Dear Myself,
this coming year do attempt to finally learn and remember that:
August comes after July and is therefore the 8th and not the 9th month.
National day is on 9th of August and therefore 09/08/xxxx
Do remember that September comes after August and before October, therefore is the 9th month.
Your bro's birthday therefore is in the 10th month - October, which comes before November.
Remember - Sep = 9th month, Oct = 10th month.
Do try not to ask your friends or family next year the following 2 questions,
"Which comes first, Sep or Oct?" and
"Which month is the 10th month?"
And Yes, your passport expires in October, the 10th month. Your bro's birthday is in the 10th month!
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Botanic Gardens - National Orchid Garden
[Photos Deleted]
I finally went to the Botanic Gardens. Two hours there is NOT enough. I didn't even manage to make it through the National Orchid Garden. Looking at the flowers just made my day. The happiness level was high enough to last me through the concert. Not that performing in the concert was depressingly, but I was high. Without sugar too. haha
Flowers are idiot-proof photogenic subjects.
I finally went to the Botanic Gardens. Two hours there is NOT enough. I didn't even manage to make it through the National Orchid Garden. Looking at the flowers just made my day. The happiness level was high enough to last me through the concert. Not that performing in the concert was depressingly, but I was high. Without sugar too. haha
Flowers are idiot-proof photogenic subjects.
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Old Photos
[Photos Deleted]
I've got a new three-in-one printer, a scanner/photocopier/printer!
It was so fun, I scanned some of my favourite old photos and digitally renewed the colour! I'm just so AMAZED at the colour difference.
I've got a new three-in-one printer, a scanner/photocopier/printer!
It was so fun, I scanned some of my favourite old photos and digitally renewed the colour! I'm just so AMAZED at the colour difference.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Flowers in Muar
[Photos deleted]
Just came back from Muar a couple of days ago. Went a bit nuts over the flowers there. I think I'll head down to the Botanic Gardens soon to satisfy my flower cravings. hahaha...
Just came back from Muar a couple of days ago. Went a bit nuts over the flowers there. I think I'll head down to the Botanic Gardens soon to satisfy my flower cravings. hahaha...
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Something I want to remember...
...Our townspeople wanted to "keep things peaceful" at all costs. They said I had "stirred things up." This is laudable and tragic. I, too, say let us be peaceful; but the only way to do this is first to assure justice. By keeping "peaceful" in this instance, we end up consenting to the destruction of all peace - for so long as we condone injustice by a small but powerful group, we condone the destruction of all social stability, all real peace, all trust in man's good intentions toward his fellow man.
John Howard Griffin, 1920-1980.
Quoted from Black Like Me, The Definitive Griffin Estate Edition, Wings Press. pp 170 - 171.
Just to contextualise the above quotation. In 1959, Griffin underwent a transformation with the help of medicine and sun-tanning to turn himself from an American white to an African American. After his journey into the South (New Orleans, Atlanta, etc) he recorded his experiences as well as his emotions as an African American, exposing the impact of segregation which a white man had never before experienced, not only bringing down the lies that people had surrounded themselves with (on the treatment of the blacks) but showing how African American communities, individuals and their families coped with the racist attitudes and living conditions subjected on them.
The book, which I'm still reading, is truly one of the most incredible books that has left a deep impression on me. Being a Singaporean, sitting comfortably and typing on my laptop in the 21st century, racism of this level has never occurred to me. What ever brief instances of racism I experienced or saw in my travels or even in Singapore, cannot be compared to what the people went through in 1959 America. This is truly one of the best lessons a man can leave behind for generations to guard and keep in their hearts.
Thursday, December 06, 2007
Somehow I survived
I'm just waving here to let all you dear ones know that I SURVIVED!
I survived one of the most INTENSE semesters in Uni.
Went through torrents of depression, pimple outbreaks, and doused myself with korean chick flicks just to numb my senses... and I'm ALIVE!
Thanks L_.
I survived one of the most INTENSE semesters in Uni.
Went through torrents of depression, pimple outbreaks, and doused myself with korean chick flicks just to numb my senses... and I'm ALIVE!
Thanks L_.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Wk 9 into the semester
Just recording it for posterity... at this moment in time, JT would like to remember and remind herself this nice quote on her wall:
Thanks L_.
