Many Thanks... and some more...

First, to the section - Jinhai, Cedric, Guosheng, Michele, Jieying, Firdaus and anyone else I've missed out - & Erina for the surprise last Tues! Pleasantly unexpected, tasty cake and gem of two CDs!

To those who sent messages on phone/FB- thanks lots too!

Last but not least, to Erina who'd spent countless agonising hours trying to make everything turn out well, the staycation, the surprise cupcakes, the bag，the lovely card, all the effort, time and sweat spent - you deserve all the hugs I can possibly give!

*HUGS*

Thank you!

-------------

This coming Friday will see the 4th installment of Da Capo.

How far we have come.

Its gonna be a tiring evening.

--------------

这首耳熟的歌曲，我到了今天 才知道原唱者是谁。忧欢派对似乎当时在台湾挺红的。




数着快乐的闹钟 吵醒做梦的情人
潇洒月光的小径 我们去探险

趁着天堂鸟的翅膀 穿上宝石的衣裳
大声呼唤 尽情的歌唱
世界在旋转

滴答滴答我的爱 心情飞扬的节拍
满天星星眨眼睛 热情地招呼
请别拒绝诱惑 分享这神奇

滴答滴答我的爱 穿越时空的自在
满天星星眨眼睛 好像也在说
爱你

最近也透过忧欢派对间接得知了张克凡的新作品。




过了今晚 再也留不住你
迟早要洗去 我脸颊上的唇印
你和我约定到了明天 谁也不许再提起
你轻轻的留给我 这深深的回忆

甜言蜜语 迟早都会说尽
再多真心 也挡不住黎明来临
这段属于黑夜的爱情 注定要蒸发阳光底
爱上了不该爱的人 连伤心都会来不及

两个世界的代表作品 就是命运
我虽然很有勇气 但却放不下自尊心
时钟滴滴答答滴滴答答 我还盲目的拥抱你
希望把这一刻时间 永远的锁在黑夜里

过了今晚 再也留不住你
迟早要洗去 我脸颊上的唇印
这段属于黑夜的爱情 注定要蒸发阳光底
你轻轻的留给我 这深深的回忆

有时 ，只能叹有缘无分。。。

在此停笔。。。。。。紧张。。。。。。
RC

De-volve (if there's such a word)

Caught up with an old friend.

Its saddening to hear of how situations have developed.

For now, it looks bleak.

Hope everything can pick up henceforth.

Signing off................. Things change, yet stay the same...........
RC

Life's Story

I've gotta (re)learn when to exert and hold back at the right moments.

Signing off................ Warm............
RC

What Dreams may Bring

Attended the screening with Erina @ Substation over the weekend.

Aside from a mildly disturbing (Erina will disagree though) intro, the main programme dished up an enjoying mix of local short films.

(1) We, the real people of Singapore

The idea of having people providing stories and re-telling them in motion is as new as last week's fresh bake. Yet to select six out of a 100+ stories, script them out and weave them together into an overall narrative structure has its challenges. Authencity aside (I haven't heard of a male pre-school/nursary educator), the flow of the film was well-handled, beginning with the monotony of a day's start, and ending with an excerpt of romantic overtones. The transitions are one of the technical highlights of the film, while the personal favourites are the anecdotes about the boy who took those jibes about being fat in his stride as well as the concluding mini-story. Now, will someone tell me which is the MRT station-cum-bus interchange that has a small ridge next to it where you can catch a beautiful sunset?

(2) National Day

This is perhaps the one that evoked those deep personal emotions, for in Wei, perhaps I saw a bit of myself - outwardly oblivious and inert to the little abrasions in life but inwardly retaining that sense of acute awareness of the little things that matter. No fancy cinematographic effects or post-editing, just an attempt that tugs the heartstrings.



