I don't know about you, but I'm feeling 22

Happy, free, confused, and lonely, at the same time.

It's miserable and magical. 

I haven't written here in a while. Here are some updates filling in the gaps from the last 3 years:

1. I finished my Diploma in Music at LASALLE with a performance that I was proud of. Those 3 years were so full of conflicts but at the end of it, I'm grateful that I learnt so much. Not just on my musical practice, but also on how to differentiate true friends from the fake, the importance of being happy being alone, as well as how to find the bravery to share my stories with the world.



2. I referenced a family tragedy in one of the pieces I performed for that recital, and in a callback later that year, helped perform the monologue for my cousin's dance performance. That performance was very emotional and felt so important because of how much those words meant to her and how much it meant for us to perform together in that capacity.

3. I'm currently continuing at LASALLE in the BA Music programme, but this time majoring in composition and arranging instead of popular music performance.

4. I went out on dates for the first time.

5. I started working as a violin teacher and a primary school tutor.

6. I got to watch Bruno Mars, Halsey, Foster the People and Snarky Puppy live in concert.

7. I had a blast at F1 for the last 2 years, and I'm definitely going again this year. I've had so much fun, especially at the Singapore GP, in 2017 not just getting to see the cars and drivers up close, but also getting to watch OneRepublic, Lianne La Havas and Duran Duran live. And in 2018, finally getting to meet Lewis Hamilton, as well as making so many new friends at the track. More on that here. 

8. I actually walked around by myself to explore Sultanahmet, Istanbul in December. Something I would never have found the courage to do 2 years ago.

9. I was chosen to become part of the Daisie 100 via this performance.



10. I've been involved in recordings as a sessionist a couple of times, including one track for Krysta Joy's upcoming debut EP.

11. I performed at Esplanade Concert Hall for the first time earlier this year in February, with Malaysian reggae band Gerhana Skacinta for their 20th Anniversary Concert.

UP NEXT: I'll be performing at Marina Bay Sands next Thursday for the S3 final of

ASIA'S GOT TALENT!

Unwritten

I'm heading to college tomorrow so I don't know when I'll be able to blog here again, though I will try to do it once a month at the very least, but no promises, I have literally no idea what my schedule will be like.

In the meantime, you can follow me here and there:

Instagram | Tumblr | YouTube | Letterboxd

The 30-Day Studio Ghibli Challenge

I've had this post lying around my drafts for more than a year now. It took so long because of the gif hunting involved. I wanted to start editing it again after this happened, but yeah, had exams. For some reason, the middle of my SPM seems like a good time to post this long overdue post. Whatever.
I'll come back and edit it later.

Day 1: First Studio Ghibli movie?

Spirited Away.

And so my wait begins

Today was my SPM (Malaysian O-levels) trial English writing exam. We have to write 2 essays, one directed, the other continuous.There are 5 topics to choose for the continuous writing question.
I chose: Write a story ending with, "All good things come to those who wait."

I wrote a love story. I have been reading a lot of shoujo manga lately and I watch Legend of Korra so the elements and many of the little moments are undoubtedly stolen from there, so it is in no way original. Unfortunately, I will not be able to share it until the paper is returned. Here's the first paragraph as a "preview":

     It is almost dusk, I am waiting for her at the corner of the street. She has just landed in the country and she sent me a message asking me to wait here for her, the place where we last saw each other. It is cold, I wrap myself tightly in the scarf she gave me before she left, it still smells faintly of her perfume. I lean against the lamp post, tilting my head upwards to watch the sun say its final farewells. I close my eyes, and the memories begin to flow.

There was something else I wanted to post but I lost the notebook I wrote it in. *sobs*

Update: (11th September 2014)
I got back the paper.
I got full marks.

A Melodious Symphony

I am so glad I was wrong.

Here's the program.

The time was short and long at the same time.

Unexpectedly, a lot of people turned up, so many that there weren't enough chairs! It was a great surprise because on Monday, less than 400 tickets were sold; Wednesday: 530+; Friday: 750+; and on Sunday itself, at least 1000. Almost everyone from my class turned up, they all sat in one row. They cheered for the band girls. I am very thankful that all my friends turned up.

