Song: Nothing's Gonna Change My Love For You

Image from usera.imagecave.com

Hey guy, song listening time! Today, I have a great song for you! Glenn Mederios' Nothing Gonna Change My Love For You, an all-time-favourite love song of many, a romantic song which its melody you should know very well, but how about the lyrics? Are you sure you know it?

Let's here the song first. If you want the original MTV, click here.

Try not to look at the lyrics, listen a few times to see if you can get all the words.

Glenn Medeiros is a funny Hawaiian, who does little singing nowadays because he found his love in teaching! He is now 40 years old and teaches History in Hawaii!!

Now, if you think this is too old style melody for your taste, you can also check this one out, by American-born Hong Kong singer Khalil Fong, in his album, Timeless,

Image from Sengkakada

This is an easy song really, from midtempo to slight uptempo. Strength builds up half way through the song,  the key also goes up after chorus, and then the energy releases near the end.

I have underlined the beautiful lines in the lyrics below, try to understand it and see if you can appreciate the beauty.

Happy weekend!!!

Lyrics:
If I had to live my life without you near me
The days would all be empty
The nights would seem so long
With you I see forever oh so clearly
I might have been in love before
But it never felt this strong

Our dreams are young and we both know
They'll take us where we want to go
Hold me now touch me now
I don't want to live without you

Nothing's gonna change my love for you
You oughta know by now how much I love you
One thing you can be sure of
I'll never ask for more than your love
Nothing's gonna change my love for you
You oughta know by now how much I love you
The world may change my whole life through
But nothing's gonna change my love for you

If the road ahead is not so easy
Our love will lead the way for us
Like a guiding star
I'll be there (for you) if you should need me
You don't have to change a thing
I love you just the way you are

So come with me and share the view
I'll help you see forever too
Hold me now touch me now
I don't want to live without you 

Resources:

Glenn Medeiros @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenn_Medeiros

Glenn Medeiros - Nothing's Gonna change my love for you @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKo1e0cnWGA

Glenn Mederios - nothing gonna change my love for you (With Original MTV) @ YouTube
http://youtu.be/MLxTEV5vpyg

Khalil Fong @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khalil_Fong

方大同 Nothing's gonna change my love for you MV
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0f9Z1r0HkGU

Slang: Red Hot Hong Kong Slang's English Equivalent (Revisited)

Having written the first entry titled Slang: Red Hot Hong Kong Slang's English Equivalent (Updated) back in July 2009, I think it is time to give it a little update.

You might find some of them offending, but let's accept them as the fact that people do use them nowadays.

HK Slang	Direct Translation	parts of speech	English Equivalent
ciu4	tide	adjective	chic /stylish
taat3 zoek6	spark / light up (oft. past tense)	verb	love is kindled
faan1 taat3	again spark	verb	to rekindle sb's love
daap1 tong4	taste sugar	verb	to dig sb
seon2 pun4	bamboo-shoot  business deal	noun	a great bargain (thing / person)
"chok" joeng6	"chok" look	verb	smoulder /  smouldering look /  purse the lip
daap3 soeng5	ride up	verb	to get connected with sb
hoi1 "P"	open "P"	verb	to throw a party
taan1 paai4	spread cards	verb	have a showdown
co5 zeng3	sit proper	verb	to officially become a girlfriend / wife (often female)
je6 pou4	night rush	verb	to have a night out
sing 1 "le"	up "le"	verb	to level / level up
jiu1 gwat1	waist bone	noun	(to have) backbone
waan2 je5 / waan2 ngo5 / saa2 ngo5	play thing / me	verb / noun	to toy with sb
leng3 mou4	young model	noun	pseudo model / lang mo
si6 jip6 sin3	career line	noun	cleavage
zi1 zing2	beauty fix	adjective	fastidious / fussy

Resources:

Slang: Red Hot Hong Kong Slang's English Equivalent (Updated) @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2009/07/slang-red-hot-hong-kong-slangs-english.html

'Tangled' Trailer HD
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSx1dYJlJh4

Tangled @ IMDb
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398286/

粵語審音配詞字庫
http://arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/lexi-can/

林語堂《當代漢英詞典》電子版 - Lin Yutang's Chinese-English Dictionary of Modern Usage (CUHK)
http://arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Lindict/

Chinese (Cantonese) Help sheets
http://www.cantonese.sheik.co.uk/

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/chic
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/kindle_2
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/rekindle
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/dig_4
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/smoulder

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0398286/quotes

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/party_1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/showdown
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/night_2#night_2__3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experience_point#Level-based_progression
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/toy-with-sb-sth#toy-with-sb-sth__2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudo-model
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/cleavage_1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/fastidious
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/fussy_1

Event: Memories of King Kowloon

The day I returned from the exhibition, I was already filled with enthusiasm to share with everyone how magnificent this exhibition is. After uploading the photos on Facebook, I couldn't help but post and share my own albums and "like" my own albums.

