I realised today that I've lapsed into abandoning my once brilliant idea of blogging about my favourite bands. So here's a lame attempt at resurrection: Introducing the band behind 70% of the top 25 most played songs on my pod.. *drumroll*.... LIVE.
Top 5 songs: Run to the Water, Dolphin's Cry, They Stood Up for Love, Lightning Crashes, Selling the Drama
Top 3 albums: The Distance to Here, Secret Samadhi, Throwing Copper.
The frailty of life, the finality of death
"Everything that's born has to die, which means our lives are like skyscrapers. The smoke rises at different speeds, but they're all on fire, and we're all trapped."
-Jonathan Safran Foer
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Hang in there buddy. Things will get better.
Love, as is
“Have you ever been in love? Horrible isn't it? It makes you so vulnerable. It opens your chest and it opens up your heart and it means that someone can get inside you and mess you up. You build up all these defenses, you build up a whole suit of armor, so that nothing can hurt you, then one stupid person, no different from any other stupid person, wanders into your stupid life...You give them a piece of you. They didn't ask for it. They did something dumb one day, like kiss you or smile at you, and then your life isn't your own anymore. Love takes hostages. It gets inside you. It eats you out and leaves you crying in the darkness, so simple a phrase like 'maybe we should be just friends' turns into a glass splinter working its way into your heart. It hurts. Not just in the imagination. Not just in the mind. It's a soul-hurt, a real gets-inside-you-and-rips-you-apart pain. I hate love.”
-Neil Gaiman
Woes of a Sri Lankan passport holder
The one place that I can go to without needing a visa is.... *drumroll*... Sri Lanka. Well Singapore too, but I'm already here. And I want to leave, which is the cause for all the frustration and chaos that I'm about to rant about :p
I know I bring this on myself by constantly planning adventures in unexplored territory, but I think I may have gone overboard this last month. This is what my travel itinerary looks like right now:
26-30th Nov: Thailand
11th Dec- 3th Jan: Sri Lanka
15-21st Dec: India
Late Jan 2010: Malaysia
Mid February 2010: Cambodia
I need visa for all of the above, except Sri Lanka. I also need additional security clearance for Cambodia. And I had to pay $35 for visa to India and go through hell, when it can be done for 500 rupees in Sri Lanka.
Other gripes: I was planning to go to Vietnam, but the visa costs US$100. I need a never-ending list of documents and a hefty bank account balance to get visa to go to the UK (yeah, the Schengen visa doesn't cut it). Bali will probably never happen because I need a person in Jakarta to sponsor me. And I was still harassed in Amsterdam though I had the visa and everything else they asked for when I went to Europe in May. A friend can't get Thai visa because his EP expires in 4 months and they require a minimum of 6 months, again because he has a Sri Lankan passport. And I haven't even begun listing all the forms I have to fill, certification I need to show, letters from sponsors/bosses/banks/insurance companies I have to get to prove I'm not a terrorist. Gah!
I hate my passport.
I know I bring this on myself by constantly planning adventures in unexplored territory, but I think I may have gone overboard this last month. This is what my travel itinerary looks like right now:
26-30th Nov: Thailand
11th Dec- 3th Jan: Sri Lanka
15-21st Dec: India
Late Jan 2010: Malaysia
Mid February 2010: Cambodia
I need visa for all of the above, except Sri Lanka. I also need additional security clearance for Cambodia. And I had to pay $35 for visa to India and go through hell, when it can be done for 500 rupees in Sri Lanka.
Other gripes: I was planning to go to Vietnam, but the visa costs US$100. I need a never-ending list of documents and a hefty bank account balance to get visa to go to the UK (yeah, the Schengen visa doesn't cut it). Bali will probably never happen because I need a person in Jakarta to sponsor me. And I was still harassed in Amsterdam though I had the visa and everything else they asked for when I went to Europe in May. A friend can't get Thai visa because his EP expires in 4 months and they require a minimum of 6 months, again because he has a Sri Lankan passport. And I haven't even begun listing all the forms I have to fill, certification I need to show, letters from sponsors/bosses/banks/insurance companies I have to get to prove I'm not a terrorist. Gah!
I hate my passport.
