"The sharp knife of a short life

I've had just enough time..."


- "If I Die Young" The Band Perry


I see Beauty in many things. And like the ghosts that only speak to you if you notice them, they tell me wondrous tales. With my camera and my thoughts, I captured these as faithfully as I can to share with you. And by doing so, they gave me the reasons. And though the thousand reasons may not all be sweet and some indeed bitter; they are still reasons to live. Come to think about it, that is Life, isn't it?

Tuesday 28 February 2012

If You Don’t Know Me By Now.




I've had just enough time to...   meet a girl who looks like me. 


Taken in the Flower Festival of Kai Feng, China.



This girl is a lot like me. I’m not saying she looks anything like me. For she does not. For one thing, I’m male and she definitely is not. And I’ll never be able to balance myself in that high heel boot that rise up to her knee. And the thighs that held her up are smoother, silkier and fairer than my muscular trunks that are more practical than pretty. But mine serves me better in time of danger though I cannot remember when was the last I used them for that. Anyway…

Despite her auburn hair that falls below her shoulder, despite her arched eyebrow thinner than a brush stroke, despite her elegant manicured fingers ending in stunning red, despite her slender waist protected by a warrior’s belt (I can’t picture myself wearing that even in war!), despite the fact she is female and I’m definitely not!, I still maintained she is a lot like me. It is the way she stands.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. I can never strike as sexy a pose whatever I do, legs together or legs apart. Maybe I should explain myself better. Take another look at the picture. More carefully this time. Take in the details. Notice where she is facing. What she is doing. Where everyone’s else attention are. Do you get the picture now? That is how she is so similar to me.

Still don’t get it? Like the song said, “if you don’t know me by now, you’ll never never ever will”. And by the way, that is perfectly okay too. After all, I’m the odd guy out.

_______

All the things that we've been through
You should understand me like I understand you
Now girl I know the difference between right and wrong
I ain't gonna do nothing to break up our happy home

If you don't know me by now
You will never never never know me
- Seal







Sunday 26 February 2012

Never Trust A Monkey.




I've has just enough time to...   be cautious of a monkey.


Taken in the Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali where monkeys dictates.



In the Monkey Forest in Ubud, Bali; monkeys are everywhere. And even where you do not see them, sneaking up on you. They fear no man nor beast for after all, they are the descendant of God. But godly creatures they are not. They have been away from their god Hanuman for too long and been near to man for longer still. They lost their noble ways and gain the wiles of human and that is not pretty. They traded their innocence for the intelligence of man not knowing that the soul was part of the bargain. So the monkeys there are there now are more man than beast and that is sad. So sad.

For now, they don’t warn you when you’re down in beautiful Bali “Never trust a man.” They warn you “Never trust a monkey.” And it is all man’s fault. For it was not a monkey’s nature to covet and steal till they saw it in the intelligence of man stealing from their neighbours.




Never trust a monkey!




Friday 24 February 2012

And Never We Ants Shall Meet (Not)!




I've had just enough time to...  study ants.


Taken in an Art Exhibition on Ants in Jenjarom, Malaysia.



Will we meet and
If we should meet
As friends or foes?

Will we find
Should we meet
Wonders or bias?

Will we fight and
If we should fight
Know what we are fighting for?

Maybe it is better not to meet
And live in our own little state
For we are not ready
For the wonders that is the world.

_______

And now my friends, let us watch the video together and sing along. It is easy and I know you can do it. After all, it is just about ants, how difficult can that get?







Wednesday 22 February 2012

Bang A Drum For My Country




I've had just enough time to...   bang a drum for my country.


Taken in a shopping complex in KL where the audience are mesmerized by the banging of drums.



My voice is stifled
But my heart bleeds
It bangs loudly
But the air is stilled
It carries nothing
Of how we feel…

So I bang on a drum!

