I'm Yours

Beautifully simple song by Jason Mraz. Heard it on YZ's blog. Thanks for the recommendation!



Here's the MTV:



The lyrics for the MTV and actual song might differ slightly. In any case, hope you'll enjoy it!

I'm Yours
by Jason Marz

Well you done done me and you bet I felt it
I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted
I fell right through the cracks
and now I'm trying to get back

Before the cool done run out
I'll be giving it my bestest
Nothing's going to stop me but divine intervention
I reckon it's again my turn to win some or learn some

But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait, I'm yours

Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love
Listen to the music of the moment maybe sing with me
A la peaceful melody
And It's our God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love loved

So I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There's no need to complicate
Our time is short
This is our fate, I'm yours

I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror
And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer
But my breath fogged up the glass
And so I drew a new face and laughed

I guess what I’ll be saying is there ain't no better reason
To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons
It's what we aim to do
Our name is our virtue

But I won't hesitate no more, no more
It cannot wait I'm sure
There’s no need to complicate
Our time is short
It cannot wait, I'm yours

Lost

Am lost. But this piece in my archives I'm listening to soothes me and tells me I can find it back.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence

Asiya Akhat (Ассии Ахат) - Ya Luchshaya

Heard this song when watching this video. So here's the song. Not the video. The video's below the song. Haha, so confusing. For some reason the song sounds nicer when you're watching the video.

This is a Ukrainian song. You may not think much of it for the first time, try listening to it 2 - 3 times without watching the video and it gets a little addictive. Enjoy!

Ya Luchshaya
by Asiya Akhat


Make up: Romantic Look

*edit* In love with Asiya Akhat. Check out the rest of her videos on youtube. She's incredibly sexy can!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my friends who are born in July and August, those I remembered and those whose birthdays I forgot! Here's a birthday song for each of you, especially for Jeremy, whose birthday is today.

The Birthday Song - Corrine May



Heh, actually accidentally found this song and found it beautiful.

My Manic & I

A fantastically angsty and morbid song by Laura Marling. Hope you'll enjoy it - My Manic & I.




He wants to die in a lake in Geneva, the mountains can cover the shape of his nose.
He wants to die where nobody can see him but the beauty of his death will carry on so.
I don't believe him.

He greets me with kisses when good days deceive him and sometimes with scorn and sometimes I believe him.
And sometimes I'm convinced, my friends think I am crazy, get scared and call him but he's usually hazy.

By one in the morning day is not ended, by two he is scared and sleep is no friend, and by four he will drink but he cannot feel it, sleep will not come because sleep does not will it and I don't believe him.
Morning is mocking me.

I'll wander the streets avoiding them eats until the ring on my finger slips to the ground.
A gift to the gutter, a gift to the city the veins of which have broken me down.
And I don't believe him.
Morning is mocking me.

Oh the gods that he believes never fail to amaze me.
He believes in the love of his god of all things, but I find him wrapped up in all manner of sins.
The drugs that deceive him and the girls that believe him.
I can't control you I don't know you well, these are the reasons I think that you're ill.
I can't control you I don't know you well, these are the reasons I think that you're ill.

And since last that we parted and last that I saw him, down by a river silent and hardened, morning was mocking us, blood hit the sky.
I was just happy, my manic and I.
He couldn't see me the sun was in his eyes and birds were singing to calm us down. And birds were singing to calm us down.
And I'm sorry young man, I cannot be your friend. I don't believe in a fairytale end. I don't keep my head up all of the time.
I find it dull when my heart meets my mind
And I hardly know you I think I can tell, these are the reasons I think that we're ill.
And I hardly know you I think I can tell, these are the reasons I think that I'm ill.

And the gods that he believes never fail to disappoint me.
And the gods that he believes never fail to disappoint me.
My happy man my manic and I have no plans to move on.
The birds are singing to calm us down
And birds are singing to calm us down.

Because You Loved Me by Celine Dion

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

In love

I'm in love. Utterly and completely.

2 days after the end of SingBellz Fest still found me unwilling to commit myself to any sort of serious work (other than the current day-job I have). The photography competition is officially out (NUS students should have received the email by now - please do participate in it), the backdrop of the stage needs to be designed and the accounts from the festival needs to be closed. It seriously feels as if a month of my life force is drained and I need some time to recuperate.

All I have been doing ever since Saturday is to glue my eyes to the computer screen, watching animes. Just this Sunday, I went on a 7-hour anime marathon.

