May 2011
51 posts
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30 Days
First off, I’ve successfully completed the 30 Day Song Challenge! And it’s May 31st today, which means summer is coming to a close and school opening is just around the corner. Oh I’ve so dreaded the end of this month, but I’m not complaining that this break was too short/nonexistent because, for the first time in five years, I’ve managed to actually take a vacation....
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Day 30 - A Song that Makes You Want to Help the...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Whoever came up with this challenge reserved the hardest for last, no? For the past month I’ve been racking my head for a song that fulfills such dictate, but truthfully, I don’t reckon there’s a particular song that elicits these reactions in me.
“Help the world, help the environment, end poverty, help society”...
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Day 29 - A Song from Your Childhood
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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The first music CDs I got were compilations of nursery rhymes and folk songs. At 7 years old I was not exactly in the know when it came to pop music. But I could sing a Don Spencer song by heart if you asked me to.
In Year One of primary school, our Mondays began with a show-and-tell session. I remember how proud I was to share with my...
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Day 28 - A Song that Makes You Feel Inspired and...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Sometimes people ask me where I find my music. Well, I have two primary sources: TV series (and I watch a lot) and Amazon.com. I find Amazon to be more useful than Last.Fm because it offers a vaster selection of song samples.
Now when I chance upon a song that I absolutely love, I look it up on Pandora to find similar music, courtesy of the...
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Day 27 - A Song that You Wish You Could Play
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Well, I wish I could play all the songs I love to sing. Which means, every song in my regular playlist. But if I did know how to play the guitar (my instrument of choice), I’d probably play and sing this song ad nauseam:
Sweet Child o’ Mine Guns N’ Roses Appetite for Destruction (Released August 1988)
Haha it’s...
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Day 26 - A Song that You can Play on an Instrument
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Hand in My Pocket Alanis Morissette Jagged Little Pill (Released October 1995)
Hand in My Pocket — not You Oughta Know — was the Alanis song that made me an instant fan. I loved it the first time I heard it. It was also the first song I wanted to learn how to play on the guitar. But you know me: I can’t sing, I...
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Day 25 - A Song that Makes You Laugh
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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The Sweater Meryn Cadell Angel Food for Thought (Released April 1992)
Such a hilarious hit this is! I remember how my org mates and I were left in stitches playing this song on repeat at the then non-operational DZLB booth, our hangout.
Being that it’s spoken word, the song is pretty literal. It tells of a teenage girl’s...
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Day 24 - A Song that You Want to Play at Your...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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First, a photo then the song because light travels faster than sound.
This is the photo I want to be displayed in my wake.
I have a feeling my family and friends would scour my 365 Days album in my hard drive for a picture to use but let this blog entry let everyone know that this is the photo I want. Just run a search for...
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Day 23 - A Song that You Want to Play at Your...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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This has to be a love song, right? Yes? Let’s bring on the cheese!
(Side note: the 7 Cheese Overload pizza is loads of awesome. I just don’t know what the “special cheese” is. My mum argued, it’s “special,” you’re not supposed to know.)
I’ll be honest: I hate wedding music. I’ve...
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Day 22 - A Song that You Listen to When You’re Sad
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Happiness Abra Moore Strangest Places (Released May 1997)
The complete irony with Happiness is that it is anything but happy.
So I lie about it And I tell ‘em I’m feeling fine And I’ll cry about it Hoping tomorrow will change my mind Happiness has come to this And God, it’s such a heavy burden to bear
That,...
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King of Fruits
So I’ve seen signs that warn of falling debris, rocks, and “objects” in general. But I’ve never seen one like this:
Don’t you just love it — y’know, watching out for falling durians? This sign at the Bukit Batok Nature Park, Singapore successfully stopped me in my tracks. But I was too busy shooting pictures of the breathtaking scenery that I was not...
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Day 21 - A Song that You Listen to When You’re...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Send Me on My Way Rusted Root When I Woke (Released August 1994)
Not only is this is the second song from Rusted Root but it’s also the second song from When I Woke that I’ve identified in this music challenge. I would, as much as possible, want to diversify the song choices (i.e., one song per artist) but Send Me on My Way...
