Whoa. You gotta take a look at this - even facebook has a clone:

http://www.xiaonei.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiaonei

happy birthday x 3!

at last, something to blog!

this week is packed like anything man - jazz band rehearsals, studying for a test next week, reading and meeting up for presentations next week...

took some time off today to celebrate some special birthdays!(what is family time without good food?)

(as lincoln put its, lollipops!)

(i need to do something about my hair)

(my, what a big nose you have, Pinocchio!)

(ah, and here we are: the three birthday girls!)

Lincoln is gonna join the army soon, woot! joining as an excellent trainee... HAHA

Now I bet YOU (YES YOU) Are Wondering....

...What exactly is going on here in Australia. Well lets for say, a stress free day is not included at the moment, in which I mean forcing myself (lazy and "ah crap with this subject") to study. Also there's been plenty of new things going on lately, for example;

Mum trying to put a chair into the fridge - biggest laugh yet
Myself trying to open a locked door thinking it was open - was sped at that time

So anyways, life here has resumed back to normal, I had a mathematics test today and I'm being retarded at the moment because my whole head is filled with Cumulative sequences. Now, I have done a pretty decent post and its back to Technological SMIL work (search SMIL on wikipedia if you don't know what it is).

Alden was here and he's sped.

rrrrrr

Some random shots, mainly food:

Newton Circus, after a wake.

Pastor awarding the Best Calvarite for his pizza skill. Actually it was Calvin's birthday.
Innards with mum and dad. YUM.


And i'm sure you will all know by now Euvin's pride and joy!

Humble Beginnings.

Whoa, after promoting Stardust 2009 at Heeren today. I realize how far we've really come as a band.



Just some of the humble beginnings for us. So glad that Justin's filled up the gap that Mark left, in a very different way.

Hopefully the photos and videos from tonight's performance will be up shortly. Happy Valentine's everyone!

And thanks Yang for the massive pedalboard on loan to me (:


As you can see, I'm expanding my sound temporarily. Empress Trem (: YUM.

Love,
Josh

Jazz @ Southbridge.

Wow. Nick got sabo-ed into playing with a stranger and a jazzband mate.

I think what I have to say is Nick has improved so so much over the years. Even though you could tell he was nervous, the man pulled through and really delivered. I was thoroughly impressed, you've got the chops ^^

That night I came from band practice in slippers and shorts. Nick wanted to check out Jazz @ Southbridge. At first I was kinda skeptic and apprehensive. Firstly, we're not dressed. Secondly, we're not dressed. Thirdly, I was kinda not feeling it after coming from practice. But going there, sitting there with a drink and listening to good music, I really felt refreshed. Its awesome how good music can really relax you. You feel off their energy, emotions.

Needless to say, we're going back. Although when is another question.

Stellar Memory will be promoting NUS' Stardust 2009 - http://www.stardustsg.com/ at its promotion drive along Orchard Rd at Heeren Shops. Definitely showcase some new stuff. Meanwhile, check out Holland Cheese on our myspace. Its a blooper.

Love,

xiong

YAAAAAAHHHHH

what an eventful day. for both me and josh. i'm sure he post something about it soon, but i shall pre-empt him.

i followed josh to his band's jam session, and then after that we went to Jazz@Southbridge. my goodness. i guess it's God's timing or something, but i met some of the NUS jazz people and so it was like - hey hey! and i meet my drum-cher there too. plus kena sabo-ed to play...

somehow really... it just felt like God's timing. thanks God! i'm sure josh feels the same too!

be patient for photos!

Video Galore

This Guy is Supperr Good lol...Deserves 3 vids.

Drive - Bobby McFerrin




This is a self improvisation by Richard Bona and Bobby McFerrin



Live Vid



And 1 more video from the Compassionart as Cornik talked about.

"Whoa Snow!" and other short stories

Don't you all quite agree Yang is like perhaps the luckiest of us all? Being able to play in the snow and such. Haha. Well anyways, heres a little update on whats going on, its hot and its not-as-humid-as-Singapore but it is hotter over here.

Yes its summer, don't you just love it? Watching people get skin cancer, staring at the maggot filled flies stuck on the fly screen (thank GOD for it) and letting the school air conditioning fail?

But away from that cause its not fun at all.

Alright Nicky, theres 2 drawings I have done/found, and sorry about scan quality cause the scanner is REALLY REALLY OLD (I'd say 8 years old at least)

(I found this in the cupboard of my room)

(and just did this like yesterday and the day before that?)

And these pictures will be flying to you either via Uncle Joe or my mum when she comes back to Singapore.

Anyways back to work!

Alden was here.

That day it snowed in London

Once upon a time, there was no snow in London during the winter. There were only snowflakes, but it never, ever snowed more than mere millimeters of snowflakes. Then one night, it started snowing, and it continued to snow, and snow, and snow. The people of London were in shock, as the next morning, inches of snow piled up at the front of their doors.



People were snow fighting throughout London, boys raining down snowballs from buildings on unwary passerbys. Everyone was enjoying themselves. It was a happy day for the citizens of London. Snowmen were built up all over the city.


