Sunday, May 29, 2005

v. long post and photo overload!

Now that I've finished my degree, it's time to stop hermitizing, and actually get a life. (No more weekend practises in school!) The past few days have just been absolutely heavenly: eating, drinking, clubbing, etc etc and what better than to do so in the company of good friends?

Tuesday:

Ended all my accompanying jobs, I thought Lawrence and Clarinda were absolutely brilliant. Yang'en played really well too and his Brahms was absolutely gorgeous (thanks to Lou's accompanying too!) but he thinks otherwise. So if you guys ask him abt his recital and he tells you it's crap, just nod your head to pacify him, but know that it's not true! I heard the pianists Will,Marian and Dominique play, and they were so good they put me to shame. Marian played this Takemitsu piece, which I'm itching to pick up and learn it for myself. Everyone's really talented: I feel as if I'm basking in a sea of constellations.

Cla was really sweet and treated me to dinner, and we went down to the Waterfront for some karaoke:

That's Jenny Bianco, the photo's really blur.

James and Matt. James is our President btw.

Yang'en is drinking! OMG!

This is the only group shot that turned out decent. L to R: Claire, Jenny Beer, Ewan, Grace and Caroline.

My darlings Mary and Lou!

Ewan and I having a laugh!

Wednesday:

Went for timsum, and gathered at Leicester Square:

Thursday:

Jo and I went shopping to prepare for our upcoming beach holiday. We spent close to 2 hours in there, and we both bought too many items that we don't really need. Damn the convincing salesgirls. I blew close to 100quid at Boots alone, and I forgot to redeem my Boots points. But never mind, Jo and I got our free gift. Mwahahahaha. I met Daniel in the evening, Jap dinner, concert and tim sum for supper. We both loved eating, so as long as we don't go hungry, I don't think it takes much to keep us happy! Attended a concert with Mozart's operatic excerpts and Mass in C minor, Royal Festival Hall. It's closing down for renovations soon, just as well, it suffers from the same flaw in the Esplanade back home. The sound quality under the 'canopy' is really quite bad. But it's such a prettttyyyy hall.

Friday:

Temperatures hit an all-time high of 30 degrees Celsius: the hottest day in London to boot. Yup. THIRTY. I actually woke up stark naked and perspiring in the morning, with my duvet, clothes and pillows sprawled on the floor. Freaked me out quite a bit. I had totally forgotten what humidity and heat actually felt like, talk about convenient amnesia. Sunny weather is fine and all, but this was ridiculous. Went down to Letchworth to Will's for an 'Analyst' gathering: (Lou, I still don't know where Letchworth is, is it in Cambridge?!?!)

Will's house.

Nell, Ewan, Will, Jenny, Lou and Clarinda.

Simon was MIA, he was totally missing out on the FOOD. I ate too many brownies and ice cream pastries for my own good:

My clean plate!

Attempted to play badminton:

Headed back to Central London at Leicester Square for Jo's belated birthday dinner. I don't know why I forgot to take pictures with Vincent:
Ashley and Jo, and it's JO AND ME!! -squeal squeal squeal-

Marcus and I

We headed to the Zoo bar later that night for some action, it's been too long since we've last went out clubbing. Anyway, there were just TOO MANY MEN with EXTRA LONG ARMS and STRONG FINGERS. What the hell, they could all pass off as reincarnations of Shiva (The Indian God with 8 Arms).

Saturday:

Korean dinner with Jo, Ashley and Lishi. Jo's going to review the Korean place where we went to on her multiply acc, so check it out soon!

Okay okay I'm very tired *pant pant*, going to crash out in bed. Scoffed too much junk today, so I must wake up early and go jogging. Yosh!

p.s. I know there's been a horrific lack of 'intellectual posts', exams just ended after all! Ngahahahaha. (Eat your heart out, Jing!)

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

i am DONE with my degree:

tears hard(?)-work late-nighters fighting-for-practice-rooms sore-fingers-and-arms endless-photocopying exorbitant-library-fines pleading-for-extensions music-making c-1234-y c-7891-x seedy-basement-rooms sleazy-security-guards SDR CD-binge incomprehensible-music-scores rolls-after-rolls-of-manuscript-paper scrawling-music-notes-everywhere discovering-new-music attending-concerts is it really over no i don't want it to end

Breathe, woman. Anyway. Jo, you're done too!! Yeay! Birthday hollers to you!

