As the description implies, I have a great love for music. And every year I do do a music countdown of some sort, be it published on the Internet or published mentally. And I make this countdown while listening to 987's top 100 countdown. Anyway, this year saw me taking interest in not just western pop, but also j-pop and k-pop, albeit only a little. So to have so many genres, for a song to get into my top charts is really not easy, and it's not easy for me to decide either. Enough crap, let's go.
Top 20 Music of 2011 (featuring artistes not included)
1. Rolling In The Deep - Adele
2. Party Rock Anthemn - LMFAO
3. Oath Sign - LisA (Opening theme for Fate/Zero)
4. Born This Way - Lady GaGa
5. Memoria - Aoi Eir (Ending theme for Fate/Zero)
6. Yoü And I - Lady GaGa
7. Fireworks - Katy Perry
8. The Boys - Girls Generation (SNSD)
9. Someone Like You - Adele
10.Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F) - Katy Perry
11.Judas - Lady GaGa
12.Give Me Everything - Pitbull
13.Moves Like Jagger - Maroon 5
14.Stereo Hearts - Gym Class Heroes
15.Like A G6 - Far East Movement
16.Pumped Up Kicks - Foster The People
17.The Lazy Song - Bruno Mars
18.永久のキズナ(Towa no Kizuna) - Daisy X Daisy (OP9 for Fairy Tail)
19.Sexy And I Know It - LMFAO
20.Friday - Rebecca Black
Those Lady GaGa songs remind me of the 1st pop concert I've attended in my life. And I earned the tickets. Pretty awesome there imo :D
This year also saw interest in classical music develop in me. And so I feel compelled to make a list for that too.
Top 10 Classical Music for 2011 (brackets indicate specific rendition)
1. Symphony no.5 - W.A Mozart
2. Symphony no.7 - L.V Beethoven
3. Hungarian Rhapsody no.2 in C-sharp minor - F.Lizst
4. Scherzo no.2 in B-flat Minor - F.Chopin (Seth Tan)
5. Grande Sonata Pathetique - L.V Beethoven
6. Danse Espanyol - M. De Falla
7. Romanza in F - L.V Beethoven
8. Les Preludes - F.Lizst
9. Czardas - V.Monti
10.Brandenburg Concertos - J.S Bach (SSO)
2011 is also a year where social media had it's popularity increase exponentially. So let's take a look at some of the top YouTube hits of 2011.
Top 3 YouTube Hits
1. Meme Proposal From Tim to Audrey
2. Judas MV
3. Trololol (it was hell popular!)
Lastly, our all-time favourite past-time, movies.
Top 3 Movies
1. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
2. X-Men: First Class
3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
And this rounds off my mega countdown! Happy New Year! :D
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Complaining
I write this last reflective post of 2011 on board an SMRT train going to Macpherson from Marymount. Having said that, whoever reads this should know what I'm gonna write about.
But unlike tens of thousands of similar posts, I'm not going to talk about how much SMRT has failed in it's duties during the recent spate of breakdowns of unprecedented severity in technical issues, and especially in service issues. Yes it was bad, but many many other people have already voiced their opinions about this issue, albeit all the same opinions, and so there's nothing much for me to add here.
Interestingly, I'm gonna focus this post on the "tens of thousands of similar posts", because they themselves have started a discussion topic on their own.
Singaporeans have always been known to complain about all sorts of issues, be it big or small. And this SMRT incident was no exception. I have heard of many people saying that Singaporeans are complaining too much, making a mountain out of a molehill. But I personally find the fact that people are complaining, good.
Past incidences coupled with proven research has shown that complaining helps solve the problem, to an extent. That is because when people receive complains, they are reminded of what the consumers want and so will be pressurised to produce higher standards to meet people's expectations, to ensure that they can stay in business. In this specific SMRT incident, both SMRT and the authorities were given a wake-up call by the amount of complains they received. They're now aware that people are unhappy and they need to do something about it. And the decision to set up a public inquiry is evidence of that.
