The Cure (confirmed)

Click here for confirmed dates by the weekend!

Iknowi'llneverreallygetinsideofyoutomakeyoureyescatchfirethewaytheyshould.

What good does it do?

I am trying my best to nurse myself bacak to health from a bout of sore throat, flu, slight fever and cough. Why is it that this virus that is being passed from person to person hitting this part of the world only in May?

And how to convince a Mum who insist on talking and talking, staying up late for the sake of staying up late and hence passing her germs to the rest of the family that she should just shut the blinking hell up and go sleep. So that she can recover and everyone can just have some peace.

But once she recovers, she will continue talking and talking, staying up late for the sake of staying up late and.....why must the gods be so cruel as to create mothers?

HSBC Tree Top Walk

Update: A Vietnamese man in his 20s apparently died after a tree branch fell on him. He was killed near the exit of the Tree Top Walk of the Petaling Trail.

Was out with the guys at Venus Drive for a spot of the great outdoors. Had this planned for some time but was always postponed due to, well, you know, this and that.

Finally managed a period of relative calm in our schedule to get out there for the HSBC Tree Top Walk.

Thunderstorms threatened to fall on our parade but we decided to press on. Hence some of the guys brought along their brollies, just in case.
The walk was pretty ok. Moderate difficulty and quite achievable by the whole family. Parts of it was out in the open so it can get rather warm. While in the forested trails, the humidity can leave you drenched as well.There were a number of signs along the way. The "DO NOT FEED THE MONKEYS" sign was odd because the monkey seemed really happy when given a banana. Anyway, you can't feed bananas to the monkeys. You can feed them other stuff like chocolate, sandwiches etc etc.


We stopped at the Ranger Station before making the final push to the suspension bridge which is located about 250m from the Station. Took a group photo here. From Venus Drive carpark to the tree top walk it is about 2.5km. So depending on how you continue after the tree top walk, you can be walking more than 10km. We had a leisurely 6+ km walk.

This is the start of the tree top walk. The entire suspension bridge is about 250m and the highest "peak" from the forest floor up is about 25m. It's a one way bridge and the number of walkers allowed each time is limited. There are guards sitted at the entrance.

Took some more group shots...

The view along the bridge.
This is the view of bridge from the end. The entire bridge is empty now.





Thought it was a nice morning. Had lunch at the Casuarina Curry place. Fell asleep at home super fast after that.....

Forgive me Father...

Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. It's been almost 6 months since I ordered from Threadless. I ordered 10 t-shirts in total this time but of which only 6 are mine. There are so pretty Father.....so.....preeee.......ttttttty!!!!! I feel so weak......

I know there are only five designs....I got the Bleed Heart in two colours.....damn...
From left to right: Bleeding Heart, Poet-Trees, Fake Pandas Have More Fun, Holding Pattern and My Turn!

Please forgive me!!!

Threadless Summer Sale!

I've said it before and I'm saying it again.

It's the Threadless Summer Sale!!

Thru to 3 June 07.

Pirates Of The Caribbean 3

I should have kicked myself for not staying til the end of the credits. As usual, you get the little clip which is sorta like a reward for appreciating the Mr Graham Stuart who made the lemon meringue for a certain Mr Johnny Depp. So I made that up.

Anyway....stay til the end of the credits as you would for any of the pirates movie. You will be duly rewarded.

You can try looking for it on youtube but some if not most of them were deleted after Walt Disney complained.

Essentially.....*warning spoilers ahead* <---- obligatory (highlight with cursor) ________________________________________ The scene is at a rock outcrop and a little boy with Mrs Turner appears. I would assume that the boy is ten years old and fathered by Captain Will Turner. They are viewing the sunset together and when another green flash appears and dramatic music starts. You see Captain Will Turner grasping the rungs of a rope ladder as he waves at Liz Swann and the young boy onshore. So is the curse of the broken? Or will the Turners be able to meet only after a decade? ________________________________________

Anyway, never choose a businessman to lead a fleet. The knnbccb Lord Beckett is such a wussy. When he sees the Flying Dutchman and the Black Pearl turning their broadsides to his Endeavour, he suffered what probably was battle fatigue. But then again, he never fought. So he was shell-shocked. He should have realised that he will never get out alive without the help of Davy Jones and the Flying Dutchman.

The sillier thing was having this dithering Admiral asking the Lord for orders. Please.... a Lord may or may not have military experience or possess a military background. Not everyone is like Mr Teo Chee Hean. Heck, not only is he former military man, he was a navy man. Some are like Dr Tony Tan - a businessman. I am not saying Dr Tony Tan would have been shell-shocked like Lord Beckett. I honestly think that Dr Tony Tan is a brilliant person.

So why should an Admiral await orders from a Lord?

