Om nom, life.

Moved (officially-ish)!

2010-12-09T00:48:00.002+08:00

Dear friends, for the first time in five years, I am moving to another host:

clogz.tumblr.com

New place, same stagnation!

Blogger has been kind and user-friendly thus far; perhaps I will make a return when it gets more fashionable (or not)! (:

The Leap

2010-11-17T01:48:00.002+08:00

Dear blog,

I am going to move to tumblr soon. I've decided that I should keep up with the times. Blogger is so 2005.

But I haven't picked a nice URL that I wouldn't be embarrassed about in 3 months' time, so treasure the minutes we have left!

Till then,
Me

Inspirational Posters

2010-11-14T22:35:00.001+08:00

BY THE WAY, THAT IS TOM GAUGER, BASS DRUM LEGEND. (:

Glee

2010-11-13T01:03:00.003+08:00

I think Glee is slowly turning unwatchable. Not that I'm going to stop watching it completely, but I'm definitely not as excited about it as before.

The Rocky Horror episode was rather excruciating. Now there's a gay episode. Oh, right, they need something really controversial for people to watch. Pishposh.

---

I sometimes wonder if I am becoming too Westernised. I haven't been keeping touch with any Chinese traditions, or the language. And massive doses of TV doesn't help much. Oh well. Caucasians age more gracefully.

Selfish Spoons

2010-11-11T21:02:00.002+08:00

I need to stop trusting everyone to be intelligent and/or human at all.

Such people are mere spoons; vessels for excrement. Spoons cannot contain anything unless people put things in them. Spoons cannot dig unless a hand manipulates them.

Dumb people are spoons.

Comatose is a better state

2010-10-21T22:26:00.002+08:00

I skipped school today.

No reason to, really. I did my math tutorial and didn't have any problems with it. Otherwise there were practically no lessons since all the teachers are busy marking.

I slept from 6pm to 5am and lazed around till 6pm. Ate some. Watched a movie. Did some work.

Life is so boring.

APATHY

Simmering. Boiling. Scalding. Angry.

2010-10-16T23:39:00.001+08:00

Hungry, tired, absolutely bored.

So much to lose hair over!

The glass is half-something

2010-10-09T22:56:00.003+08:00

Post-exam freedom is, as usual, sweet and boring. All I did today was gorge, watch TV and do backflips. True story.

And, I must be a douche and rant on this thing about people that have forced me to learn how to tie a noose.

I'm not exactly a grammar geek. Maybe it's because I've never faced any issues with grammar. Most people talk to me in perfectly comprehensible grammar (or non-grammar). The occasional misspelling makes me squirm a little. If someone speaks/writes really bad English I try to decrypt.

But this, this, I cannot understand. I tried to tolerate it at first; I thought it was an innocent mistake by a few, but it's an epidemic sweeping across the entire school.

Why do people always ask if "a page" means "a side" or "a piece of paper"?

Have they not used MS Word before? Have they not read a book before? (On hindsight, maybe they haven't.) Have they not counted the number of "printed pages" in their exam papers before? Have they not used the word "page" before?

A page IS one side! Dammit, a 7-year-old could tell you that and teenage dumbshits are giving me this crap. This is, indeed, a very disappointing product of education.

Thoughtless

2010-09-26T00:01:00.002+08:00

I realised that I haven't been thinking lately. Not that I've been doing crazy, senseless things like riding unicorns (on hindsight, that would be awesome), but I just haven't been thinking about thinking. Or anything.

These days I've been feeling so rusty; so old. It's plain apathy. Maybe I'm tired, or just bored. I don't know why people around me are so full excited about life, and I don't even bother to wonder.

And this worries me a bit because if all that rust builds up I'll turn into some bitter old woman smelling like medicated oil who can't reason the difference between euphoria and rage. It'll all be just blood and adrenaline.

Now I'm just talking about thinking about thinking but not actually doing it. How blog-friendly. How usual of me!

Sleek

2010-09-25T00:41:00.002+08:00

Promos in 8 days oh crap what am I doing here I can't do Math help me I can't do Math I haven't started on KI and Econs aaah crap oh no

On the bright side I am so excited to jump into post-promo activities can't wait can't wait

Typing with no punctuation is somewhat nice because you have no obligation to make sense

More NPH Win

2010-09-20T23:24:00.001+08:00

You smart littl-- EYY!

Not skyward

2010-09-10T02:12:00.002+08:00

1) Tempted to buy the Dr Horrible DVD (at US$10, I don't mind)!

2) Competition results are going to be out anytime soon; I'm not expecting anything but I want to see the youth category's winning entries! I'm always wondering what other people my age (or younger) are up to.

3) I signed up for this talk by Dick Lee (I know right.) and I just realised it's 3 days before the biggest exam of the year.

I don't seem to be very interested in promoting to JC2. Schmeh. (3 weeks to promos, uh oh)

I WILL START MY STUDYING REGIMEN TOMORROW!!! (hopefully)

No one dislikes NPH

2010-09-09T03:35:00.002+08:00

Neil Patrick Harris won an Emmy for his appearance in Glee!

I just watched Dr Horrible's Sing-along Blog. (I also understand it's 3.40 in the morning. But it's awesome!)

NPH GLORY AHEAD:

This is just the first part of Act 1, watch all three acts! You won't regret it (unless you are watching this the day before a major exam and you just recovered from amnesia and can't remember anything you've learnt in the past 5 years). Promise.

Hobo

2010-09-03T00:02:00.003+08:00

JC is tiring PW sucks JC is tiring PW sucks JC is tiring PW sucks JC is tiring PW sucks Ctrl+V+V+V+V

SIGH. Have you ever had someone tell you a "big" secret, then say "omg please don't tell anyone"?

Hello? If it's THAT big a secret, why are you telling me?

I'm flattered it's a sign of trust or something. But these "secrets" are really trivial. It's as if you're screaming at me to spread it. It's as if... you're gossiping about yourself.

Is that twisted or what?

---

Some people have asked me why the things I say or write are funny in a different, weird way. It's kind of weird. So is it good or bad?

Maybe it's because I just describe weird things in a not-so-weird manner. And everyone knows the same explicit, uncomfortable, so-bad-it's-funny truth.

(On a side note, I'M GOING TO SPAIN AND PORTUGAL IN DECEMBER YES!!!!)

Pacify

2010-08-26T00:55:00.003+08:00

Can you be satisfied with what you're given for ONCE?

If you're so bitter about it there is nothing I can do. It wasn't my verdict; everyone voted. It was a clearly unanimous decision. If you think there is no reason the results were such, just ask the 46 people why.

Sometimes people try so damn hard to accept you but you want to be different. What do you want, really? People to bow down to you? Even the best don't act like they are; just learn something from those people.

YOG Opening Ceremony

2010-08-15T16:24:00.003+08:00

The YOG Opening Ceremony was awesome.

Now, I must admit that there were several flaws, but it was simply because some idiots decided NOT to attend rehearsals and eventually screw the actual ceremony up. And the organising committee kept having to making last-minute changes, thus affecting people who ATTEND rehearsals like us.

If you can spot the segment where the drummers were rehearsing for the FIRST time on international TV, kudos to you!

If you didn't like it, you might enjoy the fact that you could be burning in Moscow instead, had they won the bid. (: And to quote Mark Twain, I'd send you a fan if I could.

Sometimes, before you criticise and say "how disappointed you are", just be realistic and expect the expected when it comes to money. But 20000 volunteers are involved. Who knows how many thousands of performers were there. We stayed awake for 36 hours and rehearsed at 4am for the ceremony to be great, not to hear you whine about how some foreign athletes walked in the wrong direction.

Singaporeans. If you didn't watch the ceremony live or aren't involved in the YOG process, don't complain. You're not entitled to. THIS IS OLYMPIC HISTORY.

The Institution

2010-08-11T01:38:00.004+08:00

Somehow roles have reversed ever since I left NY for HC.

Back in NY, the teachers were pretty decent. Some left me wondering how they even got into the industry, but most were of substantial quality. Student leaders on the other hand were mostly slaves to the management's every whim. The "student voice" was, really, a more amiable medium for teachers to command students around.