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Day 20 - A Song that You Listen to When You’re...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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All These Things that I’ve Done The Killers Hot Fuss (Released June 2005)
Another no-brainer! I think we all have ways of dealing with anger. Since I tend to be on the passive-aggressive side I don’t release it via physical or vocal activity. I simply default to this killer song by The Killers and play it repeatedly ON...
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Day 19 - A Song from Your Favorite Album
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Get Me Everything but the Girl Amplified Heart (Released June 1994)
Well, I love plenty of albums but Everything but the Girl’s Amplified Heart easily takes the cake as my favorite. I also happen to think this is the duo’s best record of the 11 they’ve released. The funny thing is, I didn’t always love Amplified...
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American Idol Results Show (Final Two)
I woke up at 8:30am to catch American Idol on Star World, thinking it was the live telecast of the results show. Oh but it was just a rerun of last week’s performance night! So I had to avoid social networking sites and blogs all morning so as not to preempt myself with the results!
Well, I just finished watching the show.
Scotty and Lauren are in!
Which means that Haley is out.
...
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Day 18 - A Song that You Wish You Heard on the...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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When I was in college I co-hosted a non-mainstream show on LBFM 97.4, UPLB’s college radio. My partner and I took our program preparation seriously. It basically entailed scouting for amazing tracks/artists that didn’t get the airplay (we felt) they deserved. So yeah, I guess most of the songs we played were those we wish we heard...
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Minor Detail #13
I’m a cheapskate.
My close friends would beg to disagree but really, I’m a cheapskate. I’m not exactly tightfisted though because if I were, then my savings account should have already taken me to my dream destinations (will blog about them soon). Generally, I’m stingy but I don’t mind splurging on a couple of items, namely:
Food. I’m a picky eater and...
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Day 17 - A Song that You Hear Often on the Radio
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Normandie Shout Out Louds Our Ill Wills (Released September 2007)
I’ve been a loyal listener of Jam 88.3 ever since Raven Broadcasting Corporation relaunched it in 2003. The station never fails to introduce me to great tracks that end up as favorites in my playlists. Normandie by Shout Out Louds is no exception. The band also...
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Day 16 - A Song that You Used to Love but Now Hate
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Ah, this one was a challenge. It would have been easier to cite a song that I used to hate but now love (because there are too many of them). The problem with identifying one that I used to love but now hate is that, most likely, it wouldn’t be in my music library. Well, I do have a music folder appropriately labeled “What Should I...
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Day 15 - A Song that Describes You
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Time to Pretend MGMT Oracular Spectacular (Released January 2008)
I didn’t even have to think about this one. Time to Pretend is probably my second favorite song, next to Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand. Never mind that I absolutely love this song or that it was played in one of my favorite movies...
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Day 14 - A Song that No One Would Expect You to...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Oh I don’t know about this one. I listen to different types of music so I don’t know if there truly is a song that “no one would expect me to love.” Although I’ve heard from some friends they didn’t expect to hear OPM playing on my computer; and there was this one time a student said he was surprised to find...
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Day 13 - A Song that is a Guilty Pleasure
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Making Love out of Nothing at All Air Supply Greatest Hits (Released 1983)
And let’s just leave it at that.
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Day 12 - A Song from a Band You Hate
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Pure Shores All Saints Saints & Sinners (Released October 2000)
Okay, “hate” is a strong word. But apparently not for the youngsters of the 90s, namely: 1) die-hard Backstreet Boys fans who loathed ‘N Sync (and vice-versa), 2) hardcore Hanson groupies who hated The Moffatts (and vice-versa), and 3) avid Spice...
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Day 11 - A Song from Your Favorite Band
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Back to the Earth Rusted Root When I Woke (Released August 1994)
Well, according to my Last.Fm charts, the band I listen to the most is Everything but the Girl, followed by Texas and Rusted Root. Personally, I have a problem calling two members a “band” so I’m not going with EBTG on this one (besides, I foresee an...
