Scarborough Fair

Hi and hi again guys...for this post, i felt like sharing one of my all-time favorite english folk song, which was drummed into my head by my music teacher when i was in primary 3. Got to listen to it again after a long time, Sarah Brightman's version, and then i realised that the meaning of this song may go as deep as you want it to be...So if you guys get the chance to listen to it, please do..its a chance you wont regret... :)

Scarborough Fair

Man and Woman
Are you going to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme.
Remember me to one who lives there,
For she once was a true love of mine.


MAN
Tell her to make me a cambric shirt,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Without any seam nor needlework,
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to wash it in yonder dry well,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Which never sprung water nor rain ever fell,
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Tell her to dry it on yonder thorn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Which never bore blossom since Adam was born,
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

Ask her to do me this courtesy,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
And ask for a like favour from me,
And then she'll be a true love of mine.

BOTH
Have you been to Scarborough Fair?
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Remember me from one who lives there,
For he once was a true love of mine.


WOMAN

Ask him to find me an acre of land,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Between the salt water and the sea-sand,
For then he'll be a true love of mine.

Ask him to plough it with a lamb's horn,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
And sow it all over with one peppercorn,
For then he'll be a true love of mine.

Ask him to reap it with a sickle of leather,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
And gather it up with a rope made of heather,
For then he'll be a true love of mine.

When he has done and finished his work,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Ask him to come for his cambric shirt,
For then he'll be a true love of mine.

BOTH
If you say that you can't, then I shall reply,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
Oh, Let me know that at least you will try,
Or you'll never be a true love of mine.

Love imposes impossible tasks,
Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme,
But none more than any heart would ask,
I must know you're a true love of mine

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trivia
During late medieval times the seaside resort of Scarborough was an important venue for tradesmen from all over England. It was host to a huge forty-five day trading event, starting August 15, which was exceptionally long for a fair in those times. People from all over England, and even some from the continent, came to Scarborough to engage in business.

The song tells the tale of a young man, who tells the listener to ask his former lover to perform for him a series of impossible tasks, such as making him a shirt without a seam and then washing it in a dry well, adding that if she completes these tasks he will take her back. Often the song is sung as a duet, with the woman then giving her lover a series of equally impossible tasks, promising to give him his seamless shirt once he has finished.

*Lyrics and Trivia reproduced from Wikipedia...If you want to learn more, you may check it out..

The Yardstick of Morality

Barbaric. Ancient. Uncivilized. Primitive.

Ever heard those words? Any mention of the words above, and the image of the apeman probably comes to your head. Hmmm, apeman aint what we are today, but hell, it all depends on what you choose to believe. I was flipping through the newspapers the other day, and I came across a very interesting headline. It was titled “Modernizing Islam”. That set me wondering. Why should Islam need modernization? I have never come across any topic such as Modernizing Christianity, Modernizing Hinduism, Modernizing Buddhism. And so why was there such a huge debate about Modernizing Islam.

That set me thinking, and the more I thought about it, the more I found myself outside the circle of religion, and I ended up in the pool of absolutivity. Why should there be modernizing when the modern world will one day become primitive? What are the boundaries and conditions for culture and religion to be “modern” in order to be acceptable by all? Why is there such a stress on modernism and its appeal? For this, I checked up the roots of it.

According to uncle Wikipedia, modernism is a trend of thought that affirms the power of human beings to make, improve, deconstruct and reshape their built and designed environment, with the aid of scientific knowledge, technology and practical experimentation, thus in its essence both progressive and optimistic.
Cool! What I like about the definition is the assertion of the power of human beings to continually change their environment, which is ultimately shaped by culture and belief. What is intriguing about the definition is the assumption that modernism has to be progressive and optimistic.

Science and technology has taken great strides over the centuries, and man can be arrogant enough to declare him god by trying to play god. The world has become a crowded place, and with resources running low, it is science and technology that is continually trying to ensure that we do not self-destruct. Or is it?

