.

A little something from the F1 Japanese GP weekend

2010-10-15T23:27:00.004+08:00

" On the 10th of October 2010, at 10hr 10
Mins 10 secs, Car number 10 is the fastest car on the track. "

2010-10-03T21:43:00.006+08:00

Even though its right in front of you,
- There's something that you can't have.
No matter how much you stretch your hand out,
- There's something that you can never touch.
Is there a light at the end of the path if you continue to search ?
Is there a tiny bit of happiness waiting as such ?

The Night Sky

2010-10-03T19:20:00.006+08:00

When I was young, I honestly didn't get why so many people gathered to see fireworks, which disappeared right away. I don't actually remember which ones were pretty or which ones were amazing. However, even if I don't remember the colors and shapes of the fireworks, I can still exactly remember the people I was with on that day.

This year I have someone I want to see the fireworks with. The one he wanted to see the fireworks with was not me. The sound of the fireworks and the sound of my voice did not reach his ears. I thought it would be great if at least these fireworks lasted forever. I wanted the fireworks to light up the night sky until the day the pain in my heart disappears and I am able to smile about this.

2009-12-20T23:31:00.004+08:00

Senior Year : Today's Feelings, Tomorrow's Dreams; Yesterday's Sadness .....

.A Midget Is Knocking In My Heart.

2009-12-20T13:41:00.007+08:00

How do i tell him i love him? Looking at his Back View. And That Assuring Smile I Desperately Wanted Him to Hold My Hand - Funny I only Thought of Him Going for My Hand But Not My Lips.

Charm Bracelet

2009-11-29T10:06:00.011+08:00
I'm not handling things particularly well these days. I move a mile a minute, gets bored in two seconds flat. This bracelet keeps me grounded.

Star 1 : I wished that I can someday find a dream that I can chase after with all my might.
Star 2 : I Want to always Wake up & Wash Away my Sleep in the Sea.
Star 3 : Sports reminded me of the greatness we all had inside of us. On any given day an underdog can rise up.
Star 4 : I will always put this person before me. If it was for this person , I can do anything.
Star 5 : I want to fall in love soo hard that I could feel my heart is being ripped out of me.

We are walking down our paths without thinking about it. That doesn't mean we are worshipping meaningless things. We 'll try to find what's significant and keep our hopes alive. That's our Youth.. Probably.

Serenity

2009-01-25T21:26:00.003+08:00

One should seek serenity to cultivate the body, thriftiness to cultivate the morals. Seeking fame and wealth will not lead to noble ideal. Only by seeking serenity will one reach far.

[ Zhugeliang ]

The Neck Ring of the Dove

2008-12-28T19:20:00.003+08:00

Ibn Hazm's Tawq al-Hamama - The Ring of the Dove

A youth work of an Andalusian poet and philosopher Abu Muhammad `Ali Ibn Hazm al-Andalusi (Córdoba, 994-1064 CE), The Ring of the Dove is a book about love. In it Ibn Hazm talks about love at first sight, about how to recognize whether people are in love, about the butterfies in one stomach when one gazes upon the person that they love. The book was written around 1022 CE in Játiva, south of Valencia and also provide observations of daily life through poetry, giving readers a enthralling view on life and love in Islamic Córdoba (A city in southern Spain).

The Neck Ring of the Dove - The Signs of Love

2008-12-28T19:16:00.012+08:00

" LOVE has certain signs, which the intelligent man quickly detects, and the shrewd man readily recognizes. Of these the first is the brooding gaze: the eye is the wide gateway of the soul, the scrutinizer of its secrets, conveying its most private thoughts, and giving expression to its deepest-hid feelings. You will see the lover gazing at the beloved unblinkingly; his eyes follow the loved one's every movement, withdrawing as he withdraws, inclining as he inclines, just as the chameleon's stare shifts with the shifting of the sun. I have written a poem on this topic, from which the following may be quoted. "

My eye no other place of rest
Discovers, save with thee;
Men say the lodestone is possessed
Of a like property.

To right or left it doth pursue
Thy movements up or down,
As adjectives in grammar do
Accord them with their noun.
-
[ Excerpt form The Ring of the Dove. Translated by A.J. Arberry ]

The Neck Ring of the Dove - The Signs of Love

2008-12-28T19:13:00.009+08:00
" The lover will direct his conversation to the beloved, even when he purports however earnestly to address another: the affectation is apparent to anyone with eyes to see. When the loved one speaks, the lover listens with rapt attention to his every word; he marvels at everything the beloved says, however extraordinary and absurd his observations may be; he believes him implicitly even when he is clearly lying, agrees with him though he is obviously in the wrong, testifies on his behalf for all that he may be unjust, follows after him however he may proceed and whatever line of argument he may adopt. The lover hurries to the spot where the beloved is at the moment, endeavors to sit as near him as possible sidles up close to him, lays aside all occupations that might oblige him to leave his company, makes light of any matter however weighty that would demand his parting from him, is very slow to move when he takes his leave of him. I have put this somewhere into verse. "
No captive for the gallows bound
With more reluctance quits his cell
Than I thy presence, in profound
Regret to say farewell.

But when, my darling, comes the time
That we may be together, I
Run swiftly as the moon doth climb
The ramparts of the sky.

At last, alas! That sweet delight
Must end anew; I, lingering yet,
Turn slowly, as from heaven's height
The fixed stars creep to set.

" Other signs of love are that sudden confusion and excitement betrayed by the lover when he unexpectedly sees the one he loves coming upon him unawares, that agitation which overmasters him on beholding someone who resembles his beloved or, on hearing his name suddenly pronounced. This I have put into verse, as the following extract indicates. "

Whene'er my ranging eyes descry
A person clad in red,
My heart is split with agony
And sore discomforted.

His roguish glance, as I conclude,
Has shed such human blood
That now his garments are imbrued
All saffron from the flood.
-
[ Excerpt form The Ring of the Dove. Translated by A.J. Arberry ]

The Neck Ring of the Dove - The Signs of Love

2008-12-28T16:42:00.024+08:00

" A man in love will give prodigally to the limit of his capacity, in a way that formerly he would have refused; as if he were the one receiving the donation, he the one whose happiness is the object in view; all this in order that he may show off his good points, and make himself desirable. How often has the miser opened his purse strings, the scowler relaxed his frown, the coward leapt heroically into the fray, the clod suddenly become sharp-witted, the boor turned into the perfect gentleman, the stinker transformed himself into the elegant dandy, the sloucher smartened up, the decrepit recaptured his lost youth, the godly gone wild, the self-respecting kicked over the traces-and all because of love!

All these signs are to be observed even before the fire of Love is properly kindled, ere its conflagration truly bursts forth, its blaze waxes fierce, its flames leap up. But when the fire really takes a hold and is firmly established, then you will see the secret whispering, the unconcealed turning away from all present but the beloved. I have some verses in which I have contrived to bring together many of these signs, and will now quote from these. "

I love to hear when men converse
And in the midst his name rehearse;
The air I breathe seems redolent
That moment with the amber's scent,
But when he speaketh, I give ear
Unto no other sitting near,
But lean to catch delightedly
His pretty talk and coquetry,
Nor yet, though my companion there
The Prince of All the Faithful were,
Permit my mind to be removed
On his account from my beloved.
And if, through dire compulsion,
I Stand up at last to say good-bye,
Still glancing fondly at my sweet
I stumble, as on wounded feet;
My eyes upon his features play
The while my body drifts away,
As one the billows tumble o'er
Yet gazes, drowning, on the shore.
When I recall how distant he
Now is, I choke in sorrow's sea,
Weary as one who sinks, to expire
In some deep bog, or raging fire.
Yet, if thou sayest, " Canst thou still
Aspire to heaven? " " That I will ",
I answer boldly, " and I know
The stairs that to its summit go! "
-
[ Excerpt form The Ring of the Dove. Translated by A.J. Arberry ]

What Youth Is All About.

