Friday 28 February 2014

Colours, spice and everything nice

 Colours

It's the last day of February already! 60 days have passed and it feels like 2014 just started yesterday. But anyway, we're 10 months away to 2015! How exciting hahaha. Oh gosh, ten months is going to feel like super quick. I haven't really been keeping up in track with my resolutions except for the blogging part, so far so good. I have yet to do the first step of my big goal and dream this year which you will find out soon in the future. Wish me luck okay!

February has been great I suppose. It's kind of a roller coaster ride but a good one. Looking forward to March where everything will begin nicely, I hope, in a great start. Lots of things happened in this month and I hope more great things are coming their way, and yes I can feel it coming! Not sure what in store for all of us but well it's always good to keep your head up.

Anyway my new piano room is finished! It's bigger than I thought it is, I thought it was just a tiny room enough for the piano but it's quite big now. I'm going to put some furniture inside and also a shelf to put (a lot) of my stuff. Now that my sister is married, and her room is empty, my 2nd sister has moved there. Well my room sure feels more spacious cause I'm alone now. But well it still feels very messy haha, I really need a day to clear things out, you know.

February is leaving us soon and you know hmm. Sometimes I feel like my life really lacks of colours. Of excitement! I always have a craving and desire to do something, to create something really nice that I can be proud of everyday. Blogging is a platform because I get to enjoy all these posts even in the future. But I'm craving for more... I want to create music, take nice photographs, embark in a new project or start a new hobby etc. Time, is somehow an issue.

Well I don't know how people do it, how they find colours in business haha. Well my flowers are colourful and they're blooming lovely. But well hmm I don't know. My inner artist is just boiling inside, waiting to break free from the body into a kaleidoscope of colours! Okay dramatic much. But yes I'm still finding some stuff to do everyday, doesn't have to be significant and grand but small things, where I will be proud of when it's finished.

Maybe I'm just suffering from the twenties crisis. The inner desire to be kids again.

I've never regarded myself as an (insert here) kind of person. Not a science person, an artsy person, a music person, a sporty person. Sometimes I confuse myself with what I'm truly passionate about. Although if I can really cut down on all these categories, I want my life to revolve around words-music-photographs. And traveling too if possible. So yeah maybe I lie towards the arts side more. But well arts is just something I enjoy doing.

Hmm, alright I will look forward to the coming months. Hope I can create something by the end of this year. Something I'm actually proud to look back again.

Thursday 27 February 2014

Yesterday Once More

 They make me feel like it's yesterday once more

Yup I'm referring to the famous song by The Carpenters. I bought their ultimate collection album from HMV when I was in Singapore last week cause I realised I lost the compilation CD I bought when I was in primary 6 I think. Well duh it's been almost 9 years. So I was listening to the CD again last night while doing work and boy I was feeling so sentimental.

It felt like yesterday once more really.

I grew up with the songs by Carpenters. When I was in primary school when MP3 players were too cool that radio is my only source of music haha. I always listen to Gold 90.5 FM while doing work, or for leisure. And I can still remember when I would keep a piece of paper near me to write down the titles of the song I just heard. And mostly, the songs I heard were by The Carpenters. That's how I get to know them to, and I'm so glad I did.

That's why when I was in primary school my aunt was shocked to know that I know so many oldies haha. Thanks to Gold 90 FM of course!

I really like the Carpenters because I think Karen has one of the most beautiful voices ever. And their songs have this really sentimental touch to them, that it instantly makes you think of the past comfortably. Their songs are really simple and with the touch of Karen's voice, it just made the songs more sublime in a way. It's songs that you can listen and enjoy to anytime.

When I was still in Pei Tong we would sing songs together during assembly. One of the songs we sang to was "Sing", which back then I thought was just an ordinary children song. And Top of The World as well. When I found out that the song was by The Carpenters it made me really touched in a way that those songs were sang by my favourite singers!

I was listening to "Sing" last night and I couldn't help but to reminisce the days back in Pei Tong! :')

Well Oldies never die I suppose. Their songs are just so simply sublime that they last long. Unlike some music of today where meanings seem to have been lost in the songs. Back then there's no such things such as Autotunes and super cool audio editing technology. So I always wonder if Karen can sing beautiful songs without the help of these technology, why can't we not do it today too? Why are people resorting to autotunes and stuff. It's sad.

Like what the lyric of "Sing" goes like: Make it simple to last your whole life long!

Oh well I'm just glad that I come across these songs, and Carpenters, forever! :)

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Lets disappear

"Sometimes I wish that I can have the ability to disappear from earth without anyone's notice. To be forgotten for a while, and be by myself only. Where nothing mattered to me, and I'm not mattered by anyone." I came up with such a thought a few days ago. It's kind of a wish I've always had for a couple of years now. It's such a nice wish huh.

