k y m s t e r

rockapella rocks!

2007-11-05T11:40:00.000+08:00

I'm so glad I went on this impromptu acapella date with Si. I need a sound distraction from all the paper work (and refusing to mention) exams!

Youtube only had my favourite Zombie Jamboree with the previous members of the band :( But. I still found the acts of Small World, Tonight. Enjoy!

Su-aaave~

random update

2007-11-02T00:44:00.000+08:00

what do you do when you're totally bogged down with things you HAVE to do?

"Just do it, no choice," as all jaded people will say.

I don't wanna end up using that dead-end phrase EVER.

That's not how my life is going to be.

im getting desserts.

2007-08-19T23:44:00.000+08:00

Lots of them.

Backwards.

Cheers, to my sweet torment.

The impulse and adrenaline rush

2007-08-17T00:30:00.000+08:00

On the floor: my skirt and his kakis...(strictly safe for 'G' viewing)

By the lift: Brooks and Adidas on their way to the East...

After some kilometers: a toast to our first trek along the coast.

The fate of his hands and mine

2007-08-09T14:48:00.000+08:00

His, all soaked in detergent, hustling and tussling with his pile laundry.

Mine, typing away on this entry and pressing the button on my washing machine tonite.

- Ramblings of a true blue techie -

Now showing

2007-07-29T23:53:00.000+08:00

(LC MS PPT version of the) Movie Poster:

Synopsis:
A double-date daytrip between a weird aunt and her equally weird niece to the less known corners around the tiny red dot.

Features a breathtaking itinery on a rainy Sunday -
Clementi --> Jurong East --> Jurong --> Boon Lay --> LUNCH! --> Toa Payoh --> Bishan --> Hougang --> Serangoon --> Yio Chu Kang --> Yishun --> Woodlands --> Chua Chu Kang --> Bukit Gombak --> Drinks @ Wine Company --> DINNER @Da Paolo's

Starring:

Uncle Poul as NTU CEE Guest Lecturer on Research Expedition

Aunt Lay Hwee as Virtuous Wife aka the Woman behind the Successful Man

Kiongster as the Man behind both the Wheel and Sick Girl. Also doubles as the 'Ginna' (see 'Screenshots').

Kymster as the Cramped-up Island Navigator

Screenshots

Intellectual and Thoughtful Couple at work...

Standing strong on her own, keeping order with the Husband's walking stick.

Paparazzi-ed: The Hungry Chauffeur

Possessed by the Cramp Monster...

Refuelling!

FINALE - The Dinner affair @ Da Paolo's

back, from Life

2007-07-28T11:07:00.000+08:00

Another long hiatus :P

It wasn't intentional. Really. The first seven months of two-o-o-seven has been keeping me under the seventeenth level of h*ll, swimming in URA, FYP, IAMCR and Paris.

I was just a micro-step away from the final level of torture before I was saved in the nick of time by another one of the our 'weirdest' nite out.

Remember how I attempted to stay awake and sane after 9 gruelling kids on a Saturday during our first night-cycling trip. That couldn't be helped, could it? (K, that time have~?)

Tonight, it was your sweet treats, K, that kept me going.

1. Picked up from TPY, way out, to and fro TPY.
2. Uncanny for a Saturday-zombie, a heartland mall walk-about in the evening with (surprise!) enjoyable food court dinner.
3. A bizarre-looking and unexpectedly yummy green tea shaved ice (that looks like the dragon beard candy) with redbean dessert.

Don't ask me how it tastes. Trust the empty plate.

4. (I don't know how ended up with) This suspicious shopping load of packets of queer looking tissue packets, with odd-sounding names of movie blockbusters, and veggies dressed up as flora and fauna. See you can identify any.

Funny. This date was a cheap thrill, literally, in the most positive light.

Hence,
kymster's back, nonetheless, though not in her original form. Will keep the updates rolling.

Next up, (backdated entries of) Paris!

25 on the 25th

2007-06-25T00:59:00.000+08:00

Another tough eve, but truth is, birthdays are never the same anymore.

At least for one, I'm very sure growing up will not be my priority from now on.

sweet~

2007-04-25T16:24:00.000+08:00

A peek into a pleasant Marriott surprise from Sab, my very nice supervisor in Arts...

For once, I'm assigned something more palatable. After all the days of sweat and cross-eyed hours in the Arts reading and researching scripts and plays and events, this is a yummy break!

(Who cares if I'm putting on more weight?? Lalala!)

going nuts

2007-04-11T21:58:00.000+08:00

You know you're 'almost there' when your colleague starts doing this on your desk.

Nuts are meant to be eaten.

25: 1 multifaceted foe

2007-04-05T09:35:00.000+08:00

25.

"You're officially in your mid-twenties, kymster!" - Kwan, 2007

25.

Part of 1 infuriating and sleep-deprivating play.

25.

Damned.

Why does my birthday have to fall on the 25th this year.

How to survive the Monday Blues on 2 hrs of snooze the night before

2007-03-27T21:15:00.000+08:00

Tried and tested.

First, and the most crucial key: Wake up.

After which, put on the lazy dress and trek your way in the tropical downpour to the bus stop.

Make sure the bus is packed to the brim with fellow travellers who got delayed by the rain-induced traffic jam along 3 major roads. Suffocate, and create the tiniest space for oxygen to flow. That'll stimulate and wake your organs and senses up 30%.

Run to work. But if you wanna keep your poise among the morning Shenton Way -crowd, just walk - very (and I really mean, VERY) briskly till you feel the strain on your calves. Oh, did I mention you must wear heels?

Next, reach the office and be busy. If you can't, try reporting to work with a new supervisor who capitalise on your enthusiasm. (Note: you only have this privilege if you're an intern. Else, too bad. Just BE busy.)

Towards the end of the day, plan for a buffet dinner of yummy vegetarian food. (It's healthy.) Top it up with 'love'ly company, and have nice non-work related chitchat. To further enhance the experience, gorge yourself silly with whatever yum-yums you can get your teeth on. It's a buffet afterall.

By now, your whole body and brain should have got the most extensive workout.

Last but not least, at the most critical moment right after you reach home, head for your bed.

With your stomach filled to the brim and churning busily, SLEEP* on it.

*Results may vary.

Getting the last laugh - cont'd

2007-03-22T18:16:00.000+08:00

"See lah?"

Yet another article. This is only ST. I didn't include foreign news.

March 22, 2007 Iranian uproar over the film 300
President says movie is an
example of 'psychological war' waged by West
TEHERAN - PRESIDENT Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has joined the chorus of Iranians angry at the depiction of their culture in the blockbuster film 300, accusing the West of waging psychological warfare against his country.
Mr Ahmadinejad was speaking in a televised address to mark the start of the Iranian New Year yesterday as the United Nations Security Council prepared to approve a raft of new sanctions over Teheran's controversial nuclear drive.
'Today, they are trying to tamper with history by making a film and by making Iran's image look savage,' he said, adding that the campaign against his country would not succeed.
At the same time, Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned against 'enemy conspiracies' that he said were aimed at dividing the Iranian people and
weakening the country.
The Hollywood blockbuster at the centre of the storm is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller and depicts a 480BC battle between heroic Greeks and hordes of invading Persians, the ancestors of modern-day Iranians.
300 is seen in Iran, and among sections of the Iranian expatriate community, as part of a broader effort to undermine the Islamic Republic at a time when the West is accusing the country of trying to produce nuclear weapons.
And while Mr Ahmadinejad did not explicitly name the film, it was clearly his target when he complained about a psychological war aimed at hindering Iran's progress by portraying Iranians through a film as being savage.
'By psychological war, propaganda and misuse of the organisations they have themselves created, and for which they have written the rules, and over which they have a monopoly, they are trying to prevent our nation's development,' Mr Ahmadinejad said.
.
.
.

Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access

Getting the last laugh

2007-03-21T12:32:00.000+08:00

In Singaporean's most colloquial tongue, kymster exclaims:
"You see lah! Don't listen to intern, now ST say 'they' angry already. Orr-b-good!"

