For any performer or artist that has received criticism and is feeling a bit bitter about it:

( Here's an open letter, because I care. )

Love, Hannah (:

Shuttercal is my newest discovery! The concept provides a really fun & easy way for you to remember a year - you upload a photo every day, and it forms a "calendar" for you. It's even printable and the printed sets look super pretty! (But the printing's also very expensive, sigh.)

Because time flies so fast that I often don't remember what I've spent my year on, I'm hoping that trying this will help! Also, I'm often too lazy to take photos of memorable/beautiful things - this year, I'd planned to go on a film photography project of taking a photo of the sunrise every day from the same spot on my way to school, except it never materialised because I'm always waking up too late. Hopefully this will make taking a photo a day a bit more manageable!

If you try it too, add me as a friend (as usual, I'm using twinkilya). I'd love to see how your year (or, just your year-end season which should be pretty worth documenting in photos) goes :)


[found via Photojojo]

I don't know how else to honour a complete stranger who actually made icons from my photography, except to publicise her beautiful work. So iconista_chanel, this post is for you :)

Icons be here!

I was so surprised to find that she's just 12! When I was 12, my icons were like this:


(made from photos I'd taken at the P5 Sentosa Amazing Race)


(my dressed-up Gaia avatar... oh my gosh)

And my idea of a good icon was:


HAHA. So embarrassing. Eden, Siying, Mabel & Ruoting, guess what - they're all still the profile pictures of various LJ accounts which always make me laugh/cringe when I read them :)


(Also, this is probably a good time to say that if you want to use my photos for anything, sure - don't even need to ask! The full-sized versions of whatever I posted in my last entry (plus some more) can be found in the linked images here)

Finally, after almost a year of putting it off...















They're out!!!! For all the highlights, go here.


(Like having baby like that. Conceive already wait 10 months then can see what it looks like. To continue the extended simile - I'm v proud of my firstborn :) hehe.)

In Cameron Highlands a few years back, we had to climb this slope, and this was what greeted us at the top:



& my daddy's comment:



Love it :)

Photobooth now has a plaything-rival! My latest fascination: Poladroid.

It's a nifty little app (especially on a Mac) that converts any photo into a polaroid-like one, not just with a frame but complete with the colouring, vignetting etc. And it's loads of fun because it actually makes the process "real" - photos take about a minute to "get coloured", and each session only allows you to make 10 photos! You have to close & restart it to continue which is sometimes kind of inconvenient, but very authentic (:

A plus is that it makes your mac's screen look happy and pretty! Here's a screenshot while waiting for my pola(d)roids to "colour".


I get to read my websites at the same time cos you can drag the photos around :)

I had loads of fun poladroid-ing anything and everything! To save your eyes, here are my ( Top 10 favourites )

(Thanks Tiff - kittiepanties, go check out her gorgeous artwork and photography!! - for the link many months back :) Tiff, if you see this, the poladroided shots' colouring reminds me quite a bit of your film photos!)

It's been a very songwritery evening - 4 new recordings from 1 sitting at the piano (nowhere near 'a song' yet though, just piano ideas here and there). Yet there's this feeling that's still churning inside me, a kind of collision of frustration & excitement, because there's a song that's not coming out!

If you can identify, I want to highly recommend Brooke Fraser's blog posts on songwriting. They're nicely written & offer lots of food for thought... I like! And her tastes agree with mine (:

Songwriting: A Discourse
Part #1 - Climate
Part #2 - Process (Part I) and (Part II)
(Part #3 - Mystery is supposed to come soon, will update when it does!)

My biggest, hardest learning point of today: A song sometimes cannot be written in a day. Give it time.

There's no better person to watch My Sister's Keeper with than... my sister! :) Had a greattt day today, first being a "waitress" of sorts at lunch (hahahaha totally not a job prospect for me), then going out with Miss Tabitha Ng.

Before the movie started, while hanging out at one of our favourite places, the Vivo roof:


This is Disappearing Tabi, who didn't realise Photobooth was taking 4 shots.


