Sometimes, I think to myself

Yes, I like switchfoot.

There are not many songs I like at first listening, but this is one of them. See, the thing I go for in music is lyrics. I adore songs with good lyrics, and conversely, I’ll just stop listening if I don’t like what’s being sung (like say... Avril Lavigne). This is one song I really like because the way it talks about life is so close to the heart it just makes you sit up and stare.

Faust, Midas And Myself
Switchfoot (Oh! Gravity)

This one's about a dream
I had last night
How an old man tracked me home
And stepped inside
Put his foot inside the door
And gave a crooked smile
Something in his eyes
Something in his laugh
Something in his voice
That made my skin crawl off

He said, I've seen you here before
I know your name
How you could have your pick
Of pretty things
You could have it all
Everything at once
Everything you've seen
Everything you'll need
Everything you've ever had in fantasies

You've one life
You've one life
You've one life left to leave

I woke up from my dream
As a golden man
With a girl I've never seen
With golden skin
I jumped up to my feet
She asked me what was wrong
I began to scream
I don't think this is me
Is this just a dream
Or really happening?

You've one life
You've one life
You've one life left to leave

I looked outside the glass
At golden shores
Golden ships and masts
With golden cords
As my reflection passed
I hated what I saw
The golden eyes were dead
A thought passed through my head
A heart that's made of gold can't really beat at all

I wanted to wake up again, I wanted to wake up again
Without a touch of gold, without a touch of gold

I woke up as before
But the gold was gone
My wife was at the door
With a night robe on
My heart beat once or twice
And life flooded my veins
Everything had changed
My lungs had found their voice
And what was once routine
Was now the perfect joy

You've one life
You've one life
You've one life left to lead

I like the way the chorus changes from "you've one life left to leave" to "one life left to lead". Sometimes we’re just so dissatisfied with our situation we don’t realize that life isn’t all that bad. That being said, I’ve decided to stop complaining about my blotched chem practical exam. And look for what life has that’s worth celebrating, instead. Like, today afternoon it was raining heavily, but there were some really good-looking rainbows in the sky after that.

Pretty.

Christmas 2008

Happy Christmas!

Biennale, and promos.

I got my results back today and I’m glad to have been promoted. Calculating the score was easy enough, all I take are four subjects and they’re all H2, so it’s a possible twenty points each, adding up to the eighty total perfectly. I cleared the thirty-five points to promote minimum by a good margin and I’m content. I think it’s interesting that almost two years ago, I was so absolutely fixed on getting into SA, and here I am now! You would think it’d be satisfying to be able to fill in the blank for something you want to know – dog meat tastes ___, or bungee jumping is ___ – but if were to ask me how living out a dream is like I’d probably just say it’s all just a bit too real; the way the fantasy of a beautiful girl at a distance disappears when she comes close. JC life can sometimes be unpleasant and exams are tough, but paradoxically, it’s probably only when one realizes dreams aren’t flawless, but accepts the flaws anyway, that the dream becomes far more beautiful than it was before.

Take the outing with my KI class to the Singapore Biennale just yesterday. You wouldn’t believe the trashing we got for sacrificing PW lesson time to embark on our own little adventure outside, though it was rather inevitable that if we wanted to go at all this month with our busy schedules someone was bound to complain. I think it really was worth going though, and it’s these unpleasant experiences (of risking stuff and getting caught) as well as the good ones that make school life so favourful.


Of the biennale I have only praise for, though I still think that that which evokes disgust cannot be art, like say the framed picture we saw of a bloodied head with drooping eyeballs and jutting teeth. I think art should be noble; appreciate-able. Like this art piece that had hundreds of miniature trees and plants stuck into a bed of sand, all black against the dusty yellow background of the sand grains. It already looked awesome, but when we walked past the exhibit we noticed all those trees and plants had their backs painted with colour, and the view from the back looked even more grand. The piece I thought funniest was this:



an art piece I would have probably missed if I’d been in a hurry, since it was outside in the open while all the other pieces were displayed indoors. All the artist displayed was a few alien figures, but the genius lay in its chosen background, courtesy of the Singapore government – you know how people always say the Supreme Court looks like an alien ship?

Perhaps aliens control the highest levels of our bureaucracy.




Oh, do you know the power of Korean drama serials? All Tim did was to take out his phone and answer in Korean, and look!

& the class.

Daydream Express

I was recently thinking of what I’d really like to do if I weren’t sitting for the A levels.

For one, to travel the world, and see the novelty of the different walks of life people in the world have. Not too long ago, the Straits Times published an article on an expedition by train from Singapore, through a few ASEAN countries, to China. I thought it was fascinating, because traveling off the beaten track by choosing to ride the train instead of taking a commercial flight revealed so much more about the areas that news team passed through. I’d like to do that too. Or perhaps, rather than passing through countries, it might be wonderfully fresh to stay or work in another country and to learn its culture and language. I’ve always admired England for being the centre of the world’s largest empire, and because a few very inspiring teachers I had long ago were British, but I already think and dream in English. Perhaps Thailand, Spain, New Zealand, Latin America ... or even China! Haha.

Well, that’s wishful thinking for now. Maybe I’ll have the chance in future. Right now, I’m happy with the life that I have. Today’s the last day of a week-long break from school. I only went out once, and that was on Teachers’ Day with my old primary school classmates, but it was a good time we had. I’m glad that we’re still close after so many years.



Picture from Valerie. I hadn't seen Zixuan for 5 years, but he hasn't changed much. These guys are awesome :)

Well,

I said I'd write after the Thai trip here, but I've been busy, mainly with school.

It's been two months now since the exchange program, and life continues. I won't forget the whole experience though, because I met some really great people who made it all worth remembering.

Out there, people are not all too different, regardless of race, language or culture. We're all pretty much the same, deep down.

The mid year break.

I don’t have time to write because school’s starting tomorrow, but here are a few photos from my two trips this hols. They were brilliant.

Saints to Triam Udom Suksa School

Sri Lanka

Our trip to Thailand certainly deserves more mention, but the Thai students who hosted us are coming over pretty soon, so more then :]