Flitter-bug

I spent the day flitting. In and out of moods. Between the concious and the unconcious. And i'm perpetually sent catapulting into different time zones due to familiar scents, songs and flavours. Even the texture of clothes on my skin. I swear, its getting a little too bizarre.

Anyway, that aside. I want to ask you to please, please watch the movie, "Serendipity" if you have'nt already. I've actually had the urge to write a post about the movie - starring John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale for the longest time. But under the guidance of the Godess of Procrastination. I , well, procrastinated.

It is the most adorable and heart-warming romantic comedy in the history of sappy, fuzzy movies that make you feel all wobbly inside.
As of today, ive watched it about 4 times. I plan to watch it again, again, again and again.


I love the title of the movie- Serendipity. It means a fortunate accident. I'll be honest, the series of fortunate, or at times, not so fortunate (well it depends on how you look at it) accidents that make up the storyline of the movie can be ridiculous and fairly far-fetched. But ironicaly, and scarily, if you've encountered moments of "serendipity" in your life, you might just find the events all too familiar for comfort.

In my case, i ended up mulling over the possibility, that we are all part of a magnificent tapestry , intricately designed and weaved by some higher power of sorts, and we're all somehow pre-destined to do something or get somewhere or meet someone at somepoint. I won't go to the extent of saying fate is behind everything. But i beleive that we should always, always, leave something, anything, up to faith and just beleive in the unknown. In serendipity. Seriously, sit back and think of all the uncanny coincidences the have occured in the past year and where they have brought you. Personaly, it seems like these cases of "serendipity" have created a larger impact on my life and on who i am compared to anything else that i had planned and worked towards from the start. Just think about it.

Also, the movie is studded with adorable jokes - crafted very well to suite the theme of Destiny and Fate. Of course, the adorable John Cusack and the amazing chemistry between him and co-star, the stunnning Kate Beckinsale is so infectious.

I'd ramble but I'm going to abruptly end here because my moon lit bed is too sexy to ignore.

So here's to the post, that is'nt quite as satisfactory as i hoped. But a post, nontheless, to the fuzzywuzzysoppy-romantic comedy-numero uno : Serendipity!Watchwatchwatch.

Oh, and the soundtrack is beautiful too.
Here's a rather interesting video by Annie Lenox for the song OST Serendipity - Waiting in Vain. Its not the best quality. Be pateint and turn your volume up.

I love the colours in the video but i have to say, it is disturbing at some level.
Enjoy.




Flitting away to dreamland,
Farah.

Swing swing

Today, i compare my emotions to a pendulum.

Ive felt so high and right now, im stepping into a zone where i really, i mean really dont want to be.

I really don't feel like writting a post.

I feel uninspired.

I feel vacant.

I feel trapped.

I am starting to feel angry.

I am frustrated.

I should leave.

I wish you'd leave.

Im tired.

Im tired and confused.

I dont lack sleep.

I need to go.

Departed.

Numbing.Love it.

The Jadded and Departed.

My 14-day school week has taken a toll on my health, performance and mood. With 5 more days to go , I'm quite the wreck. But I'll survive - like i always do.

I'll pick up where i left off. The two-sentenced entry that had defeat clinging to every syllabul.But right now, I wont go into why but Friday left me exhausted, mopey and dreading the three days of Mazarin camp that loomed ahead.

Saturday came and puffy-eyed, jadded Farah Bawany reluctantly dragged her beat body to the Research Center ready to have her nerves, immune, physical endurance, resilliance and mental health tested by a team of what seemed to be cocaine-high gibbons in heat prancing about in bermudas, scaling the floor like it was a rock-wall, preaching the "work in excelence" and more gibberish about leadership-blah-blah-blah.

Someone spell Pessimist.Thanks.

But as the day inched on, from 5-way tug-of-wars, journaling sessions and over 380 squats, I came to realise and sheepishly admitted that the jadded me found a camp that actually helped and mattered.

Surprising ,no?

