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Amie.

It's absolute not the first time I listened to Damien Rice. I have been his fan ever since I listened to 9 Crime at 4am in the morning my 4 years ago. 

And absolutely not the first time I listened to Amie.
Yet, for some reason, when it was played on my playlist this afternoon, it made my heart ache, made me frown and feel like I was about to cry *still frowning*

Never completely understand what goes on in Damien Rice when he wrote the lyrics, but sometimes, the words stab my heart.

And it hurts.

amie

nothing unusual nothing strange
close to nothing at all
the same old scenario the same old rain
and there's no explosions here
then something unusual something strange
comes from nothing at all
i saw a spaceship fly by your window
did you see it disappear?
amie come sit on my wall and read me a story of old
tell it like you still believe that the end of the century
brings a change for you and me
nothing unusual nothing's changed
just a little older that's all
you know when you've found it there's something i've learned
'cause you feel it when they take it away hey hey
then something unusual something strange
comes from nothing at all
but i'm not a miracle and you're not a saint
just another soldier on a road to nowhere
amie come sit on my wall and read me a story of old
tell it like you still believe that the end of the century
brings a change for you and me
amie come sit on my wall and read me the story of o
tell it like you still believe that the end of the century
brings a change for you and me

A Paris State of Mind

I have been in a very French-y mood lately and have been listening nonstop to French music. These melodies have a certain characteristic softness and flow, yet still upbeat, which make me imagine myself sitting at a sunny cafe sipping a cup of warm latte. Plus, the lyrics are so mundane it makes you appreciate the little simple things in life. Extremely comforting. I just feel all fuzzy inside every single time.

Il y a

Il y a là la peinture
Des oiseaux, l'envergure
Qui luttent contre le vent
Il y a là les bordures
Les distances, ton allure
Quand tu marches juste devant

Il y a là les fissures
Fermées les serrures
Comme envolés les cerfs-volants
Il y a là la littérature
Le manque d'élan
L'inertie, le mouvement

Parfois on regarde les choses
Telles qu'elles sont
En se demandant pourquoi
Parfois, on les regarde
Telles qu'elles pourraient être
En se disant pourquoi pas

Il y a lalala
Si l'on prenait le temps
Si l'on prenait le temps
Il y a là la littérature
Le manque d'élan
L'inertie, le mouvement


Il y a là les mystères,
Le silence sous la mer
Qui luttent contre l'temps
Il y là les bordures
Les distances, ton allure
Quand tu marches juste devant

Il y a là les murmures
Un soupir, l'aventure
Comme emmêlés les cerfs-volants
Il y a là la littérature
Le manque d'élan
L'inertie le mouvement

There is

There's a painting over there
With birds, a purpose
Struggling against the wind
There are edges over there
Distances, your allure/pace
When you're walking straight ahead

There are some cracks over there
Some closed locks
As the kites flew
There's the literature over there
The lack of momentum
The inertia, the movement

Sometimes we look at the things
As they are
Wondering why
Sometimes, we look at them
As they may be
Saying to ourselves, why not?

There's
If we take the time
If we take the time
There's the literature over there
The lack of momentum
The inertia, the movement


There are the mysteries,
The silence under the sea
Fighting against time
There are edges over there
Distances, your allure/pace
When you're walking straight ahead

There's the whispering
A sigh, an adventure
Just as tangled kites
There's the literature over there
The lack of momentum
The inertia, the movement

I won't give up - Jason Mraz

If only I could be this patient.

Daily Note: Wake up slow

Waking up early to the gorgeous sunshine weather, I realized I haven't sit down for breakfast, coffee and the New York Times for a very long time. Despite having got up in the morning early frequently this year, I haven been consumed by appointments, deadlines, emails that I don't remember the last time I spend some time with myself to begin the day.

I have never thought of myself as a morning person, but apparently I am. I actually enjoy waking up early, taking my time to shower, putting on make-up extremely slowly, picking my outfit, matching accessories, organizing my bag, scheduling what I have to do during the day,etc. Being able to do all these things makes me happy. I know, happiness in such trivial things. I know I just got back from vacation, but the feeling of being able to take my time during a busy schedule is entirely different from knowing that you have all the time in the world to waste. 

Of course, Jack Johnson is playing, and my favorite blogger is talking about pancakes and french toast.

I think, if I could ask for one wish right at this moment, my wish would be:

1.  Have an evening off and do something enjoyable but relaxing. I have been all over the place and got sucked in with parties and social events every single weekend for the longest time ever. How I yearn for just a quiet evening. Maybe after going out for dinner, I can just grab a pint of ice cream, and a bunch of unhealthy snacks, snuggle under my blanket and enjoy a movie or two or read a novel until I fall asleep.

