I Just Wanna Say, You Really Appreciate Friends In Times of Needs

Well, when they say it is at times of need that you realised who are your true friends.  I am updating this as a reminder to myself:  Learn to say out your appreciation when your heart feels it, even to your friends! 

I am always casual with friends.  I am lazy to catch up with them and do not always follow their lives closely, even with the latest annoying technology of Facebook (the news ticker), I am not able to keep up.  Worse, since I am 10,000 miles away from some of my best friends, I am even getting to the point of irrelevancy in their lives.

However, I also do know that there are friends who will be my friends regardless of my lack of contact etc. and when I do need help, everyone will not hesitate to be there for me.  Thus, I would like to shout out my appreciation to all my friends who read this post.  Thank you very much for being my friend.  I do not keep up with you and I do not remember your birthdays etc.  Heck, I may not even be able to keep up a Facebook message conversation with you (hint: please watsapp me!), but you know that I am here and I will always be listening if you need someone to talk to.

So, needless to say, since coming to the US for almost 4 years, I have also made some friends.  Throughout the years, there are a lot of 'dropouts'.  People whom I am unable to keep up or do not want to keep up with me (?).  However, those that have managed to keep in contact were all here for me when I needed help.  

The advise and effort I felt from my friends were, honestly, touching and shocking.  Simply because I do not expect them to go all the way out for me.  I do not know why but maybe I just do not expect a lot out from people, so when they do, it is surprising to me.  

From here, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Sally et Rachel et Stony, although all of them would probably never see this.  Lol.  One has read through every word of what I wrote and gave me all her advise; the other were helping me with all the networking from lawyers to businesses to her bosses etc.  And one even managed to negotiate an extension for me, regardless the fact that of course professionally, help is needed.  And because of this, I think this is motivation for me to try harder to get what I really want at the moment.

So, here is a heartfelt thanks to all my friends, be it here in US or miles away in Singapore.  I heart you all!! 

ATH-ES7 All Over Again

So after about a year plus of owning this headphone, I have sort of banished it to the side of the my table where it did not see the sun for months. In part because I had some scratches (heart pain). Since the very sleek and fashionable mirror cups are prone to smudges and scratches, it wasn't that portable afterall (well I am a very careless user). Also coupled with other problems: it got very uncomfortable after long wear because it was too clampy on the head (with my glasses) and looked goofy (both of which became slightly better after I tried to bend it out a little.)

Then recently, I got into researching Denon AH-D2000 that cost a whopping $349 on Amazon. It took me to going back and listening to ATH-ES7 again in an attempt to stop myself from lusting after another pair of crazily expensive headphones...

After reading almost every audiophile forum for AH-D2000, I found this wonderful piece of software, Breakaway Audio Enhancer. Installed it on the computer, downloaded some lossless music (Phoenix: Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix) and started listening music with ATH-ES7.

Guess what, I fell in love with the headphone all over again. Previously I found that with the headphone, some of my music (e.g. Late Night Alumni @256kbps) sounded a bit too bright to me. After using Breakaway Audio Enhancer, ATH-ES7 is a charmer. This successfully curbed my materialistic lust over AH-D2000, although I still longed to test listen to this piece of 'best headphone' within a 'reasonable price range'.

I have to say though, there's been so much rave about AH-D2000 since the first time it came out that I felt so intrigued by it. Then I also found out that the price of AH-D2000 dropped to somewhere in the $200 range for a while and suddenly jumped to the ridiculous $349 on Amazon.

As a comparison, I looked up Amazon for the price of ATH-ES7 now and to my great delight, this headphone is now selling at $199.95! This price totally justified my purchase at $88. Psychologically, it did make me think this headphone was much better~! I know I know, I totally fell for the marketing strategy of tagging something at a much higher price to create the illusion of 'brand and class'... But what can I say, I'm a vain person when it comes to headphones!

All in all, I'm re-using ATH-ES7 now and its probably a good idea to bring it out for a walk during the winter as a way to warm my ears. Also a good alternative to earbuds that sends static shocks to my ears!

My Fishes Are Still Alive!

