Questions

As I was lying in bed at night, I listened quietly to the rhythm of my breathing. I can feel the soft texture of the sheets rustling on my skin and the cool air on my face. My mind started to wonder astray to a reoccurring thought.

I am going to die one day.

A fact that none can avoid.
To cease to exist. To stop breathing, to stop feeling, to stop thinking. To simply stop being.

The intensity hits me. My heart starts to pound furiously, my body heats up while cold fear crawls down my spine. Fear of the known and unknown.

Why do we exist.
Why do we die.
Is there an afterlife
Or is it a comfortable lie we tell ourselves.

……
……
……

I suppose we are meant to journey.

岛屿

我心中开拓了一座岛屿。

在我工作时，它是个热带雨林，鸟语花香。岛民热情款待，勤奋生活。

在我休息时，走到海滩看夕阳。吉他一把，听浪花一朵朵。

在我放假时，赴鱼儿们的邀请，潜进珊瑚海嬉戏游玩。

感叹这就是幸福。

真希望能永远记住此刻心境。。

Beauty Tips

For attractive lips,
Speak words of kindness.
For lovely eyes,
Seek out the good in people.
For a slim figure,
Share your food with the hungry.
For beautiful hair,
Let a child run his/her fingers through it once a day.
For poise,
Walk with the knowledge that you never walk alone.
People, even more than things,
Have to be restored, renewed, revived, reclaimed,
And redeemed; never throw out anyone.
Remember, if you ever need a helping hand,
You will find one at the end of each of your arms.
As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands;
One for helping yourself, and the other for helping others.

–A.H

A Poet’s Love

Unending Love

I seem to have loved you in numberless forms, numberless times…
In life after life, in age after age, forever.
My spellbound heart has made and remade the necklace of songs,
That you take as a gift, wear round your neck in your many forms,
In life after life, in age after age, forever.

Whenever I hear old chronicles of love, it’s age old pain,
It’s ancient tale of being apart or together.
As I stare on and on into the past, in the end you emerge,
Clad in the light of a pole-star, piercing the darkness of time.
You become an image of what is remembered forever.

You and I have floated here on the stream that brings from the fount.
At the heart of time, love of one for another.
We have played along side millions of lovers,
Shared in the same shy sweetness of meeting,
the distressful tears of farewell,
Old love but in shapes that renew and renew forever.

Today it is heaped at your feet, it has found its end in you
The love of all man’s days both past and forever:
Universal joy, universal sorrow, universal life.
The memories of all loves merging with this one love of ours -
And the songs of every poet past and forever.

-Rabindranath Tagore

Swim swim away…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Slow day

Let’s recall my previous post in Feb 16 .

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WHY in the WORLD do we need to wait “THAT” long for Coraline??!!!!!!

That’s more than half a year from its original released date!!

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Hmph. I am no pleased.

Miss Behaving

So I’ve been a bad blogger..

I didn’t post:

- my earthday entry anywhere near earthday   */faint

- that I’m currently on a 3 months study course,
   considering it an introduction to a different industry.

- that I haven’t been able to go out for shootings & outings recently.

- that I have successfully become a cute wall flower..
   Lurking in the background. Tune in. tune out.

- that I’ve walked under a bus and got hit by a train.

- that I missed diving so much my heart aches a little each time I think.

- that I missed lomo too.

So I’ve been a bad blogger…..

Making a list

Saw a series of earth day commercials on Discovery channel the other day where they got some regular/famous people to talk about how they can do their part for the environment and I contemplated doing a household checklist of my own here.

Currently in action:

1.)  We support the National Recycling Programme.
(Got my peeps to get use to the idea of recycling. Initially it was difficult because we keep forgetting to put out the bag on the specific date, and things started to pile up. Now I make it a point to write down the list of collection dates on the fridge notepad as a reminder.)

2.)  Personally I never litter.
(It’s uncool to throw rubbish where it doesn’t belong ppl~)

3.)  Switching off vampire appliances more promptly.
(Sometimes, I will kaypoh walk past my sis/ mum’s room while they are out and switch off their power outlets. hehe)

4.)  Revised my room’s power supply needs. (Warning: technical bore)

Previously I was using an extension cable with 2  sockets and an adapter to power the following appliances; Internet modem, wireless router, tv set, starhub digital cable set-up box, mini compo and the  occasional handphone/ psp charger, clothes iron & hair dryer.

