Desire transcends logic

Another Life Changed

2005-12-02T22:04:00.000+11:00

As I reflect on the day and everything that has happened, I've been given a greater appreciation of life. I've always had moments like these but it's definitely greater today. When all else doesn't seem to matter, life takes on a different perspective. I will always remember this day.

At 6.00am Singapore time...

2005-12-02T09:00:00.000+11:00

the trap door released; a life lost.

In less than 14 hours...

2005-12-01T19:31:00.000+11:00

Melbourne man, Nguyen Tuong Van, will be executed in Singapore for possession of almost 400 grams of heroin. He agreed to transport the drugs to pay off a debt by his twin brother, but was arrested in transit at Singapore International Airport in 2002, from Cambodia to Sydney.

I'm fairly certain people back home may not be aware of this, but it's been a huge issue in Melbourne especially the past month. I'm not going into a debate whether he should or should not be hanged; I think that enough has been discussed. This entry just serves as a reminder for me.

Which should I use?

2005-11-26T14:11:00.000+11:00

Trichromatic or Dynamic?

This is not the poster for next year's World Cyber Games. It's not even going to be held in Melbourne. It will be in Italy if I'm not wrong. I'm actually doing a media kit for my Computer Applications assignment but I'm not sure which poster should I use for submission? Any suggestions anyone? Pity I've missed the games this year in Singapore. What luck.

What Kind of Blogger Are You?

2005-11-19T16:29:00.000+11:00

“It’s freaking addictive!” says Amira Mohamad, 19, a Malaysian Design student of RMIT. She admits that she is hooked on blogging and updates her blog at least three times a week “Maybe it’s because I always leave my laptop online so I have this tendency to blog more often. I'm sure if people don't have easy access to the internet they'd blog less. Although, when my internet connection got cut off one particular week, I found myself going to the cyber cafes to blog and update people about my life.”

A “Blog” by definition refers to a web log – An online diary. Growing populations of individuals, particularly the younger generation, have ditched the conventional diary and hopped onto the bandwagon of this evolving culture. According to Leon Gettler of The Age, “Technorati is now tracking 19.6 million blogs with one created every second and about 33,000 posts per hour. To save you getting out the calculator, that's 9 posts per second.” What then is the reason for this increasing trend of online diary writing? What do people write about? As technology advances, so does our accessibility of information. What is the difference between a blog and a website? What are the responsibilities of these bloggers and the readers?

For people like Amira, blogging is an extension to her writing skills. She has written short stories and poetry since the age of seven and had some published in the newspapers of her home country. Although she has written diaries in the past, she has found blogging to be more convenient compared to writing a traditional diary, “I started blogging last year out of curiosity, until it became addictive. It's a good alternative to diaries because it's faster to type, easier to edit, and it's nice to receive comments.” The comments that Amira receive depends on the entry she had posted “if it’s a cheerful positive one then I might get happy comments, if it’s sad then the comments will be comforting ones.”

Desmond Ng, 23, a Singaporean Business student of RMIT used to update his blog daily until he got occupied with school work. Now he only updates it once a week. He uses the blog to keep his friends updated about himself and to voice his opinion about society or the things he comes across “It is easier compared to writing into the newspapers, and I can do it as and when I please.”

Joshua Yeap, 18, a Malaysian Media and Communications student of RMIT has mixed feelings about blogging “Well, I reckon having a blog is quite fun because you’ll get feedback from other people. But I’m too busy and lazy to create one. I’m also quite a reserved person. Furthermore, not many people know how to use them because you need to know computer language.”

Howard Malkin, 50, a Computer Applications Lecturer at RMIT University, thinks that blogging is a great way to express oneself “I think it is a fantastic idea! You could be commenting on topical issues, writing out your thoughts, or venting of the spleen.”

Michael Considine, 58, is a Media Lecturer at RMIT University with 20 years experience of teaching media. Some of his area of expertises includes the construction, communication and production of media. According to him, the concept of a blog is a contemporary version of the photo album used to validate who you are in the world.

Although Amira had previously been the victim of rude remarks in a classmate’s blog entry, when confronted, that classmate apologized and the matter was quickly resolved. In Michael Considine’s opinion, anything goes as far as content is concerned; anyone can write about anything as long as they are willing to be responsible for it and accept any consequences involved. He says, “They have to operate within the laws of the land. So it means that they are not promoting things like pornography. Other than that, they have to accept responsibility of the contents and are aware of the consequences if they cross whatever laws they might break. I don’t have a particular view that creators of media have a responsibility other than the ones that would operate under the society. I support the notion of free speech. Consenting adults should be able to access whatever they want, therefore it is not a responsibility of the creator.” Michael, however, does feel that the reader has a responsibility for the content that is viewed, “You don’t go to a person’s blog site and discover that they are actively encouraging you to kidnap children or be cruel to animals. But other than that, as a responsible adult if I don’t want to continue with the site, I would turn it off. The reason why we run a media course is to try to make readers discerning viewers. And that takes skill and I don’t mean that in a sort of elitist way. I don’t mean that my viewing is any better than yours but what you would like them to do is to discern between absolute rubbish and something that has some value.”

Howard says that the main difference between a blog and a website is that, a blog is mainly about a person’s thoughts and opinions. Websites are more commercial and contains information and resources for specific purposes like advertising and businesses. He has created websites for bands and says that there are many types of software available to create a website. However these softwares require some knowledge of computer language. It is easier with blogging because there are many web services that offer free blogging facilities online: Google with Blogger and MSN with My MSN Space. All it takes is just a couple of minutes to register with the website and your service will be initiated. The functions are self-explanatory to a regular internet user. HTML coding skills would be an advantage if a user would like to decorate the blog. However the knowledge is not necessary; Pre-coded templates would be available for users to select their preferred interface.

The limits of what you can do on a blog are bounded by your own creativity and knowledge. This growing trend of blogging brings revelation to the innate nature of human beings wanting to be heard. We all want to be acknowledged of our existence, and blogging appears to provide an avenue for it. Perhaps that is why it is so seductive. Perhaps that is what that makes it so addictive.

That Intolerance is More Dangerous than Ignorance.

2005-11-14T23:10:00.000+11:00

"We are not saying that intolerance is not dangerous, it may be. However, won't it be more dangerous if we were ignorant of someone else's intolerance?"

Finals
Competition: Media & Communication 1 VS Media & Communication 2/Design 4
Argument: Negative
Opinion: Die
Speaker: 1st
Motivation: Moderately Psyched
Preparation Time: 2 Days

Status: Owned!

Here's our team: Myself, Josh and Ash.

It is the ultimate showdown we hoped for. Two teams of Media & Communication battling for the coveted shield trophy. However the motion proved harder than we expected. We were defeated by our predecessor. Nevertheless, we were satisfied to be here with our motivation so far.

+ AUS$8.00 =
With our prize, a book voucher of $25.00, I bought this book - The Weather Makers by Tim Flannery. I did an argumentative essay recently with some research from him and the papers recommended his book as well. I'm tired from the four grueling weeks of debates. It doesn't help when our class is involved with hosting the event – It was part of our assignment. That means decorations, writing the newsletter, decorating the radio theatre, etc. With three of us involved with the actual debates also, it was quite a drag. I'm glad it's over.

That Travel Broadens the Mind.

2005-11-08T22:10:00.000+11:00

"Travel expands and opens our minds to a new world view. Travel expands our horizons."

Semi-Finals
Competition: Media & Communication 2/Design 4 VS Science 5
Argument: Affirmative
Opinion: Slight Advantage
Speaker: 1st
Motivation: Moderate
Preparation Time: 2 Days

Status: Victory

That Technology is More Foe than Friend.

2005-11-03T22:11:00.000+11:00

"We are not saying that technology is unbeneficial to mankind. Technology in this present day of modern society has caused harm. Perhaps even more harm than good."

Quarter-Finals
Competition: Media & Communication 2/Design 4 VS Business 3
Argument: Affirmative
Opinion: Debatable
Speaker: 1st
Motivation: Negligible
Preparation Time: 2 Days (With 1 day wasted on drinking)

Status: Victory

Where's Teddy?

2005-11-02T21:08:00.000+11:00

We were walking by Old Melbourne Gaol again and noticed something unusual. Where's Teddy? Did it manage to escape? We saw it a couple of weeks ago climbing this water pipe and now it's gone. Hope it's alright.

Viva the Diva

2005-11-01T16:08:00.000+11:00

"Where a champion becomes a legend"

I've lost $2.00 but it's a price worth paying for an exciting race. Makybe Diva was crowned for the third consecutive year for winning the Melbourne Cup. Completing 3200m in 3min 20seconds, I've never felt so exhilarated from watching a race. It is the atmosphere from the crowd; to hear people cheering so passionately for their horse. Perhaps it is because of the money. Perhaps, like Phar Lap, they've found a hero in the great mare Diva. It's quite an experience and I could feel it from the goggle box in the living room. I should try to go to the racecourse next year.

