Shuri suffers from a chronic case of mental diarrhea and is often plagued by a hyperactive imagination that does not show in her ordinary conversations with others. This blog is what her (imaginary) therapist recommended so that she won't explode with a build up of overwhelming thoughts.
Our neighbours have moved houses temporarily until their house renovations are completed. They have left Ginger to either 1. die a slow death or 2. be left to the sympathies of concerned neighbours. Everyone in our house has sprung to Ginger's aid, even without our neighbours asking. One bought a pack of cat food on her account so Ginger can be fed inside our house. Another cleans and tops up her bowl outside twice a day. Another lets her stay over in the house because it is "cold" outside (mind you, it is on average 30 degrees Celcius in Singapore). Ginger, meanwhile, is totally milking the situation and has already taken us for granted. I'm not sure I like this side of Ginger's personality. Maybe it is about time I had a chat with her.
The other day, I watched a movie called About Time. Normally, I would skip cheesy romantic comedies because my limitedTimefactor has made me extremely picky about my choices in entertainment. This movie was done by the same folks who did Love Actually and I thought it was very tastefully done, despite the unrealistic plot. On a deeper level, it got me thinking how important our choices of actions are as they lead to varied yet irreversible consequences. The movie also made me miss my family a lot and reminded me how limited my time on Earth with the people I call close is. So I am working diligently towards a Christmas holiday in Sri Lanka (by working I mean rehearsing mentally on how I am going to convince my boss to let me off for 10 days)!
Sometimes I wish I can draw a map of the world and instead of "Here be dragons", I'll mark "Here be gawkers" and "Here be ones who yawn without covering their mouths", but that might be considered racist.
The saying "An apple a day keeps the doctor away" no longer applies to people who don't live in apple-growing lands. The ones cultivated for export are infused with chemicals to increase shelf-life and decrease the consumer's life span.
I was at the formal dinner organised for zoo volunteers last month when The Animal Song by Savage Garden played during a game. It was like a blast from the past. For YEARS I had forgotten about the song and how very relatable those lyrics were!
When superstars and cannonballs are running through your head
television freak show cops and robbers everywhere
Subway makes me nervous, people pushing me too far
Last night I religiously observed Earth Hour. Without a computer or a TV, I figured I'd sit out the hour in bed. Bad idea, I fell asleep only to wake up at 5am on a Sunday morning!
I admit, I am guilty of posting many of these in my early days of being a Facebook-er. But I think when you age on Facebook, you get better at saying things on your own rather than finding cards to express them or trying to look wise with borrowed sayings! Anyhow, I found this one and thought it was good food for thought.
The last time my mother visited me, she had several culture shocks. First of all, compared to home, Singapore is a lot safer and more peaceful. If you forget your wallet or phone in a cafe, chances are you will have it returned by the person who found it, whereas back home, a random stranger might be more than happy to snatch yours from your hands. Crime rates are very low here and it's not something I have taken for granted, because it really is a privilege. It's a very organised country; most things go like clockwork. Surprises rarely happen. Whether you are a woman or a man, it doesn't really matter what you wear or what you do with your free time. Nobody really cares or judges you for that. But back home, it's a closed up society. Everyone is interested in everyone else's business. Especially if you are a female, you have to behave in certain accepted ways for your own safety and survival. Being independent, different or expressive will most likely land you in trouble. When in public, one has to always watch over the shoulder and it can be quite stress-inducing. Here in Singapore, that is unnecessary so she was pleasantly surprised.
I had a hard time explaining to my mother why some people on the streets wore these and spectacles without lenses. (I used this image from Google Images to illustrate my point)
When shopping, she naturally multiplied everything by a 100 which gave a large figure in currency back home and it somewhat made a dent on the shopping experience. She also told me that while she was touring on her own, several strangers came to her aid and she was touched by the friendliness of the people here. The one thing which she could not stand and which I agree wholeheartedly is that a majority of people here don't have the good habit of closing their mouths when they yawn or cough. So being next to a sick person in a crowded bus or a train will most likely get you sick too. Let's not discuss bad breath here.
