Foolish games* - Jewel

How could i have been so stupid???

I guess i just wanted to believe in it so much...

So i suppose all that has been said is just bunkum.

At least i found out now instead of much much later. Still it doesn't make it any better.

Well in case you failed to notice,
In case you failed to see,
This is my heart bleeding before you,
This is me down on my knees,
And these foolish games are tearing me apart
Jewel Kilcher

*One of her best songs IMHO, it is also one of her rare piano based songs.

All you need is love* - Jim Sturgess & Dana Fuchs

So familiar but yet a good reminder.

Love is patient, love is kind.
It does not envy, it does not boast,

it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,
it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts,
always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.
1 Cor 13v4-8

NIV

*Their remake featured in the brilliant Across the Universe.

Words get in the way* - Jewel

Lost me voice this week. Occupational hazard? Well, i'm really thankful it happened this week. I just completed classes for the October intake last week - it would have been really bad for them if i lost me voice last week.

And thank God that i recovered most of me voice by today cuz i had to take a session with the youths today. It went well, i was told. All glory to God. I could feel me voice getting stronger as the session went on - and even rewarded meself wif some pretty good coffee swiss-rolls at the end!!!

In any event, taking a session for Youth Alpha is almost a no brainer - everything is prepared. I'm just more like a facilitator. The materials are quite good - sufficient variety to keep the interests of the young ppl.

It's times like these when one realises how we take things for granted - the simple ability to speak, to voice our thoughts, to simply communicate... When i lost me voice on Wednesday, i was walking to me car when i saw SW walking to the bus-stop. I decided to call her to ask if she needed a lift. As i opened me mouth to speak, i realised i had no voice!!!!! It was wif much difficulty i managed to croak my offer to her!!! She must be thinking it was a bad connection or sumthing!!!

It has been a pretty tiring week, tho, notwithstanding the loss of voice. Been on an emotional rollercoaster - but wat's new, you may ask?Dun know but this time it seems worse. Someone sent me a msg asking me how i was holding up. She said, '...you sound so hormonal over your Facebook status. It changes all the time from one extreme to another'. Hormonal??? Lol!!!

I was looking at me blog - there were 42 posts up last month. A record! It's coming to the end of this month and i haven't even reached half that number yet!!! I wonder if i'm getting too self-conscious on me blog. Too many ppl are reading it (when i say many, i mean 'many' in the context of me blog - which is abt 50 a day). I dun know if i'm ready to reveal so much of meself...

But then again, i've been too drained to blog anyways. The words are not coming as easily as they used to. In fact, i'm struggling just to complete this...

On a totally unrelated note, i guess it may be good if i lose me voice more! I was told the other day that ppl at another campus are talking about our internal problems here - and apparently, i was the source of their info!!!! I was like, 'What the...????' I dun know anyone there!!!!!!!!! So even if i did not keep me mouth shut, i couldn't have been the one, could i??? Sigh... oh well...

*Track 7 from her Goodbye Alice in Wonderland album.

What's new?* - Silje Nergaard

This Liverpool FC's new jersey for the next 2 years!!!!

Pics taken from www.footy-boots.com

Personally, i like it better than the current one. It doesn't have that weird collar.

And check out these leaked images of the away and Champions League jerseys here:-





I like the Away one. The Champs League one? The black collar looks a bit off, tho. We'll see if these are the actual designs!

I need some generous giving - £40 a jersey!!!!! Any rich and nice ppl out there willing to sponsor me????

*Track taken from her album, Port of Call. We were hanging out at this CD shop in S'pore when they played it. We bought the album immediately!

Could've been* - Tiffany

When I think about
What could've been
It makes me want to cry
I guess our song is over
As we begin to sing

Could've been so beautiful
Could've been so right
I'll never hold what could've been
On a cold and lonely night

Every time I get my hopes up
They always seem to fall
Still what could've been is better than
What could never be at all
Lois Blaisch

爱你的人如果没有按你所希望的方式来爱你，那并不代表他们没有全心全意地爱你。

*Her second single which went straight to #1 in the US Billboard Hot 100 in 1988

Keep on running* - Goldspot

It's Friday! I decided to treat meself to a movie. Something light. I decided on this:-

I've been a huge fan of Simon Pegg since the brilliant Shaun of the Dead which left me in tears - laughing!!! However, Hot Fuzz was a disappointment to me. I guess that helped cuz i kept me expectations low this time. I really enjoyed it!!!