Your right is my left :D
A random Friday afternoon with the sibling in the rain. Hysterical laughter, an overpriced foodcourt, wisecracks over donuts, a retarded travel agent, messing around at Desigual, fights under an umbrella too small, masala thosai and ginger tea, random hugs and body spray wars.
After this rollercoaster week from hell, crazily splashing around in puddles was invigorating. Thank God for family :)
After this rollercoaster week from hell, crazily splashing around in puddles was invigorating. Thank God for family :)
The vanishing act
Its almost therapeutic at times to drop off the radar for a while. Just to hang out with yourself and reconnect with 'you'. To block out all the chaos on the outside, and zone in on the inside.
That was the weekend. Then came the week.
I've lost myself in a whirlwind of work, deadlines, travel crises and general unfinished business these last few days. Visa applications are a hellish pain in the neck. And I'm dreading my credit card/phone bills this month. I should be excited with everything that's coming up, but I've run out of steam to do anything other than crawl into bed at the end of the day.
Dude, thanks for hanging with your insane sister and tolerating the madness :) To everyone who called/smsed/made me laugh/sent in virtual hugs, I love you guys to bits. I'm returning those hugs in person as soon as I come up for air :)
That was the weekend. Then came the week.
I've lost myself in a whirlwind of work, deadlines, travel crises and general unfinished business these last few days. Visa applications are a hellish pain in the neck. And I'm dreading my credit card/phone bills this month. I should be excited with everything that's coming up, but I've run out of steam to do anything other than crawl into bed at the end of the day.
Dude, thanks for hanging with your insane sister and tolerating the madness :) To everyone who called/smsed/made me laugh/sent in virtual hugs, I love you guys to bits. I'm returning those hugs in person as soon as I come up for air :)
The Bookworm/Movieclub post
This 'review' has been in the writing (?) for a while now, and never neared completion because I kept getting distracted. Usually by colourful/shiny objects. Haha. But I've finally got around to completing and updating it, so here goes:
Reads
The Five people you meet in heaven: Loved it- thanks Maz! It's on the BBC list of 100 books you must read before you die- so really, you must read :) It's not that long either. And not twisted, like the Alchemist, which gave me a headache now and then.
Extremely loud and incredibly close: This took serious effort to read. And I was confused 70% of the time. But it grows on you if you keep at it, and when you get past the blurry bits, its actually a good book. It has pictures too ;)
Let the right one in: Shamefully, I never finished this. Though I've vowed to go back to it one day. It's by a Swedish author so I had to try it, and well, QJ recommended it (and I'm never reading anything he recommends again :p) But it touches on some of the more touchy issues like child abuse and bullying and incest, etc. Throw in a vampire and some killing and there you have it. I think I might watch the movie before I finish the book :p
Monsoon rains and icicle drops: Just awesome. It's about an Australian woman who's literally travelled the world, and now lives in Sri Lanka, working in the tourism industry. It's an amazing account of the places she's been, the things she's done and seen, and the whole experience of picking yourself up when you hit rock bottom. I actually wrote to her to tell her how much I loved the book- and she wrote back! :D A story for another time though.
The curious incident of the dog in the night time: What I'm reading now. It's got me in stitches so far, and I'm loving the way its written (from a 15 year old autistic kid's point of view). This is on the BBC list too- and I can see why :)
Movies
G.I.Joe: Ridiculously bad. The plot was weird, the acting was horrendous, and it really was quite sucky. Channing Tatum, however, made up for all of it by just smiling... *melts*
The Proposal: Funny and entertaining. It's a classic chick flick though, but again, Ryan Reynolds is hot and Sandra Bullock is always funny. Loved it, probably because my hopeless romantic self loves the occasional good soppy movie.
District 9: Whoa. That was the one reaction I had to the movie. It was refreshing and novel, the filming, the storyline and the whole alien vs humans debate. Hats off to Peter Jackson. Again :)
The Ugly Truth: Not your ordinary romantic comedy. Gerard Butler was pretty cool I thought, and though it was a predictable ending, it was still an enjoyable movie. Men are strange creatures.
G-Force: Ok the only reason I watched this was because I was forced. It was cute, though that's about it :p
Surrogates: Bruce Willis has aged :p Though in a decent way. It's freaky to think of the world ever coming to that *shudder* Only in the movies I hope.
