Saturday, September 29, 2007

Thank you, Sorry...and Goodbye

Our next message comes from Mr T. It says here:

Hey DJ, I am leaving Tokyo tonight; I am leaving the girl I love tonight. I don’t know when I will be back, but I know she will be listening to this. Just wish to tell her:

You are the last girl I will fall in love with for a while.

This song is dedicated to you. To us.

Hmmm… the song Mr T has chosen is Mr Children’s Sign. Well, let’s hope that…whoever is supposed to get this message gets it. Meanwhile, let’s enjoy Mr Children’s Sign.
**

“Are you listening? This is 86.3FM and I am Hiroko, your deejay. Our last song today is a little special because Hiroko is dedicating it.”

Mr Driver, do you mind turning up the volume a little?

“Hiroko has a friend who is going to Paris tonight. He’s probably had his dinner, probably on a taxi now, heading to Narita. I don’t know if he would be listening, but he’s very special to me…because he’s brought me smiles…and tears.”

“The song I have chosen is Nakashima Mika’s Yuki no Hana. It’s such a nice song for winter, isn’t it?”

“Anyway, to my friend, Paris is very nice in winter.”

“Thank you.”

“Sorry.”

“And Goodbye.”

“Ok, enough from me. Teru is already looking in, hurrying me to leave. Before I hand you over, hope you like the song. Thank you for listening, and have a great evening. Goodnight.”
**

21:55
JAL
JL5055
PARIS
1-N
17
BOARDING

He turned around, took one last look at Tokyo, before proceeding to the security officer with passport in hand.
**
She stepped out into the wintry Tokyo night. Pulling her coat tightly around herself, she turned to the right, towards the station to catch her train home.

songs

i spent the whole morning and up till now browsing through old songs. it is like an emotional roller-coaster, because you are being bombarded by all those songs from the past. songs that are familiar, and yet not. at a certain point, i was almost unwilling to go on, because i don't know what other memories those songs would bring.

it's a little like arranging photographs and old writings, isn't it?

but i rediscovered many old gems. and it somewhat reinforces my regret that most songs nowadays aren't quite as impactful as songs of the past. especially that period from 2001 to 2003.

i listened to songs which once accompanied me through difficult times. i listened to songs which brought back fond memories. i found old songs which i used to listen to every day.

i used to burn audio cds, because i was using a discman back then. the song which somehow appeared most often in those discs is this song by Page: don't let farewell come
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhws5kYzYjk
it's from the k-drama Romance OST.

it's also nice to listen to nakashima mika's Will again. it is just so comforting. i think we keep forgetting that if she sheds off her Nana Osaki persona, she could easily have been nana Komatsu. Such is the success of her portrayal of Nana. It is good to listen to this song to remind myself that Nakashima Mika is not that rock chick, but that pretty songstress who acted as a rock chick in Nana. Yuki no Hana just doesn't sound the same in Singapore.

songs to recommend:
ken hirai's rakuen
chihiro onitsuka's gekkou
the brilliant green's sono speedo
yuki koyanagi's be alive
lena park's you mean everything to me
yurisangja's can i love you
kinki kids' mou kimi igai aesanai
shinvi's to my friend
jwalk's suddenly
jtl's when did your heart stop loving me

and many, many more...

in the mood

remember how last season, i could count with my fingers the number of times all four teams won?

i must admit that i am no great fan of hamburg. i only liked hamburg because of van der vaart and de jong. in the bundesliga, i supported stuttgart in the kuranyi-hleb-lahm days, and then turned to hamburg. but if you ask me frankly, there isn't a team which i truly love in germany. maybe things will change. bayern?

so this season, i have been honest, and cared alot only about arsenal, ajax and valencia.

seems like the focus is paying off.

arsenal- 6 games, 5 won, 1 drawn; ajax 5 games, 4 won, 1 drawn; valencia 5 games, 4 won, 1 lost. arsenal and ajax lead england and holland, while valencia is third in spain. and all three won their opening europe games, although ajax's participation in the uefa cup is somewhat of a letdown.

still early days of course.

but you can't deny that we are in the mood this season.

my starting XI for the season thus far:
gk: almunia (arsenal)
the truth is that our keepers haven been fantastic. consistent, yes; outstanding, no. but it is also true that i would rather there be no need for our keepers to show how good they are. i picked almunia because i think he more or less banished the horror of enduring lehmann's gaffes.

left-back: clichy (arsenal)
consistent at the back, threatening going forward.

centre-back: toure (arsenal)
rock in the defence, i thought he led the team brilliantly in gallas' absence. which leads to the biggest question of them all: why make gallas the captain?

right-back: miguel (valencia)
steady in defence, skilful, attacking fullback. forms a formidable partnership with joaquin on the right.

