and so we have reached the end of the year. 365 days since 2008. la fin d'année; 今年の終わり; el final del año; Ende des Jahres. jahres, "yas" - don't just you like the way the Germans pronounce it?
2009. a year of tennis courts and wind tunnels. a year in which i met K, got my GTI, hosted G for exchange, finished the thesis, applied for a North Korean visa, completed my DALF C1, climbed Kalapattar, graduated, got promoted to CPT, went monkey hunting with A, ran a couple more races and triathlons, sat through countless polygraph tests, got hooked on Murakami, spoke to Simon and Tsonga in Bangkok, revisited ZoukOut, saw S a lot more regularly, was Macvangelised, and picked up salsa.
the end of things and the start of others. it was not a good year, but not a particularly bad one either. i guess things probably worked out the best they could given the circumstances.
the countdown starts again tomorrow! watch out 2011!
jeudi, décembre 31, 2009
samedi, décembre 26, 2009
épuisé
i'm drunk and i'm feeling down
and i just wanna be alone
you shouldn't ever come around
why don't you just go home?
cause you're drowning in the water
and i tried to grab your hand
and i left my heart open
but you didn't understand
go fix yourself
i can't help you fix yourself
but at least i can say i tried
i'm sorry but i gotta move on with my own life
i can't help you fix yourself
and i just wanna be alone
you shouldn't ever come around
why don't you just go home?
cause you're drowning in the water
and i tried to grab your hand
and i left my heart open
but you didn't understand
go fix yourself
i can't help you fix yourself
but at least i can say i tried
i'm sorry but i gotta move on with my own life
i can't help you fix yourself
vendredi, décembre 25, 2009
mary xmus
its the time of the year again.time to go shopping, time to go festive, eat drink and make merry and what-else-have-you.
all over the supposed birth of a baby 2009 years ago. yaay.
well at least this year i'm not feeling it.
perhaps too much work perhaps friends are all away / have other plans perhaps perhaps perhaps.
i remember Christmas as a love-hate affair when i was younger. it would always be a holiday to look forward to cos of all the presents, but then again Christmas meant that the school holidays were coming to an end. hence the love-hate relationship.
later on, Christmas became a time for crazy gatherings and the perfect excuse to ask that date out for a romantic dinner. not as stressful as valentine's with all the expectations and hidden meanings, but just as effective, and why, they even decorate all the streets for you!
now, I just want to run away from all that. bah humbug, i'm done with all that, i think. no need for all that empty conversations and meaningless merry making.
Merry Christmas everyone. Have yourselves a good one.
jeudi, décembre 24, 2009
atp
“firers, magazine of 4 rounds, load and ready.”
“firers, this is your ATP marksmanship test, good luck, firers, watch your front.”
that is what i have been doing for all last week, conducting this last minute Advance Trainfire Package 100m for the newly posted in officers, specialists, overseas returnees and some “reshoot category” men.
its pretty boring, and i just couldn’t wait for it to be over. i myself had doubts that it would be a smooth conduct, considering i had to organise everything on my own, indent transport/ration, arrange the details, source for TSR. i didn't even have time to read the lesson plan before the ATP. wow.. how's that for a responsible conducting.
but well, i knew the sequence of everything back from my NSF days, made sure everything that were supposed to be there was there, and made sure things ran well. of course i had a good detailing and scoring ic who made sure the majority of the show went on, without which there would be no details for the firers to be in!
it ended early on wed night, was preparing to head back when i got a call. and with that call, i had to head back to camp.. and there i stayed till 4am.
now for COC parade.
dimanche, décembre 20, 2009
ispoil
outstanding.
my regular ipod classic decided to die on me today after i recently got the imac and ipod touch.
case of sibling rivalry perhaps?
my regular ipod classic decided to die on me today after i recently got the imac and ipod touch.
case of sibling rivalry perhaps?
lundi, décembre 14, 2009
Insolitude
c'est incroyable que après un tel longtemps on a toujours le même sentiment. peut être la vie peut changer mais les sentiments changeraient jamais.
dimanche, décembre 13, 2009
zonkout 2009
after a hiatus for like 4 years, i went for zoukout again yesterday.
wow how things have changed. firstly the prices have more than doubled since 2005! i remember paying like $30 then; for the 2009 version i paid $52. but then the scale of the event has become a lot larger as well: from 2 stages to 4, from foam parties to riding artificial waves.
all in all it was not such a bad event. details of the night are still pretty fuzzy even until now.. haha. i just remember lots of chivas, lots of talking crap, then lots of grinding and groping.. haha.
the only bad thing was that avb really came on a bit too late at 5am. by that time i was already feeling kinda cranky from the lack of sleep.. must be a sign of old age!
sidenote: it would be quite interesting to organise a clean up the beach day for the school kids today. i wonder what would they make of the buried bikinis and condoms in the sand? =D
wow how things have changed. firstly the prices have more than doubled since 2005! i remember paying like $30 then; for the 2009 version i paid $52. but then the scale of the event has become a lot larger as well: from 2 stages to 4, from foam parties to riding artificial waves.
all in all it was not such a bad event. details of the night are still pretty fuzzy even until now.. haha. i just remember lots of chivas, lots of talking crap, then lots of grinding and groping.. haha.
the only bad thing was that avb really came on a bit too late at 5am. by that time i was already feeling kinda cranky from the lack of sleep.. must be a sign of old age!
sidenote: it would be quite interesting to organise a clean up the beach day for the school kids today. i wonder what would they make of the buried bikinis and condoms in the sand? =D
mardi, décembre 08, 2009
bad karma
dunno was it plain bad luck or just accumulated karma, but i was unfortunate enough to get into my second ever accident today.
yes, i banged a parked motorbike down. worse, it was my friend's. luckily it was stationary and that no one was injured.
just a bit pissed that he parked his bike so close to mine that i could not see it through my rear view mirror when i was reversing out of the lot; but oh well the fact was that i hit his bike, so now i gotta pay.
c'est la vie.
yes, i banged a parked motorbike down. worse, it was my friend's. luckily it was stationary and that no one was injured.
just a bit pissed that he parked his bike so close to mine that i could not see it through my rear view mirror when i was reversing out of the lot; but oh well the fact was that i hit his bike, so now i gotta pay.
c'est la vie.
lundi, décembre 07, 2009
important life lessons #4236
never eat hokkien mee (of the black tze char variety) if you are wearing white.
it can get very ugly.
it can get very ugly.
vendredi, décembre 04, 2009
absolutely apple
to mac or not to mac is not the question.
rather, to iMac or to MacBook should be more pertinent.
seriously any advice? cheaper and higher spec but non portable
vs more expensive and inferior specs but portable. heart says MacBook but mind says iMac!
rather, to iMac or to MacBook should be more pertinent.
seriously any advice? cheaper and higher spec but non portable
vs more expensive and inferior specs but portable. heart says MacBook but mind says iMac!
lundi, novembre 30, 2009
dance like you mean it
in about two weeks time, I will, for the first time in my life, begin to learn how to dance properly.
think less trance, more salsa.
a long time ago, I used to like a girl who loved to salsa. back then, other than going down to the dance studio at millenia walk every Saturday to pick her up from her dance class, I had no interest whatsoever in dancing as I felt that my manhood would be threatened the moment I put on some dance shoes. so while she tangoed and salsaed the nights away, I would just sit along the sidelines and watch countless guys put their arms round her waist as they danced furiously crotch to crotch along with the party beat. needless to say, she danced further and further away from me.
then it finally got to me that hey, salsa is not that gay afterall! I mean, it cant be all that bad if you can get some cheap skin contact with the fairer sex right? and hey, you can even have multiple partners in one night, and no one will even bat an eyelid!
I think I am so going to love dancing.
think less trance, more salsa.
a long time ago, I used to like a girl who loved to salsa. back then, other than going down to the dance studio at millenia walk every Saturday to pick her up from her dance class, I had no interest whatsoever in dancing as I felt that my manhood would be threatened the moment I put on some dance shoes. so while she tangoed and salsaed the nights away, I would just sit along the sidelines and watch countless guys put their arms round her waist as they danced furiously crotch to crotch along with the party beat. needless to say, she danced further and further away from me.
then it finally got to me that hey, salsa is not that gay afterall! I mean, it cant be all that bad if you can get some cheap skin contact with the fairer sex right? and hey, you can even have multiple partners in one night, and no one will even bat an eyelid!
I think I am so going to love dancing.
dimanche, novembre 29, 2009
of life and death
recently my maternal grandma's health has deteriorated quite sharply and she is now bedridden and plagued with pain all over her body.
although we are all mentally prepared for the end to come, be it sooner or later, it seems that we as family are unable to help her much in her physical suffering. morphine, medicine, sleeping pills all do not have any effect on her anymore. in fact, just yesterday she confided in us and told us that she was just waiting for her time.
poor grandma. like most other people, she believes that life and death is about god's will and that we cannot do anything to go against his wishes, even if it means you lying bedridden for 10 years. indeed, life at all costs.
but I differ. since doctors are already allowed to carry out emergency Caesarian sections to save a child or mother's life, why not allow the euthanisation of a patient in pain? science has already been used for to help infertile couples. why the double standards? maybe god had really intended for both baby and mother to die? by saving both of them, wouldn't we have gone against his wishes?
because, I believe that if life is a gift, then we should also have the right to reject it as much as the right to accept it.
although we are all mentally prepared for the end to come, be it sooner or later, it seems that we as family are unable to help her much in her physical suffering. morphine, medicine, sleeping pills all do not have any effect on her anymore. in fact, just yesterday she confided in us and told us that she was just waiting for her time.
poor grandma. like most other people, she believes that life and death is about god's will and that we cannot do anything to go against his wishes, even if it means you lying bedridden for 10 years. indeed, life at all costs.
but I differ. since doctors are already allowed to carry out emergency Caesarian sections to save a child or mother's life, why not allow the euthanisation of a patient in pain? science has already been used for to help infertile couples. why the double standards? maybe god had really intended for both baby and mother to die? by saving both of them, wouldn't we have gone against his wishes?
because, I believe that if life is a gift, then we should also have the right to reject it as much as the right to accept it.
samedi, novembre 28, 2009
2012
basically, the story of how one man's collective luck results in the downfall of humankind.
so anyway the movie got me thinking: what if the world was really going to end in 2012? what would I be doing then, or what would I do to change things? surely, if I know now that the end of the world is only a mere 3 years away, I would not be working anymore.. probably I would just live life without inhibition; no cowardice, no looking back and no regrets.
basically I think that people are currently living life too cautiously, always being too careful and always saving up for another day. don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should just always base our decisions on our gut feel and instinct, but paralysis by analysis is another thing altogether. if we never try, we'll never know.
so go out there, and live everyday as if it's your last. say more "I love you"s, do more community service, seize every opportunity every new day brings, and by 2012, I'm sure whether or not the Mayans were correct, the world would be a better place.
so anyway the movie got me thinking: what if the world was really going to end in 2012? what would I be doing then, or what would I do to change things? surely, if I know now that the end of the world is only a mere 3 years away, I would not be working anymore.. probably I would just live life without inhibition; no cowardice, no looking back and no regrets.
basically I think that people are currently living life too cautiously, always being too careful and always saving up for another day. don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that we should just always base our decisions on our gut feel and instinct, but paralysis by analysis is another thing altogether. if we never try, we'll never know.
