Lots of credit must be given to Sharon, Sharon Hiu, for recording the video when the results were announced - it captured a moment of shrills of extreme delight and hugs of thankfulness that only members of NJCSB (including Mr Leong and Mrs Lim who were present) share. The usher had invited our teachers-in-charge to go into the hall to listen to the announcement but of course, they came out to be with us.
From the NJC website:
6 May 2005 Congratulations to our Symphonic Band (Mr Chin Chee Kin, Mrs Lim Geok Choo, Mr Alvin Leong). At the SYF Central Judging, our band won the Gold with Honours award ! Our college thus obtained a total of 4 Gold with Honours, 7 Golds and 2 Silvers in this year's SYF Central Judging !
Well, I shall start from the very night before the big day. I finally managed to finish my overdue comprehension but didn't attempt Chem S as it needed too much thinking. Band ended by 6pm (Youzhi got us excused from civics at 2.40pm so that we could start at 3) and Addy was saying for once in a very long time we get to leave Band room while its still bright. Though I replied that she was exaggerating, when I got back to my room in the BS, I realised for once I'm back without having to switch on the lights.
The couple of nights before that, I had slept plentiful so I wasn't sleepy, plus the inner nervousness keeping me awake. So I was doing Physics alternating current tutorial till before midnight (haha, don't roll your eyes) before I went to bed. I didn't sleep well - woke up at least three times, and the final time I thought I had already slept for quite long (usually when I have this feeling the truth is otherwise). I feared that I overslept, but the dark sky told my logic that I hadn't. The final time after I woke up, I pondered over whether I should take a bath, but decided otherwise since I had to meet Karen and Addy at 7.20am to change and I wanted time to sit down and have breakfast. Carrot cake was served that morning, and I took two slices of bread too to eat on the bus since we would be on-stage past 11 - I don't want to play on a growling stomach.
Ohs, there was a cockroach in the toilet! (I forgot about that, am referring to my penciled notes written on syf night.) But I forgot when was that, I think it was in the morning.
Since it was Thursday, ie. assembly starts only at 8.30am, there weren't many people around. I walked into school in slippers carrying my blazer and blouse on hangers. The band room wasn't open yet so some people were seated outside. Jurena was already all dressed up (except blazer and tie), writing something (which I later found out was a letter to the section). The paper quality and her handwriting made it look much like one written in the Old English times. haha, really. Jiayun, Karen and I went to change into our blouses first since the door still wasn't open.
The reporting time was 8am, and the excitement started to build up as we drew closer to it. Actually I wasn't literally excited, maybe there was inner excitement and nervousness, plus being affected by the people around me. Addy told me several times, that we are going to do well, I guess it was also to build up the confidence and belief.
Mr Ho came at about 9am, and ran through the two pieces with us. Then at about 9.45, we were given a break to grab some food before we set off. Some people (I saw Christine amongst them) tried to cheer us on, saying "go band!" when we were walking to the parade square via the atrium, but I think none of us responded, most didn't catch it, but it was nice of them. Before the band room opened Michael Ryan and friends who passed by also cheered us on.
At Singapore Conference Hall, we waited quite long at the ground level. Quite a few of us went to the washroom, hees. Pioneer JC who was before us was on the second level awaiting their turn to go into the tuning room; Victoria JC who was after us soon arrived (and some people commented they were too early); Hwa Chong JC or rather "Institution" then came out from their performance and were waving to the NJCians whom they know.
The period of waiting between going up to the second level and entering the tuning room was much shorter. Bo Yang went around telling us not to be nervous. We could hear a band playing and I kept thinking it came from the tuning room but it was actually speakers along the inner corridors broadcasting the competition 'live'. The time in the tuning room passed faster than I thought and ten minutes was soon up, after tuning everyone and playing the opening of Singapore Rhapsody. For a moment, Mr Ho had missed out tuning us thirds - maybe he gets nervous too. Everyone who brought their bottles dumped them with Mr Leong, who was somewhat like a babysitter. haha.
Then we had to wait again outside the hall. PJC hadn't entered yet. I think the band before them had just started their choice piece. The competition was running behind schedule. I was wiping perspiration off my palms with a piece of tissue from in the tuning room till before we entered the hall. The two outer and two inner pockets of the blazer came in very useful - I had all four of my spare reeds, two spare hair clips and my mouthpiece cap in them.
