The White Room
The white room was Ed's crazy idea. When he was young, he promised himself to make him a room, just a simple room where he would store the music CDs he bought, his books, magazines, diaries, photo albums, memorabilia, medals, achievements and so on. He would just make it a really simple room. Perhaps rectangular in shape, enough to store a few shelves and cupboards.
Ed knew that he's one, very, sentimental person. Somehow, he realised this when he was about 16 years old. He began collecting his memorabilia from his school days, and he knew deep in his heart that he will carry this to the future. He wanted to grow old with them. Many people found the idea crazy. A waste of space, a waste of time. But to Ed, this was something really meaningful for him.
As much as he loved research, Ed was also an artistic person. He loves photography, and he loves music. And also, he loves writing. His favourite subject during his school days would be English, to be exact, composition. He enjoyed writing essays, especially those essays with only one word as the given title. Even though he was then 85, Ed was still blogging in his blog, which he started 69 years ago. Some writers had visited him, interviewing him as one of the world's oldest and continuous blogger.
Writing calms him down. He felt blissful, peaceful and in joy whenever he writes. He could remember those days where he would just put on his headphones and started blogging on his laptop. After about 2 years of blogging, Ed decided to return back to paper and pen. He started to write diaries. His diaries were filled with deeper and more secretive thoughts of him. And yes, he was still writing at the age of 85.
When you step inside the white room, you would be first welcomed by the wall filled with hundreds of photos. Some framed up nicely and simply in black frames, other were just hung on a string with a wooden peg. When you look at the wall, it felt happy and calm somehow. The wall is showing Ed's love for photography and art. He painstakingly took each and every photo with his cameras. Whenever he had a guest to his house, the wall was the proudest thing he would show to them.
And when the guests would leave, Ed would insist of allowing his guest to take at least one photo for them to keep. Ed would then print a different photo to replace the given photos.
The wall would be on your right. When you walk forward, you will see 5 white shelves neatly and strongly lined up. The first one contained Ed's proud collection of music CDs. From classical to pop, instrumental to pop-rock, everything is there. Ed was a music lover. He felt that there's no point in living if there's no music in this world.
The second shelf contained Ed's photo albums, neatly arranged according to the timeline of events. Everyday, Ed would randomly pick one album where he would just look through the photos again. Sometimes, the album will be wet with tears dropping from his eyes. Sometimes, the album would be left open on his lap as he fell asleep on the couch.
The third shelf contained Ed's diaries, journals, travel journals and books. There would be days where Ed would just simply pick one and read all of these books again. He was really proud of himself as he felt that he had written so many books. Even though they were left unpublished. This shelf has a glass drawer. It was locked, and only Ed had the key to this third shelf. He felt some memories are better for him, only, to see, and relive. Sometimes he would take one and let his children read. But he would never let anyone touch the key.
The fourth shelf contained Ed's memorabilia, From postcards to magnet, notebooks to birthday wishes. Everything was there and Ed proudly kept each and every one of these memorabilia in this shelf. He called it the happiest shelf. Because in this shelf, only happy memories remain. No sad memories.
The last shelf was not fully filled. It was just filled with the thing Ed loves to collect, and was still collecting. There were mugs, notebooks, cups and many other exotic things. Some were bought when he travelled overseas. Some were from his past.
Then Ed muttered something
"The last shelf, would be for my children to put whatever they want, which would remind them of me, when I'm gone. That sounds like a plan"
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
You're a hundred post old
Wanted to write the second chapter to my latest story. But oh well, thankfully I didn't miss this 100th post! :)
Thank you, La Storia, for being a platform where I can express my happiness, sadness, creativity, heart, mind and life. Where I can talk to someone when I don't want to talk to anyone else. You're always there when no one is beside me. When I'm alone in the middle of a crowd.
Lets write more stories! Make life, the story I'll always read! :)
Yours Truly
Your writer
Sunday, November 20, 2011
To Forget - Chapter 1
Ed was sitting on his usual comfy sofa. It's black in colour, lined with leather. He always sit here everyday, for the past 6 months or so. It is located in his white room. Just a small room, 4 by 6 metres, painted in pure white except for one wall, facing the east, which is painted black. In this room, 5 shelves are located. Each shelve containing CDs, books, photo albums, papers, prints, and more things.
This room, is his memory.
It has been six months since Ed heard his worst nightmare. It was as if he heard his death sentence. Ed is suffering from cancer, and he only had 6 months more, approximately, to live. It was a cloudy Friday afternoon when Ed heard the news, accompanied by his son and daughter in law. His little grandson was there too, lucky for him, he was still a baby and thus he didn't hear it. Ed would be hurt if his grandson would hear the news.
