without further ado -

2007 has been a good year

perhaps it didn't seem like that to me when i began the year, but certain points made little changes in my perspective to what it is now...

as i welcomed '07, i had just got off the high of my year back in ACSI...

perhaps what stuck with me most on this exact day last year was the small group of friends (the front-row ppl of point.eleven + 3 from other seats) i'd made and grown incredibly close to in such a short amount of time...

plus there were the two trips i made with friends to bintan and phuket (which i'd return to twice) that were amazing...

endless late nights on MSN had made me kinda insular when coming into the new year, and that probably set the tone for my approach to entering the IB programme...

orientation was when i spent extended periods of time with han an since sec 2, and i'm glad to say its continued since...

of all those in my OG, i only speak to 2 now, but i don't quite think of that as any loss, primarily because of what it gave way to - a new class...

sitting at the back of five.nine the first day we got our allocations, i remember i had gave paul a worried glance just minutes before, and he had nodded in sympathetic understanding..

as i stood last to introduce myself, i made a silent promise to myself - that i won't lose touch with my friends from the previous years in school as i was gonna need their company loads...

but that look of worry has faded nicely to a sense of warmth, an identity that the class has developed over many months together...

a few things aided in this process - knowing danny from 2.3, jim from being a debate supporter, gerald from RMUN and justin/tedkin from OM'04...

the recent change in our class blog photo to the new one is representative of a welcome change - the 2nd intake ppl, and particularly mel, who has been really easy to converse with...

apart from individual ppl, the other events that made life chipper was the birthday cake my class bought on april25, the 2 charity cafe instances, class gatherings at sentosa/theglasshouse, and above all these, WOW'07 - Phuket...

there's no denying that we got the best location of all the classes, with pretty darn nice hotels and stuff...

but i took back most from the work that we did in Khao Lak, and the nightly gatherings in various rooms...

that marked the beginning of the second half of '07, which was significantly better than the first...

(though i was slightly peeved after not succeeding in the council thingy, i did gain a new friend in the person of deon after we met at YLS, and we've since spent countless hours in various malls/eateries...)

the 2 weeks of studying with the class regulars in school during the june hols really started the momentum that i'd missed the past 2 years...

the results of this weren't immediately obvious, but it was a good start with 38 points...

during that same stressful period, the presidency i had inherited from sam/auggie over the IB debate society now needed some proving, and captaining a team that did not start to train for the nationals until 2 weeks before was scary, but i thank my teammates, coach and mai who was wrongfully removed from her spot on the team...

finishing in the top 4 teams was pretty good, and it marked the end of my debating career for good (wow, this is probably the firs time i've said that out loud)

that left me with more time to pursue my academic goals for the rest of the year, and these included the first important IA, the English A1 Part 4 IOP... being first in both the mock and the actual thing was probably a good thing, as i had tonnes of time after to concentrate on other stuff...

and there was a huge lot of this stuff to tackle - redeeming my dismal English/Econs grades, chem/econs/history IAs, the chinese B IB exam and the all-important FYEs...

term 4 was probably the shortest i've ever had, and right after sitting for my papers i went for my second job attachment in 2 years (the first was a farce), and very soon after received what i'd been working towards and was 2 years in the making - a perfect score of 42...

and i finally got to feel what i'd felt in '04 and '05 again =)

the highlight of my year was the Phuket Deaux, the photos of which i've yet to obtain, but whose memories are more than enough to illicit a smile... 

4 days of work at an unforgettable site and 3 unbelievably relaxing days on an unbelievably pristine leisure island, all with excellent company...

after that trip, i didn't think the rest of my hols would be half as much fun...

but the many trips out with 2 groups of friends in particular made it an enjoyable 2 months...

my food expeditions with han an/sarah in the thomson area were really tasty...

and i got to know gareth, whom i've known since primary 1, lots better, and the surprise party we threw for him was really fun, and got me thinking about interact as my debate replacement next year...

then there were the movie/lunch/dinner/Minds outings with sean/deon/yewjin/javier which were really frequent...

finally there was Christmas'o7, with fewer gifts, a few close friends and the alcoholic debate party, and the five.nine party with guitar hero 3... 

i spent NYE out with han an/sarah back in thomson for more shanghainese food followed by drinks next door, before i headed to taka where i met darius while shopping...