When I graduated from secondary school, I actually contemplated to be a monk. Even until now. I realise that the world means nothing to me as I grow older? And I was thinking maybe it's better to be a monk and maybe spread Buddhism or help out in the temple. Maybe that will make me a better person, and a happier one too. But no one knows really.

Growing up sure feels scary, like Lorde's song "Ribs"

It feels like I'm having lesser time alone. And even when I am alone, it feels like I'm never alone, because other thoughts are accompanying me. Worries, problems and so on. So yes I'm always waiting for that day where I can be forgotten by everyone, and everything. Even know, when I'm on a holiday I can't (somehow) leave from all these problems.

Anyway things have been doing great I suppose. Flowers' sale is picking up woots! We have more flowers now so more flowers mean more sales yay haha. Well I've been forgetting to blog, or I will fall asleep as I was about to blog. I should blog here more often. Still trying to spice and perk up my blog by doing other interesting posts hmm.

Alright that's all for now. See you soon!

Sunday 23 February 2014

Empire of The Sun Live in Singapore 2014!

 Thank you Empire of The Sun for the concert at Fort Canning!

Hello again, gosh I wanted to blog last night but I didn't cause I fell asleep. It was indeed a tiring Saturday for me, and probably one of the craziest things I've done in life (as usual). Yup actually... I went to Singapore on Friday morning and returned on Saturday afternoon just to catch Empire of The Sun (EOTS) live in Fort Canning! Which is a part of a new event in Singapore called The Gathering (if I'm correct). But seriously speaking, no regrets!

So yes I left my hometown at 3 AM to catch an 8:30 flight to Singapore which was sadly delayed. I only flew at 9:45 heh. Went around town to get some CDs, and I actually got lost while trying to find the hostel I was staying in hahaha. Went to Fort Canning at around 6 and yup, caught the concert and it is indeed one of the best times of my life! Never did I actually expect to catch EOTS live, and I did! So one item in my bucket list ticked off!

The opening act was by a local band called Monstercat, I think they're awesome especially the singer who can sing in a high pitch in one song and low pitch in the next. I'm sorry but I really thought he was a lady until he sings the next song. But I gotta say he got a talent! I hope they can make it big one day because I can feel the passion in each member. Really nice :)

 Monstercat in action!

EOTS kicked off the concert with Lux, then DNA. It was just pure 2 hours of euphoria and adrenaline. I was dancing with the crowd and shouting and cheering. Just so good! Totally got goosebumps here and there. My favourite song from them is We Are The People, because the song has so much memories for me. When the song played I was just listening to it with such joy and bliss. Just so good. Thank you EOTS for that awesome song!

 "We are the people that rule the world"

And for encore they played Alive which is very appropriate because I truly loved every minute of the concert because it made me feel ALIVE haha. Despite of catching less than 2 hours of sleep the night before, I was feeling as energised and kicking as emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore haha. It was just so damn nice. I'm so glad I went for the concert although initially I was kind of half-hearted to go for it, cause of the distance and time. But worth it really.

Emperor Steele and Lord Littlemore

After the concert I went to meet Neal, Adeline, Jeslyn and Weiqi cause our dear Neal just ORD-ed on that day, and since it was pass midnight it's his birthday! Had a great Indian food at... I forgot the name, but it was opposite Beauty World at Bukit Timah heh. I finished a huge portion of Roti John cause I was too hungry. It was a great meet-up. Cause I don't know when else we can do this. So sad whenever I think about this! :l

The next day I went straight to Changi cause I had a flight to catch back home. And yup, that's the end of my small adventure to catch EOTS live.

If I have the time, and money, I would catch all of the concerts of my favourite artists. But of course no so yes. But EOTS is definitely in the list of bands I want to catch before I die. And so I'm really glad that I did. I was watching their concerts on Youtube and seen how magical and adrenaline-kicking it is. So I really want to catch them live and I'm so so glad that I did. I hope I can catch them again one day. And other bands that I want to see live.

Anyway a few people asked me why I go to concerts alone, and the only answer I can think of is: Why not? Well maybe there are other reasons. Like sometimes I don't want people to know what I do during concerts. I can simply lose myself and dance away with the music because I really want to enjoy it. And I think people will find me weird once they know my "true" colours HAHAHA. But anyway seriously, why not though. It's a great experience I think.

And like what my friend Brenda said, it's the best way to enjoy the music, for the music :)

Alright that's all for now. Still currently having post-concert withdrawal syndrome and urgh I kinda hate it. But like good old Dr Seuss says, don't be sad that it's over, be happy that it happened! Have a great week everyone :)

Monday 17 February 2014

Happy wedding to my sister!

