Big Journey of a (not-so)-Little Guy

It's 12 June! What day was that?!?!

2010-06-12T23:23:00.001+08:00

Surprise, surprise! It is my birthday!

For those of you who remember, thank you so much for the wishes!

For those of you who don't, don't be guilty, I don't and I won't remember yours either! I am done with remembering birthdays!

Frankly, so what if today is my birthday? I am not really crazy about it. It's just another day to me, nothing special (except of course, 25 years ago, my mum was in tremendous pain)! If you must know what I did today: in the morning, I went to the dentist to get my tooth filled and cleaned. After enduring 3 hours of lip numbness and looking like a retard (no offense, I kept on drooling when I gargled and drank water), I went for picnic with a bunch of friends at the botanical garden. I know it's insanely hot but we never fail to act high class with wine. The evening ended at Island Creamery enjoying a free scoop of ice-cream.

You see! It's just another Saturday, except for the addition of a cake on which the candle wasn't lit in the middle of windy grass lawn.

Earlier in the day, I received an sms: 'Njoy today, do something that make you happy today!' In my mind, what on earth are you talking about?!?! Why do I only want to do something that make me happy TODAY? I will do something that will make me happy EVERYDAY!!!! It's the same like commercialized Valentine's day, why do you show love and affection only on February 14th? Can't you do it everyday? Mom's Day, Dad's day, same concept!

Once again, thank you once again everyone for all those who sms-ed or left facebook wall messages! Oh that reminds me, last year I have loads of people, including acquintances, who wished me birthday on facebook. This year, I have removed my birthday from my profile (for a tiny experiment) and less than 20 people wrote. Just to prove another point: nobody genuinely remember your birthday anymore!

I think that's enough rambling! And with that, another day has ended! Had loads of fun, exhausted and I am going to retire now. When I wake up tomorrow, it's just going to be another Sunday!

P.S. @nat, if you are reading, email me today's photos!!!

Update: I just read an entry from a travel blogger that I have been following for a while. Coincidentally, his birthday was yesterday too! Guess what?!?! He has the same views on birthday! Are all June12 babies so indifferent about when they are brought to Earth?!?!

Pantry Trash

2010-05-23T17:25:00.008+08:00

I have been angry all week, over one stupid thing - the pantry!

Pantry, to me, is the most "sacred" place in a workplace. It's a place where you eat (obviously) and basically relax. You can sip coffee, read magazines, tell tales and bond with your colleagues over office gossips.

In summary, the pantry in our office is pathetic!

First of all, it is missing the basic essential - the high-tech coffee machine! Our coffee machine is a two-parter. You have to grind the coffee manually using a blender first, followed by brewing it in a coffee pot. Not to mention, you need to walk for about 15 steps away to get hot water. It's kind of frustrating because you brew the same coffee for everybody else. If people don't appreciate your coffee brewing skill, your effort and coffee will just be thrown down the sink. Don't get me started on premium coffee beans! Our boss is all about automation and getting people to be efficient, but he doesn't think that people struggled by the coffee machine in the pantry everyday. Every single morning, we are stumped about making choices - how much coffee beans, how much water, how fine is it have to be grounded - for others. If you invest in a better machine, people can just press a button, wait for 10 seconds and get lost.

Not to mention, the beverage collection is pathetic. It only has coffee, Lipton tea (English tea? I don't really care), Japanese green tea and occasionally Milo. I said occasionally because people lock their Milo!!! I mean, R U KIDDING ME?!?!? I know how people are being possessive over glassware, chemicals and equipment in the lab. But Milo in the pantry, is it necessary? God, I can rant whole day about this! It's so ridiculous! I was kind of reluctant to get the Milo supplies refilled last week because it's like begging to your Mum for permission: "Mummy, I want to drink Milo right now, could you be kind and benevolent enough to spare me one packet? I promise that I will share with the others. I will not be selfish and stash it away in my personal drawer. I promise."

The food? Boring, cheap biscuit. I have been into a pantry with vending machines (not free, though) and one with vast variety of cookies. My hope is not high for food in our rotten pantry, it will never change.

Utensils? There was once when ALL the forks are missing. Someone kept it away in preparation for a birthday cake cutting. She is scared that within 2 hours, all the forks will grow legs and walk away. OMG! OMG! OMG *gagging, totally speechless*. Moreover, you cannot wash your utensils because the office is too poor to get you fresh supplies of scrubs and detergents. The scrubs is bald and black. The soap is even thinner than water. The latest craze: everyone bought their own bottle of soap. Talk about being possessive and selfish!

Lastly and the most important, the location is the worst. It's directly in front of a new boss' office. It means that he knows who has been skiving at the pantry and for how long. We have to keep our voices down lest he will know what we are talking about. Conversation of juicy office politics have to be simmered down to bland and repetitive hi-byes exchange.
A: Hi, are you heating up your lunch?
B: No, I am just doing some experiment whether slaughtered chicken will lay eggs if I put them into the microwave!
A: Wah, impressive! You cook it all by yourselves?
B: No, I hire 5-year-old child slaves from Africa for a cheap labour of 10 cents a month!
A: What did you put inside your chicken? It smells really good!
B: Nothing, just salt, pepper and a dash of fresh marijuana.

ARGH!!!!! Can people stop asking the obvious?!?! Geez!

Now, tell me how not to be cranky when the only place you considered welcoming has become a cold and empty room. I will still stand by the notion that salary is the greatest motivator of all. However, if you cannot keep up with giving the big, fat cheque, staff pantry welfare is the very least you can do. Nobody rejects free food!

Toilet Talk

2010-05-09T19:12:00.005+08:00

I have been wondering for the longest time: What is the use of the toilet seat cover?!?!? In standard flush toilet, there's a seat and a cover hinged to the toilet. I understand the use of the seat, but why cover it up?!?! Isn't it more convenient to let it open in case of emergency? Why would you waste another second lifting something up, right? Sadly, I have finally learned its use, the hard way, today!

In my ageing house - alongside with pump leaking, washing machine breakdown, crisp light bulb - the ceiling on bathroom floor decides to collapse! The crack has been there since I came in in 2008 but it decided to finally crumble this morning. Debris and chunks of cement and paint coatings were all over my bathroom floor and into the toilet bowl. Stupidly, I flushed. The mess remained at the bottom. I flushed again, the big chunks did not disappear. For the third time, the mess was flushed away BUT water kept on rising and rising and rising! It clogged my toilet!!! Helpless, I had clean up this shitty affair!

Lesson learned: toilet covers prevent things from getting into the toilet and clog it up!

Of course, that wasn't the only use of the covers. I did a little research (I cannot believe I did this!) and found out the 'philosophy' behind toilet seat covers. First of all, it is used to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the toilet. What? It doesn't matter! In case of emergency, as long as you take in my crap, I don't care how you look! Is cover useful?!? I don't think so!

Toilet cover seat covers ugly sight and smell if it's not flushed properly. The view and smell of the rubbish can really turn anyone off. Yes, it can cover it up BUT it does not hide!!!! The toilet seat does not flush away your rubbish. Imagine you walk into a closet, you need to relieve fast and when you opened it up, SURPRISE!!!! I certainly do not appreciate this unexpected welcome. Gross! Yucks! I will turn back and put my business on hold. I don't reckon this is a strong reason to add the cover to your toilet seat.

However, interestingly, it has a wonderful use - hygiene! I bet we all know that toilets and sanitation is the the basic infrastructure that we have to improve the health and well-being of humans. How does this linked to our cover issue (no pun intended)? It's everything! It's the gateway to hygiene! After you are done with your business and before you flushed it, you are supposed to cover your toilet up. It's because nasty little things, called germs, can jump up to 1 meter in the air and stick to your towel, tooth brush, etc. Wow!

The most important of all, in my opinion, the use of the toilet seat cover is: to end the who-should-lift-up-the-toilet-seat debacle! Who is responsible? Is it the man or the lady? I cannot believe the vast amount of articles that's written around this issue. You should try to google it up. There's sociology review papers, there's efficiency research (What? What's the purpose?), economic impact review (What does your toilet habit have to do with your wealth? Don't tell me feng shui!). One interesting argument that I came across:

"Men need it up, women need it down." This is the argument that is often made in defense of not closing the toilet lid. However, this is a misrepresentation of the truth. Men need it down to complete a bowel movement and up for a bladder movement, women need it down for both. Therefore, only one fourth of the time does the toilet seat need to be up and three fourths of the time it needs to be down. Assuming that members of both genders then it are using the bathroom in question with equal frequency is overall far more efficient to close the seat every time.

Seriously? Isn't it an overkill to use statistics to get the answer to the dumbest question of all time? With toilet seat covers, case closed! You need it, you lift it up and cover it back! Both sides shared the same responsibility, both sides happy and both can do more interesting stuff together ~~on the bed~~ elsewhere.

My Feeble Attempt at Leche Flan

2010-05-03T20:11:00.009+08:00

I am so hating myself! I am planning to finally post an entry with pictures but I lost my cable and SD card reader. What's the odd that both are buried under the mess at the same time? In my cluttered room, 100%, I guess. I need to do some re-organization, soon, and real bad!

Nonetheless, I was so bored at home last Saturday that I attempted to make leche flan - Filipino's custard pudding. I was given the recipe by my colleague: 10 yolks, 1 can of condensed milk and 1 can of evaporated milk. (Disclaimer: the size of the egg and the milk cans vary from country to country.) Mix them up and steam until it's hardened. Let it cool and fridge it.

If you see the picture above (of course it's not mine, it's taken from here), it looks exactly like custard pudding with brown caramel on top. It's pretty combination of yellow pudding drenched in sweet brown goodness. Mine was... ordinary-looking! I was too lazy to wait for the sugar to caramelize, hence, I lost the nice burn coating on top. It was yellow all over and the 'sauce' was transparent. It was a plain Jane. 1 thumb down!

In the smell department, it was pretty decent. It smells egg-y and milky. What other smell do you expect?

Finally, the nerve-wrecking taste test! Some of my friends said it was too dense. I agreed! Some said it was too sweet! I tried the original recipe and it was too sweet for my taste bud. In my attempt, I had tried my best to reduce the amount of condensed milk and sugar. Overall, it was really not that bad, if you want me to tell the truth.

Personally, I was not really keen on the egg-y and milky taste. I recalled that my colleague recommended to mix in some lemon into the mixture to add some 'kick'. Light bulb switched on, lemon can mask the taste too! I did not ask which part of lemon that I was supposed to throw in. It's a common knowledge that the zest is used widely as desserts and the lemon oil in the skin is more concentrated. Therefore, I was getting all high-class and threw lemon zest in! I was too excited over the mini-grater that I bought that I grated the whole lemon skin off. I bet you can guess what was the reaction of my colleagues when they tried it. They said that it tasted like detergent! NOOOOO!!!!! I was scratching my head, in total denial. One of them did not even dare to try! Sobs! It wasn't that bad, right?

However, the more I think about it: HOW ON EARTH DO YOU KNOW HOW DOES DETERGENT TASTE LIKE?!?!?!

Get Lost, Queue Cutter!

2010-04-25T19:35:00.002+08:00

Queue cutter, is that what you call people who cut queues? Doesn't matter, I was the lame queue cutter. Damn mad! The story goes...

Last Friday, it was raining cats and dogs and I was waiting at the wrong spot for a free shuttle bus to a shopping centre. When I spotted the bus, it drove past me and stopped at another point. I ran over and WOW, the queue was ridiculously long!!!! You know how hideous the queue at a bus shelter is when it is raining. Everyone was dying to board the bus and, at the same time, was busy keeping themselves dry. The queue was not a perfect straight line and there were probably thousand ends to the darn queue. I was rushing for time and I could not bother to locate the end (or ends) of the line. I walked up straight to the bus entrance, IN THE RAIN, and tried to board the bus.

One lady, of certain race who are stereotyped as rude and rough, walked past me and shouted: "Wah, some people just don't know how to queue!"

I know queue-cutting is wrong and it's not something that I was, am and will advocate. However, it's definitely not something that is worth hollering at! Life is too short for you to get mad at this lame queue cutter, really! If you were to tell me nicely, 'I am sorry sir, the queue starts at the back' I will try to go to the back of the line (okay, I lied, I might not!).

The next moment, she STEPPED into the bus!!!!

Geez, I was furious!!! She was such a hypocrite! She hollered at me, tried to be morally correct but in a split second, she acted like a stupid bitch! Does she understand what she, herself, was scolding about? It's about being a moral human not cutting the damn queue! Remember that she walked past me from the back? It means that she cut everyone else in the queue too! So much for being such an upright lady, kiss my ass! Pressed for time, I brushed that snide comment aside and get on the bus.

The ordeal did end there. She STARED at me from the moment I boarded the bus until I walked past her seat.

Are you kidding me?!?! Why you even bother wasting another breath at this dimwit who didn't even know how to form a queue. Getting angry at him just drained your energy. Life goes on, you board the bus, you get to your destination, you could enjoy the rest of your evening. I could not be bothered! She could get mad at me for all I care. I did not even give her a damn, not a wee bit! In the end, she was looking like a total idiot (I think she was!). She was angry and nobody gave her the attention. She was getting angry at empty air!

The more I think about it and if I were irrational enough then, I might:
- Holler back at her and ruin my evening,
- Stare back and start getting physical,
- Get something to gorge her eyes out,
- Give her a punch in the face (or might not, she is not worth for dirtying my hands).

If I were really going to do those, it's going to be interesting, right? I KNOW!! Might be worthy for an Oscar, it's dramatic and it has a climax.

Phew! Thank God for giving me the clear head to deal with the situation! No matter how bad the situation is, staying positive is always the best answer!

No, that is NOT the moral of the story.

The moral is: if you want to cut a queue, just act blur!!!!

Daddy's Words of Wisdom

2010-04-18T20:15:00.007+08:00

My dad has always been a very interesting character in my life. Whenever I am with him, I felt that I am under a HUGE pressure to match his expectation. I hate his nag so much that I wanted to kill him! *Come on, who likes being nagged at?!?* However, whenever I am away, I always miss his stories, jokes and of course, his words of wisdom! Here's a few words that I remember from my trip home a couple of months back!

Daddy's words of wisdom on new-age dating: "Join Facebook, get a girlfriend!"

Wah! A geeky dinosaur knows Facebook! I bet in another couple of month, he is going to get himself an account and start suggesting friends to me, ONLINE!

Yes, he is extremely naggy in the past few months for me to get a girlfriend. I understand that I should make the extra effort to go out and meet girls. Unfortunately, with so many dramas to catch up and so many trips to plan, where's the time? *lame excuse, I know!*

However, in my opinion (as of now, because I might change my mind later!) getting to know girls from the virtual world is sooooo wrong on so many levels. The reasons I don't bother getting to know people from Facebook is because:
1. I am drifting away from Facebook. It's slow to load and my homepage is only filled with people boasting their livestock from virtual farm. All my friends are now tagged with commercial items from blogshops.
2. I don't add strangers as my friends. Why do I want to add a stranger to stalk myself?
3. What does it say about a girl who accepts anybody as 'friends'?

So, just let the ball rolling and we shall see where it lands.

Daddy's words of wisdom on investment: "Buy stocks! It's not gambling, it's statistics!"

Wow! This is the very first time that I got an advice that is opposite from the mainstream. Everyone said that buying stocks is akin to gambling, with high profits come high risk.

On the contrary, what he said totally made sense! There are strategies on how to play this 'game' and loads of hard work is required in order to excel in trading stocks. I have learnt a couple of strategies and dad has offered me some capital to try my luck. I just need the hard work part of the equation. I lack the patience to do research on profiles and the dedication to keep myself updated.

I need a jump start. Anyone has any advice?

Daddy's words of wisdom on food wastage: "In the olden days, there's no such thing called 'Expiration Date'"

Exactly! If it looks good, eat it!

I have been arguing back and forth with my colleague about eating frozen food that I brought back from Indonesia for lunch. They always said that I should stop eating all these 'expired' food as it might cause cancer. So I rebutted that it is perfectly fine to eat them with the following reasons:

1. In the olden days, people preserved their food with spices. They exact same thing that I did. Most of my frozen food are traditional Indonesian with loads of herbs and spices. It will last long! Unless worms crawl out of them, there's no such thing as expiration date!

2. Even without a fridge, in the past, people preserved their food UNDERGROUND to have enough food over the winter. At least, in my refrigerator, the temperature is cold and bacteria won't grow. But under the ground? And guess what, people live a long, prosperous life!

3. One of my colleague said that's the reason why cancer rate was higher in the past because they ate all these preserved food. I can't confirm this trend but I do know that (from my O-level Geography textbook) life expectancy is decreasing over the years. It means people in the past live longer!!!! Besides, it's not just the food that they eat, it's the lifestyle that might cause cancer too. Too many couch potatoes in our era.

4. It's most probably degraded chemical preservatives that cause cancer. If that's the case, my food is perfectly fine for consumption. My food are made from natural ingredients, there's no chemical preservative or coloring!

Well, the truth is that you cannot find good Indonesian food in Singapore! It might be easy to say that I can cook with fresh ingredients. Unfortunately, Indonesian foods are complex and it requires a lot of spices and tons of work. With me, being such a lazy bump and limited collection in my spice rack, what's the next best choice? Froze it directly from the source! It's authentic and it reminds me of home! Period!

Ah, I miss my dad (and my mom, and my sis and my bro, of course!), I miss home!

P.S. Wanted to write this as a Father's Day entry so that I can write 'Happy Father's Day' as ending. Unfortunately, other inspirations are not ripe enough to be typed out. Hence, the abrupt last sentence as conclusion. ;)
P.P.S.Who is haitian nightmare who left comments on one of my 3Smiles entry?

Back To Basics

2010-04-03T20:11:00.005+08:00

After a month of doing 3Smiles, I realized that it did not get the reaction that I was expecting. Despite having a lot of fun myself in staying positive and counting my blessings, I am only able to give short snippets but not the whole stories. It's a pity that writer's block got in the way and you did not the full juicy gossip. I hated that I am not able to share. Hence, I believe 3Smiles (along with 3Hates, 3Angers or 3Sadness) are best materials to tweet. Check out the right panel if you do not know that my twits are linked to this blog!

So, the question now is what will I write in my blog? After (little) consideration, I reckoned that this is MY blog!!! I can choose whatever I want to write. It's my platform to express my views. My stage! Took myself back to why I was setting up this blog in the first place. It's to share my world to my friends and anyone who cares. For the past few months, I am blurred by the fact that I wanted to draw traffic to my site. I have all sorts of vision for this blog: travel blog, lifestyle blog, silly Singapore blog, the list goes on. Finally, the light dawned on me, if I wanted to get traffic and be popular, I would have just left my day job and be a full-time blogger and do stupid advertisements. Hence, from this moment on, this blog is going to be about me, silly stories and fun nuggets of my life! Who cares about the traffic?

Nonetheless, here's what I can promise you, this blog will be MORE FUN!!!! No more sappy stories about how pathetic I am spending birthdays alone. Of course, not forgetting the juicy and angry gossips! And also, more photos!!!! I just exchanged my 'semi-pro' camera with a compact camera to do more (supposedly) spontaneous shots, hopefully with more photoshop fun. Deal is signed, sealed and, hopefully, delivered.

For today, to kickoff more goodness to come, I shall give a little how-well-do-you-know-me fun quiz! I think I am a little lagging behind as everyone has created their own quiz in Facebook. I have not opened Facebook in ages as it took ages to load a page! Long story short, let's start! Highlight after each question to reveal the answer. There might be multiple answers in some questions. Be honest, no peeking early!

#1: From number 1-10, what's my favorite number?
a. 1, because I am number 1!
b. 5, because it smacks right in the middle!
c. 6, because it's my birthday month!
d. 8, because it's auspicious in Chinese culture and I am proud to be one!
Forget 1 and 8! I don't care about them! If you ask me today, I might answer 5 because it's in the middle, I am a middle child and my family has five members! Tomorrow, however, I might answer you 6 because 6 too may be in the middle and a plus point, it's my birthday month. Hence, it might be 5 today and 6 tomorrow, or the other way around. Give yourselves 1 point if you answer either 5 or 6.

#2: What is my favorite color?
a. Red
b. Yellow
c. Green
d. Blue
This should be easy but I don't think a lot of people know this. To rank, I hate yellow the most! It's the color of the sun: bright, blinding and stifling hot! I am neutral about green, sometimes soothing, sometimes dirty! Don't forget the green-eyed jealousy. Blue WAS my favorite color, especially dark blue. Light and sky blue is a definite no-no, too girly. Unfortunately, being blue is kind of depressing. Hence, my most favorite color is red! It's fire, it's passion!

#3: When I was in secondary school, my favorite subject is....
a. Chemistry
b. Mathematics
c. English
d. Home Economics

I flunk my 'O' level English but I do enjoy (not particularly like) General Paper in JC. Give me a reason why am I supposed to love a subject that I always fail.

As much as I took a degree in Chemistry and I do have some passion in cooking and home improvements, Chemistry and Home Economics are not my a favorite subject. Love them but not favorites.

Mathematics is the answer! It is my favorite subject. I excel in them and people always asked for my books to copy. Even the teachers wanted my books to be shown to their future students as my work is always perfect and neat. Maths made me a popular kid in school.

#4: During my secondary school and JC days, I have been in the following extra-curricular groups, except:
a. St. John's Ambulance Brigade
b. Arts Society
c. Swim team
d. Librarian

I joined St John's for a naive reason that could help me pave my way to become a doctor. I was thirteen when I chose that!

I made the cut to be in JC's swim team but passed the opportunity for a stupid reason to join the Arts Society. ArtSoc is JUST a drama club which, if I knew, I would never put my name down in the sign-up sheet. I thought it would be everything about arts (performing, visual, graphic, etc). The stupid reason on why I joined is that it would be dominated by girls that they might (just might!) picked me to be in their executive committee. Hence, raising my ECA points that was needed for me to edge out during University applications.

Librarian... It was a short stint that I have no recollection about what I did in there. I only recall that I was rejected by performing arts and sports groups. I then chose an easy group as I was persuaded by evil friends to slack during JC.

Therefore, nope, I was never in the swim team!

#5: What's my greatest fear?
a. Height
b. Darkness
c. Creepy Crawlies
d. Water

The most honest answer to this question is to actually reveal what is exactly my greatest fear to the world! I know I should have not asked this question for I will get a bite in the ass during birthday pranks (if anyone bother to make me angry on supposedly-happiest day of my life!).

Strike water out as I love it to the max, except for the vision of someone dragging my feet if I were to swim at night.

Height? Sometimes, I might have the urge to pee in my pants, but I think I can handle that.

I can take darkness if you don't plant scary thoughts in my head before I enter a dark room. I don't really go into a haunted house for that reason.

Creepy crawlies - snakes, lizard, anything with scales and doesn't walk - HATE them! They make me shudder.

#6: When did I first step into Singapore?
a. 1992
b. 1996
c. 1997
d. 1998
1992: My first time out of the country and the first time I step into Singapore as a tourist
1996: My first step into Singapore as student wannabe
1997: My first step into Singapore as trainee-student (in preparation for the school's entrance exam)
1998: My first step into Singapore as a student legally.
Hence, technically, 1992 will be the correct answer!

