The Middle Years (2006-2009)

I like to think of this as the Persephone myth recast as gorgeous music:

So we sat around the table with the peanuts, exchanging stories of Grandma. Tales that were long buried resurfaced. How she sat in my overcrowded kindergarten class, the only parent/grandparent allowed to do so, barking out orders in Teochew to 40 screaming kids to keep them in line. Apparently my mother went to the teacher to apologise for my grandma sitting in, and she was told that no, actually her presence was much welcome.

I’m a huge Simpsons junkie - smartest show on TV, even if it might never hit the seasons 4-8 peaks of consistency - and I’m really looking forward to the Simpsons movie, but with a bit of trepidation - what if it just becomes some extended shaggy-dog story (not that that couldn’t be funny) on the order of Saddlesore Galactica (Worst. Episode. Ever.)?

Man, I can’t believe Melinda Doolittle got kicked off “American Idol”. With Jennifer Hudson, she was probably the best singer that the show had seen. Hearing any rendition of “I Am Woman”, I must say, always makes me think of the Muppet Show episode where Miss Piggy bursts into Raquel Welch’s version of the song and starts singing “I am wopig… W-O-P-I-G”.

Back from New York and a side incursion into North Carolina for a friend’s wedding. Ate at Mama Dip’s while I was in NC - have to say, ribs, fried chicken, cornbread, collard greens - they all do taste better in the South. Dang - just writing that made me hungry. While it’s 6.30am in the morning now (thank you jetlag), I must leave my desk and forage for food…

Just caught the Arcade Fire live at the United Palace Theatre up in Washington Heights in New York. Incredible show. Especially the one-two punch of “Neighbourhood #3 (Power Out)” and “Rebellion (Lies)” that closed out the main show before the encore. “Rebellion (Lies)” is amazing to hear live - the build up, and then the release, with the whole crowd screaming. Seemed that the Funeral songs were better concert songs, although maybe that was just because the crowd were more familiar with them. “Antichrist Television Blues” was outstanding - have to say though, it does sound like Springsteen - and the spare version of “Neon Bible” I thought played well in the converted church…

The last film I watched aboard the plane before I landed at JFK was 25th Hour, essentially Spike Lee’s paean to New York City. And it was a nice lead-in to returning to NYC - it is very good to be back in the city. Had a meal at Goodburger (the natural instinct to find top-notch food for carnivores in whatever city I land in still remains intact, I’m glad to say), and then watched the Columbia University Film Festival, since my friend Soman’s film was being screened. Very impressive, polished stuff from all the films.

And of course, RIP David Halberstam. The Best and the Brightest is a great historical work, one I keep recommending to people (although seemingly not that easy to find here in Singapore, at least a few years back when I was trying to buy a copy - I suppose Vietnam War histories don’t exactly fly off the shelves). And the Summer of ‘49 a great baseball book.

All congratulations to Simon Fuller for importing the telethon concept to America (and even importing in Richard Curtis, aka “Four Weddings and a Funeral” screenwriter and Red Nose Day creator). I only wish the singing had been better. Melinda was great, as always - she has this ability to take a song I don’t know and make me want to hear it. The only thing hindering her I think is the tyranny of high expectations.

Rest in peace, Alan Ball.

It is just wearying, the world these days. What more is there to say about the shootings that hasn’t been said before? Or, as one is well aware, what is there to say about other horrific events in the very same week? 19/20 April always seems such a dicey period - anniversaries of Waco, Columbine; Hitler’s birthday… a horrible, horrible event, and one grieves for all those whose lives were cut short.

Went to MAAD at the Red Dot Museum for the first time last Saturday. ‘Twas a lot of fun roaming around the small stalls - the Macbook skins from ShuffleArt were pretty tempting and I really liked the “I’ve Lost an Ocean” art exhibit by Xin. (MAAD photos for the curious.) Perfect for a lazy rainy Saturday.

Okay, I watch American Idol. And I learnt last night that every female Latin pop song was sung by Gloria Estefan… Am watching Phil, Haley, and Chris in the bottom 3 today. And for once they really were the 3 worst performances.

I have to say, I admit I like Alanis Morissette, but “Ironic” was a crime for any right-minded snob about English, since none of it was really ironic was it?

One thing I’ve discovered about the iPod, it really does help me discover the songs that’ve been buried in the depths of my collection, brought them to light. I was sceptical about that effect - after all, I do have all the songs already on my computer - but I suppose having 40GB of music around you is very different from carrying 1GB as I used to do.

Was listening to my iPod and on came a live version of Blind Melon’s “No Rain”, in which Shannon Hoon (God rest his soul) lets the crowd sing the entire second verse. Such exuberance. And it made me think, if someday I could write just one song that people would know the lyrics to and sing along to, I would be very, very happy. It wouldn’t have to be genius - “No Rain” is catchy, but it’s not going to make Q’s top 100 lists anytime soon.

Quick thoughts about Music and Lyrics - watching Music and Lyrics was like going in to see a good covers band. Very predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless. You want Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore to reprise the roles they’ve come to claim as their own - Hugh enjoyably wry, Drew bubbly and somewhat kooky. And they do it well, despite a predictable plot. Hugh, in particular, clearly has fun as Alex Fletcher, a washed-up less famous half of former 80s sensation PoP. (There’s more than a little of Wham in PoP, and more than a little Andrew Ridgely in Grant’s character.)

Haven’t updated in quite a bit. Just got an iPod (iPod Video, 80GB). Those two facts are not related. Well, mostly.

Women that women are more likely to call attractive than men: Sarah Jessica Parker Nicole Kidman

The news today was the tremors from the Sumatra quakes: was on the 24th floor in the conference room, and then the room shook so violently I got giddy. For a while I thought it was the usual - every now and then I find the room starts spinning to me. But no, it was really spinning, or at least, shaking. (Incidentally, today was the first time I’ve heard Singapore mentioned on the BBC World Service in a long time - they had to evacuate the World Service office here, apparently.)