.

what she said

2012-01-20T14:28:00.000+08:00

From Wikipedia:

The Epimenides paradox (circa 600 BC) has been suggested as an example of the liar paradox, but they are not logically equivalent. The semi-mythical seer Epimenides, a Cretan, reportedly stated that "The Cretans are always liars."

However Epimenides' statement that all Cretans are liars can be resolved as false, given that he knows of at least one other Cretan who does not lie.It is unlikely that Epimenides intended his words to be understood as a kind of liar paradox, and they were probably only understood as such much later in history.

The oldest known version of the actual liar paradox is attributed to the Greek philosopher Eubulides of Miletus who lived in the 4th century BC. It is very unlikely that he knew of Epimenides's words, even if they were intended as a paradox. Eubulides reportedly asked, "A man says that he is lying. Is what he says true or false?"

The paradox was once discussed by St. Jerome in a sermon:"I said in my alarm, 'Every man is a liar!' (Psalm. 116:11) Is David telling the truth or is he lying? If it is true that every man is a liar, and David's statement, "Every man is a liar" is true, then David also is lying; he, too, is a man. But if he, too, is lying, his statement: "Every man is a liar," consequently is not true. Whatever way you turn the proposition, the conclusion is a contradiction. Since David himself is a man, it follows that he also is lying; but if he is lying because every man is a liar, his lying is of a different sort."

I am really a world class idiot

2011-12-15T14:08:00.001+08:00

But maybe I am stupid for you.

keep on keeping on

2011-12-13T00:15:00.002+08:00

It is customary, I suppose

Mix Tape

2011-11-17T22:57:00.002+08:00

1. Across the Universe - Fiona Apple
2. Fugitive Motel - Elbow
3. A Distorted Reality Is Now A Necessity To Be Free - Elliot Smith
4. Funeral - Band of Horses
5. Skeleton On Display - Now It's Overhead
6. I've Seen It All - Bjork and Thom Yorke
7. So Real - Jeff Buckley
8. Left And Leaving - The Weakerthans
9. 2080 - Yeasayer
10. Desert Stretches Before The Sun - Seafood
11. Unless It's Kicks - Okkervil River
12. Black Flowers - Yo La Tengo
13. Here I Dream I Was An Architect - The Decemberists
14. Between The Bars (Elliot Smith cover) - Chris Garnrau

lets be kind, not one kind

2011-11-17T10:13:00.003+08:00

Just got me a spanking new canister filter with a 300 liters per hour flow rate, thats quite insane given that my tank is really not that big. Water quality is now pristine and the shrimp are really happy. It was a bitch to set the filter up though, believe me you. And its a good thing I'm not the kind who has to go to the bathroom when I hear water sounds, cos the dripping from the rain bar is loudly audible all day.

Made a giant pot of chicken soup last night for a poor girl who was home alone cos she didn't want to pass anyone the illness. It was enough to feed one platoon. Its nice to get your cooking appreciated. =)

SIM first deadline is over now; term papers are all done; marking/monitoring/moderating up soon; with 2 exams of my own; more marking for CELC; gigs; and then I can get started on the second SIM deadline. Yay for me.

come for the coffee, stay for the cakes

2011-10-29T12:14:00.002+08:00

Happy days are here again, and may they continue for a long time to come! There is an avalanche of work threatening to bury me under; let's just get through this semester and all will be fine again. I can't wait to be done with the coursework.

Also, can people who like to say 'People who know me know that..." kind of statements just stop? It really doesn't make any sense.

A Diary of Walks

2011-10-29T12:09:00.004+08:00

27th Oct 2011 - We went for a walk around the neighbourhood. Through the back towards the park, then up Bowen Secondary, and to Serangoon North, where we checked out briefly some pet shops. We talked about family, and friends, having kids, and music. I told her about my childhood spent in Serangoon North. We then stopped to have some food and drinks. We headed back home cutting in through the flats and from the hawker center opposite Rosyth. It was a cool night and also the first of many many walks to come. =)

the looter who wishes he could read, but spends all day watching TV

2011-08-11T15:58:00.003+08:00

A new tungsten lamp burns brightly in my room, on my table. And I let such a deliciously diabolical dream slip from my mind. Senseless waste, and all that.

the page that thinks it will change into something it fears the most

2011-08-02T10:44:00.001+08:00

August would be a very interesting month musically. And I am *so* looking forward to going back to school.

(was i ever away?)

RIP Grandpa - 3 June 2011

2011-06-03T22:19:00.005+08:00

Grandpa passed away this evening, at 5.45pm.

I was at his side when it happened, as was the rest of the family, who all rushed down from work. I was at home today, and had brought Xinying down to the pool in the afternoon. She recently started swimming lessons and was keen to practise on her own; so I pulled her kicking around the pool. My mom came downstairs to get us up, she said my dad called to say grandpa wasn't doing so well. So I went over to take a look.

His eyes were closed when I got there, and he was lying very still on his bed. His breathing was very laboured and loud. His chest heaved everytime he took a breath and I could feel the rest of his body shake. The difficulty in breathing was largely due to throat complications, where his muscles have degenerated to a point where he couldn't swallow properly. As a result, he was also impossibly gaunt. I could feel his skin stretched over his bones when I held his hand. My dad, my aunt (Mai-Mai) and Darren was there at that time. It was about 430pm. I greeted Grandpa loudly when I entered the room. He was already unable to open his eyes for the past few days, and also unable to speak or eat or drink. However, Mai-Mai said that in the morning, grandpa was still able to grasp her hand tightly when she spoke to him. I suggested dripping some water into grandpa's mouth because he was breathing through his mouth and that would make his throat very dry. We had to be careful because food/liquid had found their way into his lung through the weakness in his throat previously, and caused a lung infection.

Nearer to 5pm, I had to go to the kindergarten to pick up KaiYun. Fridays were full-day sessions for him. I went with Qicai as I met him on my way out. As soon as I brought KY back home, my dad called for me to go over to grandpa's again. When I got there, he was no longer breathing heavily, which was a relief to me. He was breathing only very slightly but he looked at peace. At the side of his pillow, a mini-radio was playing some Buddhist prayer-songs, and Mai-Mai was also chanting along. I just held his hand and looked on as he slowly left us. We took down the clock and took out the batteries slightly past 5.45pm. We wanted to get Dr. Ang, our family doctor for the past 20+ years, to be the doctor to certify grandpa's passing, but unfortunately we couldn't get him. So, we called someone else.

Mai-Mai (and later, my dad) remarked that near the end, grandpa was only worried about Qicai, who was his youngest grandson. He had asked about Qicai and said that he was still young. Qicai reassured him that he would be graduating soon, and starting work next year. I think grandpa must have heard him somehow. Mai-Mai also said that grandpa would have had no regrets because all 3 of his male grandsons were by his side. We also started packing his personal effects while waiting for the people from the funeral parlour to arrive. Grandpa still had Big Sis's namecard from her first job in his wallet.

2nd Sis and Big Sis rushed back from work, as did Darren's parents. My mom brought the two kids over, and they were brought into the room, where Qicai played them the movie 'Despicable Me' to keep them occupied. I wondered why they didn't tell the kids anything - even though they were only 5 and 7 - and thought that it was a shame they could not see their great-grandpa for one last time. Grandpa loved the kids to bits and would be so happy everytime they came over. He was essentially blind for the past few years, but he could still hear them running around and shouting, and they would give him hugs and sit on his lap. Xinying, being older, suspected something was amiss after a while and in the end she found out what happened. She went to comfort her mom (my Big Sis), sensible girl that she was. Later, she came back home and drew a picture for grandpa. In the picture was grandpa, my dad, and her holding a bunch of balloons, and saying "Here this is for you". She also drew a bed, a wheelchair and a table full of food, and the date '3 June 2011' in the picture. KaiYun still doesn't know what happened, though I tried to tell him.

It had been 10 years and a few months since Grandma passed away. I remember I was still in BMT that time. We were all very sad at the time but I think grandpa suffered the most. He never did show his sadness very visibly, being the old-fashioned type. In the years that followed, his vision failed him, and then gradually, his mobility. More recently, he fell a few times at home and had to be hospitalised. And there was a bad case of the shingles. The indignities of old-age included having to wear adult diapers (to prevent him from going to the bathroom, after the falling incidents). He also didn't much care for the hospital - the times he was at the hospital and we visited, he would always request to go home with us. He was a fighter and had always been in good health. Its just that, at 95 years of age, it was inevitable. In the end, we were all glad that he left us very peacefully and was free of any suffering or worries.

Grandpa was the disciplinarian of the house when we were all staying together at Parry Avenue when we were much younger. In our (lower) primary school days, he would come over to buy me and Darren food during recess time. At home, he would remain vigilant to our pranks and shenanigans. I remember he would smell our hands and deliver a spanking when he smelt kumquat juice on them, during a period of time me and my cousins pretended that the kumquats in the garden would make powerful potions. When we moved to Serangoon, I would go to the wet-market with him on Sunday mornings to shop for groceries. It took quite a lot of persuading for him to stop going to the market after his mobility got more restricted. In a sense, we were lucky that our families (grandpa stayed with Darren) were always very near to each other.

I hope that I have been a good grandson to you, grandpa. You've never had to worry about me studies-wise, even though I sure took a long time in them. Now and then, you would still ask me about school, like I was still a kid. I remember when I got my first big paycheck, and I told you about it; I'd hoped you would be proud. I'm sorry I brought back 3 girlfriends to see you but then I screwed up all those times. I knew you were very eager to see me settle down; I just couldn't do things right. All the times I spoke to grandma when we visit the temple, I would tell her that things are fine and also ask her to wait patiently for you. Now, 10 years later, you can finally reunite with grandma and I am sure you will be very happy. You and grandma were a perfect example of true love over all those years and I can only hope that one day, I can find a partner who can emulate that love. You have been the head of the household for so many years and now leave behind children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will always remember you. You are the best grandpa I could ever ask for.

nips!

2011-05-29T21:57:00.003+08:00

I felt like a fanboy just now at the WP appreciation lunch. what the heck - it was just some photos. But all in all, it was an exciting afternoon and I live and learn everyday. Got myself some new pumps, it is time to rest the previous pair. I really ran it through the mill.