Anyway, if the obvious hint is to be taken seriously, there should be a Pirates Of The Caribbean 4 : Fountain Of Youth. Perhaps then the Turners can go bathe in it and be forever young. So 10 years meet one day don't matter to them anymore.

Nudies - now now one day this will be yours too

Nudies Straight Sven Dry Selvage aka SSDS.

Denim and jeans made in Italy. Designed in Sweden.

Drool!

Thanks to my lil' sis who's seeing more of Europe in her 6 months there compared to my 3 years. Doh!

被异忘的时光 - Forgotten Times

There are some voices in the chinese pop arena that are evergreen. Fei Yu Qing is one of them. Tsai Chin too. I cannot remember which movie was it that I watched that had this song. Maybe I've never watched a movie with this song. Maybe it was Hou Hsiao-Hsien's Three Times. Or was it The Protege?

But each time I hear this song, I imagine an old room that hasn't been used for some time. There is a grand old and ornate dresser. Pale ivory. A tarnished mirror. Aged by time. An open window with wooden frames overlooking a garden that had been left unkept. The day curtains billowing in the slight breeze. You move closer to the old gramophone and played the vinyl that was placed on the plate. A few crackles come through the speaker and you hear this song.....

是谁在敲打我窗 (who is rapping at my window)
是谁在撩动琴弦 (who is strumming those strings)
那一段被遗忘的时光 (those forgotten times)
渐渐地回升出我心坎 ( waveringly relived in the depths of my heart)

是谁在敲打我窗 (who is rapping at my window)
是谁在撩动琴弦 (who is strumming those strings)
记忆中那欢乐的情景 (those happy times residing in my memory)
慢慢的浮现在我的脑海 (slowly emerge in my mind)

那缓缓飘落的小雨 (the gentle fall of drizzle)
不停的打在我窗 (relentlessly pattering my window)
只有那沈默不语的我 (alone with my quietude)
不时的回想过去 (the memories engulf me)

I tried my lousy hand at translating. It shows that my language skills are silly. I got a B4 for English as 1st Language (hahahaha) and B3 for Mother Tongue.

For those who want to have a karaoke version.

Lewis Hamilton

How super is this young English lad who's taken the F1 world by storm. Making it to the podium on all his races this season. Conquering the track and street races alike as if he was a seasoned pro. Well, actually he is. A thoroughbred.

To have the same points as fellow McLaren team mate and last year's champion Alonso after five races is just amazing.

1001

From Independent Sources comes a list of the top ten unintentionally worst company URLs. I wonder how they managed to, umm, source for all these URLs. Independently? Not funny. But the list is very funny. It's like the Oral Me toothpaste mentioned by kenny sia.

By the way, people like Xiaxue, Kenny Sia and Mr Brown.....are they celebrity bloggers or blogging celebrities?

1. A site called ‘Who Represents‘ where you can find the name of the agent that represents a celebrity. Their domain name… wait for it… is
www.whorepresents.com

2. Experts Exchange, a knowledge base where programmers can exchange advice and views at
www.expertsexchange.com

3. Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at
www.penisland.net

4. Need a therapist? Try Therapist Finder at
www.therapistfinder.com

5. Then of course, there’s the Italian Power Generator company…
www.powergenitalia.com

6. And now, we have the Mole Station Native Nursery, based in New South Wales:
www.molestationnursery.com

7. If you’re looking for computer software, there’s always
www.ipanywhere.com

8. Welcome to the First Cumming Methodist Church. Their website is
www.cummingfirst.com

9. Then, of course, there’s these brainless art designers, and their whacky website:
www.speedofart.com

10. Want to holiday in Lake Tahoe? Try their brochure website at
www.gotahoe.com

My 1000th Post

This is my 1000th post.

I have 30 decks of pocker cards at home. Not running a gambling den and certainly I don't hold Friday Texas Hold'em nights.

I collect pocker cards. I especially love Piatnik ones. My first was a gift from Kenneth Seet who must be currently slogging his butt off in Seoul working as the First Secretary to the Embassy of South Korea and Mongolia (same office, two countries). He gave them to me in 2000 and I've been looking out for my cards to add to my collection. I don't have a lot from Piatnik because I don't really know where to buy them here. So I do want to look out for them when in Europe which isn't exactly a budget flight or ferry ride away.


The cards given by Kenneth were Piatnik Vienna Souvenir Playing Cards designed by Professor Kuno Hock under the Rococo Cards series under item number 2130. Being a souvenir pack, the reverse of the card features a painting of a building in Vienna. There are two decks in the set and Queen of Hearts is Marie Antoinette. This is considered my first.

And the most recent pack that mumsy bought me is one from Scotland. Normally I prefer to buy them myself because otherwise the significance and memory attached to each deck will be diminished.