so go out there, and live everyday as if it's your last. say more "I love you"s, do more community service, seize every opportunity every new day brings, and by 2012, I'm sure whether or not the Mayans were correct, the world would be a better place.
dimanche, novembre 22, 2009
house visit
lately I have been visiting some of my men's homes as part of the saf's home visitation programme (hvp). amongst other objectives, the hvp aims to put servicemen in a familiar environment to allow them to be able to open up easier. and to address any concerns their parents might have.
so anyway for the past week I have seen ah beng servicemen who are complete mommy boys at home, discovered that some servicemen lead totallly different double lives out of camp, been in multimillion dollar houses at sixth avenue, and dealt with some impossible parents with their equally impossible children.
but anyway no matter what the size of the house, size of the family, or number of younger sisters, I saw that the parents would always be protective of their children, be it speaking up for them or reprimanding their children before I could have the chance to do so. for my men, I could sense the gratitude they felt just from their parents' presence.
indeed, home is where the heart is.
so anyway for the past week I have seen ah beng servicemen who are complete mommy boys at home, discovered that some servicemen lead totallly different double lives out of camp, been in multimillion dollar houses at sixth avenue, and dealt with some impossible parents with their equally impossible children.
but anyway no matter what the size of the house, size of the family, or number of younger sisters, I saw that the parents would always be protective of their children, be it speaking up for them or reprimanding their children before I could have the chance to do so. for my men, I could sense the gratitude they felt just from their parents' presence.
indeed, home is where the heart is.
jeudi, novembre 12, 2009
nonstop
oui c'est vrai que je sais plus quoi d'autre à écrire.
ces jours ci je suis plutôt occupé par le travaille. plus vite plus longue plus efficace. toujours.
est-ce que t'es jamais vu les fourmis?
oui on est tout pareil.
ces jours ci je suis plutôt occupé par le travaille. plus vite plus longue plus efficace. toujours.
est-ce que t'es jamais vu les fourmis?
oui on est tout pareil.
mardi, novembre 03, 2009
最后的温暖
maybe it's the damn movie, or maybe it's the company just now, but fuck it still hurts even after all this time.
sometimes I wish life had a refresh button, then I could choose to start anew.
ah fuck, a delete function wouldn't be that bad as well.
sometimes I wish life had a refresh button, then I could choose to start anew.
ah fuck, a delete function wouldn't be that bad as well.
dimanche, octobre 25, 2009
suckers
lesbian killer vampires
vampire lesbian killers
killer vampire lesbians
lesbian vampire killers
either way, they all suck. both blood and money. can't believe i wasted $21 on them last night. at least the drinks afterwards were much better!
vampire lesbian killers
killer vampire lesbians
lesbian vampire killers
either way, they all suck. both blood and money. can't believe i wasted $21 on them last night. at least the drinks afterwards were much better!
jeudi, octobre 22, 2009
the abyss
“Be with me always—take any form—drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”
He dashed his head against the knotted trunk; and, lifting up his eyes, howled, not like a man, but like a savage beast being goaded to death with knives and spears. I observed several splashes of blood about the bark of the tree, and his hand and forehead were both stained; probably the scene I witnessed was a repetition of others acted during the night.
i feel like dying.
He dashed his head against the knotted trunk; and, lifting up his eyes, howled, not like a man, but like a savage beast being goaded to death with knives and spears. I observed several splashes of blood about the bark of the tree, and his hand and forehead were both stained; probably the scene I witnessed was a repetition of others acted during the night.
i feel like dying.
mobile
yaay to the ipod touch.
recently got myself an used ipod touch cos it was a super good deal and i totally love it.
love the touchscreen.
love the apps.
love the wifi.
love the fact i can now stream di.fm on my dock.
so nowadays i rarely even turn on the laptop anymore. not that i surf much anyway, but now its like a fortnightly affair to even contemplate using the lappie.
so, sorry if i have not been updating much. anyway, work has been pretty busy with everyone flying overseas and its just me to helm the operations back home, so i probably would not have updated much in any case. life has been pretty unforgiving as well, with meetups and dates and drinking sessions and the gym and tennis and running and all.
loves.
recently got myself an used ipod touch cos it was a super good deal and i totally love it.
love the touchscreen.
love the apps.
love the wifi.
love the fact i can now stream di.fm on my dock.
so nowadays i rarely even turn on the laptop anymore. not that i surf much anyway, but now its like a fortnightly affair to even contemplate using the lappie.
so, sorry if i have not been updating much. anyway, work has been pretty busy with everyone flying overseas and its just me to helm the operations back home, so i probably would not have updated much in any case. life has been pretty unforgiving as well, with meetups and dates and drinking sessions and the gym and tennis and running and all.
loves.
jeudi, octobre 08, 2009
fallin' for you
i don’t know but
i think i may be
fallin’ for you
dropping so quickly
maybe i should
keep this to myself
waiting ’til i
know you better
i am trying
not to tell you
but i want to
i’m scared of what you’ll say
so i’m hiding what i’m feeling
but i’m tired of
holding this inside my head
i’ve been spending all my time
just thinking about ya
i don’t know what to do
i think i’m fallin’ for you
i’ve been waiting all my life
and now i found ya
i don’t know what to do
i think I’m fallin’ for you
i’m fallin’ for you
as i’m standing here
and you hold my hand
pull me towards you
and we start to dance
all around us
i see nobody
here in silence
it’s just you and me
just you and me
i think i may be
fallin’ for you
dropping so quickly
maybe i should
keep this to myself
waiting ’til i
know you better
i am trying
not to tell you
but i want to
i’m scared of what you’ll say
so i’m hiding what i’m feeling
but i’m tired of
holding this inside my head
i’ve been spending all my time
just thinking about ya
i don’t know what to do
i think i’m fallin’ for you
i’ve been waiting all my life
and now i found ya
i don’t know what to do
i think I’m fallin’ for you
i’m fallin’ for you
as i’m standing here
and you hold my hand
pull me towards you
and we start to dance
all around us
i see nobody
here in silence
it’s just you and me
just you and me
jeudi, octobre 01, 2009
leadership
the challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; to be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not bully; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humour, but without folly.
indeed. although i have already received my 5 year good service award i am still learning what makes a good military leader. it is so difficult to be one because good is such a subjective term; it is impossible to please everyone and yet make tough decisions which seemingly go against group happiness.
it is an honour to be an officer, but officership carries along with it the burdens and obligations of leadership as well. recently i have been thinking about what does it take to be a good leader, do you have any ideas?
indeed. although i have already received my 5 year good service award i am still learning what makes a good military leader. it is so difficult to be one because good is such a subjective term; it is impossible to please everyone and yet make tough decisions which seemingly go against group happiness.
it is an honour to be an officer, but officership carries along with it the burdens and obligations of leadership as well. recently i have been thinking about what does it take to be a good leader, do you have any ideas?
mercredi, septembre 23, 2009
i am the walrus
kinda feeling kinda pumped up these days, currently having quite a good streak in everything i do and i hope everything stays this way!!!its days like this when i feel like a walrus, with pointy incisors and super thick hide; with a body mass great enough to contain all that confidence inside. isn't it just awesome to have the potential to just mow down everything down in your way? yaye then you don't have to worry about anything or everything. just fuck everyone else and just concentrate on your own thing.
goo goo ga joob.
lundi, septembre 21, 2009
food fight
have been reading the ongoing saga about the origins of local food with much amusement.
seriously, all the claims about which has the tastier, more original, most authentic chickenricelaksanasilemakbakutteh is quite laughable. how come nobody contested over the birthplace of SARS or H1N1? or how about pirated vcds?
come to think of it, it seems to me that only asians will be that concerned over such matters. truly asia indeed!
seriously, all the claims about which has the tastier, more original, most authentic chickenricelaksanasilemakbakutteh is quite laughable. how come nobody contested over the birthplace of SARS or H1N1? or how about pirated vcds?
come to think of it, it seems to me that only asians will be that concerned over such matters. truly asia indeed!
jeudi, septembre 17, 2009
mercredi, septembre 16, 2009
of dreams and memories
there we were: deep in the khumbu region in nepal.
you, you were clutching at your hat, holding the front down as you made your descend down the cliff against the wind, as you tried to navigate our way out of the entire mess. me? well i tried my bumbling best to follow, considering that i was from the city and was more used to elevators rather than eroded stone steps.
we finally made it down to the river. funny, was this the start line for the nike human race? yes, it had to be, for the river had turned red from the mass of red runner nike tees. just do it, they chanted, as they counted down the seconds remaining to the start time.
but where was my nike tee? i had registered for this, no? by this time, you had disappeared into the angry swarm of red runners. i searched frantically around my knapsack for the tee, then around the surroundings for you. both were negative. i felt alone; i was alone.
the red mass throbbed as i ploughed into it shouting your name. no answer, no reply, just "just do it" screaming back at me. do what, i wondered. where what who how why.
why?
inside my knapsack i managed to find a chilled can of carlsberg. weird. how did it get there; i don't even drink this brand of beer. nevermind. i open the can and take a long slug of drink. its refreshing. the red crowd seems less threatening. then it is only one minute away from the start time. i can see this because i am pretty near the starting line; how i got there without the mandatory red nike tee is a mystery. hey, look - the guest of honour is starting the race already.
which turned out to be kim jong il.
then i woke up.
you, you were clutching at your hat, holding the front down as you made your descend down the cliff against the wind, as you tried to navigate our way out of the entire mess. me? well i tried my bumbling best to follow, considering that i was from the city and was more used to elevators rather than eroded stone steps.
we finally made it down to the river. funny, was this the start line for the nike human race? yes, it had to be, for the river had turned red from the mass of red runner nike tees. just do it, they chanted, as they counted down the seconds remaining to the start time.
but where was my nike tee? i had registered for this, no? by this time, you had disappeared into the angry swarm of red runners. i searched frantically around my knapsack for the tee, then around the surroundings for you. both were negative. i felt alone; i was alone.
the red mass throbbed as i ploughed into it shouting your name. no answer, no reply, just "just do it" screaming back at me. do what, i wondered. where what who how why.
why?
inside my knapsack i managed to find a chilled can of carlsberg. weird. how did it get there; i don't even drink this brand of beer. nevermind. i open the can and take a long slug of drink. its refreshing. the red crowd seems less threatening. then it is only one minute away from the start time. i can see this because i am pretty near the starting line; how i got there without the mandatory red nike tee is a mystery. hey, look - the guest of honour is starting the race already.
which turned out to be kim jong il.
then i woke up.
jeudi, septembre 10, 2009
mercredi, septembre 09, 2009
beethoven
i know that this post is probably going to offend lots of female folks, but for the love of life, please tell me why are there so many beethovens in singapore?
no, not that singaporeans are all music geniuses, but in colloquial terms, beethoven = 贝多芬 = 背多分, which literally translates to "more points from the back".
yes, my dear readers, if you did not know, i'm a butt-guy. indeed, cute butts packaged in nice short miniskirts never fail to get my attention.
but as much as i prefer butts to boobs/face, it gets kinda disappointing after the follow-up frontal view is a catastrophe, especially if the view from the rear had been good. hopes and expectations initially raised but then later all flushed down the drain.
imagine the scene: you're walking down orchard road one day, then you see this girl with a great back, great legs and all. you accelerate to try to get more than just a glimpse.. then WHAM! she just socks your balls off with some scrambled-egg face.
today, i met an especially bad one. what added to the humilation was that i had initially alerted my friend to the blip on my babe-radar when i saw her from the back.
as you can imagine, the ribbing that ensued was terrible.
never will i be seduced by just a cute butt again! =D
no, not that singaporeans are all music geniuses, but in colloquial terms, beethoven = 贝多芬 = 背多分, which literally translates to "more points from the back".
yes, my dear readers, if you did not know, i'm a butt-guy. indeed, cute butts packaged in nice short miniskirts never fail to get my attention.
but as much as i prefer butts to boobs/face, it gets kinda disappointing after the follow-up frontal view is a catastrophe, especially if the view from the rear had been good. hopes and expectations initially raised but then later all flushed down the drain.
imagine the scene: you're walking down orchard road one day, then you see this girl with a great back, great legs and all. you accelerate to try to get more than just a glimpse.. then WHAM! she just socks your balls off with some scrambled-egg face.
today, i met an especially bad one. what added to the humilation was that i had initially alerted my friend to the blip on my babe-radar when i saw her from the back.
as you can imagine, the ribbing that ensued was terrible.
never will i be seduced by just a cute butt again! =D
lundi, septembre 07, 2009
100 best paying jobs in Singapore 2009
are you on the list?
