A new dawn

This morning, the disciples wake up to a beautiful dawn wondering if the past three years of their lives has been a dream. Fresh in their minds too is the man who was hung on the cross yesterday, the one who got them leaving everything they had and were doing to follow him, one who has spoken with authority of God and his kingdom, who has stilled storms and mingled a little too liberally with the outcast, but overnight he's gone. What was that all about?

Hope has left, grace has yet to come. This is a dark, confusing time. Maybe it's easier to pretend that it didn't happen.

Let's go fishing, says one of them.

"that" phase

just as i mentioned in the previous post, i went through that phase where i dabbled in blog header design. not so much design than just matching the lyrics of some songs i like with pictures i nicked off the world wide web. i was experimenting with the combination and i stopped when i got the few ones that i really liked, one's here (above) and the other one at my other blog (i'm sure you know which one, dearly beloved :P) if only i have more blogs (oh but i do ;)

you might want to have a go at guessing which song these are from.. but i think they can be quite obscure (i'm never good at remembering words to a song). in any case, i'll hide the answer below each banner (just highlight the space beneath to see)..

Anberlin - Hello Alone

David Tao 陶喆 - Lullaby 摇篮曲

David Tao 陶喆 - I Like It 我喜歡

Death Cab For Cutie - Passenger Seat

I'm From Barcelona - Headphones

John Mayer - No Such Thing

Mae - Awakening

Owl City - This Is The Future

Copeland - Coffee

David Crowder Band - You Are My Joy

The Temper Trap - Sweet Disposition

Hush, little baby, don't say a word, Mama's gonna buy you a mockingbird...

i love this song from David Tao, like love, love, love! it's a lullaby sang by a parent to a child. when i first heard it, a friend had just told me that she had a nightmare so i thought that the song is very apt and comforting. this is one of those songs i could loop the entire day and not get bored with. david tao, where are you?! sigh..

oh remember that phase i had with the different blog banners from different song lyrics (no? nvm :), i made this from the first couple of lines from the song. haish i lurrve DT's songs (except the rock tunes; i somehow don't think Chinese (the language) make for good rock sounds/lyrics)...

anyways... i think the translation exercise is good but i don't know know how long i can keep up with it haha.. persistency and i aren't exactly best buds. anyways, here's today's list of new words:

紫藍 zilan - hyacinth
無限美景的纏綿 wúxiàn měijǐng de chánmián -
無邪 wuxie - innocent
惡作劇 ezuoju - being mischievous
牆 qiang - wall
邊緣 bian yuan - edge
摘 zai - reach
冒險 maoxian - adventure
蓋上被 gaishangbei - cover with blanket


看那紫藍的天 快要消失在一瞬間
無限美景的纏綿 我的寶貝也盼著明天
look at the hyacinth sky
it's going to vanish in a moment
but its infinite beauty will linger
my precious can also look forward to tomorrow

看著你無邪的臉 這世界還像個樂園
孩子夢裡笑的甜 在我懷裡你可以安眠
beholding your innocent face
this world is like a playground
little child, smile sweetly in your dream
in my embrace you will sleep soundly

影子是恐龍玩具 你的想像在惡作劇
月光在牆上和你玩遊戲
真假有時難分清 到銀河邊緣摘星星
你的夢幻冒險我陪你去
the shadows are but a dinosaur toy
your imagination is being mischievous with you
the moonlight on the wall is playing a game with you
sometimes it's difficult to differentiate between what's real and what's not
reach for the stars at the edge of the milky way
i will go with you on your fantasy adventure

別再哭 我就在你身邊
不会讓你有任何危險
緊緊握著你的小手 陪你遠離一切的夢魘
為你做什麼我都情願
hush now, i am by your side
i will not let you be harmed
softly holding your small hands
going with you away from all nightmares
i'll do anything for you

