Mei and Fei

Limericks

2008-01-10T20:37:00.000-08:00

Young Lady of Poole

There was a Young Lady of Poole,
Whose soup was excessively cool;
So she put it to boil,
By the aid of some oil,
That ingenious Young Lady of Poole.

There was an Old Person from Prague,
Who was sudenly seized with the plague;
But they gave him some butter,
Which caused him to mutter,
And cured that Old Person of Prague.

There was an Old Man of the North,
Who fell into a basin of broth;
But a laudable cook,
Fished him out with a hook,
Which saved that Old Man of the North.

There was an Old Person of Mold,
Who shrank from sensations of cold;
So he purchased some muffs,
Some furs and some fluffs,
And wrapped himself from the cold.

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat

The Owl and the Pussy-Cat went to sea
In a beautiful pea-green boat:
They took some honey,
and plenty of money
Wrapped up in a five-pound note.

The Owl look up the stars above,
And sang to a small guitar,
"O lovely Pussy, O Pusy, my love,
What a beautiful pussy you are,
You are,
You are!
What a beautiful Pussy you are!"
Contemporary Ilustrator: Donna L. Derstine
Pussy said to the Owl, "You elegant fowl,
How charmingly sweet you sing!
Oh! let us be married;
to long we have tarried:
But what shall we do for a ring?"
They sailed away, for a year and a day,
To the land where the bong-tree grows;
And there in a wood a Piggy-wig stood,
With a ring at the end of his nose,
His nose,
His nose,
With a ring at the end of his nose.
"Dear Pig, are you wiling to sel for one shilling
Your ring? "Said the Pigy, "I will."
So they took it away, and were married next day
By the Turkey who lives on the hill.
They dined on minced and slices of quince,
Which they ate with a runcible spoons;

And hand in hand on the edge of the sand
They danced by the light of the moon,
The moon,
The moon,
They danced by the light of the moon.

Old Man of Corfu

There was an Old Man of Corfu,
Who never knew what he should do;
So he rushed up and down,
Til the sun made him brown,
That bewildered Old Man of Corfu.

There was an OLd Man of the South,
Who had an immoderate mouth;
But in swallowing a dish,
That was quite full of fish,
He was choked, that Old Man of the South.

There was an Old Man of the Nile,
Who sharpened his nails with file;
Till he cut off his thumbs,
And said calmly, "This comes--
Of sharpening one's nails with a file!"

There was an Old Person of Cromer,
Who stood on one leg to read Homer;
When he found he grew stiff,
He jumped over the cliff,
Which concluded that Person of Cromer.

Japanese Song Lyrics

2008-01-08T20:32:00.000-08:00

SUKINA HITO - KIRORO

Sukina hitoga tsurai tokini,
Iishoni ite agerarenai
Imasugu aini iite,
Gyuute kitsuku dakishimetai

Korekara zuuto futaridakara,
Kamisama kiito shiren kudashita
Shiawasse suguiruto, atode dameninaru
Dakara konna toki norikoeyou

* aenaku narune, miokuruyo
Sayonara no maeni dakiau
Senakani mawassareta
Ookina te

Ano koro zuuto anatao hitorijime shite itayone
Imadewa koredakedemo konnani taisetsu nanoni

** aenaku narune, miokuruyo
Sayonara no maeni dakiau
Kao o agete,hoho o yossete
Egao de iita

Denwa ya beru kakemakuute
Kimoti tsutaete irunoni,
Doushite konna fuuni
Namidabakari afureteru?

*repeat, **repeat, *repeat

Hanaretetemo kokorono naka,
Kimiga irukara...

WATASHI DAKE NO TENSHI - MATSUDA SEIKO

Shigoto ga owatta
Uchi ni kaettara
Pajama de kakete kite
Koboren bakari no egao de yasashiku
Mukaete kureru

Gomen ne itsu demo
Matasete bakari de
Samishii omoi wo kitto shite iru deshou ne

Donna toki demo namida wo misenaide
Hohoende iru
Tenshi no you ni kawaii egao wo shita anata ga
Mama no taisetsu na sekai ni hitotsu no
Kagayaku takaramono

Tsukarete iru deshouItsumo ki ni shite wa
Kata wo nadete kureru
Chiisana sono te de isshokenmei
Ai wo kureru

Anata ga iru kara
Mama wa kou yatte
Mainichi shigoto wo ganbatte yatte yukeru no

* Yakusoku suru wa mama no inochi kakete
Anata no koto wo mamotte yuku wa
Sore ga mama ni totte ikigai
Nani yori suteki yo anata ga kono yo ni
Umarete kita koto ga

