New Year's Greetings and A whole bunch of Ramblings

First up, albeit a little late - like a week - happy new year and season's greetings to all. As for some of my friends, あけましておめどう。今年もよろしくお願いします。

That out of the way, be prepared for a long post as yes, I have not been updating this thing for a long time. Instead of writing about my daily livelihood - which includes eating, sleeping, wash, rinse and repeat - I decided to write about some of the things I've seen or heard for the past few weeks.

Eminence Online comes to Singapore

Since they came over to Melbourne in 2004, I have keeping an eye on this rather alternate symphony orchestra. Alternate in the sense that their repertoire does not dwell solely in classical music but the also includes choice pieces from video games and anime. I say choice here because this inevitably caters to a very selected few - i.e. anime fans and gamers who are very often quite synonymous. Selected because not all video gamers are hardcore about the soundtracks, and not all anime lovers are fans of soundtracks as well. And for the past two years, I have been treating myself to their renditions of video game music and have pretty much enjoyed myself immensely. Agreed, their performances sometimes leaves one wanting, but still it is thrilling to see and to experience those pieces performed live.

This time, Eminence stretches out to the anime/gaming community in Singapore, bringing the folks here in Singapore a reason to visit the concert halls long associated with labels like 'class', 'sophistication', 'style' etc. Not that I now personally consider them appropriate but in the past, that was my view of concert-goers. And with the small band of five, hailing from Japan is my favourite video game music composer - Yasunori Mitsuda. Now being a fan of his since Xenogears, that simply gives me more reasons I should not miss this concert. So I managed to coax Ivan, my sister and her friend in attending this show and pray that they will not be disappointed. And much to my relief, they enjoyed it thoroughly.

The first thing that hits me when I arrived on location was the throng of people filling the concert hall. Honestly I did not expect so many people to turn up for the concert. Perhaps it was the name Yasunori Mitsuda that drew the crowds, or perhaps it was the first of its kind to make a mark in Singapore, either way, the turnout was pretty incredible. And not only was there a crowd, they were responsive and accepting of the performers. I have to say that in Melbourne, the audiences were rather lukewarm compared to the reaction of the Singaporean audience. And then again, it might be because Mitsuda sensei is there. In a mail magazine published by Procyon Studios - Mitsuda's own company - the production manager (who tagged along with Mitsuda to Singapore) wrote a great section about Singapore even though the tour brought them from Melbourne to Sydney and then Singapore. There was the standard Japanese excitement about finally seeing the rumoured Merlion in person, and the comments about the humidity and heat that smothers Singapore, but most of all, it was the reception that Mitsuda sensei received at the end of the concert. A line - with me and Ivan in it - snaked through the grand stairs from the doors of the concert hall and out of my sight. Being Singaporeans - no this is not bad but sometime characteristic already - people were politely jostling to get Procyon merchandise and after the concert, docilely in line to get an autograph from the composer himself.

On a side note as each person was permitted to only one autograph, Ivan, being the gallant person as he is, got another autograph for me on the album that I bought that day. As for me, I got him to autograph my copy of the guitar score for Chrono Cross.

Seeing this great response from the Singaporean community, I am pretty confident that that won't be Eminence's last concert in Singapore.

前へ進もう

Tonight, the moon rises upon a new leg of my journey. Aye, I know that I have yet to finish my degree but still, to me, it is a new leg - I've just received an offer letter to do Honours in Biological Sciences. I am elated, excited and ecstatic. But when I read the instructions, a warning bell sounds in my head.

Don't you feel that the world at times conspire to prevent your next grand step into the future that is of your own making? I do. Take this honours thing for instance. The letter was sent on the 13th of December, arriving at my doorstep just this evening, the 21st of December. 8 days in the postal system. And it was by air (by sea it would take 3 months. Been there done there. Painfully) It does raises an eyebrow or two, but it is expected of the Australian postal system. Now, I am supposed to send in my reply so that the faculty office gets my signature within a week of me getting the letter. Fair enough, it does not say a week after the letter was sent but a week after I get the letter. Cool. But it having spent 8 days getting to me would automatically imply that it will take 8 days from me to them. Perfect. Switch to plan B. DHL delivery express. You can always count on the guys in Yellow. DHL has a wonderful service that sees the document/parcel/palette/goods delivered to the recipient by mid-day the very next day. Awesome. Thing is that, they work 9 - 5, so me calling them up at 10pm here will not see my document going to the faculty office by mid-day tomorrow. Situation still looks a little dull. Let's spice things up. Let's close the university tomorrow and let it re-open on the 2nd of January, 2007. So now, the trusty men in yellow can deliver the document but there will be no one to receive them until January. Wonderful! 2 weeks have pass since our dear man has received his offer letter and still it has not reached the office. I wonder what they will say hmmm? Enough of that. Just thinking it throbs my head.

