Happiness is a warm gun.

2011; Part 1 (Second Chance)

2011-01-10T16:06:00.006+08:00

1. Hello 2011. I would like to start off by saying you've been nothing but illnesses and bad news so far. But having said that, I am also willing to give you a second chance, by believing that you will pick up as the months go by. I just wish you'd hasten things a little.

2. Speaking of second chance, I've played a game with most people in 2010 asking them, if they were to describe "Second Chance" in a picture, what picture would it be. This was the best answer I received (points above). It was sent to me by a friend - nothing fancy, no filters used to enhance it. It was taken on the ECP, she told me her friend got into a car accident here. She said when she got the phone call, she prayed that he would be given his second chance, because he deserved a second chance but he didn't, because he passed away subsequently.

3. I would like to rid my body of all illnesses right now. It had seemed fun for the first 2 days, but now it's just plain frustrating.

4. This might not be relevant, but I have also realised that I have grown accustomed to your absence. It was extremely comforting to find out for myself that there is Life Out There, after you.

5. As I've told several friends when the clock struck 12, May 2011 bring you new directions.

6. You will never read this.

Funny

2010-08-10T18:18:00.000+08:00

"I think what it is is, if you're at school and you're not that bright or good-looking or popular or whatever and one day you say something and someone laughs, well, you sort of grab on to it don't you? You think, well I run funny and I've got this stupid big face and big thighs and no-one fancies me, but at least I can make people laugh. And it's such a nice feeling, making someone laugh, that maybe you get a bit reliant on it. Like, if you're not funny then you're not... anything."

- Ian Whitehead, One Day, David Nicholls

Do me this solid

2010-07-19T01:20:00.002+08:00

I had wanted to write about this a few weeks back, but procrastination and a couple of new DVDs got the best of me.

Anyway. I had the privilege of attending a short play rehearsal session with a (new) friend about three weeks back. The play is part of a festival that will be coming up in August, but regrettably I didn't manage to find out the name of this festival (mental note to self that I will).

The rehearsal, the first of many, was held at The Arts House. It was a short play, comprising of only 2 cast member, a scriptwriter (whom none of us have met), a director and a director's assistant (said friend). Save for me and friend, everyone else had just met for the first time. We pulled out chairs, sat around in a circle and did 2 initial rounds of reading.

I'd like to point out that at this juncture, it had suddenly felt like I was back in Acting & Directing class in third year poly and I haven't been in a "school environment" for a good 3 years so that had felt pretty invigorating. We spent the rest of the time tearing the script apart (it was only a 10 minute script, mind you) and putting it back again, analysing and re-analysing the words, criticising movements, playing and re-playing the actions in our heads etc.

Anyway, my point is that I had really enjoyed myself there because I was reminded of School; and I don't mean specifically in Crescent or NP or Murdoch, but School as in education and learning and inspiration and being inspired and encouraged creativity as a whole. I think sometimes, being in the right environment, and surrounding yourself with the right people is the most important thing you can do for yourself. Okay, that was a redundant point, but you get what I'm trying to say.

On a separate note, Miserable May zipped by without us (or me) noticing. Which is a good thing, as I could not make up my mind in May (how many 'Ms' could you count in that). Then, I spent a large part of June realising how little I know. Which was, you know, shit.

It is halfway into July now (we are 161 days away from Christmas, FYI), and it feels like I have come to a standstill. Okay, not standstill. Stalemate, maybe. There is no nemesis I am fighting against, but there has been no progress, no deterioration, no continuation, no momentum to do anything. It is almost like walking into the middle of a dual carriageway and then snapping a photo, such that the vehicles run past you in opposite directions. You would like to zero in on one vehicle to shoot, but you can't as it is either too fast, or one that you don't like.

But whatever. Here is my May and June in pictures. May the force be with you, July.

Quote

2010-05-16T15:41:00.001+08:00

"At some point during almost every romantic comedy, the female lead suddenly trips and falls, stumbling helplessly over something ridiculous like a leaf, and then some Matthew McConaughey-type either whips around the corner just in the nick of time to save her or is clumsily pulled down along with her. That event predictably leads to the magical moment of their first kiss. Please. I fall ALL the time. You know who comes and gets me? The BOUNCER."

- Chelsea Handler

The Last Grand Fallible Plan

2010-04-14T22:36:00.005+08:00

You know how people tell you there are certain experiences in life that will change you as a being, alter your perspective, make you a better person?

Well, work (and the whole idea of a career) is not one of them.

Wall

2010-03-27T15:11:00.002+08:00

I have been befriending children and the like recently. For example, just the other day at French class, I had a full 10 minute conversation about French grammar and the city of La Rochelle with a brown-eyed, 11 year old girl. Also, we have been hanging out with a 20 year old (who reminds me a lot of my brother, might I add) quite often. And today, a group of my brother's 17 year old friends are over at our place playing Guitar Heroes. I went out and played Billy Jean on hard mode and they seemed reasonably impressed!

They amuse me, they do. And I like them.
Maybe people under 21 years of age tend to be less self-righteously pious.

On a separate note, I would like to go for Peaches and sing until my lungs burst.

Your kind is gonna fall

2010-03-26T00:20:00.003+08:00

Before I forget the feeling.

Church

2010-03-08T23:57:00.002+08:00

"The problem was, Church, even the Catholic Church, didn't take up the whole of your life. No matter how much you knelt and prayed, you still had to eat three meals a day and have a job and live in the world."

- The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath

Open letters

2010-03-02T00:22:00.002+08:00

Dear Boo, you are everything I am not. And more.

Dear Louis, you are my prolific writer.

Dear Michelle, trust me when I say you do not want your kid to grow up and be like me.

Dear Adlina, you are such hot property. I owe you a drink and an apology.

Dear Trina, 開心就好!

Dear Darryl, you're still my ideal effortless.

Dear Farocks, WHAT'S UP BUTTERCUP!

Dear Shermeen, ostrich.

Dear Vicky, sometimes I think about rewinding the clock, just so I'd know what could've happened ;)

Dear Grace, not funny!

Dear Joanne, Cheryl is asking for dinner + drinks this week!

Dear Cheryl, I've asked Joanne already!

Dear Mavis, T IN THE PARK NO FUCKING WAY.

Dear Wallfleur, 總有一天, 要聽你講華語!

Dear Cherie, I take back everything I said. You're still curt and shit, but I'd like us to be friends again.

Dear Skye, trust no one but yourself. And maybe me.

Dear Jack, your life is too well-thought out. And I mean that in a good way.

Dear Summer, slutbag.

Dear Tom, you never had a say in it.

Dear Ada,

Tiger

2010-02-16T02:12:00.002+08:00

CNY this year seemed a lot more purpose-driven to me. I suspect it might have something to do with it being the year of my zodiac (this should give you a hint or two about my age). The last time it was the year of the tiger, I was 12. I suppose life is always purpose-driven when all you're preoccupied with is the PSLE.

So here we are one (vicious, vicious) cycle later - A little bit taller, with straighter teeth and rid of all nail-biting habits, but still pretty much the same undecisive kid I was 12 years back. Some things change, some things don't.

On a related note, here is a wonderful quote I found somewhere that I would like to share with you. Fingers crossed that your new year celebrations have been nothing short of spectacular so far, gong xi gong xi!

“The whole purpose of places like Starbucks is for people with no decision-making ability whatsoever to make six decisions just to buy one cup of coffee. Short, tall, light, dark, caf, decaf, low-fat, non-fat, etc. So people who don’t know what the hell they’re doing or who on earth they are can, for only $2.95, get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self: Tall. Decaf. Cappuccino.”

- You've Got Mail

Dismantled

2010-02-11T00:48:00.002+08:00

Oh, Jenny.

Inadequacy

2010-02-08T22:11:00.004+08:00

"I stared through the Russian girl in her double-breasted grey suit, rattling off idiom after idiom in her own unknowable tongue - which Constantin said was the most difficult part, because the Russians didn't have the same idioms as our idioms - and I wished with all my heart I could crawl into her and spend the rest of my life barking out one idiom after another. It mightn't make me any happier, but it would be one more little pebble of efficiency among all the other pebbles."

- The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath

-

2010-02-02T00:39:00.003+08:00

A thought:

If we were European cities, I'd be none, because I'm deep-rooted and conventional at heart, which makes me Asia.

You, on the other hand, would be a mix of Paris, London, Madrid, Amsterdam, Munich, Frankfurt, Stockholm, Venice, Cyprus. Because you're beautiful, erratic and oh so fucking cynical.

I don't know why or how that adds up, but it sorta makes sense to me.

If we were parts of Singapore, I'd be Marsiling, "the armpit of this country".

And if we were parts of Singapore, you'd be Watten Estate, where people who can afford four-storey bungalows reside, and where you can find all the international European schools.

Maybe you get the drift.

-

2010-01-20T23:49:00.002+08:00

Everything around here is beginning to feel bottomless. I will break every bone in my body. And it will hurt. At least, as Calvin's (as in Calvin from Calvin and Hobbes) dad says, it'll build character. Anything that hurts, builds character.

I do not know as much as you think I do.
I do not read as much as you think I do.

I am waiting for the days to become bright, shiny and blue again, like in April. When we have things to look forward to.

Everyday I sort of write awkward quotes on the wall. But that's my way of telling you, ne laissez pas, s'il vous plaît.

Toi thich cai nay!

2010-01-09T16:34:00.002+08:00

I don't know where to begin talking about Vietnam, so I created a gif as an interim solution. This was taken at the alley just in front of our hotel, Phoac An, in Hoi An.

Good times :D

Day in, day out

2009-12-31T13:31:00.003+08:00

Today, we played a game in the office called "Passion". It sounds stupid (I know) and nobody wants to come into the office for half a day on the last day of the year JUST to play this game. But we came and played it anyway.

"Passion" really was as stupid as it sounds - There is a deck of cards with different words written on them. Like, Family, Advancement, Financial Security, Professional Development, Health, Being Creative, Knowledge and you get the idea. So these were supposed to be the various "Passions". We had to pick out five which we deem are most relevant and important in our lives.

I forgot my exact 5, but I remember Knowledge, Self-Realisation (I know, right!) and Having Fun were in it. Oh, and then it gets tougher. From five, you'll need to narrow it down to one. Yes, that's right, The Single, Predominant, Most Overpowering Passion In Your Life. The type of passion that, you know, makes you reach for the moon and stars, burns holes in your heart and eat raw egg yolks everyday.

I am not proud to say that I do not have such a passion. However, I did manage to narrow it down to two (I cheated) - Knowledge and Having Fun. And then we had to apply that passion to our worklife and figure out stupid things like how this passion motivates us at work, and that got boring after maybe 18 seconds. But that's not the important part.

I did not know what I was supposed to do with "Knowledge" and "Having Fun" at first, but now I think I might have an inkling of the sort of impact my choices will have on 2010. But first let me talk about 2009.