#7: On the same note, why do I want to come to Singapore to study?
a. My parents wanted to screw my life.
b. My parents wanted the best for me! A bright future ahead! What's best? Singapore is near, more Chinese people (less discrimination, I guess) and similar background as Indonesia.
c. I knew what I wanted and it was my choice to be sent here!
d. I have no idea what the hell I am doing here! One day, I boarded a plane, landed in Singapore and mummy left me alone in a stranger's house filled with bookworms.

Who are you kidding? I love my parents and I know they only want the best for me. Hence, a is out! On the other 3, there's a little truth in every single answer.

The story goes like this: before the end of primary 6, my parents asked where do I want to study. They heard success stories about students in Singapore who adopt well (for having similar culture) and get successful. They brought me to meet them and have a little chat. Not wanting to follow my brother's footstep to lead a miserable life in Malang, I firmly choose Singapore! Remember, I was twelve-years-old then. You think I know what is good in Singapore? I only knew that Malang is hell and I do not want to be there. And staying in Bali, frankly, I have never think of that as an option. I have no idea why the idea of staying put never crossed my mind. So, a week just before my departure, Daddy asked: 'are you sure of going to Singapore? Mummy cannot fly over every week to accompany you when you are lonely like she used to do when your brother was in Malang.' 'Yes,'I firmly replied. Hence, here I am! 12 years in Singapore and counting.

So, in my opinion, the best reason why I was here in the first place is probably 'b'! I love my parents and they know what's best for me. If you choose c, knock yourselves! I was twelve! I don't even know that I want to be, much less choosing Singapore as a place to advance my education. For those who chose d, I wasn't really hypnotized. It was my choice.

For those of you who think that I choose Singapore because I love the freedom of being away from my families, it is an immediate failure in my quiz!!!

#8: My plan is to have visa from all continents in the world on my current passport. Which continent's visa is NOT in my current passport?
a. Asia
b. America
c. Australia
d. Europe
Come on, this is easy! I flew to Europe for an immersion program in 2007, to the US for training in 2008. I have never been to Australia and I do have China's visa but it was in my old passport. Hence, visa of Asia and Australia is not in my current passport!

#9: Which of the following is not my cup of adventure tea?
a. Trekking jungle and scaling mountains
b. Treasure-hunting in a shipwreck under the sea
c. Wandering aimlessly in a country where it is not popular with the tourist
d. Bungee-jumping and skydiving

I love the fresh air and woody smell when I am in a jungle. To enjoy the beautiful scenery from a height is a wonderful experience that I won't miss.

I might be a little shy to interact with the locals but I like to bask in the atmosphere of the local culture.

Bungee and skydiving. A little scary to think about it but I have penned it down as activities in my to-do list before I turn .

I love diving in spots where there are beautiful schools of fishes and corals. However, I do not like the idea of confined space diving and past experience with a shipwreck dive spoils it all.

In conclusion, B is my worst idea of adventure!

#10: What is my shirt size?
a. S
b. M
c. L
d. XL
Seriously, please throw the thought of me in XL-size shirt. It makes me looks like a clown from some weight-loss competition. L is my t-shirt size that I wear to bed. M is the t-shirt size that I wear when I am going out. My shirt size is really S! (even though I MIGHT look good in M-sized slim-cut shirt! case-by-case!) My dad did not even believe that both of us wear shirts with the same size! Oh, FYI, if you decided to get me a piece of clothing as present: my waistline is 34 inches (some pants are good in 36inches and I am working to get 32inch or maybe 30) and shoe size is 9.5(US), 8.5(UK), 42.5 (EU).

How was that as a little trivia quiz? Do you know me as well as you think you do? How do you score? Please post a number in the comment sections. I desperately wanted to know how you score!!!! And do come back soon, I bet there are a lot of me that you do not know!

2010-03-31T23:20:00.003+08:00

#1: Left early (much earlier than last week) because of pest control, AGAIN!

#2: I found an idea to blog. Should be out over the weekend.

#3: Completed growth plan (this is a stupid document in MNC!) and my boss gave a complement that, in her exact words, is perfect!

2010-03-30T22:23:00.000+08:00

#1: It's probably not just for today but I finally had mangoes for like the longest time! I miss the apple mangoes from my backyard.

#2: Out of pure coincidence, I met with one of my best friends from my secondary school days that I have lost contact for the past 5 years.

#3: I was so busy that my day flew past! I hate days where I am desk-bound and forced to stare at the monitor.

2010-03-29T22:01:00.003+08:00

#1: I went into the lab and found out that I have less than 1 cm of solution remaining in the reagent bottle. Thank God, analysis done with sufficient solvent! I was scared stiff the whole weekend, fearing that the bottle will run dry before my experiment is over!

#2: Had a gossip session to bitch about the disappointment over last Saturday's charity work.

#3: I finally did my first round of laundry since the washing machine breakdown.

2010-03-26T21:06:00.000+08:00

#1: I picked up a call for a tuition assignment! I need the cash!!!

#2: I bought the square light bulb for my kitchen!

#3: I skipped dinner in exchange for a long, undisturbed sleep NOW!

2010-03-25T23:44:00.000+08:00

#1: I found a place to buy square light bulb for my kitchen. I will grab one tomorrow!

#2: I have finally learn how to parallel park a car! How I wish Indonesian driving lessons was this systematic!

#3: Survivor: Heroes vs Villains is on after a week of absence. The best episode yet! The most hilarious and nerve-wrecking tribal council. Nice cat-and-mouse action by the two villainous villains! Losers' stunned expression! And how the heroes still suck because I don't understand their decisions. My list on why this episode was awesome could go on and on and on! Totally compensated.

2010-03-24T23:53:00.004+08:00

Missed 3Smiles yesterday because it was the foulest day ever. Finding 3 things to smile about are just painful. Imagine what a day I had that I can't even remember 3 good things to be happy about? Nevertheless, here are 3 things that made me smile today!

#1: Knocked off early to make way for the pest control folks to spray some insecticide.

#2: With help from a colleague, found an electrician to fix the ceiling light. It's repaired and my room is much brighter than before. Love the shine!

#3: Airtix to Surabaya confirmed! Looking forward to a weekend overseas!

P.S. Someone told me that I need to write something entertaining other than counting my blessings. I am working reaaaaaal hard to whip something out, be patient!

2010-03-22T23:17:00.000+08:00

#1: I finally finish an experiment that has been held off for almost a month because someone refuses to share resources

#2: Finally, a gossip session. It has been a while...

#3: The lamp in my room was burnt and I am living in darkness! It means I am going to save electricity for this month and I will be supporting Earth Hour right from today!

2010-03-19T22:04:00.001+08:00

#1: On the bus while listening to news, one minister said: 'the larger the waist, the more productive you will be.' I stopped and concentrated. Seriously? Now you want to discriminate the fat people too? Listen again once more and he actually said: 'the larger the WAGE, the more productive you will be'

#2: I was staring at a plain 'economically' fried beehoon at an exhorbitant price of $3. So much for a packet of beehoon, with a few strands of bean sprouts in oil and soy sauce!

#3: I collected my JLPT certificate! I am very studious, indeed!

2010-03-18T20:29:00.008+08:00

#1: Cooked a huge platter of toasted bread, bacon, eggs and a cup of piping hot chocolate for breakfast! I love myself, loads!

#2: I redeemed my millage for a free ticket to Tokyo! Destination set but still unknown whether to go during snow or Sakura.

#3: I booked my driving practical test! Hopefully, it will all be smooth sailing on May 15th!

2010-03-17T21:42:00.003+08:00

#1: No boss is in the office today!!! Can all the bosses disappear together at the same time often?

#2: I was forced out of work by 5pm. Can you just force me to leave early every day?

#3: I was watching Jade Seah on 'Real Deal for a Good Deal' where she features cheap international food around Singapore. In today's episode, it was featuring 'ani how a la Pinoy'. It's grilled stuffed-with-anything squid! Really anyhow but looks good! I am drooling!

2010-03-16T22:06:00.002+08:00

#1: Company's policy for sponsoring further education is up! Shall see how this works!

#2: I was on the phone with my family and they told me about Taiwan doughnuts. They were laughing mad about how my sister mistook 1/4 tablespoon of salt to become 75 gram of salt in the recipe. Not for the faint hearts!

#3: Finally cleared Stage 2 of driving lesson and I will be booking for my practical test in May soon!

2010-03-15T22:17:00.006+08:00

#1: Second series of CSR – Family science. It was an interesting day lookinyg at parent-child interaction to learn science together.

#2: Back home by 17.15 on a Monday. Who loathe short Monday?

#3: I managed to complete 40x50m swim under 70 mins. Personal best! Don’t start comparing me to Phelps. Notice that I did not smile because I swam but I gobbled not one but TWO McDonald’s Extra Value Meals today. Sinful max!

2010-03-12T22:57:00.001+08:00

#1: It was a CSR day today. Like any other corporate event, I am kind of disgusted by the way it is executed. However, I love the concept of arousing the passion for science in all these secondary school students. It was refreshing and fun!

#2: Free lunch!!! Hence, I don’t need to wake up early to cook!

#3: I made a complain call to M1. Finally, I am able to let out the steam about the slow internet connection for the past few weeks. They better do something about it soon!

2010-03-11T23:12:00.002+08:00

#1: Setting my eyes on a place (best kept it a secret for now to prevent some leeches who wants to follow but don’t bother to do trip planning!) for June holiday. It seems all work responsibilities covered! But shoot: It will be peak season and air ticket is going to hit sky high. WTH! Nonetheless, making the decision is the first tiny step and I did just that today! Next up: the troublesome visa processing and telling the boss!

#2: Finally made the dreaded phone call to dad’s acquaintance’s agent and the phone no. is not working! I can now tell them that I have made the effort but they lack sincerity to even give me the right number.

#3: I graduated in a degree with high honors from cooking academy. Finally, after 3 months of hard work clicking pointlessly to slice tomato, peel potato, grill kebab, torch a crème Brule, stir a pot of gravy and cut gingerbread cookie. I am so going to be a chef!

2010-03-10T21:07:00.005+08:00

#1: Managed to get away from some routine and did some art work in preparation of an upcoming CSR event. An apple tree, to represent a jungle, as a poster for our experiment booth. Our scientists are super creative!!!

#2: Finally, gepuk, crackers and piping hot rice for lunch. Traditionally Indonesian!!!

#3: Get a little housework done, and hopefully, sleeping will be sweeter tonight. Especially after a weird nightmare last night with some absurd characters (imagine a conference between Mickey Mouse and some ghastly creatures?) discussing how messy my room is.

2010-03-09T21:38:00.006+08:00

#1: Found 3 big, juicy cockroaches in my table wares cabinet right after I woke up. God! I sweated out while chasing them to kill them. A pretty intense morning exercise!

#2: I finally know a recent Japanese song! Me, the J-song noob, has to come prepared for a J-karaoke outing. It's a sad song, but who cares what I sing, right?

#3: To be able to come out with the first 2 smiles is a huge accomplishment as today has nothing worth mentioning. It's more work than play!

2010-03-08T22:29:00.003+08:00

It's tough to find something to smile on Monday. Piles of work, grouchy colleagues, you bet! Nonetheless, here's my tiny, little smiles for the day:

#1: With loads of work, I am not complaining. Time flew so quickly and I don't need to be desk-bound. I hate admin jobs!

#2: Had a comfort food of pasta with ham and LOADS of mushroom for dinner. Yums!

#3: Couple dinner with The Amazing Race from youtube, Monday seems bearable!

2010-03-05T19:58:00.001+08:00

#1: It's Friday!!!! I left office early and am looking forward to some weekend fun! Some Survivor (geez, they TM-ed the name!) action and 'chillax' session! Love!

#2: The 'greatest' researcher that we have in the department screwed herself for being independent in exploring science. Boo-yah! I shall leave the detail out but what's there not to love? Boss' pet in entangled mess!

#3: The best moment of all: After a serious discussion about the screwing up case above, my boss was telling her boss: "I am sorry that we could not get things done fast because our 'greatest' scientist just keep on talking and talking and talking", *all with that hand gestures that resemble a yapping duck.*

Have a good weekend!

2010-03-04T23:24:00.009+08:00

#1:
Having the thought of having KFC delivered for lunch since last night. However, the choice of junk food was too diverse and deciding on lunch was hilarious! Here how it goes!

Colleague 1: So, the cheapest KFC delivery menu costs $18.90 including delivery charges
Me: Sure, wait but this package from BK for 4 is enough for 3 of us, costs $18.95
C1: But I want to eat chicken today. But the burger is chicken. So do you want to eat in or out?
Me: I want to go out! BK then.
C1: I still prefer chicken *checked website* the nearest KFC branch is in Clementi. We need 2-hr lunch.
Me: Okay, let's go to Clementi

After delivering the news to Colleague 2 and received enlightenment,
Me: The transport cost to Clementi is $2 each and the meal costs $4.50. Hence, the total for 3 of us is $19.50
C1: Let's call for KFC delivery then!

Back to square one!

#2: I got to eat KFC. Junk food rules, do I need to say more?

#3: Finally tried dessert at 2am dessert bar at Holland Village. It burns a hole in my pocket. However, like any other gourmet food, portion is small but the flavor was awesome! With nice ambiance, a cute, knowledgeable waiter with dimples, she summarized it best: 'Going to dessert bar, you cannot stop at only 1 plate.' I will be back!

3 Smiles

2010-03-03T23:04:00.000+08:00

People said laughter is the best medicine and we should not dwell on the negative. Hence, on top of regular blogs, inspired by Tim and Jean from Class95, I am going to write (either here or in twitter) the 3 things that made me smile every day (I mean weekday, for I belief I will be smiling all day long on weekends and 3 Smiles might not be enough), no matter how lame they are! Hope you are entertained and you will find your own 3 smiles no matter how shitty your days are!

For a start, 3 things that made me smile today:

#1: Found baby cockroaches inside my mee suah. I have to throw the whole box away and I have to skip dinner. Today's diet successful! Hurray!

#2: Received a friend request from a random guy whom all his friends (yes 400++ of them) are guys. I am flattered but rejected him nonetheless!

#3: Was trying to enter a contest to win a free trip to West Australia (Go register here and bring me along!) and one guy wrote a 'copywriter' as an occupation. What's his work, I wonder? Punched by people and stamp some alphabet on papers? Wait, that's a typewriter!

Sweet dreams all!!!

Congratulate ME!!!

2010-03-01T21:57:00.002+08:00

I am BACK from the two-month online fasting! Remind me why do I do that? Beats me big time!

Doesn't matter! A more important stuff is to congratulate me! It's been a while since I rattle on what's new in my life, I think here's a recap on what's happening the last two months!

First, I finally went back online! ~~I have something interesting lined up for you guys!~~ Bummer! I have not done sole-searching on what to put online! With the latest news on cyber crime, I will be more conscious on how I scold my boss, lest he took my bonus away.

Talking about bonus, congratulate me for getting a promotion!!!! Woohoo!!!! Deep down, I am kind of tad disappointed. Office politics is like being on Survivor. It's fun but it's getting onto your nerves.

Also, congratulate me for starting a healthy lifestyle! I packed food (don't bother about the nutrition) to work everyday in a reusable container! Besides, I have finally got a chance to wear my new trunks! The result? I lost the 3kg I gained over CNY. Hey, it all begins with a single step!

Lastly, my JLPT result is out!!! Just received it exactly an hour ago. I was so nervous when I opened the envelope. I passed!!!!! By 5 points (FYI: if this info is useful, passing mark is 240 out of 400)!!!! Not the best result I wanted but do you think I care how bad I have done? I was expecting a FAIL!!!

Kicking my feet in the air, dancing whole night long and going to bed with a smile! Thank you all in advance for the congrats messages.

On Online Hiatus!

2010-02-05T23:21:00.001+08:00

If you have not been following my twitter, I am kind of on an online detox regime. No, not losing weight detox through an online website! I am depriving of all online activities. I am not talking rubbish on my blog, stalking people on facebook, much less informing people of my shitty days on twitter.

I need a momentary 'quiet' period to find myself a new direction. I am not done blogging yet! I am promising myself (not to mention you, my readers) to come up with more interesting entries!

Keep tuning! I will be back (soon)!

Hugs 2010! Kick away 2009!

2010-01-01T01:17:00.001+08:00

Quick post!

In a single word, 2009 was CRAP!! Big time! It flew past so quickly that when I reflect back what have I achieved? I pissed a lot of people, I made families and friends disappointed and of course, I get mad and frustrated myself. There was no parties, no travel, no excitement! I shall declare that 2009 was a year of letdowns!

I survived 2009, how much worse can it be? I shall made it a point to have a smashing good time in 2010!

HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!!! Wish you a blasting time in 2010!

Coming up: 2009 evaluation and 2010 resolutions (that I don't really intend to follow!)

2009 R&R Telecast

2009-12-15T21:02:00.005+08:00

Disclaimer: This piece might be a sensitive issue to some people. It is written without malicious intent. It was purely for fun. If you don't mind, read on. If you mind, what is wrong with you?, press that back button please! If you are my bosses, erase this blog address from your memory at once!!!!

Dear readers,

Reporting not-so-live from the very first Reward and Recognition ceremony for the first R&D deparment in Singapore. The attendance looks awesomely good! All 17 researchers are present. With only 4 awards to be given out, I am sure there will be some tears of joy, bad blood or just puke of disgust. It's going to be an interesting afternoon. Stay tune to fine out.

A little background, this ceremony is organised to reward the scientists for the work that they have done for the past one year. Fellow colleagues, both local and global partners, are able to nominate their worthy peers. All nominees will receive a self-produced certificate that came in a funky photo frame. I am sure the photo frame worth more than the certificate. After some deliberation, the committee will announce whether you are worthy of the nomination to win the award. If you aren't, you are just a nominee! The winner will receive extra 5% bonus this year end and a dinner with a senior management in a local restaurant. It would be sweeter if they throw in a ticket to US, but we have to keep on dreaming.

They ceremony starts unusually with a tea at 2.15 pm, just right after lunch time. The food is high-class but it just comes at the wrong time.

It's now 3 o'clock sharp, the ceremony begins!

Boss' boss opens the event with some not-so-extraordinary speech. All of you have done well in the past one year, I am very impressed! Do not be disappointed if you did not win anything tonight. All of you are winners! If you are just nominated, you are privileged. If you win, good for you, keep it up. If you did not receive anything, you can take home all the leftovers and drown yourselves silly with orange juice.

So, the first winner, the nomination came from a fellow colleague in the US! She has helped in the infrastructure and establishing the process to help us proceed with our projects! From the nominators: "we are drowning here in the US and thank God, you are the saviours. We are now able to share some work with our fellow compatriots in Singapore seamlessly. Thank you for giving us extra time to catch up with our favorite sitcoms!" Congratulations!!!

~~Her face was flashed on the big screen,~~ see her smiling face, took a picture and..... go back to her seat! *Did I miss the speech?* This is going to be the fastest award ceremony, ever!

Second winner, this person has established some novel workflows that are implemented in our department. Not the best, but the first! As we are a new lab, everyone are working equally, or much harder, at establishing new SOPs for any darn activities. However, this person is special, the workflow that she has put forward came with a strength which only recognises her as The God and the others to be her slaves. Ain't that genius? Oh, this person also bought some high-tech (don't mention about the bulky part) gadgets that will improve productivity and efficiency around the lab. It does, indeed, improve the efficiency of drawing the money out of the departmental budget. It's indeed so productive in collecting dust! Nonetheless, congratulations for having a friend who are so free that they could find time filling in the nomination form! Good for you!

Wow, look at how suprised she is! Fake!

Last winner of the afternoon, this person evaluated a technique that might be beneficial to the company's Green Initiative. It was a shared goal, but this person just outshine another colleague who is working on almost similar project! She has been a good mentor to our department's first intern! Another shared responsibilities and she has indeed sucessfully obtained a bigger recognition for it. It doesn't really matter if your colleagues see what you have done, but most importantly your boss have to know that you have done A LOT!!!! For that effort, the boss passed the verdict that she is indeed worthy of the title. She is not just a nominee but also an award-recipient. She is a WINNER!!!! For that she has just won herself a dinner date with a senior manager somewhere in Singapore. Not forgetting, the extra 5% end-year bonus! Congratulations!!!

Look at how big her eyes are. This win is definitely a surprise! The win is like Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize. She might have done some preliminary work to show that it might be useful but was not really implemented to see the full advantage!

She comes back to her seat, boasts her certificate, thanks everyone and comments that IT WAS A SURPRISE!!! Geez, super abso-freaking-lutely FAKE!!!

The ceremony is now officially over! I told you it will be short! Congratulations to all the winners!!!

Wait, one final surprise! Looking at everyone else's faces in anger for not receiving any recognition for working harder, and for credit that was not given when it was due, forget about extra 5% to the winner. The Boss just mentioned that everyone in the room will receive extra 5% bonus in their next paycheck!!!

Frowns turn to smiles. Anger turns to kindness. Everyone is slightly happier. It is a happy ending after all! However, what the The Boss didn't tell you is, he is receiving extra 50% bonus this year-end! Don't say that I leak that out!

With that, have a pleasant afternoon back to work, see you next year and help yourselves to more leftovers!!!! I hope that reading this entry is not as time-wasting as being here to clap on some crappy people being rewarded.

A New Inspiration

2009-12-14T22:06:00.004+08:00

2009 is nearing to an end and I am sooo far away from my target to have more blog entries this year. I need some crap to boost the number.

Recently, I realized that it seemed that people did something different, by extraordinary means, at a regular basis for a specific amount of time and got famous for it!

In August (if I did not remember wrongly!), a jobless and frustrated guy changed jobs (something different), took up both shitty - literally - and humane (by extraordinary means) assignments every week (on a regular basis) for a year (for a specific amount of time). He was featured in newspaper, publishers are bidding on him to write a book and companies are vying to give him a position in their company (famous!)

In September (for the sake of chronological order), a journalist finally fed up with his 9-5 jobs and decided to visit countries across the five continents (something different) by car (by extraordinary means) for a year (for a specific amount of time). He was featured in newspaper, his blog traffic was increasing, sponsorship rose and received tonnes of free help along the way throughout his journey (famous!).

In November, I watched Julie and Julia. Julie (if I did not mixed the name up) decided to try out all the recipes (something different) from a famous chef (Julia)'s cookbook (by extraordinary means) every day (on a regular basis) for a year (for a specific amount of time). She wrote a blog, readership grew and people decided to make a movie out of it (famous!)

In December, Tony is super inspired to challenge himself in the year 2010. What challenge will it be? It's yet to be revealed. I have a couple of ideas but I think it's either lame or ordinary. Hence, if you have any ideas, do leave me a comment!

P.S. I know you folks from office are waiting for my entries on the latest events - Reward and Recognition Ceremony and D&D. It's a sensitive issue, it's in progress!
P.P.S. It's 10, time to sleep and I have not started on any housework! Awesome! Power of procrastination!