寶貝 乖乖蓋上被
窗外微風吹 你要學著不怕黑
未來 你要自己面對
生命中的喜悅與傷悲
記得我的愛永遠相隨
precious, be good now and take cover under the blanket
the breeze is blowing gently outside the window
you need to learn to overcome the fear of darkness
in time to come, you need to face these on your own
the joy and sadness that life brings
remember my love will always be with you

surprisingly, i couldn't find the song on youtube (DT's version, not covers), so I decided to upload my own copy.. here it is:


摇篮曲
陶喆

看那紫兰的天
快要消失在一瞬间
无限美景的缠绵
ooh yeah...
我的宝贝也盼着明天

看着 你无邪的脸
这世界还像个乐园
孩子 梦里笑的甜
ooh yeah...
在我怀里你可以安眠

影子 是恐龙玩具
你的想象在恶作剧
月光在墙上和你玩游戏
真假 有时难分清
到银河边缘摘星星
你的梦幻冒险我陪你去
别再哭 我就在你身边
不会让你有任何危险
紧紧握着你的小手陪你远离一切的梦魇
为你做什么我都情愿

宝贝 乖乖盖上被
窗外微风吹 你要学着不怕黑
未来 你要自己面对
生命中的喜悦与伤悲
记得我的爱永远相随

Good night.

我的愛像落葉歸根

after last evening, i realised that i haven't been listening to david tao in a while now. looping one of my fav DT songs but for now i wanna share this one from wlh first (the boys would have to take turn, but there's plenty of blog space for the both of them :D)

the title of the song (落葉歸根) reminds me of adeline yen mah's bestselling book, Falling Leaves. i read that so many moons ago i needed to read the reviews to remind me. ahh, a sad story.. the same sentiment from listening to the melody. lee hom supposedly wrote this while he was in character post-Lust, Caution, that of Kuang Yu Min, one of the student leaders in the show. he's said it took him about six months to get out from being KYM and this song came to him during that time.

this track starts with a haunting melody on the violin reminiscent of the era of which the film portrayed (i think).. i think it's a beautiful sad song.. i'll talk more about it later. ok, today's list of vocab is a little long, like i said, i only needed that next song to tell me how limited my vocab is. putting them here for myself, but feel free to learn along :)

舉頭望無盡灰雲 ju tou wang wu jin hui yuin - i raise my gaze to gray clouds as far as the eyes can see
塞滿 sai man - filled
選擇 xuan ze - choose, select
寒冷 han leng - cold
遺憾 yi han - regrets
遵守自然的邏輯 zūnshǒu zìrán de luójí - comply with the logic of nature (luójí = logic? srsly??)
揭謎底 jie mi di - find the answer to the riddle
不勝唏噓 busheng xixu - lament
遺失 yishi - loss
墜 zhui - fall
剩 sheng - remnant, surplus
沉默 chen mo - silence

so many new words! because i learn via the shape of a character in a sentence and within context of the song, i'm afraid that i would not recognise all these in other sentences. nvm, i will, if it repeats itself enough. you know what, i think i am going to attempt translating the song. i hope it doesn't come across as being fed through google translate!

舉頭望無盡灰雲 那季節叫做寂寞
背包塞滿了家用 路就這樣開始走
i lifted my gaze to clouds of gray as far as the eyes can see
that season was one of loneliness
with a backpack filled with household expenses
thus my journey began

日不見太陽的暖 夜不見月光的藍
不得不選擇寒冷的開始 留下只擁有遺憾
i never saw the warmth of day
i never saw the night sky and its blue moon
i had no choice but to start off on a cold trail
else all i'm left with would be regrets

命運的安排 遵守自然的邏輯
誰都無法揭謎底
this is how fate would have it, a compliance the logic of nature
no one is able to get to the bottom of (uncover the answer to) the riddle

遠離家鄉不勝唏噓 幻化成秋葉
而我卻像落葉歸根 墜在你心間
my lament about leaving home to a place far away is turning into autumn leaves
and i am like a falling leaf returning to its roots, falling into a space in your heart

幾分憂鬱幾分孤單 都心甘情願
我的愛像落葉歸根 家唯獨在你身邊
no matter how painful it would be, or how lonely it would get, i am willing to endure it
my love is like a falling leaf returning to its roots
the only place i would call home is by your side

