The Next Valley

Happy New Year

2011-12-31T23:59:00.000+08:00

Counting down to another new year.

6 -goodbye teenage dreams-
5 - longing for a change-
4 - planning on a blank new year resolution list-
3 - wishing for a fantasy to come true-
2 - looking forward to a miracle-

.
.
.
One.
Waltzing into another year.

Happy New Year.

Zoom Out

2011-08-16T08:00:00.001+08:00

Life isn't just about yesterday. You can regret for as long as you want to, or dwell upon a wonderful memory for eternity. But life just moves on.

Life isn't just about tomorrow. You can dread for another day's job, or you can hope high and dream about tomorrow. But it will soon become history.

Life isn't just about now. You can try very hard to stop time from moving away from this second, or you can close your eyes and let time slips through your finger tips. But time is never a thing we have control over.

We are always zooming into things that happened, is happening, or will happen. We are always focusing too much on a single event. Once in awhile, we need to zoom out too.

Once in awhile, we need to try to grasp the whole picture instead of the detail.

Wait

2011-08-09T08:00:00.000+08:00

It's always easy to wish for something.
It's always easy to hope for some miracle.
It's always easy to think of someone.

But it's always hard when you have to WAIT for it to come true. Even though you linger on that dissapointment, even though you hold on. Nothing's going to happen. Do you know:

"How much of human life is waste on waiting."

-Ralph Waldo Emerson-

Do you know how many other chances you forgo just to wait for this dream that is so hard to come true; or to wait for a flower that will never bloom?

We just have to learn to let go. Like everyone else said.

If you've chosen to wait upon something that stays idle, change your choice. Before it changes you.

Overstuffed bag

2011-07-31T08:00:00.000+08:00

I am incredibly clumsy. A bit lost at time, a bit cunning when I have to. Most of all, emotionally unstable at all time. Not to say I am a ticking bomb but I do keep quite a good deal of stuff to myself.

And what happen when you overstuff your bag? It BURSTS.
And what do you do?

You either mend them back, or throw it away.
But I do not know how to mend a heart, neither can I throw it away. So?

JUST DON'T OVERSTUFF YOUR BAG.

For Granted

2011-06-21T23:05:00.003+08:00

What do you want? What are you chasing after? What are you leaving behind in order to search for something else?

I am thinking, sometimes I might have been taking some things in my life for granted.

I have always been complaining. And I would most likely continue to (I'll try to control it for a bit but I think you understand, it is easier said than done), since:
"most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted".

~ Aldous Huxley~

But when I look back to my own past, I've realised that those things were not at all bad. It just hadn't been the way I wanted them to be. It just hadn't been the way it used to be.

It is really not that bad.

Koffee

2011-02-12T08:00:00.003+08:00

Welcome and have a seat.

The look on your face is like a lost kid.
Come in, and we will have a talk about dreams.
Would you like a cup of coffee or tea?

Growing up

2011-01-29T08:00:00.003+08:00

"When I grow up I want to be a little boy."

- Joseph Heller -

When I was a kid, a little bit spoiled and sometimes shy, I wanted to grow up. I wanted to be able to have my say and that ADULTS listen to me. Though I wasn't even sure what I was trying to express with those childish and senseless words.

When I was a bit older, rebellious and all, I wanted to be able to make my own decisions and be responsible for the consequences. Though I did not even realise what I was bounded to face when trouble arises, and that the one that is going to bear the full responsible for my actions is going to be an ADULT.

Now that I've grown. There's all the chance for me to talk. There's all the opportunities waiting for me to decide and lay my foot upon. But I just want to go back to being a kid. Because

"Trying to grow up is hurting...... You make mistakes. You try to learn from them, and when you don't, it hurts even more."

- Aretha Franklin -

Silent

2010-05-28T08:00:00.002+08:00

There is always a kind of people. They are, always, the centre of attraction; the most shining planet in the universe. You can't ignore their outstanding features, you just can't stop yourself from fixing your gaze on that bright star smiling at you on the stage.

There is another group of people. They are, always, silent; keeping the stage light on in the shadow. You wouldn't notice them, unless you need them to draw in the curtain or switch on the special effects.

Both kinds are important.

You can't have a stage helper without the players; neither can you have the players but leave out the helpers.