i'm trying to get together a last movie outing to watch Across The Universe tomorrow before school begins, just so i don't spend it worrying about what the new academic year will bring...

there's tonnes to be apprehensive about, not least the IB exams in November...

but if there's one thing i'm confident in, it's that i won't be going into '08 with the same attitude that i did previously... 

there are good friends around that i'm far more aware and appreciative of, and whom i'm eternally grateful for, and that's more than i could ask for as i get myself ready to welcome a whole new year...

as i said in the beginning of the post, '07 was a good year...

it's with little doubt and infinite hope that i end by saying that 

'08 is gonna be marvelous

i was talking to adriel about christmas presents and stuff, and what he said was kinda true - there do seem to be less exchanges and stuff this year as compared to the last or the past ones before that..
for me i think its 'cos i haven't really kept in touch with many, partly 'cos i've been trying hard to make new friends, and to that end i must say its been pretty successful =)

post-church, i had just enough time to pass my overdue Threadless.com tees to sam/adriel/jake/josh(indirectly) before joining jasmine/rupen/rachh/jp for lunch at the Beppu Mekkan Japanese ramen place in suntec which is kinda growing on me...
a little snoop around the shops later i headed over to Milennia Walk to meet sean/deon/javier at Coffee Club for tea, chatter and online goss...
i had to leave soon after to get home to get the stuff i was bringing to the five.nine party at Cheryl's place in serangoon gardens...
it's true - those who stay nearest usually arrive latest, and there were a number of ppl there already when i arrived...
to answer a random query thrown around during dinner, the strange looking but very tasty chicken dish was brought courtesy of your's truly :P (it was actually part of the catering from last night's party, but i thought it was delish so set it aside for tonight instead)
most of the time we played Guitar Hero 3 on the Wii, but i did get to talk to Mel/Danny whom i had not seen in ages...
after most ppl left, i stayed behind to play cards/clear up with gerald/elliot/jim/danny before heading out to catch a cab back...
it was a fun gathering, though i always think its far more lively when more of the class comes...

but class will certainly not be in short supply in 2 days' time...
i'm kinda in denial about the new academic semester opening, so i'm just trying to enjoy NYE and Jan 1st as much as i can, 'cos it'll be some time before i'll have the chance to relax...
like i told javier, we must toally make time to chill in what is definitely gonna be a hectic year...

i see this hol's work as 4 essays totallying 8600 words...
it's going slowly, but i don't regret not using this hols in a less work-oriented fashion...
a little last minute work never killed anyone, and its certainly done wonders for me this year, at the expense of sleep and sanity of course... x)

Graduation from My December!

And just because it seems to be in vogue to do so, here are my 2 Lists for 2007 -

Top 10 Albums of the Year:

#10: Josh Groban - NOEL
Although solely a Christmas album and best appreciated during the festive season, NOEL is a pretty accessible album as Josh Groban's operatic vocals might come off a little too much for the casual listener in his earlier record.

#9: KT Tunstall - DRASTIC FANTASTIC
With just a guitar and vocals, KT Tunstall has wowed audiences with her upbeat style, and this sophomore record moves away slightly from her indie roots of EYE TO THE TELESCOPE, but strangely enough, it's a good thing as she is now far more accessible.

#8: will.i.am - SONGS ABOUT GIRLS
There is no questioning the musicality of this mega-producer's music, and this album goes above the usual bass-heavy sound of other hip/hop-dance records. The choice of repetitiveness and interlinked tracks is excellent, and its lead single, while catchy and slightly campy, belies more mood-ambient tracks in the rest of the album.

#7: Carrie Underwood - CARNIVAL RIDE
At least one of the albums in this list has to be Country Music, and of all those i've listened to this year, Carrie's is the best. Although i commented on first listen that it wasn't as great as SOME HEARTS and that it came out at a time when some of my other fave artistes released albums, its stunning sales must be worth something. The whole banjo-by-the-fire vibe kinda grows on you.

#6: Paramore - RIOT!
Released in July, RIOT! is everything those other pseudo rocker chicks did not succeed at - good lyrics and excellent rockish vocals. Track 3 is by far the best single on the album, and the Bonus Tracks edition comes with a good number of live performances.