In retrospect, 2009 has been, for the lack of a better word, a mediocre year. If I count it by milestones:

1. I crossed the first year at my job unscathed
2. I got into my first car accident
3. I made a new friend (one for keeps)
4. And reconnected with an old one
5. J'ai appris une nouvelle langue
6. I witnessed my bank account balance reach an all-time, record-breaking high
7. Only to have it go back to an all-time, heart-breaking low
8. I celebrated my birthday on a day that comes once every millennium
9. I found my ancestors (!!!!!)

For 2010, I do not wish to impose any overzealous goals or resolutions upon myself. Instead, I think I will work on the two "Passions" that I have shortlisted. I still want to know things, many, many things, and in the process, maybe, have fun. It's a bit like being an adult and a kid at the same time, except you know when to be an adult and when to be a kid.

I hope the next decade unlocks many new adventures for yourself, as it will for me (God help me if it doesn't, because I'll be 34 when the next decade is over).

Have a spectacular 2010 everyone, be safe :)

-

2009-12-26T16:25:00.000+08:00

"Yes, I was infatuated with you; I am still. No one has ever heightened such a keen capacity of physical sensation in me. I cut you out because I couldn't stand being a passing fancy. Before I give my body, I must give my thoughts, my mind, my dreams. And you weren't having any of those."

- Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals

Problem

2009-12-24T01:53:00.002+08:00

Harry: You know what goes through your mind? How long do I have to lie here and hold her before I can get up and go home? Is 30 seconds enough?

Sally: That's what you're thinking? Is that true?

Harry: Sure, all men think that. How long do you like to be held afterwards? All night, right? See, that's the problem. Somewhere between 30 seconds and all night is your problem.

An Embarassment

2009-12-09T00:02:00.004+08:00

Last night, while out with someone (A) at a place with an inconvenient name, I bumped into another familiar person (B), who shall, for various reasons, remain anonymous as well. It wasn't awkward, like I thought it would be, but we parted ways to sit at different places (a clue!) after exchanging the necessary pleasantries.

It wasn't until 2 hours later, when the place was closing, that I was forced to evacuate the premise, and therefore, bump into said person (B) again. I introduced B to A, and as A's ~~whorish~~ effervescent personality would have it, A started chatting B up.

I took a big gulp of what was left of my drink and joined in the conversation with much aplomb. Suddenly! B said something that completely caught me off guard.

B said, Why are you talking with a slang?
And I replied, No I'm not.
And B said, Yes you are.
And I repeated, No I'm not.

We left it as that.

30 minutes later, on the cab ride home, I thought about it long and hard, and it occurred to me that yes, I do believe I have been putting on an odd sort of accent recently. Only when conversing with (a) certain ~~people~~ person.

And for what? I cannot fathom. I just have been. And subconsciously too! It left me feeling deeply unsettled.

Tonight, as I was ploughing through the moor that is the Internet, I came across the wise words of The Almighty Cowboy Caleb. He hypothesised that "as you grow older, you realize that you have slowly become a product of your environment" (Such! Deft! Words!).

I don't want to end up as a click through rate, or as a unique visitor or a fucking web banner with a red curve. Especially not one with an accent.

I have also learnt that it is best that we keep off from the things that poison us or our minds. And what better timing than now!

So to put into practice what my flexibility-training, all-encompassing, multi-tasking job has taught me about planning, this is what I will do tomorrow:

1. I will wake up
2. I will go to work
3. I will arrive at work
4. I will go to your desk straight
5. I will retrieve my iPod cable
6. And I will not go upstairs for the rest of the day, week, month and year - Even if my boss threatens to machete my frontal lobe out

I do wish you were here with me, but a plan is a plan. And what are we if not plans and strategems?
Watch this space, people.

Clear your heart

2009-12-02T00:13:00.006+08:00

I am running out of smart things to say. September, October and November whizzed by and I barely noticed anything. Did you?

If I had to describe the past 3 months in colours, September would be red because I had waited 9 months for 999 to come and I spent a good amount of that time feeling like I had ants in my pants. October is yellow, which was meh. November ended 2 days ago. I don't have a colour for November yet, but if you point a gun to my head and forced me to choose one, I'd say sea green. Something to do with the change of dynamics in work environment and that dress you wore.

I looked through Neil (my dependable, steadfast iPhone) and realised I have accumulated no less than 508 images in the Camera Roll. I picked out a few, each one re-enacts a mini adventure.

Be good, everyone.

And hello back!

2009-11-23T22:24:00.002+08:00

Tagged by Dear Jerome. Answers have to be one-worded. Here we go -

where is your phone?

pocket

your hair?
mop

your mother?
heart

your father?
fortitude

your favourite food?
chinese

your dream last night?
sweat

your favourite drink?
GTF

your dream/goal?
owner

what room are you in?
le ciel

your hobby?
listening

your fear?
desolation

where do you want to be in 6 years?
meadow

where were you last night?
moor

something that you're not?
Tyler

muffins?
pancakes

wish list item?

where did you grow up?
playground

last thing you did?
jig

what are you wearing?
une chemise

your tv?

philips

your pets?

dwarf

friends?

bridges

your life?

monstrosity

your mood?

invincible

missing someone?

someone(s)

vehicle?
compact

something you're not wearing?

heart (on sleeve)

your favourite store?
none

your favourite colour?

vermilion

the last time you cried?

shower

your best friend?

here

one place that i go to over and over?

P&C

facebook?

voyeur!

favourite place to eat?

tzechar

--

I tag Mavis, Snowman and you, if you're interested.

Une citation

2009-11-15T16:50:00.000+08:00

Someone's orbit is their dance. Look closely, and you will see that their [sic] are shining planets.

- Yoko Ono

Balzac

2009-11-08T23:18:00.002+08:00

Luo and I were in the habit of sharing our clothes, and on one occasion - it was a day of rest - he borrowed my sheepskin coat to wear when he went to meet the Little Seamstress at the foot of their ginkgo tree in the valley of love. "After I had read the passage from Balzac from her word to word," he explained, "she took your coat and reread the whole thing, in silence. The only sounds were the leaves rustling overhead and the faint rush of a distant waterfall. It was a beautiful day, the sky was heavenly blue, blissful and clear. When she finished reading, she sat there quite still, open-mouthed. Your coat was resting on the flat of her hands, the way a sacred object lies in the palms of the pious.

"This fellow Balzac is a wizard," he went on. "He touched the head of this mountain girl with an invisible finger, and she was transformed, carried away in a dream. It took awhile for her to come down to earth. She ended up putting your wretched coat on (which looked very good on her, I must say). She said having Balzac's words next to her skin made her feel good, and also more intelligent."

- Balzac and The Little Chinese Seamstress, Dai Sijie

I thought: About how you're almost like all the female characters in the books that I've been reading. Like TLCS, like Alaska, like Oryx, like Marla Singer. Actually, mostly like Marla Singer, but the rest too. Odd and almost baffling, but very, very true.

Next time, I promise to bring along one of the old cameras.

At 3am

2009-11-05T00:36:00.002+08:00

The room contains no sound
Except the ticking of the clock
Which has begun to panic
Like an insect, trapped
In an enormous box.

Books lie open on the carpet.

Somewhere else
You're sleeping
And beside you there's a woman
Who is crying quietly
So you won't wake.

- Wendy Cope

Miss Cope, if you're reading this, my intention was never to infringe your copyright. I just thought you should know I felt this poem speaks volumes about a lot of things. I would remove it if you ask nicely. But until then, this'll stay up.

I know this because Tyler knows this

2009-11-03T00:17:00.002+08:00

Tyler gets me a job as a waiter, after that Tyler's pushing a gun in my mouth and saying, the first step to eternal life is you have to die. For a long enough time though, Tyler and I were best friends. People are always asking, did I know Tyler Durden.

The barrel of the gun pressed against the back of my throat, Tyler says, "We really won't die."

With my tongue I can feel the silencer holes we drilled into the barrel of the gun. Most of the noise a shotgun makes is expanding gases, and there's the tiny sonic boom a bullet makes because it travels so fast. To make a silencer, you just drill holes in the barrel of the gun, a lot of holes. This lets the gas escape and slows the bullet to below the speed of sound.

You drill the holes wrong and the gun will blow off your hand.

"This isn't really death," Tyler says. "We'll be legend. We won't grow old."

I tongue the barrel into my cheek and say, Tyler you're thinking of vampires.

This building we're standing on won't be here in ten minutes. You take a 98-percent concentration of fuming nitric acid and add the acid to three times that amount of sulfuric acid. Do this in an ice bath. Then add glycerin drop-by-drop with an eye dropper. You have nitroglycerin.

I know this because Tyler knows this.

- Fight Club, Chuck Palahniuk

I could quote the entire Fight Club book, or you could just go read it yourself.

I am Jack's complete lack of surprise

2009-10-31T02:34:00.002+08:00

My October in pictures:

Never a tea person, but I must admit it was quite a bit of fun drinking Earl Grey (oh, Earl Grey!) on a Sunday afternoon. So, okay, I didn't finish my share, but whatever. Not that my not finishing the tea made it any less fun.

Let's have scones next time!

Mail

2009-10-22T00:38:00.006+08:00

I received the most magnificent package in the mail today, and because I haven't received anything in the mail (bills are not counted) for the longest time, the feeling was nothing short of.. magical.

I guess I just wanted to say that it's things like these that make me believe the world is not ending (but it's not yet 2012, so we'll all have to wait this one out), that there are a handful of kind-hearted, warm and sincere strangers we haven't met (like uh, you know, kindred spirits), and that social media does not necessarily undermine or threaten human relationships like I keep hearing people say it does (Case in point: It was the topic for Talkback on 93.8LIVE this morning).

Thank you @wallflour!

I'm feeling a bit like I won the last Golden Ticket (ala Charlie) to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory (:

You can't deny you want a happy ending

2009-10-01T00:18:00.003+08:00

23

2009-09-09T00:09:00.001+08:00

I'll be honest with you - I started writing this on August 31, at 1.31am. So the publish date might not indicate September 9, 2009 (09/09/09). I suppose you need time to think about these sort of things, and you know, inspiration comes and goes and so does my writing mojo.

For the uninitiated, I turn 23 today. It's not a very significant age (plus, it's a prime number), but I felt obliged to write something about it because of the date (again, 09/09/09).

Turning 23 feels a lot different than turning 22. I can't exactly put my finger on it, but I suppose it has something to do with my being one year closer to turning 25 and still having no particular highly-in-demand set of skills or talent or achievement that I can be proud of.

I haven't gone on air like I said I wanted to.
I haven't published anything like some people said I should have.
I haven't launched a mind-blowing campaign like I said I should have.
I haven't travelled to Japan, India, Europe, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Latin America like I said I wanted to.
I haven't learnt to cook, sew, bake or create like I said I should have
I haven't gotten a praise that I felt I was worthy of.

Sure, I've got a stable job in a more-than-stable company. I've got an A+ family. Great colleagues. Great friends. Great encouragement. Great support from all around. But the more I think about it, the more I feel it's a "so what?" thing.

