Musicality

The inevitable thank you and goodbye.

2008-12-05T23:59:00.002+08:00

This is going to be a long one.

Let's start from the very beginning, from the very first day I entered the Boarding School, 6 years ago - it seems so long ago now, and so unimaginably distant. That today seemed impossible then, and this moment so inevitable now, is a rare feeling I won't forget, not yet. The first people I met - my fellow malaysian scholars, still very much ground my experience here. Brian, Hoe Kit, Bin Sheng, Kelvin, Dennis, Wilfred, and all the others, you guys have been there were our families couldn't, and because of that, I think it's impossible to imagine this life any other way from now on. Bin Sheng: thanks for being the most amazing roommate, although a bit scary at times! Kelvin & Wilfred: Kingdom hearts and final fantasy all the way! Dennis: you're always cheerful and funny, it's scary, and sometimes annoying, but that's why I'll remember you. Brian & Hoe Kit: canteen mates and class mates (in that order of importance), and we lived through high school! Together we have cut this path through adolescence, and that's something I still can't believe we survived! It's amazing, though, and I thank you all.

***

High School Section

***

Aphelion, 1D, 2B, 3B, and 4B, with the craziest guys I've ever known (besides you rocking OPC guys and gals, but more of that later...) Yu Jay from 2B, you probably can't imagine how much I want to thank you for putting up with me and my ramblings (which were probably half incoherent and mostly lousy teenage angst), so I'm gonna do that now while you can't hear me embarrass myself. (But I see you're still alive! Good.) My only (!) EP3, Vocal Ensemble, with Siew Yee Ping and the team: we had a rough start, but I really cherish the memories we made. Jian Yi, Darrell, Jason, Bin Qian, and Yong Quan are names I remember especially. Thank you guys.

Xuan Yi, Zhen jie, Stanley, Alvin Kuk, Chun Yin, Benedict, and Hui Jie (sorry for those I missed...): crazy ass people who made random moments in the school randomly fun. Not forgetting the all-mighty UK Humans Trip which still blows my socks off thinking HOW AMAZING WAS THAT! Because of you guys, chasing sheep will always remind me of Ng Soo Nee, and Phua Chu Kang boots are things that belong with the creek near Grasmere at the Lake District along with freezing cold water, snow/rain/sun in the same day, and sleeping in Youth Hostels but forgetting to put on the cover sheets (yuck). God forgive that horrible poem about the cold during the Poem Idol contest (lame but sweet). While rushing up and down the whole bloody island the quiet moments in the bus were probably the best. Well, they weren't exactly quiet. But still, they were super-duper-mighty amazing.

Speaking of trips, I won't forget the *lovely* sec 2 camp with our esteemed Commandant you-know-who (ESTER, ESTER...), and my team, BUSTED (read: bastard). Chun Yin had better remember the first time we met. And I still can't believe I refused to do the flying fox (regret, regret). But cooking and eating lousy food, and pretending to *trek* through the Singapore *urban jungle* from Chinese Gardens to CEDANS was something downright hilarious, now that I think of it. And not shitting for 3/4 however-long-it-was days? Embarrasing. Why did I bring that up? Dunno. Posterity. Not forgetting OBS. (I must admit here memory fails me.) Our instructor's name: Michelle? I forgot, but I still remember her face. Ah, what a kind soul. I mean this sincerely. Thanks for taking care of us, and for the night in the rain when the whole camp flooded 5 hours away from the nearest shelter and we had to hold up a tent that was so gonna fly away from us. Nothing escaped dry, but I loved it. Perth Trip: the perfect ending to 4 years at High School, in my opinion. Sleeping in an open tent during winter in Australia, and trying damn hard to hug Chun Yin to keep warm as he simultaneously shivered stoically and attempted to push me off was probably the highlight. I thought I'd never play the piano again. Also: stargazing with Ben Kee and the rest. Sharing a loaf of carrot cake in the middle of the night. Life hasn't been boring, hasn't it? They say high school is the best time of your life; I hope that although high school ends, THIS will never end.

Rounding up my high school experience are the 4 Aphelion Nights + sleepovers, and Grad Dinner. Watching cheesy performances is probably the best thing that ever happened to me (I think). It probably robbed me of IQ points, but what the heck for a laugh. Watching Lam Poh Ling give up on "suck cock" during Grad Night Peng You singalong? Priceless. All those sabbaticals, especially the pop music class (which only had, what, 5 students?), and the CAD/CAM modelling course, were probably transient in terms of content, but unforgettable for the feeling of being in that small group, and working on something I'm really passionate about.

Finally, the teachers that I want to thank the most- Teng-Chia Fui Ling: you seriously make math seem easy, i appreciate that so much now. Seck Bee Choo: I love your strange life lessons, and when you smile, it really means a lot to us. Har Hui Ping: because of you I love(d) bio. Shen Lao Shi: you tried. You honestly did. Thank you! Vivien Sim: you are probably the teacher that cropped up most consistently in my high school life, and you're always interesting and funny to talk to. Foo Kam Meng: I hate physics, but you're a great class teacher. Loke Lai Fun: "Banadict? You want to be called Banadict? Guys arh..." Loh Wei Ling: Macbeth is (sorta) fun. Charles Low: one day we'll sit down and discuss philosophy further, but until then, thanks for Plato and all. We won't call him Plahtoh anymore, I swear. Jeffrey Lim: the first reason I'm here, and you always care. Thanks so much! Mrs Jacqueline Kee: for english lessons, and watching The Weakest Link, which was much fun, especially for those late lessons in the evening. Cikgu Tan Hui San: hands down the easiest A I ever scored in my life, and loving it for you. Mrs Cheryl Wong: you're just so funny! And afraid to see me. What's life if not coincidences ALL THE TIME?

Finally, Green Plate, for the most amazing canteen food in the world.

***

College Section

***

Wow, it's already this long. I promise it's ending soon; there's not much left to say. Hard to imagine how 6 years could have squeezed into this singular, summative blog post, but it has. Amazingly.

My class! 07S76! Amazing people who are just so varied and different. We complement each other in the most amazing ways. Wang Shu and Yan Ting: you were meant to be. Carlos: thanks for the birthday bubble tea! Sheng Wei: stop slapping my back. Shoes, Carin, and Chelsea: Rule Japan one day! Tragic: great job as CT rep! Nickoh: you're really bouncy, you know that? Moses, Wei Liang and Kah Yim: mug on. Ying Hui and Clara: we made a great team. Sam and Jeremy: yeah, keep running across the country. Michelle and jinglin: you guys sit in front and behind me during exams, and really make me feel at peace. Peaceful people! Your auras are strong. Thanks! Shao Jie: thanks for keeping it light! Zheng Tao: band major! Jia Yuan: you're a really great dancer. Yi Jing: you're really funny in a strange way. I guess I am too. Mei Ying: your laugh is crazy contagious! Sherene: when you speak you remind me of someone. Funny.

Can't forget Orientation O1 "Turbo Charged", DramaFeste, Scream '07 (which I totally didn't get tickets for), SYF, and the GREAT BOMB:

OPC.

Oh my god, the day it ended, I really wished the plane would crash, and my last moment would have been spent with you guys. Time simply stopped then, and we were in this amazing bubble where the world was just perfect. I cannot possibly put in words how much I love you guys. This is one memory that stands above all else. Even when I got pushed into the freezing cold waters (thanks Ron) during the rafting, or all that unnecessary butt smacking in the caves (uh, thanks again, Ron?!), or just fooling around in the lounge around the sofa, playing, of all things, Monopoly, and MUNCHKIN!, and Jenga. Writing in the log book to make Jessica "thunder thighs" (she don't really have those) laugh (I still have it. the log, that is), and shooting the stars with Esmond. Up and down Ruapehu and Tihia, I'd do it again a thousand of a thousand times more for you guys.

Photog and Guitar, for filling up my time really well with pointless activities most of the time. Loving Esperanza. Especially Vivien, Cheryl and Ryan, thanks for your support these two years. Klauferdhount exists because of you; through some insane turn of events, an album actually came true, and this journey would have been impossible without you guys lighting the way, all the way.

Finally, Dr Choe Kee Cheng, Ms Jacqueline Phua, Mr Andrew Tan, Mr (Andy!) Lau Hock Soon, Ms Angel Yang, Madam Khatijah Tay, Mr Augustine Wong, Mr Matthew Lim, Mrs Ee-Chek Yui Hong, and Mrs Lee Chay Koon, for being the best JC teachers I could hope for. Additionaly, Mrs Foo Woon Keat, for the best bio jokes around. "You better BUCK UP or ROLL out of this hall!" Should I frame that picture of you as a grown human in the bio application notes? Hwa Chong has been an insanely memorable experience. Three overseas trips in three consecutive years! That's gotta have to express how I feel about this school.

***

Other Amazing People

***

From the boarding school: Mr Toh Liang Seng: You're an amazing cluster mentor, and always holding the best BBQ parties! Pauline Yee: the funniest hall-in-charge, and great fun to talk to. Erika Hew: you love scolding us, and somehow it's extremefun to listen to. Food vendor: you guys helped me discover Aston and Prince, and I'll never forget it. Love your minced meat cakes though.

From Malaysia: I don't really remember much here, but to my primary school friends (+Cikgu Fairuz), the last reunion (2?) years ago was something to remember, and I still (sorta) recall how things were that many years ago. I'm sure the world is a completely different place now, god knows this whole experience I'm writing here will be completely different in a few years time, but it's still great to know we remember each other. Sorta. Erik Kee and Yvonne (I insist on spelling.): good lord that was a fun day at Sunway Lagoon. Not bad for a first time introduction, eh? Gotta thank Kelvin for that. Teik Bee, Ian Yap, Adrian Leong, Ivan Cheong: we managed to keep in touch far longer than I expected! So primary school must have meant something together. Sue Shen: weirdo! Please randomly ask to be my girlfriend (like you meant it?!)! I still don't know what you were thinking. One word: weirdo.

From home: this I keep short for my sanity. Mom and Dad, and Jocelyn, I love you guys.

***

It's graduation from our senior year. The end of a chapter, and the start of a new one soon. Up or down from here, it was completely worth it to get to this view. Keep in touch, and keep it alive - everything we had together is all that we need.

One minute to midnight. Good night, and good bye.

Pre-Prom

2008-12-05T12:17:00.001+08:00

I wonder how it will be. What a fun year it has been, and now, condensed to one night.

Notes on Fall 08 Season Anime

2008-12-01T22:40:00.003+08:00

Of all the animes this season, I really don't care for uncute anime without a guy lead, so there's that. Therefore the best anime for this year has to be Kannagi! Today's episode was just whack die-of-laughing hilarious with the main character going from homo to pimp in the span of just 24 minutes. Then there's Clannad ~after story~ which had a horrible start, in my opinion, cos the story just wasn't gaining substance or traction, but the latest episode 09 seems to have finally gained a sense of direction. Hopefully things get better from here!

On unrelated news, Fullmetal Alchemist has just been confirmed to have a new second season! I wonder what they can do with the story? I thought it was fine where it left off. And on other, more distressing news, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya Season 2(which was "cancelled", i.e. new name, most likely "The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya", but this doesn't really matter...) HAS BEEN POSTPONED AGAIN!!!

SHIT.