They are compliment of each other. Filling in each others' gap.

You can only see the players' well-done performances. But you must not forget,
Behind scene works are just as vital.

Silent, does not mean that they do not stand out;
It means that they are willing to help others to do so.

Thankful

2010-05-11T08:00:00.002+08:00

I just looked back at some old mails.

There was one about gratitude. A very interesting one. One of them goes like this:
'I'm thankful for the alarm that goes off in the early morning hours, because it means I'm alive.'

So true. But I thought of something else.
'I'm thankful that I shut the alarm, because it means that for the first time in my life I'm going to taste what it's going to be like for entering class late.'

It's awful. But it makes me realise that I had a wonderful tutor.

And you think I'm gonna wake up on time the following week.

I did not.
'But I'm still thankful.'

Because they say, everything is fated, arranged by Him above. So,
I'm thankful because it means I know how to appreciate before I loses something precious.

Love. Asset

2010-04-24T08:00:00.002+08:00

I am quoting this from my Accounting lecturer, well with some edition:

We were having a lecture on assets and liabilities. And our lecturer asked, according to him (which I later agree), a very interesting question:
"Is your parents' love an asset to you?"

Well, being viewed in the 'accounting' way, an asset has to fulfill a few criteria.
(i) It should possess some kind of future benefit. FINANCIAL benefits, that is.
(ii) You should have control over it.
(iii) It's a result of past transaction.
(iv) THERE'S A VALUE TO IT.

I guess if my love sit in perfectly as an asset, I might as well exchange it with a house.

I guess if love has a price tag, what's the depreciation cost?
What is the carrying amount, if in the end, this love is to be sold?

So, the question is:
"Is love a kind of asset to you?"

Playing with Words

2010-04-13T08:00:00.004+08:00

My friend said:
'At the end of "FRIEND" there is always an "END".'

-Lifesky-

And whether it's the play of word that's now fooling with my mind,
'At the end of "TRUST" there is always the word "RUST".'

These are all words' games. So, don't fall for it.

Because you see, even "LEND" ends with and "END", but lending and borrowing do not have ends.
It's the circle of life, I borrow your money this time, and I have to lend it to you another time, and......

See, they are just words. What's important is their underlying meanings.

Take A Chance

2010-04-07T08:00:00.003+08:00

There's definitely something out there that you and I want to catch. About what it is, is not important. What's essential, is the way you react to it.

Have you ever flew a kite? You want it to fly high, don't you? And so it does.

But what do you if the string snapped?
The first thing that would pop up in most people's mind would be to catch it. And what really matters isn't the thought of it, but whether or not you do it.

Do you catch it, pull it back?
Or you hesitate because you're embarrassed, and about to pull it back when it flew higher and gone out of view?

'Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare.'

-Dale Carnegie-

Chance of a life time sometimes comes and goes fast. So we'll have to react fast, too. You could have bought another kite, but you wouldn't be able to buy another chance.

And,
'If you are never scared, embarrassed or hurt, it means you never take chances.'

-Julia Soul-

Playing With Colours

2010-03-31T08:00:00.003+08:00

Colours just lighten up my day. Hope it has the same effect on yours.

Did you notice kids use colours to express their imagination? A kid might colour clouds in pink, maybe paint a flower as if it's a rainbow, and he/she might even draw a blue carrot because it's his/her favourite colour and vege.

Also, colours are often use to express one's emotions. Someone who's happy tends to use series of colours whereas people in foul mood mainly uses black and grey.
'Colour is sensibility in material form......'

-Yves Klein-

When we were kids, we see the world as a very colourful universe. The sky's blue, the land flourish with flowers. But as we grow up, colours are slipping away, until black and white are the only remainders.
'The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of colour.'

-Hans Hofmann-

So, remember, when you're only watching a 'grey-scaled' world, you're not catching everything. It's only despair you're viewing, but there are plenty of happiness spreading out there, dancing in colours.

Life doesn't only comes in black and white, it's the colours that matter.

Fate or Destiny?

2010-03-12T08:00:00.002+08:00

Where could I have my despair settled?
Along the deadly desert,
I had my heart sealed away,
Which had proven to be useless in healing.
Upon the silent night,
I had my words pass through the vacuum,
Which had proven there's just me who wander in the dark.
Where could I reclaim my consolation price?
Be it fate or destiny?