Password's Kiss of Death

2009-12-01T22:24:00.004+08:00

It all started last Friday, when I received an email with the title: Tony Sugiarta wrote on your Wall... Who dares to post as yours truly on yours truly's wall? It's so weird! I went into facebook and apparently, the other Tony Sugiarta has posted similar nonsensical posts on some of my friends' walls.

Facebook security team sent me an email and said that I may have entered a password to an unknown website which is Facebook-look alike. An activity that they called 'phishing'. Seriously, I am technology-challenged! What the hell is fishing?

Coincidentally (or not), I was thinking of changing the password to ALL my online accounts on Thursday night. Talk about luck, fate, whatever!

After a series of password authentication, my facebook account was re-activated. Without further ado, I shall reset the password to the other online accounts. It was not easy! Let's count together. Off-work I have 4 email accounts, 2 i-banking accounts, some commercial sites' membership accounts, twitter, facebook, the extinct friendster, library memberships, etc. For work, I have at least 3 different passwords for all the different applications.

A little IT Security 101:
1. Have different password for different online activity!
One bitten, twice shy! I shall have DIFFERENT passwords for all these accounts. So I will have to memorize at least 15 passwords. My awesome human brain can handle that!
2. Keep these password in your head or in a safe place!
As old Chinese sayings says: the most dangerous place is the most safe place to hide! Where is the most dangerous place to keep a safe box? MY BLOG! Hence, where is the safest? MY BLOG! I am so smart!

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, my passwords to my online accounts are:
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Y_U_3v3n_b0+h3r_2_$Cr0O?

Go figure! They come in different permutations and combinations!

Passwords are really driving me nuts!

P.S. Technology sucks, and it still is!

Useless Food Facts

2009-11-15T11:16:00.004+08:00

While waiting for our dinner, we had this conversation on food and it's origin. I am pretty amazed on how interesting this talk ended up.

Did you know? The red color syrup in Bandung is rose syrup! Wow! That's not really the point. We were discussing is it the same red color syrup that they used when making Happy Soda (Soda Gembira). I said NO, my colleagues said YES! I have never tasted rose whenever I drank soda gembira. How could that be?

Upon googling, I found out, there are 4 types of red color syrup that you can find in Indonesia. They are rose, cocopandan (coconut + pandan), strawberry and dissolved sugar + red colouring. I have never tasted rose and strawberry soda gembira, hence, I shall came to a conclusion: high-end soda gembira used cocopandan, the low-end, hawker style used HOMEMADE sugar syrup! Amazing huh?

I think you are not impressed! Never mind, changing gear, does Singapore has its own national food? You bet!

You take a look, when they say 'Hongkong Fried Noodle', no matter which corner of Hong kong you went to, you will never find Singapore's Hongkong Fried Noodle.

Similarly, when they say 'Yang Zhou Fried Rice', you will never stumble upon fried rice with frozen peas and carrots in Yang Zhou.

Getting more ridiculous, this trend applies to drinks as well. There is no 'Bandung' (rose milk drink) in Bandung, Indonesia. It's ridiculous when I told my Singaporean friends last month that I will be going to Bandung, they will ask: 'Why is it called Bandung? Is it because a lot of people are selling Bandung?' or 'Is the Bandung there really good?' For crying out loud, there is no 'Bandung' in Bandung!

Suddenly, it dawns on me. I realized: THERE IS NO BAH-LEEE (local hawker slang for barley drink) IN BALI!!! Surprising!!!

November Rain

2009-11-09T22:35:00.004+08:00

This entry is all about blog that I hate to read. I always call it the 'Bangun Tidur' blog. If you Indonesians can recall:
Bangun tidur ku terus mandi
Tidak lupa menggosok gigi
Habis mandi ku tolong ibu
Membersihkan tempat tidurku

Translate: My life has hit the ultimate rock bottom of boredom that I have to report to all my readers that I woke up, went to the toilet for a dunk, eat some ordinary rice-dishes for BLD and back to sleep. Right to the exact sequence and precise minutes. YAWNZ! *I heard you but you still love me no matter what I write, right?*

My days, started exactly from the beginning of November, go like this:

Wake up dreadfully. DREADFUL is the keyword here! Argh! Go for a bath, drink 2 cups of water from the tap (to save both electricity and my effort to boil the water), get dressed, switch my radio alarm off, put on my socks, and off to office I go!

It's official! I am dragging my feet to work.

Off-track #1 to enhance the routine: I never complain about being too lazy, or not motivated, to go work in the morning until this morning. I always say: I love my job but I hate the company. To be specific, I hate The Boss! I respect the vast knowledge but it seemed that The Boss does not understand anything from the lab bench. 'You instruct, I follow' - it's the natural boss-subordinate connection. However, illogical, absurd, unclear, unexplained instructions totally screw things up. The next part of the connection should be: 'I ask, you answer'. Stop being so secretive, Boss!

Take about 8 minutes of brisk walk to the MRT station, take the free newspaper and walk towards the gantry.

Oh, sidetrack #2 which is totally irrelevant: I shall condemn New Paper. It's full of rubbish, unintellectual contents and crappy English. I read a column and a journalist wrote 'I woke up at 6 to be at the airport at 7 to catch a flight at 8.30'. Wow, so exciting!!! My alarm rang at 6, woke up to go to toilet at 7 and realize that it was only a messy dream at 8. The same author continued: 'We should complain so that people can improve' and the next sentence 'If you are not satisfied with this article, do not email me!' Bleahz! As if I bother...

At the MRT gantry, take out handphone case, and tap it on the EZ-link reader. Red, gate doesn't open. 'Try again' - the display says. I try again. Red for the second time! Shoot! On the third try, finally, the gate opens! Without fail, I will always hear one of these responses: 'Ck', 'So slow!', 'Take out the card lah! So lazy!', 'Wahlao eh!' I am wondering, what the hell are they rushing for? Gold? Where? Let me join in the fun!

Squeeze into the trains, walk to office, occassionally run for shuttle bus, buy breakfast - journey to office is always this 'interesting'!

Reach the office at 8.40am. Switch the computer on, eat breakfast, read newspaper, get some Milo. Finally, ready for work at 9.

9.05: Uninspired.

9.10: So many work to do, where shall I begin?

9.13: Let me walk to the into the lab to stretch a little.

9.15: Let's go back to the desk to decide what should I do for the day.

9.20: My cubicle mate seems to be doing experiment and might need a little entertainment.

10.00: Ah, I need to do some work!

10.00 + the time taken just to get my seat warm, The Boss say: 'Tony, can you help me with this task?' I reply: 'SURE!'

10.00 + the time taken just to get my seat warm + 1 minute: 'Helping' The Boss with the task in The Boss' room. The Boss clicks the mouse while I stare at the wall behind her, thinking what to eat for lunch.

1 hour later.... The boss is still clicking the mouse while I still stare at the wall behind her and still thinking what to eat for lunch.

It's lunch hour! Out for lunch for an hour +++. Do not disturb me, you freaking insurance agents!

Back from lunch, that's when work really start. Do some quality, value-adding work.

An hour later, The Boss comes: 'Tony, can you do this job, again?'. I ask: 'Why do you want to re-do this?' The Boss says: 'it's because we need to confirm the fact that sky is indeed blue!' I reply: *WTH!* SURE!!!

The very next minute, bitch to cubicle mate about what just happened. Not long after, rest of the gossip team arrives and I run the tape one more time while cubicle mate meets with the boss.

Dismiss the gossip team and I continue with some work. In another minute, cubicle mate arrives and gossip session #2 begin.

It has been such a long day.... Shoot, it's 16.30! Ask cubicle mate: 'OT?' 'OT!', she replies. Feeling that I have not accomplished anything much during the day, I follow suit. You know it's November, means there are LOADS of paperwork to do. On top of regular workload, I have 4 reports to write, 1 self-evaluation and 13 peer evaluations to complete.

Sidetrack #3, just a personal insight: My boss is crazy! How do you rate your fellow colleagues? It's a rendevous. It suddenly brings memories back to the secondary school days when you were judged by your form teacher and he/she will write remarks in your report book. Never in my wildest dream I will need to be judged in the same way again. For my colleagues who read this blog, fret not, I always have this remark (or other phrases with similar context) inside my report book: 'Tony is a good team worker. A pleasant and hardworking pupil who treats his classmates and teachers with respect. He is neat, organised and never fails to put his best foot forward. Tony excels in Maths but he needs to work on his English.' There, you can cut and paste this statement onto the evaluation form, changing Maths and English to any chemical analysis method.

Left office at 20.00+, go out for dinner and reach back home at 21.00++. Contemplating: write a blog entry or do some Japanese homework? I shall take a bath to make a clear decision.

Ah ha! I will switch on the computer!
What's on my mind? I have an inspiration today, I need to blog and/or twit.
What actually happens? Hotmail, gmail, google reader, kennysia, cheesie, xiaxue, friends' and foes' blogs, survivor news, ppstream to watch desperate housewives/gossip girl/ugly betty/glee/amazing race/harper's island/flash forward the list goes on.

At 12.30 am, I decide that I will write the most wonderful entry ever. Write a couple of sentence and realize: I can't expand my ideas, my entry will only be 3 sentences in length. Highlight all text, press the delete button, close the browser, switch off the computer and let's do some Japanese work!

After reading two sentences, drool on my paper. I give up! You win, Ms. Pillow!

With that, the cycle begins all over again!

What does it got to do with November Rain? Loads!
1. This entry is written in November and it's the wet season.
2. This entry, like rain in November, totally dull, uninspiring and probably, annoying and disappointing.
3. This entry, like November in the rain, it is drenched (okay, this is lame!) with discontent.
4. Exactly opposite to the Guns and Roses' 1992 award winning 'November Rain', this entry will never win me any award.
5. This entry will be posted on Google along with links to Guns and Roses' 'November Rain' when people search for 'November Rain' (or when weathermen who type 'November + Rain' and hope to see some statistics). I am something! Ha!

You know what, it's time for slumber! Good night, sleep tight!

Quickie

2009-10-24T01:28:00.007+08:00

Do you people read my tweet? Take a glance to your right if you have never followed me on twitter! Shame on you, I surely complained a lot more over there.

.
.
.

I am sorry to be a disappointment. I have actually written a long story about what happened this week. Reading back, it was kind of childish and I have decided to delete it away.

To cut the super long story short, I am was disappointed! I am was angry! I am was pissed! I am was imbalanced! I am was steaming mad!!!!

The only thing that I am thinking right now: how do girls keep their underarms smooth when they travel for tropical holiday on a budget aeroplane, without a check-in luggage?

I need my razor!!!

FYI, I will be in Bandung over the weekend! Don't bother to call to comment on how scruffy/unkempt I will look over this weekend! Have a good weekend!

Contest!

2009-10-11T23:27:00.002+08:00

I have just deleted a blog post by accident! I am consoling myself that no one is ever going to remember what they missed anyway.

So... like any other famous blogger, I (minus the famous part) would like to do a little contest! Does any of you know what post did I delete?!?!

The prize for the first one to get it right: you get to pick any crazy topic for me to write! Anything crazy like who is the bitch that you cannot shake off in your life or embarassing childhood memories (if I can dig them out of my head). Anything! Game on! I know it doesn't worth a lot but hey, at least you will have something to read soon!

If no one attempted to guess, I will.... I will just go on a hiatus, rot away and get buried with my work and Japanese texts. Ha!

Leave a comment or PM me! Fire away!

Japanese Efficiency

2009-10-11T22:54:00.005+08:00

Kudos to Toyota for creating the Lean (of Lean Six Sigma) system, which is now sworn by companies all over the world to improve efficiency and hence, their business. I am constantly amazed by how these Japanese get so fast in their day-to-day lives.

They even came up with a variety show to guide people how to be quick and efficient when preparing for work/school. The Japanese never fails to come up with something so fun and ridiculous. Not exactly what you want to be doing every morning but it is hilarious and amazing. Check this out!

It's okay if you don't understand Japanese. Body language is equally fun to watch.

That was mummy and kids version. Here come the 'salaryman' version.

How about that? Can you beat their timings?

The Cultural Wars

2009-10-04T14:20:00.004+08:00

A month! That's how long I have never been on this site. I need to write something before my readers flew for greener pastures.

There are only two things (on top of F1 and its opening where Taufik Batisah, first Singapore Idol, sang Singapore's national anthem wrongly)) that's hot on the Singapore's media now: the Miss Singapore World Saga and the cultural wars among Malaysia and Indonesia (and of course, Singapore, who hates to be left out!). I don't understand the fuss over these issues but I am going to write about it anyway.

To cut the long story short: Ms Ris Low (probably representing Pasir Ris) won the title for Ms Singapore World 2009, got slashed for poor English and credit card fraud, and finally dethroned (oops, wrong, she resigned! Whatever!) Of course, loads of arguments and media attention accompanied her story. The latest: She said that the runner-up backstabbed her by leaking her fraud case to the media!

When I first saw her on youtube, in her defence, it's just like any other Singaporeans' English! It's so crappy to see her fellow Singaporeans battered her 'poor English' when they are guilty of speaking with equally-unimpressive pronounciation. Please! Don't judge others before taking a look at yourselves in front of the mirror. Somehow 'lee-perd preens' and 'boomz' are now the catch phrase of Singaporeans. WTH!!!! On radio, on newspaper, on national TV, on the streets, everywhere!

But now, she resigned! Good for Singapore! That's not where the story ends: she said that her competitor backstabbed her! In a simple word: attention-craving! Period. I have nothing else to say.

Why do I get angry? Actually, I have a funny concept for this post but it has all been taken over! Darn!

Closer to my heart: the cultural wars among Malaysia and Indonesia. Both countries are fighting over who originates the Batik and Angklung. For crying out loud, both countries have the same root in South East Asia. Does it matter who own them? What's more important is that you are able to retain them from extinction and share them with the rest of the world.

Joining in the party, the small, tiny Singapore is joining in the battle! They are trying to crucify and immortalize chicken rice, laksa, hokkien mee, lor mee and yu sheng as Singapore's authentic dish. Geez! No doubt, I am actually impressed by Singapore's capabilities to reinvent classic dish into something more classy but to say that they originated here is a cheap shot. You see them as HAINANESE chicken rice and HOKKIEN fried mee. Where's the Singapore in Hainan and Hokkien? The next time you go into a hawker, it's probably Singapore Hainanese Chicken Rice. There you go! Original and authentic Singaporean dish! FYI, latest: an Indonesian joker wrote a letter to the Sunday Times forum and said that laksa and lor mee belongs to Indonesia. Nice!

Back to the batik war, UNESCO finally decided to end the bickering. On October 2nd 2009, UNESCO announced that Batik truly belongs to the Indonesians. It's Indonesian's pride and no one should claim them as their own except for the Indonesians. People were wearing Batik all over the country to celebrate this good news.

A happy ending? Probably not! I am waiting for Malaysia to claim Irian Jaya's koteka (loin cloth to cover just your crotch) as East Malaysians' indigenous tribe's traditional clothing. If UNESCO announce that it belongs to Indonesia, everyone is going to wear koteka and I bet it's a sight to behold for the women all over the world!

Uncle Agony

2009-09-08T20:46:00.003+08:00

As this is the Ramadhan, aka the Holy Month, I shall not gossip. This time, however, I, as an Uncle Agony, will be offering advice! Woohoo, I am certainly not the best councillor but I am a superb listener. Hence, do take my advice with a pinch of salt.

For today's theme: Workplace communication!

Here's the first one:

I have a colleague who loves to add disclaimer before she asked everything. For example: 'I have a quick question, is it time for lunch?' (when it's obviously a Q can never be settled within few seconds) or 'I don't know, it's just my opinion, but do you think this is inappropriate?'
-Nuts-

Dear Nuts,

I do understand your plight. The art of covering backside is always taught (even though not a job well done) at the very first chapter of any workplace communication module. They are just adding the disclaimer to build up the atmosphere to smoothen the conversation. It will be awkward if you suddenly ask a question after a long silence. You might want to practise some opening to smoothen your conversation too! For example: 'I just don't get this....' or 'These people will think this is stupid but...' or probably say: 'Are you people idiot by staring at each other? Stop wasting my time, I need to ask this.'

Wow, that's a mind-wrecking letter. The next one is not easy either!

Dear Uncle Agony,
I am so overwhelmed by the amount of mails that came to my inbox. Most of these emails are just chains of junks from people who love to cc or bcc. Every single email that they send out will be cc-ed to the bosses. Be it instructions, be it complain, be it defensive (which some time may be offensive) comments, every single mail will be include the boss. How to stop these idiots, please!
-Drowned-

Dear Drowned,

Again, this is one of the art of covering your arse. You must include your bosses in all your emails to:
1. keep your boss informed and 'in the loop'
2. show that you are really working hard,
3. have a witness lest someone is trying to falsely accuse you,
4. have a back-up if you don't know how to reply/argue back,
5. just simply flood the mailbox of others to annoy people.
It is just the culture here to let everyone in the loop and this culture isn't going to fade anytime soon. Embrace it!

Phew, being an uncle agony is definitely not an easy task. The next one is tough!

Dear Uncle Agony,

I have a particular dislike to this colleague of mine. This guy is a super gimme-a-word-that-is-equivalent-to-a-male-bitch! He is most fucking fake, self-righteous, hypocrite asshole that I have ever met.

He always said that he just doesn't understand why people like to do side-tracking activities in the office. Be it gossiping, facebooking, or just pretending to have a diarrhoea to have a long lunch. You guess what, he does gossip, facebook and pretend to have a diarrhoea too! I don't have any problem with him to have such a question in his mind, BUT!!!!!! He acts so self-righteous and said that he never did any of these AT ALL!!!! He said that he is all about work, 100%, all the time. Oh wait a minute, he said that all the rest of us are just a bunch of self-centred kids who are not adaptable to change and are incapable of open up our tiny, puny, eenie, minnie, little minds and our equally narrow hearts! Woohoo! Score! I mean, with all hard political moves that he attempted (I guess all of them failed), all the backstabbing, all the hypocrisy, who is the egoistical bastard here?
-Angry soul-

Dear Angry soul,

Okay I can't do this anymore! Reading your entry makes my blood boils.

I am sure that your friend might be reading this blog too and he will say that I am just another hypocrite by saying that I only dare to gossip about other people in my blog and not telling it directly to his face. He will then turn to the guy up there and pray to bless me to be a better and less nasty individual. Thank you very much for the prayer but no thanks! At the very least, I never denied that I ever said bad stuffs about people and ACT self-righteous about it! And also, for God's sake, which idiot want to bitch right in front of the bitch's face? At least in my blog, I can be myself in my own space for a greater audience. Anyone, and I mean ANYONE, are welcomed to read this!

The only advice that I can give you, Angry soul: Continue bitching and tell the bitch (Who cares if he is a he or a she?), F*** OFF!!!!

How about that? How do I fare as an Uncle Agony? Rate me!

ADV: NUANSA 2009: Sitti Nurbaya

2009-08-20T19:34:00.003+08:00

NUANSA IS BACK!!!!

NUANSA (NUS and Indonesia) is a platform to showcase Indonesian culture through performing arts that was started by yours truly (back in the haydays). Of course, it is also a most-awaited event among the Indonesians in NUS to gain CCA points and fill their free time boast our rich culture and colourful arts to the rest of the NUS community.

This year, the committee raised the bar even higher. Taking a challenge to transform the legendary Indonesian literature of Sitti Nurbaya into a glamorous, modern, theatre interpretation.

Quoted directly from the show's official website,

Sitti Nurbaya - Unfulfilled Love

invites you to explore the intrigues of love, sacrifice and ambition in colonial Indonesia. Join us as we retell the greatest love story in modern Indonesian literature to an enchanting musical.

NUS University Cultural Centre Theatre
5 September 2009, 3pm and 8pm
FREE Admission
Limited tickets available at the door one hour before the show

A sneak peek of what will be going on:

For further information and latest updates, you can go to the official website or the official Facebook event page.

I am so not used to writing official marketing campaign. In any case, the 5 reasons on why you should catch this show is because:
1. Original songs that are composed by our own PINUS folks. Clap!
2. A night of FREE entertainment. What's not to love about everything's free? Double claps!
3. You are supporting Indonesian arts and culture, Indonesian community and just simply, Indonesia!!! Triple claps!
4. Interesting casting. We are Indonesians without racial discrimination, okay? Imagine, 2 out 3 main characters are acted by Chinese-looking undergrads! Quadriple Claps!
5. PINUS Production is just simply AWESOME!!! Pentiple Claps!

Hence, be there or be square!!!

Sitti Nurbaya - Unfulfilled Love
Saturday, 5 September 2009, NUS UCC Theatre, 3pm and/or 8pm.

Note: This is a free advertisement that I shall give as an encouragement, or out of guilty conscience, to my fellow juniors. I shall help them to promote the event through my blog! Hey, my blog does have ~~a steady stream of regular~~ readers, okay?

Me vs. Tamiflu

2009-08-18T21:23:00.003+08:00

I have never been so crazy about a pill. Tamiflu has made its debut in Singapore and definitely has made a stir in my life! The pill has not only manage to cure the Sickness-Which-Must-Not-Be-Named, *ah screw it, it's the fucking H1N1!*, but also burn a hole in my wallet.

It was around a month ago, soon after a talk on Employee Benefit, I went to a panel doctor (in which I am not supposed to pay a single cent!) and he showed me a website from an unknown source:
Doctor: Do you have a fever?
Me: Ya, I just knew when I entered the clinic, your staff told me.
D: Ok, I measure again, k? See? Our thermometer is working well, it's 38.9degC.
Me: *screw ya! give me my medicine!*
D: Do you have cough and flu?
Me: *DUH!!!!, that's exactly what I first told you!* Yes.
D: Any body ache? Head ache?
Me: Erm... only when I cough.
D: Yes, you do! See, from this website it states you have 66% chance of getting a flu.
Me: *DUH!!!! Any one with these symptoms do suggest influenza!* What kind of flu?
D: (Totally ignoring my question) I need to prescribe you with Tamiflu. But it would be self paid, do you mind?*
Me: *Thinking that I have reimbursement from company* It's okay, how much does it cost?
D: $60.
Me: *Geez, daylight robbery!* Sure! (with a smile)

Thinking that as part of my employee benefit (i.e. up to S$1000 on medical service p.a.), I want to get my 60 bucks back. Out of courtesy,
I emailed HR, 'I went to a panel doctor. He needed to prescribe me with Tamiflu but it's self-paid, can I proceed with my claim?'
HR said, curtly, 'Sorry, it's self-paid!'

I shall now translate to the whole world: 'Screw yourself! The company couldn't care less of you contracting H1N1! Stop bothering HR anymore!'

So much for employee benefits! FML!

On a lighter note, I saw this joke on the latest issue of Reader's Digest:
Someone once said that when a black man becomes the president of the United States, pigs will fly. Sure enough, 100 days later, swine flu.

Screw H1N1! Screw Tamiflu!

Random Chat: Lucky Draw & Toto

2009-07-28T12:04:00.005+08:00

In one of our daily random chit-chat session at work, we were discussing about gambling is a prohibited activity in any religion teachings.

It turned pretty serious until one of my colleague said: "Wait, isn't Toto/4D a kind of lucky draw too? If you are lucky, then they will draw your number?"

She continued: "If that's the case, everytime we go for a function where there's lucky draw, aren't we all gambling?"