I guess my conducting was slightly better. I was satisfied with my playing. Everyone played very well. There was finally percussion for Love Story meets Viva La Vida, and it was good. Apparently Frozen was quite good, I had fun, the only thing wrong with it was the PA system which totally sucked. It appears that our Pomp & Circumstance was better than the other school's. Everyone started clapping before the end of that, Instant Concert, and Can-Can. Unwisely, we did not prepare for an encore. So when the audience roared for one, I told Kam Yan to do Can-Can again.

The band girls kept speeding up the tempo for Can-Can, which we strings found hilarious because they were basically making life difficult for themselves. In the end we laughed together, with the strings laughing at the band, and the band laughing at us laughing. :D

It was amazing. All of us are so proud. The cheers and screams from the crowd were everything. We were so proud and high after that. Everyone wished we could do it all over again. Working so hard and putting everything all out there for the whole world to see was scary but liberating. Thank you all for this. <3

Get in line. For once, I was the one getting her picture taken. It's a very small, very vain thing, but it mattered to me. I got two bouquet of flowers, one from my mom, the other from the emcees.

My only regret: forgetting to take a photo with my lover/cellist, Xin Ying, who played the part of Hans for Love Is An Open Door while I played Anna's part. T_T But having only one regret is miles better than having a dozen. I am very thankful for that.

More photos here.

{7th to 8th July: Monday - Tuesday} Aftermath on Facebook and Instagram.
{9th July: Wednesday} An article about our concert popped up in the state section of the national Chinese newspaper.
{11th July: Friday} AJK meeting to decide on next year's committee.
{12th July: Saturday} AGM.
{14th July: Monday} Our last day at Symphony.

Reflections
The beginning
The finale
National Music Camp @ Langkawi Island (June 2013)
International Music Festival @ Genting Highlands (November 2013)
National Music Camp @ Penang Island (December 2013)
National Competition @ Penang Island (March 2013)

The end of this concert also means the end of my time with the AMC Symphony Orchestra. I know I should be sad, but instead I'm really happy. Thanks to this concert, I now know that I can win at life sometimes. Thanks to this concert, I have absolutely no regrets about the biggest and most constant part of my secondary school life. This is the end of the line, but also the beginning of a new one. I started this whole journey on a low note, and the last week was a whirlwind of emotions, mostly negative. I am glad and grateful that it ended on such a high note. I am happy that I can still smile at the end of an era.

Thank you. It was truly A Melodious Symphony.

Burning Red

{11th June ~ 8:50 - 10:10}
THE TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT IS OVER. *CRIES* WHYYYYYYYYYY????!!!!!
Ok firstly: It ended too quickly, and she didn't sing enough songs from Red.
BUT ANYWAY, THE GOOD THINGS.

This was my very first concert, and I totally loved the experience.
My brother and I went early to check out the place and buy merchandise before the crowds arrived. There were already people waiting in line, it was 2PM. I bought a shirt, a baton, and a guitar pick set.
Then after waiting around at our hotel, we came back and it was SHOWTIME.
People who walked right in front of me: The 2nd Asia's Next Top Model, and Taylor Swift's mom.

Incredibly Unmotivated

I am barely halfway through my mid-year exams. I honestly haven't studied much (read: at all) and for some reason, I don't care. Not one bit. Instead, I've been sailing through the afternoons, weekends and holidays with zero regard of the time I've wasted. I don't know what's wrong with me at the moment. I have forgotten to bring my calculator twice already. I have reasons to be afraid, of all the subjects I'm certain to fail, of the consequences once the results are released. But I'm not. For the moment, I could care less.

Instead of thinking about the now, I'm thinking about the future.
And oh, what a very selective future it is.

I've fast-forward to Taylor Swift's concert in June, which my brother and I will be attending. I'm constantly thinking about the symphony orchestra concert in July. And most of all, I keep thinking about what I'm going to do after I finish secondary school (i.e. high school).

Previously, I entertained the thought of going to Singapore to Study. To do the IB diploma in Wen Yi's school (UWCSEA) and then do BA (Hons) Film at LASALLE College of the Arts.
Yup, I've decided that I want to work in the film industry, a field infamous for its high unemployment rates, even among the arts scene.

