韋恩

I am only eight, 

but I have to wear glasses and braces. 

Well, as long as I can blow bubbles,

nothing can cause troubles. 

Clue / 線索

總是在不知所措的時候，看到上帝刻意留下的一些線索。

In moments of confusion, I still see clues that God has left deliberately for me to see. 

        七歲的楷維戴著牙套，也即將配眼鏡，但還是會說出孩子般的話語，要我緊緊抓住童年的尾巴。

     The seven-year-old Kai now wears braces, and his small face is going to be weighed down with glasses, but sometimes he still blurts out childlike remarks.  It's God saying to me, "Hold onto the last traces of childhood!" 

Relay game / 接力畫

今天和男孩們玩一個游戲，我先開始一張圖，他們必須畫得一模一樣，我們三個在書房裡排排坐，最後還搶起畫筆。

Today we try a new game, that is, I will start to draw a picture and the boys have to draw exactly the same as me. We sit in a row in the study. In the end, we even fight for the colored pencils. 

        這當中我有許多有趣的發現，例如說，楷維是數學腦，與其畫無限的橘子把畫面填滿，他採用直線排列，並且先數我畫了幾顆。

     In the process I have some intriguing discoveries. For example, Kai is a math person. Instead of following his instinct and filling the image with oranges, he draws in lines and even counts beforehand how many I have drawn. 

        我們輪流休息去。因為太好玩了，我們畫了快三個小時。

     We take turns taking a break. It's so much fun that we keep at the project for almost three hours. 

        我看到每個人的風格各異，我們一起開了很多玩笑，好久沒有這樣玩了呢！我在想，這樣的畫面會持續到男孩們幾歲呢？

     It's obvious that everyone has their distinctive styles. We even joke about one another's doodle. In fact, we haven't played like this for a long while. And how long will this kind of Sunday fun last? 

        我的人物有點胖胖的。

     My characters are always kind of chubby. 

        楷維的人物瘦瘦高高的，攤販老闆很有黑社會老大的感覺。

     Kai's figures are tall and thin. We tease him for drawing gangster-like vendors. 

        思維的人物很夢幻，比楷維的風格還天真。

     Von's figures are dreamy. I feel his style is even more child-like than Kai's. 

        上哪去找這麼可愛的孩子們呢？

     Where can you look for such lovely kids? 

Yours / 愛你的

楷維繪 / drawn by Kai 

因為我唸、楷維寫，所以楷維的每張明信片都附上「愛你的楷維」。

We were playing the dictation game, so the warm greetings "from Kai, who loves you" can be found on every postcard of Kai.  

Simple pleasures / 小確幸

每天我都在練習增進生活的喜悅感。出門之前要和男孩聊聊天，今天小王子的髮絲像海浪一樣狂野，阿嬤就得擔任專職的美髮設計師，為楷維整髮，然後我在一旁幫他速寫。

I am practicing accumulating my daily simple pleasures. Before going to work, I usually have a morning chat with the boys. Today Kai's hair curls like wild sea waves. Granny has to serve as his stylist. Meanwhile, I can't help sketching his cool hairstyle. 

        上班時和一朵快要枯萎的緬梔花相遇，雖然已經過了最美麗的瞬間，但還是很優雅芳香，於是我趕緊為她留下紀念。

     I come across a withering Frangipani flower at work. It has lost the blooming charm, but to me, it's still graceful and fragrant. I am so in love with it that I can't resist recording its beauty. 

My robot boyfriends / 我的機器人男友

Six years old / 六歲

我們的楷維六歲了！

Our Kai has turned six! 

My sunshine boys / 我的陽光男孩

雖然很想坦然面對自己，但最近感到一片迷惘。

Much as I want to face myself, I still can’t help feeling lost.

                我的白蘋果也於此時掛了。

     My white Macbook decides to crash at the same time.

                可是在男孩的塗鴉裡，我看到小小的火焰，讓我覺得也許再過幾天我就可以重新再來。

     However frustrated I am, I spot sparks of fire in the boys’ doodles, which whisper, “You can do it, you can do it all over again!” 

Banana Boy / 香蕉男孩

這兩天內心的小劇場特別活躍，因為一直等不到信誼的結果，最後自己就先崩潰了。今天打電話去問，對方說還要再等約莫兩週，之所以鼓起勇氣打，因為想說三月就要結束，我就算多麼在意，也要把焦慮留在這個月，清爽地邁入四月。

I've been tortured by anxiety recently. Since I hadn't received any kind of notice from Hsin-y, I kind of collapsed. Today Meiyen gave a call to the publisher asking if the outcome of the picture book contest had been announced. I needed to wrap this up emotionally because I want to head into April without the mental burden. 

