A song a day 34

There are times when you are suckered in by drugs and alcohol
and sex with women, mmkay.
But it's when you do these things too much, that you become an addict
and must get back in touch.

Adriano Goldschmied

I managed to fend off some of my sneakers craving. I did get another pair of adidas running shoes.

But now that it's almost a year since I first got my APC New Standards, I am starting to itch again.

With two Nudies and an APC, I am thinking of an AG jeans. The Stockholm looks yummy.


How do you spell DELICIOUS again?

Wedding Invites

click to view

This is a related post to the one I did some time last week I think. About me RSVP-ing (sounds weird) to a wedding invite.

So dave and serene decided that I should be invited. With my wit. Of course I shall be attending alone. My wit deserves a separate invite.

Maybe I won't need to give a red packet. I shall just wish serene lots of luck!

p.s. what the hell does soiree stylish suggest? and the location is novel as well....hmmm...pyramid club.

A song a day 33

I won't tell a soul
I won't tell at all
Do they have to know
About my goodnight girl

Caught up in your wishing well
Your hopes and sadness
Take your love and promises
And make them last

You make them last.

Boredom gnawing....

Not a very funny joke but....I saw a group of British blondes hanging around New York City hotdog stand, trying to hook a stud. "Oh, you folks don't call these things sausages?"

A pack of male dogs decided to visit California. But they were quite disappointed to find only fine beaches. - this one is even less funny right?

I heard somebody said to me, "Shit hot is only 36.8 degrees centigrade." That same person's idea of a bubble bath is to fart while sitting in a tub.

Did you hear about the Christian who was caught at the causeway with a pirated version of Mel "I hate Jews" Gibson's "The Passion Of Christ". The custom officer couldn't search the guy's bag completely because the Christian smuggled bak kwa (BBQ savoury pork) too.

This is a slogan T for people who prefer graphic T:


This one not funny, or maybe it's funny but not in a haha manner....during the annual ranking, one of my peers was providing feedback of one of his guys, and this was what he said of the guy, "So-and-so has shown excellent attitude. He insisted on sailing despite going through a rough patch with his wife and potentially a divource because his wife was lamenting that he wasn't spending enough time with her and the children."

Sirens - Evermore and PB&J

Ride on… run ‘til early morning sun
Ride on… like the morning of the day
It’s too late
To let every feeling show
Ride on… ‘til the night is swept away

Tony Tay must play this more.....as well as Young Folks in his Sirens nights.

Smthng Must Brk - Jy Dvsn

2 ways 2 choose,
On a rzr's edge,
Remain behind,
Go str8 ah8.

Room ful of pple, room 4 just 1,
If I can't brk out now, the time jst won't come.

2 ways 2 choose,
Which way 2 go,
Decide 4 me,
Pls let me knw.

Looked in the mirror, saw I was wrong,
If I cld get bk 2 whr I belong,
Where I belong.

2 ways 2 choose,
Which way 2 go,
Had thots 4 1
Designs 4 both.

But we were immortal, we were not there,
Washed up on the beaches, struggling for air.

I c ur face stil in my window,
Torments yet calms, won't set me free,
Smthng must brk now,
Tis life isn't mine,
Smthng must brk now,
Wait 4 the time,
Smthng must brk.

A note about two songs

What great resolution. This is the kind of resolve that can get Iraq back on the track to democracy. And it is found in the lyrics of two songs.

++++++++

I am not sure if the name of the band is grammatically correct. Not that it matters of course. Nobody actually cares. Nobody is that pedantic. Or is it?

Jimmy Eat World. Shouldn't it be Jimmy Eats World instead?

For Me This Is Heaven contains a line that is found as a derivative in the song, Konstantine by Something Corporate.

The first star you see may not be a star.

I wonder (How I wonder what you are!).

The song then continues to ask what else can one do but wait for another. Then you decide if it is. And until there is another, and it takes courage to decide if it is, supposedly. And you might lose yourself in the comfort of having a starless night.

However you might want that to mean.

But until such time comes, she is happy now. "If not now, when?", she asks.

And that is what gets her through it.
And until the next star appears, she remains an angel for you.

++++++++

There is no moral dilemma for Jose Gonzalez when he needs to get ahead with his life.

He will ignore your moaning and poke your body into your cold grave. To save himself of any trouble. Sympathy isn't hard to "cough up" but it costs.

These days are cold. Numbers rule.

Better fit in the mould.

A song a day 32

I'm miles
from where you are,
I lay down
on the cold ground
And I,
I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms

A song a day 31

Everything I touched was golden
Everything I loved got broken
On the Road to Mandalay

There was somebody I knew thru a friend. She like this song by Robbie Williams as well. I never asked why but she liked Procol Harum's A Whiter Shade Of Pale too!

Damn it.

The reason why this song is so meaningful to me is because of Kipling's poem....I like it so much, I want to cruise up the Irrawaddy and really, hopefully, find a greater self in that journey.

Ok, that last sentence is the alcohol talking....

By the old Moulmein Pagoda, lookin' lazy at the sea,
There's a Burma girl a-settin', and I know she thinks o' me;
For the wind is in the palm-trees, and the temple-bells they say;
"Come you back, you British Soldier; come you back to Mandalay!"
Come you back to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay;
Can't you 'ear their paddles clunkin' from Rangoon to Mandalay?
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!

