Initially i opened this window to blog about Phantom of the Opera in all its fantastic genius, but thinking about it inevitably leads to thoughts of band, and the recent band chalet.
I was chatting with yongkiat on msn, and we were discussing life. We sort of came to the conclusion that there wasn't really much point living very long, because who'd want to live to a point where everyone you knew and cared for was dead and gone? Personally, i wouldn't. it would be a very sad, very lonely life. I think if given a choice i'd rather just live as long as my spouse. I don't know. Quote a line from the musical Les miserables: "to love another is to see the face of God" (Jean Valjean finale) Well, God is love.
Weird thoughts right. Must be the fatigue. Bleah.
JC life is so fun - why must it go past so quickly!? Half gone already.
Sometimes i wish i could just freeze time like this, at this instant - the JC Hols.
I'm rambling.

k, to all:
Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with meaning.
JX - 11.13pm 12/31/2004

Just got back frm band camp. Maybe i shldnt have gone - some things happened that made me feel quite uncomfortable. Maybe i'd be better off if i didn't know those things happened.
Feeling a tad confused right now, what on earth is going on? I have really no idea.
Tired. Slept like 2-3 hours last night, spent the rest of it stoning and talking with friends.
Gonna collapse into bed now, maybe i'll update more in detail when im not feeling the fatigue so much. Hope all you guys have a restful holiday tomorrow (HAPPY NEW YR IN ADVANCE) and have a great headstart at a fresh new year of academia and a whole new level of meaning - the A lvls.
Cya'll.

Woke up this morning to see this on msn, it really made my day:

-= ¤SqUa_L¤ =-<~SuP~> - dOOfUS³ - says:
i so happened to speak to miss Ng and we came to a conclusion that if the NEW future FAW is to come alive again and wishes to perform with them next year we can...
they have an upcoming concert.. so yea.. just to let you know.. i havent spoken to Jon about yet though..
Ng also said that she can give us the whole saturday for the NEW...FAW... yep .. just to let you know..=)
have a nice day
Bye

YEAH!!!

Pilfered from Huiying's blog (Hope you dont mind, even if you do too bad =P )
Phantom of the Opera is the work of a genius - by the name of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Sarah Brightman sucks.
Ok, enjoy!!!

RAOUL
No more talk
of darkness,
Forget these
wide-eyed fears.
I'm here,
nothing can harm you -
my words will
warm and calm you.
Let me be
your freedom,
let daylight
dry -your tears.
I'm here,
with you, beside you,
to guard you
and to guide you . . .

CHRISTINE
Say you love me
every
waking moment,
turn my head
with talk of summertime . . .
Say you need me
with you,
now and always . . .
promise me that all
you say is true -
that's all I ask
of you . . .

RAOUL
Let me be
your shelter,
let me
be your light.
You're safe:
No-one will find you
your fears are
far behind you . . .

CHRISTINE
All I want
is freedom,
a world with
no more night . . .
and you
always beside me
to hold me
and to hide me . . .

RAOUL
Then say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
Iet me lead you
from your solitude . . .
Say you need me
with you
here, beside you . . .
anywhere you go,
let me go too -
Christine,
that's all I ask
of you . . .

CHRISTINE
Say you'll share with
me one
love, one lifetime . . .
say the word
and I will follow you . . .

BOTH
Share each day with
me, each
night, each morning . . .
CHRISTINE
Say you love me . . .

RAOUL
You know I do . . .
BOTH
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . . .
(They kiss)
Anywhere you go
let me go too . . .
Love me -
that's all I ask
of you . .

CHRISTINE
I must go -
they'll wonder where I am . . .
wait for me, Raoul!
RAOUL
Christine, I love you!
CHRISTINE;
Order your fine horses!
Be with them at the door!
RAOUL
And soon you'll be beside me!
CHRISTINE
You'll guard me, and you'll guide me . . .

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeee~!! modes are super interesting... imagine that - by displacing a semitone in a scale, one can conjure a certain mood in the listener. damn cool right.
Ionian - Grand sound, often referred to as the 'perfect' mode. Examples include Silent night. Also the modern major key.
My personal favourite: Locrian - a very screwed up sounding variation of the minor key. basically except for the tonal center and the 8th, everything else is in flats. Firebird suite!! Haha. Sounds very screwed up - that's why i like it. :)
Ok i am rambling again.

