In 2019...

Here we are again, on the dawn of the last day of the year. Just like the previous year... I don't know how to put 2019 into words. I don't even know how to describe it. Was it a weird year? Yes. Was it challenging? Yes. I thought it was a rather tough year. I felt confused and alone. I seem to crave certainty more and more. Even though last year I was teaching myself to not do so.

To begin with. I just felt like I become more and more afraid of life. I often wonder how things will work out even though no one knows the answer to this question. As life goes by I become more and more restless. I realise how futile having a hope is. Perhaps in an oxymoronic way, I have befriended uncertainty. I don't know what is coming and I'm just learning to take things day by day.

At the end of each year I often feel like a failure. Okay not a total failure. But I feel like I haven't achieved much as a human being. And that is all because I feel lost too. Like I once said I felt lost, I don't know what I want in life. I don't know what's my purpose and so on. It's annoying sometimes to think about it. I just feel like the world is putting lots of weight on me. Invisible weights perhaps?

And at the beginning of each year, I feel lost again. I feel like there is no point having grand plans and dreams and hopes and ideas. Because I feel like life is too uncertain and it is futile to have them. Things can change. And thus I've just been telling myself to take things day by day.

I have stopped writing resolutions and add them as the year goes by. And at the end of each year... I manage to accomplish most of them. Because I started off with little.

I understand that there are only two certain things in life: death and uncertainty itself. So when things change, when things don't go according to plans, I accepted them really.

Recently I just believe and told myself that life is a huge waiting game. It's just a tremendous game. Of how patiently, diligently and mindfully can we wait to see and witness how life will unfold and unravel itself to us. And see, feel and taste what it has in store with us. Then it's another game of how make use of these things that life has given us. And it just goes on and on. Till we die.

Some of us didn't make it to see the end game. Some of us decided to leave the game first. Some of us push on till the end, no matter how tough the journey is. We are all a customer of fate waiting in line. Thankfully though, we're free to do many things while we're queuing up. And not confined to a line where we can do nothing. We can do, feel and think many different things.

Last year I learned that we cannot stop the flower from blooming. This year I think is just a bug test of how I can patiently wait to see the flower blooming. The flower is blooming, though it hasn't bloomed. How long more can I wait. How long more can I go.Once again, no one knows the answer.

This whole pushing through and going through is taking a toll of my mental health. I know. It's tiring. But I just kept on telling myself to keep on going. I thought 2018 was hard but whew, 2019 was another level for my mental health. It's quite sad how I used to be an optimistic person. And I never expect myself to land on this position, this state right now. But folks here I am now.

But it is in this waiting game that I have learned something that is both difficult to learn, but liberating to accept. The idea that I am meant to be here. I am meant where I am meant to be. There are a few occurrences in this year that have taught me this great lesson. Again and again, life always tells me of this fact. That I'm here. And eventually I learn to go on. That life is leading me somewhere I'm meant to be eventually. A place that nobody but time and life only knows.

I have also learned something this year. It is to stop asking yourself questions that nobody knows the answer to. Until you have a full knowledge of what is going on, that's when you can start thinking of the answers. Once again, this is tough to practice. Because we are all craving for permanence.

As we bid farewell to 2019, we are also leaving a decade behind. Entering a new year, and a new decade. Well, it's been quite a decade isn't it? I feel like I go through a lot in the past decade that makes me learn a lot about myself. I went through a lot of things, tried a lot of things, experienced many things. Landing myself in places I never expected to land. I learned to befriend uncertainty. I have joyfully accepted impermanence, see the emptiness of things. Learned to walk in the dark and eventually dance with my own shadows. I have discovered different sides of me. Yet I feel I still have a lot to learn about myself. And there are still empty places for me to grow.

I think the Avicii's song Wake Me Up is a perfect song to sum up this decade. I've been searching for myself but I ended up being lost. But this journey has been quite an interesting one. Through being lost I kinda find myself. I kinda learn a lot about life. Though I land myself in the darkness, I also see the light. I learn to let go I learn to be strong. I may not know where life is taking me, and if I will ever find myself. But I learn to pick myself up little by little, on a journey of becoming whole.

It's been an interesting decade and I'm thankful for everything that I went through in these 10 years. They definitely have shaped me as the person I am now. I have learned many things. Am I dreading the new decade? Kind of. Am I still afraid of the future? Kind of. 

Am I excited to see what the next decade has in store for me (and us)? FUCK YES!

Alright that's all for 2019. Thank you for everything again, my dearest Clouds of Sunday. There'll be changes as we enter the new year but I will never leave you! I hope 2019 and this decade has been treating you well. I wish you a Tremendously Terrific Twenty Twenty! Let us all be patient, strong and as always, mindful as we watch the flower bloom. As life unfolds and unravels what it has in store for us.

Take care. And Happy New Year.

Great Music of 2019

Alright it's that time of the year again for the great music of 2019! Before we begin, lets start with the great music of December. Not many, and also there's no new album in this month heh.

Great Music of December:

- Lazy Giants by Asgeir

- Right Track/Wrong Man by Yumi Zouma

- Afraid To Fall by Gary B

- Good Karma by Gary B

- Fading by Shallou

Song of the month: Right Track/Wrong Man by Yumi Zouma

And now lets begin with the great music of 2019! Alright disclaimer first: I won't be doing what I did in my previous years where I list out all the new albums/music that I love this year. But I will list down the artists/bands I discovered this year, followed with my top 10 albums with a few special mentions, and then top 19 songs of the year (cause, 2019). And the acts I'm looking forward to in 2020! Here goes:

New Artists/Bands I discovered in 2019

[] Raveena [] The Day [] Mike Pedaja [] Geographer [] Hania Rani [] Sun Rai [] RKCB [] Egoism [] 

[] Mree [] Nitsua [] Satria Jaya [] Rosemary Fairweather [] Tashoora [] Henry Nowhere [] Work Drugs [] 

[] Litany [] Hindia [] Dameer [] Pictured Resort [] Postiljonen [] Miljon [] Gary B []

I discovered most of these artists/bands from Spotify in this year. And as usual the good old YouTube! Actually I discovered way more than these but these are the few that I really fall in love with. Spotify has definitely made discovering music more convenient. I'm excited to discover more in 2020 :)

Breakthrough artist of 2019: Hania Rani, Hindia, Tashoora, and The Day 

Here are my top ten (technically eleven) albums of 2019. I can't pick the number one!

1. A Thousand Fibres by Favela

1. forevher by Shura

2. Esja by Hania Rani

3. Menari Dengan Bayangan by Hindia

4. Everyday Life by Coldplay

5. Midnight Parade by The Day

6. Oncle Jazz by Men I Trust

7. Heard It In A Past Life by Maggie Rogers

8. Pony by Rex Orange County

9. Saves The World by Muna

10. Blue Sky In Your Head by Lighthouse Family

And here are a few special mentions!