(look at 48 and 49) argh a chinese sin-seh earns more than an aeronautical engineer! i knew i should have taken the TCM mumbo jumbo modules instead of learning about aircraft performance and control!
anyway, where are our ministers on the list?
(look at 48 and 49) argh a chinese sin-seh earns more than an aeronautical engineer! i knew i should have taken the TCM mumbo jumbo modules instead of learning about aircraft performance and control!
anyway, where are our ministers on the list?
dimanche, septembre 06, 2009
wear sunscreen, my friends
was in the gym just now when i was suprised to hear the once-popular "everybody's free" on the airwaves again.
its a chill song with a catchy beat, and i like it. although the entire song made a lot of sense (unlike most modern pop songs nowadays), i found a particular line particularly meaningful to me:
"understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on."
i realise that although i have many acquaintances, my close friends are few and far between. recently i chanced upon one rather close friend's blog and read that she had, for some reason unbeknownst to me, wrote that she would rather not keep in contact with me in the future.
quite sad right?
so anyway, that got me thinking, "am i such a bad friend, and where did i go wrong with our relationship?"
indeed, any relationship is difficult to maintain; there is only one way to keep things warm and nice, but so many other ways to fuck it up. to all my friends: next time if you want to break contact please at least let me know first in advance ok? so that at least i can do some AAR.. =)
its a chill song with a catchy beat, and i like it. although the entire song made a lot of sense (unlike most modern pop songs nowadays), i found a particular line particularly meaningful to me:
"understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on."
i realise that although i have many acquaintances, my close friends are few and far between. recently i chanced upon one rather close friend's blog and read that she had, for some reason unbeknownst to me, wrote that she would rather not keep in contact with me in the future.
quite sad right?
so anyway, that got me thinking, "am i such a bad friend, and where did i go wrong with our relationship?"
indeed, any relationship is difficult to maintain; there is only one way to keep things warm and nice, but so many other ways to fuck it up. to all my friends: next time if you want to break contact please at least let me know first in advance ok? so that at least i can do some AAR.. =)
dimanche, août 30, 2009
forty-love
in a tennis game, most players aspire to be up 40-0, as that would mean that they would have 3 game points; a most commanding lead indeed. in the same vein, you might have heard commentators say that "the game/match was so one-sided" when one has won by such a large margin.
however on the flipside, it might also mean that the other player is unable to respond in the desired actions. of course a game is only interesting when both players are of the same level; if one constantly serves out forty-love games, i am sure they will not be playing together for long!
in other matters, 40-0 might just mean that your opponent might just be uninterested in the game altogether.
i am currently at forty-love now. should i go in for the kill, or should i wait for my opponent to retaliate?
however on the flipside, it might also mean that the other player is unable to respond in the desired actions. of course a game is only interesting when both players are of the same level; if one constantly serves out forty-love games, i am sure they will not be playing together for long!
in other matters, 40-0 might just mean that your opponent might just be uninterested in the game altogether.
i am currently at forty-love now. should i go in for the kill, or should i wait for my opponent to retaliate?
mardi, août 25, 2009
unwelcome visitor
went to meet up with an overseas relative who dropped by Singapore for a visit yesterday.
i knew it was going to be an ill-fated rendezvous the moment he pointed to my t-shirt and asked, "how can someone as intelligent as you believe in that?" For those familiar with the TBB tees, i was wearing the one with the parody of the evolution of Man, with an ape morphing into a cyclist in aero position, along with the caption "Survival of the Fittest".
unfortunately for him he picked the wrong guy to comment on, and it didn't take long for a healthy "debate" to break out between us.
amongst his more ludicrous arguments for intelligent design was that evolution could not be proven and verified, therefore it was just a hypothesis. besides, look at the wonderful world around us - it could only have been the work of an omnipotent creator!
what about the fantastic work of fiction that is the bible, i retorted, its veracity cannot be confirmed as well!
oh no, the bible is the absolute truth! the deep sea scrolls prove its existence, and besides, there has been evidence to prove that there was most indeed a great flood (think grand canyon)! anyway, he added, the other world religions were just offshoots of christianity (somehow he tried to link the holy trinity to the 福禄寿 trio of chinese deities). so, given the huge amount of irrefutable evidence, it is impossible not to believe in god.
so argh.
i wonder what kind of indoctrination he receives each week at church, then i imagine how that damage is multiplied across the congregation, multiplied by the number of churches in london, then multiplied by the number of churches worldwide; repeat same exercise for the total number of religions in the world and their adherents.
then i wonder why the world is so screwed up. indeed religion poisons everything.
i think this is one relative i will not be seeing any more any time soon.
i knew it was going to be an ill-fated rendezvous the moment he pointed to my t-shirt and asked, "how can someone as intelligent as you believe in that?" For those familiar with the TBB tees, i was wearing the one with the parody of the evolution of Man, with an ape morphing into a cyclist in aero position, along with the caption "Survival of the Fittest".
unfortunately for him he picked the wrong guy to comment on, and it didn't take long for a healthy "debate" to break out between us.
amongst his more ludicrous arguments for intelligent design was that evolution could not be proven and verified, therefore it was just a hypothesis. besides, look at the wonderful world around us - it could only have been the work of an omnipotent creator!
what about the fantastic work of fiction that is the bible, i retorted, its veracity cannot be confirmed as well!
oh no, the bible is the absolute truth! the deep sea scrolls prove its existence, and besides, there has been evidence to prove that there was most indeed a great flood (think grand canyon)! anyway, he added, the other world religions were just offshoots of christianity (somehow he tried to link the holy trinity to the 福禄寿 trio of chinese deities). so, given the huge amount of irrefutable evidence, it is impossible not to believe in god.
so argh.
i wonder what kind of indoctrination he receives each week at church, then i imagine how that damage is multiplied across the congregation, multiplied by the number of churches in london, then multiplied by the number of churches worldwide; repeat same exercise for the total number of religions in the world and their adherents.
then i wonder why the world is so screwed up. indeed religion poisons everything.
i think this is one relative i will not be seeing any more any time soon.
vendredi, août 21, 2009
the plan
in the beginning was the Plan.
and then came the Assumptions.
and the Assumptions were without form.
and darkness was upon the face of the Workers.
and they spoke among themselves, saying, "it is a pile of shit, and it stinketh."
and the workers went unto their Supervisors and said, "it is a pail of dung, and none may abide the odour thereof."
and the Supervisors went unto their Managers, saying, "it is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."
and the Managers went unto their Directors, saying, "it is a vessel of fertiliser, and none may abide its strength."
and the Directors spoke amongst themselves, saying one to another, "it contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."
and the Directors then went onto the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, "it promotes growth and is very powerful."
and the Vice Presidents went unto the President, saying unto him, "this new plan will actively promote the growth and vigour of the company; with powerful effects."
and the President looked upon the Plan, and saw that it was good.
and the Plan became Policy.
and this is How Shit Happens.
- somehow i feel that this was how some new career scheme was derived. some hare-brained idea which probably is only good for the organisation and top brass, but shit for the rest of us folks on the ground. =(
jeudi, août 13, 2009
ambition
its good to have goals in your life. believe it or not, i never had much ambition when i was a kid. astronaut, doctor, captain planet, whatever-have-you; i never thought much about what i wanted to be when i grew up.
then, i just concentrated on being a kid. i didn't see the need to fuss about the future. afterall, the future would sort itself out when it came by right?
now i realise, the world is not so kind after all. what we become is not a game of fate and chance, although i do admit at times luck does play a huge part. anyway after all these years i guess its time to give some thought to my aspirations. hmm..
leather purse anyone?
lundi, août 10, 2009
sentimental valium
happy belated national day! been a great long weekend sleeping, drinking, tennising, shopping, movieing and catching up with friends. nepal seems like such a long time ago and its been some time since i had so much time on my hands to fill!
but luckily i've got great friends to hang out/crap/drink beer/shop with, so thanks to them the three-day weekend just flew by at the blink of an eye.
i've been reading a lot too these days. murakami seems to be the goût du jour for me now, but just the other day at the library i came across this book, The Bastard on the Couch, and a particular paragraph so accurately captures the stream of consciousness my head works most of the time and so many of things I've thought/journalled/said to friends.
enjoy:
"There were also those mornings, especially holidays and weekends and times between assignments, when I had no plans, when my buddies were out of town or with their wives or girlfriends, when I wondered if I would die alone, when I wished there was someone next to me, someone sweet and loving and warm and funny and sexy, someone who, even if she might curtail my sports-page reading and sleeping late and e-mail checking, might let me hold her, might hold me, might ask me to help her work the crossword puzzle, might murmur with affection as I worried aloud about a vexing work project, who might bear my children, grow misty-eyed at how I would teach the little rascals to be strong and to shoot baskets and how to be helpful and sensitive to others' feelings while remaining true to their own convictions, who would indulge my sneaking them sweets between meals and telling them scary stories at bedtime, who might agree–exuberantly–to be my partner while we moved through the world, shoulder to shoulder, fingers interlocked, someone who would stroll underneath aged oak trees with me as we turned white and wrinkled, leaning on each other, someone whose fears I might help recognize as puny phantoms compared to our enduring and transcendent bond, someone who might liberate me from the crushing burden of myself."
my favourite overly long sentence of all time, i think.
that sentence welled up something inside me when i read it. instead of bringing about a big sigh and make me feel (more) sorry for myself, it produced this incredible happiness for all the couples out there. maybe not the idyllic and naive everything-will-be-perfect vision those of us on the unrealized side of marriage and relationships have - but the companionship and deep peace they find from that other person. and that is what i have been looking for: the unspoken easy comfort on a sleep-in sunday morning with coffee on the roast and her in my arms.
but domestic life for me is difficult because i believe in living my own life, and living one’s dreams is difficult because it usually is a lone undertaking. there is no such thing as shared dreams; they are personal creatures. and while my peers are settling down and buying HDB flats, I continue to drift and search on for myself; i plod on the path alone. yet I do not feel despair. trite as it may sound, i recognize that life is about the journey, and not the destination.
there you have it. damn emo. but what were you expecting at 0037 in the morning, and from a title like sentimental valium?