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Day 10 - A Song that Makes You Fall Asleep and...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Voices Dario G. Feat. Vanessa Quiñones OST- The Beach (Released February 2000)
I don’t know about “falling asleep” to this song but it’s definitely one that relaxes. Actually, this chillout track seems like the perfect choice for Day 10. For one, it really is a relaxing song. I love Dario G’s work and...
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Day 09 - A Song that You can Dance to
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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So here’s the deal: I can’t sing to save my life and I can’t dance for sh!t. So that means, no music entry for today!
Oh fine.
The last time I remember dancing willingly AND in the presence of other people was, god, sixteen years ago. My sister and I were dancing to Macarena and my dad caught it all on camera. I think the...
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Day 08 - A Song that You Know All the Words to
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Semi-Charmed Life Third Eye Blind Third Eye Blind (Released June 1997)
Well, I think we know all the words to most of our favorite songs but I’m picking Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind. I remember challenging myself once to get the words down pat so I could sing along to this catchy tune with rapid-fire lyrics. This was more...
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Today's Finds (05/06/2011)
It’s been a long time since the last edition of Today’s Finds!
I’m making the most of my short vacation. Instead of vegetating in front of the computer (as I have been doing for the past three summers), I’ve made it a point to do something more productive/relevant yet enjoyable every day. Last Wednesday, I walked from campus to Robinson’s (twice!) under the...
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Day 07 - A Song that Reminds You of Somewhere
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Moses Patty Griffin Living with Ghosts (Released May 1996)
Patty Griffin’s Living with Ghosts is a fantastic album. It is brimming with simplicity, rawness, and artistry. Not bad at all for one’s debut album! I remember reading somewhere that Patty wasn’t satisfied with this record or something in that connection but...
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Day 06 - A Song that Reminds You of a Certain...
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Africa Toto Toto IV (Released October 1982)
First off, I love this song to bits. My dad used to play a lot of Toto when I was a kid and this was my favorite (along with Rosanna). I remember loving the song more after reading the story behind it in the CD inlay. I quote Dave Paich:
At the beginning of the 80’s I watched a late...
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Day 05 - A Song that Reminds You of Someone
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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No Pressure Over Cappuccino Alanis Morissette MTV Unplugged [Live] (Released November 1999)
Just one song to remind me of someone? That’s pretty difficult considering there’s a song I associate with everyone I’ve had the fortune/misfortune to meet — and not meet, if we’re talking about friends from the...
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Day 04 - A Song that Makes You Sad
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Breathe Me Sia Colour the Small One (Released January 2006)
Thinking of “a song that makes you sad” is quite challenging as I am not one to listen to music to get depressed. Sure, there’s music that’s perfect company for the miserable but don’t you think it’s rather masochistic to purposely listen...
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Day 03 - A Song that Makes You Happy
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Won’t Say Anything Hello Seahorse! Hoy A Las Ocho (Released November 2008)
I create my playlists based on the period I found out about the songs therein (e.g., Compiled Mid-2005, Compiled Late 2006, Compiled Early 2008, etc.). It’s like painting a picture of a particular juncture of your life; the playlist serves to remind...
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Day 02 - Your Least Favorite Song
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Seasons of Love Rent Cast OST- Rent (Released September 2005)
Can we just say, to each his own? You can lower the pitchforks now.
I have a long list of “least favorite” songs, as do you. It seems rather easy to single out Bieber or Black but I honestly don’t mind either, and would actually welcome their music to my...
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Life in Mono
I wore orange today.
It isn’t really an unusual thing. But considering that I’ve been wearing only black for the past month, this was definitely a change.
So here’s the story: I’ve been in low spirits since March. And one of my pathetic natural responses was to do away with color. So I went all-out Rolling Stones like any emo kid would: no colors anymore I want them to...
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Day 01 - Your Favorite Song
This entry a part of the 30 Day Song Challenge
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Standing Outside a Broken Phone Booth with Money in My Hand Primitive Radio Gods Rocket (Released June 1996)
The challenge for Day 1 is “your favorite song” but I’m not sure if it means my favorite song of the moment or my favorite song ever. (Actually, I don’t reckon “favorites” are forever as...