I remember my NS officer asked me once when I was still a recruit, "What do you think we can improve in the army?"
I said, "We have enough people scolding and criticizing, how about praising people for a change?"
The motive behind people scolding is simple enough; it is to directly tell people how angry/unhappy you are about something about the people and you want that to change that. It normally happens only for people who cares about that person.
The motive about people praising others is also simple enough; to direct tell a person how happy you are about something and you don't want that to change, if not change, then improve it. The only difference that is seems to happen more for people who don't know that much about that person or ain't that close with that person. I'll elaborate later.
My NS officer took note, and agreed. Indeed, after that I saw a slight change in his methods, having more praising for people who have done well. On National Geographic Channel, they have a documentary on NS, with the TV crew following through the whole platoon all the way as they experience NS. There is scolding naturally, but I see a whole lot more praising as compared to my experience. Whether it is really my platoon sucks, or the show is just a whole lot of "wayanging" I don't know. But it is an indirect evidence that praising is positive, if not they would not "encourage" that on TV.
I don't think I need to talk anymore about scolding, we scold the PAP so much it's almost a characteristic of Singaporeans to foreigners, similar to how Japan has the culture of changing their PM almost every half a year. But what about praising? Praising is not a culture cultivated in Singapore or most Asian countries. But for western countries do they praise? Of course, they praise their God everyday.
I remember there was once I had a recording session for a SOMA student in her band as the drummer. The guitarist is a Caucasian, very friendly and somewhat of a perfectionist who liked to re-record, re-record and re-record all the way till the depths of the night. I myself did a piece of an original, created something totally out from nothing except to know the feel of the song, tempo that the student wanted and how to best make it clean for others to come in. The Caucasian praised me, something that got me quite surprised. Not the student, not the sound engineer, but the guitar, the guitarist who is so particular with his own sound. In a sense, I know that my piece is just ordinary at best and needs no praising whatsoever, in fact the guitarist can even play drums better than me, that's how good he is. But still he praised me. In fact, he didn't just praise me, but almost everyone else in the group on the points which he thinks are good. Naturally other than praising, he also stated out on whoever has mistakes and where to improve on.
As long as I remembered, that is the first time someone had praised me face to face directly. I know people had said good and bad things about my drumming, either with or without me knowing. I know full well my own mistakes and in a sense I know full well my good points.
However as I got to play long enough, the praising stops and comes in place are criticisms and things people tell you where you can improve. Of course I'm happen with constructive opinions, they help you improve and you can get better. But eventually the confidence level grows low as all you hear are criticisms regardless constructive or not, and not good opinions.
Praising seems to occur mostly when you don't know that person well enough. Initially when you just started out doing something with an unknown person, both sides do not know the capabilities of each other, so if your standard goes above their expectation, you get praised. Eventually as you continued long enough, the praising stops as you get closer to each other and in return is constructive opinions that would want you to improve.
Think about it, when you're with a stranger or someone you don't know well, you praise that person more than you scold that person. When PAP first started people were all praises for them, but now it's all scoldings for them.
The Singapore culture, seemingly lacks of praising, like really positive praising because we get used to the good things we experienced. Positive praising as in not just a casual praise we say, but really to the details on why you think it's good. Is it because we don't do anything well enough deserving of people's praise? No, look at how PAP manages to bring back Singapore's economy in a matter of a year. US, Japan and many many other countries are still stuck, yet Singapore is already back and overtaking countries in this economic crisis, something worthy of praise.
Although I have never said I'm a PAP supporter, neither am I a PAP hater. I look objectively at how things turn out and PAP has done both good and bad moves, for that their good things are worthy of praise and should be praised, rather than only being constantly scrutinized for the bad moves they have did.
When you're worthy of being praised, you should be praised. When you deserve to be scolded, you should be scolded. As simple as that, and sadly Singapore only seems to observe the latter part of that phrase.
Every person have different ways of being felt appreciated, or to feel confident. Some people generate confidence themselves, some people need de-stressing to feel confident, some people need praises and compliments to feel confident.
Takahina lately has felt weary, with his school, his hobby, his work, and I'm pretty sure it happens to a lot of people as well as these everyday things gets to you. You can get tons of High Distinction in school work and still no one would compliment for the hard work you put in, all you get in return is just a simple "not bad." You can try your best in your hobbies and be overshadowed by someone more flashy about it. You can do your best in your work, but your boss would still come over and complain to you about that little mistake that you carelessly missed. All these makes you feel unappreciated, not cherished, losing in confidence and insecure. Because anytime, anyone can come over and take away your position that you fought for.
I'm sure, we get a lot of that in our everyday life. The notion of not feeling appreciated for the hard work we put in. And maybe compare us Asians to Caucasians, that could be 1 deciding factor why they seem more successful and confident than us, cause they have that culture of praising people when they deserved to be.
I stopped studying for a while, to write this note, cause Takahina has been feeling such lately, not only about himself, but about society as a whole.
Singapore and Singaporeans won't be worthy of praise, until they learn how to praise others.
Whatever Takahina writes here, is fully affected by all the people around him. Whatever you don't agree, you are fully responsible for it.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Tuesday, March 01, 2011
The Takahina in Pursue of Happiness
Singaporeans are sad people, being ranked 2nd from bottom in a happiness index on a global scale definitively shows our sadness.
Overall, why are people sad? Because we can't be satisfied or be contented with life. A simple notion of happiness can come easily, from maybe just passing your driving test, to getting a very good meal, to striking a lottery, to having your favourite football team win a cup after 5 long years of drought. I believe somehow, in life to be happy, all it takes is just for you to achieve something that you want and desired, as simple as that.
Everyone then has a different notion of what they want; love, money, wealth, kinship, acceptance etc, the list goes a whole long way and the vocabulary can go on and on. The whole concept is, knowing what you want in life.
Singaporeans don't know what they want, because their whole life they have been chasing after money. Simply put, due to the circumstances that throws Singapore and Singaporeans into, to us we have to fight for money because essentially the whole country can collapse if we hadn't. The government brought us up to carry on this motion of chasing money, thus we did it unknowingly and willingly. So think of it this way, in the past we Singaporeans are content and satisfied with just sufficient money, stability of job and family. However, now with the internet and the rapid information explosion, our wants and desires aren't just the simple notion of stability, family and sustainable wealth. We want more now, we want more involvement in intrinsic terms, we want more involvement to our own life. What we want now, is not just the plain clear survival issues but more rather, how we live our lives and making it a different one.
That makes Singaporeans sad. Cause for the current working generation, they are people stuck with the midst of information explosion and the notion and age of "working for life till you die so you better be happy to work." They know of things that they wanna do but due to circumstances of Singapore, it's already too late for the normal income family to change. Sadly poor income family won't even know or care of the information explosion cause survival is already the agendas of their life, it's not anymore a dream/goal, it's an agenda or policy as you may call fit. Rich Singaporeans are most possibly the only group of people with the ability to really pursue what they want in life but due to Singapore being the small country it is, they would have to resort to overseas measures in the end and that's why you see so many people immigrating.
So as written above, to be "happy", you have to be satisfied and contented with life. To achieve it however takes 2 factors, first you got to know what you exactly want in life to be satisfied and contented with life, second you got to know how to achieve that satisfaction and content in life.
Somehow, Singaporeans faces 2 groups of people, as you can guess, its people who don't know what they want and people who can't achieve the things they want. Somehow it's always the 2 groups; few people are in the sub-set of either knowing what they want and on the route to achieve what they want or not knowing what they want and not on anyways to achieve it.
Takahina can't decide for anyone, what you should choose to be happy with life. At the same time, there are so many ways to achieve the things you want, so Takahina won't know which is the best route. Takahina already knows what he wants; to be a self sustainable pro-drummer and on regular performances with a happy family, un-spoilt kids and able to support his family sufficiently, eventually retiring and playing/reading/watching his library of games/books/manga/anime/dramas that he still haven't manage to finish.
To achieve that, Takahina would need to rely on money because being a pro-drummer is risky and may not be able to support a family and his hobby, so passive income from investments, business and assets are the way to go. Family would come eventually as love or fate decrees it. If there's no one, then I'll just adopt a kid and have that kid watch anime and play games with me, who knows.
One thing to note though, is that I'm not aiming to be super rich and wealthy. I'm just aiming for a sustainable financial status, in otherwords financial security/freedom is good enough for me. People will ask, why don't you go for constant wealth? Because, there is no need for me to be that rich. I can achieve whatever I want with life, with just that sustainable amount of income and money. If I dedicate that much amount of life and time to get as wealthy as Bill Gates, the opportunity cost with it would eat out my drumming/Japanese language goals.
This is where, I think a lot of people are mistaken about the notion of money. Money doesn't equate to happiness, unless your dream of life is about money.
Money, is a medium for a person to obtain what he wants. With money you can obtain materialistic wants, skills, knowledge or simply almost everything in this world except time. (yes I believe you can "buy" love, as long as you have the appropriate skills and knowledge) But in the end, it's just a medium. If you do not know what do you want to do with your money, you will still gain nothing. Let inflation explode and your money will still end up with nothing. Let war occur and your money will still end up with nothing. Let your life end and you will still end up with nothing.
So naturally, you will need to earn this medium to get stuff you want. If the common mode of medium now is not money but instead maybe lambs and cows, then you'll see us working hard to earn cattle. Therefore money itself is useless, but more rather the things that you will buy with money. At the same time, with the wide and complicated growth of finance, cash may not be needed, perhaps all you need by then is just credit.
Why do you see so many Singaporeans immigrating nowadays? Because Singapore lacks of something. Singapore lacks of the facilities, space and market for the younger generation to pursue their dreams. For the normal "better-off" person, they won't hesitate to go outside to accomplish the things that they want to do. Few friends I know have already went overseas to further their profession, such as Edwin with Keyboards in Malaysia and Yuan Jie with drums in US.
Why can't they do it in Singapore which is their hometown? Things will be much cheaper here and they don't risk any sense of homesick feeling. Simply because Singapore doesn't have the relevant facilities here to further their apprenticeship.
Why don't Singapore have the facilities here? Because there isn't enough space to provide for it, the opportunity cost with investing in a music school compared to a office building is too high.
Why is the opportunity cost high then? Because there is no market in Singapore at all. No one in Singapore appreciates music enough, no one in Singapore pursues music enough. Lack of market is not just a problem in Singapore, but in many other nations out there in the world. Lack of market produces lack of prospects and once again it refers the whole problem back to the basic mentality of "working to survive in Singapore".
Therefore in a sense, the whole mentality of working industriously for survival has poisoned the whole nation. Despite that, the poison is necessary, cause without it Singapore would never have survived it's early days. However, now it's a different age whereby you don't work hard, you work smart. Working hard brings you nowhere if you don't have the needed information to accelerate your path. Now with the information boom, we are able to get information readily. However it's precisely with this information boom that we are so unsatisfied.
Now we mention opportunity cost, it comes naturally that there is sacrifices involved. Everyone has their notion of happiness and simple enough to Takahina, if there's anything that will stop Takahina in his tracks to gain that happiness, Takahina will sacrifice, crossover, breakthrough or just bash his way through that obstacle (of course within legal measures). That's why it's Takahina's pursuit to happiness. Every road to happiness will require sacrifices, pain and sadness, it's only with those pain then would you fully appreciate and savour the happiness that is to come. It's a selfish approach, but in this unfair world itself, this doesn't seem unreasonable in anyway. No use being a Buddha and be good to everyone you know, cause simply no one else would be able to act as such.
If I'm the government, what would I do to curb this unhappiness? I can't do it actively, but only passively through long term methods. One method which I had suggested before is using education, another is via producing more infrastructures to facilitate the more "ignored" cultures. In spite of whatever the government do though, it will never be enough if something about Singaporeans doesn't change; the appreciation and content for things that happens. Appreciation for things beyond monetary values, content for things that comes to us.
Singaporeans are poisoned ever since we're born, poisoned by reality. And the antidote to it is ourselves. Mentality has got to change, understanding has got to increase and a balance between material means and own personal values is a must.
With the information boom that we have now, it acts as a double edge sword by providing you with more information to gain understanding, but at the same time wanting more from this information we obtained. So it can only be up to ourselves to find the sheath to prevent us from cutting ourselves.
Be happy and content people.
Overall, why are people sad? Because we can't be satisfied or be contented with life. A simple notion of happiness can come easily, from maybe just passing your driving test, to getting a very good meal, to striking a lottery, to having your favourite football team win a cup after 5 long years of drought. I believe somehow, in life to be happy, all it takes is just for you to achieve something that you want and desired, as simple as that.
Everyone then has a different notion of what they want; love, money, wealth, kinship, acceptance etc, the list goes a whole long way and the vocabulary can go on and on. The whole concept is, knowing what you want in life.
Singaporeans don't know what they want, because their whole life they have been chasing after money. Simply put, due to the circumstances that throws Singapore and Singaporeans into, to us we have to fight for money because essentially the whole country can collapse if we hadn't. The government brought us up to carry on this motion of chasing money, thus we did it unknowingly and willingly. So think of it this way, in the past we Singaporeans are content and satisfied with just sufficient money, stability of job and family. However, now with the internet and the rapid information explosion, our wants and desires aren't just the simple notion of stability, family and sustainable wealth. We want more now, we want more involvement in intrinsic terms, we want more involvement to our own life. What we want now, is not just the plain clear survival issues but more rather, how we live our lives and making it a different one.
That makes Singaporeans sad. Cause for the current working generation, they are people stuck with the midst of information explosion and the notion and age of "working for life till you die so you better be happy to work." They know of things that they wanna do but due to circumstances of Singapore, it's already too late for the normal income family to change. Sadly poor income family won't even know or care of the information explosion cause survival is already the agendas of their life, it's not anymore a dream/goal, it's an agenda or policy as you may call fit. Rich Singaporeans are most possibly the only group of people with the ability to really pursue what they want in life but due to Singapore being the small country it is, they would have to resort to overseas measures in the end and that's why you see so many people immigrating.
So as written above, to be "happy", you have to be satisfied and contented with life. To achieve it however takes 2 factors, first you got to know what you exactly want in life to be satisfied and contented with life, second you got to know how to achieve that satisfaction and content in life.
Somehow, Singaporeans faces 2 groups of people, as you can guess, its people who don't know what they want and people who can't achieve the things they want. Somehow it's always the 2 groups; few people are in the sub-set of either knowing what they want and on the route to achieve what they want or not knowing what they want and not on anyways to achieve it.
Takahina can't decide for anyone, what you should choose to be happy with life. At the same time, there are so many ways to achieve the things you want, so Takahina won't know which is the best route. Takahina already knows what he wants; to be a self sustainable pro-drummer and on regular performances with a happy family, un-spoilt kids and able to support his family sufficiently, eventually retiring and playing/reading/watching his library of games/books/manga/anime/dramas that he still haven't manage to finish.