Donna toki demo namida wo misenaide
Hohoende iru
Tenshi no you ni kawaii egao wo shita anata ga

repeat *

Toki no nagare ni miwo makase (Teresa Teng)

Moshimo anata to aezuni itara
Watashi wa nani o shiteta deshouka
Heibon dakedo dareka o aishi
Futsuu no kurashi shitetta deshouka
Toki no nagare ni mi wo makase
Anata no ironi somerare
Ichido no jinsei soresae
Suteru kotomo kamawanai
Dakara onegai soba ni oitene
Ima wa anatashika aisenai

Moshimo anata ni kirawaretanara
Ashita to iu hi
Nakushiteshimau wa
Yakusoku nanka iranai keredo
Omoide dake jya ikite yukenai
Toki no nagare ni mi wo makase
Anata no mune ni yori soi
Kirei ni nareta soredakede
Inoti sae mo iranai wa
Dakara onegai soba ni oitene
Ima wa anata shika mienai no

Toki no nagare ni mi wo makase
Anata no iro ni somerare
Ichido no jinsei soresae
Suteru koto mo kamawanai
Dakara onegai soba ni oite ne
Ima wa anata shika aisenai

SUBARU - TERESA TENG

Mewo tojite nanimo miezu
Kanashikute mewo akereba
Kooya ni mukau michiyori
Hokani mierumonowa nashi
Ah, kudakechiru sadameno hoshitachiyo
Semete hisoyakani kono miwo teraseyo

Warewa yuku aojitoki hohono mamade
Warewa yuku saraba subaruyo

Ikiwo sureba muneno naka
Kogarashiwa naki tsuzukeru
Saredo wagamunera atsuku
Yumewo oitsuzukeru nari
Ah, sanzameku namonaki hoshitachiyo
Semete azayakani sonomiwo owareyo

Waremo yuku kokorono meizuru mamani
Waremo yuku saraba subaruyo
Ah, itsuno hika darekaga kono michiwo
Ah, itsuno hika darekaga kono michiwo

Warera yuku aijiroki hohono mamade
Warewa yuku saraba subaruyo
Warewa yuku saraba subaruyo

ANATA NO KISU WO KAZOEMASHOU - YUKI KONAYAGI

Chirakatta yuka no ue uzukumari hiza o daita
Mamorenai yakusoku ga KARENDAA yogoshiteru

Konna hi ga kuru nara
Dakiaeba yokatta yo motto
Missin' you

* Anata no KISU wo kazoemashou
Hitotsu hitotsu wo omoidaseba
Dare yori soba ni itakattaWithout you but you were mine

Kami no ke wo tabanetemo kinou to wa chigau kao de
Nani o shite magarawasu?
Kodoku toka fuan toka

Sugoku suki datta yo
Sore dake wa kawaranai jijitsu
Missin' you

** Anata no KISU wo sagashimashou
Anna chikaku ni sawareta noni
Deawanakereba yokatta no?
Shiny days when you were mine

Anata no KISU wo wasuremashou
Kirai ni natte raku ni natte
Yoru wo shizuka ni nemuritaiI'm alone and you were mine

Do the nights and days cure my feel of pain?
Please somebody, say
All of my heart is almost cryin'In your eyes, in your sight, was it certainly my place?
Tell me please, the reason of your love for me
Can I cry?

* repeat, ** repeat

KOIBITOYO - MAYUMI ITSUWA

Kareha chiru yuu'ngure wa
Kuruhi no samusa o mono'ngatari
Ame ni kowareta benchi ni wa
Ai o sasayaku uta mo nai

* koibito yo sobani iteKo'ngoeru watashi no soba ni ite yo
Soshite hitokotoKono wakare banashi wa
Joodan dayo to
Waratte hoshii

Jarimichi o kakeashi de
Marason bito ga yukisu'ngiru
Marude bookyaku nozomuyoo ni
Tomaru watashi o sasotte iru

Koibito yo sayoonara
Kisetsu wa me'ngutte kuru kedo
Ano hi no hutari yoi no na'ngareboshi
Hikatte wa kieru mujoo no yume yo

*repeat

MIRAIE - KIRORO

I - Hora! Ashimoto wo mitegoran
kore ga anata no ayumu michi
Hora, mae wo mitegoran
are ga anata no mirai

Haha ga kureta, takusan no yasashii sa
ai wo idaite ayume to kurikaeshita
Ano toki wa mada osanakute imi nado shiranai
Sonna watashi no te wo nigiri issho ni ayunde kita
Yume wa itsumo, sora takaku aru kara
Todo ka nakute kowai ne, dakedo oitsudzukeru no
Jibun no SUTO-RI dakara koso akirametakunai
Fuan ni naru to te wo nigiri issho ni ayunde kita