Note to friends and family: Thanks for the encouragements, truckload of smses and emails. There's really nothing quite like waking up at 5am in the morning and reading an encouraging sms, knowing that there are people thinking about you. Waking up from bed has never been this joyful before. In this trying period moreover.
Sorry for the vagueness, emotions are still a little too raw to be more explicit.
Nothing is real to you until you experience it, otherwise it's just hearsay.
Thanks L_.
Note to friends and family: Thanks for the encouragements, truckload of smses and emails. There's really nothing quite like waking up at 5am in the morning and reading an encouraging sms, knowing that there are people thinking about you. Waking up from bed has never been this joyful before. In this trying period moreover.
Sorry for the vagueness, emotions are still a little too raw to be more explicit.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Flowers
My catcus bloomed!!!
So pretty right the packaging. Girls love the packaging. I'm impractical that way.
Nah... a couple of friends came for the concert and gave me flowers! So pretty huh?! I love flowers. Fresh ones especially. They don't last long unfortunately. So I decided I shall take photos of the flowers for posterity. ^_^
So pretty right the packaging. Girls love the packaging. I'm impractical that way.
Another close up!
Monday, June 04, 2007
Classical music
I decided to check out Youtube's collection of classical music videos ^_^ What a haul! The very first video I watched was Jascha Heifetz's Paganini's Caprice No. 24
He's got a really beautiful tone, powerful and intense. Not only that, he has such a variety of emotional depths which he brings across so effectively, really feel like you're being led on a musical journey.
Sounds familiar? I think most people will be more familiar with Rachmaninoff's version
Mikhail Pletnev on the piano playing Rachmaninoff's Rapsody on the theme of Pagnini
Just for fun, I found another Paganini Caprice no. 24 this time on the classical guitar by Li Jie
He's got a really beautiful tone, powerful and intense. Not only that, he has such a variety of emotional depths which he brings across so effectively, really feel like you're being led on a musical journey.
Sounds familiar? I think most people will be more familiar with Rachmaninoff's version
Mikhail Pletnev on the piano playing Rachmaninoff's Rapsody on the theme of Pagnini
Just for fun, I found another Paganini Caprice no. 24 this time on the classical guitar by Li Jie
Saturday, May 26, 2007
On plants again!
Haha! Despite Daddy's doomsday pronouncement on the peppermint plant that I brought back home, one week hence and it's still alive and growing leaves!! Thanks Em for giving me a hardy plant! Maybe I might have Daddy's green fingers afterall?
Just to help, Daddy's put an extra pot of earth for the plant's new growing roots (see below)
So happy to have a plant that needs me to water it everyday, I was getting bored with my cactuses. Not much fun with plants that don't really need you much. My cactuses' flowers have since withered and closed up. I wonder when's the next time it blooms?
In the meantime, Daddy's money plant is growing massively outside our corridor. Grrr...
Just to help, Daddy's put an extra pot of earth for the plant's new growing roots (see below)
Thursday, May 24, 2007
19 of May was... interesting...
19th of May was VERY.... interesting...
My morning began innocently enough, spent some time with the Lord, then excitedly prepared to meet my friends for Phantom of the Opera.
Decided that there was time to curl my hair, so I did. Messily.
Decided that there was time to reply some emails, so I did.
Then decided that there was time to get a cab and make it down in time.
Then realised that I was going to be late, and so smsed my friend.
And again, and again.
By the time I reached Esplanade, i only had time for a sandwich which my friend bought for me. And I had smses demanding chocolate at the pit. Some friends among the musicians for phantom were wondering if I would deliver up on my promise to drop polar cakes into the pit for them. Needless to say, I chickened out. The guards at the Esplanade door were intimidating! I bought them Mrs. Fields brownies instead and delivered them to the stage door. =p
Phantom of the Opera was enjoyable! Apart from some rough patches in the music, I thought the Phantom was the most spectacular and wonderful character! So much angst, so much emotions and so tortured! "Christine~~~ Christine~~~" sigh... in one stroke he turned from tortured madman to tortured lover. I couldn't stop gushing much to the digust of my two friends.
