Real.Men.Adore.Pink

Maybe I'm a dreamer.

2008-11-30T00:34:00.003+08:00

Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today...

Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will be as one

Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world...

You may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one

-John Lennon

When will the killing stop?

Fear & Trembling

2008-08-06T16:51:00.002+08:00

If there is no eternal consciousness in a human being,
if at the bottom of everything there is only a wild ferment, a power that,
twisting in dark passions, produces everything great or inconsequential;
if an unfathomable, insatiable emptiness lies hidden beneath everything,
what would life be then but despair?
-Søren Kierkegaard

Where have the flags gone?

2008-08-06T01:28:00.003+08:00

National Day is upon us.

In less than a week our country is 43.

When I first moved to where I live now, *every* house flew the flag at this time.

It was a chore when my parents asked me how many flags there were.

Now, the number of flags flown by my block and the opposite block can be counted by a friggin two year old.

One... Tooo...Tweeeeeeee!

Kids have it so easy these days.

Along Changi Road, National Flags are being sold at $1.50. It's $1.80 at one shop in AMK, but it's buy one get one free.

If this doesn't tell the Men in White something's wrong, I don't know what will.

No Leaf Clover

2008-08-03T14:44:00.001+08:00

And it feels right this time
On his crash course with the big time
Pay no mind to the distant thunder
New day fills his head with wonder, boy

Says it feels right this time
Turned it 'round and found the right line
“Good day to be alive, sir
Good day to be alive,” he says

Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Was just a freight train coming your way
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Was just a freight train coming your way

Don't it feel right like this?
All the pieces fall to his wish
“Sucker for that quick reward, boy
Sucker for that quick reward,” they say

Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Was just a freight train coming your way
Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Was just a freight train coming your way
It's coming your way
It's coming your way
Here it comes

Then it comes to be that the soothing light at the end of your tunnel
Was just a freight train coming your way

Then it comes to be, yeah

I'm...

2008-07-21T23:15:00.003+08:00

Which Dark Knight Character Are You?
	You are Joker. When people see you coming they usually scurry away like mice! You are moody and dark and extremely intense. You can be cool and calm one moment, but then wild and crazy the next! You seek revenge on those that have hurt you- and your revenge is often much worse than anything imagined. You are a feared leader, and take challenges very seriously. You will do whatever it takes- with no exception- to get what you want. You are confident and intelligent and tell the world exactly what you think- and you apologize for nothing!
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Which Star Wars Character Are You?
	You are Darth Vader. Secrets are kept within your soul for ages, and you only reveal them when the perfect opportunity presents itself. You are not purely evil, but let's just say you need to chill out a little bit! You are a leader- and because of that have a great responsibility to make sure you lead people down the right path. You will seize control of situations by any means necessary- and you do so with no regrets (and you probably throw in an evil laugh too!)
Find Your Character @ BrainFall.com

Monkey Wrench

2008-07-16T20:52:00.001+08:00

what have we done with innocence
it disappeared with time
it never made much sense
adolescent resident
wasting another night on planning my revenge

one in ten
don't wanna be your monkey wrench
one more indecent accident
I'd rather leave than suffer this
I'll never be your monkey wrench

all this time to make amends
what do you do when all your enemies are friends
now and then I'll try to bend
under pressure
wind up snapping in the end

one in ten
one last thing before I quit
I never wanted any more than I could fit into my head
I still remember every single word you said
and all the shit that somehow came along with it
still there's one thing that comforts me
since I was always caged and now I'm free

don't wanna be your monkey wrench

Stuff to do when the power is out

2008-07-15T23:37:00.002+08:00

1. Read.
2. Eat.
3. Sleep.
4. Eat some more.
5. Yell "THERE'S NO INTERNET! THERE'S NO INTERNET! OMGOMGOMG THERE'S NO INTERNET! EEEEAAAARRRUUUUUUGGGHHHHHH!!!!" at random intervals.
6. Use the battery remaining on your laptop up.
7. Sleep some more.
8. Read some more.

Traction

2008-07-14T01:29:00.002+08:00

Car nuts will know it's not only about how much horsepower a car has got.

It's equally important to get that power on the road.

And to be able to do it in a way that the tires don't wear out, or in extreme cases, explode.

I sense potential.

But how do I harness that power?

My War

2008-07-14T00:40:00.001+08:00

My war you’re one of them
You say that you’re my friend
But you’re one of them
You don’t want to see me live
You don’t want me to give
Cuz you’re one of them
My war you’re one of them
You say that you’re my friend
But you’re one of them
I might not know what a friend is
All I know is what you’re not
Cuz you’re one of them
My war you’re one of them
You say that you’re my friend
But you’re one of them
I have a prediction, it lives in my brain
It’s with me every day, it drives me insane
I feel it in my heart, that if I has a gun
I feel it in my heart, I’d wanna kill some
I feel it in my heart, the end will come
Come on!!
My war you’re one of them
You say that you’re my friend
But you’re one of them
Tell me that I’m wrong
Try to sing me your ego song
You’re one of them
My war you’re one of them
You say that you’re my friend
But you’re one of them
My war.

My Dream Home

2008-06-28T16:29:00.015+08:00

... is a place where people are actually nice to each other.

... is a place where the Government is answerable to the people.

... is a place where the urinals are at a sane height and I don't have to bend my knees pee into them.

... is a place where public transport is a service to the public and not a profit making enterprise.

... is a place where said public transport is actually on time.

... is a place where people give way to each other.

... is a place where its citizens are actually treasured. And protected.

... is a place where the media outlets are actually critical of the Government when they deserve it.

... is a place where you don't feel like you're getting fleeced when you shop.

... is a place where creativity is encouraged in schools.

... is a place where "Stop" junctions work because people abide by the rules of giving way.

... is a place where tolls aren't raised "to let more people own cars" and consumer goods taxes aren't raised "to help the poor"

... is a place where the return policy works because the stores know that most people wouldn't abuse it.

... is a place where the commercials aren't lame.

... is a place where Government salaries don't keep rising, "to keep in line with benchmarks".

... is a place where, especially, said salaries don't rise during tough times.

... is a place where the weather isn't as hot all day. Or as humid.

... is a place where the people aren't told to "bite the bullet" and "take the bitter pill" by the people guiding the country.

... is a place where fun things can be found to do each weekend.

... is a place where monopolies are challenged.

... is a place where the bus seats aren't intended for midgets.

... is a place where the sky is mostly unblocked by clouds, so I can see the clear blue sky.

... is a place where "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."

... is a place where I can be anyone I want.

... has been found.

... is not Singapore.

Soldier Boy

2008-06-10T05:23:00.004+08:00

When I was little, I was really fascinated by the military.

I loved tanks, planes, helicopters, submarines, aircraft carriers, machine guns, cannons, bombs.

One of my favorite authors was Tom Clancy.

Another was Leonard B. Scott.

Then I realized what all the equipment was meant to do.

My interest diminished.

And then I enlisted.

My interest vanished totally.

I swore I would never pull on a set of Number 4 willingly for the rest of my life.

Then I ORDed.

I worked.

I quit my job to start studying.

I experienced how the world is.

Now, part of me yearns to be re-enlisted.

It's insane.

But the world's even more insane.

The military's cruel.

But the world's even more so.

The military's unfair.

But the world's scales are even more skewed.

Of course, I could be looking at my days in the military through rose tinted glasses.

With a healthy dose of nostalgia brought on by reading war books.

Swofford's Jarhead. Ambrose's Band of Brothers.

In the real world, you never know who you can trust.

In the military, it's the guy next to you, covering your ass because you're covering his.

Because you have no one else but each other.

It's the guy on your other side putting his ass on the line so that you can take yours off the line.

It's the guy pulling an extra duty so that you can go for your Birthday off.

In the military, it's as the song goes.

My rifle, my buddy and meeeeeeeeeeee.

I miss A2.

Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening

2008-05-25T14:29:00.000+08:00

The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.
-Robert Frost

Meditations

2008-05-14T23:44:00.003+08:00

Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.

Marcus Aurelius-

I'm sick.

2008-05-05T18:59:00.003+08:00

I'm sick.

I'm sick of excuses.

I'm sick of moving on.

I'm sick of being told what to do.

I'm sick of being told what's best for me.

I'm sick of being told to go for alternatives.

I'm sick of unpenalized mistakes.

I'm sick of double standards.

I'm sick of this country.

I'm sick of this motherfucking Government.

I'm sick of waiting for things to happen so that I can emigrate.

Seasons in the Sun

2008-01-31T02:30:00.001+08:00

Can't sleep.

Events that happened over the past few years, the past few months, the past few weeks, the past few days and the past few hours keep appearing in my mind.

We had joy we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the stars we could reach
Were just starfish on the beach

All our lives we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons
Out of time

We had joy we had fun
We had seasons in the sun
But the wine and the song like the seasons
Have all gone.

-Excerpts from Seasons in the Sun by The Terry Jacks

For some reason, while I was booting up the computer to post this, I switched on the TV and flipped to the Discovery Channel.

Some dramatization of something was playing. I don't know what about because I didn't bother to watch some more and find out. But what got my attention was the dialog that was playing when I did pay attention:

Male: We've grown apart.

Female: What are we doing? We keep fighting over nothing. We keep avoiding it but I can't take this anymore. It's over.

A wry smile appeared over my face. Maybe I'm thinking too much and it's just a coincidence, but here, right now, it seems my thoughts have been affirmed by the Guy Up There, whatever you might call him.

What's keeping me up?

Friendships.

What does it mean to you?

What would you be willing to do in the name of friendship?

What would your friend be willing to do in the name of friendship?

Are you sure? How do you *know* that?

When is enough, enough?

In the Bard's Romeo & Juliet, Mercutio tries to stop Tybalt from harassing Romeo further, and dies as a result. Before he dies, he curses both Houses,

If you have changed, or your friend has changed, or the both of you have changed, do you just let the friendship die a natural death?

An explosive argument culminating in the both of you never speaking to each other again, perhaps?

Or do you pretend the dead horse's still alive and keep flogging it, even though the stench of the rotting carcass stings your eyes and you can't see what's ahead due to the flies and vultures and buzzards that swarm around?

When do you acknowledge that this isn't working anymore?

When do you stop lying to yourself and force your eyes to see the truth, unpleasant it may be?

When do you let go?

Nation of Britneys and Whacko Jackos

2008-01-28T22:52:00.009+08:00

Very disjointed and draggy post up ahead. Just feel that I have to get my thoughts down before I forget.

