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jUaNkEvI
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Name: Ming
Location: United States
Gender: Male
Interests: dance, sing, music, travel
Expertise: freestyle dance
Industry: Business
Message: message me
Member Since:
4/28/2002
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Not much of a post, but more of an impulsive reaction to the night.
Goodbye America, Hello China! Closer yet still far.
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Tonight I "relearned" that happiness doesn't necessarily originate from within but also from external sources. The happiness that people exert makes an epidemic impact on others, and the fact that you care about your friends and family creates a new environment that harnesses more joy and laughter.
As much as I yearn for such happiness, the witness of such joy brings about excitement to myself. Whether it be through acceptable processes or not, as long as the smile exists it is enough for me.
There are many situations that may cause grief or utter disgust. However, it's part of life, and we must accept such occurrences. Because without these, we won't learn and improve ourselves for the future to come.
I, for one, will always try to appreciate the people that I come across and accept the ups and downs involving them. And I will always remember that beauty comes from how you treat others rather from how others treat you. God Bless All. 
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Hear, hear~!! Marié Digby strikes us again with her poppin' new album (not yet released), Breathing Underwater. After reviewing her unfortunately leaked album, I seriously wonder just how deep Marié Digby dug her head into the water. She certainly didn't come back with the catchy, jolly type of songs like "Falling Stupid For You". But instead, this new album came equipped with a pop/r&b'ish personality.
Check it for yourself. Play or replay the first song, "Breathing Underwater". If you've heard of Marié Digby's songs from her first album, then you would probably expect a slow, melancholic rhythm to be played throughout the song. However, the song gives us a huge surprise by starting it with a piano and suddenly hitting us with a strong downbeat as she begins to sing. And as you try to recover from your bewilderment, you are already consumed by the beat of the song, bobbing your head along to the music.
The difference between her two albums can be differentiated by the type of instruments used to produce her songs. Her debut album, Unfold, relies heavily on the piano/guitars/violin to compliment her singing. These type of instruments bring a very soothing feeling to the listeners, and thus, portrays her as the cutesy, melancholic type of person.
On the other hand, Breathing Underwater, utilizes more percussion and electronically developed beats. It breaks away from the acoustic, soulful theme and adopted a vigorous and upbeat one. The newer album tells the audiences that she's not just the helpless cutie-pie everyone may seem to think, but also a strong individual that can get her messages across in a tougher way.
While Unfold captures you by slowly creeping up to your heart, Breathing Underwater takes the initiative and grabs onto you before you can even say "No".
A song that I really enjoy other than "Breathing Underwater" is "Love With A Stranger". Let me tell you something about that song because I'm sure most of you won't spend the time to analyze a great song.
First, let me explain the transitions of the song. As the song unfolds, the melody gives off a mysterious vibe, slowly building up the excitement to come. At 0:30 of the song, additional beats are added to the song, and even more at 1:05. The whole climax reaching process repeats for the second verse and chorus. But when it gets to the bridge at 2:42, the song peaks and all sorts of hell are released. (In a music video, this would be where the dance breaks down.) It then dies down a bit and resumes its previous chorus rhythm until the song fades out with the same opening sound.
The title itself should suggest a mysterious/exciting theme about the song because love with a stranger is in fact full of that. The musical transitions of the song are superbly organized and performed. If you connect the lyrics with the transitions, you'll see that they both are carefully synchronized. For example, as the climax dies out, she sang "vanish like a ghost" and the beats are instantly stripped off.
I give my praise to the creator of the song because I don't think this is just coincidental. It is a planned artistic work of art that requires commendation. The song lived up to it's name, and the story was perfectly told in the most subtle yet ingenious way.
I would review the other songs but I'll leave them to your opinions. All the songs in the playlists are good songs to listen to. Check them out if you have time.
One thing you might notice is that the beats are very similar in most of the songs. You'll probably get tired of them early, but I think they still have replay value. Furthermore, I never imagined dancing to Marie's songs, and this new album gave me the opportunity to. This is just too good.
You can expect me grabbing her album when it's released on June. But sadly to say, it's already leaked. This album deserves legit support, and I will carry that out this coming June. Hope everyone does the same.
p.s. If you're interested, check out her Japanese website, Marie Digby .Yes she has a Japanese album.
Let's dive underwater
to bring about a new change.