2008-08-06T22:44:00.005+08:00

Well, I think its doing something no one else has ever done

or use all ur energy until you can no longer go on.
Stuff like that..

Another Spring Has Come & Gone.

2008-07-21T21:33:00.008+08:00
Why must people chase after things that are impossible to reach ?

Why must people continue to walk forward while following a goal they can't see?

I don't know the reason why.
However, there is one thing that is certain - I was the one who choose a spring where nothing began and nothing change.

In The Pouring Rain.

2008-07-21T21:23:00.010+08:00
When you see those people, don't you think the happier ones are those who are wiling to give up anything for something they want to obtain ?

Cause it gives them the ability to run in the rain.

On My Bike..

2008-07-07T22:25:00.006+08:00
When I was young, while riding my bike I suddenly thought,

" If I was to ride like this forever, how far will I go?"

" If I continue on like this, where will I be?"

" The place that I reach, what will it look like?"

Once I reach Tokyo, I never turned around. I never stopped the pace of my journey. The more I pedaled, the more I felt the insecurity and plainness of my views of the future. Even my worries were slowly fading away. Also, the further I went, the more deeply I felt the importance of the things I was leaving behind and how I was distancing myself from them. Because.. I have a place I want to return to, that is why you have the motivation to continue this journey. Because, there's people I want to see. That is why I hope I can find the courage. I have friends I am proud of. That is why.. even when I am feeling sad and disappointed, I can still continue onwards. Finally, at the end of my journey, I saw a place with no wind or rain. To go back to the place that belonged to me and everyone.. Its time to go back. To go back again on the same lengthy journey.

Takemoto Yūta, Honey and Clover ハチミツとクローバ

[ The NutCase ]

2008-03-20T21:18:00.015+08:00
Nadia : One of the only person who I could actually sit beside, never saying a word, and then walk away feeling like that was the best conversation I ever had. Thats how comfortable I am when I am with her. She represents "Serenity" And when I say Serenity, I don't mean "quiet". As long as she is there, regardless of what is happening, I feel safe when I am with her. “When Nadia is around, everything would be okay.”

I knew Nadia ever since I was 13. Among all of us, maybe she's the one who cares the most about the members of our group. She is someone who always "reads the atmosphere". Not only when we are in school, even when we are hanging out she would always give off a feeling that she is observing everything carefully. She observes them - Our faces, she watches them well. Without her, our group would fall apart. She is that type of person - how do i explain it - If there were only 3 sweets that everyone likes, she would be the first to say "It's okay, You can have it."

She seems to understand what I am thinking. Like when I'm thinking lets do something crazy, before I know it - she already on it. We click on that level. Even after all these years apart, it seems whenever we talk, those years never seem to have passed. She's still the girl I knew in sec school.

To a Girl who's smile makes everything worthwhile : -

" Without You, I can't even begin to imagine how dull my sec life would have been. Glad we dare to be crazy. Without you, my broken heart won't heal any faster. Glad you were there always, beside me. Without you, I won't be the person I am today. Thank you for just being you. Remember the crazy things you did for love? I was there, I've seen it, I've heard you tell me about it. Glad you survived it. Remember our after school walk home? In sec 1. Remember that? Ita was there too. Our laughter constantly ringing in my ear. Time seem to stood still then huh.. Glad we walked that path together. Remember the inter-class netball competitions. With sweat, tears & blood, Glad we fought on with all of our might despite whatever. Remember home economics? Next time I'll teach you how to scale a fish properly ok. [laugh] Glad you were my Partner. Lastly, Thanx for accepting me for who I am, Thanx for evry single one of those 365 days multiply by the 1-2-3-4 years, Thanx for always putting effort in our friendship, Thanx for just keeping it burning. May it never burn out. Not Now, not Tomorrow, not Ever. "

-: Allyphant

[ The StarGazer ]

2008-03-20T16:22:00.025+08:00
Ita Suzana : Despite the many things that we have in common, we cannot be so much more different. She thinks ahead into the future, but for me I live in the present. She seeks for greater challenges, while I'm more or less easily contented. We worry about different things. Somehow in our special way, We help each other to grow into our own person. She's always somewhere near me, even though we're mostly apart now. How long has it been - 12 years? I've known her for half my life.

Ita has a very independent world of her own, whether for you to enter it, is for you to decide. However once you have taken a step in, I believe that you would sink in. She is a determine individual. As soon as she sets her mind to something, her determination would never waver. She also has a strong sense of self identity. Be it in work, or sports, once she decided "THIS", the passion she have towards it is amazing.

Back when we were 17, She once told a friend - "Alifah's my best friend." But I never returned that comment, even once. Maybe I'm shy, and maybe it sounds cheesy at that time - her words I remembered till today. But I haven't hear those words for a long time since. I regretted losing track of the one girl that meant a lot to me. I should have been a better friend.

To a Girl who makes dreams worth chasing for : -

" Without You, I can't imagine how directionless my sec life would have been. Glad you thought me how to dream. Without you, my secrets would have been such a burden. Glad to share with you those moments. Without you, my tears won't dry any faster. Glad you were always there, beside me. Remember the end of Sec 1 sabo? This senior hose water all over you. As pissed as you were, I also sensed that you were having fun. Can't forget your facial expressions then. Remember the migraines you had when in lower sec. Somedays, it got so bad that I felt helpless as a friend. Glad you got better. Remember the Sec 3 & 4 4x400 m relay. Although we narrowly missed out in Sec 4. I'm glad we ran our legs off together. Remember Astrology. Yes. Your beloved astrology. You can talk about them for hours. Most of the time I don't understand any of it. Well 90% of the time. [laugh] But I can sensed your happiness from deep within. Please continue telling me about it. Lastly, Thanx for letting me be me, Thanx for not judging me, Thanx for being patient with my antics, my late arrivals, and my last min cancellations. I'll work on being a better friend. Call me at 3 or 5 am in the morning. Call me when I'm here, there or somewhere. I'll listen. Here is to the next 10 years. And many more 10 years to come. "

- : Allyphant

The Start of Something New.

2008-03-20T03:59:00.007+08:00
During my first year, I was a social butterfly, fluttering around to different cliques. My sitting arrangement in class was somewhat bizzare. At 1 point, I was seated in front, next right at the back, then somewhere in the middle - all over the place it seems. Naturally I mixed and mingled with those around me. However there will always be a point where you wished you had a group to call your own - the first whom you run to to spill on your latest crush, the first to hear from about the latest gossip, the first with whom to do the craziest stuffs, and the first you go to for a shoulder to cry on. Before I knew it, these special human beings came along and became a part of me.

" At this moment, there are 6 billion, 4 hundred, 71 million, 8 hundred, 18 thousand, 6 hundred, 71 people in the world. Some are running scared.. some are coming home. Some tell lies to make it through the day.. others are just now facing the truth. Some are evil men at war with good, and some are good.. struggling with evil. 6 billion people in the world, 6 billion souls -- and sometimes.. all you need is 1. "

- [ Peyton Sawyer, One Tree Hill ]

First Daze.

2008-03-20T03:34:00.007+08:00
Growing up in Pasir Ris, I attended a school that is a neighbourhood away - Tampines Sec. Far away from my parents eyeview, at that age that was my definition of what freedom is. 'Normal' for us meant seeking separation from our parents. The school is situated right infont of the 2 largest malls in the east. It looked set to be our place of worshipped for the next 4 years - our ultimate playground. Before long the school became our santuary and the mall became our temple.