Please don't get me wrong! I'm not complaining and god knows I am more than grateful for what I have, but it's just, I think of Mark Zuckerberg, I think of Casual Poet, I think of Xiaxue, C, S, FAG, even Miley Cyrus, Lindsay Lohan, the Olsen twins and that hit-me-in-the-face question still surfaces - What have I achieved in all 23 years of my life that I can be proud of? That I can tell people about when I introduce myself? That I can put on all my resumes and have potential employers call me up immediately because I am so interesting, so talented, so one-of-a-kind.

That wasn't meant to be rhetorical question, but I'm not going to answer it because, like I said, it's a hit-me-in-the-face question and it's my birthday and I don't want to be hit in the face.

So this post is going in a big circle, and it's getting a bit whiny and I don't know how to end it. I think all I wanted to say was that I haven't achieved much in the past 23 years, which was why I feel like I don't deserve a lot of the good things that have happened to me, that have come my way. Which is also why I don't feel the need for a celebration. But I'm doing this because 09/09/09 is something that comes once a millennium (I think?). Felt like I needed to do the date some justice.

So here's a list of 7 things that will happen in 2009-2010. May you and the rest of the Internet bear witness to it:

1. Know things
2. "Read voraciously"
3. Learn something new
4. Form opinions of my own
5. Understand humility
6. Lose my marbles, go completely apeshit (once, just once)
7. Live

Okay, so for what it's worth - Happy 23rd birthday, Val.
Here's a pat on your back for making it this far for the past 23 years, and here's another one for the next 23 years to come.

May you achieve something phenomenal.

Also! I have something to share with you. I'm quite excited about it, and I think it's looking good for something that's only one day old, so just

I'll be spending the whole day tomorrow with my family (and extended family). There'll be a massive feast, lotsa eating, lotsa drinking, cake, maybe party streamers, crazy kids running amok, the whole shebang. I think it'll be fun.

Oh, I don't know

2009-08-28T00:17:00.003+08:00

I have nothing to update about so here are some pictures.

Look at these, I want!

from here.

I also want a bicycle I really, really want one! Even though I don't really know where I might ride it to. But who cares!

from here and here.

And here are some photos from the last roll of film. Oh, and the long overdue photos from the Melaka trip. I kinda miss the hot air there.

T and I signed up for French classes, I am so excited I am so excited!
Bonjour salut, tout le monde!

Sun sun sun

2009-08-25T22:46:00.000+08:00

We discovered a couple of lovely dining places over the weekend. Nothing much to say so I'm just gonna put some pictures up. Mind you, these pictures aren't anything fantastic either. But, you know, it's all I've got.

This is Little Part 1 Cafe.
15 Jasmine Road Singapore 576584
And in case you get lost on your way there (which you shouldn't, 'cos I didn't and I get lost all the time), call them - 6451 7553.

We had some mini German sausages for starters, the Chicken Schnitzel and an Italiano Crepe. Pretty good!

And then just yesterday, we made an impromptu decision to go eat at Sunset Grill & Pub. We didn't get hopelessly lost, as I'd thought we did at one point, which I'm really happy about! Didn't take too many pictures because my fingers were trembling from hunger. These were the best from the lot. Pretty decent pub grub I'd say.

Oh god, I'm not going to tell you which level buffalo wings this is 'cos it's too embarrassing. We barely scraped past this. Cannot imagine anyone who tried level 30 yikes!

I'm actually thinking of getting one of those prosumer cameras but not DSLR, nothing extremely complex with 87 aperture settings, none of that sort. Would be good if it comes with some manual settings and of course digital stuff so I get to toggle between the two.

What's good?

Avant Chanel

2009-08-22T04:29:00.000+08:00

via here and here.

I say 5 stars because I loved every minute of it. I kept wanting to reach into the screen to feel all the fabric she was wearing - Off the top of my head, I remember tweed, lace, satin, feathers (not really a fabric but..), cotton, "jersey" and maybe khaki.

You know what, I make a bad movie critic.

Also, Karl Lagerfeld is turning into a grumpy old man (ala Carl Frederickson).

Suspended from class

2009-08-12T00:58:00.002+08:00

I find I really like listing things down. So neat!

A few updates that you won't need to know!

1. I found out that everything, or almost everything, is about building relationships. Burn the bridge and you're a goner.

2. There are many things going on in this world that I do not understand as much as I would like to think I do. I'm turning 23 in a month and I still haven't gotten into the habit of reading the papers regularly. How horrible is that.

3. Bruno, The Hangover, Mongol. I can start ticking them off this list 'cos I'm sure they won't be showing it anymore in a couple of days. Starting with The Hangover. Then I'll either have to wait for the DVD to be out, or just be the illegal pirate that I am and stream it online.

4. FINALLY! An ugly picture! Bad hair day huh, Shane. I get that all the time. It's like all the wild sex, drugs and partying finally found its way under your skin (and hair follicles). You're still my favourite gender bender though, maybe now second to Sam Ronson (:

5. We're well into the second half of 2009 AND I STILL CANNOT PARALLEL PARK HELP!

6. J and F came over to my house last night, and I realised that after showing them around my room for 5 minutes, there was nothing else left to introduce! Egad! I'm boring!

7. Ellen Page grew up. No longer the sneaker-jeans-shoegazer music type of girl I thought she would always be. Love it.

via here, here, here and here.

8. A quote. I hope it hits you hard like it hit me.

- John Didion, via Trish Bendix.

Midweek! Something to celebrate, yes?

500 Days of Summer

2009-08-06T00:28:00.005+08:00

[Edit]
Dammit! Just found out trailer for The Lovely Bones is out! Here! So Peter Jackson is directing it. It looks.. lovely. Honestly. Too many movies, too many movies.

You know, this looks like one of those films that I might love but everyone around me (including maybe 8 days) won't. Think Sunshine Cleaning. But anyway I've heard rave! reviews! from a lot of people, blogs, magazines about this. I hope it opens here!

Also, Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is starring in it, so what's there not to love. The last show I actually remember seeing JGL on is.. omg, 10 Things I Hate About You, which was shown in 1999. 10 years ago, omg! Apparently, he's appearing in GI Joe too, so yay maybe one more reason on top of Sienna Miller to want to watch GI Joe?

Lastly, as trishtype says, "the movie is about love, coincidence and untouchable women who don't fall for you as hard as you fall for them. It's universal and has a great soundtrack, ranging from The Smiths to Patrick Swayze's "She's Like the Wind.""

There's something wrong with the official trailer on YouTube, so I put the teaser trailer here instead. If you're interested, here's the official website.

But before all that, I need to watch The Hangover, Public Enemies and possibly A Frozen Flower, depending on my financial situation come the end of the month.

Take a walk

2009-08-03T23:57:00.002+08:00

Just thought this space deserved an update.

1. We celebrated B's birthday a couple of weeks back. It was a blast, we surprised her, rather successfully might I add, 4 times! Had dinner at a great restaurant but I won't tell you where, then we had some drinks until L turned red in the face and neck, like beetroot red. Sometimes, when I get too hot and bothered in the office, I play back some of the things that happened that night in my head.

2. I really, really like Sienna Miller.

3. Came to realise that YES, I am one of the most unopinionated person I know. It's good and bad, but mostly bad because I think being opinionated is a job requirement. If you've seen articles or read books about how to form opinions or have a thought process, please do recommend.

4. A teenager told me a while back that blogging is a really self-indulgent act. I've been thinking - At least I don't post multiple photos of myself in the same outfit. I save that for FB. So I think I'll permit myself that little bit of indulgence (:

5. It struck me only recently that my birthday falls on a significant date this year, but there is absolutely nothing that I want to do on that day.

6. Do not belittle Murphy's Law.

7. Watched IMAY approximately 8 times in the past 4 days. I only fast forward to the parts I want to watch.

8. Pertaining to no. 7, we all might need a Luce in our lives at one point or another. As might we need H. And Cooper. I know people who will disagree with this!

9. I bought 6 books and 5 magazines in the past 2 months but only finished reading 1 book and 2 magazines. WHERE IS THE DISCIPLINE, TSK.

10. And speaking of discipline, I've been putting myself through a rigourous exercise regime which I hope to stick to. So far so good. Let's see how long this one lasts.

11. I remember Cowboy Caleb once said that there will always be one or two gay people in any office. And it's okay. You know, whatever Cowboy Caleb says is the gospel truth. Some people need to stop being so animated about it because that's just uncool. And by some people, I mean me.

12. I fed the cats at Duxton Hill again this morning. I don't think they recognise me. Also, I think they belong to the shipping company in the opposite row of offices. Oops.

Okay, that is all I wanted to say.
Go memorise mrbrown's lekuasimi if you have nothing to do at work on a Tuesday.

No Time Wasters

2009-07-23T23:01:00.004+08:00

LOL.
You'll NEVER see things like that in the publications here.
Via No Time Wasters.

As shown to me by my brother

2009-07-19T14:24:00.002+08:00

Look out for the clapping one.

I grabbed some frozen strawberries so I could ice your bruisy knees

2009-07-13T21:44:00.002+08:00

We're self-obsessed, financially irresponsible and flick erratically between sexual repression and reckless hedonism. On the surface we're 'totally not cool' with racism, bigotry, gender stereotypes or repression of any sort. Deep down we still harbour our parents' views, but doused heartily in layers of guilt and self-reproach. That's what the theorists say about us anyway, and probably our therapists too. We are Generation Y and we are lost. Plus, we can't get our shit together.

- Caro Cooper, Holding on for a hero

SOUR '日々の音色 (Hibi no neiro)'

2009-07-06T22:36:00.002+08:00

This is too cool to not share. I put this up on Twitter, so I'm putting it up here too. Take in the awesomeness that is Sour.

B, FLS, we should endeavour to do something like that, haha!

Emily Travellers Home

2009-07-05T22:48:00.002+08:00

Stumbled upon Emily Travellers Home when I was walking around aimlessly in Melaka. That place is just chock full of all these little inns and motels and guesthouses, the thing is I don't think you can actually book them before you arrive at Melaka. Most of these small guesthouses don't have any online booking or reservation system. You just go there, cross your fingers and hope they have rooms available.

So ETH is one such guesthouse.

We didn't stay here during this trip but I'm hoping in my next trip to Melaka I will (FLS, B and D, please?)! Also spoke to the owner of the guesthouse for a bit (I didn't get his name though, ARGH). He was a really welcoming man, very tanned, with long hair that he tied in a bun. He looked like he has travelled a lot.

I'm reminded of how R stayed in Jalan-jalan Guesthouse when she was in Melaka. I think she would've loved ETH as much.

ETH's address:
71 Jalan Parameswara
Bandar Hilir
Melaka 75000

Telephone no.: 012-301-8574

My Melaka

2009-06-29T17:29:00.003+08:00

I remember feeling really hot. Also, the skin around my toes and feet were turning into blisters and falling off because I wore the wrong foot wear.

The rest here and here.

For the price of a cup of tea

2009-06-21T21:38:00.002+08:00

Yesterday was pure magic!

FLS and myself sent B off at the airport in the afternoon(How did the the surprise go!). Then, FLS brought me to the highly-acclaimed 15 minutes, where we had southern-something-something chicken wings and fries and a strawberry smoothie.

