Chucky & Yoda wishes you a Happy Halloween

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Yes, my little brother accidentally burnt himself with the hairdryer while he was drying some stuff. He got over the pain pretty quick after realising how cool it looked. I really almost thought it was a sticker tattoo.

Anyway there's a garden wedding to attend to but with the storm raging outside, I'm not sure how that would work out. Maybe there'll be a Plan B. And yay, to seeing two brilliant authors tomorrow.

MM Lee Receives Lifetime Achievement Award :)

WASHINGTON: Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew has been given a lifetime achievement award in Washington.

He used the occasion at the US-Asean Business Council event on Wednesday to urge the United States to remain engaged in Asia or risk losing its global influence.

Former US presidents George H W Bush and Bill Clinton sent messages of support, as did President Obama whom he will meet at the White House on Thursday.

Mr Clinton said: "His work as Prime Minister and now as Minister Mentor has helped literally millions of people from Singapore and all across Southeast Asia live better, more prosperous lives."

Mr Bush said: "All of us who have worked with him have benefited from his wisdom, his insight and his dedication."

The Minister Mentor received the lifetime achievement award, witnessed by US foreign policy giants like Henry Kissinger.

Mr Kissinger said: "He has become a seminal figure for all of us. As I've said, I've known him for 40 years. I would say I have learned, I've not learned as much from anybody as I have from Lee Kuan Yew."

After receiving the award, Mr Lee praised President Obama for effectively replacing the Group of Eight group of nations with the broader G20 at a recent summit in Pittsburgh.

Mr Lee said: "The American President has taken a realistic view of the changed world, although for the next two or three decades, America will remain the sole superpower."

And on the evening before his visit to the White House, the minister mentor also offered some advice to President Obama.

Mr Lee said: "If the US does not recognize that the Asia-Pacific is where the economic centre of action will be, then it loses that economic superiority or that lead that it has in the Pacific; it will lose it worldwide."

The advice comes as America's Commander-in-Chief prepares to visit Asia, where he will attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Singapore.

Main article: Link

Ferrari California

Nothing intelligent about this post. I'm just amused at how pink it is. :D

Meant to be

Have you ever wondered what you're meant to do with your life? Sometimes, I think about it and, I feel like my most certain long term plan is to be a mother. Yes, I think I'm meant to be a mother.

The one who gives the little push to the kids in the direction they want to take, learning from her own mistakes of letting big chances slip away. The one who strives to provide the best for the kids yet letting them learn what it takes to receive that 'best'.

The one who relives childhood memories as ambiguous lessons, letting them be exposed to the many things out there bit by bit. The one that will converse with them like they're little adults. The one who tells them exactly what they did wrong, and what they did right. The one who will never give up on them.

And most importantly, the one who loves them through and through.

...despite how difficult motherhood have proven to be over years of time.

Sigh, it's the time of the month.

Facebook Drama

What is UP with people pissing me off on Facebook today? It's a social networking site that helps you reconnect with friends. I don't need secondary school drama erupting on the pages though. So completely juvenile.

Number 1, someone leaving me a message asking me why I hadn't accepted her friend request and whether I've forgotten her. Well, no, I remember you very well...as the person who never spoke to me in school ever before, and I recognise you as one of the throngs of faces in the cafeteria during school breaks. Is that reason enough to term you as a friend I'd never 'forget'? Heck, I can bet that even virtual friends I've never met in person before would be able to know me much better than you - enough to be called a friend, at least. What is up with people like that sending me accusatory toned messages and trying emotional blackmail on me by telling me how upset she is that I didn't accept her friend request. In the first place, I don't like people I've never spoken to or don't even know, sending friend requests without leaving a proper message of introduction. It's like, so you sent me a request and I'm obligated to accept it and suddenly you're part of my circle of friends? It doesn't work that way. And grow up, emotional blackmail doesn't work online. Don't you have a real life with real friends out of the virtual realm? Seriously seriously.

Number 2, click and read-

The last line is a frail attempt at making amends. It's kind of like droning on about how everyone's stupid and brainless and utter lowlifes and then shouting "PEACE!"

Is this how our future generations of lawyers are going to be like? Or IS this the mindset all lawyers actually have? Dissing the same clients who are paying them to represent them in cases. How utterly obnoxious. Fairtytale idealism? Who is he to spout such nonsense when he's barely a JC graduate with no real world experience? He sounds like the naive fool in this situation, thinking life is a bed of roses the moment you get a niche degree like Law from Australia no less! Not that I'm looking down on taking Law in Australia but face it, you'd be much more impressive if you were heading for Harvard or in the UK (especially UK, where the cases would be most relevant - Common Law). Of course, if you're Australian and you're taking a degree in law from Australia, that would be completely justified. Back to the naivety of this fool, he makes it sound like everything would fall perfectly into place and he'd earn himself a superior rank way above the 'common people' and the 'needy' upon graduation. Sad to say, honey, you'll be fighting with throngs of other graduates to get to that place. We'll see. No, we won't see, because this is the last I'm even wasting brain space for a twat like that.

Rant over.