KyoAni's working on another unrelated project next year, so it's gonna wait way after 2009. And I was following CLANNAD just for the sake of the lead-in to Haruhi. CRAPATASTIC! I mean, when are they going to start on the season? Sooner or later everybody will get tired of waiting; what the hell are they thinking? They can't possibly sustain the fever pitch anticipation forever. Personally I'm even beginning to feel unexcited when I think about the new season. It's just taking too long.

Well, we can only hope that the project after the next from KyoAni WILL be Haruhi. Otherwise I might be compelled to give up waiting. Let's hope that doesn't come true.

Preparations for grad night are on full steam ahead.

Mumbles

2008-11-30T13:11:00.001+08:00

One day, a crow will accidentally fly into that microwave, and I will accidentally cook it.

I wonder what will happen then? Will it caw in fear? Will it just fizzle and explode? Will the microwave still be safe for cooking food?

Anyway, you can see that Memoire has been effectively cancelled... It didn't fit my schedule as I'd hope. Ah well, move on and work on the next project! Clamp is really lousy at creating new characters, though.

That's all for now, I guess.

2008-11-29T12:55:00.001+08:00

Just a quiet afternoon. I seem to be unable to write new songs.

Feeling low

2008-11-26T13:05:00.004+08:00

I'm so sure I won't get A for music. The paper was totally gross. What a bad day. How unfortunate, and how meaningless. My confidence is so low it could stunt me.

I'm just gonna sleep now till the results are released. I can't bear being awake and thinking about it.

Sucks.

H2 Music, and the end of the A levels

2008-11-25T20:12:00.003+08:00

Tomorrow is the real end to my A level journey. What a relief. Yet, for it to be the most important paper of them all... The inability to relax while contemplating this paper is somewhat disturbing. I'm feeling really paranoid about H2 music; whether I should just put away all the doubts and take it like I always have, to remarkably acceptable results, is a primary concern of mine. Whether I will forget everything (accidentally), and actually perform worse than for the prelims, is another concern.

What to do, when everything you're gonna do hinges on this moment?

Reading, and reading, and reading, and not being sure if everything is going in. I'm memorizing the Octet, Oedipus Rex, Symphony of Psalms, etc. etc., and that's just Stravinsky, not to mention Milhaud, Poulenc, Satie, Hindemith, Busoni, etc. etc., AH, this is just freaking me out.

Maybe I should sleep early and just resign myself to fate.

2008-11-21T21:53:00.008+08:00

Three posts in one day; this has to be a record. I'm so bored yet I can't bring myself to study for my music paper. What the HELL am I going to do with myself? I really loved Complex's ending. It was so bittersweet. That's all I managed to do all afternoon, though. The Balinese gamelan notes are still staring at me.

I always took it for granted there'd be another term; another year. Oh my god I never realised how much I'll miss everyone. But you misunderstand. After six years in the boarding school with so many friends, how can going home be enough?

Run

2008-11-21T21:29:00.004+08:00

Leona Lewis - Run

(cover, original by Snow Patrol)

I'll sing it one last time for you
Then we really have to go
You've been the only thing that's right
In all I've done

And I can barely look at you
But every single time I do
I know we'll make it anywhere
Away from here

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder, louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak
I understand why you can't raise your voice to say

To think I might not see those eyes
Makes it so hard not to cry
And as we say our long goodbye
I nearly do

Light up, light up
As if you have a choice
Even if you cannot hear my voice
I'll be right beside you dear

Louder, louder
And we'll run for our lives
I can hardly speak
I understand why you can't raise your voice to say

6 years ago

2008-11-21T15:30:00.002+08:00

This is time to think about 6 years ago, when I graduated from primary school. Seems like that feeling can never be forgotten, and very soon, it will come back to haunt me again.

When it ends, as abruptly as it is bound to, and as unexpectedly, and like a shocking change of course in a river that was running so fast, so deep, when it ends, I don't want to miss it, I don't. I want to put it where it belongs, and try to forget.

When I came back from grad night, the house was quiet, and my dad was watching the television. I stood by the dining table, and stared at the clock for a while. I took off my watch, and I thought about taking a shower. I tried to remember the sequence of events of the night, to capture it shot by shot in that seemingly infinite pool of memory.

6 years ago, how simple were things when I left them? How little was there to complicate? And now, to extricate myself from this tangle of people and experiences; it's almost impossible to imagine it at this moment. Over the hill, it may seem I am awkward after all. But now, I just wish time would stop before it takes everything away.

Here's something amazing!

2008-11-20T12:44:00.001+08:00

YAY! The A levels are over!!!!

...Not.
Curse music.

As you are well aware

2008-11-19T10:52:00.003+08:00

Look now, my blog has a new "current projects" pane to the right. Here I can (and you can) track my latest running projects. Like any good man (or was it woman?) I am attempting to multitask. After all, there are 5 simultaneous projects running in my mind, and I assure you, much much more in further, darker corners, lurking, unable to get out because I'm already overwhelmed by how much I intend to do.

I can tell you though, that the new Metalside is spectacular. At least, I think it is. I love how I spontaneously come up with new twists and jot them happily in my TextEdit (I've given up on notebooks. They're messy and I just can't stand my handwriting. Go figure.) I'm really excited to begin on Klauferdhount, because after reading through a bit of The Book, I suddenly felt a burning desire to complete this grand dame of a tome (or tomb, for me).

On other news, I am confirmed on a trip to Genting on the week of the 16th January 2009. Currently, 4 out of 6 room spaces are taken (there is no room fee, so it's added incentive), and I'm looking for more people to join us. Please tag if interested! Or don't, if nobody decides to read this. Uh.

Otherwise, let us lock our heads in position and begin work on the Memoires I & II! You know whom it's for...

Signing out.

2008-11-18T10:14:00.001+08:00

Oh my gosh can you believe it? I actually have to study for music!

Over the weekend...

2008-11-15T22:34:00.003+08:00

Suddenly, there are only 3 more papers to go though. How terribly shocking. Studying for bio applications, I am strangely reminded of Khatijah Tay lecturing, and I correspondingly feel rather sleepy. This is quite a mean feat, though, as I am rather sleepy to begin with.

FINALLY watched HSM3 after much bugging, and I would rate it 3/5. The story is slipshod, after all, I don't really see where the direction is taking, besides the fact that everybody is graduating. I think more effort should have been put into focusing the story more tightly. But there was a moment of pure gold, surprisingly: the new champion of movie musical scenes: "I Want It All".

What a fabulously over-the-top performance. Shocking, shocking, shocking, and downright sinful. But the obvious sexual tension in this song is perfect. I loved it. Other than that, the show was too cheesy at times for guys. I can attest that the AC guy sitting in front of me was having a hard time concentrating while all the cheese you can imagine was being thrown straight at your face. He even turned back to smile in agreement with me when I snorted at an especially vulgar scene.

The thought's what matters, though, so, in idea, High School Musical wasn't all that bad. The music was okay, as well, although I disagree with most of the arrangement.

I wonder when Tay's gonna approve my UCAS application? I'm feeling quite anxious about it now; maybe I should bug her again. In a week's time nd a bit more, I'll post more info about the new Metalside. There' so much to be done, I'm quite pleased with how I've managed to squeeze tight my holiday with a work schedule. WAHAHA.

Yes, good joke. That's all for now.

The Metalside Cycle - the 2008 Update

2008-11-14T00:54:00.006+08:00

After much consideration over this week, and trawling through the 2 notebooks worth of notes regarding this massive project of mine, I have more or less completely revamped the structure behind the Metalside Cycle.

Key changes:
1. Instead of the original 15 novel span, the story has been reduced to a much leaner 6 book series.
2. The major plot point about the origins of the Elders has been rethought and simplified (details of which I cannot post, for obvious reasons).
3. The subset The Lucifer Experiment has been reduced to just one book.

Other that these major changes, the idea remains about the same as I originally thought it three years ago, and Kale's Voice remains the only novel(ette) of the 6 to be completed. I'll probably post it online as a free download, I don't know.

Klauferdhount will be the next novel to be completed. I've already started planning its major plot points, and I'm really excited to start work on it - it's gonna be quite massive, but not as humungous as that bloody The Book, which is still in limbo and awaiting awakenment someday. And after that, Klauferdhount will be officially, completely, and seriously, closed. Although one day, given the opportunity, I would love to return to Klauferdhount and fully do it justice in the manner I always envisioned it in - a musical movie/animation. You have no idea how wonderful and tragic the story of Klauferdhount is to me, and you probably never will, seeing as the kind of money and talent I would need to pull of THAT kind of project is way beyond my imagining. But I might win an Oscar for the effort if it happened. No, just joking.

Here are the titles in reading order:

I. Kale's Voice
II. The Book
III. Fall of the Order
IV. Klauferdhount
V. The Lucifer Experiment
VI. The Children of the Seraph

Titles remain, of course, subject to change. Keith, my cute little novelette from last year, remains firmly outside canon of the Metalside Cycle, although it does occur within the same universe.

It's late, and there's chem tomorrow. I'm gonna end this post here. See you guys soon, hopefully, with great news (although nobody ever reads this damn blog anyway; who am I talking to?).

Ah. Posterity. Of course.

It's not going to get any better than this

2008-11-11T16:29:00.002+08:00

I don't know whether to be bothered by the fact that my UCAS application is not complete yet. My referee hasn't finished writing her report, and I'm quite sure I'm so far behind the pile of applications that they'll never reach my application by the time they finish filling the quotas. Which means I might be screwed over next year.

What to make of that? Cautious optimism should be prescribed in heavy doses.

Otherwise, I managed to install Vista on my MacBook Pro. How cute it looks! And it fits under 7 GB; I'm surprised I even managed to squeeze it to that size. I'm surprised because I heard my friend's HP laptop's basic installation consumed 20 GB on its own. Now that's something I never want to see.

Scandalous, scandalous

2008-11-08T09:50:00.005+08:00

Scandalous
Scandalous
Scandalous

Bio is
Scandalous
Scandalous
Scandalous

Everybody say
Scandalous
Scandalous
Scandalous
Today!

I can't believe it was THAT hard. It was so unfair! I was completely expecting some lame paper (which, to all honest evidence, I had every right to expect), but NO, you have to see the 2008 H2 Bio paper for yourself to believe it. The coolest thing happened. Stuff that were "interesting to know..." (in the bio notes' opinion), happened to balloon into a FULL QUESTION. Now talk about amazing, seeing how little I know about Sickle Cell Anaemia, besides the fact that a hydrophilic Glu is replaced with a hydrophobic Val.

Apart from that, my confidence is peaking at a B grade. I can't bring myself to humbly declare that the A grade is secured for all subjects (except music; opinion: no opinion) so far, which is slightly disappointing, if not quite expected. Recently (read: in the past few years...) it's been hard to be brilliant. Maybe I'm getting old. Heh. But now the bulk of papers are over; the rest are spread over 3 lazy weeks, culminating in the majorly important Music paper on the 26th. I can't wait.

What brought me through this trying time? Strangely, it mostly rested on my memories of Vietnam. Of all the memories I have, it had to be THAT one. It was a peaceful memory, not as "sensory" (ER-HEM) as the New Zealand ones, or exciting as the America/Canada ones, or melancholic as the UK ones, etc etc. It was just peaceful; I want to go to Vietnam again now!

