Five Reasons Why Going To The Pool Is Just Like Real Life

Hi.

About two months ago, I started going to the community pool near my place once or twice a week in an attempt to break out of a funk in my life I'd like to call unemployment. Going regularly, I see a couple of the same few people every week and have figured out the pool culture, and realized that it's pretty similar to how it should be in your day-to-day life.

1. Most people don't understand that you have to get ready before swimming.

Besides the obvious point that you have to be dressed appropriately, you have to warm up/stretch before going in for a swim. Like most exercises, you need some form of pre-game before really getting down to it, or else you'll end up with the horrible foot cramp we're all familiar with.

It's the same with life, you can't just be well-groomed or have a nice job title. You have to be ready and doing good internally too! Are you mentally prepared for that job? Are you emotionally ready to be in that relationship? Or are you constantly eating food that you know is junk? It's all about being well inside and out.

2. No matter how many times you've gone up and down what you've established is your lane, some bastard will ruin your groove.
You know when you've been in the same lane for at least 20 minutes, and some fucker, who has been in the area for long enough to have at least noticed that you've been in the same lane for at least 20 minutes, just decides to float about and just stand there right in your lane for no apparent reason. This legitimately makes me so mad, and as much as I've accepted that this is a thing that happens, it still pisses me off.

No matter how long you've been doing your job or you know, doing things in general, there is always someone there to unnecessarily ruin things for you. It really isn't a big deal, but it really ruins a couple of minutes of your day and you just spend the rest of the day glaring at that person. And it's okay, it happens, but don't let it ruin your whole day. Use that rage as fuel to do better for the rest of the day.

3. No matter how clean your pool is, just accept the fact that someone has and will pee in it.

Unless you have your own pool or you're the first person in after a cleaning, just accept that the body of water you are willingly dunking yourself in for an extended amount of time contains a small percentage of urine. There is no way around it. The earlier you accept this, the earlier you'll forget and get used to it.

Nothing is perfect, and no amount of effort on our part could change that. Sometimes we see flaws in ourselves, and sometimes other people see flaws in us. We just have to accept that shit happens (I hope to God, not anywhere near the pool) and we can only do so much to fix it.

4. If the pool is dirty, don't go into it. Obviously.

Accepting that you are soaking in water mixed with a bit of pee is one thing, willingly going in a pool that is clearly dirty is something else. Call me stupid, but I love wave pools with every fibre of my being, and one incredibly hot summer day, my cousins and I decided to go down to the water park and attempt to cool down. When we got there, we found out that the entire city had the same idea, and the wave pool ended up being more people than water. From afar, it literally looked like the scene from World War Z where there were literal waves of zombies. The water was just disgustingly murky and there were a lot of unmentionables floating about, but my child-self couldn't walk away from the wave pool and I ended up itching so bad for multiple days and got scars and rashes. As much fun as I had at the wave pool that day, it just wasn't worth it.

Don't do something knowing you're have a substantial problem with it. Be it sticking with good-paying job when you know you're slowly developing alcoholism from dealing with soul-sucking co-workers, or going on a "spiritually-fulfilling" backpacking trip when you know you're gonna end up in debt. Putting yourself out of your comfort zone is a great thing, but do it smartly. Obviously.

5. For everyone's sake, shower before going in the pool!

I will admit, I didn't know this until I started going more regularly, but showering before going in the pool is actually really important! A good chunk of the impurities in pool water is actually not from pee, but is actually from the dirt from people's skin that just mixes in with the water right as we all, basically take a communal bath together. Just shower, guys. With soap please, or at the very very least, drench yourself before going in. Please.

This point was mostly made because I want people to understand that you have to shower before going in a pool, but it's also good to mentally and emotionally cleanse yourself before you go about on your day. Don't hold on to the negative thoughts you had the day before and carry it into a new day. It is not gonna do you any good, and it could possibly be affecting other people as well. Feel clean, from the inside out.

Opening Bands: The Stigma

Hi.

I recently had the pleasure of covering a music event at Zouk featuring Wavves from California, Múm from Iceland, and Shelves from Singapore. I knew nothing about any of the bands, but the press conference was cosy and chill, and they were all incredibly likeable as real people and not just musicians.

