O Summer, where art thou?

"Oh look, there it is!"

Summer has been woefully short this year.

Of course, it's not helped by the fact that I took summer this year as well. But when one is desperate to graduate, what can you do?

I definitely abandoned my blog yet again. So blogging wasn't one of the many things I did this summer. Meh. I did plenty of other things though, so I guess that's a consolation. Aside from school and the essays that latches on like leeches, I also took (gasp) a statistics course! And I did not fail! I know I know, the chances of me taking anything related to math AND not have the final result looking like it's been destroyed by a Texas-sized meteor is just, as they call it, astronomical.

P(me taking a statistics course) x P(me passing the statistics course) = Get the hell out of here, you kiddin'?

Well, thanks to one of SFU's many rules applied to undergraduates, I was forced to take it because somehow every student will be better-equipped for the horrors of society if they know how to add some numbers together to make another number. I know, crazy eh?

It hasn't been a bad summer though, I must say. And it's not only because I did not fail my stupid stats course.

June, 2011.

Ahh, June. Normally this is the time when school is in full swing and I'd be busy crapping my pants because of a) essays; b) midterms; c) presentations; d) my aunt hogging the washroom. This year though? It's a tad different. Thanks to some stellar performance by the Vancouver Canucks instead of being dismissed for the third time in three consecutive years by the assholes in Chicago, we made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final.

It's funny what happens when a major sports team make it this far -- everything just sort of... stops. Statistics? Pfft. Essays? Meh. Midterms? Who gives a flying crap! I don't even know the names of my professors! OH LOOK! ALEX BURROWS JUST SCORED IN OVERTIME! HAHA TIM THOMAS YOU SUCK! WE'RE BRINGING HOME THE CUP THIS YEAR! SUCK IT BRUINS!!...

... As far as I am concerned, the finals stopped right there. I don't remember anything that happened between game 3 to 7. What? We had a scoring drought? Luu is being blamed for everything again? Riot? What riot? The day before my birthday? Now, that's something I should be able to remember now, isn't it?

Oh, right.

June also happens to be the month of my birthday. So Sonia Mak and Teresa Li decided to throw me the best surprise party in the history of the universe.

Thanks people!

Also scored three Canucks jerseys in one night -- which I was going to wear all summer, but...

July, 2011.

The Cup-denial phase starts. This is when you get back to your normal, boring life and sob in quiet depression over the loss. Of course, such is not helped by the fact that Vancouver suddenly pissed rain for a couple weeks and turned into November. In this time period, you're willing to stab anyone who's from Boston. Hell, anyone from New England who speaks with a weird accent (think Matt Damon in The Departed) would be vulnerable. Alas, since we're Canadians, we just spend most of the time quietly sobbing in a corner. And saying sorry.

This is when I downloaded roughly 50 movies and old television shows. Dr. Strangelove? Check. Amélie? Check. First season of ER with George Clooney still in the cast? You bet! Countless nights were spent watching videos on my computer while I sobbed to my heart's content.

Thank you, ER. Although I'd be much happier if you weren't set in Chicago.

August, 2011.

August was really the month when summer started for me. Summer semester was nearing the end, and I really couldn't give a rat's ass towards the gigantic failure that is statistics. I wasn't really bothered with my political science paper either -- I wrote the darn thing in 12 hours. All 3500 words of it. You'd imagine my surprise then, when I saw this on my own paper:

"Simon, you're the best paper writer in the world. A+. Signed, professor."

I landed on a wedding gig, so with my painfully amateurish photo equipment I yet again took photos for a wedding -- this time, some engagement shots in Gastown. However, it went splendidly, and happy couple Owen and Saskia couldn't be more sweet and made the afternoon ever more fun for me.

Best photoshoot yet.

In keeping with the tradition of July / August being the road-trip period (2008 July: Toronto > Montreal > NYC > Philadelphia > DC; 2009 July: Ucluelet, BC; 2010 August: Miami, FL), three separate trips to Seattle were in order. Observation #1: there are a couple of USAF fighter jets doing random fly-bys over Downtown Seattle in the middle of the day for reasons unknown, which was quite a sight. Observation #2: The Cheesecake Factory makes awesome cheesecakes. Verdict: Seattle is quite awesome.