Entering a new school can be nerve-racking, sharing it with hundreds other unknown students can be even more intimidating. The endless halls and hundreds of classroms were overwhelming but i took it in with all the pleasure of starting a new adventure. As i scan every corner of the canteen.. hoping for a familiar face, I saw May & Safinah (Ex primary school mates) walking towards me. I take a breath and say to my self - "Everything will be fine".

" Welcome to a Life of Insecurity & Paralyzing Self-Doubt. "

- [ Seth Cohen, The O.C ]

Love is All About High School.

2008-03-20T02:55:00.010+08:00
Back then, I was like any other adolescent - full of life, beaming with enthusiasm, exuding from confidence and tormented by raging hormones and uncontrollable emotions. The world was my oyster and It was mine to be conquered. A time of zero responsibility and endless dreams. That secondary school life was the most beautiful thing that I had encountered. Its where we make life long friends, where we meet our first loves. A place where we learn not only about equations and formulas, but about the bigger picture. 10 years on, somewhere I lost some of that "youthful exuberance". . Where is that Girl ? That Girl was full of life ! That Girl was full of hope ! That Girl was ME.

" Human cells are made thousands of times in a day. When a week passes, though a person may still look the same, they will slowly change into another being. Who I am now... only exists in this moment. I don't want what I am feeling right now to vanish. I want to ___... In that way, I want to be unique, be my own self. Worrying about how you are perceived and judged by other everyday. Being in that situation, spending my days in suffering. I don't want it. I want to make deep, deep friendships. I want to experience a strong and sincere youth. I want to ___ ... I want to do it.. I want to do it.. I want to do it.. "

- [ Shinomura Etsuko, Ganbatte Ikimasshoi ]

Underneath The Same Sky

2008-01-16T23:28:00.002+08:00
Even if you messed up, you can't depend on others.

You'll be Okay.

Because we'll both be under the same sky.

The Damn Midgets !

2008-01-02T09:24:00.002+08:00
The midgets in my head are opening and closing the drawers of my brain - HELP !!

Individuality III

2007-11-19T19:52:00.001+08:00
Like Your Self, if you give up the most important things in your life, you will gradually lose your true self. Some one who can lie to themselves is.. Lonely.

Wandering "Aimlessly".

2007-11-19T19:40:00.002+08:00
We are walking down our paths without thinking about it. That doesn't mean we are worshipping meaningless things. We 'll try to find what's significant and keep our hopes alive. That's our Youth.. Probably.

[ Nakatsu Shuichi, Hanazakari no Kimitachi e 花ざかりの君たちへ ]

"Life is fun" When She's With Me.

2007-09-29T09:36:00.000+08:00
What is this that I'm feeling. I can't understand it !

Why does it feel different?

Through the years, I've seen her grown, developed and change . But to me #### will always be the #### I knew from secondary school days. A friend is someone that no matter how much time passes, or our circumstances change, they will always continue to treat me the same. Most importantly she let me be me.

We've been friends since 14. Out of 365, we were together 300 days - either hanging out or on the phone. Sometimes the call would be like " What are you doing? " " Outside.... " The call will end like that. Lasting only 60 seconds. But sometimes the conversation will carry on, becoming a lengthy one. We are both stubborn. We do pisses each other off. However everytime whenever we are reaching our limits, like I have my own problems, and so does she, I always wanting to end up talking it out with her and she with me.

When I'm with her, I feel reassured. She has that kind of an existence. I like to randomly call her for no particular reason. It seems natural to just call her - when I'm irritated or troubled, sometimes w/o making her known. She always says I'm forever bored. She always say I'm afraid of loneliness. That I can't do anything alone. But "Life is fun" when she's with me.

This last year.. what is that feeling inside? Something seems to be holding me back. It doesn't seems natural anymore. I hate it.

I will always be the girl she knew in secondary school..

Enclosed : Kizuna

Kizuna (Bond) - A Dedication to Friendship.

2007-09-23T13:15:00.000+08:00

No matter how much I think about the future,
No one sees what's really happening.
Something gets stuck in the gap of my heart,
It's just a mistake that I've been repeating.

Its okay if it's one step at a time, Just don't let go of my hand.
The steps that we took together, You are going to keep on living.
Even if we're torn apart, till we're ragged.
The bond of that time, that place will never disappear.

Making sure we don't lose it in the flow of time.
Passing by, our real thoughts & feelings collided.
Permeated my heart, into warm memories.
That we met is the miracle I longed for.

Even when things couldn't stand still, amidst the pain.
I saw the light inside, because we were bound together.
It's okay if you lied; It's okay if you cry.
The bond of that time, that place will never disappear.

Its okay if its' one step at a time, Just don't let go of my hand.
The steps that we took together, You are going to keep on living.
Even if we're torn apart, till we're ragged.
The bond of that time, that place will never disappear.

[ Kizuna (Bond), Kamenashi Kazuya]

When's The Last Time You Asked Me " Are You OK? "

2007-09-02T09:49:00.000+08:00
Some Words just need no saying, You can just feel it.

You may enjoy the friends you laughed with, But what about those who cried with you ?

Here's to The Shit we Talk,
The Boys we Stalk,
The Way we Shop,
The Laughs we cant Stop,
The Dumb Jokes we Crack,
The Gossip we Spill,
The Movie Popcorn we Share,
The Future we Dream,
The Shoulder we Cry On,
The Ears we Lend,
The Money we Borrow,
The Friday Night Hang Outs and Afternoon Walks,
The Midnight Calls and Private Talks.
Here's to Friends Forever?

The sky isn’t always blue; The sun doesn’t always shine,
It’s ok to fall apart sometimes.

Some Things Never Change

2007-08-19T11:13:00.000+08:00
" And the little prince said to the man, 'Grownups never understand anything for themselves, and it is tiresome for children to be always explaining things to them. ' "

[ Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, "Le Petit Prince" ]

Individuality III

2007-08-19T10:54:00.000+08:00
" All my life I had been looking for something, and everywhere I turned someone tried to tell me what it was. I accepted their answers too, though they were often in contradiction and even self-contradictory. I was naïve. I was looking for myself and asking everyone except myself questions which I, and only I, could answer. It took me a long time and much painful boomeranging of my expectations to achieve a realization everyone else appears to have been born with: that I am nobody but myself. "

[ Ralph Ellison, "Battle Royal" ]

Individuality II

2007-08-19T10:48:00.000+08:00
" You must have control of the authorship of your own destiny. The pen that writes your life story must be held in your own hand. "

[ Irene C. Kassorla ]

Individuality I

2007-08-19T10:33:00.000+08:00
" To be nobody-but-yourself - in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else - means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting. "

[ E.E. Cummings ]

The Places You Have Come To Fear The Most.

2007-08-19T10:01:00.000+08:00
" Do not let your fire go out, spark by irreplaceable spark in the hopeless swaps of the not-quite, the not-yet, and the not-at-all. Do not let the hero in your soul perish in lonely frustration for the life you deserved and have never been able to reach. The world you desire can be won. It exists.. it is real.. it is possible.. it's yours. "

[ Ayn Rand, "Atlas Shrugged" ]

The Importance of Seizing Opportunity at the Right Moment

2007-08-19T09:44:00.000+08:00
" There is a tide in the affairs of men. Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. But omitted, and the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and miseries. On such a full sea are we now afloat, and we must take the current when it serves -- or lose the ventures before us. "

[ William Shakespeare, "Julius Caesar" ]

Innocence Never Lasts Forever .

2007-08-18T11:22:00.001+08:00
From mine it's a generation that's circles the globe and searches something we haven't tried before. So never refuse an invitation, never resist the unfamiliar, never fail to be polite and never outstay the welcome. Just keep your mind open and suck in the experience. And if it hurts, you know what? It's probably worth it.

