Tuesday, January 31, 2006

Home!

I used to dislike stoning at home. Now i love every moment in it.

I used to think my friends would always be around. Now i now how precious they are to me.

I used to listen to music. Now i appreciate music.

I used to think of nothing of the things around me. Now i feel them.

I used to be bored. Now i'm clinging on to time.

I used to take it that everything was there for me and wouldn't change. Now i know better.

I used not to bother. Now i care.


IT FEELS DAMN GOOD TO BE HOME!!!

=) =) =) =) =)

Hahaha.. Home rocks. Seriously, seriously rocks ^^ I have never, never felt so attached to home.

Ripped open Nan Quan MaMa's first album and listened to it for the first time.. It is freaking nice. The OH MY GOD type. And from what i know about their 2nd album which i've already heard.. It's sooo not-surprising they're so hot.

And how very apt that my favourite song in that album is Track 10 - Jia (Home). I think it's one of if not the best song in the album.

Hahaha i think i'm obsessed with the notion of Home. It's the one thing you can think of to motivate yourself throughout the week in NS. To be frank, NS isn't very bad. The training's tough, but managable. Like when we hear our commander shout FORTY COUNTS OF FOUR and behind us, coming from another company sharing the same basketball court on which we do our 5BX, we hear a matter-of-factly "Five Counts of Four".

-.-

Siiiaaaann diao.

Hahaha but then you know that the 40 other Ninjas are all in it together with you, and that when the day is over you'll be talking kok with your section in your bunk and cracking jokes and complaining together and imitate certain funny characters and having a good laugh out of it all, it doesn't feel so bad doing his FORTY COUNTS OF FOUR.

After all, we stand to gain. And like my famous commando OC infamously said, "Morale is inversely proportional to pride. When you're knocking it down on the ground, your morale is low. But when you walk outside, you can do it with pride!"

Yeah.

Back to the point, it's not the training that kills - it's the being away. Away from family, away from friends, away from HOME. Which is why home's such a great source of motivation - you don't know how sorely you can miss it until you've been in NS. And thinking of it really helps.. It can lift your spirits! Which is why everytime we book in, the only thought in our minds is - BOOK OUT DAY.

Hahahaha.

Anyway yes.. Nan Quan Mama's Jia.

If you haven't realised, they have same success formula as Jay Chou!

1. They write their own songs.

2. Their songs are very very nice.

3. Their tunes have a bit Jay Chou influence in them.. Hahaha which is good ain't it =)

4. Their lyrics are written by Vincent Fong.

5 and so on : read the post below.



歌曲:家

曲:盖瑞 (one of the members)
词:方文山 (omg)

相片内底那个纯情ㄟ世界 你骑着车加阮载
你答应过马代阮去ㄟ所在 到最后你拢没来
相片的纸 亲像 刀那么利
阮ㄟ悲哀 现在才知

照片里一整个消失的年代 很想知道个大概
关于空气的味道我还在猜 很像樱花都还在

墙角青苔 总是绿的太快
回忆慢慢 慢慢爬进来

煮一杯 热咖啡 喝一些 固执的以为
我们一直到最后才学会 哭泣时候谁安慰
而成长让人觉得累
却已没有办法后退

啊咿啊 转眼之间已经长大
啊咿啊 梦与现实的落差
啊咿啊 我们还有什么剩下
回家吧 声音沙哑 只是想找人说说话
所以阿 别让牵挂 变成一种孤单害怕

我们一直到最后才学会 哭泣时候谁安慰
而成长让人觉得累 却已没有办法后退

啊咿啊 转眼之间已经长大
啊咿啊 开始跟理想摩擦
啊咿啊 我们好笑的在挣扎
雨在下 家乡竹篱芭 南下的风轻轻刮
告别了繁华 将行李卸下 我们回家

墙壁上的老挂钟 是过去某个时空 我说你就懂
已经消失的生活 是不可能再从头 我说你难过
客厅里的裁缝机 是否再发出声音 我说你伤心
回到儿时的街道 是不安夹杂心跳 我说你微笑


Aren't the lyrics beautiful..



On top of that, they rhyme. They ACTUALLY RHYME.

-stares at the lyrics for the umpteenth time in amazement-

Vincent Fong is.. Unparalleled. That's the only word i can think of.

And it's about Home sweet home ^^

-right click, encoding, unicode if you can't see the lyrics-

(oh by the way, the previous song title was : Home. By Michael Bublé.)

Hahaha. HOME!


