I’m a middle of the road person when it comes to the seasons. I don’t like the cold and I don’t like the heat. Though if you ask me to choose between the two extremes, I’d rather be cold than hot.

I don’t like the humidity. I don’t like sweating. I don’t like chafing underwear. I don’t like that sticky and lethargic feeling at the end of the day. I don’t like the annoying flies that fly into your mouth and ears. But summer also means summer music festivals.

The day would always start with clear skies.

And you can feel the buzz in the air from the crowds.

Once you get in, you are surrounded by masses of people.

Who are all out to have drinks and be merry.

And because it’s summer, the hot chicks will be out in their summer dresses.

As you watch the sun set, you can feel the river breeze cool you down.

Yes, at the end of any of these music festivals I’d be hot, sticky and feeling worn out. Exactly the things which I don’t like summer for, but all of the above make it all very worthwhile.

You’ve got a new haircut, you look good and you feel great. You are happy and there’s a big smile on your face. The music sounds even better than it usually does, and the women look even prettier than they normally do.

But no, that girl didn’t just give you a second look. And the one who normally says hi only but gave you a great big hug out of the blue? She didn’t mean anything more either. And that friend of a friend who seems to be into you, erm well … she’s talking to you because you are a friend of her friend.

It’s the alcohol, stupid.

So yeah, put down the phone and step away from the computer. There will be no drunken texting, Facebook messaging, or emailing tonight. You don’t want the hangover to be worse in the morning, do you?

Dinner was at the Pasar Malam, or “night market” event at Curtin University. Lots of yummy Malaysian/Singaporean street food, lots of people and lots of fun.

At around 9:30pm we headed to Northbridge for bubble tea and karaoke at Utopia. Karaoke is not usually my idea of a night out. But with copious amounts of alcohol …

Above average singers in the group …

We all managed to have fun during the five hours (!!!) that we were there. I even belted out a few songs that I used to sing at karaoke back in my uni days. Ooooold school flavour!

After that we walked around Northbridge …

Making our way to the carpark, and to home.

One thing that I realised on the night was that no matter how drunk men get, we will never be as in tune to the sentimentality of a song as women are. It’s all fun and games, and happy happy joy joy until someone picks a sad long song to sing to. Heheh.

It’s really quite fascinating to observe. And it is one of many reasons why I love them so much. Women that is.

p.s. This is the quality of the iPhone’s camera, ie. not so good unless there’s lots of light.

I have no dramas in my life which is good. If my life is a beach, it’s one with a gentle breeze surrounded by flat and calm waters with the waves gently lapping and washing up against the sands softly. Though having no dramas also means that from time to time, there is a lull in my postings. I don’t like repeating myself. So here’s a lazy update of the current state of my life, by way of linking to older posts which basically says pretty much the same thing.

1. I still live with my parents. But least you think that I had never ever left home: I had moved out to our family’s old home in 2001, but then my parents sold their new house in 2006 and moved back into the old one. They’d reclaimed their nest and had extended it, and it’s got its good and its bad points.
2. I’m still single, here’s probably why: I like having females around me, and I love my female friends but females whom you are in a relationship with have some quirks that I haven’t gotten round to understanding. But I agree that it’s probably because I haven’t met the right woman yet, or one who’s available. I do know what I don’t want in a woman though, so that should help me find her right?
3. I love living in Perth. After once thinking about moving to Sydney, and once to Singapore, I’m still here because I love this place and my life here too much.
4. And of course, I’m still clubbing. If my favourite DJs are not too old to spin, then I’m not too old to party. I love dance music, and I hope to be forever young.
5. Oh, and I am still surrounded by great friends. No links here because there’s too many posts where I write about how I’m happy because of my friends, and that along with my family and Snoop, they are what make me feel so blessed and contented in life.

Kitty and I at Godskitchen Perth 2008 - thanks for the photo, Kitty!

Clockwise from top-left: Sander van Doorn, John O’Callaghan, Menno de Jong, Jon O’Bir (images from alldj.org)

Woo! What a wicked fun time the night was!

But it’s a shame that I didn’t get usable pictures from my phone camera. I think by the time I succumbed to the urge and decided to start taking photos, I was very inebriated. Without steady hands and eyesight, and without an optical image stabiliser, the pictures were never gonna turn out right. Ah well, next event maybe I will bring my camera? I gotta learn to fight the urge to take photos though. I have a standing agreement with Lydia that she should take away my camera if she sees me not dancing enough.

So yeah back to Godskitchen - it was everything that I wanted and more. By the time I got in at around 11:30pm, I was hopped up on two cans of V and the music was just starting to get harder and faster. Good timing! I caught the last half of Jon O’Bir’s set which built up very nicely to Menno de Jong who started spinning some banging stuff and never relented.