Some upcoming shows - June 4, 10, 11, 14, 16, July 9, 17, 22, 23. This is just a reminder for myself since I keep forgetting shows. I should really just keep an organiser or somesuch.

a riffle shuffle, and ministers take their seats

2011-05-18T22:30:00.003+08:00

I have been looking forward to a decent holiday this year. With continuous classes from last October till at least August, I thought maybe the June 3 week break would be a ideal time. But now, I'm feeling like a stay-at-home vacation in Singapore is appealing to me more. I wonder what's wrong with me. Other than the States for PhD and four conference trips, I've not even been to a grad trip EVER. How sad is that?

(and some people have TWO grad trips just for finishing their undergrad...hoho)

I guess the upside of (possibly) being in SG over June and July is the 8 gigs lined up in those 2 months already. This year is turning out to be surprisingly productive in terms of shows, at least.

second name, AH

2011-05-09T10:07:00.002+08:00

Elections are over, what a ride!

In many ways, very different from the last GE experience; I am especially glad to have made many like-minded friends this time round.

put out some whispers

2011-04-16T10:49:00.000+08:00

The centuries-old Ayapaneco language is at risk of dying out, with just two fluent speakers, who refuse to speak to each other, remaining. Manuel Segovia, 75, and Isidro Velazquez, 69, live just 500 metres apart in the Mexican village of Ayapa, but have not spoken in years. It is unknown whether an argument is at the root of their issues, or if they simply don't have anything to say to one another. Speaking to The Guardian, Daniel Suslak, a linguistic anthropologist from Indiana University, who is part of a team trying to produce an Ayapaneco dictionary, said 'they don't have a lot in common'. In a telephone interview with the newspaper, Mr Segovia denied he feels any animosity towards Mr Velazquez and said he still uses Ayapaneco with his wife and son as they understand him, even though they can't speak more than a few words themselves. 'When I was a boy everybody spoke it,' he added. 'It's disappeared little by little, and now I suppose it might die with me'

we got to thicken the *@#! out of that stream

2011-03-27T13:16:00.003+08:00

Proofreading dissertations is giving me an ulcer, undoubtedly.

In the past couple of days, I have been approached in public twice; and twice I forgot their names, which was really embarrassing for me. First, was someone who I met at a recent gig, who came over to say how he liked our music and whether we were playing anymore in the near future. I don't get remembered from gigs, in general. Second, was a student from UniSIM who called out to me at a shopping center. UniSIM is the only place where I have difficulty remembering names - due to class size, and the way classes are run. But mostly, it was the fact that she was dressed down compared to lesson time. Its fun to bump into ex-students.

Seth Rogen says Singapore is a benevolent dictatorship, and I am inclined to agree.

Hello, Goodbye

2011-03-22T23:44:00.003+08:00

Oh god I have to pay taxes in Singapore for the first time in my life.

So, it came to be that I re-read Umbrella Academy after about a year. I wanted to see if I was the only one not creaming my pants because it was Gerard Way of MCR who wrote it. I mean, ok, the characters are interesting. I like Rumor (maybe because she partly reminds me of Preacher). Time travel is a bit of a worn-out theme but I like the fact that No.5 went missing and then later came back to stop himself. I like that some villians are goldfishes and psychopaths in cartoon masks. Even the fact that he threw in the cliche 'weakest character is actually the strongest character' thing in for White Violin. I like how one character in the group starts out dead and doesn't feature much. But...I'm not a fan of the overall plot and the interaction between the characters. There's not much development of any of the characters, probably because there are just too many of them. Too many things are done simply because they can be, which is cool to a certain extent (which was crossed). Gabriel Ba's artwork, as much as I loved Daytripper, is a bit undefined for me. Oh well. Maybe another read. The 6-piece figure set is really cool though, and I won't mind getting that for myself.

Today, while at the lunch buffet at The Line, we were talking about comics (among other topics such as jade-trading and educational videos) and apparently this girl at the other table was looking over and showing interest in the conversation. When she stood up to leave, I waved to her and offered to lend her the comics; she could read them and return them for me. Instead, she asked me "What was that comic you said was freaking insane just now but you didn't finish your sentence?" Wow. That was how much she was listening in to my comic commentary.

Anyway, I told her it was the Necronomicon by Alan Moore.

i have crossed the mystical desert

2011-03-20T00:26:00.002+08:00

its been a good couple of days catching up with friends. celebrated st pats day yesterday with some ale and pizza, shoot-em-ups with sound effects and random jamming. informal celebration for howen's 20mm baby just now with some cuckaroos and bloodletting ninjas. Everyone's having babies like its going out of fashion! help la.

nothing's on tomorrow (for a change) so i went to the library to borrow more books to read on what would hopefully be a lazy Sunday. Got myself new music too. Even my rashes gave me a break this weekend.

So help me god if Liverpool doesn't win tomorrow; how they contrived not to score against Braga is beyond me.

oh yes, and I've restarted my dream journal, lots of tasty ones the past days.

relationship junkie

2011-03-11T10:35:00.002+08:00

Some offers on the table but I just can't to decide what I want or what is best for me. In the meantime, I've hit the library with my a very useful library card given to me by CELC, and borrowed some books:

Comparative Syntax by Ian Roberts
Thinking Syntactically by Liliane Haegeman
Towards an Elegant Syntax by Michael Brody
Practical Guide to Syntactic Analysis by Green & Morgan

Its time to return the comics and start on these in my 'free' time. Mosaic Music Fest starts today and I have 3 shows to go for in consecutive days. Let's punch some faces and ignore those troubles plaguing us for a while.

your lucky day in hell

2011-02-27T12:57:00.002+08:00

I'd just had my hotmail and facebook accounts hacked into a few hours ago. Talk about being down on your luck...

Thankfully nothing too drastic happened (I think). For some reason, the person who got into my accounts added all the people on my incoming friend request list.

erm, hello, and sorry it took a while.

not the standard reply to your standard greeting

2011-02-16T13:56:00.003+08:00

What a disaster. My laptop broke and along with it, years and years of all my academic work, important data and records, personal pictures, music and videos. The only hope now is for the data recovery people to come good with their promises. Frankly, money is not even an issue now. Work is piling up, with the end-of-semester rush for SP and SIM, as well as a raft of tests to mark in NUS. Tragic.

So you'd have to forgive me if I'm looking especially dour these days.

I'd also received very serious news from one of my classes in SP: a student from my MR class passed away recently. It was a traffic accident. RIP Kenny.

they will see us waving from such great heights

2011-02-06T09:52:00.003+08:00

A belated happy Chinese New Year to everyone still left in the room. Its been alright, this time, though I had to struggle with a sore throat which is always seconds from exploding in my face. Am also probably too heaty for my own good the past couple of days. Played a variety of games yesterday - from board games to baccarat to pai gow and mahjong; and concluded that once luck deserts you it does so completely.

I just hope to survive till Feb 18 - incidentally the NUS Jazz Band concert is on that day as well! - and after that the days will turn into nights and the nights into days. And what will happen then??

'he kena birdshit'

2011-01-11T21:25:00.003+08:00

classic example by LC for a paper that might never be.

Suddenly, two offers for more classes in the past two days, both of which are very interesting. One is a postgrad class at NUS and the other is a writing program at UofB (SUNY). But, I am running out of hours in the day to give away.

Also, the most amazing thing happened during course training at UniSIM the other day. I met J, who previously did her PhD with Lisa Cheng and Rint Sybesma. She is actually one of my tutors for the course I'm chairing this semester. How exciting! Its so wonderful to see another syntactician in sillypore. Good times, good times.

Lastly, I got a super early reply from NUS, offering me admission for the PhD program with the Research Scholarship. Correspondingly, I will have to confirm really early whether I want to do it or not. Whoop-ti-do.

happy birthday grandpa!

2011-01-07T22:33:00.002+08:00

Note to self to get new music:

Wolfmother
The Pigeon Detectives
The Subways
Hot Chip

Also, it is cool to be in a CCA where you can keep shrimp and nice planted tanks!

Hungover Hamlet

2011-01-01T16:53:00.002+08:00

I nursed an expresso instead of alcohol throughout the countdown. And then, the first meal of the new year I had was fast food. A sign of things to come? I've already packed on a few pounds to become a portly 54kg now.

Please, please, let 2011 be better. Consider this a plea for sympathy at large.

its so easy to start listening to radiohead songs again

2010-12-30T12:23:00.002+08:00

It was great meeting up with Naga and RC last night. I'm really happy for Naga, who's going back to Rutgers soon to finish up what I couldn't have. Despite his not-so-pleasant episode during his sabbatical year, I think he has gained something much more important than anything else.

I think I am due some luck sometime soon; I always say this but it never happens. You make your own luck, thats true. I'll feel sorry for myself for a couple more days till the year ends, then.

eventually, the ants

2010-12-23T02:16:00.005+08:00

I spent my 19th birthday sailing with RSS Endeavour on some routine mission; I was doing all kinds of shit work onboard and nobody remembered/knew it was my birthday, and we were out of range of any communications devices other than the SatCom so I couldn't reach anyone at all. And I remember thinking then that would be the worst birthday ever. But I just keep getting surprised every year. I mean, last year was dramatic enough.

Looks like December has decided it doesn't want to be friends anymore.

And it looks like a 4th job is looming. Might as well, right? The balls are all up in the air; I just gotta continue juggling them.

2010-12-16T03:25:00.001+08:00

ugh. this is the worst.

it never gets old

2010-12-13T00:38:00.001+08:00

has anything changed?

law of averages

2010-12-05T11:00:00.002+08:00

Its December already. And as I have always been saying, I am in my element in December. It will be a long(ish) break for me so please ask me out. Next month, I start working 3 jobs at once - this will be a challenge, even for me. But hey, I don't get any bonus like (most) people do.

