Tuesday, December 30, 2008

yeah yeah yeahs vs ting tings

sigh.

listening to the Ting Tings' album only makes me mis YYYs more. one fr UK, one fr US. the lead sounds soooooo like Karen O. but no one performs quite like Karen O, with that vervour and intensity.and. that. hair.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Gold Lion


YYYs - Way Out




and the Ting Tings' album is soooo catchy i wana watch them come jan when they come to Spore. student price $50 bucks leh!!! anyone?!?!?!? but i know they wont be equally amazing live, since its a two-piece duo with drum & bass very much like White Stripes, thou WS are amazing.

sigh.

catch the earworm, and notice how similar both female leads sound.

Shut up and let me go - i didnt like this at first, but it's growing on me

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8r23cm7bL9E

(every blardy link's embedding is disabled)

great DJ



That's Not My Name



their MV are quite cool eh.








i am sick of posting youtube clips here. makes me seem very uninteresting, thou i think the clips are excellent.


looking forward to wrap partay tml.


sigh.

"SHUT UP AND LET ME GO!"

Monday, December 29, 2008

Chris Cornell

i'm running a Casino Royale fever, and i've been spinning Chris Cornell, who sang the theme song You Know My Name for the movie. those who find his voice familiar, he's the lead singer of Audioslave, who had a massive hit called "Like A Stone" and disappeared.

those faithful American Idol followers/ David Cook fans will know that at some point, DC covered Michael Jackson's trademark irreplaceable hit Billie Jean, and got all the credits for making the song "his own" with the new arrangement (even thou Ryan Seacrest announced it prior to his performance tt it's Chris' version). and there was this huge controversy back then over DC's version. well, it brought fame to both sides. and i guess in order to prove his credibility, tt's how DC came up with that now iconic version of Mariah Carey's "Always be my baby". so it's a blessing in disguise probably.


Chris Cornell's Billie Jean


David Cook's Billie Jean. i forgot how pudgy DC was back then, before tt wonder haircut.


and my earworm of the moment, YOU KNOW MY NAME!!! this is the opening sequence of the movie. (note to self: next time when i learn how to play guitar i will transform this to emo song!)


Live version

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Superbad!



i've been slowly catching up on my dvd viewing, and Superbad ranks as one of the funniest film i've seen all year. i've also seen Casino Royale and regret catching the 007 fever so late, but that's for another entry.

the first half of Superbad plays like a who's-a-bigger-loser game amongst the three lead, with hilarious flashbacks and jokes. the second half falls flat when they embark on their mini roadtrip, but the first half was so terrific that it compensated for the lacklustre second half. it was so promising that i expected more as it goes along. of cos, there were other flaws (why didnt we get a chance to see Michael Cera go into a liquor store?!) and the weird ending, but all is forgiven. Micheal Cera is officially the king of all cool nerds, and Apatow and gang is THE funny-movie-making-machine of our generation.

the following are two of the most hilarious scenes, and my favourite. it might be funnier when watching in context. i encourage u to watch the movie in its entirety still.

McLovin's fake ID


Dick drawings

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Single ladies vid

this is the vid tt inspired the dance for Beyonce's Single Ladies. notice the similar routines. very retro.

Walk It Out Fosse!


Sasha Fierce's Single Ladies




Gwen Verdon's original 60s version.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

runaway

i went for a jog today, after close to a 6 mth hiatus.

it was liberating. i thought i would pass out and foam at my mouth after like 5 rounds, but surprisingly i didnt despite how unhealthy i've been hahahaah. i ran fr lane 1 to lane 8. so... *counts... quite proud la hahaha

i think if you have the heart, you can run anytime. exercising, to me, is a mind barrier that i am glad i overcomed once today. every trip is an overcoming. and "no time" is an excuse i keep telling myself.

this marks the start of my intervention.

after the run, while panting, i smiled.




a change will do me good. 2009 will be the year i live better. no, better than 2008.

a Rolling Stone interview with Chris Martin



"Yellow" is still your most famous song. How did you write it?
It's nice to try and write without knowing what you're doing. So I had this guitar tuned in some strange way to play another song actually called "Shiver," which was supposed to be our first big hit single. And we were in Wales, recording it. And what sort of frightens me is, it was just a complete accident. I was waiting around, and our producer, Ken, was talking about how beautiful it was outside because of the stars. And then while I was waiting to do a take at the guitar, I was just messing around: [sings] "Look at the stars / Look, they shine for you / They were all yellow."

