Life is precious

But some allow Death to visit early, and darkly.

"Early" is of course a subjective term. For a housewife used to greet the sunrise at 5.00am, waking up at 6.00am is "late".
To a lazybummer like Desi used to late night 'rites, writes, writHings, waking up by 9.00am is "too early". In recent times, to scrimp on harder times, I combine BF with lunch, so starting with brunch at about 10.30-11.00am is just nice, "not too early".

"Don't set the alarm clock at 5.30AM for Desi," would be my refrain to the receptionist if I'm rooming at a downtown hotel on some lucky assignments paid for by the client. I prefer my appointment to start at 2.oopm -- I am a freelance journalist, remember? A dinner working appoitent would be heavenly, especially if the Other party also picks up the tabs. ("Tabs" I understand is slang for "bill" though I don't know its root word, or is it the short for tabulations? I'm THINKING ALOUD, something I do often nowadays since *JeffOoi's name is constantly flashed everyday.)

*If you have to ask who's Jeff, you'd better get out of hear! before I yell out: Get the hell out of here!See, Desi's not totally averse to swearing as I said Yesterday, when all my troubles...

Thank God for whoever invented the air-conditioner and the computer. My Olivetti lettera 32 is now a collectible, opening bid is 2million if there are any interested parties out dare. Moo_t, how art thee progressing in helping Desi get to that 20million?

Okay, Monday being a day of blues, I'm reacting with a C&W song which bewitched many YoungOnes, and I hope they do pause and ponder and not allow despair to overcome them. Seek out a best friend in times of trouble. Seek out a partner with soulmateship with thee. Seek out the chuirch, temple or masjid priest. If everyone fails thee, SEEK OUT THE BEFRIENDERS in the neighbourhood.

My Elusive Dreams


Artist: Skeeter Davis & Bobby Bare


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[ skeeter ]
I followed you to Texas I followed you to Utah
[ bobby ]
We didn't find it there so we moved on
[ skeeter ]
I followed you to Alabam things look good in Birmingham
[ bobby ]
We didn't find it there so we moved on
[ both ]
I know you're tired of following my elusive dreams and schemes
For they're only fleeting things my elusive dreams
[ skeeter ]
I had your child in Memphis you heard of work in Nashville
[ bobby ]
We didn't find it there so we moved on
To a small farm in Nebraska to a gold mine in Alaska
[ skeeter ]
We didn't find it there so we moved on
[ bobby ]
Now we've left Alaska because there was no gold mine
[ skeeter ]
But this time only two of us moved on
And now all we have is each other
and a little mem'ry that we could to cling to
[ bobby ]
But still you won't let me go on alone
[ both ]
I know you're tired of following my elusive dreams and schemes
For they're only fleeting things my elusive dreams
For they're only fleeting things my elusive dreams

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Yes, we all have our dreams -- Child, Young, Old and growing still.
Life takes its toll on everyone -- age is no more a barrier, for 21st century life brings along more and greater stresses akong with its conveniences and gadgets because very often, the currency to these gadgets and conveniences is Money. And the lack of money drives many to the edge.
Of course, to many in the field of entertainment, the other pressure in Fame.
Success does not come easy. Yes, the goal in the far horizon -- money or fame --seems so elusive.

And maybe that's what South Korean actress-star JEONG DA-BIN was seeking too. Her elusive dreams. But at the tender age of 27, she just allowed depression to swarm all over her being, and she felt she had to seek a final resolution ....
She couldn't fulfill her dreams. She just ended it -- by hanging herself last Saturday.

An AFP report quoting the police said that Jeong, 27, had been found dead, with a towel around her neck, in the bathroom of her boyfriend's apartment in Seoul, hsving sppsrently succumbed to a bout of depression over arecent shortage of work.
Jeong, who also became a Korean pop culture star in Taiwan in 2005, acted in television dramas and movies.

Jeong's death , following that of pop singer YUNI, who was found hanged in her hiome in Incheon City on Jan 21, pending the relaese of her third album, has sparked concern in South Korea, which has the highest suicide rate of all Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) members.

The AFP report quoted NA SUN-YOUNG of Lifeline Korea, which provides a telephone counselling service aimed at preventing suicides, as saying: "I am worried that a wave of copycat suicides might follow among youths."

"Following the death of Yuni, I received many calls from young people who said they themselves were thinking about committing suicide.

"They were saying they had to die because even someone as beautiful as Yuni could not stand it and committed suicide," Na said.

_________________________________________________________

DESIDERATA:

While Chinese New Year is just six days away, I hope this Post won't be a mood-spoiler.No doubt, this is sombre news to chew over, but the reality is that there are some lonely and depressed people out there who would not be able to celebrate,for reasons beyong their control.
I'm pausing, and pondering, while we chase our own individual "Elusive Dreams",
have we questioned ourselves:
Are our dreams based on reality?
Are we placing our priorities right?

IF the answer is "YES" to the above two questions, you'll be alright. God bless you. You are indeed lucky.
If the truthful response is "No", then it's Time to make new Dreams.
Make? you may ask. Yes, we make dreams just as we have a choice whether to wake up Early or Late to greet the sun each day.
So also we make the kind of Dreams we wish to pursue.
Know Thyself, that's wisdom in philosophers' teachings since the days of SOCRATES.My fave poet Max Ehrmann reiterates that credo too.
I know many things.
I write aboiut many things.
But do I know myself?
I have to think more about the last question myself.