(3) Kissing Faces

Radically different from the previous. Starts with a portrayal of romantic life-of-two in the shape of a Hokkien Karaoke MTV and rapidly degenerates from there (the progatonist's story, not the quality of the film itself). The monologue tells of a separation forced by the promise of a better life abraod, the happier and more unpleasant past, and the hesitation of leaving behind the current arrangement. Building upon neon lights and 'jumps' in scenes, the film is probably let down (IMO anyway) by a lack of research on KTV hostesses, but I presume this allows the director to have a little more room to work with. Sometimes, history and truth can constrain...

(4) à la folie (Like Crazy)



...which I think is the case here as well, which is the director's re-interpretation of Ramayana. Without the baggage of the stories that is Ramayana, there is no attempt to draw comparisons to the original. What I found personally refereshing is the attempt by the director in infusing elements of the different faces that make up Little India. In particular, the scenes which the female protagonist shared with the two female foreign workers provided much food for thought into the psyche of love.

The occasional forays into non-mainstream works are indeed enjoyable and insight-provoking. What an accomplishment it would be, to be able to make and produce your own film!

----------------

A Taiwanese in Paris is on a misson and making the headlines.

Objective: To kiss a hundred men in Paris, capture the kisses on photographs, and publish them on her blog.

Sounds crazy obviously.

To some (like some friends of the Taiwanese blogger), kissing 100 men is like going to bed with 100 men. But she went ahead anyway.

After all, how else can one commemerate a journey that has given her the courage and the capability that she hasn't had beforehand?

(Read: How it all started, here and here.)

(Note: She blogs almost exclusively in Mandarin though...)

Some of the photos are pretty beautiful, the accompanying entries even more so.

From whence the bold hail?

Signing off............. Look before Shoot..........
RC

Watching with fold-up sleeves

It's gonna be only the second time (& the first in a long time) that I'm playing the passive participant.

Feels weird, but yet anticipatory nonetheless.....

Signing off.........(Very) Dry Weeks ahead.....
RC

遇见无情的雨

新的一个月；秋季似乎已降临了。

回营接受了三个多礼拜的受训。评估结果并不理想，但是与排里的死党和一些志同道合的兄弟度过了几分真挚时光 - “凶”时共同患难，享受时一起疯狂。同时，有些在连里的“同胞”则把那三个半星期当作是去度假屋似的，大部分的人在尽力训练时，他们白天在床铺与周公会面，天色一暗就开了车出营。

大家都是战备军人，为何选择逃避，不与曾经和你一起出生入死的同伴齐心协力一起帮助大家熬过这二十多天嘞？

不会忘记这次的开心时光，但也不得不否认，这次的回忆已被心里的失望弄得不完美。

--------------

还是没去周末的演唱会。

手头是紧了点，但脑海里和心里还是不想这么快再向商品化的恶势力屈服。

不是我不认可，认同演唱会主角的实力与势力 - 毕竟上两次的演唱会都让我带走了不少感动与欢乐。

事实是，个人已经觉得乐队的上司把他们当成了摇钱树，要趁他们火红时把他们榨干，从而大捞一笔。

还记得鼓手的太太前阵子上了康熙，叙述了自己的丈夫大多时间都不在身旁，聚少离多的这段关系自己听了都心酸；结了婚三年连蜜月都没有喔！要做艺人的终身伴侣还得要很坚强咯！





我还是要澄清 - 我很佩服，敬仰这只乐团，欣赏他们的才华和带动力，但我不认同他们东家的举动。

-------------

今天中午的雨害得我变成了只落汤鸡，但也幸亏有了这场雨，我：

（一）吃了一顿饱满（虽然贵了些）的肉骨茶午餐；

（二）经过一些“旧校”式的杂货店，看到一桶一桶的饼干摆放在店面前，我不禁有种走入了怀旧隧道的感觉；

（三）记得身上带着相机，就在巴士上拿了出来，对着窗外的景象随性拍了几下。



仿佛就身处在梦境里。

在此停笔。。。。。。一眼瞬间。。。。。
RC

Use it to grow what?