        「香蕉男孩」是楷維的書，他問我能不能在誠品買，我說我超想的，他也跟著說：我也好想，要是到處都買得到就好了。然後我們便開始發揮蓬勃的想像力，他問：火星人可不可以買，我答：不只火星人想買，金星人也想買，可是書店大缺貨，印刷廠正在趕工，我們也到處出席簽書會！楷維接著說：我們的每一本書都會熱賣！最後我慫恿他：你每天晚上睡覺前都幫我祈禱吧！

     The Banana Boy is Kai's book. He asks me if it's available in Eslite Bookstores. I tell him that I'd like that to happen too. He then replies, "Me too! I hope it'll be available in every book store!" Then we start to daydream. "Can Martians buy it?" "Not only Martians but also Venusians want to buy the book, but every bookstore is out of stock. The printing factories are hurrying to come up with more! We'll sign books until our hands drop!" He goes on to say, "Every book of ours will be the best-seller!" In the end I prompt him to pray for me every night before going to bed. 

        做「香蕉男孩」真的是用盡我所有的努力了，所以怎麼樣我都不會為難自己，也很感謝和男孩們一起作夢的日子，很希望可以讓更多人看見。

     I literally spared no effort to make The Banana Boy, so whatever the result is, I won't give myself a hard time. I especially love the days I spent daydreaming with the boys, and it's definitely our biggest hope to make the book seen by as many people as possible. 

        等待的同時，下一本書給我的阿嬤，我們七月見！

     Meanwhile, I'll say hello to my next book dedicated to my granny. See you in July! 

Aura / 氣場

有一次阿美對我說：去應徵實習的職位，老闆的氣場和你很像。當時聽到這樣的形容覺得很有趣，因為我很少用這兩個字形容人。

Once A-mei said to me, "I went to this design company, and the lady in charge has an aura that reminds me of you." I was amused to hear such description because I hardly used the word "aura" to describe others. 

        最近和阿嬤相見的地方都是醫院，去的時候我好像常困在某種煩惱裡，神奇的是，我並沒有因為看到生病的阿嬤感到更加沮喪，雖然阿嬤很不舒服，可是她有種氣場，讓我看著她時，看到的是溫暖和新生，離開她時，我的宇宙又重組了一遍。

   Lately I've always met up Granny in the hospital. Usually I am trapped in a certain kind of dilemma before going. However, I do not feel more frustrated upon seeing Granny tortured by physical pain. She has an aura that makes me see warmth and new life. When I leave, my universe is reconstructed one more time. 

        幾個月前楷維替我的Moleskin筆記本封面塗鴉，他塗抹一番後我接手，我們畫了一隻很亮麗的阿嬤鳥，穿著時尚的美麗衣裳，自由自在，過了幾個月，壓克力漸漸脫落，我還是好喜歡這個角色。希望阿嬤也能夠如此無所拘束。

   Several months ago Kai doodled on my Moleskine book. I took over afterwards. We created a dazzling Granny Bird dressed in a glamorous outfit. She looks so carefree. Though the acrylics have gradually fallen off, I still love her very much for she always makes me recall my one-of-a-kind granny. 

I've got a girlfriend! / 我有女朋友！

楷維繪 / drawn by Kai

楷維去上學了！第一週還有點不適應，雖然哥哥的教室在他的正上方，不時去探訪他，楷維還是哭了好幾天，並且羨慕思維一星期有兩天半天。

Kai finally went to school! He was homesick during the first week. Though Von's classroom is right above his and Von visits Kai as often as he can, Kai still cried for several days. He also envied Von for having two half days off a week. 

楷維繪 / drawn by Kai 

        接下來雖然好了點，但是他居然說他很想念在家和乾阿嬤自學的日子，我們問每天上課的情形，聽起來不外乎是看書、吃點心、聽故事、散步，也沒什麼不好的。

   Though he gradually got used to school life, to our surprise, he missed those home-schooling days with my mom. We asked about his school days. Basically, it's reading, eating, listening to stories and taking walks, which sounds quite relaxing to me. 

楷維繪 / drawn by Kai 

        有一天早上要出門時，為了增強兄弟們上學的慾望，我隨口開了回家路上的任務，那一天的題目是：放學回家時我有多快樂？

   One morning on my way out, I gave them an after-school challenge to enhance their desire to go to school. The task that day is: How happy am I when school is over? 