But then science does not only make our lives, does it? How about culture? Belief? Can we apply the same assumption of modernism into our culture, beliefs and values? Physiologically, we are of the same form as those of 5000 years ago, the only difference is that they probably had a lot less to worry about. Our instincts, functions, needs and desires are basically the same, only cultured through education and practice. Are we in a better state than them now? How can we define modernism in morality?

Let’s see what Wikipedia says about morality. Morality refers to the concept of human ethics which pertains to matters of good and evil —also referred to as "right or wrong", used within three contexts: individual conscience; systems of principles and judgments — sometimes called moral values —shared within a cultural, religious, secular, Humanist, or philosophical community. Personal morality defines and distinguishes among right and wrong intentions, motivations or actions, as these have been learned, engendered, or otherwise developed within each individual

Hmmm. Morality deals with the concept of good and evil that is shared within a society by a particular standard. Personal morality is up to the individual’s belief. Great! I am getting somewhere.

Suppose I told you that I witnessed a man cutting up a cat, only to cook its meat in a microwave, what would your reaction be? Barbaric! Gross! How about the concept of child marriages? Primitive! Outdated! Hey hey hey, heard about the love between these two cowboys on Brokeback mountain?? Oh how sweet! Their love story is such an epic!

These reactions are a result of modernism. The way we think, the way we perceive things all change with time, and the basic assumption is that man knows more now that he did a 1000 years back, therefore the modern man has the better set of values of judgment in identifying right from wrong. And that would be the exact logic of how men a 1000 years back would have thought of their ancestors.

Now comes the debate, who is right? If a person tried to emulate his ancestors, he would be labeled as primitive or old-fashioned. Be it good or be it bad. All you need to do is to emulate your grandparents in anything, and you will be jeered. But then what is now primitive, was at once modern, and at another era, was futuristic.

What causes these change? A large part of the blame can go to science and technology, and so I will leave their involvement at that. I want to know about morality. Humans are humans today as they were 100 years ago and as they were 1000 years ago. All man has conscience, and all man had judgments on the good and bad of things.

A simple example. Maybe one that can relate to all. Lets talk about relationships. The relationship between man and woman has undergone great changes over time. AND, the relationship between man and man has undergone great changes over time. In today’s world, it is acceptable for the man to have many girlfriends whom he can have unlimited sex with before he finds ‘the one’, while it is ‘oppression’ if he has, let alone four, two wives. It is ‘uncool’ to live with your parents after you are an adult, and its only ‘natural’ if you discover that you are gay. In the past, children are the receipts of a marriage, but today marriage is a step so big, even after you have 8 children with your partner. People used to be beheaded in the past, but today they are only electrocuted.

Hmmm. Progression? Optimism? Are we better off?

How do we put a measure of goodness or badness of a belief or a practice in an absolute sense, without looking at the time frame? Is it ever possible? Looking at the definitions above, it is almost impossible for modernism to bring about any negative effect, as the assumption is that we can only progress with time, science and knowledge. I wasn’t lying when I said that this got me thinking. So the next time anyone brings about modernizing anything, you should ask him back. Define modernism. And can there be any morality yardstick that can be checked of the effects of modernism? What are your thoughts?

Postpone the Grief!!!

Till about recently, I was regarded as a hot-head among my clique, a time-bomb with a short fuse, one that would immediately burst upon two pricks. Though I acknowledged my short temper, it still continued, and it took its toll one fine night, and it was a very heavy price to pay.

That incident, sent me back into introspection mode. Why I was the way I was, and what i could possibly do about it. I surely wasnt born this way. The blame game soon started. I Could attribute it mostly to my hectic student life. But it wasnt a good excuse. I could have attributed it to genetics, but I guess my parents are a bit cooler than they could have been. Friends?? Hey, i got Jewels as friends, except for a granite here and there...Then I found that I could only blame only one thing : MYSELF

The moment I realised that I am the only one responsible for who I am, the actions that I do, and for the consequences that come out of it, It was like attaining Nirvana. Life took a completely different perspective, and a truth dawned onto me. Life could be a simple as it is, and if it seems complicated, it is all of our doing. I am in full control of my life, and I have the power to choose if I am happy or sad.....to be continued...