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Binghamton Rampage Leaves 14 Dead, Police Don't Know Motive By RICHARD ESPOSITO, PIERRE THOMAS, RUSSELL GOLDMAN and SCOTT MICHELSApril 3, 2009As many as 14 people have been shot dead in a murderous three-minute shooting rampage inside an upstate New York civic association building that caters to immigrants, according to federal and state authorities. The gunman was identified by some police sources as Jiverly Voong. According to Binghamton Police Chief Joe Zikuski, the gunman entered the one-story American Civic Association in downtown Binghamton at 10:31 a.m. today and began his shooting spree. var addthis_pub = 'abcnews'; By 10:33 a.m., the shooting was over and 14 people -- including the gunman -- lay dead, the chief said. At least four people were listed in critical condition. Earlier, sources said as many as 26 people were wounded. Officials who initially said Voong worked for IBM and had been discharged later said they were no longer certain that was true. At IBM, there was no record that the Voong involved in the shooting had worked there. "We have no idea what the motive is," Zikuski said. Police were interviewing Voong's family members and executing a search warrant at his home in an effort to establish a motive. Officials were seen removing a gun rifle case, two hard drives, two briefcases and two brown paper bags from the home. Police Chief: 'He Made Sure Nobody Could Escape' Officials said Voong entered the civic association armed with two pistols -- a 9 mm and a .45 caliber handgun. A satchel around the gunman's neck carried high capacity magazines, a survival knife and a flashlight, according to police. Voong backed his car up to the rear door of the building. "Obviously, it was premeditated. He made sure nobody could escape," Zikuski said. Voong then headed to the front where he allegedly began executing people. Voong, 41, also known as Linh Phat Voong, was from Johnson City, N.Y. Police refused offically to identify the shooter, though sources said it was Voong. He allegedly burst into the civic center wearing a bright green nylon jacket and dark-rimmed glasses and promptly shot two female receptionists. One woman died, but the second woman survived. "She pretended she was dead," Zikuski said. As the gunman headed for a room off the reception area, "she crawled underneath the desk and sometime after that called us," he said. Most of the people killed or injured were in one classroom taking a citizenship exam. The police chief said 37 people were safely removed from the building, 26 of whom barricaded themselves in the building's boiler room. Police arrived just two minutes after the receptionist called 911. Though the shooting lasted only minutes, it took police three hours to make sure the shooter wasn't still alive and laying in wait for more victims. Zhanar Tokhtabayeva, a 30-year-old from Kazakhstan, told the Associated Press she was in an English class when she heard a shot and her teacher screamed for everyone to go to the storage room. "I heard the shots, every shot. I heard no screams, just silence, shooting," she said. "I heard shooting, very long time ... and I was thinking, when will this stop? I was thinking that my life was finished." ....
I'm actually an alumni of State University of NY Binghamton, and reading this tragic story saddens and pisses me off at the same time. What in the world drove this man into a shooting rampage against innocent immigrants?!? Although I only lived in Binghamton for 4 years, the people there feels like kin to me. And to kill them is like killing a part of me. The locals there are nice, polite, courteous, and welcoming. None of them deserved any of this.
What pisses me off more is the fact that it reminds me of the past shootings at other Universities (let's not leave out the shootings around the world). If it's just one shooting, you'll try to get over it. But when there are shootings every freaking year, you know that the world is just one messed up place. And that humanitarian part of you (if you even have one) can't do shit about it.
This kind of violence makes no sense to me. I want to understand the purpose of such abhorrent actions. I want to feel what they feel, but I can't because their motives are unknown and it usually stays that way. Why? Cause they fucking kill themselves after they're done taking away the lives of others. What a way to inflict a mental attack against the friends and families of the victims.
For example: You want to hate the person, take retribution, or what have you, but that person is dead. That sense of getting back at someone doesn't exist anymore. As a result, your emotion of hatred are locked up. Either you suppress that anger through time or you let it out on an inanimate object or innnocent people. If you do suppress it, then it'll leave a scar or even damage your mental health. If you release it on an inanimate object, well you hurt yourself. And we don't even want to go near hurting innocent people.
However if the person is alive. You want that bitch locked up or dead. If either case happens, your mental wounds may recover faster because retribution was sought. And it feels like the world has justice. Unfortunately, the gunmen didn't allow that to happen. He killed the innocent people and left the families and friends a F you message.