        回到家時兩人都等不及地和我分享答案，哥哥說：像飛來飛去的戰鬥機那樣逍遙；弟弟說：像到外太空旅行。

   At the end of the day they couldn't wait to share their answers with me. Von said, "I'm as happy as a flying fighter jet." Kai's answer is: It's like traveling to outer space. 

楷維繪 / drawn by Kai

        上週末哥哥洩密說有女生喜歡楷維，我問阿楷他怎麼知道，「她有說方楷維我喜歡你嗎？」這傢伙想了一下才說：對，就像你說的那樣。

   Last weekend Von revealed that a girl has a crush on Kai. I asked, "How did you know? Did she tell you that?" He thought for a while, finally replying, "Yes, just like what you said." 

        過了幾天，楷維說：可是我喜歡的是XXX。「她也喜歡你嗎？」「對！」

   A few days later, Kai said, "But I like another girl." "Does she like you too?" "Yeah!" 

汪達繪 / drawn by Wanda

        又過了幾天，我下班回家，兄弟倆便衝出來宣布：楷維有女朋友了！而且他們還牽手！楷維一向是自在灑脫的人，他展現無比的開心，阿嬤問他女朋友漂不漂亮，他很愉悅地說：um hum！而且他又脫口說出至少五個女孩的名字，我說：什麼，他們也都喜歡你喔？他一點都不遲疑地點頭。

   A few days later again, the two boys rushed out to announce to me when I came in, "Kai has a girlfriend! They even held hands!" Kai is always very open with his feelings. He doesn't feel shy or embarrassed at all. His granny asked him if his girlfriend is beautiful. He answered in a Casanova style, "Um hum!" He also blurted out five girls' names, and I couldn't stop being surprised, "They all fall for you?" He just nodded without hesitation. 

汪達繪 / drawn by Wanda

        結果瑜媽媽又跑來爆料，不太和女生說話的哥哥聽到弟弟有手牽手的女朋友，感到很羨慕，楷維的吸引力連原本總是指使他的哥哥也受到影響，這個小男生到底有什麼本事啊？

   Then I was told by their mom that even Von, who hardly talks to girls, envies Kai so much for having a girl he likes and holds hands with. It's always Von that gives orders to and leads Kai, and now it's the other way round. What is Kai's charm? 

        那些上學不有趣的抱怨全被拋在腦後，我逗楷維：我也好想有可以牽手的男朋友喔！其實我更羨慕的是他的大方不遮掩，十年之後二十年之後也還會這樣嗎？

   He must have forgot all the complaints about school's being boring. I tease Kai, "Oh, I want a boyfriend with whom I can hold hands too!" In fact, I envy more his honesty. Will he still be so in another ten or twenty years? 

Writing children's poetry / 寫童詩初體驗

楷維這幾個月讀了很多童詩，今天念完國語日報，我邀請他寫詩，他的主題是表弟宥宥，我們因此就寫了合作的第一首童詩。

Kai has been reading many children's poetry in recent months. After we recite poems from the Mandarin Daily News this morning, I invite him to write a poem. We finally settle on the topic of Kai's cousin Yoyo. We thus come up with our first collaborated piece of work.

給我的表弟宥宥
方楷維和游汪達合寫

希望你健健康康
希望你又高又壯
希望你像紅太陽
希望你閃閃發亮

For My Cousin Yoyo
written by Kyle Fang and Wanda You 

I hope you are forever healthy
I hope you are tall and strong
I see you as the red sun
Shining with the light of
Dad and Mom's son

畫插畫時我只有提示楷維要畫閃亮亮的圖，結果挺不賴的！這首詩就要飛去宥宥的身邊囉！

When doing the illustration, I give only one reminder, which is, Kyle has to capture the essence of light.
The picture turns out to be one of Kai's best works, and the postcard will fly to Yoyo soon!

Miss Moon 2 / 思思與月亮 2

拖了三個月，我終於送印有名字的書檔，雖然只是小小的五個字，卻有非凡的意義。書印出來和老闆詢問印刷的問題，他說其實很多數位印刷的問題是大量印刷可以避免的，我說：再給我一點時間，有一天我一定有機會的。

I put off sending to print the book version with my name on it for three months. Though they are only five small words, they make a whole world's difference. When I pick the books, I inquire about some printing problems with the printing shop technician. He says many problems of digital printing can be avoided in traditional printing. I said, "OK, give me some time. I'll get the opportunity to have my work printed in huge numbers."

