I was listening to this on my phone today during a bus ride. Yes, I know an mp3 player would probably be a better bet, but I never got around to buying one since my Nokia music phone serves that need too. Anyway, I digress. I was listening to Carrie Underwood's Ever Ever After and for some very strange reason, it's always the drums that I listen out for just for this song. Now I'm not a drummer and for every other song I don't pay special attention to the drums. I have no idea why I do that when it comes to this song but I just love the drums here. So anyway, here's the music video for the song. Carrie Underwood sounds great as usual. I wasn't a great fan during her American Idol season. However, I now have to agree with Simon Cowell that she really does have a great recording voice. I never get tired of hearing her on this song. :)
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Arts Trail
Was thinking back on the arts stuff I've watched this year...
Designed for Living （生活与生存）during the Huayi festival
- lasted much longer than it should because of a technical failure in one of the scenes and the scene was repeated twice before the play moved on. At least drinks were on the house at the Esplanade because of that.
The Screwtape Letters
- interesting premise but overly long. Could have been cut for a tighter production. Still, a good maiden effort by the Parables Company.
The Importance of Being Earnest
- All male cast and it was just so much fun! Especially watching Ivan Heng as Lady Bracknell and having Gwendolen and Cecily played by men was hilarious. The pacing was brilliant and the scenes between Gwendolen and Cecily was done to perfection. Loved it! (Not sure what the controversy was over the all-male cast - this was the case in days gone by both in the West and the East!)
Much Ado About Nothing
- My favourite Shakespeare comedy. Was so glad that SRT decided to stage it in the great outdoors of Fort Canning this year. I love the little bits of business they put into it - some touches of physical comedy was done tastefully and very well indeed. Adrian Pang and Wendy Kweh were wonderful as Benedick and Beatrice, I thought. Wonderful chemistry. Only strange thing was Hero being too tall and statuesque. Still, loved it!
Electra
- Real eye-opener watching a Suzuki production in the flesh (rather than merely reading about it or watching anything similar on-screen). The mastery of the body and movements were awesome. We were wondering, however, at the sense of having bits of the dialogue in Korean and other bits in Japanese. That seemed a little jarring.
Li Yundi playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 (with the SSO)
- Enough has been said of the terrible performance. Very disappointing. I had to re-watch on youtube his performance of La Campanella to remind me of what the true Li Yundi is capable of. It was a massacre of my all-time favourite piano concerto. :( Hopefully Sarah Chang and Sumi Jo won't disappoint next year in the same way. Still considering if I should go for Gil Shaham's concert on my own since no one seems to want to go for that.
The Reduced Shakespeare Company
- Not as intellectual as I thought it would be, however a lot of good, brainless fun. Great pacing and comic timing.
So that it's for the year so far (from what I remember). Currently, I'm rather excited about watching the second run of The Crab Flower Club later this month and also going for the Sun Festival in October where Angela Gheorghiu will be performing. Was thrilled there's going to be a second run of The Crab Flower Club since I missed it the first time during the Arts Fest. Still considering about Victor/Victoria.
Regret missing The Peony Pavilion by the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theater of Jiangsu. Also regret missing If There're Seasons and The Village (during the Huayi fest). I need to get over this "not going for something because there is no one to go with" mentality I think, otherwise I just end up prcrastinating then regretting. Still, on the whole, I've managed to catch some rather worthy performances this year and, for that, I'm very glad!
Designed for Living （生活与生存）during the Huayi festival
- lasted much longer than it should because of a technical failure in one of the scenes and the scene was repeated twice before the play moved on. At least drinks were on the house at the Esplanade because of that.
The Screwtape Letters
- interesting premise but overly long. Could have been cut for a tighter production. Still, a good maiden effort by the Parables Company.
The Importance of Being Earnest
- All male cast and it was just so much fun! Especially watching Ivan Heng as Lady Bracknell and having Gwendolen and Cecily played by men was hilarious. The pacing was brilliant and the scenes between Gwendolen and Cecily was done to perfection. Loved it! (Not sure what the controversy was over the all-male cast - this was the case in days gone by both in the West and the East!)
Much Ado About Nothing
- My favourite Shakespeare comedy. Was so glad that SRT decided to stage it in the great outdoors of Fort Canning this year. I love the little bits of business they put into it - some touches of physical comedy was done tastefully and very well indeed. Adrian Pang and Wendy Kweh were wonderful as Benedick and Beatrice, I thought. Wonderful chemistry. Only strange thing was Hero being too tall and statuesque. Still, loved it!
Electra
- Real eye-opener watching a Suzuki production in the flesh (rather than merely reading about it or watching anything similar on-screen). The mastery of the body and movements were awesome. We were wondering, however, at the sense of having bits of the dialogue in Korean and other bits in Japanese. That seemed a little jarring.
Li Yundi playing Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No.1 (with the SSO)
- Enough has been said of the terrible performance. Very disappointing. I had to re-watch on youtube his performance of La Campanella to remind me of what the true Li Yundi is capable of. It was a massacre of my all-time favourite piano concerto. :( Hopefully Sarah Chang and Sumi Jo won't disappoint next year in the same way. Still considering if I should go for Gil Shaham's concert on my own since no one seems to want to go for that.
The Reduced Shakespeare Company
- Not as intellectual as I thought it would be, however a lot of good, brainless fun. Great pacing and comic timing.
So that it's for the year so far (from what I remember). Currently, I'm rather excited about watching the second run of The Crab Flower Club later this month and also going for the Sun Festival in October where Angela Gheorghiu will be performing. Was thrilled there's going to be a second run of The Crab Flower Club since I missed it the first time during the Arts Fest. Still considering about Victor/Victoria.
