Yesterday and Today

Original Lyrics:
http://www.utamap.com/showkasi.php?surl=H00015

Video Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NR7SUCGfpQ

Object a (対象a / Taishou a) by anNina
Music by inazawa, Lyrics by interface, & Translation by me…

Sprinkle some soils on your flesh,
even if it is forbidden.
The pleasure behind those pure eyes,
has the temptation that cannot be concealed.

Why is there sin?
Why is there punishment?

The tip of the bone is too bright,
and it lures the endless darkness.
Everything looks so vivid,
and disappears at once.

Put a lock on your memories,
even if it is broken.
At the bottom of this mad love,
has the impulse that cannot be suppressed.

While collecting the pieces,
I await the end of this dream.

Maybe I’m sinned is because I’ve given up.
Maybe I’m punished is because I’ve asked for too much.
Everything is left alone,
and runs around, in a circle.

Maybe I can smile when the morning comes,
and smile as if nothing ever happens.
And I wish, I wish
that I do not lose anything.

Original Lyrics:
http://www.uta-net.com/user/phplib/view_2.php?ID=61262

Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mpy4qP7eMKI&feature=related

The Rolling Rock, Morning Descends Upon You (転がる岩、君に朝が降る)
song and lyrics written by Gotoh Masafumi (後藤正文)
translation by me… 

If possible, I would like to repaint this world.
It is nothing heroic like getting rid of war,
or maybe I’ve thought about it for a second.
I cannot become an actor or a movie star, but
before that I cannot even pretend to smile in front of you.
It is helpless for me.
Ah…Ah…

What went wrong?
I cannot even figure that out.
Rolling Rolling
Even though I do not have a heart, I can feel the pain.
From now on, we probably will,
Rolling Rolling with our hearts (or minds) twist together,
and begin to sprint through this frozen ground as if we are falling.

I feel sad with no reason,
and it gets more hopeless because I shed no tears,
so I start to sing in order to give this night some warmth.
The rock keeps on rolling as if,
it is taking us somewhere.
Cracking open hard ground and let life sprout through.
After crossing over that hill,
comes the sparkling morning that,
exposes and lightens all of your solitude.
Take you on a ride in a small red car.
Make a turn on a distant corner,
then disappear into the horizon.

What is missing?
I cannot even figure that out.
Rolling Rolling
Even though I do not have a heart, I can feel the pain.
From now on, we probably will,
Rolling Rolling with our hearts (or minds) twist together,
and begin to sprint through this frozen ground as if we are falling.

Original Lyrics:
http://www.uta-net.com/user/phplib/view_0.php?ID=12586

Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9Ry_qbTKK8

This song is one of my favorite, and is where I got the name of this blog.

Yesterday & Today
song and lyrics written by D.A.I
translation by me… 

Dear friends, so long.
I’ll never forget.
In those recurring encounters are,
these tiny wounds.
We embrace them with our hands, while
wander pointlessly.
Those gaze through this endless world,
the travelers.

It’s so precious when you have good wishes
Open eyes and see inside of your heart
It’s so precious when you have good wishes
Open eyes and see inside of your heart

The sound of bell called “Solitude”
induces words of prayer.
The reality that became yesterday and
the lively and gentle tomorrow will
pardon your everything, so
you can without any doubt
move foward.

It’s so precious when you have good wishes
Open eyes and see inside of your heart
It’s so precious when you have good wishes
Open eyes and see inside of your heart

Wandering eternally,
while walking towards the light,
the travelers.

Oh, my dear friends, even if you have no energy
Let’s sprint through such time.
Oh, my love, until one day we will
let eternity to bloom in this city.
Then someday I will,
sing this song again, or maybe return to my journey.

la la la la

Original Lyrics:
http://www.uta-net.com/user/phplib/view_0.php?ID=35725

Music Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teYcWqRAPs4

This song is easy to understand if you played Tales of the Abyss.
The lyrics is all about the connection between Ash and Luke

Karma (カルマ)
song and lyrics written by Motoo Fujiwara (藤原基央)
translation by me… 

A glass ball was dropped, another dropped as I chased it.
In one spot of sunshine, only one left.

When our hearts start to beat, we reluctantly keep territories.
And continue to protect them from being taken away.

My hands look tainted even though I kept them clean.
And before I question my memories, my memories question me.

We will definitely meet, with the same vibration as our sign.
I’m here, and will always call out for you.
When we both fell for the same reason,
we’ll understand the meaning of our existence.