So again, I forgot that I have a blog and left the fishes on the left side of my blog screen to starve to death... Amazingly they are still very much alive and swimming happily when I visited. How is that possible? That's like Neopets! They will be very much dying after no food for months but never actually die!

Okay, enough of crap... More serious craps to come next.

This marks the first blog of the new year 2011. Again, the traditional New Year's resolution has to be written down so that at the end of the year, I can check how much failure has been accumulated, just like before. And then hoping that the next year I will put more attempt to do stuff that I thought should be done.

1. Ice-skating: Already failed since I'm going back to sunshine island and by the time I come back it probably wouldn't be cold enough to do it. Marks the first failed New Year resolution...

2. Taiko: Be a member of Soh Daiko!!! This is something I'm working towards and I'm NOT about to give up anytime soon even though my arms hurts like hell as I'm typing this resolution. And not giving up even when it means all my Saturdays are burnt.. (Goodbye weekends! sob...)

3. Friends: As usual, keep in contact with all my friends. Get to know more friends.

4. Love: Ah.... what more can I hope for, especially when the weather is so damn cold and everyone is getting so damn romantic. I think this year's pressure is also because the few years ago friends who got married all have kids and are forming their Mom's clubs with activities etc. I'm further away by the year. And, I'm finally feeling the 28 now. 2 more steps to the big 3!

5. Family: Work harder to maintain the relationship. Distance does add a feeling of not knowing what's going with them.

6. Career: Seriously seriously seriously have to start thinking about if switching is necessary. I just feel myself losing it at work sometimes when I don't see the work I'm doing is really of any value.

Guess that's it. Of course the small ones are like getting out to do more hikes when the weather gets warmer, road trips, travelling etc. etc.. Hopefully I can earn myself at least a trip to Canada with the excuse of Visa renewal.

Is almost going to February now, but still Happy New Year to all and wishing the best for the New Year. :)

Ah Gong...

I'm sad that you left so suddenly, but you have left in peace without much torture by illness.

You have left, without a word, without saying last goodbyes to your grandchildren and even some of your sons who were overseas. I do not even remember what were the last words you spoke to me the last time I saw you during Chinese New Year.

I still feel that I am going to see you sitting in your usual sofa seat watching the TV. You will be greatly missed. Goodbye.

The Life Recently...

Just realised I have not been updating this blog.. again, left on the shelf and forgot about it...

Nothing much going on, except for XS's visit on June; the long weekend on 4th July which I kept myself at home for 2 days, etc. etc....

Hmmm... The only thing worth talking about is probably World Cup right now, which I didn't even bother to follow it as closely after Brazil lost the game.

Seriously, I cannot help but wonder if the whole WC is probably fixed. This came to mind when I was watching Germany vs. Spain. They were so sluggish that it feels like 2 different teams playing... Sigh... Maybe is just me since I do not watch a lot of football. Then as anticipated, Spain won their first world cup.. and the first team in WC history to have lost their opening game but went ahead to lift the golden trophy. Unbelievable. Also shows that statistics does not always predict the outcome....

After this world cup, I look towards 4 years later in Brazil. Hopefully, they will get to win their sixth game at home ground... From now till then, is time to put my 'sports-craze' to hibernation mode...

Another Road Trip

The first for the Spring/Summer. It was soo wonderful to be out in a different place. MA - Province Town, RI - Newport.

Unfortunately, the bad luck striked again... The phone and the camera were unusable after it got soaked in the bag when the water bottle leaked on the first day. :(

Which basically meant that I was not contactable and no photos taken for this whole trip.... Especially regretful because the scenery was just beautiful and I know that my soon-to-be senile brain are unable to store much of the beautiful sights I saw... sigh...

Overall, it was a great enjoyable trip. You get to know your friends much more. Hopefully I could do another one soon, one that will not involve some gadgets/personal effects being either lost in the waters or soaked in the water.

Theme songs: Massachusetts by Bee Gees (first morning after reaching the hotel, posted by friend on facebook)
Fly Me to the Moon (in the third morning after clubbing the night before.)