1. Grim Town by Soak

2. Rouge by Yuna

3. Weather by Tycho

4. Onwards To Zion by Vancouver Sleep Clinic

5. Dream Girl by Anna of The North

6. Hamba Jaring Cahaya, Hamba Bela Gelapnya by Tashoora

Okay there are actually a total of 25 albums that are released by my favourite musicians this year. It's so hard to pick these really! Because they're really good. Well I'm not a music expert but I rank these not only from the music side but also my "relationship" with these albums. And in general, how I feel about the album as a whole. Here's why I pick my number ones and a few of the other albums.

A Thousand Fibres by Favela

This is a collaborative album by Favela and a few other artists. And I think Favela did it again! I really love the whole album because it really felt like a thousand fibres woven together to create a beautiful tapestry! As usual Favela's music made me feel emotions that I've never felt before. And it's so hard to put them into words. This album is no exception. I am really excited for more new music from him :)

forevher by Shura

This album is really something like wow! Haha. Okay first of all, I've never been in a relationship. Though I've been in love a few times hah (AKA have crushes). So I don't know the feelings and the things that one goes through when they are in a relationship. And to me this album encapsulates beautifully the whole journey of being in love and of being in a relationship. After listening to this album I really hope that I can find my special someone one day. And "go through" this album all over again :') 

Next up here are my top 19 favourite songs of 2019!

1. Carve Me by Favela ft Nick Brewer

2. forever by Shura

3. Eden by Hania Rani

4. Secukupnya by Hindia

5. Yet To Come by The Day

6. Rusks and Wine by Favela ft Pablo Nouvelle

7. Sun by Dameer

8. Super 8 by Lighthouse Family (see what I did here :P)

9. Forevermore by Yuna

10. Nista by Tashoora

11. Everyday Life by Coldplay

12. It Gets Better by Rex Orange County

13. Pink Light by Muna

14. Deja Vu by Soak

15. Retrograde by Maggie Rogers

16. Hallelujah by Oh Wonder

17. Kids In The Dark by Bat For Lashes

18. Yosemite by Vancouver Sleep Clinic

19. Summer of My Discontentment by Geographer

There are a lot of songs I discovered this year and I'm not gonna list everything haha. But here are 19 songs that really hit on me I guess. There are a few songs from the new albums that didn't make it here because those songs were released in the previous year and I've been listening to them heh (Like Men I trust and Maggie Rogers). It's so hard to make this list seriously hahaha.

Carve Me by Favela ft Nick Brewer, you can say, is really a song that sums up my 2019. Just read the opening lines and that's how I feel about this year. But also read the closing lyrics, and they are like my prayers and hope for the new year and for life itself. Favela describes the song as "an upward cry to be changed for greater purpose". I thought this sums up my hopes. I mean... I've been feeling lost for the past couple of years and I really wish I can change for the better. You know. 

Sun by Dameer is also another favourite because after reading his interview with Majestic Casual, I think the song is really telling a story that's kind of similar to what I'm facing now. And he puts it in such an upbeat and fun song, like as if telling the listener not to worry and that everything will work out for both parties. I am so excited for more new music from him in 2020. He's such a talent!

And here are some acts that I'm excited for in 2020! Some of them are releasing new albums in February and it's enough to make me feel pumped for the new year heh. Here goes!

Acts I'm looking forward to in 2020

[] Asgeir [] Oh Wonder [] PREP [] Favela [] Yumi Zouma [] Jonsi [] Dameer [] London Grammar [] 

[] Boy Pablo [] Hania Rani [] Lapsley [] Maggie Rogers [] Coldplay (?) []

Jonsi said in an interview that he's releasing new music soon, hopefully by summer 2020 I hope hehe. And a few of the bands/artists above did say about recording new materials lately so I'm pretty sure we'll listen to some new music from them whoop. As for Coldplay. Music of The Spheres. Inside the Everyday Life booklet. Coming soon. Cough cough. I'm very excited hahaha.

Alright that's all for this year's great and wonderful music. Once again it's been a year filled with great discoveries. And Spotify has made this process a convenient and awesome one. I'm excited to discover more new music next year and I'm also eager to hear some new music from my favourite artists and bands. And as always, to the musicians above, thank you for the music, the company

and for keeping me sane.

See you in 2020 with more great music!

Merry Christmas

First of all wishing you a Merry Christmas! I hope you had a wonderful day with your loved ones today. It's rather a quiet and chill Christmas here. I went to the farm as we still have delivery to do tomorrow heh. 2nd last one of the year! Also it was cloudy and rainy so it did add into the cosy and quiet vibes. 

Christmas has always been a sentimental day for me. A day where I contemplate about the past year and everything that has happened in it. Although as I grow older I don't really think much about these things. I think I am learning to become more mindful and aware of everything that has happened.

Spent the rest of the evening just at home. The end of the year always gives me that rest-vibe!

Merry Christmas once again :)

100!

It's Christmas Eve and I'm finally blogging the 100th post of 2019 hahaha. Well this year is a total failure of blogging for me. Not exactly total but... Without Blogtober I wouldn't be able to blog 100 posts by the end of the year, truth be told! Anyway I stick to my plan and I manage to do it :P

Anyway since it's the 100th post of 2019, I wanna talk about the future of this blog and what will happen in 2020. Well... I'm going to quit blogging. Just kidding HAHAHA. Not exactly call it quit!

First of all I will definitely not set a target of number of blog posts. AKA I will blog as and when I want. I will blog about whatever I have in mind, or just a short update on life. Not necessarily for people to read but mostly for the future me to read. Like when I come back to read again in the future, I'll know what's happening in that particular time of the year, and what's going on in life. It's kinda fun looking back.

Secondly I will no longer blog about music of the month. But more of sharing favourite music that I discovered randomly. And also that means no music of the year (see how it goes).

Thirdly I think I want to write... Proper posts. Not saying that my posts aren't proper but at least I want to write about certain topics. And I want to write it well. With structure and so on. Which leads me to my next plan... I want to share my posts! I never share my posts except for really special ones. And I'm thinking of sharing almost every post for people to read. Thus, I want to write proper ones!

Yup so far these are my plans for 2020. For clouds of Sunday. But for sure, I will never stop blogging, until I cannot do so. In one way or another, I will continue!

Alright we're left with one more week till the end of the year. I will try to write everyday. But if not I will try to write a few more posts till the end of the year. I hope you're having a great Christmas eve. See ya :)

Cassette

Cassettes cassettes cassettes!

Okay don't call me crazy but I just bought all these albums on cassettes! Hahaha. Well somehow somewhat, I actually came across an ad for the Enya album on cassette from Tokopedia (it was on Facebook) and I was like wow! Someone is actually selling cassettes still :O And the price is rather affordable (but not cheap). So I decided to get them just for keep-sake haha. Also it's cool to have these again! I actually owned them on cassettes back 16 years ago ish. Crazy eh.