Sure, it had every cliché in the book, and is as predictable as the rain in London! And wat kind of a storyline is it??? Someone who decides to run a marathon to win the love of the one he loves? Come on!!!!

Yet it works!!!! I'm not spoiling it in any way when i reveal here that (quick!!!! stop reading if you really dun wanna know the ending) he finishes the marathon and wins the love of the girl.

But, yes, it worked!!! Maybe it's Simon Pegg. Maybe it's his wonderful supporting cast. Or that it's David Schwimmer on the director's seat. Perhaps it's the simple story of what a man would do for love. Or the mushy heart-warming underdog who makes it story. And the fact that it was based in London with all the familiar sights and the streets of London surely played a part - for me, anyways! And of course, with the resurrection of my love for running and taking part in marathons, this movie surely hit the right notes for me!

Brilliant! :-)

*Their remake of The Spencer Davies' Group's motown classic which topped the charts in the UK way back in 1966. this remake was featured in Run Fatboy Run.

I will remember you* - Amy Grant

Wow, has it been a year oredi?

Not a day passes without me thinking of you.

I'll see you later...

*Her 5th and final single from her album, Hearts in Motion.

Dreams* - The Cranberries

Half five in the morning. Slept for almost 12 hours. Traveled to Puerto Rico with Anthony Bourdain and Wellington with the 5 Takes TJs. All cried out. Listening to Michael Buble. Regretting i din make that trip to the guitar shop yesterday to buy a new E-string. Feeling stuffed from my 3 am dinner...

Having late dinners reminds me always of those long nites in Rayleigh Tower. There's something about the wee hours of the nite that appeal to the melancholic in me - the quietness, the serenity, the solitude, the loneliness...

What a week it has been-eh? No, i'm not referring to the craziness at Uni. That was fun. I guess i should feel... something(!), seeing that i finally completed all tutorials and lectures for the October '07 intake. That's a milestone, isn't it? But just like how i'm at a loss of words at how i should feel, i dun feel anything at all. Perhaps it has been overshadowed by another event.

OK - not perhaps. It's kinda obvious.

For the first time since i got back, i finally dared to believe that perhaps i've finally found a reason. Something which i could say that giving up that life was all worth it. I dared to dream again - no, i've always dared to dream - but i dared to believe that dreams do come true after all.

Call it a defense mechanism but i've never seldom allowed meself such luxury - for fear that the dreams do not come true.

But i let down me guard. I dropped me defenses. There was a lapse in my concentration. Blame it on the heavy schedule, the mountainous pile of work i have, the lack of sleep, the need to feel again...

So it had been a crazy roller-coaster ride. And you know what's the worst part of a ride like that? No, it's not the crazy loops, not the upside down part where you feel the breakfast u had earlier is creeping up (or down?) yr throat, not the slow crawl upwards as you anticipate the close-to-free-fall dip at the top. It's when it grinds to a stop - and you realise that just as fast as it started, it has come to an end.

Yup, came to a grinding screeching halt yesterday. Woke up finally. Came back to earth. Good timing tho. At least there was no harm done.

No, shattered dreams are not counted as 'harm done'.

It was nice while it lasted... :-)

So the quest continues for me - why am i back here? I have never doubted that God has a plan for me. Just hoping to get some glimpse of it. Some time soon. Til then, the search resumes. And i'm not disappointed. To me, it's the journey there that excites me, not arriving. Most of the time, anyways.

不要因为结束而哭泣，微笑吧，为你的曾经拥有。

*Their second single from their brilliant debut album. It was released during me undergraduate days when we were in London so it always brings back memories.

Just another day* - Jon Secada

I'm drained. I arrived home a little after 2 pm and crashed out all the way thru dinner. Woke up not too long ago. If not for Family Law tutorials tomorrow, i'd prolly sleep all the way... til winter! ;-P

What a day - it had almost everything!

The drama of the deadline for a 20 credit essay for all students - the last minute rush to complete and print out the essays and Murphy's law kicking in. Brought back memories of running from the halls to the PC labs to the printing shop to the Law Office back to the Labs for more correction and then back to the law Office with seconds to spare!

The look of happiness on the faces of the students who received their marks for their Crime Assessed work - see, i'm not so miserly wif me marks after all!

The excitement of the Internal Moots draw (which i did with the help of Vader).

The tears... (my heart goes out to you).

The frustration of me endless problems wif me work PC.

