Achievements?
State of Being : What did I accomplish in 2007?
- Confidently delivered a 45min presentation to fellow colleagues @ the Feb WW Marketing Meeting in Ankara (Revisit: Turkish Delights! Part I (Leisure Mode) & Turkish Delights! Part II (Business Mode) )
- Participated and completed 5.6km in 44min in the fourth annual JPMorgan Chase Corporate Challenge in May (Revisit: 4-5-1-2)
- Emerged as the bowling champ @ the "1st Annual Swissotel Cup" held at Marine Bowl in Jun!! Haha (Revisit: Marine Bowl)
- Navigated around Japan amidst the complicating railways (on our own) during a 6-days tour extension in Oct without getting lost! *heng* (Revisit: 6 things about Japan)
- Last but not least, was informed that there will be some changes to my job status when I was over in Zürich in Dec. More to be revealed once everything is confirmed in Jan 08... ;)
***
Greatest Hits: Top 10 Dance Singles of 2007
State of Being : Dance your way to 2008...
In additional to my favourite 10 singles for 2007, here's a listing of my top 10 dance singles of
the year:
- Green Light (Freemasons Vox Club Mix) - Beyoncé
- Umbrella (Seamus Haji & Paul Emauel Club Remix) - Rihanna
- Handle Me (Soul Seekerz Club Mix) - Robyn
- Piece Of Me (Bimbo Jones Club Mix) - Britney Spears
- Shut Up And Drive (The Wideboys Club Mix) - Rihanna
- Du Hast Den Schoensten Arsch Der Welt - Alex C ft Y-Ass
- With Love (Bimbo Jones Mix) - Hilary Duff
- Proper Education (Club Mix) - Eric Prydz vs Floyd
- Listen (Escape & Capello Remix) - Beyoncé
- Change (Jason Nevins Extended Mix) - Kimberley Locke
***
Greatest Hits: Top 10 Singles of 2007
State of Being : Goodbye 2007...
While we continue to see familiar faces like Rihanna, Nelly Furtado, Fergie & Justin Timberlake dominating the 2007 charts, we also see new artists like Sean Kingston, Leona Lewis & Sara Bareilles making their presence felt in the US/UK singles chart.
For myself in 2007, I am most blown away by Rihanna's hypnotic monster hit single "Umbrella" and OneRepublic's haunting "Apologize". Since undeniably, I have always been captivated by sentimental pop ballads, my favourite ballads in 2007 include Fergie's "Big Girls Don't Cry", Enrique Iglesias' "Do You Know?" and X-factor winner Leona Lewis' "Bleeding Love".
Surprisingly, two reggae singles managed to make it to my top 10 list this year; Wyclef Jean's "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)", being one of them. The other spot ultimately goes to another hit single for 2007 - newbie Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls". Other genres that managed to clinch a spot on my personal list include pop-punk band Good Charlotte's "I Don't Wanna Be In Love" and Robyn's electro-synth gem "Handle Me". The latter whom I only chanced upon in Amsterdam, where her single was constantly being aired on MTV channel.
And to round it off the list of my personal list of top 10 singles for 2007, and one of my guilty listening pleasure for 2007, is none other than Mika's "Lollipop", which is pure bubblegum pop (no pun intended) at its best!!!