Musica Gloria

Say what you may, i guess, after prayer, Music is the best healer of the wounded, lonely soul...May God always bless good music, for they have the power to transform ur day from the routinely mundane to a wildly optimistic one. Be you sad, be you happy, be you hurt, be you angry, be you depressed, be you lonely, there is always something out there in the airwaves that would seep in through that chest of yours and tug at your heart, beckoning it to fulfillment. Aaaaaaah! the pleasure is just.... :)

I am on holiday at home. I aint lonely, but i am bored. And my usual bunch of friends aint all around to lighten up this otherwise restless soul, and therefore, i turn to the net to relieve my emptiness. I go thru whatever audio files i have, and i come to this folder where i had songs that i have been listening to for the past 10 years. Classics. Memories.

As i begin to listen to them one by one, i am transported back to the era during which these songs got released. Through this random thought of mine, memories come back crashing in, reliving moments long forgotten, feelings long ignored, friends long appreciated, memories that deserved retrospect. Soon the focus goes off the song, as you close your eyes, and your life plays itself out like a dream, with the song as a background music. The strings of memories play itself out like a slow composition, which lasts long after the song ends. Flashbacks of happiness, sadness, bittersweet joy, so many lessons found when you look back.

I love music. It keeps my sanity in check. It reminds me of the person I am. It motivates the creative side of me. It reminds me of the past. And it always makes my day, no matter how i feel. The complexities of several pieces, always manage to keep you in awe. It is a reminder that for all the pains that man has inflicted upon himself, it is up to man to find a cure. Music is mine. :)

Job seeker...

Its been about a month now since i finished my final rites as an engineering student, thus, closing a chapter of a very mechatronical life. And I have been sittin at home since, enjoyin the freedom that i so very much deserve, after 4 years of tireless service. And i am slowly beginning to get subtle hints from various members of the household, suggesting that there could be some work that I could do to prevent that little spare tyre from growing. Point taken.

And so the newspapers ruffled, databases ransacked, classifieds pored over, just to find a suitable job. Well, looking at the classifieds and other sources, it is unbelievable as to how many jobs were being offered each day, yet there are so many unemployed graduates who are complaining to the government that there are no jobs. And these are no blue-collar jobs mind you, but very well-paid jobs with wide scopes. So much for laziness.

Me being stuck in a quandary, being a foreigner in this country, who has just graduated, and wanting to find a small part-time job, the opportunity is thus limited. I can only find a 1001 ways to spend the money that i have, but not earn. Looking at the jobs for offer, I cant help but wish that I was born in this country, as there are endless opportunities that I would love exploring for the rest of my life. Well, I didnt decide where I should be born, so I can safely leave the blame ( or honour ) to God :)

And so I have applied to several universities overseas for Masters. There is a high chance of getting the admission, but once again, my heritage gives way to visa struggles. Though a few bad apples may screw me apart, there is no way that I am going to stop trying. I am gonna get thru it.

However, back to the present, thanks to my fragmented train of thought, I applied for a job in corporate sales, and had to attend an interview today. The main reason that I applied for this post was because I can have a more interactive way of life, meeting people, and selling them packages, gettin commission, etc. however, after an exhaustive interview, i was told that all sales would be conducted by telephone, and that i had to generate leads and prospects outside office hours, which is kinda like a bummer in my bum. Should i take it, should i not. I dont know, but i know that i aint goin to be happy bein constricted. Well, i cant be too demanding, and so, I will just have to sleep on it, and come up with something tomorrow.

Gatecrasher!!

Hey hey hey, here i am, uninvited, unknown, and completely uninhibited in the world of bloggers. Used to have a couple of blogs, but no one really read them, plus i think i'd let all my worries out to where it belongs - the world. A bit about me, well, i am an introspective extrovert who is constantly left dumbfounded about the incredulity of events that occur around me. A bit of fantasy, dreamy escapades, sarcastic candour with a tinge of realism, flashes of intelligence, hehe, thats what i am all about, and thats what my posts will all be. Well, as sed, this is my dreamspace, come and dream with me :D