2. Wake up slow. I want to be able to wake up without the first thought of "What should I be doing today?". I just want to lay in bed for a while, doing nothing, listen to my morning play list. Breakfast in bed would be amazing. I suddenly have a craving for pancakes, or french toatsts, with tons of fresh fruits, and yogurt. I don't know what I want to do after that but to beable to start my morning that way would be more than enough.

Aiya, I feel like I have been wanting such simple things in life lately. Honestly though, it's the simple things in life that bring you happiness.

1 more exam, a few more things to do for Vagina Monologues, and maybe I will reward myself  . Although, I can't help but think, wouldn't it be nice if I have someone to surprise me with such a wonderful plan? Now, that is a REAL wish to be asking for.

[az]

Last night in Vietnam

Rain ... and old memories

Sometimes I wish I could go back in time

But peace is when you are able to let go of your past.
Key to happiness is to not tie yourself to anything

See you next time I'm home.

Sex and the City and Sade

With my sister's wedding and all the crazy preparation, I haven't really had time to sit down. register and think about this whole getting-married thing. I will put some thoughts into this later.


For now, in order to avoid thinking about such a depressing topic, I started watching Sex and the City again (since I have time on my hands anyway). I happened to pick  “The Good Fight” - with the scene that takes place at the penthouse’s amazing rooftop pool, with Sade playing in the background, that Samantha finally lets go of her fears and insecurities and allows herself to fall in love with Richard, only to have him break her heart just five episodes later. That’s Sex and the City for you, though! This is a scene that, depends on my mood, I would either hate or love. *Sigh* every time I watch this show, it makes me wish I could have a life like any of these girls. 

On a side note, Sade "By Your Side" is, indeed, a very addicting song. Sometimes I wonder if I would actually fall in love with some guy who asks me for a swim at midnight in a gorgeous rooftop pool, and then dances with me to such good music. Hmmmm, sometimes it scares me that I may actually be a romantic at heart. Such a scary thought. 

Delicate.

Christmas in Saigon

I still can’t believe that I’ve been home for almost a month. Time flies when you don’t pay attention.

Most of my friends who I usually hang out with when I’m home are all combating exams either in the US or in Vietnam. Thus, besides working and spending time preparing lessons for my students, I try to keep myself busy helping my sister with her wedding preparation, helping my younger sis with her school work, or just do nothing. It gets quite boring and pointless often.

When I feel like being home alone all the time having nothing to do has turned me into a depressing person, I go out and spend time … alone. It’s Christmas time, and even without the cold weather and the white snow, Saigon still looks like it is ready for the season greetings. I haven’t been home during Christmas for a while. Even though I admit that I love the holiday atmosphere in the US, there is a certain unique feeling about Christmas in my tropical hometown that is still able to make me have butterflies in my stomach.

I love walking from streets to streets, wandering from one district to another, with no one to see and no place to go. I don’t have to rush anywhere, and don’t have to think about how to get things done. Just listening to music, watching people to wherever they go, I feel like it’s much easier to think about what I need to think about.

It feels different without the below-zero weather and the white snow. I miss complaining about the cold, and rushing into Starbucks for a cup of warm latte. I miss going Christmas shopping with friends. I just miss the feeling of Christmas in the US.

Lights in the bedroom

Regardless, it’s Christmas, and it IS my favorite time of the year. My dad has put up Christmas lights everywhere, after my constant whining about how much I love Christmas lights. Christmas music is being played in the house all the time. I just wish I could be with someone to snuggle up, to be kept warm in his arms, watching a movie or something.

Well, it feels like everyone is happy, and excited to end the year, bad or good, and welcome a new year. I’m going to spend it well, celebrate it with my family, my friends, my city, my home. Despite how much I complain about it, there has not been a time when I come home that I did not have good times with friends and family.

Life can never be easy. There are ups and downs, but that’s how it is. There are many things that I get to experience and there are many memories I have made this year. And let’s make next year a memorable one too.

We’re growing up days by days, it feels weird.

My all time favorite Christmas playlist <3

My Happy Ending

It's nice to know that you were there

Thanks for acting like you cared

And making me feel like I was the only one

It's nice to know we had it all

Thanks for watching as I fall

And letting me know we were done

[az]

"That one's just about someone I've known for years who I've always loved and I think he's always loved me but we're too scared to be with each other in case that's it. When I wrote the middle eight—it's really cheesy. The night before I wrote the middle eight I watched Never Been Kissed, with Drew Barrymore in it… You know at the end when she describes being kissed as the whole world slows down and goes in slow motion, everything else goes blurry? I kind of see it like that. Whenever I hear the bridge it really is sort of like that, and it's quite epic. I mean, I don't think Never Been Kissed is a particularly epic movie." - on One and Only

"For some reason, I miss you today."

 "U already know the reason :), its the same reason why I miss you every day"