A Lilt In My Song.

Today, Mich is a Happy Lady.

• Friends and great company, as always.
• Contentment
• Fulfilment
• The warm, fuzzy aura of being Loved.

Yes, perhaps this time,
Mich will be Happy, after all. =)

Life, As We Know It.

Queen Seon Deok is a historical epic that illustrates the history of Shilla before its unification with Baekje and Goguryeo to form modern-day South Korea. It has won numerous awards and accolades in Korea, securing 49% of viewership.

A central figure is Bidam whom Mishil, the King's primary consort, had abandoned at birth. Mishil spends her life plotting to be Queen. Her ambition is fuelled by her husband Sejong and lover, General Seolwon. (It was common for aristocrats to have multiple partners for political reasons.) Her brother, Misaeng and sons, Hajong and Bojong join the foray.

Bidam had been taken away to safety at birth by Munno, the leader of the Hwarangs, which enlists elite warriors from noble families. His swordsmanship, thus, is second to none in the nation.

His puerile mannerisms and naivete are soon decimated when he crosses paths with an abandoned princess, Deokman. Their journey to the palace is fraught with numerous challenges. Eventually, he discovers his identity.

Bearing an inferiority complex that stems from an identity crisis and faced with the dilemma of opposing his mother for the sake of his devotion to Deokman, Bidam causes his own downfall when he fails to trust Deokman and leads a rebellion against her after Mishil's death.

Upon realizing his folly, he makes a fatal return to the palace. He slays numerous guards along the way with a sole fixation - to meet Deokman face to face. With each battalion obliterated, he pushes on by quantifying the proximity to his goal - "70 paces to Deokman", "50 paces", etc. He inches towards her but is outnumbered eventually. As the final blade is fatally plunged into his wounded institution, he mutters, "Deokman" with his last breath.

Kim Nam Gil has portrayed Bidam to perfection. His myriad of expressions and acting chops have propelled him to the top echelon of Korean entertainment. Consistently voted as Korea's Sexiest Man and winning numerous awards based on his portrayal of Bidam, Kim Nam Gil charms on screen and in various advertisements.

The magnitude of Queen Seon Deok's success can and will only be understood if one plows through its 62 episodes. Bidam's metamorphosis and insecurity are common traits that viewers identify with and so, are compelled to be strung along the series. It is more than a drama. Viewers alike walk away with lessons in life.

That is why fans of Queen Seon Deok have difficulty 'getting over' the series once it draws to a close. Its quality is nonpareil.

Here is my favourite clip depicting Bidam's transitory stages in adulthood. Have the tissue box in hand. You'll probably need it. =)

"Can't I Love You?"

Melancholy bristles. Enjoy.

Even though it wrenches me with pain, I can't feel it
Even if I'm waiting for you in vain
Even though I think of you with quivering hands, I can't feel it

Since the day I placed You in my mind
There is no room for anyone else in my heart.
Even if it hurts and shatters me, I will open my heart to You.

I was living in a lonely world when you came along.
You're the only one who can make me smile.

Can't I love You? Can You come to Me?
Just for once, can You hug me in Your arms?
You're the only one I love
Can You accept my fragile heart?

The reason I'm still breathing amongst this terrible loneliness
Is You

Can't I love You? Can You come to me?
Once again, can You hug me in Your arms?
You're the only one I love
You're the first and the last.

Tangible as you are, you can't be held in my arms
For You've forsaken me.

Can't I love You? Even if I'm just trailing behind You,
I am content to look at you from afar.
Even if I can only protect you in the shadows
Even like this, it's all right...
Even if I can only love you in this manner, it's good enough.

[ Translated from Queen Seon Deok OST - Kim Nam Gil ]

Hush.

Goodnight. =)

So Familiar.

如果超人会飞
If Superman could fly
那就让我在空中停一停歇
Allow me to rest as I hover high in the sky
再次俯瞰这个世界
Viewing the world again through my eyes,
会让我觉得好一些
Its comfort to me is nigh.
哦~~~拯救地球好累
Saving the world expels a sigh
虽然有些疲惫但我还是会
Though I'm weary, I'll forge ahead and try
不要问我哭过了没
Ask not if I have once cried
因为超人不能有眼泪
For Superman should not have tears in his eyes.

[ Extracted from 超人不会飞, Jay Chou ]

Sunday.

As vermillion streaked across the palette of blue,
The Little Girl smiled because she knew.

Would it be transient, puffed imaginings anew?
Allusions as such, to eschew or renew?

*Photograph by Mich.
Location : At her window.

