I was at the Singapore Complaints Choir gig at the Arts House last evening, with the company of Suhui, Jiayan and Charm Yik. Basically, the choir is part of the Singapore Fringe Festival by The Necessary Stage, an outreach programme to allow arts to be more accessible to the public. Sadly, due to some complications with the police, and also due to the content of the performance, all public performances are canceled and only 2 performances on Sat and the other 2 on Sun, were on at the Arts House, and it's a 'By Invites Only' event.
Nevertheless, the show went on, and they went on complaining about issues in Singapore, with a humour twist but of course. The tune was composed by our dear Alan Chong, and the lyrics were contributed by the singers of the choir. Other familiar faces caught were Aziah, one of the singers, Shin Ni, and Caleb.
After the event, I think Singapore really needs to open up a bit. The choir is really harmless and it's also a Singaporean thing to complain, just that it's now in the form of art. The public will then find this idea interesting as they can find something to relate to. The main complication comes in as foreigners and PRs are involved in this event, that's why the police denied the choir of its public performances. Seriously, I don't see the point why non-Singaporeans can't complain about Singapore. It's not as if they are doing any harm.
Anyway, after the gig, we (Azi went home early) went to Joshua's 21st birthday. A typical birthday party with lots of people around, therefore we, including Yeow An and Joy, entertained ourselves with food, beer, games and forfeits where the loser had to do jumping jacks in the middle of the room.
It's only the second week of school and I am feeling the stress already. Probably it's the work and projects that start to kick in and it seems I am in school more often than ever. Hopefully, I can cope with the final semester, and maybe it's after all not a bad thing, so that I can stop worrying about the stresses in life other than school.
Met up with the color-coordinated gang yesterday at Bedok having Botak Jones. Yes, there's an outlet here at Bedok North. Tired the Cajun Chicken, recommended by the goat. It's actually not bad, 'cos I would not normally eat chicken breast, but the preparation of the chicken was quite good that I don't feel that I am eating chicken breast. I am never regretful meeting with these people, as we always had laughter and happiness around, and for once, we could put aside our worries and stress and just enjoy the company of each other.
Looking forward to the next outing with these peeps.
Hehe, trying to be poetic here. Maybe I can find a tune to the lyrics. But I guess the words are too few. Maybe next time I can add in to the existing lyrics.
I'll make this a short one, as I'm rather tired. Met up with Siandy to do some CNY shopping. Didn't go to Celio* this time (Siandy thinks it's my favorite shop). Did some independent browsing at the shops while she's doing her photocopying at Esplandade Library. Finally when she's done, we ate side dishes at Kenny Roger's. Then I showed her the stuff I thought was nice, and when I got her confirmation that it's really not bad, I made the purchase. So these are what I got in the end; a long sleeve shirt and a pair of greenish brown long pants from G2 Blu and a pair of nice shoes from Pedro. In all, I spent past 200 bucks. I think guys' stuff are always more expensive the girls'. But ya, that's more or less the shopping for the year. Unless...
Just came back from the boardgame cafe, Hideout Cafe, near my house after dinner at 85 market. Although we spent 3.5 hours there, it didn't feel that long. And what's more, we only paid for the 3 hours package, had 15% discount, and 0.5 hours free, played Taboo, Slamwich, Dividends, some dinosaur bone snatching game, and others (I think in all, we played around 7 to 8 games), free flow of drinks and some snacks and tidbits, had tons of laughter and fun, and all these for only 12 bucks. There are also forfeits that are written for losers, thus we don't have to think forfeits for the losers. The boss is quite good, as he gave us all the offers and discount, probably there aren't many people around initially, and to make the cafe to seem more occupied. Anyway, it's a nice place to hang out!
