Thursday, May 31, 2007

Engagement and Enthusiasm

The staff team were discussing our mission statement the other day. It is actually easy to write a mission statement, but getting everyone truly embrace it is another story. The true difficulty is not in adopting a statement, but living out that statement.

It’s about engagement, enthusiasm, the idea that “I’m a part of this and I’m going to do my best to make it succeed”. How powerful would it be if you could engage the staff to that depth of and passion for what they do?

People tend to support what they help to build, so how do you translate mandate, focus, and vision for an organization into projects that engage staff as key players in the future success of each one?



Link

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Wednesday, May 30, 2007

What I'm supposed to be reading for my upcoming course


Music Through the Eyes of Faith
by Harold Best



Worship at the Next Level: Insight from Contemporary Voices
by Tim A. Dearborn (Editor), Scott Coil (Editor)



Visual Faith: Art, Theology, and Worship in Dialogue
by William A. Dyrness



Silent Prophet
by Todd Farley



Worship in the Shape of Scripture
by F. Russell Mitman



Leading in Prayer: A Workbook for Ministers
by Hughes Oliphant Old



The Voice of Our Congregation: Seeking And Celebrating God's Song for Us
by Terry W. York, C. David Brolin



Art as Religious Studies
by Doug Adams, Diane Apostolos-Cappadona



Christly Gestures: Learning to Be Members of the Body of Christ
by Brett P. Webb-Mitchell




Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue
by Robert K. Johnston

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Tuesday, May 29, 2007

暢快

今晚與香港正生書院的陳兆焯校長吃飯和談天,非常享受。很少會遇到一些對事工的看法與我們這般頻率相近的人。感謝主。

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Sunday, May 27, 2007

Spiritual Abortion


Twentieth-century Americans like me were taught to focus on an instant salvation, a decision-oriented regenration, a conversion event. The church on the other side, more in keeping with Christians throughout history, will emphasize the process of conversion, not only the event. Just as the birth event is the culmination of a long process, and is the commencement of another long process, and in and of itself constitute a process (and a labourious one at that) - so the conversion event will be seen in the new church as a snapshot of a flowing river, a rain shower in a larger weather system, an important episode in an all-important process.

As a result, we won't rush people towards a decision. We will see rushed decisions as potential abortions - harmful, dangerous, even criminal. We will see this process and its component events as all taking place under the watchful eye of a provident, relational, dynamic God.

- Brian McLaren, The Church on the Other Side, p 84-85.

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Saturday, May 26, 2007

Revival?


Pursue God not Revival


Jaeson Ma

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Friday, May 25, 2007

迪士尼之行外傳(四)

最想買(但無買)的商品:





其他真的沒甚麼想買。可能是我老了。

今次對迪士尼的總括印象:cast members笑少了,magic少了。在街上(園外)也見到cast members穿著制服來往上下班。指示牌也有壞的(it's always displaying "9" minutes until the next show)。感覺上管理鬆懈了。

(系列完)

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Thursday, May 24, 2007

迪士尼之行外傳(三)

去Disneyland的時候,剛好遇上Pirates of the Caribbean 3的首映禮在園內舉行,在平時看Fantasmic的地方set up了看台與銀幕,還有很elaborate的海盜佈景。那些佈景將會變成新的attraction。但對我的影嚮是,沒有Fantasmic看!



但卻看到另一奇景。首映那天,Disneyland提前至6:30am開門,因為5:00pm就要關門讓首映禮舉行。首映禮前,那些明星會從Main Street USA行紅地氈到Frontier Land。





重點是,當我在9:15am入園時,發覺整條Main Street USA以至Castle前的迴旋處都已經坐滿等晚上看明星的Fans!




Fans,果然厲害!