The race that stops a nation - Melbourne Cup Day!

2005-11-01T13:42:00.000+11:00

It is 31ºC. Flemmington Racecourse is crowded. It is a public holiday - Melbourne Cup Day. I'm not a gambler but I got caught up with the excitement. I'm part of my class' Melbourne Cup Sweep and my money is on Demerger and Vouvray. Having won the two years in a row, this year's favourite is Makybe Diva. I know nothing about horses but I'm looking forward to it - It should be an interesting race.

One hour into the future.

2005-10-30T13:00:00.000+11:00

At exactly 2.00am today (Melbourne Time), the whole of Melbourne would have to adjust their clocks one hour ahead for daylight savings. Effectively I would have lost one extra hour of sleep. I'll be three hours ahead from Singapore now. Argh!

That Marriage is an Outdated Institution.

2005-10-25T23:12:00.000+10:00

"Marriage is a great institution, but who wants to live in an institution?"

Preliminary
Competition: Media & Communication 2/Design 4 VS Architechure 2
Argument: Affirmative
Opinion: Neutral to Motion
Speaker: 1st
Motivation: Unmotivated
Preparation Time: 2 Hours (The night before)

Status: Victory (Walkover)

Danger: Look Both Ways!

2005-10-23T15:17:00.000+10:00

Credited Cast:

Justine Clarke - Maryl
William McInnes - Nick
Anthony Hayes - Nick Walker
Lisa Flanagan - Anna
Andrew S. Gilbert - Phil
Daniella Farinacci - Julia
Andreas Sobik - Train Driver
(more)

Look both ways because you will never know what danger lurks around the corner waiting to get you. Director Sarah Watt’s previous works had been short animated films (Little Treasures, Living with Happiness). In her first feature film “Look Both Ways”, it tells a story of a group of seemingly ordinary people whose lives are interwoven by one accident.

The film is set during a hot weekend in Adelaide. It begins with a television news coverage of a train accident; the reoccurring theme of death and the unexpected is seen throughout the entire film. Maryl (Justine Clarke) is on a train and on her way back home from her father’s funeral. Meanwhile, Nick (William McInnes) at the doctor’s office, battles the possibility of testicular cancer; he has to wait throughout the grueling weekend for the results.

What holds the story together is the interaction between the characters and how one incident affects so many lives. The characters are connected because of a train accident that Maryl witnessed. Andy (Anthony Hayes), a reporter of the Southern Mail, was sent to cover the story with Nick. Nick, who takes photographs for the newspapers, includes pictures of the train driver (Andres Sobik) and the victim’s devastated girlfriend, Julia (Daniela Farinacci).

Even though the film’s protagonists are Nick and Maryl, the rest of the ensemble gets equal focus. We peek into Andy’s cynical world and his campaign on suicides that are covered up as accidents. He emphasizes his point of view very clearly in the conflict with Editor Phil (Andrew S. Gilbert) over the choice of the photograph for the headlines. We also see Andy dealing with commitment issues with his pregnant girlfriend, Anna (Lisa Flanagan); who is plagued with the dilemma of keeping the baby. We also sympathize with the train drive’s remorse, as well as Julia coming to terms with her loss.

The themes of death, fear and the unexpected are explored throughout the film. What strikes me most of this film is the insight we gain of the protagonists’ inner thoughts; Sarah Watt does this magnificently with her use of animation to depict the characters’ inner most fears. Maryl, an artist, pictures danger lurking at every corner in her animated world. Nick, a photographer, gets constant barrage of photographic flashbacks of information and of previous conversations with his dying father. The film also brings to light the unexpected situations that life throws at us; seen in Andy and Anna dealing with their pregnancy, Nick with the possibility of cancer, the train driver’s mishap, and Julie’s loss.

Although this film is dramatic, it contains traces of humour. As Maryl mentions, “It’s like when you buy a car and then you see them everywhere all the time.” That is what makes it entertaining to watch, because it is true – That is how life is. The characters are believable because they are flawed. We see Andy struggling to be a good father to his children from his previous marriage, and his frustration from impregnating Anna. As well as when Phil decides to quit smoking and pay more attention to his family. It is the changes that they go through help us appreciate those flaws. Kudos to the actors for bringing life to the characters.

Running for about 100 minutes, the film presents a lot of details with many points of views. Although it may be interesting perspective, it may also be tiring for some to follow. The film reveals that even on the surface of the mundane and ordinary, should we delve deeper, there are more complexities than we actually think there are. I feel that the film was very entertaining and it gives perspective to life. The changes that the characters go through as they come to terms with life, showcases what we are capable of if we are determined. In the words of Nick’s mother, “Sometimes you have to find your own way to life… and death.”

Official Website: Look Both Ways

Teddy

2005-10-18T23:15:00.000+10:00

What's this teddy doing on the water pipe? This building is the Old Melbourne Gaol (Jail). Located in the city, it's walking distance from my school. We walked past the gaol today to get to Melbourne Central Station and my classmates pointed out this amusing site. Perhaps it was trying to escape.

The Eye

2005-10-12T23:06:00.000+10:00

Guess which part of the body I'm studying now. Yes, the eye. Well not so much the anatomy, although we did cover a bit of it. It's more on sensory and perception. Pity we didn't have an actual eye to poke around.

Results

2005-10-11T22:00:00.000+10:00

I was hesitant to post my results up. Then I thought, what the hell. I shall bask in my moment of glory. It's been a good semester and I'm glad all that work paid off. To all of you at home, I'm still here.

Time flies when you're cutting grass.

2005-09-29T17:47:00.000+10:00

I think I should start training again; it gives me more incentive to do gardening. By summer, I'll be able to take off my top and let the blazing sun bake my body till it is golden brown. Together with the heat casting a layer of glazing sweat over me, it could send wondering eyes over as I cut the grass. Bleagh.. Who am I kidding? The garden is in the backyard, no desperate housewives are going to see me from there. Television can be such an influence.

Anyhow, gardening is one tiring job. We don't have a lawn mower here so I had to use a pair of shears instead. I'm contemplating getting my aunt a lawn mower for her birthday or something - Saves me a lot of hassle.

The entire time engaged with cutting grass, I got reminded of detention in my junior college, and confinement in national service - Those were the days. Before I knew it, I was done with the garden. I guess some good came out of it, albeit a backache.

Life's Learning Lessons (II)

2005-09-27T23:24:00.000+10:00

Ever did anything that you felt ruined other people's experience of something? Well I did - Today.

It being the holidays, I thought it'll be nice just to gather outside of class to spend some time. We all went out, shopping! Yes, I can sense the quivering fear tingling down the spines of all you testosterone-filled individuals. It's a never-ending debate and I won't refute that some guys enjoy the activity.

I do feel bad for ruining other peoples' shopping experience. I didn't think that standing outside the shop, or not buying anything would mean that I disliked what I was doing. It didn't matter to me what we were doing, I was actually looking forward to just spending time together.

I was taking a shower when I recalled a conversation with my supervisor before I left the company (Sorry Weiliang, I didn't mean to think of you while bathing). It was a good conversation and something that we covered was that I should not be obliged to do anything that I did not like. The question I should probably ask is if I should have gone for the gathering even though I wasn't going to entirely enjoy shopping, but still want to spend time together.

I guess I know one thing for sure; I'm not someone to go shopping with.

Berry Poppins'

2005-09-24T19:44:00.000+10:00

This was the advertising campaign that we did for our Media exam. We were an advertising firm and our teacher was the client. We had to come up with the product, as well as the research, advertisement, website... Basically, a whole advertising campaign and sell the idea to our client. It's quite an experience, and the whole group had fun. There's going to be another similar project at the end of the year; it should be interesting.

And it begins..

2005-09-24T13:49:00.000+10:00

One solid week of break! No assignments, no lessons, nothing! My goodness, I was expecting to have some holiday work to do, but there's absolutely nothing!

*Lost.. Not sure what to do*

I'm fairly certain I'll do well for this semester. I know my Psychology grades already and I must say that I'm very satisfied; though a little disappointed with my presentation and my final paper. Nonetheless, I'm still happy. The rest of the subject should be okay.

Damn, haven't blogged in ages. I'll be online more often I suppose; perhaps it's time I start learning to drive. I've been putting that off for like.. God knows how long.

Ski Trip - Lake Mountain

2005-08-18T23:37:00.000+10:00

The class went skiing today; another one of those activities organised by the school. Which was great! I never skied before, much less seen snow.