#5: Angels & Airwaves - I-EMPIRE
WE DON'T NEED TO WHISPER had a successful formula of futuristic synth/star power, and A&A realized that what's not broken shouldn't be fixed, giving us I-EMPIRE, a worthy follow-up to their debut album. More meaning and existential-thought-provoking content puts it on this list.

#4: Britney Spears - BLACKOUT
I stand by what i said earlier: BLACKOUT is the best album BS has ever recorded. There are no cringe-worthy tracks, and some songs are just too catchy, reminding listeners of what made her the original. The later tracks in the album are excellent dance tracks, while the closer, Why Should I Be Sad, is a reflection of her previous years.

#3: Vanessa Carlton - HEROES & THEIVES
Pretty darn amazing for a third album, and this comes after her first two were superb. A wider range of styles but the same heartfelt lyrics make this a hinging-on-indie gem.

#2: Mika - LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION
You honestly cannot help but love this album for all its idiosyncratic stylings. Bordering on hippie-cool, LIFE IN CARTOON MOTION has a dream-like quality that is made so much more fantastical by the sky-high vocals and the almost-too-abstract stuff about love. Besides that, its musicality is unquestionably amazing. It is so weird it makes you happy.

#1: Blake Lewis - Audio.Day.Dream
A.D.D may sound to some like it was recorded in the 80s, but it sounds entirely contemporary, not least because of Blake's own musical roots. With a slight edge that few albums possess, this record reflects all aspects of his style, and it is endearing to listen to. Thoroughly enjoyable.

Top 10 Singles of the Year:

#10: Santana Featuring Chad Kroeger - INTO THE NIGHT (Ultimate Santana)

#9: Jimmy Eat World - BIG CASINO (Chase This Light)

#8: Nelly Furtado - DO IT (Loose)

#7: Leona Lewis - BLEEDING LOVE (Spirit)

#6: Jordin Sparks - TATTOO (Jordin Sparks)

#5: Quietdrive - TIME AFTER TIME (When All That's Left Is You)

#4: Natalie Imbruglia - GORIOUS (Glorious: Singles From 1997-2007)

#3: Maroon 5 - WON'T GO HOME WITHOUT YOU (It Won't Be Soon Before Long)

#2: Kanye West - STRONGER (Graduation)

#1: John Mayer - SAY (The Bucket List: Music From The Motion Picture)

as i'd hoped, Christmas '08 ended on a far better note than it began...
early on Boxing Day morning, as i sat in a cab back home, recovering from the alcohol intake just a few minutes before, i remembered to whisper a thanks for all that has happened in '07, as well as for those that did not happen, which i've come to believe is for the best in the grander scheme of things...

Christmas normally marks the real end to the year, when i pack away all the stuff that i had been using up to that day, and make space for the stuff that i'll be using in '08...
and with exactly a week till i trundle back to school, i have a feeling '08 will pass at a blinding speed...
of course there will be days when every hour cannot seem to go any slower, but i think these will be in the minority, as most days i'll be wondering where all the time went that i needed to finish all my assignments, study for the 2 blocks of internal tests and the last few weeks consolidating 2 years' of knowledge for the final IB papers which count for 70% of everything...
i hope i would have secured most of the other 30% by then...

anyways, back to yesterday...
the rush at church wasn't as hectic as past years, 'cos i think i had wisely narrowed my list with the utmost discretion...
unlike the music of the previous years, food items dominate the bags of stuff i got this year...
post-service, went for lunch with jake/sam before heading to sam's place where josh/meixi joined us..
watched Bourne Ultimatum, and shortly after the debaters started arriving for the annual ac debate party...
the highlight of the night would have to be shivana's drinking game which we played last year, but instead of wine, we had vodka instead...
and 40% alcohol does nasty things to the system especially since i don't normally drink...
but it was hilariously fun, and i staggered into bed with a smile and a hope that a hangover would not greet me this afternoon when i awakened...

with just a few days to put the rest of my work together to get a good start for my last academic year for at least a while, i'd better get going...

