hello, November.

So we are entering into my most favorite month, no prize for guessing why haha! I think November is the Friday night of month. Like how Friday is the beginning of the weekend, November is the beginning of the end of the year, and like how the whole weekend is still ahead, it feels like there's still time at this point to revisit the year's plan and resolutions and work towards ticking off more items off the bucket/resolution list. Holidays are looming and half the fun is in the anticipation. Christmas will soon be in the air, but it's not quite there yet, no rush for gift buying, no pressure for year end activities. The new year is still kinda far away. I love November. :)

Revisiting a song here. Quoting the bits I like. Leaving out the bits I don't. This is so me, right? :)

I know a girl whose head is in a twirl
She has her own lovely little world
And cause she likes me I get to look inside
And when I do the things that I see
Like trips to Spain and houses in the trees
Makes me wish that my mind was just as free

So baby, I know it's fun to play
And let your thoughts drift away
Dreamer, that's what you are

Mayer Hawthorne :: Fantasy Girl (Cover)

Here's a rundown of what happened last weekend if I don't get to write about the activities in details (I would love to, but hmm don't know if I have the time).

On Friday, the girls and I went for our US visa interview, and we got it! That's one step closer for us, a major hurdle crossed. Now down to getting the flight tickets and planning the itinerary. Am super excited -- obviously. Spent the late morning celebrating at a cafe in Ampang Hilir, and had a nice chat -- haven't met up like this in a while. I miss it. And guess we won't have the chance to do the same for another year, since S is moving to China to teach. Sigh. Went back to work. Was supposed to roll out a project but it didn't happen. Was miffed. On Fri night, I completed watching Death Note (got that write up out!)

On Saturday, I woke up early cos the hub said we should go hiking. He got lazy. I couldn't sleep after getting an email from my colleague about said project which incensed me. Didn't bother with work thereafter. We went for pork noodle brekkie in OUG and then in the afternoon I started reading Lisa See's Peony in Love. I decided that I should read in a book between my anime, because I should. That evening, I went to watch P Ramlee The Musical with J and M, and it was awesome. The night couldn't have ended on a higher note than when Tiara Jacquelina announced the Puteri Gunung Ledang Reunion Concert next month end. I was delirious.

On Sunday, we went for nasi lemak brunch at Village Park DU, and then spent the rest of the afternoon in Canaanland bookstore. Were poorer by RM400++ but so happy that I got some new books. Since we were not hungry, we spent the next couple of hours at a cafe in TTDI and read some more. More reading when I got home, and then it was the end of the day.

'Twas a quiet but another really awesome weekend. :)

awesome weekend is awesome.

Dear Diary

I had a superduperagilisticexpilidixious weekend and I am still smiling thinking about it!

It all started last Friday evening after work. I got home early, before the sunset. Saw my neighbor washing her porch and she remarked, "Awal balik hari ini?" And I was like, "Ya, ya :)" That evening, I had roast chicken from Isetan for dinner and also tackled my mountain of unfolded laundry while watching the remaining 12 episodes of the the 25-episode anime I've been watching, called Steins;Gate (stream here). It's basically about time travel which is one of the toughest topic to tackle in a show or writing, and very few get it right. I am superbly nit-picky about how the concept is applied -- I'd buy any theory put forth by a writer, but it's crucial that it remains consistent throughout -- and hence I'm usually not interested in picking up anything related to TT because most writers fumble through it, or they'd start off right and then conveniently bend the rules they have established to suit the plot, which annoys me because I am simple-minded and easily confused. But this one, it stuck to its rules and while I did get lost here and there, I wouldn't stray too far and was able to get back on track because they are consistent. Actually, I only watched this because many reviews actually highlighted this point, and it paid off. I am glad! ^_^

Although I have not watched that many anime to-date, but if what everyone says is true, this is truly one of the best there is. While it started off slow, when it hits its stride about 10 episodes in, I was kinda blown away.. Looking back, I think the slow build-up was necessary to establish the characters because these were revisited later on. I love the style of the animation, the characters (some minor gripes though), the story line, the colours, the direction.. I felt everything was perfectly held together.

The only problem I had after this is deciding what to watch next. The thing is, this anime is highly rated (so thanks, Quora, for the recommendation) so my expectations are kinda raised. I have bookmarked a few other potentials though, so I might just randomly select one of them. In the meantime, there's always have the long-running Gintama that's good for a few chuckles. Actually, there's this anime called Cowboy Bebop that has appeared on almost all top lists I've came across so far, but I hesitate because the title is like so bleh and the protagonist's hairstyle (yes I just said that) is like so messy. Anyways.

In between watching I texted the husband who is in the most populous nation on earth to see how he was doing. He was going back to the City after a week out in the woods. Okay, not woods, but somewhere remote. He brought some people along for this trip so he had more time to relax. I fell asleep two episodes before I finished the series, but I still had the whole weekend before me.

So, that was Friday evening and it was good and I went to bed wearing the hugest smile.