Had my recital today and I was the very last person, which means I couldn't listen to Mary and Jenny beforehand, damn. Thanks to Vincent, Danny, Gooizhen, Lou, Yang'en, Cla and the rest who took time off to come. I sure messed up quite a bit eh? Kinda sucky, I know I could have done much better. But it's over, no room for what-ifs. I'd just do better next time. Hang on, there's no more next time is there? That's my last solo recital.

One more round of accompanying tmr, and it's over for good. Too fast, too slow, I don't know what to feel. But I do know that tomorrow's gonna be fun with Lawrence and Cla. Saxophone and singer. Me like making chamber music.

It's been a long week, so this short entry will have to do. Excuse me while I collapse in bed from an all-too-intensive recital programme and a full tummy.

Yes Yang'en, I finished the box of cereal. Did the oracle predict that already? Haha.

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

practise practice practise practice practise

Piano practice is killing me. After 5 hours straight of playing octaves and widespread notes of 9-10 notes (curse you ligeti /schumann /birtwistle /milhaud), the pinkie on my R.H. is currently dead to the world.

And 5 hours is barely enough, I didn't even get through half my repertoire, but it's all I can do at the moment. I come home zombified and utterly drained, and all I can do is munch munch munch and read a book. Hence, the offline status on MSN.

The upcoming recital's even haunting me in bed. My mind keeps running through my entire programme THREE times in full before I sleep, even with the mistakes I normally make in the Ligeti. (I still can't play the damned thing, bloody hell.) So that means I take 45 mins longer to fall asleep.

Anyway, here's a shameless plug for my final recital: it's on the 23rd May 1510hrs (i THINK?!) at Kings' Strand Campus, Saint David's Room, opposite the Chapel. I'm playing Bach, Ligeti (puiiiiii) and Schumann. It's only 15 min, but I'd be waffling around in between the pieces to drag it out to abt 17min. Lou had hers today, and she was MAGNIFICENT. I believe Yang'en's recital is on the 24th some time around noon; he's playing Brahms and Lutoslawski. Not sure if he's still doing the Bach. And of cuz, Sunsun isn't doing performance, so she won't be playing. I've actually got a lunchtime recital at a church in Holborn on Wed, but I doubt any of you can make it, you guys still have exams! Poor peeps.

Can't believe this is my final recital. The very last practical examination, and possibly, the very last solo performance that I'd ever give in my life. Doesn't bode well, cuz I always screw up at the big ones. Argh, I can't afford to muck up another recital!!! Even if I do screw up my own, I cannot let down all the other ppl I'm accompanying, that'd be the worst: literally Scum-Of-The-Earth. Just let me play my best for ONCE!!!!!

Oh, my 1st piano lesson since March is in 8 hrs. Not that it's going to make a difference to my final recital next week.

s;orivu aenro vuliasenro vuinermw vlirzgn s

Okay practise practise practise practise practise

And all the best to everyone who's cramming for their last papers, take heart: freedom's on its way!

Thursday, May 12, 2005

mwahahha.

I binged on so much junk food last night:

By the time I licked the last bits of choc off my fingers, I looked like I'm harbouring a 6-mth foetus in my womb when I went to bed. I think it's due to my greediness post-coursework-stress / pre-recital-stress or something.

woah daddy, that's one big beer-belly!

So I went jogging very slowly (4 rounds at Russell Square Gardens, dun play play), and I'm pleased to announce that my baby is now 5.75 mths old.

I'll be issuing invites when my baby pops.

Friday, May 06, 2005

lynne the blooming hermit.

Now that I've been pushed underground by work work work, essays essays ESSAYS and deadline deadline deadlynne deadline with my secret stash (well, not secret now) of high-calorie junk food, I simply haven't had the time to practise piano.

And my fingers are getting itchy. I swear they're getting fatter from the lack of exercise.

