Avalon

饮水思念瘦

Monday, March 31, 2008

这空间是束之高阁的棋盘

在一个广阔无边

一个叫记忆的世界

是桌椅凌乱

还是灰白线条乱窜

和我一样

都是棋子迎接以往

风扇的转变带着一缕沧桑

摇摇欲坠十年如一日

生了锈的岁月齿轮

多少心猿意马曾随着起舞

多少白日梦发芽又蒸发

时钟在吊挂金钩

俯瞰着众生聆听

四十把默默读秒的静谧

而我耳边响起沥沥晶莹

在屋檐敲击出不完整的旋律

那么熟悉

是外头的雨景

那个我只是静静等雨停

等着回家的声音

讲课老师一长串抑扬顿挫

心却只是趁机打坐

黑板与粉笔耳鬓厮磨

激荡出点点粉末星火

一待尘埃落定

一代离去的背影

*因浏览了某个上载了许多小学旧校舍照片的网站，是个素不相识的校友拍下的，对于时过境迁，沧海桑田，难免偶有感触，故有此拙作，献丑唐突之余，借以聊表缅怀之意。
Credits to Mr Robin Ong http://www.pbase.com/blurified/image/993273
Thanks to JJ for his recommendations.

Envoy of the Stars @ 6:56 PM
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Drinks

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Coff** B*an's white tea. (think so..) Tasted quite blend but the aroma is pleasant.

Blackberry Tea

Matcha Frappucino- Love the taste of Matcha. A nice combination of green tea with milk.. Anything with green tea is good enough for me.

I remember there's a tinge of honey in this tea. Has got a very pleasant texture and soothes the throat.

After a day of work... and still working at J8's Coff** Be*n

At "Tea Party", which is just a stone's throw away from HC campus.. I can't believe I only come here after 6 years of hanging out in Bt Timah...

If you are wondering what this entry is about, I just thought I will post a few pictures of the drinks I have while chilling out. Although I must say this "pastime" of mine is rather taxing on the wallet.. Tea is such an art.

Envoy of the Stars @ 9:39 PM
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Showcase

Monday, March 24, 2008

It's been quite some time since my last movie review. Not like I am going to start on one. It will more be like an appreciation of this particular movie I watched over the past weekend, and this time it is one I didn't intend to watch. If you have not watched it, it's worthy of a $9.50 ticket. "Horton" turned out to be more than meets the eye. Initially I was thinking it will be another one of those animal-theme 3D graphic movies that have been over-capitalised on since "Finding Nemo"s' success.

But I realised my mistake about 10 minutes into the show because I am pretty sure the chiding and adult humour are much better comprehended by grownups and the movie actually brought out themes like community, politics and the belief that "people are people, even if they are small", a much neglected thought especially in these days where the big and powerful call the shots most of the time. (Just a guess: maybe the director's intention is to raise awareness of people to look out for those who may be weaker or more needy than us?) The movie is about Horton the Elephant which struggles to protect a speck of dust - which he believes has life - from his neighbors, who refuse to believe it exists. But nonetheless an entertaining spread of ideas and wit. No wonder my friend said a magazine gave it four stars...

昨天去室内体育馆看了S-POP大典，难得出席的艺人数量还算可观，新旧荟萃，流行与经典交集，其实也真的看出主办单位的诚意与用心。可惜的是梁文福没唱，也许是不想唱吧，不过巫启贤却现场唱了首《你是我的唯一》，又见到李圣杰、萧敬腾、萧亚轩等一票海外艺人（其中萧敬腾的支持者多得夸张... ... 未演先轰动，这应该就是所谓的一夜成名，一鸣惊人），算是满载而归。其实要办这样的庆典也真不容易，一方面因牵涉早期新谣创作而得照顾到一群八、九十年代年长“学生”对于那段岁月的缅怀，一方面却不得不顾及到只识得林俊杰、阿杜、孙燕姿等的年轻一辈。

不过节目接近尾声时，也许是该演唱的明星艺人都已陆续登场，渐渐的，涌往出口处的人潮逐渐增加，而且多到有点肆无忌惮，无所顾虑。尽管最后节目结束时所有出席艺人与嘉宾都齐聚台上，但眼见四周的骚动（和走动），主持人权怡凤问的问题就实在有点讽刺。“请问你对于S-pop有什么话说吗？”好几个被问及的艺人笑得有点尴尬，答得更公式化。