However, after doing a lot of research, I realised that a film degree doesn't guarantee a job in the film industry. Which is why I've decided to study communications, which can help me find work in the industry, but also give me something to fall back on if it doesn't work out. And maybe doing an MA or MFA in filmmaking, most likely in the US since TischAsia no longer exists. Sigh.

My father is recommending the University of Nottingham for BA (Hons) International Communication Studies with Film and Television Studies because he thinks highly of the university and think I will enjoy studying it. However, I'm more interested in UCSI University's BA (Hons) Mass Communication, because it will allow me to major in Film and Television in the final year and I will definitely be able to make actual short films, unlike the former option.

Mr Lee (my violin teacher) is a lecturer there so maybe he can give me some valuable insight of the environment and the quality there. I don't think a music degree will be good for me, but I definitely want to get my diploma in violin and start learning the piano again, so that I have something else to fall back on. Yup, music is my ultimate back-up plan.

But anyway, I have no idea how I'm going to climb out of this rut I've stuck myself in. Any advice for now and for my future is extremely welcome.

Also, it is very likely that I will end up rewatching Her and Moonrise Kingdom later, instead of studying for whatever subject I'm taking tomorrow. *Sigh*

Here are the things I've done so far instead of studying:

• Blog about not studying.
• Watch TV shows with the pretext of admiring the actual production as a form of studying for the future.
• Play 2048, repeatedly. (Side note: I won.)
• Play the same songs on the piano over and over again.
• Play the same song on the violin over and over again.
• Practise The Moon Song on the ukulele.
• Tidy my desk.
• Begin tidying the rest of my room.
• Research for the future.
• Plan for the concert.
• Tumblr.
• Scroll down Twitter and constantly unfollow and follow users.
• Basically everything except study.

Many Happy Returns

I am happy and sad and everything in between. My birthday was on the 26th, during the mid-term school holidays. I still had to go to school because our Symphony Orchestra was going for a competition in Penang the very next day. I'm the concertmistress of Team A (playing the Prince of Egypt) and the conductor of Team B (playing Pocahontas). I spent most of rehearsal time with Team B. That morning, I was in the classroom with them, about to begin practice when suddenly, everyone from Team A came in.

At first, I thought they wanted to listen to Team B's performance, and asked them as much. Then, my good friends Kam and Shum walked in with a birthday cake and they all started singing the birthday song. I was really surprised and also really pleased. It's the first time ever someone surprised me that way. Then I blew out the candles and Kam cut the cake (her b'day: 28/3). We made the cake a mess but had fun smearing the cream on each other's faces. The cake was a mocha sponge cake. After that, it was business as usual.

Here is my Tumblr post complete with photos.

After rehearsal, So Jun came to pick me up to take me out. She was a little late, but never mind. After we dropped her friend off, I got out to get in the front seat. She had dropped my present beside the door (by accident) so when I opened it, she asked me if I could pick up something she dropped from beside my seat. And that's how I got my present. Easily the best birthday present EVER. I don't deserve it, but she says I do. Either way, I was really touched, especially by the little note she wrote for me. We went to Jusco, had Secret Recipe for lunch and she bought me these really cute charms. I skipped violin that day. (Shhh!!!)

For dinner, Dad bought crab and we watched The Avengers. Dad's birthday presents were tickets to Taylor Swift's concert in June and the lomography camera (but apparently, that's my pay for doing his website). Also, he bought me scallop pasta from Indulgence for lunch earlier.

The next day was the 27TH and THE DAY OF OUR COMPETITION. I was nervous the whole day for Team B, in the end they got bronze, as expected after their performance. Oh yeah, apparently my partner from the Genting friendship concert shares the same birthday as me. ANYWAY. THEN IT WAS TEAM A'S TURN. AND MY GOD WE WERE GOOD. All smiles after we left the hall. But during the presentation ceremony, we got... silver. I've never felt so deflated in my life. WE DESERVED GOLD. And it's not just me, some other schools also mentioned that we should have gotten gold. Heck, even the school that goes out of their way to say how much we suck said we should have gotten gold.