happy '08 ya'll...
cheers

It's been a week since my last post, though more importantly it'll be Christmas in a minute...
the week's been good, shopping up north, lunches/trips to the arcade in town, class party (where i wasn't the sole non-class-member-anymore present)...
i feel slightly crappy right now 'cos in the midst of a few hershey kisses in front of the gogglebox, i fell sick with a sore throat which has been going through its usual cyclical ups-and-downs, sapping most of the festive spirit out of me for the past 36 hours...
add to that the sad fact that the Threadless Tees i ordered more 2 weeks ago and paid a hefty delivery fee for in order to get it on a priority delivery scheme have not come, leaving me with just a an apology and a promise of a the gift to sam/jake/adriel/josh when i go to church tomorrow...
maybe its just the meds talking, but it definitely isn't like any other Christmas i've experienced before, and in a depressing way...

with all the yuletide i can muster, Blessed Christma's '07 ya'll...

i interrupt your regular early monday morning proceedings to bring you a little rant about the Asian Idol competition that just ended a while back...
so as you might know i'm kinda like the biggest Idol nut around, and normally the contestant i support isn't the winner, but the judges' choice normally gets voted in...
however, this leg of the Idol phenomenon was slightly different in that the overwhelming favourites (yes, plural, because there were a number of amazing vocalists) lost to someone who, at least in my and the judges' opinion, has little international value...
nonetheless, the Asian Idol is Singapore's Hady Mirza, and while i was getting over the initial shock of him beating out Jaclyn Victor of Malaysia (the HSM2 singer), Mike of Indonesia and the Filipino Idol who in my opinion is the best singer, i've come to understand why it turned out as such...
first off, one of the songs he sang was a Malay one, and that would have appealed to Malaysian and Indonesian voters, particularly the latter because it was the host nation, and these two voting groups combined would have greater numbers than any other support blocks...
but the second, and perhaps more important reason for his victory when he really doesn't have as good a voice is that amongst all 6 contestants, he looks the best...
when you talk about absolute looks, he isn't shoddy to begin with, and when you think in relative terms, he is far more attractive than any of the others (save for the Indian Idol who has that ubiquitous Bollywood charm that unfortunately does not appeal that widely in the rest of Asia)
i dare say it was an example of the efficient commercial machine that in the Singapore media...

so with that out of the way, its back to Barclay's Super Sunday...

this week has been, in contrast to last week, busy, or at least busier in terms of having places to go and stuff...
and i have successfully visited town just about every single day since last friday, and i've concluded that there really isn't a suitable replacement to it in singapore just yet...

had worship pract for CYC on tuesday afternoon, then met han an/gen at plaza sing where we bought gareth's birthday cake from Secret Recipe and made a reservation at The Manhattan Fish Market...
we met deon while at Tapz, after which we proceeded to TCC for drinks and finger food...

early wednesday morning (and i mean WAY early, like 7am early, which is unheard of since i wake up past noon) the surprise party crew met at serangoon station to make our way to gareth's place, cake and gifts in tow...
upon arriving, there was much scrambling about getting the candles lit and everything before we silently climbed the stairs to his bedroom, and promptly broke into song when he, the birthday kid all of 17 and bleary eyed from having returned from khao lak the previous night, was sufficiently surprised to make us, the wonderful surprise birthday crew, deem this endeavor which had been weeks in the making, a success =)
eating cake, ordering macs, playing with the dog Misty, Halo 3, some pool and piano tinkling later, we headed to plaza sing for lunch at said restaurant, not before some arcade time at Star Factory (we played this new ghost bashing game, which is seriously more surreal than the bishi bashi one, though i think the latter is still more fun) and more of that post-lunch at Tapz...
met gerald just outside plaza sing while we were walking back in to Times...
i left soon after we got to orchard and went over to sam's place to meet the miche/val/al for an evening of monopoly, mahjong, pizza and random japanese humour courtesy of YouTube...

at a more sane time of 12 this afternoon i met clarence for pool at Meridien, and after 2 games of 9-ball (lost both) and 7 games of pool (4-3 to me), xinquan/jimmy came along and we had time for another 2 games (xq and i lost 2-1 to the other two) before heading over to clarence's place for more mahjong, not before trying some donuts at some supposedly "nice" donut store (just like the many others that seriously do not compare to the deliciousness that is Dunkin' Donuts or Krispy Kremes)
headed to East Coast to play for worship at CYC, where i met Cherry after dunno how long...

