The reverberations of that voice wandered

sweetly, softly
working like a massage on the area of my heart that was most tightly clenched,

helping those knots to loosen.

It was like the rush of waves, and like the laughter of people I'd met in all kinds of places,

people I'd become friendly with and then separated from,

and like the kind words all those people had said to me,

and like the mewing of a cat I had lost, 

and like the mixture of noises that rang in the background in a place that was dear to me, 

a place far away, a place that no longer existed,

and like the rushing of trees that whisked past my ears as I breathed in the scent of fresh greenery on a trip someplace. . . the voice was a combination of all this.

That night I heard it again.

A faint song that felt more sensual than an angel's, and also more real.

I tried to catch the melody, fixed the little that remained of my consciousness on it,

listened desperately. 

Sleep trickled down around me, and the happy tune dissolved away into my dreams.

-Banana Yoshimoto, Asleep

another TT, slightly Steve Martin-esque

Billy Corgan as reindeer-sweater-wearing Neal Cassidy

love this. 

Throwback Thursday

A favorite which came to mind recently--- 

it always brings me right back to my tiny closet apartment when I first moved to New York.

Funny how songs shape us, and also change as we change.

"and hope for something more" -Yuna

I just returned from an epic trip to Malaysia--- 

though I've been before and had life-changing experiences 

while there previously, 

this recent trip 

might have been the greatest yet. 

I spent most of my time in Langkawi, 

an archipelago known for its mysterious legends 

and 

beautiful mangroves, 

eagles, 

diving,

laid-back beaches and super friendly locals

Most of the tourists are mainland Malaysians 

or Indian families/groups of friends on holiday. 

I can say without a doubt that I have never seen so many people on the beach at sunset engaged in 

good-hearted tom-foolery 

as I did on Cenang Beach. 

I have a lot more to write about my trip overall-- but for now,  let's just say, I was sitting drinking coffee talking to the guy sitting at the table next to me about the best places to get chicken curry in town-- at least 100 places to get good food around-- "and how can you possibly navigate" and====

then a song came on, and I recognised it, but couldn't place it at first.
 It was Yuna, a Malaysian artist I've followed in the past, 
but hearing her song on the radio in her home country 

was a strange experience indeed. 

A playful, colourful relationship Malaysians have with nature

rawness and lyrics

g'night---more to come soon la!