The 2012 Olympics is going on in London right now.. and though there isn't much live telecast over the cable here, I will still try to catch as much matches/competitions as possible..which means that I might not be getting much sleep for the next 2 weeks.. but what the heck, it is summer holiday right now, so no school = no need to wake up early in the morning.. :)
All the matches (handball, beach volleyball, badminton and archery to say a few) I've watched just brought back memories of my NUS days where I was more Eusoffian than CSians (Computer Science). During those 3.5 years, I spent more time doing sports than studying.. :p :p
Here are a few of the medals that I've somehow managed to keep and brought back from those days.. :) Found them when I was searching through the stuff I shipped back from SG... They sure brought back fond memories..
For 1996/1997, that's more than 15 years ago.. :)
Inter-Hall Champ for (field) Hockey where I was the goalkeeper.
6-A-side (field) hockey..
Inter-block games.. volleyball champ.. :)
I miss playing group sports like field hockey, handball, volleyball, basketball, table-tennis and tug-of-war.. I miss those torturous training sessions.. I miss the adrenalin rush during matches.. I miss the euphoria of winning, or just scoring a difficult point.. I miss the teamwork and the sense of camaraderie within the team..
In short, I miss being a part of a team with the sole purpose of winning...
Was never a fan of Taylor Swift but some of her songs that I've caught recently, thought might not make a convert out of me yet, are really catchy and were written with meaningful lyrics.. so here is one that I'll like to share with all of you this Sunday morning.. Enjoy!!
Mean
You, with your words like knives
And swords and weapons that you use against me
You have knocked me off my feet again
Got me feeling like I'm nothing
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
Calling me out when I'm wounded
You picking on the weaker man
You can take me down with just one single blow
But you don't know, what you don't know...
[chorus]
Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?
[end of chorus]
You, with your switching sides
And your wildfire lies and your humiliation
You have pointed out my flaws again
As if I don't already see them
I walk with my head down
Trying to block you out 'cause I'll never impress you
I just wanna feel okay again
I bet you got pushed around
Somebody made you cold
But the cycle ends right now
'Cause you can't lead me down that road
And you don't know, what you don't know...
[chorus]
And I can see you years from now in a bar
Talking over a football game
With that same big loud opinion
But nobody's listening
Washed up and ranting about the same old bitter things
Drunk and grumbling on about how I can't sing
But all you are is mean
All you are is mean
And a liar, and pathetic, and alone in life
And mean, and mean, and mean, and mean
[chorus]
Someday I'll be living in a big ol' city (Why you gotta be so?..)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean (Why you gotta be so?..)
Someday I'll be big enough so you can't hit me (Why you gotta be so?..)
And all you're ever gonna be is mean
Why you gotta be so mean?
Have a great week ahead!! Don't be mean and stay healthy and safe!!
This week, I'll share 2 poems from Ogden Nash, an American poet.. about people.. :)
The People Upstairs
The people upstairs all practise ballet Their living room is a bowling alley Their bedroom is full of conducted tours. Their radio is louder than yours, They celebrate week-ends all the week. When they take a shower, your ceilings leak. They try to get their parties to mix By supplying their guests with Pogo sticks, And when their fun at last abates, They go to the bathroom on roller skates. I might love the people upstairs more If only they lived on another floor.
More about People
When people aren't asking questions They're making suggestions And when they're not doing one of those They're either looking over your shoulder or stepping on your toes And then as if that weren't enough to annoy you They employ you. Anybody at leisure Incurs everybody's displeasure. It seems to be very irking To people at work to see other people not working, So they tell you that work is wonderful medicine, Just look at Firestone and Ford and Edison, And they lecture you till they're out of breath or something And then if you don't succumb they starve you to death or something. All of which results in a nasty quirk: That if you don't want to work you have to work to earn enough money so that you won't have to work.