After watching this particular romance-comedy anime, titled Itazura na Kiss, a sweet feeling entered my heart and is lingering till now. Coupled with that fantastic sensation of playing handbells with others, sometimes producing music that makes my hair stand, I decided that this high is the sensation of love. It makes me feel as if I'm not alone and that with it, everything will turn out fine.

Haha, and everybody was asking me who is it I'm in love with, when what would have been more appropriate.
As for who is it, well, isn't it still the same person. For reasons I don't know and don't comprehend anymore.

And after going one big round, I think I finally found myself finding back the control I once felt, although it seems a little different, if it has changed somehow. The basis of it all, however, still remains the same.

A lot of things to talk about, discuss and advertise but am recently not in the mood to do so. Work tomorrow. Good night.

End of SingBellz Fest

SingBellz Fest'08 is finally over! Oh man, am I exhausted! Just have to tie up some loose ends and I can finally concentrate on other things.

Last afternoon's concert was nice and I enjoyed watching The Embellishment Quartet perform, as usual. After watching them perform Lovers' Dance for the 3rd time, I found myself really wanting to try out that piece. It's an interesting piece written by Kevin Ko. It's more of the drama/acting they've added in while playing it that made things interesting. Nevertheless, the piece sounds nice by itself. Here's a version he played with an American lady, but I personally found last afternoon's version he played with another of his quartet's member, Isabelle, a better one.

Hope you'll enjoy it.

Disappointed

A little... disappointed, not sure why. Maybe because... Hmm, this is a wake-up call as to how no-strings-attached the whole issue is. Silly me keeps forgetting. Occasionally I wonder if we even count as friends. Somehow I don't feel that way. Most of the times we seem less than friends, more of acquaintances, or perhaps even less than that. I don't quite know how to describe this emptiness inside.

Having somebody brush aside something you sincerely offer, is not a good feeling, regardless of how many times it has occurred before. This up-coming concert is one in a long while that I feel confident about and would really like to present to others the group of people I've been playing with and the music we are creating.

Last practice session was insanely wonderful. For the first time in a while, my ears opened up and I was hearing music as music, not merely notes. For the first time in a while, I felt the adrenaline and the emotions of playing as a group. It has been many years since the last time, a little too long, in my opinion.

Perhaps that is why this feeling of disappointment is so large - because the eagerness of wanting to share is there, because I don't know how many such sessions I would be able to experience, because I don't know how many such concerts I'd be able to play in.

Then again, maybe I'm just silly enough to just want to share with him, for reasons I no longer know, have, or understand.

Ah! I feel better now after letting it out!

楊乃文 - 祝我幸福

For many days, this song has been repeating in my head, came to my lips when I felt the urge to sing or hum something and oddly gave me comfort whenever I needed it. An old song but with a beautifully dark melody - reminds me of Celtic. Also has interesting lyrics.

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

祝我幸福
楊乃文

滿天星星在眨眼 他陪在我身邊
輕聲細語溫柔的眼 看著我的臉
一枚戒指在我眼前 是他的諾言 愛我永遠
山頂上的微風吹 心跟著四處飛
為了什麼掉眼淚 夜色那麼美
一段回憶翻箱倒櫃 跟著我在追 想的是誰
我很幸福 真的幸福 卻渴望得到你的祝福
從今以後 牽他的手 心為何逗留
我很快樂 真的快樂 卻還是覺得依依不捨
他的肩膀 給我力量 才能將你放
好想聽到你說 祝你幸福
只想聽到你說 祝你幸福

Transformation

It seemed so easy, some pieces of music. But when I look at the score, it's like "Wah! What the heck is this?!"

Seeing black dots on paper transformed into intangible, lyrical form - it is all very amazing to me.

Nodame Cantabile

1 episode was all it took to get me hooked on the anime series Nodame Cantabile. I finished 25 episodes in 2 days and felt extremely guilty after that for spending so much time on the computer.

Nodame Cantabile revolves around classical music, orchestras, performances and how students strive in their passion for music. At the end of the anime, I found an ache in my chest similar to the sadness we feel when a drama serial ends and we have to say goodbye to the characters we have grown so familiar to. The anime was so close to home for me that it brought back memories. There were times I could identify with it and times I wished I could.

Have you ever heard a really inspiring musician play? Although I've seen a couple of famous musicians play, the only one musician who left an impact on me is not famous. While watching the anime, I remembered her watching her play and how it had really touched me. Haha, I don't know if my mind was playing tricks on me, but her performance gave me goosebumps in a good way, something I've never really experienced before. That was the one and only time, the one and only performance to have moved me in that way. It might seem surprising if I told you she is probably my age and studying in NUS, playing in the Orchestra, as a violinist.