Ed was a 85 year old man. He was a retired researcher, musician and part-time photographer. He worked in a research laboratory, and had published quite a few research journals. Some of them were so acclaimed, they were sent to international publications for further research. Many of his students called him "Father Ed". He was kind, passionate and bright to his students. Many researchers were really fond of him. Because he's not only good in the field of science, but he was also a musician.
Ed was also the conductor of a symphonic band in his hometown. It was a crazy idea of him to form a symphonic band in his small hometown. It started with 23, and now the band has grown into a 100-member band who is known in the global level. His band was so huge, that it had to be split into two bands - junior and main band. But when Ed was 60, he decided to give his position to his student conductor, who now continues Ed's legacy, bringing the band into greater heights.
His house is filled with photographs. In his room alone, there is a wall which is filled with hundreds of photo frames, neatly arranged. Ed took all of those photos, since he was 18 years old. It was when he owned his first camera. And from there, the passion just grew and some of his works were published in magazines worldwide. He even won several international competitions. But his true passion did not lie on these awards. He just love photography, and he totally didn't expect any of these awards to come to him.
At times, Ed loves cooking with his family. He was a good cook, and everyone loved his food. In the warmth of his house, he would cook with his son and wife. Had dinner together and everyone was enjoying his meal. As he cooked, his house would be filled with the smell of good food. He would whistle when he cook, or even when he was preparing the ingredients. He had been cooking since he was young. He even kept the recipe books his friends gave him when he was still in secondary school.
"So what should we listen to today?" Ed asked himself, cupping his chin.
Ed stood up from his sofa and took a piece of tissue from the tissue box on the table beside him. He then walked slowly towards the third shelve in his white room and took a music CD from the second compartment from the top. The music CD reads "Jonsi - Go". He used the tissue paper and wiped the CD paper cover repeatedly. He crushed the tissue paper on his hand, and with skills, he tried to throw it into a dustbin a few metres away from him, on the corner of the room, and it went in. Ed grinned shyly.
He walked towards a table in the room, where a stylish and modern music player was placed. White in colour, with a stylish and contemporary design, it was a gift from his son for his 80th birthday. His son knows how much his dad loves music, and how much his dad loves listening to good music. Ed switched on the player and placed the CD into the player. And the music started playing.
Go sing too loud, make your voice break, sing it out!
Go scream do shout, make an earthquake....
You wish fire, would die and turn colder
You wish your love, could see you grow older...
We should always, know that we can do anything
The song is Go Do by Jonsi. His favourite song since he discovered it 67 years ago when he was 18. He remembered how he treated this song as "instant endorphins", where he could just feel happy listening to this song whenever he's sad. The room was then filled with drum beats and the melancholic voice of Jonsi. Ed put his hands up, pointed his finger and started dancing along to the beat.
To Ed, this was his happiest moment everyday.
This room, is his memory.
It has been six months since Ed heard his worst nightmare. It was as if he heard his death sentence. Ed is suffering from cancer, and he only had 6 months more, approximately, to live. It was a cloudy Friday afternoon when Ed heard the news, accompanied by his son and daughter in law. His little grandson was there too, lucky for him, he was still a baby and thus he didn't hear it. Ed would be hurt if his grandson would hear the news.
Ed was a 85 year old man. He was a retired researcher, musician and part-time photographer. He worked in a research laboratory, and had published quite a few research journals. Some of them were so acclaimed, they were sent to international publications for further research. Many of his students called him "Father Ed". He was kind, passionate and bright to his students. Many researchers were really fond of him. Because he's not only good in the field of science, but he was also a musician.
Ed was also the conductor of a symphonic band in his hometown. It was a crazy idea of him to form a symphonic band in his small hometown. It started with 23, and now the band has grown into a 100-member band who is known in the global level. His band was so huge, that it had to be split into two bands - junior and main band. But when Ed was 60, he decided to give his position to his student conductor, who now continues Ed's legacy, bringing the band into greater heights.
His house is filled with photographs. In his room alone, there is a wall which is filled with hundreds of photo frames, neatly arranged. Ed took all of those photos, since he was 18 years old. It was when he owned his first camera. And from there, the passion just grew and some of his works were published in magazines worldwide. He even won several international competitions. But his true passion did not lie on these awards. He just love photography, and he totally didn't expect any of these awards to come to him.
