+ my hands! +

Was fiddling with the camera.. Wanted to do an "invisible hand" effect kungfu-master style, but ended up getting something that looks like my arms were chopped off at the elbow.

+ some pictures +

I'm home, since Tuesday evening yesterday, but the previous 2 days were used to retune my biological clock. I was on night shift the whole week you see.

As promised, some picture posts.. I took them yesterday.

Fullerton Hotel in the day. Still very grand, all the old world charm intact.


Esplanade, from right under the flaps.


Across Boat Quay, created with night mode and delibrately shaking hand. Chaotic, but I love the 2 neon-ish strips of lights near the middle.

+ homecoming! +

By noon I should be getting ready to get home. Yes.

It just feels so much better to be home. Although emotionally we're still nowhere near, the closer physical distance created the illusion that you're close to me.

So close, yet so conscious of the fact that we're so far apart.

Oxymoron.

+ spoke too soon +

I think it was just yesterday that I applauded myself for not bitching about stuff for awhile, but I have to go today. You. Think you got the good deal. I just wanted to be easy since it won't be that much a difference anyway. However you apparently understimated my ability to turn the more sour deal into a good enough one. Hah. That's too bad. And don't think you're good at hinting sarcasm. Hello, I BREATHE sarcasm. Don't feel disappointed that I never replied to your lame little joke. Stop acting like you're a nice guy in front of me. So you've got big chests and a tanned body, big deal. Go to the club and find your female equivalents. Those with big boobs and little brains.
Oh, by the way, catch them fast too, because bimbos silly enough to go to bed with you are running out.

-takes a breather-

So that's that. Mean, but I don't really care. That's what happens when someone gets on my nerves. But don't worry. I'll only insult the person himself/herself. Won't drag the other people whom you're related to into this. Coz it's already quite a bad thing being linked to you.

Part 2. Language

"Hi, may I know who is this speaking?"
"Hello, may I know who im speaking to?"
Both sounds and feels quite correct huh? I thought about it awhile.. And it appears that the answer to the first line is 'me'. Ain't that correct to ask who's on the other side of the line eh?

"You OWN me $10."
"You owe me $10."
It's obvious which is the correct one, so this is just for sharing, since it's not an uncommon mistake of Singaporeans.

"I major in phycology."
"I major in psychology."
Looks a little similar, but phycology is actually the study of ALGAE(!). I don't have to explain psychology.

Ok, so that's what I have to share for now. Gawd, I can't wait to be home to post some pictures!

+ yay! +

Because I haven't been bitching about stuff for quite a few entries, if you realised. I don't know if that's exactly a very good thing though. It seems that the most recent entries are those revolving a rather similar topic. Shouldn't make it turn into an obsession. Or it'll be so counter-effective.

And day 4 of my instant noodles routine.. Damn, I must start eating something a little more healthy.

Looking at my other habits now however, I see a more useful me forming. Useful in a sense that im more charged to take up new stuff, in a sense that I do not procrastinate that much anymore. Well that's good. Self improvement. Can you see it though?

Exactly 1 year and 5 months to go to the time of my brave attempt. Phew. I dunno if we would've lost contact or you may not be single anymore by then. Let time take its course. I will be hoping for the best. Because the future I've imagined with you looks great. Tick tock tick tock.

The clock is ticking.

+ noodles overload +

Im having too much instant noodles. 2 packets every night for 3 straight days. Reasons: I can’t exactly cook at all, nobody eats rice in the middle of the night, and I have to stay up all night due to the fact that im on night shift.

So day 1: 2 packets of curry flavoured noodles with an egg.
Day 2: 2 packets of noodles, seasoning switched for Campbell’s soup, and some deep fried chicken nuggets.
Day 3: 2 packets of noodles, dry, seasoned with sesame oil and oyster sauce, some deep fried fish fingers and an omelet with sausages.

Ok somebody save me. There’s no way I can stay throughout the night without eating anything, but what else can I cook?

