Scientists in Britain have made a link between sneezing and thinking about sex or having an orgasm.
Read full story here: http://newpaper.asia1.com.sg/news/story/0,4136,188012,00.html?
IS THE NEW PAPER NUTS!?!? I so do not think about sex every time I sneeze. Which occurs at least every hour on the average. Oh wait...
* * *
No breakfast, earlier sex
Read full story here: http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Tech%2Band%2BScience/Story/STIStory_318634.html
'Those unhappy with their parents - such as for not preparing breakfast - may tend to find a way to release their frustration by having sex,' said Mr Kunio Kitamura, head of the Japan Family Planning Association who led the research.
It's official. The world has gone mental.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Monday, December 08, 2008
Yay, Happy Birthday to me!
Friday, November 28, 2008
It feels like I've blogged about this before. But still.
You know how the saying goes, that true friends are there for you in your time of need? I wish I remember where I read before, that it is totally bullshit. Accordingly, how hard can it be hanging around sad, depressed, down-and-out people? Other than having to offer your support and lend an occasional shoulder to cry on, it is easy to (secretly) feel superior to them and thank your lucky stars you're not the unfortunate sod - in the guise of commiserating, of course. On the other hand, your true friends are the ones that can rejoice with you when you are doing well, because it is much harder to geniunely feel happy for somebody else (who may or may not deserve it) while keeping on leash the green-eyed monster within you.
I like this other idea. I like to think that people who spend all their time being there for true friends are self-serving pricks who delight in the misery of others. That beneath the good Samaritan veneer, between dishing out advice and tissue papers, amid the "I know"s and "it's ok"s, there lies a perverse streak that compels this lot to compulsively seek out friends whose lives are in shambles just so they can feel better about themselves. I can just picture Aunt Agony holding up a glass of champagne every now and then, toasting to the depressed multitudes of the world (the reason for her continued popularity) and congratulating herself on her plummy job and plummier life.
If only I had alittle less Schadenfreude in me, I will scorn these vile people. If only I weren't one of them, I will scorn us vile people.
P.S. My best friend just gave birth, masyallah! I'm just glad that it's before my birthday, so that we can still celebrate my birthday like before. I'm so glad :)
Thursday, November 06, 2008
Ex-DBS colleagues in high spirits (after 1 too many spirits) at William's wedding, for which I was MC. Excellent experience, I highly recommend it to everyone.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Yet another post from the office, on a lazy Sunday evening. I'm watching the Singapore Hit Awards on TV right now, and I'm either imagining things or Derrick Ho (He Wei Jian) is purposely slurring his words to sound more ang-moh. He also looks suspiciously like Jay Chou, which irritates the hell out of me. I know imitation is the best form of flattery, but Jay is unique, Jay is special and Jay is not to look like every Tom, Dick or Derrick on the street.
Tanya Chua had her mother collect her prize on her behalf. I think it's an awesome gift to your mother - the chance to appear on national TV. Her mother handled the speech giving with finesse, thanking God then everyone else. I'm impressed.
These 2 weeks are pure madness for me. Worked Mon-Thurs, went on a Habitat for Humanity Batam Build Fri-Sat, back at work today. Working Mon-Wed next week, emceeing a wedding on Thursday, working Friday, attending 2 weddings on Sat, Dad's birthday Sun, then working Mon-Fri the following week. My next breather will literally be on 8 Nov, ugh.
I enjoyed the Batam Build immensely. It was like a scaled down version of the 1 month I spent in Chiang Mai building a house for the children of Nam Bao Luang school. There was plenty of digging, cement mixing, and moving debris from point A to B. The 5 men of our team dug a septic tank in record time, creating a hole in the ground measuring 1.6m by 1m by 1m in approximately 4 hours. The girls were left to do the wiring, which entailed tying metal rods together with wires to form the foundation of the house. We didn't manage to do any brick-laying or plastering, but it was back-breaking enough for 2 days.
I had a 1 hour massage on the first (and only) night at the hotel, followed by a 30min body wrap and a Ratus treatment. I've read about ratus online and in magazines before, and have heard countless crew members grilling Indonesian colleagues about its efficacy, hence I couldn't resist giving it a go. It was disappointingly normal; I didn't even have to squat. All I did was sit over this incense burning thing, and wait. Totally unmemorable.