Here in HC, the student leaders do pretty much whatever they can, and try to max out every possibility to leave some historical impact behind (or impress their seniors, if there is any difference). The teachers, ironically, are just vessels of knowledge. They teach, and they're gone. It's a professional relationship.

But oh, some are hardly professional.

I already mentioned the incident about a teacher failing to book my free tickets, possibly due to sheer slowness (9 working days?), which I deserved for attending a 4-week course. The course was essentially not as exciting or prestigious as they branded it to be. And it also happened to be an arts-related course. How encouraging!

This time, despite my sheer misfortune to get neither of my 4 choices for BOTH sabbaticals (do the permutations), they decided that my course for the second day is actually a 2-day course. So I have to either kayak for two days for a certificate I already have, or change that day's course to one that has "remaining vacancies".

In other words: "Oh, somehow there were miscommunications. So you guys have to drop your already-unpopular course for an even more unpopular course. Unless you want to do something you did for days at OBS. I mean, it could be fun!"

Grrrrr. *deep breath*

I think, instead of being grouchy, I should be glad that I really hate inefficient "role models". This only proves that those who can't, teach.

(On a side note: MY HAMSTER GAVE BIRTH TO PUPS. AGAIN. .__________.)

Zoomy

2010-08-02T00:20:00.003+08:00

Time seems to love testing me. Once again, I'm being vacuumed into the world of excesses.

Work, work, work.

I am wondering why the YOG Welcome theme is so African. ~~FOOTBALL!~~ But the videos are pretty cool. It'll be an interesting start to the show, I promise. No spoilers (: I wouldn't set my expectations too high for the other items though.

Work! Work! Work!

Am I worried that there's a chemistry test tomorrow? (Today, actually.)

Wooork.

(I read my play again. I am mildly disturbed. Breathing the same air for 24 hours can't be healthy.)

Weekend with water (and yatchs)

2010-07-26T23:41:00.010+08:00

Nah, I didn't go for some sea adventure over the weekend.

I was at the 24-Hour Playwriting Competition 2010, organised by TheatreWorks. (I'd wanted to join last year but couldn't find the time.) This year's venue was the SAF Yatch Club Changi (located in an extremely obscure part of the island, next to the Naval Base. I saw a submarine!).

It was a pretty amazing experience. As the name of the competition suggests, you camp at the place for 24 hours and attempt to churn a play out. There are creative stimuli given at regular intervals and you have to incorporate them into your play, in order of release. The stimuli could inspire or ruin you, depending on your luck.

There're two types of stimuli, specific and non-specific. The specific ones could be dialogue or an object or anything concrete. The non-specific ones are totally experiential and up to you to interpret. But you have to make them noticeable enough in your play for the judges to pick it up (if they don't, they suppose you left the stimulus out and you're disqualified).

We sat at round tables and my table had three 20/30-somethings and two 50/60-somethings. The age gap didn't facilitate communication much. And of course, I was there alone, which really made everything much less mortifying. It is always ideal for greenhorns to sit with older, wiser people and people who've joined the competition for over 5 times.

The competition lasted 24 hours, but I left 2 hours early for the SYCO concert. So that's 22 hours. I slept for about 3.5 hours, took a shower, about 5 tea breaks and 10 toilet breaks. That's about 17 hours of hardcore sitting, thinking, rejecting your ideas, and sometimes, writing. But it's a great feeling to be there to write. I'd never force myself to finish writing anything if not for the competition.

Plus, the food was pretty awesome. Totally helped. I think I drank 5 to 6 cups of hot tea. (In the end I mentioned tea in my script. I love tea.) Surprisingly I didn't eat much, but they bought us cheng tng at 12 midnight. And they had the best carrot cupcake (I swear) I've ever eaten. Like, the cupcake of my dreams. Dense, moist, not too sweet, topped with icing sugar... I won't go on.

The venue was a bit small but very pretty. When I was feeling burnt out around 6.30am I took a nice walk along the marina and totally got inspired, if that's what inspiration feels like. For some reason, the more visual something is, I tend to ignore it. I pay more attention to smells and sounds. I was going to kill off my character (morbid much), then I realised a person like that wouldn't kill himself. (Epiphany? Hahaha)

And I need to dedicate my eternal gratitude to Valentia Angelin, who gave me tons of wholesome advice and encouragement over the phone and MSN (it's not cheating, right?)! As a reward I named one of the characters after her haha! Let's join next year!

Ah, there's too much to say on my part! It's as if so many things (or nothing at all) happened in that short day. Let's just say I left the competition with more than a script.

My play is titled Repair. It's about the Oedipus complex. (I wonder why myself.) It's not something I had enough time or energy to do, but I guess it's a decent attempt to vomit stuff out. Nevertheless, it's been a pleasure to write. I'm inspired! (:

More Uplifting Mean Quotes

2010-07-17T00:20:00.002+08:00

"Light travels faster than sound. That's why most people seem bright until you hear them speak." -- Author Unknown

"Ignoranus: A person who's both stupid and an asshole." -- Author Unknown

"Your ignorance cramps my conversation." -- Anthony Hope

"The trouble ain't that there is too many fools, but that the lightning ain't distributed right." -- Mark Twain

Angmohs are so terribly mean and funny.

A Simple Conclusion on Elitism

2010-07-14T22:55:00.004+08:00

I think anything that could've been expressed about elitism has been said in the past few years. A brief, somewhat simplistic conclusion on my part:

1) Elitism is ignorance on both parties' parts (the ever-amusing "elites"/"non-elites" divide). Singapore has a skills-intensive economy, so academics matter to a great extent. But in real life, some skills can't be taught. For example, many people from elite schools have terrible common sense.

2) Let's just say that elitists are definitely not the true elites.

3) Elitism is a non-issue. To be pragmatic, it is a problem that can only be managed, not solved. So we should quit all that angst already.

---

(On a side note,)

Mark Twain said this about someone who cheated him in a business deal and had since died:

"But I bear him no malice. In fact, I'd send him a fan if I could."

Hahahaha what a mean guy.

Jellybeans

2010-07-12T23:35:00.002+08:00

My hamsters gave birth a couple days ago. It's quite a gory sight.

Imagine seven purple-pink naked tiny jellybeans with thread-sized limbs squirming blindly (and I mean that quite literally because their eyes aren't developed yet)...

And because the hamsters were my sister's impulse buys, no one has a clue what to do with them. We're all afraid they'll turn into cannibals and eat the babies alive or whatever. But the mother is neglecting some of the weak ones, they're so skinny! ):

More importantly, does anyone want baby hamsters? The babies grow lightning fast, doubling in size every 4 days or so. My sister is leaving for Australia in three days, afterwhich no one in the house will have time for nine hamsters.

ADOPT!!!

Damage Bowling

2010-07-11T01:01:00.000+08:00

JTS at Chinese Swimming Club was amazing. We literally went mad with the karaoke.

And bowling. My first time bowling. (Ever. You're probably mocking me now) Ironically I striked with my first ball. HAHA. And I kind of lead for a while. Mmmm (: My lane had a bunch of crazies. So crazy, in fact that Iris, Izumi, Jordan, Zeph, Bo Xiang, Runze and I were throwing consecutive balls at the same set of pins.

We striked many times together. But we kind of spoilt the machine on several occasions because the balls and pins got stuck. This woman who was sitting outside the bowling alley (watching us from behind a glass wall) gave us this judgemental glare and told her friend "these kids keep anyhow anyhow throwing together, keep spoiling the machine" and pointed at us. (First things first, I can lipread pretty damn well.) Pointing is not very polite. "Being judgemental from behind a glass wall" should be the new term for old, bitter, plum-wrinkled women.

I think many adults are quite stupid sometimes. There is something about being a child that makes time pass so slow. You feel so aware of your existence, at every moment of time. Adults are intoxicated with luxuries, alcohol, caffeine, fatigue. They forget. They assume.

