Of Thick Worms and Crimson Tides

Last weekend, I had the privilege of attending a play directed by my good friend, Christopher Ling, called The Secret Love Life Of Ophelia at KLPAC. Chris was recently awarded the Anugerah Seri Negara (National Arts Award) Young Talent Award for Theatre Directing and as I have never seen him in action, I was very excited to see his work for the very first time.

I arrived at the theatre at around 8pm and was surprised to see that there was already quite a sizeable crowd in the main hall waiting to see the play. It turns out that that evening's performance was part of a series of plays specially for students of the various performing arts schools in KL. Oh and also because there was the finals of the Radio Idol (Tamil language) competition upstairs. ;)

The play was written by renowned playwright/actor Steven Berkoff and it centres upon the secret correspondence between two (and only two!) characters of Shakespeare's Hamlet, namely Hamlet and his forbidden love, Ophelia. It was charmingly anachronistic in spirit as ye olde English was used throughout the play (...I thank thee for thy generous invitation and would be humbled to hear thee play thy pipe...) even as the two protagonist lived their lives watching DVD movies and checking emails from their laptops.

Both the actors, Sharon Lam and Alfred Loh were relatively new to the theatre scene but I wouldn't have known that as their excellent protrayal of the star crossed lovers had me and the entire audience besotted with the evolution of their passion and lust for each other.

Perhaps the other 'star' of the play was the sexually charged language of the play itself (...my horn doth grow...thy thick worm shall satisfy...), which, to students of Shakespeare wouldn't have been a surprise, but as there were quite a number of teenagers in the audience chaperoned by their Literature teachers, elicited a few sniggers from the boys as a crimson tide invaded the pale shores of the young girls' cheeks.

All in all, I found the play a thoroughly delightful and intelligent production and definitely an eye-opener for me, a kampung boy who hardly ever gets the chance to see a play, let alone a Shakespearean one. Kudos to the cast and crew who managed to stage a very engaging performance that left me thirsty for more. Now if only I can remember where I put that Mel Gibson DVD.....

Recap 2008: A Few Of My Favourite Things

2008 was definitely a very eventful year for me. The first half of the year was racked with one misfortune after another. I won't bother to recount them anymore but suffice to say that I am really really glad to see this annus horibilis go the way of the dodo. Instead, I prefer to count my blessings and in spite of it all, I have been blessed plenty this year as well. ;) So without further ado, here is my list of my favourite things this year.

1. Favourite Gadget: Canon G9

My trusty S80 is still working (or was, as the lens cap jammed recently and I have yet to get it back from the repair guys) but the problem was with the underwater casing. I had been having trouble with the buttons which seemed to not work the moment I hit the waves. Since they've decommissioned this camera, instead of finding a replacement casing, I decided to get an entirely new camera, one which has been getting rave reviews by underwater photography enthusiasts here in Malaysia and Singapore. With 0.0 cm super-macro capabilities and the clincher: Advanced Image Stabiliser (which was sorely lacking in the S80), I could see why. I tried it out in Komodo back in November and the results were, if I may say so, breathtaking!

2. Favourite Album Track: Permanent (David Cook)


You guys absolutely have to check out this beautiful, haunting and personal song written and performed by the American Idol 2008, David Cook in his new self-titled album. The first time I heard it, I remember I was in my car, and as the first few lines came on the car speakers, ".... Is this the moment when I look you in the eye, and break my promise that you'll never see me cry.....", I stopped the car by the kerb and before long I had tears welling up. This song was written specially for his cancer-stricken brother and his emotion-laden vocals really got to me. I still get get misty eyed every time this song comes on my iPod.

3. Favourite Person: Lynn

The camwhore, we called her. She burst into my life as the fun-loving, obscenity spewing, chain smoking, beer guzzling underwater supermodel that one would find hard to forget long after the last morsel of compressed air was exhaled into the blue waters. We had so much fun the first time round (in Weh) that plans were underway for an encore adventure even before we had finished packing our gear back into our divebags. So Dive 2.0 in Komodo ensued six months later, and Lynn was, in the words of Tyra Banks, "fierce!" as she produced shot after shot of utter posing brilliance against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean. Made me forget I was there for the fishies. Well... almost.