What's worse is that you don't know the damn reason why he killed people. How should you feel? Confused I bet (as confused as watching Lost), and that is the worst feeling ever. Because confusion can easily drain your energy and make you lose focus on your daily functions. You will eventually lose yourself.
The massacres need to end NOW!
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Why am I so worked up about this?
Well I happen to be a close victim to a shooting in Binghamton. My friends and I went to a Binghamton students hosted-party held at a local downtown bar. And little did we know, it was a bar thugs went to...(wouldn't be surprised if something went down). Everything went well until the end of the night. As usual people left the bar and loitered around the entrance. My friends were scattered around the crowd and I was just floating about.
Then all of the sudden, I heard 2 loud bang (sounds like firecrackers). People started running and screaming for their lives while my drunk ass was still standing there confused and smiling idiotically about the night going well. I turned my head toward the sound and saw 2 shooters few yards away from me. 3 more gunshots went off, and I literally saw the muzzled fire sparks coming out of the gun. Even then I was still standing there like a retard, shocked, until someone pushed me into a little alley. I would have been dead if I wasn't lucky or if the gunshots weren't aimed miserably. I dodged the bullets by standing still, how ironic.
Although I was safe, 2 of my roommates were hit. One got shot in the toes and one got grazed on his inner thighs caused by the bullet deflecting off of his watch (kind of funny now that I think about it). 5 people were shot, but none dead. And 2 of them happen to be my roommates and the ONLY Binghamton students victims. Wow, just wow. And it's funny that we felt lucky in both ways, still living and getting shot at.
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It was that incident that made me appreciate life much more. Grasping the beauty of life, every aspect of it. Trust me, after being shot at and surviving through it, life tastes so much sweeter. This is why I don't understand the freaking violence in this world when life is so precious.
A part of me sympathizes the murderers. Maybe life doesn't taste sweet for them at all. Maybe they lack mental strength and spirit and empathy. Maybe it's just genetics and their upbringing. Nah scratch all that. No matter what reason they have, it doesn't give them the right to take the life of others. Even if it's a divine order from God.
As long as free will exists there is no peace.
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I am knocked the f out by Utada's latest American album, "This Is The One". And without a doubt, I have to agree on that. This is the one album that will help Utada get more exposure for her international attempt on invading the American music industry. (She speaks better English than Rain. Thank God.)
I remember she had one previous American album that failed miserably, and I didn't like any of her American songs. I even thought that she should just stick with Japanese Pop otherwise retire. From then on, I never cared or look forward to her music again. But damn, this R&B album kicked the sense out of me. She regained my respect. I don't know what everyone else thinks, but I strongly recommend everyone to lend their ears to her new songs.
Just one thing though. Utada has some kind of lyrics malfunction... She keeps repeating phrases twice in a row. In all of the songs, 3-4 different phrases would be repeated consecutively. I mean did she run out of lyrics? I swear I can write better than most of the songs she recorded. If she needs a lyrics writer, I would volunteer for free.
Anyways, Apple and Cinnamon is the best song in the album. I chose this song because it has a high relevance to what happened to me in the past. Even the best combination can fall apart. In addition to that, it's the best song in the album to dance to! Take My Money Back is pretty upbeat and interesting as well. "What I gave, you took. Nothing came in return. But I kept on giving. Because sex was so good." Really now Utada? lol.
If you want a chill out mood then This One and Come Back To Me are your choices. Both songs have great beats and convey the same message: wanting someone back. I'm sure deep down everyone that's single, he/she wishes for that special someone to come back into their life even if it's just one night. Don't worry they are not melancholic but rather quite delightful.
The last two on the playlist aren't bad too. If you can dance, have a vivid imagination of yourself dancing or a great sense of rhythm, then definitely check out On And On.
I would write something that relates to the music but.... right now I'm in the zone, meaning - its alone time with music. I'll be imagining a perfect music video scenario starring myself, dancing in the spotlight. haha.
Hope yall enjoy her music!
P.S. Give me a message if you desperately want her song or have no means of accessing them. 
Started out so simple and innocent
We were like apple and cinnamon.
None other but only this one
can ever get me so undone.
Lost you in the middle of the road
Gonna take my money back but again I'm sold.
Come back to me Ms. Dawn
And lets make the night go on and on.
Woo this is fun!
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