Appreciating Art

Had to drag myself out of the house after 3 days of self-imposed "house-arrest"... :)

Since I hate crowds (if you don't know by now), I decided to visit some of the Art museums in Ueno.. After the trip to Italy and France, I realized that I LOVE to see paintings and sculptures.. and so I went...

First stop, National Museum of Western Art.. The entrance fee was cheap.. as a student, I only paid ¥130! Of course, the collections in this Museum is as grandeur as compared to those Museums in Europe, but it is sufficient with a couple of paintings from Picasso and Monet.. Shall talk about them later..

Placed outside the Museum are several sculptures by Auguste Rodin, (1840–1917) the famous French sculptor..

The Thinker (Le Penseur)

The Gates of Hell (La Porte de l'Enfer)
The Burghers of Calais (Les Bourgeois de Calais)


I wasn't prepared to see such astounding pieces of art.. Although these aren't the original pieces but commissioned replicas, yet to see those work of art so up close is really something.. Especially The Burghers of Calais.. such sorrow and despair transfixed on the faces of these six men..



One thing I noticed when I got into the galleries is that it is so quiet..spacious.. and all paintings are nicely lighted.. and also there weren't that many people around too.. so I get to admire the paintings at my own pace.. spending time looking at the details or getting a perspective look slightly further from the paintings..

There were several more smaller sculptures by Rodin within the Museum itself.. Personally I liked Nereides, The Kiss and Fallen Caryatid Carrying Her Stone. Can't take photos in the Museum, so no pictures here.. Think I am going to google Rodin more often.. Really liked his sculptures.. the intensities of his subjects..

After seeing several paintings by Monet and Picasso, I must confess that I don't like their style.. For Picasso, I don't get it.. yet again, art is subjective..

Next is the Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum..


It was having several exhibitions at the time.. one of them is the Ancient Egypt in Torino, and the other is the 47th ZENTEN Exhibition.. these two are ticketed, while there are several smaller exhibitions that are free..

The Ancient Egypt in Torino exhibition cost ¥1,200 which I think isn't worth the price.. unless one's Japanese is good.. EVERYTHING is in Japanese.. the descriptions and the audio guide was in Japanese only... Plus there was a huge crowd.. so I didn't really enjoy the exhibition as much as I would like to.. Still it was kinda cool to see a couple of mummies and sarcophagus up close.. Even though it was very crowded, people still move along in an orderly manner and keeping their voices low.. also, the local LOVES to buy souvenirs.. either key chains, book marks, papyrus drawings, books, scarves, cookies(!) or whatever related, the Japanese will snapped them up in no time.. Unbelievable!!

The 47th ZENTEN exhibition is to showcase the works of all participants to its competition. Here is the website... They welcome anyone to participate by sending art pieces, either paintings, drawings, photographs, calligraphy, etc.. Some of the paintings are very nice.. won't mind hanging a few of them in my (future) house.. :)

After visiting these museums, I went around some of the temples in the vicinity too.. Haven't really explore the place.. Too bad the Toshogu Shrine is under renovation.. but I stumbled upon a small monument in the Toshogu Shrine compound that is dedicated to the memories of those who died in the A-bomb of Hiroshima and Nagasaki..

The Flame of Hiroshima and Nagasaki


Other than Toshogu Shrine, I also went to Kaneigi Temple, Gojo Shrine, Shinobazu-do and Kiyomizu Hall before heading home....

Clean fish

To say things in Japan is expensive is a gross understatement, yet there are still possibilities to get stuff "cheaper".. for example, whole fish that were not cleaned (aka not having its guts and gills cut out)..

Everything in the supermarkets here are ready to cook, meaning all the fishes and sotong (squids) are nicely cleaned and cut and prawns de-shelled.. the chickens are nicely cut, separated into parts and sometimes de-boned too, same with pork and beef.. it is no wonder that all these meat, poultry and seafood cost a bomb in Japan... everything is nicely arranged, packed (sometimes double or triple wrapped!), labeled and put on the shelves..

