Roger Federer lost in the world of tennis, while Asashoryu lost in the world of sumo. I was not expecting the former, but I was hoping for the latter, so while I was a bit disappointed that Federer did not manage to win yet again, I was thrilled to see Asashoryu being tumbled out.
Watching sumo seemed more fun when we were all cheering for different yokozuna, in this case Asashoryu and Hakuho. I was rooting for Hakuho while my friends were sort of cheering on Asashoryu. When I saw Hakuho's eyes yesterday, somehow I felt that he could win, because I could see what had been lacking all along - that fiery hunger, that desire to win.
Sometimes, new blood is what is needed. Hakuho is young, and his victory yesterday could be the start of a new era in sumo, one in which the 2 yokozuna vie with each other for supremacy. That is what fans want to see, no?
Same for tennis, with the new kids on the block, maybe we can see some more sparks other than those provided by Federer and Roger. haha
The new kids on the block are the underdogs, and the way they beat the odds is inspiring, if you know what I mean. In a way, it is like scaling Mt. Everest; the air is freezing, the going is tough, the way ahead is long, the future misty, foggy even, and one wrong step and it's halfway to heaven, or hell, depending on one's perspective.
In any case, look up, because it can be scary to look down from so high up, especially if one has a fear of heights.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Dethroned...
We won & we are through
Man U won and is through to the next round, so why am I not feeling on top of the world? Because I may be catching a cold? It's been a while since I woke up feeling so feverish and tired. Still, I have faith in my body's immune system. After all, that's what kept me alive for 25 years. That, and the support given to me by family and friends. Thank you everyone. :)
HKK, I seriously hope the cold did not get to me last night. This weekend I met up with many people, both old friends and new acquaintances. While there were some awkward circumstances, especially on Saturday night, on the whole I guess I am glad I went there, because one of the friends that I lost touch with was there as well, so we had fun catching up. He was one of the most important people who helped me 2 years ago, so I was really happy to see him, and we had a god laugh when we realized that what had happened was a simple miscommunication.
Still, I realise that some things or rather, most things happen because of the choices we make. We choose to walk, we choose to run, we choose to turn left, we choose to turn right, we choose to stay, we choose to leave, each and every one of these decisions that we make daily, they all add up. Amidst these choices, we encounter the people that will become our acquaintances, our friends, our soulmates, the people who add color to the canvas that is called our life.
Digressing here but why is it so easy to talk with friends, but so hard to talk with so-called friends? What creates the awkwardness? That invisible wall that is so tangible, that prevents communication, that blocks messages like a shield deflects arrows. Other than that, there is that veil called misunderstanding: some people perceive things using that veil, and despite one's best intentions, every word, every action is perceived negatively.
It was cold last night, that's why someone commented on someone's dressing. Maybe the words did not sound flattering, but if you read between the lines, I am sure you could hear the concern that was there. Of course, it takes two hands to clap; the speaker can say anything and everything, but if the listener chooses not to listen, then nothing will be heard.
Simple truth, sad but true.
Back to the topic of Man U's victory : we did what needed to be done to progress, or rather, Ronaldo did most of it. He scored twice, taking his tally for the season to 25 in 23 starts. Incredible, right?
Hopefully, Man U can get the treble this year. It seems that I wish for the same thing every year, but alas every year we are so close yet so far. Good luck to us for this year!!! Go Red Devils go!!!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
You know something
Sometimes, the postman or deliveryman should just be seen and not heard. In other words, just shut up and do your job.
Of course, it would be good to show the postman or deliveryman a little appreciation. Which of us would not want to have our cake and eat it?
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Snow snow snow!!! Part 2 - Vid & Pics
雪だ！！！I shouted today.It's not the first time I have seen snow, but somehow I was excited. So I took a video, in memory of these snowy stars that warm that crimson chamber somewhere out there, even though it is less than 5degrees outside.
Snow, snow, snow... 雪だ(Yukida)!!!
My wish came true thanks to YukiYuki Bo-zu power, no?