Oh God, pardon us all sinners!

Ugly Singaporeans

2009-07-25T20:02:00.008+08:00

Disclaimer: This post is written in the heat of the moment for I am frustrated for having nothing interesting to write in the past 1 month. Dear Singaporeans, if you can't take criticism with a pinch of salt, you might consider pressing the back button! You know I still love you! ;P

By the end of this post, all of you might think that I am just another sick b****** who has a problem with his life. I don't care, I just need my blog-erapy!

I am pretty sensitive if people were to classify me as a Singaporean. Don't get me wrong! The fact that I am a Singapore PR, it means that I do appreciate everything that Singapore has to offer - the good healthcare, education, sanitary and hawker ratings, even the tiny Bukit Timah Hill that Singaporeans religiously voted to be inducted into the new 7 Wonders of the World. The only thing that I am having trouble is the ugly Singaporeans!

The first trait: kiasuism (translate: afraid to lose). Everyone is moving in such a fast pace to be the first. They would not settle for anything less than the best. They would dash to be the first in line whenever a store is having a sale. Even in the workplace settings, Singaporeans tends to get so edgy about every single thing and they want to be in charge of everything. I lose out for being a slow turtle among these mad hares!

Let's talk about being courteous! Yesterday, a middle-aged guy was trying to walk past me, instead of saying 'Excuse Me', he cut the 3-syllable words to an irritating 'ck' of 'ckckckck' (I hope you get what I mean). Do you think I will be impressed on how effective are you at shooing people? Fuck off! All those campaigns to urge Singaporeans build a more gracious society! FAIL! Big Time! No matter how many times you change the color of the seats on the MRT to indicate privileged seat, these Singaporeans will just never get it!

I cannot stand when I hear that Singaporeans are a compassionate bunch of people. They urge students to hold tin cans on hot Saturday afternoons along Orchard Road to learn about paying it forward. Apart from collecting the much needed hours to promote me to JC, I have not learnt a single thing about being compassionate and caring to others. I have read a lot of reports on youths who can appreciate live better after spending two weeks on an isolated village to help the villagers renovating schools. Gah, which aspect of live do they appreciate better? Do they carry on their 'good deeds' after the project was closed?

Lastly, but not the least, I find that Singaporeans are a bunch of cowards and petty bunch of people. I admit that I also complain on my blog and behind the subject's back. However, I will never admit that my opinion is always right, or act righteous about it. Singaporeans always love to complain on newspaper forum with oh-so-righteous writing style that makes me sick. How many times have you read:
- We should not get out if we have slightest symptoms of flu,
- We should never patronize a food stall with hygiene grading of less that a B,
Every morning, I will flip to a section on the newspaper where member of a public can post a photo about interesting happenings around the island. Most often, the post is about a couple of students kissed each other while an old man is standing right in front of them on the MRT. That is sooo happening! The poster is not even ashamed of breaching the privacy of these kids by secretly taking those photos. If you have something to get angry about every morning, this is the section that you might need.

To sum up, my friends, one day, when I become self-righteous, acting compassionate and agressive in the rat race, do let me know! It will be the time that I should give up my Indonesian passport!

The Day I Turned 24!

2009-06-14T21:39:00.011+08:00

I must say this year's must be one of the surprising birthday of my life! I was expecting myself to be cooped in the house after work last Friday night and just stare at my ceiling waiting for a call/sms/email/facebook wall posts. Bam! Despite turning 24, I do still have a bunch of crazy family and friends who still cares! Love you all, peeps!

It all started at the stroke of midnight. I am not officially born yet (I was out at 5am, btw). It was just another night that I was sleeping late and I did not give a damn. Someone saw that MSN deleted all my contacts and he decided to add all PINUS friends to wish me happy birthday. Geez, that was thoughtful! Deep down inside, really, I was cursing. I needed to get my sleep. I was staring at the monitor with my sour eyes for the last couple of hours.

SMSes started pouring... I am tired! Ignored them! Deal with them in the morning!

In the office, I was hoping that people will be more excited about The Philippines' National Day than my own birthday. People drop by my cubicle to chat, wishing ~~and blew birthday kisses all over me~~. That was nice, don't they?

More SMSes coming and... an unexpected long-distance call from Down Under. Geez, thank you soooo much. Stop speculating! It got so overwhelming that when I received an SMS from... oh geez God it's someone with the first three letters S..T..E.. in his (which is what I thought would be) name. I am so excited! Geez, my big boss, Steve, would sms me all the way from Bali. He is thinking about me when he is enjoying himself in my hometown. What are the odds of my big boss remembering MY birthday? It's from Stephanie! Ha!

Lunch must be the highlight this year! One of my colleague won the Office Visit from Class 95. As such, we went to the Barrosa @ Esplanade to have our lunch with Jean Danker and Yaz, the DJs of my favorite shows on the radio. The duos shared lives being a DJ and crap, they really have practically their own time once they are out of their shifts. I should have probe more on JD & Glen Ong's relationship!

The food was fabulous. They have wide range of appetizers and bar foods. They serve a lot (probably the whole menu) of food for us to sample. It was so much that when Jean asked what other food that are yet to be served, the owner sheepishly answered: 'these were just the appetizers, we still have main courses and desserts!' WHAT?!?! We were 70% full, mind you! Their main courses were, however, just mediocre. As dessert, geez, I am a sucker for desserts! They served caramel cheesecake (yum!) and berry pancake (double yum!). For my birthday cake, they served Baked Alaska, which is smooth chocolate and vanilla ice cream covered with Esplanade's durian thorn baked meringue. They set it on fire to caramelize the top. All of us did not what to do, sang happy birthday and let the Esplanade 'charcoalized' itself. They had to replaced it with a new serving. Appreciate it!

Due to the long lunch, I have to rush a couple of things for the rest of the day. More sms-es and another call from aunt.

The evening was pretty much crap! I went to the ever-crowded-and-I-swore-never-to-go-in PC show to get myself a broadband plan. It was super packed and the queue was ridiculously long! I joined the queue myself silly. After about 2 hours later, I managed to get a better deal for myself!!! Am I lucky or what? Birthday star is shining on me!

What's next was not that fantastic but I love it, not so say the least. Everyone decided to cancel the 'date' with me and I am reduced to having vanilla milkshake and apple pie from Mc Donalds. It was sooo gooood, even though not great but, soooo gooood. Caught the free performance of Sivoplait - the humorous silent couple in white from Japan - in Esplanade. They were hilarious!!! Heart them.

And the last 'surprise' that I have was when I went to dinner yesterday with PINUS people and they decided to come up with a 'surprise'. Here how it goes:

Maul: Citra, here's your 'stuff' that you ask us to buy...
Citra: Are you sure they are going to allow us to open it here?

We were at an eatery in town and what else could it be other than food? Of course, I am playing it cool. Maul passed the 'stuff' to Citra behind my back. I stole a glance, Tessie caught me and said: 'Come on, stop acting cool, you know it's for you!' Darn! Thank you very much for spoiling the fun that I am going to act surprise at the 'stuff'! Nonetheless, it was 6 tiny little (all pinks and butterflies) cupcakes for my birthday. I don't know what to say! 'Oh, it's soooo cute, what tiny little puny pinky things you have gotten for me?' would be too girly, 'Oh... what the hell are you thinking by bringing this to my birthday party?' would be too unappreciative, right?

Therefore, I shall end of the night and this whole birthday thing with a curve on my face - called smile, if you didn't figure it out by now - and say 'Thank you!'

The day I turned 24 doesn't suck so bad after all! For the umpteeth times, Love you guys all!

Quirky Reader

2009-06-08T23:01:00.006+08:00

In case you guys do not know, your presence here is being tracked!!! *Evil laugh!*

Of course, through random "networking" session, I know that loads of ~~random people~~ dearest friends read my blog. Hence, I am super careful on what I write in this public space. Yes, even though most of the time I could not give a damn.

Today, out of curiosity, I checked where do my readers actually were referred from (i.e. how do they managed to get hold of my blog address).

Most came from unknown website. Totally random! I have no idea where they come from but I am super delighted to see international readers like US and Australia.

Some came from friends' blog, as you can find on the left bar. Oh no, now it is changed temporarily - or will be cemented - to the right.

And a couple came from google search. One caught my eye! He/she typed this in the search bar.

Seriously, what were you expecting to came out of that?!?! Or more precisely, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!?!

P.S. To the (wo)man, peace out, let's be friends! Email me!

New face? Not!

2009-05-31T03:03:00.005+08:00

Woohoo!!! Some of you might know that I used to hate twitters. I do not really see the need of announcing my every single movement to the world. But twits make it sooo convenient to give an updates, especially when inspiration runs dry!

Besides, two of my favorite bloggers is now doing twitter updates! Hence, me being a copycat, trying to join in the gang! If you guys have noticed, I have my twitter feed on the right bar. Unfortunately, it did not work out with my old layout. Hence, I have to change the skin as well! Gah!

And so.... I have decided to change the appearance of the whole blog, soon! (I bet you know me well enough when it will be ;P) Any ideas/suggestions on what I should include (or not), leave comments ya!

In the meanwhile, bear with it and I may come up with a whole new look, when inspiration arrives!

Enjoy my twits when I am on my wits' end!

Don't bother to read the rest of the entry for I have said it all in my subject title. There's nothing here!

2009-05-24T23:37:00.006+08:00

Talking about efficiency, here's the latest trend in the office: the emails have long subjects but no content, with head but no body.

My Artsy-fartsy Neighborhood

2009-05-24T12:42:00.003+08:00

I have never said this but I love my neighbourhood!!!

The one thing that I love about staying in HDB flats is the camaraderie that you cannot find in the high and sophisticated precincts. It was colourful and interesting area to be in, really!

Oh well, you caught me! I am trying to justify the noisy and artistic neighbours that I have. They are a bunch of.... unique people! They never fail to entertain me with their out-of-tune singing and mispronounciation.

Somewhere near to my unit, there live a hidden rocker. Blasting the music of Alone by Heart, he, without fail (and without much success too) scream their lungs out. It was a pain in my ears. I think he is trying to audition for Singapore Idol - the bathroom edition.

Next door, a Myanmar family who loves to vacuum the floor every day. Damn, I want to sleep late on weekends! They also looooves to blast the same music over and over and over again. Well, I think it's them as I do not know who will be listening to a song which has the same sound as Indian words in the lyrics and typical Indonesian pop song tune. As I am writing this, I have listened to a song which have the sound of 'ne.. ne.. ne.. ne.. teng.. teng.. kua.. kua..' at the end of the sentences, for the 10th time. Oh, they just changed it, finally!!!

Feeling the competition, the Indian and Chinese families from different floors or neighbouring blocks, will sometimes join in the fun! They will blast old Hokkien or Tamil songs with high and broken pitch. High enough to make my window shatters.

Drumbeats from youth initiatives and lion dance troops, orchestras from Malay wedding and karaoke gathering for oldies, left me spoilt for choices of which crappy groups to trash-talk about. Argh, my eardrums have burst and gone numb anyway. In the end, it left me with no choice but to be grateful with this upbeat and lively neighbourhood.

I looove my neighbours, really!

Miserable May

2009-05-11T20:16:00.002+08:00

Keep it short. I am broke this month!

I was not planning on catching it in the theatre but I went for CATS at Esplanade two Sundays ago. I was substituting a friend who had last minute work that she had to attend to. The usual theatre-buddies is not satisfied with cheapest, restricted-view seats. They want nothing but the best! They bought the category A seat!!! The most expensive seat. Yes!

The verdict: Love CATS as a musical but hate CATS when they are staged in the Esplanade. There was no live orchestra and the costume was a little untidy. Oh well, blame it on the high expectation that I came in with due to the VCD that I have watched umpteen times.

The next big purchase of the month: my new Samsung Omnia!!! Have been toying with the idea of pampering myself with a high-tech gadget that allow me to watch movie on-the-go. I was eyeing Samsung Omnia vs iPhone. Weighing pros and cons, Samsung Omnia won with the price tag! iPhone is over-rated, according to some people, and the phone plan cost higher. The bigger the hole in my wallet, the more blood I shed!

That said, can someone help me how to play non-DivX videos on my dear Omnia?!? I need to get my $400 worth, right?

With another wedding dinner to attend to, how low can my bank account go?

P.S. I have just received a scolding that I have no right to complain for she is in worse plight. T.T

I am finally an SPR!!!

2009-04-25T14:19:00.005+08:00

Singapore Permanent Resident, that is!

I have gotten my IC.... number S85xxxxxD and will be collecting my IC next Saturday.

For God's sake, thank you but you do not need to congratulate me! I am not at all THAT excited. I am just relieved that it's over! The process took ages, right from the day of my graduation till now 8 months later! Here how it goes...

Just before final exams, everyone (rather, all the graduating foreigners) was talking about getting a letter (which tells that ICA could grant you a PR once you secure a permanent job) from ICA and talked as if it's the most important piece of crap to secure an employment. Beat it! I got one without the stupid letter, which later I found out that the letter was really just another... crap!

Requested for the above-mentioned letter from ICA and they delivered it to my mailbox on my last birthday. Ironically, I am more excited to receive that note than to read the approval letter a few weeks ago. I told the whole world that I can apply for an SPR!

After securing a job, my employer decided to apply for an employment pass for me. Of course, I told them that I could directly apply for an SPR with that ICA letter. They refused and I admit it was a smart move, lest I am not able to board the plane to US. The irritating part was that when the HR lady told me that I could only apply after 6 months as they were scared that ICA would reject me. Whatever!!! I think they were more worried to have me rejected them after I got my PR.

6 months later....

I was told that we have to make an e-appointment. Smart move by ICA to ease the pain of the people who have to endure hours of looooong queue. I am, however, still not impressed with their never-replied email services, never-picked-up machine-operated hotline and the super inefficient service. My joy was short-lived! The next earliest appointment was in February 2009! I have absolutely no idea what's so great about this blue plastic card that everyone yearns, me included!

After numerous page-refreshing and multiple log-ins, on 14 January 2009, finally, I made my way to ICA and apply! I gave all the required documents including the crappy later that I requested long time ago. The bummer came when the lady at the counter told me that the letter was only to aid me to look for an employment. After you secure one, you can just threw it away, practically! So much for the trouble!

One months... Two months... Three months...

Not a single letter. I called up ICA and was entertained only 15 minutes later for a conversation less than 30 seconds
Old operator: Hi XX of ICA speaking, how may I help you?
Me: *pounding on the table, cursing* I applied for my PR 3 months ago and I have yet to get a reply
Old operator: FIN No. please
Me: F27xxxxxQ
Old operator: I am sorry?
Me: F...2...7...
Old operator: F...2...7... Correct or not?
Me: Yes!!! F27x...x...x...x...x...Q...
Old operator: Name of applicant?
Me: Tony
Old operator: Birthday?
Me: *impatient* 12 June 1985
Old operator: oh, pending request
Me: Oh, how...
-click-
Me: !#$%^
She hangs up on me! Wow, first-class service!!!

The letter finally arrives 3 days later. The approval date: even before I called them! They have crappy service and they, evidently, have a crappy database too!

Finally, yesterday, I completed all formalities! Submitted forms, paid the money, get the thumbprint and the relevant permits. When I thought I could end it all there and then, please come back again next week to collect your IC!

And there you go... my journey to get an SPR status.

Seriously, after all this tribulations, other than being able to be exempted from paying $200 deposit to Singtel, I have no idea what joy I could jump for with that blue plastic card. Enlighten me!

P.S. Princess Ling had the same last alphabet D on her IC and told her that there's something common in our IC numbers, here it is.
P.P.S. In the midst of looking through that, they even have a wikipedia page on NRIC. Whadda?!?

My Graduation Photos

2009-04-12T10:52:00.009+08:00

I was raking my photo album and realize that I don't think that I have never posted these photos.

Yes, my graduation photos!!!! How could I miss them?!?

Here's me with the board outside the UCC. Kind of compulsory post!

That was me receiving the scroll on the stage! My parents were soooo proud!

Eh, I thought I did the hat-throwing ritual at the 'I WAS HERE' sign outside UCC?

What? You did not take picture with me? Shame on you!

Alright, alright! I don't think I am a good liar! It was supposed to be an April Fool's joke but the computer was only ready 3 days ago!

Truth is, if your memory did not fail you,

I was not even here during my own graduation!

*Yes, kind of guilty because my parents have not attended any of their children's graduation.*

It was all photo studio and photo-shopped!

Here are the rest of the pictures, raw but slightly photoshopped. I especially requested them to remove my pimples!

Me and my family in relaxed mode

Me and my parents

Me and my siblings

Me and my family

When doing photoshoot in a studio, any fantasy can happen!

Here's me trying to imitate receiving the scroll by holding to a piece of crap paper

My brother did a graduation photoshoot too, in MY robe! How ridiculous is that? I don't think I want to post those pictures here!

It was all a good fun and thank you for the people at the studio who have made all this happen! I shall reveal the name if they want to give me advertisement fee! And of course, thank you for my friends whom I have leech their photos on facebook for the beautiful background.

YES!!! I graduated WITH a degree!!!!!

Here's me and my family one more time! I am so loving this photo that I decided to post it one more time. Look how gorgeous I am!

Last word: Being a model is not all that glamorous!

My Little Confession

2009-04-12T10:37:00.002+08:00

I don’t understand why all male species have such a super huge ego. What are we preserving when we refuse to admit that we are inferior in certain ways? What do we really gain if we admit we are obviously in the wrong? There, you shouted it out loud: our face, our pride, our everything!

You girls may ask why do we act cool and continue driving when we totally don’t know where to go. Blame it on stupid research that majority of guys are better with reading maps and directions. It would then be totally demoralizing to realize that we belong to the minority when our female friends have to take over the wheel. I admit that it’s childish but we have to salvage the last thing that we have left – the ability to read the map… and take control.

Another fact that we will never admit: our limited ability to take spicy food. I realize most girls have higher ability to endure the nasty little thing called chili. We can match them, if not better, we will say. You know what? We will just sweat it out in front of you, slurping our food, enduring the burning tongue and wiping our pink runny nose and still say: ‘I am so NOT getting a kick out of it’. You girls will then make fun of it, saying: ‘come on, don’t need to pretend!’ I am sorry to disappoint, we will just say: ‘actually I can eat spicy food, I am just allergic to chili, hence wringing the sweat out of me!’ I know that we, men, are hard, or may be even harder, to understand too!

In the financial status, we are on top too! Men are instilled with a value that they should bring home the bacon. A culture that had been passed down since our stone-age ancestors brought the pig back to be barbecued for dinner. It’s hard for us to admit that we are broke and are forced to be a house-husband or a stay-at-home dad, changing your babies’ diapers while looking at our partners flying high and climbing those corporate ladders. Time has changed but we, guys, still cannot take in this brutal fact. Do pardon us! We just want to give the best for you! *Did I just lie to you about that?*

Physical prowess! Oh yeah, another thing that we are more superior to you! It’s proven time and again, from the oldest primitive days, we are stronger! We can bring loads of heavy craps at one go! You stand on the other side of the road seeing your men comically juggling around, and maybe while laughing in your tiny, little hearts. We struggle, we give up, and we decided to shift things in a few rounds with lighter load and said: "I did not have a good sleep last night, hence, stiff neck and weak arms. Don’t worry! I will be done in a jiffy." Whatever it is, we may not have the energy and the courage to admit our weaknesses, but we do still have the strength and the pride to bring your classy and expensive pink Juicy Couture handbag down Orchard Road.

Like any other men, I am so not going to admit to my weakness - sloth. One of the seven deadly sins. I am not going to admit that I can rot in front of my television every weekend. I am not going to admit that I am too lazy to care about the world. Of course, I would never ever bother to apologize for not writing any blog entry for ages.

Nonetheless, on behalf of the other chauvinist and egoistic men in the world, I shall help them to confess:
"We. Hate. Ourselves. Forgive us!"

I am back!!!!

2009-04-10T19:09:00.003+08:00

After the long hiatus,

After taking a looooong, well-deserved break,

After a series of speculations of virus attacks and reformattings,

Finally....

The kind IT guy at SMU give the last verdict....

the in-built wireless card is not updated!

WTH!!!!! It took me 6 months to fix this! Hopefully, this solves all the problems and I can write my entries peacefully without the threat of blue screen looming!

I AM BACK!!!!

Log it Away!!

2009-03-02T17:28:00.002+08:00

Do you know the good thing of working in a new firm? I have to admit I am so blessed that we can start a whole brand-new office culture. It was a hassle, no doubt, but I am truly thankful that I could learn much more, building a company from scratch, literally.

And the latest craze in office? Logging! Not blogging, mind you! I could say, perhaps, almost 50% of my time in the office was spent logging in information into loads of crazy forms. I must first tell you upfront that I am not complaining. Logging is necessary. It’s parts and parcel of working life. It’s a regulatory condition that we have to adhere to. It’s a standard that we have to upkeep in order to produce quality data. Of course, it’s also a magic piece of paper to wipe your own dirty backside when you are in deep sh*t.

Early in the morning, once you step into the office, you have to log into your computer and get into the office mode. Log in to open your mailbox, servers and other work-related resources. There’s nothing crazy in here, it’s kind of basic to deal with computers in the working world.

It was dreadful, though, if you want to do an experiment in the laboratory. When you want to start an experiment, you have to log in what sorts of chemicals you take as well as the quantity that you scoop out. That was just one form to fill in, easy peasy! Wrong! There is one sheet for solvents, there is another for reference standard and yet another for sample that you want to analyze.

Some of the instruments require data to be logged in prior to use. Some requires once-a-day check, while some needs right-before-use check.

I think we are ready to go. Oh shucks, I forgot to take the HPLC (some analytical instrument) column from the administrator. Another logging, pepz! Have you lost count?

I guess we are good to go and we may proceed with the experiment.

In the midst of experiment….. Shoots! My pen ran out ink! Remember to log in the stuff that you took from the cupboard and, of course, that tiny little post-it pad that you forget to note down last month.

Data is finally out!!! Erm, I think this peak in the chromatogram could be ignored and this data need not be included in the calculation. Iam doubtful. Fret not, I think I ever encountered such a situation, let me refer to my previous run to interpret the data! Oh, do remember to log out the document that you take out of the library!

At the end of the experiment, do you think you are done with logging? Nope! You have to log in your disposed chemical waste (i.e. you have to report the rubbish that you throw). And of course, log in your dirty glassware to be sent for washing, if you want to get yours back. *Frankly, I still don’t understand why some people are just so possessive about glassware.*

At the end of the day, the area owner (rather, the key holder) will ask, ‘Who will still need access to the HPLC room?’ . If you do need to stay back she will reply, 'Since I am leaving, can you just log into this sheet so that I know you are the one who are holding on to the key?”
*FYI, this last stupid log is only meant to cover her own ass and is not any official document that we are required to fill in!*

Yes people, logging is fun, logging is the new culture! The next time you borrow my pen, have you log it in?

P.S. I am sorry for the chemistry-related entry. If you understand, bravo! If you don’t, just take it that logging is fun and you should start this culture too!

10 I-swear-I-Will-Kill-Ya MRT Passengers

2009-03-02T17:19:00.002+08:00

Another retrospective entry (last week, last Thursday!)

