"The story of Ah-Fa"

The radio program is playing well-known children's songs, e.g. Doraemon, Dr. Slump, and The Queen of the thousand years. When I croon to accompany the songs, it comes my favourite The story of Ah-Fa that I feel like to weep.

I was about ten or eleven the first time I listened The story of Ah-Fa and it was a certainly fortuitous. I watched TV stealthily one day and the children's programme was playing the MV of this song. In the MV, a kitty accompanied a little girl, they read and played together. They were very happy until one day the kitty disappeared, the little girl cried, and grew up. I could not help but shed tears. It is too miserable, but the world is cruel.

Every time I heard this song, I recalled the days of playing with the cat of my grandmother's next door, the snatches I gave the cat some fried egg with leeks when I was a child, also recalled the little goldfishes, terrapins, birdies I had kept, unfortunately they passed away one after another...

Though there are numerous children's songs which are pleased to listened to and to sing all through the years, only The story of Ah-Fa is so appealing. I was always touched to weep by this song especially the solo by the little girl at the first part, her voice is so pure, so innocent, and conceals sorrowful. I can say it is a soul-stirring song which touches my feelings and can move everybody else.

The story of Ah-Fa

Music by 鄧雨賢 Arranged by 徐日勤 Lyris by林夕 Sing by 袁鳯瑛

(I try to translate, the meaning)

名字叫阿花搖著尾巴 It's name was Ah-Fa and was waving its tail

牠只喝牛奶哪日跟我在喝茶 It only drank milk but on that day she had tea with me

陪我讀書偷懶從來無責罵 It accompanied me and never raped me when I shirked

夜晚阿花專愛樑上爬 Ah-Fa loved to climb to the beam at night

然後我變得強又高 Then I become strong and tall

花貓卻沒有變胖只有換了毛 Kitty had not fatter but moulted

元旦母親祝我年年進步 mommy gave me blessing on New Year's day

但永沒對阿花講句長壽不老 But never blessed Ah-Fa a longevity

從末忘記那天淋著雨水 Never forget the day I got wet in the rain

當天我獨個上學只有六七歲 The day I went to school alone I was about six or seven

而我終於知道為何流眼淚 And I finally realized why I teared

在那日阿花消失世間裡 On that day Ah-Fa disappeared from the earth

(I would not translate any song again... horrible...)

Chinese version originally posted at my old newsgroup a day in 2003, revised & translated in Feb 2007

Panda & Dolphins

I received a parcel when I got home after work. I had no idea of what it was until I saw the stamp of Thailand. It is from my "brother no.2", who works in Thailand since last September.

"Maybe it is his marriage photo~haha~" It is not a surprise, as he has a nice Thai girlfriend there.

Inside the parcel I found a lovely birthday card attached with a pretty dolphins bracelet. I love them. The Panda looks like me (dark circle) and I love dolphins. Baby me was a dolphin!

Inside the birthday card brother no.2 apologized because the post card he sent to me in May has been returned with a very bad shape. And he emphasized he has never forgotten my birthday~
Haha, it is all because I emailed to complain him in early June, "Wu~ Brother no.2 has forgotten my birthday! Poor me~"

So this time I emailed him again, "I forgive you la, because you are my brother no.2! Kiss x 100,000,000"

Hahaha~ he said I am his genial little sister, he is also my genial brother no.2!

The mysterious lost of photo album

I recently wanted to review my traveling photos, so I searched out all photo albums and rearrange the order at the same time.

"It's my first flight, the sky is soooo beautiful!" "Italy's tiramisu is super delicious." "Hokkaido 8.5 Milk is very smooth and does not cause allergy~" "I lost my way with Hong Hong in Edinburgh and nearly missed the train..." all these old memories had gone a long way, but the photos flashed them back.

My appearance have changed during these ten years: Owl shape glass to titanium glasses to contact lenses; chubby face now slimed and have acnes; short hair to curly hair to bobbed hair; clothes size from 14 to S (does not change la, never grown taller...)

Unexpectedly, the South Korean travel album which had been lost for almost 5 years came back so suddenly. Instead, I lost the photo books of my first year to study in England! Bermuda!
Oh God! I lost all my memories of first year in England! I searched every corner of my bookshelf and desk and emptied the cupboard, but got nothing. It just like what had happened five years ago.

What a mystery!

Wu~ I may have to wait another five years till the photo book wants to come out.

Sunbath

Today is Sunday, a shiny and hot Sunday.

I would love to walk under the sun and be tan in the past but now I have to hide behind curtain and under umbrella. Not only because the sun nowadays is too bright and harmful to our skin, it is the doctor told me not to have any sun beam onto my face. The sun will leave dark scars of acnes on my face. I already have some...

My skin tone is not white but yellow which looks greasy (indeed I am). I dislike this color and it is impossible to be white, so I prefer walk under sunshine. I believed tan is beautiful and healthy.

When I was young, I used to go swimming at the pool in early morning. Sun and wind had tanned me from face to toe but leave me shiny (not dry like safe guard). I like that healthy tanned skin.

However, since I have eczema and sensitive skin I stayed away from beach and swimming pool. Once I tried to swim at the beautiful Bonkok Beach, Malaysia, just less than a minute I rushed back to hotel room to shower. My skin became red and swelled; my lips became so dry and bled. The salty sea water hurt me. Chlorine at swimming pool hurt me too.

It is so sad I cannot enjoy sunbathing and swimming.

When it is always cloudy and gloomy by pollution these days, shiny sunny days is especially rare and precious. Some day when all acnes are gone, I would have sunbath again, even I do not swim.