但願陪你找回所遺失的永恆
當我開口你卻沉默 只剩一場夢
i hope be with you as we recover the eternity that was lost
but when i speak you remain silent, leaving us with just a dream


ta-dah! i can't be certain of its accuracy, but i think i got the gist of it. alas, so much is lost in translation. one thing i appreciate about the Chinese language is how each character packs so much in it. this is why i prefer the traditional chars to the simplified ones; i find that the latter is unjustifiably stripped of its richness. the only people who wld appreciate the lesser strokes are students who are stuck with writing them. hehe..with the advent of technology, i don't see the need to simplify them, the computer does most of the input anyway. sigh... who am i to say anything anyway :/

anyways, understanding the song as it is makes me feel a little sad. this song seems to be a reflection his own journey, when he left home at a relatively young age to make a name for himself in a place, though far away from home, is where he came from (hence the expression 落葉歸根). he often worked (still do!) long hours and he's paid his dues; he's sacrificed a lot to be where he is, but he has known all along this is his passion and what he wanted to do.. he speaks of his love as a falling leaf returning to its roots, which i guess is about him embracing the culture of his people (btw i'm not making this para up -- i gathered all these from the various interviews he's given).

back to the title of the song. i've been thinking about the subject during my auto-drive mode. roots. unlike lee hom, i have no affinity nor ties with the dragon. other than it being where my ancestors came from (and i'm sorry i'm not "filial" or "loyal" like many of the Chinese diaspora), i am a Malaysian through and through. which is why it hurts and i get into a blind rage when blabbering idiots time and again tell me that i don't belong here. wteff are they talking about? disgusting! admittedly, i do find it hard to realign certain views we were fed with growing up but i hope that in my lifetime, we'd be able to overcome all that :) whoever was it that said change begins with me? oh, him. *yuck* haha..



落葉歸根
王力宏

舉頭望無盡灰雲 那季節叫做寂寞
背包塞滿了家用 路就這樣開始走
日不見太陽的暖 夜不見月光的藍
不得不選擇寒冷的開始
留下只擁有遺憾
命運的安排 遵守自然的邏輯
誰都無法揭謎底

遠離家鄉不勝唏噓 幻化成秋葉
而我卻像落葉歸根 墜在你心間
幾分憂鬱幾分孤單 都心甘情願
我的愛像落葉歸根 家唯獨在你身邊

但願陪你找回 所遺失的永恆
當我開口你卻沉默 只剩一場夢

我卻像落葉歸根 墜在你心間
幾分憂鬱幾分孤單 都心甘情願
我的愛像落葉歸根 家唯獨在你身邊

song sung blue, everybody knows one

before wlh took over, david tao was my de facto favorite Chinese song artist. any list of my fav tunes would surely have him in. haven't heard from/about him in a while; he's one to shun limelight so i think he's gone into hiding. hope to hear from him again soon. was youtubing and some random links brought me to this, to which i can only watch and draw a long sigh. so good.



沙灘 + Somewhere Over The Rainbow
陶喆

空無一人　這片沙灘　風吹過來　冷冷海岸
我輕輕抖落鞋裡的沙　看著我的腳印 OH
一個人　一步步　好寂寞

看海有些綠　天有些藍　那段愛情有些遺憾
像不知不覺游向海天　到最深的地方
才發現你　早已經　放棄我

我聽著海浪　溫柔的呼吸　我看著雲朵　飄來飄去
有什麼方法　讓自己真的忘記

somewhere over the rainbow way up high
in the land that I heard of once in a lullaby

someday I'll wish upon a star
and wake up where the clouds are far behind me
where troubles melt like lemon drops
away above the chimney tops
that's where you'll find me

somewhere over the rainbow way up high
there's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Only blue, only blue　
愛讓人好憂鬱
我的心　我的心　藍藍地

我真的好想找一條船　能遠遠離開這片沙灘
每次又回到同樣海邊　還是會對你想念
想念你　有點 blue
沒有人能像你　留給我的回憶　有點 blue ooh

a song for the rainy day

i couldn't sleep last night, so i learned these new words from this song:

溶解 rong jie - dissolve
襯出 chen chu - show off
晴朗 qing lang - sunny
形狀 xing zhuang - shape
芬芳 fen fang - fragrance
捱過 ai guo - survive; 捱 (suffer)

yup, i can pretty much read the rest. but each time i get a little smug, i only i need to go to the next song to realise that i am nowhere near competent. but i will be! rawrrr! ;)

it's pouring right now. i shudder to think about the after office hours traffic. i'll keep myself happy with this song for now.