I feel like shouting out, “WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!?!?”, every single time I got on to the train. I can’t understand how these people acts in public. Arghhh!!! Let me know how you feel about these idiots!!!

#10: Smelly men
Well, I hate those people who reeks in the morning. Don't you pigs bathe after a sweaty night, you? I also hate jasmine (and maybe garlic) perfume from those people (you know what I am talking about)! Morning rush hours is never pleasant!

#9: Deaf musicians
I loathe these people who always blare their music through their earphones. The worst are those who always tune in to hard rock. So NOISY!!! Hope that their eardrums burst soon!

#8: We-are-having-conference-here-with-my-volleyball teenagers
This species is usually seen as a big group of school kids in sloppy beach wears, equipped with water bottles and volleyball and SIT on the floor near the exits. They make stupid whistles, crude jokes, and blare music from portable radio. Just a word to describe them: NOISE!

#7: Young-at-heart men
Mostly army boys, sporty tertiary students and maybe working men who just cannot let go. Spotted mostly in sports wear and boasting around a common topic (mostly around fitness, women and cars). Sometimes, they will use the grab poles as chin-up bars. I am so wishing that those chin-up bars will just break before them.

#6: Pole-leaners
I may be guilty of this but I will only lean on the poles during off-peak hours. Some people will just lean on these poles even during rush hours, leaving me doing the balancing acts. It’s irritating especially during rough jerks when the train changes lanes. I hate them because I have almost fallen down, thrice, yes, three freaking embarrassing times!

#5: Family with small kids
It might be blissful to see this mums and dads caring the kids. Unfortunately, I do curse those who misuse the priority seats or, rather, any empty seats. Despite coming with trolleys, these parents will put their tots on regular seat and land their own butts on the others. Hence, they will use TWO seats when they could let go of one! Worse still, they let their kids STAND on those seats with their shoes. They would be so playful and make all sorts of noise. Looking at them, it reminds me of the monkeys behind the cages at the zoo!

#4: Door-keepers
Those who waited in the middle of the doors to board the train and refuse to give way to people to alight! Some of them would actually give a freaking stare that as if it was your fault to alight. WHAT?!?!

#3: I-have-been-pushed-to-the-centre-and-now-let-me-out passengers
Due to unlucky circumstances, these people were pushed to the centre of the train and they are scared that the doors are going to close on them before they have a chance to alight. Well, it’s frustrating if you are in the middle of the exit and there two throngs of crowd who say ‘excuse me’ from either sides. Naturally, when you let one pass, you have to block the other. They will then make a fuzzy, impatient noise. Hello!!! I do pity you for being pushed to the back and the more noise you make, the more I am not going to let you out, get it?

#2: Gramps
God forbids it but I am so cannot tolerate these old folks. Out of nowhere, they will do all their might just to get into the train first. They will dash in, crudely push you out of the way and approach the train even when the train is still moving. They will scour for seats and again, will dash rudely even though you spotted it first. I know they are old, I should respect them and I should look out for them. Heck, they don’t deserve it, they are brittle and dangerous! That is why I will just sleep, or pretend to, if I am seated. And I will only let you sit if I can see your purple senior citizen concession card! Eat it!

And now, the ultimate irritating species who ride on the MRT:
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

#1: FARTERS!!!
Damn, if not because of them, I won’t even be writing this entry. Farting is one matter, farting and accusing me is another!!! On my way to work yesterday (read:last Thursday), I heard a super loud fart! The culprit, without saying a word, just looked disgustingly at me! Of all people, it was me!!! As a result, every single one on board looked at my direction, even those who were back-facing me challenged their flexibility to see what the commotion was. God, damn it! I was totally embarrassed and I swore that he will have a rotten *ss for the rest of his life!

Oh yes, I have never been sooooo lucky in my life!

Things I did on Valentine!

2009-03-02T17:14:00.002+08:00

Knock2! Are you still there?!?! Sorry for the super long barren blog. My computer is down with stupid bug after I repaired it, AGAIN. Talk about unlucky! Hence, here's to compensate!

It's a restrospective entry that I wrote right after V Day on MS Word and cut-and-paste it in the office. Don't have too high a hope, I warned ya!

It’s frustrating! I have no inspiration at all! That is going to explain on why this blog is super empty! Thank you if you are doing the F5-button marathon every weekend to get something out of here.

I have no gossip to tattle on! Office is super peaceful nowadays. Well, there maybe a couple of news but don’t think it’s ethical to rattle on blogs, rather, on MY blog! Circles of friends are getting smaller and poof, I am so predicting that they will shrink like how our Earth is sinking!

I, too, have no muse to talk about. I am lonely, am I not? On the other hand, I am so thankful not to have one. I have heard stories that one day you are the muse and the next, you are old news.

You get my drift?

It’s okay if you don’t. That is not the point. It’s just a lousy opening to start off my blog in this commercialized day of love. Still single, still free and still happy as ever this Valentine! With no girlfriend to take care of, 14 February is just another weekend, really! The perfect weekend to catch up on the scandalous episodes of Desperate Housewives and Gossip Girl!

Well, I confess, I did not only catch up on those series! Also, I did get mad on V Day! Here’s why!

#1: I am so hating people who have handphone but never reply my sms-es until the next morning! As always....

#2: I am so hating seeing everything along Orchard Road is meant for 2. Sale are for two – one for him and one for her. Dinners are also meant for two. Don’t you serve anything special for one on V Day? Okay I get it, I wouldn’t want to eat out alone on V Day, anyway! ;P

#3: I am so hating everything is being so overpriced. For God’s sake, it’s just another weekend, why do they need to jack up meal prices? Even one pathetic stalk of rose that is writhing can catch up to $20! Geez, who are complaining about economic crisis? Bullsh*t! And you better stop lecturing me that there is no limit to show your love! Bullsh*t! Bullsh*t!

#4: I am so hating the way writers always mention that V Day is to be celebrated everyday and not just only on one particular day. Can they just get a little creative? So old-fashioned!!!

#5: I am so hating people (mostly singles) who said that V Day is also a friendship day. Wake up people!!! If you have no partner to celebrate it with, don’t justify that you should celebrate it too!!

Lastly, I am just so hating myself writing this stupid, pointless, boring entry on a Valentine’s day!

P.S. I will have come out with something juicy soon lest my readers will drop like flies!

2009 - MY Prosperous Ox Year

2009-01-16T14:52:00.011+08:00

Happy New Year!!!! It's stale but I will say it again! Happy New Year 2009!!! And my blog is officially one year old!!!

Two things that has been bothering me since the beginning of the year: Resolution-making and public's view on the most successful drama ever - The Little Nyonya!

There was a report from an Australian researcher stating that making resolution is going to make you down emotionally. This was hypothesized to be due to lame resolutions that you make. Bad resolutions, which normally involves weight (yes, I am still trying to lose), love (I am searching but can you blame the freedom of singles?), family (I am guilty but for the sake of future...), might remind you of the haunting experiences in the past year involving weight, love and family, respectively.

With that, aren't you getting angry when ALL journalists in Singapore were going noble and did not make funny resolutions? All resolve NOT to make any resolution. Every single journalists said that the purpose of making resolution is to make yourselves improve, hence why do it only on New Year's Day? *YAWN* All bloggers did it too!!! Come on, resolutions are meant to be broken. Hence, why don't you make it a fun thing to be included in your must-do list every year?
I have decided to go against the norm this year: to make resolution!!!

Oh before I do that, let us recall my 2008 resolutions:
Resolution #1: To keep everyone updated of myself and to get all the forgotten people back into my life. In terms of my company's self-assessment, I will rate myself partially achieved this goal. I have set-up this blog but no one reads. Well, don't blame me for the lack of publicity and lack of updates. I am not paid for this! I have made the effort!

Resolution #2: Improve my always-deteriorating Japanese. Watched 1 Japanese drama, it was ARGH! Will reveal in private as I don't want to be bashed by his fans! Read free Japanese magazine. Not too bad. Took JLPT 3 and I think I will make it. Achieved?

Resolution #3: Graduate and get a life! Graduated with 2nd lower Honours but my boss did not even see my transcript!! Got a wonderful job with below-expectation salary but a trip to US! Love it!!!

Resolution #4: To get all the above 3 resolutions rite! Erm, judge for yourselves, I think I did a wonderful job! ;P *giving myself a pat on my back!*

With that I shall resolve to be a better person in 2009!!!

*You Kick!*

*You Bash!*

*You Punch!*

*I RUN!!!!*

In a more serious note,here are my 2009 resolutions:

#1: To be more involved with my family. I have not visited my family for the past 18 months (darn FYP!) and I am super excited for the journey back in 7 days' time. I am so guilty for not knowing when my sister took off her braces. I am super guilty for not visiting grandma for the longest time. Can you relate to that?

#2: To learn something NEW, and of course fun! Be it office-related, sports, arts (both performing & visual). Listen well Jack of all trades, move over!

#3: To travel around somewhere with dearest! *stop blowing whistle!* I am aiming to have visas from 5 countries of 5 different continents before my passport expired in 2011. I guess it's kind of impossible unless my pay is raised and my leave days is increased to 30 days per year.

And perhaps #4: Raise blog entry number by 50% this year!

How about them as resolutions? Support me!!!!
.

Over with resolutions, the next crappy thing on newspaper is Singaporeans either complain or praise a Chinese drama about Peranakan families - The Little Nyonya.

Personally, I love the show for introducing a culture that I have been pretty curious about, especially when my mum grew up in a family similar, but with lots of differences, to the Peranakans. I liked the way they feature the colourful traditional dishes, costumes and rituals. The storyline itself is one that is not common in Singaporean drama. It's scheming! General public loves it and they can't wait for this Singapore-produced drama to be exported to nearby Asian countries.

Unfortunately, sometimes, you can't just please everyone! One idiot wrote in to say that the story should be told in a Peranakan language. Geez, what is Peranakan language? Peranakan, as I googled, is defined by descendants of Chinese male and Malay female couples. If you go by the term 'mother tounge', is Malay considered as Peranakan language? I ever read somewhere that most of early Peranakan descendants are with Hokkian fathers. Hence, would you expect the drama to be told in Hokkian? If the drama is told in Malay, Hokkian or some other weird Peranakan languange, would it still be as successful? Doubt it!

Another one wrote: the drama portrays wrong image of Babas who are timid and scared of their wives. I bet this guy is a MCP! For God's sake, it's just a drama! Let it go!!! Aren't you tired of dramas with macho guys? Frankly, the more juicy dramas are all those with women being the stars. See Sex and The City, Desperate Housewives, Cashmere Mafia, Gossip Girl, Samantha Who?. Compare that with Entourage, Prison Break, Lost, Numbers. Ultramasculine guy 0: Sexy and bitchy girls 1!

Seriously, one more time I see a complain about the show, I am so going to make a resolution #5: To write script for the next big production about Bugis people! Hey, they were the early occupants of Singapore and had a GREAT distribution to nation building!

With that, what say you? (Singlish for "what is your say?")

Closing the Year

2008-12-31T13:42:00.003+08:00

31 December, Phew!!! Spending the New Year in Singapore, alone, AGAIN!!! I am still scrambling for companion for the countdown. If you lack company tonight, you know my number!

Nonetheless, I have to rush off and just want to wish you

GOOD BYE 2008, HELLO 2009! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Hope that 2009 will be filled with gossip and scandal so that there will always be something to write on my blog!

Thank you for all your support and I will come back in a new year with more juicy stuff!!!

Have a good holiday!!!

Back To School 2008

2008-12-30T17:52:00.016+08:00

I have a psychic power and next year's DnD theme is going to be "Back To School, AGAIN!!!" Hurray!!!

Let me recall snippets from my fantastic educational journey for the past 23 years! It's going to be a long entry and I would not recall every single details of my life. If that is the case, I will write a bibliography and not a blog entry *wow, that rhymes*.

During my kindergarten (they call it 'small zero' and 'big zero' in Indonesia) days, I met a girl who sat beside me during graduation ceremony. Call it puppy love and who the hell is she now? I can only stare at the ceiling and cry at my lonely fate. At 23, still single and openly available! Kindergarten was the time when I started my first stage and TV debut by dancing traditional Balinese dance. WTF, I sure stood up for being the only Chinese boy on the screen, no matter how much dark foundation they use. Talking about independence, I am the only boy in my family who uses the pick-up service instead of private chauffers. Super proud of it!

In primary school, more girls!!! I am so loving the camaraderie that we have all day long. I miss the fun! I miss the stress-free, laidback lifestyle. I miss you guys!!! Can we have a reunion again?

I used to think that I was not chosen to compete in regional top and diligent student (how do you translate 'murid teladan'?) due to the fact that I was emotionally unstable over the loss of my grandma. In fact, I am still in denial! I still cannot accept the fact that I was not selected due to the fact that I could not build a styrofoam house!!! I am a chemist and not an architect. Aren't the teachers supposed to have this abilities to spot students' hidden talents?

At the end of 6 years with this crazy bunch of people, Dad asked: "So, where next? Malang?" Recalling my brother was tortured with no entertainment and no hot water for 6 months, Malang is hell!!! Hence, for those who always asked, 'why Singapore?' You have my most innocent but truthful answer.

Carrying on the flame of education, I entered a neighborhood secondary school with awful purple skirts. Not too bad a stay. This was where I was tortured with 2.4km run. What the hell are all this running for? Yes, I had my lowest BMI ever at 23 and keep on rising after I left.

Two years later, I confessed that I wanted to become a doctor through my weekly English journal. We were suppose to write anything under the sky but I wrote a diary! I still recall that I ever wrote: 'I began to notice a girl but is this what people call love?' and you guess what my English teacher replied: 'Wake up! You are just a secondary two school boy!' Ok, I am lying, indeed she replied: 'Take your time! What is meant to be yours will be yours' and I threw the whole book away! Oh, back to the doctor ambition, the same teacher encouraged me to transfer school as they did not offer triple-science subject combination.

Hence, I transfered to another more established neighbourhood school which has upgraded to 'autonomous' status now. I have never played truant until then! I skipped lots of my CCA's foot drill session, courses, training. It was training in hell that I just have to skip! And the worst of all, ALL the boys in my class was playing soccer during an English class. The teacher was furious, dragged all of us back and wrote the words: 'I AM ANGRY!' on the black board and left without saying a single word. Punishment? Sing to her during Teachers' Day! Easy peasy.

After having a so-so preliminary result, entered a junior college institution which is English oriented and wild!! Partied after school everyday and cheated my weight so that I need not go for extra training. Of course, I was caught and given detention which I have never attended as I changed school due to my poor English result.

Yup, result's out and I flunked my English! Super sad and I cried for 2 hours after receiving my result slip. It was super embarrasing. It's the end of the world!!! But no, I could enter a JC on condition that I have to pass the following year's exam. Got into a new JC, I was the third batch and heard that everything is super fun. The Pioneer *no pun intended* batch had a chance to design school rules and school uniform. The principal thought that it was out of hand and change it all together. Only black and white pizza hut uniform with cheezy *again, no pun intended* school rules.

'A' level results are out and here is my university days! Woot! The most fun period of all, forgetting the torturing FYP days and having no graduation photos. Erm, let me recall, Science Rag and Orientation 2005, Talentquest organizing committee 2006, PINUS executive committee, Indonesian Arts Festival 2007, iCARE volunteering, Europe Immersion Program, Internship. Countless unforgettable memories. The proudest moment of all I am the first director of Indonesian cultural show in NUS. When I was in Indonesia... Of course, NUANSA 08 - Prambanan: A Thousand Beauties was an improvement, but heck I am the FIRST! For those who never heard of NUANSA, just forget it and move on!

After all that torturing years, companies now even force you to recall of the 'fun' school days during DnD parties.

During internship in another company, we had a DnD with 'Back to school' theme. It had a huge turnout and everyone is super creative! Some came as Harry Potter clans, some came as university brats *yawns*, some in school rebel gangs, some even dresses as some Chinese scholars. The food was a 10-course Chinese-style banquet! Yum!!! The program was good and entertaining. I had the best time of my life!

In September, I receive an email: this years DnD's theme is..... you guess, Back to School! The downfall of having uncreative theme is you will be compared! And me had such a high expectation and the whole thing seemed to turn out super wrong!

First, the costume! I know I am not as creative but what will you think if you see a clan of aged aunties dressing in St Margaret's polka-dotted uniform with two pony tails? How about a bunch of guys wearing their sons' short pants without shaving their legs?

The core of all party, the food! Super duper horrible! The food was cold, the meat was tough, some were too salty and some were too bland!

The program! As I have attended similar company function, I have expected the 'unique' school pledge. Let me try to recite to you: 'We, the employees of XX, pledge ourselves as one united company, regardless of pay, standings or rankings, to be a sucessful company, based on *shucks, how could I forgot the rest* So ya, basically the powerful Singapore pledge has been transformed to a meek and weak mission statement.

Carrying on, the host was crappy! Can't he do a trial before the event?

What's come next? The trivia quiz was old-school! What is the MRT stops after Outram Park? Geez! Which era of school are we going back to? Next, award-giving ceremony! Supeeeeeer long and we have not been fed! Who cares about their achievements when people have their stomach to care for? Came after all that, the most unoriginal and ridiculous role-play, you milk me, I eat you banana, argh!

Lastly, the band! Crappy! Period!

Phew, the good, old, fun, school days are gone! Welcome to reality that we have to slog for the rest of our years. However, before I end this entry, do enjoy the school pics from the latest school reunion. I tried to dig my kindergarten and primary school pictures but they are not digital. Maybe next time when I have the time to scan! ;P Indulge!

The class photo with the confused boy. I was trying to be an American college boy, FYI.

The other half of the class

School belle

School cuties and

School nerd! *I have tried to be nice, ok?*

P.S. It's already 7.30pm and I have not left office! It's all because of U!!!!

My 2009 Office Resolution

2008-12-29T16:59:00.003+08:00

Disclaimer: *I always forget to write every time!* This entry is not talking about anyone in particular! If you are offended, it's time for you to do some self-reflection instead of finding ways to get back at me. ;P

I know that 2008 has not come to an end. Does it matter? Everyone at work already thinks that it's a holiday anyway. Hence, on top of my yearly bonus (oops, I forget to thank God that we are eligible too!), I shall come out with my new 2009 office resolution!

1. I shall resolve NOT to engage in any online conversation session, be it MSN, facebook or Yahoo! messenger, Gtalk, Sametime. You name it, I shall refrain!

2. I shall resolve NOT to blog-surf or explore any other websites that sounds interesting.

3. I shall resolve NOT to watch Gossip Girl during working hours (technically, I am from 8.30 to 5.30! Do not disturb me, you have been warned!).

4. I shall resolve NOT to blog when I am working. Come on, it's a good stress reliever!

5. I shall resolve NOT to walk to other people's cubicles to talk anything other than work.

6. I shall resolve NOT to take so many toilet breaks and snack sessions.

7. I shall resolve NOT to act busy but to be REAL busy.

8. I shall, instead, read more intelectual articles to improve my technical knowledge, and maybe come out a presentation for everybody else!

9. I shall, too, be innovative and find the most effective solution to reduce man-hour.

LASTLY,

10. I shall resolve NOT to act noble, or to pretend as if I have never did it, if I violated any of the above resolution!

Pretty ambitious har? Does it matter? Resolutions are meant to be broken anyway! Who keep to theirs?

Random Chat: One Egg & A Viagra

2008-12-18T16:20:00.004+08:00

Over lunch yesterday, we stumbled upon a breakfast menu and commented that the set meal is pretty worthy until...

A colleague Z: Eh, 2 half-boiled eggs and a pair of toast for $2.50 is not too bad
Another colleague Y: Heh? Wait! They are trying to rip you off!
Me: Heh? Why?
Y: Ya, 2 half-boiled egg leh
Me: *still puzzled* Ya? So?
Y: *innocently* 2 halves is only one egg mah!
Me: HUAHUAHUA

Soon enough, she realized that it was actually 2 half-boiled eggs and not 2 halves of boiled eggs.

If egg is not enough, I was served viagra at night!
One friend X: Come try this! It is foei-gras-stuffed chicken.
Me: Wah... Impressive!!
Another friend W: Wait!!! Viagra-stuffed chicken? Cool!
Me: *puzzled and thought hard whether I have a hearing problem or it's just X with pronounciation problem*.................

ME - The Technologically-challenged

2008-12-01T13:03:00.003+08:00

Poor you, my readers! Whenever you opened up my link and it is always the same old boring entries! And you have to always read: 'My apology for not writing in a while and I promise...." Fret not, I am not going to do that today!!! I am officially putting my blog to a sleep for a while.

Yes! It's kind of a contradict when a blogger, who is supposed to be ~~super~~ good with computer, cannot even repair his own laptop.

Yes! I have given up! Till I manage to resolves it, I am afraid this blog will remain inactive until after Chinese New Year. *or steal some working hours to blog around*

Yes! I wish someone just pay me at least $3K *I know my salary is not $3K but if they fire me, I might as well find a better offer, right?* to keep me blogging and give me a new Apple to go along with the deal.

I know.... I have so much stories to tell.

I want to tell you how I hate to be an Indonesians (yes, you get it right! Over the tax crap!)

I want to tell you how I hope not to be a Singaporean who alwaysssssss complain. Give too much work, complain! Rush-hour not enough train, complain! Want to give home-education but cannot enter normal-stream post-primary education, complain! *HELLO, whose fault for wanting to be exclusive?!?* Cars cannot enter bus lane, complain! Cars can enter bus lane, complain! People 'book' seat with tissue paper, complain! Cannot get discount, complain! Can get discount, complain it's not enough! People speak rotten Singlish, complain! People speak rotten Mandarin, complain! I don't return them 60cents also complain! I know I am complaining about people who complain, but who can complain the writer complaining?

I also want to tell you how to get to the front page of local newspaper, but AFTER you are dead, sadly! And the good thing is that they will run your story for 10 days non-stop! From how a great ballerina you were to how devoted and sad your husband is, it will all be reported! Ha!

I want to tell you my office politics! This is kind of getting more interesting. Some dumb people get dumber. Some irritating asshole is even more irritating! Some pathetic one is getting more pathetic! I only have one rule: Silence is golden! Working in Asia is definitely different from working in US.

I want to tell you if I am not a chemist, I will be...

I want to tell you my back to school days!

I want to tell you how I classify: soulmate, friend, colleague and bitch!

And I have definitely not tell you my US trip, how can I not?!?!?

I know.... I have so much stories to tell.

I definitely know, I think I am changing my mind to put this blog to sleep till after CNY. I will be working my ass off till late, blogging! Pay me OT, can?

Live Blogging

2008-11-17T10:08:00.024+08:00

I am not dead yet!!! And I will be doing something I have never done before! I will be blogging LIVE from my office desktop! Here we go! Refresh every 5 15 minutes if you need to.

10:09 AM: Had finished my morning ritual of checking emails, made morning coffee, signed off someone that his training has been completed, gossiping session and now... erm, I guess making phonecalls to vendor to rush them for a quotation.