'Er petticoat was yaller an' 'er little cap was green,
An' 'er name was Supi-Yaw-Lat jes' the same as Theebaw's Queen,
An' I seed her first a-smokin' of a whackin' white cheroot,
An' wastin' Christian kisses on an 'eathen idol's foot:
Bloomin' idol made o' mud--
Wot they called the Great Gawd Budd--
Plucky lot she cared for idols when I kissed 'er where she stud!
On the road to Mandalay ...

When the mist was on the rice-fields an' the sun was droppin' slow,
She'd git 'er little banjo an' she'd sing "Kulla-la-lo!"
With 'er arm upon my shoulder an' 'er cheek again my cheek
We useter watch the steamers an' the hathis pilin' teak.
Elephants a-piling teak
In the sludgy, squdgy creek,
Where the silence 'ung that 'eavy you was 'arf afraid to speak!
On the road to Mandalay ...

But that's all shove be'ind me -- long ago and fur away,
An' there ain't no 'buses runnin' from the Bank to Mandalay;
An' I'm learnin' 'ere in London what the ten-year soldier tells:
"If you've 'eard the East a-callin', you won't never 'eed naught else."
No! you won't 'eed nothin' else
But them spicy garlic smells,
An' the sunshine an' the palm-trees an' the tinkly temple-bells;
On the road to Mandalay ...

I am sick 'o wastin' leather on these gritty pavin'-stones,
An' the blasted English drizzle wakes the fever in my bones;
Tho' I walks with fifty 'ousemaids outer Chelsea to the Strand,
An' they talks a lot o' lovin', but wot do they understand?
Beefy face an' grubby 'and--
Law! wot do they understand?
I've a neater, sweeter maiden in a cleaner, greener land!
On the road to Mandalay . . .

Ship me somewheres east of Suez, where the best is like the worst,
Where there ain't no Ten Commandments an' a man can raise a thirst;
For the temple-bells are callin', and it's there that I would be--
By the old Moulmein Pagoda, looking lazy at the sea;
On the road to Mandalay,
Where the old Flotilla lay,
With our sick beneath the awnings when we went to Mandalay!
O the road to Mandalay,
Where the flyin'-fishes play,
An' the dawn comes up like thunder outer China 'crost the Bay!

Die or try dying

Eh?

It should be "Try or die trying" instead. Cause it is marathon next Sunday, 2 Dec 07 and I am hitting only 20km at my longest stretch. Moreover, I just recovered, or should I say recovering, from a bout of nasty flu/sore throat/feverish chills on Tuesday. My second since my jauntie (I hereby declare the word "jauntie" to be for my exclusive use to mean a trip shorter and less pleasurable than a "juant") up north.

Under the weather doesn't even begin to describe the state of my health. But I'll get there. My suspicion is that I suffer from congenital SAD - seasonal affective disorder. And my mega-depression cycles follows a 5 year cycle. Corollary to 2007 being a bad year, 2002 was just as bad. As was 1997. I can't wait for 2012.

I haven't notice any pattern in super good years. Wait a minute. There aren't any.

Cheeky Chappie of Banzai

Cheeky Chappie is this character in a UK gameshow called Banzai.

This is him:



Check some classic Banzai games. I think it was shown in Singapore briefly....



There is a MDA (yes, Media Development Authority) rap/mtv/ad/nightmare with one of the executives looking like Mr Cheeky Chappie himself! Mr Seto Lok Yin - Assistant CHief Executive Industry Development.

He appears at exactly 30 seconds into the video and haunts us again at 2:55. Link here.

BANZAI!

Club 21

By the time you read this, the Club 21 Bazaar sale is over. It was from 1 - 4 Nov 07.

But that's if you want to hit north for the sale in Kuala Lumpur.

For the local version, I think there shouldn't be another one this year. But there is always the Club 21 Autumn/Winter sale....starting......TODAY TOMORROW!

Club 21 Four Season Hotel
Blackjack Forum
Twelve 21 Forum
Giorgio Armani Hilton Hotel
Armani Collezioni Takashimaya
Emporio Armani Forum
Armani Jean Isetan Orchard
A/X Takashimaya, Paragon, Vivo City
Balenciaga Hilton Hotel
Betula Forum
CK Takashimaya, Forum, Paragon, Isetan Orchard
Diesel Forum, Paragon, Vivo City
Donna Karan Hilton Hotel
DKNY Palais Renaissance, Takashimya, Isetan Orchard
Dolce & Gabbana Hilton Hotel
Dries Van Noten Hilton Hotel
D&G Forum
Issey Miyake Hilton Hotel
Jil Sander Hilton Hotel
Marc by Marc Jacobs Takashimaya
Max & Co Isetan Orchard, Takashimaya
Maxmara Forum, Takashimaya
Marina Rinaldi Forum
Marni Hilton Hotel
Mulberry Hilton Hotel
Paul Smith Hilton Hotel, Isetan Orchard

Oooh.....a Mulberry messenger bag would be nice to have.

Robin with his 100 friends

Ok, Robin doesn't have a 100 friends. Yet.

But he will soon.


pin was in tokyo last week and almost ended up in Womb but he and Jados couldn't find it or something.

Thanks to both of yous, I'm gonna get a Domo Kun thingamajickwhichyouhangonyourphone! Will put up pics...

Nickname Orange

Some information you'll need to find this vaguely funny.

1. I received Dave's sms wedding invite last month but have yet to RSVP.
2. The deadline was 30 Nov.
3. My nickname in midshipman school was Sunkist - because of my smile.
4. I hero-worship Oscar Wilde.

