Shire Chronicles

Summer (I)

2009-06-14T11:54:00.003+08:00

3 weeks in sg:

life is good
food, food and more food
spent quite a bit of time with the family, enjoyed one year's worth of doting in 20 days
met up with almost everyone i wanted to, seems like everyone is leading busy and fulfilling lives
everyone doesn't seem to have changed, but the sense of camaraderie and familiarity appears diminished
have i changed? or has everything/one else?

I'm (will be) back!!

2009-04-19T22:45:00.002+08:00

I'll be back from 18 May to 6 June, so meet-ups! Preferably over some singaporean food (i.e. no NYNY, fish n co and that sort of thing).

Sorry for the lack of updates (*looks at date of last post and realizes that's an understatement*) but life's been crazy. You can hear all about them when we meet up, if you guys are interested, that is. ;)

Good luck to those who are having/preparing for exams, there's a nice long break to look forward to after that. And if you need to relax, watch Slumdog Millionaire! Best movie I've watched this year (out of like... 5?). No time for reviews but suffice to say it deserves the best film oscars.

Oh yeah if anyone wants me to bring anything back from the states just let me know. ++service charge of course. =)

Ok so ciao soon then, people!

Hello! (from Cornell)

2008-08-29T09:05:00.002+08:00

The gang would have received a similar message on Facebook but this's for all the rest who are still reading. Yeah I know I haven't blogged in ages!

Hey there! Hope everyone is doing well!

I've settled down at my school and lessons just started today. It's been pretty nice so far - the campus is really pretty (see pictures below!), the people are friendly and the food is good. It's a little cold, but we're all getting used to it.

The campus is really big and it takes me 25min to walk to class every morning! Good exercise though, coz there's a lot of ice-cream here that is cheap (sometimes free!) and good so I really need to stay in shape.

My orientation was super no fun. I didn't have an orientation group because they somehow left me out.. Then there's a lot of admin stuff to settle and the events were like all info sessions or performances, not much in the way of fun and games that you guys get to do in Singapore, even for those with OGs. The only thing that makes up for it is the excitement that comes with being in a new environment.

The past few days have been really hectic, trying to plan my schedule and add classes online. My schedule keeps changing because of all sorts of reasons and it's frustrating. But that's the US system, you can do almost any and every course you want and you plan your own academic career. ChemE major and business minor for me!

Ask me if you want my address so that you can mail me stuff! Like bah gua!

Skype me! Just search for my name (Get Skype! It's free and (really) easy!)

Email: yellowcream@gmail.com

Till next time. Ciao!

Cornell!

2008-08-29T06:39:00.009+08:00

Buildings

Libe Slope
Convocation

My dorm!

Gorges and Lakes

Some pictures koped from others without permission. Let me know if you don't want them here!

Ithaca is gorges!

2008-08-20T10:10:00.003+08:00

Hey just posting this to let everyone know that I've arrived safely at Cornell and everything is well. I'm more or less settled in and trying to get used to the cold. It's still summer and it's already sub 20 degrees outside (and even lower with the wind in your face)! I am so not looking forward to winter.

Ithaca is gorgeous (with all the gorges) and I'll try to take (or kope) some pictures to show you guys. The campus is one huge garden with lush greenery, gothic halls, and I've seen hares, deers and geese roaming around. It's a refreshing scene after being on the concrete island that is Singapore for the past 21 years of my life.

Gotta go now, skype (ivancsh726) or MSN me!

10 days

2008-08-07T11:19:00.003+08:00

This place has turned into Shelob's lair! As you can imagine, I've been rather busy (and lazy). Flying in 10 days, and it still feels really surreal. The past weeks breezed past in a flash, and I wanted to use the time to enjoy Singapore and everything that comes with it (most so the people and the food). Blogging obviously did not feature highly in my priorities. This is probably the last post before I get my connection up and running in Ithaca, so ciao till then!

The 21st

2008-06-22T23:03:00.007+08:00

Seems just like any other day, except that I can now watch R21 movies. Yeah like it's such a big deal.

Thanks to the army buds and of course the family. =) Yesterday and today were a blast!

Now I have two black wallets, both with no coin compartment.-_- Don't they use coins in the states? LOL. Maybe I should change my wish list - remove the wallet and add in an LV coin pouch.

And my jepalang Pine Garden birthday cake - coz I was greedy and wanted to try all the different flavours. Loved the lychee martini.
The gang arh, tsk tsk. Some people even forgot sia. Nvm. Steamboat next friday, remember to turn up.

Vietnam (Prelude)

2008-06-18T00:08:00.011+08:00

The cover page of today's Straits Times has a great article on the state of tourism in Vietnam, which I think serves as an excellent prelude to what I'm gonna post about my trip - if I can ever find the time to do it. Go read!

Incidentally, I visited Hoi An, Halong Bay and Sapa, all of which were mentioned in the exposition.

Sunrise @ Halong Bay

In essence, Vietnam is a remarkably beautiful country but the cultural and natural attractions have become over-commercialised, so much so that they've lost/are starting to lose their charm. A sad state of affairs, but I'm glad I visited before their unfortunate and complete demise.

Gotta catch up on beauty sleep now. Ciao.

Yo, Vietnam!

2008-06-02T16:36:00.002+08:00

Off to Vietnam tomorrow! But I'm still feeling a little groggy. Argh! And my backpack is like xx kg. Don't worry, I will survive!

Ciao in 2 weeks!

-->My wishlist is up! *shameless plug* =)

38.7℃

2008-05-30T15:53:00.003+08:00

Sorry to all the people I pang seh-ed. Need to get well before Tuesday!

Ingrates!

2008-05-21T21:33:00.005+08:00

Went back to HC today on a last-minute whim. Coz I got a ride to the main road and ended up at the bus stop opposite, so I thought I might as well pop in and say 'hi' to Ms Wong. Ms Wong very popular sia, another of her student ('06 batch) appeared a few minutes after me and we started chatting. Then Weijian joined in and we talked for >1 hour.

I feel less of an ingrate now because Ms Wong really helped me a lot. All the other teachers did too, but I'm too shy to visit them alone. Wouldn't have known what to say to them. Saw Mr. Tang while I was there, exchanged a few words and it was quite awkward. Should have thanked him for his help lah. Wouldn't have survived physics without him. Thanks Mr. Tang! lol even though I know he won't be reading this.

MZ actually has a point - teachers appreciate ex-students visiting them but they don't always like to entertain such visits. They have to take time off work and think of topics - which inevitably revolves around the future plans and how-the-classmates-are-doing variety - to talk about. And usually the conversation doesn't last very long so he/she would have to find an excuse to shoo you off. Awkward. So I was somewhat glad that the junior and wj were around today.

Happy that I went back today! Anyone wants to go back HC/CHS, jio me! Won't be back for MAF this year. =(

Gonna go watch AI finals. And then Champions League finals later. Couch potato signing off.

Jepalang Update

2008-05-18T13:49:00.021+08:00

Haven't updated in a while, not for the lack of inspiration, but time. And probably motivation.

Work has been busy, especially since next Friday would be my last day, so there are a lot of things to wrap up and hand over. The clients aren't in good shape but I think they'll survive. I'll leave the sappy conclusion till next Friday, if time permits then.

CDs wise, I've bought too many! Like close to 10 over the past 2 months. 蘇打綠's "陪我歌唱" album is a minor disappointment. The 'live' CD faced an uphill task trying to capture the essence of their 'live' performance, which I can only describe as mesmerizing. It didn't fall flat, but didn't exactly deliver either. You really have to be there to experience the incredible energy of a 'live' 蘇打綠! The studio CD fares even worse - it's nowhere near the quality of their first three full-length albums, so I'd rather non-sodagreen fans give this entire album a miss and get their second album instead.

Caught two movies over the past month with the gang - "Iron Man" during aj's chalet and "Accuracy of Death" yesterday.

"Iron Man kicks off summer on a blazing high note and practically dares the competition to measure up. It's been years since a movie superhero was this fierce and this funny. All praise to acting dynamo Robert Downey Jr., who brings so much creative juice to the party that Iron Man achieves instant liftoff. " (Variety) Christian Bale (Batman) may have finally found a worthy contender who's less serious, more flamboyant, and a lot funnier. Downey also has the help of the stunning (in more ways than one) Gwyneth Paltrow. There's really no need to elaborate on the obligatorily dazzling special effects, though the script could do with a bit of editing to tighten the pace. But then, I'm just nitpicking.

"Accuracy of Death", though, really needs some 'picking up'. Those who've seen the movie should know what I mean. It goes about 3 apparently isolated acts at a leisurely, yawn-inducing pace and tries to connect them together at the end, with a modicum of success. "The middle one suffered through a whole emotional and narrative disconnect from the other two, with slow pacing and uninteresting yakuza characters to fill time", to quote an apt review.

Unlike the sense of shocking revelation in "The Sixth Sense" and "Memento", the twist at the end imparts a sense of artificialness because the connection is not well developed and it seemed more out of convenience than genuine brilliance.

The clues, or so-called threads that link the episodes together are scarce and laughable - (1)girl who becomes singer; (2)guy whose mother who abandoned him happened to be a singer; (3)old woman who happened to abandoned her son. It turns out that (1) and (3) are the same person, and (2) is their son. What a great surprise! Erm yeah. And don't get me started on the absurb plot.

But I did like the third act and its feel-good vibes. The themes of life, death, happiness and fulfilment of purpose in life are not all bad but just woefully underdeveloped. Takeshi Kaneshiro's death god is likeable and goofy, good for eye candy and some laughs but otherwise bland and uninspiring. The telepathic mongrel is more irritating than cute, and quite redundant. All in all, "Accuracy" is quite disappointing for a Japanese production.

The good thing is I got some revision in Japanese, and it feels good to be able to catch words, phrases and whole sentences here and there. I really should watch more Japanese dramas, if only Mediacorp would dump the weepy Korean dramas and screen more of them.

Vietnam backpacking trip coming up. I'm excited and apprehensive at the same time, but it's excellent prep before the big move. Ciao soon.

Happy Birthday, AJ!

2008-05-06T22:11:00.006+08:00

My favourite pic from the birthday boy's chalet! Everyone looks so happy, for I-can't-remember-what reason. =) I love these guys!

Photo courtesy of jasmine, w/o permission

Happy Labour Day!

2008-05-01T11:04:00.010+08:00

In conjuction with Labour Day, here's the MV of Mayday's latest single.

五月天 - 小太陽

Incidentally, the sun these days has been anything but "small". It seems that the dreaded "summer" is here again, and I'm melting under the scorching heat. We should really be harnessing all this "free" energy. Solar is the way to go! And it's the engineers who will be doing the research and making this a reality, yeah engineers! A meaningful (albeit not so lucrative) field I might pursue in college, who knows? There are so many things I can and want to do in college! *excited*

My term of employment is ending soon, which is actually sorta a relief because I've been too distracted to start preparing for my move. And that's in 3.5 months! There's a lot of stuff to settle, and I've been ever the procrastinator. Inertia has become my middle name. NS does that kind of thing to you, the guys would know what I mean. Our brains are rusty, and Math and Science is no longer part of our consciousness. More like extra-conscious [pun intended ;)]. Which is terrible, because everyone says the engine course is tough!

I'd just try to stuff all these worries away in one corner of my shrinking brain and try to enjoy this weekend's chalet (courtesy of aj). Happy birthday, pal. Can't wait to hear you play the cheapo guitar. LOL.

One last note: go watch "The Forbidden Kingdom"! Loads of fun, excellent popcorn entertainment with great action choreography and fab cinematography. Not to forget fabulous eye candy in the form of Liu Yifei and Li Bing Bing who are totally my type - 气质型美女. =)

This week

2008-04-13T16:49:00.006+08:00

One word: busy! Work has been piling up, and I've been clocking 12-hour days, without any OT pay. =( The novelty is starting to wear off, I guess, and I've come to conclude that it isn't a job that yields instantaneous, immediate satisfaction - especially when your clients are not entirely appreciative. My current batch is already better than the previous, just that a lot of them are too preoccupied with other stuff, and I can't say I can't empathise. Perhaps I should just be like Melvin and leave them to their own devices. *evil grin*

I like yakking with the colleagues, and discussing stuff that we're gonna do in uni. At least I now have people to lunch with, and I've sorta graduated from micro-supervision, but I've also been given (somewhat) more work. Give and take, I see it as "job progression" and that's probably something to be happy about.

The job isn't exactly difficult but the returns are more long-term and you'd need a lot of patience and passion to sustain a career, say for 30 years. Probably not my dream kind of job, but then again, the same can be said for a lot of occupations.

___
Finally met up with the gang yesterday for a belated birthday celebration for Zebra and it was fun! But tiring as usual, because I'm perpetually sleep-deprived (thanks to chronic insomnia) and alcohol intolerant.

We watched "Definitely, Maybe" which was cool and great for valentines but I'm not too into the romance genre so it didn't do much for me. But at least it's more sophisticated than your typical rom-com fluff, so I was sufficiently engaged to not have succumbed to ZzzZz. The cast of relative unknowns (except for Rachel Weisz and Abigail Breslin) made up for the lack of star power with honest performances, and the script, though meandering and lacking in a climax, is not without its charms. At the very least, it eschews cliched dialogue that plagues many similar Hollywood offerings for sincere and heartfelt lines and manages to deliver a wholesome, feel-good experience.

After that was dinner at Holland V followed by chilling at Wala-wala. I like the mood and the vibe! Music's great as well but it was loud when the band started to play, such that a lot of the vocals was drowned out as all the instruments vied for attention - a common gripe when bands play 'live' gigs. A little more balance would have been great. And some of the song choices were pretty obscure but it's all good. They are really talented, esp. the drummer and guitarist!

I was drifting off midway after just one small glass of vodka but managed to stay awake till the end. The un-sober me is still quite good at "big fish-small fish"! *beams proudly* There wasn't any more public transport by the time we left so we walked all over trying to look for Night Rider buses but to no avail.

Did I mention Zebra was lugging along a 10+kg dumbbell - his birthday present - the entire way (with some help from the rest)? LOL. Way to go, I'm sure he'll develop a drool-worthy body pretty soon. Then he can make full use of the NUM Mr. Hamsup singlet we got him. Muaha.

Anyway we eventually decided to share a cab back to AMK/Hougang and I slept over at Zebra's place. Thanks, bro. =)

Tanned couch potato

2008-04-05T21:37:00.004+08:00

Haven't been blogging much lately for a few reasons:

The dearth of noteworthy movie and music releases
Can't blog about my job without revealing too much
Too much TV!

I've been spending a lot of time in front of the TV every night. A typical evening starts off with "TV dinner" at 7.30pm, variety programmes from 8 - 9pm, then “一房，半厅，一水缸” till 10pm, and “青蛙王子拜金女” wraps up the TV marathon. I'd read the papers or do some work in between, but other than that I'm fast developing into a couch potato with a figure to match.

Well you can't blame me for watching too much TV. I have been so deprived for the past 1.5 years! And Mediacorp has somehow managed to put out a string of hits in “破茧而出”，“黄金路” and now “一房，半厅，一水缸”.

Some might think the latter is just a brainless dramedy - that's what I thought initially as well - but it does have the makings of a light-hearted social commentary/satire with amusing caricatures of Singaporeans. Though not without its failings, it is great for a few laughs, and the ensemble cast boasting many experienced thespians and former A-listers deliver with aplomb. Li Yin Zhu's "Auntie Automatic" is thoroughly classic, and definitely one of the most memorable and hilarious characters to grace local screens. I'm rooting for her to win the best supporting actress Star Award! And I must add, the newcomer playing Carol(Xiu Zhen) is uber chio and the best thing is, she can act!

I started catching “青蛙王子拜金女” midway and it's pretty much fluff. Nothing serious or thought-provoking, but somehow interesting enough to keep me watching. Along the lines of "My Sassy Girlfriend", I guess. I like the way they do humour in Korean dramas - it somehow manages to be slapstick and understated at the same time. Their comic timing is so different, which is probably what makes it refreshing.

If you're wondering why this couch potato is tanned, it's not because of the UV rays from all that TV viewing. I got a healthy dose of vitamin D when I went cycling with my army mates last Sunday. We covered much of the Eastern Coast Park Connector Network, and Louis estimates that we covered at least 35km over 5 hours with a lunch stopover at Changi Village. Way to go, man. Cycling must be the most enjoyable form of exercise - I just love the breeze in my face and the feeling of speed. But we almost died at all the up-slopes. And the weather was so erratic - super sunny one moment and it started raining the next. Agonised over where to have dinner and finally settled on Carl's Junior @ Suntec because of the free flow drinks. -_-" LOL. But the burger was nice!

Rock climbing next week? Let's see how it goes. For now, the TV and that comfortable couch is beckoning. Ciao!

Even more confetti

2008-03-24T12:19:00.003+08:00

Happy Birthday, Zebra! Finally 21, can go watch all the *ahem* R21 shows. LOL. And don't slack too much today, must study hard man, doctor-to-be, all my future MCs 靠你了!

Because of all that confetti, there's a big hole in my wallet. (Confetti very exp. one, ok. That's why only see during big celebrations like NDP and Superstar finals. And maybe when Mas Selamat gets caught. =X) And I'm going to be even more underutilised during work, which means a paycut. =( Haiz. Think I can really go try out waitering soon, so many places are hiring!

Juno!

2008-03-22T20:37:00.007+08:00

Caught "Juno" on a spontaneous date with aj. The both of us had wanted really badly to see this pic since it was released, but somehow procrastinated until now. We ought to become movie buddies since we share a penchant for critically-acclaimed movies, most of which are more "thinking" and less of your average popcorn flicks. Then I'd have someone to watch obscure films with!

But don't be mistaken, I love my popcorn flicks and blockbusters. In fact I've caught practically all the major blockbusters released in the past two years. It's just that I have no affinity for poorly reviewed fare, which a lot of these tend to be, and they often turn out to be a woeful waste of time and money that I try to avoid these days.

Ok back to "Juno", which really isn't "obscure" in any sense of the word. A quirky indie sleeper hit, yes, but an accessible one at that. Much more so than "No Country for Old Men", I'd safely say, but this in no way diminishes its merits because it's meant to be a different kind of movie.

My verdict: "Juno" is an absolutely fab, hilarious movie. Definitely one of the best comedies I've watched in a while - better than "Knocked Up" even - because it's lighter on slapstick and heavier on wit.

Who says teen flicks can't be intelligent? "Juno" has plenty of smarts in the form of the sharp-tongued titular character played by the incredibly talented Ellen Page, as well as courtesy of the Oscar-winning script.

The entire movie is peppered with acerbic one-liners, sarcasm-infused drawls and witty retorts that put your brains on overdrive just trying to process all that humour - irony, sardonicism, cultural references and all - spilling forth. But once you get into the swing of it, the laughs come naturally and it's an absolute joy to watch, especially with an appreciative audience.

If you're looking for emotional depth, there's plenty as well. Juno and her coming-of-age story is as endearing as it gets. The potential adoptive parents - Marc (Jason Bateman) and Vanessa (Jennifer Garner) - start off as a typical, likeable couple but morph as their personalities emerge and complexities arise in their seemingly comfortable marriage, prompting Juno to question if "love can be forever". Juno's parents, played by the excellent J.K. Simmons (who looks eerily familiar because he's the editor in Spiderman) and Allison Janney, are genial and brimming with compassion. With due credit to the cast, it's "a film bristling with vitality and heart, without resorting to glibness or sentimentality." -USA Today

It's not frequent that a comedy gets nominated for so many academy awards and wins for best original screenplay. The quality genuinely shows.

And to round it off, "'Juno' is hilarious and sweet-tempered, perceptive and surprisingly grounded. It's also a gust of fresh air, perspective-wise." - LA Times

Unreservedly recommended.