Our facilitator Ian was such a darling. Thank god he wasnt one of the over-excited steroidal ones. He was the inspirational architype trainer. My team did not consist of Balaji and Timothy .Although i was previously in raptures that i was working with them, i'm not complaining that i didnt.

My brilliant team consisted of (i appologise in advance for mispelt names) Vincent, Zing Zhi, Charlene, Yu Hui, Lin Shuang, Fu Kang, Ting Hui, Pei Shan, Carol, Ajit, Ardesh and Elisse. And of course myself and facil - Ian.

Saturday was spent team-building and we went through what we call the Norming and Storming Stages. I cant possibly list all the activities . I'll just put it this way. It tested us physically . A lot. And if you happen to notice how much i resent physical excercise, (major euphemism there) you would know how badly 380 squats still hurts. Ouuucch.

One activity that had an impact was the feedback sessions especially the one where , get this, we had to rate the top three leaders in our group and the bottom three. This was followed by a sharing session where each of us had to tell the group who we selected and why. No sugar-coating allowed. Okay. It sounds not tooo bad here. But trust me. When round-eyed teenagers with make-or-brake confidence look at you with sparks of hope dancing in the centers of their eyes, you feel pretty much like crap telling them that he/she is the worst.

Thankfully, the kids who were voted bottom three by quite a few took it amazingly well. Plus, it was constructive feedback. But still! I am so proud of them. And what i loved was the paradigm shift in gourp dynamics afterwards. Our group was suddenly so close-knit and steaming with excellent camaraderie.

Another activity was when we had to "handle conflicts". I really liked this part becasue it taught me a lot about conflict and how we, as leaders, can stop 'tension' from escalating to 'crisis'. And it even applies between friends and especially when you are in a relationship. We know communication is key. It is about learning how to communicate towards a win-win situation.

What we did, was to sit in a circle and basically tell whoever it was that you're uncomfortable with why and what was causing this discomfort. In my group, it was more of classmates trying to clear bad blood. I had one person calling another 'abnormal' and i was quite tickled. Still am actually. Haha.

It wasnt at all horrifying. It felt good getting things off our chest and bad feelings that were simmering just, dissolved. Poof. In another group however, there were tempers flaring and tears shed. But i'm fairly confident they felt better after.

Today, we concluded with another game and celebrations. And i think the main lesson learnt was the concept of winning. Points wise, my group was last. It was quite funny cos we lagged behind the winners by hundreds of points. But we had the winning idea (and the winning attitude) that many groups copied after. While it took ages for us to actually act, our final product though disappointing at first became quite encouraging.

Finally we celebrated the Teejay way. Go on. Guess.

Of course. Mass dance and cheers:)

During our final feedback session , facil-Ian actually cried. And it was really touching. So yes, the jadded Farah departed and the one who was really passionate returned from last year!

Meanwhile, Ive got a long, long week ahead. Tomorrow in fact, Ive got a Mock SPA.

I'm actually thinking about listing '5 sources of error' and '5 Suggestions for improvements' that i have to memorise here. But i'd drive the mickey out your ass doing that, wouldnt i?

That's all for now,

Conquering 5 days of hell,

Farah:)

PS: Special thank you and sorry to Maurice. I love you:) Thanks for putting up with my crap and talking me through my conundrum. I'm gonna miss you when you go back to Perth. I promise promise promise we're going to get to spend more time together this month okay? And i'm booking you for sheesha with Nad next week.

Love, King Julian

Today

Speaking words of wisdom. Let it be, let it be.

high on gasoline

Elo Elo! Yes, i am back. With a transilvanian accent that cannot make it leh. Nevertheless, back and kicking.

Don't ask me who or what i owe my brilliant mood to but im pretty much happiness personified. At least for now.