I could have let my despair rest in the midst of relief that although live is rough, I am still surviving. And then I wouldn't need to seal away my heart, that's still beating violently. There's a way of living through hard times. And the best way is to optimise everything.

And be it fate or destiny,
I just have to believe divine intervention exists.
Upon the silent night,
I would not be repenting,
I would be counting stars that show up to shine,
and help me number the steps to victory.

Highway

2010-02-26T08:00:00.003+08:00

We passed our time day to day, but sometimes we just lose our directions. It's like you are walking on a road that's getting narrower and in the end, you reach a junction and neither path suit your taste.

And you forgot the way you came.

Sometimes I think, maybe I walked through my life with too little care. I kept moving on. That's true. Because before I start, I thought I was going on a highway. Straight, smooth and fast. And I knew the exit I will take. I THOUGHT I know.

So I spent my time sight-seeing throughout the journey. Locking my eyes on things that caught my attention. At the same time, still going on high speed without noticing I am well past the last exit I can choose.

I am too carefree, aren't I? That's why I am stranded, and I can't even go back, because I never pay a single tiny bit of attention to which highway I took. I thought life is supposed to be well-laid in front of me, just waiting for me to leave my footsteps on. I thought I would be lucky enough not have to work through decisions and failures.

All of those 'I thought'. And I never thought of this: life is moving on the speed of light. Too fast that I'd miss chances if I'm not focus enough.

Better Late Than Never

2010-02-25T08:00:00.007+08:00

Better late than never. And I watched, as the train starts off in front of my eyes. And his image blurred off into the dim light of the tunnel. He's still waving, so am I.

I was late and missed the bus when I first met him at the bus stop.
I was late to class and there's only one empty space left, next to him.
I was late to the cafeteria during lunch almost everyday, but I eventually noticed, there's always a seat emptied near him.
I was late on our first outing, but he just smiled and said it's okay.
I was late......

I'm always late. It's what leads me to him. And what leads me away from him.

The train is out of view now.
He's gone and I start to manage my time better.

Because I know, there won't be another empty space left for me when I'm late.

Different People

2010-02-24T08:00:00.001+08:00

There she is, pondering which is her next step. Her characteristic: always thinking, often too careful not to make a mistake. She definitely has a trait called 'Rational'.

And her always-come-first-rule: Never fall prey to your feelings. Because feelings don't last. They are just certain hormone reactions and they're not dependable.

That's quite controversial. Because not far away, there he stands, determined to have a try with what's on his mind. His merit: listen to his heart, and try hard. Doesn't matter if that means fall hard, because he's no doubt the lucky-go-happy one.

And his main concern: Don't think too much and try to make things complicated. Since things change from time to time, meaning we'll have to set things straight again soon. So why don't we just let things set into their own place instead of trying to move them around.

She has her own way of dealing with things. He has his own idea on how things would work out for him. And so do other people.

RAM

2010-02-23T08:00:00.002+08:00

My ability to recognise faces is kind of similar to a computer's RAM. It's volatile, temporary and loses data when not powered. In my human case, it's more like my brain forgetting someone's image when haven't been in contact for ages.

They've said,
The one who forgets is always happier than the one who is being forgotten.

From a point of view, it's quite true. Since the one who fails to recall wouldn't know that he/she had forgotten someone important. That's right, everything goes as usual, just with a slightly disfigure memory that once in awhile, would trigger a sense of lost.

And the one who's being forgotten, would sadly become the one who's going to be waiting on their side. It's like there's an invisible boundary in front of them. No crossing over, before they're being called upon.

And they've said,
The one who's being waited is more content than those waiting.
I should be glad that I have a RAM memory. But somehow I know. I hate myself for letting you slipped by my memory, alone.

Coincident

2010-02-10T08:00:00.002+08:00

We represents two axes.
Our relationship can only be linked together by a third line.
We need another straight line to show a correlation between us.
But it's hopeless.
No matter what the value of correlation stands,
We are still two different entities.
Correlation means nothing.
All relationships made up were counterfeits.
Fake, caused by causality.

I posted this awhile ago. Quite some while, when I was having a class on...... I can't remember. Was it Stats?