When PJC was playing, we got into our four rows and since what was happening onstage was being broadcasted over a TV just above us, some of us were watching it, while blowing warm air into our instruments now and then. Someone said not to listen to them, and just focus on thinking about how we play it, but of course, I couldn't shut my ears. They sounded good, but I wonder how it sounded from inside - all of us never got be inside the hall to hear any JC band play. As PJC finished playing their choice piece, Banja Luka, we ... argh, its been too long, I can't remember what happened... hmms, I remember looking at Qingyang, who seemed quite relaxed. So it was time for us to enter. I was at the leftmost end of the third row, thus the first person to walk across the front at the bottom of the stage all the way to the right before making a U-turn over to my seat. I think it took a moment before everyone was in place and we stood up as a band at Mr Ho's entrance. Oh ya, I forgot to mention, Jurena told our section to remember two five-letter words: smile and enjoy =) Okay, so my heart was thumping the hardest and fastest it has ever had when I didn't do any physically vigorous activity throughout the ten over minutes until when we finally finished playing. My fingers, especially my right hand, was shivering and I could feel that there was fear in my eyes, so at that moment, before we started playing, I wondered if the audience could see it. Deon and the harp was there to help block me, especially for Singapore Rhapsody, since it was not used in the piece and thus was in the upright position.
I think I didn't look at Mr Ho much - I was afraid of playing wrong notes, which happened a few times when I looked directly at him, even though we are already so familiar with the two pieces. I did remember to bounce the parts of the set piece where we were supposed to, and tried to move to the music like I had usually practised instead of stiffening in fear. If I didn't remember wrongly, unlike during the late night rehearsal we had on the Thursday before, I didn't hear myself as clearly as I had that night, when although I felt comfortable with my playing, I didn't like my sound being so segregated from the band, it shouldn't be. Fortunately, my sound was inside the band this time, but I only got abit less tense towards the end of Rhapsody.
I forgot to accent my first note of Amazonia, and committed a few other mistakes, but did manage to play S and T without slips (for the last few practices, I don't know why the last few bars before the three sets of runs before U would just slip even though I had already mastered them before that). The ending segment was most badly screwed, with the third last run not coming in together and I got a fright. We did end off the piece together, but with all the mistakes committed, most of which were not old ones, when we stood up, every face I saw was not smiling, especially Yanping who look rather stern. Those expressions made me not dare to smile either, though I had intended to for presentation sake.
The applause from the audience wasn't resounding at all, it sounded kind of unfilled. As we exited from the stage, I still didn't see anyone looking happy, and when I asked Jiayun if she was scared (since she's at the end of the second row and in the same shoes as me) but she was rather grim and didn't want to talk about it. On the bus back to NJ, while Addy and I were chatting away about the competition, fellow clarinetists around us - Karen and Jiayun in front and Regina and Kuan Yee at adjacent seats - were silent throughout the ride. The flautists who rounded up the back of the bus were chatting about the comp too, and Craig was complaining about how different Mr Ho's conducting was from the usual. I thought it wasn't very nice to criticise him, though according to many, it was true and right at U, he conducted one extra beat, 'cos the band was rushing ahead of him, but he managed to circle it off and continue (Addy did see it). That night I thought maybe he did it on purpose?
Got this off a Meridien JC band member's blog : "I was very impressed with NJC's choice piece"
I kept wanting to here professional comments on how we played, and back at the band room, Edo and Boyang said we did well. The few of us weren't very certain of it, but Boyang said something about our sound, that it was good and Edo had his usual positive attitude. Then gradually, everyone began to relax, though I'm sure we were all still worried about it. Addy and I changed out of our blouses but when the second bus returned, they said that we had to be in the formal attire to enter SCH, then we decided to change only when we were there, though I was feeling kind of dissociated since most were since in their white long-sleeved.
I was pleasantly surprised when Youzhi announced that buses would come at 1.30 to send us to Lau Pa Sat for lunch before we walk over to SCH for the results. NJCO had to eat in the school canteen and some went back for lessons. I didn't want to see anyone else I know 'cos I didn't want to have to give a reply as to how we did. Then I understood how they had felt at that time 'cos they thought they didn't play well either. I just wanted to stay with fellow bandmates 'cos we went through it together.
