Cool Leehom, My Super Super Prince Charming :)

A Simple Album with A Huge Meaning.

Leehom's 10th Album--The sun and moon in the heart.

Leehom, my super super super idol, had released his 10th album--The sun and moon in the heart by the very last day of 2004. After listening to this album, I had some reflections to it as a listener. Here they come...

I could tell how much efforts Leehom put into this album as your previous ones. I love “A simple song” the most since it did give me a free space to calm down, to be alone and reflect by myself. “In a far away place” did shock me a lot---I taught my students the original version, however, I never thought about how it would be as Chinked-out version though. However, I love it more than the original one. Because you put the new life to it and it sounds more alive to young generation. I think that my students would love this version as much as I do!!

“ Forever love“ and “Wrong love” are two quite typical love songs of Leehom's style to me, touching, impressive but taste a bit bitter. I could smell his true feeling in these songs. I am also thinking of whether it is going to be the end to that particular main character in his mind? Maybe, but maybe not. I recalled all the songs in his previous albums which could be easily found out his deep love, confidence to the long distance relationship, confusion about whether to end this relationship, struggled in the complex feelings to her when she found someone and so on and so forth. Listeners could experience what he had been experienced completely through listening to his music.

I wish that he would move on one step further then and I am expecting to get touched again in his love songs.

“Follow me”, “Astrology”, “Release your heart” and “Come here” are quite interesting songs to me. Each of them is sending out different messages to the listeners. They all make me want to dance when the music start. Follow me, seems saying that through my music and then you would find out happiness--being happy isn't hard at all. Astrology—expresses the confusion about getting to understand women better through horoscope? The truth is women's hearts are so complicating to understand as finding a needle in the ocean (nu ren xin, hai di zhen).
Come here, sounds like a free bird wants to do whatever he/she wants without considering too much---quite reflect on Leehom's private life. Well… I know it is so hard for someone famous to keep away from spying by Medias, however, his feeling of nothing could do with it described clearly in this song. Release your heart, somehow makes me link to the song of “Come here” all the time. I had the picture of that someone is asking his/her friend not to be afraid but release his/her heart to be loved. In addition, they all have quite strong mixing vocals and musical backgrounds. I also sensed that he applied similar lyric strategies to these songs (so called mi shi ya yun fa) as what Leehom did in Unbelievable, his 9th album.

“Deep inside of bamboo groove”, “In a far away place” and “The sun and moon in the heart” are the songs I heard a lot sounds of Eastern music instruments. I noticed how wonderful they matched together with pop musical elements. I totally agree with Leehom's ideas of putting Eastern musical elements into pop music since there are enormous musical elements and instrument in East that not many people try to discover them. Homeboy! NICE JOB INDEED. Moreover, I noticed that the lyrics in this album are closer to ancient Chinese (meant not everyday using vocabulary)---quite a match with chinked-out.

To be honest, I am not a big fan of Hip-Hop. Therefore, even I enjoyed a lot in his last album, Unbelievable, it took me a little while to get to familiar with certain songs. However, this one, his 10th album, I just loved it so much since the first time I listened to it. I believe that Leehom did make this 10th album unique and I hope that he keeps working on his other great ideas in putting Eastern musical elements in next albums. In addition, it will be great to send the messages of WORLD LOVE through his music. That's what we need around the whole world, isn't it? The world is so huge and is waiting for us to discover, to explore its mystery.

I hope that Leehom would keep on his journey in creating music with more positive and meaningful concepts.

Beatles' Liverpool

King Dock, Liverpool,UK.

What is the first thing come to your mind when you heard about Liverpool? I would immediately think of Beatles, the most famous British band in the whole world. They had many great songs known worldwide, for example, Yesterday, Yellow submarine, Hey Jude, Let it be and so on and so forth. Bealtes was made by Paul, John, George and Ringo.

