Childish Advocate

Newer Feasting Grounds

2005-12-21T20:54:00.000+08:00

People of Earth, I have moved to http://www.onechristmaswish.blogspot.com/.

Please be nice and update your web links, thank you.

Not Corporate Enough

2005-12-09T16:04:00.000+08:00

I have such a packed situation revolving around me. My brother’s passing his time in an isolated café (in my humble opinion) for $6 an hour, my parents shopping for a new shoe rack and possibly a new computer desk as well (god knows how many computer tables we need). My cousin and her new found spouse busy with outstanding settlements (car, condo…), baby mouse in national service (oooh nice uniform ;p), and my flying club alumni khakis with their get-together preparations and, my university school mates also, busy organizing their little un-numbered $10 per head chalet.

I don’t have to report about myself. Besides, I do have something to be busy with, a job I have. Yes.

Started at 8am yesterday morning.

Ends at 1pm yesterday afternoon.

That’s it.

Don’t you start judging me. I had a job (although I only did it in order to cover for a friend for half a day). Still, a job is a job. I can still go around telling people I ain’t loaded and I really did do something in the holidays to earn that little extra income to support my family.

Even though it could mean buying a pair of jeans for myself (:p).

And I got this cool Pizza Hut voucher from my friend as a treat for covering her duties (thanks Angel :D!).

Anyway so yes I am free now. And I love being free. Hordes of people with deadpanned faces at Tanjong Pagar are annoying me. I even saw my cousin there (not the married one)! And she looked just as blank as them. Poor child bound to her polytechnic attachment till February. And till then guess what? Nothing changes (at least not for this particularly unexciting train station).

Tell me, what’s so great about corporate environment besides pathetic wages and depressing salary figures and perhaps a chocked up toilet bowl?

Don’t even ask.

Auction Lots

2005-12-05T12:21:00.000+08:00

My oxygen bag for the week.

Thanks to the power of word of mouth, I uploaded a few good items for sale on eBay. My boyfriend thought I might as well sell off the extra stuff I don’t need, though some of which aren’t actually mine at all. I decided to use my blogging space to advertise for everyone anyway.

SO PEOPLE OF EARTH, KINDLY DO ME A FAVOR BY SPREADING THE NEWS!

I spoke to my married cousin just days ago (if you ever count short messaging). Apparently, the young bride’s life is perhaps so full of activity she couldn’t even spend quality time by herself. And I haven’t seen her happy husband around either. I guess I wouldn’t have been in such backtrack position if not for term papers.

Damn those term papers. Damn those freaking rotten term papers.

Anyway it’s my first December post (:D) and nothing can ruin my Christmas mood. Though interestingly, I have yet to see a picture or décor of Santa Claus since November and again when we drove past town yesterday. What’s up with that town people (:P)?

That picture is making me hungry. Enjoy your lunches all you little pixies.

Flying Free, Literally.

2005-11-28T23:32:00.000+08:00

Wahoo! No more studying for the rest of November and December. That’s right my final paper is officially over today. A long awaited break I need, though it was only a few moments ago to be exact that I truly become conscious that I am essentially free from being trapped in a never ending iteration.

I am so loving the moment (:D).

So some nerds are trying to clear their last few papers, a few of those international punks are going back to their respective homeland tomorrow. Of course I won’t be tagging along (:p), but I feel so excited! Imagine spending the holidays in the busy streets of India! Reminds me of all that Bollywood action.

Sexay sexay sexay…

Anyway so yes, Christmas is coming. Christmas is coming! Christmas jingles can be heard in almost every chic departmental store since early November. Even the halls and link ways in Seletar Airbase are also done up neatly with seasonal décor (for those who have yet to adopt the festive mood, what's up with that :P?). You know, people should really put lots of emphasis into the notion and preparation for this whole month of Thanksgiving.

Check out this holy wreath outside CHIJMES as premature as October.

I should enjoy my holidays. After all, my timetable sucked for the next school term because I have four finals to clear. Yes on the contrary to polytechnics, universities are all about the number of term papers to waste youth on.

My hair hurts just thinking about it (:[).

Whatever it is till then, I am blessed with my old and comfortable good life, great love and a fantastic month of December. Happy Thanksgiving :D!

"Dog-Tired"

2005-11-13T22:34:00.000+08:00

This isn’t an entry about dogs.

It’s just one more grandiloquent idiom to describe my individual condition.

Last week, we finally spoke to our professor about my crazy team mate. After a whole bunch of wise words that rhymes with team dynamics (yeah, whatever), the million dollar instruction was, “He will be graded accordingly, not to worry.”

That is so the line of the month! The one and only logical verdict the rest of us couldn’t wait to worship. At long last, justice pays tribute to all hardworking mankind. Finally I am starting to smell the fruit of my labor (and I don’t really care if I drown you with my contentment in the meantime :P).

Though that did not truly elevate my mood much more than yesterday because I still have a couple more hurdles to cross before I reach the end of this impious land. I cannot tolerate people who are dependant and unreliable. If I ever am going to set up my own line in future, I am going to stress and aggressively promote individualism to be my company culture. Leadership and teambuilding is just bullshit (and you know it, so quit pretending to be a follower to those nutty professors).

I can’t be more elated knowing that the semester is ending.

Shit People

2005-11-04T23:57:00.000+08:00

It goes to all the freaks out there who thought they can have a free ride along on my river of knowledge. Seriously, has he even noticed that my patience is already on the line? God, some people can be so totally oblivious to virtually anything. So satisfied with their own delusional mindsets, they think we are unaware of everything.

There are a couple of people I stressed in particular. These freaks are so messed up with their own lives they don’t even realize they are becoming structurally retarded. The more they talk about their supposedly “busy schedules”, the more irate I get. And they behave as if they were kings of some undiscovered monarchy. You think you have to talk to them properly because if you don’t, they will bar you from entering their miserable empire (on a smaller scale, they start off by blocking you on msn :P).

Everyone thinks its disgusting filthy attitude.

I don’t bloody care about your excuses anymore.

My requirements to survive are extra demanding because of you.

What's up with that? They think they are the only ones with a real life outside campus? I don’t have to spell names to bring attention or seek justice. Situations will succumb to my likings eventually. Revenge is only the icing of my fury state.

And yes, the elf has warned you.

Junkies Reunion

2005-10-16T11:40:00.000+08:00

There is always this sense of novelty when you catch up with old friends. Especially so if you are the only lass in the group and your male friends do not mind explaining national service protocols in greater detail or that your boyfriend is equally involved in the fellowship.

Yes these fast food cravers were released for the weekend.

Although it was great pity we didn’t manage to get good cinema seats and ended up with a crap dinner session at Shaw so full of nothing but photographic nonsense.

My definition for ration. A half eaten fish burger, my boyfriend's cheese fries, Sprite and an array of sauces for my perusal.

When I finally decide I want to take a picture of the ridiculously long sandwich RW’s eating from Subway, its already half gone.

It was this exact moment I could have sworn that sandwich exploded for a second and I decided to take a peek under the table.

Oh my god.

RW you are so totally out of the line.

Yeah boy pick that up before you leave the table. I don’t want that auntie staring at us when she comes clearing the mess.

Good O’ RW, definitely deserve a pat on the back!

The camera shy boys at the other table. Long live junk food.

Hectic Existence

2005-10-13T21:53:00.000+08:00

I hate group meet ups.

It’s a podium for people to contradict each other.

And yes I bloody am listening to the crap he’s saying so don’t you start judging me.

This only infuriates the elf.

And I need sleep badly.

So stay out unless you have a bloody good reason to talk to me.