Whoa whoa whoa

Isn't it exciting when the tables are turned and boys become the biggest whiners of the world? -smirks. Pretty enjoyable to read all the facebook statuses and tweets about the Man Utd - Liverpool match (photo above has nothing to do with that particular match). All the claws are out and little quarrels boy styled.

Anyway, I've been busy editing old time photos before my dad could print them all out. I'm such a procrastinator. Anyway, the old time photos are dated back to my graduation in May and beyond. My brother's camera died and Candice was kind enough to pass me a free point-and-shoot camera she got. Keyword was, free. So we both knew it wasn't going to have the best quality but hey, it was better than nothing. So thank you, Candice, for tiding me over before I got myself a proper camera again.

The pain in the butt comes when I realised how bad the quality was in dark settings, so I had to sort of, edit out as much noise I could and brighten and adjust the colours accordingly. It's taking a massive amount of effort out of a person like me. I don't know if I should post some of the happier ones up here. Maybe I should...soon.

And yes, I'm hoping to receive some good news this week. Oh pray it's going to be good news. Sigh.

And my bank account is depleting. The first time I'm going to see it increase again, I'm going to be as happy as a lark. Going to be the best feeling in the world.

Okay but at the moment, reality tells me it won't be in too soon anyway.

Flash Mob in Singapore

Singapore's Central Business District - Raffles Place


Raffles City Shopping Mall

Neil Gaiman Contest CLOSED

Regarding previous post, the contest have been running for a week now. At this point of time, I've got more than enough interesting entries but not enough tickets. So as to avoid causing further disappointment to more people (Really sorry, you guys), it's time to end the contest.

A little good news though? I heard from the SG Writers' Festival that the signing MAY be made open to the main public, with or without tickets. Though priority might still be placed on ticket-holders. Nothing's confirmed but you can keep yourselves updated on that through the main website: www.singaporewritersfestival.com

It's been nice hearing from you guys. Let's hope there'll be more Neil Gaiman talks lined up in the future for everyone. :)

BNP - Nick Griffin

Link: http://bit.ly/q9IIx

There's just something ridiculously creepy about Nick Griffin. I've been hearing him pop up in the news ever since the whole media frenzy months ago while I was in Ireland about the British National Party (BNP) gaining power and momentum in the country - which people have blamed on other Party supporters not voting. (So...maybe it's a good thing sometimes to make voting compulsory? -shrugs. Different dynamics in every country, I wouldn't be able to judge.)

Either ways, I'm not a huge mad fan about talking about world politics - I'm certainly not the sort of person you'd want to hold long conversations with regarding things like that, because I dislike the whole struggle to get your points across without the other party looking like they might kill you. I'd rather, just, listen, nod, and agree or agree to disagree. Makes things that much simpler.

But BNP's something different. Being so far away, they've captured the attention of people in this region with media stations stirring up a little curiosity about BNP and its true mission (Extermination of the 'less superior' races, perhaps?). With members who enjoy a joke or two about the eerie Ku Klux Klan, some even suspected of supporting Adolf Hitler's regime. Nick Griffin tries to excuse his party's anti-immigrant ideas by saying they're the "Aborigines" of England. I don't see the connection to the Aborigines in Australia, or the 'Aborigines' of America. Isn't it your people after all who invaded the said lands mercilessly for your own selfish interests at the beginning of time? In comparison to that, have the 'invaders of England' ever gained that much power to treat the 'Aborigines of England' as cruelly as the English have done everywhere else they've conquered? I didn't think so. And you think you've substantiated your racist stance by comparing yourselves to the Aborigines of Australia.

I've been to the different parts of the UK, and been to the big major countries surrounding the country but never Britain itself. It's not that I don't want to - there was just never the occasion for it. Maybe I should head there before the BNP gains even more momentum. Or maybe I might miss my chance by the time I decide to go. I cannot see myself surviving immigration, suffocated by the questions. And if BNP gains even more power, I can't see myself in a country that refuses to vote / voted for a party like the BNP to begin with. Because no economic reasons can be reason enough to be racist.

As it is, it's quite a pain in the butt to be travelling anywhere in the EU, except Scotland. Yes, Scotland's been the only place that welcomed me with open arms, with security guards smiling cheerfully and asking me to enjoy my stay. I have yet to meet any country that comes close. No, not even Germany who apparently have 'great economic links with Singapore'. What more if a racist party were to be in control? AND the Lisbon Treaty trying to unite all EU under one "ideal leader". I fear Europe might start being a living hell for any supposed "minorities". The world is coming to an end!! But I digress too much.

Back to the whole BNP story, Nick Griffin appeared on Question Time where other political party representatives and himself were posted questions from the audience. (http://bit.ly/q9IIx) And I sort of smirked a little reading the article -

It would be, in the end, an Asian audience member who came closest to finding the target when asking about repatriation.

"Where do you want me to go?" he asked Griffin, before turning the tables on him. "You would be surprised how many people would have a whip-round to buy you a ticket and your supporters … to go to the south pole. That's a colourless landscape, it would suit you fine."