To achieve that, Takahina would need to rely on money because being a pro-drummer is risky and may not be able to support a family and his hobby, so passive income from investments, business and assets are the way to go. Family would come eventually as love or fate decrees it. If there's no one, then I'll just adopt a kid and have that kid watch anime and play games with me, who knows.
One thing to note though, is that I'm not aiming to be super rich and wealthy. I'm just aiming for a sustainable financial status, in otherwords financial security/freedom is good enough for me. People will ask, why don't you go for constant wealth? Because, there is no need for me to be that rich. I can achieve whatever I want with life, with just that sustainable amount of income and money. If I dedicate that much amount of life and time to get as wealthy as Bill Gates, the opportunity cost with it would eat out my drumming/Japanese language goals.
This is where, I think a lot of people are mistaken about the notion of money. Money doesn't equate to happiness, unless your dream of life is about money.
Money, is a medium for a person to obtain what he wants. With money you can obtain materialistic wants, skills, knowledge or simply almost everything in this world except time. (yes I believe you can "buy" love, as long as you have the appropriate skills and knowledge) But in the end, it's just a medium. If you do not know what do you want to do with your money, you will still gain nothing. Let inflation explode and your money will still end up with nothing. Let war occur and your money will still end up with nothing. Let your life end and you will still end up with nothing.
So naturally, you will need to earn this medium to get stuff you want. If the common mode of medium now is not money but instead maybe lambs and cows, then you'll see us working hard to earn cattle. Therefore money itself is useless, but more rather the things that you will buy with money. At the same time, with the wide and complicated growth of finance, cash may not be needed, perhaps all you need by then is just credit.
Why do you see so many Singaporeans immigrating nowadays? Because Singapore lacks of something. Singapore lacks of the facilities, space and market for the younger generation to pursue their dreams. For the normal "better-off" person, they won't hesitate to go outside to accomplish the things that they want to do. Few friends I know have already went overseas to further their profession, such as Edwin with Keyboards in Malaysia and Yuan Jie with drums in US.
Why can't they do it in Singapore which is their hometown? Things will be much cheaper here and they don't risk any sense of homesick feeling. Simply because Singapore doesn't have the relevant facilities here to further their apprenticeship.
Why don't Singapore have the facilities here? Because there isn't enough space to provide for it, the opportunity cost with investing in a music school compared to a office building is too high.
Why is the opportunity cost high then? Because there is no market in Singapore at all. No one in Singapore appreciates music enough, no one in Singapore pursues music enough. Lack of market is not just a problem in Singapore, but in many other nations out there in the world. Lack of market produces lack of prospects and once again it refers the whole problem back to the basic mentality of "working to survive in Singapore".
Therefore in a sense, the whole mentality of working industriously for survival has poisoned the whole nation. Despite that, the poison is necessary, cause without it Singapore would never have survived it's early days. However, now it's a different age whereby you don't work hard, you work smart. Working hard brings you nowhere if you don't have the needed information to accelerate your path. Now with the information boom, we are able to get information readily. However it's precisely with this information boom that we are so unsatisfied.
Now we mention opportunity cost, it comes naturally that there is sacrifices involved. Everyone has their notion of happiness and simple enough to Takahina, if there's anything that will stop Takahina in his tracks to gain that happiness, Takahina will sacrifice, crossover, breakthrough or just bash his way through that obstacle (of course within legal measures). That's why it's Takahina's pursuit to happiness. Every road to happiness will require sacrifices, pain and sadness, it's only with those pain then would you fully appreciate and savour the happiness that is to come. It's a selfish approach, but in this unfair world itself, this doesn't seem unreasonable in anyway. No use being a Buddha and be good to everyone you know, cause simply no one else would be able to act as such.
If I'm the government, what would I do to curb this unhappiness? I can't do it actively, but only passively through long term methods. One method which I had suggested before is using education, another is via producing more infrastructures to facilitate the more "ignored" cultures. In spite of whatever the government do though, it will never be enough if something about Singaporeans doesn't change; the appreciation and content for things that happens. Appreciation for things beyond monetary values, content for things that comes to us.
Singaporeans are poisoned ever since we're born, poisoned by reality. And the antidote to it is ourselves. Mentality has got to change, understanding has got to increase and a balance between material means and own personal values is a must.
With the information boom that we have now, it acts as a double edge sword by providing you with more information to gain understanding, but at the same time wanting more from this information we obtained. So it can only be up to ourselves to find the sheath to prevent us from cutting ourselves.
Be happy and content people.
Friday, January 28, 2011
The Fortunate Takahina
January of 2011 didn't start out well... well, at least not for me, but few people around me.
People are getting sick with this weird virus spreading around, making us cough, flu and fevers. At the same time, there are people who start to face money problems around me, some needing to stick to living a very uneventful live despite being in their most lively period. Takahina is also kinda broke, but at least I still can go out and stuff.
At the same time, it's somehow also a period of change for many people, with a lot of people I know changing jobs, or in the midst of changing jobs, or already thinking of changing jobs. As trend would follow, other than changing jobs people also change their study courses. :/ Don't worry though, Takahina is still stuck with his TNT job and is still in his RMIT course.
Then also, there are livelihood problems and somehow I got to know more people who can't afford to go a bit more luxurious and have to stick to their basic livelihood to live off.
Den again, my friends love lives seem to have improved, with more people I know getting attached. No offense to those still single. So as usual I shall make a commercial for myself again that I'm very single and very available with no commitment problems at all. :)
In anyways, 2011 somehow started out with a subtle bang that affected people around me somehow, and come on it's not pass the CNY yet!!
Lately, something happened to my relatives and that could be one of the more shock-affecting event to hit them, live-changing is not an understatement. The mood within the family is low and the depressing feel among the family is somewhat obvious. I have been trying to keep my cousin company, but during the times we talked on the phone etc, you can tell the affect is there. No one can be happy after something major happened.
The thing is that from this I somehow realized one thing, in that how unpredictable life can be. Just when we're in our young 20s, planning to go out party, we can be suddenly thrown into the pits and with all the responsibilities instantly piled up against us. Takahina is fortunate to not need to shoulder all those task of supporting a family or person, but neither should he take it for granted the luck that we have for even being able to lead a normal life.
I'm not saying my cousin is suddenly unable to lead a normal life, he is still able and well, just the responsibilities suddenly upon him, is much higher than most of us now at our age.
Somehow, even though we know of this fact, but I think people always overlook it unless something happened, as did with me. People like us who have no disabilities and no problems with our life at all, having 3 meals everyday and leading a normal life, that in itself is very fortunate. Rather than complaining over why the Iphone is so expensive, where to go next for your holiday, why are the food so lousily done, why I have to squeeze with people everyday on the public transport. We should think it in this way; I'm lucky enough to hold a handphone, anywhere for a holiday is already a luxury, being satisfied to be able to eat and be full and just being able to be on the public transport.
In this world, there are many people with different circumstances and situations. Look out to the hordes of people in every parts of the world, just in Singapore we can jolly well see tons of people in poverty and sickness, needless to say about Africa and the less developed countries. One meal featured on Epic Meal Time would be enough nutrition to provide for an African malnourished kid for a half a year.
Not saying that we don't always strive for higher and more lavish goals and just be content with be able to fulfill our basic needs, but instead while we the more lucky ones are able to climb, don't forget the unlucky ones situated at any location in life right now.
Takahina has never ever and will never complaine that he's unfortunate (well except for maybe his love life) and Takahina will never complain of leading an unlucky life, because he knows just able to type and talk right here on this blog, itself is already fortunate.
Short post; school + work together has been tiring, but finally as CNY is approaching, I'll be able to have some rest. Speaking of which, I have no idea how CNY would be this year after this incident in my family has happened. :/
People are getting sick with this weird virus spreading around, making us cough, flu and fevers. At the same time, there are people who start to face money problems around me, some needing to stick to living a very uneventful live despite being in their most lively period. Takahina is also kinda broke, but at least I still can go out and stuff.
At the same time, it's somehow also a period of change for many people, with a lot of people I know changing jobs, or in the midst of changing jobs, or already thinking of changing jobs. As trend would follow, other than changing jobs people also change their study courses. :/ Don't worry though, Takahina is still stuck with his TNT job and is still in his RMIT course.
Then also, there are livelihood problems and somehow I got to know more people who can't afford to go a bit more luxurious and have to stick to their basic livelihood to live off.
Den again, my friends love lives seem to have improved, with more people I know getting attached. No offense to those still single. So as usual I shall make a commercial for myself again that I'm very single and very available with no commitment problems at all. :)
In anyways, 2011 somehow started out with a subtle bang that affected people around me somehow, and come on it's not pass the CNY yet!!
Lately, something happened to my relatives and that could be one of the more shock-affecting event to hit them, live-changing is not an understatement. The mood within the family is low and the depressing feel among the family is somewhat obvious. I have been trying to keep my cousin company, but during the times we talked on the phone etc, you can tell the affect is there. No one can be happy after something major happened.
The thing is that from this I somehow realized one thing, in that how unpredictable life can be. Just when we're in our young 20s, planning to go out party, we can be suddenly thrown into the pits and with all the responsibilities instantly piled up against us. Takahina is fortunate to not need to shoulder all those task of supporting a family or person, but neither should he take it for granted the luck that we have for even being able to lead a normal life.
I'm not saying my cousin is suddenly unable to lead a normal life, he is still able and well, just the responsibilities suddenly upon him, is much higher than most of us now at our age.
Somehow, even though we know of this fact, but I think people always overlook it unless something happened, as did with me. People like us who have no disabilities and no problems with our life at all, having 3 meals everyday and leading a normal life, that in itself is very fortunate. Rather than complaining over why the Iphone is so expensive, where to go next for your holiday, why are the food so lousily done, why I have to squeeze with people everyday on the public transport. We should think it in this way; I'm lucky enough to hold a handphone, anywhere for a holiday is already a luxury, being satisfied to be able to eat and be full and just being able to be on the public transport.
In this world, there are many people with different circumstances and situations. Look out to the hordes of people in every parts of the world, just in Singapore we can jolly well see tons of people in poverty and sickness, needless to say about Africa and the less developed countries. One meal featured on Epic Meal Time would be enough nutrition to provide for an African malnourished kid for a half a year.
Not saying that we don't always strive for higher and more lavish goals and just be content with be able to fulfill our basic needs, but instead while we the more lucky ones are able to climb, don't forget the unlucky ones situated at any location in life right now.
Takahina has never ever and will never complaine that he's unfortunate (well except for maybe his love life) and Takahina will never complain of leading an unlucky life, because he knows just able to type and talk right here on this blog, itself is already fortunate.
Short post; school + work together has been tiring, but finally as CNY is approaching, I'll be able to have some rest. Speaking of which, I have no idea how CNY would be this year after this incident in my family has happened. :/
Friday, January 14, 2011
The Takahina Resolutions for 2011.... nahhhhh... screw those.
Every year, people write and talk about things like the new year resolutions. As usual Takahina has written his own list of resolutions...
But oh well, screw those I suppose, no one would be bothered to read about another person's resolutions won't it?
Then it got me thinking, what is the purpose behind a resolution?
Because every year, after finishing it I check back at my resolution and do a real proper check list of whether I have accomplished my resolutions, well at least for those that can be checked. Spiritual ones I can't do anything can I? :/
From the actual archives of Takahina's folders...
.................................................................................
Things I want to achieve in 2010!
Achieving good/satisfactory results for uni.
Losing weight. At least get below 75kg.
At least complete 3 cycles of the game list under the principle of activity (Laws of Takahina)
Perform and gig at least twice
Restart my lessons with Jimmy
Restarting Neverlasting Time.
At least update The True Takahina regularly to upkeep my writing skills.
Saving at least up to $4000 in my saving acc.
Pass my driving test.
IPPT Silver at least.
..............................................................................
So I look at it...
Things I want to achieve in 2010!
Achieving good/satisfactory results for uni.
- Did I get good results...? I guess so, having a few D, not failing any of the modules are good enough for me...
All she wants is just to pass her Econs :/ And she'll feel very satisfactory about it. :D
Losing weight. At least get below 75kg.
- I failed. I didn't lose a lot of weight actually, just 1 or 2 to be frank. And I'm still in the 80kg range. Deplorable me.
At least complete 3 cycles of the game list under the principle of activity (Laws of Takahina)
- In case you guys don't understand, 3 cycles of the game list would be literally like completing 3 Final Fantasy, watching 3 animes and completing all my Onimusha game. Nope, I didn't go even as close as completing 1 Final Fantasy. Deplorable me.
Perform and gig at least twice
- Did and done that. Sad to say those, the gigs are not those that I had expected to go.
Restart my lessons with Jimmy
- Nothing like that happened. I never even get to see Jimmy at all this year. :x
Restarting Neverlasting Time.
- I restarted it, but didn't continue to new plot down. I suck.
At least update The True Takahina regularly to upkeep my writing skills.
- Did I write regularly?? .... Hmmm.. .maybe?
Saving at least up to $4000 in my saving acc.
- Didn't happened. In fact I still owe a great ass of debt.
Pass my driving test.
- Did it. Happily and gloriously.
IPPT Silver at least.
- I passed... barely. >.<
________________________________________________________________________________
In a sense, you look at this resolutions of mine, the outcome is fucking sad.
And I mean, FUCKING SAD.
I am Sad.
So if you create resolutions, give yourself a whole year to complete it, but nothing like it happens, then how?
You become emo and sad, like Takahina!
So the solution is? Don't create resolutions!
Hmmmm, well but of course it's a bit of like avoiding the main problem. But if we take resolutions that seriously, if becomes a chore instead. Its the same thing with smoking actually.
Charles told me something which I felt was quite insightful.
If you don't want to smoke, just say "no" to smoke. It's very interesting actually. In the end it's a matter of "mind over body".
There is this mis-conception of people that smoking is like drugs, it makes you want to smoke and you won't be able to quit smoking... well for some cases it is. But the thing is that for regular smokers to not smoke, it won't kill them, but well, let's just say it makes them irritable like not having able to sleep for a whole day like that.
But that's it, as compared to drugs which can kill, smoke is much easier to quit and at the same time a more passive way to die. :) Let's just say, if you really put your mind to it, you can quit smoking and masturbating in a day but for drugs that will make you as mad as Britney and the guys at Epicmealtime.
You gotta salute the Bacon Chalice seriously.
So you relate it to resolutions, how does it work out? Well, it doesn't really work out in the same way, but you get what I mean, the mind over body... yeah whatever.
