I Have a New Addiction...

... and it's called flumpool!


flumpool is a four-man J-band: Ryuuta Yamamura (Voc & Gu), Kazuki Sakai (Gu), Genki Amakawa (Ba), and Seiji Ogura (Dru). They're pretty new to the J-music scene having been formed only in early 2007 and I think released their first single in early 2008. Their mini album "Unreal", released late last Dec, has gotta be one of the best J-album for the year 2008 IMHO!

They started humbly by singing at subway stations (i think when they were only 3-man band, ie sans the drummer, called "cube"). But they rise to fame pretty quickly. They have already has the highest selling debut act of 2008 in Japan; with only 2 digital singles & 1 mini-album to their name (which has almost sold 200k). Not surprising, really, since they have got real good music.

Another thing that attracted me to this band besides their good music is that their vocalist is real cute! *swoons*LOL...



I mean, hey, not many good J bands have got good-looking frontman. Among my fav bands, think only Larc~en~ciel (Hyde-sama!) and Uverworld have ikemen vocalists. if you wanna see ikemen, go listen to Johnny boys, but unfortch they can't really sing. So yea, it's definitely a plus for my viewing pleasure.

Anyways, back to their music. Their mini album has 10 songs, which includes 2 instrumentals, which kinda make it pseudo-singles. Out of the 8 songs, my fav are (in order of fav, 1 being best):
1. Hana ni Nare
2. 春風 (harukaze)
3. labo
4. Over the rain~Hikari no Hashi~

3 and 4 are kinda in a tie. And all 4 songs are pretty different from each other, which is nice.

Their song "Over the rain ~Hikari no Hashi~" was used as the closing song of the drama Bloody Monday (it's a must-watch show!), which I've only finished watching last week and it's where I've first heard of them. Didn't check the song out straight away cuz I don't really like melancholic songs and drama songs usually reminds me of the drama itself and despite BloMo being a good drama, it's not sth I wanna be reminded of often. But it's still a good slow song, tho sometimes somehow it makes me feel sad.

Hana ni Nare is without a doubt my fav! I like it the moment I hear the song. Dunno how to classify it, but it's kinda rock-ish? Love the string music arrangement in the beginning. It gives a perfect intro to the song. And Kazuki harmonize Ryuuta perfectly, maybe cuz they're like childhood friends.

Their latest song, Harukaze, is a lovely slow rock. The lyrics are really sweet too. It's a perfect song to listen to on a long bus/train ride, preferably with nice view outside, just like in the video (:

labo didn't become instant fav.It's like a mix of rock, jazz and punk, i think haha... But the more I listen to it, the more I like it although it's got pretty weird lyrics. Oh and I love the video. It's pretty cool and I love the way Ryuuta groove to the beat.



And saving the best for the last, I present you the cover for Unreal!!


I bet it will go straight to censorship if they ever bring this album to Singapore. Ryuuta said that it portrays their new entrance to the entertainment world or something like that. And the title Unreal is is also something like their surreal shot to fame and that fans are to decide if the pics are real or digitally modified. I say (and D too) that Ryuuta has got some nice, perky butts there hohoho...

It's pretty hard to get their pics. So be happy I've found these drool-worthy piccas!

Snippets of the Week

Snippet 1

Krish and I were lamenting how the economic recession has affected everyone. Watched in Channelnewsasia that KP is having a salary cut of 7.5% (that's alot since usually pay increment in Spore is only like, what 10-20%?). Luckily it only affects the manager level and up. If they dare cut my already meager future salary, I think I'd rather bum around at home LOL...

Anyways, so there we were sighing on a beautiful blue-skied afternoon how we have to be mindful how we spend our money. Occasional trips to resto or nice cafe will have to be postponed and we have to be contented with meals in Koufu or Kopitiam. But then Krish said something pretty interesting. He said something like it is exactly the fact that people are tightening their belts that the recession is getting from bad to worse. Think about it, the lesser people spend, the lesser consumption there will be. Less consumption means less production and less income/profit for the producing industry. So companies have to cut somemore wage to cut cost. Which means, people will spend even lesser now that they have lower wage. And the cycle goes on.

Therefore, Krish suggested that we should contribute more to the economy. Spend more! More spending --> more consumption --> more production --> more income for companies --> (hopefully) salary increment for employees!

Brilliant isn't it? Never really thought about it.