Very soon, this year will be over. I'm strangely worked up about that fact, rather than the A levels.

Otherwise, DADT has entered the direction planning stage. If all goes well, I should be able to release it by July next year. There are 4 songs in the drafting stage now, but if Klauferdhount was any indication, most will be dropped (I dropped about 20 songs in the end for Klauferdhount). David Archuleta's To Be With You is really driving me nuts now, I want to hug him and squeeze him dead for singing that amazing song.

Long live the Queen, and long live my sanity.

Like so much crude oil he cracked under pressure

2008-10-31T15:35:00.005+08:00

Today I got my copy of Radioactive (woohoo!). It's an insanely cool disc with glow-in-the-dark lettering, original scans of McFly's lyrics notebook (which looks similar to mines, i.e. very messy and illegible, heh), and a two hour DVD, which is fantastic for watching about the songwriting process and stuff. They even showed a skydiving sequence, which just makes me want to try skydiving more, if only I had the 500 bucks to spare. It's completely true that music sounds better from a CD than from an MP3 (and by extension, a vinyl versus a CD...), take it from me. Completely falling in love with "Falling in Love", "Lies", "One for the Radio", and "Down Goes Another One".

I realise after not using the guitar for -how long has it been now?- I'm completely rusty at the instrument. My fingers are about falling off now from a little practice just a while ago, which does little to improve my confidence in a video audition, because, well, it's an audition which calls for some professional guitar strumming and stuff. This is not going to end well, haha.

In other quarters, I've finally reached my J2 Biology notes, which incidentally marks the last section of my examination revision schedule, so I'm totally psyched! And somewhat ready. Although not so much ready as psyched, in terms of quantity, if you know what I mean.

It's gonna be a long month through this exam, so good luck to everybody!

Some notices

2008-10-30T11:41:00.002+08:00

First up, congrats to Esmond on his 18th birthday!

On other news:

You realise KevJumba and HappySlip have been noticably missing from YouTube for a while now, until you check it out thoroughly and see that KevJumba is actually doing a new show called "Hooking Up" in his Uni. How cool is it that you get to shoot a professional net-TV show on campus? I hope my uni is as exciting. HappySlip, though, I can't say.

2008-10-29T00:18:00.000+08:00

I'm digging jap culture again. It must be the exam stress.

Beyond your comprehension

2008-10-28T16:33:00.001+08:00

Why does bio have to be so confusing with its answer schemes? And why is Red Alert 3 running so slow on my computer? Also, why is PERSONA so difficult to understand?

The mysteries of the world are certainly mysterious indeed.

2008-10-26T21:48:00.001+08:00

If anybody bothers to watch anime at this stage, don't watch School Days. It's freaking gross.

Wang Shu is damn funny, I don't know how he does it.

Just Another Day In The Boarding School

2008-10-25T23:12:00.000+08:00

"You want to be with me, don't you, Squirrel?", I moon, wagging the squirrel about. Kelvin shoots me a glare.

"Oh yes, Vincent, I want to be with you! I hate Kelvin! He always forgets me!" squirrel answers, tears pouring down his eyes.

"Poor squirrel!!!" I cry, shaking from the pain. "Don't worry, I'll take you away from Kelvin!" Kelvin tears his eyes away from the computer game, and starts to bash me with his pillow. I scream and hide under another pillow on his bed. "AHHH!!!!"

"Crazy idiot, give it back!" he shouts. "No, Vincent!" Squirrel cries, obviously sensing my pain. But I can stand this! Kelvin hits me harder.

I start laughing. "No, Vincent, protect yourself!" Squirrel says with a frenzied voice, his eyes moe with sadness and quivering with his squirrel tears. "Let me go, and protect yourself!"

"Never!" I shout, retreating further down Kelvin's bed, laughing.

"VINCENT!" Kelvin screams, lunges, and catches the doll away from me.

"Vincent! I'll love you for ever and ever!" squirrel cries, before he is taken away by the evil Kelvin, and was seen never more.

Work piles on and fails to disappear

2008-10-24T16:53:00.002+08:00

It's already a horrible week with neverending self-imposed prelim papers to complete, a whole two years' worth of syllabuses to finish studying, and miscelleneous other stuff to do, without the added discomfort of having to prepare a video audition for my University of Auckland application.

In other times I'd take this as a good sign that the university is interested in my music, but right now I'm so busy I doubt I can produce anything vaguely good.

The deadline is the first week of December, which basically means right after the A levels since I need to count in the time it takes for a DVD to reach New Zealand, and I don't even have a video camera to capture the video. Not to mention I've not been practicing for months, and I probably sound like two screws loose.

Terrible, terrible times, and yet I find time to laugh at myself! This is really quite funny, seriously. Let the good times roll.

Dear Diary

2008-10-20T21:29:00.005+08:00

I now know that when it happens, people remember the last moments of their high school life, because those moments are the most precious and the most unforgiving. These moments, they burn the brightest, and they burn the fastest; that's why we miss them so much when they're gone.

So that's why there's never enough time for goodbyes. That's why I think everything is so important now.

There're only a few steps left.

Eulogy for a broken glass

2008-10-19T16:44:00.000+08:00

Dear glass
Born a month past
In the people's republic
With your many cousins
We will miss you

You had a meaningful
And fruitful
Life

Although it was quite short

Just a meter down
And you broke
How frightfully saddening

We will miss you lots
Good bye

The lives and times of...

2008-10-18T22:20:00.001+08:00

My schedule is beginning to pack itself tight into endless minuscule portions, which is terrible for my sanity. Hah! Looks like, after all, there isn't time to work on anything much except my studies and the odd job left to complete. Sorry folks, but Feel has got to wait.

I'm just so bored and nervous at the same time, it's hard to describe.

2008-10-12T22:55:00.000+08:00

I honestly don't know why I'm doing this.

I fell in love with Uranus

2008-10-10T14:08:00.002+08:00

Just read that out loud to get the joke. What a day. When teachers get the skeleton structure of an alkane wrong (anyone care for a sp3 hybridized carbon atom with TWO lone pairs?), you know it's the end of the world, so far as today is concerned. I'm preparing myself for Grad Night today, which is nothing amazing. In fact, it can be rather boring. We'll see later.

Over this weekend, hopefully, Feel will be drafted. I'm going to study more intricately the details of production, so stuff should come slower, in fact.

Signing out.

Portfolio, Smortfolio

2008-10-08T16:49:00.002+08:00

Now this is finally done, I can relax for a bit. Although there's that mountain of chem assignments waiting to swallow me up. I wonder when season two of the Melancholy is coming out? I can't wait to watch it.

Speaking of Jap, I also can't wait for the 'fabulous' Fabula Nova Crystalis to come out. I hope it's good. No, more than that, I hope it's great. Something memorable, like the insanely sad Final Fantasy X. Oh, poor Tidus and Yuna. I don't consider FFX-2 canon, by the way, because it was way too lame and cheesy. Not up to scratch. I hope the same won't be said for the many sister FFXIII games.

It's nice weather too, so I'm gonna take a nap. New song maybe in the next two weeks.

Quirks and Quarks

2008-10-05T22:38:00.002+08:00

What a productive day. I finished the WHOLE of Mrs. Foo's question set. (Hah! Take THAT! You...!) Feeling saturated (and strangely empty, simultaneously) from bio. I don't think I really understood what I was doing, and neither did I bother to check the facts. Maybe I was too annoyed by the whole length of the assignment, or maybe I was just too lazy to bother, but I'm

feeling rather hungry now

, hmm.

Well, I guess it's time to shower. Ciao.

School's a Business and I'm Not Getting Paid

2008-10-03T17:14:00.003+08:00

So today at Nanyang after the recording session with some band members for my Free Time composition, I overheard an interesting conversation (and was forced to join it) about money in Hwa Chong. It went something along the lines of how money is being squandered by Hwa Chong on useless (read: non-arts) things, and then when I was asked whether the students have to buy our own answer key (answer: naturally.), there were gasps of shock and horror. I didn't even get what the shock was about. Is it so strange to pay for the answer keys? Umm, I've never been in the position where it was given away free.

So one thing led to another and I was asked to get a copy of the H2 Maths ten-year series answer key for Mrs Teo (I think I spelt that right). And then when I agreed to, there was a roar of approval, and some shouting about how Hwa Chong had in fact spent their money right grooming students (i.e. me) who could do what they were asked to do.

Uh.

Teachers. Who gets them?

Anyway, I'm now in a terrible fuss over my composition portfolio. After I submit it I will post some music online, but before that I really must concentrate. Gasp, I'm so far away from that perfect mark I don't know when, if ever, I will reach that stage. To that effect, I'm meeting Mr Lim tomorrow. (Can you imagine? Intentionally, on a Saturday! I must be getting desperate.) As to how things turn out, I can honestly say I'm just hoping for the best, that time doesn't run out on me, and that the weather does me justice.

And now, for the news update...

Feel

2008-10-02T21:32:00.000+08:00

FEEL

Can you feel it coming?
It's never gonna be the same

This is christmas eve on a monday
There's a lonely boy with a heartache
And he's yearning for
A little bit of comfort

Ooh....
This is monday without sundays
When the sun sets in the east-way
And the phone won't ring like it used to
Like it used to be

So cold
And it feels like it's so old
There's a wind will come, it...

And the day will come for winter
Where it's colder in the weather
I will see you once again
On this train

Which is never coming soon
In the fields I'd plant for you
When the roses catch your eye
I say goodbye

Soon....
And it feels this way forever
Till you're dead
You're a memory I can't take my mind off, and it

Feels like
Rain in the sunshine
Moon in the daytime
Loving it all on a monday

Tuesday
Crossing the heartache
Passing by Sunday
Suddenly all again it's monday

Feels like
Just what it feels like
Something is on my mind
And I just can't let go without it

Whoops. I guess I just leaked the lyrics to my new song, which is a candidate for my new album (if you haven't guessed the title yet, shame on you). It's gonna be pretty upbeat, which is all I can say. And now I'll shut up until I actually go down and dirty with this track. This is the last song I'll have for the year, so.

*zip*

Fickle is Thine Love for Hope

2008-09-30T16:15:00.003+08:00

So today was a complete disaster. The piano was horridly hard, my feet were wet from accidentally stepping in a puddle, my head felt woozy from walking in the rain and the minor headache last night, and the judges kept me waiting forever which didn't help my nerves.

So it was meant to be a disaster.

Notes gone wrong, ideas lost in the haze, the mechanical abrasiveness of my playing... Just a disaster then. I've no choice but to submit this episode to fate, and hope for the best. All I can do is work harder for my composition portfolio, which is turning out to be my only hope of ever clinching that 'A' for music.

This is scary.

I have about a week left to scramble out a perfect portfolio. Not just good; not just amazing; it has to be extraordinary, it has to be jaw-dropping. I'm going to have to scrutinize every note, polish every idea to perfection, until I am only happy with it; because I will never be satisfied this way, not until I get that A.

I need this A.

It's the whole direction my life has been pointing to; music is the one thing I want to do my whole life. I cannot trip here, cannot stumble and fall. So I'll push forward (I must), and I'll forget about this fiasco, this horrid mess, and aim even harder for that A.

There is no way I'm gonna mess this up any further.