Just look at it this way, whats the sense of resolutions, if you can't keep to it for a whole year and complete it in that year? Resolutions will make you have a very high hope and expectations for this year. Then not fulfilling them within this year may make you enter a state of depression in this year. If its gonna be this way, then resolutions makes no sense.
I should re-state my point, resolutions makes sense, it's NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS that don't make sense. Because if you ask me no one can keep on and remembering everything that they have promised themselves in a year from the 1st Jan till 31st Dec.
No one. At some stage or point of time, something or someone will make us forget and do something that leads you away from this resolutions. Because it's simply, too long. Make a short terms ones, like monthly resolutions, at least you will remember and have more idea of it clearly. That is, if you really have that discipline to keep to it.
I don't have any idea how people write their resolutions, for me I have a sense of both tangible and non-tangible. Non-tangible ones not nice for me to write it down here, but tangible ones are like those that I have posted above. Very easy to define and test out, in otherwords "positive statements".
You can see somethings I wrote like, "Restart lesson with Jimmy". These are all very easy to be done and conducted. In fact within an hour time I can get it done, call Suntec and ask for a lesson time, work out my schedule and voila resolution done. But the thing is that reality doesn't always work in such a positive way. Why I didn't get it done, is cause I have no $. Simple as that.
Mr Jimmy Lee with only half a head of hair left!! You know how expensive your lessons are?!?!?!
But then you look at the essence of why I want to restart my drum lessons with Jimmy, it's to improve my own drum skills. So in a sense, would it have matter had I not done or not done this resolution to restart my drum lessons? Not really. It won't have matter a tiny bit at all. I should have wrote like "improve in drums", rather than "restart drum lessons".
Those in a sense, for those who even bother reading this, don't make any resolutions whatsoever cause you'll forget them in a month's time.
Rather, I prefer you install this though in your head. If you wanna do it, and really wanna do it and the situation is perfectly correct and right, just do it. Think too much also no use. If you wanna quit smoking, just install in your mind that you won't smoke anymore no matter what. See a stick, just say no. JUST SAY NO.
Same for me, I wanna improve my drums, so I'll keep on playing in a band and save $$ for Jimmy's lessons. Simple.
Regardless, Takahina still has resolutions for 2011 up, but it's more of a guideline this time. I mean what kinda resolution is "I wanna be qualified to sing the song 'I just had sex'"???
I have never seen Akon smiled so much in a MV.
:x
But oh well, screw those I suppose, no one would be bothered to read about another person's resolutions won't it?
Then it got me thinking, what is the purpose behind a resolution?
Because every year, after finishing it I check back at my resolution and do a real proper check list of whether I have accomplished my resolutions, well at least for those that can be checked. Spiritual ones I can't do anything can I? :/
From the actual archives of Takahina's folders...
.................................................................................
Things I want to achieve in 2010!
Achieving good/satisfactory results for uni.
Losing weight. At least get below 75kg.
At least complete 3 cycles of the game list under the principle of activity (Laws of Takahina)
Perform and gig at least twice
Restart my lessons with Jimmy
Restarting Neverlasting Time.
At least update The True Takahina regularly to upkeep my writing skills.
Saving at least up to $4000 in my saving acc.
Pass my driving test.
IPPT Silver at least.
..............................................................................
So I look at it...
Things I want to achieve in 2010!
Achieving good/satisfactory results for uni.
- Did I get good results...? I guess so, having a few D, not failing any of the modules are good enough for me...
All she wants is just to pass her Econs :/ And she'll feel very satisfactory about it. :D
Losing weight. At least get below 75kg.
- I failed. I didn't lose a lot of weight actually, just 1 or 2 to be frank. And I'm still in the 80kg range. Deplorable me.
At least complete 3 cycles of the game list under the principle of activity (Laws of Takahina)
- In case you guys don't understand, 3 cycles of the game list would be literally like completing 3 Final Fantasy, watching 3 animes and completing all my Onimusha game. Nope, I didn't go even as close as completing 1 Final Fantasy. Deplorable me.
Perform and gig at least twice
- Did and done that. Sad to say those, the gigs are not those that I had expected to go.
Restart my lessons with Jimmy
- Nothing like that happened. I never even get to see Jimmy at all this year. :x
Restarting Neverlasting Time.
- I restarted it, but didn't continue to new plot down. I suck.
At least update The True Takahina regularly to upkeep my writing skills.
- Did I write regularly?? .... Hmmm.. .maybe?
Saving at least up to $4000 in my saving acc.
- Didn't happened. In fact I still owe a great ass of debt.
Pass my driving test.
- Did it. Happily and gloriously.
IPPT Silver at least.
- I passed... barely. >.<
________________________________________________________________________________
In a sense, you look at this resolutions of mine, the outcome is fucking sad.
And I mean, FUCKING SAD.
I am Sad.
So if you create resolutions, give yourself a whole year to complete it, but nothing like it happens, then how?
You become emo and sad, like Takahina!
So the solution is? Don't create resolutions!
Hmmmm, well but of course it's a bit of like avoiding the main problem. But if we take resolutions that seriously, if becomes a chore instead. Its the same thing with smoking actually.
Charles told me something which I felt was quite insightful.
If you don't want to smoke, just say "no" to smoke. It's very interesting actually. In the end it's a matter of "mind over body".
There is this mis-conception of people that smoking is like drugs, it makes you want to smoke and you won't be able to quit smoking... well for some cases it is. But the thing is that for regular smokers to not smoke, it won't kill them, but well, let's just say it makes them irritable like not having able to sleep for a whole day like that.
But that's it, as compared to drugs which can kill, smoke is much easier to quit and at the same time a more passive way to die. :) Let's just say, if you really put your mind to it, you can quit smoking and masturbating in a day but for drugs that will make you as mad as Britney and the guys at Epicmealtime.
You gotta salute the Bacon Chalice seriously.
So you relate it to resolutions, how does it work out? Well, it doesn't really work out in the same way, but you get what I mean, the mind over body... yeah whatever.
Just look at it this way, whats the sense of resolutions, if you can't keep to it for a whole year and complete it in that year? Resolutions will make you have a very high hope and expectations for this year. Then not fulfilling them within this year may make you enter a state of depression in this year. If its gonna be this way, then resolutions makes no sense.
I should re-state my point, resolutions makes sense, it's NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS that don't make sense. Because if you ask me no one can keep on and remembering everything that they have promised themselves in a year from the 1st Jan till 31st Dec.
No one. At some stage or point of time, something or someone will make us forget and do something that leads you away from this resolutions. Because it's simply, too long. Make a short terms ones, like monthly resolutions, at least you will remember and have more idea of it clearly. That is, if you really have that discipline to keep to it.
I don't have any idea how people write their resolutions, for me I have a sense of both tangible and non-tangible. Non-tangible ones not nice for me to write it down here, but tangible ones are like those that I have posted above. Very easy to define and test out, in otherwords "positive statements".
You can see somethings I wrote like, "Restart lesson with Jimmy". These are all very easy to be done and conducted. In fact within an hour time I can get it done, call Suntec and ask for a lesson time, work out my schedule and voila resolution done. But the thing is that reality doesn't always work in such a positive way. Why I didn't get it done, is cause I have no $. Simple as that.
Mr Jimmy Lee with only half a head of hair left!! You know how expensive your lessons are?!?!?!
But then you look at the essence of why I want to restart my drum lessons with Jimmy, it's to improve my own drum skills. So in a sense, would it have matter had I not done or not done this resolution to restart my drum lessons? Not really. It won't have matter a tiny bit at all. I should have wrote like "improve in drums", rather than "restart drum lessons".
Those in a sense, for those who even bother reading this, don't make any resolutions whatsoever cause you'll forget them in a month's time.
Rather, I prefer you install this though in your head. If you wanna do it, and really wanna do it and the situation is perfectly correct and right, just do it. Think too much also no use. If you wanna quit smoking, just install in your mind that you won't smoke anymore no matter what. See a stick, just say no. JUST SAY NO.
Same for me, I wanna improve my drums, so I'll keep on playing in a band and save $$ for Jimmy's lessons. Simple.
Regardless, Takahina still has resolutions for 2011 up, but it's more of a guideline this time. I mean what kinda resolution is "I wanna be qualified to sing the song 'I just had sex'"???
I have never seen Akon smiled so much in a MV.
:x
Thursday, December 30, 2010
The End of 2010 for Takahina
This is a continuation from a previously posted post. It will features details of things that I had felt contributed to me in this 2010 and also finer details of what went through in 2010.
...................................................................................
Jan: Entering Bunka Japanese Language Intermediate Class (ended)
Sep: Entering Bunka Japanese Language Pre-Advanced Class (ongoing)
From last year till this year Jan, I have been studying in Bunka Japanese Language School in Orchard Delphi. It started out first with Chin Han, Huiming, Tian Wei and Xing, but now we kinda left our ways, with me currently mid way through Pre-advanced 1 and Xing just starting it. Tian Wei stopped at Elementary 2, Chin Han at Intermediate 4.
Compared to my very much broken Japanese Language in the past, it's much better now although it's still pretty broken. I finished the intermediate around July and by right I should be around borderline JLPT level 4 at that time.
Kirei Sato Sensei.
My teacher Sato Sensei taught me throughout the 3rd intermediate and 4th intermediate lessons. 1st and 2nd is Fukushima Sensei whom has left the school. Quite abruptly I must add. Both are very gentle teachers and full of smiles, but Sato Sensei's lessons are a bit more "textbook" I must add.
I furthered my studies into the Pre-advanced stages. It's still ongoing now and it's pretty tense if you ask me. It's more on speed and conversation. I'm still trying to cope with it and still make mistakes here and there, much to my teacher, Mizusaki Sensei's dismay.
Mizusaki Sensei with her spunky hairdo.
I'm still trying to be more natural in the language and hope I can clear JLPT N3 next year. Probably will keep ongoing in Bunka until maybe I've become truly proficient in the language.
これからも、よろしくお願いします。頑張ります。
................................................................................
Jan: Drum teaching to Karen (ended)
Feb: Drum teaching to Uncle (ended)
This year, I accepted 2 more drum students. Drum students as in I really accepted a fee in teaching them. 1 is Karen, the other is my Uncle.
Student no.2, Karen
Student no.3, Uncle Chong Liung Man (took damn long to find a pic of his)
I taught Karen in a studio in Tampines which charges me cheap for $10 an hour because I only use their drums. She was a tad slow in learning but she had some base because she played a bit of Drummania. Still she had a bit of brushing up to do with her strokes and using the bass pedal. She quit by around the 3rd lesson due to commitment and lack of interest by the end.
For my uncle, I did a house teaching. His house has a drum set and I taught him there. Also, since it's not a studio I can go ahead and teach him all the way for as long as we both can. Very eager student and inquisitive, but has too little time to practice due to his job commitments. Tends to rush on his timing too which needs a bit of adjustments. He's good though for an amateur and definitely can go further if he had more interest in it. Didn't continue in the end due to lack of time by both of us.
In a sense they are people who once contributed to a teaching experience of mine and had me not only refining my own theories in drum, but also opening a possible career path of mine in the future. Now I don't teach anyone drums, partly cause I lose money from it and no one wants to learn from me anymore. :( For all my previous drum students who had given me a chance, I thank you. :D
.........................................................................
Jan: Jamming with Grottesca (ended)
Mar: Jamming with Vincent (ended)
Jul: Jamming with Square Table feat Umei (ongoing)
Jul: Jamming with Resonance (ongoing)
Nov: Jamming with Yellow Boots (ended)
In this span of 1 year, I had experimented with 5 bands in total to try for a committed band that can last. This year when I started, I had wanted to have various band, so to open up my views to different genre of music and to somehow ignite my drumming passion again.
Grottescaaaaaaaaa~~~~~
Grottesca was a band when I really tried to play with heavy rock/metal drums and playing Jrock songs like XJapan's Rusty Nails. I somehow slowly learned how to double pedal a bit with Grottesca. Eventually though I couldn't continue with them, partly myself to blame cause I didn't have good time management at that time and I lost interest in the music influence that Grottesca is in. At that point of time when I quit, I felt Grottesca was somehow getting stale since we keep playing the same songs and not improving. But now they have gotten in gigs, got themselves with a full band of vox and keyboards playing the songs which they like and slowly make themselves known in the scene. I feel happy for them and wish the band good luck in the future. :)
Vincent's band was a bit queer. It started out to be a mandopop band playing songs from David Tao and Zhang Zheng Yue, it's also in this band I met up with Chris again. This band had something missing which was the "click" that every band is supposed to have. Our music seemed to always lack in something and can't really continue on eventually. Vincent lost interest and the band just silently broke up in the end. Up till now, Vincent is still somewhat "lost" in my contacts. :x
Square Table feat Umei and a guy back facing the camera
Square Table feat Umei contacted me through soft.com around June and we had our first jam in July. We eventually progressed with various obstacles in our way and got into our EOY gig in Dec. Now the band is on hiatus and possible disband due to differing commitments. Regardless, they will remain as part of my memory and possibly for being a band that opened me up to a whole new genre of music, Anime music, aka Indie Jpop. :x
Resonance's most ghostly picture
Resonance is Chris's Jpop band, he kinda "re-discovered" me during the jamming with Vincent and got me into this band, initially to help out for his gig, now to stay and join them through their route of improving themselves. I won't say they're a great band, but they have the correct attitude and room of improvement to go on. After EOY, the band's next aim is into 2011's Street festival and I'll help them in getting through to it.
"Yellow Boots" is the nickname of the band leader. Up till now, regretfully I still can't remember his full name, only know him as Cheng. Joined them in Nov, partly as my plan to be open to more music and to continue my networking to know more people. Came out as quite a failure though as this band is an extremely busy band, with the band members all unable to commit to a constant time, including me. Totally lost contact with Yellow Boots now, but at least I had fun during that jam.
These various bands helped in reviving my love in drumming again and make me feel that I can go on regardless of whatever happens. The jamming sessions make me alive again and I'm happy to know you guys, whatever you all may be right now.
...............................................................................
Jan: Restart of new sem at SIM, project group with Charles and co, pair project with Xiao Tong. (ended)
Jul: Restart of new sem at SIM, project group Uni cliques. (ended)
Charles, the natural leader
School naturally restarted at SIM. My 2nd sem into uni-life was quite engaging actually. Not because the lessons are engaging whatsoever, but because the project group I was in helped me out tons as I was just starting out work at TNT. My project group consisted of Charles and a bunch of genius who are all proficient in their own rights and leaders in their own rights. All have the ability to work out stuff, do out stuff, so much so that I almost felt like I'm a free-rider in the 2nd sem. It was also the time I kinda understood how low my own level is in the course.