On the bus, I listened to the audio our senior (Mei Ern) recorded. I CRIED. IT WAS PERFECT. REGARDLESS OF THE RESULTS, I AM PROUD OF US AND THE FIVE YEARS WE DEVOTED TO THIS ORCHESTRA. NO REGRETS.

Also had a long talk with Mei Ern and Kam and we went to this totally useless shopping centre which totally killed our mood completely. But later we sang and stuff so we were pretty high by the time we arrived back in school. Also got a Doraemon from my junior.

28th: Kam's birthday present from me was a message attached with a collage. I had to go to school to do oral, my cinematography is good. Then Junqi took me out to AEON, had lunch at Nando's, watched Captain America, took the worst photo in history.

30th: Watched Divergent with Carmen and Cassandra. Did those Kawaii photo thingies. Had lunch after at Sakae Sushi.

It was a jolly holiday indeed.

31st March + 1st April: I received birthday cards from my three Mouseketeers. Oh yeah, even our coach thought we were gonna get gold, he was shocked when I asked him why we didn't.

Where'd you go?

If you're reading this, I shall assume that you have taken an interest in my life and are wondering why I have not posted anything new in over a month. Thus, it is highly possible that you currently have this question posed on your lips. One word: Tumblr.

I have been on Tumblr since 22nd August 2011, way before I started this blog (9th January 2012). But I've only been posting (not reblogging) more actively here recently. Why? Because I kinda wanted to document my life so I can remember, before I turn all old and gray grey gray.

But Tumblr has always been more of a visual thing than a text thing. And on Tumblr, people tend to like shorter posts, which is why I have not deleted this blog. I have always expressed myself in words and that is why I will always need a place to dump my word walls. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Blogger is better for posts that involve a lot of media in it.

I've been reading a lot of articles written by teenage girls (mostly American), who have a penchant for the phrase "in retrospect", on this website called Rookie. It also has stories, comics, playlists, and my personal favourite - how to's and loads more besides. I am currently waiting for a theme that I can write for so I can send in a submission. *grin*

Also, I have another blog where I post my poems and other stuff. But maybe I should move them here... I don't know, maybe I will. I have an awful lot of things to upkeep. I am also trying to reduce the number of Tumblogs I have.

AND I'm learning how to code.

What else have I been doing that's made me so busy?
After my trip to Singapore and the BRATs camp during the school holidays, I...
1. Went back to school for a week.
2. Went to Langkawi for the National Music Camp for a week.
3. Came back from Langkawi and started leaving class and staying back at school in preparation for our school's first ever Symphony Orchestra concert. I was a conductor, concertmistress and I played a duet.
4. Catching up with all the schoolwork.
5. Rehearsing for PPO/KVSO/whatever concert on 20th July.
6. Trying not to implode.
7. Tumblr-ing. See above.
So I'm so sorry if I didn't manage to post, it's totally my fault.

Finally, I'll be revamping this blog, i.e. the design and the pages. I've already gone through a few changes over the past year and half, mainly in the background, from wicked to vintage, that short-lived The Hunger Games craze, and Part-Time Poet. Plus all those awkward animations, with the chandelier and the falling petals. I remember when all my fonts were cursive, I especially abused Crafty Girls. We all grow up, and grow out of things. And now, I think I want my blog to be more minimalistic, a bit more like Tumblr but not quite. I'm currently changing my fonts, from Crafty Girls to Trebuchet Ms to Georgia (page), from Sunshiney to Josefin Slab to Courier (title), and from Indie Flower to Arvo (gadget). (That last sentence was more for my benefit than yours, tbh.) Now, the music only plays when you want it to, because let's face it, auto-playing music is annoying. I'm trying to live life more simply, and what better way to showcase that than through my blog? Crossed out that whole sentence because it's nothing but a lie. But it is true that I want things to be more simple, and less messed up. The art is to not get attached, to learn when to let go.

Ok, I think I better stop now. This post is getting me nowhere.
Thank you for reading this.

Bratty Potatoes

I met so many amazing people in this camp.
The experiences.
The friends I made.
The mentors treated us differently compared to most adults.
I want to do more assignments, I wish I could do this instead of school...
I miss it already.
Potatoes.
Videos.
Tumblr, Instagram, Twitter.
I'm glad I joined.