超級星光大道 Season 2 finally came to an end and black horse 賴銘偉 eventually won and walked away with 1000000NT (about S$50000) and a contract. Hot favorite 梁文音 got second. My second fav 林宜融 got fifth. I thought she should have gotten top 3, but I think it's because of her song choice for the 1st round, where she chose a slow song while others chose fast songs and showed very different sides of them. Because having a lowest accumulated score overall, she walked away with the title of 4th runner up without having a chance to compete for the second round, (which worth 60% of the total marks). I feel that she should have a good chance of being in the top 3 with her second song, which she performed eventually and it's a nice fast song. Probably it's her tactic because the rest chose slow songs in the second round, and if she had gotten to the second round, she would have got high marks, and would be placed in the higher positions. Maybe she didn't anticipate she would be kicked off in the first round.
賴銘偉 and 梁文音 really had a hard fight, and although I though both did as well, the formal still walked away as champion. Well, I still prefer my fav. I thought 葉瑋庭 did rather well with both her fast songs, and she scored an overwhelming score of 24 out of 25 with her first song. 梁文音 did very well with Christina Aguilera's Candyman and also scored 24 out of the possible 25. But it was 賴銘偉 who beat everyone with his second song, where the second round worthed 60% of the whole score.
Though many had commented that this series wasn't as exciting as the first series, and the singers aren't as wonderful as the earlier series, I still think we can learn a lot from this series. People like 林宜融 has wonderful fighting spirit and there's also the melodious voice of 梁文音. Season 3 is coming and I hope it will be as exciting!
I heard this song from YES 933 on my way to school yesterday. It's the typical aspiring, full of hope song sang by the top 10 finalists from 超級星光大道. Since they are only 2 guys in the top 10, their voices are definitely easily recognized from the other 8 gals. From this song, we can hear whose voice is more distinctive than the others, which is actually an important factor if a singer wants to survive in the music industry. Besides having a unique voice, the person's style is also very important. Anyway, I was trying to identify the voices yesterday and the voices I think that are rather distinctive are voices of 梁文音 (my current fav), 林宜融, 黃美珍, 魏如昀. The others I have to take quite some time before identifying who they are. In the MTV, 林宜融 looks very good. She might not be the prettiest from the lot, but I admire her determination and effort she put in during the competition.
As we grow up and the environment we are in changes, be it the change of school environment, activities, the neighbourhood or some other reasons, we will gradually be in lesser contact with friends we normally hang out with. This is inevitable, as people have to move on and when new friends are made, we tend to forget our old ones, maybe not totally, unless we make an effort to keep those we are really close with.
We tend to make excuses that we are really busy with either work, school, girlfriends, boyfriends, that we can't find time to spend with friends. I am a victim of such excuses. I admit there are times, when I do lack time management ability and have to forgo meeting up with peeps I haven't met for ages. And before you know it, you are never in contact with them anymore.
Well it's rather sad, but it's the truth. We do lose friends we thought we'd never lose as we proceed through the journey of life.
I recently bumped into a couple of my secondary school friends on the bus. We were rather close together during secondary school days, but since JC, it seems we have less contact with each other. And when we met up again, the atmosphere seemed rather cold and lack of topics to chat about.
Nevertheless, I am glad I am still in contact with some of my old and close friends from primary school and JC. We plan outings, eating sessions, birthday celebrations, KTV sessions, Zoo outings, overseas trips and what-nots.
It is really cliche but it takes two hands to clap. For a relationship or friendship to last, it really requires all parties to be involved as much as possible. It can be tiring, especially when work ties us down, but take gatherings or meeting ups as times to relax and destress.
It's the process of growing up and it's inevitable that we will lose some good friends around. That's why I really try to meet up with friends I am still in contact with, especially those that clique very well. Who knows probably in the future, we will still be going out together, maybe not that often, but frequent enough to not lose them. And who knows some friendships will just be happy memories and will just relinquish.
I am into my final semester this year, and I really don't know what to expect, or how will I do. I will just do my best and hope Lady Luck will shine on me. Hopefully, I can cope with the stress from school well and just give it all for the very last time.