4. Favourite Experience: Being part of Election '08 that shook the entire country

It was a watershed event for Malaysia and one which had everybody at the edge of their seat as the election results trickled in, seat by seat, polling station by polling station. Dissatisfaction with the ruling coalition's recent performance coupled with the economic slowdown made the voters long for a change of guard, in the hopes of better governance, transparency and an end to corruption and cronyism that had held the country back in the global race for economic development. The 'landslide' victory of the opposition has given me hope that this nation has finally grown up and is neither afraid nor too ignorant to voice its opinion and move forward into future as one people, and not as Malays, Chinese, Indians or Lain-lain.

5. Favourite Book: The Power Of Now

Long before Oprah made Eckhart Tolle a global phenomenon when she publicly supported his self-help masterpiece, A New Earth, I had already been mesmerised by the concepts he expounded in his previous book, The Power Of Now, which arguably was the self-help bible that led to 'Earth'. His easily digestible delivery of what was perhaps very profoundly revolutionary ideas about how we, human beings, have become caught up and then enslaved by our own minds, helped me to understand why and how I had become so bogged down with all the minute daily grievances and as a result, missing out on what was really important. He helped me to appreciate all that Life has to offer and allowed me to once again "smell the roses by the roadside". Read it, or try A New Earth. It's, in a word, mind-blowing.

6. Favourite Amazing Race Team: Pam and Van

And from my favourite show of year, the Asian edition of the Amazing Race, comes my favourite team, the Malaysian sisters, Pamela And Vanessa Chong. I could never tell them apart, not because they looked alike, but because both were equally bumbling comics which made the second season of the show utterly enjoyable. Kudos to them who, despite multiple traffic infractions, a minor head concussion and countless Aiyoh!s, managed to snag the first runner-up spot and even beat the hot favourites, Marc and Rovilson of the Phillipines to the finish line. Malaysia boleh!

7. Favourite Youtube video: Ken Lee


No words can describe the hilarity of this clueless Bulgarian Idol contestant who, thanks to youtube is now even more famous that the eventual winner of that programme. Ok, all together now..."Ken Lee!!!!.... Tulibu dibu douchoo......"

8. Favourite FB Application: Wordscrapper

A pair of Indian computer programmers was shot into the limelight (not for entirely good reasons) when their Facebook application Scrabulous veered too close to its real-life boardgame ancestor, Scrabble. The resulting legal wrangling between the boys and the American copyright owners of Scrabble gave birth to the Wordscrapper that is currently available only to non-american users of FB. Its a game with similar rules and features to Scrabulous / Scrabble but with the bonus tiles randomly spread out over the board. I am stoked everytime I get to use a combination of quadruple and quintuple word score tiles to make a word worth .. oh say.. 6oo points! Wicked!

9. Favourite Movie: Wall*E


Everybody's favourite trash compacter came to life in Pixar's lovable animation classic of 2008, Wall*E. In a post-apocolyptic Earth (caused by none other than Mankind's own folly of unbridled garbage production), this lone recycling robot showed us how one person (or robot) can make a difference in our struggle to make Earth habitable again for everyone. My favourite scene has got to be the one where he has an outer-space rendezvous with his more advanced girl-robot-friend, Eve, charming her pants off with nothing more than a fire extinguisher and his peculiar sense of wit and humour.

10. Favourite Dessert: Mango On Sticky Rice

No list of mine would be complete without at least one gastronomic entry. And this year no other dessert was more delicious or memorable that the famous Thai delicacy Mango on Sticky rice. Funnily enough we had to hunt for almost two hours under the sweltering Bangkok sun for this dessert that oddly enough, not many locals (well at least not the ones at Chatuchak) knew about. Hmm... could this be another one of those tourist traps that the Thais secretly laugh at us about? No matter, I would gladly be the laughing stock so long as I can have my sinfully sweet concoction of fresh mango and glutinous rice topped with rich coconut cream.

And so there you have it. My favourite people, places, things and food for this past year. I am confident that next year, God willing, will be yet another memorable one and until then, I wish everyone a Happy 2009 and may the new year usher in lots of good health, great wealth and lovely memories for one and all.