But the supermarkets do sell fishes and squids that are unprocessed.. at a cheaper price.. for example, 2 pieces of cleaned squids will be ¥300, while you can get 3 pieces of uncleaned squids for the same price... same for fishes.. and actually, uncleaned fishes are a real bargain, relatively speaking.. the difference in prices will be around ¥100 to ¥150!!

Here is exhibit No.1 : Before and after cleaning..


Exhibit No.2: Before cleaning and after cooking..


Too bad they don't sell whole chickens, live, cleaned or otherwise.. :p

How/What/Which are you? (Part III)

Some more results...

How old a soul are you?
New Soul
Fresh from the source, you are essentially pure, not given to corruption of self. Instead you feel the kinship of souls, no matter the age. You prefer to unify, to gather others around you to learn from them and to experience a life of joy with them. Beauty is a natural hue of all things, as seen through your eyes, and rarely do you pass severe judgment on others. You are very attuned to the physical, amazed by the power of sensuality and its effect on your senses. People can be confused when you move on to someone new, unaware you are simply free in spirit, not needing the anchors others do. You drink from the fountain of the Earth, enjoying the outdoors, the seasons, the abundance of life, and the passage of days into nights. Music vibrates your soul, and art is a kaleidoscope of visual sensation. Food delights you and friendship is more important than the clothes on your back. You sometimes feel people are cruel but want to forgive them, as you know something in them isn't right. You are often mistaken for an old soul, but you don't feel very old at all! New souls are gifts to the other souls, a reminder that goodness exists naturally and that we all can return to it, even after all the experiences that seem to trample it into dust. We are souls, on a very long journey of becoming.. [75%.. Yes, I don't feel very old.. just old enough... friendship IS more important than clothes.. :p ]
Which Shakespearean character would you be?
Viola
You are Viola, the disguised young lover who rightly claims, "I am not what I am." Alone in unfamiliar territory, believing all is lost, you are not the kind to give up even if it means disguising yourself as the opposite sex even if it means taking a job wooing your own rival for the one you love. Witty and intelligent, you sorely feel the irony of your situation, but your honor compels you to carry through. Will true love conquer all? [Interesting.. especially the quote, "I am not what I am".. Haven't read this play yet... so no further comments.. ]
Which classic children book character are you?
Charlotte from Charlotte's Web.
You've got your act together, are well-grounded and just the all-around nicest person any of us know. You plan ahead, are very organized and definitely have a way with words. You'd do anything for your friends, consequently they rely on you a lot. Just remember, you can't save everyone. But you just might change their attitudes about pigs.. [80%.. Definitely not the nicest person around.. :p ]
What kind of Angel are you?
Lonely Angel
You are insecure about yourself and this prevents you from being as outgoing as you could be. You need to build some confidence so you can make more friends and be happier with your life.. [Mmmm... 85% true.. ]
The Shape Personality Test
You are Skilled
You are balanced and competent. You value harmony.
Other people see you as outgoing, hyper, and even a bit overwhelming.
Your ideal romantic relationship is peaceful, romantic, and private.
You do best in tasks that require you to be logical, hard-working, and courageous.
[80%.. Don't think I am seen as outgoing... :p the rest are quite true.. ]

Any comments? Results consistent with what you know of me??

Europe 2009: Traveling mate

If you have been following my blogs on my first trip to Europe, you would know that I went with my (ex-)housemate, Sarah.. and she too keeps a blog.. She has been more productive in writing about our trip than me.. and I think her articles are more fun than mine..