"Pain The Sky With Stars" was actually the first Enya album that I ever bought for myself. I bought it back in 2003 from HMV. I can still remember haha. I brought it back home for my parents to listen and they love it! But because back then our car only has a cassette player, I went to look for the album on cassette. And I found it in Disctarra. I bought the cassette too for my parents.

I have listened to Enya albums for a long time. I remember listening to the CDs on my sister's discman haha. Back then my sister already bought an MP3 player. So she passed the discman to me. I've been listening CDs on discman till 2005. Until my sister bought an iPod and she passed her MP3 player to me :P So yeah this is why these albums hold a wonderful sentimental value to me.

Well I bought these cassettes mostly for the keep-sake purpose. Like I think it'll be really cool to still own a cassette of the album now. And imagine in the future! I might be one of the few last owners of the album on cassette mwahaha. I just love collecting physical formats of music.

And talking about music, I need to start finalising my great music of 2019 soon!

Solstice

Happy winter solstice!

First of all wishing you a happy Winter Solstice! I hope you had some tang yuans today. Well it's technically the summer solstice here in the Southern Hemisphere but let us all pretend we're in winter haha. Well the cold weather is kinda fitting for the occasion too! :P As always winter solstice is a sentimental day for me. A reminder that the year is coming to an end. And also a day where I feel old because I have to eat (age+1) amount of tang yuans as a tradition.

And every year the bowl gets more and more filled. And this year I have to eat 28. When it feels like yesterday when I have to ear twenty! Haha. We're all growing old eh.

Anyway for this year's creation I made myself 6 special tang yuans! It's a... Tang yuan with roasted pumpkin seeds and vegan nutella filling. Woo la la. And it tastes pretty good! Sadly somehow, the filling isn't as sweet as I tasted last night. Perhaps it's because of the dough that diminishes the sweetness of the filling. But I ain't gonna complain. It tastes good! Wish I made more tho.

I found that there's a shop selling vegan nutella made out of coconut and sunflower oil instead of cream. It tastes really good, almost the same as the real thing! However it's loaded with artificial sweetener (it's like 97% sugar free heh) so I'm not sure if it's considered healthy.

Alright short post from me today. Hope you had a great solstice, and some tang yuan! :) 

Letters

Letters

Continuing from my previous post, so I sent a package to Favela as a way of saying thank you. It's some Indonesian coffee, tea and chocolates! Perfect accompaniment to the cold winter month I guess? And also I wrote him a letter. Which... After writing it, I realised that it's been such a long time since I wrote one. I'm not sure if the cards I wrote for my friends can be considered letters haha.

So yes ask yourself this question: when was the last time you wrote a letter? 

The keyword here is wrote. Not type. I realised as we grow older, and we move into the digital world, pen and paper become quietly distant from us. We used to write birthday cards and now we post our wish on our friends' Facebook page, or send them via WhatsApp. And I don't think it's wrong, because I do it too. Mainly because of distance for me. We no longer send letters but email or even FB messages/WhatsApp messages. Once again, it's not wrong. Because it's easier and more convenient.

But I think pen and paper will never lost its charm. I'm pretty sure all of us feel different when we read a message on screen, and a message on paper/cards. It feels different and it feels like there's a deeper connection created between us and the sender. Although I wouldn't say that such feelings completely don't exist on digital messages. There are times where I feel touched from them too!

I hope we can make writing letters cool again. I think we should all go back to writing cards and giving them out to people. Keyboards are cool. But pen and papers were there before they're cool!

Finding Gold

"We find gold in the place you don't look for"

- Blinker by Favela

Okay so something really heartwarming and exciting happened last week! So about 3 weeks ago one of my favourite musicians, Favela, sent me a DM on Instagram asking me for my T-shirt size and address. Which I gratefully gave with delight. I thought he was just going to send a T-shirt and... Last week a package arrived! It was from him and on the package, below the custom declaration, there was also "vinyl record" written and I was shooketh! So excited I opened it up right away.

And... Inside there was not only a T-shirt but also his Future Visions EP vinyl T_T oh my goodness, I've been wanting to get a copy of it but it is unavailable anywhere now. And it's only available in his gigs. I didn't get it when it was released because back then, I don't have a vinyl player yet haha.

I'm so lost for words upon opening the package. I'm so happy to receive it! Thank you so so much, Favela. Christmas came early for me this year. I did send him a Christmas package too. 

I hope it arrives safely in the UK :D

Okay I think I wrote a special dedication post for Favela already earlier this year but... Since we're on the theme of the last year of this decade, I think Favela is indeed one of my "Artists of the decade"! Well for me I never really like discover an artist since their beginning. I always discover artists a few years later after they release music. But this is not the case for Favela and a few of my favourite musicians too! Okay well I think I discovered Favela 1-2 years after his first release. But at least I've been following him before he released his Future Visions EP :D A blissful discover from Soundcloud!

Alright that's all for me now. Gonna write a few more posts in the coming days. Once again thank you very much Favela for sending me the Future Visions EP and the T-shirt. I hope my package arrives safely too :) Wishing you, your family and the team a Merry Christmas! :D

Cold Weather

We've entered the rainy season but damn this week the rain has been pretty intense! It was raining hard since Saturday and well, after a long drought, hard torrential rain seems pretty weird to experience heh. But nevertheless I've been enjoying the (albeit too) cold weather, after a month or so of humid nights. Now I can actually close my windows at night. Usually I leave it open till before I sleep!

But the rain also brings its effect on my flowers who are blooming slower now. Well we have sort of predicted this because the dry and hot weather in the past two months have made my flowers bloom way too quickly. Like the flowers for December are now 80% harvested (because they already bloomed, we have no choice). And the ones in January are beginning to bloom too. What in the world!

The long drought was totally unexpected to stretch until November. I thought it would have started to rain in October/November but nope. Well this is the bad side of agriculture I guess. We can't predict the weather and we can only work our way around whatever that is happening to us. Same thing is happening to the farmers... I have a customer whose crop failed because of the drought too. Sad really.

Anyway, the cold weather is pretty welcomed. I have cosy nights now to tuck myself to bed. And as usual it's the perfect weather to reminisce and reflect about the year. Which... I need to start doing! Haha. I still have 5 more posts to go. I'm not sure what I'm gonna do man :P

It's a weird year, I don't have much to reminisce and talk about. 

Decade III

Right to end off the Decade post, let me write a reflection of these past ten years!

Well as mentioned above, this has been a weird and interesting decade for me. The first half of it was really fun, exciting and happening. And the other half went a bit dark and flat. I don't really know how to put it into words but yeah. It's really like light and dark kind of decade heh.

I think I spent this decade really both going "all out" and "all in". I tried many things, I exposed myself to a lot of new things, some of which I didn't imagine myself doing. I experienced many things, I went through many thoughts and I touched many feelings and emotions. And all of these have truly shaped me to become who I am today. Whether I like them or not, whether I choose them or not.

