One Direction - History

I'm only aware this is the last music video One Direction released, without Zayn too. It's a fitting farewell song. 

I guess since Zayn left, they know it wasn't the same anymore, and so they just went on a hiatus.

I'm not a 1D fan, but I did listen to a lot of 1D songs since 2010 hence even though I'm not a fan, their music was influential to me.

I was aware Zayn Malik left, but I never knew what happened next. To be honest, I didn't even realise they are on a hiatus.

I don't blame them. I'm pretty sure Zayn has his reasons for leaving 1D even though he has been portrayed as being very happy in the band.

I myself have gone through a few phases of my life, and in each of them I repeatedly found myself needing to escape and move on to the next phase.

But when I've moved on to the next phase, I yearn for the last. When we have lost something, when we are already in a different situation and have moved on, we tend to remember only what made us happy, and not what made us wanted to move on. That's just life. Our brains are structured to remember only the happiness.

They were young. They hadn't found what they really wanted. Five years down the road, someone had. And they bid goodbye.

We all always want things to be the same. But we always never appreciate what we have, until we lost it.

1D is not coming back, guys. Few years down the road, I'm starting to miss listening to their songs on the radios. But let's admit it - time has changed. 1D members have each found what they want, and the boy band will not return. Not so soon.

I'm pretty sure all of them, including Zayn, want to go back to how it was. But everyone is different now. There's just no going back anymore.

If they were to re-assemble later, it would be many years later where many of us would already have teenage kids. I would be looking forward to it.

Anyway, night guys. I also miss a lot of my past. I can't go back to them anymore. But it's fine. Let's move on.

One Direction - Night Changes (Acoustic)

Here's a few things to start: First, I'm not a One Direction's fan. I listen to their songs, and that's all.

Second, I am an extremely sentimental guy. My emotion is very easily influenced by my surroundings.

1D songs were a hit when I was younger - when I was in my university especially. 

When I was still studying in Swinburne, Fly Fm was an inseparable part of my life. I listened to the radio stations every day, every time I have a chance to.

1D songs were almost always on the tracks.

Fast forward to now, 2020, 2 years since I graduated, 6 years since I first entered Swinburne, memories just hit me really hard.

Time really flies. Things have changed. Circumstances have changed.

1D has broken down. Zayn Malik has left. 1D, which was so subtly influential to me, is a memory that will not return.

It really just makes me miss so many things I enjoyed so much in the past.

Chris Carter - Written in Blood

I've been reading his books since 2010 when I first read The Executioner, a book which even my sister couldn't help but got engrossed in it. Every year, Chris Carter publishes one book, which I find too little. Every year, I try to get the book immediately when it was published. Back in the early 2010s, e-book was not popular. His books were also deprived of the attention they deserve, so they were particularly hard to get. The only bookstore that sold his books were Borders in Queensbay Mall, which has now sadly shuttered. But so many years later, I'm now in Singapore, and I've got access to Google Play Books. The publishers usually do very hard to gain profits by first releasing hardcover versions only for the first year so that they have a reason to charge more. Nah, I go for e-books, because I refuse to pay more just for the hardcover, and also because his books are not immediately available in Singapore or Malaysia, and most importantly I couldn't even wait for a second more to read his books and ebook gives me immediate access!

Anyway, as usual, his books never fail to charm. I devoured the book in 2 days, max. The beginning of the books was a bit slow, and it started off a little differently from his previous books. The killer in this book is a little less sick, less brutal (though still brutal), and unlike the previous books, there aren't any races to save victims, because in this book all the victims have died. Still, this book is enchantingly absorbing, and you couldn't stop reading it even if you want to. He wrote it in a different tone, a tad less analytical, a bit more personal, and also the suspense isn't as strong. I initially thought the killer was bipolar, given the way it went, but as it turned out I was wrong. But, doesn't matter, it was still a good read, although I find it weaker than his previous novels. But since a tragedy befell him while he was penning it, I think it's understandable. If you like a crime novel, I highly recommend Chris Carter's novels. Although, given the amount of time it takes for me to finish it, I think his books really don't worth the money, since for the same amount of money, you could also buy some other books that keep you entertained for a much longer period. Rating: 9/10.

