sister's birthday

Today: 25th July 2007. Happy birthday, sis: 12 years old. I think...?

Haven't blogged in a week due to Maths and Chinese CCTs. I think I aced Math, and didn't do too badly for Chinese.

P.D. says my chinese chess skills are based on "radical" and "tyco" moves, but I actually think I'm improving. Here's my scores so far:

VS P.D. --- 4 Wins 1 Draw 1 Loss

VS H.K. --- 1 Win 0 Draw 1 Loss

And H.K. got OWNED by Arthur three times in a row (four?). With some of our help.

Investiture line-up still changing. 2 confirmed so far; Centuria & Phantom of the Opera.


--- interesting quotes ---
(not really a quote)

*raises head, watches Person A kick the ball, flies in a nice trajectory...*

*ball whacks me on the head*

heads up - tests

Tests coming round. Nothing else to say.


--- interesting quote ---

*reading from chinese textbook*

5566 = five five six six... oops...

friday the 13th again

Friday the 13th. Nothing exceptionally unlucky happened today, haha. Actually I quite enjoyed today.

In band, we're starting to have batch practice, i.e. the whole batch (Sec 1/2/3/4) will go somewhere around the school to practice together some pieces to play for Investiture.

Our songs:

1) Centuria (Batch Song)
2) Fate of the Gods
3) Utopia (unconfirmed)

This time, I am determined to get all my notes/articulation etc. correct, and try to match up to the Sec 3s last year (Sec 4s this year). Our batch has always been pretty... unenthusiastic when it comes to batch practice, so this year that has got to change. It already is, in some people.

Downside: I was the only clarinet today, and that might happen frequently from now on. And everybody says I play too soft...

1) Centuria (3rd clar) - It's the hardest batch piece out of the 3 (others are Crystal City Overture and Circle of Life). I think we sound ok for the fast parts, but the slow bits are empty (only like 10 Sec 3s came today). And I might switch to 1st.

2) Fate of the Gods (1st clar) - Listening to the recording, I must say that its very nice. It portrays a battle between good and evil (cliche!) and only revolves around one theme, so it shouldn't be too hard once I master the fingering. BUT, solo 1st clarinet = plenty of solo melody bits, and duets with the flute.



3) Utopia (haven't got the score yet)

Well, its still 1 month + to Investiture.

On another topic, I went to watch Harry Potter 5 yesterday. My father got some complementary tickets for the opening night, so why not? Also met some RI boys there, I know one by name, the others two by face. I didn't know they knew me.

It was... actually GOOD, unlike HP 4. People who haven't read the book may be a bit lost, but the plot is much clearer than HP 4. The good/evil distinction is plainly evident; white smoke = Order of the Pheonix, black smoke = Death Eater; green = Voldemort (Adeva Kedava), red = Dumbledore (Expelliamus?); fire spells = Voldemort, water spells = Dumbledore.


5 stars for the effects too. The final battle made me shiver.

On the other hand, sometimes the need for simple understanding by stereotyping was carried away in Dolores Umbridge. She is supposed to act the simpering assistant of the Minister, but the stereotype went too far. She was portrayed:

1) dressed in bright pink
2) high pitched voice
3) short, fat, old lady
4) smile stuck on her face

but

5) general bad guy
6) patronizing
7) cruel
8) control freak
9) unfeeling

That's a bit too much.

Anyway, goodnight.

popping by

Just popping by to put in some quotes.

And I just realised that this Friday is in fact Friday the 13th. Not that I'm the least bit superstitious, like *touch wood* =), but that day happens to be:

1) The day my RE SMP 6-page report is due (well its done)
2) Chemistry quiz (small matter)
3) The first band practice since Con Brio (actually I can't wait to start picking our Investiture songs, but we will probably practice something for National Day)

... but these are relatively small events.

Saw a band perform last Saturday at West Mall. 1st song: Some march that I remember faintly but I can't place it. I think it may be Blue Ridge Saga. 2nd song: A medley of Mamma Mia! songs including "Dancing Queen" and "Mamma Mia!". 3rd song: Y.M.C.A.

All the songs sounded pretty simple, but the audience loved it. So did I, it sounded flawless from the 4th floor. Trumpets a bit soft though.

Maybe that's what our band should do for concerts; play simple and more appreciated songs instead of harded songs which no one has ever heard of. Maybe.

Also, saw someone I knew with his children in Parkway Parade on Sunday. I didn't say hi though.