Snippet 2

I think my interest in anything Japanese has somewhat become an addiction. I have to watch j-drama like once a day (cuz i'm still somewhat free, considering it's only the end of week 3 of school) and I had no idea who katy perry is or if britney has won can't-remember-how-many awards during MTV VMA last year. Instead, my mp3 is now filled with J songs. But still, I only fill it with my fav artists only. I dunno every crowing peeps in the J music scene, mind you. If I wake up early enough, I'd tune in to XFM 96.3, which ends its J segment at 9 am (unfortch, I hardly catch it since I wake up around 9 am haha...).

Oh and have I told you I'm taking Japanese mod? Heheh... It's an extra mod since I've already fulfilled my 39 credits requirement. The class is pretty fun, the teacher's really sweet. Very typical Japanese lady. But it's pretty slow-paced. I already know phrases and my vocab isn't too bad (according to Kit). But I know nuts about writing. So yea, I'm just hanging in there for the sake of the writing part.

Dawn and I got kinda excited being able to read the hiragana writings on the food packagings during our trip to Daiso. When I reached home I showed off my newly learned skill to mom. She was a little bit impressed only (mayb partly cuz jap is one of her least favourite language), and she just said, "Oh you know how to read huh? But do you understand what you're reading?"

Dang.. -_-

Anyways, when the usual gp of us (read: dawn, kit and I) were hanging out at koufu, Kit said that I should change my blog to j-drama, movie and music review blog cuz I seem to know the J entertainment world more than her despite the fact that she's stayed in the land of the rising sun itself for a year. Haha... Yea mayb she's right. I mean I do know what year many of the actors/actresses were born and some other little-known facts of some artists. But then again, just like my many other addictions, this addiction will sooner or later die, although it's definitely not anytime soon. So yea, from now on, I guess I will do some reviews when I feel like it. So ya, look forward to it ya! (:

Global Warming Effect

I don't know about others, but I'm kinda loving this particular global warming effect on Singapore weather. The usual hot and humid Singapore with high cloud cover has become windy in the afternoon with pretty clear blue sky and cooling (sometimes even cold) with clear starry sky. Yep, starry sky! I have never seen so many stars on a Singapore sky in my 9 years' life here. Mom's pretty happy too with the weather too since the laundry dry faster.

Yes, I'm lovin this weather. I do hope it's not short-lived *crossfingers*

Niji (虹) by Aqua Timez

This song has been on repeat on my iTunes for the past few days. I really love it! It has a happy tune and nice lyrics too. First heard of Aqua Timez when they sing the opening song for Bleach. The lead singer reminds me of the lead singer from Home Made Kazoku, only with higher-pitched voice. Cute heheh...

This song is used as the ending song for Gokusen 3. Very apt song for Gokusen series. The drama itself is ok lah. They kinda recycle the story, like Gokusen 2. Some parts are still pretty funny, but I watch mainly for Miura Haruma and for some brainless jokes before school starts and my brain have to be on full force again heh...

Btw if you are a Miura's fan, watch him in Bloody Monday. He acts really well there. He's a pretty good actor for his age IMO. I'm suspecting he'll be the next Oguri Shun. The two of them are so cute together in Binbo Danshi.

In the meantime, I present Niji by Aqua Timez...




Romaji
daijoubu dayo miagereba mou
daijoubu hora nanairo no hashi
yatto onaji sora no shita de waraeru ne

kutsu himo wo musubi naosu toki kaze ga bokura no sanaka wo osu
sora ga koboshita hikari no mukou ni ano yume no tsuzuki wo egakou
hidari mune no oku ga takanaru kitai to fuan ga myaku wo utsu
hontou ni daijoubu kana subete nori koete yukeru kana

daijoubu dayo miagereba mou
daijoubu hora nanairo no hashi
namida wo nagashi kiru to sora ni kakaru
nee mieru desho haruka kanata ni
boku nimo mieru kimi to onaji no
futatsu no sora ga ima hitotsu ni naru
yatto onaji sora no shita de waraeru ne

betsubetsu no sora wo motte umareta kioku wo utsushi dasu sora
kimi niwa kimi no monogatari ga ari boku no shiranai namida ga aru
moshikashitara boku ga warau koro ni kimi wa naiteta no kamo shirenai
nita you na yorokobi wa aru keredo onaji kanashimi wa kitto nai

