When the road ahead of me is long

When I was young,

I walked very fast, feeling that

the road ahead of me was long and 

I wanted to advance faster.

Now I walk a little slower.

Though the road is still long,

I like taking the time

to stop and look around.

Passenger - this road is long

Well this road is long and 

I'm so far from my home

Some days I don't recognise myself

Though my faith is strong 

there is still so far to go

Some nights I cant help but doubt myself

For I'm not the kid I used to be 

back when I was young

I talk now where I used to shout

I walk where I used to run

But I'm still my fathers boy 

I am still my mothers son

And they know like I know 

that the road is long

Well this road is long and 

the paths not always clear

Some days I don't know 

which way to go

Though my heart is strong 

it gets heavy with fear

Some nights I wonder if I'll ever know

For I'm not the man I'll grow to be 

In many years to come

I'll listen where I used to speak and 

I'll sit where I used to run

Maybe a husband to a wife 

maybe a father to a son

And they'll know like I know

That the road is long

For now I'm just the man I am

Nothing less and nothing more

I'm everything I have become

From all that's been before

I've never really known a lot

But one thing I am sure that I know

Yes I know

That the road is long

Burning Out for Something

Some people are not willing to 

burn out for a job.

But these people may be willing to 

burn out for a career.

"My My, Hey Hey (Out Of The Blue)"

My my, hey hey
Rock and roll is here to stay
It's better to burn out than to fade away
My my, hey hey

Out of the blue and into the black
They give you this, but you pay for that
And once you're gone you can't come back
When you're out of the blue and into the black

The king is gone but he's not forgotten
This is the story of Johnny Rotten
It's better to burn out than it is to rust
The king is gone but he's not forgotten

My my, hey hey
Rock and roll is here to stay
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
There's more to the picture than meets the eye
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die
Hey hey, my my
Rock and roll can never die

 

Love Lost on Valentine's Day

If your lover tells you 

she is going to end the relationship 

on Valentine's Day, she is cruel,

she wants to ruin 

your future Valentine's Days 

with anyone else for the rest of your life. 

If you smell any sign that 

a breakup might happen, 

do not celebrate Valentine's Day with her.

Don't give her the chance.

________

The Bee Gees -  Odessa

14th of February 1899

The British ship Veronica was lost without a sign

Baa, baa, black sheep, you haven't any wool

Captain Richardson left himself a lonely wife in Hull

Cherub, I lost a ship in the Baltic Sea

I'm on an iceberg running free

Sitting, filing this berg to the shape of a ship

Sailing my way back to your lips

One passing ship gave word that

You have moved out of your old flat

You love the Vicar more than words can say

Tell him to pray that I won't melt away

And I'll see your face again

Odessa

How strong am I?

Odessa

How time goes by

Treasure, you know the neighbors that live next door

They haven't got their dog anymore

Freezing, sailing around in the North Atlantic

Can't seem to leave the sea anymore

I just don't understand, why you just moved to Finland

You love that Vicar more than words can say

Ask him to pray that I won't melt away

And I'll see your face again

Odessa

How strong am I?

Odessa

How time goes by

14th of February 1899

The British ship Veronica was lost without a sign

The World Needs Changes

When I was young, 

I wanted to change the world. 

As I grew older, 

I realized I was not one of those 

chosen to change it—

though I have witnessed 

how those people do, 

sometimes for the better, 

sometimes for the worse. 

____

 

Ten Years After - I'd Love to Change the World 

Everywhere is freaks and hairies, 

dykes and fairies

Tell me where is sanity?
Tax the rich, feed the poor, 

'til there are no rich no more
I'd love to change the world - 

but I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you

Population - keeps on breeding, 

nation bleeding,
Still more feeding economy
Life is funny, skies are sunny, 

bees make honey
Who needs money? 

Monopoly!
I'd love to change the world - 

but I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you... 

Oh yeah

World pollution, there's no solution, 

institution, electrocution
Just black and white, 

rich or poor, 

them and us
We'll stop the war!
I'd love to change the world - 

but I don't know what to do
So I'll leave it up to you... 

