Civility

"Civility costs nothing, andbuys everything."

Mary Wortley Montagu
1689 - 1762
English writer

NUSS Karaoke Competition: Final - 该不该

Wah piang! This song bring me bad luck hah!!! Even the song title is so misleading - 该不该 (means should and shouldn't). I think the judges, while listening to the song, must be thinking should they or shouldn't they kick me out of the competition...ha...ha...juz kidding!

Anyway, I didn't make it to the top 3 ... sob...sob... All the 3 guys were ousted. This year we have an all female showdown. Last year's champion got pushed to 3rd place this year, while this year's new champion was last year's runners up. And then there was this in-between 2nd place winner out of no where (though you wouldn't miss her - she is quite ... you know ... on the UPSIZE category).

Think again, somebody has to go home without the trophy sometimes. Not everyday is your winning day, even though you may have prepared for it. But I did learn a few lessons from my journey.

First, new friends. The Kent Ridge crowd is definitely a much friendlier group than the Suntec ones. Essentially, it's about meeting people and building friendship that counts.

Second, new methods & styles of singing karaoke. Singing in karaoke and singing karaoke in a competition is totally a different thing.

Third, I realised (again) that we learn more from our defeats than from our victories. It keeps me from being complacent and pushes me to higher grounds.

Lastly, I realised how significant friends' support are. The moral support I recieved from my friends boosted my morale, both on and off the stage. Thank you.

For me, the day after the defeat was the hardest. The effect sank in later. When you are alone, when you wake up and the surrounding is quiet (as compared to the noisy environment the night before), when nobody is there to congratulate or console you - that moment makes or breaks a man.

Who are you when no one is around? Who are you when no one is watching? Who are you when you are all alone out there? How we handle crisis, defeats and disappointment - that will define the man and his real character.

Anyway, I don't think I have chosen the wrong song. I chose this song because it speaks of the desire to be authentic, to be real, to be able to look into the mirror and find a true being, without covering or pretence. This is the song. And here it is:


曲名：该不该
歌手：张学友

谁羡幕我的世界
谁忌妒你的一切
其实我们
都无所谓
爱的人都在身边
这就是我的永远

另一个我
离你很远
这感觉
我都胆怯
当苦与乐
各自体会
各有各的每一天
只能轻描淡写
我的累

该不该
告诉你我不是不爱
该不该
心靠著心才能明白
我的爱
渴望填满
如果你能打开

我已经习惯
在最深的孤单
才能看清楚
所有自己的纠缠
不能分享
是因为我也说不上来
不是故意隐瞒
也从不想过离开

Looking forard to next year's NUSS Karaoke Competition 2008!