There are two more finals to go and i'm already getting distracted. hmmph. I think today wasn't a very good day-- I slept through dinner and some of the afternoon, I watched desperate housewives (finally something happens! it was getting really boring), and now i'm the only person left in the study lounge. The only time I took a break was last night. Like, the only people here are the koreans, some hardworking americans, and me. There were some angmohs I kept seeing for a few days at the beginning of the week, but I think their paper is over and so they've been replaced by the biology and chemistry people. Me, I've lasted 7 consecutive days here. I use the same couch everyday. Anyway, the study hours are bullshit. If you want to make noise, come to donlon.

So I've often wondered if there is a single moment when you finally feel like an adult, in the sense that you stop defining yourself as your parents' child, or when you feel like you can move out and live on your own and go back to your house over the weekend, if you can afford it. Maybe you'll still need your parents, to some extent, but not their approval. Then I realized, with maybe a little horror, that the moment may have already passed. Like, there's no longer comfort in complaining to your parents about this and that.

Next year, we'll have our 22nd birthdays.

Time is running out.

Ok.

It's that time of the year! More repeated resolutions, more summing up of the year ( it wasn't bad ), more reflections! And of course, time to list my favorite and not so favorite music of 2005.

Album I really like: Brendan Benson the alternative to love. It is immensely listenable, that kind of songs that grow on you and become even better the 20th time you listen to it. Or that kind of songs that will bring you back to the place where you first heard it with clarity. That for me, is when I was taking the 192 bus to tiong bahru plaza, after work. Makes you cheery too.
This was a good year for pop music actually. Kelly Clarkson, Gwen Stefani all had a good year and they are probably going to give Mariah like 8 grammys next year, then she'll have to get her straw holder to carry them for her.
I've never been able to sit down and finish Sufjan Steven's illinoise, partly because there are a whooping 22 tracks to sit through. And some of the songs sound the same, but he is best when he goes all high pitched and has the choir stuff going..like in john wayne gacy, jr, or the creatively titled they are night zombies!! they are neighbours!! they have come back from the dead!! ahhhhh!!. haha.
Franz Ferdinand was pretty alright. It's the same dancey thing that they do so well. What I really liked was how they just title their records and change the color scheme of the covers.. apparently they worked very hard on coming up with new colors.
"The albums are going to be identified by their colour schemes rather than a title. The contrast of different colours creates a different mood. We experimented with different combinations of colours and this one stuck. At one level they looked good together, and they capture the mood of this record quite well"
Typically artsy fartsy shits.
Lately, I've been really into Imogen Heap; dillion thinks she looks like a trannie. Judge for yourself. It's really cool when she performs, cuz she would meddle with all these electronic equipment that loop and distort her voice. I think she's also in the narnia movie. She's the new dido, i think all she needs is to team up with a rapper.
Iron and Wine and Calexico's collaboration is like a perfect match--smoky hushed whisperings meets the western frontier make for a very interesting ep. I bet you can make an entire movie soundtrack out of their music.
My Morning Jacket's Z rocks too. I was surprised they ditched the reverb drenched sound and echoed vocals for a cleaner sound. It's like jazz-rock this time. what a wonderful man is especially jaunty.
Fiona Apple's extraordinary machine.
New Pornographers' twin cinema is really really good! It'd be so cool if you can find a bunch of people who can sing along to their songs. They are so made for sing alongs.
Other stuff that are supposed to be good but didn't get me-- Clap You Hands Say Yeah.. maybe one or two good songs, like gimme some salt. i do like Wolf Parade's apologies to the queen mary, esp the opening track you are a runner and i am my father's son, but that's about it.
I was quite taken by Antony & the Johnsons at first cuz of the nina simone comparison but it didn't stand the test of time. Maybe it's too baroque for me. I should also go listen to Andrew Bird again.
Martha Wainwright. That's rufus' sister. She wins best song title of the year hands down-- bloody motherfucking asshole. I think it's directed to her dad or something.
And of course, those I've mentioned before, like Bright Eyes and kd lang and Aimee Mann etc.
Kate Bush's aeriel is just pure cuckoo brilliance. There's a song about a washing machine:
"Slooshy sloshy slooshy sloshy
Get that dirty shirty clean"
that puts the mystique back into being a housewife. And there is one where she sings about 150 digits of pi. She blows my mind.

Later.