Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door - Only this, and nothing more."
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore - For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore - Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating, "'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door - Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; - This it is, and nothing more."
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I opened wide the door; - Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?" This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" - Merely this, and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. "Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice: Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore - Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; - 'Tis the wind and nothing more."
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore; Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door - Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door - Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore. "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven, Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore - Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door - Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, With such name as "Nevermore."
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered - Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before - On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before." Then the bird said, "Nevermore."
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, "Doubtless," said I, "what it utters is its only stock and store, Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore - Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore Of 'Never - nevermore'."
But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door; Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore - What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core; This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er, But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er, She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor. "Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he hath sent thee Respite - respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! - Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted - On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore - Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil - prophet still, if bird or devil! By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore - Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore - Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore." Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting - "Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore! Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door! Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!" Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted - nevermore!
---
Dark, really dar and full of despair, yet the poetic merit of it is not lost in that melancholy. I quite like him.
I've long heard of Waraku and the praises my friends sing about that restaurant. Together with Gerald and Shermy, the three of us decided to ascertain the truth behind its reputation.
There are 4 branches, 1 in East Coast, 1 in Katong, 1 in Marina Square and 1 in Cuppage, and we went down to the branch in Marina. Ok, so Chye Ping was right and we made the mistake of not making reservations. The place was packed to capacity with a crowd outside that was enough to fill a corner of any decent sized cafe. The service ther was very nice, giving you a queue number and serving drinks to the patrons who were waiting for a seat. Perhaps it was that good.
Waraku's far from disappointing. On the contrary it was fantastic. The serving size gargantuan, with bowls of noodles larger than the head. I like the place. It has excellent ambience, very cosy and casual. Check out Shermy's review for the whole picture (check out the serving size man!).
I am definitely goin back there (with an advanced reservation of course!).
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say it's all right
Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter Little darling, it feels like years since it's been here Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say it's all right
Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here Here comes the sun, here comes the sun and I say it's all right
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... Sun, sun, sun, here it comes... Sun, sun, sun, here it comes...
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, and I say it's all right It's all right
Oh yeah baby! The exams are over, and there's going to be a 3 month break! Time realy flies, and now, it's on to my sophomore year.
Oh yeah, time to revel in the sun and have fun till the cows come home! Hurrah!
It is confounding how people like to test me. There is a reason why I am called a devil, and pray you not give yourself opportunity to see the reason why.
Forget all your manners and civility and an oversight might spare you one day. Let this be a little warning. I do not appreciate atempts to make me submit, I never do. Only respect and courtesy exist in my world. Those words, the sheer brashness and vulgarity of it all. Disappointing.
Before I decide to absolutely ruin you, let it be known that due caution has been taken to avoid any conflict. Cherish you chance, lest you wish to face the horrors.
So, let us all be civil now, proclamations of defiance are unbased, and let me remind you of your place, your standing in this all. You are merely a coordinator, and not a dictator. You are tasked with a job, and it is certainly not our responsibility to cater to your whims. You accused us of non-compliance, well, well, is there no such thing as a phone? Amusing.
This is an unjustified outburst, but I shall overlook this, ONCE. I am quite annoyed already.
---
Rolling Stones Paint it Black
I see a red door and I want it painted black No colors anymore I want them to turn black I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes I have to turn my head until my darkness goes I see a line of cars and theyre all painted black With flowers and my love both never to come back I see people turn their heads and quickly look away Like a new born baby it just happens evry day I look inside myself and see my heart is black I see my red door and it has been painted black Maybe then Ill fade away and not have to face the facts Its not easy facin up when your whole world is black
No more will my green sea go turn a deeper blue I could not foresee this thing happening to you If I look hard enough into the settin sun My love will laugh with me before the mornin comes
I see a red door and I want it painted black No colors anymore I want them to turn black I see the girls walk by dressed in their summer clothes I have to turn my head until my darkness goes Hmm, hmm, hmm,... I wanna see it painted, painted black Black as night, black as coal I wanna see the sun blotted out from the sky I wanna see it painted, painted, painted, painted black Yeah!
