life

i don't even know what to title this post... hence life.

it's been a pretty long while ago since i've last blogged - i don't even know what to blog about now.

i don't know if i'm actually losing touch with this medium of writing especially since there are few surviving blogs of teens today...

i hope i don't ever give this up because i find a certain accomplishment and joy in writing about my life.

well it seems rather self-centered doesn't it.

but i guess i do have SOME readers, both expected and unexpected, so well, thank you for popping by my little blog of nothingness!!!

appreciate the few but significant readers i get, though i won't get to find out who you are unless you tell me personally... :-)

so yeah thank you!

anyway here are just 5 random facts about the happenings in my life right now.

i think i should do this more often since i won't be finding the time to blog in the near future (thank a levels).

this was actually inspired by a blog that i've been keeping up with since secondary school.

though you will never know who you are, but i actually really admire the way your life turns out and how honestly you put it into words.

you are one amazing blogger!

1) recently been going on an online retail therapy session.... my dad's been introducing me to cheap stuff online. i mean it's not that i'm being a cheapskate or what but somehow or rather i enjoy being thrifty (especially with my dad) because i know money isn't easy to come by and if we can save, we will save together. so my recent purchases were a rucksack at $14, two pullovers both less than $10 each and a giraffe phone cover (which was obviously inspired by kwangsoo) for $3... cheap would be an understatement. i kinda really like online shopping but the cons is that it is ABSOLUTELY time-consuming because you browse like there is no tomorrow and that there's no refund if the sizes don't fit. learnt my lesson from previous experiences of online purchases and i vowed never to buy a piece of clothing online anymore.

2) my mid-year results are worrying but not worrying. i don't even know how to put my results across here and how i ought to feel about them. true that i've made some improvement since the common tests but i'm still below average in the cohort. i've been working hard, or at least trying my best, but somehow deep inside i feel that i am working hard emptily. like i'm studying for the sake of studying while getting nowhere and everything i'm trying to internalise coming to naught. jc has really made studying a farce for me. how nasty.

3) been listening to a lot of (korean) music recently. i don't know why but i've been DYING to find songs that i fall in love upon my first listen or either that just something new that is kpop. getting pretty sick with my current playlist but i'm glad i found more new music of related genres through shazam!!!! so thankful for technology these days i don't even know what i'd do without 'em. so to those who enjoy pop/rock and a little bit of alternative, here's my recent additions to the music library:

air balloon by lily allen - this one's for those who like a little pop and upbeat to their songs but if you are totally against artificially overtuned vocals maybe it'll be a nay. give it a try though since i'm an anti-female-artiste but still like it anyway!!!! it's a bit like kesha + katy perry...

rhythm of love by plain white t's - for those who really like acoustic guitar accompaniments. this is the one song for relaxation. put this song on play and close your eyes; imagine yourself on a sandy beach with blue skies. it's the perfect summer song! classic plain white t's genre!

parallel by heffron drive - it's a pretty fantasy-like song but i love the accompaniment!!! the duo's vocals are really good and i love the pre-chorus 'cos his voice is like whoa-oh!!!!! on fire!!!! okay i sound overly excited but yeah the lyrics are quite sweet so do give it a listen!

how to save a life by the fray - yeah this is an old song, but recently found it through shazam and finally knew how this song sounded like. only heard of the song title before but not the song - and i now know why it is so damn amazing. super the-fray-ish but that's what you gotta love them for; their perfect blend of piano and emotional vocals. thumbs up x1000 for this please go and listen to this!!!!

jamie all over by mayday parade - heard this song at cotton on in tampines one on a day out with my family. it is a really good song!!!!!! (probably not a coincidence that the song title has my name) the chorus is really catchy and mainstream though hahaha the lyrics are everywhere on tumblr if i'm not wrong... seen 'em around a lot. irony is that there is no mention of the name jamie in the song anyway hahaha. mayday parade is just mayday parade and similar artistes: we the kings plus a bit of all time low!!