Cafeworld

Those who play CafeWorld in Facebook would know just by looking at the photo above, what this post is going to be about. It's about CHEATING. You know how long it takes for me to even just get 10 stoves and I'm at a higher level than both of the people above. They're not the only ones though. There're lots of people using cheats now to get ahead in the game.

You know, if I'm working, I wouldn't be half as bothered by this but I'm not working! So I need to gain satisfaction from something at least, right...? Um yeah. -Shifty eyes.

But still! They're taking away my top place by CHEATING. Now my life is meaningless! :O

Jokes aside, I'm just thinking they must have mad passion for the game, to even be bothered to download CHEAT applications/programmes for something as useless as a Facebook game. I mean, seriously? If it was like some Red Alert, Jagged Alliance, Max Payne paid computer games, then fine. But Facebook Games!? Do you get money from it?? Let me know if you do! Because I'd love to convert my game money to real money and then maybe being unemployed isn't so bad. Back to FB games... They are games that are supposed to get you interacting with your friends to get more points! Cheating defeats the whole point of FB games anymore. It's like, why do you have to add ME to your list of 'neighbours' when you can cheat the whole day and get the points and cafe cash by yourself etc!? Am I making sense at all??

Competing with Sany and Rosemary on my lists have been funny because we're constantly changing positions (from 1st, 2nd, 3rd) and 'cussing' at each other for fun's sake (I knowww you don't think that's fun but, to each his own okay!?) - Most importantly, we played it FAIR. But eeks, those cheaters are so annoying. If only there's a way I can delete them as neighbours, because it's pointless having them around when they are fine playing the game by themselves by cheating. It's kind of like playing monopoly with a group of 5, and one person is just in his own world, cheating blatantly and not stopping. What's the point of still having him in the game right? Even having cheaters in monopoly is better because then, I can just hide their tokens away but I have no control over games online. -sulks miserably.

Okay at least, it resulted in me blogging about something. I need a job.

Good English VS Bad English?

Ron made me watch this so I'm going to make everyone suffer with me.


It's nice to see her being stripped of all the false facade and acting like herself. It really shows how she's not that 'right in the head', and provides some sort of a closure for us. It's easier to understand now, why she was so, so, so weird in her previous interviews. But hey, she's a good enough sport to have gone on the show.

And I think her English and diction is improving...not a lot, but there is some sort of a progress. Awesome to be sponsored lessons just like that huh.

Peter Connelly

Such a sad tragic story.

Someone from the link above, took the effort to piece together the story and updates regarding Baby P, the child who died mercilessly at the hands of his mother's boyfriend of less than a year, under watchful eyes. So do take a look at the site.

So, we've seen how people can cry over men's brutality to animals...what more to little babies who never got the chance to learn to speak, or discover what lies beyond his youth - babies made out of the same flesh and blood as we are.

And the law still protects these heartless abusers by wanting to hide their identities and banning photos of them to be released to the public (The ban has since been lifted). And having lawyers defending and appealing for the couple along with their accomplice. How would you react in the face of such evil? And how could a baby react at all? It saddens me that mere words could not bring a dead child back - but at the very least, please try to save more kids from having a fate like Baby Peter. Be more observant of anything suspicious that is going on in your neighbourhood. Do not just keep 'watching' like the Social Services in charge of Baby P (who got sacked) and actually DO something before the worst happens. After all, what does a baby know about right and wrong, and what can he say when he doesn't even know how to speak? Who else does he have when his own caretakers are not what they ought to be? He only has us to depend on, to remain vigilant, to be his voice.

Tracey Connolly 27, Steven Barker 32, and his paedophile brother Jason Barker/Owen 36

Where The Wild Things Are

How can someone watch this and say they don't love it?



One of the must-see movies for me. It's coming out pretty late here though - Link. 14th January 2010!

I don't know about you, but just watching the various short clips online and the trailers managed to move me. I've heard that it's a pretty sad story for a child, but hey, I thought the Little Prince was pretty sad too. There's just a sort of deep melancholy about those children books. And somehow, they're the books that really stick by you. It seems like humans are prone to sadness even from a young tender age. I guess sadness is one of the strongest emotions one could feel, and that's why you hardly forget things that revolve around it. Being able to feel sad, makes you feel that you're alive.

Neil Gaiman

http://twitpic.com/lujor

The few following me on Twitter would probably already know this. If not, take a look at the link I posted above. We actually ended up with extra tickets because people in the queue were all entitled to one pair each.

My friend and I were suffering under the scorching tropical sun for hours to get the tickets, and we saw many people doing the same. (I've got a ridiculous looking tan.) Frankly, if we're giving out the remaining tickets to somebody, we'd prefer them to be real fans who missed out on the low publicity of the event or weren't free on the days the tickets were given out etc. So, if you're a true Neil Gaiman fan, who really wants to attend the Neil Gaiman on Graphic Novels and Fantasy talk - Leave a comment here to tell me why you should get the ticket and how badly you want it. :) Write whatever you want! Or bribe me. Just kidding. Fastest fingers win (Of course the fastest fingers have to convince me that they're true fans)

Comments are moderated and entries will not be published. (So you should keep an 'original' of what you sent me, if you're afraid of never seeing your precious comment again)

Please specify that it's an entry for the Neil Gaiman 'contest', and not posted as a normal comment. And leave your names and emails please. :)

+++

What: Neil Gaiman on Graphic Novels and Fantasy
Where: Victoria Theatre, located next to Victoria Concert Hall, just across the road from The Arts House.
When: Sunday 1 November, 2pm.
Free Seating
*More details on www.singaporewritersfestival.com

+++

I hope this will make someone's day somehow.

