A portfolio blog site is exciting to me because it records my portfolio/work chronologically. I have been working as a graphic designer/illustrator for more than 10 years now and my portfolio is quite big and diverse. (And I haven’t updated my current portfolio site for a few years.) Going through my old work could be fun because it can show you what the design trends were like that year, and how I progress artistically and technically.

With the newest works always showing on the top, those who are interested in my current work can always skimp through my front page, those who are curious about my older work (sadly I admit they are crazier) can take a few hours exploring my site (and yes, unsightly school work portfolio will be back!)

P.S. This website was hacked recently and malicious codes were inserted into some posts. Now it’s all cleaned, but I have to remove all subscribers. My apologies.

事後自我檢討，對自己的失儀，深感歉意。也覺得自己對不公義之事，臨亂一刻不能有效地和平和地反駁和處理，深感失望。

我所住的單位是一列鎮屋的其中一間，左邊房是來自中國大陸的一對年輕情侶，男的做專業攝影，女的我不知大概；右邊房是一些台灣簽證海外留學生。他們都是租客，而且都有飼養狗隻。

問題出自他們放狗後不拾走狗糞而往往狗隻「如廁」時我不在場得以指控，累得我們的前街和草坪四處都是「地雷」。

大陸女子特別不付責任，懶得帶狗走動，沒有扣上狗鏈，打開前門就任牠四跑排糞，如事後狗隻自動回屋，她鎖上門後像什麼事也沒有發生。半年前我目擊牠的狗在我屋門前拉屎，於是我拍門和她對峙。由於當時右屋還沒租出，鎮屋只有她有狗隻，所以她不能自辯地說，「我其實正是去拿膠袋，只是慢了點。」她心心不忿，還說：「我經過你家門前，隔窗見你家有貓隻，你有沒有想過是牠們的糞便？」我說牠們從不准外出，所以沒有可能。

數月後，右房子的台灣留學生搬進，情況每況愈下。直到前天，我親自目撃他的狗在前門草坪拉屎，我的同屋找看更和他理論，他十分不好意思，說他以後不會再犯。可能是有錢人的孩子，對此深覺丟臉，後天牠放狗時我遇上他，他再次道歉。這樣就好了，互相尊重。

可惜，今晨所發生的事，令我搖頭不信是真的。大陸女子的沙皮狗再次「出撃」，我又再次目睹牠的「丰采」，於是再次拍門。她知道是什麼回事，特意不應門，我的同屋終於找看更致電她的家中，她才出來。她說：「你有什麼証據是我的狗做的？你有沒有相片証明？」看更說：「請問你十分鐘前有沒放狗？」她說：「有，但不代表是我的狗所做。」看更說：「這是市的法律，你的狗需要扣上狗鏈，不可任牠四跑。」她說：「怎麼要針對我，很可能是另一所屋的狗所做，他們也有養狗。」我的同屋說他們已承認過錯，開始了拾起狗糞。她說：「他們家中也有養貓三隻，你有沒有想過是他們的所為？」看更說：「請不要轉彎抹角，他們目擊你的狗的所為。而且，不只是他們投訴，其他人家也有。」她說：「你說，那一家？」看更說：「其他鎮屋單位，但我不能說是那一所。」她說：「好，我現在去拾走那狗糞，但是因為是你（看更），而不是為了他們！」

她回屋前駛出中指「F*ck You」(屌你)，我回應了一句「Bitch!」（潑婦），她停下腳步說：「Yeah? You too! But I am prettier than you！」我心想，妳說妳比我漂亮又如何？你死不認錯，扭横折曲，一個這樣心腸的人，路可走得多遠？

回家後我坐下，我想不到我和鄰居的關係會搞得這麼惡劣，以後日字會變得怎樣？

最近，加拿大移民部正努力修改移民法條，要求移民百份百接受和認同加拿大的「基本價值觀」。基本價值觀包括男女平等，言論自由等。原因是曾有定居加拿大的回教徒要求加拿大允准他們使用自己的一套法律去解決他們的家庭事，如男方永遠比女方有更大權力於離婚、子女撫養權和遺產分配。這當然被加拿大立刻駁回，你做得加拿大人，便要學懂加拿大的法律和價值觀，不可把移民國當作酒店來住。

我不知在中國大陸飼養狗隻的怎麼回事，但在加拿大，帶狗出外要用狗鏈和拾走狗糞，這法津和基本公德。我的鄰居這樣厚顏無恥，令我氣忿和失望。

It was a beautiful day. The sky was crystal blue and the sun rays made the houses in Athens extra white. The openness of the vast coastal line gave me a very free and leisure feel. Of course, our tour guide was telling us the hardship of modern Greeks and let’s not fool by the beauty of their natural resources. The first landmark we visited in Greece was the Temple of Poseidon.