Had RT today so had to drag my ass down to Clementi.

Was a little early so I went Clementi Central to walk around first, kill a bit of time. My earphones stuffed in my ear and the iPod on shuffle as usual.

When agar² the time to go to Maju, I had to cross the overhead bridge to get to the bus stop, which also meant I had to pass by Clementi MRT station.

A smattering of people were stationary in the MRT station, which irritated me. Why some people just insist on standing someplace that is right smack in the path of human traffic is beyond me.

Then I noticed that most of the stationary people were looking in one direction, which was also the direction I was heading.

I slowed my pace down and looked around.

Nothing amiss.

So I wended my way past the crowd and headed down the stairs.

Once I hit the bottom of the stairs, the reason for the congestion upstairs became apparent.

An Old, Pudgy Uncle(OPU) in blue started screaming vulgarities and whatnot in hokkien. Actually he wasn't that old, about late fifties, I would guess. But for simplicity's sake I'll call him OPU.

I didn't do nothing, so I just turned and walked towards the bus stop.

OPU started getting louder, and said something like(according to my rusty hokkien) "Don't run away! Come back!" He also peppered his speech with: "NBCB! PCB! KNNB!(This part I understood perfectly, from my days in the Armed Forces)"

He started waddling after me too.

I tensed up. What the heck did I do to offend him?

But I continued walking nonchalantly to the bus stop.

OPU continued his tirade. A quick glance on my part confirmed that he was still moving in my direction.

No matter. If it's a fight he wants, it's a fight he's gonna get.

Upon reaching the bus stop, I stopped and turned to face him. Fists bunched up, deathly glare on, ready for a fight.

OPU shuffled past me, still yammering away at no one in particular.

I started giggling, I don't know what at. Maybe it's the decrease in the level of adrenaline in my body. Maybe it's at OPU, with his inane haranguing of everybody and nobody. Maybe it's the reactions he was eliciting from the less daring of the commuters, whom scurried away as he approached.

I was throughly amused.

The outbursts weren't constant. OPU would spout a couple sentences of nonsense mishmashed with vulgarities, be quiet for a minute or so, then boom, a fresh rant would emerge from his mouth, fast and furious.

But OPU took the first bus that arrived. I wonder if it was really his bus, or if he just took any bus, like some crackpots I've seen.

I was deprived of my entertainment, so I turned my attention to whatever my iPod was playing.

Everytime, by Britney Spears.

It's my favourite song by her. Not all of her songs are good, but I liked this one a lot.

I first heard it in the cookhouse on Tekong, and though the lyrics are pretty depressing, at the time it reminded me of home, and I've liked it ever since.

Anyway, I digress.

I started reflecting on Britney, on her life now, her supposed eccentricity.

I pitied her.

She was like, the biggest thing in, what, '97? '98?

Doesn't matter anyway.

Look at her now.

Bizarre antics enough to last 3 generations.

She's been a puppet.

She's been told to do everything since God knows when.

Managers, agents, record execs. They've been piling her with schedules and contracts and expectations, to milk this cash cow for all she has. Everything's planned out.

6 a.m. : Wake up
630 a.m. : Make up in car, traveling to the Airport
7a.m. : Take plane to Wallapatookunk, Kallamazoo
9a.m. : Arrive at Wallapatookunk, proceed to meet and greet session to promote new album
12p.m. : Back to airport, flight to New York to film new video for new single
3 p.m.: Blahblahblah

You get the idea.

Everything planned out for her, to maximize her time.

She doesn't have to think.

She hardly has any free time to do what she wants. A missed birthday party here, a gathering there.

Soon her life will only be The Schedule, and the only people she interacts with are those that run her life, who shield her from the world.

No wonder her sense of reality is warped.

But who cares, right? She's not important. Money is. Once she's been milked dry, they'll just abandon her and leech off their next victim.

The potshots from the tabloids haven't helped much either.

But Britney's human. She cracked.

And we see this sad shell of potential today. Of what could have been.

Same story with Michael Jackson I guess. He was really the King of Pop. There will never be anyone better. But look at the sad state he's in now. The cortege that surrounded him must have so shielded him from reality that he lost all bearing of what's right or wrong. Decisions made for him until he lost the ability to think for himself.

Fans of Frank Herbert will know his theory that what separates the humans from animals is the ability to think.

Anyway, my point is: Are we losing the ability to think for ourselves here?

A lot of decisions are being made for us, and we're merely being told that it's the right decision, and it's what for the best.

Is it really?

I suppose it doesn't matter much, because we don't get to decide anyway.

We just "bite the bullet" and "take the bitter pill" and carry on.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

How long before we turn into a nation of Britneys and Whacko Jackos?

New computer, old addictions

2008-01-25T19:34:00.000+08:00

Up, up and away!

2008-01-24T10:35:00.000+08:00

Last night, I walked past a pasar malam on the way home and decided to have a Ramly burger for dinner. When handed my meal, I handed the guy $2.50. He looked at the money and told me it's now $2.80. Eh?

This morning, my ma bought me breakfast from Lorong Ah Soo. 10 sticks of fried carrot cake used to cost $1. It's now $2 for 16. Minimum order of $2.

Longtong is now $2.50 from $2.

Gas prices are up.

Taxi prices are up.

Bus prices are up.

Train prices are up.

ERP fares are up.

Utility prices are up.

School fees are up.

In fact, the only thing that is not up is our pay.

But what do I know? I'm just a peasant.

Singaporeans are fed, up with progress!

Singapore plays saviour again with billion dollar Citigroup investment

Tharman says not govt's role to comment on GIC, Temasek investments

Eh?

Go google GIC and Temasek, click About Us, and see who's on the friggin Board of Directors.

Don't wanna give a direct link to there cos they can trace it back here.

And people still ask me why I wanna migrate.

I'm gonna smack the head of the next person who does.

Cloverfield

2008-01-23T23:04:00.000+08:00

Don't watch Cloverfield if you can't take shaky camera footage.

It's not for the intellectually challenged too.

You've been warned.

But if you can, congratulations, you're in for a treat. Do yourself a favor and go catch Cloverfield.

I just caught it today and it's..... visceral.

And because of that rawness, it's totally awesome.

Think Blair Witch meets Godzilla.

To enhance the experience, do a little research online before watching. It's part of the experience. Google Slusho, Tagruato and TidoWave.

♥Odette Yustman♥

auf Wiedersehen, guten Tag

2008-01-18T02:03:00.000+08:00

Old computer

New computer

All sparkly glowy!

Q6600 quad cores baby! Woohoo!

Big hole in pocket. Not so woohoo.

Computer up lorry

2008-01-17T10:09:00.001+08:00

This is probably the last post made using this computer.

It now takes 3 bootups to run properly.

It hangs in the middle of doing regular stuff.

It makes funny squeaky noises when processing.

It has no sound.

It can't recognize USB stuff. Which means I can't sync my iPod, can't sync my phone, no thumbdrives, nada.

It can't print, cause my printer attaches via USB.

Sometimes, it can't boot past POST. Other times, can't boot past BIOS.

Time to get a new one.

Goodbye, old friend. I'll miss you.

Now, when will Intel launch those bloody Wolfdales?

Bleaguach

2008-01-13T22:23:00.000+08:00

I hate dust.

I hate crap that collects dust.

I hate wind that blows dust in.

I hate being told to clean up the dust.

I hate being told again to clean up the dust.

I hate being told yet again to clean up the dust even though I said I'll do it tomorrow.

I hate being nagged at to clean up the dust.

I hate being screamed at to clean up the dust.

I hate being guilted(sic) into cleaning up the dust.

I hate cleaning up dust.

Fuck dust.

It's all dusts' fault.

I hate dust.

New poster

2008-01-10T13:28:00.000+08:00

Yes, that's my messy, unmade bed.

Yes, that's my crammed bookself.

Yes, that's an American flag hanging on the wall next to my bed.

Yes, I am a quitter.

I hereby declare myself a Singaporean in name only.

It's only a matter of time before I get my ass outta here.

Of course, most of you already know this.

Home is where the heart is

2008-01-07T18:52:00.000+08:00

And my heart sure as hell isn't in Singapore.

Last Bits

2007-12-31T09:15:00.000+08:00

Cinderella III? Pocahontas II? Methinks Disney needs new ideas.

They ganged up on me :'(

Smörgåsbord

2007-12-24T12:39:00.000+08:00

People actually clear their trays after eatng here. What a novel concept. Drivers give way to you when you signal. The experience of a Stop sign is rather shocking after what I've experienced in Singapore. Smiles and "Thank you"s greet me when I hold the door open for people. Unlike the total aloofness and/or indifference I get in Harry's Island. People trust people. The return policy ROCKS! Free air-con all day. Great food. Comcast & Dish Network rock. Shopshopshopshopshopshopshopshopshopshopshop.

I know this is really random, that's why I friggin named this post Smörgåsbord.

Baby's day out.

2007-12-13T13:58:00.000+08:00

My aunt is really busy, so I don't go out much.

But, this trip, I brought my driving licence with me. Ergo, I CAN DRIVE!

They have extra cars, so I borrowed one today.

My car for the day: My uncle's old ES 300. It may be old, but it sure is in good condition. Only a few dings here and there. It's gonna be my cousin's first car next year, but for today, it's all mine!

The steering wheel beckons. My uncle also loaned me a GPS so I wouldn't drive myself to Timbuctoo(sic).

I know this is a piss poor picture but it's the only non-blurry one I have for now(I have got to get me a T200.). If you look through the windshield, you'll notice that all cars park "head in" here. I wonder why. It's a pain the ass when you wanna move on to your next destination. Oh well, when in Rome...

Went to Target and Borders. Finally found my Barricade. They had another version called "Recon Barricade" too but the original Barricade looks cooler.

Lunch.

Went to this joint called Baja Fresh that serves Mexican food. Got me some fajitas.

Mmm-mmm good.

Check out the view outside the store.

Popular TV shows like 24, Smallville, Heroes, Grey's Anatomy and Lost have their own magazines here for their crazy fans.

My loot for the day.

Leavin' on a jet plane

2007-12-10T08:04:00.001+08:00

Greetings from San Ramon!

Really jetlagged, so I won't say much. Just gonna post a bunch of pictures that I took on the way.

Didn't bring my camera, using my phone to snap, so pics won't be the best.