Happy 10th Album! =)

After 10 albums, Jay's still the top in the business. His albums are surefire hits, garnering millions in sales. Recently, ticket sales of his impending concert in Singapore sparked such a furore that it made news even in Taiwan! 24 000 tickets were snapped in a total of 6 hours, setting a new record in concert sales locally. (Each show was sold out in 2 hours!) Thousands were left disappointed after emerging empty-handed despite being in line for hours and a bidding war emerged on ebay for any available ticket. That's no mean feat!


Left: Individual badges chronicling Jay's albums
Right: Album Cover


Left: Every purchase entitles you to a chance at bagging a pair of tickets to Jay's concert. (Quite unfortunately, Mich has purchased ridiculously overpriced tickets on ebay for the second show prior to the album launch.)
Right: Title of the new album


Painstaking details indicate a certain pride that's typical of Jay. Lyrics sit prettily in a hologram box.


Left:Cover of the lyrics booklet
Right: List of songs


Quite a spectacular design, isn't it?











See you at the concert! =)

Of Cheshire Grins.

The Little Girl lay in bed and smiled.
She was Happy.

Thank You. =)

This Day.

The Little Girl fled to a land beyond.

To quash what was embedded within -

The unintended acceleration of That.

Shadowed by archaic scaffolding, It did matter after all.

How Apt.

Your Keirsey Temperament Sorter results indicate that your personality type is that of the IDEALIST.

Idealists, as a temperament, are passionately concerned with personal growth and development. Idealists strive to discover who they are and how they can become their best possible self -- always this quest for self-knowledge and self-improvement drives their imagination. And they want to help others make the journey. Idealists are naturally drawn to working with people, and whether in education or counseling, in social services or personnel work, in journalism or the ministry, they are gifted at helping others find their way in life, often inspiring them to grow as individuals and to fulfill their potentials.

Idealists are sure that friendly cooperation is the best way for people to achieve their goals. Conflict and confrontation upset them because they seem to put up angry barriers between people. Idealists dream of creating harmonious, even caring personal relations, and they have a unique talent for helping people get along with each other and work together for the good of all. Such interpersonal harmony might be a romantic ideal, but then Idealists are incurable romantics who prefer to focus on what might be, rather than what is. The real, practical world is only a starting place for Idealists; they believe that life is filled with possibilities waiting to be realized, rich with meanings calling out to be understood. This idea of a mystical or spiritual dimension to life, the "not visible" or the "not yet" that can only be known through intuition or by a leap of faith, is far more important to Idealists than the world of material things.

Highly ethical in their actions, Idealists hold themselves to a strict standard of personal integrity. They must be true to themselves and to others, and they can be quite hard on themselves when they are dishonest, or when they are false or insincere. More often, however, Idealists are the very soul of kindness. Particularly in their personal relationships, Idealists are without question filled with love and good will. They believe in giving of themselves to help others; they cherish a few warm, sensitive friendships; they strive for a special rapport with their children; and in marriage they wish to find a "soulmate," someone with whom they can bond emotionally and spiritually, sharing their deepest feelings and their complex inner worlds.

Idealists are relatively rare, making up no more than 15 to 20 percent of the population. But their ability to inspire people with their enthusiasm and their idealism has given them influence far beyond their numbers.

Idealists at Work
Your attention is naturally drawn to the individual and collective needs, desires, and experiences of people in your environment. In your ideal job, you would be able to use your inner beliefs as a guide for empowering others. Though you are comfortable with leadership, you don’t like arbitrary hierarchies. You care deeply about people as people, and often feel that maintaining official role boundaries interferes unnecessarily with both communication and progress.

Do You agree with the salient observations above?

Look Who (or What)'s Having the Munchies.

Did You latch onto the fun-laden surprise today?

Naivete.

Source : The Project Gutenberg (1901)

The Affliction.

She knows what it's like to hurt.

Its intensity cripples as she clutches her chest.

The Unseen trickles will soon be quelled. Silence shall erect its fortress.

Eventually.

She stands up for Everything and Everyone, but herself.

In the eyes of her peers, she posseses a strong character and gains admiration as such.

Holding the piecs together, she goes through the motion day after day, filtering out pain as it pierces.

Little do They know that what she seeks is the singular notion, You.

Erstwhile, She plasters a crooked smile and takes her place in the neverending masquerade.

She must be Superwoman.

As expected.

A Note To The Boy.

The Little Girl wants The Boy to know that She is very, very proud of His accomplishments.

Yet, She will skittle off to a land beyond when the time comes.

Because she knows that it will be for the best.

And should The Boy ever think of her, even once,

She would drop everything and stay alongside.

Erstwhile, she shall slink into the deep recesses,

Unnoticed, Unseen, Unheard.

And that's the stance she shall adopt henceforth.

"Leisure."

What is this life if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs
And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass,
Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight,
Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty's glance,
And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can
Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care,
We have no time to stand and stare.