Many don't even bat an eye when I say I intend to do honours. Perhaps it is a commonplace nowadays for affluent folk like Singaporeans to aim for more than just a 'common' degree. But after chatting with my course mates back in Australia, I realised that not everyone thinks so. Some are denied the chances for it; they want it, but financially and academically, the degree is stretching them too tight. To others, the honours is not a mean to an end, that is to say, it does not serve their purpose to do it. I have a couple of friends who would love to do honours but in the end, decline to do it simply because of job commitments or just that it simply would not be practical to do so - the former is a teacher, the latter aspires to be a park ranger. As the former Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro was reputed saying, "人生いろいろ". Life is diverse; Humans are diverse.

I began the year thinking that it is only natural that everyone continues into Honours, but after going through all that paperwork and interviews and chats with the various people I met, supervisors, course mates, coordinators etc, I began to cherish the degree even more than I ever thought I would. Things as such do not come easy and if you were on the opposite side of the table victimised by my sudden respect and hunger for the Honours, I hereby apologise though I have to say, it is not really out of my character to do just that. It might be only now that I am thankful for the chance and the opportunity opened to me. Perhaps later in the next year when you ask me of my feelings, I might be cursing and swearing at my folly to so eagerly drown myself in an abyss of self mutilation. But now, I am just thankful and I am happy. That's all there needs to be.

Ok, it is time for this long-winded bastard to shut up. Just take it that I am running practices for my Honours Year Thesis. :p

::Reading:: Chronicle of Narnia by C.S.Lewis
::Listening:: 千綿偉功 - カサブタ

Farewell

As promised - albeit a little behind schedule - here is my first review. After reading so many 'fanboy' ravings about Mr. Children from me, I decided to give those who at least give this page a glance-over something different. I present to you Van Tomiko (伴都美子), the vocalist from the now defunct J-rock band, Do As Infinity.

I won't delve much into the renowned D.A.I, but after it disbanded peacefully in August 2005, Van decided to go solo. After all, she has been in the music scene since late 1998 and she had grown to love it. And now, in 2006, she gifts to the waiting world her first solo debut, "Farewell".

tracklist
1. farewell
2.morning glory
3. うらら
4.Essence
5.horoscope
6.complacence
7.鵺の鳴くよる
8.HOLY PLANET
9. Before Sunset
10. Hold Me...
11. A Dream is A Wish Your Heart Makes (Bonus Track)

I for one, think that the title of the album is a direct tribute to D.A.I; there are some fondly reminiscent of D.A.I.'s numbers. The album's namesake, "farewell", weaves an eastern tapestry much like its predecessor, 真実の詩 (Shinjitsu no Uta), whereas tracks like "鵺の鳴く夜" (Nue no naku yoru) and "complacence" incorporates the playful and yet developed tunes of D.A.I. Yet, the album has more to offer. Van strides across the crags from Rock into Blues and Jazz, offering us lounge tracks like "Hold Me...."and "horoscope", breaking out the wine and cocktails. Compared to her previous works with D.A.I., this slow and mellow album might rub fans the wrong way round but on the contrary, I find this a delightful deviation from what D.A.I. had to offer. In a single disc, she has defined herself - at least artistically - and has stated that she is different from D.A.I. Indeed, Van is independent now; she is flying solo.

Go ahead, take a sip of what she serve and you just might find it soothing your tastebuds.

And to those of you wondering what is my recent obsession about Mr. Children, here is yet another of my favourites from them - Paddle, a playful number crafted by the genius that is Sakurai.

Cheers and till next time.

::Reading:: Iron Council by China Mieville
::Listening:: 五月天 - 盛夏光年

The Downfall

Coming back to Singapore includes a veritable assault on the wallet. For indeed, after being away for most part of the year, shut away with books and notes and unreasonably expensive goods in Melbourne, returning to Singapore liberates the half-crazed consumer within me. Let's have a review of what thus drained - and soon to suffocate - my wallet of its life-sustenance.

First and foremost, let me introduce my new clanging and twanging partner, an Ibanez AEL40. I know my initial plans were to get me a Yamaha FG720, but well, things changed when I was in Swee Lee. Sure, I don't think I will be able to use the full functionality of the Equalizers and the electronics featured in this guitar, but with its balanced notes, clear and crisp singing, how can one resist it's serenade?