So here are some of the articles that she had written so far... Happy reading!!
thumbs up for incheon
surfing couches and first impressions
arty host in firenze
marvellouso milano
not french enough
of home cooked in europe
bed by any other name

Still sorting the photos.. unbelievable how much I am procrastinating... :p

七夕

今天是七夕。。农历七月初七。。其实日本人也有在庆祝七夕,只不过是依据阳历的七月七号罢了。。尽管如此，牛郎和织女依然是两国七夕节的男女主角。。

一年365天之中，今晚是牛郎靠着鹊桥相会织女的唯一一次机会。。其故事有够凄美的，却不够“梁祝”来得赚人眼泪。。我想也许是当年凌波主演的“梁山伯与祝英台”让大家印象过于深刻的原因吧。。但毫无疑问的，七夕的确被世人称之为“中国的情人节”。。所以不少历代诗人都纷纷为牛郎跟织女的长别短聚作出不少诗词。。

所以今天我就来跟大家分享几首吧。。

鹊桥仙
【宋】秦观
纤云弄巧，飞星传恨，银河迢迢瞳渡。
金凤玉露一相逢，便胜却人间无数。
柔情似水，佳期如梦，忍顾鹊桥归路？
两情若是久长时，又岂在朝朝幕暮？

牵牛织女
【唐】杜甫
牵牛出河西，织女出其东。
万古永相望，七夕谁见同？

菩萨蛮
【宋】苏轼
风回仙驭云开扇，更闻月堕星河转。
枕上梦魂惊，晓檐疏雨零。
相逢虽草草，长共天难老。
终不羡人间，人间日似年。

Not the same anymore.. (Update)

First and foremost, I need to say this.. I was very wrong to have directed all my negativity at my landlord.. I had misunderstood him and I would like to offer my sincere apologies... 本当に御免なさい！

Last evening around 7pm, I went down to the kitchen to get water.. Saw the landlord coming back on his bicycle.. just when I wanted to slip upstairs to my room silently, he called me and said that he wanted to talk to me for a while.. Then the new housemate came down, wanting to pay her rent and stuff.. so he said that he will talk to me once he is done with Stephanie..

About 20mins later, he knocked on my door and we went down to the kitchen for a talk.. and here was the summary of what he told me..

In the past week, he has had several disagreements with the "good friend", the fella who has been acting as the contact person, the pompous ass who made himself the landlord's spokesperson.. He was so angry and agitated that he fainted.. the quarrel had caused his blood vessels in his brain to burst, resulted in him losing almost all sight in his right eye.. He is going for a MRI scan tomorrow in a bigger hospital in Otsuka... but the doctors said that nothing can be done to save the eye, not even surgery as the cells around/in the eye were dead due to the blood being cut off..

He was angry at him as he was too "aggressive" and overstepping his role.. He said that he has been unhappy with him for some number of things for quite a while, and one of them is that he behaved as if he was the landlord instead of him, pushing him for things that he didn't wanna do..

He say he needs to watch his diet now as the chances of him having another such episode is more than 50%.. if that happens, he might not just lose his other eye, his life might be in danger too..

After hearing all these, I felt like such an assh**e.. The sense of guilt was enormous.. All these while, he too was annoyed at him.. he too had some issues with the things he did.. I had misunderstood him!!!

So from now on, I shall make amends for my "bad" attitude and be NICER to my landlord.. as he was but a "victim" of that bloody assh*** too..... Hopefully he has been declared as persona non grata in his house and I won't have to see his face ever again!!

How/What/Which are you? (Part II)

More results.... (Something to get me distracted...)