And me, I still believe in paradise. But now at least I know it's not some place you can look for, 'cause it's not where you go. It's how you feel for a moment in your life when you're a part of something, and if you find that moment... it lasts forever...

[ The Beach ]

Harajuku District of Tokyo

2007-08-13T09:10:00.001+08:00
Crazy Teenage Fashion
The area has two main shopping streets, Omotesandō and Takeshita-dōri. Omotesandō has expensive fashion stores such as Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Prada - "Tokyo's Champs-Élysées". Takeshita-dōri caters to crazy youth fashions and has many small stores selling Gothic Lolita, visual kei, rock, hip-hop, and punk outfits. Come on Sundays to see Harajuku's youth culture. Each group has its territory in the area - Gothic Lolita and other extreme Japanese youth fashions, rock enthusiast with greasy hair, junk vendors and loud rock bands, and street performers including folk-pop singers, hip-hop dancers and street theater.

Bondi Beach - the Sound of Surf

2007-08-12T11:11:00.000+08:00
Where : Sydney
The quintessential Aussie experience - Beautiful Coastline, Sun, Sand & Surf
A popular place amongst rollerbladers, skaters and cyclists. You can learn to surf on Bondi, hire both surf boards and boogie boards from the small hire shop on the beach, and lockers are available to keep your valuable safe when swimming.

Pamplona - Running of the Bulls

2007-08-11T12:16:00.000+08:00
Where : Northern Spain - Pamplona's annual nine-day festival which honors the city's patron saint, San Fermín - includes fireworks, parades, music, dances, bullfights, and religious ceremonies.
When : The Pamplona bull run takes place at 8am every morning from 7th to 14th July. Runners must be in the running area by 7.30am.

6 bulls selected from Spain's top breeding ranches run in the daily event, called an encierro. The bulls' route winds 0.8 kilometer through town from an enclosure on Santo Domingo Street to the city's bullring, where each bull fights a matador in the afternoon. The average encierro lasts a mere three minutes. Participants who may be gored or trampled on. Yeah baby !!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=L2vZaRXGImE

Gloucestershire Cheese Rolling Festival

2007-08-11T11:15:00.000+08:00
Where : Gloucestershire, England
When : Last Monday in May, every year

Cheese-lovers from all across the UK and abroad threw themselves down Coopers Hill in an annual attempt to catch massive Double Gloucester cheese which rolls downhill at an estimated 70 miles per hour! Injuries are common unfortunately. Winner gets to take the cheese home !!!

Hey There I'm Here !!!

2007-07-31T22:51:00.000+08:00
My name is Richard. So what else do you need to know? Stuff about my family, or where I'm from? None of that matters. Not once you cross the ocean and cut yourself loose, looking for something more beautiful, something more exciting and yes, I admit, something more dangerous. So after eighteen hours in the back of an airplane, three dumb movies, two plastic meals, six beers and absolutely no sleep, I finally touch down; in Bangkok.

[ The Beach ]

How Cheesy... How True.

2007-07-31T22:02:00.001+08:00
Fate determines who comes into your life,
Your heart determines who stays..

Who Knows.

2007-07-28T16:23:00.001+08:00

Who knows what could happen
Do what you do
Just keep on laughing
One thing's true There's always a brand new day
I'm gonna live today like it's my last day
We're just wasting time
I think there's something more
Life's worth living for
[ Avril Lavigne, Who Knows ]

Pledge Overstreet

2007-07-28T15:52:00.000+08:00
" Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you've imagined "

[ Henry David Thoreau ]

In Love With L.O.V.E

2007-07-21T19:09:00.001+08:00
When you develop an infatuation for someone you always find a reason to believe that this is exactly the person for you. It doesn't need to be a good reason. Taking photographs of the night sky, for example. Now, in the long run, that's just the kind of dumb, irritating habit that would cause you to split up. But in the haze of infatuation, it's just what you've been searching for all these years.

[The Beach]

Ne M'oubliez Pas [Forget-Me-Not]

2007-07-21T15:41:00.001+08:00

The Great Unknown.

2007-07-21T09:51:00.000+08:00
The only downer is, everyone's got the same idea. We all travel thousands of miles just to watch TV and check in to somewhere with all the comforts of home, and you gotta ask yourself, what is the point of that?

I just feel like everyone tries to do something different, but you always wind up doing the same damn thing.

I told myself spreading news was part of a traveller's nature, but if I was being completely honest, I was just like everybody else: shit-scared of the great unknown. Desperate to take a little piece of home with me.

I had nothing left to offer but pure reflex. Pure reflex and mankinds basic drive for survival, that somehow shouts, " NO - I WILL NOT DIE TODAY ! "

[ The Beach ]

In Omnia Paratus... Dum Vivimus, Vivamus

2007-07-19T20:27:00.000+08:00
Latin :
In Omnia Paratus . . . Dum Vivimus, Vivamus.

English :
Ready for anything... While we live, let us live.

Backpacking - Finland

2007-07-14T21:26:00.000+08:00
Serenity, Sauna, Cottage by a Lake, Unspoiled Wilderness, Vast expanse of Forests & more Forests. Finland is the 6th happiest country in the world !! It's the land of the Finns & Sami.

Where the hell is it ? : Between Sweden & Russia, it also rubs up against Norway's arctic north. The Gulf of Finland separates southern Finland from Estonia.

Boarding Time ? : Summer Time - May to September. 13°C - 22°C (South). Winter Time - Snow falls from November, but skiing best from February. Months of the Midnight Sun - Sun does not set for 73 consecutive days during summer, and does not rise at all for 51 days during winter. So cool...

To Do List:
1. Buy myself a NOKIA phone - Its a Finnish brand FYI.
2. Hang out with Kimi, Mika, Heikki !!! Cant Wait..
3. Turn up for Helsinki's Vappu (May Day) festival of students & workers. Party with Drunken Finns!
4. Sauna ! Sauna ! Sauna ! Immersing myself in the steamy Finnish culture..
5. Play Winter sports - ice hockey, skiing, snowboarding, sledging, snowmobile, mountain biking, canoeing, hiking (Katin Kulta Resort (Brent Cassidy) - Vuokatti, Finland). - I'm a sports junkie !
6. Tour the Sports Museum of Finland, beside Olympic Stadium. (Helsinki)
7. Witness Aurora Borealis, atmospheric flourescence spectacular northern lights (Lapland Region).
8. Post a letter @ Santa Claus’s Post Office (Northern Lapland Region).
9. Snow Castle of Kemi. Wooo... http://www.snowcastle.net/

Survival Pack
Academica Summer Hostel : http://www.hostelacademica.fi/
Hostel Stadion : http://www.stadionhostel.fi/
Eurohostel : http://www.eurohostel.fi/
Backpacker bustours : http://www.scanbaltexperience.com/
Unicafe : Owned by the Helsinki University student union, offers meals from €5.70, inc. vegetarian. You get a hot meal, drinks and unlimited salad, bread and potatoes for less than 6 euros - Bargain !!

[ A little bit Swedish, a little bit Russian - totally Finnish ! ]

You go Boy !!

2007-07-14T17:19:00.000+08:00
Red : Steven, when are you moving out?
Hyde : Soon.
Red : How's your girlfriend?
Hyde : Shallow as hell.
Red : Job?
Hyde : Dead end.
Red : Future?
Hyde : Bleak.
Red : Kitty, feed the boy.

Eric : OK! I'm here to earn my dinner!...(Grabs a plate)
What am I gonna do about Donna?...We're hanging out! (Places a drumstick on his plate)
What am I gonna do about my job?...I quit! (Places a biscuit on his plate)
What am I gonna do about my future?...Nothing! (Takes the salad)
When am I moving out? (Takes some mashed potatoes) Make me!