It was a cross country ski, not one of those where you get to ski down the mountain - Pity. It would have been extreme, but a great experience. Nevertheless, this was good fun. Spent the late part of the morning and afternoon at the snow, and had much packed lunch - Huge sandwich, which shocked the rest of them. It was a good day of fun, we all enjoyed ourselves. Perhaps the only fun we'll get before the exams.

More of my home.

2005-08-14T22:48:00.000+10:00

(Continued from 4th July 2005, Monday – A day, far far away.)

I was going to post this up sooner, like maybe a week earlier. That was when I saw the film "The First of May" and decided to write something about that instead. I took more pictures of the rest of the home and posted them up. It's a small and cozy place to chill in, and I like it here. Contemplating whether to stay here for the rest of the study years or if I should move to the city on my last year. It's going to be costly though. I do want to experience living on my own for a while. We'll see how it goes. I'll definitely stay here for a while.

Desperate for more?

2005-08-08T23:22:00.000+10:00

Tonight marks an end to an exciting season of Desperate Housewives. Yes, I do follow the secrets that haunt Wisteria Lane; I'm quite the busybody. The next season should be interesting. A twisted thought did come across my mind while watching the show though; Are you allowed to fall in love with your mother's boyfriend's son or daughter? Argh, what's wrong with me..

Realisation: It's going to be National Day back home. Crap..

A Tribute - The First of May

2005-08-07T15:44:00.000+10:00

"I was having the hardest time finding something to talk about last night. Then it dawned upon me, I will talk about something that I had a special relationship with. They usually come in pairs. They demand a great deal of respect; if you treat them well, they will certainly reciprocate the gesture and treat you well too. I've had them since I was born but lost them as I grew older.

Before I go on, how many people still have their grandparents? And how many people thought I was going to talk about something dirty?

I never knew my grandfather; he died before I was born. I will talk about my grandma. Grandparents; they are a wealth of knowledge and wisdom. My grandma taught me my dialect - Cantonese. It was special between us because she was the only one I spoke the language to. She was also the one whom taught me how to play Mahjong. I would pester her ever now and then to play one-on-one Mahjong with me; she would occasionally oblige my silly request.

Grandmothers are the sweetest people. Grandma would be out shopping with my aunt and call me to check if I wanted anything from the supermarket. She would buy things that she thought I would like back for me. Grandparents were the ones that give you that extra pocket money for the toys that your parents won't buy for you. She would, however, make me learn by imposing a little fine on me every time I forgot to switch the toilet lights off.

My grandma suffered from diabetes. She was close to amputating one of her legs because of a wound that did not heal. She went through multiple operations to fix it and being the resilient woman that she was, she managed to save her leg. She passed away just before the turn of the century because of liver cancer. On her death bed, she told me to study hard, and that's why I'm here; hoping not to fail her.

All I'm trying to say is grandparents won't be here forever. If you have a grandparent whom you're close to, perhaps just give them a call just to say hi. I'm sure they'll be delighted. If you haven't been close to them, perhaps it's not too late to start. Thank you."

We were supposed to give an oral presentation in class on any topic that we wanted a couple of weeks ago and this was what I talked about. I decided to include it in this entry because of a film I accidentally caught a while ago.

A Film by Paul Sirmons and Gary Rogers (rated G)
A SHO ENTERTAINMENT Production

Starring
JULIE HARRIS - DAN BYRD
CHARLES NELSON REILLY - MICKEY ROONEY
ROBIN O'DELL - TOM NOWICKI
GERARD CHRISTOPHER - MIKKI SCANLON
and the late JOE DIMAGGIO as himself

First of May - A circus lingo referring to a novice performer in his first season on a circus show.

It is a feel good film but I was truly touched by the story and performance. It reminded me of the oral presentation so I decided to post this instead of another entry I had in mind. If there's any chance of catching the film, give it a go.

Warning - This entry features: Brains

2005-08-05T22:32:00.000+10:00

Guess what we had during Psychology today - Yes, brain! I'm studying the central nervous system and we got to handle some for ourselves. I must say that it's an interesting sight; never actually got to see brains that are intact before. The only ones that I saw so far were from cats that had been ran over by passing.. Hmm.. anyway.. I think I should get back to the books. There'll be a spelling test coming next Wednesday for all the words. Can you imagine that? Spelling? At this age? Hmm.. then again, some people can't spell for nuts. Oh well.. h-i-p-p-o-c-a-m-p-u-s. c-o-r-p-u-s c-a-l-l-o-s-u-m. m-y-e-l-i-n s-h-e-a-t-h.

*Note: Sheeps were harmed for this experiment

Missing Out

2005-08-04T17:00:00.000+10:00

I had the taste of some familiar food for lunch today - Nasi Rendang. In fact I've had this for 2 days in a row. I hadn't realised that I missed local food so much until I tasted this. It's not too bad for its standard but at the price of AUS$6.90 (S$8.97) after student discount, it was a little pricy for my liking. Normally priced at AUS$7.50, what can I do but succumb? The fragrant rice, the spicy sambal, the tender beef, with crunchy peanuts, ikan bilis and cucumber at the side; an ensemble too tempting for me to resist. It feels like I'm writing to promote this dish but with a name like Changi Village Nasi Lemak, I think it advertises itself.

I realised that there are many things that I've missed out being away: Like the numerous gatherings Da Guyz would have by now, the opening of the City Campus for Singapore Management University, the shift of Citibank (Orchard Branch) from Yan San Building to Macdonald House, and the many In-Camp Trainings.

I realised too that I would be missing out on several occasions: The completion of the Circle-Line, the completion of the Marina Barrage, and my first vote on the Presidential Elections. I would probably make it for the much anticipated Integrated Resorts.

I have been occupied with work and I will be even more. I'll be working on an anthology assignment for Professional Communication, and a report for English. If I hadn't been blogging, it's because I'm tired with writing. It's a pity though, I like the hobby but it takes to much time.

It's been a while..

2005-07-24T22:36:00.000+10:00

We had a Foundation Studies Camp last Thursday. It was basically to get the students of foundation studies more acquainted with each other. The 2 day 1 night sleepover reminded me of some Outward Bound activity. The interesting thing was the assignment given to us, relating to our course of study: Business Students had to market and advertise the place, Art and Design had to draw nature and its surroundings, Science and Engineering had to make kites (??), and Media and Communications had to write a newsletter on the whole event. At least it was something that I'm interested in.

What Uncanny Timing

2005-07-07T22:07:00.000+10:00

The grueling competition to host the Olympics in 2012 came to an end with London emerging triumphant over long term rival Paris. The general response: screams of joy reverberating Trafalgar Square and groans of disappointment across the channel. One can't help but compare it to Admiral Nelson's victory 200 years ago at Trafalgar Square, which ended Napoleon's ambitions of invading England. The bidding took place at the heart of home, Singapore, and if anyone had been following the proceedings, you would probably have heard the remarks made. Imagine, grown man bickering like that. Makes one curious to see what would happen if the results had been otherwise. The result was 54-50. I wonder what were the odds for that? I am pretty sure some form of wager would have been going around.

The attack moments ago couldn't be more inappropriate - At the height of excitement when everyone's guard is down. I won't mention more, you can find the information at the links.

BBC - London Rocked by Terror Attacks
BBC - In Pictures: London Blasts
BBC - Statement Claiming London Attacks

A day, far far away.

2005-07-04T11:42:00.000+10:00

I had to go to the post office this morning to collect a letter my Dad sent me - was not around when the postman delivered it. I brought my camera out to take a couple of shots around the area. There was little sun today, opposed to a few days ago. Was not too cold, but it is the wind that makes it really chilly around here. Even with all that fog a couple of days back, the temperature was around 14ºC that day. The nights get pretty chilly to around 8ºC, but I'm never out by that time. It only gets bright at around 8.00am, and it is dark by 6.00pm. It has only been about a month of winter - 2 more to go. I was told that it gets colder during August, but there is no snow in Melbourne. I have already uploaded some pictures to Flickr, so just click on any picture to see the rest. All is well, and I hope everyone is doing fine. Enough of me already, what is happening back home?

Try Reading This!

2005-07-03T11:54:00.000+10:00

Give it a go, you will be amused.

I'm still here..

2005-06-27T23:07:00.000+10:00

Temperature: 6ºC

I figured that I'm accountable for the huge gap. I had some posts drafted on what I wanted to say, but I can't remember them now. I guess it doesn't really matter, the main points are still there.

To all of you that I've failed to contact over this period, I humbly apologize. Even my family back home and the closest of my friends would realize how difficult it has been. I must admit that while deep down I wanted to inform everyone of my well being, it hadn't been my top priority - settling down in this foreign land was the sensible option.