Despite the substandard sound system, all three bands gave an incredibly enjoyable performance. I found myself dancing and singing along to songs I've never heard before from Shelves and Wavves, and keeping quiet and admiring the musical masterpiece that is Múm.

As a photographer for the event, I was positioned right in front of the stage, where a photographer's pit, would usually be. I noticed how the crowd would change for each band, and I was disappointed at the turnout for the opening band, Shelves. There were very little people down by the stage listening, even though the place was starting to get packed. Yet as soon as their set was over, people raced down to get the best spot to catch the next band from California. It's disheartening, considering Shelves is a pretty rad band.

There seems to be a stigma associated with opening bands, especially if they are local and not touring with the band, that they suck. That these opening bands are nothing but time fillers. I disagree. Opening bands are brilliant! I think it's really cool how I can always discover new music just by going to see another band. It's also a great way to hype up the audience, granted that the audience are willing to be hyped up, right before the featured band, thus, creating a greater and more memorable concert experience.

Though the local music scene is booming with talent right now, people still seem to think that the local bands opening for big international artistes are merely rookies looking for some exposure, and are not worth their time. I think that's ridiculous! Most local bands right now are crazy brilliant and they definitely deserve their time on the same stage as the "big boys".

I know that majority of concert goers would probably disagree with me regarding the whole idea about opening bands. Of course I would love to watch more of the band I actually paid to go watch, and there's always no guarantee that I'll like this new music they're throwing right at me, but I'll still stick with my point. Opening bands are brilliant.

I hope you'd all have amazing concert (and opening band) experiences.

Goodnight.

Clubbing 101

Hi!

It's the holiday season, which means holiday breaks, which means fun and parties!

http://imtm.deviantart.com/

You and your friends might want to go out and celebrate at a club, but haven't really done so before. It's a lot of fun, but it could be awkward if it's your first time. So I'm here to give you a run through of the whole clubbing experience!

DISCLAIMER: everything is based on my experiences and my opinions! I am not some clubbing guru. I just wanted to share my thoughts. Also this is more for the ladies than it is for guys. Whoops.

1. Get ready to go to the club! Woo!

You don't have to bring much. I would usually only bring some cash, cards, tinted lip balm, and my phone. You can stuff them in a clutch, or preferably a small sling bag so you don't have to hold anything if you're dancing. Some clubs have lockers/deposits where you can keep your things, but I rather have my things to myself.

Make sure you've eaten something before going out. You're going to be in the club for at least a couple of hours with nothing else to ingest, except for possibly lemon, salt, and alcohol. Having something in your stomach also helps so you won't get drunk so easily, because science.

2. Wear something comfortable, but nothing you'd wear to lounge around at home.

Girls like to get dolled up when going out, but you don't have to wear your tightest bodycon dress or your skyscraper heels. Wear something you know you'll look somewhat decent in after an hour or two of dancing, and make sure your dress/skirt is not too short so you won't be showing any booty on the dancefloor.

Only wear heels if you think, no wait, KNOW that you can survive a good couple of hours walking and dancing around in them. DO NOT wear flip flops ever, and I'd suggest not to wear open toed shoes, unless you'd want to get bruised and bloody toes.

3. You're finally at the club! Now what?

Personally, I don't like going in groups, I'd rather go with just one friend, but it's up to you. Just make sure that you're with people you can truly trust. They are people who have take care of you if you get wasted and people you're willing to take care of if they get wasted.

Most clubs open their doors at around 10pm, but unless you're prepared to feel a bit awkward, enter the club a bit after 11pm. There is almost nothing worse than the early period in a club where there's very little people, no one at dancefloor, and you're just standing there bobbing your head to the music.

4. Get a couple of drinks in you! 

The only thing worse than being in a club early is being sober in a club. It's loud, it will get very cramped, and you'll just start to hate people. So counter that shit up with alcohol! Drink enough to get bubbly and bouncy, but not to the point where you feel like vomiting.

Drinks in clubs are pretty expensive, but most clubs have Ladies Night where they give out free drinks during a certain period of time, or some people go for drinks before entering a club. It's up to you.