Regret missing The Peony Pavilion by the Suzhou Kunqu Opera Theater of Jiangsu. Also regret missing If There're Seasons and The Village (during the Huayi fest). I need to get over this "not going for something because there is no one to go with" mentality I think, otherwise I just end up prcrastinating then regretting. Still, on the whole, I've managed to catch some rather worthy performances this year and, for that, I'm very glad!
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Retirements
As a sports fan (albeit not as rabid now as in the past), this year is a landmark year. Paolo Maldini finally retired and Marat Safin will retire at the end of this season. Sports won't be the same for me ever again. I'm not often reminded of the passage of time until my sporting idols retire then I am reminded very sharply once again. Felt the same way when Goran Ivanisevic retired too.
Maldini has had a long and spectacular career and he will be missed. As for Safin...I just feel it's amazing how ridiculously talented he is at tennis - and it's sad how he never reached the heights he is capable of for some reason. That said, his inimitable candour and wit will be sorely missed by me too.
Maldini has had a long and spectacular career and he will be missed. As for Safin...I just feel it's amazing how ridiculously talented he is at tennis - and it's sad how he never reached the heights he is capable of for some reason. That said, his inimitable candour and wit will be sorely missed by me too.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Rational and emotional
Was out with a couple of girlfriends yesterday and as usual, when girls get together, the girly talk all started...and naturally turned to love and romance (or the lack of it! :D )
Anyway, midway through, one of my friends asked me "Are you really so rational over relationships?"
I had to think about that for a bit. Generally, I'd say I'm not IRRATIONAL, in fact sometimes overly rational for my own good...yet...
Then it hit me. And I realised that yes I AM rational (most of the time anyway) but I'm also very emotional.
So that accounts for the angst and/or euphoria I may feel - but these emotions don't prevent me from taking the logical step most of the time. Even if the logical step "kills" me emotionally and I feel like my heart has been ripped out.
What I do find is that emotion and rationality are not opposites. People usually confuse the former with being irrational -- irrational being the true opposite of rational. It is when emotion clouds judgment that one becomes irrational. That said, there are rare moments when I have told my friends (and they agree) that I was being irrational over another person. Yet I have generally never BEHAVED in an irrational fashion in my treatment of the relationship (unrequited or otherwise), I just FEEL irrational -- which can be ever so much more annoying sometimes since I can't bring myself to give vent to that feeling in action.
Anyway, midway through, one of my friends asked me "Are you really so rational over relationships?"
I had to think about that for a bit. Generally, I'd say I'm not IRRATIONAL, in fact sometimes overly rational for my own good...yet...
Then it hit me. And I realised that yes I AM rational (most of the time anyway) but I'm also very emotional.
So that accounts for the angst and/or euphoria I may feel - but these emotions don't prevent me from taking the logical step most of the time. Even if the logical step "kills" me emotionally and I feel like my heart has been ripped out.
What I do find is that emotion and rationality are not opposites. People usually confuse the former with being irrational -- irrational being the true opposite of rational. It is when emotion clouds judgment that one becomes irrational. That said, there are rare moments when I have told my friends (and they agree) that I was being irrational over another person. Yet I have generally never BEHAVED in an irrational fashion in my treatment of the relationship (unrequited or otherwise), I just FEEL irrational -- which can be ever so much more annoying sometimes since I can't bring myself to give vent to that feeling in action.
Tuesday, April 07, 2009
Hidamari no Uta
Was reading a friend's blog and by chance noticed Hidamari no Uta by Le Couple on the player that is on the blog. Think that is one of my favourite song of all time - not least because I really liked the serial where this song featured and I really liked Masaya (played by Fukuyama Masaharu). (As an aside, I recently watched Fukuyama Masaharu again in the Galileo series and just watched Galileo Episode Zero 2 weeks ago and Galileo: Suspect X a few weeks back - and he has really aged well!).
Anyway, here's the song, for those who have never heard it before. I lent my Le Couple CD some years back to someone ( I can't remember who) and never got it back. Sigh.
Anyway, here's the song, for those who have never heard it before. I lent my Le Couple CD some years back to someone ( I can't remember who) and never got it back. Sigh.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
The Day of Small Annoyances
This has really been a day of small annoyances. It's not like there was anything major - just that the sum of tiny, niggling annoying things that happened makes the day a rather miserable one.
Perhaps I should be thankful anyway. Better small annoyances than big headaches or heartaches.
Perhaps I should be thankful anyway. Better small annoyances than big headaches or heartaches.
Thursday, March 12, 2009
A Levels
Swamped with work - and now marking, so haven't posted much.
For those of you who have asked after how the A level results went...well, I have mixed feelings. Happy for those who did well, wondering if I could have done more for some others (there are a few whom I think not, actually).
I'm unequivocally happy for my form class however. They managed to pull through in the end and should all be good for a place in the university. Something I'm devoutly thankful for considering the bad shape they were in when they first came into JC. Very proud of them. I think it's nothing short of a miracle and I thank God for this.
For those of you who have asked after how the A level results went...well, I have mixed feelings. Happy for those who did well, wondering if I could have done more for some others (there are a few whom I think not, actually).
I'm unequivocally happy for my form class however. They managed to pull through in the end and should all be good for a place in the university. Something I'm devoutly thankful for considering the bad shape they were in when they first came into JC. Very proud of them. I think it's nothing short of a miracle and I thank God for this.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