Cute cute Xiao Tong
Pair project with Xiao Tong was strange, because it was the supposed "chance" for me to show my abilities to my "crush". I had performed and the project worked out well in the end with both of us getting good scores, but somehow it's also at this time I felt disappointed as this "crush" of mine, was not the person I had thought to be. Nevertheless, it's still a good chance to work with a foreign student and have an up-close experience on how they worked, or how they do not work in projects. :x
Holidays came, and then started again the new Sem at Jul. I got to choose be with my uni cliques in this sem for my project. The 3rd sem was a very fast paced sem due to the school pushing and rushing all the lessons, submission dates and exams together all almost at the same time. Had me really crying out for help at the end especially when submission dates closed in.
I wasn't able to work like a free rider this sem, I had to really coordinate and perform more than what I used to as compared to the previous sems. It's also in this sem I encounter stuff like "friend politics" and "group politics", with friends complaining in good faith and being offended due to pressure and stress, it made me realized how delicate friendships can be in faces of stress and pressure. Still we pulled it through and our friendship held on, with particular thanks to Serene, Desmond, Kasumi and Manluo for putting up with me, this emo group leader.... wait am I still missing someone in the group?? :x
The thing that I can take away, is really learning the ropes of leadership and struggling with stress and pressure and studies and work with good friends and teammates. This sem's project group, although hectic has been fun. :D
..................................................................................
Jan: TNT work full time begins (ongoing)
TNT, logistics company... = Take N Throw
I seriously can't emphasis how big this company is, literally and non-literally. Starting work there has been one of the most tiresome commitment I had for anything other than NS and school. It also made me fully realized, how freaking difficult it is to earn money. $6.50 per hour is under paying, yet I'm still working in there. If not for the various good people in it and how convenient the work is, I would have quit long ago....
Well, it's a bit harsh to put it that way. The job does have it's perks. For a uni student such as I, you really can't ask more out of a job. And knowing the various people in there, makes it all worthwhile. However, I seriously don't know how much more I can last there though with my studies intensifying.... :x
...............................................................................
Jan: Drum Recording for Elisen (1-shot event)
Mar: Drum recording for Bernard (1-shot event)
Aug: Jamming + Recording for Marco's song entry (1-shot event)
Recordings are a different case from jammings with bands and gigs. It's a more professional situation whereby you have to do everything alone, with just mics and a whole lot of sounds. In a sense, that is where it's different. In recordings there is no "half-assed" job, only full perfect stuff. Any mistakes will be a retake and more time wasting.
Throughout my life, I had done only a few recordings, so I wasn't a total newbie to it. Plus Huiming at times got me to record for her projects, I kinda understood the process in it. When Elisen got me on soft, I accepted the non-profit project. Simply because I needed more experience in it. I'm still very very weak in such solo drumming, playing purely by time kinda stuff, so recordings will enable me to improve much more and to take off my anxiety in it.
Bernard's one was more of a favor done to both of Bernard and Huiming. Doing Sounan for recording was seriously enjoyable as well.
Finally, around August Marco, my previous keyboardist from EvE, approached me to do this original of his for a competition organized by NEA. We jammed only once to certify the song and went straight away to record it the next week. Very very rush job and probably a half-assed job as well. If we had more time and put in more effort, definitely can score better.
The road to being professional can only start from small, so small I started out to be, but at least I started out this year.
.................................................................................
Jan: Passing my driving test (1-shot event)
Jul: First Car Mishap (1-shot event)
Huiming tried to take a picture of the group, Edwin, Benji and me while I'm driving, and yes we phailed. No there was no accident in the end. >_>
Learning how to drive is probably one of the achievements I have got for this year that will serve in fulfilling my "greatness" in the future. :p
Sure it was expensive, it was tedious trying to get the license but it was all very well worth it. Why? Because it is a sense of reaching the next stage of life.
As you get to adulthood, guys especially in my opinion should learn how to drive. Why? Because of convenient sake. Sure enough Singapore's public transport systems are very advanced and convenient already. But still it's not good enough. The transport systems now makes us like little squashed sardines gasping for air especially in times like peak hours. Having a car makes it much more comfortable and enjoyable and fast! I can reach SIM from my house via driving in 30mins fastest, whereas via public transport it'll take close to 1hr 15mins. Look at the amount of time I can save via driving, freaking 45mins!
Secondly, knowing how to drive, opens up a whole lot of places available to go to. Previously I only know most places along the east side. Now I drive, I go to Walawala at Holland V, I go to East Coast Park regularly for drinks, I send people home, girls guys included, I go to various pubs, weird places, scenary places etc. All can't be done without driving.
Thirdly, it makes it... easier to chase girls. Disclaimer first, I'm not referring that without a car you can't achieve that, I'm just saying it's easier and more impressive knowing how to drive. To be realistic and vain at the same time, driving a nice looking expensive car down to school really has that "up up atas feel". People will hate you in return of course.
Still, I got my first accident in July. I pulled out the whole bumper from my car's rear. Nothing got injured except for my wallet. The thing I realized about it is safety in the end. Driving, no doubt fun, is still dangerous.
In a month's time, I can take out my P-plate. So it's more fun in the future. ;)
...................................................................................
Apr: Start of exercise regime (ongoing)
Yup, I started and planned my initial exercise regime around April. Cause I gained too much fat during the 1st 3months after my TNT work started. Slowly I adjust the volume and intensity of it accordingly and it's now rather modified and quite "siong" I may add. Well for Tian Wei it's no kick of course, but it will require tons and tons of self-discipline to follow to my regime. Cause it's an everyday thing except weekends. Even at late night, 2, 3am. You still must do it.
There's also wet weather programs too. So there's no excuse for myself not to do it.
I'm happy now at least, cause the regime worked out and I'm not as fat as before. In fact now I'll like to call myself stout rather than fat. Har Har HAr.
.......................................................................
May: Brother's ROM (1-shot event)
As you guys would have know, I have a sister-in-law. They were officially registered in May and the small ceremony was attended by a few of my brother friends, a few of Ah Ning's, a translator from the thai embassy, my parents and me.
It signified an official new member of the family adding into the family and happiness for the couple. I need not mention too much and how the new member added to my life influenced me, but indeed, the family is seemingly happier now with her in.
Lesser problems happens for my brother side now too. :)
...........................................................................
May: JB trip with Charles and co (1-shot event)
Kinda the first time I'm off for a random trip to another country for just a day trip playing paintball for the first time wearing NS uniform after a long time etc etc.
For me, it's the very few big events whereby I hang out with the main big group of my uni friends. Normally I just hang out with the usual small cliques I have around me. Even though we somehow know each other, at least recognize each other faces, but we don't talk much in school.
And of course, it's a fun day. Getting paint sprayed in your face rocks.
...........................................................................
Jun: Rehearsal with Rong for his farewell party (ended)
Jul: Rong's farewell party + Gackt's bday. (1-shot event)
Sep: Chalet on Chin Han's birthday (1-shot event)
Throughout the Year Event: Fast Food Birthday Party.
As for birthdays, this year's birthday for Rurouni was themed under "fast food" theme. So everyone was supposed to have your own fast food theme and we'll eat that for the birthday celebration followed by an event planned.
The list goes as:
Ahn Jae Sung & Ben: Pop eye's Chicken (trashed the restaurant)
Benjamin Seet: Carl's Junior (too full to finish)
Chong Woon Han: Yoshinoya (can't find our restaurant)
Eugene Quek a.k.a Gackt: Subway (didn't eat in the end... forgot why.)
Huiming Tan: Burger King (didn't eat in the end cause all busy.)
Junrong Chen: Arnold's Chicken (he went overseas before we can celebrate)
Samuel Lim: Super Dog (At 313 Somerset. Not bad)
Stella Ng: Mos Burger (Ate at Sentosa at night by the beach. Soggy burgers)
Shion Wah: Long John Silver (Most "budget" and "unsatisfying", lol)
Woo Tian Wei: Pasta Mania (seriously, this isn't fast food)
Stacey Lee: Wendy's (A good meal, but jaws were sore after it)
Most of the post events were just drinking at some pub or disco. Tian Wei's was more celebrated by his friends, the only big ones that actually took quite a bit of planning was Chin Han's and Gackt's one.
Gackt's birthday was meant to go together with Junrong's farewell party as he left SG for Australia to further his studies. He wanted to play the bass, so we got him over to hold a mini concert among us Rurouni. Don't play play, but Rurouni can form a band ok?
It's a sad truth, no one can see the drummers, it's always like this. :(
Benji on Guitars, Tian Wei on drums, Rong on bass, me on vox together with the birthday boy.
I don't know how we sounded that day, neither can I care too much, it was meant to have fun for both the bday boy and the farewell boy. After that it's more drinking at CMPB located at Dempsey Road where we cut cake, and make merry.
Next big one coming up with Chin Han's birthday. In a sense, it was meant to "replace" and cover up for the lacklustre birthday Chin Han got on his actual 21st. Looking through the list of things that Chin Han hadn't done, we decided, a chalet it'll be.
However, we're all pretty last minute... so rush and chiong, in the end we got a half-assed chalet at East Coast Park.
Even the logo on their webpage looks half-assed.
To be frank, the chalet wasn't good. That's why we can manage to book it in time. Kinda good and bad ba I guess. Chalet was more like a slack-let, rather than drink and vomit kinda stuff. We're considered super quiet compared to the others and sticked to just doing our usual stuff. We're so slack... I realised THERE'S NOT EVEN 1 PHOTO ON IT!! Either that or someone didn't upload it... :/
Anyways, the fast food madness for 2010 has ended... now I'm thinking of what's next for 2011 when we're 23 and can enter Dragonfly... Suggestions? :p
...........................................................................
Jun: Starting of Rurouni's business proposals and meetings (ended)
The idea was initiated by Tian Wei and Sam and was facilitated by me and my house. In otherwords, my house was the meeting ground.
This could be the first time, that we all were seriously talking about something and you can see traces of frustration appearing up on everyone's faces. Be it Tian Wei's, Sam, Ben's or mine. We all were at first hopeful, then slowly the flame got down with the traces of frustration and obstacles.
I won't say it's anyone's fault that it didn't work out in the end, it's an experience which Rurouni had and understandably we were all too immature at that time to start something so serious in such a big group.
..............................................................................
Jul: 1st Re-service ICT (ended)
Oct: 1st NS Mobilization Exercise (1-shot event)
By right, this is a very normal event. I mean every guy in SG will undergo reservice so it's not strange. However, the weird thing is that, I only get to understand the means of a "defence" in Singapore after the ICT.
In the past I'm very drop dead certain on something, that is our army is only acting as a deterrence force. I don't doubt our own army's strength but neither do I think it's comparable to the very much more advanced technology of the US or the mass of China's. That's why it's just a deterrence. All the things that the school has taught us of army such as bonding together and racial harmony being improved from our experiences in NS, etc, this were all just minor side effects that came from the army.
To your face, Singapore is in a very dangerous location due to our racial and religious beliefs. Politically wise we're also on odds with our neighbors. True, the people and citizens mix well with each other, but our politicians don't. So we must have a defence force. On logical thinking, we won't be able to compete against the superpowers, we can only defend ourselves against people close to us and thus our military strength just needs to achieve such stages.
A country without defense, is just a pseudo-country. This is what I've somehow recognized in the ICT. If a country has no defense, any other countries can just come in and invade. By then the harm is done and even if we wait for reinforcements from other countries, it's too late. At the same time you will never know what the country that is reinforcing you wants, so it's still best to have your own defenses up.
So in a sense, at least now when I'm serving, I have more purpose in it. However, I'm in no way standing on any side as I know tons of people are complaining for the real need of the 2 years National Service. There are other ways to defend a country, but for now since the government chose NS, I just LLST do it.
After all, I've already ORD, reservice is just chicken feet. :/
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Sep: Gig with Resonance (1-shot event)
Nov: EOY Audition (1-shot event)
Dec: Gig with Square Table feat Umei and Resonance (ended)
Probably one of the biggest highlights of this year came at the end of the year, when I finally have one of my biggest gigs ever at EOY.
The angle of this shot is superb....
The gig with Resonance at AMG you could say is a prelude. I hadn't gig for quite sometime and needed some real practice so I could get my standard back again. At the same time I could see what was the "standard" with the local scene now and to judge in a sense whether we're decent or comparable enough to be on stage with them. It's not a sense of competing, but just to self confirm our own standards.
So when EOY came, somehow I was confident enough on stage for both bands. Even though I did make mistakes, but still it wasn't that bad and I didn't throw face. ^^;
Resonance's performance; Song list:
Shunkan Sentimental - Scandal.
God Knows - Aya Hirano
Square Table feat Ume performance part 1;
Square Table feat Ume performance part 2;
Song list:
Anata ga ita mori - Fate/stay night ED
Kimi no Shiranai monogatari - Bakemonogatari ED
Hey Erin! - Touhou
Ume's fan power is kinda great, and well we got ourselves some enemies as well due to us being the only band to play 3 songs. Lol. Anyways it was a damn fun gig and I hope I can do it again. :D
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Nov: Marina Bay Sands stay on Patricia's birthday (1-shot event)
Lol I seriously do not think I have to elaborate more on this. I specially made a whole full blog post on this indicating how much I enjoyed myself on the trip to MBS.
Here is the entire post on Marina Bay Sands.
Any final words on this stay... hmmm...
It's probably the happiest day of this year when I stayed in there, at the same time it's probably also one of the more unsettling ones of this year.
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Dec: Taiwan Trip with Parents (ended)
In December my parents planned a very sudden Taiwan trip which luckily didn't clash with any of my other major events like gigs etc. It's a 7 days trip and from what I know, their main motive is actually just the flower expo at the 1st day WHICH, we didn't even enter. The whole flower expo is worth 3-4 days of walk and no way are we gonna use that much days on just 1 expo.
By right, I was supposed to write about it, but truth be told... I FORGOT QUITE A BUNCH OF IT!!!! >.<
Anyways, there WILL be a future blog post about this Taiwan trip; a holiday which I hadn't been to in years. Best thing about it is, it's an all expenses paid for... heh heh heh...
If I want to say something about it...
Going to Taiwan, if you want to see stuff and learn about the scenery and their history, tour would be good. If you want to experience life there, go free and easy. Taiwan trip wasn't enjoyable as I was with my parents, I can't havoc, but I learned quite a bit of stuff. :)
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Dec: Obtaining Diploma (ended)
I don't know, I look kinda weird in this pic. :/
So finally, I have finished the first stage of my degree... which in otherwords is a diploma. In a sense, I can actually go out and work now since I do have a diploma at hand, but nooooooooo... this course is meant to go all the way to stage 2 which is a degree.
I can't believe it though, but this is actually my first actual graduation. I don't remember a proper graduation being done in Tampines Primary, in East View Sec, in Tampines Junior College. Well simply put, I was low profile in those schools.... wait a minute I'm low profile in my current course as well!!