5. A guy just came up and talked to you. OMG.

Talk to them back, because why not? Talking to a guy doesn't mean that you have to suck their dick. A conversation doesn't have to end up in anything. If they offered to buy you a drink, it's up to your own discretion. Do a quick eye conversation with your friend, if you're unsure, to check if the guy's cool.

If they asked for your number and you don't want to give it, just tell him no or you're not comfortable with that. If that's too awkward for you, just give a fake number, pretend your phone has died so they can't check, and be off your way. There is no other non-awkward way to say no.

6. You can't dance? Me neither!

You've drank enough liquid courage, you're probably already bouncing in place or singing along to the music. Now move your butt down the dancefloor! Just bounce along to the music, put your hands up in the air, and basically do anything as long as you don't hurt people or flash them. It could get crowded, so try to go to a spot where you're not gonna be knocked down by tall people or slammed against a wall.

Contrary to popular belief, there's not a whole lot of grinding going on in clubs. It does happen, but it's not like everyone's in a massive clothed orgy. Guys might creepily be around with the hopes of dancing with you, it's just up to you if you let them or not. Most guys are decent enough where they'd back off if you give them the hint, but if not, seek the help of your friend or get the hell out of that area and move to another spot. 

7. It's the end of the night.

Your feet want to murder you and you're sober enough where you start to hate everyone in the club. It's time to leave! Get a cab and go straight home to pass out. If you're not up to paying an additional 50% of your cab fare, go for supper/breakfast out with your friend until busses or trains start operating or until the midnight cab fare stops.

8. Go to sleep.

So that's pretty much everything you need to know for your first time heading out to a club!

I hope it helps and that you'll enjoy your holiday, however you want to celebrate it!

Goodnight.

Current Top 3 Youtubers

Hi!

I follow a good number of Youtubers, but there are some that catch my attention and hold it for a good while. Maybe grab on to it a little too tightly, and choke my innards out until I start vomiting phrases from that particular fandom. It's quite a disease, really.

So I present to you, a list of my current top 3 Youtubers.

http://dailygracegetsdressed.tumblr.com/

1. DailyGrace | Grace Helbig

Grace does daily videos, from mondays to fridays. She had a topic for each week like Comment Tuesdays, Tutorial Wednesdays, and my personal favourite, Sexy Fridays. Grace probably does not understand the concept of shame, but I mean that in the best way possible. 

Grace talks about everything from Emmy Awards fashion reviews, to being in a beauty pageant, to 101 ways to say no to sex, all in her usual comedic, satire fashion. Also she is probably the punniest Youtuber out there. Exactly my type of humour.

http://www.facebook.com/Hannah.Hart.Fanpage

2. My Drunk Kitchen | Hannah Hart

Hannah makes cooking videos while drunk and is also very punny. That is it. I have nothing else to say. If you do not feel the need to watch her videos from that sentence alone, I don't know what you're doing with your life.

Hey, gurl / can I take you home / can I get yo' numbah' / can I get you alone / d'you wanna be inside my oven / for some lovin' and covin' / and we're like witches and bitches / 'cause that's what coving means / just in case / nobody understood why I said witches all of a sudden / just like I'm gonna put this tiny hen in my oven / tiny Cornish / game hen / tiny Cornish / say when?! / tiny Cornish / game hen / everybody loves it / everybody loves it!

http://www.facebook.com/charlestrippy

3. CTFxC | Charles & Alli Trippy

Charles & Alli are a couple who've been making 10-15 minute long Youtube videos every single day, for four years. And counting. They vlog and take us with them through their day, which might seem ridiculous to some people, but I personally think it's great because we get to see what it's like being on their side of the world.

They're one of my all time favourite Youtube channels, and I've watched their videos every single day since I've discovered them and I've never been disappointed. We've watched them grow and change and even get married. Now, I'm not one to care about wedding stuff, but watching their wedding video makes me tear up every single time.

So these are my current top three Youtubers you should definitely check out. Whenever I've run out of things to watch, I'd always go back to these three and watch their videos over and over even after I've watched every single one of them at least twice.

I hope you're all having a wonderful week and have plenty Youtube videos to procrastinate with!

Good night.

Romanticize The Past

Hi.