Mickey D's at Narita Airport

Tried this new burger called McPork. The patty tastes like the sausage that comes with the Big Breakfast, in a sauce that tastes like the sauce in the Samurai burger.

The plane that would take me to San Francisco.

Waited around 4 hours in Narita. Lotsa eye candy but I didn't want to the creepy thing that some of you (you know who you are) requested: follow them around, take their pictures and post here for your perverted viewing pleasure. Want to see, go see for yourselves. But I have to say this: Japanese girls, UP LAH!

Couldn't really take pics in SFO cause of security.

The freeway that connects my aunt's house and the airport was under renovation and it would waste a lot of her time to come pick me up, so i took the BART, their version of the MRT.

I don't know if you can see it, but in the BK poster above, it says "Now you can pay rent and eat". It's pretty sad when it's the main tagline of a poster advertising for a major fast food company. Kinda shows the level of poverty in the area. Not that Singapore is that far behind. Look for it soon on the MRT.

McAfee Coliseum. Your antivirus dollars at work.

!@#$#!%@!@# Toilet

2007-11-29T01:18:00.000+08:00

Damn toilet wouldn't flush properly, and I thought my dad would call the plumber during the weekend.

He had other ideas. Bought a new pump from the DIY store before I could protest.

And guess who gets to implement his idea? That's right. Me. On my own. !@#$!@#$!@#@!

Lots of work to be done.
Note the two screwcaps in the foreground, near the screwdriver.

After draining and ripping the guts out of the tank

Realized that I had to rip the tank out its mountings too, because the old screwcaps wouldn't fit through the hole at the bottom.

Done. New pump installed, works fine.

[boast]All in all, not bad work, if I say so myself. Not exactly rocket science, but I knew nuts about how the toilet works before starting. Quite proud that I figured out and did everything myself.[/boast]

Really messy and icky work though.

Ewww.

Cambodia

2007-11-24T13:02:00.000+08:00

Woke up at 0630 today to go for training. Sky was a little cloudy and had to give myself a kick in the ass so that I wouldn't lay there and fall back asleep.

Met up with Farh, K3, Peng Hui and Chao Hong at the MRT station, where we were accosted by a lady from another group, asking for Terence's number. When asked for the purpose, she pointed at the newspaper in her hand, which was emblazoned with the headline that the national team's boat capsized in Cambodia, with 5 missing.

My heart skipped a beat.

Proceeded to SDBA, where glum faces greeted us. Did a light warmup, and 5 sets of 8, then Aaron called us together to announce that today's training was canceled. Didn't really bother me, nobody looked like they were in the mood for it anyway.

Went for a run while waiting for the girls to arrive, so that the team briefing could commence.

Don't wanna reveal what was said.

Anyway, I have a request if you're reading this post. Won't take you a minute. Pray for a miracle. Pray for the safe return of the 5. I know it looks bleak now, but something is better than nothing.

But if Fate/God/Allah/Buddha/Yahweh dictates it and the 5 have met their tragic end, pray that the families and friends of the 5 can find comfort and solace soon. Pray for their grief and anguish and suffering to be lessened, shortened.

If you're able, do lend them a listening ear and a shoulder to cry on.

Don't let them go through this alone.

The Kid

2007-11-19T22:32:00.000+08:00

Went out to get some groceries just now.

On my way back, passed by an arcade and since I had nothing better to do at home, decided to blow a couple of bucks.

Played one game of Outrun first, then decided to switch to Daytona.

Before I reached the Daytona machines though, a group of teens arrived first and occupied them.

Looked back at the Outrun machines and the seat I had just vacated was already occupied, so I decided to wait for the Daytona guys.

This is the MAXX version of Daytona. 20 laps for Beginner, 10 laps for Advanced.

Daytona teens played one game. Then another. Then another. Outrun machines were crowded as well.

I got pissed.

Finally the teens stopped and I got to play 2 rounds of Daytona. Didn't drive well in either, maybe because I was frustrated. Which got me pissed even more.

Decided to go back to Outrun, where the crowd had dissipated, and 2 kids were playing. One male, one female, both about 7 or so. Even so, I was pissed that I could not play it immediately.

The machine the girl was using had a dimmer screen and its sound was a little wonky, so I didn't want to use it.

The kid on the good machine had just started his game and was driving rather crappily. I was pleased when he started crashing all over the place and he didn't shift gears correctly. I hoped he would time out and I would get to play. Now. Now now now now NOW!

He passed one checkpoint and time was extended. I got a little disappointed.

Then I caught myself.

What was I thinking?

It wasn't the kid's fault that I chose to play in the arcade.

It wasn't his fault those teens played 3 rounds of Daytona.

It wasn't his fault I drove like crap today in Daytona.

It wasn't his fault that he started to play before I wanted to.

He's just a kid, who just wants to enjoy himself playing a game.

And here I was, hoping his joy would end soon.

What kind of person wants to deny a kid joy?

Who am I? What have I become?

I don't know myself anymore.

He finally timed out and got out of the seat, casting me an apprehensive look in the process.

Kids who don't know me normally do the same thing all the time. I'm used to it. However, this time, it only compounded my guilt.

Got in the seat, and although I drove pretty well and finished the game, I couldn't feel proud.

My mind was still on the kid. And what I had hoped to take away from him.

I'm ashamed of myself.

My mp3 player can beat up your mp3 player

2007-11-17T23:09:00.000+08:00

Finally got my grubby fingers on the iPod Touch yesterday. Was pretty impressed by what I saw while playing around with it. Little did I know that more surprises awaited me.

I was amazed when I got my iPod last year, but this really blows my mind, because with the iPod Touch, you can actually perform this little operation called jailbreaking, which allows you to install 3rd party apps on your mp3 player.

I now can MSN, play Super Mario, access Google Maps, send email, blahblahblah on my iPod Touch.

Kudos to the hackers who made this possible. You guys ROCK!

Pain pain pain pain PAIN!

2007-11-15T21:30:00.000+08:00

Went to change the tyre that blew up yesterday. Tyre guy said the other tyres were due for replacement also, so I changed all.

Total damage: $280

OWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

Zoom zoom

2007-11-15T10:11:00.000+08:00

Need for Speed: Prostreet is out! Woohoo!

And it's got the best list of cars I've ever seen in any NFS game!
All my favorites are in. The R34, E46, LP640, FD3S, R36, 997 Turbo and S15!

Hey.... waitaminute. where's Mercedes and Ferrari? Okay, make that more than a few of my faourites.

Acura Integra Type R (1999)
Acura RSX (2006)
Audi S3 (2006)
Audi S4 (2006)
Audi TT 3.2 Quattro (2007)
BMW M3 E46 (2008)
BMW M3 E92 (2008)
BMW Z4 M Coupe (2007)
Cadillac CTS-V (2006)
Chevrolet Camaro Concept (2008)
Chevrolet Camaro SS (1967)
Chevrolet Chevelle (1970)
Chevrolet Cobalt SS (2006)
Chevrolet Corvette '67 (1967)
Chevrolet Corvette C6
Chevrolet Corvette Z06 (2006)
Dodge Challenger R/T
Dodge Charger R/T (1971)
Dodge Viper Coupe (2006)
Ford Escort RS Cosworth (1996)
Ford Focus ST
Ford GT (2006)
Ford Mustang GT (2006)
Ford Mustang GT '03 (2003)
Ford Shelby GT500 (2006)
Ford Shelby GT500 '67 (1967)
Honda Civic
Honda Civic SI (2006)
Infiniti G35 (V35) (2003)
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640 (2006)
Lexus IS350 (2006)
Lotus Elise (2006)
Mazda Mazdaspeed3
Mazda RX-7 (1995)
Mazda RX-8
Mitsubishi Eclipse (1999)
Mitsubishi Lancer EVOLUTION IX MR-Edition (2006)
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X
Nissan 240 SX (S13) (1989)
Nissan 350Z (Z33) (2006)
Nissan GT-R PROTO
Nissan Silvia S15 (1999)
Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) (1999)
Pagani Zonda F (2006)
Plymouth Hemi Cuda (1970)
Pontiac GTO (2006)
Pontiac GTO '65 (1965)
Porsche 911 Turbo (2006)
Porsche 997 GT2 (2008)
Porsche Cayman S (2006)
Porsche GT2
Subaru Impreza WRX STi (2006)
Toyota Corolla GTS AE86 (1986)
Toyota Supra (1998)
Volkswagen Golf GTI (2006)
Volkswagen Golf R32 (2006)

Thanks a LOT, Singaporean drivers!

2007-11-14T22:31:00.000+08:00

Was driving to a meeting today when I heard a bang and my car lurched to the right.

Limped to the road shoulder to find out what was going on.

A walk around my car reveals that my right rear tyre had blown up.

Popped the trunk, got the spare, jack and wrench out and proceeded to change the tyre.

Cars, vans, motorcycles and trucks whizzed by.

Not one stopped and offered help.

Not that I needed any, but it speaks volumes about the attitude of Singaporeans.

Everyone for himself.

I do wonder, however, how many would have stopped if I looked like, say, Jessica Alba.

Rhetorical question.

Free rice

2007-11-12T21:10:00.000+08:00

Bored? Nothing better to do?

Help you end world hunger by playing this game.

For every word you get correct, 10 grains of rice will be donated to end world hunger.

At the same time, increase your word power!

I'm stuck at about level 40. :(

Have fun!

Owwww.... my head.

2007-11-11T03:44:00.000+08:00

Been reading a lot lately, and my head's full of ideas and notions and opinions that haven't really been digested yet. Kinda just spanging around in Sean's brain, in a myriad of directions, so this post will seem very disjointed. I don't even know why I am blogging now. I just feel that I need to get it all down before I lose track of them all. Either that or my head explodes. This post will be filled with inaccuracies and factual errors and bigoted opinions and blahblahblahyaddayaddayadda. Read on only if you're extremely bored.

You've been warned.

Still here? Ok. with the caveat lector out of the way, I will now commence my rambling.

But before that, I think I should summarize what I've learned over the past few days into one phrase.

Question everything.

Yes, everything. Even what you're reading now. Why should you listen to me? I'm just a fat, hairy, balding(yes, I know it sounds strange, but I'm both hairy AND balding. It's called androgenetic alopecia. If you wanna know more, wiki is your best friend. I don't want to go dig for the link now and interrupt my train of thought.) guy sitting in front of my computer, pecking away at a grimy keyboard.