Evolution

2005-10-09T23:11:00.000+08:00

Have you ever taken a minute off to ponder your life? Unfussy things like reveries to actuality, can we recognize the faithful point in life when we are required to transit to another phase and not feel too melancholic about it?

I have, and so desolated I feel.

Diana will stride the grounds of the ROM at Fort Canning Park tomorrow. After 1200, she will adopt his surname and be officially pronounced wife to the man she had been with for almost six years. I can only wonder how she is feeling right now. Anxiety for what is installed tomorrow? Happiness for what she will receive in years to come?

Reflective? Any chance of that?

A very unfortunate clash of schedules which kinda made things worse, I am unable to witness a major turning point in her life. And I guess being apologetic would never justify for my inability to show up. I loved her as a sister and I hate myself for the stunt I’m pulling. I guess I am reacting much worse to the situation than she is, or her mother, or whoever treats her dear. Her marriage tomorrow reminded me of how much things have changed over the time we took to grow up. For instance, I can’t stand the entire chain of 77th Street boutiques now, not that they were my favorite thing in the past. Perhaps in relation, I also can’t stand the growing number of those hippie shops whose management thinks it’s cool to blast deafening techno tracks from the 70s.

Why would someone choose some unknown screwed up mob over the ever so original Dean Martin?

Besides, I’ve always felt the word "remix" is politically incorrect anyway.

And I thought they have a law to arrest any form of defamation to original material?

I guess our standpoints in life will be defined with the elements we expose ourselves to daily. Then when we change our outlooks for the future, perhaps which thoughts we had before will give us some idea so we will never forget how it felt like when we were younger.

And at the end of the day, damn, I hate evolution.

Take Five

2005-10-06T22:50:00.000+08:00

There is a reason for five, because ordeals are only virtually over. Before you can finally take a breather, there comes the next one. So what if I cleared my mid semester paper yesterday for Java? Life is still more than just a simple cup of coffee.

It feels good to know that weekend’s just around the corner, this followed by a nice whole week of term break. Seriously, it’s just a measly one week of fake holiday because we would still be forced to discover undiscovered school elements. To hell with all freaking assignments! May you reborn as a stone only for me to kick at! (:P buahaha!)

Ok I guess I’m getting carried away.

That’s probably because the guy downstairs seemed to have a problem with his WRX because he’s starting to annoy me with his engine reverberation.

Anyway here are some art pieces I took for you self proclaim art enthusiast to check out.

Gallery Shot 1

Gallery Shot 2

A cool alternative to learn your ABC, check out "S"!

Ooohh sexy... (the joy of exposing :D)

I actually like this, fish in a colorful vase?

Pasión... para siempre...

Stairways to... wherever it leads to (art's supposed to be undefined anyway :])

Whatever, I’m Bored

2005-09-23T18:53:00.000+08:00

Of course I have things to do.

Instead I am feeling so bloody damn lethargic. The assignments will have to wait till tomorrow, or if they are really lucky, I might look at them tonight.

I wonder how the wedding preparations are coming along for my cousin, or at least the preparations for the ROM next month. I have yet to hear anything from her, it’s like we are living on two entirely different planets now, except hers is nice and sound and mine? I’m neighbors with the black hole (:]). In case you don’t know what that is, here is a little astronomy lesson for you.

** A black hole is this large universal phenomenon that basically sucks everything right into it. That is where you get the most gravitational forces. Correct me if I am wrong, or actually don’t, I don’t really care even if I am wrong. Einstein’s too dead to sue me, then again maybe he wouldn't be too bothered since science has evolved into such a mess, and he must be saddened with the discovery of cell cloning. Now we have chickens that looked exactly the same, if they have been different before anyway. **

And I don’t understand how a topic like astronomy can end up with a discussion about chickens. I must have extraordinary foresight (:p).

I think I am quite an inefficient bridesmaid. So far, I am proud to say I have made absolutely zero contributions to her big chapter (:]). Maybe she gave up like weeks ago and has selected someone else from his family or one of our crazy cousins who is dying to hold her train. Whatever, and I am not complaining. I certainly don’t need to borrow spotlight to get people’s attention, so not my style.

So yeah I should stop blogging. I need a break.

The Elf Returns

2005-09-21T12:30:00.000+08:00

With her skeptical life.

After what seemed like eternality, I am finally back ranting.

Let us say that the word “agonizing”, is very much an understatement to the hectic schedules the school continues to torment me. Even so I shall not speak badly about the institution, in case I rouse up the wrong attention and get into hot soup, like my life seriously needs stupendous distractions now (bleah :[!).

Anyway I shall congratulate my little lamby for having her five minutes of fame (or a short quote of fame) on the Digital Life yesterday (believe me dear, I can sense it coming :p). Shame on you lot who did not catch it! At least I did not drift too far out of ordinary life dragging the frantic being I am stuck in these weeks. At least I am a friend of a blogger who is getting famous.

And for now, I should start digging my grave of projects. Get a life peeps, drop back later!

Overcast

2005-09-04T23:30:00.000+08:00

The shades in the sky can only narrate so much to the tears in my life.

Bloody Bidding System

2005-08-29T22:43:00.000+08:00

Don’t get me wrong I ain’t complaining, I got what I wanted (:p).

Apparently $11.84 in e-dollars is pretty much about it when I tried bidding for a particular module under the Global and Regional Studies category (credit goes to BabyMouse for the figure inspiration :D!). I am quite shocked to see that the minimum submission was actually only $10.00 e-dollars and the highest was $100.00 (talk about a lack of common sense :P). Anyhow I am relieved I did not deviate from the lowest amount too much.

I don’t understand why can’t they make life simpler by assigning us the modules, what a complete waste of time and effort AND deep analysis from previous bidding records..

So I got the module ‘Doing Business in China: Communication and Business Approaches’ which honestly, I don’t quite give a damn about (but it sounded edgier than ‘Tax Planning’ and other analogous modules). Christ why do we have to bid for these things when,

1. I don’t give a shit about investing in China
2. I don't even like China
3. In relation to the first and second point, I do not hate the Chinese as so
4. Even if I do go into China, I won’t need a separate course to prepare myself (besides my company would be in great state therefore I am expanding AND I could easily hire a Chinese correspondent).

I even got my ad ready.

5. I am Chinese for god’s sake (‘Doing Business in India’ would actually make more sense)
6. Factually, I don’t think my company would invent things that China will need
7. I don't even like the sound of "Made in China"
8. The laborers and factories in Korea are really getting cheaper so it's a good alternative
9. No business how to go China?
10. I can't imagine life in China

Anyway at least it fits well in my time schedule and I still get to keep Mondays free.

And anyway I am supposed to be celebrating since I am accepted so I do not have to go through the bid process again (and I get to complete this module with a couple of good friends I made :D). My first class starts tomorrow and perhaps, just perhaps, I will be convinced that this module could be useful after all.

But tell me, what are the odds?

The Lost World

2005-08-28T16:35:00.000+08:00

I guess I have not been updating for awhile, reminisce of week one at school was unspeakable. Sure the building is impressive looking with its high tech features, polished white walls and grand “check-in”s, however, I thought it lacked that certain school feel, the kind of numbness you get when you go to lessons in a big campus. Other than attending countless seminars and passing by kids with multiple dress sense, I could be breezing though faculty to faculty like a corporate professional.

With an average class size of forty students per seminar, they should never have boasted that the teaching professionals were dedicated to a small group of students per class. If forty was "small", then tutorials at Singapore Polytechnic were like “tiny” since its head count would have totaled to approximately twenty. There were students from every milieu you can imagine; three quarters were filled up by the junior college kids and guys who returned from national service, divide the remaining quarter to number of international students and the remainder be students from different polytechnics. To facilitate the convenience and recognition of our professors, we had to display infamous A-4 tags folded into halves with our names and school we came from in front of our seats.