Permalink

Chemistry

Europe Research Careers Ad

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I'm heading out now to meet Timothy. He has managed to convince Candice and myself to catch Carrie Underwood live at Orchard ION's official opening (What? The Official Opening's only now!?). She's playing at 6.30pm. I'm expecting it to be pretty crowded. In the midst of all the enthusiastic screams (most likely inclusive of Timothy's), Candice and I will think up of a master plan for tomorrow with serious faces.

I feel crushed by the imminent possibility of us not getting our hands on those flimsy things. If that's the case, I'll have to attackhuggle Sany after everything, and pretend I can feel the aura of his awesomeness on her, after Nov 1.

At least, I can still meet ____ from Sweden, I hope. It's not a ticketed affair. I just need to pray for the public's oblivion and fight through the hordes (if there's any).

Okay, ciao!

Videos

I've got quite a couple of things to get pretty excited about but until then, here's a video I just can't stop watching.



It gives me such warm fuzzy feelings. If only every work place produces friends like that. Reminds me of school so much with our music videos. They're just things that will stick with you for life.

And Sany's baby: http://vimeo.com/3576849

Never gets old, does it? Okay maybe it does sometimes, but wait a long while, and re-watch it. And the warm fuzzy feelings will come back! :D Really! If it still doesn't work, then err, wait a few years before watching them again because, you probably have some delayed reaction or something like that. Uhhuh.

Anti-Christ for Real?

"Joanne Hale, 39, gave husband Peter, 43, an aphrodisiac called "horny goat weed", blindfolded him and led him into woods. The pair kissed, cuddled and "rolled about on the leaves" as part of an apparently "playful game", Bristol crown court heard.

But Hale then straddled her husband as he lay face down and slit his throat with a knife, leaving a 12cm (4.5in) long wound, before plunging it into his neck and chest several times, it was claimed."

- Guardian UK

Read the rest here.

Is it just me or it sounds a little like the film I caught in the Irish Film Institute called Anti-Christ?

Riyan

Nura-
I'm so glad Riyan isn't the sort that's all 'bros before hoes'
I cannot deal with that childish crap

Candice.
yah sia
that is so passe
seriously

Nura-
haha
but sometimes i do wish my boyfriend had more of a life
sigh we're never happy
hahahaha
i find it strange that he doesn't seem to have a social life. lol. (Then again, Irish socialising involves a lot of beers and he's quit drinking. Plus work doesn't give him much time to meet people)
cuz u know people like us
cannot survive without our social circle

Candice.
no life better than being a dickhead

Nura-
yah true lah
but you know
hahaha you wonder what goes through their minds
like wow how do you live so independently?
the worse part is if they ever start wondering the same about you
like why do you need to go meet your friends so much?
thank god riyan hasnt reached that point of recluse yet
HAHAHAHA
-twiddles thumbs

Candice.
you make him sound like a hermit
lol

Nura-
he IS!!!
U HAVE NOT
I REPEAT
HAVE NOT
SEEN THE STATE OF HIS APARTMENT!!!!
hahahahaha

Candice.
lol why

Nura-
his apartment is very ikea-ish. nice lah
but things like the lights...
the doorway has no lights
the other room has no lights. the kitchen lights out of 3, 2 have gone off
hahahahaha
he delays buying more lightbulbs or fixing the lights for those mentioned above

Candice.
WHY?!?!??!

Nura-
(brace yourself)
because he said we dont use the other room much, neither do we stand in the doorway for long
so it's unnecessary and that...

Candice.
LOLOLOL

Nura-
we'll end up using it for no reason if we install it
SEE

Candice.
WE DON'T STAND IN THE DOORWAY FOR LONG?!?!

Nura-
SEE HOW MY BOYFRIEND'S MIND WORKS!?

Candice.
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHA

Nura-
yeh

Candice.
SO WEIRD
LOLOL

Nura-
its endearing
yet weird
u know!??!?!?!?!?

Candice.
i know

Nura-
like awww why u so cute strange?
BUT UBER STRANGE nonetheless

Candice.
what kinda weird logic is that
wanna pinch
ahahha

Nura-
hahahhaa
yeh
and he says it with a smile
that contented smile like it's enough to shut me up
and i'd stand there frozen, not moving
with my :O !!! face
and he'd just sit there looking back and give a polite smile and go back to meddling with his laptop
like im not worthy of a lengthened explanation

Candice.
or rather, it seems so self-explanatory that he need not say more
like alien
ahahahha

Nura-
YAH
he does that to me a lot
like
explain a bit
then smile
and go on doing his things
leaving me with the frozen facial expression :O
he's good at ignoring me.
-sulks

Photo No 1 is the "Geez, Nura" look (which is most likely
what he's going to give me when he sees this post)
Photo No 2 is the pseudo smile he gives me when he's about to start ignoring me.