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Wednesday, May 23, 2007

第四屆勁歌王年度總選頒獎典禮

請用最大的耐性睇完這個得獎名單:
金曲獎(粵語):
黎明《愛是傻得起》
古巨基《愛得太遲》
何韻詩《光明會》
楊千嬅《化》
容祖兒《心花怒放》
側田《情歌》
衛蘭《離家出走》
薛凱琪《小峽谷之1234》
鄭融《紅綠燈》
吳雨霏《愛你變成恨你》

金曲獎(國語):
蔡依林《舞娘》
羅志祥《精舞門》
楊丞琳《慶祝》
光良《I AM WHO I AM 我就是我》
庾澄慶《戒不掉》
李宇春《下雨》
Twins《八十塊環游世界》
水木年華《forever young》
許慧欣《陪你等到天亮》
泳兒《感應》

勁歌王:古巨基
勁歌后:容祖兒
勁歌王上王:黎明

勁歌王至尊金曲獎(粵語):古巨基《愛得太遲》
勁歌王至尊金曲獎(國語):吳建豪/安七弦《SCANDAL》

最受歡迎男歌手
香港:謝霆鋒 台灣:羅志祥 內地:張敬軒

最受歡迎女歌手
香港:楊千嬅 台灣:蔡依林 內地:李宇春 廣東:張曼莉

最受歡迎組合
香港:TWINS 台灣:S.H.E 內地:水木年華

最有前途新人獎:
香港:泳兒、衛詩 台灣:蔡旻佑 內地:黃雅莉、倪睿思

最有前途新人組合
香港:SUN BOY'Z 內地:丁香曉曉 台灣:飛輪海

勁歌王新登場歌手:許懷欣、王浩信、江若琳

勁歌王新登場組合:新主張、新香焦俱樂部

杰出青年歌手獎
香港:衛蘭 台灣:羅志祥 內地:王蓉

勁歌K歌金曲:側田《情歌》、衛蘭《愛才》
勁歌王影視金曲獎:李彩樺《有一種愛》
最具觀賞性MTV獎:王蓉《加倍》
最受歡迎廣告歌:何韻詩《光明會》

最佳合唱歌
方大同/薛凱琪《四人游》
方力申/鄧麗欣《十分愛》
鄧穎芝/Eddie@EO2《電光火石》

最暢銷唱片大獎:
香港:容祖兒《CLOSE UP》
台灣:光良《約定》
內地:李宇春《皇后與夢想》

勁歌作曲王:黃義達
勁歌作詞王:黃偉文
勁歌監制王:雷頌德
勁歌最具實力創作王:光良
勁歌唱作人:黃義達、葉世榮、方大同
勁歌王最佳作曲:側田
最佳舞台演繹獎:何韻詩、許慧欣
勁歌王全能藝人獎:楊丞琳、薛凱琪
勁歌王傳媒大獎:謝霆鋒、楊千嬅、TWINS
網路人氣歌手:鄧穎芝、關智斌、張繼聰、應昌佑、戴夢夢、廖雋嘉、衛詩
網路人氣組合:ENERGY、SOLER、ZARAHN、SUNBOY'Z
勁歌王舞台至尊大獎:蔡依林
勁歌王舞台天王:吳建豪
勁歌王最佳樂隊獎:芳華十八
勁歌王飛躍歌手:鄭融
勁歌王飛躍組合:EO2
勁歌王最佳原創歌曲:黃貫中《彩色世界》
勁歌王網絡人氣歌曲:盧巧音《愛到不能》
勁歌王年度最佳演唱會:黎明《4 IN LOVE》
勁歌王最愛華語經典金曲:黃凱芹《傷感的戀人》、邰正宵《九百九十九朵玫瑰》
勁歌王最佳發燒音樂大碟獎:夏韶聲《諳3》
勁歌王最佳概念專輯:黎明《4 IN LOVE》
勁歌王年度最佳專輯:謝霆鋒《毋忘我》
勁歌王最愛魅力歌手大獎:吳建豪
勁歌王最佳搖滾大獎:黃貫中
勁歌王殿堂歌手大獎:庾澄慶
勁歌王杰出貢獻獎:庾澄慶


仍然係阿榮那四個字:ridiculous。

Link

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迪士尼之行外傳(二)


我平時都不會幫襯Burger King。我的原則是,既然都一樣不好吃,當然選平的,所以我永遠都是吃M記的Big Xtra餐,最平。
這次是因為在機場無得揀。仍然是不好吃。但這不是重點。
我留意到印在紙杯上的宣傳句:
Maybe you want a lot of ice. Maybe you want no ice. Maybe you want your top securely fastened, or maybe you want to go topless. Hmmm? Maybe you want to mix Coke with Sprite. Maybe you want to let your cup runneth over (we wish you wouldn't). Whatever you do, make sure to have it your way.