We got restless after sitting around so we left and headed to town. Town was, as always, jam packed with people, vehicles, machinery, noise and other environmental-unfriendly, distracting things. We combed 3 carparks (THREE!) but only the last one had lots. Anyway, by the time we got out to do some proper shopping, everything was closed/closing, it was very frustrating.

So FLS said, let's check out Casualpoet's new rooftop! And so we did! We reached at 10.30pm, and knowing from past experience that they close at 11pm, FLS and I readied ourselves (and our hearts) for disappointment. I suggested going for a night walk if Casualpoet was closed, then forced FLS to agree to the plan. I still think it's a good plan, by the way.

They weren't closed when we reached, but you could tell they were going to. There were still some people milling around store. It's been what, 3 months, since I last came here. They've shifted the furniture around a bit, changed the direction of the kitchen and the counter. The place looked.. sprightly! Glowing!

Then, we proceeded to the rooftop. It was only one storey up, and NO ONE was up there. All the lights were off, save for some blue fairy lights at the TV corner. FLS and I fumbled around for a bit looking for the switches, and when we finally managed to turn the lights on, it was a sight to behold!

The place looked nothing like the pictures R had put on the blog. There were 4 tables (all made out of wood, no less), a rattan sofa, a coffee table with some magazines, a TV, a sewing machine-cum-sauce table, a CD rack and a CD player/radio set. Lighting was provided by 3 lightbulbs dangling from the ceiling (sans any form of lampshade), with the help of the fairy lights. It was absolutely charming, delightful. I think what really added to the magic meter was the fact that there wasn't anyone else around! It was just us!

FLS ordered us some drinks, and we played some of R's CDs. She had left a note on top of the CD rack, telling every and anyone to feel free to listen to them. (She also quoted Chet Lam - 'See you in the music'.)

And that was how we spent the rest of the night - We sat around, we drank some drinks, we listened to the Juno soundtrack, Cheer Chen, Chet Lam, The Pancakes, At17, we flipped through R's magazines and talked - mostly about what we are going to do in the future with ourselves and our lives. I think R would be pleased with our conversation topics (:

I also need to add that at 11, one of R's shopkeepers came up to tell us that they were closed. We were almost ready to get up and go as well, but she told us that we can stay (We can stay!) for as long as we like (FOR AS LONG AS WE LIKE!), but just not to forget turn off the lights when we go.

So here's us (missing B) having a ball.

Also, the first roll from the BSD is out! Mighty pleased with the results.

The rest are up here, if you're interested.

And lastly, MY HAIR IS ABSOLUTELY DISASTROUS. Every hair follicle is crying out in pain as I am looking through yesterday's photos. Dear God, please let the next month or so zip by without me (or my hair) knowing, so we can both suddenly realise how much it has grown. Dear God, please.

Hello J!

2009-06-20T00:49:00.004+08:00

I had a sneaking suspicion you might read this. I just wanted to tell you that I had a blast on Thursday. Your office is wicked awesome, it feels so much like home! Actually, I didn't get the chance to tell you this, but a couple of my friends and I had a crazy idea to start our own little thing like that too. Our idea is golden, solid stuff. We got the whole business plan down pat, except we haven't put it in black and white, which reminds me, it needs to be done soon. Actually, I was feeling kinda shaky about the whole thing, but Thursday gave me a lot of reassurance (:

Okay, long story short, I just wanted to say whatever it is you're doing really is something else. It dispels all the "young people nowadays so easy give up", "young people nowadays don't know hardship", "young people nowadays don't even want to try" and, you know, you get it.

Oh oh! And remember I was telling you about Bella looking like this other dog from this blog I read? Here's a picture!

Photo credit: dooce

The one on the left is Chuck (short for Chuckles, I think) and the one on the right is Coco. I thought Bella's face resembled Chuck's a little. Don't you think!

Okay, let's hang out again soon okay! Maybe I'll get the missing #2 on your door plate for you, haha!

I tried to do headstands for you

2009-06-15T21:48:00.004+08:00

These were the nicest from the lot. I think I like the film, but not this roll, didn't turn out the way I thought it would. Will try it with more sunlight the next time, maybe.
This is becoming a photography blog.

Also! It's summer in the States and Europe and everywhere else (with the exception of Australia). Yay, been looking forward to this. Let's see what all the fashion blogs are featuring and if any one of us can pull those looks off.

Oh oh! And please click on this link. I guarantee it won't disappoint!

Your heavy heart

2009-06-12T22:37:00.003+08:00

Couple of weeks ago, I had a 5-hour long conversation with a security guard who worked at The Company HQ. It was a pretty bizarre, spontaneous situation (how it happened is a story for another day), but it happened.

We spoke about politics, job requirements, Facebook, living conditions in Australia, mousepad material, children swimwear, bad habits, anniversaries, leather belts, plastic bags, paper bags, hazardous working environments and TV programmes. He told me he had 3 kids, 2 boys and a girl, aged between 5 and 11. His daughter was from a previous marriage, he told me he didn't know how he got custody of her, but he did. And he doesn't know if he is going to be able to provide for her as well as he thought he would've been able to, because "little girls are very demanding, you know".

He told me he walked with a slouch, and that the most important thing to do when you want to create a good first impression is to NOT slouch. Uh, I told him I tend to slouch a lot too.

He said young people always don't listen to older people because it's "so naggy so noisy", but we should because older people only mean well. I told him I'm quite afraid of growing into a noisy, naggy old woman whom nobody listens to.

He told me about his previous job (he delivered stuff at night, like a night courier person..?) and how he was born to work in the night. He only recently changed to become a security guard because he thought some change would do him good. I told him this was my first job.

He asked me how many Barbie Dolls I had when I was young. I told him, uh 4? Maybe 5? He said, wah, I only bought 1 for my daughter so far. So I told him I preferred Polly Pocket a lot more, haha.

I thought to myself that night on the way home, wow this is life you know, and it comes in a million and one variations. Worrying about not buying your daughter enough Barbie Dolls, or not standing straight enough to create good first impressions, or having to report for work on time everyday at 10pm.Maybe there isn't a person on this earth who is 100% satisfied with his life, but I think it'll do us all some good if we look at our lives from a different perspective every once in a while.

Okay, think I might do that.

I can watch a sunset on my own

2009-06-09T22:02:00.003+08:00

I have no fate with the Yashica.

It took three and a half months, 3 batteries, 2 rolls of spoilt film and countless instruction manuals downloaded from the Internet to get me and the Yashica where we stand today. I finally got around to developing the first roll and the result is.. what's the word? Mildly enchanting? Slightly whimsical? I'm not sure if I like it (too much saturation?), but you know, we've gone a long way, and this is considered our first milestone.

I'm going to have a celebratory Yakult!

Molly's first! Many, many things happening in all these shots. I didn't know what to look at or focus on.

Also! I could watch this a thousand times a day and still not know how to pronounce it properly. I am determined, though. I will get it right.

"Sans toi, les emotions d'aujourd'hui ne seraient que la peau morte des emotions d'autrefois."

CP + CD

2009-06-06T15:56:00.003+08:00

so if you ever find yourself in the store, please don't be awkward. try to talk to me, the grumpy shopkeeper sitting behind the counter. i might look grumpy but i would still love to talk to you and listen to you. i would want to find out if you're gay (this remains one of my favourite things to find out about a person). you might want to volunteer that information to me because i'd be too shy to ask anyway. i'd also want to know if you have a boyfriend/girlfriend, and whether you're gainfully employed or not (and where, and for how long). also, i'd love to find out about your favourite authors, movies, bands and so on. so talk to me. we might even adjourn to the rooftop (once it's ready) to continue our conversation over a cup of steaming coffee. and then who knows? we might end up realizing that we're made for each other.

haha.

*

I don't drink coffee, but yeah, let's talk.
I think you're inspiring and beautiful that way!

Dieter Plage

2009-06-02T23:37:00.002+08:00

I was watching a show on Animal Planet about these bunch of crazyass wildlife documentary filmmakers who risk their lives to film dangerous DANGEROUS animals (think African elephants, snow leopards, sperm whales, gorillas, grizzlies, rhinos and the like). Oh, it's absolutely riveting. They are constantly pushing the boundaries. How close can they get to the animals? 8 feet, 7 feet, 5 feet, oh look there's still no reaction, let's try 2 feet.

In today's episode, the filmmakers re-enact the stories of how close they came to a violent, brutal and surely bloody death. One missed having his toes masticated by a great white shark, another missed being trampled by a herd of charging elephants, a third one got pounced on by an adult Siberian tiger and so on.

I don't know how they get back up on their feet after each encounter, pick up their cameras and continue filming, but they do. They are tenacious, steadfast and really hardy. I would say I admire their nerve, dedication and above all, passion and love for animals, wildlife and their jobs, but admire is a big understatement.

It also makes me wonder how much Nat Geo or Animal Planet or Discovery Channel pay them for their footages. Not that I want to put a monetary value on everything, but okay alright, I'm sure it's a kickass job. Your office is the Amazon, your cubicle is the underground cave, your colleagues are elephants and gorillas and polar bears and seals. Nothing like the excel spreadsheets and tabs I see everyday. Maybe I need a change in work environment.

Just a thought.

15 things I don't and never will get

2009-05-30T00:34:00.004+08:00

1. Rubik's Cube

2. Guitar Heroes Hard Mode

3. Ikea bedsheets (As in, why do they come with TWO pillow covers and NO bolster covers? Do the Swedes not sleep with bolsters?)

4. The Konkatsu Bra

5. Pronunciation of the letter 'R' in French words

6. Diarrhoea's correct spelling (Checked this one up on dictionary.com so it's not counted)

7. Aperture settings

8. of Montreal song titles

9. Um, visual kei

10. Guitar Heroes Drums Medium Mode

11. Twilight. As in the whole Stephanie Meyer series.

12. Hello Kitty

13. Kim Jong Il

14. People who order the Nissin instant noodles at Hong Kong Cafe

15. Your hair colour

Now my feet won't touch the ground

2009-05-24T23:43:00.002+08:00

Friday was my over-achievement day.

Saturday, B and FLS came over to help paint my room!
Here's the story - Two years ago, when I was 20 and naive and not in Singapore, and when my family was moving into the new house, my parents asked me what colour I would like my new room to be. Thinking I wanted something fresh! and! bright! I chose a HIDEOUS NEON GREEN over the Nippon website and told my parents I wanted that.

It looked great for the first.. 6? 7? weeks. But after that, neon green made me nauseous. I had procrastinated and procrastinated, but yesterday, I finally got down to painting them walls. I chose white because.. well because I didn't want black. Black makes people "live in the shadows of regret" and its darkness would "take away your soul".

B and FLS were of great help. Can I just emphasize, GREAT HELP.

Toldja it was hideous green.

B putting on the first coat.

Suicide crossed our minds several times.

This was our celebratory dinner after we were done painting. Ramen was Y-U-M!

And here's the end result!

