Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Some thoughts



"If you are someone who blogs, remember to write something down when you are happy, not only when you are sad or lonely. Cause when you're flipping through the pages when you're feeling down, you will remember not only the sad things, but also the happy things. People remember too much of the sad things, and just let the happy things slip away."



每天晚上回家的路上我都会路过这棵树.

虽然不是真的, 但是我不知为何每天站在同样的地点, 停留同样的一分钟, 拍同样的一张照片.


这好像是我目前唯一的一个不变值吧.

当然, 这样的生活也要就此结束了. 不再7点起床, 不再每天花时间在公车上睡觉, 看书, 玩游戏, 不能再与同事聊天, co-op吃饭. 呵呵, 有时候繁琐的事情, 当真的不见了, 还是会怀念的啊.

变, 变, 变.
走, 走, 走.

知道自己应该习惯, 可是又在习惯了之后问自己当初是怎么习惯的. 麻木了吗? 我的人生就在4个月4个月的来回交替. 现在又4个月要过去了.

想想自己为什么会在树前停留, 是美吗? 是平静吗? 我也没想明白.


心里感到平静吧. 在赶着回家的人群中, 花一分钟停在一棵圣诞树下, 还是挺不错的.


Song: Marchin On [Remix] (feat. Timbaland) - OneRepublic

Monday, November 30, 2009

Music & Scrubs

Scrubs is returning to television for its 9th season!

I sometimes wondered why I got hooked on Scrubs. My first episode I ever watched was "My Own Private Practice Guy" on a Westjet flight on route from Toronto to Vancouver. This clip was the one that made me laugh so hard on the plane... even when it was 8am in the morning.



I always wanted to watch the whole series over all the seasons, which at that point season 6 just wrapped up. Thankfully, I had Matt, who I found out through coincidence, is a Scrubs fan as well. He had with him DVDs of Seasons 1-4.

That December holiday was subsequently spent watching this hilarious comedy. Well, that and playing Call of Duty 4, I don't think I set foot outside that whole holiday. I didn't want to go outside. That had hurt so much.

But enough of that, over the seasons there were songs that stuck to me. Songs from indie bands that I had never heard of before. It was through Scrubs that I heard the bands "Five for Fighting", "Finger Eleven", and solo artists Rhett Miller. Yup, the first time I heard "How to save a life" was from Scrubs. Not Grey's Anatomy.

Here are some memorable moments I loved throughout the 8 seasons:
Happy
Song: Good Time - Leroy


Song: More Than A Feeling - Boston


Song: Kung Fu Fighting - Carl Douglas


Song: Don't Stop Believin' - Journey
This episode is actually titled "My Journey".


Song: Hey Julie - Fountains of Wayne
Just watch, and listen to the lyrics.


Song: All of the words - Kutless
Carla is finally pregnant after trying for so long.


Song: Screw You - Theodore Buckland & Stephanie Gooch


Song: Hey Ya - Theodore Buckland (Ted for short)


Sad
Song: Hold On Hope - Guided by Voices
Ben (Cox's brother is diagnosed with leukemia)


Song: Winter - Josh Radin


Song: Tell Her This - Del Amitri
J.D. realizes that he actually wants more with Elliot. But...


Song: Cindy - Tammany Hall NYC
J.D. going to see Elliot because her boyfriend just left.


Song: How to save a life - The Fray
Cox accidentally kills 3 patients.



Not only these songs, but Scrubs has a musical episode in Season 6 titled "My Musical". Highly recommended.


Scrubs has been with me for a long time. It has comedy with pieces of drama. Maybe its the "moral of the story" style of story telling that has me hooked, or maybe its the emotional fragility of characters.

I haven't even listed the laugh out loud moments that I loved. I love this series.

People all have times of weakness. Just as the title song suggests...

"I'm no Superman".

Saturday, November 21, 2009

Chapter 4: 21 on 21

I remember a very long time ago, when I just got to Singapore. There was this show on television that I would watch about a gas station. The gas station's daughter whom I believed was 16 in the show. She would often complain about not being able to do this or that. Money constraints, freedom constraints. Her dad would always reply with the same thing "wait till you're 21!" And she'll storm off.

At that time I wondered what I would be when I was 21, and how "magical" it would be. Granted I didn't understand what "money" constraints were, what "freedom's" I don't have. It was more of the idea that when I turned 21, everything would be much happier, or much easier.