(below onwards: korean)

peter pan by exo -  this is the best korean song i have ever listened to (yes it has overtaken dbsk's balloons and picture of you) thanks wanrou hahahaha. the upbeat electric guitar really gives the song a fairytale edge to it. love this so much it's 2nd most played in my itunes!!!! (first is art of war) i think love would be an understatement. don't even know when i'd grow tired of this song.

busan vacance by haha and skull - i don't know if this song was actually written in aim of promoting korean tourism or something but it has kinda worked its potential charm.... the song's rhythm is so catchy and cute + the music video of korea's landscape just makes you want to visit the place even more!!!! i can't wait to fly to the land of kimchi after a's if time/parents/money permit!!!!!!! so damn excited i cannot even contain.

4) my attachment/addiction to running man has returned recently. been watching at least 1 at most 2 episodes in my free time during the june holidays and though week 2 of school is over i think i am barely getting over my daily dose of running man.... it really kinda sucks that i still am unable to catch up with the most recent episodes because that's where the hype is but it's okay i can always speed-watch after a's!!!!!! on a side note that has been repeated countless times i seriously cannot wait for a's to end.

5) kinda gave up this entire dieting/weight loss plan though i am still conscious of what i eat. it is so hard to focus on shedding all that extra pounds i gained from coming to jc and i guess i'll leave all that hardcore cardio and healthy dieting to post-a's... during the june holidays i actually picked up a 28-day pilates challenge which i stuck to until day 20 or so because it was hurting my back and every single joint in my body. i tried running 2/3x a week to burn the fat and i guess i really felt the difference upon returning to school. my lower stomach is still as fat fml, but i can feel my skirt and berms getting looser. think i have an easily bloated tummy or either that a very weak stomach and it is rare for days that i actually feel comfortable in my school bottoms. kinda sucks to be me because i've got the weirdest body shape ever but whatever. i shall worry about that after a's. plenty of time then.

sorry that my 5 things ended up to become some 500 word essay about my life.

gotta stop being so naggy and get straight to the point though sometimes i feel details are really important.

so it is the 12th of july and we are almost 3 months away from the a level exams.

this sickening piece of shit is really sucking me dry of my life.

i don't know why but i feel like we are all slaves of a revolution that is bound to wipe us all out.

i cannot even put my lack of life into words.

we're all so devoid of passion and honesty, we've all been sucked up into this black hole of competitive academics and this big monster also known as the a levels.

it's quite sad rather, to see the people around me conceding defeat to the clutches of this monstrous national exam.

a levels is really a monster; i can't help but feel that its immensity is weighing everyone around me down and crushing their fragile beings.

physically, mentally and psychologically, i feel that we're all losing this battle, one by one.

seeing the people around me fall ill, being hit by one of the worst psychological warfares, staging an unnecessary war with this thing called stress, everything.

i admit that i myself am so tired that sometimes i really feel like giving up too.

but no i gotta press on, for the sake of the people who love me and care about me.

anyway i am not having it the worst, i know it.

i know.

the most i can do and will do for the people around me is to keep up optimism, because i believe that if you keep hope alive it will keep you alive.

don't lose faith or sight in anything that might seem bleak up ahead.

instead, always believe in yourself and that is already half the battle won.

can't promise that i'll be here 24/7 but my blog will always be here for comfort.

i hope this post of advice and my previous posts of heartfelt emotions will serve as a good respite from reality and an antidote to current problems.

till then,

xxxx

see y'all soon!

concert and cafes

it has been a really hectic month but i have finally cleared mid-years!!!
nothing much to be happy about because the results are pretty damn shit and so is the mood right now.
oh well.
nonetheless i had a great week of post-exam de-stressing sessions and i must say it was a good break that followed from the mye crazies.
this week i visited about 4 cafes and i'm definitely one happy kid now.
really putting the 'hopping' into the much-raved-about 'cafe-hopping' ;)