King Kowloon's Calligraphy @ Hung Hom

I'm going crazy with this exhibition and I have already visited it twice (and wept twice)! I will definitely go there many more times.

King Kowloon @ Kwung Tung 1997

It is an exhibition that you must go to see it for yourself so that you will not have regret for the rest of your life!

Construction Site of HK Central Library, Causeway Bay, 1999

It is not only a collection of memories of someone who wrote everywhere around Hong Kong, and he was definitely NOT a lunatic (in fact, through his video interview, you can see that he is much smarter than you think), but of the Hong Kong heritage, 

The wall outside Government House, 30 June 1997 (The Eve of Handover)

the lost culture,

Upper: Chai Wan, 1996
Lower: Des Voeux Road Central near HSBC Main Building, 2002

the disappearance of such unique figure and his calligraphy,

Upper: Kenndy Town Abattoir, 1997
Lower: Kenndy Town Abattoir, 2010 

as well as his influence and inspiration to the future generations of designers, graffiti artist and businessmen, both local and overseas.

West One, head designer of PNB Nation, asked for autograph from King Kowloon

His calligraphy took fashion design into a whole new level, his influence is especially great in Japan!

Be@rbrick (Japan) X King Kowloon

Tokyo Tribe 2 Vol. 1 by Santa Inoue adopted King Kowloon's calligraphy in his comic

His decease was a lost to the world.

Death of King Kowloon, SCMP, 26 Jul, 2007

French editor Gérard Henry of Paroles wrote the above
article following the news of King Kowloon's death

So this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance for all of us to learn what we have missed, to see the King Kowloon that we have never got to know.

King Kowloon in a TV commercial

If you don't want to have any regret, YOU MUST GO!!!

King Kowloon in a TV commerical @ Outside The Pennisula

Exhibition Date and Time: 20 April - 31 May, 2011, 10am - 8pm*   (*No admission after 7:30pm. Exhibition closes at 5:30pm on 27 May) Venue: ArtisTree, 1/F Cornwall House, TaikKoo Place FREE ADMISSION Other activities: Student exhibition at the linbridge of Lincoln House, TaiKoo Place Free weekend guided tours Talk series in May (in Cantonese) Visit www.islandeast.com.hk for latest programme details.

Vocabulary:

magnificent -- (adj) very good, beautiful or deserving to be admired

twice -- (predeterminer, adv) two times

weep -- (vb) [I or T] literary to cry tears

regret -- (n) [C or U] a feeling of sadness about something sad or wrong or about a mistake that you have made, and a wish that it could have been different and better

lunatic -- (n) [C] offensive old-fashioned a person who is mentally ill

heritage -- (n) [U] features belonging to the culture of a particular society, such as traditions, languages or buildings, which still exist from the past and which have a historical importance

calligraphy -- (n)[U] (the art of producing) beautiful writing, often created with a special pen or brush

graffiti -- (n) plural noun [U] words or drawings, especially humorous, rude or political, on walls, doors, etc. in public places

influence -- (n) [C or U] the power to have an effect on people or things, or a person or thing that is able to do this

decease -- (n) [U] FORMAL  a person's death

once-in-a-lifetime -- from lifetime (n) [C usually singular] the period of time during which someone lives or something exists

Resources:

Island East Official Website
www.islandeast.com.hk


PNB Nation @ Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2266079739

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/magnificent
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/twice
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/weep_1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/regret_1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/lunatic_1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/heritage
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/calligraphy
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/graffiti
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/influence_1
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/decease
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/lifetime

Songs & Music: Hugh Laurie -- Let Them Talk the album

Image from livejournal

It's not MIDNIT --  Metabolic, Inflammation, Degenerative, Neoplastic, Infection and Trauma, not psychological, not environmental, not arsenic, not heavy-metal poisoning, but it may well be genetic, it's Dr. House's music! IT'S Huge Laurie Blues!!!!

In the show, we see Dr. House playing many musical instruments -- electric guitar, acoustic guitar, harmonica, piano, harmonica and piano at the same time, he is super talented!!!! Watch the video playlist below:

Many fans are in awe of his musical talent and want to get a hold of some music from him, I'm definitely a fan of Blues and Hugh, and now we have a chance!!!!

