SLEEPOVER!

Yups. Yet another sleepover, wanna hazard a guess where? So, after 5 movies and about 6 hours of DoTA, I'm back at home, almost dead from fatigue but hey, everything comes with a price.

And I'm so goddamned excited that we were gona do Mozart's Requiem in D minor! So coooooool. But since its Feb, I might not be able to go... Depends on whether Derek or Dominic are going. I hate Josiah, with his Mass in H minor... Yeh anyway, Ms Brook seemed really impressed that I knew that Dido and Aenas was written by Henry Purcell from the Baroque period, and that the Kyrie, Credo, Offertorium etc. are part of the Mass, and Dies Iræ is part of the requiem mass.

ANYWAYS, my weird itunes collection had been getting lots of calcium, in the form of Derek and the amazing google music download in China. Yuppies. Now i can listen to Jonas Brothers (!) and Schubert's Mass, both without buying discs. Thank God.

So. Cya peeps (those, if any of you, that still reads here). I'm watching The Proposal now.

Vier letzte Lieder

We have gone through sorrow and joy
hand in hand;
Now we can rest from our wandering
above the quiet land.

Around us, the valleys bow;
the air is growing darker.
Just two skylarks soar upwards
dreamily into the fragrant air.

Come close to me, and let them flutter.
Soon it will be time for sleep.
Let us not lose our way
in this solitude.

O vast, tranquil peace,
so deep at sunset!
How weary we are of wandering---
Is this perhaps death?

Ist dies etwa der Tod?

--Der Meister

Yes fans, hold your applause, Das Meister is back in business.

So, for those few (if any) of you that still look to this blog to updates, please don't flame me for the no-update phase. Isn't my fault, blame PRC. Not only is stupid blogspot blocked, Facebook and Youtube are blocked too. So don't flame me, I'm probably more miserable than you.

And yes. I'm still in Shanghai, with 3 more years to go.

So, you DoTA playing geeks in Singapore may ask, what do I do w/o the Big Three of the internet? Thank God for pirated DVDs. For 8RMB I get to buy a disc ^^ I'm sure I've finished about 40 movies since moving here...

Talking about movies, I've taken up a recent obsession with horror flicks. Not horror as in ghosts, horror as in blood, blood and chainsaws. It might trouble you slightly that I thoroughly enjoyed Silence of the Lambs and Saw...

ok. So I'm not the most decent guy you know. Rawr. My vocabulary is still as colourful, even more colourful come to think of it. I have the Ang Moh swear words in my database now.

So. 16 now. Funny how much I used to hate my birthdays.I remember one of my posts: 生老病死痛別離,以生為第一苦.I guess it's because no one remembered my bdae anyway lol. Nvm, there's this guy who shares my birthday now. He's my cute fuzzy pet.

Urgh. Coz I'm using proxy now I can't upload photos. grrr.

Ok so. There's this dickhead in my class that has the ugliest hair I've ever seen and I hate him. I really do.

As for what I'm giving back to community, I just came back from a trip to Shangdong, to teach little shits games and English, fix tables and paint walls. The trip was ok I guess, but the stupid 11 hour bus ride was HELL. Can you imagine it? 11 hours on a bus on a MAINLANDER road. Merde. I tried to watch Saw on a portable disc player, but then... hehez the battery ran out before one movie is finished. What else does Das Meister do? He hijacks his friend's ipod and watched How I Met Your Mother.

And yes boys, you've seen right. Friends. I've finally got friends.

Thank God actually, if not the 5 day trip would be crap. Seriously crap. Imagine the nights w/o watching movies and cuddling together. XD.

Ok so. Byes? I have photoshoot tommorow, History coursework (600 words essay), tutoring my friend (yes, i have a friend) Mandarin and watching Saw II together. God I love movies.

Ok so. Bye till the next time.

Rawr.

Carpe Diem

Was toying with the idea of using 'Dead Poet's Society' as an excuse to waste English class time ;P. Well, so there we go, Carpe Diem, latin for 'seize the day'. That's basically the message DPS is trying to convey: Be yourself.

One of my favourite quotes from Oscar Wilde is: Be yourself, everyone else is taken.