More Confetti; We are all Masochistic!; Reviews Galore

2008-03-15T17:31:00.019+08:00

Happy birthday, sis! All the best in your studies and future endeavours - including in finding a bf. =)

Can expect even more confetti next week. LOL. And my bleeding wallet isn't happy.

Anw I have been pretty free this past week - those who know will know why - so I managed to catch "No Country For Old Men", and "The Spiderwick Chronicles" (erm not my choice). Add to that "黄城 "(erm not my choice again) last week and "The Kite Runner" two weeks ago.

Hmm not too shabby, but I'm missing "There Will Be Blood" and "Juno"(!!), which I still really want to watch. I've kind of given up on the rest. And people have been recommending this and that movie but I don't think I have that much time and $$ to catch them all so yeah. More movie dates, anyone?

黄城夜韵
Nostalgia, man. My first time watching 黄城 was in J1, to support aj. Missed J2 (coz of blocks and they say it sucked), and then went in J3. J4... I was probably stuck in the jungles so yeah. And now J5! It's always great seeing the 黄城 people putting in so much blood, sweat and tears for the production, and reaping the rewards - the experience, the friends - at the end of it.

I always ask myself if I'd have joined 黄城 if given another chance. I dislike impossible hypothetical questions, because there's really no point, but indulge me for a moment. I seriously think I'd have, because I've always wanted to be part of something big - like a performance, or a team competition. Like SYF as well, which I, too, regret not being part of.

But maybe because I've only seen the end result, the glorious moments, and not fully grasped the sacrifices they entail. As they say, 台上一分钟，台下十年功. ATEC comes real close, I guess, and the satisfaction of having completed it was immense, especially after all that we went through. It definitely wouldn't have been the same had it been just a walk in the park.

So there, we're all masochistic in some way because we find joy in challenges. We make life difficult for ourselves (or life make it difficult for us), and celebrate when we live to tell the tale.

Ok back to the drama itself. The entire production felt very amateurish, which is to be expected of a predominantly student production. But what disappointed most were the scripts.

The first play is your typical "try-to-be-cheem" melodrama but the actors failed terribly trying to pull it off. Can only say 历练不够 bah. Zebra was dismayed by the quality of the props as well.

The second was slightly better. The script actually held a lot of promise with the interesting premise - all the characters actually had a part in causing the death of the twin of one of the girls, and the sinister stories unravel when they find themselves trapped in a haunted house. They succeeded in creating the ominous atmosphere but alas, the twist that everyone was looking for didn't materialise - just as the ghosts didn't - and they settled on an less-than-satisfying abstract ending after copious moralising.

The third was, by consensus, the best of the lot. As are most comedies, it was relatively easier to digest, but managed to strike a chord with the audience with its straightforward presentation, laudable acting and a pertinent theme.

The Kite Runner and No Country For Old Men
Both book adaptations share breathtaking cinematography and rousing scores but the latter demonstrates, by far, greater competence in scripting, acting and direction.

Which is only to be expected, as "No Country for Old Men" swept four oscars for best picture, directing, adapted screenplay and supporting actor while "The Kite Runner" garnered only average reviews.

"Another triumph for the Coen Brothers, No Country has the perfect mixture of suspense, humor, and desperately compelling performances. The seemingly simple story hides a more complex narrative, and high tension is maintained throughout." - RT consensus

But whereas "Kite" is buoyed by the commercial sensibilities of Khaled Hosseni's debut novel, "No Country" feeds off Ian McEwan's dark morality tale. So I guess "No Country" is not for everyone unless you are satisfied with the seemingly simple story, but "Kite" should be palatable to those who've read and loved the book, though it is nowhere near as poignant or touching.

The Spiderwick Chronicles
"A decent entertainment -- not up there with the 'Harry Potter' and 'Lord of the Rings' sagas, but a notch above 'The Golden Compass' and 'Narnia'." -Time

So there, another fantasy picture cum CGI fest. Nicely done, but boasts nothing we haven't seen before. Rather like "Bridge to Terabithia" in look and feel, but expect more action and humour thrown in for good measure.

Confetti

2008-03-07T20:18:00.002+08:00

Happy 21st Birthday, Lulu! Can go watch R21 show liao. LOL. And quick find a gf lah. Many happy returns!

And mighty congrats to those (esp. my colleagues) who did well for their A's.

池鱼之殃

2008-03-04T19:08:00.005+08:00

The last time, it was Dave Teo who somehow managed to escape an army camp with a SAR21 rifle, causing a big hoo-hah islandwide. But because he was not much of a public threat - he apparently only wanted to shoot his girlfriend for jilting him - and was apprehended within 24 hours, the fallout from that episode was contained.

I guess those serving NS during that sensitive period (including yours truly) bore the brunt of the repercussions, in the form of more stringent checks and regulation enforcements during guard duties. Extras were handed out abundantly whenever there was a perceived lapse in security.

And now we have Mas Selamat Kastari, the JI fugitive who somehow managed to escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre, right under the nose of the ISD. Consequences are much more dire this time, and without doubt, more people have been, and will be affected by the fallout this time round.

Who "suffers"? The police, ghurkas, special forces, and I suspect a lot of NS personnel as well (I heard 46 and some guards got activated) who have been roped in for the ongoing manhunt. All those sleepless and fruitless nights searching for one man who might very well be out of Singapore by now, even though official statements are to the contrary.

But of course, I'm not saying we should spare any expenses, or manpower for that matter, to track down Mas Selamat. That must remain a priority, to salvage the reputation of Singapore and to prevent futher implications. It's just that these hapless people are paying the price for the negligence on the part of the Whitley "crew".

Equally unfortunate are the people who are affected by the traffic jams caused by the stepped-up security, especially at the land checkpoints. The jam at the Woodlands checkpoint was so bad today, it stretched for kilometres (like >50 trucks on 2 lanes in each direction!), spilling over almost to the town centre near my place.

The bus I was on was caught in the jam for >15min because Malaysia-bound trucks took up all the three lanes. Some vehicles even resorted to going against the flow of traffic by using the u-turn lane to get to the other side of the road so as to clear that particular jammed stretch!

I can easily imagine the frustration of the truck drivers who make deliveries between Singapore and Malaysia on a daily basis. They now have to spend hours just trying to get past the Woodlands checkpoint when it probably used to take just minutes. Their livelihoods are affected once again because of the lapse of due diligence by a group of officers.

And some Singaporeans who are used to accountability have called for DPM and minister for Home Affairs Wong Kan Seng to resign over the matter. It's only right that he apologises, which he already did, not only to Singaporeans, but also to the international community for letting loose a dangerous terrorist leader. But for him to step down, whether warranted or not, would not solve the problem, nor would it do Singapore any good for such an experienced Cabinet member to leave the team that has contributed to Singapore's success over the past decade.

I actually feel sorry for him, because it is his subordinates (probably many ranks down, and with whom he has no direct contact) who committed the mistake, but he is the one who has to "take the heat" and answer to the public.

An inquiry has already been ordered, and I'm sure we can expect some casualties at the end of it. Just how high up the ladder that might be - enough to appease the public, I reckon - remains to be seen.

Sodagreen's coming!

2008-02-18T20:55:00.006+08:00

Ok I have to share this: Sodagreen's coming to Singapore! They have an auto session at ulu Chinatown Point on Friday, and a free concert at the Botanic Gardens on Saturday. Anybody wants to go together?

It seems that I haven't been able to influence those around me to support them even though I've been plugging them incessantly on my blog (to the extent of using the same blog song for the past n weeks) and valiantly attempting their songs during K sessions. Incidentally I just find that the simplicity of this particular song goes really well with the theme of my blog. It sounds so much like a Shire hobbit song, don't you think?

Anw today's My Paper has an article on a relief teacher being taken to task for posting essays of his Primary 3 students along with derogatory comments on his blog. I dunno who to blame - the teacher or those who publicised that particular blog entry. Either way it just proves my point that you should watch your online activities.

If Edison Chen's scandal isn't enough warning, that is.

Blockbuster Update

2008-02-17T10:58:00.012+08:00

I know cobwebs are gathering around my blog so here I am to sweep them away, with a "blockbuster" update no less.

CNY was great, not because of the ang pows, but the company and all the goodies! 04S7A 团拜 especially, and the mj session at zebra's house. Lady luck has finally shown her true colours - her presence is so ephemeral and unpredictable, but that's probably the beauty of it. If only I could get hold of a bottle of Felix Felicis!

My router has been giving me problems but I've gotten a new one and my internet connection speed has finally picked up! Yeah. So all along it wasn't SH's fault. I just haven't been realising the potential of my bandwidth.

I'm starting to build rapport with some of my clients, but a number of them are will be leaving soon so it's kinda sad. The job isn't hectic but definitely can be stressful, with 20+ expectant faces staring at you and holding on to your every word. I enjoy the experience though when I'm with some of the clients, but the rest of them just bore me to tears. It's not entirely their fault though, just the way human dynamics works - sometimes there's just no sparks. Chemistry is the word! =) (pun intended)

Blockbuster 1
I am hooked on "Heroes"! Or technically, was hooked. Hayden Panettiere (Claire) is so chio~! I was rushing through season one but the ending was so anticlimactic. And the first episode of season two didn't look that promising either. Well now that most of the mystery has come to light, the impetus to watch has been diminished. Which might explain why ratings in the US for season two dropped. And the WGA writers' strike (which has now been resolved) didn't help.

Blockbuster 2
I've only watched CJ7 so far, and it's rather mediocre. Definitely not comparable to Kung Fu Hustle and Shaolin Soccer. Only a few parts were truly hilarious, and it isn't that much of a tear jerker either. The entire effort just feels half-baked, the characterisation weak, and the plot surprisingly hollow, even by Stephen Chow's standards. The movie lasted less than 90min but it failed to sustain my interest with its recycled jokes and so-so CGI effects. I still miss the 无理头周星驰.

Variety has a pretty good review (better than all the local reviews combined) which nicely sums it up: "Heavy on CGI slapstick and light on meaningful emotional content, "CJ7" is a spotty first foray into family-friendly entertainment by Hong Kong multihyphenate Stephen Chow. "E.T."-inspired comic fantasy about a poor boy adopting a cute alien catches the eye but not fully the heart with its undernourished father-son dynamics, critter hijinks and smattering of social commentary."

So that's all for this very random update.

P.S. From now on, I'll only blog if there's something I really want to share so I'll probably switch to fortnightly updates.

Movies Galore

2008-02-02T13:41:00.000+08:00

When Oscar season meets CNY, what you get is movies galore!

I intend to watch (in no particular order):

Atonement (Golden Globe Best Drama, Original Score)
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (GG Best Foreign Language Film, Director)
Away from Her (GG Best Actress, Oscar frontrunner)
Sweeney Todd (GG Best Comedy/Musical, Actor(Comedy/Musical))
The Kite Runner - loved the book and reviews are generally favourable
Cj7 - who could possibly miss anything from Stephen Chow?
Ah Long Pte Ltd - Fann Wong as Ah Long!

And when these come to town:

Juno (14 Feb)
There will be Blood (21 Feb)
L: Change the World (21 Feb, depend on reviews)
Charlie Wilson's War (28 Feb)
No Country for Old Men (13 Mar)

With regards to...

2008-01-29T21:38:00.000+08:00

The "secrecy" surrounding my new job - I know a lot of people already know, and a particular big mouth already announced it on 'its' blog, but I hope those in the know would respect my right to some privacy. I don't have a problem with friends knowing, but I just don't want anybody and everybody (including stalkers) to know. Period.

As I've mentioned, I'd prefer a little more liberty to comment. Besides, I hope everyone is aware we're leaving a virtual trail, be it on blogs or Facebook, so be very wary of what you put up online because it could come back to haunt you in the future.

The Editorials - I agree with Relf, many of my contentions have to do with human nature, just as I've always espoused the "we are an imperfect species" argument. We are so prone to double standards and glaring flaws that we refuse to see in ourselves.

People ask me: what's the big deal if people laugh at you for not being able to drink, why take it so seriously? My answer to them: yeah, it's really no big deal. I guess my tone probably did come across as assertive/petty, but I'm only trying to point out some facts that people seem to selectively ignore - that it's in your genes, for example. So since you don't laugh at other people for being intellectually-challenged, why would you laugh at those who are "alcoholically-challenged"? I just feel an urge to question such double standards.

I guess I'm a little idealistic in this sense. When I say I believe in fairness and equality, it means just that. There should not be any discrepancies/exceptions.

Say, women (and increasingly, men as well) want sexual equality but most would never ask for girls to do NS as well. They demand gallantry from men, with no desire to reciprocate. For the record, I am all for sexual equality in every sense. So it's not that I'm against gallantry per se, but I just find it ironic because the notion of "ladies first" (one of the "pillars" of gallantry) in itself is not equal. Once again, double standards.

Society of majorities? Why, more double standards.

So I've come to conclude that the world, in itself, is unfair, so perhaps all these double standards will continue to exist, whether we recognise them or not.

Sometimes it's difficult to rationalize certain issues, especially when it concerns social/political sensitivities, or just plain human nature, but I'd rather think, reflect and question, than to resign myself to the circumstances.

My life now - life is pretty cool, I'm enjoying my new job, and the past few weeks have been pretty hectic. Many people are celebrating their 21st birthdays (I still don't see what's the big deal) and Miss Tan's church wedding reception was ... interesting. CNY's coming up and I'm stuffing myself with new year goodies, and trying to enjoy the festivities as much as possible since I'd probably miss it for the next 4 years. (Ouch!)

The Perennial Obsession with Grades

2008-01-25T17:05:00.000+08:00

Well, the title says it all.

Even as the furore sparked by a principal's controversial ITE advice to her Sec 5 students has yet to abate, the local media's attention has turned to rosier news on our academic landscape.

It's that time of year again, when PSLE, O and A level results are released in succession, and journalists have a field day interviewing "scholars" and those who overcame great odds to excel, further fuelling the national obsession with grades.

Well everyone in fourayeohthree made it to the top three JCs, and 04S7A was the best-performing class in our year, so you could say I'm not that used to doing badly myself, or seeing my peers falter for that matter. And I never really empathised with those who cried when they did unexpectedly well or badly, because for me and most of those around me, everything was more or less within expectations. And there was a time when I believed that you could do well as long as you worked hard, and those who failed only had themselves to blame for not being conscientious enough.

But now I know I'm wrong. I guess I've matured some since the time I left school, and given the nature of my current job, I'm more inclined to put myself in the shoes of those who've stumbled at the academic hurdle.

It set me thinking when my 'clients' reacted negatively after I told them I was from HC. I wondered if I was too pompous or insensitive. But my intention was really only to share a piece of information about myself, and not to flaunt (if it's even worth flaunting, that is), so how could it have been misconstrued as such?

I had similar experinces during NS, when a superior constantly accused me of being scheming and tried to thwart me, while another blatantly demanded that "the HC guy" speak up when a group of us erred. That's when I realised how smart my fellow bunkmate was by lying low and preferring to say that he's going to a local uni instead of the prestigious one he's actually headed for on a scholarship.

And so I've learnt - the hard way - that society's obsession with grades has become so acute that people tend to see you with tinted lenses when you declare your academic "pedigree". It almost feels like you're telling the other party your father is a tycoon or something - there's nothing wrong, but the "ego" thing is just difficult to stomach. Interaction and subsequent friendships become hindered when he/she goes in with the preconceived notion that you are elite, and by extension (or other warped logic), elitist, and will therefore look down on him/her.

It's really the inferiority complex at work, but most people probably wouldn't admit they harbour such feelings. But if you were truthful to yourself, could you seriously say that such feelings have never affected your behaviour or judgement?

I fully understand this psyche, because when I see sportmen, I sometimes get intimidated and feel somewhat inferior. I guess it's that same kind of feeling when you see someone with fabulous grades. But at the end of the day, should we be judged based on our achievements (academic or otherwise), or for who we are, as a friend or counterpart?

Enough of the rhetoric already. My point is, the achievements of those who've done well deserves celebration but not glorification, and do so with no hard feelings because they might very well have worked just as hard, or harder than you. Or maybe they're just a little smarter, but it's not their fault. They deserve to be treated like everyone else, as long as they're not some arrogant a**.

And for those who didn't do that well, they deserve a pat on the back as well if they've tried their best. Our society needs to get over the unhealthy obsession with grades, and recognise that doing well in school is not the only, albeit the most conventional, pathway to success. If more encouragement could be given for them to continue to strive, or to seek excellence/fulfillment in other fields, our students would be a much happier bunch.

New job

2008-01-20T15:39:00.000+08:00

First week at my new job was exciting, interacting with the 'clients' and trying very hard to look like I know what I'm doing. It feels kinda odd though, and I guess it's a job that comes with a couple of prerequisites: age and experience - qualities I don't really have in abundance.

No surprise then, that it'd take some time to earn the respect (if I ever do) and acceptance of those more cynical. I think I get more respect from my colleagues than from my 'clients'! Sigh, if only they knew my rates outside and the results I've produced, not that I want to brag. I don't intend to tell them any of that anyway, ever since I made the mistake of telling them where I came from, which is, in retrospect, rather insensitive and perhaps a little pompous - if you consider the geography.

But it's so much more interesting and fulfilling compared to my previous job. My colleagues give me pointers, not instructions on what to do like I'm some Tom/Dick/Harry who's only good for data entry and filing. I exaggerate of course, but the point is I just feel more useful because I'm valued for my knowledge and input during meetings, not for my mere existence which could have been easily substituted. And I get to knock off pretty much earlier too.

The catch is I have to wake up much earlier as well and endure the squeeze on the 'legendary' 961, which seems to not have improved in frequency nor on its tendencies to arrive late and incredibly crowded. I was seriously contemplating a complaint to SMRT until I saw the imminent Land Transport Review and decided the company won't have much longer to torment commuters anymore, anyway, if they continue with such abysmal service standards.

Well I'm doing my best amidst conflicting instructions and expectations, so let's see how it goes. I never thought I would so look forward to the next working week!

P.S. I'm not going to reveal the exact details of my new job on my blog to give myself a little more freedom to comment. Ask me in private if you're really interested.

Eastern Promises

2008-01-16T22:47:00.000+08:00

My first movie of 2008 turned out to be an excellent thriller helmed by David Cronenberg. The acclaimed director of "A History Violence" (which I missed coz it was rated R21 IIRC) reteams with Viggo Mortensen - best known as Aragorn of LOTR fame - and ropes in Naomi Watts (21 grams, King Kong) to create sufficient mainstream appeal for a film that is otherwise not your common Hollywood fare.

The fact that "Eastern" managed to keep me in rapt attention for the entire length of the movie bears testimony to the accomplishments of the script, direction, production, and acting. It certainly didn't seem like a 1 hr 41 min movie, and that's as great a compliment as I could give.

If "Enchanted" is your typical colourful Disney/Hollywood illusion/delusion of a near-perfect world where characters sing, dance, fall in love and live happily ever after after a few minor hiccups, "Eastern" is the antithesis, and possibly much closer to reality. Cold, dark and harsh, it explores the "dark side" of human nature, and recognises that people may not be what, or who, they seem, because the line between "good" and "bad" is never as distinct as we'd like it to be. The characters are self-aware and sophisticated, motivated by different forces but so inextricably intertwined that you'd never doubt, for a moment, that you'd do what they've done had you been in their shoes.

And not surprisingly, the most recognition goes to Mortensen's daring, and at the same time, nuanced performance, "stunning in its intensity and cunning in its ambiguity" (Philadelphia Inquirer) - you really have to see it to understand. It "lends a moral complexity to Eastern Promises that makes it much more than just a very accomplished action thriller" (New York Post). As for the much reported nude fight scene - and yes, you do get to see Mortensen's willy for those interested - I'd leave you to come to your own conclusions.