But I must say for certain that my friends had an enjoyable time with me. So as to brag, bwahaha... if you have the chance to attend a concert or musical with me, do so. I have many comments to share with you. hahaha... I dragged my friends up and down the threatre to check out the view, dragged them to the pit to say hi to my friends, who all disappeared except for good pal kath. -_- I guess when they realised polar cakes were not falling from heaven, they made for a getaway.
After that we made our way to the Esplanade library where a friend of my friend was performing. Singing and playing the guitar and harmonica! So talented! I didn't stay to listen all the way, cos I had to go answer demands for chocolates and went off to the stage door with Mrs. Fields in my hand.
Then my female friend and I went shopping while my male friend cried mercy and went home for dinner. hahaha....
Orchard was fun. The measly amount of cash pooled provided dinner for both of us at Wisma - a plate of beef kuey tiao, a bowl of beef noodle soup, a large plate of rojak and two cans of drink! We were both delirious with joy. We still had 20 cents left over!
Then we decided to go shopping, got card mah. We had a grand plan to start from far east and go down all the way past taka, to john little and centrepoint. But we got waylaid at Wisma instead. We got distracted by the sale sign at Topshop. Then while on our way to the ladies, our eyes spied the sale sign at Isetan.
At the end of Isetan, my friend recieved a call and later asked me, 'want to go watch soccer?'
Huh? Soccer? Isn't that for guys? So I hmmm... and hammm... and finally decided to go. The problem was I didn't realise it was a BIG event. Man U against Chelsea. Woah~~
So after walking down to Far East to pick up a reserved item, my friend's ex-uni friends picked us up to Chijmes - which was PACKED. After walking around, and making phone calls, we finally walked back to the very first pub which offered us space.
And when I walked in, I was greeted by... my uni lecturer and his wife. -_-; I guess he was spending some quality time with the Mrs. before he went off to Vietnam (yeah, now you all know who liao.) He looked amused to see me at the pub, for a soccer match and asked if I had placed bets. I didn't even know it was Man U against Chelsea! The last time I actively watched soccer volunteerily was Man U against Liverpool in 2001.
But what a match! I was glued to the screen. 90 mins gone and still nil-nil. Extra time, nothing... 2nd set of extra time~ and Chelsea scored! I'm missing out a lot of in between joking about who my friend and I were supporting (since my friend supported liverpool and I no one, we decided to support the underdogs who ironically won), and our desperate need to sit after all that shopping. We ended sitting on a huge amplifier on the stage. And me being really thirsty, drank away at least 30 bucks. -_-; But I did learn a new drink which I really enjoyed - Midori Melon, it's really sweet, and easier to drink than lycee martini which my friend ordered for me. The lady at the bar was very nice. ^_^ I just asked her to recommand, and said simply, I'm thirsty. and she got me this great drink. Shows that she knows her stuff. haha or I'm just ignorant.
By the time the match ended, my professor and the wife were gone, and we had to dial a cab home. Waiting for the cab was exciting, cos we had to fend off happy hoppers who would take over the cab that we called for, and watch out for the cab licence plate. I was really tired at this point, but grateful to my friend who watched out for me.
So in conclusion, 19 of May burnt a large hole in my pocket, but was simply unforgettable.
My morning began innocently enough, spent some time with the Lord, then excitedly prepared to meet my friends for Phantom of the Opera.
Decided that there was time to curl my hair, so I did. Messily.
Decided that there was time to reply some emails, so I did.
Then decided that there was time to get a cab and make it down in time.
Then realised that I was going to be late, and so smsed my friend.
And again, and again.
By the time I reached Esplanade, i only had time for a sandwich which my friend bought for me. And I had smses demanding chocolate at the pit. Some friends among the musicians for phantom were wondering if I would deliver up on my promise to drop polar cakes into the pit for them. Needless to say, I chickened out. The guards at the Esplanade door were intimidating! I bought them Mrs. Fields brownies instead and delivered them to the stage door. =p
Phantom of the Opera was enjoyable! Apart from some rough patches in the music, I thought the Phantom was the most spectacular and wonderful character! So much angst, so much emotions and so tortured! "Christine~~~ Christine~~~" sigh... in one stroke he turned from tortured madman to tortured lover. I couldn't stop gushing much to the digust of my two friends.