{To be updated when I finally get over my feels.}

Drama Bananas

{30th April 2013}
It's funny how things here contradict themselves.
We didn't win. I won't say much more beyond that because in my heart, we were, are, and always will be the best. I love you all, thank you all for being so perfect, amazing, and talented.
If we won, I promised Rose to treat you all to a slice of cake each at Indulgence...
Now, I guess I'll just get a pandan cake from the bakery haha.
I kept the Pandaro Box by the way. Sentimental value. :P

The Cast:
~ Ballerina | Li Winn
The latest addition to the drama team. As the main character, you sure had a lot on your shoulders. And you did beautifully. You improved so much in such a short time, an inspiration to me. :)
~ Soldier | Xin Hui
You're unbelievably good as a guy... Next time, don't make me have to stand in! Even though you missed a few practices, you're still easily one of the most dedicated of the team, I think you memorised the entire script. Appreciate everything. And yes, your map is beautiful. (Is it still intact?)
~ Fairy Godmother | Roselyn
It almost feels like this character was made for you. Thank you for being yourself. That was enough. And you were a gorgeous fairy godmother.
~ Jenny | Shu Qi
*Cough cough* I keep calling you "Jenny", you don't like it, sorry! Never expected you to be so good, I was pleasantly surprised by your audition. You remind me of myself a couple of years ago (omg sounding like an old lady), especially when we co-complain about certain uninvolved people.
~ Bobby | Mei Kwan
I really hope your studies don't get affected, but no worries, I'm sure they won't, cause you give everything you do your 100%. Thank you for making the "10 years later" sign. You are perfect. I'm not lying.
~ Mom | Zhi Xin
I still think you're too pretty to be the mom, but you did an awesome job and you and the crazy chick below impressed me so much, especially during the hospital scene. Your skills are truly impressive.
~ Doctor | Jun Qi
You could have done more with the doctor but whatever. Thank you so much for helping me with the sound effects (i.e. doing everything for me), being so supportive, slapping sense into me, and always keeping cool, you're the best, and i wuv u. <3
~ Jenni & Marytha
Babies of the group. Thank you for trying and doing your very best. The two of you are only going to get much better, I just know it.
The Crew:
~ The Glue | Me
Sorry for being the wet blanket. Thank you all for putting up with my inexperienced incompetence. Thank you all for making me feel like I was doing something right. Thank you all for making me feel so proud and happy.
~ Fireworks | Sharmine
Thank you for helping out and doing everything so I had much less to think about! And for all the advice you gave everyone.
~ Objects | Elysa/Pei Wen
You only joined in a bit later, but you were so dedicated with the props and you did a really good job, especially with the round thing. You're a little blur at times, but your focus was there when it really mattered.
The Mentors:
~ Lee Rachel
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR COMING BACK EVEN THOUGH YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO. Hugs and kisses. xoxo I really hope we didn't let you down... Thank you for believing in us and always pushing us to be even better. I wish I could have been in your English class, I bet they were really fun.
~ So Jun
THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING. The advice, the threats, the support... The list goes on. Big hugs and kisses to you too. XOXO
~ Rachel Lee
You weren't there physically but you gave us support via your Facebook posts. Thank you for making us better people and for your never ending support and advice. Btw, we called you and we got your mom, and when she picked up we thought it was you and we screamed. Apologies to your mom for that, she must have been pretty bewildered. Banana monkeys indeed. <3

To the judges: Whatever. These girls are the best, and they don't need you to tell them that.

Family photo.

When You Believe

Last night was the AMC Chinese Orchestra concert.

