my self

I was back in JJ for the first time since our post prom AAR last December. It's the first day of school,and kids are already up and about, training and studying and catching up. It was bustling. Before our meeting, Jon commented on how good it feels to come back to JJ on a school day, seeing the juniors going about their routine instead of coming into a "dead school" (during the holidays). Meiling hasnt been back for a while as well, and mentioned the small changes in the alumni room; the shifting of a table, the misplacement of her jacket, the shifting of the fridge. I just smiled.

While waiting for Ling and Jon to come, I just stood at the second floor, overlooking the rugby team training on the field, and the hockey team running on the tracks. I saw a few of my prom com juniors training and slacking, having fun. I saw some of my council juniors engaged in catching up. Suddenly, I felt displaced. I was a stranger in a foreign land. At that point, I questioned my return to this place I feel so jarred out of more than once while I was helping out last year. I felt like there was nothing left for me to give back, and the juniors do not need anything from me anymore. It was a large sense of helplessness mixed with fear, the fear of putting myself in a situation that makes me vulnerable.

I think it stems from the fact that the environment changes so fast around you, and sometimes it is just too hard to catch up. Jon commented that the school changes every 2 yrs, just like the kids. JJ moves at such a fast pace that some embrace the change as a challenge worth taking up by being part of the alumni, while others separate themselves from the college in its entirety. I am caught in the middle. I see all this change, I see my juniors change, I see unfamiliar faces and objects, new facilities springing up in places unexpected, and I feel like I am at a standstill. I am not progressing, but instead I just might be spiralling down, real fast.

The same can be said for people. We orbit about as separate entities, meet for a combustion, and then seperate again. People come and people go, and while I am glad that some I can manage to catch up with time after time and feel like nothing has changed, I have also come to accept, and come to terms with the fact, that people inevitably leave. Everyone does. As much as I am sentimental and unwavering, I cannot stop them from living. That if someone doesnt bother to meetup with me as much as I've tried to in the past, I am helpless. That is perhaps a sad fact I have to live with.

Perhaps the root of the problem is my disatisfaction with my current state right now. Who is ever satisfied with life anyway.

So this is just a matter of perception. Jon embraces changes. Meiling acknowledge and understand changes, and takes on anything with gumption. Me? I have a love-hate relationship with it, but I understand its purpose.



There is too much to do in this life, that sometimes I just want to give it all up and run away, let the flow take me wherever it will. I want to connect with nature, be like that Into The Wild guy and travel the world, grow trees. I feel confined and shackled, and my life feels like a pitfall. There is too much I cannot say, too many things I cannot do, too many people I havent and cannot and wont meet, too many places that I cant explore.


oh how it wears me down.

王菲 --- 我愛你

2 very diff versions of a lovely song.








多简单 爱情 像就做完的梦 清楚 模糊
多简单 像第一次问你爱不爱 你说 爱 爱
多美丽 回答 它轻轻的掠过 不愿落下
这一些热的烈的情 和苍白的浮冰 多无影
啊… 散 散落
那些忽而现 又有时隐而不见的飞
啊… 散落
那些抓也抓不住的，才是真的
多简单 爱情 它轻轻的掠过 不愿意落下
这一些热的烈的情 都无影
啊 多透明
啊… 散 散落
那些忽而现 又有时隐而不见的飞
啊… 散落
那些忽而亮 转而模糊 隐隐约约飘落
啊… 散 散落
那些忽而现 又有时隐而不见的坠
啊… 散落

陈绮贞2009新加坡演唱会_太阳
4 Apr 2009
Standard - S$148, S$128, S$108, S$88, S$68


Rachael Yamagata - Live!
15 April 2009
Standard - S$118, S$98, S$68


蔡琴2009新不了情新加坡演唱会
23 May 2009
Standard - S$168, S$148, S$128, S$98, S$78




"Please add to above price $3 Booking Fee per ticket for tickets above $20 and $1 Booking Fee per ticket for tickets $20 and below. Charges include GST where applicable."


Just because they think art-lovers patronise and attend concerts despite the econimic downturn, it doesnt mean that they can increase the booking fee to a now incredible price of 3 FREAKING DOLLARS. THIS IS EXTORTION. This is blatent bullying. It is so overpriced to catch a gig here in Singapore. For 1.5 hours of Rachael Yamagata, I have to pay at least $68! It's more freaking ex than the previous time she came! They sure know how to milk us fans.

Because of this, the above 3 will be the only concerts I plan to attend (Cheer Chen undecided. highly tempting). And I hate having to buy SIFF tickets through Sistic. bloody monopoly.

陈绮贞 - 狂恋

词:陈绮贞 曲:陈绮贞


我画了一个满是缺口的圆

你就是生命中填补残缺的空间

我提著一个简简单单的行李

搭上你那班失去轨道的列车

　　　　

我唱著一首单纯的歌

而你就是那一再重覆的和弦

每个陌生与熟悉的交界

你误闯了我无知的狂恋

我用寂寞惩罚我的午夜

请让我延续 所有的思念

所有的思念...

　　　　

我想了一整夜关於未来的情节

你就是那个没有名字的故事

我留下一滴失去温度的眼泪

要走出对你无尽的狂恋

　　　　

我唱著一首单纯的歌

而你就是那一再重覆的和弦

每个陌生与熟悉的交界

你误闯了我无知的狂恋

我用寂寞惩罚我的午夜

请让我延续 所有的思念

所有的思念...

　　　　

我提著一个简简单单的行李

要安静走出 对你的 狂恋

Rachael Yamagata - Elephants

If the elephants have past lives
yet all destined to always remember
It's no wonder how they scream
Like you and I they must have some temper

And I am dreaming of them on the planes
Dirtying up their beds
Watching for some sign of rain to cool their hot heads

And how dare that you send me that card when I am doing all that I can do
You are forcing me to remember when all I want is to just forget you

If the tiger shall protect her young
then tell me how did you slip by
All my instincts have failed me for once
I must have somehow slept the whole night

And I am dreaming of them with their kill
Tearing it all apart
Blood dripping from their lips and teeth sinking into heart

And how dare that you say you'll call
When you know I need some peace of mind
If you have to take sides with the animals
Won't you do it with one who is kind

And if the hawks in the trees need the dead
If you're living you don't stand a chance
For a time though you share the same bed
There are only two ends to this dance

You can flee with your wounds just in time or lie there as he feeds
Watching yourself ripped to shreds and laughing as you bleed

So for those of you falling in love
keep it kind
Keep it good
Keep it right
Throw yourself in the midst of danger
but keep one eye open at night

"anyway, all things that will pass will pass. it will not occur again, so let its lightness precede its weight now allright." - Ivy Lam



Thank goodness for friends.

