the words that maketh murder

Great PJ Harvey! She finally did it – she reached the top! Don’t know how long for (JJ Lin is still strong, Within Temptation and Lady Gaga too; hey! Badly Drawn Boy wants it as well!) – but the fact is that she has scored her first number 1 hit on this chart! The lyrics are… somewhat shocking…

I’ve seen and done things I want to forget
I’ve seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat
Blown and shot out beyond belief
Arms and legs were in the trees

I’ve seen and done things I want to forget
coming from an unearthly place
Longing to see a woman’s face
Instead of the words that gather pace
The words that maketh murder

These, these, these are the words –
The words that maketh murder
These, these, these are the words –
Murder…

[PJ Harvey, The Words That Maketh Murder, Let England Shake]

Hitlist #521
February 28th, 2011

1. 3 (6) PJ HARVEY, The Words That Maketh Murder
2. 1 (4) 林俊杰 (JJ LIN), I Am
3. 2 (4) WITHIN TEMPTATION, Faster
4. 14 (3) LADY GAGA, Born This Way
5. 11 (3) BADLY DRAWN BOY, I Saw You Walk Away
6. 5 (8) SEAL, Weight Of My Mistakes
7. 4 (6) 潘玮柏 (WILL PAN), 全面通缉 (Quan Mian Tongji)
8. 6 (5) R.E.M., Überlin
9. 9 (8) DURAN DURAN, All You Need Is Now
10. 10 (2) TAKE THAT, Kidz
11. 8 (11) SCISSOR SISTERS, Invisible Light
12. 12 (5) BEADY EYE, The Roller
13. 7 (11) JÓNSI, New Piano Song
14. – (1) RADIOHEAD, Lotus Flower
15. 16 (19) 周杰伦 (JAY CHOU), 跨时代 (Kua Shidai)
16. 15 (7) JAMIROQUAI, Lifeline
17. 13 (7) MARTIN SOLVEIG FEAT. DRAGONETTE, Hello
18. 20 (2) MAROON 5, Never Gonna Leave This Bed
19. – (1) THE VACCINES, Post Break-Up Sex
20. – (1) R.E.M., Oh My Heart

classical music

• orchestra, conductor, baton
• staff, cleff, notes – this is how you can write down the music
• choir – when many people sing
• instruments – piano, violin, cello, clarinet, flute…

Where do you listen to classical music?

• music hall
• cafe
• opera
• park – with a musical fountain…

How does a classical music make you feel? Relaxed? Comfortable?

Composers vs. musicians… They are those who compose music and those who play it.

Famous classical composers:

• Chopin – nocturnes, mazurkas, polonaise…
• Beethoven – “Fur Elise”
• Mozart
• Vivaldi – “The Four Seasons”
• Tchaikovsky – “Swan Lake”
• Strauss – “Vienna Waltz”
• Mendelssohn – “Wedding March”

spring has come

It seems that spring has finally come! Today is nice, warm and sunny. I went swimming with Cindy and Maria (my colleagues) but after I had finished, I didn’t want to go back home immediately. I rode my bike to West Lake – I visited my favourite part and I took many photos. In the meantime my student (and also friend) Damon joined me. With a cup of coffee in my hand we were walking, talking and enjoying this charming weather.

strong

Hitlist #520
February 21st, 2011

1. 1 (3) 林俊杰 (JJ LIN), I Am
2. 6 (3) WITHIN TEMPTATION, Faster
3. 5 (5) PJ HARVEY, The Words That Maketh Murder
4. 7 (5) 潘玮柏 (WILL PAN), 全面通缉 (Quan Mian Tongji)
5. 2 (7) SEAL, Weight Of My Mistakes
6. 3 (4) R.E.M., Überlin
7. 9 (10) JÓNSI, New Piano Song
8. 4 (10) SCISSOR SISTERS, Invisible Light
9. 8 (7) DURAN DURAN, All You Need Is Now
10. – (1) TAKE THAT, Kidz
11. 17 (2) BADLY DRAWN BOY, I Saw You Walk Away
12. 15 (4) BEADY EYE, The Roller
13. 11 (6) MARTIN SOLVEIG FEAT. DRAGONETTE, Hello
14. 19 (2) LADY GAGA, Born This Way
15. 10 (6) JAMIROQUAI, Lifeline
16. 13 (18) 周杰伦 (JAY CHOU), 跨时代 (Kua Shidai)
17. 12 (11) ELLIE GOULDING, Your Song
18. 14 (8) JAMES BLUNT, So Far Gone
19. 16 (5) HOPE FEAT. JASON MRAZ, Love Love Love
20. – (1) MAROON 5, Never Gonna Leave This Bed

I am

“It’s when I’m weak that I am strong

我脆弱 却不退缩"

 