In the process I discovered who I am. I get to know myself better. I become vulnerable to my own thoughts and emotions. I learned how to trust the unknown. I went through some dark times. I got sucked into its vortex, and now I'm still struggling to get out of it at times. I become friends with my own darkness. And now I'm learning to dance with my own shadows (thanks Hindia).

I learned to choose to become a realist instead of an optimist. I am still learning to see the emptiness in everything. I have learned and accepted that everything is impermanent. I learned that to be happy we need to let go. I learned not to be friends with my ego. I learned that the true nature of myself is ever changing and unfixed. I become closer with Buddhism, and I am glad I did.

I still feel lost at times. I still crave for certainty in this uncertain world. I still get worried about the future. As much as I'm learning to stay in the present. I learn to trust the universe. I still believe that I am being brought somewhere that I'm meant to be. I still believe that there's still much more to life. Even though I spent a great number of days thinking how dull and dark the future is.

I am still learning what it means to be a human. A weird creature walking on earth. Vulnerable, weak and strong. Trapped in the abyss of time. Not knowing what's coming. Not being able to change what has passed. A product of all the actions that he has done. The emotions he has felt. And more.

I don't really know what's ahead of me. How the next decade will be. But I've learned not to be too hopeful. And take it each day by day. Year by year. Eventually decade by decade. Although to be honest... I'm quite excited for what's ahead. Everything can happen. Just like all the things that have happened in this past decade. Which I didn't expect of doing, and going through.

Here's to a wonderful new decade for all of us. Keep going everyone. 

Decade II

Right, lets begin with me writing out what happened in the past decade... Time for a feel-trip!

2010

Entered SP, via the DPA programme. Started earlier than my poly mates because of the early admission programme where we took our GEMs classes ahead. Met some wonderful people and one of my best friends in poly (Hi Candy!). Entering poly was really something I look forward to. A totally new environment and way of studying. I was so eager to start and pretty excited!

2011

Entered year 2 and decided to join the research option. We were the pioneer batch. School wise it was more challenging but the case-based learning method was also awesome. I enjoyed it a lot. Became more active and decided to join many activities. Signed up for OCIP trip to Inner Mongolia (the best school trip I went to). Climbed Mt Kinabalu. Went for my first 10K race. Performed in Esplenade. Up till now, I still think 2011 is the best year of my life. I experienced many things and I'm glad I did!

2012

Last academic year of poly. Little did I know it will (probably) be my last year of school life. Spent 7 months on an internship and also while doing my FYP. It was pretty challenging, also because I was alone in Singapore since my sister has returned back home. Thankful for the company of my friends during this time! Performed for the last time with SPSB at Esplenade, still hoping it won't be my last. I went to the US with my sis for the first time. Also I decided to return back home the next year.

2013

Spent the first half of the year telling myself to accept the fact that I'm going back home heh. Graduated from SP. It was a weird year for me. A year I wish wouldn't arrive, because my heart felt so heavy to leave Singapore. My friends, and the life I've been living for the past 11 years. But life is life and it has to go on. Also I made this decision myself. It was a tough year because I have to adjust myself to the new life back at home. But also thankful for all the years in Singapore. Went to Thailand with JAMBS for the first time! Then returned back in December with Ade and Jes. Weird weird year indeed.

PS: A bit of heads-up, I won't be talking about my work life here

2014
Getting used to being back home. Settling into the new rhythm of life. Became an uncle with the birth of my nephew. Realised my dream of going to Iceland (finally) in August and it's my first solo trip going somewhere I've never been before. I love this trip so much. I hope I can return!

2015
Getting more used to work. Decided to visit my friends in Australia in July during the holiday. Finally visited another continent haha. It was a great trip with them!

2016
Realised my dream of going to Tibet in April. And it is the best trip I've ever went to in my life. And I long to return one day. Met some wonderful people during the trip too! Okay travel aside, 2016 was a rather turbulent year. But I'd love to quote the saying "when things are falling apart, they are may actually be falling into place". And 2016 felt like that year. It was tough and I don't want to go through it again. At the same time... My mental health went down from here heh. 2016 was fucking insane really.

2017
The year began with a miracle. Something out of the blue happened without our expectation. This is by far the biggest teaching of impermanence to me. And thus I decided to get anicca tattoed on my wrist. Went to Cambodia, this would be my last trip in a long while (I hope it won't be so long hah). I feel like I've come at peace with the though of trusting the universe. I want to move forward with it, while trusting that it will take me somewhere. A place I have to be in.

2018
This was another weird year. I thought I have "moved on" from the turbulence of 2016 in 2017 but in this year... It was weird. My shadows were accompanying me again. But at the same time I think more about life. I think more about myself. And inevitably, I think more of the future.

2019
Haven't wrapped my head on this year but... It was another weird year heh. But I learned a lot I guess. And I think a lot. I think you'll have to wait for my end of year reflection soon.

Yup. This has been my decade. It's a fun one I would say, the first half of it haha. I will write my general thoughts about this in another separate post. Whew. Ten years passed just like that.

Decade I

With 2019 coming to an end really soon... I realise that this will be the end of a decade! I'm seeing many people writing posts like "last full moon of the decade" and "last xxx of the decade" and so on. Whew, can't believe we're entering a new decade next year. Hmm I wonder what I thought back ten years ago, and if there's anything I have in mind about the next ten years, ten years ago haha.

Which gave me an idea if I should write about a decade in review kind of post. Well looking back it is quite an interesting decade, personally for me. I think it's a journey of self-discovery, self-doubt, anxiety, and so on hah. I entered poly ten years ago and it was probably the best three years of my life thus far. Oh wow I'm getting emotional thinking and writing about this heh.

I'm probably going to do two parts of this (three including this). Watch this space!

Kindergarten

TK Budi Luhur

So last week my cousin got married. He got married at the temple which is beside the kindergarten that I went to. And it has changed! Haha. Well I just find it quite... Funny how I used to go to kindergarten there many years ago. And now we're all adults attending my cousin's wedding.

The place went through a series of renovation so it is very different than what it used to be. There used to be a playground where we got to play but now it's been changed to a parking lot. And the temple used to be quite small and dark but now it's been renovated pretty nicely. 

Time will always be a mystery. It's quite interesting to come back to a place where you were once a person who doesn't care and think of the future. We were all like that back then huh.

Of December and Wedding

Congrats Vicky and Nanan!

Today has been an exciting and eventful day with the wedding of my cousin Nanan and his wife Vicky! My family gathered today for their wedding and their ROM and it's great to see everyone again. Time flies really, my cousin is now a husband haha. Feels like yesterday when we were still running around. I feel happy for both of them and I wish you both a blessed and happy marriage!

The Baros United fam 

The day started with the ROM and Buddhist ceremony at the temple. As usual tears were shed and it's always a touching event to witness. After that we all went home to change first, and the ladies to have their makeup touched up before heading over to the wedding venue. I went with my sister, brother in law and my newest nephew Fedric mwahaha. We arrived at the venue earlier for some photo taking session and food catered for the family members. The rest of us rendezvous after that.