Nevertheless, it's my first graduation, though it's not the first time I'm up on stage.
This ceremony, is just a ceremony. But it serves to remind me something, what I have been doing now in school, is just a diploma course. Now comes the real thing, so I better buck up.
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Few people to thanks and acknowledge this year in 2010.
(I had wanted to use the pic we took for Xmas instead >_>)
The whole gang of Rurouni, which includes, Ben, Benji, Chin Han, Sam, Tian Wei, Junrong + Eunice, Jae Sung, Stella, Huiming, Gackt, Stacey. Thanks for being there in my life as always in 2010 and may our bond stay strong all the way till the end of our lives! Words won't be able to say how strong our ties are, but we will know it inside. :) Huat Ah!!!!
From shortest to tallest ah????
My Uni Clique which includes, Manluo, Serene, Kasumi and Desmond. For laughing out at my stupid jokes, for eating with me, for doing stupid things with me, for insulting me, for letting me insult you all... thank you. University won't be the same without you guys and may we strive into the next year!
Yes... I know you are... i know...
Lao Peng ah Lao Peng, sorry this pic is too fucked up for me to ignore it lol. Got very much closer to you this year, partly thanks to me being able to drive lol. Anyways, love the "bromance" drinking/smoking sessions with you and you for being there to lend a listening ear for me. It'll continue on, and I promise it'll be more fucked up every year.
ヘンンンンンンン身～～～～！！！！！
+
How many times must I post pics of us!!????
I have already saluted you guys as number 1 in my most influential list, so let me just summarize again. Thank you for giving me the chance to be your drummer and even if we're not playing together anymore in the future, continue to rock on in your individual music talents and your dreams! Also have to thank the boss of Alliance Music Studios, Marc for being so patient with us all the time, for being late etc etc. lol
The 2 most babelicious gals in my life. ;)
Thank you 2 for the memories you have given me this year, Patricia during my drums lessons, Priscilla for the occasional and random drinks and the outings that we had. I had fun during those outings. :) Now it could be difficult for us to hang out due to commitments that we have and futures that we have to pursue (be it career or love life), still these things will remain and hope you 2 will cherish it too. :)
Time for you to lose weight dude!!!
+
Sam at Work = SAW
+
Fong Jieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~~~~~~~~
Seriously, if not for you 3, my work would be rather unbearable. Azri my go home kaki, Sam my smoking buddy and Fong jie the ever so considerate supervisor. Azri you crack me up with your stuns, and you should lose some weight. Ah Sam, lucky you were there at the start to get me through the initial stages when I just started out there, if not I'm may not even last the probation period. Fong Jie, thanks for being so patient with me always when I perform stuns, do stupid things and make stupid mistakes. Not forgetting the whole crew in TNT, work would be extremely tedious without you all. :D
Ah Chong and Ah Ning
Blood is thicker than water. Somehow that is getting more and more true for my case. Bro, you have been damn helpful to me this year, regardless of whatever stupid proposals i shoot to you, like you buying ps3 first and I paying you later, you fetching me home, I fetching you home, suppering etc. Tons of stupid things lol. Hope you and Ah Ning stay close together and be happy always. :D
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2010 has been a roller coaster ride, from Youth Olympics to World Cup to falling in love to drinking till I vomit blood to the many things I have done this year. It has been a fulfilling month both physically and spiritually.
Have fun to the year end and may all of us have a happy new year!
Bye for now, and cya all next year. :D
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Jan: Entering Bunka Japanese Language Intermediate Class (ended)
Sep: Entering Bunka Japanese Language Pre-Advanced Class (ongoing)
From last year till this year Jan, I have been studying in Bunka Japanese Language School in Orchard Delphi. It started out first with Chin Han, Huiming, Tian Wei and Xing, but now we kinda left our ways, with me currently mid way through Pre-advanced 1 and Xing just starting it. Tian Wei stopped at Elementary 2, Chin Han at Intermediate 4.
Compared to my very much broken Japanese Language in the past, it's much better now although it's still pretty broken. I finished the intermediate around July and by right I should be around borderline JLPT level 4 at that time.
Kirei Sato Sensei.
My teacher Sato Sensei taught me throughout the 3rd intermediate and 4th intermediate lessons. 1st and 2nd is Fukushima Sensei whom has left the school. Quite abruptly I must add. Both are very gentle teachers and full of smiles, but Sato Sensei's lessons are a bit more "textbook" I must add.
I furthered my studies into the Pre-advanced stages. It's still ongoing now and it's pretty tense if you ask me. It's more on speed and conversation. I'm still trying to cope with it and still make mistakes here and there, much to my teacher, Mizusaki Sensei's dismay.
Mizusaki Sensei with her spunky hairdo.
I'm still trying to be more natural in the language and hope I can clear JLPT N3 next year. Probably will keep ongoing in Bunka until maybe I've become truly proficient in the language.
これからも、よろしくお願いします。頑張ります。
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Jan: Drum teaching to Karen (ended)
Feb: Drum teaching to Uncle (ended)
This year, I accepted 2 more drum students. Drum students as in I really accepted a fee in teaching them. 1 is Karen, the other is my Uncle.
Student no.2, Karen
Student no.3, Uncle Chong Liung Man (took damn long to find a pic of his)
I taught Karen in a studio in Tampines which charges me cheap for $10 an hour because I only use their drums. She was a tad slow in learning but she had some base because she played a bit of Drummania. Still she had a bit of brushing up to do with her strokes and using the bass pedal. She quit by around the 3rd lesson due to commitment and lack of interest by the end.
For my uncle, I did a house teaching. His house has a drum set and I taught him there. Also, since it's not a studio I can go ahead and teach him all the way for as long as we both can. Very eager student and inquisitive, but has too little time to practice due to his job commitments. Tends to rush on his timing too which needs a bit of adjustments. He's good though for an amateur and definitely can go further if he had more interest in it. Didn't continue in the end due to lack of time by both of us.
In a sense they are people who once contributed to a teaching experience of mine and had me not only refining my own theories in drum, but also opening a possible career path of mine in the future. Now I don't teach anyone drums, partly cause I lose money from it and no one wants to learn from me anymore. :( For all my previous drum students who had given me a chance, I thank you. :D
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Jan: Jamming with Grottesca (ended)
Mar: Jamming with Vincent (ended)
Jul: Jamming with Square Table feat Umei (ongoing)
Jul: Jamming with Resonance (ongoing)
Nov: Jamming with Yellow Boots (ended)
In this span of 1 year, I had experimented with 5 bands in total to try for a committed band that can last. This year when I started, I had wanted to have various band, so to open up my views to different genre of music and to somehow ignite my drumming passion again.
Grottescaaaaaaaaa~~~~~
Grottesca was a band when I really tried to play with heavy rock/metal drums and playing Jrock songs like XJapan's Rusty Nails. I somehow slowly learned how to double pedal a bit with Grottesca. Eventually though I couldn't continue with them, partly myself to blame cause I didn't have good time management at that time and I lost interest in the music influence that Grottesca is in. At that point of time when I quit, I felt Grottesca was somehow getting stale since we keep playing the same songs and not improving. But now they have gotten in gigs, got themselves with a full band of vox and keyboards playing the songs which they like and slowly make themselves known in the scene. I feel happy for them and wish the band good luck in the future. :)
Vincent's band was a bit queer. It started out to be a mandopop band playing songs from David Tao and Zhang Zheng Yue, it's also in this band I met up with Chris again. This band had something missing which was the "click" that every band is supposed to have. Our music seemed to always lack in something and can't really continue on eventually. Vincent lost interest and the band just silently broke up in the end. Up till now, Vincent is still somewhat "lost" in my contacts. :x
Square Table feat Umei and a guy back facing the camera
Square Table feat Umei contacted me through soft.com around June and we had our first jam in July. We eventually progressed with various obstacles in our way and got into our EOY gig in Dec. Now the band is on hiatus and possible disband due to differing commitments. Regardless, they will remain as part of my memory and possibly for being a band that opened me up to a whole new genre of music, Anime music, aka Indie Jpop. :x
Resonance's most ghostly picture
Resonance is Chris's Jpop band, he kinda "re-discovered" me during the jamming with Vincent and got me into this band, initially to help out for his gig, now to stay and join them through their route of improving themselves. I won't say they're a great band, but they have the correct attitude and room of improvement to go on. After EOY, the band's next aim is into 2011's Street festival and I'll help them in getting through to it.
"Yellow Boots" is the nickname of the band leader. Up till now, regretfully I still can't remember his full name, only know him as Cheng. Joined them in Nov, partly as my plan to be open to more music and to continue my networking to know more people. Came out as quite a failure though as this band is an extremely busy band, with the band members all unable to commit to a constant time, including me. Totally lost contact with Yellow Boots now, but at least I had fun during that jam.
These various bands helped in reviving my love in drumming again and make me feel that I can go on regardless of whatever happens. The jamming sessions make me alive again and I'm happy to know you guys, whatever you all may be right now.
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Jan: Restart of new sem at SIM, project group with Charles and co, pair project with Xiao Tong. (ended)
Jul: Restart of new sem at SIM, project group Uni cliques. (ended)
Charles, the natural leader
School naturally restarted at SIM. My 2nd sem into uni-life was quite engaging actually. Not because the lessons are engaging whatsoever, but because the project group I was in helped me out tons as I was just starting out work at TNT. My project group consisted of Charles and a bunch of genius who are all proficient in their own rights and leaders in their own rights. All have the ability to work out stuff, do out stuff, so much so that I almost felt like I'm a free-rider in the 2nd sem. It was also the time I kinda understood how low my own level is in the course.
Cute cute Xiao Tong
Pair project with Xiao Tong was strange, because it was the supposed "chance" for me to show my abilities to my "crush". I had performed and the project worked out well in the end with both of us getting good scores, but somehow it's also at this time I felt disappointed as this "crush" of mine, was not the person I had thought to be. Nevertheless, it's still a good chance to work with a foreign student and have an up-close experience on how they worked, or how they do not work in projects. :x
Holidays came, and then started again the new Sem at Jul. I got to choose be with my uni cliques in this sem for my project. The 3rd sem was a very fast paced sem due to the school pushing and rushing all the lessons, submission dates and exams together all almost at the same time. Had me really crying out for help at the end especially when submission dates closed in.
I wasn't able to work like a free rider this sem, I had to really coordinate and perform more than what I used to as compared to the previous sems. It's also in this sem I encounter stuff like "friend politics" and "group politics", with friends complaining in good faith and being offended due to pressure and stress, it made me realized how delicate friendships can be in faces of stress and pressure. Still we pulled it through and our friendship held on, with particular thanks to Serene, Desmond, Kasumi and Manluo for putting up with me, this emo group leader.... wait am I still missing someone in the group?? :x
The thing that I can take away, is really learning the ropes of leadership and struggling with stress and pressure and studies and work with good friends and teammates. This sem's project group, although hectic has been fun. :D
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Jan: TNT work full time begins (ongoing)
TNT, logistics company... = Take N Throw
I seriously can't emphasis how big this company is, literally and non-literally. Starting work there has been one of the most tiresome commitment I had for anything other than NS and school. It also made me fully realized, how freaking difficult it is to earn money. $6.50 per hour is under paying, yet I'm still working in there. If not for the various good people in it and how convenient the work is, I would have quit long ago....
Well, it's a bit harsh to put it that way. The job does have it's perks. For a uni student such as I, you really can't ask more out of a job. And knowing the various people in there, makes it all worthwhile. However, I seriously don't know how much more I can last there though with my studies intensifying.... :x
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Jan: Drum Recording for Elisen (1-shot event)
Mar: Drum recording for Bernard (1-shot event)
Aug: Jamming + Recording for Marco's song entry (1-shot event)
Recordings are a different case from jammings with bands and gigs. It's a more professional situation whereby you have to do everything alone, with just mics and a whole lot of sounds. In a sense, that is where it's different. In recordings there is no "half-assed" job, only full perfect stuff. Any mistakes will be a retake and more time wasting.
Throughout my life, I had done only a few recordings, so I wasn't a total newbie to it. Plus Huiming at times got me to record for her projects, I kinda understood the process in it. When Elisen got me on soft, I accepted the non-profit project. Simply because I needed more experience in it. I'm still very very weak in such solo drumming, playing purely by time kinda stuff, so recordings will enable me to improve much more and to take off my anxiety in it.
Bernard's one was more of a favor done to both of Bernard and Huiming. Doing Sounan for recording was seriously enjoyable as well.
Finally, around August Marco, my previous keyboardist from EvE, approached me to do this original of his for a competition organized by NEA. We jammed only once to certify the song and went straight away to record it the next week. Very very rush job and probably a half-assed job as well. If we had more time and put in more effort, definitely can score better.
The road to being professional can only start from small, so small I started out to be, but at least I started out this year.
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Jan: Passing my driving test (1-shot event)
Jul: First Car Mishap (1-shot event)
Huiming tried to take a picture of the group, Edwin, Benji and me while I'm driving, and yes we phailed. No there was no accident in the end. >_>
Learning how to drive is probably one of the achievements I have got for this year that will serve in fulfilling my "greatness" in the future. :p
Sure it was expensive, it was tedious trying to get the license but it was all very well worth it. Why? Because it is a sense of reaching the next stage of life.
As you get to adulthood, guys especially in my opinion should learn how to drive. Why? Because of convenient sake. Sure enough Singapore's public transport systems are very advanced and convenient already. But still it's not good enough. The transport systems now makes us like little squashed sardines gasping for air especially in times like peak hours. Having a car makes it much more comfortable and enjoyable and fast! I can reach SIM from my house via driving in 30mins fastest, whereas via public transport it'll take close to 1hr 15mins. Look at the amount of time I can save via driving, freaking 45mins!
Secondly, knowing how to drive, opens up a whole lot of places available to go to. Previously I only know most places along the east side. Now I drive, I go to Walawala at Holland V, I go to East Coast Park regularly for drinks, I send people home, girls guys included, I go to various pubs, weird places, scenary places etc. All can't be done without driving.
Thirdly, it makes it... easier to chase girls. Disclaimer first, I'm not referring that without a car you can't achieve that, I'm just saying it's easier and more impressive knowing how to drive. To be realistic and vain at the same time, driving a nice looking expensive car down to school really has that "up up atas feel". People will hate you in return of course.
Still, I got my first accident in July. I pulled out the whole bumper from my car's rear. Nothing got injured except for my wallet. The thing I realized about it is safety in the end. Driving, no doubt fun, is still dangerous.