Of course, one could look at the violence and deem it as excessive and sensationalistic (akin to the sex in "Lust, Caution"), but its stark protrayal of gory brutality is very much justified in creating an awareness of the circumstances the characters are thrusted into, and hence genuine fear and empathy without which the gravitas of the film would be seriously diminished.

Perhaps USA Today best sums it up: "If you don't mind bloodshed and are drawn to taut thrillers with fascinating characters portrayed skillfully, Eastern Promises is just the ticket."

P.S. And I almost forgot about the brilliant Golden Globes-nominated score! Some of the riffs sounded vaguely familiar, and I instantly understood why when I saw the credits - the score is by Howard Shore, who composed, orchestrated, conducted and produced (most of) the music for the entire LOTR trilogy - my all-time favourite soundtrack.

Wilco

2008-01-06T16:47:00.000+08:00

More music to share.

An unexpected gem of a find at the HMV New Year Sale. I didn't really hesitate when I saw this 2-CD Live set for only $7.95!

Wilco is another indie (again!) alt-rock band I discovered in '07 - I got their "Sky Blue Sky" album, which has, incidentally, been nominated for a "Best Rock Album" Grammy Award. They already have 2 Grammy Awards, and a number of critically acclaimed albums under their belt, so no surprise here that this Live album turned out to be pretty brilliant stuff!

Live footage of "Sky Blue Sky"

Taboo

2008-01-06T15:00:00.000+08:00

So many traits are determined by our genes, but it appears some are "more equal" than others.

It's ok to laugh at people for being short/fat/ugly/having crooked teeth. (appearance)
It's ok to jeer people if they can't sing/dance/play sports/play instruments. (talent)
It's ok to ridicule people who can't hold their liquor/have acrophobia or other phobias. (physiological/psychological capacity)

People think nothing about calling others 'shortie', 'fattie' and 'fugly', or to ya ya if they are better at a certain sport/activity. And I've been mocked whenever my entire face turns red after just a sip of alcohol, as if I am such a loser because my genes dictate that I have less of the enzymes which break down the alcohol.

Which was what really started me thinking about this topic, and prompted this post. Ok, the 'shortie' part as well. It just irks me that people can't grasp the fact that it's my DNA that's responsible, and I can't do anything about it short of undergoing genetic engineering, which, unfortunately, isn't that advanced yet. And it's definitely not someone's fault for being ugly, or having a phobia.

So if you think that you are a superior being just because you are tall and handsome/pretty, or can down 10 shots without it showing on your face, then more power to you and your ego, bro. I say, have more kids and pass on your great genes.

But will I look up to you just because that segment of your genes is better than mine? Jealous, maybe. Respect? You need more than your genes to earn that. 与生俱来的东西有什么好了不起的。You are basically not much different from someone born with a silver spoon in the mouth.

I have less problems with people laughing at me for sucking at arts/sports because in those areas, competence could come with sufficient determination and practice. Talent and many physical attributes are in-born, but to some extent, you can still make up for it with 后天努力. But if you're 185cm and another guy who's 160cm is just as good as you in basketball, I think I'll respect the 'shortie' a lot more.

However, intelligence is definitely a taboo topic when it comes to mockery. Be prepared to be condemned to hell if you are going to scoff at others for being intellectually-challenged (PC term for s**p*d, not to be confused with mentally-disabled). Even exulting over your own academic achievements is a big no-no, or you risk appearing arrogant, elitist, and insensitive to the less academically-inclined. And yet, it's perfectly alright to celebrate after a victory in sport, right in front of the very losers whom you just beat, mocking them when it hurts most.

But why the double standards? Is it because our society accords intelligence so much importance that it becomes an unforgivable insult to suggest the other party lacks the very trait that will determine his usefulness in society and/or level of success? Or is it because... I really dunno.

I think I think too much. LOL.

P.S. Moral of the story: Don't tell me I suck because I can't drink, because I can just as well tell you you suck because you can't/are _____ (genetically-determined trait). -_-"

Top 2007

2008-01-01T19:08:00.000+08:00

Top 5 Movies of the Year:

I was rather selective with the movies I watched in 2007, depending on Rotten Tomatoes' critical consensus for good measure. It turned out pretty well because I had some genuine difficulty picking just 5 from an eclectic mix of 20 odd, mostly excellent films I caught in the past year. In no particular order, though I've attempted to pick movies from different genres. A pity no Chinese movie impressed enough to make the list, though I thought Lust.Caution was a worthy contender - poignant, beautifully melancholic, well acted, and great production values all around, but slightly lacking in the 'wow' factor - minus the sex.

Click posters for reviews

Top 10 Albums of the Year:

Six of '06's Top 10 released new albums in 2007, but sad to say, none of them made the list. I was positively underwhelmed by F.I.R. and 林宇中's new releases, while 张惠妹 and 櫻桃幫 suffered from lack of exposure on my part. 曹格 and 林俊杰 failed to surpass their past efforts, allowing newcomers to take their place in this year's list.

2007 saw me getting into indie music in a big way, thanks in large part to sodagreen. 'nuff said about them. Cheer Chen was a logical progression, being an acclaimed earlier protege of sodagreen's mentor-producer. Having also featured in 2005's edition, I've always had something for her girlish voice and intimate compositions. The Decemberists' indie rock formula is refreshing, unlike anything on the pop charts - much like sodagreen when I first heard them, while NIN strikes a chord with their inspired alt rock sound.

And then there are the usual suspects - Stefanie and Tanya, both on their first new release after switching labels, and finding renewed success. Peggy's long-awaited album didn't disappoint - juxtaposing a fairy tale theme with greyish undertones, it was sombre (real dark) but brilliant. Fish and Ayaka represent the successful commercial releases, delighting with their mainstream, k-friendly tunes.

As usual, I only rank albums I purchased (but not necessary released) in 2007, which is a lot, actually. I don't even want to know how much I spent on all these CDs lest I die of haemorrhage of the heart.

And once again, in no particular order. 11 albums listed in view of sodagreen's dominance - their first two albums should have been in past years' Top 10!

Click cover art for reviews (if available)

《無與倫比的美麗》蘇打綠

《小宇宙》蘇打綠

《蘇打綠同名專輯》蘇打綠

《花的姿態經典實錄》陳綺貞

《許願盒》許哲珮

《逆光》孫燕姿

"Goodbye & Hello" 蔡健雅

《崇拜》梁靜茹

"First Message" 絢香

"The Crane Wife" The Decemberists

"Year Zero" Nine Inch Nails

Happy 2008!

2008-01-01T14:14:00.000+08:00

A brand new year, lots to look forward to. Here's wishing everyone a great '08!

As requested by aj, here's the pic of him gracefully posing with the merlion at Sentosa.. Erm yeah, let's pretend he's ushering in the new year with an auspicious symbol.
And I went with jinny & aj to catch the fireworks at Marina yesterday, or technically, today. At the strike of midnight, we were greeted by 8 minutes of fireworks bonanza, heralding the beginning of another remarkable year (hopefully) for Singapore and Singaporeans. Well, this time I wasn't thinking too much, and it felt great being part of the massive crowd and experiencing the exhilarating atmosphere. But the GSS ("Great Singapore Squeeze") after that was insane, and for a moment, I thought I must be insane to be there. Well, hopefully the rest of 2008 would be just as colourful.

無與倫比的美麗

2007-12-30T10:34:00.000+08:00

拖了好久好久的樂評。但即使再忙,也不想埋沒這麼一張好專輯。看了幾篇專業樂評, 覺得寫得很貼切, 就在此無恥摘錄, 融合個人淺見, 寫出一篇拼盤樂評吧。

比起首張《同名專輯》的濃烈獨立音樂風格，或是初聽《小宇宙》的震撼驚艷，《無與倫比的美麗》整體上予人較通俗(accessible)的感覺。遊走在主流與非主流,商業與質樸，《無》取得了微妙的平衡。若你對蘇打綠，或是獨立音樂不熱衷，《無》是不錯的切入點。

從首張《同名專輯》青澀真摯的學生氣息，到第二張專輯《小宇宙》中對社會的初試窺探，金曲獎“最佳樂團” 蘇打綠這第三張大碟延續了前兩張詩意而不艱澀、簡約而不單調的多元曲風，在民謠搖滾的基調下融入更多的古典元素，企圖流行與古典的結合，展現有別以往的風采。

與其他樂團不同，蘇打綠擁有古典樂科班出身的阿龔與其弦樂功底的加持，給與他們編曲上更大的實驗、創意空間。蘇打綠編曲一貫的用心, 也在這張專輯得到了充分的發揮。《無》加進了大量獨特的管絃編曲，旋律刻意的鋪陳使曲目不曾間斷，聽覺的空隙僅抽象地由音樂呈現。

《無》裡包含了十種情節，卻不是十首歌的集錦。不連續去探究什麼，不在同一個問題上打轉，《無》有的是完整的起承轉合與豐沛的情感舒發。

起
最初三首歌皆愉悅放縱，一開場由弦樂、電吉他與鼓音襯底的《遊樂》放開懷抱展開歡欣的序幕; 《花茶》以絢麗多姿的編曲，寫*莫待無花空折枝*; 還有《四季狂想》慵懶迷幻式唱腔的輕電子, 輕松營造美麗景象。

承　
曲風一轉，《左邊》述說愛後徒剩餘溫的悵然，伶仃的吉他跟鋼琴，到大提琴點綴孤獨氣氛，加上主音吳青峰深情唱腔，保持蘇打綠感人情歌的一貫水準。

接著,自然轉入點題歌《無與倫比的美麗》。這首歌的配置與編曲簡單卻有一股難以言喻的力量，是一首以悲傷詮釋「被陪伴的幸福」的作品。悲傷, 因為在最體貼的情感面前，無須任何形式的自我遮掩，也可以不再害怕。幸福, 因為被允許盡情哀傷。如此優美的意境, 配上詞中的“蝴蝶”、“草原”、“夏天”，的確美麗。

好戲才剛開始。編曲玩上了癮, 緊接的《白日出沒的月球》張力十足，混合著幾種不同的變奏 - 由急促跳躍到恍如歌劇演繹再到輕巧，以弦樂過場，最後還來一段雷光夏式的呢喃 - 跌宕有致，讓我們眼花撩亂地奔跑著欣賞，在這六分鐘的音樂歷險中發覺層層趣味。金曲獎“最佳編曲”應屬大熱。

轉　
《這天》不再澎湃，回到人類情感本質，感人卻不至於痛徹心扉的美麗旋律，處在「夠深刻了嗎來躺下吧讓我輕撫你安慰傷害我後的疲累」溫柔包裹的詞句之中，受傷顯得像是殉道。那無反顧的意願、原諒至愛的執著很是拉扯著聆聽者的心情，也會讓這一些散落的傷害顯得更容易收拾，帶著溫柔的手勢與語氣，讓一切平息。

清爽小品《簡單生活》，曲詞並非出自吳青峰手筆，抽走了深沉情緒，歌曲就如歌名簡單活潑。編曲只用了吉他、優克李林、中提琴和雙簧管 - 吉他與優克李林的配合，中提琴與雙簧管的對話，全然讓人放輕松，就好像四位天使在純白無凈的空間中，開心的彈奏著樂器，輕松的哼唱歌曲。簡單其實也可以很美。

《城市》又回到灰冷的調子，像上張專輯的《小宇宙》般看城市人的失落悲哀。詞寫得很深刻, 但沒《小》的火爆, 反而多了淡淡的憂傷美。那重重相疊的和聲，開場與結尾漸進的試探著弦樂的表現力度，是非常大氣的作品。

合　
蘇打綠說到底也是樂觀的，經過九首歌的期盼、失落、灰心之後，結尾曲《相信》仍然信奉忠於自己便能快樂,七分鐘悠然編曲，讓人由激動慢慢回復平靜，日子還得要過。相信“不完美的完美”何償不是一種美的信念。

仔細聽來，蘇打綠的文藝氣質在這一張專輯裡意外的凸顯，而爆發力未見如以往的諸多憤怒意念，反倒玩弄著美妙弦樂像是迪士尼老卡通般。在本次專輯內，以這樣的特點貫穿整張專輯，也算是一個流行與復古的互相呼應。
　
要是沒有蘇打綠這樣的樂團，台灣的樂團之路都不會泛起歌詞文藻的精美光澤。有些人用心唱出歌曲，但總是無法以歌詞賦予的影像打動眾人，甚至連想像的空間都一起被剝奪。哼起曲子容易，完美的表達意境才是艱難的，二者合併，一切會變得更有意思。

青峰的筆觸像是詩詞，可以深且華美，也容許淺而愉悅，寫起每段音樂都孕育出故事，寫曲也是複雜多變，以一人之姿盡所有能事。這樣說是有點過削弱了其他團員的努力，當然，團員們的表現是水準之上的優秀。不論是提琴手、鼓手、鍵盤，在團體的和諧搭配下，以弦樂鋪陳出一條蘇打綠的康莊之路，這些都是尚未有人能跨入的領地。但作品的創作意象仍涵蓋在主唱的思惟裡，青峰的輻射力度讓人無法對其他事情聚焦，轉而陷入聲音的表演，這是很自然也是很確定的一件事。
　
佩服青峰, 更熱衷蘇打綠一次又一次呈現的“無與倫比的美麗”。

推薦曲目: 《遊樂》、《左邊》、《白日出沒的月球》、《這天》、《城市》

摘錄:
香港經濟日報 C20 | 音樂 | By 林希 2007-11-14
MTVChinese.com| By 手指練銀槍

*備註:
[名句] 有花堪折直须折莫待花落空折枝
[全诗] 劝君莫异金缕衣，劝君异取少年时；有花堪折直须折，莫待花落空折枝。
[析赏] 君－你，金缕衣－金线做成的衣服，比喻华丽贵重了。
此诗旨在劝人珍惜记取少年青春时光，好好运用把握，莫令岁月空蹉跎－劝你不要贪惜什么华丽值钱的金缕衣，劝你要珍惜少年时候的大好春光；金缕衣再珍贵，终可再得，只有那青春时光，就象那枝上的花儿，正当开花，美好可折的时候，你就要去折，不要等待无花了，才再去折空枝！

P.S. 赫然發現和zzyo對這張專輯和獨立音樂的觀點很相似!

Merry Christmas

2007-12-25T22:55:00.000+08:00

Thanks for all the greetings, presents, and... everything. I hope everyone had a blast of a Christmas. Consumerism at its peak, man. Making me fat and broke, but happy. Next year's should be pretty different for me, but I am so looking forward to it.

I hate my drinking genes.

Day 8: Kaohsiung --> Singapore

2007-12-22T12:15:00.000+08:00

And finally, it's home sweet home.

After ORD, I single-mindedly just wanted to leave Singapore and go on an overseas vacation to give myself a breather, and a respite from the monotony that was Singapore. I had felt stifled throughout my NS stint, and so I thought a holiday was imperative. Not only to reinvigorate, but also to start myself off this new chapter of my life on a happier footing.

At the end of this trip, I'm not sure if I acheived that aim, because the trip wasn't as leisurely as I'd hoped for. We were rushing to complete the itinerary, the coach rides were long and sometimes bumpy, the provided meals were generally disappointing, and the nights ended late because of visits to all the night markets.

That is not to say I did not enjoy myself. I chose Taiwan, and more specifically this itenerary because it has a good mix of natural and man-made cultural attractions, as well as shopping opportunities. For the most part, it has fulfilled its promise, but perhaps I was just expecting a little bit more.

In many respects, Taiwan feels like a lesser sibling of Japan, and I guess that's a nagging misgiving I had throughout, and perhaps even before the trip. In fact, Japan would have been my choice if not for the much colder winter climate. The problem might also have been that it was never going to be easy to top New Zealand, my previous holiday destination that had left a splendid, lasting impression.

Nevertheless, judged on its own merits, Taiwan is a beautiful country with an interesting aboriginal culture (if only it wasn't so shamelessly exploited for tourism), great shopping and fantastic food - both courtesy of the ubiquitous night markets.

I intend to return one day on a F&E trip, though most likely not in the near future as there are many other countries and cities I'd like to visit. And now there's the backpacking trip to Australia to look forward to, provided it does materialise..

Epilogue
Phew, I can't believe it took me one whole month to finish posting about an 8-day trip. Busy schedule aside, I wanted to spend a little more time chronicling my experiences and thoughts on this trip. It's as much about reminiscing, and jotting down the noteworthy, fond memories as it is about sharing, and perhaps some of you might think, flaunting. To put it plainly, those are pretty self-indulgent posts. Regardless, I hope you've enjoyed them.

Day 7: Taichung --> Kaohsiung

2007-12-22T10:35:00.000+08:00

Today, we left Taichung for Alishan. It took a 2-hour coach ride via the highway before we reached the Alishan National Scenic Area, and another 2 hours on the winding roads to the top. We enjoyed great views all the way up, and had a chance to taste the tea brewed from the famous tea leaves of Alishan.

Tea crops

After lunch, we embarked on a 1-hour trek through the magnificent forest. Taking in the sights and sounds while inhaling the sweet, crisp air made for an incredibly therapeutic experience. It was, without doubt, my favourite stop on the entire itinerary.

Many shades of greenHeart-shaped family portrait森林隧道世外桃园

三代木
An elementary school on the mountain!

A temple, one of many we visited in Taiwan.

The wasabi plant, another famed produce of Alishan.

Very reluctantly, we left behind Alishan and got on the coach again for another butt-numbing, four-hour ride all the way back to Kaohsiung.

Determined to make the most of our last night in Taiwan, we took a cab to Dream mall after dinner for some last-minute shopping. The 6th largest shopping complex in Asia, it boasts nine storeys with three basement levels, featuring a rooftop Ferris wheel, department stores, gyms, a cinema, and exhibition galleries.

Photo courtesy of http://www.dream-mall.com.tw/

够坏？(sorry, couldn't resist..)

Day 6: Hsinchu --> Taichung

2007-12-20T11:28:00.000+08:00

We set off in the morning for Sun Moon Lake, the largest lake in Taiwan. There was nothing really scenic or pretty about it, and it's a pity the views are marred by construction sites on the periphery. But the weather was great and we enjoyed the leisure cruise, after days of coach rides.

Our next stop was the Formosa Aboriginal Culture Village, established to preserve and showcase the cultural heritage of the nine aboriginal tribes of Taiwan. Situated on the mountains alongside expansive lush forests, the cool, fresh air and the serene atmosphere immediately perked us up.

View of the expansive compound from the cable car

Entertaining song and dance performance

Aboriginal house complete with wax figures
A native demonstrating her craft

There was also a theme park with thrill rides in the village, and the best thing is that there was no queue! A strange thing to have in a cultural village, but it does add to the fun quotient.

My heart literally dropped at >g with the UFO Gyro Drop (you can see it in the backdrop of the first picture), which also offered breathtaking views of the landscape from 85m high.

The Looping Coaster. It's my first time being suspended on a coaster with legs hanging free and kicking around as the coaster loops. Way cool!

Surprise sighting! The Victorian-styled building in the background is the filming site for many idol dramas, as the residence of the uber rich. It was in Meteor Garden, and also 公主小妹! It comes complete with fountains, pavillions, a huge garden, and a long, red-carpeted driveway leading to the front of the castle-like house.

We then made our way to Taichung, where we dined at the famous Five Cent Driftwood. Everything about that place was exquisite - the architecture, the decor, the tableware, the food, and of course, the price.

After dinner, we headed for the Feng Jia night market, which is pretty large scale (just after Shihlin amongst all those we visited) and combines retail outlets with streetside stalls. I (finally) did some proper shopping and managed to snag a few bargains. If only such trendy and reasonably priced clothes were more readily available in Singapore.