I was helping out at the angpao booth with my cousins and a few of my cousin's cousins (we take turns). It was quite fun doing it with them haha. There were a lot of guests who arrived at the same time in some moments of the night and we had to delegate our jobs to split things easier hah.

After that I stayed for a while with my aunts for more photo taking session and some chit chats.

With the couple

It's been a packed Saturday but definitely a happy one for all of us. Not sure who's the next of us whom we will attend the wedding of! Don't look at me. See you all soon!

Congratulations to the newlyweds again! :D

Raining

It's the beginning of December and... It's finally raining here! Although it doesn't rain for a long time, at least now it rains everyday so far. I wish we can have like a good one hour rain or something. Usually the rain only lasts for 10-30 minutes here, but at least they are heavy. However other parts of my hometown are raining really heavily, with some even experiencing strong winds that destroy houses :O

I have to say that 2019 has been a year with weird weather patterns. We have a long drought and it is a strong one too. Although it isn't as long as the drought in 2015. I remember in 2015 it didn't rain from May to November. There were rains here and there but I remember the dry season was really long. This year the last time we had "proper" rainy season was in July-ish I think. Cause I remember in the beginning of July, there were still rains here and there. And in September too.

But after that the drought came and it came strong. The temperatures hit 33 degrees in the afternoon. I don't remember the temperature hitting those levels... Even if it does, it won't last for weeks. It would be a one-off thing. And we have really humid nights to a point where it is so uncomfortable heh. I've been leaving my windows open at night for the past one month because it was that hot. Usually the weather will be cool and I have to close all my windows heh. Now it is the opposite!

Because of this our flowers bloom too quickly too. Like we harvested the flowers meant for Christmas in the beginning of November! And now we're harvesting flowers meant for end of December. And my worker just reported that the flowers for January are starting to bloom. Die!! Haha.

But what can we do really. We just harvest them I guess.

So yeah I'm just glad that we're finally entering the rainy season. The farmers can start planting again after a horrible drought season. And the earth can rejoice in the freshness of water. 

Alright that's all for now. More post to come soon! See ya.

Thirty One

It's the last day of November now which means that... We're left with 31 more fucking days to 2020! Okay sorry for the swearing, I'm just utterly shocked at the rate time is flying. I swear it feels like November just started yesterday. This month flew by rather quickly. Perhaps because too many things happened in this month. Mind's preoccupied and so on. Time flies when you and your mind is busy!

I don't want to start my yearly reflection early heh, I think there's still time to think and talk about it. But whew, it's been quite a year. Though it's kinda difficult to put it into words heh.

Anyway, I want to start writing more here. I think I'm pretty pressed for time to hit my goal. But I'll do it!

Here's to a Dauntless and Driven December, let's end 2019 beautifully!

Everyday Life

Right it's that time of the month again, where I'll share some awesome music of the month. I didn't discover a lot of music this month but two albums that I've been anticipating for quite some time are released! They are Coldplay's Everyday Life and Hindia's Menari Dengan Bayangan. Here goes.

Great Music of November

- Everyday Life by Coldplay (album)

- Menari Dengan Bayangan by Hindia (album)

- Blue Coloured Mountain EP by Szymon

- Bloodflow by Grandbrothers

- When Love Awaits by HMGNC

Song of The Month: Everyday Life by Coldplay and Secukupnya by Hindia

Okay shall not talk much about the songs. But yes as mentioned from last month's post, I've been very excited for new Coldplay album! And well, everytime they're releasing a new album I'm always stoked haha. Come to think of it I've been listening to them for the past 14 years now. How can I not be excited for a new album haha. I would say this double album is pretty good. Like I think it's one of Coldplay's best work. AROBTTH is still my favourite album from them tho heh.

But I just love the whole message behind the album, and their promos have been very interesting too! I think we might get another album soon next year. I've been reading some articles saying that they might be releasing a new one next year. Just like what they did for Ghost Stories and AHFOD releases.

And Hindia's new album is also pretty damn good. Definitely one of my top 5 of the year I'd say! I just discovered him about a month ago I think. I didn't know that it's the solo project of .feast vocalist haha. The video for Secukupnya appeared on my recommended tab and when I first listened to it... I actually cried haha. I think this song (or the album) reflects my life in the recent years a lot.

I wish you can understand Indonesian because the words are awesome really. 

Alright that's all for now. Damn it, the year is coming to an end. Again.

Menari Dengan Bayangan

So I just listened to Hindia's debut album called Menari Dengan Bayangan (Dancing With The Shadow) which is released tonight (it's past 12 AM now heh). Wow. I'm just blown away. I think this is an incredible album. I feel like I have found a piece of me that I've been searching for a long time. Thank you Baskara for this masterpiece. I think a lot of people will find solace in this album.

I discovered Hindia recently after discovering .feast, and in fact I didn't know Hindia is Bas' solo project haha. Was a bit confused at first but yep I ultimately found out that Bas is .feast's vocalist and Hindia is his solo project. I really hope to see him live one day! I really enjoy this album. His songs are amazingly... Empowering but at the same time also comforting. It really made me feel less alone.

Once again thank you Bas for this beautiful album. I hope you do take care of yourself too.

Would like to end with one of my favourite lines from Mata Air

Mata airmu ada di sini

Mata airmu diri sendiri

Temukan makna hidup mu sendiri

Menarilah dengan bayangan diri sendiri

Standby

Okay so sorry for not blogging for a long time. Lots of things happened... Okay not exactly a lot of things, just one. My dad fell sick for the past week. It was quite serious that he had to be put on IV drips and administered with antibiotics for this whole week! Thankfully he's so much better on Saturday. Still weak but better than the whole of last week. And today he's off-IV and feeling much better.

Well basically he developed a secondary infection. I think it was a viral infection first (on last-last Saturday (16/11). He had a recurring fever and it was on and off. And he's like getting better, then the fever returns and so on. We ordered a blood test and his leucocytes level was normal. Suspected of dengue or typhoid fever but both went negative as well (twice). But for the whole of last week his fever didn't subside. So on Thursday he went for more blood test and his leucocytes and neutrophils increased! So doctor suspected a following bacterial infection and... Thus antibiotics.

And yup after finishing his dose of anticiotics, he's much better on Saturday. So I'm glad everything turned out fine! I was just really worried when his fever didn't go away. Cause my dad never has fever for more than 2 days-ish heh. He usually gets well after 1-3 days, and be normal again.

The human body is amazing but it can be scary too I guess. Take care of yourself folks.

Endgame

We're left with 6 and a half more weeks to the end of 2019 and... Can I finish writing 100 entries here?! That's a question haha. I'm currently also struggling to fill up my journal even though I'm confident that I will be able to do it! I have plans for the endgame. Wow sounds so Avengers haha. 

Actually sadly speaking... I might not continue blogging next year. I mean I will still blog, but not as often as I used to. I'm still going to aim for 50 posts a year. And I hope to continue keeping this blog alive. I really don't wanna abandon you. You've been a friend of mine for the past 11 years!