I didn't forget any notes, I was pretty stiff, but I tried, and therefore no one should criticise me.
Anyway, I'm quite proud of myself for not freaking out in front of so many people. :)

Short + Sweet

So I joined some of the Short+Sweet writing and directing/acting workshops last week.
They were all conducted by this really awesome Aussie dude, Alex Broun, who according to Wikipedia, is known as the "Shakespeare of short plays". Impressive, eh?
{WARNING: This will be a wordy entry.}

～ 12 April, Friday night: Playwriting (Level 1)
Whoa, learned that I actually know nothing about writing for the stage. Started from scratch, learned loads of new things. Including the principle of theatre: the suspension of disbelief. The workshop was mostly about learning how to write 10-minute plays. Alex was really good, he said: "Alex walks into the room. Alex stands still for 10 minutes. Alex leaves the room. For those of you who thought it's impossible for you to write a 10-minute play, I just proved you all wrong." Unbelievable. Among other things, I learnt to think in stage and not film. Difficult for people like me, since we're all bombarded with screen, not stage. Learnt the tools for writing a good 10-minute play, the structure of a 10-minute play, etc. My notebook is filled with notes.

～ 13 April, Saturday midday: Directing & Acting (Level 1)
This workshop was conducted together with this beautiful girl from Dubai called Dana. The best thing about Dana and Alex is their "feedback" aren't critiques, they're actually advice. The difference is that critiques make you feel bad about yourself, advice make you feel more positive, like "yeah, I can do that". Know what I mean? Anyway, we worked in groups to come up with a 1-minute play with the title "Blue Sunset", and a 2-minute play beginning with the phrase "Something just happened". It was a lot of fun, and all the people there were so talented and creative. (I am not just throwing these words out, by the way.)

～ Same day, afternoon: Playwriting (Level 2)
Actually wasn't planning on attending this workshop, but I gave in. I WANT TO LEARN MORE!! Thank God I changed my mind, I learned the most important thing about writing. Period. THE HERO'S JOURNEY, which can be applied to all manner of writing.

So thank you KLPAC, Datuk Faridah Merican, Alex Broun and Dana for this learning experience.

～ Failed to attend Sunday workshops due to my living elsewhere and having to make it home in time for school.

Random picture taken from the AD studio of KLPAC.

No more ducks in the lake. :(

"The theatre is a shared act of imagination for the audience and the actors."

The 30-Day Photo Challenge

Day 30: A picture of someone you miss.

Mei-yin Gruber (girl in the background: Liiiiiiiiii), and my cousin Juliette.

On the left we have a Swedish/Chinese girl from London whose favourite response to things is: "It's so magical!" Only met her in August 2011, didn't get to meet her when she came back this year, but I really miss the quirkiness she brought to life.
On the right, we have me and my cousin Juliette swinging hands while walking down New York at Universal Studios Singapore. Another girl I can tell everything to. Unfortunately, I only get to see her once a year.


Day 29: A picture that can always make you smile.

Anime. (Top = Avatar: The Last Airbender, Left = Fairy Tail, Right = Kaichou Wa Maid-Sama, Bottom = Avatar: The Legend Of Korra.)

Whenever I have a bad day, or I feel upset, I just watch one of these 4 anime series. (Actually, Avatar is a Nickelodeon cartoon, but since it was inspired by Studio Ghibli animations, I shall call it an anime.) By the end of a single episode, I always find a smile on my face. :)


Day 28: A picture of something you're afraid of.

Dementors.

Well, not exactly Dementors in the literal sense. Just, depression, fear, pain, and suffering. That kind of thing.


Day 27: A picture of yourself and a family member.

My Mom.

The lass that birthed yours truly.


Day 26: A picture of something that means a lot to you.

Past birthday presents.

No other description available.

Day 25: A picture of your day.

Dawn.

Oh, you know, they're days.

Day 24: A picture of something you wish you could change.

The Stage.

I wish I could be even more self-confident and be better at performing in front of a large/live audience,



Day 23: A picture of your favourite book(s).

Lord Of The Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Percy Jackson & The Olympians by Rick Riordan (I also like the spin-off series, The Heroes Of Olympus), His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling, The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Alice's Adventures In Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, and Inkheart by Cornelia Funke.

As you can see, fantasy is my favourite genre. I love reading about and creating magical worlds and all of these books inspire me with every turn of a page.

Day 22: A picture of something you wish you were better at.

Studying and posing for the camera.

No joke, I really wish I could study better and look that good in a photo.


Day 21: A picture of something you wish you could forget.

RESTRICTED SECTION.

Unfortunately, you have reached the restricted section. Please scroll down.