Which Alignment are you?
Lawful Neutral
Called the "Judge" or "Disciplined" alignment, a lawful neutral character typically believes strongly in Lawful concepts such as honor, order, rules and tradition, and often follows a personal code. A lawful neutral society would typically enforce strict laws to maintain social order, and place a high value on traditions and historical precedent. Examples of lawful neutral characters might include a soldier who always follows orders, a judge or enforcer that adheres mercilessly to the word of the law, or a disciplined monk. Characters of this alignment are neutral with regard to good and evil. This does not mean that lawful neutral characters are amoral or immoral, or do not have a moral compass; but simply that their moral considerations come a distant second to what their code, tradition or law dictates. They typically have a strong ethical code, but it is primarily guided by their system of belief, not by a commitment to good or evil. James Bond is a commonly cited lawful neutral character. [95% accurate... Nothing to complain about.. almost all true..]
What kind of Drunk are you?
The Happy Drunk
Say hello to the life of the party. When you've had a few drinks, the amount of friends you have in the world triples. Even that creep guy in the corner is now your best buddy. There's always a smile on your face, even somehow while you're drinking. Let everyone else figure out how you did it because no one and nothing will ruin your good time. Raise another toast there Happy Drunk (your fifth of the night), and liven up the party!. [85% accurate... Wanna see me being sociable and let loose, buy me a (few more) drinks! ]
Which alcoholic are you?
Social Drinker..
You love your friends and love to socialize with others. You drink to always be included and don't mind it. You loosen up and get more talkative and is pretty popular with everyone. [Consistent result as above.. So anyone wanna go for a drink?? ;) ]
Who are you... really?
Philosopher.
You constantly analyze the deeper meaning of all that occurs in your life. You are on a never-ending journey to find your purpose in life. You are able to see through the surface of situations and the facades that people often carry. You are observant and non-judgmental. Your creative and thoughtful mind enhances your chosen and natural talents. You feel deeply and passionately about everything that you do. Your life is about the pursuit of knowledge, understanding, and answers. You have a great depth to your heart and mind that some may find intimidating and others will be drawn to.. [90%... Mmm.. nothing to add.. :) ]
Which of the 5 Chinese Elements are you?
Metal
You enjoy the good life and all it has to offer -- luxury, comfort and freedom, especially. You're like a reclusive film star: You want the acclaim, but you also want to be left alone. You create your own success, building your desired destiny with single-minded focus. Others look up to you in awe of your commanding, confident presence. [90% correct... Yes, I want to be left alone.. trying to create success based on MY own definition.. ]
What element are you?
Metal Element
You are an energetic, active person who values ambition. You think success is important.
You are very unique and competent. You know how to live a good life, without following anyone else's rules.
You have to watch out for anxiety. Sometimes you find it hard to let go and relax.
You are stubborn and persistent. You won't give up out of principle, even if it's the right thing to do. [85% accurate.. especially the "hard to let go and relax" and "stubborn and persistent" parts.. again, consistent result as above.. :P ]
What kind of a Romantic are you?
Exotic Romantic
You are one of those kinds of people who would rather do something different and out there than a regular average date or hang out. And it doesn't stop there your gifts maybe a little wacky too but don't let that hold you back. You are a cheesy person, a lot of people love this quality and if they don't well they aren't for you ;) just be your self and you'll go far in life! [Didn't realize that I AM a romantic.. :p ]
Which Greek God Are You?
Athena
Athena is the Greek virgin goddess of reason, intelligent activity, arts and literature. Athena is the daughter of Zeus. She sprang full grown in armor from his forehead, thus has no mother. She is fierce and brave in battle but, only wars to defined the state and home from outside enemies. She is the goddess of the city, handicrafts, and agriculture. She invented the bridle, which permitted man to tame horses, the trumpet, the flute, the pot, the rake, the plow, the yoke, the ship, and the chariot. She is the embodiment of wisdom, reason, and purity. She was Zeus's favorite child and was allowed to use his weapons including his thunderbolt. Her favorite city is Athens. Her tree is the olive. The owl is her bird. She is a virgin goddess. [She is my favorite Greek God... :) Hope I can live up to her standards.. ]

Any comments on these results? Accurate? Or Crappy?

空 - Emptiness

空洞洞的房子，
充斥著層層的空漠；
空落落的回響著難忍的空寂，
擺脫不了的空虛無所不在。。

--------------------------------------
Hollowness,
vibrating ever so loudly in the house,
deafening....

Emptiness,
suffocating the happiness of memories,
abounding..

Nothingness,
sipping into every corner of joy,
overflowing..

Loneliness,
gnawing endlessly on my soul,
rejoicing..

