2014 - Retrospection

The year is almost over. I can't believe how fast the months have passed. Too fast, if you'd ask me. I had made a list in January. It was kind of a to-do/resolutions list of things I wanted to achieve by the last day of December. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to cross everything off my list. But here is it, and my progress so far.

• Worry Less. Be More Positive. ✓

This is now a key and constant item on my resolution lists. I'm a worrier. I'm an over-thinker. I'm a pessimist. But I've been working on myself; surrounding myself with positive thoughts and I've been able to calm the qualms. I'm kind of proud of how far I've come.

• Spend wisely. Save Money. ✓ 

Not as much as I could have. I admit that I've splurged a little... but I'll still give myself a PASS. Frugal living FTW!

• Learn how to drive ✓ 

I finally have my learner's licence. And my lessons are starting next Saturday. This is therefore an eventual pass. Orange for now.

• Read at least a book per week. ✗

This is a total failure. As much as I love to read, I just haven't found anything that's really piqued my interest. I've started so many books but only finished about ten this year.

• Stop wasting time on the internet. ✓

Tumblr is the main reason why this was on the list. I've spent so many hours on this website. I even have a quite popular fandom blog with thousands of followers. I got a little caught up in my fandom life, for a little while tbh. Circumstances have forced me to stop using the website as much as I used to.  Which is a really good thing. My internet usage has decreased by a lot.

• Eat more healthily. Less Junk Food. ✓ 

I'm definitely passing this. I've even started learning how to cook (I already knew how to cook, just not very well and not many things). But I did. Home cuisine. From scratch. Though, tbh, I only did that because I wanted to be able to cook for... somebody that I used to know.

•  Travel overseas. ✓

I went back to Mauritius this year, after transiting through Malaysia. So, this is a pass. Yay! :)

• Drink Less Coffee. ✓

Definitely not something I thought I could ever achieve. But believe it or not, the me who used to drink 3 to 4 cups of coffee a day, is long gone. I can now go days without a cup (with much struggle - but it's still doable). Who would have thought?

•   Find love ✗

NOPE. Another failure. I'm starting to think that I'll end up alone, singing ALL BY MYSELF with an army of cats meowing along. I always end up meeting Mr Wrongs. Where's my Mr Right? 

OK, this comes to the end of the list. I've already written my list of resolutions for next year. I'll post it sometime this month.

Resolutions

New Year! New resolutions to live by! I'm hoping to achieve all these goals by the end of this year! Hwaiting, Caro! You can do it!

• Lose weight and eat more healthily

I have really bad eating habits, and in 2011, this has made me gain weight. So, I'm hoping to adopt a more healthy diet, consisting of lots of greens and fruits which will hopefully help me in losing those extra kilos.

• Drink more water

The last time I had a medical examination, they told me that I needed to drink more water. We're supposed to drink 2L of water per day, right? I wonder if anyone's able to do that. I only drink about 500 ml of water per day, and the rest of the liquid I ingurgitate is usually coffee. But yeah, I've decided to drink more water. Bought myself a new bottle and my goal is to drink at least 1L per day and increase this amount as time goes by. Hopefully, by the end of the year, I'll be drinking the recommended  2L per day!

• Find a full time job in my field (or in any field)

I need one desperately. I love working in hospitality and it's still one of my dreams to open a restaurant, someday... But, I feel like I'm throwing my degree away by not finding a job in IT. I love computers. I love spending time programming stuff or designing websites, and according to my university results, I'm pretty good at it. I just need someone to give me a chance, and I also need not to give up after being rejected again and again. I've already prepared myself mentally, I know I'll be facing rejection after rejection, but yeah, I won't give up. I'm gonna find a job in IT this year, and I'm gonna rock at it. Hopefully... Or yeah, I'm gonna find a new job in hospitality. One which pays me enough for me to become fully independent. God, I'm leaving my fate in Your hands!

• Learn how to drive

I'm 22. I'll be turning 23 this year. But I still don't know how to drive. I started learning while I was still in my home country but I guess it was too much of a hassle back then. I now understand why my father was urging me to get my license! In this year and age, it's kind of a necessity to know how to drive/to own a car. So, I'll hopefully start taking driving lessons this year, but only after I find a full time job.

• Finish 'Assignment'

I started that fanfiction back in 2008 and I still haven't finished it, even though it's already complete in my head. I believe I still have readers wanting me to update. The fact is that I've lost my muse, but I feel so bad for leaving it unfinished. I know it will be hard to write with no inspiration, but I'm going to try. In fact, I've already started on the new chapter. Hopefully, by the end of this year, Assignment will be finally be marked as COMPLETE on ff.net.

