Driving On My Life's Highway

He has a beautiful voice, he is humble and cute, and he sings with so so much passion. He is David Archuleta from American Idol 7, and do watch his rendition of John Lennon's Imagine in this evening's show. Sure to touch :)


"Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one"

- Imagine by John Lennon

2008 is here too quickly. I am not prepared as I felt I have not done enough in 2007. Last year saw me working harder than ever, thanks no less to the strong economy growth which resulted in a recorded number of projects. But with insufficent manpower, I was really stretched mentally and physically. Really hoping that I will have more time for myself this year. Will I need to quit the job? ....

Last year also saw Father moving into the nursing home. He now seems rather settled in the home and on the whole, he looks happier and complains much less. The weekly visit to the home has now become one of my weekend routines. I will do what I can to make him happy, and I will be happy too :)

I haven't had a long trip since 2000. Is time to take a break to somewhere far. Maybe Hokkaido, maybe Italy, maybe USA. Anyone out there interested to be my travelling partner/s? Have to start planning for it, got to make it true this year ...

And as for Love, I am still aimless. Let it comes if it does, and I will hold and embrace it with my heart.

Though in 2007 I did not expand much on my circle of friends, I am particularly grateful for the depth of friendships developed over the year. The 40th birthday dinner last June will be one memorable event that I will remember deeply, thanks a lot to my dear friends :)

Another year, hopefully a better one. Let's start from here ...


This is one new song that I like. Joanna doesn't look stunning but her voice certainly does :)


"Giving up, why should I?
I've come too far to forget.
We're beautiful, we just got lost
Somewhere along the way.

Let's start from here, lose the past
Change our minds, we don't need a finish line.
Let's take this chance, don't think too deep
Of all those promises we couldn't seem to keep.

I don't care where we go
Let's start from here."

- Let's Start from Here by Joanna Wang

New song from Fish Leong (梁靜茹) ... the MV is beautiful and very interesing. Just can't really comprehend what the story is about. Can you? :)



"我活了 我爱了 我都不管了
心爱到疯了 恨到酸了就好了
可能的 可以的 真的感受了
幸福好不容易 怎么你却不敢了呢？

风筝有风
海豚有海
我存在在我的存在
所以明白 所以离开
所以不再为爱而爱
自己存在 在你之外"


Really missed those days in Tokyo, watching the leaves turned red. Life should be simple, let it be that way ...

Father will turn 79 on Wednesday. Bought these 寿桃 (Birthday Buns) and will bring to the nursing home for him later, along with other food. Maybe I should get a small birthday cake too :)

Saw the MV on TV yesterday morning, went to buy her album in the afternoon and has been listening to it since. Love it, it's Tanya Chua's new album "Goodbye & Hello" - the songs were supposingly written during the period when she was recovering from her breakup. Could really feel her sadness and inner feelings from the music, lyrics and mv. I am touched especially by these 3 songs: 当你离开的时候，达尔文，空白格.


"保持單身　忍不住又沉淪
兜著圈子來去有時苦等
人的一生　感情是旋轉門
轉到了最後真心的就不分"
- 达尔文


"我想起了遇见你的时候 想起你眼神中的温柔
我想起了我们第一次牵手 我闭上眼
想起当时你怀裏的颤抖 似乎那麽害怕失去我
然而到後来我什麼都没有 当你离开的时候"
- 当你离开的时候

And Mr INCREDIBLE visited me last night, with a bouquet of flowers, a card and the "双喜" bedlinen which I truly hope I can put into good use soon :) And not forgetting the "sweet sweet" cake specially designed by Princess K ... yeah, we had so much fun playing with the candy-men ... haha.

Thanks to Kenneth + Jon, Dave, David + Shawn and Titus, it was an INCREDIBLE night with you guys. Though I was initally afraid I will die of embarrassment, I didnt :) A memorable Birthday celebration, a new milestone for me and I am happy that I have great friends around me to continue in my life's highway. Thanks!

Touched, here is the song of the night ...


