Songs close to heart

I remember the time when someone sent me the lyrics to this song. It was endearing and touching at that time, a song with lyrics that could so reflect a person's thoughts. So close to heart.

I remember this song, which I love so much. Who would have guessed back then that the lyrics would again be so reflective of what the future holds?

Driving on the right side of the road

Driving in a different country, on a different side of the road, can do wonders to how you treat driving. Now, I don't even remember which is the correct side to get into a car... What used to be effortless (walk to car, get in, start engine) now becomes a positive mental exercise to walk to the correct side to get into the driver's seat.

Learning languages

How does one pick up a new language?

Attending a class is one way.

But that teaches you the basics. After that, it is still a lot of hard work in practising. Without practice, you cannot pick up a new skill, and language is a skill.

So how to practise?

Read it. Write it. Get a book in the language you are trying to learn and read it. Children's books are good because they are short and easy and finishing one gives you a sense of achievement and motivates you to finish another book. Write your diary in the new language, it forces you to review the grammar rules you have learnt in class, and makes you flip through that dictionary that you bought.

Listen to it. Watch a movie in the new language. Better still if it is a DVD, watch it once without the subtitles to see how much you understand. Then watch it again with the subtitles to see if you have gotten it correct. Watch it again without the subtitles to see if you understand more of what they are actually saying. Watch the same thing 3 times. Now, a full-length movie may be too long... so sitcoms work too!

Speak it. This is more difficult... you will need someone to help you, a fellow classmate works just fine. Otherwise, use the new language whenever an occasion presents itself.

Remember, the more you practise, the better you get.

Move as a team

Why do we succeed when we move as a team and fail when we don't?

I was thinking about this when I thought about how an army unit moves in its final charge. The final charge is a dangerous event, since it exposes the whole unit to enemy fire. Yet it is effective. When the order to charge is given, people leave cover and move as a whole front towards the enemy. The enemy now has a choice. Try and shoot one of them (and thus expose himself to being shot by many when he tries to take that shot) or stay low and stay under cover. By presenting many targets to the enemy, he ends up not being able to take that shot. If the order to charge is given and yet only a few heed that order, the enemy is free to shoot these few, knowing that he will only be shot at by a few as he takes his shots.

So when you move as a team, you can overcome great odds. When you try to succeed as individuals, you expose yourself to greater danger.

哭沙 by 黄莺莺

哭沙

你是我最苦涩的等待
让我欢喜又害怕未来
你最爱说你是一颗尘埃
偶而会恶作剧的飘进我眼里
宁愿我哭泣不让我爱你
你就真的像尘埃消失在风里
你是我最痛苦的决择
为何你从不放弃飘泊
海对你是那么难分难舍
你总是带回满口袋的砂给我
难得来看我却又离开我
让那手中泻落的砂像泪水流
风吹来的砂落在悲伤的眼里
谁都看出我在等你
风吹来的砂堆集在心里
是谁也擦不去的痕迹
风吹来的砂穿过所有的记忆
谁都知道我在想你
风吹来的砂冥冥在哭泣
难道早就预言了分离
你是我最痛苦的决择
为何你从不放弃飘泊
海对你是那么难分难舍
你总是带回满口袋的砂给我
难得来看我却又离开我
让那手中泻落的砂像泪水流
风吹来的砂落在悲伤的眼里
谁都看出我在等你
风吹来的砂堆集在心里
是谁也擦不去的痕迹
风吹来的砂穿过所有的记忆
谁都知道我在想你
风吹来的砂冥冥在哭泣
难道早就预言了分离
风吹来的砂冥冥在哭泣
难道早就预言了分离

An old song that I really like... never knew that I would have so much to do with the feelings in the lyrics back then. Maybe we are all influenced in small ways by the little things in life.