On Saturday, I woke up early to clean the house. I finished up putting away the laundry I folded the night before and then I swept and mopped the floor before rushing out for my hair appointment with Alex in BU. I was running late because I was moving like a snail but decided to drop by a bakery and get them some cakes from RT in Taman Desa. Traffic was slow heading towards PJ, but the weather was good like my mood. Got there about 10 minutes late but he was okay with it. According to him, I haven't had a hair cut in four months since M's wedding so my hair was kinda long and unruly. Told him to chop off a third of it so right now, it is short and unruly, like I have a bunch of seaweed on my head. I can only hope that it would be okay when it grows out a bit. It's a losing battle that I fight with my crowning glory so for now, I'm just resigned to the fact that this is as good as it gets.

Anyway, after I was done, I went to pick D up from his place and spent the rest of the day with him. We had Nando's for the n-th time because it's his most favorite food ever and he is the most unadventurous eater I know, but I would not tease him anymore after J kindly pointed out that my obsession with fish head is essentially the same thing. Touche. We had a whole bird and were practically stuffed after the meal. And for some reason, he was being particularly obnoxious that day and at one point I was pretty exasperated. Maybe it's a boy thing to be playfully annoying. Still, I thoroughly enjoy his company and look forward to meeting him again. I don't remember what we talked about. I only remember that there were a lot of repetitious nonsense and fluff and me facepalming constantly. Maybe I'd hope that we could talk about more substantial stuff like quantum physics or the Cultural Revolution or comparative theology and yes I'm being facetious. We walked KLCC Park after our late lunch to help with digestion and deeply regretted our decision to go on the swings. The sun was hiding so the weather was nice so we sat on a bench and continued our frivolous banter. It started to drizzle at one point and we coolly walked back into the mall and had gelato. We could have two flavors in a cone so I had cappuccino and lime (weird combo, I don't know why I chose those sigh -- I generally don't perform well under pressure.. but they tasted good separately la, the lime one in particular). In between, he went for prayers and I read my book, and because he has a poor sense of direction he got lost coming back to where I was and I thought that was amusing. Sorry that I had a good chuckle, all my direction-challenged peeps (love you sis). We went shopping for his stuff after that. He got a new pair of work shoes, which according to him, was the first pair of shoes he bought for himself. Achievement unlocked! We were still kinda full from lunch so we had a simple dinner at the food court (I had a drink) and called it a day. We sang in the car otw way back to his place, as we usually do, but mostly it was him singing because he doesn't like my songs -_- (Jv went through my entire CD of 50 songs the other day when I sent him home after dinner, commenting on every single one of them -- too radio friendly, too old, so pretentious, too mellow, so passe, Leehom again?, too Regina Spektor wannabe blah blah). Oi, I tak tanya pun. Srsly, boys. -_- But really, boys! ^_^

So, that was Saturday and it was great and I went to bed (after finishing Steins;Gate) in bliss.

On Sunday morning, I woke up at 6:36AM and got ready just in time for A to pick me up at 7 before we headed to J's and then S's place. It was our forest reserve outing day! Yay! We were all groggy from lack of sleep and the unearthly hours, except for A who was inexplicably perky the whole day, having woken up 5:30AM and being on chauffeur duty the whole day. Maybe we were good company, us three sloths. S made us coffee and J was a happy camper. It didn't do much for me I think. We got to FRIM in Kepong around 8 and chose a spot to park and had brekkie at a resting hut before beginning our grueling... 10-minute hike. Haha! Yeah it was a short hike, before a long descend of about an hour. When we got back on gravel road I decided to run the rest of the way, so that I could sweat more and also because I had a tummy ache hehe. Left the forest reserve at about 11 to Desa ParkCity for Kb, which was a disappointing affair.. save for the brinjal fries and wasabi and garlic sauces which were awesome. The rice burger.. nah. Then we went lying on grass under a tree in the park. The sun was out but the breeze was cooling so we laid there and tried to sleep but couldn't. I loved that lying on the grass bit. Then we went to this other restaurant A, which was a worse outing than Kb. We had terrible pasta and a mushroom pizza that didn't live up to its name and we paid RM25 per pax. I was annoyed. We sat in the restaurant for a couple of hours as we were still lethargic. J browsed through salon.com and was reading from lists like "25 things men do to show that they are interested in you" or "10 things that men look for in the first impression". It was hilarious dissecting these trying-too-hard lists. J then brought up the idea of going for one of those puzzle room places that are quite popular these days and we decided we should just do it. I've always wanted to go and check one out, and although I didn't think we were in the right frame of mind to do it that day, we went ahead and booked ourselves a place at the Es-ca-pe Room in eCurve. Suffice to say, we failed spectacularly. As per the words of the guy who came to get us when our time was up, "You guys are still in this room ah?" Yes we are. Boo hoo. It was fun though, although I don't think it's something I'd excel in. After that, since I was much poorer financially compared to the start of the day, we went to eat at a hawker center where we all had piping hot nasi lemak and grilled chicken wings and lobak and we were completely exhausted but in good spirits. A dropped us home after that. I practically crawled under my blanket and for the first time in a while, slept by 10ish.

So, that was Sunday and it was awesome and I went to bed deliriously happy.

luv, E.

you come over unannounced, silence broken by your voice in the dark

I remember how I felt the first time I heard Mae's The Ocean. It was one of those Wow. I. really. dig. this! moments. And then I checked out the rest of the album and subsequently, the rest of their discography. And yeah, I really liked them.