• Stop overthinking, be more positive, worry less

I think this is the hardest goal to achieve on this list. I'm realistic, ok... more like bordering pessimistic, and I tend to always think about the worst possible scenarios. I'm trying to think positive thoughts, though. I'm trying to stop worrying over useless matters, to become more carefree. According to Rhonda Byrne, positive thinking is the secret after all, right? I don't really believe that, but... yeah, worrying is like sitting in a rocking chair; it gives you something to do but it never really gets you anywhere...I'm still trying to figure out how to go about his goal. I'm reading self-help books and trying to find focus more on the positives, but it's still really hard to just change my mindset.

Ok, that's a lot to tackle in one year. Wish me luck, whoever's reading this. I'll need it.

2011

The year is almost over. It's been quite a challenging twelve months, but for once, I'm not going to focus on the negative. There's been a whole lot of good happening in my life in 2011, so I'll list them instead:

• I've been able to see Go Radio and Yellowcard live

I've loved these bands since I was a teenager. Their songs have been with me in a very difficult time of my life, and seeing them perform live was one of the best things that have happened to me this year. I even got to talk to Ryan Key (got him to sign my Smartrider) and to take a picture with Jason Lancaster :) It's still all a bit surreal.

• Chlollie is endgame!

Smallville ended after 10 seasons. All my friends know that this TV show's one of my ultimate favourites. The last seasons were nevertheless VERY disappointing. The show destroyed what Clark Kent was supposed to represent. By the end, all he was for me was a giant douche who took all the merit of his friends, who were the real heroes. Anyway, while trying not to stop watching the show, I was shipping Chloe and Oliver (Green Arrow) real hard. Those two blondes were so badass and perfect for each other... And in spite of not being mythos, by the end, Smallville did one thing right. Chlollie ended up together and even had a child! Woohoo!

• I graduated from university

I wasn't too sure about including this in the list. I'm happy to be done with uni, but now I'm experiencing the woes of finding a job in my field. Anyway, I guess it's on the list because I managed to complete my whole academic life without ever failing once! woot, I guess.

• I turned my mother into a Kdrama addict and made my siblings appreciate kpop 

I'm actually quite proud of this! While I was back in Mauritius in August, I kinda forced my mother to watch Secret Garden with me. She loved it so much that she's watched it six times since then lol Then, we had a kdrama marathon when she came to visit me in Australia a few weeks ago. We watched Sungkyunkwan Scandal, Protect The Boss, City Hunter and The Greatest Love, most of which she really loved (she didn't really like the guy from Greatest Love). Making her share my kdrama obsession has kinda made us closer.... I wish we could have started watching dramas together way earlier... Hm, yeah, I also got my sister into kpop! She's now a fan of 2NE1 and of Big Bang, and my brother's got a JYJ song on his phone! Go me for spreading the hallyu wave among my family! :)

• Found back my faith

I actually never stopped believing... but in a way, I guess I was too self-centered and focused on my own problems to really open myself to God. I stopped going to Church a long time ago, and with everything going on in my life, I kinda just stopped talking to Him and recognising His presence in my life. But He's always there, you know. You just have to let Him in. That's what I did. I was bordering depression, thinking about how my life was meaningless and how I would probably be better off dead, when I started going back to Church, all thanks to an amazing friend. And then, everything got better for me. It's like He made me realise that even if I hadn't found it yet, I really had a purpose on this planet. He opened doors I believed were forever closed and gave me back hope. He made me realise that even if I'm often alone, I'm never lonely, because He's always here with me.

• I can stay in Australia!

One of the reasons I was really down this year was because of that stupid IELTS test we have to pass in order to be eligible for a visa allowing us to stay in Australia. I took that test 4 times, and each time, in spite of my awesome results - I got the higest score in 2 of the 4 components and got waaaay above average results in the rest - yeah, in spite of this, it was never enough for me to qualify for that visa cause they recently changed the law and made it super hard. Anyway, I got my visa thanks to my brother who sponsored me! It's not a permanent one, but I'll be able to apply for a permanent one after 2 years. So, I guess I just need a little patience. Bro, if you're reading this, I LOVE YOU! Thank you and I'll be forever grateful to you!! (sis, if you're reading this, don't be jealous, I LOVE YOU!)

