His favourite author was Edgar Allan Poe

Hope you've had a happy, ghastly halloween.


May your ghastly imagination never die!

I sold flowers; I didn't sell myself.

'I know your head aches, I know you're tired, I know your nerves are as raw as meat in a butcher's window. But think what you're trying to accomplish. Think what you're dealing with. The majesty and grandeur of the English language, it's the greatest possession we have. The noblest thoughts that ever flowed through the hearts of men are contained in its extraordinary, imaginative, and musical mixtures of sounds. And that's what you've set yourself out to conquer Eliza. And conquer it you will.'

Professor Henry Higgins
in My Fair Lady
Played by Rex Harrison

I watched this three-hour musical again after doing an extract from Pygmalion (Bernard Shaw, 1939) during Literature enrichment a couple of days back. It must prove to be somehow useful for ELL... I hope. No matter, we all need our breaks, don't we? After all, it was Eliza Doolittle who first declared that she 'could have danced all night'!

(then again, she also said 'Come on, Dover, move yer bloomin' arse!' This could be a nudge from the Great Audrey herself for me to start mugging. Intensely.)


Ippudo yesterday with obscene gang was delish :) And also the record-spam, where Clare and I chanced upon a Fleet Foxes EP for only a tenner! It was rather exhilarating. So ends my 3am rant.

Goodnight everyone, continue to study hard!

Origins of the word 'lepak'

This is the exact conversation I had with Clare via text

S: K I'll see you then ~
C: hahaha ~ has a major lepak vibe
S: Lol. I ~ed all day
C: haha! omg. Same here :) Screw studying
S: ~ will become the new sign for lepaking. When we wanna saw lepak, we must trace it in the air.
C: Hahaha! We're too cool for school ~ Even highlighting books is tiring to me wtf
S: Haha I am so writing our conversation down.
C: SUA~

Slacker's jargon. I kid you not.

:)

On 1950s' ladies swimsuits

'Some things are better left to the imagination.'

Bill Compton
played by Stephen Moyer
in True Blood

Let's be freaks!

I know I look quite like a boy here, but I like this picture cause it showcases our brilliant new drums and the lads look rather cool... not too shabby, not too shabby.

Electric Prunes, Juicebox, or Plaidtribe... I'm glad I have such band mates with absolutely wicked skills. Though we were self-taught, I feel immensely proud when ever we manage to pull off a jazz piece or do a neat jamming set.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, playing with you guys is something I enjoy and look forward to everytime. Till after As :D

maybe i’ll paint them in myself

The greatest thing about this is that it's beautifully imperfect... the rushed drumming, the voice-breaks and the missing notes. I love kick-ass female drummers. This puts her right up there with the likes of Meg White, Rachel Blumberg and Elaine Bradley (the White Stripes, The Decemberists and Neon Trees, respectively)

More so, I love kickass-couples who write eclectic lyrics and dance-punk tunes :)

Fast taking-over Ben Gibbard and Zooey Deschanel pairing.

The throes of oversharing

I've had waaay too many oversharing, word-vomit moments the past few day, resulting in a) extremely awkward situations, b) heaving laughter or c) stunned silence. To my tag team member: 'burning sensations ~~~'

It's alarming how I'm so calm, despite As being in a couple of weeks. Today I spent the whole day filing. FILING. I kid you not. Why would any imbecile only start filing now, you might ask... well, procrastination is an art my friends. (But then again, so is stupidity)

Can't wait for Friday when I can finally unwind a little bit and jamming on Saturday :) These are the little things we're allowed to look forward to, right?

She had a voice that made you listen

You can say that again.

Someone should really print this on a shirt

Live. That is All.

'Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about.'

Oscar Wilde

It's been quite a journey, but we finally graduated from the hell that is JC (only a place like Singapore could have so ghastly an educational institution as such) last friday. I'd like to say that I experienced overwhelming waves of nostalgia and sadness. I, infact, did not. But that's probably because we're going to see each other many times before the As.

I know I've never really taken school as seriously as most people have, being apparent bad influences on people like Tiara and Dayna, and getting into trouble from skipping ELL lectures with Amy/not doing literature essays/talking during math class and getting mine or other people's phones confisicated. I surprise myself by saying I'm gonna miss school, not for its bland and mindless work, but for the friends.

Getting help from a bunch of pictures, I will attempt to list my gratitudes :)

Mother Theresa always manages to keep me (and the rest of us) and my feet on the ground in school... kinda like a pull down to reality. Not to say we didn't have our fun... Badass memories of ms. Chua hauling her out of class and whatnot. And the endless doodles. Love you so much Tiara! You are so talented! We're so not cut-out for this kinda education path. Overseas, and beyond!