Day 5: Taipei City --> Hsinchu

2007-12-16T18:27:00.000+08:00

Our first stop was the Martyrs Shrine. The sky was overcast, but fortunately there was only a slight drizzle.

The changing of guards' procession

We then proceeded to the National Palace Museum, which houses the world's largest collection of ancient Chinese treasures. Our guide told us these awe-inspiring treasures only survived the Cultural Revolution because the KMT brought them to Taiwan when they fled China. The visit provided a cultural and historical overview of China and the Chinese through the ages, and it was pretty interesting for a museum. Unfortunately, photography was not allowed.

Next, we stopped by the National Taiwan Democracy Memorial Hall, which was more well known as the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall before Chen Shui-bian renamed it earlier this year, and started "renovation work" around the compound, in effect closing its doors to the public. Courting even more controversy, he recently ordered that the inscriptions on the main gate be changed from "大中至正" to "自由廣場" to commemorate the democratic movement. Fortunately, we were there before the change.
Our next stop was Ximenting, a shopping district for trendy youths. But because our tour group was made up mostly of older folks, we only had one hour there. I left empty handed, and fuming.

I was hoping for more luck shopping at Taipei 101 but it housed mostly luxury boutiques so it was all window shopping, again.
We left early and made our way to Hsinchu for the night, settling at a resort. I love the Victorian-themed buildings!

Day 4: Hualien --> Taipei

2007-12-15T11:22:00.000+08:00

Today, we journeyed by rail from Hualien to Chiufen.

Hualien train station

After a comfortable 2-hour train ride, we arrived at Ruifang, the AP for tourists making their way to Chiufen. As it was a Saturday, Ruifang was buzzing with activity and we decided to take a cab up the hills to Chiufen, instead of squeezing on the overcrowded public buses.

Ruifang

Chiufen proved to be even more crowded, as locals mingle with tourists along narrow streets lined with stalls selling souvenirs, local snacks, apparel and accessories. It almost felt like Chinatown during CNY.

Great view on the hill

After Chiufen, we made our way to the peripherals of Taipei city, first visiting Yeliu Stone Park, where an amazing array of rock formations sculpted by the sea was on display.

Whale! (and an unknown old man...)

Fishing on the rocks

We then stopped by Tamshui, an area which used to be a bustling fishing port, but has now been converted into an equally bustling tourist attraction.

Lover's Bridge

Tamshui Old Street

We then took the Taipei Metro System (Taipei's equivalent of our MRT) to Shihlin Night Market, the largest and most famous of them all. It was incredibly crowded, and we were in no mood to shop, though we had a taste of the renowned XXL chicken cutlet and 大肠包小肠.

Metro Station

Guess I was too tired to take a pic of Shihlin, and the crowd was really scary. You get pushed along the "human ocean" and there were long queues for everything. Not for those with ochlophobia, and pretty girls.

Day 3: Taitung --> Hualien

2007-12-11T21:36:00.000+08:00

Today, we travelled along the scenic East Coast en route to Hualien. It was a fine sunny day so we had great views of the Pacific Ocean and various rock formations (you know, the geog stuff - caves and pillars, etc.) along the coastline.

A propeller plane! Or issit a glider...

We passed by the Tropic of Cancer along the way. Our guide joked about a mainland tourist who asked why he couldn't see the line since it's supposed to be the 北回归线.

We reached Hualien before lunch and made our way to the majestic Taroko Gorge. More rocks, but real pretty ones.

It was a great day away from the buzz of the city, with just amazing land- and sea-scapes, fresh air (chilly winds too!), and the feeling of being embraced by Mother Nature. Singapore has far too little of those to offer, which is a real pity. And it's pathetic how those East Coast flats can fetch such high prices when you can buy a nice East Coast cottage by the Pacific Ocean with that kind of money here.

Free, but not that free

2007-12-09T22:34:00.000+08:00

Congrats to those who ORDed recently, welcome to the "I have my life back" club! Getting your freedom back doesn't necessarily mean you'd have more free time on your hands though.

These days, I'm torn between so many entertainment options and money-making opportunities. Not that I am complaining, of course. =) And weekends become so much more fulfilling when you don't have to book in on Sunday night. Well for now there's work, more work, TV, cable TV, online TV, novels, newspapers, net surfing, good food, comfort food, outings, stoning, etc. etc. So blogging isn't high on my list of priorities right now.

I'd round up my Taiwan trip chronicles, and then I'd probably start posting some reviews again. The 《无与伦比的美丽》 review would be up before year end because I feel compelled to share and recommend this album. Normally I would have had reviews up for "Enchanted" and "The Golden Compass" as well but I really haven't got the time right now. Maybe in the year-end lists, in which they might very well feature.

Ciao for now.

天时、地利、人和

2007-12-04T15:28:00.000+08:00

Those three things sum up how I got my driving licence (yes, I passed!) today. =)

天时
The roads were pretty empty just past noon, so I didn't have much problems with lane changing, nor was I required to overtake or carry out any complicated manoeuvres. Weather was pretty good as well, not unbearably hot, and a slight drizzle began to fall towards the end but no biggie.

地利
I got the (I think) easiest test route! No U-turns, no slopes, and generally sparse traffic in the neighbourhood where I used to live - I was very familiar with the geography. The only things in abundance were humps and pedestrian crossings. LOL. The lack of buses helped as well.

人和
I'm using this word loosely as it's supposed to mean 'unity'. But I must say the tester was indeed with me, instead of against me. He was much nicer than I expected - not as stern or grumpy as my fixed group instructor, and I was able to relax even after committing some mistakes early on in the circuit because of that. And of course, he passed me! =)

Another person I have to thank is the instructor who took me for warm-up. He was very encouraging, and really psyched me up for the test. And not to forget the guy/gal who picked me for that particular test route and hence the tester.

__
And one more thing - the test vehicle isn't called the test vehicle for nothing! It's really in much better condition than those I used for normal lessons. The most apparent difference is in low speed control - I had such marvellous low speed control that I was inching along all the courses in the circuit. I guess the tester got abit fed-up, esp. when I screwed up the crank course although I was going so slow.

I really wasn't confident before the test, because my revision lessons didn't go too well. Ok actually I wasn't great at driving all along, and my experience during the first lesson didn't inspire confidence right from the beginning. But I'm so glad I passed on the first try!

I guess providence had a big role to play as well. I prayed at all the temples when I was in Taiwan, and I prayed again yesterday at the temple just beside BBDC. That was how badly I wanted to pass. Guess it paid off! Despite my idiotic fixed group instructor remarking "How can God help you if you make such mistakes?". I don't think he knew I prayed so much, but he just had to say that kind of thing. Bleh, luckily I'm not letting him earn anymore of my money. He'd be the first person I blame if I had failed because he spent more time chiding me for making mistakes than teaching me how to rectify them.

You might think I'm superstitious but I think passing your TP is just as much about luck as it is about technique. And overcoming your nerves. So good luck to all those taking their TP!

Day 2: Kaohsiung --> Taitung

2007-12-01T10:38:00.000+08:00

Kaohsiung street scenery

Transportation of choice in the cities. Scooters!

Today we made a trip to Fokuangshan, the largest Buddhist monastery, and the centre of Buddhist scholarship in Taiwan. Home to an iconic 36m golden Buddha Amitabha statue, it offers breathtaking views from its position on the lush rolling hills.

At the exit, instead of "Thank you for visiting"...
After lunch, we took a long coach ride to Taitung, where we settled in the 5-star Formosa Naruwan Hotel. The much touted hot spring facilities turned out to be just a jacuzzi with warm water...

A glimpse of our cozy suite.

Day 1: Singapore --> Kaohsiung

2007-11-27T22:44:00.000+08:00

Early morning flight

Welcome to Taiwan~!

We had our first meal in Taiwan at this quaint Chinese restaurant. The interior is tastefully designed, and the food was fab!

We then visited this temple-ish area where temples, statues and pagodas line the river.

For the political crowd. The Taiwanese are a much more politically aware people compared to Singaporeans. Our tour guide is anti 扁, and it's hilarious how she pokes fun at the beleaguered Taiwanese president.

You know rent is cheap when...
We had our first taste of the ubiquitous Taiwan night markets but miraculously, I've only got one (blurry) pic. Actually this was at 淡水.

And guess what we saw at the foyer of an elementary school? A wedding reception! And yes, the temperature in Taiwan was hovering at a comfortable 16 - 26 degree celsius.

Temping

2007-11-25T11:14:00.000+08:00

The Taiwan trip post should take a while since it'd take some time to sort out all the photos and I'm too lazy to upload them. So I shall blog about my new job first.

Actually, it's nothing much. I am basically an admin assistant in the accounts department of one of the largest toy retailers in Singapore. Pretty obvious, huh. Anyway the job is expectedly straightforward and mundane. I suspect my neurons are suffocating as I stare at the figures and comp screen all day. Well someone has to do it, and having no qualifications other than a worthless A level cert (in the job market context), we are basically the "step 1"'s - the lowest rung in the hierarchy. But at least the salary is decent, the people there are pretty nice, and I have aj for company.

And I have aj to thank for recommending me for the job, though now it's a mess because I reneged on my word to work there for 3 months. I wasn't in the mood to start a new job immediately after returning from Taiwan, and I guess the greater excuse is that I have other plans in January. I was in the midst of finalising it before departing (the prospects didn't look that bright then), then aj's offer came along on the night of departure and I agreed to it without serious thought, then my other plan gets finalised when I returned.

Well I have only myself to blame for two-timing (sort of), and now I have to pay the price by working in a job I never really intended to commit myself to until January, then commence the other job without any respite in between. But I'm more apologetic towards aj, for pang-sehing him. Sorry, bro, I know I'm a bastard but I'd rather be one than turn down the other job. Now they'd need a replacement for me when I leave, so let me know if any of you are interested. The terms are pretty good, esp. if you are looking for an admin job.

Synopsis

2007-11-23T22:05:00.000+08:00

Taiwan trip.
New job.
《无与伦比的美丽》 impressions.

Stardust

2007-11-07T22:33:00.000+08:00

I am a sucker for the fantasy genre, be it books or film, so it should come as no surprise that "Stardust" really appealed to my inner escapist. At 75% on Rotten Tomatoes, I entered the theatre with high expectations and am glad I wasn't let down.

The magical world of Stormhold isn't nearly as fantastical or expansive as Middle Earth, but it's colourful and exciting nevertheless. What really distinguishes this fantasy movie from the likes of LOTR and Harry Potter is perhaps the abundant whimsy. "Sprinkled with tongue-in-cheek humor, fairly adult jokes and some well-known faces acting very silly"(Variety), the ensued hilarity makes this one enjoyable, laugh-out-loud ride.

Of course, a great movie wouldn't do without a great plot (think "King Arthur), and "Stardust" benefits from being a Neil Gaiman (American Gods) adaptation. "Its sensibility stays true to Gaiman's style: heroic, wryly funny, but bloodthirsty as great fairy tales can often be"(Charlotte Observer), and it manages to keep the audience engaged by seamlessly weaving three sub-plotlines -the princes, the witches, and the hero, each racing to find the star to fulfil their vested interests- together into an intricate story of adventure and romance.

Impressive special effects have become the hallmark of any decent fantasy movie, and "Stardust" does not disappoint on this count. Visually arresting and boasting a number of magnificent sets and opulent costumes, the excellent production values are apparent. The soundtrack, which bears some semblance to LOTR's, is expectedly well orchestrated and stirring. The catchy theme song, "Rule the World" by Take That (see Hobble-Goggle), though, is less classical and more pop rock, perhaps hinting at the modern sensibilities of this dated tale.

The ensemble cast deserves mention as well. Charlie Cox(Tristan) comes of age convincingly, his charisma coming through as the movie progresses. Robert De Niro's Captain Shakespeare, who has a penchant for cross-dressing and the cancan, is campy though strangely likeable, while Claire Danes(Yvaine) delivers a less than stellar performance, and lacks the ethereality to portray a fallen star, glowing special effects notwithstanding.

Michelle Pfeiffer steals the show as the evil witch queen. "Only an actress as beautiful as the graceful Pfeiffer would allow herself to be rendered bald, aged and grotesque by startling special effects and makeup and have such a great time in the role... Her Lamia is resourceful and genuinely scary rather than cartoonish"(Hollywood Reporter).

All in all a blast of a movie, and shouldn't disappoint if you are a fantasy fan like me.

Chapter Two: 051107

2007-11-05T18:06:00.000+08:00

ORD loh!!!

The day has come, finally! I’ve regained my civilian status, and henceforth, I shall be addressed as Mr. and not by rank or vocation. It's an immense relief to be "free" again, and like most NSFs, I've spent close to 2 years looking forward to this day. The exhilaration of getting back your pink IC is indescribable, and only those who've been through it will understand what I'm feeling now.

It is all the more momentous because my NS journey hadn't been easy. In fact, right from the start, I knew I wasn't cut out to be a soldier (just like some of us know we have zilch musical talent). Unfortunately, there’s no quitting so you just have to grit your teeth and push on. I ain't about to recount all the rough patches I've been through, but it's safe to say I didn't get the cushiest of appointments/postings.

It really wasn't easy coping with the haplessness, and at times helplessness, especially when you’re painfully cognizant that most of your peers are getting off much more easily. The only thing that got me through it is possibly the conviction that I will not be a person who gives up without a fight whenever the going gets tough.

There were points when I really felt like taking the easy way out, especially when I looked at those who have. But then I looked at those around me who were still persevering, and told myself I will not let them and myself down. Knowing that I had an exciting future ahead of me was also a source of motivation, because I could console myself that I am more fortunate than most, and the ordeal was only temporary – you could even count down to it.

And only now do I understand why people say you'd remember most fondly the toughest times during NS. It's not so much because the suffering in itself is unforgettable, but because you pulled through, bonded with your chiong-sua mates, and every little happy moment is amplified and etched in the collective consciousness known as 'camaraderie'. This cannot be achieved when all you do is slack in bunk or the office every day.

However, deep down, I know that I have not altered my attitude towards NS, and I stand by my belief it has not changed me "internally" - at least not in a positive way. To put it more aptly in mandarin, 我的内在并没有因为兵役而起了实质的改变。A check with my family and long-time friends should confirm that. I have matured, for sure, but only because I've aged. And for the record, I've never felt less of a boy, or more of a man because of NS. The only thing I cannot deny is that NS has changed my life (delayed my tertiary education by 2 years, for instance), for better or worse.

In retrospect, the tough experience might not have been entirely bad, because I have been too sheltered all my life, and it's about time I fell and learnt to pick myself up. It was incredibly humbling, to say the least, and it has helped me recognise a part of my character that I never knew existed.

Whatever the case, I will cherish my NS memories and the friends I've made during my NS days. We are so used to seeing one another every day (24/5) that it can get pretty mundane or sickening. But I think I will come miss them and their antics during this "withdrawal period".

And in conjunction with this milestone, I have given my blog a facelift (as alluded to previously). I’m starting a new chapter over here (both figuratively and literally). It's still green, but there's now a theme, and I've added some new stuff. You can listen to enchanting elf music, watch the (hobble-)goggle box, gossip at the Prancing Pony, dig some dirt at the Mines of Moria, and help me find the list of wanted orcs. It took quite a bit of effort, but I think the new look is pretty neat! =)

My Neighbour Sadako

2007-10-31T18:25:00.000+08:00

It's Halloween!

And this scene is from right across the street. There are like a dozen witches, ghouls, pumpkin monsters and what-not's roaming the streets now, trick-or-treating. Pretty cool, huh.

Joblessness

2007-10-28T21:39:00.000+08:00

I'm gonna be officially unemployed from 6 November, and it's a great feeling to be free again after being "bonded" for so long. Of course I don't intend for it to remain that way, because I love money way too much. Besides, I cannot see myself rotting at home and idling away time every day when gainful employment awaits.

And it looks like some people have already found pretty well-paid jobs. But I'm gonna take a break, enjoy my Taiwan trip, get my driving licence and then... maybe I'll finally get a job. I know I'm procrastinating, but I haven't really had a good rest so far, unlike some people who have been clearing off and leave since god knows when. For the record, I just did guard duty yesterday, and I doubt many ORD personnel still burn weekends <10 days to ORD.

Anw it'd all be over very soon, and hopefully my next job, if I can bring my lazy ass to find one soon, would be much more fruitful. Recommendations and referrals welcome!

Drink Drank Drunk

2007-10-21T20:22:00.000+08:00

I wasn't looking forward to ORD function at all, but it probably helped that I went with such low expectations. The 8-course Chinese dinner was surprisingly decent, though the portions were meagre (esp. by cookhouse standards =P) for ten hungry NSFs. The programme was rather mundane and bordering on sleazy at some points, but it's all in good fun.

It should have been about the people anw, an opportunity to gather in an "extra-military" setting to celebrate the joyous return to civilian-hood. BUT they (or he) had the decency to put three of us with our dearest Jaguar mates. It's like sitting at prom with another class in another faculty, 10 tables from your own class. How thoughtful.

What's interesting is that there seemed to be diverse interpretations of the "smart casual" dress code. Whereas blazer/cardigan and pants were the standard for prom, you can find, on this occasion, people in blazer and tie sitting alongside those in t-shirt and jeans. I figured some didn't make the effort since there weren't girls to impress, and I basically threw together some of the stuff in my wardrobe and rushed down to the venue (thinking that I was late... when the dinner started at 7.30pm), hoping I wouldn't look out of place. I didn't even grab my camera, which is a pity, even though I'm no cam whore. *ducks*

Surprisingly, there was free flow of red wine, and despite knowing I can't hold my liqour, I wasn't about to be seen as a teetotaler. True enough, my face went red after a few sips, and my head began to feel heavy after I downed the glass. I was drinking a lot of tea and 7-up as well to dilute the alcohol, determined not to become drunk like the gentleman by my side, who might have overestimated his liver's abilities and ended up becoming a laughing stock.

It's in the genes, really - the guys in my family are all such terrible drinkers. I think I need to "condition" my liver by drinking more or I'll become socially inept when I go overseas, where drinking is very much part of the culture. I should take aj up on his offer to visit pubs/clubs more often. And somehow get laid while in a drunken stupor, like they always do on TV and film. =)

The ORD countdown reads 14+ days. Pretty promising, except next week is a 6-day week for me. And the usual people to thank for that.

破茧而出

2007-10-15T16:09:00.000+08:00

Controversial themes, action-packed sequences, and with interesting plot twists to boot, "破茧而出" is one of Mediacorp's more inspired dramas in ages.

From the trailers, soundtrack, sets, costumes to hairstyling, the entire production screams "sleek". Coupled with charismatic leads, a great supporting cast and generally competent acting, what you have is a brilliant cop suspense thriller that gets the viewers tuning in religiously every night.

Rui-en might just have found her breakthrough role as the standoffish policewoman, which suits her ice queen image to the T. She also throws some convincing punches and kicks, and it's a real thrill seeing her kick some ass. However, she does show her soft side and inner turmoils, which adds to the realism of her character.

Yvonne Lim delivers another sterling award-baiting performance as the cheerful psychiatrist turned rape victim turned vengeful vigilante, showing that she's not just a pretty face - she does look really pretty in this show! - and it's not by sheer luck that she's found some success in China.

For the guys, it's really the villains, including Thomas Ong, who stand out. Both Terence Cao and Chen Hanwei appear miscast and floundering, and it's apparent Mediacorp is in need of younger male leads to replace them. Which makes it all the more surprising that "Star Idol" winner Bryan Wong has so far been typecast either as a sissy or a gay...

Besides the various cases threaded together by the CID's concurrent hunt for a terrorist group which takes a leaf from the ideologies of Light/Kira in the "Death Note" series, the title of this serial is also very 耐人寻味. "破茧而出" literally describes a butterfly emerging from its cocoon (茧), but in Chinese, there's also another saying - "抽丝剥茧", which could be a metaphor for the sequential unravelling of evidence before the truth finally emerges. The English title, "Metamorphosis", could also be an allusion to Lim's character's transformation.

