Today's Lyrics

http://www.pandora.com/music/song/lily+allen/fear#lyrics

I have discovered a passion for the most recent British invasion of female folksy singers, like Lily Allen, Kate Nash, Adele, and Duffy. Not necessarily Amy Winehouse, but she's alright. This is my favorite song today.

http://www.pandora.com/music/song/kate+nash/birds#lyrics

This is my second favorite of the day.

And now for some of their American counterparts - I absolutely love Regina Spektor. Brilliant music, brilliant piano.

Pachelbel's Canon in D

let the good times roll

Last night, I went to see a live show with M. and J., my friends from Melaka. It was really fun! The drummer of the first band that we heard had a really rich voice, he was really fun to listen to. The lead singers were awesome, though - a girl and a guy. Not so much because of their voices, which were good, but not spectacular, but because they really did a good job owning the stage and involving the audience. The second band was fun, but I don't think as good. The lead singer girl was super skinny. I'd rather look like Beyonce than Nicole Richie. The funniest part was the bass player from the first band who only needed to close his eyes to look asleep. He seriously looked completely catatonic while his bandmates were all getting into the music. Absolutely hilarious!

I was working out today and reached the three minutes jogging mark no problem, wasn't even breathing hard - my hard work is finally paying off! I'm on a plan I found in a magazine, and it seems to be working well. Next week, I go up to four minutes, which I have never done before in my life, so that will be a satisfying mark to reach. I also did twenty cheerleader pushups no problem. I was feeling so proud of myself, I couldn't help but crow about it. :) And hey, if I can find the self-discipline to get myself into shape, anyone can.

This Saturday night, I'm going to the Night Safari at the Singapore Zoo. I've heard it's really neat, and I'm looking forward to bringing my camera. I'm hoping that I can get some good shots, but I'll have to read up again on what settings and exposure times I should use. I also need to check out Little India before I go, so perhaps I can manage that tomorrow night, who knows? Unfortunately for me, the malaise and mild depression that gripped me for almost the whole time I've been here has only gone away in the last week. Of course, a lot of that has to do with the fact that it is, indeed, the last week that I'm stuck here. :)

Music Lists

Music I want to buy when I have the money: I say 'buy' because I feel guilty about the amount of music on my computer for which I have no/never had a receipt. In my defense, I didn't 'liberate' it through file-sharing (although I think I might have a few old napster songs on here, from back before napster went all legit). Anyway, I feel better if I actually pay for things. :) Even if the bulk of the moolah does go to Sony, Corp.

• More Led Zeppelin
• More Green Day
• Justin Timberlake - I feel ambivalent about this because N'Sync was SO stupid, but his stuff as a solo artist is pretty good, I think
• Joni Mitchell
  
• Bob Dylan - especially the early acoustic stuff
• Jane Monheit
  

Music I think you should check out:

• Kate Nash - I recommend Merry Happy and Foundations. My favorite line from Merry Happy: "chatting with you on the phone, I won't regret those hours, because you can grow flowers, where dirt used to be." Brilliant!
• Plain White T's - Delilah is cool. Me likee.
• Birth of the Cool - I know it's an oldie, but it's classic, and if you were ever in a jazz band, Miles Davis will blow your mind.
• Jane Monheit - especially 'I Got It Bad and That Ain't Good' - fantastic!
• Falco - I know everyone knows Rock Me Amadeus, but he had other good stuff too
• Existential Blues - I think by Dr. Demento, I seem to have lost my copy. Anyway, it's stupid and hilarious
  

Excitement!!

I just read online that Stevie Wonder is going to be performing from Aug 23-Sept 20 this year! It's the first time in about a decade he's toured in the US. Now, he's an act I'd like to see live. I bet the tickets are outrageously expensive, though. They go on sale on Aug 11, and I'm sure will sell pretty quickly. He's stopping in Portland, OR and Woodinville, WA, so it's actually possible that I could go. I missed Simon & Garfunkel when I was in Austria a few years ago, and it would be just fantastic not to miss Stevie Wonder. Who is great. And fantastic. :D

'Anticipation'

I'm listening to Carly Simon as I sit in my humid little room, in anticipation of tomorrow's fun adventures. 'Anticipation' is really a rather good song, it's too bad it's forever associated with the ultimate tease - a Heinz ketchup bottle. 'You're So Vain' is still my favorite, though, just for the 'you had one eye in the mirror' line.

Tomorrow, we're going to the zoo! I'm very much looking forward to that because I haven't been to the zoo in years, since I went to the zoo at Schoenbrunn in Austria in 2003. I am going to take my nice camera, make sure I have plenty of film, and snap lots of animals. Definitely bringing the telephoto to this place - I am really hoping for a Bengal tiger picture. If it comes even close to my brother's awesome picture when they went to the zoo a while back, I'll be quite satisfied.

Cinemax is currently running the old Star Trek movies, tonight was Star Trek IV: the Voyage Home. The storyline is really quite terrible, as with most Trek movies, but the one-liners are fantastic! As is having a Russian (Chekov) ask about where the nuclear 'wessels' are in 1980's US, and watching the great tard William Shatner for an entire movie. I'd never watched the whole movie through before, having only seen parts of it on TV (sorry, but I'm not going to bend over backwards to see Star Trek IV), and I kinda felt sorry for Leonard Nimoy, who reprised the role of Spock - something he had said he never wanted to do again - and that he will also be reprising his role in the new movie. Does anyone know Leonard Nimoy for ANYthing else, other than Star Trek? Maybe the Bilbo Baggins song.... :)

By the way, in case you were ever in any doubt as to the technical quality of the Star Trek series, The Voyage Home was nominated for four Academy Awards, for cinematography, sound editing, music, and sound (just nominated, though). It, of course, was nominated for piles of awards by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films, but only won for best costumes. Best costumes?? Well, whatever.

Quotes!
McCoy: My God, man. Drilling holes in his head isn't the answer!

[on 20th Century America]
Kirk: This is an extremely primitive and paranoid culture.

Another day in tropical paradise

Today I went to church, as I usually do on Sundays, but I was running late this morning so by the time I got to the cathedral, I had to stand outside. Standing outside is no small sacrifice - there are no fans outside, and no shade. About halfway through the homily, which is generally between 20-30 minutes into the mass, I started getting dizzy and light-headed and nearly passed out.

Clearly, whoever decided that palm trees equal paradise didn't spend very much time standing outside in the heat. I took a shower as soon as I got home just so I could feel somewhat decent again.

Last night, I had the great pleasure to attend a live Cantonese opera, The Scholar and the Maid. It didn't even cost very much. Anyway, it was absolutely fantastic. I loved the music, the costumes, the dancing - even the singing, which can be a little overwhelming at times. The company that did it provided Chinese (Mandarin) and English subtitles, and some of the translations were hilarious because they used the very proper Latin-derived word instead of the words normal people would use. My favorite line was, "I love your petite lips and your charismatic glance." The story was about as stupid as any other opera/musical comedic love story, but it was brilliantly done, and a great pleasure to watch.