This is a recommodation, the most worth-buying album of the year I believe : AMORE by Andrea Bocelli.
Produced by David Foster and Humberto Gatica, featuring Kenny G, Stevie Wonder, Christina Aguilera, and a band of talented musicians.
Give your ears a try.
My favourites: Besame Mucho, Mi Manchi, L'Appuntamento, Can't Help Falling in Love; live from Lake Las Vegas "Amore Under The Desert Sky" and the wonderful Les Feuilles Mortes featuring Veronica Berti ~
C'est une chanson,
Qui nous resemble,
Toi tu m'aimais,
Et je t'aimais,
Nous vivions tous,
Les deux ensemble,
Toi qui m'aimais,
Moi qui t'aimais,
Mais la vie separe,
Ceux qui s'aiment, And the falling leaves
Tout doucement,
Sans faire de bruit. Drifted by the window
Et la mer efface sur le sable, The autumn leaves
Les pas des amants desunis Of the red and gold
Thanks for buying the album dad =)
'If God had a singing voice, it would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli' - Celine Dion
:: http://www.andreabocelli.com/2006/home.html ::
Saturday, April 29, 2006
Thursday, April 27, 2006
From New York to Tehran
I am now reading a non fiction book entitled 'Neither East Nor West'
The synopsis of the book - Fusing travelogue, historical inquiry, and interviews with Iranians from all walks of life, it is a landmark contribution to travel writing and to cultural studies, as well as a timely illumination of a nation deeply misunderstood by most Westerners. In describing life in Iran today, Christiane Bird, an American who spent part of her childhood there, breaks the silence that has surrounded Iran's culture, unlike its politics for nearly twenty years.
Bird's travels take her from the modern, bustling capital of Tehran to the medieval holy city of Qom, from the sacred pilgrimage site of Mashhad- visited by more than twelve million Shi'ites annually- to the isolated valley of Alamut, once home to the legendary cult of the Assassins. She visits mosques, public baths, Khomeini's former home, and a Caspian sea resort, and attends prayer meetings and a horse racing meet. Along the way, she talks to muleteers and ayatollahs, Kurds and Turkomans, Westernised and traditional Iranians- many of whom invite her home for a cup of tea.
The results is an astounding, insightful journey into the Islamic Republic of Iran- in all its beauty, ferocity, and contradiction.
I am now following the trail and footsteps from Tabriz to Bam, left behind by Bird, who is the author of The Jazz and Blues Lover's Guide to the U.S. and New York City Handbook, and a co-author of Below the Line: Living Poor in America, graduated from Yale University and a former travel writer for the New York Daily News, and lives in New York City.
The synopsis of the book - Fusing travelogue, historical inquiry, and interviews with Iranians from all walks of life, it is a landmark contribution to travel writing and to cultural studies, as well as a timely illumination of a nation deeply misunderstood by most Westerners. In describing life in Iran today, Christiane Bird, an American who spent part of her childhood there, breaks the silence that has surrounded Iran's culture, unlike its politics for nearly twenty years.
Bird's travels take her from the modern, bustling capital of Tehran to the medieval holy city of Qom, from the sacred pilgrimage site of Mashhad- visited by more than twelve million Shi'ites annually- to the isolated valley of Alamut, once home to the legendary cult of the Assassins. She visits mosques, public baths, Khomeini's former home, and a Caspian sea resort, and attends prayer meetings and a horse racing meet. Along the way, she talks to muleteers and ayatollahs, Kurds and Turkomans, Westernised and traditional Iranians- many of whom invite her home for a cup of tea.
The results is an astounding, insightful journey into the Islamic Republic of Iran- in all its beauty, ferocity, and contradiction.
I am now following the trail and footsteps from Tabriz to Bam, left behind by Bird, who is the author of The Jazz and Blues Lover's Guide to the U.S. and New York City Handbook, and a co-author of Below the Line: Living Poor in America, graduated from Yale University and a former travel writer for the New York Daily News, and lives in New York City.