I don't want to be an adult. ):

Humour

2010-07-05T02:54:00.002+08:00

Gyoza-making session with the class was awesome (anything that involves food usually is). I could've got drunk on the tiramisu. I am still having recurring dreams of it and being disappointed every morning. Is good food cruel or what?

I need to shed all the extra flab from Japan D: YOG rehearsal was such a great workout. My arms hurt. I can't believe we have to rehearse in some army camp in Mandai, next to the lions and dolphins and monkeys.

My dad is really getting kind of old. He accidentally downloaded a Miley Cyrus app on his iPhone. But his addiction (and my mum's) to these random games is pretty funny.

Deedledum 3am madness

Like Nitrous Oxide

2010-07-03T00:44:00.000+08:00

Post-exam euphoria runs high! (:

Went to the same cinema for two movies yesterday and today. Knight and Day was surprisingly funny. It's a pretty good movie to celebrate with. And Toy Story 3 was, of course, awesome as heck. I will hug my teddy to sleep now.

Phew, going out with the classmates and Lens Frens totally unwinds. (: Chinwag is important!

Then the imbalance between work and play slowly creeps in, starting from tomorrow... /: Oh well. We should play hard while we can.

Apathy

2010-06-27T20:17:00.003+08:00

Optimist: Block tests end in 4 days!
Pessimist: Block tests start tomorrow. And I am not prepared for any subject. Maybe... nah. ...CRAP.

Optimist: I am so psyched about all the stuff I'm going to do after blocks!
Pessimist: I am sooo psyched about my falling percentile.

Optimist: KI is pretty interesting.
Pessimist: But I'll fail anyway because I have no idea whether I know enough.

Optimist: Oh well, I'll fail anyway!
Pessimist: Oh well, I'll fail anyway.

Which do you identify with more?

Faith

2010-06-19T01:01:00.001+08:00

"The most powerful weapon on earth is the human soul on fire." -- Ferdinand Foch

HCCO

2010-06-07T01:45:00.005+08:00

A few hours ago, my last school CO concert ended.

The stage felt unfamiliar even though I've seen it too often. But I'm sure everyone from HCCO felt safe, knowing that the people beside you onstage were just as nervous and just as excited to wow the audience.

None of us will ever experience such a concert again. It is one of a kind. HCCO has taught us to seize every moment, and I'm glad we did. For once, I felt no fear onstage because I wanted to treasure that very moment in time.

It's an event of joy and reluctance. The people I have practiced, played, slacked, gossiped, eaten, joked and laughed with every day are sweaty and tired from moving instruments. It's been a long day, a long journey to this last concert. But we are all smiling, tearing. Pride radiates from within.

This isn't the end of my CO journey. But I'll always remember why I started this journey in the first place.

I love HCCO. I love our DJs!

Oh, stop it.

2010-06-04T23:31:00.003+08:00

Everyone is feeling not-so-great about their lives now. Everyone feels like they're not being understood. Everyone thinks life is out to get them. Everyone is wallowing in despair and pity. Everyone gets a little self-indulgent and egocentric. Everyone thinks they have so much work to do when everyone else is busy too.

Everyone thinks they're the centre of the universe because.

Well, we're all like that.

CONCERTZ

2010-06-01T22:53:00.000+08:00

Rehearsals from 8.30am till 10pm every day
Two consecutive concerts
Block tests
Yet another concert
YOG Opening Ceremony (so exciting but can you imagine the workload)

WHERE IS MY FENCING TIME D: Argh. I seriously miss fencing. But I probably can't train with the school anymore since I've been at CO for so long. ): Sigh!

Annoyed

2010-05-27T22:40:00.002+08:00

I am so sick of disappointments, be it people or events.

I let you be in charge of one thing because I've been so darn busy tanking the other project.

I spent weeks of sleepless nights doing my part, and the "good work" is considered a good "group" effort.

You think your part is so unimportant that you do a less-than-satisfactory job, and then I'm dragged in. Thanks!

Would you just stop riding on my work? Claiming credit, pushing the blame? I AM ANNOYED.

I should just stop expecting more (or at all) from some people.

Breathless

2010-05-17T21:35:00.002+08:00

I am seriously bogged up with so much nonsense it's suffocating me.

1. Math lecture test tomorrow. 3 topics. Not planning to try anymore.
2. Two consecutive concerts. 20 days.
3. PW. Sometimes I wonder why I bother.

4. Annoyingly inefficient teachers who can't even do a simple thing like order the tickets we fully deserve EARLIER. Now the freaking show is sold out. How difficult is it, really? A few clicks on the web? Is HC so hard-up that they have to conjure some lame excuse to avoid paying for our tickets? Hmm? So MICA dropped the project and our time is less important? Seriously? So now we'll never get to watch the show? (Unless they do another re-run after another 20 years. But that is unlikely.)

On a healthier note, today brought me relieving news. And I am shocked that even more people can actually read my mind. This is absolutely terrifying (albeit in positive way).

Best of all, HCCO Japan Tour is in 23 days. Excited!

Ouch

2010-05-14T22:41:00.001+08:00

Why am I always the last to find out the most important things?

I suspected it all along, I was never sure. Maybe I was just deluding myself. /:

Can die

2010-05-13T17:54:00.004+08:00

Dear juniors, if you think that secondary school is busy, please brace yourselves for JC. ):

The pressure continues to pile on, but I can feel my work capacity is being stretched. Things like PW and HCCO keep me on tenterhooks. But I wonder if all this hard work is going to pay off. Disappointment is a cruel thing.

Maybe I ask life for too much in return. Maybe I shouldn't try so hard and live by luck. /:

I should stop being a tank ;__;

Stunned

2010-05-08T00:07:00.003+08:00

I just found someone who can actually subconsciously read my mind! o.o Freaky.

---

Hanging out with the HCCO people is really awesome. I can sense my commitment growing. But the work piles on! PW, lecture tests, rehearsals... I wonder if I'll survive.

Tomorrow: CCA, CIP, Animal Farm. Prepared to fail Chemistry on Monday.

Steeled

2010-04-30T22:32:00.002+08:00

Tension is catching up with us in school. Academics, CCA, finanical woes... Why does it seem like the more burdens I forgo, the busier I get?

I really really hate Fridays. Because I am wasting so much time in school. Slacking is a great indulgence, but imagine all the things I could be doing with that time.

Maybe this is called growing up. Maybe I will do something meaningful one day.

Shoot

2010-04-27T22:17:00.000+08:00

Everything I do, somehow or another, is for someone else. For approving nods, for approving smiles. I'm not quite sure what I'm doing all this for. I guess I signed up for this. Sigh, this "motivation" exhausts me!

Plus, distractions are lethal! I've been trapped with a almost-there-but-not-quite PI, undone tutorials and uneventful school days. But certain people make these days worth wasting :P

On a more important note, I should have more regular meals. It's 11pm and I haven't had dinner!!! D:

Eep.

2010-04-23T00:28:00.002+08:00

Is it true when it goes beyond superficial evaluations?

AAAAARGH. I've been shot down and am falling deeper into the vast chasm. Dramatic much.

(400 more words for KI essay, theatre preview undone, PI incomplete, yawning!)

The Necessary Stage

2010-04-17T21:42:00.004+08:00

I've been participating in an arts journalism course in school and the journey has been pretty fruitful.

For one, I am ruling freelance journalism out of my "possible careers" list. Writing is fun, but writing for money is not. Everything moves too quickly for my poor inertial feet; pitching, research, writing, selling. Nevertheless, I'll continue to appreciate this industry of furious opinion-sharers.

But to regress, I am really glad I signed up for this programme. How else would you meet Alvin Tan from The Necessary Stage? What an insightful interview! He covered so many things that I'm at a loss how to write the preview for Those Who Can't, Teach.

But the visit to TNS has refreshed my love for theatre! Front-of-House for Animal Farm is eating my next weekend away, but I've company (:

---

A hilarious message on the SMB for the Physics students:

"Dear Students,

It has come to my attention that some of you mistakenly think that the Monday Lecture Test for Physics is next week.

It is NOT next Monday. It is on 26 April, the Monday after next week.