March 21, 2007 Iran makes psychological war accusation over film
TEHERAN - President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad accused some major powers on Wednesday of waging a psychological war to try and hinder Iran's progress, saying they wanted to portray Iranians through a film as being savage.
Mr Ahmadinejad did not name the film but his comments appeared to be directed at a Hollywood blockbuster called '300' that depicts a 480 B.C. battle between Greeks and Persians that Iranian officials and the public say seeks to vilify Iran.
The film is seen in Iran as part of a broader effort to undermine the Islamic Republic, which is locked in a standoff with the West over its nuclear programme. The West accuses Iran of trying to make nuclear weapons. Tehran denies the charge.
'Today they are trying to tamper with history by making a film and by making Iran's image look savage,' President Ahmadinejad said in a televised address to mark the start of the Iranian New Year. He said the campaign against Iran would not succeed.
Iranian officials, media and bloggers have criticised the way their ancestors were portrayed in the film, inspired by the tale of 300 Spartans under King Leonidas who held out at Thermopylae against a Persian invasion led by Xerxes.
'By psychological war, propaganda and misuse of the organisations they have themselves created, and for which they have written the rules, and
over which they have a monopoly, they are trying to prevent our nation's development,' he said.
.
.
.
'Our nation should be wise and maintain its efforts to build
the country and try to maintain its national unity and unity among the Islamic
nation,' Mr Khamenei said. -- REUTERS
Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access

For 'reading too much into it' during the ratings meeting, people tend to forget that mass media always has massive global impacts. Labelling 'M18' is just an SOP. Shouldn't we be thinking of social and political implications on a bigger scale? Or we can just ignore such vilfying films on the account that we 'don't need to read to much into this' but exaggerate invitatation lists for Jack Neo's based on political sensitivities?

I don't buy these double 'standards'.

是真的

2007-03-17T17:43:00.000+08:00

希望永远等于绝望

PI makes weekends special.

Look forward to them. They are epecially empty.

The joys that cramp-monster brings

2007-03-15T23:48:00.000+08:00

You know it's that day of the month when you wake up with your tummy contracting and attempts to become one with your mattress.

Recently, I've been very atuned to Mr Murphy's sucky law. Woke up drenched in cold sweat, dragged myself out of bed, and dragged my feet along with a barely-180º-angled body and jostle with the morning train crowd into the CBD, still in cold perspiration.

If not for an important experience of a PI-lifetime, I rather forgo my $20 pay for the day.

But well, Murphy overlooked the nice people like Em, LP, Din and Ir. For a whole day on negative energy, with bouts of contraction and cold sweat, I get:

1. My pathetic $20 bucks of the day
2. Two sweet roomies, Em and LP, who trekked to the toilet worrying that cramp-monster took me there
3. Nice colleagues like Din, who saw my washed out look at the lift lobby, and got me nice yummy sweet potato balls to make up for my unsatisfied craving yesterday, and
4. My funky supervisor, Ir, who never fails make me chuckle with her bubbly spirit even even with the moster looming around.

I'm thankful for such invaluable life goodies. $20 is peanuts.

To round up as bonus of the day, watched an ep of Takuya Kimura with dear K in my comfy bed, and chased the moster away.

To Mr Cramp-Monster: Bring it on!

To live with a stick insect

2007-03-11T16:29:00.000+08:00

How do you tell if a deluded stick insect-wannabe is living in your house?

1. When everything one buys is 'lite' and 'low fat'. I mean, EVERYTHING.

2. When one explains personal dislikes for anything 'sweet' by buying and trying all 'low-fat' brands of yogurt with super low calories.

3. When one floats (literally) around the house in looking frail and pale.

4. When definition of burning of calories of a bowl of grapes = mopping the entire house and immediately going to the gym.

Anorexia does not make me sick as Delusion does.
It makes me puke myself to bulimia.

the healthier choice

2007-02-21T23:45:00.000+08:00

After so many days of pigging out, I had my 'first' fruit platter tonight - with compliments of dear K.

Very sweet indeed~

I want more!

Happy Piggy New Year!

2007-02-18T23:30:00.000+08:00

Nothing's much changed since the last doggie year - my annual ritual of (1) waking up late and (2) rushing downstairs for a family photo affair and (3) an early gongxi gongxi at Popo's place :P

Year after year, pictures after pictures, finally, we accomplished our first family 'Darlie-commercial' feat... *round of applause*

Our 1st (of many) angbaos ^^Y

'Hiao' 版四千金!
After 3 days of the eat-sit-sleep routine, I find myself totally immersed in the mood and festivity of the new P I G year.

Total damage inflicted: XX kg.

Yours truly,
Kymster, é eating machine

Surprise, surprise...

2007-02-14T13:52:00.000+08:00

I'm a closet hedonist. I was.

Happy Valentine's dear.

P.S. Since I'm in the office, overwhelmed by both K and work, I shall update this post again very soon.

*kymster is still high on surprises*

it's a special day...

2007-02-08T23:41:00.000+08:00

...and that's when I soon realise monthly mood swings should take the back seat.

T'was a period (literally) to be merry.

...and hence the prerogative to act silly on my dress belt.

Thus, on such special occasion, it's always best to try tie things up.

Or at least, we managed - hands free - nicely.

R . O . I .

2007-02-02T16:04:00.000+08:00

So much for covering up I's Chinese dailies and HK weeklies. finally she's coming back next Monday.

Phew.

Reading is really good for you. Or well, almost.

First, I saw a fellow coursemate's contribution to MyPaper, on her first idol-chase, and lauding a fellow coursemate's promotion into one of the hottest Superstar in town.

Then it's, not one, but TWO, resemblances of K (keke~)...

Last but not least, this was what I meant by time wasted and lousy WB reporting...

What in the world is going on in the WB newsroom........ -_-"

This is life...

2007-02-02T09:09:00.000+08:00

Go catch Babel!

Go catch The Protégé!

Round them up with a 'slice of life' from GloriaJeans and (literally) sleep on it.

Yum-mayy~

At freezing point

2007-01-29T17:12:00.000+08:00

Thanks to the office's erratic air-conditioning system, my hands are frozen. I can't feel the running tap water. Not even three 750ml-Nalgene full of hot tea helped. It had to happen when I forgot to bring my shawl.

Murphy's Law -_-"

Thanks to reading a dozen Chinese newspapers in a row for the entire day, the gray matter in my skull is frozen, making noise everytime I shake my head. Unless you're experienced like my supervisor Ir, DO NOT, and I repeat, DO NOT try this at home without parental supervision.

Nevertheless, this crazy reading experience showed me how crappy WB really is.

Gosh.

Saw the same piece of news reported in the 4 different papers in a day - the case of the mistaken identity between the oilfish and the yummy codfish. Either the fishmonger, or the importer, or the 'victims' didn't recognise the fish fillet. Hence, WB 'victimised' the family involved and published a photo of their stained underwear caused by incessant 'oil farts'.

Dot dot dot.

Only after reading ZB's objective report illustrating the difference between the two swimming creatures and mentioned the purgative effects of the oilfish, did I manage to 'see the point'.

Duh.

Hmz, I apologise for the cathartic nature of this entry. I'm literally disillsioned.

I have another 11 magazines to clear by tomorrow. Wish me luck. Or rather, pray for my pea brain.

Sundays are meant to be lazed around

2007-01-28T20:47:00.000+08:00

Supper is not good for the tummy, as my one-month bulge has proved. Hung over from the 3am-HoneyBunchesOfOats, I didn't feel like getting out of bed. It was a chore. :S

Went to Henderson with the Mother for her eye-check. "散光，远视，老花," the no-frill optometrist said. Prescribed her funky red glasses for 75 bucks. No frills.

Walked around the neighbourhood for a while. with my groggy head, I vaguely felt the vacuum between my world and theirs. Came to see what an elderly centre is for myself, and the Mother told me about the inequalities all these elderly centres scattered around Singapore faced - some got overflowing attention and CNY goodies from volunteers and social workers while the others were just neglected. Witnessed a CNY lunch organised for the elderly of that Redhill estate. My mind went through a whirlwind of thoughts - the grassroots, the 'true' social status quo of SG, and most of all, my bratty ignorance.

Sigh, 1 out of 4 Sporeans becomes part of the 'elites'. Still, 3/4 of the population still forms the majority of the society. I can feel the widening gap, and that's *sigh*.

Afternoon was spent, as how Sundays should be, lazing around. Finally got the rest I was looking forward to (with a bonus from K), despite the omnipresent physical, mental and emotional 'clutter'. Too many changes have been taking place: school, exams, breakup, new love, friends, family gatherings, 2008 weddings, PI, bingeing...(and the list goes on).

Amidst the 'wholistic' mayhem of ups and downs, kymster is perpetually in a big pool of sh*t with bad headaches.

It was the ideal weather to laze in bed, nursing the bad headaches, in my own sanctuary and wrapped in the warmth of my lovely 'blanket'.

"oh happy day..." (sings Sister Act)

2007-01-24T08:32:00.000+08:00

Feat No. 1: Woke up early --> leisure bath --> minus running in heels

Feat No. 2: Read an article on the debate between Science and Religion --> feeling like a part of Intelligent Design. Hurhur.

Feat No. 3: Bought watermelon, kiwi + guava for $1.10 --> deliciously cheap!

Feat No. 4: Reached the office early --> wrote this mindless blog

Thus,

Kymster's non-scientific hypothese: It doesn't matter what time you sleep. It's what you do the night before and the messages you receive in the morning that makes the day ;)

Thanks dear!

kymster (secretly blogging) @ work

2007-01-17T10:38:00.000+08:00

Moi first blog during office hours. Not that it's much of a secret. They can still track my log if they want to.