She likes the 4th photo because "you look the most unglam there. Ha."


I like this set (:

Extremely expectedly, My Sister's Keeper made me want to cry throughout the movie! What was unexpected was why - and I think this time it was because everyone in the family loved each other & was driven to act out of that love. This was the first family I've seen where everyone can love everyone else dearly and still, the family can fall apart.

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& this was the comic relief that ended my day:

(via SMS)

Me: Just watched my sister's keeper... It'll make you cry!
Chris: What happen to your sister's keeper?? Who is that? Something happen?
Me: HAHA chris!!!! It's a movie! Based on a quite-famous award-winning book!
Chris: Oh!!!! Aiyah I thought who is your sister's keeper. I thought something happened to your maid. Ha ha ha I am laughing now


Ok actually I got the award-winning part wrong, but! HAHA :D

I feel like a little girl
Trying to conquer the whole wide world
Everybody wants a piece of me
And I just don't know where to turn
I've got work piled up to my head
All I want to do is jump into bed
And wash away my troubles with lemonade
Play hide and seek
with the boy next door
Take a trip to Singapore and
Imagine how I'll make the world a better place

All I need is a good disguise
One where nobody can recognise
That I'm feeling so small
All I need is a secret weapon
I've gotta have faith
Zapping monsters into outer space
I'm gonna be a Superhero


(Except I'd want hot chocolate, not lemonade.)


The river runs and the river hides
Out to the ocean and under the sky
I promise you, the answer will come
Hold on to patience and watch for the sign
Everything in its time

'cause maybe there's another plan
One I still can't see
A little surprise, like Your love in my life
Funny how time changes how we see

( The past week(s) as told in pictures )


On a completely unrelated note, I can't believe how awesome they are!!! How often does something like that happen?! :D

My post from 9am today:

Am sitting in the middle of the canteen because I’ve no idea where my class went for PE ):



I look super hardworking! But what people don’t know is that I’m listening to music and pretending to play the keyboards/drums on my keyboard. HAHA. This is such an Eden Li thing to do – appear hardworking.

Ok this is a (rare) pointless post just because I’m procrastinating work.

I’ll go and do a timetable of my week now, it’s in a mess in my head!

This is very very belated, but I wanted to post about, chronologically,

a) Leaders' cell's cake BANANA for me at cell on Friday evening!!! That was hilarious, and yummy :D
b) the surprise B&J's outing on Friday (where the bunch of them called my parents to extend my curfew!! ahh)
c) Chorale's v sweet (literally) surprise for me
d) The 5-part birthday surprise from the EPIC cell
e) Tita's last party before she left for home
f) Trish & Shiqi's super unexpected present
g) Island Creamery outing with Mich & Nicole & Wynne
and
h) The emotional-rollercoastery 25-min video from the Levites that made me laugh, cry, then laugh & cry

so I wouldn't ever forget. (plus all the lunches + dinners + twalks!)

But most of the story is told in pictures on facebook so I'll skip the narration and save my words here for other things on my heart!


This birthday was one where I had to learn to receive, and receive, and receive. Sounds easy but it's actually pretty humbling! Every time someone did something for me, my first reaction would be "oh my goodness, I don't deserve this" or "I didn't do this [insert incident where I failed] for this person!"/"I didn't do as much for her birthday!!!".

But someone woke me up - "Eh you think everything need to pay one ah? It's called a gift for a reason!"

As I thought about that statement, it struck me like a brick that often, my mindset in coming to God is that what I'm doing now is sort of "repayment" for all He has done for me, and that's why I feel more comfortable in coming to Him when I feel I've been "doing enough" than when I know I've failed. But it hit home this time that I'll never be able to ever do enough. If I can't even "repay" my cell members or Levites for what they've done for my birthday, what makes me think I could ever repay God? How silly, haha. Yet that's what I subconsciously try to do!

On my 17th birthday, I've been brought to a place where I think I can say: I now understand a little better what it means to be absolutely undeserving; to constantly fall short, yet be flooded with grace & blessing.


