Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Cranky People!

I'm very pissed off today, by the actions of one of my classmates. Actually this is not the first time I'm upset by her, but after various occasions since last semester, I'm finally angry over my limit.

This classmate, whom I shall just address her as Miss C to protect her identity, was actually on average terms with me when we first entered college. She and I had some common likings and since we often mix around with the same group of classmates, we did talk to each other at times. However, one fine day, things changed dramatically. On that day, she turned up with a bad haircut, and when I went up to her to talk about her hair, she got cranky and screamed at me. I was taken aback, so I just left her alone. Later on I realised that she do not react the same when some other classmates did the same to her! So from then I realised that I should keep clear of her, for I won't know when she'll become edgy again. Since then I've not talked to her till now, except on one incident where I have to inform the whole class of a message which one of my lecturers passed down.

Earlier this year, another incident angered me again. On a particular lesson, my lecturer assigned me to pair up with her and another female classmate. Her reaction to this planning was very strong and she shouted "No" very loudly and strongly. What the heck! Even if she's not comfortable with me pairing up with her, does she have to scream out loud? I was very angry for making me appear like an outcast, but I decided to just put up with her eccentricity.

As for today, she treated me like a pest again by moving away the moment I sat down beside her. You see, during drawing lesson, I was supposed to pair up with another female classmate, but as she had to leave halfway through the lesson, I was left with no partner. My friend Mister G, who was pairing up with Miss C, was just beside me, and hence I decided to join them. The moment I sat down, Miss C packed up all her things and requested the lecturer to pair up with someone else as she "don't have anyone to pair up with". For goodness sake I didn't even chase her away, and what she meant by having no one to pair up with? If she didn't like the idea of grouping up in threes, then why did she choose to group up with another 2 classmates later on? I don't know what I have done to irk her so much, and I'm certainly not happy with how she treats me like poison. Luckily I'm no longer going into the same faculty as her in the next academic year, or else I'll still have to put up with her childish cranky behaviour!

Monday, February 25, 2008

Look Who's This!

I was surfing  the net when I came across this photograph:

Lucky it wasn't anything unsightly, but then again the moral of the story is still the same: always be on your toes even during offstage times at performances!

Friday, February 15, 2008

"Modern" Olympia

Edouard Manet had a world-famous painting called "Olympia", and today, I realised that our school has got an "Olympia" too!
Original "Olympia" by Edouard Manet

Our version of "Olympia" by Glenn!

Thursday, February 07, 2008

Chinese New Year Countdown @ Chinatown

Yesterday I went to the countdown for Chinese New Year at Chinatown. This is a rare move for me, for someone who is not very keen to go to crowded venues. 



Although firecrackers had been unbanned in Singapore (only during Lunar New Year, and to be lit by special-trained and licensed professionals) for a few years already, it was nevertheless my first time seeing it fired up in Singapore. It was a very noisy affair and is the highlight of the entire countdown. In the spirit of Lunar New Year, I'd like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous Lunar New Year!

Monday, February 04, 2008

A Night at Tong'an City Hokkien Opera Troupe's Performance

Yesterday's the debut performance for Tong'an City Hokkien Opera Troupe at Lor Koo Chye Sheng Hong Temple. This was held in conjunction with the Spring Festival, as well as the fund-raising facilities for the temple's charity funds. I think this temple is getting "well-to-do" now, as recently they've just engaged 2 Taiwanese troupes to perform in their temple, and a few months later, it was said that Xiamen Municipality Gezi Opera Troupe is coming again; it is not cheap to engage foreign troupes to perform here!


So how do I rate the performance? Well there're good and bad aspects of the troupe. The good point is that the accent used by the troupe in general belongs to Xiamen region, which sounds more "homely" for me. The bad point is that the costumes and hairdo for the troupe is not good. I'm very particular about dans who sport very ugly wigs, as if their "hair" is totally detached from their head, and some of the costumes simply screamed "cheap" into the audience's face. Other than that, I think the troupe in general is rather average. Some of the actors could sing rather okay, but some simply sound like screaming and wailing. Musically speaking, I was rather surprised that their musical style resembled that from Longhai region, which was under Zhangzhou territory; I'd have expected their music to be more biased towards Xiamen, since Tong'an is a territory of Xiamen. Well, this was only their first performance, I shall be more lenient towards them. I shall see if things will get better as they perform!
Baddie in green: You spoil my costume and you buy me a new one!

Palace maids: Help! Someone had released toxic gas! *fainted*

Royal concubine: Put out the toxic gas! Quick!

Palace maids: We'll try... we'll try to fan the fumes away!

As a reward for your hard work, I shall give all of you $1 each!

General in white: My costume's colour is nicer!
General in green: Yeah right, but my costume is newer than yours!

General in green: You tell us; who has got the nicer costume?!

Lady in white: Forget it! Mine's more beautiful!



Saturday, February 02, 2008

See Day @ Lasalle

Today I went to the See Day at my campus. As previously mentioned, the See Day is the open house for our institution. Although I was not required to help out, I thought it would be nice to see how the displays of other faculties, as well as supporting our own foundation studies.
See Day flyer

Our lecturers painting on a big canvas outside our studio space


Me playing with my White Head

Faculty of Media Arts displaying within our studio space as well

Faculty of Design's exhibition space

Me and my reflection; I know it doesn't quite look like me!

My "model" against my bamboo-charcoal drawing, done on the spot

Abstract artist-wannabes' favourite space!

Friday, February 01, 2008

Abstract Art - My Curse

I'm never good at abstract art; or perhaps I have not learnt how to translate my emotions into abstract art pieces. Today for 2D lesson, we were supposed to make abstract drawings based on music clips being played via the sound systems and keywords on various emotions. In total, we have to do 20-odd drawings, and you could have guessed it, it was a disaster to me!

I'd laugh my head off if you think this is a pile of master artworks!

The only 2 pieces I'd consider still passable; the top being a response to a metal music clip and the bottom being a response to a xylophone-like musical sequence

A response to a chain of 11 sound clips; reflects well on my state of mind then: totally confused!

White Hat Parade @ Lasalle

Today we had a White Hat Parade around the whole campus, as part of our final assessment for our White Hat/ Wearable Head Structure/ White Head Structure project. Well, almost the whole of the campus; some groups had to climb up to the second level and up, whereas for our group, we only went around the first level, as well as a portion of the basement. It was really fun seeing everyone (almost) in all sorts of hats, though I feel that some are too costume party-like and not quite according to the learning outcome of our project.

On a side note, tomorrow and Sunday is the "see day" for our institute (open house, that is), and 3 of my works (1 Chinese ink portrait, 1 bamboo-charcoal drawing and my White Hat) have been selected for exhibition. However, my last check at the exhibiting venue showed that my bamboo-charcoal drawing had been taken down. I wasn't told why was that so, but I believed my drawing could not fit into the overall composition of the displaying area. Anyway I still have 2 other works there, and I just hope that they won't be removed again at the last minute (since I don't think they're really very outstanding, in my own point of view)!



My classmates in parade


People from other classes

Some of the White Hats chosen for exhibition by my lecturer's classes; the one which looked like a toppled Esplanade roof belongs to me (I don't have any pictures of me wearing the hat. Whoever has taken photographs of me in the White Hat please email to me!)

Another view of my White Hat; my worksmanship wasn't really good, and I'm surprised that it actually got selected for exhibition


Other "prized" White Hats

That's a self-portrait of me in Chinese ink, done by observing myself from a mirror; strange that it doesn't look like me, but another course mate whom I do not know!