You're never too old for Christmas!

catch me in my morning glory

2010-11-21T13:38:00.002+08:00

Some days i forget that i even have a blog. What's there to say? I feel like there is a timer counting down on whatever i am doing. I am looking forward to December because thats my favourite time of the year. I'm always caught between taking the arts as a matter of life and death or just as a hobby - but realised some people might not even qualify for the former. The shrimp are breeding like, well, shrimp. And i am catching up on some old comics. Lots of weddings, birthdays, and shows to support this month; and all i really want is some time with you.

in which right foot does not always follow left foot, and we do a shuffle

2010-11-05T21:59:00.003+08:00

In my opinion, it is definitely much more enjoyable to watch a movie after having gone through its soundtrack, than getting the soundtrack album only after having sat through the movie. It just works better that way, you know? You build the scenes in your head after listening to the songs. And the expectations, they just build themselves.

cellulite nightmares

2010-10-25T23:29:00.001+08:00

we've gots a new LCD TV now, 10x faster interwebs and best of all i can watch the footy at home again!

But does that make me a happy person? Depends on what you mean by happy, really.

got milk?

2010-10-20T18:50:00.001+08:00

"I prefer not to talk too much about Liverpool,"

"I prefer not to talk about this because I feel really sorry for the fans.

"I was watching the fans and I was really sad after the defeat the other day.

"We have a saying in Spanish, which is: 'White liquid in a bottle has to be milk'."

"What does this mean? It means that after 86 points and finishing second in the league, what changed?

"The Americans, they chose a new managing director and everything changed.

"So, what changed?

"The managing director is involved in all the decisions: new lawyer, new chief of press, new manager, nine new players, new medical staff, new fitness coaches - they changed everything.

"At the beginning, they changed the managing director who was talking with some players, and they changed everything that we were doing in the past.

"So, if you want to ask again what was going on, it's simple: they changed something and, at the end, they changed everything.

"So, white liquid in a bottle: milk. You will know who is to blame."

"White liquid in a bottle. If I see John the milkman in the Wirral, where I was living, with this bottle, I'd say, 'It's milk, sure'."

Paranoia Agent

2010-10-16T01:49:00.002+08:00

It might be an understatement if i said this was an eventful week. The road forks once more and we choose our paths. All that remains, the dust of travel and the weariness of the journeyman. There is a pebble in one of your shoes you can't quite get out even though you try your best to. You wonder if it has always been there, and how long have you been walking with it. The perspective changes every sentence but not the person. We all talk to the void and it only replies when it wants to.

It might be an understatement if i said this was a fucked up week.

P.S. Marimo and Maromi are two very different things.

unless the dreamer is the real you

2010-10-04T23:53:00.004+08:00

Looking forward to taking a week off next week. Nothing's planned yet but I might just catch up on running and sleeping. Definitely a trip somewhere green and serene is on the cards; and i might yet take a jaunt out to the sea sometime - its calling out to me. Some more shows are coming up, and yesterday night i had a nice, musical, dream. At least in my dreams, I play beautiful solos.

not-so-articulate mammals

2010-09-22T01:11:00.001+08:00

Finally done with marking. If i see the words 'evidences', 'researches' or 'experiences' anymore, I will need to kick something solid and fleshy immediately.

gigante

2010-09-16T22:23:00.002+08:00

today, after being on the phone for more than an hour with the SPH assistant editor, i (inadvertently) said "Welcome to my life".

This Saturday, we will be playing at Swissotel, with Jo Tan on vocals. On Sunday, we will be playing at Marina Bay Promontory, and Mathilda D'Silva will be singing.

This Sunday, we are going to turn it all around.

dum dum dum, another one bites the dust.

2010-09-14T23:00:00.003+08:00

Tumultuous week.

But i'm very touched by the replies from people like chonghyuck, zili, audrey, iris, hajime, andrew and many others. Can't help but feel there's some other people i'm meant to talk to and i haven't.

Ah well. Filming begins again tomorrow and by next week the major announcement and releases should be out. So should the astronomer's visit. And the SPH advert layout. And by hook or by crook, the last batch of essays must be marked.

Everything is hurtling to their inevitable ends like a caper flick! The separate threads, they are coming back and coming back.

Hanlon's Razor

2010-09-10T10:03:00.003+08:00

Unskilled and Unaware of It: How Difficulties in Recognizing One's Own Incompetence Lead to Inflated Self-Assessments

Justin Kruger and David Dunning
Department of Psychology
Cornell University

http://gagne.homedns.org/~tgagne/contrib/unskilled.html

Such an obvious thesis...its a wonder this paper took so long to be written. This is exactly why the more one knows, the more depressed one gets, because you'd realise there's so much more out there that you won't possibly have the time to learn. I'm on the precipice.

Its a long weekend but i'm homebound!

methodical matching

2010-09-09T09:45:00.003+08:00

the world is made up of a bunch of messed up individuals, each caring only about their messed up problems in their messed up reality.

what is worse - someone who thinks there can never be the one answer to anything disdain other points of view without being able to explain why, or someone who thinks there can only be one way of doing things?

there's talk of mine shafts

2010-09-04T00:30:00.002+08:00

I vaguely read a story about the guy who tried to storm Discovery Channel HQ and took a bunch of hostages, because he was against some shows that encouraged procreation. I thought it would have served him better to go to a fertility clinic or something.

But anyway, this is a good day. Firstly, it is the last day of teaching in an intense but short span of weeks. Not that I dislike teaching. It still kicks that teaching 2 nights a week gets me more than my full-time job (5 fricking full days), its too bad this gig is not full-time. It was a good day also because I got a (sort-of) bonus. And I got some gigs coming up on the horizon (finally). In fact, I got triple booked on September 18th, whats up with that date? It never rains but pours.

I got some really nice messages from my students after today's class. Its good to see that they like my style. Its also interesting to see that some of them came from students who joined my session from the other classes. hoho!

this blog is not dead yet

2010-08-22T12:43:00.001+08:00

but i might get there first!

happy birthday, jiyi
- the definite article

chafing trainers

2010-08-07T10:11:00.003+08:00

Bliss is sitting at home and just kicking my heels, listening to Bon Iver, watching the shrimp swim around happily in their new home. Its a much smaller setup but they definitely like it more. The colour is coming back and activity has increased. Teaching is not as harrowing as i thought it would be, the students are definitely very positive - it being a degree course, after all. Its the getting to class on time thats pissing me off. I don't think i've gotten off work on time like ever. Well, some things will have to change. And are already changing right now. This is a weekend to look forward to, not just because of the holiday, but also a long awaited return and a couple of steamboat/bbqs. Oh, and a photo shoot. haha!

Divine Intervention needed at Aisle 3, next to the pretzels.

2010-07-26T23:20:00.001+08:00

Teaching begins tomorrow. Help.

Alright, lets go.

And so it has come to be

2010-07-15T11:16:00.003+08:00

that the wood shrimp is now residing in the office, alone. (well, not alone, but with the snail that spontaneously appeared)

that i will be teaching at UniSIM for two nights a week (ELG103 and ELG361) from the end of July onwards. On top of my day job. On top of all the jammings and gigs. 3 hour seminar classes, oh my word.

I also signed up for this annotation study which would pay for you to do their kits. Lets hope that works out in the end.

And this is monumental - my story came out in Tamil Murasu; 3rd page, half-page spread. hohoho! who cares right.

2010-07-12T09:43:00.002+08:00

With a late rally that saw me placed 74th on final day, i finished 457th out of 163684 players with 343 points. My prediction of a cagey clean-sheet win for Spain came true and Iniesta duly delivered for me.

Now I am looking forward to the coming EPL season, and beginning to think that Benitez leaving might not be such a bad thing after all.

Its my Commencement today, and i am definitely not looking forward to it.

many-worlds-theory just got ejected into space

2010-07-08T17:48:00.003+08:00

Recently i bought a German bow and bowing is kicking my ass. But i still like the look of it, and i love the motions.

Upcoming concert pitch:

Under the baton of conductor Mr Leonard Tan, Varsity Winds, the alumni group of the NUS Wind Symphony, presents its inaugural concert "Attacca". The concert will showcase 3 movements from Johan de Meij's famous "Symphony No.1 - The Lord of the Rings".

Date: Saturday, July 24, 2010
Time: 7:30pm - 10:30pm
Location: Singapore Conference Hall

A Sampling of the Repertoire:

1. Dance of the Jesters, Peter I.Tchaikovsky

2. El Torico De La Cuerda, Luis Serrano Alarcon

3. The Wizard of Oz, arr.James Barnes

4. Blue Sky and Sunshine, Fujishiro Toshihiro

5. Jazz Suite no.2, Dmitri Shostakovich
I. March
V. Waltz no.2
VI. Finale

6. Symphony No. 1: The Lord of the Rings, Johan de Meij
I. Gandalf
IV. Journey in the Dark
V. Hobbits

7. Sanctuary, Frank Ticheli

Let me know if you want tickets!

2010-06-27T22:01:00.002+08:00

A timely post as way of keeping this blog alive, though barely. The Switzerland posts might take much longer to appear, if they ever do. I'm having trouble getting my 5 hours of sleep every night as it is. It doesn't help that the shrimp tank's been giving me trouble and its getting me down too. (ETA - i got a freaking fatty African filter shrimp today)

This week,
- i (sort of) rediscovered my passion for music and jamming. I started downloading music again. God knows i need new music in my library. I was getting stuck in a rut listening to the same stuff over and over again. It was the kick up the cajones i needed. Then, i jammed more than usual. oh, yes, some gigs and concerts announcements will be coming up soon.

- i also rediscovered the pleasures of gaming and roleplaying. I now have the full Talisman collection and also spanking new material to read thanks to LC. Hopefully there will be time in the near future for me to kick off from here.

- i collected the gown for my Commencement on the 12th of July. I had half a mind not to go, really, but my parents insisted.

Here's hoping for a good week ahead. And by good i mean i can catch up on my comics backlog.

World Cup's throwing up some curveballs but i'm just hitting them straight back. Ok, actually i'm not.

Mary Rose

2010-06-15T15:26:00.002+08:00

I will post some thoughts on the conference subsequently i think. This time round, it was much better than usual. Mainly due to the fact that i opened up and talked more to the other participants. Thats what conferences are about, anyway. Talking.

Back at work and feeling tired, feeling trapped. This might turn out to be a bad week after all, there's just too many uncertainties. But maybe i am expecting too much.

Sat on a friggin' pin.

rubber food > plastic food?