I have recently realized that people have the tendency to romanticize experiences that are more temporary than others.

What I mean by that is when a person goes on a holiday trip, he or she is most likely coming back from the trip wishing they had decided to stay longer, visited more places, went to the place more often, and constantly revisiting memories that had happened during the trip, and forgetting about the bad things that went along with it.

I am guilty of doing this. I went to Bangkok and came back, wishing I had done things a lot differently, but still happy with how things turned out. I thought about Sunday mornings and how I missed getting woken up by the recordings outside, when in actual fact, I hated those things. I wish I could spend my days with my course mates in a building, when I actually disliked people who come to our room as and when they please.

We, as humans with feelings and emotions, romanticize these memories, thinking that they were more than they were, just because they meant more to us than they probably should. When we miss something, we pick the memory out from the others and hold them up to a better posture, seeing them in a much better light than the rest. 

When looking back at past memories, people will most likely only remember the good things. We are just programmed to work that way. No matter how awful or amazing your destination is, you'll always remember how much fun you had during the trip. I think people need to be more impartial and subjective to realize what went wrong and make sure that never happens again.

But I guess since things are constantly changing, we might as well make full use of what we think we enjoyed in the past.

I hope I haven't bummed you all out, and that you're feeling fine.

Good evening.

Finish This Book

Hi.

The lovely Nicolette Koh has kindly gifted me with Finish This Book by Keri Smith, and I just wanted to share a post I have completed from the book.

I sit in Starbucks as I wait for visual prey, sipping a grande peppermint mocha, listening to Ed Sheeran romanticize the most basic form of human interaction. I watch the baristas in their natural habitat, frothing coffee and pumping syrups like they have been doing it their whole lives, and I look at my handwriting with great disdain, disappointed at its quality despite having nineteen years of experience of holding a pen and scribbling it on paper.

There is something about Starbucks that makes people feel the need to be pretentious. I see teenage girls giggling with their friends, taking photos with their drinks, an act I can totally imagine my mother doing. I see a guy in chinos and Doc Marten boots, use his pens as drum sticks, playing a pattern so weird, you just know he is not a real drummer. And then you have this girl wearing a sweater over a collared shirt, quietly judging everyone from a corner of the room and record it down on a completely unsuspicious book.

Whenever I read a sentence I had just written, I instantly like myself ten percent less, seeing the incredibly long sentences that are probably worth only a few words, yet I can't stop writing this way. There is something very comfortable about attempting to sound like a great indie writer despite knowing you actually end up sounding like a douchebag And it doesn't take a sleuth to figure that out.

I hope you have a pleasant week.

Good day.

Cameo Lover

Kimbra Lee Johnson, or just Kimbra, has recently shot up to fame after her collaboration single with Gotye became viral over the past couple of months. Though Somebody That I Used To Know is  probably a cult favourite, I've fallen in love with another more upbeat song of hers.

If you have not yet listened to Kimbra's single, Cameo Lover, please stop reading this and scroll down to check out the music video. 

I love how she makes a potentially depressing story sound upbeat and happy. If I was mindlessly listening to this single in the background, I would've thought that the song was slightly Katy Perry-esque pop. The music video is equally emotionally-confusing. It looks likes a toned down version of a K-pop music video with the studio set-up, dancing, and abundance of colours. But that's what I like about it.

But as stunning as the original is, I much prefer her acoustic take on the song. She sings with such intensity, and I am completely blown away. It sounds much more romantic played on an acoustic guitar and has a completely different feel from the percussion-heavy original. It truly showcases how amazing her voice is, and how she is so full of talent. 

If you have never listened to one of Kimbra's originals, do check out Cameo Lover at the end of this post, or check out her website (http://www.kimbramusic.com/frontpage). If you stare at her long enough, she might blink.

Photo credits to Kimbra.

The Fashion Culture

Fashion Feud is coming in a few weeks and submission is starting this week.

If you don't know what Fashion Feud is, it is Singapore's first inter-polytechnic fashion competition where the five different polytechnics compete to see who has the most fashionable students. The person who gets the most Poshed look on the site gets to win cash prizes, and shoes from Feiyue! It is hosted by the recently revamped fashion site, Poshism. 