But I must say for certain that my friends had an enjoyable time with me. So as to brag, bwahaha... if you have the chance to attend a concert or musical with me, do so. I have many comments to share with you. hahaha... I dragged my friends up and down the threatre to check out the view, dragged them to the pit to say hi to my friends, who all disappeared except for good pal kath. -_- I guess when they realised polar cakes were not falling from heaven, they made for a getaway.
After that we made our way to the Esplanade library where a friend of my friend was performing. Singing and playing the guitar and harmonica! So talented! I didn't stay to listen all the way, cos I had to go answer demands for chocolates and went off to the stage door with Mrs. Fields in my hand.
Then my female friend and I went shopping while my male friend cried mercy and went home for dinner. hahaha....
Orchard was fun. The measly amount of cash pooled provided dinner for both of us at Wisma - a plate of beef kuey tiao, a bowl of beef noodle soup, a large plate of rojak and two cans of drink! We were both delirious with joy. We still had 20 cents left over!
Then we decided to go shopping, got card mah. We had a grand plan to start from far east and go down all the way past taka, to john little and centrepoint. But we got waylaid at Wisma instead. We got distracted by the sale sign at Topshop. Then while on our way to the ladies, our eyes spied the sale sign at Isetan.
At the end of Isetan, my friend recieved a call and later asked me, 'want to go watch soccer?'
Huh? Soccer? Isn't that for guys? So I hmmm... and hammm... and finally decided to go. The problem was I didn't realise it was a BIG event. Man U against Chelsea. Woah~~
So after walking down to Far East to pick up a reserved item, my friend's ex-uni friends picked us up to Chijmes - which was PACKED. After walking around, and making phone calls, we finally walked back to the very first pub which offered us space.
And when I walked in, I was greeted by... my uni lecturer and his wife. -_-; I guess he was spending some quality time with the Mrs. before he went off to Vietnam (yeah, now you all know who liao.) He looked amused to see me at the pub, for a soccer match and asked if I had placed bets. I didn't even know it was Man U against Chelsea! The last time I actively watched soccer volunteerily was Man U against Liverpool in 2001.
But what a match! I was glued to the screen. 90 mins gone and still nil-nil. Extra time, nothing... 2nd set of extra time~ and Chelsea scored! I'm missing out a lot of in between joking about who my friend and I were supporting (since my friend supported liverpool and I no one, we decided to support the underdogs who ironically won), and our desperate need to sit after all that shopping. We ended sitting on a huge amplifier on the stage. And me being really thirsty, drank away at least 30 bucks. -_-; But I did learn a new drink which I really enjoyed - Midori Melon, it's really sweet, and easier to drink than lycee martini which my friend ordered for me. The lady at the bar was very nice. ^_^ I just asked her to recommand, and said simply, I'm thirsty. and she got me this great drink. Shows that she knows her stuff. haha or I'm just ignorant.
By the time the match ended, my professor and the wife were gone, and we had to dial a cab home. Waiting for the cab was exciting, cos we had to fend off happy hoppers who would take over the cab that we called for, and watch out for the cab licence plate. I was really tired at this point, but grateful to my friend who watched out for me.
So in conclusion, 19 of May burnt a large hole in my pocket, but was simply unforgettable.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Flowers progress
I've been tracking my cactuses' flowering process. Check this out. Hmmm... Maybe I should conduct an experiement... like set my camera permanently on one angle and snap it day by day...
Oh well... next time lah. haaha! Enjoy, this time, it's the small flowers that are opening. =)
Oh well... next time lah. haaha! Enjoy, this time, it's the small flowers that are opening. =)
I decided to track the decay of my large flower too. haha...
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Places that terrify me
Just thought of some stuff I suddenly thought of haha...
Two places terrify me. 1. Sim Lim Square 2. Basement of Excelsior Hotel, Peninsula Hotel
Why? Cos I'm like a fish out of water. And these two places are places that I need to go to occasionally. Well.. not Sim Lim Square, I only go there when my guy friends or my brother is back in SG. But the guitar shops in Excelsior Hotel basement I need to go to get my bass repaired or to stock up on strings.
Don't know why, it's really a culture shock each time that turns me from this formidable looking woman, into a soft spoken, unconfident, trembling (my insides at least), girl. Why? I guess it all boils down to one reason: they are GUY places.