Glitch, Season 3

I've finally finished this marvellous TV series. I've explained how I chanced upon this TV, so I'll skip these and go straight to the main point: the last season, which was released last year. Season 3 has a slightly different tone - the characters are no longer at lost and finding themselves, they are now trying to move on. There are also two more risens: a Chinese immigrant and a girl murdered by a religious freak. Season 3 does not have a focus, but each character is given a centric episode. James, the protagonist, has very much less screen time. He no longer becomes the friendly person as he himself dies and comes back from the dead with only one mission as the enemies did in the first two seasons. I guess for a show like this, the ending is expected: everybody has to die. Whatever dies has to remain dead, or it risks upsetting the natural balance. I guess this is the gist of the show. Anyway, awesome show. Glitch shows that Australia can indeed produce good television drama.

If I Die Young - Naya Rivera

It's funny that I'm not a fan of glee but still, hearing the news of a cast's death is still a painful news for me to absorb.

I don't watch glee but I do watch some performance and I like Rachel mostly, but Santana was also a very fascinating character, so I did watch a few of her performance.

But to hear Naya Rivera's death, is still painful.

It always is painful for me to accept that somebody who I have watched alive dies.

Rest in peace, Naya Rivera. You died young, and this song, which you sang, just sounded very, very sombre.

Supernatural, Season 13

I first watched Supernatural on TV3, back when Charmed was still on TV, because it was advertised on Star2 when TV was still a big deal, back in 2005. My sister and I both watched it, and immediately loved the show. As Charmed was the hotter magic show back then, we drew similarities between these two show, and concluded that Charmed was more fantasy while Supernatural has darker tone and less fantasy. I loved the show so much, I even bought pirated DVDs because in 2005 the internet was still not a thing in Malaysia.

Not, fast forward 15 years later, Supernatural is supposed to have concluded. Due to Covid-19, it has been on a hiatus and we still do not know when the finale will come. 15 years later, I am still watching this series.

I deliberately chose not to watch Supernatural, season 13 yet because I know once I started it, I'll get addicted and I will not stop. I stopped at Season 12 two years ago, and intended to wait until the series finale so that I can finish 3 seasons in one go. I was wrong. I couldn't wait anymore. I watched it. As expected, I got addicted and finished it in a mere week despite massive workload.

Despite 13 seasons, Supernatural is still insanely addictive. Be very careful before you even begin to watch one episode.

The original intention was for it to have 5 seasons, and season 5 did conclude the main story arc. The first five seasons were indeed awesome, and I can remember a lot of it despite so many years have gone by.

Season 6 was very boring. Castiel became an antagonist is not cool. Season 7, quite the contrary to the public opinion, I did find this season interesting. Season 8 and 9 though, boring, I couldn't remember much. Season 10 was okay, but also I couldn't remember much.

Season 11 was when the show came back banging like season 5. The show we all loved came back strong and mighty!

Then there was season 12, which introduced something I thought ridiculous: a parallel universe. Okay, fine, let's just give it a try.

And then holy shit, season 13! We are introduced the character Jack, Lucifer's son. Oddly, I like this character a lot. It's well played by this actor, who I cannot recognise despite having guest starred on Arrow.

Sam-Dean-Castiel-Jack relationship just became another one that became an integral part of the series, and I really love to watch the brotherly bond.

The other story arc though, the ridiculous alternate universe archangels with this universe archangel. I don't really like it, but okay it was still entertaining. It was weak though, comparatively. Angels as the enemies, just don't bode well.

I have rough idea how Season 14 and 15 (so far) go, but I really just cannot wait for the finale!

I've watched this series for 15 years so far. 15 god damn long years. I will miss it when it finally ends. Really, I'll feel like a part of me has ended. 15 years, since season 1. I've never grown so attached to any series, and I don't think I'll find any one that will replaceSupernatural.

Naya Rivera

Naya Rivera is currently missing but presumably drown in the lake where her son was found alone on a boat. I don't want Glee much, I listen to some songs and watch some performance and that's all. But the presumed death of someone you have watched alive, is still something very uncomfortable to absorb. It has always been a difficult thing for me to accept the death of someone I know, and lucky for me I've never experienced the death of any close families or friends other than a primary school friend who died of blood cancer. I knew her, but the memory of her now is gone. I remembered I processed that news rather badly - I withdrew myself for a good whole day, even though by then I had not spoken to her for two years. The death of anybody has always been hard to me, and I've always hate that. Anyway, I hope Naya Rivera can be found alive, although truth to be told the chances are very slim. Still, I wish she could be well. Praying.