I swear these two just look more and more like each other everyday. I'm really glad to know these jokers tho. Even if Simlin is perpetually having blonde moments and yiwen is forever pinching her cheeks. YW: first friend in JC! It's so incredible. And how we all thought Simlin was just another groupie from the Kranji Gang'. ha! Thanks for all fun CSE times and being part of Satays :)

Moose! I don't know why you're so crazy like that. But we all like your weirdness... I think. Class would be boring without you! From singing old cartoon theme songs to having scary hunger pangs for teppanyaki (and creating world record times for TP macs-dash), it's been fun. Fangs or no fangs. >< I really don't know how we ended up sitting together dhaliwal, but it's been a real laugh. Although you torture me with your 'witty' jabber and get me into trouble during math class. Exasperating. Not forgetting you haven't properly apologised. TSK. You owe me a rap battle *rawr! See you around, ki :)

ten years and counting! Once a brownie, always a brownie (oh snap, racist joke!). I don't think I could find a longer-lasting or more fantastic friend than you. I know we are old souls, but seriously mate, get an ipod. Or an mp3 at least. Not the discman.

Anyway, we're probably gonna be going to the same U. That's another four years together dude! Can't wait for epic times :D

Amethyst, you can't imagine what a friend you've been to me. You'd think if two people had to spend as much time together as two of us have, we'd be lashing out at each other's throats. But with amy, that's impossible, cause she has the biggest heart in the world (cue: awwww...) I'm going to miss the endless bowls of YTF and watermelon slices every break we had. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you, probably hang out with Kangwei all the time, in that case I would be sleeping in the library and not eating at all. I digress.

Just want to say I love you a whole lot and wish you the best of luck in everything!

Sigh what would I do without my first tag-team mate? (alot of things. Hell yeah, I just ripped off your witty joke!) I know you have...

a) great organisational skills i.e. USs, Timbre
b) hands to prop my head up when it starts to slump during 'intense' study sessions
c) a wit that is ALMOST or EQUAL to mine.

I also know that the past six months without all the going out and spending too much money would have been incredibly boring. To list them all out would have been impossible. But just know that I love you sista' (haha!) and all the humour you've brought along with you. Like 'Soo-ie!' and 'nabeiyi'. See you, probably, seven times next week :D

Thanks to ms. Teo for being such a great home tutor. The best one we had, actually (undertones, anyone?) And srsly, thanks for giving me the camera token for being the worst class photographer in the the history of the world.

To Suat and Kai: Hello cube sisters/queen! We've got to go out soon. Island Creamery to snag stickers, watch a movie, go shopping! Suat, you owe me one for being such a terrible Chinese tutor. Heh. I kid. Thanks guys, for everything and making 2T07 less dreary and more fun.




I love this, IDK why we are so badass. 'Cept for manda, she just looks like a hippie-gone-wrong (worse, it was my idea... ha!) Anyway, love you guys for everything!

Tag team!
Vag face/clare: Sorry for being such a nerd in secondary school and not hanging out more with you then (you are effy and I am pandora! Skins reference!). I'm so glad we got to know each other so much better the past 2-3 years. Love you alot, more sleepovers to come!

Jac(k) and Jill: just had to put you two together for the phonetic effect. Thanks for making tag team outings more fun. Hopefully we'll be seeing you guys in HK, or some other exotic place soon! :)
See you guys at the Obscene Olympics!



Anyway, CJC journey has been epic. Let's defeat the As together guys! :D

Sometimes, I am just too sentimental. Goodnight, all!

Vitality

So your father told you once
That you were his princess
You won't see the castle
You cannot find your prince

And now you've grown a lot
And your dress don't fit right
Your daddy's not a hero
He stole your chariot

So here you are in pieces
Trying to prove to us it's real
The softness of your smile
And the lies you want to feel

The scales beneath your skin
Are showing off today
There's evil in your heart
And it wants out to play

There's evil in your heart
And it wants out to play
There's evil in your heart
And I made a home here

For me.
You'll burn it down with your fantasy.

After five years, still haven't gotten enough of them.

Follow Hayley's new blog here

Sometimes you can still hear the ringing

I've been reading my The Clash Biography the past few days (the original price sticker said 45 quid, but I bought it for twenty bucks at a booksale) and this pretty much sums up their music. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones wrote some pretty controversial punk music in the 1970s, along with the the Ramones, the Smiths and the Buzzcocks. How I would love to alive half a decade ago and go for non-commercialized gigs which didn't blow a hole in your pocket. Where you could still smell the sweat.

The era of the Runaways, Velvet Underground and Patti Smith!

Anyway, this whole spiel on 1960s/70s music comes from what happened earlier today, when I was cabbing home from a 'study' sleepover with tag team Dayna and Clare. I was obviously half-dead from 'studying' all night and looking like death in my crumpled Rolling Stones magazine shirt (which sported a mean shot of the Eagles), and thinking about how my mouth tasted like a skunk had crawled innit and died when the raw power of Iggy Pop started to blast through my cabbie's stereo.