It's called luck

Hardly Tell My Own Stories

I like telling stories when 

I have an audience, 

but I don't get much of one 

from my social connections.

Sometimes my family members 

become my audience, 

such as at family gatherings. 

I like to take these opportunities to 

tell them stories of all kinds, 

frequently inserting my own 

past life experiences.

However, my family members usually 

stop me from telling my old personal stories 

because they have already heard them 

a hundred times.

_____

The Bee Gees - Voices

Sweet voices calling wild, 

echoing around this child

Sweet Faith I'll be joining you, 

when my story's over

Dee doo doo doo dah 

dee doo doo

Doo doo doo 

dee doo doo doo 

dee doo dah day

Small secrets in the wind, 

blowing till the end begins

Oh my children stand by me till 

my story's over

Dee doo doo doo dah dee doo doo

Doo doo doo 

dee doo doo doo 

dee doo dah day

If I were you and you were me 

those voices they would cease to be

They won't be free to torment me again

But in my bed again last night,

those voices spoke of wrong and right

They spoke of darkness and of light

They spoke of weakness and of might

The spoke of people in the snow

And distant places long ago

The spoke of fire and falling rain

Of health and wealth and death and pain

Nah....

Sweet voices calling wild , 

echoing around this child

Sweet Faith I'll be joining you , 

when my story's over

If I were you and you were me 

those voices they would cease to be

They won't be free to torment me again

But in my bed again last night 

those voices spoke of wrong and right

They spoke of darkness and of light

They spoke of weakness and of might

They spoke of people in the snow

And distant places long ago

They spoke of fire and falling rain

Of health and wealth and death and pain

Original Intention

An art course instructor said to the students:

“You have paid a significant tuition fee 

to learn how to paint. 

You really ought to study hard 

to paint better and 

never forget your original intention.”

I’ve noticed that students enroll in these courses 

for very different original intentions. 

These purposes include:

Enhancing creative techniques

Expanding art knowledge

Learning from the instructor’s skills

Earning a diploma

Carrying on a painting lineage and style

Widening one's social circle

Seeking creative inspiration

Learning to be an art curator

Aiding a career in arts management

Becoming a creative artist

Becoming a professional painter

Becoming a freelance painter

Becoming an amateur painter

Learning to be an art teacher

Enriching one's life

Healing psychological emotions

Slowing down the pace of life

Leaving behind a footprint of life

Making good use of continuing education funds

Finding like-minded peers

Expanding creative horizons

Mastering a medium to express one's voice

Building a network of contacts

Reclaiming a childhood passion

Climbing the academic ladder

Improving personal image

Elevating one's taste in life

…

藝術課程的導師，

對學生說，

“你們交了很高昂的學費來學畫。

好應該努力學習畫好你們的畫，不要忘記初衷。

發覺同學修讀這些課程的初衷各不相同。

這些目的包括：

提高創作技巧

增進藝術知識

學習老師才藝

爭取一紙文憑

承傳畫藝門派

擴闊生活圈子

尋找創作靈感

學做藝策展人

助做文管工作

為做創藝術家

為做職業畫家

為做自由畫家

為做業餘畫家

學做美術老師

豐富生活內容

療愈心理情緒

拖慢生活步伐

留下生活印記

善用進修基金

尋找同行知己

擴闊創作領域

掌握媒介發言

建立人脈網絡

重拾童年興趣

攀登學術階梯

改善個人形象

提高生活品味

……

From the Beginning · Emerson, Lake & Palmer

There might have been things I missed

But don't be unkind

It don't mean I'm blind

Perhaps there's a thing or two

I think of, lying in bed

I shouldn't have said

But there it is

You see it's all clear

You were meant to be here

From the beginning

Maybe I might've changed

And not been so cruel

Not been such a fool

Whatever was done is done

I just can't recall

It doesn't matter at all

You see it's all clear

You were meant to be here

From the beginning

Rare Scent-related Memories

Some scents bring me 

vivid, sweet memories of the past. 