Challenge of the week: Be at the correct venue for different modules.

There is actually a distinction between seminar rooms and classrooms, just by the name itself suggested. Once I participated in a lecture for half an hour before realizing what was on the slides did not make sense. Extremely embarrassed to myself, I am in the wrong room. So the next day I decided to be ultra sure of the room I am supposed to be at by looking through my time schedule one too many times. The result was promising really (at least it was initially :p). I arrived early, and I am at Seminar Room 3.2 (and let’s ignore the fact that the hallway was completely empty). It was such an intense morning when the minute strikes and the hallway continued to be uncomfortably vacated, I began to dread for the worst; did I make a mistake again? A quick check with the display signs outside revealed that I had not mistaken the room number, I am indeed waiting at the right room at the right time, but at the wrong faculty building (eeekkkk :0!).

I don’t understand how some things can turn out to be so unfortunate. I don’t remember going through my first week like a klutz back when I was a freshman at the Singapore Polytechnic (and that institution was supposed to be many times larger than the current ground I’m standing :P!). I have to adapt quickly to the new concept, and hopefully be in time for the next class I’m going.

Title "The Lost World", courtesy of BabyMouse.

Give Me Back My Money!

2005-08-17T22:21:00.000+08:00

I read an article about some dispute between unhappy booth vendors and the organizers of the Carnival@Marina event. It appears that the vendors were unhappy that potential customers and the public were not channeled to their area resulting in pitiable sales. In additional to the bad set up of each booth using poor quality flooring and fans were not provided, the angry mobs were petitioning for a full refund of their $1500 from the authorities for the eight day lease.

THE FOLLOWING CONTENT IS PURELY THE WRITER’S OWN OPINION. PLEASE DO NOT PROCEED IF YOU INTEND TO USE THIS MATERIAL FOR SUING OR UNAUTHORISED PUBLISHING,
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Seriously, these vendors need to rethink about their immature proclamation. They should realize that every business is a venture and there are countless risks involved. Since you have signed an agreement with the organizers to set up your stall in a scheduled area, there is really nothing you should not know about. Why blame them about the poor reception? Even if they are positive about the profits each store can possibly generate, shouldn’t these individual vendors have done their own market research? It leads one to wonder about the workings of these people, why complain about the loss and expect the committee for full money back? Do they suppose it’s like buying insurance and compensation is obligatory in an event of a no-show?

However, I do like to point out that perhaps better booth set up could have attracted the public’s attention and allow these vendors to work a little more comfortably in their positions. I empathize that these people have to standby their stores the whole day for eight days and yes, fans or other cooling devices are undeniably necessary.

THE VERDICT:

No, I do not think the store holders should be granted full refund for the very inopportune outcome. However, the organizers of the fine affair should compensate these people for their losses incurred, such as stocks damaged due to poor stall structural design. After all, I am sure an amount of $1500 should justify for a basic and reasonable architectural quality.

Could this be a belated centenary present for Singapore? I hope not.

False Facade

2005-08-15T22:14:00.003+08:00

Since I was absent for a family get together yesterday at my grandmother’s place, Mom took the liberty to fill me in on what is going on with my cousin Eilese (not her real name) who everyone had not met for a long time. Eilese is one year my junior, was from college and is applying for a place in the Life Sciences faculty in the National University of Singapore. Apparently, her dad who is my uncle was trying to explain to everyone else why she did not make it to the Optometry course in the school and instead ended up with another (unimpressive in my humble opinion :P) science course. According to Mom, this is what he said.

“When they interview her for a possible place in Optometry, they asked her, ‘Why do you choose to study this particular course?’, and she said, ‘I don’t know..’ and that is how they decided against puting her through.. haha.”

Honestly, how many people bought his cover? I have absolute grounds to question his defense. How could someone not prepare before hand before going for an interview? Even if you are not familiar with the profession or course outline, the most basic question you would have prepared an answer would be a question that is directly in regards to why you select the job offer or course to study in the first place! It is like asking a medic trainee why he is considering a career working in the hospital as a doctor and he got so stumped and replies, “I don’t know lei?” instead of the more appropriate (and always conventional) “I would like to save precious lives and cure the ill” answer.

I wonder, how far will people go to whip up an overpowering excuse to save their reputation and change another person’s judgment? In this case, I can only conclude that if whatever my relatives said was true, then my cousin Eilese must have been one dumb freak who has never gone for an interview her entire life OR she thinks she’s an ultra student such that offers come to her naturally and interviews are like bonus get-to-talk-to-the-directors sessions OR simply that she did not have enough EQ to see that “I don’t know” is really a thank-you-that-will-be-about-it immediate response rejection. I wonder if two years of college life taught her anything about reality.

And if they are making up the whole pretext, they should buy a new life for wasting our time with the previous one. How “kiasu” will they go in terms of repute desperation? With folks like them, I can only imagine.

Wedding Cynicism

2005-08-14T23:10:00.000+08:00

Trackback: The Not So Very Big Secret

Looks like the weekend is almost over again, certainly not a very interesting week before. Ever since Dad got his new Creative Neeon, he has been begging me to transfer tracks for him from his album collection into the tiny device, wholly optimizing it's five gigabytes of storage space. I am always amazed with people who load up to ten gigabytes of mp3s in their iPods and listen to them all at the same time. Are they on random shuffle mode? Or, have they mastered the incredulous art that enabled them to listen to many songs simultaneously? In my own player, I only have about four albums (and I haven’t even cleared the last one because I couldn’t get enough of the third one :P).

Just to update about the upcoming wedding event in my family, my I-am-getting-married cousin and I have not been in touch since the last time we talked over the phone (ever since I called her a “young lady with an old mindset” that is), near a month ago. I think she has this delusion that I am green that she’s getting hitched while I am still a loitering agent. Fantastic isn’t it? I wonder if I am in her agenda, if she still plans to bestow me the bridesmaid duty, (though honestly speaking) I am not really into that role in the first place anyway (I always thought bridesmaids looked ridiculous following behind the bride and groom, almost redundant). As if the blissful couple needs assistance to get up stage and make a toast in front of all their excited witnesses. Oh and the music they play at a wedding procession always reminds me of soldiers going into battle.

Our crazy younger cousin so wants to be her flower girl. Now will someone tell me what the hell is a flower girl (:P)? Are they the ones who will be throwing the bouquet of roses at the end of the ceremony back facing a bunch of love horns who would step on your feets to catch it, who can’t wait to get married (or be deluded that they are next in line to the wedding bells) and isn’t embarrassed to share their desperation with the rest of the world? So is there a “weed” guy? The one who opens the car door so that the groom can get out of his chauffeured sedan or be stuck in it forever (how interesting is that :p)? Oh wait, they call him "Best Man", don't they?

Whatever it is, I guess we can excuse all the silly formalities or daft traditional practices. After all, the human kind is known to spawn all sorts and forms of hoo-ha since the day they took over the world. Besides I am sure if I decide against becoming whatever I am supposed to be, my grandmother or very concerned (and alarmed) relatives will send me straight to see their shrinks, reason, for being disruptive and disorderly (because I am the second granddaughter in line so that makes me bridesmaid automatically).

I hate talking about weddings. Especially since I’m not the one getting married or have intention for that matter.

Happy 40th Birthday Singapore!

2005-08-09T22:29:00.000+08:00

Ok my mood perked up considerably after catching the live telecast of the National Day parade happening in Padang. I am happier now (:D), especially so after watching the aerial display by the F5s and F16s, as well as the Chinooks with the national flag across the Padang as the national anthem is played. I always feel so homely every time I managed to catch a glimpse of them rounding my neighbourhood.

