Even though I have worked like a mad dog from Mars this past year (and the years before), I still feel that I have been somewhat lazy and have done next to nothing. I guess that comes from an upbringing when, as a child, my brother and I were always kept busy doing or learning something: school, homework, music conservatory, daily practice of the musical instrument, being a boyscout... Work vs. play.

It took me a lifetime to be kinder to myself and live my life in my own pace, but obviously, I'm my worst 'parent' as, in the background, the impression that I do nothing worthwhile is still looming...

Anyway, I was lying in my bed this morning, observing birds (warblers?) gayly hopping from one branch to another and drinking the water from the leaves.

And I thought: "How wonderful is it to be a tree. Whatever it is, whatever shape it has, it still have a full life of its own. Every leaf matters, birds need it, bees need, we need it."

I have been listening and compiling all the music I have written for Be Water. Between the music that is featured in the film and the music that has been rejected (we will call it 'music inspired by'), it is quite a cool soundtrack that I have now. Add this to what Goh Nakamura composed and I say yay!

A friendly welcome

(No) Holiday - Celebrate (what?)

I think I can officially say that ... I can now have a well deserved break from work. Two months. I don't know when was the last I actually had a real holiday - or went on holiday. A decade ago perhaps... But after three intense years, seven long feature films, two albums, two art installations and two short films, I think that not to have to compose a single note for a certain given time is what I need.
Whether I go on holiday (unlikely) is another matter. But there's Paris, soon (no holiday there, though...)

Year of the Ratata

The Year of the Piggy has just passed. 

Piggy was fast, Piggy was crazy, Piggy was mad and all over the place, Piggy was intense and Piggy never rested!

In terms of work alone, there was four long feature films: Ròm, Goodbye Mother, the Bruce Lee documentary, and Naomi Kawase's Asa ga kuru. There was an album for Ray Kang, music for Will Pham's art installation in London... There also was the Golden Melody Awards for Sam Liao's album Forgotten West. The Third Wife was being released around the world, and would face a nasty trolling campaign in Vietnam. Ròm and Goodbye Mother went to the Busan Festival and Ròm won best film, whilst facing troubles with the Vietnam government. And more and more and more music...

 

Some dear ones passed away, I took my parents to our first and only trip to Vietnam together, I was rushed to the ER, I met new people who brought light and joy into my life.
  

This could have easily filled a whole lifetime, but it all happened within one single year.

I don't know what's in store for the Year of the Ratata, but one thing is sure: with all its contradictions and imperfections, life is beaut... nah I will not use that word... Life is colourfully exciting!

Paris soon...

I just booked my flight for Paris, finally. EVA Air, direct flight. I shall arrive... soon.  

I hope the strikes in Paris will have let up by then.

A heartwarming sight: a mother reading a story for her two captivated children. 

It reminds me how my brother and I loved it when our mother would read us a story from a book we considered as keeper of magical worlds, wrapped in crystal paper. I just loved the sound it made.