I look back now and I could only smile and laugh at myself then.

I didn't understand why a lot of my friends were throwing lavish parties, renting places even to do that. And I just thought to myself, is turning 21 that big of a deal? I don't know, I just didn't feel it.

I was scared, really I was. And as I'm sitting here writing this, I had just recovered from a really bad headache that I had to take an half-day off work. The day before my 21st. No its definitely not the scare part, but definitely the being old part. But no, its not like when the clock passes 12, something dramatic is going to happen to your body, there isn't going to be mutation on your body that turns you into an adult (at least I hope not).

As I look back to all of the things that have happened around/to me, there were things that I took away from that I would possibly never forget.

There are things that you have to give up, but not want to.
You learn take what you can get.
Rule #33: Enjoy the little things

I don't have much to say either way. If there was one thing I realize, is that there isn't a lot of things that I can put in words. Experience, isn't something you get by reading.

很多事情.
过去的, 回味着, 错过的, 做错了.
走过的路, 吃过的饭, 说过的话, 交过的朋友, 爱过的人.
所恨的, 所爱的, 所恋的, 所谓的.


身活不会再那么平凡, 不会那么消遥自在. 责任不会变少.
这或许是21的意义.



3年前的18岁已是好久的事情了. 他们各自开心就好了啦:



从当初的"不想懂得"到现在的"开始懂了".

快乐是选择.
(Happiness, is a choice)

Monday, October 26, 2009

红豆

我自己把这首歌翻了翻. 歌词真的很不错.

中文
红豆 - 女:王菲/男:方大同
还没好好的感受
雪花绽放的气候
我们一起颤抖
会更明白什么是温柔

还没跟你牵著手
走过荒芜的沙丘
可能从此以后学会珍惜
天长和地久

有时候有时候
我会相信一切有尽头
相聚离开都有时候
没有什么会永垂不朽

可是我有时候
宁愿选择留恋不放手
等到风景都看透
也许你会陪我看细水长流

还没为你把红豆
熬成缠绵的伤口
然后一起分享
会更明白相思的哀愁

还没好好的感受
醒著亲吻的温柔
可能在我左右
你才追求孤独的自由


English:

Red Bean - F:Faye Wong/M:Khalil Fong

Verse 1
Haven't had enough time to feel
The weather in which the snowflakes bloom
We will huddle together
and finally understand what warmth feels like

Haven't held your hand
and walked over barren sand dunes
Perhaps from now on
I will learn to cherish forever and ever.

Chorus
There are times, there are times
I would believe everything has an end
Gathering, leaving are all part of the life
Nothing lasts forever

But then I sometimes
Rather choose to reminisce and not let go
Cause when all is said and done
Perhaps you would spend the rest of your life with me

Verse 2
Haven't cooked a red bean
into a lingering wound for you
and share it together
so we might finally understand the sorrow of missing one another

Haven't had enough time to feel
waking up to a tender morning kiss
Perhaps only around me
You want to pursue the freedom from loneliness

________________________


Notes:
Definitely took a lot of liberties with the translation. I do find that a lot of things is well "Lost in Translation". My goal wasn't to have a word for word translation, but something that flows proper, and (hopefully) ends up having the same impact as the original song.

Meaning:
The "Red Bean" in this context does not mean the red bean soup, red bean paste, red bean whatever, its not edible.

It's actually called (and I can't believe it myself when I found it) jequirity bean. In Chinese though we have a much nicer way of calling this bean, by (literal translation) "missing one another" bean. It has been a symbol of love in China. Most people ended up just calling it by its color, hence, "Red Bean".

Also a thing of note, the bean is actually poisonous. Irony? Perhaps.

________________________


现在发现, 在与一个朋友谈他的心事的时候.
往往能在里面看到一些自己的身影.
更奇怪的是, 聊着聊着, 有时候也能让自己领悟到一些事.

最后发现, 你并不是在给他建议.
其实, 你是在与你自己对话.


有时候, 有时候

Friday, October 16, 2009

Songs I like that you've never heard of



2 songs: 1 English, 一首中文的.

English:
Okay - Swirl 360
This song is featured in the Van Wilder movie staring Ryan Reynolds, and also appeared on the soundtrack.
I can't remember which scene it is featured, but I just remembered that this song stuck out to me. That and Michelle Branch's You Get Me, but I'm sure more of you guys heard that song more than this one.
The band mostly appeared on soundtrack and is currently doing mainly background work for other artists.
More info on them can be found @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swirl_360.