Maybe, its because i'm on my last two antibiotics! No, not quite. I still feel like a seal trapped in a washing machine. Dont mind my not very lucid analogies. They are the product of a hard day's work and a lot of water. They don't make sense. Nothing in this post would make much sense. Then again, Bush doesnt make much sense. But we still love him, no? :)

Perhaps, its because i charmed my way out of Mazarin so that i can go for dramadramadrama! (Here is where a jealous classmate with a crush on a particular Maths teacher screams "sarka!". I think she was trying to say Suck-Up. Oh well. Tomato, potato, eh?

Moving on...

As for some of you who bother reading what i must confess is a blog quite the entertainment ( i dont care if you beg to differ ) , you would know that i was a rambling whore high on cocaine in my last post. No, just testing. I was sick. Horribly, terribly, terrifyingly sick. Oh, the bubonic plaguueeee. Lord, save me.

Not quite.

But yes, i was sick. While that gave me an opportunity to neglect college for a bit, it gave me the even more treasured opportunity to get my batteries re-charged, bloodstream re-drugged and more make-up PE's. Oh, joy.

It also gave me time to watch the highly anticipated " Across The Universe"! This is the part where i turn into a blabbering, befuddled, nincompoop with a neurotic Movie-Nova persona.

I'll spare you. But i cannot leave it as that.

Across the Universe has by far the best ideas, imagery, allusions, allegory, editing, acting, lyrics, singing, musical arrangments, colours, effects, chemistry and human relationships put together in a tapestry of bloody genuity leaving you stunned, starved and gasping for MORE for a hundred and thirty mind blowing minutes.

Its a gritty, whimisical , theatrical mind-fest that promises to change your life. From the imagination of director Julie Taymore and featuring acting and singing of Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood, Bono, and the very sexy Joe Anderson and my favourite Eddie Izzard. he acts as a drug-high Mr.Kite. The scene was just confusing in a way never so appealing before. Im probably not making sense. Think Tim Burton's idealistic orgy of a scene. Zany, psychedelic and totally like far out dude.

The movies tag line is "All you need is love". It is a classic. A montage of the Beatles' songs rearranged and re-sung brilliantly without being massacred (Now, thats a feat). It is set during the turbulent anti-vietnam war riots that raged america in the 60's. Think hippies with a cause. Make love, not war baby!

Okay. Appologies for eventually still turning into the blabbering, befuddled Movie-Nova.

Back to reality and the point on dramadramadrama,we had our first session on Wednesday! It was a brilliant success and of course i have my super-human EXCO to thank and our brilliant teachers and one very important person. Of course , not to mention all the kids who turned up! It was fantabulous.

While we went on rounds of games and food, we also learned a lot about each other's fantastic or not so fantastic bowel movements and other quirks that are so unique to the genteel, lovely, shy homosapiens who roam the world of drrrama.

Oh, oh, revalation! A junior came up to me and said "you know, i used to do this gig with dragqueens, and they used this perfume. I think, you smell like them". Farah thinks aloud, "Why, thanks dear, that just solved one of my life's biggest mysteries". Of course after i sought the brand of perfume they used (Victoria's Secret) , i was releived to find out it was an olfactory error cos i sport either Ralph Lauren, Vera Wang or Armani ( Though my favourite brand is Escada - In case you dont know what to get me for my Birthday, Valentine's day, Chinese New Year..)

So yes . very pleased. very very pleased.

Of course, i am not looking forward to spending the rest of my weekend in school mulling over Mazarin. At least i can be grateful that my mentor is darling Miss N and i get to work with Timothy and Balaji!

Alrighty then, i think that was one hellava post. What do you think count dracula?

Yez, yez. Eet vas a brilliant pozt. Ha Ha Ha (think sesame st. count's laughter. yes the stunted one which makes him sound like he is getting spanked by elmo while he laughs)

flying on my motorcylce, watching all the ground beneath me drop.

love,

farah.

Pictures that stuck and songs that stained. Listen to strawberry fields.

Sandman's Curse

Today started off excelent. A ridiculous game of hangman in the marquee, juice and cookies.