Work is reading.
Work is fun. (Honest!)
But things get a little *yawnz* when you're ingesting lousy X X X and getting desensitized to them.

Hur hur.

On the 12th day of P . I . my true love gave to me...

2007-01-14T03:17:00.000+08:00

...twelve....

Hmz, wait. I don't think I can do the usual humdrum of a longwinded countdown.

Hehz.

But this being the 12th day into my stormy internship days, I'm glad to have 'naughty' K's perk-me-up company, when Mother Nature dropped me a red alert today, reminding me of (1) how much time I've actually lost track of for the past month, (2) how little energy I have left after the hectic and 'pseudo-hedonistic' vacation, and (3) how sucky and lousy it felt to bleed while teaching one full day.

Back to the '12th day of PI".

I haven't really much time to myself after getting sucked into the internship whirlpool. I have eM-Dee-Aye to thank - sincerely, from the bottom of my traumatised heart. On hindsight, since when have I gotten out of that crazy twister-like (semester+vacation)? -_-"

Here goes:

12 days of intense sex education.
11 Eclipse mints (or more) every day.
10 thousand-n-one things to read
9 long hours
8 office days
7 days with K
6 crazy mornings (when I woke up late)
5 hours of sleep
4 su-per-vi-sors
3 funny colleagues
2 days in gym
and a screwed up kymster who's trying to write a lousy blog 4am on a Sunday morning.

Oh, and did I mention that I have to painfully read magazines, newspapers and books in Chinese every Monday to Friday? And that I have exposed myself to more 'debatable and controversial' materials over the past 1+ week than I have for the past 24 years?

Trust me, I'm not complaining. This is just a futile and incoherent attempt to summarise all that's happened while M.I.A. for the past 12 days.

Kymster's back.

Leading an atrophic life, for now

2007-01-05T23:06:00.000+08:00

I wanna RIP.

Yours vestigially.

Hung over the new year

2007-01-01T19:57:00.000+08:00

Woke up with a throbbing head, aching body and a bloated tummy - a result of a late night diet of chocs and more chocs.

Ok. Actually I was busy catching up on all the news that I've missed this crazy vacation month. Or should I say, the past crazy assignments-and-exams month, followed by an even crazier vacation month? I feel ashamed that I haven't the slightest idea of Mr Hussein being hanged at all. Not at all.

I sense hostility towards 2007, for no reasons why. Can't pin point, but the new year just don't feel like one at all.

I'm glad at least K and I got to taste really yummy Taiwanese 'cold mochi' at Taka yesterday. Hehe. It was an almost orgasmic gastronomic experience.

Oh, and it was one of those why-is-everyone-wearing-the-same-colour day. Both of us included.

Purple was the colour of New Year's eve.

But what's up next doesn't seem too appetising. The new 2007 and a possibly-mundane 6-month routine PI-lifestyle @ MDA. *sigh* Am I already showing signs of lost-and-can't-be-bothered-attitude Quarter-life crisis symptoms?

Hmz.

I ponder.

Supper anyone?

Bring it on!

2006-12-30T13:48:00.000+08:00

So, when's our next 'face-off'?

Heez. I'm smiling :P

Image copyrights from www.gettyimages.com

the 4th red bomb for 2007

2006-12-29T22:48:00.000+08:00

I think I'm getting on in years. Quarter-life crisis is just round the corner.

My ears have been ringing with wedding bells eversince catching up with all my dear pals this holiday month. HH, then CT, then dear SJ, and today, YB!

I'm elated, for all these dearies. I just have to reconcile the fact that it's time to start saving up for all the angbaos due end of next year.

*sobz*

Cursed at the golden flower after an evening at the museum

2006-12-27T23:57:00.000+08:00

Movie marathon with the J, Y & L. Pity that W and K could only join us before and after, literally. Dear K had to bring his cough along :S

Anyway, Museum was al~rite~. Not as hilarious as I expected it to be. The company makes it enjoyable. The golden flower wilted less than halfway through the show. I was either laughing at the over-abundance of overflowing boobs or grimacing at Chou's futile attempts to look sad and angry. Quite 'cursed' indeed.

That wasn't the highlight of the day, fortunately. The usual late-comers made a grand entrance into Taka foodcourt 2 hours after we set to meet. But it was W's 'enlightenment' towards the value of time that left me the deepest impression for the day. Not forgeting the very sweet 4 matching pairs of snowflakes we had on our ears by the end of the day.

(If only Mr L. Quek can quickly send me the photo...Zz....)

It was a good day out: Good friends, yummy B&Js, pretty shoes and blingbling snowflakes, and mediocre movies. I'm glad, and thankful, that the day could also end on a warm note, with K's jacket keeping me cosy on the freezing bus 77 alone.

I ate, and I slept, and I ate, and I slept

2006-12-26T21:13:00.000+08:00

T'was the night after x'mas - that I'm finally settling down to blog proper.

Too much x'mas feasting and chocolating is giving yun the hangover.

X'mas'06 felt more like CNY'06 Pt 2:
Lunch @ Fish & Co. with K's 2nd family;
Tea 'n' Tv @ Aunt's plc;
Meet-the-Dad (and unexpectedly, 2 aunts)-dinner @ home,
X'mas gathering @ Jac's place

Amidst all these merry-making, there were moments of enlightenment of how much things have changed just over a period of 4 hell months in projects and assignments. I'm not gonna go all philosophical and 'lament' how much time have left me behind. I'm gonna catch up very soon anyway!

And on taking the front passenger seat, I'd have to say it brought new and fresh perspectives for me. Driving is tiring, but being able to take the seat on the left of the driver also means taking on new repsonsibilities in an equally important role. Thanks, my dear K, for this priceless X'mas prezzie.

a first x'mas (eve)

2006-12-24T23:22:00.000+08:00

1. w/o the birthday sister-gal: Teh-san's happily in KL holidaying.

2. w/o taking the driver's seat: being 'shiokly' driven around in Suzuki Swift.

3. w/o the feel of x'mas round any corners: slept to much, ate too much. Hur Hur.

But kymster's still a happy girl -

Cheers, and Merry X'mas! Ho ho ho!

all I want for christmas...

2006-12-24T05:16:00.000+08:00

...is food.

*Drumroll*

"Ladies and gentlemen, proudly presenting - THE RETURN OF THE KILOS, starring Stress-Eating and Junk-Ingestion~!"

*Applause*

-_-"

in postmodern exile

2006-12-20T23:41:00.000+08:00

Watched a HK-produced, M'sian version of SG's 'Perth' this morning. (Hints of Po-Mo??)

Besides the fact that It my first time catching a movie as early as 1020am @ Cathay Cine, it was also the first, out of the 316 CLT1, fresh-grad from Dr. P's class as a Po-Mo media culture student, that I watched a movie in such an 'enlightened' perspective. 'Exile' was the first thing to kick start my brain engine for the day anyways.

It was a nice look at social realism on a wide screen, out of our weekly LT screenings. As usual, po-mo still baffles me to certain extent. But at least I appreciated the 'low-budget, artsy, po-mo' movie ^^Y unlike *ahem* someone hor~? :P Such shows were never meant to be consumed in the same 'pop culture' manner anyways. To keep things short (and also to let my brain warm up to resume my regular blogging after such a long hiatus), I'm glad I understood the movie.

Hurhur.

Like what Dr. P. always tell us: you're 'good' as long as you can take away 20% of the course by the end of it. Cultural theory is too big a piece of pie to ingest in 3 months. But I've got my 20%.

Cheers!

back...with a vengeance!

2006-12-19T21:39:00.000+08:00

Have been M I A.

Can't blame me lah.

Too many things, too little time: deadlines, exams, holidays, stress, you name it. Been there, done that.

Regular mindless rantings and updates back soon. Stay tuned!

I only have time for ONE word

2006-11-01T08:22:00.000+08:00

B U S Y .

our brains - or what's left of it

2006-10-27T23:12:00.000+08:00

I have the tiniest and greenest of them all. (Read: Peabrain)

A result of over-exposure to uncomprehensible Stats on a Friday + slogging for 10 more deadlines over the next two weeks.

I pray for sanity.

Amen.

Perplexed

2006-10-24T14:32:00.000+08:00

Even after making up my mind.

It just doesn't feel right.

Why?

co-incidence

2006-10-23T17:55:00.000+08:00

It was only a few years back that I realise the lexical formation of this word. All the while, my ignorant and malfunctioning mind always wonder what a 'coin' has to do with chance, besides the fact that I'm a big fan of it's 50/50 decision-making capability.

Anyway, I was crapping. I'm sure you have noticed my incoherent ramblings.

