Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Looking back at 2008... (Part II)



I first heard this song last year, and I featured it in one of my "Looking back at 2007..." posts. But when I heard it again just now, I still find it very relevant to me even after one year. So here you go:

不变的感情

在这个世界里生存着的意义是什么
相遇 分离 喜悦 悲伤 在不断地重复上演
想着不是独自一人 却又感到孤独
就想日夜交替一样 不断迷茫
现在还不能够完全理解
因为我们不是大人 YEAH
但是我们也没有打算要放弃梦想

如果你在我面前哭了
我只想陪在你的身边
不变的事情 即使都没有了
不变的感情 也不想失去
LOVE 从心里溢出
LOVE 向你起誓

凝视那流动的云 感觉豁然开朗
丢掉那令讨厌的自己 重新起跑出发

如果你在我面前笑了
我只想拥抱你
这份珍贵的回忆
这份珍贵的感情
都不想失去
不管未来如何

LOVE 从心中溢出
LOVE 向你起誓
LOVE 从心中溢出
LOVE 向你起誓


翻译:炎鸟字幕组

Even though I'm a year older now... Gosh. Time flies, doesn't it?

Happy new year, people (:

Looking back at 2008... (Part I)

Yep. 3rd installment X) I kinda read the other 2 again before starting on this one, and I'm quite surprised my life revolves around the same few things even though the specific events and people do change~ Ah well.

PAE: NYJC 08

Because my prelim results last year were not very fantastic, and I couldn't get into any of the JCs that I've been eyeing, I went to the one nearest to my house and where quite a number of the Cedarians I know also went to-- NYJC.

Since I was the only arts student in my OG, I hung out alot with the AEP people instead. They're cool, serious about their art, but still have fun nevertheless~ I really, really miss being together with that crazy bunch of people lahh. Skipping maths tutorial as an entire seminar group (meaning the teachers umm, had about 2 extra free periods that day, I think) to go slack in the library makes a very memorable last day there (: I'm very glad I got to know them, before a few of us eventually left NY for other JCs...

Ohoh~ And for the first time in my life, I had to dance mass dance with a guy partner~! Sorry lah, but for the past 4 years, I haven't really been mixing with guys, and suddenly I have to dance this complicated waltz with one (T.T) Fortunately, he's quite tall, and so I can't see his eyes when we try to dance~ If not ah... I think I'll just die from embarrassment~ I'm pretty convinced I have 2 left feet lah, not suitable for dancing at all~ But thank goodness he can, so all I need to do is follow. Ph-ew~ Till now, I still think NY's "trad dance" is the nicest dance so far ((:

NY was generally a nice, homely JC that I managed to make new friends and have fun at. Unforgettable place (: BUT, when I got back my O level results (which were thankfully better than my prelims one), I decided I should get a change of environment and go elsewhere...

JAE and beyond: ACJC

The first few months were difficult. Freakin' hard to adjust. Absolutely horrendous.

Thankfully, I had help and support from a lot of people:

Band peeps-- my section and my batch mates were the first ones I really developed a bond with in my then-alien college. Maybe 'cos band takes up so much of my time >.< I had the J2s Edwin, Sheree and Shaheera to rely on for advice and support, plus many of my batch mates who went through everything with me~

Because we had a change in conductor during my sec 2 year, everything was quite chaotic as the new conductors were very different from our old one, and so my poor batch had no concert at all despite going through 2 SYFs =\ And therefore, Muse was my 1st ever concert! Haha, fun lah.

And then we went to Switzerland/Austria! The trip was the highlight of the year for me, and I loved it~ The wonderful sights/scenery, the weather, the food, the people etc. Simply unforgettable~ <3

MEPers!! It sucks having a timetable that's different from everyone elses' in the class, but luckily for me, my fellow MEPers rock!! X) 'Nuff said~

1AA1 and PW-- I admit I'm not as close to my class as I should be =\ See if I can do anything to salvage the situation next year... And PW~ I hope that whatever damage it has done, we can put that aside and start all over again in the new year. Yep.