Just came back from meeting Siandy and the goat. Maybe I should stop calling them by their nicks just in case I forgot their real names. Anyway, Siandy wanted to meet up, so we just met. After lunch at Mos Burger and meeting up with the goat, who went for a haircut, and walking aimlessly around, we decided to watch Le Grand Chef, a Korean movie on food. Overall I would say it's actually quite good. Click on the link to get the brief story.
I think the message or theme of this movie is how delicious food are linked with the stories. Sometimes how good the food taste is not all just because the ingredients that are used to prepare them, but its the story behind the different food that make them extraordinary. I know this is just a movie and the stories are somehow slightly exaggerated, but it did touch on human issues, like greed, family relations and stuff like that. I wish there aren't so many stories linked because for a while, I was a bit lost here and there though I got everything in the end. There probably can be one lesser story and more development to the existing ones.
The movie was actually from a comic, and I loved how there are certain scenes in the movie that involved comic-effects.
PS: The Sakae Sushi outside Plaza Singapura is actually quite good.
But I don't know why. It's not that I have so many things to do, or been out from dusk to dawn everyday, or been to hectic excursions to Mount Everest. I have only been out during the evenings for dinners and gatherings.
Maybe I slack too much, and think too much. The unnecessary worries just burden me. Or are they really unnecessary?
Been thinking a little too much these few days, thinking how I should deal in the situations I am in. I really don't know what to do at times, and I feel that I am just wasting my time and youth away, involve in things that have no destinations or no endings. I know I should move on, to look for new aims, to look for new beginnings, to look for sunnier days. It's not just that very one thing that is tying me down, but just the things around me that seem to make me so weary.
School's starting, and it's the already the final semester. Maybe it's good that school's starting so that the fatigue of life won't tire me as much.
I just watched a French Comedy, Le Diner de Cons (The Dinner Game). The movie talks about how Pierre and his apparently 'smart' friends have a dinner every week, where they must invite someone whom they think is an idiot. The guest whom they deemed is the craziest will win this game. However, something cropped up and Pierre is stuck at home with his guest. The tables are then turned against him and his life becomes a real mess.
I think this comedy is really different from the typical comedy where you laugh off your chair. The humor is subtle such that you don't even realise you are actually laughing away. The setting is really simple, no great visual effects, no exaggerated acting. Just the simple conversation make you realize the stupidity of human beings and how even yourself might get into such situation, that is making real stupid mistakes.
The moral I got from the story is that no matter who you are or no matter how intelligent you are, never try to act that you are smart or smarter than anyone else. If you are really smart and trying to act smarter, the consequences will somehow hit back to yourself. And if you are already not so intelligent and try to act smart, you will just be a joke yourself.
I really think it's a nice and simple movie which tells a lot. Just be yourself, and I remember one line from the movie when the supposed idiot trying to help Pierre, 'It's tiring to be intelligent'.
Actually, she's celebrating her 22nd, but since her 21st birthday was spent in the U.S., she decided to have a 22nd one where she's here. The theme of the party was royalty, therefore everyone (with the exception of some) was dressed in black, purple, gold, silver or a mixture of the above. Held at Aloha Loyang, the party was a gathering for the Reso peeps where some of us haven't seen each other for ages. Being the birthday gal, she was busy entertaining her guests, so we entertained ourselves with card games of Bridge, the usual teases, laughters, and what-nots. Her guests were also treated to our very impromptu singing of the song 'Fire', which was actually not very good. But it was the fun and joy and the gathering of all your friends that counts. We got her a swatch watch, which she seems to like it quite a lot. Really something practical eh, rather than an automatic toothbrush which I threatened to give her.
Enough said. The pictures will say more. Thanks to Suhui, Charm Y and Lina (Su's friend) for the photos.
The Birthday Gal
The Birthday 'Cake' Happy Reso Family Providing our own entertainment The Black Representatives trying to act 'cool' The Purple Representatives
It's not that I didn't want to update my blog everyday, but sometimes, I have nothing much to write, or maybe just too tired to think of any things to write. Maybe I should read more, then I can comment what I have read.
