Seriously, this guy does the best impersonation of the movie preview voiceover. Imagine. "One man, one desire...". This is the video, and try not to laugh the next time you go to the movies, it's rude and people might think you are insane...
I have to admit, there are some things in life that have been taken to the extreme and there are many signs you have been overdoing something. I know I've said something on moderation, but "bah, humbug!".... Here's a list of signs you've been overdoing something...
You know you've been...
- watching too much television when...
1. you seem to be familiar with every advertisement that is shown on TV
2. you memorised the TV guide without even picking up the newspaper
3. you actually watch repeated telecasts
4. you recite fast food delivery telephone numbers together with the jingle in the ad
5. your sofa has a (place your name here)-shaped depression on the seat.
- sleeping too much when...
1. the snooze button on your alarm clock is worn out
2. you seem to lose track of the time on a daily basis
3. suddenly, many things had happened that you don't know about
4. your "40 winks" is actually 100000 winks.
5. people start wondering whether you are sick
- working/studying too hard when...
1. you suddenly realise that you skipped your lunch/dinner half a day later
2. you start to feel like a vampire when you step out of your room
3. the only think you talk about is that last question/problem you can't figure out
4. you think sleeping is a waste of time
5. coffee, not rice, is part of the staple diet.
- lazing around too long when...
1. you actually prepare for your next meal 5 hours in advance
2. you argue that doing nothing is actually doing something
3. anyone actually doing something is actually a nuisance
4. you begin to believe that you can make a living out of where you are now
5. you fear anyone who acts like they are making you do something
Finally, here is that famously missing "Lost and Found", the poignant first poem I had written in Singapore, a personal masterpiece. I hope this poem will inspire many in their journeys into the unknown, this poem is about a parting of ways at Toa Payoh, which is quite clear in the poem as you read it. Oh, and did I tell you, it is a true event, and I did cry while writing this poem and so did many other people, so read it, and see whether it can relate to you too..
What's Lost and Never Found at Toa Payoh Central
Two people were standing , looked aimlessly,
At the underpass, people milling past them,
Ignoring the two people, and their thoughts,
Or what may have been said between their hearts,
Who would have cared about their emotions,
Or their reason for standing so solemnly?
But I knew the scripts of their melancholy,
For it was mother and son, about to part,
And break the bond not only in their hands,
But also in their hearts mind and soul there,
She was leaving him, he knew painfully,
In a few hours' time, to the home he knew,
Almost to well, but just so far away.
He puts on a brave face, saying it's fine,
Just leave me now for I am wise enough,
To face the daunting world outside today,
But in his heart, he screamed out so loudly,
Just like a child torn from his true mother.
They spoke, they talked softly, in hushed whispers,
About the future, their lives without each other,
Tears welled in each other's eyes, quickly wiped,
They knew each of them would lose something there,
Amongst the current of the commuters,
And it should never be found there again,
Unless they found each other once more.
Unfortunately, I do not have the time today to type out a long entry, but to compensate, here is some research I have been doing lately. I downloaded a sound editing software called Audacity and did a study on backmasking (click on link to learn more, but put simply, backmasking is hiding messages in a song, which will be revealed when the song is played backwards). The song in question is Hotel California by The Eagles, to listen to song, click on the player at the end of the paragraph. The song is first played forwards, and midway, I've edited it so that midway, the song will play backwards. When the song is playing backwards, try to catch the message or what seems to be the message hidden in the song. Hint: it is Satanic...
Note: To switch off the music on my blog, scroll to the bottom of the page, and pause the "Rhythm of the Falling Rain" controller (Imeem)
Still haven't got it? Well, this is the backwards portion played slower...
Now, I hope you would have noticed how difficult it is to pick up the message hidden in backmasked songs. However, if I told you the message (I won't post it here, click on the link to see it, along with other examples), you would notice it straight away. So, is it purposive or just a pure coincidence... once again, I leave to you to decide...
Initially, I thought it was difficult to have the Pandora's Box on my lap and resisting the temptation to open it. Now, I know it is actually more difficult to be in the Pandora's Box and hoping no one opens it. But, it is still good to know that together with whatever tinder in the box I have with me now, like the legend goes, there is always hope together with the chaos, it's like keeping water next to the flames. This poetic-ness should mark the end of a particularly long and bittersweet day I had, full of surprises from the beginning to the end, there is just so much to say but just so little will to write it down. I'm still waiting for the lost "Lost and Found" poem to be found.
So while that happens, I should tell you to brace yourselves for another coded entry about today, however this one is different, the entry is half-encrypted and half normal text. In fact, I think that it would be both interpersed with each other, because half the things I want to publish while the other half is... more private. That would make an interesting entry. I think.
