I have been writing in Blogger since 2003, thus it almost 10 years since I start blogging. It's a difficult decision to leave Blogger, for all the memories, joy and tears, we shared through all my journey of life.
However, I have decided to move on with something new. I managed to stick with Blogger during the time where all my blogging friend changed their platform to Movable Type, Wordpress and many other cool blog platform. And now Blogger is way cooler than all of them, but I decided to switch. Talking about how people change their mind.
I'm moving to Tumblr. Not because they have some kind of extra feature that made me change my mind, but somehow, some change would be a fresh starting point. And I hope by that it will keep me blogging despite my hectic grad student life.
But if it bores me, it's not impossible I return back to this ground.
So find me in my new playground:
http://fidanuar.tumblr.com
よろしく．
I can't believe I am in lab right now, while the truth is my flight to Hong Kong is only a day away. Scribbling facts and arguments about sustainable energy and filling out form in Japanese (yes, in kanji mind you) is the last thing I could ever imagine to do before heading south to a warmer climate. Geez. I should start reading fiction, lazying around or at least packing some stuffs! But now the real picture is my home in total mess, and I'm still here getting my kanji writing right.
Stop babbling and it'll make you an old fart.
So, updates? Well, a lot actually. I learned how to ski, went to my French buddy's housewarming party and tonnes of karaoke meets. Don't let me start with other thing because its all academic, and I am not really sure you delighted to read that.
Oh, and I failed my JLPT. As expected. I remember walking out from the exam hall with dizzy head figuring how to read long Japanese articles and essays as my Kanji illiteracy still slows down my reading. And true indeed, my vocab and reading comprehension marks are the lowest. Listening is the only savior (thanks to frequent Japanese conversation and ridiculous Japanese TV show), but when the other two papers suck, nothing can be done anymore. So here I am, repeating the paper this July, hoping soon I can read Japanese essay as fast as I could (Mr. Haruki Murakami, help me!)
Can't wait to backpack in Hong Kong! Despite my tight budget and financial constraint (hmm, that's the trait of backpackers I reckon? We're the under-privileged people who eager to explore the world :p), I am so gonna explore the sight of Cantopop and Hong Kong movie background. I used to be a big fan (and still do, just not as frequent) of TVB dramas back then (all thanks to my mom who is a drama craze of all genre, and now the gene is inherited to her only son). And of course not surprisingly, I do listen to Cantonese songs from Hong Kong, from Sam Hui mellow, feel good romantic song to newer act like soul kid Khalil Fong (well his songs are in Mandarin, but he is based in Hong Kong anyway).
Oh I'm listening to it right now. Just to get the feel. Call me silly folks.
The weather report shows Hong Kong will be rainy this week long. Not a good sign for backpackers like me who initially plan to walk around town and discover narrow streets and alleys. I should pack my see through umbrella (which I believe only available in Japan, seriously I never seen it been sold anywhere else! If my fact is true, Japan should consider patent it to be national trademark :p)
Toodles, people. See you in a more humid and warmer environment in few days time.
Stop babbling and it'll make you an old fart.
So, updates? Well, a lot actually. I learned how to ski, went to my French buddy's housewarming party and tonnes of karaoke meets. Don't let me start with other thing because its all academic, and I am not really sure you delighted to read that.
Oh, and I failed my JLPT. As expected. I remember walking out from the exam hall with dizzy head figuring how to read long Japanese articles and essays as my Kanji illiteracy still slows down my reading. And true indeed, my vocab and reading comprehension marks are the lowest. Listening is the only savior (thanks to frequent Japanese conversation and ridiculous Japanese TV show), but when the other two papers suck, nothing can be done anymore. So here I am, repeating the paper this July, hoping soon I can read Japanese essay as fast as I could (Mr. Haruki Murakami, help me!)
Can't wait to backpack in Hong Kong! Despite my tight budget and financial constraint (hmm, that's the trait of backpackers I reckon? We're the under-privileged people who eager to explore the world :p), I am so gonna explore the sight of Cantopop and Hong Kong movie background. I used to be a big fan (and still do, just not as frequent) of TVB dramas back then (all thanks to my mom who is a drama craze of all genre, and now the gene is inherited to her only son). And of course not surprisingly, I do listen to Cantonese songs from Hong Kong, from Sam Hui mellow, feel good romantic song to newer act like soul kid Khalil Fong (well his songs are in Mandarin, but he is based in Hong Kong anyway).
Oh I'm listening to it right now. Just to get the feel. Call me silly folks.