• Big Bang won the EMA award against Britney Spears 

It's a bit silly to be happy about that, but they're my favourite Kpop band, and they've suffered a whole lot during 2011. Daesung's accident and GD's scandal made them go on hiatus for a long time and their fans (including myself) voted like crazy to make them appear as 5 in that show. And yeah, our votes didn't go to waste since we also made them win the award. It was so crazy and amazing to see them on that stage, as 5, a smile on Dae's face, accepting the award, and making a speech in Korean. Big Bang was BACK! :)

OK, that's all folks!! It's not much, but that was enough for me to be thankful for in 2011. I hope I have more stuff to be thankful for in 2012!!

Writer's Block

I haven't been able to write anything for quite a long time now. I think I know why I was suddenly hit by this terrible case of writer's block. Writing has always been a way for me to escape from reality, just like reading, listening to music, anime, video games, dramas and tv shows. I've always had a tendency of becoming overly attached and interested in stuff, so as not to really be concerned by the world around me. I kinda loved living lost in my own head and God knows I really needed the distraction, when I was younger... But I guess I finally realised that I'm an adult now, and I know I can't continue to live in that bubble forever. I have responsibilities, I can't continue to treat life as a picture. Time isn't stopping, money isn't growing on trees and I guess that by leaving me, my muses have kinda forced me to try and sort my life out.

This probably makes no sense. Blogging at 2AM is rarely a good idea.

The night I met Jason Lancaster of Go Radio

If you've been on my blog before, you must be aware of my love for Go Radio. I've been a fan ever since I heard their first demo. I added them on MySpace in 2008, made my first ever fanart for them, fangirled when they thrice commented on my MySpace. I was the 4th person to join their fansite when it finally opened, and even created a website about them for a university project.

So, yeah, when I learned about Go Radio coming to Australia in October, I had to get myself a ticket for that music festival (even though it was really, really expensive). Thankfully, they weren't the only bands I liked, playing that night... Yellowcard (:'D), All Time Low, Panic! At The Disco, and a few other well known bands were also there...

The venue was really small, packed and loud. I think we were the only non-Australians in the public. To tell the truth, I don't generally enjoy such overly crowded environments. I don't even enjoy going out to clubs... I'm more of a stay-in person but yeah, it was my only chance of seeing them live.

Anyway, the night didn't start that well. I got there late and missed GR's signing session. I had no idea they were even going to have one. I was VERY disappointed but I was still gonna see them play my favourite songs live... So, I got over my disappointment and tried to enjoy the night.

There were two stages, with two bands playing simultaneously... I got bumped into by the lead singer of I don't even know what band was playing, when he jumped into the crowd. First celebrity encounter, as my brother, who I went to the festival with, called it... I was kinda annoyed, but I guess that fans of that band would have died to be in my situation?

Anyway, I watched a few bands I didn't even know play... Time was flying really slowly when I suddenly noticed that the dashing Alex (from Go Radio) was standing in the crowd, a few metres from me. I couldn't believe my eyes and started doubting whether it was really him. I asked my brother if he could maybe confirm my doubts, but he didn't even know who I was talking about. So, I spent about five minutes just staring at the guy. Seriously.

Then, I decided to just ask him. I gave him a gentle tap on the back and asked him if he was Alex from Go Radio. When he nodded, I asked for a picture with him. He was kind enough to accept. And that's how I got my first picture of the night, which you can see below.

Alex and ME!

Then, later I got to see Steven (Go Radio) in the crowd. He's so, SO fine in person. But unfortunately, I had no one to take a picture for me (my brother was watching the band from the other stage), so yeah, I didn't get to take any picture with him. I also saw Ryan Key (Yellowcard) and Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low) a few seconds later... They both seemed really close. Loved their bromance that night... but yeah, no pictures with them either...

Finally, it was Go Radio's turn to be on stage. I was just in front of the stage. It was totally awesome. I was so close to them. Jason even smiled at me. OMG. I'm still a bit awed, just thinking of it. Yes, I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a total fangirl for Go Radio.

A few pictures:

Their set list for the night! yes, they even played Rolling in The Deep by Adele. It was awesome.

Jason Lancaster!

Jason Lancaster

Matt Burns and Steven in the background (that's unfortunately my only pic of Steven)

Alex and Jason (this pic should have been rotated, sorry)

Another pic of Matt

Jason, singing....

I can't even describe how awesome it was to be in that crowd. GR's so passionate, and the public was so into them. It was SO magical to finally be able to be part of that public, to cheer for them and to enjoy their energy, to sing along to their songs. Redemption In The Verse was one of their best songs, that night. By the end of the song, everyone was singing along to the 'la di la da'. It was SO very awesome.