22nd SIFF

22nd Singapore International Film Festival
http://www.filmfest.org.sg/index.php

14th April to 25th April.

This year's eclectic collection, as per the years before, has something for everyone: the music lover, the local-movie supporter, the documentarian, the short-film buffs, and the drama-mamas.

Do check it out, and support the local movies. This year's selection is fantastic. Those of you who know Jiahao from CSS, one of my Prom comm valued member, will be glad to know that his directorial short-film debut, entitled One Room Flat, will be screened there. SHOW YOUR LOVE!

Marley & Me

Marley & Me. No show, nor any character's death, has ever made me bawl my eyes out harder. I am serious.

I am so getting a dog next time.

The Wrestler

This is a terrific song




Have you ever seen a one trick pony in the field so happy and free?
If you've ever seen a one trick pony then you've seen me
Have you ever seen a one-legged dog making its way down the street?
If you've ever seen a one-legged dog then you've seen me

Then you've seen me, I come and stand at every door
Then you've seen me, I always leave with less than I had before
Then you've seen me, bet I can make you smile when the blood, it hits the floor
Tell me, friend, can you ask for anything more?
Tell me can you ask for anything more?

Have you ever seen a scarecrow filled with nothing but dust and wheat?
If you've ever seen that scarecrow then you've seen me
Have you ever seen a one-armed man punching at nothing but the breeze?
If you've ever seen a one-armed man then you've seen me

Then you've seen me, I come and stand at every door
Then you've seen me, I always leave with less than I had before
Then you've seen me, bet I can make you smile when the blood, it hits the floor
Tell me, friend, can you ask for anything more?
Tell me can you ask for anything more?

These things that have comforted me, I drive away
This place that is my home I cannot stay
My only faith's in the broken bones and bruises I display

Have you ever seen a one-legged man trying to dance his way free?
If you've ever seen a one-legged man then you've seen me

One Art

The art of losing isn't hard to master;
so many things seem filled with the intent
to be lost that their loss is no disaster,

Lose something every day. Accept the fluster
of lost door keys, the hour badly spent.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

Then practice losing farther, losing faster:
places, and names, and where it was you meant
to travel. None of these will bring disaster.

I lost my mother's watch. And look! my last, or
next-to-last, of three beloved houses went.
The art of losing isn't hard to master.

I lost two cities, lovely ones. And, vaster,
some realms I owned, two rivers, a continent.
I miss them, but it wasn't a disaster.

-- Even losing you (the joking voice, a gesture
I love) I shan't have lied. It's evident
the art of losing's not too hard to master
though it may look like (Write it!) a disaster.

Elizabeth Bishop

they're coming!!!

OK. I am very chirpy and excited now because two of my favourite acts are coming to Singapore soon! It's like a dream come true, because I just mentioned recently how much I wished they were back, and they did!


1)

"有一句话对蔡琴的形容最为经典 “唱得好的没她说得好，说得好的没她唱得好”。蔡琴的演唱会一直都是绝佳听觉享受的保证，『蔡琴 2009 新不了情 新加坡演唱会』也将不例外"

DATE: 23 May 2009. Sat, 8pm

VENUE: Singapore Indoor Stadium


TICKET PRICE (Exclude Booking Fee)
Standard - S$168, S$148, S$128, S$98, S$78




2) Isaac left me an msn msg while I was away: "RACHAEL YAMAGATAAAAA! 15 APRIL!!!!!"
I hurriedly scrutinised the entire Sistic site but could not find it! Here's hoping that his information is all true.





see I knew 2009 was gonna kick some whoop ass! awesome =) now, ANYONE>? =)

I am chopping off my man-bangs in two weeks' time. I will miss it.

Catch it while you can.

The Reader

I Love The Reader.

This is the best movie I've seen so far this year; even better than TCCOBB and SM. Stephen Daldry directed a mesmerisingly beautiful and tragic tale that left me with a heavy heart after I left the theatres. Stephen, who also directed The Hours, created a heartbreaking, and utterly poetic movie.

Kate Winslet plays Hannah Schwitz, who had a summer affair with 15 yr old Michael (David Kross). She awakened his sexual desires, while he reads to her. Several years later, Hannah was prosecuted for being a guard in a Jew concentration camp. Michael, now a lawyer undergrad, must come to terms with the secrets of their past, and the dilemmas of her actions.

In the reins of The Hours, The Reader is filled with swelling piano riffs, except this time the score is not by Philip Glass. It's littered with beautiful instances that might not say alot in terms of dialogue, but the acting and the scene will be magnificent enough just to observe. It's like seeing beauty, but cant quite put your hands on. It's a simple scene like a well-decorated jail cell, with pictures of flowers and handwritings; a scene of Hannah seeing a children's choir possibly for the first time, and crying at the beauty of it; it's hearing someone read to you, and feeling like everything in the whole world.


Kate Winslet. The hype is real. I had no qualms with the actress-or-supporting-actress dilemma, nor her naked, and not so perfect body. Her face says it all. Unlike the other 3 contenders whose movies I've seen (with the exception of Melissa Leo), there wasnt any breakout moment for the actress. But the kind of sadness you feel for her was similar to that when she told Jack not to let go in Titanic. It is hard to watch Kate without feeling for her character. She sucks you in that way.

David Kross was tremendously underrated amongst all the hype in my opinion. But I see the same actor-or-supporting-actor dilemma that might have limited his chances. Still, it was a brave performance (with full frontal nudity), and the transformation from youth to adult was significant. Ralph Fiennes, playing the middle aged Michael, didnt have much parts to shine, but he's got presence.

Lena Olin. I miss her since ALIAS went off-air. As always, one look from her is enough to create a genocide. That frame with just her staring back was very powerful. I'm glad she's retained that gumption in her.

This is not everyone's cup of tea. Some of the things are not blatent, and it might take a while before you get the meaning and plot (like how I did while chatting with Quin for a long while after our movie). It may even be ambiguous at parts, but give it a try and see, and you may just like it.






There was a drama queen in my theatre, who BAWLED during one of the scenes. I was thinking: "wa, i know sad la, but need to cry until like that meh?!" so i began to think of the following:
- maybe she is like one of the character
- maybe her bf sitting beside her dumped her in the theatres
- maybe her dog died
- maybe she's a Jew from one of the camps. like a really old caucasian auntie.
-maybe, just maybe, she REALLY REALLY felt Kate Winslet.

after the movie, me and Quin stayed behind, trying to find out who this person really is (they were the last to leave). She took out her comb after the movie and started combing her hair. Turns out to be this young girl that looked too pretty to even cry. Well, not that I have a grudge against young women who don't seem like they felt for the movie (who's to judge anyway), but just that she's not the kind who would cry over a movie with those bimbo shorts and hair!

ok. I'm getting offensive. Our speculations carried on from there to determine how much this couple truely love each other, which coincided with my Carrie-Bradshaw-sipping-coffee-and-writing moment this morning during breakfast: can we really tell just by looking, whether two person are in love, or trying to stay in love?