Me: Yo, you still getting married?

Dave: Of course! Have you decided if you'll be gracing us with your presence?

Me: Yeah, defnly will go. Thanks for the invite. The pleasure is mine.

Dave: Will definitely invite you. Oranges bring good luck.

Me: Yes, your wife will need lots of it.

Dave: Still a sour orange. Glad you'll grace us with your wit.

Me: It'll need a separate invite.

Dave: Whatever. Just send me your address so that I can send the invite.

Me: Blk 22 King George Avenue #20-778 Singapore 550022

A song a day 30

I was young
but I wasn't
naive
I watched
helpless
as you turned
around to leave
And still
I have the pain
I have to carry
A past
so deep that
even you could
not bury if you
tried

Writer's Blog

Unless you maintain a topical blog or some other niche-type of blog, it is not a normal thing to have a blogger's block. Especially so when your blog covers all and sundry. Like mine.

So yeah, no. I don't have anything to blog about except perhaps my thoughts on how my life should start going downhill from this week onwards all the way to next mid-year or so. Hopefully earlier.

I don't even have a song a day to put the lyrics up.

Sometimes life escapes me. I struggle to hold it all in.

P.S. My blog really that emo meh?

Free Rice!

Thanks Nurul!


I just made somebody donate 500 grains of rice in a few minutes. You can do that too. Just visit Free Rice.

I also bought the Nike + iPod kit. So that I can log my runs into the Nike Charity Run.

Bingo!

As if 74 points isn't brilliant.

Automatic

I was telling this old friend of mine how our conversation in MSN was like beat-poetry. The sound of the mind being churned out through automatic writing.

But of course we are not Kerouacs or Ginsbergs.

So this is the conversation that I am reproducing with permission. The deal was to make it funny. I don't normally reproduce conversations.

Mel says: (1:29:15)
wat makes u happy?
nth says: (1:29:23)
little things.
nth says: (1:29:56)
little things that lets me know that i am remembered or cared for.
nth says: (1:30:21)
like my mum insistently telling me whether or not she is cooking dinner.
nth says: (1:31:15)
i have trouble letting people know what to buy me for birthdays, christmas and whatever else cause the things i need i have or i can buy.
nth says: (1:32:00)
or knowing my attempts at making someone happy is successful.
nth says: (1:32:04)
that is a topper.
Mel says: (1:32:37)
you are a giver....
nth says: (1:32:46)
i don't think so as well.
nth says: (1:33:19)
my down periods are shared with the people i keep the closest. and that is totally unfair to them.
nth says: (1:33:24)
i seriously have to change that.
nth says: (1:33:43)
i know enough of myself to be better yet i find it hard.
nth says: (1:33:58)
i guess that is what makes us different from machines.
nth says: (1:34:15)
when a machine breaks down, the troubleshooting is the most difficult part.
nth says: (1:34:40)
but when a person breaks down. even after the troubleshooting and finding the root cause. you may not be able to repair it.

Evil Mel is making me think if I am a giver of tangibles but a taker of emotions - a loan shark of feelings. So what I essentially do is spend all this money like some form of compensation. But in reality I give very little emotionally and take all that is displayed on the table and demand for more still.

Somebody help me!

If we run
To look in the back room
Where we hide
All of our feelings

I just close my eyes as you walk out

A is for Andy, B is for Bull

I don't know why but people often associate Pop art with the brightly coloured artworks of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein.

Say "Pop Art" and the first few images people come up with will be the portraits by Andy Warhol, Campbell soup cans, blown up panels of comic strips in pixels with thought and speech ballons and weirdly placed everyday objects. Some might even think about the sofa shaped like a pair of lips but that's really Surrealism. Some might even mistake Escher's art for Pop Art but that's really Op Art. Some people will think Plop Art is a misspelling of Pop Art but....anyway....

I remember writing a holiday assignment on "Pop music is a form of art. Discuss." in the first year of junior college. So I was comparing Spice Girls, Take That with people like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. And went further to compare Futurism (in particular Fernand Leger), with the whole Kraftwerk discography, Abstract Expressionism (Jackson Pollock) with Brian Eno and also why music and art will continue to go hand in hand as long as human culture evolves. Roland Thia, my GP tutor had to give me an A for that assignment. He didn't know enough about it to give me anything less.

It was from the research for the assignment that I learn about how Pop Art was a response to the high-browness of Abstract Expressionism. Unlike Dadaism which was an anti-art movement although that in itself is a paradox. Well......

Was at the A is for Andy "exhibition" at 72-13. Cannonball Art Fund brought it here mainly to sell the prints so it's a collection of the more prominent pieces. A number of the pieces have been sold actually. Bodes well, I suppose.

I don't quite agree with Andy Warhol on many grounds. First he says:

Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.
Andy Warhol

Disagree. Making money is not always art. Working can sometimes be art. Good business is art but don't think it may be the best. Ok, I am taking his quote out of context.

He also said:

An artist is someone who produces things that people don't need to have but that he - for some reason - thinks it would be a good idea to give them.
Andy Warhol

Ok, completely disagree.

He also famously said:

In the future everyone will be famous for 15 minutes.
Andy Warhol

It could well become true yeah? With bloggers being famous, Youtube and MySpace propelling being to local stardom.