Went out with Charm Yik, Meisi, Edlina, and Derek to get Suhui's present on Monday. We looked at a few watches around and finally proceeded to Bras Basah Complex to get the watch. It's really funny when we couldn't agree on the watch to get as Edlina and Meisi had very different opinions. I could almost see that they wanted to pull each other's hair. We even call Suhui to ask what kind of watch she would prefer. Finally, we got 'the one'. Suhui, you better like what we got you, or else...
We had an early dinner at Miss Clarity Cafe near Bugis. Had Porky Onions which was actually quite good. Charm had dory fillet and Edlina had salmon, which all tasted not bad.
My dad has been home for his retirement for about a week, and I am getting used to him being around at home during the day. But I am a bit worried. I am afraid he'll not get used to this doing-nothing-and-staying-at-home lifestyle. You see, my dad is a rather anti-social person. Besides work, he doesn't really like to go out or interact with other people. And when at home, he doesn't really do the housework that much. Therefore besides reading the newspaper, and sleeping, the occasional buying of lunch and the usual morning jog, he doesn't do much. I really wish he can spend his retirement more meaningfully, but he's a rather stubborn and hot-tempered person. I don't know how to tell him. He sometimes get angry even at the minute stuff. It is not that I don't want him to take a good break from work and enjoy his retirement, but it just hurts when I see him sitting on the chair, and staring at blank space.
He is not the kind who likes traveling as well. I really wish he can do something easy and spend his time more meaningfully. I am afraid without much activities, he will go bored and be even more hot tempered than ever.
I am really worried.
Well I hope he can take care of himself and knows what he is doing or has plans what he wants to do.
Going to Suhui's birthday party later. Hopefully I will have fun.
I have been out for about 10 hours and am very tired, but ate a lot for dinner, so should rest a while before hitting the bed.
Shall keep the long day out happenings short.
Decided to go to the temple near bugis with my parents. Went out at around 1pm. After temple, went to some grocery shopping at a market nearby, and mum went handbag shopping. It's rather amusing to shop with my parents (something I don't do as often now as before). Found it funny yet courageous of my mum to ask the person queuing at the counter to borrow OG card for the 10% discount. *Claps*
Search for Bras Basah Complex began. Actually I knew where it was, but I thought my dad knew it too, thus followed my dad by walking through the inner roads, and found ourselves ending near CHIJMES. Luckily we didn't need to walk far back to the complex. Got my tuition kid's books. Rushed off to meet Siandy at Dhoby Ghaut Mrt.
Met up with Siandy. Both of us realised we are hungry. Shared Long John's Combo 2 @ PS. Went to Daiso as Siandy needed to get 'The Thing' which happened to be a shoe insole. Went to Yamaha as she needed to get a Clavichord for her school. Played a couple of them and fell in love with Clavichords. Went to G2000 to look for Siandy's pants but mission failed. Decided to proceed to Esplanade. Caught the SAF Band marching along the road and so we chase them.
After the chase, we ended up at Esplanade Library. Looked for some CD but failed. Borrowed a couple of DVDs instead. Went to Marina Square. Siandy got her pants at the G2000 there and I got a basic tee. Went to Zara to look at the sale, but found nothing exciting. Hungry again. Ate at Cafe Cartel. She ordered Pork's Ribs and I ordered some Chicken thingy which I couldn't remember. She couldn't finish hers and made me finish the rest. That's why I am so full, because we even shared an Oreo Cheesecake as it was half priced. Left the place at around 1030pm and we walked along Padang to City Hall Mrt. Reached home at around 1130pm.
I am very tired, thus the short sentences throughout the post.
Japanese phrase of the day: Ha-ji-meh-ma-shi-teh. (I think which translates to 'Nice to meet you'.)
Singing is a pleasure, and it's a way of expression and communication, like talking. Being in a singing group myself, there are so many times, we are so concerned about how we should sound, our pitch, our diction, our placement. But have we forgotten that we sing because we want to communicate with our audience, and we want to tell them the story behind the song? It doesn't have to be the interpretation of what the original singer has done, but as long as you feel the song, I think it's ok if you sing it in your own interpretation.