At times, Ed loves cooking with his family. He was a good cook, and everyone loved his food. In the warmth of his house, he would cook with his son and wife. Had dinner together and everyone was enjoying his meal. As he cooked, his house would be filled with the smell of good food. He would whistle when he cook, or even when he was preparing the ingredients. He had been cooking since he was young. He even kept the recipe books his friends gave him when he was still in secondary school.
"So what should we listen to today?" Ed asked himself, cupping his chin.
Ed stood up from his sofa and took a piece of tissue from the tissue box on the table beside him. He then walked slowly towards the third shelve in his white room and took a music CD from the second compartment from the top. The music CD reads "Jonsi - Go". He used the tissue paper and wiped the CD paper cover repeatedly. He crushed the tissue paper on his hand, and with skills, he tried to throw it into a dustbin a few metres away from him, on the corner of the room, and it went in. Ed grinned shyly.
He walked towards a table in the room, where a stylish and modern music player was placed. White in colour, with a stylish and contemporary design, it was a gift from his son for his 80th birthday. His son knows how much his dad loves music, and how much his dad loves listening to good music. Ed switched on the player and placed the CD into the player. And the music started playing.
Go sing too loud, make your voice break, sing it out!
Go scream do shout, make an earthquake....
You wish fire, would die and turn colder
You wish your love, could see you grow older...
We should always, know that we can do anything
The song is Go Do by Jonsi. His favourite song since he discovered it 67 years ago when he was 18. He remembered how he treated this song as "instant endorphins", where he could just feel happy listening to this song whenever he's sad. The room was then filled with drum beats and the melancholic voice of Jonsi. Ed put his hands up, pointed his finger and started dancing along to the beat.
To Ed, this was his happiest moment everyday.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
And life goes on
These days, I just feel like posting short writings on my blog. But then, thanks to my OCD, I don't think that's possible. So alright, I'll just write it here instead of my daily blog.
As we grow older, we tend to realise how life gets tougher. As much as we all hate it, how a simple math sum of 1 + 1 would turn x + y, how plants make food with light, CO2 and water turn to make C6H12O6 with CO2 and light via a chemical reaction forming water and oxygen with the help of chlorophyll in chloroplasts which then involved the carbon cycle and life cycle and food chain and this and that.
I was reading a medical journal just now. I was dreading it. Because somehow I just couldn't understand some parts of it, and some of the lingo out there are just so "question mark" to me. Well I guess it's life of a science student. To be specific, a research student. We have no choice but to do our own research etc. I mean we're humans after all. We have to keep on searching for the answer.
As I tell myself, life is all about asking, and answering. So keep asking, and keep answering!
Going back, well yes I couldn't understand some parts. Then I told myself, how much I wish I could go back to my secondary 4 days where I would just need to read a comprehension passage, answer a few questions, which most answers are found on the text itself (and little requires you to dig out the passage or think outside the box). No research done, just infer.
Well yes, coming back again, as we grow older, so do life gets tougher. I guess I can say life is like a Gaussian curve. ___/\___ something like that. When we grow older, and when we retire, I guess life goes back to the state when we're young and small, enjoying our lives, doing what we do best.
But of course, as life gets tougher, so do our mind, body and heart grow stronger. If these three things don't grow following the intensity of life, I guess... We'll just suffer in all aspects.
So the next time I feel that life is tough. I'll have to make myself tough as well :)
As we grow older, we tend to realise how life gets tougher. As much as we all hate it, how a simple math sum of 1 + 1 would turn x + y, how plants make food with light, CO2 and water turn to make C6H12O6 with CO2 and light via a chemical reaction forming water and oxygen with the help of chlorophyll in chloroplasts which then involved the carbon cycle and life cycle and food chain and this and that.
I was reading a medical journal just now. I was dreading it. Because somehow I just couldn't understand some parts of it, and some of the lingo out there are just so "question mark" to me. Well I guess it's life of a science student. To be specific, a research student. We have no choice but to do our own research etc. I mean we're humans after all. We have to keep on searching for the answer.
As I tell myself, life is all about asking, and answering. So keep asking, and keep answering!
Going back, well yes I couldn't understand some parts. Then I told myself, how much I wish I could go back to my secondary 4 days where I would just need to read a comprehension passage, answer a few questions, which most answers are found on the text itself (and little requires you to dig out the passage or think outside the box). No research done, just infer.
Well yes, coming back again, as we grow older, so do life gets tougher. I guess I can say life is like a Gaussian curve. ___/\___ something like that. When we grow older, and when we retire, I guess life goes back to the state when we're young and small, enjoying our lives, doing what we do best.