but luckily i've got great friends to hang out/crap/drink beer/shop with, so thanks to them the three-day weekend just flew by at the blink of an eye.
i've been reading a lot too these days. murakami seems to be the goût du jour for me now, but just the other day at the library i came across this book, The Bastard on the Couch, and a particular paragraph so accurately captures the stream of consciousness my head works most of the time and so many of things I've thought/journalled/said to friends.
enjoy:
"There were also those mornings, especially holidays and weekends and times between assignments, when I had no plans, when my buddies were out of town or with their wives or girlfriends, when I wondered if I would die alone, when I wished there was someone next to me, someone sweet and loving and warm and funny and sexy, someone who, even if she might curtail my sports-page reading and sleeping late and e-mail checking, might let me hold her, might hold me, might ask me to help her work the crossword puzzle, might murmur with affection as I worried aloud about a vexing work project, who might bear my children, grow misty-eyed at how I would teach the little rascals to be strong and to shoot baskets and how to be helpful and sensitive to others' feelings while remaining true to their own convictions, who would indulge my sneaking them sweets between meals and telling them scary stories at bedtime, who might agree–exuberantly–to be my partner while we moved through the world, shoulder to shoulder, fingers interlocked, someone who would stroll underneath aged oak trees with me as we turned white and wrinkled, leaning on each other, someone whose fears I might help recognize as puny phantoms compared to our enduring and transcendent bond, someone who might liberate me from the crushing burden of myself."
my favourite overly long sentence of all time, i think.
that sentence welled up something inside me when i read it. instead of bringing about a big sigh and make me feel (more) sorry for myself, it produced this incredible happiness for all the couples out there. maybe not the idyllic and naive everything-will-be-perfect vision those of us on the unrealized side of marriage and relationships have - but the companionship and deep peace they find from that other person. and that is what i have been looking for: the unspoken easy comfort on a sleep-in sunday morning with coffee on the roast and her in my arms.
but domestic life for me is difficult because i believe in living my own life, and living one’s dreams is difficult because it usually is a lone undertaking. there is no such thing as shared dreams; they are personal creatures. and while my peers are settling down and buying HDB flats, I continue to drift and search on for myself; i plod on the path alone. yet I do not feel despair. trite as it may sound, i recognize that life is about the journey, and not the destination.
there you have it. damn emo. but what were you expecting at 0037 in the morning, and from a title like sentimental valium?
lundi, août 03, 2009
heart of the matter
i got the call today, i didn't wanna hear
But i knew that it would come
an old true friend of ours was talkin' on the phone
she said you found someone
and i thought of all the bad luck,
and the struggles we went through
and how i lost me and you lost you
what are these voices outside love's open door
make us throw off our contentment
and beg for something more?
i'm learning to live without you now
but i miss you sometimes
the more i know, the less i understand
all the things i thought i knew, i'm learning again
i've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
but my will gets weak
and my thoughts seem to scatter
but i think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
even if, even if you don't love me anymore
these times are so uncertain
there's a yearning undefined
people filled with rage
we all need a little tenderness
how can love survive in such a graceless age
the trust and self-assurance that can lead to happiness
they're the very things we kill, i guess
pride and competition cannot fill these empty arms
and the work i put between us,
doesn't keep me warm
i'm learning to live without you now
but i miss you, Baby
the more i know, the less i understand
all the things i thought i figured out, i have to learn again
i've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
but everything changes
and my friends seem to scatter
but i think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
even if, even if you don't love me anymore
there are people in your life who've come and gone
they let you down and hurt your pride
better put it all behind you; life goes on
you keep carrin' that anger, it'll eat you inside
i've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
but my will gets weak
and my thoughts seem to scatter
but i think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
even if, even if you don't love me anymore
But i knew that it would come
an old true friend of ours was talkin' on the phone
she said you found someone
and i thought of all the bad luck,
and the struggles we went through
and how i lost me and you lost you
what are these voices outside love's open door
make us throw off our contentment
and beg for something more?
i'm learning to live without you now
but i miss you sometimes
the more i know, the less i understand
all the things i thought i knew, i'm learning again
i've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
but my will gets weak
and my thoughts seem to scatter
but i think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
even if, even if you don't love me anymore
these times are so uncertain
there's a yearning undefined
people filled with rage
we all need a little tenderness
how can love survive in such a graceless age
the trust and self-assurance that can lead to happiness
they're the very things we kill, i guess
pride and competition cannot fill these empty arms
and the work i put between us,
doesn't keep me warm
i'm learning to live without you now
but i miss you, Baby
the more i know, the less i understand
all the things i thought i figured out, i have to learn again
i've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
but everything changes
and my friends seem to scatter
but i think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
even if, even if you don't love me anymore
there are people in your life who've come and gone
they let you down and hurt your pride
better put it all behind you; life goes on
you keep carrin' that anger, it'll eat you inside
i've been tryin' to get down to the heart of the matter
but my will gets weak
and my thoughts seem to scatter
but i think it's about forgiveness
Forgiveness
even if, even if you don't love me anymore
dimanche, août 02, 2009
to swoosh with love
how can you not love the folks at the swoosh, when they lavish upon you all these goodies:
and with more goodies to come next week?
hmm trust nike to come up with the outrageously funky colours! seriously with the new threads i feel more like a whore than a runner. anyway now i'm looking forward to tuesday when i can finally unleash my inner sluttiness at ecp! =D
and with more goodies to come next week?hmm trust nike to come up with the outrageously funky colours! seriously with the new threads i feel more like a whore than a runner. anyway now i'm looking forward to tuesday when i can finally unleash my inner sluttiness at ecp! =D
lundi, juillet 27, 2009
to sleep
everynight i go to bed tired and i wake up feeling even more tired! amazing! so where did all the snooze time go to? i wonder.
mercredi, juillet 22, 2009
queenie
this year's TdF is like the most exciting yet! after one whole week of nondescript action, the peloton has suddenly exploded with crazy attacks, 20km solo victories and team in-fighting!
anyway looks like today is going to be Frank Frank Frank; its easier for me this year cos i can now root for two teams: saxobank and cervélo! =D
one.five more weeks of intense action..
anyway looks like today is going to be Frank Frank Frank; its easier for me this year cos i can now root for two teams: saxobank and cervélo! =D
one.five more weeks of intense action..
mercredi, juillet 15, 2009
in search of Sagarmatha - lost and found
when i was trekking in Nepal i had so many thoughts and random stuff floating around in my head which i had planned to blog about. some i wrote down in my notebook, some i just forgot. everyday was a discovery, every moment was a new experience, and i had every intention to put everything down to pen and paper, if not blog.
when i came back, things happened. i had DALF i had commencement i had tennis i had meetups i had to get back in shape i had to pack i had to go for courses i had more meetups more beer to drink and then i had work.
i have my priorities; when busy, blogging comes last. besides, the mood to blog is different when you are staring at white snow-capped mountains and hdb flats is very different. i guess this is what they call by having a muse.
alas.
so anyway i did indeed make it up to EBC. all the tension, frustration, suffering and fatigue from the past melted away when i finally saw this:
after another 2.5 hours of trekking i finally got to this:
managed to meet only half of the team as the other half were still making their way down from camp 2. weather as i mentioned was bad for the past few days and so they had postponed their ascend, which coincidentally was originally scheduled to have taken place on the day i reached EBC.
yaye. anything is possible.
when i came back, things happened. i had DALF i had commencement i had tennis i had meetups i had to get back in shape i had to pack i had to go for courses i had more meetups more beer to drink and then i had work.
i have my priorities; when busy, blogging comes last. besides, the mood to blog is different when you are staring at white snow-capped mountains and hdb flats is very different. i guess this is what they call by having a muse.
alas.
so anyway i did indeed make it up to EBC. all the tension, frustration, suffering and fatigue from the past melted away when i finally saw this:
after another 2.5 hours of trekking i finally got to this:
managed to meet only half of the team as the other half were still making their way down from camp 2. weather as i mentioned was bad for the past few days and so they had postponed their ascend, which coincidentally was originally scheduled to have taken place on the day i reached EBC.
yaye. anything is possible.
mardi, juillet 14, 2009
joyeux bastille!
un peu tard, mais mieux que jamais!!! =)aussi pour Jerrold, qui est surement parmi les étoiles avec Napoléon et ses camarades.
vendredi, juillet 10, 2009
if i could turn back the hands of time
i would not be quarter of a century old today!!! *omg time really flies*
anyway thanks to those who remembered, and for those who turned up.. HUAT AH!
be heading up to PD for the weekend, see you on mon! =)
anyway thanks to those who remembered, and for those who turned up.. HUAT AH!
be heading up to PD for the weekend, see you on mon! =)
jeudi, juillet 09, 2009
mercredi, juillet 08, 2009
lundi, juillet 06, 2009
in search of Sagarmatha - dead end
err.. ok so where did i leave off the last time?
oh ya - dingboche.
so anyway, the snowstorm eventually did clear, but only after 3 days of non-stop snow, and only after i was already prepared to throw in the towel and head back down.
the walk became progressively difficult at this point. firstly, trudging through calf-deep snow was not really easy, especially when the snow by now had completely covered the dirt track which i had been following thus far, so effectively i was as good as walking blind. secondly, it became more and more difficult to breathe due to the thinning of the air, and lastly, windchill became stronger.
forging ahead
i guess it was really amazing then, that we finally made it to gorak shep, the village right at the khumbu icefall, at the foothills of Everest.
khumbu icefall. huge valley of blue ice.
- to be continued -
oh ya - dingboche.
so anyway, the snowstorm eventually did clear, but only after 3 days of non-stop snow, and only after i was already prepared to throw in the towel and head back down.
the walk became progressively difficult at this point. firstly, trudging through calf-deep snow was not really easy, especially when the snow by now had completely covered the dirt track which i had been following thus far, so effectively i was as good as walking blind. secondly, it became more and more difficult to breathe due to the thinning of the air, and lastly, windchill became stronger.
luckily i had lukhpa, my nepali porter-guide to lead the way. at times the fog got so bad it was almost impossible to make out anything beyond a 10m radius, but yet we plodded on, with him stumbling at the front, and me following in his footsteps.
forging aheadi guess it was really amazing then, that we finally made it to gorak shep, the village right at the khumbu icefall, at the foothills of Everest.
khumbu icefall. huge valley of blue ice.- to be continued -
mardi, juin 30, 2009
busy body
alas alas its been one hectic week after another.
sorry for the long downtime.. i know an update (and conclusion to my sagarmatha series) is waaaay overdue.
will try to bang out sometime soon.. i promise!
sorry for the long downtime.. i know an update (and conclusion to my sagarmatha series) is waaaay overdue.
will try to bang out sometime soon.. i promise!
lundi, juin 08, 2009
in search of Sagarmatha - blizzard of '77
up up and away!
from Namche Bazaar onwards the altitude begins to tell. Tengboche, Pangboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, and finally Gorak Shep; everyday the path leads further upward. the result? less oxygen and more cold.
and it also meant that while at lower heights we would get rain, it began to snow.
usually snow conjures up images of fun and christmas: snowmen, snowball fights and what not; we rarely think about the destructive side of it. and it is certainly not fun when you are snowed in with no form of heating at night and nowhere to go and nothing to do.
like what i experienced at Dingboche.
day before
day after
i had never seen so much snow in my life, and especially not so much snowfall in such a short period of time! well, the outcome was that i was forced to stay put at Dingboche for 2 nights extra freezing my ass off. what a holiday.