II - Sono yasashii sa wo toki ni wa iyagari
Hanareta haha e sunao ni narezu

Repeat I / adlib Repeat II / I- 2x

Mirai e mukatte
Yukkuri to aruite yuku

FUYU NO UTA - KIRORO

I - Konna tooi machi ni mo
Yume wo ataete kureru
Shiroi konayuki ga futte
Kokoro ni todoku yo winter song

Futo iki wo kakeru dake de
Kiesou ni yureru akari
Sora ni kagayaku hoshitachi yori mo
Takumashiku ikiteru
Donna ni hanarete itemo
Anata ga soba ni ite kureru
Onaji yoru demo shinjiru koto de
Yasashii kaze ga fuiteru

II - Hiroi sora ni mukatte
Ryoute takaku hiroge
Shiroi konayuki ga yasashiku
Kokoro ni todoku yo winter song

Wasure kakete ita yume wo
Kokoro no naka ni egaita
Anata no koe ga kikitakute
Hitomi wo tojite miru
Kasuka ni kikoete kuru yo
Gin sekai no oorugooru
Matsuge ni tomatta hitotsubu no
Onpu ga hibiite iru

repeat I / II / I / II / I

FOR YOU

Namida wo fuite anata no yubi de
Kizuita no hajimete
Ano koro no watashi kiyoo made no hibi wo
Mitete kuretano wa anata

Waga-mama bakari de gomen'nasai ne
Koibito to wakarete
Anata no heya de yoi tsuburete ta
Son'na yoru mo atta

Omoidaseba niga warai ne
Sabishisa mo kanashimi mo
Anata no soba de tokete itta
Itsumo itsuno hi mo

Moshi mo aezu ni itara
Aruite yukena kattawa
Hageshiku kono ai tsukameru nara
Hanasanai nakusanai kitto

Anata ga hoshii anata ga hoshii
Motto ubatte kokoro wo

Anata ga hoshii anata ga hoshii
Ai ga subete ga hoshii

Moshi mo kizu tsuke atte
Yoake ni naki tsukarete mo
Hageshi ku kono ai mitsuketa hi wa
Wasurenai nakusanai kitto

Anata ga hoshii anata ga hoshii
Motto ubatte watashi wo

Anata ga hoshii anata ga hoshiiA
i ga subete ga hoshii

GOMEN NE

Sukidatano sorenanoni
Anatao kizu tsuketa
Gomen ne no kotoba
Namidade ienai kedo
Sukoshi kokoni ite
Warubu sake de hoka no hito
Mio makasete yoru ni
Hitobao diyumati
Tsuzuketa anata no sugata
Meni ukabu

Kienai ayamati no
Iiwake suru mae ni anata ni
Mooto tsukuseta hazunê
Tsurete ite wakareno nai kuniê

Semete konya nemuru made
Watashio dakishimete
Itsumo waga mamao
Yurushite kureta bashomade modoritai
Kienai ayamatini naki tsuzukeru no
NaraKono mama nido to mezame takunai
Sugoku sugoku anatao kurushimeta
Nidime matino dorubodo
Sabishii soona suketi
Sekaidyu kiito itiban taisetsuna koio
Nakushi tanonê
Kienai ayamatio kokai surumaeni
Anatao mooto aishita kaata dokoni
Aruno kanashi manae kuniê

NAGA IAIDA - KIRORO

Nagai aida matasete gomen
Mata kyuu ni shigoto ga haitta
Itsumo issho ni irarenakute
Sabishii omoi wo saseta ne

Aenai toki juwaki kara kikoeru
Kimi no koe ga kasureteru
Hisashiburi ni atta toki no
Kimi no egao ga mune wo saratte iku

Kizuita no anata ga konna ni mune no naka ni iru koto
Aishiteru masaka ne sonna koto ienai

Anata no sono kotoba dake wo shinjite
Kyou made matte ita watashi
Egao dake wa wasurenai you ni
Anata no soba ni itai kara

Waratteru anata no soba dewa sunao ni nareru no
Aishiteru demo masaka ne sonna koto ienai
Kizuita no anata ga konna ni mune no naka ni iru koto
Aishiteru masaka ne sonna koto ienai

Waratteru anata no soba dewa sunao ni nareru no
Aishiteru demo masaka ne sonna koto ienai