One of my most favorite gifts was The Everglow album that T just gave me out of the blue -- she had a friend buy it from Singapore maybe because it wasn't available here (I'm not too sure now). I might have imploded in joy. It spent a longggg time in my car CD player.

Heh, turns out that I've gushed about it before. So I'm getting old and has the tendency to repeat myself. Please bear with me.

We’re so excited to officially announce that we will hitting the road in 2015 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the release of our album, The Everglow! The Everglow 10th Anniversary Tour will kick off in early 2015 and on each tour date, we will be performing the album from beginning to end. -Mae

He asked why this song resonated with me. I replied with a shrug. Maybe it does, maybe it doesn't. Maybe I just like the tune and how it makes me feel. Which is what? I don't know. Bleh, feeling slightly depressive right now, but do I want to really know why? I don't know.

Who is 23? Michael Jordan. And my mom when she had me. I was already in Standard 6 by the time she was my age now. Does that mean anything to me? How do I tell myself (or them) it's okay not to want the same things?

I'm without a doubt a Gen-Y'er; we the late 70s babies were caught in the transition between the two generations and I so happen to have my lot cast with the Y-ers, though I think I've some of the X-ers' sensibilities. I wonder what if I was born say two years earlier, just as my parents were married. What kind of head would I have on these shoulders? Maybe all these Y-quirks would be so foreign to me. I see some of my X-peers, and they are so.. grounded, so.. straight, and here I am, feeling somewhat lost but okay being so, if it makes sense. I kinda shudder thinking this is how I would feel at 40. I don't want to be an old woman with this mind screwed on. Oops did I just call 40 old? I'll eat my words in about 4 years.

It's so weird to read about people my age in the news, especially if they were incriminated for crimes, or if they died. Whatever could have led them down the road they took? At which point did they choose those roads less traveled? And to feel like I'm at the peak of my life at this point, the idea that it is cut short is quite devastating. But there's nothing one could do when one's number's up.

But hmm, the weekend is upon us! My remaining episodes of Elementary beckon. :D




Jimmy Eat World - 23

I felt for sure last night that once we said goodbye
No one else will know these lonely dreams
No one else will know that part of me
I'm still driving away and I'm sorry every day
I won't always love these selfish things
I won't always live, not stopping

It was my turn to decide, I knew this was our time
No one else will have me like you do, no one else will have me, only you

You'll sit alone forever, if you wait for the right time
What are you hoping for?
I'm here I'm now I'm ready, holding on tight
Don't give away the end, the one thing that stays mine

Amazing still it seems, I'll be 23
I won't always love what I'll never have
I won't always live in my regrets

I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel. -Maya Angelou

I would like to think that I strive to do that... at least with the people I love and care about... sometimes. Argh, I started the day chirpy and high, but passing through a low phase now. Come and calm these raging seas.

Declined to explore a career opportunity today. Feels like it isn't time yet. Ranted about Miss Nomer (lol yes, still beating that dead horse, for fun) last night to a bunch of strangers. "One thing that got to me was I felt like she has derailed my career path". As soon as those words left my mouth, I realised that it was time to stop using that as an excuse. And one of them, a twice-failed start-up entrepreneur told me that I shouldn't let that past stop me from trying out. I already knew that but I really appreciated it. And to him I said, Third time will be a charm. Mark my words. *big smile* I truly believed that for him and hope that it'd encouraged him a little.



Medic - Come Close

Come close to me, let everything fall away
Take me now to secret places deep inside my heart
Come close to me, come and calm these raging seas
I'm feeling dry and weary but you said you're all i need

Love, do you believe in me?
I find it so hard to see you here, I find it so hard to see
You know, you know, you know
I've been circling round these creeping doubts
But i know that you can save me now
I know that you can save me

Time has got ahold of me, these bones are breaking but this heart will be
Hearing every promise made to me of what is yet to come
I'll break these ties belief is everything I recognize
To light the fire caught inside our eyes
We'll be the ones in time

and the moment's magic swept us away.. and it’s so close, but we’re so far away.

I can't say how glad I am for online messaging systems. They allow socially inept folks like me to have decent conversations, sometimes even coming across as fascinating and funny and yay, intelligent! I'm the kind who would be googling for meaning of words and phrases as I chat, and I'm ashamed to admit that there were so many times that the words I'd wanted to use didn't mean what I thought they did, and when that happens, it all the more makes me not want to speak in real life, because what if I used all the wrong words and bring shame to my familyyy.

Drama aside, I had a good day today. It's quite something when introverts find each other. I played career counselor to some young cikus. I'm far from qualified of course. I only have my age going for me, and my jaded view of life, and my non-ambitiousness. I hope they didn't see through that. But chatting with them really made my day!

Side-tracking, Leehom is holding a concert here in September. And I realised that I wasn't sure if I want to go. On one hand, that would mean that I'd cross off my "Attend one concert" list for this year, but on the other hand... I'm afraid it'd just be Music Man 2 Part 2 again. I don't see the point of that. But anyway, the fan club is doing pre-order but there's no special discount which means that I could decide later. Plus I'm looking forward to Beijing in September too! One thing that would help make a decision is if he would release a new album before then.