        我也在自己的書櫃裡了，想著我的書對其他世界級的繪本說：初次見面你好！

   I find myself in my bookshelf, imagining my book saying to other world-class books: Nice to meet you! 

        不知道有沒有機會和全世界說這本書的故事，是八歲的小方睡不著的故事，他在睡前總想著各種擔心，甚至擔憂以後會不會結婚，有自己的孩子，雖然我自己都還沒實現同樣的願望，我卻可以堅定地和他說，一定沒有問題的！朋友在試讀的時候紛紛說這是他們最喜歡的圖，我想其中有我無限的想望和祝福吧！

   I don't know if I'll get a chance to tell the world about the book. It's a story about the eight-year-old Von, who can't fall asleep. He tosses and turns at night because of all sorts of worries. He even worries if he'll get married and have his own children in the future. Though I am still single with no children, I have the firm faith that he will. When my friends read the book, they find the picture their favorite. I bet it's because they can feel my longings and best wishes too! 

相關故事 / related post entries: 

小方的生日禮物 / Von's eight-year-old birthday gift

楷維的監督 / Kai was a strict supervisor 

終於把書送出去了 /  I finally sent the book to the competition 

Twins! / 雙胞胎！

You are so hardworking! / 你好認真！

夏天答應為小方畫一個故事，因為不能失信於小孩，所以現在很努力地在實現我的諾言。四歲的楷維不用上學，哥哥在寫作業時，他常常來和我作伴，有一晚他看到我在畫繪本時，充滿真心的感嘆說：你好認真！我轉過頭回答：我是啊！想不到他也看得出來。

I promised to draw a story for Von this past summer, so I am spending every free minute I have on it. The four-year-old Kai still hasn't gone to school, so while Von is buried in homework, he often seeks for my company. One evening when I am working on the story, he makes a heartfelt remark: You are so hardworking! I feel like that there is finally someone who really understands how I feel. I turn to him and reply, "YES, I AM!"

        發想故事的時候隨心所欲，可是真的要畫一系列的圖時，需要的是意志力、理性和講究完美的要求，昨天讀到陳致元先生一年只生產一本繪本，就知道這個過程其實是考驗個性。

   It takes imagination to brainstorm in the beginning of writing a picture book, but when I get down to drawing a series of images, it requires willpower, rationality, and perfectionism. I read about the famous Taiwanese picture book artist Chen Chih-yuan yesterday. Accomplished as he is now, he produces a picture book a year on average. This is a process that is constantly testing me for if I do not feel balanced, I can't draw well. 

        我想，我可以的。

   Despite all odds, I think I can. 

Little Bee / 小蜜蜂

過了半年，我終於把凱特琳娜的中國字寫成故事，可是在嘗試媒材之際卻毫無方向，玩到第四個版本時，楷維跑來湊熱鬧，倒產生了預期之外的效果。

After half a year, I finally wrote a story based on Caterina's favorite words. However, I was and am rather clueless when looking for the appropriate media. When I got to the fourth version, Kai's naughtiness inspired me, which brought about quite unexpected effect. 

雖然我現在也不知道最後的成品會如何，但是在困惑裡摸索也是件充滿樂趣的事。

Though I have no idea what the final look will be, but it's actually fun to grope for my way in confusion...

Yuanfen / 緣份

我們家有兩組人馬的生日是同一天，其他的即使不在同一天，也只差了兩三天，雖然這一切可以解釋成巧合，可是大家幹嘛都擠在一起出生呢？

Two sets of people in my family were born on the same date. As for others, even though their birth dates are not exactly the same, they are only two or three days apart. All this can be explained as coincidence, but I'd rather think it's because we were born to be family. 

爸爸、弟弟和楷維都出生在五月二十七日，說來他們有一些舉動真讓人覺得似曾相識：這星期某一天媽媽帶楷維去買麵包，風吹得很急，小楷維直用手整理頭髮，媽媽一看不免心驚，這不是她先生最常做的舉動嗎？這天出生的人顯然都很愛美！回家媽媽告訴爸爸這件趣事時，爸爸不禁會心一笑⋯

Dad, Jun and Kai were all born on May 27. A lot of their gestures or personalities give us a sense of deja-vu. For example, when Mom took Kai to a bakery this week, Kai couldn't help combing his hair as the wind blew hard. When Mom saw that, her heart skipped a beat. That so reminded her of her dear husband! Obviously, people born on this day give much attention to their appearance. When we told Dad about the story, he laughed, meaning "so true..." 