Can I just say how mighty pleased I am with how it turned out (:

Props to B and FLS <3

He heard you could see your future inside a glass of water

2009-05-17T23:44:00.002+08:00

How come they can take pictures like these? It makes everything turn magnificent and awe-inspiring and clean and pristine again. I also want.

Via 移りゆく.

Last minute wrap Buddha's leg

2009-05-13T11:30:00.002+08:00

Dear God,

Thank you for giving me great colleagues at work, so my inexperience can be pardoned most of the time. Thank you for a great family, a great home and my own great room (with a not so great wall colour). Thank you for letting me pass my driving test and yes well, thank you for all other great things that have happened in my life.

I have one more favour to ask of you tonight - Please let everything go smoothly. Please let nothing go wrong, please let nothing bad happen. Please please please, let there be no major hiccups tonight. You may take my driving license back.

Thank you thank you THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU !

Much love,
Val

No umbrella over your head when it rains

2009-05-06T22:37:00.002+08:00

Let's go back again soon!

Go go bento!

2009-04-21T23:29:00.003+08:00

So this has been done to death already, but I just have to share what I found! The whole concept of bento lunch boxes is it's detailed intricacy and the amount of love, time and effort spent on preparing one. I admit I've seen some pretty awesome bento lunch boxes, but you know what, this one takes the cake.

Everyone, please take in the greatness that is AnnaTheRed's Japanese pop culture-influenced bento lunch boxes! Can you name them all?

Okay, so these aren't really Japanese pop culture but, like, whatever. It still kicks ass.

This one's for Boo, heh. Domoooooooo~

And here's my FAVOURITE one of them all!

Look! She even bothered to do the "twitching eye"!

I thought this was so hilarious! A buncha raving rabbids in varying shades of brown. How awesome is that!

"One of my friends has asked me before, “How much food do you throw out when you make kyaraben/charaben?” I told him “I don’t” but he didn’t seem like he believed me, until he took a glance at my bento one day. I usually have the same food as my boyfriend has, but whatever I didn’t use for his bento will be added to my bento. Scraps of veggies, kamaboko (fish cake), seaweed, cheese, rice… pretty much everything. I finish my boyfriend’s bento first, then while he takes pictures of the bento, I just dump everything in my bento box. That’s how I pack my lunch. I don’t even bother putting it in neatly, because I’m the one who’s eating it and I really don’t care."

If that isn't love, then I don't know what else is!

Please check out her other equally awesome bento art here. I guarantee it'll be worth your time.

A moment

2009-04-20T18:25:00.004+08:00

How ridiculously good looking is Zac Efron?

Via here and here.

Ugh, I feel stupid.
Okay, moment over.

So it goes

2009-04-15T23:29:00.002+08:00

Over the long (!) Good Friday weekend, I had my short, little well-deserved getaway. Not to Indonesian or the Philippines, because it was quite a last minute trip. We headed just across the border to a sleepy little town called Sungei Ringgit, about 30km off Desaru.

We used to come to this town every year when I was 12 or 13 because we had some really, really distant relative (mom's sister's husband's brother's wife's brother, if it matters) who owned a fish farm there. Then, for some reason, after I turned 18 or so, we stopped going because.. because why? I don't know.

So it's been 5 years since my last visit, and I must say the town hasn't changed much. They've built a couple of new hotels around, but everything else still moves at a glacial speed. Not that it's a bad thing, slow can be charming.

Today was also indie day out with The Boo which turned out to be quite the adventure! We hatched an ingenious business plan over dinner, and I am rubbing my hands with much joy and glee because, ooh it is just too exciting!

Other updates: I rebonded my hair (in Sungei Ringgit, cheap cheap, only $50) and it's flat as hell! I can't decide which is worse - Frizzy hair with frayed ends or flat, lifeless rebonded hair.

Both make me want to stick my head into a bucket of muck ):

Spaces

2009-04-02T20:55:00.002+08:00

Today was a big, busy day at the office. People were running around, files and papers in hand, spectacles perched on heads, frowns etched on faces. I helped C do this, helped M run some errands, helped X send documents over. You know, little things that don't really matter, but sorta matter.

Mom's the best! I had asked her what she intended to cook for dinner and she told me "the usual" which consisted of one fish, one veggie and one side dish. I begged and begged her to cook curry chicken (Mom's curry chicken is the best!) and she kept saying NO NO NO, there's no more chicken meat. But when I came home, surprise surprise! She had managed to find some in the fridge, so we had curry chicken for dinner! I ate about 12 pieces of potatoes.

So this evening, I've have a little more time for myself, which means a little more time to sift through the morass of information that is the Internet and look what I found! Lovely domestic spaces:

Gotta love messy book shelves!

There is something about bricks that I can't put my finger on. Does Santa climb down brick chimneys? Can you even make a chimney out of bricks?

Is that 2 sliding doors I see?

Ooh, so creepy but so, SO fascinating! If I had Show-and-Tell, I'd bring one insect specimen each day and I'd never run out of things to talk about for 2 years.

Oh what a riot of colours and textures!

And my favourite of them all!

It's so messy, but so compartmentalised at the same time.

All via The Selby.

Buy this place and start a fire

2009-03-30T22:24:00.012+08:00

I know this has been around for some time, but I just have to say when I saw this picture again, I had a 'Why didn't I think of that!' moment. Hmm. Why didn't I think of that?

Work has gotten from bland to frightful to overwhelming in the span of one week. I don't think it is a good thing - and I don't see it as one, but I think I could get used to this. I could get used to mediocre. Mediocre expectations. Mediocre achievements. Mediocre personality. Mediocre life etc. I'm thinking mediocre isn't bad, just not really satisfying, you know? People get by with mediocrity. They're not excelling, but they're okay. I suppose I could live with okay. Just a recurring thought these days.

Found a great perk-me-up! I could really use a short holiday to any island off Indonesia or the Philippines. Even Malaysia. It has to be preferably some place really hot, with lots of extra space, colours and light. And where grasshoppers exist - I haven't seen a grasshopper since I was 14, I think. Additional points if you don't understand the language the locals speak.

Bali, as seen by Cameri.Camera.

And something else I've been obsessing over recently - Girls on Bicycles!

It's really stupid but all of a sudden, all I want now is a red or green bicycle with really big, thin wheels, many spokes and a small rattan basket in the front to put cherry tomatoes or some other stupid country vegetable!

Don't have a soul to save

2009-03-26T00:10:00.002+08:00

And I love this, even though there's nothing special about it!

From The Sartorialist.

My weekend starts in t-2 days!

Ignite your bones

2009-03-24T23:47:00.003+08:00

So I'm sure you must've read just about everyone else's rendition of Coldplay's concert last night. I'm 24 hours late.

It really was as fantastic, awesome, phenomenal as everybody else has said it was. The lights, the laser show, the sound system, the chemistry between each member, Chris Martin's stage antics and etc. He's quite the crowd pleaser. Twice, he asked from behind his little piano, "Everybody okay?" He cares!

Best parts of the show for me was when they walked off the stage and into the middle of the audience to sing Then I saw her face, Now I'm a believer, Not a trace, Of doubt in my mind, I'm in love Oooooooh! And when Chris Martin made the entire stadium do a Mexican wave with our mobile phones. And when everybody coordinated to do the Mexican wave. And when they sang 42, You thought you might be a ghost, You didn't make get to heaven but you ohhh ohhhhh. And when all 10,000 people in the stadium sang with bursting hearts oohhh ooohhhhh ohhh, ooohhh ohhhh ohhhh without anyone telling us to do so when waiting for the band to come back on stage for the encore. And when the ceiling of the stadium rained down butterfly shaped confetti on the $248 ticket holders. And when the VIVA backdrop unveiled during Death And All His Friends.

So I couldn't decide which photo to use (ALL MY PHOTOS WERE CRAP! VIDEOS TOO!). I chose this one in the end because, I don't know. No one has ever made me feel this way on a Monday evening before!

I clipped the ticket stubs on the board in front of me and I keep stealing glances at it. And just like Melly and Jules and many others, I've walked around the whole of today feeling like I'm surrounded by a layer of happiness and warmth! I think if I watched any of the videos decades later, I'll still get the same overwhelming, goosebumpy feeling I got yesterday. It's like, I've watched Coldplay live and my life is that much more fulfilled.

So today!

2009-03-21T14:55:00.003+08:00

A few people have told me that as a driver, it's important to know car things - like, how much it would cost to fix a busted tyre, or replace a windscreen, or a touch up a scratch etc. So I'm going to follow my dad to the mechanic later. This makes me feel really like a grown up.

Imma go get ready to leave the house now.

Music when the lights go out!

2009-03-17T21:03:00.002+08:00

So if you ask me what I've been up to the past few weeks, I'd tell you I don't know. Honestly, I don't know. There isn't a single event or conversation or thought that stands out. Which all only points to one thing - I'm becoming stupid. No, scratch that, it's worse - I'm getting used to stupid!

My pretty new Moleskine is still propped up awkwardly against the wall. I keep thinking about things I could do with it, but when it actually comes down to writing the first alphabet or pasting the first cut out picture, it's so hard because I'm afraid I might do something I don't like and regret it later.

On the topic of Moleskines, here are some beautiful things that people do with their's (via K. Illustrations):

These Moleskine drawings also sorta reminded me of the paintings by Matthew Gray Gubler, all slightly whimsical!

That's him - If you find him familiar, it's maybe because you saw him in Criminal Minds. I caught like what, 3 episodes of that show, and I only remember his character because in the show, his character was an autistic kid who grew up to be a super genius with 3 PhDs.

*

It's mid March and you know what, I've discovered that the non-rainy mid March skies are exactly like Perth skies! I should really start taking pictures again.

Absolutely stunning pictures via 移りゆく.

And just to celebrate my love for little people (as in, you know, kids), here's what I'd dress my kid up in if I had one!

Look at his mini Vans!

*
So the rest of March looks like it will be jam packed with work and other highly meaningless things, but after an inspirational dinner and chat with someone I'm not even close to, I've decided to make what's left of March slightly more enriching! I'm thinking guitar lessons, more outdoor photo taking, less spending money like water and definitely more reading.

I know it's slightly creepy and very obsessive, but Melly's food pictures make me want to learn cooking from my mom! How come I never bothered when I was in Perth!

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO BLOG ABOUT, REALLY

2009-03-11T23:21:00.002+08:00

Boo bought me my first Moleskine. I didn't get to tear off the shrink wrap like Melly did but that's okay because mine came with a personalised note that was quite the tearjerker.

I now own the same notebook as Van Gogh, Hemingway, Picasso and the like. It even has an expandable inner pocket. Who knows what I may become!

Conversations

2009-03-01T20:26:00.003+08:00

Last night, I was standing outside Far East Plaza calling my mom at home because we wanted to find out GV's hotline to do a phone booking for a movie.

Me: Okay so you need to go online and find GV's hotline.

Mom: So what do you want me to do?

Me: You can go GV's website and try to search for the number on the site. Or actually, you know what? Just go Google the hotline, it's faster.

Mom: Okay, wait I try.

After a few second..

Mom: Eh don't have.

Me: Don't have? How can don't have?

Mom: No no, wait! What you want me to do?