There are duplicates in my collection. I have two of the same design from SIA and bought two of the same design from Malta. So I have less than 30 actually. Moreover some aren't even standard playing cards. I have a deck from Debs who bought them for me when her choir was performing around the Eastern European bloc. Piatnik 1813. Magyar Kártyák or Hungarian cards. I have yet to learn how to play this card game which uses only 32 cards.

I will show them in this blog some time later.

Rainie Yang!!!!

She's coming to Singapore this Tuesday!!!!

Here itinerary: clickety click

Here to promote her lesbo flick first silver screen appearance with the director, the movie is titled Spider Lillies.

I wonder how I'll feel seeing her writhing and kissing her fellow female co-star?

Hahahaha.....nice.

Rarity

I seldom put up chinese lyrics. Probably only those by female singers like Faye Wong, Angela Zhang and Rainie Yang.

This is a first. I was caught by the simple piano and accompanying violin. A little bit of drums and cymbals to bring things to a crescendo. But mostly, it was the black and white video with Eason impersonating Charlie Chaplin.

My impression of Charlie Chaplin is that of a person with alot of emotions but always putting on a personable front to bring down others' guard and not invite too many questions.

This is by Eason Chan or 陳奕迅. It's directly translated as "Long Time No See" or 好久不见.

我来到你的城市
走过你来时的路
想像着没我的日子
你是怎样的孤独
拿着你给的照片
熟悉的那一条街
只是没了你的画面
我们回不到那天

你会不会忽然的出现
在街角的咖啡店
我会带着笑脸
挥手寒喧
和你坐着聊聊天

我多么想和你见一面
看看你最近改变
不再去说从前
只是寒喧
对你说一句只是说一句
好久不见

拿着你给的照片
熟悉的那一条街
只是没了你的画面
我们回不到那天

你会不会忽然的出现
在街角的咖啡店
我会带着笑脸挥手寒喧
和你坐着聊聊天

我多么想和你见一面
看看你最近改变
不再去说从前只是寒喧
对你说一句只是说一句
好久不见

My Lyrics

I removed all the individual posts with lyrics and have labeled them all under lyrics *surprise surprise*

I'm gonna remove all the here fishy fishie fishii and just label them somehow. I gotta look for my funnies and file them properly. I think it'll take months.

I think putting up advertising html on my blog really slows down the loading of my blog.

Changing stuff

If you're not new to my blog, you'd have noticed that I've made some changes. Although the changes are not apparent but they are fundamental.

Yes, my blog now has advertising spaces. Not only from Google AdSense but this other Blog Advertising Community called Nuffnang (which is Jafaican for Really Cool).

It's not too difficult to get onto the Nuffnang community. I'm not sure how much money I'm gonna get but I'm supporting this anyway cause, it's regional (half local). Although the name used is not from a regional language. I am not against subliminal advertising by bloggers. Even if the blogger does not believe in the product and wish to promote it, by all means. Buyers looking for product information from a single source are dinosaurs and deserve to be extinct. Blogders who believe every single word they read on a blog are dumb and a fool and his money are soon parted.

You can read the fine printy stuff here. Lots of mambo jambo but I read them all.

I do think I have more than 20 unique visitors each day. Help me get a few bucks each month and I might be easier with my money and buy that teh-susu for you. Yes. You.

How come cannot manipulate traffic on my blog? I mean, when I blog funny stuff, it gets circulated in some companies, that's good right? Or when I blog some State Secret and end up having my blog being circulated in Internal Security Department also good right? Until I get caught lah. If I don't blog, there is reduced traffic. If such actions are not to manipulate web traffic to my blog, I don't know what is? Hahaha....I jest.

Unseen, hidden and what what what? The instructions on where and how to place Nuffnang ads are quite easy to understand.

Of course I want to receive money. Who doesn't?

My blog sometimes can get pornographic (when I post pics of myself, but I prefer to call that art or eroticism) and may have hate-related content (I hate lousy music, I hate it when the weather is too warm etc etc). I hope Nuffnang can gloss over those and forgive me.

Spiderman 3

the Daily Bugle is still housed in the familiar Flatiron Building in Manhattan. One day, I'd want to see New York by myself.