"Snow White bought a new camera. She happily took pictures of the dwarfs and the forest, then dropped off her first roll of film to be developed. A few days letter she went back to pick up the photos.
'I'm sorry,' the clerk told her. 'They aren't finished yet.'
Disappointed, Snow White started to cry. 'Don't worry,' said the clerk.
'Someday your prints will come.'"

Sunday, January 22, 2006

In transition..

I'm BACK!!!!!!

After 11 days of the "adjustment period", they finally let us OUT!!!

AHHHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHA.

To be truthful, the adjustment period really works. If i hadn't wanted to come out so badly, i think i won't die if i were to stay a bit longer. After a while, you really get used to staying inside.

I miss my life.

A lot of things go on behind the scenic, tranquil, sunny, tropical exterior of the island i am having my holiday on.. The sunny, tropical island surrounded by crystal-clear sparkling water, kind, vivacious pink dolphins, stunning kaleidoscopic coral reefs, located right smack on the equator - the air i breathe, the food i eat, the sweat i, er..sweat, all the morale-raising laughter (my section is a congregation of jokers), the stories and training, all the stories to tell.. This NS thingy is an entirely whole new experience.

I miss my life.

Sometimes, i really feel those children who join NCC or NPCC. As if being stuck in the regimentation of NS is not enough, they have to integrate it into part of their school life, into part of their childhood, even before they reach 18.

-.-

They say it makes you stronger, it makes u disciplined, it allows u to take it easier when u go NS. I say it isn't worth it at all. Whats worse than stifling the freedom of a carefree child?

However, one of the good things about NS is.. it really makes you appreciate whatever you have around you like, a lot. Really, really a lot. Thats why bookouts are so precious to us. Hahaha.

Went blog hopping.. read read read, then i realised : eh, why everyone's entries like so sad one???!!! Because i not around is it? Hahahahaha.. But hey, be cheerful and optimistic ya, appreciate and make the most out of what you have.. That's what i learnt in the past 3 weeks, and thats what i think everyone should do! Then everyone will be happier =) It really works! ^^

Gonna have to leave like, now. Booking in at 7.40. Drats.

"A chain is as strong as it's weakest link" - from some army poster.

Wednesday, January 04, 2006

My last post...

... before i go for my holiday on the sunny, tropical island surrounded by crystal-clear sparkling water, kind, vivacious pink dolphins, stunning kaleidoscopic coral reefs, located right smack on the equator!

Aren't you jealous?

Hahaha..

To those going in, take care ok! Hope to see ya inside lots.

And to those who missed the last tickets.. Take care too. Till we meet again. =)

Adieu!

How to be the next Jay Chou

1. Have a good voice, be able to sing. No need to be shen like Andy Lau or Jackie Cheung or the Eagles, but can pass can already.

2. Have a personal, distinct style which stands you out. Write nice songs without wearing your underwear. Swing nan-chuks around!

3. Look cool.

4. Write a lot, a lot of very, very nice songs. As in, A LOT. Let people see your little booklet in front of the cd, flip through it, and see your name over and over again under the Song By - .

5. Be friends with Vincent Fong!!! It's a grave understatement to say his lyrics are good. Gives your already-nice songs a punch.

6. Example:
Track 1: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Vincent Fong.
Track 2: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Jay Chou.
Track 3: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Vivian Hsu. some pro singer/songwriter too(miss pang knows her ^^).
Track 4: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Vincent Fong.
Track 5: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Vivian Hsu(again! ^^)
Track 6: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Vincent Fong.
Track 7: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Vincent Fong.
Track 8: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Vincent Fong.
Track 9: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Vincent Fong.
Track 10: Song - Jay Chou. Lyrics - Jay Chou.

Wahh.

Get the idea?

Especially if you wrote it youself!!!

Wahh.

7. Make sure that they all are very, very nice. Go listen to Fantasy.

8. And of course, some of that elusive bit of luck everybody won't mind. Hahaha..


Listen to omniscient me(hahaha!) and do it right, and you will...

1. Be a star.

2. Be able to hold concerts. Thousands of people there to see you, to hear you sing. Not to mention the fireworks, the lasers, the little bits of shiny paper they let fall from dazzling heights to make the entire place, well, dazzle. All in taiwan of course.. Don't expect all these in the singapore indoor stadium. Hahaha! And the best thing is, the night is all yours!

3. Get to play the leading role in Initial D, with veterans there as supporting cast to ensure the movie is fail-proof. WAHH.

4. Get to make the music for the movie's OST as well.

4. Get awards.. Till you lose count of them.

5. Be able to direct MTVs for SHE and see Hebe! Wahhhh....

6. Be invited to talk/gameshows with SHE, and see Hebe! Wahhhh....

8. GET to know SHE, and know Hebe! WAHHHH!!!!!

Plus, people still love you even if you mumble za bit here and there and they really need the lyric book to make out the lyrics. Hahahaha!