***Riyan would probably want me to let you guys know that the conversation included lots of exaggeration, and that his apartment is not that bad, and it really is spiffy and comfy to stay in. -shifty eyes- Jokes aside though, his apartment's really amazingly neat and pleasant for a bachelor's home. Even Ron really loved it during his stay. It's just pretty dark at night, that's all. :O !!!

Hey Hey Blackface Skit

The whole entire blow-up afterward, I thought, was completely uncalled for. It just highlighted the ignorance of the Americans even more than the Australians. & definitely highlighted the media's love to make a big deal out of nothing.

As a Singaporean (not even Australian), I didn't even see the performance as racist. Is it just me or countries that are super sensitive about race, are almost always the countries that comes across lots of problems dealing with racism? The more conscious you are to the racist connotations of a word, phrase, or action, the more 'racist' you actually are. Let me test you on this. When I say 'Yellow' in Chinatown, would you think of yellow in general or would you hush me up frantically thinking I was referring to someone's skin colour? Honestly, I never even knew the Chinese was associated with the "Yellow" until I became more travelled.

It's kind of like the whole issue with homosexuality. Making the term 'gay' sound bad. Making the term 'spastic' sound bad and now nobody can use it! So making a big (negative) fuss about painting your face black, will inevitably cause a stigma. Let's say now for Halloween, painting my face pink, blue and white is alright, but painting my face BLACK is racist? All because of the theatrical minstrel acts founded in America (Link), which the rest of the world really wouldn't be too familiar about - Unless they are mad crazy about learning about American history more than their own countries' histories.

So Americans are offended by the Australians' "tactlessness". Alright, perhaps the performers should have looked into their make up history in detail before performing for the competition. But face it, who'd really research into those things anyway? The show was essentially for Australians. No reason for the Americans to kick such a big fuss out of. And the most important thing to note is that, the performers were mostly non-Whites, something Fox News totally screwed up in reporting (As usual). I was not half as annoyed up till I saw a video of Fox News' exaggerated and totally inaccurate reporting. I guess that's the reaction Fox News always aims for.

It's amazing how the whole thing highlighted Americans' racism and lack of knowledge on the rest of the world, more than Australians. Harping on Australian's aboriginal past, instead of anything else Australians are capable of. Or insisting the performance was of great insult to the people in their country, when the entire world knows how the American media has portrayed other nationalities just as badly or worse, using the term Freedom of Speech in America to excuse themselves from false reporting and making direct condescending jibes at everyone else. I never thought the act was racist. Because why should I care a dime about your Blackface Minstrels past when I have never been to America, never been exposed to any Minstrel shows and have never been affected by them? It's like forcing the Americans to pay more attention to Saudi Arabia's culture and past, and be more sensitive when you make jokes about them when really, their past have no relations to your country's past. Remember the whole saga about Family Guy and Southpark wanting to create a cartoon version of Prophet Muhammad. How come they were excused for not understanding other people's cultures? The American arrogance pisses me off, calling the entire Australian show dopey and calling the audience and Australian judges ignorant. Come on, I'm pretty sure these Americans would know nothing about Australian comedy and their mindsets either.

So again, it all started with a group of multi-racial performers, with no thought of being racist, and then the American media completely sidetracked, insinuating that ALL Australians are racist arseholes. Way to blow things out of proportion for the ratings.

The whole holier than thou reactions happening there, just make me want to gag. Bitch, puh-lease. Keep your hands to yourself and deal with your own internal ongoing racism. Funny how the worst opinions came from Fox News, the station most well-known for being politically INcorrect whose fans make up the bulk of the population of those who are less travelled and know nothing about the rest of the world.

I have to emphasize the following though. I do have American friends and this whole Fox News thing is definitely not representative of all Americans. Most of the Americans I know actually hate Fox News. Tabloid scums.

Link
Original Video

Obama wins Nobel Peace Prize

"He gets a peace award on the same day we bomb the moon."
- Bill Maher

That somehow reminded me of a friend's essay which got marked down for the cuss-words it contained:

"Fighting for world peace is like fucking for virginity"

Note that it was a Secondary 2 essay when we were 14. And that sentence has survived in my brain space up till now. Amazing.

Gone too soon

Stephen Gately & Ronan Keating of Boyzone fame at a party

Too many people leaving us too early as of late. Stephen Gately of Boyzone fame dies suddenly while on holiday with long-term partner, in Majorca. He was also well-known for being active in gay rights movements, and for getting married to his long-term partner. Official cause of death is still unknown.

And just when Boyzone was set to reform. It's a shame. I've always liked him a little better than the rest in the group back in the days.

Irish Times: Link

One of those days

Doesn't have a proper title because this post isn't needing one.

My elder brother's back from the Philippines. He's been showing me videos and photos of the places he went, and the people he met. And...again, he had both girls and guys openly hitting on him. Big lol.

