“ไกลแค่ไหนคือใกล้” (how far is near?) is a song by a Thai band Getsunova. It has been a hit since last year or maybe before that I’m not sure. My sister posted it in her facebook the other day and it reminds me how similar words can bear total different meanings.
ไกล (far)
and
ใกล้ (near)
are so similar in pronunciation that I’m sure they are very difficult for foreigners to distinguish. And when the two appear together in a question posed in this song, they are simply impressive.
The official audio (the official video is just not my cup of tea):
Trying different things to make you love me
Trying everyday to give you what you want
Like walking on a bridge with your heart as my destination
Still hope I’d bring you true love
But why no matter how long I walk, I never reach there
Why the road seems to keep extending
I want to know, what should I do
How far till I’m near, please tell me
How far till you love me finally
Is there anything I need to do, please
Tell me, that in the end I matter
I’m not giving up, just weary that’s all
My love for you remains the same, never changes
But it’d be nice to know, if you let me know
What’s in your heart, the reasons you keep hiding
That why no matter how long I walk, I never reach there
Why the road seems to keep extending
I want to know, what should I do
How far till I’m near, please tell me
How far till you love me finally
Is there anything I need to do, please
Tell me, that in the end I matter… matter
How far till I’m near, please tell me
How far till you love me finally
Is there anything I need to do, please
Tell me, that in the end I matter
– ไกลแค่ไหนคือใกล้, Getsunova, English translation mine
I promise.
Cause I don’t think it could get any worst. And hopefully I’m not wrong.
What happened is about our Christmas Gift. It is a one month salary given before Christmas each year as a gift from the office. It is a bonus in a way, but we call it Christmas Gift because it doesn’t really depend on annual performance. No matter what you do, you always get the same amount.
Since handing in my resignation, I did wonder whether I would get it, cause after all I completed the year. It turned out that they didn’t think so, or to be specific, my boss didn’t think so. I did not get the Christmas Gift.
I decided not to ask anybody about it and none of my colleagues mentioned the word “Christmas Gift” to me. To begin with, I didn’t want to know whether everybody else got it. It would only make me feel worst.
I was ready to put it aside, trying to just get over it. Chinese New Year is approaching, however, and as tradition goes grown up children will give gifts of money to parents and younger siblings. So I talked to my sister that I have to reduce the amount prepared for our parents cause I have less than expected. I told her about the Chirstmas Gift. She was furious and went on to tell my mum. So eventually I went through the matter again as I explained to her why I did not go my boss.
The answer was already obvious. She did not give it to me. Talking would not change that. And the reason would simply be my resignation. So why bother. And no, it is not something you can forget by accident. There are only 7 people in this office, remember?
There’s no use talking to other people either. They are not the ones making the decision. Plus talking to them means the matter would finally reach my boss anyway. I do not want to do their relationships any harm.
Furthermore, one month salary is not that much to fuss over. I’m not going to go begging for it if my boss had made up her mind. And if I was ever in need, I believe God have other ways to provide.
Being a small money though, it only reveals how she really is.
After thinking carefully, I’m now certain that everybody else got it. Cause if not, my boss would have made official announcement before the Christmas break. But she only kept quiet, so did everybody.
It would have been a lot better if she called me to her office and told me openly that she couldn’t give it to me this year according to the rules or whatever. That would have been fair and sincere. But no such thing.
What’s worst is that we are having a new person on staff. He will be a full-time in January after being a part-time for several months last year. My boss even went out of her way to invite him to Christmas dinner hosted by the office. If there was any doubts whether or not she cares about me, there is no more.
I’m not angry. Not at all.
Just sad. A little sad.
We all learn from experience, unfortunately. We are immune to things like these as we got older. See it often enough and you’ll get used to it, like my sister says.
I have no problem forgiving and soon enough I probably forget what she did.
But I don’t think I can forget how she did it.
I would always remember that this person has hurt me in some ways that I cannot trust her completely again. There goes the seven long years we have known each other, my boss and I. And did I ever mention that we are members of the same church? Well, from now on she’s just someone I used to know, someone to say hi to as we pass and make small talk, but that’s it.
So enough of that. I’m pretty busy planning trips at the moment.
Next month, the US – Chicago and Minneapolis. Hopefully I’ll survive the cold and get to go out. >,,<
In March, Japan – Fujikawaguchiko, Nikko, and Tokyo.
Just added Korea to April schedule – bought tickets to Pusan, so maybe Changwon, Jinhae, and Pusan.
Anybody wants a postcard? 🙂
Suggestions on where to go?
Ps. As for the ongoing protest, yes we have Bangkok shutdown. I don’t mind.
—
I always took the easy way
Just sit around and say complaints
It’s now time to say goodbye
My regrets rise up to the surface
And my melancholy dangles after them
They quietly float by on the clouds
I will find the answer in my heart so…
No matter how often the world is broken apart
An endless yearning will downpour in my heart
“Raining all day” going away
Step out to be myself again
I want to chase after it, it’s an amazing day!