The season finale will be shown tonight, and hopefully, it ends on a high note.

牛仔很忙 Vs 無與倫比的美麗

2007-10-15T16:00:00.000+08:00

This playful, catchy song is gonna be the first single in Jay's upcoming album. A marked departure from Jay's previous work, this country-folk number is certainly very refreshing, and sure to be a hit!

Also scheduled for a november release is 蘇打綠's "無與倫比的美麗". It's intoxicating! And good thing I'm going to Taiwan in November, coz I can get hold of their album even if it's not released in Singapore. Yeah!

The Skeptic in All (Most) of Us

2007-10-05T20:54:00.000+08:00

There is a skeptic in all (or should I say most) of us.

I was expecting "chaogeng" allegations when I went back with my bandaged ankle and limp this week. And sure enough, I encountered the first skeptics even before I signed the BIBO book. -_-" Not surprising at all, considering the number of status personnel with suspect ailments.

Having seen the "stunts" in my platoon, I am a great skeptic myself, so I understand the mentality, and wasn't too bothered. But I must still thank jon and HA for being ever so trusting and understanding amidst all the cynicism. And OC for his implicit trust by excusing me from the shoot without even my asking. After chionging together for so long, he ought to see (I hope) that if I had wanted to chaogeng, I would have done it long ago like the rest - when it was 100x more xiong - and not waited until a few weeks before ORD.

That this logic seems to have escaped most of the rest, including my PS, is saddening, as it meant that after all I've done to prove myself as one not to take the easy way out, my credibility and integrity remains questionable in their minds. If this one incident has managed to tarnish my (perhaps self-perceived) hard-earned reputation, then I can only say I can never be worthy of their trust. But I've learnt not to take it too hard, as I know true friends will believe, and those that do not are probably not genuine pals to begin with.

And back to the topic of the skeptic in most of us. You probably had these cynical moments:

"That pretty young thing must have married that old man for his money!"
"He must be making that public donation because he is a media whore and wants the whole world to know about his philanthropic heart of gold!"
"She probably got to where she is by sleeping with the boss!"
"He probably got to where he is because of his father/mother/connections!"
"That woman probably got her driving licence by wearing a short skirt for her driving test!"
"He must be doing that to suck up to his superiors!"
"He is being so nice because he needs a favour/is guilty of something/has something up his sleeves!"

愛.歌姬

2007-09-30T01:10:00.000+08:00

Realised I haven't posted a review (read: unqualified impressions) in ages. Not that I haven't been buying CDs or watching movies, it's just I've been busy and lazy.

"The Bourne Ultimatum" and "Ratatouille" should make my year-end top 10 list, but none of the CDs I bought recently is exactly noteworthy. 张悬's 《亲爱的...我还不知道》 , despite zzyo's enthusiastic recommendation, is too esoteric for my tastes. And Corrinne May's "Beautiful Seed" fails to surpass her previous albums with the bare bones arrangements and religious-themed lyrics.

I was really looking forward to F.I.R.'s new album, 《愛.歌姬》, but it didn't seem very promising when I previewed it. It'd be difficult to replicate the phenomenal success of their first album, but they are increasingly veering towards bubblegum pop, and Faye's amateurish compositions do nothing to inject new blood into their music. Hopefully it'll grow on me with time.

蘇打綠's 《無與倫比的美麗》 scheduled for a year-end release is the only album I'm looking forward to for now. I'm pretty sure it wouldn't disappoint, having heard two of the tracks. Typical sodagreen, with the titular track having a beautiful melody a la 《小情歌》 and another with an energising and lively vibe. I want to see their Taipei 小巨蛋 concert!

Expensive Ankle

2007-09-27T22:07:00.000+08:00

Injured my left ankle during SOC on Tuesday, just when I had a really good chance of clearing it once and for all. "It's God's will" is all that I can say. This is my first real injury (and hopefully the last!) in NS, and it was never my intention to escape training by getting a status, even when those around me were "falling like flies".

Now that the worst is over, it'd be dumb to relent when I've endured all the way. As I told Louis, I don't wish to give "those people" the satisfaction of seeing me take the easy way out. I know it doesn't make any sense to other people, but 这是我的坚持与倔强. Maybe it's stupidity, maybe it's pride, but I have never been one to give up easily - even though I whine a lot - so this will be no exception.

The MO gave me 2 weeks of excuse RMJ, which might very well turn out to be a blessing in disguise. But he didn't give me any MC... So he was expecting me to hop and limp around in camp, including up and down the stairs to my third floor bunk, until the end of the week?! Sometimes I just dunno what these MOs are thinking. Will it kill them to give NSFs ATT C to rest at home when they are genuinely sick or injured?

But I was going to clear off anyway, so I took a cab home. Went to the clinic yesterday and the doctor gave me two days' MC after an X-ray showed that it wasn't anything too serious. Then I visited a Chinese sinseh yesterday night to get my swollen-like-a-pork-knuckle ankle sorted out and it was an extremely painful experience, both for my ankle, as well as for my wallet. This is proving to be one expensive ankle.

And now I'm grounded. =(

Overhaul

2007-09-18T17:26:00.000+08:00

And the public transport operators have the nerve to raise fares!!! It takes SMRT more than a month to overhaul an escalator! This signage has been on display at the overhead bridge connecting the town centre to the MRT station opposite since >3 weeks ago. It doesn't bother me that much, coz I'm still young and fit, but it's giving all the old folks a hard time. And causing a congestion at the staircase, which now has to cater to both pedestrians ascending and descending the bridge, during peak hours. So much for efficiency and customer satisfaction.

The PTC is obviously ignoring public sentiment by allowing raises for a second (or issit third?) consecutive year when the operators have been posting healthy and growing profits every year. Shareholder returns and commercial interests always seem to outweigh public interests, so I think we should all get shares in SMRT and SBSTransit so we get a share of the spoils to cover the fare increase.

And dare I say transport expenditure is not the only increase we're seeing in our everyday lives. There's the GST increase, which has given a lot of hawkers, merchants, and basically every other mama or papa shop an excuse to increase prices by >2%. Even a vanilla cone from McDonald's now costs 20% more...

All despite the government releasing statistics (the CPI index which many argue to be flawed) to say that the inflation rate is stable and the cost of living remains affordable, esp. compared to other first world countries like London, Tokyo, New York, etc. And I always wonder why we are always comparing ourselves to the most expensive cities in the world...

Well these things always seem to happen within one to three years after elections. Then when elections come by again, we start getting goodies, and fare increase applications are rejected (or maybe postponed). Just an unsupported observation, anyone's welcome to prove me wrong. I'm sure our government is doing a great job, but it's little things like these that irk some in the electorate.

Incidentally, I'm planning an overhaul for this blog, timed to coincide with my ORD. I haven't done anything yet, and the October schedule doesn't seem promising, but hopefully I'll be able to find time to do something about this mundane green page.

MAF

2007-09-16T20:25:00.000+08:00

Mid-autumn festival celebrations has always been the annual highlight for Hwa Chong-ians, both old and new. Affectionately known as "MAF" (-mahf), it's a time when alumni gather to reminisce about their student days, and current students take a break from mugging to enjoy the festivities.

Over the years, the programme has become somewhat routine, and the centrepiece (see blurry photo above) and pyrotechnics display increasingly mundane, but MAF never fails to draw a crowd. It's a unique Hwa Chong tradition, and one that seniors are glad exists, because it gives them a chance to meet up with people they have lost touch with since leaving school, in a familiar environment.

It was pretty cool, seeing and catching up with secondary classmates, CCA pals, BMT kakis, and of course JC buddies. For the guys, it's always "where are you now?", "when's ORD?", and "what are you gonna do after ORD?". For the gals, "how's uni?", "got boyfriend?", and "any girls to recommend?". LOL.

04S7A. Photo courtesy of KC (off class blog)

Most people haven't changed that much, and it feels good just to see everyone again, having the same crappy conversations or friendly banter at the class bench, or in the central plaza singing the HC songs and swaying to the mass dances.

I probably wouldn't attend MAF for the next four years, and I should be J9 (old!) when I'm back for the next one, but I certainly hope I'd still see the familiar faces and be able to recall their names and catch up with them then.

New iPods!

2007-09-09T22:18:00.001+08:00

Woah Apple actually unveiled three new iPods on 5 Sept: the all new iPod Touch modelled after the iPhone, with touch screen and wi-fi capabilities(!); the revamped iPod nano with video capabilities; and the iPod shuffle in new colours. The iPod Touch looks extremely promising - imagine serving the net on the go and watching youtube videos on a dedicated player - except for the meagre flash storage (8/16GB for now), and price ($498/698).

To put things in perspective, the iPod classic (the 5th Gen HDD iPod) only costs $428 and $598 for 80GB and 160GB respectively. Which is why Apple is really smart to retain the iPod classic in its line-up, instead of replacing it with the Touch.

The release, coincidentally or not, surely stole the thunder from Creative, which also released its new flagship portable media player earlier this month. Mr. Sim should be panicking as his product immediately pales in comparison. Not wise to hold on to Creative shares, as Apple, not a company to rest on its laurels, is evidently looking to consolidate and extend its leadership in the DAP (digital audio player) market with its range of well-designed and sexy iPods.

They already have a repeat customer in yours truly.

New iPod(s)

2007-09-02T17:16:00.000+08:00

It's Comex weekend but those intending to get iPods should definitely wait. Apple is gonna announce the release of new iPod(s) (6th Gen HDD, 3rd Gen Nano, or something new?) on 5 September. Might be time for me to upgrade. Let's see what Apple has up their sleeves first.

Anyway next week is gonna be really hectic, with COC parade rehearsals from Mon to Wed, the actual parade on Wed, and combat shoot on Fri, which means a Sat book-out. Excellent planning, as usual. Probably won't be able to clear off at all, since Thursday will be reserved for combat shoot briefing and preparation. By right I should be excused from the parade lah, since I can't even polish my boots. Bleh.

But after combat shoot there shouldn't be any other major event (except for a rumoured third combat shoot, and major s**t in October), so there's only lots of PT and SOC left to look forward to. Then it's ORD loh!!!

Sleep

2007-08-26T22:53:00.000+08:00

I used to be able to survive on 4-5 hours of sleep every night back in secondary school during the exam period, due in large part to my last-minute-mugging tendencies. But I guess I'm getting old. For some reason, I could never do the same in JC anymore. Now whenever I don't get enough sleep, I'll suffer an acne outbreak and a lingering headache.

Lately I haven't been able to sleep much during weekends because of my busy schedule. And thanks to AHM saigang today, I didn't get to sleep through the night yesterday. To my utter dismay, the person in the mirror today looked terrible. I finally realise why some people say they need their beauty sleep...

I usually try to repay my sleep debt in camp, since it's the lull period and there's lots of down time. But for some reason, I just can't sleep in the day when I'm in camp, no matter how tired I am. Daytime camp insomnia, sianz. And we don't get much sleep at night because we have to wake up at 5.30am... Even when ORD is in less than 3 months' time.

Speaking of which, it doesn't seem like we're gonna ord so soon if not for the lack of outfields. We're still being treated like first-year soldiers: besides having to wake up so early every morning, we have to go for breakfast, march to and from the cookhouse, fall in every night for RO, book in on Sunday night, book out late on Fridays (because for some reason, events e.g. combat shoot, are always scheduled on Friday when most of the rest of the week is spent in bunk), and now there's even suggestion of having 5BX in the morning.

We are also not allowed to have TVs in our bunks (to encourage bonding in the mess, which has a non-functional TV...), not allowed to go to the canteen unless given permission (even after working hours), not given MC to rest at home but confinement in the sick bay when we get fever. And the list of privileges that many other units/camps take for granted but we are deprived of goes on.

And more recently, deliberate planning and scheduling has made it impossible for us to clear our off in blocks, so we have to resort to clearing off in the middle of the week, and in 1.5-day stretches at the most, "like bird droppings - a little here and and a little there", as my platoon mates put it. When every other ORD-imminent personnel has the liberty to clear long weekends and practically entire weeks if they want to. Sigh.

Some people just have no empathy. With all the bad karma and ill will they have accumulated, I shouldn't be the one having insomnia.

Block Leave Musings 4: 4 Movies

2007-08-18T00:55:00.000+08:00

Caught 4 movies this week - Rush Hour 3, Secret, The Simpsons and Knocked Up.

If I had to recommend one, it'd be Knocked Up. But it's showing at only 1 or 2 screens now, so I had to go all the way to Vivocity to catch it today. Fortunately, it was worth the trip. "A hilarious, poignant and refreshing look at the rigors of courtship and child-rearing, with a sometimes raunchy, always witty script that is ably acted and directed", as the critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes aptly sums up.

The Simpsons movie was pretty good until I saw Knocked Up. It's hilarious at some parts as well, but mostly in a dumb Homer way. I find him incredibly irritating... And there's only so much satire you can stuff inside a 1hr 20min movie. Not exactly the thought-provoking "cartoon for adults" I was expecting it to be.

Many critics panned the tired formula of Rush Hour 3, but isn't that a problem with most sequels this summer? Anyway I thought it was pretty alright. There were some funny moments, while others fell flat, but overall it was pretty entertaining, esp. the climax at the Eiffel Tower. Jackie Chan did look pretty haggard, and his stunts are relatively subdued compared to his earlier works. Age is catching up with him, it seems.

And lastly, Jay Chou's directorial debut, Secret. Nothing outstanding, but I really liked the interesting twist at the end. It takes a while to figure everything out, and I think some in the audience came out of the theatre scratching their heads. But there are some glaring plotholes, and of course, the production isn't as sleek as with more accomplished directors. Still Gui Lun Mei really lifted the show with her nuanced acting and captivating looks which aj is going gaga over.

Next up, The Bourne Ultimatum. No mean feat to coax 5 stars out of Ms Ong Sor Fern, seems like a must-watch.

Block Leave Musings 3: NS for Girls?

2007-08-15T22:48:00.000+08:00

There isn't much to muse about these days. It's not that life's a bore, but I don't ponder too much about life and philosophy. I'm so totally left-brained. Which would make me a good engineer, I hope.

Anyway I'm really enjoying civilian life, and in the comforts of home, can't help thinking girls should be sent for NS as well. They won't have to chiong sua, don't worry. Just let them experience the regimentation, the enforced discipline, the yucky food and everything and I bet they will grow up "from girls to women". Which is a great thing, isn't it, as they always seem to like to say how much they think the guys (their sons, brothers, boyfriends, friends) have grown and matured after NS.

For one, my sister would certainly benefit. Just because we're reasonably well-to-do, she takes things for granted, can't be bothered to help with chores, and thinks she deserves better when life has been so inifinitely kind, in so many ways. I have no right to criticise her, of course, because I was and probably still am like that. And I think lots of girls are just as spoilt. But the thing is, NS does open your eyes to a lot of things.

Some people have gone through enough hardships, some are mature enough to reflect on their own, but others might just need a little bit of help to be jolted out of their comfort zones and idealistic mindset. NS will certainly tell you "life can be such a total bitch", if you need telling, that is.

And I can't help sensing that a lot of girls think it's the guys' duty to serve NS, and it's no big deal that we are wasting (in the individual sense) two years of our time letting our brain rot away. A bit sympathetic, maybe, a bit "heng ah, we don't need to serve", but I don't think guilt, or an acute sense of injustice comes into play. The "spectator mentality", as I see it. Just like guys will think it's no big deal for their female counterparts to have their career advancement impeded by pregnancy - "it's ok lah, they need to give birth what, family more important, after baby born come back still can work".

But as we endeavour to do away with discrimination in the workplace, and in all other aspects of society to achieve true gender equality, military conscription seems to have escaped scrutiny. Guys probably think that girls are too weak, and the girls are probably happy not to contest this "myth" for once, and to discard the "chauvinist" word as well, as it works in their favour.

But the point is, physical strength is not a prerequisite for NS. If medically unfit guys can spare two years of their time to serve as clerks or in other support vocations, so can the girls. And girls in Israel serve NS as well, sometimes even in combat (i.e. chiong-sua) vocations!

The day the so-called feminists are willing to stand up and proclaim that all women should serve NS is the day I will respect them as true feminists. In the meantime, I will try to overlook this hypocrisy, and fully support their cause for women to be given an equal footing in society, as I believe they surely deserve.

蘇打綠今年夏天特别绿演唱会

2007-08-12T17:59:00.000+08:00

“说我‘娘’的人唱歌都没我好听”，青峯笑道。出席了昨晚“苏打绿今年夏天特别绿新加坡演唱会”后，我不得不苟同青峯的大言不惭。当今中文乐坛，能唱的比青峯好的，尤其是live演出，应该屈指可数吧。当然，青峯亦男亦女的嗓音并非所有人能接受。但他能如此收放自如，自在地驾驭着声线 - 时而亢奋激昂，时而轻柔委婉，时而又悲戚忧伤 - 穿梭于高低音域之间，叫人不得不佩服至极。

Photo credit: 《我报》

但苏打绿不单主唱了得，其他团员也使出了各自的看家本领，在无间默契之中击撞出了震撼人心的音乐火花。尤其觉得鼓手小威与中提琴兼键盘手阿龚弹奏得很有feel,而吉他手阿福和家凯的solo也都很出色。团中唯一的女团员贝斯手馨仪则不抢风头，酷劲十足。

在一片“绿海”之中，苏打绿呈现了近三个半小时的精彩表演，营造出一个随着音符运转的小宇宙。无论是快板摇滚，中板民谣，或慢板抒情，歌词的意境与歌曲的力量都渗透了整个会场，让乐迷们high到不行，沉浸在优美的旋律与青峯醉人的歌声当中。

苏打绿除了将两张专辑与五张EP的曲目几乎完整呈现，也选唱了一些经典中英文名曲，如Radiohead的“Creep”，邓丽君的“我只在乎你”，王菲的“天空”，和林忆莲的“夜太黑”。当然少不了苏打绿两位学姐较近期的作品 - 陈琦贞的“旅行的意义”，和青峯写给杨乃文的“女爵”，也引起场内很大的回响。苏打绿为配合乐团模式，为每一首歌注入了较rock的编曲，给人与原唱截然不同的听觉刺激，绝对有过之而无不及。

歌曲间中的闲聊，也让乐迷们见识到了苏打绿亲切好玩的一面。青峯充当发言人，机智、幽默、嗲声嗲气，还不忘调侃其他团员，制造了许多笑料。焦点都集中在青峯身上，似乎冷落了其他团员，不过亲和力十足的阿福，鬼马的阿龚，可爱的小威，帅帅的家凯和酷酷的馨仪也都很受乐迷的拥护，整个乐团给人很踏实（down-to-earth）的感觉。

演唱会一次“做作”的encore（青峯总是说不喜欢预设的encore，很做作，但是“人在江湖，身不由己” *笑翻*）理所当然，再一次真正即兴的encore才显真诚可贵。当一大半的观众已离席而去，苏打绿第二次encore还唱了近30分钟！虽然已接近午夜，围绕着舞台的乐迷点歌点得尽兴，他们也乐于在舞台上继续表演，大家仿佛在音乐中找到了共鸣与幸福。

青峯最后决定以“我的未来不是梦”结尾来鼓励在场的乐迷和苏打绿一样继续追梦,为演唱会划下了温馨、完美的句点。

这次演唱会真的让我重新感受到了音乐的感动与力量。不需要华丽的服装与绚烂的舞台效果，苏打绿对音乐的执著与努力已足以打动人心。真庆幸即使孤单一人也坚持出席了这场演唱会，绝对有值回票价！

Video credit: 《我报》

Block Leave Musings 2: Green & Driving

2007-08-08T21:41:00.000+08:00

The weather nowadays is so unbearably hot, you can't even walk 20m without sweating. No wonder travel agencies are making brisk business selling tours to temperate countries. I was driving today and I could feel the scorching heat even in the comforts of the air-conditioned vehicle.