Anyway, after having a shower this morning, I decided to pamper myself a little and use the raspberry mask I tried using while in Ireland. My mum and little brother were both in the kitchen at that time. After putting the mask on, I instinctively walked out of the toilet with my arms stretched forward zombie-styled, walking towards them. Both started screaming in shock.

What a laugh I had this morning.

-

On the topic of Zombies, I came across this video on youtube:

Suicide

I was just talking to R last night about this, after his 28-year-old colleague passed away. How suicide's such a gray area - no clear right or wrong. One may think it's a selfish act, while others may understand that these people believed they had to do what they had to do, believing they've exhausted all other options. And contrary to popular belief, suicides usually involve a lot of thought, and is not a rash decision made overnight. I don't think it's wrong to be in either camps. Suicide is a very controversial subject and the justifications for it remain as abstract ideas. You never know why, or how bad they are feeling to resort to such a drastic measure. We being incapable to harm ourselves, doesn't mean someone else isn't capable of doing so. The human mind continues to prove its complexity.

I just came across that topic on Dr Allan Ooi, a 27-year-old Singaporean serving a bond as an SAF Medical Doctor, who quite recently committed suicide by jumping off a Melbourne bridge.

If you were to just google his name, you'll get to see quite a number of articles covering this topic. But the following are the few I gathered for easier understanding on the controversies that arose from this unfortunate event.

Link 1
Link 2
The now very public letter
Questions arising from letter

Nasa 'bombs' Moon for Water?

Strait Times: Link
Irish Times: Link

Lol. How did Nasa manage to make a moon bombing boring. Link

Dreams

The Fountain (film)

This time, I'm not talking about lavish ambitions lurking at the back of your head, serving as reminders to keep doing what you're doing to get to the special there.

I'm talking about the visuals that visit you in the dead of the night (or any time of the day, actually) while you're asleep. Don't you ever wish the visuals in your mind could be recorded through some trusted medium, seeing how technology seems to be so advanced these days. Haha. Then I wouldn't have to bother explaining how freaked out I feel after a nightmare, or how beautifully fantastical the dream was. And you can always replay it if you want to get freaked out (no need for horror movies! This one freaks you out the most, seeing it'll be your personal deepest fears), or if you want to feel warm fuzzy feelings after a bad rough day out at Life.

I dreamt of a very beautiful old castle, copper in colour, and is partly destroyed. It's covered with sand at the top, almost like a dessert with tents. It was a very weird setting but very beautiful all the same. And I wish I could take a picture of it.

Maybe one day, it'll happen. We'll see. But in the mean time, here's something close-
New Technology Could Display Dreams on Screen: Link 1
Mind Reading Software: Link 2
Scientists Might Be Able to Watch & Record Dreams: Link 3

Anyway, I came across a video of these two girls, looking and sounding fairly similar. Which is not a bad thing, seeing they both look cute, and both sound beautiful. Doubling a good thing, is not a bad thing, is it?



I always thought it's amazing when someone's able to play alongside their best friend/their partners with such a passion and harmonise beautifully. It's such a rare thing and when you witness something like that, it almost always moves you.

Parma

As you already know, my brother was sent to Manila, Philippines for work on Tuesday morning and won't be back till this coming Sunday. Ever since then, my parents have been much more attentive to news regarding the two Typhoons hitting Asia. (Link) Typhoon Parma and Typhoon Melor which hit Japan (Link). Typhoon Parma which was set to change its course and return to Philippines due to Melor pushing it away, seems to have dissipated slowly. That merely results in more heavy rains that is ongoing there, and strong winds. My brother dropped me a text last night telling me it gets pretty tiring having to walk against the strong winds and dealing with the rain. And the waters from the floods the previous week hasn't even fully cleared out yet.

It's been quite a cataclysmic few weeks for Asia, serving as regular reminders of how unpredictable life can be. It's as easy to gain it as to lose it. I can't wait to see my brother again on Sunday.

Wafflepwn

If you're bored and would like to see a really hot tempered kid breaking things in his house and whingeing about his dog attacking him, head down to: Link.

Be it staged or real, it remains entertaining. I just won't wish for a live re-enactment in my own home. Let's face it, it's only fun at a distance. Ahah.

P.S. Haha I just refreshed my page and saw a KLM advert flashing at the top of my blog and I had to say something about it. KLM's the main airline I've stuck with when flying to Europe. I love them to bits. They're celebrating their 90th anniversary, yay! And having a contest right now with prizes ranging from Macbook Air, Asus laptop, and a round trip to Amsterdam for two. And I love their Holland Herald page with all the photo competition for frequent flyers. :D

We are universal

I can't wait for the first half of tomorrow to be over and maybe then, I'd start blogging with a little more happy zest for life. And maybe add a stash of photos. We'll see. I've got to upload the photos from over the weekend - Ron's first try at celebrating Hari Raya/Eid'ul Fitr, complete in his own bright coloured Baju Melayu, looking very fine indeed. Everyone said he could pass off as a Malay. His appearance not only succeeded in fooling the Europeans, but also a few locals who thought he was a Chinese-looking Malay guy.

