Prelude in E minor - Chopin

This is a TED talk I listened to yesterday and really made my day. I was moved by the speaker. I fall in love with the piece he played: Prelude in E Minor (Chopin). May try to play it during weekend~

http://www.ted.com/talks/benjamin_zander_on_music_and_passion?language=en

Have you ever wondered what kind of music you want to play in your funeral?

After having watched this TED talk, I tried to think about the last word I said to some people. Then I remembered that when I said goodbye to a friend when I was 21, I don't feel very sad as I feel like we will meet again very soon. I was very young at that time, and I was confident that I could do everything. 8 years after and I meeting the friend again, my tear came out when we said goodbye. I cried for the cruelty of time. I suddenly realized that I am really getting old. Because I have the strong feeling that, we would probably difficult to meet again. Even we meet, the status and mood of us will be very different. 

Although many people blamed 黃祖藍's proposal during TVB birthday programme, I am touched by what he said, 

"人生好無常。無論追你多麼困難也好，娶到你的話，我一生都會很幸福……無論明日我的事業、身體如何，人生要找一個，覺得與對方過一日得一日，每一日都是恩典的人。」

The uncertainty and impermanent of Life.  

That reminds me the quote in Forrest Gump, “Life is like a box a chocolate, you never know what your going to get.” I totally can’t get it when I watched it in primary school.

I feel that the moment I realized it is beautiful. 

The Walking Dead

Being influenced by my brother, I fell in love with this drama. After having waited for several months, Season 5 finally came out!

My favourite character was Daryl at first. But I found that Rick was gradually charming when the drama went on. I like that he could always make good decision, maintain a good heart but also decisive in critical moment.

I can’t bear it if any main characters die at this stage……

Chasing Mavericks 2012 衝浪傳奇／衝破極限

I forget where and when I had glimpsed the movie long time ago. I just remembered that it was a scene the protagonist surged a very big wave and the tone was beautiful.  I decided that I must find out the movie and watch it.  

Yesterday I wanted to watch “Seven Years in Tibet” but both my 2 computers could not play the DVD. Suddenly I thought about this movie as I was reading working holiday info in Australia with lots of surfing spots. Also, after watching the Extreme Sports video shown during the Social English lesson, I suddenly wanna try surfing as it was really a beautiful sports. So I just typed “surfing” on the Internet and found it.

Although the reviews of this movie were so-so, I enjoyed it very much, especially it was a true-story talking about a boy with unswerving determination which touched me. The surfing scene was truly beautiful.

I like sports. But I always think that I would never try surfing and mountain-biking as they look dangerous and scary. Now, I changed my mind.   

My Bucket List (writing at the age of 29)

Bucket List (Wrote at 29 years old, 17 Oct 2014)

Everyone has a bucket list, even if it isn’t written down.  Here’s my bucket list (it’s a work in progress – constantly adding items to it):

1.     Working Holiday in Australia

2.     Diving in Great Barrier Reef

3.     Skydive

4.     Say I love you and mean it

5.     Celebrate Carnival in Rio

6.     Go to Macchu Picchu

7.     Volunteer at an orphanage in a 3rd world country 

8.     Learn to speak another language

9.     Learn to play other instrument except piano

10. Milk a cow

11. Shear a sheep 

12. Go on a yoga retreat

13. Place a $100 bet in Las Vegas

14. Visit Angkor Watt

15. Stand in an airport and pick my destination based on the fact that I don’t recognize where it is

16. Visit the Amazon Rainforest

17. Do a roadtrip

18. Visit the Grand Canyon

19. Travel from Yunan to Tibert

20. Visit Scotland highland

21. Open a hostel

22. Take some time in photography

23. Sleep under the stars 

24. Take a horse riding

25. Swim with dolphin

26. Watch penguin in Philip Island

27. Drive the Great Ocean Road 

28. Hike around Uluru and Kata Tjuta

29. 4WD From Broome to Darwin through the Bungle Bungles and Kimberleys\

30. Float in the Dead Sea

31. Celebrate Holi in India

32. Lean Driving

33. Climb a volcano 

34. Sail from one country to another

35. Swim with Whale Sharks

36. Paragliding

37. Canoeing

38. Snowboarding (Completed in Feb 2008, Beijing)

39. White Water Rafting (Completed in July 2014, Pai River in Thailand) 

40. Black Water Rafting

41. Attend Loy Krathong in Thailand

42. Swim with dolphins

43. Watch turtles hatch and run for the ocean

44. Have breakfast on a mountaintop with the most handsome man in the world.

45. Travel in Europe with my family

46. Trekking in Nepal around Himalaya

47. Marvelling at the Egyptian Pyramids

48. A trip to the Maldives

49. Own a house with garden

50. Ride a hot air balloon

51. Try out surfing

52. A self-drive trip in Hualien Taiwan

The Way

This is the first time I heard about Camino de Santiago, Way of St. James as known in English, a pilgrimage route. The storyline is simple and the plot is not too deep. It talks about a father heads overseas to recover the body of his estranged son who died while traveling El camino de Santiago, and decides to take the pilgrimage himself. But it is truly moving.

I like the mood and the music very much. It is quiet, but powerful and thought provoking.Tyler Bates's score sounds incredible. I had tears running down my cheeks when the father decided to cremated the son's body. The journey between parent and children can be long, but it is much closer then we think.

Recently I wanna watch movies relating to traveling or journeys. It builds up my mood to get ready for adventures, and more prepared for staying alone.

Blue is the warmest color

If it is not recommended by friend, I rarely watched a movie focus on gay couple. Rarely watched French movie, I was totally attracted by the 2 natural and beautiful actress.

Comparing to Chapter 1 talking about what brings the couples together, I like Chapter two more revealing what pull them apart. The film becomes a heartrending look at the struggle to overcome differences and the need to find meaning outside a relationship.

I like the quotes very much:

Adele: I miss you. I miss not touching each other. Not seeing each other, not breathing in each other. I want you. All the time. No one else.

Emma: I have infinite tenderness for you and I will my whole life...

Adèle: I am happy. I'm happy with you, like this. It's my way of being happy.

Begin Again

Since I got my back pain in these 3 years, I haven’t been watching movies in a theatre as sitting in the theatre for several hours after sitting all day long in office is killing me. 

Yesterday I watched “Begin Again”. I felt so excited and searched for review online before watching it. The general comment is that it is not as good as “Once” and quite a Hollywood blockbuster. So I don’t have high expectation.

“Begin Again” is generally a joyful and charming movie, though it really lacks the natural charm of Once.  you can feel that the director makes it with self-conscious calculation that inevitably limits its appeal. Anyway, I enjoy the movie as it is better than I expected. The music is the most important element and it builds up the vibe well. The lyrics links the story smoothly.

Knightley does not have an inborn beautiful voice but I think she is fine. She has a soft and lilting voice that suits the material. Overall, the songs are pleasantly engaging if not quite so powerful as the key tunes from the “Once” soundtrack. Still, it leaves me warming feeling after I left the theatre.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

開拓視野，看見世界，貼近彼此，感受生活，這就是生活的目的

To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer,to find each other and to feel.

That is the purpose of life.

It touches me. I think Ben Stiller gives the film a soul. Something deep in my heart is awakened. I like the message from the book or the movie, "We all have something inside us waiting to get out, and all it takes is the courage to stop dreaming and start living."

Chiang Mai & Pai

I never knew that this 1 week trip, will give such a powerful aftershock to me - it reminds me to recapture my own adventurous spirit. Met a lot of Europeans and appreciated their "living in the moment" spirit. This reminder keeps rippling in my heart.