“继续努力。加油。”
“万岁。”

我是听出感动的。诚然，不是每首新谣是耳熟能详的，毕竟那岁月不属于我，最多也只能追随、回味。所谓的流行，不过是一时的，终究要落入历史，或被取而代之，或美其名为经典，不好听点就是过时。至于本地音乐的推动，除了仰赖音乐人的努力不懈，我想更多是听众群的品味与选择性，决定了新加坡牌的音乐是否独树一帜，还是最后不过是盲从香港、台湾主流的产物。

当晚有人说：“喜欢与新加坡音乐人合作，因为新加坡音乐单纯，感情丰富。”我把这里的“单纯”理解成非商业化、不局限于经济考量的意思。可以肯定的，新谣时期的音乐的确如此，虽然配乐编曲没有今天的丰富多彩。

音乐如果真的要走入生活，需要灵魂。

Envoy of the Stars @ 10:08 AM
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三人

Friday, March 21, 2008

这是一个“乱哄哄，你方唱罢我登场”的舞台。这是个饿鬼徘徊，人不为己，天诛地灭的时代。

我想效法张飞长坂桥那一夫当关的面色不改，在所镇守的方圆几尺阵地一字排开。然而对于周遭蠢蠢欲动，觊觎之心，我的自信崩塌在千军万马兵临城下的按兵不动，抗敌攘外的能耐决定成败。那些看客的脖子伸得长长的，仿佛许多鸭，被无形的手捏着，向上提，靠近后时不时为探听虚实而发动攻势，笑容是武器。所以我也以彼之道，还施彼身，双方瞬间的短兵相接，高下立判，仗着我笑容的弧度与深表感同身受的眼神，幸好对方能够知难而退。

之后独摆空城计，尽力表现得闲在，反倒没有人敢再来干扰。一直到出征多时的将领携着战利品凯旋而归，才终于喘了口气。

对啊。在Ym家对面的东海岸熟食中心用餐是那么辛苦。沙爹米粉的队排得超长超夸张，最后吃到口中也就特别感动。而留守阵营时要毫不犹豫拒绝有意夺桌位、争地盘的“侵略者”。有时吃得兴起，身旁却已悄悄聚集了虎视眈眈的“狂蜂蝶浪”，甚至三面包抄，最后我们饱餐一顿起身离去，才终于把苦守的领地拱手相让。

不过今天和哲函去Ym家看菜、观鱼、赏月，生活如此，夫复何求？

Envoy of the Stars @ 11:01 PM
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Thinker?

Monday, March 17, 2008

Personally I don't have anything against philosophy or profound knowledge, but I never really see a relation between that and myself. Not much of a surprise, since I am rather incoherent and senseless most of the time. That's how you become safe in a crazy world anyway. My own stubborn and rather warped theory.

But anyway, I was just chatting about I-forgot-what-topic after dinner over drinks with my friend today, and I don't know why but discussions somehow always lead to subjects that require a reasonable amount of brainwork, logic and seriousness... It's amazing how we 'manage' our conversations (obviously we didn't keep a tight rein on them) I sometimes feel like videoing it down for personal viewing pleasure when I am bored.. Reminds me of this movie "Before sunset" where the two leads meet after 5 years and start chatting about everything under the sun while strolling around the city... and the entire movie is about that.

Whatever it is, an interesting point to note is we came to a rather debatable conclusion that communication, or a need for it, and human interaction comes from ultimately, one word: interest. Interest in the form of the feeling of a person whose attention, concern, or curiosity is particularly engaged by something. Interest in the form of importance to oneself, one's welfare for instance. And we sort of agreed that if people stop thinking, there won't be any lines leading to conflicts, because your 'interest' won't be aroused, your beliefs and whatever you hold won't be challenged, you won't even bother the people around you, even if they are different, which is true inherently for everyone. It's sometimes just about how many similarities you can derive at. And people fight over differences, however small the magnitude of the conflict is. Kids fight in playgrounds over who gets to use the swing longer. Nation leaders fight for interests of their countries and people (well that's what we are told) and if diplomacy fails and should there be a need for aggression (which again is dormant in each of us) things will escalate to something bigger, from trade sanctions to military intervention to war... It's just the size of the playground. So thinking is the new root of all evil? And good as well... So if everyone can stop thinking and just go about their own lives until their time is up, without hindering others, assuming that everyone is contented with what they have, whatever they get, we might be able to truly form a utopian world, but I doubt it will be desired. 世界大同是如此恐怖。

That's what a cup of mocha latte can do to you.