Not sure why, but I like this shot
See the white flakes - that's snow for you
White carpet for sale
Unlike what you see in dramas, the snow that fell from the heavens today was for the most part, wet.
Hence, yours truly left a trail as he trudged to do baito today. Luckily, I managed not to slip and fall.
Snow snow snow!!!
Finally, my wish came true. It is snowing in Tokyo. :)
Actually, it snowed around 1 week ago too, but that was at night, and the snow did not remain for long. As I write here, I can see the snow flakes descending from heaven, covering everything, the grasses, the flowers, the roads, with a thin layer of sugar-like whiteness. It is very pretty, and it is these moments that you'd be likely to wonder, "If this is not beauty, what is?"
The simple things in life can be the prettiest, but how many of us realize that?
PS: Wanted to share this beauty with a friend, but maybe sleep is another form of beauty. :p
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Back to Primary School...
It's been a while, actually ages since I stepped into a primary school. Today, I went to one, in Tokyo. Back to basics, as the saying goes. Wait, wait a minute, isn't that going back a little too far? Haha, well, I wasn't going back as a student, but as GTO (Guest Teacher Oni-chan(or O for Oji-chan), depending on how you look at it). lol
It was part of a program organised by the primary school and my alma mater Japanese language school, and the idea was to introduce Singapore to these adorable angels currently in their 4th year of primary school. I was sort of rushing 2 reports the previous night, and did not really the ample rest that I wanted, but the exuberance of the children dissolved any fatigue that I felt, and I sort of got an energy boost frm their smiles, their laughter that sounded like tinkling stars, and the sparkle in their eyes that revealed the pure innocence which we adults seem so ashamed of showing, or maybe it is because we have long since lost touch with our inner child. Since the lesson plan was up to the guest teacher, yours truly decided to make it more interactive, and I guess they liked my approach, since they were very responsive, and for the Q&A session, we ran out of time long before the children ran out of questions.
Of course, some of the questions seemed a little personal. "Why do you choose to come to Japan?" , "What are your favorite foods", "How old are you?", "Do you have a girlfriend?"
The kids were really hilarious, especially the 2 boys who asked me the last question. Can you imagine what they said? "If you don't have a girlfriend, let me be yours" haha. I was so tickled by their exaggeratedly earnest expressions. I felt a twinge of sadness when we had to say goodbye, and they were clinging to me like koalas to an eucalyptus tree. Oh well, at least they have my name/signature and the pictures and posters that I left with their teacher and I have their photos and the book that they made for me as a momento.
It was only a few hours, but thank you all for everything. This has been a wonderful experience, and it just confirmed one thing : I love kids. Especially when they are as adorable as these angels. 
The kids I taught today
With their GTO
Kaneko-kun - He is so kawaii!!!
Lunch time - please sit
The kids take turns to serve lunch
Her: I spy with my pretty eyes...FOOD!!!
Him: Stop eyeing my age-pan, will you?
My lunch - Age-pan, milk, strawberries & soup
4 ladies-to-be and 2 cheeky boys behind
Flashing their pearlies-
Cameraman sensei, who has the whitest teeth of all?
We want to grow as tall as you, sensei, so we'll drink milk
Itadakimasu
Time to Eat (Age-pan) & Drink (Milk)
Cinderella Vs Sleeping Beauty
Ever wondered what would happen if Hollywood made a movie titled like the title of this post, "Cinderella Vs Sleeping Beauty"?
Well, don't expect it to come out anytime soon. Think AvP4 (Alien vs Predator) will come out sooner. Why do filmmakers like to make these gory, bloody, mindless movies? Maybe because we all like to see guts spilled, brains splattered and basically the walls and floors soaked in blood and slime?
We had a Nabe party yesterday at my friend's place, 5 guys, and somehow we ended up watching AvP towards the end of our meal. It was interesting the way we actively watched the movie. By "actively", I mean that we sounded as though we were the angels/devils that you see in those cartoons when the main character is deciding on his/her next course of action. We shouted to the one of the characters to look up a splitsecond before he was devoured by the aliens; we cheered on the predator as he made mincemeat of the raptor-like aliens. It seems that these Hollywood movies are quite predictable. We sort of knew when who would die, and where and how, even though all of us were watching AvP for the first time.
