four letters that occupy a hell lot of space

How do YOU feel about the sudden BOOM in youtubers? Is it a good thing? Should there be more vloggers? Or just a small community? What do you think?

ryansg — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:26:47 +0000

To remain optimistic, it’s a great thing. Before this, there was basically just local TV, and that was as far as locally produced content can go. But with YouTubers, not only is it great to see more original content, personalities and ideas coming out, but it comes out unfiltered, and raw. It’s what isn’t offered on a traditional platform.

Should there be more vloggers. I guess so. The blog scene in Singapore is particularly healthy, but if we could invest some time, effort, and inevitably, some resources and money into vlogging, I’m sure the public will take notice of this. Look at CTFxC. They’ve been doing it for years now, and it’s just their lives documented on a daily basis. What if we could have that within a Singaporean context? With a decent personality, I’m sure our local community will be kaypoh enough to support and subscribe to such content.

A small community. I wouldn’t say yes. More people would mean it’s more diverse, meaning more Singaporeans will get to be able to choose what kind of content they want to follow. And the content producers will get to learn, interact, and more importantly, collaborate with each other. We’re probably not going to stay small. This is barely the first year into the YouTube trend in Singapore.

As a general thought, in my very over-enthusiastic and unprofessional opinion, we’re off on a decent start. Right now, I think there’s just a need to step up .. on formatting.

I mean, it’s great to see people uploading videos every week, day, every once in 3 days, idk. But would we rather see so-and-so releasing 3 videos every week at random times, or would we rather see so-and-so releasing just one video, with a fixed format, at a specific time? The audience needs to know what to expect, and then they can follow, and eventually have a better reason to stay subscribed for more content that so-and-so can produce.

Also, because of its prominence and (surviving) influence with the masses, YouTubers need to stay in-tuned and receptive towards more traditional media. Local media needs to take note of these personalities coming up on YouTube, and I’m sure they already have.. there’s a need to show off YouTubers to the public. And at the same time, YouTubers need to be receptive towards such opportunities. Maybe at this point in time, the opportunity is low, but give it till maybe June this year, I’m sure more changes will happen.

That’s my very very very very very long 2 cents worth.

Your next question, please

5 Things I Do Not Like

ryansg — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:53:31 +0000

So for those who have been keeping track of my life, or for those who have witnessed my trains of very obnoxious tweets on Twitter, you would be very aware that I have contracted chickenpox for the first, and hopefully/most probably, last time in my life. For those who have not, well here’s a picture that says nothing.

pokpokpok

And for the very rare number of readers (ironic since this blog rarely has readers at all) of this blog who have yet to experience chickenpox for themselves, here’s a little preview.

It’s a piece of shit.

Day 1, it feels like a cold without the sneezing. Day 2, you start having the little blisters and stuff, and Day 3 you wish you weren’t born a guy (guys should get it).

So having lived through a week of recuperation and quarantine, I have come to realise that tolerance is something I should learn to develop and treasure in others. Because when your body feels like it’s on fire, and your balls are tempting you to throw yourself off the nearest building, the smallest thing to annoy you will make itself look nuclear.

Throughout all the bad that’s happened though, I’ve been inspired to come up with a list of things I do not like, fueled by the intolerance I’ve had the past week.

Here’s 5 of them.

Coconut Water.
The stuff tastes like shit and I need (NEED?! Seriously?) to down cups of it? I can and will never understand the whole “cooling” and “heaty” food shit. Please. My tongue and stomach feel fine. Someone give me the fries.
People who are scared the shit of people with chickenpox
Of course, these people are the ones who haven’t had chickenpox yet. One, namely is my sister. I know, it’s not nice to point fingers and this and that. But seriously, woman, do I look like an L4D zombie to you (this is rhetorical)?? You are living in the same house as I am. You are breathing in the same air as I do~~ It doesn’t matter if we don’t have any physical contact – in two weeks’ time, you are going to get the same disease I am having, you’re gonna itch the same way, and eat the same shit I’m getting~~ So no whining and scurrying away from me and the furniture that I touch is going to save your ass from that destiny. Bitch, please.
My Appetite
I eat a lot. At least, I do nowadays… and for the past 18 years.
So for some reason, I have no idea why my dear appetite didn’t take a holiday like how the rest of my body did for the past week. Which results in me instinctively trying to drag my fat itching body and balls (BALLS OMG COME TO THAT LATER) down to the first floor to open a refrigerator full of food~~~~~~~~~~~~~!
… that’s not for me .____.
I’ve learned to survive on digestive biscuits, which are cool (if they’re coated with chocolate hehe) and some coconut water bleah.
My (Aching) Balls
Dear ladies who do not own the above mentioned. You will not be able to empathise with the words that follow in this paragraph. Dear men who have contracted chickenpox at an age where balls do matter, a minute of silence please. For at least a day or two, I seriously wished that I didn’t have any balls. It’s like I mentioned before, moving up and down staircases, or just moving around in general isn’t easy. Because when you have chickenpox infested balls, holy Jesus that’s another thing entirely. I’m not a very skinny guy. And when I have to move, I have to move two very un-skinny legs, with something in the middle. So it’s kinda like playing Operation, but the metal loop you’re holding is much bigger than Adam’s Apple..it’s helluva painful to put it shortly (lol haha shortly haha zzzz)
Normally to get around I’d have to go into a half-crouch and walk like a spider, cause well, it makes a lot of room ( ‘~’) But I got tired of that. Anyway it doesn’t hurt that bad anymore thank God.
Can’t think of a five, but it’s a nice number and this is my blog