Second hour in, I was giddy and high and jumping on the spot. When Menno dropped a big fat beat during one part of his set, I yelled out “Fuck YEAH!” so loud that Simon said, “Shhh!” Hah! Who cares?!

At the risk of making the night sound monotonous, or as my mother would say, “All techno music sound the same to me!” … hahah erm, so Menne built up the tempo quickly and then Sander van Doorn just kept it up there for his 2-hour set. By the end of it, my legs were starting to feel sore. Then John O’Callaghan came on and I swear my mind was exploding with glee. I had a big smile and all, but my body finally succumbed to fatigue by 5am.

In a nutshell - the music was hard just like I wanted it to be and more because it went on for nearly 6 hours straight! I didn’t overhype it at all. Phew! Money well spent. All my friends agreed that this has been the best dance event this year.

Speaking of friends, all my usual clubbing peeps were there. My brother and his clubbing peeps were there, and so was my cousin and his cousins. With so many familiar faces around, an already awesome night was made even more enjoyable. There were a lot of smiles, a lot of hugs, a lot of shared “Woohoos” and a lot of conversations.

I even bumped into a couple of English guys whom I had met at the same spot in the club at last year’s Godskitchen and I found out their ages - 43! One of them was telling me, “As long as it’s in your heart, and your legs are still holding up, it won’t go away.” Very true. So, besides loving the music, this is what I also love - a community of like-minded people to share that love with, friends and strangers alike.

Next up, Global Gathering!

After last year’s night of mayhem, was there any doubt that I was gonna go again this year, especially when it’s the 10th anniversary of their annual Australian show and they are bringing out some big names? Never!

09.00pm-10.00pm Adam Kelly
10.00pm-12.00am Jon O’Bir
12.00am-02.00am Menno De Jong
02.00am-04.00am Sander Van Doorn
04.00am-06.00am John O’Callaghan

I got my tickets in July and I’ve been so anxiously waiting for it ever since and it’s finally here tomorrow night! But I’m trying not to over psyche myself because last time I was this psyched - for the return of Armin van Buuren to Perth - it was anti-climatic and I felt let down.

But, the past two weeks I’ve been downloading and listening to the sets of the DJs who are spinning on the night and I couldn’t help it. I’m so psyched up for it now. Fingers crossed it’d be good! As long as the music is not dawdling in the middle like it was at Armin’s gig, and it takes me on a rollercoaster ride which then ends with harder beats, I’d be v. happy.

For those of you who’ve seen my photos and have read my write-ups of previous dance events, and if you’ve been wondering (yes you do!) about the kind of music that gets my heart pumping, here’s a sampling of some songs by the DJs who will be spinning tomorrow night.

Spin spin sugar!

I am able to relate to David Spade, because we are both short and don’t belong in the “omg he’s so hot” club. And besides being really funny, he’s my hero in another way and that’s because David Spade is such a pimp.

Defamer | David Spade: World’s Greatest Ladies Man?

Among the women that he’s been with are Lara Fylnn Boyle, Teri Hatcher, Julie Bowen and Heather Locklear. Yes, he has that super sarcasm, and sly self-deprecating sense of humour going for him. That’s one thing that women like right?

David Letterman reveals to him that in a Cosmo magazine survey, 85% of women surveyed said that they would not sleep with him if he wasn’t famous.

He’s also got fame but that doesn’t really explain it since the women he’s dated are also famous. Same goes for money. So yeah, although people thinks that he’s dating out of his league, he is dating women who are on the same plane as him in terms of fame and money.

The Hum - David Spade—WTF?

Some comments on the gossip blogs say that the women only slept with him because he could advance their careers, or that he’s got a big dick. First, let’s address the first one and the question is how? As funny as the guy is, he’s only ever been in B-grade comedies and TV sitcoms which aren’t exactly at the top of the Hollywood totem pole. As for the second one, it is possible but how would he convince these women to go out with him without flashing himself first?

David summarised it thus:

Be normal and kind of have your shit together. And be consistent and reliable. Just not a flake. Really, the thing is, not to be a superflake. Don’t be an asshole. Don’t be supercocky. Don’t be a show-off. Everyone for some reason feels the need to show off.

(via Defamer via Los Angeles Magazine)

In other words, he’s saying that a nice guy gets the hot women. I think that I’m already that kind of a nice guy. Now if I am a bit funnier and in a room full of hot women, the odds would then be in my favour. Heh.

Coming back down to earth, I still think that most men have to be above a minimum criteria. Sure, being a nice guy will help the relationship last a little bit longer but I think that you can’t be too poor, and you can’t be too ugly. But David’s example sure does inspire the rest of us short and average guys.