How lame.
"Just do it" is a vision (agree or not). "Think Different" is a vision. But "Have it your way"... 只是討好無腦少年的糖衣。仲要原來不是真心的(不要浪費汽水!)。
阿榮話齋,四個字:ridiculous.

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Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Christ Follower

這個系列出到第六集,製作越來越pro,內容也越來越不怕得罪人 ;-P
不過要post的最大原因,是因為飾演counselor的那位,是我的「偶像」!你認得嗎?

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Monday, May 21, 2007

學生報事件的信仰反思

二千多個投訴聖經不雅絕對有極為深遠的含意,起碼說明了社會中存在一大群對基督教/基督徒心懷敵意的人,借投訴聖經(即基督教/基督徒的權威icon)來表達不滿。[...] 為何出現這樣的深仇舊恨?我相信是過去不少熱心基督徒/教會/機構的好心做懷事所造成。這些熱心基督徒以傳福音及護教為己任,偶然遇上不信者的不友善的挑戰信仰,就本能地作出反擊,急不及待地搬出一大堆學藝未精所謂護教學來,貽笑大方收場(特別出現在網上講壇上,不夠人爭辯的就以「最終都是要你相信才能領會神的愛」此等邏輯作結,逃之夭夭)[...] 今日基督徒/教會似乎幻想自己能重拾昔日「基督教世界」(Christendom)的地位,把影響力滲透入社會建制中。對任何威脅教會及其價值的東西都有無窮的恐懼,設法鏟除。但初期教會從來都是小數,在大多數的異教社會中掙扎生存。有時我幻想:若有一天真的不幸地,公開宣揚「同性戀是罪」是犯法的,作為信徒及教會領袖,就讓執法者因著我們的信念而懲罰我們。

所以,從基督教角度看,我認為學生報事件本質上是一個宣教學的問題:教會如何在社會上見證基督。[...] 我怕這就反映我們的神學是一種榮耀的神學,即以為神的國是透過打勝仗,把「敵人」打得落花流水來得以實現的,[...] 我們不能一手拿聖經,一手拿刀劍,來向人傳福音(你認為今天的教會是不是這樣?),反過來我們也不用販賣廉價福音,處處為搏紅顏一笑,以利誘來求人舉手決志。我只想問:基督徒人生有什麼是價得人羡慕的(不是指有平安喜樂之類)?教會有甚麼地方是值得人投入的?這兩個問題不是marketing的問題,而是一個聖經神學問題:當門徒依照聖經的要求來生活時,能否活出一個信仰群體,是令人羡慕的,是未信者的一種社會性另類選擇(alternative society)?


Link

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Sunday, May 20, 2007

迪士尼之行外傳(一)

從迪士尼回來了。迪士尼樂園好唔好玩之類相信大家不會有興趣,所以我會分幾日與大家分享零碎的外傳。
首先來一段video。這是在Los Angeles機場看到的一段宣傳片,是一段很好的反面教材。



為何是反面教材?

  1. 短片全無內容,亦無communicate到任何東西
  2. 片內的logo上的飛機是向後飛的
  3. 最後Welcome to LAX那幾個字的出場effect好比三流Powerpoint
  4. LAX的地標已不再是圖中的building(那是20年前的地標),而是這個
  5. 每個Gate有兩部幾十吋大電視,一個機場成百個Gate,install左咁多錢,全無effect可言,浪費!

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Tuesday, May 15, 2007

I'm away


I'll be out of town for a few days. Will not bring my computer. So please be patient. I'll be back soon.