A Day of Fragments

2008-09-26T13:54:00.002+08:00

Happily came to school late today knowing I had no lectures to attend. Studying with Carlos gave rise to threats to reveal many obscene details about our lives on the internet, none of which I hope come true. Went for the Scholar's Farewell featuring a speech by Mr Pang, which was something vaguely memorable about finally becoming a full member of society without the protection of "student-hood". Came back to watch Heroes and relax for a while. Finished first part of Bio Applications post-prelim tutorial 1. Feeling maybe slightly optimistic.

The end.

H2 Music

2008-09-23T21:59:00.002+08:00

In exactly a week's time, I will be taking my H2 Music Practical paper. This freaks me out. I don't know if I'm prepared, but I'm gonna have to bite my tongue and take it anyway. Just a while ago, Mrs Ee dropped us off at the main road in her car after a practice session at NJC, and she gave us a smile and told us, "good luck", and for a moment I could see that she really wanted us to do well, and she really hoped for the best in us. And earlier, "this is the probably the last time you're gonna touch the piano, so just put your whole self into it for one last time."

I guess it's her unique way of cheering us on, but it really warmed my heart (strangely) to hear her say that.

Life is going to flash past like a bullet and we'll be scrambling for our moments.

Falling and falling in

2008-09-20T23:03:00.004+08:00

Right now I'm so bushed I just want to go to sleep. But I must work on my music commentary, so I can't. Situation, situations.

Earlier I went out to meet with Esmond, Ron, Carolanne, Hui Ling, Louis, Kimberley and a guy called Darrell Tan (his birthday dinner) for steamboat at some place near Novena. It was fun to meet the guys again; didn't realise how much I missed them.

In between. Went for a walk with Esmond to discuss my album (actually I think I was rather selfish here, only talking about myself...) and discuss future study plans. I never really walked companionably with someone on a Singapore street before, so I really want to thank him for giving me this memorable experience.

Then the guys stopped for Spirelli's, and I had to leave cos Toh was calling me about my attendance in the cluster. Ah well. Here's to hoping there's another time before this is all over.

Well, back to work then.

McFly

2008-09-18T10:21:00.004+08:00

So I can't wait to get McFly's new album coming out soon. And also Crysis: Warhead, which is coming out tomorrow. Wow, I think I'm in a rush to spend money lately, and I'm not so sure that's fine. But on more mundane matters, I've been working on my music commentary, UCAS application, piano practical, and my last song of the year for quite a while now. Peeling bored. Peeling strange.

Disaster.

Well, not everybody will get that last joke, cos you have to be privy to HappySlip. On other entertainment news, quite a few High School Musical 3 tracks have been leaked, and they sound much better than that hideous trailer looked, so maybe I'll reconsider watching it. But then again I swore I wouldn't.

Oh, and I have released the draft title of my next album on this page mysteriously. 10 points if you find it.

Ciao!

2008-09-14T12:35:00.001+08:00

Studying bio applications makes me sick. OneRepublic's Prodigal is so fine.

Rachel

2008-09-11T09:14:00.003+08:00

Tommy fingered the lamp in his hand. It was a super-bright model, according to Rachel, when he periodically shone it at the distant shore with some success. He remembered when they were stuck on the deserted island, in the middle of the fog, in the dark, when the beasts roamed the seas, their black silhouettes floating around him...

He shivered.

Tommy fingered the lamp in his hand, pointed it at the window, closed his eyes tight, and switched it on. A sudden burst of bright light illuminated the room where he sat on the bed, and beside him, Rachel and Michael screamed awake.

"Tommy!" Rachel moaned, sitting up in the bed. Tommy quickly switched off the light. "Tommy, are you okay?" Michael asked.

Tommy sat there without a word.

"He's okay, I think," Rachel said doubtfully. "He's fine," Michael answered, running his fingers up Rachel's thigh. "Stop it," she giggled tiredly, as he tried to kiss her. They fell into a messy pile in one corner of the bed, and Tommy looked away. Suddenly, he saw Rachel's phone on the bed beside Michael's leg. He slowly crept over, picking it up.

Earlier in the afternoon, while they'd been in the city, talking to the locals in their headscarfs and turbans, Rachel had been strangely preoccupied with her phone, making calls in private, which disturbed Tommy. The villagers were happy to meet them, however, some even following Tommy's light-shining at night like a cult.

Tommy flipped open the clam-shell phone, running his fingers down the ancient buttons. He switched it on, and immediately regretted it, because the phone started to make strange startup noises. He quickly threw the phone back to Michael's position, and assumed his usual activity stroking the lamp.

"What the hell," Rachel snapped, picking up her phone. Tommy saw her inspect her phone, realising that he had forgotten to close the shell - how stupid of him! - and feeling the dread of discovery inside him. Was she going to notice? Suddenly, Rachel's eyes diluted, and...

Tommy fixed his eyes straight on the lamp, afraid to look.

"Michael," Rachel whispered, with perhaps a hint of malice in her voice, Tommy heard. "Let's do this some other time." In his head, Tommy saw again the beasts of the sea, their gigantic, dark forms and pale, empty eyes staring at him balefully, and how they shrank away from Rachel whenever she approached them.

"Okay," Michael's voice, high and raspy, answered. "You sure?"

A giggle.

Silence is a Scary Sound

2008-09-10T14:23:00.002+08:00

I'm terribly bored and worried at the same time. The prelims are something, aren't they? Wish I could just lie back and watch a movie or something. Or write something new.

I should have bought a cycling machine.

Well, weekend's coming up, and I'm already halfway through the papers; it can't possibly go downhill from here. Except there's bio tomorrow.

Now's not the best time to chat, so I'll sign off here to take a nap, then work through some bio papers! How hot and exciting.

Tommy

2008-09-07T17:16:00.002+08:00

"So that's it?" I mumbled.

"That's it," she says. "We're fucked." The rolling, tumbling doom of being assured of the finality of a lost cause dawns on me. The fire shrinks from the wooden walls of the makeshift holding house, while in the doorway, the buzzing blue light of the flourescent light in the next room flickers and sways in the wind, and dies. Tommy rolls on his two feet, methodically swiping at his palms. "Let's get moving, people," she says, "we've got a whole shit-full of mess to clean up."

We stand up, and walk out of the house into the huge indoor studio, with a ceiling so high you could barely see it, grey, shrouded away in the darkness, only obvious at regular intervals where the piercing spotlights shone on it, like pillars of autumn light.

"Start removing the floorwork," she shouts. "But don't rip it out. And most importantly don't get into a rage. I don't want you guys to get hurt or hurt somebody else." Her voice echoes in the huge cavernous space, as I inspect the vast expense of "floorwork" - the square sheets of plastic we pasted over the floor and glued together using cellotape - we had to remove. Around me, people started getting on their knees, shredding the ground viciously, like the tearing up of a lifetime's worth of a contract paper.

I stepped out for a while to breathe in the icy night air. Under the unlit lamppost, under the stars, I sat on a stone corner, my feet tapping on the cobbled road, the houses around us deeply slumbering. Moonlight washed blue over the slippery remains of rain that coated the rocks around me gently.

"Some night, huh," she whispered to me. I jumped slightly; didn't notice she was there.

I sat there, and she stood over me, like a guard, for a a while, in silence. I enjoyed that.

"Go inside, Gus," she murmured. Not sure why I heard her, but I stood up, and went into the studio again. At the door frame, I stopped to turn around, checking if she was coming with, but she just stood there, staring into the distance. I followed her gaze, and saw far away the silhouette of the Tower, as ever humming softly in the heart of October.

The plastic floor work was addictive-ly easy to tear. I started working my way methodically through the cellophane, pulling at the seams of our hard work, when suddenly there was a scream.

I looked up, and saw Tommy clawing at his own hands, the blood spilling out fast, running like rivulets down his arms, flooding like red lakes on the ground, forming splotches on his shirt. They were mangled and tissue was tearing fast.

I stood up, quickly running to him, time freezing in slow motion. "Oh my God, what's wrong with him?" "He tearing his hand up like the cellophane." "Fucked sick kid."

"Tommy? TOMMY!" I screamed, reaching him, shaking him wildly. "TOMMY!" He was gasping, muttering to himself, until he saw me.

Then he started screaming, shouting wildly. I never saw his hand come out to push me away. Not when his finger got lodged in my eye, and my vision suddenly became a rosy blur.

"August?" A call from behind, or somewhere.

Tommy was pulling at me, punching me, clawing at me. So much blood. My blood? His blood?

"AUGUST!" A scream, female. Whimpers. Sobs. Shouting in the background. The plastic floorwork worked its way around my head, smothering me until I couldn't see.

"AUGUST! TOMMY, STOP IT!"

More screaming. More shouting.

Then, a gunshot.

And silence.

Notes and Places

2008-09-07T12:12:00.004+08:00

So I've been listening to Augustana's Wasteland on a continuous loop for a while now, while studying for the prelims. Also visiting the Sixth at an unholy frequency. Times are tight and the pressure is on to study, but I think I'll just take a break and jot this down so I remember this down the road.

Something interesting happened yesterday when I saw a fortune teller; but that's my private business. I wonder why I wrote that down.

Anyway, I can't wait for the prelims to be over and done with (we're all going to fail anyhows), so that I can start preparing for my performance exam come end this month. I'm itching to write some music, but I have to wait until I can actually spend the time to write something.

Some would say it's terrible to be Ricky in 'the Secret Life'; I don't see the deal. It's not like you can't live with it.

I'm just saying.

A checklist here.

2008-09-05T13:20:00.000+08:00

Mmm.

Things I have done:
1) Completed H2 Music portfolio.
2) Studied all Bio Syllabus notes.

Things I have to do:
1) Study Bio Applications notes.
2) Study Chemistry.
3) Study Mathematics.
4) Prepare for performance exams.
5) Do past year prelim papers.

Hmm.

This looks encouraging.

A rainy evening.

2008-09-03T19:38:00.004+08:00

Walking back from sixth avenue in the heavy rain, it was cold and wet, and we had forgotten to bring our umbrellas with us. We'd been waiting a while for it to stop, but to no avail.

"Shall we go anyway?" I asked. They nodded, maybe slightly worried.

And then he walked so slowly, so stately, so fearless of the rain. As if he owned it, and it could do nothing to him but watch, and splatter around. And I looked at him with admiration; and I thought:

This is a fine specimen of a man.

Studying for Prelims

2008-09-03T10:57:00.001+08:00

It's a pretty cool week, physically, and a great time for sleeping.

Too bad I have to study.

Week 10.

2008-08-27T09:33:00.003+08:00

I love week 10s. They're usually so relaxing. I'm gonna try extra hard to love this week 10, seeing as this is going to be my last - which reminds me of the Utada Hikaru song, which is freaking nice. Anyway, random aside aside, this isn't really the best week 10 after all, is it? After being crushed by GP yesterday, and falling apart during Allegro Assai for Performance Exams today, sigh.

What a nice way to have a last week 10.

Anyway, the pressure is on for the prelims! It's pretty intense, I guess; trying not to think about it. I really should be studying for my H2 Music paper tomorrow... But before that, a few updates:

1. I will try to upload Klauferdhount for those who never had a chance to get my demo release onto my iLike ASAP, but with this darned slow internet, anything from 5 minutes later to 5 eternities later could be possible. Once again, I LOVE YOU GUYS for giving me the pleasure of writing the words "Sold Out". You have no idea how great a sense of accomplishment that gives me.