Enough of gore and stuff, lets talk about the Nabe party. The photos will speak for themselves, 
K,N,M,N & Me were the protagonists, of course, being the cameraman, I am not in the picture.haha 
Preparation in Progress
Lots of food (this is just 10%)
Table set for 5
Our evolving Nabe-chan.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Stand by me...
Somehow, today this song keeps repeating itself in my head. First when I was in the lab, then just now just below I came here. Sometimes, oldies are the best. Not just for English songs, but also for Chinese songs and Japanese ones as well.
Stand by Me (1961)
When the night has come
And the land is dark
And the moon is the only
Light we'll see
No I won't be afraid
Oh I won't be afraid
Just as long as you stand
Stand by me,
so#Darlin', darlin'Stand by me,
oh stand by me
Oh stand (now), stand by me
Stand by me
If the sky that we look upon
Should tumble and fall
Or the mountain should crumble
To the seaI won't cry, I won't cry
No, I won't shed a tear
Just as long as you stand
Stand by me, and(#Repeat 2 times)
Whenever you're in trouble
Won't you stand by me
Oh stand by me, oh stand now...
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco, seis,...
Tres, dos, uno...
Saturday, January 12, 2008
A Haiku of the seasons
Wrote a haiku recently.
Here it is. Nothing fancy, just expressing the 4 seasons using my rudimentary Japanese poetry knowledge. Somehow I like the phrase 『花開く』 because it means "to blossom", and to me the sight of flowers blooming is a beautiful one.
冬の夜
秋風の歌
聞こえるか
夏の気持ちは
花開く春
Which reminds me, my cactus has sprouted flowers too. lol 
開了花的仙人掌
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
Last weekend...
I did some exploring after I came back to Tokyo, and I found...
Okinawa? 
Korea?
I wish. haha
Actually, my friend and I took a stroll from Ueno to Akihabara, or Akiba as the locals affectionately call it. Surprisingly, it was not as far as we thought it would be. We enjoyed the journey as well as the destination, and I managed to take several photos along the way. My friend complimented me that my photo-taking skills seemed to have improved. He should know, since he was the one who gave me some tips the last time we met last year.
It has been quite a while since I went to Akihabara, and I was surprised by the changes, although I must admit, the changes were rather pleasant. It is now a hippier place, and there are more places to eat and shop now. Eat and shop, these words remind me of Taiwan, where we seemed to do nothing but that. I suppose it is natural to eat, drink and be merry when one is on holiday. Too bad the winter vacation went by so fast, but at least my preparations for my RINKO are more or less ready. Just hope that I don't get stage fright. (^^;)
One thing I liked was the way they closed the main road to traffic, such that it was akin to Ginza, where you could walk on the road as though you owned it.
Reminds me of that time when I visited my friend at his dorm in NUS, and we did push-ups on the road leading to campus at midnight, just for fun. The silly things we do. haha
Back to Akiba; the lights there were pretty too. I will be going back there soon, to buy something for my computer, so maybe I can explore the areas that I did not have time to see this time. 
Can you see that blimp?
Up we go, for a better view of the blimp
Stranded up there
Reflections
Akiba crowd owns the roads
Pedestrian Heaven - reminds me of Ginza
Pretty blue lights
Illuminations in Akiba
2D Akiba X'Mas TreeWho are you? Oh, I know, you are ...
你是谁？我知道、你是... :p
One of the very hilarious episodes in Taiwan was when we taught out Thai friend to speak Chinese. She has some Chinese blood in her, so she is very fair, and is often mistaken for a Chinese or Korean. Despite not having any proper lessons in Chinese, her pronunciation is pretty good, and she amazes us frequently with her uncanny ability to improvise correctly. Being good friends, of course we taught her useful phrases like "你是谁？我知道、你是..."
Here is a video of her exploits speaking Chinese, under our tutelage (my Malaysian friend and I). She sounds so much cuter in person, I am missing her already.