The amusement that me students never fail to bring to me! Here's an example - a group of the guys come over to me room.

Them guys: Hey sir, come for lunch with us. Ya lar. Come la. Let's go.....

Me: Lunch? Well... oh, oh. Do you guys know they are giving out free Red Bull at the car park?

In a flash, all of them did a vanishing act, almost running over each other, racing to the car park.

Hey, wait? What about lunch??????

Guys...

And i must add, to the list above, the joy of hearing her laughter over the the phone.

*His very first hit from his debut album. The single peaked at #5 in the US Hot 100 Chart way back in the early 90s.

Streets of London* - Ralph McTell

So what does your mind think of when it wanders? When you go into 'screensaver' mode? When the boring lecturer/preacher in front rambles on aimlessly? When you sit on a bus and stare out of the window? When the words of the books blur? When you've been too long in the waiting room?

No prizes for guessing where mine goes...

*Apparently, this song has been covered by over 200 artistes!!! It is inspired by Ralph's experiences hitchhiking and busking in London and Paris.

Oh what a night* - The Four Seasons

I was resisting blogging about this - out of respect to me mates who are Arsenal fans. But i failed...

No disrespect to those aforementioned mates. But this has to be one of the many wonderful magical "Great European Nights at Anfield" that are talked about and will be talked about for a long time to come.

As one of the British tabloids put it:-

"CHALK another one up on the “Great European nights at Anfield” tribute board.

There is no better place to be in the world when Liverpool pull off a victory like this.

The walls shake, the roof rattles and the ears are strained to exploding point."

It had everything - drama, high stakes (both teams are playing for their last chance at silverware this season - altho the London team's manager seemed to think otherwise), controversy, blunders (Arsenal's first goal - Reina's near post??? Adebayor's miss in the 2nd half), sublime skills of the highest order (Torres' goal, Walcott's super run), nail-biting moments (only the bravest dared to look on as Stevie G ran to kick the ball on the spot)...

These are moments Liverpool fans live for! Perhaps it is the sad reflection that we are doing so badly domestically that we have to look for European Nights. But who can deny the magic - even if u're not a fan?

The rollercoaster of emotions was simply madness. Arsenal dominating the game and this Abou guy finishes like an accomplished striker! Then good old Hyppia heads us back into the game. Torres' wonder strike was surely the kind of goals that wins us such games. But the visitors had other ideas. After a horrible mis-kick - in fact, he kicked the air - by Gerrard, Walcott completed an amazing run and had 3 players in the penalty box to choose from. Adebayor made no mistake this time.

I returned back to me criminal law books. With less than 7 mins left, surely Arsenal has done enuf to... wait! A penalty was given!!!! Who cares if there was any real contact or foul or not. It was given. I was up on me feet, law books aside, teeth biting on me nails nervously. Who was gonna take it? Kuyt? Torres? It was Gerrard. Was he gonna cap off a woeful display (he even admitted that it was his worst performance in a L'pool jersey) wif an unforgettable crucial miss? No. Perhaps the script was written oredi. It was after all, at the Kop end. And it was an European Night at Anfield.

Having seen Arsenal snatch last minute - even last second - goals, i couldn't resume my seat and stood like a nervous wreck for the remaining of the normal time and the anguishingly long 3 minutes added time.

The Reds triumphed. The Londoners were devastated. The crowd applauded both sides. Rafa beamed while Wenger frowned. Strains of 'You'll never walk alone' can be heard and tears run down my face.

Oh what a night!

Arsene Wenger's note to himself - replace Senderos and put a taller player at the far post for corners!!!


Someone at UEFA.com dun know how to count - 4+2=5????

*Also known as 'December, 1963', it hit the UK charts in 1976.

Hero* - Enrique Iglesias

I am a super-hero! I have super powers!!!! Really! I can create rain storms!

Dun believe me? Here's proof:-

1. I can create storms by doing certain acts

Specifically, if i wash me car, it'll rain. No, it'll pour! Cats and dogs (and rats too!). That's wat happened last Friday.

2. I can create storms by summoning it!

OK - granted, it took a lot of effort to wash me car. Surely there's an easier way to exercise me special power, rite? Right! I can use me voice and call for it - i just sing! Yup, tt's it. Me students will bet their lives on it! Each time i sing in class, it'll rain later in the day. When it rains, i get text messages from students asking if i had been singing... Wonderful people, eh?

