Writing update and Trip

Just written a short piece for lampful.com called 慢慢的寫「亂」.

Going to Lushan (盧山) tomorrow, taking an overnight train there. Be back on the morning of the 8th. Struggled, but decided to bring Dcam instead of using film, because I don't have the money to develop it.

Update

Just wrote a little piece called A Draft of 世界觀.

Currently reading a book called 香港的殖民地幽靈：從殖民地經驗看今天的香港處境。Quite a readable little book that discuss our identity as the basis for viable long term political vision. Planning to recommend it to you guys later.

Little Progress

Basically, I have made little progress either in Land or Art. This week has been more of Worldview, both from work and from work related reading and thinking.

Regarding the job interview I had at Worldvision, I am having slight second thoughts whether they hire me or not. This is because there is an upcoming temporary 9 month assignment and I am highly considered as a candidate. The Worldvision job would be a safe choice "religiously" and a good choice for my family's sake. However, this 9 month assignment is in Art and the organization has great freedom for me.

Choice of 9 month art assignment is the harder choice because I would only see 9 months into the future (income wise, of course). If WV full time job is offered, it would be the easier path.

Sometimes we say the harder path is the right path. Sometimes we say the path has gotten easier because God has made a way.

Just so you (I) know, I still believe my calling to be in Art.

Job Seeking

Have been quite busy looking for jobs and preparing for this 1 interview. I do hope to get the position, will tell you if I do, or if anyone asks.

Thinking over my studies lately, I am thinking perhaps I should get back to art as soon as I am done with the Land paper. Land is a popular topic and though I have some insights, it still doesn't mean that it is my battle, I feel like reading the next person's newspaper. Gotta get back to art.

Long day at the Library

Such a long day, did not go to work today and went to the library and started writing on paper regarding Land. It was more successful than I hoped, and the paper has reached into certain aspects which I will need a bit more research. But overall the body has materialized and am going to work on the application.

Really glad to have finally used the book Archaeology, History, and Society in Galilee: The Social Context of Jesus and the Rabbis "Horsely offers New Testament scholars a wealth of well-digested information on the latest archaeological information. A fascinating critique of contemporary theories regarding the beginnings of Christianity and of rabbinic Judaism. There is a good deal to be savoured in this book, and all splendidly documented. Its contribution is greatly to be welcomed and deserves to be given the most serious attention."

Not only did he give good criticism, but also offered some unsensational but illuminating insights in understanding the political-socio-economic-religious-whatever situation of the Jews in Jesus' time.

My conclusion and application will begin with Bruggemann's Land and Walsh/Keesmaat's Colossians Remix.

******Looking for 1 or 2 more volunteer proof reader (chinese), will be paid in kind (free dinner).

搵工

搵工都近半年，自下年九月和公司了解分開後（有禮貌地互炒），都一直在找一份行政以外的工，最好當然是有得做藝術、文化或神學等研究的工，不過這類工在香港很少，所以一直都未有長工。

不過這半年卻令我更明白香港和找工作的路，就係理想的工不一定有，而我心目中的更是難找，所以現在我找的工作種類闊了，不過仍然是沒有找行政重的工：非不為也，實不能也。

要在工餘時間中在這幾個blog的東西，一但要專注！努力！

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大家可能留意到Belief比較多東西，而Art就沒有什麼進展，這是因為在香港（我所投入的圈子）較易進入神學討論，而藝術的討論較為少。

Good Night!

在看漫畫版風之谷，和電影版差異很大，漫畫在描述女子主角娜烏西卡怎樣懂得與又可怕又有人性的昆蟲溝通，明白到荒涼大地的原因，尊重和有醫治生命的能力，更能掌握風的特性，在風中飛翔和為村莊帶來新鮮空氣。她的愛心不但打動了朋友、動物、將軍和身經百戰的戰友，還得到他們的尊敬。

不過在空中飛翔的日子，在村莊生活的日子暫時離開了她，在實現理想的路途中，她要選擇戰爭的一方，經歷戰火和殺敵，她在瘋狂的戰爭中怎樣實行她對身命的尊重呢？「娜烏西卡接下來才是真正的戰爭了！」

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今晚初探聖經土地觀小組不錯，我自己也有新發現，想想一兩天才落筆。

圖書館的不同

上次話想在「王劉燕容基督教崇拜與藝術教育中心」資料中心開始我的教會音樂歷史研究，但係那裡未係圖書館，所以外人不可用，令我要想想用不用報一些課程讓 自己可以用。不過好消息是找尋出大學第四年的notes，那"Music up to 1600"的notes比想像中齊全很多，有不少老師影印給我們的書，所以可以從那兒開始。

可能你有發現，"這兒的信念"那裡有了第一課：小組：初探聖經土地觀。 有些朋友近來認識了這東西，而思考世界的本質關係到我們如何理解和面對身邊的東西，在藝術的學習中，這一課很重要，所以我便樂意的答應了（其實有一部份是 我提出的，希望多些一想，看看怎樣在本地運用）。我接觸土地神學的時候，便被它的歷史感和適切性深深吸引，當時，我跟的那位老師主要在簡樸的生活中活出這 土地觀，所以，我在這方面的文學浸淫了一年半後，才真正將這土地觀溶入我的藝術思想中，成為這系統的根。

第一煲湯：教會音樂史反省

為什麼用一煲湯來應容呢？因為有一些放在家很久的乾貨，拿來煲湯時原來好正，原來不用落街買，不用年年送乾貨給朋友，尤其是那些移民外地的人。

好，入正題：我中小學都係做好多音樂，入到大學更讀西方音樂史，不過好少好少將這東西與信仰放在一起（可能學術界主要係講視覺和文字），謂一一次係讀德國（偏馬克思主義）學者Adorno，當回應他文章On Popular Music時, 我寫低過以下的東西後，便忘記了：

"He is rejecting the possibility that popular music and its types may be a development of music under industrialization, just as Baroque music is considered to have grown out of the Renaissance."

"Plainchants, most often taught nowadays in music history as the origin of European music, was used for reciting scriptures during Medieval Mass and Office. Words or phrases would be set to certain melodies and was often used whenever it reappears in other chants only with slight variations. Early records of plainchants showed primarily descriptions for the rituals during the chants, and it was not after centuries of practice that the musical element gained its own importance. If serious music was able to grow out of Plainchants after hundreds of years, then perhaps something good will eventually grow out of popular music. Maybe, it already has."

雖然文章裡我有些偏袒流 行音樂，我其實對流行音樂有極大的保留，不過這就是思考有趣之處，因為的而且確十世紀初期教會音樂（plainchants）也是 非常公式化，但後來卻發展至Baroque音樂。從歷史開始，看音樂本身的特性、有歌詞和沒有歌詞音樂的不同、個人和群體信仰經驗等這些東西，大概是一些 會接觸到的課題。

無論如何，以往這方面的思考令我相信今日香港基督教音樂圈子值得回望舊人曾走過的路。未來這星期我要去浸大「王劉燕容基督教崇拜與藝術教育中心」的資料中心看看，預備一下怎樣進行。