Rewards: Poisonous mosquito bites, tick bites, sun-burnt bbq skin, tons of relaxation and fun with friends, many beautiful scenery that were not captured on photos.

List to Myself - An Update

So, adding on to what I have already compiled earlier, are the recent gigs that I have went recently at other new places.

16. Joe's Pub -- (http://www.joespub.com/) 425 Lafayette Street, Manhattan
Gig: Clare and The Reasons (http://www.claremuldaur.com/)

17. BB King Blues Club & Grill -- (http://www.bbkingblues.com/) 243 West 42nd Street, Manhattan
Gig: Vonda Shepard (http://www.vondashepard.com/)

Las Vegas

This is just a short one. My first feel for this casino oasis built in the middle of the desert is, too much gold and monies and corruptions and, of course sex. Too much monies and too much temptations to decay the mind and make a person succumb to gambling addiction. This is even more potent than drug addiction.

Every casino I go to, with all that neon lights and flashing light bulbs, you can literally taste the air that is filled with devil's sweet whispers like perfume to seduce men to put out all their money and energy to lose.

Even I couldn't resist this temptation and after dwelling in two huge casinos for 2 hours, I went to the Black Jack table and sat there for 3 hours gambling with only 20 bucks.

Luckily, I am terribly afraid of losing and I've always known I do not have that lucky hand, Las Vegas is just another too touristy place to me. The best part are really the grand casinos, ridiculously expensive shopping, ridiculous people who get drunk in the middle of the day and vomitting all over the place, and best of all, to get to see all the desperate people whose eyes are blodshot red with greed and addiction, have lost everything and still refuse to leave the table.

I love watching people gambling in casinos, anticipate and feel that adrenaline rush when I see someone is winning. All that red-neck shoutings from desperate gamblers when rolling the dices or flipping over their trump card, all the jingle-ling sounds from the jackpot machine that filled all the place, the rattling sound of the silver ball bouncing between the red and black squares on the spinning roulette etc. It is exciting, the possible chances of striking it rich and that cash rolling into your pockets. The beautiful and sexy bunny ladies serving alcohol; I even saw tables of scandily dressed young women dealing cards to the whole table of men (or wolves).

Yes, the fact is that casinos are designed, to drastically decrease the chances of winning it big for every gambler. The Fengshui, different type of games, jackpot machines computerized probabilities, making gamblers stay up late so they do not feel energetic and fresh, etc. etc. I figured that I would probably have higher chances of winning during the CNY get-together gambling sessions with friends and families than in Vegas.

On the other side, there are bond shops, pawn shops that probably are more than the casinos in the city. Places for people who have lost everything to loan even 5 bucks to have their revenges, or re-revenges. The thought of it is scary, I would have imagined the pawn shops probably even accepting wives or sons and daugthers of the gamblers or something as ridiculous. The opposite side of Vegas that has even darker alleys than that of other cities because of the day-like lighting of lavish casino buildings.

So, just my two-cents worth of thought to a city-shrine built to worship money, by the mafias who is laughing their way to the swiss bank every single day. Photos will be up soon.

Sometimes Decisions Are Just Too Difficult

Well, I do understand that life isn't a bed of roses, and even if it is, it would be a bed of roses with thorns...

There are always difficult major decisions to make now and then. Like getting married, having kids, quitting your job and do something totally way out of the world, break up with your girl/boyfriends, invest your life's savings into a house, jumping down from the top of your building etc. etc.

Probably from this aspect, my 'difficult' decision to make would be nothing but a trivia matter, at least, comparing to that of jumping down from a building... Regardless, it is still something major for me at this point in life.

I am not a decision-maker by nature, I always choose the wrong thing in personal life, which I later on regret. Thus, I do not like making decisions, most of the time, I guess is just going with the flow when destiny presents me with opportunities. Better still, let others make the choice, or go by my famous 'elimination method' - the choice is made because there are no other options.

It sort of made me lazy and probably all the more incapable of making a correct decision. It becomes a vicious cycle, that I delay the decision hoping something would happen to make the choice more obvious, or *something* that will eventually decide for me...

