Year 2 Sem 2

Time flies.. whether you are enjoying life or suffering its torment.. Thus, I am now officially in the 2nd semester of my PhD Year 2..

Lots have been accomplished these past 3 semesters, but many more needs to be done in the years (at least 2 - 3 more) to come.. The most important thing is starting on my 1st research paper. As you all know, starting is always hard as we (or at least me) need to fight the inertia of laziness that has also managed to get procrastination and escapism on its side. But if I want to graduate in 5 years (that's the target I set for myself) I would need to start writing NOW.. Since I've already "chosen" my adviser, I have no more excuses. I do not want to disappoint anyone, least of all and my family who has been very supportive of my decision to pursue my PhD here.

So I think I better start cracking! :)

Sunday Serenade: breakaway

First heard this song while watching Star World as it is used as the promotional song for the latest edition of American Idol.. and then my sis told me that this was the OST for The Princess Diary 2.. no wonder it sounded familiar..

And so here's to Kelly Clarkson and the pre-Catwoman Anne Hathaway.. :)





Have a great week ahead! Stay safe and be merry!! :)

Poetry Solace: Of a story

Let's read "A Story" written by Adrienne Rich this week..

A Story (1986)
Absence is homesick. Absence wants a home.
but Absence left without a glance at Home.
Home tried to hold in Absence's despite,
Home caved, shuddered, yet held
without Absence's consent. Home took a walk
in several parks, Home shivered
in outlying boroughs, slept on strange floors,
cried many riffs of music, many words.
Home went out to teach school, Home studied pain control
Home learned to dive and came up blind with blood
Home learned to live on each location
but whenever Absence called, Home had to answer
in the grammar of Absence.
                                      Home would hitch-hike
through flying snow, Home would roast meat,
light candles, to withstand the cold. Home washed the dishes
faithfully. But Absence
always knew when to call.
                                    What if Absence calls
and a voice answers
                            in the accent of Home?


Have a fun weekend! Stay safe!

Sunday Serenade: aku suka dia

After sharing so many songs in this blog of mine, I've yet to share a Malay song.. maybe cos I never listen to them.. Recently my sis played a Malay song over her car stereo when we went out. I liked it immediately. It was simple and clean, both the lyrics and the arrangement.

The song is called "Aku Suka Dia", which translates into "I Like Him/Her". "Dia" is a singular third person pronoun, that is used without any gender reference. Since in the music video below refers "dia" to a guy, I will use "him" in my translation of the lyrics, although there's nothing wrong with substituting "dia" with "her".


Aku Suka Dia 
written and performed by Ainan Tasneem

Aku lihat dia disana                                     I saw him there
Aku ingin mendekatinya                              I want to get close to him
Aku cuba menghampirinya                          I try to approach him
Lalu aku menyapa dia                                Then I greet him

Dia pun membuka bicara                             He then broke the ice
Dan aku mulai mengenalnya                       And I start to get to know him
Kita mulai bermain mata                              We start making eyes at each other
Mula timbul rasa bahagia                            Begin to feel a sense of happiness

[chorus]
Bila dia, mendekati diriku                             When he comes close to me
Hatiku rasa sesuatu                                     I feel something in my heart
Bila dia, senyum pada diriku                        When he smiles at me
Hatiku rasa tak menentu                              My heart falls into turmoil
[end of chorus]

Kekadang hati ku bertanya                          Sometimes my heart wonders
Adakah dia dah berpunya                            Is he someone else's
Kerana diriku berasa                                    Because I feel that
Aku jatuh hati padanya                                 I have fallen for him

Aku ingin memilikinya                                    I want to have him
Aku ingin menjaga dia                                   I want to take care of him
Aku ingin mencinta dia                                  I want to love him
Aku ingin hidup dengannya                           I want to spend my life with him

[chorus]
Mungkinkah aku, kan berjumpa dengannya     Is it possible for me, to see him
Untuk meluahkan rasa                                     and tell him how I feel
Mungkinkah aku, kan berdiam diri saja            Is it possible for me, to just keep quiet
Menunggu cinta darinya                                   and wait for him to love me

Ku terima satu nota darimu                              I received a note from you
Yang tertulis ‘Aku suka kamu’                          with "I like you" written on it

[chorus]
Akhirnya kini ku kan mampu ceria                    At last I can now be cheerful
Diriku sangat gembira                                      I am very happy
Akhirnya kini, aku mulai bahagia                      At last, I can start being blissful
Menerima cinta darinya                                    As I receive love from him

Aku suka dia                                                    I like him

Have a great week ahead! Stay safe and happy!

Sunday Serenade: we are young

Yes, today is the first day of Chinese New Year.. so Gong Xi Fa Cai to everyone!!