Now hardware stores? I'm perfectly okay, even though I don't know much about DIY, wood work, plumbing etc etc... cos in my mind, they are just household stuff. So what's the diff? Afterall computer stuff and music instruments are not exactly gender biased too.
I don't know... maybe the number of guys congregating at these places outnumber women? Or maybe it's just a feeling of being surrounded by people who know what they are doing and I'm more like messing around in muddy waters. Anyway, one thing I do know is that these places are honestly not places where I like to linger around and look around, shop around. I shop like a guy in these places; I know what I want, I aim for it, get it and get out. Quick.
I guess I can now sympathise with guys who walk into the mall and shop for their gal's favourite perfume or something. You just want to accomplish your task and escape being befuddled, bewildered or feeling biffed. Don't let the silks and laces fool you, these are determined sales people ready to swop in and pick you apart like vultures on dead meat.
I'm not saying that people are the above two places are like vultures. Well... I can't say much about Sim Lim, but the people at the guitar shops are pretty friendly. It's just the fear I get when I approach the place or think about having to go down to the place.
I don't know if I'll ever get over this feeling for the two places. One thing's for sure, I doubt I'll be placing myself in a position where I have to visit them regularly.
Two places terrify me. 1. Sim Lim Square 2. Basement of Excelsior Hotel, Peninsula Hotel
Why? Cos I'm like a fish out of water. And these two places are places that I need to go to occasionally. Well.. not Sim Lim Square, I only go there when my guy friends or my brother is back in SG. But the guitar shops in Excelsior Hotel basement I need to go to get my bass repaired or to stock up on strings.
Don't know why, it's really a culture shock each time that turns me from this formidable looking woman, into a soft spoken, unconfident, trembling (my insides at least), girl. Why? I guess it all boils down to one reason: they are GUY places.
Now hardware stores? I'm perfectly okay, even though I don't know much about DIY, wood work, plumbing etc etc... cos in my mind, they are just household stuff. So what's the diff? Afterall computer stuff and music instruments are not exactly gender biased too.
I don't know... maybe the number of guys congregating at these places outnumber women? Or maybe it's just a feeling of being surrounded by people who know what they are doing and I'm more like messing around in muddy waters. Anyway, one thing I do know is that these places are honestly not places where I like to linger around and look around, shop around. I shop like a guy in these places; I know what I want, I aim for it, get it and get out. Quick.
I guess I can now sympathise with guys who walk into the mall and shop for their gal's favourite perfume or something. You just want to accomplish your task and escape being befuddled, bewildered or feeling biffed. Don't let the silks and laces fool you, these are determined sales people ready to swop in and pick you apart like vultures on dead meat.
I'm not saying that people are the above two places are like vultures. Well... I can't say much about Sim Lim, but the people at the guitar shops are pretty friendly. It's just the fear I get when I approach the place or think about having to go down to the place.
I don't know if I'll ever get over this feeling for the two places. One thing's for sure, I doubt I'll be placing myself in a position where I have to visit them regularly.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Friday, April 20, 2007
Blooming cactus!
Hey something actually flowered in my hands!!! I'm so happy! Cos since UK, nothing that I planted ever prospered. the last 5 cactuses I bought died! Seriously! I was depressed... how pathetic a gardener I am that even the hardiest of plants - the cactus died on me! Anyway... enough with the depressing memories... Enjoy!
Here it is at night. the bud's closed for the night. 
And then in the day night... it blooms!
Here it is from the side view! I put a mirror to reflect indirect light from my window. A better picture cos I dug out my camera from dusty storage to document this proud moment!
Here it is! In glorious full bloom! Yeah lah, the baby in the picture is me.
Okay, I know you guys must be skeptics. So I must confess, I just bought these plants a week ago and deliberately chose two that had buds. The bottom left plant actually had flowers before. Cute white ones. But they have since closed. Looks like it'll be another year or so before they bloom again... assuming I don't kill them off before they do.
Nonetheless! I'm thrilled that cacti (which I didn't like before) actually have such lovely blooms! I still think they look ugly, and I bought these cos I thought each one of them looked unique and interesting, plus I wanted some greens in my bedroom that I won't kill off so easily. But now I have flowers to look forward to! Woohoo!