分開之後另一年的春天
記憶也像下雪一樣溶解
那些有你在身邊的影片
呼的一聲飛的老遠老遠
it's the spring a year after we broke up
memories are now dissolving like the fallen snow
the movies we have watched together
are now gone with the wind to a place far away

愛在夏天過完之後鎖在秋天
捱過冬天之後的我好了一些
嘿 雨後的天 像彩虹出現 襯出一片藍天
our summer love is now locked in the autumn
after enduring through the winter, i am feeling a bit better
after the rain, there's the rainbow appearing and showing off the beautiful blue sky

我在淋過一場大雨之後的晴朗
那是春雨裡洗過的太陽
每個冬季帶來失落 傷得多深
然後忽然看懂雲的形狀 oh yeah...
after a torrential shower, the sky is now sunny
that's the sun awashed by the spring rain
every winter brings back disappointment and a painful wound
but then suddenly i understood the shape of the cloud

If you listen to the rhythm of the pouring rain
那是春雨裡洗過的太陽
每個冬季帶來失落 傷得多深
每個呼吸都是新的芬芳 oh yeah...
if you listen to the rhythm of the pouring rain
that's the sun awashed by the spring rain
every winter brings back disappointment and a painful wound
but with every breath there is a new fragrance

流下的眼淚 留下了智慧
愛情會天亮也一定會黑
世界會等我 它問我冬天過去了沒?
the tears that fell left behind some wisdom
that in love, there's bound to be light and also darkness
the world will wait for me; it asks me if the winter has passed



春雨裡洗過的太陽
王力宏

分開之後另一年的春天
記憶也像下雪一樣溶解
那些有你在身邊的影片
呼的一聲飛的老遠老遠

愛在夏天過完之後鎖在秋天
捱過冬天之後的我好了一些
嘿 雨後的天 像彩虹出現 襯出一片藍天

我在淋過一場大雨之後的晴朗
那是春雨裡洗過的太陽
每個冬季帶來失落 傷得多深
然後忽然看懂雲的形狀 oh yeah...

If you listen to the rhythm of the pouring rain
那是春雨裡洗過的太陽
每個冬季帶來失落 傷得多深
每個呼吸都是新的芬芳 oh yeah...

流下的眼淚 留下了智慧
愛情會天亮也一定會黑
世界會等我 它問我冬天過去了沒?

stranger on a bus

our paths crossed again just two days ago.. for a stranger, i've seen him more times than i can remember. he hasn't changed much over the years since i first saw him, when he alighted the Sri Jaya #13 bus from Dewan Bahasa & Pustaka that took us to town centre. that petite frame, that bushy silver beard, the simple get-up, a nondescript tote, you know it's him. i was probably 13 or 14 then, and he was 57, and in a week's time, he will be 77. still as feisty as ever.

i think this was the poem that got him into trouble during the Bersih 2.0 rally -- it obviously did not go down well with the authority (no matter what i think they should have accorded him with more respect). alas, my BM is super rusty so many of those lines went over my head. oh he got on facebook not long after B2.0 (here). Go Like his page if you want a dose of BM puisi now and again to remind you how inadequate your grasp of the language is haha.. or if you truly can enjoy Malay poetry, my hat's off to you.

so anyways, it was on Sunday at the Petronas Philharmonic Hall that i saw the familiar figure making his down the aisle to get to his seat. Pak Samad!, i called out to him in my head, hi sir, you are.. erm.. could I err.. have your autograph? #fail

here's an early happy birthday wish to you, sir: may your mind continue to be as clear as a blue sky day, may your words continue to clearly echo the spirit of the nation, may you live a long good life!