However, I feel that if people didn't complain enough, both SMRT and authorities will take the citizens' tolerance for granted and may not deliver the standards they should deliver. And that of course means the problem will persist. Some may say that Singaporeans are over-reacting over such a small issue. After all, this breakdown only happens once in a long time, and is not a cause for such attention. This is indeed true. But you probably don't want the mrt to become like the london tube, where breakdowns and sudden power outages are a norm. The only difference is, the London tube is already 100+ years old, while Singapore's MRT is only 30+ years old. With it's relatively smaller age and technological advances, for the MRT to brome like the London tube so soon is certainly going to dent Singapore's reputation for being one of the most efficient countries in the world. So by reminding may-be complacent authorities and SMRT of our expectations, it prevents this sort of scenario from materialising.
And also again, they're just complains. At least no one is on strike or protesting in any way. Of course, that's also because the screw up isn't that bad, yet.
However, these comments only refer to those who give constructive complains, and not those who complain just for the sake of conforming to what everyone does. And it certainly doesn't refer to things like "f**k SMRT lah!! *random hokkien vulgarities*". Such comments can never be expected to be taken seriously by anyone. So if there's nothing constructive to say, just rage about it, joke about it, post 1 or 2 statuses to complain, and that's it.
So complain, because you have the right to, and because you want the best everytime, but not because everybody is doing it.
Reached Macpherson =)
But unlike tens of thousands of similar posts, I'm not going to talk about how much SMRT has failed in it's duties during the recent spate of breakdowns of unprecedented severity in technical issues, and especially in service issues. Yes it was bad, but many many other people have already voiced their opinions about this issue, albeit all the same opinions, and so there's nothing much for me to add here.
Interestingly, I'm gonna focus this post on the "tens of thousands of similar posts", because they themselves have started a discussion topic on their own.
Singaporeans have always been known to complain about all sorts of issues, be it big or small. And this SMRT incident was no exception. I have heard of many people saying that Singaporeans are complaining too much, making a mountain out of a molehill. But I personally find the fact that people are complaining, good.
Past incidences coupled with proven research has shown that complaining helps solve the problem, to an extent. That is because when people receive complains, they are reminded of what the consumers want and so will be pressurised to produce higher standards to meet people's expectations, to ensure that they can stay in business. In this specific SMRT incident, both SMRT and the authorities were given a wake-up call by the amount of complains they received. They're now aware that people are unhappy and they need to do something about it. And the decision to set up a public inquiry is evidence of that.
However, I feel that if people didn't complain enough, both SMRT and authorities will take the citizens' tolerance for granted and may not deliver the standards they should deliver. And that of course means the problem will persist. Some may say that Singaporeans are over-reacting over such a small issue. After all, this breakdown only happens once in a long time, and is not a cause for such attention. This is indeed true. But you probably don't want the mrt to become like the london tube, where breakdowns and sudden power outages are a norm. The only difference is, the London tube is already 100+ years old, while Singapore's MRT is only 30+ years old. With it's relatively smaller age and technological advances, for the MRT to brome like the London tube so soon is certainly going to dent Singapore's reputation for being one of the most efficient countries in the world. So by reminding may-be complacent authorities and SMRT of our expectations, it prevents this sort of scenario from materialising.
And also again, they're just complains. At least no one is on strike or protesting in any way. Of course, that's also because the screw up isn't that bad, yet.
However, these comments only refer to those who give constructive complains, and not those who complain just for the sake of conforming to what everyone does. And it certainly doesn't refer to things like "f**k SMRT lah!! *random hokkien vulgarities*". Such comments can never be expected to be taken seriously by anyone. So if there's nothing constructive to say, just rage about it, joke about it, post 1 or 2 statuses to complain, and that's it.
So complain, because you have the right to, and because you want the best everytime, but not because everybody is doing it.