left-mid: emanuelson (ajax)
played in defence and in midfield. but whenever he gets the ball, he just drives the team forward with his runs. people rave about royston drenthe, but i think emanuelson has been brilliant in the campaign so far.

centre-mid: fabregas (arsenal)
enough said.

centre-mid: silva (valencia)
always lively, always out to create problems for the opposition.

right-mid: joaquin (valencia)
joaquin is finally showing week in week out what a world class winger he is. each time he gets the ball, you feel that something is going to happen. that is the mark of a match-winner.

left forward: suarez (ajax)
his first season in amsterdam, and he's playing like he was groomed at de Toekomst. with 6 goals already to his name, i think he has struck up a wonderful partnership with huntelaar, who has 7 goals. fans are fast forgetting babel, who didn't score enough. and the most important thing about suarez is that he helps to score, so it takes pressure off huntelaar.

centre forward: huntelaar (ajax)
he scores. but it is not just about his goals. it is his overall play, holding up the ball to feed the wingers, etc etc.

right forward: adebayor (arsenal)
i am not putting him in here because suddenly everyone is gushing about him. he can be very frustrating to watch, but he really gives another dimension to arsenal's attack. he has decent pace, decent strength, decent control and is at least putting away chances. what i like about him is his overall play, what he does that helps the team's cause. this is why i prefer to watch whole matches rather than just the highlights, because then you are able to better appreciate a player.

the negatives:
ajax: with sneijder gone, alot of playmaking has fallen on emanuelson doing something with his runs and luis suarez conjuring up some magic, especially if kennedy isn't playing, because our midfielders haven't really shown themselves to have the ability to dictate the play. this exposes the weakness of the 4-3-3: if you don't have a fantastic central midfielder who can be the playmaker, your midfield will be very ineffective in attacking. and i still don't understand why we bought luque and rommedahl.

arsenal: i can have no complaints. just that we need to get better with each game.

valencia: i don't like the way we like to play in tight areas, and sometimes we play too slowly, even in those tight areas. i think we have lost many balls like this. the difference between valencia and arsenal in this respect is that arsenal are able to open up the play suddenly from this sort of situation, while valencia are less effective in doing this. the midfield also faces the same problem as ajax's: not enough creativity, resulting in alot of focus on the flankers when it comes to attacking.

all these aside, there is cause for optimism, that this season will be special.

it will certainly be a wonderful way to condemn these two years to history.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

a beautiful dream

when will i see you again?

i don't know... when you come back?

why don't you come to Venprek?

what's there to see in Venprek?

me?

-laughs-

i'll think about that.

call me.

i will.
---
in 12 hours' time, you will be back in Venprek.

but right now, my world has already returned to normal. so will yours.

maybe we never did met each other. maybe it was all a dream.

but it was still, a beautiful dream.

Monday, September 24, 2007

東京

i miss japan alot. and tokyo is my favourite city. i think i am able to make an accurate judgement because this is my second time there and also because it wasn't a dream vacation. it isn't the perfect vacation because not everything went according to plan and unfortunate things happened. like how the weather wasn't what i was hoping for, etc etc. and yet, in spite of it all, at narita, i found myself wishing i didn't have to leave, and i feel so empty, yearn so much to go back even after having touched down for two days.

to me, it was a very honest trip. honest in that i didn't lie to myself about anything, telling myself i like something when i don't. and i was right inside, in the heart of it. that is why i can tell you honestly that tokyo is my favourite city. not the perfect city, but really very close to it.

why i love tokyo
1. you can see a stylish girl anytime, any place.

2. i think there is a right mix of mechanical efficiency and human emotions. imagine a handphone that can check train schedules, and help you plan where to transfer, and how long you have before the transfer. and the trains are super punctual. and just when you think everything is too mechanical, you get a dose of their service industry, which is out of this world.

3. i think the place has got alot of character, all the buildings, all the streets. it's like every building is different. even apartment blocks. it is so different from here, where you get this whole neighbourhood which is like so uniform.

4. i like the stark contrasts. like how you can have a wonderful garden(Hamarikyu) right smack in the middle of Shimbashi, which is like full of skyscrapers. and how cosplayers make the area outside the meiji shrine their playground. and of course, across the road is harajuku. there is just this wonderful and odd combination of modernity and tradition everywhere.

5. i like the fact that there is something for everyone, something for every mood. you want some peace, you can get it in those parks, those gardens, those shrines and temples. you want to be with people, you can go shinjuku, harajuku, shibuya. you want the sea, you can go odaiba.

6. i like the way everyone is somehow considerate for each other, like how they automatically move to the centre of the carriage, how they stand on the left on escalators, how they know how to behave. it just doesn't happen here. it is somehow more mature over there.

7. i like the mix of intensity and serenity.

8. i like it because i met many nice people there. random strangers, friends, family. of course i met a foreign resident who wasn't nice when i asked him for some help. but life isn't rosy all the time. there is enough humanity here, though.