As some of my friends know, I do follow a Taiwanese Singing Contest called 超級星光大道 or One Million Star. It's already in its second season, and the last few contestants. I admire a few contestants like 林宜融 , 梁文音 , and 吳忠明 . I admire them either because of their powerful voices, their hard work, or their ability to portray the songs as they are supposed to be. Some of them are also able to take the song to a different level and have a new interpretation of the song.
While I was watching this week's episode, where the contestants are supposed to team up with veteran singers. I feel that no matter how good the contestants are, they still miss out a certain feeling or factor the veterans can portray. I was particularly touched by this veteran, 蕭煌奇 , who perform alone after teaming up with 賴銘偉. Somehow, it was very touching. Maybe because of his disability (he's blind), that made the song, 你是我的眼 , particularly more meaningful. What hit me deeper is when asked by 陶子 how he was able to sing so well, he said singing should be an enjoyment, a pleasure. He also said that one should just live everyday happily and go ahead and achieve what you dream for.
I know this is the last time I will be doing CORS bidding as I am graduating this semester. But I just hate knowing that I can't take some modules as I am outbid or not enough points or no one's taking with me or just for some reasons.
As much as possible, I will try to appreciate the process of bidding. Haha.
Hopefully I will get the modules I have bid for. Wish me luck!
Suhui's birthday next week. Haven't really thought I wear for the royal-themed party. Most likely in black.
The past few weeks have been gatherings and more gatherings and as my friends started their work for the new year, I am more or less free-er. FYP's done, but it doesn't look quite good. So for now till next Wednesday, which is Su's party, I guess I will be at home, enjoying the comfort of my house and the company of my dad, mum and grandma. Dad'll been home from this year as he's officially retired. Haiz. Now the stress of supporting the family will be on me.
Tuition started 2 days ago. Now, due to the modules I am taking, I might need to change the tuition days. I hope my kid will be ok with it.
While meeting up with some of the 5 man gang for a mahjong session yesterday at Teck's house, someone mentioned that there's a new board game cafe at Blk85 Bedok North market which is very near where the famous bar chor mee and also near my house. On further checks on the net, I realised there IS such a place and it's called the Hideout Cafe. It looks like it's a nice place for hangouts and gathering. Shall check it out soon. Anyone interested can give me a call!
Photos courtesy of Hideout Cafe.
Another rather happening shop is a chocolate cake shop which serves very nice cakes. It's called choc.a.bloc. Check out the website. It's also near the Blk 85 market. I bought their Mum's Choco Fudge Cake before. It's very soft, not too sweet and very fragrant. You all should try it too. But any orders must be placed at least 3 days advance.
Pictures courtesy of choc.a.bloc
Really can't believe that my neighbourhood market becomes so happening!
2008 is finally here. In this new year, I have a few resolutions, which hopefully I can fulfill them. I hope I will be happier, spend more time with my families and friends, have more determination in whatever I do, be a much fitter person, find a good job and earn more money, and always try to look at the positive side of things.
2007 has been a year of growing and learning, and I hope I will continue learning and growing and remember what I have learned. I will also try to continue the many things I have initiated, like the design blog, and the energy I have in 2007.
2007 ended with a birthday celebration at Derek's house, with food (and more food), phototaking, singing, etc. It's the 3rd time we celebrated his birthday with potluck, and as usual, the fun and laughters! After that, I rush to my NUS class chalet at Pasir Ris, which is at the other part of Singapore as Derek's place is at Clementi. I know it's crazy, but I think this is one of the seldom crazy things I do! Anyway it's the last year of the year! Fortunately I reached just before 12am, and able to countdown with the class peeps. After that, it's mahjong, which I've lost, gossiping, playing bridge. I left at 7am to go back my home sweet home to sleep!
Photos from Derek's party!
Derek's Card. His present, the red shirt. Reso Group shot!