Now, it's learning to freely receive that.
And then, to freely give (:

Hi friends! I've been instructed to sell more tickets, so:

Prelude to Advent
(a concert featuring Mr Toh's choirs)
26th Nov, Thursday, 7 or 7.30pm
Victoria Concert Hall

Stall tickets $15, Circle tickets $20


Also, I have 5 free tickets to give away for RGS Nite (ew spelling), the musical they're putting up this year at UCC. I've either Thurs (12th Nov) or Fri (13th Nov). Let me know if you want, and please somebody go with me! Tabi's performing!

31st Oct NOTE: All my tickets-to-be-given have been chope-d, so far! You can order yours by following instructions here I think!

2nd Nov: THERE ARE MORE! Comment here if you want!

...and then there were none!

It's been a crazy, crazy 48 hours - 6 surprises, many people, and much, much love.

A confession: As of now (22 hours into my birthday), I've read a grand total of ONE of my birthday letters because I just haven't had the time/frame of mind to get everything organised and start reading everyone's! So... don't feel awful if you haven't got a reply/acknowledgement; it will come v v soon and just know that I feel blessed out of my socks (in Abby's words) right now (:

So while photos get sorted out & while I piece together the past 48 hours well enough to type a coherent post (it deserves one!), these are people I really want to appreciate + honour for the little things; the ones whose SMSes/FB wall posts touched me because they remembered even if, for some, I was someone who barely left an impact on their lives. Sadly my phone won't let me keep all their messages so this list is gonna be the only way I'll remember every person who messaged!

( For my reference + to thank you all. )

Some names up there have exclamation marks; others, many "O:!!!" faces; and still others, nothing at all. But that's so unrepresentative of things - words don't do emotions justice!

As I typed each name up there, there were SO many different emotions with every person mentioned... even for those who have no "exclamation" after the name. Whether it's the shock of getting a "Hey! Happy Birthday!" from someone in BPMC (Mich/Hil/Sherlyn/Waiian's church that I visited years ago) who I haven't communicated with in close to THREE YEARS (these messages touched me a lot), the delighted surprise when people I hardly know in church/school actually leave a post, the smile a close friend's v detailed message brings, or the reflex "ohmygoshhhhh -.-" someone's "BLESSED BIRTHDAY ONE YEAR TO A's!" elicits, every name is... More than just a name. As I typed, what struck me so overwhelmingly that each name represents a relationship that has a story and is a part of a greater journey.

Aiyoh I sound so reflect-y here. I wish I could tag every single one of the people up there in this, and even though I def want to reply them individually, I just am so so so so touched by each of them that I want them to see this too! So they know - they are more than just a name. And, I remember + deeply appreciate every single one of their messages.

I am so, so overwhelmed. Pastor Vic says "swarmed" (which from the perspective of someone who was waiting for a reply, is probably true oops) but haha I am really touched as well so that word's invalid! I'm more like... completely surprised and overwhelmed (in a good way) by the outpouring of love that came in such an unexpectedly insane scale!


ok this is Part 1 = the "virtual" wishes.
For Part 2 = the 6 surprises + all the people behind them... this will take a long, long while! I think I ought to reply all the SMSes + do Tita's farewell gift first. But it will come soon (:

Just discovered a gem on youtube, my favourite female youtube duo for now! (Eden and Mich/Hil: must-watch!)

Jayesslee = Janice and Sonia, 22-year-old twins who are Australian-born Koreans. They're one of the few people I like all the songs of (rearranged covers, originals... AND silly songs) Even though their voices are a liiitle bit on the sweet side, being twins their harmony's really tight which makes me want a twin to sing with too! And they're so fun (+ pretty!) :D

They do acoustic guitar + harmony, with some acapella ones which are awesome too. I really don't know how to choose what to post, so I'll pick my ( favourites )

(while walking out of school)

Marco: Just dinner, at my dad's restaurant. Please? I promise if you don't have a good time, I'll stop asking.
Jenny: Marco, you and I have been over this... I-I just don't get you.
Marco: What about me?
Jenny: You keep asking me out, and I keep telling you no, but why do you keep trying?
Marco: (shrug) I don't know, I feel like, if I keep asking, maybe... maybe one of these days you'll actually say yes.