9. i like it here because i feel so inspired. i felt freed from whatever shackles that have been holding me back all this while. i felt very rejuvenated. i felt alive. it was just what i needed.

10. it is safe here. you don't really have to worry about anything.

11. it has like everything that i like: trains, bridges, rivers, the sea.

12. i feel at home here.

what i don't like about tokyo:
there is not enough football here.

there is something special about tokyo. i think every place has its own character. but maybe tokyo's appeals to me most. maybe it is because i am an asian after all. and munich doesn't have the sea.

i don't know when i will be back.

but i know i will.

nqmm

nan quan mama's tonight
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruPF9-OKV0E
nice song, nice mv. the only thing that isn't nice about the mv is lara's hairstyle. it's quite a disaster.

nan quan mama's 笑著流淚
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWR4TUN7hx0

他没有错

就这样放了彼此的手
究竟是尽头还是个出口
只是我还记得
他每一次抚摸
只是我还熟悉
他每一个轮廓

不知道从此要难过多久
我相信一定和孤独一样久
原来天长地久是形容一种痛
这样的有始有终
换来怎样的海阔天空

他没有错
只是没有爱我很久
他没有错
是我飞蛾扑火
我求一个经过不妄想一个结果
他没有错

他没有错
只是没有为我停留
他没有错是爱的不是时候
他没有错
只是没有陪我到最后
没有陪我到最后

"原来天长地久是形容一种痛"
there is something beautifully sad in this. is it the realisation that you have been wrong about something all this while?

this line suddenly came to me on my last day in tokyo. and naturally the song came as well. i thought about it before the flight, why this line is so beautiful.

i don't think i have an adequate answer, but it probably doesn't matter. you don't need to have an answer for everything.

but at that point in time, this song really suited my mood.

jealousy

liverpool fans say that they are still unbeaten. man u fans say that now that rooney and ronaldo are back, just wait till they turn on the style again. chelsea fans are not saying anything because they know they are in deep shit. tottenham fans are not talking about knocking arsenal out of the top 4 anymore.

and they all say that once fabregas gets injured, arsenal is finished.

to me, they are saying this because they are jealous. because we did not follow their script. we were supposed to be down and out without henry. this wasn't supposed to happen. the chances of us being bottom was probably higher than that of us being top. to them, at least.

it is true that if fabregas becomes unavailable for some reason or the other, our play will suffer. but then, if gerrard, rooney or ronaldo doesn't play, doesn't the play of man u or liverpool suffer? it's logic, isn't it? and what fabregas has been doing so far is phenomenal. 6 goals in the last 6 games, assists in every game. you can say that everything he touches turns into goal. he is probably the best player in england now.

but to say that arsenal is 100 percent about fabregas is not doing justice to the team. i am sure fabregas would agree too. if you look at the way arsenal play, you will realise that the game they play requires more than one cesc fabregas. it requires all the players to pass and move with a precision that speaks volumes of their technical ability, tactical awareness and footballing intelligence. and you will also realise that fabregas is not the only person scoring, nor is he the only player creating chances. i am not trying to undermine fabregas. why would i, when he is my favourite player now? i am just stating a fact.

i am also going to state another fact. we are top of the table not because we are on form. i watched the sevilla game, the derby game, the man city game, the portsmouth game, the fulham game. i can tell you that arsenal didn't play like they are out of this world, although for periods, we really look out of this world with that sort of passing. but we never got into top gear, either because we didn't need to, or simply because we didn't. Luck? Fortune favours the brave. but you can't say that we didn't work for it, that we didn't deserve it.

we are here because we are a much better team than we were last season. we have grown as a team, learnt from the setbacks and disappointments of the past 2 seasons.

we are looking to hit top form. it is too early to do it, because to become champions, you need a fantastic run, a normal run, and a fortunate run, which is also called championship form. and these three phases need to come at the right time, last for the right time. right now, we are having that normal run.

october/ november should be a good time to start peaking, because we are playing liverpool and man u back to back. and they should be tougher than derby county.

on a sidenote, if an exodus were to happen at chelsea, i would love to see petr cech come to us, because he is who we need. a top class keeper.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

why i can take 1000+ photos

i like looking at things through spaces
i like views from windows
i like streets
i like the extra dimension

i like chairs
i like views from high up
i like roof tops

extra dimension again

i like people
i like bus stops
i like signs

i like taking photographs of people doing different things
i like bridges
i like ads
i like shadows
i like beautiful words

i like staircases


i like trains and train stations
i like night views



i like street lamps
i like buildings.
i like flowers
i like food



i like reflections
i like the sky
i like the sea
i like rivers and river banks



i am not an artist. i don't try artistic things like fading out the crowd/minimalising it or what. i don't think i know how to do that. at least not without editing it. i am not a skilled photographer as well. photographs are a means for me to remember things. i am just that kind of person who wish to remember every interesting, every nice thing that i see. sometimes i do try to capture a particular feeling, a particular scene. but other than that, i try to just take things as they come. sometimes, they just turn out the way you want it. other times, they may give u a fresh perspective instead; a new meaning may appear. sometimes, they can be so horrible that thanks to digital cameras, you can delete it and try again.