Hitlist #519
February 14th, 2011

1. 9 (2) 林俊杰 (JJ LIN), I Am
2. 2 (6) SEAL, Weight Of My Mistakes
3. 4 (3) R.E.M., Überlin
4. 1 (9) SCISSOR SISTERS, Invisible Light
5. 3 (4) PJ HARVEY, The Words That Maketh Murder
6. 12 (2) WITHIN TEMPTATION, Faster
7. 6 (4) 潘玮柏 (WILL PAN), 全面通缉 (Quan Mian Tongji)
8. 8 (6) DURAN DURAN, All You Need Is Now
9. 5 (9) JÓNSI, New Piano Song
10. 11 (5) JAMIROQUAI, Lifeline
11. 13 (5) MARTIN SOLVEIG FEAT. DRAGONETTE, Hello
12. 7 (10) ELLIE GOULDING, Your Song
13. 10 (17) 周杰伦 (JAY CHOU), 跨时代 (Kua Shidai)
14. 17 (7) JAMES BLUNT, So Far Gone
15. 15 (3) BEADY EYE, The Roller
16. 14 (4) HOPE FEAT. JASON MRAZ, Love Love Love
17. – (1) BADLY DRAWN BOY, I Saw You Walk Away
18. 16 (12) 浪花兄弟 (THE DRIFTERS), 说好的幸福呢 (Shuo Hao De Xingfu Ne)
19. – (1) LADY GAGA, Born This Way
20. 18 (8) DUCK SAUCE, Barbra Streisand

艺术

– 你觉得这幅画怎么样？

– 一般吧。说实话，我不是很喜欢现代艺术。

– 为什么啊？

– 因为它太抽象了， 我实在看不出画家到底想要表现什么。

– 那你喜欢哪种画呢？

– 我还是喜欢中国传统的水墨画，意境优美雅致。

***

说实话 – to be honest; frankly speaking

现代 – modern

艺术 – art

抽象 – abstract

实在 – honest, really

到底 -after all, at last

表现 – show, perform

传统的 -traditional, conservative

意境 – artistic conception

优美 – elegant

雅致 – elegant, artistic

美容院

– 我要去美容院。你要去吗？
– 当然。走吧。你打算做什么？
– 我想做个足底按摩，再理个发。
– 足底按摩听上去不错。 我们也许可以试一试泰式按摩。
– 泰式按摩有什么特别的吗？
– 按模师不是用手，而是用脚给你按摩。
– 听上去好像很痛！

devotion

When I was in Putuo, I took over 200 photos! There were so many interesting views worth remembering. I enjoyed the temples the most – although I’ve been in China for almost 5 years, I had never seen that many religiously devoted people! They were kneeling down, burning incense, praying, worshiping, asking Buddha for good luck and happiness. But I don’t think those people are religious throughout the whole year, I guess it’s only in the beginning of the lunar year. Have I asked for a prosperity for myself? No, I am not a buddhist, I am just a spectator… Although watching those praying people made me think about my own beliefs. What are they? What has left from my christian background? … I haven’t been to the church for many years, I stopped after having numerous doubts and feeling left out. Or should I say: I decided to go my own way. 

Good trip to Putuo Mountain. Next trip? Time to start preparations!

sexual gladiators

Last week it seemed like PJ Harvey wouldn’t have any problems to reach the top. But this week Seal turned out to be stronger… but still not as strong as Scissor Sisters – the sexual gladiators! 3rd time on the top!

Hitlist #518
February 7th, 2011

1. 1 (8) SCISSOR SISTERS, Invisible Light
2. 3 (5) SEAL, Weight Of My Mistakes
3. 2 (3) PJ HARVEY, The Words That Maketh Murder
4. 15 (2) R.E.M., Überlin
5. 6 (8) JÓNSI, New Piano Song
6. 7 (3) 潘玮柏 (WILL PAN), 全面通缉 (Quan Mian Tongji)
7. 5 (9) ELLIE GOULDING, Your Song
8. 4 (5) DURAN DURAN, All You Need Is Now
9. – (1) 林俊杰 (JJ LIN), I Am
10. 8 (16) 周杰伦 (JAY CHOU), 跨时代 (Kua Shidai)
11. 11 (4) JAMIROQUAI, Lifeline
12. – (1) WITHIN TEMPTATION, Faster
13. 10 (4) MARTIN SOLVEIG FEAT. DRAGONETTE, Hello
14. 17 (3) HOPE FEAT. JASON MRAZ, Love Love Love
15. 18 (2) BEADY EYE, The Roller
16. 12 (11) 浪花兄弟 (THE DRIFTERS), 说好的幸福呢 (Shuo Hao De Xingfu Ne)
17. 9 (6) JAMES BLUNT, So Far Gone
18. 14 (7) DUCK SAUCE, Barbra Streisand
19. 13 (17) JAMIROQUAI, Blue Skies
20. 16 (10) 林俊杰 (JJ LIN), 她说 (Ta Shuo)

普陀山

I’m spending my Spring Festival holiday in the city of Zhoushan (舟山), in the east of Zhejiang Province. Here is Putuo Mountain (普陀山) with many buddhist temples and great views. Very interesting place and a wonderful weather! These are the reasons why so many people decided to come here too… But I don’t regret coming here at all – it’s always good to change the environment from time to time.