I swear* - All-4-One

I had forgotten about it and was happily driving when suddenly, they played a recording of it over the radio.

Oh no!!!!! It really took place!!! It can't be true, can it? I texted a fren and she confirmed that it did take place and that, and i quote, 'our nightmare has just begun'.

So he did go thru the swearing in.

I'm sure many others were swearing too...

They say that it is darkest just before the dawn. Surely the dawn must be drawing near then.

*Hit the charts in London way back in summer 1994, just as we were getting ready to come back home.

It's over* - Lisa Loeb and the Nine Stories

I saw it coming. It wasn't a surprise. As the lyrics of one of my favourite song goes, "nothing is so good, it lasts eternally".

不要因为结束而哭泣，微笑吧，为你的曾经拥有。

*The first track from her brilliant album, Tails - which IMHO is still her best!

All by myself* - Celine Dion

I looked up and scanned my surroundings - like i always do when i'm eating alone, which i must say is pretty often. I kinda enjoy doing that - capturing brilliant little moments of life going on around me, little expressions of love, kodak moments, knowing looks, exchanged smiles.

My eyes fell on this auntie quite a distance away, eating her dinner. She finished her rice and then started drinking her soup, her head never lifted up but bent down onto her tray of food. When she was halfway thru her soup, she looked up - hesitatingly - and looked around uncertainly for a moment before returning to her soup.

My heart felt a tug. I dun know why but this always happens when i see older folk eating all alone outside.

A similar incident took place just one week earlier when i was whiling away some time at a KFC when an elderly woman walked in, bought 2 pieces of chicken and a cup of tea and sat right in front of me.

I guess i just wonder why are they alone? Where are their family members? Their children? Their grandchildren? Are they there alone by choice? Or otherwise?

I wonder how many people feel that way when they see me eating alone - or reading with a cup of coffee? Do people feel sorry for me, that i have no one to accompany me? Well, don't. It is by choice. I love these moments when i can be alone, and read - or eat, or watch people!

Back to last nite - my thoughts suddenly turned to me mom. That auntie over there could very well have been me mom, altho a little bit younger. And even tho me mom was at home, i wondered how many nights she would have spent like that auntie over there, eating all by herself, wishing she had some company other than the satalite TV. Me sis has been working so hard lately that she comes home rather late. I have not had dinner at home for as long as i could remember. Me dad is no longer around.

At that point of time, at the food court at Mid-Valley, i made up me mind to go back home and have dinner wif me mom as much as i can. Even of it means the two of us eating quietly, or sitting before the TV. Me mom can't be around forever, and while she still is, i better be around for her too.

*The remake of Eric Carmen's song. The verse of this song borrows a lot from one of Rachmaninoff's pieces.

From this moment on* - Shania Twain

It's been more than 2 years and over 500 posts.

I'm running out of songs to be post titles in this blog!!!! Believe you me when i tell ya a lot of posts never end up on this blog simply because i couldn't find a song to be the post title. Many a times, i've been tempted to re-use songs which i've used in the past before.

I have also been tempted to start a new blog. This has been my longest running blog ever! I tried once and use movie titles as post titles - but that idea failed.

Well, no point being a slave to 'traditions' and conventions! From this day on, from this moment on, i'll be reusing songs titles from previous posts. Yes! Not that anyone would notice it in the first place... oh well...

*One of the most often heard song in weddings at one point of time, this is her second biggest hit single.

One week* - Barenaked Ladies

Is this as good as it gets? Or just a foretaste of what is to come?

The mind tells me it's the former - but me heart hopes it's the latter.

*The song which some say propelled the group to fame outside Canada

Purple rain* - Prince and the Revolution

It rained purple at PJ today (the other PJ)!

And it was worth the effort! :-)

*The title track of the album of the same which was the soundtrack for the movie with the same name!

I'm with you* - Avril Lavigne

I originally wanted to name this post after James Blunt's "Who am I" but that was used in an earlier post.

When Moses was asked to lead God's people out of slavery from Egypt, he gave God many excuses. 5, to be precise - see Exodus chapters 3 and 4.

His first excuse was "Who am I?"

And i found that this was a common excuse given when God asks us to do something for him. It sure is one of mine.

One asks this when one feels inadequate. It's like asking God - why are you picking me? Who am I? I'm nobody. There are so many other more qualified person. I'm unworthy. I'm not ready.