Hugh Laurie

Image from Hugh Laurie Blues

The Album is called Let Them Talk, and it will be on sale from the 7th May in the U.K. Not sure when it will arrive in Hong Kong, but you don't have to wait too long to hear it! It is officially on YouTube and can also be found in our English Playground YouTube Channel,

what's more, Hugh is very generous to share with everyone one of his best songs, Guess I'm a Fool, in MP3 format, 100% legal and free! (And the lyrics definitely fit my situation now)

You can download it from his official website: http://www.hughlaurieblues.com/free-downloads/guess-im-a-fool.htm

Can't wait to share my happiness with everyone and thank him on his website! Here's what I wrote

"Hugh, I'm a big fan of you since Blackadder, and you are incredible in House, hope there will be a season 8,9 and 10. You are the coolest! You have my greatest support! Can't wait for your CD. Best wishes from Hong Kong!"

One of my juniors said I sounded 'gay', I don't care! I'm a big fan! Who wouldn't be, with a gift like this?

Lyrics:

Hugh Laurie Guess I'm A Fool lyrics You told me you were leaving After all we've been through Guess I'm fool falling in love with you There ain't no use in crying Do what you have to do Guess I'm a fool falling in love with you. [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hugh_laurie/guess_im_a_fool.html ] [Chorus:] You told me that the kind of love we have Will last for a million years I believe everything you said You felt my heart with tears. So long pretty baby Go break some other heart in two Guess I'm a fool falling in love with you. [Chorus:] You told me that the kind of love we have Will last for a million years I believe everything you said You felt my heart with tears. So long pretty baby Go break some other heart in two Guess I'm a fool falling in love with you. Falling in love with you, Falling in love with you Falling, falling in love with you

Vocabulary:
infection -- (n)  [C or U] a disease in a part of your body that is caused by bacteria or a virus
arsenic -- (n)  [U] a very poisonous element, often used to kill rats and able to kill people
genetic -- (n) (adj) belonging or relating to genes (= parts of the DNA in cells) received by each animal or plant from its parents

Resources:
Surgical sieve @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surgical_sieve#Use_in_popular_culture

TV Drama: House with Medical Terms @ Locky's English Playground
http://lockyep.blogspot.com/2010/01/tv-drama-house-with-medical-terms.html

Hugh Laurie Blues Official Page
http://hughlaurieblues.com/home.htm?loc=

House playing piano @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtnn6yJqHqM

Legal Free Download @ Hugh Laurie Blues
http://www.hughlaurieblues.com/free-downloads/guess-im-a-fool.htm

Hugh Laurie Blues -- Let Them Talk @ Locky's English Playground YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=870388549C4FD04F

Hugh Laurie -- House MD Music @ Locky's English Playground YouTube Channel
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9EF2FF1A63054C15

Guess I'm a Fool lyrics @ Lyrics Mode
http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/h/hugh_laurie/guess_im_a_fool.html

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/infection
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/arsenic
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/genetic

Movie & Video: Disney's "Up" & Reality

My mistake for not recommending this movie earlier, because I thought I had. I guess it's a kind of late to recommend it now. But if you still haven't watched this movie, you should quickly get a DVD, because it is a movie filled with love, meanings in life and adventure.

And this is the part that makes me cry so much, every time I watch. And it also reminds me that if you really love someone, you shouldn't wait...... before she is gone too soon......

We should all treasure the ones we love.

Well, let's not make this too upsetting, here's the main video I really want to show you, for a little listening practice. Enjoy!

Keywords you should hear:
moment of pure movie magic
setting sail
held up only by party balloons
party-goers
close to impossible
safely with people on board
initial calculation
track to California's High Desert
volunteers
near freezing temperature
an entire tank of Helium
cluster balloon flight ever attempted
daylight approach
can actually get off the ground
hold one of these down is a workout
tension rose
would all these work be for nothing
pretty tired
pretty stressed
hope stayed afloat
house began to rise, and rise and rise
a little yellow house soaring
World record


Resources:
Up Move Trailer #3 @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/embed/pkqzFUhGPJg

Disney Pixar Up - Married Life - Carl & Ellie by Michael Giacchino - The cut from BluRay disc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GroDErHIM_0

Disney's "Up" house created in real life and flown for National Geographic show @ YouTube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rV6rNqin4P8&feature=player_embedded

High Dessert @ Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_Desert_(California)

Travelling and Living: The Hong Kong Museum of History

Entrance

Finally, I have the time to make a visit to the Hong Kong Museum of History to see The Hong Kong Story. I got to know this exhibition while watching a DigitalRev video (way below all the pictures) and then I told myself, I must go and see it myself.

