101 Songs of My Third Year (Part 8)

The music continues to reel as we go on counting down the 101 songs that entered my ears and struck my mind and heart last school year.

We're coming close to the last 10 songs. But before that, I will feature these next ten songs that ranked 30 to 21.

From the ballad side of Linkin Park to guitar-flinging sounds of Muse and Franz Ferdinand. From the cool electronic sound of Stars and Passion Pit to the pounding and awesome beats from Foster The People.

Let's get started.



30. "So don't apologize. I'm losing what I don't deserve"

Burning In The Skies|Linkin Park

While Linkin Park has its own heavy, electrified rock sound, it also has its soft, ballad side.

"Burning In The Skies" is a song that fits right at those moments when I feel I failed at what I do and at connecting with others(read:"bridges I have burned").

I feel this song speaks of cut ties, of broken situations, of the things, and maybe persons, that you don't deserve. The emotions conveyed by this one is real for many.


29. "Do just what you want to and now stand up and begin"

Panic Station|Muse

This track caught my attention after being played most of the time in my favorite radio station.

"Panic". It is a word I'm almost used to live with. And I feel it once I'm running out of time and pressure is still vested upon me.

Muse rocks, just like Queen. Check out "Supremacy".


28. "What would you say if I fell apart? Could you bring me back?"

The Theory of Relativity|Stars

Theory of Relativity is not just only a scientific thing. It is also a wonderful synth-packed song from Canadian band Stars. The starkness of the synthesizers and the wonderful voices of the two vocals wowed me.

Warning: One cuss word.


27. "I'm just too much a coward to admit when I'm in need"

Take A Walk|Passion Pit

As long as I could remember, this is a song related to life under trouble.

And so I feel that way a lot of times. Living under tons of problems, tons of tasks, and a lot of things that make my life complicated and confusing.

But when I face such things, even the dark night of the soul, I'll take a walk.

26. "I try to stay awake and remember my name. But everybody's changing and I don't feel the same"

Everybody's Changing|Keane

I heard the song's remarkable piano notes as a young child. Then at 2012, Keane had a concert in the Philippines, and Myx presented a concert of the band before. I finally found out this song.

It is a very heartfelt song. Another song that is another pat on my back.

Because it revealed a truth that I found out while third year went on: Everybody's changing.

And I didn't feel the same.


25. "I really miss you I miss you I said"

Miss You|Foster The People

Discovered from an Internet video clip from Live From Abbey Road.

I found it nice and unique that FTP created pumping, dancing music with gloomy and lonely lyrics...

Good for a dance.

24. "Across the time and space. A never-ending dance"

Reunion|M83

M83 doesn't stop "bringing back the 80s" with this second single from their recent album entitled Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.

It sounds like from an 80s /movie. It sounds like I'm running fast, and also like a camera circles while I'm looking in the clouds.


23. "Every day is a battle I face"

I Would Do Anything For You|Foster The People

Another smooth side is featured in this love song.

It just sounds so lovely. It just sounds so beautiful...


22. "I know I won't be leaving here with you"

Take Me Out|Franz Ferdinand

This is what I think I have already heard in my elementary years, then it entered my ears once again last school year on the radio.

"Take Me Out", for me, has these exciting guitar flings that can make you dance. I also like it that they open the song in a gritty dramatic flow..Then the dancing lines will suddenly bang!


21. "A melody softly soaring through my atmosphere"

Soul Meets Body|Death Cab For Cutie

Their concert here last year made me aware of the band...And I saw a clip of this song's music video. The melodies enticed me, and the lyrics are well-crafted.

This single is somehow remarkable. It is something that I would play when I'm sick and tired of things...



And for today's list, we have a bonus track that deserves an honorable mention!


Honorable mention: "All the other kids with the pumped up kicks you'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet"

I've mentioned on my past blogs(The Rhythms Of Me and the first part of this list) that I usually listened to and searched for 80s music, from punk to new wave to synthpop.

But I also heard current songs, including this notable single from—once again—Foster The People.

I found out "Pumped Up Kicks" at second year while watching Myx. Then at third year, I revisited this song, then I decided to listen to other tracks which were already featured on the past parts of this list(and more to be featured on the last 2 parts).

They are the first band that helped me take a closer look at today's music. They introduced me to what we call as independent music, or indie. Moreover, that made me think that today's music is still worth listening.

That's why this deserves an honorable mention.



On the next list: Up Dharma Down. M83. James Blake. And a lot more.

I hope you like this latest list. Keep on discovering. Keep on enjoying what music has to give.

Keep updated. Thank you for reading!

A Not-So-Long Apology For The Past

I thought of this for a long time, and now I'll do it.

I'll be straight-to-the-point.

To all my former connections last school year, I apologize if I haven't met your high expectations. You've seen me as a good person at the start, but as times have passed, I've failed you.

I apologize if I haven't been responsible enough. I apologize if I haven't been the leader you've hoped. It could have been better if we worked together in unity, but things happened and have been done. I'm sorry that I haven't been a good leader. Please forgive me.

To those whom I showed a bad, childish attitude, I'm sorry. I apologize for being so silly and so mad due to small things, and for being some sort of unfriendly. I hope you forgive me.