Kizuita no anata ga konna ni mune no naka ni iru koto
Aishiteru masaka ne sonna koto ienai
Waratteru anata no soba dewa sunao ni nareru no
Aishiteru demo masaka ne sonna koto ienai

ANATA NI AITAKUTE - SEIKO MATSUDA

Futari no heya no tobira wo shimete
Omoidetachi ni sayonara tsugeta
Arekara hantoshino toki ga nagarete
Yatto waraeru no yo
Mainichi isogashiku shiteiru wa
Atarashii jinsei wo watashi narini aruiteru

* Anata ni aitakute aitakute nemureru yoru wa
Anata no nukumori wo sono nukumori wo omoidashi
Sotto hito mitojite miru

Anata no ushiro arukitakatta
Futari de mirai kizukitakatta
Donnani aishitemo kanau kotonai ai mo aru kotonado
Kizuki mo shinai hodo anata dake
Mitsumeteta aishiteta watashi no subete wo kakete

REPEAT *

Ishoni sugoshi tahibi wo wasurenaide ne
Kookai shinai deshou...
Futari aishiattakoto

REPEAT *

Aishiteru to tsubuyaite

SAYONARA DAISUKINA HITO - HANA HANA

Sayonara daisuki na hito
Sayonara daisuki na hito
Mada daisuki na hito

Kuyashiiyo totemo
Kanashiiyo totemo
Mou kaettekonai
Soredemo watashi no daisuki na hito

Nanimo kamo wasurerarenai
Nanimo kamo sutekirenai
Konnajibun ga mijimede
Yowakute kawaisou de daikirai

Sayonara daisuki na hito
Sayonara daisuki na hito
Zutto daisuki na hito
Zutto zutto daisuki na hito

Nakanaiyo ima wa
Nakanaide ima wa
Kokoro hanareteiku
Soredemo watashi no daisuki na hito

Saigodato iikikasete
Saigomade iikikasete
Namidayo tomare
Saigo ni egao wo
Oboete oku tame

Sayonara daisuki na hito
Sayonara daisuki na hito
Zutto daisuki na hito
Zutto zutto daisuki na hito

Zutto zutto zutto daisuki na hito

BEST FRIEND - KIRORO

Mou daijoubu shinpai nai to
Nakisouna watashi no soba deItsumo kawaranai egao de
Sasayaite kureta
Mada mada mada yareruyo
Datte itsudemo kagayaiteru

**Toki ni wa isogisugite miushinau
Koto mo aru yo shikata nai
Zutto mimamotteru karatte egao deItsumo no youni dakishimeta
Anatano egao ni nando tasukerareta darou
Arigatou arigatou
Best friend

Konna ni takusan no shiawase
Kanjiru toki wa ah shunkan de
Koko ni iru subete no nakama kara
Saikou no purezento
Mada mada mada yareru yodatte itsudemo minna soba ni iru

Kitto imawa koko de yaritogerareru koto
Donna koto mo chikara ni kawaru
Zutto mimamotteru karatte egao de
Itsumo no you ni dakishimeta
Minna no egao ni nando tasukerareta darou
Arigatou arigatou
Best friend

repeat **

Zutto zutto zutto Best of friend

Precious (Romaji)

Kokoro ga mie nakute
Fuan na hi mo atta
Dareka wo aisuru imi
Jibun nari ni kimeta
Subete wo shinji nuku koto

I promise you mou mayowa nai
Tsuyoku naru...anata ni akasu yo
Nige nai de muki atte iku
Sugata wo misete kureta to heart

*Shinji you
Futari dakara aishiaeru
Ano sora he negai ga todoku you ni
Mitsume ai inoru two of us
Futatsu kasaneta omoi ga ima
Hitotsu no katachi ni kawaru
Your precious love

Kizutsuki kurushimu nara
Wake atte dakishime aou
Mou hitori ja nai kara
Subete wo uketomeru yo true love

Shinji you
Futari dakara aishiaeru
Eien ni tsunaida kono te wo mou
Hanasa nai chikau two of us
Futatsu kasaneta omoi ga ima
Hitotsu no katachi ni kawaru
Just the two of us

Osanakatta hitori yogari no ai
Ima wa tsuyoku shinji aeru
There can be truth
Atarashii hajimari
I want to be one with you

Shinji you
Futari wa ima
Aishiai koko ni iru
Hikari ga michiru you ni
Dakishimeru anata wo

*Repeat

Are You A WORRYWART?

2008-01-08T18:20:00.001-08:00

Worrying isn't a science. It's an art. One of us have perfected during childhood. From 'you better start worrying about your future' to 'you should be worry about that final exam', it's as if we are raised to believe we would only be eligible for adulthood with a healthy worry list. By the time we realise there's nothing remotely healthy about worrying, we may have already become a worrywart.