That's nearly all for school stuff~

I got a new Macbook recently and unfortunately, I'm still a bit baffled by how it works (T.T) Hopefully I can figure it out soon~ haha

I made lots of new friends, but I also lost old ones. I... tried to stay close, but many just drifted off. It's like, we're no longer on the same frequency anymore~ It's upsetting and frustrating, but the only comfort is that our friendship isn't totally over yet... That's enough hope for me to cling on to (:

And lastly, something that I won't touch in detail here... I always end up thanking alot of people in this post, but this year, I think I need to say an extra HUGH 'thank you' to the guy who's more-or-less always been there for me~ I really think I won't make it to the end in one neat piece if not for you...


Annddd, that's the end of my yearly report! (: Sorry for being so anti-climax haha~ Can't help it X)

Green tea ice cream!


And my sister's legs X)

It's too hot a day to be walking around comfortably >.<

Colourful


Walking, walking~

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Sandstorm! Attack of the coconut tree!


I'm actually at changi beach X)

Monday, December 29, 2008

Random grammar

What is the difference between in time and on time?

Do you say:
a) "Hope my Christmas card reached you in time"
b) "Hope my Christmas card reached you on time"

Thought you knew? X) Find out here.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Aria

I happened to hear a not-quite-impressive rendition of Nessun Dorma on TV just now~ It somehow made me want to listen to Jessye Norman's When I am Laid in Earth (by Purcell). Thought I'd just share, since hers left a haunting impression. She is singing as Queen Dido, who, after rejecting Aeneas for having once thought of leaving her, forces him to leave, and dies.

When I am laid, am laid in earth, May my wrongs create
No trouble, no trouble in thy breast;

Remember me, remember me, but ah! forget my fate.

Remember me, but ah! forget my fate


Then I thought I should listen to Nessun Dorma properly for once. And the very first video that turned up was Paul Potts' audition for Britain's Got Talent 2007:



W-o-w. So maybe it does sound the best when it is sung~ Wikipedia!!

Nessun dorma (English: None shall sleep tonight)[1] is an aria from the final act of Giacomo Puccini's opera Turandot,[2] and is one of the best-known tenor arias in all opera. It is sung by Calaf, il principe ignoto (the unknown prince), who falls in love at first sight with the beautiful but cold Princess Turandot. However, any man who wishes to wed Turandot must first answer her three riddles. If he fails, he will be beheaded.

In the act before this aria, Calaf has correctly answered the three riddles put to all of Princess Turandot's prospective suitors. Nevertheless, she recoils at the thought of marriage to him. Calaf offers her another chance by challenging her to guess his name by dawn. (As he kneels before her, the Nessun dorma theme makes a first appearance, to his words, "Il mio nome non sai!") If she does so, she can execute him; but if she does not, she must marry him. The cruel and emotionally cold princess then decrees that none of her subjects is to sleep that night until his name is discovered. If they fail, all will be killed.

As the final act opens, it is now night. Calaf is alone in the moonlit palace gardens. In the distance, he hears Turandot's heralds proclaiming her command. His aria begins with an echo of their cry and a reflection on Princess Turandot:

"Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma! Tu pure, o Principessa, nella tua fredda stanza, guardi le stelle che tremano d'amore, e di speranza!"
(English translation: "None shall sleep! None shall sleep! Even you, O Princess, in your cold bedroom, watch the stars that tremble with love and with hope!")

"Ma il mio mistero è chiuso in me; il nome mio nessun saprà! No, No! Sulla tua bocca lo dirò quando la luce splenderà!"
("But my secret is hidden within me; none will know my name! No, no! On your mouth I will say it when the light shines!")

"Ed il mio bacio scioglierà il silenzio che ti fa mia!"
("And my kiss will dissolve the silence that makes you mine!")