I got acquainted with the term "rugged individualism" which I think is interesting from Yimeng a couple of days ago. Taken from Hoover's speech, the essence is (quoted from Ym) one should work hard and not depend on others. Somehow, it doesn't sound selfish to adopt such a set of thinking.. Especially in this age of personal expression, who can truly be selfless?

Envoy of the Stars @ 10:39 PM
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品

Sunday, March 16, 2008

品这个字很有意思，它有浅尝即止的意味，体察优劣的实质，却不予人深究，是一种高雅的情趣。品茶就是例子。

就像易中天教授品三国，不用“研究”、“讲评”等字眼，而独用一个“品”一样。

讲这么多，其实只是因为我用了整整一个星期“品”学生创作的散文...

相比之下，嗯，还真的是品出个别有韵味。

Envoy of the Stars @ 8:25 PM
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三部曲

Monday, March 10, 2008

可能一些人已经知道我会写这篇算是观后感的东西。可能有些人没忘记，可能有些人已走远，可能有些人还坚持，可能有些人还执迷不悟... ... 这份执著，就是缘分。

三部曲，其实是纪念了我坐在观众席上看了三年的黄城戏。至于三部曲之后如何，还有没有下文，我也不知道。

站在熟悉又陌生的维多利亚剧院门口，看着熟悉又陌生的人潮一批一批地报到、聚集、等待进场，有种 "been here, done that"然后想抽身就走的奇妙感觉。但当然，这只是空想。我还没无聊到想要白白浪费十六元。

按照惯例，看了介绍短片、第一部、第二部剧、然后是稍微令人惊喜的第三部。最期待的，始终是谢幕。有些情感，无法压抑。还是最爱，那首歌。

四年了。是否思念？毕竟该沉淀的也早已沉淀，不变的是那股精神却得以延伸。如果这是一夜星光，那星火可以燎原，薪火才能得以相传。

Envoy of the Stars @ 2:49 PM
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Love Letter, not

Thursday, March 06, 2008

To all my dear readers, regardless whether you are faithful or not (in terms of visiting here), friendly or just shy (closet blogsurfers or those who tag now and then), young or old (?), known or unknown (to me at least), just want to say,

I don't know why you are actually reading this...

Ok that was just a joke, albeit not a very funny one I must admit. But here I am just trying to say it's been 3 years plus and running since the establishment of this space and I have brought forward the supposed anniversary which is around september. Not quite easy, considering this practice was not as common back then as like now.

I always wish some, if not most, of my entries could be entertaining and maybe even thought-provoking for those who take time to read them, whether you are a stranger I have yet to meet or someone I come to know as part of life's treat. Before this becomes like some prologue of a book or a credit-gving speech, I shall sign off, with warmest regards, from yours truly.

And a last note to all (eh this is not a will ok..) do drop me a tag or comment if you want, just to let me know who really comes here. I am quite curious about that, actually. If you have unfortunately stumbled here and even more unfortunately wasted couple of seconds of your time reading this, er.. welcome.

Envoy of the Stars @ 11:12 PM
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Runaway

Monday, March 03, 2008

我想要runaway，runaway
不需要怀疑自己对不对
甩掉一切无所谓
Runaway, runaway

我的逃亡，应该不会浪漫，最多和几个朋友一起出游，无拘无束那几天，感觉自己是活着的，不是行尸走肉，就会满足。这种逃亡很现实，因为它符合继续活在现实中人的奢侈标准，不是长期的、甚至永久的，只是短暂的自我放逐，转了一圈再回到原点。我崇尚风一般的飘逸、风一般的随意。

最近常在食堂买一杯冰奶茶，某些天冰奶茶有点苦，苦到我喝了一口后立刻想扔掉，但为了不浪费钱才勉为其难喝剩一半才拿去施舍垃圾桶。某些天冰奶茶有点甜，有时太甜了，喝了几口会腻。但我还是蛮感谢奶茶偶尔泡得刚刚好，不太甜不太苦的时候。人生不也如此。

不管如何，还蛮享受今天这种，殷勤昨夜三更雨，今得浮生一日凉的快意。

Envoy of the Stars @ 12:21 PM
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