Too tired for the brain to think of anything worthy to write. Still hung over from a whole Sunday worth of SPSS and Excel.

To this moment, besides thy incessant lack of sleep, 'coincidence' just hits as "TCC" and "让我们自由".

Full stop.

I can't think anymore.

*YawnZzzzzzz.....

suddenly, everything's clear.

2006-10-20T08:40:00.000+08:00

Image: Copyrights of gettyimages®

choking is catastrohpic

2006-10-17T17:31:00.000+08:00

Trying to decide in this hazy state.

It's not gonna be right, or wrong.

It's just gonna be me.

attempt at your own risk...

2006-10-15T14:35:00.000+08:00

Question: Why can't you marry a cousin from your father's family, yet getting married to one of those from the mother's family is ok?

Answer:
Though I still can't figure out why, it was a good hearty laugh.

Whahaha~

Moral of the story: No matter how bored you are with tons of readings, DO NOT attempt to clear rhetorical doubts over MSN. You get graphical crap.

unappetizingly delicious

2006-10-15T09:13:00.000+08:00

Bloody Scorsese + Yummy B&Js = an unpalatable reality.

Time to hit the books.

Many heartfelt thanks and gratitude

2006-10-13T17:26:00.000+08:00

To WXYZ, for making our 12th Oct debut such a fun and funky one.
Ben, for being so 'shen' and cramming in more than 25 song within a week
Taotao, for reaching at the 11th hour and going w/o dinner
Zhenni, for looking so pretty and sounding so good always to help balance my lousy standard
Dingdong, for making WXYZ possible

To Wan, C, WS and Siu, for their moral support via sms.

...and especially to those who made the trip down...
YB (& J), for being so supportive always
Ray & Clem, for staying with us almost till the end
And most of all, ah peh, magou, ZG and Jay, the 4 fairy godfathers of the evening, for adding the stroke of magic to this unforgettable evening. (有时被骗的感觉还蛮好的...kekeke~)

Thank you guys!! I just can't find the right words to say...

*overwhelmed...好久没那么感动了...*

Defensiveness

2006-10-12T16:02:00.000+08:00

Only a self-centered and immature brats make an ass out of themselves.

Period.

stage stuff

2006-10-09T00:09:00.000+08:00

Clever! Check this clip out. Hurhur.

Plus, another staged affair coming up:

五弦乐组 aka WXYZ Debut! @ 弹唱人 Live
12th October 2006, Thursday
20:30hrs

With such fantastic program lineup, I can't wait! ^^Y

Music please~!

On theatric high

2006-10-08T08:29:00.000+08:00

dot dot dot dot dot

2006-10-06T00:10:00.000+08:00

It's been a turbulent week, with the usual CS-fare.

5th of October is finally here. Was, as a matter of fact.
Left before I realised it.

Somehow, something is still missing.

I can't figure it out.

Little Red Dot on NYT

2006-10-01T11:11:00.000+08:00

Singapore: A Repressed City-State? Not in Its Kitchens

Check out the intro para. They never fail to 'rub it in' on with gum and our Daddy L*e*e.

Indeed, besides being the popular patriachally-repressed kid on the block, the other thing that makes this dot glow from this inconspicuous corner of Southeast Asia is its yummylicious food.

Tell me we don't live to eat.

K Y M S T E R: an original lexical analysis

2006-09-28T18:00:00.000+08:00

Quoted directly from thy trusty ibook Dictionary,

-ster
suffix
1 denoting a person engaged in or associated with a particular activity or thing : gangster | songster.
2 denoting a person having a particular quality : youngster.

ORIGIN Old English -estre, -istre, etc., of Germanic origin.

Therefore, as defined by Joel and Grace (J-G Crapster Dictionary, 2006)

kym.ster |ˈkīməˌstər|
noun
1 denoting kym's alterego who is weird
2 denoting kym having a particular weird quality (ie. engaging in or associated with a particular weird activity)

ORIGIN Sept 28 2006, New English of J&G origin on an SMRT train cabin.

I give up on those two cuckoo-lovebirds. Don't know what's got into them.

And of all nicks -_-"

Anyway, so, out of curiosity I went on to search for 'kym' in my trusty ibook dictionary again.

I found this:

ky.mo.graph |ˈkīməˌgraf|
noun
an instrument for recording variations in pressure, e.g., in sound waves or in blood within blood vessels, by the trace of a stylus on a rotating cylinder.

DERIVATIVES
kymographic |ˌkīməˈgrafik| adjective

ORIGIN mid 19th cent.: from Greek kuma ‘wave’ + -graph .

Zzzzzzz~~~~

ten thousand minutes in a nutshell

2006-09-28T08:59:00.000+08:00

2209: Mayhem and catastrophic resume and coverletter writing

Nothing to sell myself with.

2309: Yummy dinner with the girls.

Happy Birthday, Wan.

2409: Rehearsal

Auditioning for TCR soon...

2509: Day 1 of termbreak spent in school

Ok, half a day. Treasure hunted at City Plaza and comfort food with soup, bread and B&Js with Grace.

2609: Futile attempt at diligence

Marina Bayfront IS beautiful, on a weekday evening. I don't wanna end up an OL.

2709: Feast . Banquet

A craving satisfied, and Banquet's visual spectacle was a pleasant surprise.

To wrap it all up, a therapeutic yield.

2509: pretty green peasant skirt

2609: a funky tote

2709: A brand new motivation for the new year

Hurhur.

sticks and bones - they BREAK

2006-09-22T14:00:00.000+08:00

How exciting. Another followup article on the NYT on the 'model figure'.

No more stick figures lookalike on the runways.
No more eating disorders.

But will women change the way they look at themselves?

I'm still cynical.

An academic amusement: 302 + 348

2006-09-17T17:29:00.000+08:00

Stumbled upon this hilarious op-ed on the NYT .

It says:

TV network audiences are "skewing old". (Hint: 302!! Stats!! argh~~~!!)

Oh, this is the punchline: According to this Hauck guy, we, the young ones, have "disposable income that we actually dispose of". Man, how true! :P

Hur hur.

Lalala~ Anyway, cheers to pragmatism. Who's gonna have time to bask in magnificant tube-lights and savour the pleasures of being a true blue couch potato?

Not me definitely. Gave up on the "communal bliss of TV-watching" just before embarking on this pseudo-diligent academic journey. Moreover, I can't even manage keep my eyelids up for 20-minutes of my pre-semester media staple - 妙手人心 :'(

Hence, TV program consumption in thy household is literally 'skewing old'. What makes it worse is that I'm financing it.

Three cheers for media econs -_-"

Finally, justice is done ^^Y

2006-09-14T18:26:00.000+08:00

Sep 14, 2006
Fashion show bans too-thin models

MADRID - THE world's first ban on overly-thin models at a top-level fashion show in Madrid has caused outrage among modelling agencies.

It now raises the prospect of restrictions at other venues.

Madrid's fashion week has turned away underweight models after protests that girls and young women were trying to copy their rail-thin looks and developing eating disorders.

Organisers say they want to project an image of beauty and health, rather than a waif-like, or heroin-chic, look.

But Ms Cathy Gould, North American director of New York's Elite modelling agency, said the fashion industry was being used as a scapegoat for illnesses like anorexia and bulimia.

'I think it's outrageous...what about discrimination against the model and what about the freedom of the designer,' she said.

Madrid's regional government, which imposed the restrictions on the show starting next Monday, said the fashion industry had a responsibility to portray healthy body images.

REUTERS

Copyright © 2006 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access

it comes with age, does it?

2006-09-12T21:59:00.000+08:00

It pains me everytime to hear her from my room, in the hall just right outside, comforting and being there for him, in his drunken stupor.

All over the webcam.

Thanks, Mr WWW.

It's not the first, and definitely won't be the last time.

I know the reason why.

yun loves her cheongsam

2006-09-08T11:33:00.000+08:00

'Nuff said. Right?

^^Y

a tribute to my beloved

2006-09-06T01:21:00.000+08:00

1am.

It crashed, literally, both my sh*t and me, just when I was about to get ready for bed.

The impact resonates, even till this moment.

I never knew it would come one day. Never.

Sorry babes, it's all my stoopid pyjama's fault. I wonder how the H*ll it hooked my sh*t to fall :'(

Here she is, the last of her.

And her on her final journey to Sembcorp.

I'll miss you.

Or is it really a sign 'to breakaway from this sh*t in me'?......I can't bear to part....

new colours of 174

2006-09-05T18:33:00.000+08:00

New dress on new seats.

What a match!

Hur hur.

nostalgia

2006-09-03T22:26:00.000+08:00

Pix may be blur, but memories will always be crystal clear. By transforming intangible recollections into narratives, the true spirit of that precise moment can never be accurately captured.