Anyway we all know the global climate system is screwed up because of global warming. So the environment has become a pet cause for many people and corporations alike. I reckon it's much cooler now to tell people that you are from the "Green Club", compared to during our time. LOL.

Which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Even with questionable intents (such as it being "cool" to be associated with green-ness, PR ploys), at least people on the ground are being exposed to the issues and making some semblance of effort to do their part, such as by using less plastic bags.

It's certainly the issue of the moment, but it remains to be seen how much longer it will remain in the public eye, and whether there is political will to carry forth the efforts at, and commitment to reducing greenhouse emissions.

Well enough of green talk. The days seem to fly by without me doing much. I've had driving lessons for the past few days and that's about it. I haven't even found time to watch the Simpsons movie, Disturbia, or Knocked Up, even though I planned to. And tomorrow is National Day, so I'll probably be going on a food trip with the family and return home in time to watch the first ever NDP held at Marina Bay.

That's all the plans I have for now, so anyone's free to date me for most of the rest of the week (except this Sat) and next week until I manage to snag any more driving lesson slots. Anyway I've booked my TP slot for early December, but I'm not really sure I can complete all the lessons by then, having yet to discharge my NS obligations. ORD is so near yet so far... Have to pia now while I have the time, then hopefully I can have my dad's car for the weekends asap!

But driving isn't as fun as I thought - must concentrate, look here, see there, coordinate, etc. etc. I'm getting the hang of it, but still, it's made me reconsider a car as not only an expensive investment, but also a potentially tiring proposition as opposed to just letting the taxi uncle drive you along while you take a nap behind or simply enjoy the passing scenery. And if you go back to the environmental argument, it's definitely more green to go public, so yeah, there seems to be many reasons against getting a car, at least for now.

Zebra tells me many of his privileged faculty mates own cars, and I don't really see the point. They are just income-less students (most of them), and it's not like they need to zoom around for business, so why do they need a car? Even if I had the money, I think I won't get a car until I start working. But then again, of course I'd say that because I don't really have the money. LOL.

Block Leave Musings 1

2007-08-06T17:31:00.000+08:00

The army, like the internet community, has a penchant for using abbreviations. Incidentally, I belong to both, so I am inclined to use them frequently. So for those clueless about all the army talk, this list might come in useful. Not that it's of any practical value, or anyone who doesn't serve NS will bother to know...

Today's driving lesson went pretty well, thanks in large part to a more patient instructor who bothers to explain stuff instead of just shooting off his mouth whenever I make a mistake. Btw I sent an email to BBDC requesting not to see the first instructor again, egged on by Louis and my dad. It wasn't meant as a complaint - I made an effort to explain that I was equally responsible for being such a terrible driver - but it appears that they are treating it as such, and I feel slightly guilty about it. But at the same time, I think such instructors should be reined in.

And sodagreen's coming to Singapore again on Thursday! They will be having a live showcase ($18) at a club/pub at Clarke Quay on National Day night, but since I'm already going for their concert at RP on Saturday, I think I will give that a miss. Unless aj, who has curiously become quite despo to go clubbing/pubbing decides to drag me along and pay for my ticket. LOL. Now that the smoking ban is in place, there's more reason to chiong, just that I totally cannot hold my liquor...

A good way to get into sodagreen if you don't dig alt/indie stuff is through 蓝眼睛. It's one of the band's more commercialised tracks, being a duet with the very mainstream Angela Chang. However, it's actually the best duet I've heard in ages - one that has meaningful lyrics, and isn't laden with saccharine sweet vocals - Angela does deserve some credit in this respect.

Cheer Chen's doing a concert in Singapore as well. I wanna go! But all these expenses, and I still need to save up for my overseas trip... I need a job!

(un)Block Leave

2007-08-04T15:19:00.000+08:00

Finally, it's block leave for the next 2 weeks! After the monstrosity that was A T E C and pre/post-prep, the bn merrily decided to let three coys clear off, leaving us to do A C C T in camp. A C C T wasn't particularly siong, and it can be quite fun slamming people and getting slammed. But add 3 more PT/SOC sessions per week and the fatigue and muscle aches start to set in. I'm so glad it's over!

And typical of excellent planning (esp. pertaining to 'K'):

We have been forced to clear leave even though we are not allowed to go overseas during this period. Which means my holiday plans will have to be shelved till after ORD, when it's winter everywhere I want to go, and the school holidays peak season inflates prices.
My block leave is effectively "unblocked" because I have to go back to camp twice in the first week. And there's always the possibility of last minute guard duties and other "oversights".
I foresee problems with clearing off in October due to an important, month-long tasking for which our OC "volunteered". Not to mention all the saigang and duties, when everyone else is clearing off, slacking off, and preparing to ORD.

Sigh. If only I had the courage (and background) of a certain 2LT to fire off an email to the minister and all the big shots. What 2LT Li unveiled is only the tip of the iceberg. If you ask me, there are far more skeletons in the cupboard, and this particular one probably wouldn't have come to light if not for the status of 2LT Li, and the need for damage control (since the contents of the email had leaked into the public domain). It's all an exercise in PR, lah.

So enough of whining already. It's time for a well-deserved break, although the timing really is abit "off". Everyone else is stuck in camp, or starting school, so basically there's no one to date except coy mates. Bravo! As if I have not seen enough of them... For now, it's just driving lessons, eating, sleeping, movies, and aimless wandering. Oh yes, and sodagreen's concert next week.

I want to go overseas!!!

Bleh

2007-07-27T20:33:00.000+08:00

Had my first driving lesson today. Didn't go well coz I just couldn't concentrate on so many things - switch gears, depress/release the clutch, brake and accelerator pedals to various degrees, steer, and look where I'm going- all at once.

Didn't help that my instructor kept sarcastically telling me "what's the point of me teaching you when you aren't even listening?" (as if I wasn't trying hard enough) and "if you can't even see where you're going, how do you expect me to teach you where to turn?". Sigh. It just got on my nerves and made me more error-prone.

I must admit I'm quite slow and have some psychomotor problems, but hello, it's my first lesson, and steering is not like walking or cycling - a large part of your visual field is blocked and you can't really see where your wheels are moving... And it isn't exactly easy to find and maintain the biting point on the clutch pedal, and not over-depress the accelerator pedal for a smooth move off. I have no idea how bad my problem is, but I was under the impression that these problems are pretty common among new learners, so I was all the more surprised that my instructor had such little patience.

The worse thing is, I'm stuck with this instructor (and another whom I've yet to meet) under this fixed group scheme for the rest of my lessons. I wonder how I'm ever going to pass... Hopefully the other one is better.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

2007-07-22T21:43:00.000+08:00

Disclaimer: Spoilers abound. Proceed at your own risk.

A mighty good read, and a worthy conclusion to a phenomenal series. J.K. Rowling has outdone us all with her remarkable plotting, weaving a gripping tale with such vividity and poignancy that it'd be impossible not to be moved and unreservedly impressed, especially for those who have grown up with the characters.

And as if taking a leaf from Orwell's book (pun intended), she has satirised the series (the Nazi regime being of particular interest) to ensure her books a place among the literary classics. As if it wasn't enough that they have become the best-selling tombs in modern history, and she herself is set to rival Roald Dahl as one of the favourite children's fiction author of all-time, becoming a billionaire in the process.

I'm now overwhelmed with this warm, fuzzy feeling after reading the exhilarating ending, and the genial epilogue. The resolution certainly didn't disappoint, and the final showdown must have been the climax of all the climaxes. I could virtually feel myself in the Great Hall, withholding my breath as I witness the duel that had been hinted at since the Prophecy was revealed.

Of course, the deaths were disturbing, especially the one of a certain house-elf, but the character that has seared himself into my memory is probably the one who redeemed himself eventually, as most would have guessed.

Before I give away any more of the story, I think it's time to stop gushing and let those who haven't read it for themselves. Cheerios.

Harry Potter

2007-07-20T22:01:00.000+08:00

OMG it's down to the last book. I'm gonna get my greedy paws on "Deathly Hallows" (DH) in less than 12 hours. But I probably wouldn't be able to finish it tomorrow because I have a symposium to attend. =(

I wouldn't declare myself an ardent Potter fan, but the release of a new HP book never fails to excite me. I pre-ordered the last 2 books in the series and eagerly devoured them whole on the first day of release, which is what I intend to do for DH as well. And since DH is the grand finale, I've done some revision in the form of watching "Order of the Phoenix" (OotP) (how convenient!), and listening to the "Half-Blood Prince" (HBP) audiobook in the last couple of weeks. Heh, eye power preservation. I shall save the reading for tomorrow.

I was introduced to Harry and gang when I was in Sec 1, thanks to Ms. Kala. That seems like eons ago, before most of the population caught the HP fever. Harry and gang were 11 then, when I was 13. Now I'm 20 and they're gonna be 17.

It's actually quite cool to be able to grow up along, and identify with the characters, as they grapple with issues we encounter as students - exam stress, teenage angst, infatuations, rivalry, etc. It helps that the series has progressed from juvenile fantasy to darker, more brooding themes at about the same rate I shed my innocence and got inducted into the realities of the adult world. I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the series as much had I been a kid or adult.

And so it's with great anticipation, and a little sadness (knowing that it's coming to an end) that I await the final conclusion to a significant chapter in my growing-up years. Let the magic begin.

Busy

2007-07-07T22:14:00.000+08:00

The past few weekends, including this one, have all been pretty packed, despite having Fridays off as well. I've watched 3 movies - Hot Fuzz, Transformers & Die Hard 4.0 - in 2 weeks, and surprisingly, all of them exceeded my expectations.

"Hot Fuzz" is your typical witty Brit fare with a huge dash of outlandishness and violent action.

"Transformers" is way cool and ridiculously hilarious, plus I was mighty impressed with Shia Labeouf (Sam), as well as drooling all over the bootilicious Megan Fox (Mikaela).

Die Hard 4.0 ("Live Free or Die Hard" in the US) claims top spot on my movie list this summer, with a good balance of a plausible plot, great action, good humour, apt characterisation, and charismatic leads. I really liked Justin Long (Gabriel), as well as Timothy Olyphant (Matthew Farrell). The latter, like Shia Labeouf, is not your typical good-looking A-lister, but exudes a certain down-to-earth charm that just makes you want to root for him. Bruce Willis (John McClane) distinguishes his hero franchise from the rest with a penchant for humour even in the most perilous of situations, but his invincibility (like most other film heroes) amidst numerous explosions was bordering on absurdity.

Next weekend should be even more fulfilling, with ATEC firmly out of my mind, and Harry Potter 5 in the theatres. But for now, it's preparation for early book-in tomorrow (3pm!! to help OC do up his maps...) and the toughest test yet next week.

Wish me luck.

Procrastination

2007-07-05T22:23:00.000+08:00

And I thought only students procrastinate. We are literally going to war in a few days' time, but today we were still struggling to put everything together. Of course there were some "unforseen circumstances", but shouldn't we have prepared for all contingencies and made plans for anticipated delays?

Actually, it's not that surprising. It's not the first time anyway. "Why always so last minute one?" is the perpetual question. Like last minute weekend guard duties that manifest all of a sudden on Fridays, or saigang just before book-out when the rest of the day had been spent "ironing bedsheets".

So today, I found myself in a frenzy of weapon boresighting, drawing and issuing of equipment, functionality checks and troubleshooting, map-work, paper-work, and briefings so typical of the hectic signaller lifestyle just before any major outfield. The pathetic thing is, I spent most of yesterday reading "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell.

On another note, I'm actually quite exasperated that we did not get the "Best Armour Unit" award despite all the shit we've done on behalf of armour in the past year. What with NDP, EX BZ (featured in the media somemore), delta live-firing, EX Maju Bersama, army museum filming, and being the only ABG on standby, first BX2 Bn, yada yada. But then again, fairness and an adequate appraisal system were never hallmarks of this organisation, were they?

And finally, some food for thought. I was pretty much thinking what the Arctic Monkeys were thinking until I read the last few paragraphs. Still, why go to all that trouble when "global warming" is staring us in the face every day, be it on TV, online, in movies, or in the papers? Or if that isn't enough, the ever-warmer sunny days we are experiencing. The concert is just so... extravagant, and redundant.

But I think I'm still gonna watch it anyway.

Thanks

2007-06-25T00:14:00.000+08:00

Thanks for all the well wishes and gifts. Not many people knew, remembered, or bothered, but I'm contented to have a small bunch of great friends who made my day, or rather, weekend. Thanks for the "surprise", guys, and the effort to spend today together. I don't know if I deserve it because I know I haven't always been a great friend.

Thanks AJ, my pal of 7.5 years, 4 years in the same class, 1 year in the same unit, and pseudo gay partner (before we each find our better halves) with whom I can talk cock to no end.

Thanks Jinny, my pal of 7.5 years, 1 year in the same class, and ever so understanding, accommodating and cute (like his mum, I must add). ;)

Thanks Zebra, my pal of 4 years, 2 years in the same class & CCA, more alike in thought and attitude than any one else I've ever known, and an admired counterpart.

In alphabetical order, incidentally, no other order implied. LOL.

There's so much more to our friendship than just these pathetic lines, but there's no need for a public profession here lah. The understanding is implicit, and hopefully mutual. Amigos para siempre. =)

Almost There

2007-06-23T16:21:00.000+08:00

Full-troop exercise (F T X) this week. 3D2N outfield involving the entire battalion, prelude to A T E C 2. The usual stuff, trekking around with an almost 20kg load on my <60kg frame. But compared to the 6-hour bashing expedition the last time (F T X 1), this is "small case" already.

The most outrageous thing was that 6 of my platoon mates ATT C (on MC, for the uninitiated), so my vehicle was left with 6 people instead of the usual 10. Which wasn't a bad thing afterall, since we had considerably more space to manoeuvre.

I suffered a bout of claustrophobia during F T X 1, and it wasn't a great feeling. I was on the verge of hyperventilation, and desperate to escape the confined space that was the "signaller seat" - less than 1 square metre in area, minimal leg room, and barely enough room when I'm in with my SBO. Imagine being cooped in that place for more than 10 hours, with no ventilation, and a heat-emanating signal set right by your side. I swear I would have preferred dismounting to remaining in that hell of a place.

Anyway a lot of people (including commanders who are drawing a bigger allowance, and expected to have more integrity) missed this outfield because of ATT C or status. Again, in the middle of all that shit, I was wondering if it's worth slogging so hard when there's really no incentive - in fact, only disincentives - to do so. All that I got from this outfield were "shag-ness", more pimples and mosquito bites. And maybe a few "thank you"s from CO and OC, and a Monday book-in. Yet again, I told myself that this was the last outfield before A T E C, and endured.

My platoon mates who ATT C think we (those who went) are stupid, and I was asking myself whether I really am, and why I went. Eventually, I realised I still feel a sense of duty despite all the negativity I feel. I just can't bring myself to neglect my responsibilites and sit at home pretending to be sick. At the end of the day, I also have a responsibility to the rest whom I care enough not to disappoint. Besides, unlike the AI, someone would have had to take my place had I absented myself, and I wouldn't want that, having been a victim of other people's chaogeng behaviour before. Bad karma lah.

So, F T X 2 is history, and we're facing the final hurdle. A T E C is definitely going to be tougher, but I really hope everyone can wake up their idea. We've trained and fought together for so long, just for this test. Even if we don't give a damn about the results and those to whom it really matters (i.e. those regulars whose promotion and bonus hinges on the outcome), we owe it to ourselves and all our brothers-in-arms to at least turn up and do what we can to not let all that hard work go down the drain.

小宇宙

2007-06-22T10:24:00.000+08:00

大家都称之为中文乐坛的一股清流，蘇打綠是我今年至今最大的音乐发现。出道两年即凭第二张专辑《小宇宙》获得金曲奖最佳乐团。《小宇宙》也囊括了其他6项提名的肯定，包括作词、作曲、编曲、歌曲、制作、专辑，能入闱的都入围了。

相信大家对《小情歌》一点也不陌生。也就是这首歌让蘇打綠入围了作词、作曲、编曲、歌曲四项大奖，还让主唱青峯获得了最佳作曲奖。可是，如果你以为《小宇宙》里就这么一首好歌，你就大错特错了。好久没听到一张概念完整，而且首首动听的专辑了，而《小宇宙》就是这么一张杰作。第一次把整张专辑一次过听完的时候，就有一种震撼的感觉，令人感叹原来民谣摇滚 (folk rock) 也能如此充满能量与生命力。

无论是《小情歌》的温柔委婉，《You Are, You Will》的轻盈愉悦，《小宇宙》的烂漫不羁，《暂时失控》和《已经》的自然洒脱，还是《背着你》的忧伤深邃，无不让人动容。每一首歌都有其独特的韵味，尤其在编曲方面下足了功夫，绝不会让人有似曾相似的感觉。像《You Are, You Will》前奏与尾段的苏格兰风笛，《小情歌》简单的钢琴主轴，《暂时失控》的电吉他ｓｏｌｏ，《被雨困住的城市》的ａｃｏｕｓｔｉｃ伴奏，和《无言歌》的不插电（ｕｎｐｌｕｇｇｅｄ）呈现都让人有耳目一新的感觉。

当然，主唱青峯独特偏柔的嗓音与唱腔也赋予蘇打綠其独一无二的特色，让它从另一个层面上和其他的乐团作了一个明显的区分，从而树立它独有的band identity。青峯音域之宽，唱功之了得自然不在话下，不过真正令我钦佩的是他在诠释每一首歌的时候都会有截然不同的感觉，随着旋律的起伏唱出其所要表达的意境。

《小宇宙》就像一杯极品苏打，初下肚暖胃，接着在口中释放出无穷的滋味；喝完后在嘴中残余的味儿久久无法消散，让人回味无穷。极力推荐。

推荐曲目：全部

Ocean's Thirteen

2007-06-09T20:50:00.000+08:00

"Ocean's Thirteen" is surprisingly good, after the disappointing sequels that were Spiderman and POTC. The Rotten Tomatoes consensus says "another slick and entertaining heist film", and I fully agree.

Apart from the introduction which presents the premise of the heist, the rest of the movie benefits from tight pacing and a decent script. There are quite a few funny lines, in-jokes and various real-life references, but I'm not sure the heartland audience -we watched at Junction 8- had any inkling, because there weren't many laughs except at the slapstick humour parts. Which sort of diminished my enjoyment of the movie, because I was quietly smirking instead of laughing out loud, and feeling awkward when it seems that I'm the only one/few who got the joke. I'm pretty sure that if I were watching with a younger/more ang moh audience, there would have been more commotion in the theatre.

Anyway, those who have watched "11" and "12" would know this movie isn't, and shouldn't be about the laughs. The real highlights are the multitude of elaborate tricks Ocean and gang have up their sleeves, and in that regard, I think the scriptwriters were pretty ingenious. Its predecessors and m:i:3 set pretty high standards for the "heist" genre, so I'm glad "13" isn't a letdown in the stratagem stakes.

It helps that the sets were well-designed, and the all-star cast gave a laudable performance. A sombre-looking George Clooney demonstrated why he is only one of two men twice voted the sexiest on the planet; the other being co-star Brad Pitt, who looks slightly haggard though still oozing manly charm. Matt Damon has grown into his comedic role since the first movie, and it's one of those rare instances that I'm impressed by him. I liked Andy Garcia's playful wile, though Al Pacino was less ostentatious and more subdued than I was expecting him to be as the main antagonist. Ellen Barkin, the only notable female in the testosterone-charged cast, was also great comedy relief as the "woman of a certain age" who has fallen head over heels over Damon's character - with a prosthetic nose, no less.