Reached Macpherson =)
Thursday, December 29, 2011
Following your interest
I was lying on the bed, reflecting on things as usual. And I decided to check my Facebook feed one last time. While doing that, I came across an article about the dilemma manny people now face especially when they choose their career paths. So the problem is, to follow what he has always wanted to do, or to conform to usual careers which is likely to bring in bigger salaries. That also reminds me that a few months ago, quite a number of sec2s were consulting me on what subject combination they should be taking. So my advice: choose only what you are interested in.
I say this because I myself have made such mistakes, and regretted it.
CHS has always had a reputation for high distinction rates in the humanities and humanities electives, especially in History. I was enticed by the consistent 90+% distinction rate in the O levels, and so felt it was the best and safest elective for me. (I chose it as an elective because there'd be no doubt that I'd be taking pure music, which I didn't regret.) I thought it was an easy A1.
However, things didn't look as rosy as I had thought. History lessons were the only lessons which I could fall asleep in, and history exams meant a full night of cramping information into my head. On top of that, I had poor inference/comparing/investigative skills and so consistently did badly in the SBQs, and my essays weren't top notch either so that meant I was always one of the last few in class. And that sucked. Also, there are still a couple more reasons but I shan't say it here.
Most importantly, I didn't do any research before picking this subject combination, I simply conformed to the level. So I didn't know it was all going to be Western history. And I had absolutely zero interest in Western history. All I learnt was how much the West failed in diplomacy in the 20th century, and how much WW2 and its devastating effects could have been prevented if they were a little smarter, and that made me unhappy. But of course, there were also some good acts, like Gustav Stresseman's reforms which saved Germany (but who knew?), and perhaps the creation of the 7 ideals that led to the inception of the LoN. But truth be told, History definitely wasn't my cup of tea.
I don't hate History altogether though. In fact, I do love Asian history. Perhaps it's because it has some relation to me as a person, while Western history just simply has no relevance to me. So I learnt, and am still learning, via the hard way that taking up a subject just for an O level A1 is not a good idea at all.
So if History isn't my cup of tea, then what is? Well, among this level, it's considered a suicide subject. And so yes -- it's Literature. I love learning about how great writers make their story great, such as how they use certain words to give different characters their character, how they write their stories to involve certain themes and reflect certain issues that were prominent at their time, how their background influences their writing, how they evoke strong feelings in their readers just by the power of words. Simply put, I'm facinated at knowing the thought process of these writers I'm creating these classics that'd be read even after a long period of time.
I was also fascinated by how different words can evoke different feelings in the reader, especially how the same word, where used differently, can create different literary effects in a piece of writing. It's amazing (for me) to know how the reader can feel this emotions, just by the clever use of language. No illustrations, no gimmicks, just words.
Unfortunately, these feelings only came to me after sec2 EOY. Then, I had already decided to take Literature as an elective. But it was not to be after I learnt that I'd almost failed by Macbeth essay. And so I decided that it was too risky. And even more unluckily, my interest in Literature had only developed throughout sec3. Thanks to Music (fortunately music was like lit) and some guy in my class who influenced me.
Then there was also my 3rd Lang. I was always fond of the Japanese language and had already decided to take it. So I filled the application with "Japanese". However (unsurprisingly) my mum convinced me that it was much safer and easier to take Malay. And so I did. Luckily I developed a fond interest in Malay over the years and so I'm now learning both. Double joy. :)
But as for History, well, I'm living in the present, and I've got no choice but to take History Elect O levels next year. I guess the best I can do now is just to try and feel for the subject (it always works, if I can do it), or shutup and just cramp before exam time, which is the norm.
And so I learnt to follow my interests, because it's a much safer option, both mentally and academically.
Goodnight! :)
I say this because I myself have made such mistakes, and regretted it.
CHS has always had a reputation for high distinction rates in the humanities and humanities electives, especially in History. I was enticed by the consistent 90+% distinction rate in the O levels, and so felt it was the best and safest elective for me. (I chose it as an elective because there'd be no doubt that I'd be taking pure music, which I didn't regret.) I thought it was an easy A1.