2010-06-03T10:15:00.003+08:00

I went to get my eyes checked out the other day. They did the works - fitting me with lenses of different sorts, blowing air into my eyes, shining lights in my eyes, refraction, dilating my pupils etc. The conclusion was that i need a significant change in my lifestyle if i wanted to keep my eyes fine. I also got some supplements and eye-drops from the doctor. Damage was 400 bucks.

The warning on the box of eye drops was particularly confusing. It read 'do not apply directly to the eye'.

Boo was going for a school camp, so i texted him 'you must be a happy camper' this morning.

His reply came 'i camp until kena ban from all servers'.

i shot the sheriff, but i didnt kill the deputy

2010-05-29T02:14:00.003+08:00

I bought a replica MP4 submachine toy gun for my 4-year-old nephew, who recently celebrated his birthday. Everyone else didn't think he would like it. He enjoys playing with trains and handphones and food. But i was confident boys would definitely like guns. And you can never start too early with guns.

I think i like the toy gun a bit too much though. I found myself hoping the boy wouldn't take to it so i could have it for myself. Maybe i should buy myself one too. The sound the gun makes is just so tacky but you'd just have to love it.

piu piu piu tiu tiu tiu

ETA - KY likes the gun.

She's calling you DUDE

2010-05-24T22:20:00.003+08:00

Some longish updates and random encounters in this part of the world where we see qizhong once in a while.

I have finally bought my plane tickets for Zurich. Emirates. It will be a gruelling and punishing schedule. I will be flying Tuesday midnight, getting into Zurich by Wednesday afternoon. Spend the night rehearsing the presentation. Full day conference for Thursday and Friday. Flight on Saturday afternoon back to SG, reach by Sunday evening. Back to work on Monday. Even more sad is the fact that this will probably be my only 'holiday' this year. Ironic, isn't it. Paying good money and taking precious leave to torture myself. Impeccable proof that you have to completely lose your marbles to want to be in academia. *what grad trip?*

I also got around to booking that appointment with the eye specialist. I'm hoping the underlying reason will be stress migraines, tension headaches, growths in the head, any number of reasons, but just not myopia or deteriorating eyesight. I really loathe spectacles. Its just so troublesome, i think. Although it might be a slight improvement for my look. For now i will just have to put up with blurry vision and twitchy eyes. I want to relax...

I went to Dr. Goh Keng Swee's wake at the Parliament House over the weekend after having to return to the office for a - dare i say it - fool's errand. My own doing, though. Oh well, wasn't a complete loss. I am glad that i made it for the wake. I'd also watched the entire telecast of the funeral on Sunday. I dunno why but i found the entire thing compelling. The speeches were interesting too. Now, who was it who said that this was a rehearsal for...?

While i was discussing GKS's impact on Singapore and some aspects of Singapore's political past, my dad surprised me with certain revelations of his own past. Surprised might be putting it mildly. It was outright shock. To think that he's been hiding these things from everyone for such a long time.

Oh, and i bumped into Terrence the other day after jamming. He stopped his car in the middle of the street after claiming to have recognised my 'carefree gait and trusty guitar' from the back. We then talked until a bus came along and he had to drive off. Good times. I missed the Navy Open House over the weekend, had half a mind to go take a look, but in the end i gave it a wide berth.

Congrats to Jiyi and the rest of the team for winning the AAC! =))

Nothing like a good rollicking to end the day!

2010-05-17T17:59:00.003+08:00

Was caught with my pants round my ankles and there's nothing much more to be said about that.

But still, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. "How did you get the numbers?" indeed.

To my horror, i became one of the Danish journos who recently visited, and i could only respond with repetitive OKs. I sounded like the guy who always showed up late for class.

(well, i guess it was pretty funny for her at least. so one of us walks away happy.)

UGH. Lame.

the uob atm machine ran out of advice today

2010-05-16T07:40:00.003+08:00

and in place of where they usually display the quote-of-the-day, there was nothing. Its good to know that sometimes people DO shut up about trying to give you advice.

Its been a haggard past couple of weeks with work and other things. Grand gig offers that don't work out, thesis submission, trying to have a semblance of a social life. YH came back from his guitar diploma and now we are trying to get the band back up again. Well at least i'm trying to get Overdrive started; he's more interested in playing some classic rock songs.

Currently, i'm feeling a little disoriented - i'm mostly sure of what i need to do next: left foot first, then right foot, breathe, breathe, etc. But there are the small things that i'm not so sure about. Plus its not helping that my eyes (my left eye especially) are failing me and i've had this bogus headache for the longest time.

My pay came and went. Rats.

i come to you for the truth

2010-05-08T00:03:00.004+08:00

giam and his profs recently published a study about environmental impact and it brought to light certain things that people would rather not know. Now, i haven't read the paper in its entirety but i certainly wouldn't dismiss a study so simply without knowing what its talking about, and i suggest you don't do the same.

Here's the article in full - http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0010440

Here's a blog post on the paper by the first author Corey, which also contains the original press release - Conservation Bytes

Here's a PR pickup with quite a lot of spin - Yahoo
Check out the comments on the yahoo article. No prizes for guessing where most of the detractors are from.

I just wonder why nobody picked up on the Singapore thing yet. Its no wonder that the local press wouldn't exactly run away with this story.

Work is making me (like it or not) more sensitive to overt messages and hidden messages.

Now, who left the lights on??

ETA - forum post at http://www.straitstimes.com/STForum/Story/STIStory_529320.html

INFP or ENTP?

2010-05-07T17:26:00.002+08:00

Recently, i've been having a recurring dream, probably borne of long hours spent on commuting. I am on a crowded train compartment. Amidst the crowd, i slowly sit myself on the floor of the train. But what nobody in the crowd around me knows is that - i am actually levitating about a couple of centimeters above the ground. It is scarcely noticeable. And i derive secret pleasure from the fact that nobody knows.

your allegory is far too blunt

2010-05-01T10:27:00.002+08:00

Labour Day - and i have to work through the weekend. -_-

got this in the mail today: it looks like a story waiting to be written.

translator needed‏
From: owner-ling-dept-l@usc.edu on behalf of Karma Dolma (dolma@usc.edu)
Sent: Fri 4/30/10 6:02 PM
To: ling-dept-l@usc.edu

Dear Dept, The LA Police Dept is looking for someone who can translate a recorded conversation in what they believe is Swahili. If you can help, please contact Det. King at 562 522-6904, MBKing@lasd.org. Thanks. Karma

'read with much aghast' - what does that even mean??

2010-04-26T10:07:00.004+08:00

I came to work today to find a little ceramic elephant candle on my table.

I think, given the context and everything, it would be safe to say that i wasn't being overly defensive or guilty of thinking that the world revolves around me.

So, in the end, me and boo did the RC gig over the weekend - he sang one song while i sang the rest. One Death Cab, one Decemberists, one Robbie Williams, one Margot (no drums after all). And it was a super heartlander event.

The end of April is going to be a crunch(y) week.

ETA - Two (semi)regular gig offers came in today, they both sound quite exciting so i hope at least one of them works out.

ETA part 2 - Eli got back to me today about the song i helped to do some time back. In his words "It's good. It's already on TV (Thursday nights) and media seems to like it. It's also talked about in today's New Paper. Pg 22. Think they are planning to get it on radio and to shoot an MV for it. Will send you a copy later this evening. =)"

I wonder how much of what i did that night is intact!

you are destined to be a brother

2010-04-18T13:25:00.003+08:00

The party was quite epic in the end, with more kids than i expected, together with their parents. Imagine if they tried to have that party NOT in a 3 storey house. The girl was very happy playing with all her friends and also receiving a ton of gifts. Much bigger than any of MY birthdays, thats for sure haha.

Tried out Talisman last night, just the basic board but with all the characters. Didn't even test out the expansions because we thought we didn't want to get into that, and also there were 2 beginners playing. I think we spent about 2 hours and still no one was close to winning. But i had fun. We just shouldnt do it on the floor again.

One out of two results went our way last night. Citeh fell but Spurs looks like they are going to get that 4th place now. And Torres is grounded in Spain because of the ash cloud. I hear he is going to miss the rest of the season anyway. -_-

Oh, and something spectacular happened over Monga yesterday. =))

command and the vampire dimension

2010-04-17T01:37:00.003+08:00

More fantastic dreams to be recorded as unpublished blog posts. Work is starting to creep into my dreams; thats when you know your life is going downhill. I speedposted my tax forms the other day for 35 bucks and i hope they get over on time. I stand to get about a thou back so it will be worth the effort, i hope.

quite a tasty song (if i might say so myself) recorded at work the other day with me playing the bass parts using the midi keyboard. I think the entire floor could hear it while i was recording it that day. Naise.

and a big happy birthday to xinying. she turns 6 soon and her birthday party is tomorrow, with all her little friends from school coming over to her place. I just spent the evening (and a fortune) getting her gifts. They are mostly art supplies. I am cultivating her artistic talents. She's really quite good at drawing and colouring.

useful coverage, tks.

2010-04-07T22:58:00.003+08:00

A few things

- The final submission for the thesis is coming right up. Will be no mean feat trying to fit that in amidst work.

- The trip to Switzerland is going to cost me much more than i thought.

- I bought Talisman and all its 4 expansions and its coming soon. Looking for players now!

- The days are growing longer...

It is Howen and Dawn's wedding this Saturday and i would like to wish them a very blissful and also 'fruitful' union lol. I'm really happy for them.

ETA: I will be playing tomorrow night at the Fullerton BeachHouse, a trio with YL on guitar and BC on sax. Gig was not bad, outdoors and just beside the sea, tons of people, 3 hours of almost nonstop playing, walked over fires just to get a cab after.

love is watching someone die

2010-03-30T22:46:00.004+08:00

it was heart wrenching seeing my grandpa just now...he looked so frail and weak and tired. All the indignities of old age that i wouldn't even want to describe. The ravages of disease and ailments. The shingles look really painful and itchy at the same time, yet i wonder if he actually feels anything. The worst thing is that there is nothing much we can do for him. I don't have much time save after-work hours; i'd made 2 trips to the hospital last week. My dad spends the most time with him, basically he is the person grandpa trusts the most now. I can see that dad is getting tired too. And mom is getting tired being at home with the two kids and the chores. I am sure ah-gong misses grandma too. I can still remember the Parry days when he would go over to get us lunch, and when he would chase me and Darren around the big old house for being naughty. I really really hope he can get a bit better soon, so that the babies can go over to visit again, cheer him up. He always gets excited when they go over.