So you had just that line, that melody.
Yeah, then I ran - if I have a problem with a chorus, I like to go into the men's room, 'cause the echo is nice. Doesnt smell so great, so you need to write it quickly, get out of there. I wrote the chorus, then I showed it to Jonny. He started coming up with all this bendy guitar stuff - and then I thought, "OK, that's that, then."

The lyrics of that song express something that seems evry central to you, a sort of sense of awe about the beauty of the world.
Well, it is central to me, 'cause otherwise, without hope, what is there? Without wonder, without awe?
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Overall, do you like your job?
Are you joking? I fucking die for it. I just cant believe I've got it. And so as long as I've got it, we're going to try and be the best possible. For all the insecurity and everything, there's an amazing amount of drive, you know? We just don't want to stop until we've done something that's really good. You've got to be driven. Otherwise, what's the point of being alive?

When they make the Coldplay biopic, what should the opening scene be?
Probably the assassination and subsequent tribute concert.

No, really.
What? We would open with Barbra Streisand singing "Yellow" at Madison Square Garden and joined by Mariah Carey, with a great big picture of us in the background, and a big question mark of how that ferry we were on actually got sunk. That's how I would open it.

How would you end it?
I would end it with a massive orgy, because I think audiences would dig that.

And what would your obituary say?
There's an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm where they get the text of an obituary wrong, and instead of saying "beloved aunt," it says "beloved cunt." And I always think that would kind of sum up the two sides of my life, the two sides of the coin. I'd like that.
- Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone issue 1055, June 26 2008





that marks the end of the interview. I know he is violent, has a knack naming his baby after a fruit, and writes great songs, but i never knew Chris Martin had it in him to be hilariously funny. Now I know. "Look at the stars..."

Monday, December 22, 2008

Chao's flying off to Leeds!

Chao is flying off to Leeds for 6mths. had a small farewell at Zeng Fu Cai steamboat. blardy aircon keep dripping water on my head. and the tom yam is damn power. made me sneeze alot. wasnt in the mood for spicy stuff also.







BON VOYAGE dude! seeya in 6mths. much missed.

Robyn

a few yrs ago, amongst the slew of UK teeny-boopers tt emerged together with Billie Piper, S Club 7, Bewitched, etc, there was Robyn the "one hit wonder" who made it with "Show Me Love".

she is back with what critics are calling one of the best albums of 08. it's catchy electro pop with a tinge of sadness. and i love the acoustic version of this song.

Be Mine





With Every Heartbeat. this is prob my fav song fr the record.

album version / official MV



acoustic


live, together with Be Mine




Robyn sounds like Fantasia with less helium, more laid-back cool, and less whine. both totally opposite, yet so similar at the same time.

how is it that i can feel sad listening to electro pop? the album must be some dope shit i bet.

i am sad. with every heartbeat.

Shirleen and Enoch's wedding

Shir's wedding was on 201208. it's true they say that a girl looks the prettiest on their wedding day. she looked stunning, although i know she is very tired.

attending her wedding and Sgt Allan's before made my heart melt. to spend the rest of ya life with someone u love is a wonderful, yet terrifying thing as well i fugured. but i am sure they will be together for a very very long time. =) Shir is officially the third friend my age who has gotten married (first being Rismin, second Idah), and its the 3rd wedding i've attended.


seeing Ris, and then seeing Shir, and then having the best talk with Andy since we met, was all a litle overwhelming. it kinda made me dun wana grow up. if only we stopped puberty at 18, relived this bliss and fun in JC, it might be a great feeling. the impending fact that we are getting older day by day somehow makes us more vulnerable, despite "wisdom" and age and all tt comes with aging. i guess when one grows up, one has to leave the shelter and step out into the unknown. and most of the time, we're very alone.

i'm glad they've found someone to walk thru the difficult life with. =)

while Shir is busy with all the socialising, we took pleasure in cam whoring with Zif's new toy. i tell u, it's so much fun.






my first fork-spoon wedding dinner


the yum-seng



the cam whoring gang


















"the baby!"

