Annoucing the West Coast Blues & Roots Festival 2006! I've got a ticket for it! Woo-hoo! I'm super super psyched for it, another 2 weeks and we're off for the festival. Definitely something to be looking forward to! Its gonna be a blast, although tickets did cost quite a bit. But hell, its bought so can only think positive from here.
Benard Fanning, Pete Murray, Jamie Cullum and loads more...ooh its gonna be such an eventful night! Gates open at 10.30 in the morning, all the way till almost midnight! Gotta get well before the big day! A whole day of good ol' chill out music and booze, ah the life.
Next up is Ben Harper! Some of you may or may not have heard of him, but his music seriously rocks. Go google him and find his official website, there are some free downloads of his music there.
He's coming to Perth on the 13th of May, and we're all gonna go! Way exciting! Never been to so many concerts in one go...what better than to spend good quality time and share good quality music with friends. Glorious!
So many lovely things to look forward to. Travelling down south with Claire and Sven, and hopefully any others who wouldn't mind joining us, going for concerts, and ending the semester with a real blast!
Things are starting to look up. (I hope)
27 March 2006
26 March 2006
Being alone when you're sick is probably one of the loneliest moments ever, it can really make a person feel more depressed than they already are from the illness itself. Stupid weather in Perth is just screwing things up, my sore throat has developed into a cough, and now slight flu and fever. Its absolutely horrible. What i wanted more than anything last night was for my mom to be next to me, looking after me. Practically cried myself back to sleep.
I was feeling bored and decided to blog surf, came upon Xiaxue's blog, and mind you I'm not an avid reader of her blog. People have all sorts of comments on her and her writings, but to me they're just amusing especially in times of boredom. Her entries are far from being intellectual, but I doubt she really cares.
In her recent entries, she devours the fact she has a boyfriend, correction, an American boyfriend. It amused me she had to state loud and clear to her readers that he specifically is American, therefore not your everyday average Singaporean guy. If I may quote: "In case you are wondering, he is from the States."
Why is that little piece of information so important to reveal? I'm quite sure if he were from Malaysia/Singapore/Indonesia that she would say "my malaysian/singaporean/indonesian boyfriend" now would she. You catch my drift. I figure its a White supremacy/superiority thing point of view that most asians have. "White Power". Pfft.
Another thing, does having a blog that many Singaporeans read, actually qualify you to being a famous person? Not in my opinion. Brad Pitt is famous, as is Johnny Depp, Keira Knightly and the likes. Even George Bush (though not well-liked) is famous. Being a blogger does not qualify.
19 March 2006
What happened making a phone call to a girl to ask her out for a date?
- They now have an easier alternative of texting instead.
What happened to picking a girl up from her house to take her on that date?
- They use the alternative of texting to arrange a place to meet instead.
What happened to turning up with a sweet bunch of flowers to show appreciation of presence?
- They think flowers are too passe or they spend all their money texting instead of calling, or think there's no point just cuz they're gonna die anyway.
What happened to just sitting somewhere nice with a cup of coffee and having a good old fashioned chat?
- They remember that cool big screen you have at home that's hooked up to cable tv.
What happened to that moment of butterflies in your stomach when you wonder if he's going to hold your hand or not?
- The moment is now about if he's going to kiss you on the lips tonight.
What happened to that moment he sends you home and you wonder if he'll kiss you?
- The moment is about if he even sends you home in the first place considering he didn't pick you up.
What happened to calling every now and then just for a short chat after not meeting up for a while?
- He texts you instead and worries insistently if you don't reply soon enough.
What happened to dinner dates and nice walks in a park after?
- They remember that big screen in your house and the amount of channels on cable tv.
What happened to sitting in comforting silence and appreciating the presence of the other?
- They start yawning after the clock strikes 10.
Romance is a novelty no girls can expect a guy to have anymore. Its D-E-A-D, dead. Is it really so hard to just call a girl or have guys really become such chicken shit that sms-ing is the only alternative? A single rose, a simple gesture to put a little smile on a girl's face. Spending some time in the fresh air, in a public park just sitting around - its free! Is it so necessary to stay in the confines of walls and head straight to bed the moment you yamn every 30 seconds?
Guys are becoming wusses when it comes to dating girls. What happened to the confident ones who just go for it without too much analysis, without looking for hints by "reading" the girl. Romance is dead - gone are the times of simplicity.
I just wish, some guy could read me poetry, compose a song in dedication of me - sweep me off my feet in simple ways. No need for lavish gifts, just what's from the heart. I'm not asking for too much am I?
Take a step back and look at life and how you're living it,
Does it not sometimes feel you're living a dream?
Fermented pain and difficult times make you only want to quit,
You're the only player in your own game, there is no team.
You aren't really there, everything is nothing but surreal,
You reach out to touch around you but it all fades away.
There's no way to know how to really feel,
Life is but a waiting game, when it ends no one can say.
Listening to Corrine May, first song in the album is Little Super Hero Girl. To a certain extent I can relate to the lyrics, especially the line:
"I feel like a little girl, trying to conquer the whole wide world."
I'm not exactly trying to conquer the whole world, perhaps, just my own world. The way I live it, the way I want to live it, and the expectations I have of myself and how I perform as part of a being in this world. Similar to an out of body experience, I take a step back to look at myself and what's happened in my life so far, certain memories more faded than others.
We've all gone through pain in our lives, and each may be harder for another to cope with. But without pain, how would we ever know what joy and happiness are? Unfortunately, life is a vicious cycle and everything that happens happens for a reason. Comparable to a soap opera I suppose, it definitely is one big drama (re-runs included).