Link

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Seven Big Questions 7/7


Question 7: Where and how do you feel Christians can have the most impact on culture?

Lauren Winner:
Before Christians can think about having an impact on culture, we need to recognize that culture artifacts suffuse our daily lives.


Erwin McManus:
We can choose to create a compelling future. There is never simply one future being created. There are always competing futures at play. The ones that are most powerful and compelling become magnetic and create a force of human momentum. That's how movements start... And isn't this the ultimate calling of the CHurch: To create the future?



from Relevant Magazine Jan/Feb 2007 issue

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你折墮,所以我快樂。

「情色版」,傳媒群起而攻,包括那些自己也有「風月版」、更百倍縱慾的報紙。

(想起來,這類報紙的新聞條目不時用「艷屍」、「裸屍」起題。如果問一句「有沒幻想過跟家人做愛」是鼓吹亂倫,這類標題又算不算鼓吹戀屍癖?)

沒辦法,這個新聞太有價值了。

因為太多人想看見大學生跌倒。

有些沒讀過大學的,看完可以罵句:「挑!大學生,簡直係讀屎片!」然後覺得這個世界公平了一點;

有些以前讀過大學的,看完可以搖頭嘆息:「唉,依家o個輩,同我o地當年,簡直無得比……」然後覺得自己變得「精英」了一點;

心態,其實跟喜歡看八卦雜誌報導名人明星落難,「XXX玩完」、「XXX賣肉求生」,基本如出一轍。

你折墮,所以我快樂。


Link

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Monday, May 14, 2007

Seven Big Questions 6/7

Question 6: How can a Christian fulfill a passion for social justice as a middle-class American?

Rick Warren:
The Bible teaches that pursuing social justice isn't an option for a follower of Jesus.


Lauren Winner:
What if we asked how our daily routine affects the poor? How shopping at stores with cheap prices but lousy labor policies, for example, contributes to the oppression of our neighbors? How much out-of-season piece of fruit we eat, shipped to us from around the globe at great environmental cost, furthers the pisparity between our "footprint" and that of someone in the developing world?



from Relevant Magazine Jan/Feb 2007 issue

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Sunday, May 13, 2007

中大學生報


思考問題:
  1. 言論自由的定義是甚麼都可以講嗎?
  2. 討論禁忌下的性偏好,便等如開明的討論性嗎?
  3. 使用露骨的語言便是貼近草根嗎?用有學術水準的語言便是遠離群眾嗎?
  4. 不同意你的處理手法,便是不尊重了嗎?
  5. 尊重學生自主,便等如放任不干預嗎?
  6. 將學生送上官府,能達到教育的目的嗎?
  7. 怎樣才能創造理性的討論空間?
  8. 學生報的角式與使命是甚麼?

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Saturday, May 12, 2007

解讀


同一個記者會,原來可以有完全不同的解讀。

標題:

明報:
吳宇森感激偉仔重返赤壁
周潤發辭演不損友誼

東森:
「赤壁」北京記者會星光璀璨
吳宇森暗示與周潤發翻臉!


同一段說話的擇錄:

明報:
對於有傳兩人關係決裂,吳宇森斬釘截鐵否認:「冇,只是合久必分,分久必合。今次合作不成,留待下次吧!」

東森:
至於外傳吳宇森和周潤發為「赤壁」翻臉,吳宇森則是語帶玄機回應,「分久必合、合久必分」。


問題:媒體可信嗎?

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Seven Big Questions 5/7

Question 4: How should Christians be involved in the political system?

Rob Bell:
At our church we bring out the fact that the Gospel is obviously political, yet we are aggressively nonpartisan. We are interested in being a voice for those who have no voice.


Efrem Smith:
We should be involved in politics in the spirit of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr... I'm concerned as an evangelical that my church has traded in being prophetic for power and privilege.



from Relevant Magazine Jan/Feb 2007 issue

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Friday, May 11, 2007

Seven Big Questions 4/7

Question 4: What do you see as the greatest challenge for young Christians in the next 10 years?