Then there is the bunch of games that I swept off the shelf the moment I came back to Singapore. In alphabetical order: Gensou Suikoden V (幻想水滸伝V), Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria, and last but not least, Xenosaga III.

I wouldn't go into the details of the games, but I have to say that Xenosaga III made sufficient reparations to the disaster that was Xenosaga II. Sure, there are still things that leave the players wanting, but I have learnt to not anticipate anything for doing so would surely undermine the satisfaction of experiencing anything.






And yes, after my rather unfortunate encounters with countless of imitation Playstation games, I only buy original ones now. No I am not rich, and thus, this practice has rendered me of my holiday funds and comfort living. Sometimes, I wonder if I am economically suicidal.

On top of that, browsing through the newspaper can be a dangerous activity for me too. I am no aficionado for classical pieces, but I am still interested and piqued by the Guitar Fest that is ongoing this week. With the internet as my trusty psychic link to my friends, I managed to band together a meagre band of three people to attend a flamenco giant's recital. Juan Martin is the man's name and his profile is somewhat exciting to read. I can't wait till I hear his guitar. But that is more money out of my wallet.

The next is an event that I would kill to go. My favourite composer, Yasunori Mitsuda (光田康典）is making an appearance in Singapore with a Sydney ensemble that I have been supporting ever since they organised a chamber orchestra in Melbourne. Eminence Online is the name of the group and they specialise in game music, thus the involvement of Yasunori sensei. On top of that tantalising collaboration and new arrangement of favourites from games like Chrono Cross, Xenogears and Chrono Trigger, Yasunori is going to perform some of my personal favourites from my favourite album from him - KiRite. Beautiful compositions one and all, coupled by descriptive prose and awe-inspiring photographs. Aye, I did not take really good care of the booklet that came along with the album - I had to order it from Amazon.co.jp, but it was worth the trouble - but still, this is quite an impressive collaboration between three artists. It was so popular in Japan that KiRite was transformed into a 3 -day play, an event that I would kill to go, but alas, that was severely out of my limits. However, by the generous grace of lady Luck, Yasunori is coming over to Singapore along with the Eminence Online band, there is no reason for me to hold back. The problems that continue to nip at the back of my mind are these:

i) I am broke
ii) I am doing my NS, which requires me to be on the look out for insidious sabotages by superiors.
iii) It is on the eve of the eve of Christmas, and my friends might decided to do something crazy....

Anyway, for those of you interested, the official poster is here. Trust me, KiRite is an album worth getting.

::Reading:: Iron Council by China Mieville
::Listening:: Mr. Children - ALIVE

And then comes the rain

I have been back here in Singapore for about 10 days, and everyday, there was rain. My mom jokingly said that I brought back the rain although it is quite clear that the monsoon season is upon us. In the past, I used to think of the rain as some what of a nuisance, something that occurs naturally and does not affect me much other than wetting my clothes and my hair as I dash from shelter to shelter. Now, I see it in a different light.

Perhaps it is due to my unhealthy obsession with the Anime "Honey & Clover" but I can still quite clearly remember what the author's view on the rain is. She sees the rain as a nurturing phenomenon, something that heals and nourishes. Yes, it is indeed, quite a stereotypical perception of rain, the cliche that the rain is healing and washing away the stains of anthropomorphic industries. But after being in Australia for so long, I can't agree more with the cliche.

Rain in Melbourne can't exactly be considered rain in Singapore's standards. Those tiny spatterings cannot even truly wet the floor, much less induce torrents of white waters within the drainage systems. The continent being one of the driest in the world - second to Antartica - I often find myself watching the needle-like silver threads streaking the sky only to hit the concrete floor with an inaudible pop. And those times, I find myself wishing that it would rain a little longer, and a little more.


Unlike Singapore, whenever it rains in Melbourne, the temperatures are bound to plummet, from a nice warm day of 20 to chilly night of 9 or 10. I am not that partial to the cold nights - considering my room does not boost an effective heater - but I still like it to rain. Perhaps it is my course working an effect on me, since one of the major influence on Australian flora and fauna is the unpredictable weather, but because of it, I have began to like the rain. Or perhaps it is just that I miss home, and only in Singapore could you experience such torrential rain.

That is why these days, I smile as I watch it rain. For it is indeed, soothing and calming, and it does indeed, heal and nourishes the earth. I like the rain.

::Reading:: Iron Council by China Mieville
::Listening:: Mr. Children - PADDLE