The Day After Christmas. Where will you be?


haha lame i just felt like typing that. There's gonna be a Band Movie outing tomorrow guys. We're meeting 12pm at Dhobi Ghaut MRT , and the show is Phantom of the Opera. Apt right.
Hmm i have a slight suspicion that i am going to die when school reopens. I'm planning to totally disregard my GP homework, and rush that one IH essay. And to top it off, i've yet to dig up my Nuclear Arms Race (NAR) Notes which are no doubt concealed somewhere in a remote recess or crevice in my room.
Went for christmas service yesterday with ahma and qz. Haha the congregation was uncommonly big, since they decided to combine both the adult service as well as the tacklebox, and we ended up staring at an image of the pastor downstairs painted on the screen by the projector. Faith has been a great place to worship for the past yr. Had a spiritually refreshing service.
Ramble ramble ramble ramble ramble...
Oh yes, i must share the devilish fun one can have with a palmtop. Recently, my dad purchased a laptop for his company, and it came with a free palmtop which he didn't need, and which he oh so benevolently presented to me. *Evil grin* Basicaly palm tops can be used to wreak havoc on anything which has infrared or has a wireless connection. Examples include the TV, DVD Player, Mobile phones, and PCs with wireless. The seemingly innocuous 14cm by 7cm device can be used to change the channel of the TV when someone else is watching, delete all the contacts and mail of a person with a bluetooth or infrared enabled phone, as well as screw around with the temperature control of the airconditioner. Oh, the unlimited possibilities of destructive behaviour!! I shall continue on my electronic rampage until such a time when my dad sees fit to confiscate the palm ;)
Here's a set of analogies for your entertainment

Paras : Sweater
Ian : Water bottle
Me : Palmtop

>:D All you people with infrared or bluetooth enabled phones, watch out!!
For the palminator is coming.

Its Christmas Eve, the stars do shine
high up above the sky
In every house, in every street
there's an almost audible sigh -
There's mistletoe, and pudding too
and hot sweet apple pie,
around the tables people gather
and whisper sweet goodbyes.
The festive mood is in the air
all sorrows left behind,
with glittering tinsel, snow and lights
and silver trees so fine.
And up above the clouds so high
a special star resides,
it winks as brightly as that day
a story, it confides.
Of a little boy born to the world
a long long time ago,
who grew up and became a man
who really loves us so.

By the time you read this, its Christmas. Wishing ya'll a Merry Christmas filled with the Joy and Peace of the Lord!!
- JX 24/12/2004 11:48 PM

Heyy Qi Zhen... i just want to tell you that no matter how bad things get, there will always be this person who loves you very much. He's always with you no matter what you do and where you go, and will never give up on you. He will be there to accompany you in times of happiness and carry you through times of sorrow. So that means you are not a tiny dust mite in the whole universe that has no one caring for you. Because even if the whole world turns its back on you, He wont. I know you're a free thinker and all, but i hope that one day you will just be able to tangibly feel His great love for you. For all of us. Love is illogical, love is kind, love is blind. I really wish for you to get to experience His great love, and be comforted in the knowledge and warmth of it. Qi Zhen, Jesus loves YOU.

Yesterday, Big David and yongthieng came over to my house and believe it or not, we spent 2 whole hours just sitting on front of the comp looking through all the pictures i had accumulated over the past year. From first 3 months photos with my classmates, with fairsians, and fun o rama 17th, to Founder's day pics with the band, switzerland (yeah!), national day celebrations, last photos with the seniors, as a section of 2004... VCH concert, post promos sentosa outings...
Accumulated memories encapsulated within digitized pictures. 2004 is drawing to a close, with christmas ard the corner. Biggie sigh...
Once i was a sec4 going on J1. That was exactly a yr ago. I still remember that when i first walked into the viewing gallery, the first thing i noted was the overpowering pungence of the lemon air freshener which permeated the entire place. I remember noting that Chris was a nice senior; he let me do self-sectionals every practice, even though we had tough pieces like 1812 overture and the first few bars of theatre music to contend with. And when we did have sectionals after a while, he never grew impatient at my clumsy attempts at mastering the 1812 running notes. Thanks Chris! I wish i had that kind of patience. Unfortunately, i dont. Oh well. At least i try to be. I also remember my first time in the blazer room, walking to and fro while trying on many different blazers cos cheryl was particularly particular about fitting sizes for the first and 2nd row for the january 3rd concert.

Here's the latest improvisation. I call it "Wheeeeeeeeeeee4.jpeg" More comments anyone? Anything you think shld be improved on?  

Here Yongkiat u shld be able to view it now. 

Guess who woke up late for church again. =(
This sucks i gotta remember to set the alarm on saturday nights... which means i gotta set a reminder on my hp to remind myself to set the alarm on saturday nights... which means i will set that reminder NOW.

I dreamt about something last night which reminds me of something else which i'd written some time ago...