That aside, here's the last poem I have now, I stopped writing a few months back because I indulged in some other things and also because I'm growing busier. So. here it is...
The Unquestioned Answers Poems Series
Cold, Dry, Damp and Hot
A corridor darker than the rest,
On the hot, sunny afternoons I knew,
Was bright on that stormy morning,
The winds contested for influence,
All ignored persuasion and appealing nonsense,
I knew how to stand in that gale of winds,
As concrete as the movements of diffused ideas,
Were the pitches I was told and I was asked,
To choose something, insignificant someone,
Or somewhere to the tune of the shaking,
Of the steady ground below, rumbling,
The stories on how high and stable,
You can be on a house of cards,
And how successful you can be,
From selling diamonds to a miner,
And buying coins from a beggar,
All this a short story cut long,
Of a skeptic’s beliefs and principles,
Held perpetually steadfast for a moment,
A collection of orthodox paradoxes,
From an outstanding recluse in a silent crowd,
On how to meticulously fail to plan,
And leave the scene as an immature wise man
By answering the unquestioned questions,
That simplify the complicated straight road,
Which is the life that we die in everyday.
I noticed, the title of this 2003 song by Jay Chou, has the exact opposite words to "Rainy Evenings", I suppose it is true that people can see beauty in totally different things. Well, my Chinese is not that good so I still need translations to appreciate the lyrics, thank god, there are people out there who can translate the words.
The small yellow flower from the story
Was wandering since he day she was born
Swinging on a swing in her childhood
Swinging her memories all the way until now.
I think of petals trying to fall
That day I skipped school for you;
That day the flower fell;
The space of the classroom;
Why can’t I see it?
That rainy day that disappeared
How I want to be rained upon again
Never thought that I still kept my lost courage
How I want to ask again:
Will you wait or will you go away?
That day that the wind blew I tried to hold your hand
But unfortunetly, the rain kept on
Falling until I couldn’t see you
How much longer until I can be beside you again?
Waiting for the day to turn clear, maybe I’ll be a little better then
Long ago, a person loved you for so long
But unfortunetly, the wind kept on
Blowing, widening the gap so much further
So difficult, (I have) another day to love again
But it seems that, at the end of the tale you still said, “Goodbye”
Footnote: Chinese is in fact a more beautiful but sophisticated language than English, so its poems and lyrics tend to be more symbolic, and translations will never do it justice. Perhaps, one day I will learn Chinese... one day
Pebbles, which is what I call my new Zen Stone Plus (which is an MP3 player), has been a good companion to me in the past few days, accompanying me through lectures. It is amazing how I've learnt to train one ear on the lecturer and the other in an MP3 player, and still come out of lecture more knowledgable than people who actually fall asleep or yak incessantly throughout. Or maybe it is just that I have a higher (bored -> fall asleep) threshold. Of course, I also leave lectures much happier now. Also, today, the topic of PW had to spring up again, know we know why SA did so bad, although the review was as helpful as the negative remarks on the evaluation sheet after every draft (which is, by the way, as helpful as giving an oxygen tank to a drowning fish).
In other local news, (pre-disclaimer: I don't usually boast about what I have done, but it's neccesary for the upcoming issue), by being the top student with 80 points again, I had been called during assembly, and after the usual fanfare of standing up for 10 seconds and listenng to the applause, well... nothing much happened immediately after that. Now what was shocking was what happened 10 minutes after that. It was the almost the end of the talk, and our very own "High Inquisitor" (HI) had to say this... "under things that you should do is like... talk to me". You don't want to know how I reacted after that, but I think it would suffice to say it was like swallowing half a bitter gourd, or a larger portion of vinegar or both. Well, I would greatly appreciate it if someone (even a stranger) comes up to me for help, but announcing that half the college should come to me for help is a little too much, I mean, now everyone would be looking at me and thinking, "the HI wants me to talk to him and what if I don't? Will he get upset?". And the fact that now some people close to me take that with a bottle of salt, and think that it has become their duty to promote me like a tuition teacher. Hmm... it might not be that bad after all, but instant rise to "fame" does make me a little squirmy. Of course, like all other intended or "unintended" publicity stunts, it should die off as the Prelims take its course.
And in across the Straits news, there is this video by this Malaysian guy who remixed the national anthem and titled it "Negarakuku". Type this on Youtube and see what pops up, I'm not posting this video here for the sake of protecting this blog from being virulently over-political, and this is also not the type of publicity I'm looking for... Closing question: Fact or opinion: "There is definitely a problem with Malaysian policy of affirmative action to the Bumiputeras".. You decide...
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