My mom was showing me this newspaper article the other day. (It was in Chinese so I didn't really read it. Just looked at the pictures.) The article, as related by my mom, went like this: Ang mo girl went for a holiday somewhere, braided her hair reggae style, and when she undid the braids to wash her hair when she got home 4 days later, her hair fell out in clumps. Doctors she saw said it was the result of blood not flowing to the follicles in her scalp. Even her eyebrows fell out.

My ma then continued to tell me to wash my hair more often to clean it, so that more hair will gorw(how she links clean hair to blood not flowing to the scalp is beyond my ken), a lecture I will not subject you to.

When I sensed her monologue was petering out, I asked her "Okaaaay, and where did they get this story from?"

Her reply: "It's in the newspaper."

"No, you're not answering my question. Where did they get the story from? Did they quote from somebody or some newspaper or something?"

She scrutinizes the newspaper and points to the corner of the newspaper, where 世窗2007 is printed in bold font.

"You've still not answered my question. Where did they get the story from? 世窗2007 just says the news is not local. Foleign tarent news."

Silence.

"I can bet you, probably somebody at the newspaper just received this in an email, and thought it would be a good idea to print it out to fill up the newspaper. Probably did next to nothing for story verification. Just translate the email into Chinese, add in the pictures included in the email, and boom, a 'story' to print out."

I know it's rude of me to rebuff my ma like that, especially when she had my best interests at heart, but I do wish she would pause and think sometimes. As I do with some people I meet.

For all we know, those pictures were first included in an email begging for money to continue some poor girl's chemotherapy treatments. Somewhere along the line, some prankster could have took the pictures, reedited the text to the "reggae braids make you lose your hair" story, and sent the email along its way. The email then wends its way into the tabloid editor's inbox, and because it's a slow news night, he decides it's a good idea to print it out so the newspaper won't have too many blanks.

And the newspaper finds its way into the hands of gullible readers like my ma.

I mean, blood loss to your scalp makes your eyebrows fall out? COME ON, PEOPLE!

Just because "it's in the newspaper" doesn't mean it's true. I mean, tell someone you're from Singapore while you're in a foreign country, and you'd probably elicit replies containing "Michael Fay", or "Van Tuong Nguyen", or "Merlion", or even "chicken rice". "Press freedom" won't really pop out, if you know what I mean.

Nietzsche writes in Ecce Homo:

Here there speaks no fanatic, here there is no 'preaching', here faith is not demanded: out of an infinite abundance of light and depth of happiness there falls drop after drop, word after word - a tender slowness of pace is the tempo of these discourses. Such things as this reach only the most select; it is an incomparable priviledge to be a listener here; no one is free to have ears for Zarathustra... With all this, is Zarathustra not a seducer?... But what does he himself say when for the first time he again goes back into his solitude: Precisely the opposite of that which any sort of 'sage', 'saint', 'world-redeemer' and other décadent would say in such a case...

"I now go away alone, my disciples! You too now go away and be alone! So I will have it.

Go away from me and guard yourselves against Zarathustra! And better still: be ashamed of him! Perhaps he has deceived you.

The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends.

One repays a teacher poorly if one remains only a pupil. And why, then, should you not pluck at my laurels?

You respect me; but how if one day your respect should tumble? Take care that a falling statue does not strike you dead!

You say you believe in Zarathustra? But of what importance is Zarathustra? You are my believers: but of what importance are all believers?

You had not yet sought yourselves when you found me. Thus do all believers; therefore all belief is of so little account.

Now I bid you lose me and find yourselves; and only when you have all denied me will i return to you..."

Whew. I hope your head doesn't hurt. I know mine does.

I guess what sparked this rant is me being sick of the way practically EVERYBODY in Singapore just falls over every time a bunch of guys and gals with a penchant for the pearly shades of the color spectrum say it should be the thing to do, "for the good of the nation".

I'm sick of "medicine".

I'm sick of "the broader picture".

I'm sick of "the collective".

What's good for the goose might not be good for the gander.

They say the Singapore youth is pretty politically apathetic. It's pretty true. We worry about getting As. We worry about relationships. We worry about money. We worry about not being able to see our favorite boy bands. That pretty much sums up the average Singapore youth.

But even we can see that something is not right here.

Somebody is losing touch. Shit is being manufactured in such great quantities that the creators are also partaking in their own products.

To quote Morpheus: What IS "real"?

Hey Men in White. A storm's a brewin'. Trying to suppress it in the ways you've employed so far will just make it grow bigger. Don't say Sean didn't warn you.

But hey, what do I know? I'm just a student, earning pennies, not peanuts.

If everything was as rosy as painted, Dick Lee would have been greeted by jeers, not cheers, don't you think?

"Have you ever had a dream, Neo, that you were so sure was real? What if you were unable to wake from that dream? How would you know the difference between the dream world and the real world?"

- Morpheus
The Matrix

Friday Night Lights

2007-11-10T02:25:00.000+08:00

^^^
<3<3<3

Do yourself a favor and go catch Stardust

2007-11-06T20:52:00.000+08:00

Great movie.

A philosopher once asked, "Are we human because we gaze at the stars, or do we gaze at them because we are human?" Pointless, really...”Do the stars gaze back?" Now *that's* a question.

Little synopsis: Dying King has 4 sons, and to choose his successor, he flings the family jewel (Oh, get your mind out of the gutter. It's a ruby. On a necklace.) out the window, telling his sons that whoever gets the bling gets to rule.

The jewel travels far into space (It's a fantasy film, so a little slack on the imagination department, okay?) and knocks a star out of its perch, and sends it crashing to the ground. Cue helter skelter rush for star.

Guy wooing girl sees the falling star and promises it to her, for her hand in marriage. She agrees. Guy goes in search for star. When he finally gets to the star, "it" turns out to be Claire Danes. Hmmm... that's a toughie, cause "Nothing says romance like a kidnapped injured woman", right?

Evil witch also sees the falling star and covets it, cause eating the heart cut out from a living star would grant her youth and beauty.

I read the book before I watched the movie, and although I didn't like how they dealt with a few things, I think all in all, they pulled it off pretty well and if you didn't read the book, you'd have nothing much to gripe about. Neil Gaiman's now my favorite storyteller.

Watch out for Robert De Niro's performance as a pirate. Had me in stitches. Why are the pirate roles so much fun? First Captain Jack Sparrow, now Captain Shakespeare.

And of course, the ever-luminous Claire Danes. I had the hugest crush on her after Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet was screened in the theaters. She's still so HOT, even after all these years. *faint*

Rockin' good fun, I tell ya.

Baby Steps

2007-11-05T23:17:00.000+08:00

I've been in limbo for the past few weeks. Months, actually.

I start trying to make myself better, then lose steam after a couple of weeks.

I think I finally know why.

I'm trying too hard. Trying to eat the whole cake in one bite, and choking myself. I end up puking the whole thing out and feeling worse than when I started the ambitious projects.

I forgot one tiny nugget of information.

Rome wasn't built in a day.

Also, I'm dragging along too much baggage. It's very draining to run when you have 200 Samsonites chained to your feet. I need to free myself of this.

So, starting tomorrow, I'm going to set my life right. My targets are the same.

Only, this time, I'm gonna be carrying less, and I'm gonna be taking one baby step at a time.

Insensitivity

2007-10-30T01:51:00.000+08:00

Can't really sleep. Have this niggling thought at the back of my mind. Maybe if I get it out, the Sandman will pay me a visit.

姑娘. Pussy. Wuss. Over the past few weeks, I've been called these and more. Some of you didn't say it to my face, but your eyes, actions and words have betrayed you. Others have been more forthcoming. I appreciate the candor.

When I step back and look at it myself, when I analyze my demeanor and actions, I find it difficult to disagree with you all. But when you have a blade protruding from the middle of your sternum, it's kind of hard to carry yourself properly, you know?

"Suck it up. Stand up. Be a man." Advice I've heard ad nauseam. The way of expressing it and the persons of origin may differ, but the meaning is the same. Guys do not mope.

They do not mope. Period.

It's expected of them. Even after the most ghastly of wounds, if you have functional limbs, you're expected to stand up, and carry on walking as if a butterfly flew past your face, brushing your cheek with its velvet wings en route to its destination.

It's advice I'd have dispensed myself, if I were the doctor.

Maybe it's the result of these sleepless nights, but I've come to think that there may be a reason why guys are insensitive. When you're hurting, and you're expected to keep on going, it helps if you're able to block out the pain, to blind yourself to the fact that you're bleeding your guts out. Over time, this causes you to lose touch with your sense of feel (no pun intended). Kinda like a Stim pack.

Thanks for all the advice. I know you guys care and mean well. I'm going to act on your advice.

Getting up. Dusting myself off. Moving this tub 'o lard. Right foot. Left foot. Right foot. Left foot. Wash, rinse, repeat.

And it's all because I'm comfortably numb.

Sistic SUCKS.

2007-10-22T12:49:00.000+08:00

Just got back and have somthing to get off my manboobs.

Sistic SUCKS.

9am. Internet booking for Jay's concert begins. I try to log on, but to no avail. Http 500. Kept on trying till 0945, gave up, and went to try my luck at the Sistic counter at J8.

When I arrived, there were about 5, maybe 6 people in front of me. It took 40 minutes to make 1 sale. 40 minutes! No fault of the lady manning the counter though. She was as helpless as us.

Click. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Wait. Timeout.

Yay, we get to do that ALL OVER AGAIN! WHAT FUN!

After 2 sales, they announced that the 1,000 $198 and $168 tickets alloted to OCBC for priority booking were sold out, and they could not sell any more. AFTER 2 SALES AT J8?! Did somebody buy 300 seats at one go or what? Disgruntled mutterings began to break out behind me.

Ahead, the poor lady was still frantically trying to call through to wherever, trying to find out what was wrong with the system. Nobody picks up. She tries several times, Maybe different numbers, maybe the same number, I'm not sure, and it doesn't matter anyway, because she gets no answer. The customer at the counter gives up and storms off.

The next customer is a bigger Jay fan and sticks to her position. Her tenacity pays off. The system finally accepts more sales for $198 and $168 tickets again. Maybe the Sistic people that were supposed to answer the poor lady's calls were handling complaint calls from the irate customers behind me instead.

Still, the system is really sluggish. It takes an hour to clear the remaining 2 customers in front of me. $198 tickets are almost sold out. Only sporadic single seats, scattered all over, are left.

