Where's my blue sky and shining star?

The misty sky is starting to get on my nerves...
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PSI hits new record high this year
By May Wong, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 28 September 2006 2033 hrs

SINGAPORE: As of 4pm on Thursday, the Pollutant Standards Index or PSI stands at 66 - the highest recorded this year.

The PSI is an indication of air quality.

The previous highest PSI reading was 60, earlier this month.

Satellite images of South Sumatra showed there were burning forests there, and the smoke from those fires are being blown over to Singapore, causing the haze.

"We notice from satellite pictures, the fires are raging in South Sumatra. The farmers are probably using the fires to clear land for the next replanting and this is the dry season. Because the fires are happening quite a distance from Singapore, when it reaches Singapore, it's pretty diluted, that's why we're only experiencing PSI in the range of 50s to 60s. The moderate PSI days will probably last today and tomorrow, possibly on Saturday or Sunday, we'll see improvement in PSI, due to a change in wind direction," said Yong Miow Koon, Chief Meteorological Officer, Meteorological Services Division, NEA.

Last year from January to about end September, 39 days were affected by the haze which recorded PSI readings in the moderate range.

This year, during the same period, the number fell to 21 days.

It's better this year because the Met Services say most of the wind directions are blowing away from Singapore. The traditional haze season from June is also expected to end mid next month. - CNA /dt

来自香港的诗 (Poem from Hong Kong)

My father bought this from hong kong. It was composed and written on the spot using the names of my parents, my sis and I.

喜伴康愉美顺昌，
松风柏节燕莺唱，
秀贤良助钦和旺，
花好月圆赐福祥。

退后 (Stepping back)

There is no right nor wrong in any love relationship. Just decisions and memories...

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Album: 依然范特西
Artiste: 周杰伦
Song Title: 退后

天空灰的像哭过
离开你以后 并没有更自由
酸酸的空气 嗅出我们的距离
一幕椎心的结局 像呼吸般无法停息

抽屉泛黄的日记
榨干了回忆 那笑容是夏季
你我的过去 被顺时针的忘记
缺氧过后的爱情 粗心的眼泪是多余

我知道你我都没有错
只是忘了怎么退后
信誓旦旦给的承诺
全被时间扑了空

我知道我们都没有错
只是放手会比较好过
最美的爱情回忆里带去

天空灰的像哭过
离开你以后 并没有更自由
酸酸的空气 嗅出我们的距离
一幕椎心的结局 像呼吸般无法停息

抽屉泛黄的日记
榨干了回忆 那笑容是夏季
你我的过去 被顺时针的忘记
缺氧过后的爱情 粗心的眼泪是多余

我知道你我都没有错
只是忘了怎么退后
信誓旦旦给的承诺
全被时间扑了空

我知道我们都没有错
只是放手会比较好过
最美的爱情回忆里待續

我知道我们都没有错
只是放手会比较好过
最美的爱情回忆里待續

千里之外 - 周杰伦,费玉清

Another song from 周董 latest album 依然范特西, featuring evergreen singer 费玉清. Felt the song seems to cater more to his style than Jay Chou. But the middle of the song is a rap portion that is so typical of Jay Chou. And somehow it piece together nicely - awesome. The music video is nice too.
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周:
屋檐如悬崖 风铃如沧海 我等燕归来
时间被安排 演一场意外 你悄然走开
故事在城外 浓雾散不开 看不清对白
你听不出来 风声不存在 是我在感慨

梦醒来 是谁在窗台 把结局打开
那薄如蝉翼的未来 经不起谁来拆

费:
我送你离开 千里之外 你无声黑白
沉默年代 或许不该 太遥远的相爱
我送你离开 天涯之外 你是否还在
琴声何来 生死难猜 用一生去等待

Rap:
闻泪声入林 寻梨花白 只得一行青苔
天在山之外 雨落花台 我两鬓斑白
闻泪声入林 寻梨花白 只得一行青苔
天在山之外 雨落花台 我等你来

费:
一身琉璃白 透明着尘埃 你无瑕的爱
你从雨中来 诗化了悲哀 我淋湿现在
周:
芙蓉水面采 船行影犹在 你却不回来
被岁月覆盖 你说的花开 过去成空白

费:梦醒来 是谁在窗台 把结局打开
周:那薄如蝉翼的未来 经不起谁来拆

费:
我送你离开 千里之外 你无声黑白
沉默年代 或许不该 太遥远的相爱
周:
我送你离开 天涯之外 你是否还在
琴声何来 生死难猜 用一生

费:
我送你离开 千里之外 你无声黑白
沉默年代 或许不该 太遥远的相爱
周:
我送你离开 天涯之外 你是否还在

周:琴声何来
费:生死难猜
合:用一生去等待

菊花台

For the first time, I can understand what 周董 is singing. The melody of this song is very nice, aided by use of chinese musical instrument such as Yang Qin (扬琴). The lyrics is bit too melancholic though.
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Album: 依然范特西
Artiste: 周杰伦

你的泪光 柔弱中带伤
惨白的月儿弯弯 固住过往
夜太漫长 凝结成了霜
是谁在阁楼上冰冷地绝望

雨轻轻叹朱红色的窗
我依身在纸上 被风吹乱
梦在远方 化成一缕香
随风飘散 你的模样

菊花灿烂地烧你的笑容已泛黄
花落人断肠 我心事静静躺
被风乱也微摇 你的影子剪不断
独留我孤单在湖面 神伤

花已伤完 飘落了灿烂
凋谢的市道上 冥冥不堪
手摸独樵 愁心拆两半
他已上不了爱一辈子摇晃

谁的江山马蹄声慌乱
我一身的戎装 呼啸沧桑
天微微亮 你轻声的叹
一夜惆怅 如此委婉

菊花灿烂地烧你的笑容已泛黄
花落人断肠 我心事静静躺
被风乱也微摇 你的影子剪不断
独留我孤单在湖面 神伤

菊花灿烂地烧你的笑容已泛黄
花落人断肠 我心事静静躺
被风乱也微摇 你的影子剪不断
独留我孤单在湖面 神伤

Singapore Dreaming - the movie

"You Singaporeans give up your dreams to take up a job you don’t like, to make a living, while I am doing work that I don’t like so that I can reach my dream" - A mainland chinese lady talking to CK (Lim Yu-Beng)

Are we too caught up with bread and butter issue, constantly filling our minds with "upgrading" issues, until we forget or even forgo our dreams?