Please don't be so blur any more. Get hold of your schedule. And stop forgetting to do the weekly online tests.

(Sigh)"

HAHA! If only my teachers were like that!

I'm in love

2010-04-17T10:00:00.000+08:00

I'm in love! With homework! Are you?

To do:
1) Art review - FX Harsono exhibition
2) Theatre preview - Those Who Can't, Teach
3) KI essay - Ethics
4) Chemistry project (the whole of it)
5) Math tutorials
6) Chemistry tutorial
7) Econs tutorial
8) Econs project
9) PI and GPP

Crisis

2010-04-11T00:57:00.000+08:00

Of Image and Vanity:

Life is becoming more difficult to take seriously. Even I am guilty of indulging in chinwag trivialities and matters of no importance. Few things hold my sincere attention (and I worry if they are lower luxuries). Everything seems to serve some superficial, self-centred purpose. I am overwhelmed; I'm one of those smiling fools talking to mirrors. It is repetitive and monotonous.

But I am full of pessimism and bias! Alas, a tragedy. I am weary.

Yes, Mr. Wilde, the least important matters are the most important.

I love HCCO, DJs, S60 (especially my movie buddies) and my ever-silly Lens Frens!

Treadmill

2010-04-03T21:24:00.004+08:00

I GRAZED MY KNEES

THERE IS NOTHING MORE PAINFUL THAN THIS

I HATE EXERCISING

Spirit

2010-04-02T00:40:00.003+08:00

I am really beginning to love HC a lot :D I've just been blessed with an awesome class, an awesome CCA and awesome friends.

April Fools' was... eventful. A certain idiotic senior decided that putting an alarm clock in my bag and setting it to ring during my math class test would be funny. I WILL GET MY REVENGE, YOU!

STJ at Sakura buffet was awesome (: Sheriel was so excited about eating she was literally jumping. Iris and I probably went for 6 (or more) rounds of food. Melissa took on the challenge of an incredible first round. Ivan and Izumi decided to wage a war involving clothespegs. Josh and Jordan went crazy with our three rounds of ice-cream (experimenting with different ways to eat it, from forks to knives to straws). (Kelly) Clarkson wowed us with his hidden talent of stuffing puddings whole into his mouth.

We left the restaurant, pleased. We had probably annoyed the living daylights out of every customer and destroyed the nice place. We were the customers from hell.

I LOVE S60 (:

Ordinary

2010-03-20T02:30:00.003+08:00

Oh goodness I've wasted the holidays away (as usual).

Today I had the worst taxi ride in history. A ride that was one hour long because of the rain and ridiculous jam. A ride that usually cost me $12 decided to multiply itself to a grand total of...

$36.75.

Yes, suck that up. $36.75. Does the meter even display a number that big? Apparently so.

I HATE YOU COMFORT TAXI.

I am not buying food or anything for the next two weeks.

---

I miss NYCO! And YQP! ): Visiting sectionals reminded me of the crazy times. "Ta-ka-di-mi-ta-ki-tuh." Fun!

I just realised that I haven't been practicing for so long. Hands and arms are getting rusty /: Oh lessons where art thou.

The Least-Expected

2010-03-13T00:29:00.002+08:00

Aw darn I miss my friends already.

S60 is truly the best! March holidays are going to be so joyfully homework-less, yet so painfully boring.

YOU ARE AWESOME (;

Good luck to seniors for their block tests!

SOMEONE PINCH ME

2010-03-10T21:12:00.001+08:00

I WON A TICKET TO ADAM LAMBERT'S SHOWCASE AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS THIS FRIDAY.

I LOVE AYLA.

Ego

2010-03-07T23:35:00.003+08:00

Humility, in gross excess, is selfishness.

But flaunting your sub-intelligence to the point of annoying others doesn't make you a smarter person at all.

---

School life is slowing turning stagnant... Lessons, breaks, CCA, Monopoly Deal, it's all a big blur.

I am trying to refrain from listing issues I have with the system because I'll never be done.

I think I'm really angsty these days because I've been away from full-time CCA/CIP for too long. I need something to distract myself from all this nonsense. ):

Term 2 Resolution: BE A GOOD KID. TRY.

Hmm

2010-02-28T02:06:00.001+08:00

I decided that HC, like all Singapore schools, have a screwed-up system.

I hate MOE.

I WILL SUE!!!!!

2010-02-16T23:51:00.003+08:00

I am staring at my timetable in utter disbelief.

Tuesday: 2-hour break.
Wednesday: 2-hour break. Report to school at 7.25am. Start lessons at 10am.
Thursday: 1.5-hour break.
Friday: FOUR-HOUR BREAK. EMPTINESS FROM 9AM TO 1PM.

FOUR HOURS.

Four. 2+2=4.

How the school expects me to productively spend 4 hours in school, I have NO. IDEA.

Maybe I should just take Physics, for goodness' sake. ARGH.

Nap

2010-02-11T00:11:00.002+08:00

School is dead tiring. Okay no school is dead boring.

Sorry 10S60, for been missing flag/banner-painting sessions because of CNY performance practice! ):

Sorry OG 32, for missing the OG dinner because of Huayi practice! ):

Sigh life is busy. As of now I'm committed to 4 COs. Crazy or what. When Huayi and Beautiful Sunday are over I'm going to dance in the rain in celebration of the return of my weekends.

Starry starry night

2010-02-07T02:30:00.004+08:00

And so Orientation 2010 is over. The Hwa Chong population leaves school, sweaty and exhausted. Everyone has cheered and danced their share. The campfire is left to sizzle.

It is really terrifying to be the last to leave school. Reflecting on school life as of now takes me places. My bored, restless mind just keeps thinking. And because I am a pessimist, I spiral into some life-hating mode.

It is a bit of disappointment with my brain. Not that it hasn't been (fully) functional these days. I used to be so sure, so certain about things. But now when I look back, I realise I've been planning and planning. I keep giving excuses for not pursuing sideline interests. "No time for that", "wait till college". Sigh, I guess JC life is not a time for all fun and games!

Then there is the... epiphany. That I am in a whole new environment all over again, thrown out there to feed the hyenas. I am supposed to feel comfortable here. I am supposed to see familiar faces everywhere. But everyone has changed so much in JC; it's sheer horror. (Okay I am being a little dramatic here, but is it really not a pretty sight.) Is it their loss of identity or my lack thereof?

It's okay, I tell myself, I've made new friends, I like my class. Time for a fresh start. Survive, even if it means living day by day!

And all of this on a very windy night. The stars are barely visible. I sit in the middle of the walkway. I want to laugh and cry at the same time.

Ad Infinitum

2010-02-03T23:09:00.003+08:00

Goodness, I'm so freaking tired. Orientation is crazy indeed.

OG games and cheering sessions were insane. OG 32 is such a happy-go-lucky lot haha! And yay for Yu Hui our always-kena-bullied OG leader! :D But the best parts were the dinner/gossipsessionhushhush and the games after!

We literally played freeze-and-melt at the high school field till 9.45pm. It was so dark we had to keeping asking, "Are you the catcher?" It's kind of hilarious and morbidly freaky at the same time. Everyone loves that.

And now we're split into classes! 10S60 looks like a nice bunch. Very international indeed haha! And, well, Athena is not that bad after all. (: We're quirky and fun!

I think... Hwa Chong is turning me into this overtly happy, friendly and optimistic person. WHAAAT?

Time, as you know it

2010-01-21T00:20:00.002+08:00

Holidays: Gone

Times where you just sit there all day long, doing absolutely nothing: Gone.

Life in Hwa Chong so far has been... undemanding. (: There's a lot of hype over Orientation Week(s), it's all pretty exciting!

While official lessons have yet to start, I've unconsciously packed with up to 9 commitments a week ._. Thankfully most of them will end by the beginning of March or so.

New school, new uniform, new people! Try to adapt!

TRY!!!

Results

2010-01-11T01:20:00.002+08:00

A few years ago, I screwed myself. Didn't exactly get into trouble at all, but really regretted it.

Till today I suffer from the consequences of it.

It is really a rather parasitic feeling.

