Summer morning / 夏日早晨

這個夏天過得很滿，常常想念只專心於速寫的日子，於是在夏日結束之前，去家附近的市場畫畫。

My agenda was fully packed this past summer. With little free time left, I missed days of sketching badly. This, before summer ended, I decided to go sketching in the market in our neighborhood.

        想打破自己的界限，所以這次不用札記本和習慣使用的細字筆，帶著黑紙卡和色鉛筆，在市場找了小角落，坐下來享受很單純的喜悅。

     Desiring a change, I left at home the journal and fine markers I was used to. Instead, I brought with me a blackboard and colored pencils. After having found a cozy corner, I was ready to get carried away by the sheer joy of drawing.

        那天早上下過雨，夏季走到盡頭，太陽也疲憊了，派雨出來代班。充滿著橘光的市場裡，來來回回的是穿著繽紛的阿姨們，我感受到女力的強大。素食攤是大家的加油站，我著迷於她們厚實燦爛的背影，以及老闆簡潔但溫暖的人情味。

     It had rained earlier that morning. The sun couldn't hide its fatigue after having blazed for a whole summer, so it sent rain to take its place at the end of summer. In the market filled with orange light, ladies in colorful casual wear came and go in front of me. I felt the power of their mighty existence. The stall selling ready-to-eat veggie meals were ladies' gas station. I was so fascinated with their sturdy and
vibrant backs, also, the quiet yet massive warmth of the stall owner.

        市場外面還有雨的痕跡，市場裡面出太陽。

     I could sense races of rain outside the market, but inside the market, the sun never left.

Blessings / 祝福

忙了好一陣子，到身心可以鬆懈的時候，心裡的魔鬼都跑出來，我花了兩天整理我的內在，和渴望說再見，今天又回到正面平靜的我。

After being busy for a while, the demons in me were all released since they knew I wouldn't be able to fight them given my mental and physical exhaustion. It took me two days to cleanse my inner self. I pulled myself together to say goodbye to my desires and longings. Today I am finally myself again. 

昨天在龍山寺看到一張很美的臉，群眾們誦經時，有位先生完全沈浸在歌唱之中，滿臉盡是喜樂。

Yesterday I spotted a very beautiful face in Long-shan Temple. When the followers were reciting the incantations, a man was totally lost in singing with joy written all over his face. 

我也有低落沮喪想逃的時候，但是我知道最後我都會回到自己身邊，坦然面對生活裡的各種場面。有時候我也想，我是不是太坦然太刺眼，別人我是不知道，不過對我來說，誠實和寬容才是王道。　

There are moments when I am frustrated and upset. There are times when I feel like fleeing. But I know in the end I will come back to myself and face every challenge in life. Sometimes I wonder if I am too honest and if my honesty is too much for others to bear. I don't know about others, but for me, honesty and magnanimity rule.

別人有太多我沒有的幸福，與其讓忌妒擋在我們之間，我選擇打開雙臂送上我的祝福。

Others have too much happiness that I don't, but instead of letting jealousy stand in our way, I choose to open up my arms and offer my sincerest blessings....

about stars / 關於星星

很多星星藏在夜空裡，等到我們的雙眼適應黑暗之後，才意識到它們的存在⋯

Many stars are tucked inside the dark folds in the sky. They won't reveal themselves until our eyes are adjusted to the dark...

今年春天，小子們和我在社區裡尋找著星星的蹤跡，邊跑邊唱五月天的「恆星的恆心」：你和我，看星星，那夜空，多神祕⋯」

This spring, the boys and I look for the stars in the neighborhood. We run and sing Mayday's Persistence of the Planet: You and I, watch the stars. The night sky, is so mysterious...

The magic channel / 神奇通道

有一天回家看到孩子們在點著橘色燈光的書房裡看書，我不禁也坐下來，殊不知這是一個瘋狂故事的開始，孩子問我晚上要去哪裡，我不想說去研習這種無聊的答案，便胡亂想了個畫面：我要去緊接著森林的海邊，可以看到繁星。因為把畫面說得太誘人，要出門之前兩個小男孩居然依依不捨地站在門邊說：我們也好想去，下次可以帶我們去嗎？

I found the boys nestled in the study all warmed by the orange-color light upon coming home from work one day. I couldn't help sitting down on the floor along with them, but little did I know that this was the beginning of a very wacky story. The children asked me where I was going the same evening. Because I didn't want to give a boring answer such as attending a seminar, I made up an answer with a beautiful visual image: I am going to the sea adjacent to the forest, and from there, you'll see a whole sky of stars. I guess I gave too tempting an answer that before I left, the boys lingered at the door begging me to take them along next time. 

其實男孩們會如此心動適因爲我把所有他們喜歡的卡通都編進去故事裡，連我最近很著迷的仁顯皇后的男人也來湊一角，楷維很喜歡男主角金鵬道的馬，我們就讓牠藏在森林裡。不滿足只用文字敘述，我們決定把故事畫下來，這是我們命名為神奇通道的故事，從這裡孩子們可以去到他們想去的任何地方。

The major reason why the boys are so into the story is that I include all their favorite cartoons and books in it. I also make my recent favorite Korean drama part of it. Kai loves the horse of the protagonist,  so we hide it in the forest near the sea. Not satisfied with mere verbal description, we decide to draw the story, which we name "The Magic Channel." From here, the boys can go wherever they want to.

只能說和我在一起的孩子很快樂，但得有很強烈的現實感才行啊！

Though I can guarantee I can make kids very happy, but they gotta have a very strong sense of reality!

Big wolf / 大野狼

大野狼真不好畫！

Wolves are hard to draw!