Oxymoron In The Tropics

 I am not a musician... the highest claim I have to being able to play is possibly assistant cheerleader and key-presser for my son when he had his music classes once upon a time.  The young man is a six footer now and hasn't needed any keys pressed for him for quite a while now, so that already says much about my musician skills.  However I totally adore music.  Especially music that is multi-layered, spins stories in my head and weaves magic around my ears.  So you can imagine how I feel about a lot of mainstream music nowadays. Thankfully I came across this prodigy who has restored my faith in young musicians.  The most exemplary Dimash Qudaibergen.

 I blog less when ... - I'm busy with interesting things. - I'm overloaded with work. - I haven't got things to complain about. I'm all of the above right now but I decided to try and make a few blog posts.  

I love stories... whether I hear them, read them or see them.  They make me feel things, and they also teach me things. Yes, I'm going to talk about Dimash Kudaibergen again.  He is a story teller par excellence, via his music and his lyrics.  So young, you may say, to earn such a title ... Surely he hasn't lived long enough to have gathered all those stories in his heart and to be able to share those stories with others.  But watch a video of him singing... and tell me that isn't a superb example of someone telling a story that grabs you by your heartstrings and stays with you for days and days afterward.  If I were a Buddhist, I would call him an old soul. Stories are powerful because they can paint swathes of colour across your mind and they can change the way you think.  But the stories need to be presented in the right way, with the right words.  I've always been a 'word' person and I've always believed I needed to know the words to be truly ...

When I first became a teacher, it surprised many of my friends.  I suppose there were different reasons... I wasn't obvious teacher material when I was in school.  I was too much of  a class clown at times, too bookish to front a classroom at other times... but the one person who was most surprised was myself.  The only reason that mattered to me was how I viewed the teaching profession as a boring one.  And I was more easily bored than I should be.  I wanted to be a journalist with different assignments every time and never the same view to look at (so I supposed).  Unfortunately for me, the year I applied for a course in university was also the year major riots took place in my hometown and my mother was traumatised to see the reporters (and specifically one who was brother to my aunt) getting the best views in between the Federal Reserve Units and the rioters.  1986.. what a year.  Just a year earlier and I could have been a rep...

Ofttimes I feel a need for some quiet time. Just some time and space to myself. No thoughts of lists & deadlines, no worrying, no thinking... Amazingly, when I first tried doing this, it was very difficult for I had become so used to filling my mind with 'noise'. The noise of the world I live in... but after a while, it became easier. Some people learn to silence their minds through meditation. I do it by listening to prayer and music, such as the ones below... can't really achieve total silence, can I? Listening to prayers or music for a short while is like refreshing the mind... taking a step out of the crazy world I live in and going into a world of tranquility. Then after an hour or two, I feel ready to return to the craziness again. Sleepsong by Secret Garden The Promise by Secret Garden

There are times when you need a boost of energy.... and one of my favourite ways is to listen to Kitaro play 'Matsuri'... oh yeah!

A few months ago, a friend recommended a Indonesian band to me and sent me a Youtube link . The melodies were soulful and the vocals were of the unforgettable sort. Their themes seem to center on love and its many permutations. Any place you go, if you hear Ungu over the PA system or on the radio, you just KNOW it's Ungu. Then just now, I saw the band sing on an Astro channel.... sweet... Lyrics : Ungu feat. Rossa – Tercipta Untukku menatap indahnya senyuman diwajahmu membuat ku terdiam dan terpaku mengerti akan hadirnya cinta terindah saat kau peluk mesra tubuhku banyak kata yang tak mampu ku ungkapkan kepada dirimu reff: aku ingin engkau s'lalu hadir dan temani aku di setiap langkah yang meyakiniku kau tercipta untukku sepanjang hidupku aku ingin engkau s'lalu hadir dan temani aku di setiap langkah yang meyakiniku kau tercipta untukku meski waktu akan mampu memanggil seluruh ragaku ku ingin kau tau kuslalu milikmu yang mencintaimu sepanjang hidupku aku ingin engkau slal...

Hey, Luke, a song you may find interesting, considering your past and current 'adventures'...:) Well, at least, life isn't boring. "Strange Relationship" Do you love me? Or am I just another trip in this strange relationship? You push and pull me and I'm about to lose my mind Is this just a waste of time keep acting like you own me I keep running, watch me walking out that door I hear you behind me Gimme that strange relationship Never felt pleasure and pain like this Something so right but it feels so terribly wrong I keep holding on Gimme that strange relationship One of us gotta let go of this I keep pushing and you keep holding on I'm already gone Do you love me? We break up and back together And I swore to myself never Oh how you do me You strip me of my honor And I don't ever think I'm gonna Break free of these mind games All I'm trying to do is modify my plan 'Cause I can't contain you Gimme that strange relationship Never felt p...

Here's a lesson plan that won't be used in my class. Set Induction : 3D Picture of a Glock Question : What do you see here? What's a really hot issue about guns in schools nowadays? (Possible answers: Columbine, Virginia Tech, the inclusion of weapons in national service training...) Take the discussion where it may go but keep it within ethical/moral boundaries. Like I said, this is a lesson plan that WON'T be used in my class. Pre-Listening Activity : 1. Teacher hands out worksheet 2. Students brainstorm and fill in the blanks (one column - what's good about guns and another column - what's bad about guns) While-Listening Activity : 1. Listen to the song. 2. Note down ONE lyric or image that grabs your attention. After-Listening Activity : 1. Explain why the lyric or image is so fascinating to you. Give reasons. Homework : Write an essay that answers the question "Should Young People Learn About Guns?" Looks good, huh? ...