Five of us clarinet girls (I know 'cos we took a photo - Addy, Me, Jurena, Jiayun and Jingwei) sat at the back and this time, the whole bus was very chirpy. Jurena was saying that she found out about Christina and Edo only today (as in the SYF day), even though she was sitting with Boyang between them all along. Most of us found out a couple of weeks ago, and it wasn't even from any clarinetists.
In Lau Pa Sat, the whole band sat at the centre part, with the clarinet section taking up two long tables at the edge of the centre part. I had suggested that we shared a few dishes, but they weren't keen, so I just shared Chapati (some North Indian food I had never eaten before) and fried hokkien mee (which I haven't eaten in more than a few months) with Addy. I liked the mee 'cos it was wet enough.
Then there was still alot time so it became a bonding session. We finally heard Andrew speaking up quite alot, 'cos Karen was asking him about IP, why he wanted to go, how the interview was like, and stuff. I guess although he's quiet, he's very confident, as in he could think well even when facing a panel of teachers, that's why he got in despite not being like the typical outspoken IPer.
Somehow, a 'gossip' session started, as people wanted to find out who the clarinet girl whom Craig liked was. The whole clarinet section was crowded around one table with Boyang as the 'chairperson' then Qisheng also appeared to chair the 'mystery-solving' session. I must say he's full of crap, going round the story. Pauline, and especially SiewHan were laughing very hard 'cos they knew who it was. Then suddenly the flautists except Hanjie, Alex and Craig himself also came over.
All the other sections were taking photos, and Jiayun said at least twice a member of the public came over to as where we were from. I was kind of worried they were thinking we were a public nuisance.. but the market itself was a very noisy place.
Then finally it was time for us to walk over to SCH. It was raining very heavily, and I shared my umbrella with Karen. Most of them got drenched. Then at SCH after the few of us changed back into our blouses, the band went up to where we had waited for our turn to enter the hall. I think the competition hadn't ended, and I was sort of putting myself in their shoes and remembering the different atmosphere I felt that morning.
We waited for more than half an hour there and it was only till a few minutes before five that the results were announced after the acknowledgements were made. A part of me wanted us to be inside the hall to hear the results while another part of me wanted to be outside for fear of undesirable news. Everyone felt that Youzhi was very stressed, though he said he wasn't and tried to calm everyone down (did he? i forgot).
Initially we were seated on the floor then everyone stood up and Youzhi got everyone to huddled closer together, I was a little puzzled but we did so. Then finally the announcer began to read the results, according to order of appearance. When he said that ACJC, the first band of the day got a gold, there were a few gasps, as they were expected to get honours. I somehow sensed some gloating, I don't know if its true. HCI got a silver which was surprising as well. Then as the next few bands' results were announced, we got more nervous and when it was announced that the other band which was also outside the hall, next to us, PJ band got gold, they cheered and some fellow members shushed them. That was quite a conflicting situation, I thought, 'cos of course you definitely have full rights to cheer for your good results, yet we had to hear our upcoming results too. There was quite a long pause as the announcer waited for the PJCians to calm down (I guess some of them were inside the hall, and he knew us NJCians were outside so we needed silence to hear him).
Then he said, "Band number seven, *very short pause*, band number seven National Junior College, *another very short pause*, Gold with Honours" and our shrills immediately followed. Everyone got so hyper my handphone got flung onto the floor. I had to pick it up before continously to scream. haha. There was a droplet of tear from my right eye but I didn't actually feel elated from deep within until about an hour later. hees. Still, I screamed and cheered all my lungs out. Boyang went around hugging everyone, he seemed to be a little lost on the clouds. (In the evening, SiewHan said that she saw him with his face in his hands as he teared too).
ACJC: Gold HCJC: Silver NYJC: Silver MJC: Gold JJC: Silver PJC: Gold NJC: Gold with Honours VJC: Gold TPJC: Gold RJC: Gold SRJC: Silver SAJC: Gold with honours TJC: Gold with honours AJC: Silver Presentation at Esplanade: SAJC and TJC
Well, I thought I heard the second band was SRJC, haha. I hadn't expected a Gold with Honours at all, much less to play at the opening, though Mr Ho was comforting us that it was okay to not be invited to play.
Youzhi told us not to "zhi siao" the other bands when we went down to the lobby area, but some of them started the "Ya" cheer so everyone joined in. Haha, for once non-councillor NJCians are so enthusiastic about cheering.
