Sunday, September 30, 2007
My Facebook status reads: "Lionel is squirrels are playing me.. dont ask".
I've been having people come up to me asking what the hell I'm talking about. It's hilarious. I do love writing random crap to arouse curiosity!
In related news, I really DO think I'm being played, along the lines of that evanescence song "Why dont you call me when you're sobeeerrrrrrrrrrr" (soulful dragging note of Amy Lee included). Aiyuh, why do I always subject myself to all these silly trivial pursuits?
In even more related news, I think I'm finally getting a hold of the social life I've been trying to live last year. I've discovered the virtues of sacrificing homework time in exchange for a lunch, a study session, a late-night wii game, a (costly) weekly texas hold'em game or a midnight run to macdonald's with friends, friends, friends. Last year, I'd forego these lovely college enriching pursuits for a lonely late-night homework session in the freezing KCEH library.
I realize now that it's precisely these little incidents that are going to define my college experiences, and not my many nights staying up doing partial derivatives, which will slip into memory oblivion. So, in a weird (and totally not Singaporean) way, I believe I've gotten my priorities right this time. And it's definitely not work. Consequently, I believe I'm getting happier. I don't have to actively search for lunch company anymore, (with the exception of yesterday, for some reason I had nothing to do for an entire Saturday), its easier to talk to people, and greetings on Locust Walk seem more genuine and friendlier too. Happily, the flirtatious, semi-romantic life has improved too, although I'll leave that for another blogpost.
I believe this semester is forcing me to explore new boundaries in my experience collecting as well. Swingers is giving me more white friends than I made the whole of last year (finally), and is making me go for a weekend of the American Lindy Hop Championships 6 hours away in Connecticut, in sacrifice of Club Singapore/HKSA's annual Halloween (read: Asian grinding) party and the Strictly Funk Fall show. I wouldn't normally give these up to struggle in a new dance with a whole bunch of white people, but honestly, I've had my fill of asian parties and hiphop shows last year already, its time to venture out into the great (American) unknown.
I hope I never grow complacent and jaded of experience-collecting!
he rocked the party at 11:09 PM |
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Okay, dont get me wrong here. This isnt my usual diet, but when you've got an impossibly difficult macroeconomics assignment to finish, and its 2.29am, this is how you keep yourself going. (Other than wasting time Facebook-ing and blogging, of course.)
he rocked the party at 11:26 PM |
Friday, September 21, 2007
I feel like I'm getting my priorities screwed up this semester, but its so much more FUN this way :) Homework? Pish-tosh. (okok fine so I spent the last 3 days doing readings, but other than that..)
Swing dancing poker playing choreographing party hopping lunch meetings video gaming pregaming alcohol sipping dance gatherings pho eating broadway show watching
I love college, baby.
Okay, the debate.. should I:
1) Take advantage of the month long winter break to go to Ko Samui's Full Moon Party before going back to Singapore for 2 weeks? And thereafter not go back to Singapore next summer and head to Beijing instead?
Or 2) Head to the Caribbean/Jamaica/Bahamas/other (relatively) nearby beachy destination for a winter break of villas/alcohol/suntanning, and then head back to Singapore in the summer?
he rocked the party at 12:46 AM |
Monday, September 17, 2007
So forgive me for the lack of updates the past week. I've only just recently decided that I should START doing work and getting into the daily routine. About time too, seeing that its already the THIRD FRICKIN WEEK OF SCHOOL and I have a mountain of work to plough through.
Well, you really cant blame me. After the rejection from F|u|nk, I sort of expanded my mind to the billion and one other possibilities available on campus, and dived right in:
So for awhile, I entertained the possibility of forming my own dance group on campus, given the lack of hiphop alternatives other than oh-i-really-want-to-join-them F|u|nk. (a totally irrelevant side note though: I've been told of people who've tried out for 7 semesters and still didnt get in, so I'm not that much of a hopeless/desperate case! Perhaps.. I should work on becoming "smoother" this semester, in response to my audition feedback. Like what the heck, right? I wish they'd tell me explicitly what they want)
I think the own dance group thing is highly feasible, with several good friends indicating their interest/support, which makes me highly encouraged.
Several conditions though, prevent me from jumping up and starting one from the go:
1. I dont have any choreographed material to sustain a weekly practice session, and its unlikely I can come up with a substantial amount in the near future.
2. The people that have expressed interest are all girls, and I need guys!!
3. Forming a dance group might be mistaken for a revenge driven action by a supposed "bitterly rejected me". No, its not. Hahahaah.
4. I have no experience whatsoever in being part of a PAC funded group, so I dont know how they operate, how they book rehearsal spaces, secure gigs, etc.
Soooooo.. in response to point #4, and in light of a promise to myself that this semester would be one of exploring opportunities, I auditioned for 5 dance groups on campus, and got into 3:
West Philly Swingers, Pan-Asian Dance Troupe, and Citystep (well, im still waiting for the results for this one, but im hoping like crazy that they'll accept.)
Citystep's more of a community service program where we teach 5th and 6th graders dance, choreography, self confidence and the like. Then the kids put up a big show at the end of the year, sort of like the movie Honey!
And now, I realize that, together with Overflow and Club Singapore, I'm currently signed up for FIVE extracurricular activities. Uh oh. Looks like I'll have to drop Figure Drawing class and leave drawing naked people to next year, when I have more time. Boo.
he rocked the party at 10:05 PM |
Monday, September 10, 2007
So I've been bitchedslapped by that dance group yet again, for the third time. Owtch. Didn't even get called back, which was a serious blow to the ego. Either I'm seriously mistaken about my ability to dance, or they must -really- hate me. haha. Either way, three strikes and I'm out :(
Have you ever wanted something so badly, it pervades your every thought, your every being, that everything else fades in comparison? I have.