Inglorious Basterds: I can't believe I sat through a Quentin Tarantino movie and slept soundly after :p But admittedly, it was good. Brad Pitt is always nice to drool over, but the German villian was the best by far. I also liked the parallel story lines, though I kept forgetting where it left off :p
500 days of Summer: It really wasn't just another love story; it's more along the lines of Nick and Norah's infinite play list and Juno. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has come a long way since his days in Third Rock from the Sun :) And Summer is a girl, just in case that point was missed.
My sister's keeper: Ok going in I knew this would be really sad, and it was. I managed not to cry though :p But it was pretty good- Kate's acting was brilliant I thought. The one thing that really annoyed me was that they changed the ending from the book- and it was nowhere close or nearly as good. But between reading the book and watching the movie, I'd recommend the book. Picoult's style is captivating and just something else.
This is it: Absolutely and breathtakingly amazing. MJ, even at 51, had the stage presence, charisma and aura that made him the famously talented King of Pop. Watching it, I still couldn't believe he's gone: it was almost like being right there at his concert, singing along to the songs we grew up with and the dance moves we tried mastering.
Done! I should become a movie/book critic :D
Reads
The Five people you meet in heaven: Loved it- thanks Maz! It's on the BBC list of 100 books you must read before you die- so really, you must read :) It's not that long either. And not twisted, like the Alchemist, which gave me a headache now and then.
Extremely loud and incredibly close: This took serious effort to read. And I was confused 70% of the time. But it grows on you if you keep at it, and when you get past the blurry bits, its actually a good book. It has pictures too ;)
Let the right one in: Shamefully, I never finished this. Though I've vowed to go back to it one day. It's by a Swedish author so I had to try it, and well, QJ recommended it (and I'm never reading anything he recommends again :p) But it touches on some of the more touchy issues like child abuse and bullying and incest, etc. Throw in a vampire and some killing and there you have it. I think I might watch the movie before I finish the book :p
Monsoon rains and icicle drops: Just awesome. It's about an Australian woman who's literally travelled the world, and now lives in Sri Lanka, working in the tourism industry. It's an amazing account of the places she's been, the things she's done and seen, and the whole experience of picking yourself up when you hit rock bottom. I actually wrote to her to tell her how much I loved the book- and she wrote back! :D A story for another time though.
The curious incident of the dog in the night time: What I'm reading now. It's got me in stitches so far, and I'm loving the way its written (from a 15 year old autistic kid's point of view). This is on the BBC list too- and I can see why :)
Movies
G.I.Joe: Ridiculously bad. The plot was weird, the acting was horrendous, and it really was quite sucky. Channing Tatum, however, made up for all of it by just smiling... *melts*
The Proposal: Funny and entertaining. It's a classic chick flick though, but again, Ryan Reynolds is hot and Sandra Bullock is always funny. Loved it, probably because my hopeless romantic self loves the occasional good soppy movie.
District 9: Whoa. That was the one reaction I had to the movie. It was refreshing and novel, the filming, the storyline and the whole alien vs humans debate. Hats off to Peter Jackson. Again :)
The Ugly Truth: Not your ordinary romantic comedy. Gerard Butler was pretty cool I thought, and though it was a predictable ending, it was still an enjoyable movie. Men are strange creatures.
G-Force: Ok the only reason I watched this was because I was forced. It was cute, though that's about it :p
Surrogates: Bruce Willis has aged :p Though in a decent way. It's freaky to think of the world ever coming to that *shudder* Only in the movies I hope.
Inglorious Basterds: I can't believe I sat through a Quentin Tarantino movie and slept soundly after :p But admittedly, it was good. Brad Pitt is always nice to drool over, but the German villian was the best by far. I also liked the parallel story lines, though I kept forgetting where it left off :p
500 days of Summer: It really wasn't just another love story; it's more along the lines of Nick and Norah's infinite play list and Juno. Joseph Gordon-Levitt has come a long way since his days in Third Rock from the Sun :) And Summer is a girl, just in case that point was missed.
My sister's keeper: Ok going in I knew this would be really sad, and it was. I managed not to cry though :p But it was pretty good- Kate's acting was brilliant I thought. The one thing that really annoyed me was that they changed the ending from the book- and it was nowhere close or nearly as good. But between reading the book and watching the movie, I'd recommend the book. Picoult's style is captivating and just something else.