Lyrics:
She sat me down and took me by the hand
She said I'll try to make this painless if I can
She was sorry and then she began to cry
Couldn't look me in the eye
I said baby let me just save you the time

I can see where this is going
Tears will fall and hearts will break
Love's a game we all must play
So dry your eyes and be on your way
As for me I'll be okay

Well I thought we were that perfect match
It's so hard to say that now without a laugh
There was never ever such a thing
Not as far as I can see
Now that all of love such misery

You can see where this going
Tears will fall and hearts will break
Love's a game we all must play
So dry your eyes and be on your way
As for me I'll be okay

We gonna be okay

I can see where this is going
Tears will fall and hearts will break
Love's a chance we all must take
So dry your eyes and be on your way
As for me I'll be okay
As for me I'll be okay
As for me I'll be okay

I'll be okay
I'll be okay

_______________________


中文:
一人一半 - 伍家辉
这首歌应该很少人听过, 是一部新加坡电影<<881>>的主题曲.
我那时也巧, 电影放映的时候我刚好在新加坡, 朋友在网上发这首歌给我. 我觉得非常好听...

前面的"一人一半"是用福建话唱的.


歌词:
一人一半, 感情不散
一人一素故, 感情才会久
时光累计, 安静的泪滴
一心去追, 爱那么可贵

这样的人, 这样地等
无非是等个回应眼神
为爱翻滚, 不计伤痕
甘心为你一生都浮沉
这样的人, 别笑我蠢
傻傻的心痛也不觉疼
就算天冷, 就算残忍
等你想起这没用的人

一人一半, 感情不散
已经找到爱, 为何要离开

时光累计, 安静的泪滴
一心去追, 爱那么可贵

这样的人, 这样地等
无非是等个回应眼神
为爱翻滚, 不计伤痕
甘心为你一生都浮沉
这样的人, 别笑我蠢
傻傻的心痛也不觉疼
就算天冷, 就算残忍
等你想起这没用的人

一人一半, 感情不散
已经找到爱, 为何要离开
已经找到爱, 为何要离开


Bonus:
一首我到现在才发现的歌.
红豆 - 王菲/方大同

在逛facebook时挖到的, 发现的有点晚... 两个版本都非常好听. 推荐.

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Playlist: Coldplay Essentials




Parachutes
1. Yellow
2. Trouble
A Rush of Blood to the Head
3. In My Place
4. The Scientist
5. Clocks
X&Y
6. Fix You
7. Speed of Sound
8. Swallowed in the Sea
9. Twisted Logic
Viva La Vida or Death to All His Friends
10. Lost!
11. Viva La Vida
12. Violet Hill
13. Strawberry Swing

Just sharing the (what I feel) essentials of one of my favourite bands. Theres more songs that are great to listen to.

Also check out: Spies, Shiver, Talk, The Hardest Part, X&Y etc.

I've always been fascinated by the lyrics of their songs, how they get their inspiration. Their songs always manage to stop me from hitting that "Next Song" button.

"Your skin
Oh yeah your skin and bones
Turn into something beautiful
D'you know you know I love you so
You know I love you so"

"Come up to meet you
tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are
I had to find you
Tell you I need you
Tell you I've set you apart"

"And I could write a song
A hundred miles long
Well, that's where I belong
And you belong with me
And I could write it down
or spread it all around
Get lost and then get found
Or swallowed in the sea"

"I took my love down to violet hill
There we sat in snow
All that time she was silent still
So if you love me
Won't you let me know?"

I'm sure you'll find something that you like.


Update: I have complied an updated list with Mylo Xyloto tracks here

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Scenery 2









太阳与海... 美 just like what I remember of you

好想你.
青岛, 应该比这漂亮多了.
我... 很期待.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Scenery











All photos I took.

The neverending road. Life goes on, with or without you.

还有11个月, 怎么熬过去呢...

Monday, May 25, 2009

偶像剧

Hope... is a funny thing.

It drives us to do things we never thought we do. But it also sometimes gives us a false sense of security, something to look forward to the next day. Something that shouldn't be there, something that you just dreamt up.

I've tried to look at hope not the way everybody looks at it. Not that I can't, I've made a concise decision not to. Is hope really good? What does hope entail?