Recap 2008: Favourite Songs

My, my, how time flies. I can't believe it's almost twelve months since the last time I had to compile a list of favourites (and not-so-favourites) for the year. It's been a roller coaster of a year for me and personally I am quite happy to see the end of 2008. New beginnings, new hopes, new life. But before that, as always, I have listed the top 10 songs that have burned a hole through my iPod headphones and whose lyrics are forever etched onto my brain.

10. Here You Come Again - Carly Smithson
Before this, the only song from Dolly Parton I actually liked was I Will Always Love You and even that, I only listened to the Whitney Houston version. Carly's rendition of what was originally a midtempo and oddly cheerful song on the American Idol stage early this year was and still is one of my favourite 'heartbreak' songs for 2008, the drama queen that I am. There! I've said it!


9. Us Against The World - Westlife
It's my guilty pleasure, Westlife. I've always enjoyed their cheesy renditions of other people's songs and even more cheesy renditions of their own originals. One can only take so much of edgy punk rock before returning to more familiar albeit sticky sweet ear candy and Westlife does it for me.

8. Still Learning How To Bend - Gary Allan
Before we all start getting any ideas, no, this is not a song about 'coming out'. He is actually singing about dealing with the ghosts of relationships past and learning to move on and place his trust in love again. The line that gets to me the most has got to be this:

I'm just trying to understand
It's all in someone else's hands
There's always been a bigger plan
But I don't need to understand....

7. In My Arms - Kylie Minogue
Sometimes a suitable music video adds a visual dimension to a song thereby making it much more interesting and memorable. This was definitely the case for In My Arms, which, prior to the release of the music video, had not caught my attention much. The video was a very colourful palette of dance moves, acrobatic contortions and of course the effervescent Ms Minogue playfully beckoning us all to go straight into her arms! Pure pop magic!

6. I Kissed A Girl - Katy Perry
This song gained notoriety for seemingly promoting lesbianism but if you listen to the lyrics carefully, Katy was in fact doing the exact opposite, ie. making girl-on-girl action sound risque and somewhat of a forbidden fruit. Seems like her gospel roots still wield some influence over her after all. Oh, to the Malaysian Censorship Board, please, don't butcher the song and make the poor girl sing, "...I kissed [silence]... and I liked it..."!

5. Always Be My Baby - David Cook
Who knew that this Mariah Carey classic was an emo-rock ballad just waiting to happen? Kudos to this year's AI for such an original performance that blew the rest of the competition out of the water (yes even cute-as-a-button David Archuleta) and made Daughtry seem so five minutes ago.

4. This Is Me You're Talking To - Trisha Yearwood
Getting married to Garth Brooks, the most powerful country artiste in Nashville did wonders to reviving Trisha's career, what with a Grammy nomination for the album "Heaven, Heartache and the Power of Love" and a Best Country Vocal Performance Female for this song, my favourite track off the album. Her sincere and understated rendition of this song about the awkwardness when one meets an ex-lover was poignant and heartfelt.

3. Don't - Billy Currington
I hated the video. The director's attempt to make this song about a guy pleading with his newfound love not to leave so soon, into a 70's Starsky and Hutch car chase sequence just didn't quite work, making the entire video look dated and B-grade-ish. The song, however, was vintage Billy, with that lazy drawl and come hither tone that would make any girl go weak in the knees.

2. Viva La Vida - Coldplay
I have never been a fan of Coldplay's music, but this song... man, this song was so good I have been playing it non-stop in my car for months on end. Everything about it screams Record of The Year in next year's Grammys from the insightful lyrics to the anthemic melody to the U2-esque production. Wo-oh-oh-oh-oooooooooh......

And the #1 song of the year is......

1. Mercy - Duffy
I first heard this song in, of all places, a provincial market in Solo, Indonesia! Back then she was just breaking out onto the UK pop charts and when I got back, I hunted high and low for the song only to end up purchasing it off iTunes. For those of you who don't have a clue about Duffy, just imagine Amy Winehouse on helium singing the 60's. Weird, I know, but it works. Big time! Yeh...yeh...yeh!

Light On!

This is the music video to David Cook's latest single, Light On. It's the lead single from his self-titled major label debut CD that is due out Nov 18th. Enjoy!

