So Close          -----by Jon McLaughlin

             You're in my arms
             And all the world is calm
             The music playing on for only two
             So close together
             And when I’m with you
             So close to feeling alive

             A life goes by
             Romantic dreams will stop
             So I bid mine goodbye and never knew
             So close was waiting
             Waiting here with you
             And now forever I know
             All that I wanted to hold you  So close 

             So close to reaching that famous happy end

             Almost believing this was not pretend

             And now you're beside me and look how far we've come

             So far we are so close 

             How could I face the faceless days

             If I should lose you now?

             We're so close

             To reaching that famouse happy end

             And almost believing this was not pretend

             Let's go on dreaming for we know we are

             So close

             So close

             And still so far

I'd move to Rockferry, Tomorrow
And I'd build my house, baby
With sorrow

I'd leave my shadow,
To fall behind
And I wouldn't write to you
'cos I'm not that kind

The midnight trains are boarding
All wrap up is
I pick my load and I fill my truck
before it’s too late

I leave the stars to judge
my every move
I'm not going to think of you, oh
I'd get the blues

There’s no sleep on the journey
away from town
A bag of songs and a heavy heart
won't make me down

I'll give it all my strength and my mind
I'll make this decision with or without 

Though there is some evidence that nicotine plays some roles in improving awareness, research aslo supports the memory-boosting effects of a less dangerous vice:caffeine. About five cups of coffee a day protects against cognitive impairment from both Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. (Remember,if you experience side effects like migraines, abormal heartbeats,anxiety, or acid reflux, the benifits may not be worth the side effects.) By keeping you alert, caffeine will also help you assimilate knowledge and deposit it in your memory bank efficiently, improving the chance that you'll recall it correctly.

We're no strangers to love
You know the rules and so do I
A full commitment's what I'm thinking of
You wouldn't get this from any other guy

I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling
Gotta make you understand

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

We've known each other for so long
Your heart's been aching, but
You're too shy to say it
Inside we both know what's been going on
We know the game and we're gonna play it

And if you ask me how I'm feeling
Don't tell me you're too blind to see

Never gonna give you up
Never gonna let you down
Never gonna run around and desert you
Never gonna make you cry
Never gonna say goodbye
Never gonna tell a lie and hurt you

 Shakespeare's Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, Act III, scene I

To be or not to be, that is the question;
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep;
No more; and by a sleep to say we end
The heart-ache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to — 'tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wish'd. To die, to sleep;
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause. There's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life,
For who would bear the whips and scorns of time,
Th'oppressor's wrong, the proud man's contumely,
The pangs of despised love, the law's delay,
The insolence of office, and the spurns
That patient merit of th'unworthy takes,
When he himself might his quietus make
With a bare bodkin? who would fardels bear,
To grunt and sweat under a weary life,
But that the dread of something after death,
The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will,
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?
Thus conscience does make cowards of us all,
And thus the native hue of resolution
Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought,
And enterprises of great pitch and moment
With this regard their currents turn awry,
And lose the name of action.

Often people ask the question, what is the meaning of life? Instead, I am sitting here wondering, what is the meaning of badminton? or more importantly, what is the meaning of badminton to me?

Every Monday and Wedenesday evening is a great time to think deeper than we normally do, there is no stress from having to go to work the next day, the brain is full of energy from all the badminton excitement in the evening. But as the evening quiets down, all neighbors are asleep, it is the best time to ponder about the deeper side of life.

Most of us are pure badminton addicts in the club, we visit the gym 2+ times a week to satisfy our addiction. Even when we are off, the true addicts will be thinking about badminton moves and simulating games in their head during sleepy hours and at work. Face it, there are many of us who live and breathe badminton.

While we are engrossed in such a great activity, I think we need to routinely ask ourselves, what really does badminton mean to us. Is it just a pass time? an exercise? a social gathering? A way to meet girls? Or just an addiction that probably requires therapy to shake off?

So here is the list I came up with for me:

Exercise: sure, I don’t think anybody can deny that badminton is great exercise. I was telling on of my more senior colleague about a recent illness that I have. What he told me really made sense. he says there is a certain transition period in life where problems here and there will start to creep up. Like a 2-3 years old car, problem will start to come up. Staying fit and doing exercise will certain help staying healthy.

Social: I get to meet a lot of people and made a lot of friends from playing badminton. It just happens that almost everybody who plays badminton are nice friendly people.

 

Brain exercise: badminton isn’t just a exercise of the muscles, but also the brain. A game of badminton is like a game of chess, I have to make the right moves to come out ahead of my opponents. Having to sit in the office all day, doing a different brain exercise is quite refreshing.

Passion: live and breathe badminton, passion is what fuels me in badminton.

Addiction: like passion, I am also addicted. This is not a recent phenomenon. If you had known me when I was 15, and then you see me again now, you will not be surprised that I am still playing badminton. The addiction has been there since I first picked up my racket.

Even so, after listed the above, I find that neither individually nor as a whole do they really define the essence or the meaning of badminton to me. I was left more puzzled than I was in the beginning.

Then I realize, perhaps there really isn’t any need to know the meaning of badminton, as it is so ingrained inside, it is akin to a personality. So I still cannot answer the original question, what is the meaning of badminton to me. But from trying to answer the question, I realized the following: Badminton, that’s the way I am.

 [copied and edited from internet]

Reading Onno's insula's theory, the train seemed to go faster. I got off alone at the houten station. The small bridge still there,  which Paul and I passed last year to his house and had a good dinner with his family. Onno's theory says that emotions are bodily phenomena, triggered by selectors from perception. The amygdaloid nucleus does most of the selecting from perception, while the hippocampus plays a major role in reawakening all these explicit memories. I am fine. But am I really fine? Maybe only because the hippocampus like to say that. Catholic ceremony last two hours, I cried twice, one when I saw the coffin recalling me Paul's image; one when I saw his poor wife crying... the life has to go on, just cherish the present day!!!

去年今日夏意浓，

树竞翠绿花竞红。

异国风景依旧在，

亲朋好友各西东。

睢素丽，律师，研究人类伦理学，来荷读博二年。有幸结交，尊我为大哥，引为吾弟。生日在际，作诗为贺。

 

哲人思虑独迥异，

追风逐云任我意。

暂离家小求功名，

几许乡愁寄心底。

贺寿欢歌杯觥里，

睢睢盱盱共悲喜。

素性豪爽兼柔肠，

丽人高唱刀郎曲。