Just before the climactic end of the aria, a chorus of women is heard singing in the distance:

"Il nome suo nessun saprà... E noi dovrem, ahimè, morir, morir!"
("No one will know his name... and we will have to, alas, die, die!")

Calaf, now certain of victory, sings:

"Dilegua, o notte! Tramontate, stelle! Tramontate, stelle! All'alba vincerò! Vincerò! Vincerò!
("Vanish, o night! Set, stars! Set, stars! At daybreak I shall win! I shall win! I shall win!")


Pavarotti's redition, the more dramatic one in 1994:



And less so, but uhh.. Darker? I'm not sure~ In 1998:



(:

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas!!



Thanks for the cards and presents!
Hope you enjoyed your C
hristmas (:

I think I ate too much at the party just now... :x

Christmas Eve



Pretty lights along Orchard ((:

Christmas tree spottings #23 and #24



At AMK Hub...



At Raffles City before the SWS concert (:

There was one at VCH, but my photo somehow turned out pitch black ):

So that's 24 trees for you this Christmas~!

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Band Fest

Travelling halfway across the island is tiring~ >.<

Waking up at 6am every day is unthinkable (T.T)

Monday, December 15, 2008

Nice and windy


Doing my vocab booklet (finally) at an empty bbq pit near where I stay~

Perfect weather for doing this~ Hope it doesn't rain!

Sunday, December 14, 2008

2nd game


I LOST?! (3rd row results)

Results 2nd time round are exact opposite of the 1st game X)

Ah well, it was fun ((:

1st game


I WIN!!? (2nd row results)

Beginner's luck lah~ My first time bowling (^^)v

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Shopping!

Went shopping with my mother today at PS and saw a lot of familiar faces X)
Bought 2 tops (^^)v

OHYEAH~ I saw this really pretty grey jacket/ in... Dorothy Perkins, I think, with a matching cool price of $46 (T.T)

And my mother didn't even look at it properly when I pulled her over, saying that if it snows in Singapore suddenly, I'll be able to survive by wearing all my jackets one over the other... *Pout*


*SIGH*

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Batam photos! + Christmas tree spottings #20-22

If you feel like reading my comments, click bottom right corner for fullscreen and then "Show info" (but then the photos get very pixelated). Up to you~ Enjoy!



I gotta say the best thing that happened was me getting to eat A&W's ice cream waffle and the root beer float again~ Brought back memories of me maybe more than 10 years ago (I suddenly feel quite old >.<) I swear they still taste as good as ever :) Other than that, bad traffic, bad service, and so on, nothing memorable, I guess...

More photos found on cousin Yuting's blog (8th December entry)~ With me actually inside some of the photos X)

Monday, December 08, 2008

BACK HOME

I won't be going to Batam for quite a while after this 'holiday'...


I actually missed Singapore~ And I didn't sleep well yesterday night there >.<

I MIGHT upload the crappy shots I took, if I find my data cable and my phone cooperates (--)'''

Next time, maybe~ Too tired now... Sleeptime!!

Sunday, December 07, 2008

Not sinking?!


Cool~ On the ferry on the way to Batam (:

Saturday, December 06, 2008

Holiday

I'm off to Batam tomorrow!

Not particularly excited, but oh well...

Wish I was going to Switzerland/Austria again instead ):

Christmas tree spottings #7-19


In front of Esplanade X)

Why 13 though?

Friday, December 05, 2008

Zzzz

This is so frustratinggg >.<


I want to tell them, but 
I don't know how, 
and I don't have the guts to do so anyway 
'cos I am scared of what they'll do...



Good grief~

Christmas tree spotting #6


At Toa Payoh interchange (:

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

Turning 17

Meowww meowwwwwww~


That's cat-talk for 'Happy Birthday'

(:

Hope you like the cat!

Monday, December 01, 2008

Christmas tree spotting #5


Ribbon christmas tree?!

On the way to school~