dj_jennd

I have an immense love for this man. I think Owen Pallett's Heartland is the only album I've been listening to for like two weeks now. Love strings, orchestras and the layering and the loops in a pop record.



Also doesn't hurt that I think he's just too cute!

AND his last album was called 'He Poos Clouds'

Even though, I'm not going for both the XX and Kings of Convenience, I decided I won't be so whiney because I've already gone to some pretty awesome gigs just last month alone.

Although, I am massively looking forward to St. Vincent! (:

Listening to Final Fantasy (or Owen Pallett) now and I feel like a character in some fantasy novel or even a movie!

Production is tomorrow and I'm so nervous!!! I really wanna get out by friday morning so I can rest for a before going for my classes. And also have to settle a lot of stuff before the weekend is over.

Shit, I just ate crabs and I rubbed my eyes and it stings! 

Anyways, watch this video if you really do not have anything else to do. I love this song but the sound on this video doesn't do it justice at all probably because it's in a festival setting!

But forward to the middle-ish of the video where it starts crazy pouring and the stage crew is just scurrying around trying to protect all the equipment. But he just stands there, playing his violin completely unwavered. And at 4.20 the dude tells him he has to go, and he says one more minute and tries to finish the song. The most amazing violin melodies in loop follow amidst a backdrop of torrential rain. It looked so poetically epic.


And this is the link to the real track

I wish last night's Andrew Bird really didn't end. Cause once it ended, I knew that it'd be a late night for me as I try to edit and salvage my articles for the next issue.

But Andrew Bird was really amazing. Perhaps even surpassed my expectations. It's the second consecutive gig where I experienced the digital loop pedals which allowed him to layer all the loops while improvising as well. I really do think those loop pedals thing are like the biggest gift to live music.

So glad he played 'Why' so early into the set. I've always seen the live videos on youtube and am always just awed by it but it was REALLY something else to see it being played live and he's so busy with the violin and the loops, the WHISTLING OMGOD, and his guitar, random clapping and the xylophone here and there. But what's so charming is how effortless it all seems! Yet everything still sounds so concise and well thought out.

He really is such a genius and I want to learn the violin! But right now, I'm learning how to whistle like him. It seems so steady and strong. And you know in band, we had to like tongue so the notes are more clearer (I can't really remember what the rationale was) but yeah his whistling sounded so clear and just flowed.

OH ALSO! I lost my wallet yesterday and realised only after I got on the bus. But got off the bus, went back to Esplanade where it was nowhere to be found. So went back to Macdonald's and Raffles City. THANK GOD IT WAS THERE haha. I am always so lucky cause I always lose things but they always get returned (:

I was reading a Vampire Weekend post on ONTD and I saw this on one of the comments.



Anyways, super upset about The Killers!! I can't believe it! I'm having one of my bad days which started off with me not finding a bloody decent umbrella in the house, Kings of Convenience student concession tickets selling out AGAIN and then news about The Killers!

I'm going to look on the bright side and hope they don't break up cause it kind of looks like it's going that way. I guess it'll take a few years for their next album/tour so I'll wait. Oh gosh, I was really looking forward to my claustrophobia activated to high levels and me wanting to kill everyone who's touching me haha.

I've still got Andrew Bird on Tuesday! :D I hope it'll be as wonderful as Patrick Watson- which I still can't grinning about!

Oh and I also LOVE the 254 tutor! OMGOD DAMN CUTE CAN! I can't remember his full name but Stelli calls him Bo, so Bo he shall be. But omgod I can't wait to do readings and post something smart on the discussion board!

Haha I'm obviously still on a high from the Patrick Watson gig just now! I seriously think it's probably my favourite-est gig ever! Everything was so surreal, amazing and just really fun. I didn't really expect to have that much fun especially considering they're a sit down and listen kind of band but they were so interactive! Patrick Watson is probably the most 'indie' artist I've seen live but omgosh it's amazing to see them live and I would love to see them again soon!

And he's so so so nice. The rest of the band is pretty damn amazing as well. Got an autograph with personalised message all! (:
Writing a proper review tomorrow for Artjam so I'll probably follow those with proper pictures.

The Killers on the 24th and Andrew Bird on the 26th. Haha I'm pretty sure that Patrick Watson will be up there as fav. gig for a while but I'm pretty damn excited for The Killers and omgosh Andrew Birdieeeeeee.

Oh! Just heard To Build a Home on some channel 5 chivas ad! ( I think ) So happy he sang that song! I remember at one point I was desperately trying to learn to play the song on piano (FAILED).

We're just a million little gods causing rainstorms turning every good thing to rust;

I guess we'll just have to adjust.

Feeling so overwhelmed and demoralised at the moment. I really really feel like I let myself down.
Chron lifestyle is gonna be so bad, I feel :/
Don't laugh please
:(

I love that feeling when you're listening to a movie/TV score and then certain moments just give you that funny feeling in your stomach because it's so freaking awesome. And you kind of stop breathing for that one moment, cause you don't want anything to ruin that particular moment.
This is then followed by countless replays.