Never-never land

Let me bring you on a trip
to never-never land,
where the sparkling sea
meets the sparkling sand.

The sky is blue
there are pastures green
with yellow sunflowers
and the air so clean

We can lie on our backs
and listen to the breeze
to the sound of the water
and the rustle of the leaves

There is a great lake
its waters so clear
you can peer into its depths
it seems to draw near

Across there is a castle
its walls, mighty and strong
exudes a magic aura
but the journey there is long

The clouds now start to gather
overshadow the huge lake
angry gray puffs of cotton wool
engulfs all in its wake

The waters churn in turmoil
the waves crash with a roar
the foam is white the sky is dark
your fear emerges fore

A mighty force now reaches down
ensconces you in embrace
exhausted you lie limp in a trance
tears rolling down your face

Soon, the storm starts to abate
its zenith, spent and gone
you wake up in a castle room
a tiara, you adorn

A servant knocks, and gently asks
'You ready for the ball?
Quick, change, and get prepared
its held in the Great Hall'

Put on resplendent gown
crystal slippers on feet
you slink on down the wooden stairs
Not knowing what you'll meet.

The spiral ends at last
in a magnificent old door
its wooden, hallowed strong stout face
stretches ceiling to the floor

Behind, you hear some whispers
Pulsating glow beneath
Its magic, calling out to you
the promises of the eve

Of lovely balls, and royalty
and sumptious rounds of food
of checkered floors and frescoed walls
an entirely magical mood

Entranced, your hand reaches out
to touch the silver buckle
before you know it things begin
to dissolve, into so much rubble

It was a dream, so sweet yet brief
that magical land beyond
a journey lost but longed for
now disappeared, and gone

Erm... i think i'll stick with the text and not the picture. If you dont know what im talking abt check Cheam's and David's blogs :P

The Indian snake creature known as the naga was believed to reside in groups apart from normal humans, and many legends tell of their secret citites hidden deep in the jungle, underground, or underwater. In many tales, the naga is often of royal lineage, or sometimes even divinity. Nagas are often associated with water, and it is said that they can control the weather. As a naga, you possess strong leadership abilities, you are highly intelligent, and you can also be a bit intimidating. You also enjoy the finer things in life and like to be pampered, and you're not too keen on mixing and mingling with the unwashed masses.

http://quizilla.com/users/icemagick/quizzes/Who%20is%20your%20inner%20Shapeshifter?/
Brought to you by http://quizilla.com

This entry is in response to anon's stereotypical post on the tagboard =P Please take note that it is purely meant to clarify the avenues of my mentality and is not meant as a personal attack.
Firstly, chinese is not my culture, language, or even race to a very large extent. I am 1/4 malay (peranakan), which means that i actually had the option to take malay as a second language instead of chinese. For what stupid reason i passed up that first golden glimmer of escape for, i don't know. Oh yeah, i think it was my mom. She wanted me to learn chinese. Sick. I absolutely abhor the myopic, narrow-minded traditional view that all people who look like chinese have to speak and learn the language as well as adopting the culture since it is "their own". Let us take a moment off to examine the phrase "You are chinese, so you have to learn how to speak, write, and appreciate the culture." What kind of warped reasoning leads one to suggest that!? In that case, why don't YOU go learn all the different chinese dailects, anon? Since you prob are a chinese singaporean, it can be deduced that you are the offspring of 3rd generation chinese immigrants. That traces your roots back to china, with its 56 states and 52 different dialects. And btw, Chinese itself is a dialect. Its just the most commonly utilised in the north, in which the country's political nexus resides. So anon, why dont u go learn all 52 dialects? since you are a chinese you should know them. Oh yes, and the many subcultures as well - go learn mongolian, and manchurian. After all, according to that train of reasoning, you should know them since you are chinese.
Another flawed facet of that logic: what happens to people of mixed blood? What if that person's paternal lineage espoused Chinese, Indian, French, and Japanese, while the maternal lineage comprised Greek, Slovak, and Hebrew? Does that mean the person would have to learn all the aforementioned languages? I'd love to see him try.
Second line of contention: I am singaporean. Not Chinese. Not Malay. Singaporean. As such, it would be politically incorrect to call china's language, culture, and history 'mine' since it is not shared with the singaporeans of other races. *GASP* Are you attempting to propogate bigotry? You racist bugger! By making that seemingly innocuous and insipid comment, you are in reality ripping apart the fragile fabric of racial harmony and co-existence! Get away, you alienator of other races! Shoo!
Kidding. I am starting to ramble since its 10am and i havent eaten breakfast yet. will resume my crap later. =P

I'm back! Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~!