After that almost the whole band went over to Orchard (I thought we were quite noisy on the train). We were stopped for several minutes at the traffic light when the President's car was about to drive past. Karen and a few others caught a glimpse of our Head of State. We ended up at Paragon and when the Exco couldn't come up with any idea of any place which could accomodate all of us, each section began to split up with some going for movies.
Most of the juniors went home for dinner while Siew Han, Jiayun, Addy, Boyang and I went to Takashimaya food court at my suggestion. Then ever so coincidentally, I chanced upon Christina and Edo on the bus back to hostel. That's like the second time I ended up on the same bus as them, after unwittingly boarding one on Labour Day Monday holiday when we had section lunch at Bukit Timah Plaza after the last-minute arranged full-dressed rehearsal at VCH. Oh, I haven't mentioned that I was quite impressed by the mature decision the band made as a whole to have the rehearsal at VCH in full dress. Maybe I was the childish one. I hadn't even got to think about it and they had already replied an unanimous "yes".
On Friday while awaiting our turn for the college day rehearsal, it was spreaded that our playing of Singapore Rhapsody got the top score! (According to SA ppl who heard from their conductor). I never ever knew we played our set piece so well. Nobody ever said that and just a week before when recording was down in the bandroom on Craig's MP3 player, it sounded terrifyingly awful. Hmms, turned out that it wasn't bad at all. Or maybe it was during the last few practices when Mr Ho taught us to balance out and play all the parts that were supposed to be bouncy (but actually the bouncy idea was already repeated many times).
Oh ya, when I walked into class for the first lesson, Sandra commented that I was smiling all the way. "I love band" - I wrote at the top of my penciled notes written on syf night. I also wrote that I wouldn't regret putting in all the effort we had, even if we got something else. This is something that I can really agree with the saying that the process is more important than the result. For the four weeks preceding the syf day, especially the syf week including the two days plus the week following syf day ('cos of college day), we practised at least five times a week (I'm sure the other bands too). Actually I didn't feel that we practised extremely hard, I mean to the extent that my lips ached from the biting, since often Mr Ho was taking the other sections. But when we started playing other songs, my lips did start to ache. I don't know why either. And somehow, the feelings were very different when we played on Friday, the day after syf. Maybe its because the competitive pressure is gone. We got very noisy again too.
I know for a few times, Karen got very upset over the band, and a week or more before syf, Jiayun was telling me with seriousness about the lack of discipline in the band. Well, I agree, for I am part of those who would talk during practices. So I resolved to be absolutely serious and attentive for the last week of practices. Overall everyone had the same attitude too, and Youzhi pointed it out at one of his usual concluding speeches at the end of a practice the week before SYF.
And after achieving such results did I realise that Jurena teaching us her interpretation of the pieces and what kinds of feelings to play the various sections with indeed shows how musically inclined she is. Playing is not all about the skills, its more about the interpretation - the real "music people" would tell you.
Hmms, loads of narration for this post. Had to take me another weekend before I would publish it - 23 May '05. I think its still lacking in my reflections... Anyway, I shall finish up with the post on Mr Ho's reflections next week. hees.
wishing; 5/16/2005 01:07:00 AM
Have Read
'04 year-end holidays (highest number of books read in a long time)
-The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom (gd read)
-Princess Diaries: Third Time Lucky by Meg Cabot (fun read)
-Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (must read - inspirational)
-Slab Rat by Ted Heller (full of office politics and R21 stuff - not for kids)
-The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (makes u want to finish it)
-A walk to remember by Nicholas Sparks (simple but meaningful)
-The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark (can identify with)
-The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks (romantic love story with too much R21 stuff)
-Message in a Bottle by Nicholas Sparks (even more R21. ugh)
-The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint Exupery
-Unstrung Heroes by Franz Lidz (autobiography about his four uncles and father)
-The Rescue by Nicholas Sparks
-The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (very unique POV of an autistic boy)
-The Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (love the breadth of the plot, one of my favourites)
-Wild Orchids by Jude Deveraux (alternating between two first persons' view - unique, but don't like e plot)
-Sophie's World by Jostein Gaarder (philosophy tb in a story; gets abit dry though plot saved)
-forgot what i read...-
-Working Wonders by Jenny Colgan (story of an urban planner)
-Angels and Demons by Dan Brown (impressive intelligence with bits of great humour)
-Just between Us by Cathy Kelly (thickest bk i've ever read-600+pg, too long for me but not bad)
ha, started a few bks but didn't enjoy them enough to read more.