[The 70s Show]

.Dunno.

2007-07-14T17:12:00.000+08:00
" I've got some questions I want answers. What are you doing about moving out? "
- I dunno.
" How 'bout Donna ? "
- I dunno.
" Your job ? "
- I dunno
" Your future ? "
- OK, I'm gonna go ahead and hit you with an..."I dunno".

[The 70s Show]

Let loose...

2007-07-14T16:25:00.000+08:00
If Life is a waste of Time, and
Time is a waste of Life.
Then lets all be wasteful..
To have the Time of our lives.

Kimi Matias 'Party Boy' Raikkonen

2007-06-18T12:19:00.000+08:00
Being Kimi...
1. Fastest Driver in Formula 1 right now (setting the most fastest laps)
2. Infamous monosyllable mumbling in press conferences.
3. Absence of eye contact
4. Have a nice, self depreciating sense of humour (If you listen hard enough)
5. Icy cool facade- Nicknamed the ICEMAN
6. A party animal in his spare time (hard to imagine with his shy demeneour).
Come on he's from Finland , its dark all the time esp in winter. What else can they do than drink :) .

Go Kimi !! He's an old school formula 1 driver.. parties a bit, drinks a bit, gets tattoos on his wrists, gives scott speed 'the bird' over the Bahrain weekend. Yeah..

I think it's clear that Ferrari are using a component that is making their car fast. Ron is probably just bitter because he hasn't got that component on his car.

I believe it's called a 'Kimi Raikkonen'.

Football Mundial

2007-06-07T11:03:00.000+08:00
Favourite Legends:
Roy Keane - Every team needs a Roy Keane.
Zinedine Zidane - World Cup F. '98. Champion League F. '02. 3x FIFA WPL. Enuf Said!
Man United Class of '92 - Grew up 'with' them .
Paolo Maldini - Mr. AC Milan .
Johann Cruyff - The best of the No. 10s. The 5th Beatles.
Bixente Lizarazu - What's with Bayern & their midget left-backs ??
Filippo Inzaghi - Definately born in an 'offside' position.
Francesco Totti - The Prince of Rome. The Ultimate Gladiator.
Juan Roman Requelme - The enigma.

Favourite Future Stars:
Yoann Gourcuff- Le petit zizou. Eerily elegant like Zidane.
Rafael Van der Vaart - Former Ajax protege. New Dutch Hope. The Future Johann Cruyff.
Dutch Youngsters - Wesley Sneijder, Robin Van Persie, Arjen Robben, Klaas Jan Huntelaar, Ryan Babel, Maarten Stekelenburg, John Heitinga.
Samir Nazri - The French wonderkid.
Daniele DeRossi - The new Roman Gladiator.

I'm Gonna Take the Year Off ! - Part II

2007-06-06T18:27:00.001+08:00
- " No, you guys, seriously, look... After high school kids take a year off, go to Europe, figure out what they're gonna do. I'm gonna do EXACTLY that...

" So, you're gonna be a bum ? "

- " In the Grandest European tradition, yes ! Why am I in such a hurry to grow up? Y'know Life...is like a train. It's bearing down on you, and guess what?...It's gonna hit you! So you can either start running when it's far off in the distance, or you can pull up a chair, crack open a beer...and just watch it come ! "

[The 70s Show]

"Queen of Sloths."

2007-06-05T16:10:00.000+08:00
A talent for inactivity (for doing nothing) that has yet to be rivaled by man or actual sloth.

L.a.M.r.O.N

2007-06-05T15:06:00.000+08:00
Normal's Boring,
Normal's Over-rated,
Normal's NOT why you love Me...

[ Logan Huntzberger ]

COWABUNGA! - In the Words of Michaelangelo

2007-06-05T11:40:00.001+08:00
RAPHAEL
Weapon: Sai
Nicknames: Raph, Psycho
Named after: Raphael Sanzio, the Renaissance painter.

Raphael is not the leader but he's the protagonist, the one who starts & ends each TMNT story. He lies low unless somebody gets his back up. - he's the best fighter. The team's bad boy - a bit of a rebel, & very adventurous. He's a realist, a sarcastic jokester & the most likely to experience extremes of emotion. To him "Ignorance is bliss".

[My Favourite Turtle]

True Love

2007-06-01T16:44:00.000+08:00
" So I clicked on "the twilight zone" website, and I found the episode, and I got it ! "

- " I still have no idea what you're talking about. "

" Uh, when Logan and I were first going out, we were in the pool house one night really late, and we were falling asleep on the couch... And this episode of "the twilight zone" came on -- The Long Morrow. "

- " That's a bad title. "

" That's not the point. "

- " I'm just saying. "

" So, there's this astronaut who was supposed to go into space for 40 years, but right before he left, he met this beautiful woman. But for those 40 years that he was going to be in space, he was going to be in suspended animation. So when he came back to earth, he was going to be really young, but she would be really old. So he goes into space, and when he does come back, the woman is still young and beautiful because she put herself in suspended animation to wait for him, but he's really, really old because he took himself out of suspended animation so he could be old with her. "

- " How depressing. "

" He spent 40 years alone in space just waiting to see her, and he was willing to come back as an 80-year-old man, giving up almost his entire life just to spend those last few years with her.... "

" The point is, that this is Logan's favorite episode of "the twilight zone." And when we watched it together, he said, "that's true love." That's true love! This is the most romantic gift I've ever been given. I mean, I have to call him. I'm going to London. I am going to London. "

[ Gilmore Girls ]

I'm Gonna Take the Year Off ! - Part I

2007-06-01T15:42:00.000+08:00
" Oh, no. Did you tell him you want to visit him now ? "

- " There wasn't really a point you know because I get it. He is starting his first real job. I mean, he needs time to adjust and focus and learn the lay of the land. I mean It's good that he's trying to be a grown-up. You know so now I'm trying to be a grown-up. So why am I gonna get all pouty because I don't get to do it ? "

" Oh, it really stinks. "

- " Stupid London! If he weren't in London right now, we would be on our Asia trip. I mean, I knew that it might not happen, but I hoped it would, and I just kept planning and planning & planning. "

" Wow. Were you planning on visiting Asia or invading it ? "

- " Look at all this wasted effort. All this highlighter ink? Wasted. All of these sticky notes? Wasted. We were going to see the terra-cotta soldiers in Xian. And we were going to go to Peking for the opera and the duck. I want to see Tibet. I want to snorkel off the an Thoi islands in Vietnam. I want to see the crazy teenage fashions in the Harajuku district of Tokyo. "

[ Gilmore Girls ]

In a Daze.

2007-06-01T14:28:00.000+08:00
I'm sooooo drained.... School used to be my santuary. It just doesnt matter any more now.. I'm so done with it!! Just few more months to go till graduation, where has all those motivations gone to?? Forget my new year resoultion, Forget that I'm going to fail a kinda math paper for the first time, Forget that I'm gonna have a black stain on my academic record. This just doesnt matter anymore. This last few mths I have been pushing myself through this last lap of my schooling life, somehow I just ran out of steam. Everything is soo cloudy... and I've never felt so suffocated and lost. Seems like I'm at where I was 4 years back... Only now it's clearer the things that matter to me. Sooooo.... Tired of hearing "What are you going to go with your life?" I juz wanna live, the way i want it. No explainations given.. To Anyone.

There's so many things i want to do with my life. Yet there's so many reasons I can't.

