Crimsonology

It's been a good weekend spent destressing with some awesome friends. Bryan, Zach,Yi Meen, and their vocalist (Shotgun Start) played pretty dam well at DXO on Saturday. Kudos to them for making a mark that day and i really think that they can go far! Hopefully.. we'll both play together at deafcon sometime soon.

Fellowship was great, catching up with old mates and getting to know how they did for Os.. Oh, Ben and Jerry's was wicked uber groovy too. (a much deserved treat!) Crashed out at Zach's place for awhile and i'll have to agree with the hordes of people who say that quite simply, he's pretty much spoilt. I went into his room and.. Sweet Mother of Jesus! HE HAS 5 AMPS IN HIS ROOM!
Also, he is having his Gibson SG Supreme shipped in (the latest in his guitar collection) sometime soon! ARGH. He is one lucky son of a gun. haha.. Anyway, dinner at Sempang Bedok was alright. I gave the curry chicken a go and for the most part, i was cheweing and spitting out on bones! The curry was somewhat tasteless too.. But i guess thats what you get for food at 11 at night. On another note, It's a greaaaat place to watch Soccer.

Hung out with Veron and Chan today after a very very long MIA! Was great to be together again like old times and see that we're pretty much holding out and still breathing! Katong Laksa was great, and Chan is gonna get Chili-citis or something when he grows up cus 3/4 of a jar of chili in your laksa is NOT healthy! The uncle who saw him literally yelled " WAH LAN EH " as he picked up his near empty chili jar with a VERY evident frown on his face! Spent the rest of the day Nua-ing around and basically playing around with the camera as usual.

Oh, ICE CREAM again too, this time at Raffles Creamery. The ice cream there is WICKED INSANELY UBER GROOVY UNBELIEVABLY EVIDENTLY UNCANNILY AMAZING when it hits your tongue! The taste is great, sweet in a subtle way and not too overpowering too. Go try! I had a mango sherbet cookies and cream fusion today. The ice cream man literally mashed them together like dough!

Anyway, its back to school tomorrow and i think i am suited up to absorb more stress! Jazz Ensemble at Tangling CC tomorrow night too! CANNNNT WAIT.

Signing Off..
Christian!

I've been thinking lately.. that it would be amazing to play guitar in a modern symphony ensemble. Listening to Taku Iwasaki on my Itunes.. i really hope that i can do this someday. You know.. like putting my guitar to a more classical and toned down use. The timeless sound of the guitar string can fit perfectly into a wide range of genres, if handled with the right control. Guitar concertos are amazing too.. I dont think ill ever be able to play in one, though i think they are beautiful. The 21st century has introduced many new elements into the conventional ensemble, including electronica and even electric guitars. Personally however i think the classical Guitar still does the trick with its warmness and natural feel. Electric Guitars work too, however i guess they'd have to be on good clean tones. I wanna work towards reaching this thought, and i know i often get distracted, especially so when it comes to music. But i know that this is a realistic idea, and im just gonna brush up on my guitar anyway.

On another note, whilst on the topic of Classical Guitars, the bossanova sounds of A Jacarandá are simply moving and soothing. In true Bossanova style, the guitar sings across and subtly pierces the supporting rhythm.

Music is so beautiful in its many, many forms and sometimes i just feel like i wanna try every genre, playing every instrument and becoming part of the song. I guess though that i've got to know my limits, and thats why im gonna focus on bettering my guitar and keys. I'm gonna be pumping some serious Jazz theory into my playing now to broaden my scope of playing.. also, gotta prepare for a potential mini jazz ensemble im thinking of forming with some friends. I'm not sure how that'll go, but we'll see.

I don't know why i've suddenly begun writing about music at 1.48am in the morning, but i wanna keep going. I'm not sure if its the music, but i am somewhat inspired right now. I realise i have never penned anything of the following down before.