Another time she went to a famous shopping area and had seen a sign board that said "The Sex Shop".
Shu's mother: [with horror-stricken eyes] What happens in there??
Shu: Nothing Mama, it's just a shop selling toys for very old children.
I spent my evening researching rock bands with the added input from Ryuu - who's bit of an expert on the subject. [After note: Ryuu refuses to be called even a bit of a Rock expert]. It's a very complex subject with so many types of rock (classic, punk, pop, cheese, glam, metal, and there's more!) within one genre, that it is almost too confusing to categorise them. I think I'll stop trying to figure out how to catergorise them at this point. I managed to listen to several new songs, re-discover a few old songs and even learn some new things:
Britain was the beginning of the Rock Era - starting with legendary bands like Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Beatles.
I am not a huge fan of all classic rock bands. I'm just a rabid Queen fan. I just think they are pretty awesome - talented, unique, bold with experimenting with music (they played with pianos, they played with classical orchestras, they came up with songs ones like Bohemian Rhapsody and they really rocked the crowds) and their songs STILL play on popular radio stations. And I'll bite anyone who disagrees.
Music really is a universal language. This Beatles song caught my ears today and stuck.
A public holiday approaches us end of this week - yay!
Had I been born a ten years earlier, I might have caught Queen live in concert!
*note to self* Attend a live Rock concert. And hurry, before the last of the Classic Rock bands perform their final world tours.
Journey is performing live here today. I'm not a big fan of the band, only because I have not actively listened to their tracks growing up except for "Don't Stop Believing" after hearing a Glee cover and falling in love with it. But I have to admit, they sound Great! Perhaps artistes these days, in their great numbers and with bountiful opportunities to arrive at fame, have to work harder to have lasting fame because there just is too much competition and too many channels to address. Back then before the 90's, it was a simpler affair - if a Rock band had exceptional talent and toured around a lot, most likely they'll get their immortal fame because unlike now, the audiences were not spoilt for choices when listening to music. They were likely to listen to the same limited collection of good songs which would then be etched in their souls. Now our playlists grow and change so fast that it's easy to forget even a good song in a matter of days. Quite unfair to the extremely talented artistes these days, I suppose. And back then, musicians needed mostly exceptional talent and stamina to go on. Now, budding musicians need business and social networks, media channels, sophisticated equipment, an entourage of performers.... Oh and fame doesn't necessarily co-relate to talent.
Our musical pursuits made us really hungry after work so we made a colourful home-cooked meal!
Run away, vegetable haters!
My mother was extremely supportive of my recycling efforts when she visited me. She went the extra miles to throw every piece of trash that was recyclable into my special trash bag during her stay. So it brought me much joy to see the biggest haul of weekly junk during one of the weeks she was here. I'm also quite touched that my housemates continue to support the cause in their own ways. Since we began separating the recyclable from the non-recyclable junk, the number of trash bags thrown down the chute to the public disposal system has vastly reduced.
A record week of junk haul for Shu!
Time to log off. Do support Earth Hour on Saturday, 23rd March 2013 from 08:30pm to 09:30pm. It's a good gesture to be part of a global effort for a global cause.
The days seem to go by with the satisfaction of living a balanced life and time spent having meaningful associations flickering away. Time slips through my fingers though I try to hold on to as much of it as I can. Most days are battles to stay sane and not let the madness affect the people I care about.
But we must go on. We have a million things to be grateful about. We have much to look forward to in life. We have missions to accomplish. We must survive.
This song was a pleasant surprise on my way to work. I love The Script.
The other day, I was sitting in the front passenger seat of a taxi when "Macarena" by Los del Rio started playing. It was like being hit in the head with a giant club of nostalgia. It is associated with strong memories of the time we got our first CD player and I made sure it was played several times a day, much to the annoyance of everyone else at home. This song came out nearly TWENTY years ago and "the macarena" has gained status as a popular dance move to this day. Not only that, it sits at #5 on Billboard's All Time Top 100.
