“The Weight of an Empty Page”, by Regina De Rozario

Came across these beautiful words written by Regina aka Wrkshy. Asked on a whim if I could use them as lyrics for a song (to be composed). She said yes. And might even use it in a presentation if it’s any good.

You’re on, Regina!

The weight of an empty page
An empty page is a train track at the start of the day, waiting for lines to arrive, roll up and take off.

It is the sullen storm that grounds all flight, forcing me to retreat behind safe, closed doors.

It is the familiar cotton blanket my mother pulls up to my chin before she turns out the light.

It is the corridor that passes me everyday, undecorated, except for cracks that need to be concealed.

It is the lone, fluorescent window that greets me as I stumble home at 4am.

It is a bare hospital bed, just there.

It is the crisp linen I shroud my mother in, before our last goodnight.

It is a bleached wasteland, where the ashes of distant failures wait to be unearthed and replaced with new disappointments.

It is an undiscovered world that calls out to me to be claimed. A foreign landscape, gleefully stumbled upon where fences do not yet exist.

Every silent page bound together, face to face, tells me when there is nothing, there is something still. Without even a mark, these pages carry weight.

Without a word, these layers of blankness are what I reach for in the emptiest of hours; they weave the blanket I pull over myself on the hollowest of days.

Link

UPDATE: Song is here!

My 2007 Discography

[Originally published at RamblingLibrarian]

Published a total of 21 songs for 2007.

Five of the songs were composed because of the Songcraft Songwriting Circle (including adaptations of original compositions by some of the Songcrafters). I’m usually inspired to compose something after each meetup.

Nine of them for the collaborative music album with Adrian.

It all started with this song (thanks dude, ‘cos I really enjoyed putting the album together).

And we’ve decided to seal the partnership by giving ourselves a band name.

Enjoy the songs!

Ivan Chew’s 2007 Discography :: Incidental Tunes of a Rambling Singaporean

1. Walking On Air (Music Video Version) | Download
2. We Stand Unbroken (2007) | Download
3. Sea Biscuit Redux - Tears Came To My Eye (2007) | Download
4. Home Again (2007) | Download
5. Happiness Is (2007) | Download
6. Seashore Days (Music Mash-up) | Download
7. At My Window (cover version) | Download
8. At My Window (Rock cover version) | Download
9. Once Upon A Star | Download
10. Love On A Train | Download
11. Midnight Runner | Download
12. Birthday Song - Library@Orchard | Download
13. 真正的爱情 (True Love) | Download

SEASTARS 2007 :: The Album | Download the entire album here

1. Seashore Days
2. Once Upon A Star 1.3
3. Flowing With The Waves 1.6
4. Into The Deep 1.2
5. Sea Anemone 2.1
6. Stargazer 1.4
7. Starfish 1.2
8. Dolphins Galaxia 1.1
9. Seabreeze 1.4

This work by Ivan Chew is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. For permissions beyond the scope of this license , please contact via RamblingLibrarian@gmail.com.

RamblingLibrarian’s Podcasts:

[Related: 2006 Discography]

Reinstating a missing Bluetooth device (Mac OS X)

For some reason, my Bluetooth device disappeared from my Macbook Pro. When I clicked on the Bluetooth status and/ or went to check via Systems Preference - Network, it said my Bluetooth device was not installed.

Which was strange because it was working fine just before I shutdown the Mac.

I searched the Apple Support forums. There were a few similar problems reported and most solutions required a reboot. Specifically, I did this and it worked:

Resetting PRAM and NVRAM

1. Locate these keys: Command-Option-P-R keys. You’ll need to press them once you restart your Mac.
2. Shut down the computer, and then turn it back on.
3. Quickly press and hold the Command-Option-P-R keys before the gray screen appears.
4. Continue holding until you hear the startup sound for the second time.
5. Then release the keys.

Source: docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=2238

Podcast: Birthday Song - Library@Orchard

This was first posted on 18 Oct 2007:

[Listen/ download at Archive.org]

Details here.

This work by Ivan Chew is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 License. For permissions beyond the scope of this license , please contact via RamblingLibrarian@gmail.com.

RamblingLibrarian’s Podcasts:

My contributions to the Ten/TwentyFour project - 2007

Last year, Wrkshy invited me to contribute to the 10/24 project. I’m not a photography buff. But the idea was quite intriguing — to capture the happenings in your life over 24 hours (no more than 10 images to be submitted) starting on 24 October at 10pm, till 24 hours after.

I wasn’t sure if they’d be picked (that’s not the point for me). So I was delighted when I visited the site and found one of my submission featured in the Gallery.

I submitted only 10 images (as specified by the organisers). Here are the 12 images taken (excepted for being resized, they have not been cropped or edited in anyway):

Snapped a shot of my Mac, at around 10pm on 24 Oct 2007.

Then wondered what it would look like to take a shot of myself, taking a shot (image was captured with my Macbook Pro’s PhotoBooth).

This image reminded me that I was recovering from a cold that week, heh.

One of my wife’s teapot. I think I used it that day.

Next day, I saw this scene on my way to a meeting at the National Library.

Took a slight detour and took this shot.

Checking my schedule (something I do everyday, I realised!)

After my meeting at the National Library, I took a taxi back to my office.

Another typical scene at work. As I took this shot, I realised how I practically faced the computer daily. It was almost like facing a religious altar, so I titled this “Digital Work Alter”:

Was feeling hungry that day…

It didn’t spoil my appetite for dinner.

Finally, I took a shot from my dog’s perspective.

I’d forgotten about the pictures I took, until WrkShy sent an update that the project website is at 1024.perceptionthree.net. They received over 570 images from some 50 photographers in 17 countries.

Wow. They must know a lot of people!