I have been to Liverpool once in summer of 2002 and all places I visited were relevant to Beatles. Through last trip, I knew more about Beatles and where they grew up and developed their career. I am a big fan of Beatles and I have been applying their music in my teaching. My kindergarteners love their songs very much as well. They love yellow submarine and yesterday the most. To me, compare with the pop music nowadays, Beatles' music is more meaningful and more enjoyable. Listening to their music just like listen to a story with all kinds of emotions. In addition, some of their songs carry deep meaning and messages with LOVE and HOPE which is very important to the world.

Liverpool is a quite big hardbour city and you can reach the sea very easily. I always dream of living somewhere close to beach or sea where could move my worries and unhappiness away by looking at the deep blue sea or sitting by the seashore. I love the touching of wind breezing at the beach/sea and it feels that you are not alone and find out the comfort.

I also love the music created by John after he left Beatles, especially the song--Imagine. Imagine is a song composed to anti-war and yes, it sends out the message of a world where people live peacefully and hand in hand with each other. I think that John is not the only one dreamer and a lot of people were touched by his music and would join him. Unfortunately, John left the world too soon and too sudden before everyone could imagine, however, he should not regret since he left so much nice and meaningful music to the generations. We will always remember him and his brilliant work.

Tota

Tota at Liverpool!!

Tota is one of the lovely girl from drama and theatre education. Tota came from Cyprus, a country nearby Greece and they speak Greek as well. Tota is a very nice, kind and smart girl. I am glad that I met those girls throuhg aditing the classes since last year. Tota is planning to visit some Far East countries, such as Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong and India for 3 months some time later. Tota also tried to learn how to speak Chinese. I remembered that she learned something like kiss me and hug me in Chinese from her flatmates. She said that phrase to us all of a sudden and we were very surprised. She is one of my Greek teachers too. Tota would not miss any good films, trips arranged by International office and Latin parties. She has been asking me out for party many times but I never made them :P Well...maybe I should just go and have fun with Tota and some other Greek girls next time. Need to broaden my sight.

2005年的除夕大餐

Dinner Feast for Chinese New Year's Eve 2005

好像已經習慣在國外感受不太濃厚的農曆年氣氛,也習慣農曆年期間是在上課或忙碌中渡過.今年也不例外,今年的除夕恰好是星期二,大夥都要上課,所以我們的除夕大餐就提前到二月四日星期五舉辦. 我們這次是在Sabina 和Hunter家辦的. 參與的成員有,Hunter, Sabina, Eric, Peggy 1, Ericson, Claire, Wenhui, Jackie, Whitney, Isabel, Kitty, Doris, Peggy2 and I.

來瞧瞧我們這群遊子準備了什麼豐富的年夜飯吧!
從圖片上可以看到的是:

Peggy學姐做的香蕉蛋糕----真的很好吃,非常香....有空,我要跟學姐請益一下:P
我首次嘗試的甜年糕-----看起來很好吃的樣子...結果....太軟了,根本無法分離,所以算是中看不中吃啦!!
紅酒旁邊那鍋是Hunter用心燉的燒酒雞---雞年祝大家雞(吉)祥如意囉!
燒酒雞的旁邊那一大鍋是Claire炒的台式米粉---很讚!!只可惜她把紅蘿蔔切得太細了,我可是挑了很久才把我那一大碗米粉吃個精光,剩下一團紅籮蔔絲:D

台式米粉的旁邊那一小碗是沙茶醬啦!! (這可不算一道菜喔! :p)

再旁邊那盤美美的是Eric學長/Peggy學姐的可樂排骨,沒錯!!就是用你我平常喝的可口可樂煮出來的可樂排骨----一點可樂味都沒有喔!
中間這盤是香港的Kitty精心準備的羅漢齋---是素食,有香菇,髮菜,青菜,紅籮蔔(又是它:( !),小玉米煮成的,我還蠻喜歡這道菜的.
旁邊那一小鍋是文惠熬了幾天的紅豆湯,英國的紅豆非常的不容易煮熟,所以要先泡水至少一個晚上,再用大同電鍋慢慢熬個數十個鐘頭,喝起來才會入口即化!!
羅漢齋的後面那一盤白色圓形的球是大夥從桿皮開始搓成的鹹湯圓,大夥在文惠的指導下包出一個個還算美麗的湯圓(除了我包的那唯一的一顆,我想我還是包水餃就好了:p 搓湯圓對我而言真是太難了)