After a short visit to the Ephesus museum, the tour bus took us to a small restaurant located next to the Çamlık Outdoor Train Museum for lunch. Those who finish the meal early can spend more time seeing the trains and visiting the Turkish pottery shop “Ephesus Ceramic”, which is also located right next to the restaurant.

Above: The entrance to the House of Mary. On the right hand side of the photo you can see the exit of the house.

Above: A statue of the Virgin Mary

Above: Right outside of the house exit, you can light up a candle for prayers.

Above: People lining up to fill their small flask (supplied by the tour company) with supposedly holy water.

Above: Along side the wall people can put on their wishes on a small piece of paper

Above: As you walk towards the house, there is a small courtyard with a big “keyhole”. I was looking for a washroom nearby and skipped the tour guide explaining the significance of this hole.

Binary (Kay Tse, 謝安琪)

This is an almost perfect Canton-pop Chinese album for me. I like all the songs in the album and each and every song has a “soul” and style. Some of the ballads took me a few listens to warm up to but the non-karaoke songs are instant hits for me. Youtube: “入型入格” is cute and fun.

Third (Portishead)

I thought they were disbanded after ten years of not releasing a new album but here it is, in 2008, they dropped their mega bomb. This album is very dark and despite not as catchy as their previous work, the more I listen to the more I love their sounds. Youtube: Machine Gun. I can’t stop listening to it even though the background music is just repeating drum beats.

Made in the Dark (Hot Chip)

Boy, their songs are catchy and the beats are fun. Not to mention their music videos are insane. Youtube: Ready for the Floor. Their smash hit in UK.

The Black Ghosts (Self-title)

It’s not a mega hit album but the lead singer has such a nice voice that makes me want to listen it one more time. Youtube: Some Way Through This. (If you are a lego fan, you must watch it.) and Anyway You Choose to Give it.

Seventh Tree (Goldfrapp)

Honestly, I need a lyrics booklet to know exactly what she is singing but she can definitely make a soothing trance album. Youtube: Happiness. (Excellent video editing)

Fantasy Zone Ultra Super Big Maximum Great Strong

A complete soundtrack collection of the Fantasy Zone video game series. Fun, catchy and sweet, if these soundtracks were candies, listening to them will definitely cause tooth decay. Youtube: Ya-Da-Ne (Super Fantasy Zone Final Boss Music)

Ten Days in the Mad House (何韻詩)

Best album cover artwork for me but it’s  the most disappointing album for me in 2008. The lyrics are fine but the songs are not. All the songs are written and arranged by the same guy and honestly, they are really dull to me.

為你含情 (My Little Airport + 林一峰)

Quite a pleasant surprise when the Hong Kong indie band “My Little Airport” team up with Hong Kong folk singer 林一峰 to do a cross over album. My Little Airport could be the most successful indie band from Hong Kong as they can write very sweet melodies and unusal lyrics. Youtube: 浪漫九龍塘、在動物園散步才是正經事、馬田的心事

Above: Entering the cistern as we walk down the stairs.

Above: A standard shot. I put my camera on the fence and set it to No Flash.

Above: If you look very carefully, there are many fat fish swimming around.

Above: A slightly different angle and you can see how big the structure is.

Above: There is one particular pillar that looks way different from others. The locals call it the “teardrop” pillar.

Above: The famous medusa pillar. The base on the pillar has two medusa face; one placed up-side-down, and one placed sideways.

Above: I wish I had a tripod when I took the photo. The tour guide said that the reason why the medusa heads were designed like that was to show their abandonment of pagan beliefs.