- to be continued -
from Namche Bazaar onwards the altitude begins to tell. Tengboche, Pangboche, Dingboche, Lobuche, and finally Gorak Shep; everyday the path leads further upward. the result? less oxygen and more cold.
and it also meant that while at lower heights we would get rain, it began to snow.
usually snow conjures up images of fun and christmas: snowmen, snowball fights and what not; we rarely think about the destructive side of it. and it is certainly not fun when you are snowed in with no form of heating at night and nowhere to go and nothing to do.
like what i experienced at Dingboche.
day before
day after- to be continued -
dimanche, juin 07, 2009
in search of Sagarmatha - to bazaar we go
for trekkers in the Khumbu region, it is quite a shock to enter into the village of Namche Bazaar after days of walking in relative desolateness.at 3440m, Namche Bazaar is the gateway into the high Himalayas, and almost everyone who is heading to the high peaks beyond will undoubtedly pass through it. unlike the villages located before and after it, Namche Bazaar - as the name suggests - is the Great Himalayan Sale. for the shopaholic trekker, this is your Everest. for those who packed too lightly, this is the place to stock up on supplies. camera broken? no worries, there are camera repair shops at Namche! indeed, such was the range and availability of "luxury" items at Namche Bazaar that i thought that i had returned to Orchard Road in Singapore!
needless to say, i loved Namche. it was like Club Med to me; my spiritual chicken soup for the entire trek. when i was cold and tired i tried to think of Namche with its huge yak steaks, beer at decent prices, and hot showers. what was supposed to be a 1 night stay became 2 nights, then stretched into 3. i was drunk on the high of civilisation and the creature comforts it offered.
yak steak!the addiction was dangerous; i almost did not make it up to EBC, if not for
my first view of Everest from somewhere near Namche- to be continued -
lundi, juin 01, 2009
david vs goliath
the giant is slain.
and my heart is broken. =(
quel ironie que nadal ait été battu hier à roland garros. le roi s'est trouvé à la mauvaise côté pour la première fois; c'est dommage aussi qu'il n'a pas pu maintenir son record. mais pas grave, on va surement reverser ce resultat à wimbledon! vamos rafa!
and my heart is broken. =(
quel ironie que nadal ait été battu hier à roland garros. le roi s'est trouvé à la mauvaise côté pour la première fois; c'est dommage aussi qu'il n'a pas pu maintenir son record. mais pas grave, on va surement reverser ce resultat à wimbledon! vamos rafa!
mercredi, mai 27, 2009
in search of Sagarmatha - lost in the mist
every search has a starting point. for Everest, i started at the foothills of Lukla.it was an overcast day when we flew in from Kathmandu, and the DHC-6 twin otter i was in barely rose above the clouds during the flight.
shrouded in all this mist, it was difficult indeed in locating my final destination. "not too good", i thought as we buzzed through all the grey and white, "is Everest a real geographical manifestation or just a figment of one's imagination?" perhaps, perhaps.
but wait.
amongst all the fluff i could make out some jagged edges. could that be it?
- to be continued -
lundi, mai 25, 2009
in search of Sagarmatha - intro
in Nepali, the name for Everest is Sagarmatha, which means the Goddess of the Sky. indeed, at 8850m (and still rising), it dominates the northern Nepali landscape, and stands starkly alone even amongst the world's longest and tallest chain of mountains, the Himalayas.
thus the attraction to go there, to conquer it. in the words of George Mallory in 1924, "Because it's there"; simply put, its presence beckons like a très sexy babe.
route to base camp. click to enlarge
hence, in like 3 days after my final paper, i got my air tickets, printed out wikitravel EBC, packed, brushed my teeth, and found myself wandering the noisy streets of Kathmandu and in search of Sagarmatha.
- to be continued -
thus the attraction to go there, to conquer it. in the words of George Mallory in 1924, "Because it's there"; simply put, its presence beckons like a très sexy babe.
for me, summiting Everest itself was quite out of the question at the moment in time. lack of funds aside (it usually costs about USD55,000 to put someone at the top), i had absolutely zero mountaineering experience. so base camp seemed like a good second best.
route to base camp. click to enlargehence, in like 3 days after my final paper, i got my air tickets, printed out wikitravel EBC, packed, brushed my teeth, and found myself wandering the noisy streets of Kathmandu and in search of Sagarmatha.
- to be continued -
lundi, mai 18, 2009
thawing out
back from the cold and the beauty of the Himalayas.
will thaw for a few days, then will get the regular updates going again. =)
will thaw for a few days, then will get the regular updates going again. =)
mercredi, avril 29, 2009
aftermath / disappearance
so that was it. with what could possibly be my last "pens down", my 15+ year old academic journey came to an end. at least for the moment.
and what a last burst of fire! 3 papers in as many days. my heart really went out with a bang with all that last minute mugging.
-
anyways i will be flying off tomorrow.
be back end may.
don't miss me! ciao.
and what a last burst of fire! 3 papers in as many days. my heart really went out with a bang with all that last minute mugging.
-
anyways i will be flying off tomorrow.
be back end may.
don't miss me! ciao.
lundi, avril 27, 2009
important life lessons #3326
don't count your chickens before they hatch.
it sucks terribly when you find out that you were wrong.
it sucks terribly when you find out that you were wrong.
dimanche, avril 26, 2009
jeudi, avril 23, 2009
family gal
after mme Dati, look who's the latest to be in the family way in France now!
yes another French female minister(e?), this time the minister for the digital economy, is pregnant while in office! well so far the French are cool, no talks about the impending maternity leave being a waste of taxpayers' money, no conflict of roles, etc. - one point which i like about French society: chacun son truc, which means to each his own, as long as you are able to carry out what you have been appointed to do, on s'en fou de votre vie privée. seems a lot more sustainable to me, than in other societies where many women have to supress their true natures and carry themselves like men in order to integrate/succeed in the working world. liberté, égalité, fraternité. =)
on a related note, i think the two women ministers have done a lot more for feminism than the organisation formerly known as AWARE, who are still AWAY catfighting and possibly praying for divine intervention. eat your heart out, Josie Lau, for you and your committee's true agenda will be known sooner or later.
yes another French female minister(e?), this time the minister for the digital economy, is pregnant while in office! well so far the French are cool, no talks about the impending maternity leave being a waste of taxpayers' money, no conflict of roles, etc. - one point which i like about French society: chacun son truc, which means to each his own, as long as you are able to carry out what you have been appointed to do, on s'en fou de votre vie privée. seems a lot more sustainable to me, than in other societies where many women have to supress their true natures and carry themselves like men in order to integrate/succeed in the working world. liberté, égalité, fraternité. =)
on a related note, i think the two women ministers have done a lot more for feminism than the organisation formerly known as AWARE, who are still AWAY catfighting and possibly praying for divine intervention. eat your heart out, Josie Lau, for you and your committee's true agenda will be known sooner or later.
vendredi, avril 17, 2009
you're beautiful | James Blunt
my life is brilliant.
my love is pure.
i saw an angel.
of that i'm sure.
she smiled at me on the subway.
she was with another man.
but i won't lose no sleep on that,
'cause i've got a plan.
you're beautiful. you're beautiful.
you're beautiful, it's true.
i saw your face in a crowded place,
and i don't know what to do,
'cause i'll never be with you.
yeah, she caught my eye,
as we walked on by.
she could see from my face that i was,
fucking high,
and i don't think that i'll see her again,
but we shared a moment that will last till the end.
you're beautiful. you're beautiful.
you're beautiful, it's true.
i saw your face in a crowded place,
and i don't know what to do,
'cause i'll never be with you.
you're beautiful. you're beautiful.
you're beautiful, it's true.
there must be an angel with a smile on her face,
when she thought up that I should be with you.
but it's time to face the truth,
i will never be with you.
oui je sais c'est une vielle chanson mais je l'aime bien et aussi j'ai des émotions très forts en ce moment; je sais que je peux pas t'avoir, mais de toute façon c'était une plaisir et aussi de ma chance de t'avoir connu. C'est juste regrettable que nos histoire a déjà fini avant de commencer.
my love is pure.
i saw an angel.
of that i'm sure.
she smiled at me on the subway.
she was with another man.
but i won't lose no sleep on that,
'cause i've got a plan.
you're beautiful. you're beautiful.
you're beautiful, it's true.
i saw your face in a crowded place,
and i don't know what to do,
'cause i'll never be with you.
yeah, she caught my eye,
as we walked on by.
she could see from my face that i was,
fucking high,
and i don't think that i'll see her again,
but we shared a moment that will last till the end.
you're beautiful. you're beautiful.
you're beautiful, it's true.
i saw your face in a crowded place,
and i don't know what to do,
'cause i'll never be with you.
you're beautiful. you're beautiful.
you're beautiful, it's true.
there must be an angel with a smile on her face,
when she thought up that I should be with you.
but it's time to face the truth,
i will never be with you.
oui je sais c'est une vielle chanson mais je l'aime bien et aussi j'ai des émotions très forts en ce moment; je sais que je peux pas t'avoir, mais de toute façon c'était une plaisir et aussi de ma chance de t'avoir connu. C'est juste regrettable que nos histoire a déjà fini avant de commencer.
mercredi, avril 15, 2009
lundi, avril 13, 2009
the noose is tightening
yaay the powers-that-be in Singapore must be rejoicing now as the current situation in Thailand must have given them the perfect reasons to launch tougher public order laws.
under these laws:
- all outdoor activities that are cause-related or particularly supportive of a person(s) will require a police permit, a change from the current law requiring a permit only for gatherings for five or more people.
- policemen can stop activists from leaving their homes if they suspect that they are up to mischief.
- policemen can order activists to leave an area if they suspect that they are about to break the law.
*italics mine
sheesh as though as the current laws were not draconian enough already!
seeing that a election might be around the corner and that the political views from the ground are shifting from with, to against the incumbent party, it is no surprise that the government would appeal to the fear factor of Singaporeans by playing up the relative stability here and at the same time seize the opportunity to quell any possible future unrest.
public order? or just to maintain the current world order? hmm i wonder.
under these laws:
- all outdoor activities that are cause-related or particularly supportive of a person(s) will require a police permit, a change from the current law requiring a permit only for gatherings for five or more people.
- policemen can stop activists from leaving their homes if they suspect that they are up to mischief.
- policemen can order activists to leave an area if they suspect that they are about to break the law.