'06
-Life of Pi by Yann Martel (novel based on true story; a lot to learn from the book - animals, religions,
survival, appreciation of simplicity; marvelous descriptions of both the tangible and the intangible,
such that I could feel their realness; bits of very enjoyable humour; a must read)
-The Complete Analects of Confucius, Volume 1 - Asiapac Comic Series (some good teachings.
didn't read everything though)
-The Parable of the Pipeline by Burke Hedges (lent to me by Shujun; like she said, its a short version
of Rich Dad Poor Dad - good financial tips)
-The Alchemist by Paul Coelho (simple story with deep meaning)
-Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results
(hai, doesn't seem to be working for me - cos im not applying..)
-haven't been updating from Jun'06 to Jul'07-
'07
-Take a Chance by Sarah Webb (very interesting twist towards the end)
'08
-A Child Called "It" by Dave Pelzer (very saddening. made me realise how significant family is in how a child behaves)
-Whatever You Think, Think the Opposite by Paul Arden (refreshing book with many pics)
-The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Rui Zafon (amazing how people can think of so much plot to pack into one book, wld b a gd tv series)
-The Time Traveller's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger (the story is interesting but i think the ending cld hv been better written)
-This Book Will Save Your Life by A.M. Homes (a bit thought-provoking on relationships but i didnt like e abrupt ending)
-Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner (gd knowledge but partly qte repetitive)
-For One More Day by Mitch Albom
-The C Words by Mark Mason (made me keep wanting to read on. light & funny)
'09
-Return to Summerhouse by Jude Deveraux (another good read from Deveraux)
-The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (gosh such vivid descriptions! very well written book. i liked d theme of friendship and the realness of the story)
'10
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro (a must-read!! i love the expressed thoughts of the protagonist, esp those about friendships, and the writing style - it seems like she's telling me her story specifically to me)
How to Save Your Own Life by Michael Gates Gill (an inspiring read, for emotional liberation and greater joy in life)
Reading
on hold
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollan
Waiting for chance to get hold of
The Little White Car by Danuta de Rhodes
Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers
A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking
Le Scaphandre Et Le Papillon or The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
My Left Foot by Christy Brown
Gotai Fumanzoku or An Unsatisfactory Body (Translated into English as No One's Perfect) by Hirotada Otatake
Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Other Recommended Readings by Marc
The Origin of Species by Charles Darwin – Few books have had as significant an impact on the way society views the natural world and the genesis of humankind.
The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell – Gladwell looks at how a small idea, or product concept, can spread like a virus and spark global sociological changes. Specifically, he analyzes “the levels at which the momentum for change becomes unstoppable.”
David Copperfield by Charles Dickens – This is a tale that lingers on the topic of attaining and maintaining a disciplined heart as it relates to one’s emotional and moral life. Dickens states that we must learn to go against “the first mistaken impulse of the undisciplined heart.”
Lolita – This is the kind of book that blows your mind wide open to conflicting feelings of life, love and corruption… and at times makes you deeply question your own perceptions of each. The story is as devious as it is beautiful.
Getting Things Done by David Allen – The quintessential guide to organizing your life and getting things done. Nuff said.
How To Cook Everything by Mark Bittman – 900 pages of simple instructions on how to cook everything you could ever dream of eating. Pretty much the greatest cookbook ever written. Get through a few recipes each week, and you’ll be a master chef by the time you’re 30.
Honeymoon with My Brother by Franz Wisner – Franz Wisner had it all… a great job and a beautiful fiancée. Life was good. But then his fiancée dumped him days before their wedding, and his boss basically fired him. So he dragged his younger brother to Costa Rica for his already-scheduled honeymoon and they never turned back… around the world they went for two full years. This is a fun, heartfelt adventure story about life, relationships, and self discovery.
Self-note: Tip for my future business =D
give employees reasonably high pay to keep them- otherwise they are unlikely to stay loyal.
treat employees not according to how well they treat me but how conscientious they are at work
(of course, musn't expect them to only do work throughout the entire working hours -
give some breathing space too, we are humans, not machines) Movies watched(listing started on 6jan08)
in cinema from VCD/DVD
1Sep07: "Hairspray" w TK, GH & SH
14Sep07: "Ratatouille" w mom & extended family
28Dec07: "The Pianist" w Jus & Pam (heartbreaking but good lessons; i recommend!)
