Hold me in your arms?* - Rick Astley

My daughter came up to me, clearly distressed. I asked her, "You want a hug or you want chocolate ice cream?" 

Without hesitation, she said "A hug". Looks like there are things in life that are better than chocolate ice cream!!! 

p/s - She also got the ice cream in the end!

It's over* - Lisa Loeb & Nine Stories

For the first time in our Law School, we had more than 100 students in a class - 104, to be precise. It was my PIL class. On top of that, I had 74 students in my Criminal Law class. So I was certainly dreading the marking that I had to do - never before had any lecturer here had to do so much marking after an examination.

On top of that, there were so many challenges along the way - I was tasked to do 4 sessions of invigilation during the exam period (so frustrating to just stand in a room for 3 hours plus thinking about how many answer scripts I could have marked during that time).

Then my daughter fell sick - had to take her to the specialist so many times, had to clean up after her vomit (including once in my car). Then I fell sick. But thankfully, recovered quickly. My wife then fell sick so a lot of the household chores fell on me. An old friend got married during this period so i had to spend one whole night attending his wedding dinner. Then another old friend from overseas came visiting and i had to take more time away from marking to meet up with him. Stranger Things 3 was released - but i made sure i resisted the temptation (and avoided all the spoilers online). Mt friend who was running the Alpha course at church could not make it one Sunday and I had to take over the session (after planning to do marking at the time). Oh - and my tooth suddenly started to ache badly.

So many things can happen in just 2 weeks - the very 2 weeks that i thought i could just mark, eat, sleep, repeat - but things never work out the way we plan, does it? Murphy's Law is proven in my life again. When it rains, it pours, doesn't it?

Thankfully, i managed to finish everything on time (including the 8 Human Rights scripts which was nothing compared to the rest). It's over!!!!!

Thank you Lord for helping me through this. It could have been worse but it wasn't. God is good.

Now, I just want to sleep - and binge watch Stranger Things 3 and The Boys. But I probably won't have the time to do that as my girls will want all my attention since i've been neglecting them somewhat. I guess the good thing about this experience is that marking will never be as challenging as it was this time round - or will i be proven wrong?

*First track from her brilliant album, Tails. One of the few albums where i love every single songs in it.

Classic* - Adrian Gurvitz

Today is the 35th anniversary of the release of "Careless Whisper". One of my all time favourite songs. Such a classic - the saxophone, the bass line, THAT voice, the falsetto, simply brilliant!

The memories that come with it too! Transports me back to those days when it was first released, and also throughout these past 35 years when it keeps popping up. Like being the no. 1 of the 1994 all time best songs by Capital FM London.

Here is the HD version of the song:-



*A British classic slow rock song. Apparently, one of the most played ballads in England in 1982.

Number One* - John Legend

Avengers: Endgame is officially the no. 1 movie in terms of Box Office receipts, taking over from avatar which held on to the no. 1 position for so long.

"We did it, Mr. Stark!"

*His song released in 2005 featuring Kanye West.

Mercy* - Duffy

It was reported in the news today that a high court judge halved the 10 day prison sentence of a mother - and in effect, securing her release this evening itself.

She was reportedly charged for theft of diapers and milk powder which was for her 15 month old baby.

Thankfully, we have a judge who tempers justice with compassion and mercy. And common sense. Why punish the mother - which will result in punishing an innocent infant? Magistrate M Saravanan - i hope you will learn from the example of the High Court Judge Mohamed Zaini Mazlan. At the very least, impose a fine on her - and many people including myself will queue up to pay for her.

As i thought about this, i wondered where this phrase 'temper justice with mercy' originated from. I thought it could be from the Bible but there is no such phrase. But having said that, the entire message of the Bible is about how a holy God tempers his justice with mercy.

Closer to earth, Shakespeare was the one who came close to penning down those words - in the classic speech of Portia in the Merchant of Venice:-

The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes:
'T is mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway;
It is enthronèd in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy;
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there.

*Her song which was nominated for a Grammy in 2009.

Larger than life* - Backstreet Boys

My jaw dropped when i saw this!!!!!

This is a 1:1 scale Lego Iron Man!!!!!! Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!

*Released in 1999, one of their few hit songs that failed to make it into the top 20 in the US Billboard chart.

Don't give up on us* - Sarah Mclachlan

HK pop star, Sammi Cheng posted up some selfies - but what made the news and caused controversy was who appeared in the background of her photo. It was her husband. The very man who cheated on her and was discovered to have done so earlier this year. The same man whom she had publicly forgiven.

But the problem is that many of her fans have not forgiven him. So they were not happy to see him in the selfie. But other fans pointed out that at the end of the day, what is important is whether she forgave him, not so much whether her fans do the same. "It doesn't matter if you don't forgive him. His wife's forgiveness is the one that matters to him', they said.

Her response has been remarkable. After suffering such humiliation and such betrayal, she was willing to forgive him. Amazing.

She is known to be a Christian and that is the only explanation I can find to understand how she can forgive. Only those who have been forgiven greatly can forgive in return. She must have experienced God's great forgiveness personally. And because of that, perhaps that's the reason why she was willing to forgive and not give up on her cheating husband.

Here is her public declaration of her forgiveness and she quotes a verse from 1 Corinthians 13:7:-

*This was one of a new song that she released in her 2008 "best of" album - a song regarding her cheating husband.

Super freak* - Rick James

Another Liverpool striker retires. This time, it is Peter Crouch.

Opposing fans would call him 'freak' - due to his height. He was tall for a footballer! And if you see him outside, you wouldn't believe that this was one of the best footballers England had in recent times. He may seem to be a freak to some but to us, he is a super freak!

Despite his height and lanky figure, he was a technically accomplished player. Sure, he had a lot of headed goals but that was not all with him. His control of the ball was excellent. And he was such a likeable person!

And who can forget his robot dance? I even blogged about it here.

He helped us win the FA Cup in 2006, scoring the winner against Manchester United on the way to the finals and providing the assist to Stevie G in the finals.

Such a pity he ended up only with the runners-up medal for the 2006 Champions League. I felt that Liverpool was unlucky then -going behind to a deflected goal made all the difference.

He was a faithful player for us - but he started to lose his place in the team when Torres joined.

He went on to play for other clubs but he is always fondly remembered by us - and he said that his spell in Liverpool was his best.

Here is a tribute to him - his best 10 goals for us:-


*This is one of his signature songs - and it was sampled by MC Hammer in U Can't Touch This.

Do you hear what I hear* - Andy Williams

My wife shared this with me today. Too good not to share it with everyone!!! Wonder who can see this pic without hearing what I hear when I see it.

*This is probably the first version of this carol that i have heard

When I see you smile* - Bad English

So Mona Lisa is coming to town!!! Well, not the real painting - but a digital version. 15th July to the 15th August! And it's free.

Here is more info about this exhibition:-

“Leonardo Opera Omnia” is an innovative, ambitious project aiming to share Italian cultural heritage by exhibiting “digital paintings”: high definition, true-to-size reproductions of Leonardo’s 17 paintings, which are scattered in various locations and museums all around the world, thus allowing the visitor to see them all in one place, right here in Kuala Lumpur".

I still remember when i saw her smile. It was surreal, a little scary but most unforgettable experience for me. That was so long ago - hopefully, i get to her smile again.

*One of my all time fav rock ballads.