Monday, April 24, 2006
A simple word - LOVE
I am sitting on a bench, in the middle of the night in Canakkale, south of Istanbul. The usual routine at night which is sleeping is not an interest for the people in here as I can see the Turkish people, especially adolescence around my age walking by in front of me. There are couple holding hands together feeling as if the windy night belongs to them, there are a group of youths laughing and talking loudly to each other feeling as if this laughter lightens up the darkness of the night, and there are people walking in a solitude feeling as if the world belongs only to himself. It is a windy night, I am tired due to the earlier long journey from Ephesus. The leaves falling as if the earth wants it to be, as the wind dominates the scenery. I am warming up myself with the leather jacket that I wear, at times I shiver as the nature gets over me. I look right of me, seeing a couple hugging themselves together and as a human being, I dream of the moment that they cherish now, right in front of my eyes. The sceptical side of me awakes when it comes to love. As I grow, experience and knowing people have taught me that love is not as easy as I say it. Like the Dardanell Straits in front of me, which the horizon marks the limit of my eyes in seeing the European side of Turkey, the similar blindness emerges in my comprehension of love. There is more to love than just holding hands, there is more to love than just sex and kissing, and even more than just saying I LOVE YOU. If I were to fall in love, I will do the best for me and the other half of the sky. However, do not say that the love is not there if I just give half of my effort and commitment. Do not just see what you want to see, do not just assume what you want to assume, as monkey see monkey do. There is still a long way to go, another sea to across, another mountain to climb, and another day to sail as the future is very uncertain and we are bounded by our own rationality. At my age now, this is the precious time for me to know a lot of people and doing things that I want to do. It is for the purpose of filling up my Experience Bank. I believe if both have good intentions to spend half of the life with the other half of the sky, that is the beginning of a new phase in life, which is the time for me to be a father and for the other half of the sky to be a mother. Yes, it is my highest happiness in the future to see my own baby, cuddling the baby as my father did to me. When the right time arrives, everything will be there.
At the moment, my desire of solitary moment in carving my own career path in the next four to five years clings to the words by Paulo Coelhe in 'The Zahir' -
If you're asking me if I like your company, the answer is yes. If on the other hand, you're asking me if I could live without you, the answer is also yes
However, I can plan but there are various possibility of different outcomes. I have my own bounded rationality too. As in 'The Zahir' -
Some time ago, I was in Geneva for a series of interviews. At the end of a day's work, and because a woman friend I was supposed to have supper with cancelled at the last minute, I set off for a stroll around the city. It was a particularly lovely night, the streets were deserted, the bars and restaurants still full of life, and everything seemed utterly calm, orderly, pretty, and yet suddenly I realised that I was utterly alone.
Needless to say, I had been alone on other occasions during the year. Needless to say, my girlfriend was only two hours away by plane. Needless to say, after a busy day, what could be better than a stroll through the narrow streets and lanes of the old city, without having talk to anyone, simply enjoying the beauty around me. And yet the feeling that surfaced was one of oppressive, distressing loneliness - not having someone with whom I could share the city, the walk, the things I'd like to say.
I got out my mobile phone; after all, I had a reasonable number of friends in the city, but it was too late to phone anyone. I considered going into one of the bars and ordering a drink; someone was bound to recognise me and invite me to join them. But I resisted the temptation and tried to get through that moment, discovering, in the process, that there is nothing worse than the feeling that no one cares whether we exist or not, that no one is interested in what we have to say about life, and that the world can continue turning without our awkward presence.
I began to imagine how many million of people were, at that moment, feeling utterly useless and wretched - however rich, charming and delightful they might be - because they were alone that night, as they were yesterday, and as they might well be tomorrow. Students with no one to go out with, older people sitting in front of the TV as if it were their sole salvation, businessmen in their hotel rooms, wondering if what they were doing made any sense, women who spent the afternoon carefully applying their makeup and doing their hair in order to to a bar only to pretend that they're not looking for company; all they want is confirmation that they're still attractive; the men ogle them and chat them, but the women reject them all disdainfully, because they feel inferior and are afraid the men will find out that they're single mothers or lowly clerks with nothing to say about what's going on in the world because they work from dawn to dusk to scrape a living and have no time to read the newspapers. People who look at themselves in the mirror and think themselves ugly, believing that being beautiful is what really matters, and spend their time reading magazines in which everyone is pretty, rich, and famous. Husbands and wives who wish they could talk over supper as they used to, but there are always other things demanding their attention, more important things, and the conversation can always wait for a tomorrow that never comes.
That day, I had lunch with a friend who had just got divorced and she said t me, 'Now I can enjoy the freedom I've always dreamed of having.' But that's a lie. No one wants that kind of freedom: we all want commitment, we all want someone to be beside us to enjoy the beauties of Geneva, to discuss books, films, or even to share a sandwhich with because there isn't enough money to buy one each. Better to eat half a sandwhich than a whole one.
I get up from my long sitting, an air of pleasure in realising the wonderful possibility arises as I am now longing for my bed in the hotel. I walk pass the 'wooden horse' of Troy exhibited on the seafront, breathing the air of victory as resembled by the horse.
At the moment, my desire of solitary moment in carving my own career path in the next four to five years clings to the words by Paulo Coelhe in 'The Zahir' -
If you're asking me if I like your company, the answer is yes. If on the other hand, you're asking me if I could live without you, the answer is also yes
However, I can plan but there are various possibility of different outcomes. I have my own bounded rationality too. As in 'The Zahir' -
Some time ago, I was in Geneva for a series of interviews. At the end of a day's work, and because a woman friend I was supposed to have supper with cancelled at the last minute, I set off for a stroll around the city. It was a particularly lovely night, the streets were deserted, the bars and restaurants still full of life, and everything seemed utterly calm, orderly, pretty, and yet suddenly I realised that I was utterly alone.