Listening to the little juniors of MG Handbell Choir play on the charity show tonight was an endearing journey back on memory lane. God knows why, they played the exact same couple of signature tunes of my choir days: On my own & Do you hear the people sing from Les miserables. Those were the days working our butts off with the RI choir on their musical finale.

I never forgot the Choir and Handbell trip to Perth too.

Fabulous.

Those little MG juniors definitely did rang the bells in me.

CS341 (home edition)

2006-09-02T10:25:00.001+08:00

After countless weeks of speculation, Ms Yeo was finally heading somewhere.

Step 1 - Observation
A 9-yr-old boy visiting the toilet every week after his piano lesson.
Spends long time inside.
No sense of urgency at all before and after the visit.
From 9:57 to 10:02 - on the dot. <-- Time recorded 2nd Sept 2006. Step 2 - Forming a research idea
The relationship between a 9-yr-old boy and her piano teacher's toilet.

Step 3 - Writing research questions
What makes a 9-yr-old boy spend that much time every week in her piano teacher's toilet?
What does he actually do in that toilet?

Hence, next step...

Step 4 - Choose a research method
(Hmz...tough one. Thinks: Focus group?..er...i'll keep that for online newspapers better. More participants involved...105 revisited?)

In-depth interview(!!) will be conducted over the next 4 weeks during lesson time.

Hur hur. I did learn something from Stella afterall.

P.S. I forgot to do my lit. review!! -_-"

Lalala~

Flushing it all out

2006-08-31T18:05:00.000+08:00

I am Time and Time is me.

Part 1: Ticking

Lost time.

Waiting 2.5hrs for a meeting which last no longer than 10mins makes me hate school more.

Part 2: Stillness

On the spot, stagnant in life's ups and downs.

Spacing out, far beyond, to catch a glimmer of refracted light from a knight's shining armour.

十万个为什么!

2006-08-26T01:01:00.000+08:00

Why is excessive shopping 'unhealthy'? Isn't that supposed to be a form of 'therapy'?

Why must strolling along the bayfront be a 'couple' activity? Can't friends go there and take a walk together?

Hmz, there's a reason why I am a piano teacher and a communications student.

I'm not good with numbers.

I'm short of another 99,998.

the clock's ticking - by the hour

2006-08-22T03:40:00.000+08:00

3 hrs ago, I hit the sack.

Now, 3 hrs later, I'm still wide awake.

In another 3 hrs, V3's gonna wake me up for breakfast. Great.

All the tossing and turning is making me really hungry.

Nitez.
I'm giving my last shot at peaceful slumber.

Mum's new recipe + brainless rantings

2006-08-19T18:31:00.000+08:00

The most yummy and (supposedly) healthy homemade guava dip in the family's gastronomy history.

A substitute to the sugar-laden sourplum powder. Yummy!!

I will continue to perform a CS316-style of analysis on this piece of media text.

Ahem.

The guava was positioned in the foreground, coated with natural lime juice with bits of orange peel to add to the zingy taste.

This piece of heavenly almost au naturale fruit was deliberately blurred, to divert the attention to the clear resolution of readings, pen, ruler and post-it in the background.

Evidently, these would present the photographer to be diligently digesting her CS348 reading, instead of spacing out with some boring Yahoo games, while the Mother brought her latest 'health' recipe into the photographer's room.

That's all for today's dose of BS. I'm gonna get another slice of heaven.

a good deed deserves no other

2006-08-17T20:09:00.000+08:00

When you pay for the cable TV subscription for the household, you get the prerogative to grumble when others tv-hog.

Soon, I'm gonna turn an IR out of my sanctuary.

Sometimes, I can't help to think: to h*ll with communal bliss.

Hanging on

2006-08-13T19:00:00.000+08:00

With a light yet heavy heart.

Sometimes I really can't believe myself too.

Thank you dears, for making it so much easier for me. You all know who you are.

Drinks on me.

2006-08-08T23:43:00.000+08:00

Apple martini and cashews, 70 storeys above the rest.

Cheese platter with red and white wine.

Mmmm...

I should do this more often.

Farewell

2006-08-07T21:06:00.000+08:00

Bye, Ms Goh.

You'll be fondly remembered in our hearts always.

Getting the hang(over) of it

2006-08-03T23:19:00.000+08:00

Finally we caught up, after 3 months of slacking, vcd-ing, pigging out, and "researching" for both our 'work' (what work -_-").

Nothing beats a good pint of Hoegaarden and girls' talk. Ok, I admit. The watermelon martini was mine too.

I'll pop by the Alley again for sure. But maybe with just half a pint of the booze. 1 pint is waa...yy "a little" over the top :P

It's just 3 days away from 3 months of h*ll life. Cheers!

Chrysanthemum among the thorns in JB

2006-08-02T23:13:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday ZG! :)

At least this time I get to be in every picture with the boys (like what Jay did last week with my camera) but on a smaller scale, despite being in my extremely unglam glasses.

Hmz, that's how a potential Rose (ahem!) demotes into a Chrysanthemum by hanging out with Martians too long - 没什么形象可言.

And at dinner, I just had to take this down...

...my first encounter with the jumbo sugarcane drink. It was disgustingly (for the fact that I never like sugarcane juice) huge! What's the diff between that and the Big Gulp??

Still the same old pals

2006-07-30T23:48:00.000+08:00

Ktv-ing and dinner. The usual hangouts.

Nothing much have changed even since 2 years ago when we last met. Still the same old bunch of newbies in NP 7 years ago.

The 3 'most matured', overaged, yet experienced monkeys are still as loud and cranky...

The 3 pseudo-macho guys are still as disillusioned. (Hehz :P)

The girls tried to be different, the Venusian way.

At least I did. I tried my best to act cute.

Something's just not too right, so I reckoned being a freak is more my style.

Meet-ups were on an annual, or even bi-annual basis, yet everything just seems so comfortably familiar.

I have a feeling, that it will always be.

Jay is all around

2006-07-28T23:33:00.000+08:00

BBQ = food + friends + camera.

Only, it's my cam, but somehow, Jay was omnipresent.

I stuck to turning sticks of satay by the grill for the carnivores from Mars and smelling like burnt meat for the entire night.

Drink up

2006-07-27T23:36:00.000+08:00

Met YB for a catch up. Chit chat and stuff. The makeover at the Raffles City basement is refreshing.

But nothing beats chilling out at Mix, with the water dancing ard the fountain while I STONE...

...and looking out from the top of SG with Apple Martini and yummy cashews @ my all-time-fav - City Space :)

Cheers!

Of academic gowns, degree hoods and mortar boards

2006-07-26T23:15:00.000+08:00

Convocation 2006.

Nothing much associated with a slogger with 2 more years in school to go, except her poly 'alpha' pals.

A handful this year (CT and YZ), one whole bunch the next (mostly the guys), and followed by yours truly, accompanied by just another 'few old cats' left in the Uni litter. Seems like eons to go.

Sitting through the triple-E convo of NTU requires more than just patience to the power of ten thousand. I'm referring to BOTH sessions of close to 1000 graduates in total.

Take this...
..multiply by 6.

I applaud myself for being able to know all of them by their names, and names only. It's no joke, really.

Convo is just a convo. Read: *yawnz* boooooorring. Nothing new. Except for those funky hats and gowns you'll seldom see professors doning.

As an audience, thy butts can be felt expanding every second by the accuracy of a vernier caliper.

As the dean, just imagine being flashed at 2000 times - by the two cameras - and shaking 1000 sweaty hands.

Ho ho ho.

At least he gets a lunch break on the halfway mark to disinfect his right hand - the triple-E convocation party - with lousy catered food and a blur moment of embarrassment when cheryl's tortoise was just right infront of me and yet I couldn't recognise him for nuts.

Besides the usual convofare, it's still the usual convofare - photo taking!

Alpha's one and only all-girls-team: 2 angels of ECE and a freak. (No price for guessing who the freak is.)

And while waiting for the ceremony to commence, I saw my dean.

After 2 looonnng sessions of names-listening, J and ZJ joined us.

J's becausehefellasleepstudyingforintersem slippers was no doubt the inaugural showstopper for all our cameras and flashes that followed. It stole all the limelight.

We got bored after a while taking pix indoors, so I decided to try something I saw on Q's 'mini photo gallery' on her closet door.

Turned out quite nice lah, for first attempt. Hehz.

Then when it's ZJ's turn, he cut me out of the pix - TOTALLY. Who's gonna recognise just my hair and 1/4 of a forehead??!? -_-"

More trials and error at the end of the day on the gd'ol shaky 179, testing the anti-shock function of my canon ixus.

Tough luck, Mr 179uncle, to h*ll with reckless driving. The smiles stay.

Anyway, congratulations to CT and YX for freedom away from Boonlay island.

Masterpiece of the day, by *ahem* yours truly.