Avatar OST= AMAZING.
Doctor Who (End of Time) OST- HEARTBREAKING.

P.S. STILL haven't watched Avatar yet zomg. :/

Anyways, since I have so much work to do and I just HAVE to procrastinate- these are my fav. movies for 2009!

1. The Hurt Locker (US) Dir: Kathryn Bigelow (Random fact: She is James Cameron's (Avatar) ex-wife!)



Maybe it's because this movie is still fresh on my mind since I only watched it days ago but this film was simply stunning. Not usually a fan or Iraq war movies but this had me feeling sympathetic by the end of the movie. It's about a particular bomb squad team and basically it just follows them diffusing bombs throughout their time in Iraq. I suppose it's because we only hear about the explosions on the news and not the ones that got successfully diffused so I was perhaps a bit stunned that these bombs could seriously be in anything or anyone. One of the bombs was placed in a dead boy's body! Anthony Mackie and especially Jeremy Renner deliver exquisite performances in their roles as being part of the EOD. Jeremy Renner's Will James is kind of an anti-hero where he literally just dives into any situation head on regardless of the risks simply because he just loves the thrill of it. At the end, despite little dialogue we get an idea of who this man in the bomb suit is and how he feels the way he does. I suppose one of the reasons I loved this movie so much as opposed to other Iraq war movies was because it didn't have an underlying political message- it just seeked to depict the men as they were and how they spent their time in a war everyone has grown to hate.

2. A Prophet (France) Dir: Jacques Audiard




3. An Education (UK) Dir: Lone Scherfig

 

4. UP (US) Dir: Pete Doctor (Pixar)



5. The White Ribbon (German) Dir: Michael Haneke



500 Days of Summer (US) Dir: Mark Webber

Bye David Ten(nant)


And Hi, Matt Smith (Eleventh Doctor)



Sad to have David Tennant leaving but excited for the new doctor all the same! Can't wait for the episode later!!

I really should take a crack at trying to sleep now since I've got loads of work to complete tomorrow but thought I'd write my farewell 2009, hi 2010 entry.

2009 was a weird year simply because it passed by so freaking fast. Like seriously. How the hell did I manage to complete two semesters in 2009. Certainly doesn't feel like it. I feel like because of how the semesters start, 2009 properly started in August actually so maybe thats the reason. And well, I only kind of made my New Years Resolution about halfway through the year as well.

I suppose in retrospect I wish I had done a lot more. Money was definitely an issue. But really, it was quite a good year. I finally decided to get my act together and actually study. Managed to get involved in school (via chron) although this was pretty last minute. Made some new friends, still have my core friends, met friends whom I haven't seen in 6 years or so. Got my license (!!)

Similar to 2009, I'm not going to have expectations for 2010. But I really do hope that twenty-ten has got some great stuff in store for me.

I'm very excited now because I just changed my LJ userpic for the first time since I first started LJ-ing which makes it like the first time in 2.5 years?
No more Homer listening to the iPod!
Just the plain old TARDIS from Doctor Who.

I reckon the next time I change the userpic is when I'm crazy fangirl-ing over something else.

Have to go to school later and I'm so so so so lazy!!!!! Not to mention that I've to travel from Chinatown to Pulau NTU :/

You know all these groups that people join on facebook where they kind of let people know about their own idiosyncrasies and what not. Like I just saw one... "I say I'm on my way but I'm actually still at home' or 'sometimes when I'm walking I try keeping my feet within the square tiles on the floor.' Then you see people joining those groups and then you think 'Oh cool, you mean I'm not the only one' in a slightly positive manner.

And then ~pause for a moment.

And in my head- albeit in a sadder voice/tone- Oh you mean I'm not the only one?

It's like those idiosyncrasies that made you somewhat unique or at least gave you a reason to think that you are somewhat different whatsoever belong to a million people. You then just suddenly feel like part of this mass. God forbid my use of chemistry in this analogy but you know like an atom in a matter. One tiny speck.

Despite the lack of travelling to anywhere beyond the shores of our sunny little island, the holidays are treating me well so far. Much needed catching up, watching a couple of movies here and there, scouting for stories for the next issue of chron (zomg!), some shopping and some family time here and there as well.

One of the better movies I caught was probably An Education!




I saw the trailer a while back and was pretty excited about this already. It's about this girl Jenny who meets this dashing older guy played by Peter Sarsgaard while walking back from cello practice. He then kind of introduces her to the life she's never experienced- bringing her to jazz clubs, art auctions and eventually paris.

The movie was really so good! The script was fantastic- every character was so well thought out and really contributed something to the overarching story even if the character was a small role. After the movie I saw the credits and saw that Nick Hornby actually adapted the screenplay and then it clicked as to why the script was so good!