Anyway, then, I got to see All Time Low, Yellowcard, Hellogoodbye, Story Of The Year, etc... Went to the ATL and YC signing sessions... More pictures:

Alex Gaskarth singing Jasey Rae!

My card signed by Yellowcard! lol

My bag signed by All Time Low

I should have brought a CD or a poster, but I hadn't realised I'd have the opportunity to make them sign something. Anyway, I still got to speak to the members of YC (I LOVE RYAN KEY, and just telling him thank you for signing my card and having him telling me thank you for coming was really AWESOME) and got hi-fived by Jack (All Time Low)... It was quite something. Hm, yeah, I don't have any pics of Yellowcard on stage, because I was filming them.

By the end, we went outside, with hopes to see Ryan Key and ask for a picture with him... But, instead of seeing Ryan Key, we saw Jason Lancaster, who was speaking to a fan. I waited for him to be done with the fan before considering asking him for a picture. I asked my brother to go and ask him. He refused, so I had to go and ask him myself. I was really nervous, but Jason was really sweet and accepted to have a picture with me (he had one arm around me, one hand on my shoulder omg), then I took one of him with my brother.

Jason Lancaster and ME!

I wasn't expecting how kind and down to earth he'd be. He thanked us and told us we were awesome for wanting to take a picture with him. I don't think he knows how much of an honour it actually was for us to meet him and to have a picture with him. I've admired him for so long. It was like a dream come true to have met him.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to tell him that. I was a bit too nervous and I'm sure I would have lost my ability to speak properly. My brother did tell him that he's the awesome one though, then we thanked him and left him with other fans.

Then, I got to see Alex Gaskarth, again. He was speaking to a fan, who hadn't been able to attend the festival, on the phone. That was so sweet of him. I waited for him to be done, then asked for a picture with him. He also accepted :)

it's a bit blurry but idc!

And yeah, I didn't stay to watch Panic! They were playing last (or second to last) and I had to go work in the morning. But... yeah, it was still one of the best nights of my life. I finally got to see two of my favourite bands ever.  The night would have been perfect had my sister been with us, though. Meeting Yellowcard and Go Radio by myself seems a bit unfair because she loves them as much as I do. Ah, I just hope one day we can both go to an AVA or a blink-182 concert together.

Just another one of these days....

I've been feeling so hopeless and depressed lately... I don't even know why. It's like having a hollow feeling that nothing can fill. I just want to go to sleep and never wake up. Praying isn't helping, neither is listening to songs which usually cheer me up (kpop and disney, why aren't you working your usual magic?). Even eating chocolate does nothing to lift my mood.

I hope this feeling passes. I want to be happy, and I want to feel like writing again. This whole depression thing is gnawing away at my recently rediscovered inspiration.

Real life stuff no one cares about...

I don't usually post anything too personal about myself, but I guess no one really reads what I write on here... so, why not?

I've been feeling kind of down lately. It's like I'm in some kind of emotional drought. I long to be more open, to have trust in people, to stop expecting to be disappointed.

The funny thing is that I was starting to get over my issues, when once again, I ended up being deceived by someone.

I'm starting to wonder whether the problem is on my side. Maybe I expect too much from them. Maybe I tend to see friendship when all they see is some kind of nice and naive girl they can -excuse the language- screw with. I don't know. I feel like I'm too young to be so cynical and bitter. But I can't help it.

I'm starting to believe that the only one I can really trust is God (well Him and my family). At least, I know they'll never give up on me.

I'm so sorry but I love you

One of my first posts on this blog, back in 2007, was about the Korean band Dear Cloud. I wasn't really into Korean music at that time. I learned about that particular band because of their music video which featured Kim Jae Wook, a hot Korean actor from an awesome Korean drama I had just watched.

Anyway, I'm talking about this because I just realised that it took me four years to really get into K-pop. Not just songs from Kdramas or songs with hot Korean actors in their MVs. But what's really considered as mainstream K-pop...

So... I guess you're wondering how I finally got into K-pop? Well, it all started thanks to my co-worker, who literally played Wedding Dress by Taeyang on repeat one day...yes, the whole day, when we were at work. I guess I have to thank God it was an awesome song and not something like... I dunno... a trance or heavy metal song.

Anyway, Wedding Dress got stuck in my head (thanks to that part from Wagner's Bridal Chorus) and I had to check the video out when I got back home because my co-worker had claimed that the video was awesome. I was kinda skeptical because I had previously seen some Korean MVs which hadn't left me really impressed. Bien au contraire. (See: Share The One World by DBSK and Ring Ding Dong by SHINee to really get what I mean)

However, he was right about the video being awesome. See for yourself:

After watching the video, my first thought was that Taeyang's like a Korean Usher or a Korean son of Michael Jackson. He sings amazingly well but I was mostly impressed by his moves. That man's got SWAG.