However, things didn't look as rosy as I had thought. History lessons were the only lessons which I could fall asleep in, and history exams meant a full night of cramping information into my head. On top of that, I had poor inference/comparing/investigative skills and so consistently did badly in the SBQs, and my essays weren't top notch either so that meant I was always one of the last few in class. And that sucked. Also, there are still a couple more reasons but I shan't say it here.
Most importantly, I didn't do any research before picking this subject combination, I simply conformed to the level. So I didn't know it was all going to be Western history. And I had absolutely zero interest in Western history. All I learnt was how much the West failed in diplomacy in the 20th century, and how much WW2 and its devastating effects could have been prevented if they were a little smarter, and that made me unhappy. But of course, there were also some good acts, like Gustav Stresseman's reforms which saved Germany (but who knew?), and perhaps the creation of the 7 ideals that led to the inception of the LoN. But truth be told, History definitely wasn't my cup of tea.
I don't hate History altogether though. In fact, I do love Asian history. Perhaps it's because it has some relation to me as a person, while Western history just simply has no relevance to me. So I learnt, and am still learning, via the hard way that taking up a subject just for an O level A1 is not a good idea at all.
So if History isn't my cup of tea, then what is? Well, among this level, it's considered a suicide subject. And so yes -- it's Literature. I love learning about how great writers make their story great, such as how they use certain words to give different characters their character, how they write their stories to involve certain themes and reflect certain issues that were prominent at their time, how their background influences their writing, how they evoke strong feelings in their readers just by the power of words. Simply put, I'm facinated at knowing the thought process of these writers I'm creating these classics that'd be read even after a long period of time.
I was also fascinated by how different words can evoke different feelings in the reader, especially how the same word, where used differently, can create different literary effects in a piece of writing. It's amazing (for me) to know how the reader can feel this emotions, just by the clever use of language. No illustrations, no gimmicks, just words.
Unfortunately, these feelings only came to me after sec2 EOY. Then, I had already decided to take Literature as an elective. But it was not to be after I learnt that I'd almost failed by Macbeth essay. And so I decided that it was too risky. And even more unluckily, my interest in Literature had only developed throughout sec3. Thanks to Music (fortunately music was like lit) and some guy in my class who influenced me.
Then there was also my 3rd Lang. I was always fond of the Japanese language and had already decided to take it. So I filled the application with "Japanese". However (unsurprisingly) my mum convinced me that it was much safer and easier to take Malay. And so I did. Luckily I developed a fond interest in Malay over the years and so I'm now learning both. Double joy. :)
But as for History, well, I'm living in the present, and I've got no choice but to take History Elect O levels next year. I guess the best I can do now is just to try and feel for the subject (it always works, if I can do it), or shutup and just cramp before exam time, which is the norm.
And so I learnt to follow my interests, because it's a much safer option, both mentally and academically.
Goodnight! :)
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
New blog!
So I've created this new blog, because I think the old one is rather obsolete. Anyway this shall be the platform I'll use from now on to publish my thoughts about various issues, such as recent happenings, life and reflections about certain news. Perhaps also to share a different perspective to these issues.
I've created this blog also to voice my opinions which are too long to put on Facebook, and those which I must voice out at all cost (犹如骨鲠在喉，不吐不快). As O level is coming next year, this blog is also a means for me to practice English writing, so as much as possible everything here will be in proper English.
Anyway, I hope whoever is reading this can get a better insight to my world and my feelings about the world
I live in. It's late now so I'll be sleeping. 1st post tomorrow. Good night! :)
I've created this blog also to voice my opinions which are too long to put on Facebook, and those which I must voice out at all cost (犹如骨鲠在喉，不吐不快). As O level is coming next year, this blog is also a means for me to practice English writing, so as much as possible everything here will be in proper English.
Anyway, I hope whoever is reading this can get a better insight to my world and my feelings about the world
I live in. It's late now so I'll be sleeping. 1st post tomorrow. Good night! :)
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