The weather report shows Hong Kong will be rainy this week long. Not a good sign for backpackers like me who initially plan to walk around town and discover narrow streets and alleys. I should pack my see through umbrella (which I believe only available in Japan, seriously I never seen it been sold anywhere else! If my fact is true, Japan should consider patent it to be national trademark :p)
Toodles, people. See you in a more humid and warmer environment in few days time.
How fast time flies. I still remember the pandemonium and panic over the Y2K bugs last 10 years, and within blink of eyes, it's already 2010.
2009 has its own mark in my walk of life. The year I started my life in foreign land, specifically in Japan. The year I was so worn out to study for my graduate school entrance exam but Alhamdulillah passed it. And few other adventures and life experiences that I feel so precious to be listed here.
I remember in previous years I did make new year resolutions and aim to achieve it. I dare say I'd fulfilled the 2009 list with some points not achieved but I really feel good. And this year I just hope that my life would be better than last year, the world will be much better place for us to live in and of course, the happiness of everybody. My master course and research will begin this spring, I really hope I can nail it graduate like everyone else.
New year celebration back in my home country has this close image to concerts and fireworks. Sleepless nights. But surprisingly in Japan, although new year is a big celebration celebrated by Japanese (long holiday and they go back to their hometown, like Christmas for Christians and Eid for Muslims), concerts and fireworks are not common to celebrate New Year. I can't recall what I did back in 2009 for New Year's Eve, probably watch the countdown at home. It has been ages since I went to countdown concerts and watch firework show for new year, the last one maybe while I was still in college.
New Year's Eve: This year I didn't go out either, I was not really motivated to spend the whole night outside since it was freezing. Watched Downtown Gaki ni Tsukai: Waratte wa Ikenai and Kouhaku Uta Gassen with Shogo and Anthony instead (without both of them, my New Year's Eve will be a bit lonely). I watched both show in Youtube before (I think it's pretty famous on Internet), so this is my first time to watch it on tv. Ended up continue watch tv the whole night and sleep at 5:00 am. What a way to celebrate new year.
Jan 1: woke up at 14:00, and went to Nagareyama Ootakanomori to check out the fukubukuro scene but unfortunately all shops were closed (New Year is really like Eid in Malaysia, Tokyo streets were almost empty and shops are mostly closed), so decided to go to karaoke with Shogo and Reginaldo instead. At least the karaoke parlor and kombini was still open. More about Japanese new year, click here.
My first 年賀状/nengajou/New Year's Postcard, a common etiquette in Japan (more about common etiquette in Japan, click here) from Coy. The postcard normally will be received exactly on the first day of new year and commonly replied within seven days.
Jan 2: went to Gotemba Premium Outlet in Gotemba, Shizuoka. The bus ride took about one and a half hour from Tokyo. Despite colder weather in Shizuoka, the crowd was immense, all can't wait to spend their yens. Managed to get myself a new wallet, Nike Snow Trainer 3 and francfranc fukubukuro.
富士山/Fuji-san/Fuji Mountain from far. Gotemba located in the foot of the mountain.
皆さん、
新年明けましておめでとうございます。
昨年は色々とお世話になりました。
ありがとうございます。
今年も宜しくお願いします。
今年も頑張りましょう。
「。。。この風は
あなたですか？
次の春を吹きますか。。。」
ーコブクロ「風」２００２
2009 has its own mark in my walk of life. The year I started my life in foreign land, specifically in Japan. The year I was so worn out to study for my graduate school entrance exam but Alhamdulillah passed it. And few other adventures and life experiences that I feel so precious to be listed here.
I remember in previous years I did make new year resolutions and aim to achieve it. I dare say I'd fulfilled the 2009 list with some points not achieved but I really feel good. And this year I just hope that my life would be better than last year, the world will be much better place for us to live in and of course, the happiness of everybody. My master course and research will begin this spring, I really hope I can nail it graduate like everyone else.
New year celebration back in my home country has this close image to concerts and fireworks. Sleepless nights. But surprisingly in Japan, although new year is a big celebration celebrated by Japanese (long holiday and they go back to their hometown, like Christmas for Christians and Eid for Muslims), concerts and fireworks are not common to celebrate New Year. I can't recall what I did back in 2009 for New Year's Eve, probably watch the countdown at home. It has been ages since I went to countdown concerts and watch firework show for new year, the last one maybe while I was still in college.