My parents also suddenly decided to come into town, blitzkrieg-style. Pretty glad to see them, especially this time I got a surprise new camera from them. Which we took to Yellowstone. Oh, have I mentioned that we drove to Yellowstone National Park? No? Well, we drove to Yellowstone National Park. Quite some awesome pictures taken over there. Arguing the choice of music played in the car for 7 days with my cars, on the other hand, was less than desirable. I also got caught doing almost 80 in a 65 zone in the middle of Montana, by what seemed to be the friendliest cop I've ever met.

Cop: Good evening sir. How are you?
Me: Er, good.
Cop: Are you in a race?
Me: No, sir.
Cop: (smiling) Are you winning?
Me: Er, no, sir.
Cop: Do you know how fast you were going?
Me: I don't know... Around 75?
Cop: Hmm you're quite close. I clocked you at 78. This is a 65 zone at night.
Me: Oh, I am sorry. (thinking to self: fuck, fuck, fuck...)
Cop: May I have your driver's license please?
Me: (scrambles to find wallet, which seems to have disappeared in the most inopportune time, but found it anyway)
Cop: (looks at license) Where is "Burnaby"?
Me: Er, that's in Vancouver, sir.
[Few moments later]
Cop: Alright you're free to go. Just keep it under 65 for the rest of the way because you might hit a deer this time of night. I don't want you hittin' any deers.
Me: Yes, sir.
Cop: Where are you headin' to?
Me: Whitefish.

And then my dad pretty much defused the whole situation by asking

Dad: Do you know any good motels over there?
Me: (has a heart attack)
Cop: Oh... Well, there are plenty of motels over there. Do you want a pool? Try the Best Western o'er there. It's pretty nice. Just head into town and turn right about a mile in. Can't miss it.
Me: Thank you very much.
Cop: Yeah no problem. Just try to keep it under 65 'cause there are deers around here. Y'all take care now.

Instinctively I went and shook his hand. Amazingly, he obliged. After that, I buggered off and did 55 the rest of the way. Now, picture this happening to me, but in LA:

[Helicopters hovering around, 10+ Ford Police Interceptors parked behind my car, sirens blaring, guns blazing]
Cop: (through microphone) Driver! Get the fuck out of the vehicle!
Me: (Stumbles out of the car, falling because I can't feel my legs. Gets tackled by 20 police officers, gets hit in the head by a police baton, Arrested Development style)

I kid, I kid. Yellowstone was quite awesome. My 5-year streak of no speeding tickets issued by a cop lives on. Although combined with the three trips to Seattle, the distance I've driven this month could've taken me to Halifax, Nova Scotia. So I'm a little tired of driving, you could say.

Oh well, school just started now. So soon I'll revert back to getting tired of a) essays, b) midterms, c) presentations and d) living alone.

RIP Pavol Demitra and the victims of the Lokomotiv plane crash.

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For those curious about my 30-day song challenge that was abandoned like an orphan in a Dickens novel, here's the whole list.