On another note, self control is important. Yes, control your diet, control bad habits, control unnecessary emotions. It is not my forte, but im sort of getting control. Yea, get a hold of myself, I foresee a lot more instances when I need to practice it. I can do it!! Muahaha…

+ music +

I've always been a more pop and R&B kinda person, but classical pop has been slowly growing on me. Vanessa Mae, Bond and Josh Groban attracted me to this genre. Granted, some may not like the way classical music is being remade for the newer pop-induced generation, but this fusion does it alot more appreciable for them.

Im alot more receptive to jazz now too, thanks to Michael Buble and Ian Cullum. And it's quite true that jazz is a very good match with gloomy weather or late nights. It's just a feeling. Light jazz music, a dark room with soft candle light and heavy rain outside the window; a perfect lazy Sunday afternoon. Best if hugging a bolster while enjoying the moment.

Heh, I feel I'm getting just a little more sophisticated. In terms of appreciation of music, that is.

+ away again +

I'm away again, up till 26th July.

I just realized something, the ants here are bigger.
Haha.. It's a totally dumb discovery I know, but you should know that it can get pretty boring around here, so I pay more attention to some stuff that doesn't really bother me usually.

Back soon! Oh, and for those whose semester is starting again, happy mugging again!

+ unknown topic +

I couldn't think of a heading to use.

Anyway I'll just share it with everybody something I heard somewhere.

When what you see is darkness and a shadow in front of you, just turn around, coz that's where the light is.

What do you think?

Im turning around. No doubt it may be blinding in the beginning, but I believe after some time my eyes will be accustomed to it. The iris will dilate sooner or later, and even if you still find the burst of light too blinding to take, it will still become better eventually. However if you do not want to attempt to turn around at all, what you can see will just be a shadow. And darkness.

I do not wish to make empty promises. And I do not joke about them. Have faith in me. I meant every single word I said.

+ point taken +

A 'haha' and a subtle hint.

So understated yet able to penetrate straight through.

Episode over.

No happy ending now, but that doesn't mean it was my last attempt.
I'll be back. :)

+ double wow +

Gosh. Look at them. Simply gorgeous.

Sony Ericsson K600i (3G)


BMW M6

+ done deal +

I had to say it. Can't keep it in much more. So forgive me if it was a shock to you.

There isn't alot I can do now but to look at your reaction. It's a classic 'hope for the best, prepare for the worst' kind of situation.

And no, there was no joke involved.

+ regaining halo : sony +

Before the turn of the millenium, Sony was THE electronics brand. But high prices, the somewhat lack of milestone products and the onslaught of the Koreans have driven the Japanese electronic giant's status down in the past few years.

I have no doubt it is back though. Innovation and design, both the company's forte can be seen again in many of their recent products. A whole line of halo products launched recently sees the company regaining top spot in everyone's gadget wish list. I'd like to think of it as the electronics equivalent of Mariah Carey.

Following are some of their recent efforts that more than caught my eye.

Left: Network Walkman HD5 20GB hard disk based MP3 / ATRAC3 player. 40 hours battery life. Display that works in 2 orientations. $499 (Cheaper than an iPod).
Right: Vaio Pocket 40GB hard disk based MP3 / ATRAC3 player. Colour display that shows album and artiste information. G-sensor touchpad controls. $599.


PSP gaming and entertainment console. Play games and watch movies on new UMD disc format. Listen to MP3s. Brilliant LCD display. Attracts more attention than an iPod. $455.


Playstation 3 gaming console. Supports up to 7 bluetooth controllers. Rumoured to have more powerful graphics engine than Xbox360. Blu-ray discs format. Coming early 2006.


Vaio VGN U8G notebook cum portable media player. The smallest and lightest notebook device. $2599


Cybershot T7 ultracompact digital camera. Slimmest camera in the world. Comes with 5.1 megapixel sensor with 3x optical zoom. $799


Vaio TV PC. An iMac with TV tuner. Unavailable in Singapore.


Wireless DVD home theater system. As the name suggests, no wires at all. Status unknown.

The current product blitz, coupled with the sheer desirability of the Sony brand, should keep all its rivals busy at their workstations to come up with worthy competitors for its products.
Hail Sony.

+ home +

Event 1: Dinner with 4 gal pals at Newton Circus Food Centre. Grilled stingray, sambal squid, BIG prawns grilled with butter and garlic, shellfish in chili egg sauce, barbequed chicken wings and kai lan in oyster sauce. Ahhhhhh... What a feast.
Bring on more prawns~


Apologies for taking the pictures halfway thru the meal though, I forgot to snap them earlier as I was busy devouring the food. Hah.

