A Glimpse of Curiosity

There he was. Looking at me, wondering what was the thing that was pointing at him. He was one of the three newly borns of my neighbour's cat. They run around, hide in the drain, catching each other's tails. So free, without worries, born with curiousity to try everything that catches attention in this wild world.

Yesterday Once More

When I was young
I'd listened to the radio
Waiting for my favorite songs
Waiting they played Id sing along
It made me smile

Those were such happy times
And not so long ago
How I wondered where theyd gone
But theyre back again
Just like a long lost friend
All the songs I loved so well

Every sha-la-la-la
Every wo-wo-wo
Still shines
Every shing-a-ling-a-ling
That they're starting to sing
So fine

When they get to the part
Where hes breaking her heart
It can really make me cry
Just like before
Its yesterday once more

Looking back on how it was
In years gone by
And the good times that I had
Makes today seem rather sad
So much has changed

It was songs of love that
I would sing to then
And I'd memorized each word
Those old melodies
Still sound so good to me
As they melt the years away

All my best memories
Come back clearly to me
Some can even make me cry
Just like before
It's yesterday once more
***
The Carpenters

I remember this song and I think many people do. I remember watching the concert of the carpenters which was recorded by my dad in the video tape. Karen Carpenters singing with her brother playing the piano. It's a very simple song with simple lyrics, and yet which is so true that I think it touches many hearts.

People wish for a yesterday-once-more, and I believe those old songs that we've listened in the past, easily they would bring us back to those days, and once again, we engulf ourselves in the memories. So many songs that we've sung and so many yesterdays. Eventually, as we grow older, these songs became the marker that marks our generation.

I appreciated each and every songs which bring me back to the days.

It's yesterday once more.

Tumbler

I tasted the sudden sense of giving up. Mind blocked from finding reasons not to support "you are who you're born to be". I always deny and, wanted to deny. The ought to be that's in mind, suddenly seems so far. Have been holding the fort of mind, don't want to give up on the belief of you can go further, and like what people said, the sky is the limit. Sometimes, you just don't know, whether you've been pushing yourself too far that you tend to disappoint yourself. Perfections? You ask yourself. Maybe that's the reason that sometimes you struggle.
Tumbler falls and bounce up back.

Rain

It's going to rain again. It had just rain this morning, but it's coming back again. I feel the same raining ambience. I've just got my speaker installed, it's just the right time for some "Noon's songs". Many people I know like raining. They like the cooling feel, cloudy sky, which is just so nice for a nap. Yes, it is indeed.

Most of the time, I would say, I don't really prefer raining. But if it comes during a lazy afternoon, with a collection of songs playing. It's a splendid moment to be in. Which is why I like it now. The rain hasn't pouring down yet and it's gloomy. No little children playing, it's so quiet outside, not even cars passing by. I see my neighbours' cat lying lazily outside, at the car porch. Looking out, as if he's enjoying the gloomy view as well and waiting for the first drop of rain to come.

It still hasn't rained yet and I'm still waiting.
Or is it holding back, for tomorrow?

By the moment the thought stops, I heard the rain tapping on the roof. It is finally here.

"Life's Tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late."

-Benjamin Franklin

I saw this in a local magazine. If it doesn't make sense to you in any way, then you should be glad.

A life of happiness or a life with meaning.

There comes a time, when a man has to ask himself, whether he wants a life of happiness or a life with meaning.
They are two very different paths. To be truly happy, a man has to live absolutely in the present. No thoughts of what's gone before, no thoughts of what lies ahead. But life with meaning, a man is condemned to wallowing the past and obsessed about the future.

** Heroes

Are you living the life of present or are you obsessed about your future?

Bali Ha'i

Listening to Bali Ha'i, thinking about the sky meeting the sea in Bali. Spending 6 days in this special island, bringing back the perspective about this place, the people and the culture derived from the experience. Kuta Beach, considered the hottest spot, with happening streets of pubs and bistros and sea that becomes surfers' heaven. Hotels, cafes and restaurants are almost everywhere. By just walking in your flip-flops, you can explore the places around. Anytime you're tired, you can just wave for a horse cart, get on it, and there you go, exploring the place in constant speed without being sun-kissed. With 93% hindus, temples are what you will see everywhere you go. The temples look mysterious and ancient in which ever way. The architecture of the temples seems to be well-reserved, with unspeakable mystery.

"Babi Guling", which means roasted pork, is one of it's famous cuisine, that must not be missed. The way that your dish will be served is, "Babi Guling" along with other dishes, well-arranged in a small basket. And there will be rice too. Good restaurants, especially western cuisine restaurants are everywhere, which might be a little extravagant for 6 days. Mc D which is nearby the beach, in and out you may see pretty ladies in bikinis or hot guys with bare tops and only beach pants, and bare-footed too.

Balinese are friendly and soft. If you looked like you're lost, there will be balinese come to your aid, showing you the way to your destination, without having any intentions which you might have encountered as travellers at some unfamiliar places. Warm smiles at many of the places you visit. In Bali, you will enjoy the hospitalities.