*italics mine
sheesh as though as the current laws were not draconian enough already!
seeing that a election might be around the corner and that the political views from the ground are shifting from with, to against the incumbent party, it is no surprise that the government would appeal to the fear factor of Singaporeans by playing up the relative stability here and at the same time seize the opportunity to quell any possible future unrest.
public order? or just to maintain the current world order? hmm i wonder.
vendredi, avril 10, 2009
mercredi, avril 08, 2009
and now for something completely different
ok something more bloggish and less newsfeed-sy or cultural.
currently in the midst of trying to keep my sanity now as my life revolves around FYP and my other technical and not-so-technical modules. well well what's new just same stuff different semester.
explains the lack of personal updates: i live quite an unexciting life contrary to what you might think. same old sports, same old routine, day in, day out. but some structure and familiarity is good no? somebody to fall back on at the end of the day would be good too.
well school is getting to be more and more fun in a perverse sense. i guess when time is running out then you begin to treasure something a bit more. but well i think its the choice of modules i made this semester which made it all the better. more learning, less regurgitating. but learning is difficult when you have so many datelines and so little time. grah i can't decide. nevertheless school IS strangely fun though. like how eating three carl's jr. burgers in one sitting. ah the satisfaction but then the indigestion.
watched fight quest on discovery last night. wing chun looked so cool in ip man, looked even cooler on a rooftop against the luminous HK backdrop. kung fu classes anyone?
i am so amused by the recent spate of shoe throwing cases: England, China, and now India. its like so cool, so harmless but yet so impactful. when will this arrive in Singapore? $2.50 Sing Tat slippers look like they would make nice slapping noises upon impact on flesh! well at least they did when i threw them on some cockroaches. nice *piak* sound.
flashmob!
week before last's Skye concert. at the esplanade rooftop, part of the mosaic festival. super good and super worth the money. luscious vocals and great ambience. looking forward to the next one, and bring back the Kings of Convenience please! a bit sore that i missed Oasis last week too.
waiting for uniqlo tomorrow! went to the huge store before at sendai and i cant wait to get my hands on some MGS4 and Tezuka ones! hope they stock them in though. but well whatever.
ok back to work.
currently in the midst of trying to keep my sanity now as my life revolves around FYP and my other technical and not-so-technical modules. well well what's new just same stuff different semester.
explains the lack of personal updates: i live quite an unexciting life contrary to what you might think. same old sports, same old routine, day in, day out. but some structure and familiarity is good no? somebody to fall back on at the end of the day would be good too.
well school is getting to be more and more fun in a perverse sense. i guess when time is running out then you begin to treasure something a bit more. but well i think its the choice of modules i made this semester which made it all the better. more learning, less regurgitating. but learning is difficult when you have so many datelines and so little time. grah i can't decide. nevertheless school IS strangely fun though. like how eating three carl's jr. burgers in one sitting. ah the satisfaction but then the indigestion.
watched fight quest on discovery last night. wing chun looked so cool in ip man, looked even cooler on a rooftop against the luminous HK backdrop. kung fu classes anyone?
i am so amused by the recent spate of shoe throwing cases: England, China, and now India. its like so cool, so harmless but yet so impactful. when will this arrive in Singapore? $2.50 Sing Tat slippers look like they would make nice slapping noises upon impact on flesh! well at least they did when i threw them on some cockroaches. nice *piak* sound.
flashmob!
week before last's Skye concert. at the esplanade rooftop, part of the mosaic festival. super good and super worth the money. luscious vocals and great ambience. looking forward to the next one, and bring back the Kings of Convenience please! a bit sore that i missed Oasis last week too.
waiting for uniqlo tomorrow! went to the huge store before at sendai and i cant wait to get my hands on some MGS4 and Tezuka ones! hope they stock them in though. but well whatever.
ok back to work.
lundi, avril 06, 2009
la grasse matinée | Jacques Prévert
Envie de faire de la grasse matinée? Excellente idée, et pourquoi pas? Surtout pendant les weekends; pour notre société rapide aujourd'hui, elle est l'une de plus indulgente chose qu'on peut faire. Mais, la réalité n'est pas toujours si simple. Il y a des gens, des SDFs, des pauvres, etc., qui faire la grasse matinée involontairement. C'est à dire, ils n'ont pas le choix: ils sont sans-travaille, sans-domicile, sans-chose-à-faire, et donc ils peut "profiter" d'une matinée tranquille.
Voici une autre poème par Jacques Prévert (comme j'adore ses poèmes), teinté avec beaucoup d'ironie et de tristesse et aussi de jeux de mots:
Il est terrible
le petit bruit de l'oeuf dur cassé sur un comptoir d'étain
il est terrible ce bruit
quand il remue dans la mémoire de l'homme qui a faim
elle est terrible aussi la tête de l'homme
la tête de l'homme qui a faim
quand il se regarde à six heures du matin
dans la glace du grand magasin
une tête couleur de poussière
ce n'est pas sa tête pourtant qu'il regarde
dans la vitrine de chez Potin
il s'en fout de sa tête l'homme
il n'y pense pas
il songe
il imagine une autre tête
une tête de veau par exemple
avec une sauce de vinaigre
ou une tête de n'importe quoi qui se mange
et il remue doucement la mâchoire
doucement
et il grince des dents doucement
car le monde se paye sa tête
et il ne peut rien contre ce monde
et il compte sur ses doigts un deux trois
un deux trois
cela fait trois jours qu'il n'a pas mangé
et il a beau se répéter depuis trois jours
Ça ne peut pas durer
ça dure
trois jours
trois nuits
sans manger
et derrière ce vitres
ces pâtés ces bouteilles ces conserves
poissons morts protégés par les boîtes
boîtes protégées par les vitres
vitres protégées par les flics
flics protégés par la crainte
que de barricades pour six malheureuses sardines..
Un peu plus loin le bistrot
café-crème et croissants chauds
l'homme titube
et dans l'intérieur de sa tête
un brouillard de mots
un brouillard de mots
sardines à manger
oeuf dur café-crème
café arrosé rhum
café-crème
café-crème
café-crime arrosé sang !...
Un homme très estimé dans son quartier
a été égorgé en plein jour
l'assassin le vagabond lui a volé
deux francs
soit un café arrosé
zéro franc soixante-dix
deux tartines beurrées
et vingt-cinq centimes pour le pourboire du garçon.
Voici une autre poème par Jacques Prévert (comme j'adore ses poèmes), teinté avec beaucoup d'ironie et de tristesse et aussi de jeux de mots:
Il est terrible
le petit bruit de l'oeuf dur cassé sur un comptoir d'étain
il est terrible ce bruit
quand il remue dans la mémoire de l'homme qui a faim
elle est terrible aussi la tête de l'homme
la tête de l'homme qui a faim
quand il se regarde à six heures du matin
dans la glace du grand magasin
une tête couleur de poussière
ce n'est pas sa tête pourtant qu'il regarde
dans la vitrine de chez Potin
il s'en fout de sa tête l'homme
il n'y pense pas
il songe
il imagine une autre tête
une tête de veau par exemple
avec une sauce de vinaigre
ou une tête de n'importe quoi qui se mange
et il remue doucement la mâchoire
doucement
et il grince des dents doucement
car le monde se paye sa tête
et il ne peut rien contre ce monde
et il compte sur ses doigts un deux trois
un deux trois
cela fait trois jours qu'il n'a pas mangé
et il a beau se répéter depuis trois jours
Ça ne peut pas durer
ça dure
trois jours
trois nuits
sans manger
et derrière ce vitres
ces pâtés ces bouteilles ces conserves
poissons morts protégés par les boîtes
boîtes protégées par les vitres
vitres protégées par les flics
flics protégés par la crainte
que de barricades pour six malheureuses sardines..
Un peu plus loin le bistrot
café-crème et croissants chauds
l'homme titube
et dans l'intérieur de sa tête
un brouillard de mots
un brouillard de mots
sardines à manger
oeuf dur café-crème
café arrosé rhum
café-crème
café-crème
café-crime arrosé sang !...
Un homme très estimé dans son quartier
a été égorgé en plein jour
l'assassin le vagabond lui a volé
deux francs
soit un café arrosé
zéro franc soixante-dix
deux tartines beurrées
et vingt-cinq centimes pour le pourboire du garçon.
dimanche, avril 05, 2009
killing me softly
i think it's a mistake to lose one's sense of death, even one's fear of death. isn't death the boundary we need? doesn't it give a precious texture to life, a sense of definition? you have to ask yourself whether anything you do in this life would have beauty and meaning without the knowledge you carry a final line, a border or limit.
- don delillo, white noise
- don delillo, white noise
lundi, mars 30, 2009
dimanche, mars 29, 2009
sable mouvant | Jacques Prévert
pour ceux qui aiment de la poésie et de la littérature française, j'ai décidé de créer une nouvelle catégorie de postes: culture française, où je vais copier des poèmes, des extraits de littérature, et aussi peut être essayer de donner un peu de explication et critique personnelle si j'ai le temps.
pour commencer, j'ai choisi un poème de Jacques Prévert, un poète et écrivain français très connu et qui vive encore malgré son mort en 1977 car ses poèmes sont massivement appris dans les écoles français.
dans ma classe de français, nous avons récité quelques de ses œuvres aussi. cela, je vous présente Sable Mouvant, qui s'agit d'un amour où, comme la sable mouvant, il se semble calme à extérieur, mais capable de prendre amoureux au piège, et aussi de le tuer.
Démons et merveilles
Vents et marées
Au loin déjà la mer s'est retirée
Et toi
Comme une algue doucement caressée par le vent
Dans les sables du lit tu remues en rêvant
Démons et merveilles
Vents et marées
Au loin déjà la mer s'est retirée
Mais dans tes yeux entrouverts
Deux petites vagues sont restées
Démons et merveilles
Vents et marées
Deux petites vagues pour me noyer.
pour commencer, j'ai choisi un poème de Jacques Prévert, un poète et écrivain français très connu et qui vive encore malgré son mort en 1977 car ses poèmes sont massivement appris dans les écoles français.
dans ma classe de français, nous avons récité quelques de ses œuvres aussi. cela, je vous présente Sable Mouvant, qui s'agit d'un amour où, comme la sable mouvant, il se semble calme à extérieur, mais capable de prendre amoureux au piège, et aussi de le tuer.
Démons et merveilles
Vents et marées
Au loin déjà la mer s'est retirée
Et toi
Comme une algue doucement caressée par le vent
Dans les sables du lit tu remues en rêvant
Démons et merveilles
Vents et marées
Au loin déjà la mer s'est retirée
Mais dans tes yeux entrouverts
Deux petites vagues sont restées
Démons et merveilles
Vents et marées
Deux petites vagues pour me noyer.
dimanche, mars 22, 2009
struggle | morpheus
All of our lives we have fought this war. Tonight I believe we can end it. Tonight is not an accident. There are no accidents. We have not come here by chance. I do not believe in chance when I see 3 objectives, 3 captains, 3 ships. I do not see coincidence, I see providence, I see purpose. I believe it is our fate to be here. It is our destiny. I believe this night holds for each and every one of us the very meaning of our lives.
-
Then tomorrow we may all be dead, but how would that be different from any other day? This is a war, and we are soldiers. Death can come for us at any time, in any place. Now consider the alternative. What if I am right? What if the prophecy is true? What if tomorrow the war could be over? Isn't that worth fighting for? Isn't that worth dying for?
-
Then tomorrow we may all be dead, but how would that be different from any other day? This is a war, and we are soldiers. Death can come for us at any time, in any place. Now consider the alternative. What if I am right? What if the prophecy is true? What if tomorrow the war could be over? Isn't that worth fighting for? Isn't that worth dying for?
jeudi, mars 19, 2009
marre
j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre j'en ai marre
socratic debates with plato, mucking around with pesticide misuse around the world, microsoft word, excel, EW1, folding paper aeroplanes, report editing, and more editing, presentation slides, powerpoint, presentations, excel encore, gnuplot perhaps, groups meetings, and how does a plane fly again?
time to go anti-gravity. let's go.
socratic debates with plato, mucking around with pesticide misuse around the world, microsoft word, excel, EW1, folding paper aeroplanes, report editing, and more editing, presentation slides, powerpoint, presentations, excel encore, gnuplot perhaps, groups meetings, and how does a plane fly again?
time to go anti-gravity. let's go.
mercredi, mars 18, 2009
too much heaven
shocked and amazed at what the Pope said during his current visit to Africa.
