春天该很好 你若尚在场
- wish you were here.

When I first heard about his demise, I couldn’t stop weeping.

Let’s take a walk down this lane with me, where years and years of memories still exist because I never wanted them to disappear. He was an infinite source of inspiration, the main reason my love for art, design and music evolved rapidly and I remember spending a large part of my teenage life getting to know and appreciating Leslie for who he was, not to mention the heavy emotions that came with everything else.

April is a such rainy season.

Begin: #Leslie

- and I can’t agree more.
7 years ago feels like last century, yet the wind has never really stopped blowing.
I listen again to those tunes sung by the most beautiful voice, that have actually transcended the days and years and feel so close to my heart once more; with timelessness – of yourself, your creations – no one can parallel, nor forget.
That your legacy has been etched in history, there can now exist a forever.

I.. saw this a day too late :(

Rummaging through wads of old artwork (I’d like to imagine them as tangible ones on paper, rather than digital) in my harddisk, a painting stood out and it occurred to me that I never finished what I intended to. Acrylic on canvas. The carefully painted image of Leslie as Ho Po-wing still comes on strong; incomplete, yet I’m satisfied with it in another way. And then there’s the blog entry written in 2006; I’m 4 years late.

I can’t see me lovin’ nobody but you
For all my life
When you’re with me, baby the skies’ll be blue
For all my life

So happy together.

3.5hours, Corel painter 3
Got my hands on a Wacom Bamboo Fun, small-size white version (thanks dad!) a few days back, it came very nicely packaged bundled with Corel and Ulead software. Above is an attempt on a completely different style from my past paintings. Key to this is: solid blocks of colours, and a ref picture of Leslie found in his photobook Leslie in China (2001). I think I’ll like digital painting very much from now on…

Although it’s a late greeting, Happy 912, Leslie.

On the evening of 12 September, I was at Blue Jazz with the friends (after P2 submission) and the song “Even Now” was playing over the system. Originally by Barry Manilow, released in 1978. Leslie recorded this song in the same year in his debut album “Daydreamin’ ” when he was 22. What a sad song for your birthday. Why…

Even Now / When there’s someone else who cares / When there’s someone home who’s waiting just for me / Even now I think about you as I’m climbing up the stairs / And I wonder what to do so she won’t see / That even now / When I know it wasn’t right
And I found a better life than what we had / Even now I wakeup crying in the middle of the night / And I can’t believe it still could hurt so bad

Even now when I have come so far / I wonder where you are / I wonder why it’s still so hard without you / Even now when I come shining through / I swear I think of you / And how I wish you knew / Even now

Even now / When I never hear your name / And the world has changed so much since you been gone / Even now I still remember and the feeling’s still the same / And the pain inside of me goes on and on / Even now

Even now when I have come so far / I wonder where you are / I wonder why it’s still so hard without you / Even now when I come shining through / I swear I think of you / And God I wish you knew / Some how / Even now…

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4 years ago, your demise brought about a sudden change in my life. Nothing was very much the same after that April Fool’s day. It is ironic, still, that you left when everything was perfect.

3 years ago, through a website, I got to know a group of local fans. They told me about you much more than the newspapers did, and I was really amazed at your kindness, beauty and artistic ways. I collected everything about you, memorised your songs, analysed your movies and concerts and created so many blogskins just because I loved to do so.

2 years ago, I visited Hong Kong for the first time with them, even though it was the middle of a school term during my secondary 4 year. It was the trip I never will forget. You inspired my final Art coursework and have been the inspiration for most of my artworks since then.

1 year ago, I lit that candle at 6.41pm at the podium outside Jardine House, Central, overlooking Mandarin Oriental Hotel. We traced your footsteps, dropped by your home, bought flowers and made cards, attended the glamorous memorial events and caught your movie screenings in the cinemas just like the year before.

This year, “There will not be any formal program (by LLA), but you, your hearts and your candles will be with Leslie, at the time when he needed us most four years ago.” I stayed home to watch ??? ??? Teenage Dreamers? and I find myself drawn back into reminiscing and thinking of the yesteryears; when your soothing songs lulled me to sleep, and when I woke up each day with the realisation that you were no longer here.

My memories of you are made of these. And more.

Happy Birthday, Leslie.

50th; that’s half a century.
You loved life, and showed the world what perfection, passion, love and beauty were.
Thank you for bringing sunshine into my life. That’s why I miss you especially on rainy days.