 Siblings, forever

Well I wanted to blog last night but I just couldn't. Was just too sleepy to the fact that I fell asleep with my laptop still on in the morning oh gosh. Well yup my sister got married yesterday! It was indeed a tiring day but I'm glad everything went smoothly till the end. It was indeed a touching and moving moment, to see my sister whom I've been spending time with for 9 years when we were still in Singapore. And now she's a happy wife of my brother in law! :')

I was the groomsmaid and also the translator of the day haha, thank you to two of my brother in law friends for coming to Indonesia to witness it! Always fun being the groomsmaid of course. Been one for like 3 weddings now haha.

Anyway my house feels really different and empty without my sister now. Although we still live in the same hometown but things are very different. Well c'est la vie I suppose. We will still be able to meet though! I'm pretty sure about that.

It seems like yesterday when my sister and I were still in Singapore. Me setting up her alarms, because I start school at 7 AM. Planning what to have for dinner weekly, during our Sunday grocery shopping. Buying dinner for one another, and so on and forth. I suppose despite her stern demeanour, she has made a disciplined person. With me away from my parents, she ensured that I behaved and performed well in school etc.

I wouldn't be who I am today without her supervision heh. And of course she has also made me an independent person. She always told me that if you can't be independent then you won't make it living abroad alone. I suppose she knew that one day I'll have to study in Singapore alone and yup that was her message for me back then.

Wishing my sister and her husband a blissful new chapter of life :)

The year has started pretty well with major events finishing one by one. Still have one more to go and yup. Hoping everything will go smoothly for everyone.

Gosh, I need to blog more. How can I discipline myself :l

Sunday 9 February 2014

Sent by mail

 Postcards are a reminder to where my feet have been

In this weekend's hashtag project by Instagram, which is titled sent by mail, we're asked to take photos of all things related to mail of course. And well it kinda made me think of how much mails are really less-appreciated in the digital world we live in today. And especially since I'm back home now there isn't much things I would receive by mail except for bills and some weird letters, or the stuff I bought online haha. How sad right.

I can still remember back in Singapore how I would just randomly send people cards, photos and stuff because I really find it a joy to give people something via mails. And thankfully some of the people I sent to, sent me back with something. Like Syazwani who gave me a lovely photo with a nice quote to remind me not to give up during ITP (Those were THE days hahaha) and oh by the way I still keep it for my diary-mark! And also Joanne who replied me with a nice, short but sweet letter too which I still keep it also.

Not forgetting some people who sent me postcards from abroad. So far my collection has been from: San Diego, UK, Kathmandu, Taiwan, Dublin, and Japan! Sadly I actually (I think) left some of these back in Singapore because I couldn't find them here! I keep two boxes of postcards that I collected so far in Singapore. They can be postcards or the zo-cards I got from some eateries. Yeah I have no idea why but I like to get them. And keep them.

Maybe I should send them out to people.

So yes back to the topic, honestly I am pretty afraid that there will come a day where sending mails will be a thing of the past. Even today I'm sure that most of us actually prefer to send emails rather than letters. We prefer to wish people birthday on Facebook than giving them a message or a call. Sure, technology has made our life easier. We don't have to wait a few days to see someone's reply regarding a matter heh. Or to ask someone regarding something.

But I suppose well sending letters and cards really add a special touch to it. Maybe you've come across the picture on the net about how we're more excited to receive email in the past than to receive letters, and now it's the opposite of it. Yup, how true is that photo right?

I suppose we all can't run with the fact that as we progress into the future technology will slowly replace all of these "old" features we once did. CDs will be replaced with umm downloads? Letters will be replaced with digital ones. Film photography will one day go extinct (I hope not). And so on. But I'm very sure there are some people (like me) who wish all these will never end. And if passion allows, they will not allow these things to go extinct.

Like how people are now going back to vinyls and doing lomography again.

Anyway, I am thinking of actually setting up a new blog where I can properly and seriously write about things. Not necessarily stories but you know like my thoughts. But come to think of it I currently own 3 blogs apart from this. One is a blog about my life in Singapore, which I'm not done writing yet (for 2 freaking years) and the other two are my tumblr. One is my random tumblr and another is a tumblr for my photos. Can check it out here.

Or, an alternative is to totally change this blog into my "thoughts" blog heh. Which is currently happening. I'm thinking of changing the name and layout and stuff too. But oh well we'll see about if first. I already have difficulties updating here! :O

Anyho here's to an awesome week ahead! Turning into another brother-in-law this Sunday.