Needless to say, I had been alone on other occasions during the year. Needless to say, my girlfriend was only two hours away by plane. Needless to say, after a busy day, what could be better than a stroll through the narrow streets and lanes of the old city, without having talk to anyone, simply enjoying the beauty around me. And yet the feeling that surfaced was one of oppressive, distressing loneliness - not having someone with whom I could share the city, the walk, the things I'd like to say.
I got out my mobile phone; after all, I had a reasonable number of friends in the city, but it was too late to phone anyone. I considered going into one of the bars and ordering a drink; someone was bound to recognise me and invite me to join them. But I resisted the temptation and tried to get through that moment, discovering, in the process, that there is nothing worse than the feeling that no one cares whether we exist or not, that no one is interested in what we have to say about life, and that the world can continue turning without our awkward presence.
I began to imagine how many million of people were, at that moment, feeling utterly useless and wretched - however rich, charming and delightful they might be - because they were alone that night, as they were yesterday, and as they might well be tomorrow. Students with no one to go out with, older people sitting in front of the TV as if it were their sole salvation, businessmen in their hotel rooms, wondering if what they were doing made any sense, women who spent the afternoon carefully applying their makeup and doing their hair in order to to a bar only to pretend that they're not looking for company; all they want is confirmation that they're still attractive; the men ogle them and chat them, but the women reject them all disdainfully, because they feel inferior and are afraid the men will find out that they're single mothers or lowly clerks with nothing to say about what's going on in the world because they work from dawn to dusk to scrape a living and have no time to read the newspapers. People who look at themselves in the mirror and think themselves ugly, believing that being beautiful is what really matters, and spend their time reading magazines in which everyone is pretty, rich, and famous. Husbands and wives who wish they could talk over supper as they used to, but there are always other things demanding their attention, more important things, and the conversation can always wait for a tomorrow that never comes.
That day, I had lunch with a friend who had just got divorced and she said t me, 'Now I can enjoy the freedom I've always dreamed of having.' But that's a lie. No one wants that kind of freedom: we all want commitment, we all want someone to be beside us to enjoy the beauties of Geneva, to discuss books, films, or even to share a sandwhich with because there isn't enough money to buy one each. Better to eat half a sandwhich than a whole one.
I get up from my long sitting, an air of pleasure in realising the wonderful possibility arises as I am now longing for my bed in the hotel. I walk pass the 'wooden horse' of Troy exhibited on the seafront, breathing the air of victory as resembled by the horse.
Monday, April 17, 2006
Gun, Devil, and the Blue colour
I wrote a poem in expressing my happiness for the team which I have supported since Gianfranco Zola's time when at that time almost Malaysians supported Manchester United and Liverpool, that the English season will witness for the second consecutive year their champion as the season is going to and end, to mark the beginning of the biggest football tournament on earth, World Cup in Deustchland.
The sky is blue,
The helpless Devil shyly says that it is true,
Even the arsenic Gun is seeing blue,
That the English season will be painted blue.
=)
I received a response from my accounting teacher, Mr. Kay who is an Arsenal diehard fan who taught me during my A-Level, which I found it was a very good and justified response.
The moment the money has been invested,
The world has seen that success is obligatory,
But if it falters then it is unacceptable,
Return On Capital Employed should be justified,
A club with no money like the Arsenic Gun should be contented.
Nevertheless, that is the game. One will win, one will lose at the other side. Football is like our life which resembles the two vertical points on a spinning wheel. There are times when my team is on the higher point, and I believe in the near future it will be vice versa. For the moment, I am enjoying the present moment. There is a saying in English, 'Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment'.
The sky is blue,
The helpless Devil shyly says that it is true,
Even the arsenic Gun is seeing blue,
That the English season will be painted blue.
=)
I received a response from my accounting teacher, Mr. Kay who is an Arsenal diehard fan who taught me during my A-Level, which I found it was a very good and justified response.
The moment the money has been invested,
The world has seen that success is obligatory,
But if it falters then it is unacceptable,
Return On Capital Employed should be justified,
A club with no money like the Arsenic Gun should be contented.
Nevertheless, that is the game. One will win, one will lose at the other side. Football is like our life which resembles the two vertical points on a spinning wheel. There are times when my team is on the higher point, and I believe in the near future it will be vice versa. For the moment, I am enjoying the present moment. There is a saying in English, 'Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment'.