~ Wm. Henry Davies (1871-1940)

FrouFrou.

Conspicuously teethering, they had to be changed.

Thus, she did.

As she went about it, she could not believe the quirk of fate that she had to contend with and its somewhat illustrative castigation.

In a swift stroke, it was done.

You could just imagine her watching with bated breath.

Almost.

A Day At A Time. Slowly, But Surely.

Yes, I will cry have cried.

Tears will be have been shed.

But I have a life ahead of Me and a Purpose to achieve.

You will leave have left a deep gash yet again.

The void and abyss are all too familiar.

Yes, it will behas been immensely difficult for me to watch the days go by and not utter a word in Your presence.

It took 10 years before You knew me and drew close; so close that at one point, we were standing cheek to cheek. That was the Happiest Day of my life, for I knew what it meant.

Today, all has been Forgotten because Cupcakes have always been favoured over Muffins.

The trickles will ebb.

Slowly, but surely.

Though it may take weeks, months, years or even decades to forget all that has transpired,

One day, it'll all be over.

One day.

So, now, I live a day at a time.

Breathing, just Breathing.

I'm Sad, Hurt and definitely Broken.

But I'll Heal in time.

I'm as strong as my mind wants to be.

A Tear Falls, Enough For A Flower To Grow.

Dear You,

Isn't it funny how things have come in a full circle?

When a gaping wound was left and comfortably, I'd nestled within the throes as such.

And now, we're back to where we were -

Before It happened.

Before I knew You.

The very fear that I'd been harbouring and wishing against silently has now fleshed out in reality.

After all this time, I've been but a filler; a convenient bookmark till the page is flipped.

Why did you tell me to Stay if you had known it would turn out this way?

I'm Hurt.

Tonight, I cried the way I did in 2007, when you paid me back in my own coin.

On your table sits the ornament because it is undeserving of the pedestal in your car.

Love of my life, it was You.

It was You that I'd been waiting for.

When you entered my life, showered me with attention and did all the things you did, you made Mich very Happy indeed.

The silly Little Girl has been clutching at straws. She'd been sure that she was next in line.

Now, this is the price she has to pay for her wilful folly.

It pains me as such.

But I can no longer pretend.

And when seven days have passed,

I'd know that the lot has been cast.

Fraught.

A tatter of my Dreams.
In pieces, so it seems.

A book, once it's read
Yields its pulp to shred.

The Golden Goal.

The Little Girl grabbed it, crushed it and tossed it aside.

2010 will not be 2007.

She won't allow it.

Not at all.

Brace yourself for the ride, Little Girl.

The tide will ebb, in a matter of weeks.

By then, you'll see.

Tag, You're It.

Falling in undulations before her was That which the Little Girl had coveted. Casting an oblique glance, she was certain that she was next in line.

Others had urged her to turn tail.

"In a little while," she whispered. "Just a little longer."

Bolstered reassurance lulled in the likes of the garden variety.

Genial specifics, however, whittled and rendered her incapable of motion, emotion and finity.

Chiselled notions were cosigned to oblivion.

Then, the Little Girl, posited in repose, wept bitterly.

She saw.

She knew.

Would The Boy indicate an inkling?

Or would He bring forth words of fancy as always?

Why did He ask Her to Stay

If Cupcakes perforated the line and Muffins were out of place?

It.

People kill themselves not because they are weak. It's a cry of being made to feel hapless, helpless and hopeless.

With welted agony, they seek and tug. Receiving nought, hope gradually ebbs. A part of them dies, and then another. Soon, all that's left are shards of what they once were.

In a single breath, it is finished.

Come Away With Me.

You said to Stay,
And so I did.

Take Me Away,
With Time to Bid.

The Ties That Bind.

Mich

^

K
(a hilarious expatriate introduced by childhood friend, E)

^

T
(hails from the same country as K.)

^

You.

Coincidence is rife indeed.
Unbelievable?
Not in Mich's world.
Now, perhaps you'd understand why I guard my privacy as such!

"I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings."

The free bird leaps
on the back of the win
and floats downstream
till the current ends
and dips his wings
in the orange sun rays
and dares to claim the sky.

But a bird that stalks
down his narrow cage
can seldom see through
his bars of rage
his wings are clipped and
his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing.

The caged bird sings
with fearful trill
of the things unknown
but longed for still
and its tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom

The free bird thinks of another breeze
an the trade winds soft through the sighing trees
and the fat worms waiting on a dawn-bright lawn
and he names the sky his own.

But a caged bird stands on the grave of dreams
his shadow shouts on a nightmare scream
his wings are clipped and his feet are tied
so he opens his throat to sing

The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings of freedom.

[ Maya Angelou ]