Oh and the display of military tanks and anti-air ground units going around Padang were absoultely spectacular, a fantastic and unbelievable rare treat!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SINGAPORE!

Get the lowdown of this year's National Day happenings!
→ ChannelNewsAsia National Day 2005

Somber National Day

2005-08-09T18:08:00.000+08:00

I am on a mood-swing rampage lately, particularly this weekend, yesterday and today. Happiness lasts shortly before I plunge into total darkness mode unsuspectingly. Not willing to surrender, I am trying very much to pamper myself with absolutely the smallest things. I have yet to see a single firework this August, and the roars of the Kallang wave that will happen at the Padang later this evening will probably fail to incite me this year.

Of all days, I have to feel like a total wreck on Singapore’s fortieth birthday. And the best part is this rotten mood comes naturally and I have no idea if it will dissolve by tonight because I cannot imagine a complete day feeling like this tomorrow.

I am so in need of major distractions in my life right now.

Carnival@Marina

2005-08-05T15:59:00.000+08:00

For more information, refer to "Celebrate Singapore National Day Parade 2005!"

Rich And Losing It

2005-07-31T23:13:00.000+08:00

A total of eighty-five hours, I am so over with community involvement.

I witnessed a very ranching scene in town today while waiting for the traffic lights to flash in my favor so I can cross the road and get to Takashimaya. Glancing in between the traffic lights and the road condition, I saw this extremely posh looking silver Ferrari coming to a halt just before the junction. The red man is still very visible from across the other end. It’s just that there were simply too many vehicles queuing to make a similar left turn at the junction and silver Ferrari was one of them.

Not amazed that I am not the only one checking out the finely crafted automobile. The sports car with its peculiar yet distinctive shape is attracting major public interest. Perhaps suddenly remembering its habitual repute, the scrawny driver rammed its engine and produced this very powerful exhaust noise. Not once, not twice but too many “Rrrrrooommmm Rrrooommm…” to be considered un-natural. I doubt the innocently stunning car is malfunctioning, but the owner and his girlfriend who were loving it, the noise and great attention the reverberation is giving them.

I wish I could stifle the little girl who grabbed the hem of her mother’s skirt and squealed, “Mommy, 你看这辆车! 美 hor!” then pointed eagerly at the silver beauty. I tell you, by the curb, that sure is one smug looking (and very self-satisfied) driver.

I always think of natives who exhibit their wealth inexplicably (such as the totally needless sound effects), are nothing but awfully proud male peahens (I don’t use "peacocks" because I feel peacocks are attractive creatures with a beautiful nature, and peahens are basically the ones who are desirous and would parade with whatever they got). Like an aunty bragging about her biggest buy in the market. I am not the only one who has a problem with the extra ramblings, one guy beside me muttered “Show off,” to his partner. Which is true, I can still hear the “Rrrrrooommmm Rrrooommm…” slithering round the corner when I am on the other side, minutes after crossing that impossible road.

These flaunters should just get a life. Owning a Ferrari in Singapore is so totally under utilizing its speed and power. Call yourself an addict to classy automobiles when all you do is creep around town and hit highways under what, 120km/hr? You are like, only living on the tip of the substantial ice berg.

And they are satisfied with that?

The Dark Graduation Night

2005-07-28T23:07:00.001+08:00

1805 was the exact moment I graced the red carpet towards Dr. Dave Chong, dean of EEE to be awarded my scroll. He said, “Congratulations, good work,” and returned my firm handshake. We froze a brief second for the photographers before he released my hand beckoning me to continue towards the end of the stage and off the spotlight.

Since it was an evening ceremony and everyone were in a frenzy worrying about missing their parents at the reception, I only caught up with my great friend Yanling and we took a nice picture with my camera. Most of my classmates had gone home while I was busying entertaining my own parents. I missed them, how disappointing (:[ sigh).

Oh, and I got a cute little bear from the school of EEE.

My Grad Bear ↓

Me and Yanling ↓

So I guess after the colossal ceremonial event, I am officially a Singapore Polytechnic graduate tonight.

Au Revoir Singapore Polytechnic!

2005-07-27T22:39:00.000+08:00

Finally my graduation ceremony comes tomorrow. Drop by the tertiary institution at 1730 and you might see chicky me strutting down the sidewalks in my VERY NEW immaculate smart suit. It costs a bomb and I better hear at least one grandaunt appreciate it tomorrow. Three days of graduation ceremony, three sessions per day and mine had to commence on the last day, last session in the evening. Oh well. I will just think of it like some grand finale for the entire graduating batch of 2005.

Already I am feeling the jitters. What if I tripped and fall on stage while walking towards the guest of honor to claim my transcript? Worst still, what if my name was pronounced wrongly? I hate it when that happens (:[). Then I swear when I’m done with the formal proceedings, I am going to head straight for the announcer and strangle the hell out of him for ruining my night and perhaps if I feel better after that, I might offer him an English pronunciation crash class for ten minutes (he definately needs it :[). Then again, peace seekers will advice me to avoid any form of aggression on my big day and the better and wiser solution is to remind the broadcaster well before the start of the ceremony.

I can always proceed to kill him after that if he still makes a mistake.

It feels so good to meet up with old classmates again tomorrow. I should prepare my camera for these are some visual memories I would love not to lose (:D). Strangely, what used to be the day I yearn about during my three years suddenly seemed something I cannot bring myself to let go.

... ...

I can’t stand it when I get overly emotional and drown myself subconsciously into these annoying waves of nostalgia.

The Not So Very Big Secret

2005-07-25T17:23:00.000+08:00

- The Shocker -

My cousin is getting married. She dropped this almost lethal bomb just minutes ago and delivered the massive and charismatic news to the cataleptic me. I was half flabbergasted, a quarter traumatized and the last bit still trying to persuade myself that this is not the usual Monday afternoon prank call and I am not hearing things. My cousin, just three years older than I am is getting married. And just like that, I snapped.

Of course I am happy for her, just not ecstatically happy to be very honest. Why last Friday? I don’t remember it being some significant or extraordinary day at all. It is just 22nd July and nobody remembers the 22nd of July for god’s sake! Even if you put it in numbers and slashes, 22/07/05 isn’t even remarkably neat looking. Maybe it’s a private affair, like the day they met six years ago, or was it five? Even so, is it politically correct to marry at such a young "adult" age? Then again, how long should we stay single before we are deemed too old to marry? And blurting out the secret only three days later to the girl you grow up with? I mean, I’m not getting it. I seriously don’t.

Though there is something I am definitely getting it, and that is I am seriously freaking out. I just cannot seem to absorb the fact that she’s getting engaged so early. Engaged at twenty-three! And some of her counterparts are still out there flipping through Classifieds circling in thick blue Zebra markers possible full-time jobs too busy calculating their yearly bonuses subtracting life expenses let alone accepting wedding proposals from long time boyfriends and planning guest lists and choosing wedding bands AND delegating your dearest cousin the exquisite role of a bridesmaid.

I am going to be a bridesmaid. I can’t even believe I’m saying that and I still cannot picture myself walking down the aisle behind her long flowing flawless white wedding dress making sure that no one steps on them and she falls and I be blamed for ruining the entire perfect wedding which, will take place some time mid of next year when I will be of course, boring and busy and packed with nothing but dreary assignments and evaluation papers AND still be waiting for my boyfriend to get out of army.

Seriously, am I the only one who sees the bad side out of a good prophecy?