Recently, my mother - using my father's account - had done a critical check on my Facebook profile and had a suggestion for me (well, there were other comments too);
"Change that display picture to something nicer and age appropriate, will you, something where you look like you actually combed your hair? You look like a school child." [OH-Kay mom, that picture will be staying longer than intended now.]
Parents are now 'friends' with their children on Facebook. This new reality is a major advantage for parents, mostly overly-attached mothers whose children live far away from their grasps. They can now stalk whereabouts, analyse thought processes, scrutinize actions, review friendships, judge photos, and form opinions and comment on nearly everything related to their children whose lives are pretty much open books on Facebook. For me, I prefer they keep up that way than me having to actually update them personally.
Another interview today. Damn, I feel like I am getting better at this. With each passing one, I feel a little less nervous and more confident of playing the cards of the "Interview Game". That is not to say I wasn't nervous at all, but it wasn't anything my latest power anthem (below) could not cure.
After taking a very scenic ride in the bus, I arrived just a little earlier than 9am for my interview [Sheesh, that was pretty early for one]. In my opinion, it went well. I didn't stumble on or utter anything stupid like I tend to do a lot when I am nervous. Even though my heels were killing my feet, I left quite satisfied at having performed averagely well. In this game, it does not suffice to put your best effort to look professionally acceptable, or be confident and pleasant, or communicate clearly, or appear interested through body language that is in sync with what is said, or ask a ton of questions, or market your strengths and abilities while cleverly masking any weaknesses or even observe the interviewer's body language to see what ticks them and adjust the tone of the responses accordingly. The last move of the game is to send a "Thank You" note to your interviewer to show appreciation for the interview opportunity, sell your strengths a little more [Shuri was selling strengths such as ability to learn quickly, adapt and being detail-oriented during the interview] and express interest to work for them. This is compulsory.
When this was sent, I realised to my horror, that my email contained an attachment that I didn't attach. This was a map of the building that one of my previous interviewers had sent with a lovely red arrow pointing to interview area. As the situation become clearer, I realised this happened because I used the same email thread I used for my previous interviewer to modify my "Thank You" response to this interviewer. Of course, irrelevant correspondence was safely removed, but I missed removing that map. [Good job, Shu. This manager will be completely at ease knowing that you'll be sending wrong attachments to customers and forgetting to check your emails properly before you send them out].
So my final move (extended) read as follows:
Dear Ms Doe,
My apologies for the unintended attachment, kindly ignore it. Have a good evening.
Regards, Shuri
In light of today's turn of events, the award for the "World's Dumbest Interviewee" for shooting herself in the foot AND possibly losing the job opportunity goes to.... none other than.... *drum roll*.... SHURI.
When I typed my last post, I was halfway through my latest read, Pride and Prejudice. And that was BEFORE reading Mr Darcy's letter. Since then, I spent 7 hours reading the rest of the book till the end (separated only by a night's sleep). I'm mostly lost for words to describe what an epic read that was for me (it also stands to remind me how little I have ventured to read). After taking readers through much drama and happy coincidences, things conclude satisfactorily. I was grinning after reading the last page.
Now, I want to watch the movie. The last time I watched it many years back, I wasn't impressed.
The first edition cover from the year 1813!
Elizabeth's fearless character and opinions, Mr Darcy's transformation after falling in love with Elizabeth and turning out to be quite the honorable and admirable gentleman, Mr Bingley and Jane's romance surviving the test of time and many obstacles and the friendship Elizabeth and Jane share were endearing. Even Elizabeth's and Mr Darcy's romance, being a gradual, pained and controlled one (as opposed to "out of control-tongues down the throats-tearing off clothes-and flying into bed on the second day" types) was a refreshing change, giving the reader time to observe and savour the build up. The story was also made colourful by characters with unpleasant personalities such as Mr Collins, Mrs Bennet, Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mr Collins remained an oblivious brag and a kiss-ass throughout. Mrs Bennet is a social disaster and an embarrassment to all women-kind (perhaps even deserving some forgiveness for being a typical mother). Caroline Bingley's flattery and manipulations might have worked on most men, but not on Mr Darcy's intelligent and observant character. Another unforgettable scene is Elizabeth's bold exchange of words with Lady Catherine when she comes over to dissuade her from being engaged to Mr Darcy (YOU GO GIRL!).