As long as we exist, we have no choice but to take up spaces.
In one spot of sunshine, it’s a bit crowded for two.

A glass ball was dropped. When it fell, something broke out.
And we bathed in sunshine while we fought for it.

We realized those steps we counted, mean nothing but merely numbers.
The thing we must understand, is somewhere between 1 and 0.

We will meet for the first time, with the same cry as our sign.
Please don’t forget, I will always call out for you.
When we are both burried for the same reason,
promise will be made.

We are one another’s mirror that
reflects our karma.
While our tainted hands touch each other,
and feel their silhouette.

You are here, because I can feel you.
In one spot of sunshine, we share spaces.

Please do not forget, I will always call out for you from inside of the glass ball.
Yes, we will finally meet, when the cross is built above the reasons.
Our promise will be complete,
and we will become one.

I’ve heard good reviews about this movie since last year but was too busy to go to the theatere until recently. When I finally saw this movie, I was disappointed. The good can be read from the reviews, so I’m just going to talk about what I did not like about this movie:
First of all, since it was directed by Tim Burton so I thought I could see a blend of tragedy and dark comedy, instead the movie was plain and dull.
Second, there was too much gore and too much blood but too few explanation on why Todd turns into a merciless serial killer. I understand that he’s angry, I understand that he sees London as filled with vermins, and I understand that he wants to let the rich help the poor (by stuffing pies with their flesh,) but these do not justify him killing random people. In the end, I see Todd as a mad killer who has the thirst for blood instead of someone who seeks vengence with a good reason.

 
Original Lyrics in Japanese
http://www.uta-net.com/user/phplib/view_0.php?ID=16259
Music Video (original version):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=depyHen_xBY
Music Video (acoustic version):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt4rT8ZBujo

Glass Blues (ガラスのブルース)
song and lyrics written by Motoo Fujiwara (藤原基央)
translation by me…

The cat with a glass eye sings, loud and proud.
The cat with a glass eye sings, while wind brushes his beard, proudly he sings.

If my voice withered, I’ll go to the river and lick my own reflection in the water.
If today’s meal is better than yesterday’s,
I’ll say “Today is a great day” and look up into the sky with a smile.

Ah…I’ll always sing as hard as possible.
Ah…I’ll always live as hard as I can.

The cat with a glass eye sings, while starved, proudly he sings.
The cat with a glass eye sings, as proof of life, proudly he sings.
The cat with a glass eye shouts, life is short, proudly he shouts.
The cat with a glass eye shouts, now is important, proudly he shouts.

There is a meaning to life, therefore, I cannot waste one second.
Even if storm comes, or rain falls,
I will always, with full strength, look up into the sky with a smile.

Ah…someday I’ll become one of the stars that twinkles in the sky.
Ah…until that day, I’ll keep on singing.

If my voice withered, I’ll go to the river and lick my own reflection in the water.
There is a meaning to life, therefore, I cannot waste one second.
Therefore, I’ll sing. I will alway sing. I will always sing. I’ll shout about “NOW”.

The cat with a glass eye becomes a star in the sky, and his loud voice has stopped.
The cat burned the last fragement of his life, and his favorite blues will never be heard again.

But your blues is inscribed inside of everyone’s heart.
From now on, if there’s anything terrible, everyone will start to sing,
while remembering the cat with a glass eye.
and look up into the sky and sings the glass blues.

Ah…I always sing as hard as possible.
Ah…I always live as hard as I can.
Ah…if there’s a great shadow in front.
Ah…I always sing as hard as possible.

Three things you need to bring:
1. Chair
2. Oxygen Mask
3. Empty Bottle

Since you need to be there at least around 5p.m. (maybe earlier nowadays?) in order to get a good view of the crystal ball, it is better to get a chair so your legs will survive the long wait.
Unless you are 6 foot 10, you will probably have hard time breathing because of the crowd. In order to stay alive, it is wise to bring a oxygen max.
And you lose your spot if you run to the restroom, so you definitely need an empty bottle to…

I’ve been to the countdown twice, and had awful times there. I did get okay spots (can see the crystal ball, but cannot see performances.) It was so crowded that it felt like subway during rush hour except it was not underground. Fight broke out several times because people were pushing and pulling, but amazingly when everyone started screaming 321 happy new year, people immediately forgot about what happened in the previous year. It’s got to be the New Year’s miracle…

My friends from west coast (and anywhere tropical) always say to me, “So you live in New York, it must be beautiful during the winter with all that snow.”