It's hard for me to admit that my passion for LH is waning. It's just me returning to the kind of music lover that I was previously -- the lyrics kind. And his, sadly, didn't really stick. Maybe that's why I was so into Em in my withdrawal stage haha.. I also think what happened with Leehom was that I genuinely overdosed on him. I should have paced myself, but hello, tell a fangirl that and she'd stare right back at you blankly. So yeah, right now let's say I'm in between fangirling.

Change topic. I don't know how not to get riled up at every other thing. Especially those things happening locally that you read in the newspaper. I just can't fathom.. argh! I don't want to do this now. If I were an Avenger, I'd totally be the Hulk. Boo hoo.

Anyway, I was looking for my Friday anthem, and I settled on Mae. I wish they had made it big, they are so talented! But so was everyone else I guess. Sigh~ Listening to them always bring me so much feels. Xoxo.

Mae - We're So Far Away

Remembering, everything, about my world and when you came

Wondering, the change you’d bring, means nothing else would be the same

Did you know, what you were doing, did you know?

Did you know how you would move me? Well, I don’t really think so

But the night came down and swept us away, and the stars they seemed to paint the most elaborate scene today

How could we know? that song, this show, we'd learn so much about ourselves

From Toledo, to Tokyo, the words were scribbled on every page, and now there’s books up on our shelves

Did you know how you would move us, did you know?

When the lights first came upon us and we saw The Everglow

And the moment's magic swept us away and the young mans dream was almost seen so plain.

When was the night that showed us the sign?

Revealed in the sky, to leave all behind

But where to begin? throwing caution to the wind,

We reached for the stars, everything was now ours.

Did you know how you would move me, did you know?

Did you know how you would move me? well, I don’t even think so.

but the moment's magic swept us away and it’s so close, but we’re so far away

It’s so close, but we’re so far away

It's late afternoon on a Friday, and so far it's been a no-frills day of conversations that didn't really hold and a press release waiting to be written. Speaking of which, I should get to it. Here's my song for the day. Ah Jon, you could do no wrong in my eyes. *heart*




Been fighting things that I can't see, like voices coming from the inside of me and
Like doing things I find hard to believe in, am I myself or am I dreaming?
I've been awake for an hour or so, checking for a pulse but I just don't know
Am I a man when I feel like a ghost? The stranger in the mirror is wearing my clothes

No, I'm not alright, I know that I'm not right
A steering wheel don't mean you can drive, a warm body don't mean I'm alive
No, I'm not alright, I know that I'm not right
Feel like I travel but I never arrive, I wanna thrive not just survive

I come alive when I hear you singing, But lately I haven't been hearing a thing and
I get the feeling that I'm in between, a machine and a man who only looks like me
I try and hide it and not let it show, but deep down inside me I just don't know
Am I a man when I feel like a hoax? The stranger in the mirror is wearing my clothes

Switchfoot :: Thrive

rhymes with broccoli.

You know one of those one-thing-leads-to-another events? So something like that happened and I ended up at my ex-colleagues long-defunct blog and randomly clicked on one of the posts and came upon this. And this is one of 'em things that articulate how you feel about something but you never thought to put it in words.

ON MELANCHOLY

the collins dictionary let me down today. i don't like it's definition of melancholy. the collins advanced learner's defines melancholy as "an intense sadness". i disagree.

the relationship between melancholy and sadness cannot be one of degrees. if anything, a very intense sadness could possibly be mistaken for depression, but certainly not melancholy.

melancholy, as i've always known it, is a detached variety of sadness. it is a sadness that, when choosing between crying and sighing, will choose sighing. it's a sadness that stands outside of itself and feels the quiet pang of loss rather than the raw pain of it.

i'd almost go as far as to say that melancholy is being sad about sadness itself. it's like looking back on an unfortunate event from a place that doesn't feel the firsthand sadness - the sadness is now secondhand, no longer played out on ground zero but watched from the rooftop, looking down. it moves from being a sadness for to being a sadness about. yes, i think this is melancholy. collins = fallible.

i've been feeling a bit melancholy lately. i don't mind it. it's actually quite nice.

~

In keeping with the somber tone of the post (yay, Friday!)... I was recently thinking about something Jon Foreman said, when I remembered he briefly wrote about singer-songwriter the late Elliot Smith. I'm not familiar with his work and I don't know much about Elliot other than what I read on wiki. One thing of note, I've outlived him. It's a weird feeling. I sometimes think about what if any given day was my last on earth. Would I be sad to leave? Yes. Would I be happy to leave? Yes.




Elliot Smith :: Between The Bars

Drink up baby, stay up all night, with the things you could do
You won't but you might, the potential you'll be
That you'll never see the promises you'll only make
Drink up with me now and forget all about the pressure of days
Do what I say and I'll make you okay and drive them away, the images stuck in your head

People you've been before that you don't want around anymore
That push and shove and won't bend to your will, I'll keep them still
Drink up baby, look at the stars, I'll kiss you again between the bars
Where I'm seeing you there with your hands in the air, waiting to finally be caught

Drink up one more time and I'll make you mine
Keep you apart, deep in my heart, separate from the rest
Where I like you the best and keep the things you forgot
The people you've been before that you don't want around anymore
That push and shove and won't bend to your will, I'll keep them still

stop, look, go!