Though the various characters are set in their ways, at times, I felt moments of connection with more than one character for the ways they thought or acted. Somewhat like having a mirror shoved in my face. What better way to be made aware of one's own personality flaws?!
I finally purchased my first loaf of chocolate bread since my relocation to Singapore - an ingenious creation. It appears the loaf has experienced negative growth vertically from what I last remember. Oh well, in the absence of real chocolate cake, this is the best alternative to random cravings.
My precioussss *drool*
I stumbled upon an old favourite song of mine by MIKA. With pianos, tap dancing tunes, rock guitars, amazing props, drums, a singer who's got an amazing vocal range, a bit of theatrical performance, and everyone enjoying themselves in the video - all squeezed into just a little over 3 minutes - it's definitely a catchy hit! (Is that dust on "Grace Kelly's" dress?!)
Mediocrity is a defeating attitude. It's like a dulling of the senses and thoughts. It stunts growth.
After 1.5 weeks of looking out of my window into the park just outside, I finally decided to explore it. It's a nice little niche hidden in a corner of a forest of residential apartments. Several large rain forest-type trees and shrubs surround a few low cost gym equipment meant mostly for elderly folk. I noticed the trees attract several types of birds during the day. I also found it amusing that one of the benches in the park was still in the home wi-fi range.
Cooking is an art. It requires certain skills like creativity, greediness and an overdeveloped sense of smell and taste. And like with most types of arts, it requires practice and patience to master it. I have been forced to rediscover my cooking abilities, out of lack of convenient and vegetarian food in the area. I am not even half the chef I'd like to be, but my food tastes (to me) better than anything I can find here usually. It's funny how I have happily shed bits and pieces of my culture over the years, yet remain strongly and increasingly attached to my traditional cuisine. I dream of the day that I have a kitchen to experiment with food to my heart's content!
*sob* I miss home
"Diary of a Wimpy Kid" (the movie) was BRILLIANT. I watched it twice. And I just learned there is also a second movie. Which rock was I living under while TWO of these movies came out??
I have an orange coloured neighbour next door. Her name's Ginger. She loves to visit us when the the door is open and get a 15-20 minute shower of attention by rolling on the floor and giving our jeans a layer of fur with all that rubbing.
The act is convincing, but I try not to fall for those big eyes asking for cat food at odd hours.
The other day, I visited the Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research for an arranged tour. Though the place is rather small for a natural museum, they have a pretty impressive exhibit of animal and plant specimens. I was told they have many more specimens locked in cupboards in labs due to the lack of space. The good news for these specimens is that in 2014, there will be a new Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, built next to the University Cultural Centre. The proposed multi-storey building will resemble a giant rock from the outside and will house, not one, but THREE dinosaur (diplodocid) exhibits!! That's pretty cool! Sources have also revealed that the dinos are already in Singapore, just waiting to be assembled when the new building is up! I can't wait to visit the new museum in 2014!
I love Adam Levine's voice (plus my favourite line in the song is "All those fairytales are full of shit"!).
My sister is a brilliant cook. Now our newly hired help also happens to be a great cook and she has brought her A-game into the kitchen. The result: divine food, cooked everyday on time between the two of them, without any hassle on my part. If laziness was a sin and there was a special hell for such people, I would be a guest of honour there.
More on our new member to the house... On the plus side, she is of a pleasant disposition, she works very well with minimal supervision and she seems genuinely happy with us than she was with her previous employers. On the down side, she can't stand seeing things of out place (she has to move these things to more suitable places which we don't often know about), she can't stand to have anyone refuse her food (for ANY reason, or she gets upset and irritated), she won't let us do any work in the kitchen (which is hard because we've been trained to do things on our own) and she wants what she wants right then and procrastinators are dealt with zero tolerance (she won't back down till we get that phone set up or call the grocery store for this or that right that minute).