"When you're down and troubled
And you need a helping hand
And nothing, nothing is going right.
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest nights.

You just call out my name,
And you know where ever I am
I'll come running, oh yeah baby
To see you again.
Winter, spring, summer, or fall,
All you have to do is call
And Ill be there, yeah, yeah, yeah.
You've got a friend."

From a CD that is now on my Number One playlist, there is this song called "A Love So Beautiful". This rendition by Michael Bolton truly moves me ....



... And when I think of you
I fall in love again
A love so beautiful
In every way
A love so beautiful
We let it slip away ...


If only we knew that would be the love of our life, we would never have let it slipped away ...

Finally, went to the dentist last night to get my tooth's root canal done. Surprisingly, there wasnt any pain at all even without anesthetic. Maybe the nerve has gone dead, hehe. The first root canal that I had 10 years ago was a nightmare for me. Technology in the dental industry has indeed progressed over time :) Last night was just the 1st of 3 appointments. After that, there will be 2 more appointments to fix the crown. All these for S$850, money well spent considering the pains that I suffered for the past year.

And finally, will be going for a short trip end May. Most likely, it will be a week in Bangkok and Siem Reap. I have worked too hard since the beginning of the year, I deserve this break! :)

And Wage (left in pic) got a new companion, Babo. Lovely pair :)

To a Friend who is celebrating his birthday tomorrow, the following MV is for you ... "Happy Birthday!" :)

Have been awfully busy with work since the beginning of the year. Finally, I manage to take a day off today. The calendar in front of me reads 20th April 2007. Time surely flies. 4 months of the new year passed and are there anything new in my life? Hmmm ....

Yes, a new Samsung LCD TV and Starhub cable TV subscription. Yeah, now I can watch MTV, Animal Planet, National Geographic, AXN .... Though I am really not a very "TV" person.



Yes, a new fountain. No, I didnt buy it because of Feng Shui. It is supposed to be a relaxation fountain, so that after a hard day work, I can relax while listening to water dripping ... hehe.



And yes, I bought a pair of Mandarin ducks while I was in KL during the new year. That's supposed to bring new love into my life. But hmm, is that happening?? Well, who can tell what the future might be. Patience is a virtue, they say ....



Going to have dinner with the other 2 Ugly Dolls this evening. I am glad Friendships did not abandon me ... Dear Friends, do have a fabulous weekend where ever you are! :)

I've looked at love from both sides now
From give and take and still somehow
It's love's illusions I recall
I really don't know love at all

Tears and fears and feeling proud,
To say I love you right out loud
Dreams and schemes and circus crowds,
I've looked at life that way

I've looked at life from both sides now
From win and lose and still somehow
It's life's illusions I recall
I really don't know life at all.........

- "Both Sides Now" by Joni Mitchell


This is a nice video clip with scenes extracted from BBM and Joni Mitchell singing "Both Sides Now" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8yBh7SdKGs

True Love survives through the span of time and distance, real or just fiction?

I haven't been reading my Singnet email accounts for months till someone called me and told me that she has been getting error messages sending emails to me. And so I checked my Singnet mailbox the other night. I was clearing the long list of emails when I saw the subject of one, "XXX has passed away". Sad, one of my secondary school classmates passed away just before Christmas. And in 2006 alone, I have lost 2 of my peers. Sigh, Life is so very vulnerable, and it makes me wonder what is the point of working so hard when we may not even be sure whether we will enjoy the fruits of our labour. Coming to the end of another decade of my life do cause me to think and consider a lot about what I want to do in the path ahead. The current unhappines and stress in the job and other aspects of life only added onto the heaps to be sorted out ... I need courage to make this the turning point.

A friend messaged me this morning telling me that he likes this song "How To Save A Life" by The Fray. I did a search on youtube and this is what I found ...