Let's have a song called We Are Young to celebrate the arrival of the year of the Snake! It's holiday time and let's have fun!! :) though no one is carrying nobody home tonight.. :p

We Are Young
(featuring Jannelle Monáe)

Give me a second I,
I need to get my story straight
My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State
My lover she’s waiting for me just across the bar
My seat’s been taken by some sunglasses asking 'bout a scar, and
I know I gave it to you months ago
I know you’re trying to forget
But between the drinks and subtle things
The holes in my apologies, you know
I’m trying hard to take it back
So if by the time the bar closes
And you feel like falling down
I’ll carry you home

[chorus]
Tonight
We are young
So let’s set the world on fire
We can burn brighter than the sun

Tonight
We are young
So let’s set the world on fire
We can burn brighter than the sun
[chorus]

Now I know that I’m not
All that you got
I guess that I, I just thought
Maybe we could find new ways to fall apart
But our friends are back
So let’s raise a toast
‘Cause I found someone to carry me home

[chorus]
Carry me home tonight
Just carry me home tonight
Carry me home tonight
Just carry me home tonight

The moon is on my side
I have no reason to run
So will someone come and carry me home tonight
The angels never arrived
But I can hear the choir
So will someone come and carry me home

[chorus]

So if by the time the bar closes
And you feel like falling down
I’ll carry you home tonight






Have a fun and prosperous new year ahead!! Stay safe and HUAT* ah!!


*Huat means prosperous and tons of good fortune, especially in lotteries and other luck-centric undertakings..

Poetry Solace: Of love

Since it's gonna be Valentine's Day in a few days, here's a couple of poems from Adrienne Rich's Twenty-One Love Poems.. Enjoy!

IX
Your silence today is a pond where drowned things live
I want to see raised dripping and brought into the sun.
It's not my own face I see there, but other faces,
even your face at another age.
Whatever's lost there is needed by both of us --
a watch of old gold, a water-blurred fever chart,
a key .... Even the silt and pebbles of the bottom
deserve their glint of recognition. I fear this silence,
this inarticulate life. I'm waiting
for a wind that will gently open this sheeted water
for once, and show me what I can do
for you, who have often made the unnameable
nameable for others, even for me.

XI
Every peak is a crater. This is the law of volcanoes,
making them eternally and visibly female.
No height without depth, without a burning core,
though our straw soles shred on the hardened lava.
I want to travel with you to every sacred mountain
smoking within like the sibyl stooped over her tripod,
I want to reach for your hand as we scale the path,
to feel your arteries glowing in my clasp,
never failing to note the small, jewel-like flower
unfamiliar to us, nameless till we rename her,
that clings to the slowly altering rock --
that detail outside ourselves that brings us to ourselves,
were here before us, knew we would come, and see beyond us.



Have a great weekend! Be safe!

knowing Capricorns..

Though not one who likes to stereotype, but I do find some of the things stated with regards to Capricorns are pretty applicable to me.. the other reason for me wanting to understand more about the basic temperament of Capricorns is that my adviser is a Capricorn too.. and there is one other prominent professor in my dept who is also a Capricorn.. This is the first time I've encountered so many Capricorns in my life.. cos most of the time, I am the only one.. Maybe we Capricorns feel most at ease in the academia.. :)

Anyway, here are a few more interesting "answers" about Capricorns.. :p

Capricorns are afraid of
=> Being poor, being embarrassed and being humiliated
comment: I think no one likes to be poor, embarrassed or humiliated.

Capricorns represent
=> Intelligence
comment: I know I am a information junkie, and if that makes me intelligent, then no complains from me.. :p

When they are feeling low, Capricorns will
=> reflect quietly alone
comment: yeah, I will cut myself from the rest of civilization when I'm down..

Capricorns can't
=> pretend to be happy
comment: I do think my melancholia is infective..but nowadays, I am in a state of not unhappy.. 

When the green-eyed monster strikes, Capricorns will
=> become pessimistic and very frustrated.
comment: Mmm.. these might be true although I've learned to not compare and compete with others.. To each their own..

Capricorns are notorious for
=> tit for tat. You'll be safe as long as you don't antagonize them.
comment: Indeed.. don't step on our toes and we will leave you alone.. but once you do, we'll make sure you regret it..

When love strikes, Capricorns tend to
=> think too much.
comment: Guilty as charged..

Capricorns can't stand
=> "villains" winning (小人得志)
comment: I think we hate everyone else winning.. :p

Surprising side of realistic Capricorns
=>  they can be very romantic too
comment: Definitely.. we are closet romantics.. only our loved ones know how mushy we can be..  

To others, Capricorns are
=> practical, hard-working, self-interest and autonomous
comment: Yep, these are just about right... :)

Any comments from those who know me?? Anything to add??

Sunday Serenade: where you will go

Heard this song in one of the dance competition on TV.. and couldn't help but be mesmerized by the singer's voice.. so I went online and search for it.. so here it is.. Enjoy!

Where You Will Go
performed by Charlene Soraia
So lately, been wondering
Who will be there to take my place
When I'm gone, you'll need love
To light the shadows on your face
If a great wave shall fall
It would fall upon us all
And between the sand and stone
Could you make it on your own?

[Chorus:]
If I could, then I would
I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high or down low
I'll go wherever you will go
[end of chorus:]

And maybe I'll work out
A way to make it back some day
Towards you, to guide you
Through the darkest of your days

If a great wave shall fall
It would fall upon us all
Well I hope there's someone out there
Who can bring me back to you

[Chorus]

Run away with my heart
Run away with my hope
Run away with my love

I know now, just quite how
My life and love might still go on
In your heart, in your mind
I'll stay with you for all of time

[Chorus:]

If I could make you mine
I'll go wherever you will go
If I could turn back time
I'll go wherever you will go
I'll go wherever you will go




Have a great week ahead! Stay safe and be happy!