The concert had better be worth it.

If Golden village and Shaw and Cathay can handle thousands of bookings over the Internet, phones and their counters at the theaters everyday, I don't see why you can't Sistic. Shame on you.

The scene after I got me my loot. Good luck to those at the end of the queue.

$900 bucks for 6 pieces of paper. I must be mad. I wonder what these would fetch on eBay.

Paddle

2007-10-20T13:42:00.000+08:00

Finally got my paddle.

IWUVIT! IWUVIT! IWUVIT!

But part of me still hankers for one of those gorgeous carbon fiber paddles.

Oh well, I'll get one if this one breaks. Yes, they do break.

Or, are there any kind souls out there willing to buy me one? :D

Snap

2007-10-08T19:17:00.000+08:00

Something in me broke today.

Not broke as in break down.

Broke as in... I'm lost for words, so if you wanna know, read on.

Golden Village, box office.

2 queues, both empty.

One was the normal queue, one Visa "privileged" queue.

One counter open. Serving one customer.

I walked into the Visa queue.

50-ish lady in white walks into the regular queue.

Customer at counter finishes transaction and leaves. I step aside to let customer leave.

ZIP. Up goes white lady to the counter.

"What the hell?" Me, thinking to myself.

Normally I would have just kept quiet.

Not today.

Today, something within me snapped.

Walked up to the counter before I knew what I was doing.

"Do you know there's a queue?" Me. Quietly assertive.

She looks blankly at me.

"I've been queuing right there. It's my turn." I continued.

"That's the queue. I've been queuing there." She counters, gesticulating at the regular queue.

"I know. I saw you. You arrived after I did. And you cut ahead of me when you saw me giving way to the other lady. What the hell, man?"

"That's the queue." She insists. "Which one's the queue?" She asks the person at the counter.

Counter person says the regular queue, but looks away from me when I look her in the eye.

"See? That's the queue." White lady shoots at me.

"Doesn't change the fact that I started to queue first." I reply.

"You know what? It doesn't matter." She starts fumbling for the cash and ICs the placed on the counter. "It doesn't matter." She repeats herself, stepping back.

I step up and order my tickets. Counter person does not look me in the eye the whole time.

Transaction done. I turn around and snarl "Thank you." to White lady.

Not very gentlemanly, but damn, that felt good.

I'm sick of being one. Time to get me what's mine.

Get the hell out of my way.

A picture speaks a thousand words.

2007-10-07T22:44:00.000+08:00

I never really, truly, knew what it means until today.

Now I do.

I'm not going to post the picture in question.

I just wanna say:

我终于领悟你要的是什么.

Unker, Mahporlor Mantor Jit Pao!

2007-10-03T21:00:00.001+08:00

Ripped this from Don²'s blog.

有时候吸菸不是为了尼古丁，而是让自己有个发呆的藉口，吞云吐雾间掩饰内心的空虚和无助，只是在城市里要维持优雅的吸菸姿态越来越难，反菸集团使出赶尽杀绝的手段，被逼到墙角的你，依然一派潇洒，朝向空中吐出口烟。

Kinda makes sense, in a "Nothing can hurt me, I'm in my happy place" kind of way.

I've always wondered why people smoke.

Well, Sean, here's one reason.

Bak too sKool

2007-10-03T20:30:00.000+08:00

Apologies for not posting. I've been struggling with the last post for quite some time, and finally I decided it's best left for my own personal consumption. Not gonna post that shit.

And many thanks to those who wished me Happy Birthday and/or celebrated with me. Thanks for your wishes and presents and cakes. I enjoyed myself. Please excuse my tardiness. I'm... a mess.

Anyway, it's back to school. Didn't get a word of what the lecturer said. Maybe I deliberately didn't pay attention. Maybe he wasn't clear enough. Maybe my mind was all over the place. Maybe it's all of the above. Maybe it's none.

Who cares?

I certainly don't.

Sean's Wii Fund

2007-09-16T22:34:00.000+08:00

I have decided that I have GOT to get me a Wii. Therefore I have set up the above fund to procure it.

As of now, it has a grand total of.... ummm..... 11 cents. :D

Donations to this fund are welcome. Contact Sean for details. Donations are not tax-deductible.

I'd like mine in white with orange seats, please.

2007-09-12T15:31:00.000+08:00

I'm a Lamborghini Murcielago!

You're not subtle, but you don't want to be. Fast, loud, and dramatic, you want people to notice you, and then get out of the way. In a world full of sheep, you're a raging bull.

Take the Which Sports Car Are You? quiz.

Going back in time

2007-09-02T23:20:00.001+08:00

Was out walking around a few days ago and I saw these little models of Star Wars figures made out of cardboardish plastic and I just HAD to get my hands on some.

They come in large Magic-type card packs. What you get per pack is 4-8 of these little cuties and 6 game cards randomly.

The thrill before opening each pack sure does take me back to the days I was playing Magic and Battletech.

Here's what the little thingamabobs look like before and after piecing them together.

My humble collection. (For now.) I'm really pleased that I got an X-Wing(Rogue Squadron, no less!) and 2 Tie Fighters in my very first pack. Just the models I was hoping to get.

Unfortunately, I haven't got any more since. :(

Some the Rare cards that I've got. I got Vader! MUAHAHAHAHHA! PHEAR ME!

Each pack also comes with a pair of these REALLY cute micro dice.

I'm taking a photo of them on a card so you can get a sense of how tiny they are.

I think I'll be wasting more money on these very soon. :)

If you're in Singapore, play the game and wanna meet up to *ahem* trade pointers, do drop me a message here!

Who will cry for the little boy?

2007-08-29T03:05:00.000+08:00

Who will cry for the little boy,
lost and all alone?

Who will cry for the little boy,
living without his own?

Who will cry for the little boy?
He cried himself to sleep.

Who will cry for the little boy?
He never had for keeps.

Who will cry for the little boy?
He walked the burning sand.

Who will cry for the little boy?
The boy who would be the man.

Who will cry for the little boy?
Who knows well hurt and pain.

Who will cry for the little boy?
He died and died again.

Who will cry for the little boy?
A good boy he tried to be.

Who will cry for the little boy,
who cries inside of me?

What have I done to deserve this?

2007-08-29T00:26:00.000+08:00

Why do I have trouble sleeping?

Why can't I wake up with a dry pillow?

Why am I tormented by nocturnal visions of fallacies?

Why do I wonder about things that can never be?

Why do I plot to rein in the rampaging juggernaut?

Why do I hope to reverse its path?

What do I hope to accomplish?

Why can't I forget?

Why can't I let go?

What did I do wrong?

What have I done to deserve this?

一人一半

2007-08-27T19:58:00.000+08:00

一人一半感情不散
一人一素故感情才会久

时光累积安静的泪滴
一心去追爱那么可贵

这样的人这样地等
无非是等个回应眼神
为爱反滚不及伤痕
甘心为你一身都浮沉

这样的人别笑我蠢
傻傻的心痛也不觉疼
就算天冷就算难残忍
等你想起这没用的人

一人一半感情不散
已经找到爱为何要离开

已经找到爱为何先离开

Happie Birdae.

2007-08-25T03:15:00.000+08:00

GJ and I went shopping for our respective birthday gifts for each other today. Or rather, looking at the time I'm posting this, yesterday.

We ended up buying similar shoes.

This is what he got for me:

And here's what I got for him:

Heh.

Mine cost $10 more than his did.

TAN TIO! HAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHAHA!

Stop spending, Sean

2007-08-22T23:21:00.001+08:00

Damn. I've been compulsively spending moolah non-stop these past few weeks. Don't know why.

Here's today's loot.

Growing Pains

2007-08-04T16:55:00.000+08:00

Daaaaaaaaaaaaamn. Has it been eight months since my last post? Sure doesn't feel like it.

Heh. For the first couple of weeks I just could not find words to express what I was going through. Nothing I wrote seemed fit to be published. Then it kinda became me being too tired to blog. Then it degenerated into not being bothered to blog.

I know. Excuses, excuses.

Check back again if you feel like it. I'll blog when I blog.

Lots of crap happened the past few months, but I think they can be summarized into one phrase:

I'm growing.

Always look on the bright side of life

2007-01-29T20:32:00.000+08:00

Had me the type of day that makes you wish you stayed in bed.

Woke up with a splitting headache, which only got worse as the day got on.

Forgot my wallet and watch when I went out, so had to walk back to get them

My 师父 was on MC today and I did everything extra slow

My other 师父 also left early because of fever.
(Thanks for staying as long as you did!)

AND I ACCIDENTALLY SENT MAIL TO &@#%%$^@... nevermind.

Tomorrow's another day.

Always look on the bright side of life.

Singapore Dreaming

2007-01-28T21:42:00.000+08:00

My dad got his hands on a copy of Singapore Dreaming, which I watched last night. It's pretty good. Catch it if you have the chance to.

It struck me how much I was like the character Ah Seng. Studies in the US, appreciation for the finer things in life without working for it, just a prodigal son without the repentant part.

Loser.

Feeshy Feeshy

2007-01-25T21:46:00.000+08:00

Got a pet today. There's been a little craze in the office to purchase aquatic animals.

Started with 3 guppies last Friday, all of which perished by Tuesday. They were followed by a trio of tetras, of which only one still lives. Then four "bumble bee" fish, all of which are still alive and well.

My little contribution to this menagerie is a fighting fish, bettas i think they're called. I'm gonna call it Feeshy(pronounced Fee-sheee, like how Oded Fehr's character in Deuce Bigalow affectionately calls his lion fish) . GJ got one yesterday, but I didn't like those that were on sale in the other shop. So I dragged GJ and Meifang to the shop where we normally get fish, and chose the most psychotic fish I could find. Pity the office doesn't allow cameras, or I'd take a few pictures and post it here.

Work has been... tumultuous, to say the least. I'm screwing up all over the place. I'd like to thank all the old birds who have been teaching me the ropes and resisting the urge to strangle me when I screw up.

I apologize for sounding a little dead, cause I'm tired. Can't write properly in this state.

New Toy

2007-01-11T21:18:00.000+08:00

Nothing much to post about the past few days, hence the silence.

Work's good. I still only know like, 1%, of what I'm supposed to know and I still feel useless when there's work flooding in but I can only help with a couple of tasks but with the mostly-patient (;p) guidiance of my 师父 Ash, I'm improving, albeit slowly.