Event 2: Yes, I just can't help but show off my new gadgets.

Sony Cybershot W5. Not a top end model, but 5.1 megapixels, 2.5" LCD, very good perceived quality and the availability of a manual mode overrides its downsides of being a little bigger and heavier than I'd have liked.
But at $500 (inclusive of taxes 256MB MS Pro) for that specs sheet, I'm not complaining.

+ im a kid +

Not just me. I think everyone does behave quite like a kid when they are in love, have a crush on someone, blah blah.. ya know, things along that line.

The kind of excited feeling you get when you're looking forward to see that special someone is like when kids are looking forward to someone giving them a piece of candy,
the kind of disappointment you feel when the date with that special someone has to be cancelled bears an uncanny resemblance to mommy not buying that piece of candy for the child,
the over-the-clouds happiness when that special someone says 'You're special to me too' just makes a kid who has just heard 'Darling, you're so dear to me' from mommy or daddy.

So you see, people who are in love, secretly in love with someone, infatuated with someone or having a crush on someone behaves quite similarly to a kid.

I suppose all of us will never lose that little 'child' part of ourselves.

Infatuation can be beautiful too. :)

+ acting +

I suppose everyone in this world can qualify for some 'Best Actor' or 'Best Actress' award. Look at how people have to act like they're doing their stuff in front of the superiors, in front of those 'big arses' who can make a difference to where you'll be heading.

True, it's good to perform well, to be conscientious in one's work. But the difference in attitude when 'the Boss' is here as compared to the time when he's not is abit too much for me to take sometimes.

Anyway, it's no unknown fact that every single one of us will skive when he's not around. It's not like he won't know. Come on, he went that route to get to where he is now.

So, minimal acting please, I have not much interest in participating in this show as a supporting actor.

+ london 2012 +

The city to host 2012's Summer Olympics was revealed in Raffles City Convention Centre nearly 2 hours ago. Following the presentations throughout the day, I'd have to say my favourite is London. It won!

I found the English video very warm, the French one just oozes style. No prizes for guessing if I prefer warmth or slickness.

Congratulations.

+ happy endings +

As much as people (myself included) are suckers for fairy-tale style happy endings, there will probably not be one this time. Happily ever after always sound great in books and stories and films, but how many truly happy endings can happen in real life? Ok, I may be too skeptical, it may be too early to tell. I would think that way if I was the reader of this entry.

There's more to it. Now I know there IS something important that I can't provide. Suffice to say it's probably essential. Of course, I still feel. It's just a pity that my imperfection is one that I can't quite accept myself.

Getting a little emotional right now. May have been the Hong Kong TVB drama serial that I was watching. "The Last Breakthrough". The story is about a group of healthcare professionals; their lives, their jobs, of course romances are never left out in serials, and mainly the voluntary work they do in Central Africa. True, it's acting, but the show managed to touch me. Watching the show made me feel how fragile life could be. It IS very fragile, and unpredictable. For those who understands Cantonese, rent it to watch. You won't regret. For those who don't, the VCD has got English subtitles.

Try to accomplish what you want to. Whether you succeed is not the most important. Of course, it's sweet to taste victory and to know that hard work pays off, but attempting and gaining experience is what adds to a more enriching and fulfilling life. I've tried some things, am still trying others, and of course have given up on some too. I do not regret, because with everything I do, be it a failure or success, I grew.

Waking up from a sweet dream is something nobody wants to. I don't want to. If you read a slightly earlier post, in fact I don't really want the dream to end. But eventually, earth is the destination and all of us have to face reality. I will. Or should I say I will have to, when you eventually go back to where you belong.

Every moment of the short period of time has been pleasant and im sure there are more to come. Treasuring and savouring the time up till then is what I will do, because I do not want to regret not being able to spend some quality time before it's up. Do not worry, I've learnt to be less draggy.

So to all, watch the show. Treasure life, treasure time spent with loved ones, treasure each and every experience you gain, be it happy or sad.