Some might say that Poshism is pretty much a Singaporean version of Lookbook, but there are some differences. They are similar, where people can upload their looks on the website and people can posh/hype their look if they like it. The major difference is that in Poshism, the uploaded looks are moderated before being uploaded to the site, whereas in Lookbook, any submission goes on the site straight away.

There are pros and cons to this. Some may think Poshism is better because since there is a moderation, the looks on the website would be of a much higher standard. But then again, I think it could be a con as the moderators may like a different fashion style than you do. This results in not having your look posted, or not liking the looks on the website.

There's no way to fully satisfy everyone's needs and wants, so I don't think that there is anything wrong with having moderators on the site. I think it's better to have a higher standard of what the judges would want, rather than having a whole mash of different things. Quality over quantity. So I really do like most of the looks that are on the site, and I like how it feels like it's such a tight-knit community. I think Poshism is doing alright, and it's definitely gonna go real big in the future.

To learn more about Fashion Feud, click here.

Singapore Local Music Scene

For some reason, Singapore has the reputation of having a non-existent local music scene. I've heard people say it's sad, because we'll never be able to compete with worldwide mainstream media, but I find this hard to believe knowing a great number of talented local musicians.

I recently went to an event called OOOM@esplanade, which stands of Originals Only Open Mic. It's the first social regular open mic event in Singapore, and is held every first Sunday of the month at library@esplanade. From what I've seen, Singapore is not lacking musical talent at all.

Most of the musicians who were there that night played indie or alternative tunes, some playing covers and some playing originals. To be honest, I really didn't expect much from the other performers. By the end of the night, I was completely blown away! I didn't get bored at all. I actually went up to one of them because I loved their original song so much, I had to get his contacts as I needed to know that I'll be able to hear the song again!

The featured artiste this month is electro-pop musician, Eli T., who performed simplified versions of his songs Dancin' With Fire, and Fallen. I listened to his studio recordings and I really do prefer the stripped-down version. He only had a pedal that manipulated his voice and added layers, and a guitarist that had a pedal with a pre-recorded riff. Not everyone might like his music, but he is definitely very talented. 

When I talk to local musicians, the first topic of concern they express is how annoying the public can get. Singaporeans complain about not having local talent to be proud of, but when some starts to shine, they tear them down almost instantly, calling people tryhards and wannabes. There are some really good local bands and singers out there that really do not get  the attention and support that they deserve, and it's sad.

If you're a big music enthusiast, you should really check out local musicians by going to places like Timbre or The Pidgeonhole, or you can check them out at the comfort of your own home through Youtube. Singapore is full of talent. The public just has to stop focusing on things like Stomping embarrassing photos of people, and focus on supporting people who do deserve the attention.

Here are some local musicians you should check out and support:

David Choi

Starhub and BlackBerry has teamed up to bring Singapore its first ever music festival featuring hit YouTube stars, and one of these stars is one of my favourite musicians ever, David Choi.

David Choi is a Korean singer-songwriter who grew up in California, and now a very successful independent musician. He is sometimes referred to as the granddaddy of YouTube, being one of the few who were on the video-sharing site back in its early days. 

Despite being one of the best in the YouTube music scene, in my opinion at least, David certainly didn't have the fastest ride to get to where he is now. He taught himself how to use his music equipment, went through horrible internships, and wrote and produced songs for a couple of companies. At one point, he was even signed under Warner Music Group. This is a man who has certainly paid his dues in the music industry. But fret not! All is good now! He now has over 900,000 subscribers, over 100,000,000 total video hits, and supporters from all over the world!

David's songs are mostly what some would call modern ballads, often getting girls to go "awww" and make them wish he was their boyfriend. He also dabbles in alternative, soul, and the occasional "club music" as seen in Dance To This Song. His lyrics may seem a tad too cheesy for some people, but I personally find it very sweet. I think he can really translate his feelings into songs really well without making things overly dramatic or being unnecessarily intimate. His music just feels really chill, something that I can listen to when I'm in bed unable to sleep. It's comforting.