I can live with it, but it seems that others think otherwise. So here it is: I AM FINE!

And I am quite glad ambition exists. Because now I know that I am different. Know and influence thyself!

2009

2009-12-31T02:15:00.002+08:00

And so another 365 days fly past. Now, to bring some closure to this eventful year:

1) School
I suppose I did awake from my almost-eternal trance and studied... just enough to pass. And after much research, insight and fickleness, I might have a bare clue about what to do with my academic future!

2) NYCO
NYCO has been a pleasure to serve and be in! Some rocky roads leave skin-deep injuries, but fortunately nothing is left unhealed. I am proud to say that NYCO has changed my life. (: In terms of music, learning progress has been slow so hopefully 2010 will be a year filled with opportunities to improve! And YQP will always be the best bunch to be with!

My commitment to fencing leaves a lot to be desired; 3 months of lessons have been missed! I need to reconsider my time management to end Coach's nagging. /: As for theatre, my interest and involvement have balanced nicely at a comfortable level, though the occasional... 'starstrike' happens. Hee! Valentia, Emily and Ayla have been recruited into the theatre geek family! (But it's not an empire, really. Really.)

3) People
人有悲欢离合，月有阴晴圆缺。Indeed! The earlier part of the year was pretty rough but thanks to really great friends, I made it to a much more pleasant year end. Learning take-back is to BE BRAVE! (I am a mouse who hides from awkward turtles.) I've learnt to appreciate the deeper side of some people and formed two or three very interesting friendships! :P

4) As a person
To take everything with a pinch of salt. Nothing is more serious than humour! I am slightly more motivated about getting ahead in life. And I am trying to be a kinder person (and trying not to laugh at the prospect)... HAHAHA!

The new decade seems promising!

---

On this note, I think years are a great research topic for the bored. The very last second of the countdown turns 2009 You into 2010 You. The fine line we cross every 365 (and a quarter) days. (It sounds very routine, like that. I wonder what the big deal about it is.)

I am feeling erratic...

Anti-phobia

2009-12-27T02:19:00.002+08:00

I have refound my admiration for Hugh Laurie! Cambridge graduate, musical talent, excellent actor, cool at 50.

School starts in three weeks. How awful. I have to start math revision soon. Tomorrow I am storming out and buying myself an SAT guide. Sorry Singapura, I love you but I'm GETTING OUT OF HERE (if funds flow smooth). Sometimes you have to breathe outside the bubble.

*Begin self-indulgence*

People have been asking me why I didn't transfer schools in the end. If I say nothing, most would suppose I'm in for the prestige. Which is true, but not entirely. I'm just thinking ahead. This school will help me get out there; further. We still live by titles. It's a truth that we don't want to acknowledge because it's plain lugubrious!

Which brings me to the point of getting out of here. There is really something wrong with the Singaporean system. I'm not quite sure how many people feel this way. There is no exact thing I could put my finger on, but in a nutshell, it is all about what you have besides the degree. Because everyone has the paper. Even if I'm unsuccessful, I want to do many things. And we are still a little too passive for ambition. So maybe this isn't the right place for me yet. Perhaps time will tell.

Am I suffering from Banana Syndrome? Pishposh, I say. I am quite proud that the Utah has adopted Singapore's system of teaching math. Smarts-wise, we're fine. Sometimes we are better. All we need is a little more room to wander off-limits.

*End self-indulgence*

Beauty & the Beast

2009-12-20T01:41:00.002+08:00

I'm not going to review B&B (by W!LD RICE) because I loved it. Loved it. Loved it.

It was really moving to watch the closing show; some of the cast were actually tearing up as the audience gave a standing ovation.

And I learnt that ignorance is bliss because when you find out that your favourite actors are gay, your heart shatters into stardust.

... D:

So I don't forget

2009-12-11T01:50:00.004+08:00

1) Front-of-house with W!LD has been fun. This year's crowd seems a little... older though. (?)

2) Broadway Beng was awesome! I swear my Hokkien improved after the show. Took pictures with Sebastian Tan and Royston Tan (hahaha suck it up, Emily and Valentia)! They're both awesome (:

3) I don't want to work.

4) 6I's average height increased by, uh, 10cm. Still a crazy bunch, as usual!

Boredom

2009-12-05T23:21:00.002+08:00

One silent hammer for me, please!

Post-jetlag

2009-12-03T16:06:00.004+08:00

Okay let's try to recap...

What I learnt in the US

1) The weather in California is really lovely.

2) The people are friendlier, which somehow compels you to be more sociable and smile more.

3) Operation Travis members are very weird. Valentia is a manic shopaholic. Michelle never buys anything. Sarah likes revealing her midriff in public. Jacquelyn likes G. I. Joe. Meiqi is a closet perv. Ziyan makes very clever observations about Tellytubbies.

4) Most of the colleges are really into school spirit and have incredible campuses. And they're very much into being all-rounded, which sounds pretty appealing to me.

5) Disneyland is magical. Seriously! Behind all that commercialism, there is something really great about Walt Disney's success in bringing everlasting entertainment to the world.

6) Contrary to common belief, there were VERY few McDonald's shops in California (well, in San Francisco and LA, at least). The most widespread F&B chain was Starbucks. Yes. Starbucks is the next evil empire. There were more Starbucks shops than McDonald's and Burger King combined.

7) The first thing the local students ask us is, "Can you guys chew gum in Singapore?" The answer is yes. We can chew gum. But you can't import it. In the US there are little black spots on the ground everywhere. That's chewing gum caked with dirt.

Evidently, my memory fails me. Oh well!

Winter shopping

2009-11-11T17:25:00.003+08:00

I just compiled my (very) long packing list (:

IF ANYONE WANTS ME TO HELP THEM BUY STUFF, NOW IS THE TIME TO ASK!

We'll be in San Francisco and Los Angeles. I'll probably stock on CDs and university pencils and other meaningless stuff (for myself).

Leaving next Tuesday!

Graduated!

2009-11-08T00:21:00.002+08:00

Four years of good and bad ends with a couple of documents, many photos and food.

Will miss NYCO the most!

2012

2009-10-24T01:16:00.002+08:00

Awesome!

Make it a point to catch The Blue Mansion and 2012. (:

And Valentia kindly reminded me that Adam Lambert's album releases the same time we're in LA. I'm going to get it there. Fresh. Piping hot. From the land of origin.

Plus, an original Rocky Horror DVD. Haha!

BORED

2009-10-23T00:49:00.002+08:00

As of now, time has been so unfruitful and meaningless, I am thoroughly unexcited by anything.

Not even graduation. Not even the US trip. Not even FOH. Not even the emptiness of my daily schedule.

Not even... The Onion! D:

Okay, maybe The Onion.

The Very Importance

2009-10-22T01:10:00.003+08:00

Now that the exams are finally over, I shall immerse myself in frivolity and insignificance, before I become part of a possible massacre next week (that is, on the receiving end).

... It is not liberating.

Some might slap me for this. But I don't exactly feel extreme post-exam joy. I am a pessimist when it comes to academic matters. The worst will happen. Eat dust.

Therefore, to counter this attitude, I need to be optimistic and set high expectations, so that the "worst" won't be too bad after all...

(See? This is insignificant babble. This is what I plan to spend my time of freedom on. And yours. Thank you for reading.)

U.S.A.

2009-10-20T17:05:00.002+08:00

SILICON VALLEY AND L.A. YES :D

Itinerary

17 Nov: UC Berkeley
18 Nov: Stanford University, NUS College
19 Nov: Monta Vista High School, Google
20 Nov: Henry M Gunn High School, Electronic Arts
21 Nov: Roaring Camp at Salinas
22 Nov: Gilroy (SHOPPING)
23 Nov: Los Angeles City Tour
24 Nov: Los Altos District Office, Los Altos High School
25 Nov: UCLA High School Visit
26 Nov: Universal Studios
27 Nov: Disneyland

HELLO IS THERE A BETTER ITINERARY? NO.