It led to my conclusion, that two person in a relationship who do not really love each other, is a more torturous situation than any singleton's fear of loneliness. In keeping up appearances, in playing mind games, in knowing that you are living in a lie, is possibly more bleak than being unwanted/not in love.

I love pensive Sundays. I'm keeping it that way. And Thom Yorke's The Eraser cannot be a better soundtrack.

Oscar predictions

Well, I can't call it a prediction because this is a list of my preferred winners. But of course, I hope I score a touchdown! hahaha


Best Picture: The Curious Case Of Benjamin Buttons
This is a tough one. But this film left a greater emotional impact on me over SM. Even though SM was vividly shot and provided the easier movie-going experience, had a great kid-chasing opening scene, with a kick-ass soundtrack and cute child actors to boot, TCCOBB has Cate. She anchored the movie more than Brad. And then there's David Fincher with his great vision.

Best Actor: Sean Penn
Until I see Mickey Rourke tomorrow, I am sticking with this one first.

Best Actress: Kate Winslet
I have to believe the hype, until I see the movie on Sunday.

Best Director: Danny Boyle, for Slumdog Millionaire
For the acute eye that captured India at its worst, yet managed to make it look beautiful and stunning. He made me want to go to India even if I have to keep my belongings in my underwear, never take off my shoes, and have to stop at every 2 steps because of the crowd.

Best Supporting Actress: Viola Davis, DOUBT
She sucked me in during the 10 minutes she was in the movie, together with her mucus and all. It was a powerful supporting role and a terrifically revelatory scene for the movie. I'm dying to see Penelope Cruz in Vicky Christina Barcelona next week, and I know she will be good. But I'm going with the performance that had me at the edge of my seat.

Best Supporting Actor: Heath ledger.
Need I say more? Heath. Ledger.


BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Frozen River, Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E


BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Australia
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Duchess
Milk
Revolutionary Road


BEST MAKEUP
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Hellboy II: The Golden Army

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Alexandre Desplat
Defiance, James Newton Howard
Milk, Danny Elfman
Slumdog Millionaire, A.R. Rahman
WALL-E, Thomas Newman

TATIANA DEL TORO. farewell

"Thank You America. Pls vote, this is my dream, and it's up to you to keep it alive. Thank you so much. Gracias." - after her performance.

"This is up to America.
It's up to the power of love.
And up to faith
and up to talent
and hard work.
I'm so blessed to be here."
-- Tatiana Del Toro, right before she was voted off American Idol. Farewell.






I must admit feeling a little guilty after all this commotion over the "most annoying contestant in Idol history." I feel sorry that she was being milked by the producers, and how her seemingly natural desires to seek fame were so out-of-touch with the rest of the world. This is officially the furthest someone who appears delusional has ever come in Idol history. Well, at least so until the Wild Card show.

But you got to admit, she's one hell of an entertaining contestant. I will miss her =(

Idol blogging. er-her-her-her-her

Simon Cowell just implied that Aretha Franklin's "(You Make Me Feel Like A)Natural Woman" "irrelevant". He lost my respects for about 5 minutes. A true Idol fan can never hate Simon.


TATIANA DEL TORO. Even William Hung did not make me laugh as hard as she did today. That hip-sway, that giggle, that pseudo-demure face, that cued giggle, and that last line she input at the end after Ryan read out her numbers, was HILARIOUS. I have never laughed harder watchin Idol. Classic. And for that I wished she's through. Her singing was not bad anyway.

Tatiana also allergedly compared her style to "world music". While I understand what she meant (meaning she can do all sorts of style, pop r&b hip hop country rap), using "world music" makes her sound like she's going to be the next Enya.

Paula was surprisingly spot-on and cohesive today! Kara must have made her step up her game hahahahahah. She was spot-on when:
- she said Anoop sounded like a Brian McKnight. She might as well have said my comment to America =)
- Calling Stephen Fowler's song choice of MJ's Rock Wit U a suicide move, or something along that line.
- Naming all the past contestants who have sang Gavin De Graw's I Don't Wanna Be. Heck even Idol fans like me was only abled to name 2, but she did 3! I still got to give her props, even for memorising her script well if there were any.
- for not paraphrasing Kara or repeating her words too often. AND she has more to say than usual.


NPH IN THE HOUSE!!! AWESOME.


Csey Carlson. did anyone else see her pull away her hands from her mum's laps violently?! She looks like Blair from Gossip Girl, but singing a Police song could not be a worse choice. The resident Prom Queen is pretty allright, but does not have the stage presence, nor oddity, to pull off that song.


What's up with the whole "trying to find out who you are as an artist" thing?! That sure sounds like a good excuse for someone who did not perform well.

Underdogs today: Ricky Brady and Michael Sarver!

new flashy mic!

How can Stephen Fowler cover an MJ song, especially one like Rock Wit U, without any dance moves?!?!?! Hideous.

I use to think that only Mariah can perform HERO, because that song has such a tough tone to it, that the soul has got to be right, if not it is very easy to risk sounding like a soul-less robot. Then again, Mariah's recent performance at Obama's The Neighbourhood Party was a little lacklustre. Now I know that Danney Gokey, and a man at that, can sing it too. I must agree that it is over-hyped. it was good at best. Simon earned 10 respect points for pointing that out unlike the other judges.








i LOVE Wednesdays because of American Idol =)

Slumdog Millionaire

If this second version of the poster is any indication, Slumdog Millionaire will probably sweep the Oscars come Monday, like it has at all major awards presentation thus far, like how Dav Patel won 2 million rupies in the film.

There is no stopping the momentum of this film, and the feel-good enthusiasm will only spread further.

SM is definitely the harder film to shoot, given the terrain, the chaos, and the language barrier and differences. Those images of the slumps and the harsh living conditions under which people in India live are all real. To an outsider, the image is a startling realisation at how backwards it all is, which leads to a curiosity about India. SM, I believe, will do for India what Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon did for Asian movies. It will spawn growing interest, and perhaps even tourism, in India.

A R Rahman's score sounded like an innovative accompaniment to the film, until I question myself how different it is from typical Bollywood movies. Perhaps it was the Western fusion that made the score stand out from standard Bollywood fare. M.I.A's Paper Plane was used yet again and blended well into the film. Those gunshots on hindsight felt like a prelude. This award is Rahman's to lose.