Overall, we are glad and thankful she is here to make our lives easier. She's got three sons she misses dearly and she has lost many opportunities to watch them grow, get to know them and guide them. She's got an unfaithful husband, who she can't count on now or ever. She supports several family members besides her own children and in-laws. If she returns to her home country, the fate of herself and her family is bleak. Despite all that, she still manages a smile and works earnestly.
"Hello. My name is Shuri and I am an internet addict. I spend too many hours on the computer, often compromising on a healthy lifestyle, not communicating or spending time with family members and not having a variety of non-internet related hobbies. Today I am happy to say that I have realised this and will think of ways to fight this addiction. Thank you."
I have been OBSESSED with this song for three days now. In a moment of weakness, I attempted to download this song on to my phone from a legit YouTube phone application while at work. After exhausting ALL the 9MB of data left on my mobile internet package for the next three weeks, I got an error message to the effect "Unable to complete download. Only 9MB of 16MB has been transferred". Outcome: I had no song and no mobile internet for the next three weeks. Of course, I rushed home to download it through my home Wi-Fi connection and I have listened to it a 201 times since.
Sometimes, Shuri thinks life is too short to be too careful with what she says and does. Sometimes, it's OK to make a fool of oneself like dancing with sub-zero skills and laughing over it later. Sometimes, it's OK to give an honest but offensive opinion if there's a good message that's relayed. Sometimes, it's OK to tell people you love them and they won't feel uncomfortable or think you are mad. Sometimes, it's OK to trust new people if the first and second impressions are good. Sometimes, it's OK to swear and make a scene if the cause is worthy. Sometimes, it's OK to lean on someone for help. Sometimes it's OK to take a calculated risk and face whatever comes head-on.
Cruising along the waves of life, I am sailing on happy seas these days. Surrounded by good company, having all my needs looked after, having opportunities to make others happy, having yet another holiday (home) next month, having short-term objectives to work on and hearing good news from many close friends (jobs, weddings, babies, etc). Oh, and the radio seems to be playing more good music than not these days!
Maybe it's hit me that this feeling will pass and I'll have to leave all this behind soon to build a new life from scratch once again. So I'm subconsciously enjoying the moments, being more patient and I am thankful for all the good things I have.
I sought services of a cobbler today. Just how many people take their shoes to them these days? Or rather, can you even find cobblers on the roadsides now? This elderly person seemed quite comfortable in his seat on the floor, surrounded by all his tools and raw material. He even had two small suitcases next to him, I'm guessing to pack up his stuff and leave by night. He has been on that spot for as long as I can remember and is never short of customers. Maybe he likes a mobile, rent-free office space. He charged a fair fee and did a satisfactory job. Shouldn't one commend people like him who work hard and fairly to make a living?
The other day, I went to watch The Script - a three membered alternative Irish rock band - perform live in concert. I was standing waaaay at the back on a less concentrated spot. I had very little expectations for an outdoor performance after the last Usher concert I went to. But this turned out to be the best live performance I have ever been to. The music they make is AMAZING, the lyrics are absolutely heart warming (heart breaking?) and the lead singer's vocals are divine - this added to neat visual stage effects, totally won me over. It was not one of those concerts where the crowds danced like crazy. This was one where people sang along and swayed to the emotions the music triggered (ME included). A truly talented trio and I SOOO look forward to hearing more of them.
Oh my, feels like a lifetime ago since my last blog.
I have a long overdue post, which I shall not try to tackle today in order to be fair to it.
It's been a little over a week since I got back from my holiday. The revitalised feeling is gone. I have caught up with friends and family. Photos have been uploaded on social networking sites. Bags have been unpacked. Office work is up to date. The bad flu I brought back is gone. A few more things to get on track, but nearly there.
One more concert tomorrow and I need to take a much-needed break from social activities. I miss my weekends at home. But I must admit that these days I am overwhelmed by the love of family and so many great friends around me. That's what fuels my life force these days.
I just (semi-consciously) said 'Thank you' to a scavenger mouse for dropping me a piece of rare scrap metal on Mousehunt. A sign I need to go get some sleep!