--- interesting quotes ---

"My password has changed from asterisk-asterisk-asterisk-asterisk to dot-dot-dot-dot-dot..."

"My birthday is on the 29th of Febuary. I have four birthdays a year."

07/07/07

*this post was written on 07/07/07 but posted on 10/07/07*

Today's 07/07/07!

Con Brio's over. I guess it was OK. Everyone was singing along in the encores and we were all feeling pretty high, but there were a lot of jumbled parts in the harder songs, and the whole band lost itself in Gershiwn!, fluboes lost themselves in Whistle, and I lost myself badly in Snow Caps and Mononoke.

But what's over is over. Now I'm stuck with piles of homework (particularly RE) and 3 pop quizzes in all three Sciences. I mean, look at this:

Wednesday: Physics Quiz
Thursday: Bio Quiz
Friday: Chem Quiz

lolz.


--- interesting quote ---

"由于 = cuttlefish!"

"由于 = got fish!"

"由于 = got luck!"

"由于 = hesitate!"

another homework night

Another late night grill.

And I realized that I over typed some completely irrelevant stuff... shame to waste it, so I'll just put it here.

---

Joseph Pulitzer was born in Mako, Hungary, on the 10th of April in the year 1847. He aspired to become a soldier, and applied to three different armed forces, but was rejected by all due to his poor eyesight and weak health. He traveled to Boston (as rumors go, he jumped ship a few miles off the coast and swam there) and worked several odd jobs while studying English and law at a library. He got a job as a journalist for the Westliche Post, but soon was promoted to editor and publisher. After his marriage to a woman from Washington named Kate Davis, he became head of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and with his efforts the paper’s circulation and popularity rose.

His fame and fortunes rose as he travelled to New York in 1883, and purchased The New York World, which prospered with his leadership. During his time there, he engaged in various legal battles to win the support of the public, including the printing of an incident which accused the U.S. federal government of a fallacious payment to a French canal company. Pulitzer was applauded by the public on his efforts on their behalf. He died in 1911 aboard his personal yacht.

Pulitzer was regarded as a tireless, public-spirited journalist. His concerns reached beyond his newspaper company; they tried to uphold the power of the press, with the interests of the public at heart. This is summarized in a quote by Pulitzer in 1904: “An able, disinterested, public-spirited press, with trained intelligence to know the right and courage to do it, can preserve that public virtue without which popular government is a sham and a mockery. A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will produce in time a people as base as itself. The power to mould the future of the Republic will be in the hands of the journalists of future generations.” It is his righteous spirit which caused the founding of the Columbia School of Journalism, and the implementation of the Pulitzer Prizes.

---

Took me a while to realise it was off-topic.

Concert tomorrow. We are still lacking ushers and ticket sellers at the door. Guess some people will have to double up.

Band was amazingly not too bad today. Except me, when my lower joint keys got stuck midway through the practice. And then when I neglected the key signature by accident...

--- interesting quote ---

As usual, I will try to protect anonymity.

*I accidentally drop thumbrest on floor. It rolls to where A is standing*

A: *jumps up* Where is it!?

Everyone else: ???

A: The cockroach?

B: Thumbrest lah!

Ok, I shouldn't make fun of people but it was too funny to resist.

con brio

50th post today!!! But on to other matters.


define:con brio - With spirit and vigor. Commonly used in conjunction with Allegro or Vivace.

Who: Raffles Institution Military Band
What: Con Brio - A concert.
When: 06/07/07 (Friday), 7:30 PM
Where: Raffles Institution Auditorium

As Why and How are best left unanswered, let me go on with the repertoire.


Not in order (mostly):

Carmen Fantasy -- pls no...
Mononoke Hime Melody -- expressively nice
Gershiwn! -- o!e my favourite
And Then The Ocean Glows -- exhausting
Spanish Fever -- exhilarating
Snow Caps -- loud and nice
Bandwagon -- hard... sort of...
Whistle While You Work -- not too bad
It's A Small World -- arrgh


I can't remember the rest offhand. But its still an exhausting effort.

Intensive practice up till Friday. Must sleep now to recharge for tomorrow.


--- interesting quotes ---

Note: I shall try not to offend anyone.

Quotes someone somewhere:

In 2005, RI Swim Team C'Div won the nationals. The Straits Times said that *some school* pledged to win it back next year.

2006, we won again. The Straits Times said *some school* did well.

This year, we hope that the Straits Times will just say that they better stay on dry land.

*SUPER LOUD claps* from audience.