Day 20: A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.

Paris, London, New York, Venice, Tokyo, The Sea.

For obvious reasons.


Day 19: A picture and a letter.

Amber and Shannon. :)

All those memories of those times we spent together, growing up together, etc. I miss them, love them, and cherish them. Thank you for those 10+ years of your friendship. I love being able to tell you both everything. Admittedly, we were growing apart for awhile, but thanks to this year's camp, I think we're back together. Mostly, anyway. ;)


Day 18: A picture of your biggest insecurity.

Me, Myself and I.

There are a lot of things about myself that I'm not secure about.


Day 17: A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.

Strictly confidential.

The only thing I can tell you is, it's not a good thing.

Day 16: A picture of someone who inspires you.

Rachel Lee.

The most inspiring and amazing girl you'll ever meet. Seriously. Everything she says and does is pure inspiration.

Day 15: A picture of something you want to do before you die.

Visit Disneyland, swim with dolphins, surf.

Once again, for obvious reasons.

Day 14: A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.
When I actually find someone that fits this description, I shall put his/her picture here. But until then...

Day 13: A picture of your favourite band or artist.

Taylor Swift. :)

When I first heard "Love Story", I was feeling kind of hopeless. It was at night and I was sort of crying myself to sleep while listening to the radio. When I heard this song. Somehow, I felt hope. And this is still my favourite song. :)


Day 12: A picture of something you love.
Wow, where do I begin? Actually, I won't. ;)


Day 11: A picture of something you hate.

Kristen Stewart's portrayal of Bella Swan in Twilight.

Honestly, there would've been nothing wrong with the movies if it wasn't for her emotionless acting. Surely, as an actress, she is capable of more emotion?!


Day 10: A picture of the person you do the most fawked up things with.

The Junxster a.k.a. Teh Jun Qi.

I believe the photo is pretty self-explanatory. This is also the girl who knows me the best, and accepts me the most and doesn't (bother to) try to change me.


Day 9: A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.

So Jun!

One of the best seniors you can ever find. Supportive, motivating, cute, and just plain awesome. One of the only few people who know how to make me feel good about myself. Thanks for all the comforting hugs, So Jun. :)


Day 8: A picture that makes you laugh.

My Tumblr, which has now moved to turquoiseleather.

Going on Tumblr, I normally see stuff that inspires me, or makes me laugh and smile.


Day 7: A picture of your most treasured item.

My violin.

This violin gave me my Distinction for Grade 8.


Day 6: A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.

Chloë Grace Moretz.

I honestly think she has the life. She has a lot of things going for her, and she's pretty talented too.


Day 5: A picture of your favourite memory.

Dreamworks Animation, Walt Disney classic, Harry Potter, Hairspray, IPOH.MY, Pixar, Walt Disney Pictures, WICKED.

Growing up watching Disney/Pixar and Dreamworks, what childhood memory doesn't consist watching one of those movies? Most of us 90's kids have literally grown up with Harry Potter, learning about friendship and courage in the face of adversity.

Last year, I had the amazing opportunity to perform in two productions. First was a school-based drama called IPOH.MY held in conjunction with KLPAC. The second was Hairspray, done with City Ballet, a musical. Both helped me learn more about the performing arts, helped me with my confidence, and with public speaking (somewhat, anyway).

Day 4: A picture of your night.

Scene from Peter Jackson's film, The Lovely Bones, starring Saoirse Ronan.

Oh, you know, I see dreams.



Day 3: A picture of the cast from your favourite show.

The Legend Of Korra, and SMASH!

Regarding The Legend Of Korra: I guess you can tell that I really love and adore this show. WELL HERE'S THE REASON WHY:  All the girls are really strong and brave and don't rely on anyone for anything. In my opinion, they are the true heroes of the show, and this time the Avatar is a girl which is pretty cool. It doesn't hurt that Mako (and Iroh, I suppose, what with his voice being the same as Zuko's in the original Avatar) is cute and Bolin is funny of course.
"It's the most moral, tried-and-true, beautiful tale. And it's such a good thing. Everyone in the world should watch it. Wars will STOP. If we just have every world conflict sit down, and like, have popcorn, and have a sleepover, and watch the entire thing of that show, we would all get along and it would be beautiful." ~ Darren Criss on Avatar.