2Jan08: "I Am Legend" w Sherm (scary! but good acting; thought provoking; i recommend!)
5-6Jan08: "A Good Year" alone (excellent show! i like the acting; funny; good lessons; touches my heart; i recommend!)
11Jan08: "Le Grand Chef" w WLing, JT & Irene (good! funny, very touching, :) nice; watch if like humour+meaning+food)
7Feb08 (CNY 初一): "Ah Long Pte Ltd" w parents (pretty hilarious - but u gotta understand dialects, some teary parts. wells typical of jack neo movies but with diff content)
11Mar08: "The Leap Year" w Sherm (so sweet! :) and apart from couple relationship it touches the theme of mother-daughter and best friends too)
6Jun08: "P.S. I Love You" w Sherm (don't know if its coz we watched it on laptop, coz it didn't impress me as much as it did for him in cinema)
8Jun08: "The Forbidden Kingdom" w Lisa, Karen & Sandy (ums..guess i'm really not into kungfu)
8Jun08: "What Happens in Vegas" w Lisa, Karen & Sandy (simple,relaxing show)
7Jul08: "我和狗狗的10个约定" w Sherm, his ma & sisters (very simple,touching but actually not my type of show)
10Jul08: "Before Sunrise" w Sherm (hmm maybe watchg on laptop really affects appreciatn of movies..)
30Sep08: "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" w Sherm (i didn't like it as much as i thought i wld when i saw the ads)
31Dec08: "Yes Man" w Mom (inspiring and funny)
11Feb08: "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" w Mom (not as impressive as i thought it wld be)
1Jul09: "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" w Yumei, YY & Matt (the best thing was the soundtrack. heh.)
14Aug09: "GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra" w Joyce (it was awesome! best action movie i've ever watched)
17Aug09: "Food, Inc." w SYL & RuiQ (learnt some stuff abt the American food industry but it was a bit boring and not worth the $10)
22Sep09: "The Time Traveller's Wife" w WB, VanD, WLing, CHL, Irene, VanQ, Mf, Pg (i liked it. having read the book really helps w udsg)
21Nov09: "Gokusen" w Mf, Eva, Tony, Sarah (funny inspirational movie)
24Dec09: "十月围城" w Tony, WLing, VanQ (action action and a bit funny? tony criticised the plot. my fav scene was the running n jumping through the crowd along the five-foot ways w/o cuts)
30Dec09: "Sherlock Holmes" w Irene, Tony, Sweetee (my favourite genre of books made into a movie - what else can be more cool? acting effects humour excitement suspense all in)
12Jan10: "Avatar 3D" w Mom (didn't appreciate the digital effects which everyone wowed about. content etc was so-so. cathay's 3D glasses were too heavy for me)
8Feb10: "The Truman Show" w Ky n sis n Yuhshin (a must-watch. very thought-provoking, funny. reminder to be spontaneous and create your life the way you want, instead of falling into a typical routine
14Feb10: "New York, I Love You" w Mom (I loved it! a good couple movie with meaningful pointers to keep it going. but i think some stories could be more developed)
16Feb10: rewatched "The Pianist" (still find it good, tho i still feel first viewings are the best)
17Feb10: "Valentine's Day" w CHL n WB (laughed throughout - a feel-good movie; liked the fact that the various stories binded tog so well with the little surprises here and there, vs NY ILU in which each story was separate)
20Feb10: "赤壁二" w Addy, Karen, Sharon, SJ (should have watched the first one first cos i ended up not knowing who's who and what's happening and had to keep asking :/ and couldn't pay attn.. if not i think it should be a pretty good movie..)
4Mar10: "Alice in Wonderland 3D" w Mf (i found the 3D effects of this @ CCK Shaw SO much better than Avatar @ The Cathay =/ and the movie was much more enjoyable too! - cheered a sad me up :)) favourite quote - the Mad Hatter: “You used to be much muchier before. ... You have lost your muchness.”)