School started on 14th June, had a good break before formal school term actually commenced. I'm doing my foundation studies in English, Media, Professional Communications, Computer Applications, and Psychology. Most of what I'm doing now are basic stuff that we all would know, but it's still somewhat interesting. For once I actually feel that I'm studying something that would be applicable to what I want to do in the future. We were supposed to use Paint to do a self portrait and write a description of ourselves for class work. Here it is..

I still have much to do in terms of settling down. I'm only on dial-up right now, so I can't Warcraft with my colleagues and camp-mates. Do you guys still play it? I'm waiting for the broadband stuff to come along. Apparently it takes 2-3 weeks for them to send the modem and setup disks over. It's not back-dated over here, most prices are about the same if you don't include the exchange rate. Broadband is at AUS$44.95, and MacDonald's meal is around AUS$6. The exchange would cost you around 30% more over here. On a side note, everyone relates to the price of a MacDonald's meal, it's so universal that it could be a language for conversation rates.

Where I live is called Sydenham with the MET (MRT) nearby at a stroll of around 8 minutes. I take the train from Watergardens down to Melbourn Central if I have to go to school, or Flinders Street if I wanted to transfer the train elsewhere. The Singapore equivalent would be like from Seng Kang to Somerset if I wanted to go to school, and City Hall for a transfer. For those that questioned my living conditions, I live in the sub-urban, NOT a village. You know who you are.. heh.. It's 35 minutes travel and my school is in the city. I have yet to take up driving yet, but it should come in time. Won't want to drive to school though, it's going to cost parking in town.

This is all I've got for the time being, interesting pictures will appear in time to come. I'm blogging with my Mac and I can't use that damn BloggerBot - not compatible with Mac. Got to find a more convenient way than to upload to Geocities. If we meet on MSN, all the better. Bear with me if I have to leave early - I am 2 hours ahead. You could leave me a mail, I'll get to it no matter how many times I have to hear the dial-up connecting.

I'm off..

2005-06-05T19:45:00.000+10:00

To a land beyond my expectations where most things are foreign and much adaptation would be required. I can't help thinking what would life be like. I guess I'll be answered in no time.

It's Been Confirmed

2005-05-27T20:58:00.000+10:00

I've received the E-ticket to my flight booking. The confirmation to my departure; The final procedure to this entire arduous process. I'm scheduled to leave next Sunday - 5th June 2005.

Another Week Off

2005-05-17T21:57:00.000+10:00

I was told to rest at home. I would have been inappropriate to visit customers with my condition. Spent half the day in the office shifting my appointments to the rest of my colleagues. Sorry guys.

Mole Removal

2005-05-16T22:55:00.000+10:00

I took leave today for a medical screening, as it was prerequisite for my stay in Australia. Took the opportunity to consult a Dermatologist on mole removal. It turned out that she could perform the surgery on the day itself. And so I did.

Received medical leave for the week, which I felt a little bad taking. Would mean that I'll not be able to work for another week. Called boss to inform her of my status; She asked me to return to office before she decide.

Friday the 13th

2005-05-14T00:36:00.000+10:00

Did my run again today and managed to complete the 2.4km in 10min 28sec this time round. I should be able to hit my target soon.

If you tried contacting me today and couldn't, it's because my phone is dead. For no apparent reason, it refuses to turn on. The weirdest thing was I used the alarm that morning to wake me up. By the time I reached camp, it shut down by itself. I wonder if it's anything to do with the date.

It's a pity I can't discuss the details of my ICT in here. Wouldn't want some Gah men officials to breathe down my neck for what I post up here. All I can say is that to some extent, it was fun getting to do all that training again. I guess some part of me missed it. My advice, guys, train for your IPPT before you go back - Seriously!

Dammit!

2005-05-11T23:22:00.000+10:00

Sit-Ups: 45 (Gold)
Pull-Ups: 12 (Gold)
Shuttle Run: 9.4sec (Gold)
Standing Broad Jump: 243cm (Gold)
2.4km Run: 11min 15sec (Pass)

That's only considered a pass - $100! I'm definitely re-taking it. :(

Surprise Surprise

2005-05-10T01:08:00.000+10:00

Matt's Bag

To my amusement, a familiar sight greeted me this morning while drawing our diving gear. Looks like I'm never really left alone, despite being the only one from my batch back for ICT this week. It appears that your legacy lives on old buddy - Thanks for being around all the time.

Some things never change

2005-05-08T22:21:00.000+10:00

The following conversation was with a RP at the guard house this morning: -

Me: I'm here for my In Camp Training.

RP: ??

Me: ICT?

RP: ??

Me: Erm.. Reservist.

RP: Oh okay, do you have any documents for that?

Found it particularly amusing since I commented on it earlier that morning. I was fairly early having arrived in camp at 0745hrs. While waiting outside the auditorium, the Duty Officer (DO) walked out from the Ops Center. It turned out to be 2WO Chan - My 50k-relay trainer. Brief conversation was made, he asked why was I back and I told him.

He was confused and said, "On Sunday? You sure or not? How come I wasn't informed? You're the only one here leh." I showed him my SAF100 in hope of clarifying the confusion. He mumbled something in Hokkien in the usual Warren Chan fashion and went to make some calls to MSG Lau. "Wah, you very suay ah. Got ICT today." he said, returning from the phone call.

*sigh*

Apparently they've implemented an E-Booklet to replace the old hard copy. I was grinning while thinking to myself, "How were those male customers, that rejected E-Statements, going to cope with this transition since they don't have a choice." Amusing.

I know my schedule for the week and I hope the 3 nights of training doesn't materialize. I do get to go home but it'll be sickening to have to leave at night, only to return back the next day at 0730hrs.

As it turned out, that's what were we back today for: A short brief, and to collect our temporary passes. We could have left much earlier but 2 jokers "were not informed that they had to return today". So it was the good old "one for all, all for one" treatment; We had to wait for the last man to report before everyone could leave.

*SIGH*

What can I say?

Passing Thought: Does it mean that if I'm born on 29th Feburary, my birthday window for IPPT be 4 years? :P

In Camp Training

2005-05-08T02:29:00.000+10:00

- Or better known as Reserve Service. Ah.. Neh mind.. Dun understand rite? Reservist lah..! This would be my first ICT since I've ORDed last June - 11 months ago. I'll be away for a week - 8th to 14th May 2005. Hopefully I'll get to book out if there's no night training. I am to report back to camp by 0800hrs later today - Yah, Sunday! It better be important for burning my weekend. Kaoz..! By 8am later the transformation would be completed - I would have totally morphed back. The lingo, the habits, and the routines; I can almost feel all that exuding from within. The only thing different is my batch boys won't be around - Pity.

Glimpse into the past

2005-04-30T12:38:00.000+10:00

"It feels exceptionally good when you can truly call something your own."

As it turned out, I didn't get my PowerBook from Apple@Orchard. It was rather disappointing to find out yesterday I had to upgrade the RAM to 1Gig by getting another 512Mb - It was a bundled deal if I'd wanted to purchase the PowerBook at an Educational Discount. They were going to charge me another $600+ for that additional RAM, which Desmond already bought at $135 for me. This secondary school friend of mine, Desmond, is a guru of technology; He never fails to amaze me with his vast knowledge in this field. (Des, you should make use of all that knowledge and find a way to make money with it.) Forlorn with disappointment, I went home without the PowerBook.

I was almost prepared to pay for the original price the next day, but Desmond gave me call the with surprising news. I was delighted to know that he could also get it at a discounted price, but his suppliers needed to check if they had the stock - And so they had. Without hesitation, I bolted down with him to, quoting Mr. Brown, "The Temple of Geeks", to fetch my booty.

It is with great appreciation as I write this entry to you, Desmond, for scouring the island for the better deal, accompanying me the whole time, and imparting your knowledge. You've made it easy for me, and I would like to thank you for that. Without your patience and guidance, I would be trapped in the darkness of ignorance. Heh.. you get my drift.. Thanks again dude..

Too Slow

2005-04-25T13:47:00.000+10:00

Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes (7.30pm-8.45pm)
Pull-ups: 28
Push-ups: 80
Crunches: 160
Leg-raise: 80
Laps: 8 (2480m) Timing: 13min 25sec

Something is definitely wrong. This is way too slow to even pass. I think I may need to run with someone. Anyone wants to run with me?

Mickey the XVI

2005-04-24T13:07:00.000+10:00

And it goes on - Another offspring to the collection. My sister has relinquished the arduous task of naming each and every one of them. I decided to take over - This little one here will be Mickey the XVI. It's about time we imposed some deterrent. Maybe more fodder for having 2 children and below, or constructing not 1, but 2 Integrated Retreats in the south wing and an off-site dwelling with full amenities - That should attract foreign rodents to visit. Perhaps subsequent brood should be subjected to a monthly contribution to the Central Provident Feed - There's always a need to plan for the future.