Inevitably, this excuse leads to Moses' 5th excuse - "Please send someone else".

The problem with that is that God may actually do that! I have experienced that before. And i learnt that God does not need us to accomplish his will. If we refuse to play a part - or have a wrong sense of humility - he can easily use someone else to achieve the same results.

And i end up the loser - not being able to play a part in accomplishing God's will on earth, missing out on the numerous blessings one receives when one allows God to work thru him/her.

Well, the root of the problem is that we look at ourselves too much. When we do, we see only our shortcomings, our inadequacies, our sins. No wonder we ask "Who am I?"

But when we look to God, we see his power, his sovereignty, his love. And we realise that with God, nothing is impossible!

It is unsurprising that God replies Moses by telling Moses that he (God) will be with him (Moses)! He said "I will be with you". So stop looking at yourself and look instead at the mighty God who is with you!

If God is on our side, what can we not do?

*Her first ballad released as a single.

Goodbye* - Air Suppy

Somewhere in sweltering Saigon earlier this week:-

Moi: Four US dollars!

VC: No, no. Five US dollars!!!!

Moi: Four!

VC: No, sir. Five US dollars!

Moi: But my friend just bought it for four!!!

VC: No, sir. No. Five US dollars!!!

Moi: Come on.... four! Yes? Four?

VC: Sir, cannot. Five!!! This is a good buy!!!!

Moi: A good buy??? Well, then, GOODBYE!

I stormed off, feeling quite please at my witty retort! But the feeling lasted only for a few seconds and i realised that no one is chasing after with a stuffed rabbit offering it at USD4. Well, i was unhappy! After all, Nic got his at USD4. Why is this guy now refusing to go lower than 5???

Prologue: Much later, at a different stall a bit away, i jumped when someone came up to me and said, "Sir, five US dollar"!!! I then recognised him as the bunny guy. I shook me head and said, "No, no. Four US dollar!" And to my pleasant surprise, he agreed, led me back to his stall and sold me that lil critter for USD4! :-)

*Taken from their 12th album which did rather well only in certain Asian countries.

If you asked me to* - Celine Dion

The script was drafted. Sure, i plagiarised shamelessly from a few movies, threw in many cliches, added in a poem and considered slipping in a song or two.

It was then rehearsed.

All the effort was in vain. The moment i was with her, everything went out the window. I just asked her point blank.

She said yes.

:-)

*This was her remake of the original version by Patti LaBelle who sang the original for the James Bond movie, License To Kill.

Everytime I close my eyes* - Babyface

Yes, some lame DJ in the past commented that 'Every time I close my eyes... i fall asleep'.

I'm saying the same thing now.

I was sitting in a colleague's room and we were chatting. Another colleague came in and joined our conversation. It was getting rather warm in his room and i shut me eyes to rest them just for a second or two. I promptly fell asleep.

When i woke up, me colleagues were laughing me!!! They started making jokes about me staying up late playing computer games like some students of ours - or that i was still suffering from jet-lag since coming back from Saigon!!!!

But really, i've been so tired. And so sleep-deprived. That wasn't the first time when i just shut me eyes for a second or two and then fall into deep slumber! It has happened when i was in me car (thankfully, it was at the traffic lights). It threatened to happen during the staff meeting when i was sitting directly opposite the Reading School of Law head! And yes, it threatened too when we were at the Courts in Saigon and i was seated next to the Chief Justice!!!!

It has gotten worse lately. Previously, i could sneak in some sleep in the evenings. But with Easter practices and other distractions taking up all my free time, sleep is obtained thru stolen cat-naps like a stray (smelly?) cat scavenging for scraps in a dark alley - the journey back from Bar Council, the few moments in me colleague's room, the precious seconds in me car before the lights turn green and the cars behind honk at me...

Sneaking in some sleep in the corner of the top floor of an orphanage in Saigon. Nope, the pic was not taken by a student. By a staff!!! You'd think that adults dun do this kinda things anymore...

I just wish i could sleep now til August!!!!

The plus point about this is that i could just go to sleep at the drop of a hat! I had always been envious of those who can fall asleep the moment their head touches the pillow. I still can't do that but i'm just a couple of seconds slower than them now! Literally!

OK - to sleep now!

*One of his solo hits, this song featured Mariah Carey on backing vocals and Kenny G on the sax.