18Mar10: "Nodame Cantabile" w Irene, Mf (i thoroughly enjoyed some of the orchestra pieces - SO impressive! the expressions of the actors were really amusing :D)
23Apr10: "Ice Kacang Puppy Love" w Mom (funny, touching and meaningful - about love between friends and family. i cried 3 tissues! cos some touching parts i could really understand the feelings of the characters involved)
Inception
Letters to God (very simple Christian movie)
22Nov10: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" w Ame, Irene (they loved it. pretty good, i guess the main problem i had was that im not familiar with HP :X)
13Dec10: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" w Sj (not bad, could follow the story unlike HP. like the meaningful teachings, too long - in a post)
2Mar11: "The King's Speech" w Ame (hilarious, inspirational, tho it doesn't impress me that much to understand why it's the Oscar winner)
Mar11: "10 Things I Hate About You" very funny. silly sweet high school romance. just right for having breaks in between doing homework
23May11: "Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides" w Wb Yl Ame Pg (pretty good - scenery, freakish parts, fighting scenes, dressing, humour, bits of Christianity like when the Spanish said "only God gives life")
6Jun11: "Xmen First Class" w Wb Ame Pg (i was very keen on watching it and it was really good! intellectual, makes sense, cool action, some humour)
9Jun11: "Legally Blonde 2" w Irene (seems like some dumb blonde movie but kind of meaningful too - speaking up for yourself and what you stand for)
17Jun11: "Something Borrowed" w Sandy Lisa (quite funny, somewhat meaningful wrt friendships. they didn't like the lack of sense for one part tho)
16Jul11: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" w Irene, Sweetee, Kw (not bad. i didn't understand some parts again but the humour and effects were pretty good)
Aug11 "Horrible Bosses" w Ma (she fell asleep! gosh. the movie was very crude i must say but there was the humour)
25Oct11: "The Three Musketeers" w H (i would rate it 3.5 for humour/intellectual language and 4 for action. it's by the same producer or director as Sherlock! but a bit less awesome albeit a good chill out movie)
5Nov11: "Real Steel" w Hl (action packed but not too hardcore for me. i liked that there was the father and son element and how the father eventually softened his heart and especially the part when charlie was having trouble telling max sth and max was so understanding saying "Don't worry. Your secret's safe with me." touching and demonstrates true fighting spirit)
12Dec11: "50/50" w L (adopting her words - a heavy topic put across in a lighthearted way, but not taking away d meaning. most of it was rather hollywood-ish trashiness but there were a couple of punch lines "u can't change ur parents, but u can change d way u respond to them.")
25Dec11: "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol" w KY (ultimate action packed! super tense almost throughout the movie, and interesting Tom Cruise made it such that not everything happened smoothly - he would jump and misland and get all sorts of injuries..it's really the courage to jump without hesitation even though you are not sure you'll be alive after that. KY loved d movie and said she would watch it again!)
3Jan12: "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" w KY (i love mystery (: and the witty sarcastic dialogues. good level of excitement with the action. didn't understand some parts as usual. i like Holmes and Watson they depict such a true pair of buddies ;D)
23Jan12: "You are the Apple of My Eye" w mom (now i understand why guys like this movie so much - the anxiety of chasing after a girl and the acts schoolboys do to get the girl's attention and hopefully affection. the initial fluttering and the subsequent quarrelling)
22Mar12: "The Iron Lady" w KY (really love Thatcher's sharp words. inspiring and thought-provoking, tho i was still left uncertain of what to do with my life, the movie is definitely an encouraging one)
29Mar12: "Barney's Version" w SJ (a funny movie of a screwed up life of a man who had 3 wives, smoked and drank but very heartwarming at the same time, the relationships with the dad and the 3th wife - quotable quotes!)
27Apr12: "The Hunger Games" w Mom
4May12" "Avengers" w MF n PS (funny, action-packed)
7Jul12: "The Amazing Spiderman"
21Jul12: "The Dark Knight Rises" (fantastic depth, loved the twists)
20Aug12: "ParaNorman" w Mom (simple funny animated movie, heartwarming support)
Performances watched (listing started on 25Apr10)
20Jan10: Patrick Marber's Closer by outoftheBLUE, NUS Science w Pam (
13Mar10: The Rain Came Down Like Pearls the Night I Died... The New Musical - Sing & Tell by Mark Chan w Addy & Jy
21Mar10: Quintessence by NUSCO w CHL