Light On

Never really said too much
Afraid it wouldn't be enough
Just try to keep my spirits up
When there's no point in grieving
Doesn't matter anyway
Words could never make me stay
Words will never take my place
When you know I'm leaving

(Chorus)
Try to leave a light on when I'm gone
Something I rely on to get home
One I can feel at night
A naked light, a fire to keep me warm
Try to leave a light on when I'm gone
Even in the daylight, shine on
And when it's late at night you can look inside
You won't feel so alone

You know we've been down that road
What seems a thousand times before
My back to a closing door and my eyes to the seasons
That roll out underneath my heels
And you don't know how bad it feels
To leave the only one that I have ever believed in

[Chorus]

Sometimes it feels like we've run out of luck
When the signal keeps on breaking up
When the wires cross in my brain
You'll start my heart again
When I come along

Stop Hoping

Continuing my love affair with this Indonesian pop star's brand of old-school R&B, here's Marcell Siahaan's latest single, Berhenti Berharap (Stop Hoping). Here's hoping that you will like it as well.



Dulu Ku Tak Pernah Percayakan Cinta
Yang Tak Harus Memiliki
Pernah Ku Paksakan Walau Tak Sejalan
Meski Ku Tahu Ku Salah

Dan Ku Coba Melupakanmu
Karena Ku Tahu Kau Bukan Milikku
Dan Ku Berhenti Berharap
Akan Cinta Mu Yg Dulu Ada Di Hati
Dan Ku Coba Tuk Bertahan
Walau Berat Kini Ku Berhenti
Berharap...

Kini Ku Akui Hatiku Tak Bisa
Selalu Miliki Dirimu
Pernah Ku Paksakan Walau Tak Sejalan
Meski Ku Tahu Ku Salah

Dan Ku Coba Melupakanmu
Karena Ku Tahu Kau Bukan Milikku
Dan Ku Berhenti Berharap
Akan Cinta Mu Yg Dulu Ada Di Hati
Dan Ku Coba Tuk Bertahan
Walau Berat Kini Ku Berhenti
Berharap...

Roti Jala at 20,000 feet or This is not an Airasia PAID advert.

Airasia recently introduced several new items to their in-flight menu and one of them was the popular local dish Roti Jala.

Roti Jala or 'Net Bread' in Malay (net as in fish-net, not inter-net) is a lacey crepe that is usually eaten with curry or dhal.

This is what it looks like (or rather, the Airasia version). Four rolled up pieces of lacey crepe plus a small portion of curry gravy.... for RM7.00!

But wait! As I dug into the first piece of dough, I realised there's something else within the roll. It tasted like ground meat, although what kind I couldn't make out. My guess would be chicken since pork and beef would be a no-no for various religious reasons (that only Malaysians would understand hehehe).

And it tasted really good.... especially when it was dipped in the curry gravy.

I only have one beef with the dish. As I said, it was really delicious and the inserted mysterious ground meat was a nice surprise. But I realised something was missing. And if you look in the picture above of the wrapper closely you will also see that....

THERE WERE NO POTATOES IN THE GRAVY! HOW CAN ONE HAVE A PROPER ROTI JALA DISH WITHOUT POTATOES??????

Love Drug

One thing about Indonesia that stuck in my mind long after I've returned home was the sheer variety of music styles and ideas that brews in the Indonesian music scene. Indeed, many of Indonesia's pop icons are also very popular here in Malaysia, including Sheila On 7, Samsons and of course Kris Dayanti.

I was most impressed by an R&B artiste by the name of Marcell, who performs a blend of pop, old-school R&B and traditional Indonesian gamelan music that is very soothing to the ears.

In this video for the song Candu Asmara (literally, Love Opium), he sings of his lady love casting a spell on him making him become addicted to her like a love drug.



One minor gripe tho: He should fire his hairstylist for that ghastly 'electrocuted' look. :p

He Had Me At Hello

America just crowned their new idol and it's David. No, not David Archuleta as I thought would happen twelve weeks ago, but David Cook, a 25 year old bartender from Missouri.

He may not have started out as the hot favourite but his ability to interpret songs from just about any genre into an emo-rock performance began to garner him votes week after week like a slow burner. Soon many of Archie's fans jumped ship (including yours truly) and hopped onto Cookie's bandwagon even as one by one, the lesser idols fell by the wayside.