SM is this year's Little Miss Sunshine: the film that came from nowhere but is now everywhere. This feel-good movie's only criticism from me is its incredulity. Everything seemed to be fated, coincidental to the point where events in his life led him to win the grand prize. This is the total opposite of TCCOBB: one has real subjects, but an incredible plot, while the other had an out-of-this-world subject yet very earthly concerns and emotions.

I've yet to come to terms with which is the infinite personal favourite. But that is perhaps not such an important question as to how much each movie has affected me. SM is definitely a movie for the masses. You have to believe the hype, not the race.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Buttons / Away From Her

It should be a crime to look as good as Brad Pitt.

TCCOBB is one of the best movies I've seen so far this year. The retelling of BB's life, from young to old, or rather, old to young, was a 3-hour slowburn that ended with more than a few questions about living, dying, and growing old. David Fincher seems to have mellowed from his Fight Club/Panic Room days and focusing on long storytelling, like Zodiac and TCCOBB. While I never understood the rave reviews over Zodiac, I'm liking this TCCOBB. It must be the pensive script, or the extensive and marvellous makeup that miraculously made Brad Pitt younger and older by some 30 years or so.

Brad Pitt was just looking good, not acting. Well, maybe he was acting old, but I definitely did not think the performance was nomination-worthy, nor even his career best. Cate Blanchett mesmerises as always. Her performance wasnt her personal best, but it is always a joy to see her on screen, even when she plays a flawlessly skinned and bodied young woman till an old, wrinkled one.

The story is heart-breaking, but hopeful at the same time. This fable will leave you with something to bring home, a feeling or emotion that sticks around for a while even after you have left the theatre. All good movies do that.

But a movie is sometimes only as good as how much you immense yourself into it. So if your butts and minds are not ready for a 3hour long sit, you will most probably not enjoy this year's most nominated Oscar front-runner.






I chanced upon Away From Her on OKTO while channel-surfing after I reach home. The story about a woman's decline while suffering from Alzheimer's, and her husband's efforts to come to terms with it, is a heart-wrenching one to watch. Beautiful shots of snow-covered cottages, mountains and flowers, coupled of more than a few scenes that hinted at the line "do not go gentle into that light", and the actors' performances lifted the movie. I was not very convinced with how the second part happened, because it seemed to have drifted a little too far off the main plot of coming to terms with the disease. The second half lacked focus. But the first half, when the old couple was newly acquainted with the disease, and the symptoms start to pour in one after another, was a harrowing part to behold because of the reality of the illness. Alzheimers can make you forget how to pronounce "wine", where to keep your kitchen utensils, and even make you forget how to put out a fire.

Honestly, I would rather die from a painful disease that toils on my body. But then again, I wouldn't want to live long enough for that to happen. I believe not a lot of things can be quite as scary as losing the memories and the ways of living.

The recent deaths around me awakened the painful realisation that death is imminent, and it is coming; I hate to think of how my funeral will be like, because sometimes a person does not have much choice over matters of his dead body. But if ever I could, I would want to be cremated. Then the ashes released over some beautiful ocean. Or so I think.

Julie Christie was nominated for her role, but she lost to Marion Cotillard, who gave a STUNNING once-in-a-lifetime performance in La Vie en Rose.




A new day begins tomorrow. One should always have the courage to "start over again".

This just in

I know I promised myself not to put up so many youtube videos, but how can I do that when there's so many of them worth mentioning?!

I remember during Idol's season 3 finale when Kelly, Reuben, Fantasia, and Diana performed this song. It was the first time I've heard this Barry Manilow song, and wondered to myself: do they still write this kind of songs about dreams, reaching dreams, stars, and reaching stars?! I've come to realise they're writing more mundane stuff like Umbrellas and Poker faces these days. Not to say they're not any great, don't get me wrong. It's just that times have changed.

And seeing Hudson perform yet another personal career highlight, with the recent streak of great Superbowl-Pre-Grammy-Grammy performances, and now this NAACP show with Muhammad Ali, there's no stopping this girl and her impossible voice.

Listen, and you too would want to climb that "unreachable star".

The Pretender

Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace


This album has been lying on my shelf for months, and I wished I had listened to it sooner and discovered its greatness earlier. I guess there's always a time for everything.

Is it time I finally catch Coldplay live when they come in March? I would love to hear Chris Martin perform Lost and Spies live.

watch this

mark my words. if there's one thing u watch on this blog this year, MAKE THIS THE ONE.

Most hilarious and inventive piece of shit i've seen this yr, and i believe it will remain so till june!
credit to Lionel Cai for recommending this =)

"In the depths of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an Invincible Summer."
- Albert Camus, off the CD sleeves of k.d. lang's "Invincible Summer"

Egyptian Boy

This is a parody of Estelle and Kanye's HOTHOTHOT "American Boy", which i love to death. and this version is hilarious. read the lyrics to find out why.



Lyrics:
Safwat:
Za number one saeedi sound
Your boy Safwat about to get down
Hottest city in za world right now
My home, I call it Cairo town :)
Bet zey give me a pound
Put a g'neh in my hand right now
Most of za women wear bed sheets
We jus stole zis song beat

Chorus:
I like how you speak, u say zat and zere
and all that greasy gel in your hair
I really want to, eat tameya and fool
u'll be my Egyptian boy, Egyptian boy

Can we get away this weekend
Take me to Nile bay
Tea n sheesha and backgammon at any cafe
Let's go on the subway, take me to yo hood
Zamalek, Shobra, Giza, Heliopolis is good
Dressed in all ur fobby clothes
I love you to death, but you got the nastiest B.O.
tunes on yo cell phone, too much cologne
please be my Egyptian boy, Egyptian boy

Chorus Repeat

Egyptian G:
Smokin' sheesha on a felucca
American people call it hookah
Unfortunately, ur stuck in traffic with me
there's cars always broken, down down
it's gonna clear up, now now
don't pinch me, ow ow
I have a bruise, now now

I'm Egyptian, Stella is what I'm drinkin'
A belly dancer, don't be blinkin'
no pants ya, just a galabeya, hike it up a lil, maybe she be peekin'

Egypt's a sauna, water is what I wanna
The Nile is my hydration
Mother of civilization

There's 81 million folk
and that my friend is no funny joke
Anwar was president before
now Mubarak keeps Egyptians broke
Most of the cars are triple parked
Paying off the cops is my favorite part
the donkeys carry that tra a a ash
Live in a pyramid, no where near it
We don't ride camels, asses!
That Egyptian status
There's nothing like it
so cool, you can't deny it!!

would u be my FOB my FOBx3
would u be myyyyyyx3
would u be my Egyptian Boy
Egyptian Boy

Chorus


Translations:
Saeedi: An Egyptian from Upper Egypt
G'neh: Egyptian Pound(currency)
zat: that
zere: there
tameya: falafel
fool: fava beans
sheesha: hookah
FOB: name for foreigners (Fresh Off the Boat)
felucca: traditional wooden sailing boat used particularly along the Nile in Egypt.
Stella: Local Egyptian beer
galabeya: a tunic worn by Egyptian men and women

Idol Front-runners!

personal favourites, in order of preference. watch. these. people.