[ Excerpt From "Within You" ]

Growing Up - Part I

2007-06-01T10:43:00.000+08:00
" Hey. How was life ? "

- " Fine. I don't know. I don't know what's going on. I'm not handling things particularly well these days. "

" Yeah, I know what you mean. "

- " I have trouble keeping up with myself. I move a mile a minute, gets bored in two seconds flat. I'm going to graduate this year. I'm going to get my act together and I'm going to become a member of society. "

" What does that mean ? "

- " Its just that I've live this kind of pampered existance for soo long. And I've no idea how to move on to the next phase. I'm going to start sending resumes, going to a mundane 9-5 job. It means my pre-ordained life is kicking in. "

Backpacking - EuroTrip - Part I

2007-06-01T10:28:00.000+08:00
- " Here's Colin sleeping on the train. "
" Uh-huh. "
- " And here's Finn shoving carrot sticks up Colin's nose as Colin sleeps on the train. "
" Very mature. "
- " We try. This is Gloucestershire, England. "
" Pretty. "
- " Where we attended the famous Gloucestershire cheese-rolling festival, a time-honored tradition where fine, brave men such as myself climb to the top of a hill with a large wheel of cheese and then proceed to push it and run after it as it rolls all the way down. "
" Shut up! Why would you commit that to film ? "
- " That's me, that's Colin, that's Finn, and that is the cheese. "
" So if you beat your cheese to the bottom of the hill, are you disqualified or do you win ? "
- " There are no winners or losers in the Gloucestershire cheese-rolling festival. "
" Well, there certainly aren't any winners. "
- " [displaying the bandage on his hand] Tell me about it. "

[Gilmore Girls]

" King of Sloths. "

2007-06-01T10:10:00.001+08:00
FINN : My best sloth year, I believe, was sophomore year. I went to Spain for a week to immerse myself in Cervantes, wound up staying for 2 months & almost joined the French Foreign Legion.
RORY : But you were in Spain!
FINN : Yes, but Sinatra didn't sing about the Spanish Foreign Legion.
COLIN : Two months is nothing.
FINN : Oh, so you think you can outdo me?
COLIN : Freshman yr, 4 1/2 months crosscountry roadtrip. This was pre-navigational system, pple.
FINN : In junior year, I dropped my things off at my dorm room, jumped on a plane to Australia and surfed until Christmas.
COLIN : You did not.
FINN : I did.
COLIN : Where was I?
FINN : In class, like a good little boy.
COLIN : Hey, Logan, do you remember that time that you left a classroom to make an entrance for that mock debate and you ended up in Atlantic City?
LOGAN : Vaguely.
FINN : Now, this man, here, my darling, is the long-reigning King of the Sloths.
COLIN : That's right. No one can waste time like this man here.
RORY : Really?
COLIN : Oh, he's just being modest. Logan has a talent for doing nothing that's yet to be matched by man... or actual sloth.

[Gilmore Girls]

Summer Fling

2007-06-01T10:04:00.000+08:00
" Who's that ? "
- " Oh, now that's the love of Colin's life. "
" Colin fell in love ? "
- " Yeah. He met her in Holland, and she doesn't speak a work of English, so she has no idea how incredibly annoying she finds him. "
" What's with the outfit ? "
- " She's a milkmaid. "
" Stop. "
- " She has cows. She has pails. "
" Colin fell in love with a milkmaid ? "
- " He's pretty serious, too. He ditched us and followed her to Amsterdam where they've been holed up ever since. We haven't heard a word from him. I mean, we assume he's going to be back by the time school starts. "

[ Gilmore Girls ]

The Voice Within.

2007-06-01T09:45:00.000+08:00
" For Western women, it's much easier to be yourself. If you want to do something, you just go and do it. In an Asian context, women are still much more modest and conservative. I want, through my roles, to express the parts in the hearts of Chinese women that they feel unable to let out. "

[ Zhang Ziyi ]

Love of My Life...

2007-06-01T09:39:00.000+08:00
I've been supporting this club ever since i was a little girl. Even if you cut me up open, I'll bleed with the blood of Man Utd.

[ Glory Glory Man United ]

About time to Learn how to use the Washing Machine..

2007-04-14T15:57:00.000+08:00
Sometimes I really hate the washing machine
Though it always cleans my clothes
At those times I really thank it.
Sweaty, sports clothings
Clothings with colorful, messy paint
Clothings with mysterious stains
Dirty clothings from my fall
Food stain clothings
Lots and lots of dirty clothing
All relies on the washing machine to clean them
BUT!!!!! When a white shirt turns colorful when it's out of the machine.
I will go crazy! I will yell and scream
Because I like pure white t-shirts. I can't stand it when its white is not white
I really can't accept it
Haiz.., Waiting for my dirty clothing to come out of the washing machine is nervous and exciting. Who knows if I can still recognize it....

[ Yen Ya Lun, Fahrenheit ]

In Between....

2007-03-04T16:25:00.000+08:00
This is where I am...
Stuck between a college student and an outstanding member of society.

[ Orange Days, オレンジデイズ ]

Frustration Kicks In

2007-03-04T16:01:00.000+08:00
- " If you don't go job-hunting, what do you plan to do ? "

" And.. i'm ask this question again. First i don't like wearing formal wear. Secondly i don't want to turn into one of those people who live just to serve others. Are Interviews fun ? "

- " They are boring.. But i don't want to stay in a boring school forever. What are you going to do in the future ? "

" Sorry i can't become a salaryman. i would be lucky if i could but every day 9 to 5, in a office ? Sounds boring to me. "

- " You think i'm arrogant. But the people at the companies say "Well, this guy takes his test well. This year he will contine to work diligently." Isn't that great ? "

" I understand what you mean. When taking the company's interviews/tests , those people glow. I think those people carefully decided their careers. That's the image they give off. For me, when i graduate, i can't say where or who i'll turn out to be. But I don't want to turn out into that type of person. "

- " What's for you then ? What kind of person are you ? Is there anything special about you ? "

" That's irrelevant isn't it? Leave me alone !! "

[ Orange Days, オレンジデイズ ]

Where is that Girl ??

2007-03-02T13:40:00.000+08:00
Where is that girl from 5 years ago ?? Why can't i seem to find her ? Those youthful exuberance, those carefree attitude, those mental strength, those ongoing determination, those smiles... the world was her oyster. Somehow she slowly faded away, unknowingly, into a deep sleep that she is deperately trying to wake up from. I want that girl back... please. That girl was full of life!! That girl was full of hope!! That girl was ME.

[ Excerpt From "Within You" ]

Life Offers you a Thousand Chances...

2007-01-30T18:56:00.000+08:00
All you Have to do is Take One.

Dear Mom.
It's market day in Cortona.The piazza is an ongoing party, and everyone is invited. Clichés converge at this navel of the world. You almost want to laugh, but you can't help feeling these Italians know more about having fun than we do. I eat a hot grape from the market, and the violet sweetness breaks open in my mouth. It even smells purple. I wish I could stay longer, but the bell reminds me of time. "Ding-dang-dong, " the bell says, instead of "ding-dong. "

- I wish you were here. -

Love...

[ Under The Tuscan Sun ]

The Only Thing More Surprising Than The Chance She's Taking ...

2007-01-30T13:04:00.000+08:00
Is Where It's Taking Her.

Regrets are a waste of time. They're the past crippling you in the present. - Katherine

Never lose your childish innocence. It's the most important thing. - Katherine

If you smash into something good, you should hold on until it's time to let go. - Marcello

Signora, between Austria and Italy, there is a section of the Alps called the Semmering. It is an impossibly steep, very high part of the mountains. They built a train track over these Alps to connect Vienna and Venice. They built these tracks even before there was a train in existence that could make the trip. They built it because they knew some day, the train would come. - Martini

[ Under The Tuscan Sun ]

Hundred Percent ? or still 90-10...

2007-01-30T12:57:00.000+08:00
The 90% that i can do, She cant. But that 10% that i can't, She can..

