Rush

You know you're in deep shit
running out of time
everyone's in your way
no space to breathe
no time to think
They're catching up to you
on your coattails (what are those?)

come on, move it!
I see the end
chill, slow down
and then you realise
too late, too slow
you missed it

Goodbye

Watch this movie and I challenge you to not shed a single tear.





Hachiko, an Akita was born 8th in order in a litter on the 10th of November, 1923. His name is now synonymous with Loyalty in Japan. Well, it happened even before he died in 1935.


Hidesaburō Ueno, a professor in the agriculture department at the University of Tokyo, took Hachiko as a pet in 1924. They must have developed a very close bond, because at the end of every day, when the professor came back from work, Hachiko would be there at Shibuya Station to greet him. This happened everyday, until one day in May, 1925.

Shibuya Station in those days

On that day, Professor Ueno did not come. He had suffered a cerebral haemorrhage and died. Hachiko waited and waited, but still he did not come. Starting from that day, until the end of his life, Hachiko would wait at Shibuya Station for his master who would never come.


This story has been interpreted by many people as a story of loyalty. We see Hachiko's action as love and loyalty for his owner, and remember him for it. Though there are many other stories of loyalty from around the world (mostly regarding dogs, I wonder why), Hachiko's story seems to resonate the most with people. Well, it does with me, at least. Why?


Perhaps it is just that simple act of waiting and expectation. We will probably never know what Hachiko was thinking, but legend now goes that he continued to wait faithfully for his owner to return. It's that simple act of foolish innocence, that unwavering loyalty, belief, I think, that attracts us. If you were there, would you have admonished Hachiko? Would you have tried to make him understand that Professor Ueno is never coming back? If it was a child waiting for a father who left home, believing one day he would come back... would you feel the same?

Hachiko in his later years

Anyway, interestingly, the first bronze statue of Hachiko was unveiled before Hachiko's eyes, while he was still alive in 1934. Though this statue was recycled for the war effort later on (WW2?), a new one was erected in 1948. It's still there to this day - a memory, a story of loyalty.

There have been 2 movies made about Hachiko. One was made in Japan in 1987, and one was made in 2009 in the US, starring Richard Gere. I haven't seen the 'original' one yet, but I think they'd hit the heart in the same place. 

The music above is by Jan A.P. Kaczmarek, made for the American version.

PS: THEY STUFFED HIS BODY AND PUT IT ON DISPLAY IN A MUSEUM. His other remains were buried with Prof. Ueno.

3 Films of Edgar Wright

In anticipation of the 3rd of a planned trilogy of cliched movies, Paul, let's remember the 3 most popular (subjective) films of Edgar Wright.

I found out that Paul is not part of the trilogy. My apologies.

If you haven't watched them, lots of spoilers are in the video - be warned. I recommend watching them. The films are Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the only one not part of the trilogy, Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World.

I don't expect much from Paul though... these 3 are gold. (=

Immature

I had to read stuff about the Spore General Election for an assignment. This and that lead to this.

I don't like life very much.

My State

I am not happy.

I am not angry. I can't say I am sad. I am frustrated.

And I can't write whatever I want.

Placeholder: Sign ~ FLOW

To me, Naruto is about: loneliness, friendship, hatred, and forgiveness.

Upside Down

˙˙˙ʞo s,ʇı ssǝnƃ ı

˙˙˙unɟ ǝq plnoʍ sıɥʇ pıɐs ʎǝɥʇ

˙˙˙pɐǝɥ ʎɯ oʇ ƃuıɥsnɹ s,poolq

Green Bird

Bird watching - I used to think it was a hobby I would never get into.

Through some twisty twists of fate, I ended up doing a project involving bird-watching.

Olive-backed sunbirds. Pictures obtained from wiki.

Quick little buggers.

This is a female,

and this is a male.

Males tend to be more colourful in the bird world, it seems.

Actually, I am not sure whether I have seen them... I need to pay more attention to the beaks. Either these or orange-bellied flowerpeckers.