Nuffnang and Nike Charity Run

Nike Singapore
is spearheading a brilliant and innovative charity run.
There is no date or physical run.
All you have to do,
is put on a pair of running shoes,
plug in your Nike Plus Sports Kit,
"clock" your distance online,
and for every 1KM run, Nike will donate $5 worth of products
to underprivileged children through the make-a-wish foundation.


This is a very strong reason why I feel like buying a Nike Plus Sports Kit. Seriously.

A song a day 29 - 2

Over and out, last call for sin
While everyone's lost, the battle is won
.....
.....

If you can hold on

A song a day 29

Another head aches
Another heart breaks

I am so much older than I can take

And my affection
Well it comes and goes
I need direction to perfection
No no no no

Help me out
Yeah
You know you got to help me out
Yeah
Oh don't you put me on the backburner
You know you got to help me out

And when there's nowhere else to run
Is there room for one more son
These changes
Ain't changing me

The cold-hearted boy I used to be

Sunday Afternoon

Watching old episodes of Jackass on MTV is weird.

The older series was a whole lot more indie-spirited.

On a Sunday afternoon, I think I should go to the Andy Warhol exhibition.

Crazy week

i had the most incredible of a week.

monday was the only sane moment. but i was still busy preparing for the meeting on tuesday amidst trying to figure out the best way to fit myself in the the giant jigsaw of the new ship crew.

wednesday and thursday was out sailing. absolutely rewarding sea exercise. 100% tops.

friday was caught up in some training session. all my moving parts are rusty. in dire need of lubrication and urgent reduction reaction.

saturday was kept busy from 6am onwards until nicholas' wedding was over at almost 11 in the night. taking photos, even though not the official photographer is a very tiring affair. i really gotta learn more about the technicalities of lighting and usage of flash.

still found within myself two ounces of energy to check aldrin out, say hello to poof who is celebrating her birthday. also a very pee-ful kitty...haha.

absolutely conked out right now....i think i heard the sunday papers being delivered.

A song a day 28

I don't mind not knowing what I'm headed for.

You can take me to the sky.

Release the stars, Lost in space.....Whatever

I was looking around for music to provide a little balm after a ferocious week that threatened to tear me into shreds.

Left me limping.

I found Rufus Wainwright's latest album Release The Stars (produced by Neil Tennant - Pet Shop Boys). Two gay icons in music working together. The common ground on which they both share would be the solid song-writing that has consistently held them in good stead.

I also found Aimee Mann's Lost In Space and Whatever. Aimee Mann may not bring a happy vibe but she sure can wring every emotion out of every tragic situation. It leaves me in a fix, to smile at her adroit song-writing or to mope in this sorry state.

The weekend seems a little more comforting.

Radio: Live Transmission

I was talking to part-time colleague/friend/partner-in-crime/birthday-doppelganger in his car on the way home.

Basically he was complaining how radio these days bore him. There was a time (long ago but not forgotten) when it was all a little less commercial. And he was talking about the Capital Radio 95.8, Yes 933 and other local chinese stations.

Radio meant a lot to me about 15 years ago. But it probably diminished in importance over the last 8 years when I started in uni. I had brought my entire CD collection, complete with the inlay sleeves (but without the jewel case) to York. That was before I had my laptop and converted all of them to lousy 56kbps mp3s.

15 years ago. . .

That was when radio had exciting programmes. X'ho and Paul Zach were playing really excellent non-mainstream sounds. Usually they don't overlap as X'ho's Hip Parade on Perfect 10 Sunday nights at 9pm (before Say It With Music) featured mainly Kruder & Dorfmeister, Jhelisa, Underwolves, Fila Brazilia and Boymerang. His Earwax top ten list each week sorted out the essential listening jewels. Really cool sounds that I still love till this day. Now sound of the future was the tagline. Mainly electronica, which includes anything, from hip-hop derivatives like Massive Attack (Protection album) and DJ Shadow (Endtroducing.....) and the banned in Singapore Tricky's Maxinquaye. I had to ask my aunt to get Tricky's album from the US Tower Records store. She was having a holiday and asked if I wanted any holiday gift. She had a long weird conversation with the salesperson. She wasn't sure what it was all about, probably the entire history of the Bristol sound and trip hop.

Paul Zach's Zach's trax was on Heart 91.3. Now the station is called WKRZ. Probably to reflect that is was set up by NTUC - the 4-letter combi looks like workers. Paul Zach was on Monday night and I usually missed it. Paul Zach hated the "bachelor-pad music" that X'Ho was promoting btu there was a time when both of them embraced Beck's Odelay! album.

I still haven't got that album.

What happened to radio?

A song a day 27

My feelings swell and stretch;
I see from greater heights
I understand what I am still too proud to mention - to you

You'll say you understand, but you don't understand
You'll say you'd never give up seeing eye to eye
But never is a promise, and you can't afford to lie

You'll never touch these things that I hold
The skin of my emotions lies beneath my own
You'll never feel the heat of this soul
My fever burns me deeper than Ive ever shown - to you

Move away. There is nothing to see here.

As above.

Shoo.

Really.

And oh, erm....Hi Mum.