[ Irie Naoki , Itazura Na Kiss イタズラなKiss ]

Moving On

2007-01-30T12:47:00.000+08:00
I let him go though it broke my heart.
I get to move on, and its liberating.

- Its this bad habit again - the indifference in you.

Platonic Huh..

2007-01-30T12:37:00.000+08:00
A Girl & a Guy can be just Friends.
But at one point or another,
They will fall for each other.
Maybe temporarily..
Maybe at the wrong time..
Maybe too late..
Or Maybe forever.

The End .. or The End of the Beginning ?

2007-01-30T12:15:00.002+08:00
Only a handful of people stay in the industry after graduating. For most people, the Graduation Project is the last film they do.

Wo De Ai

2007-01-30T11:35:00.000+08:00

Wo De Ai (My Love) - Stephanie Sun Yan Zi

Hmmmm.... God is making sport of Me !

2007-01-29T15:38:00.000+08:00
Life is full of surprises; Even two parallel lines may one day meet.

Words to describe the mystery destiny of our life, and tries to show us a romantic coincidence which might be happening everyday around us. It is about the people who are destined to meet each other.

[ Turn Left Turn Right, 向左走向右走 ]

My 1.5 km run ...

2007-01-29T14:38:00.000+08:00
Its like I'm running a 1.5 km race and there's only 100m to go...
Its just ahead of me but somehow i can't see the finishing line,
And there's no one there to cheer me on..

[ Excerpt From "Within You" ]

My Orange Days

2007-01-28T09:17:00.000+08:00
Love, job-hunting, friendship...
Setting a campus in spring as a backdrop,
It's the start of a glittering youth drama.

[ Orange Days, オレンジデイズ ]

23 and counting ......

2007-01-27T15:41:00.000+08:00
Being 26 is a Tough Point in Life -
It's too late to think of new dreams ....
But on the other hand,
It's too late to abandon old ones ....

[ Itsumo futari de, いつもふたりで ]

Time

2007-01-12T11:48:00.000+08:00
Time, where did you go?
Why did you leave me here alone?
Wait, don't go so fast
I'm missing the moments as they pass
Now I've looked in the mirror and the worlds getting clearer
So wait for me this time
I'm down I'm down on my knees I'm begging for all your sympathy
But you (I'm just an illusion) you don't seem to care (I wish that I could)
You humble people everywhere (I don't mean to hurt you)
Now I've looked in the mirror and the worlds getting clearer
I'll take what you give me. Please know that I'm learning
So wait for me this time
I should've know better
I shouldn't have wasted those days
And afternoons and mornings
I threw them all away
Now this is my time
I'm going to make this moment mine.
(I shouldn't have wasted those days)
I'll take what you give me. Please know that I'm learning
I've looked in the mirror
My world's getting clearer
So wait for me this time

Artist: Chantal Kreviazuk
Album: What If It All Means Something
Title: "Time"

Time Of Your Life

2007-01-03T15:26:00.000+08:00
Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road
Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go
So make the best of this test, and don't ask why
It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

So take the photographs, and still frames in your mind
Hang it on a shelf in good health and good time
Tattoos of memories and dead skin on trial
For what it's worth it was worth all the while

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

It's something unpredictable, but in the end is right.
I hope you had the time of your life.

Artist: Green Day
Album: Nimrod
Title: "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)"

Two Thousand and Seven

2007-01-01T10:06:00.000+08:00
New Year Resolution :
Figure out what the hell i wan to do wif my life.
Must f-ing get 60> for 3 papers.. (probably wld have to kill myself)
Have a time of my life !! - last EVER school semester and all..
To be continued....

Untitled

2006-12-18T11:38:00.000+08:00
If only they can seek escapade into a world of their dreams. Or are they just Chasing The Wind ?

[ Spilled Milk (SIM) ]

The Graduation Year Book

2006-10-29T10:11:00.001+08:00
[ This is what Ben Covington wrote in her year book : ]

Dear Felicity,

Here it goes. I’ve watched you for four years. Always wondered what you were like...what was going on in your mind all the time that you were so quiet, just thinking, drawing in your notebook. I should have just asked, but I never asked you. So, now, four years later, I don’t even know you, but I admire you. Well, this makes me sound crazy, but I’m okay with that. So take care of yourself.

Love, Ben

P.S. – I would have said “keep in touch”, but unfortunately we never were in touch.

Dear Sally ,

2006-10-29T10:08:00.001+08:00
Sally: When your heart gets broken, you sort of see the cracks in everything.

Sally: On one hand, expectations can inspire you, but then again, they can really let you down.

Sally: You can't know who that person is, the person who will become your ultimate confidant, your soul mate, or your lover.

Sally: Sometimes bad things just happen -- no reason, no purpose. They just occur and we're left to pick up the pieces the best we can.

Sally: I've become a real believer in not defining every single thing. Seems like everytime you think you've figured out what something is, it just becomes something else.

Felicity: Do you know what I definitely believe in? Fate -- that things happen for a reason.

Sally: Listening to your tape, I was reminded of this poem. It has the central question: Is it harder to count on someone or to know that you're being the one counted upon? Anyway, there's this part that goes: "if equal affection cannot be, then let the more loving one be me." Have you ever read that one? It's one of my favorites.

Felicity: Maybe getting over someone you’re in love with isn’t impossible. Unless, maybe you don’t actually get over it. Maybe you just learn to live with it.

Sally: The hardest part about moving forward is not looking back.

Serendipity III - Accidental Discovery

2006-10-19T17:38:00.000+08:00

Serendipity 3 is proof that life sometimes is a sweet-16 party. The dessert portions are soo HUGE here - sublime, sinful & mouth-watering. 3 can shared the hot fudge chocolate cake sundae which is incredibly rich.

With Frozen Hot Chocolate - made from 14 kinds of chocolate ground into a rich slush, you won't be disappointed! Linger over a root beer float or watch your banana split melt into milky oblivion - you're definately in Heaven!!

A movie "Serendipity", centers arnd a couple that meet at this restaurant. And the movie "One Fine Day" also has a restaurant scene, featuring their famous Frozen Hot Chocolate !!

225 East 60th Street
Bet 2nd & 3rd Avenues
New York, NY 10022
http://www.serendipity3.com

You can't Let a Feeling Like that Pass You By !!

2006-10-13T12:03:00.000+08:00
- " Chilly Willy Squabblers, take a few of these on your solo travels then. "

" What are these? Six-million-dollar man stickers ? "

- " These stickers are my contribution to the global community. Everyone I meet gets a handfull. Your job - post them up. Pound one on a door, slap one on a kiosk, place one on a postbox, wherever your life may lead you. "

" And then what ? "

- " Then, nothing. You forget about the sticker, you move on. One day, maybe you're a little down in the dregs, and all of a sudden, there it is. In the corner of a window, the door of a subway, the side of a telephone booth, one of the stickers. And it puts a smile of your face because you know you are not alone in the world; we're all connected. "

[Chasing Liberty]

Just stop and think, will you ?

2006-10-01T21:28:00.000+08:00
" I don't wanna think. I wanna live. I am so tired of knowing where I'm gonna be every second of every day. For instance I want to go to the Berlin, and be part of the Love Parade... "

- " You don't even have any money. "

" I have enough. When I researched the Love Parade, I read about this girl from Cleveland... who made it there on $2 bucks, by selling her poetry along the way. I want to do that kind of stuff ! "

[ Chasing Liberty ]

In Search of the Truth . . .

2006-10-01T21:21:00.000+08:00
" Telling the truth isn't always good, but lying isn't always bad.
If telling the truth makes someone feel bad, lying can be good.
Good things can come from lying, bad things from the truth
Although sometimes telling part of the truth is the same thing as telling a lie. "

- " And that's good or bad ? "

" I don't know. "

[ Chasing Liberty ]

Something about a college campus . . . .