And so is my butt for that matter. I couldn't fit into my jeans today. I had to wear the loose ones and they were so freaking tight that it's the return of C.A. syndrome. A-G-O-N-Y. (Jo, you know what C.A. stands for right? It's between us okay, cannot tell anyone. Ssshhhhh..) Sitting down to take the exam was a pain though, soooo tight! Now I know how women in the 18th/19th century felt when they had to wear corsets for underwear.

And you know the hot and flushed feeling that you get in your face, butt and tummy when you overeat? That means you're putting on weight, and I'm feeling that NOW. My face can pass off for as a pork ball. A big one. Need to go jogging soon in a few days time.

Okay, back to what I was saying. So. What do I do about my restive fingers? I punch and abuse little squares on my keyboard. I poke at the buttons on my mobile. I peel oranges and get flaky white residue on the underside of my fingers. I pick up food with them and put them in my mouth. Food and fingers occasionally. There's nothing like using your fingers to clean the inside of a packet of crisps, and slowly sucking the bits off.

Mmmhmmm. I like sucking eating.

Back to work.

By the way, I really miss playing the piano. And I don't care if my Ligeti and Schumann are shite. I JUST WANT TO PLAY.

Thursday, May 05, 2005

i hope i'm PMS-ing.

"Great minds against themselves conspire,
and shun the cure they most desire."

I finally understand why people practise self-denial, in every sense of the word. There is a sort of perverse gratification in denying yourself pleasure (not going into sexual references this time, thank you very much), sort of a role-playing martyr. By denying yourself pleasure, you are entitled to masturbate and wallow to your own egocentric needs. Which is of course, a form of mental stimulation.

It's not just denied pleasure. Denying the truth is also valid. The sordid truth that had always been laid out plainly before you, you deliberately look at it with clouded eyes, so that all you ever see are different shades of white and grey, censoring out the dark truth. Wide eye shut. And you actually derive a twisted satisfaction from playing victim.

Should you never see the ominous shadows in its full glory, you only have yourself to blame.

I tell you what: let's play a game, and see how much more shite the Woman-Of-All-Tolerance can take. Although I highly suspect that she's gonna swallow it all down as usual, put on her glass mask, and just continue living life with milky pupils.

Since the outcome is already inevitable, I'm going to shut up n go to bed.

Wednesday, May 04, 2005

a bad day, a good laugh.

Okay everybody, you have to go to this site, it totally cracked me up! I should probably mention that some background information of Strindberg might be needed to enjoy this fully. Basically he's a neurotic-but-brilliant Swedish novelist/playwright, who was one of the fathers of modern theatre. Okay, that's about all you need to know, go click on that link now.

Oh, and Londoners take note: the Tate's currently showcasing an exhibition on him (it's not free I'm afraid, 6 quid), which is ending on the 15th of May. *pokes Yang* I can go after my exams, wheee.

To be honest, this was such a shitty day that I didn't think I'd actually be able to laugh at anything, let alone at a website. I'm not going to whinge, but to sum it up: Posting my MOE Masters applications took me 2 hours instead of 30min, and I lost my debit card (again). It could be stolen: I left my purse lying around at the internet cafe today with the zipper open while I wrung my hands over the PMS-ing printer. So that's my fault. And I can't find my credit card in my room amidst the conglomeration of notes, clothes and manuscript paper. No cash till next Wednesday. Good, I shall starve myself from tomorrow all the way till I get my debit card, as a perverse punishment for my carelessness.

At least my MOE masters applications are done, thanks to Manu and Marcus for helping me with my personal statement, Yang'en for the valuable info and to Sunsun for lending me money for postage/lunch/dinner.

Back to Purcell. Fell asleep and I'm still at page 24.

This is going to be a long night.

Monday, May 02, 2005

in love.

I truly discovered the beauty of Debussy's songs earlier this year after listening carefully to his songs on this CD "Songs by Debussy". Baritone Christopher Maltman, accompanist Malcomn Martineau. Hyperion label, London, 2001.

Right now, I'm listening to them day and night, it's my chill-out music. I don't understand a single bit of French, but the vowels and the music are sensuous enough to turn me on. Purr. Uploaded a few songs by Debussy to share his gorgeous works, just click on the titles of the pieces, it's a yousendit link.