每个人心里一亩　一亩田
每个人心里一个　一个梦
一颗呀一顆种子　
是我心里的一亩田

用它來种什么
用它來种什么
种桃种李种春風
开尽梨花 春又來

那是我心里一亩　一亩田
那是我心里一个　不醒的梦

不断在城市里找寻那块栽种梦想的那亩田。

在此停笔。。。。。C'est la vie。。。。。
RC

Here's Here...

I used to wonder about the attractiveness of PB&J in the West, until recently when I made them myself for the occasional breakfast. Whenever I wake up late, Grandpa will always remind me to go over to my parents' place for my meal before I leave home. Normally I will dunk two cakes of instant noodles in boiling water (one is hardly enough for me since time immemorial), plus a coffee cuppa, but one fine day, I found this jar of Skippy's Crunchy on the dining table. Sick of having instant mee, and interested and curious enough to try out a PB&J; made do with extra packets of the Big M's grape jam (from those Biggy Breakfast sets), the Skippy's as well as adding a slice of processed cheddar cheese (my own idea - that's what a sucker for cheese will do anyways). Since then, I've been having it once or twice a week; now, given the number of times I'd be around at home for breakfast (i.e. painfully few), I will probably count as a convert to PB&J.And what's the point of all this? I've to ponder if I should get some jam cos the grape jam supply has run dry.

----------------

Attended Erina's Commencement ceremony in the afternoon. Used to enjoy attending the aftermaths of these ceremonies, the eruptous joy and endless wide grins that one can observe all around. Today however was marred by one screw-up bigger than the Biggest Screw-up Ever. Could have killed myself thousand times over and it would never have made up for it. Hope that the 'official' shots will make up for it.

Goodness, I have lost count the screw-ups there had been. No one but yours truly would have experienced crushing two snails on a wide pavement within 5 minutes.

I'm truly sorry.

-----------------

June's been the month where everything happens, like what QZ said. Both Kaka & CR07 jumped ship, the US beat the current form team Spain in a competitive match, EMO jumped ship. And then there's the Surprise Party which had been in the works since April, plus those IPT sessions smacked right in the middle of the flu pandemic (yes I've been to Maju and back countless times). Plus the departing of the Moonwalker, which just means that another part of my history bites the dust.

What other surprises await?

Signing off.................. Because you're mine, I Walk the Line..............
RC

献给，需要一些安抚的人。

爱 爱
它已经困住我 何以竟找到我
透不出一点光 在刹那间发生
能够指引找到出口 好比眼里闪过的火
泪 你
它匆匆流干我 从我心中经过
内心所有坚强 让我彻底无助
无法可想无话可说 真的叫我非爱不可

想要伴着你 愿伴着你
又怕被操纵 就是没自我
我想问为什么 亦未问为什么
却问不出口 愿永远疯魔
我装得很冷漠 就是在玩弄我
却只是受尽折磨 亦自愿受着过错
害怕苦与罪 道别话未说
却很难回头 亦尽量去拖

谁看出这样的女人 呈献出一切去求你
内心里是脆弱 这一晚陪伴我
一半梦 一半苦涩 只需当打发时间
一生都寂寞 别疑虑太多
能不能贪点时间 留住这一个夜晚

换一些感动 在明日重播
承认吧我也 陪伴我一世
需要更多的欢乐 是这首爱的挽歌
睡吧 世间
白天的伪装 一切也无法

剩下来是脆弱 去抵抗时日过
你的笑你的眼光 不管真心跟瞒骗
快把我掩没 亦同样结果
明白后又能 来吧再一次
如何 不愿意放纵 被你欺骗未为过
忍不住也要忍着 明日我一个夜里
去唱这首哀歌 再哼这首挽歌
（谁懂我）（没痛楚）

幸福的泡沫 想得很清楚
永远难捉摸 真爱难负荷
彼此痛苦都太多 需要痛苦都太多
男人的温柔 今宵可不可
来去像一阵风无须要太清楚
不要存心敷愆我 只要刹那间结果
我不是弱者 若是玩弄我
只求面对自我 唯求并未揭破
痛也痛得很光荣 愿承认我是很傻
我只想摆脱 愿热烈渡过
所有的脆弱 梦幻内渡过
把一些自尊留给我 。。。未计较终会留下我。。。