I bang it loud to take my shout
I bang it soft to mourn our grief
I bang it slow to gather our pride
I bang it quick to hasten the pace
And the sound carries the roof
To the city below
And the citizens look up
And stamp their feet
And the uproar rose through the land
“Equality for all in our motherland!”

_______

I called upon my brother
Just the other day
He said, "John I'm gonna
Die if I don't start to live again"

I work each day and night like clockwork
Just tryin' to make ends meet
I could kick this bad world's ass
If I could just get on my feet

I'd bang a drum for the dyin'
Bang a drum for the truth
Bang a drum for the innocence
Lost in our youth

Bang a drum, bang it loudly
Or as soft as you need
Bang a drum for you brother
And a drum for me


- Bov Jovi







Monday 20 February 2012

There Are No Steps In Dancing.




I've had just enough time to...   dance without steps.


Taken in a school concert where I enjoyed the confused mice having fun.



Grace is not everything
Harmony doesn’t count,
For much
Not when you’re having fun!

Spontaneity is the rule
Unbridled joy needs no collar
Bolt any way you want, as long
As you are, having fun.

Enjoy the innocence while it lasts
When all is fresh
Worry not about the steps
Just have fun!









Saturday 18 February 2012

A Spider Above My Head.




I've had just enough time to...   shoot the spider above my head.


Taken during an early morning hike up Ampang Hill, Selangor, Malaysia.



I saw a spider on a web
Hanging high above my head
Looking at me with a hundred eyes
Does it think I’m a fly?

It spreads out its eight long legs
Readied itself for the perfect catch
Doesn’t it realize?
Its downfall is its appetite.

_______

Look, he's crawling up my wall
Black and hairy, very small
Now he's up above my head
Hanging by a little thread

Boris the spider
Boris the spider


- The Who







Thursday 16 February 2012

Everyone’s Free (to Wear Sunglasses)




I've had just enough time to...   wear sunscreen and sunglasses :D

Taken in the morning market of Kota Kinabalu just before the sun is high on the sky.



Trust me,
Everyone ought to wear sunglasses
Before facing the sun.
Sunscreen may cover more
But if you protect your sight
It will be quite alright.

When the world is too bright
It will let in just the correct light.
But remember to take it off
When it is approaching night.
For when all around you is getting dark
It is best to trust your own sight.

(Inspired by Mary Schmich - Everybody's Free (To Wear Sunscreen)


_______

This humorous, witty and charming "commencement speech" by Mary Schmich will be what I would have loved to hear if I am among the graduating class. But no, the one we heard was dried like sand, rough like sandpaper and probably palatable only to chickens in a coop. So enjoy this imaginary speech that is full of great advice including scientific one like wearing sunscreen (ha ha love that! what an opening!) and I even throw in the song by Baz Lurmann for you to enjoy!








Monday 13 February 2012

We Will Always Love You - Whitney Houston.




I've have had just enough time to...   sadly see the passing of a Superstar.


Taken of this morning's sad headline - we will miss you.



In the night sky
Some stars shine brighter than others
But you shone, the brightest of all.

In the vast distance between us
In the deep silence, all I hear –
Are the songs you sang…


_______


I hope life treats you kind 
And I hope you have all you've dreamed of. 
And I wish to you, joy and happiness. 
But above all this, I wish you love. 
And I will always love you. 
I will always love you. 


- Whitney Houston







Sunday 12 February 2012

The Cheerful Boatman of West Lake.




I've has just enough time to...   take a boat ride on West Lake.


Taken of my cheerful boatman of West Lake


It was my fortune to hire this cheerful boatman to take me on a tour of the romantic West Lake. She effortlessly pushed the heavy oar and gently swayed with the rocking of the boat wearing a perpetual smile on her face. And in a sing-song voice, she narrated the romance of The Scholar and The White Snake.


One of the lovely view of the lake.