Adam Lambert
Lil Round
Jasmine Murray
Danny Gokey
Anoop Desai


and here are my bold predictions for this yr's mentors and performances:

mentors
Bruce Springsteen (bold prediction. but he's got new album)
Beyonce (she appeared in X-Factor anw. and new album needs a boost)
Motown week: ?
country week: George Straits (bold prediction. but has new greatest hits album)
Steve Tyler / Axl Rose / Chad Kroeger / Robert Plant (bold bold bold. esp RP. but they need a rock legend)
Lady Aretha (BOLD. but if this is the biggest season, they need a BIG voice)
Barbra Streisand (could this REALLY be the year?!)


guest performances
KELLY CLARKSON
Jennifer Hudson
David Cook
David Archuleta (all 4 above have new singles)
Taylor Swift (hottest country IT-girl now)
Pink
AKON
MELINDA DOOLITTLE!!!!!!!!!(new single, NEW ALBUM! plus they need to learn to be humble)
Estelle with Kanye West (personal biasness cos i wana watch them perform hahahaha)
Jonas Brothers / Milee Cyrus / Demi Lovato (its a family show afterall)
Usher (I WANA SEE)

I predict a KC riot

allright. i've not given this much thought yet:

ANYONE INTERESTED IN CATCHIN KAISER CHIEFS LIVE IN SINGAPORE ON 7TH APRIL?!?!!?

Fort Canning. i believe it's gonna be wicked fun.
YY! THIS IS A SHOUTOUT TO U! =)

FLEA MARKET

dear all, i will be selling some brand new tees, posters, old magazines, and mayb some books and cds come 7th Feb, Sat, at a void deck near City Harvest Church at Jurong West. it's part of a Flea Market organised by Nanyang CC. it's from 3pm to 9pm.

there will be NO food and services (like massages, manicure, boots-mending) provided. but if u do have time to spare, come pay me a visit la. i might just give u a free cheapskate tee or the poster of ya choice.

as a preview, i will be selling DAVID ARCHULETA POSTER-CALENDAR! hahahahahha. okayy. like anyone care. but if u have a sister or baby who cares (Jake, this is in no way a comment mocking all who enjoys Archie's singing. there's a diff between song lovers and idol-worshipping for their looks. i'm with u on the former heehee), u know where i will be. i will be kiao-ka-ing at the void deck with Susan's cookies, my lay-lio, and tons of kill-time food and reading material.

oh my fren is selling self-made accessories for ya phones and stuff. and susan is selling clothes. so SHOW YOUR LOVE!













k.d. lang came to Singapore a few years ago for a concert to rave reviews. i read about her habit of singing without footwear. although i wasnt a big fan of hers back then, it has been one of the regrets in my life that i didnt catch her when she came.

a regret now becomes a resolution. 101 things to do before i die: catch k.d. lang live without her shoes, serenading me with a heart-wrenchingly powerful version of Hallelujah, AND a caramel coated version of Help Me (optional).

this is one of the greatest songs ever, and her version is my fav, and IMO, the best. Jeff Buckley's comes in at a veryveryvery close 2nd fav.
this is the true sign of a great voice and great singing. and star quality. when it comes to singing, it's just it. there should not be any concerns about sexuality.

fallin'

disappointment, and a loss of words

there is no reason for me to stay on, if everyone else on board this sinking ship has given up hope.

it is perhaps time to finally let feelings and emotions subside. there is no point in a lonely battle.

Close To You

Aretha FRANKLIN - "Close To You" (1978)


Without Love


they dun call her the First Lady of Soul / Queen of Soul for nothing.
Queen Aretha's voice has been said to be one of USA's most valuable natural resources.
while her recent performance at the Presidential Inaugaration was not something everyone comprehends, its no doubt tt she is a living legend.
listen to her performances from the 60s and 70s, when soul music was all organic with piano and backing vocals, perfect harmony and great melody.
Like i told Jake, listening to her makes me feel like asking all the modern shriekers to shut up and just learn.
that spirited Soul in her voice is undeniable.

JAKE SEE THIS

ONG, see this. i cant leave an offline msg. this might just make u fall for her. serious. hahaha


J Hud - Somewhere

天空

01.天空

曲：杨明煌 词：黄桂兰 编：屠颖

我的天空为何挂满湿的泪
我的天空为何总灰的脸
飘流的世界的另一边
任寂寞侵犯一遍一遍
天空挂着长长的思念

你的天空可有悬着想的云
你的天空可会有冷的月
放逐在世界的另一边
任寂寞占据一夜一夜
天空藏着深深的思念

我们天空何时才能成一片
我们天空何时能相连
等待在世界的各一边
任寂寞嬉笑一年一年
天空叠着层层的思念

但愿天空不再挂满的泪
但愿天空不再涂上灰的脸

family love

my grandma, or in a Cantonese family affectionally known as "Ma-Ma". while taking this picture, Mama homourously commented: "我的 boyfriend", which resulted in this wide, and slightly embarressed smile.

Being the oldest grandson, i was doted on by everyone. loved, but not to the extent of giving me hundreds of dollars for CNY ang pow. when young, Mama will visit our old house in Bukit Batok Ave 8 (across the PIE from CSS), and she would bring me to the Central to get me the latest Ninja Turtle/Power Rangers toy.

I love my mama. but in this traditional family, we dont show love by telling them or hugging them. i try to do it in little ways, like greeting them, answering them when they asked a question, being respectful in general, and trying to talk longer to them whenever they called. and taking pictures is a small move forward in a way.

as much as i'd want to hear life stories from them, i guess it's about timing sometimes.

film list, demise

Personal Must-Watchs of the season!! (in order of merit)
Doubt
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Revolutionary Road
The Wrestler
Vicky Christina Barcelona
Australia
Gran Torino
Elegy
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Changeling
Valkyrie
W
Walts with Bashir
Marley and Me






John Updike dies at 76
Jan 27, 2009, 03:00 PM | by Mike Bruno


Pulitzer-prize winning American novelist John Updike, author of The Witches of Eastwick, Couples, Rabbit is Rich, and Rabbit at Rest, died today of lung cancer. He was 76. His most recent novels were last year's The Widows of Eastwick, the follow-up to Witches, and 2006's Terrorist. His short story collection, My Father's Tears and Other Stories, is due out later this year.