Me: Find GV's booking number! I said Google it, it's faster.

Mom: Google means what?

Me: Means you type 'www.google.com' then in the search box you type Golden Village Hotline or something like that.

Mom: Orh! That's what you mean.

Me: Then what did you do?

Mom: I just type 'www.gvhotline.com'.

*FACEPALM

How come I end up where I started

2009-02-10T22:48:00.003+08:00

I watched the repeat telecast of the Grammys last night (thank you for the live SMS updates, you know who you are! And how come Channel 5 didn't broadcast it this year? Didn't they show it last year?). I missed a big part of it in the front because I was watching the 9 o' clock drama on Channel 8 and the Grammys totally slipped my mind (!!!!!!!!!!).

So I know I missed Stevie and the Jonas Bros and Miley and her BFF and Jennifer Hudson's standing ovation performance and etc. But thank god for the invention that is Youtube. I think I saw most of what I missed on Youtube. Stevie and the Jonas Bros' clip had garnered 5,000 hits when I saw it last night. Now it has 20,000++ I think, my god. And correct me if I'm wrong please, but did one of the Jonas bro call Stevie, Stevo? Is he allowed to do that?

Collaborations this year were all so REVOLUTIONARY! Most of the performances had faces that I did recognise and didn't recognise. You could tell that they were all some sorta influential, legendary musical icon. Which makes me wonder, you think there would be any major squabbles during the rehearsals since they're all from different musical backgrounds and possess such different styles!

Anyway, all the performances deserved standing ovations again and again because these people have really reached the status of music gods. They make watching them on TV 50,000km away such an overwhelming experience, and I know it's cheesy to say this, but all of them really are winners in their own right. And they deserve it!

So if you only have time to watch one performance from this year's Grammys, make it the Radiohead performance. I thought Gwyneth Paltrow's introduction of the band was a bit dull and flat. But you know who cares, it's Gwyneth Paltrow.

Thom Yorke stuns me in mystical ways, really he does.

And this reminded me of this. Which was shot 14 years ago:

I asked Trina if he was married or has a family and Trina says he has 2 kids. One must then wonder, what is it like watching your father perform in front of millions of people at the world's greatest music event?

Thoughts

2009-02-08T23:37:00.002+08:00

You know what, I think we really are the information overload generation. Everyone around me is constantly complaining of too much, too many. The only thing we have too little of is time.

That, and money of course.

Tell me that the casual panics will cave in

2009-02-05T00:35:00.003+08:00

Smiles aplenty!

I think I'm really pleased with how I spent my past 2 weekends, because they were both emotionally and physically fulfilling (we walked at least 3km, I'm sure of that). Weekends are always such a luxury.

I don't mind, without you it's a waste of time

2009-01-28T00:19:00.003+08:00

Chinese new year this year was such a blast, much better than any previous Chinese new years I remember. This year, I: sang unlimited free KTV, had shabu shabu, ate a lot of beef, lou a lot of hei, played Wii, realised one of my cousins has a middle aged brother I never knew of, made friends with a 5 year old, got a hug from the same 5 year old (!), did a reality check, met my lovelies for supper and a movie and went apeshit with the polaroid camera. All good fun (:

I don't look forward to dragging my sorry bum back to work tomorrow. Of late, I find there are too many too manys that seem to occupy a big portion of my mind. Too many things I've started that I haven't ended. Too many loose ends to tie up. Too many questions. Too many moments. Too many interpretations. Too many thoughts. Too many versions of a thought. Too many, too much.

I also take too long to form an opinion about anything. This irritates me a lot!

Letter unread

2009-01-24T23:45:00.002+08:00

Dearest AC,

I am writing to you this note in response to the one you've written to me 2 days ago.

In your note, you apologised for the phenomenal amount of work that J and myself have been tasked to do recently. I believe it was only after M have spoken to you about our unhappiness that you realise that whatever we're doing right now will contribute in no way to our department, and is, in fact, not a responsibility of our department at all. You said you understood that what J and myself are doing is tedious work, that it isn't easy nor pleasant, and that you fully appreciate our efforts. You even added a P.S. at the bottom telling us to play some music if it gets too tiring.

I'd just like to clarify a few things here, AC. First of all, J and myself (or at least me) are not mad at you for anything, so I think it's unnecessary to apologise. In fact, we're not even upset that we have to do the work! We're fine with doing it, that's why it's called a job. We're just angry because the person who's supposed to be doing it (she knows who she is, ugh) is NOT doing it. And also that you're totally buying into her horse shit of how she's SWAMPED with work when no one knows what exactly she's in charge of.

Okay, I mean, we're not angry at you for trusting people so easily, we're just a little UGH that you seem like you're on her side because you believe she's really busy. WHICH SHE IS NOT BY THE WAY.

Oh and please don't believe what M and maybe R have said about you neglecting our team. I totally don't think you did. If you did, you wouldn't hold any of our Wednesday meetings. Like last Wednesday for example, when you had to rush through the !@£$%^* property listings excel sheet with me just so you could hold our team meeting on time. You always said this team meeting is important because it keeps us updated on what we're doing. You know, if you didn't care about our department, you wouldn't have done it at all.

On that note, I think you're a great boss, AC. I really, honestly do. You are a great leader because you have a vision for the team. You have your opinions, but you always listen to what everyone has to say, even the most insignificant members. More importantly, you take everyone's thoughts into consideration before making a full decision (unlike someone else we both know..). It's what makes you a good leader because you know what you want, but you understand your own shortcomings as well.

It really is my good fortune to have you as my first boss. I've heard horror stories about some of my friend's bosses from hell, literally. Most of the time I can't identify with their stories because you never throw that kind of shit at me, or at the team. I think you know that I may take a little longer than the rest of the team to understand a concept or complete a proposal because it's all still new to me, so you give me a little more space, a little more time. I really, really appreciate this (:

So on an ending note, I want you to know that, while you may never read this, my full loyalty and support is with and for you. I am never bitter about whatever work you've assigned me no matter how tedious, and never will be. Thank you for all the opportunities you've given me, for your patience and for everything you've taught me so far (:

Happy new year, and have a great trip (I know you're on a holiday now)!

Sincerely,
Val

A Sunday smile, we wore it for awhile

2009-01-20T22:09:00.004+08:00

You said to me, It really isn't that difficult. I reminded you, That's because you've been through it thousand times before. You said to me, You musn't let it affect you. I told you, I'll try not to but I think it already has. You said to me, Don't put too much heart in it. So I replied, I can't. Because the heart is a habit. The heart is a routine. The heart is a messy network.

Nice things that look good

2009-01-18T01:47:00.004+08:00

I am now the proud temporary owner of a new camera, and I must say this is the best thing that has happened to me in 2009 so far. I am so excited; thinking about it makes me wriggle in my seat and chuckle like a child!

I think when I'm old, like when I'm 45, I'll join a line dancing class. I saw a huge group of line dancers gathered at TPY today for a mass line dance in the middle of the HDB Hub and ooh, it just makes me want to break out in a song! and! dance! with them. Also, what's great about line dancing is it doesn't matter if you can or can not dance, just shuffle your feet and flail your arms around and you look like you blend in!

They play cheesy music of course, like let's get loud let's get loud turn the music up let's do it come on people LET'S GET LOUD!

Shopkeeper R continues to fascinate me.

No the clouds didn't form, they just grew into a storm

2009-01-12T23:03:00.002+08:00

Highlights in the past week or so: Work, Duxton Hill cats, 花吃了那女孩, ukulele, social networking sites, Beirut, Japanese school children, GG, my first cup of coffee at work and a restless heart.

Some pictures from a time not too long ago, in a land not too far away. It's funny because I had the initial thought of buying at least a hundred rolls of film to last me the entire year I was going to be away. Why did I think that? This was the first roll of film taken in my second semester. My only roll of film.

Conversation

2009-01-11T20:57:00.002+08:00

This really happened.
At Toa Payoh Pasta Mania -

Waitress at counter: Hi! Hello! Welcome to Pasta Mania. What would you like to have today?
Me: Could I get a Seafood Marinara..
Waitress at counter: Pasta choice, ma'am?
Me: Spaghetti please. And could I get a Chicken Bolognese, penne for that.
Waitress at counter: Okay.. Chicken Bolognese with penis.
Me: (?!!?!) Uh.. and uh Arrabiata, penne also.
Waitress at counter: Arrabiata.. penis. What else?
Me: Uh.. that's all.
Waitress at counter: Okay, I'll repeat your orders, ma'am. One Seafood Marinara with spaghetti, one Chicken Bolognese with penis, and one Arrabiata with penis.

HOLY WTF.

Island of the honest man

2009-01-04T23:22:00.002+08:00

It's Monday tomorrow. And all I can think of is UGH LAST EPISODE OF LITTLE NYONYA UGH UGH UGH! WHAT'S THERE TO WATCH AFTER THAT!

Keys to the city

2008-12-31T01:32:00.002+08:00

Hong Kong was all about massive crowds, cool kids on the streets with DSLRs and bright! neon! signs! Very much like the Hong Kong I remember from 2 years ago, but with cleaner streets and friendlier people. Mom and I walked so much our feet ached every night when we went back to the hotel room. She wouldn't stop eating, I wouldn't stop spending money mindlessly.

***

Something for myself to achieve in the coming year - To be more assertive, to be braver, to expect less from others and more from myself.

So with the nasty economy crisis already rearing its ugly head, I wish all of you good people happiness and good health in the year ahead. Happy 2009, everyone! Go nuts!

Maybe, you can owe me

2008-12-22T00:03:00.004+08:00

I attended Fahrenheit's concert a few days ago and it was like watching a good B-grade movie - Annoying from the start till the end, yet oddly entertaining

I have so many questions to ask. Like, where do the fangirls make the large LED name boards? Why do all the LED name boards have the same round chinese font? How come they know they're allowed to give flowers and gifts to them? What would they do with the toys and flowers if they weren't passed to the band? What does Fahrenheit do with all these stuffed toys and flowers, I'm sure they must've collected a mountain from all the adoring 16 year olds. Why oh why do they keep asking the crowd, 你們high不high? 你們喜不喜歡我們穿singlet? And why does that one irritating member keep tryna speak English? Why you gotta be actin' all ghetto man? Go back to trippin' in your own hood!

Worst case scenario

2008-12-18T23:12:00.002+08:00

My addition to the plastic jungle - A spotted cow, a grazing grass goat and a little grey sheep. Cheap, plastic toys from Mustafa.

They're tiny, I know. And they almost blend into the soil. Sigh.

6!

2008-12-14T23:53:00.003+08:00

6 things about me, as tagged by Mavis:

1. I really love children. Like, really.

2. When I was in primary 3 or 4, I made up this stupendous story about my older sister's wedding (I don't have an older sister or any older siblings for that matter) to my then BFF Catherine Qian. And she totally ate that shit up. She asked if she could come to the wedding, and I said no because the seating arrangements were confirmed already. Catherine Qian, if you're reading this.. I'm terribly sorry, I never had an older sister!