I got a "traffic light" on my Gtalk chat windows tee hee! sometimes it's the littlest things that makes me smile.. :)

btw for my own reference to better understand the people around me (I'm adding to the list as I discover more):

• J and D and A are ISFJ
• S is INFJ
• L is INFP
• and I am ISFP  
• oh, the husband is INTJ
• sister is ISFP like me
• Dz is also ISFP
• M is ESTJ

what up, September!

Time flies. Time flies. Time fliesssssssss.

I've a whole slew of things that made me mad and sad and annoyed and riled up, from the religious teachers of this country, to the discriminatory education system, to the price hike in petrol which is signalling more inflation to come, to the ever dropping Ringgit value, with the Syrian issue hanging at the back of my head the whole time. Also, I haven't bumped into Leehoom the entire time he is here! It's been a long week that way.

BUT, I don't want to end it such note. So here's something that never fail to light up my face and make me smile... SUPER MARIO BROS!



Ahhh... this instantly brought me back to 1992, when my dad came back with the Atari console, and this game (among others) came to life. The burst of colours! The excitement! And those tunes!! They stuck with me for the past 20+ years.. I still random hum to the tune when nostalgia strikes. it's a 2D kinda LOVE! :) *sighs contently* I would so love to get my hands on these games again.

TGIF guys. xoxo.



NB. oh I should add that the theme song to Leehom's upcoming movie with Zhang Ziyi, 非常幸運 My Lucky Star, was released today. It's called 愛一點 Love A Little which is actually a cover song by another relatively unknown Chinese singer called Mo Yanlin. The verdict? I.... am sorry but I'm not too fond of it. Sorry, Leehom. I really wanted to like it but my first impression was that it was too generic and forgettable, it sounds like another cookie-cutter love song. I was disappointed. I wish they had commissioned you to write the theme song instead.

But urm, what I did like about it was listening to his voice. I really miss that (ya ya, I listen to him everyday in my car, but this is different, if you know what I mean). It's been a while since we last heard a new song from him (the last being 12 Zodiacs and that was a good nine months ago!

Really looking forward to your new album, Leehom! And oh, I suppose it's already your last day here in Malaysia. I hope you've had a good two plus weeks here. I regret that I never went stalking you. Please don't revoke my fangirl licence! Safe journey to wherever you're going next, and come back soon!

Watch the song here.

Edit 9.9.13: I can't believe I got hooked onto the song. Okay, I'm taking back "forgettable" but I'm still sticking with "generic" and "cookie-cutter".. but I'm adding "light-hearted" into the mix.

timeless.

“Try to imagine a life without timekeeping.

You probably can’t. You know the month, the year, the day of the week. There is a clock on your wall or the dashboard of your car. You have a schedule, a calendar, a time for dinner or a movie.

Yet all around you, timekeeping is ignored. Birds are not late. A dog does not check its watch. Deer do not fret over passing birthdays.

Man alone measures time. Man alone chimes the hour. And, because of this, man alone suffers a paralyzing fear that no other creature endures. A fear of time running out.”

― Mitch Albom, The Time Keeper

[via]

I find the quotation somewhat liberating, for I often find myself lamenting about age and achievement (or rather, my lack of), being constantly reminded of how time passing us by, and very much hypnotised and held captive by the tick-tocks of my bio-clock. what if the next thing I know is waking up to myself old and wrinkly and 80? but really, why should I fear it? I think I'm a closet worrier, that even myself am often oblivious that I'm one. is that possible?

on the other hand, time is running... I truly believe that the return of Jesus is imminent, and like every generation of believers before me, I hope in terror to see it happen in my lifetime.

anachronous.

This could have been the anthem of my life at one point. I'm just glad there was a happy ending for all of us. :)

Btw, The Bright Side hasn't seen an entry in a while. I've read a lot of things I've liked on Quora but it's quite a hassle to get them out from the phone to here (side note: I'm beginning to wonder if I'm spending too much time on Q). Nevertheless, this entry should make up for the absence.

I never thought I'd live to a very old age, but if I ever do, I want to spend it like this man..

Meet Hal Lasko, mostly known as Grandpa, a 97-year-old man who uses Microsoft Paint from Windows 95 to create artwork that has been described as “a collision of pointillism and 8-Bit art.” Lasko, who is legally blind, served in WWII drafting directional and weather maps for bombing raids and later worked as a typographer (back when everything is done by hand) for clients such as General Tire, Goodyear and The Cleveland Browns before retiring in the 1970s. Decades after his retirement his family introduced him to Microsoft Paint and he never looked back. Approaching a century in age, Lasko is now having his work shown for the first time in an art exhibition and also has prints for sale online.

[via]

So yeah, every one of his amazing paintings was painstakingly dotted on MS Paint. Who would have thought! Watch this very inspiring video..

It's Friday evening, and if my quick calculation is anything to go by, this is approximately the 1,805th Friday of my life. Wow, that's a lot of Fridays. And by statistics, I should have another 1,805 more to go. This is, after all, mid-life. But that sounds nice. To have close to two thousand Fridays more to enjoy. Close to two thousand more weekends in my life.

