Thursday, November 17, 2011
Y1S2W2-4
Mandarin songs have the potential to be really beautiful, more so than English songs, in my opinion.
I don't listen to Mandarin songs a lot, but the ones I really do like always stick with me. The lyrics really mean many things, the emotions the song wants to convey are really woven into every word and sentence so intricately and aptly.
Consider the chorus of 死性不改 (by Twins and Boy'z. I know it's a Cantonese song but whatever, it is written in Mandarin, is it not?):
人天生根本都不可以爱死身边的一个
It is impossible for humans to love someone forever, into his/her death
无奈你最够刺激我 凡事也治倒我
I am frustrated by how you can excite me, the control you have over me
几多黑心的教唆 我亦捱得过
Whatever you/others say, I can endure it
来煽风来点火 就击倒我么
Whatever people do will not bring me down
谁恋爱就多障碍 死性我不想改
Love is fraught with obstacles but I am unwilling to change
如我没有你的爱 我没法活得来
Without your love, I cannot live
情人的存在 是我从来都志在
I have always wanted to love someone
难在我拱手让爱
Giving up love is difficult
This song, like most other Mandarin songs, cannot be translated into English, because when you do that it would lose huge chunks of what it really means in Mandarin. However, the same problem doesn't exist when you're trying to translate an English song into a Mandarin song.
Do not judge the song from its English translation because it does not do any justice to it at all. The English translations, in fact, are awkward and ungraceful and hardly even convey what the song is really trying to say.
-
So, photos.
My fat little hamster Gretel
Singapore Teddy Bear Show
These are my aunt's entries. Isn't she talented? The undressed one is my sister's namesake, Ning. Hahaha. The dressed one is named after my aunt's car model (Jazz) LOL.
OPI Nail Polish I bought when FMS brought in flea stalls. I love the colour (it doesn't look as bright in real life as in the photo unless light hits)! It's so glittery. I like to peel off nail polish when I shower because it comes off easily then (but it is really bad for your nails when you do that). The pieces of peeled of nail polish looked like scales from a mermaid's tail. It was that pretty.
Met up with Xianyun at the start of this month, after the LONGEST time. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo with her :(
It must have been at least a good year or two before I saw her again recently. I'm really glad how when we talk, things really do seem the same as they were in the past :) The only different thing now is how we're both not close to the mutual friend(s) we used to be close to anymore. But that doesn't matter :) Oh, she's in NJC now. She is just so hardworking!!!! Meeting up with her made me realise how much I missed her. It would've been great if she'd stayed in Fuhua but I guess it was better for her that she had transferred, because if she stayed she might not be where she is now.
I'm just really happy for how things are going for her now. Hope that she'll be happy always! :)
Also went back to Fuhua one morning to meet Ms Angeline Chua to help me out with some of my application forms. Did I mention how wonderful Ms Chua is? I NEVER want to lose contact with her. She is one of the best teachers I've ever met. She is just such a kind and caring person. Having been taught by her is really one of the things I have to be thankful for in life. Yes, the effect she has had on me is that profound.
The rain came down hard and I had to run to the bus stop. Sitting there, I just thought about how I used to take 157 home everyday from that bus stop. Times and circumstances have changed, but my mind is really stuck still onto the past. I miss the conversations with Gekhooi (and the occasional few with Benedict) on our bus rides home. I even miss arguing and getting mad at Ah Looi on the bus. The people who take 157 home seem to have form sort of a little posse, in my mind at least! Haha. There are so few of us who take that bus home.
Vanessa, Danial and Michelle.
This was when we went to school early to do our LocVid shoot!
My pink flats, who have served me for two years before finally collapsing apart last Friday. I even remember when I bought these pair of flats - when I went out with HS, Cheryl, Huating and Tessa during the end of year holidays in 2009. These flats were from Far East Plaza. You were a good one, pink flats, and you will be dearly missed.
----------------------------
|