I hear the birds more than I see them. Unfortunately, the guidebooks, while having nice pictures, cannot help much with bird calls. Try imagining what these are supposed to sound like:

cheep cheep wheet
Bubbling, chattering song
A subdued, chattering song, more squeaky than the previous one.
A metallic twit


Some are easy to determine. Like a Koel. It goes Ko-el! Ko-el! 

 

Wakes up early to remind me I have to go to school.

They are a type of cuckoo - brood parasites, they lay their eggs in other birds' (eg.crows) nests.

Female on left. Male on right.

I managed to identify some birds I have seen before but never knew what they were called. For some strange reason, knowing what name to call them makes me feel a little bit cleverer. I know I'm not really. But all the same.

Black-naped oriole. One of its calls is hu-hui-yu...

I'd like to have something like a 'pokedex' right now.

[Night Music Log 2] - Blackout ~AKFG

I shifted to a higher place. Sadly, only for a few months. The view is nicer.

[Night Music Log 1] - Nighttiming

Head bopping from a different era.

[Otherworld Log 1] - Kirite - #8 Fated Encounter - The Fall of Darkness

Invenire ~ Truth hidden in the Winds


The Child was tired and hungry. He had traveled far and wide, yet had not found his sister, nor a clue as to her whereabouts. The wind grew chill. The sun was setting. In the distance, he saw a tower.

Buffet

I'm gonna try and finish up a story I thought of a long time ago. However, it looks like it's gonna take on a form different from what I had in mind. I had thought of composing my own music before, but we'll see. This will be something like V1.2 of this project. Everyone, please give me your support and feedback! I appreciate it! Thanks!

Blue Bossa

   I talk too little, but when I talk, I tend to talk too much and say stupid things. That's no good, is it? It's worse because I'm what someone once described as a judgmental bastard. I have got to try and tone down the spite/malice and judgement...

Maybe we should develop telepathy. I tend to say more stupid things when I am struggling for conversation topics. Human speech is not very efficient, especially when you don't have the vocabulary. Then there are some things or feelings that can't be described by anything. How does one handle that? A direct line from one mind to another would solve the awkwardness of many situations: A guy saying 'I love you' to a girl he likes; a girl saying 'I love you' to a guy she likes; a rebellious teenager saying 'I still love you' to his parents; ...... There are many other examples.... useful situations...

'Let's just enjoy the scenery 'cos I don't have anything to say right now'

'Oi wake up laaa don't pretend to be sleeping, get your lazy butt off that seat and give it to the old lady'

'I'm smiling and shaking hands with you, but I will kill you if you do that again : )'

'Honey, say something that will get us out of here; I'm bored and they stink'

But then people can read my mind anytime they want, and that would cause trouble. 

'Oh no, my hair's too messy and an obvious give-away I wasn't caught in a jam'

'No, she does look fat...'

'WOW, we should mix our genes as an experiment'

It could work the other way too; I might find out about something I would have been better off not knowing. 

'Oh god I really am fat NOOOOOOOOO'

Perhaps we should develop selective telepathy. Something that allows us to choose when to allow people to access our thoughts. At least then we won't have our privacy ravaged. Perhaps it will be an app on the iPhone or its successor before I am dead. 

Or perhaps I could learn how to choose topics more wisely. I could learn to speak more calmly no matter the situation, and learn how to better read people's characteristics and discern their likes and dislikes, interests, and history.

That sounds like being Sherlock Holmes, and he wasn't a very social person either... In fact, I try to practise what little deductive skills I have. Turns out that makes me judgemental too; or at least when I give my opinion.

So people probably don't like to hear the truth, or people's opinions, or negative stuff in general.

Aaaahhhh, there it is. That last point, that little nugget of clarity I should have hit upon so much sooner. Such common sense, how could I have missed it? I just need to learn how not to talk about negative stuff, which my mind is full of.

Or I can go fly a kite...                                  ......I think I'll just shut up for now.