but above all, i like taking photographs because they help me to remember the things i wish to remember; they help me to capture that particular moment, that particular time, what that part of the world is like.

no class

van niistelrooy once said to vieira: you have got no class.

vieira probably wasn't deserving of that. someone else, something else deserves it so much more.

i so want to say to it: you have got no class.

packing and unpacking



What i hate most about travelling is the packing and unpacking. it's a close call, especially when you have to lug your luggage down the overhead bridge like the one above. the worst part is that what goes down must come up. when i first lugged it down, i was thinking: oh shit, how the hell am i going to lug it back up when i leave?
packing and unpacking is very difficult, maybe mentally more than physically. it's really more than trying to decide what you need, what you don't need, and trying to squeeze in everything you need, and then trying to slam the suitcase shut.
it's not really 收拾行李,but 整理心情.
how can you pack all your emotions, memories into a suitcase? how can you expect that what you packed would suffice? and when you take them out again, how can you not be overwhelmed by the memories, the emotions? and when you realise that these will forever be consigned to history, how can you not feel small, not feel as though you are being swallowed up by the world?
i think my description above doesn't do justice to what i am trying to describe. i suppose it is one of those things that internally you know exactly how it is like, but if you were to express it in words, you can never find the right words for it.
it's the same with sorting through photos. i think it's part of packing and unpacking. when you look at the photos, perhaps you will smile. but you will also be hit by that emptiness, because you know you might not be going back to that photo again. and even if you do, it's never ever going to be the same again.
i haven't really finished unpacking.

love

i have decided.

i will be proud of us, but i also know that we have to be humble, because we haven't won anything.

i will be indulgent in my praise of ourselves, but i will also be harsh on our mistakes, on our shortcomings.

i will not make any declaration, but i can feel it.

yes, this is the love we are talking about.

vorbei

vorbei means over in german. but that's not my point.

i think if you watch videos of some of yui's songs, you will see this: by yui for amane kaoru.

i think by and for, when put together is somehow very nice.

some combination of words, or some words themselves, are just so beautiful.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

current favs

南拳媽媽- 笑著流淚
i wish- 明日への扉
ayaka- why
tohoshinki- loving you
younha- love condition
周杰伦- 不能说的秘密

If

If Himeji were a girl,
she would be someone cheerful, someone who smiles alot. that kind of small-town girl.

if Kobe were a girl,
she would be someone who is intelligent, classy and world-savvy. to me, she is that girl whom you meet by chance, without ever expecting that she may just turn out to be that dream girl.

if Kyoto were a girl,
she would be someone who has that classic charm. She would be a little more reserved, and yet knows how to have fun. the kind of girl with a side to her which you may never truly understand.

if Osaka were a girl,
she would be someone who is assertive, intense and ultra-modern. that kind of urban girl.

if Tokyo were a girl,
she would be someone who is everything: she can have fun, she can be quiet. she can be aggressive, she can be reserved. To me, she is like that ex-lover whom i still love alot.
Today I will delete from my diary...

Today I will delete from my diary
two days: yesterday and tomorrow

Yesterday was to learn and tomorrow will be the consequence
of what I can do today.

Today I will face life
with the conviction that this day
will not ever return.

Today is the last opportunity
I have to live intensely, as no one can assure me that I will see tomorrow’s
Sunrise.

Today I will be brave enough
not to let any opportunity pass me by,
my only alternative is to succeed.

Today I will invest
my most valuable resource: my time,
in the most transcendental work:
my life;

I will spend each minute
passionately to make
of today a different
and unique day in my life.

Today I will defy every obstacle
that appears on my way
trusting I will succeed.

Today I will resist
pessimism and will conquer
the world with a smile,
with the positive attitude of expecting always the best.

Today I will make of every ordinary task
a sublime expression,

Today I will have my feet on the ground
understanding reality
and the stars’ gaze
to invent my future.

Today I will take the time to be happy
and will leave my footprints and my presence
in the hearts of others.

Today, I invite you to begin a new season
where we can dream
that everything we undertake is possible and we fulfill it,
with joy and dignity.

-Che von Lindbergh 2006

what i have learnt

1. Listening is harder than talking
if you are just learning a new language, it is easier for you to express yourself in it than to listen to someone else speak it and try to understand what he is saying. it is the same for any language, actually. how many of us really bother to listen to what others have to say?

2. If you want it, fight for it, or you might never get the chance again.
In life, there will be regrets. haven't you have had enough of them?