I'll be away until the 14th. No picture posts until then for sure, but if I come across anything that makes enough sense, I'll share it here.

+ the da vinci code +


Creating controversy, spanning various versions of 'Cracking the Code' books, and spending a year in best-sellers lists are some things Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code have achieved. Apparently it's not over yet.

Next summer, the big-screen version of The Da Vinci Code will hit theatres. The main cast list has been confirmed to be Tom Hanks (The Terminal, Catch Me If You Can, Cast Away), Audrey Tautou (Amelie), Jean Reno (Ronin) and Ian McKellen (Lord of the Rings). Oscar-winning director Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) will helm the film. It is slated to reach US theatres on 19 May 2006.

+ dreaming +

Seeing you is like a sweet dream. Unreal, yet I just hope it will recur more often, and that everytime the dream comes, it lasts longer and longer.

:)

+ notebook stunners +

As electronics products have all already reached extremely high performance levels, being lightweight is all the rage now. Following are 3 extremely lightweight models for their class, of which 2 are available officially in Singapore.

1. Asus V6V : The Powerhouse
Status: Available (S$3398)

Of course I will not exclude something from my beloved Asus. This brand new model also features a carbon fiber chassis that was pioneered by an earlier Asus model to save weight and increase durability. Following are basic specs of the 1.86 GHz model.
- Intel Centrino 1.86GHz 915 chipset processor
- 15.0 inch TFT LCD
- 512MB ram (max 2GB)
- 60GB HDD
- DVD-RW drive
- ATI Radeon X600 graphics card
- Bluetooth, Infrared, 802.11a/b/g wireless lan
- 4 x USB ports, 1 x firewire port
- 2.3kg, 331 x 272 x 30mm

2. Samsung X30 : Style Icon
Status: Available (S$3799)

Newcomer to the local notebook market, Samsung's red mobile phones are quite well known. Transfer the colour to their introductory model, throw in Samsung's LCD technology and you've got a stunner. The sleek and understated Asus suits my tastes more, but this should prove to be THE ladies' notebook.
- Intel Centrino 1.2GHz Ultra-Low-Voltage processor
- 12.1 inch TFT LCD
- 512MB ram (max 768MB)
- 40GD HDD
- External DVD/CD-RW combo drive
- Integrated multi format memory card reader, Wifi
- 2 x USB ports, 1 x firewire port
- 1.1kg, 288 x 197 x 23.8mm

3. Sony Vaio X505 : Ultimate Lightweight
Status: Only in Japan

Yes, you're looking at the world's lightest and thinnest spindle style notebook. How thin is it? Closed, the slimmest part is 30% thinner than a Motorola V3. Amazing feat. Oh yes, and did I mention that its carbon fiber body makes it weigh less than 6 Nokia 6680 mobile phones?
- Intel Centrino 1.1GHz processor
- 10.4 inch TFT LCD
- 512MB ram
- 20GB HDD
- 2 x USB ports, 1 x Firewire port
- Optional external optical drive
- External mouse with built in Memory Stick reader
- 785 grams(!), 256 x 208 x 21.9mm (thinnest point 9.7mm)

+ singapore youth festival +

It's another late post. Anyway, the Singapore Youth Festival opens. There will be a whole line of activities put up by the performing arts CCAs of various schools. The pictures are self explanatory. I was at the opening ceremony on Friday night.

+ iPod news +


News for current owners of iPod whose units are faulty or for those who're intending to get a new iPod, Apple will be adding colour screens to the entire range. This effectively means the iPod Photo line will be dropped, as the new colour screen models are identical. 30GB versions however, will no longer be offered. According to Apple, there will be no price hikes compared to the non-colour versions.

+ bad news +

Work is gonna get more hectic if no new people gets posted in. 2 more guys are finishing their service in end August, and if new guys don't get posted in, I'll soon be away for 2 weeks rather than having off for the same period of time.

2 weeks in a no-man's land (or rocks). It's kinda pushing the envelope for me. I need the city. I need to see my room often. I want my bolster!

Fingers crossed that more people will come in soon. Im not compaining. Im just worried how long my sanity will last trapped in a place with no broadband access and no local M1 coverage. Tsk tsk.. Im spoilt.