Rav's recipes for life

Let the games begin!

2008-02-08T00:05:00.000-08:00

As majority of the population on this tiny island-state officially usher in the Year of the Rodent, another social pest of sorts has again reared its ugly head.

Yes, i'm talking about none other than gambling, Singaporeans' favourite pastime.

Yes, it's that festive time of the year where each and every household - across all racial divides - gets transformed into a mini-casino. And with no intervention from the authorities. So gambling is as legal as it gets.

To be continued after i finish this round of Blackjack.

I'm back. And with my finances intact! After the thrills and spills of Blackjack, In-Between and some game called 'Si Pwe Kay' (offensive as it sounds, i promise it had nothing to do with gays), i can unabashedly say that i am addicted to gambling (and winning) and i can't wait for the casinos to open shop here.

Now, who has the number to the gambling addiction hotline...or Resorts World?

Have a break. Have an A380.

2007-11-28T18:52:00.000-08:00

It’s one of those days where you’re just sitting there in front of the computer at work waiting for a pop-up email notification to appear that indicates “it’s time to get to work”. In the meantime, I’m left with either twiddling my thumb or refreshing my blog. No prizes for guessing which i chose. Which isn't bad I must say. Getting a breather at work is do something you like is absolute peach. Whether you’re off having a smoke, making small talk in the pantry with a colleague you fancy, or better still going for a stroll in the neighbourhood, breaks at work are a welcome respite.

And I just pray the day stays like this till lunch time ‘cause after that I’ll be coasting through the rest of the day for a bunch of us will be off to the airport to view a monstrosity – otherwise known as the A380. Maybe monstrosity is too harsh a word. But having had an affinity for the Boeing 747 since days of yore, I’ve yet to come to terms with the fact that there is something bigger, better and cosier in the skies. But let’s see, perhaps my opinion can be swayed of this behemoth of a plane.

The music icicle has yet to melt

2007-11-06T18:45:00.000-08:00

Has music moved on and left rock behind? Some would think so. With the rise of music steeped in stories told of the streets in sharp, cocksure narratives, gone are the days of sprawling jams filled with wicked riffs, resonating reverbs and an unforgettable chorus. A music critic recently remarked that the music landscape has changed beyond recognition. Maybe he can take his words back after he hears what i just did. It's called The Thaw Sessions and it's by (wait for it) The Verve.

Nine years on since their acrimonious split, the darlings of Brit rock have returned to stage in a music comeback welcomed by many. And judging by their first recorded music in a decade, the Wigan quartet still has rock's midas touch. The 15-minute track is a meandering jam that is eerily spacey yet hauntingly familiar. The vocals still unmistakable - with Richard Ashcroft back on familiar territory again. Three solo albums on, Ashcroft has seemingly found the missing ingredients to what was lacking in his solitary ventures - the rest of his former crew. Nicky McCabe's guitar still rages with intensity and purpose, and Peter Salisbury certainly adds robustness and newfound vitality to the mix on his drums. Simone Jones' bass is laced with funky spontaneity yet falls right in place with the overall music tone.

This is what i truly call a rock apotheosis. Now stuff the rest of the crap you're currently listening to.

This is music

2007-11-05T22:29:00.000-08:00

Music reunions can be a blessing. Like The Verve’s recent get-together for their first live gig since 1998. Richard Ashcroft, on the low of a dismally unsuccessful solo career decides to return to a highly success winning formula, which was also what made him one of rock’s most revered frontmen. Now, it’s not known whether Richie had buried the hatchet with fellow band members, but from the look of it, on their return to stage at the Glasgow Academy, it certainly looks as if they have wiped the slate clean. Disappointingly, I wasn’t there to witness their return nor the performance, but the grapevine says it was as if they never disbanded in the first place.

Now let’s keep our fingers crossed to a new album.

How to be a master of one's craft

2007-11-02T00:33:00.000-07:00

I’m trying extremely hard to be a master of my craft. But right now I’m a master of hard graft (or at least I think I am). The thing is it’s not easy coming up with pearls of copy wisdom - words that strike a nerve, and resonate with undying conviction.

I think it take years of extensive reading, intertextuality and word finesse to reach a stage where one can churn out enlightening copy that makes people sit up and take notice. So watch this space…for a few years.

How to write a great ad

2007-10-30T04:10:00.001-07:00

How do you write a great ad? Ans: Get someone great to write it.

If only it were that simple. Paying someone else to do my work is hardly the solution. For one, I wouldn’t be able to afford whomever I’m hiring to do it in the first place, given my measly wages. So, I guess I’ll just have to learn how to get to great. And fast!

Don't be mistaken, it’s not even that I can’t be arsed to do it. I’m just stumped. Walked into a cul-de-sac with shadows looming over the dark recesses of my mind. Any time the creative grim reaper is going to come visiting. And when that happens, I know inspiration shall rescue me, watch over the creative life of me just so I deliver. And I feel it will be soon.

I heard the way to writing a great ad (and more after) is to copy. Maybe copy is too strong a word. What I meant was to copy great ideas, give it a good massage, and have a sprouting new idea in its place.

Harsh as it sounds, the fact is (okay wait for it) most ideas are regurgitated. There you have it. If u had flinched from you chair and taken a hard knock to the head, so did I when I first heard this painful string of words.