yakusoku de mirai wo fuchidori kotoba de kazari tsuke wo suru
kimi wa tashika na asu wo kitto dare yori hoshigatteta

meguru kisetsu no hitotsu no you ni
kanashii toki wa kanashii mama ni
shiawase ni naru koto wo isoganai de
daijoubu dayo koko ni iru kara
daijoubu dayo doko nimo ikanai
mada hashiri dasu toki wa kimi to issho

namida no nai sekai nimo sono hashi wa kakari masu ka ?
kabe ni kizamareta rakugaki wa dareka no ji ni yoku niteta
kanashimi wo toozakeru koto de kimi wa hashi wo kakeyou to shita
keredo ima kasa wo sutete me wo tsuburu

daijoubu...

daijoubu dayo miagereba mou
daijoubu hora nanairo no hashi
namida wo nagashi oeta kimi no sora ni
nee mieru desho iro azayaka ni
boku nimo mieru kimi to onaji no
kizuna to iu na no niji ga kakatta ne
soshite
futatsu no sora ga yatto yatto hitotsu ni natte
bokura wo hashiraserunda

Translation
It’ll be okay, just look up
It’s okay, do you see the seven color (rainbow) bridge?
We can finally smile beneath the same sky

When we re-tie our shoelaces, the wind pushes us forward
Let’s continue our dreams beyond the light that spills from the sky
My heart beats within my chest, hope and fear pulsate through my veins
I wonder if it’s really okay, I wonder if I can make it through it all

It’ll be okay, just look up
It’s okay, do you see the seven color (rainbow) bridge?
It’s formed in the sky by the tears you shed
Hey, I know you can see it in the distance
I can see it too, same as you
Our two skies now become as one
We can finally smile beneath the same sky

We were born with different skies, skies that reflect our memories
You have your own story and tears I know nothing about
I might have been smiling at the same time you were crying
There may be similar kinds of happiness, but I doubt that for sadness

You place a border on the future with ‘promises’ and adorn it with words
I’m sure you wanted a guaranteed tomorrow more than anyone

Like a single season that goes by
Let your sad times remain sad
Don’t rush to turn them into happiness
It’s okay, I’m here for you
It’s okay, I’m not going anywhere
When it’s time to run, I’ll still run together with you

“Would that bridge form in a world without tears?”
The graffitti scrawled on the wall resembled someone’s handwriting
You wanted to build a bridge to get away from sadness
But now I close my eyes and toss my umbrella away

It’s okay

It’ll be okay, just look up
It’s okay, do you see the seven color (rainbow) bridge?
Look up in your sky that has cried all of its tears
Hey, I know you can see it shining brightly
I can see it too, same as you
The rainbow of our bond has formed
And now
Our two skies will finally, finally become as one
And get us to run

31.12.2008

Exactly 9 hours to the new year, tho for the Adventists, we are only 4 hours away from the new year.

So many things had happened, good things as well as bad. Being superstitious, I thought 2008 would be a breeze. But I was wrong. Personally I had the worst, I really mean WORST term of my uni life. I never had felt so scared of failing before. But thank God, tho the grades hurt my GPA a lot, I didn't fail. I'm just crossing my fingers that KPMG won't revoke my contract ^^"

Globally, shit happened too. What with the investment banks crumbling one after another. Studying in a business school, to work in banks or to be an investment banker seemed to be the common dream. Alas, the current the economy dashed some people's hopes. The headlines on the newspaper paint a bleak future. "The economic recession is nigh!" people say, or is it already here? I don't know. I don't really read the newspaper. Well, as they say, ignorance is bliss.

As usual, the pessimistic me always start with the negatives. But yes, there are good things. Small small ones, but many. I can't recall all of them one by one but still, I was and am thankful for them. Thanks to the recency effect, or simply cuz I've short memory, the things I can remember are limited.

Anyways, whenever I'm thankful about something, it always involve my friends. I'm glad I've people that I can complain to, listen to my bitchings and my anxiety. Like during my BSM trip, I'm really grateful for the many new friends made, and a couple of really good friends made. They made the nasty things bearable.

Oh and my bro got married! It's a bit sad tho since it means that when my sis go back to Thailand and my bro lives with his wife, I'll be the only one left for my dad to be ordered around. Sighs... but well, guess I'm happy for my bro since my dad will stop nagging him to get married. Haha... "Hope to see little Tamps soon!" my friend said excitedly. Amen to that.