Oh and if you’re looking for a new TV series to start watching, I just got hooked on Once Upon a Time. It’s AMAZING. Go check it out, it’s an abc prod.

(The trailer doesn’t do the show any justice btw. Just watch it!!!!!!)

If it’s not a hassle, could you name every single photography related app on your iphone please? :-)

ryansg — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 03:55:02 +0000

lol ok since you asked this to me and only to me XD

Cameras:
SlowShutter, 100Cameras, ClassicToy 2, Actioncam, HDR Foto, Instacam, 360Camera, Photosynth

Social Photography Apps:
Instagram, Shnap, Color, LemeLeme, DailyBooth, Fotogramme, viddy, IPA

Photo Editors:
Filterstorm, Snapseed, Photoshop Express, Squaready, Halftone, FX Photo Studio, Color Sensation, picfx, Pixlromatic, Labelbox, Old Photo Effect

Collage Apps:
Diptic, Pic Stitch, Photo Mess, Pic Collage

And also the default Camera app in the iPhone.

Your next question, please

Do you think you are brilliant and believe that you should be the best? Be honest, no need to PR.

ryansg — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:45:51 +0000

Woah. Uh do I think I’m brilliant. Not really .___. I’m getting less brilliant by the day I think.. haha laziness is crawling in on me. And do I think I should be the best.. hmm.. I used to want to strive for this. Like very badly: to always be the best at everything I’m doing. Of course, the feeling of being at the top of your game is very rewarding, but maintaining it is helluva stressful, even if no one seems to be stressing you out, it stil is. So at this point, no, I don’t think I should be the best. It’s not a place for me.

Your next question, please

2011 in review

ryansg — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 18:27:48 +0000

2011 started with the ending of the previous academic year, AY2010/2011.

The end of AY2010/2011 opened my eyes to a lot of things. Work ethics, social circles, and morality.
Without what I went through in January till March, I wouldn’t have seen and experienced a lot of things. NP Open House 2011, LocVid Final Project, going for Ambassadors’ Retreat.
Just a few things to list…

I have much to be thankful for in that academic year.

March was the month my family finally got a DSLR. Or SLT. The Sony A33.

My father is a rather stern man when it comes to spending money, and I’m not shy to put this online. But convincing him to buy one for the family was, in my opinion, the right decision to make.
Our trip to Europe proved this, as, apart from my then budding activity on Instagram, it was then I really began to explore the art of photography.

Proudest photos taken in Europe.

And on Instagram, too

Pass that, my return to Singapore in April was greeted with my first video to be shot that wasn’t part of a school project – the Ambassadors’ Recruitment Drive 2011 video. Jean and I had less than a week to shoot this, and after going through a pretty tedious week, we manage to do it.
Just another milestone to add for 2011.

I can’t upload the video here.. But uh in short.. at that time, I felt it was really good XD

Then came AY2011/2012.

So much has happened. My priorities suddenly shifted. I started to do a lot more out-of-school activities rather than focussing on in-school stuff. Hosting various events, relaxing from my studies, spending so much time on Radio Heatwave, and also with the people in Ambassadors…
pass April 2011, I started to change a lot more. I’m not sure why, or how. But somehow.. overall… I still feel that it’s been a good change.

Something made me realise, that out of the assignments and the notes and the lectures in school, there’s a huge ass world out there for me to say ‘hi’ to.
And I believe that world gave me a good welcoming hug.

April.
Ambassadors Recruitment drive, and the new batch began to pour in.

Training and Bonding camp was an experience. I provided video coverage for the first time ever for a camp, and GOSH IT WAS TOUGH. Before that, Iqbal and Melvin have always been doing camp videos for Ambs, including T&B. I hold a new found respect for the two of them.
What they do is a favour, and it’s a big favour people should really take note of.

Staying up till 5am, looking through hundreds of photos, and all of that, without asking for anything in return. It was a tiring, but eye-opening experience. Also, because of the time spent on the video and the photos everyone was taking, I couldn’t spend much time with my own group, Group 3 (something I realise Iqbal and Melvin also sacrificed before…).
But the new kids gave me an impression, and it was a good one at that.