Now, I don't know about you but I've got a real problem with Youtube. I always go there for a video and I end up spending HOURS watching related videos. That's what happened when I watched Wedding Dress. By the end of my Youtube trip, I knew about Taeyang being from BIG BANG... Leading me to learn about G-dragon, T.O.P, Daesung, the maknae Seungri, YG Entertainment and 2NE1. I saw numerous videos of Big Bang, from their MVs to different shows they were on and... well it was impossible not to fall for them their music.

BIG BANG: Seungri, Taeyang, TOP, G-Dragon and Daesung (from left to right)

Yes, Big Bang's a Korean boysband. They don't play instruments... I can't even understand what they're saying. But I love them.

A few reasons why:

1. TOP. That man is gorgeous. His intense stare could impregnate you or turn you gay if you're a guy. LOL. J/K. Truthfully, he's an incredible rapper. He's got an awesome deep voice. His voice isn't typical. He brings something special to their songs.
   
2. G-Dragon. That man is beyond charismatic. No wonder he's the leader. But what's more impressive is that he's only one year older than I am... yet he's the writer/composer of most of their songs. That's kinda inspiring. He also sings, raps and dances incredibly well. He's gifted and it shows in his compositions.
3. The bromance between the members. They seem to genuinely care for each other.
   
4. Their lyrics are quite meaningful. I particularly love Love Song. That song's so deep... Plus it's got a U2 feel to it.
5. Their MVs/live performances aren't the typical 'let's show our abs/let's act cute/let's be sexy' stuff I've come to expect from other Korean bands.
6. They're all individually talented. They've all released solo songs. And I've been totally blown away by their solo awesomeness. Daesung's voice is particularly hmmm... perfect? Seungri might be the youngest but he's got SO much talent. His songs are all terribly catchy. And I've already talked about Taeyang.
   

I've got many more reasons, but I don't want to seem too shallow and fangirlish with this post (I know it's probably too late for that >_<). So I'll end this post here. Just check them out - I've added the links to my fav songs below - if you wanna expand your musical horizons. They're really awesome.

Song suggestions:

• Tonight - BIG BANG
• Haru Haru - BIG BANG
• Lies - BIG BANG
• Love Song - BIG BANG
• What Can I Do - Seungri
• High High - GD&TOP <-- this song reminds me of Satisfaction by Benny Benassi
• I need a girl - Taeyang
• Heartbreaker - G-Dragon
• Baby Don't Cry -Daesung
• Baby Goodnight - GD&TOP
  

Random Post

I've been feeling down lately. I don't really know why. I guess I'm just overwhelmed by what's happening and NOT happening in my life. I have too much on my mind. I haven't even had a restful sleep in weeks.

Fanfiction

I read and write fanfiction. It's something I'm not very proud of, and that I don't tend to advertise too much. I mean, if you go on FFnet, half of what's written is mostly an excuse to make some characters have sex together, and another quarter is so badly written, it'd make you lose some brain cells. However, in the quarter left, while I admit that there's a LOT of clichéd stories, it's impossible not to find a few gems.

Anyway, I came to learn about Fanfiction in 2007, after ending Gundam Seed Destiny and being terribly disappointed with the ASUCAGA(Athrun/Cagalli) ending. I started reading fanfic accidentally, then began writing a few of my own after being encouraged by a fellow ASUCAGA fan. I've written about 5 ASUCAGA stories, one still in progress, two I've never published online, and about 10 Smallville stories.

I tend to read/write fanfics when I'm not satisfied with the media canon. I think Fanfiction is a great way to give us the 'what-if' scenarios the media would never explore and to give us the happy ending denied to us. It's also a great way for aspiring writers to get feedback on their writing. And to meet people who like the same stuff you do :)

What's a pity though, is when other fanfic writers think they know better about certain characters and start saying stuff like "OMG, the character would never do that. Why is he so OOC? Stop writing for my fandom. You're not a true fan."

Hello, it's a fictional character. Everyone's got his own views on him. I don't think it's possible to fully predict the reactions of a fictional character who's already been established in a specific media by SOMEONE ELSE, unless you're that someone else. It therefore really pisses me off when people act as if they know better. Also, my motto on fanfiction is that you don't have to read it if you don't like it. Why suffer through something you don't like to then bitch about it later on?