I'm doing fine at work, writing and pitching stories to the press. Writing, emailing, phoning, rinse and repeat. Its like In the Loop and In the Thick of It but minus the yelling and the British & Scottish accents. Its a tough old life, series after series of delayed gratifications. On one hand you have money you dont have the time to spend, on the other you have time you dont have anyone to spend with. Take your pick.

In more trivial news (funny how things get put in perspective), i missed 311 (in Jakarta though) and Imogen Heap. And a whole bunch of other shows, i'm sure. But you can't be everywhere at the same time.

I also asked my boss whether i could take leave to present my paper at the conference in Switzerland in June. She said it should be fine. Now i just need to find the money. And its during the World Cup opening weekend. Oh well. Take your lumps like a man.

Some Jrock vids

2010-03-22T23:32:00.001+08:00

My Heart Draws A Dream (L'arc)

Yuuwaku (Glay)

Hoshizora (L'arc)

serendipitous

2010-03-16T12:20:00.002+08:00

The jazz band concert came and went last Saturday. As usual, it was part chaos, fair bit of drama, and mostly fun. The fun, i still say, lies in the people and not just in the music. Let me be the first to admit that the music we played wasn't exactly all jazz and some of them weren't up my alley. But as long as the members of the band are pulling in the direction and enjoying themselves. The concert is a way of getting people to bond, for future jamming sessions, formation of bands down the road. It was fun seeing and playing with the alumni too; some people whom i've not seen for a while. The only sad part of the concert was that Chin Boo's mom passed away. And i was shocked that this was not told to the rest of the band at all. I felt that it was very disrespectful not to have gone down to pay our last respects, and i apologised to Chin Boo over it. Really, i think some people have no good sense of priority and propriety. But whats done is done.

on sunday, i went for the drum and bass workshop. quite an enjoyable session though not that informative. well, the knowledge that was imparted was more of the experiential type than technical. Both H and B asked questions. Generally more for the drummer Rodney than the bassist Darryl. I had a question but in the end i chickened out; then i spent the rest of the time wondering how it would be like if i went up to play with them.

sunday night, i was at the new southbridge @ esplanade after WS prac. It was my first time there. But the people there were more or less familiar faces. A lot of trumpeters in the house, for some reason. Then, Randy Brecker walked in and everyone got excited. I think the jammers also suddenly leveled-up and all starting swinging like mad. Randy borrowed Dan's horn to jam since he didn't bring his instrument. I think it was a JIMP moment for Dan when that happened. At one point of time, there were 3 trumpet players jamming on stage together. It was really awesome. Makoto Ozone took the stage too and it was a great night of music.

yesterday, i went over to E's place to lay down some bass tracks for this TV show song. it will likely come out in April, a Chinese (Channel 8) lifestyle show. The song was catchy, dance-pop and Jolin-esque; was a new experience playing bass over this kind of song but i enjoyed it. E got quite a nice setup in his pad too.

a sudden loss

2010-03-08T13:48:00.005+08:00

This is going to be a mad month for me, with all the rehearsals and shows and gigs and everything else in between.

Some shows i'm playing -

13th March, 8pm NUS Jazz Band Concert @ NUS UCC

20th March, around 7pm playing a Jrock set outside Cathay

27th March, 7.30pm NUS Wind Symphony @ Victoria Concert Hall

Some Mosaic Fest shows i'm attending -

14th - Rodney Holmes drum and bass workshop

17th - Go! Team

18th - Kings of Convenience

Also, i would like to take a pause for the cause, to remember Joel, who sadly departed yesterday. I didn't get to know him very well when he was still around. But i remember him as a really good bassist when i first joined the band, he was helpful to a fellow bassist at that time, and i appreciated it. Unfortunately, he didn't continue with the band when he was in NUS. But we would still say hi when we see each other around school and at gigs or jam nights. He was ok in my book. RIP Joel.

night of glitzz

2010-03-06T01:36:00.002+08:00

Last night we played a show in a ballroom at Resorts World. It was an OCBC event, very glam and extravagant. The setup was pretty unique - the musicians were to be on separate (and glittery) podiums that were at least 20 feet away from each other. And unfortunately, there were no monitors nor any form of communication for the band. So there was a coordination issue and then there was a lighting issue as well. But i think we pulled through in the end. And i hope everyone in the band had a good time, i know i did. Really awesome bunch of musicians, so it was fun playing with them.

In the middle of the room was this tank of water in which a dancer (later revealed to be Keith's gf) performed. She was really good. Then, there were models strutting their stuff in between the dance and our set. We shared the lounge/changing area with them. I must be reading too many fashion mags or something, because i actually recognised some of them. The girls were all impossibly tall, and thin. One european lass came over to talk to E about guitars. We were also herded into a room when the girls had to change. For some reason the male models walked around holding girl bags. They used the podiums too. And they left as fast as they came. Funniest moment was when one of the malay banquet waiters called one of the male models 'Beckham'.

Food and drink was excellent that night. Free flow martell with a leggy server. The stuff evaporates on your tongue. Lots of surplus food despite the 1000+ strong crowd. Resorts World itself was really big and though i explored the premises with brandon after the gig, i think many other parts were not operational yet, so we barely scratched the surface. There were people queuing up to get into the casino as we left close to midnight. Nuts. The cab driver told us he doesn't approve of the casino as locals have to pay the 100-dollar levy but not foreigners. And that's putting what he actually said to us mildly.

Here's the video of our opening song from the gig.

i find a fatal flaw

2010-02-23T01:58:00.003+08:00

I just

...polished off an entire pomelo, and it was bittersweet.

...had a series of really weird dreams over the past few days, which i painstakingly chronicled everytime after waking up.

...listened to the Shins album Chutes Too Narrow and thought that it was really really good.

...had to call the universe to find players and to organise a rehearsal for a gig.

Incidentally, i'd have to say that Vinson is the perfect variant for the name Vincent in terms of ridiculousness (is there such a word?) and also in terms of spelling-to-actual-pronunciation correspondence.

Feb is almost over. What did YOU do for Valentines' Day?

don't particularly?

2010-02-12T22:21:00.004+08:00

Been coughing like a bitch for the past week, despite overloading on lozenges and finishing my full course of antibiotics. Sad, seeing as how its the CNY weekend and the goodies are all just lying around. The past few days have been quite crazy. But i guess crazy is good. I need crazy. The show on Wednesday went as well as it could, i suppose. The sound people were late and my upright sort of went 'awn the blink' and in the end the overall sound wasn't that great, i heard. It was a full house but the crowd didn't react to the participation bits, shame. I still don't know whether the skinny pants and wide collar shirt and tight jacket getup worked for me. It felt a bit weird. It was a nice gesture of eM to open up MBar upstairs for us to hang out as a (sort of) changing room though. That was really cool. It was also good seeing siandy and nick after such a long while. Now i'll have the Resorts World opening gig, and the 2 Jrock shows at Cathay to look forward to in March. oh wells.

ETA - been a while since i have last been involved in 'proper' recording of any kind and yesterday was a good exercise in playing discipline. I also realised how tasty the Stingray tone is!

something in your eye?

2010-02-05T03:48:00.002+08:00

Today, I...

signed up to be a lab rat for slightly less than 200 dollars. Hope i get the placebo.

received my tax documents in the mail and am wondering whether i should (and how to) file them.

got summarily asked to fuck off, again.

The flower children are calling, i think.

I would still have gladly given it to you

2010-02-04T01:18:00.002+08:00

So, i made it for Muse in the end. Yeah, and they were even better than 2007. It seemed like just yesterday. Being in Pen B, you definitely see more action - the usual squeezing, pushing, moshing, childish fighting and quarreling, some surfing. But overall it was too restricted to do the kind of dancing i usually do. On hindsight an upper tier seat would have been better. They started late, around 10+, which was wholly expected. Backdrop and graphics were very nicely done, i thought. The videography was top class. The lighting and lasers were superb too, i'm sure everyone remembers the green waves of light washing through the crowd. The sound was good, much better than for Saosin and Rise Against (did they change engineers??). The band didn't talk much, as usual, but they rocked it. Lots of songs from the newest album, of course, and a good selection from the old ones. The crowd pleasers, i think. TIRO, Stockholm, Plug-in baby, Hysteria, Supermassive, Starlight, etc. And the finale was Knight of Cydonia, one of my absolute favourites. On the way back, i overheard various people saying things like 'aiyah, they never play Citizen' 'they never play Absolution' and i thought it was pretty funny. Once upon a time, i might have said things like that. But tonight, i danced to my heart's content and i think i will most definitely suffer the consequences come tomorrow.

I would have given it to you in a heartbeat though.

Wuthering Heights

2010-01-28T02:36:00.001+08:00

The original

and a choral arrangement

Awesome song! Check the lyrics.

FurrMUSE

2010-01-26T01:13:00.004+08:00

Played at BluJazz tonight in place of the Origins Band because i think L is away on holiday or something. Lineup was Dan on trumpet, Fabian on sax, Lin Chow on drums, Eugene on keys. I was shaky tonight, and nervous. There were a number of songs that i've never played before, ever. My apologies to the rest. I felt so bad i didn't even use the food and drink vouchers given to me. The audience seemed to like the set though; there was one very interesting (and drunken) gig offer by an Irishman and this nice Filipino family offered to send us the pictures they took of the band. I used Dan's wah pedal for one song and it sounded good. Got around to saying hi to 2of Dan's friends after the gig; they are both Stage Managers, one for Victor Victoria and the other at Universal Studios. As usual, i say the darndest things:

"Universal Studios...in LA?"

"No, Universal Studios at the IR."

When i was about to reach home, my neighbour from the opposite unit got into the same lift as me. He asked me where he could buy a cheapish acoustic guitar. I told him Peninsula area would be a good bet. This other girl in the lift chimed in and said 'Try Swee Lee'. That was like the most neighbourly moment of my 10+ years here in Regentville.