But of course, as life gets tougher, so do our mind, body and heart grow stronger. If these three things don't grow following the intensity of life, I guess... We'll just suffer in all aspects.
So the next time I feel that life is tough. I'll have to make myself tough as well :)
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Sentimentalism
I was just sorting out some photos my friends took during our Inner Mongolia OCIP trip. It was... Really tough. Not the sorting out, but fighting the waves of memories that rushed through me.
As I've told previously, I'm a very sentimental. An object, a song, a food, a sight, a smell can trigger my memory and make me feel sentimental in a snap of a finger. It's been about two months since my trip, and I still feel sort of sentimental at times whenever I look at my photos again. Or when I listen to songs I used to listen to when I was there. It can be really tough fighting how sentimental I can be.
Now I really wish I could be back in Duolun once more. Just take me there, and make me happy.
As I've told previously, I'm a very sentimental. An object, a song, a food, a sight, a smell can trigger my memory and make me feel sentimental in a snap of a finger. It's been about two months since my trip, and I still feel sort of sentimental at times whenever I look at my photos again. Or when I listen to songs I used to listen to when I was there. It can be really tough fighting how sentimental I can be.
Now I really wish I could be back in Duolun once more. Just take me there, and make me happy.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
I don't know how to love
I've never, loved. I mean love a girl. Well I did, but it wasn't working out. They happened when we're all young and foolish, and the love I gave was true, while the love she gave wasn't. Long story, but to cut it short, we're just young and foolish. And I don't mind. She clarified it with me why, and she talked to me. And now we're best friends for like 6 years? So we're all good.
I don't know how to love.
I've got to be honest, yes, I like this girl now. We've been spending quite some time together doing things. And thanks to these time spent, we've talked and somehow, my feelings for her just grow. We went to an overseas trip together and that's another thing that makes my heart grown fonder. Not sure if it's the cancer thing, or me, but it's just, it's kind of hard for me to express my love.
I don't know how to love.
To put it frankly, I think I'm in the stage between like and love. These two words carry two different meaning. Love is a stronger, and a more emotionally involved word. I can like a person, but to say I love her, it's just a total different feel. Not sure about you, but I think we should all be going through this stage where we're unsure about love. We're all growing up. It's all part of us.
I don't know how to love.
And to put it frankly as well. I guess it's hard for me to express my love to someone (yes including to my parents, siblings and friends). And what made it worst is I'm not some romantic guy who can think of brilliant ideas to win a girl's heart. Love is such an amazing and at the same time, a confusing thing. And sometimes I do think, that she's someone like me too. You know.
I don't know how to love.
I might be a loser when it comes to love. But when I love I truly love. And it's really out of my league to wish for someone to feel hurt. I guess that's why I'm a loser in love. I don't dare to take the step, cause I'm afraid my girl will be hurt. And what made it worst is that I'm surrounded by such cases of people stopping their love life and then find another. It's appropriate to them. But it sounds scary to me.
As much as I don't know how to love.
I will and I love. And hope one day you'll love me too.
-No worries we're not on the verge of breaking up-
I don't know how to love.
I've got to be honest, yes, I like this girl now. We've been spending quite some time together doing things. And thanks to these time spent, we've talked and somehow, my feelings for her just grow. We went to an overseas trip together and that's another thing that makes my heart grown fonder. Not sure if it's the cancer thing, or me, but it's just, it's kind of hard for me to express my love.
I don't know how to love.
To put it frankly, I think I'm in the stage between like and love. These two words carry two different meaning. Love is a stronger, and a more emotionally involved word. I can like a person, but to say I love her, it's just a total different feel. Not sure about you, but I think we should all be going through this stage where we're unsure about love. We're all growing up. It's all part of us.
I don't know how to love.
And to put it frankly as well. I guess it's hard for me to express my love to someone (yes including to my parents, siblings and friends). And what made it worst is I'm not some romantic guy who can think of brilliant ideas to win a girl's heart. Love is such an amazing and at the same time, a confusing thing. And sometimes I do think, that she's someone like me too. You know.
I don't know how to love.
I might be a loser when it comes to love. But when I love I truly love. And it's really out of my league to wish for someone to feel hurt. I guess that's why I'm a loser in love. I don't dare to take the step, cause I'm afraid my girl will be hurt. And what made it worst is that I'm surrounded by such cases of people stopping their love life and then find another. It's appropriate to them. But it sounds scary to me.
As much as I don't know how to love.
I will and I love. And hope one day you'll love me too.
-No worries we're not on the verge of breaking up-
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