Updike grew up in small-town Pennsylvania, the only son of his math-teacher father and aspiring-novelist mother. As a kid, he tore through mysteries and sci-fi novels, and admired the illustrations and humor writing in The New Yorker. While attending Harvard, he published his first story in The New Yorker at age 22. After a two-year stint living in New York City and reporting for The New Yorker's Talk of the Town section, he moved his first wife, Mary, and their children (they eventually had four, before they divorced in 1976) to Ipswich, Mass., in 1957, when he was 25.

Along the way, Updike wrote the one book that deserves to be called the Great American Novel. It's Rabbit Angstrom, a 1,500-page single volume from Everyman's Library that consists of the four Rabbit novels Updike penned at 10-year intervals between 1960 and 1990. They follow Harry ''Rabbit'' Angstrom, a former high school basketball star from a fictional Pennsylvania town (based on Updike's own), as he lives his quintessentially American life through the '50s (Rabbit, Run), '60s (Rabbit Redux), '70s (Rabbit Is Rich), and '80s (Rabbit at Rest). When Rabbit at Rest came out in 1990, it was a grand ending to Updike's American epic. As Martin Amis wrote at the time: ''With Rabbit, Run (1960), Rabbit Redux (1971), and Rabbit Is Rich (1981), John Updike loaded the bases. Rabbit at Rest is the home run.'' EW named it the best fiction book of the 1990s. To the chagrin of anyone holding out hope for a fifth novel, Rest ended with Rabbit getting felled by a heart attack.

Both Rabbit Is Rich and Rabbit at Rest won Updike a Pulitzer Prize (William Faulkner and Booth Tarkington are the only other writers to win a pair of Pulitzers for fiction). --Additional reporting by Gregory Kirschling




i remember Mr Paul Chow use to let us read extracts from his books during JC lit class. another one passed.

the longest greeting ever

EWEN.rockferry says:
wanted to text you,but decided to try luck if ure online
EWEN.rockferry says:
cus wanna wish you HAPPY BIRTHDAY firstttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt before anyone elses does
EWEN.rockferry says:
may you have the best grades ever
EWEN.rockferry says:
make the most money
EWEN.rockferry says:
government give 1000$ for CPF
EWEN.rockferry says:
ash stop nagging
EWEN.rockferry says:
mom stop too
EWEN.rockferry says:
money roll roll in
EWEN.rockferry says:
best of health and luck
EWEN.rockferry says:
and may you succeed in every fucking thing you wanna do
EWEN.rockferry says:
and most importantly may you get a soul mate
EWEN.rockferry says:
HAPPY BDAY SISTA
EWEN.rockferry says:
=)




happy birthday la. happy 2009 to self.

舞娘

ok. so CNY visiting for me is pretty much the usual routine: eat, collect ang pow, read some papers, gamble, eat, play with kids. when at grandma's, due to my 1 yr's worth of depravation from cable tv, i will usually watch MTV or some music program. so while channel surfing i caught Jolin Tsai's performance of 舞娘 at the MTV Asia Awards. while i cant find that exact vid on youtube, this vid showed similar moves, albeit the costume not as pretty and the moves not as energetic. nonetheless, it's amazing how challenging this choreography is. the weird timing of the moves, the little shifts here and there, how it's non-repetitive for the most parts, and that ball and tt twirly swirly "cai3 dai4" thing, and that split! WHOA! so much goin on it's as if she's dancing singing looking pretty and doing gymnastics at the same time! gotta admit she's one of the more hardworking girls out there.

背影 vs 背影

林宥嘉


王菲

my wishlist 09

Dear Santa,

u didnt give me anything for Xmas. so here's some gift ideas for the new year.mine's a case to ponder cos i've been a good boy last year.



dear friends,

due to popular demand, here's this yr's list. too humbled last yr la so didnt wana post a list this yr initially. but this is easier for everyone la. CNY everywhere also close! so, erm, sorry for this late list and its ok for a belated gift, or no gift for tt matter, as well. =)

HAPPY NEW YEAR PULL YA EAR! HUAT BIG BIG AH!


- a big-buckle belt
- a good life changing book
- dinner at a nice place i've never been before
- a surprise
- a cardigan
- tee shirts
- Friday Night Lights season 1
- shopping vouchers
- HMV VOUCHER!!
- Faye Wong's out-of-print Buddhist Chanting cd set
- a backpack
- Chet Lam's latest DVD!
- an idiot's guide to photography
- spore shorts 2 dvd / 881 dvd
- stanley huang's last 2 albums (repackaged version)!!
- Cheer Chen's new album!!
- Felicity SEASON 3 DVD!!!

Cheer

another fucking awesome production. this is, i believe, the cd that will go down as one of 2009's finest. IMO, it's better than the previous album: more heartfelt, more earnest, more emotional. and it's the best album out of the new crop of albums now. i thoroughly loved it on the first spin.

if there's any reward u're getting for yourself from the angpow money. if u cant rem when was the last time u heard an album tt made ya heart ache and close to tears. if u love yourself a talented songwriter that neither compromises nor succumb to commercialism (by having many versions of the same album). this is the cd to get. i strongly recommend track 2 <<狂恋>>.

forget Joanna Wong. it's awful.


《太陽》

80 km/h on Seng's bike, from Orchard's filthy air to Chinatown. cutting in between two rows of cars, hanging behind a towering truck tt looms in front of us, and wheezing past buses and cars. the helmet, the wind in my face, the hot afternoon sun. what a thrill.

fucking awesome i'm gonna learn to ride a bike.

on Lee Hom's new album

"但是商业专辑终究还是要迁就。《心跳》、Everything、是标准的情歌模式，也是大家钟爱的王力宏。前者其实在王力宏的情歌范畴里有小小的突破，加入了一些distortion 的效果。而后者“太王力宏”，则让小寒老师填的词都感觉绑手绑脚，尤其留住了王力宏副歌太浅白的歌词，让整个歌词很明显看出是两个不同人的成果。" - from freshmusic.


my exact thoughts. why would 小寒老师 use the words "my everything" when i think that with her command of chinese, she can easily find a more elegant and appropriate phrase?!?!?! i'm thinking the english words were infused by Lee Hom.

my greatest disappointment comes from my greatest hope. after hearing 摇滚怎么了, i assumed he will "revolutionise" the sorta stale, and not booming, chi rock music scene. instead it's the same routine of ballads and uptempo numbers. i thought he would go beyond and extent 摇滚怎么了's breakthrough, but it didnt.