Rick Warren:
The greatest challenge young Christians will face in the next 10 years will be leading the Church through a new reformation that is being swept in through the Spirit of God.


Rob Bell:
The unbelievable amassing of wealth and consumer goods that we have at our fingertips.



from Relevant Magazine Jan/Feb 2007 issue

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Thursday, May 10, 2007

Seven Big Questions 3/7

Question 3: What positive tendency do you see in this generation?

Lauren Winner:
I look around me and see people wiling to name and sit with doubt.


Erwin McManus:
I think we are all trying to figure out what it means to be the Church as opposed to just doing church.



from Relevant Magazine Jan/Feb 2007 issue

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Tuesday, May 08, 2007

蕭蕭金句

人就算賠上了生命,也賺不了全世界

- 中國北京微軟亞洲工程院高級項目經理蕭永正

Link
And Thanks Gabe for posting first.

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Seven Big Questions 2/7

Question 2: What is a negative tendency of this generation as it relates to the faith?

Lauren Winner:
Our failure to tithe.


Efrem Smith
I'm very concerned about the continual influence of consumerism [on] Christianity and a Christianity that is very self-centered.


from Relevant Magazine Jan/Feb 2007 issue

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Monday, May 07, 2007

Sin

Amidst all the attention and emphasis that is placed on our “right” to God's forgiveness as believers, maybe we are more prone to forget that sin slowly, deceptively conforms our hearts to the world’s mould. Sin screws us up, just as that plastic fork got melted by the boiling water and became damaged, unable to complete its original purpose. Similarly, our hearts were not intended to conform to the ruinous effects of continued sin, but to the heart of Jesus.


Although sin cannot change our identity as God’s children, it certainly has profound effects on our maturity as believers—who we are becoming.


Link

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Sunday, May 06, 2007

Seven Big Questions 1/7

Question 1: What trends in church and worship styles do you see? Are they positive or negative?

Mark Driscoll:
I'll be happy when we have more than just prom songs to Jesus sung by some effeminate guy on an acoustic guitar offered as mainstream worship music. Right now most worship music is still coming from the top down through such things as Christian radio and record labels. But the trend today in a lot of churches is writing your own music to reflect your culture and community, and I pray this trend of music from the bottom up continues.


Rob Bell:
I believe that the old polarities are fading. More and more people understand that traditional and contemporary are simply irrelevant ways to talk about things. What changed the world in times past? Let's look at historic movements. Let's look at periods of great transition. Handel's Messiah is an unbelievable piece of music. I wouldn't think to call Handel a Christian composer. He's a composer.


From Relevant Magazine, Jan/Feb 2007 issue

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Saturday, May 05, 2007

去與留

今早在教牧同工團契,培靈會的講員郭文池牧師講到去與留的問題。他指出,今天在教會中,當我們思想轉換教會的決定時,神的呼召不過淪為是一種口號;口說是神呼召我離開,但其實卻是自己的考量。

最近我為到一些弟兄姊妹轉換教會的決定感到十分不安。令我不安的是,轉換教會壓根兒根本不應成為一種考慮。轉換教會只有一個原因:就是神的呼召。神若沒有呼召你的話,連考慮也是不恰當的,只會帶來心中的裂痕。你可能會問,不考慮又如何知道神的心意?但是,是我們先有心意,去尋求神的確認;還是完全聽候差遣?

最近聽到有人轉換教會的原因是別家教會的異象更偉大,牧養更好,造就更多,事奉機會也更好。我仍是一句:神有呼召你投入嗎?若沒有,這一切都不過是屬靈的消費主義。

神的心意是可以被印證的。若神差遣你往外發展,神亦當感動你原教會的弟兄姊妹差遣你出去。若不,我們便需要更多的印證。神的心意不是我們說是便是。

不是說,神的心意不是地圖,而是大方向嗎?對。那麼我們在轉換教會的事上必定要尋求神的獨特心意嗎?我認為要。因為基督徒的生命不是獨立的,而是與你所屬的信徒群體相連在一起。這種相連,是屬靈上的,也是感情上的,也是實製上的(例如合作事奉)。一個人轉換教會,並不是一個人的事,乃是牽涉到一個群體的事。所以這決定,不能是一個人的決定。當初我們加入一間教會,不是代表我們對這群體的委身嗎?可以隨時改變的是真的委身嗎?
我們或許都太低估了一個人在教會中的形嚮力。