Damn, got to LOVE this song. Can't get it out of my head, sounds awesome played loudly over the radio while on the roads (best enjoyed without the video).
The title of this blog, is to vent over the fact that I have an innate inability to say NO to people, especially in the cases where I have to make decisions on the spot, which lands me in all kinds of unnecessary trouble sometimes.
No, that title isn't necessarily a reflection of what I think of myself. It's just one of those nonsensical songs being played on radio these days (by a band called LMFAO), which latches parasitically onto recurring thought bubbles and go around your head in circles all day. Also, my sister has fits of giggles when she recalls the video, which is my opinion is just scandalous (too outrageous, that I refuse to post the video on my blog!). But on a different level of contemplation, it is good to see men getting out there and balancing out the playing field, which is currently dominated by women. Go EQUALITY!
Other other day, a high profile guy in the company retired. He must have been in his late fifties, very competent at his job, drove a freakingly expensive car, wealthy (in case the car didn't speak for itself) and a recent divorcee. In his leaving speech, he said didn't have any specific plans to start working right away. Instead, he said he is "going back to thongs" (in his own words), to live in his villa by the beach in Indonesia. Sounded to me like he got tired of all the complexities and sophistications of a metropolitan city and he longed to go back to a simpler life to gather himself.
My ideal retirement plan would be to live by the beach. I'm extremely happy when I'm by the sea; my ears filled with the sound of waves and my eyes filled with the views of the sea. That's when the thoughts in my head are the loudest. I can go for the occassional swim or dive to check out the marine life (and hopefully not be decapitated by a shark or stung by a ray). If I can retire before I become feeble and senile, I'd love to write.
I blog while I try to resist the urge to throw up some cheese macaroni I had. But let's rewind for a bit.
The day turned out okay. I managed to do a 15-minute workout in the gym this morning and burn 41 calories (no kidding! Anyway, calories are overated nowadays). It helps now that I have a sophisticated mp3 player. Usually I'd take my phone upstairs and use it like a player during workouts. But complicated as it was, it involved touching my phone too often with sweaty hands and probably depositing on it tonnes of germs left behind by other users of the gym machines. So now, it helps that the mp3 player plays on it's own, with minimal touching. I do have to sort the playlists though as it is a messy goo of songs now. Now, Mozart plays next to Adam Lambert plays next to Amaradeva (an old classical singer in my country that few people my age listen to!) plays next to Kill Switch plays next to Nicky Minaj.
The macaroni! So yeah, I had a huge craving for cheese macaroni and went on to make a pack of San Remo quick cooking macaroni. It said 3 servings, but really that's worse than a cheap marketing trick! It is seriously only one generous serving. Maybe I put in too much milk or it got cold too fast, I lost the enthusiasm after eating 3/4ths of it. Aaand that's how the first line of this blog came about.
I'm hooked on Mentalist , a TV series I scavenged from a generous pile of DVDs given away by a kind soul in office. Actually I snatched all of season 1 AND 2 as I was one of the first few lucky people (flies) to come across this pile of freebies (dung). Early birds get the juicy worms, they say. I finished season 1 and now I have all of season 2 to go! Got to love the main character, Patrick Jane. He has a knack for observing people and evidence and deducing what most detectives miss out during criminal investigations. It marries two of my favourites together - criminal cases and psychology - into a very entertaining series.
For anyone who's curious, here is a little dose of Patrick Jane!
Happy (would-have-been) 65th Birthday, Freddie Mercury! And Google, I must say, I'm impressed with the "doodles" you come up with.
“It's one of those songs which has such a fantasy feel about it. I think people should just listen to it, think about it, and then make up their own minds as to what it says to them. "Bohemian Rhapsody" didn't just come out of thin air. I did a bit of research although it was tongue-in-cheek and mock opera. Why not?”
- Freddie Mercury
The first time this song by Queen caught my ears, it went unnoticed.