我，不是很会说些平复情绪的话。

觉得有时候一首歌曲的微妙就在于它能舒缓人心的潜能。

尤其是当独自一人面对漫长黑夜的时候。

经典九零年代中的Sammi情歌。

不管是拿来压惊，入眠，触动，疗伤。

听一听。

希望，会觉得好一点。

在此停笔。。。。。。大家都有脆弱之时。。。。。。
RC

That issue of disparity

I used to (until recently) subscribe to the utopian notion of equality for all in all.

Sometimes, in the face of daunting but concrete evidence, one has little but to face what we call the harsh reality.

The hardcore puritan(s) may still question whether everyone has had tried hard enough, but its an ideal that will probably remain elusive for eons to come.

For most, it has gone down to the inevitability of accepting the role that inequality plays in their lives, and how they go about navigating through the different facades of disproportionateness and adjusting their expectations.

It seems to be an axiom that hard work and effort always reap one rewards at the end of the day (I try to shun away from the usage of 'meritocracy). Those instances that do not are warranted degrees of empathy and consolation, sometimes coupled with grudging aid.

I guess we shouldn't lose sight of those who failed to reach the finishing line with us.

And probably more.

Signing off................. Time to patronise ("sar-port") the Maju Uncle's bread buns................
RC

Lost 1/2

And then Ctrl+Alt+Del.

Has it been a long time since that happened?

Signing off.................. Doubt sets in + Disillusionment...............
RC

拆

下午搭巴士经过了旧宅，发现拆除工程已进行了一大半。

旧宅就这样，在繁忙喧嚣中，不再存在着。

熟悉的无奈，顿时又像冷风侵袭心房深处。

---------------

近期一直听到电台在播放着《欢送会》，今天终于在网上听到了粤语《喜帖街》。

通过万能的维基，发现了《喜帖街》竟是一首励志歌曲！



忘掉种过的花 重新的出发
放弃理想吧
别再看 尘封的喜帖
你正在要搬家
筑得起 人应该接受
都有日倒下
其实没有一种安稳快乐
永远也不差

就似这一区 曾经称得上
美满甲天下
但霎眼 全街的单位
快要住满乌鸦
好景不会与日常在
天梯不可只往上爬
爱的人 没有一生一世吗
大概不需要害怕

(忘掉爱过的他)
当初的喜帖金箔印着那位他
裱起婚纱照那道墙及一切美丽旧年华
明日同步拆下
(忘掉有过的家)
小餐枱沙发雪柜及两任红茶
温馨的光境不过借出到期拿回吗
等不到下一代 是吗

忘掉砌过的沙 回忆的堡垒
刹那已倒下
面对这 坟起的荒土
你注定学会潇洒
阶砖不会拒绝磨蚀
窗花不可幽禁落霞
有感情 就会一生一世吗
又再惋惜有用吗

(忘掉爱过的他)
当初的喜帖金箔印着那位他
裱起婚纱照那道墙及一切美丽旧年华
明日同步拆下
(忘掉有过的家)
小餐枱沙发雪柜及两任红茶
温馨的光境不过借出到期拿回吗
终须会时辰到 别怕

请放下手里那销匙 好吗

昔日的喜帖街如今已“让贤”给了摩登建筑。

改变的无情动力，无法抵挡。

在此停笔。。。。。。 放下钥匙啦。。。。。。
RC

If only I could Play to Change...

... like those involved in the Playing for Change project.

One Love (Original by Bob Marley)



Stand By Me (Original by Ben E. King)

"This song says erm....
no matter who you are,
no matter where you go in your life,
at some point you gonna need somebody
to stand by you..."



Songs found in the album Songs Around The World.

Wonderful isn't it?