The little joys in life are what makes me happy, I can live off nothing but that. The companiance of friends and family is all I would ever need to fulfil my needs. Yet at times where I'm alone at home, thoughts like these hit me without reason and don't seem to go away. The only solution is to hide in the comfort of my bed and doona, and wait till I fall asleep and awake to a brand new day.
Some of us may live till we're 60-70, some maybe more, but no matter what we are all uncertain when death may come upon us. Whoever said to live life like there's no tomorrow was just a moron, if so we'd all be frantic as I speak. However, it is important to be careful with decisions made, and live each day to the fullest. Time stops for no one, and life will always go on. Months and years go by quickly and each second we grow older. Appreciate the little things in life and you'll find so much wonder.
Looking at the night sky filled with millions of stars never cease to amaze me. The way a tree grows and a flower blooms seems almost miraculous like they have a life of their own. A baby's giggle at a simple sound. Happiness can be found in the littlest of things, but as humans we always search for more.
Enough is never truly enough....
17 March 2006
If I asked you to identify yourself in a single sentence, how would you describe yourself? No, I'm not talking about the typical characteristics of being friendly, caring, generous etc etc. That's so cliche, and in a way, we all think of ourselves of having at least one of those characteristics. I'm talking about identity as a person in today's society. For example, I'd identify myself as a student, a journalist, a female and an Asian.
Have you ever thought of what that identity means to you? In today's fast moving world, we're all so keen to grow and adapt we hardly take the time to smell the roses, in the figure of speech manner of course. Who and what makes us - society has created us, or have we created society? The inevitable question that will never have a definite answer.
I was once asked if I would identify myself as a Singaporean, a Chinese or an Asian, and my immediate answer was Chinese. I wasn't proud of being from Singapore, I almost detested the place. But moving to Australia has taught me so much, and I've learnt to appreciate the place I grew up in. To know that we truly are a multi-cultural country where our everyday lives consist of different cultures and races, and learning of them is almost a subscious thing.
Singlish, as we would call Singaporean English, is a complete mix of various languages - English, Malay, Hokkien, Cantonese and god knows what other slangs are included. It is so mixed to a point we sometimes are unsure of where the origin of the word is from. I would say Singlish is horrible to a certain extent, especially with the added meaningless words of la, lor, leh. But hey, ask a Caucasian to try adding that to their language and they won't be able to do it so that it means the way it should.
At the end of the day, I'm proud to have grown up in Singapore. We may be a dot on the map, but I sure as hell am a lot more knowledgable than many others from big countries. We don't exactly have a choice. When you're one of the smallest, you can't get any smaller and the only way to go is to grow.
Cheers Singapore, for being multi-cultural and accepting most every race with pride on our sleeves.
13 March 2006
What else can I say but that I truly miss you girls? We had some fantastic times & I'm truly grateful that I had that chance to spend some time with the both of you in Sydney & Cairns. It was an awesome experience I could never trade for anything else. Thank you for having invited me to join you, thank you for the memories.
I hope we all get to meet again in June/July and our plans fall through. What I would give to spend time with you girls again.
People have stereotypes of Americans and their portrayal of themselves, but I feel so proud to have fantastic friends like Jennifer and Erika who are more than what the stereotypes are. Big hearts and strong personalities, these girls simply rock.
Will you come back to Perth? 
07 March 2006
Uni's just only began and already I'm looking forward to a good ol' break at some place that's quiet and surreal without the presence of technology. Be it in the outback enjoying the night sky and wonderous stars, or just hiding out at some hotel. I suppose in some ways my house is like a hotel. Live alone in this big quiet place, with the TV as my companiance, and the glorious sky just at my backyard.
People often ask if I get lonely, but I've learnt to appreciate my alone time. Strumming my guitar, singing on the top of my voice without a care in the world (or anyone to diss my singing). The simple joys in life. Music brings a sense of joy and peace to me, especially when its just instruments.
I'm amazed at the skills some musicians have and can only wish one day I can be as good as they are. The piano is my ultimate love, followed by the guitar. Something so simple yet complexed at the same time, when played can produce the most beautiful sounds to ease the soul. I admire people who have the creativity to create songs of their own just with a few strums. Music of the soul, I'd call it.
My current fav: Jack Johnson. His voice is so soothing, all I have to do is close my eyes.
But can anyone tell me what genre singers like Jack Johnson, James Blunt and Daniel Powter fall under? I have no clue. All i know is that they're all solo singers who play the guitar so well, and have unique voices of their own.
06 March 2006
The complexities of a human mind is so hard to understand that it creates more complexities in your own mind as you try to figure them all out. The conclusion - why bother?
The reasonable and most practical explanation of all would be that it is in human nature to think and probe further than what is on face level, yet we are the ones who create these complexities for ourselves only to get caught in our own messy web of thoughts. Ironically enough, it is difficult of most humans to think in a rational, logical and realistic way when emotions come into play. Some only know how to think with their heart, some only with their minds. Is it really that hard to think with both in order to get the most practical answer for the situation, considering other circumstances?
Maybe in that sense, that is a fault in me. I may just be too practical and logical, that in turn that creates problems. Is there such a thing? Is it wrong to try to make the best decision for the certain situation at that point in time? It also is much harder when people surrounding you share the same thoughts and sentiments as everyone else other than yourself. That's when you start to doubt your thoughts and decisions.
Why the shit does everything have to be so complicating?
I wish we could all just live life as is, and take things as they come. Easy come, easy go. Obviously different situations call for different measures, but generally speaking, things need not be as complicated and we make them to be, are they?