Also I'm just keeping my English skill up to standard. I realise sometimes it's kind of deteriorating already heh, I forget a few words and so on. So blogging is one way where I can keep it alive too. And yeah I just want to keep on writing until I can't write anymore. There will be a huge change next year!

The endgame is coming. Lets finish good.

Loneliness // Aloneness

It's apparently some Single's day today, which is a weird day to begin with. A day to celebrate being single? A day for singles to down their sorrow by shopping? Hahaha. I'm not sure. But lets talk about something related to being single - loneliness! I wouldn't deem it as a negative thing tho.

I recently saw a IG story of an Instagrammer I followed and he was discussing about a book, I forgot the title but it's about being alone. And he mentioned about how he often doesn't realise that he does a lot of things alone. And that really strike a chord inside of me. Because I kinda do the same!

Okay I'm not completely alone here. I have my family and so on. But compared to my days in Singapore, I have become someone who's way less socially active heh. I have adapted a routine that revolves around work and family and so on. As for my social activity, it's almost close to none hah.

I mean the only people I interact with are my family and my workers. I don't have any friends here. Which is fine, I mean we're all adults now and my friends here are either married or working out of town. And of course, my close friends are all in Singapore and that's okay too. 

I don't necessarily feel lonely at all here. Perhaps I have gotten used to being alone; even way back when I was still in Singapore. There are moments where I do realise that I am alone. Like on weekends I would just spend it at home, alone in my room. Journaling, blogging, listening to music and so on. And it's not something bad for me. I kinda enjoy it and it's something that I live with.

But there are days where I also think about the future - if my life will remain like this forever. And the thought of changing this with the addition of somebody else. Will I enjoy it more? Or will my peace be disturbed heh. I'm not socially dismissive tho! Like I'm fine with human interactions heh.

Just that I feel as I grow older, I am more inclined to have interactions that matter. I really have no time for small talks and conversations that get me nowhere. Hollow relationships and so on.

You see I still see myself staying single forever. I am not worried about not finding someone heh. But at the same time I'm also having an open mind about being in a relationship. Although to be honest all these years, the former still reign supreme in my heart. I enjoy being alone - without being lonely!

I don't really like the idea/thought that we all need a partner in our lives. Like we have to be in a relationship and so on. I hope I don't sound crude but I have a philosophy that we need to be able to be happy with ourselves first. Because if we rely on other people for happiness, trust me, we'll be miserable. But of course I'm not saying that we should all be single haha. It's just me.

I also don't like the idea that a couple "completes each other". I think we're all whole as human beings but our companion should complete each other, not our union. I hope you get what I mean.

I had a conversation about this once - someone asked me "who's going to take care of you when you're old?" Well my answer to that is - myself! Hahaha. Like well I would love to learn how to take care of myself, and how to be self sufficient. Then I can rely on myself and not anyone else. Until the day arrives where I can no longer take of myself. Then that's another problem to think about heh.

Which is why all in all, I don't see loneliness as a negative thing. Or perhaps I don't really like to call it loneliness but solitude. The art of being alone is something difficult to learn. But I'm eager to master!

Spinning // Slowing

Perhaps this world has enough people that keep it spinning. 

Perhaps it needs more people that slow it down.

I came across with this thought a while back. When I saw this photo that I shoot when I was in Singapore, after it got developed. It's just a random thought after seeing these skyscrappers that are constantly built everywhere. Not just Singapore but around the world. And this is our world.

We often hear the saying "money makes the world go round" and well it's kinda accurate. Some days it feels like we're just caught in this money chase. And it is in these chase that the world keeps "spinning". Sometimes it goes too fast that we don't even know what we passed through.

So perhaps yes, we have enough people that keep this world spinning. And we need more people that slow it down. People who have seen through this "chase". People who live not for this "chase". These are the people that can slow down the spinning of this world. People who create arts and make people stop and ponder. People who write stories that make people sit and read and contemplate. People who make music that make the world slow down. And make people be at peace.

But at the end of the day I often feel that... We're all sucked into this vortex of the chase. Some days I feel that we're made to be part of the chase. I'm not sure by what and by who. But... It's there.

Outweighs

I took this photo of St Andrew's Cathedral back in my trip to Singapore last month from the hotel room. City Hall will always be a sentimental place for me. After all, I spent 5 months learning English before I entered primary school at a language centre in Adelphi centre. It's called NYU Language centre.

My class starts at 9:30 AM every day. I would leave the house by 8 AM and I have to catch the train (with my housemate back then, Vesti) from Clementi by 8:45-9 AM ish. I remember how we would rush to go to the train station if we're late. Or how sometimes I have to go to the toilet to do some unfinished business before reaching class hahaha. Crazy to think it's been 17 years since all these!

And so I have to walk along that long walkway from the MRT to Adelphi centre, walking along the Cathedral. Sometimes I would meet some of my classmates and we would walk together. I kinda miss those days. Life was so much simpler. We would go for lunch at 11 till 12 at Funan foodcourt. My favourite was the chicken rice (as always) or the Korean food. Sometimes my friends would treat each other drinks as we help one another to buy them from the drinks stall.

But you know what I miss the most from those days?

I miss the days where certainty seemed to outweigh holding on to a hope. 

Somehow in those days, I didn't worry much. I lived my life as if things "will go according to plan". I would learn English, go for my entrance test at a primary school, attend primary school, take my PSLE, move to secondary school and so on. It was as if life felt so certain. I mean of course, anything could happen you know. But somehow I seemed to live my life as if whatever I imagined and believes will definitely happen. And now... Everything seems to be the opposite.

Perhaps I've truly learned that the only certainty in life is uncertainty itself. And there's no way I can be sure that everything is certain. Now I hold on to hope more. Because I know that nothing is certain for sure! Sometimes I feel sad thinking about this. But hey, it's life. There's no denying this.

Blogtober Done

It's the last day of October which means... I'm done with Blogtober! Hooray. As if anyone reads this blog hahaha. But yes I'm glad I stick to my plan and finished this "challenge". It was rather hard at first, especially in the first week of October. Had quite a lot of things to do and I had to like blog 2-3 days in one shot (sorry). But I think I got the better hang of it as time went by whoop.

Although... I'm still sticking to my view that I don't like blogging every day haha. But hey Blogtober isn't so bad, I just blog whatever I feel like blogging. And yeah I don't have to do a "proper" blogpost. More of this later on, I have something to talk about... Regarding the future of the blog.

Anyway it's been an enjoyable Blogtober thus far. I might continue till the end of the year, where I'll hit my target of blogging 100 posts for the year. I hope you had an Outstanding October. Here's to a Nourishing November for all of us. Gosh, two more months to 2020. Thanks for sticking with me!