Signing off.............. Peace, through Music.............
RC

We is Tolerant towards Despotisms, Dictatorships and Dogs

North Korean President Kim on 3-day working visit to Singapore
Posted: 06 May 2009 1947 hrs

SINGAPORE: North Korean President Kim Yong Nam is on a working visit to Singapore from May 6 to 8.

According to a statement from Singapore's Foreign Affairs Ministry, this is his second visit to Singapore in his capacity as the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly.

Mr Kim last visited Singapore in August 2007.

While in Singapore, Mr Kim will call on President S R Nathan, who will host him to dinner. -CNA/vm

Well, what can I say?

After Mugabe and Thein Sein, let us welcomes Ah Nam with open arms!

Ah Nam will probably get to feast on Hainanese Chicken Rice, Nasi Lemak, Roti Prata (and the various versions), and of course, Mee Siam Mai Hum.

Mai Hum, Mai Hum, Mai Hum Mai Hum Mai Hum.

Bill's on us then!

Signing off................. As long as we is earning their $ - wait, are we.............
RC

WHOA 7!

Bulls go to Boston for the series decider after a triple-OT Game 6 win! Seven OTs in six games! INSANE is the word!

Sweden is the 7th! And by almost a 3/4 majority!

And then, there's the relief - Rockets and Yao Ming finally broke free of the restraint that is the 1st Round Playoffs and went through to the Conference Semis; first in 10 years for Houston and first-ever for the Great Wall of China. Now Kobe, Pau and the Lakers await.

And I'm going for my run in a short while - a first in a long time and with some companionship at that. It feels like summer has arrived already. Hah.

First, I've gotta finish my Cold Cut though...............

Signing off............... 120 days gone.............
RC

About Britain's Got Talent and My First Ever...

By now, its hard not to notice the Susan Boyle phenomenon.

When I first saw the video however, the hosts were the ones that caught my attention.

Ant & Dec! PJ & Duncan!

My first ever CD!


Introduction to 90s Bubblegum Pop 1101E - Eternal Love:



Its just so unbelievable that this song can be heard every single night on the same radio programme for almost 2 years(??) 'cos there would be somebody who would have written in to request for this song. In retrospect, its totally cheesy, and probably implicitly pink, but the kick for me probably lies in the melody of the chorus.

The album will probably rank up as one of my worse buys in terms of the quality of songs, but it will always have that reserved place in my memory.

How these two lads have grown...


Truthfully speaking, they do make better hosts than singers..........

Signing off............... Watch us wreck the mic, PSYCHE..........
RC

"Your Two Good Friends"

The week spelt the (premature) end of Pool's run in the CL; granted, it wasn't a classic, it wasn't the rock-solid Pool defence on show (we need some backup for Carra, and Hyypia is not) that typified the past few CL seasons, but the only thing that could be said was that Pool kinda showed it could hold its own - even for a half - without Stevie and quiet Torres. Everyone knew that Aurelio was gonna bang the free-kick straight in after spotting Cech off-position. Pity about the freak cross that Drogs barely got a touch to and Reina spilled in. And nothing but lots of shrugs for the Drogs-show on the pitch.

This "Good Friends" issue has personally bothered me for quite abit. Of course, the real culprit(s) cannot be condoned (Curse the Cold Storage bag and its contents!), but I seriously wonder how much deductive logic this person had utilized in order to pass that patronizing judgment. If there's circumstantial evidence to back her claim, of course it will be undeniable. Thing is, she's probably here for that one and only time throughout the week, and she wanna air her judgment on something that had happened the day before, when she's possibly not even a sniff away from the room? Even if its only a comment to suggest that we had known who left it there previously, I guarantee that either of us would have ensured that the 'stuff' wouldn't have been left around to stink up the room. It just proves once and again how impressions can (erroneously) lead to a decidedly poor judgment. And how some members of our community have effectively mastered the art of FP. Thanks to the cleaning lady who jumped to our defense, if she's indeed on our side. As for you, I wish all the best for your good friends.