"look at the bird!"

"shit! on our shoulders!" (faizal's idea)





our resident photog for the night


the dress



congratulations and many well wishes to my dearest President and her husband. May they have bliss and happiness from henceforth to eternity.

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Adele

Quin has great taste =)

she introduced me to Chasing Pavements earlier this yr. i bought the album. i've seen the youtube clips. and i've fallen for here.

and now she's been nominated for multiple Grammys. here's hoping she grab something home.

Daydreamer


Chasing Pavements acoustic

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

white diamond

white diamond


i believe in you




"like a pure white diamond, i'll shine on and on and on."

Sunday, December 14, 2008

Are we human? or are we dancer?

HUMAN live at the EMA 08. the stage design is innovative and amazingg


"are we human? or are we dancer?"

"dancer" is a metaphor for puppets, for a dancer goes through a choreographed routine and whose actions are hollow and without emotions. "a dancer has no room for individuality when in groups. they must follow an exact pattern that everyone else does." the word therefore becomes an adjective instead of a noun. the first verse is filled with references to puppets and being controlled.

this is an anthem for freedom and individuality that celebrates the living condition.


see this for the explanation, albeit confusing and full of errors at times. but the idea is there.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Sasha FIERCE!

if u like it then u should have put a ring on it!

Beyonce's alter ego, Sasha Fierce, is FIERCE! I think she is one of the most hardworking, daring, and fierce performer out there today. look at that body and that dance! it's so coordinated! imagine how much hardwork has gone into it! but i particularly love how 3 ladies can create a thoroughly entertainin routine. puts all those entourage-heavy performers (thinks Rihanna's Disturbia at recent award show) to shame. heck, even put's Britney's Circus/Womanizer routine to shame!




Wednesday, December 10, 2008

hole

i think i need to dig a hole in the wall like that Fish Leong mtv and whisper all my secrets and thoughts into it, because PJ wont be there for me always. i'm glad there's someone like her in my life. woman, much thanks.


i've been tagging on my sis while she's watchin 溏心风暴之家好月圆. i dun think there's any other drama serial that has managed to make me cry so many times. despite all the catfight and quarrels and drama every half hour, it's managed to maintain humour and drama together with loads of heart. i cried during the wedding vow scene, the hospital scene when the grandma almost passed, and when Zhong-jia-xin cried at the hospital roof. and the script is very well written.



if only i were living my life in a drama serial.

Sunday, December 07, 2008

It's BRITNEY, BITCH!

Britney's 2nd single off CIRCUS.
i loveeeee the cinematography to this vid, and those curls reminds me of Madonna. so scantily clad it's gotta be a return-to-form. =)






USHER! and thou the song sux, he's the smoothest performer out there today. look at those moves!

Thursday, December 04, 2008

The Killers

This is probably the third time i'm posting this vid, but i just love love love the acoustic versionnnnn.

i'm building my Killer Party now, and currently YY and her sis are on the list. we'll be first to grab the tic IF they do come to Spore. WE'RE SO GONNA SCREAM AND JUMP TO MR BRIGHTSIDE!!!

and i wan Brandon's moustache!!!



Tuesday, December 02, 2008

JJ Seniors' Prom 2008 - 011208

JJ Seniors' Prom 2008. this is the first time the alumni is organising this project. i can still remember talking to Meiling about it on the way home on the MRT, about taking up this project and agreeing to help out, explaining the various aspects of the show. doing this project was equally a new venture for me: the scale is twice as big as CSS prom, at 64 tables and at Shangri La Hotel. the grandeur and excess was a challenge i had to overcome, and in a place whose values, preachings, and culture were slightly different from mine and what i've done for CSS, it was hard to fulfill and create something tt will be favoured by many who are concerned with hierarchy, the "wah" factor, and success (over learning).

in the end, i think i pulled it off. i've gone beyond my comfort zone and into unchartered territories in terms of scale. i've managed to sort of lead my committee members well. overworked and underappreciated, my Programme Committee members were the ones that made all of it happen. i regret not giving them more credit, like putting their names on the videos and slide shows.