Friday 7 February 2014

Road less travelled

 Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail

Today one of my good friends from poly, Candy, is leaving for Australia for her university! I'm sad that I can't send her to the airport but hey thanks to technology I'm able to "send" her off via Instagram haha. Well I wish you all the best there and please take good care of yourself! But trust me, it'll definitely be an experience you won't forget in life.

-Coming from someone who had spent 11 years studying abroad.

Anyway so I made Candy a photo montage of our days in poly cause we spent a lot of events together in poly. We even got interviewed for DPA together. Didn't expect to spend a lot of events together with her throughout the three years, from same groups in camp, same class, same OCIP and LEAP trips and so on. Poly would be so different if I were to not know her! So yep, thank you for the friendship and hopefully one day we can have tea again, this time in Brisbane :P

So I was just looking for photos in Facebook for the events that we joined together. And at the same time I feel really overwhelmed by my years in poly. Well although I always feel such way, because I truly feel that poly was the best three years that happened consecutively in my life heh. So many things happened and I took part in a lot of activities I didn't expect myself, ever, to take part. So it was really good. Although it was still considered the "road less traveled" back then, no regrets, ever!

Looking back on the times that I spent in polytechnic is really an amazing look-back. The decision I made, thinking again now, wouldn't be the best but it is definitely something I am not regretful of taking. I was watching the TEDx talks by Robin Esrock and he said "Where you are is where you're supposed to be". And I supposed it did go for "Where you were was where you're supposed to be"? Hehe. So yeah somewhere along the line yeah. If you get what I mean.

I didn't know how life is going to turn out. We all didn't. But halfway across poly I learned the Buddhism teaching of living in the moment so basically I went all out in poly. I just gave my best because going to poly is a decision I've been wanting to do. I really want to be in Biomedical Science because I am really intrigued by the human body. I stick by my decision and well I graduated with a GPA I'm proud of, although knowing now, that I am doing something so un-biomedical.

Like what Ralph Waldo Emerson said,

"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail"

I suppose I take the word "trail" with a lot of meanings. It may be memories, lessons, and more. But basically, the most important thing is that you leave something you create by yourself. Something you walk on, something you can look back and tell yourself "wow what a journey it has been!". And no matter what people say about your path... Well they can't feel what you feel so yeah, their opinion doesn't matter I suppose. You go enjoy it!

Ah well, I wonder how life is going to proceed through. What kind of trail will I leave next? :)

Monday 3 February 2014

Happy Chinese New Year!

 Tapestry

Yes I know I'm like a few days late but did you know that Chinese New Year celebration lasts for 15 days? So that's a segment of Adhi did-you-know session and here's me wishing you a happy Chinese new year! May this year of the horse be a greater one than the last year of the snake! Let's gallop through this year with joy and vigour hiiiiyaaaa!

Although I read that it's gonna be a so-so month for the monkeys but we'll see eh!

Anyway yes it's been quite long since I last wrote here. Been really busy reuniting with my family on CNY and also with the arrival of my nephew (who's now home by the way) I've been yes, forgetting to blog haha. But anyho it's been a great 2 days over the past weekend reuniting with my cousins, some, whom I've never met for more than half a year. So yep. Talking with my aunts and uncles was also a great thing too. Just love CNY cause everyone is back!

And now my nephew is back at my brother's house and I've been playing with him everyday! Okay playing is such an over statement because he'll only be a week old tomorrow hahaha. But yeah snapping photos, carrying him around and just talking with him although by growth, he's not able to see yet. I read somewhere once that babies only start seeing at about a month old. But it's just cute to see him around haha. He's so so so so cute.

I'm lending my iPod to my brother cause apparently classical music helps my nephew to sleep when he can't. So yup glad to be able to lend my help. And hopefully I have another family member who loves classical music too heh. I can't wait for my little nephew to be a small boy so that I can play with him haha. But of course that takes time so I'll let nature do it.

It's been an alright start I suppose (cues Agaetis Byrjun playing). The year of the snake was supposed to be a not-so-good year for monkeys but to me it was alright. Definitely an eventful one though. The year of the horse is supposed to be another okay year for the monkey and I hope to make it better of course! :) Read in a fengshui book that the lucky colour for monkeys is black haha. Thankfully I'm a fan of black so it's gonna come in handy :P

Well like I said a year is only as great as how you make it out to be. Perhaps I'm just taking these readings as a guide for me throughout this year you know. Like how I always take it for. And also February starts a fresh beginning for me, on the "business" side hah. I hope this beginning marks a beginning of a great thing. And I believe it will, so we'll see the results soon.

February will be another eventful month for me. What a way to start the year of the horse! Let's gallop through February smoothly! See you again soon.