I'll be flying back to Taipei in a few more days.. ending my 1-month holiday in Msia... :( :( :(
It has been a very eventful month.. I was traveling every weekend.. first to SG to meet up with my friends and my dearest god-son.. then went to KL to meet up with one of my fav aunts/uncles.. after that, my family of four went to HK for a short trip.. and finally last weekend, we went to KL again.. lots of traveling, and lots of recovering from traveling..
I know I am very behind on my blogs.. that I will catch-up once I'm back in Taipei, as I have almost 5 more weeks of holidays before classes start first week of September.. lots to read and lots to think about too as I really need to finalize my research direction and topic if I want to graduate in 4 - 5 years..
So most probably I will spend most of my time in the library where I can read and research in peace and in cooler environment as it is summer now in Taipei with temperature going up to 38 degrees (Celsius) or higher!!
I will try to come back for CNY next year as I really miss the gathering and reunion dinner.. hopefully, my brother will be back too.. then we'll have an actual reunion dinner.. :)
It's Sunday again, and time for another nice song.. This week, it is a song from Hoobastank.. Enjoy!
The Reason
I'm not a perfect person
There's many things I wish I didn't do
But I continue learning
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
[chorus]
I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is you
[end of chorus]
I'm sorry that I hurt you
It's something I must live with everyday
And all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away
And be the one who catches all your tears
Thats why i need you to hear
[chorus]
and the reason is You [x3]
I'm not a perfect person
I never meant to do those things to you
And so I have to say before I go
That I just want you to know
[chorus]
I've found a reason to show
A side of me you didn't know
A reason for all that I do
And the reason is you
Simply love this song by P!nk.. it is one of many songs that I'll listen to cheer myself up when I'm down..
F**kin Perfect
Made a wrong turn once or twice
Dug my way out, blood and fire
Bad decisions, that's alright
Welcome to my silly life
Mistreated, misplaced, misunderstood
Miss 'No way, it's all good'
It didn't slow me down.
Mistaken, always second guessing
Underestimated, look I'm still around
[chorus]
Pretty, pretty please, don't you ever, ever feel
Like you're less than fucking perfect
Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel
Like you're nothing, you're fucking perfect to me
[end of chorus]
You're so mean when you talk
About yourself. You were wrong.
Change the voices in your head
Make them like you instead.
So complicated,
Look happy, You'll make it!
Filled with so much hatred
Such a tired game
It's enough, I've done all I could think of
Chased down all my demons
I've seen you do the same
(Ohh ohhhhhhh)
[chorus]
The whole world's scared, so I swallow the fear
The only thing I should be drinking is an ice cold beer
So cool in line and we try try try but we try too hard
And it's a waste of my time.
Done looking for the critics, cause they're everywhere
They don't like my jeans, they don't get my hair
Exchange ourselves and we do it all the time
Why do we do that, why do I do that (why do I do that)?
Here is a poem that I stumbled upon when I flipped through The New Oxford Book of Romantic Period Verse.. I didn't realize it was a verse/poem.. I bet most of you don't either...
Will be off to HK tomorrow.. a family trip to HK.. my bro was supposed to join us there, but he was asked to go to the US last minute..
It will be a 4D3N trip.. and I am the designated planner... ;) Since I'll be travelling with my parents, my itinerary will be very easy and flexible.. no point tiring my parents out with an "Amazing Race"-type schedule.. having been to the best Disneyland and Ocean Park in Japan, my sister told me to exclude those 2 attractions while in HK.. thus this trip will be just sight-seeing at a few locations, do some shopping and savoring some must-eat HK food.. however, I will include 2 must-see places - Ngong Ping 360 (with the big Buddha statue) and The Peak, which I think my parents will enjoy..
Anyway, I will be doing some research to find good (and cheap) makan place so we can have some signature HK dishes/food.. :) So looking forward to it.. :) :) :)
A new song from Adam Lambert.. He never ceases to impress and his song is ever so catchy.. :)
Never close our eyes I wish that this night would never be over There’s plenty of time to sleep when we die So let’s just stay awake until we grow older If I had my way we’d never close our eyes, our eyes, never!