But I'm really enjoying going to work, and I've pulled out the old garish banner to suit my mood. From GJ's nonsense to me and Ash ribbing each other mercilessly to the looks of amusement and resignation of the rest of the office, I'm liking pretty much every aspect of stepping into the office.

My mom bought me a new toy yesterday. Bose QuietComfort2s. Damn they ROCK. Pity I can't use them when I'm out though. Not practical. Can't hear jack from my surroundings when they're playing music into my ear. Sound is crystal. I won't bore you with further quibbiling, but damn I LOVE this thing.

Hed wan tu essprode orredy

2007-01-03T21:00:00.000+08:00

I feel stupid. And slow.

Transferred to another section today, felt like the first day of work all over again. Everything was new, tried my best to squeeze everything my Seafood Ashlyn tried to impart to me(Solly I srow. Prease patient!).

Accomplished almost nothing today. ^&$%^$%^#^. Hate this feeling.

Tomorrow's another day. Just gotta get up, dust off and keep whacking. Even concrete walls are gonna fall sometime.

Comatose Celebrations

2007-01-02T20:35:00.000+08:00

Apologies to all those who called/sent messages at the stroke of midnight to wish me a Happy New Year. I was sleeping. Actually I've been sleeping through this whole holidays. Don't know why, but I've been feeling lethargic. Couldn't even be bothered to play Carbon. Add in the aches that plagued me since the gym session and I had more reason to sleep. Body doesn't ache when I'm unconscious.

I did manage to stay awake to watch Pool's match with Bolton though, a match I didn't expect them to win, much less score three goals. Woohoo!

But so much sleeping and staying at home has taken its toll. Can't believe I'm gonna say this, but..

I can't wait to go back to work.

Happy New Year

2006-12-31T23:59:00.000+08:00

ten seconds left
until midnight
nine chances to drown ourselves
in black hair dye
eight faces turned away
from the shock
seven windows and six of them
were locked
five stories falling
fourever and ever
three cheers to the mirror
now there are two of us
can we have one last dance?

World of Pain

2006-12-29T04:39:00.000+08:00

Owwwww.

After months of procrastination, I finally went back to the gym with GJ last night. Trained till about 9+, and by the time I got home it was 11+. Beddy bye near 12. It's almost 5 now and my arms, they HURT. My back hurts. My chest hurts.

It hurts when I try to shampoo my hair. It hurts when I brush my teeth. It hurts when I put a shirt on. It hurts to type. It hurts to bring food to my mouth so I can eat. It hurts to sit. I'll bet it's gonna hurt when I go to work today and I have to answer all those phone calls. But you know what the worst part of all this is?

I kinda sorta like it.

Apologies to Leslie Kwok and whoever took the photo.

All packed up and no where to go.

2006-12-24T20:03:00.000+08:00

GJ made plans months ago for a whole ging gang of us to celebrate Christmas on Sentosa together, even renting a car and all, but as the day drew closer it looked less and less likely that we were going to be able to proceed on them due to the heavens pissing on us for the past week or so.

True enough, a deluge drenched our little island again yesterday. Went out a little earlier to get Need for Speed: Carbon after I got a tip off from Soh(Thanks!)that a Collector's Edition copy was sighted at the Toa Payoh Comics Connection. Sky had a greyish pallor when I entered the shop, but it wasn't raining yet, but in the five minutes I took to locate the game and purchase it, the floodgates were cranked wide open. ^(^&*(()&^* weather. Game's great fun though. Having a ball of a time with it.

To cut a long grandfudder story short, met up with them, made alternative plans, ended up walking around the City Hall area and watching Night at the Museum. Pretty funny movie, thought I have to add in a caveat that you gotta leave your brain at the door. I did, and it tickled me pink. I chortled numerous times and roared with laughter once or twice. Haven't many movies in the last coupla years that have made me laugh that loud. Go catch it if you can. :)

All in all not too bad, considering we made up most of the plan on the fly. Rounded up a fun day having dinner at Cuppage and cracking jokes in the car on the way home.

Thanks Lindsay, GJ and Xian for the Puma sneakers and the Pool jacket! Hope you guys take as much delight in your gifts as I do mine.

Don't got to go to work tomorrow. Woohoo!

And to finish up, I'd like to wish all, big and small, a very Merry Christmas!

Don², Happy Birthday!

YP-1U

2006-12-17T19:25:00.000+08:00

Was reading the papers today when I saw an ad of a 512MB mp3 player retailing at $59 at Best Denki. First 20 customers only. Usual price $199. Figured it was a pretty good deal so went out a little earlier to get it.

It's a Samsung YP-1U. Haven't really used it yet, just filled it with my usual running (Read:noisy) tracks and charged it. Hopefully I'll get a chance to test it soon. Maybe tomorrow. Please don't rain tomorrow. My ass is getting huge.

Met up with Leslie and 369 after that. Had fun ribbing 369 with "ORD loh!" remarks and listening to him complain about contact tracing every weekend and a AAO recall with tech deployment yesterday(Weekend burnt! Song boh?!). Heh. My days of being a slave of the SAF are over. ORD loh!

I get to get off work earlier than usual tomorrow. Got arrowed to go to some cohesion thing at Marina. Pariss. I get to work at 0830, head off to Marina at 1100, and then home at 1500. Pretty good deal, but the downside is that GJ couldn't come with us. :(

Pwned.

2006-12-14T19:20:00.000+08:00

A hundred days have made me older
Since the last time that I saw your pretty face
A thousand lies have made me colder
And I don't think I can look at this the same

All the miles that separate
Disappear now when I'm dreamin' of your face

I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time
I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight, there's only you and me.

The miles just keep rollin'
As the people leave their way to say hello
I've heard this life is overrated
But I hope that it gets better as we go.

I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl, there's only you and me.

Everything I know, and anywhere I go
It gets hard but it won't take away my love
And when the last one falls, when it's all said and done.
It gets hard but it won't take away my love

I'm here without you baby
But you're still on my lonely mind
I think about you baby and I dream about you all the time

I'm here without you baby
But you're still with me in my dreams
And tonight girl, there's only you and me

- 3 Doors Down
Here Without You

Cee One-Thirty Rolling Down The Stree-eeeeet

2006-12-11T19:19:00.000+08:00

First jog since my old mp3 broke. Bleh. Fitness totally gone, as proven by the spare tyre swelling around my belly. Short run left me totally breathless. Useless.

It was made worse by the fact that I didn't have rap or metal blasting in my ear, driving me forward. There's no way I'm gonna run with the iPod. If it rains or sweat seeps inside the casing I'm gonna cry. Sang army cadence songs in my head the whole time, but the effect isn't the same.

First thing I'm gonna get when I get my new pay is a mp3 I can run with.

Blah Blah Blah

2006-12-07T20:05:00.000+08:00

Sorry for not updating. I just didn't know what to say. Believe it or not, this is the fourth time in as many days that I've sat here infront of the screen, trying to think of something to post.

New job's pretty good, except for one or two assholes who call in and DEMAND to be served because they're perm staff and I'm just contract. ************.

Colleagues are pretty good. And with GJ around I can never have a quiet moment, which is good... sometimes. Other times he's just a pain in the ass. :P

Can't wait till the end of the month and I can get me money. I'm getting broke already because of Christmas. %^%&%**(%&%^$*%.

Butchered hair

2006-12-03T12:58:00.000+08:00

Got back in time to watch the Pool match last night, and took a shower after it ended. I was super shack, hair took an hour to totally dry, got fed up, so went to the barber first thing in the morning.

I'm less than pleased with the results. Barber was busy having a conversation with his colleague and wrecked my hair. I now look retarded. Yay.

Level 1 Office Drone

2006-11-29T08:37:00.000+08:00

How's that for a D&D character? If you have no idea what the heck am I talking about, you're not geeky enough. :D

Signed a new contract yesterday with another company. Job scope looks much better, ditto pay, and the people over there are actually around my age so it's gonna be easier to communicate. Plus I already know some people inside. Thanks for the invite, Meifang!

My iPod is running at half batt today because of a certain incident last night and I couldn't charge it by the time I got back. Certain to run flat before 1800 today. *coughGJIWantATreatcough*

Edit: Poking around, I stumbled upon Wet²'s blog. It's empty for now but I'll just add it in.

Lining amongst the clouds

2006-11-23T20:04:00.000+08:00

Finally a day that I felt I was actually doing something fruitful at work. Today actually went by pretty fast.

Along with Pool winning this morning, me going to hand in my timesheets tomorrow and the weekend around the corner, things are looking pretty rosy.

1¢ every six seconds

2006-11-22T08:52:00.000+08:00

That's how much I earn now. Kinda depressing isn't it, both the amount I'm paid and the fact that I'm bored enough to calculate how much I'm earning a second.

I think it's the hair. Syah called it "emo". I'm just sick of having to run a hand through it when the wind blows and messes it up. It's starting to fritz at the ends too. Maybe I'll take a leaf from Don²'s book and chop it all off.

I'll see.

7 working days left. Got offered an extension to my contract today but I turned it down. Administrative sai kang at shit pay.

No way, José. Thanks, but no thanks.

Edit: Posted the above in the office this morning, and when I went to check on it couple of minutes later I realised the banner was cut off a little at the top. It looked fine on my own system as I run my screen at 1280x1024. The laptop in the office ran at 1024x768, which I think most of you do. So I clipped a little off so that you guys can get the full picture. Will check again in the office tomorrow. If you guys think my banner looks a little funny in the future, please do pop me a comment or email or msn me.

Prison Break Junkie

2006-11-20T08:48:00.000+08:00

Another start to another boring day, nay, week of work. At least on Friday I'll be heading over to Chun Boon's to hand in them timesheets, and finally be paid for all this boredom.

Weekend was a mixed bag, with me staying home all day and Liverpool drawing in a game that they held by the cojonés. But the good thing was that I started on Prison Break and I simply couldn't stop. Sure, it's littered with glaring mistakes , clichés and Deus Ex Machina, but it's presented in a way that still intrigued and drew me in. I'm lucky I can just pop disc after disc in to unravel the story. I'll go insane if I have to wait week after week to find out what's gonna happen next. I had half a mind to blow off work today to finish whatever I have left. I'll have a long day ahead before I can go back and continue.

Where are thou, 1800hrs?

Locate Wall. Bang Head. Repeat.

2006-11-15T16:37:00.000+08:00

Haven't been updating cos there's nothing much to say.