I was born on a Monday. I can't remember if I was an AM child, or a PM child. AM if I'm not mistaken (no idea how I ended up such a night owl!). So I came into this world wailing and flailing about, just as everyone was dreading the start of the week. I'm assuming of course, this aversion to Monday has been around for at least that long. Or was that another time that people lived in?

I'm waiting for traffic to ease up before heading home. Pleased with the predictability. Looking out through the slit between the window and blinds to a hazy view of the city; thought that it's not unlike peering into my mind. Wondering why the rain didn't wash away the blanket of dust.

I think I'm gonna take a quick shut eye (yes, in the office). Happy weekend! :)

30 minutes to...

closing time*.

the city has just been lightly bathed in rain, and now the palette outside the windows is greyish blue as office workers who have lost their motivation to work post-lunch brace themselves for rush hour traffic heading home or church or a watering hole.

have a good weekend, everyone. mine will be long, but 'sokay, i've braced myself for mine. i'll tell you about it next week. and oops, i'm reminded that i haven't told my vocal teacher that i've decided to drop the class.

* gimme a high five if you heard that semisonic song in your head when you read that =)

the bright side #2

• The presently weekly (Tuesdays) inter-church prayer meeting at DUMC. It was really spiritually uplifting to see so many churches coming together to pray for the nation and the imminent general election. I was deeply encouraged. The battle is bigger than what the mind perceive and eyes see, but I believe that God is on our side when our cry is one for justice and mercy.
  
  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph 6:12

• This explanation (by PKR Strategist Director Rafizi Ramli on the rumours surrounding his departure from Petronas).  

• This review of Hayao Miyazaki's Spirited Away by the late movie critic Roger Ebert. It is so beautifully written that it made me download the show and watch it again. And it was like I've never watched it before--I have practically forgotten about the entire plot line! I haven't figured out why I found it so forgettable when my friends thought the world of it. This excerpt holds a key, though:
  
  I was so fortunate to meet Miyazaki at the 2002 Toronto film festival. I told him I love the "gratuitous motion" in his films; instead of every movement being dictated by the story, sometimes people will just sit for a moment, or sigh, or gaze at a running stream, or do something extra, not to advance the story but only to give the sense of time and place and who they are.
  
  "We have a word for that in Japanese," he said. "It's called 'ma.' Emptiness. It's there intentionally." He clapped his hands three or four times. "The time in between my clapping is 'ma.' If you just have non-stop action with no breathing space at all, it's just busyness."
  
  I think that helps explain why Miyazaki's films are more absorbing than the frantic action in a lot of American animation. "The people who make the movies are scared of silence" he said, "so they want to paper and plaster it over," he said. "They're worried that the audience will get bored. But just because it's 80 percent intense all the time doesn't mean the kids are going to bless you with their concentration. What really matters is the underlying emotions--that you never let go of those.
  
  "What my friends and I have been trying to do since the 1970's is to try and quiet things down a little bit; don't just bombard them with noise and distraction. And to follow the path of children's emotions and feelings as we make a film. If you stay true to joy and astonishment and empathy you don't have to have violence and you don't have to have action. They'll follow you. This is our principle."
  
  Yes, I enjoyed it much, much more this time, thanks to the review. :)

• This Draw My Life video by Ryan Higa.
  
  
  

• Many topics on Quora. Try it. There are few things more humbling than reading messages from countless other smart people putting forth their thoughts and sharing their knowledge. 

• I've already shared my current favorite song (Mercy Mercy) from Hillsong United really awesome new album, Zion. Here's another one:
  
  

• I love how my friends now has a crush on Brendan. Here's his photo gallery--I'm usually not a huge fans of photo archives but I enjoyed going through this (of course, seeing LH in some recent pix is a bonus!) He seems like the type that would always go out exploring the city he's in, and I can very well relate to that adventurous spirit! How awesome it is to be doing something you love and getting to travel the world while at it. Sigh~ Check out his blog too.

TGIF folks. Xoxo.

the bright side #1

i spend (waste? hehehe so debatable) a lot of time on the internet.. and if you don't know it already, the web can be a terrible place with all the bad news and sad news and worst of all, belligerent trolls. that aside, i still love the good that comes with being online, and it's especially worth it when i get a glimpse of what my fellow earthly sojourners can achieve at the height their creativity, or how big one's heart could be. i'm trying to start a weekly archive of the awesome stuff that float my way (i would have shared some but not all of these on FB), and hope that they bless you too! :D

• The Master Chef

Based on a true story, this film is about pursuing your dreams no matter the odds.

In 2003, Christine Ha was diagnosed with a disease that caused her blindness. She didn't think that she could move on, and felt devastated and alone. But through her love for cooking and the people around her, she started to see her purpose in life. By picking herself up, Christine became the first blind contestant on the hit reality TV show, MasterChef.



[via The Jubilee Project]

• A tale of a student and a legend

During a question-and-answer session with Billy Joel at Vanderbilt University, one bold but endearingly nervous student went all in and asked if he could play “New York State of Mind” on the piano for Billy Joel to sing along to. Joel paused for a second and then said, “Okay.”