Stan Lee still made his cameo again as the guy who said, "I guess one person can make a difference afterall!" to Peter Parker. Usually he'll play an everyday hero like for example, saving passerbys by pulling them away from danger.

and the bridge in Central Park where Mary Jane Watson broke up with Peter Parker/Spiderman, wow, that bridge is totally overused. the name is Bow Bridge and I've seen it in other movies. great expectations I think. Central Park and the bridges and arches are where some of the most recognisable movie scenes are filmed. I'm sure an unusually large number of break ups and proposals were made on the Bow Bridge or under one of the numerous arches in the park. Not to mention real life muggings...

you remember a scene where Peter Parker told Eddie Brock that if he sought forgiveness, he should get religion? This is the Spiderman installation with the most "religious-y" themes. Redemption is the most prominent. Even the key scene where the symbiote (black goo from space) was separated from Spiderman was in a church bell tower. Ok, so the director was following the original comic closely....More on the redemption themes....Take Green Goblin Jr. Take Flint (aka Sandman). Take Spiderman himself who did not allow himself to be consumed by the symbiote (black goo from space). They kind of found their way back into being goody. Eddie Brock was always driven by greed and he never did recover. Although Sandman and Harry Osborn did not survive, the audience is left feeling bad about their demise.

also another strong theme is about friendship (gah!). even superheroes need friends. I read the first issue of Civil War and it's addictive like a good soap. The first issue is where Spiderman reveals himself to be Peter Parker. And yes, Captain America dies in this Civil War Series..

PA System says....

BAYBEATS 2007

With Mercury Rev and Camera Obscura!!!! Sometimes, there is a god. Go do yourself a favour and check out the site. It features Diamonds as well as Black Forest by Mercury Rev. You know it's love when you hear it.

They are found at myspace too!

Northern Lad is Putting The Damage On

I just created a Tori Amos Playlist for my Pommes (iPod nano lah..). Will share it one day....there are currently 71 songs from her major release albums dating back to 1990 when Little Earthquake was released to the recent American Doll Posse. Nope, I have never heard of anything when she was with Y Kant Tori Read.

While I was making the playlist I noticed these three tracks which I never cared much of.

Northern Lad

He don't show much these days
It's gets so fucking cold
I loved his secret places
But I can't go anymore
"You change like sugar cane"
Says my northern lad
I guess you go too far
When pianos try to be guitars

Putting The Damage On

I'm trying not to move
It's just your ghost
Passing through
I said
I'm trying not to move

Putting The Damage On

How could I resist
You are desire
When it all is said
Said and done
Who can love you
And still be standing
You have come to discover
What you want
What I want is not to want
What isn't mine

this post made me re-listen her.

When the bough breaks

But all the nights you don't show up
I know it's time I should grow up
I ask you if you care, you stand and stare aloof
It hurts too much to face the truth.

I knew that Where The Wild Roses Grow had to be somewhere in the middle because I thought amongst the tracks, V would probably like this the least. I knew I had to sandwich this song in between songs that she'd most probably like so Tori Amos and The Perishers came in.

- I was so wrong about this..........

Chase the blues away!

There is no reason why a ginormous picture of Spongebob Squarepants should be here.
But.....
There is no reason why it should not as well.

Similarly, no reason for this picture here as well.

Have u ever?

Does an octopus have 8 legs or 8 arms? Or are tentacles just tentacles? I've heard of octopusxbeatles jokes like "I wanna hold ur hand, hand, hand, hand etc" and I've heard of octopus being described as a "mysterious 8-legged monster of the sea".

And also, if michael eisner decides on a Disneyland in M'sia, can Goofy, Pluto and the three little pigs be part of the attraction? Will they wear some tag approved by MUIS saying their halal? Will it provoke uprising in Kelantan, Trengganu and Pahang?

These days, lotsa sports labels tagged shoes with a "Pig Lining" warning. Is it halal to wear them? Not meaning as a joke or be offensive. Imagine visiting friends during Hari Raya and wearing them into a Muslim home!!!

In an alternate world...

I never quite dig Aaron Kwok or Andy Lau. So when the girls in my primary school (May Primary School) started to dancing to 对你爱不完 (so we love love love tonight) (- translated, the title means Endless Love), I was listening to 3 A.M. Eternal and What Time Is Love by the KLF. The White Room was essential listening. Thereafter it was Ebeneezer Goode by The Shamen, who was really Mr C and peripherals. So when I was in secondary one, I was wondering why the hell is anyone singing about Ecstasy (Es are good Es are good).

Anyway, looking into the pages of Juice this month, the 10-eyelet Dr Martens is being featured. Man, I worked at KFC (the branch at Big Splash, no defunct) during my Sec 2 year end holidays to earn enough money to buy them. I can't even remember the price anymore! But I still have them at home. Talking about Dr Martens, I remember back in the days, vests were very popular. And haha, now, 15 years on, they are backing a comeback. I hope cross-color jeans don't ever make a comeback. The same for clothing inspired by Kriss Kross. I hope nobody will take bright yellow and purple denim seriously anymore, even if they are Versace, Burberry or Emporio.

It was a great remix of The KLF's What Time Is Love? that made me think of shit like this.....In an alternate world, The KLF would be invited to do a live set at Zouk. But tonight, we only have Tony Tay doing us all a favour by dropping that track. Gary, who was with his wife, asked me when the song was playing, if I remember Fire Discoteque at Orchard Plaza. I told him when I was listening to The KLF, I couldn't even attend afternoon tea dances!