Speaking of family, I had dinner with both my natural parents today. They've been divorced since I was 9, and here we were gathered today to talk about my future plans. I've decided that I'll be furthering my education at the opportunity offered to me and there was much planning that needed to be done - Hence the gathering. There was a weird wholesome feeling to it. Something which I haven't felt for the last 10+ years of my life. Fortunately they've always been on talking terms, just that the marriage didn't work out. I never took the divorce well as a kid, and I never breathed a word even when I was in Secondary School. Not sure what happened along the way that helped me open up more - Good friends perhaps.

Hurray..! Friday..!

2005-04-16T00:03:00.000+10:00

Retro Nite
China Jump
29th April, 6-10pm
Free flow drinks,
food, and retro music
Be there or be square!

There's gonna be a company function coming up - Retro Nite! You've gotta love these functions: free food and free flow of drinks. I'd better not have an early morning appointment the next day; otherwise it'll be hell. I'm definitely going to miss working life, but we all have to move on at one point of our lives.

Moo..!

I think we would have all noticed this by now - The exponential increase in the bovine populace of our tiny nation. This picture sent to me by Weiliang is just hilarious. Kudos to the sick sense of humour! At first I thought we were trying to match Fernleaf's advertisement of "3,000,000 cows in New Zealand, the same number of people we have in Singapore!". Apparently this is ComfortDelGro's new advertising arm, Moove Media. Here are some read ups from Marketing-Interactive and DelGro if anyone's interested.

I found this particularly amusing as it reminded me of my trip to the UK in 2000, where there would be an abundance of critter scattered over the fields. They would hang around, munch all day, and it's just amusing and mindless to observe them. I think schoolmates from my alma mater (St Andrew's Junior College) would recall my fascination with them. For a good laugh, you may also want to take a look Uncylopedia - You have two cows .

Duration: 1 hour (7.00pm-8.00pm)
Pull-ups: 24
Push-ups: 80
Crunches: 160
Leg-raise: 80
Laps: 8 (2480m) Timing: 12min 41sec

Did a little bit of training for the day - I should get my gold. My only concern is the running, which is a little weird - I could have run extra laps. I hate running tracks. Anyhow, the day ended with a little bit of get together with Vincent and his friends. For what its worth.. Moo..! You've gotta love 'em bovines.

Dinner with the Department

2005-04-10T00:01:00.000+10:00

I didn't have my camera for the weekend - My cousin borrowed it for his trip. I'm going to try streaming videos this week instead.

Had a bowling competition of 2 games amongst us, followed by dinner at the barbecue/steamboat buffet place at Marina South. I'm abstaining from that place for the next year or something. Two visits in a span of less than a month is too much. The girl in white at the beginning of the video was having her fill at the buffet all alone that evening - Weird and scary. We ended off with a popsicle each while trying to look sexy on video.

Contrast to 20th July 2004, they are definitely a wacky lot.

It's all about the money..

2005-04-08T01:49:00.000+10:00

Duration: 1 hour (7.30pm-8.30pm)
Pull-ups: 20
Push-ups: 80
Crunches: 160
Leg-raise: 80
Laps: 8 (2480m)

*struggling* must.. reach.. reasonable.. standard.... heh.. I couldn't be bothered to write it down. Since I'm online most of the time, I thought I'd just keep track of my progress here. Nothing much to boast about, just doing what I need to pass the damn test and get my incentives. Common.. daddy needs a new PowerBook for the trip!

Ahh.. Nicholas..

2005-04-07T00:10:00.000+10:00

Yellow seeds.. do you mean kachang? It's a nut snack that we used to buy from the snack shop at De La Salle School. We would end up throwing the remains of the contents at our classmates to get a reaction out of them - It was more fun than actually eating the nuts. We were a bunch of rascals, but what can you expect from a bunch of 7-12 year old kids from an all boys' school?

It's a surprise to see you in here, old friend. Wasn't expecting anyone to google search for me. It was a long shot and I'm glad you bothered trying anyway, thanks. Do you remember Kannangara Don Marcus? His cousin, also a Lasallian, was from my unit. What about another classmate, Damien Lim? These are the couple of contacts that I'm left with from our alma mater.

I thought it might be interesting so I did a little bit of a search of myself on Yahoo. To my surprise, I could find myself on it. More shocking was something that surfaced from my days of IRC. Click here to take a look at it. It's amusing what you can find on the web. Hope to see ya around more nick, and nice going with the band.

Before tri-band..

2005-04-05T01:54:00.001+10:00

Callzone?

the world marveled at the breakthrough of mobile telecommunication. During its infancy, the technology was limited to the financially capable, as well as the areas that the network provided. While almost everyone has a mobile communication device now, some even have a few. It has evolved its purpose and serves as fashion apparel over these years. It was rather amusing to chance upon this sign over my weekend; it reminds me of a much simpler time.

Before & After

2005-04-05T01:53:00.000+10:00

Me & Me

Since we're at the topic of the past, I had Alex take a picture of me when we were at Genki Sushi last weekend. The picture taken before was 1⅓ years ago.

And again..

2005-04-05T01:51:00.000+10:00

Khema & Alex

And so I returned the favour. I meet them almost every week; in fact, I don't remember a weekend I don't see them. I'm not sure where Da Guyz would be if Alex hadn't faithfully organized various outings to bring us together. I know we don't say this enough dude, just want to say a thank you.

I'm in.

2005-03-30T13:30:00.000+10:00

I've yet to mention this to anyone, other than my Dad who was at home when I saw the letter. So you're probably one of the first few if you're reading this - I've been accepted into RMIT. The outcome lies with the decision of accepting the offer.

As I write this, the reality of the situation becomes more apparent. I am totally unprepared with a mindful of questions that need answering. The fear of the unknown has set in; for me to venture into a land that I know little of, while having to survive on my own for the next 3¾ years, is something that I'm unable to fathom right now. Doubt of my abilities as settled; for the time and money invested into me, I would want to produce results. Yet at the same time feeling relieved and comforted knowing that I've been given the opportunity to expand my knowledge.

It's been about 4 hours from receiving the news and I'm still baffled with a flurry of emotions. Apparently they posted the reply to my Dad's home instead of my Mom's. Otherwise I would have received the news earlier. I'm not exactly sure what my next step should be, but it should be fine in time.

Weak!

2005-03-28T13:22:00.000+10:00

Duration: 1 hour (8.30pm-9.30pm)
Pull-ups: 20
Push-ups: 70
Crunches: 120
Leg-raise: 60
Laps: 3 (930m)

I felt myself getting weak and couldn't be any more right about it. Went for a little workout after work just to monitor my fitness. The results? I'm dead beat. My arms were aching the moment I did the pull ups, my thighs were sore by the time I got to the leg raise, and I was very reluctant to start running.

Haven't exactly been working out lately. In fact the last time I actually did some running was last December. About time I get down to a more regular regime, ICT (better known as reservist) is coming this May and so is IPPT (Individual Physical Proficiency Test) - That's $400 for gold! No way am I forgoing the incentive. I mean, if I'm going to work out, might as well get paid doing it right?

Piracy Kills?!

2005-03-27T02:30:00.000+10:00

Pirated cigarettes in Singapore can Kill!! That's astounding! Headlines like this never fail to crack me up. Good to know that genuine cigarette won't kill you that much. Always support genuine, otherwise it can kill!

Classic Candid Moment

2005-03-26T02:35:00.000+11:00

What an abuse of technology - This classic moment taken by Alex using my Sony P10. Using the multiple shot function, he managed to catch a series of shots with Weichoon forcing a piece of sushi down my throat. With the help of Arcsoft Photostudio 4, I've managed to stitch all the pictures into a little comic.

What's wrong with this paragraph?

2005-03-19T01:06:00.000+11:00

This is an unusual paragraph. I'm curious how quickly you can find out what is so unusual about it. It looks so plain you would think nothing was wrong with it. In fact, nothing is wrong with it! It is unusual though. Study it, and think about it, but you still may not find anything odd. But if you work at it a bit, you might find out.

Someone's Watching

2005-03-10T01:47:00.000+11:00

Ever heard one of those pre-recorded messages on the train warning people not to smoke, eat, or drink? I have, for the first time today. It was brought to my attention when the message was broadcasted in the LRT and the stations.