3. Our culture, our identity is in the process of being defined. we are actually part of it. Rather than rant against the lack of it, we should realise that we are crucial to developing it.
But acknowleding this doesn't mean anything. i am just aware of it.

4. Efficiency isn't everything. Logic isn't everything.
Otherwise it would be just so...soulless. you have to keep the spirit, the soul. you have to have some style. the human factor. emotions.

5. you can learn something from the unlikeliest of places, if only you would be open to it.

I came here to learn. and i think i have learnt alot. not jsut what i said above. because some of the stuff that i learnt are like the little things. and i am too lazy to write everything down.

i'll keep it in my heart.

my regrets

1. Aki
I was too early. I came here for Autumn, but i was too early.

2. Japanese
even though i could get by with whatever little japanese i speak, there was one incident where i wished that i could speak fluent japanese.

3. those kids at the Imperial Palace Plaza.
i should have hit and ran, instead of being polite and asking if i may take photographs of the little kids.

4. not being able to get shiroi koibito at narita
when i asked the salesperson if they had it, the businessman beside me laughed and said it is delicious. that's when you know how good it is.

5. not tasting okonomiyaki and takoyaki at their hometown Osaka

6. having to come back

14th September 2007


This is Himeji Castle.
Here, I lost my love for you.
I left the pen you gave me last Christmas at the guestbook. When I ran back to find it gone, I knew then that it was time to let you go.
I can only pray that whoever took it, wherever he is, would love you, as I did.
I can only pray that whoever took it, wherever he is, would treasure you, whereas I hadn't.
I can only pray that whoever took it, wherever he is, would never give you up, whereas I had.
I think I have loved you as best as I could. Now, I am letting you go, in order for me to love again.
Because they say that if you wish to love again, you have to let go of whatever's left in your heart.

highlights

First Yen i spent: Was on topping up my Suica, their equivalent of the ez-link. it costs 1000 yen to get from narita to my brother's place in kaminakazato.


Best Food i ate: the tamago at Torikai, an izakaya in Shinjuku. this was very difficult to decide because everything was good. but this has to be the best, because it was totally out of this world. the tamago was very amai, and there is like soup within it, so there is this burst of sweetness. and the radish simply melts in your mouth. it is so simple, yet so amazing.

Last food i ate in Japan: Belgian Chocolate Pudding and Strawberry Pudding from Du Cassis. Surprisingly, i liked the chocolate more.

Nicest Temple/shrine: Meiji Jingu. it's a very nice walk along the tree-lined boulevard into the shrine itself. very tranquil and all.

Nicest Dessert-kind-of-thing: Mochi Cream in Osaka. Originally from Kobe, but they have got branches in Kyoto and Osaka as well. Osaka was like our last chance to get it. Thankfully we did. The one in the picture was Red Wine. It is very nice to eat it in summer, because it is very refreshing. i think the filling is something like ice cream, or close.


Most thankful moment: Meeting up with okasan. firstly because to be able to recognise each other even after 4 years is somewhat amazing. and secondly, they were leaving for asakusa already, after waiting for an hour for me, who was waiting at the other station. so it is a kind of fate.




Best Advice:

muragimo no kokoro ni toite hajizaraba

yono hitogoto wa ikani aritomo

- Empress Shoken

if you consult your inmost heart

and still need feel no shame,

then let the people of the world

talk on as they please
Cutest girl i saw. in Kyoto Ginkakuji.
Most emotional name for a drink: Sore Kara (on the right). From then on.
The favourite bento among ladies at the Himeji Station. I didn't know it when i chose it. i only knew it when the auntie flipped the sign over to let us see the price.

Monday, September 17, 2007

back in tokyo.

and suddenly, we are on top of the table.

i am excited. of course i am excited. i can hardly control, but i won't say it. but i can certainly feel it. and ironically, everyone is starting to be amazed.

it's true that we haven't played any of the big 4. but spurs, blackburn, man city, portsmouth aren't as easy as you would think. and it isn't as if we have played derby county.

but we have to calm down and not get too excited.

it has only just begun.

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

le Prinzessin de Venprek

Demaurigny completes shock move to Bayern
Venprek, July 20- Carlo Youri Demaurigny, hailed as the nation’s savior, loved by the grooneweiz, acknowledged by the rotego as a prodigious talent, backed by Venprek’s greatest player ever to be the greatest player ever produced by Venprek was today unveiled by German giants Bayern Munich as their latest acquisition of their summer revolution.

