The sense of nostalgia and a time long gone are the themes of this teen’s CIAB. The entire nostalgic time traveler’s CIAB is presented in a traditional old movie format that begins with an opening scene of advice from parent

to child.

When I was sixteen, my father said

“You can do anything you want with your life,

you just need the will to work hard and get it.”

That’s when I decided when I die,

all of you remember me for the life I live(d),

not the money I made.”

The quote is part of the song The Nights by Avicci, and the CIAB includes the beginning of this song,

which is a fast-paced roar

Once upon a younger year

When all our shadows disappeared,

The animals inside came out to play,

Went face to face with all our fears,

Learned our lessons through the tears.

The CIAB transitions into more advice with

7 years by Lukas Graham.

Once, I was seven years old,

my mama told me

“Go make yourself some friends,

or you’ll be lonely”

Once, I was seven years old

It was a big-big world,

but we thought we were bigger

Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker

and

Once, I was 11 years old, my daddy told me

“Go get yourself a wife, or you’ll be lonely”

Then, the nostalgic time travelers CIAB turns into a series of animation clips that represent a simplistic black and white version of life – a happy, innocent ragtime song representing friendship from Toy Story, You Got a Friend in Me by Randy Newman –

When the road looks rough ahead

And you’re miles and miles

From your nice warm bed

You just remember what your old pal said

Boy, you’ve got a friend in me

Yeah, you’ve got a friend in me

The song is coupled with an old-time silent movie waltz from the movie Up. The song is meant to feel like an out-of-body, dream-like fantasy. In the film, the song is tied to the main character’s memory of his life with his wife (from inception to end) told without lyrics rather with only music. This black-and-white version of life continues a piece from the movie La La Land (Joji’s Glimpse of Us) – a sparse piano and vocal track that layers the singer’s voice in harmonies to produce a sound that they are far away and about to disappear. She’d take the world off my shoulders

If it was ever hard to move

She’d turn the rain to a rainbow

When I was living in the blue

Why then, if she is so perfect

Do I still wish that it was you?

Perfect don’t mean that it’s working

So what can I do? (Ooh)

When you’re out of sight

The nostalgic time traveler’s CIAB has numerous well-crafted effects, as heard in the snippet from Older by Alec Benjamin lyrics. The song is about growing older, finding a partner, and adulting (themes explored in earlier songs); however, this time, the teen uses their DJ skills to seamlessly go back and forth between the Mandarin and English versions of the song.

Can’t go back to the start now

Time doesn’t slow down

I’m on my own

Wǒ xiǎng wǒ de tóngnián  (I miss my childhood)

yǐjīng jiéshùle xiànzài (it’s already ocer now)

wǒ zhèngzài qǔ xià wǒ dì hǎibào (I am taking down my poster)

wǒ bǎ wǒ suǒyǒu de dōngxī (I put all my things)

dū fàng jìn kǎo miànbāo (Put the bread in the oven)

jī pángbiān de (next to the chicken)

hézǐ lǐ zhè shì wǒ zuì jiējìn (this is my closest friend)

jiéshù (end)

de shìqíng wǒ wúfǎ zǔzhǐ zhège (the situation is beyond my control)

guòshānchē (mountain pass)

wǒ hái méi zhǔnbèi hǎo lǎole, (I still haven’t finished preparing)

wǒ hái méiyǒu zhǔnbèi hǎo biàn lǎo. (I haven’t prepared for getting old yet)

There are a few ways to interpret this portion of the nostalgic time traveler’s CIAB: 1) the effect may represent the teen’s comfort in both their Asian and American identities, 2) perhaps it is the teen exploring these two identities, or 3) the teen is simply using the sound effect to show their mastery of this DJ technique of crossfading between two versions of the song. The common theme of the past represents a life review – yet many of the events evoked in the songs are of a life not yet lived. It is also a childlike, simplistic view of how life is lived, to be lived.