2. Klauferdhount the novel will begin drafting in December. So please keep in touch on the blog for random excerpts! Or not; It doesn't matter. HAHA!

3. I hope to release my new song, "When I Am Laid In Earth", soon. It's going to be a standalone song, as a final full stop to this remarkably memorable stretch of my journey in life. (It'll also make well for my funeral. Kidding.)

I guess that's it for now. Once again, if you liked my music, please support me by adding yourself as a FAN on my iLike account. You'll soon get access to the whole Klauferdhount demo album online!

Love you guys.

2008-08-24T22:28:00.003+08:00

My wrist is all but broken from practicing the piano for my performance exam so long, and I'm slightly frantic about my H2 music portfolio. Did someone mention a personal statement for UCAS?

Ah well. All in a day's work.

A Little Bit Here.

2008-08-22T18:50:00.000+08:00

He locked himself in his room and went to bed, and woke up the next morning realising it wasn't morning anymore. Neither was it anywhere. He was just somewhere, nowhere, and there all at once. Somehow, the room had moved while he was sleeping, and he was no longer stuck in the dormitory he used to live in and dread for the past 10 years. Imagine the surprise that crossed the boy's mind.

"Oh," he gasped.

There was something incredible about the new place he was in. The room, much like the house Dorothy lived in, was miraculously intact where it landed, although there was no dead witch to prove that he was in the Land of Oz. What there was, however, was a curiously tall spider staring at him through an open window. Not big, not fat, but merely tall, as if it were a spider stretched long like the pictures of supermodels.

The Last Day of School.

2008-08-20T22:24:00.004+08:00

Though it's been two years in the making, school never really feels out forever when it comes, I think. It's not like OPC, where there are only so many days you can really bond with friends, not like it where time is limited so much the span in perceptible and omnipresent in our thoughts. School has been something really different: I see that now. After 12 years, the end seems ridiculously long in the making; it seems impossible that it exists.

But here it stands, my nose to the wall. And it is over, really. School, where we used to suffer or enjoy lessons together as a class, eat lunch in canteen halls that served cheap food and bad taste; School, where teachers come everyday, dread them or love them; School, where life is dictated by the timetable and by the crap-load of homework; School, with its many-faced personalities, the friends, lovers and enemies: that school, the school I will know forever, is over.

So, I'm not trying to be pessimistic here, but it's true we won't try too hard to spend time together anymore. And Carlos, it saddens me to say I did not have the good fortune to be run down by the 8 wheels of a truck, and I survive to actually have to remember school life after all.

It's still quite cool that things were somewhat tempered by the fact that there was this utterly random class outing to the school pool followed by dinner at BTM with random French-ness (je ne parle pas francais) and PRC-ness (sheme pi) with Sheng Wei taking the lead, and cam-whoring starring Carin. Followed by a sweet performance by the South Norfolk Youth Symphonic Band at the auditorium for the Luce concert by Interact Club and HCSB.

It's been quite the day. Something to remember, surely.

For posterity, then.

Something's gotta give.

2008-08-17T22:15:00.000+08:00

Isn't it surprising how we'd cheer our hearts out for Phelps as he wins his eight gold medal this season, and yet find it downright annoying that China is bagging golds left right and centre.

One foot after the next...

2008-08-16T20:29:00.003+08:00

Klauferdhount is releasing tomorrow, and I've got 10 copies readied so far. I guess it'll come at a progressive pace. Right now, my new priority is to finish learning my last H2 Music piece, and to complete my music portfolio (which is far from complete).

Today, I went for the Carpenters' Tool International concert at the DBS Auditorium with Esmond, and remembered the name of the guy I spoke with on Monday night during the pre-concert concert ("DL"). It was a rocking fun time, and I managed to learn a bit more about instrumentation for a band, which was excellent. Before the concert, I managed to pick up a copy of Breaking Dawn, the last book in the Twilight saga, and I'm just so thrilled to finally be able to read the ending to this breathtaking tale.

Which conveniently lends me to talk about the Klauferdhount story. I know I haven't really revealed much, so I'm going to shed some more light here. Of course, you know that the story in the album is about an orphan in his early 20-ies who is recruited to fight a war for his country, Klauferdhount, and that the story revolves around a war for the city of October and the girl of his dreams. You know that the war is instigated by an organisation known as the "Elders". Also, you learn that the guy dies in the end, during the war, of a nuclear attack on the fields of November. November is an important precinct of Klauferdhount, and at the end of the album it becomes a nuclear wasteland. The war is won by the Elders, the kingdom of Klauferdhount is dissolved, and October City is renamed just October and becomes the new capital of Metalside (a territory carved out by the Elders as they war with other states).

At the end of this war, the state of Metalside is finally fully created.

There certainly is more to this story: Klauferdhount, the album, as you know, is only part of the whole Klauferdhount story. As book fifteen (one, chronologically) of the metalside cycle, the album covers the events mapped out in the first Act of the book, while the proceeding events are covered by the second Act, which ends with the start of the reign of the Elders. Chronologically, the second book, Kale's Voice (which some people have read), then begins the toppling of the Elders.

Well, that's all I guess I'll reveal for now. Once again, please support me by getting a copy of the album on monday!

Suddenly depressed.

2008-08-13T18:38:00.002+08:00

Carlos just reminded me today, in what must be the worst possible way, that basically school ends next wednesday. I was pretty indifferent about it, until I realised that it REALLY FREAKING WAS THE FREAKING LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR US. And it's never going to happen again.

Um.

Wow.

What a week

2008-08-12T21:21:00.003+08:00

Apparently, just finishing my album is obviously not enough work for me. Looks like I've got a lot on my hands: chem test tomorrow, bio tutorials due, maths tutorial due, music assignment due, UCAS personal statement due, CT montage due, University of Auckland application due, H2 music portfolio due, piano needs to be practiced, Klauferdhount has to be mass produced, and This Is How It Goes needs to be practiced.

Wow. That's a lot of things, and I'm just going to have to take them on one by one. So I'm obviously not going to linger here to crap.

Ta!

And so it is done

2008-08-10T23:43:00.002+08:00

THAT'S IT! I've now finished cutting Klauferdhount. All that's left is printing the CDs and getting back the booklets. And buying the jewel cases.

Wow. Such a weight off my shoulder. I'm going to miss this one day, though, I think. What a hell lot of fun this has been.

GOOD BYE, KLAUFERDHOUNT, and HELLO, PRELIMS!!!

I don't like pretension.

2008-08-09T18:16:00.001+08:00

The 5 o'clock news

2008-08-09T16:53:00.001+08:00

Well, right now I'm halfway through intrumentating Fin. It's the devil alright; I'm finding it insanely difficult to maintain my stamina. As for now, I'm taking a short break to cool down and reassess what I've written.

Wow this is tough.

Klauferdhount is a Rock Opera

2008-08-09T11:36:00.005+08:00

I just love putting up new posts. So this is just to formally announce that Klauferdhount is going to be released on the 17th August 2008. I'm so excited about it! although I'm still working on the last song. Of course, Klauferdhount is indeed a rock opera, although it should really be a pop opera, or a contemporary opera, or whatever label fits nicer than the word "Rock", which can be slightly jarring.

Umm, I seem to be congratulating myself too early. Ah well!

But it's great to see that the album (only a demo album, after all, without the proper technical assistance and vocal training/guidance) is coming to its epic closure (I mean that in the sense of the 12th track, "Fin."). It's shaping up like some monumental greatness. I'm quite impressed by the first 3 minutes myself, which is suitably grand, afraid and scary simultaneously. Only approximately 6 minutes to go! Before that bloody nuclear bomb just falls down from the sky and decimates the world as the Protagonist knows it. Leading, of course, into the briefly-charted territories of the new October City. But that's another story altogether.

Right then. Back to work. Will probably update on the completed song by tonight/early morning tomorrow.

Cheers!

Q: Quick, what's worse than a pile of homework?

2008-08-09T01:46:00.008+08:00

A: How about bio revision lecture on a holiday, then spending forever buying the Klauferdhount album materials, and getting the album layout sorted out at a printer? And not forgetting that pile of homework (still there!).

It's a rhetorical answer, by the way.

So today wasn't exactly the holiday I was hoping for. Sure, I was thinking of lazing around before really jumping into work mode for tomorrow (today now, actually), which I originally wanted to use to finish "Fin.", but obviously I'm not going to get that rest now. Here's what went down:

1. National Day Parade
2. Bio Lecture
3. Supposedly going to Nickoh's house
4. Have to get album materials
5. And print booklet
6. Some time to feel sorry for myself (I'm kidding! right?)

And (melodrama) here we are, at 1.53 am the next day, still writing this post to wrap things up. I at least have to get this down before I forget. For posterity's sake (ERHEM) and de-blah blah blah. I didn't know it was going to be so hard to get everything I needed - and screwed everything up, of course, by agreeing to go to Nick's house today/yesterday and not turning up in the end. SORRY guys! I really needed to get this done today before I put things off too late. Especially since the printing shops are closed tomorrow, and I need time to vet and check.

One particular thing I was really annoyed with was the counter lady at Popular. So I was at Popular to buy this whole spindle of LightScribe CDRs to burn my album onto, and the biggest spindle they sold (25 pieces) only came in the new "coloured" LightScribe discs. Which was fine, as I didn't really care, until I found out that they had such horrible colours as purple, or pink, or something like that. Then it became of paramount importance that I at least knew what colour of CD I was buying. It is a consumer's right.

The thing was, there wasn't some obvious notation on the CDR box to indicate the colour of the CDs inside. And the CDs were conveniently hidden from view within the box. So naturally I wanted to check. I mean, how hard can it get to check the inside of a CDR box for the colour of the CD? And yet. I can't believe they have 1) no idea what they're selling, and 2) no guts to check and find out. Afraid they'll spoil the goods, I'd hazard.

So after some bickering I decided to try my luck. Turns out: every single colour's inside the box. Which means some guys will get lucky with the colour, while some won't. Can't really waste the CDs now that I've bought them! Although it does spoil the design somewhat. I'm disappointed. Just a bit.

Then I went on a super chase for album cases. Which yielded... nothing. Couldn't find the exact type of case I wanted. Specifically a normal sized jewel case for one CD with a relatively thick and secure outer clear case and a solid black inner CD holder. My guess is that I'll have to go to Funan to search for it. Anybody have ideas?

FINALLY, I came to printing the album booklet. The good thing was: I could immediately preview the booklet as the lady kindly agreed to printing samples as I went. But of course the downside was that this took time. So much time that I finished at about 6pm. Horrible experience. Ah well; expected, I suppose, when you're doing everything as best as you can on a solo project. Chin up and grin!

So fast forwarding to now. I was watching KevJumba for a lark, and I was particularly struck by what he said about the "stick and stones" thing. Now that he reminds me, I guess it's the same for my music? Haha, I guess. Whatever. But in some weird retrospective mumbojumbo moment I realised Carlos behaves a bit too much like KevJumba. it can't be the other way round. Or is it just a coincidence?

The conspiracy thickens (pause to add other seemingly-meaningful statements of wisdom).