It’s awesome…

[via 22 Words]

• Yeo Inhyeok does an amazing a capella cover of Stevie Wonder's I Wish

Amazing what we can do with just our mouth and voice (and the computer! :)



[via 22 Words]

which led me to finding this:

Mike Tompkins and his a capella cover of Coldplay's Paradise 

• This girl

COFFEE SHOP | NEW YORK, NY, USA
(A young girl that is about 14 years old walks in. She gets some looks from our other patrons, as she has bright purple hair, multiple piercings, a leather jacket, and ripped jeans. It is freezing outside and she has a scowl on her face that makes me nervous.)

Me: “Hello, welcome to [coffee shop]. How may I help you?”

Young Girl: “I’ll take five of the largest black coffees you have, and ten of your ham and cheese sandwiches.”

Me: “Okay, will that be all?”

Young Girl: “Yeah.”

Me: “Your total is [price].”

(To my surprise, she pulls out a $100 bill. I am suspicious, and I check to make sure it’s real. It checks out, and I give her a bag with her sandwiches.)

Me: “Here is your change. Your coffee will be ready in a moment.”

(I keep an eye on her as she stands around glaring at anyone who looks at her. I see her looking at the tip jar. When I hand her the coffees, she asks me about it.)

Young Girl: “Your tip jar says that the money goes to you guys. Are any of you in college?”

Me: “Yes, I’m going to Rochester Institute of Technology. A few others are in college as well.”

Young Girl: “Good for you.”

(She pulls out the change I gave her and a few more $20 dollar bills. She crams then in the jar and salutes me jokingly before walking out. I am stunned, and chase after her. I find her on the street corner talking to some homeless people and handing out the sandwiches and coffee.)

Me: “Excuse me!”

Young Girl: “I’m sorry, did I forget something?”

Me: “No, but you just tipped us over $100 dollars. You’re also giving away a lot of food.”

Young Girl: “Yeah, my dad is crazy rich. I feel like I can do more if I actually interact with people instead of signing a check to a charity. Every Friday I gather anyone I see who needs a good meal, and buy it for them.” *she smiles brightly* “I may be young, but I can make a difference. I usually hand out flyers for homeless shelters or soup kitchens, too.”

(Without another word, she walks off silently. I didn’t stop smiling for the rest of the week. It goes to show you that appearances aren’t everything!)

[via Not Always Right]

• This thread on Quora

What is the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?

There are 44 answers in this thread, and every one is as heartwarming as the next. :)

TGIF peeps! ^__^

of fish and fridays

today has caught me unawares. for some reason, it was only last night i realised that it was thursday which meant that today is yay, the end of the week. for someone who is perennially looking forward to it, friday managed to crept up on me while i wasn't expecting it. it was a pleasant surprise tho'. :)

it's been a good few weeks since i last work on translating a song. i think i've again reached a point of saturation with lee hom's songs. but the thing is, i can't stop listening to them. hehehe.. but i do try to sample new songs whenever i could pry myself away from playing lh's songs. like today.

today's song is from a new singer (new to my list, but she has been around). her name is Cheer Chen. yes, Cheer. i have to admit that it was her name which i find to be somewhat.. erm.. unusual, that made me never checking her songs out, despite having seen her name around when i read news on lee hom and mayday. and of all people, it was chongy who suggested that i listen to it. i like how unexpected that was :D back to Cheer, she's been said to be a prolific singer-songwriter by none other than ashin, so i'm going to take his word, and the word of chongy's friend who introduced this song to her, for it. :) this translation is dedicated to you, chongy.. :)

okay, the title of this song is called 魚, lit. Fish. I don't know why. maybe it's a metaphor, because there is no other meaning for that word other than that: fish. it doesn't appear in the song either, but if you google for it, it sometimes comes with an English title, i.e. The Edge, which makes more sense, as it was referred in the lyrics. maybe she's just messing with our minds.

overall, this song makes for a good first impression, to me at least! :)


我坐在椅子上，看日出復活
我坐在夕陽裡，看城市的衰弱
我摘下一片葉子，讓它代替我
觀察離開後的變化
sitting on a chair, i look out at the day resurrecting (sunrise)
sitting in the sunset, i observe the feeble city
i pluck a leaf, and let it substitute me
examining the changes of what's left after it's gone

曾經狂奔，舞蹈，貪婪的說話
隨著冷的濕的心腐化
words that were once a mad rush, a dance, avaricious,
along with the cold, wet heart, are decaying

帶不走的丟不掉的，讓大雨侵蝕吧!
讓它推向我在邊界，奮不顧身掙扎。
如果有一個懷抱，勇敢不計代價，
別讓我飛，將我溫柔豢養。
what you can't bring along and what you can't discard
just let them be eroded by the heavy rain
let them push towards me at the border
while i struggle selflessly with all my might
if there's an embrace, i will courageously disregard its price
don't let me fly away, but gently keep me docile

我坐在椅子上，看日出復活。
我坐在夕陽裡，看城市的衰弱。
我摘下一片葉子，讓它代替我，觀察離開後的變化。
曾經狂奔，舞蹈，貪婪的說話，
隨著冷的濕的心腐化。
[refer paras 1&2]