However, soon enough, the bitch called my immune system caught up with a damn vengance. My throat is plagued with red fire ants marching up and down my trachea , sinking their sharp whatnots into me. I swear, if my tonsills were'nt already gone, i'd be sitting in a hospital room having my last meal before tomorrow's surgery.

My lips are chapped and purple. My mouth - red. My eyelids perpetually looming over my sulphur-tinted eyes. To top it all off, a throbbing migraine, vertigo, prickling skin and an exhausted, weak frame.

The lack of water and sleep took its course once again. Yes Karan, 330ml of water over two days does not suffice. Neither does 5 hours of sleep. :(

Mr Lim persisted that i went home midway through my double chem ( which i have to admit was not half as unbearable as i imagined - then again, that could be due to the fact that i was not quite concious ).

But yes, TGIF. Then again, the weekend only means more work. I will bear the brunt of my carlessness while the 21st century's rendition of bubonic plague comsumes me whole.

Tonight, i will quit playing peek-a-boo with my beloved chemistry homework and actually complete what seems to be an incomprehensible string of letters, numbers, graphs and anything vile and revolting put together in perfect lines and columns by our dear, dear Chem department.

Afterwhich, i will indulge in rhapsodies of self-praise and unwind to a warm glass of milk, midnight wind, Nat King Cole and Xanax. ( No , Xanax is not anime. Its a tranquiliser that should either knock me out cold or keep me awake coupled by a frozen, corpse-like body. I'm praying for the former, dreading the latter.)

Good-Bye One and all. Here's to a potentialy fruitful weekend.

Plagued,

Farah.

Sticky Keys

Ola!

A promise is a promise. I promised to update.So here i am, as promised, updating.

As you can tell, that sentence just should'nt have made sense. It just goes to show how awfuly exhauted i am. If it seemed completely comprehensible to you, then , you must be exhauted.

The last time i wrote was the eve of the first day of school. About 9 days ago.And..

In a nut-shell: Crash Orientation Groups. Go for lectures. Mass Dance. Suntec. Attempt to write script. Attempt. Attempt. Attempt. Cough out script. SC changes script. Attempt to write new script. Get a script. Pretend to lose Script. Freak SC out. On stage. First scene. Really lose script. Freak out. Script found. Excellent Emceeing. Kudos Mike n I. Official resignation from emceeing. Good Bye SC. oh, and good luck too. :)

After O-Nite was a roller coaster of homework, new tutors, lessons, new time table, going broke, drama. drama. drama. and drama.

For PDP exhibition day, we decided to re-enact out humanities day excerpt of Midsummer NIght's dream. It was pleasently nostalgic but admittedly tough to get together. But in the end, it all worked out well enough. We have close to 40 people on our sign up list and i am itching to get started with the juniors next week. How exciting!

Jumping back in time, O-Nite really was excellent. According to many, its the best emceeing they've ever seen Mike & I do. So , Hooray!

Meanwhile,(sorry bout the perpetual astro-travel) I have reluctantly decided to scrap the whole new CIP idea. Work is piling up and refering back to resolutions , i am to constantly keep ahead of school's schedule while catching up on last year's work. Its working so far- but with way too much effort. I guess i'll find a way around it. eventually.

So yes, this post did not come close to doing my week any justice whatsoever.But i really can't bother to ammend it.Sorry. But i will leave it with excellent music found on the new best radio station in Singapore; 91.3 FM!

Just to clear things up on behalf of Rodney Montero , the other deejays and my failing dignity, 91.3 is NO longer radio heart or WKRZ. Its no longer an Ah-Beng station. Instead, it spins great pop,rock,hip-hop,electronic and dance beats from the 90's till today.Never more than two ads in a row!*spastic comercial smile*

But seriously, check it out. it really is great stuff :)

Ooh. Ooh. I hear Mr.Ice-cream man :) Excuse me while i go make sweet passionte and hurried love to Chinese Ice Cream slapped between two peices of coloured bread. How Orgasmic.