I'm so in like with this new Rihanna song and I know why. She's grown up. You can hear it her voice. Diamonds has these amazing subtle nuances and inflexions that strike at one's emotions. The way she utters 'You and I, you and I" almost breathlessly it's as if she was on drugs, or in the throes of passion or whispering in one's ear. And there are so many. These clever bits are stunning, whether they were consciously orchestrated or not. I keep thinking about the coaches on American Idol or The Voice suggesting these vocal highlights to a good voiced singer. Perhaps Rihanna has simply got better.
The lyrics themselves are down to earth and yet wonderfully metaphoric. "Find light in the beautiful sea, I choose to be happy". Maybe it's the hopefulness that radiates from the song.
And in the end she's singing to you, the listener. "You and I, we're beautiful like diamonds in the sky". I can easily imagine this song playing in a sea of lighters overhead - the diamonds - as a finale in her concert.
I dare say this is 2012's Umbrella. I'll be listening to this for a long long time. The beat is just awesome too.
Turn the volume on the video and close your eyes, and listen.
Friday, 23 November 2012
Saturday, 17 November 2012
One Heck Of A Ride Or Two
There are things about roller-coasters. The mere mention of them lends power to a myriad of thoughts and emotions to manifest as physical and aural expression. People freak out. Others sweat in apprehension. Some turn arrogant with stories of their conquests. Most are happy at remembering the thrill of being at mercy of a monstrous speed demon and of course its partner gravity. Others simply are glad to be alive after. If well done, roller-coasters give their riders a beautiful experience. Beautiful because it's a journey, articulated from masterful planning and science, some even designed for the best views. Beautiful also because one is helpless. When was the last time you felt helpless but in a good way? There isn't any turning back, no brakes to pull or step on, no matter how the adrenaline makes you scream and shudder and laugh. It's a wonderful feeling, strangely. And after, when the heart is decelerating and the breath still heaves and you're a little light-headed, you know you can take a little gravitational pressure. Or even attempt a jump off a cliff into blue seas. Or contemplate a bungee jump. What could be worse than being at the mercy of an uncontrollable event? Surviving is emboldening. Liberating. What's office politics and pencil pushing after descents at 60 degrees at 9.8m/s2, and a couple of loop-da-loops helixes with legs dangling, disrespecting the sun with their soles? A ride makes you feel alive, again. Like anything is possible. Everyone leaves with a new found strut, and a woo-hoo.
Both the machines at USS freak us out mostly because they accelerate to the first apex. Unlike the good old crick, crick, crick to the top, the Human and rides hurl you towards gravitational destiny quicker than one would expect. Brilliant design.
It's always the first drop that gets me. I resolve to scream early, prior to almost losing my sanity and life as I am propelling downwards. It helps cushion the shock to the system. Admittedly, I was afraid but then who isn't. I was light-headed too but damn it was shiok.
Veni, vedi, vici I guess.
Both the machines at USS freak us out mostly because they accelerate to the first apex. Unlike the good old crick, crick, crick to the top, the Human and rides hurl you towards gravitational destiny quicker than one would expect. Brilliant design.
It's always the first drop that gets me. I resolve to scream early, prior to almost losing my sanity and life as I am propelling downwards. It helps cushion the shock to the system. Admittedly, I was afraid but then who isn't. I was light-headed too but damn it was shiok.
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Waking Up The Living
Perhaps only morticians, funeral parlour guys, nurses and doctors, and embalmers are used to dealing with the dead on a frequent basis. And yes the police of course. The rest of us hope not to hear of, see and know of anyone's who's died. We generally tend to disregard this inevitability because it is unpleasant. It makes us sad and mad. All the negative emotions possibly associated with life is part of its end, death. I think I squirmed a little inside when I got my first insurance policy and my insurance guy said "When you die, touch wood, the beneficiary...". Maybe we all do/did. Life and death, the start and the end.
It's harder when those who pass on are young. I die a little inside when I hear of kids lost in accidents. Less so for those who have lived quite some years. I could never volunteer in a kid's hospital. I'd be too upset to be sane.
A little more than a week ago, I received news of an colleague from a previous agency job who met with an accident and a few days later passed away. He is 4 years younger than I am. When I saw the posts on Facebook, I was a little petrified. I sat in my chair in the office not sure of what to think and at the same time thinking of everything. It was a strange, ominous feeling, a weight that started from shoulders, and travelled through my body to my gut. Not many times does emotion manifest in actual physiological response, the only other times is when one is in love and when one's heart is broken. This news put me in such a state. Perhaps what got me was how unexpected the news was. I didn't really know Danny Teo very well and we hung out more over beer on Fridays than work. He was quite entertaining after a couple, and always up for a deep, engaging conversation in the buzz state. I recall him smiling a lot.
The funeral was last Friday and familiar faces from the agency showed up. It was nice to see everyone and chat but the circumstances were awkward and inappropriate for frivolity and enjoyment. Some were more affected by the passing than others, and it showed on their faces.
Death always wakes up the living. People start to appreciate their family and friends just that little bit more, for a little while at least. We cherish those around us and are thankful for the love they've shown us, till the next argument perhaps. It mellows us, tempers our dark sides. Perhaps some of us have become numb to death and destruction with the way TV, video games and movies portrays gore as entertainment. Spartacus, for instance, has given censorship committees lots of 'in your face' blood and guts to ponder over. Well maybe a little numb, hopefully not totally desensitised. When it's real it's different, I hope for humanity's sake.