 …apparently, these people have no idea what it looks like when the city is covered in snow.
When the city is snowing, it is “probably” beautiful, and “occasionally” romantic, but when the snow stops, it gets ugly. Imagine things (dirts, dog crap, dog urine, trash, and everything dirty) you see on sidewalks all the time, but 10 times worse because these things stands out 10 times better with snow on the background. It is like a pure white canvas covered with feces, dirt, and urine. After few days, the snow absorbs the waste gas from cars and turn into dark chunks of snow bricks like something you would find in a coal mine. There is nothing pretty about it.

Out of boredom really.
I really don’t want to spend my holiday doing anything that is serious, so I translated this song by Onitsuka Chihiro.
Althought I’m not really a fan of her music, but two of her songs, this one and Gekko (Moonlight) are on my top ten favorite song list. Anyway, happy thanksgiving…

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This is the music video (YouTube)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZY3NdVrGEk&feature=related

This is where I got the lyrics (Japanese)
http://www.uta-net.com/user/phplib/view_7.php?ID=15153

流星群 (RyuuSeiGun) by 鬼束ちひろ (Onitsuka Chihiro) 

Nights that cannot be described in words, you tell them well
like illusions of lukewarm ivy that twines around me

Give me a heart, your handmade is fine
and if there is a place for me to cry, I will be fine even without stars in sight

Your voices calling out for me always turns into nothing but sadness
such sorrow proves nothing but my ugliness, even though I need it

If I cannot be touched by you, then it is like I do not exist

Even days of vagueness, can push me toward loneliness
when they do fade away, I’m left with almost nothing to wish for

Praise these feelings, even with faint vibrations
in front of my eyes, they overflow with resonances

Miracle comes in an instant, only when I abandon my body
it makes me so powerless, yet allow me remember so much - even though I need it

If I cannot touch you, then it is like I do not exist

Although I stop counting the uncountable meanings,
I still don’t know what “beauty” is, in here, even now

Your voices calling out for me always turns into nothing but sadness
such sorrow proves nothing but my ugliness, even though I need it

If I cannot be touched by you, then it is like I do not exist

It’s ok to be hypocrites…
I’m not trying to to be sarcastic about it.

    Couple days ago, in a quite serious discussion, someone in the crowd bursted out his negative opinions about gay people, and the rest of us all looked at him with the “you intolerant bastard!” look on our face. The discussion eventually ended badly (because of that obviously), but it got me thinking.
    Even though I always try to be open about it and say that I’m cool with gay people, I still have a part of me telling me not to accept it. The so-called “traditional” part of me that I got from my parents, my community, and my educations. Oh, lets deviate and go off track a bit: I was shocked when I watched the movie Alexander, because my 9th grade history book did not say anything about Alexander the Great being gay. If my 9th grade history teacher wasn’t homophobic and at least mention about it, I would not be so shocked about it. (by the way, that movie suckes)
    Anyway, go back to the topic. Under “normal” (<–although politically incorrect, I cannot find a better word) circumstances, I do not find myself as tolerant as I claim to be, or rather I really don’t care about it. So why do I, and most(I hope I’m not alone in this one) people pretend to care - because we do not want to be on the other side. We do not want to be labeled (sounds familiar?) 
    I believe everyone is entitled to their opinions. As a result, it is ok to be anti-gay or anti-whatever the hell you want. As long as these people do not go out and commit hate crime, they have their rights to say what they want and believe what they want to believe, just like the guy I mentioned in the beginning. Sadly, this is not how the society is set up to be nowadays. For instance, there are “anti-gay” people and “anti-anti-gay” people. There are no “pro-life” people, only anti-abortion people, because if they really are “pro-life”, they would not go around and assassinate abortion doctors (though I’m not suggesting everyone is like that, I’m just trying to make a point…)  
    As the society is being set up today, we are forced to pick a side, and whoever pick the “other side” will be labeled as “intolerant” or “homophobic”, and people who don’t care (like me) will also be labled as “ignorant.” In order to avoid being labeled, we pick the “good” sides, although there really is no such thing as good or bad. The good and bad we know of is always decided by the majority, and the good here may be bad on the other side of the globe. In the end, we all rush into conclusion and support something we really cannot connect, or something we really don’t know that well, just so that we do not get left alone with the so-called “bad” guys. In the end, we are without-doubt hypocrites (or at least I think I am.)