Through her words, I imagined the scholar walking under the weeping willow meeting Lady White Snake and falling in love with her. How the strict monk seeking to uphold the Law of Heaven forbade the union of man and spirit and drove them apart. And when he could not severe their love for each other, imprisoned her under the Pagoda for eternity. A tragic but beautiful love story. So if you go to the West Lake of Hangzhou, hired one of the boatman for this is the best way to view the lake and hopefully, you will get a boatman as pretty and as cheerful as the boatman who showed me West Lake.

_______


This animation film by Yun Tin Ruan, a famous comic artist in China give a slightly different take. It tells of White Snake practising for 1000 years to be a perfect woman. She falls in love with a man by Hangzhou's West Lake but the man's distrust eventually kills their love. The tale is used as a metaphor for the relationship between man and woman in a male dominated society. Watch it - the animation is fantastic!







Friday 10 February 2012

Love Is A Universal Language




I've had just enough time to...   pass another Valentine.


Taken one night wandering around in Shanghai


Love is universal language
Needs no translation, for it is
Spoken with a smile, a touch,
And a hug
It travels the seven seas
Crosses the highest hill
To return to roost
Before a warm fire
And a blanket shared.
_______ 


 Love, it's a special day

We should celebrate and appreciate
That you and me found something pretty neat
And I know some say this day is arbitrary
But it's a good excuse, put our love to use

Valentine – Kina Grannis






Wednesday 8 February 2012

A Bowl of Hot Noodles In Chilly Weather.




I've had just enough time to...   enjoy a bowl of hot noodles in cold winter.


Taken just seconds before I dug into this hot bowl of noodles on a cold Shanghai noon.




Days of summer or
Winter chill, all I need is
Steaming hot noodles

On a cold winter noon in Shanghai, we were in-between meetings. There is too short a time for a proper meal but too hungry to forgo it. We spied an eatery that serves fast food – Chinese style that is. And there is nothing better than a steaming hot bowl of noodles on a cold winter day.

I ordered a bowl of “Lion Head Noodles”. The Lion Head refers to that single large chunk of minced meat that took pride of place in the soup. It is said that if the Lion Head is really good, it will stick to the wall if you flung at it. I was too hungry to give that a try and let my mouth did the evaluation. This beats a burger any time.





Monday 6 February 2012

A Shy Guy That Fly




I've had just enough time to...   coach a shy guy to fly


Taken in my early morning hike up Ampang hill when I have to look hard to catch this shy guy.



I may be a shy guy
But not one that sit idly as
The world passes by
It is just not my style
To do the shouting
But the observing
From a distance
For it is difficult to see
When your mouth is spouting

You may think I’m a shy guy
That I am -
But not because
I cannot fly
_______

But I don't want somebody
Who's loving everybody
I need a shy guy he's the kinda guy
Who'll only be mine


- Diana King






Saturday 4 February 2012

How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?



I've had just enough time to...   try to mend a broken heart?


Taken of the sculpture in Bali that has a king size headache


I have a headache
That splits my head
And cuts my eye.

The doctor says “no cure”
That split in your head
Comes from that crack in your heart.

And no modern medicine
Can mend a broken heart
Since Humpty Dumpty had that great fall.

_______

And how can you mend a broken heart?
How can you stop the rain from falling down?
How can you stop the sun from shining?
What makes the world go round?
How can you mend a this broken man?
How can a loser ever win?
Please help me mend my broken heart and let me live again


Bee Gees - How Can You Mend A Broken Heart?







Thursday 2 February 2012

Live Like Horses.




I've had just enough time to...   live like horses, sometime.


The first thing I saw outside my window one early morning in Anyang, China is this lovely bronze horse.



Outside my window
Night has taken over
It is time to leave.
The uncompleted words
Are piled in a heap
For another tomorrow.
I locked the door
To an empty office
The last to leave.
The street light
Threw my long shadow
To the car waiting for my exit.

I sigh and I wonder
When can I live like horses -
Free.

 _______



Someday we'll live like horses
Free rein from your old iron fences
There's more ways than one to regain your senses
Break out the stalls and we'll live like horses 


- Elton John & Luciano Pavarotti









Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...