Better Now

It's the 2nd last day of October already! Wow, I think this month flew by pretty quickly somehow. As always, I believe that once we passed September, the year will just breeze by till December heh. And soon enough January will be ahead of us. And the cycle will go on. Life of humans really heh.

Anyway let me share with you lots of great music of October! Lots of great albums are released in this month, and a few songs too! Also there are news of artists coming back which make me excited!

Great Music of October:

- Onwards to Zion by Vancouver Sleep Clinic (album)

- Pony by Rex Orange County (album)

- Dream Girl by Anna of The North (album)

- Cry by Cigarettes After Sex (album)

- Hamba Jaring Cahaya, Hamba Bela Gelapnya by Tashoora (album)

- Better Now by Oh Wonder

- Orphans by Coldplay

- Youth by Asgeir

- Hates Me by Otherliine

- My Love Was Like The Rain by Lapsley

Song of The Month: Fever by VSC

Okay I won't go into details of each albums/songs, but yes I love these releases of the month! I am also very excited to see the comeback of Lapsley, Coldplay and Asgeir. Asgeir really caught me by surprise heh, I thought he'll be releasing new materials next year. Looks like we're in for an earlier surprise! I'm very excited for Lapsley's EP, Coldplay's new album next month and Asgeir's in Feb.

There's really a lot of new albums and I've been taking my time listening to them fully. I especially love Rex's new album Pony. I was giving it a few plays and it's a wonderful album. Definitely one of my top 10 albums of 2019! Talking about albums... I need to compile the albums of 2019 list soon heh.

Alright. Closing off this blogtober series tomorrow. See ya again.

Slow Down

Perhaps this world has enough people that keep it spinning

And it needs more people that slow it down.

Cirafilm 200, Singapore.

No Water

I'm currently blogging at 5 AM now... It's just ridiculous and annoying how we have no water till Tuesday 3 AM just now on Monday! And the incoming water was so little that we couldn't fill our tanks urgh. I'm not exactly sure what's happening but yeah. The dry season is no joke man.

Today was incredibly hot. It was 32 degrees and the wind blowing was warm. There was not pleasant breeze at all. It's crazy to think that we're already approaching November yet the weather is still as hot as this. And that it is still very dry. In fact I think 2019 is the weirdest year in terms of weather. 

I feel like we have an inconsistent rainy and dry season. It was raining till June-ish. Cause I still remember that it was still raining during the Hari Raya Holiday so that's about June right. July was starting to get dry but we receive rain here and there. August-September the dry season was really intense! And in October we have a couple of rainy days, followed by a week of dry, hot weather again.

Not exactly sure what is going on. But yeah. Global warming is real guys.

Śūnyatā

Hello hello, it's Sunday and I am done with work, thankfully. So time for a long blog post! I've been keeping this a secret and I think it's a good time to talk about this, as it's been one month...

sunyata // emptiness

since I got my 2nd tattoo mwahaha.

Alright so yes I got myself a new tattoo on the right wrist this time. I got it tattooed by Ash again when I was in Singapore last month. I've been waiting for it to heal, not sure why it took longer this time. My skin was just peeling and peeling heh. I think it has something to do with it being tattooed on my dominant hand. Maybe there's more movement etc. So the healing is slowed down.

Anyway yes I got myself "Śūnyatā" tattooed on my right wrist. I know I want to get something that compliments the "anicca" on my left. The best tattoo to get will be "anatta" which is non-self. But I think it's too "brutal" heh. Also I haven't fully grasped the principle of anatta. This is one of the reasons why (thankfully) that I didn't get both tattooed together back in 2017 heh.

I wanted to get another tattoo since 2018 but whenever I'm back in SG, I'm always preoccupied with things. So when I got back last month, my schedule wasn't packed and thus I decided to get it. I think the idea came to me in mid 2018 ish? Since sunyata is kind of the cousin of anatta, and sunyata has a more poetic touch to "non-self". Because in Budhdism, everything is marked with emptiness!

The concept of emptiness in Buddhism is one of the most mind-blowing teaching that I have ever received. I came across the teaching of emptiness through the Prajnaparamita Sutra about 6 years ago? I was brought up in the Theravada tradition. Even when I was in Singapore, I went to a Theravada temple. It was only until I returned home and went to the temple in my hometown on new and full moon days that I started chanting the (Chinese version of) Prajnaparamita Sutra.

The first line that really got the whole ball rolling is:

"舍利子, 是诸法空相, 不生不灭, 不垢不净, 不增不减"

Which means "Sariputra, all the Dharma is empty. It is not created not destroyed, not purified nor defiled, not increasing nor decreasing.". Okay there are a lot of different translations to the sutra but it's something along this line heh. I was intrigued when I see the words "Dharma is empty". Because Dharma means the teachings of the Buddha. So how can it be empty? What does this mean?

I decided to read further and read different texts explaining this sutra. Then I remember that "Dharma" in different Dharmic religions can mean a couple of different things. From the cosmic law, to law of nature, to truth and reality (or nature of reality). Now when you replace "Dharma" with truth, that whole line makes a lot of sense for me. That the truth (whatever truth) is not created not destroyed, not purified nor defiled, not increasing nor decreasing. It is our ego that does those!

I think I love the explanation of the Sutra by Thich Nhat Hanh the most. He says that the nature of reality is marked with emptiness. Which makes a lot of clarification for me haha.

As I read further I realised how beautiful emptiness is. How emptiness isn't something negative at all. To me I take it that emptiness here is of those qualities. That's the truth. But our ego hates the truth, we want things to go on our own way and therefore we increase/decrease, purify/defile or create/destroy the truth that go according to our own way. Just so that our ego is happy.

And you know what happened when we let our ego happy? We suffer.

And I love Thay's explanation of "nature of reality". From this I can infer that everything in life is marked by emptiness. Or they are truly empty. And it's how we respond/treat these things that define our own happiness and way of life. Do we want to fill it with ignorance that feeds our ego? Or do you want to accept it and let our mindfulness fully grasp it and then respond to it?

And the Sutra goes with this line

"In emptiness there is no ignorance, no aging and death. No origination, cessation, no attainment"

This line is a bit tricky because a lot of people think Buddhists are emo people who don't want to attain anything in life hahaha. Cause someone once personally asked me so what's there to attain if there is nothing to attain? I think this whole line is a reference of impermanence (anicca) because a lot of people hate impermanence. We love things with origination but hate the fact that there's cessation. So if there is no cessation or origination to begin with, there will be no suffering.

Okay it's really hard to explain this but basically it's in line with nirvana, which is the breaking of the life and death cycle. Nirvana to me isn't just about "life" and "death" but everything that is created and destroyed. Like our thoughts, emotions, feelings and so on. To be aware of the creation and cessation of these things. That's the end goal of Buddhism and it's hard to attain heh.

Cause we still have our own ego. Who create and cease things as and when they want it heh.

So yes. This is why sunyata is truly a complimentary tattoo to my anicca on my left. They're like the cookies and cream of Buddhism! The salt and pepper, the chocolate and mint. And so on. I think they are facts of life. It's hard to deny them... Once again, cause of our own egos.