as i left gen/lucy/pete/gareth at orchard yesterday, they were like "see you next year!", and it kinda took me by surprise 'cos it never quite occurred to me that there are only so few days left in '07 that the next time we meet will be next year in school...
this holiday period has really passed by quite quickly, though i think much more is to come, considering Christmas is not even here yet...
i'm already looking forward to that =)

today in church the ppl from Aus were back, so got to see Pet/DebNg/AmandaB/Zhaoming-Andrew...

just got back from Essential Brew, where sean/me introduced javier/deon to each other for the first time in person, and i must say it was a very successful encounter indeed... =)
good food, drinks and tonnes of laughter...
we should do this again some time!

the grammy nominations are out for 2008 -

Record of the Year -
Beyonce: Irreplacable
Foo Fighters: The Pretender
Rihanna: Umbrella
Justin Timberlake: What goes Around...Comes Around
Amy Winehouse: Rehab

Album of the Year -
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black
Kanye West: Graduation
Vince Gill: These Days
Herbie Hancock: River: The Joni Letters
Foo Fighters: Echoes, Silence, Patience & Grace

Song of the Year -
Amy Winehouse: Rehab
Carrie Underwood: Before He Cheats
Plain White T's: Hey There Delilah
Corinne Bailey Rae: Like A Star
Rihanna: Umbrella

Best New Artiste -
Feist
Paramore
Taylor Swift
Ledisi
Amy Winehouse

Pop Vocal Performance (Male) -
Michael Buble: Everything
John Mayer: Belief
Paul McCartney: Dance Tonight
Seal: Amazing
Justin Timberlake: What Goes Around...Comes Around

Pop Vocal Performance (Female) -
Christina Aguilera: Candyman
Feist: 1234
Fergie: Big Girls Don't Cry
Nelly Furtado: Say It Right
Amy Winehouse: Rehab

Pop Vocal Performance (Duo or Group) -
Bon Jovi: (You Want To) Make A Memory
Daughtry: Home
Plain White T's: Hey There Delilah
U2: Window In The Skies
Maroon 5: Makes Me Wonder

Pop Vocal Album -
Bon Jovi: Lost Highway
Feist: The Reminder
Maroon 5: It Won't Be Soon Before Long
Paul McCartney: Memory Almost Full
Amy Winehouse: Back to Black

Dance Recording -
Justin Timberlake: LoveStoned/I Think She Knows
Rihanna: Don't Stop The Music
Mika: Love Today
Justice: D.A.N.C.E
The Chemical Brothers: Do It Again

Vocal Rock Performance (Duo or Group) -
Daughtry: It's Not Over
Green Day: Working Class Hero
Nickelback: If Everyone Cared
The White Stripes: Icky Thump
U2: Instant Karma

on a side note, The Golden Compass was an ok movie, without finesse or mystery, but nonetheless a good PG kinda show...

east of the sun,
John.

reading paul's post about his cambodia trip, one particular thought he included made me sit up and think -
that whatever it was we did, however emotional the experience, regardless of the high or the warmth or the everything that we come out of a marvelous encounter with, we always forget...
that sooner or later, as the usual-ness of life becomes just that, that sense of the bigger things fades...
even when another moving experience comes along and we are reminded of the previous one, it doesn't quite match it...
and that we forget the meaningful retrospectives on our fortune and well-being as we once more take it as a given...

perhaps how strong and overwhelming that sense is comes largely from the location and circumstance of the experience - in a different country, in conditions so different from your own that there is little to distract from just taking that place all in, and with ppl that, in these circumstances, show a side of themselves that is bigger, more open and more accessible than when in usual surroundings and situations...

that's the stuff that makes great trips, and i've thankfully had my fair share...

lest it be lost,
John.

Live at Abbey Road is a really intimate look into the studio time of some of the biggest artiste around...
the episode i caught tonight showcased John Mayer, Richard Ashcroft (from The Verve) and Norah Jones...
have a look; its some of the best live/studio music you'll find on tv...

Heroes Volume 2: Generations ended on a cliffhanger, and that opening scene of Volume 3: Villains was certainly apt, with sylar regaining his powers...
one huge question would be who was the man who walked out of the press conference, presumably after shooting nathan...
another show draws to a close, while others are on hiatus...

the long awaited 5th season of One Tree HIll debuts on Jan 8th with a 2-hour special...
from the One Tree HIll: Fast Forward videos i've been watching on The CW, we know that it takes place 4 years after Season 4...
can't wait!
OTH is still my favourite series of all time...