Material

2009-10-17T02:52:00.002+08:00

I would very much be appreciative if anyone would sponsor the following:

US trip: $4000
Braces: $8000
Laptop: $1500
Summer school: $6000
Total: $19500

Meanwhile, I can only dream and leech.....

Grandma

2009-10-14T23:50:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was the 10th anniversary of my paternal grandmother's passing on.

I miss the bus rides and long walks home in my kindergarten days.
I miss being wrapped in blankets like a ba chang because you feared the air-con was too cold for us at night.
I miss your soups.
I miss how you spoilt every one of us rotten.
I miss your hearty laughter.

Sometimes, when I think of you, I still cry.

I miss you, mama. )':

I Will Go Home Review

2009-10-10T02:03:00.033+08:00

(I understand that I am making a very dangerous attempt by reviewing this... But what the heck. I doubt anyone will understand what I'm rambling about anyway.)

I Will Go Home
by Fundamental Multi-Disciplinary
Drama Centre Black Box
3 October 2009, 8pm

This piece made me feel... young. Oh so youthful, ignorant and clueless. Don't mistake me; I Will Go Home was not senseless jargon. Inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupery's The Little Prince, the piece was a tough one to swallow.

According to the programme, Director Nick Ng views his style of theatre to be "post-modern" and "fragmented". Indeed, the show was full of disjointed stories and vignettes which kept the audience bewildered.

It all starts very cleverly, with reasonable exercise of lighting effects (given the venue's limitations) and purposeful movement. Throughout the play, there is also thoughtful use of props and music. But oh, when the actors begin to speak, I jump out of my seat a little.

No, they did not begin to spew Hokkien vulgarities (those there is some Teochew spoken). It is their enunciation. At some points I could not understand what they were saying, no matter how well their voices were projected (I was seated at the front row). At this point, I was hoping that the actors' original accents were intentional but as I looked through their bios, the prospect seemed unlikely, given their lack of experience. Only Serena Pang had perfect control over her speech, though I thought she may have been too exaggerated for such an intimate space throughout the entire play.

Nevertheless, the ensemble made up for their speech in their own ways. Tan Mei and Law Kian Yan had soulful soliloquys, Tammy Soh transitioned smoothly between two alternating characters and Mike HJ Chang made very sensitive observations about his childhood. I appreciate the fact that the play has multiple contributors although some its significance may be lost in, well, translation.

As for the central theme, I thought Ng and Lim Koon Hiong (music & sound director) had made a rather keen analysis of The Little Prince's role as a migrant. The play is consistent in its observation of flux in the human society.

However, I was not completely satisfied by the choice of stories used, particularly that of the crew member who journeyed with Cheng Ho. While I understand from the post-show dialogue that the intention was to keep the examples to the Asian context in different eras, the lack of explicit identity in the character instinctively made me feel that it was fictional and unbelievable. In fact, I was not really paying attention to that story and that of the Malayan communist's. Where was my theatre etiquette? Lying somewhere, under the bed. Pardon me, but it really did get dull.

Alright, now on to the technical bits. Chang's frame-by-frame videos of charcoal drawings were indeed impressive; his artistic style complements Ng's. I also thought the use of the 'live' video camera (with its fuzzy image) at the beginning was extremely relevant in creating the atmosphere for the piece. Music was rather decent, though at some points it was really too loud (I could practically hear my eardrums sizzling).

What really bothered me, though, was the costumes. All 5 actors wore a long beige hoodie like a dress (whether there were pants underneath is no business of mine) and long, knee-high socks. I could hardly see the significance of the costume other than the fact that the hoodie resembled pyjamas or kidswear (are they taking The Little Prince too literal in context?). The functionality of the costume should also have been considered as it left the actresses at a disadvantage, with their large, leg-sprawling movements. Nevertheless, it is not a big matter.

If, as an audience member, you take I Will Go Home seriously enough, it plants an answerless question which only grows and branches out into more doubts without ever meeting at a conclusion. Yes, perhaps I am thinking too much into it. Yet I have arrived at nowhere. (Or have I?) Perhaps, sometimes, a journey doesn't mean having to take a single step at all.

To conclude, this was a total mindf*ck.

Note: Director Nick Ng and actor Mike HJ Chang are staff at the reviewer's current school.

(Sorry, this review may be rather unfair. I am terribly sleepy.)

A Tribute to H T Woo

2009-10-10T01:45:00.002+08:00

H T Woo played a very special part in all of our lives.

We may not know who H T Woo was or what H T Woo did, but H T Woo left the greatest impact on humanity ever possible.

H T Woo sacrificed himself for humanity to pursue life and knowledge.

We may not see H T Woo, but H T Woo is always with us.

We may not feel H T Woo, but H T Woo is everywhere.

H T Woo is also the way someone I know reads H-TWO-O. Yes, the sports isotonic drink. H T Woo.

An example of an excellent speaker

2009-10-07T20:13:00.002+08:00

Diction, check.
Tone, check.
Audience, check.
Purpose, check.
Emotive, check.
Persuasive, check.
Logical, check.

New jobs

2009-10-04T23:57:00.003+08:00

I decided that these career options would be interesting:

1) Assessment book cover designer
2) Advertisement critic
3) Plain-clothes parking coupon auntie

---

I caught I Will Go Home with fellow theatre groupie Angelin on Saturday. Review will be produced post-21 October. Hopefully I will still remember everything by then.

Lardface

2009-10-03T00:36:00.002+08:00

Another ramble.

A certain very irritating person keeps commenting on how fat I am.

Well guess what, betch? I. don't. care. So what if I have a face that is "ballooning" at an exponential rate? I still can at least proudly say that I don't possess a lardpot of a belly. Do you want maternity clothes for your next birthday? Christmas, perhaps?

And, I have hamster syndrome. So screw you!

Another stupid thing that nearly happened

2009-09-29T22:43:00.006+08:00

I was going to email someone to enquire about an audition for this production, which I heard of via the Great Web.

I thought the person-in-charge's was rather familiar.

Well, I'm quite glad I tried to recall that name. Because...

I know that person. And it would be really stupid if I did email him like he was a stranger.

(Verbal diarrhoea alert!)

Okayokay fine, to practice writing logically for exams:

I went to a youth theatre company called Buds for a while early this year. If I'm not wrong it's still held at the Substation on Sundays. They provide theatre classes, totally free. No fees, no salaries.

So I went to the Substation on Sunday afternoons, about thrice. (This is where I actually got to know the above-mentioned person)

Then on the fourth week, I went to the usual place at the usual time. No one. I waited about half an hour, then went next door (to the Peranakan Museum) and spent another half hour there. I went back and no one was in the room.

Same thing happened the following Sunday.

So I... stopped going altogether.

Either they made a schedule change and I wasn't informed, or they stopped having classes (I think it's the former).

Sigh. How sad. It was a small but friendly group. I kind of regret not emailing to find out what happened.

Then again, the little voice in my head says don't ask, since it's been 7 months.

---

Heh I'm just rambling. Because my year-end exams start tomorrow and I'm freaking out.

Now.

ASFLKSJDFLKSDJFLSKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGHHHHHHHHH

I really want to graduate

2009-09-14T23:31:00.002+08:00

End-of-year exams are in 2 weeks!

We are to prove that we fully understand everything taught to us for the past 2 years.

And results for EOY exams will take up 50% of the year. So yes, it is rather important.

Therefore I should go and study.

(I haven't started on 3 out of 7 subjects. Rejoice!)

HIATUS TILL 21 OCTOBER. TILL THEN! ):

---

Oh I saw Tim Curry on TV saying this:

"I feel like an angel baby swaddled in cloud candy."

Epic.

Is this animal cruelty?

2009-09-08T23:12:00.002+08:00

'Cos it's pretty damn adorable.

):

2009-09-07T01:13:00.003+08:00

I realise...

1) Our past is always a touchy topic.
I deleted everything pre-2008.

2) The world is extremely small.
Turns out my ex-classmate is my friend's ex-classmate too.
Coincidentally, my teacher's friend is my friend's teacher's friend.

I will be on hiatus from Term 4 onwards! How shocking. *yawn*

(On a random note, I'M GOING TO THE US OF A! Hello LA!)