Periodic period

2006-07-23T18:34:00.000+08:00

Bored and handicapped by the most unwelcomed visitor of the month, I decided to go online and do brainless quizzes that doesn't use up too much of my soon-to-be depleted energy.

(So much for 'doing what's right, even if it doesn't make complete sense'.)

Which Pirates of the Caribbean character are you?
Aye, Jack Sparrow! Dead man's chest tomorrow!

Men brings the bread home and women brings...

2006-07-22T00:53:00.000+08:00

...bacon??

According to The Straits Times on July 21 under the 'Prime News' section, it is so.

I'm disturbed.

I'm 99.9% vegetarian.

a R a L e in Adelaide: Epilogue

2006-07-17T17:00:00.000+08:00

Friday, touch down, blurred, binged, Zzed.

Saturday, whirlwind teaching, Jing's competition, dinner, binged, Zzed.

Sunday, recuperation from post-travel blues, eat, binge, Zzed.

Today, Monday, binged, and finally, a time to sit down to digest all the foreign tidbits of the week.

--The Shock--

To...
...and fro.
The difference is stark, only when you put both boarding passes stubs together side by side. To think I even dreaded boarding SQ229 on Saturday night. Duh. I'm such a cuckoo.

For three times the price, you get exclusive service with freeflow beverage (wine, tea, coffee, and BOTTLED MINERAL WATER) served in glass or china instead of pushcarts treatment with drinks served in plastic cups.

For three times the price, you get a big and plush seat with 6 control buttons to adjust to your the best ergonomical friendly position instead of cramped cabin chairs with no space to stretch your legs. (With short legs like mine, trust me, you could even do leg lifts and stretches without kicking the fella infront of you.)

For three times the price, your meals are served warm on metal trays, table linings and china with pretty pink napkins instead of plastics and paper.

For three times the price, you don't have to queue up for the toilet with hundreds of other travellers

For three times the price, you won't have to suffer the agony of wailing babies and loud angmors who broadcast their crass humoured conversation to the whole aircraft instead of the person beside them.

For three hundred million times the luck, I was upgraded free to the coveted SIA business class. Woohoo.

Seriously, SIA economy is already a sinful indulgence. After you get your butts on the Business, you'll be spoilt rotten. The rest just can't compare. For now, at least.

It's made this trip Down Under so much more memorable on top of the healthy and yummy homecooked dinner and muffins by Er-gu and Q's heartfelt effort to plan my holiday in Adelaide.

--The Impression--

My first impressions? People in this suburban city seem to be really really laid back. Pace of life is not fast, but everyone seem to be enjoying their lives. Not many work 9to5, and many are just as happy working as they please. Say, 20hrs a week? That's like the number of hours I sleep in a week during hectic school days.

They seem like the greenhouse species of the humankind to me. Well-protected (or rather, over-protected) by their government with social security, regulated public transport schedule. Pests and pollutants to their world are promptly wiped out, with the first move at the airport customs. No food, plants, soil are allowed to be taken into the territories of the Australian lands.

Q just told me recently that all the Aussie bananas have been destroyed because creepy crawlies were found in one of the batches in one of the cities. Now, those long yellow gooey fruit cost almost 20bucks per bunch. Fruit flies and creepycrawlies on their agricultural lands are taken as seriously, if not, more strict than SARs and birdflu.

But who cares if bananas are expensive? People are still happy, contented, and getting along with their lives as usual. They are well-taken care of.

Call it a mild culture shock for me.

--The Memories--

Those were the times when I was still contemplating to enrol in the Music Conservatory in Adelaide Uni. After this trip, I'm sort of glad I didn't. The city didn't strike me as musical or artistic. Rather, like I mentioned earlier, it was like staying in a greenhouse, except that you don't get regulated climate. The weather is as erratic as any other temperate regions.

Still it is a nice place to walk around, stone, walk around, stone. Sounds ideal for retirement. But being a true-blue Singaporean - busy, picky, insatiate - Adelaide most likely will not top my list anytime soon. Holidaying is fine. I had a good 5 days there.

--The Totally Unrelated--

Number one. Check this out.
Told you. It's just an unrelated innuendo sighted along the streets.

Number two. Good news, Q.

Olio in SG is serving Chai latte already! So you can have your fill of it when you come back Dec. No T-bar though.

--The Thank-yous--

Thanks Xiaogu, for the Star Alliance tix, thus the free surprise upgrade.

Thanks Q, for spending the most time with your most fussy sister.

Thanks Er-gu and her very shy family, for those long warm bathes and frequent toilet flushes, and of course for the cosy place to stay.

Thanks Mum for picking me up at the airport and lugging the 30kg suitcase which both of us almost couldn't lug into the boot.

Thanks Dingdong, for my own space and time to travel, and being there when before and after the trip.

Too bad I didn't manage to bring anything much back for all you guys. There was just no space for anything else, besides my own stories and memories.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a R a L e in Adelaide: Day 6 - Bye, Adelaide

2006-07-14T21:10:00.000+08:00

Location: Singapore, Home

Morning: Took a picture with the boys just before I left the house. Albert had a 'bad hair day'. Some outstanding strands on the left side of his head. Notice he's keeping a right profile all the time? (Puns intended.) Haha. Cute.

Afternoon: SQ230

Sigh.

No more Business class upgrade.

45kg of luggage - 30 to check in, 15 to hand carry. Help!!! Count myself lucky I didn't have to be penalised.

It's just feels warm to be home. (What's with Singapore's weather???)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a R a L e in Adelaide: Day 5 - Window shopping

2006-07-13T22:00:00.000+08:00

Location: ROOM~~ (where else?) All asleep again. Here I am typing away...

Day: Central market 'taichi' breakfast. Can't stomach all the interesting bites. Salivating. Bought those nuts and chocs for the family. And, yeah, I bet it’s gonna be ‘a little’ overweight tmrw at the check in -_-“

Nothing much here in Adelaide to buy for folks back home. A LOT of foodstuff though. Regretted not buying more of those crunchy nougats at Harndof. Might go check out the airport tmrw and see if their dutyfree has any.

Afternoon: Was leaving for Harbourtown by 11am. Harbourtown was just a factory outlet town I suppose. Nothing to buy. And considering the load I'll have to carry back tomorrow, I seriously doubt if there's any allowances for me to bring back my own shopping and stuff for friends and family.

Evening: By 3+pm, we couldn’t decide whether to go to the biggest mall in Adelaide – Marion Shopping Centre – or not. I was really abit sick of walking around aimlessly already. Can’t enjoy my gastronomic findings and exploration much. I’m suppressed and deprived – to a certain level. Hur hur.

But it was really a blessing in disguise that we ‘missed’ our bus to Marion, and we end up heading back home quite early. Had a brief chitchat with Uncle John – the Iceman of the household (at least towards people other than his family) - while he very generously taught me how to decode DVD encryption with his software (whahah!) and showed me some of his recent inspiring photography. My, was I quite impressed by his works. An eye-opener definitely.

Anyway, I’m so glad that I got to ‘talk’ to him a little (finally!) before I leave this country. Otherwise, it’ll be the most ‘uncomfortable’ holiday with a family I’d ever had. Luckily it never happened. DVD and baking muffins with Ergu, with her daily yummy wholesome homecooked dinner made it all so much so much a wonderful holiday to remember.

SQ228 tomorrow noon.

Sigh. Singapore, I’ll be back.

Wait up, Work.

P.S. Notice there's not much pictures today. Took a couple on the train ride only.

We were just wandering souls in the quiet and unhappening city of Adelaide :P

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a R a L e in Adelaide: Day 4 - Strolling

2006-07-12T22:16:00.000+08:00

Location: In the bedroom, when everyone else is asleep. Again?!

Morning: Took the bus to Harndof, the German town. Weather is cooler today, but still perfect. German town was, like Er-gu said, boring. Nothing much.

Breakfast was quite good though. Forgot to take a picture of the yummmy breakfast, so we decided to model ourselves instead.

Next stop: Adelaide Uni.

Nothing caught my eye in particular today. Just toured the University campus briefly and went home for another delicious homecooked dinner. Watched DVD with Er-gu too.

Now that everyone’s asleep again. I’m bored.

Living the lives of others. It’s quite a torture personally. Waking up early to catch the morning bus and train rides. The motto of the trip: Start off early, come home early. What the heck. If I’d known that it’s possible relaxing at home with a cup of hot tea , I would do that. But what to do? When you’re the guest, you do what the host do. Fortunately, DVDs watching are much more relaxing, or rather, I would say, enjoyable. Thinking back to my trips alone to visit Xiaogu in the Netherlands was much more liberating and enlightening. Kinda missed those days.

Can’t believe I’m gonna be back in Singapore soon. Tired. Unrested. Unmotivated.

Can’t believe I’m gonna stare up at the pitch black ceiling soon. Another night of insomnia. Suddenly, I can’t wait to get back to my own sanctuary.