Hahahaha.... *canned laughter

A song a day 26

Boy:
If I told you things I did before
Told you how I used to be
Would you go along with someone like me
If you knew my story word for word
Had all of my history
Would you go along with someone like me

Girl:
I did before and had my share
It didn't lead nowhere
I would go along with someone like you
It doesn't matter what you did
Who you were hanging with
We could stick around and see this night through

Usually when things has gone this far
People tend to disappear
No one will surprise me unless you do

Boy:
I can tell there's something goin' on
Hours seems to disappear
Everyone is leaving I'm still with you

Both:
It doesn't matter what we do
Where we are going too
We can stick around and see this night through

And we don't care about the young folks
Talkin' 'bout the young style
And we don't care about the old folks
Talkin' 'bout the old style too
And we don't care about their own faults
Talkin' 'bout our own style
All we care 'bout is talking

Talking only me and you

I <3 Young Folks!!

Young Folks

If I told you things I did before
Told you how I used to be
Would you go along with someone like me
If you knew my story word for word
Had all of my history
Would you go along with someone like me

I did before and had my share
It didn't lead nowhere
I would go along with someone like you
It doesn't matter what you did
Who you were hanging with
We could stick around and see this night through

Usually when things has gone this far
People tend to disappear
No one will surprise me unless you do

I can tell there's something goin' on
Hours seems to disappear
Everyone is leaving I'm still with you

It doesn't matter what we do
Where we are going too
We can stick around and see this night through

And we don't care about the young folks
Talkin' 'bout the young style
And we don't care about the old folks
Talkin' 'bout the old style too
And we don't care about their own faults
Talkin' 'bout our own style
All we care 'bout is talking

Talking only me and you



Peter, Bjorn & John
featuring Victoria Bergsman

my lil' sis and i liking the same song at the same moment.
queer as fuck.
gotta love the whistling.
it's a nice pick up line.
"would you go along with someone like me".
if she understood, she'd laugh.
and we'll have a good time.

Sunday Music

Went through my mp3s and can only find 5 songs belonging to the same category of love songs as You And Me Song and Young Folks. 5 songs in total.

Along the way, listened to Go Or Go Ahead by Rufus Wainwright which left me wishing for a Medusa and me looking into her eyes.

Saw the video for A Sorta Fairytale by Tori Amos. It was Detail Orientation who first pointed the video out. The idea of the video is so appealing. Has Tori Amos with just her head and her stiletto-heeled right leg meeting Adrien Brody with just his watch-wearing right arm. Adrien laughed at her crooked toe. Tori runs away to the beach. Adrien found her back. They kissed and made up. Starts to form torso and other limbs sprouted. A metaphor that love completes people. So sappy.

Your name is Justine. Really...

watched this movie.

the movie won a couple of awards around the film festival circuit.
i suppose the female lead can win some awards for the screaming, eye-stares and battered looks.

movie was way too long. the topic was delicious, human-trafficking in europe, young girls being sold to prostitution rings. there were previous movies made in the same vein. eastern europe, former russian-bloc, china, thailand, japan......

the movie was not bad. but somehow the potential was not fully tapped. the actors suck. really. only person to shine is the lead actress. the characters were 2 dimensional, lacking character development despite the length of the movie.

would have loved to understand the nature of some of the male actors. the reasons why they do what they do. but all the movie provided was a narration of a typical story in an extraordinary situation.

still worth watching though probably on vcd or dvd or cable.

should watch lions for lambs instead. <---- edited: I included this sentence because Lions For Lambs is equally 2 dimensional. It's not a balanced movie - just like Michael Moore's documentaries. But this is a better "lousy" movie compared to Your Name Is Justine. For a really good, almost all angled look at War on Terror, White House dodgers and nitty-gritty stuff on 9/11, watch something like Babel and Syriana. Really.

Vocoder you too

Why does the cold metallic, echo-y and flanged voice that comes through a vocoder sounds so warm to me?

... le soleil est près de moi ...

Young Folks - Again!!!

I have not gushed over a happy song for such a long time. Please. Share my joy. (",)

Young Folks - inspiring

I wonder if I made a playlist of "love songs" how would it look like.

Ask me right now, it'll definitely include You And Me Song by The Wannadies and Young Folks by Peter, Bjorn And John (featuring Victoria Bergsman).

I shall try.

Oh yeah....

I was talking about Mr Tay Za and his companies in Singapore being in the spotlight because he's a Myanmarese (?) and the US ban thing.

Guess what? He's son or maybe sons are here at United World College. Read the article on First Post.

"US bans us. We're still fucking cool in Singapore."

"We're sitting on the whole Burmese GDP. We've got timber, gems and gas to be sold to other countries like Singapore, China, India and Russia.

"My brother is rocking on his red brand-new Lamborghini with hot sexy Western chicks... and I need another Ferrari to rock on."

Woohoo! Let's see how the Singapore PR machine gets out of this sticky one.

I like the comment in tomorrow.sg. Anonymous was egging The New Paper and Wan Bao to quickly scoop this and do an expose.

I second that.

A song a day 25

To the centre of the city where all roads meet, waiting for you,
To the depths of the ocean where all hopes sank, searching for you,
I was moving through the silence without motion, waiting for you,
In a room with a window in the corner I found truth.

Soundtrack of my life

Devon Aoki

I don't know for sure but Devon has graced the cover of i-D magazine 3 times.....

Septemeber 1998,

April 2002

July 2007

The latest being this year's July issue that featured Jeremy Scott as well. Devon has been his muse for the last, erm, 11 years apparently.

I don't know how my taste for art ranks. But I do think the best pic remains the one back in 1998.

My favourite pic of her remains the one by Ian Rankin for his "One Dress" project.