And the Oprah segments are incredibly hilarious, yet pretty inspiring!

Overall a satisfactory movie experience, and a breath of fresh air amidst all the CGI-infested summer blockbuster sequels. Great for guys and gals alike.

苏打绿

2007-06-02T22:09:00.000+08:00

Went for 苏打绿's autograph session today.

The turnout was pretty small (about 200 people), but that wasn't unexpected. They are a relatively new breakout indie band, and sales for their first album was so poor that they could not get a distributor for their second album. Their popularity only picked up when UFM100.3 started giving airplay to their now well-known hit, <<小情歌>>. YES93.3 soon followed suit, and now they have a decent and growing following in Singapore.

A pity though, their second album still isn't available in Singapore (besides the cheapo PRC version), despite the critical acclaim - it garnered 7 major nominations in the Taiwan Golden Melody Awards, including best composer/lyricist/producers/band - and commercial success in their native Taiwan.

From left to right: Emcee DJ 于玲, Drummer 小威, Acoustic guitarist 阿福, Electric guitarist 家凱, Bassist 馨儀, Vocalist 青峯. Absent: Pianist/Violinist 阿龔

I bought the Taiwanese version of their first two albums there, but passed on the 4 singles/EPs. Not so rich lah. Had intended to get their albums long ago, ever since I heard their second album in its entirety and was so utterly floored. Anyway I got their concert tix as well. Guess I'm a little 苏打绿-crazy at the moment. Too bad nobody else can/wants to go for their concert...

Before today, I only recognised their vocalist 吳青峯, who is famous for his distinctive androgynous voice and singing style. Got to know the rest a little better today. All of them are pretty academically talented, having graduated from 政大 in Taiwan, where they first met and formed the band. Incidentally, 陳珊妮 and 陳綺貞 are also alumni of 政大. Pedigree lor. Their lyrics all 'power' one.

They only performed 3-4 songs today as 青峯 was feeling unwell. They didn't even bring along their instruments, except for an acoustic guitar which they took turns to strum along to. It was extremely disappointing, how can a band perform without instruments...

But they were very down-to-earth, and 青峯 was apologising to everyone as he autographed the albums. He's quite cute when he smiles, but abit gay. Haha. But who cares, when he's so immensely talented - can sing and compose (both melody and lyrics) with such flair. I even overheard quite a few girls telling him that they like him a lot, and he's by far the most popular member in the band.

I was wondering why 青峯 so 'extra', sign on the cover while the rest signed on the inner sleeve. Then I realised it's his picture on the cover! Good thing he has the nicest autograph that goes really well with the rest of the cover. Notice the heart on the left?

Haven't really listened to their debut album, but based on their sophomore effort, their music has a certain alluring "rawness" whilst brimming with energy. Maybe that's what you call "raw energy". It sounds abit alternative (mainly due to the unconventional vocals) but the melodies are very catchy, and the lyrics are brilliant. Not Mayday-style witty or ingenious, but intellectual in their own right. I got hooked on the first listen, and have yet to tire after n replays.

So yep, 苏打绿 is on the way to dethroning F.I.R. and Mayday as my favourite band, and for good reason. Their GMA nominations alone speak volumes of their musicianship, as well as technical and production excellence. Go listen for yourselves!

Overbloated POTC

2007-05-31T21:42:00.000+08:00

You can never have too much of a good thing (e.g. $$). So when you feel something is too much, it probably isn't a good thing. "Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End" is one of those instances when a movie tries to stuff in too much for its own good.

Clocking in at 2 hours 48 min of swashbuckling action, it's way overbloated. You probably wouldn't fall asleep, but it does get you wondering at some point when it is ever going to get down to serious business and quit dilly-dallying around, like Captain Jack Sparrow.

Many people can't seem to get enough of Johnny Depp, who reprises his role as the most famous pirate since Captain Hook. But the producers probably got a little too carried away this time round. What you get is too much, or rather, too many Jack Sparrows, in dubious scenes reminiscent of a certain 'Hougang Chalet'. Otherwise, Depp is dependable as always to deliver an excellent performance and draw in the big bucks.

Double/triple-crossing also happens more often than in any mafia movie, with characters switching allegiances at the snap of a finger. Which can be pretty confusing if you are wondering who's on who's side, and sometimes you're not sure if they're even making sense. It all just seems a little contrived. Or rather, there are too many "hidden agendas" giving rise to a number of convoluted and awkward plot twists.

Cast-wise, apart from Depp, Chow Yun Fat (Sao Feng) and Geoffrey Rush (Barbosa), most of the other leads put in mediocre performances. Keira Knightley (Elizabeth) shows some guts, but her looks probably get more attention than her acting. Orlando Bloom (Will) is forgettable, and a much bigger vase than Knightley. Naomie Harris (Tia) was superb in her cameo in Dead Man's Chest, but brings nothing much to this movie. Tom Hollander (Lord Beckett) is a little too sissy for my tastes, and can't positively command the screen as the biggest villain in the trilogy.

That is not to say the movie is worthless. As with its predecessors, the sets, action and effects are meticulously designed and brilliantly executed. Humour, fortunately, is sustained, thanks in large part to the many sidekick characters, including a monkey and a parrot. The rousing score and haunting theme ('Hoist the Colours') also stand out. If the producers could just trim the excesses, and cut it down to a lean and mean 2 hours, it might have been a more worthy conclusion to this popular trilogy.

Anyway, everyone's gonna watch it regardless of the reviews, so I wouldn't even bother to recommend it (or not). But at 47% on Rotten Tomatoes, you might do well to curtail your expectations before entering the theatres.

Incentive

2007-05-26T18:42:00.000+08:00

You'd quickly understand why a socialist system wouldn't work as an NSF. Simply because there's no incentive to work in such a system. Whether you chaogeng all the way, or slog till you drop, you get (almost) the same pay, which is determined based on your rank, rather than the amount of work you do.

We are all pragmatic people - most of us are, anyway. So what happens when you see people chaogeng but end up getting the same remuneration as you? Worse still, you sometimes have to cover their s**t for them because they are "unfit" to carry out their duties? You naturally feel that you have been shortchanged, and end up losing the motivation to work, your morale sinks, and sooner or later, you ask yourself whether it's worth working so hard for... nothing.

That's precisely what's happening a lot in this organisation. Simply put, there is no incentive to work here. There are so many people on some kind of long-term status (some genuine, but mostly not, I suspect), or who have downgraded, it's as if the "chaogeng virus" has become an epidemic. And ironically, it's the "healthy" people who suffers.

Take the coy line signallers for example. Excluding S coy, there are 9 of us, and 1 has downgraded, 1 is pending downgrade, 5 are on some sort of status (mostly back and knee problems), which leaves 2 fighting fit. I am one of these 2. But it's not as if I haven't thought about getting a status or downgrading, after seeing the cushy life my counterparts are living. No PT, no SOC, no IPPT, no chionging with the manpack on 4D3N outfields.

It's really difficult to stay positive and overlook the amount of extra work you are doing while getting no additional incentive. But I guess since I have already endured for so long, and there's only 2 months left till end of ATEC, I might as well finish this and leave NS with my head held high, knowing that I did not choose the easy way out.

That's not to say I am a saint. As and when it's possible, I try to evade any arrows sent in my direction, and try to get away with doing the minimum that is expected of me (which is still a lot, btw). At the end of the day, as long as I have fulfilled my own duties and obligations, and not inconvenienced others by shirking my personal responsibilities, I think I can give myself a pat on the shoulder. That's my interpretation of "integrity".

Voices

2007-05-20T21:13:00.000+08:00

Just got hold of these albums from two of the most talented and acclaimed female singer-composers in the mandopop scene today. My wallet is bleeding, but they totally deserve the support. Highly recommended!

And I am loving sodagreen more and more by the day!

Not to forget my latest recommendation from Stef's album. Interesting lyrics.

飘着
作词:陈镇川作曲:李伟菘

空气中呼吸都凝着
我让思考放空
看你转身上楼
我知道这就是答案了
还能怎么感受
那残余的温柔

当黑夜清晰过白昼
当快乐赔上了所有
当理智熬不过放纵
你的神色什么都淡了
我还守着爱飘着

da la la la...

你回头就像往常笑着
好像在原谅我
绑住你的自由

当黑夜清晰过白昼
当快乐赔上了所有
当理智熬不过放纵
我的神色什么都算了
却还守着爱飘着

错在明知是错
快乐该怎么选择
我爱错我只能选择沉默
不该嘶吼

当盲目的黑夜清晰过白昼
当奢侈的快乐赔上了所有
当假装的理智熬不过放纵
每个路口怎么转都错
我进退不得谁救我

飞不进你梦中偷一点感受
飞不回原来我冰冷的躯壳
就这样漂浮着悲伤的穿梭
感觉掏空灵魂不在了
爱情突然失重在飘着

da la la la...

Solo. Cynic.

2007-05-18T23:08:00.000+08:00

Just visited the class blog and seems like the rest had lots of fun last Sat. Oh well, once again, I couldn't make it. This must be the nth class activity I've missed. I am either stuck in camp, sick at home, or too lazy/tired to join them.

Except for the "stuck in camp" part which happens ever so often, I realise perhaps I just haven't been making an effort. To begin with, I never was that outgoing, and close to that many people. I'm perfectly comfortable with just a small group of good friends, and usually happy to be left alone.

I work well in a team, and I do enjoy it immensely from time to time. But sometimes if given a choice, I'd rather work alone. Unless if it's with people of the "same frequency", it can be very frustrating getting everyone to agree and cooperate.

But then again, I am not that stand-offish, lah. It just depends on the company, and the "chemistry". When I don't clique with someone, I don't see the need to compel myself to clique. I just end up being curt, but of course never in a rude way, and I try to be nice though maybe a little pretentious. It takes a while for me to warm up to others, and there are certain things I'd prefer to keep to myself still. Perhaps it's because of these personal inclinations, I'm not one to probe or show overt concern for even my best of friends. But that doesn't mean I don't care.

It's really quite tricky, this interpersonal business. I find messages like "don't worry, we'll always be there for you" pretentious, but then again, that's my personal bias (as a cynic), so I know I should not impose that judgement on others. A lot of people say I have too many cynical thoughts, but I just can't help it! At least I'm not bad-mouthing people behind their backs while pretending to be their friend, or backstabbing people. If I don't like you, I won't tell you in your face, but you should catch my drift pretty easily.

Solo-ists and cynics are never popular, and I know this only too well. But I don't need everyone to like me. Those who put on a mask every day just so everyone likes them are even more pathetic, no?

Bridge to Terabithia

2007-05-11T21:48:00.000+08:00

Watched this movie on a date with aik joon today. Was deliberating between this and "28 Weeks Later"- both well-reviewed new releases - but opted against the latter as aj didn't want something gory.

Anyway "Bridge"'s trailer is highly misleading, but I already knew this before entering the theatre, so I couldn't say I was tricked into watching it. Touting it as "from the producers of the Chronicles of Narnia" and focusing mainly on the visual effects of a colourful fantasy world (by WETA of LOTR fame) , its accomplishment as a "powerful portrayal of love, loss, and imagination" (Rotten Tomatoes) is greatly understated.

To quote more reviews (since I'm lazy to think and can't possibly express myself as well as these critics):

"Everyone involved genuinely seems to believe in the power of imagination to enliven -- and enlighten -- the darkest realities, and that's a magic this film captures beautifully" -New York Daily News

"The beloved children's book has not just survived but thrived in its adaptation to the screen, its delicate combination of coming-of-age angst, tragedy and fantasy handled with assurance and taste" -Washington Post

"Elaborately mounted, expensively produced and filmed with style and empathy" -Chicago Tribune

So if you are looking for action a la "Narnia" or "LOTR", you might be sorely disappointed. But otherwise, it's a heartwarming (and at times, heartwrenching) film worth seeing, albeit on DVD and not in the theatres.

And finally, I shall leave you with this quote:

"Terabithia picks up a lot of emotional punch as it rolls along, and anyone leaving the theater with a dry eye should be checked for a pulse" -Detroit News

For the record, there was no need to check for a pulse in my case. ;)

Birthday, Spidey, Tank

2007-05-06T15:24:00.000+08:00

Happy birthday, aik joon!!! He seems to have bad blood (pun unintended) with mosquitoes, for them to give him dengue twice and now malaria (both mosquito/blood-borne diseases, if you didn't get what the pun was about). I'm pretty sure he now shares my abomination for mosquitoes.

Jinny, zejia and I popped by his house today midnight (0000hrs) to give him a birthday surprise. We had a birthday cake and song, like what we did for zejia's birthday (albeit in the dying seconds and with a really miserable slice of cake). Hope we can carry on the "tradition", though we should opt for less fattening cakes in the future. LOL.

Watched "Spiderman 3" on thursday. A bare bones review would have read something like this: The action and CGI rocked but the plot and dialogue sucked, esp. in comparison to the critically-acclaimed sequel.

But for most of us action junkies, the many well-choreographed and executed action sequences would have been a real blast. It's almost non-stop action peppered with crappy dialogue (except , probably, for Aunt Mae's wise words), many subplots, and comic relief moments. There are attempts at characterisation, especially with Sandman, but having time split between 3 villains meant they aren't (or couldn't be) as well developed as Dr. Oc in spidey2. Can't have the best of both worlds, I guess, unless you're talking about the LOTR trilogy by Peter Jackson, which took three 3-hour++ films.

I thought Toby Maguire (Spidey) put in a credible performance, switching between wide-eyed earnestness and the darker venom-consumed spidey pretty convincingly (apart from the comical interlude). Kirsten Durst (MJ), as usual, could not extricate herself from the sobbing/screaming vase stereotype of the fairer sex in male hero comics. But she shares a chemistry with Maguire, developed over three movies, and that's great.

Went back to HC to watch Tank's school concert (free) after the movie, and I was pretty impressed. Not because he was a great 'live' singer, but because, to quote zejia, "he sang seriously, making sure every 尾音, 拉音, 假音 and every 转音 was done probably...the thing I had felt most today was his sincerity and the effort (he) put(s) in when he sings". 认真的男人最吸引人。Yep, plus he's humble, and I can see how his down-to-earth demeanor easily endears him to his audience.

One more day of rest tomorrow, and it's back to camp.

I'll stand by you

2007-05-06T15:15:00.000+08:00

A beautiful song in a meaningful context. Like aik joon said, there are so many others who are suffering out there while we enjoy ourselves, or sleep peacefully at night. Do something.

Mood swings

2007-05-04T00:16:00.000+08:00

I've been having mood swings lately. Not the PMS kind, obviously. Just that I'm usually jovial and rational out of camp, but in low spirits and irritable within.

The past few weeks have been hectic and tumultous. So I'm thankful for a short break this week, which also explains my lighter mood. Went back to read my previous posts and I really seem like a different person in some of them. Not to say I regret what I've written, or that my opinion has changed, just that the way some of it was expressed is so... not me.

But it's probably the spontaniety of these posts that reflects the most genuine of feelings, at least at that point in time. Something more politically-correct and mundane would have resulted had more rumination gone into them, and there goes the beauty of blogging, isn't it, when everything is embellished and rationalised?

Like today, I was all prepared to talk about feeling fortunate and blessed compared to people in third world countries and all, so I should complain less and be grateful for all that I have, which is so very true - and so easy to say when you are not thrusted into all that shit. But then I realised, when you are in the thick of it, all the negativity comes in and you forget about the lofty statements.

So, unless you have experienced what others are experiencing, get off your high horse and don't try to judge them by your standards. You say you can empathise, but you can't unless you've been through it yourself. Don't assume you know, because to assume is to make an ass out of u and me.

梦游

2007-04-29T18:13:00.000+08:00

作词:严云农作曲:古晧

穿过时光机器我一定可以再遇见你
循着钢琴声找到你迷惑的神情
不够高的身影计算着与梦想的差距
看你努力奔跑但是终点在哪里?

未来总很神秘
有暴风雨也有好天气
你曾经可以选择轻易放弃

dala… 感谢你没有忘记做你自己

跌倒时受的伤
在我身上有相同痕迹
发现我的笑容成长在你哭泣里

未来会很神奇
会经历爱也学会期待
虽然有很多怀疑你不明白

dala… 幸福的答案我也还没解开

sol sol ti sol sol do 约定好醒来之后
要再次回到未来陪我梦游

Only realised the brilliance of the lyrics after I read the zaobao interpretation.

If you still don't get it, the lyrics is about the protagonist ("我") going back in time to see his/her younger self ("你").

The idea is damn cool! I wonder what it would be like if we can do the same - look on our younger selves and marvel at how much we have changed, how stupid we had been, and how things might have been different had we acted differently.

Retail Therapy in May

2007-04-13T21:13:00.000+08:00

久违的許哲珮终于要发片了！5月3日。期待ing。

听了S.H.E.的新歌也觉得不错。5月11日。不过应该还是不会买吧。

樱桃帮紧接着在5月15日发片。观望态度。

And Linkin Park's long-awaited "Minutes to Midnight"!

Grouchy

2007-04-05T21:14:00.000+08:00

Lack of sleep really does make one grouchy. And when you are grouchy, you say things that you don't mean, or shouldn't say (even if you mean them). I was a little too confrontational for my own good today, but I was simply overwhelmed by the feelings I have been trying to suppress. Not good, but things are getting so frustrating that I might have reacted likewise even if I were more sober.

Oh btw, it seems that we're going to Wallaby after ATEC and AHM. Which means no rest until ORD. Yeah.

The only consolation is in knowing that the clock is ticking inexorably towards ORD.

逆光 Track by Track

2007-04-01T19:08:00.000+08:00

《逆光》是孙燕姿出道7年的第十张专辑，也是她加盟Capitol的第一张大碟，自然备受瞩目。庆幸的，她并没有让我们失望。选曲方面，以快歌‘逆光’主打，抒情曲贯穿，再融入几首中快板歌曲，兼顾各方口味，轻易屡获听者的心。重点是，此番词曲俱佳，旋律琅琅上口，词亦容易引起共鸣，不失为一张非常耐听的佳作。这几天反复播放了不下二十遍，不但没听腻，反而越听越是味道！

逆光：初听时印象不怎样，尤其对词无动于衷。不过听了几次后，觉得旋律与编曲还是可圈可点的。渐进渐强的编曲带出了歌曲的大气，磅礴的气势富感染力，仿佛在燕姿的声音中看到了希望。励志元素充沛，简单来说是首feel good song。非常符合燕姿正面形象的首波主打。

梦游：难得的气质小品，童真与古典韵味浓厚，是燕姿广受好评的新鲜尝试。如果你喜欢林忆莲的‘纸飞机’，应该也会喜欢这首歌淳朴、淡淡的味道。

咕叽咕叽：另一首广受好评的作品。继‘直来直往’之后，另一首有点无厘头，却又天马行空，令人发笑的中快版歌曲。节奏强劲，中段却突转慢拍，更给人不按牌理出牌的感觉。俏皮的rap也增添了好玩的指数。

我怀念的：第二波抒情主打，典型的‘姿式’情歌。副歌词曲深入人心（我怀念的是无话不说/我怀念的是一起作梦/我怀念的是争吵以后还是想要爱你的冲动），是容易让人产生共鸣的失恋疗伤情歌。

安宁：编曲简单，前面acoustic得很有味道。整首歌起伏不大，淡淡的哀愁却依旧动人。

漂着：燕姿拿手的抒情摇滚。很棒的词（当黑夜清晰过白昼/当快乐赔上了所有/当理智熬不过放纵...爱情突然失重/在漂着），较逆光还震撼的编曲，极富张力的声线穿透人心。

爱情的花样：听了比较没有感觉的中快板歌曲。i 周刊说是“复古电子风”，挺新鲜的。前面似外语的部分其实是‘直来直往’中的rap in reverse，不知有谁听出来了？

漩涡：很不容易唱的抒情曲，看来燕姿真假音转换的功力已登峰造极！Climax的部分感慨激昂，整首歌却不失委婉气质，赞！

需要你：另一首慢热、安静的抒情曲。副歌记忆度高，后段弦乐丰富的编曲更能牵动人心。

关于：文案形容为‘冷調英式抒情’，不过总觉得编曲太过有规律，旋律重复性也太多，加上平铺直叙的诠释，比较没有感动度。

这是一张第一次听可能不会动容的专辑。不过仔细聆听几遍，应该会体会每首歌曲里耐人寻味的地方。

推荐曲目：梦游、咕叽咕叽、漂着、漩涡

=(

2007-03-31T11:00:00.000+08:00

Not a great week.

