Yesterday Once More performed by the Carpenters

Yesterday Once More  (lyric video but spelling in the video is not completely correct)

The song I wanted to share is called Yesterday Once More sung by the Carpenters and written by Richard Carpenter and John Bettis. The song mainly has the singer, Karen Carpenter, reminiscing about the songs that she used to listen to in the past and thinking about how her past compared to her present. It is quite an old song (I would think) but is still one of my favourites because of how beautifully written the lyrics and melody is/are. It is somewhat poetic in ways such as rhythm and rhyme (like the majority of songs) and perhaps has some onomatopoeia. Overall this song is just telling the listeners that some things never change and that moments should be cherished since times cannot be relived.

In the chorus, when the words "just like before, it's yesterday once more" are sung, it shows that some things, like how she feels about the songs that were her favourite songs in the past, do not change no matter how much time separates the moments. At the same time though, when Karen Carpenter sings " lookin' back on how it was in years gone by, and the good times that I had, makes today seem rather sad, so much has changed" the listener can hear the sadness in not only her voice, but in the lyrics as well. As the listener, I could understand that though some things don't change, time still moves on and no matter how similar, even the best moments cannot be revived from the past. The whole song is very smooth and the rhythm and words fit perfectly making the song poetic in ways that other ones may not be able to achieve. The song, like the name, is somewhat happy yet stained with sorrow just like how "Once More" is on a joyful note while "Yesterday" literally is the past and when a yesterday comes once more  it is obvious that the person reliving that yesterday is either unhappy with or missing the past which in this case, is missing. Throughout the chorus that talks about the songs she listened to in the past, there is also a carefree feel to it, just like how when one is younger, there are usually less worries. This feeling can be heard from the words she uses which are more of sounds (onomatopoeia) (ex. "Every sha-la-la-la, every wo-o-wo-o still shines. Every shing-a-ling-a-ling that they're startin' to sing, so fine"). This too is a loss because the days of little worries, can no longer be retrieved.

This message is something that many people forget about in their lives. Though not all moments are worth reliving or cherishing, people should still keep in mind that the minute that just passed, or the day one just spent, won't reappear and will never be a "today" or "tomorrow" but instead, a "yesterday". In Yesterday Once More, though the songs Karen listened to may be found again, can the moments spent next to the radio and singing along be as well? (You have to hear the song to understand what I'm talking about). The pain that one may go through at times of hardship or the bitterness in times of emotional struggle, many may want to wipe those moments off completely but though the times won't come back, nor will the support from loved ones or the joy of overcoming those battles. The past doesn't come back and the future doesn't wait which leaves only the present to cherish as it slowly becomes the past as well.

Time doesn't stop for anyone so instead of frowning and hating life, why don't we smile and embrace the seconds that pass making every one worth living. 

"I hope you're not just telling me what you think I want to hear"

Right now I have almost finished reading a book called Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs. It is about sixteen year old Jacob who discovers the "world" of "peculiar children" (children with strange abilities) which included his grandfather who was killed in the beginning of the story. After befriending many of these peculiar children and finding out that he is also a peculiar child, he is faced with challenges not only for his well being but for the entire existence of peculiars as well. What I'm writing about today is about a simple statement said by Jacob's psychiatrist when he questions the honesty of some of Jacob's words. My blog doesn't necessarily do with the situation of the piece of dialogue but more of what the words say.

The piece of dialogue that is also my title for this blog says “I hope you're not just telling me what you think I want to hear” and it made me think about how often I (and I’m sure many other people as well) actually do that. How often it is that I tell people things that are perhaps partially true but mostly fabricated from facts that I think the listener would want to hear. In my opinion it’s not a good thing to do but I don’t consider it a bad thing either.  Sometimes we hear about things and want to know more but the truth is that once you know something, you can’t forget it. Do we really always want to know what something may be even if it may hurt us?  I’m not sure what I would choose for sometimes, no matter how naive it may seem, the things that sound good to our ears are way better than what may not. Still, even with the potential harm that the truth may be, should people still try to tell it or give it a chance to be listened to?  

What I asked was an actual question and not a philosophical statement. I can’t choose, both for whether or not to give truths a chance or to tell them fully to others. As people, we have feelings but if they get in the way at times, should we dismiss them and say “GO FOR IT”? Maybe some of you might think so but for me, I would say not. My answer (or what is closest to an answer) for the question that I asked would be to accept our feelings and move on. Acknowledge that they may get hurt and then steel ourselves for what we need to hear.

Though I’m not sure that my answer is the best or good at all, I do believe that one cannot let their emotions get the better of them all the time.  What are your opinions or answers as to whether or not one should listen to the truth or stay safe but in the depths of the unknown? Please comment!

The Struggles of Disabled Athletes That Exceed Their Disability.

Today I read an article Forging Path to Starting Line for Younger Disabled Athletes by Mary Pilon on the New York Times that talked about disabled athletes trying to beat sports officials in the topic of whether they could compete with able bodied athletes. There are many challenges for these athletes, especially ones in school (which seems to be the focus of this article) when it comes to competition such as accommodations, safety, and also, the fairness of specific things (ex. wheelchair vs. average human runner). For example, Ariz Mesa, a tennis player deaf since birth, felt discrimination against her when her interpreter who told her the scores was taken away, resulting in the loss of a tournament during her sophomore year. Though some states have already ensured that disabled students are included in sports and extracurricular activities, some sports officials still seem to be conflicted and unsure. With regards to safety and accommodation, many coaches have already begun to explore this new idea of accommodating and including disabled students in different areas of sports (even contact sports) and though this struggle has only just begun, the first steps have at least been taken. 

Seeing that the author has used many ways to show the sides and struggles of disabled athletes, I would say that she is definitely trying to get people to understand why they (disabled people) too should be included in the sports that we can do with ease. There is one specific quote that she used that I think shows her point very clearly and it is said by a 17 year old girl who uses a wheelchair when people told her that she, using a wheelchair, had an advantage. She said "I just didn't get the fact that they [sports officials] were saying I had an advantage because I was in a wheelchair. How do I have an advantage because I can't use half of my body? It didn't make any sense to me".  This quote showed the athlete's anger (and perhaps the anger of the author as well) that Pilon may have wanted the readers to feel. Overall I would believe that Pilon wanted the readers to think about the unfair and harsh circumstances that disabled athletes must face. Not only was playing the sport already more difficult than it would be for able bodied people but getting to play it is harder for them as well and that point is what the author, Mary Pilon, wanted the readers to think about. 

After reading this article I felt a deeper understanding of the struggles that disabled people have to face. It is horrible that people discriminate against them while at other times, treat them like they have too many advantages to be equal.  There is no advantage to being disabled and it should be painfully obvious how hard life is for them already so why can't people take the step to make it easier for them? I very much agree with the author for even with their disabilities, disabled people are the same as us and deserve the same privileges as we do. If sport is something we enjoy (and it is) then they should be able to enjoy it too.

What are your opinions? Please feel free to comment.

 Pilon, Mary. "Forging Path to Starting Line for Younger Disabled Athletes." The New York Times 15 Jan 2013 : (online) http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/16/sports/disabled-athletes-suit-up-raising-questions-of-logistics-and-fairness.html?_r=0