In a month's time, I can take out my P-plate. So it's more fun in the future. ;)
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Apr: Start of exercise regime (ongoing)
Yup, I started and planned my initial exercise regime around April. Cause I gained too much fat during the 1st 3months after my TNT work started. Slowly I adjust the volume and intensity of it accordingly and it's now rather modified and quite "siong" I may add. Well for Tian Wei it's no kick of course, but it will require tons and tons of self-discipline to follow to my regime. Cause it's an everyday thing except weekends. Even at late night, 2, 3am. You still must do it.
There's also wet weather programs too. So there's no excuse for myself not to do it.
I'm happy now at least, cause the regime worked out and I'm not as fat as before. In fact now I'll like to call myself stout rather than fat. Har Har HAr.
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May: Brother's ROM (1-shot event)
As you guys would have know, I have a sister-in-law. They were officially registered in May and the small ceremony was attended by a few of my brother friends, a few of Ah Ning's, a translator from the thai embassy, my parents and me.
It signified an official new member of the family adding into the family and happiness for the couple. I need not mention too much and how the new member added to my life influenced me, but indeed, the family is seemingly happier now with her in.
Lesser problems happens for my brother side now too. :)
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May: JB trip with Charles and co (1-shot event)
Kinda the first time I'm off for a random trip to another country for just a day trip playing paintball for the first time wearing NS uniform after a long time etc etc.
For me, it's the very few big events whereby I hang out with the main big group of my uni friends. Normally I just hang out with the usual small cliques I have around me. Even though we somehow know each other, at least recognize each other faces, but we don't talk much in school.
And of course, it's a fun day. Getting paint sprayed in your face rocks.
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Jun: Rehearsal with Rong for his farewell party (ended)
Jul: Rong's farewell party + Gackt's bday. (1-shot event)
Sep: Chalet on Chin Han's birthday (1-shot event)
Throughout the Year Event: Fast Food Birthday Party.
As for birthdays, this year's birthday for Rurouni was themed under "fast food" theme. So everyone was supposed to have your own fast food theme and we'll eat that for the birthday celebration followed by an event planned.
The list goes as:
Ahn Jae Sung & Ben: Pop eye's Chicken (trashed the restaurant)
Benjamin Seet: Carl's Junior (too full to finish)
Chong Woon Han: Yoshinoya (can't find our restaurant)
Eugene Quek a.k.a Gackt: Subway (didn't eat in the end... forgot why.)
Huiming Tan: Burger King (didn't eat in the end cause all busy.)
Junrong Chen: Arnold's Chicken (he went overseas before we can celebrate)
Samuel Lim: Super Dog (At 313 Somerset. Not bad)
Stella Ng: Mos Burger (Ate at Sentosa at night by the beach. Soggy burgers)
Shion Wah: Long John Silver (Most "budget" and "unsatisfying", lol)
Woo Tian Wei: Pasta Mania (seriously, this isn't fast food)
Stacey Lee: Wendy's (A good meal, but jaws were sore after it)
Most of the post events were just drinking at some pub or disco. Tian Wei's was more celebrated by his friends, the only big ones that actually took quite a bit of planning was Chin Han's and Gackt's one.
Gackt's birthday was meant to go together with Junrong's farewell party as he left SG for Australia to further his studies. He wanted to play the bass, so we got him over to hold a mini concert among us Rurouni. Don't play play, but Rurouni can form a band ok?
It's a sad truth, no one can see the drummers, it's always like this. :(
Benji on Guitars, Tian Wei on drums, Rong on bass, me on vox together with the birthday boy.
I don't know how we sounded that day, neither can I care too much, it was meant to have fun for both the bday boy and the farewell boy. After that it's more drinking at CMPB located at Dempsey Road where we cut cake, and make merry.
Next big one coming up with Chin Han's birthday. In a sense, it was meant to "replace" and cover up for the lacklustre birthday Chin Han got on his actual 21st. Looking through the list of things that Chin Han hadn't done, we decided, a chalet it'll be.
However, we're all pretty last minute... so rush and chiong, in the end we got a half-assed chalet at East Coast Park.
Even the logo on their webpage looks half-assed.
To be frank, the chalet wasn't good. That's why we can manage to book it in time. Kinda good and bad ba I guess. Chalet was more like a slack-let, rather than drink and vomit kinda stuff. We're considered super quiet compared to the others and sticked to just doing our usual stuff. We're so slack... I realised THERE'S NOT EVEN 1 PHOTO ON IT!! Either that or someone didn't upload it... :/
Anyways, the fast food madness for 2010 has ended... now I'm thinking of what's next for 2011 when we're 23 and can enter Dragonfly... Suggestions? :p
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Jun: Starting of Rurouni's business proposals and meetings (ended)
The idea was initiated by Tian Wei and Sam and was facilitated by me and my house. In otherwords, my house was the meeting ground.
This could be the first time, that we all were seriously talking about something and you can see traces of frustration appearing up on everyone's faces. Be it Tian Wei's, Sam, Ben's or mine. We all were at first hopeful, then slowly the flame got down with the traces of frustration and obstacles.
I won't say it's anyone's fault that it didn't work out in the end, it's an experience which Rurouni had and understandably we were all too immature at that time to start something so serious in such a big group.
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Jul: 1st Re-service ICT (ended)
Oct: 1st NS Mobilization Exercise (1-shot event)
By right, this is a very normal event. I mean every guy in SG will undergo reservice so it's not strange. However, the weird thing is that, I only get to understand the means of a "defence" in Singapore after the ICT.
In the past I'm very drop dead certain on something, that is our army is only acting as a deterrence force. I don't doubt our own army's strength but neither do I think it's comparable to the very much more advanced technology of the US or the mass of China's. That's why it's just a deterrence. All the things that the school has taught us of army such as bonding together and racial harmony being improved from our experiences in NS, etc, this were all just minor side effects that came from the army.
To your face, Singapore is in a very dangerous location due to our racial and religious beliefs. Politically wise we're also on odds with our neighbors. True, the people and citizens mix well with each other, but our politicians don't. So we must have a defence force. On logical thinking, we won't be able to compete against the superpowers, we can only defend ourselves against people close to us and thus our military strength just needs to achieve such stages.
A country without defense, is just a pseudo-country. This is what I've somehow recognized in the ICT. If a country has no defense, any other countries can just come in and invade. By then the harm is done and even if we wait for reinforcements from other countries, it's too late. At the same time you will never know what the country that is reinforcing you wants, so it's still best to have your own defenses up.
So in a sense, at least now when I'm serving, I have more purpose in it. However, I'm in no way standing on any side as I know tons of people are complaining for the real need of the 2 years National Service. There are other ways to defend a country, but for now since the government chose NS, I just LLST do it.
After all, I've already ORD, reservice is just chicken feet. :/
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Sep: Gig with Resonance (1-shot event)
Nov: EOY Audition (1-shot event)
Dec: Gig with Square Table feat Umei and Resonance (ended)
Probably one of the biggest highlights of this year came at the end of the year, when I finally have one of my biggest gigs ever at EOY.
The angle of this shot is superb....
The gig with Resonance at AMG you could say is a prelude. I hadn't gig for quite sometime and needed some real practice so I could get my standard back again. At the same time I could see what was the "standard" with the local scene now and to judge in a sense whether we're decent or comparable enough to be on stage with them. It's not a sense of competing, but just to self confirm our own standards.
So when EOY came, somehow I was confident enough on stage for both bands. Even though I did make mistakes, but still it wasn't that bad and I didn't throw face. ^^;
Resonance's performance; Song list:
Shunkan Sentimental - Scandal.
God Knows - Aya Hirano
Square Table feat Ume performance part 1;
Square Table feat Ume performance part 2;
Song list:
Anata ga ita mori - Fate/stay night ED
Kimi no Shiranai monogatari - Bakemonogatari ED
Hey Erin! - Touhou
Ume's fan power is kinda great, and well we got ourselves some enemies as well due to us being the only band to play 3 songs. Lol. Anyways it was a damn fun gig and I hope I can do it again. :D
.........................................................................
Nov: Marina Bay Sands stay on Patricia's birthday (1-shot event)
Lol I seriously do not think I have to elaborate more on this. I specially made a whole full blog post on this indicating how much I enjoyed myself on the trip to MBS.
Here is the entire post on Marina Bay Sands.
Any final words on this stay... hmmm...
It's probably the happiest day of this year when I stayed in there, at the same time it's probably also one of the more unsettling ones of this year.
.........................................................................
Dec: Taiwan Trip with Parents (ended)
In December my parents planned a very sudden Taiwan trip which luckily didn't clash with any of my other major events like gigs etc. It's a 7 days trip and from what I know, their main motive is actually just the flower expo at the 1st day WHICH, we didn't even enter. The whole flower expo is worth 3-4 days of walk and no way are we gonna use that much days on just 1 expo.
By right, I was supposed to write about it, but truth be told... I FORGOT QUITE A BUNCH OF IT!!!! >.<
Anyways, there WILL be a future blog post about this Taiwan trip; a holiday which I hadn't been to in years. Best thing about it is, it's an all expenses paid for... heh heh heh...
If I want to say something about it...
Going to Taiwan, if you want to see stuff and learn about the scenery and their history, tour would be good. If you want to experience life there, go free and easy. Taiwan trip wasn't enjoyable as I was with my parents, I can't havoc, but I learned quite a bit of stuff. :)
......................................................................
Dec: Obtaining Diploma (ended)
I don't know, I look kinda weird in this pic. :/
So finally, I have finished the first stage of my degree... which in otherwords is a diploma. In a sense, I can actually go out and work now since I do have a diploma at hand, but nooooooooo... this course is meant to go all the way to stage 2 which is a degree.
I can't believe it though, but this is actually my first actual graduation. I don't remember a proper graduation being done in Tampines Primary, in East View Sec, in Tampines Junior College. Well simply put, I was low profile in those schools.... wait a minute I'm low profile in my current course as well!!
Nevertheless, it's my first graduation, though it's not the first time I'm up on stage.
This ceremony, is just a ceremony. But it serves to remind me something, what I have been doing now in school, is just a diploma course. Now comes the real thing, so I better buck up.
.............................................................................
Few people to thanks and acknowledge this year in 2010.
(I had wanted to use the pic we took for Xmas instead >_>)
The whole gang of Rurouni, which includes, Ben, Benji, Chin Han, Sam, Tian Wei, Junrong + Eunice, Jae Sung, Stella, Huiming, Gackt, Stacey. Thanks for being there in my life as always in 2010 and may our bond stay strong all the way till the end of our lives! Words won't be able to say how strong our ties are, but we will know it inside. :) Huat Ah!!!!
From shortest to tallest ah????
My Uni Clique which includes, Manluo, Serene, Kasumi and Desmond. For laughing out at my stupid jokes, for eating with me, for doing stupid things with me, for insulting me, for letting me insult you all... thank you. University won't be the same without you guys and may we strive into the next year!
Yes... I know you are... i know...
Lao Peng ah Lao Peng, sorry this pic is too fucked up for me to ignore it lol. Got very much closer to you this year, partly thanks to me being able to drive lol. Anyways, love the "bromance" drinking/smoking sessions with you and you for being there to lend a listening ear for me. It'll continue on, and I promise it'll be more fucked up every year.
ヘンンンンンンン身～～～～！！！！！
+
How many times must I post pics of us!!????
I have already saluted you guys as number 1 in my most influential list, so let me just summarize again. Thank you for giving me the chance to be your drummer and even if we're not playing together anymore in the future, continue to rock on in your individual music talents and your dreams! Also have to thank the boss of Alliance Music Studios, Marc for being so patient with us all the time, for being late etc etc. lol
The 2 most babelicious gals in my life. ;)
Thank you 2 for the memories you have given me this year, Patricia during my drums lessons, Priscilla for the occasional and random drinks and the outings that we had. I had fun during those outings. :) Now it could be difficult for us to hang out due to commitments that we have and futures that we have to pursue (be it career or love life), still these things will remain and hope you 2 will cherish it too. :)
Time for you to lose weight dude!!!
+
Sam at Work = SAW
+
Fong Jieeeeeeeeeeeeeeee~~~~~~~~
Seriously, if not for you 3, my work would be rather unbearable. Azri my go home kaki, Sam my smoking buddy and Fong jie the ever so considerate supervisor. Azri you crack me up with your stuns, and you should lose some weight. Ah Sam, lucky you were there at the start to get me through the initial stages when I just started out there, if not I'm may not even last the probation period. Fong Jie, thanks for being so patient with me always when I perform stuns, do stupid things and make stupid mistakes. Not forgetting the whole crew in TNT, work would be extremely tedious without you all. :D
Ah Chong and Ah Ning
Blood is thicker than water. Somehow that is getting more and more true for my case. Bro, you have been damn helpful to me this year, regardless of whatever stupid proposals i shoot to you, like you buying ps3 first and I paying you later, you fetching me home, I fetching you home, suppering etc. Tons of stupid things lol. Hope you and Ah Ning stay close together and be happy always. :D
..............................................................................
2010 has been a roller coaster ride, from Youth Olympics to World Cup to falling in love to drinking till I vomit blood to the many things I have done this year. It has been a fulfilling month both physically and spiritually.
Have fun to the year end and may all of us have a happy new year!
Bye for now, and cya all next year. :D
Friday, December 24, 2010
Random Thoughts
Family, friends, loved ones alike. We all have a line of relationship to each other regardless of how long we have known each other.
Being able to click is one thing, being able to continue the relationship is another. If both sides lack the motivation to meet up and gather, this line won't continue.
If only 1 side continues to initiate a meet up and gathering, this motivation will soon collapse without a positive response from the other party and both sides won't continue at all.
The only way this relationship can hold on is to have both sides regularly keep in contact with each other. Only through this can anything continue to go on and hold on.
This acts as both a reminder to me, as well as to everyone else.
Being able to click is one thing, being able to continue the relationship is another. If both sides lack the motivation to meet up and gather, this line won't continue.
If only 1 side continues to initiate a meet up and gathering, this motivation will soon collapse without a positive response from the other party and both sides won't continue at all.
The only way this relationship can hold on is to have both sides regularly keep in contact with each other. Only through this can anything continue to go on and hold on.
This acts as both a reminder to me, as well as to everyone else.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Random Thoughts
Sometimes, isn't it irritating to know that something has ended, before anything has even started?
Here I sit, pondering and wondering. This kinda weird feeling of helplessness that overwhelms when you're just alone.
Expectations and hope are vague when it promises nothing, yet people will undoubtedly grow them inside. Once these things are revealed to be nothing, it will just strike deep inside. Even though you already know that it's just an illusion that's not supposed to happen, you will still be disappointed with the realization that it had all been just an empty gleam of light that you planted within yourself.
They promise nothing except for pain when you finally accept that it's nothing.