Different kinds of souvenirs are sold at the tourists spots. By the beach, there's women and men sitting under the shady trees, or even walking around, selling sarungs, shirts, providing manicures or tattoo. Had a stroll by the beach and there's an old grandma, asking me whether I would like to have a massage. She just put her hands on my shoulder, and was giving a small pressure while persuading me. I said no, thanks, and she asked me to look for her, if I changed my mind. Wondering how much they earn each day. Will there be any days, which they don't have any customers? Felt bad that I have to turn down their offers.

Really appreciate the tour guide's accompany, little thoughts sharing and his appreciation to tourist who visit Bali which helps Bali's economy. Bali, the beautiful island, deserves the recognition as the world's top, as well as the peacefulness which the people have regained.

Stop This Train

No I'm not colour blind
I know the world is black and white
I try to keep an open mind
But I just can't sleep on this tonight

Stop this train
I want to get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly, won't someone stop this train?

Don't know how else to say it
I don't want to see my parents go
One generation's length away
From fighting life out on my own

Stop this train
I want to get off
And go home again
I can't take the speed it's moving in
I know I can't
But honestly, won't someone stop this train?

So scared of getting older
I'm only good at being young
So I play the numbers game
To find a way to stay that life has just begun

Had a talk with my old man
Said "help me understand"
He said "turn sixty-eight"
"You'll renegotiate"

"Don't stop this train
Don't for a minute change the place you're in
And don't think I couldn't ever understand
I tried my hand
Honestly we'll never stop this train"

Once in a while
When it's good
It will feel like it should
And they all still around
And you're still safe and sound
And you don't miss a thing
Till you cry when you're driving away in the dark
***
John Mayer

Afraid of the running time. The more you're chasing at it, the faster it is running away. I feel that I'm not able to catch up with it. Getting older and one thing I realise is, the unit of measurement of time changes from a small scale to a larger scale. Instead of counting by hours, it is now counting by weeks, going towards months. Is that what my elders have been trying to make me understand all these while?

I remember there's once, when my father brought grandma to meet one of her old friends. Whom she had not been meeting since 40 years ago. After 40 years, they're both in their 70's and 80's. At that time, grandma's eyesight were not that good, and I remember the aunty was not able to walk, sitting in a wheel chair. I was quite young that time, but I can still remember, they had so many things to chat about, and when it's time to leave, I remember both of them holding each other's hands hard, weeping and saying, "Maybe this is the last time we see each other." I wasn't able to understand it, just thought about telling grandma and aunty, please don't say that, it's not good to say like this. When come to think about it now, I realise, how much pain it was, to knowing the truth of life, to not be able to buy back time when there's not much time to be spent. There're times, when we're straining ourselves, try to fight back the reality, asking why. Maybe it's true, as the lyrics said, "turn sixty-eight, and you'll renegotiate". You will not be that stubborn.

Thus, try to fully utilise the time for the favourite things. Not willing to sleep until I'm tired. Well, guess I should now, after getting down with the writing down.

Morning

Morning has broken. Like the first morning.
The closed curtain. I was about to reveal the whole new morning. Anticipate for a bright morning, I pull the curtain. Grab a grasp of breath. The world outside the window is still the same. I'm glad. Glad to see the life outside. The running clouds, the flowing river, and walking men and women. The sunlight coming in, a beautiful start.

Everyday

Feel drained. Drained of all strength. Feel tired, mentally tired that you just don't wish to think just about anything. For you know, it is...the end of the day.

Everyday is about not willing to get up from the bed, an extra 5 minutes of being tucked in the bed means a lot to you. The alarm goes on and off, from 1 snooze to another. Then, it's time to get up. Looking outside the window, somehow feel grateful to get to see another day. Everyday is earning a living, repeating work, repeating cycles and sometimes, repeating grumbles. Looking at the people around, nobody is not. It is the life that everyone's trying to maintain, gulping in the pressures everyday, hoping to earn a better life.

Lunch will then be the half a day break. Everybody is heading for lunch, while sometimes you wait and wait to conclude one episode of your work. Work is like a never ending story, you know that you can keep on working and working forever if you're going to. When you're stacked under the pile of works, then you started to question why. Does your life have to be this way, does your everyday have to be spent like this? It's the norm that everybody has to be in the rat race, pursuing dreams, enjoying once in a while. Break away is what you need. Skipping the routine is what you wish to do after so many..everyday.

Coffee break? Need caffeine cause you feel sleepy? No, most of the time, that's not the case. It's just that, you're addicted. Or, maybe, coffee soothes you a little from all of the non-stop thinking. It just help you to slow down the pace, that you may refresh for a while before getting back to work. It's either coffee or tea. They're our life support.

It's already sunset, you see the clock showing at the small little corner of your screen. Take a look around, some preparing to leave, some are still in deep thoughts. Then you think, how about you. Everyday is no difference, counting days, realising time passing by, gaining experience, finish one and work on another...
Yes. It's the end of the day. It's your everyday which you still appreciate. And that's what matters the most.

At the end of the day, you will still be humming...
What a difference a day made, 24 little hours...