Yeah... obviously exam preparations are still slow going...
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Raining!
So nice weather. Good for sleeping. My dad changed a new set of bed covers for me. So nice and blue. Feel like sleeping again. hahaha...
Past couple of days I've been quite emotional - even though I think I did a good job keeping things down low key. No use bursting mah. Haha but I think I might have shocked a couple of my friends after rehearsal last night, being so passionate about some details over payment. Sigh... being in the musical world everynight is taking a toll on me: I'm becoming more tempremental.
Haha I remembered my cousin asking me cos I made a general joke that all musicians are tempremental. He asked if I was, I thought for like a second and joked, 'Of Course! Since young! You can ask my brother how many times I threw a tantrum. Over things like who gets to watch what on TV. I wanted to watch Ballet and he wanted the F1 race.'
Hahaha... it's funny cos I was really young, like in secondary one or two. Actually I would not have minded watching the F1 race. The cars are pretty cool, zipping around the race course. Dunno why I just insisted on having my way. My dad got so worried over my outburst then next day he went to get a small tv for me. Which wasn't really the point. The point is Who Gets The TV control. Bwahahaha....
So anyway, tonight's resolution. Keep a straight face and ride over the bumps with grace. If you can't do anything about it, might as well just look cool and enjoy the flow. Keeping reminding myself that L_ is there.
I met up with a bunch of funny lame people from the CCAB. One of whom was my secondary school PE teacher! She reminded me of one of the teacher's day celebration in school where I wrote a song for the teachers and played on the piano with my friends singing it on stage. Apparently it left a lasting impression on everyone of the teachers. I can't remember the song already except that it was one of those sappy romantic tunes which I remember cringing when I listened to it again in JC. hahaha...
Past couple of days I've been quite emotional - even though I think I did a good job keeping things down low key. No use bursting mah. Haha but I think I might have shocked a couple of my friends after rehearsal last night, being so passionate about some details over payment. Sigh... being in the musical world everynight is taking a toll on me: I'm becoming more tempremental.
Haha I remembered my cousin asking me cos I made a general joke that all musicians are tempremental. He asked if I was, I thought for like a second and joked, 'Of Course! Since young! You can ask my brother how many times I threw a tantrum. Over things like who gets to watch what on TV. I wanted to watch Ballet and he wanted the F1 race.'
Hahaha... it's funny cos I was really young, like in secondary one or two. Actually I would not have minded watching the F1 race. The cars are pretty cool, zipping around the race course. Dunno why I just insisted on having my way. My dad got so worried over my outburst then next day he went to get a small tv for me. Which wasn't really the point. The point is Who Gets The TV control. Bwahahaha....
So anyway, tonight's resolution. Keep a straight face and ride over the bumps with grace. If you can't do anything about it, might as well just look cool and enjoy the flow. Keeping reminding myself that L_ is there.
I met up with a bunch of funny lame people from the CCAB. One of whom was my secondary school PE teacher! She reminded me of one of the teacher's day celebration in school where I wrote a song for the teachers and played on the piano with my friends singing it on stage. Apparently it left a lasting impression on everyone of the teachers. I can't remember the song already except that it was one of those sappy romantic tunes which I remember cringing when I listened to it again in JC. hahaha...
Monday, February 26, 2007
In Stasis
I've been sick needless to say. Rather overwhelmed.
Title of the post is In Stasis - more apt for this blog. Apt for myself too. Being busy doesn't mean you've accomplished anything.
My bro came back for a couple of weeks. He chosed the wrong weeks to come home though. two weeks b4 term break is usually busiest. Couple that with preparations for upcoming concert... sigh...
I'm having a slight headache now actually.
Aiyah, my brother's homecoming wasn't as fruitful as I would have liked it to be. Mainly cos I've been busy myself, and trying to make time to spend with him is hard cos he's got his own friends to go out with.
Plus now got girlfriend, which I'm quite happy about actually. But he goes out a lot with her. Bleah. I think next time I'll date his girlfriend out myself and see how he likes it. -_- bwahahaha...
On the plus side, his coming home heralded the 1st 4 seasons of 'Allo! Allo!' - my all time favourite Brit comedy. Plus, Spongebob Squarepants season 2! Woohoo...