To be completely honest, even though I think that David Choi is one of the most talent musicians out there, I don't think that he's gonna rise up to be at the top of the charts any time soon. His songs are what most people in my generation would call boring and cheesy, and I agree to a certain extent. Some of his songs could get a teeny bit repetitive, like how some songs would have slightly similar melodies, or how a lot of his songs has to do with love. But even if you factor that in, I still believe that he is a really underrated musician, and I really do think that he wasn't born in the right era.

Overall, I think David Choi is an amazing artiste. He is talented with both music and lyrics, not to mention the technical post-processing of it all, but his albums definitely wouldn't appeal to the general public, and to be honest, I like it that way. I wouldn't want his style of music to change just to conform to how the music industry is right now. He has his own thing going on and all 900,000 of us DavidChoiMusic subscribers are loving it. Also, he didn't smile during his first two years on YouTube. I am amused.

Photo credits to David Choi.

Happy Godiva Day!

It's the 1st of April, and it's Godiva Day!

If you don't know what this means, you probably don't know who Alex Day is. Which also probably means that you live under a rock.

Alex Day, also known as Nerimon on Youtube, is an eccentric vlogger and musician devoid of a record label. Over the past couple of weeks, he has been working on his latest single, Lady Godiva, and doing everything he can to get it to the top of the iTunes charts worldwide. This might seem like a huge feat to an unsigned artiste, but he teamed up with Universal Music to help distribute physical CDs to shops like HMV, and of course there's the support of his fans, who are lovingly named The Nermie Army.

Lady Godiva is not one of Alex's original compositions, but is actually by the duo, Peter and Gordon. To be honest, I prefer the original version (you can listen to it here), but only because I prefer the simpler, yet quirkier raw feel to it. If the original version didn't exist, I would still totally love Alex Day's version. Despite having a lot of tracks laid down for the song, with the trombones, bells, drums, and other instruments, it doesn't feel heavy or muddy at all. It's upbeat, quirky in its own way, and has a slight electronic feel to it.  Totally Alex Day in a song.

In my opinion, the best thing about this single is the music video! I love the old school narrative style scenes that didn't seem like it was trying too hard. I love the cinematography and lack of overly flashy editing. I love how Alex takes on different characters. I just love how simple, but incredibly quirky it all is! Typical Alex Day in my book. 

If Lady Godiva isn't your thing, you should definitely check out his other wonderful songs or his hilarious vlogs. I'm sure he'll appeal to you in one way or another.

Photo credits to Alex Day.

Makeup

I'm currently wearing B.B. cream on one side of my face and am completely bare on the other. It's interesting. Can you even tell which side is which?

I've never really been into makeup. I find it amusing to watch videos of those Youtube gurus, but I've never been one to actually wear makeup. I got a free sample of Maybelline New York's B.B. cream in a magazine I bought last month and I decided to try it out just for fun. I ended up liking it, so I bought the full-sized product! I'm actually quite surprised that I like it because I've always hated putting things on my face, be it moisturizer or face masks. It covers enough of my face to erase minor blemishes, but I think I still look like me. And it feels nice too! I know I'm not supposed to touch my face when I'm wearing makeup, but it just feels so niceeeeeee, I can't help it.

I've always been amused with makeup and how it can completely change a person's look. Like there's this Youtuber (dope2111) who makes videos of makeup transformation of her into celebrities! AMAZING. She can look like Scarlett Johanson, Angelina Jolie and Nicki Minaj! A stylist at an event I went to made me look like a pineapple. So see, different looks. Amazing!

I will never understand people who can wear makeup everyday though. It's so troublesome to wake up a few minutes earlier to paste stuff on your face and spend a few more minutes later wiping it off your face at night. Plus this is just B.B. cream! I can't even imagine the trouble people go through putting on a full face of makeup with primer, foundation, concealer, brows, eyeshadow, eyeliner, mascara, blush, bronzer, powder, lipstick and lip gloss. OHMYGOSH. It's crazy. I will die if I ever have to work at a place that requires me to wear makeup.

I like my face. I like my face with B.B. cream, I like my face without. I don't think I'll ever be a makeup-everyday kind of person, but I think it's interesting to experiment with good feeling things on my face. Whoops. I think that could go down the wrong way. Oh well. Let's just conceal that sentence. OH! SEE WHUT I DID THUR!