25000 :D

2009-08-30T01:48:00.002+08:00

Yay the download counter hit 25000! I will celebrate by putting up another one soon.

And I managed 5 worksheets and an essay today despite the scorching weather.

Everyone seems to be studying hard in preparation for the exams. I should really get to that, shouldn't I? .__.

Community Involvement

2009-08-27T22:49:00.004+08:00

Apparently I have accumulated over 200 CIP hours.

Plus the hours I get from FOH, it'd be about 300 hours.

Maybe I do have a soul after all...

---

57 left! The bottle of bubbly is waiting to be popped.

(Edit: EIGHT LEFT! :D)

Fun-to-do #82!

2009-08-23T23:00:00.006+08:00

Disclaimer: By reading this post, you are agreeing to have absolutely no right to take any form of legal action against me. There is no malicious intent in this post. This post is not purposefully or persistently political. There are no apparent subliminal messages intended. (Yeah, riiight.)

Paste this on any picture of politicians, award recipients and/or campaign mascot:

Examples:

(Edit: I decided to protect this great person's identity after Valentia's kind reminder that this great person might not appreciate such publicity.)

Yes, yes, I am guilty of LKY jokes. I am ashamed. But they are so much fun.

have a cuppa

2009-08-23T01:26:00.002+08:00

Excellent boredom-killers:

Onion News Network: Highly professional, 100% reliable

Translation Party: Translates English phrases to Japanese, then back to English, so on and so forth

Tourism Information for Iraq

MONEY

2009-08-21T00:11:00.005+08:00

If I got a dollar every time someone downloaded my Photoshop patterns, I'd be some $24,561 richer now.

Yes. 24,561.

I feel... kind of ripped off. D:

Nevertheless, I will celebrate when that hits 25000. Whee!

---

My mortal became Band Major! :D Wheeee! Congratulations! Hehehe I'm lucky enough to have drawn Rachel Ho(hohoho)'s lot way back in Sec 2 for the angel-mortal pairings.

But come to think of it, I wasn't really an angel, I was/am a devil. Muaha!

---

I WANT TO WATCH THE COMEDY OF THE TRAGIC GOATS BY CAKE REALLY BADLY!

And The Crab Flower Club too. But the former sounds more obscure and traumatisingly awesome.

(And I just realised that SCO travelled to Edinburgh to accompany TheatreWorks' Diaspora.)

Vomiting

2009-08-18T23:01:00.004+08:00

Verbal vomit.

I am attempting to channel the great MacB. I now appreciate Shakespeare a lot more because, well, his plays are hard to act out. It's easier to treat theatre as literature, as compared to a practical, executable piece.

Memorising monologues are really tough. I am practicing instead of doing my Chinese SBQ (yes, CSC in Sec 4!). Busk in triviality!

Swallow the script and digest! Do not read off! Do not mumble! Visualise! Contemplate! Now go!

---

To digress, a keen observation: How time deglorifies and reglorifies. See MJ, Madonna and her accusedly terrible arms.

Boozing with celebrities

2009-08-16T22:37:00.002+08:00

Another thing I will do after graduation: Volunteer at The Necessary Stage.

It's near home. (:

Speaking of which, the location manager of this company (commissioned by Mediacorp) wrote to us and requested to use my house as a filming location. Hahaha! The hilarity of it all. Then again, I'm hoping my mum agrees to it so we can see how they film their stuff. And it'd be for half a day only anyway. ~~Not forgetting famous actors and actresses.~~

I am officially passé!

2009-08-15T23:49:00.003+08:00

I have stepped down for five days already. It is unfamiliar yet unstrange ground. But now is the time to study and graduate...

---

I want to watch The Crab Flower Club by Toy Factory and The Comedy of the Tragic Goats by Cake! Om nom nom theatre monster.

(I want a theatre writing mentor! Hullo? Hullo?)

Happy Birthday Singapore!

2009-08-09T23:42:00.002+08:00

No extreme acts of patriotism this year, but it's all in the heart. (:

I am putting my passing-down letters in red-and-white envelopes. Does that count?

Speaking of which, it is a very queer and bizarre feeling, stepping down as seniors. Thank you, NYCO, for making time fly ever so blissfully.

---

What's this?

To forget or pursue.
Fear had turned into a running thought.
It disappoints, yet allures.
Gorgeously dark, yet too dark.
Will it fail upon touch?

Absurd theatre

2009-08-08T01:28:00.003+08:00

Okay, Samuel Beckett is a genius.

If you're interested to know a little more about the dramatist, see Wikipedia. His works are pretty damn bizarre for those new (like me) to absurd theatre.

Film version of Play by Samuel Beckett, Part 1

Part 2

No, Part 2 is not the same as Part 1. In this text (called Play) there's an instruction to repeat the entire play. And if you can't catch what they're blathering about, it's about an extra-marital affair (from left to right, wife, man and mistress). They're instructed to speak "like a lawnmower", monotonous and quick.

And yes, the man is the same guy who played Severus Snape. Happy? Now watch the video.

I can't imagine when Singapore will ever have someone like Beckett. Not even in my most, well, absurd fancies.

"How many traitors are there?"

2009-08-06T22:51:00.002+08:00

It's a boring evening. Lots of fun, colourful, exciting parties in town. Which do you attend?

Singapore Democratic Party?

Worker's Party?

PAP?

You should check out their website. There's a video of the Bishan Park Launch with really cool, totally appropriate song.

http://www.pap.org.sg/

PAP sure appreciates their Kylie Minogue.

Actual extracts of the lyrics:
"What on earth am I meant to do"
"I can't think of a single thing / Other than what a beautiful state I'm in"
"I don't feel like I'm coming down"

Kylie, oh Kylie, you did write this song for them, didn't you? You are so tongue-in-cheek.

The Blue Mansion

2009-07-29T00:55:00.002+08:00

Oh man oh man I'm super excited for this :D

Official Trailer

Making Of

*scream*

Sing Dollar! Review

2009-07-26T23:44:00.017+08:00

Sing Dollar! The Musical Comedy about Money
by Dream Academy
Esplanade Theatre
25 July 2009, 8pm

When I review a production, I tend to compare my pre- and post-show impressions. I expected some slapstick humour from Sing Dollar. I got some slapstick humour from Sing Dollar.

Of course, that was not all. The production left me mostly happy, yet slightly confused.

The musical revolves around seven residents of Geylang who find half a million dollars, throwing them into a somewhat rampant chase for, well, a golden goose (ouch, bad pun, sorry). It all starts off rather promising -- a cabaret-style opening, very much a la Dim Sum Dollies, succeded by Sebastian Tan, Lim Kay Siu, Hossan Leong and Najip Ali literally 'tearing' their way through giant-sized foreign currencies to perform caricatures of the famous faces on the dollar bills.

Well, Sing Dollar is a comedy after all. There was some truly original material, but the over-used political humour was a bit of a hit-and-miss for me. I loved the boys' MJ remake but I could really do away with the Mas Selamat jokes by now ("No grilles! The Malay escaped through the window again!").

Likewise, the plot somehow left me feeling it was not fully discovered. Its breadth certainly compromised its depth. I wonder if it is truly necessary to have seven central characters, each with their own tale. To lean towards traditional large-scale musical theatre, I would have banked in on fewer main characters and a sizable ensemble. In the case of Sing Dollar, it seems an ensemble doesn't even exist -- aplomb with big names of the industry, there were only one or two scenes that had some actors offering some sort of "back-up" or accompaniment. And unfortunately, in those cases, were more distracting than supportive. In many occasions the ambitious harmonies by Elaine Chan were not well-balanced, leaving the audience confused over who to listen to.

If the above-mentioned was not a technical problem of sound balance, this would be the dilemma of a completely star-studded cast -- who should take the spotlight? Yet, to contradict, the consistency of the performers' standards were hugely satisfying. Unlike Snow White and Botak Boys (Own Time Own Target), the entire cast could sing, act and dance pretty well. Furthermore, there was great synergy amongst the cast; you could almost feel their pride and joy as they presented Dream Academy's first musical.