This is highly amusing news. At first people advocated the death of this hapless bear, now there is even the possibility of an assasination plot. What is so contraversial about the zoo's benevolence that has resulted in people hankering for its death?
The sight of a wounded kitten or a hurt puppy is enough to implore the compassion in many people to extend some mercy to it. It's a nice and most natural reaction that is not in anyway out of the ordinary. So, why do environmentalist issue convoluted statements explaining why the poor cub should be put to sleep?
It was reported that Frank Albrecht, saying that since the mother had abandoned the ebar, it was unsuited for survival, had claimed it a better fate for the bear to die than suffer indignation at the zoo. Perhaps it's a case of the press mis-qouting, as is unavoidable occasionally. Is it not perplexing for an animal rights activist to promote the death of an animal. Isn't saving the life of animals what they set out to achieve to begin with?
However, I see nothing wrong with saving a life. If we were to find a baby abandoned by the road, we would have to put it down too? Certainly, applying the same logic, premature births are not predisposed to survival and are not to be allowed to survive? It might be true, sometimes, we need to sacrifice one for a thousand, but we must do it sensibly. In the process, we cannot lose our humanity. That's what we set out to achieve in the first place, a more civil world. Punishment must be dispensed when appropriate, and the perpertrators apprehended.
To see it necessary to met out punishment on innoncent parties is irrational and unreasonable. It is alarming that people support the notion of putting down the poor creature.
In short, I'm just saying that as human beings we must show compassion and kindness in abundance, and not let silly thoughts allow such heartless and steely words to emerge. Everyone and every reature deserves the right to live. Let us as human not allow ourselves to assume that life is ours to take on a wish or whim.
Cheers to Knut.
And some pictures of the cuddly little thing! *wibble*
Mugshots of adorable Knut. (Pictures thanks to BBC) I can just hear the "awws..."
Hey! I think these two songs are a duet of sorts. Both come from the Cowboy Bebop OVA, and one's for Spike, the other for Faye.
Anyway, they're really nice upbeats songs at any rate. Enjoy!
Diggin' Steve Conte (Cowboy Bebop OST)
You know my daddy dug gates for his whole life And he never knew nothing more Yeah and his daddy done the dig like his old man Who had dug before the war And though she couldn't have known till I was born My poor mama God rest her soul Like them I come out diggin'
Well I was layin' out wire on number 9 Now when she come down to earth And she was talkin' real loud All about she was gonna save the universe I went and snuck a lil' peek in her blue eyes And words just aren't enough She had me off and runnin'
Could it be that I got bored and lonely Could it be that I'm jut dumb and horney Could it be that Lady Luck has smiled herself on me
She wore rattlesnake boots, a sassy mood She had me laughin' in my tears The most beautiful thing, so young and sweet A little green behind the ears She took me higher then I ever been Lordy what have I been missin' Now she is all I'm diggin'
Could it be that I got bored and lonely Could it be that I'm jut dumb and horney Could it be that Lady Luck has smiled herself on me
She's smilin' down on me, yeah
Come a little closer Let me show you how it could be Spacy little cowgirl Come a little closer to me Spacy little cowgirl
COSMIC DARE (Pretty with a Pistol)
You and I are betting on words You and I are wandering worlds apart from each other joined at the heart
You and I escaping the Earth Tasting tears for all that it's worth apart from each other joined by a thought Can you believe me? Still sitting pretty with a pistol in hand Living to love you will you be my man? If I beg, If I plead Would you please, please, please satisfy me?
Anything goes in this cosmic dare Anything goes so take care Did you feel my heartbeat to your lies Listen close sweet love of mine
You and I are travelling time You and I a moon rockets climb In tune with forever, never say never we're told
You and I are floating in space You and I are waiting to make the most of a moment alive in this silence so great
Can you believe me? Still sitting pretty with a pistol in hand Living to love you will you be my man? If I beg, If I plead Would you please, please, please satisfy me?
Anything goes in this cosmic dare Anything goes so take care Did you feel my heartbeat to your sighs Mon amour sweet love of mine
Anything goes in this cosmic dare Anything goes so take care Did you feel my heartbeat to your sighs Mon amour sweet love of mine
Ouchie, tagged by Nick, so now a few lucky people shall get tagged too. =p
I hope this doesn't get joted down on someone's little red/black book for future use (hint hint, Chye Ping...), it's all in the fun of it!
