April Round Up is here!
I know it's a week late but I've been LIVING!
If projects started for realsies in February, feels like my life really stepped on the gas in April. So many birthdays! Trip to Singapore! Seeing Hamilton live! Lebaran! Started running! But before that, some routine updates.
Film update
I watched 14 movies in April. I liked half of them. My brightest, brightest spotlight falls on Close (Lukas Dhont, 2022). Two very best, very intimate best friends get into middle school, where kids question their closeness.
I don’t want to give too much away of the film other than a quick trigger warning. I bawled my fucking eyes out when the movie finished. It left me feeling depressed for hours. It’s a very, very beautiful film. I wish I could make something like this one day.
General update on my movie taste expansion program, as much as I’m looking for unique movies to broaden my horizon, I simply have to admit that I’m partial towards Hollywood structure and its gut-wrenching emotional punch. I have space for low-stake movies and stories, but they have to be sweet and quietly magical (otherwise I tend to get bored).
Music update
I didn’t listen much to any new music other than Taylor Swift’s “The Tortured Poets Department”. I’m not really into this one, but I like some songs.
I mean, I get crying over mediocre men. I really do. But, gurl, there’s no need to show it off (plz it’s embarrassing). I really, really admire Swift’s audacity. It’s been inspiring me a lot.
Other than that, I was obsessed with Jacob Collier’s “Wherever I Go” (feat. Lawrence and Michael McDonald). I’m a sucker for sad songs on happy chords.
But the song I was really obsessed about last month was SMTOWN’s “Good to be Alive”. I’m just really into power chords, okay. This song’s been on repeat every single day since April and I’m not sick of it yet.
The line “it’s so good to be alive with you” makes me feel a bit sad, but other than that WE BALL. Besides, Key, Chen, and Hyoyeon, three of my favorite SM artists are in it, so I just wonder how the hell did I only discover this song in 2024.
Writing update
I’ve submitted my final draft on this short story for an anthology I told you about months ago. My editor said they’re looking to publish the anthology in late July or early August. I’ll let you know when it’s out!
Singapore trip
I went to see Hamilton, one of my favorite musicals. I’d bought the ticket since last year (I heard the May and June tickets are still available, if you’re thinking of going). I got the April ticket because I was supposed to have a shooting in May and June, but alas the project got postponed. So I just roamed around Singapore a bit and got myself lucky~
I have so many thoughts on this but I don’t know how to talk about them yet. Maybe on a separate post. So in the meantime, here’s a picture of Singaporean harbor!
Some tangent
I’m currently giddy on movie high from watching “The Idea of You” (Michael Showalter, 2024). So if you catch my manic energy on this post, that’s the reason.
I’d also like to say that I’m grateful that you’ve chosen to hear from me. I’ve practically stopped using Twitter, and I’ve drastically decreased my Instagram usage. But I’d still love to keep in touch with everyone. I just gotta find other ways to do it, and this blog/newsletter is one of them. If you receive this on your inbox, you can simply hit reply to reach me! :)
I’ve been living such an amazing life in April. I’m kind of fascinated and touched at the same time that life could be and feel like this. There’s so many things I want to say about it, but they’re all deeply personal so I get shy. One thing at a time, then.
Catch you later!