I realized this little iota of truth (yes, it hardly ever gets mention for fear that if words gets out and clients catch on that we’ve been sitting on our arses and plagiarising ideas, we’ll all be out of jobs).

Shockingly, it’s all true. There’s a website I stumbled upon not too long ago where they actually juxtaposed different ads just to highlight the glaring similarities. And believe me, it’s glaring. Which goes back to my point. Ideas are recycled, reworked and reused.

A list for a lifetime

2007-05-13T20:46:00.000-07:00

Blogging is self-indulgent. Vainglorious. Edging on the waters of Narcissism. Yes, peer over and you'll see your rippling reflection. In all its apparent glory. But it's pathetic. Almost criminal. You might as well masterbate. I guarantee an experience more gratifying. Henceforth, i've decided to stop indulging myself with words. Rather, with the grasp of my palm...and A NEVERENDING LIST for all things favourite. Mostly the arts, films, music and anything i can think of. Here's for starters.

THE NEVERENDING MUSIC LIST in no particular order
1. Sea Song - Doves
2. Dream Brother - Jeff Buckley
3. Are You Going With Me - Pat Metheny
4. Cardiff Afterlife - Manics
5. Subterranean Homesick Alien - Radiohead
6. Thrill is Gone - BB King
7. Golden Gaze - Ian Brown
8. Woman in Chains - Tears For Fears
9. Simple - Beta Band
10. Snowden - Doves
11. I Wanna Be Adored - Stone Roses
12. A Town Called Malice - The Jam
13. I Love to Boogie - T-Rex
14. NYC - Interpol
15. Hercules - Aaron Neville
16. Whats Going On - Marvin Gaye
17. Silver and Gold - U2
18. Gideon - My Morning Jacket
19. Ghost of Tom Joad - Bruce Springsteen
20. Valentine's Day - Bruce Springsteen
21. One Step Up - Bruce Springsteen
22. I Am the Resurrection - Stone Roses
23. Sparks - The Who
24. Shine On You Crazy Diamond - Pink Floyd
25. Time - Pink Floyd
26. Mystery Man - Terje Rypdal
27. Amelia - Joni Mitchell
28. Slowhand Hussein - Dzihan and Kamien
29. Positively 4th Street - Bob Dylan
30. Pass in Time - Beth Orton
31. Tiny Dancer - Elton Dancer
32. The Power - Suede
33. One Tree Hill - U2
34. In God's Country - U2
35. Right Here, Right Now - Jesus Jones
36. When the Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
37. Reign - UNKLE feat. Ian Brown
38. We Will Not Be Lovers - The Waterboys
39. Lullaby of Clubland - EBTG

I want to show Lily my willy

2007-02-06T00:17:00.000-08:00

Sang to the tune of LDN

Riding through the city with a stiff all

day

Cause the filth give me a blue tablet

It doesn't get me down and I feel OK

Cause the girls that I'm seeing are mingers

Everything seems to look as it should

But I wonder what goes on behind doors

A fella looking dapper, but he's sitting with a slapper

Then I see it's a pimp and my crack whore

You might laugh you might frown

Walkin' round Long-dong town

[Chorus]

Fun is in my fly oh why oh why

I’d love to be in someone else

Fun is in my fly oh why oh why

I’d love to be in someone else

When you look with your eyes

Everything seems nice

But if you look twice

it’s more than meets the eye

There was a foxy lil’ lady, who was walkin down the road
She struggled with funbags from Sex-po

There was me from the city having a wank in the park

I believe that it's called al frisko

Then a kid came along to offer a hand

But before I had time to accept it

hits me over the head, doesn't care if I’m limp

Cause he's got all my manhood and wallet

You might laugh you might frown

walkin round Long-dong town

[Chorus]

Fun is in my fly oh why oh why

I’d love to be in someone else

Fun is in my fly oh why oh why

I’d love to be in someone else

When you look with your eyes

Everything seems nice

But if you look twice

you can see it's all lies

Life, that's seedy life, yeah that's seedy life, that's seedy life

It's the Godfathers of spunk!

2007-02-05T23:33:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's Mr Kullar Shaker and Afrodisiac at CHIJMES. The original groove meisters that brought you the great disco hits of 'Dude, where's my department?' and 'Project Run Away'. After a hiatus of 10 years and 13 months, the defunct purveyors of disco that used to wow the crowds of Studio 54 and made love to a generation (as well as giving birth to one; so far 32 lovechilds tracked but whose is who's not confirmed yet) made a one-night only cumback.

Looking as hip, sexy as ever, they put on a show-stopping performance that as one 13 year-old girl put it: "I'm so wet !" Thankfully we found a pail just in time. After they had rocked the dance floor, the after-party was housed in Le Baroque. Unfortunately Mr Kullar Shaker was nowhere to be seen as he had retired to his chamber. He was commented as saying 'he needed to plug the pipes' to the aforementioned girl. Afrodisiac 'came' later to his partner-in-crime's temporary abode . As i speak, the Singapore government are still trying to extradite both for the harms they did that night.

Their publicist could not comment on their whereabouts except that Mr Kullar Shaker was last seen scouring the back streets of Manila with an eager eye looking for an alleged long-lost son. Afrodisiac was helping to keep a look-out.