Sunday, January 06, 2008
God's Royal Flush
I am not really a gambler, not a 賭鬼（du gui）anyway. But I sometimes wonder, what happens if I am playing cards with God, and God brandishes a royal flush AKQJ10 of hearts, since God is all about Love, and the heart is a symbol of that.
我該如何応付？祈祷？挙白旗？還是相信自己会勝利...
当然、答案是簡単的。
The answer is simple, you beat God with this.
Royal Flush at Ken Ting.
It's been a while since I got a royal flush while playing cards, and a royal flush of spades at that. Maybe it is a sign, that my luck is changing, for better or for worse, nobody knows.
我不知道、不過我相信幸運之神還是在守護着我的。
Then again, it is probably coincidence. It won't be a coincidence if I am late for lunch with my friend later, so I better go change.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Back...
"I am back."
"You are back."
Back from Taiwan.
Back to Tokyo.
Back to the past.
Back from the past.
Back from the future.
Back to the future.
Back in the present.
Just 3 words each, yet they mean so much.
The first 2 phrases are as though lines from a Jap drama
『ただいま』、『お帰り』 , while the others are all about yours truly.
Taiwan is a place I like a lot, and being able to go back there this time with friends that I made in Japan means a lot to me. The memories that we created together will remain etched in my heart forever.
Tokyo is a place which holds a special place in my heart, because I cannot imagine any other place(excluding Singapore of course) I would rather be in at this moment.
The past is simply that - past, yet sometimes there are things that we need to resolve by going back there. In a way, this trip to Taiwan was like a time machine in a sense, because it enabled me to go back to the past, albeit for a short while. She was not there with me this time, but talking with my friends who were there with us the last time made me realize that sometimes we reminisce about the past more fondly than it really was. I guess my sentimental streak can be a double-edged sword.
Going back to the past and coming back from it has given me much invaluable insights. It's part of lifelong learning, I guess. 2,3 years have passed, and it is time to move on. Finally, the hands of that frozen crimson clock has started moving.
La khon la luz.
The future is like a misty maze, yet sometimes we can catch glimpses of where our paths will lead us. Maybe I was just dreaming, but I think I met someone from the future. That person did not look like an alien or a weirdo; that person looked just like you and me, albeit more mature(does not translate to old).
Of course, the real path to the future begins from here, and if I am to go back to the future, the first step has to be taken right now, in the present.
It's taken quite a while, but I am back, for real this time. In the here and now, where the things that really matter are.
Speaking of the here and now, I really need to tidy up my room, which is full of presents and all that stuff that you get just after coming back from a trip.
Falling leaves and whispering wind
~Lo mas importante es elegir la opción de abrir tu corazón, para dejar entrar el fuerte pero delicado, firme pero suave viento que calienta nuestro cofre carmesí, A pesar de que te puede dañar, incluso si revelas cuan vulnerable puedes llegar a ser, porque es la única manera de amar y ser amado.
~ Translated excerpt from "The Silence of the Seventh Song"
PS: Muchas gracias a ti por la traducción. jejeje
Taiwan trip photos
It can be quite fun to take photos on a trip, taking photos of the food that you can't get enough of, the scenery that imprints itself in your mind, the companions who make the journey so enjoyable, candid shots that make everyone look naturally silly, the list goes on.
However, when you have a digital camera and also a mobile phone camera and friends who are ever-ready to strike a pose for yours truly the cameraman, then it is photo-taking heaven, although the post-trip photo management can be quite a hassle. *grimaces in mock agony*
Here's a shot that I like. *In other words, I'm not in the mood to sift through and choose the photos to upload here. :p
May our friendship last eternally, like the star(s) above. :)
Friday, January 04, 2008
Happy New Year in Taiwan!!!
Last year, I spent my New Year with my brotherhood in Singapore. This year, I spent wlecomed 2008 with my international(Asian) friends in Taiwan. A reunion of sorts, it was FUN!!!
Still uploading the photos, so in the meantime here is a video taken in Taipei.
花火最高！！！友という花の火も温かくて気持ち良いよ！
Fireworks are cool, especially when it's kind of cold at night.
