Beautiful Dawn: December 2008

Yiruma's Kiss The Rain

Last night, I went to bed at around midnight with my iPod running on the speaker. An hour later, I was pleasantly awaken by the most fantastically wonderful piece of song. Imagine, the air is still, and you hear the most beautiful melody played on the piano with such clarity and intensity that it evokes that forgotten passion tucked in that corner of your heart. I was in bliss in my drunken stupor! Thanks to Yiruma who created such wonders....

Link

Favourite Photographs

Willy Ronis's Bastille Lovers, 1957

Robert Doisneau's Le Baiser de l'Hotel de Ville, Paris, 1950

Henri Cartier-Bresson's Paris, Boulevard Diderot 1969

Read, when I was afflicted with Flu and in Bed...

I think this is movie material....

Currently also reading....

Currently reading.....

I Love My iPod

Currently 2452 songs in my iTunes and 980 songs in my iPod and still counting...

Lighting Up of the Tree at Bangsar Village

We brought the kids to Bangsar Village to see the lighting up of the X'mas Tree. The girls especially had a great time, dancing away to the choir singing Christmas hymns.

We Love Karaoke-ing!

At Er Pek's Birthday! Our favourite number is Dancing Queen.

Pre-Christmas

Christmas 2008

We had a small and intimate gathering at home this Christmas. The kids were not very well and we decided that we would leave the big do for count down. Pauline and Andrew brought a turkey with an excellent stuffing, also a Tiramisu cake which was not so sweet and was perfect. Hubby made an excellent salad and pasta, and bought some ham, sausages and fried beehoon too.

The highlight was the gift exchange. The kids had a swell time unwrapping their gifts. They were really spoilt for choice. Zerlynde received among others, a pendant, a hand-made skirt, a blouse, a tea-time trolley, books, colour pencils and a helicopter whereas Zuwern's gifts included an Elmo as tall as he is, a bicycle, a t-shirt, an Elmo VCD and several other toys.

Our official photographer was around and as usual, was snapping away. Lee Ching and her baby was his subject-matter for no less than than half an hour! The gathering only ended after a round tea of tiramisu and coffee at 5.30pm.

David Tao's Black Tangerine

My favourite track: Katrina

Katrina I can't stop looking in your eyes.
But my words don't come out straight.
I don't know what to say. No no.

On Monday I tell myself you gotta wait dave,
Don't rush it. Don't anticipate. Take it slowly,
It's ok. It's ok.

And I just wanna a chance to know you
To know the woman deep inside.
Yeah Yeah

And I don't wanna look back on life
To see this missed opportunity.
Yeah (To get to know you)
Even at the risk of looking like a fool to you.

On Wednesday I casually walk on by
To find that you're not there.
I act like I don't care.

But on Friday I catch a glimpse of you
I tell myself don't hesitate.
You just walk up and say hello! Say hello!

And I just wanna a chance to know you
To know the woman deep inside.
Yeah Yeah

And I don't wanna look back on life
To see this missed opportunity.
Yeah (To get to know you)
Even at the risk of looking like a fool to you.

And I just wanna a chance to know you
To know the love you have inside.
Yeah Yeah

Link

Khaled Hosseini's A Thousand Splendid Suns

What a splendidly powerfully and beautifully written book!

The title of the book refers to a 17th century poem of the Persian poet Saib-e-Tabrizi called Kabul.

Kabul Ah! How beautiful is Kabul encircled by her arid mountains
And Rose, of the trails of thorns she envies
Her gusts of powdered soil, slightly sting my eyes
But I love her, for knowing and loving are born of this same dust
My song exhalts her dazzling tulips
And at the beauty of her trees, I blush
How sparkling the water flows from Pul-I Bastaan!
May Allah protect such beauty from the evil eye of man!
Khizr chose the path to Kabul in order to reach Paradise
For her mountains brought him close to the delights of heaven
From the fort with sprawling walls, A Dragon of protection
Each stone is there more precious than the treasure of Shayagan
Every street of Kabul is enthralling to the eye
Through the bazaars, caravans of Egypt pass
One could not count the moons that shimmer on her roofs
And the thousand splendid suns that hide behind her walls
Her laughter of mornings has the gaiety of flowers
Her nights of darkness, the reflections of lustrous hair
Her melodious nightingales, with passion sing their songs
Ardent tunes, as leaves enflamed, cascading from their throats
And I, I sing in the gardens of Jahanara, of Sharbara
And even the trumpets of heaven envy their green pastures

My Zuwern - My Third Love of My Life....

We had a Elmo-themed party to celebate Zuwern's 2nd birthday in September. My little baby is now a cheeky, curious and strong-willed toddler.

My Image, My Soul

Thanks to Kok Wai for capturing both so perfectly....

A Rotarian, finally!

I am finally a Rotarian, thanks to the invitation of Kassim Ariff, President of the Damansara West Club.

I am definitely inspired and driven to join the Club by its charitable intention but the various toasts we have to make to several parties at the start of each and every meeting go against the very core of my principal values. Kassim calls me an anti-establishment! I think I just believe in equality.

Gubahanku Classical Guitar Concert

It was my good fortune Suan Gaik offered me a ticket to see the Gubahanku concert organised by the Classical Guitar Society of Malaysia last Thursday. I was so impressed with Simon Cheong's Variations on Gubahanku arranged by the late John Daurte. I was even more impressed with Prof Dr Isabelle Heroux's various rendition, particularly, her interpretation of Augustin Barrios' Un sueno en la floresta. If I had kept my eyes closed, I wouldn't have guessed whether it was the guitar or harp she's caressing.