speakup, child

Wakin' up to find another day
The moon got lost again last night
But now the sun has finally had it’s say
I guess I feel alright

But it hurts when I think, when I let it sink in
It’s all over me
I'm lying here, in the dark
I’m watchin' you sleep, it hurts a lot

And all I know is
You’ve got to give me everything
And nothing less 'cause
You know I’d give you all of me

I’d give you everything that I am
I’m handin over everything that I’ve got
'Cause I wanna have a really true love
Don’t ever wanna have to go and give you up
Stay up 'til four in the morning and the tears are pouring
And I wanna make it worth the fight
But what have we been doing for all this time
Baby if we’re gonna do it come and do it right

All I wanted was to know I'm safe
Don’t wanna lose the love I found
Remember when you said that you would change
Don’t let me down
It’s not fair, how you are
I can’t be complete, can you give me more?

.withorwithoutyou.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

reading sms messages from my dad, i've come to realize the importance of punctuation marks.
without them, the message, which, as established by my previous post, is already ambiguous, would cause even more confusion.take, for example, the phrase "strictly speaking humans are just animals."
interpretation 1: "strictly speaking, humans are just animals."
interpretation 2: "strictly-speaking humans are just animals."
interpretation 3: "strictly, speaking humans are just animals."
interpretation 4: "strictly speaking humans are, just animals."
interpretation 5: "strictly speaking humans are just animals?"
each of these suggests different meanings and attitudes.often,punctuations speak louder than words.

the comma, i do not quite like.it leaves you hanging midsentence, anticipating what might come next.or it serves to make a sentence more complicated and flowery, as if the writer wants to convince you or justify a point.sure it gives you an opportunity to catch your breath in a seemingly endless sentence, but soon you realize that the sentence continues, and that temporary joy you took in having a break midway, becomes a dread because now, you have to keep going to reach the end.commas hold you in suspense and clutter up a sentence.

i have not encountered a more indecisive and confusing punctuation mark than a period suspended above a comma, otherwise known as a semicolon.semicolons just link independent clauses which carry the exact same meaning;it is merely repetition.such repetition is unnecessary;it is redundant.or rather, it suggests that the writer could not decide which sentence was more effective, so he put both down for you to choose which to read or understand.this obscure marking that does not know if it wants to be a fullstop or comma, serves no purpose;it is meaningless.

an exclamation mark!now this mark is exciting, shocking and full of thrill and attitude.what enthusiam it brings with it!but it can also be seen as being demanding, or just plain rude.many people are also misusing this forceful punctuation.when used inappropriately, the exclamation mark produces a rather ridiculous effect!for example, politicians in singapore, during rallies, often use this punctuation at the end of almost every sentence!it is as if they are not convicted of their message that they have to resort to shouting to get a response from the crowd!i would like to believe singaporeans cheer because they agree with the content of the speeches and not because of the mob rule mentality where they shout when someone else shouts.

what about the question mark?we cannot leave that out can we?are you sure?what uncertainty this hook and a dot, of which shape many cannot master in writing, causes.some might argue it offers the mind something to ponder about.but the more you think, the more confused or sidetracked you get.sometimes it is also a show of weakness, of vulnerabilty.we become exposed to temptations and susceptible to injuries.from childhood("grandma, why do you have such big teeth?"--little red riding hood) to youth("will you be my girlfriend?"--playboy) to adulthood("how do you like my hair?"--your mother), the question mark haunts us, doesnt it?

now the fullstop is my favorite punctuation.it's clear.it's straightforward.and it's confident.it signifies the end of a sentence where you truly get to stop and digest the implications of the sentence unlike the deceiving comma.it is precise and definite unlike the confusing semicolon.it oozes with confidence and poise while the exclamation mark fails in desperate attempt.it leaves no room for confusion or uncertainty as does the question mark.yet the fresh new sentence succeeding a period holds so much potential.this extraordinary punctuation generates the life of a passage.the rhythm.the beat.the pulse.interestingly,almost every other punctuation is a modification of a fullstop.the comma is a period with an annoying tail.the question mark is a period with an undefined curve.even the informal sign that means "to be continued" consists of three periods in a row.this simple, humble dot that sits, unacknowledged, at the feet of the last letter of a sentence is in fact, the mother of all punctuation marks.its authority, intensity and power demands respect.

i have made my point.

hugged you @ -- 3:24 PM --