Apparently some school kids were sipping away from their beverages when it happened. Which made me ponder if anyone had been fined for consuming their food and drinks on the train? Haven't actually seen anyone getting fined. And what about drinking from one of your own bottled water? Is there a penalty to that? If there isn't, where do you draw the line if it's a bottled flavoured drink? I mean, if I could have water in the bottle and it doesn't matter, I could substitute it for lemon tea and it won't matter right? Perhaps they are really trying to say, "No drinking unless it's from your own bottle". The rationale baffles me.

I was searching the web for a no eating and drinking sign when I came upon a site of funny signs. There were many, but this was the first one I chanced upon. Keep your eyes open for something funny; you might even spot that nasty CCTV at the corner spying on you.

squeek

2005-03-04T03:32:00.000+11:00

I don't remember this fella's name - There are too many of them! This is just one of the many rodents that infest my humble abode.

They live a great life: mansion, big wheel, endless supply of fodder. Once done they're with all that, they procreate and bring bundles of joy. As if 4 was not joyous enough, they like to make it a monthly affair. Within a span of 2 months, we've had 2 batches of offspring from the productive parents. That's 11 in total but 2 from the earlier batch had already given away to my cousin - 9 left.

I may have grown a little attached to them. Seeing Alvin take 2 away the other day, it felt as though we were seperating the kids from their parents. Hmm.. so that's what giving your kids away would feel like. Creepy..

Frogman on Water

2005-02-22T02:01:00.000+11:00

I've seen the mess we have beneath our waters; though I don't like being in it, I still love it - The irony. Went wake boarding today and it was great! I think we'll make it a monthly affair. It's a little costly but it shouldn't be that bad once a month. Our next proposed visit would be on Good Friday - 25th March 2005.

I was a little shaky but managed to stand on the board within my first few tries. Got a little tan, which is good - I've wanted to get a tan for a long time already. Too bad I didn't bring my camera, would have wanted to get some pictures and videos for memories. Must remember to bring the camera next time.

I've submitted my application for a course in Professional Communication at RMIT, Melbourne Australia. It'll take about 2 to 3 weeks to get a reply for me application. If I get in, I'll get to choose if I want to go ahead with it or not. I wonder if they have wake boarding in Melbourne. *grins*

What's up people?

2005-02-21T02:20:00.000+11:00

It's a phenomenon - Singaporeans like to queue. Everybody remembers the Hello Kitty fiasco and what about Toto every time we have the Hong Bao draw. I think it's in our blood - Every time there's a queue, we have a compelling urge to join it.

This picture was taken at Suntec City on Sunday. Alex wanted to draw some money from the ATM and look what we found. A whole bunch of people lining up on one side, leaving the other machine available for us. Thanks! It gave us more than enough time to have our dinner and catch our movie.

We watched the Robert De Niro movie Hide and Seek. It would have been a good movie if I had not figured out the plot halfway throughout it. Some scenes seemed so deliberately placed in, which made me ponder about them during the movie. And way before the climax of the movie, I had realised what was going on - And it didn't seem so scary after that. It would have been good.

A toast to Zhizhong - Have a safe trip.

2005-02-21T02:05:00.000+11:00

Here we have a picture of Zhizhong and me with a shot of Tequila. This picture was taken last year on his birthday. Boy did we get pissed drunk that night; both of us couldn't remember how that night ended. Just noticed that we are always captured with a drink in our hands. This other picture, of my previous post, was taken this year.

We would always wonder why girls never approach to get to know guys, and joked about hanging around waiting for girls to pick us up - Guess that would have to wait. A toast to you my brother, have a safe trip and return soon. Those drinking sessions won't be the same without you, and who's going to accompany me to wait for girls pick us up?!

Just another day of life.

2005-02-19T14:40:00.001+11:00

It's Mahjong with my colleagues today. I was on my journey to Kenneth's place when I heard the song. It was my first time there and I was at awe when I saw his sister's collection of Coca-Cola - It makes my collection look pathetic. With bottles and cans nicely stacked up, with little trays to prevent any more cans from making a mess when they burst. Oh yah, a note to those who want to start collecting Coca-Cola cans, you'd better remove the contents. It's a known fact - They will burst. I should have taken my camera, I was contemplating whether I should and decided against it.

We played 2 rounds of Mahjong - I lost $11 in the first game but made it back in the second one (Sorry Liz). Got a call from Alex later that night, informing me that Da Guyz will be sending Zhizhong off at the airport. Made my way down to Swenson's at Crown Prince Hotel for supper with Alex and Khema, and stayed over. It's a morning flight, I won't make it had I went home.

Another miss

2005-02-19T01:50:00.000+11:00

A reunion dinner with Da Guyz before Zhizhong leaves for Australia to study, and I couldn't make it because of work. This reminds me of the occasions where they would do something different where I couldn't participate because of other obligations to fulfill. Crap..

Is this goodbye?

2005-02-17T02:45:00.001+11:00

Today marks a day of disappointment for fans of the Japanese animation series - Naruto. Some wisecrack foresaw the prospects of a lucrative opportunity and decided to license the animation.

Devoted fans faithfully wait till Thursdays, every week, for some kind soul to provide English subtitles to the raw animation. After which, upload it so that we, the linguistically impaired individuals to the Japanese language, can gratify our craving for some well-animated action. The plot, fight scenes, music and voice acting are simply fabulous. Each episode concludes with you hanging with the desire to catch the next installment.

With the animation being licensed, all of which is a thing of the past. The implications? We will no longer have access to the animation online. It's supposed to be a good thing - The licensing. There will be more products, which would be great for fans. I would read the comic, but my Chinese is horrendous. Argh.. What more is there to look forward to every Thursdays?

The year of the Rooster.

2005-02-11T02:52:00.000+11:00

Those born in the year of the Rooster should get something with a Dragon to supress the clashing of the bickering fowl; Apparently Roosters are very quarrelsome birds, So it's not a good year for those Rooster people - One can only wonder how a Dragon would resolve this conflict? If you're wondering how I know this, my mother and cousin are Rooster babies. Never really understood the logic behind the superstition. Perhaps I should take an effort to know all that.

Somehow I have this feeling that our culture will end with my generation: I can barely speak my dialect, and I'm not sure what my relatives are called in it. Honestly, how many of us do? Large gatherings like New Year visits would have me calling everyone the universal "Uncle and Auntie". Should my grandmother still be around, she would probably say something, in Cantonese, like, "Even the vegetable seller at the wet market is an Auntie!"

I mean, no offence vegetable auntie. I love my greens. They give me my daily supply of fiber and keep me strong. I faithfully have my Veggie Stew every Lunar New Year, and abstain from meat every Fridays if I remember. Even my name sounds like the word in Mandarin/Cantonese. Which gets me thinking why do we eat that Veggie Stew every New Year? I should find out..

Just a thought

2005-02-04T02:54:00.000+11:00

How cool would it be if we could just GPRS or SMS a parking coupon to our vehicles? We could save all the hassle of walking back to the car park to place another coupon. I was inspired by Kenneth Tan's whining.

I was out with my JC classmates for a little gathering with our Civics Tutor and her husband. Had hell of a time catching up - It's good to see everyone again. Thanks for the cake! It's been like.. 3 or 4 years since I've seen some of them? I'm usually the one that's not available. For that I must apologise. It's a pity I can't make it for the reunion dinner this Saturday; I have my own family reunion to attend to. Sorry guys.

Good Old 23

2005-02-02T02:58:00.000+11:00

As the pendulum swings to the last few minutes on my 23rd year of existence, I feel a sense of gratefulness for this life. I have been blessed with many people around me that appreciate my presence. And to all the wonderful people around me that bother, in their own unique ways, to show their appreciation for my being around, I'm eternally grateful.

At last!

2005-01-24T02:20:00.000+11:00

Finally "Hello" decides to work. Just when I've found other sites to host my pictures. Guess I'll just have to put that aside for the time being since it's still working.

Interesting day tomorrow, gotta go back to camp for my medical checkup. I hate to say it, but it's for reservist. Dammit, makes me sound old. I guess the only regret is that I won't be with most of my guys time - They're all in school.

What's up Hello?

2005-01-21T16:42:00.000+11:00

If it looks like I haven't been blogging, that's because "Hello" is failing me. For some reason I can't seem to upload my pictures. Gotta figure it out soon. Perhaps I'll take some time this weekend to fix it.

Road trip across the causeway.

2005-01-17T01:12:00.000+11:00

Brain Scan?

Should I be concerned that the device used to treat my hair looks as though it's used to extract my brains? Took a trip across the causeway to do some Lunar New Year shopping, as well as get my hair done.

You should consider going over there to get it done sometimes. It's cheaper, it ain't half bad, and most importantly.. It's cheaper. Heh.. Anyway, I didn't managed to get much clothing - Just a shirt for the New Year.