Maybe thats why the words "false hope" come up so much. Fake hope?

In Chinese its easier to separate, the difference between 妄想 and 希望 is essentially hope and ... well false hope.


我不知道什么时候有点迷恋偶像剧了.
现在的我都是一直目不转睛的盯着每个礼拜定时在youtube里上传的part 1 - 7.

在偶像剧的世界里, 一切的一切, 好容易理解啊.
男主角到最后的最后, 不管经过多少风风雨雨, 还是会和女主角在一起的.

如果不是偶像剧的话:
斗牛, 应该在第八集就结束了.
败犬, 应该在第十五集就结束了.

现实世界里:
不会有擦身而过的场景
不会每个人都会说出感动的话
不会有对方立刻懂得你在想什么
不会有永远美丽的结局


就算如此, 但是我为什么还每个礼拜要定期收看呢?
我自己觉得, 人是脆弱的. 应该希望会有这些事情... 会发生在自己身上.
能让自己解脱所有的所有, 让自己顿时忘记自己, 完全的陷入别人的生活.

eh? 但是主角里面想不通的问题, 现实身活里怎么都有所谓的答案呢?

Living vicariously through other people's lives, that's something I've only gotten a firm definition just a few weeks ago from a very good friend. You wish other people well, because in the end, you wish someone would live a better life than yourself, and then you can channel their feelings into yourself. That feels good, doesn't it?


Hope... is a funny thing.


Stay happy.

我还在妄想什么?

Song: Hold on Hope - Guided By Voices

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Won't Even Start - David Choi



Won't Even Start - David Choi

What happened
after last summer
when we broke up
in September

I havent seen you
Feels like a long time
Sometimes it still hurts
But I always get by

I still got a piece of you under my skin
Its always there no matter where Ive been

So if I ever see you on the street
I'll pretend that I didn't see
And turn my face
No use in small talk anyways

Because if I look into your eyes
Then I'll have to say goodbye
And that'll break my heart
So I wont even start
I wont even start

I wish you luck
And I wish it true
That's the best
I can do for you

Cuz you'll probably find love
In someone new
I have to let go
Yeah its hard to do

So if I run into you with your arm by his side
Just know it'll cut me like a knife

I'll be ok
I'll be ok
or that's what I'll say

So if I ever see you on the street
I'll pretend that I didn't see
And turn my face
No use in small talk anyways

Because if I look into your eyes
Then I'll have to say goodbye
And that'll break my heart
So I won't even start
I won't even start

I always liked Wong Fu's stuff. This one is no exception.

It hits a bit close to the heart. I'll be.... ok

Monday, May 4, 2009

粉雪

"Can I get a ticket to Toronto please?"
"Sure, one way or return?"
"...... ermm ...... one way please"


那就是我这学期的开始. 我并不想走. 工作上的需求. 搬也只好搬. 那时的我, 背着电脑, 拉着一个借来的行李箱. 坐上了greyhound. 我不舍, 我想在走之前... 呵呵 我的运气不是那么的好.

那 时去还是很顺利的, greyhound到dundas, 换subway到scarborough, 我本来只来过scarborough一次, 是06年tommy生日的时候来的. (ah, simpler times) 我住的地方里的家对我很好, 吃的住的都有了.

第一夜, 听着歌睡着的. waiter一直在我身边, 没离开过.

星期日到的, 星期一就要上班了. 那天起的好早, 好像5点45分就醒了. 不知道什么是business casual的我磨蹭了半天. 弄出一个自己觉得ok的attire. 现在想想还是太正式了吧.

工作很好, 开始我不太适应downtown的工作环境, 人好多, 又忙来忙去的. 好像都有重要事情在身. 还好有我同事帮我适应. 在一个礼拜就把email啊, 什么的都搞定了.

别人都说我疯了, 一个人在nathan phillip square countdown. 我可能是疯了, 看着烟火, 我对它没有感觉. 这可能是我最后一次能看烟火了吧.

在 这段时间里, 我真的很幸运, 能够有好朋友在旁撑着. 老实说, 我没有预想到能结识一个这么好的朋友. 能什么话题都能聊的人. 到这只能说谢谢谢谢 (还有就是8888的红包... :S sigh) Xinyi, Chester, Jing, 都帮了我好多好多. 这学期我能撑下去, 我真的非常感谢他们.