Promotion got postponed again. 2 full months! After n disappointments. Loss of income: >$100.

One of the platoon runners down again. Reported sick on Wednesday to prevent "complications". Got pierced by 4 syringes before the medics got the IV drip right. Plus an injection. That's 5 needles. OMG. I think my "needle-phobia" is gone.

Received news that our JC1 Chem relief tutor had passed away. So sudden. Shocking. Suicide, apparently. The second acquaintance to go down that path, and it affected me for a while. It's hard to believe they're gone, because the memories I have of them are those of them smiling, talking to me.

"Late" book-out yesterday. We had nothing to do after lunch, but they just had to hold us back, conduct a standby, then make us have dinner, before letting us go after 7pm. Couldn't even attend Miss Wee's wake because of the late bookout.

Most other coys had the sense not to indent dinner and allow an early book-out. But welfare was never synonymous with 'K'. It irked me, to have to while away time stoning in bunk, seeing other coys book out. For FIVE full hours. To them, our time is probably worthless (we're paid the same whether we book out early or late anw).

And it's not just this once. This happens ALL the time. And they just add up, causing resentment, disillusionment and low morale. No prizes for guessing which is the most underperforming coy, with the most people on status, ATT C and chaogeng mentality.

I'm tired.

Farewell, old dame!

2007-03-25T17:01:00.000+08:00

This past week has been pretty eventful.

After 4 days of outfield, numerous mosquito bites, and a golden (or rather, brown) tan, I think I've become more accustomed to the wilderness.

Well, having been through the crap (a grave understatement, I assure you) on Tuesday on behalf of someone who decided to chaogeng, in a position I am not trained and hence ill-prepared for, you'd think it can't get very much worse henceforth. As if. Next week is another 4-day outfield week, and there are lots more coming up.

I wonder how much longer I can hold out if they continue to subject me to such "generous" treatment. My back has already begun to ache from those n-hour manpack expeditions. And the other two signallers are already down; almost 1/3 of the coy is on some status, and more people are flocking to get ATT C on Mondays. But it appears it still hasn't dawned on them that there is a problem somewhere...

Anyway it was Zejia's birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday, Bro!!!

Had fun at the sing-along session at the National Stadium, you can read more about it on Zejia's blog. What a way to pay tribute to the Grand Old Dame, and bid her a fond farewell.

Not too long ago, we were slogging away building the grand stands for NDP, then marshalling, and finally witnessing the grand finale on National Day. But by National Day this year, she would be no more. Sad sia. Took quite a few pictures for keepsake.

Just a random thought. Singapore is realy small! Saw another signaller and his gf, as well as the PL5 people yesterday. It's almost impossible not to bump into someone familiar when you are along Orchard Road, or the City Hall-Suntec-Marina Square stretch. How pathetic right, like there's nowhere else to go. Which is partly the reason I want to go overseas for my studies. We all need to leave behind the well to embrace the skies, someday.

The track-by-track review of Stef's new album should be up by next week. It's a FANTABULOUS album! Zzyo has a nice review on his blog, so much better than the one in zaobao... He should start writing 乐评 for them lor.

The Lives of Others

2007-03-18T20:24:00.000+08:00

Caught this oscar-winning foreign (German) film at The PictureHouse today and it had greater emotional impact for me than the equally acclaimed (and fellow academy award nominee) Pan's Labyrinth. I'll leave you to read the reviews on Rotten Tomatoes (95% positive!) but it really is a thought-provoking and moving movie which is not that arthouse at all.

Despite being set in Cold War era East Germany, its themes are pretty contemporary and relevant to our world today. The synopsis introduces it as a "political thriller and human drama", and it is very much so. It explores the complexities of human nature in a subtle but poignant manner that leaves you pondering, and ruminating even after the credits roll.

Life is so often about the lives of others. Of people we love, hate, desire, aspire to, or even those we (claim we) can't be bothered about. We derive vicarious pleasure from reading books and blogs, watching TV and movies, and learning about the experiences of others. We see through their eyes, learn to understand their perspectives, and enrich ourselves with their little anecdotes and life stories. We get affected, and we empathise. We give, and we take.

But we live for ourselves (and some might say our loved ones), make our own decisions (when we are old enough), and come to bear the consequences of these decisions. Follow your whims, not. Follow the whims of others, never. We should all learn to think for ourselves and not be puppets of others, or the system. But Singaporeans are too pampered, sheltered and well taken care of by our Big Brother. For better or worse.

To quote a common army phrase: "Wake Up Your Idea!!!"

Choices

2007-03-15T20:50:00.000+08:00

Hmmmm... now that I have a choice, I really need to contemplate my options.

Seems like everyone is flocking to the states, but UK is so much easier (the familiar system, that is). European vacation every summer! And watching EPL live! at Stamford Bridge (if I can get tix, that is). Vs the vast America - Grand Canyon, Hollywood... And NBA live. London vs NY. Ooh, the possibilities and promise of each.

Waiting for more decisions, and hopefully I'll end up with a bigger headache. Choices choices choices.

Outfield

2007-03-10T16:07:00.000+08:00

Had a 3D2N outfield this week, after relaxing for most of the past month. I guess I've lost touch with the feeling of being covered with grime, sweat, camou, and lugging the signal set around, because I felt really terrible.

At the end of the 3 days, we were supposed to bash our way back to camp (3km) but the sergeants who were leading us 'horlan'-ed (lost the way) and it eventually took 4 hours (6.30pm - 10.30pm) of trekking before we finally arrived. It was dark most of the way, but we stumbled (I mean it in the most literal sense coz I tripped n times) along, up hills and down slopes, through muddy and wet terrain, and all the while, I was carrying roughly 16kg (>25% of my weight, or rather, mass) of load. My shoulders and back ached, my breathing got heavier, but seldom did we stop to rest because we (or rather, the ones who weren't as exhausted coz they were carrying much lighter loads) wanted to reach camp asap. I didn't even have dinner because we were supposed to have it back in camp, but hunger cannot compare with the fatigue and frustration of getting lost in the vast wilderness.

The thought of "is this worth it?" crossed my mind for the umpteenth time. While many others are having a (relatively) cushy NS life, here I am, getting the same (or slightly more, or even less) pay, but doing so much more.

Then there are those who are excused from all the shit because they suffer from various (often self-proclaimed) ailments - the easiest way out. It's no surprise that an increasing (and alarming) number of people are trodding down that path, getting downgraded and all. Who's to blame? Wouldn't you want to do likewise when you see your fellow "comrades" sleeping in the bunk while you sweat it all out for nothing in return except for more taskings and reproval?

Enough groaning already, yes, I should learn to grow up, thank you. Anyway most of that negativity disappeared when I got back to camp, showered, and devoured a bowl of piping hot noodles at almost 2am after settling all the signal stores and cleaning arms. Pure bliss, that, I tell you, and the comfort of a bed with bedsheets that haven't been changed for 2 weeks.

That negativity would probably surface again when I next go outfield but for now, I am holding out, body aching and all. I know nothing is fair in this world, and I have been far more fortunate than most, so who am I to complain? Now if only the pimples that erupted all over my face after this icky outfield would disappear and I would be a happy man. =P

CNY Wish List

2007-03-02T22:08:00.000+08:00

I posted my CNY wish list 2 weeks ago and I've actually fulfilled most of it within the past 2 weeks.

1. Nice buffet - CHECK
Had a company steamboat at Marina Bay yesterday. Should qualify since it's buffet style, but it wasn't exactly nice. Too much meat (I love my veges!) and the fumes are a real put-off.

2. Dreamgirls - CHECK
Decent movie, though Jennifer Hudson's performance is a little overhyped IMO. I think she went OTT (over the top) at quite a few parts. Beyonce's rendition of "Listen" is more my cup of tea, plus she's such eye candy, I wouldn't blame Jamie Foxx's character for choosing her instead of Hudson. Eddie Murphy is refreshing in a non-comedy role, though I think he didn't deserve to win a best supporting actor oscar, which he didn't. It may be (based on) a musical but it's pretty accessible fare with pop-ish songs & choreography, and a straightforward plot which raises some issues like racial discrimination against coloured people.

3. Letters from Iwo Jima - CHECK
I rented Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" to watch over the CNY break, which might have diminished the impact of "Letters" somewhat when I watched it yesterday. The latter is co-produced by Spielberg (I think not many people know this since the film is largely credited to Clint Eastwood). There was a sense of deja vu here and there, though I thought "Letters" is more polished (in terms of the cinematography and production) and raw (in terms of the portrayal and material) at the same time, had more depth, better characterisation, and a more poignant storyline.

It also reinforced certain war stereotypes (*Spoiler*such as in the scene where the Japanese soldiers brutally stabbed their American POW *Spoiler*) and then demolished some (*Spoiler* such as the Japanese officer who cared for his American captive while the American soldier killed the Japanese deserters *Spoiler*), which is not unexpected - but laudable nonetheless - given the fact that the film is told from the Japanese perspective. It's a refreshing take, and serves to dispel the entrenched misgivings arising from the often one-sided portrayal of all Japanese soldiers as cruel and inhuman.

Incidentally, "Days of Glory", another war film I wrote about in a previous entry, was also nominated for an Oscar in best foreign film. In hindsight, it is apparent that it borrowed heavily from "Saving Private Ryan", and the only thing original about it was probably its theme of racial discrimination (again) in the French army. I personally feel it didn't deserve an oscar nomination.

4. Just Follow Law - CHECK
Typical Jack Neo fare, though it is sub-par when compared to his previous works like "I Not Stupid". It does a laudable job poking fun at the rigidity & ludicrousness of some of our government agencies, policies, and civil servants, but that was more of an appetiser which whetted the audience's appetite only to let us down with the equally ludicrous body-switch formula. The only saving grace is perhaps Fann Wong's performance which alone is worth the price of a ticket, albiet a weekday ($7) one.

5. Tank - 延長比賽 (改版) - X
Yet to be released in Singapore.

6. 曹格 - Superman (改版) - CHECK
7. 張惠妹 - 愛的力量 10年情歌最精選 - CHECK
Just got these 2 albums. Might post some impressions of "Superman" later on.

8. Norah Jones - Not Too Late - X
I think I will wait for the "Special Edition". Anyway I am quite broke already after all that splurging (see checked items above).

Next up, Stef's new album, Avril Lavigne's new album - Best Damn Thing, and the summer blockbusters (all those sequels!).

One final thought: SEX sells. After Stanley Huang's album topped the Taiwan G-Music sales charts by stripping, Peter Ho does the same. Poor Singapore's Yida, who is obviously more talented than Ho, can't even manage a top 10. Sigh.

逆光

2007-02-28T23:04:00.000+08:00

Playing in the sidebar is the first single in Stefanie's latest album. You heard it here first! (unless you heard it on 93.3FM earlier today...) Took n listens before I started warming to the song.

Stef's characteristic 甩音 is missing, there's less use of 转音 (portamento), and it may feel weird to have so many 拉音 without 抖音(vibrato) for those not accustomed to her style. For the record, Stef has never used vibrato - a common and overused technique - right from her very first album, which makes me wonder if she's trying to be unique, or just doesn't know how...

逆光

也许我一直害怕有答案
也许爱静静在风里打转
离开释怀很短暂又重来
有时候自问自答

我不要困难把我们挤散
我责备自己那么不勇敢
遗憾没有到达拥抱过还是害怕
用力推开你我依然留下

有一束光那瞬间是什么痛得刺眼
你的视线是谅解为什么舍不得熄灭
我逆着光却看见

那是泪光那力量我不想再去抵挡
面对希望逆着光感觉爱存在的地方
一直就在我身旁
(光芒你是光芒)

我以为我能后退反复证明
这份爱有多不对
背对着你如此漆黑忍住眼泪
睁开眼打开窗才发现你就是光芒

I had high expectations for the lyrics because the title 逆光 (against the light) conjured many splendid imageries in my mind, but the lyrics here just don't work for me. Too literal, and a little contrived in certain parts in an apparent effort to achieve the oh-so-important rhyme. In short: 不够诗情画意，意境过于肤浅. Well, at least it's not about hackneyed, sappy love.

Gong Hei FAT Choy

2007-02-22T10:19:00.000+08:00

Hmmm it's 初五 already! Time flies when you're having fun. But actually, this CNY hasn't been so fun after all. Besides all the flashy new clothes, ang pow, and good food, CNY has become a mundane affair for me. It's not that I don't value tradition, or think celebrating CNY is passe, but I'm not particularly close to my relatives so 拜年 isn't all that fun.

There's only so much niceties you can exchange, and perennial topics like marriage and kids have become taboo when you know people are too old to get married anymore, it'd only embarrass both parties to ask. I really envy those families that gamble/play mahjong over CNY as it really brings up the festive spirit, and helps kill time.

In recent years, attention at CNY gatherings has been diverted variously to my cousin's dog, and this year, to my 9-month old niece. She's so cute and cuddly, I only resisted the urge to pinch her for fear that she'd cry. My mum told me that it's just because there's hardly anything to hold a conversation about, so woo-ah-ing over the baby would relieve the awkward situation, and I wholly agree with her. Luckily, I brought my Naruto manga along this year, so I didn't have to stone on the sofa pretending to watch TV, gorge myself with CNY goodies, or attempt to join the conversation.

Speaking of CNY goodies, I've been eating so much that I have put on 2kg (FAT!) over these past few weeks! It's a wonder I still have my voice. But nvm, I will be working hard to shed those kilos for the rest of the week, in preparation for the monstrous training schedule coming up. This is probably the last long break we will get before ATEC ends, so there's nothing to be envious about.

Manga!

2007-02-17T10:48:00.000+08:00

Wasn't particularly busy but I didn't blog last week coz life is getting increasingly mundane. Spent most of it reading Naruto, and I am finally beginning to realise the appeal of manga. They are so much easier to read than books, and there's no need to mentally visualise the scenes because of the graphic presentation. No worries of being labelled a nerd for reading manga as well, so it's the perfect in-camp reading material apart from common fodder such as FHM and Maxim.
CNY is coming up, along with block leave the whole of next week. Don't have any plans yet, but I'd most probably be summoned back to camp for 1-2 days (sian...). For the rest of the days, with my pocket lined with ang pow money and the $100 from the gahmen as announced in the '07 Budget, I think I would be splurging on food, movies and CDs.

So instead of a new year resolution list I am destined to not fulfil, I shall have a new year wish list which is so much more achievable. LOL.

Nice buffet
Dreamgirls
Letters from Iwo Jima
Just Follow Law
Tank - 延長比賽 (改版)
曹格 - Superman (改版)
張惠妹 - 愛的力量 10年情歌最精選
Norah Jones - Not Too Late

Stef's new album 逆光 is slated for a Mar 21 release and that's the one I am really looking forward to.

I'm so hedonistic and materialistic, I realise. But when you're not exactly enjoying your job, earning peanuts and unable to quit, you do need to seek an emotional outlet. And retail therapy in my case provides relief and keeps me happy, so it's all worth it, I guess.

People

2007-02-03T11:42:00.000+08:00

This has been a good week, except for a minor glitch yesterday.

It's really the people around me who made my week. It feels good to have a casual chat or just friendly banter with people who understand how you feel because they are basically in the same boat. Most of the sergeants are actually nice people, and given the fact that we share the same background (JC) and general mindset, it would have been natural to become friends if not for the hierarchical system that makes such relationships awkward and untenable.

Plus, I am back on course this week and most of next week! It's a pretty relac course, but the instructors and course material are a real bore. About the only thing that makes it worthwhile are the two teabreaks, which serve really good food. Argh, I am becoming fat, eating five meals a day, and with CNY coming up, all those CNY goodies.

Chatted with the other coy line signallers on course and there is a consensus that K coy is the worst - most (dumb) regulations and least welfare. I concede it's a blow, although this merely reaffirmed my suspicions. It's just difficult to accept that our lives are so drastically different when we are basically sleeping in adjacent and opposite blocks. It goes to show that it's not entirely the system, but more so the people (in this case the commanders) who decide how good/miserable life is for the men. And I just happen to have terrible luck.

Enough of mundane army stuff already. I have been too lazy to post reviews in recent weeks. Anyway I figured no one reads them. Bleh.

But there is an album I really want to recommend: Ayaka (絢香)'s First Message. Forget about "I believe", the song she composed that 石欣卉 ripped off. There's an abundance of other quality compositions in her debut album (15 tracks!), and she has a powerful and warm voice which does the material justice. For a 20-year-old, she really can sing! Her timbre and tone actually reminds me of Stef, which might explain why I took an instant liking to her when I heard her voice on the TV commercial. I am sure she will be the next Japanese diva to look out for.

Of Mosquitoes & MOs

2007-01-28T09:56:00.000+08:00

Apart from beginning with 'm-o-s', these two have something else in common - they can both be very irksome.

Anybody who has been outfield would know that mosquitoes are a soldier's biggest enemies. They come in droves (esp. in the cover of night), bite you all over the body, limbs and worse still your face (pray not the eyelids and lips), then merrily make their escape as it is near impossible to smack them in the darkness. The acute and pervasive itch, as well as incessant buzzing at the back of your ears are enough to deprive even the most exhausted of much-needed sleep.

This has prompted me to ponder the ecological role of mosquitoes. If this role is merely redundant and at best a nuisance, why has no effort been made to exterminate them? I am sure not only humans, but many animals, esp. those without hands (imagine not being able to smack or scratch!), would be grateful as well. But of course, I know it's impossible, since they have been around since prehistoric times and if what killed the dinos couldn't kill them, there is nothing much we can do, except to "spam" (as my sergeant puts it) insect repellant.

Some MOs (medical officers) can be equally annoying. Actually, this applies to doctors in general when they see NSFs. They tend to have the preconception that we are just trying to chaogeng (malinger), and dismiss even genuine cases. It is extremely difficult to get MCs as an NSF unless you've got a fever, and some of them don't even attempt to conceal their discriminatory tone and attitude ("why didn't you report earlier? you look fine what, you sure you sick? ask your MO if you need MC"), as if NSFs deserve less care and attention. So much for giving two years of our lives to the nation.

This is probably not a revelation for most, as not so long ago, there was a big hoohah over an NSF who died of a flesh-eating virus which was not discovered earlier because the doctor (allegedly) dismissed him as a malingerer. I am not in the least surprised, and I am pretty sure many NSFs would have had similar experiences. I do concede that there are many rotten apples who "spoil the market", but this does not mean that ALL of us should be penalised and regarded as such without proper assessment.

Of course, there are still many good doctors around, and I respect them for their professionalism in regarding all patients as equals. For those who (blatantly) discriminate against NSFs, it just shows that they have failed to live up to their ethical pledge and professional obligations. Maybe they have forgotten that all NSFs become civilians one day and they should and will be sorry, because they can count on me to discount them as worthy doctors even when I regain my civilian status.