Black Friday

2005-01-08T02:26:00.000+11:00

I have yet to sit down and reflect on 2004, let alone think about what I want to achieve for 2005. Something's amiss - I've got to get my life back on track. If I sound despondent, it's because I was chided at work again today - For the sloppiness of my paperwork.

"When you first came, you were very prim and proper, what happened?"

"How can you overlook?"

"Why are you losing focus?"

The episode continues to resonate in my mind. I've been grilled thoroughly to crisps, and yet I still can't find the reason for it. Am I not meticulous enough? Perhaps I should be more.

And I didn't mention I was late for work today right? Yeap, I was.. Perhaps the triggering factor for my lashing. Something needs to be done fast. I need to eliminate the hitch from my track record.

Movie Marathon

2005-01-03T02:12:00.000+11:00

Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them,
One Ring to bring them all and in darkness bind them
In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie.

I've purchased the final installment of the Lord of the Rings - The Return of the King. That's a total of 11 hours and 21 minutes of the story, including over 2 hours of extra scenes!! We spent the whole of New Year and today watching the whole thing - Alex, Khema, and myself.

You've gotta love Sam - Frodo's companion. Where would Frodo be without Sam? He's loyal, he believes in Frodo, and watches his back. What more can you ask in a friend?

Adrenaline Rush

2005-01-03T02:03:00.000+11:00

Living on the edge

Talk about living life on the edge - Trapped in an environment only waiting to be eaten. I was at Alex's grandma's place when I took this picture. What was I doing there? Helping Alex and his grandma do a bit of spring-cleaning. Hell I don't even do spring cleaning at my own home. Had nothing much to do anyway, and I wanted to finish watching the The Return of the King.

I didn't mention but I've known Alex and Da Guyz for 10 years already - This would be our 11th year together. Some amongst the group I've known since I was in primary school. I guess we've reached a point in our lives where we'll pretty much do anything for each other.

Back to the picture, I found this sight hilarious - Big fish eats small fish. It's practically a buffet for the big fish, while the small fish have to constantly avoid being eaten. What an environment to live in. I think I'm becoming sadistic. Haha.. :P

The formation in a different perspective.

2005-01-01T02:59:00.000+11:00

This shows a picture of Da Guyz in our Forbidden Circular Formation taken from the inside. We do this too often: standing around, and deciding what to do next. Well it's good for me, I get to take more pictures and comment on them. New Year dinner this year was at Tuk Tuk - A Thai restaurant at Suntec City.

One step at a time.

2004-12-31T01:27:00.000+11:00

An education abroad is going to cost - A lot! I went down to the Regional Language Center (RELC) to gather information for furthering my education overseas. I'm thinking of taking up a course in Professional Communication, from the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT).

The trip was fruitful and I have a clearer picture of how to go about doing this. All thanks to the nice lady that assisted in answering my queries. It pays to be a little nicer, people tend to be more patient with you. All that's left to do now is to gather information for a local University, do a little bit of calculation and comparison, and I should have my decision.

Interesting Sight

2004-12-29T00:56:00.000+11:00

Cleaning while abseiling

Something you don't see everyday; Was on my way to my next appointment in Shenton Way, when I saw a bunch of people looking up to the sky. Not wanting to be kaypo, I continued my way to my next appointment - Curiosity got the better of me.

Alright it appears that nobody got the answer to my post "More about work" on 21st December 2004; Guess I get to save a drink. It was at Zouk - a popular nightspot. I sure miss Mambo Night, reminds me of the times where I would go clubbing with my army guys.

Can't wait till tomorrow, don't have work till Friday. Which only required me to go back to the office to submit all my applications. I took leave to settle my school stuff and for a little gathering with my JC schoolmates. Not to mention the upcoming New Year celebration.

The Gathering

2004-12-25T04:09:00.000+11:00

Till I can find a proper picture viewer to compliment my site, I think this would do. Damm I think I need to give the site a face-lift. It should materialize.. in time.

Mock Award

2004-12-25T04:08:00.000+11:00

I have no idea what this is for. The "award" in Damien's hand is the cutlery wrapped up with a napkin. Yes, these are my friends.

Zhong and myself enjoying a pint.

2004-12-25T04:07:00.000+11:00

Ahh yes.. Joy Juice - Brewed specially by Brewerks.

Biker Buddies

2004-12-25T04:06:00.000+11:00

Okay long story, these 2 weren't the original biker buddies - They were Joe and Kiat. Kiat got lost while we were travelling to Mohamed Sultan, so Zhong took over to direct him. Countdown for Christmas this year was in Alex's van. Good enough for me - Peaceful and spacious.

Joe's attempt at art.

2004-12-25T04:05:00.000+11:00

Okay that hand belongs to Joe. And that container was from Brewerks - Now it's with Joe. I have no idea what this picture means.

What's up with Damien?

2004-12-25T04:04:00.000+11:00

This picture shows the forbidden circle in it's making. The one where everyone would gather in a circle to decide what to do next. Happens a lot with my guys. Not too sure what's with Damien either.

Damien in a world of his own.

2004-12-25T04:03:00.000+11:00

And this shows the circle as it completes it's formation. Damien still in a world of his own.

Joe's crowning glory.

2004-12-25T04:02:00.000+11:00

He's spontaneous. He's hilarious. He's just Joe. Gotta love the wig.

Who's that chick?

2004-12-25T04:01:00.001+11:00

Okay so who's that chick? None of us know her, but she came in time to get a nice picture taken. Joe's sure smiling with glee.

The Party

2004-12-25T04:00:00.000+11:00

The aftermath of the party at the little joint in Far East Plaza known as The Other Side. Apparently it's owned by the cousin of my batch-boy in NDU. Only noticed he was there after a while. Could have saved the money for the drinks if I had known earlier. Our drinks after that were all free!

Clue No. 2

2004-12-23T00:22:00.000+11:00

Here's another clue.

Surely this would be a little more obvious right? Anyway, I can't wait till Christmas. Will be catching Kung Fu Hustle tomorrow. The week of activities awaits.

More about work

2004-12-22T02:43:00.000+11:00

Make a guess!

Work was all right today, did a lot of running about though. My colleague, Eileen, has been commenting that the contents of my blog revolve around work. Seriously, what else can I write other than work? Not many profound thoughts come into mind when I work - Everyday is a repetition of my routine. Thank goodness I get to meet different people every time, otherwise things will get mundane.

I'm looking forward to 2 things this week though: Catching Kung Fu Hustle, a Chinese movie by Stephen Chow, and the Christmas Eve dinner with Da Guyz. Both to occur on Thursday and Friday respectively. No work for me on Friday I hope, but I'll still have to go back to the office for my submission work and weekly meetings - Boy I love Fridays.

Can anyone guess where I was at for appointment today? Make a guess; ^the first correct answer will get a drink from me the next time we meet. I'll post the results in my next entry.

^Terms and conditions apply - No Citibank staff allowed. Too bad.. :P

As our paths cross again..

2004-12-21T01:49:00.000+11:00

I met a few people from camp today. Just thought it was worth mentioning to remind myself of this day.

First off, I met a junior from camp. Used to play basketball with him and a bunch of guys from his batch. Weiqiang , if I still recalled his name.

SSG Mark was at Jurong Branch to pay his bills, and I got him to take up our online services. He even got me to get a personal banker to call him up.

Jansen passed by Orchard Branch and gave me a call. Unfortunately I was at Jurong, otherwise I would have had the chance to meet up with him.

I met Rishi and Rebecca! They were at Jurong Point and I was at one of the residence for a appointment. They took a moment to recognize me. (Am I any different? Must be the hair.) We had good chat. They were on their way to the movies so I didn't want to hold them up. Rishi was one of my first cabin-mates - We hung around a lot in camp, till he went out of course during our dive phase. He's now with the Commandos. Boy I sure miss that guy.

I met another camp mate after that, but I forgot his name. One of my batch boys, but got out of course before I got to know him better.

On a side note, I was at a drink stall when the drink stall lady caught me off guard by commenting in mandarin to the other vendor, "I thought you were Japanese. Can be a movie star!" I was amused and went off sipping my drink happily - Must be the hair.

22 years ago..

2004-12-20T01:10:00.000+11:00

Happy Birthday Eileen!

21 years ago..

2004-12-20T01:09:00.000+11:00

Happy Birthday Zuwei!

1 year ago..

2004-12-20T01:07:00.000+11:00

Many blessings to the union of Joe & Lu.

You meet all sorts..

2004-12-17T02:22:00.000+11:00

Interesting thing happened at work today.

Another one of those appointment I had today belonged to the older generation. I had my doubts to getting him take up our services. So I did my usual thing, and guess what, he dozed off during my demo. I didn't know whether to laugh or to continue. (Gosh, I didn't know I was that boring.) So I tried to suppressed my laughter and spoke a little louder to jolt him out of his slumber. It worked, but I had to repeat it a few times.