Demaurigny, who turns 20 only in September, made his senior debut for Venpreker at 17 and quickly established himself as a key player in the following season. Last season, he led Venpreker into Europe, securing their best ever league finish in a decade. Impressive performances for the national team led to headlines heralding the emergence of a new hero to reinvigorate the ageing national team. Venpreker was desperate to hang on to their young star as top European clubs such as Real Madrid, Manchester United, AC Milan came calling. Demaurigny had previously stated that if he were to move abroad, he would love to play for Arsene Wenger. Even so, all signs were pointing to Demaurigny penning a new deal that should see him stay in Venprek for at least another season. Hence, all of Venprek was shocked when his transfer to Bayern for 15 million euros was announced yesterday.

“I am sorry that things have come to this. But you must understand that it’s very difficult for me to leave Venprek as well. This is a good chance for me…a chance to prove myself,” the midfielder said at the press conference.
***
Now, on to football. Bayern Munich today unveiled their 15-million signing, Carlo Demaurigny. The teenage sensation was presented to the German media at the Allianz Arena. He signed a 5-year deal which will see him earn 39000 euros per week.

“Venpreker will always be my team. I grew up in the team. Venprek will always be in my heart, because I have had so many wonderful memories there…I am sorry, but I am not feeling well today.”

The teenager cut short the press conference, citing illness. Bayern have splashed the cash this summer, and a lot will surely be expected when the Bundesliga starts next month.
***
Carlo left because of Adrienne?
Venprek, July 20- Less than 24 hours after footballer Carlo Demaurigny’s move to German club Bayern Munich was announced, the rumour mills are already in overdrive. Speculation is rife that Ze Prinz wanted to leave Venpreker because of his failed relationship with tennis starlet Adrienne Mezquita.

“He needed to get away from Venprek for a while,” an undisclosed source said.

Demaurigny and Mezquita got together in the summer of 2005. Their high-profile romance, which was very much under close scrutiny by the public, united Venprek, famous for its division over the two football teams Royale and Venpreker, because Demaurigny played for Venpreker, while Mezquita’s well-to-do family was rotego by default.

Even though the ‘royal couple’ announced the split last month, they are still very much in the public eye.
***
‘Royal Couple’ Split
Venprek, 24 June- Le Prinzessin Adrienne Mezquita has admitted that she ‘is no longer with Carlo Demaurigny,’ thereby confirming what everyone in Venprek has been suspecting for a while: the ‘Royal Couple’ is no more.

“ I don’t think I can give you a satisfactory answer. Let’s just say it happened. I am sorry, I don’t really want to talk about it.”

The couple has not been spotted together in public for a while, leading to speculation that their relationship had soured. While the tennis starlet was busy preparing for Wimbledon in England, Demaurigny took a holiday in the Far East. This was in stark contrast to last summer, when Demaurigny supported Mezquita at the French Open before the couple flew to Germany to enjoy the World Cup atmosphere for a short break before Wimbledon.

A close friend of the tennis starlet pinpointed the media as the reason behind the split, “Well, the media just can’t leave them alone. It’s ridiculous, the way they are followed everywhere they go. They already have so little time together, and they have to deal with this. It’s too much for them. For goodness sake, they are not even 20.”
***
‘Royal’ Relationship turns sour
Venprek, 27 June- Following the breakup of Venprek’s number one couple, tennis sensation Adrienne Mezquita and football whiz Carlo Demaurigny, speculation is rife over what really happened. Indeed, the failed relationship is the talk of the town, with Internet forums and café topics revolving around the relationship.

The relationship had brought the two factions of Venprek together, but after the split, the rotego fans were quick to denounce the Venpreker midfielder, blaming him for the breakdown of the relationship. Comments online range from scathing, irresponsible ones such as ‘he was after her money’ to milder ones such as ‘he bullied one of ours.’

Defenders of Mezquita said that Demaurigny did not do enough. “Adrienne did everything she could to make it work. Her schedule was even worse because her competitions take her all over the world, but she arranged everything around him. He could have done more, but he rather spend free time with his own friends.”

Demaurigny supporters were quick to get to his defence. “She wasn’t a good girlfriend. She was never there when he needed her.”

A rare neutral was quick to observe, “It seems that the differences between the grooneweiz and the rotego can never be reconciled. The media tried, by playing up the backgrounds of the two of them. But in the end, it backfired, because everyone is now focused on that, attributing the breakup to that.”

The most interesting twist to this saga was that while Mezquita’s family, being upper class, supports Royale, Mezquita herself had said that she watches football only when her family does, and has never really thought of herself as a rotego. Rotego fans were simply looking for an excuse to flame Demaurigny. Despite acknowledging his talent, rather grudgingly, one must say, the rotego will never take to Demaurigny, simply because he is a grooneweiz. He is the enemy you respect.
***
Carlo Demaurigny is big in Venprek, at least in the green-and-white half. How big, you might ask. Well, you just need to go to the taverna Ze Grooneweiz, five minutes’ walk away from Bommelje Station. The owner Alexandre Koumas is a hardcore fan. So was his father, who started the business a long time ago.