===========================================
Trying to express the emotions that I am going through now..
But I don't think I am successful in getting both the Chinese and English ones to convey the same feeling..
Shall try harder next time..

Not the same anymore..

Aiy.. came back to an empty house.. or so I thought... :x

While I was walking back from the station with my luggage and all, I did what I usually do.. Looking up at the windows to see if my housemates are in.. It was just a habit that I had for the past 6 months.. So imagine my surprise when I saw a light at Aishah's old room! (she has taken over Sarah's room before she went back to Malaysia for holiday..) Mmm.. maybe the landlord left it on unintentionally, I thought.. I didn't really care.. as I was still overwhelmed by sadness, almost right from the moment the plane touch down at Narita Airport..

Then when I was unlocking my room, I heard some voices from the room.. Again, I didn't bother to find out as I was still immersed in my own little world of emotions.. I am not that kay-poh... :p After I bathed and was going downstairs to wash my mug, I bumped into my new housemate... she was on her way to take her shower...

"Hi" "Hi"
"I am Stephanie" "I am Imm, i double m.."
"When did you move in?"
"Oh, yesterday.."
"How long will you be staying?"
"Oh, depends on whether my boyfriend gets a job or not.."
"....."

Sorry for the lack of enthusiasm.. and the absence of a warm welcome.. to say that I am annoyed is a grave understatement...

Although I do know that the landlord has all the rights in the world to rent out HIS empty room, but to do so without even informing us (aka Aishah and me, his existing tenants) is not right, in my opinion.. Maybe I am being judgmental.. Maybe I am "mourning".. Maybe I am overacting... And she didn't give a good impression at all... Her last answer was so.. how to put it in words.. pathetic?!? sad?!? laughable?!? To think that most Asians I met here are here either on their own abilities (working and earning money) or on scholarship.. and this young lady is basing her staying or leaving Japan on her boyfriend getting a job!!! unbelievable!! But hey, what do I care, right? I am leaving in about a month's time too.. He can rent the place to any Tom, Dick or Harry that he fancies..

Thus for the next 30+ days, I think I will retreat into being the "anti-social Imm" that I once was and STAY IN my room all the time.. or maybe GO OUT all the time... Let him interact more with this Ang Mo lady for his fix of English sounds... Let's see how friendly she is.. Let's see if she talks to him "more" than we did... Let's see if she "takes care of his feelings" as much as we did.. Let's just wait and see... At the same time, he shall have a taste of the REALLY NOT friendly side of me..

ARGHHHHH.... Why did I come back??!!??

Reluctance.. 不捨。。

It is hard to find a word in English to fully express the meaning of 不捨, again, maybe it is just due to my poor English.. but again, as I have mentioned before, I rationalized with English, but emoted in Chinese...

The word "reluctant to leave" came to mind, yet it is unable to convey that sense of attachment that one needs to sever, that feeling that your heart is being torn apart, that pain of leaving behind friends and people that you (are beginning to) care about and that torment of "why can't things stay the way it did" and many more small subtle nuances that 不捨 could..

Exactly 12 hours later, I will be taking a flight back to Japan.. for the last time, I can use the word "back to" with "Japan".. I never did have a permanent home, at least that is how I felt.. that 13 years in Singapore and the last 2.5 years in Japan.. I always have somewhere to go back to..from Malaysia.. since 1994, Malaysia was but a holiday/vacation retreat to get some TLC from family and a brief sanctuary from the madness of working life.. Now that I am leaving Japan for good in a month's time, and with no where else to go (since I have yet to find, or even start looking for, a job), I will be "stuck" in Malaysia.. at least for a couple of months..