Blake Lewis' Audio Day Dream is out now, and i've only had the chance to listen to lead single Break Anotha, which is amazing...

A.D.D,
John.

i haven't done any serious shopping for a really really really (this gets 3 really-s instead of the usual 2 'cos it truly has been almost 2 years since) long time...
today's trip to the malls wasn't really to buy stuff, but more to get acquainted with what's on sale, what new arrivals there are and what stores appeal most to me, and spending 6 hours doing that was retail therapy at its best...
it reminded me of 2 things - the long year-end shopping trips with javier from 2000 to 2005, and that period in the second half of 2005 where i was experiencing for the first time in my secondary school life what a "free weekend" was (i had previously been inundated on a weekly basis my the myriad of ccas and other stuff i was committed to), so not knowing what to do with my time, i did "the orchard thing": walking the entire orchard stretch from plaza sing to far east plaza, stopping at almost every mall to take a look...
the best way to survive long shopping trips across 3 major shopping districts is to do so after lots of sleep (i've had way too much of that in recent days) and making regular pit stops to refuel...

met deon/sean/yewjin/gen at vivocity's Sushi Tei for an early lunch before beginning our hunt for sean's bag...
we paid visits to Ted Baker, Topman, Pull & Bear, Zara, Esprit, Armani Exchange, Tangs, Guardian and The Face Shop (for some health products) and Diesel before heading to town for drinks at starbucks... gen left soon after...
then it was off to the heeren's Carhartt (a little hidden gem of the store behind Vil'age) and Fossil, followed by Paragon's Projectshop, Muji, Crumpler, Nike and Metro, with a little surprise christmas present for sean from paul, sam and myself since he will be away for christmas...
taka's Ted Baker and wisma's Beetlebug were next, before yewjin went off and the 3 of us remaining headed to marina square to find the larger Projectshop whicch had unfortunately closed down...
(we bumped into asykin going to K Box)
commiserating over food at the food loft about the options we'd seen, the final decision now is the Ted Baker bag which we're making a day of buying it probably this friday, as well as watching Across The Universe...

speaking of movies this week, that would definitely be my top choice...
the 4 major films showing are Jerry Seinfeld's Bee Movie (with Renee Zelleweger), Beowulf (i must watch this if only for Ray Winstone and Angelina Jolie), Hitman (poorly rated because of the storyline and the strange casting of TImothy Olyphant) and The Golden Compass (with all its supposedly heretical allusions)...
there are of course others, like the silly Vince Vaughn flick Fred Claus, but the one i do hope makes it to Singapore is This Christmas, starring Loretta Divine and Chris Brown...

to think that your heart now belongs to another,
John.

staying in the house for 5 days straight does much for one's longing for good food, so i finally got out of the house and joined rachh/sher at parkway's Crystal Jade Kitchen, but because they were really crowded, my noodles weren't as good as the many times i had it at holland v during the dean's list period with han an, though the side dishes are definitely something i'll be getting more often now...
we met jane shortly after, and i got to take a look at the new Borders in the east, which is significantly smaller but pretty nice...

gotta make plans for the week if another 5 days aren't to be wasted...

illogic,
John.

Ashlee Simpson's single, Outta My Head, off her as yet untitled album due out later this month, is really quite bad, and i do hope the rest of the album is good enough to match up to I Am Me, which i thought was one of the best albums of my early teenage years =)

Project Runway Season 4 has reached its 3rd episode, and i thought this is as good a time as any to post an update -
first off, Jack Macenroth is HIV positive...
this week's challenge was for mens' wear, and unfortunately carmen, the contestant i was supporting, was voted off, so i guess now i'm all for victorya hong, though i don't think they'll let another asian win after chloe dao in season 2...

apart from that, i think i've not given Shayne Ward enough airtime - he really did deserve to win the first season of X-Factor, and his second single off his sophomore album, Breatheless, is really really good, enough for him to be comparable to his successor, the ultra talented Leona Lewis...

oh and its already been a few minutes in, so here's Hey December, arguably the most memorable month of any given year for me

the weekend is here,
John.