Group 3 | I remember them pointing at the sunset, asking me to take it. I replied, "dowann la.. y'all nicer to take.."

May
Radio Heatwave broadcast started. And it was a great new start.

I met Natasha Kleinman, one of the nicest, most honest people I’ve met in my life. I am very lucky to have been able to be her partner on air for the whole of the previous semester. As much as she claims that she has learned a lot from me, I have learned a whole lot from her as well.

It was great that I had to work with her for that semester. It was a tough semester and RHW went through a lot of changes. What kind of changes? The list is long. But I will say that they were good changes.
And so I kept the list short.

June, July, August, September

This was probably the beginning of the peak of my slip away from academics. Getting my first warning letter for attendance, almost getting debarred from a module, and actually rushing for a lot of deadlines… things weren’t looking up for my studies.
But it was also the time when I met the founder of InstaSG, and that took my involvement in Instagram to a whole new level. One day I found myself interviewing him for my final radio assignment, and a month later, I’m asked by him to manage InstaSG alongside with him. Just another life changing moment of 2011.

September meant the opening of SIN: A Singapore Instagram Exhibition. It was the first major event I was tasked to provide video coverage for, and it was a good one. My involvement in the local Instagram community began to peak here as well. I’ve met many new people, seen a lot of great works by them, and overall an experience like Instagram.. really, it may sound weird but it’s seriously priceless.

Some of you may have heard me say this, that I would recommend every Mass Communication student to try to get involved in the community. You meet a lot of great people, really, and all beside the movement of beautiful photos.

October, November, and…

It’s been a good year. October was mostly spent on preparations for RED Camp 8. Being a part of the Intercommunications team, or basically the control room team… it’s not as easy a job as you’d think. Then November, RED Camp 8 came, which at that time, I hadn’t known was my third and last RED Camp.

What an amazing three days, though. I will never forget the day I sing the hokey pokey to a thousand people, and they begin to move. There were ups and downs of course, but it will always be a great event to remember. And this year’s Apaches were simply amazing. Really…

I look forward to hearing next year’s Intercommunications team do a job well done again. I hope to somehow be able to teach them so much as well though…

December.

Ambassadors’ Christmas party happened at my place. My once quiet home was for once filled with so many people. Almost 50 people actually. It was noisy, and crowded, but I did hope for it to happen. It’s always quiet here and to see so many of my friends all here at once… well I wouldn’t have said ‘no’ to that.

Oh, and I turned ’1′ on Instagram as well.

Also, I turned 18! Woohoo!

2012 is here. And although I did say that last year’s change was a good change, I need to change yet again this year. As much as I love spending time with my friends, with Ambassadors, on Radio Heatwave, on Instagram, and everything else, I’m still a student. And I’m hoping to make 2012 a focused year…

*Update 1/1/2011
I left out getting accepted into NUS-MDA SHAPE as well haha woops. Thanks Egwin for the reminder.
Too many things must’ve happened in 2011. How could I ever forget ><

Everything now: It feels really good. To know how happy you can get.

ryansg — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:19:17 +0000

RED Camp 8. SIN exhibition. Grades. Grade 8.

Just a couple of words to sum up the major things that have happened and are happening.

Jesus Christ, this blog is as empty as my stomach right now, save for the Formspring posts that I keep linking here. So I’ll just try to keep typing without stopping and filling up this empty space until I can bear the urge to stuff my face in my fridge no more.

Leggo.

So RED Camp 8 just happened last week. In fact, a week ago it was Day 3 of RED Camp.
For the uninformed, RED (Roadmap to Explore and Discover, not some random patriotic colour) Camp is one of NP’s major flagship publicity events, apart from its Open House.
Since I’m part of NP’s Student Ambassadorial unit, I get the chance to prep for such a thing. I don’t wanna go into specifics and say like, Oh Day 1 I had this this and this for breakfast bla bla bla, but as a whole, and as usual, the experience was amazing. Not just because I had 3 days’ worth of free food (OHHH YEAAAAAH), but.. well, it’s just that feeling you have when you’re done with something you’ve been prepping for so long. That feeling at the end of an exam you’ve been mugging for like for months? Yeah, just copy and paste that and add some 1000+ people screaming and cheering as part of the success.

If you were thinking it’s really just some camp where you scream and cheer and cheer and (ok actually it is kinda like that lol)… I guess it’s just something you have to experience for yourself to totally understand.

And speaking of which, there just so happens to be a number of other things happening right now (or have happened before) in my life that you’d probably have to experience to totally understand.

Poster by Aik Beng Chia, @aikbengchia, one of the curators for the exhibition

SIN: A Singapore Instagram Exhibition. Yup Instagram and Exhibition just appeared in the same sentence.