10:15 AM: Stupid receptionist! She asked me to leave a message and she told me to leave my contact details instead! Argh, remind my of the stupid PRC at KFC last Saturday! I need help, what is chicken thigh in Mandarin?!? Is it the same as chicken drumstick? Nope, to him, it's the same as chicken drumlets! Tiny chicken drumlets, slightly bigger chicken drumstick and huge chicken thigh are the same!

10:30 AM: Just finished calculating the milk prices. Should I be Abbott's spokesperson (is this how you spell it?)? ;P

10:44 AM: Discussing the plight of my computer with my cubicle-neighbour! Yes, my laptop is blue again and I don't bother to reformat it! Let it die! Computer, hate you!

10:50 AM: The sky is grey! No, it's black. Wet Monday, heaven is crying with me too!

11:22 AM: Tweaking instruments! Acting busy before they fire me...

11:35 AM: Off to Lunch! Keep tuning!

12:31 PM: Back from lunch and realise my morning post has not even been posted. I think you just need to wait till the end of the day to read my uninteresting working life.

12:37 PM: Just read an email from someone and it read: A gentle reminder to repay the amount before the interests rate rolls in.... For God's sake, we only owe her 60 cents!!!! Does she have to remind us every single day?!?! As if I will run away with her meagre 60 cents! Puh-lease!!! And she added: If you have already paid, please kindly ignore this email. You know what?!?! This email was BCC-ed to me! Hence, it's totally pointless to add that second sentence when the email was just sent to certain people who are still owe her money! Okay, I am giving her the benefit of the doubt. No, on a second thought, maybe not!

12:50 PM: How many centimeters is a feet? Oh no, I heard footsteps...

01:10 PM: It wasn't my boss footsteps. Phew! I was amazed by my colleague who changed his voicemail greeting to: Hi, I am XX of YY company, today is Monday 17 November 2008. I am in the office but unable to take your call. Please leave a message and I will call you back as soon as possible. I am have the discipline every morning, my message will be: Hi, I am Tony, today is Monday, 17 November 2008. The sky is gloomy, hope you bring your umbrella to work. Oh, what do you call me regarding? Rattle on after the beep. Guarantee I will reply back when the sun is out again. Beep....

01:39 PM: Just finished flipping through a stupidly thick catalogue! I am buying anti-slip mat and pump-shield. How inspiring and interesting can it be?

02:00 PM: Finally, I found an Indonesian blog who is entertaining!!! Click here, if you can manage Bahasa.

02:05 PM: WHAT?!?! A floor mat costs me $200 each!!! Made from gold ar? Or is that rubber from North Pole? Can I get a quotation from NTUC?

02:20 PM: Woohoo!!! Found a new hiding place in the instrumentation room. Don't tell boss!!! Psstt!!

03:31 PM: What have I done the past one hour? Erm, toilet break, trying to strangle the stupid receptionist that I am trying to call this morning. Facebooking. Listening to W's rattling on about failure of connecting data server. Today's flow is slow! Seriously!

04:23 PM: Wah 4.30 already!!! 60 more minutes to the end of the day!!! I am officially hating somebody!!! I have said this last week but just don't bother to blog it down.

04:29 PM: Signing a signature log for company's record. Two fields I have to fill in: short form signature and long form signature! WTH! Since when signature has both short and long form? With Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP), I was forced to have another "official" signature. So how? I asked for clarification: Long form means official signature that you used for all official documents, including: passport, bank records, insurance, sex change document, etc. Short form means those for play-play only! With short-form signature, I can embezzle my company's fund and getting away with it! Erm....

05:09 PM: Coming out with a shopping list. Not my forte!

05:32 PM: Miss the countdown to 05:30PM! Darn! Too preoccupied calling people to sweep the floor (fyi, I am a chemist not cleaner supervisor!) to take note the time! Go home!!!

HOME SWEET HOME!!!!

Pre-marital Sex

2008-10-23T20:12:00.006+08:00

OMG!!!!

I have just found out from a close friend of mine. I promised not to tell anybody but now I am telling everybody!!!! A friend of mine has apparently stuck his thing into someone else's Ms V! I am soooo surprised, considering how decent he (tried to) behaved! Looks are deceiving!

I heard you shouting: "Tony is so old-fashioned! It's the 21st century, what else is not acceptable?!?!"

Wait! Let me tell a story...

The girl, after they broke up, decided to call my not-virgin-anymore friend that she is carrying his baby. My friend was super panicky and he had gone super depressed. I now know the reason why he behaved so weirdly back then. He scrambled, trying to get his life straight with or without the baby.

And when he found out that it was just a gimmick from the girl to get him back, he heaved a huge sigh of relief and said: Heng ah!!! (Translate: Lucky! That was close!)

B*st*rd! Despise you! I do not give any respect for you in wanting to have all the fun but tring to act like nothing had happened when disaster arrives. If you want to do it, do it confidently and be responsible, whatever the outcome is! I am making my stand clear! I do NOT support pre-marital sex but I do respect your decision should you want an early experience. Do not leave it to others to pick up the dirt after you. Argh!

On a slightly different tone, recently I came across letters from the public on a forum and some actually suggested: along with the sex education campaign, let's show our children on how to wear condom as well!!! I cannot stop laughing but to imagine:

One day, the teacher came into a classroom with a banana and a dozen of different-flavored condoms. The instructions are: Pick a flavor (I will pick chocolate as chocolate + banana = PERFECT dessert!), roll it out over the banana and ENJOY! Together with that, milo van will be abolished and replaced by condom van! Perfect world!

Since the government is boasting on how mature their young citizens are, why don't they decrease the legal age for having sex? After all, the population is declining right?!?

Okay, I shall stop here! I shall work on my proposal to suggest a new campaign: "Sex is the new football! GOAL!!!!"

Update: Someone pointed out to me that in Australia, they do actually have condom vans and they actually have a (educational) video on the PROPER way to put these condoms on! Wow! Kinky!

Usual Apology

2008-10-20T22:22:00.005+08:00

I had wanted to put on hold my updates of my US days till I consolidated ALL my photos from all my fellow colleagues (I hate this term, argh, separate entries).

After which, I will take a few more slow days to upload it to Photobucket and will try to 'prettify' it. These edited photos (with unwanted people cropped off, with fake-but-better-coordinated colours or with unnecessary confetti) will take a couple more weeks to be uploaded to facebook and blogspot.

After which, I will ~~then be able~~ have to add commentary and inside jokes to live it up.

Do you now understand why it is taking me super long to produce a US-adventure update?

In the meanwhile, courtesy of Kenny Sia's recommendation, entertain yourselves with Fail blog!

Random Bitchings

2008-10-14T18:37:00.002+08:00

I am so super pissed off today!!!

I was waiting for a taxi to get down to Changi airport to send my parents off. I was fortunate to have a taxi stopped by not long after I went down until....

A skinny mum, carried a super-duper-obnoxious and ugly baby, ran out of nowhere with her super-kiasu mum and boarded the taxi RIGHT in front of me!
Me: Errr... Sorry, excuse me!
Skinny mum: *in mean tone* I stand there since very wrong (read: long) oready hor!

I swear to God, I had not seen a single human standing nearby when I flagged for the taxi. I conveniently assumed that the taxi driver stopped for me! There was no 'on call' signage too. Looking at her so pitiful, I let the mum and the son board, with assumption that the taxi driver saw her first and I was the blind chap. And before he drives off, the driver gave me a bewildered look, wondering why I did not board. That's when I know that he actually stopped for ME!!!!

Out of curiousity, I asked the super-kiasu grandma (who did not board the taxi),
Me: 你们从那里跑出来的?!? (Where did you appear from?)
Super-kiasu grandma: 从对面咯！站很久了了! (In super unguilty voice: from across the street lor, stand very wrong oready!)

BLOODY, FUCKING HELL!!!! Is there such a rule that you can snatch taxi from either sides of the road?!? It's too bad that you stand on the wrong side of the road. Booooo!!! I am so going to curse you that whatever taxi you see will always be full!!! Muahahahha!

Phew, let it out! On separate note, I am going to dish out a dirty little secret (as a compliment to my 'I cannot tahan being called a pervert when I ogle at girls'.)

One fine day (super long time ago)... I went to Takashimaya and I was on an elevator to level 2. In front of me, there was a bunch of Indonesian girls and what I did was look STRAIGHT. And on that straight line is the butt of a fat girl. And it was so coincidental that she was wearing a super big size mini-skirt (seriously, what was she thinking?!?) and it was dropping slowly and steadily till I could see the butt-crack! Geez, it was an appalling sight, I swear!

I was so misunderstood and I heard these conversation
Girl A:*in a loud voice* Idih, cowok di belakang elo gokil banget segh, ngeliatin pantat elo mulu. (the guy behind you is sooo perverted, he has been staring at your butt for the whole time!)
Girl B: *in an even louder voice* Iya, matanya ga bergerak aghe (The eyes didn't even blink!)
Girl C was trying to stand behind Girl D, the one with the dropping mini-skirt.

I was so fed-up, I walked up the escalator and sneered: Makasi ya udah ngasi jalan, gue buru2! N oh, kalo pake rok pilih yang pas, jangan yang melorot! (Thank you for giving me the way, I was rushing and ya, next time, don't wear oversized skirt)

I guess you can predict their expressions. PRICELESS!!! I was feeling so triumphant and the moral of the story is: Access your surroundings before you shouts!

My I-Cannot-Tahan list

2008-10-04T12:40:00.015+08:00

***UPDATED: so as to appease Princess Ling! ;P***

I am so totally inspired by Cheesie's I-cannot-tahan (Malay for endure) list. She has already put a trademark sign beside it but I am using it anyway, Ha!

First of all, I cannot tahan for not adding Cheesie to my blogroll for some of her recommendations can get me hooked for nuts! N I cannot tahan anymore, I have to also add my friend, Princess Ling's (as she ~~frequently~~ wants to be known as) blog so that you guys can read more US stories.

In totally random order,

1. I cannot tahan boot lickers;

2. I cannot tahan those who boot lick the boot lickers (where's the logic?);

3. I cannot tahan, on the verge of being racist, those people who reeks jasmine/curry/onion/sweat in a crowded morning rush-hour train;

4. I cannot tahan, on the verge of being racist again, those people who turn on their music real loud and sing in a high-pitch enough to make my window shatter;

5. I cannot tahan people who pitch about miracle and force me to report to the glorious One every weekend;

6. I cannot tahan enduring stares when I am eating alone;

7. I cannot tahan living in Singapore (is the weather even for human to live in? is everything made of gold that everything is super expensive?!?!);

8. I cannot tahan the ever-increasing transport and housing expenses but never dropped down when the financial crisis is over;

9. I cannot tahan receiving 'I will be late' sms-es which are always on time;

10. I cannot tahan people who give me disapproving stare when I am splurging on food but scrimping when shopping (they said that food will only give you ugly brown shit that you can't show off anyway);

11. I cannot tahan the awkward silence (or the foul attempt for small talk) when my boss pee beside me;

12. I cannot tahan rushing behind a voluminous hogger who walks at a snail pace;

13. I cannot tahan being called a pervert, when I stare at girls, or a gay, when I stare at guys (why do girls have such a luxury?!?!);

14. I cannot tahan commercialized holidays (roses whoop during Valentine, restaurant's meal skyrockets during CNY, even a small red light bulb jumps during Christmas);

15. I cannot tahan people who creep behind my back and look at my computer screen before greeting me;

16. I cannot tahan people who are so proud of Singlish and even bring them to Caucasian countries;

17. I cannot tahan people who acts smart when their brain is just a peanut (OMG, that rhymes!);

18. I cannot tahan taxi drivers who never shut up the whole freaking journey;

19. I cannot tahan taxi drivers who grumbles and blames me for no apparent reason;

20. I cannot tahan smokers. Hope you crumble, soon!;

21. I cannot tahan being interrupted when I am not done talking;

22. I cannot tahan people who make a mess in my territory (if you don't want to do housekeeping, fine! Don't mess it up!);

23. I cannot tahan listening to the repetitive music (and 'you-will-be-attended-to-shortly-but-I-suggest-you-grab-your-newspaper messages) while waiting for a customer service officers;

24. I cannot tahan customer service people who know nuts and put me on hold for another officer (and yes, I have to listen to the same music again! The cycle continues!);

25. I cannot tahan bloggers who password-protect their blogs (I recommend them to write a diary and put it in a safebox instead of writing blogs!);

26. I cannot tahan people who insists that others should ask for permission before tagging on blogrolls (Is having more frequent reader traffic a sin?);

27. I cannot tahan scrolling all the way to the bottom of each entries and no one leave a comment;

28. I cannot tahan ....

Okay, I really have to go! Will carry on the next time I need to let out! World peace!

P.S. Feel free to carry the list on!

Random Chat: Swimming Ants

2008-09-27T20:35:00.003+08:00

Phew, it has been a long time since I wrote some ridiculous quotes from real (and sometimes dumb) people. Here's the latest:

As I was eating my dinner in a coffeeshop, suddenly a huge baby in diaper shouted: ARGH!!!!
The dad (presumably): Don't worry, it's just an ant. We can remove it.
The mum (presumably, in a puzzled tone): Wah, so surprising hor, ants can also drink plain water leh!
The dad: Everything also must drink mah.
The mum: No, I thought ants only drink sweet soft-drink?
Me: !@#$

As I thought the conversation ends there, the dad replied: Plain water looks like sprite mah!

Scratching my head real hard and I have no idea who to clap for being sooooo farnie!

Jetlagging - The Part and Parcel

2008-09-27T16:17:00.005+08:00

I have never experienced this from the previous Europe trip but this return is super horrible!!!

I couldn't believe that I have endured this stifling heat and shear humidity of Singapore oven for the past 11 years. Is this even an acceptable condition for humans to live in? Tropical heat... it's not what I am craving for right now!

It's even harder to adjust your body clock back. Physically, you are +8 hours from the Central Standard Time a.k.a. Greenwich Mean Time. But your body clock is -5 hours away. A whooping 13-hour difference can leave you cranky. You can't sleep at night but into deep slumber during the day. You are craving during dark hours but you don't even feel like eating during the bright day.

Oh.. oh.. who in the US know that the milk and milk products are tainted with melamine and have to be recalled?!?! I did not read newspaper in the US and was out of touch with the world for the past three months. Everyday, I was glued to the weather channel when you jolly well know that 99% of the time the prediction is not going to be true. Of course, there are over 90 channels for you to surf channel when you only have *let me count* 8 channels here! Where was the time to watch news?!?! All US TV programs are so fun, compared to the imitation and copycat local production.

N lastly, who in the US knows that McDonald's garlic chilli will not be produced in Singapore anymore?!?! If only I knew earlier, I would sell the prized possession on eBay and I think I will make a pretty neat sum out of the few leftover packets that are sitting in my fridge.

Jet-lag: It's painful! Torturing! Real pain in the a**!

More US stories, more life reports and more gossips coming up!

N ya, I finally graduated!!!! After 4 gruelling years, after the not-attending-graduation-ceremony saga, after 3 months of fighting the officers to give me the certificate early, I (well, not me personally, but Lysia on my behalf, thank you dear!) have finally collected my degree scroll!!! How do I feel? Proud? Sad? Happy? Coming up as I am summing up my NUS journey, or have I did it before?

Cleaning Up, Packing Down

2008-09-18T09:07:00.007+08:00

OMG! So many things to tell and so many interesting photos to put up but I am so helpless with my computer having a hard-disc crash. Blue.. Blue..

At this point of time (fret not, this won't be the last Chicago entry), there is only one (maybe two) thing in everyone's mind:

How to clear the fridge?!?!

It was so farnie looking at people drawing menus until the end of the week and passing food around. The food musical chair begun!!! Everyone shun the extra food for they do not want to be the one who is guilty of wasting food. Nonetheless, let me recall some of the food items they are trying to get rid off.

I have heard of the normal carbohydrate staples. Rice, pasta, mee sua and someone actually passed on ONE (yes, singular ONE!) slice of bread. For God's sake, can you just gobble it up before you set your butt on the flight home? I know you cannot finish it without water in 60 seconds (experimentally proven so), you have the whole hour, whole day to consume it.

Someone tried to pass on tomato-based stuff. Tomato-based spaghetti sauce, tomato-drenched baked beans. I am hating this red gooey stuff now. I used to hate only raw tomato but now I am traumatised by spaghetti sauce too. I declare I am loving cream-based or spice-tossed pasta. Someone treat me please!

Oh, we have seasonings that are tossed around too! My neighbour has the whole bottle of oil which unless he drinks it for breakfast, it will not even be half-empty when we leave. A friend of mine has told him that she has another half bottle of oil. I repeatedly told him that I have loads of liquid butter that can do the trick too. And the next day, *WHOOP!* miraculously a bottle of oil is on the kitchen table. Oh well, he is loaded. He can afford the oil! What?!? Don't tell me you did not catch the joke! Raja Minyak?

I am so hopeless at cracking jokes today. And the most ridiculous of all, someone actually trying to pass on mouldy meat!!! Ultimate! If you can't help it but to let it rot, dump it! Period!

Phew... calm down... Can't imagine that I have to work with such an ignorant fella.

The next thing in mind:

How to squeeze my closet into two luggages?!?!

It's interesting to see people trying to play with words. Baggage requirement from United website is that we can bring maximum 2 luggages with maximum weight of 32 kg each. The only word that remains is SQUEEZE!!!

Everyone exchanges ideas on how to SQUEEZE their belongings. Use ziploc bags to let out the extra air, said one. Stuff the chocolate in you shoes (this is my old trick too, oops!), said another. Throw your torn underwears and filthy slippers, sneak all your brochures and paper-like stuff with the training materials (as training materials are shipped separately, courtesy of the company), so many ideas are thrown around. And ultimately, let's grab another HUGE box from workplace and check it in. So much for the effort to SQUEEZE!

And in my opinion: don't bite off more than what you can chew. If you can't squeeze it in, stop shopping!!!

Homecoming & Cravings

2008-09-08T10:07:00.004+08:00

I will be coming home soon!!! On the 22nd this month to be exact! Anyone keen to fetch me home?!?! Registration is open NOW!!!

My boss is kind enough to let us off for three days for us to get our lives back before we report for work and transformed into a tormented slave. So..... (listing on) I want to:
1. Get a long, deep beauty sleep
2. Eat sushi, dimsum and cheap hawker foods
3. Get a haircut, grooming and pampering
4. Catch up with people who may have tried to contact me the past 3 months
5. Reformat my computer
6. Blog!

Lastly, I want to kick some people's ass!!!

I AM COMING BACK!!!!

Latest update: no one actually registered! ;(

Sick (Again!)

2008-09-02T22:23:00.004+08:00

After refusing to get re-energized earlier this year, this time my computer has developed some crappy diseases that I simply hate to troubleshoot!

I have been good, really! I have no idea why my lappie suddenly died on me! I have never opened any XXX sites, I have never download anything, I have never do anything that is punishable by crime! And suddenly...... BLOOP! my screen goes blue (with a long and useless advice message)!

Therefore, till my computer get fixed. I am sad to announce that my adventure in US entries will be put on hold till further notice (with ocassional photo-less entries)! Not to worry, email me for some other alternatives to fix your photo cravings! *wink!*

P.S. NYC is not as amazing as it is portrayed in movies and dramas.
P.P.S. I am just tired and training is getting *censored just in case they managed to track me!*

I have a celebrity friend!!!!

2008-08-18T12:53:00.002+08:00

OMG!!!!

I have a celebrity friend!!!! Raline, my ex-MKP head, was the babe of the committee and used to do certain "business" with the Indonesian Embassy. All officers will be super efficient when she is around! Darn! She is very gorgeous, truly! Argh!!!

It still hasn't sink in that I have a celebrity friend. She is the favorite but only the top 5 in this year's Puteri Indonesia 2008 representing North Sumatra. Darn! I missed pointing to the TV screen and shout: I know that girl! Hahaha.

I googled her name and WOW! She has started her own gossips with certain prestigious royal guy and it's all over the pages of Malaysian blog sites.

OMG!!!!

Home Away from Home

2008-08-16T22:50:00.008+08:00

To all those who are wondering, where one earth did I get captivated here in the US? I am going to reveal all today!!! Enjoy...

The front view of the apartment, Forest Pointe. I am staying at the first floor where the curtain is always shut. Privacy!!

The view outside the house from my window.

The view outside the window at sunset or nearing thunderstorm. Pretty hor...

Wanna go in? Buzz and I will receive you through this old-fashion intercom.

The air-con controller. So old fashion! Argh!

The laundry room. Here 's the washing machine and on top of it...

The dryer!
The dining area which is seldom used.

Here's the FULLY-equipped kitchen where I will be most of the time.

The sink! Nothing fanciful here! It is in this kitchen where I cook my first.....

Pretty (I need to emphasize, PRETTY!) sunny-side-up egg!!!

A sample meal of rice (cooked using microwave), egg and instant beef stew.

For elaborated meal, we have stir-fry vegetable, vegetable soup and an easy-peasy fried stuff. Healthy? No! It's all MSG-laden! Below are the close-up view of usual dinner!

Stir-fry vegetables!

Fried stuff, sometimes soggy nuggets and sometimes meat-and-prawn omellete. Yum!

Oh I baked (instant) cookie too! Windy and I were to bored with work and shaping regular cookies, hence, there you are! Valentine's cookies preview! Order anyone?

For Halloween, we have tomb-shaped with RIP carvings too! ;P

Here's the living room where I am second-most often to be found. This is where I....

Watch TV...

Oh, view from the other side! There is the TV...

A place where I surf the net...

or both! So much for multi tasking...

And yup! Supporting for (still confused) US or China team!!! Go!!! Do not mind me for looking like a retard, this is the best freeze moment I got!

Getting to a more personal space! Here's the bathroom! Kind of what you expect in a hotel bathroom, mini soap bar, mini shampoo, minus away the shower cap.

My bedroom! Cosy, fully-carpeted! So hotel-like minus the housekeeper. Hence I truly fully gain a better understanding of the term...

"Making my own bed."

Lastly! Super excited! My own closet!!!! Stupid me for not choosing the master bedroom. It has got a bigger closet!!! Gah!!

And gotcha...

This is where I finally understand the term....."stop hiding in the closet" and "GET OUT OF THE CLOSET!!!! (and explore the world)"

P.S. All photos (except those with my face) are taken on day 1, hence, it looks squeeking clean!

Pop the corn, Enjoy the show

2008-08-12T12:57:00.004+08:00

-start of pointless trailer-One wise man said: only fools rush in, but another wise man said: keep your friends close, keep your enemies closer.

The reality shows has become a reality! The cunning and sly Survivors, the bitchy and loud Big Brother houseguests, even the obstinate and always-lost The Amazing Racers have all come together to deal with the dark forces. Who will prevail?

Enjoy the journey of these vocal and diversified casts in Office Politics coming to cinemas near you today! -end of pointless trailer-

So interesting, right? I will pop the corn, seat back and totally enjoy the show of people killing each other!

Kinda concerned but I have loads of question rushing through my head too.

I was always taught that I have to fulfil my responsibilities before I have the right to claim my privileges. What if I am not even given the chance to have any responsibilities? Does that mean I can claim my right freely too?