Topics Private-Limited

2005-07-22T23:23:00.000+08:00

On the train today, I had engaged myself inadvertently into another very prickly situation. Apparently, my comedian group mate and I were the last to be left standing awkwardly side by side in the cabin as we watched our friends alighting one station after the other. Suddenly he didn’t seem so entertaining anymore. I felt like that the comical front was blown away by my always solemn expression. There was nothing to laugh about without the others; we became strangers instantly (more like he did to me :P). We talked on universal topics like where we live and how our transportation goes about just to fill up the discomfited silence. Still, from the way I was asking him questions and the manner he replies in full and complete sentences (minus the previous informalities), we could almost be discussing politics.

Do we take on different personalities when we face someone unfamiliar and of a different genre? Or is it because we are of different sexes? Below is a simple illustration of my belief.

Elf Lady's Observational Chart

	Topics Available 1. Sex 2. Army Life 3. Ex-Girlfriends (aka Bitches :p) 4. Alcoholic concoctions
	Topics Available Boys vs. Girls
	Topics Available 1. Make Fun of only Girl 2. All About the only Girl
	Topics Available
	Familiar 1. I hate school 2. Give me a lift? 3. Real Life	Unfamilar 1. Hostel Rent 2. Bus or MRT? 3. Imaginery Life

I have been surveying for awhile, taking down all subjects believed to be appropriate in different company. In any case now I know what to expect, and I hope I will make my receiver less fidgety the next time we are trapped alone on the MRT, then we can really start talking (:p).

Amusingly NOT Funny

2005-07-21T23:02:00.000+08:00

I had a very peculiar contemplation today. While my friend Sail (not his real name :p) is busy passing on his not so funny tale across the room, most of us were only smiling instead of bursting into laughter uncontrollably, like him. It was a very bad joke and I figured the others were trying to be polite, responding to it civilly. It gets worst when the group splits and he tags along and repeat the gag in my face. Being the very affable me, of course, I laugh once more good-naturally and arched an eyebrow as if to say, “Yeah what’s with that, totally hilarious.”

Whenever Sail tells me jokes that really make me laugh, he tells it to me like five or six more times, then it’s not funny anymore and I hate it. I disgust at people attempting multiple re-enactments of the same single account. I believe there is a certain limited timing to everything you hear and when the warranty period's up, sorry but let's move on to the next most riotous thing. Catching the ball too late and my very slight unnatural behavior, Sail quickly spun a new joke out of nothing and I could no longer contain my patience. This time instead of laughing, for once I’m thankful I had a bad throat and I coughed intermittently facing the other direction as if saying, “Sorry it is indeed very humorous but I’m clearing my throat now and I would feel very bad if I spread my germs to you,”

Back facing him, I retreated quickly and located my long lost group mates. Not long before I am seated on a sleek black couch preparing to partake in a Hokkien story telling session about some farm animals by one of our lame looking facilitators. He didn’t have a funny face, his Hokkien story was dull comprising of a very bad mixture of other dialects, and downright nonsense. I couldn’t even smile. While my friends were focusing hard to appreciate the content, I was desperately praying for any form of distraction just to save myself from pretending to be amused further. I coughed yet again like I suffered from a serious throat infection (touch wood now! :P).

I wonder; if people who like sharing jokes should have a comical looking face or features to have that special added "witty" advantage? Is there any officially agreed response to save oneself from a very bad pun in the future without embarrassing the speaker in the process? I guess I’ll be safe from now till the day I recover.

And I hate to imagine my life after that.

Watch What You Print

2005-07-19T22:31:00.000+08:00

What an idiotic response. Apparently they cannot even remember their own declaration and dare request for another “documentary letter”. Look, if you cannot draft your notice well, don’t even dare suspect or trouble me. Why ask a parent to write an excuse letter when ultimately, you still make decisions based on solid ground proof? This is totally preposterous. They should all sign up for English classes (:[).

The Notice

Daddy's Letter

The Email (Reply)

Not that I don’t have any “documentary proof” but I just don’t see why I should comply with the lack of first hand instructions. I’m so mad I’m ready to scream at the ineffectual lousy department. School hasn’t even started and I already hate half the workforce there (:[).

Worship Me Right

2005-07-18T23:26:00.000+08:00

Suppose you are a plumber, can you fix the bathroom lights? If your answer is yes, congratulations, you live in a quirky world. Else, welcome to the planet where old skills have new applied definitions. I get so infuriated explaining my exact scope of knowledge repeatedly to people who can neither understand nor absorb facts, and expect you (who else?) to resolve the I-don’t-know-what-happen-it-just-blanks-out phenomenon. For the thousandth time (and I am officially broadcasting now :O), I AM into software programming, I DEAL with network infrastructures and I MAJOR in broadband communications! Now how does that relate to monitors and keyboard? Yes truthfully, I did take up a couple of PC hardware modules during my three solid years but hey, I’m not planning to overtake the BIOS configuration anytime soon. And to rewrite the setup files? Hell no (:[).

It’s just that I got this rude awakening call from a remotely misplaced (barely existed in my perfectly defined family tree) male cousin (what was his name again?). Apparently, his DIY desktop decided to kill the operating system (Win 98 SE and oh my god people still use that?), and I am supposed to be the “Processor Angel” and bring it back to life naturally over the phone (:[). Of course both sons had to be clueless about “computer stuff” or so their Dad terms it and hails me the next mainframe guru ready to treat any bug. And he was like, “Look, I don’t know anything about computers and CPUs so you got to tell me how to solve it,”

Firstly, you got to give him credit for being totally oblivion to the fact that I cannot reply half a decent sentence in Teochew. But I reckon he’s a cab driver and I don’t speak to my cab driver in my dialect (:P), so I stuck to the number one international language. Secondly, I anticipated he would ditch my precise expertise clarification crap and bombard straight to the inevitable just-tell-me-what-should-I-do-now speech. I decided to save my breath and act the part, I don't want to tarnish my virtually awarded knowledge. So after being forced to call someone on his testy behalf, I contacted the man who sold him the CPU. Damn that guy on the other line seemed pretty freaked out when I introduced myself, he probably thought I'm some unsettled client’s lawyer or something and he was instantly relieved and overly polite when I reassured him I’m some family friend and I’m not calling to arrest you. In the end there was no conclusion, because I told my dear relatives I didn’t have Windows XP operating disk (for an upgrade) and they have to wait till Saturday when all my NS friends come back and I can borrow from them. So the jury will decide coming Saturday. I need a break, what a pathetic get-away.

Just when you thought the night would be forgiving, another distant uncle dropped a courtesy call and inquires about his faulty wireless mouse. I swear I’m going to implement my personal calling hours now, nine to five everyday except weekends and public holidays (totally helpful in my already undeveloped social life :P). It's amazing how the older generation can quickly classify the entire scope of IT into a couple of single unimpressive vocabs (that would drive Bill Gates crazy :]). As if my life isn’t packed enough. So what I’m like the mouse man, correction, woman now?

Cranky

2005-07-17T21:33:00.000+08:00

I had the worst night last night. Despite waking up a few times and falling back asleep, I continued having the same persisting nightmare. It’s like the whole reverie is broken up into parts to haunt me and I cannot even think of something else even when I’m awake. The entire dream got so jumbled up I don’t even know where to begin. And it is so frustrating because my head felt so heavy this morning and I’m not surprised to feel feverish. At least I had awakened from that bloody dream, and I had broken out of the evil night spell.

What a lousy day following, my taste buds were sleeping and I had an unbearable sore throat. I should stop worshipping those unhealthy snacks. How many times have I been unwell this month? And then there was this stupid mosquito that bit my beautiful leg, which I killed it eventually and I couldn’t stop grinning wickedly as I continued to smash the dead insect with two fingers before washing its remains down the sink (:]).