New Year's Eve: This year I didn't go out either, I was not really motivated to spend the whole night outside since it was freezing. Watched Downtown Gaki ni Tsukai: Waratte wa Ikenai and Kouhaku Uta Gassen with Shogo and Anthony instead (without both of them, my New Year's Eve will be a bit lonely). I watched both show in Youtube before (I think it's pretty famous on Internet), so this is my first time to watch it on tv. Ended up continue watch tv the whole night and sleep at 5:00 am. What a way to celebrate new year.
Jan 1: woke up at 14:00, and went to Nagareyama Ootakanomori to check out the fukubukuro scene but unfortunately all shops were closed (New Year is really like Eid in Malaysia, Tokyo streets were almost empty and shops are mostly closed), so decided to go to karaoke with Shogo and Reginaldo instead. At least the karaoke parlor and kombini was still open. More about Japanese new year, click here.
My first 年賀状/nengajou/New Year's Postcard, a common etiquette in Japan (more about common etiquette in Japan, click here) from Coy. The postcard normally will be received exactly on the first day of new year and commonly replied within seven days.Jan 2: went to Gotemba Premium Outlet in Gotemba, Shizuoka. The bus ride took about one and a half hour from Tokyo. Despite colder weather in Shizuoka, the crowd was immense, all can't wait to spend their yens. Managed to get myself a new wallet, Nike Snow Trainer 3 and francfranc fukubukuro.
富士山/Fuji-san/Fuji Mountain from far. Gotemba located in the foot of the mountain. 皆さん、
新年明けましておめでとうございます。
昨年は色々とお世話になりました。
ありがとうございます。
今年も宜しくお願いします。
今年も頑張りましょう。
「。。。この風は
あなたですか？
次の春を吹きますか。。。」
ーコブクロ「風」２００２
I spend the whole Saturday watching online drama and tweaking layouts. And venturing into Hatena. Not something productive physically I tell you, but lazying around do give me some blissful feeling.
I am not sure whether it is the sign of aging or maturity that get me thinking I am getting lazier and lazier, day by day. I used to have habit in diligently drilling into html or xml codes to get what I want for the layout, sadly, I am no more near that feeling. Just upload the downloaded templates from the Internet, add some Blogger gadgets and Twitter/Facebook widgets, gotcha here I am. Simple, I don't even have blogroll now.
I remember I signed up with Blogger service since 2002, and have been blogging ever since although I changed URL few times and lost my early archives. This blog has seen my ups and downs in life. I have been tempted to switch to WordPress and Movable Type, for reason that they have cooler features and designs, but true what people said, first love remains forever. I first fall in love with Blogger and for that reason, I decided to keep blogging in this platform.
Even after I found Hatena and their cool features like Diary(the blog service, with some cute layouts to drool), Fotolife (replacement of Flickr and so on), Haiku (similar like Twitter), Ugomemo(you can create your own drawings and scribbles; normally by Nintendo DS, big thing in Japan) and Bookmark(like you share links on Facebook), I keep with my decision, to stay blogging in English, in Blogger.
As a non-native English speaker, I used to suck in English (in fact I still do), mispronouncing words is my common habit, when I was in elementary school, I cannot understand any English fiction I read and I don't score much in my high school English exam. I started blogging initially just to share my own thought, and like others do, to improve my writing skill in English. Without realizing it, blogging does improve my English skill.
When I come to Japan, one problem that I have to face is the challenge of maintaining the English skill (which already broken prior coming here, unfortunately) and yet at the same time, improve the skill in Japanese. I bet it is common challenge to all foreigners here (who interested to learn Japanese and has not gave up yet, obviously).
So I decided to start blogging in Japanese, for the same initial reason when I start blogging in English. It is the same feeling, embarrassed by limited vocabulary and broken grammar rules, but learning is never an easy process. It's like climbing the mountain, they said, you stopped to take your breath, then continue walk up the path.
My Hatena user ID is groover58. Yoroshiku.
p/s- One of Hatena blogger that I love.
I am not sure whether it is the sign of aging or maturity that get me thinking I am getting lazier and lazier, day by day. I used to have habit in diligently drilling into html or xml codes to get what I want for the layout, sadly, I am no more near that feeling. Just upload the downloaded templates from the Internet, add some Blogger gadgets and Twitter/Facebook widgets, gotcha here I am. Simple, I don't even have blogroll now.
I remember I signed up with Blogger service since 2002, and have been blogging ever since although I changed URL few times and lost my early archives. This blog has seen my ups and downs in life. I have been tempted to switch to WordPress and Movable Type, for reason that they have cooler features and designs, but true what people said, first love remains forever. I first fall in love with Blogger and for that reason, I decided to keep blogging in this platform.