2006-10-01T21:08:00.000+08:00
. . . . . The Falling Leaves,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . The Promise of Youth,
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Smell of Curricula.

[ Chasing Liberty ]

St Germain-des-Prés - Boulevard Saint-Germain

2006-09-27T17:39:00.000+08:00
The Boulevard of St Germain, is a major street in Paris on the Left Bank (south side) of the Seine river. It is the sixth district of Paris. The St Germain-des-Prés is best known as the home of the Latin Quarter, the students' district and for its reputation as a magnet for artists, as the district was a bohemian hangout and center of intellectualism and existentialism movement after World War II.

Now, the neighborhood is famous for its artsy movie theaters, street-side cafes (home to a number of famous cafés, such as Les Deux Magots and Café de Flore) and the influx of students from the nearby universities, which adds to the already vibrant atmosphere of the area. The Boulevard is today a thriving high-end shopping street with stores from Armani, Rykiel and Louis Vuitton. It is also the home to the World famous Bookshop - La Hune .

La Hune - Bookworms' Paradise

2006-09-25T23:27:00.000+08:00

La Hune 170
Boulevard Saint-Germain
75006 Paris
6th Arrondissement
Metro : St-Germain-des-Prés

La Hune bookstore is a treasure !! It is one of my favorites and a quintessential bookstore in Paris. This world famous bookstore on Boulevard St Germain is next door to the Café de Flore and Les Deux Magots. The prestige of these cafes is enhanced by this excellent (French) bookshop specializing in art publications.

La Hune bookstore is part of the history of Saint-Germain des Prés. It is in the writers' and publishers' district where Max Ernst, André Breton, poet Henri Michaux as well as hundreds of other artists through the decades hang out.

It has every kind of literature: poetry, short stories, novels, biographies and more. The ground floor has all the classics, as well as new books on display, while the first floor has a fine arts section. And don’t miss the art books on the Mezzanine !!

But be careful all you bookworms, drawn in by its pristine and modern décor, you are likely to want to stay all day not to mention a good part of the night. Fortunately La Hune doesn't close until nearly midnight (Yeah.. unlike Kino !!), and they open on Sundays too.

Parisian Café - Les Deux Magots

2006-09-25T17:48:00.001+08:00

Les Deux Magots 170
Boulevard Saint Germain
75006 Paris
6th arrondissement
Metro: St-Germain des Prés
www.lesdeuxmagots.fr

Located next door to another popular hangout, Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots is a famous café in the intellectual-chic quarters of Saint-Germain-des-Prés, on the Left Bank of the Seine. Like its celebrated rival Café de Flore, Les Deux Magots can claim to have been the heart of the Existentialist Movement during the early part of this century.

Its legendary terrace was the meeting-point for great writers and thinkers staying in Paris. Particularly the Surrealists, lead by André Breton preferred this café. It therefore inspires creativity and is great for people-watching. Its no wonder that Paris' best bookshop set up shop next door.

Parisian Café - Café de Flore

2006-09-25T11:36:00.000+08:00

Café de Flore 172
Boulevard Saint Germain
75006 Paris
6th arrondissement
Metro: St-Germain des Prés
www.cafe-de-flore.com

Le Café de Flore, gives off a more local, hip, & literary feel . The classic Art Deco interior of red seating, mahogany & mirrors remain unchanged since World War II. Its here where you can meet all the most beautiful & very rich young boys of all paris.
( " Wan 2 take Mash there someday! " )

Located at a unique district of Paris : Saint-Germain-Des-Prés, it's where various movements of artistic and literary creation kept close and intermingled in a universe of freedom. Le Café de Flore have been the heart of the Existentialist Movement and hosted most of the French intellectuals during the post-war years - Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Pablo Picasso etc.

Can the Greatest Romance of your Life Last Only One Night?

2006-09-22T21:01:00.002+08:00

Yesterday Strangers. Today Inseperable Soulmate. But separate they must in just a few hours, Jesse & Celine are making every moment counts, pouring as much living as they can into the time Before Sunrise. A tale of twentysomethings at a crossroad, who met on a train in Europe sense a connection and explore after-hours Vienna together. The people, places, and allure of the city became their sudden iteraries. Love is their destination.

Celine : No, then it sounds like a male fantasy. Meet a French girl on the train, fuck her, and never see her again.

[ Before Sunrise ]

When love can come as a complete surprise ...

2006-09-14T14:24:00.000+08:00

He's Jesse, a young American with an Eurail pass, on his way to Vienna to catch a cheap flight back home after a traumatic break-up, & She's Celine, a French student at the Sorbonne, on her way back to Paris after having visited her grandmother in Budapest. Both in their early 20s. They meet on a train in Austria. They start talking. There is a meeting of the minds and they like each other. Then he has this crazy idea: Why doesn't she get off the train with him in Vienna, spend time together until he catches his plane? Here 2 kids, literate, sensitive, tentative, intoxicated by the fact that their lives stretch out before them, filled with mystery and hope, and maybe love.

Celine : Maybe we should meet here in five years or something.
Jesse : All right, all right, five year- Five years! That's a long time!
Celine : It's awful! It's like a sociological experiment!

[ Before Sunrise ]

" I like to feel his eyes on me when I look away "

2006-09-04T21:37:00.000+08:00

There's wind that blows in from the north.
And it says that loving takes this course.
Come here. Come here.
No I'm not impossible to touch
I have never wanted you so much.
Come here. Come here.
Have I never laid down by your side.
Baby, let's forget about this pride.
Come here. Come here.
Well I'm in no hurry.
Don't have to run away this time.
I know that you're timid.
But it's gonna be all right this time. - Come Here, Kath Bloom

[ Before Sunrise ]

A day in a life of a Backpacker . . .

2006-08-28T18:01:00.000+08:00

Backpacking has become something of a rite of passage after finishing university, taking a year/months break backpacking around Europe & putting daily responsibilities on temporary hiatus. I would start my trip as far North as possible – Scandinavia, and learn to live by what Eurail train go where and when. Get on a train about 9 PM, travel all night and get off the next morning to explore where ever it is I have landed, then repeat it all over again, only stopping at hostels once in a while to recharge myself. I would start from the North, then Central and then the South, ending the travel in Greece to enjoy some time on the Greek islands of the Aegean! Traveling with a Video camera, MP3 Player and a desire for "authentic" contact with local culture – I yearn for this kind of life. Blogging from various Internet cafes around the world, I would stay in contact with buddies from home. Then as my wallet gets thinner, I start looking for temporary low-paid, unskilled work in the countries I’m at e.g. fruit picking in the orchards, camp counselors in the summer. From there, I continued on with my ‘journey’, wandering aimlessly going wherever my feet takes me, hopping on the next train, crossing the border to continue in search of finding myself and a whole new adventure.

Jeux D'enfants

2006-08-24T14:28:00.000+08:00

Love Me If you Dare - Are you game?
Julien and Sophie were 2 mischievous kids who invented an outrages game, whoever held the tin box would meet the other’s dare. The rule was simple : Are You Game – or Not ? But as they grew older, the stakes grew higher, the dares became dangerous. Until the gamble was more than just a game, it was an obsession. Better than sex, better than love, better than life itself. For better, for worse, for now and forever – Love Me If You Dare.

Julien Jeanvier : [talking about Igor the gym coach] And how big are his biceps again?
Sophie Kowalski : Bigger than your brain
Julien Jeanvier : And you like this guy?
Sophie Kowalski : As a second choice [starts walking towards Igor]
Julien Jeanvier : [shouting] Second choice... who's your first? Sophie...