"The traditional teaching of the church has proven to be the only fail-safe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids."
in a region already afflicted by so many other crucial problems like poverty, starvation and illiteracy, i find it cruel and surprising that he can still find it within him and his holy teachings to condone and advocate the needless killing and suffering of the many now, and the many more to come.
contraception as one of a host of trends contributing to a "breakdown in sexual morality", and that church teachings should not be ignored? get real, Pope Benedict, and get a grip on the number of catholic priests involved in paedophilic crimes around the world.
"The traditional teaching of the church has proven to be the only fail-safe way to prevent the spread of HIV/Aids."
in a region already afflicted by so many other crucial problems like poverty, starvation and illiteracy, i find it cruel and surprising that he can still find it within him and his holy teachings to condone and advocate the needless killing and suffering of the many now, and the many more to come.
contraception as one of a host of trends contributing to a "breakdown in sexual morality", and that church teachings should not be ignored? get real, Pope Benedict, and get a grip on the number of catholic priests involved in paedophilic crimes around the world.
dimanche, mars 15, 2009
proof
proof that FYP is bad for you:
first, we say that FYP requires time and effort.
FYP = Time x Effort
secondly, we know that time is money,
Time = Money,
and that effort is synonymous with force, which according to Newton, is equal to the product of mas and acceleration:
Effort = Force = Mass x Acceleration
so, FYP = Money x Mass x Acceleration
the only thing I know that has all three is the current world economy, crumbling down at a rate faster than the gravitational constant g.
since a depressed world economy cannot possibly be any good for anyone in the world, and since since it leads to recessions which are positively bad, we have:
FYP = Current World Economy = Chaos = Bad
and thus we are forced to conclude that
FYP = Bad
first, we say that FYP requires time and effort.
FYP = Time x Effort
secondly, we know that time is money,
Time = Money,
and that effort is synonymous with force, which according to Newton, is equal to the product of mas and acceleration:
Effort = Force = Mass x Acceleration
so, FYP = Money x Mass x Acceleration
the only thing I know that has all three is the current world economy, crumbling down at a rate faster than the gravitational constant g.
since a depressed world economy cannot possibly be any good for anyone in the world, and since since it leads to recessions which are positively bad, we have:
FYP = Current World Economy = Chaos = Bad
and thus we are forced to conclude that
FYP = Bad
mardi, mars 10, 2009
d'ailleurs
moi, je suis tombé en esclavage
de ce sourire, de ce visage
et je lui dis emmène moi
et moi je suis prêt à tous les sillages
vers d'autres lieux, d'autres rivages
mais elle passe et ne répond pas
les mots pour elle sont sans valeur
pour moi c'est sûr, elle est d'ailleurs
de ce sourire, de ce visage
et je lui dis emmène moi
et moi je suis prêt à tous les sillages
vers d'autres lieux, d'autres rivages
mais elle passe et ne répond pas
les mots pour elle sont sans valeur
pour moi c'est sûr, elle est d'ailleurs
lundi, mars 09, 2009
are you saved?
saw this in the Sunday Times yesterday. quite a clever comic; wonder how it made it through the censors though.
anyway, enjoy:
anyway, enjoy:
dimanche, mars 08, 2009
sunday hallucinations
Have you ever glanced out of your bedroom window on a sunny, hazy afternoon, say around 3pm when the heat weakens into a lighter warmth, and right away recognized that though it could have been any other sunny, hazy day of the week, you knew deep inside, that it was in fact Sunday? That profound knowingness, and that perhaps it was the fact that you knew you had to go to school the next morning, or that you had a pile of unfinished homework or report lying on your desk that reminded you. But just somehow, the way the 150 ft trees swayed against the breeze against the slightly reddish glow of the red clay coated hills, or that glowing dusty beam of light slicing through the Venetian blinds onto your bed linens, or even those wretched dogs barking in the distance as their owners leashed them for their afternoon walk. I dunno, it's that underlying instinct I suppose. For me, more often that not, it was the unfinished FYP thesis on my desk which I found to me the most obvious reminder.
One more week of Operation Wind Tunnel. Gotta hang in there.
One more week of Operation Wind Tunnel. Gotta hang in there.
jeudi, mars 05, 2009
hawaii 5-O
1. my favourite pizza choice is hawaiian2. i will qualify for kona, someday
3. i want to learn how to surf
4. hula hoop!
5. are all the volcanoes there dormant?
samedi, février 28, 2009
happy mas selamat day!
after one year (and counting), our dear toilet escapee is still at large.
wah, to be able to survive such a long time in Singapore (assuming that he is still here) or to have been able to flee (with a limp nonetheless) under the then high alert conditions is quite a feat eh.
well, actually in these troubled economic times, i dunno WTH he would want to come out; actually detention centre better: zero inflation, free food and lodging, plus free monthly haircuts. no retrenchments, no ERP, and no USD58bil loss.
heh just joking, but seriously, where the hell in the world is mat selamat? if this is a game of terrorist hide and seek, well ok mat selamat you won, we give up; you can come out now.
wah, to be able to survive such a long time in Singapore (assuming that he is still here) or to have been able to flee (with a limp nonetheless) under the then high alert conditions is quite a feat eh.
well, actually in these troubled economic times, i dunno WTH he would want to come out; actually detention centre better: zero inflation, free food and lodging, plus free monthly haircuts. no retrenchments, no ERP, and no USD58bil loss.
heh just joking, but seriously, where the hell in the world is mat selamat? if this is a game of terrorist hide and seek, well ok mat selamat you won, we give up; you can come out now.
vendredi, février 27, 2009
GeneraTion Gap
if you are 24 and are tempted to join an under-25 GTG, don't.
if you do, you will experience what is known as the generation gap, a dreaded malady which leave sufferers feel like dinosaurs, make them go weak at the knees due to overwhelming feelings of inadequacy, and leave them lost and tongue-tied.
numerical figures count for nothing, 25 is the new 18 anyway; sheesh, just what was i thinking when i decided to head down? to regain my youth? try to connect with the younger generation? oh wells i do admit it was a little desperate of me, but surely not as bad as the time the PAP MPs danced hip hop at Chingay? haha.
boy, do i feel like my parents now... =(
if you do, you will experience what is known as the generation gap, a dreaded malady which leave sufferers feel like dinosaurs, make them go weak at the knees due to overwhelming feelings of inadequacy, and leave them lost and tongue-tied.
numerical figures count for nothing, 25 is the new 18 anyway; sheesh, just what was i thinking when i decided to head down? to regain my youth? try to connect with the younger generation? oh wells i do admit it was a little desperate of me, but surely not as bad as the time the PAP MPs danced hip hop at Chingay? haha.
boy, do i feel like my parents now... =(
jeudi, février 26, 2009
Le Jardin des supplices
"Devant lui, bouche à bouche, ventre à ventre, des femmes nues, se pénétrant l’une l’autre, dansaient des danses sacrées, tandis que, accroupis derrière un paravent, des musiciens, soufflaient dans de courtes flutes…
Là, d’autres femmes assises en rond ou couchées sur la natte du plancher, dans des poses obscènes, avec des faces de luxure plus tristes que des faces de supplice, attendaient. C’était, devant chaque porte où nous passions, des râles, des voix haletantes, des gestes de damnés, des corps tordus, des corps broyés, toute une douleur grimaçante qui, parfois, hurlait sous le fouet de voluptés atroces et d’onanismes barbares. Je vis, défendant l’entrée d’une salle, un groupe de bronze dont la seule arabesque des lignes me donna une secousse d’horreur… Une pieuvre, de ses tentacules, enlaçait le corps d’une vierge et, de ses ventouses ardentes et puissantes, pompait l’amour, tout l’amour, à la bouche, aux seins, au ventre.
Et je crus que j’étais dans un lieu de torture et non dans une maison de joie et d’amour."
- Octave Mirbeau
Don't you just love le français? =]
Là, d’autres femmes assises en rond ou couchées sur la natte du plancher, dans des poses obscènes, avec des faces de luxure plus tristes que des faces de supplice, attendaient. C’était, devant chaque porte où nous passions, des râles, des voix haletantes, des gestes de damnés, des corps tordus, des corps broyés, toute une douleur grimaçante qui, parfois, hurlait sous le fouet de voluptés atroces et d’onanismes barbares. Je vis, défendant l’entrée d’une salle, un groupe de bronze dont la seule arabesque des lignes me donna une secousse d’horreur… Une pieuvre, de ses tentacules, enlaçait le corps d’une vierge et, de ses ventouses ardentes et puissantes, pompait l’amour, tout l’amour, à la bouche, aux seins, au ventre.
Et je crus que j’étais dans un lieu de torture et non dans une maison de joie et d’amour."
- Octave Mirbeau
Don't you just love le français? =]
samedi, février 21, 2009
square feet
Cool creative spatial visualisation work by Charles Platt on personal space around the world; figures gotten from the CIA Factbook then dividing each country's land area by its population. Monaco, who apparently has the world's densest population with only 639 square feet per inhabitant, is just a tiny dot. Surprisingly it is Australia with the sparsest population density and not China nor Russia, both whom I previously thought would have gotten the dubious honour. But then again most of Australia is inhabitable desert anyway.Well if the entire world were to fit in a HDB block, Singapore would probably just get the spare utility/bomb shelter room.
jeudi, février 19, 2009
there's none
So how does one cope with it?
I'm referring a feeling. The same intense, sickening feeling of your heart sinking that one sometimes get. Like talons it grips you and refuses to let go. You try and relax, thinking it's just heartburn and that it will go away with relaxation but it doesn't. No, au contraire it gets worse. And then when you realise what it is you feel weak. Absolutely soft in the legs. Your arms feel clammy, and you begin to sweat. Your brows arch together into a frown without you even realising it. The colour of life drains from your face. Your breathing shortens and quickens. You try taking a deep breath but it chokes you instead.
You feel helpless because you're fully aware that you're powerless against it.
Different people get it from different triggers, i guess. Some upon realisation of a truth. Some after they've been told something they didn't want to hear. Some after a breakup. Mostly it has to do with disappointment, i postulate. That feeling we've all had as a child when our favourite toy was forcefully wrenched from our arms. That same one we never wanted to feel again.
So what does one do in a situation like this? You pace around and it doesn't work. You lie in bed and it intensifies. You try to arrest the situation but can't. And why not?
Because to deal with something you need to know what it is.
I don't. Do you?
(Benny, 2009)
I'm referring a feeling. The same intense, sickening feeling of your heart sinking that one sometimes get. Like talons it grips you and refuses to let go. You try and relax, thinking it's just heartburn and that it will go away with relaxation but it doesn't. No, au contraire it gets worse. And then when you realise what it is you feel weak. Absolutely soft in the legs. Your arms feel clammy, and you begin to sweat. Your brows arch together into a frown without you even realising it. The colour of life drains from your face. Your breathing shortens and quickens. You try taking a deep breath but it chokes you instead.
You feel helpless because you're fully aware that you're powerless against it.
Different people get it from different triggers, i guess. Some upon realisation of a truth. Some after they've been told something they didn't want to hear. Some after a breakup. Mostly it has to do with disappointment, i postulate. That feeling we've all had as a child when our favourite toy was forcefully wrenched from our arms. That same one we never wanted to feel again.