Sunday, April 02, 2006
A Nation and A Blind Man
Is politics a forbidden world for the students nowadays?
Are we as students just have to go to lectures, read the mainstream newspapers, believing every news in favour of the current situation and do not even have the chance to evaluate the right truth about our beloved country, Malaysia?
Would we be labelled as citizens who do not have the patriotism and nationalism spirit if we voiced out the right truth, figures, and facts regarding our countries?
I strongly believe as a Malaysian student who loves this country as the blessed soil of my life, I have the right to read and to listen to different sources of news. I believe that in order for one, for every human being to be fair in evaluating wisely, one has to have sufficient knowledge and information from two contrary sources (one that in favour and the other one against of) thus one knows how to make the right and wise judgement, conclusion, and choice. Why do people simply jump to a conclusion if we voiced out the unfavourable facts regarding our country however true the facts are, we are against the current government and spreading out the propaganda that would adversely affect the prosperity and unity in this country? I would rather say that people who voice out the truth facts are those people who are really Malaysians, who really care, who really have the nationalism spirit. My lecturer Thomas said, "You can take me out of Scotland, but you cannot take the Scottish out of me". Do not forget, we as students supposed to act like a bridge between the rakyat and the government.
Do not live in a claustrophobic world in an environment called 'university'. We are not school children anymore. We have the right to keep track of our country's current affairs, evaluate, and conclude the right scenario. The most important thing, do not just stand in front of the stumbling block in your mind, leap or jump over it.
Who is going to take care of this country in the future, who is going to tell the future generation the ups and downs of our country, who is going to determine the fate of Malaysia, who is going to challenge some of the biased history facts of this country since 1957, if not us? The so called Malaysian students?
Think about it.
As Malcolm X said, 'You are not to be so blind with patriotism that you cannot face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it'
Really.
http://www.malaysia-today.net/ShamRais/2006/03/anak-muda-dan-ilmu.htm
http://www.malaysia-today.net/ShamRais/2005_02_06_MT_ShamRais_archive.htm
I am Malaysian.
You can take me out of Malaysia, but you can never take the Malaysian out of me.
Recommended readings by the time of graduation:
1. Salina by A. Samad Said
2. SHIT by Shahnon Ahmad
3. The Asian Renaissance by Anwar Ibrahim
4. My Side of History by @ Chin Peng
5. Paradoxes of Mahathirism by Khoo Boo Teik
6. The Flame Tree by Yang-May Ooi
Are we as students just have to go to lectures, read the mainstream newspapers, believing every news in favour of the current situation and do not even have the chance to evaluate the right truth about our beloved country, Malaysia?
Would we be labelled as citizens who do not have the patriotism and nationalism spirit if we voiced out the right truth, figures, and facts regarding our countries?
I strongly believe as a Malaysian student who loves this country as the blessed soil of my life, I have the right to read and to listen to different sources of news. I believe that in order for one, for every human being to be fair in evaluating wisely, one has to have sufficient knowledge and information from two contrary sources (one that in favour and the other one against of) thus one knows how to make the right and wise judgement, conclusion, and choice. Why do people simply jump to a conclusion if we voiced out the unfavourable facts regarding our country however true the facts are, we are against the current government and spreading out the propaganda that would adversely affect the prosperity and unity in this country? I would rather say that people who voice out the truth facts are those people who are really Malaysians, who really care, who really have the nationalism spirit. My lecturer Thomas said, "You can take me out of Scotland, but you cannot take the Scottish out of me". Do not forget, we as students supposed to act like a bridge between the rakyat and the government.
Do not live in a claustrophobic world in an environment called 'university'. We are not school children anymore. We have the right to keep track of our country's current affairs, evaluate, and conclude the right scenario. The most important thing, do not just stand in front of the stumbling block in your mind, leap or jump over it.
Who is going to take care of this country in the future, who is going to tell the future generation the ups and downs of our country, who is going to determine the fate of Malaysia, who is going to challenge some of the biased history facts of this country since 1957, if not us? The so called Malaysian students?
Think about it.
As Malcolm X said, 'You are not to be so blind with patriotism that you cannot face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who does it or says it'
Really.
http://www.malaysia-today.net/ShamRais/2006/03/anak-muda-dan-ilmu.htm
http://www.malaysia-today.net/ShamRais/2005_02_06_MT_ShamRais_archive.htm
I am Malaysian.
You can take me out of Malaysia, but you can never take the Malaysian out of me.
Recommended readings by the time of graduation:
1. Salina by A. Samad Said
2. SHIT by Shahnon Ahmad
3. The Asian Renaissance by Anwar Ibrahim
4. My Side of History by @ Chin Peng
5. Paradoxes of Mahathirism by Khoo Boo Teik
6. The Flame Tree by Yang-May Ooi
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