By the time the two David locked horns in the finale, it was already a forgone conclusion that the man who could rock out Billie Jean AND Always Be My Baby would join the elite few whom they call an American Idol.

He had so many standout performances throughout the competition, from the aforementioned Billie Jean to Roberta Flack's The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face to Phantom Of The Opera's Music Of The Night. For me, I will always remember the first time he caught my attention (and not let go since). It was way back during the round of 16 when he transformed Lionel Richie's Hello into an unrecogniseable but utterly fantastic rock ballad.



I guess you could say that David Cook had me at Hello.

The American Arch-angel

A new star has emerged in America and it's not Obama. It's seventeen year old David Archuleta. He's currently the front runner in this year's American Idol and one look at his breakout performance of the John Lennon classic "Imagine" and you'll understand why everybody in Idoldom are already crowning him the next Idol even though the competition proper has yet to start. (The Top 12 finalists begin their quest this week).



I really laughed out loud when Paula Abdul commentted that she "just wants to squish him, squeeze his head off and dangle it on her rear view mirror..." What's scary is I actually understood what she meant and in a way, I agree with her.

Another Sad Love Song....

I was YMing with Nickxandar the other evening, and in between discussing about the hotties on Amazing Race Asia 2 and who will be booted out on American Idol, we got to talking about sad country love songs. You know, the ones about empty promises, lost loves and broken hearts.

One particular tune that came to my mind was a song on Trisha Yearwood's latest CD Heaven, Heartache and The Power Of Love entitled "Sing You Back To Me". I really enjoyed listening to the song because of its simple delivery: just her vocals backed by a classical guitar. Nick, however, felt that the song was a bit too depressing and should (never?) be listened to when one is in the midst of a break-up. I feel that this song can be used as a benchmark to gauge one's recovery. To quote Nick, if you can hear it without the waterworks then you're over the person already....

Sing You Back To Me

I’d like to write a song
A sweet and simple thing
And if I do it right
It’d be the only one I’d sing
‘Cause it would bring me everything I’d need
A song that I could sing you back to me

Sing you back, bring you back
A miracle of page and pen
You’d hear it and be here again
And always and forever there would be
A song that I could sing you back to me

There must be a million words
And all I have to do
Is lay my heart upon
Those rare and magic few
Why can’t it be as easy as it seems
A song that I could sing you back to me

Sing you back, bring you back
A miracle of page and pen
You’d hear it and be here again
And always and forever there would be
A song that I could sing you back to me

Sing you back, bring you back
A miracle of page and pen
You'd hear it and be hear again
and always and forever there would be

A song that I could sing you back
Bring you back
A song that I could sing you back...
To me

Love, Breaking Up And All That Jazz

While surfing through Billboard.com this morning, I stumbled upon a review of Trisha Yearwood's latest single, This Is Me You're Talking To. Taken off her new album 'Heaven, Hearthache and The Power Of Love' (I know, brevity isn't her best talent), it showcases her angelic voice in a sweet yet simple delivery of a classic country love song about the heartache of meeting someone from your recent past. I love it and I hope you guys do too. Enjoy!



This Is Me You're Talking To

This was bound to happen
It was just a matter of time
This town is just too small for
Us to really say goodbye
You're smiling that smile that
You get when you're nervous
Like you don't quite know what to do
But this is me you're talking to
This is me you're talking to

I've heard you met somebody
It didn't take you very long
And I'll admit it isn't easy
Knowing you've moved on
But I can see how you could make any woman
Fall deep in love with you
This is me you're talking to

Me, the one who really knows you
Me, the one whose heart you've broken
Me, the one who was still hopin'
You might be missing me

We don't have to do this
We don't have to act like friends
As much as I would love to
I really just don't think I can
You don't have to tell me that you really love me
After all we have been through
'Cause this is me you're talking to

Me, the one who really knows you
Me, the one whose heart you've broken
Me, the one who was still hopin'
You might be missing me

Oh, and you don't have to say that you do
This is me you're talking to
This is me you're talking to

A Few Of My Favourite Things 2007

Its amazing how fast time flies. In a blink of an eye, a year is almost over and in a couple of weeks, we'll be ushering in twenty-oh-eight. Looking back (as I always do), this has been quite a busy year for me, with all the travelling around the world (well, mostly South East Asia) and getting very caught up with work as well as an ever expanding social circle. Overall it has been a very positive 12 months and through it all, I've learnt a lot about myself and also a lot about the world around me. Hopefully the next twelve months will be just an enriching, if not more.