This CNY season's been mahjong peppered. I'm getting better at it I must say. Bwahaha... can anticipate people's cards liao - to a relative measure. Can't believe L_' unbelievable record during E_'s birthday though. You see these people in orchestra rehearsals, and you never know how irritating they can get (esp. when the game is on their side and they're not afraid to show their glee). I'm glad I went for the Bdae party. I was actually thinking of pleading tiredness and go home and sleep. But couldn't escape cos another one of my friends made me go with her.
That day I went to the new YST building for the first time. Reminded me of one of the European art galleries. My friend's office was beautiful manz. Before that I went to another friend's office in SMU. All these new buildings are really nice. But my fav is still the YST one.
Just attended 'Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land'. Stan Lai is a genius. If I wasn't having this headache I would say more about it. haha... ok okay~ The play was poignant and at the same time side-breakingly funny. My favourite actors were the guys from Ming Hua Yuan - a Taiwanese opera troupe. Though I depended a lot on the subtitles to find out what they were spouting in Minnan (a variation of Hokkien), still didn't detrack me from their performance. At first I was clueless about the political aspects, cos not really in tune with the China - Taiwan history. After that I realised that the play was talking about dreams, ideals and reality.
One play talked about lovers who dreamed of living their lives together, but torned apart in reality. Getting married, setting up families... but no matter how reality unfolded, they still held on to their dreams of finding their first love. The other play talked about a fisherman escaping the cruelties of reality in utopia 'Peach Blossom Land', but unable to forget the past, leaves utopia for reality. When he realises how good utopia was, he is anguished when he finds out that he can never return there again, since he chosed to return to reality. In his anguish, he ponders if utopia was a dream or reality.
I thought about how the clash of political ideals between the Communist party and Kuomintang. How each group had a ideal of how 'utopia' or an ideal nation should be run. Everyone in that play was searching for an ideal, the unnamed woman searching for her ideal lover, the fisherman searching for his ideal harmonious reality, the lovers searching for each other and their lost dreams of living life together. In the end, people bid farewell to lost dreams, left wondering what had gone wrong. Two theatre groups were booked mistakenly on the same day, whose fault was it? Even if the fault was established, we still need to live with it, make changes, compromise and continue with life. Was the fisherman wrong to leave utopia despite warnings that he would never come back? But he chosed to do so for the sake of his loved ones. Who is to say that his intentions were flawed? Whose fault was it that the lovers ended up separated for decades?
At the beginning of the play, the girl advised her lover who lived through the war, to forget and to continue living. He replied that some things cannot be forgotten. Some things must be remembered. That's probably the main running theme. Can China and Taiwan ever reach that compromise? When ideals do not materialise in reality, can you ever relinquish your lost dreams and live on? But I think Stan Lai brought about that possibility, that dreams can be lost, and that you can continue with your lives, but at a great price. The fisherman continued rowing in the vast oceans, racked with his failure to bring his loved ones to utopia and knowing that he himself can never find utopia again. The lovers parted knowing that they each have to continue their own lives with the families they had set up apart from one another. The unnamed woman bid farewell to her ideal lover at the cost of her own sanity.
The play ended so solemnly that the audience couldn't bring themselves to clap. Otherwise cheers would have rang out from the durian. That I think spoke more of the performers' ability to affect our emotions. If we had cheered enthusiastically at the beginning, it would have been superficial. The fact that hours after the play ended, we were still pondering about it, savouring the sweet, the sad and the comedic moments of the play, speaks more. So once again...
STAN LAI IS A GENIUS!
Okay, I'm now really having a bad headache. Am now going to switch off and go to sleep. I'm sorry Q_ for missing your mahjong party. The last couple of weeks of running around has finally taken it's toll on me. I'll see you all soon.
Title of the post is In Stasis - more apt for this blog. Apt for myself too. Being busy doesn't mean you've accomplished anything.
My bro came back for a couple of weeks. He chosed the wrong weeks to come home though. two weeks b4 term break is usually busiest. Couple that with preparations for upcoming concert... sigh...
I'm having a slight headache now actually.
Aiyah, my brother's homecoming wasn't as fruitful as I would have liked it to be. Mainly cos I've been busy myself, and trying to make time to spend with him is hard cos he's got his own friends to go out with.