Anyway, here's a little story about the author of my favourite poem, E.E.Cummings:

In the thirties, Cummings visited Soviet Russia. The
Revolution was still popular. But Cummings didn't like
the emphasis on the collective, and de-emphasis on the
individual. He gives this account of his conversation
with a Russian dramatist:
 "tell him I drink . . . to the individual"
 A pause "he says that's nonsense."
 "tell him I love nonsense and I drink to nonsense." Pause
 "he's very angry. He says you are afraid"
 "tell him I am afraid to be afraid"
 noise music,a waiter's glaring. "He believes you are mad."
 "Tell him a madman named noone says,that someone is and
anyone isn't,and all the believing universe cannot transform
anyone who isn't into someone who is."

Try and understand it for yourself ;P. For the record, here is the poem:

Anyone lived in a Pretty How Town
anyone lived in a pretty how town
(with up so floating many bells down)
spring summer autumn winter
he sang his didn't he danced his did.

Women and men(both little and small)
cared for anyone not at all
they sowed their isn't they reaped their same
sun moon stars rain

children guessed(but only a few
and down they forgot as up they grew
autumn winter spring summer)
that noone loved him more by more

when by now and tree by leaf
she laughed his joy she cried his grief
bird by snow and stir by still
anyone's any was all to her

someones married their everyones
laughed their cryings and did their dance
(sleep wake hoe and then)they
said their nevers and they slept their dream

stars rain sun moon
(and only the snow can begin to explain
how children are apt for forget to remember
with up so floating many bells down)

one day anyone died i guess
(and noone stooped to kiss his face)
busy folk buried them side by side
little by little and was by was

all by all and deep by deep
and more by more they dream their sleep
noone and anyone earth by april
wish by spirit and if by yes.

Women and men(both dong and ding)
summer autumn winter spring
reaped their sowing and went their came
sun moon stars rain

Birthday

It's half an hour till my bdae, just thought I should thank all the people that made this birthday a memorable one.

Firstly, thanks to Derek, Josiah and Dominic for trying to get me a surprise present, but failed coz you didn't want to get me emo by not going for dinner with you people. ;P I love that shirt and tie!

Next, to Dominic's mom and dad for the BBQ, even though they wouldn't probably read this.

Also, to all the people who came with or w/o presents: Monica Mui with her amazing encyclopedia of music, Joseph with his amazingly expensive wallet, Yanish with his best wishes, Lok with his promise, Huston with his fats, David with his shower gel -.-', Cedric with his CD, Thomas with his earliness, Kelvin with the Nike shirt and amazing bookmark, Daiki (another bdae guy) with his MZD shirt lol, Joe with his CROTCH GUARD ?!?!, and of course Derek, Josiah and Dominic with the Jack-Jones shirt with a purple tie ;P.

And thnx for Derek and Monica for hosting my sleepover coz my bro and dominic's bro has exams, and your awesome home and mom!!! OMG I feel so jealous.

Anyway, I've imported all the songs, read half the encyclopedia, wore the shirt and tie, switched wallets and the shirts are in the wash. I really have to sleep now, it's one and a half hour past my bloody curfew.

I need to rant.

I need to rant, yet I can't.

I never knew how socially detached I was until I came to Shanghai and met Derek, Dominic, Josiah and gang. I just want to thank these three people here for being my friend, the real friends I've been dreaming of. My primary school life passed by without a friend, so did Sec1 and 2. It was only in my beloved 3L (now 4L) and RICO that I found solace in friends. However, the friendships were not as deep as those I forged here. Derek, Dominic and Josiah are friends that will give me a hug when I am emo, pay for my dinner when I am broke and try any means possible to get me to have fun. It is impossible for me to express the friendship between us without being mushy and sorts, which I don't want associated with me. However, I just want to proclaim that it is an honour that These cool people have decided to adopt me as a good friend. As to the others, Joseph, Yanish, Monica &c., you guys are cool too, only that you're not with me this afternoon due to some matters....

As I've yelled today after their performance, "BRAVO!"

End of sleepover day. Derek was on the bed with me, while Dominic and Josiah cuddled on the floor. Josiah whines and grunts in his sleep, so funny. Derek actually sleeptalked...