- Umbrella - Rihanna ft Jay-Z
Album: Good Girl Gone Bad ; Genre: R&B
Apologize (Timbaland Remix) - OneRepublic
Album: Dreaming Out Loud ; Genre: Pop/Rock
- Big Girls Don't Cry - Fergie
- Beautiful Girls - Sean Kingston
- Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill) - Wyclef Jean ft Akon, Lil Wayne & Niia
Album: Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs Of An Immigrant ; Genre: R&B/Reggae
- Do You Know? (The Ping Pong Song) - Enrique Iglesias
- Bleeding Love - Leona Lewis
- Handle Me - Robyn
- Dance Floor Anthem (I Don't Wanna Be In Love) - Good Charlotte
Album: Good Morning Revival ; Genre: Alternative Rock
- Lollipop - Mika
Album: Life In Cartoon Motion ; Genre: Pop
Album: The Dutchness ; Genre: Pop
Album: Sean Kingston ; Genre: Reggae/Hip-Hop
Album: Insomniac ; Genre: Pop
Album: Spirit ; Genre: R&B
Album: Robyn ; Genre: Pop
***
Featured song in my iPod_12.07
State of Being : Immigrants' Woes
Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)
Wyclef Jean ft Akon, Lil Wayne & Niia
Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs Of An Immigrant
R&B/Reggae
Video Link
One of the more successful member of the now defunct trio The Fugees, Wyclef Jean has come far with the release of six albums to-date. Featuring Akon, Lil Wayne & Niia, the latest lead single off Wyclef Jean's sixth solo album, "Carnival Vol. II: Memoirs Of An Immigrant", "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" is fast gaining airplay and climbing up the Billboard charts. As at the week of 24 December 2007, "Sweetest Girl (Dollar Bill)" has already reached #12 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Fusing reggae and R&B, the single has this mesmerising effect on listeners, especially so with the beautiful female vocals in the background. You'll be immediately hooked by the catchy chorus - "See I'mma tell you, like Wu told me, Cash rules everything, around me", which is actually a reference to the Wu Tang Clan's mid-90s hit single "C.R.E.A.M." (Cash Rules Everything Around Me).
The music video for this single is mainly set in a refugee camp, with special guest appearance by Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan in the remix version. The video for the remix switches between the original "C.R.E.A.M." instrumental and trumpets.
National Treasure: Book Of Secrets
State of Being : Déjà Vu
In this sequel to the 2004 film National Treasure, Nicolas Cage reprises his role as Benjamin Franklin Gates, who's still uncovering long-lost secrets and treasures. While I have never seen the first "National Treasure" movie, somehow I feel that most movie-goers have seen most of the thrills - if not all - of this done before, in the Indiana Jones movies, for this second installment -"National Treasure: Book of Secrets".
Honestly speaking, Nicolags Cage has never wow me as a leading actor material. I feel that he has neither any charisma or possess any idol looks (is that receding hairline??) to sell a movie. Anyone even remember the Marvel Comics movie adaptation "Ghost Rider"?? In fact, I probably would not have watch the movie if not for the fact that I got the preview tickets for free, compliments of a colleague CL.
Notwithstanding that Cage looks ridiculous in an unflattering hairpiece, the movie is still fun, goofy and entertaining enough to hold your interest without ever getting too exciting. In other words, "Book of Secrets" is merely a strictly by-the-book sequel: It doesn't cheat series fans but it doesn't offer many thrills or surprises or lingering puzzles, either.
***
Zürich + Geneva + Amsterdam Sights
State of Being : Will I ever visit these places again?
Though it was supposedly just a business trip to attend the Corporate Marketing Meeting in Zürich, I was fortunate enough to squeeze in a FAM (familiarisation) trip to two other Europe hotels - Swissôtel Métropole, Geneva & Swissôtel Amsterdam while I was there. Swissôtel Métropole, Geneva were even more so hospitable as to put me up in a Junior Suite during my weekend in Geneva. :)
I must admit both hotels were conveniently located, especially so for Swissôtel Amsterdam, where it is situated right in the heart of the city with every notable attractions within walking distances. A pity that the Royal Palace was closed for renovation but nevertheless I still managed to visit The Rijksmuseum, Van Gogh Museum, Sex Museum, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, Flower Market, etc during my two days short extension in Amsterdam. Definitely hope to visit Amsterdam some time again and see the windmills during Summer!
Zürich Sights
State of Being : On Top Of The World
Bird's eye view of Zürich as seen from the Grossmünster Church chapel
State of Being : Cool Art
Graffiti as seen along the walls of Zürich railway tracks