The good news is, since worrying is actually a conditioned behaviour, it can be undone. Here's how:

Worry Breaker 1

QUESTION IT

The best way to vanquish your fears is to face them, especially since the very process of worrying has a tendency of becoming much bigger than the problem itself. Write down your current worries, then go through each one asking yourself:

1. Is this worry realistic or unrealistic?

2. Is worrying about this issue likely to be productive or non-productive?

3. Am i worrying about something that could be resolved with effective action?

4. Am i worrying about something that i don't know enough about to resolve myself? If so, why am i not asking others for help?

5. Am i worrying because i trusted myself to handle something i really am not experienced enough to handle?

When Jane* found herself worrying about five issues simultaneously, she knew she had gone too far. So she wrote similar questions on a slip of paper and tucked it into her purse. Each time a worry arose, she let the questions decidenwhether it desrved attention. Most of the time, it did'nt. Not only did the questions eliminate most of her worries, they also gradually put a halt to her worry habit.

The questions made me face my worst fears about a situation,"she said. "I often dramatise an issue in my mind when in reality, the worst-case scenario isn't a matter of life or death. Realising this increased my confidence of being able to cope and helped me relax."

Worry Breaker 2

ANSWER IT

You've wiped out most of your worries off your mind but a few still remain. Since these are the ones that deserve your atention, rank them in order of importance and work out a solution for each with a task, deadline and a reward. When Jane* did this, she was amazed at how much smaller her problems appeared on paper.

"My level of anxiety immediately dipped because just the act of writing it down gave me the reassurance that i had it under control. Knowing that i could actually do something about it helped me see the problem and solution much clearer.And the rewards were always good!"

Effects OF Excessive Worrying

An overdose of worrying often leads to multiple physical and emotional symptoms. If you recognise more than three listed below, your worying is going overboard.

Physical Effects

rapid pulse
breathlessness
trembling
sweaty palms
dry mouth
chests pains
digestive problems (nausea/diarroea)
los of appetite
headache
sleeplessness
stomach ache

Emotional and Behavioural Effects

feeling of helplessness
difficulty with making decisions
lack of self-confidence
difficulty concentrating
panic attacks
obsessive behaviour

Worry Breaker 3

LEARN TO TRUST

When you don't trust yourself to fulfill the demands of life, you will worry. When you don't trust others to help you, you worry more. Jane* found out the hard way.

After being promoted, she was anxious to let her bosses see that they had made the right decision. She pushed herself to te limit for thre months until her body caved in with panic attack. In hospital, as Jane freted about her work deadlines, her sister commented how unfair her bosses were for promoting her to such a demanding position without providing her with a team to share the load.

"That comment was a slap in my face," Lisa* remembered. "I suddenly realized that i did have a team. I just didn't trust them enough to delegate the work. So while they put up their feet in the office, I was worrying about performing al their responsibilities myself. I told myself that when i was back, i would start trusting them to do what they did best. It was difficult, but worth it.

Worry Breaker 4

POSTPONE YOUR WORRIES

This gimmick, also called Rearranging Your Mental Furniture, involves 'delaying' your worries for a later time. Whenever you feel a worry coming on, jot it down in a 'Worry Notebook' and tell yourself you will forget it for now and return to it later.

This deceptively simple technique is effective because your mind is 'fooled' into thinking you haven't given up worrying. Meanwhile, you lose the habit of worrying in the present moment. Eventually, you'll simply forget your original worries!

Should You Be Worried?

Aren't sure whether your worrying is excessive? Here's a snap test: answering 'yes' to even one questions means it is.

You worry about 'something bad' happening in the future.
You worry someone or something will br hurt or harmed.
You believe that if you just worry hard enough, somehow you'll keep bad things from happening.
You believe that if you don't worry, it would mean you don't really care.

Worry Breaker 5

BECOME DETACHED

Worrying often stems from an attachment to a particular or specific outcome. When you want things to happen in specific ways in order to feel hapy and satisfied, you set yourself up for disappointment. In other words,'bad things' wil hapen to you more frequently, and you'll be fuelling your body to worry more intensely.

Karen* swears her youthful loks are the result of her practising detachments. She hardly worries because she knows that if she takes care of the present, the future will take care of itself.

"The only thing that is important is what I'm doing this very minute,"she said. "No thinking about the outcome allows me to focus and give my best. When i know I've done that, I' not affected by the outcome, no matter what it is."