My Daily Bread

White
Brown
Rye
Sourdough
Wholemeal
Organic
Raisins

...because it comes from their tortured heart and soul.

I don't give them excuses....and the torture, is it endo- or exogenous?

I don't think it is difficult to name non-heterosexual pop/musicians. Neil Tennant (Pet Shop Boys), Elton John, Andy Bell (Erasure), George Michael, Freddie Mercury (Queen) and these are just the popular ones.

But when we trace the source of their artistry and talent, can we be flippant and conclude it is their sexuality that inspires them, constructively or destructively? Of course, maybe it is not the single source. But should it be a source at all? Let's take Pete Townsend of The Who. Amazing talent. But he is into kiddie porn. So the talent comes from his tortured heart and soul? Guilt? Something don't add up rightly here.

You take this business of homosexuality. It raises tempers all over the world, and even in America. If in fact it is true -- and I have asked doctors this -- that you are genetically born a homosexual because that's the nature of the genetic random transmission of genes, you can't help it. So why should we criminalise it? But there's such a strong inhibition in all societies -- Christianity, Islam, even the Hindu, Chinese societies, and we are now confronted with a persisting aberration. But is it an aberration? It's a genetic variation. So what do we do? I think we pragmatically adjust, carry our people. Don't upset them and suddenly upset their sense of propriety and right and wrong. But at the same time let's not go around like this moral police do in Malaysia, barging into people's rooms and say 'khalwat'. That's not our business. So you have to take a practical, pragmatic approach to what I see is an inevitable force of time and circumstance.

- MM Lee


At one fell swoop, the discussion in Singapore has moved beyond "having them in civil service and publice sector" as in Goh's comments in Time magazine some years back. It is now, as said by MM, and he did ask doctors before, a question of genetics. I think once we decide on that, we can decide on a lot of things. Except the question of morality. Because there is not enough science behind it. Let's take Pete Townsend as an example again. What if one fine day, science can prove why ol' Pete is into pre-schoolers and would love to slap them silly with his gnarled and knobbly tool, possibly insert it into some orifice. It's the genes, stupid! But what if it was your son or daughter that Pete is trying to get his fingers on? Well, MM Lee said he asked the doctors, so poor Pete. Here, have my son. Hell, take my daughter too! You just love twinks don't you?

Anyway, I just wanted to show the transmorgrification of Antony. Simple as that. Not gonna go into that topic...ultimately, the powers that be has gone into some serious meetings about this and they've decided that it is a question that the society must answer for itself. It is a morality issue that the government cannot provide a compass for. And if you're gonna look for this moral compass in religion, you bigot and non-thinking self will have a lot of answers provided for you! Nice! You don't even have to ask the questions yourself because they have a FAQs sheet for you.

Ok, back to Antony. Who is super talented of course. Collaborated with Boy George and Rufus Wainwright. Queer choices. Ha.

You can see how he changed from his first album through the Mercury Prize to his second album and his current self now. So Boy George.

More drunken conversations

This should be read with other drunken conversation enteries. Such as this.

CONSULATE?? EMBASSY??
Previously in slurred speech, somebody may be inspired by Singapore's decision to establish an Embassy in Rome and ask what is the difference between a Consulate and an Embassy.

WHAT IS A CONSULATE?
A Consulate is actually like a mini-Embassy. It does all the administrative stuff. Like visa application, birth, death and marriage registration, helping out fellow citizens who may be living in or traveling through the host country. Headed by a Consular. Or Consular General or Honorary Consular.

WHAT IS AN EMBASSY?
An Embassy will probably contain a consular section which is the office to handle the work of a consulate. There will be a military arm headed by a military attaché. Besides handling the administration, it does work to promote the country to the host country be it in business relations, political associations or military cooperations. Increasingly, culture and the arts are also promoted. It is headed by an Ambassador.

HIGH COMMISSIONS?
What's interesting for Singapore as a member of imperialism Commonwealth is that the Embassies in another Commonwealth country are called High Commissions. And these are headed by High Commissioners.

PRETTY NUNS FOR VATICAN?
And because there exists abhorrations like the Vatican, there are also Apostolic Nunciature which is the Embassy/High Commission equivalent to the Holy See (what see?). Headed by a Nuncio. No, there are not pretty nuns. That would be Nun Chio or Chio Nuns.

Not bad. This is when there's too much vodka in your body and it purges itself out as factoids. I belong to the back of cereal boxes mainly.

Halcyon Realms and GSE

There are times when I am super proud of being a Victorian (the school idiota! not the era). And this is one of those times.

I am not sure but I think The Great Spy Experiment comprises at least two Victorians. Saiful and Effandy are definitely Victorians. I'd be shocked to be informed otherwise.