Instagram, or IG for short, the app on the iPhone which is kinda like the result of Twitter and Facebook and Flickr having a ménage a trois, and an app I am so dearly in love with, took its photos out of the app and landed itself in the National Library.

Yeah, National Library, I know.. doesn’t sound like it’s big a deal. I mean, the only people you’d think would go to the library would be grandparents age 60+ and kids age 10- and everyone else who goes there probably has got too much a lot of time on their hands, so much so that they’d probably even consider rewriting that last part of the sentence to make it right.

Ok that was pretty judge-y of me to say haha.. but jokes aside.

I was pretty lucky to be able to help in the preparations for the exhibition, I guess. SGIG, Singapore Instagram, is the organisation that started it, and it just so happened that they were looking for volunteers AND a *drumrooooll* videographer to cover their event for them, just when my school holidays had started (back in late August).
Gosh it’s been a long time since I blogged anything.

So after like 2 weeks of preparation (yeap pretty fast) and about 3 – 4 weeks of compiling the footage of the video, it was another really worthwhile experience.

Again, I can’t really explain how or why it was worthwhile unless 1) You’re on IG, 2) You love it as much as I do, 3) You do videos too so you’d know how difficult it’d be to cover your first event all by yourself and edit and compile everything all by yourself~

The best part out of it was meeting a whole lot of other people who shared a very common interest.

The exhibition’s closed already, so sucks to be you if you haven’t been.
I can’t post the video up, since by right, it’s not mine to keep. But photos are plenty on IG (just search #SIN2011), so go crazy.

Oh, and one more thing, which is kinda like a big thing lol, that happened between August and now as well, is that I’m currently one of the moderators for an Instagram community called InstaSG.
So if you have an IG account, please follow it.

And next up on the list, school has started. And it’s Week 7 already, so that means.. well, that means I haven’t been blogging lol

There’s not much to update about school, so I shall leave you here with an illustration that describes my life perfectly.

Moving on, Grade 8.

It’s happening in 2 weeks’ time. I have yet to memorise all 3 graded songs. I have yet to learn all my scales. And go through Aural.
So to conclude, I kinda wasted a lot of money on this.

The big ‘Why????’ question is probably popping up right now. It was really, just an honest mistake. I really shouldn’t have decided to be so ambitious and go ahead with doing Grade 8 in just one and a half years after my Grade 5 (which I just found out, is an exceptionally short period of time). So I’m going to just accept my mistake and go ahead with the exam…

The rewarding part of it would probably be the bizarre look on the british dude’s face when he realises I can’t even finish 3 songs lol

Conclusively, this 1000~ word blog post is coming to and end, and hopefully there another one will come sooner than 4 months.

chow chow.

What do YOU think that Singapore should change when it comes to the educational system?

ryansg — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 14:13:18 +0000

I think it’s which part of it needs to be changed. I wouldn’t say the whole thing is screwed up. Things like, having tests for Civics and Moral Education (ikr?) just need to be turned around… And, idk about other schools, but I feel that we need to put more emphasis on Art subjects. I grew up with a mentality that Science and Math subjects stand superior to Art and Humanities subjects, but really there’s no such thing. Also, I personally feel that there should be a revision in the Chinese language syllabus. Not that I’m one to say (I took CLB for ‘O’ Levels), but I just feel that if you want to get people to study the language, you need them to be interested in it too. Not by getting students to recite random extracts of prose, and old fairytales over and over again. Culture and language go hand in hand, but you don’t have to shove the whole history of China into a student’s face. Anyone would be bored to death. This is just in my opinion as a student that gave up learning the language almost entirely.

But apart from those, the education system seems alright, just that maybe they should try to be more flexible in letting students take up the subjects they’d like to learn. Of course, with such demands, they would need more resources, and I think the hardest-to-get resource would be manpower/teachers. There should be more incentives for teachers. They do a whole lot more than we imagine.

Your next question, please

WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE YOUTUBE-R!?

ryansg — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 03:09:16 +0000

As of now: Smosh, Fine Bros, CTFxC, FreddieW, Mystery Guitar Man, and the other Asian Musicians/Filmmakers Niga Higa, Kev Jumba, Wong Fu Pro, Chester See, David C, Clara C, Cathy N, (just got to know of David So’s channel. very awesome stuff)

Your next question, please

press ‘ask followers’ if your single.

ryansg — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 15:22:18 +0000

It’s "you’re".

…iguessthatswhyimstillsingle… ._.

Your next question, please

HOW ARE THE HOLIDAYS TREATING YOU^^

ryansg — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:18:27 +0000

Okay lor. Very flexible schedules. Been getting a lot of sleep, which I like~ ^^ Just cannot afford to be too lazy nao

Your next question, please