She's been in 3 music videos. Duran Duran's Electric Barbarella (the starting sequence of this track is so "now" - I cannot imagine it was made 10 years ago, Devon appears 3:10 into video) The Killers' Bones (love the track, love the video by Burton too) and Primal Scream's Kowalski (the bald guy in blue hospital gown reminds me of Alexander Litvinenko, that poisoned Russian spy) It'll be a dream to hear Kowalski being played in a car stereo while driving down an empty highway. Oh, and the video has Kate Moss too.

Great way to kick off a Saturday morning. Especially so after a night of too much alcohol drinking with people who thinks I'm 23. Must have been the poor lighting. People can be so kind with words. Some at least.

One of those days

It's one of those days when I can't stop questioning....

Started with idiot-proofing everyday products like microwave ovens, washing machines, cameras and the rest of the laundry list.

If you were sharp enough to find the word "idiot-proof" dubious, well, congratulate yourself. You are this much closer to my highly evolved brain. Or not.

Water-proofing and tamper-proofing. Water-proofing to stop water from getting in or out of a space. Tamper-proofing is to prevent accidental or even deliberate tampering of an object that requires monitored access.

So an "idiot-proof" camera is one that stops fools from using it? When proof is added to idiot, it becomes something positive. You get the same effect when you add proof to fool. A foolproof plan is one which cannot be mis-executed by a fool. As in, even a fool can execute it. Same for idiot proof cameras. Even an idiot will not be able to misuse it.

So weird.

Some of you would have heard or seen the Wheelchair Accessible Buses (WABs) that ply Service 21 bus route.

The standard clearance width for wheelchair access is 36 inches. Or roughly 91 centimetres. If you check the bus entry point for Service 21, you will notice that the vertical bar that other buses have is still there. No way can half the entry point be equal to 36 inches.

So actually, in Singapore, the Person In Wheelchair (PIW) getting on a WAB do so from the exit. There's actually a manual ramp.

Such useful knowledge.

Here to stay ...

I post this picture so that this entry looks cheery.

Sometimes, no amount of Spongebob Squarepants is enough.

Music Sounds Better With You

After the last playlist, I've decided to do a double disc.

Maybe name each disc after a Binary Star.

But then I no longer know who to share it with.

********

Disc 1
Funny Time Of Year ~ Beth Gibbons & Rustin' Man
Turning now I see no reason, the voice of love so out of season

Where Do You Go? ~ Beth Orton
I want to hear you and tell you again but so much can happen makes it harder to explain

Intuition ~ Feist
And it's impossible to tell how important someone was and what he might have missed out on

Northern Lad ~ Tori Amos
I guess you go too far when pianos try to be guitars

By Piccadilly Station I Sat Down And Wept ~ Tracey Thorn
Does anyone witness such a disappearance one man is just standing in the rain

Meet Me By The Water ~ Rachael Yamagata
Please don't leave me standing with my heart in my hand I can't last here

Waking To The Dream Of You ~ Lori Carson
I'm getting all this good advice on making it an easy ride

That's How I Knew This Story Would Break My Heart ~ Aimee Mann
And though the exit is crude it saves me coming unglued

Never Is A Promise ~ Fiona Apple
I'll say I'll never wake up knowing how or why

The Letter ~ Natalie Merchant
How I'll often treasure moments that we knew, the precious, the few

So This Is Goodbye ~ Stina Nordenstam
So this is how you say it these are the words it's the voice you're using

Numb ~ Sia
Kindred soul cracked spirit it has to end to begin

Disc 2
I Taught Myself How To Grow Old ~ Ryan Adams
Crooked on the outside, inside's caved

Go Or Go Ahead ~ Rufus Wainwright
Makes one hardened but what has happened to love

Thoughts Of Mary Jane ~ Nick Drake
Her long lost sighs and her brightly coloured eyes tell her story to the wind

The Lake ~ Antony & The Johnsons
My infant spirit would awake to the terror of the lone lake

Save Your Day ~ Jose González
So poke the body and roll it down the grave looks cold but we're still young

Grey Room ~ Damien Rice
Well I've been here before sat on a floor in a grey grey mood

Days Go By ~ Duncan Sheik
I know it's not fashionable to be this hopeful

Morning Theft ~ Jeff Buckley
Time takes care of the wound or so I can believe

Chinese Translation ~ M. Ward

What do you do with the pieces of a broken heart and how can a man like me remain in the light and if life is really as short as they say then why is the night so long

To Be By Your Side ~ Nick Cave
Love comes on a wing and tonight I will be by your side but tomorrow I will fly away

The Road to Mandalay ~ Robbie Williams
Every mistake I've ever made has been rehashed and then replayed as I got lost along the way

Let Her Down Easy ~ Terrence Trent D'Arby
Let her down easy and you'll grow up in time

********

There was a time when the meanings of these songs were imagined.

Now no longer.

For Posterity - again

Made a tracklist recently. I really liked the name for the tracklist.

These are the tracks:

Waiting For The Sirens' Call ~ New Order
Vancouver ~ Jeff Buckley
Blind ~ Lifehouse
Constant Craving ~ k.d. lang
Leave Right Now ~ Will Young
Precious ~ Depeche Mode
Brick ~ Ben Folds Five
Elizabeth, You Were Born To Play That Part ~ Ryan Adams
In the Real World ~ Roy Orbison
Mad World ~ Gary Jules
Eleanor Rigby ~ The Beatles
Ceremony ~ New Order

Deeper Valli!