Rules of the game: each player of this game starts off with 10 weird things or habits or little known facts about yourself. People who get tagged must write in a blog of their own 10 weird things or habits or little known facts as well as state this rule clearly. At the end you must choose as many people as you like to be tagged and list their names. No tagbacks!
1. I was born left-handed, but somehow whilst growing up, got convinced that I was right-handed. It's quite weird, because I still get mixed up sometimes, I write with my right hand, but I prefer to handle food with my left. I used to use the mouse on the left hand (it ticked off all the users after me in the computer lab to realized that the mouse buttons were reversed. whahahah.), and I wear my watch on my right. Not really ambidextrous per se, just very, rather confused. heh.
2. I can't stand the taste of diary products on their own. Not a mile near plain milk, cheddar cheese or butter for me. Oddly enough, flavoured milk and cheese on pizza is absolutely delicious. Food quirk number 2! I hate runny egg yolks, yolks that are hard boiled and uncooked yolk. I'm fine with omeletes and scrambled eggs, but give me a sunny side up and I'll eat the white and return you the yolk.
3. Still concerning food, I have this quirk of leaving my favourite bit for the last, often resulting in a situation where I'm left with one spoonful of rice and a huge chunk of chicken. But heck, I hardly touch rice these days, so no biggie there. I love weird things like slightly charred fish skin, chicken skin and chocolate! Ok, everyone knows that I'm weak against chocolate, but still I want to reiterate that I LOVE Chocolate!! Hahhaha
4. I HATE INSECTS! Especially cockroaches. I jump and run from them even till this day, and I wonder how I survived my field camps during NS. I mean, yucks! They all icky, slimy and they fly! *shudders* The funnniest thing is I find spiders intriguing and absolutely fine. *shrugs*
5. I used to be a freaking whale, I mean, literally, almost hitting a hundred kilos. I'm about the only one in my family that's not overweight. I cringe whenever I have to produce my IC, because, seriously, the picture inside is soooo vastly different from how I look now.
6. Despite looking all serious and stuff, I actually love to pretend, to act out roles of wild imagination. When I was younger, I used to lie in bed for hours, cooking up these wonderful stories of flight and fantasy. Role playing as a superhero, a warrior and what not. These days, I seem to be stuck in a role of a rather prim and proper person, but really, I'm yearning to break free. To be able to be myself.
7. I believe and seem to be afflicted by this 3 date curse, or maybe its psycological. It's this situation where after 3 dates with a lady, and we almost stop speaking after that. Bad luck, no skills or what? I don't really know. The best part? I've not exactly gotten over most of them. *weak smile* Oh, somewhere out there must be someone who will come and break this curse! Where are you?
8. Whilst we're on girls, despite being more than averagely popular and having a fair share of admirers, I've never had any romanic success... Sobs. Perhaps it's those 4 years in a boys school, but now, I'm absolutely terrified by women. Seriously! I don't know how to handle them, I get all nervous and shy around them. I can't even speak naturally. Like thinking too much, trying to make a good impression, and saying the right things. When they don't know me, I'm still pretty fine, when they know me, they find that I absolutely sucks... Oh woe is me. T_T
9. I absolutely love glow-in-the-dark objects! They're so fascinating, like little beacons of hope shining through even though it is dark outside. Whereever I go, I'll make it a point to adjourn my room, table and place with things that glow in the dark, so that during the night, there'll be something shining through.
10. I was once a typical nerd/geek who played all the latest computer games and collected all the spiderman comics! With great power comes great responsibility. When I was younger, I was either in school or locked in the room using the internet to search out images of spiderman, the latest walkthroughs for the game I'm currently playing or downloading music soundtracks from those games. Otherwise, I'm glued to the playstation set. 4 hours every saturday and sunday, from 2 - 6, I remember, and I'll chew through a whole bag of Doritos whilst at that 4 hour session. Thank god that was in the past.