Text by Theodore de Banville
Nuit d'etoiles

Cinq poemes de Baudelaire
#1 Le balcon
#2 Harmonie du Soir
#3 Le jet d'eau
#4 Recueillement
#5 La mort des amants

Also, bet you guys didn't know: apart from the famous solo piano piece 'Clair de Lune', Debussy also wrote a song with the same title for voice and piano? And there're two versions to boot. I think I've got the 2nd version by Alfred Cortot and Maggie Teyte, recorded back in 1936. It has the delicious scratchy quality that makes me swoon. Historical recordings! Love love love love love.

Here you go:
Clair de Lune (voice and piano)

I know most of you don't listen to 'classical music' (I hate this generic term. It's wildly inaccurate), but do give these songs a shot. At least, listen to Harmonie du Soir and Clair de Lune. Okay okay okay?

I'm done spreading the love. Please leave comments if you download, and let me know what you think of the music. I wonder if any of you will actually listen though, and whether the effort I spent uploading the songs was for naught. Sometimes I wish I can show everyone how beautiful classical music really is, but I understand it's not everyone's cup of tea. (Why though? Why!?!) All the same, it pains me to see the Classical Music section in HMV dwindling in size everytime I return home in summer.

Now now, back to work.

Sunday, May 01, 2005

FULL LYNNE PANIC!!!!!

Sunday: Schubert piano essay
Debussy piano essay
Masters applications
Purcell's Dido and Aeneas for exam.
[Okay, MAD. I doubt I can even finish the Schubert.]

Monday: Takeaway Romantic song.
La Traviata essay for Opera/Reason.
Purcell's Dido and Aeneas for exam.

Tuesday: La Traviata essay for Opera/Reason.
Mozart's Figaro for exam.

Wednesday: La Traviata essay for Opera/Reason
La Traviata essay for Analysis
Mozart's Figaro for exam.
MUST start to practise the Milhaud, Birtwistle, Ligeti.

Thursday: Rhetoric essay for Analysis.
Think about Techniques aria.
Revise exam.

Friday: EXAM!
Ben and Cla's lessons.
Schubert lieder Analysis essay.

Saturday: MUST FINISH ARIA. Revise Schenker graphs. Do ALL MUSIC EXAMPLES.

Sunday: Photocopy and resize everything. Print. Cut and paste. Which will take the whole day.

Monday: last minute stuff (confirm, guaranteed plus chop I will to do last min stuff)
DEADLINE.
RETURN LIBRARY BOOKS, fines, omg the FINES!!!

I foresee sleepless nights (and an empty wallet) ahead.

And I haven't factored in piano practice times. Damnit.

Ookokokokok I can do it I can do it I can do it I can do it I can do it

blueprint

I will like to spend my days, as though they are my own, which I mostly end up doing in halves, for duty beckons, and I am answering its clarion call. Soon enough! I am also a veteran procrastinator.

fresh monodies

Old wounds hurt most, I learned this today, becaus...
She speaks, repeating the old litanies, of worn ac...
time skips
and it all comes together!
beethoven's symphony no.7 2nd mvt
again,
towards that something
In the alley of shadows and death
Masking Tape
another end of the world

previous rants

August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
April 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
January 2008
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009
August 2009
September 2009
October 2009
November 2009
December 2009
November 2010
January 2011
February 2011
August 2011
October 2011
May 2013

treatises on life

arty jen
betty boop
carmentica
charming-linn
chasing snowy cars
cheeky lynn
cheryliciously glam
clean and cute
cyclist-mad bass
darling dominic
feisty jing
fellow ditz-sista/porkSTAR
hail mary!
hell's kitchen
hero on the beach
h-Euge heart
hunky lenny
lipgloss queen
little cheryl
live n learn, baby
lolita lou
loony loon
mr popular
musically dan
m y s t j
phringe
princess tania
roger smurf
runaway pigeon
sabotage king jeremiah
sibling angst1
sibling angst2
spector dan
spunky tian
steffy bunny
sun-sunzzz
teeny wee-nee
weeeee, leonard!
yangtze yang'en

frivolous pursuits

for shallow ppl
for very geeky ppl
for the truly bored
spun prose
binary thoughts
past imprints
some stamps
montage of images
other memories

mulling over

And there were phlegmatic souls.