在多伦多发现了好多事情, 接触了许许多多的新鲜事. 呵呵, 第一次TTC坏掉的时候我好像是在车上唯一一个在傻笑的人吧. 我知道了TTC bus route是怎么走的, 知道了大路大概在哪里. 知道了downtown怎么走, 哪里有吃的, 哪里能买东西. 知道了pmall原来是在steeles上.

突然觉得我好笨啊.


这四个月.... 也就这样的结束了.


"Hi, can I get a ticket to Waterloo University please."
"Oh, one way please."



考试工作加油 :)

Song: Stop and Stare - OneRepublic

Monday, April 20, 2009

叶子



纪念阿桑. 这首歌... 我... 也是很好听的.

叶子 - 阿桑
葉子 是不會飛翔的翅膀
翅膀 是落在天上的葉子
天堂 原來應該不是妄想
只是我早已經遺忘
當初怎么開始飛翔
孤單 是一個人的狂歡
狂歡 是一群人的孤單
愛情 原來的開始是陪伴
但我也漸漸地遺忘
當時是怎樣有人陪伴
我一個人吃飯 旅行 (到處)走走停停
也一個人看書 寫信 自己對話談心
只是心又飄到了哪里
就連自己看也看不清
我想我不僅僅是失去妳


English:
Leaves
Leaves, are like wings that can't fly
Wings, are like leafs that fall in the sky

Heaven, shouldn't have been wishful thinking
I had long forgot
How I started flying

Loneliness, is a person's party
Party, is a group of lonely people.

Love, originally starts with companion
But I'm starting to forget, how I had a companion

By myself, I dine and travel, stopping ever so often
Also started to read, write, converse with myself

But where my heart has drifted to
Even I can't see it clearly myself

I think I've lost more than just you.


Self rough translation for people who don't know Chinese.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Start

When I was little I always wondered why everyone is doing what they do. For 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, 360 days a year.

Then through all this 21 years of my life, I've become the same people that I always wondered about.

Every single day.
Wake up at 7:24.
Out the house by 8.
Ride the subway.
Get to work at around 9:15.
Work. Lunch. Work.
Leave at 5:15.
Spend 1 hr and 15 mins on the subway back.
Eat.
A bit of free time.
Sleep.

Everything has become regular. Routine.

It is then that I realized the free time that I've taken for granted at my life as a child is a commodity. What do you do in this free time? Do you spend time reading? Time gaming? Time chatting?

Its a weird feeling that something you had all along can so suddenly be taken away from you, even something so trivial as free time.

看着别人的小孩这么开心的享受童年. 我笑了. 但是, 自己知道, 自己已经不是小孩, 不能再无忧无虑的过着生活了.

这或许就是成长的过程.

Song: 1234 - Feist

Friday, April 17, 2009

About Me

Born in Shanghai. Left when I was 6 years old.

Spent the next 10 years of my life in Singapore studying from Grade 1 to Grade 10 (rough translation).

After that, spent 6 months in Alberta doing 2nd semester of Grade 12, graduated with Alberta Diploma.

Graduated with a Bachelor of Mathematics Degree, Honors Computer Science, Business Option Co-operative Program (that was a mouthful).

Saturday, April 4, 2009

男人的尊严

最近好多事情发生在我的身旁. 让我想了好久. 一个男人和面子... 有不小的关联.

我这个学期在我身边的人. 他因为经济不景气丢了工作. 刚开始还是为这事而愁, 烦恼. 他的老婆还是非常的支持的. 但是他渐渐的, 渐渐的陷入了一个泥沼. 有时候会为了烧菜这小事生气, 大发雷霆. 我听他老婆说的, 最近他也不忙家务了, 都是她和大儿子一手包办. 她那时候说话有点气愤, 可能她也是有点受不了了.

我还记得听过一句话, 在上海的时候一个广告: "有家的男人真幸福, 养家的男人真辛苦". 呵呵, 以前还不会体会这句话的意思. 现在, 看到这个场景, 深有感触. 做男人还是不简单啊.

当然, 他会熬过去的. 毕竟他不是一个被遗弃的人, 他还有家. 他有一个小儿子能寄托希望. 他天天教他钢琴, 督促他, 甚至有时候还会骂他. 我想, 希望儿子比自己还厉害, 是每个家长的希望吧.