December was a action-packed. 3/4 of it were spent overseas. It was filled with rush to get from one point to another, thanks to the BSM trip and my bro's wedding. Really exhausting but fun nonetheless. It's also the first time since I hit the big TWO O that I get to spend my birthday in Singapore. I spent it bumming around tho, since I was so tired from the BSM trip.

Oops, I've to go to church soon. So I guess I'll end my post here. I'll tell the stories from my BSM trip and my bro's wedding another time (depends if I don't feel lazy :P).

HAPPY NEW YEAR PEEPS!! (:

PS: As a bonus, I'll post up this super nice song titled Niji (Rainbow) by Aqua Timez.

Think SMoo is Great? Think Again.

Week 14 MSN nicks.

And it shows only a fraction of the SMoo peeps. I've SMoo Indons, SMoo juniors, SMoo bsm etc... and their nicks are pretty much as sad.

I dunno how to title my post, so i'll leave it blank.

School has been horrible. Another test with horrible grade. No horrible doesn't cut it. It's too god-awful, I dunno how to describe it. It's the worst mark I've ever gotten and am sure it's worse than any mark anyone would have ever gotten. It's THAT bad. And then there are never-ending projects and people tend to get cranky when deadlines are nearing, arguments (sometimes unfriendly) becomes abound.

I'm just glad most of my deadlines are over. Left exams and one more report to finish. I can't say I'm proud of the results that I've received so far and I can only cross my fingers for those results that are yet to come.

SY showed me this video from Avenue Q, titled "It sucks to be me". You can Youtube it. Sometimes i do feel it really sucks to be me. Often I ask when things happen, "Why me God?"

Sometimes I feel God is being really unfair. I do admit God grants wishes, but somehow I feel He's only granting small wishes, like when I ask for bus/cab to quickly come. But when it comes to things I really really REALLY want, He doesn't give. And I don't think my wishes are those selfish ones like asking God to make me richer, prettier, slimmer etc. Sometimes I even gave God reasons why my wishes should be granted. And I tell you, those reasons are reasonable.

When things are going really tough, I kinda become determined to be depressed. Refuse to smile, refuse to eat, refuse to be nice to ppl, refuse to talk to ppl and just lock myself in my room with rock music blasting my ears off. Anyways, when ur feeling like shit, it IS a chore to smile to ppl. Maybe I'm doing all that to let people know that I am depressed and that I should be pitied.

But somehow, I find it too troublesome to keep up such acts. And it's kinda like a circular thing, the more I show my depression, the more depressed and frustrated I become. Besides I am grateful for some friends that I have. Grateful for their non-judgemental attitude. "So you failed your tests, so you are a loser, so what?" they say.

I'm glad I can have a good hearty laugh with them without thinking, "Oh no, I shouldn't be laughing. How can I be so carefree when I just failed my test?"

When day-in day-out I'm surrounded with people who are forever bloody concerned with their academic achievements, I'm glad I've friends who can so freely tease one another, "owned" one another, make themselves look super silly and have a good laugh out of it, where I can make a fool out of myself without them looking at me with condescending eyes. Tho I can only enjoy such moments only 1 day out of the 7 days I have in a week, I am really grateful for it.

And yes, tho I do feel angry at God at times, I've to admit He does keep me sane in this crazy world. I do pray that He keeps this optimism in me so I can go through each day, to keep on living.

LOST MY AFA BOOK!

Ok that's it. I.am.just.so.fucking.pissed.right.now!!!!!!!!!

Left my favorite blue Fila shoes bag, with my AFA book and my brand new shoes inside on Monday night in SESS GSR. Then when i went to check the room on Tuesday morning, it was already gone. Checked with security guards and cleaner aunties, nope, they didn't see any shoes bag. Then asked for CCTV viewing, they "regret to inform you that after carrying out our investigations, we are unable to get any findings on your reported lost items".

Regret my fucking arse! Did you even try? There are 2 bloody CCTVs outside the friggin' room and you tell me you are not able to get anything? HELLOW? Are you all blind? what's the point of having CCTVs if they can't capture the necessary images. Or don't tell me those stupid CCTVs are just there for a show. Wah, so much for the security in Smoo. So much for paying tens of thousands of dollars for the useless facilities (not to mention the suicide-inducing education system)

OMG i am just so dead. i got a bloody AFA quiz next Tuesday and I haven't finished studying and now the book's gone. Just to let you know, it is IMPOSSIBLE to re read everything now that exam's in 2 weeks' time. Oh btw, i failed my first quiz, so I suppose I should just continue my failing streak. Great. Fantastic. My life is so perfect now. Everything's going according to what I want. Woo hoo! HAAAAALLELUJAH!!