Dunia kita sekarang rata,
Thomas L. Friedman yang kata.
Di Malaysia lain congaknya:
Undi luar nak disula,
undi dalam silap mata.
A. Samad Said, Sasterawan Nusantara

coursing through my veins

my aimless lazy Sunday afternoon was saved by a call. Lil called me at 1.30pm asking if i was free then. I said I was, and she asked if I was interested in attending a show at MPO cos she has a free tic (her friend couldn't make it last min). FREE + MPO = sounds good! I agreed without even asking what the show was! Since the show was at 3, I quickly washed up and got to the Box Office in time to wait for Lil and her friend. I picked up a brochure, just to see what I got myself into (pic below). Oooh ahhhh.. :P

We caught this show. Fitz-Gerald was really engaging and funny as a conductor. Ellington was smooth and superb .

And I fell in love the moment I walked into the hall.And till the end of the show two hours later, I felt so much joy just bubbling over in my tummy. I don't remember the entire set list, but the ones I liked most are the ones I've heard before: Bernstein's theme song for The Magnificent Seven (a.k.a. the Marlboro song hehe..), Henry Mancini's Moon River (Breakfast at Tiffany), As Time Goes By (Casablanca), You'll Be in My Heart (Tarzan), Tan Dun's A Love Before Time (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon), John William's Jaws theme song...

Throughout, my eyes swept the sight from left to right and left again, just mesmerised by the synchronous fiddles over the violins and cellos and double basses, and my ears trying not to miss the sounds from the harp and piano and trumpets and percussion and other instruments I couldn't name.. I tried to close my eyes to enjoy the show but I felt like I would be depriving myself of a visual feast. But I did, for one say. You could say all in all, I was very engaged. Haha truly a wide-eyed bushy-tailed n00b!

Ya know, the only other time I've seen an orchestra was at another free event back in... 2006? It was a youth jazz orchestra from.. I can't remember where, but it was the same exhilaration that I felt. Just amazing! With that, therefore, I cannot justify why I have not been to more shows! I am ashamed to admit that Sunday was my first show at the MPO. Having worked at KLCC for the past three plus years and never having stepped foot into the Philharmonic hall.. PREPOSTEROUS, I say! Haha.. Hope to make up for the discrepancy soon.. ^_^

I took this pic before I was told that it was prohibited to do so. Oops! ;) When I walked in to this, I felt like floating already -- there was an instant connection to the sight and sounds. Sigh.   

Come, Lord Jesus.

He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."
Amen. Come, Lord Jesus. 
[Revelation 22:20]

Soon
Brooke Fraser, 2009

Soon and very soon
My King is coming
Robed in righteousness and crowned with love
When I see Him I shall be made like Him
Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon
I'll be going to the place he has prepared for me
There my sin erased, My shame forgotten
Soon and very soon

I will be with the One I love
With unveiled face I'll see Him
There my soul will be satisfied
Soon and very soon

Soon and very soon
See the procession
The angels and the elders 'round the throne
At His feet I'll lay my crowns, my worship
Soon and very soon

Though I have not seen Him
My heart knows Him well
Jesus Christ the Lamb
The Lord of heaven

fangirl mode: ON!

okay, it's been close to a month, and it doesn't look like it's gonna go away anytime soon. and we all know that  if you can't beat it, you throw caution into the wind and jump into the frenzy that is fangirlism. yes, i've received my badge (and wearing it proud and loud) for my fascination (=P) over the amazingly talented and multi-hatted artist Wang Lee Hom (yes, i am aware of his boyish charm and good looks).

so how did we get here, the transition from an ambivalent listener to an all out fan?

well, his songs were not unfamiliar to me as he's always been within my radar -- i've listed him together with David Tao and Jacky Cheung as my only three favorite Chinese artists on Facebook. i have his hit ballads (kiss goodbye, 你不在, forever love, 唯一, among others) in my playlist and they receive a fair share of listening time. i also remember reading this interview with Tash Aw back in 2008, which i regard as one of the best i've read cos I found the interaction between the two to be so engaging (some might find it pretentious *cough* but i lurve it haha, and i've read it more than once since).. still, i was just admiring from afar.

