today, i'm nostalgic...

tracy huang, "theme from center stage"

1992, stanley kwan's "center stage" provided a moment of perfection. what a lovely reminder that it exists.

today, i'm free...

pet shop boys, "megamix (live at brits 2009)"

today's beautiful. i've got everything i need, so i don't want to do much.

when i was very young, i thought, "the smartest person alive is the happiest person alive."

today is kinda melancholic...

antony & the johnsons, "the crying light"

i saw a bhuto performance once. i remember to have felt its beauty in spite of what i saw. i remember a sad resignation towards this life. the display of masochism in its finest.

move on. or stay still. the choice isn't always yours.

today, i'm admiring...

resin dogs, "more or less"

i've got a new computer. it's great but the wifi stuff is such a headache so i'm currently using a 20m ethernet cable, which is very ugly. everything works likes a dream but the big blue cable running everywhere is ghastly.

2009 has well and truly started. work is going at full throttle and summer is unrelenting and cruel. i've never liked the heat so i hide in shady rooms all day waiting for winter to return.

today, i'm celebratory...

various, "dmc312 commercial collection"

last day of 2008. it's been a good year with lots of joyful moments and wonderful people. i am very grateful.

new year's resolution: grab life by its horns and show 'em who's boss!

today, i'm again listening to this one compulsively...

akina nakamori, "special live 2005 empress at club ex" (audio from the dvd)

it's christmas eve and all is vibin'! i'll be spending a couple of days with my 3 bff's who have become surrogate family. there will be a lot of food, including too much prawns, alcohol and sugar. i must be taking this very seriously if i'm taking the train to chinatown for a measly box of prima taste.

today, i'm doing lots of nothing...

ost, "vicky cristina barcelona"

i must've watched ten movies this past weekend. the best of the bunch are "blindness", and "towelhead". exciting, shocking, "intelligent" stuff. i'm hesitant to use the word "intelligent", but most movies are stupid, so i guess when a film's not "stupid", it almost feels like it's "intelligent". sorry, but i haven't been watching tarkovsky or bergman.

do you think about cosmetic surgery? it's a nice pastime isn't it?

today, i'm showing off...

kylie minogue, "5 x singles (suzy's megamix)"

this is a megamix i made very quickly. it's not very sophisticated or tricky but i like it, and play it often. maybe someone else will enjoy it too.

got tickets to see kylie tomorrow. should be good. wish i had a whistle so i won't scream so much.

today is World Aids Day...

kylie minogue, "X2008" (audio from the dvd)

i have very good friends living with hiv and i think of them today. i also think about the day we find a cure. can you imagine the celebrations?

today, i'm giggling...

goldfrapp, "itunes originals"

saw goldfrapp at the sydney opera house. they are so amazing but my words aren't good enough to describe.

i'm glad. this year, i've seen goldfrapp, roisin murphy, bjork, barry adamson. kylie's next.

oh, and for those that care, i'm in love. teeheehee.

today, this is important...

today, i'm back, and so is...

sharleen spiteri, "melody"

somewhat moody today. but i'm sober, so i can't be doing too badly. should be better tomorrow.

today, i'm tickled pink...

the cheeky girls, "party time"

had a facial today, one of those industrial strength ones - a combo of microdermabrasion and oxygen infusion. i'm gonna be looking even better than i already do, impossible but true, i know.

shut up.

today, i'm exploring...

carly simon, "this kind of love"

had a lovely weekend in melbourne. royce hotel was divine - it used to be the showroom for rolls royce, now converted to a larger than usual "boutique hotel". i played the gullible tourist and insisted on dinner at "robert de niro's nobu", and was pleasantly surprised by the very yummy food. very yummy food.

today, i'm lovin'...

hucknall, "tribute to bobby"

mick hucknall must be one of the greatest singers alive. it's cool to keep a low profile, and not be treated like a "major celebrity" all the time, but sad if people don't realise what an amazing album your latest release is. he's a genius - talent in its purest form.

today, i'm in awe...

barry adamson, "back to the cat"

when art resonates, u remember what it means to be alive. barry adamson is coming to sydney, oh, the joy!

today, i like...

n*e*r*d, "seeing sounds"

cancelled last night's plans (my date had issues), so i ended up staying home, which is always perfect for me, but i feel so guilty that colleagues were expecting me to turn up. note to self: you're not that important!