But omgod, the performance of Carey Mulligan was simply startling. We see her transform from a normal schoolgirl to someone graceful, glamorous when she meets older man David. And she is so matured despite being only sixteen. I love that both the actress and the director didn't treat the character as simply a naive victim. She gave the role such maturity rarely seen in movies with stories of a schoolgirl being seduced by an older man twice her age. And the director and the editing treated the film in such a way that it wasn't simply a story of morality and right and wrong. But really, I reckon she deserves some major award recognition.

And omgosh I died during the first half of the movie when David was kind of 'courting' Jenny with all the wordplay and looks here and there- and how he even manages to even charm her parents into letting her spend the weekend with him at Oxford.

Although clearly I wouldn't know anything about this, I loved what she said after she lost her virginity to David in Paris:
"All that poetry and all those songs about something that lasts no time at all!"




AND omgod just as I'm writing this, she's acting on the Doctor Who episode I'm watching now! haha Sally Sparrow.

DID YOU KNOW?

For women, there is a strong relationship between the frequency of dating and physical beauty
BUT
For men, there is no relationship whatsoever between frequency of dating and physical attractiveness.

FML?
But kinda funny plus interesting eh.

I'm just look for more things to distract me for continuing to read Harold Lasswell (who is a 100 times better than Lazarsfeld!!)
Anywayzzzz, I had one of the worst mornings ever thanks to my mom!!!!!!!!!! I'm still kinda pissed at her now zomg.

She barged into my room this morning, shouting that I didn't record some Tamil variety program properly. But the starhub Smart TV recording thing only recorded 2.5 hours because the guide says that the program lasts 2.5 hrs right! And you record by the show anyway. BUT, my mom thinks that I set the time wrongly and I should have set it right. And if not, I should have somewhat anticipated that the program would overrun its stipulated time. (Like as though I watch Sun TV all the time right?)

So she starts nagging/scolding me and it's still like what only 9.30? Told her I was going out to study (nagnagnag!) Dad then calls asking my mom to tell me I can take the car, but I'm still fuming so I just stomp out of the house proclaiming proudly that I'l just take the bus instead! -___- Big mistake cause my bag was so crazzzzzy heavy today.

Went to the Starbucks at Novena to study. Managed to do quite a bit of work~I'd like to think. Was supposed to make my way to Millenia Walk but got damn lazy to move around with the heavy bag.

And omgod, most boring blog entry everrrrrrrrrrr.

Anyways, it's Keisha's birthday today which means my birthday is next week!
Hello, how did time pass by so fast?! I still feel like it's only August-ish.

A little bit apprehensive about my birthday this year- it's always serves as a reminder of what I didn't manage to accomplish the past year. And omgosh finally turning 20!

And okay, I'll continue doing Lasswell.

I thought the day would start out very bad when I woke up. Mom said she was working the afternoon shift but woke up to realise that she got called up to do the morning shift. Kinda hate it when I expect to see her in the morning, and then I don't. No morning milo, breakfast, lunch, telling me I look nice and all that.

But the bad mood faded when I stepped into school? Strange because I had an impending quiz that I wasn't really prepared for. But that turned out alright in the end. It was a pretty easy quiz and I did as well as I could although many people probably got the full mark. -___-
That ain't going to get me down though.

Also, I've been told that I share a surname with a supposed certain 25-year old  local legend (Adrian Dhanaraj). This dude is so un-googleable!
But in the hope that maybe somewhere, someone in my family is at least remotely sporty and cool, I asked my dad if he knew ~the legend. Haha no such luck. Mom however thought I wanted to introduce my new boyfriend. I'm starting to think my mom's starting to wish I had a boyfriend with the questions she asks me.

"Is there any Indian boy in your school"
"Is he a good boy?"
"Does he speak Tamil?"

And then I tell her there're no Indian boys in my year, and she still asks me the same questions the day after.

Anyhow it's nice to be at least share a surname with a so-called legend. HAHA even if only one person calls him the legend.

Anyways, after countless listens to A.A. Bondy's I Can See the Pines are Dancing to sustain the great mood I am in, I'm now listening to Golden Silvers!!! The lead singer really reminds me of the guy from Mystery Jets but the former is just more retro. Anyhow, if you 6 minutes- I think this might just perk you up.






And I realise I'm just too cool for school! How to dress geeeeek? My sister suggested I wear her retainers. EWWW

I think it's suffice to say that this week definitely had its fair share of drama, excitement and well, more than a few laughs here and there.
But I just thank God that everything turned out fine, and that everyone was at the right place, right time such that the week ended of really well.

Also, went through my first production night last week and my first postmortem this week for The Nanyang Chron. I must admit that everything's a bit daunting, but at least at this stage, it's fair to say that I'm excited to face all the different challenges coming my way. I hope I get creative and acquire wonderful writing & indesign skills by mid-December.

Anyways, got a term paper to do and a test to study for. Haven't started preparation for either. And after my relatively disappointing Cinema Studies term paper, I hope to do better for this one!!

5.0 GPA ftw!