And Mr Vong!!!!! Man, if my dream of having a FAM, will you endorse my store? Check out the newspaper article in Straits Times. Ian Pang is with LucasArts Singapore.....

Miss Koong who sings Happy Hours on Fridays at Balaclava with her friends, she's JC but Victorian nonetheless.

I don't know all of them well but I'm glad there are people keeping her flag unfurled.

People are asking me

i've a number of people asking me what is her reaction upon receiving the gift. thing is this. i've not met her since i've finished making it.

and if i know her well enough, she never wears her heart on her sleeves. shy, reticent, and destructively, i am as well.

so why does it matter?

i will analyse my "mix tape" in a while....

Wanderlust

I know I shouldn't bitch in here but fuck.

I don't understand why somebody doesn't want to go on the Road To Mandalay with me. Even when I offered to pay. But then again, there are lots more that I don't understand and no, the offer is no longer valid. It's magical, the cruise.....

I'm glad I visited Vietnam in 2000. Of course, I'd like to see Vietnam again. Eat bun bo hue in Hue itself. Smoke lots of Dunhill and give more than half the pack to my cyclo driver. Get a haircut by a roadside barber again (maybe not). Check out Nha Trang again. Perhaps travel in slightly more comfort. But I'd want to do it in maybe 2010 or perhaps 2008, and be able to compare.

I'd want to go Myanmar now, and not in another five years time. Time is a cruel driver because it never goes back to the previous stops.

A couple of things hinder me now.....stuff like:

Should I go this year in Aug? Can my work schedule fit in?
How many days should I go? That is, on top of the 11 day cruise.....
How am I going to get through the socialising bits of the tour? How to explain my "lone ranger" self?
How am I going to be able to stand ang moh ah peks and ah mmms who will probably be turning pink under the heat and wearing the most garish of shirts featuring hibiscus and orchids loosely worn over khakis and bermudas. Straw hats are optional.

I can also go next year in July, probably to do some soul-searching which I think I will really start to do more of come next year, which unhappily is galloping towards me.

If anyone is interested, you can still sign up....I think the more i procrastinate....the more likely I'll be going only next year.

Sometimes Anthony Kiedis speaks to me 4

The motive
The measure
The purpose
The pleasure

The risk is
It worth it?
The disc is
It perfect?

Sometimes Anthony Kiedis speaks to me 3

And if I had a clue I'd know exactly
What to do
If I were the wiser of the two

And if I saw it all so clear
I'd write it down and bend your ear
If I were the clearer of the two

Sometimes Anthony Kiedis speaks to me 2

Come again and tell me
Where you want to go
What it means for me
To be with you alone
Close the door and
No one has to know
How we are

Underworld

I wanted to do a playlist for Friday featuring all the tracks I have belonging to Underworld but without any vocals.

I found only 1 proper dance track: Kittens from their Beaucoup Fish album. And a couple of "chill out" tracks from A Hundred Days Off, namely Ess Gee, Ballet Lane and Twist.

Underworld, in essence, can be filed under: Dance Group (Male). Gar...

Sometimes Anthony Kiedis speaks to me

I got a bad disease.
Up from my brain is where I bleed.
Insanity, it seems,
Has got me by my soul to squeeze.
Well, all the love from me,
With all these dying trees I scream.
The angels in my dreams
Have turned to demons of greed.
That's me.

....and all the broken hearted.... (A Tribute To Jeff Buckley)

I can still remember the day I read about the untimely death of Jeff Buckley. It was already some days after 29 May 1997 that it was reported in the local papers. I still have the newspaper cutting stuffed in the CD jewel case of his debut full-length album, Grace. The following is my dream concert.



A single bulb threw a spot of light down from the roof of the concert hall. Through a scattering of dust and smoke onto a silhouettee of a man. His arms draped over his Fender. He moved and begins to strums as if he were tuning as the spot of light grew bigger but kept the rest of the concert hall in its umbra.

His fingers finally finds a familiar sequence of chords as he breaks into Morning Theft.

Time takes care of the wound or so I can believe.....true self is what brought you here to me, a place where we can set this love free......a place where we can save.....a heart that beats as both siphon and reservoir.....we come together to making chance into starlight.......I had to send it away to bring her back again.

We sat. Enraptured. Grateful.

Without so much as a moment to gasp in this aural delight, the lights burst open to reveal the band. Mick Grondahl on bass, Matt Johnson on drums and Michael Tighe on guitars. Michael Tighe started plucking the riff from Grace and soon the band started to come alive.

Well it's my time coming, I'm not afraid to die. My fading voice sings of love but she cries to the clicking of time. And I feel them drown my name, so easy to konw and forget with this kiss. I'm not afraid to go but it goes so slow.

As the last note fades out, Jeff muttered, "Thank you...this next song is I Woke Up In A Strange Place.." even as he was strumming the intro.