Alright I hope you enjoy these insights! Thank you to Ash once again for getting this inked on my wrist. I think enough of word tattoos. Lets do... Something artistic. Heh heh.

Have a great last week of October everyone :)

It Gets Better

As mentioned last night, I just spent the whole of Saturday night listening to the new released albums! Well even though I was doing work but at least I manged to listen to all albums mwahaha. And they are all great albums! I particularly love Rex new album "Pony"... I just want to give him a hug. I really hope he's okay because he sounds like he's struggling in the songs :(

Anna of The North's new album is also amazing. I feel like she "grows" from her first album. There's a mix of different style of songs in "Dream Girl" and it's really cool. I discovered her quite recently on earlier last year I think, thanks to Spotify again. And she's a new favourite from me. 

I hope I can see her live one day :)

Okay real short post today because I just want to chill! See you tomorrow.

Homework

Ever since I use Spotify, Fridays have become more "special" for me because I get to listen to a lot of new songs! As you all know most new albums are released on Fridays. And thanks to Spotify features like "New Music Friday" and "Release Radar" playlist, I get to listen to the newly released albums on the weekend. Which is also a good way to keep track of what's being released and so on. I realised I listen to so many bands/artists that sometimes I couldn't keep track of release dates heh.

This Friday is rather special cause we have 3 albums release that I'm excited for!

1. Pony by Rex Orange County
2. Cry by Cigarettes After Sex
3. Dream Girl by Anna of The North

So yep according to the title... I have a "homework" to do this weekend! Haha.

We also have new songs from Coldplay and Oh Wonder. Along with the songs from the Spotify Playlist. Alright gonna spend the weekend listening to these new albums then. You have a good weekend! :)

Welcome Back!

Coldplay is back y'all! After lots of teasers and posters and many more, they're back with 2 new songs titled Orphans and Arabesque. I was listening to their premiere on BBC Radio 1 and wow it was amazing! Okay I know it's past midnight by the time they aired but let me just pretend I live in London and I'm listening to it on Thursday still hahaha. Well, just glad they're back! It's been 4 years since their last album, and 2 since their Kaleidoscope EP. 

I think Orphans is a wonderful song with MX/AHFOD vibes to it. It's such an uplifting song but hmm the lyrics are truly heartbreaking man. It's about bombs in Syria and it's just really sad when you read through the lyrics. But I hope it is able to shine light into people's heart and let the tree of compassion sprout out of them, or let them grow taller and taller.

Arabesque is just wow! It's just some fresh and new sounds from them and I'm digging it. Stromae and Femi Kuti is inside too which is really cool as well. I can't imagine how it'll sound live.

Provided I get the chance to see them again...

Anyway their new album "Everyday Life" is coming next month on the 22nd and I can't wait to listen to the rest of the songs. Listening to Chris' interview with Annie Mac just now, the album revolves a lot about the events happening around the world. How Chris said it: "every day is great and every day is terrible. There is so much life bursting out on the planet". Sounds beautiful to me.

I find it really cool and funny how every time Coldplay releases new materials, I will always get excited! It's kind of like me going back to 7-11 years ago when they released Viva La Vida and Mylo Xyloto. Back when I was still a student in Singapore. How exciting it is to listen to new music from them, and then buying the albums at HMV haha. Whew, they've been with me for almost 15 years now!

Alright that's all for this short post welcoming Coldplay back haha. Can't wait for Everyday Life! :)

Welcome back gentlemen!

The Hunter

I'd love to believe that we're not alone here

I saw the news of the Orionids meteor shower last night and decided to try my luck to capture it on my camera. But I think the moon was too bright so I didn't manage to capture it on my camera. But I did shoot the beautiful Orion constellation. So yes, I managed to capture the hunter #punintended

The hunter

That's the photo of the constellation! I think it's so beautiful. Orion is the first constellation that I "taught" myself to see, back then when I was participating in the Young Scientist challenge thingy in primary school haha. I took part the astronomy challenge and borrowed lots of books from the library about space and astronomy. That's when I read about Orion and how to see it in the sky.

Here in my hometown we're pretty blessed to have starry skies when it's clear at night. So I back then I taught myself to spot Orion. Thanks to his belt which is pretty easy to spot in the sky. Although sadly I do realise that as the years go by, the sky gets less and less clearer. Perhaps due to the fact that we have an increased light pollution. I mean back then we didn't have as much lighted signboards as now heh. And of course as a country progresses, the night lights increases too right.

Anyway I've always been fascinated with space. Because I'd love to believe that... We are not alone in this universe. And how spacious and big, and unexplored the space is makes me believe that we're definitely not alone! Haha. And the thought that we may be alone saddens me heh.

Just like what Arthur Clarke says:

"There are two possibilities. Either we are alone in this universe, or we are not. 

Both are equally terrifying"

But I think being not alone in this universe is not terrifying tho! :P

Arctic Inside Me

What a delightful surprise to have Lapsley releasing a new song with a video after 3 years! Welcome back Holly. I think this is a beautiful song with beautiful words. And the video accompanying it is just incredible. I am so excited for her new EP coming next month. The lyrics of this song is truly a beautiful poem. I really love the lines. Especially the one that says

"Remember when you said my love was like the rain

not the sweet sound after the drought.

But the pain of it hard on your back in a storm"

"Remember when you said my love was like the sea

not the big pool in a tropical

You said I had the arctic inside of me"

So beautiful. Can't wait for more.

Dreams Do Come True

I love using the "on this day" feature on Facebook to see what/how I was doing in the past years. After all I've been on FB for 10 years now. Although as I realise, as the years go by, I become less and less active haha. Life happens, that's why. Anyway I was looking on that feature for today...

and look what I found:

Hahaha, guess what, I did go to Tibet 5 years later! I just find it cool that I wrote this and... Well I did go to Tibet haha. Not sure why I was talking about the language. I think I must have found a Tibetan song/chant, or I was watching a documentary on Tibet and heard some people speak there I guess. But yes Tibetan is quite a beautiful language in my opinion. It sounds a bit like Mongolian.

I think the universe works in mysterious ways. And it will conspire with you to give what you want, in the right timing and in the right place. I did write a lot about wanting to go to different places in the future before I die tho haha. I hope the future me will tell the current me that I will go to these places hahaha. I'd say I love my hobbies - blogging, journaling and so on. It gives me a platform to look back and see if I whatever I wrote do come true or not. And of course to see what I was doing in the past.

And truth be told, some of the things I wrote on my journal did come true haha. Like how I envision myself listening to vinyl on weekends as a way to chill. That's what I'm doing now! Heh. Perhaps it's true that we make the world with our thoughts. And what we believe, what we give out to the universe, will one day return to us. Like an echo traversing through the universe, only finding their way back to us in the end. So, send some good vibes now and they'll return!

Alright that's all for now, hope you have a fabulous week ahead :)