and here's my 2 cents worth re the "bill henson controversy". i don't think bill henson's work is meant to titillate, and i don't think that he intends to sexualise the naked form more than they naturally are. additionally, i think it's important that artists deal with sexuality, even if (or should i say, especially if) they're sometimes off-putting and challenging because not many others would.

of course, the pictures have effects beyond henson's studio, but artists can never be held responsible for what they do not intend. imagery have their own lives beyond artistic intention. if "the little mermaid" makes 3 men in the universe want to go out and do unspeakable things to piranha, surely disney shouldn't have to pay?

today, i'm admiring...

coldplay, "viva la vida or death and all his friends"

3-day weekends make me smile. i would've loved it if i had the pleasure and privilege of 3 days' worth of vegging out, but i'm actually committed to going out on the town tonight - imagine that, at my sort of age painting the town red! i guess it takes some maturity to be desperate for a little joie de vivre.

today, i recommend...

eighth wonder, "i'm not scared"

life is simple right now, with yoga, friends and my career being the only things that i occupy myself with. it's a nice equilibrium i'm enjoying, and i wonder how long i can sustain it for. of course shit happens and things kick you off centre, but surely there are ways to fight against forces that want to intrude and complicate? sophie ellis-bextor says, "sure enough, seasons change, but don't let today get lost, 'cause today the sun's on us."

today, i'm listening to...

brian eno, "ambient 4 - on land"

been watching movies in my living room with a borrowed projector. it's so cute and tiny, but the image is so large. there's something lovely and unobtrusive about an image on a wall. and i wonder if it takes up less electricity?

today, i'm lovin'...

cyndi lauper, "bring ya to the brink" (password = mp3collective)

the most effective way to feeling fat is to join a gym. i'd like to workout and not think about the results but it's hard. that said, it's nice not to feel lethargic anymore.

today, i'm kickin' it ol skool...

blueprint, "blueprint vs. funkadelic"

i think a close friend of mine's getting married. well, i think she's engaged, and i think the wedding's gonna be in france. i think i'm gonna quite enjoy going there! whaddya think?

today, i explore...

martha wainwright, "i know you're married but i've got feelings too"

i must be excited about the weekend if i woke half an hour earlier than on a workday. not that i've got anything planned. well, actually, i did insist upon doing next to nothing for both saturday and sunday. i'd explained to a friend that i've been "over-socialised" and what's going to make me happiest is to stay at home as much as possible. seeing 3 old friends for a video night is about as much as i can handle. only because they won't find it strange that i fall asleep without warning like a narcoleptic.

today, i'm curious about...

scarlett johansson, "anywhere i lay my head"

i'm finding the new season of "big brother" tedious. i think this means i'm ready for botox.

today, i'm lovin'...

sam sparro, "sam sparro" (password= mp3collective)

my new toothbrush is $10.

today, i enjoyed...

cassandra wilson, "loverly"

first day back at the gym. it's been about 8 months since i last did any exercise. my insides are messed up! i'm so tight and stiff like a straight man (not in a good way)... still pretty though!

today, i downloaded...

the presets, "apocalypso"

saw a new film, "deception" yesterday, a mystery/suspense/thriller type package complete with hugh jackman and ewan mcgregor. i'm not recommending it to anybody because it was an abysmal effort. how millions of dollars were funneled into shit like this via hollywood is one of the big mysteries of modern life. big money wasted, so don't nobody tell me to finish my lunch because there are children starving in ethiopia please.

and talking about big money wasted, the swarovski store i visited has little padlocks encrusted with crystals for $300. i like very much, but i'm not that person.

today, this one's on high rotation...

madonna, "hard candy"

will be listening to this all day at work today. if i liked "american pie", i think i'd like this one!

today, i recommend...

akina nakamori, "enka"

i had the perfect day today. good food, work went swimmingly well, got my annual flu jab. now i'm gonna go wash the head on my hair and shave as much off from the rest of my body as possible before i feel like i'm gonna pass out from the boredom.

today, it's political...

jay-jay johanson, "la confusion des genres"

the australia 2020 summit takes place in canberra this weekend. i don't understand most of what these well-meaning folk are saying but it makes me want to go get my citizenship right away.

it's unfortunate that i'd have to give up my singaporean citizenship, but them's the brakes. k-rudd is amazing, and his new government makes me feel like australia is truly my home. even though i wasn't born here, even though i'm an ethnic-minority here, even though i don't have my family's "old money" here, i'm given a fair-go and i can live the life than i want. right here.