And this might be the first time i will be playing a gig where clothing is sponsored. hoho. looking forward to the fitting. i wonder if we get to keep the threads.

Every-body has won, and ALL must have prizes

2010-01-24T22:20:00.004+08:00

Tonight, i attended the wake for sb's father. Me and sb go a long way back, friends for about 15 years now and he's one of the nicest, most trustworthy and responsible guys i know. My deepest condolences to him. Its a really tough time.

While waiting for J at the wake, i read some Buddhist literature (provided by the casket service) and found a lot of sense. It is important to be a good person.

Song of the day - Get Better (Mates of State)

adventures in the fortress of solitude

2010-01-18T16:08:00.002+08:00

The last time i saw a dentist was during my FFI when i was doing my ORD procedures. The fellow didn't do anything, to be honest. He wielded some sharp implement and poked around in my mouth, drawing blood from my gums. Afterwhich he proclaimed my dental health was in a shambolic state, but passed my FFI anyway. Apparently you don't need good teeth to fight the enemy.

Today, almost 7 years on, i went to see the dentist. Yes i know its a long time. But i brush frequently, and i use dental picks and stuff. It didn't turn out too good though. First, he discovered decay in 2 areas, which required filling. Then it became 4. Next, a wisdom tooth was suspected to be dodgy and had to come out. He did some cleaning on my teeth, for a jaw-dropping and jaw-aching 100 bucks. This included a fluoride treatment which he sort of scared me into. There was a lot of blood shed. I don't think i'm going to eat anything for the next couple of days.

Oh yes, and if that wasn't bad enough, my hernia dropped out again. Was it the Green Day concert? Or my extensive running program? Who knows. But its such a downer. I can't continue running.

The only good thing that happened to me recently was a really sweet dream i had last night. What kind of person gets happy over dreams? Well, they're all i have at the moment. I used to be fond of recounting my dreams...now i write them down somewhere, in the hope that i can see in the distant future whether any of them come true. Right now, i would give my two front teeth for that dream to come true.

Right now, dreams are all i have left.

I say HeeeeyOoooo

2010-01-15T12:22:00.003+08:00

Now i know why i have been running everyday for the past week. It was training for the Green Day concert. OMFG. First concert in Singapore, and what a monumental occasion it was. I was fist pumping and jumping and just shouting along to all the songs like a madman. Sweat buckets, lost my voice. The entire crowd was on their feet for the entire show. The girl beside me was kinda scared cos i was freaking out. Especially when they played Burnout (as loyal readers might remember, was the first Green Day song i ever sang publicly in a gig) as the first non-latest-album song. We were on the balcony so we had to be content with standing at the front of the section once the show started. The folks in the standing area were fortunate because they stood the chance of being selected to go up stage. Top, top show in terms of audience participation. And they were subjected to water sprays, paper sprays, confetti, people flying off the stage and what not. Damn. The fireworks were a nice touch. What a high energy show, goodness. And they played nearly half the songs in Dookie, my favourite album - Burnout, She, Longview, Paradise, When i come around, Basketcase. 21 years of rocking out. Billie Joe has a really strong voice. I mean, in between running around the stage, jumping, humping the floor and all, he could still belt it out non-stop. Much love for Tre Cool and Mike Dirnt too! Fucking awesome musicians. The crunchy bass sound and the never ending press roll. I brought all my Green Day records cos i thought there might be a signing, but i guess not. Still, it was an unbelievable show. It was a dream come true.

Are you going to tell me Anything?

2010-01-12T15:48:00.003+08:00

Its the Longing that ultimately undoes you.
When it finds you, it gnaws at your bones and tugs at your chest.
It fills you up inside like rot and it makes you dream dreams and it drowns you.
The Longing keeps you in bed, clutching at your sheets while the world goes on outside.
It smells like old leaves and cigarette smoke, mixed with the scents of far-off places you will hear of, but never see.
It's the gloss on a lover's lips the moment you realise that you will never kiss those lips again.
It is the bittersweet unrequited love of creation and it will break your heart again and again and again.
If you know the Longing the way i do, then these words are redundant. We know each other perfectly, you and I.
And if you've never felt it - well, there's no point explaining.
You can count yourself lucky - sweetly, stupidly lucky - and get on with your life.

YeaRsayer

2010-01-02T01:50:00.003+08:00

For better or for worse, 2009 has come to a close. And as much as i want to live and dwell on the past, where it seems everything was much better and happier, where i was a more cheerful and younger person, with dreams and hopes, it is neither possible nor productive. It seems like there is nothing much to look forward to right now but i guess i'll have to look harder. Life is full of ups and downs, defintiely more downs than ups, but it just means you have to cherish the ups more. There are a lot of things out of our control so you just have to learn to accept them somehow. Before, i felt like nothing would surprise me anymore, i thought i'd seen it all. But, now i know that there are still things that would hit me hard, if i allow them to. To everyone, and especially to myself, have a great year ahead. May the past stay in the past but continue to be remembered and appreciated always.

just take it, Thank Ye very much

2009-12-28T11:29:00.006+08:00

Was at Harrys last night for the 'last' jam session, with some of the guys. There were so many people there, that in E's words, if you swung a dead cat it would have hit a musician. (i'm guessing swinging a dead cat sounds more humane than swinging a live one) Although i have not been regularly going for the jam sessions for some small time (and rarely go up to play in any case), it is still sad news. The loss of something familiar, something nostalgic. C told me briefly that LA was his hometown and promised to hook me up with 'his people' there. Heh. If only i knew whether/when i would be going back.

I also got back grades for this semester. As all round but an A- for Phonology. The A minus was a matter of principle and its another long story. It wasn't an easy semester. But i think i did my work as well as i could and i learnt quite a lot. Not just about linguistics, but about life in general. Hard fucking cheese, right?

In other news, i will be playing at POW this Saturday night and i'm thinking of singing some songs. Some Margot and Decemberists songs for starters. We'll see how that turns out, then.

ETA - Ok, so i will be playing at Orchard Central with Eli Tee, Victor Chen and Hendri on the last day of 2009 for the countdown with Lush FM. We are playing some NeYo, some Alicia Keys, some Lady Gaga and maybe some Beyonce. Coming on around 1115ish.

Also, Prince of Wales this Saturday will feature Brandon on drums, Jon Ong on guitar, Zhonhern on keys, Kenneth on bones and me on bass. The first set is at 10pm and the second set around 11plus.

I'd dance, like the king of the eyesores

2009-12-25T21:34:00.004+08:00

Christmas day. I haven't been out of the house for the past two days. In that time, i tried to clean up the mess at home. I need a smallish vaccuum cleaner. I feel like cooking for my family but there is a severe lack of fridge space and also it feels weird cooking in Singapore (when it seems cheaper eating out). I fixed up the computer table from Ikea so now we can move the desktop somewhere else. I have satisfied myself that singing while playing the guitar is no mean feat. Still, the songlist grows. It is a time for reflection on the year that will soon end. It is really hard not to think about the past, but we all try our best.

I received a beautiful self-designed Linguisticky Christmas e-card from B. I hope its alright to post it here. I like it very much.

And the rest of our lives would've fared well.

Jing Jing Jing Jing

2009-12-24T00:53:00.003+08:00

Got my term papers done last week. So now its on to revising my MA thesis. Its going to be a very unexciting Christmas. Hard to get into the spirit of things, really. I restored some semblance of order in my room. Got a frame for the Klimt poster and now i can look at it everyday and be reminded of things. All my basses are lined up nicely in a corner but instead i've been playing the acoustic guitar recently. Learning the songs that i have always wanted to sing. Been getting a ton of comics from Kaskus, really really good stuff, and just trying to get more for future reading. Getting the entire collection of Fables (its just getting better), Sandman, ongoing series such as Umbrella Academy, Air, The Unwritten, Greek Street, House of Mystery and many cool (mostly morbid and dark) one-offs. I have been watching this wicked Brit political humor series - In the Thick of It and also In the Loop. I need more funny in my life right now.

Oh, and the bass solo is up on my Facebook profile. Its pretty shite, i realised, because my playing is out of control in the middle; and i just can't figure out how to get it resized. Now i just have to take every solo, every jam, and every gig as a fresh chance. You never know which is going to be your last.

Speaking of which, i will be playing at Orchard Central for a Lush FM event on New Year's Eve. More details about that soon. Was at Orchard Central today just scouting the area. Orchard has really changed a lot in the past months. Was pleasantly surprised to see people carolling at the stage. Some things just don't change.

2009-12-13T05:08:00.004+08:00

This is going to be the worst birthday ever, for obvious reasons, but i guess it will also be one of the most memorable because of exactly the same reasons.

And more, besides

2009-12-10T16:59:00.001+08:00

'I Google You' performed by Amanda Palmer, lyrics by Neil Gaiman

I Google you
late at night when I don’t know what to do
I find photos
you’ve forgotten
you were in
put up by your friends

I Google you
when the day is done and everything is through
I read your journal
that you kept
that month in France
I’ve watched you dance

And I’m pleased your name is practically unique
it’s only you and
a would-be PhD in Chesapeake
who writes papers on
the structure of the sun
I’ve read each one

I know that I
should let you fade
but there’s that box
and there’s your name
somehow it never makes the pain
grow less or fade or disappear
I think that I should save my soul and
I should crawl back in my hole
But it’s too easy just to fold
and type your name again
I fear
I google you
Whenever I’m alone and feeling blue
And each scrap of information
That I gather
says you’ve got somebody new
And it really shouldn’t matter
ought to blow up my computer
but instead….
I google you

a fleeting permanence

2009-11-17T21:22:00.004+08:00

Its been a while since i last published any posts. And actually, i still don't have much i want to say here. But today, i witnessed something special that made me think about certain things. We were up on the Malibu hills waiting to catch the Leonid meteor shower on November 17th. We were there for almost 3 bone-numbingly cold hours. It was less than 5 degrees out, and there were strong winds. I didn't have nearly enough layers of clothes on. It was worth it though. The sky was clear, and endless. There were a lot of stars all over, it was impossible to take them all in at one go.

I managed to catch very many meteors tonight. Most of them were pretty fast but there were some which went by ever so slowly and beautifully. I felt a profound sense of loss just now, staring at the dotted expanse of stars out there.