Wow, I didn't realise I wrote so much. I'm boring even myself. Yawns and good night.

YTS (Yi Tuo Shi)

2008-08-08T21:07:00.001+08:00

Courtesy of myself. I love Microsoft Paint. Can I believe this is my 77th post of the year?

...Though a part of me hopes forever...

2008-08-03T16:42:00.005+08:00

Miraculously, I've reached the last track to record on Klauferdhount, which title befits the order in which it will be mastered. The most intimidating, challenging, and nasty song I've ever attempted to complete. This will be a tough one to crack, and I'm going to have to spend some time figuring it out.

Well. It's almost over, anyhow, and it's been a superbly interesting and memorable journey! Funny how things tend to reflect upon each other - I'm thinking about graduation as this album wraps itself up. This album is always going to hold a very special place in my heart, I think. Somehow I've got so many emotions and memories all packed up in this little chronicle of time; and the lyrics hold more significance to me than just the outward story they are supposed to tell.

I said that I'll post The Time Traveller sometime, but I've decided against it. If anybody's itching to hear it, it'll be waiting when I release the album in September, which is looking very optimistic a release date. Anyway, I did let you guys hear This Is How It Goes.

I'm going to need help printing the CDs for the album; the booklet I'll ask a printing service to handle. I wonder who I can ask for help.

A minute update

2008-08-03T10:25:00.001+08:00

This Is How It Goes - Vincent Khoonz

Welcome to Klauferdhount!

2008-08-02T22:28:00.002+08:00

2008-08-02T12:31:00.000+08:00

This Is How It Goes (Acoustic).mp3 - Vincent Khoonz

This is How it Goes

2008-08-01T22:06:00.002+08:00

This is my new song for my CT's graduation montage.

THIS IS HOW IT GOES

And so it goes without a trace
And so it goes, no turn of face
And so it goes, around the walls
And never looks behind
And so it goes

Too late to find, there's no rewind
Now is the last you'll have to mind
Is it all that you wanted, all that you need?
No turning back the time

And you know it's yesterday
When we made our first mistakes
And you know it's yesterday
That always will fade away
Too late to find
And so it goes

This is the end of little wars
This is the start to anymore
Now here you'll find who you were meant to be
And never look behind

You'll learn believe in life there's everything
And anything you need
So never look behind
Or wish the past repeats

Now I'll say: that this is how it goes
I will say that this is how it goes
All a memory, some weight at most
How it goes

In a very preliminary way, Tragic, Nickoh and I are auditioning to perform the band version of This Is How It Goes for Prom night, so I'll have to keep my fingers crossed for that. This song is nice and pop-ish, so I think it has the appeal. I hope to have a simple acoustic version out by this weekend, besides mastering Meteor Storm and finalising Home and The Time Traveller.

Relatedly, I have finished working out the whole flow of the album booklet (sorry to call upon you Vivien for no good reason!) and am now finalising the lyrics before I do a test print, and finally send the booklet for printing. It's gonna cost me a bomb to print; I'm wondering if I should pass the cost down to the people who want a copy of the album. Hehe, so much for a goodwill gift. I'm just thinking though; I'll have to see how big a hole the expenses burns in my pocket.

That's it for now, I guess. More when this weekend is over.

Klauferdhount latest tracklist

2008-07-28T23:23:00.003+08:00

1. 1 :00 Sketch 1 Intro: Don't Look Back
2. 4 :16 At the Beginning / October
3. 3 :14 Sunrise
4. 5 :50 The Time Traveller
5. 3 :33 This Devil is an Angel
6. 2 :02 Sketch 2 Theme
7. 2 :45 The Whale Watcher
8. 5 :12 Home
9. 4 :15 Meteor Storm
10. 4 :27 Illuminated
11. 10 :00 *(approx.) Fin.
12. 3 :43 Sketch 3 Epilogue: Old Walls

Notice Vestige has been cut. YES it has. It's been moved to a B-Side.

Further rushed updates

2008-07-28T23:16:00.002+08:00

Here we are, a few days later. I'm pleased to announce that "Sunrise" has proceeded to the FINAL phase, although I vastly underestimated The Time Traveller, and so seem slightly behind schedule (again). All goes well on the booklet front, where I am actually finally starting to get some really good stuff.

Right on over, my H2 music portfolio is in a jam, and I really really MUST start on that soon. So Klauferdhount will have to wait some.

And then moving on, I'm learning how to use Motion 3 for the CT photo montage, which is a huge undertaking, but I think I'm coping well.

Well, that's all for the rushed updates today. Good night!

The Time Traveller

2008-07-26T09:17:00.003+08:00

THE TIME TRAVELLER

Hope your heart is pure enough to reach for Heaven
It's times like this you wish you had a chance to change the past
And hold your breath and count to seven
By eight you learn that nothing's gonna change

I'm not enough to you,
Just a face in this masquerade, tell me I'm not afraid
So untrue
Another of your sinners, the leechers, and I

I can see through you
You are the past I'll face
And all of your loneliness, the hopelessness
It lends me grace

This is illusion
This is the man I'll break and if it
Takes a lifetime there's no hurry
Time will wait for me

You wonder what's your destiny in all of this
A turn or twist of fate; or rape, at least
Sometimes it's hard to trust yourself and nothing's ever good
And other times you find worth hard to prove

Well, that's the lyrics to my latest mastered song. Hopefully it'll be ready soon, and I'll post this one online - because it's too bleeding nice not to. Over this weekend, I hope to clear as many Final Phase songs as possible - three, if I'm lucky. Also, over this WEEK, I plan to master Meteor Storm at the very least, although I have to take into consideration the fact that I'm also bogged down by my H2 music portfolio, which deadline is also coming up.

Vivien recently showed me some of her sketches for Klauferdhount, and they're pretty amazing. I'd post them here if I had a scanner; but as it is I hope she takes it personally to finish the album cover for me. Hehe. That would be nice. Less work for me.

And more names on the credit page! Which I sorely lack (as my blood is all over the credit page here, it's a forensic treasure horde, what with all the evidence...).

But that's all I'm likely to say for now.

2008-07-23T21:52:00.000+08:00

Very quickly, I have validated many songs past the "FINAL" phase. Hopefully I know what I'm doing; although some songs do sound quite patchy, such as "Vestige of Me" and "Old Walls". Ah well. It's all in the spontaneous flavour anyway.

More exciting (?) updates!

2008-07-23T16:27:00.002+08:00

Things are starting to wind down... For the count, only 3 more songs are left to master, and only 12 more to finalize. There is a small potential for a complete rewrite for "13. Fin.", but it's not likely. We'll see how it goes.

Reasons to rewrite:
1. It's very difficult to master, at a hefty approximate 10 minute length.
2. Therefore I'm demanding a lot of attention from the listener. This is a shocking request considering this is the hyperactive multitasking age.
3. I won't say it so plainly but it's not my favourite song. But it seems necessary.

Reasons not to rewrite:
1. Are you kidding? I'm running out of time!

So there you go. The wonderful argument in my mind, all mapped out in excellently notated points.

The recent masters, Home and The Time Traveller, are both very rock-ish songs, which are absolutely fantastic as I seem to gather. But anyway, for a change, I'm gonna go back to more simple moods with Meteor Storm and Old Walls. Although I'm toying with some U2-somes in these final few songs. I'm so close to finishing, it's bloody tantalizing to cheat now, but I must certainly resist!

Anyway I have no idea what I mean when I say "cheat".

Klauferdhount Story Development

2008-07-20T11:26:00.002+08:00

Here's how it goes. I was thinking of how to develop and "cinematify" the overarching story of Klauferdhount, and just a few days ago it occurred to me that the answer was right under my nose - in track 1, which I had already mastered. It featured a radio voice speaking the protagonist's thoughts.

So I thought - why not go with it? make it a theme - and so I've written some audio "extracts" you'll hear at the end of or the beginning of songs.

This makes things more cinematic. I'm loving it.

The Dark Knight

2008-07-19T19:26:00.004+08:00

This is potentially the most haunting movie ever made (after 'The Sixth Sense'). The Dark Knight starts out with a premise that threatens to disappoint, but it beautifully transcends my expectations with its powerfully stated themes of good and evil. Unfortunately, where the previous Batman Begins captured my imagination (and belief) in the Bruce Wayne/Batman predicament, I was slightly disappointed to find the main character development and focus shifting to the forcefully believable Joker, leaving Batman out of the limelight. Seeing as this is a Batman film, I was expecting some glorious worship of our favourite dark knight, but instead I had to settle with the development of secondary characters.

Not that it was a bad thing. It was pretty much freaking awesome in its own right. Heath Ledger, in his final performance as the Joker, was haunting and disturbing - one part pity and one part revulsion - and probably one of the finest performances by anyone anytime in its sincerity and commitment. The Joker's philosophy and perspective on humanity was truly piercing in its criticism, and I applaud the excellent plot and direction the film has taken.

This was something really magical that resonated achingly. I can't wait to get it on Blu-Ray. It's more than worth a second time through.

Shitty Shitty Bang Bang

2008-07-13T20:34:00.001+08:00

Weekend over, nothing completed.

Peace out.

Disenchanted

2008-07-10T18:53:00.003+08:00

My favourite track right now. I'm loving My Chemical Romance again - how small my musical world is, revolving around those few artists and bands. Anyway, this week's been tough, because sleep's been hard to find. I'm probably becoming insomniac. Feeling dazed all the time, but I guess I'll just have to live through this episode and hope it ends fast.

Right now, I'm putting Klauferdhount on hold until the next weekend, because I think I need time to generate new ideas for mastering the remaining tracks - only that many more to go! But besides, I am starting on Novelette No. 2, which will be public, unlike the private No. 1 (which is private due to the fact I'm using it for an examination and don't want to be accused of plagiarizing *myself*...)

I feel my bad mood has transferred itself to the way I'm acting. Just a few days ago Kelvin complained I'm acting weird. And today Di You complained the same. I guess I'm really soaking up the sleeplessness then. I can't explain how sorry I am, it really isn't anybody's fault but my own screwed sleeping pattern. I'm not even sure if that sounds pathetic. Haha. Anyway, I try to be nice, looking at circumstances through a broader perspective (!).

Just this short update. I've got work to do.

Weekend Passes By

2008-07-07T21:31:00.001+08:00

Ah crap. I didn't manage to do much over the weekend, except to scrap through a pathetic draft of "Vestige", which was basically a cheap rip-off of the original acoustic draft. Ah well. It sounds fine, but wasn't exactly what I imagined it to be. Which isn't a bad thing, really, but it just sucks that I couldn't do what I wanted to do with the song.

I seem downright uninspired over this.

Maybe if I could muster the imagination required, I might revisit the song during the finalisation phase. As it is, though, I think I'm okay with it. Not the best track, but not too bad that it screams bloody murder.

Understanding Hannah Montana

2008-07-05T01:48:00.002+08:00

When I first read about it, I couldn't believe people could be duped into believing they were attending a concert when they watched the Hannah Montana movie.

I take back my thoughts.