but ultimately, being part of this event is more than creating a display of hot air and grandeur. on top of making this event a memorable one for the graduating kids, my personal goal was to push my own limits, lead a group of j1 students to success and pushing them to be better than they are. on top of having fun of cos, thou it was more work than fun. and i think i've fulfilled that to a certain extend. i've seen them come up with things that they are proud of, from doing something that they've nv tried before.


i'm proud of each of them for pulling this off and being the most hardworkin of the bunch. i'm lucky that my juniors were relatively better in comparison to all the bad stuff i hear about the juniors in the other committees. seeing them grow and learn from their mistakes have been the most rewarding part of the entire journey.
Kelman, for the multiple editing done to the videos, and for learning programs tt he's not apt previously. his videos were the only thing that made them sit and watch quietly. i almost teared at the video because everybody was just standing around and walkin around before that.
Juang Shiow, for being the most proactive and dedicated of the bunch, who is constantly tryin to cover as many areas as possible, while remainin calm and collected as a stage manager. i see great potential in her.
Felice and Diana, for coming up with the decor ideas. though raw at first, but they had some pretty amazing ideas. for all the sheer hardwork and time put into the decor, they deserve all the credit.
hongyu, for rising up to the occasion and coming despite his illness. i see him grow slightly as well =)
Juanita, for learning and growing. i hope this experience has taught her more and made her stronger.




with MAR com, our best comm frens





installing the backdrop at 12mn the night before.





the stage backdrop, in full runway glory. when pulling it down, a whift of air swept over me, standing at the end of the runway. for the 3hours that it was on stage, seen by many, it was my proud realisation of a dream and the hardwork of many. thanks to my cousin for willingly and readily agreed on helping with the initial design. to bec, who made changes to the design one day before her flight despite time not being on her side, and for having to find time to come online and send me the design again urgently. the credit goes to both of u, and i cant thank you enough.

i am glad that people went on stage and took a picture with it after the event =)it has served its purpose well.


the balloon arc


my movie exhibition section.









PJ, baoyue, jon, nat


me, pj, baoyue


with cheng yi, the amazing beatboxer.


me and ms Brampy




i have many to thank, and Jess is one of them. she made the movie exhibition the highlight of the decor with tt stunnng NOW SHOWING sign. she came along at the right time and god-sent. =) a pity we didnt have more time to work together again. THANKS JESS.


for the junior helpers, who were more dedicated than anyone else in the org com. the guy beside me, jiacheng, was the most hardworking, dependable, caring and reliable J1 i've ever seen. he got chingy water, helped elaine carried her laptop, profusely emitted 'thank you's, and helped me with loaddssss of logistics. there was this one incident, while lockin up LT5, i left my laptop on the table cos my hands were full. he carried it for me, without me askin, and followed me around while i lock the various doors like my personal PA. ahhaahahhaah. we need more people like him in this world man. he has the potential to be a great humanitarian.



sure, there were screw-ups, and there's many areas tt i have yet to cover. the sound system was one thing that i regretted doing. jason and his crew were inapt for events of this scale, and they were unprepared, complacent, and full of hot air. the music was too loud/soft at times, and some mics were softer than the others. and the emcee's opening act cld have been more well-prepared.

the months and months of preparation were finally over, and i can rest my tired mind and body now. the amount of work i've done for this has been the most i've done, which is ironic because i should be doin more for CSS. but this has given me the experience to give back more to CSS, and i believe that it has been a good exposure. the aftermath remains to be cleared, but i'm glad i can stop aging in speed and have space on my mind for other things. i'm not sure if i will be back next yr for another round of slogging. but i wld love to see these j1s that i've worked with and see them grow during their prom next yr.

there was the moment in the video that moved me. there was Ying Peng and Elaine's beautiful beautiful beautiful rendition of Come What May. there was my proud choice of Coldplay's Viva La Vida and Mark Ronson's God Put a Smile On Your Face during our walk in. and then there was the 3-song collage played to Wherever You Will Go, God Bless the Broken Road, and So Close. Though it's played during their first dish course, and they were busy eating, but Kelman's impeccable arranging of these 3 songs together was one of my favourite moments. the subtitle display was also very nciely done. i need to load it on youtube and show everyone. the last 2 songs were personal favourites, and So Close has been in my head since yesterday. it's perfect for the night.