For me, nothing has started, there shouldn't even be hope and any expectation. But why, do I have these pain that will only come with expectations and hope?
Here I sit, pondering and wondering. This kinda weird feeling of helplessness that overwhelms when you're just alone.
Expectations and hope are vague when it promises nothing, yet people will undoubtedly grow them inside. Once these things are revealed to be nothing, it will just strike deep inside. Even though you already know that it's just an illusion that's not supposed to happen, you will still be disappointed with the realization that it had all been just an empty gleam of light that you planted within yourself.
They promise nothing except for pain when you finally accept that it's nothing.
For me, nothing has started, there shouldn't even be hope and any expectation. But why, do I have these pain that will only come with expectations and hope?
Monday, December 13, 2010
The 5 Most Influential People/Figures to Takahina 2010 - Part 2
From the previous part 1, now I present to you, Part 2!
Starting from number 3...
.................................................................................
Number 3: TNT and all my colleagues.
The Full Timers
The Part Timers
And everyone one else who had been there and are still there.
Having worked almost a full year (I'm still 2 weeks short of working there for a year), I've learned a lot from it. The simple fact that having needing to go there on almost every weekdays has forced me to grow up a lot and seriously understanding a lot of things within such as work politics, how to "book" leave and the mentality of a working adult.
Last year during my holidays, I was looking for a job which could suit my school's timing. I realized that I needed to work, firstly to alleviate my father's financial expenditures on me, secondly so I can have more $ to spend on myself. I have a strangely relatively high expenditure so just the normal allowance that my father gives will not be enough. Just the transport fees can kill off half of my allowance, not to mention other stuff such as HP bills and food.
Also, I thought that having a job would increase my social and work experience that I need. Since I'm thinking of entrepreneurship in the future, I would have to know how it functions in a big multi-national company and what the lower-levels staff will experience. Similarly I would need to know how to play the "politics" game, so getting a job is a must for my future.
Thirdly, I'm sick of serving in a F&B industry during my 3 months in Korean BBQ Chicken; the pay is low and the workload frightening. I rather be a manager in it, so screw waiter jobs, I'm going for office types.
My lectures normally starts from either morning or noon timing, so essentially, I need a night job. Normally that will be jobs which involved drinking and serving, therefore just to find this job, I took a whole month to find it... or at least Recruit Express took a month to find it for me. TNT's data entry department fitted my conditions for a job. You don't need to wait on people, you don't really need to interact much with people, you just sit and type. It won't be boring, it will be quite intense due to the increasing amount of work load. Just what I like ;) Sure the pay wasn't too high, but it was enough to get by and please I won't be able to find another job with the same environment and timing.
In the end, I became registered as an official employee of TNT and have been working there since.
Working there had me learning on human relations indirectly, because we will be co-operating with other branches and departments, blame games will fly around. Politics between colleagues will happen and you can somehow see a strange trend of people coming and quitting in a matter of days. It gets quite enlightening as I see various type of people, local, foreign, multi-racial, lazy, diligent, spiritual, ghost!!! etc etc. Now that I'm a "lao jiao", you would have think I saw it all, but at times things still amuse me.
You also see things such as morale, form, situations, circumstances, mood in people. Example like how a instruction from the high-up want to cut-cost can easily make the whole office look like a grave. It's quite refreshing and a good learning experience for me if I want to enter managerial positions in the future.
Also, negatively, entering TNT has increased my smoking volume by leaps and bounds. >.<
The main colleagues that have helped me throughout this year includes...
Ah Sam, my smoking partner as well as a very good friend.
Feng Jie, the ever so hardworking supervisor of ours, like a big sister of mine.
Ah Man, the joker in the full timers section. Articulate in his work, but at times very careless. >.<
Kiki, the "beauty" of our company. She's the only one among us to receive flowers continuously from guys. And she loves to sing "Baby" from Justin Bieber.
Sarlas, one of the more funny worker among us. Her weak point is her stomach, she offends you, just poke her.
Ah Yong, a sports enthusiast and very loud typer, like to rush things too but efficient in his work.
Azli, my buddy in TNT and "go-home" kaki. Life in TNT would be so boring without him. He has many nicknames, but for now it's KOS, King of Shit.
Jen Jen, the very loud-mouth mother of ours. Efficient in her work and loves to scold her daughter on the phone.
Xiao Xuan. Another mother of ours, apparently she's working, purely because she's bored! The only constant driver among us.
Susie, the true lao jiao of our department. She has been in it for 7 years. 7 FREAKING YEARS AND ONGOING TO 8TH! OMG...
Of course there's still the boss, Hasnah, but I can't find any pics of her at all I swear.
They have seen almost every face of mine in this 1 year and probably will continue to see them until either I can't work there anymore or when I quit this year end as I enter the last sem of my university.
They will be a memory of mine and thus will stay with me for life.
..............................................................................
Number 2: Patricia Tay
It's not a mystery now to most people who know me very well that I like her. But it's kinda weird to say how I like her, in a sense even though I knew her since quite some time ago like 2 years ago, I didn't react or act until recently when I got to know she broke up.
I'm quite a wuss though. Takahina never tries to get close with any girls whom he knows has a boyfriend, only exception are people who I have somehow declared to myself as sisters, such as Stella, Priscilla, Serene and Feng Jie. These people I dare to play with them, ka chiao them, of course only to a certain extent. But other than that, most other girls I try not to get too close to them unless we need to like job purposes whatsoever, such as Kasumi.
For Patricia, I overwent the limit. I taught her drums, brought her and her boyfriend to Genting, asked her out to Arcade etc. Of course all of those took her boyfriend at that time into consideration, but still it wasn't without any intent, just that I didn't tell anyone, not even myself.
I started falling for her when she kept persevering for her drums, somehow this girl proved to be something special eventually and I always look forward to the time when I'll be teaching her. But I didn't want to admit this emotions because I'm not supposed to under my own "rule". So I just ignored it.
Therefore once I got news of her breakup from Priscilla, I started to react. Purposefully asking Patricia out, not trying to go overboard, agreeing with stuff with her, trying to interact more with her; that was my way of doing it in hopes of not overdoing it. I was worried with "pulling the fishing rod too much" that it'll break and throw her away.
Marina Bay Sands has been my greatest "investment" in any courtships I've put in, I didn't mind, nor regret it, but I was pretty sure if it was anyone else at that point of time, I won't have done it. And now I see tons of people and couples seemingly doing a similar kinda thing... So somehow I think it's my "influence" that made many people follow suit I guess. Regardless, MBS has been the happiest part of my life and also probably one of the most memorable ever this year. It brought a whole sense of weird feelings to me which I know won't ever come to me again.
She made me very emotional the last quarter of the year and easily everyone could knew something was wrong with me, even Patricia I guess because I was overzealous with her. At this point of time, she's in Taiwan and probably on her way back. Every day and night she would be on my mind. Although the anxiety and worry isn't that big now, it still affects me regularly. "Missing someone", this phrase really caught on to me as I struggled to push and pull her away, if possible I'm willing to sacrifice quite a lot of myself to her, of course logically.
She's number 2 in this countdown, because she's the new "love" of mine ever since Priscilla. Shuqin was more of a liking, Xiao Tong is more of just a infatuation, Patricia's was more undeniably a one sided affair from me. But it felt very surreal as I can only really understand it myself when I got to know it she broke up.
She's not number 1 in this year's countdown, because even though she's my love, I can't say she has truly influenced me that terribly. I felt pain and sorts of emotions with her, but she hasn't changed any of my thinking or lifestyle, Takahina is still Takahina, with or without her. Just through this, I know I have matured a bit more than I expected.
...............................................................................
Number 1: Resonance and Square Table feat Ume
Resonance
Square Table feat Ume
First, I'll intro the band members for Resonance:
XenoJin, rhythm guitarist
Chris, bassist
Taka, drummer
Robbin, lead guitarist
Lina, vocals
The band members for Square Table feat Ume
TZ, bassist
Han Liang, keyboardist
Taka, drums
Robin, lead guitar
Ume, featured vocalist.
Both Resonance and Square Table feat Ume just finished a gig on the 12th December 2010 at End of Year Cosplay/Anime festival at Republic Poly. It's the "biggest" gig for Takahina so far with more than a 100 crowd watching, the biggest stage I've ever stared in, had the most "fan support" this time. Even though Takahina has had quite a few gigs before in places like Stfest, this one was really authentically a "concert" with seats and dressing rooms available.
History of Resonance:
It began quite long ago when I played with Chris in another band, we click quite well and had similar aspirations for being a musician. The band soon didn't work out but luckily we kept in contact. Soon enough another person named Vincent sought me out in Soft. Coincidentally Chris was playing in it as well and thus we came together again in the same band. It's around this time that I got to know Lina. The Vincent band once again didn't work out.
Eventually, Chris's band, Resonance's drummer quit/changed/couldn't play, for some reasons which I forgot. As they already registered in for a gig at Kampong Glam CC organized by Alliance Music Group, Chris needed a drummer quite urgently and got to me. Seeing their urgency, I went to help them out. We played Don't Say Lazy, Tookumade, Glamorous Sky, Alchemy in this gig.
Lina ran away too fast after the gig it was annoying.
Michael was the lead guitarist at the time. Soon enough after the gig he quit the band to commit on other stuff. Me, as a substitute drummer, also went away to concentrate on other stuff as my "contract" was only up till the gig.
Resonance was up and about looking for drummers to play along and guitarist as well, but they can't really get anyone. EOY was approaching soon and Lina apparently wanted to play in it really bad, hence I was approached again by Chris to help out. Coincidentally Robbin who was in another band with me (Square Table feat Ume) was approached as well, therefore both of us got into Resonance. Eventually after weeks of training and auditioning, Resonance got through the audition with God Knows, and we'll enter the gig. In the end after much practice and selection, we chose Shunkan Sentimental, God Knows and Shine Days as our performing songs.
Actual Performance during EOY.
Resonance is a "growing" band as I would like to call it. They started off with little experience as they have showed me during the AMG times, but they have this undying attitude in that they are willing to go on and on and on and on with any songs despite much negativity. Rather than just give up on a song, Resonance tries other ways to work the song out such as maybe playing in another way, or changing the progression etc. That is what impressed me in this band. Lina can keep on practicing like mad and try her best to remember every words and lyrics as much as possible, it's damn rare to see a vox try this hard. Therefore in the end, we managed to enter EOY, managed to become the "sound check" band, managed to become quite a lot of things that I hadn't thought was possible when I initially entered this band.
I have joined a lot of "growing" bands, but this is the only one that I have actually seen improvement. As long as this attitude is there, and with a good "mentor" or someone with experience, they can go far.
History of Square Table feat Ume
I don't know how the band began or how it had this concept. All I know is that the drummer before me was kinda like a professional, so for me to enter this band and last in it till now is kinda amazing.
It began for me when Robbin first contacted me through Soft as well. When he first got to me, truth be told I was a little skeptical because jammings kept getting postponed, the vox can't show up, the guitarist can't show up etc etc. It was a little frustrating at first as well when I kept getting wind that they were playing with their previous drummer. But luckily Robbin was pretty patient and that I can click with him real well in msn and real life. I found them to be a pretty weird bunch when I just started with them. I had never played with anime fans and enthusiast, so it took me a bit of time to merge in. Gradually, I understood their thinking and friendliness, taking it all in I came to like this band a lot. Partly maybe cause they brought back the Otaku-ness I had in me when I was young, partly cause they made jamming fun again, partly cause I love the sound of Han Liang's keyboards. ;D
Robbin is a very good band leader during jamming, he controls the band flow, sequence and protects the members well such as letting Ume rest frequently to protect her voice while he full-force slaughters the rest of us in practicing instrumentals. This method, I think, is an excellent method and I can definitely use it in the future if I'm in a band. Han Liang and Tingzhi are good musicians and with time they definitely can improve more.
In other ways, knowing Robbin and co kinda opened my network to a whole new circle of people that have similar interest, be it in Anime or music. Networking man, networking... ;)
Square Table was pretty straight forward actually, they have only 1 gig in mind, and that is EOY. So we had almost half a year to prepare for it, thus imagine playing the same few songs continuously for that long, if we don't sound good we would have seriously failed. The songs we chose were Anata ga Ita Mori, Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari and Hey Erin. All are anime songs so seriously I don't know any of it at all except for Anata ga ita mori, because I had watched a bit of Fate/Stay Night before.
Energetic Performance during EOY
I really wanna say this, performing with Square Table feat Ume is the first time I had felt really excited, mainly because of Ume. Ume is kinda a small celebrity figure in the local cosplay/anime scene and had a small fan group. For the first time in my life, I had fans jumping around and dancing around as we are performing. Truthfully, Ume hadn't sound her best during the gig, but she's the most energetic one I had seen and performed with ever, and therefore I had thoroughly enjoyed myself while performing. That's why you see me smiling and grinning all this while.
I had a small private intent with me, and that is to have Square Table continuously perform in various gigs such as Stfest and not just in anime gigs, all the while to change/switch vocalist that suits the theme of the gigs but retain the same few musicians. That however, is not for me to decide and it's just my little evil intention. :x
If there was only 1 thing I wanna point out, it's the in-confidence of the group members, have more confidence in yourselves and you would be able to bring out the best of it.
These 2 bands, have got over me this year for a few purposes. I don't know how long either bands would last, but then they got back a feeling that I had lost from don't know when...
I began to enjoy my passion once again. I had played in bands, but I didn't enjoyed them. Not until these 2 bands came into the picture.
Last year I concentrated on fighting reality and the route to earn $, this year they nudged me into knowing how to enjoy fighting reality. For a moment, I lost my momentum in drumming and I could tell I was going downhill. But now, with new found interest I began retraining more than I had did last year added up together. Whether I had improved or not I don't know, but I know that now this "musician" feeling is inside me and I shouldn't lose it, no matter how hard I'm striving for my future whatsoever. That's also partly a reason why I treat EOY so importantly, because it's an official "event" that can get me back on track to what I wanted in life really, to perform in front of hundreds and thousands of people in a band and having fun together in the performance. This time the crowd may be just hundred plus and it's a mixed event gig, but eventually I'll strive to the standard of having a open concert with my own band performing to thousands of people that came to see us.
Now that EOY is over, the next thing coming up for us would be the post-gig drink/dinner. Where or when is not yet planned. At the same time, it's a pivotal point to see how both bands would react now after this is over. Wherever the band would go is not yet planned as well, the destination reached. Do I end my "contract" with Resonance or sign on for a longer period? Do I form up my own band now playing songs that I want to play? Will Square Table continue to play strictly Ani-song or enter other genre? What will we aim for now, where do we go on from now to reach that goal that I want? Seriously I do not know.