Work's still boring, don't go out much because I'm broke.

GST's being raised to 7%. Whoop dee doo. To assist the poor my ass. I'm poor and I don't see any help. Go tax some rich corporation and leave the people alone. If they can throw money around according to the records I'm looking at, they can afford to be taxed more.

Another Day, Another Dollar

2006-11-09T19:38:00.000+08:00

Super shack. Nutshell. Work boring. Time drags on forever. Eyes hurt.

Need weekend.

Shack cannot think

2006-11-06T22:03:00.000+08:00

I wanna smack myself in the head. I was updating an excel file all day, and at 1745 I decided to rest 15 minutes before heading home. Clicked the "x" and a dialog box popped up. Without thinking or reading, I clicked "No".

Then it occurred to me. I didn't save.

Gets better. The dialog box was telling me I didn't save and was asking me if I wanted to.

EEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

That's the last time Teddy Bear's picking the movie

2006-11-05T01:21:00.000+08:00

Heh. Great weekend. Just came back from an outing with Teddy Bear, Xiao Hong, Shichao, Soh, Ah Chan, Mingrui and Kotek. Heh. Had a ball of a time.

Watched a crappy movie though, The Covenant aka Dragon Ball Z. Teddy Bear's idea. Totally predictable bullshit. I saw "Directed by Renny Harlin" in the opening credits and said "Uh oh" to myself. That's the last freakin' time he's picking the movie. Everybody gave him hell once the lights turned on in the theater. Hilarious.

Liverpool also won 2-0 against Reading. I know they're shit and it was at home, but I'm happy nonetheless after our recent shitty form.

And to round off the great weekend, I FINALLY GOT MY IPOD! I WUV IT! APPLE ROCKS!

Three down, twenty to go

2006-11-03T04:06:00.000+08:00

Wanted to post last night, but got too tired.

Bleh. I kinda regret taking this job now. Pay sucks, but that wouldn't make me regret taking too much. I already knew the pay when I took it. What's making me regret is the people, and that they're making me do.

First up, my job scope. It's boring the hell out of me. Photocopying, sorting out the photocopies, and entering the stuff on the photocopies into Excel. I could've done it when I was 12. BOOOOOOOOOORIIIIIIIINNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG. Give me something challenging to do, for crying out loud.

And then the people. All they ever talk about is colleagues and work. I don't know what they talk about 98% of the time. Want to chup in also cannot. And being someone as socially inept as I am, small talk isn't really my forte. I guess they figure I'm only there for a month, so no point getting to know me. This has got to be the only time I actually look forward to the end of break time and getting my ass back to work. At least time passes faster in my little cubicle. If not for MSN Web Messenger and whomever that bothers to talk to me when I'm online, I'd go insane.

Come every 6pm, a flood of relief washes over me as I hurry to get my ass out of there. When I plonk my ass down on the seat in the shuttle bus, it feels damn shiok.

I'm really looking forward to the weekend. Something I haven't done since I was a trainee at 160. An oasis in the middle of the friggin desert.

Twenty days more before my contract ends and I get paid. Can't wait.

Xiao Hong gets an honorifical mention here. Yesterday, on his second day of work, he tells me he's typing his resignation letter. Xiao Hong, YOUS ROCK!

1st day of work

2006-10-31T19:52:00.000+08:00

Heh. First day of work. Did nothing. I was so bored I started reading bash.

One day down, 22 more to go.

Why I'm getting my fat ass outta here, Part II

2006-10-24T23:28:00.000+08:00

Before we begin, do me a favor and reach for today's Home section. Flip to page H5 and read the part under Teen blogger counselled for "elitist" remarks(Why does elitist have to be quoted? Afraid of daddy, SPH? Oh, yeah. You were always G man's bitch.)

Done? If you wanna read what she-who-must-not-be-named(I don't want this post to be tracked)posted, go to technorati and look.

If you want to read what Derek Wee originally posted, here you go.

Now, slamming her now would be fashionable, I don't deny that. But I don't do things because everybody else is doing that. I do things because I want to. And this just plain pisses me off.

My parents always taught me how I behave is a reflection of them and how they brought me up. In my eyes, this little rant speaks volumes about the environment that shaped her psyche, namely, home. An environment her parents provide, one of whom sits in the puuurty building we call Parliament. If he was the MD of some company with no control over the laws that govern our lives, I wouldn't give a rat's ass about what she thinks about the proletariat.

And don't get me started on Daddy's pathetic attempt at apology. Actually, non-apology. Sounded more to me like he was justifying Princess's comments than saying sorry. Pui. Ang Mo Kio, what the hell were you doing when you let this guy in?

This is the country we live in, ladies and gentlemen.

I don't want to waste more time on this.

I'm getting my ass outta here. You comin'?

Weird Al Rocks.

2006-10-24T12:37:00.000+08:00

Heh. Surfing around again, saw this video by Weird Al that made me laugh till snot came out of my nose.

But first here's the video it was based on

Chamillionaire's Ridin'

Now here's Weird Al

Weird Al Yankovic's White and Nerdy

Personal DNA

2006-10-24T10:26:00.000+08:00

Discovered this little test while I was just surfing around and found it pretty accurate in its assessment of myself so I thought you guys might want to try it.

Here are my results if you guys wanna see.

I Love Soh.

2006-10-23T21:05:00.000+08:00

My mp3 player's dying.

It's served me faithfully for 4 years now, but the battery's running flat real fast, the audio jack's all staticky now, and sometimes, while playing a song, it would skip to another song, while the display insists that it's still playing the first song, and it sometimes refuses to work past the boot up screen, so I have for the battery to run flat before recharging it and being able to use it again.

And don't even make me mention the screwed up software Philips makes me use to input songs. Slow, buggy and it can only put songs in. It can't take them out. So when my old hdd went boom, I lost most of my mp3s. Ripping cds all over again is a pain in the ass, so I only rip those that I want to listen to.

But now, my dear platoon mate Soh has given my faithful mp3 a new lease of life, of sorts. He provided me with this. Silly me. If Philips' software sucked so much, there was bound to be people a hell lot more talented than I am at programming who were as frustrated as I was with the software. I should have thought of it and searched for this myself eons ago.

But that still won't alleviate the wear and tear I've inflicted on it over the years. So I've decided to relegate it to jogging duty and replace it with an Ipod. Waitaminute I hear you say. Where the hell am I gonna get the cash to do that? haven't I been complaining of being broke?

Well, I've just thought of my ERS. I got them about two years ago and haven't cashed them in yet. Totally forgot about them.

I'm gonna get a job too. Went to Chun Boon's office today to fill in some forms. He works for a temp agancy you see, so if you're in need of a part time job, call Recruit Express and look for Jason. He'll hook you up.

And thanks to Syah for introing me to Funeral for a Friend's History. Can't stop playing it now.

Untitled

2006-10-18T18:07:00.000+08:00

Didn't post much for past few days 'cause nothing's postworthy. Or rather nothing postworthy that doesn't need to be censored.

Bashing through Diablo again as a Barbarian to let of a little steam.

Driving's progressing. Instead of getting berated every minute, I'm now getting reprimanded every other minute.

Me against the world

2006-10-15T00:05:00.000+08:00

Seems like the world is conspiring against me these days. Nothing is going my way. Everything is pissing me off.

No acceptance letters yet. The haze. Buses and trains taking forever to arrive. Traffice lights that turn amber or red when I'm near. Liverpool drawing, AT HOME, to BLACKBURN. This damn cough. Dumbasses right in front of me in the queue taking forever to accomplish whatever they were queueing for. The computer acting up. Parents nagging ceaslessly and needlessly. The heat here. Prices. Bills that appear from nowhere. My fitness. Morons that block my light source when I'm reading on the bus. The list goes on.

I know I sound like I need to take a chill pill, but I don't wanna.

Anger... drives me.

coughcough

2006-10-10T21:30:00.000+08:00

Haven't been posting because I've been lazy/nothing to post about.

It's been same old same old these past coupla days. Humiliating myself during driving lessons, running when the air is not too bad, waking up at funny hours and either forcing myself to go back to sleep or watching the sky as the sun creeps up.

Everyone keeps asking me when I'm going over. I haven't even been accepted to any Unis yet. Sure hope I do, so that I can get out of this rut I find myself stuck in. Seem like everyone around me is making plans and getting on with life and me, I'm still dicking around.

Whoop Dee Doo

2006-10-05T19:56:00.000+08:00

Got my first rejection letter from Texas A&M coupla days back. One down, three more to go. I think I'm gonna get stuck here for one more year as I re-apply for less competitive Unis.

Got another letter from MINDEF asking for $54 for a medical appointment I went for. Seems that although I had my 11B when I went, you have to get a referral from your camp MO to get free treatment from government institutions.

Been going for my long overdue driving lessons (No, GJ, this is not a veiled dig at you.) these few days. Keep stalling the damn car. Malu sial.

Busted my left knee from daily running. I don't know how the Gurkhas run everyday. Actually I'm not sure they do. They all look the same. Brown and fit as hell. Plus the damn Indonesians are making our little Lee-empire a smokers' Paradise, so I switched to swimming today. It sucked.

Firstly, it took so long to swim. I left home about 1730 and only got back about 1930. It takes me half an hour, tops, to run my regular route, warmup included.

Second, half the damn pool was taken up by some kiddie lesson. 15 kids! Half the damn pool! So the rest of us suckers got crammed into the other half. Which had other kids diving in from all over the place too. And people crowding the edges, just talking cock. GET THE HELL OUT OF THE DAMN POOL IF YOU DON'T SWIM! Why the hell can't you talk at the empty viewing galleries? I was in the pool for more than an hour, I think, and I saw people stick to their little spot the whole time, yakking away. Can't wait till my knee get better and some rain to clear up the skies again so that I can get back to running again.

Pfffft. Days like these, they drag on forever.

Are you there, Mah Mah? It's me, Ah Boy

2006-10-04T18:40:00.000+08:00

It's been a year since you left us.

A year ago today I got the phone call I've been dreading and bracing myself for the past few years.

A year since I watched helplessly as your life ebbed away.

A year since I kissed your clammy forehead, weeping and thanking you for all you've done for me.

I still miss you, Grams. I always will.

Still broke

2006-10-02T03:37:00.000+08:00

Happy Belated Birthday to De Hua.