Unbelievable.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a R a L e in Adelaide: Day 3 - Central Market and Glenelg

2006-07-11T22:00:00.000+08:00

Location: In the bedroom, when everybody's zzing, again.

Morning: Took a walk along the lake behind Er-gu’s house on our way to the railway station. Nice weather. Couldn’t help thinking and fantasizing about such beautiful climate in Singapore.

First stop: Central Market.

Very close to the Chinatown in the city. A lot of nice nice yummy yummy pastries!!! My favourite! Can’t help drooling away at those spinach pies and veg quiche…why don’t they have such a variety in Singapore???? The bread and pastries are always looks 'greener' on the other side ocean -_-“ Gonna have to come up with a shopping list of all the nuts and stuff to bring back for the folks at home. Will be back on Thursday before I leave on Friday.

Tooka brief walk around the city too. Nothing spectacular, except the perfect weather for walking. I love walking.

Heading towards Glenelg beach. (Glenelg's just another town in Adelaide along the tram line.)

The beach IS beautiful. Very nice town centre to stroll too. Straightfoward – just one straight road up and down. Went around checking out the yummy pastries and pies (again), just for the sake of drooling :P

Took the tram ride. Managed to catch the authentic carriage on our return trip back. It was like traveling back in time, for just a very brief moment.

Dinner’s at home, with Er-gu’s yummy cooking. My second homecooked meal since I reached Adelaide. The first dinner was Sunday, with the very fresh and crunchy cruciferous veg – broccoli and cauliflower with mushrooms.

Felt paisay that Er-gu had to slurge specially just for my stay here. Apparently, brocolli’s not in season and I bet the funghi are quite costly too. Guess I just have to be ‘ultra sensitive’ about my 'behaviour' around for this week.

Tomorrow – Harndof (German town) and Uni Adelaide.

Can't sleep. Again.

Hehz.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a R a L e in Adelaide: Day 2 - Adaptation

2006-07-10T22:20:00.000+08:00

Location: In the bedroom.

10pm SG time. Why would thy eyes close?? it's still at least 4 hours away from my usual bedtime. Q's zzing now, after a long day at Victor Harbour.

Today was a daytrip with Er-gu to Granite Island.

It was a good weather in one of these winter days. Strong breeze with the warm sun. Ideal for a whole day's stroll.

Lunch was a mouthwatering foccacia sandwich and veggiewrap. I feel very healthy indeed. Treated Er-gu to dinner at Hog's Breath Cafe, but according to the two steak eaters, Xiaogu makes much better meat and roast ;)

Talked to the boys when we got home, got to know more about their memories of Singapore and got to observe them a little more. Albert is very intelligent – about ‘brokeback’ stuff especially. Matt is quiet, but only opens up to close ones. Anton is more soft spoken of the three. Can’t wait to host them when they visit Singapore end of the year. Ergu has been taking care of us very well.

I still can't sleep.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a R a L e in Adelaide: Day 1 - A flight to remember

2006-07-09T00:45:00.000+08:00

Location: SQ229, Business class cabin

Gosh! Who would have thought that 16F was a seat in the Business class cabin *sweat* ! Was really 'depressed' after seeing the looonnggg queue at the check-in counters - there goes my aisle seat. No drinking (read: no toilet visits) for me onboard. Or so I thought.

I trodded along the linkway to the aircraft, picking up the newspapers at the door like an auntie, ready to 'turn right' into the economy cabin.

"Hi, 16F? To the left ma'am."

Left?

Yeah left.

The rest was history. I was greeted with plush and comfy seats and free flow of h2o and beverages. "Would you like another drink, Ms Yeo?" Ms Singapore Girl pampered me with 5 bottles of mineral water - auto refill. Too bad I'm restricting my alcohol on board.

The whole experience was just so dream-like. Ha ha. Pampered beyond words.

Fully motorised seat, with buttons and knobs to 'comfortablise' every part of your body from head to toe.

Visiting the toilet was twenty thousand times the pleasure.

So comfortable, even on the toilet seat, that I began camwhoring in the luxurious lavatory. Mirror on 3 sides of the walls, twice the size of the usual economy cabin toilet, orchids on the wall and by the sink, melanine finishings instead of the 'economical metal fare'.

I was literally melting with pleasure in my plush seat. Exclusive and undisturbed.

Taken early in the morning, just an hour before arrival, the colours of the sky from the business class cabin just looks exceptionally brilliant.

This was the best way to kick off a dream vacation.

Location: In the bedroom, preparing to sleep

Went on a dolphin cruise from Port Adelaide with Q's OCF friends. Was too jaded from the late night movies onboard I guess, that I was dozing off most of the time on the 1.5 hour cruise. Spotted about 7 dolphins from the window still, even though we didn't go on the deck. It was just a short excursion today, and fortunately, Port Adelaide was just about 20 minutes walk from Er-gu's place.

Pictures.

Port Adelaide.

On the deck of the cruise before it set off. After this, Q and I went down into the sheltered viewing cabin and dozed off repeatedly.

Does it look like we've 'slept' for an hour?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a brief hiatus...

2006-07-08T14:49:00.000+08:00

Bye Singapore.

Yun's going Down Under, for a while.

Hopefully I get enough web-time during the week there to upload my travelogue, like I did in the Netherlands and Prague two years ago.

Guys, girls, we'll catch up when I'm back.

Bye dingdong! ^^

Hi Adelaide!

dingdong!

2006-07-07T23:23:00.000+08:00

It's one of those days where we get to prowl the streets on a weekday afternoon. Well, consider Friday non-weekend.

Spotted these psychedyllic plastic jars in the C4re supertmart.

The label reads: "Not be used for fat food."

"Fat"? Oversized? Greasy? Dot dot dot.

Tried lychee martini for the first time in...

Verdict: *看天空*

I'll stick to Apple. Cityspace. Anytime!

Finally, some worthy ear fodder...

2006-07-05T23:35:00.000+08:00

Inspired by what I just heard over the radio while channel-flipping, I felt the blogger's urge to, well, blog of course. What else?

When 范玮琪 came up with her new album last month, (thanks to ZG) I managed to 'get' the entire album. It's been like, hmz, oh dear I can't even recall how long ago it was, that I really tried to appreciate an entire music album. (Was it since 孙燕姿's first album?? Gosh.)

Anyway, the choice of 主打: 一个像夏天一个像秋天 and 我们的纪念日 was the issue. I remembered feeling super disappointed when I heard the chorus of 一个像夏天一个像秋天. 我们的纪念日 was just a teeny weeny bit better, and yet, those are the only two songs on Kbox's new songs list :(

Without any knowledge at first of what the 主打s were, my, those were two of the few songs that didn't make it to make it to my iPod favourites list.

Finally, those people must have realised what they're missing - 黑白配! Finally on the radio.

Together with 让我们自由, 一半的我, 小白船, and 'I Think I', 范玮琪's album is already worth many listens - my Redang trip's signature tunes.

Check it out, guys!

范玮琪's 我们的纪念日

Unless is SMRT cabs,

2006-07-03T20:48:00.000+08:00

...no more taxis to and fro campus next sem.

Because taxi fares are going up by about 10% *spit*

But only "Comfort, and Citycab, and Yellow Top," said the newspaper headline.

Hel-LO. It's like 70 or 80 percent of the entire Singapore taxi fleet can?? -_-"

So unless I wanna spend about 24 bucks everyday on transport, which is ($24 x 25days) 600bucks(!!!) every month, I might have to, or rather, MUST attempt getting up early and spend a total of 2.5 hours travelling on slow coaches (pun intended) instead of 45mins going to and from school.

Bravo!

2006-07-02T23:03:00.000+08:00

What a way to end the week.

First, I spotted the diamond on S's 4th finger on the Left. I'm so so very happy for her! My first buddy to gonna be tying the knot! At this age, it's a sign, that many more is coming on the way -_-"

Second, VALERY KULESHOV.

You know the performance is breathtakingly impressive when all you're spouting are...vulgarities.

Yeah. Sh|t. Damn it. What the H*ll. He's good.

How can one's finger move with such dexterity on the piano and produce such overwhelming range of tone and dynamics? And his stamina. Gasp.

Ha. Can see I have very limited music vocab. Blame it for my on-off relationship with my Yamaha and everything else pianist-y.

Recital, or shall I say, world-class recitals like Valery Kuleshov's today never fails to inspire. Whacks me right on the head to tell me how much I've been slacking.

His Concert Suite of Sleeping Beauty and Horowitz premiere Danse Eccentrique was tmd good. The neverending encore of Tchaikovsky Dance of Sugar Plum Fairies, and 1 song that I can't remember the title (and many many more) was damn... *speechless*.

I want my grand piano!
I want long long fingers!
I want to study in a conservatory!
I want to perform!