Signing off............... Unload, Check Clear - CLEAR.........
RC

1 point.

The performance came and went.

With each passing concert, the actual performance time spent on stage seems to feel shorter and shorter. I can't say that I'm a seasoned performer, but the last couple of concerts had seem to be over before anyone realised it.

Feels unaccustomed hearing myself play all those higher pitches for a whole concert proper (again). Besides the 2-3 lower Eb-s and those (16 X 2) bars of quarter Bb notes, there wasn't much of bass-y stuff.

Thanks again to those who attended. Thanks also to the section - the 'regulars' all had stuff for everyone else - a bucket, a keychain, cards, rock buns. Also to Ms. Panda and Ms. No-Longer-A-Thug (haha) for their tarts and cards. Most importantly, thanks to Erina for the "maple syrup." =) Didn't manage to have time to prepare anything except some cakes and grapes. Post-concert supper was pretty hilarious, with everyone being entertained by the outgoing VP, who'd been super-highed.

It's been a pretty uncertain period for a lot of people, this 3 months of transition. The applause at the end of the concert came as a relief for all those involved I guess. Any transition needs time, and I guess the apprehension is beginning to thin out, though an exodus (voluntary or otherwise) may be unpreventable. As I approach the end of my 6th year here, I've seen a fair share of changes, arrivals and departures. People come and go, for various reasons. It might have been NUSWS since mid-2003, but every year, the same few challenges face the ensemble, in varying degrees and manifestations. As time passed, it became immaterial (at least to me) to talk about comparison and the 'difference' in standards and such between then and now and the will-be, simply because its a different group presented to the ensemble each time we take to the stage. Its as if we are like some seasonal creature or plant; every June/July and December, the renewal process kick-starts itself, building up to the periods of end-October and end-March. In between, we work out the external and internal changes that have taken place before. When we finally are presented to our audience, we are perceived as the (unified) entity, the one that they'd seen previously and have come to see again. The reality is, we could have undergone some considerable changes somewhere, somehow; whatever happens on the concert days themselves are, in a way, more than mere public performances.

Like some others out there, I will miss the times spent here, the soul, when its my turn.

Signing off.................. Tell me when the lights go out...............
RC

永别 - 那最后的接纳

有时还真被自己与人类给搞糊涂了。

明明最快速，最直接，最痛快的解决方法摆在眼前，人就是喜欢兜个圈子，绕了大半天，几个星期，数十年，甚至是一辈子，等到离别之前那一刻，彼此才愿意放下心中的包袱，重新接纳。

又或者，对最自己最挚爱的人产生疑问，怀疑，开始质疑另一方的人生方向，又无法也没法去体会，领悟到对方所选择的路对于另一方的意义有何重大。感情一定就要经过磨炼，才能修成果吗？

要（濒临）永别，才能接纳 - 还真矛盾咯！

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其实，华人的殡仪习俗也少不了入验师这个角色。当我在星期五下午走出戏院时，回想着婆婆过世的那天，两名像似入验师的一进门来就往婆婆去，在里头弄了感觉上像是好久的时间。偏偏就是因为华人非常的迷信，他人可以倒霉，自己不可以“衰”，大家结果无法目睹入验师如何帮婆婆上最后一次的装。看完了电影后，感觉上就觉得少了作最后一次的道别似的。而现在，法律也规定入验师需要在固定的场所来办理这些礼仪，而入验师上门“拜访”也因此似乎在大众人眼里消失遗迹了。

我们为了寻求增长，还真的放弃了不少曾经是用来标志着我们华人身分的物品，习俗，象征。。。

在此停笔。。。。。哪一个送行者又会为我伴奏着怎样的乐章呢。。。。。。
RC

RIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII-

Ah, after two weeks, a templated-response. Bureaucratic protocol.

At least, I (can) move on.

AND at least, Pool have an away goal going into the 2nd leg.

Signing off........... Jack 3rd..........
RC