3. I am bow-legged.

4. I have a terrible sense of direction and I can't tell which is left or right, especially when I'm driving. If you tell me to turn left, you HAVE TO use your hands and show me left or I'll turn right and not know it.

5. I like airplane food.

6. My gums are eroding.

My turn to tag 6 other people - I tag Trina Bong, Melly, Harlie, Boo, Kimberly and Sammy.
Half of these names don't know I read their blogs!

Haiku

2008-12-09T23:25:00.002+08:00

Sports shoes: One purpose
Sports sports sports sports sports
Do not wear with anything else

Hang me up to dry

2008-12-01T22:44:00.002+08:00

When we shifted into the new house, mom bought 3 huge pots of plant to fill up the planter box area. As it turned out, 3 huge pots of plant wouldn't fit into the area comfortably - It looked overcrowded, it was unsightly and the leaves of each plant started to turn brown at the edges from the strong winds. To save them, dad took one pot out and and put it in the corner of the lift area so it could get a healthy dose of sunshine!

Recently, though, the pot that we put out continued decaying. Since its condition wasn't improving, mom took a pair of scissors one Sunday morning and snipped away the decaying stalks. And since almost all of them were decaying, she snipped away what must've been 7/8 of the plant. It looked a little bare for awhile.

This morning, as I dragged myself out of sleep, bed and home for work, I noticed a bright green leaf sprouting. And what's more adorable - Someone had put a toy giraffe underneath it! I was so highly amused by it, I kept chuckling to myself silently at work the whole day. Sucked balls that my weekend was over and it's Monday already, but I suppose my little discovery helped. It really is a jungle out there!

Not relevant: I was at Sitex with my mom and brother on Saturday and they were selling Guitar Heroes World Tour for $279!!!!!!!!!! I didn't get it in the end though, what a bummer I know, but my mom convinced me that there isn't enough space in the house at all for a plastic guitar, let alone drum set, mic and mic stand.

Anyway, here is the best YouTube video on earth. Trina Bong especially, please watch it, it will change your life. I can't decide if they are amateurs trying to look professional or professionals trying to look amateur. Whatever it is, it kicks ass. Comparable to Ok Go's threadmill vid!

I am all the days that you choose to ignore

2008-11-02T16:51:00.003+08:00

It's a gloomy Sunday afternoon. And you know what gloomy Sunday afternoons are perfect for? List making!

Here's one:

List of (Good) Films I've Never Watched
1. Lord of The Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
2. Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers
3. Lord of The Rings: The Return of The King
4. Citizen Kane
5. 2046
6. Chungking Express
7. Mee Pok Man
8. Gone With The Wind
9. The Godfather
10. Psycho
11. Pretty Women
12. West Side Story
13. Seven Samurai
13. The Pianist
14. Monty Python and the Holy Grail
15. The Shawshank Redemption
16. Shine a Light
17. A Clockwork Orange
18. Wall•E
19. To Kill a Mockingbird
20. My Fair Lady
21. Goodfellas
21. In The Mood For Love
22. Being John Malkovich
23. There's Something About Mary
24. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
25. Fargo
26. Reservoir Dogs
27. Kramer vs. Kramer
28. Requiem for a Dream
29. Dancer in the Dark
30. Schlinder's List

Plus a lot more!

THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL

2008-10-19T14:59:00.002+08:00

Please go watch Mamma Mia! If not to sing along to the cheesy (but really awesome) Abba songs, then watch it to see Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth strut around in glittery, flamenco dancer-esque costumes. Hahaha!

Bangkok sights, sounds and smells

2008-10-06T12:22:00.002+08:00

Conversations

2008-10-05T02:31:00.003+08:00

Mom and I were hopelessly lost on the way back from the Tampines Ikea - And we were trusting the useless piece of junk that is the GPS to guide us back (as it is supposed to).

Mom: Okay, it says you have to keep right.. and uh.. exit right in 300m.
Me: But there are no right exits here?!! We are on expressway!?
Mom: Oh is it. But the GPS says so!
Me: I don't trust it. I'm going to exit at Yio Chu Kang.

(Exits at Yio Chu Kang Road)

Mom: Okay. You exit at Yio Chu Kang.. oh keep right keep right it says keep right once you exit!
Me: Are you sure?
Mom: It says keep right when you exit, then cross the bridge in 100m.
Me: BRIDGE???
Mom: Yah, okay keep right. Turn turn!
Me: But Yio Chu Kang Road is on the left!
Mom: Just keep right.
Me: (Extremely exasperated) Ohmygod. I'm going into freaking Seletar Camp.
Mom: How you know?
Me: The signboard says so. We are at Seletar Camp, well done. Well done.
Mom: Okay, don't panic. It says make a U-turn, then turn into the expressway again. Turn into TPE on the first left turn.
Me: (Trying not to yell) But that's towards Changi! That's going back to that Ikea direction.
Mom: Maybe from TPE Changi then it'll lead you back to Toa Payoh. Changi is part of Toa Payoh what.

*FACEPALM

Is it true, looks could kill

2008-09-14T22:34:00.002+08:00

I don't want to use the word 'hate' on you because, honestly, I don't hate you.
I just wish you would make up your mind on whose side you are on.
Stop sitting on the fence. Be brave for once, make your decision and stand by what you've decided upon.

Right now, you're plain rude, insensitive, bordering on disgusting to me.
I don't like to hate people, it is such a strong, energy-consuming emotion, it just wears your patience thin ):

22!

2008-09-09T00:17:00.000+08:00

Twenty-two!

Culture

2008-08-31T02:26:00.003+08:00

S has been asking my boss to lend her some DVDs, so my boss has been circulating some of her French movies around in the office. The other day, while cleaning my room, I found I Not Stupid and I Not Stupid Too in the drawers. So remembering the whole DVD sharing sessions going on the past few days, I thought I'd bring something too.

I brought the 2 DVDs to the office the next day and left them on her desk. When she saw the DVDs, she said, "Ah, some culture!" I had never intended it as that. Bu I suppose when a foreigner looks at some homemade films and exclaims excitedly that it's culture, you can pretty much assume that we do have one.

Ashamed to say it needed my French boss to point it out to me. Singapore does have culture. We're not cultured, no we're not (MM Lee says it took Europe several centuries for it to become a cultured society). But we have culture. I say, that's a start.

On a completely irrelevant note - I think I've reached the age where kids do not know whether or not to address me as jie jie or aunty. Case in point: I entered the lift with my neighbour and her 4 (possibly 5) year old son the other day. The boy peered up at the towering silhouette that is me, and his mouth opened to form a little 'O', then it closed again. Then it opened again. And closed again.

"Why never say hello," my neighbour prompted.
"Hello.." he said.
"Hello who?"

His little mouth opened and closed slowly again. Then he turned to his mother and whispered very loudly, "Is she jie jie or aunty?"

I am not depressed nor upset over this. I am just taking some time getting used to this. Who would've known, turning 22 brings forth such dramatic changes!

No, not another roundabout

2008-08-24T14:56:00.003+08:00

READ THIS!

HAH! What did I tell you! What did I tell you!

Closing ceremony's taking place at 8pm. Tonight, a little part of my heart will die along with the putting out of the Olympic flame. What am I going to do after it all ends ):

WTF moments!

2008-08-21T22:46:00.003+08:00

You must've heard about this by now -

In a WTF move, USA's 4 x 100m men's relay team DROPPED the baton! What is happening to Tyson Gay! Apparently, the women's 4 x 100m relay team ALSO dropped the baton! And we're talking about the heats here, not even the finals. Again, I can't help but feel a tinge of dismality for these athletes. All that training just to drop the baton at the end.

Moving on, Cuba wins the 110m men's hurdles!

He's a funny one, he is. He's wearing glasses! I found that oddly amusing, but then I realise it's like how other athletes wear shades when running. Don't know much about Cuba, except that they make good cigars.

Also, when I get a little tired of staring at web banners at work, I'll go click around at the Olympics website and I swear, half of China's participants in this year's Olympics are lying about their age! Or at least the female gymnast team.

Look at Deng Linlin for example. States on the Olympic website she's 16. If she is not secretly 10 years old, I'll eat my shorts.

Oh and yes, sigh. Feng Tianwei is out of table tennis quarterfinals. Li Jiawei is still in, but she's up against Zhang Yining next so, well, you know what will happen.

Olympics!

2008-08-20T23:37:00.003+08:00

Old news - But as Liu Xiang SHOCKS SHOCKS SHOCKS his 1.3 billion comrades (and also the world) by deciding to be OUT, Bolt never ceases to entertain/scare me, depending on my mood. I heard he is the only man capable of running at 37km/h, Bolt, not LX. How fast is 37km/h, you tell me. Strangely enough, I can't help but feel a little.. morose over Liu Xiang's ungraceful exit this year.

I mean, first of all, it's his home soil! No presence at the podiums for him here! And then of course, FOUR YEARS OF TRAINING, and it all leads to THIS! What a way to go down man. Not a huge sports fan, I must admit, but I recognise a down and out athlete when I see one, and that is a down and out athlete.

A very frustrated LX.

Creepy Bolt. I might want to be a Jamaican in my next life. Born with good running genes of course. Every other Jamaican, male or female, seems to be jumping on the Olympics bandwagon! Count me in!

In other news! Synchronised swimming continues to CREEP ME OUT - Russia tops this list!

I sat in my seat for a good 13 seconds or so trying to figure out how many people belong to these legs. Oh, these are Chinese legs by the way, not Russian.

Am kinda sad it's all ending in less than 5 days. What am I going to do after that for the next 4 years?!

DID YOU SEE USAIN BOLT?

2008-08-17T13:55:00.003+08:00

DID YOU SEE HIM WIN THE 100M DASH?

He's like Phelps on land but with a greater sense of humour. I suppose with a surname like Bolt, you're born to.. run. What a rush watching him.

Again & Again & Again & Again, Do It Again

2008-08-16T01:02:00.002+08:00

I must say it was close to chaos at the office yesterday. Okay, I exaggerate. But it was reasonably rowdy, honest! The bosses left after lunch for a horrid meeting, so we had the entire office to ourselves. Everyone knew about the 2.30pm match, but everyone also knew that we DIDN'T have a TV in our office.

So when 2.30 came, we had to rely on ex-colleagues of our colleagues to update us via MSN on the live scores. A bit like this:

"7 - 5."
"Who 7, who 5?"
"They 7, we 5."
"Shit, I don't want to hear anymore."
"Okay, don't update me the scores unless we're winning."
"Okay."
"Okay, it's damn silent. Means they're losing right. Shit."
"OH YES 7 - 6."
"Who 7, who 6?"
"THEY 7, WE 6?!!"
(X and S simultaneously) "9 - 9!!!!"
(X and S simultaneously again) "10 - 9!!!!!"
(X and S simultaneously, third time) "11 - 9!!!!!!!!"

We even caved in half way through the doubles match and decided we needed, JUST ABSOLUTELY NEEDED, to witness this for ourselves. So S, R and I walked to the coffeeshop across the road, the one with the HDTV (whao whao WHAO! Coffeeshops nowadays...), and joined a large handful of (andropausal) old men to watch the doubles game. Wang Yue Gu looked really old to me, like she was Jing Junhong's age. But we went back and Googled her and found out she's not even 30. She must've had a lot of pressure to look THAT old.