帶不走的留不下的，我全都交付它，
讓它捧著我在手掌，自由自在揮灑。
如果有一個世界混濁的不像話。
原諒我飛，曾經眷戀太陽。
[我會瘋狂的愛上]
what i can't bring along and what i can't leave behind
i give them over completely
let them cup me in their palm, let me be free
if there is a world that's outrageously turbid
forgive me for flying, as I once held sentiment for the sun
[i will love unrestrainedly]

list of new words/phrases:
摘下 zhāixià - tear off, pluck
觀察 guānchá - examine, observe
舞蹈 wǔdǎo - dance
貪婪 tānlán - avaricious / greedy / rapacious / insatiable / avid
濕/湿 shī - wet / moist
腐化 fǔhuà - to rot / to decay / to become corrupt
侵蝕 qīnshí - to erode / to corrode
奮不顧身 fènbùgùshēn - to dash on bravely with no thought of personal safety (idiom); undaunted by dangers / regardless of perils
掙扎 zhēngzhá - to struggle
豢養 huànyǎng - to keep (an animal) / to look after the needs of (a person or an animal) / (fig.) to keep (a spy, lackey etc) in one's pay
揮灑 huīsǎ - to sprinkle / to shed (tears, blood etc) / fig. free, unconstrained / to write in a free style
混濁 hùnzhuó - turbid / muddy / dirty
不像話 - unreasonable / shocking / outrageous
眷戀 juànliàn - to miss / to long for / to remember with longing / yearning



陳綺貞
魚

我坐在椅子上，看日出復活
我坐在夕陽裡，看城市的衰弱
我摘下一片葉子，讓它代替我
觀察離開後的變化

曾經狂奔，舞蹈，貪婪的說話，
隨著冷的濕的心腐化

帶不走的丟不掉的，讓大雨侵蝕吧!
讓它推向我在邊界，奮不顧身掙扎

如果有一個懷抱，勇敢不計代價
別讓我飛，將我溫柔豢養

我坐在椅子上，看日出復活
我坐在夕陽裡，看城市的衰弱
我摘下一片葉子，讓它代替我，觀察離開後的變化

曾經狂奔，舞蹈，貪婪的說話
隨著冷的濕的心腐化

帶不走的留不下的，我全都交付它
讓它捧著我在手掌，自由自在揮灑

如果有一個世界混濁的不像話
原諒我飛，曾經眷戀太陽

帶不走的丟不掉的，讓大雨侵蝕吧!
讓它推向我在邊界，奮不顧身掙扎

如果有一個世界混濁的不像話
我會瘋狂的愛上

帶不走的留不下的，我全都交付它
讓它捧著我在手掌，自由自在揮灑

如果有一個懷抱，勇敢不計代價，
別讓我飛，將我溫柔豢養
原諒我飛，曾經眷戀太陽

prelude to the weekend: a Friday afternoon fantasy

oh how i wish i could be in New York, New York!

haha!
larger than life city!

that's the dream!

can watch all the broadway musicals
I know... to be in Times Square

i want a loft in NY
overlooking the city

me too! a tiny studio

yeahh tastefully done
minimalistic

and central park
can invite friends over
for tea or dinner

i want a reading chair by the windows

I was just about to say that!
and also a bath tub with a good view
open kitchen concept
so when you cook, you are in full view of the city lights at night
wood flooring

yeahhh

orange lighting
23rd floor

skylight roof
why 23?

high enough
my NY dream sounds just like a ... dream
how impossible

tell me about itttt

[...]

sigh.
do you think those ppl who already own a loft in NY wish they were somewhere else?

aahahhahaha malaysia perhaps

the grass is always greener on the other side rite?
yeah, dreaming of the beaches here.. the all-round summer
maybe.

can always come for holiday
it's not like we are by the beach
christmas in new york... mmhmmmmm....

mmmmmmm
christmas markets
hot apple cider
can sip hot apple cider on your reading chair

mm not a fan of apple cider
hot cocoa will do
thank God it's friday afternoon.. just the nice time to be dreaming this
here, take your pick



someday, i will take a big bite outta you, you big apple!

i'm in a fairly good mood. yay! mm nothing to blog about so here are some random stuff. the pics are big to make up for the lack of substance. hah!

• loved kungfu panda. i laughed and laughed and teared and laughed. i wanna watch it again. and again. and then watch the first one and then this one again. like po said it, aiiiii-lurrrrveee-youuuu-guyssss ^__^

• and there's this family who's waiting for me, and I CAN'T WAIT to meet them!!! :) but first, i have to spend a few days in the jungle. literally. 

• i'm hooked on this iphone game called Birzzle. it's a very simple gameplay, just drag the birds together and they will burst/explode. i can't seem to get past level 30 but getting there takes about 30mins.. and i've spent a quite a number of 30mins.. i might need help soon.

• meanwhile, bookdepository has been kind to me lol -- i bought two books during their 10% off promo in May and have just started reading this. i like this cover compared to other darker one :) but the book came with some dents :(

• bought two deals group deals recently - one from Groupon and one from Dealmates. in internet transactions i trust. *gulp*

that's it for today folks. have a good weekend!