This year's list is quite an eclectic one, one which includes items which I never would have thought possible if you'd asked me about it a year earlier. Goes to show, life really is like a box of chocolates.....

1. Favourite travel destination: Angkor Wat
Imagine this: one dark and stormy night in January, two doctors (Wymen and I) who had too much time on their hands were sitting in front of their laptops hammering away on the internet, trying to score free flight tickets to ... well, anywhere, actually. And anywhere became Siem Reap which is the Cambodian city nearest to the famour Angkor Wat, Southeast Asia's most revered religious site. It is also the largest, most well preserved and most impressive. No superlative can and would do this ancient Buddhist temple complex justice. All I could do was to continuously remind myself to pick my jaw from the floor.

2. Favourite Song: Never Again (Kelly Clarkson)
"I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green." 'Nuff said!

3. Favourite TV programme: Amazing Race Asia
I never thought I would actually bother to follow another reality show. The US version never caught on with me, and in fact I only actually started viewing the Asian version halfway through the race. But once I did, it was all I could talk about for weeks. And the final episode when our Malaysian lasses Joe Jer and Zabrina became the first all-girl team to win the race was truly nail-biting to the end. Syabas girls and Malaysia boleh indeed! Now on to the second season!

4. Favourite Movie: Rattatouille
I've always been a fan of Pixar movies and this year, they really outdid themselves with this charming story about a peasant rat with a culinary gift. Romantic images of gay Paree interspersed with the madness of a haute cuisine kitchen were so lovingly portrayed that I willingly forgave the producers for the one faux pas in Ratatouille - that everybody in France speaks french-accented English while the two lead characters, Remy the rat and Linguini the plonguer spoke American!

5. Favourite Book: The Power Of Now - Echkart Tolle
I bought this book on a whim about a year ago, read the first few pages and then promptly forgot about it. It wasn't until last July that I was reacquainted with it when I saw an Oprah rerun about the book and its author Eckhart Tolle on tv. I was nursing a bit of a broken heart back then, thanks to my uncanny ability to fall for people who have really short attention spans. So this book ,which basically took all the blame for all my misery and placed it squarely on erm.. my mind, really helped me get over whatever little dramas I was putting up for myself and allowed me to look at things more calmly and objectively. And I shall trust Oprah with all her recommendations from now on.... except the ones about dieting. Ha!

6. Favourite Dish: Gion bread
The brochure (yes, the bread comes with its own brochure!) said that it's fresh 'Danish' bread and yet maintains that it is an original recipe from Kyoto (which I assume is the one in Japan). Anyway, this bread is TO DIE FOR. So deliciously aromatic especially when it's freshly toasted out of the oven, so good you can even eat it on its own. Really. Oh one more thing. One loaf costs RM18. Aiyah, you get what you pay for mah....

7. Favourite Gadget: Canon EOS400D
It was only a matter of time before I caved in to temptation and got myself a digital slr. And really, it does take better photographs than my compact. As much as I loved the S80, the 400D easily beats it hands down especially when it comes to close-ups and macro shots, even when using just its kit lens. And when I plugged on the Tamron 18-250 zoom lens, it was love at first click. So now the S80 has been relegated to just underwater photography which sadly I hardly did much of this year. Well, at least it did get to go to Beijing with me, when I FORGOT TO BRING THE 400D!!!!!

8. Favourite Experience: Climbing The Great Wall Of China
There is a famous saying in China. "You're not a good Han (Chinese) unless you have climbed the Great Wall". Well, I guess I am a member of the elite club now, something which I never expected to be part of so soon. It really was an unforgettable experience to be walking on the very bricks that ancient warriors and conquerors once stood on to defend the Middle Kingdom. The scenery from the top was breathtaking and the air was crisp and cool. Now, if only they had built a cable car system...... Just kidding.

9. Favourite Drink: Aik Cheong 3-in-1 Teh Tarik
You have to try this. It doesn't taste like a 3-in-1, in fact it could rival any of the mamak stall teh tariks... almost. ;) It is aromatic, richly flavoured and lightly sweetened, just perfect for one of those afternoon tea breaks along with a slice or two of fresh oven-baked Gion bread!