Why do we have to spend so much time cracking brains and volunteering ourselves when in the end the management will just appoint jobs?

Why do I even have to rush and to agree for a task when I could have the same opportunities (or responsibilities) and, at the same time, I could make a more informed choice?

So many mysteries. Only time will tell...

P.S. Should I support China or USA in the Olympics? Support China as it is my root but US, just for the sake of going against imperfect Chinese goods.
P.P.S. I still love Indonesia for still managing to produce a medal.

The Search is Over! We found deep-dish!!!

2008-08-08T10:52:00.014+08:00

The very first time when I heard of deep-dish pizza is when Freddy and Kendra of The Amazing Race had to psycho themselves to finish a whole pan and named it 'The Million-Dollar Pizza'. Ever since, I am so curious and what makes this dish tick!

My supervisor told me that the Windy City, Chicago, is famous for its deep-dish pizza aka the pizza pie! Super excited! So we asked our HR lady, Patty, who accompanied us to downtown Chicago on our very first weekend to a good deep dish pizza. Apparently, she misunderstood that we have NEVER eaten pizza before! And so she brought us to....

Quartino's... 'Where wine is cheaper than water!' and we had...

Italian thin-crust pizza of traditional margarita and salami. Along with an interesting platter of cheeses and pickles. This picture seems so wrong! I snatched it out of her neighbour's camera. Those were the days...

So... During dinner time, we tried requesting the same thing and Patty suddenly recalled: 'AHA! There's Cheesecake Factory down the John Hancock.' Being an ardent fan of cheesecake, she couldn't wait to introduce the place to us.

The place from the outside! Really famous and really looong queue! Eagerly, we flipped the menu and ordered....

Some roast chicken and mashed potato. The portion is freakingly ENORMOUS! Enough for a week's meal.

Ordered fish and chips...

Ordered Portobello mushroom burger... but not our deep-dish pizza!!!

In the end I ordered....

Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake with two big and sinful dollop of fresh cream. For a chocolate fan, I lurve this piece of confectionery. It's tangy, not too sweet and has the right texture.

And no pizza ordered!!!

Not giving up, after calling a few outlets, checking websites, reading reviews and looking for the right time, we finally decided to drive to a family restaurant, Silo, to pack up some pizzas for a birthday party.

The place looks cute and the interior looks fun. Maybe next time we will dine and take photos there.

We were told by the waiter that a certain section of the menu is all the deep-dish pizza (it's not written deep-dish, at all!). It's deep, indeed.

The outside looks good too! Darn! The bread is so thick! More like Pizza Hut's Pan Pizza! Grrrrr. Cheat my feelings!

Still refuse to let go! I want to try deep-dish pizza!!! Asked around for more information, we were told that deep-dish is basically a thin crust with dense fillings of meat and cheese. It is so dense that you could just eat a slice and keep the rest for a week's meal. Hence I joked that if I am able to eat more than a slices, it's highly unlikely that it's a deep-dish. Corright?

We found this some pizza place reviewed somewhere. UNO Chicago Bar & Grill. Smartened up, not high expectation that we will find one.

We ordered this!!! They wrote deep-dish in the menu! Shouldn't be wrong! Looks good too! First test: thickness test. We pulled...

So thin!!! DIE! Did we order wrongly again?!?!

Test number two: the taste test. True enough, it was so rich and creamy and yummy that I was soooo full after my first slice! But it was so delicious that I cannot resist the temptation of the second slice.

Gosh, I am well-fed here! N yeah, WE FOUND DEEP-DISH!!!

So Trapped, So Immobile, So Helpless!

2008-08-08T09:43:00.003+08:00

For the very first time, I miss home where I have my driver at my beck and call. For the fucking first time, I am missing Singapore and am appreciating the transport system.

It's very frustrating of not owning a car and not having the ability to drive a car in this country which has so many empty lands. You cannot just go anywhere on your own. or just to get lost. Right now, it's not easy to get around without fulfilling both of these conditions:
1. Majority are going: it's not right, economically, to even start the engine if the car doesn't have full load. The gas prices are soaring! Well, I am cheapo!
2. The drivers want to go out: it's just wrong morally and ethically to drag the asses of our beloved drivers to drive us anywhere. They need to rest too, right?!?!

I am feeling like turning to all my beloved statician friends, mathematics geeks or any math teacher who teach probability. Help me calculate what's the chance of both happening at the same time?!?!? I am tempted to open up my statistics books to calculate... Erm, if event A happens when event B occurs or maybe in a non-exclusive event. Gah! In reality, it will be almost zero! Especially when everything goes cranky.

Tough! It's tough!

Shit! Brain dead! This entry sounds sooooo much milder that what I intended to be! I guess it's because I am full of rotten fruits and a cup of vanilla jello pudding that keep me sane!

Wait till I am hungry! Don't worry! It will not be long. I have nothing in my fridge, have yet to restock it and I don't think I will be anytime soon!

P.S. I will be in to catch delayed telecast Beijing 2008 Olympics opening ceremony tomorrow night! I read somewhere it will be the BEST ever! We shall see...

I Hate Hypocrites

2008-08-04T07:28:00.002+08:00

I hate hypocrites. I H.A.T.E. hypocrites!

There! I said it! As much as I would like to defend you, your words and stories are ultimately twisted. Your actions and behaviours are incomprehensible. Take care!

Leave me a note if you find me a hypocrite about hating another hypocrites!

Random Chat: Angmoh Washing Car

2008-08-04T05:11:00.005+08:00

One day after work, on the bus ride home, a colleague of mine searched her bag frantically for her camera.

A: What are you trying to find?
B (the colleague in Q): Camera...
A: Why? You left it in the office?
B: No, I want to take picture.
A: Of what?
B: People washing car.
A: (Hoping for a expensive stylish car, or maybe superb hunks washing car?!?) Where?
A: Why want to take people washing cars?
B: You got see angmoh* wash car in Singapore meh?!?!
A: #$%^
Me: HUAHUAHUA

Similar to my encounter in Amsterdam, have you ever seen Angmoh* cut grass or become park attendant? Cultural shock!

*angmoh: Singlish for Caucasians

Finally! Internet up, Blogging down!

2008-08-04T03:02:00.006+08:00

This post is not final and it will be in reverse chronological order. Be back for more updates! N ya, my post will be totally narrative with no (maybe a little) tinge of jokes.

Updated: 08AUG08

Six Flags Great America (02AUG08)

When Disneyland is sooooo faraway, any American theme park will be a good (maybe not on weekend, tell you later!) alternative for leisure. I have no idea whether they have any affiliations with Warner Bros but its attractions were heavily Warner Bros-themed. The rides, the sections, the shows were all flavored with our favorite characters and scenes from the Warner Bros family, including Bugs Bunny, Tweety, Batman, Wonder woman.... the list goes on and on and on.
In anyway, there is not much fotos for the day as bringing my bulky camera is not a good option in theme park with loads of turning and twirling rollercoaster and wet rides.

First up, the jam is so freaking ridiculous!!! Being weekend, it's their peak period, so is our only rest day! Departing at 9am, we reached at 1pm of course with various pitstops. The sun was showing no mercy either, blasting like no one's business. After getting to the wrong entrance, squeezing bags into a tiny locker, buying the appropriate attire, getting pissed, we were ready for our first ride in the wet theme park at 2.30pm!!! The queue was horrendous too. Down we go into the dark macaroni tunnel and at the end of it, surprise awaits! Fyooo, the wind's blowing, COLD!!!! Freezing hell without a single clothes on my back!

Queued for another two tube-less macaroni rides in the children's skull island! Remember the giant buckets which will pour on you when it's full? Despite taking refuge under shelter, I was always splashed by the bucket. Drenched, wind blows, fuck, cold! Sun is shining, a little warm and dry, happy queuing, showered again! The cycle goes on for an hour while waiting for that two rides. Blessed that I am still here writing this entry without runny nose.

Lastly, the new wet-attraction, the tornado! I thought you will be swirled in a cone and turned upside down, defying gravity. Apparently, it's just a steep slide and throws you back and forth as if you were the ball in a pendulum (refer to your physics syllabus if you don't know what I am talking about!).

At the end of wet parks, damage #1: a pants and a sunglasses gone! I got a crunch that the pants got blown off and the sunglasses, which was kept in the pants' pocket was seen and stolen. Whatever! Accident! Nobody can predict that.

Ride on the dry coasters. Let me recall what I rid on:
1. Viper: Wooden, high speed coaster with steep descents. Was good for a start. I just had a McChicken burger and with puking history in the morning, this was quite a challenging ride. Took this twice!
2. Demon: Fast speed, with two rounds of full circle and twirling stunts. The queue was long and it was so-so.
3. American Eagle: Huge wooden ride with slower speed and more manage-able steep descent. Loads of banging too. This is the first ride I attempted to raise my hands in the air like those Americans. Shit! My ass left the seat and I will be dead now, that was how I was feeling when I lifted my hands. And so the damage #2: my shades lost a side, happened right on this coaster! Oh, I love this too!
4. Iron Wolf: The standing up roller-coaster. High-speed, loads of twirls, turns and spins. My favorite ride of the day. It felt great being twirled in the air.
5. Batman: The queue was loooong, over an hour. It's a seating roller-coaster and your feet dangling in the air. Love this too but it was in such a high speed that wind blew into my eyes. I can't see anything.

By this time, it's 9pm. What shall we do?!? The good thing is that the line is cut only at 10pm. As long as you are in the queue, you got to play. Vertical ride was a challenge, my heart cannot take it (although, ironically, I wanted to try skydiving!). Wanted to try for dark knight ride, a newly-introduced, indoor and dark ride. Queueing time 2.5 hours from where we entered. Next! The Superman, supposedly dangling on-your-stomach ride. Only one hour queue but the queue never move for 15 mins. Next! Tried to catch the parade. OTW, we were too excited with 2-level merry-go-round. Kiddie! NEXT!!! The supposed-parade was a stage performance which looked like high-school musical. No one's interested and we come at the last ride...

6. Wheezer: The last ride of the night. My coldest and the loneliest ride of the day. I was in the train alone and it was so weird shouting by myself. It was in a speed that cold night wind breezed through. Nonetheless, I love the speed and it goes into the musty jungle and almost dropping into a small lake.

6 hours and only 6 rides! That was my most expensive and non-economical theme-park holiday!

Movie Screening at Park (01AUG08)

Lazy Friday evening could never been spent better than a movie at the park. It was a free movie screening to celebrate Lake Forest day and on the sideline (or the other way round), Huay Sze's birthday. I don't really like the movie though. Apollo 13! Argh, who cares about successful failure when my History teached taught me that Neil Amstrong was the first guy on the moon.

Nonetheless, I am so loving the concept of attending free concert at the park under the clear night sky. It's so peaceful and unique. This was the first time I saw a shooting star. It came and go real fast! While it's not showering and magical, it was rare and awesome. To the Americans, seeing shooting stars is a lucky affair, to the Chinese it's unlucky as it is death of a star. A Chinese in America, lucky or not? Go figure!

Ravinia (31JUL08)

Ravinia festival is a summer musical event in the village of Ravinia in Illinois at Ravinia Park near Ravinia Park train station! As an employee of Abbott, which is a sponsor to this year's festival, we were entitled to free lawn entry to enjoy the evening performance by Chicago Symphony Orchestra presenting An Evening of Beethoven! Being a classical music-idiot, this WAS a challenging afternoon.

Thank you Anita and Dave for all the preparation of food, mats and stools as well as the wine. God! I felt that I was so cultured!!! Where in Singapore can you sit down under the tree with little disturbance of thirsty mosquitos, enjoying classical music, sipping wines and discuss about life?

Now let you enjoy the serene beauty of your evening!

P.S. Be back for updates n fotos! ;P

Quickie!

2008-07-30T10:27:00.005+08:00

I have my internet connection, FINALLY!!!

I work hard. I play even harder! I am loving my life here!

Let me organise my thoughts and summarize da past 3 weeks of excitement and fun SOON. I hate to upload pictures to blog. It just takes ages!!! ARGH!

Okkie, off to bed or I will be slushed tomorrow!

A short greeting from Chicago

2008-07-24T09:47:00.005+08:00

I want to complain!!!

Everyday everyone leaves trails all over the mailbox and facebook saying that I neither give updates nor write emails. Where is everybody now when I risk myself tapping other people's internet?!?! It's 10AM over in Singapore, where are you people, lazy bums?!?! My friends speculated that all my friends are unemployed newly-grads! Well....

In any case, I am surviving good over here! I love the people, the food, the apartment (except for the location and internet connection). I simply love America! Really, much better than when I was in Europe. Let me answer some simple FAQs:

Food?
Good!! It's edible!! Despite being mostly fast food and greasy spoons, they looks good and full of flavor. The food in office cafeteria is much cheaper but doesn't have good display. Cheesecake factory in downtown Chicago is awesome! The portion is HUGEEE, good for a week's dinners. I have yet to try the famous Chicago deep-dish pizza (huge adventure and misunderstanding, tell you another time!) and those junks in the middle-of-nowhere-or-desert cafeteria. Oh, do fortune cookies exist in Asia?!?!

Weather?
Hot and humid, just imagine Singapore. There you go! Sprinkled with some thunderstorm and black clouds on WEEKENDS!!! Crazy right? How cruel can they be to pour buckets when I am suppose to enjoy weekends and to explore USA! Sucks! Big time!

People and Living?
I think everything is more expensive than in Singapore. Duh! The toilet paper cost me a buck a roll! It's much more pricey than the doughnuts! Doughnuts only cost $5 for 24 pieces. FYI. Madness or what? The people in general are friendly and helpful! I guess because the work for tips, the waiters are super polite! They explain the menu, give fast service and pop in the middle of your middle to ask whether everything is okay.

Travelling spots?
Haven't explored much. No transport, disabled. Period. Remind me to tell you our car pool and the petrol system. It was hilarious!!!

Work?
Boring!!! I should have insisted to go later so that I can go back to Bali and attend my graduation. The first week was only reading procedures. The second week was some simple weighing and instrumentations training. I think it will get more challenging from this point onward.

Lastly, the girls?!?!
Loads of chicks! Can I just work here permanently?!?!

Skiving at work?

2008-07-19T03:19:00.002+08:00

Not the bestest idea! All my activities gonna get monitored and so are the rest of my blog contents! Scary.... I shall be more discreet!!

Nonetheless, I am doing fine right here in North Chicago but bored with looooooads of readings!!! Hands-on will start on Monday! Yippie!

Apartment is soooo far away from anywhere! I am so disabled without any transportation too. I have no internet connection at home and international calls was just activated a few days ago! No transport, no communication, how to contact people?!?!

For all of you who keeps on refreshing this page, I am sorry! I have loads of stories but got to rush everywhere

Till next time....

Flying off.... SOON!

2008-07-07T22:12:00.004+08:00

I am leaving on a jet plane.....

I wish but close.

Will be picked up by a Mercedez in 6 hours time, flown on a business class without (for once) worrying about being overweight, picked over on the other side with a limousine *can I request for the long one?!?*, checked into an awesome (from what they described!) apartment and rock on!!! Is this a reality show?!?!

Anyhow, I will be away from Singapore from 2 months. Will still be contactable at my email tonium85@gmail.com (and what ever variations you may know). Do note that my handphone will be useless for I have no roaming and I cannot suspend it temporarily. Idiot!

Take care all and I will be here as often as I could possibly can!

You know I love you,
Stony.

Just complaints!

2008-07-06T20:22:00.005+08:00

Warning: long post ahead and it's just me being a whiny blogger! Oh, what's written is MY own opinion in MY own blog.

1. The Internet is my blog-killer!
It's the time AGAIN where I am way preoccupied with other (unfortunately, more important) things in life that has set all of you thinking that I am going to close down this blog forever. Fret not, I am not going to do so anytime soon! Let me just reflect of what I am busy with the past few weeks.

Erm... whenever I feel like blogging, I will...

First, switch on the computer, get connected and stone while thinking what I should do.

Okay, let me check my email-boxes! 4 email accounts, facebook and friendster messages are browsed. Delete spams, approve silly requests, reply to urgent messages. I have been expecting mails from the company's HR, banks, embassy, MOM, some friends for updates.

Emails cleared! 95% of the time they were junk emails! Urgh! How frustrating is that? What's next? Ah-ha! Let's stream for some episodes (3, to be exact) of Friends (I am re-watching it since season 1!) from sidereel.com first. I am connecting with these bunch of people and the way they grow so close to one another. Really envy them. That's however not the real point! The exact reason is that they are silly enough to get me hooked! Darn!

While waiting for one whole episode to load, let's look for ideas of what to blog. I do have some topics in-store but never get down to do that. Travel blog kind of in hiatus. It's just the start of my own writer's strike. Anyone care to be my co-writer? Read famous Singaporean and Malaysian bloggers, Kenny Sia, Xia Xue, Cheesie, trying to figure out how can I fit in. None! Okay, the spat (which almost landed in lawsuit) between Singapore's blog queens (or perceived slut/whore/bitch), Xiaxue and Dawn Yang, is just way too interesting and hilarious! I think that's why I cannot fit in! Ha!

Wait! Dawn's site is called "clap. bang. kiss". Don't you think you clap, you progress with a kiss and then go with the bang? Who would give you a kiss if you give a bad bang? Not a reader of her blog... maybe she ever explained why.

I then tried rumahblogger.com, a forum site for Indonesian bloggers. Frankly, I do less enjoy the jokes of these Indonesian bloggers and I think they are pointless. I also tried omy.sg to view the nominees for this year's blog award. I think you should just read the top five blogs for each categories. The rest are trash! Really!

By the end of reading all this, one episode of Friends is done! Let's watch. Done! Stream another episode and watch the next.

After watching about 5 or so episodes, it's meal time! When I am back, the whole vicious cycle just start again.

Now you tell me! Where's the time to blog?!?!

2. MOM - Ministry of Manpower complaint (or compliment) letter
Dear Sir/Madam,

I have the most ineffective and time-wasting visit to your office yesterday (some days ago, actually). I shall not mention the embarrassing incident that I went to Somerset to look for your building. It's just so numbskull for me to think that Singapore POWER is the same as Ministry of ManPOWER.

I arrived, drenched and read that collection of employment pass is in the second level. Holy sh*t! It was very crowded! I saw queue numbers running, interview rooms, service counters, but I did not see any queue machine! A kind lady told me it was in the first floor. Is it some kind of joke that you direct your applicants nuts looking for that machine?

Fine, got my number, 100 numbers away before being served. Waited for over 2 hours but the number raised sooooooo slowly. I do applause you for creating such an conducive environment for working. Chitchatted, left the desk for toilets, such a welfare! They even bitch around another colleague right in front of me when I was served! I envy them, really! After 10 minutes, the counter lady retained my passport, gave me a slip and asked me to collect my pass 3 hours later.

What?!?! I lost 3 productive hours doing NOTHING. Not even watching mosquito fly past. If I am currently working, who are able to compensate my half-day leave? I was totally screwed!

3 hours later, get another queue number and wait. This time the number rise super fast! This has proven one thing: these old ladies behind the counter can have their fingers pressing button at a bullet-train speed but snail-paced to serve us! Get it? I don't either. They just don't wait for us to come! I do still would like to commend them for being such a multi-tasker. 2 lines are formed in front of the counter, 1 for normal pass collection, 1 for just entertain God-knows-what transaction.

I would like to thank you for reading to this hopefully-informative letter and have a nice day.

xoxo,
Stony

3. Welcome back to the HDB-style of life!
I shall not call this a complain but an insight of leaving the extravagant condominium lifestyle to once-again down-to-earth HDB life. I have been busy shifting house. I have also been busy adapting to this new lifestyle. Not the HDB lifestyle but my new environment.

Free facilities is not free anymore *sigh*: Obviously no pool, no gym, no sauna right down the block. They are now 7 bus stops away.

All things are common: Common lift landing, common corridor, common void deck, common sewage drainage, etc. No more private lift landing, no more no corridor, no more no void deck (where a bike almost killed me!) but still common drainage!

Your life has become more colourful: All laundries are hung outside with bamboo poles. Bedsheets, brassiere, panties, any colour any sizes any pattern. Along the same thought of line, much varied neighbours too! I have a Malay family nearby who is so NOISY shouting at one another. I have an Indian family (either upstairs or downstairs) for they have a very authentic and unique smell. Until now, I am still wondering whether smell diffuses up or down? I also have a Chinese neighbour who lurves Hokkien karaoke. I have ~~Korean. Thai. Myanmar.~~ Indo-chinese neighbours who are never home but have a party right next door NOW without inviting me. Hell, I am living in diversity.

4. Last lesson learnt!
I shall not dump all my ideas on to an entry for I am thinking I should keep my readers in suspense of my whereabouts. Apparently I spent the past 2 hours trying to sum 2 weeks of my life onto 22 paragraphs with another 2 hours later trying to edit (I reckon) 220 characters. Definitely not my style.

Till next time I blog, here's a list of reasons for you to guess why I may not be able to update my blog often:
1. I am indulging in entertainment on the Internet
2. I am re-queueing in some not-so-efficient government bodies for some cards/piece of papers
3. I am nitpicking and dealing with my neighbours
4. I have toooo many (house- and paper-)work to do
5. I have shortage of brain juices and NTUC has run out of them
6. I am playing tour guide to families or over-the-sea friends
7. I am in a place where there is no internet connection
8. I am in a place where just being there and enjoy the scenery is more heavenly than crapping on my blog (I know you want me to share, I will try! ;P)
9. I just want to keep you people in suspense
10. I am just lazy

OK, I really got to go!

Random Chat: Chinglish

2008-07-06T18:04:00.004+08:00

When there were arguments about hiring service attendants who must be able to converse in basic English, my take was that as long they are able to deliver, who cares about their English until....

I passed a chicken rice stall at a foodcourt in town, I heard a PRC (I think): 'Sir, can I have you, Chicken Rice?' (Yes, right to the punctuation!)

Geez! Should I laugh? Should I be flattered? Should I be angry? I reckon I should stand on the other side of the debate now!

Random Chat: No Reservations

2008-06-21T13:17:00.003+08:00

No, I am not reviewing the movie starring Catherine Zeta-Jones!

The story goes, I wanted to make a reservation at a restaurant in town for tonight and the guy on the other side of the telephone told me: 'Sorry sir, we only accept reservations for weekdays before 6pm.'

Can't you see the loophole?

Why would I want to reserve a seat at those timing where everyone is still working their ass off?!?!

Ok! The restaurant in question is Swensens @ Orchard! Ha!

Guilty Indulgence

2008-06-16T15:22:00.008+08:00

I have never been this guilty all my life.

Guilty of being a pathetic glutton.

Guilty of not making my bed every morning.

Guilty of not using my brain but watching useless TV shows and DVDs.

Guilty of living the pig's life.

It has been two weeks since I moved in to my new house. That was when my guilty life started.

Long gone the comfort of getting my morning fix of Friends in Starworld, newspaper and breakfast. I am not complaining! With this come with the flexibility (stop mentioning my stretchable stomach) and responsibility in my food intake. Prata, herbal soups, not-so-nice minced meat noodles, laksa, char kway teow are all easily available across the street. The fridge is empty and so I filled it with fruit juices and other snacks which do not require cooking. (FYI, no gas in my house currently, hence, I cannot cook!) In fact, I am munching on Royce champagne soft chocolate right now. It literally melts inside my mouth! Guilty!