Aaah, I really don't get it.

Syfy's Alice

I've been wanting to watch this movie for ages and I've finally been able to. It's a modernised adaptation of the classic tale by Lewis Caroll.

I've never liked Alice in Wonderland as a child. The story was just too confusing for my small brain. haha. And while I went to the movies to watch the Tim Burton movie, I mostly did so to see Johnny Depp on big screen. In my opinion, it was just an okay movie.

I really wanted to watch this movie, though. I saw some scenes on youtube and instantly knew I'd have to watch this. The movie didn't disappoint. Not even a little.

Alice was well developed and totally relatable. Hatter wasn't as mad as what I had come to expect with the other versions, but much more lovable. I also really loved Jack - Alice's boyfriend. The other characters were also very well portrayed.

The costumes and the visuals were also amazing. The numerous outdoors shots, the Casino which was basically in form of a tower made of cards, were simply perfect to make us think she really stepped into another world .

And the ending was just beautiful. It made me go all 'aww' even if I kinda expected it.

I'd give it a 4.5/5 if I had to rate it :P

The Day I Died by Polly Courtney review

I haven't reviewed anything in a long time, but this book was so great that I decided to share my love for it online. I bought it a few weeks ago but only started (and finished) reading it yesterday. Of course, it was not perfect, but it was a really really nice read.


It's a book about Jo Simmons (not her real name). She wakes up amist debris, close to a bombed nightclub with no recollection of her past. She has amnesia and doesn't know her own name. She flees from the scene and ends up in a rural village where she tries to start from scratch. She makes up a whole background, adopting the 'Jo Simmons' name and tries actively to solve the mystery of her past. She discovers some pretty bad stuff about who she really was and has to choose between adopting her new persona or going back to who she was. Of course, she meets an awesome love interest in the mean time :D

Okay, I'll keep it brief.

Pros:
1. It was based in England. I love England.
2. It was thrilling and gripping and totally captivating. I stayed up all night to finish it!
3. Made several references to popular culture. Facebook was a very important plot device!
4. Frienship and family were important parts of the story.
5. The romance was not what defined the main female character. She was so well developed. I could totally relate to her - well to an extent - and my initial negative opinion of her totally changed by the end of the story
6. It was not a chick-lit per se. It was really different (in a good way) from what I had read before.
7. Football!!!! :D (or soccer as Americans would call it.)
8. Amazing love interest for Jo. He was so lovable! :D
9. Many more but that's all I can think of right now.

Cons:
1. A little unbelievable. (Jo's able to find jobs with no/made up qualifications! I wish it was that easy in real life haha)
2. The love interest should have been developed more. He was a great character.
3. The ending was a little too abrupt. I wanted to read more of her life in that new City.

Anyway, despite the cons this book deserves a 4.5. I LOVED IT!! :D

My Girl

I love this K-drama so much. I think it was the second K-drama I ever watched (the first one being Full House) but it's still my favourite one ever. Not a single K-drama can compare to it.

Sad Movies that made me cry

So, today I went out to watch a movie with my friend. Charlie St. Cloud. It was pretty awesome. We had planned to watch it since we had seen the trailer. But yeah, needless to say, it made me bawl my eyes out. So here's a list of other sad movies which really brought me to tears.

1. Sweet November


2. Armageddon


3. Titanic



4. The Lion King


5. A Walk to Remember


6. If Only


7. The Time Traveller's wife


8. The Notebook


9. Atonement


10. Raise Your Voice

Landon Pigg

I've fallen for Landon Pigg's voice ever since I first heard the song Falling in Love At a Coffee Shop in that Diamonds are Forever ad back in late 2007. His Coffee Shop EP made me fall even harder. Can't Let Go and Great Companion, while already awesome on his album LP, were just terribly brilliant acoustically.

Landon Pigg is definitely a hugely talented artist, who writes and performs meaningful songs in that mellow voice of his. Many of them are actually bittersweet or even sad, expressing feelings of regret over a past love. Something Brief, The Boy Who Never, Can't Let Go and Great Companion are all examples of my previous statement.

It amazes me how he can actually put into words, emotions which are often so hard to describe. You definitely have to check out his new album The Boy Who Never. My favourite track on it would be the song of the same name.

I tried to write down the lyrics by ear, since I couldn't find them online... You can find them below (or on songmeanings.net). Yeps I posted them up on there too...