This is it: Absolutely and breathtakingly amazing. MJ, even at 51, had the stage presence, charisma and aura that made him the famously talented King of Pop. Watching it, I still couldn't believe he's gone: it was almost like being right there at his concert, singing along to the songs we grew up with and the dance moves we tried mastering.
Done! I should become a movie/book critic :D
Les parents
I have insane parents. There's really no other word to describe them.
Mother dearest still tries to bring us up over skype. And loves to tell me I've 'missed' the bus because I'm waiting for a luxury one with curtains and aircon. She's the only person I can have 3- hour chats with while laughing myself to tears, and still have things to talk about the next day (for another 2 hours). She's also the only person who can make me feel better when I'm sick, and is so daring it worries me sometimes.
Dad on the other hand, is all about sarcasm and humour. I love getting emails from him in the morning, filled with complaints and wisecracks about the Hitler regime at home he secretly adores. He's also my partner in alcoholic schemes and scams and my buddy when it comes to philosophical chats and life advice. His latest hilarious venture is into the world of Facebook- lots of laughs to come :D
I know exactly which parent I've gotten most of my genes and traits (and flaws?) from. The madness must come from somewhere! And I think I'm quite a nice combination ;) Except that I'd have liked to be a bit taller.
I can't wait to see them in a month. Though I'm a bit apprehensive travelling with them for a week in India :p But it's going to be awesome fun being home. We're going to be laughing and making merry and laughing some more. The countdown begins!
Mother dearest still tries to bring us up over skype. And loves to tell me I've 'missed' the bus because I'm waiting for a luxury one with curtains and aircon. She's the only person I can have 3- hour chats with while laughing myself to tears, and still have things to talk about the next day (for another 2 hours). She's also the only person who can make me feel better when I'm sick, and is so daring it worries me sometimes.
Dad on the other hand, is all about sarcasm and humour. I love getting emails from him in the morning, filled with complaints and wisecracks about the Hitler regime at home he secretly adores. He's also my partner in alcoholic schemes and scams and my buddy when it comes to philosophical chats and life advice. His latest hilarious venture is into the world of Facebook- lots of laughs to come :D
I know exactly which parent I've gotten most of my genes and traits (and flaws?) from. The madness must come from somewhere! And I think I'm quite a nice combination ;) Except that I'd have liked to be a bit taller.
I can't wait to see them in a month. Though I'm a bit apprehensive travelling with them for a week in India :p But it's going to be awesome fun being home. We're going to be laughing and making merry and laughing some more. The countdown begins!
Just dance ~!
Clubbing has been on the agenda every weekend in the last month, except for the one where I was stuck in bed with the flu- though I was supposed to be at China One with the girls [I'm sorry I missed that Sid!]
The Mad about Hats party at Attica, the random do at La Baroque last Friday, Halloween at CQ the Saturday after, and Pump room/Blu Jazz/Chijmes/China One yesterday. Phew! I only wish I didn't have to work Thursday mornings... Wednesdays would rock then ;)
Dance is addictive. Even without the alcohol-induced high. The beats, the tunes, the rush. I'm lovin' this!
The Mad about Hats party at Attica, the random do at La Baroque last Friday, Halloween at CQ the Saturday after, and Pump room/Blu Jazz/Chijmes/China One yesterday. Phew! I only wish I didn't have to work Thursday mornings... Wednesdays would rock then ;)
Dance is addictive. Even without the alcohol-induced high. The beats, the tunes, the rush. I'm lovin' this!
Layered
Human beings are fascinatingly complex creatures. From the whole outer package down to the tiniest intricacies that define and differentiate us from one another.
The different layers that make up the tough shell also protect the inner core, and make us who we are. Inlaid are traits and quirks that reveal themselves when the layers are peeled off.
Very simply, human personalities are like onions. Layered, delicate, complicated. What you see is not always what you get.
The different layers that make up the tough shell also protect the inner core, and make us who we are. Inlaid are traits and quirks that reveal themselves when the layers are peeled off.
Very simply, human personalities are like onions. Layered, delicate, complicated. What you see is not always what you get.
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