There was this discussion about how low risk it was to be in book trading. Which may just be the case if you compare us to those supermarkets that sell perishables. After all, there are laws about how long you can display such goods before writing them off or how close to the expiry date you can keep the stuff. Plus, the cost of importing them includes damaged goods which i'm sure happens easily - think plums, grapes or some soft fruit.

Not that we are actually comparing books to food - even though they are food for the brain, just as essential to some people. Take it as 'food for thought', though.

Do books expire?

Hardcovers become unsaleable after the paperback is release, yes. Old editions are obsolete as soon as a new edition is released, except research libraries that keep them, others will trash. Old theories get debunked and pushed off relevancy. Genres lose their appeal, and suddenly no one writes or publishes them anymore. New covers will show you how ugly the old ones were. And author dies and the books start to go out of print. Yes, yes and yes.

Various means will end the life of a book.

We always complain that some titles are out-of-date. Being 'trained', i'll look at books covers and cringe at the US covers of self help books which look like they were grandparents to the books freshly published. Well, they are still relevant though and just as well-received by readers.

Relevancy, universal appeal, rare art and deep substance will make classics out of books, making them live longer and travel farther. My job is at times to feed them a little Amrita, at times to help to bury them when they die, be it prematurely or naturally. Like any reader and loverof books, i feel glad with every long-lived, well-loved book ... and sad to have cross paths with nasty books, unhappy books, sickly ones ... and perhaps a little gratified to have met ones that are short-lived but burned brightly. It sounds odd, ya. At times, i feel it is as such.

SONG FOR A MOOD
Fast expiring strawberries/Kuai guoqi de cao-mei - Vivian Hsu. She is a popstar with a past who has managed to walk away from it quite successfully. Having spent a long time in Japan, her style and music reflects the soft, sexy, kittenish types like Chara and Bice. i liked her cos she's so pretty. Now i see her in a different light - if you didn't know this, Jay Chou's first single had words penned by Viv. Then i also followed her incarnations in DEP and Lil' Viv. Such a chameleon. i wish her the best for being incredibly 'long-lived' in this fickle world of entertainment. Song from one of my utter favourite albums, Qia ban de tien shi/Disguised as a Fairy.

i've been passing this department store window everyday. And lately they've jumped on the bandwagon of going green, trying to get shoppers to use their own bags etc. Well! Now that's not wrong. In fact, it should be applauded. Unless you pass their shop windows everyday like me. With taglines like 'Go Green' and 'Say No to Plastic', it is just absolutely, utterly ironical that the window also contains mannequins draped in plastic bags, toting cloth totes AND all around are the store's signature plastic baggies. So, if you're trying to get shoppers to stop using plastic, why on Mother Earth (God Bless Her) would you use any as display, knowing full well you'd probably throw them away later.

Every morning as i walk pass the shop window in my half-awake state, i can only think with wry smirk - how ironic!!! Hahahahahha ...

SONG FOR A MOOD
Ironic- Alanis Morisette. None other than the most ironic song of the century. Friend Jon gave me the original Jagged Little Pill in cassette which i practically regretted at once that it wasn't in CD. This is from her anniversary acoustic album. Lover-ly.

The song i selected the other day is called Close to You (in English) but Tien-tien (天天) in Chinese which roughly translates to everyday or daily. Now the tune is very simple, straighforward ballad/love song that i would call one of David Tao's strengths. Sure, his R&B songs are cool, very easy-listening but a love song that somehow stays with you and never makes you feel tired of it, that's difficult.

The beauty of this song is the simplicity - tune, lyrics, arrangement (well, there is an acoustic one which i prefer), and the way it's sung - without the usual vocal acrobatics. The best part of all is Wa-wa (lyricist) always writes very easy to understand, so it is memorable, type of lyrics. Whether it was for his first album or for subsequent ones, you can always pick out a Wa-wa song.

(If you came late, Wa-wa (means Doll) herself was a singer during the folk & Mando-pop explosion of the 80s and 90s. Suddenly she disappeared from the scene, and the first i noticed her return was David Tao's Blue album. At that time, i thought she wrote the lyrics very simply because it suited David (whom i assumed was not so good in Mandarin, perhaps even now 'cos he's always reported to have out his foot in his mouth). But it could be this is her style.

I'll try and explain the story that the song tells:

Sunny days or rainy days
in a crowded coffee place
looking for a nook, where i can comfortably think of you

i see lovers side by side
then slowly look away
there is this girl, i'm missing

my heart has taken flight, to the other side of this city
i just want to see you
that beloved face

(this part is the chorus)
everyday, the roads are ever busy
everybody is waiting in line
without you, the days are black and white
so this is what love is like
i want you to be by my side
enjoying all that life brings
i would like to say, everyday
say to you, everyday (i know it saound weird but the words used is not 'tell')
how much that i love you ...

So everyday i've been listening to this song. And everyday, i marvel at its simplicity (that a simpleton like me can understand and remember the lyrics completely), and the voice of Mr David Tao - wow!

Na-jung ae