I made a wish each time i saw a meteor flash by.

hitting rock bottom

2009-10-20T11:50:00.003+08:00

So, im not going to say much about Indigo Lounge. I just went up to play a few songs. A million things were going on in my head throughout the whole night. I thought walking back from Second Street would be a good idea, to clear my head. It was a bad idea. I was almost mugged and killed twice.

Some pictures of last night are up at http://piddleproductions.blogspot.com/2009/10/indigo-lounge-justis.html

One is the loneliest number

2009-10-17T18:11:00.008+08:00

much much worse than two.

Just came back from a long night at the Wiltern. We thought we were going to be late getting there, turns out when they say doors open at 7, the show starts closer to 8. The theater had a nice interior, pretty old but classic. The chairs/seating wasnt that great though. They were selling merchandise but i was told no signing after the show, so i didnt buy anything. They sold drinks which could be consumed in the theater, and you could smell the sour smell of spilt beer on the seats.

Fountains of Wayne started the show. They were so good. I'm glad i finally managed to catch them live. Chris and Jody both played acoustic, while Adam played the piano when not on the bass. The drummer Brian played only with one snare, but he was still full of energy. Chris was really funny and he kept up the banter with Adam. Jody kept trying to get feedback out of his acoustic (running joke?). One guy who claimed he came from Colorado just to catch FoW started dancing by himself right before the stage. Another guy just parked himself just at the feet of Chris. It was damn funny. We had seats which were like 4 rows away from the stage, they were awesome seats. The setlist tonight was something like (not in order):

Hey Julie
Stacy's Mom (a more laid back remix)
Hackensack (got a couple of NJ ambassadors sitting in the front excited)
Little Red Light
Please Don't Rock Me Tonight
Fire in the Canyon
1x brand new song
Radiation Vibe (plus a karaoke jam in between)
Someone to Love
Bright Future in Sales
New Routine

Really, really great show. The guys looked like they aged quite a bit, but somehow their songs just really grows with you (not just on you) and its kind of bittersweet hearing them so many years on. Chris threw his pick after the end of the set and it landed right in my lap, so i'm proudly holding on to it now. Gosh.

Next was Aimee Mann, and she was awesome too. She just looked so good. She's really cute when she's skipping at the end of songs. It was the last show of her tour, and where else to end it but her old stomping ground LA. She says there's to be no more shows for the rest of the year (with the probability of some Christmas shows in LA), because she's going to put out a new record. Before the show, she established a protocol for requests to be submitted for songs to be played during the second half of the show. I went up to submit a request as well, haha. Her band was very talented and between the three of them they could play almost every instrument. The backup singing was really good too. Aimee played both the guitar and the bass, and also the recorder (which led to a funny moment). She played more than 20 song requests, it was crazy. And then she came out to do 'Voices Carry' for the encore. A partial setlist, not in order:

Just Like Anyone (song written for Jeff Buckley, beautiful song)
Voices Carry
4th of July
Amateur
Its Not Safe
How Am I Different
Deathly
This Is How It Goes
The Moth (always the starting song...why?)
Invisible Ink (she apologised for being too 'croaky' on the low notes on this one
Today's The Day
Save Me
Stupid Thing
Goodbye Caroline
Going Through The Motions
Its Over
Freeway
Build That Wall (a lot of songs from the Magnolia soundtrack)
Driving Sideways
One
Momentum (really loved this one)
Wise Up
The Other End Of The Telescope
1x brand new song

The show ended around 11pm. Then, we went to IHOP (International House of Pancakes) for supper.

Not the Papa Roach song

2009-10-13T08:22:00.002+08:00

The heater is causing massive power trips around the house because it takes too much power to run. So now, by trial and error, we are finding out what combinations of appliances can work. Two heaters together is a definite no-no. The heater and the microwave together will cause a blowout too. The heater plus the oven and the rice-cooker is iffy. As it is, it rained almost the whole day today. Such a rare sight in LA that people were taking pictures of the rain. People were just walking in the rain all day cos i guess nobody owns an umbrella here. Ok la i exaggerate. I really miss the rain, so i'm glad for it, even though its even colder than before now. The drainage here is almost non-existent, puddles started forming very quickly and things became messy.

In the evening, i went for a movie screening in school. It was A.S.Byatt's "Angels and Insects" and it was about butterflies, ants, and incest in a good old English setting. There was free food too. I loved the movie, loved the Ricardo Carvalho-lookalike actor. Not loving the ADHD girl in the crowd who kept shrieking and laughing however.

Indigo Lounge

2009-10-13T02:27:00.006+08:00

I will be playing at the 2nd Street Jazz Club this Sunday, 18th October, around 9pm. Its a spoken word event so in addition to playing a ridiculously long bass solo (i was told to play two 30-minute sets) i will also hopefully be backing the poets up somehow. Yes, tell me about it. Anyway, it will be a good experience. Total improvisation.

More details at http://piddleproductions.blogspot.com/2009/10/look-whos-coming-to-indigo-lounge_05.html. I sent in a really dated bio because i didn't want to write a new one and now i wish i wasn't so tardy in the first place.

The loss of a dear companion

2009-10-11T11:08:00.003+08:00

It was an eventful Saturday, but also a sad one because today someone broke my watch of >15 years. Probably nobody notices this, but i've had the same watch since before Secondary 2. The Swatch with the gold strap. I just love that watch so much. Even when my sister got me a new one for my birthday several years back, i still kept the old one as a sign of faith towards it.

This morning, i finally collected the heater that they delivered when i was out. I had to pick it up at the Post Office. Then i made my way down to Hollywood with Stingray in tow, in its hard shell case. It was such a bummer to carry that around, navigating the L.A. buses and trains. Not only was it heavy, it was also bulky and it eventually cost me my watch. Never again. I won't bring the bass out again without a gigbag. Interestingly, on the train, this black guy saw my bass and started talking to me. 'Do you play the bass?' he says. 'Do you have a band?' 'Do you want to be in a band?' I said yes to see what he had to say. He talked about setting up some kind of band and he needs a bassist. I got his number, and asked him to come see me play next Sunday. But seriously, i don't think i will call him. I think i've got enough on my plate for now.

B was waiting for me at Hollywood/Highland. This is the street with all the crazies on it. We walked about 2 blocks down to the Musician's Institute (MI). There were lots of people practising in school even on a Saturday afternoon, it was quite a sight. The drummer, M, came down to sign me in. He is currently both a student and a teacher there, he says. The guitarist, J, was a graduate from MI and he was an Australian who's been in the US for a while. We played a couple of songs and i think the sound was ok. The Stingray on a proper (bigger) amp really sounds awesome. We are jamming again next week. But, after playing with them (just the once), i started thinking to myself if it was a genre i wanted to really get into. I used to think i would love playing in such a band but now i have my doubts. Maybe i will give it a few more weeks to see how it goes.

On the way back to the train station was when disaster struck. This guy dashed out from the lift while i was turning the corner and he crashed into my bass case. He picked himself up and went up the bus and i didn't even realise anything was wrong. Until this black guy beside me started shouting 'yo you dropped yo watch man', and the running man came down the bus to check but said it wasn't his. That was the time i looked down to the floor, and saw my precious Swatch smashed on the floor. It was such a sad sight. Then, i looked at my right hand and it was scratched proper and bleeding badly. I hadn't felt a thing before i actually saw it. But after i saw the smashed watch (and my bloody hand), i felt the pain. It is funny how people need visual (re)confirmation to tell them that they should be feeling something. To make things worse, the guy who was shouting beside me then turns and reveals a bag of counterfeit watches. 'Do you want to get a watch from me?' he says. I just walked away.

I came back home all tired and hungry and minus a watch, my ears slightly blasted from J's playing.

mexican jumping beans

2009-10-08T13:42:00.003+08:00

Its been a really busy school week. And the cold is getting to me, i've taken to wearing socks around in the house, like an old person.

Tomorrow, i am going with a few other people from the department to check out downtownartwalk.com. It sounds nice. I hope its nice.

Also, i got tickets for a Aimee Mann/Fountains of Wayne double bill at the Wiltern next Friday. Half price, but not really, cos the 'ticket charges' were outrageously high. But, still an ok price to pay considering i'm on level one row D.

I saw some mexican jumping beans the other day, they are quite a sight indeed...but it made me sad for a long time. I feel like a jumping bean now too.

are you reading this?

2009-10-04T16:01:00.002+08:00

Just got back from the USC Jazz Department Faculty Recital. I got there early because i thought the seats would run out fast. I mean, the show is free and its on campus, its on a Saturday night, and just look at the stellar lineup: Alan Pasqua on piano, Peter Erskine on bass, Bob Mintzer on sax, Derek Oles on bass. But surprisingly, the hall was not completely filled. The first set was just the four of them playing, and it was really good. I particularly liked Coltrane's 26-2 (the 'Confirmation' remix) and this Monk tune whose name escapes me at the moment (i would give anything for the name right now though, i want to find the mp3). The second set was the big band, made up of students. They were not bad. Young, talented. They were blasting a bit, maybe they were excited. A couple of pictures are up on FB, check them out.

I feel like playing some jazz but it seems impossible right now.

I wonder how long things will stay this way

2009-10-02T04:40:00.003+08:00

I heard that recently there was a quake at Indonesia, and the tremors could be felt even in Singapore. It may have triggered off a string of events, which eventually led to an unpleasant state of affairs involving my family. It is sad to hear of such things, and you feel helpless because you are half a world away, but thats the way things are. Sometimes, i want to call back and talk to my grandpa, but i am ashamed of my faltering Hainanese. I know he still understands Mandarin. I can only hope that he remembers me.

My mom told me the other day that 2 shrimps jumped out of the tank and died. Thats an indication of poor water quality. But there is nothing i can do about it now. I know when my mom says 2 she really means 10 or so. And she didn't mention what was going on in the family.