Generally, Sing Dollar is pretty much like Singapore -- full of variety, vaguely interesting but really confused. In terms of music, the cheesy Hokkien and Malay songs admittedly tickled, but the Chinese lyrics were simply strange and unpoetic, especially when it was for a moment of melodrama. Characters-wise, stereotypes were aplenty. Very little time was invested in character development. Yet somehow, when it was all packaged together, it turned into a strangely delicious combination of song and dance.

I guess Sing Dollar was a good representation of writer Selena Tan's intentions: "didn't want something that was completely plot-driven, but something that was more about the characters and themes with a dose of cabaret."

If you like plain good colourful fun, Sing Dollar is for you. Some call it meaningless comedy. I call it the occasional necessity to keep your sanity.

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Other points that would have been in the review if not for sleepiness:

1) The set was pretty impressive. High-budget.
2) Programmes were free. Fun design.
3) I love Sebastian Tan's high notes. I think I'm a fan... again.
4) CD recording is decent, though a tad pricey for 5 songs ($10). Lyrics should be provided!
5) Honestly, ignore all that criticism above. It's awesomely fun. Go catch it. Valentia and I had incredible seats, right smack in the middle. I'm 80% sure the actors were singing to us. *Self-delusional*

B&J's

2009-07-25T23:32:00.002+08:00

I finally had my first taste of Ben & Jerry's ice cream today. Cheers! Not too bad but severely overpriced, in my opinion. Sorry B&J fans, I am not one who appreciates ice cream a lot. Perhaps it's because we only have boring flavours here in Singapore. Here's it's pretty much limited to chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, chocolate chip and the rare mint chocolate.

But of course I would pick a hearty Peranakan meal over dessert anytime.

Sing Dollar was surprisingly interesting. Shall review it tomorrow, while images are still fresh in the mind, and after I listen to the recordings again.

(I should start a proper archive of theatre reviews... That'd be a really fun project. Possibly good excuse for interviews and such. But it'd take up a lot of time and reason.)

Meanwhile, some Tropfest NY 2008 picks:

The Wildflower by Charles Divak (Hilarious)

Mrs. Jones by Jonathan Emmerling (Cute grandma!)

Mankind is No Island by Jason van Genderen

Time, Care and Attention

2009-07-20T22:21:00.002+08:00

Awwwww

Pretty good short film. It's like sipping on hot Milo in an air-conditioned room.

another review

2009-07-18T23:52:00.011+08:00

Own Time Own Target
by W!LD RICE
Drama Centre, National Library Building
18 July 2009, 8.00 pm

Okay, I admit, I did expect OTOT to possess some elements echoing Army Daze.

(Honestly, I face difficulty recalling Army Daze, considering the fact that I first watched the movie in my very early childhood. But I remember it was such a careless film that you could see the furry sound mics in one scene.)

Well, the double-bill, consisting of Full Tank and Botak Boys, proved otherwise, and to be worth every dollar. (Since I'm probably watching it twice, that's doubly so?)

Full Tank tells the tale of four army men who hijack a tank, taking it on a joyride(?) and their curious encounters. The flashbacks are apt and possibly completely necessary to achieve such a comic effect, but are not executed smoothly enough. There were way too many flashbacks for prop/set transitions and repetitive lighting effects. Nevertheless, kudos to the cast for their performance that never failed to tease. All I can say is, Brendon Fernandez + Mamasan Mary = Good times.

Botak Boys was definitely a feast for the eyes, with some thoughtful employment of lighting and music. Perhaps the bigger cast brought slightly more energy onto the stage. However more light should have been shed on the main character's internal struggle, rather than some to-the-stars-and-moon weeping (sorry, bad analogy) that bordered on being melodramatic. I wasn't too excited about the somewhat predictable plot but the musical numbers were tight. The music was extremely effective and Botak Boys probably wouldn't be as well-received without it.

Overall, OTOT wouldn't be something to fret over, as compared to, say, Conrad's Heart of Darkness. It is really plain good fun. (Not really clean fun though, the weak-hearted may be jarred by the dizzying use of vulgarities.)

Totally worth the time, people!

CRY

2009-07-17T20:03:00.004+08:00

Oh 8 Days, how you torture me so.

A few weeks ago, I casually sent a text message to a contest organised by 8 Days. The prize would be a pair of tickets to Own Time Own Target. Considering that my phone plan allows 1000 free SMSes a month, I gave it a go. I mean, it was like one text message.

Weeks passed, no news. So I decided to give Dr. Angelin a surprise birthday present and got us a pair of tickets for tomorrow's evening show, considering that both of us wanted to catch it.

Then one fateful afternoon (i.e. TODAY), 8 Days informs me I've won a pair to this Sunday's evening show.

Grrreat.

It's like happiness, plus "D'OH!". Now I have 2 days to take care of those tickets. ):

Sigh. Nevertheless, I shall look forward to tomorrow! :D

---

Okay, will not tell. I'm too late. ._.

KInda regret that but it's for the better.

Align

2009-07-16T18:36:00.003+08:00

2 days to total awesomeness!

I want to go for like 8 trainings within the next two weeks. Then maybe I'll stand a chance at the gala...

---

(To throw away any sense of organisation, or sense at all...)

Life is like a drag queen.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.

You'll think you know there's more than meets the eye, then believe you've seen what it really is beneath the surface, but your new insight is really yet another disillusion. Then perhaps the true meaning is the most superficial.

Epic. Joyous. Prance!

"Simple does not mean not complicated."

Take life with a pinch of salt. Nothing is more important than taking things lightly. Yet that is difficult.

DROOOOOL

2009-07-13T22:19:00.004+08:00

I will give a great big hug and forever love whoever gets me this.

She's a beauty!

Yes, I've already decided that this snare drum will be a she. And her name will be Tommy.

Boatship

2009-07-11T20:21:00.002+08:00

Decided priority for work is enjoying it, followed by getting it done.

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Dr. Valentia Angelin, PhD is obsessed with Boatship. (:

/:

2009-07-10T23:50:00.002+08:00

Bizarre observation #29:

It is now common belief that being seated in alphabetical order of your name (as in NRIC/FIN) is a precautionary measure against H1N1, or Flu A. This is possibly due to the recent sightings of the Register Number Fairy, who allegedly protects those who worship her in an orderly fashion.

---

School has been strangely... relaxing. Project deadlines have past. Minimal homework so far.

Everyone's pretty much enjoying the staggered recess thing. This could very possibly be the best move (for student welfare) by the school management so far.

Yet I lack sleep. Emails. Text messages. Personal statements.

MSN.

It's true. Distraction -> No ability to focus.

I should be focusing on my application. Or tests. Something academic.

Pomo

2009-07-09T22:30:00.003+08:00

A scout burst into the room, through the door. "Porcupines!" he shouted.
"Porcupines what?" the Dean asked.
"Thousands and thousands of them. Three miles down the road and coming fast!"
"Maybe they won't enroll," the Dean said. "Maybe they're just passing through."
--"Porcupines at the University"

---

Today we watched a 3D animation in class. It was pretty decent, but halfway through 2D people appeared out of nowhere. It was... absolutely eye-opening.

I do not understand why they animate 2D characters in a 3D film. I very much less understand why they create both 2D and 3D characters in the same scene.

(It is either laziness on the animators' part, or a sad attempt at some subliminal artistic message. I would like to think the former.)

(I would also be pretty freaked out if I met 2D people in real life. Theoretically they wouldn't even be paper-thin because paper has depth...)

LUV

2009-07-06T00:01:00.003+08:00

More treasures from wikiHow:

1) How to breathe deeply

The trick is in being "gentle and patient". Be warned though, "if you get dizzy or lightheaded, you are breathing too quickly".

2) How to sleep in class

Omgz, some loser actually named the various complex snoozing techniques.

3) Everyone forgets this sometimes. It's nothing to be embarrassed about.

4) How to think

"Deciding what you want to think about" is. a. fallacy.

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Geez. Does anyone still read Fakebook (Sunday Times)? For real? Because... it's terrible. Terribly unfunny.