To any critic out there - emulate half of his success before we start listening to you! Hahahaha.

=) =) =)

"Q: What do you call a donkey with three legs?
A: A wonky donkey.

Q: What do you call a donkey with three legs and one eye?
A: A winky wonky donkey.

Q: What do you call a minature donkey with three legs and one eye?
A: A winky wonky dinky donkey.

Q: What do you call a minature donkey with three legs and one eye that can play the piano?
A: A plinky-plonky winky wonky dinky donkey.

Q: What do you call a minature donkey with three legs and one eye that can play the piano and has a bad case of wind?
A: A stinky plinky-plonky winky wonky dinky donkey.

Q: What do you call a really clever minature donkey with three legs and one eye that can play the piano and has a bad case of wind?
A: A thinky stinky plinky-plonky winky wonky dinky donkey.

Q: What do you call a really clever minature donkey with three legs and one eye that can play the piano and has a bad case of wind that has been attacked by a squid?

A: An inky thinky stinky plinky-plonky winky wonky dinky donkey."

Sunday, January 01, 2006

My New Year Resolutions:

1. To be more driven. HA. Thought for ages before i came up with this word.. I like this word. Not only cos i'd like a car and cars are also driven(wow coincidentally! =P) , but also cos i think it encompasses a few other qualities.. Like being determined. Being daring. Being disciplined. Really putting in the effort. I had been having an increasingly laid-back attitude to the stuff i do.. Perhaps i've been taking things for granted, expecting everything to fall into place nicely for me like they have been since young.

Looking over the past 2 years, apart from being in rj, being the ct rep of a wonderful class(=)), getting rj guitar's first ever syf gold.. I don't have much to show for.. Not that i'm dying for something to show off, or dying to be some high-flying over achiever. Nevertheless, it remains that i have not used every opportunity i've been given, in school as well as in other aspects of my life. Come to think of it.. It is quite a pity, isn't it? Cos we've left school, cos we'll never get the same opportunities again - small they might be, yet better they're for for learning to taste failure. But i digress. I think it's important to grab and make use of every single opportunity which comes by - something now at least i'm encouraging my bro to do so he can get the best from both his and my world(which is experience). Hahaha!

There're a few things i know i had missed.. And it hurt to see them go by me, out of reach, knowing that i could have them safely in my arms had i dared to take that extra step forward to reach out closer. Sometimes i get the damn i should have! feeling.. But then ironically i know that without the luxury of hindsight, i would have done the same thing again..

Yeah. So for resolution number 1: grab EVERY opportunity, and do EVERYTHING to the fullest. And give it my all, whatever i'm doing. And not be afraid to go for what i really want.. so that at least, even without that hindsight i'd make the choice and do the things i would regret not doing.

Not that i'll turn into a mean Work Work machine overnight.. hahaha.. I know the enjoy-life streak in me won't ever change, nor do i want it to change =P But something nice which could sum it all - work hard, and play hard!

2. Be nicer. I know i'm very nice already ^^ But then unfortunately, nobody's perfect.. Hahaha! Hmm.. resolution number 2: be more considerate, and take the extra step in being a better friend - something i'm guilty of not doing my utmost as well.. Ahh well but now.. it shall be! =)

3. Sleep earlier and wake up earlier. Something implicitly stated in Resolution 1 but not explicitly.. so here it is! Like my dad loves to come into my room at 1am (or whatever time he goes to sleep) and say: "jianxue ah.. sleep early ah!

Me: Hmm? Orh.. ok.. sleeping soon (but usually not-so, hahahaha)

Dad: Yaaaa.. Early to bed, early to rise! Heard before? Blahblahblahblahblah..

Me: Ok (zzzzzz).

(it worked)

Heeee.

But i find night beautiful... Don't you? It's like.. Seeing a beautiful, sunny day in a different light. Err or rather... no light. Hahahaha!

Anyway.. In my 2-year holiday to the tropical island located smack on the equater(aren't you jealous) i should be able to fulfil this resolution fairly easily. Hahaha..

4. To be a better man. (omg this is so clichéd)

I can't believe i'm (deliberately)adding the song to go with this. Ultimate lameness. HEEEEE..(if i don't add this little disclaimer i'm afraid you might think i'm really trying a little too hard. hahahaha!)

But then.. it's true. Resolution no.4. To be a better man.



"Quiquid latine dictum sit, altum viditur."

(Whatever is said in Latin above sounds profound.)