PS:
To whoever stole my stuff:

I hope you're happy. You have made a girl so friggin happy right now that she's lost sleep, spent day in day out wondering around SESS building, asking strangers here and there to find her precious book. I hope you get ur just dessert. Just don't let me find you. If I do, i'll make sure I slap your face so hard, your face swollen thrice the normal size. If you're a guy, I'm gonna kick your friggin' didi SOOOO HARD that you can say goodbye to your future kids. If you're a girl, hmm that's harder, well at least I'm gonna embarrass you enough that you wish you disappear from the face of the earth. I hope you die a horrible death you KNNCCB!!


Yea, life is great. So great.

The Cheap Thrills Aren't So Cheap After All

Never have I experienced such a tough term in SMoo. Even the word 'tough' is such a gross understatement. True, each of the 6 terms that I've had has been tough, hectic and full of frustration. But this time I really feel like the water is all the way up to my neck.

Bombarded with works and demands left right back centre top bottom. I'm drowning in all these 'things to do' and I have no frickin' idea how to save myself. I don't see anyone in sight that I can shout for help to. No life buoy in sight either. Even the people I regarded as good friends have betrayed me. So bloody frustrating!

I tried to be optimistic, but every time I thought things are going a-ok after all the efforts done, all the late nights, then No, they are actually major flops. Failed tests, failed projects, re-do, more research, more writings to do. Don't people need a life? When the hell all these gonna stop?!? And worst, I'm doing all these for a degree that I don't even want. FUCKIN SHIT i tell u!

"You should thank me that you got into SMoo, where 100% of its graduates a job and they get paid well" he said.

Thank you??? You want me to thank you?!? You gave the least help when I need it the most. And you made those useless comments that you should've just kept in your fucking little shitty mouth. And who cares about money when everyday I just feel like gulping potassium cyanide.

You don't even show a little bit of proudness when I told you I got a job. Not even a tiny little glimmer of proudness. Why? The company not famous enough? Pay not big enough? Job title not zai enough for you to brag to your friends? It's ok. I feel it's not something to be proud of either, not when others can easily get twice or thrice the amount in some swanky big banks with some high-class-sounding job title. I'm sorry I'm such a disappointment. Never shown you any straight-As report card and the 5 Cs (it's 6 now) that I've collected aren't the same Cs that you want me to give you.

Oh wells, blame myself for being able to be swayed easily, to have believed those empty promises. I guess at the end of they day, I have only myself to blame for all these.

Oh wells, c'est la vie. I'll just have to psyche myself up. Delusion myself that everything will turn out fine. Do my best. Smile. Be happy. Yea, whatever.

Freedom to Choose?

Was just wondering. Actually was reading AFA when my thoughts drifted away. It always happen. Anyways, was just wodnering the meaning of having a freedom to choose. The real meaning, of course.

It's funny how preaches always say that God has given us the freedom to choose. It's funny because if we choose to do something that is not in line with what God wants us to do, we suffer a consequence. For example, we can choose to be a goody-2-shoes or be a total jackass. But of course, God will bless the goody-2-shoes and not the jackass, right? Unless of course the jackass repents. But repentance is an entirely different thing and we shall keep this topic short and simple here.

It always happen, to me at least, when I do bad things I will suffer the horrible consequence almost immediately. Really. But I won't give you instances, cuz I ain't proud of my sins. So, if I want good things to happen to me, I have NO choice but to be a good girl right? I mean, who doesn't want good things ot happen to them. Even those super emo kids who claims they don't need God's blessings or good things to happen to them, deep deep down they must long for good things. That's irrefutable.

Ok I know that "God gives rain to both bad and good guys", which implies God's blessings is for everyone. But then again, why do we say "you will get your just dessert" to the baddies? which implies that if we do bad things, we get bad things.

So applying my Analytical Skill, I shall attempt to make a proposition (is it what it's called? can't remember. sold my AS bk already)

Since good things happen to good people, we HAVE to be a good person
if we want good things to happen to us.

"Have to" implies a MUST, which implies the lack of alternatives. So... what's that freedom to choose are we talking about again?