But for now, it's on a short hiatus period as we enjoy a short holiday from the great performance we gave. Until the next time we meet up and discuss, it's another story for another day.
..................................................................................
The rankings for 2010:
1. Resonance/Square Table feat Ume
2. Patricia Tay
3. TNT
4. Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook
5. Ah Ning
The number 1 in past years:
2007: Robert Kiyosaki
2008: Priscilla Phua
2009: Rurouni
2010: Resonance/Square Table feat Ume
Starting from number 3...
.................................................................................
Number 3: TNT and all my colleagues.
The Full Timers
The Part Timers
And everyone one else who had been there and are still there.
Having worked almost a full year (I'm still 2 weeks short of working there for a year), I've learned a lot from it. The simple fact that having needing to go there on almost every weekdays has forced me to grow up a lot and seriously understanding a lot of things within such as work politics, how to "book" leave and the mentality of a working adult.
Last year during my holidays, I was looking for a job which could suit my school's timing. I realized that I needed to work, firstly to alleviate my father's financial expenditures on me, secondly so I can have more $ to spend on myself. I have a strangely relatively high expenditure so just the normal allowance that my father gives will not be enough. Just the transport fees can kill off half of my allowance, not to mention other stuff such as HP bills and food.
Also, I thought that having a job would increase my social and work experience that I need. Since I'm thinking of entrepreneurship in the future, I would have to know how it functions in a big multi-national company and what the lower-levels staff will experience. Similarly I would need to know how to play the "politics" game, so getting a job is a must for my future.
Thirdly, I'm sick of serving in a F&B industry during my 3 months in Korean BBQ Chicken; the pay is low and the workload frightening. I rather be a manager in it, so screw waiter jobs, I'm going for office types.
My lectures normally starts from either morning or noon timing, so essentially, I need a night job. Normally that will be jobs which involved drinking and serving, therefore just to find this job, I took a whole month to find it... or at least Recruit Express took a month to find it for me. TNT's data entry department fitted my conditions for a job. You don't need to wait on people, you don't really need to interact much with people, you just sit and type. It won't be boring, it will be quite intense due to the increasing amount of work load. Just what I like ;) Sure the pay wasn't too high, but it was enough to get by and please I won't be able to find another job with the same environment and timing.
In the end, I became registered as an official employee of TNT and have been working there since.
Working there had me learning on human relations indirectly, because we will be co-operating with other branches and departments, blame games will fly around. Politics between colleagues will happen and you can somehow see a strange trend of people coming and quitting in a matter of days. It gets quite enlightening as I see various type of people, local, foreign, multi-racial, lazy, diligent, spiritual, ghost!!! etc etc. Now that I'm a "lao jiao", you would have think I saw it all, but at times things still amuse me.
You also see things such as morale, form, situations, circumstances, mood in people. Example like how a instruction from the high-up want to cut-cost can easily make the whole office look like a grave. It's quite refreshing and a good learning experience for me if I want to enter managerial positions in the future.
Also, negatively, entering TNT has increased my smoking volume by leaps and bounds. >.<
The main colleagues that have helped me throughout this year includes...
Ah Sam, my smoking partner as well as a very good friend.
Feng Jie, the ever so hardworking supervisor of ours, like a big sister of mine.
Ah Man, the joker in the full timers section. Articulate in his work, but at times very careless. >.<
Kiki, the "beauty" of our company. She's the only one among us to receive flowers continuously from guys. And she loves to sing "Baby" from Justin Bieber.
Sarlas, one of the more funny worker among us. Her weak point is her stomach, she offends you, just poke her.
Ah Yong, a sports enthusiast and very loud typer, like to rush things too but efficient in his work.
Azli, my buddy in TNT and "go-home" kaki. Life in TNT would be so boring without him. He has many nicknames, but for now it's KOS, King of Shit.
Jen Jen, the very loud-mouth mother of ours. Efficient in her work and loves to scold her daughter on the phone.
Xiao Xuan. Another mother of ours, apparently she's working, purely because she's bored! The only constant driver among us.
Susie, the true lao jiao of our department. She has been in it for 7 years. 7 FREAKING YEARS AND ONGOING TO 8TH! OMG...
Of course there's still the boss, Hasnah, but I can't find any pics of her at all I swear.
They have seen almost every face of mine in this 1 year and probably will continue to see them until either I can't work there anymore or when I quit this year end as I enter the last sem of my university.
They will be a memory of mine and thus will stay with me for life.
..............................................................................
Number 2: Patricia Tay
It's not a mystery now to most people who know me very well that I like her. But it's kinda weird to say how I like her, in a sense even though I knew her since quite some time ago like 2 years ago, I didn't react or act until recently when I got to know she broke up.
I'm quite a wuss though. Takahina never tries to get close with any girls whom he knows has a boyfriend, only exception are people who I have somehow declared to myself as sisters, such as Stella, Priscilla, Serene and Feng Jie. These people I dare to play with them, ka chiao them, of course only to a certain extent. But other than that, most other girls I try not to get too close to them unless we need to like job purposes whatsoever, such as Kasumi.
For Patricia, I overwent the limit. I taught her drums, brought her and her boyfriend to Genting, asked her out to Arcade etc. Of course all of those took her boyfriend at that time into consideration, but still it wasn't without any intent, just that I didn't tell anyone, not even myself.
I started falling for her when she kept persevering for her drums, somehow this girl proved to be something special eventually and I always look forward to the time when I'll be teaching her. But I didn't want to admit this emotions because I'm not supposed to under my own "rule". So I just ignored it.
Therefore once I got news of her breakup from Priscilla, I started to react. Purposefully asking Patricia out, not trying to go overboard, agreeing with stuff with her, trying to interact more with her; that was my way of doing it in hopes of not overdoing it. I was worried with "pulling the fishing rod too much" that it'll break and throw her away.
Marina Bay Sands has been my greatest "investment" in any courtships I've put in, I didn't mind, nor regret it, but I was pretty sure if it was anyone else at that point of time, I won't have done it. And now I see tons of people and couples seemingly doing a similar kinda thing... So somehow I think it's my "influence" that made many people follow suit I guess. Regardless, MBS has been the happiest part of my life and also probably one of the most memorable ever this year. It brought a whole sense of weird feelings to me which I know won't ever come to me again.
She made me very emotional the last quarter of the year and easily everyone could knew something was wrong with me, even Patricia I guess because I was overzealous with her. At this point of time, she's in Taiwan and probably on her way back. Every day and night she would be on my mind. Although the anxiety and worry isn't that big now, it still affects me regularly. "Missing someone", this phrase really caught on to me as I struggled to push and pull her away, if possible I'm willing to sacrifice quite a lot of myself to her, of course logically.
She's number 2 in this countdown, because she's the new "love" of mine ever since Priscilla. Shuqin was more of a liking, Xiao Tong is more of just a infatuation, Patricia's was more undeniably a one sided affair from me. But it felt very surreal as I can only really understand it myself when I got to know it she broke up.
She's not number 1 in this year's countdown, because even though she's my love, I can't say she has truly influenced me that terribly. I felt pain and sorts of emotions with her, but she hasn't changed any of my thinking or lifestyle, Takahina is still Takahina, with or without her. Just through this, I know I have matured a bit more than I expected.
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Number 1: Resonance and Square Table feat Ume
Resonance
Square Table feat Ume
First, I'll intro the band members for Resonance:
XenoJin, rhythm guitarist
Chris, bassist
Taka, drummer
Robbin, lead guitarist
Lina, vocals
The band members for Square Table feat Ume
TZ, bassist
Han Liang, keyboardist
Taka, drums
Robin, lead guitar
Ume, featured vocalist.
Both Resonance and Square Table feat Ume just finished a gig on the 12th December 2010 at End of Year Cosplay/Anime festival at Republic Poly. It's the "biggest" gig for Takahina so far with more than a 100 crowd watching, the biggest stage I've ever stared in, had the most "fan support" this time. Even though Takahina has had quite a few gigs before in places like Stfest, this one was really authentically a "concert" with seats and dressing rooms available.
History of Resonance:
It began quite long ago when I played with Chris in another band, we click quite well and had similar aspirations for being a musician. The band soon didn't work out but luckily we kept in contact. Soon enough another person named Vincent sought me out in Soft. Coincidentally Chris was playing in it as well and thus we came together again in the same band. It's around this time that I got to know Lina. The Vincent band once again didn't work out.
Eventually, Chris's band, Resonance's drummer quit/changed/couldn't play, for some reasons which I forgot. As they already registered in for a gig at Kampong Glam CC organized by Alliance Music Group, Chris needed a drummer quite urgently and got to me. Seeing their urgency, I went to help them out. We played Don't Say Lazy, Tookumade, Glamorous Sky, Alchemy in this gig.
Lina ran away too fast after the gig it was annoying.
Michael was the lead guitarist at the time. Soon enough after the gig he quit the band to commit on other stuff. Me, as a substitute drummer, also went away to concentrate on other stuff as my "contract" was only up till the gig.
Resonance was up and about looking for drummers to play along and guitarist as well, but they can't really get anyone. EOY was approaching soon and Lina apparently wanted to play in it really bad, hence I was approached again by Chris to help out. Coincidentally Robbin who was in another band with me (Square Table feat Ume) was approached as well, therefore both of us got into Resonance. Eventually after weeks of training and auditioning, Resonance got through the audition with God Knows, and we'll enter the gig. In the end after much practice and selection, we chose Shunkan Sentimental, God Knows and Shine Days as our performing songs.
Actual Performance during EOY.
Resonance is a "growing" band as I would like to call it. They started off with little experience as they have showed me during the AMG times, but they have this undying attitude in that they are willing to go on and on and on and on with any songs despite much negativity. Rather than just give up on a song, Resonance tries other ways to work the song out such as maybe playing in another way, or changing the progression etc. That is what impressed me in this band. Lina can keep on practicing like mad and try her best to remember every words and lyrics as much as possible, it's damn rare to see a vox try this hard. Therefore in the end, we managed to enter EOY, managed to become the "sound check" band, managed to become quite a lot of things that I hadn't thought was possible when I initially entered this band.
I have joined a lot of "growing" bands, but this is the only one that I have actually seen improvement. As long as this attitude is there, and with a good "mentor" or someone with experience, they can go far.
History of Square Table feat Ume
I don't know how the band began or how it had this concept. All I know is that the drummer before me was kinda like a professional, so for me to enter this band and last in it till now is kinda amazing.
It began for me when Robbin first contacted me through Soft as well. When he first got to me, truth be told I was a little skeptical because jammings kept getting postponed, the vox can't show up, the guitarist can't show up etc etc. It was a little frustrating at first as well when I kept getting wind that they were playing with their previous drummer. But luckily Robbin was pretty patient and that I can click with him real well in msn and real life. I found them to be a pretty weird bunch when I just started with them. I had never played with anime fans and enthusiast, so it took me a bit of time to merge in. Gradually, I understood their thinking and friendliness, taking it all in I came to like this band a lot. Partly maybe cause they brought back the Otaku-ness I had in me when I was young, partly cause they made jamming fun again, partly cause I love the sound of Han Liang's keyboards. ;D
Robbin is a very good band leader during jamming, he controls the band flow, sequence and protects the members well such as letting Ume rest frequently to protect her voice while he full-force slaughters the rest of us in practicing instrumentals. This method, I think, is an excellent method and I can definitely use it in the future if I'm in a band. Han Liang and Tingzhi are good musicians and with time they definitely can improve more.
In other ways, knowing Robbin and co kinda opened my network to a whole new circle of people that have similar interest, be it in Anime or music. Networking man, networking... ;)
Square Table was pretty straight forward actually, they have only 1 gig in mind, and that is EOY. So we had almost half a year to prepare for it, thus imagine playing the same few songs continuously for that long, if we don't sound good we would have seriously failed. The songs we chose were Anata ga Ita Mori, Kimi no Shiranai Monogatari and Hey Erin. All are anime songs so seriously I don't know any of it at all except for Anata ga ita mori, because I had watched a bit of Fate/Stay Night before.
Energetic Performance during EOY
I really wanna say this, performing with Square Table feat Ume is the first time I had felt really excited, mainly because of Ume. Ume is kinda a small celebrity figure in the local cosplay/anime scene and had a small fan group. For the first time in my life, I had fans jumping around and dancing around as we are performing. Truthfully, Ume hadn't sound her best during the gig, but she's the most energetic one I had seen and performed with ever, and therefore I had thoroughly enjoyed myself while performing. That's why you see me smiling and grinning all this while.
I had a small private intent with me, and that is to have Square Table continuously perform in various gigs such as Stfest and not just in anime gigs, all the while to change/switch vocalist that suits the theme of the gigs but retain the same few musicians. That however, is not for me to decide and it's just my little evil intention. :x
If there was only 1 thing I wanna point out, it's the in-confidence of the group members, have more confidence in yourselves and you would be able to bring out the best of it.
These 2 bands, have got over me this year for a few purposes. I don't know how long either bands would last, but then they got back a feeling that I had lost from don't know when...
I began to enjoy my passion once again. I had played in bands, but I didn't enjoyed them. Not until these 2 bands came into the picture.
Last year I concentrated on fighting reality and the route to earn $, this year they nudged me into knowing how to enjoy fighting reality. For a moment, I lost my momentum in drumming and I could tell I was going downhill. But now, with new found interest I began retraining more than I had did last year added up together. Whether I had improved or not I don't know, but I know that now this "musician" feeling is inside me and I shouldn't lose it, no matter how hard I'm striving for my future whatsoever. That's also partly a reason why I treat EOY so importantly, because it's an official "event" that can get me back on track to what I wanted in life really, to perform in front of hundreds and thousands of people in a band and having fun together in the performance. This time the crowd may be just hundred plus and it's a mixed event gig, but eventually I'll strive to the standard of having a open concert with my own band performing to thousands of people that came to see us.
Now that EOY is over, the next thing coming up for us would be the post-gig drink/dinner. Where or when is not yet planned. At the same time, it's a pivotal point to see how both bands would react now after this is over. Wherever the band would go is not yet planned as well, the destination reached. Do I end my "contract" with Resonance or sign on for a longer period? Do I form up my own band now playing songs that I want to play? Will Square Table continue to play strictly Ani-song or enter other genre? What will we aim for now, where do we go on from now to reach that goal that I want? Seriously I do not know.
But for now, it's on a short hiatus period as we enjoy a short holiday from the great performance we gave. Until the next time we meet up and discuss, it's another story for another day.
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The rankings for 2010:
1. Resonance/Square Table feat Ume
2. Patricia Tay
3. TNT
4. Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook
5. Ah Ning
The number 1 in past years:
2007: Robert Kiyosaki
2008: Priscilla Phua
2009: Rurouni
2010: Resonance/Square Table feat Ume
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