At this very time, I am forced to make another major decision that will affect my life either way, and I really really hate to do that. It is always a struggle between wants and the reality. Either way, I know I will be affected, and it seems at this point, there is no divine intervention to show me the way... I'm still struggling with it, and both option A or B, will eventually upset me. Probably have to meditate and hopefully there is another "option C" for me.

Life is a bed of roses with thorns, but why cannot those thorns just be a bit easier on me?

A Sad, Stupid Tragedy

http://www.smh.com.au/world/toddler-shoots-herself-after-mistaking-gun-for-wii-controller-20100310-pwb9.html

I feel very sorry that this happened. The whole incident looks to me like a bad scene depicted in tragic movies, or horrible horror films like Final Destination. A sad sad tragedy that could have been totally avoided if the father was more careful on handling dangerous weapons. There is a toddler in the house, he should have had more sense and alertness to place dangerous things out of reach of the child.

With common sense, things such as knives and scissors should be kept out of reach from children. I cannot believe how could a thing such as gun be left lying around so carelessly and to even think of totally forgetting that the gun was placed at the coffee table?

It is pure foolishness to not take care of things as such, and all the more unforgiving that an adult should commit such a grave mistake that cost a child's life. It is simply too costly a price to pay.

Looking at a bigger picture, should a country legalize owning guns if the culture and/or attitude of their people is to use and handle it with such casual and careless attitude?

My Last Night in Jersey....

Is a freaking snowstorm night that has got me stuck the whole day since morning at home, doing nothing and bored.

Praying hard that I can dig out my car from the snow pile tomorrow and get to airport on-time without missing anything.

Eating dinner from yesterday. Consider sumptuous because I used all the available food in the fridge.

Packed and realise the whole luggage is less than half full but do not know how to stuff in the creative sub-woofer...

Excited about going back, not very excited after calculation that I will only stay for a short period in Singapore.

Last night in snowing Jersey, longing to go sooner to the hot humid tropical island, yet going to miss all my friends here as well... hmm...

Just A thought

http://new.uk.music.yahoo.com/blogs/touchingthevoid/26957/is-free-music-finished/

I still do not see myself buying more CDs than I would now. It is just a pity because it means that they are ready to lose the one big media to allow people to access and learn new music. Essentially, only those big names will not be impacted. Is it not going to be more difficult for Indie and new artists to be noticed? If they are ready to promote new artist, be sure you will still find them on the Internet, they know too well than to abandon it.

Big records firms simply earn too much in the past and they cannot bear seeing their profit drop.

Not that I will buy Madonna music if I cannot get it for free, in fact I never buy Madonna. I buy all my favourite CDs or through Amazon mp3s, even when I got it online first. It is more important to educate general public on how they should support their favourite artists first. Period.

Just...

I accidentally amended the domain for my blog. It will not allow me to use the old one anymore. :(

http://cassdust.blogspot.com - new one
http://-ling-.blogspot.com - old one

Anyway, don't think it will matter.... Just... me and my itchy hands!!

An update: Now all my blog links are gone!!! Arrrghhh~... T_T

A List to Myself...

The other day I sent an email to myself listing down all the places in NYC for gigs... I am writing it here as a good reference.

1. Arlene's Grocery -- (http://www.arlenesgrocery.net) 95 Stanton Street, Manhattan
Gig: Sarah Price (http://www.myspace.com/sarahpricemusic)

2. City Winery -- (http://www.citywinery.com) 155 Varick Street, Manhattan
Gig: Diane Birch (http://dianebirch.com)

3. Smalls Jazz Club -- (http://www.smallsjazzclub.com) 183 West 10th Street, Manhattan
Gig: Jazz session at 1am??

4. Blue Note Jazz Club -- (http://www.bluenote.net) 131 West 3rd Street, Manhattan
Gig: Romain Collin (http://www.romaincollin.com)