soooo again, how did it happen? i don't really remember. all i remember was knowing that he was holding his concert in KL on 3-March and the quick chat with WW about going but we never really got around to it. after the concert, everything was a blur. i think i clicked on some concert links from facebook, which led me from one page to another. and then there was wongfu production who were commissioned to direct LH's latest single 依然愛你 which led me from one youtube vid to another and another and another.. you name it music videos (chk out his VEVO page), concert (i almost never watch any concert vids coz  usually the sound quality isn't very good - i made an exception here :P), commercials (he endorses so many products sometimes i think it's a bit too much, but hey, it's his money to earn!), game show participation, snippets.

i especially liked his interviews with CNN and Talk Asia (both which i have previously seen and have since re-watched) because those were in English haha.. but soon those weren't enough, so i've been started on his Chinese interviews too -- man, it's a pool load of videos! it takes a lot of focus to get what are being said, but i think i got them for most part. then i found some super diligent fangirls who have painstakingly translated his weibo tweets into English to my sheer delight. yes, i read every single one of them. also, i must have read and referred to his his wiki page a hundred times (i have a tab opened as i write this). and i saw three of his latest movies too.. the three L's: Lust, Caution; Little Big Soldier (re-watch); Love in Disguise. (quick review: the first was intense and well-executed, the second hilarious and heart warming, and the third (his directorial debut), somewhat funny but can be better - i like the scenes that mirror his real life - those were the good ones). and above all, i've been listening to his music! i now illegally own every one of his albums from the past 10 years (his work prior to that is rather raw for my liking). i know, i should be paying for them right? next one la. :P

yup i did ALL those in the past one month. it feels like i've been a fan since forever! really, ask me anything. haha! it's amazing to think that he's been in the business since 1995 (that's... 17 years. he's practically a veteran in his own right.. can't believe it took me that long to become a bona fide fan but there's no such thing as too late right :) my only wish now is to see him in concert, in action. of course i want to kick myself for not going for the recent one, but i can't do anything about that anymore. made a pact with WW that we will not miss the next concert here! :)

one of the most significant moments in this whole phase is when i realised that he could be the role model i've been looking for.. you know about my resolution earlier this year about been wanting to study Chinese? i never really found my motivation until now. LH didn't speak much Chinese growing up, and yet he's made his name in a predominantly Chinese speaking world. when i watch his interviews and see how articulate he's become, i just thought to myself: I could do that too! if this banana boy could, why not i? and the light bulb above my head just lit up! :) so i've started with his songs -- there are so many new words to be learned, but i know i can do it (if i could do it 20 years ago with Jimmy Lin, i could do it now with Lee Hom.one character at one time.. urgh 20 years o_O). although what i really wanna learn is business Chinese, this will do for now. :)

frankly my admiration grew along my exposure to him and his works.. his work ethics especially -- i've always admired that trait in others as it is sorely lacking in my life. plus i like how he's embraced his Chinese roots despite being a born and bred New Yorker, and what he's endeavoring to do with his music. maybe it's too presumptuous to say that i get his vision, but i like that i am not skeptical about it (been feeling a little jaded lately, this tiny breath of hope is much welcome!)

so hello there, my new old friend. :)

round and round and round she goes...

via

just because

i *have* to post something here today, because it's Feb 29, 2012 (a once in 4-year day if you reeeally have to know).

what do i say, what do i say?

i have nothing to say, i have nothing to say!

well, actually i do, i always do, but the thought of having to construct whole sentences that make sense is too daunting. i'm at that stage in my life where i'm just. too. layzee. to. urm. whatever.