Day 1 - your favorite song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires.
Day 2 - your least favorite song: Black Eyed Peas - Fergalicious.
Day 3 - a song that makes you happy: Hall & Oates: You Make My Dreams.
Day 4 - a song that makes you sad: U2 - Walk On.
Day 5 - a song that reminds you of someone: Hellogoodbye - Two Weeks in Hawaii.
Day 6 - a song that reminds you of somewhere: Hot Hot Heat - YVR.
Day 7 - a song that reminds you of a certain event: Green Day - Holiday.
Day 8 - a song that you know all the words to: Third Eye Blind - Motorcycle Drive By.
Day 9 - a song that you can dance to: Village People - YMCA.
Day 10 - a song that makes you fall asleep: Maclean - German Industrial City Retract.
Day 11 - a song from your favorite band: Third Eye Blind - Semi-Charmed Life.
Day 12 - a song from a band you hate: Nickelback - Far Away.
Day 13 - a song that is a guilty pleasure: Loco Locass - Le But.
Day 14 - a song that no one would expect you to love: Édith Piaf - Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien.
Day 15 - a song that describes you: Simon & Garfunkel - The Boxer.
Day 16 - a song that you used to love but now hate: The All-American Rejects - Dirty Little Secret.
Day 17 - a song that you hear often on the radio: Jason Mraz - I'm Yours.
Day 18 - a song that you wish you heard on the radio: Hot Hot Heat - Middle of Nowhere.
Day 19 - a song from your favorite album: Maclean - Much Better People.
Day 20 - a song that you listen to when you’re angry: Metallica - Enter Sandman.
Day 21 - a song that you listen to when you’re happy: Jackie Wilson - I Get the Sweetest Feeling.
Day 22 - a song that you listen to when you’re sad: Rent - Will I
Day 23 - a song that you want to play at your wedding: Elvis Presley - Can't Help Falling in Love.
Day 24 - a song that you want to play at your funeral: Justin Bond & the Hungry March Band - In the End.
Day 25 - a song that makes you laugh: Rent - La Vie Boheme.
Day 26 - a song that you can play on an instrument: The Beatles - Yesterday.
Day 27 - a song that you wish you could play: Lynyrd Skynyrd - Free Bird.
Day 28 - a song that makes you feel guilty: Pearl Jam - Yellow Ledbetter.
Day 29 - a song from your childhood: Backstreet Boys - Everybody.
Day 30 - your favorite song at this time last year: AC/DC - Night Prowler.

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 9. (continued)

Day 9: A song that you can dance to: Village People - YMCA. (1978).

[Embedding failed -- click here for song]

Honestly, who doesn't know how to dance to this song? This song is a sports anthem, disco classic, gay rights anthem and racial equality anthem all rolled into one. Not a lot of people would admit it, perhaps. This song however was the song we listened to on the school bus on the way to the YMCA concentration summer camp. No joke, the bus driver danced to it... While he was driving, rather alarmingly.

There's no denying it though. We ALL know how to do the YMCA dance.

[Note: Yes yes yes, I realize I have skipped a month of blogging -- so I am picking this up where I left off... Sort of.]

Runner up: Michael Jackson - Billie Jean. (1982)
This is a song that most people would probably admit they know how to dance to (and most of them would probably be lying). Now obviously, I am one of the few who knows how to moonwalk.

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April 1 - your favorite song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires.
April 2 - your least favorite song: Fergie - Fergalicious.
April 3 - a song that makes you happy: Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams.
April 4 - a song that makes you sad: U2 - Walk On.
April 5 - a song that reminds you of someone: Hellogoodbye - Two Weeks in Hawaii.
April 6 - a song that reminds you of somewhere: Hot Hot Heat - YVR
April 7 - a song that reminds you of a certain event: Green Day - Holiday
April 8 - a song that you know all the words to: Third Eye Blind - Motorcycle Drive By.
May 9 - a song that you can dance to: Village People - YMCA.
May 10 - a song that makes you fall asleep:

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 8.

Day 8: A song that you know all the words to: Third Eye Blind - Motorcycle Drive By. (1997)



One of the most beautifully written song ever. Love how this song really comes alive midway through. Could be a painful song to listen to at times too because of the imagery... But then what good is a song if it doesn't evoke your emotions?

And there's things I would like to do
That you don't believe in
I would like to build something
But you'll never see it happen

And there's this burning
Like there's always been
I've never been so alone
And I've, I've never been so alive

Runner up: Third Eye Blind - Wake For Young Souls. (2003)

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April 1 - your favorite song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires.
April 2 - your least favorite song: Fergie - Fergalicious.
April 3 - a song that makes you happy: Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams.
April 4 - a song that makes you sad: U2 - Walk On.
April 5 - a song that reminds you of someone: Hellogoodbye - Two Weeks in Hawaii.
April 6 - a song that reminds you of somewhere: Hot Hot Heat - YVR
April 7 - a song that reminds you of a certain event: Green Day - Holiday
April 8 - a song that you know all the words to: Third Eye Blind - Motorcycle Drive By.
April 9 - a song that you can dance to:

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 7.

Day 7: A song that reminds you of a certain event: Green Day - Holiday. (2005)



Oh yes. Every time I listen to Holiday I couldn't help but be reminded of a Canucks game. More specifically, when the Sedins do insane things like this:



Or this:



And of course, this:



"Daniel to Burrows to Daniel to Henrik HE SCORES! Oh what a thing of beauty!"