R called me as I left the office to tell me WE'VE WON WE'VE WON! It was all so new and overwhelming, and I'm not even at the Games! Imagine what Singaporeans at the Games must've felt!

Everywhere I went after that, there was a medal buzz in the air. Everyone was talking about it, everyone was congratulating everyone else on it! We have a medal! We're guaranteed at least a silver! We have a medal after 48 years of medal drought! This is going down in history as one of the greatest moments in Singapore sports! Oh you bet it is!

So who cares if the odds are against us in the finals, we're gonna get a medal! And it's not just any medal - It's going to be at least a silver! Our table tennis team are ranked among the top 2 in the world! IN THE WORLD! That's something to boast about! We didn't get one in Sydney, and we came so, so close in Athens, but we're guaranteed one now in Beijing! That's phenomenal! It shows that even small nations can have a face on the world stage too.

The finals will take place on Sunday at 7.30pm on Channel U, and it will be available on dual sound. I don't know about you, but I will definitely be rooted to my seat. We're not guaranteed a win, but I know we'll put up a tough fight, and I can assure you, it will be a riveting match!

A Million Times I've Asked You

2008-08-13T21:49:00.003+08:00

No, I know I'm not quite the style guru. In fact, I don't remember ever posting anything remotely related to fashion/style. And you know, everyone knows when I like a piece of clothing, I wear it consecutively for a few days. Disgusting habit. But this - This I must feature.

Everyone, meet Tavi! She calls herself the "style rookie", but I'm telling you she's not a rookie. She's only 12, but she's capable of so many things that people much, much older only wish they could.

I chanced upon Tavi's blog accidentally, through a link of a link of a link. Read through a couple of her archives, but I still can't figure out where she's from. I suspect she's from the States, but not from Ohio, Jersey, New York or Rhode Island. That's as much as I gathered.

At 12, Tavi can pull off all sorts of styles. See for yourself.

That's her recreating the Debbie Harry look. I'm not exactly sure how Debbie dresses, but I think Tavi did a great job. She's TWELVE.

I see geek, nautical and uh.. boho?
I think what's cute also, is that Tavi manages to remain innocent, childlike. Somehow, she manages to NOT appear trashy (like, you would think her kinda colour combination suits the getai look) but is actually really very cute. She loves to visit op shops, or what she calls "thrifting", she gets a thrill from buying cheap $2 belts and vests and old t-shirts. She's good with words too! Very sharp, funny, witty and very daring.

Please please please go and read her blog - here. I'm putting her link up at the side box too. Spread the word spread the word! I can imagine she's going to be nothing short of phenomenal as she grows older and if she keeps this up. What did you do when you were 12! Hehe.

WHAT IS WRONG WITH PHELPS??!

2008-08-12T22:40:00.002+08:00

WHAT IS WRONG WHAT IS WRONG? YOU CAN'T JUST GO AROUND BEIJING ERASING WORLD RECORDS LIKE THAT?!!?

Hello!

2008-08-07T21:16:00.002+08:00

You can tell from my Plurk that I'm not dead. No I'm not. I actually update Plurk quite often, that is because I find it much easier to log in to Plurk, type a sentence when I feel like it and just POST! The same cannot be said for my blog, as you can probably tell from the sporadic periods of my updates. Having to piece whole, complete sentences together is just too much of a hassle. BUT! Having said that, I still love my blog.

We attended 蘇打綠's concert last weekend. Nothing I say can articulate how great a band they are! Unfortch, the ticket sale for the concert wasn't too great, I'm sad to admit. This is their second concert in Singapore, and I hope that it won't be the last. So today, I'm going to do a little introduction of the band because they've got a little place in my heart, and also because they fully deserve it!

青峰 Qing Feng is the voice of the band. And what a voice! I don't really know how to describe it - But it's a bit like balancing porcelain teacups on a tightrope. It is gossamer thin. And everything about is delicate. He is also the lyricist for all their songs.

Point to note: He enjoys traipsing (and by traipsing I mean flounce in a float-like trance) on stage, which, for one reason or another, I find absolutely riveting to watch. Also a very good host and poet!

阿福 Ah Fu plays the acoustic/classical guitar. Sometimes he doubles up as the back-up singer. He has a perpetual smile plastered on his face. Okay, maybe plastered is not a good word to use. When he smiles, he REALLY smiles. He is very warm, a bit like the nice policeman uncle who'll NEVER get mad at you.

阿龚 Ah Gong plays the keyboard and the violin. The violin! What's amazing is he manages to play both instruments, one after the other, without stopping to put either one down or pick either one up. He does this by balancing the violin between his chin and shoulder, while playing the keyboard. So as you can imagine, yes, the violin is sticking out from this shoulder while he plays the keyboard.

小威 Xiao Wei is the drummer. I like that he fully enjoys himself when he plays. No pressure that he is provides the beat for the entire band, he just plays.

家凯 Jia Kai plays the electric guitar. He is, I suppose, the heart throb of the band. He looks like he belongs in a moody Taiwanese boyband, but he's got more substance. Point to note: Always hot for taking his shirt off.

馨儀 Xin Yi is the only girl in the band. She plays the bass. I always think it's fascinating that girls can play the bass guitar. Because the neck is much longer and.. How do you reach?! Every concert/performance/TV appearance they have, the band (read: Qing Feng) makes it a point to announce that she's single and available.

So those are the members. They've won a 金曲奖 Golden Melodies Award (the Taiwanese equivalent of the Grammys) for 小情歌. They have 4 main albums under their belt, excluding the EPs and the singles. All 4 are DAMN GOOD! I've got all 4 of them, so if you would like to borrow any one of them, all you have to do is ask!

I shall leave you with some of their great music videos, I hope you like!

小情歌

無與倫比的美麗

遊樂

Yay!

2008-07-27T00:37:00.001+08:00

New blog layout.

Might not mean I'll blog more frequently though.

ARE YOU OR ARE YOU NOT GOING FOR THE DOING THE KAREN CHENG

2008-07-03T23:14:00.003+08:00

I really don't plan for this to sound like some kinda rabid fangirl advertising but, KAREN CHENG??? IN SINGAPORE??? IN A METICULOUSLY PLANNED AND FULLY SPONSORED MEET UP EVENT AT A CLARKE QUAY BAR???

Is that not like dangling a fat carrot in front of the donkey and then telling it "YES YES IT'S THE JUICIEST CARROT IN THE WORLD BUT NO NO DON'T EAT IT"???

Too many question marks in the post. Unfortch, I think I might not be going, because even if I do make it in time for it, I'll be all sweaty and not dressed up to take nice enough pictures with legendary K Cheng.

So for people who do not understand the love, but still wanna support the event (all the money collected will go to the Singapore Red Cross to help the Myanmar and Sichuan disaster victims), here are the details:

Doing the Karen Cheng in Singapore
5 July, 3-5pm
Indochine's Forbidden City
3A Merchant’s Court, River Valley Road
Clarke Quay

You'll need to RSVP at her Facebook event - here 'cos she and the people organising it need to have an estimation of how many people will turn up. Free soft drinks will be served also, I heard, to all participants.

Tell me honestly, is she a gift from God or is she a gift from God? K Cheng tends to remind me that yes, there is still hope for humanity in general.

Oh and one more thing, if you do manage to take pictures with her and you come and wave it around in my face, I'll punch you in the nose.

Choose Life

2008-06-21T15:23:00.003+08:00

I am beginning to feel the rarity of weekends. I suppose I still have a life, because I have my full weekends. Also, as you can imagine, many of my peers are doing 60 hour work weeks. Everything else just pales in comparison.

We shifted into the new office yesterday. Ran around the new carpet barefeet, and we christened the new toilets. It was all good. The new colleagues who've joined are all a bunch of warm, receptive people, so for that I'm really glad. I did manage to get a good seat in the end - It is a corner seat, so I get the wall to myself (:

Also, I've chatted with Gilbert and I realise how backward and un-tech-savvy I am! This just cannot be!

Alright, more pictures on the trip:

So again, while Ange was slogging her guts out in her supervisor's office, we went to the city again.

Jumping shots are so yesterday. Did you hear, hair flipping shots are all the rage now!

And then we met Ange and Katherine AND WENT TO CIAO ITALIA FOR DINNER! OMG FINALLY, I GET TO GO CIAO ITALIA! But on that note, I must say it was REALLY cramped in there, which I guess it's part of it's charm.

The food. Was. So. Good. O. M. G. Aiyar, I know it looks a little shit there, but the picture doesn't do it any justice. Seriously. It was so good. Beats Little Caesars hands down. Ciao Italia - 1; Little Caesars - 0.

And then after dinner, we went to Mill Point along Mends Street and ran around in the cold like a buncha crazy ducks. You could see the entire city night skyline from Mill Point, which was really pretty, but I guess Siping's Superior Sony isn't so Superior afterall, HAH. I could've used my Stupendous Samsung, but I forgot to bring it along. And Ange could've used her Powerful Panasonic, but she forgot to bring it too. Dang.

Okay, random question: Boon Tong Kee or Loy Kee?

Happiness is a warm gun

2008-06-15T13:30:00.003+08:00

So I'm back in Singapore. Every bit of reality is beginning to sink in ): I have to unpack my luggage today ): Work officially starts tomorrow ): And I am almost 100% positive I would not be able to take leave as and when I want to anymore ): Ugh ):

While Ange was slogging her guts out in her thesis supervisor's office, Siping and myself took the train to the city to collect the car. I was super excited, mainly because when I left in 2007, the trains weren't ready. It's really quite cute, the tracks run right through the middle of the freeway, so you have cars zooming past you left and right. The stations also look very European; like in the latest Mr Bean movie where he toured Europe.

They also painted the busport pillars and walls. Very cheerful stuff.

Ran around a bit at the big grass patch at the Swan River.

Went to pick Siping's sisters up from the airport and had dinner.

And dessert, no less.

I am waiting for David Cook's album to be out. I think I might buy it, and I am blaming this entirely on Trina Bong. Tsk.
I hope I get allocated a decent seat tomorrow.

Perf Perf Bo Berf Banana Fana Fo Ferf

2008-05-28T23:30:00.003+08:00

Spent 3 entire semesters trying to get out of this place, and what do you know! I'm back! Weather is wonky, am disappointed to say. It was drizzling when the plane started to descend, which resulted in turbulence and that was like unwittingly putting myself through some really bad roller coaster ride, ugh (but I must add that SQ rocks)!

Met up with everyone at 27A Inwood, including their new tenant, a handsome ginger tabby. By handsome I mean GORGEOUS BEAUTIFUL. Also met up with the guys from 65 for dinner, so it was pretty eventful! Pictures, like FINALLY!

Julia cut her hair short!

Okay, who wants to count the total number of peace signs I've made? It's all the rage! Randy Jackson's doing it cos it's MOLTEN LAVA HAWT Y'ALL!