Wow, that was actually pretty fun! I didn't know I wasn't that boring.
Alright! Drum roll please!
I tag - Seng, Jac, Shermy, Gerald, Claire, Tim, Mei-chan, Fergie, and everyone else who reads this.
Please excuse the crude language and senseless banter.
I hardly remember dreams these days, but, I did this one. In it was she, I mean I hardly ever dream of people to begin with, not real ones. Antropormorphic personifications, fantasy realms and ficiton, that's the usual contents of my dreams.
But thi one was real, not real, real, but based on reality real. The places were real and the people too. You were there and then you were not. She transformed into someone else. Weirdness. One moment it was she, the next it was someone else.
Freud said dreams were a reflection of memories, fragments of truth mixed with imagination and edited with fiction. Pretty much so, but how can I start mixing people up?
It's as though the nightmare encounters with girls in my life are melding together into one memory and its manifest is an amagamation of the characteristics that I liked, loved, wished to see and the hurt, the torment and the flaws. Melding into one weird fragment of emotions and being applied unto her.
m, a case of mistaken emotions. k, it was unrequitted. j, much fun while it lasted. y, a case of non-resolution. a, just two loners. c, I was hunged and left there.
6 of them looing over like shadows. Past tense, and question marks. They're like a closet full of likable skeletons, and thanks to ambiguity, never really existed.
Scaring the shit out of me, hurting the guts off of me, and ensuring that absolutely no one is trusted.
Oh dear, oh dear. Gavin, when will you ever get up and learn? When will you ever pick yourself up from that crying puddle in the corner of the room.
The pain of the world, the cries of the planet, these are all bearable, but when left alone in the solitude of the silent night, is a fear and insecurity that needs to be overcome.
Afraid, shivering and cowering inside, afraid to be who I really want to be, because it might contain dark bits. trying too hard to impress and forgetting myself. Putting on facades to deceive, yes, deception, and pretence. Who can I show my true self to?
The realm of uncertainty, the realm of hopelessness, the barren land of despair and melancholy, where I stalk as the evil, unlikable, so justifying the uneasiness I feel. A devil or death, which duty dictates, shall roam forever alone.
It's just an exucse for having no one to cuddle in the middle of the night. A sad lie to decorate the pathetically weak and unsound foundations of a shaky castle. Expounding virtues and principles and dreams of making life better for everyone, in hopes that it makes the void a little less empty. It doesn't work, there's alwas this hole there, that missing link, just someone to hold me and tell me it's alright even when I fail. Someone I shall protect to the ends of the world.
La mer Qu'on voit danser le long des golfes clairs A des reflets d'argent La mer Des reflets changeants Sous la pluie La mer Au ciel d'été confond Ses blancs moutons Avec les anges si purs La mer, bergère d'azur infinie. Voyez Près des étangs Ces grands roseaux mouillés. Voyez Ces oiseaux blancs Et ces maisons rouillées. La mer Les a bercés Le long des golfes clairs Et d'une chanson d'amour La mer A bercé mon cœur pour la vie.
Translation:
The sea which we see dancing along the clear gulfs has silver reflections. The sea has changing reflections Under the rain. The sea To the summer sky's confuses her white sheep With angels so pure. The sea, Shepherdess of infinite blue. See Next to the ponds Those tall wet reeds. See Those white birds And those rusty houses. The sea Has rocked them Along the clear gulfs And with a love song The sea Has rocked my heart for life.
-----
The song which inspired Frank Sinatra's Beyond the sea.
Diplomacy and Politics is a complex set of games in which the rules do not exist. The guidelines are undefined and the objective obscured. Or so it may seem. At the end of the day, every politician has his own goals and aspirations.
The hardest part in this is balancing the wants of the people and the personal vision of the politician. Duty carries an inherent amnesiac quality; the sheer responsibility of office seeks to erode the core of one's ideals, creating another administrator.
Office carries with it a great burden, and if left unchecked, easily devours the idealist and churns out an automaton. What do the masses want and what you want for the masses.
When the masses demand entertainment at the expense of economic productivity. What do you grant?
What should a leader believe in? Country, people, family, profit, environment?