Anyway, it has been a really fun experience, never been with my really good friends for such a long period of time. Reflecting back, I have absolutely no idea why Josiah took an interest in me on the first weeks of my life in Dulwich. It was physics class, and Josiah was sitting next to me. He said hi to me, and I didn't know it was directed to me, thus continuing stoning. Josiah then said hi louder, eventually prodding me. That's my first interaction with Josiah. All through the first week, he would ask me where I came from 5 times, remarking that he too was from Singapore 3 times.

If you read my facebook note, my first impression of Derek was when we were doing PE. As we were both in Wing, we were doing the volleyball warm-ups together. We were supposed to run along the net and jump up high, attempting to touch the other guy's fingers. It was my 1st turn, and I ran. Luck had it that I was matched with Derek. We ran, we jumped, and I secretly exclaimed in my mind," This guy really needs to shave!!!" Well, I still detected something extraordinary on him, something like an aura. Everyone emits an aura, some more than others. I sensed Derek's extraordinary aura, and decided to pay closer attention about him. The next. or two, days later, Josiah told me that Derek is a celebrity on youtube. As time goes by, I learnt he is a really good singer, a really good computer technician and, recently, can learn to play the guitar extremely fast.

Next up is Dominic Lim. Again, if you read my facebook notes, it details the first time I saw Dominic. However, as he knew not of me then, it shalt not be considered. The first impression of Dominic I had was at maths, where he was being the usual dick he is. Through the YangShuo trip, I developed my habit of messing up his hair. Also, he had the same birthday as me!!! Well, he is my son after all... I could continue for abit, but I'm dozing off writing this... Shall continue other day, together with other people. till then, cheers.

Today is sleepover day!

After school, Derek had his singing lesson and I went to do my composition. Due soon! Anyway, he sings really well but wouldn't admit it. Modest shit.

Dominic joined us soon, and so did Huston. Dominic did his really under-composed music while Derek, Huston and I rearranged the music classroom after the Fanshawe talk. The salsa sandwiches are pretty nice.

Dominic had to get home to get his driver, so Derek and I went to his house to get the signature done. I cycled while he ran. So fun. I last cycled when I was carefree and young, about 7 or 8. Feeling the breeze on my face, shouting cheekily to the person running behind me, I really felt young.

Now Derek's next to my trying to learn the guitar. Cheers till next time!.

of Hungarian Dances and Aerosmith

Was practicing Hungarian Dance #5 with Josiah and Dominic today, this time recorded the playing. Ms Jameson was also there to give us constructive remarks... And I really need to try and get into the correct beat for rehearsal letter C... Anyway since Dominic has violin lessons at 445, Josiah went. So I continued on my composition. Finished part IV today, the Funeral March. In a nod towards Mahler, I will name it Trauermarsch. Obviously, the tempo is Grave. So far, the structure of my piece is Scherzo, Allegro Assai, Scherzo, Grave. I shall probably re-introduce the theme from Allegro Assai and lead it to the 12-tone part.

Sat in on Al gor-rhythm band practice today. They're singing a song from Aerosmith, which I can't remember the name of. Catchy tune though. Since Joseph is in Guangzhou, I played the drums. Not bad considering it's my first time on the drums. lol... Halfway thru the drum teacher walked in and omg so stressed! But hey he didn't criticize me!

--"No one feels more helpless than the owner of a sick goldfish"

I beg to differ.

No one feels more helpless than the wanderer that just experienced a tumultuous road of screwed shit, returning home to remove his mauled shoes, only to get screwed again.

No one feels more helpless than the Sovereign who, after decades of toil, fought of foreign invaders, only to get embroiled in a civil war.

No one feels more helpless than the mute, blind, deaf and paralyzed poet, his head so full of prose, his body unable to do them justice.

No one feels more helpless than the flower in the desert. Bloom as she may, the passing wanderer gives it only a sweeping glance. The banished Sovereign, with his heart of trouble, gives it only a pitiful glance. The poet, full of passion, stands and cry, not able to express his romanticism.

Poem!

Yet each man kills the thing he loves

By each let this be heard,

Some do it with a bitter look,

Some with a flattering word,

The coward does it with a kiss,

The brave man with a sword!

---Oscar Wilde

Ma Vlast

Since I have time and no one's online, it's high time I made my ancestry clear to those dunces that can't figure out the identity of a diaspora. As you can infer, my ancestry was from China.