The new week starts tomorrow which equals to lots more com service to slog for. They should really implement a payroll system whereby people get paid to serve the community. Even the chief of NKF gets a $600,000 annual paycheck for his tiny involvement in the organization. I should get my own chauffer to drive me down to Woodlands for the next few days. Damn I hate that man.

I should stop blogging (:[). What a crabby Sunday.

A Thousand Faces

2005-07-13T17:29:00.000+08:00

I thought I should blog today to celebrate the wicked fact that I had successfully skipped my orientation camp (yippie :D!). Thankfully I had a last minute bullet proof excuse which gives me back my three precious resting days. Finally free time to myself (and more hours to stone in front of my notebook).

Finally I managed to get my IR port working and transferred some backdated pictures from my camera phone. In case you are wondering what I have been complaining about the past week, it’s a tile painting project to help raise funds for tight pocket families who couldn’t afford to send their kids to primary schools. It would sound so much more noble, minus the fact that I am only doing this to clock the necessary hours I need (:P). Of course there were entertaining moments, I still think it was laborious as there were hundreds of them (I suspect the organizers are trying to enter the Guinness World Record). So our jobs are to pack and label each tile accordingly into the different cartons before we realized they were ripped out three days later and we have to do it all over again (duh?!).

Amazing isn’t it? Can you imagine fitting them up onto your bathroom walls? There would be like, a million faces watching you pee (hehe :P).

The Bobsleigh Ride

2005-07-11T21:02:00.000+08:00

It’s hard not to feel crabby when you have a throbbing headache. Plus that dreadful scorching afternoon sun, I almost melted on my way home from another day of com service. I don’t even want to elaborate about my morning. At least I’m home now perched in front of my notebook, listening to some random podcasts. Anyway I thought I should discuss about train rides. I’m more of a bus person actually and each time I decide to take the tube, I wonder if there are basic etiquettes that exist on the sly? Here are four ground breaking questions (for the time being).

Q1. Where are you supposed to look when you sit facing a row of unsmiling people?
For instance, I had this totally absurd encounter when I was gazing out the clear window above some kid punk’s head. He probably thought I was watching him and on his way out, he actually had the nerve to tell me, "Sorry hor, 我有女朋友 already." Give me a break man! Can you just imagine? You are doing your thing and out of the blue someone comes up to you and tells you he’s not interested, when you can’t even see his face under that hideous baseball cap. Talk about sheer madness.

Q2. Are you allowed to sleep/nap on trains?
I guess not because there was this unforgettable incident when a thirty something aunty actually woke me up and basically shrieked at me for being ignorant to the elderly man who was standing sideways of me whom she felt could use a seat. I gaped at her with half closed eyes and did a physical run through; she reminded me of a very territorial parrot and I have no idea why I envisage that.

Q3. How do you identify an elderly folk?
Then there was this other episode. My day had gone well and I was feeling exceptionally nice. When I saw the first old lady (she dresses well but I guess she’s probably in her sixties and I actually thought she looked a little like Julie Andrews in The Princess Diary), so being the occasionally-good being, I offered my seat. You think she would be thankful, and give a refined queenly hand wave. However, the second she opened her mouth, she was the wicked witch from Snow White, “You think I’m old? I’m not wearing clutches you know?” and she pointed to her outfit. Christ. Wherever did those nice grannies go? Were they taking the bus? I wanted so much to retort back, we had successfully draw quite a few commuters’ attention and I don’t want to be labeled ill-mannered in such an unfortunate situation. She’s the edgy one, (and for the sake of the real Julie Andrews), I’ll be nice and let the matter rest by hopping off that lousy cabin.

Q4. Is there a rule that uniformed NS men should always give up their seats?
Maybe. My dearest had to surrender his seat for almost every candidate of all shapes and sizes. It’s like an invisible order that you protect the public and the practice goes all the way into all forms of mass transport. So basically after a whole morning of training and finally the book out, you still have to submit your seat and slouch your way from Pasir Ris to Boon Lay. Of course I continued to guard my seat, I couldn’t care less, I’m civilian.

Taking the trains can sometimes be so perplexing. They should really get TV mobile up and running soon, even if they play advertisements the whole day, at least I will have something to focus on my journey and hopefully stay out of the drama.

Miss Lackluster .

2005-07-10T14:09:00.000+08:00

What a sluggish Sunday afternoon. I feel so listless lately I don’t know what my problem is. Must be that I had tire myself subconsciously sacrificing 3 days of my life to the society, or the thought that I had forcefully enrolled myself into an orientation camp coming Tuesday and I have been trying too hard encouraging myself it will not be boring. Who said going into the next phase of your life is straightforward? Since midweek, I was forced to socialize and befriend new people after almost three months of serene sensation. It was so demanding that at some point, I almost doubt if I could possibly be intoxicated when I made the choice to pursue further. I am one terrible living example of a young burgeoning woman who couldn’t keep to her resolutions she made not so long ago. I can’t even remember why I make them in the first place. And it’s not like I am equipped with other excites; am I prepared to start working and dreadfully start classifying myself as an adult of nine to five? Surely not.

There were more packages addressed to me while I was partially comatose. Bills, graduation packages, post graduate packages, insurance policies and the typical junkies. Again there were heaps of new dates to remember. Seriously are they looking for a brainy child who lives to tear down expired dates from the conventional Chinese calendar? I hate memorizing, and I hate to live my life in a preplanned schedule. Life is free. Freedom is living life the way you want it.

I am a willful person who survives on my own set of existence rules :p.

I missed the days when I can lie down with absolutely nothing in mind and I don’t have to fret over what will happen tomorrow. I know that having analogous thoughts will not make me appear a responsible adult I should to be, but who cares? I reason things quickly, I like defying weak conventions. Why should I attend parties or swim across the waters to another island just to celebrate the birth of my new chapter?

This is preposterous. Just thinking about what lies in front of me makes me feel so restive. How can I look forward to something when I feel so drained just thinking about it?

Doctor, Are You Listening?

2005-07-03T16:31:00.000+08:00

After almost a whole week of non stop illness, I think I’m recovering properly for the time being.

I should tell you about my experience with my lady doctor. Her name is Heather (how do you pronounce these things?) and she is one very fast consultant. Flimsy and possibly going into a mode of deep trance and still I had to wait for my turn to see her, along with the other patients each with their own dying symptoms. I manage to stay alive for an hour outside her door; I observed that the handle was slightly crooked unlike the orderly rest. Typically, you are supposed to wait for your number before you see the doctor. I am quite pissed with those middle aged aunties who walked in right after one comes out like she was back from an errand the doctor had assigned her earlier. Get a life hags, get your own number please! Finally the LEDs jumped, my long awaited jackpot! I shoot out of my very uncomfortable chair expectantly, raising a few stares from my sickly neighbors, and the girl who kept coughing beside me. HA, I’m next and you better keep staring at the panel for your turn!

So Dr. Heather greeted me quickly, “What’s your problem?”

Was I healthy for too long or is that the latest way in medical scene to greet a sick patient? I sensed where she was coming from and followed suit anyway.

Elf Lady, “I have a flu, a terrible flu, and I can’t breathe at night when I sleep because it totally blocks out my pathways… I really don't know how to describe the ordeal… ”

People are known to exaggerate medical conditions in front of doctors just to get a medical certificate (MC), though I don’t need one, I thought I had done a pretty good job creating my own mystery illness.

Dr. Heather, “Go on,”

Elf Lady, “Oh (she seemed unfazed). Ok so I can’t breathe, and I have a throat that kills me every morning when I wake up.”

Dr. Heather, “Are you coughing?”

Elf Lady, “No. I don’t think so. Well, maybe chocking coughs or you know those chokes you get with an irritating throat, those.. ”

Dr. Heather, “So are you coughing?”