To whom(used in plural) it may concern, I apologize for my arrogance, ignorance, and selfishness.

We're all human, you know. We all have to learn, and so we do learn from our wrongs. No one is perfect. God alone is.

But I'm thankful that He loves me so much..that He forgives..But I'm also sure that He loves you too, in spite of the fact that you are not perfect. He can forgive you, and you can even accept it right from His Son, Jesus Christ, who made it all possible.

Back to the main core of this post, I'm just plain sorry.

I hope you've forgiven me. Please accept me as I am. Be a friend if you can.

And so it goes. Thank you.

Hopes and Expectations

I'm only a few days away from school. May ended, June opened. And so classes will start.

I and fellow teenagers studying in public schools will be back to school.

Starting June 3, classrooms will open, teachers will teach, friends will meet each other, sections will start in their daily interaction with each other.....and money will be spent as well as saved. And that means chances to buy books and CDs, and also to treat friends!

Wow! I thank God for being where I am right now...One year to finish, and I'll graduate from high school. In my first year as a high school student, I'm such a young guy in my humble beginnings. Then, as next school years passed, I grew up with more friends, more lessons learned, and more sides of life experienced. Now I'm the senior. One of the “big” ones.

But before I jump to the bottom of the castle's flag and succeed, I have to face that one year..The following 10 months, the final months to mold me, train me, even refine me and help me grow while I'm still a high school student. The final months to enjoy what high school brings—interacting with other people, strolling at the mall, accomplishing things, even subject-themed contests and the promenade.

I don't know what tomorrow brings, but I have some expectations as well as hopes.

This upcoming school year, there are more things to learn, from Advanced Physics to Calculus, from Noli's sequel to stories of mythology. But as usual, schoolwork will come up.

Therefore, I'll be expecting more challenges to face, more storms to endure, even more burdens and more pains to go through. With that, I'm looking forward again to work overtime at school, be wide awake in the wee hours of the night—when I should be sleeping, and—of course—become tired and lethargic.

I believe high school is no easy road.

But, if I survived the challenging yet joyous 2nd year, and even the more challenging and nerve-wrecking 3rd year, I have faith in the Lord that He will carry me through this one last year, and that my high school era will end on a good note.

But what do I mean with “good note”? For me, it means that I'll succeed in every quarter of the year with good grades, that I'll successfully finish the race. But mostly, it means being in a section where I'll get along with my classmates, and also where unity is not occasional.

That good note means that I'm happy with my classmates, laughing with them, helping them when they need it, doing assignments or projects together, reviewing with them, and enjoying their company while we glance at books on Booksale and play at Quantum arcade.

For short, I'm hoping that I'll accomplish high school with a smile.

Let me tell you this story. I had a hope before that when I'm already in fourth year, I'll be in a section that I'll enjoy—like Linnaeus(nothing compares to it, for real). And while I'm still in third year, I perceived and hoped that it would be at a section named Ampere.

I hoped, after all the hardships and pain I got into at the last school year, that I'll meet my close friends, all of them together in one section. I hoped that I'll get close to them again, that I'll finally try and do my best to be kind to them, to befriend them, to know them more and get closer to them as well.

But then, it didn't happen.

Things did really change for fourth year. The students of every section aren't picked anymore by their general average(or grades). The sections appear to be equal (I really hope so). And because of this, I'm placed in a section that made me realize that things did change.

My friend chatted me one night. He found out from another friend that I'm not placed at Ampere. For a short time, I felt that feeling when you hoped for something and then it won't be realized. I became dispirited shortly. I'm so crazy, I thought.

But I believed it shouldn't be that way. I still had hope in the Lord that He will put me into a class that He knows will be best for me.

Moreover, something brought a smile that night. I already knew I won't have my friend anymore as a classmate. Yet I'm thankful for this guy, who had been my classmate for a year, that he told me he still considers me as his brother-like friend. It's good to know that though we won't be as close as classmates, we're still friends.

After a long wait and a tiring search of what my section is, I finally knew it. I'm now placed at a section called Hertz.

Hertz, I thought, wow...It would be different...

I felt then that my 4^th year, being in a section I didn't expect I'll be dropped in, will be different.

At Hertz, I saw past classmates, and mostly new ones. I felt again what we call as "out of place". But I still have hope.

I hope I'll get along with them. I wish I'll have a good 4^th year with these fellow teenagers, in good times and in bad times, in joy and in pain, in getting in and in letting go. May I appreciate knowing them, helping them, and having a lot of time with them, be it in projects, or practices, or strolling at SM.

This 4^th year will be a new ride, a new level. I'll get to know new people, encounter new teachers, learn new lessons...But one thing's for sure: something better is waiting.

And as I forget the past failures and pains and remember the lessons, and as I look forward to a blessed school year, I hope in the Lord. I trust in Him that I'll finish high school on a good note. I hope you too will trust your school life to Him.

 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."—Matthew 6:34

 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." —Romans 8:28

***

And since I'll get busy again at school, this might mean I won't be able to post on this blog as frequent as I had been in my past posts. But when time permits, I'll hopefully get into posting.

Thank you so much for reading!