Aren't we all like chameleons sometimes? Arabs passing off as Americans or Europeans (you might think this sounds strange, but putting aside the stereotypical idea of an Arab man in a turban and white robe-y get up, you'll see what I mean). Albinos passing off as White guys with smaller eyes. (Haha, I think I read a celebrity saying that somewhere.) South Americans passing off as Southeast Asians and vice versa. (I'm speaking from my own experience) Myself mistaken as a French, Italian, Spanish, Columbian or Venezuelan while in Europe, and Thai, Filipino while in Asia. How universal. People just link your looks to something that's most familiar to them. Most people who have mistaken my identity, were all... pretty unfamiliar with how Malays look like.

Just like my lack of exposure to the various nationalities and races in the West, for the most part of my earlier years, has caused me the occasional confusion on who's who. I am still pretty much inept at pointing out the mild stereotypical differences between an Eastern European from a West European. And the posh Irish accent still sounds like an English accent to me, while the Cork accent sounds similar to the Scottish. I've always enjoyed nudging Riyan repeatedly (and as annoyingly as I can) and whispering in his ear "Ahah! Belfast? Cork? North England? Polish?" in spite of being wrong on most counts. It doesn't put me down at all. It only makes me more determined to keep trying my luck (or rather, annoying Riyan out of his wits). Ahh, the feeling's gratifying. One of my hobbies in Ireland, as you have to come to learn. Sadly, I don't have as much things to entertain myself with while I'm there, as compared to when I'm here in Singapore. Perhaps one day, when the transport systems get much more accessible there or when one of us is able to drive, I might pick up a new 'hobby'.

Insomnia attack

I can't seem to sleep. My brother is headed for Manila this morning. I pray for his safety. Then there's the eye clinic appointment in the hospital I have to accompany my mum for. And a little mental prep for whatever scary things that is to come on Wednesday.

After Wednesday though, I should be able to 'calm the f*ck down' a little more. Hmm, we'll see. Hoping for a little good news to come through by the end of the week.

This is one of the moments where I kind of wish for more testosterone. (Think about the moustaches and the goatees, Nura! Don't wish for it!) Maybe it'd be a tad less difficult for me to comprehend myself and these emotions. Never underestimate a woman's ability to be depressed for no freaking reason!!!

What I do know is that tonight might be one of those nights that I feel the strongest pangs of loneliness, being so far away from him. I hardly blog about how tough the separation is. That's only because I don't want to indulge in it. All that self-pity should be thrown out the window. But yes, it's one of those nights where I just can't run away from it. That I miss you so much, that I wished you are there within reach on the days I don't feel like doing anything at all; munching on chips, and forced to watch Bear Grylls with me eating things less appetising than we are.

Yes, even the times you'd tell everyone how hungry I was, when it was you who was dying to eat. And using my name for almost everything you can, just because. (Come to think of it, you're quite an asshole). I love you all the same. And I miss you. I know one day we'll be able to look back on all those years spent on making this work, feeling absolute euphoria in reaching our destination, throwing our fists in the air like little children having their first expensive toy. (Ok I need a much stronger analogy than this. A million and ten-fold.) And finally re-tell the story of how totally unprecedented our crossing of paths was. And maybe bore some to tears but they deserve a little boredom in their lives once in awhile.

It's been 3 years and 2 months. And I don't know how much longer it's going to take for this whole LDR to end but it's going to be so *insert explosive words* worth it. I know I'm going to sound teeny in this post but fuck it, I don't blog like this very often. I can't waiiiiit. Bah!

Flowers in the window

I've been re-hooked on this song ever since seeing Travis 'busking' it live.
-

Every time I start feeling blah about life and sad over nothing, I wish I had a little more testosterone in my system so I wouldn't be so volatile. Then I realised that I wouldn't want to grow goatees and moustaches, and maybe God was playing fair and giving guys the pain of shaving almost everyday and girls the pains every month, and the ever-lasting fluctuation of moods. Joke.

Anyway, I mentioned yesterday that the weekend forced me into conversations regarding jobs. Every household I visited would include the following "So are you still studying?" - No, "So what are you doing now?" - Looking for jobs, trying to secure interviews.

And then the conversations start to expand. Somehow it made me realise that expectations have changed through the years. People now dream big with not much consideration to the journey there. Everyone dreams of the final destination and not how to get there. Often, people grow extremely disheartened and disillusioned about their dreams, settling for the first few jobs that come by, never satisfied, always wondering what is out there.

During the olden times, Singapore was merely emerging as a first world nation. We were only a developing state. Back then, our parents never really talked about "dreams". Either that or their "dreams" were simple - get a job, build your way up slowly, feed your growing family. Lavish grand dreams were only for the rich, who could afford education past 'O' Levels.

When I was young, I used to think in awe, "Wow my parents stopped their education at 'O' Levels yet they both got pretty admirable jobs." I wonder what my kids will think about me next time? The situation right now in Singapore has changed so much in just one generation. My dad settled after getting his second job at Hyundai Komoco Motors. He started out with nothing but a humble 'O' level certificate and a strong passion for cars. He built his way up from menial tasks, to learning to put apart and put together a car, to representing Singapore on the world car engineering stage, back in 1999, in the annual Hyundai World Skills Olympics and winning the only Gold award (1st prize) ever won by Singapore. And now, he has a group of people training under him. I have nothing but mad respect for my dad. My elder brother seems to have that same drive.

