The weekend
Talking about boring weekends and all in the past, the weekend that has just past ain't that boring. It wasn't that overwhelming but it was just packed with gathering and movie outing.
First up, on Saturday, after tuition in the morning and an attempt to understand my readings for FYP (in which I gave up not long after), I met up with Xenus cum Fervo cum Cap 5 kakis (you see, we were in the same group as councillors for a few Union Camps, thus the long string of names) at a chalet in Aloha Changi. No special occasion, just that it's sorta a annual event to have chalet just to meet up, talk cock and sing song. Although it's just the usual random chatting (plus bitching), uncontrollable laughings, mean teasings, TV watching, bridge playing, Citadel playing, and late sleeping, it's really a great time we had spent together. Somehow, it's a good time to update on our lives and bringing up the good o'times.
I slept barely three hours at the chalet, but after we checked out on Sunday morning, I got a sms from Wen, to meet up that noon for a movie with the usual gang. And so after bidding farewell to the chalet chaps, I went home, got a good lunch and attempting to have understand my readings (in which I failed yet again), I dragged the somewhat energy-drained body out of the comfortable home and to Vivocity. To my surprise (it's a pleasant one), Kym got tickets to watc the movie at Vicocity GV Max. It's my first time there and its a really big theater with sufficient space for the legs between the rows of seats.
Hairspray is the Hollywood's answer to Bollywood, in which in the movie, or rather the musical, people just sprung out from nowhere and sing to the same tune and dance to the exact same dance moves. Set in the 1960s, the movie discusses about racial integration, and about believing in oneself regardless of your weight or your looks.
This musical-turned-movie was a really optimistic one to address the racial discrimination issue. Almost all the songs are so upbeat that you want to dance to it or just sing along to it. What I loved most is the cool and retro dance moves, and the outrageously and randomly colorful costumes (and of course the hairdos).
I felt that this movie was a little too optismistic in which in the end, there would be total racial integration and those who are not stick-thin but have talents will be accepted and could be well loved by everyone. I think we still live in a realistic world where appearance still rules.
If you loved happy songs and 1960s dance moves and fashion, this is the show to catch.
And now I am back to my own reality, making another attempt at the readings that I have flipped so many times and yet, nothing seems to be integrated into my brain. Wish me luck.
Random Rambles
I just love this feeling of being alone at home, without having to do anything (although I have many things I SHOULD do) and watching TV, surfing the net, and singing aimlessly.
Although it sounds really good, I think I need to really work on something before I go into a state of being useless and set into unnecessary depression that is totally uncalled for.
1) I need to really work on my FYP. It has been on hold for too long. I really need to get it going on before my prof begins to suspect my capability of working and having a bad impression of me and having thoughts of giving me a bad grade on my FYP.
2) Get in shape. Yes. I have been talking this for a long long long time, but it seems nothing much have been achieved. I need to pysch myself up and really work hard, not just to get a desirable body but also good fitness and health. There is still the undesirable IPPT that I need to clear every year.
3) Stop being so often online and in front of TV. I been sitting down and slacking too much, and have cultivated a nice round belly, and wasting too much time. Totally UNACCEPTABLE!
Yes! I need to do something about my life. Hopefully THIS time, it would be done and sustained!
I hate myself!
Resonance Auditions
I would like to post some advertisement here. Well of course it's about the auditions Resonance having next week. Well if you reading this, and have seen us perform at NUS FIC 2007 or you just you love a cappella (and not spell it acapella or accapella or whatever that is not a cappella), and you have a wonderful voice, please come join us.
Resonance Auditions
Date: 20th - 24th August 2007
Venue: Yusof Ishak House Level 4 (Either CAC Clubroom or Committee Room 2)
Time: 6pm - 8pm
To know more about Resonance, we do have a website and that is
http://tabulas.com/~resonance.
Back to school, after some time
Well officially the school started on Monday, but since I didn't have lessons on Monday, mine started yesterday. Somehow, I felt quite different from the previous times I return to school. Maybe because of the absence from proper lessons for one whole semester. Maybe its because I know that I belong to the oldest undergraduates swarmed by the young chaps around. Imagine, the girls who just matriculated this year are borned in 1988. And I was borned in 1983. 5 YEARS DIFFERENCE!
Maybe I am just over sensitive.
The new arts canteen has caused a lot of hype. Its really new, with a modern design and its more spacious. But I still prefer the old one, and the new The Deck somehow lost its old rustic feeling that I always liked. And there are always so many people in The Deck during lunch! You should just observe how long the queues are at some of the more popular stalls like the Laksa Yong Tao Hoo stall and Japanese Food. I heard you can take up to 30 mins just to get a bowl of Yong Tao Hoo. Madness.
I also realise people tend to dress up more. Maybe I hang out more often in Arts fac for the past 2 semesters. And arts people tend to dress up more. And probably its just the first week of school and everyone puts in more effort to wear nicely as the stress of work and deadlines havent set in.
Anyway, thats all for what happened in school. More updates soon hopefully.
School's starting, but...
Haiz, I haven't been back to school for lessons for quite some time already. Well, not as in the physical sense cos I am still back for a cappella practices, as in the whole process of having to go from one lecture and to the other, the whole process of having to do tutorials and projects.