5. The Living Room -- (http://www.livingroomny.com) 154 Ludlow Street, Manhattan
Gig: Erene (http://www.erenemusic.com)

6. Le Poisson Rouge -- (http://www.lepoissonrouge.com) 158 Bleecker Street, Manhattan
Gig: Bonobo (http://www.bonobomusic.com), múm (http://www.myspace.com/mumtheband), Sound Liberation (http://www.myspace.com/soundliberation) avec Astrid Steiner (http://www.astridsteiner.com)

7. Arthur's Tavern -- (http://www.arthurstavernnyc.com) 57 Grove Street, Manhattan

8. Bowery Ballroom -- (http://www.boweryballroom.com) 6 Delancey Street, Manhattan

9. Fat Cat -- (http://www.fatcatmusic.org) 75 Christopher Street, Manhattan

10. Terminal 5 -- (http://www.terminal5nyc.com) 610 West 56th Street, Manhattan
Arctic Monkeys (http://www.arcticmonkeys.com)

11. Knitting Factory -- (http://bk.knittingfactory.com) 361 Metropolitan Avenue, Brooklyn

12. Mercury Lounge -- (http://www.mercuryloungenyc.com) 217 East Houston Street, Manhattan
Gig: Tahiti 80 (http://www.tahiti80.com)

13. Webster Hall -- (http://www.websterhall.com) 125 East 11th Street, Manhattan
Gig: Nouvelle Vague (http://www.nouvellesvagues.com)

14. Music Hall of Williamsburg -- (http://www.musichallofwilliamsburg.com) 66 North 6th Street, Brooklyn

15. Union Hall -- (http://www.unionhallny.com) 702 Union Street, Brooklyn
Gig: Lymbyc Systym (http://www.lymbycsystym.com)

要去... Last Minute Shopping!

Yes. I confess. I do last minute things, almost without fail. All the presents will be bought at one place, Jersey Gardens.

Most of the time, I do not do shopping, because it is a race against time and always stressful! Hope I can get all the stuff that my friends will like, within today.

Go shopping~

When All That Novelty Is Gone....

Life is just as boring as you perceived it to be, and will be because you thought it to be exactly that way....

The little sparks of excitement just makes it easier for time to pass and a point to remember parts of the monotonous life. Then everything that seemed so great once now looks actually normal and not duller. How boring.....

最初的地方

Recently very much into this old song. I remembered watching the live concert of 伍佰 in youtube.com a few years ago and was wondering what song is this.

Totally forgot about looking up this song in Google... Then a few days ago, I was listening to my mp3 player and suddenly heard this song!! Later found out that the original singer was 劉若英 from her album 很愛很愛你 (damn long album!)... The answer's been there for a few years, which I never really knew I had it, till now.

伍佰 & China Blue - 最初的地方 (vs. 楊乃文)
作詞：于光中 / 作曲：伍佰

沒有約任何行程的早上　我喜歡打開每扇窗
迷失在充滿誘惑我味覺的廚房　我總是選擇最恬靜的香
昨天或許有遺憾　明天可能的茫然　我不去想　看誰會緊張
或許你會覺得寂寞叫人難以抵抗　它卻帶我回到最初的地方

沒有任何人拜訪的晚上　煩惱丟在回家的路上
太多的讚美讓我快要失去方向　我需要安靜獨自想一想
我懷疑有誰記得　去年有誰得過獎　那重要嗎　我不這麼想
或許你會說孤單叫人有點感傷　它帶我回到最初的地方

回到最初我們來的地方　好多的天真被我們遺忘
你說過快樂就在這路上　從不在乎結果究竟會怎樣

沒有任何人拜訪的晚上　煩惱丟在回家的路上
太多的讚美讓我快要失去方向　我需要安靜獨自想一想

回到最初我們來的地方　好多的簡單被我們遺忘
我說過一定要互相提醒　千萬不能忘記最初的地方

Listen

I found that 楊乃文 is more suitable to sing this song compared to 劉若英, maybe I am biased... (so what? Music preference is of course personal and biased) haha...

Finally...

Seems recently I have been posting new friends' blog addresses... and I actually do not have SD's blog address... sorry man... So, this is it:
Songde's Blog

*Wei... Putting this up basically means you gotta update your blog more often, hor...*