Thinking back, i only started seriously delving into music in mid primary school. It was a hectic and stressful (yes, at primary level!), yet very fulfilling 3 years i spent in the Catholic High School Choir. Before that, it was fascination with the STOMP videos my music teacher would flash, or recorder rhythms i found catchy, along with my Parents and their oldies. Anyway, while it was tedious traveling to school during the holidays, and having to see the choir room 3-4 days a week regardless of the time of year, i actually enjoyed the whole experience. The biggest satisfaction came when you sang for a concert, and felt your hardwork pay off. On a more personal level though, the fun was in making music with your friends. These days, i do that on a different plane, similar.. but not entirely. Be it rehearsing in the small music room, or the beautiful and enormous auditorium, or even the school hall, singing with your friends by your side was always enjoyable. These were people whom i felt would pick me up when i fell, and did. At Primary School level this is probably somewhat skeptical, however this is what i remember.
One time during SYF, i tripped and fell while walking on the stage to our positions. My mates helped me up, and we proceeded to continue singing like nothing happened. That day, we actually won a Silver with honors. Not an exceptional achievement, but one nevertheless. The vocal harmonies, the note reading, the songs, the draining trainings...and the fellowship. Thats what choir meant, what music meant.

I guess if there is one reason im thinking back, is that i miss sessions like those. The music i make these days is fun, and i love my band. It's different though. Perhaps i miss the comradery. Perhaps its the bonds. I dont know exactly. I guess i've never penned these thoughts before as these feelings were somewhat present in secondary school as well. I can't really say the same now, it's on a different level. I cant say that there will be a definite companion in this new institution that would be there for me, but if its any consolation,the music will.

; The Quiet Life - Taku Iwasaki Ensemble

Went for DOC interview today with Lydia and it was unexpectedly insanely intense!
The nerves kind of got the better of us when the panel of interviewers observed us like vultures on a rotting cow. Yes, i got really nervous, despite the fact that Yi Jie (Our very own FOW GL!) was part of the panel. Well, guess we can only but pray that we make it to be GLs!

On a random note, the aircon at the KFC opposite school is friggin cold! The only thing keeping Lydia immune to this was the fright and kan-chiong-ness she sustained since the beginning of the interview!

Awesome line up of gigs coming up in the following weeks... Gig Photography for Knightsfall on Thursday at DXO, DIY Punk gig on the 1st Feb, DIY Pure metal gigs and tons more!
Looking for someone to go with me to a Jazz/Funk one on Saturday at Esplanade though!

Jazz anybody? (:

For those of you who were here when the Great Spy Experiment came to TP, (along with the riots), here's something Bryan just (finally) sent over!

I realize that my last 2 posts have been somewhat angsty and maybe a little unpleasant. But hey, its my blog and i needed to rant. It's been a stressful two weeks and the work load just keeps piling up, ever more tighter with the deadlines. Well, ill leave them there as a reminder of this crazy period. And well, certain people aren't making it easier. The post before this will admittedly never be read by a certain someone because he/she wouldn't care, and frankly.. does not even use the internet. But hey, blogs are rant banks afterall. Haha... For the few readers crimsonology does have, you won't see much crap of that nature again.. well,  i hope not.

if you don't like someone, 

I don't care that she doesnt appreciate what i do. I don't care that her friends are oh-so important. I don't care that her job is more important then anything else. I don't care about the dozens of feuds anymore. I don't care that she missiles the rage at me on a bad day. I don't care that she doesn't know how i feel.

TP Openhouse was pretty darn awesome. Before going into the performance though, it was nice helping out with the ADM runway (not much though) and seeing how great it turned out. Also, giving advice to "sotong" O level students was pretty darn enjoyable. HAHA. Well, i can still remember how seniors and stuff would help me out when i was still a sec 4, and it feels great that i can now go " SO YOU WANT TO JOIN VSC? ". HEHE. Alright.. to the performance.

The new year's been pretty good so far! I've started working on my resolutions. No major changes or anything of the sort though... i joined Visual Central. I figured i might as well take some time off my personal photographic journey for one more for society and school!