Their top-seller for the past 40 years is ze Nummer Zann, the number 10, concocted in honour of Ferrando Garefrekas, regarded as the most talented player ever to hail from Venprek. Then along came Demaurigny, whom even the great Garefrekas hold in the highest regard. After scoring a hat-trick to lead Venpreker to that famous 4-0 demolition of eternal rivals Royale at the Royale’s own Stad Rouchoda, Alexandre came up with a new concoction: ze neu Zann. The new 10. It is now their top-seller. Even Garefrekas drinks it, Alexandre told me.

And that day, when they announced that Demaurigny had gone to Bayern, many shops simply closed for the day, even Alexandre. “Saddest day in my life.”

“It is all that girl Mezquita’s fault. I knew right from the start that it wouldn’t work out.”
***
“Do you fancy your chances at the US Open?”

“We all know who the favourites are. But I always go into a tournament, ready to do my best and see how far I can go. Fortune favours the brave.”

“Well, can you talk about what happened between Carlo Demaurigny and you?”

“Well…I guess having been an only child, and having been involved in tennis, which is really an individual sport, I think I am still learning, still getting used to having someone beside me. Someone who walks beside me rather than stands at the side and give me advice.”

“What about now, are you on talking terms?”

“Yes, we are still good friends who talk on the phone. He’s busy with his new club in Germany. If we somehow end up in the same city, we will meet up for a meal, but at the moment, due to our schedules, it is quite impossible.”
***
Homecoming for Demaurigny
Venprek, 17 September- Carlo Demaurigny will return to Venprek for Wednesday’s UEFA Cup tie, as Bayern Munich take on Venpreker. Both teams are in unfamiliar territory: Bayern normally play in the Champions’ League, while Venpreker are in Europe for the first time in a decade.

Demaurigny is expected to start against his former teammates, as Bayern look to continue their impressive start to the new campaign.

“I think it will be emotional. But I am ready to come back,” the youngster said.
***
“I thought I should call you.”

“I heard you are back.”

“Yeah, I am back.”

“Welcome back. I guess it’s a little strange for me to say this, because normally you are the one who says it to me.”

“Things are different now, aren’t they?”

“I guess.”

“How’s your ankle?”

“It’s healing nicely. But might take a while. Quite frustrating, actually.”

“Yeah, I know how it feels.”

“Let’s meet for dinner. Or must you stay with the team?”

“We have some free time tonight. I can meet you somewhere near your place. You shouldn’t move around much.”

“Okay.”

“I’ll call you.”
***
“Why are you smiling like that? You are laughing ‘cos I am limping, aren’t you?”

“No…it’s good to see you again.”
“It’s good to see you again too… How was homecoming?”

“It’s good to be back. It’s like falling in love all over again.”
***
“Good luck for your match tomorrow!”

She smiled a lot the whole time we were together. Of all the things I missed, I missed her smile most.

We were young and in love. We are still young, actually.

You once asked me, which was more important- football or you?

I’ll ask you back: Can we still be together?

You don’t need to answer that, because I did not answer your question the last time round. But now that we are even, now that we are starting from zero again, we must be frank with each other, as we once promised. So we have to answer whatever question that comes.

I am serving first. Can I love you?

At love-all, what would your answer be?

last sunset

“I’ll be back for Christmas.”

“Is that a promise?”

“Yes, that’s a promise.”

“Will you miss me?” you suddenly asked with a twinkle in your eye.


“Hey, even though I won’t know what we will be like a year from now…”

“Uh huh?”

You shook your head and smiled. “No, nothing.”
**

“She’s coming back soon, isn’t she?”

“Who?”

“Alyssa.”

“Yeah.”

“You don’t seem very excited.”

“Actually I don’t know what to feel.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know if we can be like what we used to be. Two forces are tangling within me: excitement and fear.”

“And fear is winning.”

“Not really. It’s a draw.”

“Whatever it is, you will find out. In the meantime, I think you shouldn’t think about it.”
**

I don’t know what will happen to us when we meet again after so long.

Will you still be the same you, that I have known for 5 years? Will I be the same me that you have known for 5 years? Would I even want you to stay the same; would you even want me to stay the same?

Will we rekindle the magic? What if the magic is lost?

What will I do?
**

A year ago, we were here, looking at your last Venprek sunset in a year.

You did not say what you wanted to say.

But I know.

Countless tides, footsteps might have erased it, but I saw those words, those words that you wrote in the sand the day before you left.