Until, I watched the season finale of Glee Season 1. This song was performed in a musical by the group Vocal Adrenaline in the finals of a competition. It was a memorable performance, mostly, as this ran concurrently with flashes of scenes from the final episode, revolving around the main characters. Most notable was one scene where a female character screams away in labour pains, while coupled with the “Bismillah! NO! We will not let you go” part of the song. It sent shivers down my spine the first time I watched it!
I have since listened to the song probably a hundred times at least! This song definitely sits somewhere on my top 5 favourite songs of all time.
What is so special about this song? I think it is a bold experimentation and successful mash up of various (and highly specialised) musical styles. I have not come across a piece as diverse and entertaining as this in popular English music. Most speculate that this song has strong ties to Freddie Mercury's personal issues particularly his battle with AIDS. With this in mind, the song creates in my mind, varying emotional states, while taking one through (probably intended) feelings of sadness, regret, fear, anger and finally acceptance of the inevitable end. However, many decades later, this song is still open for speculation as Queen never really clarified it's lyrical significance or it's specific relation to Freddie Mercury.
This song is also a great example of how strongly music can influence with the way we think and feel.
A capella intro (0.00 – 0:49)
A curious invitation to “be open”, probably to prepare a listener to the rest of the song. At this point, the song makes little sense. Some might even be bored at first.
Ballad (0:49 – 2:36)
An emotional piece expressed in a duet between the piano and vocals. A sad account by the song writer crying out his sadness and regret to “his mother,” making it known that it is time to leave and that he is afraid.
Guitar solo (2:36 – 3:03)
A refreshing interlude.
Opera (3:03 – 4:07)
A rather odd addition to to the piece, it is an amusing play of seemingly nonsensical words. But it gradually builds up emotions (as if the person in reference gathers strength and courage, against the odds) towards the end of it. In how many other instances has anyone successfully made a smooth transition from opera to rock?!
Heavy metal (4:07 – 4:56)
This is my favourite part of the piece! It appears to release a lot of the anger and pain left in a man's soul. I'm no fan of heavy metal. But this part always gets me high, so much so that if I closed my eyes, I can very easily picture myself dressed up a rocker (black suit and lots of eye liner) jumping around and performing this bit on stage! Yeah....shocking (and fictional!).
Outro (4:56 – 5:55)
A soothing end, that seems to conclude with some sort of closure with acceptance of facts.
Queen is a band that has surpassed greatness and now remains on an immortal throne in the music world. This was a band that was not afraid to challenge conventional musical styles or venture out of their comfort zones. Few bands shared the same success that Queen did in their lifetime. If you need more evidence of this, look no further than video clips of past Queen concerts and the oceans of fans who surrounded them! That was the result when the musical genius of 4 great men - Freddie Mercury, Brain May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon - came together.
Expressing my thoughts by writing was not exactly new to me when I started my first proper blog. I always knew at the back of my head that writing my thoughts was much easier than speaking them out. Inside the world of Shu's head, everything is calm and quiet, except for her loud voice, chattering away nonstop. Writing gives the feeling that time slows down, so thoughts have time to analyse and re-organise themselves. There are no concerns when writing - no one to judge you while you write, no one to notice how you look like, no one to interupt your stream of thought, no one to offend you or no one waiting eagerly for a response - as a result, written expression comes out nearly as free and natural as they originate in the mind.
Writing this blog extended over 2 days due to distractions, so I lost the original train of thought and I was only able to manage that one paragraph.
But here is a rather catchy, nonsensical song playing on radio and in my head these days... nice idea for making bubbles (if it really works, that is)...
I managed to impress my dad today with my very organised filing habits, which I have got from him! He seemed thrilled (Oh Shu, we know how badly you crave his attention and approval).
I had one of those rare moments with my dad, going through ancient family photographs, which my mom has very thoughtfully sent through him. Photos remain one of the best forms of memories, and I'm a sucker for those. The changes to people/ places are so drastic over the years, it's amazing to see the contrasts. Some people in the photos are no more, others have grown and changed; photos have the power to take people back in time to specific time-frames in life.