“Raining all day” has gone away
Like that summer
My dream…be with me, and I’ll find it
I visit vicbriggs’ blog today and found this post titled Memento Mori, the reminder of death, which reminds me of a song “hana – memento mori” by a Japanese band Mr.Children. So I went on YouTube and stumble upon their official channel. It’s been so long since the last time I heard their music.
I’m even more worried and sad
Than you might think I am
Today, and tomorrow as well
Simply with all my might
I cling to these feelings
I want to see you, I want to see you
What are you doing?
How do you feel?
I want to see you, I want to see you
I love you, how about you?
You’re even more beautiful
Than you might think you are
You always blush a little when I say that but,
I’m not teasing you at all
I want to see you, I want to see you
I think of you, and what you might have been doing
I want to see you, I want to see you
I love you
Today as well
I swaying in the midst of happiness and sadness
To the point where it’s maddening
I want to see you, I want to see you
What are you doing?
How do you feel?
I want to see you, I want to see you
I love you
How about you?
I want to see you, I want to see you
I love you
I should ink my skin with your name
And take my passport out again and just replace it
See I could do without a tan on my left hand where my fourth finger meets my knuckle
And I should run you a hot bath and fill it up with bubbles
‘Cos maybe you’re loveable and maybe you’re my snowflake
And your eyes turn from green to grey in the winter I’ll hold you in a cold place
And you should never cut your hair ‘cos I love the way you flick it off your shoulder
And you will never know just how beautiful you are to me
But maybe I’m just in love when you wake me up
And would you ever feel guilty if you did the same to me?
Could you make me a cup a tea, to open my eyes in the right way?
And I know you love Shrek ‘cos we’ve watched it twelve times
But maybe you’re hoping for a fairy tale too
And if your DVD breaks today, you shoulda got a VCR
Because I’ve never owned a Blu-ay, true say
And now I’ve always been shit at computer games because your brother always beats me,
And if I lost, I’d go across and chuck all the controllers at the TV
And then you’d laugh at me and be asking me if I’m gonna be home next week
And then you lie with me ‘til I fall asleep and flutter eyelash on my cheek between the sheets
And you will never know just how beautiful you are to me
But maybe I’m just in love when you wake me up
And I think you hate the smell of smoke, you always try and get me to stop
You drink as much as me, and I get drunk a lot
So I take you to the beach and walk along the sand
And I’ll make you a heart pendant with a pebble held in my hand
And I’ll carve it like a necklace so the heart falls where your chest is
And now a piece of me is a piece of the beach and it falls just where it needs to be
And rests peacefully so you just need to breathe to feel my heart against yours now
Against yours now
‘Cos maybe I’m just in love when you wake me up
Or maybe I’m just in love when you wake me up
Maybe I fell in love when you woke me up
Looking at all the girls in the video… I know I’d be like one of them if I was there.
It’s Ed after all.
I don’t listen to male artists much. I think I don’t understand them as well as the female ones. But after I heard Lego House on the radio, I went on youtube and found a series of his doing acoustics on a boat. I was hooked and bought the album +. Then I listen over and over. It is my habit to do so anyway.
I realized I’d memorized Ed when I found out he also wrote songs for One Direction. I can tell exactly which. Cause the lyrics sound just like Ed. And I’m sure they will sound even better if Ed sings them. I think it’s the first time I remember an artist’s work though performed by someone else.
During the last couple of weeks I’ve been trying to purchase Ed’s older works. He’s done a lot before the international debut. You’d never imagine how difficult it is to get an imported music legally in this country! Especially when the artist is not that famous here, in comparison to One Direction for instance.
Amazon only sells physical CDs to this part of the world, not the MP3s. And do I have to say how expensive the shipping cost is? I wouldn’t buy anything from Amazon unless I have someone carry them back for free. As for import stores here – yes, we have that too – the price is doubled. Ordering and shipping from Amazon turns out to be cheaper almost by half. In the end, however, I only want the MP3s, not the physical CDs, so why do I have to pay so much more?
Yes, you can buy music in digital format here legally, but mostly are Thai music. Yes, we have iTunes Store, which had just started to provide service in Thailand last year and the largest store I could think of when it comes to international music, but most of Ed’s music is only available in the UK store, not here. It took me days to find an online store that offers digital music for download at a reasonable price. Then my card does’t work with their website, which is very strange since I use it for online shopping and payments all the time.
Yesterday I gave up and went ahead to get pirated ones. Sorry Ed. Not that I have any choice until I can contact the bank and find out what is wrong with my card. I promise I’ll try again though.
When I almost forget you, this arrived and I just don’t understand.
Because I thought you already forgot all about me.
And I’m sure you did. So what’s the point of it?
But I’m not gonna ask. There would be no point in asking either.
And all the times I let you in,
Just for you to go again,
Disappear when you come back,
Everything is better.