Have you ever felt it slip through your fingers, leaving you to wonder why life is so unfair? I have.
In another environment, another context, another circumstance, maybe things would be different, but alas, it wasnt meant to be.
Another slap to the face: they friggin flyered for more people to audition today! How infuriating.
Nonetheless, I hold nothing against them. They have their own reasons, and they are an amazing hip hop group. (the audition choreography was friggin perfect. sigh) My love of performance and hiphop will still bring me to their shows, and I still respect all of them immensely. I will, however, be forever wondering -why- it had turned out this way. Will I try out again? Perhaps, if I feel that I have improved tremendously over this semester, but it is highly unlikely. Perhaps they have already formed their bias against me, and no matter what I do it would probably not make a dent. And besides, more than three times is a bit much, not to mention embarrassing. We shall see, we shall see.
Well then, one must move on.
I've tried out for Dha|ma|ka, an all male south asian hiphop fusion group (and one of the most popular groups on campus) as well as the West Phi||y Sw|in|gers. Quite hilariously, I got called back for Dha|ma|ka, even though I tried out for fun and quite seriously thought I'd screwed up my audition. Still waiting for Swin|gers to get back to me. Like I said, both seem to pale in comparison as compared to that dance group in terms of having the right fit for me, but one does what he can.
You never know, a new love for Bhangra/swing dancing may emerge within my hiphop consumed soul.
he rocked the party at 9:03 PM |
Saturday, September 08, 2007
Another two random things:
1) While checking out my blogpatrol stats to see the Google keywords that had my blog listed (yes, I can do that. I'm watching you, reader), I noticed that my blog was listed as the second hit when someone googled "An insect flew in my ear what should I do" Hahahahahahhahaha!! I believe he/she was referring to this post. (Under the title "buzzin").. I feel your pain, man, I really do.
Really, people come to my blog for the most random of things. Some idiot googled "dirty secretaries" and found my blog! Does this look like a porn site?
2) Dammit, why does Penn have to have so many interesting courses? After 2 days of course shopping I still wanna take everything, despite my insistence that I should only do 5 courses this semester. Figure drawing seems like such an enjoyable class, but it takes up 6 hours a week, even though Im taking it Pass/Fail. Howhowhow? Sometimes a thirst for knowledge may not be such a good thing, when it results in the sacrificing of free time for experience collecting!
he rocked the party at 11:57 AM |
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Penn has this way of grabbing you by the balls and shoving you straight into school life, no qualms about it. Loving it, though. Just two days into school, and I have already:
1) Attended a packed activities fair, which filled Locust Walk with more people than Phuture
2) Attended/Crashed all the classes I wanted to take this semester
3) Had one Club Singapore meeting
4) Gone to the supermarket and bookstore and CVS about 10,000 times.
5) Had one Overflow rehearsal
In this upcoming weekend, there is:
1) A party tonight (on Thursday!)
2) A party tomorrow night
3) A party on Saturday night
4) Wicked the Musical (!!) tomorrow
5) A Club Singapore picnic on saturday
6) One more overflow rehearsal on saturday
7) Freshmen Performing Arts night on saturday
8) Strictly Funk auditions (!!!!! x 10) on sunday
9) GCC Intro night on sunday
Im really nervous, especially about the auditions bit. Really, I think I've danced all I can. It all depends on how much they like me this time.
After 4 months of chillax, idle summer days, I'm sort of loving this jam packed lifestyle all over again! (That is, until the actual WORK starts coming in)
he rocked the party at 7:16 PM |
Monday, September 03, 2007
The first couple of days before school starts on wednesday have been surprisingly quiet. No wild crashing of NSO events, fewer than usual happy reunions with friends not seen for the entire summer, and my most active event yet has to be helping fellow Singaporeans move into their new homes (since mine is all set up already)
The campus is buzzing, a stark contrast from the summer where Locust Walk was practically empty all day long. Now, there are parents, tourists, freshmen walking in packs, drunk frat boys, and the like all over the place. Some of them, with stupid conversations ("Err.. so yesterday, i spent an hour and a half looking for a beer bottle, and then i found it."), some new pretty eye candy, but everyone still has that same glazed over look in their eyes, possibly leftover from summer.
I find myself missing Singapore alot, given that I'm setting up the apartment alone most of the time, too lazy to go to parties, inertia too strong to do my 1001 things to do before school begins. Heck, I havent even begun looking for textbooks yet. I miss my bruddas, my dancers, my Zouk, and how easy it is to communicate/flirt with just about anyone.
I made an excited silent vow as the plane touched down that this semester was going to be one of the seizing of opportunities: academic, social and just experience collecting in general. For that to happen though, I'm going to have to get off my lazy bum first. Yawn.
he rocked the party at 3:10 PM |
Saturday, September 01, 2007
A flight on SQ22 never fails to reiterate how much i absolutely -adore- my proud sponsors.
Despite the fact that I get less than welcome treatment at the airport (because of my subload ticket), all annoyance vanishes as soon as I step onboard.
Huge legroom, unparalleled service, and that gift from the heavens - Krisworld - to play with, meant that my 18 hour flight passed by in a flash, despite my constant refusal to sleep (to make the most out of the experience and kill my jetlag at the same time)
Only in SQ do we have stewardesses offering you drinks every half an hour or so, such that you never have to call them if you're thirsty. Only in SQ can you get up and hang around at the bar at the back, helping yourself to food available and chatting with other passengers. And only in SQ does the stewardess ask if i'd like a drink to go along with my late night instant noodles, when I ask for it. ahhhhhh.
One day, when I become rich and famous, and own my own private jet, I'll still be flying SQ. :)
he rocked the party at 4:08 AM |