Theoretically, causality is where the x and y axes doesn't really shows a relationship even if it's a straight line (occasionally). Because there's a miraculous term in this world: coincident.

Coincidentally, you happen to write an essay that matches your teacher's taste and get an almost full mark.
Coincidentally, you meet a new friend on the day of his/her birthday.

Coincidence plays a huge part in lives. Because somethings don't happen if not for that fate. And it's not something you can create from scratches.

Afterall, an artificial coincidence losses its charm.
When you plan for something to happen, it's not instantaneous anymore, because you don't feel the surprise that's suppose to be there.

Alone

2010-02-06T08:00:00.001+08:00

It's well past the agreed time.

Look out of the window. Look. It has even started to rain. It's cold.

She gives her mobile phone another glance. No miss call, no unread message. Just the date and time that seems to remain forever. It's cold. In her heart.

She watches as people on the street run into shops for shelter, she watches as couples hold on to each other under a not-too-big-for-two umbrella and her gaze stops around the corner of the shop that sells candies, hoping to see the ones she waits.

And then there, among the crowd, she notices her under the huge rain cape, and the one behind her holding up a hand to wave, not to miss another two at the back who are both carrying a box each.

She can never forget that feeling of relief. She knows, she might be sitting alone in an empty cafe; she might be alone with a phone that will not ring; she might be doing all sorts of things alone.

But she's never lonely. Because behind all the thoughts of her troubled mind, the silhouettes of her friends will lit a light in darkness.

Traveller Verse 1

2010-01-27T08:00:00.003+08:00

He's a traveller. A tired, lonely one.

One day, he arrives at a small, peaceful and welcoming village during his journey. Did I mention that the traveller's a Chinese? Well, he is. And stopping by such a hospitable place reminds him of the family he had left behind.

He suddenly recalls a verse he once came across:
枯藤老树昏鸦, 小桥流水人家
ku teng lao shu hun ya, xiao qiao liu shui ren jia

-by 马致远, 《天静沙》

Direct translation would be:
Dried cane and a listless crow upon an old folk tree (which literally shows the anxiety of a traveller),
Small bridge over flowing water and a pleasant home (which is almost the direct inverse of the first line, showing the traveller's desire for a home).

Travellers live within loneliness and dwell within memories of love and home.

He feels at home in the village, and yet, a huge pang of loneliness hit him. This feels like his home, no doubt, but it isn't after all. Despite the warm greetings and the big hugs, he is no more than a stranger.

Travellers are passerbys, that move around to seek out the things they've lost. And the first of all, is the home they left behind.

Beach

2010-01-21T08:00:00.006+08:00

I've always wanted to stay near the beach. Listening to the crowd, watching them as they come and go. Sinking my finger tips in the sand, sounding my thoughts for that one moment, before the waves wash them to the sea.

'Why do we love the sea? It is because it has some potent power to make us think things we like to think.' -Robert Henri

And yes. We think, why can't we fly like the birds roaming free above the ocean?
And we think, life can't be better than strolling along the beach with the one you loved.
We also think, difficult times in life is just like waves that hit the sand during high tides, but will eventually fade off when the tides ebb.

We think, we imagine, and then we lay hope. Forgetting that there are work piling up on your office desk, leaving behind the memory of being shouted by your teacher for not finishing her homework in front of your classmates, as well as ignoring the sound of your nagging partner who wants to go somewhere else.

This is where I've once been. This is where I wanted to be now. And this is where I'll be.

Who Is The-One?

2009-03-25T20:52:00.008+08:00

I am tired now. I need a shoulder. I need some comfort. I want to find someone.

I want to find someone with a smiling face at all time, like Fuji Syuusuke.
I want to be looked over by someone who is lonely, like Kuran Kaname.
I want to be near someone optimistic, like Asakura Yoh.
I want to sit next to someone who likes to read as I do, like Hatake Kakashi.
I want to have someone good at trumpet to cheer me up, like Hihara Kazuki.
I want to be guarded by someone loyal, like Conrad.
I want to have someone caring (to care for me?), like Ichigo Kurosaki.

That's all for the moment. Cupid, can you please take my order?

Before I met someone portraying the traits above, I shall sleep and DREAM OF ONE. *how pity*