Lee Hom still sounds good vocally. it's alarming the number of instrument and amount of background work he did all by himself. the backing vocals were lush and a pleasure to listen to.

but his greatest flaw is his lack of subtlety.

of Idol and all things random

and so Thursday is once again over. my week is over. happy days are over. because American Idol is over. =(

k, overrating but true la. wed/thurs will be the happiest days this yr for sure. Idol is one of those things that will never fail to make me smile, together with Shawn Yap, 30 Rock, and Peihong. and is it me, or are the judges more lenient this year? i cant wait for Hollywood week at the stunning Kodak Theatre to see true talents in what is boasted to be the best season of great singers yet (again).

and i like the feisty new judge Kara DioGuardi. very beautiful and smart, not to mention constructive.

i cant believe i marathoned Gossip Girl season 1 within 1 week. why must D and S break up?!?!?! they're made for each other!

Kirsten Bell's narration is SUPERB la. i think no one can pronounce those words better than her.

why did Oprah put on those weight back?!?!?!?!?

one yr anniversary since Heath passed.

i love Stanley Huang's new album and Kanye West's 808s and Heartbreak. Kanye West dropped a pleasantly surprising, and what i wld call a breakthrough, album. and such a lovely tribute to feature a picture poster with her recently-deceased mother. this is a heartbreak album.

so many movies i haven watch: australia, rachel getting married, the reader, twilight, etc etc =(

where's time when u need it.

the Oscars

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button leads the field of Academy Award contenders with 13 nominations. The nominations were announced this morning in Los Angeles. As expected, Slumdog Millionaire scored big too, scoring 10 nominations.

The Academy Awards will be handed out on Feb. 22. Below, the highlights of the list of nominees.


BEST PICTURE
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire

BEST DIRECTOR
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
Gus Van Sant, Milk

BEST ACTOR
Richard Jenkins, The Visitor
Frank Langella, Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway, Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, Changeling
Melissa Leo, Frozen River
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kate Winslet, The Reader

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Josh Brolin, Milk
Heath Ledger, The Dark Knight
Robert Downey Jr., Tropic Thunder
Philip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Michael Shannon, Revolutionary Road

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Amy Adams, Doubt
Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Viola Davis, Doubt
Taraji P. Henson, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Marisa Tomei, The Wrestler

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Frozen River , Courtney Hunt
Happy-Go-Lucky, Mike Leigh
In Bruges, Martin McDonagh
Milk, Dustin Lance Black
WALL-E, Andrew Stanton, Jim Reardon, Pete Docter

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Eric Roth
Doubt, John Patrick Shanley
Frost/Nixon, Peter Morgan
The Reader, David Hare
Slumdog Millionaire, Simon Beaufoy

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Bolt
Kung Fu Panda
WALL-E

BEST ART DIRECTION
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Duchess
Revolutionary Road

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire




i love the award season. it means more great movies to watch. very looking forward to Clint Eastwood's Gran Torino. sadly it was snubbed. so was TDK (The Dark knight) from the Best Picture race and Chris Nolan from the Best Director race. pity

from a friend

"We have only one life, and only so much time, and sometimes, the time to say goodbye is not for us to say. We can only be happy while we still can."

Auction Away!

To fulfill my new half-yr resolution of remaking my room into a dustmite/silverfish free haven filled with intellectually stimulating posters and designs, i've decided that it's about time i auction off my collection of 8 Days.

ok. this sounds stupid and very silly. i mean, my stacks of 8 Days. i do not consciously try to collect them la.

i think i have, gasp gasp, yes i know, 5 yrs worth of 8 Days. i have yet to count how many issues in all i have, 52 per yr, so plus plus should have about 260 issues?!

or more la. many more. hahahhaha

so if u happen to appear in any small corner in any of the issues, or want to get the issue with ya favourite Zoe Tay pre-child-labour cover (there's mountains of them), or wana see how Chen Liping went from fat to thin, or wanna collect all the Little Nyonya synopsis, or cut out Jason Hahn's consistently funny tales of Saffy and Amanda, or document Jay Chou's rise and rise and rise, or compare the evolution of 8Days size and cover design, or chart Britney's hairvolution, u can look for me la. i also have some i-weekly and u-weekly. and the first issue of Lime with BSB on the cover with this bonus cd thing. or is it the Spice Girls issue with the scratch-off lime scent?

issues are selling at a range from 50cents to a dollar, depending on the level of friendship and how much i love that particular issue la. issues with Faye Wong / Sady Lam articles, and selective special issues, might not be available. those are my personal collection tt will confirm follow me to my grave la.

so email tag write sms call me la. i'll try to find for u. if not all these will go to Bras Basah or the karang guni man. lelong lelong!

you can suck it!

Tina Fey for Best Actress


30 Rock for Best tv series (comedy or musical)


these are the reasons why Tina Fey is the funniest woman in tv now, and 30 Rock is one of the best shows on earth.

Heidi with wings

now tell me. tell me this isnt the most supercalifragilisticexpealidocious picture/piece of garment/wings u've EVER LAID EYES ON?!!?!?!?
I was stunned when i saw this on tv yesterday at the Victoria Secret Fashion Show. and i was beaming with joy when i finally found these pictures of Heidi. can u believe she's 35, has 3 kids, and yet still stole the whole show?! seeing this literally lighted up my day =)

supergoddess.

i finally watched 十二蓮花

十二蓮花 電影原聲帶 同花顺


要是你心里真没我
你不会剪去了长发
闪动如蝴蝶在双颊　那是眼泪吗？

要是你心里真有我
你不会嘴边无火花
静静观察人世浮华　心已麻

假如说钢铁磨成针　只要愿意等
只要肯爱得深
是不是就有这可能
有可能打动这铁石心肠的人

可惜就算梦能成真　有谁猜得准
能分到多少福份
生命的同花顺　底牌没有你
我也认

假如说温柔是谎话
你不会颠覆这想法
你撑着眼儿都不眨　是眼泪吗？

假如你真的放得下
你怎会一言也不发
漂泊天涯苦苦挣扎　心已麻






sigh.
i hate it when people do things behind my back. it really pisses me off.
it's moments like this i feel like shutting people off my life, since they show me such little respect.
how much face value can one person take?
trust no one.

蔡琴

一生都给你


油麻菜籽



最後一夜

Harold and Kumar

other than the NPH moments, and the "what the fuck! what the fuck! what the fuck!" high pitch of John Cho, whom i think is hugely underrated, the other fav moment out of this sequel, which i think falls short after watching Superbad, has gotta be the last part when Kumar Petal recited this geeky but so oh-so-romantic poem. i dunno much abt math, but i guess it made pretty sense.