REAL FOOD



so i visited this place on monday after our holiday lessons with vanessa!
as its name suggests, real food is a place that serves nothing but the best foods because it is prepared with a great deal of passion all in the effort of healthy/green eating.
what makes this place stand out from the rest is that it is a meat-free place, and everything is healthily and carefully prepared with vegetables or flour-based ingredients.
this is the place to visit if you are a conscious eater or either that you want to try eating cleanly for a meal! ;-)
i must say that this place is pretty good because the menu still offers a wide variety of different options ranging from all-day breakfast to sandwiches to main courses like pasta and pizza!
i decided on the kombu shiitake soup with udon while vanessa had dumpling soup with brown rice.
the price was rather pocket-friendly as there was no service-charge (or was it gst ahahaha i forgot) so we paid less than $10 each for what we ate :-)
my soup was pretty bland but i guess that's what you get for wanting to eat really healthily.
but the dumplings were really good and for something that does not contain meat i swear, the juice from the 10-over ingredients in the dumplings just makes it oooh-la-la!!!
and i am not even a fan of dumplings...
so go ahead and pop by real food if you'd like to dine out because this is really a healthier option!

LOLA'S CAFE



not my first time here but tuesday was my virgin try at its desserts and appetisers there with nigel and xiaohui!
ordered their iced mocha; nothing impressive but it was okay because i didn't like my coffee too strong and this one was pretty chocolate-y and bitter rather than aromatic.
so don't try this if you like your coffee thick and strong!!!
the honey wings we shared were so damn good i'm not even exaggerating, it was something unique that i've never tried before and they were pretty generous with the honey so yay!!! :)
the bangers & mash were cooked to perfection especially the potatoes because they were so fresh you could even taste the real potato bits in 'em!
tried the seasalt chocolate tart with coffee cream and yeah this was pretty good because the tart crust and the bitter chocolate went really well together. the cream wasn't too frothy and thick and gross so yay for that!
the lemon meringue tart was rather ordinary to me and i'm not exactly a sucker for those dried lemon peels on top hahaha. tasted pretty weird to me.

popped by again the next day during our 4.5h break to have brunch with jennee, vanessa and gina here!
pretty annoyed because we waited for an hour or so just to get our seats...
but it was rather amusing because we got to judge the people who were sitting outdoors hahaha. #meanshit

wanted to try the mushroom melt for a very long time already so i finally ordered this!!!

LOOK AT THE MUSHROOM, CHEESE AND BRIOCHE BREAD GOODNESS.
i swear the brioche bread is amazing and in fact amazing is an understatement.
the natural sweetness of the brioche accompanied by the salty mushroom and cheese made it so perfect.
the portion is pretty generous and it kept me full for really long and that i didn't even have dinner!
this is really a to-die-for must-try item on the menu and i will definitely return to order this again!!!!!
super super super lip-smacking that you can't get enough.
dreaming of the brioche now.....

BACKSTAGE CAFE



this has become my new favourite place after a long and hard hunt for this!!!
always wanted to try this because i've read really good reviews about it and yay the day finally came!
the menu laid out such a wide spread for us and we were all spoiled for choice.
i ordered the chicken burger thing (top right, can't remember the exact name) for $13 and it seriously exceeded my expectations.
anyway recently i don't know why but i keep ordering burgers though i don't like 'em and the fries but meh i think i'm starting to fall in love with burgers simply because of the bread. :P
so, with the mindset of i-just-want-to-eat-bread-so-i-will-just-buy-the-burger i did not expect that the chicken fillet inside was so tender and delicious!!!!
it was not like the kind of cheap, ground-up meat you'd usually get but i could taste the sweet sauces exploding from the careful marination of the meat!!!
shan't comment on the fries because all fries taste the same to me...
had dessert and tried their rainbow cake as well as the oreo cheesecake.
i really really enjoyed the oreo cheesecake omg it is too good beyond description.
however i feel that the rainbow cake was too dense, or should i say it's aesthetic appeal overran the texture of real sponge cake.
it was a tad too moist and tbh i think any amateur baker can bake a cake better than that.
but yeah, maybe that's what rainbow cakes are; pretty-looking but average-tasting.
definitely going to come back because the place is so peaceful and quiet and actually i didn't wanna write about this place because i secretly don't want it to become popular and lose its ambience ahahahahaha oops.