Regarding SMASH: OK. For the sake of full disclosure, I would like to state that I am TEAM IVY. (She's the only blonde in the picture.) And I dislike Karen. Why do I like Ivy? She's probably the most disliked character in the whole show. I like her because I think she deserves the part more than Karen, and at least she doesn't run away from various problems. She reminds me of myself. Doing her best to achieve the very best, but constantly overlooked. Always pushed aside for someone else who's not better.

Day 2: A picture of you and the person you have been closest with the longest.

Alice, Wen Yi and Me.

There is no one person that I have been friends with the longest. Our mothers put us together in Kindermusik. We've had a few disagreements, but we always made up afterwards. It will always be me, Wen Yi and Alice. Three of us together. :)


Day 1: A picture of yourself with ten facts.

The ukulele was an early Christmas present.

1. I play the violin.
2. I have an obsession with goosebump-inducing orchestral music.
3. I am obsessed with tying up my hair in the Katniss braid.
4.  I AM cynical, negative and pessimistic. But I try my best to be a nice person. If you're ok with that, maybe we'll get along.
5. I like action and fantasy movies more than romances.
6. I don't have tuition. None.
7. I write poems occasionally when I’m inspired.
8. Fandoms: Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Disney, Studio Ghibli, The Hunger Games, Narnia, Inkheart, Avatar (The Nickelodeon cartoon, not the James Cameron film), Naruto, Pokemon and Fairy Tail! (I bet the last three came as a bit of shock?)
9. I love Taylor Swift.
10. I have a new hobby. Collecting stones/rocks/crystals/minerals. And I found one that is the size of the Philosopher’s Stone.

Nothing To Say

Um. So this blog has been inactive for some time... Let's just try and catch up with what I've been up to recently.
I am currently revamping my Tumblrs, and will be adding new tumblogs and deleting some old tumblogs. So quite busy customising that.
I may be moving all my reviews to a new blog.
I am finishing up on the plot line for my book. But I won't say more than that.
I am co-writing the script for my school's drama team. The story is loosely based on the latest Wizard Of Oz film adaptation, Oz the Great and Powerful, which I watched on the 7th with Jun Qi.
Initially, I had my doubts but the movie turned out pretty good. *SPOILER ALERT*
The visual effects were stunning. The story was quite well-written. The music was done by Danny Elfman so yeah. The movie had a bit of a Tim Burton-y "Alice In Wonderland" feel to it. It started as a black-and-white before turning into full colour when Oscar went to Oz, reminiscent of the original Wizard Of Oz film. Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams were the Wicked Witch of the East (my least favourite character in all adaptations, including Wicked), and Glinda the Good, respectively. I think James Franco proved what a wonderful actor he is, he acted with two animated characters, and he did it really believably so I give him credit for that. My favourite was definitely Mila Kunis, wow. She had the most character development, from sweet/seductive girl to Wicked Witch. And her wicked laughter was the BEST.
But I still prefer Wicked, haha.

You Can't Stop The Beat

So it's been almost a year since Hairspray, and I think it's about time I make this long overdue post. Oh well, better late than never?

Hairspray was something that could or could not have happened. It was something that would either inspire me, or crush my dreams. I regret nothing. I loved every second of being able to spend time with these wonderful people. Being inspired by these wonderful people. Crying, laughing, praying, dancing. I wouldn't change any of that for anything in the world.

Ok, let's start with the auditions. They were held in the black box theatre above City Ballet. We had to dance, sing two contrasting songs, and perform a monologue. I didn't do that well, but I asked Xavier and Sylvia for advice afterwards, which helped me a lot.

By some miracle (and a lot of pushing), I managed to weasel my way into the ensemble. First rehearsal, at first I couldn't go, but I managed to work my way around that too.

And then after that, well. . . I learnt how to sing and dance, and I had fun. :)

I'm really grateful for this experience, thanks to this, I think I'm a bit more confident than I was before. :)

"It was hell at the time, but after it was over, it was wonderful." ~ Billy Wilder