The days, they crawl and they speed up, and there is always too much to read but never enough time. It is also turning chilly.

conference of the parakeets

2009-09-27T23:53:00.003+08:00

I woke up this morning to a cacophony of parrots (parakeets?) in my backyard. There were at least a hundred of them, pecking at berries on a particular tree. Some of them were just lounging around, perched on the phone lines. They were furiously feeding, and squawking at the top of their beaks. They had a smooth, green body of feathers, reddish heads, and yellow beaks. It was quite a sight. Someone is going to have to sweep the yard later, because they shook a whole bunch of berry husks and leaves down to the ground.

Then, just as suddenly, they all flew away together, in a neat formation. Their loud squawking actually made a couple of car alarms go off. I wish i could take wing and fly away too...

=(

you got to let me in or let me out

2009-09-23T15:30:00.002+08:00

Even when life stops for you, it goes on for other people.

I don't think my placebo is working like it should...

the wobbling, jell-o, forgotten yet popular mini-book

2009-09-22T22:13:00.002+08:00

some kinds of gelatin really makes you sick, huh.

Anyway, after a furious couple of days of bidding (and stupidity) on EBay, i have successfully won 5 bids, but only 4 of which i am excited about.

1. I got a MusicMan Stingray double pu for US$862. Qiubo claims the very same bass is selling for S$3k (new) at the basement of Peace Center. I have been listening to songs where they are used, and online demo clips, and feeling psyched. Yes, i know its an expensive purchase. The most expensive bass (and only the fifth real bass i ever bought - i'm sorry Ventura, but you were a mistake) i ever bought, and it will be a real treat because i'd always wanted a StingRay. It is just unfortunate that i will probably not have a band to jam with anytime soon.

2. I got an Eden Nemesis 40W Bass Amp for about $150 total. It might not be enough for gigging everywhere but then i don't have any gigs so i wouldn't worry about that.

3. I got 2 cables for $12 total and a tuner for $15. I can't even be arsed to go down to the 'local' music store, which would be really far away.

Also, very stupidly, i won a bid on a MusicMan Sterling SB14 without meaning to. I put in a bid early when i was considering my options and i didn't think that i would win it, but i did. Its a 'modest' $380 but then i simply don't need 2 basses. I am faced with a couple of options, namely: (a) not to pay and let the seller give me a Non-Paying Bidder strike against my record, and (b) to pay for it and then to re-sell it immediately. I posted an ad on craigslist so i could get some indication on the market demand for the bass.

Actually, if the Stingray had gone beyond $900 (my perceived upper limit), i would have gladly settled for the Sterling.

School starts again today. Yay. But at least i will have the bass to look forward to at the end of the week. Retail therapy?

some kind of monster resides

2009-09-18T15:16:00.004+08:00

"you just get by, one day at a time."

I used to say this, maybe without truly understanding it. But now i think i have an inkling. I have things to say but nobody to say it to.

Also, my deepest condolences to SY...

ETA - Just made a huge dinner for some people who came over for dinner. We used the spare room as a makeshift dining area. It went well, i guess. Well, i forgot to tenderise the beef. I also managed to get quite a bit of stuff from Darren's HDD. I'm bidding for some Stingrays and Sterlings on Ebay now...sooner rather than later, you know. I still have to sort out the amps, cables, tuner, strings etc. Setup tools? I don't know.

20 dollar leis

2009-09-11T14:49:00.003+08:00

I think some kind of pattern and order is established by now. Classes and readings and assignments are one constant, as is the endless cooking and cleaning. And im just accumulating more and more stuff in my room. Piles of papers, a new vacuum cleaner, a tank of sea monkeys, random junk. I need to rein myself in.

The weekend is finally here and EPL is set to resume. There might be an eating trip on Saturday and a trip to SD on Sunday. And on Monday, i planned a meetup with a friend from Singapor who is doing music here. Other than that, the weekend will be spent on work, and whatever else i can squeeze out for sleeping. Its not like i sleep a lot anyway, but i just want to have the feeling of being able to sleep in.

Still getting used to the new laptop, i love it to bits. I attended an extremely interesting class this week too. Reminded me of certain things and people from NUS. Its a class im not supposed to take. I have already decided that i like the class but i wonder if the class will like me too. And lastly, congrats to Fabian - man, you've got everything SORTED. I'm so envious.

that was just someone imitating my laugh

2009-09-06T02:53:00.003+08:00

A wrap up of the week in general. Its the second week of school, and although things are more settled than the first, it also means more work. But thats fine. Im a graduate student, im here to study and not to have a life (some bitterness there, but its fine). Its the Labour Day weekend today and the first football game of the season is also happening so i guess everyone is in a festive mood other than me. Holidays and weekends don't mean much to me and i prefer the other sense of the word football.

I've been having doubts about continuing with the Statistics class. I don't think it will be majorly difficult, having laboured through some Stats classes in the past. R actually looks interesting to me, because i just like command-driven stuff in general. But its the having 3 days of class per week part that really gets me. I am talking to the department about changing to a level-600 course right now and i hope everything works out.

Other than that, on the school side classes have been fun. I'm trying to speak more but sometimes i don't know what i don't know so its hard to come up with questions. Printing in the department seems much more difficult than previously thought so maybe it is a good idea to invest in a printer. Sometimes i run late for morning classes - even though i wake up early, i just have to leave the house early as well.

I also got involved in the GSIL (Graduate Students in Linguistics) in a very minor capacity, helping out with computer maintenance issues. And like everyone else, i volunteered to help out with WCCFL (West Coast Conference in Formal Linguistics?) which will be happening next February. Its a pretty major conference and USC is hosting it this year so thats pretty exciting.

My Dell computer came 2 days ago, when i wasn't around. My neighbour upstairs very helpfully signed for it and kept it for me. Was a bit lazy in setting the new computer up so i'm only doing it today. I must say, it looks awesome and it works smooth (at least for now), so i'm hoping the transition will be a smooth one.

Lastly, i would like to thank Roger and his wife for bringing us out for dinner and grocery-shopping yesterday. Sometimes you just want to take a break from cooking. Now, when i step into the kitchen, i just think of killing ants. Hopefully the ant traps will work. I also want to say how much i appreciate Andi going over to my place and cleaning the tank, bringing food for the babies and playing with them, and helping me take pictures of them. You're the best!

There were a lot of random gunshots last night that sounded like they were made in very close proximity. What a shitty neighbourhood.

who's lynette?

2009-09-03T12:19:00.002+08:00

The good thing about a 3 day week is that on Wednesdays, you feel like the fight is almost over. Not that i have anything terribly exciting lined up for the weekend - mind you - i'm just going to go grocery shopping, clean the house, do my homework, things like that. And today was another long day in school.

I got my first paycheck today, and promptly cashed it at the bank. Finally one in among the outs. But then, i got to pay the rent soon. I'm already late, technically. And i have to clear other bills in a hurry. Elsewhere, my spending has more or less stabilised. I only spend on food and drink now. And by that i mean cooking, not eating out. I made a dish of beef liver with spring onions and garlic today, no mean feat. My housemate loved it.

Ants are invading the house. Help la. My theory is that they are avoiding the summer heat outdoors. And guess what? I was right. I found a WHOLE bunch of them in the fridge today. I must have killed at least a hundred ants today. I'm open to any strategies or methods of getting rid of ants.

R

2009-09-01T12:08:00.002+08:00

Just a quick update before another crazy school-week. I think we've really hit the ground running with all the modules.

Saturday - department picnic at Vista Hermosa Park. Hot day, like the past week (and the weeks to come) has been, but it was a nice location for a picnic. And there were many great dishes. Quite a few faculty showed up, a lot of the students brought friends, and it was an enjoyable afternoon/evening. Many thanks to Fang Ying and Wen Qi for the ride there, and back.

Sunday - Singapore Students Association BBQ @ LA Canvas. Swanky kind of place - the kind i would never dream of staying on a grad student budget. Swanky kind of people, mostly undergrads, a fun bunch. But there were a few other grad students too. It was meat and more meat at the BBQ, nice food though.

Today - met up with Gary and his gf Cheng, who were in town for a short while before going to Chicago. Had coffee at Bosco's, down in Koreatown. It was nice catching up and knowing that there are friends nearby (Gary is starting grad studies at San Diego too).

Oh, and thanks to Susanna for sending me a pack of Sea Monkeys all the way to LA. I don't quite have a container to house them in yet but i'm looking for one right now! =)

dust devil spot scrubber sucks

2009-08-28T12:05:00.002+08:00

I am taking 5 courses this semester. Syntax, Phonology, Psycholinguistics, Statistics, and a Graduate Research Seminar. I suppose it is considered quite heavy. Naga is doing 3 over at Rutgers. Some of the courses have 2 or even 3 classes per week, and the amount of homework is significantly more than i expected. In some classes, we have to do summaries of every single piece of assigned reading.

Also, they rely pretty heavily on textbooks here. I was extremely reluctant to purchase any because of the exhorbitant pricing. The stats book is around US$70-90 used and more than 100 new. I ended up photocopying the whole book. I don't think i've ever spent that sum on books in all my years in NUS. I did, however, get Kager's Optimality Theory for about 35 dollars from the bookstore. The irony of my first purchased linguistics book being one in phonology is not lost on me.

So, in all, i don't think i will have much spare time for anything else. I did go through their clubs fair yesterday, and it is true they have a wide variety of clubs, but most importantly there seems to be a lack of music clubs. Either i am missing something or its quite sad that its the case. Its hot here in the day, and extremely bright. My eyes are getting smaller and my skin browner. I no longer feel as cold in the nights and in the early mornings.

I'm slowly getting the feel of the department. We have settled into the first years' office and we are talking more among ourselves and in class. I could speak up more though. I have also been honing my cooking skills though the things i cook tend to be variations of the same thing. Its dependent on the groceries i get. Getting a simple bag of beansprouts basically means you have to add beansprouts in everything you cook for the next 3-4 days or so. And i haven't had fish in about 2 weeks.

The weekend is coming and i am only looking forward to watching Liverpool win. If they lose, its going to be a long season ahead. The UCL draw was not bad but nobody knows what will happen. The department picnic is postponed to Saturday late afternoon so thankfully i won't miss my match. A 2nd year student has offered to drive us there. The people here are all very helpful. I went to the library (one of the many on campus) and it was a very nice building. They have more Linguistics books than NUS although the shelves are very cramped and the interior less well furnished.

My semester ends only on the 10th of December, or it might be later. =(