I wonder now if it was because I have had bare minimum contact with violins, which would explain why I was so astounded by that one performance.

In any case, I like that image I have in my mind of that evening I listened to her play on stage. Clear. Exciting. Moving.

The Lonely Goatherd

A classic from The Sound of Music. Daphnemaia and Precious were somehow talking about this on ping.sg's shoutbox and daph gave me the link to this. As such I am now kind of addicted.

Dango Daikazoku

This is the ending theme song titled "Dango Daikazoku" of Clannad, a Japanese anime. Dango are actually Japanese dumplings.

When I first heard this song I thought it was completely absurd and childish, especially the beginning. However, the song turned out really nice and the more I listened to it, the more I liked it. It kind of tugs at heart strings. The one below has no English translation because the one I found did not allow us to embed the video. I'd urge you to watch the video with the English translation because the lyrics are really heart-warming. Hope you'll like it as much as I do!


Online Videos by Veoh.com
link

Saturday horror - taking it one step at a time

Every time Saturday arrives and it's time for practice, I find myself dragging my feet, dreading the hour I have to step into the studio. I even dread Friday itself.

What started out as enjoyment has since turned into obligation and fear. I start to wonder why things have turned out this way. When has music as an enjoyment morphed itself into this horror I have to face every weekend? My 4 months leave from practice was probably one of the best time I have ever had. The sense of freedom was satisfying. But now that the time has come and exams are over, it is no excuse to avoid practices anymore.

I suddenly realize what this feeling is similar to - the feeling of work.

I am still there because of the opportunities it brings, the experience earned, the monetary benefits. Much as I want to, yearn to, even, enjoy the music I am playing, I feel a certain restriction. Perhaps one day I will take the easy way out but now is not yet the time. For now I will bear with it, apply my new-found philosophy to this issue - to deal with one issue at a time, giving a single thing presented to me the attention it is needed, for I have realized, until I can learn to give my best, there will never be a sense of satisfaction or results to show. And until I have learned this, I cannot move on, for I have found that putting one's mind to the task at hand is a discipline, perhaps even the very basis for everything.

So it is. My mind is pretty much made up. I will deal with the sensations that come, one at a time, not pondering too much and too deeply at a stipulated point when full concentration is needed to overcome that task.

For what is the use to think of something you have no control over, when there is something else you have full control over in front of you, right at this point in time.

For Your Babies - by Olivia

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

For Your Babies, originally by Simply Red (or rather, Mick Hucknall), this version is by Olivia Ong. Really prefer Olivia's version - music is wonderfully light and suits her voice perfectly. Seraphim (now known as One-note-Samba) is right - this is one of the best songs out of her 3 albums, even if it's only a cover. This song was originally written from a man's point of view so it might be a little weird to hear a girl singing these lyrics but the music's the focus here, not exactly the lyrics. Hope you will enjoy it.

For Your Babies
by Olivia Ong

You've got that look again
The one I hoped I had when I was a lad
Your face is just beaming
Your smile got me boasting, my pulse roller-coastering
Anyway the four winds that blow
They're gonna send me sailing home to you
Or I'll fly with the force of a rainbow
The dream of gold will be waiting in your eyes

You know I'd do most anything you want
Hey I, I try to give you everything you need
I can see that it gets to you

I don't believe in many things
But in you
I do

Her faith is amazing
The pain that she goes through contained in the hope for you
Your whole world has changed
The years spent before seem more cloudy than blue
In many ways your baby's controlling
When you haven't laid down for days
For the poor no time to be thinking
They're too busy finding ways
You know I'd do most anything you want
Hey I, I try to give you everything you need
I'll see that it gets to you

I don't believe in many things
But in you
I do

You know I'd do most anything you want
Everyday I, I try to give you everything you need
We'll always be there for you

I don't believe in many things
But in you
I do

Fourth paper (4/6)

Fourth paper, Psychobiological Perspectives on Emotions, finally finished. It was an alright paper, 80 MCQs, because the lecturer have to rush to Brazil for some conference and do not have much time to mark if it had been essays. The tough section of this module was during the mid-term test, 3 essays in lesser than 1 hour 45 minutes.

Anyway I was expecting to score for this module so any mistake in this MCQ exam made me very nervous. I think I have 10 possible wrongs.

Haha, I sound like I deserve a bashing, the way I'm saying it!

The last 2 papers, Social Work and Math are on the same day, this coming Tuesday. One in the morning, the other in the evening. After that I'm going home for a good sleep and I suppose to prepare for Handbells performance in the upcoming Arts Fest. Man, I haven't touched the bells ever since school started! Hope I don't pull the rest down too much during show.