Elf Lady, “No.”

Dr. Heather, “Turn around, I am going to hear your pulses just to check if you are breathing correctly.”

Elf Lady, “Ok.” (so now she questions my breathing technique)

After two position checks with her stethoscope which lasted 1 second each, she glides back with poise to her static spot behind her table and started scribbling. Unwilling to end my very short meeting with her (and to make her work a little more challenging :]), suddenly I remembered something.

Elf Lady, “Oh, I have a rising fever this morning, it was 38.7° the last time I checked.”

Then was an unexpected commotion. A plain clothe civilian was holding onto a supposedly important document for the doctor. He claims it was from the nurse next door (who I don’t see why couldn’t give her personally). Dr. Heather took the booklet from him and flips through the yellowed file.

Dr. Heather, “What’s this for?”

Man, “I don’t know, the nurse said it was for you,”

Great, this is such a commercial break. During my appointment time! Not only am I forced to listen to someone else’s disease, I have to wait for their vague reply. I coughed, or rather, I chocked cough.

Dr. Heather, “I’ll get back to this later ok?”

The man disappears.

Dr. Heather, “So you say you have a fever.”

Elf Lady, “Uh huh. Increasing fever.”

She takes the ear temperature measurement device and clicks in my ear, BEEP!

Dr. Heather, “37.4°, good you are going down.”

Elf Lady, “… Oh. That's.. good! Good good.. (and I had to smile like she had miraculously brought down the temperature with her incredible gadget)”

Dr. Heather, “Alright so here’s the prescription for you to collect at the pharmacy counter just outside the hallway, I gave you some flu medicine, and cough syrup just in case and do you need panadols?”

Elf Lady, “Do I need panadols? I mean, I still have those standard pills at home.. ”

Dr. Heather, “Good so you won’t need it, alright that’s it”

I don’t need to repeat her words twice. After thanking her, I saw myself out.

Maybe this is the new fashion when you visit your neighborhood polyclinic. You wait an hour with queue number hundreds apart and you witness uncanny people popping out from nowhere into your appointment. Your meeting with the doctor is basically QA sessions that honestly can take place over the internet. You just need a chat room titled, “The Doctor is In.” Needless to say it was a very dissatisfying experience. Should I ever fall sick again (pray never :[), I will appear sicklier to magnetize the doctor’s attention, and I’m going to scream if anyone who doesn’t wear a white uniform decides to barge in. And when I do, you bet not only the doctors will give me their undivided attention, others will too.

Lime and Lots of Greenery

2005-06-27T22:36:00.000+08:00

My lips hurt after all that lemonade.

*Tip: Never drink acidic juices when your lips are cracking.

I wonder how my male counterparts are doing in camp. They should be adjusting to the clammy environment by now. After all they survived the 2 weeks of confinement missing everyone like crazy. I have heard about the premature reporting hours, the sleep-early-you-need-all-the-energy-next-morning lights out rule, the rush to wait and wait to rush movement, five minute dinners (I wonder if they served lemonades as a form of rare treat?) and the FHM daily "diary" they take turns to fill up (who looks at those pictures anyway, very pathetic). Good thing these young men get to book out on Saturdays and book back in on Sunday (I know what you are thinking of and yes I couldn’t agree more). Last Friday at Pasir Ris, there were green suits everywhere. Note that while you are clothed in the number four, it automatically prohibits you to sing in public or perform extreme multi-tasking. It’s like a dress code with the tie and leather shoes and you can't bring your cat. Basically, you should never draw attention to yourself, or your balding glory.

Of course I noticed. Even friends from old schools started appearing out of nowhere and you can tell right where they are or how they are doing just by looking at their new hair cut. I wonder; were the single-hued servicemen once made up of contrasting personalities suddenly branded similar by chopping off their colourful wigs? Suddenly the look-alikes were circled out from the rest of the population. And if you ever happen to saunter along the bus terminal at Pasir Ris on a Saturday evening, judging from the size of the “book outers”, you could think they are taking over the world because they are everywhere blending into the trees and shrubs. They even attack Mac Donalds.

Anyway I have nothing against NS men, they keep the country safe (:D thank you) and despite the traditional confusion I experienced initially, I did manage to recognize a few of my long lost polytechnic school mates with their caps on or not. Sometimes when you forget to keep in touch with them, it is nice to know at least you will never be stunned for conversational topics the next time you see them (:p).

Subsequently I will ask them if they serve limades. Or lemonades.

Defiantly Unacceptable

2005-06-26T23:49:00.000+08:00

A good friend of mine just came online though the msn network. As usual trust him to always come up with desperate nicknames of historical infatuations (oh god, totally passé) which he would unknowingly publicize to the whole world (or people in his contact list anyway) his loss over yet another great young woman and how he thinks it’s his fault again and so forth. Pity.

This season, or the month of June (I am betting it could well extend all the way till July), he addresses another uninteresting area. We are discussing about his lack of life aspiration, or, his desperation to cling on to one which had presently slammed their doors right at his face. Like most of my flying club kakis, my friend Tom (I couldn’t think of a more interesting nick) kills to be a pilot. And they are never satisfied with any ordinary light aircraft or transport carrier pilot, but a jam packed kick-ass fighter pilot, the godly F-16s. Obviously, you know the tough medical screening these A-listed wannabes have to sit through. Failing to hear a single VHF or UHF which stands for very high frequency or ultra high frequency respectively meant an instant disqualification. So what I wonder? You should be mature enough to not beg for a flying career if you are not cut out to be one. It’s like, a chicken trying to fly. Grow up Tom, get a good paying job or better still, develop the full potential of your paper qualifications, whatever else options that makes you happy. Being stubbornly single minded and inflexible will get you no where. And you still question if you are top notch material when you can’t even think straight and save yourself. Besides I have always thought of those fighters as snobbish individuals. They speak to you in a high and mighty manner because they presume you know that they are the first-rated residents. Right whatever.

Sometimes someone should knock some sense into these thick headed people. I am not going to deny I am not one too, but at least I save myself from humiliation soon enough and I do not tolerate myself to wallow these unfortunate escapades for more than a week. Christ, move on brother!

Addiction or Obsession?

2005-06-23T14:50:00.000+08:00

I read these couple of guys in Digital Life a week ago about losing sleep over the confiscation of their iPods and cell phone respectively, part of a silly challenge. One couldn’t live without his miniature music database and I mean, he practically couldn’t breathe. The other substituted his aircon remote control for his cell phone because he, “simply had to hold something,” while watching the TV. It was only when the “cell phone” was awfully quiet for about half hour that he realized, oh right, it’s just his remote control (buahaha :D, sorry I had to add in this).

I think I am addicted to my notebook. I could sit in front of the wide LCD screen all day and stare at it. Or, I can walk around the room and enjoy the ultra high frequency sound waves the system is emitting. The basic pleasures in life.

Not losing out to the guy with the remote control, I have a ridiculous stand-in too. I play the piano. Except sometimes, they become my virtual keyboard, computer keyboard. It’s like an extension. My concept is really uncomplicated (it really is :D). White keys are known as alphabetical keys. Black keys are known as numerical keys. Sharps are referred to as the spacebar and flats will be my backspace. Each note I play will be like entering into Microsoft Words. Now, here comes the grand finale, when I am done playing the “piano”, like always I will replace the cover over the keys, a parallel reaction I experienced when I close the lid of my notebook after shutting down (total coincidence :]).