3. I can create storms by just using my mind!

Each time the weekend comes and i decide in me mind to go for a jog in the evening, it'll rain. It won't rain any earlier, nor any later. It's rain at exactly the time when i want to go for a run!

Don't mess me, ok?

So what shall i call meself? Storm-riser? Rain-starter? Bad-singer?

*His hit single released in 2001. Jennifer Love Hewitt was featured in the music video for this song.

Happiness* - Al Jarreau

I got inspired by a mate's blog when she was sharing about her 'happiness bank book'. It is where she records moments of happiness in her life - and she reproduced it in her blog!!!!

So I sat down and came up with 2 lists - one a list of general things which makes me happy and another, a list of specific events in the past which made me happy. Check out the specific list here.

Here's a sample of the things on the list:-

ADDENDUM: i've oso completed the Happiness Bank - General list. Check it out here.

*His version of the song taken from the Broadway show, 'You're a good man, Charlie Brown', this was included in jazz pianist David Benoit's tribute, 'Here's to you Charlie Brown: 50 great years'.

Car wash* - Christina Aguilera & Missy Elliott

M: This is me father's car. It's not mine. That's prolly why i dun bother washing it. (LOL)
F: Where's your father?
M: Oh, he passed away last year - almost one year ago...

Conversation continued on the events last year.

After a short pause...

F: Then all the more you should take good care of this car.

I had no immediate response to that...

Well, i finally responded today. I washed me dad's car today (yes, that explains why it rained cats and dogs later in the day! Life, oh life...).

I din sleep at all and had to stay awake cuz me mom went out and me nephew was around. So i decided to mop the floor (finally) and wash me dad's car.

There's something therapeutic about cleaning stuffs. It just feels good seeing all the dirt being washed away, enjoying the sight - and feel - of a freshly washed car or mopped floor.

Anyways, i'll prolly send it to the car wash the next time round - it takes a lot of effort!!!! Me din really do a wonderful job but if me dad was around, i'm sure he'll be proud of the effort. He was always proud of everything i did...

p/s - was just thinking of me 'love' of mopping the floor. It's funny - i used to enjoy mopping the floor at Food-on3 on campus partly cuz it brings back memories of me mopping the floor at home. Now i enjoy mopping the floor at home cuz it brings back memories of mopping the floor at Food-on-3!!!

*Featured on the movie, A Shark's Tale, this song was remade, transposed higher and given a disco feel to it.

Only you* - The Flying Picketts

And in this crazy life, and through these crazy times
It's you, it's you, You make me sing.
You're every line, you're every word, you're everything.
Bublé, Chang and Foster-Gilles

If it rains, dun blame me, k? ;-P

*Theirs was the remake of the original by Yazoo. It was an a capella version and it was even more successful than the original!

Tell her about it* - Billy Joel

I'll tell her...

...someday!!! ;-)

p/s - I simply love this movie!!!! Been wanting to catch it since i saw the trailer way back in September last year. But had been so so busy... :-( Well, better late than never. I love every aspect of the movie - i just sat there grinning like an idiot, with tears in me eyes and laughing out loud at so many different scenes! And i dun care if ppl say it's a chick flick. It sure works for me! Brilliant!

Come on, admit it - you were grinning (or at the very least smiling) when you watched the clip above, weren't you?

*One of his no. 1 hits which topped the chart way back in the early 80s. Apparently, it is a homage to the Motown Sound.

All you need is love* - The Beatles

Opening sequence of Enchanted:-

Giselle sings for her prince. Prince sings the same song at the other end of the forest. Prince hears Giselle. Troll attacks Giselle, tries to eat her. Prince arrives and saves Giselle. Giselle falls - literally - on the Prince. They decide to get married the next day!

Now that's how a love story should go!!!!! Spontaneous singing, declarations of love, talking animals, trolls...

Why do we make things sooooooooooo complicated these days? There's the mind games, the lack of commitment, the feelings of uncertainty, matters relating to career and religion, financial considerations, views of parents and frens, social acceptance, timing... Give me trolls anyday!

One of my fav quotes found on me FB profile:-

That's your problem! You don't want to be in love. You want to be in love in a movie.

Can i change that now to "I want to be in love in a fairy tale movie"? Isn't all we need is just love?

OK - back to the movie...

*Yes, this will be played during my wedding a'la Love Actually! One of their best known and loved songs, it is the 362nd best song of all time according to the Rolling Stones mag.