He took up the services. I'm worried for these people.

Another moment of ego inflation..

2004-12-15T02:07:00.000+11:00

"Bryan is very patient in explaining and he is very courteous and polite. A good staff. His explanation is very clear."

The lady that wrote this on the feedback column was one of those that is not very familiar with using the internet. I managed to get her to take up our services - I do hope that it works out for her. It brings me joy to see that people are willing to venture the alternatives, but sometimes I do have doubts to whether to persuade those in this category any further.

Outing with my colleagues

2004-12-13T02:47:00.000+11:00

My first outing with my colleagues and it turned out pretty all right. Weiliang, Vincent and myself met up earlier and had a game of pool and billiards. Weiliang thought us a new game involving a deck of cards and number balls, for billiards, and it turned out pretty fun. I could never stand playing billiards because of the lengthiness of each game - I'm not particularly good at it, so each game takes a long time to complete. This new game we tried allowed up to 4 participants.

Mor came along a little later with another Citibank colleague, Carrie, I think. (Mor, if you're reading this, I've written about you and there's nothing you can do about it. :P) We all talked and had dinner at a food court somewhere around Lavender - The wan ton mee there was supposed to be good. I had a plate of chicken rice already and Mor wanted to have more. He persuaded me to queue up with him for the noodles, and not wanting to disappoint him, I did. I was fairly full, and I wanted dessert. As we advanced closer to the lady taking the orders, a middle-aged woman approached us.

"Erm, excuse me, can I just queue in front of you and buy this ah? We are very hungry and want to eat this." she said.

Astonished by her request, but replied in my most polite manner, "I would love to help, but if you could convince this queue behind me, I would gladly let you queue in front of me." Seriously, if she could convince the rest of the mob, I would definitely let her take the spot. Firstly, she was polite enough to ask me, and secondly, it would only show that she's either really hungry or that she had such persuasive abilities that I had to give it to her.

"But we are really hungry and we want to eat this." she retorted.

Unconvinced, I replied, "I'm sorry mdm, it is not up to me to decide. The people behind would not be hap..."

"Ohh, so not helpful lah?" she snapped and stormed off.

"...?!" Mor and I just looked at each other. He was quite pissed off but I wasn't bothered a bit by it.

"I can't stand being said by people like that." Mor said.

"But did you lose anything?" I questioned. We were 2nd in the queue and she still had to line up. I was full from my chicken rice initially, but having that encounter only made me want to buy a plate of the noodles just to spite her - Which I did.

My first paid performance

2004-12-11T01:20:00.001+11:00

My Video

"Zackery, a new video enthusiast who brings his camera every he goes. After shooting some events, he discovers that the people around him was not what he assumes them to be. He was devastated by what he sees on the video but never once questioned the camera.

After all, seeing is believing... or so it seems?"

It's not much to brag about - My first paid performance. I wasn't expecting much from the token they said they'll be giving, nevertheless, here it is: A DVD of the production, and a cheque for a cool $100. Not much, but it makes up for the lost battery (Alright, I'll stop harping on it..). Quite honestly, I was expecting something lesser for the 4 day stint (my filming only lasted four days.)

The DVD comes with the usual features of a menu screen, the film itself, and the making - Yes, the making. The making contains pictures of the filming process, sadly not in film. No NGs were included also, would have been fun to see some of those. I distinctly remembered some hilarious moments while filming.

The film itself was a 12-minute production. It comes with the formal proceedings of an introduction to the credits. I'm not too sure if the soundtrack for the film was originally composed, but it sounds authentic. I can't decide on the genre of the film. Perhaps if anyone were interested, I could bring the DVD along our next gathering and we could all have a good laugh. Don't be too critical though, it's the production company's first attempt at a short film, and I too have my pride.

sigh

2004-12-08T02:10:00.000+11:00

I was chided this morning, again, for my mistakes - Twice in fact.

First was for leaving the branch, while leaving my equipment unattended - I went to take a break. Probably should have learnt by now; Having lost my battery last week, and they inculcated the same thing in the army.

Next was for failing to update the office of my appointments today - I overlooked to update on the offices' copy for a reschedule made on Friday.

My mistake, yesterday, was failing to inform Raymond, another colleague, of an appointment that I've rescheduled to him last Friday. I left him a message asking him to call me back to get the information. Needless to say, it didn't happen, and the appointment was not fulfilled - I should have remembered to follow up. I called to apologize to the customer; thank goodness he wasn't too upset about it.

In light of recent events, my only defense is that it all started from the battery incident last Thursday. My mind was too fixated on finding a solution, and the battery incident became the focal point of all my distractions. Not a very strong argument one may criticize, but I have no other explanation. I have a tendency to let my distractions run on to following events. My only hope is to break from this vicious trend as soon as possible - This bad streak is not good for the track record.

Unfit, Shocked, and Broke

2004-12-06T01:06:00.000+11:00

I went for a run today, and I am worried for my upcoming IPPT next year. It was an easy run, around Bukit Panjang Ring Road, but I couldn't complete it. I've got to start my running regime again - Getting terribly out of shape.

I took a slow walk to the Plaza to get myself some groceries. Bought a bottle of shampoo and my favorite magazine, FIRST. Apparently, the extended version of <The Lord of the Rings - Return of the King> would be available on the shelves on 15th December 2004. I'm looking forward to it to complete the trilogy. Maybe I can hustle someone to buy it for me for Christmas. *Evil grin* Anyway, I was in the queue, behind a family of mother and daughter, and was thinking to myself, "Boy that's a lot of groceries they're purchasing. If I were buying all that, I'll definitely let the person behind me go first if they don't have many items to pay for." By some stroke of cosmic fluke, the older lady offered to let me go first. I was both amazed and appreciative, and thanked her for her graciousness. It's good to know that people are still considerate to others' feelings.

I followed Weiliang to Sim Lim Square, after my run, to get a new battery for my desknote - I lost the battery, somehow, on Thursday this week. Frankly, I have no idea how it happened. Expensive lesson, it costs a hundred bucks. Oh well, guess I've to be more careful next time.

Just another day at work

2004-12-04T20:19:00.000+11:00

"Very informative, nice to know of Citibank's effort in providing more better and efficient services, Bryan is good, know what he is promoting on this demo. Keep it up!"

A customer wrote this remark in the feedback column of my Customer Acknowledgement Letter. It's not an official written letter or E-mail, so no $50 Tangs voucher. Damm.. heh.. No issue though, the monetary rewards are meaningless to me. The remarks keep me in check - So that I know that I'm still doing my job well. The customer is applaudable also. He was patient, he asked me questions, and he served me a drink! The works! Complete with ice, coaster, and straw. Yes! Straw! I've always appreciated it when customers treat me like a guest, instead of a salesperson.

It's no denying that the persuasion and convincing skills involved are sales-like - Customers tend to think that we're trying to sell them something. It just takes a little bit of effort on our part to guide, while the customer has to be a little more open to listen to us. 80% of the time the message is sent across - Today was an ideal situation.

Everyone has their style - I'm different from my colleagues. In fact, we're all different. "The key is identity." A customer once told me that. He is in the shrimp business and made his first million at 26 - He fell short of his plans by a year. With just 1 product, shrimp, he boasts that the business is too much for him, "Diversity is necessary, but with identity, people will think of you first." And he quoted some brand names to support his claim. I had a 1-hour conversation, but failed to get him to take up our services.

I put some thought into the crux of the conversation and it does make sense. Once you've established the identity in your product, people would think of you first because of reliability and the confidence in it. I hope the same can be said about a service.

1st December 2004 - Singapore Idol Day

2004-12-02T02:05:00.000+11:00

Singapore Idol

Let this day be known as Singapore Idol Day. It's like a festival! Everyone is talking about it; everyone wants to rush home to catch it. I had half the mind of asking my boss to let us go back after 7pm today. No point staying at the branch, customers excuse for today would probably be, "I'm in a rush, need to go back and watch Singapore Idol." - Almost as important as, say, reunion dinner. In fact, my last customer for the day wanted to reschedule our appointment.

"Oh yah, our appointment is today right? I have something on tonight." my customer went.

"Oh, you would not be available tonight? Our appointment would only last for 15 to 20 minutes, Sir. Could I inquire why you would not be able to make it?" I persisted.

"Because I want to watch Singapore Idol lah." he responded.

Amazing enough, I had no night visits today. In fact, I could finish my previous appointments and bring forward the last one, giving him more time to prepare for the showdown. It's encouraging to see Singaporeans so supportive of their local stars. I wonder if the same enthusiasm can be aroused with the next General Elections.