10. Favourite people: All my friends.

Nigella Lawson says it the best. Too much of a good thing can be good for you. It is indeed a wonderful feeling to be surrounded by so many good friends, and I feel blessed to have made some really great new ones this year, especially Adrian, Alex, Brett, Eddie (Ah Boy), Erwin, Leo, Nan, Rachaelle, Said, Saifuddin and Shah. Of course, I am forever grateful for my 'family', the G8++, without whom I'd be a tad crankier... and definitely a lot more drama. ;)

And that's it. The list to top all lists for twenty-oh-seven. It's been a memorable one, if nothing else, for the wonderful people in it who have enriched my life in so many ways and made it a lot more interesting. ;) So, here's to a great 2008 and may all your champagne wishes and caviar dreams come true in the new year.

Like You'll Never See Me Again

I just got my hands on the new Alicia Keys CD, As I Am and at first listen, it is a really good R&B record with honest, soulful singing and heartfelt lyrics. And it doesn't come any more heartfelt than track #5, Like You'll Never See Me Again.

It's a song about not taking things for granted, especially when it comes to our loved ones. How many times have we found ourselves in situations where we don't realise how much we loved or even needed someone till the day that person goes away or is lost forever from our lives? It is easy to forget about the people around you, but it is also equally easy to call Dad to wish him happy birthday; or to give Mum a hug and a thank you for the delicious chicken minestrone at dinner; or to just send an sms at lunchtime to your loved one just to say I Miss You, even if you just saw him/her that very morning. 'Coz you'll never know, that might be the last time you'll ever see them again.

If I had no more time
No more time left to be here
Would you cherish what we had?
Was it everything that you were looking for?
If I couldn’t feel your touch
And no longer were you with me
I’d be wishing you were here
To be everything that I’d be looking for
I don’t wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don’t wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me
‘Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed

So every time you hold me
Hold me like this is the last time
Every time you kiss me
Kiss me like you’ll never see me again
Every time you touch me
Touch me like this is the last time
Promise that you’ll love me
Love me like you’ll never see me again

How many really know what love is?
Millions never will
Do you know until you lose it
That it’s everything that we are looking for
When I wake up in the morning
You’re beside me
I’m so thankful that I found
Everything that I been looking for

I don’t wanna forget the present is a gift
And I don’t wanna take for granted the time you may have here with me
‘Cause Lord only knows another day is not really guaranteed

So everytime you hold me
Hold me like this is the last time
Every time you kiss me
Kiss me like you’ll never see me again
Every time you touch me
Touch me like this is the last time
Promise that you’ll love me
Love me like you’ll never see me again

Listmania 2007: Records of The Year

‘Tis bout that time again, folks, when everybody starts to look back at the past twelve months and come up with list after list of the year’s best (and worst) of just about anything, from music and movies to newsworthy events and electronic devices. And I am no different. Since this blog is my soapbox, I’ve come up with my own lists of favourite things of two thousand oh seven. (Yes I really have that much time on my hands.)

Anyway, for starters, here’s the (very biased) countdown of the best records of the year. I have narrowed the list down to twelve songs, one for each month starting with….

January – Before He Cheats (Carrie Underwood)

This is a holdover from December 2006 when I had finally jumped onto the Carrie Underwood bandwagon, thanks to sbanboy’s influence. The song that won me over was this one, arguably her biggest crossover hit (it’s still in the Billboard Hot 100 a year after its release.). It’s a song that shows the American Idol in a new, more daring light. When previously she was singing about Jesus taking over her wheel, ‘Before He Cheats’ shows her spurned and swinging her baseball bat at her unfaithful boyfriend’s ‘pretty little souped-up four wheel drive’. Hell hath no fury like Ms Underwood scorned.

February – Home (Daughtry)

It’s American Idol time once again and Chris Daughtry certainly had the last laugh over eventual ’06 AI winner, erm… whatshisface. Bravely rejecting offers to front already established acts like Live, Chris decided to form his own band, Daughtry and promptly released their self-titled debut album even before Taylor Hicks’. AI producers, sensing his rising popularity, promptly designated this song to serenade the deposed AI contestants. And like last year’s ‘Bad Day’, this record quickly shot up the charts and was the song everyone was humming to by the time Jordin Sparks was crowned the new American Idol.