Have a great holiday folks - it's probably the sexiest-sounding public holiday we have. Deeper, Valli! Whoever Valli is. Oh, there is Boxing Day. Very S & M. But not a public holiday.

Anyway, couple of sales going on in Singapore before the actual X'mas Shopping Season begins. Or has it already begun? I have not been to the malls in about 2 months so I am not very sure.

Front Row is having sale this November. Ann Siang. Inhabit is having sale from today until Saturday. If you're into denim like Rock and Republic, True Religion and hoo hoo! 3.1 Phillip Lim.... it's at Hilton Singapore level 5.

That's where I am headed now....well, soon anyways.

And, yes. My life kinda sucks. I am compensating.

Extreme Future

Just finished the book Extreme Future: The Top Trends That Would Reshape the World for the Next 5, 10 and 20 Years by James Canton.

Well, not technical enough. Alot of imagineering. Perhaps he wanted the discussion to be light so didn't include data or evidence. Just a lot of rhetorics.

His take on future energy markets and innovation base economy sounds too positive. Perhaps being a student of the dismal science (read: Economics), I found the discussion to airy-fairy and positive.

Perhaps that is what the book is out to tell the readers. Continue to have airy-fairy thoughts. Be positive. And bloody get the hell out of your seat and start doing something constructive.

His commentary on implanted memories and stuff about how humans can be manipulated or enhanced in future is sounding dated. Dated because it's like the movie Total Recall starring Mr California Governor - Arnold Swarthefuckspellingneger. Guess what. Total Recall was based on Philip K Dick's We can remember it for you wholesale. Written in 1966. Mr Dick is 40 years ahead of Dr James Canton.

So, if you're thinking of picking up this book, skip it. Read the complete collection of Philip K Dick's sci-fi for the future of altered realities.

Gonna start on the next book: Either The world without us by Alan Weisman or God is not great - how religion poisons everything by Christopher Hitchens.

Fun Uncle

I am becoming the "fun uncle" to Lulu.

Yes, I do wipe her pee and poop when I'm home and nobody's about. Otherwise, it's usually mum who does that. Lulu's beginning to perfect the "puppy dog" eyes. She'll soon add the piteous whine. It happens twice a day at least. When she's about to be fed. She'd go into a tizzy and start jumping around. She'd be told to "SIT!" and is beginning to understand what is expected of her when she hears the "SIT" word said sternly. But only for about 8 seconds.

Anyway, ya. I'm the "fun" uncle. I'm not sure if you know what I'm talking about. The "fun" uncle is the particular uncle who will indulge you. You probably first tasted beer (or stout) from his mug. He's the uncle who will ask you to keep the change after tasking you to buy his cigarettes.

That "fun" uncle.

It's great to have labels. Sometimes. It adds a certain amount of credibility. Stereotype is good because you can then go ahead and indulge in that role with a clear list of "stereotypical" behaviour. Your actions are explained.

Lulu's reactions gave me my label as a "fun" uncle. Sweet. I feel so needed suddenly. I can provide fun!

A song a day 24

谁说不能黑白配
世界上没有什么事
能够如此的绝对
曾经有人这样唱过
白天它不懂夜的黑
你却懂得我的美
钢琴也是黑白键
一样能弹出我对你
只有满满的感谢
也许黑永远不明白
在这个彩色的世界
有你我才会存在

Playing with Temptation

Oh, you've got green eyes
Oh, you've got blue eyes
Oh, you've got grey eyes

Lars is not the real deal

***Spoilers+ ahead if you are going to watch Lars And The Real Girl***

+potentially....

__________________________________

"I was hoping winter was over."

"No. It's just a thaw. Winter isn't over till Easter."

__________________________________

Are you jealous of people who have a reason for failing in certain aspects of their life?

Do you think that dogs should wear shoes? Or costumes?

Would you rather donate money to a science research fund that will use your money to search for extra-terrestrial lifeforms in our universe or to an orphanage?

There have been more than once when I secretly wished I had some form of defect that can nicely explain my failings. Have you? It would be so convenient. Pin all the blame on a single condition. A malfunction. Dysfunctional.

Maybe these are the thoughts of a defeatist.

Have you never spoken to a soft toy? Many people project humanistic emotions on inanimate objects. But to do so when you are 27 years old? And to have the entire community participate in your projections? And the object in question is a Real Doll?

Except for being a social delinquent, you are otherwise a fully logical member of a small town. Well then again. You are not exactly a delinquent. People just find you queer. Not the "gay" queer but the "weird" queer.

Go watch Lars And The Real Girl if you've not. It's a brilliant movie and it will probably leave you feeling warm and fuzzy. Ok, most would feel warm and fuzzy. Sure, it was a heart-warming comedy. Christians would be happy to endorse it. Catholics maybe. I do like the part when the Father said, "What would Jesus do?" Funny.

So it is a story. Lars fear human contact. Both physical and verbal interactions. Especially physical. So much so that a touch or a hug can leave him with a burning sensation. The sensation he describes as when your feet are thawing after being left out in the cold.

But secretly I am jealous of Lars because he has a reason for being dysfunctional. He has delusional disorder. His mother died while giving birth to him. He loves the blue blanket that his mum knitted for him. Nobody helped him to cope, growing up knowing this and his dad just died a couple of years back leaving behind on a brother, Gus. He uses a sex-doll to compensate.

What about the rest of us? Slightly malfunction but without a medical condition? No delusional disorder. Just failing again and again in certain aspects of our lives? We don't have a neat, convenient defect to explain away our deficiencies.

