Vaguely reminiscent…

Haha… Those are the lyrics from “Alvin and the Chipmunks” – one of the songs from the movie. Witch Doctor I think. Cool show… I actually liked it. Went in thinking I would be wasting my money but ended up really really liking the show. Haha…

Well, as you might’ve figured out by now, carolling’s finally ended. And what fun it was! Although it was really really tiring both physically / vocally and mentally, I really really enjoyed this year’s carolling a lot more than last year. First of all, I went carolling with 2 groups this year, the Raffles Hall Choir and with the NUS Choir. Really really cool bunch of people I sang with.

Carolling with RH Choir this year was tons of fun! 3 main places this year I think – Jurong East Entertainment Centre, Ngee Ann City and White Sands. It was kinda tough shifting from tenor and bass when they needed it the most but the most fun we had was after carolling itself. We’d binge (okay not really binge – stuff ourselves!) on really nice good food and with excellent company. One was at Swensen’s. Another was at Clementi. Another was at Holland V. Another was to watch Enchanted and then KTV. Another was to watch Alvin and the Chipmunks after a lunch at a Hong Kong Cafe. Another was to have Tang Yuan in the Block 4 kitchenette because it was some winter solstice thingy. And we had to walk back from Holland V all the way back to RH because we missed the last bus and when we played charades till 5am in the kitchenette.

Most importantly however, all the occasions were accompanied with joyous laughter and just mindless banter with good friends. Carolling itself was quite fun too! We tried to not be so uptight and serious on stage but sometimes, we were just too nervous to smile. Haha… But we had tons of fun singing. Well, I did! I’ll miss all the choir ppl. Heck. I kind of miss carolling already haha… But we’ll be working together again for Phoenix Fest/Rhazzmatazz, whichever it is that RH has decided. But I am sure it’s gonna be tons of fun. A zillion thanks to all the people who made it fun: Shu Shan, Wei Bin, Kavan, Daphne, Gant, Jocelyn, Huiyi, Huiyuan, Brian, JJ, Boon Ghee, Swee Yee, June, Melissa, Shinney, Keith, Chao Chao and the many seniors who came by and helped out and sang with us. Hmmm… Have I forgotten someone? Pardon me if I did.

Carolling with NUS Choir was fun too! I’m not really familiar with everyone yet but everyone’s been so warm and welcoming, it’s hard not to fit in. I sang with them at a few places, I think it was at Marina Square, Wisma Atria, AMK Hub, Tanglin Club and at Shangri-la. Shag shag shag. Shangri-la was the toughest I thought because we had so many sessions in a space of about 4 hours. Fun all the way though. Haha… Here’s where the vocals got drilled I think because one of the most challenging yet most beautiful songs was sung at every session: the melodious O Holy Night. Love that song to death but the belting also scored a toll on my vocal chords because I think I would choose to blast the wrong parts loudly. Haha. Usually my fave parts would be the victim. Plus, I was always afraid I would sing “Bm” wrongly during I’ll Be Home For Christmas”. Infernally afraid. Haha…

But I made tons of friends in NUS Choir! Especially among the basses. Heck… All 4 sections actually. Love all of them. They’re such a bunch of fun-loving people who just love singing because they love singing. Gotta love their passion. Phew – I’ve got a lot to catching up to do. On Christmas Eve, after we finished singing at Shangri-la and after a well-deserved dinner at McDonalds (!!!), a few of us spontaneously decided to stop in the underpass between Wheelock place and Lido and started singing some carols which echoed through the tunnel. It was midnight and we wanted to celebrate the Christmas spirit! So random, so fun!

Other than that, the month’s been a month of catching up with dear old friends whom I’ve neglected (sorry!) this past semester. For example, this evening, I just got back from Edison’s ReWinds concert at VCH – great concert. I liked most of the pieces though I only liked parts of Othello. But I loved Global Variations. More examples would be when I met up with Chris for lunch at Holland V’s Thai Express. I also indulged in chocolate heaven with Bjorn at Max Brenner’s. Had supper with Daniel and Shaun over Geylang’s famous beef horfun/seafood horfun and tau huay. Had drinks (well I had a Shirley Temple which is a mocktail but still technically a drink) with Tim, Daniel, Shaun, Kelvin, Farid and the CME ppl after one of our carolling sessions. But I still have tons of people to meet up with. Sighs… So little time before school starts again haha.

Oh and as I mentioned last night, I finished Peculiar Chris, having found it accidentally at the Central Library. Really loved the book – it had moments of awesome insight and made me think. But at times it was a bit too cursory for my taste. Still like the book tons despite its flaws. The author took a very bold step when he chose to publish it and I really admire his courage. And the fact that he was from RJ as well really makes me proud to be a RJ student too. =) Plus the fact that I watched Asian Boys Vol 3 really made me like the book even more. That was a great play. The book on which it was based on? Equally great.

Plus, it reminded me once more why I love books so much. I’m very much a visual person – that’s why I take so long to read a book sometimes. I like to imagine myself being in the author’s or protagonist’s shoes and imagining myself in the story itself. Making it real. I just love immersing myself in a book and smiling or slightly laughing (softly of course) in the train or on the bus when reading a passage that I’m highly amused about. While reading Peculiar Chris, I teared a bit when Samuel died beside Chris in an almost pathetic yet quietly strong way. My sister used to think I was mad to smile out of nowhere at the randomest of times when reading a book. Strangers would sometimes stare as well. But I don’t care. I do as I please as long as I’m doing no harm to anyone else. I think that’s why Giselle attracted me so much in “Enchanted”. She sings. Very well but very randomly at very random times. And she cares not a toot what other people think. I love that. And I love her.

I’m finishing up Neil Gaiman’s “Stardust” by tomorrow and will start on Philip Pullman’s “Northern Lights” as well. Hopefully, I can also finish Captain Bluebear before school starts. Crap. I was so supposed to open up my next sem’s books. Like last week!!! Haha… And I so need to read a Lit classic before school begins because I know I won’t have time to do so once hell breaks loose again. I’ve got Oscar Wilde’s “Woman of No Importance” and Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” staring back at me on my desk under the desk lights. Lol. Officially, I’ve touched them. That’s a start. Above that however, I have “The Law of Trusts and Equitable Remedies” and “Constitutional Law in Malaysia and Singapore” threatening to fall on my head from the shelves. Nagging back at me.

And I still want to read more books. Been meaning to read more. I feel a need to reread Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code” and Gregory Maguire’s “Wicked”. I want to reread “Bridget Jones’ Diary” and the slew of Adrian Mole diaries. And I so want to read the last 2 books in the Harry Potter series. I’ve not even read them! Omg. And I want to get “Mister B.Gone” by horror maestro Clive Barker and the other books by Walter Moers and the subsequent books by Jasper Fforde on Thursday Next after “Something Rotten”. I want to read ‘chick-lit’ too!!! Like the Shopaholic diaries. Heard they are an awesome fun read. I want to read more of Charlotte Brontë and of Dickens. I want to read more of Shakespeare. I really do miss literature so much. Sigh.

The night’s calm once again and my mind’s at ease once more. Some RH friends are having a friendly game of mahjong and laughing once in a while to the sounds of the tiles being arranged. I don’t even hear the crickets belt a symphony which is great. It’s nice to have this feeling. Kind of an after-Christmas calming effect. I like it.