Be at peace, Danny Danger. We will not forget.
It's harder when those who pass on are young. I die a little inside when I hear of kids lost in accidents. Less so for those who have lived quite some years. I could never volunteer in a kid's hospital. I'd be too upset to be sane.
A little more than a week ago, I received news of an colleague from a previous agency job who met with an accident and a few days later passed away. He is 4 years younger than I am. When I saw the posts on Facebook, I was a little petrified. I sat in my chair in the office not sure of what to think and at the same time thinking of everything. It was a strange, ominous feeling, a weight that started from shoulders, and travelled through my body to my gut. Not many times does emotion manifest in actual physiological response, the only other times is when one is in love and when one's heart is broken. This news put me in such a state. Perhaps what got me was how unexpected the news was. I didn't really know Danny Teo very well and we hung out more over beer on Fridays than work. He was quite entertaining after a couple, and always up for a deep, engaging conversation in the buzz state. I recall him smiling a lot.
The funeral was last Friday and familiar faces from the agency showed up. It was nice to see everyone and chat but the circumstances were awkward and inappropriate for frivolity and enjoyment. Some were more affected by the passing than others, and it showed on their faces.
Death always wakes up the living. People start to appreciate their family and friends just that little bit more, for a little while at least. We cherish those around us and are thankful for the love they've shown us, till the next argument perhaps. It mellows us, tempers our dark sides. Perhaps some of us have become numb to death and destruction with the way TV, video games and movies portrays gore as entertainment. Spartacus, for instance, has given censorship committees lots of 'in your face' blood and guts to ponder over. Well maybe a little numb, hopefully not totally desensitised. When it's real it's different, I hope for humanity's sake.
Be at peace, Danny Danger. We will not forget.
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Testing The Limits
Had an interesting chat with a friend yesterday - she has a young child who's apparently brilliant at art but my friend is holding back the praise in case it's a fluke. My friend doesn't need the drama of enrolling her in some art academy or having precious talent washed down the Singapore education system. Not yet.
One point that struck me in the conversation was that the father, also a good friend, had once instructed the same child to draw within the lines while the mother had allowed for literally boundless expression. What a classic situation presented, the two opposites of adult behaviour expressed to a child. One rule observant, the other rule breaker. Toeing the line and jumping across. Perhaps subservient and renegade.
Most adults are followers. We expect things to be done in a certain way so that we get the required outcome. The people who maintain order in society also expect us to follow certain rules to keep society as a whole running smoothly. There will be outliers who will need reining in, those who commit crimes. In general though, everyone has an idea of boundaries in their lives.
This kid is lucky though, to have the balancing war played out at an early age, to be spectator to argument on what boundaries should be laid for her at this age. The parents care to figure this out. It's also good that she might testing the waters of her limits. It turns out that teenagers behave irrationally, or simply put, like to get in trouble, so that they can test more limits in their metamorphosis into adulthood. Limit-testing helps the brain and body figure out what it can endure and fathom, and later repeat.
Do these boundaries limit creativity? Yes and no. Some will argue that drawing within the lines will stifle imagination. Others will argue that imagination will sprout magnificence within the limits. Both valid points with lots of examples for both. Nothing's really right or wrong but sticking to one extreme is likely not the way to go. I know parents who prefer a veritable stranglehold I their kids when young, to loosen the grip as logical thought, reasoning and a defined sense of right and wrong have kicked in. Other parents have adopted 'the kid will figure it out' approach - a somewhat hands-off experiment to shape the mind and body through personal interaction. I prefer the more control with room to figure out. It makes life less difficult for the caregiver. Some boundaries are there for good reason. Others not so. To recognise this takes some level of logic and rationalisation. Kids don't do that or can't do that, hence the adults must.
One point that struck me in the conversation was that the father, also a good friend, had once instructed the same child to draw within the lines while the mother had allowed for literally boundless expression. What a classic situation presented, the two opposites of adult behaviour expressed to a child. One rule observant, the other rule breaker. Toeing the line and jumping across. Perhaps subservient and renegade.
Most adults are followers. We expect things to be done in a certain way so that we get the required outcome. The people who maintain order in society also expect us to follow certain rules to keep society as a whole running smoothly. There will be outliers who will need reining in, those who commit crimes. In general though, everyone has an idea of boundaries in their lives.
This kid is lucky though, to have the balancing war played out at an early age, to be spectator to argument on what boundaries should be laid for her at this age. The parents care to figure this out. It's also good that she might testing the waters of her limits. It turns out that teenagers behave irrationally, or simply put, like to get in trouble, so that they can test more limits in their metamorphosis into adulthood. Limit-testing helps the brain and body figure out what it can endure and fathom, and later repeat.
Do these boundaries limit creativity? Yes and no. Some will argue that drawing within the lines will stifle imagination. Others will argue that imagination will sprout magnificence within the limits. Both valid points with lots of examples for both. Nothing's really right or wrong but sticking to one extreme is likely not the way to go. I know parents who prefer a veritable stranglehold I their kids when young, to loosen the grip as logical thought, reasoning and a defined sense of right and wrong have kicked in. Other parents have adopted 'the kid will figure it out' approach - a somewhat hands-off experiment to shape the mind and body through personal interaction. I prefer the more control with room to figure out. It makes life less difficult for the caregiver. Some boundaries are there for good reason. Others not so. To recognise this takes some level of logic and rationalisation. Kids don't do that or can't do that, hence the adults must.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)