This is no song for the dislocated. The one you loved but it turned to be hated. Because the lies of the spirit possessed you. Because the eyes of your lover resist you. Fate is gonna find your love in a glass of champagne.

Without missing a beat, he started singing Vancouver.

Lady, all the troubles are my fright. I disgust you. I am your failed husband contender. I am your loan shark of bliss. I need to be alone to heal this bleeding stone. It still insists that we beg for our purity as it we are pure in the rain of our contentment. As if I can think of this no more.

Taking a pause and a swig of Guinness, he looked out and spoke. "I'm amazed you guys actually listen to this stuff." We laughed uncomfortably. Somebody in the audience shouted, "Take me home Jeff!" He gave a shocked look before replying, "You have to share the room with the rest of the band." We all laughed. "The next song is "Everybody Here Wants You."

Such a thing of wonder in this crowd. I'm a stranger in this town. You're free with me. And our eyes locked in downcast love, I sit here proud. Even now you're undressed in your dreams with me. I'm only here for this moment....

Written by James Shelton, made famous by Elkie Brooks but owned by Nina Simone, Jeff Buckley brought down a notch further and sang Lilac Wine.

When I think more than I want to think or do things I never should do. I drink much more than I ought to drink because it brings me back you. Lilac wine, I feel unready for my love.

The strumming continued into So Real.

I love you but I'm afraid to love you.

The lights reduced to wrap Jeff Buckley alone. "Fools really could suck but I am the final idiot." (actual quote) He started strumming the chords for Lover, You Should've Come Over.

And maybe I'm too young to keep good love from going wrong. Too young to hold on and too old to just break free and run. And much too blind to see the damage he's done. Sometimes a man must awake to find that really, he has no one. Oh, will I ever learn. It's never over, my kingdom for a kiss upon her shoulder. It's never over, all my riches for her smiles when I slept so soft against her. It's never over, all my blood for the sweetness of her laughter. It's never over, she's the tear that hangs inside my soul forever.

"I can't believe Jamie (fuck up my song) Cullum tried to cover this song." The audience cheered in agreement.

Nightmares By The Sea.

I've loved so many times and I've drowned them all. From their coral graves they rise up when darkness falls. With their bones they'll scratch the window, I hear them call, 'Don't know what you asked for.'

He then said, "I think you all know this one." Hallelujah. And as a bonus, it was the medley version with I Know It's Over by The Smiths.

I've seen your flag on the marble arch but love is not a victory march. It's a cold and it's a broken, Hallelujah.

Oh, Mother, I can feel the soil falling over my head.....Loud loutish lover, treat her kindly though she needs you more than she loves you and I know it's over. Still I cling. I don't know where else can I go....over and over....

"You guys have been great. I'll leave you with this song. This is Last Goodbye."

Did you say, 'No, this can't happen to me.' And did you rush to the phone to call. Was there a voice unkind in the back of your mind saying maybe you didn't know him at all.

When the last note rang out, the band left the stage amidst a cacophony of gratuitous clapping, shouts of yeahs and sharp shrills of whistling. "Encore!", somebody shouted. And another. And another and then another. Soon the audience was up on their feet, clapping in unison, coaxing the band and the man to come out and satiate their thirst for more of Jeff Buckley.

It was another minute before Jeff came back on stage. The noise level went up several notches and quietened down as Jeff sat down. He took a gulp of the remaining Guinness and walked back towards the curtain. The band appeared and pushed him towards the centre. And they played a three song encore. Starting with Dream Brother.

The love you lost with her skin so fair is free with the wind in her butterscotch hair. Her green eyes blue. Goodbyes with her head in her hands and your kiss on the lips of another. Asleep in the sane with the ocean washing over.

Then Mojo Pin.

The welts of your scorn, my love, give me more. Send whips of opinion down my back, give me more.

And finally, in a fitting tribute to Nina Simone, he breathed into the microphone and said, "This is another Nina Simone song." That's All I Ask.

All that I ask is for a kiss each day and I'll give you love that will never go away.

And with one last bow, the light dimmed for the last time.

Was at SGH on Sunday afternoon to visit a colleague. We were all standing around at the lobby area waiting for one last person to arrive before making our way to the room.

This trio walked over and one of the guys asked, "Excuse me, are you guys from the SAF?"

My first reaction was a smile followed by, "You mean it's written on our faces?"

They were probably reporters...
The reporters were there for the Taiwan F5 thing. I think.

New Kicks!

I've always wanted Puma El-Reys.

They've got new editions out this year. Yet to arrive on our friendly, uniquely, globally-connected, knowledge-based, clean and green, and other No. 1 shores of course.

So today when I was out and about, I found myself in a Puma store.