Hi all, im back from the land of wrongs. I am so thrilled at the opportunity to start exercising the facility of the english language again.

This is prob my last entry before going off. Cya guys! Will miss all of you.

**Huge sigh, articulated along the lines of an accented tenuto**
Going off to China, the land of wrongs, in a few days time. The irony of the situation is almost laughable - having spent the majority of my JC1 life attempting all possible means and ways to skive off and pon chinese lessons, as well as shunning everything to do with the dreaded language, I am now confronted with the unenviable task of actually making physical contact with the root/source of all evil in JC life. Eh Ian? Plus, the over-eager travel agent (who by the way strongly resembles a hyperactive naked mole rat) oh so helpfully added on to that grievance by informing me of the fact that "it is sub-zero in Beijing now" so certain roads would be "dangerous to attempt" as the coach very well might "fall off the cliff and you all will die". She then flourished a smile, revealing the yellowed lumps of enamel that passed for teeth, and proceeded to query as to whether we would like to buy insurance from the same travel agency - we would even stand a chance to win a free LG plasma TV! So, quashing my innate but nascent desire to feed her a knuckle sandwich, I staggered out of the travel agency, telling my parents i was headed for the toilet.
Just wonderful - China, the land of wrongs, where i may very well get myself killed on a snowy path while standing to win an LG Plasma TV.
Opportunity cost: TJ Concert on the 17th, possibly VJ Concert on 18th, and definitely Ahma's concert this Sunday. Plus a whole week of starcrafting, and seperation from my soprano. 7 Days. I will be leaving on the 11th at 1am, and will be back (hopefully not in a body bag) on the 17th. Definitely i will miss all of you guys, really looking forward to getting back. Oh, how i will count the days. Grrrrr. Oh, and yes ahma, i will bring a stack of postcards over there.

Me and Ben! The Original Dunkers. 

Capsizing process (cantankerous beach patrol dude not in pic, luckily) 

A certain Big Eyed Euphonium SL - the pioneer of the girl-dunking recreational activity, as she was the first to go in. 

Miscellanious Sec 4 (Angeline) in the midst of dunking process. 

Sentosa outing today was fun, i was rather surprised at the enthusiastic response of the sec4s... most of them turned up today. The highlight event of the day was, naturally, the mass dunking session which was facilitated by me, ben, boris and cheam with great gusto. The psychological rubric is as such: the subject, upon being dunked, will then experience an inflammatory passionate desire for revenge, an imperative enhanced by the increasing pool(no pun intended) of dunking manpower as each additional person is dunked. The vicious cycle rinses and repeats, growing ever more vicious in its intensity as the dunking sentiment is augmented and in turn, fulfilled. This accelerates to its conclusion - a very wet bunch of teenagers.
This was followed by the capsizing attempt by the non-kayakers - a partially successful attempt where terence and pirates managed to board and capsize 2 consecutive kayaks. Unfortunately, this wonderfully entertaining antic was untimely stopped by the presence of an old, cantankerous wraith of a beach patrolguard. Spoiler.
Okay i am starting to get lazy. Will update some other time. If you haven't already, check out the Rossini Rice Cult pics below =)

Before Performance 

Introducing... the Rossini Saxophone Rice Cult 

Introducing... the Rossini Saxophone Rice Cult. 

Exerpt from the Snow Queen:

She lives upon a glacier
Inside a white chateau
where snowflakes bloom like flowers
for nothing else can grow.
the ceiling's made of icicles,
the carpet's made of snow,
the windows a sheet of ice,
and starlight paints the hall.
Her music is like sleighbells, her dancing's like the wind
but though its nice to look at, pray you're not invited in.
For if she should kiss you, your heart will go to sleep
All your friends and family
will seem like foolish dreams.
And all that could wake you would be the strongest love
For love is the one thing the Snow Queen's frightened of.

Band Fest was fun!
haha, it really was fun playing with Band B, Rossini, especially with my section members of Rossini Saxophone rice cult: Su Ping, Hui Ee, Joanne, Jing Hua, TJ girl whose name i can never remember, Esther, Yee Kiat, and Shaun. Hope we'll all keep in touch, i really had a great time at band fest, hope you guys did too.
To the 'unsung heroes' of the band fest, the chaperones: Thanks for the effort you guys put in to organise band fest for us. We really appreciate it, even though we may not vocalise that sentiment much.
Will update more when i'm not feeling so lazy.

Oh, and on a side note, yay! tomorrow is the 3rd!!! Looking forward to it.

Band Fest. Tired. Fun. I think.
On my right: PJ
Left: TP
In Front: RJ
China Songs. Yuck. Abhorable.