To sir, with love* - Vonda Shepherd and Al Green

Message from a mate overseas:-

aw, u're one of *those* lecturers...the dead poets society/mona lisa smile/to sir with love/dangerous minds etc type. way to go. live the calling.

Aren't all lecturers like that? Well, as i discovered recently, the answer is in the negative.

A group of us lecturers were chatting together. Some law lecturer was telling the others the kind of (big) money we used to make - and can still make - when we were in practice.

An engineering lecturer asked, "So why did y'all leave practice and come here to teach?"

To which, i earnestly and honestly replied, "We are here for the students!"

There was a short beat of time, and then everyone there burst out into uncontrollable laughter!!! Some (who weren't rolling on the floor) gave me the look which said "Now, that's a really good joke".

I was like, "What...???" to which some laughed even more and others gave me the "That's enough. Dun push the joke too far" look.

I felt so sad after that... :-(

*The remake of the classic by Lulu for the TV series, Ally McBeal.

Good times* - Chic

It has been a wonderful weekend - starting from last Friday! Arguably, if my memory serves me right, this has prolly been the best weekend that i've had this year - and perhaps, for a long long while.

Friday morn started with the last class for Cohort 2 before their reading week. So i thought it'd be a nice change to watch an episode of Judge John Deed and revise the law on provocation. I oso took the opportunity to explain to them how a criminal jury trial takes place, drawing from the show. I think they enjoyed it. I did!

********

Thereafter, i went wif 2 other mates to meet up wif another near Mines for lunch. It was nice company. The 3 of us then adjourned to MidValley for coffee. I bought me running socks there for the Sunday run (see below) and then had to wait for a mate who's laptop was being repaired. After hanging out at MPH, i went over to the Gardens - and to me pleasant surprise, there was a Borders there (see previous post)!

********

That nite, i decided to watch Gone, baby, gone. Not too bad, actually. The language is pretty strong tho. But what i really liked about the movie was the way it hit at the end. It has been a long long time since i've watched a movie wif such an ending. I won't reveal it here - but suffice to say, it was a very real moral question that i can't find an easy answer to - and am really glad to be spared from the unenvied position of having to make a decision.

********

I spent the entire Saturday attending a Christian seminar on migrant workers. It was good as we were all made privy to the struggles and abuses that migrant workers (and those who try to help them) face. However, it only my situation worse - and i'm still unable to get a clearer picture of where God is leading me to. All 3 options i have now are equally interesting and the opportunity to serve God is just as great. All 3 also require the special skills and training i have received. how now? Pls pray with me on this.

One thing which made me all excited tho is when we were chatting wif our elder during the lunch break and he revealed his plan of having a mission/fact-finding trip this September to... some place, la. Won't reveal it now but it's a place i've been wanting to go!!!! I pray the plans will come to past - and i be one of those chosen to go for this trip!

********

Sunday was race day! My very first marathon - altho i was just doing the 10 km run.

To cut the long story short, it was fun and good. It was much harder than when i went for a trial run the week before - it was far more humid and running wif so many others really threw my pace. I was glad i managed to equal my time last week - but it took much more effort to do so this time.

After the race, i discovered that i wasn't really that far off to make it into the top 500 and win a medal. Well, my target set was just to complete it within the qualifying time - which i did so comfortably - but i must admit that i was a tad disappointed in not getting into the top 500 - esp since most of the others did. FJ even made it into the top 80!!!!

Before (yes, WS was sleepy) and after. Oh, the 2 fingers signify "V" for victory, not any other kind of pose, ok?!

But really, it was fun. We hung out a while after the race, watched the real marathon, enjoyed the live band and then went for breakfast. Later, during lunch, we continued to exchange our race stories! :-)

Yes, this is our first - but it looks like it's gonna be the first of many! I'm already pushing them to do the Penang Bridge Run later in June! Woohoo! That'll be a 21 km run!

********

To end of the weekend, the Moot team finally had our dinner. A wonderful way to end a wonderful weekend - good food, great company, loads of fun and laughter! After dinner, we adjourned for drinks and i found a Taboo set. Taught the rest to play and we did!

On top of that, Liverpool won the Merseyside derby!!!!

i was really sori the weekend had to draw to a close - but all good things must come to end. i wonder if i'll ever have another weekend like this again this year...

*This song - which hit no. 1 in the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1979 apparently is one of the most sampled pieces of music in history. It is also ranked at #224 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.