March –Lost Without U (Robin Thicke)

A weird, acoustically challenged rendition on AI aside, this song rang loudest on R&B radio worldwide. Spending 10 weeks at #1 on the R&B charts is no mean feat for any artiste, and it was all the more impressive when you consider that Thicke is a white boi, straight out of Middle America, and is the son of the 80’s sitcom Growing Pains actor Alan Thicke!

April – Never Again (Kelly Clarkson)

This song has the most wickedly arresting first line of any song I’ve ever heard. “I hope the ring you gave to her turns her finger green.” Ooh, how vile! Fresh from her very successful ‘Breakaway” album, this record was expected to grab the headlines, and yet, it quickly fizzled off the charts, reaching only #6 . Her very public spat with recording company mogul Clive Davis probably caused her star to dim for much of the year. Still, this song deserves a mention, if nothing else, for its sinfully delicious music video.

May – Girlfriend Remix (Avril Lavigne feat. Lil’ Mama)

“Hey hey you you!” This insanely catchy song became an earworm that refused to let go, especially when the remixed version got more airplay than the original. ‘Girlfriend’ heralded Avril’s return to the music scene as she joined a whole army of female artists like Fergie, Beyonce and Gwen Stefani who completely dominated the upper echelons of the pop charts in ’07.

June – Bring the Rain (MercyMe)

Hands down, this Contemporary Christian Chart #1 record is the most inspiring song of the year. It gave me a lot of perspective, as I pondered about life’s challenges and disappointments and how through it all, God was always there to shield me from the storm. So bring it on, bring the rain.

July – Lost (Faith Hill)

Faith Hill staged her comeback of sorts after a year of unwanted negative publicity with this song off her Greatest Hits package. It didn’t really race up the country charts, but the song certainly caused my heart to race whenever it came on my iPod. Now as I listen to it, I look back fondly at a crush I had back in …well, July. “Is it obvious to you, when you walk into the room, your face is all I see…” Ah, and like a summer breeze, it lasted only for a while.

August – Solta o Frango (Bonde Do Role)
The title (which literally means “Release The Chicken”) may not sound very familiar to most, but this song was hugely popular when it became the soundtrack for the worldwide ad campaign for Nokia’s 5300 music/mobile phone. You know, the one where they had ordinary people dancing, from office mates to overweight brothers in the kitchen to American Football team members in the locker room. Yes, that’s the one.

September – Izinkan Ku Pergi (Kaer Azami)

I fell in love with this song the first time I saw the video on Hitz.TV. Even though it is actually about a man who loses his love to another, its melancholic theme has since been used in countless Malay telenovelas whenever there was a deathbed scene, partly because of the music video which had Kaer appear as a recently departed spirit serenading his girlfriend for one last time. So sad…. and so drama. ;)

October – Home (Westlife)

The kings of cover versions returned with this Micheal Bublè classic as the lead off single from their new album “Back Home”. Even though the original version never really caught on with me, I really enjoyed this popped-up treatment and the boys sounded as tight as ever with their sweet harmonies and heart-felt delivery. I know, I am easily impressed. So sue me.

November – Witness (Bo Bice)

The long haired southern rocker finally got to sing the songs he loves on his sophomore solo album, the independently released “See The Light”. Clive Davis was a fool to let him go, and this song is evidence that with the right material, Bo can really shine. And it proved to be quite popular with the masses too, with the music video firmly planted at #1 on VH1’s VSpot Top 20 countdown for three weeks and counting.

December – 2 Hearts (Kylie Minogue)

In the flurry of late releases, one would be forgiven for missing out on what must be the most brilliant comeback singles of the year. The still not fully recovered Ms Minogue conjured up a sexy little morsel that is right up there with her best singles like Spinning Around and Can’t Get You Out Of My Head. Welcome back Kylie!

Ok, there you have it. My personal Top 12. Overall it was a very mixed bag of music in my iPod this year and finally, honourable mentions go to Sugababes’ About You Now, KT Tunstalls’ Hold On, Justin Timberlake’s LoveStoned / I Think That She Knows, Who Knew by Pink and Tell Me ‘Bout It by Joss Stone.