當我們看到別的教會有令人羡慕的地方,除了為他們感恩外,更應鞭策自己,在自己的教會更努力事奉。我們不能做屬靈的消費者。當初神帶領你到了這家教會,也只有神可以有資格帶你離開。

終極的問題永遠是:誰才是生命的主?

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Innovation

Innovation should be about good DESIGN, about inspiration, about ART, about culture, about creativity, about nature and green.

If it doesn't do good, if it doesn't excite and if it's not contagious, then it's not innovative. It's more fried chicken. And more unneeded change


Link

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Friday, May 04, 2007

蔡元培

來自香港聯校中學生基督徒團契ISCF的Xanga:

沒有太多人知道在香港仔華人永遠墳場埋葬了一位中國教育界的巨人,
其巨在於胸襟,邀請不同背景、學術專長的老師雲集同一個校園內;
其巨在於肩膀,承擔當時積弱多年的中國的悶局,以教育為出路救國。
誠邀香港新青年,明天五月四日往香港仔紀念北京大學校長蔡元培先生。


請問,這個年代,還有多少人認識蔡元培
又有幾多人知道今日是甚麼日子?

Link

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Thursday, May 03, 2007

Don't you write letter anymore?



Poster from Australia, as seen on littleoslo's blog.

Link

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使命 - 開估

那個帶著使命的歌手,是她。



猜錯了。不是基督徒。是唱《再見露絲瑪利》和《勞斯萊斯》的何韻詩。

教訓:
1. 不要以為非基督徒的生命必然是空虛寂寞無意義。
2. 當非基督徒也帶著使命生活的時候,基督徒的使命又在那裡?


Link

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Wednesday, May 02, 2007

使命

猜猜以下一段說話是那一個香港歌星說的。
提示:一個有使命感的香港歌星...
明天開估。

我真幸福。
尤其在踏進我人生中第三十個五月的第二天,很慶幸我於這兩年也找到了生存的目標意義。
也許說起來有點土,但我真的覺得,歌手擁有最大的恩賜,就是能用自己的聲音來說出想說的。
要是某天某人跟你說,你的歌曲為曾他帶來了某刻的勇氣,提供了失落時扶他一把的力量,那可真的不得了~!
從小到大,總會有種無名的使命感,卻不知道自己將會把它用在那兒,這幾年終於看到了。
歌手能用音樂來影響其他人,在歌曲中為其他人提供力量;
不要說我悶氣說我傻,香港樂壇陝窄我當然清楚,但空間還是能被找出來,就看你我有沒有這耐性吧。
而,這一切權利都是不可多得的,我會好好珍惜!

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Tuesday, May 01, 2007

棒棒堂


黑澀會美眉和棒棒堂男孩的走紅,再次顛覆了偶像的走紅模式,在「中高年齡層」觀眾的眼中,他們沒有超美、超帥的外型,成員也未必都能歌善舞,有些甚至讓人覺得不具備當成功藝人的必要條件,但也就是他們不害怕暴露缺點,反而贏得年輕族群的認同感。而年輕觀眾群看著他們節目,陪著他們一起成長,從無到有,從平凡人蛻變為藝人,都深深參與其中,也造就了對他們的革命情感。


中國時報

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  • 正如林一峰話齋,閱讀,也是一種 state of mind。
  • 所以不限文字,還有聲音影像一切雜崩能東西,都在涉獵反思消化乾坤大挪移之列。
  • 看重的只有一個字:Insight

Disclaimer

I work at Westside Baptist Church. Of course, that doesn't mean they agree with everything I post or link here. Everything here is my personal opinion and is not read or approved in advance. Consider yourself warned.