What's a single Diploma or Degree right now when everyone's taking Double Majors, their Masters, their PhDs. Higher education is so much more easily attainable, and in a way, much more affordable than in the past. Back then, people used to say "Get a degree, kid. You'll never be jobless with a Degree." The current times have proven that idea void. A degree only gives you that fighting chance of survival, not a sure-fire way of getting a good job. And for those who can't get scholarships, they almost spend their entire lives paying back the school fees and student loans for the undergraduate years. I'm starting to wonder if the world is only worth living for the rich. But somewhere down the line, there has to be a rich man that started poor. And maybe that rare few extraordinary successes should be our motivation to keep working hard or working smart.

Contrary to what we believed long ago, blinded by our childhood innocence, life does not get any easier as the years go by. But we're supposed to continuously readapt to the changes around us. Life is a constant change, a constant battle, with little spouts of delirium once in awhile. We just have to learn to be more accepting of that fact.

Progress? Maybe.

Regarding earlier post here: Link

The boss finally called me up to explain the situation, which turned out to be the way I predicted it to be - My folder was misplaced. Apparently he said it "grew so popular, it was passed around and now we can't seem to locate it in the office." I told him I gave them my portfolio in full trust, seeing it was a well established organisation, and I had no reason to doubt them. He was very nice to me about it and sounded very apologetic over the phone and I told him that he sounded like a nice person but the fact remains that my portfolio was gone in their hands. And that, taking 3-4 weeks to get back to me was not a nice way of handling it. I told him I understood their situation with various events coming up that will keep them thoroughly busy, but I remain an outsider and I gain nothing from this. I'm not paid by the company for my stress, they are. They had no right to make my life difficult. I told him that he had to make sure retracing my folder becomes a priority because from the way they kept me waiting, I really didn't feel as though they bothered. He told me he'll try his best.

He further explained to me that the change in management caused them to change their minds in recruiting new employees, and told me maybe they'll start hiring again at the end of the year or in the earlier quarter of next year. In my mind, I was thinking, as long as my portfolio isn't found, I'll never consider working with them again. Because "little" things like this, tells a lot about a company. I may be a little desperate, but I am not that desperate for a job.

I've lost hope on getting back my magazine but it'd still be nice if I were proven wrong once in awhile.

Raya weekend

So I went out with a couple of my good friends for Raya visiting on Saturday and I went out with my family today.

It's always busier on the weekends on Hari Raya, seeing how it's the only time people are supposedly free from work. And everyone asked me about work. And the whole conversation about jobs makes me feel a tad sad as I began reflecting on that word - Jobs, and what it represents.

Okay, I'm quite exhausted. I have a couple of things on my mind, but I'll probably fill some space up in my blog tomorrow. Or maybe not. We'll see. Anyway, I'll be kept busy with a couple little stressful events all the way up to Wednesday. So, bless me.

Hope everyone had a great weekend/am going to have a good week.

Hmm

I cannot believe someone would actually think in such a way.

One of the facebook statuses I saw on Facebook:

Facebook User says "think about it, God will not bring down disasters if the country n its people (govt n citizens) has always done good. its not about geographical whatnots. y Indo? think: terrorist. y America? think: sinful poeple. actually, alot of reasons. gayism, marriage out of wedlock, lesbianism, porn, terrorist, govt haywire etc"

It's one thing having opinions, and another thing spouting nonsense that isn't supported from any sides - be it from a religious or a neutral stance.

I guess humans are really that screwed up, huh?

Another bout of Natural Disasters

Link

All these weather forecasts don't seem to be too positive about the bout of disasters ending any time soon. In fact, the recent Typhoon which hit the Philippines and have since left for its "greener pastures" is predicted to change course and be travelling back in the direction it came from. Meaning to say, Philippines is expecting another stronger typhoon in the wake of the initial one.

So we can only be expecting lots more news coverage on these ongoing issues, happening just a wee bit away. If we could use google map as a video over the week, I'm pretty sure it'll be eye-opening seeing all the footages of the skies in the surrounding cities being so drastically different from the tiny skies lingering above Singapore.

Which is why some people don't like talking about it at all. It's not outright indifference, it's just a defense mechanism built into us to just turn the other way when you're not harmed. It's an incessant logic, knowing if you can't do anything to help, talking won't do much either. It's easier to just tune out and think "They're so far away" when in reality, they're not. And it's not an easy thing either to know you're only talking about it (hot air) while others are feeling the impact of it without choice. It's so much easier to tune out, watch statistics, and just move on with what is left in the world. It's such a tragic reality. But we can only do so much.

My brother's company seems to be adamant in sending him to the Philippines...for work. I'm still unsure how that will turn out. His flight is next week. I'm supposed to join him a day or two later, accompany him rather, but I'm seriously reconsidering his offer.

who would have thought that something so beautiful could be so deadly?