SETTLER'S CAFE



(okay the photo is inverted but who cares)
tried this on friday in place of shoebox canteen because it was unknowingly closed :(
was a little disappointed because i really wanted to try the shoebox canteen!
settled (ha ha ha) with this alternative; settler's cafe and honestly i didn't regret it anymore ;)
the prices are mad-cheap and students get additional discounts!!!
we paid $25 for 3 people and this was including a main course, soup and drink each.
it's actually a gaming cafe with 600 over games to choose from but the games come at a different rate.
service was thumbs-up as the guy was really friendly and patient with us as we were placing our orders :)
the only setback here is that they don't have much desserts and if they served something like waffles or cakes or tarts i'm sure the sweet-tooth will come flocking in!
overall i really enjoyed this place as the food was really good (the mushroom soup is seriously heaven) and the service was really warm.
going to come back here again on monday!!!!
super good place to just chill-out and catch-up with your pals!

so that's about it for my cafe review.
moving on to the much-anticipated concert that i've been awaiting since mye's!!!

WE THE KINGS - THE ART OF TOUR



decided to buy tickets for the art of tour because i really loved their new album.
art of war never gets old, find you there is my happy pill, sad song is for the times when you are seriously feeling sad, say it now is my occasional need-to-listen-to song and etc.
glad that i managed to here those songs live along with any other way and i like it ;)
they played classics like check yes juliet and skyway avenue too omg :)))
but personally i felt that my $88 was not as well-spent as i thought it would be.
firstly, too much of the singing was left to the crowd.
not a personal attack to the band or anything but, honestly they could do with so much more of their powerhouse vocals rather than leaving it to the audience to spoil by singing it off-pitch.
seriously they have super good voices live but the frequent pauses and amplification of the audience's mesmerized chanting was just too much.
i swear check yes juliet, half the singing was done by the crowd and it was pretty much a big bummer.
really annoying as heck too because the crowd was a piece of rowdy shit.
the people were generally of a younger age group than ours and some were rude as shit and shouted like a bitch at the people around.
oh hell no this is a concert it is so not normal for the pushing to happen -_-
i swear i wanted so much to slap some of these people...
furthermore i was just this close to witnessing a physical cat fight between a group of girls who were fighting over the drumstick that they threw.
yeah i know you are a diehard crazy fan and that i'm not, but seriously all that pushing and shouting was seriously uncalled for.
all your reputation has gone down the drain, girl.

secondly, the acoustics were LEGIT SHIT.
the venue was quite crappy (it was at the coliseum) and also i think because the sound crew screwed up a lot.
so much for trying to fine-tune the drums and guitars but honestly it was quite pissing because the drums and bass were way too heavy.
it completely drowned out the vocals and the videos i recorded, you can't even hear travis singing.
i know you shouldn''t record videos as it'll spoil the mood but seriously, you can't even hear travis' voice live.
all you can hear is the overweighted pounding of the drums which seriously gave me a headache.
sighpie.
maybe because i've been to simple plan's concert (which was bloody bloody good) that's why i've raised the bar for my expectations this concert.
oh well.

nonetheless i do not mean any offence but honestly if the acoustics were better balanced the concert would have been perfect.
not depriving we the kings of their amazing talent live, but really, everything dampened all thanks to the poor sound management.
but i still had a good time anyway, and thank you we the kings for being here in singapore to deliver the best concert that you could have :-)

"without you i feel broke, like i'm half of a whole.

without you, i've got no hand to hold.

without you i feel torn, like a sail in a storm.

without you, i'm just a sad song."

xoxo