The strongest structures ever built
Are the ones that don't get built at all
And the kinds of bricks that don't get laid
Are the only kind that never fall

He told himself how not to lose
By never really trying to win
That's how the man in front of you became
The boy who never

I'm afraid of what might happen if
Together we build a wall
Cause the only kind of love that never gets built
Is the only kind of love that never falls
So I'll forfeit future tears of joy to save us both from pain
I could kiss you now but I'd only miss you more
When I walk away
When I walk away

I never let my heart speak through my lips
I never let my hands rest on your hips
I never said 'I love you'
But a heart never lies
I know you heard me say it when I said it with my eyes

So I'll forfeit future tears of joy to save us both from pain
I could kiss you now but I'd only miss you more

He told himself how not to lose
By never really trying to win
That's how the man in front of you became
The boy who never

The boy who never...

And do check out his acting debut in the movie Whip It. I haven't watched it yet but since it was directed by Drew Barrymore, I'm kinda expecting something nice. Plus he's got an underwater kiss scene in the movie, which I've heard was pretty hot! haha.

Go Radio vs Mayday Parade

Mayday Parade, for those who've been living under a rock, is a pop rock/pop punk band from Tallahassee, Florida. I first heard about them on the 'Punk Goes Acoustic 2' CD back in 2007. Three Cheers for Five Years was my song crush back then. I was literally obsessed by it. When I learned that they also had a normal, non-acoustic version, I definitely had to check it out. Got the EP, checked out the other songs, and ultimately fell in love with all the songs on Tales Told By Dead Friends (particularly One Man Drinking Games; that song could make me cry when I'm feeling emo XD)

They also released the renowned A Lesson in Romantics album later that year. It's still one of my all time favourites. The songs were lyrically perfect. Yet, the best had to be the delivery. They sang with such a raw passion. The emotion they conveyed was almost palpable. The dual vocals just blew me away.

Even later that year, while youtubing some videos, I found out that Jason Lancaster had left the band. Not really certain about the role he had in the band, I looked him up and soon realised that he was the deep voice on the songs. The one who sang the "And if you sing to me..." part on You Be The Anchor, the one who sang the "This will be the first time in a week..." part on Miserable At Best. The one whose parts I sang each time my sister and I had our Mayday Parade duets (she was generally Derek).

God was I heartbroken. I didn't have to mourn for long though, cause I soon found out that Jason had formed another band.


Go Radio, an Indie/pop/rock band from Tallahassee, Florida, United States, formed in 2007, after Jason Lancaster left Mayday Parade. It consists of (from left to right) Alex Reed, Steven Kopacz, Matt Burns and Jason Lancaster.

According to an interview with Alternative Press, when Jason left Mayday Parade, he was pretty much tired of music in general. However, with the support of his friends and other awesome persons surrounding him, he decided to come back into it.

Thanks to God.

It only took me one listen at I Miss You to fall for them. The raw emotions I loved in Mayday Parade were still there, the lyrics still as brilliant. Plus they had their demos up for free! That California Song and I Wish It Would Snow are still two of my favourite songs from them. (Moot point since I can't decide on any actual favourite. All their following songs are just that awesome.)

And the best was that they were not a Mayday Parade wannabe. They had their own sound. No dual vocals (they didn't need it!), more catchy tunes.

They were Go Radio, a totally different band with oh so talented artists. I started loving them as much as I loved Mayday Parade. Maybe even more.

I followed their career as an enthusiastic fan almost since the very beginning. Waited for their EP Welcome To Life with impatience and was rewarded by its awesomeness.

I hadn't forgotten my love for Mayday Parade though. Tales Told By Dead Friends and A Lesson In Romantics were still constantly playing on my media player. And I kept waiting for their new stuff with impatience.

Nevertheless, I must admit that I was somewhat disappointed when I saw their music video for 'Miserable at Best' - released in early 2009. For one, they had cut THE best part (which was sung by Jason on the CD) out of the song and for two, they had made Jake lip-synch Jason's part.

Still, I started to get impatient for their new album when I saw Derek's acoustic video of 'I Swear This Time I Mean it' at that time still known as the 'Untitled Song'. My anticipation kind of died when they posted 'Anywhere But Here' and 'The Silence' before the release of their new album, though.

I knew that they were going to sound different, with Jason gone. And those songs definitely proved that. They sounded poppier, still good but a lot more generic. It started to mentally prepare myself to be completely disappointed by Anywhere But Here, their new album.

However, Anywhere But Here recently came out (October 6th 2009) and to my surprise, I was not completely disappointed. Sure, the new album is no way as good as ALIR or TTBDF, but it features some good songs.