On other news, I was publicly shamed/ blamed in an email chain to several people. Just because one person gave the incorrect information and some one else didnt bother to hear both sides of the story. No apologies received or records set right, sadly. And the whole thing began with me taking the initiative to do something out of my way, in hopes of helping makes things better for many people at work! *sigh* Seriously, Shu, just mind your own business, serves you right for being too enthusiastic about rendering services.
Funny, just this morning I read of a woman who was jailed for 30 days for "trying to steal another passenger's watch from the x-ray scanner at the airport". She claims she noticed the passenger before her forget it in the tray and she was on her way to return it when she was stopped by authorities and arrested for stealing it! So the paper advised people to be cautious when helping strangers (not kidding).
Going with down a flu bug.... bring it on little bug!
Been hanging out a alot with family, with the Dad's visit. I actually cooked today, after what seemed like ages, for the family. Drove them around and participated like part of a real family. Must say it's quite chaotic, rewarding as well as tiring.
Also some disturbing news. My Mom says the river beside our house has dried up, and is now with very little water. Hundreds of fish have surfaced and are fighting to survive on the last drops of water. This rare occurance has attracted a new type of predator: Man. They come from far and wide, on foot and in vehicles, with tools, to beat the fish to death and carry them victoriously back home to adorn their dinner plates and sizzle their taste buds. I am one to be deeply disturbed by something like this. For one thing, I could never bring myself to do it and my underlying assumption being that humans are not supposed to be vicious predators, when they are capable of independent thought and higher reasoning. These are not poverty-stricken people who would die if they didn't have this meal. What type of message do these parents want to send to their children, who watch their parents intently? But I suppose when opportunity presents itself, it's hard not to follow the herds. After all, one might argue, these fish are dying anyway, why not put them out of their misery sooner and enjoy a good meal out of it. And this is the somewhat the same thing fishermen do, i.e. hunt, so that we consumers can enjoy the same end result - the fish on the dinner plate. How is this that any different from hunting on your own? For a moment let's consider that these dying fish in the river were allowed to be. We can't save them all. They'd die eventually and the rotting carcasses will pollute the area, if the water level doesn't return to normal soon enough.
A good soundtrack from the recently released animated movie, Rio:
It's been a lovely first day of the weekend. No irritating mood swings. Slept well and woke up fresh without an alarm having to wake me up. Missed my class by waking up too late. Went to the gym upstairs for a 20 minute workout (yeah, that's about all I can manage yet without feeling dizzy!). Felt so proud of the little (adorable) bulge in my arms that I have developed from climbing walls and doing the occasional wall push-ups. Spent some time with the sister and nephew, this time actually listening to them and interacting willingly. She seemed happy to have someone listen to her thoughts. Don't we all need that sometimes! Did the laundry. Had a nice shower and sat down to enjoy a nice home-cooked lunch! Feels like I am suspended in a vaccum, with no strong forces to tip me off balance. I'm going to make the most of this, while it lasts!
I like watching Oprah's & Ellen's talk shows. Unfortunately, I don't have the means to watch them on a regular basis and so I watch clips on Youtube. Ellen's very funny, cheerful and the genuinely kind type, always a pleasure to watch. Oprah's show is very interesting, there's always something to take away from it, an alternative thinking process even or something that humbly brings you down to base. Sometimes the phrase "I love Oprah", is usually followed by raised eyebrows, similar to the expression you might get when you are at a book store looking through the self-help book section. Nothing wrong with watching inspirational shows or buying self-help books, we all look for explanations from time to time.
I would have liked to blog on more serious and thought provoking topics in this new blog. My blogs lately have been very superficial and not always written with much enthusiasm. But a blog is like a snapshot in time of the thought processes; embarassing, mundane or substance-less some of them may be, it shows a state of mind that existed and one which is undoubtedly my own.
On a separate note, WHY are Brussels sprouts so unpopular? I love them (steamed)!
Justin Timberlake - sexy, arrogant, neat dancer, show-off and makes moving music:
Disclaimer: The video is scandalous but but gotta admit this song played at ear shattering volumes while driving is quite thrilling.
Here's a woman who does not have to show extra bits of skin to grab attention and make headlines. What amazing talent. Sadly, she sounds shattered inside.