I still liked the movie though.

A song a day 23

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

Economics matter

So oil prices are hurtling towards the US$100 "psychological" barrier. Big deal. Environmentalists should celebrate. A higher absolute cost of oil will translate to a lower relative cost for renewable energy resources as well as the opening up of new forms of oil deposits which were previously dearer to mine. Oil or tar sands in Canada and Venezuela which were harder to extract because of technology and high cost is now less costly because technology has progressed and sweet crude is just too pricey now.

That the rapid rise in crude oil prices almost match the fall in the weakening of US dollars is not a coincidence. Although many would be quick to link a uni-directional causality but this is not the only reason "oil-crises". In fact, looking at the balance of trade can better explain the weakening US dollar. Historical evidence don't seem to say support the causality as well. (see here) One would have to consider too the northern-hemisphere's hunger for energy in the coming winter months. Global-warming can mean warmer than usual winters but it can also have the reverse effect. USD priced commodities like crude oil may be snapped up at this time not because of impending supply-side pressure but more so it is a demand-derived upward drive.

The engines of growth in China are not commercial or financial services. So the sub-prime woes in US may affect financial centres like Hong Kong and Singapore, perhaps Korea and Japan, but manufacturing is going to continue in China. Being the workshop for the world (like Britain was in the post-industrial years), energy is important. Airlines around the world would also want to hedge their fuel prices. Basically when faced with a volatile market, investors hold onto commodities. Especially with storable values. So not talking about corn, soybean and rice. It's the precious metals, minerals and ores - gold, coal and crude oil.

The call for the re-valuation of the Chinese renminbi is so ridiculous. If coupled with a declining US consumer confidence rating, as is the case now, a more expensive Mattel toy, lead-laden or not, will mean a less merry Christmas for the little Johns and Marys in the western world. Jobs are not going to flow back to US because the Yuan is more expensive now. It'll only mean a worsening of terms of trade immediately. Re-value, sure. But it must not be seen as the panacea to all the woes in western world.

Actually, it's just the US. Heck, Europe is doing well. Germany is registering expansion (rare) and unemployment figures are halved at 6%. Britain is humming along well. France has her own unique set of problems on the provision of social service.

I should start thinking if and when I wish to get my own car, should I consider a Honda Civic Hybrid or a City. Will the price differential be small enough so that over X number of years, the savings from petrol can be recouped.

Sartorialist's take on Asia

Recognise any of these men?



Mr. Christian Louboutin (top) - source: The Sartorialist
Mr. Jimmy Choo (bottom, older guy on left)

Besides having women stepping over their name everyday around the world, the other common thing they share is the lack of hair on their heads.

The Sartorialist, aka Schott Schuman, was in this part of the world recently. Beijing and Hong Kong mainly.

This was what he had to say of the sartorial state:

Sorry not many (any) men's photos on this trip, the men's style, in general, really lags behind the women's. That will be my big challenge next time.

Being male, in this part of the world, I have to agree. Dress too spiffily and people wonder if you're gay. V-necks = gay by the way, don't ask me, it just is. But guys here are ok with wearing pink because they see many other guys wearing pink. Many will spend hours styling their hair like the Taiwan boyband Farenheit. Guys here will buy stuff from New Urban Male and not think it's gay. Because they compensate with their dragon-boat paddles. Duh. Guys here are spending alot more money on dressing and "beauty" products but in a blind sense.

I think part of the reason why is because girls get to read girlie magazines like HER WORLD, ELLE, etc. Guys can't even read the local edition of Men's Health without raising a few eyebrows. Let's not even move into other magazines like GQ and Detail. Men here must read FHM, MAXIM and sports related mags. 8-days allowed. I'm being general. If you're a guy and you read mags with a section on "fashion" besides FHM and MAXIM, good for you. FHM and MAXIM do include sections on what to buy but the exposure is just unlike what girls here have got in their reads.

I'm equally sloppy when it comes to dressing. No way will I ever find myself in The Sartorialist if he ever decides on a South East Asian tour. But I don't wear pink. Because I think pink looks ugly on me.

KTV Sesh

Was at KBox with some primary school mates last night. I can't sing, especially C-Pop. Hopeless. But it provided a certain amount of laughter and so it was alright. Gonna meet them all soon when Ruoting gets married. Which is on the same date as Huijiao. No conflict for me there cause the latter, I've not met since 1991, didn't invite me. But I understand some of them are actually double-booked.

Was at Zouk to meet up with Gary for a bit. The set started promising but the electro-fused beats can get a little boring some times. The set could have gotten better but because I've been on the brink of a cold/flu/sore throat triple whammy since last Sunday and I've duty in base in another 5 hours time....

November seems to be a month for marriages. Nicholas also getting married. The week before Ruoting. Gonna be his sword bearer. Also part-time day photographer. Free-of-charge. Just photo-taking. Talk about that, I have not passed ah pui his wedding pix....

I like this song:

我们之间闯进了贼偷走相爱得一切
爱让我们伤痕累累
结局只流两行泪
你说决定错了无所谓就算后悔也不要我陪
爱的平淡爱的浓烈都让你憔悴
我怎么做你都拒绝

A song a day 22

I caught a glimpse, but its been forgotten
So here we are again
I made a vow, to carry you home ... home

I really tried to do what you wanted
It all went wrong again

I made a vow, to carry you home
If you fall sick, if you pass out

I figured it out, I can see again