(silence, for a while)

Jenny: Text me the address.
Marco: Seriously?!
Jenny: (smiles) Seriously.

Okay I don't do it justice, but... pieced together from the only 2 Google results I found of my favourite scene. If it helps to set the context, Jenny's a really "guai", hardworking-to-the-point-of-being-uptight girl and Marco's a pretty laidback, funny guy who's evidently persistent (: Hopefully the movie gets posted up soon so I can post that snippet! Someone took that conversation and expanded it into a short story, I like.

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Other than just being "sweet", it also taught me something - that when at first you don't succeed, ask and ask again. What's the worst that could happen?

I need to borrow a mini-DVI to VGA cable (something that connects Macbooks to projectors) by this friday! Anyone have one?

___________________________________
Also, here's a post I wrote on Monday but didn't post:


I finally really understand it when people say things like "Once you go Mac, you never go back". I knew I'd like the change, but I never expected liking it this much... After using my new Macbook Pro for just about 24 hours, I think it would feel strange going back to a PC.

Other than the "usual" things (iMovie pwning Windows Movie Maker, the endlessly-amusing Photobooth, Keynote's features which outdo Powerpoint...), here are 3 of my personal reasons for liking my new machine friend.

( 3 things that make me love Mac (with pictures!) )

But in the spirit of a fair & balanced argument, here are my ( gripes )


So that's it for now - my first 24 hours with a Mac's adventures. More will come!
(P.S. If you want to write a song for my mac to sing, please do. I'll even record it :) )

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I am so tired, in a sleep-deprived sense!

Fell in love with August Rush yesterday. (Thanks Eden, you have the best taste!)

The music in this movie is really captivating, and I love how they blended classical & "rock" (or whatever genre it is). There are too many to chose from, but 2 of my favourite music bits from it:




(when August first tinkers around with a guitar)

Out-of-this-World Dream #346525: Compose for a movie one day.

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In point form (which reminds me of my ELL paper in which I struggled to come up with a "official significance" for point form... clarity? impact?):

1. I have a iPod that is not a shuffle, for the first time! Kenny's birthday present, despite me (rightly) pre-empting something like that and making him promise not to buy me anything. (He promised, and got around it because this wasn't "bought" -.- but thank you!)

(standsmall or anyone else, do you know where I can get a nice jelly(?) skin for it? I like your cracker/angel ones!)

All the same I'm sad to see my cute little green shuffle replaced... but my sister happily took it & I'll still get to use it to run (:

2. On Sunday at class outing, we played pool next to a karaoke room and when I kept singing along to the songs my classmates were like "O: you know Chinese songs?!" hahaha. My family plays Chinese radio in the car, but I never remember lyrics and only really like 孙燕姿 (Stefanie Sun) because her songs have such nice piano bits.

3. I had fun jamming today (:

4. I want to buy a pair of Rubi shoes (the kind of pumps Cotton On has) which are 2 for $25, anyone want to pair up with me?

My primary school choir senior Melodie Tan is one of them. She has the purest sop voice I've heard in someone I know, plays really good piano & guitar, is beautiful, and really passionate about the things I'm passionate about too (which makes me look up to her 100000x more than if she wasn't, haha) - this includes recording random songs with her little sister.

I often wonder if our paths will ever cross someday, in a more permanent way than just getting reacquainted because we found out we both went to the FUEL convergence.

But finding out all that about Mel has been making it a real challenge for me to practise something I'd just learnt from Rachael:

"My point is, nothing's wrong with loving something, and never give it up just because you think you're not good enough.
If its something that makes you smile, it's not worth giving up. :)"


Today was a day of preaching that to myself, over and over again. And finding the courage to go sit at the piano, to play & sing.