Today, with the kind hand of luck and a little invitation by Ryan, I went to Plaza Sing to watch an MCR "concert" - which was actually their last Black Parade concert in Mexico City: "The Black Parade is Dead!" All I can say is that it was a bloody blast. Ryan, Ying Zhi, Vivien and I really jumped around wildly - as if I was back at the MCR concert I went to last year (well, actually not so much Ying Zhi - he didn't really like the music - as if that was possible, but apparently it is). The atmosphere was really there. We even had a mock mosh pit. Although there was no fighting or shoving.

Too bad I didn't win any freebies. There was a copy of the MCR special edition vinyl (which I got for my birthday - thanks guys!) that was autographed by the band. I was slightly interested but didn't really go for it as I already had a copy. Maybe I regret that now.

Anyway, on to serious matters. September draws closer, and I'm starting to feel the pressure to complete the album. Over the extended weekend, I hope to finish mastering 2 more tracks, maybe 3, if possible. Seeing as there're 7 more tracks to go, including the monster mega-long track "Fin.", I still have much to do, and clearing 3 songs over this weekend would really help. Targets include "Bring Me Home" and "The Time Traveller". For extras, I would like to complete "Theme", which would greatly expedite the completion of "Old Walls".

Great dreams. We'll have to see how things go along.

The Tracklist #1

2008-07-02T21:21:00.002+08:00

Here it is, as confidently as I can put it. I'm not saying I won't change some songs, or retitle them, but I'm quite certain that these are going to be the final songs. So, here's the preview of the Klauferdhount tracklist.

KLAUFERDHOUNT
No of Tracks: 13
Duration: Approximately 50 minutes

1. Intro: Don't Look Back
2. At the Beginning / October
3. Sunrise
4. The Time Traveller
5. This Devil is an Angel
6. Vestige of Me
7. Theme (Instrumental)
8. The Whale Watcher
9. Bring Me Home
10. Meteor Storm
11. Illuminated
12. Fin.
13. Epilogue: Old Walls

Itself, track 12 is an "epic track" spanning 4 cd tracks, and projected to run for 10 minutes. So technically, the CD should record having 16 tracks. And of course maybe a bonus track from my collection of strange or funny songs.

Ah well, that's all for now. By the end of the extended weekend, I hope to complete two more songs, pushing the number of mastered tracks to 8. The deadline is tightening - September is 2 months away, there are 7 tracks left to master, the booklet is not ready, and I have to study for my A Levels. I'm feeling the pressure much.

Life is...

2008-06-29T22:18:00.000+08:00

...like glycolysis. You start off being a liability, in a MONEY-INVESTMENT phase, and just approximately 1/3 the way through your life, you start recovering the investment, and generating payoff in the MONEY-PAYOFF phase (well, most of the time).

That's where the similarities end, unfortunately.

Sweet silence

2008-06-28T11:11:00.002+08:00

Doesn't come cheap. I sent my mac in for repairs (a faulty disc drive), and I have yet to get it back, although I'm itching to write something right now - especially since the blocks are (almost) over. Now, I'm using a friend's computer to type this, and simultaneously reading a book, and wondering about a song on the album.

I greatly doubt my ability to accomplish what I intend to do with my music - especially since I'm winging it alone - but one must have faith, and I have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Still I find myself reassuring my heart that the songs are "not too bad". Which is not the best place to start believing in yourself. Then I consider rewriting again, and remastering again. But inertia just pulls me in.

Still, I think what's done is done. For what I have completed (6 songs now out of the projected 13), I think I'll live with it. For the remaining ~50%, I think I'll put in effort to make it the "wow" song to myself. So far the only song to reach that level for me was "Illuminated". It's still deadly beautiful.

Anyway, how cool would it be to strike it rich by cheating a casino off its money?

End of the Hols

2008-06-21T11:32:00.003+08:00

Wow. It's really ending then. Still have loads of studying to do though. But the good news being I've finished mastering This Devil is an Angel - the funkiest song on the album! Though I wasted a fair bit of time watching Full Metal Alchemist on Thursday-Friday. It was a bleeding marathon till 7 am. My God, I'm never doing that again.

This is half the year gone, and only half more to go before things change drastically again. Sigh. Well, chin up, and move on, then.

This Devil is an Angel

2008-06-19T01:58:00.001+08:00

And everybody says, she's the Devil
As holy as they come, she's the Devil
The way she pulls my strings
The way she shouts it rings, hey!

One moment she's so kind, she's an angel
The other she twists your spine, no, she's not an angel
She's not the perfect type
I can't believe she's mine

One, two, three, four
Nah, nah nanananah, nah nanananah
She don't make it easy, make it easy
Five, six, seven, eight

Now time and time again I told her
Stay away but she's so magical, pornographic-al, yeah
And her boots are made of skin so terrifying she can really
Hurt someone, I can tell you now

This devil is an angel
And she'll take away your saturdays

2008-06-14T00:33:00.001+08:00

Actually, on second thought, I might actually write a short Klauferdhount story.

The Klauferdhount Booklet

2008-06-13T18:55:00.003+08:00

Whew. After spending the last two days sketching on 27 pieces of paper, the preliminary draft of the Klauferdhount booklet is finally finished. Based on this draft, the booklet will be 14 pages thick, and DOES NOT have a commentary. I don't think it would be advisable to explain the album (?) - after all the notions are quite abstract and need long distances of printed prose to explain. I might as well write a companion short story. Which I'm not even considering.

Anyway, in a week's time I plan to review the whole booklet draft with some friends. Gather input and improve, of sorts. Also, the penultimate track (I won't give the name in case I decide to change it later) will be recorded next week (and hopefully another track, not confirmed).

Well, that's it for now, then.

Some Klauferdhount updates

2008-06-11T20:21:00.005+08:00

The Klauferdhount logo

Sketch of a portion of the album booklet first page

Notice I changed the name of the album to the more "archaic" Klauferdhount. This was in response to some confusion over the idea of a "-town" actually being a whole country. So this should remove the need for any doubt. But for clarity's sake, I'll just label all posts related to the album as "Klaufertown" still.

On a different note, I might be dropping Starfall/To the End in favour of a poppier, more catchy song. Starfall is a bit difficult to understand (appreciatively), me thinks. Also, looking at the track order, where Starfall is should be a nicely tugging song. Which brings me to reflect on changing the track lineup yet again.

I realise this is the first time I'm really enjoying the process of making an album, and the first time it actually feels like I'm coming up with a product. Before, everything was just the messing-around-kind-of music. Nothing really good, a few bright gems that needed polishing. I feel that the whole tedious 3-4 year journey is finally just culminating in this collection of songs. In that case, I've actually written quite a sizeable number of songs for the album (And discarded a shocking pile of them as well). On count, I'd say there are about 60 songs written before/for this album's cut. Pretty impressive, put that way.

Which is another reason I'm removing Starfall. It needs to be replaced by a better song. This album has to be definitive. Starfall is not good enough, plus it sounds similar to another nice song I wrote but haven't revealed called The Orphan's Masquerade. I'm not sure yet, but I want to write someting Regina Spektor-ish and also McFly-ish for the replacement of Starfall. It has to generally follow the same content, though.

Naturally, because I have a plot to follow.

If you watched the original, then...

2008-06-09T13:32:00.000+08:00

After the fact

2008-06-08T23:41:00.000+08:00

Love: A very intense or extreme affection, fondness, and sympathy to someone or something that suggests a feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness, and something that is difficult or very unreasonable to understand or explain.

I think this is an excellent definition, especially since I made it up myself using a thesaurus. It's been a week since my last post, and I'm not sure if I mentioned I was going to Sarawak for an excellent rehash of last year's adventure, but this time in a tropical setting. Hiking/Caving/Trekking/Climbing in Mulu is way wicked. Something I wouldn't mind doing again. There are more than 10 natural rock walls to climb, and I plan to conquer them all in due time (including the elusive 5.11C Headhunter's Wall); the Pinnacles is another hiking destination I want to prepare for; I don't mind going back for the "Bai Mulu" (which is mango and orange with a hint of coconut and fresh milk, shaken with ice and topped with a drip of grenadine); not to mention one day finally conquering the Sarawak Chambers.

Yup, there's still lots to be done. I feel I've only begun to scratch the surface - I must bring friends down to continue this escapade. And I have to mention this restaurant in Kuching called Madam Tang's which serves the WORLD'S MOST WICKED SARAWAK LAKSA AND NASI LEMAK.

I also spent some time, having brought my laptop, tweaking the songs of Klaufertown. And came up with a design for the album artwork. I'm quite certain I've reached the last track of the album, and after writing one last song I can fully enter the mastering stage. Of course, I've already started work on Illuminated, the Whale Watcher, Sunrise, and October. Things are going to slow down now: the blocks are coming up (again!) and I must prepare (I haven't really started), after which it's full steam ahead on a very rushed deadline to complete the album before september. Besides the mastering, I have to work on the album artwork production - times like this you wish you had someone ELSE to do all the work. But as it stands I don't and can't employ a team to help me, ah well, since artistic direction is very hard to find or else beyond helping.

Somewhere in the Kampung there's a dog guarding the new house being built: thank you.

Narnia returns...

2008-05-28T17:58:00.005+08:00

Go ahead, click the link. It's Regina Spektor, back singing the theme song for Prince Caspian. I must say I really admire the new movie. It's moody and, at the end, bursting with grief at the loss of two of (my favourite) characters. As such, this ending theme song is suitably understated, and everything is told in Spektor's voice.

Really, there's nothing overtly remarkable about the plot. But nowadays we're submerged in so much "creative originality" I feel much-ly thankful that Disney/Walden decided to be old-fashioned. The Final Fantasy X kind of old-fashioned. Ah, the good old days. It's also amusing to watch the characters grow older on the screen (decidedly less awkward than what I am experiencing though. Darn those makeup attendants.). One must search the internet for pictures from "Wardrobe" and compare it with "Caspian" for good effect. Anna Popplewell has seemed to developed unholy beautiful eyes. Utterly fascinating, suck-you-in-like-a-black-hole beautiful. William Mosely looks broodier and edgier. Skandar Keynes just looks lankier - he could be a Ron in the making. As for Georgie Henley, well. She looks the same. Although I read on iMDB she lost two baby tooth during the shoot and had to have fakes in place for when she had to smile. Ah, poor girl!

Speaking of smiles, towards the end, during an important battle, Peter flashes an amazing smile that was so realistically fake you know he's really an actor.

That didn't make sense? Never mind, just watch the movie and look out for that moment. You'll know what I mean.

I think the feeling of moving on with your life pervasive in this whole iteration of Narnia just resonates with me in unimaginable ways. At the end I felt like hugging the older Pevensies and sharing their grief. Ah, such times when you've just turned 18.

An OPC celebration

2008-05-25T19:38:00.000+08:00

OPC... It's been a very long time

2008-05-24T22:39:00.004+08:00

We need to speak. Sometimes history just fades into the distance, becomes something that's part of the background. But this is different - we were like family. We were more than just friends, for a while. And the world was a smaller, simpler place. So contained, so beautiful. Where tasks pointed straight at goals. Somehow, it was like being transported into a whole new world.

Do you remember the feeling? That special bond we shared?

It was like forgetting who you thought you were; it was like becoming the person you really are. And then, suddenly, it became simple why we needed friends, how we made friends. And it was of course always more than that. Natural. Relaxed. Not to worry, because we don't care how you look. We know who you are.