So what does one do in a situation like this? You pace around and it doesn't work. You lie in bed and it intensifies. You try to arrest the situation but can't. And why not?
Because to deal with something you need to know what it is.
I don't. Do you?
(Benny, 2009)
lundi, février 16, 2009
recession
sweet today i found out that my wind tunnel can simulate the world global economy, i.e., i get pressure readings which fluctuate wildly but after a while it becomes a generally decreasing trend.
useless random numbers. and dateline's just less than a month away. argh. =(
useless random numbers. and dateline's just less than a month away. argh. =(
dimanche, février 08, 2009
longing of the sad bastards
In the wee small hours of the morning
While the whole wide world is fast asleep
You lie awake and think about the girl
And never ever think of counting sheep
When your lonely heart has learned its lesson
You'd be hers if only she would call
In the wee small hours of the morning
That's the time you miss her most of all
While the whole wide world is fast asleep
You lie awake and think about the girl
And never ever think of counting sheep
When your lonely heart has learned its lesson
You'd be hers if only she would call
In the wee small hours of the morning
That's the time you miss her most of all
mercredi, février 04, 2009
XXV
ok just an article reproduced from facebook, something on 25 random facts about me:
1. i don't like capital letters
2. my ambition is to be a farmer, or maniacal world dictator
3. i live on beer and glucosamine
4. i am a bad salesman; don't look for me to sell your products
5. i have a great intolerance for bad grammar and bad pronunciation
6. in my dreams i am a huge furry blue polka-dot monster with 3 eyes and bad hair
7. i am always terrorizing pygmy colonies in my dreams as my aforementioned self
8. i am 1.68m tall and weigh 62kg, which gives me a BMI of 22.0
9. i have an A2 in higher chinese
10. i like girls who are sporty and tanned, read kafka, and speak french!
11. j'aime la langue française! et aussi toutes choses français!
12. i am an atheist
13. triathlon is my passion; tennis is my hobby
14. i almost died cycling in france when i didn't know that the train was coming and i crossed the track
15. if you can't make time for your family and friends, you can't make time for anything
16. my current favourite band is nada surf
17. i would love to live in a developing country, or maybe france
18. i am a strong believer in sustainable development and lifestyles
19. i am an ESTJ
20. i have had 3 serious relationships
21. i am currently single and available though! =P
22. i would like to travel next to india, nepal and all the countries ending with stan
23. i still have a few more ironman races and desert marches left in me
24. i have a very dark sense of humour
25. what i would be on 11 july this year
1. i don't like capital letters
2. my ambition is to be a farmer, or maniacal world dictator
3. i live on beer and glucosamine
4. i am a bad salesman; don't look for me to sell your products
5. i have a great intolerance for bad grammar and bad pronunciation
6. in my dreams i am a huge furry blue polka-dot monster with 3 eyes and bad hair
7. i am always terrorizing pygmy colonies in my dreams as my aforementioned self
8. i am 1.68m tall and weigh 62kg, which gives me a BMI of 22.0
9. i have an A2 in higher chinese
10. i like girls who are sporty and tanned, read kafka, and speak french!
11. j'aime la langue française! et aussi toutes choses français!
12. i am an atheist
13. triathlon is my passion; tennis is my hobby
14. i almost died cycling in france when i didn't know that the train was coming and i crossed the track
15. if you can't make time for your family and friends, you can't make time for anything
16. my current favourite band is nada surf
17. i would love to live in a developing country, or maybe france
18. i am a strong believer in sustainable development and lifestyles
19. i am an ESTJ
20. i have had 3 serious relationships
21. i am currently single and available though! =P
22. i would like to travel next to india, nepal and all the countries ending with stan
23. i still have a few more ironman races and desert marches left in me
24. i have a very dark sense of humour
25. what i would be on 11 july this year
mardi, février 03, 2009
jetter jetter
in december, someone threw a shoe at Bush.
then in january, Seng Han Thong was splashed with thinner and torched.
today, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had himself a close encounter of the sole kind as somebody assaulted him with a flying adidas trainer. and in cambridge some more!
wow what next?
then in january, Seng Han Thong was splashed with thinner and torched.
today, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao had himself a close encounter of the sole kind as somebody assaulted him with a flying adidas trainer. and in cambridge some more!
wow what next?
lundi, février 02, 2009
passing of an era
sorry fed but its been a great 5 years or so. you were once the undisputed king, but now inarguably c'est l'histoire. Vamos Rafa!
dimanche, février 01, 2009
akan datang
Sometimes the head just has to succumb to the heart. And who better to succumb to, than something white, has 3 doors, and goes fast? =)
fuming
Q: what do you call a man who is always cycling behind traffic?
A: exhausted.
haha geddit? exhaust-ed, if you wish. damn lame joke i heard over the radio the other day and i thought was quite apt for cyclists in Singapore since we are constantly surrounded by motor vehicles and their associated gaseous by-products.
back to the once-a-week cycling routine, not there yet but still a start. recently got my bikes serviced and zhng-ed so now there's no excuse for me not to cycle anymore, unfortunately. well i guess if you cycle on weekends and start enough, it still CAN be pretty pleasant to cycle on local roads. now, if only we had some cols to climb..
might do some triathlon races in the middle of the year if everything works out. port dickson anyone? =)
A: exhausted.
haha geddit? exhaust-ed, if you wish. damn lame joke i heard over the radio the other day and i thought was quite apt for cyclists in Singapore since we are constantly surrounded by motor vehicles and their associated gaseous by-products.
back to the once-a-week cycling routine, not there yet but still a start. recently got my bikes serviced and zhng-ed so now there's no excuse for me not to cycle anymore, unfortunately. well i guess if you cycle on weekends and start enough, it still CAN be pretty pleasant to cycle on local roads. now, if only we had some cols to climb..
might do some triathlon races in the middle of the year if everything works out. port dickson anyone? =)
samedi, janvier 31, 2009
del portro
1-6 3-6.
well not as bad as the drumming given to the aforementioned by federer but still as bad. for me, i felt like retiring from the 5th game onwards after i got broken twice; wonder how he must have felt.
*shrugs* the ups and downs of professional sports indeed.
anyway finals tomorrow at 430pm local time. nadal for the win!!!
well not as bad as the drumming given to the aforementioned by federer but still as bad. for me, i felt like retiring from the 5th game onwards after i got broken twice; wonder how he must have felt.
*shrugs* the ups and downs of professional sports indeed.
anyway finals tomorrow at 430pm local time. nadal for the win!!!
vendredi, janvier 30, 2009
jeudi, janvier 29, 2009
oh my god
scared by the malevolence of Yahweh but still craving for some form of divine guidance? unimpressed with the benignity of Buddha and in search of a supreme being with more superpowers? or just curious to find out what if god was just one of us?
yaay in the spirit of mass customisation, you can now create your own god! presenting the DIY-Diety, where you can create your own god worthy of your worship! and afterwards, take your newly-created god and your beliefs for a test run on Battleground God to test its omnipotence and omniscience before you sign up for official charity status in Singapore!
still lost? check here for a list of all the gods in the world to get some inspiration on what you really want in your god! =)
yaay in the spirit of mass customisation, you can now create your own god! presenting the DIY-Diety, where you can create your own god worthy of your worship! and afterwards, take your newly-created god and your beliefs for a test run on Battleground God to test its omnipotence and omniscience before you sign up for official charity status in Singapore!
still lost? check here for a list of all the gods in the world to get some inspiration on what you really want in your god! =)
mardi, janvier 27, 2009
b
b is for:
1. Beer
2. Bak kwa
3. kueh Baulu
4. kueh Bangkit
5. hie Bie hiam
6. Belachan
7. "Bao yu" = abalone
8. cny Brunch
9. Bottles of wines
so there, beaucoup d'eating and drinking for the past two days. totally so wrong but totally so good. =)
looks like b is going to stand for backtothegym for me soon..
1. Beer
2. Bak kwa
3. kueh Baulu
4. kueh Bangkit
5. hie Bie hiam
6. Belachan
7. "Bao yu" = abalone
8. cny Brunch
9. Bottles of wines
so there, beaucoup d'eating and drinking for the past two days. totally so wrong but totally so good. =)
looks like b is going to stand for backtothegym for me soon..
lundi, janvier 26, 2009
gongxifacai, mate
past few weeks have been great, with almost 12 hours of live tennis action daily starting from 8am beamed live from the sunny shores of melbourne.
school's just started, as usual i'm still in the honeymoon mood so not really into the reading studying printing of notes. fyp has pretty much been neglected too, but i know that i really have to get started again on my dissertation soon.
and now its already the lunar new year. well i'm not a big celebrator of such festivals, and anyway strangely this year i am even in less of a mood to celebrate. maybe its the age, the kaypoh extended family members, or maybe the superficiality of the whole exercise. i can hardly find any reason to celebrate this year.
but the reunion dinner was great last night; small cosy gatherings, that i like. food was good and company was great. for me that's probably the only meaningful part of lunar new year.
so there, after all that feasting its difficult not to have a good start to the new year, eh? i wish all of you a merry and prosperous happy 牛 year!
school's just started, as usual i'm still in the honeymoon mood so not really into the reading studying printing of notes. fyp has pretty much been neglected too, but i know that i really have to get started again on my dissertation soon.
and now its already the lunar new year. well i'm not a big celebrator of such festivals, and anyway strangely this year i am even in less of a mood to celebrate. maybe its the age, the kaypoh extended family members, or maybe the superficiality of the whole exercise. i can hardly find any reason to celebrate this year.
but the reunion dinner was great last night; small cosy gatherings, that i like. food was good and company was great. for me that's probably the only meaningful part of lunar new year.
so there, after all that feasting its difficult not to have a good start to the new year, eh? i wish all of you a merry and prosperous happy 牛 year!
mercredi, janvier 21, 2009
restons amis | to josh
reviens,
avant que l'on ne se perde de vue
ou d'imprévus,
avant que tout s'efface
reviens et restons encore fidèle,
le temps que se détache toute ma peau de la tienne
que disparaisse ton ombre
restons amis,
le temps que plus rien ne fasse mal;
le temps de se voir sous un jour différent
restons amis
à l'aube de faire ses bagages
sans rien détruire du beau qui nous attend
on aura tout à y gagner sous un jour différent
restons amis
reviens,
pour les soirs d'amertume
les petites blessures quand rien n'a plus de sens
reviens et reste à proximité,
pour partager les rires et les fragilités
qu'aucun ne comprendrait
restons amis,
le temps que plus rien ne fasse mal;
le temps de se voir pendant qu'il en est encore temps
sous un ciel différent défaire ses bagages
restons amis
avant que l'on ne se perde de vue
ou d'imprévus,
avant que tout s'efface
reviens et restons encore fidèle,
le temps que se détache toute ma peau de la tienne
que disparaisse ton ombre
restons amis,
le temps que plus rien ne fasse mal;
le temps de se voir sous un jour différent
restons amis
à l'aube de faire ses bagages
sans rien détruire du beau qui nous attend
on aura tout à y gagner sous un jour différent
restons amis
reviens,
pour les soirs d'amertume
les petites blessures quand rien n'a plus de sens
reviens et reste à proximité,
pour partager les rires et les fragilités
qu'aucun ne comprendrait
restons amis,
le temps que plus rien ne fasse mal;
le temps de se voir pendant qu'il en est encore temps
sous un ciel différent défaire ses bagages
restons amis
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