Plus now got girlfriend, which I'm quite happy about actually. But he goes out a lot with her. Bleah. I think next time I'll date his girlfriend out myself and see how he likes it. -_- bwahahaha...
On the plus side, his coming home heralded the 1st 4 seasons of 'Allo! Allo!' - my all time favourite Brit comedy. Plus, Spongebob Squarepants season 2! Woohoo...
This CNY season's been mahjong peppered. I'm getting better at it I must say. Bwahaha... can anticipate people's cards liao - to a relative measure. Can't believe L_' unbelievable record during E_'s birthday though. You see these people in orchestra rehearsals, and you never know how irritating they can get (esp. when the game is on their side and they're not afraid to show their glee). I'm glad I went for the Bdae party. I was actually thinking of pleading tiredness and go home and sleep. But couldn't escape cos another one of my friends made me go with her.
That day I went to the new YST building for the first time. Reminded me of one of the European art galleries. My friend's office was beautiful manz. Before that I went to another friend's office in SMU. All these new buildings are really nice. But my fav is still the YST one.
Just attended 'Secret Love in Peach Blossom Land'. Stan Lai is a genius. If I wasn't having this headache I would say more about it. haha... ok okay~ The play was poignant and at the same time side-breakingly funny. My favourite actors were the guys from Ming Hua Yuan - a Taiwanese opera troupe. Though I depended a lot on the subtitles to find out what they were spouting in Minnan (a variation of Hokkien), still didn't detrack me from their performance. At first I was clueless about the political aspects, cos not really in tune with the China - Taiwan history. After that I realised that the play was talking about dreams, ideals and reality.
One play talked about lovers who dreamed of living their lives together, but torned apart in reality. Getting married, setting up families... but no matter how reality unfolded, they still held on to their dreams of finding their first love. The other play talked about a fisherman escaping the cruelties of reality in utopia 'Peach Blossom Land', but unable to forget the past, leaves utopia for reality. When he realises how good utopia was, he is anguished when he finds out that he can never return there again, since he chosed to return to reality. In his anguish, he ponders if utopia was a dream or reality.
I thought about how the clash of political ideals between the Communist party and Kuomintang. How each group had a ideal of how 'utopia' or an ideal nation should be run. Everyone in that play was searching for an ideal, the unnamed woman searching for her ideal lover, the fisherman searching for his ideal harmonious reality, the lovers searching for each other and their lost dreams of living life together. In the end, people bid farewell to lost dreams, left wondering what had gone wrong. Two theatre groups were booked mistakenly on the same day, whose fault was it? Even if the fault was established, we still need to live with it, make changes, compromise and continue with life. Was the fisherman wrong to leave utopia despite warnings that he would never come back? But he chosed to do so for the sake of his loved ones. Who is to say that his intentions were flawed? Whose fault was it that the lovers ended up separated for decades?
At the beginning of the play, the girl advised her lover who lived through the war, to forget and to continue living. He replied that some things cannot be forgotten. Some things must be remembered. That's probably the main running theme. Can China and Taiwan ever reach that compromise? When ideals do not materialise in reality, can you ever relinquish your lost dreams and live on? But I think Stan Lai brought about that possibility, that dreams can be lost, and that you can continue with your lives, but at a great price. The fisherman continued rowing in the vast oceans, racked with his failure to bring his loved ones to utopia and knowing that he himself can never find utopia again. The lovers parted knowing that they each have to continue their own lives with the families they had set up apart from one another. The unnamed woman bid farewell to her ideal lover at the cost of her own sanity.
The play ended so solemnly that the audience couldn't bring themselves to clap. Otherwise cheers would have rang out from the durian. That I think spoke more of the performers' ability to affect our emotions. If we had cheered enthusiastically at the beginning, it would have been superficial. The fact that hours after the play ended, we were still pondering about it, savouring the sweet, the sad and the comedic moments of the play, speaks more. So once again...
STAN LAI IS A GENIUS!
Okay, I'm now really having a bad headache. Am now going to switch off and go to sleep. I'm sorry Q_ for missing your mahjong party. The last couple of weeks of running around has finally taken it's toll on me. I'll see you all soon.
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