There was always more than fun. There was responsibility - but the kind you could grasp, could imagine. The kind that made you feel as if the world was safe. As if it always were that safe. As if the safety was something you could carry into the future like water in your cupped hands. Maybe we shouldn't have tried doing that.

Maybe we shouldn't have fallen too deep into such feelings. Because, for me, they linger like a shadow. And I still remember bits and pieces of who were are.

We need to speak. About how things have changed. About how now, we don't even say hello anymore. We talk, but not speak. Then, maybe, a light in your eyes, a moment of recognition. The bond renews itself. But only ever for a while.

You need to know: It's been a year, and OPC's hard missing, but it will go, eventually.

The Endgame

2008-05-23T17:14:00.002+08:00

Well, this is the penultimate track of Klaufertown. I did this quite some time ago, but I just thought I wouldn't post it yet. I haven't had much to show for a while, so I'll just post this (as some sort of filler, I dunno). But it's not finalised! There're at least 4 versions of this track floating around my computer now: this is my favourite as for now. It's hard to end the story. Very tough.

THE ENDGAME

Now it's a lovely day
Outside the rain pours like a haze
Together let's share in a pint
To the victory of our kind

Again should I bid you goodbye
As the start of the end grows in sight
No making a fuss; I won't cry
No worries; and I won't die

This city are old walls with nothing to hide
But old walls are nothing that we can decide

Well I don't need a story to be
And I don't need a reason to live
And I'll never leave this behind
Cos I've seen it all crumble in my mind

And tomorrow brings me home.
It brings me home

How many will die in the war
How many am I counting for
I'll put on the chains left behind
For those who would be so kind

This city are old walls with nothing to hide
But old walls are nothing that we can decide

Well I don't need a story to be
Well I don't need a reason to live
And I'll never leave this behind
Cos I've seen it all crumble in my mind

I hope tomorrow brings me home.
I'll find the sky
The silent night
The meteor light
It blinds me...

American Idol

2008-05-22T20:14:00.000+08:00

This is extremely frustrating. At exactly 10:01 am today, my good friend SMSed me with this terrible message:

"Cook won"

No punctuation, no exclamation, no whatever. It was surreal. The dreaded had actually happened. Such terrible things - how could Archuleta lose? Especially considering he was the better singer. Then I recalled the difference between a judged competition and a voting competition, and the difference didn't please me one single bit. Taste is something, but such obvious talent is another. It's a shame Archuleta didn't win the title, but really, it's hard to argue that he ISN'T the better singer. Cook wins by gimmickry and plain befuddlement. But Archuleta is the king of the season.

This is an amazing day

2008-05-21T17:30:00.002+08:00

Well, today, being today, was rather amazing. First, I would like to thank EVERYBODY, especially for the well-wishes and the presents (really super stuff, sweet as, guys). You guys are amazing! (Which leaves me rather disappointed at myself for not being equally amazing, haha.) Next, I would like to thank the amazing DAVID ARCHULETA for putting the icing on this sweet digestive base, 100% cheese with blueberry and strawberry conserve laced New York Cheesecake day with his heart-stopping performance today.

I could almost love him.

My blood stopped just five seconds into the song. The intonation, emotion, and sheer torridity of today's IMAGINE(!!!) was something for the history books of American Idol, and the Hall of Fame. I think it was at the first song, Don't Let the Sun Go Down (On Me) (let's just forget that horrible coronation song. Cook's was worse.) that the obvious became erm... obvious. Archuleta was made to win this contest, and if he lost it would be America's loss.

And if anybody missed it, go watch a recording of Fantasia's performance on Results Night for last week (top 3). It's possibly the most exciting performance I've ever seen. When I see things like that I fear for the future of humanity.

Anyways, here's to a great day, the end of my 17th year, and good times!

2008-05-21T00:13:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday to me.

Sunrise

2008-05-17T16:04:00.002+08:00

Well, I hope this song sounds familiar, because it is. I'm taking it, polishing it up all the way, and adding it as a new track on Klaufertown. With a new, more pop and groovy sound, I hope to refresh the song. The instrumental reload is ready, and I'll record the voices soon enough. Meanwhile, you can check out the original on imeem or iLike. This is quite exciting: I'm reinventing! It's sounding very good, and I can't wait to put it online.

Peace out, y'all!

Static: A State of Rest

2008-05-13T15:11:00.002+08:00

I know I haven't been posting lately; actually I haven't been writing anything lately either. So let's just keep it at that, and I'll post when there's something coming up. Hopefully a new song. But I've got to polish up some singing techniques first. Plus the weather's been really strange - irrational bouts of hot and cold. It must be affecting my voice, because I'm never in the mood to work on my songs.

But onto random entertainment news (for me). Recently I watched the remake of Evangelion. I can't believe it's actually been years since I've seen the show. Hmm, it was as strange as ever, but this time it was kinda nostalgic. I think the studio's making money out of people's nostalgia. But it was quite wonderful. More decent than the original Evangelion (in terms of content), but spot on for style. Shinji is as irritating as ever, but in an extra endearing way. Since I haven't seen him in years. Asuka has yet to appear though, which I'm much awaiting. But that will be in the next movie - hopefully soon!

And then there's H2 music, which was CANCELLED today. Yay for me - no need for piano practical with Mrs Ee (saved for now!). I wonder if she reads this blog. Not likely, anyway. And I would dearly love to tell her how I dread her lessons. Di You certainly agrees.

I was wondering a few days ago if I want to risk another public performance of Illuminated - my friends asked me if I was going to perform for the HC Arts Festival thing. Then my mind wandered to performing covers of other people's songs. Specifically, an acoustic cover of 'Alibis' by Marianas Trench, which I really like. Another candidate was 'Footprints in the Sand' by Leona Lewis (I realise I'm over-stretching myself here).

I realise I sound really horrible covering other people's songs.

Ah. But this is not good! Which finally brings me back full circle to the earlier statement about 'polishing up singing techniques'.

I'll leave it at that.

And around the bend...

2008-05-06T21:08:00.002+08:00

Ah, another week, and we approach the end of term soon-ish. Sooner than I thought. That's half a year down, and only half more to go. There's still so much I want to do here: joyride across Singapore on a SBS bus, go camping again, have an OPC reunion, finish my album, perform a distressingly emotional song during graduation, and not to forget record everything down in ways that even pictures won't be able to believe.

The A levels loom closer than ever, a tedious Everest in its own right, but surely lesser in the retrospective of the future. Everything is relatively smaller in the distance. The background kind of distance. There is no fault in moving on but this is surely a wonderful time in its own right.

But I speak too early, and digress from the present.

The story of Klaufertown

2008-05-03T15:14:00.002+08:00

Well, judging from the lyrics, it should have already become vaguely apparent what this album is about. So let's just make this official: Klaufertown is set in the early history of the Metalside Cycle. For those who have no idea what this cycle is, it's a series of stories I have planned out that have spawned the short stories 'Kale's Voice', 'Kale's Voice 2', 'Keith', and notoriously, the incomplete novel 'The Book'.

Basically, the story revolves, as all fantasy stories do, around this group of omnipotent beings called the Elders, who control the threads of existence across the empire of Metalside from the capital of October City. Which should already sound familiar, seeing that in the album October City is a place in Klaufertown. But in this album, these events have not transpired - the Elders have not risen, Kale has not been tested, and October still is the sleepy capital of Klaufertown, as it has been for as long as it was remembered.

Klaufertown (the album, and place alike) is then set treacherously at that singular point in history when the old October fell to the legion of 'Guards' who would eventually become the Elders - events that have not been written down in word yet, so I wouldn't say too much about it. 'Klaufertown' is told through the eyes of a young man who never wanted a part in this story, but who is unwillingly pulled into the desperate battle against the Guards - a futile attempt, as it were.

Anyway, enough said; I hope this helps you guys better appreciate the story and the lyrics of Klaufertown. Only three more songs to go! (hopefully,) then the album will be completely written down. And after that there will only be mastering after mastering until the whole album is polished. Wish me luck!

A Little Note of Exception

2008-04-30T17:03:00.002+08:00

I must say, the songs that I'm posting recently seem to be very pessimistic. But that's part of the whole album, and I promise that the next few will be light-hearted. Which means I'm putting off the war song for a while (the one I promised), but I will give you the tentative title of my new song.

It's "This Devil Is An Angel".

It sounds like a rather light-hearted song, you must agree.

Starfall

2008-04-30T16:43:00.002+08:00

Here's one about conscription and the army of the Elders, from the old history of Metalside, before the founding of October City as a capital. This song marks the beginning of the end of Klaufertown, and it's a tragic moment, but certainly not one without its story. Songwise, it's not the most cheerful or uplifting, but it is a necessary tale, and I think it has its own quiet beauty.

STARFALL

Starfall,
The eve at its horizon
Like a fog the moon it stills away the light
Nightfall,
It's colder now
My breath is but a mist; and I must
Trust my dog star's light

To lead me past the darkest path
To bring me to the place where I will

Sit with you
And trace the path of belts and milky ways of galaxies so far
I'll sit with you
To breath in scents of lemon leaves, of dewy grass and winter leaves
I'll sit with you
To watch the meteor storm

And as the lights fall down on us
The memories of the starfall are wonderful, wonderful
I'd say

This town,
Is like a patchwork tapestry
A penny cloth with no identity
The morn,
Must bring the guards as it would be
To wage a war with all uncertainty

We walk a hollow path
In search of places like the one I

Share with you
To trace the path of belts and milky ways of galaxies so far
I'll sit with you
To breath in scents of lemon leaves, of dewy grass and winter leaves
I'll sit with you
To watch the meteor storm

Outside the meteor shower
It tears the sky asunder; it's beautiful, beautiful,

Let me go
And I'll save the world for you
Don't you know
That we're all afraid?

It's almost time to leave
I think it's almost time to leave this all behind
I'll wake and it'll be all a dream
But still I part with you

Outside the meteor shower
It tears the sky asunder; it's beautiful, you're beautiful...

Aftermath

2008-04-28T14:04:00.002+08:00

Well, I got generally favorable reviews for my performance of Illuminated. I really hope people enjoyed it (even behind my back). Hah! I'm sounding pessimistic here, but it's always safer to assume the worst while still hoping for the best. I thought it was quite good, myself, except for one minor slip-up which is over and done with. The whole concert itself was quite a surprising success, I think. And the emcees (Ho-Phang) were, as I gather, lame and funny.

But more importantly, the concert signaled the end of my guitar club days, and that kinda leaves me feeling quite detached at the moment. I'm going to miss my club mates, especially the little gang of us always in the same corner: Ryan, Cheryl, Vivien. And of course, Eileen, Denyse and Ying Zhi (MIs!) and the rest who supported me (all of us!) all the way. It's been a bumpy and slow-to-become journey, but the memories in the end are (surprisingly - things do seem to surprise me in the guitar club) sweet as hell.

I've got that terrible feeling that the club members will disperse worse than OPC - they J2s hardly even tried to make a gathering at KAP after the concert. But it's al been foretold and etc etc. With this chapter closing, I think Starfall gives this period some meaning when I ponder upon the lyrics. But that's for another day when I finally post the song.

Especially after now, Illuminated is going to hold a certain gravity and weight when I perform it, if not for the inertia of memory. I'll miss the people at guitar. But things do go on.