“But we should have no regrets.”

to be

you need a certain bit of arrogance, a certain swagger.

so that when people take one look at you, they know you are going to win.

but you need to be humbled, before you can be arrogant.

this is the season to be arrogant once more.

we have had enough of humbling.

you need to feel excited. you need to feel your heart pounding.

this is the season to feel the adrenaline once more.

the heart has been revived.

but just to confirm everything, just to sear all these into the soul, so that they will never be neglected, be shelved aside again, i am making a trip to be humbled, to be excited, to be an overawed teenager all over again.

allez

Saturday, September 08, 2007

因为到不了梦的地图

梦的地图

http://www.cococ.com/play/41887.html

每天 撕掉一页你给的苦
默默倒数 哪天 就能宣告结束
漫步在街头 当作毕业的远足
把回忆都丢在沿途 
曾一起走过的路 我很快就能恢复

你手中的 爱情地图 走不到我的幸福
梦的指标 接续不了你 爱恋我的轨道
我们之间的 爱情地图 找不到爱的出路
试着醒悟 不让泪重复  视线模糊 
却看见你吻我的那个下午
你的座标 还在心里擦不掉

因为
http://www.cococ.com/play/9331.html

總在我家巷口和你分手
彷彿偶像劇一樣 覺得我們就要發生些什麼
總在回家時候不知所措 想再打電話給你
可是再見剛剛才說過

有一種想要擁抱你的衝動
想靜靜看著你的笑容 
讓你藏在懷中 直到我每天的盡頭

因為想一個人而寂寞
因為愛一個人而溫柔
因為有一個夢而執著
因為等一個人而折磨

為想一個人而解脫
因為愛一個人而寬容
因為有一個夢而放縱
因為等一個人而漂泊

因為想一個人而寂寞
因為愛一個人而溫柔
像夜的朦攏 你的深情難懂
我的世界因為你而不同
因為想一個人而解脫
因為愛一個人而寬容
像風的自由 你的深情難留
你的背影 是我最美麗的所有

到不了 - 范玮琪
http://www.cococ.com/play/9330.html

你眼睛会笑弯成一条桥
终点却是我永远到不了
感觉你来到是风的呼啸
思念像苦药竟如此难熬
每分每秒

我找不到我到不了
你所谓的将来的美好
我什麽都不要知不知道
若你懂我这一秒
我想看到我在寻找
那所谓的爱情的美好
我紧紧的依靠紧谨守牢
不敢漏掉一丝一毫
愿你看到
the difference between being a tourist and a resident is that as a resident, you realise that not every day is sunny; there are rainy days.

i guess it's the same with marriage.

be inspired

there were a few possible headlines. 'first woman to defeat williams sisters in a grand slam since hingis', 'after serena, henin sees off venus'. but it could have become 'venus avenges sister', 'stunning comeback by venus'.

in fact, when henin somehow trailed 5-6, after leading 5-4 and serving for the set, i was staring at wimbledon again. she pulled level before sweeping the tie-breaker. in the second set, after racing to a 3-0 lead, it somehow became 3-3. at that point in time, i had that sinking feeling that henin might just end up on the wrong side of the match of the tournament. henin rallied to retake the lead 5-3. then she allowed venus to claw one back 5-4. and i was willing her to win, so that i could sleep. however, in the deciding set, she trailed 15-30 before three errors gave henin the victory.

in the end, i was relieved that henin pulled through. to have to play both the williams sisters is not easy. when venus and henin stood together, you could see why. 185cm and 167 cm. venus really towers over henin.

robinho once said, 'strength can never beat intelligence.'

but if intelligence were not careful, strength can easily crush it. that's why, to me, having to play both serena and venus is the toughest route to the final. and by beating them both, i think she has proven her championship credentials. as well as inspired. the smallest player beating the most powerful player.

the us open is henin's to lose.

Sunday, September 02, 2007

December

“Sir, may I help you?”

His shoulders tensed up briefly before relaxing again. Then he got up and traced the row of books with his finger until he stopped at one. Without turning around, without his finger leaving the book, he replied, “I am looking for December.”

“I have never heard of this book before. Who wrote it?”

“Andrea. Andrea Schiavone.”

“Perhaps you got it wrong. Perhaps it wasn’t published. Perhaps it wasn’t even written.”

I could sense the quiver in my voice.
***
“Sir, may I help you?”

That voice jolted me from my aimless browsing…that voice from the past.

To tell the truth, I thought a lot about how things would turn out…if we were to meet again. I also thought about what I would say, and then I would rather we not meet, because I wouldn’t know what to say. There was once when I thought we were on a collision course. When it turned out that I had made a mistake, I was more relieved than anything else.

I wanted to say ‘No.’ “I am looking for December.”

“I have never heard of this book before. Who wrote it?”

‘Liar,’ I screamed within me.

“Andrea. Andrea Schiavone.”

You said that you would write a book, a book about us. You said that you would title it ‘December’, because we first met in December.

Had you known then that we would also part in December?

“Perhaps you got it wrong. Perhaps it wasn’t published. Perhaps it wasn’t even written.”

Your voice was shaking.

I spun around and grabbed your arm. “Can you say you have never loved me before?”

Your silence, your eyes gave me your answer.

Tell me, why did you approach me then?