感慨 ~ songs

I realised that july was the first month this year that i did not have an ending post at the end of the month. Yes, it does reflect that i am genuinely busy. And that is good. :)

There are actually alot alot of thoughts....and too little time to write them down....with a few urgent tasks at hand, and prelim exams of all the major exams coming up in these 2 weeks, time is really scarce.

Still, i thought i should deviate here for awhile......as thoughts float in my mind

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I have found the new generation media a useful means, strangely, to seek/reflect on the past, not as in personal past, but the past of a time frame. From the posts of friends, i followed their interest pursuits of various sorts, and read articles of interest posted. I noted among them are quite a few that 怀旧。

In following one article of a generation that love the chinese language for itself, I stumbled into a genre of songs that I had forgotten, well known as 新谣。There is a you tube tribute to this genre songs that have a very local flavour. I am basically 'English Ed' so, I didnt follow the trend then, though the songs were familiar, and many of them, I do like.  In particular songs composed by local composer 粱文福, a very talented and very unassuming chap。Thought I will attach one reference. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmgYj8k2R-8&list=PLn8Nn4pD-fejR9TAdbdyraZWOVUxGlZO5

It isnt the songs per se that brought up many thoughts, though they do, as the lyrics are meaningful, and tugged at the heartstrings. It was what songs do for a group of friends together. I know sean yee will understand this, as he did that in his school days. In tracing the composer and his peers, the stories they related were so familiar. In those simple days, where most didnt have money to buy casettes or had a casette recorder, we depended on radio or rediffusion. And we learned our songs from hearing them again and again over the radio. There was no internet. No photocopying machine, and photos were expensive. So everything was hand copied. If someone had the lyrics, we wanted to learn the song, we copied it, or better still, remembered them by heart. 

From school days, hardly a day pass without singing together with friends. There was always someone with a guitar, and once there was a free period, it would be a singalong time for many of us. Singing together brings comaraderie; it breaks barriers, it dissolves differences, and all felt as one. A cheerful rhythmic song brings cheer to all; a winsome ballad brings sentiments to all....all who sing were as one. I was not talented in music, or singing, but i have a great love for singing. Actually, of all forms of music I love, it is singing. In fact, of all the things I love doing, I love singing most. Probably even more than reading and writing. And I stopped. last ten years. In bewilderment. In wilderness. I guess, such was the tumults, I prefer wordlessness. I no longer know what to sing. Sometimes, I wonder if I really walked out of that period within.

Strangely enough, zh would keep asking me to engage into singing as a good activity. I never say anything in response nor ever ask him why he suggested. I think he feels it is a good way of easing tension. Whatever. I didnt ask. I wont wish him to know he hit a sore spot....... someday I hope, I will start singing again.
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Many of the songs depicted school days.....but definitely not about classroom learning, but rather quite the opposite. Urm, the lyrics were about how they fell asleep in class, looked out to the basketball court, how their mind was at the beach....waiting for the last bell.....most of us can identify with that..... very few actually listened to teachers. That was quite true....listening in class was not common in that generation.  I did listen selectively for the subjects I liked.

But we were respectful. Somehow in those times, we took responsibity of our own results. Somehow, whether we did well or not, we live life and grow up.

Are we overly serious about teaching and learning, trying to make every minute count? Trying to fill the kids minds with what we feel is good/best for them? Are competitions really good for them? Is winning awards really a sense of fulfilment? Is filling up the mind with endless knowledge and know-hows really living life? Somehow there is something I sometimes feel the kids miss in their lives.....Is education really the way it should be in this present generation? I wonder sometimes who is taking themselves too seriously, the kids or the 'educators'? I have no answer. I am still seeking for the answer.

In that sense, I must say, there is a beauty in literature.....the voice of the inner being....the seeking, the yearning, the venturing, the falls, the joys, the sadness...... The aforesaid composer went on to get his doctorate in chinese literature, whilst continuing to grace the music/song scene. His songs has such a feel of simplicity. This 'softness', the humanity aspect is not present in math and science. I wonder when we emphasise strengths of kids, without this humanity aspect, something somehow is lost....and that is really a part of humanity.......i worry, sometimes for them....

I remain thankful for the balanced education I had, that has provided both the breath of humanities, and the elegance of solving math problems. And above all, I develop my love for chinese.

Somehow that generation in the simplicity, has depth.... and this simplicity and depth is that which subsequent generation missed....we have a shared past that one can relate to, and it is colourful.....what can this present generation relate to? computer games? Internet? I dont know.

I would wish for this present generation that they would be more independent minded, to look beyond the over-planned system, beyond outward stimulation of their minds and their short span interests, and somehow develop a more wholesome outlook, be it in sports, meaningful pastimes, and more love of nature.....and a healthy inner cultivation....and live life.

Ironically, i have to thank the present efficient means of social media to link back to a timeframe that is part of one's being. As in everything, it is not the means itself that is detrimental. It is the user that turns the direction to good, or to harm. And really, if it was not that i have such implicit belief in the goodness of my 403 kids, I wouldnt have ventured past my inertness, and would therefore not  have the pleasure both of writing my thoughts here, and having the facebook as a communication network. I still say, to the few that had encouraged me, thank you. :)