Pretty epic.

So anyway he was pretty impressed with my shirt and I checked out his dashboard decals. There were magazine cut-outs and old album covers all over the place. And we had a rather heated debate about whether the Clash or the Sex Pistols were better (as a devoted Clash fan, I gave it my all, but the Pistols have Sid Vicious. No fight there. After all, they were the ones who started the whole scene...) and other stuff which lasted the time it takes to get from Thompson to Bedok.

Turns out I was short of two bucks, which he waived off. And even gave me a Rolling Stones b-side!

I'm just really glad that even in Singapore, there are still people who are big fans of the 60s punk scene and are willing to fork out moolah to get original records instead of bootlegs. It really made my day :)

So I declare this week UK PUNK MUSIC week. Will stop myself from raving on about bands that have widely faded in the memory of people today and fall asleep to the riffs on Honky Tonk Women (thank you cabbie!)


I end abruptly here.


Now you can see why I don't study much at all

A fender dealership

Standard US Fender Stratocaster

Excellent condition, with modified Fender Atomic Humbuckers.

Please text, tweet or leave a comment if interested :)

On absolutely nonsensical cliches

I have just got to say this...

11:11 doesn't exist.

*gasp!

'Skeptic!'
'Dream-shatterer!'
'Next thing you're gonna say is Taylor Swift sucks!' (well...)



Maybe it's just pms, or the daily influx of the same tweets on making wishes. Like please, grow a pair. I mean, c'mon, once a year, that's fine. But everyday, kinda takes the excitement of things right?

Definitely the PMS.

I love the way you say good morning

If you were falling, then I would catch you
You need a light, I'd find a match

Cause I love the way you say good morning
And you take me the way I am

If you are chilly, here take my sweater
Your head is aching, I'll make it better

Cause I love the way you call me baby
And you take me the way I am

I'd buy you Rogaine when you start losing all your hair
Sew on patches to all you tear

Cause I love you more than I could ever promise
And you take me the way I am
You take me the way I am
You take me the way I am

The rap part is kinda corny(still cute!), but I loved the original in the second half. Inspiring! The likes of Feist, KT Tunstall and a Fine Frenzy all rolled into one.

La dolce vita

I never stop dreaming that in the near future, I can indulge in a Parisian breakfast of hot rolls and salad as and when I like... in the mismatched socks, leather penny loafers and the navy blue panama :)

Watching french movies make me sad that I'm stuck in a country without wine-and-cheese culture. I guess I don't need to elaborate on the education system (sticks out tongue)


Yesterday tag-team clare and dayna stayed over and I'm still recovering from lack of sleep. Time to hit the books! urgh.

Poetry at its simplest

The Orange
by Wendy Cope

At lunchtime I brought a huge orange
The size of it made us all laugh
I peeled it and shared it with Robert and Dave
They got quarters and I had a half

And that orange it made me so happy
As ordinary things often do
Just lately. The shopping. A walk in the park
This is peace and contentment. It's new

The rest of the days were quite easy
I did all my jobs on my list
And enjoyed them and had some time over.
I love you. I'm glad I exist.

The English Way

1. My Yard - Jamie Cullum
2. Help! - the Beatles
3. You Made your Bed - You Me at Six
4. Lost in the Supermarket - The Clash
5.Tired of England - Dirty Pretty Things
5. Orange - the Filthy Youth
6. Alice Quays - Jamie T
7. A Well Respected Man - the Kinks
8. Great DJ - the Ting Tings
9. I Found Out - the Pigeon Detectives
10. Little Miss Pipedream - the Wombats
11. Moth Wings - Passion Pit
12. Bomb - New Young Pony Club
13. Girlfriend in a Coma - the Smiths
14. Don't Upset the Rhythm - the Noisettes
15. The Boy with the Arab Strap - Belle and Sebastian
16. Five Years Time - Noah & the Whale
17. Crying Lightning - Arctic Monkeys
18. What became of the Likely Lads - the Libertines

This is why UK > USA.

but for now we are young

Universal Studios! Last Sunday.

One of the last fun times before A-levels! Didn't expect much ('cause you know, it was SINGAPORE) but it was beyond awesome. Somehow we all managed to act like little kids and were obligatory ooh-ed and aah-ed at everything, from doppelganger charlie chaplin to massive pizzas. These are the good times.


Love this picture, aw clarebear!




So bonnie and clyde.




This is like at the beginning of every disney movie where it starts with the castle!



Smile :)

stupid dayna, seriously!


'Whassup xxxxx!'
36 more days to ELL paper 1!

With the pure intention of buckling down to business and doing some serious mugging, dayna and I (tag-team us) decided to stay at home and study instead of going for useless school. Thank god for mothers/fathers who see the light and so graciously write illustrious letters to fussy PE teachers and what not.

Ms Teo's email to the whole class tho, intimidates me to no end.