"I fear that I will always be
a lonely number like root three.
A three is all that's good and right
Why must my three keep out of sight
Beneath a vicious square-root sign?
I wish instead I were a nine
For nine could thwart this evil trick
With just some quick arithmetic
I know I'll never see the sun
As 1.7321
Such is my reality
A sad irrationality
When, hark, just what is this I see?
Another square-root of a three
Has quietly come waltzing by
Together now we multiply
To form a number we prefer
Rejoicing as an integer
We break free of our mortal bonds
And with a wave of magic wands
Our square-root signs become unglued
And love for me has been renewed."

Lady Gaga - Poker Face

omg.
Lady Gaga is a newcomer who looks and sounds like Christina, but whose music is part futuristic-Kylie, part Britney-synthesised-psychedelic-pop. it sounds fun, and she can sing to boot. check out the MTV which is wayyyyyy cool. those hair are to die for. watch out for this next big thing.

08 Wrap Partayyy!!! 311208 to 010109

Year-end partayyy at my place






movie marathon/potluck/jenni bday/ new yr countdown/ belated xmas gift exchange/VJ's homecoming!!!... IT'S A SLASHER PARTAYYYYY!

THEME: SPECTACULAR SPECTACLE! come in glasses/shades/specs!
ATTIRE: RED! HUAT AH!
TIME: DOORS OPEN AT 1930HRS

pls prepare present(s) for exchange. total value $20, max 5 gifts. there will be a game of gift exchange.

itinerary:
7.30pm - welcome!
8pm - feasting
8.30pm - movie marathon I
9pm - little nyonya
12 MN - toast (with alcohol)
12.15am - gift exchange + jenni's bday celebration
1.30am - movie marathon II


food list:
xuan - banana choc cake + golden pillow
lixin - tang hoon and something soupy + alcohol + muffins
loo - spicy drumlets and honey wing, oven kind + bee hoon
lionel - drinks
xinyi - chicken wings
belle - vodka + baileys
bee - PINEAPPLE RICE
jenni - dumplings, aka guo tia + eggroll
chingyee - satay + ben & jerry's ice cream
celest - ice cream
yien - golden pillow
gilbert & edwin - drinks
huiwen - mcnuggets
liling - choc fondue and fruits!



CONFIRMED movies:
- harold and kumar 1 & 2
- 12 lotus
- edward scissorhand
- the coffin (horror)
- rule #1 (horror)
- superbad
- august rush


brace yourself. 2009 is gonna rock.









having approx 20 ppl squeeze into my place is not exactly the easiest of party to have. this had been the largest party i've held at my place, with all the food, logistic, and all the smses sent out. i just kept inviting people and lost count hahahah. in the end, though it was squeezy and hot, i think they all had a great time. at one point i almost thought that my floor might give way, or my fussy neighbours might call the cops on me for making so much noise. thankfully, all's well ends well.

it was rather easy persuading my mom this time, surprisingly. i guess my die-hard intent to make this work, and my promise that i will clean up the place after it left her with no room for rejection. and she helped me fry bee hoon, which took a little more communicating to materialise. hahaha. and the biggest surprise was how supportive my dad was. he took the initiative to pack up his stuff and make room, and even bothered to offer to buy food and drinks. it was a surprising change of character, and i'm touched and thankful for their level of tolerance.

the amount of food we had was enough to feed 2 Africa, and it was SUPER SUMPTUOUS. and that's undermining it. it had love, sweat, and hardwork all thrown in it.


mum's bee hoon and spicy drumlets




the return of jenni's gyozo and eggroll, which was great i must say =) burnt her hand while cooking it. tough love man!




and then there's the return of Bee's renowned, legendary, and highly sought-after pineapple rice! this is what remains of it, half of which was swallowed by me at 5am hahahaah. it's not everyday we get to sample her rice. =)



then there was Little Nyonya at 9pm. watching tragedies at a mass always turn into a comedy. at midnight we had a toast and an exchange of presents, which involved some stealing of other ppl's presents and luck. we're supposed to buy 5 gifts max, adding up to $20 value. we're allowed to buy any items, then we'll throw a die and decide whether to pick 1/2/3 gifts, pick someone e;se's gift, or give our gifts to someone. and some of them came up with BRILLIANT stuff, like the pineapple wrapped in aluminium, the brocolli-in-a-box, the ginger, the abalone (instant noodle), and my own chun-lian, which i thought was a great gift for susan hahahahahaha


the pile



Ms "Susan" Tan and her attentive "students" in red





and it was great to see some people whom i havent met in eons. ppl like Suriya, Liling and Huiwen, who i meet like once every yr or so. i'm glad they came to catch up. and of cos VJ, who's back fr the States in time to catch us. and catching up with celest is always a joy. i'm always amazed at how much she is able to put up with, and how strong she is.

Liling


Celest


VJ




and Becca was there to skype us all the way from Beijing =)













and so 2008 wrapped with a bang. a huge resounding bang of a toast at that. as i get older, i realise i dun need much fancy countdowns anymore. while i have no doubt some yrs down the road it will come back to make me crave for a jam-packed, crowded celebration at Marina Bay or the latest hotspot with fellow Sporeans and foreign workers, but this yr, i'm fine and contented, and happy to have the people that mattered with me. thou it's (only) 20 of us, i beleive we had a hell of a laugh and hell loads of fun. thou at points it got a lil noisy and i had to take a breather with all those hiding in my room hahahaha. nothin fireworks-worthy here in the west, but everything we need. and i'm thankful that 2008 ended on a happy 24 hrs with great friends around to join in the celebration.

i'm glad that they didnt mind the crammed space and the heat. i'm also glad that 2008 has been a yr of integration as well, with xinyi and lionel showing up for many gatherings, and yien comin out of his mugger mode, and with bee and susan and their bf additions.

i love my friends. with all the change in this world and in our personal lives, i'm glad that we've managed to remain in touch. i hope we will have many more years of celebration together, with each of us contented and living a fulfilled life; with each of us getting to know each other better, and being there for each other through ups and downs.

2009 will be the year jake and bec and szechao return.
2009 will be the year we have another batch chalet.
2009 will be THE year.




2008 has been a yr of ups and downs on hindsight. (whose wasnt anyway?!!?) hahaha. but personally, 2008 was disappointing. i dun believe i've achieved much, despit me keep saying that "2008 is the year i live better". sigh. i've left Starhub, picked up tuition. Gotten myself involved with JJ prom (and with ACC for next yr), and CSS prom at York Hotel. these were some of the highlights. this yr i have a longer list of resolutions, and a more detailed plan to fulfilling it. so here's hoping that 2009 will truely be the year i live better than 2008.

wishing all of u nothing but the best in 2009.