I don’t wanna let a minute get away Cause we got no time to lose None of us are promised to see tomorrow And what we do is ours to choose
[chorus] Forget about the sunrise Fight the sleep in your eyes I don’t wanna miss a second with you Let’s stay this way forever It’s only getting better if we want it to
You know I wish that this night would never be over There’s plenty of time to sleep when we die So let’s just stay awake until we grow older If I had my way we’d never close our eyes, our eyes, never! [end of chorus]
It's so hard to think this could fade away But what goes up must come down Why can't we just live life with no consequence And always live in the now
[chorus]
Ooooh, yeah Ooooh, yeah, yeah You know I wish that this night would never be over There’s plenty of time to sleep when we die So let’s just stay awake until we grow older If I had my way we’d never close our eyes, our eyes, never
Just came back from Singapore yesterday.. visited some friends and ex-colleagues-turned friends.. been a while since I've meet some of them.. the last time I saw them was 2009, which was more than 3 years ago..
Stayed in a backpackers' hostel, for SG$40 a night in a single dorm room.. it was located between Boon Keng MRT and Farrer Park MRT with access to lots of buses too.. I didn't want to spend $$ on fancy hotel rooms as I just needed a place to sleep.. also I didn't want to trouble any of my friends..
Lots have changed since I last visited.. more buildings.. more shopping malls.. more condominiums.. more cars.. more MRT stations.. more on-going constructions.. a lot of 'hardware' has been and is going to be build, yet the 'software' is still very much lacking.. the service quality still sucks (compared to TW and JP).. the level of civic-mindedness still left much to be desired.. the 'kiasu-ness' is still the norm.. the rat-race still leaves most stressed-out and burnt-out.. Infrastructurally, SG is still a good place to live, but unless one belongs to the wealthy or well-to-do, there is no way one can slow-down and enjoy all the new amenities this island city has to offer.. Personally, SG has become way too 'crowded' for my liking..
Met up with friends from different stages of my life in SG - from my NUS days, from my first job and from my last job (I've only worked in 2 companies during my 8+ years of employment in SG). I met one of them when I first came to SG almost 18 years ago!! Friends come and goes, drifted apart due to differences in life philosophy and/or life focuses.. So I am grateful and thankful to still have these friends..
Shall write more about my trip to SG.. and post some photos too..
Adele. A name that is not unfamiliar to those who follow (English) pop culture.. And here is one of her many well-played songs.. Enjoy!
Rolling in the deep
There's a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bring me out the dark
Finally I can see you crystal clear
Go ahead and sell me out and I'll lay your ship bare
See how I'll leave, with every piece of you
Don't underestimate the things that I will do
There's a fire starting in my heart
Reaching a fever pitch and it's bring me out the dark
[chorus]
The scars of your love remind me of us
They keep me thinking that we almost had it all
The scars of your love, they leave me breathless
I can't help feeling
We could have had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside your hand
And you played it to the beat
[end of chorus]
Baby, I have no story to be told
But I've heard one of you and I'm gonna make your head burn
Think of me in the depths of your despair
Making a home down there as mine sure won't be shared
[chorus]
Could have had it all
Rolling in the deep
You had my heart inside your hand
But you played it with a beating
Throw your soul through every open door
Count your blessings to find what you look for
Turn my sorrow into treasured gold
You pay me back in kind and reap just what you sow
(Now I'm gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
We could have had it all
(Now I'm gonna wish you never had met me)
It all, it all, it all, it all
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
(Now I'm gonna wish you never had met me)
We could have had it all
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
Rolling in the deep
(Now I'm gonna wish you never had met me)
You had my heart and soul
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
And you played it to the beat
(Now I'm gonna wish you never had met me)
Could have had it all
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
Rolling in the deep
(Now I'm gonna wish you never had met me)
You had my heart and soul in your hand
(Tears are gonna fall, rolling in the deep)
But you played it, you played it, you played it to the beat