Step one you say we need to talk
He walks you say sit down it's just a talk
He smiles politely back at you
You stare politely right on through
Some sort of window to your right
As he goes left and you stay right
Between the lines of fear and blame
And you begin to wonder why you came

Let him know that you know best
Cause after all you do know best
Try to slip past his defense
Without granting innocence
Lay down a list of what is wrong
The things you've told him all along
And pray to God he hears you
And pray to God he hears you

As he begins to raise his voice
You lower yours and grant him one last choice
Drive until you lose the road
Or break with the ones you've followed
He will do one of two things
He will admit to everything
Or he'll say he's just not the same
And you'll begin to wonder why you came

Where did I go wrong, I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life


Beautiful video and I am liking the song too .... yeah, I have to save my own life :)

Thought this is a beautiful 're-make' version of "Heaven", a song orignally sung by Bryan Adams ... and in the MV, you will find these words "no fear, be yourself" ... :)



Baby you're all that I want
When you're lying here in my arms
I'm finding it hard to believe
We're i heaven
And love is all that I need
And I found it there in your heart
It isn't too hard to see
We're In Heaven

Once in your life you find someone
Who will turn your world around
Bring you up when you're feeling down
Now nothing can change what you mean to me
There's a lot that i can say
But just hold me now
Cause our love will light the way

Now our dreams are coming true
Through the good times and the bad
I'll be standing there by you

I was searching for my leftover Malaysian Ringgit to bring for the KL trip. When I finally found the money, I found 2 receipts along with it too. The receipts were dated 4-Jan-05 for some stuffs bought at Jusco in JB. My first reaction was to throw the receipts into the wastepaper basket. But then I turned back and picked up the receipts, and put it back into the drawer. Two years ago, that was the New Year holiday to Genting and KL that I had with my ex. And it was after that trip that we decided to part and move our individual way. There are memories that we just cant bear to erase totally, even though we have moved on.

Maybe one day when I see the 2 receipts again, I will just leave it in the wastepaper basket ...

I should be frolicking in Bangkok now if not for the bombers. Friend and I decided to cancel the trip and so here I am free for 2 days. And so in a very rare occasion, I happened to watch the re-run of a favourite old time series "Golden Girls" on TV. I still like them - the wit and the bitching. I guessed regardless of whether we have a life partner or not, the importance of growing old is to develop a group of close friends whom we can count on. Despite all the differences that we may have among our friends, ultimately is the care and concerns for each other that really matters at the end of the day. I hope I will have a group of close friends to grow old with, to enjoy and share the golden days. Hehe, maybe we will form our own "Golden Girls" gang :)

I like the following photograph I saw hanging at Starhill in KL .. I thought I saw joy shining across the old lady's face. There is no fear of growing old.



And saw this on the sugar sachets while sipping coffee at San Frans Coffee in KL.

>

2006 was an aimless year for me, waiting for things to happen but didn't. Going to change my mindset for 2007, perhaps I should really change my LJ nick from "dare2dream" to "dare2do" ... hehe.

"Life is Good." will be my slogan for the new year, let's hope it will be a good year not only for me but also for all friends out there!

I knew and like this song since I was a little child, especially since it was a song by The Carpenters. "Love" to me back then was simply what they depicted of loving couples seen in the movies. Tonight as I accidentally chanced upon this same song again, not only does the song brought back memories but the lyrics somehow seem so much deeper and real. Perhaps now I could truly understand how the song writer would have felt .... "Hanging on a hope, but I'm alright" :)

The hardest thing I’ve ever done is keep believing
There’s someone in this crazy world for me
The way that people come and go thru temporary lives
My chance could come and I might never know

I used to say "no promises, let’s keep it simple"
But freedom only helps you say good-bye
It took a while for me to learn that nothin’ comes for free
The price I’ve paid is high enough for me

I know I need to be in love
I know I’ve wasted too much time
I know I ask perfection of a quite imperfect world
And fool enough to think that’s what I’ll find

So here I am with pockets full of good intentions
But none of them will comfort me tonight
I’m wide awake at four a.m. without a friend in sight
Hanging on a hope but I’m alright

- "I Need To Be In Love" by The Carpenters