I want to hear Holiday being played over and over again come playoffs. Oh yes.

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April 1 - your favorite song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires.
April 2 - your least favorite song: Fergie - Fergalicious.
April 3 - a song that makes you happy: Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams.
April 4 - a song that makes you sad: U2 - Walk On.
April 5 - a song that reminds you of someone: Hellogoodbye - Two Weeks in Hawaii.
April 6 - a song that reminds you of somewhere: Hot Hot Heat - YVR
April 7 - a song that reminds you of a certain event: Green Day - Holiday
April 8 - a song that you know all the words to:

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 5 & 6.

Day 5: A song that reminds you of someone: Hellogoodbye - Two Weeks in Hawaii. (2006)



Never had a song that rings more strongly about a person than this one. This is the song that will always remind me of you.

Definitely one of my favourites.

Runner up: Third Eye Blind - Water Landing. (2009)
(this song comes pretty darn close too, but Two Weeks in Hawaii is better)

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Day 6 - A song that reminds you of somewhere: Hot Hot Heat - YVR. (2010)



Another band that is very underrated. Hot Hot Heat is quite an awesome alternative band that has a distinctively West Coast Vancouver sound (which is appropriate since they are from Victoria). I mean, watch the video. Can't get any more Vancouver than that, can it? And it's called YVR for christssakes. And it heavily features the world renowned BC bud™...

And sure enough this song does not exactly sound like your typical alternative song -- and nothing wrong with that really, as Hot Hot Heat is neither the most radio-friendly band out there nor do they try to be. This song is not very catchy, yet somehow it grew on me. (and yes I play this song every time I drive near the airport)

Fly into YVR
Get myself in a car
Get to the people that will keep me alive
Frostbitten drunken skids
You make it howl, kids
Something about you, I just trust you tonight

Runner up: Guns N' Roses - Welcome to the Jungle. (1987)
(this song should be LA's official anthem)

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April 1 - your favorite song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires.
April 2 - your least favorite song: Fergie - Fergalicious.
April 3 - a song that makes you happy: Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams.
April 4 - a song that makes you sad: U2 - Walk On.
April 5 - a song that reminds you of someone: Hellogoodbye - Two Weeks in Hawaii.
April 6 - a song that reminds you of somewhere: Hot Hot Heat - YVR
April 7 - a song that reminds you of a certain event:

[Whoops -- too busy yesterday working on my presentation that I didn't have time to update the 30-day song challenge. Consider the blogging streak over?]

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 4.

Day 4: A song that makes you sad: U2 - Walk On. (2000)



Somehow, this song always reminds me of my old friend Bernard whom I've known since elementary school. On June 10, 2004, he took his own life at 15 years of age. He was a victim of Hong Kong's failed education system.

I miss you buddy.

Runner up: Third Eye Blind - The Background.

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April 1 - your favorite song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires.
April 2 - your least favorite song: Fergie - Fergalicious.
April 3 - a song that makes you happy: Hall & Oates - You Make My Dreams.
April 4 - a song that makes you sad: U2 - Walk On.
April 5 - a song that reminds you of someone:

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 2.

Day 2: Your Least Favourite Song: Fergie - Fergalicious. (2006)



My oh my. Where do I begin.

Yesterday it took me about 10 minutes to figure out which song is my current favourite. This one though? Oh, I don't know, about a minute?

This is what's wrong with popular culture -- the lack of substance, a music video that make my eyes bleed, the absurdity of the lyrics, the lack of skills all around. Listening to this song gives me a brain hemorrhage -- and frankly Fergalicious isn't even remotely the worst out there. It's close, but it's not the worst. Fergalicious is just hilariously bad. So bad that it makes Video on Trial's review that much more awesome.

Listening to this song is like listening to the sound of a truckload of kittens crashing into an orphanage. It's an insult to my ears. It's evil. It's what the Third Reich would come up with. But hey, the good news is there are much worse out there.