With most of my friends in Singapore, and now, some in Japan & a handful in Malaysia, and added to the fact that I have yet to re-learn my driving, I can foresee my days in Malaysia being very very very monotonous (not that my current life is that much MORE exciting..).. Wake up, eat breakfast, go online, eat lunch, go online, eat dinner, sleep... Of course, I can do many things that I had been wanting to do at home, like digitalizing all my old photos, selling my dad's old stuff on eBay, finishing my blog on Europe and whatever, reading books, etc... Who knows, I might just find something "fun" to do (that could also pay the bills) and not work at all!! :p

When I first went to Japan, I told myself that I would use the time to do stuff that I didn't have time for while I was working.. things like watching dramas/anime/movies, reading books, learning more about tarot/astrology/etc, playing World of Warcraft full-time and many more "solo" activities.. I didn't want to go out to meet new people (unless I no choice) nor do I wanna make new friends (since I was going to be here for 2.5 years ONLY).. and then after 2.5 years I would just pack and leave, with no attachments what-so-ever to anyone or anything.. Yes, I am THAT "anti-social", or so I thought...

Thus in a way, I am both surprised and glad that things turned out very differently in the end.. Little did I know that I would be joining activities, meeting people voluntarily and making new friends, sometimes with "kids" more than 10 years younger than me!! And the last 6 months was undoubtedly THE icing on the cake.. Staying in the same house with Aishah and Sarah was just great fun.. They managed to get me to do stuff that I would never have done them on my own, like posing for photos and many other things.. (which I shall not list out in case my other friends get the idea and force me to repeat them :p ) And these last 2.5 years, I discovered many aspects about myself, many sides of me that I didn't know and experienced many new things and emotions...

As usual (I didn't want to use the word "Alas"), good times don't last.. Sarah is already back in Malaysia (KL) for good.. I will be moving back to Malaysia (Taiping) end of Sept while Aishah will be continuing her PhD for another 1 year in Japan.. So no more late night dinner-cooking, cake/pastry-baking or kuih-making sessions, lepaking and chatting in the kitchen till 1am.. Missing those days ALREADY.. :( :( :( :(

When I get back to Japan, am hoping to meet up with a few more friends before saying sayonara.. Hoping to visit a few more places in Japan too.. One month to pack my stuff... One month to prepare myself, mentally, to "come home"...

真的非常不捨。。

以為能不帶走一點雲彩，卻不知已載滿無限感慨。。

How/What/Which are you? (Part I)

Being an addict to Facebook, I couldn't help myself but to take all those quizzes found there.. Although they aren't really serious nor scientifically proven, they do served as a distraction (to me) and fun readings (to my friends). :p

Here are some of the results of those quizzes.. And my own thoughts/comments in brackets..

Which LOST character are you?
Sawyer
You are cunning and calculating. Some people would even call you a con artist. You're smart and get bored easily. You use your biting sense of humor to entertain yourself.
It's been hard for you to trust people throughout your life. You don't get close to anyone. You are a drifter. You don't have permanent ties, and you tend to "disappear" often. You are introverted and even a bit shy. You don't share the true you with many people.
As a result, no one really gets you. At your core, you are a sweet, passionate, and funny person. [95% accurate..except for the con artist part.. :p ]

Which Tim Burton Character Are You?
Edward Scissorhands.
You are very talented and artistic. Your character is very sensitive, even though people may think otherwise by your appearance. You begin to warm up to people after getting to know them for a while and often seem to be meeting new people in the neighborhood. [60% accurate... not too sure about the artistic portion.. nor the meeting new people part too..]

Which Death Eater are you?
The Dark Lord
Okay, so you're not a Death Eater, but in fact leader of the Death Eaters. You are an extremely powerful wizard and regard Harry Potter as your equal. Since you were a child you always perfected to operate alone, and you are in fact half blood, but a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. During your time at Hogwarts you were both a Prefect and later Head Boy and was where you learnt about Horcruxes. You changed your name from Tom Riddle to Lord Voldemort, feeling that Tom was too much of a common name. You were denied the position to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts and decided instead to try and take over the wizarding world. Well done, you are the most powerful Dark Wizard in the history of the wizarding world.. [Mmmmm.... Isit? Never knew I could be THAT evil... :p ]