To make matter worse, I do not miss the swimming pool down my block, ever. The only exercise that I did ever since I shifted is only sweeping and mopping the floor. Oh, maybe taking the washing pole in and out of the window every Sunday. Maybe walking across the road to satisfy my hunger pangs is considered exercise too! My house is in a mess so does my lifestyle! Guilty!

Never mind the eating and the exercise! Since the day I was accepted at Abbott, I am too lazy to open up the classified and to send resumes. I know that I should be in the look-out for better job offers but reality bites. I applied in February and I do not receive a single email from any company until now. How discouraging is that? Can they tell me at least they rejected me? So, how to kill time? Shut up! I know all of you are shouting: 'EXERCISE, IDIOT!' I do not care, I tried hard not to get bored by watching TV and DVDs. Erm, ever since I shifted, here's my list:
1. D.I.E. (HK drama): Until the last episode, I still have a lot of question marks on some scenes. I have decided to give it the benefit of the doubt by saying that I may have fallen asleep during some scenes.
2. 和味浓情 - HK drama on Japanese food.
3. Gameplan - The movie
4. Sex and The City - The movie
5. Kungfu Panda - The movie
6. Samantha Who?
7. Greek
8. Gossip Girl
9. Desperate Housewives
10. Other local TV programs: local comedies - Yang sisters, Parental Guidance, travel documentaries - Japan hour, Dynamic Korea, Amazing Asia, Get me a Singaporeans. Star search programs - U R The One?, Superband starting tonight. I am so pathetic till I watch the lame Showdown!
11. Other Youtube craps!

I don't need to use brain for all this nonsense right? Guilty!

Oh above all, despite of all the talks about the enviromentally-friendly campaign that was promoted all over TV and newspaper. I am guilty of destroying the Earth, maybe not on public transport and buying hybrid cars! But....
- I on my laptop for almost 24 hours every single day to get my daily drama dosage. Sometimes, my TV is switched on too!
- I use top-loading washing machine and it was never full load whenever I used it. Sometimes, I just switched on the washing machine, just to see it spin, for fun! Okay, I am kidding there.
- I do purposely not shop every Wednesday. Screw bring your own bag Wednes-day. I will not pay 10 cents for the super-thin plastic bags.
- I do not have a dishwasher which uses 50% less water than if you wash it manually.
- I set my temperature of my aircon to less than 25 deg Celcius. Come on, Singapore is so freaking hot and humid!

Argh...

Any of you have similar new-graduate-with-no-jobs syndrome?

I have never been this guilty all my life. NEVER!

*copyrighted from Gossip Girl* And who am I? It's a secret that I will always tell. I am the guilty one. xoxo, Stony.

MIA letter

2008-06-10T09:57:00.003+08:00

Dear my faithful reader(s),

I am sorry for missing in action for a freaking loooooooooooooong time. I will make it up to you. For now, I need to K.I.S.S.! I shall account for my missing days.

First, my brittle bones are crumbling down from shifting all the heavy boxes from my old place. My back can't sit pretty in front of my laptop and my fingers are too sour to type. Mouse-clicking wasn't that bad, though! Shiting house ain't fun! In any case, do bomb down Hillbrooks when you are free as I am not there anymore. Erm, maybe don't, I will be back to be a total cheater. Psstt!! I want to use their pool for free ;P

Second, my mind is blank for I have no interesting nuggets to write. My 24-hour routine is as follows: Wake up at 9am, eat breakfast, take a wanted-to-long-but-never-get-down-to-more-than-15-minutes bath, watch DVD, eat lunch, more DVD viewing, dinner, more DVD, another bath and sleep at 0000 hours. Ain't my life inteeeeeeeeeeeeeresting? Oh, not forgetting, I will want to be more useful and will decide to sweep the floor every now and then.

Write blog lah! Internet ain't up before yesterday! How to write? Unless I wrote on paper with all the "Dear Diary" heading and scan it in. Old-fashioned, don't you think?

I guess those are enough to justify my absence. *I don't care, you have to accept!* Take care all, keep in touch and do tell me how you people are getting on with lives.

xxxooo (or is it xoxoxo?),

Stony

http://www.tonyhasablog.blogspot.com/

Angry? Happy? Whatever!

2008-05-30T12:18:00.007+08:00

I have got the worst grade for my last semester in NUS. Suck!

I am employed! Luck!

And now, DUCK! (for everyone will start to rip me off my meagre salary!)

Souvenirs

2008-05-27T20:22:00.002+08:00

The holiday season is here! Everyone is going overseas to enjoy the fun moment while I am stuck here, trying to clear my room and to make it squeaking clean. For those of you who bothers to make me happy, do follow the how-to-make-tony-happy-with-souvenir guides when buying my souvenirs:

1. Buy within your means!
I know all of you are like me, every time and everywhere are always on budget. So this rule is kind of natural and spontaneous. I do would like to remind you that I do not expect any expensive gifts. Of course, I will be extra happy if you could give me something that sparkles. Nah, not diamond. Diamond is girls' best friend, not mine!

2. Purchase something that last!
So... I do NOT want chocolate!!! I am a nostalgic-freak! Fearing that by eating it the memory will be lost, I will keep them until moulds grow all over them. Same goes with snack, I will keep the unattractive ones, thinking that I will eat it at a later date. Alas, expiry date has passed and those snack souvenirs go into the dustbin mostly.

3. Get something that truly reflects the country that you are in.
It doesn't matter if you decide to be cheapskate and to pack soils from each country you visited and to bottle them, I will be equally ecstatic. No cheating please! Do get something unique.

That said, have a good trip, happy shopping and I will be waiting here to be showered with goodies!

Oh wait! Let me just flare this out. Something souvenir-related!

I found out recently that someone discarded a souvenir that I brought all the way from the far-faraway land. Expectedly, I was FURIOUS!!!

Firstly, if you do despise me giving you a LITTLE/CHEAP/LIGHT token or souvenir, do NOT leave any marks behind (for me to find out) when you give or discard them away. If you don't like it, bitch behind my back and don't let the wind carries words into my ears!

Secondly, if you really do not want anything from me, DO let me know earlier so that I can spend the extra money, extra time and extra effort to get something better for everyone else who do appreciate them.

However, I shall not to blame it all to you. Frankly, I don't really mean buying you that piece of souvenir. Thank you for letting me know that you do not appreciate it anyway. Ha! Hope you feel a little better....

Random Chat: Disabled Parking Lot

2008-05-27T18:52:00.003+08:00

Upon looking a car without disabled label at a parking lot meant for the disabled,

Me: *being a vigilant citizen* We can fine this guy for not having the disabled sticker right?
Friend X : The driver is blind lah, cannot see the parking lot.
Me: Oh ya hor, blind is also disabled right?
X: *being very supportive* Ya, you can't blame them on their fate!

After a few steps,
X: *giggling triumphantly* Blind can't drive lah, IDIOT!
Me: *&#$

Laugh all you want! I was sleep-deprived, can?

Random Chat: National Awakening Day

2008-05-20T21:07:00.005+08:00

Somewhen in January this year,
A: Do you know that Indonesia is having a Visit Indonesia 2008 Campaign? To celebrate 100 years of nation's awakening.
B: Heh? What is happening in Indonesia a century ago?!?!

Okkie, B is me truthfully! Even an Indonesian like me knows nuts of Indonesian history, how to promote Indonesia's tourism. Total failure, don't you think?

FYI, today is the nation's awakening day of Indonesia! Hari Kebangkitan Nasional, that is! WTF, kebangkitan = awakening?!?!

Peace out, Happy Nation's Awakening! Wake up, Indonesia!

I am a certified diver!

2008-05-19T22:30:00.014+08:00

Yes! I am officially a certified open water scuba diver!

With this title, I am supposed to be able to:
- dive up to 18 metres deep for as long as my oxygen tank last
- move, twirl and navigate underwater with a buddy
- clear my foggy mask in the middle of the freaking sea
- explore the pretty underwater world! Awesome!

After waiting for about 90 minutes for our bus to arrive in NUS, 30 minutes clearing custom, 3-hour noisy bus ride, 3-hour stoning session at Mersing Jetty and 4-hour rough boat journey, we finally reach Pulau Aur, 60 km east of Mersing, Malaysia at 8am on Saturday, 17 May 2008. Scheduled to arrive in Pulau Aur at 4 am, but the boat journey was stalled for four hours due to some military exercises. On a side note, 4 hours sleeping in jetty sound like The Amazing Race and boat ride to Aur looked like when castaways in Survivor start the journey! Reality TV=real-life?!?!

In anyway, the journey began!

On day one, we logged 3 dives which were mainly on diving skills. Rigging your oxygen tank, entering the water bodies, regulator recovery, mask clearing (I dread this because salt water always enters through my nose!), alternate air source sharing, fin pivoting, hovering and some surface skills - cram removal, weight and buoyancy control device (BCD) removal. Some basic stuffs, really!

First few dives was scary!!! We moved all over the place. Crashed corals, stirred sea bed, broke the coral in which the reference line was tied to. Simply wrecking the underwater world! Poor dive site with all these beginners coming every other weekend.

The island of Aur was so far away from Mainland and it's more like a village with on-site power generator. Water was limited! We showered under the moonlight while gazing at the stars. How romatic! There was no entertainment for the night. Basically, we stoned right after dinner. Joey, our instructor, and Eric, our dive master, were our 'saviour' for the night. They told us anecdotes, stories, tips onto becoming a better diver. In any case, I was listening attentively till when the clock tipped on 11 o'clock, my eyes went sour and my mouth kept on yawning. Oops!

The next day, in our fourth and last dive to be a certified diver, we were supposed to navigate with a compass under water. One of us supposed to navigate and the other support the navigator and look out for any danger. When I was navigating, Qkho were supposed to keep me streamlined underwater. She led me up all the way to the surface instead!!! I think next time, i should hold her and she navigates. My navigation sucks, I confessed. I don't care, I am finally certified! Finally, after 4-year wait in NUS!

The last dive was supervised leisure dive. What do you expect? Even though we are certified, we still lacks the confidence to go alone. I am loving this last dive! Despite lacking in the knowledge of the underwater world, I can appreciate the colorful and the beauty of the underwater world. The fishes and the corals were aweeeeesoooomeeee!!! I saw turtle! I was told if we touch the female turtle, they are not able to give birth? Real or not?

With that, I did it! A great and fruitful weekend!

I am officially a certified open-water diver!

Where's next? Bali? Manado? Australia? Maldives? Nah, some photos first!

2 hour more of waiting at Mersing Jetty. Bored and did some cam-whoring!

More self-shot at the jetty!

Pink-terrorist attack! See how bored we were at the jetty!

One side of Aur...Green! Palmy Paradise!

On the way to our dive boat! Stop staring at my moobs! It will shoot laser into your eyes!

Some self-shots while waiting for the 3rd dive

Fish! Beware! Copyrighted caption from Qkho on facebook!

We are at Aur! Eh, Batam?!?!

Pretty Island

Cam-whoring while waiting for shower

Hanjin and Qkho doing the lovey-dovey shot after dinner. No entertainment! Self-amusement is always good!

Our instructor Joey and the naked divemaster, Eric. Gotcha!

Qkho and her dive log book!

Okay, now Eric is ready!

Group photo shot while waiting the subsequent dive. Introducing our group: (back, L-R): Wen Jie-the quiet guy, Joey-the instructor, Eric-the DM, Simon-the dangerous one. (front L-R): Hanjin, Jasper-the shaky guy, Qkho aka Marisa, Moi!

Hanjin after got crammed in the middle of the ocean and fought the current

Underwater, Say cheese!

More underwater shots!

And more underwater shots! To show we were, indeed, diving and got CERTIFIED!

Final group photo shot before leaving Aur for Singapore.

The other groups from NUS. Good to see Stacy on board (my Japanese 2 classmate, middle back). It's all about diversity! We have Koreans, Germans, Indonesians on board!

Introducing Aur - Fun!

No more fucking dives!!! Give us more!!!

Qkho's photo shot for her dive card!

Mine! Darn, cannot see the shoulder, cannot be used! ;(

My apology for lack of underwater photos if you have been expecting one. I am waiting for donation or sponsorship to buy me the sophisticated underwater camera!

FYI

2008-05-13T23:56:00.002+08:00

FYI... I will be shifting into a new house next month as I just cannot stand living here anymore! I am busy packing and donating my stuffs away.

FYI... My current full-time job is to search for a full-time job.

FYI... I am currently updating my travel blog with my last year's Europe trips reviews.

FYI... I am going for a dive course at Pulau Aur, Malaysia over the weekend. Cross your fingers that I will be alive to tell the tales. Oh, I was told: Diving is a safe sport! Don't worry.

FYI... I am just simply having a blast!

FYI.......

Hugging my TV

2008-05-13T14:40:00.005+08:00

Get lost you people! I want to be ALONE! Do not disturb me when I am watching my television! I will let you on the secret reasons and don't step on my tail when I next watch my TV!

Those who ride on coattails: When I asked anyone whether they are watching anything, they gave me a negative response! Great? Well, not so! When I switch channel, these same people complained to me that I do not respect them! Huh? Get lost! I reach the TV set first and with me holding the remote control, suck it up! I rule! It's my right to channel-hop and to watch any darn thing that I like when you couldn't be bothered to make a choice!

The I-know-all expert: In the middle of the show, someone shouted: I am sure that this will happen next! It apparently did and he/she exclaimed: 'You see, I can be the script writer!' Shut up! I am not watching soccer and I do not need live commentary. Reserve your comments till during commercial break or till the end of the show! Oh by the way, you can apply to be a script writer, good for you!

The ever-needy workaholics: In the middle of the show, they requested me to change to another channel to give live updates on weather, currencies, stocks and what-have-nots. I do not want to miss the climax in my show! Check that internet, you idiot!

The loud slurpees: I do not have anything against eating in the show as some might have complained about the aroma. However, I do mind if you SLURP your noodles into your mouth louder than my TV set. It's down rude! Reflectively, I turn up the volume! More maddening: he/she suck even louder! Fine, I turn to the max (at the expense of my eardrum) and let's see how the challenge goes! Ha!

Phew!

Let it all out!

Well, not really!

Another TV-related stuffs that annoy me! Here's my top 5 list of lousiest reality shows of all time that I have wasted my time (unknowingly):

At the count of 5: A shot at love with Tila Tequila (Season 2)
I am not very sure at the name of the second season but it's rather stupid! Tila Tequila is a Singapore-born, America-bred, bisexual Vietnamese girl. We have seen a lot of dating shows where hunks and babes are looking for Mr and Ms Right. Here, things get interesting where she is looking for the perfect one from a bunch of 10 girls and 10 guys. Wow! Bold! Fresh! First season ended and there's a second season soon after due to popularity. Eh... What happen to the first season winner? So fast? Whatever! It's just a dumb dating show anyway.

Moving on, at number 4: Are You Hot?
One of the earlier model-search-from-average-Joes shows. Who has the fucking idea of parading men and women in underwear and have the so-called experts judging them how hot their bodies are. Seriously, the judges are not atttractive themselves. What right do they have to scrutinize all these people that they have taut/lumpy/skinny bodies?

At number 3: R U Smarter than a 5th grader?
Another idiotic show that I follow week after week. I wanted to challenge myself, that's my main reason for watching. As if! The show is very slow moving and it does have a lot of commercial breaks. Hate it! I feel equally stupid to watch all these people acting stupid. I use the word 'ACT'. I do not think a near-perfect-GPA scholar cannot answer the easiest question like what is the name of current American President. There was once that a blonde who systematically eliminate the board from the hardest question and her final question was a primary one's science question with one final lifeline. She chose to give up without trying to guess. Blonde or what? The ultimate question, for another contestant, that makes me conclude that those participants on the show cannot act well: If y=3x and 3x=12, what is the value of y? She gave up! How could you act stupid at such a dumb question? Numbskull! Idiot! Blockhead! Noob!

Number Two: Simple Life
Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie... What to say about this duo? I think their 'adventures' are pointless. I do not appreciate the way they mess around with simple (or maybe not so simple to these rich heiress) jobs. I think it's just completely make a fool out of them. What's the point? I have no idea what's the point of me watching such a shameless display of cheekiness.

The Ultimate One: Who Is The Next Superhero?
Thank God I only caught the last episode. This shows is about the creator of well-known Marvel superheroes, such as Spiderman and Wonderwoman, is looking for his next comic character. The last episode practically throw me out of the chair, laughing out loud and rolling on the floor. There's this one character in the final face-off called Supermom! An overweight lady who cannot fly and with her weapon of...... DOUGHNUT!!! Yes, you heard me right! Imagine: A dinosaur is destroying the city and she took out her doughnut from her doughnut belt. She threw like raging bullets and the dinosaur trying to dodge frantically like Tom Cruise in the Matrix scene. What finally killed the beast? The last doughnut that accidentally got stuck to its forehead!!! Comical or what? Thank God she did not win. If not, the next Marvel comics will boost the sales of doughnuts across America to save the country from robbers and thieves!

Oh no, too many complains! It's your turn! What are the traits of your most-irritating TV-viewing partners? What TV Shows drives you up the wall? Rock on!

Random Chat: Donating books

2008-05-06T21:07:00.005+08:00

I am moving out and so I am donating my textbooks! How noble am I? I emailed the librarian and here's her reply:

"Thank you for offering to donate your textbooks to NUS collection.

We would add them if the titles are not already in the collection. Due to space constraints, we do not add duplicate titles to the collection.

You may want to send me your list of titles so that we could check if these are already in LINC. ( http://www.linc.nus.edu.sg)"

I have no idea whether they were stupid or I asked the obvious question?

If the books are previously used as textbooks in NUS, is there any reason that the library does not have a copy?!?! Weird!

Genie, grant me my wishes....

2008-04-30T20:28:00.004+08:00

For the very first time throughout my days in NUS, I am going to plagiarise.

Okay, for my opening. Here - word for word - Today was my last paper for ~~Engineering~~ Chemistry module. Today's module is the module that I think is pretty much what makes me ~~an engineer~~ a Chemist. I have to hold on to the knowledge and I know for sure that it ~~is pretty~~ HAS TO BE applicable next time, even if it is not relevant to my job scope. 3 4 years ago, the end seems so far, and now it cannot get any nearer. It's right in front of me. Finally IT'S THE END!!!

Certainly the journey is neither smooth sailing nor problem-free. If I were to have my way, here are the changes that I will make:

1. All lectures will be telecasted LIVE! or webcasted: Webcast lectures are God-sent gifts for students who are awake in the wee morning hour. Not that I am a night owl but I hate to wake up super early to board the slow and packed bus to catch 'LIVE' lectures. Most of the time I will just sleep or stare blankly at the lecturer. I would love to 'enjoy' the lecture at my own pace, own comfort and my own pyjamas.

What's the difference with the 'LIVE' lecture session now? Similar! People have already come in unkempt hair, crumpled Hall T-shirt, super short PE shorts and slippers. They walked in with eyes half-open (or half close, if you are pessimist) with coffee on one hand and laptop on the other. Open laptop, log on to MSN, open lecture notes, surf web, play online games, multi-tasking! I just want to bring everything to the comfort of their own bedroom!

2. All examinations will be open-book: Except for languages module (because I cannot think how grammar or vocabulary can be tested with an open textbook), all examinable modules will be open book! I hate lecturers who allow partial open-book in which they allow you to boil one semester's worth of knowledge onto a single A4 paper. It's amazing on the ability of all these students squeezing all those knowledge. Come on! Either you let us bring the whole text or just be cruel and let us memorize everything. 12 years after studying in Singapore, we are trained to memorize 300 pages for a 2-hour exam.

Personally, I love open book exam because: I can play with colorful labels! Crap! I simply hate to memorize! I would love to understand the concept and apply them to the problems. Really! There was this debate a few years ago that the failure of the education system is that there is lack of creativity. All exam are memory-based work. I think the lecturers are not creative creatures themselves. They always repeat exam questions! Besides, isn't easier to just set: 'What is 1+1?' instead of 'I am now pregnant, so how many shares of food am I eating? (assuming the unborn baby will gobble all the food like an adult)'

Oh, talking back about the A4 cheat sheet. I think all the question will be printed with font Times New Roman size 1.5. NUS students' eye power are amazing. Besides, aren't the school trying to ~~cut cost~~ be an environmentally-friendly institution?

3. Abolish all bell curve system!: I hate bell curve! I can study till the wee hours but I still get a lousy grades. The reason is either:
1. the module is so freaking easy that everyone scores or
2. the students in the same cohort just luckily answer one more MCQ which allows him/her to be promoted to an A-lister when I have to sulk with the B grade.

I hate to be compared! Either I have it or I don't! I do not want to care whether the mean, mode, median, percentile of the bell curve have shifted because of all the smart-asses in my cohort!

4. There will be an avenue for selling past-year lab report: There are some clubs dealing with second-hand book sale. Some societies doing past-year exam paper solution. I will allow past-year laboratory reports sales for science-based modules. Besides, it can be cross-faculty! I will sell my Chemistry reports to Chemical Engineering students. They are actually studying the same basics so why the discrepancies in the experiments. Right?

In the same tone of argument, we are studying the same crappy basics anyway! Our lecturers are not creative enough (argued above) to change any experiments. Hence, the reports are re-sell-able! Assuming no depreciation, my reports will bear me a fortune!

5. CORS bid points will be exchanged to cash or transferable!: This is the one I would love to have most! I am a sucker for 'cheap' modules and now I have over 2000 bid points. If I can cash them out during my graduation, even at 1 cents per point, I will be $20 richer. If not, I can sell them to dying juniors who have gone 'bankrupt' after bidding 'expensive', popular, easy (but not easy to score with the Bell Curve system) modules.

Besides, this rule will add in a new dimension to your bidding at the beginning of every semester, won't it? Either you use up all your points to bid for a useless module or you retain the points and change them to cash upon graduation?!?! Erm... tempting!

Okkie, I have one more Japanese exam to go before I conclude my NUS journey!

On a sidenote: I am going to convert my Japanese module to pass/fail only marking. Besides, it's an extra module that I took because I want to maximise my school fees. So why bother to study?!?! 先生！信じません！うそでした！私は本当に一所懸命日本語を復習しています！^o^ [Translate: Teacher! Do not believe! It was a lie! I am revising Japanese whole heartedly now! *stupid happy bird at most Japanese diary entries that were introduced in class*]

Random Chat: Lemon Tea? Lime Tea?

2008-04-29T14:27:00.003+08:00

I have been craving for a good "home-made" hawker lemon tea! Not those where you just mix the sharply sour lime juice with tea and garnish it with two pathetic lemon slices but tea with REAL lemon juice!

One day,
I asked: Lemon Tea or Lime Tea?
The old hawker auntie: *in Hokkien-spiced English* Lemon, lime, same2 lah, oh-leng (orange in Singapore slang) oso!

Wah! Next time you ordered orange juice, don't be surprised if you are given a glass of lime juice instead! Lime, oh-leng, same-same sour lah!