You can go through a quick tour with me while looking at some of the photos I took.

First, because I went on a Sunday, so I have to buy a ticket, but it was only $10, cheaper than buying a bar of chocolate.

Board at the entrance

When you first enter the hall, you will see some displays, like the flip boards that shows both the journal front cover and the details on the flip side.

Flip boards

And you also get to pretend to be "the Desperados" for photo-taking.

Unfortunately, this Centennary China's Revolution does not allow any photo-taking, so you will have to see it for yourself. But there are many artefacts from Hubei Museum such as military badges, letters written during the revolutionary period, photographs of Empress Cixi, and many more, and I read the descriptions of almost every single one exhibit in details (though can't remember anything now), took me at least an hour.

Then the next big attraction is of course The Hong Kong Story, which starts 0.4 billion years ago.

Skeleton of a shell turtle creature

Moving to human time,

Slicing and dicing with stone tools

into the modern time Hong Kong, the Hai-Shang People living on junks (boats),

Realistic Pier Recreation

Bamboo sticks, for counting?

to the Punti (locals) living on land, who built ancestral halls, 

1:1 ancestral hall!!!!!

Inside the ancestral hall

to the common stone houses,

Stone houses of the Punti

to the Chinese opera theatre,

Bamboo Theatre with actor and actress, and audience

to local court,

local court or temple?

QUIET!!!

Then there are practices which are still on-going even till today, like the making and burning of the paper effigies of Guardian Gods,

Paper effigy of Guardian Gods

as well as the bun mountain of Cheung Chau,

bun mountain of Cheung Chau

Other then the rituals, there was another side of old Hong Kong,

Birth and Early Growth of the City

which includes the cash notes issued by HSBC,

HSBC 100 dollar note @ 1st September, 1930 

rice stores which sold rice, rock sugar, ham, vinegar and other groceries,

Rice Store

tea shops which sold all kinds of dry tea leaves,

Tea shop

tailor-shop which made qipao,

Tailor shop

pawn shop,

Pawn shop

Pawnbroker table

cake shop which sold various Cantonese cakes in jars,

Cake shop

Cakes in jars and boxes

Cantonese restaurants for Yum Cha,

Yum Cha restaurant

old transportation such as the old tram for comfy travels,

Old tram version, seems much bigger and more comfortable

herbal tea shops for chatting with friends,

Herbal tea shop

local mini-mart / store for all kinds of accessories which even includes ink, pencils, noodles and children's favourite games such as kites and hola-hoops,

Local store

barber shop for a Shanghai-style hair shave,

Barber shop

old toys,

Toys which I guess my parents used to play

and the old Gold & Stock exchange,

Gold and Stock Exchange, hand-written trades

Sino-British Joint Declaration

This part of the exhibition took me at least 2 to 3 hours. Was it worth it? You bet! It was an amazing experience! I have a feeling that I should take my grandma here and visit again just to remind her of the good old past. I highly recommend you come to visit the Hong Kong Museum of History as well!

Never knew that museums could have so much fun!!

Now, here's the video!

Vocabulary:

centenary -- (n) [C]  (US usually centennial) (the day or year that is) 100 years after an important event; the 100thanniversary

artefact -- (n) [C]  mainly UK (mainly US artifact) an object that is made by a person, such as a tool or a decoration, especially one that is of historical interest

empress -- (n) [C] a female ruler of an empire, or the wife of a male ruler of an empire

exhibit -- (n) [C] an object such as a painting that is shown to the public

ancestral hall -- (n)[C] A semi-religious hall. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancestral_hall

effigy -- (n) [C] a model or other object which represents someone, especially one of a hated person which is hung or burnt in a public place

pawnbroker -- (n) [C] a person who lends money in exchange for things which they can sell if the person leaving them does not pay an agreed amount of money in an agreed time

Yum Cha -- (vb)[I], (n) literally means "drink tea", but with dim sum of course. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yum_cha

Resources:

The Hong Kong Story @ Hong Kong Museum of History

http://www.lcsd.gov.hk/ce/Museum/History/en/ex_permanent.php

Canon EOS 600D (T3i) vs 60D: Which one is better? (plus bonus material) @ YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=na7h-K0DK60

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/centenary

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/artefact#artefact__3

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/empress

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/exhibit_2

Ancestral Hall @ Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancestral_hall

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/effigy

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/pawnbroker

Yum Cha @ Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yum_cha