Which Buffy Character Are You?
Willow Rosenberg
You are Willow! A loyal friend, you are always there to help those close to you when they are in need. You are incredibly intelligent and love to learn and master new things. You have a good sense of humor, and you find magic to be very intriguing. [90% accurate.. In the show, I actually liked her more than Buffy.. :) ]

What would you be in the Star Wars universe?
Bounty Hunter
Bounty hunters specialize in tracking down and apprehending criminals; sometimes with lethal force. You are fiercely independent, well-armed, and very dangerous. You have the ultimate freedom of taking the law into your own hands and with bounty hunters, the end usually justifies the means. Good. Bad. It doesn't really matter as long as you get paid.. [80% true.. I don't really care about being good nor evil.. as long as no one steps on my toes and I get paid.. :p ]

Which television series do you belong in?
Heroes
Your life’s destiny is to save the world! You are original and at times can be a bit eccentric. You are not afraid to stand out in a crowd. You put others before yourself and you're not afraid to stand up for what you believe in. You are the type that sticks up for the underdog. Your generosity and kindness will take you far in life.. [50%... I admit that I AM eccentric.. :P but I don't think I put others before myself.. :x ]

Which Movie Villain Are You?
Hannibal Lecter
You are smart and calculated. People fear you even when you're in prison and well guarded ! [What more can I say?? I CAN be evil.. :p ]

Which Muppet are you?
Rowlf the Dog
You are calm and quiet, a laid back and easygoing person. Talented at whatever you put your mind to, you are never one to brag or boast about your skills. Your idea of a satisfying day would be to go to work, come home, read a book, have a couple of beers, take a walk and go to bed. No need for extravagance, you are happy with the simple things in life. Loyal and a good friend, you are understated but much appreciated by all. . [85%.. simplicity is the word.. ]

Torn

Torn between going and staying..
Yet where should I go?
Yet why should I stay?

Torn between doing and waiting..
Yet what should I be doing?
Yet what should I wait for?

Torn between the old and the new...
Yet am I contented to fall back to my old ways?
Yet am I strong enough to forge a new path?

Torn between dream and reality..
Yet who said dreams can't be reality?
Yet how many actually turn their dreams into reality?

Torn between them and me..
Yet should I pacify them by sacrificing me?
Yet would I anger them by being me?



Still very torn at 01:38am
Aug 20, 2009..
Puchong, Selangor,
Malaysia..

Dreamz...

Two poems by Langston Hughes on dreams...

Dreams
Hold fast to dreams
For if dreams die
Life is a broken-winged bird
That cannot fly.
Hold fast to dreams
For when dreams go
Life is a barren field
Frozen with snow.


Dream Deferred
What happens to a dream deferred?
Does it dry up
Like a raisin in the sun?
Or fester like a sore --
And then run?
Does it stink like a rotten meat?
Or crust and sugar over--
like a syrupy sweet?
Maybe it just sags
like a heavy load.
Or does it explode?

===========================================

What has happened to MY dreams?
Or do I even remember that I had a dream?

The Dilemma

To laugh is to risk appearing a fool.
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental.
To reach out for another is to risk involvement.
To expose feelings is to risk rejection.
To place your dreams before the crowd is to risk ridicule.
To love is to risk not being loved in return.
To go forward in the face of overwhelming odds is to risk failure.

But risks must be taken because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing.

The person who risks nothing does nothing, has nothing, is nothing.

He may avoid suffering and sorrow, but he cannot learn, feel, change, grow or love.

Chained by his certitudes, he is a slave.

He has forfeited his freedom.

Only a person who takes risks is free.

- Author Unknown
=============================================
This is a poem that I found in Wikipedia while searching the Net ...

I have been cruising on the "safe" side for far too long..
Dare I take the risks??