There are just some that is so bad that it is no longer entertaining to laugh at it. Songs that are so bad -- so bad that it's just utterly putrid that one can't even get worked up about it anymore but to totally give up any hopes on humanity. Songs like this; or this; or this -- all of them so engineered you'd be surprised if the artists don't have an electronic voice box in their bloody throats. Fair enough, I've had a loathing for this new-age pop / hip-hop nonsense for a while now, so I am willing to admit that I am biased. Seriously though, whatever happened to the old-style hip hop that was all about social injustice and empowerment? As they say now, hip hop is now all about bitches and hoes. Nothing more than a corporate sell-out.

Not to mention that stuff like autotune will continue to destroy music until it becomes something like an apocalyptic ruin.

Sigh, what has this world come to?

Runner up: Crazy Frog - Axel F. (2005) It's just so horrible. Nothing annoys the bejesus out of me more than this crap.

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April 1 - your favorite song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires.
April 2 - your least favorite song: Fergie - Fergalicious.
April 3 - a song that makes you happy

30-Day Song Challenge: Day 1.

Yes, I have succumbed to the devil.

I am never really that big on doing anything that probably no one really cares about -- like those online quizzes and what not. After all, it's not like I don't have enough on plate already, why should I spend half an hour doing a quiz that doesn't serve anything other than being an adrenaline shot for my ego?

But you know, my good friend (and worst enemy) Sonia Mak is doing this on Facebook and she was trying to persuade me into doing this, and I thought: Why not? It's not like I don't have 2 presentations and an essay coming up next week; another two the following week; and a final by the end of this month anyway... But then, the whole point of this is about music -- which is something I definitely love (and unfortunately very talentless in).

... And I really want to go back to blogging again. Really, this shouldn't take me too long to write.

So starting today until April 30, here's my 30 songs that... do something to me. Just read the bloody list at the bottom.

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Day 1: Your Favourite Song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires. (2008)



It's not just this song, really. Death Cab For Cutie has always been a very underrated band -- considering how deep and melodic a lot of their songs really are. In the age of auto-tune and the soulless, top-40 bullcrap (more on that tomorrow) that most mainstream artists make these days, you've really got to respect what DCFC represents -- the rawness and simplicity of their music that is not adulterated by digitization. The Narrow Stairs album in 2008 was a particularly brilliant one (and sadly, one that I only discovered late last year); and Grapevine Fires is one of the finest songs in it.

Sure enough, the music video itself is a tad eccentric -- but it certainly meshes well with their style. The sadness, the incredible imagery, and the profound helplessness in the face of tragedy -- all coupled together in this song. At the end, if all else fails and nothing could be done, sometimes the only thing we can really do in is to sit back and hope for the best. No matter what, life goes on and everything will eventually be all right.

And the news reports
On the radio said it was getting worse
As the ocean air fanned the flames
But I couldn't think
Of anywhere I would've rather been
To watch it all burn away
Burn away

This song -- for now anyway -- is my favourite song.

Runner up: Third Eye Blind - Semi-charmed Life. (1997)
(simply because Third Eye Blind is the best band ever and I've always loved this song since high school)

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April 1 - your favorite song: Death Cab For Cutie - Grapevine Fires.
April 2 - your least favorite song
April 3 - a song that makes you happy
April 4 - a song that makes you sad
April 5 - a song that reminds you of someone
April 6 - a song that reminds you of somewhere
April 7 - a song that reminds you of a certain event
April 8 - a song that you know all the words to
April 9 - a song that you can dance to
April 10 - a song that makes you fall asleep
April 11 - a song from your favorite band
April 12 - a song from a band you hate
April 13 - a song that is a guilty pleasure
April 14 - a song that no one would expect you to love
April 15 - a song that describes you
April 16 - a song that you used to love but now hate
April 17 - a song that you hear often on the radio
April 18 - a song that you wish you heard on the radio
April 19 - a song from your favorite album
April 20 - a song that you listen to when you’re angry
April 21 - a song that you listen to when you’re happy
April 22 - a song that you listen to when you’re sad
April 23 - a song that you want to play at your wedding
April 24 - a song that you want to play at your funeral
April 25 - a song that makes you laugh
April 26 - a song that you can play on an instrument
April 27 - a song that you wish you could play
April 28 - a song that makes you feel guilty
April 29 - a song from your childhood
April 30 - your favorite song at this time last year