The time, the people, and the place 

related to those scents are very specific, 

and the memories appear clearly in my mind. 

The rarity of these scent-related memories 

may be the main reason.

ReoNa「ガジュマル ～Heaven in the Rain～」

If there’s any regret lingering in my heart,

Is it the "goodbye" I could never say?

If regret keeps falling on me 

like relentless rain,

Is it because I ran away from the end 

that was bound to come?

The grand banyan tree 

you planted in the garden

Is drooping its branches, weeping silently.

I loved you—if only I could have said

Those simple words, those few words.

Rain, please dissolve this eternal parting.

Sweetly scented rain tree,

Memories come overflowing.

I want to see you.

I just want to see you so badly.

This grief from losing you—

Will it heal as time goes by?

If my memories must fade away 

alongside the pain,

Then I’d rather my wounds never heal.

In the sound of the waves and the breeze,

Under the empty shade of the trees,

I look for you.

Blurring image of your face—

please don't fade away.

When times are painful,

When I lose my way,

When I want to disappear,

Even now, I still think of you.

The banyan tree is weeping.

I loved you—if only I could have said

Those simple words, those few words.

Rain, please dissolve this eternal parting.

Sweetly scented rain tree,

Memories come overflowing.

I want to see you, 

I really want to see you.

I want to reach you beyond the rain.

The love song I always wanted to 

share with you—

I will sing it now.

心残りが あるとしたなら

言えなかった 「さよなら」でしょうか

後悔ばかり 降り止まないのは

いつか来る終わりから 逃げたからでしょうか

あなたが庭に植えた

大きなガジュマルが 枝を垂らして 泣いているよ

愛していた ただそれだけのことが

たったそれだけの言葉が 言えたらよかったのに

永遠の別れを 雨よ 溶かして

甘く香る rain tree

思い出が溢れてゆく

会いたいよ

ただ 会いたいよ

あなたを失くした この悲しみも

時が過ぎれば 癒えるのでしょうか

痛みとともに 思い出さえも

忘れるぐらいなら 傷よ 癒えないで

潮騒と風の中

誰もいない木陰で

あなたを探してる

滲んでいく面影よ 消えないで

つらいときに

迷ったときに

消えたいときに

いまだにあなたを思い出すよ

ガジュマルが泣いている

愛していた ただそれだけのことが

たったそれだけの言葉が 言えたらよかったのに

永遠の別れを 雨よ 溶かして

甘く香る rain tree

思い出が溢れてゆく

会いたいよ 会いたいんだよ

雨の向こうの あなたに届けたいよ

伝えたかった 愛の歌を

僕は歌うよ

Fame is addictive

Fame is attractive and addictive. 

But it just doesn't mean anything in the end.

Still, fame can captivate everyone 

through its magic of 

making connections with others possible, 

and thus, fulfilling the psychological need 

of feeling successful.

Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Still...You Turn Me On

Do you wanna be an angel, 

do you wanna be a star?

Do you wanna play some magic on my guitar?

Do you wanna be a poet, 

do you wanna be my string?

You could be anything

Do you wanna be the lover of 

another undercover?

You could even be the man on the moon

Do you wanna be the player, 

do you wanna be the song?

Let me tell you something, 

it just don't mean a thing

You see, it really doesn't matter

When you're buried in disguise

By the dark glass on your eyes

And though your flesh is crystallized

Still, you turn me on

Oh, you turn me on

Do you wanna be the pillow 

where I lay my head?

Do you wanna be the feathers flying in my bed?

Do you wanna be the cover of a magazine?

Create a scene

Every day a little sadder, 

a little madder

Someone get me a ladder

Do you wanna be the singer, 

do you wanna be the song?

Let me tell you something, 

you just couldn't be more wrong

You see, I really have to tell you

That it all gets so intense

From my experience

It just doesn't seem to make sense

Still, you turn me on

Oh, you turn me on

You turn me on