The very same day, Yang and his four friends, Maeghan, Fabrico, Bruno and Marianna decided to have a grand snow-fight on the streets. It was a tough fight indeed, as snowballs smashed, and clumps of snow were dumped on each other.




Then, they came up with an idea. They decided to build a snowman, a snowman far taller, and greater than the ones on the streets of London. "We shall build one taller than ourselves", they exclaimed. And they were all in one agreement.



However, as they proceeded to build the big snowman, they realized, "oh we have no carrots! What shall we do?". Alas, they decided to build a brazilian snowman, and brought a banana along. As they toiled, and heaved, and pushed and carried, finally the giant snowman was complete. Taller than most men in the city of London, with a fine yellow nose.






The five builders were very proud of their creation indeed. Then they realized he was without clothes. Alas, they gave him the Brazilian soccer jersey for his shirt, and the Brazilian flag for his identity, and gloves to keep his hands warm.



"What shall we name him", the creators asked. "Ronaldo" shall be his name, and fat as the soccer player ronaldo he shall be, the builders agreed. And the builders were very happy with their finished monument.

an adieu and a cycle

30th Jan the departure of the last remaining ngoi visitors.
ah it is rather sad - the house is super quiet now, my drumset is in the right place, and the guest room is suddenly really spacious and clean. only a few forgotten items remain to mark the stay of two ngois (and asher, you forgot to return aaron his VCD - leave it for your kornick to give back arh? terrible).
oh well, i'm in school most of the time anyway!

we had a fellowship thingy instead of cell - watched a jackie chan movie which was HILARIOUS - just look at aaron!

(good sleep?)

(bleah - CNY food overload!)

so we were at the airport on 30th jan to bid an adieu.
of course, what are farewells at the airport without popeye's? alas, josh, myself and choon rushed off to play at pnp. so i guess i'll just have to go back another day to eat. oh well... no photos unfortunately! perhaps the boys can elaborate more ;) lincoln! talk about your day out!

and after pnp:
a little bit of motion sickness for you:



ahhh yang your photos are making me feel like getting a better camera!
anyway night cycling was cool - it was a little draggy at the beginning but once the cycling began it was pretty fun! by the end of the night my butt ached sooooo bad. we did 40km in total i think, with a supper (breakfast?) stop at changi village for some nasi lemak. mmmm. not the best stall though! i ate extra for you yang. there were games along the way, and it was kinda irritating, we were ahead but misread a clue and backtracked, only to find we were on the right way all along! kudos to euvin for that clue.

and of course, a huge pat on the back for bao! the residual vibrations from that pat are still evident today...

(even the fireman is tired)

(like a scene from that gladiators gameshow)

(7am. choon waiting for sunrise)

awesome stuff. i feel like i need to get a bike again.

let it snow let it snow let it snow

Let it snow Let is snow Let it snow. About 2cm thick when i left. It snowed when i had my DSLR in my bag. Woohoo!

Yang

hey before i upload any more photos, thought i'd share this with you:



its by compassionart, an initiative by a group of christian artists and recording companies to raise money for the artists' selected charities, headed by martin smith of delirious. they have a CD and a book out now, this song is one of the songs from the CD. its not a bad CD, and you get to do your bit for charity too. why not?

The Markets

Gothic Boots @ Camden Market







London has pretty nice graphic-tee shirts, i must say. This week, had the opportunity to visit Camden Market and Portobello Market (Pt II), having finished Borough Market a few weeks ago. Well, in place of food, imagine more of queensway (Camden) and pasar malam (portobello).

Interesting day today though. A day of vastly different events. Went to Portobello Market, found a really nice shirt, chatted with the shopkeeper for like 15 minutes, who is a positive-spreading, peace-leaving, part-time drummer, from Leicester who sells really nice, positive shirts. Made me wonder about what's the life ratrace is all about. Then i bought the shirt.

Then sat on the underground tube to Picadilly Circus, wondered why people were glancing in my direction. Alas, the lady next to me was breastfeeding her baby on the tube. Time to look away.

Went to Lilywhites, a supercrowded sports store. A spanish lady was shopping for jerseys, and asked the retail assistant "which was the better team, Chelsea or Liverpool". The assistant asked me, and OF COURSE, i said 'Chelsea of course, this is London!'. The Spanish lady promptly bought a few jerseys, and some junior ones. Therefore, did my part in recruiting (inducing) young Chelsea fans for the future! Hurray!

Lady fell in front of me at Leicester Square. It was all dark, and she dropped her Ipod classic. So i brought her attention to it.

Had a nice (expensive) persian dinner at a restaurant near Covent Garden, celebrating a swiss friend's 25th birthday. Food was interesting and flavourful, but not to my palate (duck legs stewed with pomegranate). oh, and the restaurant had a belly dancer. I was kinda sabo-ed to try to belly dance along side her (and a few others later). Yang don't do dancing yes. my hips hurt.

Interesting day of personal interactions. Hope night cycling was good!

Yang,
p.s. Nick, i got you a t-shirt. dunno when you'll get it though

Pictures
Above (Camden Market)
Below (portobello market goodies + Persian dinner)

Seafood box for 3.50. goodness. Ghanian Food from 5 pounds