Boring couple of days, nothing to post about, but since here I am awake in the middle of the friggin night for no reason again, figured might as well pass time by doing one now.

Collected my specs on Saturday, you know, my favourite ones that got smashed, and a couple my dad said to make in preparation of me leaving(specs are pretty expensive there). But the cockanathan lab techs screwed up the left lens on one of them, so I'll have to rush down to Queensway one of these days after driving to collect it.

Meifang invited me to go out with her and Syah Saturday (I took it that she meant clubbing as it was pretty late), but I guess she doesn't read this blog much because I'm still pretty much broke. My bank account was real close, within the breadth of a chihuahua's butt hair close, of running dry, if not for the paycheck I received for working at Comex. Just a hundred, plus change, but I guess it'll be enough to tide me over this month. Would've more if I worked harder, but I spent COMEX bioing Toshiba Girl instead of selling. Now I have an emptier bank account and a headful of TiVoed images and video(in HD!) I can't get rid of. Har har. Serves me right.

Have you ever experienced the booger that wouldn't leave? You know the type you dig in public, not really dry yet with a small glob of snot still at one corner, and lacking a Kleenex or a rubbish bin, surreptitiously try to flick to some corner for the poor cleaners to sweep up? But no matter how hard you flick your fingers or whole hand, it just won't obey your edict of banishment and fly to some corner to live a hermit's life? And when you thought you'd gotten rid of it and continued on you way and when you got home, you discovered why people had been giving you all those funny looks: the booger had clung on for dear life on some loose thread on your sleeve, and, now a little older and drier, was swinging in merry defiance of your quest to be rid of it? That's... kind of a metaphor of I'm experiencing now.

Trip Pics Part One

2006-09-28T12:38:00.000+08:00

Don't want to upload much because uploading is a pain in the ass, so here's my trip in a nutshell.

My Aunt's house

Aunt's house from behind

View from her yard.

View 2

Me, in San Francisco.

My parents

Pretty much self-explanatory

My Dad's new car

Alcatraz

Coit Tower

Lombard Street

Another view of Alcatraz

San Francisco Cable Car

Chinatown, San Francisco

Nice Paintjob

Murals made using jelly beans. Jelly Belly Factory, Fairfield, CA

More murals

Samples given after the factory tour

In-N-Out Burger. My favourite fast food on the planet.

Heaven on earth.

Atop Mt. Diablo

Happy Birthday Xian!

2006-09-13T23:57:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday, Xian! Sorry I can't wish you in person.

Greetings from the Golden State

2006-09-10T08:49:00.001+08:00

Just awoke from a nice long nap. It's around 1745 now here. 15 hour flight. Bleh.

Wanted to take lots of pics but my camera began fritzing out. Don't know why. Have to send for servicing when I get back. More money spent. Yay.

Anyway, here's what little I could take.
Our Aircraft waiting at Narita

Narita International Airport, Tokyo. Wasn't much else to shoot.

My seat for the second leg. Couldn't take any pics during the first leg.

Wanted to take the sunrise, but got distracted by a little something called V for Vendetta. But the morning sky is also pretty.

I'm a slob. Heh.

Partly cloudy my ass.

First glimpses of land

Surburbs

San Mateo Bridge. I'm amazed at this piece of engineering (takes ten minutes at 90 miles per hour to cross it!) and wanted to take more but my camera conked out again at this point.

That's all for now. Will post more if I get my camera working again.

Happy Birdae, Brudder!

2006-09-08T07:56:00.001+08:00

Happy Birdae, Brudder!

Anyway, passed my Final yesterday, so now I'll have to clear my lessons when I get back from the States then I can get a crack at TP, then hopefully a licence. I am so sick at not being able to drive. It would have been cool to be able to drive during this trip.

Thanks GJ, Lindsay, Renée, Xian and Leonard for the "~~Tua Beh~~大马"! I absolutely adore it! I've always wanted one but it was always out of budget. And I apologise for making you guys scramble to accomodate my schedule to include me in the celebrations. Sorry!

Sir Chun Rong, I know that I promised to attend your birthday celebration, but I'm sorry I won't be able to because I'm flying off tomorrow. And a Happy Birthday to you too!

Went to eat zhi cha at Cuppage again. Then pool at Marina because we missed our planned movie timeslot.

Got back around 1:30 and bed at 2. Tossed and turned until 5, I think. Same shit, different day.

This post will be the last for a few days, I think. I'll post when I'm able in the States.

I think closure's overrated. I'm more of a fan of open-ended, unrequited love. - Seth Cohen

Everything is relative

2006-08-30T17:58:00.000+08:00

SAT score drop biggest in 31 years

Yeah, Baby.

My name... is Neo

2006-08-28T17:42:00.000+08:00

Just back from a run. I'm dripping sweat all over the keyboard but I don't give a shit. there ain't jack to watch on TV and I have to wait for my body to cool down before having a bath so I figured that I might as well do today's post now.

Got a little scare this morning when I switched my PC on, there was a sound emanating from it that I don't normally hear and when XP came on I had no control of the mouse and keyboard. Opened it up and poked around. Worked fine after that but i still don't know what happened so I guess it's time to backup my data. Which is a huge pain in the ass cause I have more than 200 gigs to backup.

Got a letter from CPF tell me I have to repay my pop's CPF account just under $6k for my poly fees(Plus interest! 500 bucks! For two years!). As regular commiserators of my sorry-ass life would know, I'm pretty much flat broke. Went to my parents groveling for help and after some blahblahblah about my NSF pay(What pay?! It's an allowance.), they let me use my uni money to repay that loan. Guess I'll have to skip a meal or two or 1,200 over there. Thanks ah, Gahmen!

Took a break from running on Sat because my legs hurt like hell while running on Fri, and didn't run yesterday because I went to the "training" session yesterday for the job at the end of the month(Selling laptops at COMEX, if anybody wants to know). That slackness took its toll and I felt punished every step I ran today. But at least I knew I was running off the bingeing during the chalet and yesterday's Carl's Jr(It's been a long time, okay?).

Was digging for info to use as ammo to blindside some poor dumbass into buying from me during the PC fair(I know I'm bad, but I need the money, okay? Save your ethical bullshit for somebody who has cash to burn. Money can't buy everthing but you can't get jack without money), when I got tired and decided to take a break. For some reason I went to Mr Miyagi's and started digging through his archives. I discovered My Heritage nestled amongst his numerous posts and had some fun with it. Renée, when you called me I was doing this so you'll have to forgive me for being distracted. This shit is way too funny. Here are some of the results I got:

Had myself a grand time giggling away at those. Pathetic, I know, but when you're bored out of your mind even the simplest crap amuses you, y'know? And for the record, I don't think I look like any of them.

P.S. Hmmm a huge gap has appeared between the main body of text and the pictures. It looked fine when I previewed it, and I'm sure it has to do with the table, but I'm too lazy to go debug.

P.P.S. Note to guys reading this. Wear a shirt when cooking. Sizzling oil and bare skin aren't exactly best friends.

Be sittin' up in my room

2006-08-26T23:39:00.000+08:00

Took it easy today. No running, nothing productive done. Just me, a coupla movies and NFS:MW and waitng for a call that never came.

Had some excitement in the evening with Pool winning narrowly. Can't wait for Sissoko, Riise and Carragher to recover for the derby, 'cause Aurelio can't defend for shit, and Gonzalez don't look too convincing yet. Internationals bar the World Cup Finals suck. At least we'll head into the break with a win on the table.

Do you know the way to San Jose?

2006-08-26T07:51:00.000+08:00

Don't bother about the title. Didn't know what to put so just plonked the first thing that popped into my mind there.

Wanted to post yesterday, but somehow couldn't connect to Blogger. Anyway, went for my second driving lesson on the 24th. Finally got the hang of the clutch and stopped stalling the car when I try to move off. 1st lesson was embarassing.

Went for my platoon chalet after that. Stood at the BBQ panging the food, and as a result filched lots of food. I think my effort of running this whole week is gone because of that, but it's all good. Times like that don't come often and I'll enjoy then when they come. Pictures are on Jason's blog. Too lazy to collate from the different cameras then post them up now. I'll do them when I got them pictures and the impetus to do it.

Oh yeah. Talking about pictures, finally got my POP photo. That was like, more than a year ago. But I guess it's equal because we owe them our orbat chart. Think we'll be the 1st platoon to ORD without an orbat chart. Heh.

Talking about owing, those of you who still owe me crap, please return them/pass them on to the next guy. Is it a Singaporean trait to take loaned things as yours until the original owner asks for it? Damn, if I had a penny every time I loan stuff out and lose contact with it for at least 6 months, I can change my name to William Henry Gates III. Some of the stuff I have has resided in other people's possession longer than it has with me. LEND ≠ GIVE, PEOPLE! And it takes repeated prodding and badgering for them to return said stuff. Return my stuff once you're done with them! *&@^#$*%^$&*@%&*@#%&*@#%@%*

Worse still are those who lend out the stuff that I lent them. It's a loan to YOU, not Tom/Dick/Harry/Ah Kow/Ah Lian/Santa Clause/Steve-O/Tua Peh Kong! It's not yours, so even if your Momma/best friend/dream girl\boy /pet dog wants to borrow it, at least have the courtesy to ask the owner's permission first. I'm sick of hearing "My fren haven return yet leyyyy" or some equivalent.

How to get into movies free

2006-08-22T20:26:00.000+08:00

Damn long never see Syah already, so today jio him out for movie. Had vouchers expiring this month so die die had to use. Sold him my Matrix DVD to boost my bank account a little too.

Anyway, after lunch we went up to watch My Super Ex-GF, but as we approached the ..uh, turnstile? Anyway the place where your tickets get ripped, the person there walked off to go somewhere, leaving the place unattended. I don't know if s/he saw us or not. We waited for about a minute, chooted a couple of times then decided to let ourselves in. If we hadn't gotten the tickets, we'd have gotten a free movie.

Afterwards we walked to Esplanade, talking cock all the way. Nothing much to do so we went home after that.

Came home, dozed off on the couch, then forced myself to wake up to go for a run. Felt super lazy, but have to run 'cause I'm fat. Tried to follow the Gurkhas again but as usual they run too fast for me. Hopefully within a year I can run as fast as they do.

Adieu glasses

2006-08-20T23:35:00.000+08:00

My favourite pair of glasses is a wreck. Yay. More money spent. I know it was an accident, but I'm still pissed. Don't feel like writing more.