I’d been looking forward to this video ever since I bought the Red album.
And since Ed had said earlier that he wouldn’t be in it, I shouldn’t be disappointed much with how it turned out. I mean, how else can you make the video really?
And no, I don’t like kids much. The song is still great though.
(Taylor Swift)
All I knew this morning when I woke
Is I know something now, know something now I didn’t before
And all I’ve seen since 18 hours ago is green eyes and freckles and your smile in the back of my mind making me feel right
I just want to know you better know you better know you better now
I just want to know you better know you better know you better now
(Both)
I just want to know you better know you better know you better now
I just want to know you know you know you
Cause all I know is we said hello
And your eyes look like coming home
All I know is a simple name, everything has changed
All I know is you held the door
You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours
All I know since yesterday is everything has changed
(Ed Sheeran)
And all my walls stood tall painted blue
But I’ll take them down, take them down and open up the door for you
(Taylor Swift)
And all I feel in my stomach is butterflies the beautiful kind
Making up for lost time, taking flight, making me feel right
(Both)
I just want to know you better know you better know you better now
I just want to know you better know you better know you better now
I just want to know you better know you better know you better now
I just want to know you know you know you
Cause all I know is we said hello
And your eyes look like coming home
All I know is a simple name, everything has changed
All I know is you held the door
You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours
All I know since yesterday is everything has changed
Come back and tell me why
I’m feeling like I’ve missed you all this time
And meet me there tonight
And let me know that it’s not all in my mind
(Taylor Swift)
I just want to know you better know you better know you better now
I just want to know you know you know you
(Both)
Cause all I know is we said hello
And your eyes look like coming home
All I know is a simple name, everything has changed
All I know is you held the door
You’ll be mine and I’ll be yours
All I know since yesterday is everything has changed
(Taylor Swift with Ed in background)
All I know is we said hello
So dust off your highest hopes
All I know is pouring rain
And everything has changed
All I know is a newfound grace
All my days, I’ll know your face
(Both)
All I know since yesterday is everything has changed
According to this, the number of Instagram users in Thailand has grown 163% from last year. As of today, the top ten are all female celebrities, except one – a female cat.
My point though is that it’s so easy, compared to my life in high school, to get to know your favorite celebrities. I mean, you can follow them, yes, but you can also follow their fan clubs, their manager, the channel, movie directors, stylists, hairdressers, anybody close to them – even their mother. And you can have their daily lives at your fingertips.
That easy.
I guess it’s the same with knowledge and everything else we can find online these days when we are all flooded with information and when paperless life could be made possible in the near future. Well, the world has to change one way or another, doesn’t it.
Back to Khunchai Ratchanon of Suparburoot Jutathep series. The best thing I love was the dialect which was supposed to something close to Lao. I don’t know how authentic it is (I speak no other Thai than the standard one and know even less about Lao except that it’s pretty close to Thai), but I love how they try – not just one or two characters but almost all of them. It was amazing to watch, knowing they don’t talk like that in real life but have to make it sound natural on tv. Subtitle is even provided in Thai standard. Furthermore, the story is more complex and with more action than previous ones.
Let us end with the fourth version of sound track, which is the least of my favorite by far.
I’m only surprised I couldn’t find the official Facebook page of Khunchai Ratchanon though. Weird.
Oh, and I’m officially graduated.
No more study at least for awhile.
As mentioned before, the hit is phenomenal, especially when it comes to the third part of the series.
As of today, the likes on official Facebook page for each prince rise from 1k, 2k, and 8k.
Basically talk of the town.
On the radio yesterday, the DJs said their Facebook timelines are filled with the comments on Khunchai Puttipat that they learnt everything without actually watching. Then they devoted an hour taking calls from listeners on the topic: why do you think it became a hit? And even men made positive comments, mind you.
Yesterday my mom’s physiotherapist lent her drama magazines – the ones with the story, posters, interviews, etc. on certain drama on TV – and encourage her to watch the Khunchai series of course.
And yesterday evening we had the biggest blackout down south, covering 14 provinces. And today the caption reads (translation mine): if the blackout occurs on Friday night during Khunchai Puttipat‘s ending…
Notice the number of likes there.
Well, I guess it isn’t just the good-looking James and Bella in the leading roles. The acting was pretty convincing. James does deserve compliments on his first time acting, especially when the character is so not him. Other co-stars also did pretty well. Furthermore, there are points in the story worth discussing: how good people should do something about the wrong in the society, how far would you to do so, what it is like to be a “gentleman” or a “lady,” etc. And aren’t all these things tell you about the kind of society we’re living in?
Oh, and they did do 5 versions of the same theme song. (Heard they did this before in another series with 4 parts?)
This third one is a duet and I love the female singer though I wouldn’t say it’s the best version.
Like it or not we are going to bear with this series for anther two months. Even if you don’t watch it, you will definitely hear about it somehow. At least it’s better than some others currently airing.
nacrelet 