Europe 2009: Day 03

Itinerary: Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps) and Piazza del Popolo in Rome, Siena
Transport: The Metro, walking and Trenitalia train
Food: panini (sandwich), biscuits and pasta
Highlights:

• Took our first long-distance train in Europe. Super cramped, even for us!!
• Dragged our luggage uphill for almost 1 hour, looking for our hotel..
• Met a friendly Italian, Massimo, who helped us ordered our dinner..
• Had a good night sleep in a hotel. First hotel stay in Europe..

Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Steps)
Inside the Trinità dei Monti Church
Streets..
Santa Maria in Montesanto
Piazza del Popolo
Siena


More photos here...

Europe 2009: Day 02

Itinerary: Vatican City (Piazza San Pietro, Basilica di San Pietro), outside of Castel Sant'Angelo, Ponte Sant'Angelo
Food: Pizza and Malaysian curry
Transport: The Metro and walking
Total hours out: 10am - 8pm (10 hours)
Highlights of the day:

• Posted some postcards from the Vatican Post Office..
• Wasted almost 2 hours waiting to see President Obama, but in the end, only saw the First Lady and the kids..
• Cooked Malaysian curry for our host, Francesco.
• Provided the dialogue for our host in a sketch.. The video clip here..

Piazza San Pietro

The Swiss Guards

Basilica di San Pietro

The Post Office in the Vatican

Castel Sant'Angelo and Ponte Sant'Angelo

More photos here...

The Fury of Gaia

Most of us would have read/heard about the damages that Typhoon Morakot has inflicted upon Taiwan and coastal areas of China... and how could I ignored the fact that there has been 3 earthquakes registering more than 6 on the Richter scale in Japan since I got back to Malaysia.. (another factor dissuading me from staying in the land of the rising sun..) I can only hope that everyone I know in those areas are safe and unharmed...

Yesterday, there was a freak storm in Taiping.. Staying in an old wooden-brick house that is dated pre-WW II, the rain came through the windows and the roofs started leaking.. Had to put pails to catch the water..

And rags to mop the spilling rain.. at almost every windows.. We even switched off all our lights, as we heard thunders nearby.. The wind was very strong and was howling away.. You can call me sadist, but it was kinda exciting since it has been a long while since I experienced such storms and its effects.. One of the many houses that I have stayed when I was young was very prone to flooding, so I was no stranger to all these "rescue" and "clean-up" tasks.. :P

After about an hour, the storm kinda "mellowed" down.. yet the rain and wind still persisted..

My dad went out to check on our garden.. Some of the plants had collapsed while a few were uprooted..


All in all, everything is okay except for a few wet floors.. But my next door neighbor weren't so lucky.. He lost 2 or 3 of his zinc roof.. and found his study room flooded.. :(

Such is the fury of Gaia.. no matter how we human has advanced in science and technology, or how well we have managed to manipulate nature to our advantage, Mother Earth is still in charge..

Europe 2009: Day 01

Itinerary: Colosseum, Palatine Hills, Roman Forum, Il Vittoriano (Victor Emmanuel Monument), Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Trilussa
Food: Panini (Sandwich), Gelato (Ice-cream), Spaghetti and calde calde (donut with warm Nutella sauce)
Transport: The Metro and walking
Total hours out: 10am - 2am (16 hours)
Highlights of the day:

• Kena 'conned' by a fake "Caesar" of 5 euro for photos outside the Colosseum.. :x
• Had gelato at one of the recommended shops, Della Palma.. :)
• Learned to cross the roads, the Roman way.. :P
• Had a good pasta dinner at Rossopomodoro (means Tomato Red in Italian) with Sarah's Italian friend, Gianluca. :)
• Walked from Colosseum to Piazza Trilussa after 10pm. :x
• Rested at a small park in the middle of the night..one of us took a nap while the one checked emails using some hotel's wireless network.. :x :x

The famous Colosseum of Rome

Palatine Hills

Roman Forum

Il Vittoriano (Victor Emmanuel Monument)

Pantheon

Piazza Navona

Church of Sant'Agnese in Agone

Fontana di Trevi


More photos here