My Paternal Great-Grandfather dragged my Grandfather to Singapore. My Paternal Grandmother, however, came on her self. Thus, I am the 4th generation on my paternal side. They both came from the Teochew area, which is in the Canton province. However, linguistically and culturally, it has more in common with the Hokkiens.

My maternal Grandfather and Grandmother came on their own, and thus making me the third generation. They came from Hainan Island, again making me half Hainanese.

Therefore, I am a 4th generation Singaporean (most people my age is 3rd), with ethnicity half-canto, half-hainanese.

I detest my sleeping habits. Everyday I wake at 8 or 830 and no bloody person is on Skype. zzz...

Anyway, I really have to work on controlling my barrage of inspirations. My sonata form tone-poem entitles 'Pæan' has gone to hell, because of my whimsical composing. Now it resembles a multi-movement orchestral suite... Derek has named it 'Obsidian' and I'm gona use it. Nice name.

Well, I've found myself abandoning Pjotr Illych Tchaikovsky as my favourite composer to embrace the great Austrian maestro Gustav Mahler. And I am really beginning to like serialism and surrealism. The 20th century composers like Penderecki, Lutosławski, Stravinsky, Webern, Shostakovich and Prokofiev are really nice and amazing.

Random fact of the day: Sergy Prokofiev died on the same day as Josef Stalin. Thus, all flowers and muscians were reserved for the Great Leader (Prokofiev was Russian btw. Stalin, ironically, is Georgian instead of Russian.) and the great composer had to make do with paper flowers and a pathetic radio for his funeral.

Just for the record, these are the songs to be played at my funeral:

Chopin: Piano Sonata no.2, movement III
Mahler: Symphony no.5, movement I Trauermarsch
Rachmaninoff: Prelude in C# minor
Tchaikovsky: March Slave
Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen
Strauß, Richard: Tod und Verklärung
Sibelius: Finlandia
Wagner: Die Walküre
Mahler: Symphony no.2 'Resurrection'
Lutosławski: Symphony no.1 movement I
Dvorak: Symphony no.9 movement IV
Tchaikovsky: 1812 Overture

4th of April, in the Year of Our Lord two-thousand and nine...

CONCERT DAY!

So the final list of people going is: Derek, Monica, Lok, Dominic, Joseph and insignificant little me. Stupid English grammar...

Anyway, they all came to my house, bounced on my bed, laughed at my little red book and then went down to the clubhouse. Idiots wanted to play basketball and being the lazy ass I am, I heartily disagreed. So we went bowling instead. Lawl I never knew my clubhouse had a bowling alley...

So we played two rounds, with me being last of course. Hey... I've never touched a bowling ball since I was 8 and almost wrenched my fingers off...

And those idiots wanted to take a bloody ferry there in the bloody rain, knowing I get seasick. Managed to force them into two taxis though... and those dunces can't give instructions to the mainland taxi drivers...

And so, after a war of pride, pomp and circumstance, we finally made it to Raffles City in one piece. We had dinner, with Dominic not eating anything falling into the category of vegetables, thus accounting for his dismal height.

Shopped for a while, then went to the concert in the bloody rain. 

The concert was ok though the pianist for Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto SUCKED. I could play scales with more passion than that...

Well, I had fun looking at the reactions of Derek during the BOOMS at the second movement of Tod und Verklärung and the Infernal Dance of King Kashchei. Soo funny...

And Lok was sleeping, Dominic trying to irritate the old mainlanders behind him. Then, they tried whacking each others' privates with amazing accuracy and force. Then, they clapped when the orchestra finished tuning. Amazingly, the whole concert hall clapped too. So amusing.

Well, that's it.

Song for the day: 1919 Firebird Suite: IV Infernal Dance of King Kashchei

I'm doing this in chemistry class. Not because I'm an idiot, not because she's boring but because Josiah is bloody bugging me.

Nothing happened in my life until now, except that I almost fell sick.

Well, the only thing to look forward to is the concert on 4th April. Repertoire includes Strauß's Death and Transfiguration, Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto, Stravinsky's Firebird Ballet. Josiah was scheduled to come as well, but he's going on the drama trip to LA. Hope he gets shot by some crazy Asian scholar there.

Anyway, its currently Me, Derek, Dominic and Joseph. Monica Mui was to come a fill up Josiah's spot, but since Zoe might not come, she might not come either.

woooot I got 91% in the chem test!