接下來那碗五顏六色的是Hunter的海鮮燴飯,本來是要大家配飯吃的,結果大家都說要把它當菜吃就好,這樣才能多吃點. 真是一群愛吃的豬............................寶寶啊!
在它旁邊的那鍋是我煮了近三個鐘頭,終於讓每顆粉圓都變成晶瑩剔透的珍珠,因為英國買不到立頓紅茶包,所以我們不能做珍珠奶茶...只能煮糖水過過癮囉!
粉圓旁的是日本的壽司,到了韓國就改名為"金寶"(聽起來像啦!)是由韓國的Gale所提供.包得很美麗吧!!
金寶壽司的旁邊是小妹我做的蘿蔔糕,看起來不怎麼樣,但是嘗起來還不錯說. :D 老妙賣糕自賣自誇

以上是我們的今年的年夜飯,夠豐盛吧! 祝福大家新年快樂,心想事成囉!!

過年,怎可少了圍爐呢?我們的年夜飯當然也還有一道.......................火鍋囉!不過,欲知詳情,且看下篇分曉吧!

圍爐了!!

Hot Pot

流口水了嗎??沒錯,這一美味的火鍋就是我們年夜飯的重頭戲!!感謝Peggy2, Whitney, Jackie and Isabel的熱情款待,還有Eric學長的電磁爐贊助!!

我們這一鍋火鍋的湯頭可是用大排骨熬了4個鐘頭的成果,還有蕃茄和白蘿蔔的甜味唷!!火鍋料可也是千辛萬苦跑到Birmingham和Coventry買來的. 有各式樣的丸子,魚板,貴得不像話的金針菇,難得吃到的花枝,不可少的豬肉,牛肉,豆腐,大白菜,菠菜,香菇還有冬粉.

人在異鄉可以和三五好友齊聚一堂共享這麼豐盛的年夜飯真是令我感動.也許因為家裡人口簡單的緣故吧!以往過年的年夜飯就只有我和爸媽三人一起享用. 出國後才有機會和一大群人在除夕夜一起吃飯聊天,這種感覺真的很奇妙!!

我想,還好在Warwick認識了這麼一群人,讓我的日子過得快樂,彩色一些.希望大家這新的一年過得喜樂平安.

A Simple Sonata.一首簡單的歌

Jiashu and Uncle Leehom

喜歡一個人是件很簡單的事,要不喜歡一個人也是吧!
喜歡一個人有時候是很瘋狂的,很衝動的,有時卻是不知所措,害羞的...
忘了自己喜歡上這個萬人迷有多久了? 從最早簡單的欣賞到現今的癡迷...一個對音樂有著最深厚的喜愛與天賦,造就了他對華語流行音樂的所有付出. 在他身上,我看見了平凡簡單的大男孩氣質,也看見了最令人深刻的生命---音樂. 他的用心我真的看得見,也期許他會繼續創作更富有意義的音樂. 我想,我很難不喜歡他吧! 也許有那麼一天,我們會相遇,會相識....那就夠了.

我或許是傻吧! 但是我堅持我想追求的...有夢最美,不是嗎? 我想,我的堅持和真心終有一天會被看見的.

另一個我無法抗拒的是.............小孩.我真的希望這個社會能為小孩做些什麼.當然我也如此勉勵自己. 小孩的直接簡單單純的世界是最令人自在舒服的,而我們更應該用愛,關懷,希望來呵護他們.我有多愛小孩,我自己也不知道,雖然我自己沒有...但我享受和小孩相處的快樂.

一首簡單的歌,希望能讓你覺得快樂....像我一樣平凡卻又深刻----------祝福大家都能找到生命中那首(個)能帶給你簡單快樂的歌(人).