Get Up is terribly catchy, I Swear This Time I Mean It could be considered the Miserable At Best of this album, and Still Breathing has something of the old Mayday. The lyrics are simplistic, but still good considering the fact that they've lost Jason's lyrical genius. They do sound a lot more poppier and generic, but I guess that had to be expected.

Anyway... I don't know if it was intentional or not on Go Radio's part, but they also released two new songs to be featured on their new 'FREAKING EPIC' EP (nah, that's not it's actual name) on that exact date.

And while I was expecting something awesome from them, they exceeded my expectations. Like totally. Fall Asleep First and Thanks For Nothing are so f-ing good that I actually had to use an expletive to convey such awesomeness. I've been playing those songs on repeat, and I just can't stop listening to them.

Anyway, to conclude that long post, I just wanted to say that my love for Mayday Parade is still intact. I'm not going to give up on them after Anywhere But Here. They're still great artists and I do expect a 'comeback of the year' after their imho second LP's 'sophomore slump'.

As for Go Radio, well, I believe that those guys are talented as hell and definitely criminally underrated at the moment. As I've said and will continue to say, GO RADIO IS THE NEXT BIG THING!!! And I sure hope that they're going to be heard on all radio stations very soon.

Awesomeness!!

Look at my toe socks! Aren't they AWESOME?? Nah, seriously! I'd give them an eleven on the AWESOMENESS scale :P

Computer/Geeky Jokes :)

Haha, I stumbled upon those jokes while browsing around the internet... And yeah, I find those amazingly funny, but you might not... Cause I'm a geek like that.

1. A SQL Query walks into a bar. In one corner of the bar are two tables. The Query walks up to the tables and asks: - Mind if I join you?

2. Why do mathematicians always confuse Halloween and Christmas? Because 31 Oct = 25 Dec.

3. There are 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.

And for more jokes you should totally check out this website: http://bash.org/?top

Btw, if you've been here before, you might have noticed that some posts are now missing. Well those were just deleted cause it's decided! As from now on, my blog will only feature things I like, things I want to rant about, reviews, etc... No more negative thinking from me! :)

Random Music Video of the Day

Lately I've been listening to music from the 80's... Namely bands like The Cure and the singer Kate Bush. I love love love Hounds of Love from the latter. Seriously, that song is beyond awesome. And in my opinion, it's way better than the version from The Futureheads. Anyway, here's the video. Enjoy!

ABC music meme

So, I saw this on someone's blog and decided to do mine... Basically, you only have to name one artist you listen to for each one of the letters. I'll try my best to show off the diversity of my musical taste :P Might not cite all my favourites though :(

Btw, I know I should be writing my fic, but here I am wasting my time on a meme. Oh well.

A. Angels & Airwaves
B. Blue October
C. Christophe Mae
D. Dashboard Confessional
E. Enrique Iglesias
F. Finger Eleven
G. Go Radio
H. Hillsong United
I. Iron and Wine
J. Jean-Jacques Goldman
K. Kyo
L. Landon Pigg
M. Maroon 5
N. Natalia Oreiro
O. Oasis
P. Pink
Q. Quietdrive
R. Rise Against
S. Shakira
T. The Calling
U. Utada Hikaru
V. Vertical Horizon
W. Wideawake
X. Xbreed
Y. Yellowcard
Z. Zed

And just because I can't sleep, I'm doing it for song titles also... First Song Title that pops to my mind:

A. Another Heart Calls - The All-American Rejects
B. Broken - Lifehouse
C. Could it be any Harder - The Calling
D. Dernière Danse - Kyo
E. Ensemble - Jean-Jacques Goldman
F. Feeling This - blink-182
G. Goodbye My Lover - James Blunt
H. Hate Me - Blue October
I. It Hurts - Angels & Airwaves
J. Jasey Rae - All Time Low
K. Kiss Me - Sixpence None The Richer
L. Last Goodbye - Alex Band
M. Maybe Tomorrow - Billy Bauer Band
N. No It Isn't - +44
O. One Man Drinking Games - Mayday Parade
P. Please - Alex Band
Q. Quit Your Life - MxPx
R. Return to Me - The Last Goodnight
S. Shut Up - Black Eyed Peas
T. The Phrase That Pays - The Academy Is...
U. Use Somebody - Kings of Leon
V. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
W. Wish You Were Here With Me - Enrique Iglesias
X. Xie Xie Ni De Wen Rou - S.H.E. featuring Fahrenheit
Y. You Make it Real - James Morrison
Z. Zzzzz- The Cab