May I (and the keyword here is) wish for me dreams to come true.

It's a wish, simply because concert pianist spends 8 hours a day practising whereas I spend 8 hours a day STONING.

Why. Why. Why. Why.

2006-07-01T21:01:00.000+08:00

"You organise. I'll help you inform the others."

Why would taking the lead become such a perfect 'tai-chi' object?

Passiveness.

"每个月拿一次 MC, 老板一定会觉得说这种员工喜欢偷懒."

Why would taking an MC be immediately associated with laziness?

Stick-in-the-mud pragmatism.

"我要染头发."
"你不是刚染不久?"
"染料还剩一半..."
"常染会伤发质..."
"...白头发长了一寸...!"

Why would people go to such lengths to avoid facing the truth (and hurting themselves unknowingly)?

Fear and self-denial.

"如果以后我没钱，你会养我吗?"

Why would a working mum ask her 24-yr-old daughter this question?

Insecurity.

Social norms. Life's cul-de-sac.

I'm turning back. Taking the other way out.

Fools rush in

2006-06-30T15:21:00.000+08:00

Just an afterthought watching Fahrenheit 9/11 on HBO 2 minutes ago. An 'insight' to the real world of United States. (Ha!)

Powerful. Thought-provoking. Kudos to Micheal Moore.

Somehow, I'm glad I caught The Road to Guantanamo too.

Gonna hit the virtual library to dig up all those intriguing behind-the-scenes. It's a kind of after-movie adrenaline rush y'know. Hehz.

Will blog more about these when I get back tonight.

Or maybe tomorrow.

Going to collect my kids' certs from VCH now.

Such docu-dramas are moving me more than 'mutants' and 'manwhowearstheirredunderwearoutside'.

e f f o r t it is!

2006-06-29T20:04:00.000+08:00

Ta da!

By chance, I just came across this article on Time magazine, which just sort of proved that we're all "making effort to have fun". Yay.

Gosh. Seriously, fun. Mr Goh might be right after all huh...

"..Taking vacations (read: fun) seriously is exactly what Americans seem to do..." according to Po Bronson. Woohoo! We're all in the same boat!

So, according to Bronson's interpretation, I would conclude that all these effort came from all the "active leisure" that we've been engaging - packing agendas into our vacations, planning stressful iteneries. Ha.

No wonder we never have real leisure time.

No wonder we always feel unrested, even during the term breaks.

No wonder I came back from Redang tired, because I was busy making up missed lessons before AND after the trip.

And, most of all...

No wonder I'm stressed right now - one week before heading south Down Under - because I need to submit research materials, plan makeup lessons, and teach for 6 straight hours 6 hours before my flight to Adelaide. And, yes, then I'll come back the evening just before the day I teach the next morning.

I planned this holiday trip too seriously.

So much for the unreciprocated effort to relax and have fun.

This 'effort' is so becoming a disease, that "Americans take time off so seriously that you can get a PhD in leisure studies at Penn State and 17 other renowned universities."

Hur hur.

And like all new field of studies, "there is an actualy shortage of qualified educators". READ: "Not enough people to teach leisure."

I'm quoting all from Mr. Po Bronson.

*Faint*

And as I was beginning to realise that my favourite pasttime of all - STONE - might be the ultimate definition to effortless leisure and fun, I suddenly felt relieved when I read that that all my years of STONING were finally justified, by what Mr. Bronson calls "spacing out" - the American version of the all-time favourite real leisurely activity.

. . .

Space out!

e f f o r t

2006-06-29T18:45:00.000+08:00

"Make the effort to have fun."

Hur hur.

Sounds like another "seriously fun" quote of the day.

Anyway, I digress, conceptually. On the 'effort' business, I haven't been paying too much attention on getting my stuff done. Too much revolving around my pea-brain I guess.

Piano lessons are just one of those. I've just 'carelessly' listed the repetoire I've been tinkling since the vacation started and I'm truly amazed at what a mentor can do to a lazy-bum like me.

2 Chopin Waltzes
1 Chopin Etude
1 Beethoven Sonata

and coming up,

1 Mozart Sonata
Debussy's "Pagodas"
1 Chopin's Ballade

Fullstop.

But like I mentioned, I don't feel I've been putting in too much effort on it. Stumped by the huge block of 'tow gays' ahead. Yet sometimes, like today, in retrospect, I would experience jaw-dropping moments like these when I see for myself how much of these 'tow gays' I've actually managed to gobble up in just 2 months.

Think I've really lost touch with (on) the ivories for eons. Can't remember the last time I went to a piano concert. Can't remember when I've played a full classical repetoire. Even before Beethoven and Chopin came along this year to haunt me, I can't even remember why I'm teaching those little angels.

I guess it's slowly coming back to me now, huh? The kind of dreadful thought that jumps right into your mind when you realise you haven't had much practice and lesson's just a day away. It's exactly the same 8 years ago, the time of the week just before I see Ms K. The only difference today is that, on top of the measly amount of practice I had to present to her, it's also 80bucks everytime I sit infront of her new upright Kawai grand. Ouch!

Passion is still there. Somehow, like the quote says, I need to make an effort to 'enjoy' the music. No motivation maybe?

See how lor.

I'm looking forward for this Sunday's piano fest.

a possible shift

2006-06-29T01:38:00.000+08:00

Check out my MSN space and see what you all think of it.

I still can't make up my mind -_-"

tube spoilers

2006-06-28T22:35:00.000+08:00

Ever tried watching TV with 'live' spoilers rattling off in the background? Someone who engages in intermitent verbal diarrhea everytime a critical scene is showing?

Whack them, hard, for me.

Thanks.

twenty-four

2006-06-25T23:28:00.000+08:00

24. Never too old for presents.
(Ok, Gio was 'planned' ahead for the 20% bday discount. I'm cheapo. I don't deny.)

24. The time for my first B&J's icecream.

24. Another lame excuse for buffets.

24. Yun's 2006's prerogative for mindless self-indulgence.

Cheers!

the redang saga - at last!

2006-06-24T01:27:00.000+08:00

After two long nights of uploading and waiting with dear Ying, finally I got all 265 images organised. Phew!

Here it is, the saga in a nutshell.

15th June 2006, Thursday, 22:00....

4 of us with the 3 guys.

...and after 10.5hrs round the clock...

16th June 2006, Friday, 08:30 @ Terenganu Jetty...

...another 1.5 hrs wait + 1.5 hours ferry ride!!

The days was spent looking forward to dinner (weary from all the roads and waters much travelled). We had our first intro-snorkel in a really crowded place. Nothing exciting except meeting our MG home econs teacher Mrs L.Tan. She was quite 'garang' too, despite her age. (Yeah, she aged quite alot. It's been almost a decade!)

17th June 2005, Saturday, 09:30...

...this is where all the fun begins.

Phoned Mum dearest to wish her 'Happy Bday' before going on a round-island 4-locations snorkel trip, where I got bored from the same old underwater sights and almost-pukey from the rocky ship.

Afternoon was spent at the Berjaya beach, with the sun, sand and sea...

...doing what 'girls' do best (*puke*)...

...and the guys did their stuff too (Hmz........).

Eventually L was the one with the best bod.

He stole the show, fins (oopz! we forgot to make them for him...) down. Ze Merman-with Doraemon's-fists became Bejaya's must-see tourist attraction. Cheers!

All these wouldn't have been possible if not for these good friends of his!

It was back to SG the next day, and we didn't want the night to go to waste by sleeping it off. But we didn't know what to do after such a energy-exhausting day at the beach.

At first, the guys just hung around...

...and we tried to do kinky stuff to stay awake.

Finally, we discovered that the best remedy to burn the midnight hours was to play silly and brainless games.
That's 10hrs of aimless goofing around for 14 hours of bumpy road trip ahead!

18th June 2006, Sunday, 10:30hrs...

...and we're stuck at the ferry terminal because our coach's aircon broke down. We had to wait for another one to pick us up! So much for the well-anticipated Zzzzz -_-"

So again, we tried to stay awake by playing silly games and perform brainless forfeits (like those you'd normally see on Taiwanese variety shows) in the ferry terminal's waiting area - in front of a 'dot dot dot' audience.

It was an insane experience - the malu-ation of 7 pandas at Terenganu ferry terminal, followed the horribly disturbed sleep on the coach.

By the time we got delayed on the Tuas link traffic jam and zombie-ing through the customs, it was...

19th June 2005, Monday, 00:30hrs!

We could've hit the sacks in the comfort of our own homes 3 hours ago if not for all the drama.

But well, such trips were meant to be remembered anyways - for the 4 of us ^_^Y (sorry guys!)

For the rest of our super unglam shots, check out the rest of the pictorials.

good stuff comes in (many) pairs

2006-06-24T01:16:00.000+08:00

All in a day.

You get the idea.