MYMP 's Especially For You

Get this widget | Track details | eSnips Social DNA

Make Your Momma Proud (M.Y.M.P) is a Filipino acoustic band.

I hope the embedded MP3 works. If not, here's the youtube version. Erm, I advise you to try and just listen to the MP3 instead of watching it on youtube. The video looks kind of old, it sounds better on the MP3 and, I know I'm evil, but they don't look all that good either in that video and it might ruin your experience of the song. You'll get what I mean when you watch it. The voice is awesome, though. And check out their website, they look a lot more different there!

Thanks to Seraphim-now-turned-Barbers-Bang-Bang for this recommendation.

Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence - Sakatomo Ryuichi

This is a song from the 1983 film Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence.

It was so beautiful I wanted to cry.

Gotten via a comment in Edmund's blog.

Hong Kong (Part 3)

Very, very apologetic for this very overdue post on the Hong Kong trip last YEAR. I remember Ruifang saying that she thought there would be Part 3 and 4, but I never got around to doing it. I also need to type less words and put more photos which shouldn't be a problem since I have probably forgotten a majority of the happenings.

Ministry of Bellz (MOB) Educational Trip (Part 3)

Day 2 - On the way to breakfast

Our very nice, friendly and efficient tour leader - Rainkey and Damien's foot at the left corner

me and Pearl (shucks, we really look very alike)

Roland daydreaming

His hand is not where you think it is.

Railway

Random picture of road and vehicle

At this point, the point I was trying to make with the pictures was that despite being out of Singapore, I still felt like I was in Singapore and everything was within expectation - roads, vehicles, trees. Makes me wonder how similar different countries are (oxymoron).

Random picture of a double-decker bus

Which reminds me I don't remember seeing any single-deck buses while I was there.

With only 4 - 5 hours of sleep the night before, everyone fell asleep on the ride to Tai Po for breakfast:

Kim Peng

I hope Kim doesn't reprimand me for putting this up.

Melodie

Debbie

The rest who were awake:

from back (left to right): Pearlin, Roland, Axils, Damien

Axils was yawning.

Traffic light and crossing

Our pedestrian crossings are of black tar with white outlines. They have striped roads and reflective plates:
The same, yet different.

Finally at Tai Po (again):Street scene

The attire of the old lady is really so typical it felt like I was in a TV show.

Breakfast place

How it looks like:

Pearlin, Damien, Kim in the diner

Damien and Kim

Receipt of the food we ordered and the list of dishes to choose from

If I didn't remember wrongly, we basically circled those dishes we wanted on the list on the right.

And boy, I'm telling you, were the food delicious!

I think this noodles is called 车仔面 that's in the name of the diner itself:


The porridge was very nice too, but it was this particular dish we loved:

It was our normal chee cheong fan but with these balls that I forgot were made of what. The balls are chewy and really addictive. It was drenched with some sort of curry which was not too spicy. Really fantastic. I'm drooling even thinking about it.

Day 2 - Night walk

This whole area is actually sloping upwards.

Many overhanging signs

You can never be too far from home:

Policeman

I took ages trying to take a clear shot of this policeman. Gave up in the end.

Clubs and pubs lining the sides

Policeman entering club/pub:

Wonder what happened.

Sloping upwards (Kim and Pearl on the right)

Erm, for some reason this set of railing was crooked and leaning to the left while the slope was sloping upwards to the right:

Roland posing for me

Oh by the way, it was quite cold and we were dressed in jackets, jeans and shoes but Roland here lasted the whole day in shirt, shorts and slippers. He was probably a heat generator in his past life.

Along the uphill street was the World's longest escalator - 800m and broken into sections where roads run through:

Escalator, with slope on right and in the background various other sections of the escalator

You can see that the escalator steps are really shallow, unlike most of the escalators in Singapore simply because of distance over which the street slopes upward. I found them interesting anyway.

And we climbed up all that slope just for this:

Krispy Kreme Doughnuts shop

It's not available in Singapore. Frankly, that was the first time I ate a fancy doughnut from a famous store. Feel so suaku (mountain pig).

Krispy Kreme's very big plastic bag, spanning across the width of the space between 2 seats on the coach, kindly held by Pearlin

Beside the shop, flats stood:


Heading down the slope:

Melodie

Bus stop

Very familiar, isn't it? I remember at this point Pearlin was fed up with me for stopping and taking so many pictures and I was fed up at everybody because I couldn't take good pictures. =P

We went back to hotel, exhausted.

Part 1
Part 2