oh, did you know that i have eight wedding invites for this year alone? yes EIGHT. don't get me wrong -- it's not that i'm not happy for my friends who are settling down, but you know what i'm implying. with the escalating cost of wedding banquets, an invite naturally places a financial burden on the invitees (yes, me and the rest of us who are going through the economy slump AND have vacation plans :D). so please understand why i'm going solo although you invited my other half who doesn't really know you at all. and i sincerely still want to be there for you, even if you have not contacted me since we left school 15 years ago (yes, one of those). and yes, i can get a bit grumpy at the quality of food, especially at *that* price tag. ok, sorry about the rant. i feel guilty cos i know the special day means a lot to the couples. i'm not upset at any one in particular.

just the collective group of you. haha!

btw i'm semi active again on twitter. almost abandoned it for good as i couldn't deal with the information overload, but gonna give it another shot. uh oh. this is gonna be another complaint (the husby is right, i do complain a lot! :D). i have this friend whose tweets flood my homepage by RT-ing (that's retweet for you non-twitterers, i.e. quoting someone else's status verbatim) everything her friends say. like "hello" and "good morning". and other nonsense that are so not RT material. this explains why she has 11,000+ tweets when she just joined twitter less than half a year ago. no, i can't unfollow her, due to certain "social pressure", if you catch my drift. yes, i succumb to that sometimes.

ok, i shall limit myself to two complaints.

i've been watching this TV show called Community (now in it's third season - i'm a slow adopter). and it's HI to the LARIOUS! it's an awesome cast and scenes and i haven't literally LOLed so much in a long time watching a TV show (even movies for that matter)), not even with HIMYM or TBBT or Modern Family (all of which i still love uninhibitedly). oh here's a pic of the cast (the only pic i have for this blog post):

last one before i ciao, (maybe you can click on this link to leave this blog) check out Caleb Wilde's blog. i've been following him for a while now and i enjoy his writing. he writes mostly on more sombre topics like death, not just because he's a sixth generation funeral director. his writing about dealing with death and loss, theological thoughts, and his vocation as mission, offers a rare insight into a world we rarely and reluctantly tread, and is worthy reading.

happy leap day!

*hops away*

i don't usually remember my dreams, but this one that i had this morning was kinda vivid.

i dreamed that i was caught in a earthquake, but instead of running away from the collapsing buildings around me, i hung around, wanted to go back up one of the building to look for my iphone.. hahaha.. it's not what you think -- what i really wanted to do was to call my dad and see if he was all right. he was with me earlier in the dream but somewhere along the line my mom and i went out own way.. we got into a lift when suddenly we were floating in zero gravity.. i think i felt my stomach physically turning. i looked up and somehow saw the sky and the lift was kinda falling apart but it didn't and miraculously, it actually stopped at the ground floor.. then i got out of the building and saw that the buildings around me falling apart.. i don't think the grounds was shaking though. and i remember thinking, it's the end of the world. and i said a short prayer. i saw big chunks of concrete falling from above in slow motion and crashing to the ground, but missing me by quite a bit.. i was quite scared and yet i was compelled to go back into one of the buildings to look for my phone..

and i jolted up by my alarm clock. the end.

[via]

if i were my blog, i'd probably battling with the questions of whether i the blogger love me the blog. if it isn't apparent, i'm going through the writing slump again. which might kinda reflect the state of my mental acuity: that nearing mush. i haven't been reading so much so that i have no idea where the last two books i was attempting to finish are. they are somewhere in some bags methinks. no idea.

anyway, i just read another blogger's tip for blogging: blog anyway. so here i am, blogging anyway. mm maybe i can share a couple of my resolutions for this year. i was past that stage of making resolutions to the stage of adamantly not making resolutions and it's come a full circle, i am making resolutions again. life's like that.

What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun.
10 Is there anything of which one can say,
“Look! This is something new”?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time.
Ecclesiates 1:9&10

two resos at the top of my head:

1. i want to learn to speak and read Chinese. time to break the mental resistance. i hope to hook up with one teacher some time this year, but knowing my knack for procrastination, any time NEXT year is fine too.

2. i want to minimize iPhone fiddling time when in a conversation. i often find it hard to focus when people talk, but i've gotta try!

kthnkbai4now.