恐懼

人們都應有免於恐懼的自由。

Star Wars 中的尤達大師其中一句名言就是"Fear is the path to the dark side, fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering"。

當一個地方的人每天活於惶恐的生活中，他們的精神面貌都變得扭曲，對有權勢的噤若寒蟬，對年輕的窮兇極惡。

2016 New Year's Resolutions

Hello there!

Long time no see my secret garden.  I have experienced all ups and downs in 2015 and now I decided to move on bravely to the new year.

I guess I am a minority because I did achieve my new year resolutions in past years.  It is time to set some goals for myself.

2016 New Year's Resolutions

1. Write more  - both professional writings, sharing, blogs and scripts
2. Be confident - I found I was (and am) far more stronger as I believe
3. Read more especially professional related books
4. Continue my French learning adventure (this does need some confidence and persistence hahah)
5. Be brave to take adventures
6. Drive more
7. Pamper myself - eat well, exercise, use high quality skincare and make up products, buy minimal clothes but in high quality
7. Keep family at the centre of my life, as usual

I do not need a radical change of myself, I am sure all small steps of exploration would lead me to a fruitful 2016.

My perfect base

Long before BB cream, CC cream or their cousins such as DD cream, etc conquered the world, I have already been a big fan of tinted moisturiser.  I have tired Laura Mercier, By Terry, Chantecaille, Clarins and Shieido throughout the last 10 years.  Finally, my heart goes to Bobbi Brown SPF 15 Oil Free Tinted Moisturiser.

Having normal to combination skin and living in an extremely humid place - Hong Kong, I cannot bear any sticky feeling from skincare or cosmetic products, my skin would actually act out its irritation - I could feel the itch if the pores are blocked.  Thanks this sleek tube of Bobbi Brown tinted moisturiser, the light texture give me a sheer coverage without leaving any grease.  My skin tone is even instantly, my pores and fine lines are less visible.  In winter, I wear it with my fingers.  In summer, I love using a sponge to make the coverage even lighter.

Julique rose silk finishing powder is another item I repurchased throughout the years.  You would love its tempting rosy scent.  Simply a stroke with a powder brush keeps my skin silky yet matt the whole day (it seems a bit contradicting, hope you know what i mean =)). 

兒童書介紹 － 《超神奇洗髮精》

很多小朋友都不太喜歡洗頭，怕洗髮水流入眼，不喜歡水從頭頂沖下的感覺。

如果你的寶寶也是這樣，快跟他們分享由宮達西也，陳瀅如翻譯的《超神奇洗髮精》吧！

故事中的世界出現了很多外型有趣的洗髮精，火箭啦、獨角仙啦，小企鵝等。 「我」和城中的所以人也湧到大賣場瘋狂購買⋯⋯可是奇怪的事發生了！所有用過神奇洗髮水的人都變成了火箭、獨角仙，小企鵝，爸爸還變成讓人聞風喪膽的怪獸酷斯拉呢！這一切原來是超神奇怪俠搞鬼！究竟全城的人如何才能變回原狀？為甚麼「我」說以後會乖乖用普通洗髮精洗頭？大家真的要看看這個故事啊！

《超神奇洗髮精》並不是甚麼勵志或充滿教育意義的故事，書背甚至也寫這是一本「超無厘頭的超神奇洗頭繪本！」不過，這是一本很適合小朋友的繪本。透過簡單的文字和古靈精怪的插圖，表現了作者充滿童心的幻想，讓小朋友們好好享受閱讀的樂。這書很快也成為我家最受歡迎的睡前故事呢！

有時候，我們給孩子看書，不一定是要他們明白甚麼的大意義，也要給他們機會天馬行空一下！

有關資料：

書名： 《超神奇洗髮精》

出版社： 小魯文化事業股份有限公司

作者／ 插畫： 宮達西也

翻譯： 陳瀅如

A lovely day

Finally it is cooler today.  We were literally baking under the sun last week.

Many political incidents happened in Hong Kong in last few weeks.  People were murmuring "Hong Kong is dying".  However, if you look back the human history, our lovely home is still far from dying. 

My kids are playing some imaginative games in their bedroom right now.  They laugh, they yell, they just enjoy themselves.

Yes, life is never a piece of cake.  Let's appreciate every tiny beauty around us everyday.  Guess what, even a cool breeze from an electric fan can make you happy.

C'est la vie.

Time to make a change again?

Counting my fingers, this is the fourth year I work as a mom full time.

You are correct.  My big one is already 8, I should be a mom much longer than that.  I mean I had dedicated to stay full time at home since 2010.  In the last four years, I worked as a part time/ freelance market researcher, and occasionally on some other jobs, like marketing, blogging, even as awkward as 'name-giving' to a company.

Anyway, my little one will study primary 1 in coming September.  I am wondering if I should join the workforce again, full time.

It is not an easy decision.  First, I am not sure if my little one can handle the primary 1 well.  Should I just stand by?  Second, there are so many ad hoc events every week, not to mention all those after school classes I should send them back and forth.  Third, working full-time means I should compromise my flexibility now.  I don't want to skip or even quit my piano and French classes.

Sigh! Let see.

C'est la vie

小時候，我爸的書架裏有一本育兒書。有天百無聊賴，我取了來讀。當時還是一至二年級，很多字也不會讀，但令我印象很深刻，是書中介紹一個獎勵計劃的禮物表。表中在「默書100分」旁畫有一杯軟雪糕。後來，當爸爸真的實行讀書獎勵計劃，我得戚地說我知他從那裏學來這小把戲。

好了，到我成為家長，也走到書局物色育兒書。近來這類題材的書發展蓬勃，選擇之多令人花多眼亂，但未必適合每一個人。例如英國有一知名的育兒專家認為幼童必須在晚上七時入睡，這在香港沒有幾多個家庭可以實現。又例如我讀過另一本以心理學為本的育兒書，教導家長替嬰兒換片時，就算聞臭味也不要皺眉頭，因為這會影響孩子的自專心，我就覺得有點過了火。

讀過這麼多育兒書，有一本我很喜歡，也給我很多啓發，就是French Children Don’t Throw Food。這本書的作者Pamela Druckerman是一位美國人，與英國人丈夫與三名孩子居於法國，每天受著文化衝擊的她，發現法國人育兒方式與英美很不同。她覺得法國孩子看起來總是很有教養，不喧鬧。這與法國人從容的處事方式有關。”C’est la vie!” （”That’s life!"）是他們的生活態度。例如，法國媽媽不會迫孩子吃東西，反而鼓勵孩子嘗試不同口味。當他們不喜歡某種食物，她們不會勉強，待下一次再嘗試。媽媽著重的，是教孩子享受食物，而不是無止境的角力。

在法國家庭，大人也愛錫孩子，但不會視孩子為中心，相反，他們會要求孩子去適應大人的生活。他們會定下規條讓孩子遵守，要求孩子學懂尊重身邊的人，換過來大人也會信任孩子，很多事會給他們做決定，不會過份保護。這跟英美甚至是華人社會不同，我們常將孩子放在中心，爸媽一定要以孩子為先等。當然，我們不能說那一種方法較好，但我相信法國育兒文化會讓你有所領悟。

法國媽媽無論多忙也給自己私人時間，好好打扮一番，在街上你會見到拉著寶寶們的媽媽總是打扮得很時尚，很亮麗！所以，香港爸媽們，愛錫孩子外，也愛錫自己多一點吧！