Even after I found Hatena and their cool features like Diary(the blog service, with some cute layouts to drool), Fotolife (replacement of Flickr and so on), Haiku (similar like Twitter), Ugomemo(you can create your own drawings and scribbles; normally by Nintendo DS, big thing in Japan) and Bookmark(like you share links on Facebook), I keep with my decision, to stay blogging in English, in Blogger.
As a non-native English speaker, I used to suck in English (in fact I still do), mispronouncing words is my common habit, when I was in elementary school, I cannot understand any English fiction I read and I don't score much in my high school English exam. I started blogging initially just to share my own thought, and like others do, to improve my writing skill in English. Without realizing it, blogging does improve my English skill.
When I come to Japan, one problem that I have to face is the challenge of maintaining the English skill (which already broken prior coming here, unfortunately) and yet at the same time, improve the skill in Japanese. I bet it is common challenge to all foreigners here (who interested to learn Japanese and has not gave up yet, obviously).
So I decided to start blogging in Japanese, for the same initial reason when I start blogging in English. It is the same feeling, embarrassed by limited vocabulary and broken grammar rules, but learning is never an easy process. It's like climbing the mountain, they said, you stopped to take your breath, then continue walk up the path.
My Hatena user ID is groover58. Yoroshiku.
p/s- One of Hatena blogger that I love.
作詞：Kiyosaku Uezu
作曲：MONGOL800
広い宇宙の数ある一つ
青い地球の広い世界で
小さな恋の思いは届く
小さな島のあなたのもとへ
あなたと出会い 時は流れる
思いを込めた手紙もふえる
いつしか二人互いに響く
時に激しく 時に切なく
響くは遠く 遥か彼方へ
やさしい歌は世界を変える
ほら あなたにとって大事な人ほど
すぐそばにいるの
ただ あなたにだけ届いて欲しい
響け恋の歌
ほら～ ほら～ ほら～
響け恋の歌
あなたは気づく 二人は歩く
暗い道でも 日々照らす月
握りしめた手 離すことなく
思いは強く 永遠誓う
永遠の淵 きっと僕は言う
思い変わらず同じ言葉を
それでも足りず 涙に変り喜びになり
言葉にできず ただ抱きしめる
ただ抱きしめる
ほら あなたにとって大事な人ほど
すぐそばにいるの
ただ あなたにだけ届いて欲しい
響け恋の歌
ほら～ ほら～ ほら～
響け恋の歌
夢ならば覚めないで
夢ならば覚めないで
あなたと過ごした時 永遠の星となる
ほら あなたにとって大事な人ほど
すぐそばにいるの
ただ あなたにだけ届いて欲しい
響け恋の歌
ほら あなたにとって大事な人ほど
すぐそばにいるの
ただ あなたにだけ届いて欲しい
響け恋の歌
ほら～ ほら～ ほら～
響け恋の歌
English translation:
In this wide universe, there is
A big world in a blue earth
A small memory of love will reach
You who are living in a small island
Time has passed since I met you
The letter with my piled up feelings increases
Without us realising, it is already echoing between us
Sometimes we’re full of intensity,
sometimes we’re full of sadness
These feelings echoes distantly
This gentle love song will change the world
Look, the person who is important to you
Is right beside you
I just want you to receive
This echoing love song
Listen, listen, listen to this echoing love song
You’ve realized even when we walked
In the dark, the moonlight will shine on us
I won’t let go of you hand
I swear that these strong feelings will last for eternity
In the depths of forever, I’ll definitely say
These same words without any change of feelings
Even if it’s still not enough, it’ll change into tears
And it’ll change into joy that I can’t put into words
I’ll just hold you, I’ll just hold you
Look, the person who is important to you
Is right beside you
I just want you to receive
This echoing love song
Listen, listen, listen to this echoing love song
If it’s a dream don’t wake up, if it’s a dream don’t wake up
The time I’ve spent with you will become an everlasting star
Look, the person who is important to you
Is right beside you
I just want you to receive
This echoing love song
Look, the person who is important to you
Is right beside you
I just want you to receive
This echoing love song
Listen, listen, listen to this echoing love song
Original live version:
Cover by anonymous Youtube user, slower guitar version:
The Sony Walkman Play You CM (this song is a background song, but sing by Aragaki Yui):
I know it's winter and depressing, but enough with melancholic songs for now. Headbanging in winter not feel that bad though.
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