It's another process of transition again, and to me, transition always spells uncertainty and I don't like uncertaintity. Yes, change is a constant phenomenon, and I really have to get used to that, but somehow, this feeling of unsettledness still settles within me.
I can only hope I will do well for this coming and my final year.
The past few months have been quite a fulfiling one, with a cappella gigs, attachment, gatherings and movie outings going on. I realised I haven't updated on 2 special occasions that I always wanted to blog on. First in on my attachment, and the FIC gig. I'll make it a short one then.
I think my attachment at ERM has been quite a fulfiling one. The people there are nice and we can get along quite well, maybe because of the similar in ages and interests ba. Well the whole attachment stint ended with a dinner with my collegues. Although it was self initiated, I was really glad that the turn out was quite a good one. Even Jason who left the company came for the dinner. Really appreciated all who came and the help they had provided me during my attachment with the company.
FIC also stands for Freshman Inauguration Ceromony is an event when NUS students are welcomed into NUS. It can be quite a boring event. Anyway, Resonance was once again invited to sing for the event. Although personally, we did not do that great, apparently the audience seemed to enjoy it, with backstage helpers coming to congrats us for the good performance and profs coming to us, expressing the enjoyment they had during our performances. Oh well, hopefully we can have more good auditionees for this year's recruitment. Besides the singing, we enjoyed ourselves with the bridge playing, photo takings (with Jasmine Tye), and random singing in the pantry.
Just started an account in Facebook, to prevent myself from being outdated. It's like friendster but you can do much stuff with facebook, like add stuff on your personal wall, poke your friends, add photo albums, joined a network or group and stuff like that. Add me if you know me. The link is
www.facebook.com and search for Jeremy Quek.
Well, as for now, I really hope everything will be fine for this semester.
Happy 42nd National Day!
It's the nation's 42nd birthday. You just can't miss it, with flags hanging out of the windows of the HDB flats, with mini heartland celebrations taking place thoughout the island, with people wearing red all heading towards the same direction at city hall mrt station. It was really a sight to see a sea of red at citylink mall as well as in mrt towards city hall.
It's quite a pity I can't be at the parade this year. It's different as this year is the first that the parade is held at the world's largest floating platform, constructed by the bay for this special event.
But anyhow, I still enjoyed the show at the comfort in my home on TV.
I am just glad I don't have to squeeze my way through the sea of red.
Tired...
Not just phyiscally, but mentally as well as spiritually, emotionally and everything that goes. Always felt I am so lost in this desert of lonliness, of uncertaintity, of troubles. I really don't know how to handle it sometimes.
Everything seems not to be so well these few years. There's not much personal achievement. Some might suggest its the small things that count, but these 'small things' seem to absent as well. Maybe I am not that observant, but sometimes, when I am really really down, nothing seems to pull me up. Probably, it's me that can help myself. But sometimes, I really do not have the energy at all.
Just came back from Reso prac today. To be honest, almost every prac was rather discouraging, although most of the time I appear to be chirpy. It made me feel I am the worst singer in this world, trying to be good. I am like always out-of-pitch, diction is always out, not enough air, not this, not that. And saying 'It's not I want to pick on you' doesn't help.
I know its a process of learning, and it is true it ain't easy. But it is not that I am not trying my best at all. And I really really really hate it that some people just don't get it that people like me might need longer time to learn stuff. Saying 'I am on pitch' and 'I am whispering' don't help as well.
Singing used to be a leisure thing for me. But it seems that this whole process has become a chore. Now even when KTV, I am listening out to whether I am out-of-tune, my tone, and totally ignore the essence and the feelings of the songs.
Maybe singing is just not my cuppa tea. It's just leisure.
Maybe it's time. It's time for me to move on, as well as for the rest of the group.
It may be hard. It is not definite. I don't know what's the next step.
A Cappella Championships 2007
I know this comes a little late, but as always said,
Better Late Than Never, and so it goes.
CONGRATS to Resonance and Spuffs for a job well done at the National A Cappella Championships 2007. I think they really did a great job in the competition and they gave the other groups a hard fight, so rock on guys!
And if any of you guys are reading this, I really think both groups are fantastic in your own ways. Some of you all might think that you did not do good enough or not worthy of the win, or just lack the excitement and all, please don't think that way. I always stress that learning something from it is the most important of it all. No matter you win it or not, make sure there's something you can bring home with at the end of the day.
As a whole, I think that the standards for this year rose quite a bit as compared to last year when Oops took back the trophy. There were a few really good groups this year and really gave Resonance and Spuffs a good fight. A few groups that worthed mentioning:
Altered (Winner of the Junior College Category) - Really good stage presence, cool moves and potentially good soloists. I think you guys rocked the house.
KRomatics (Runner Up of the Senior College Category) - Tight background. Loved your Kiss from a Rose. Interesting props and choreo. A couple of good soloists. Gave Resonance a really hard but good fight.
Dischordants (Winner of the Open Category) - The guys (and gals) are great. Loved 'Change the World'. It's really well done. Enjoyed the performance. They had a lot of stage experience, shown through the comfort they had on stage. They also won the best soloist, and I think the girl really can sing. Hope to catch you guys performing in the future.
A review had also been done with Resonance and Spuffs during practice on Tuesday. Hopefully we all can learn something and enjoy the whole process of the championships.
Photos update.
Once again, both groups did Resonance and most importantly yourselves REAL PROUD!!
