What is life without music? Ever use music as a therapy to sooth your nerves or understand social issues? Heard this song few days ago and it strikes me how chilling or touching a person's victorious struggle may be.

Nakamura Ataru is born as an intersex or hermaphrodite (with both male and female organs) and suffers from disorientation of one's gender identity. He undergone a surgery and has since transformed into a female. This real-life story is not an uncommon issue in society and I have watched a similar documentary on how some inter-sexual people struggled during their childhood and even resorted to lawsuit cases against their parents for hiding the truth.


In her song, Tomodachi no uta - Poem for a friend, Nakamura expresses how she falls in love with a boy in her younger days, yet because of the teasing from classmates due to her gender disorder, she only wishes to be just friends with him. It is an intensely sorrowful song that highlights an issue that is neglected by others and strikes only few people in a population. Nakamura also starred as a guest actress in the drama: Watashi ga Watashi de Aru Tame ni (Because I am Me) that addresses issues of sexual reassignment surgeries and gender identity disorders.

Song for a Friend..nice lyrics.



Prudence Liew Mei-Kwan also did a remake of this song, but with different lyrics written by the famous cantopop lyricist, Albert Leung (Lin Xi). The song narrates a female's struggle to life after every broken relationships and finally, learns the importance of self-love.




主唱：刘美君, 作曲：中村中, 填词：林夕

(Loosely translated in Chinese)

为了记不起我为谁寻开心
横起心　独自等婚嫁真愚笨
为了有值千金的高职和自由
为自尊心　独自却不想受困

绝对不想被同情　就算输给爱情
为何要在半秒里想放弃生命
活得成　就敢乐得尽兴
手帕没人给　不是个羞愧的罪名

原来没到家　很怕被遗下
莫问真假　怕太早将一切看化
原来没有哑　开口叫别人造福我一下
如浮花飘到双手的造化

为了想通拥抱后却能被松开
与其想被抛开　不如当那双手曾没存在
为了看穿过分倚靠别人是种悲哀
这实在不该　要懂得永久的自爱

自问不是罪名　女人输给爱情
为何颓丧到似乎失去了生命
不必自吹自擂　要哭就哭得尽兴
羞愧地承认　似大将承认被击败

原来没到家　很怕被遗下
莫问真假　怕太早将一切看化
原来没有哑　开口叫别人造福我一下
如浮花的心瓣碰得多也被软化

原来没到家　巴不得有人接下
划下疮疤　就以新伤治旧伤吧
明明没有哑　恨不得呼救
何尝不想把我似哭的笑脸拆除
如浮花飘到一位人士作为造化

Like this new TV ad by MINI..partly is also because I like cooper in RED.

Finally, it is the one week break. Time to rest well and do some revision. Not entirely a break too since I will heading back to school for 12-hour session on project meetings.

Been sick for 1 week and the continuous cough and breathlessness late at night make me paranoid on whether it is an asthma relapse. Had fever and was feeling tied to my bed feeling like a lump of wet cotton wool. Worse was that I had to attend an important lesson and a dry run for project presentation that day. It is always during such times when my willpower is often tested; but after everything is over, I will feel blessed that I am healthy again.

I seriously think that we SHOULD wear MEDICAL SANITATION FACE MASK when we are having flu and are in places other than home. It is like a social stigma when we wear mask and when one person falls sick, it becomes like a domino effect. But in other Asia countries, such as Taiwan, it has become a social trend and even celebrities adorn masks with cute designs.

I think I am missing out on so many aspects of life like for how many eons. The fast pace of life and the hypocritical facade we see in urban life make me neglect on the beauty of nature, new technology evolving, nice food and great night hangout areas. In short, frankly, I feel like a noob living in the bottom of a well. I want someone to hold my hand and experience such a lifestyle or even traveling to different places around the world alone snapping photos and immersing in different cultures.

Was at Geylang few days ago for a praying session and spotted this vintage bird shop at a very old shophouse.

Heard this on radio on one quite night. It's fascinating that old mellow songs can bring back so many childhood memories. I guess no other male singer of today's music industry matches up with Jacky Cheung's unique singing ability..otherwise why would he be titled as one of the four heavenly kings of cantopop?

Enjoy! 张学友 Parting on a rainy day:

I have to admit that I am stress. Yes, it is just the first week, but my schedule is packed. I feel stifling as if something heavy is pressing on my lungs. I need to exercise to de-stress..I want someone to be my side to ease my worries..I want someone to tell me that I can do it..I need to reduce my other commitments.

I think school has already "slapped" reality right on my face. It always did and I have to balance dexterously with the project stuffs and all. I want a getaway, but life out at the corporate world is never a stroll in a park. Moreover, one of my prof mentioned before that, "Life is too short to be a mediocre." I am a mediocre student, but it's only by pushing myself to a higher limit that I could view a better horizon. Nonetheless, having a balanced lifestyle is still important.

Be Strong. Stay Strong. Think Strong.

It's another brand new year and school is starting again. Another battle to fight and the mad cycle of late tired nights continues. I think my body clock is screwed and even during the holiday I can't sleep until it's 3 in the morning.

2010 has been a year of usual ups-and-downs. Things get messy during the mid of the year; accusations and misunderstandings erupted and I felt the strongest pain deep down in my heart that I could not even cry or feel tears.

But when I think of the other happiness that I have, I just feel gratitude and a stronger urge to survive the ordeals. When life becomes imperfect, it's time to reflect on the many other sufferings around this Earth and to practice more resilience and compassion.

Lastly, this Dec holiday ended shortly, sweetly, quietly, and without a high note.

So, here's my new resolution, some of them unfulfilled for last year:

Family and Friends
Studies
Better Health & Lose Weight FAST
Work + Money
Traveling