I wonder how many of us out there have substitutes to things we have but are refraining from overly excessive usage. Right now I am trying to save my electricity bills from electrocuting everyone in my humble home, so I limit myself to 3 hours daily (it should help, I have calculated my new theory :p). So after checking my emails, school mails whatever and typing out this entry, I should have a good 1.5 hours remaining. And you never know what will happen tonight when my brother comes home and we have our usual LAN party. So alright, time for some instrumental entertainment already.

A Rendition? Hardly.

2005-06-21T22:01:00.002+08:00

Thanks to the bunch of chocolates I ate yesterday, I am down with a serious sore throat today and for the next few days. This is annoying because then I would be restricted to only healthy dietarian food. Not that I hate salads and oil-less meals, I still think, damn those infectious chocolates. A few more days later will be the official big release of Initial D The Movie. Coincidently, I have a couple of calls from friends to hang. As much as I like going out with good people, I will murder anyone who intend to trick me into watching the Taiwanese singer in action. Come on give me a break. What was Andrew Lau thinking of when he delegated the rapper the leading role of Fujiwara? I don’t have enough time to tell you what is wrong with the arrangement. So here is my very brief analysis. First, he does not bear any resemblance to the young big eyed cartoon character. Next, in movie and in reality, he does not exhibit Fujiwara’s confident yet humble nature. Last, what is with that dreadful side parting? Can someone who is fair headed fill me in?
For most of the posters that you see in and out of theaters of the cast, you might have noticed that very some with “Fujiwara’s” head resting on the side door of his Toyota 86. Pretty cool, though definitely a very bad impersonation of the non-slacker good looking character. You can check out the website too, it’s almost like his bones are really frail because he is always leaning onto something. Anyhow, here is a nice picture of the character.	The original Fujiwara Takumi
Don’t get me wrong, I do not hate that multi-talented entertainer. I just cannot find anything to like about the performer and I definitely cannot see the connection between him and the well-liked anime character. I am currently watching Initial D Forth Stage if you must know. I like Fujiwara and Ryosuke, who has a sense of extreme judgment. Needless to say for the chap who is acting as Ryosuke, again a very bad impression. And I thought Ryosuke is supposed to be older. So to all my female friends out there who are ready to marry Jay anytime (and a very small minority of the opposite species better known as JC look-alikes), here’s a tip if you are planning to catch the movie, “Don’t watch the anime series at all, trust me (:p).” And to all fellow Initial D fans and the rest of us out there, do what you always do (:D), concentrate on the cars and of course, the action packed dogfight.

The Unpardonable Excuse

2005-06-18T15:36:00.000+08:00

I received my package yesterday (never ask me what it contains or what it is about), thank god it finally came. As expected were there heaps of orientation paper work and financial contracts to fill up. Why can they not adopt the point-and-click way? I do not mind even true false questions, I always thought they were ludicrous; why bother asking such an extensive question if we can only choose one of the already restricted two options? Hey, at least they are smart enough to mail the package such that it would arrive on a Friday, which means that you have over the weekend to browse through carefully, which also means that you would have to come up with a better excuse if you forget a scheduled event because you are supposed to have memorized the dates and made a note to your already crammed up calendar.

Firstly, I do not own a nice looking hang-on-the-wall calendar. The only one I have was a credit card size mimic from Perlini Silvers. It was really attractive with the orange and black theme contrasting perfectly and it was dated 2004. I never part with it because it was, as I mentioned, very good looking and it was printed on a very hardy material and you don’t just throw away good quality paper do you? So the opened package sits on my writing table, I expect to leave it to some other member of higher authority to study. Of course I have already jot down those vital dates someplace. Coming to think of it, now where is that piece of life threatening notepaper?

Ok found it. So now I have to relearn the tactics of organizing and management. It sounds so boring. It’s a Saturday afternoon and I should be allowed to sit back and chill. The hours seemed countable when your dearest company is in camp. Perhaps I should start hating something because then, hatred can give me a purpose and something to think about in my mad life (:D hoho!). Alright, check back later.

The Way We Were

2005-06-17T14:58:00.001+08:00

I hung out with dear Anna yesterday. As we comb the downtown streets going into shopping malls one after the other, it suddenly dawned to me that the last time we hung out was, a year ago. How is it that we never have time for each other anymore? If you think growing up together would make a difference, you are so wrong because we are practically re-discovering each other yesterday.

As we sip cocktails in IndoChine yesterday in the dimness and exposed to very bad music, I realized it was almost midnight. A norm for me I assure you but for someone like Anna, it was alarmingly odd. For a girl who grew up in a strict family (they gave up eventually), she experienced unreasonable curfews unlike fortunate teens who were granted visas to camp outdoors and return only two days later. Perhaps I did contribute vaguely in her apparent shift in character but still, it takes a lot to re-shape the concept of it-is-ok-to-party-till-the-wee-hours in a person whose life had been carefully mould for 23 years! I missed her ridiculous spectacles and her silly curfews that made up our childhood. I missed the old Anna.

Do I enjoy the transformation? Possibly. As always the saying; we never change as we grow older, just becoming more clearly ourselves. So maybe this is really Anna under the fake Anna. And right now, I just have to re-adjust my beliefs and learn to deal with the new stranger.

Monogamy

2005-06-16T16:47:00.000+08:00

I was just speaking to Anna (not her real name of course) awhile ago. As I hung up, I realized she had committed the cardinal sin; she had forsaken her girlfriend for her new boyfriend. Just to recap, she is practically engaged to all time steady. His name is Kevin (not his real name), he was from a good family and he adores Anna. Like any other couple, heaven was spending their nights strolling lazily on the sands along Esplanade or stocking groceries from shopping malls or having dinner at each other’s places and, you get the picture.

And just like other twosomes, there were many portholes in the relationship. Kevin (as I was advised) became increasingly irrational and unbearable to the slightest things. It drove Anna crazy and grippingly, she took to the likings of a stray cat. She worked at a successful interrelations project where she met this incredible hero. And yes like a stray cat or a very lost and vulnerable kitten, she fell right into the open arms of the bigger cat name, why, Harry. For weeks, the wrong combination met for lunch, dinner and yes, the “should-not”, and they were happy, keeping the entire secret operation under wraps. It was only when Harry had to return to his homeland in Timbuktu that she realized the deal was over. And just like a rubber band, Anna swung back into the arms of Kevin who unfortunately, could never smell a rat. But that was ok because Anna decided to end her agony; her heart had taken off with the big cat, the day he left.

For me the idea of seeing another man would be like trying to fit another outfit into an already overstuffed suitcase, Anna was happily dating another man like it was the most natural thing in the world. Is it that some men have another version to monogamy? With possibilities almost everywhere, I wonder; has monogamy become too much to expect? I asked my man who shook his head, and smile. Well. In a city of unlimited options, sometimes there is no better feeling than knowing you only have one (:D).

Debut: The 2nd Time Around

2005-06-14T19:29:00.000+08:00

Ok, it’s not exactly a debut since I destroyed the previous blog with malicious intent. In the midst of frustration and a stupid mouse click, yes, you have guessed it; everything’s gone with the wind.

Perhaps I should have been more tolerant, a half hour more would have saved all my months of artistically influenced works (I bet they were anyway). In any case I am definitely looking on the sunnier side, those were really old chapters and I can certainly do without them. Right. New things come, old things go. I should be allowed to say that because it is common delusion that you make things better by talking about them or rather, bogging. And yes, I am feeling better thank you.

As a blogger, I understand it is dangerous for a national candidate to say things that people might remember. Of course, I am no Hitler and I am never the offensive type, but I believe soon I will encourage the birth of my own opposition party (:D). My loathings are simple: stupidity, oppression, crime and Lord of The Rings. I just cannot understand the saga, or is there?

Anyhow I should be pleased. It is my debut after all, time to keep those journals in check.