緣份真是妙不可言，能在這麼有緣份的家庭生活，難怪我們不時嘻嘻哈哈的。

There's no English word for "Yuan-fen," because the word destiny or fate just can't define it.  Wikipedia defines it as "the binding force that links two people together in a relationship." I live in a family with strong yuanfen, and that's why we always have a jolly time!

Good night / 晚安

春天的晚上，楷維和我唱完歌之後，我為了哄他去睡覺，只好自己先假裝睡著。

On a spring evening, after our singing session, I pretend to fall asleep to coax Kai into going to bed. 

好心的楷維雖然身高不夠，還是想辦法幫我把燈關了，他是我的小天使。

Though Kai is not tall enough to reach the switch, he still figures out a way to turn off the light for me. He is my guardian angel...

My Book / 我的書

過了兩個星期每天做數小時電腦排版的生活，今天終於把我的書送去信誼比賽了。這兩週裡得到很多人的幫助，包括家人看了我同一張圖無數個版本，辦公室的同事每天被我糾纏問Indesign和Photoshop，連印刷公司的員工也無償地幫我修檔案，遠在義大利的凱特也拉我一把。好像是說，當你很想達到某個目標時，全世界都會聯合起來幫助你。

I spent hours doing the layout for my book every day during the past two weeks. Today I finally sent the book to the publisher for the picture book contest. God showered me with help during this period of time. There was Caterina in Italy, who read the book for me before I started the layout design. My family had to go through the repeated process of selecting the best image out of several similar ones for me. My colleague Anna in the office was constantly pestered because of my ignorance in Indesign and Photoshop. Even the employees in the printing company offered their help without charging me extra. I feel because I wanted to achieve the goal really badly, the whole world was united to help my dream come true. 

印成書之後念給楷維聽，聽到我說這本書之後就會離開我們一陣子，他很捨不得。不過當我的星星正在飛翔之際，離下個比賽的時間不到一個月，我心裡還有好多好多要說的故事⋯

After I had the book printed, I read it to Kai. He didn't want to part with the book upon hearing that it would be away for a while. Well, when my stars are flying, I have less than one month before the next competition is due. And there are so many other stories I want to tell...

Draw a line / 劃一條線

繼幾個月前楷維在我的白蘋果上用色筆畫幾筆後，這幾天他又偷偷在我的畫稿上多畫了兩顆頭，於是我們又得搬出他最怕的「劃一條線」政策，本來想罰他兩天不能到我家畫畫，但楷維的小阿姨堅持我對孩子太好，我硬是把兩天改成一個星期。

After the previous episode of scribbling on my Macbook a few months ago, Kai couldn't control his urge to doodle on my drawing again. We had to resort to the punishment that really works for him: Draw a line. He can't come to our place to play with us. At first it was supposed to last for two days, but Kai's youngest aunt Tsung insisted that I treat the boys too well. I thus forbade Kai to come for a week.

從那天開始，楷維只能在他家門口和我們微笑揮揮手，第二晚我忍不住走過去看他一個人在玩什麼，看他落單的樣子我問：是不是很寂寞？他答：很寂寞。小阿姨聽見有人交談的聲音走過來對我說：你就不要理他啊！我只好摸著頭滾回家。

From that day on, Kai could only smile and wave at us at the door to their apartment. On the second evening I couldn't help walking over to check on him. Seeing him alone, I asked, "Are you lonely?" He replied, "I am." When Tsung heard us talk, she came over saying to me, "You should leave him alone!" I then quickly ran away.

其實大人懲罰小孩並不總是痛快的，我也感到有些寂寞，那一條線其實像一道牆，我只好把剩餘的愛心用到同一棟某個小胖弟身上。

To be honest, adults don't always enjoy punishing children. I also felt kind of lonely. That thin line, for me, is as thick as a wall. I even had to give my love to a chubby boy I met that day in the elevator.

一個星期不到，愛雪把楷維抱過來，說：這樣你並沒有越界喔！但同時我們這些想堅守陣營的人認真地問：一個星期到了嗎？

Three days later, Mom held Kai in her arms and brought him over, saying, "See, you do not cross the line at all!" Meanwhile, we, who'd like to be persistent, asked in confusion, "Has it been a week?"

這麼多大人，這麼多不同調的規矩，難怪小孩聰明得可以快速抓住每個人的性格和弱點，所以要實行我最近掛在嘴邊的名言：立場堅定原則一致的人最後一定會獲得尊敬，真不容易。

There are so many adults with so many rules of their own. No wonder children are always quick to see through us and have their ways. It's a bumpy road to put my recent motto into practice: Those who are consistent in what they do will eventually win respect.