This is definitely a movie that could drive you to tears if you are not careful. So ordinary and simple, yet so real, so thought provoking and to some extent disturbing. 5 stars for the plot and casts.

What kind of life you are dreaming of pursuing? Are you too obsessed with your current life, that you forget your after-life - would you be leaving behind a legacy or debt for your love ones?

Are the parents too pre-occupied with their children getting 100 marks or a degree , but forgot what is the real meaning of education?

Do you swallow your pride and bend your back in the face of reality at work? Do you display the same kind of disrespect and mistrust to others just because you suffer the same?

One of the cast said "Singapore is like that. Everywhere is like that... Ma La Wu Bian..."

Do you really have no choice of your life in Singapore? Slow down your car speed, slow down your walking pace, slow down your typing on your keyboard, and ponder over what you are doing - is this what you want, does it really make you happy. Do you find yourself walking the paths of others, making 'decision' and doing things that are tested and proven?

What is your dream?

Singapore Dreaming...

There goes my 1.5 Million dollar dream. Shall continue dreaming...

100 places to see before I die

I was at Wheelock place to register for the Terry Fox Run on Saturday. After which I went to browse through the books at Borders bookstore. That's where I stumble upon an interesting book title call "1,000 Places to See Before You Die". The notion of 'die-die' must see before your soul depart your mortal body before going up (or down) was captivating. I couldn't resist the temptation to do a quick scan of the book and found the short description in the book not too fascinating. But nonetheless, the title had kept me thinking since then.

What were the places I wanted to see me I die?

I don't think I have a thousand places I would like to visit. Firstly, I doubt I have the time and secondly, I don't belong to the rich and famous.

On top of my head, here's the top 10 places I would like to see before I die, in no order of preference:
1. Great Wall of China
The greatest achievement of the first Emperor of Ancient China, Shih Hwang Ti. It's definitely a place I would like to visit before I die. But I doubt I will attempt to conquer the whole 10,000 li. I probably die before I completed it.

2. Forbidden City, BeiJing, China
The palace where the Ming and Qin Dynasty Emperors stayed and rule China. Featured in so many of China and Hong Kong movies and drama serial, I really wanna see how this ancient palace of so many historical events looks like.

3. Yosemite, California, United States
A nature park that many of my colleagues visited during their trip to the United States. I got to go see how scenic is that place.

4. Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States
One of seven natural wonders of the world. Standing anyway in the Canyon is comparable to looking at Singapore on the globe? Hopefully I have a chance to go there and indulge in mother nature's creation.

5. Hokkaido, Japan
I always love snow. Don't ask me why, but everytime the word snow comes into my mind, the word Hokkaido would pop up. I don't ski, but I think I would still love this part of Japan.

6. The Sagrada Família church, Barcelona, Spain
Saw this in the Meteor Garden, a Taiwanese drama base on a Japanese manga. Any architecture building in Europe always amazes me. This is one that I have yet to visit and its top of my list for historical architecture structure.

7. Eiffel Tower, Paris, France
I always wanted to see this metallic tower that Superman saved Lois Lane from her fall. Hang on, that's from a movie scene. Nevermind, I still want to visit and take a picture of it.

8. Las Vegas, United States
A city in the middle of the desert that survive base on human's indulgence in 'entertainment'. A city that never sleeps. Sounds familiar?

9. Shanghai, China
One of the most 'happening' places in China right now. So must go and see lah.

10. New York City, United States
The Big Apple. I would never forget that night when I saw on TV how the plane crash into the World Trade Center building and how the 2 towers collapsed into rubbles.

So what are the 10 or 100 places you would like to see before you die?

Run For Hope 2006 (AKA Terry Fox Run)

Dave msn me about the Terry Fox Run today. It is to be held at Sentosa this saturday. The main purpose is to raise fund for the Singapore Cancer Society so the registration fee of $25 is not a concern.

There longest route is only 9 km so its definitely a good warm up to the Singapore Marathon. :-P

Registration can be done at a few places, either at the Singapore Cancer Society or at Borders Bookshop.

More details at http://www.runforhopesingapore.org.

Monday Blue

Andre Agassi, former world no.1 and probably one of the best tennis player that I ever remember (not that I am a tennis fan), lost in his final match at the U.S. Open after he announce his retirement. He is only 36 but guess that's the thing about sports - you can never play the game forever. Reminds me of Michael Jordan who came out of retirement but couldn't match up to his pre-retirement glory days during the Chicago Bull era.

But the news of the day (or at least in the office) has got to be the death of Mr. Crocodile - Steve Irwin. Details on his death was reported on the Entertainment (duh) section in CNN.com. My colleague said she first read the news in CNA (Channelnewsasia) under Entertainment section as well but it was later re-classified under Asia Pacific news.

I have only caught a handful of crocodile or wild life related shows by Steve Irwin. I can recollect that I quite like his shows, probably due to his passionate and zealous persona more than the animals featured. And who would have guessed he, the man who faced countless deadly reptiles would died suddenly after being stung by a stingray.

Life is definitely full of uncertainty and surprises.