And chanced my eyes on these:

Puma V-Star

and while the store was having a hush+hush 10% sale until, I quote, "further notice". This happens rather often....so, don't get your knickers all twisted in a knot. And if you're unsure what that phrase was about, too bad.

The uppers are tweed! Hurray! Finally! Plus totally uncoordinate colours (covert green and spray green, whatever the fuck that means....plus chocolate leather trims) and a vulcanised outsole. That means it'll make a great all weather shoe. And if the boat deck should be wet, well, well, I have got the grip. Maybe.

Talent in SGP (or I feel dull)

catching up with ed last night while queueing up for nouvelle vague. he couldn't make it in time because he had to be at attica for a fashion show of his room mate. ed updates me on people within the design field. 10am, Asylum, Kinetic, :phunk studio etc etc.....I think frontal can be considered too... we (ed and I) were on the same boat when he was serving his national service and because of common interests (design, clubbing, beautiful things), we continue to move within the same venues although not the same circles. Our social circles are tangential and it is at the edges that we managed to catch a hi and bye sometimes. It was only last night when we could catch up.

i suppose those within my social circle (bento and ken) are in the design field as well. pin can be considered as well. he's a visual artist. mr vong is in this field somewhat. animation is a better description and considering that he is involved in the Freedom Project, fuck, he's right on track for something good in the world of anime.

i like the idea of a creative collective. a collective that ventures and is not bounded. Rick Smith, Karl Hyde and Darren Emerson, collectively known as Underworld produced some of my favourite dance choons. But before Emerson, Rick Smith and Karl Hyde was already creating works together in tomato. So when Emerson left, it was only a progression that was deemed natural. And this collective is something that is replicated in exciting cities all over the world. Groups of creative people coming together to make music, art, pushing the boundaries of media, marketing, public relations. And have fun doing it. I mean, I think Asylum is closed on Sundays because the bosses wanna club on Saturday nights and nurse their hangovers on Sunday.

Talking about these talented collectives, there is an individual who is based in Singapore who was featured in the current issue of Time magazine.

Paul Ponnudorai.

Ring any bell?

Here's a clue:


Ok, he looks older now and without the facial hair.
He performs at Harry's @Esplanade every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night. Liam Fitzpatrick wrote such a glowing review of this guitar extraordinaire it's a painful reminder that Singapore's filled with an island's worth of money-grabbing individuals.
Liam calls Paul, Singapore's undiscovered virtuoso (ok ok, he is born in Malaysia). I feel embarrassed already. I'm gonna check him out cause when it comes to live bands, I've only been to the few at Timbre and Crazy Elephant. He has a cd out and can be bought from him in person (probably) or from cdbaby.
I think he will enjoy a sudden uprise in popularity given the article.

I think we can all be satisfied with knowing the things we already know. Being shown to know less than others can be a painful reminder of our ignorance. And sometimes, in our way of defence, be it to protect our ego or stamp down others', we do weirdly inexplicable stuff. Like refusing to try or thumbing down the taste of others. Other weird stuff include justifying one's own lack of eclectism because of refusing to try new stuff or claiming that eclectism is only for the rich and the weird. Or the homosexuals. Beat that.

Lord, give me grace
And dancing feet
And the power to impress

Tonight make me unstoppable
And I will charm, I will slice,
I will dazzle them with my wit

What I've set my sights on

A number of shops in Far East and probably Heeren place the Starck + Kartell Louis Ghost Chair inside to what effect I am not reallly sure.

This was quite a hit. I remember when I was in Tokyo, there was a shopping centre that placed a number of these in a passageway that had a length of windows that ran alongside it. Asture x Zen? Commercial wabi-sabi haha...

Then came the armless and backless version: Charles Ghost Stool. There were two versions. Normal height and barstool height. More money more money!

All too masculine! Louis and Charles....no Louise and Charlize. Ok ok, so there were all British Royalty and not so much about masculinity. So there's got to be a celebration of the Queen. There's even a Edward Ghost Table

so there's got to be a Victoria something....

That where the armless Louis comes in as. A Victoria Ghost Chair.

Is it just me or does the Victoria Ghost Chair look more ghastly?
Ghoulish? Forlorn? There seems to be a certain regalness tied to the Louis. Edward looks nondescript on its own. Charles Stools look almost fun. But the Victoria Ghost Chair, given a cursory glance, looks more haunted, the arms linking the seat to the backrest look like a pair of arms slumped to the side. Just check out the clear version. It's almost like an apparition.
Ok, fuck. It's just me.

In contrast to the Ghost Series, John Bauer (no, not the long dead Swedish artist) adapted the appeal of clear furniture made from plastics and gave it a magical twist.

tadah! The Illusion Table!

The drapes formed reminds me of sculptures by Bernini. It's solid but yet looks so fluid. It's kinda looks like somebody threw an Invisibility Cloak over a side table and made everything disappear.