側にある天壌

彼女は
私に似てるから
大切な人だ。
(the earth,
the gravity that keeps me grounded)
「これは悪くない」と
「このままでいい」と
人世は大丈夫。
私たちは大丈夫。

彼女は
私と異なるから
大切な人だ。
(the horizon,
the momentum that keeps me growing)
「そんな事もある」と
「そのままでいい」と
人世は不思議。
私たちは不思議。

Gray City

When it rains it rains so slowly,
In the city where I'm from.
-- Turin Brakes, "Rain City"

Dusk comes easily enough,
no red nor yellow to chase off the horizon.
Muted colours like white noise implode,
overflowed with drops immaterialized.

In my mind, the words he sang:
"It's raining on Sunday morning..."

King of melancholy, child of gloom!
Where can I find salvation for us both?


Evenings like this I get unquiet,
when beneath the black is not clear distant sky.
Never relied on the moon for light,
but space feels bitter when stars too hide.

In my mind, the song he wrote:
"Sparkling gems are flooding the streets..."

Lyra, Sagitta, Cygnus, Aquila!
When may I delight upon your radiance?


Cold it might be when the waters fall,
chilling all the more when they linger.

My heart still ponders the soulful refrain:
"It's raining on--"

Language is a Virus (from Outer Space)

Listening ears are temptation indeed
to talk,
checked only by the amount of trust
placed on the owner.

Communication is needed
and food for feelings,
but in idle chatter devils keep watch,
and mood is fickle
   that feeds argument seeds.

Oh, would that I'd chosen what was golden
and always knew when to choose it,

because
diction and tone and lingual flavors
make for a complex interpretation control;

because
human speech as it stands
has no reversible editing functions;

because
even in the harmless case
I take 'mundane' to a whole new level--

--for instance,
the urge to share at this very moment,
how the thematic word 'babble'
led me to the connoted-punitive 'Babel'--

so perhaps
only if you're a lit enthusiast, kindred spirit,
I'd suggest to click on these further reading links.

Uranoleon

Through clouds rich the strips of orange sun flares,
as yesterday it has been a full sphere burning cumulus black,
through day passing that has seen it golden upon bluest blue,
to the pale and the fierce of depths across shades of vermilion.

Sky, adored sky,
like life,
beautiful because you're looking like that,
fascinating because you're never the same.

advocatus diaboli

There are no perfect men in this world,
only perfect intentions.
-- Pen Densham

He, the voice within who asks for perfection,
is he a friend or a foe?
He who frowns at the world's defects,
-- pained by them, rages at them --
he who demands a wholesome self,
is he for better or for worse?

She, the voice within who asks for perfection,
is she a friend or a foe?
She who judges poor-mannered folks,
-- pained by them, looks down on them --
she who detests indulgence in flaws,
is she for better or for worse?

Sounds Surround

I am all warm and fuzzy after watching this romance movie called "Oto-na-ri":


The main premise revolves around two neighbours ["otonari"] who become familiar with each other only through the sounds ["oto"] they hear through the thin separating wall of their apartments. As such, most of the movie steers attention to sounds -- daily activities, nature stirring -- sounds that we rarely notice consciously, yet (as a character puts it) "you'll feel something is missing if they are not there" (this reminds me of what DIsk said about rendering natural scene effects). I'm usually more of a visual person, so this is a bit of an "ear opener"... It's beautiful.

Most of the characters are sincere and likable-- the only exception feels rather unnecessary and smells like plot device... but I can tolerate that. =D I like how the movie also stirs thoughts about taking responsibility of one's life (or another's) and what might be thought of as "fate". The psychological twists are a delight, while the event twists might have felt randomly convenient had I found it in a lighter content, but they work fine for me here as the other aspects are well connected.

It also helps that I happen to appreciate the sweetness of most of the gestures portrayed, but I think it's really quite recommendable as a drama. Please watch [listen to] it. *bows*

Broken People Get Recycled

Katie Melua! I love her already for the mellow tunes, but haven't expected her to come up with something this grand. ♥♥♥




The Flood
Katie Melua


Broken people get recycled
And I hope that I will sometimes be thrown off the pathways.
What I thought was my way home
Wasn't the place I know.

I'm not afraid of changing,
I'm certain nothing's certain.
What we own becomes our prison.
My possessions will be gone,
Back to where they came from.

Blame... no one is to blame.
As natural as the rain that falls,
Here comes The Flood again.

See the rock that you hold onto;
Is it gonna save you
When the earth begins to crumble?
Why'd you feel you have to hold on?
Imagine if you let go.

Blame... no one is to blame.
As natural as the rain that falls,
Here comes The Flood again.

Flush away the weight that pulls you down.
Light the ways that freed from the dusk.

Don't trust your eyes,
It's easy to believe them.
Know in your heart
That you can leave your prison.

Don't trust your mind,
It's not always listening.
Turn on the lights
And feel the ancient rhythm.

Blame... no one is to blame.
As natural as the rain that falls,
Here comes The Flood again.


>> Katie on song inspirations

The Good Doctor

I'm very impressed with my dentist today, so I feel the need to blog and help advertise his clinic, even though it doesn't seem to lack patients. =D

It's a dental clinic near where I stay at Ghim Moh, called Royce Dental Surgery. I've been having my regular cleaning/scaling there. They have two dentists; I didn't make my pick but the one who's been seeing me so far is Dr Ng. (Aside from him, a dental apprentice [forgot the term, sorry] only for cleaning.)

Today I went there with a GP referral because of the pain in my left jaw. I got it one fine morning after having fallen asleep in an awkward position ^^0 so I expected it to be some kind of sprain that should get well on its own (with a little help of medicated oil), but a week passed and the pain is still there, though only when the jaw joint is exercised, such as when I open my mouth wide ('dislocating' the jaw) or when I chew on something hard.

To cut the long story short, Dr Ng did some tests, concluded that it was inflammation, which might be curable with home remedy. He assured me against the GP's rather gloomy prediction (no harm done since she just mentioned possibilities and referred me to a dentist straight away), as he didn't think it was one of the worse possibilities, so there was no need for major treatment for now. He suggested I try applying ice compress on my own for a week. If this doesn't cure it, then only I need to return.

The impressive thing is, maybe as he thought he didn't do anything major for me, he didn't charge me any fee. ^^ We talked for quite some time, he was generous with explanations and I was quite satisfied with the conclusion, so I wouldn't have minded to pay the consultation fee. I guess that's one of the good things about independent clinics, as they can be flexible. (The GP I first consulted is from a major medical service company, and I did pay the consultation fee, without thinking it unjustified.)

I still need to see if the recommendation does solve the problem, but right now I am happy enough having consulted him. ^__^