Can you imagine all the wires and electrical plugs going into the adapter and remaining socket?! It started with just the tv and mini compo when we first moved in, I guess I didn’t notice the buildup over the years .

It occured to me recently that this multitude of plug-ins would waste plenty of electricity (see point 3)! That’s because I would usually turned on everything to use one or two appliances. *lazy*

There was also this problem of the adapter not connecting properly, frequently have to tweak and balance and hear the plugs sizzle~

Finally, I had enough of the ‘It’s ALive~~~!!’ routine one day, and I went to the hardware store and got a 5 sockets extension cable and some spare plug keys. Each socket has its own on/off switch. Now I only turn on what I need.
Neater, not to mention safer!

Need to improve:

1.)  Remembering to BYOB.
(Mum has this nice foldable shopping bag she got from Pie Kia for buying their pies that I think is slick! Looks like a handy makeup pouch when folded and tucked.)

2.)  Have to be more conscious about electricity/water usage.
(Hardest thing to do on the list. Am hooked to the computer and air con.)

Wish to be able to change in the future:

1.)  Eventually go for an overhaul and change into energy-efficient light bulbs, water saving taps & non-rotting cooking stove.

2.)  Change existing storage tank water heater to single units electric heaters.

3.)  Plans to drive an hybrid/ electric car one day.

Have you made your household list already? Share share.

The Clocktower

Looking for soul in Korea

Here’s the Trip Write-Up, I’ve separated it into a few sections.

Seasons and Sceneries:

In the southern part of the country, where its warmer, we got to witness the early arrival of Spring, all the plants covered with buds and shoots waiting to burst into colours. Even the air smelled alive with anticipation. Some streets, parks and fields are already lined with cherry blossoms, mandarin orange trees (to be exact, they are sweet, tender & juicy hallabong oranges) and golden canola flowers to name a few flora.

However, in the northern part, Winter has still held on to its last breath. The persistent cold favoring the local skiing resorts, allowing them to extend their operations. Fun and snow everywhere.

Traditional & Culture:

- Seongeup Folk Village (Jeju)
- Gyeongbok Palace
- Namsangold Traditional Village

These places are pretty rustic and interesting for a person who has been dazzled by their rich vibrant culture. Got a peek into the lives of peasants and royalties who lived in ancient Korea.

Activities:

Other than sight-seeing the various landmarks, our tour was packed with loads of activities. Everland theme park, Jeju horse riding, Go-kart racing, ATV (all terrain vehicle) ride across the countryside, playing dress-up (wore Hanbok), made Kimchi and much more.

Shopping:

- TopDong (Jeju’s biggest underground shopping street)
- Premium goods outlets (Massive gathering of branded stores, many bargains)
- Dongdaemun market
- Myeong-dong street

Food highlights:

- Bibimbap Rice + Seafood Shabu Shabu Hotpot
- Abalone porridge for breakfast @ Jeju
- Extravagant Sashimi dinner
- Ginseng Chicken Soup lunch
- Mushroom Hotpot on a snowy day
- Heukdoeji Black Pork Hotplate (“All you can eat”  meat wrapped in cabbage & garlic chilli sauce or with rice & seaweed soup)

I cannot begin to explain how much I love Korean food and how much it agrees with me. Willing to migrate just to eat everyday from little bowls with silver chopsticks and long spoons.

Memorable moments:

1.) Went to Marado, a tiny treeless island off the south coast of Jeju, in southernmost South Korea. Drove free-range on karts, that has transparent sheets with zippers as doors, to explore the island. The place is truly beautiful in a wild, alluring sense. I think its romantic.

2.) After our stay in the Phoenix park ski resort, we took a gondola ride to the resort’s mountain peak to take in the sceneries of villages covered in white blankets of snow. Witnessed my first snow fall.

3.) VIP tickets to NANTA ‘Cooking’ -  The best musical theater show I’ve ever seen so far.

4.) Hand-fed prawn crackers to large flocks of seagulls on board the seagull boat.

Conclusion:

The entry was titled ‘Looking for soul in Korea’.
In my opinion, it wasn’t very difficult to find during the trip.
South Korea is exactly how I’ve envisioned it; colourful, delicious, romantic and hearty. We got to experience and taste quite abit and I know there are much more left undiscovered. Will be looking forward to revisit the country in the future, backpacking this time.

For complete set of pictures please visit my Flickr or click here:
Lomo set
Digital set

Thanks for viewing~