It was a good opportunity to meet colleagues from other departments of the bank, and for me to gain a better understanding of different functions of each department. I'm optimistic about staying on for a long, long time.
Saturday, October 18, 2008
vocaldente
For our anniversary this year, we finally did something special. We attended Vocaldente's Let's Misbehave! acapella concert at The Arts House on 16 Oct 2008, the 2nd and final night of performance in Singapore for their Asia tour. I'm already looking forward to their next perfomance in Singapore.
Monday, October 06, 2008
Photos again (just because I can't get to sleep)
The birthday boy
The one photo we took together at the run
After a sodding 10km run, all we received was a bunch of bananas and a bottle of water. Where's my marching band? Where's my standing ovation? I ran 10km, I'll have you know!
Winner of Miss Poledance Australia 2006 - DVD AVAILABLE
OMG.
This is totally awesome! Many thanks to Christina (my friend's gf) for sending the link to me, when I was trying to talk her into learning pole dancing to up our list of wifely attributes.
I wonder how she manages to twirl on the pole when she wants to, and yet is able to use it as support when she wants to hold a position? Totally flabbergasting. Christina thinks she must suffer from pole burns.
I also wonder why she bothers to smile; who has the time to look at her face when there's her crazy hot bod to oogle at?! (I only noticed her smile because I watched this 5 times straight)
See, I'm not the only one researching pole dancing! There are tons of women out there entertaining the idea of wriggling against a damn pole, all in the name of making their men happy. Stupid men with their stupid fetishes.
I'm proud to announce that the 10km run went way better than expected - I only stopped for 3 steps just along the East Coast Food Centre, when a momentary lapse in willpower got me wondering if I should just go for a plate of carrot cake instead of finishing the run. Finish I did, and in just approximately 1hr 5 mins. None the worse for wear, except this huge blister on my left big toe that recurs no matter now many pinpricks I make to drain the water out. (I wonder where the water keeps comes from?)
It's nearing the end of my shift, which marks the end of yet another good night. 1 call answered, which resulted in 1 forex trade. A few packages created, nothing too taxing. Many episodes of old SBC drama serials on Channel 8, some seriously cringe-inducing. Looking forward to the 2 days off to give my feet some time to recover, before having to jam them into heels for work next week.
I borrowed a book from the library on Saturday, Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner. I've been keeping a lookout for it ever since Ren told me she wanted to read it, but never managed to find it in the library. Only thing is, I borrowed the Chinese translation of the book. With great determination, I spent 1 hour reading the first couple of pages of the book, only to discover that it was the foreword. I thought 前言 meant Introduction, gah.
This other book I borrowed is an awesome collection of all the useless trivia related to the human body. Titled "Why is Yawning Contagious?" by Francesca Gould, there's this bit about the 'jerk in the sleep' that Mama was just discussing with Ren earlier:
From the chapter named Cognitive Curiosities:
"Why do we 'jump' when we fall asleep?
The jerking movements we experience while falling asleep are known as hypnic jerks, and can be associated with a feeling of falling. There are a number of theories as to why they happen. One theory suggests that they may be a protective reflex. As we go to sleep, our muscles relax and eventually become quite loose. This loosening of the muscles may be interpreted by the brain as a sign that we are falling (even though we are lying down in bed), so the brain sends a message to the muscles to tell them to tighten up to help us stay upright. Hypnic jerks are more likely to happen when we are overtired or when using stimulants such as caffeine. "
There's another excellent question I must try to dig up, which explains why barber poles are red and white (you'd never guess in a million years). I'll have to leave it for another time, because it's time for me to pack up and go home. Whoopee doo.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
My first post from the office. It's my first graveyard shift over the weekend, and it absolutely rocks! I have the lights off so that I can catch a snooze if I so desire (which I did for a couple of hours), the TV is on but I have it on mute because I'm listening to Haoting, I'm in tshirt and shorts in anticipation of the run that I'm participating in later, and the system is under maintanence so that I can't nothing even if anybody calls in. The phone has rung only once since I stepped in, and it was a wrong number. I think I will be requesting to work weekends from now on.
My fruitful day's going well so far. It started at 6pm on Saturday, when I woke up to head for a ex-schoolmate's birthday celebration at the Pasir Ris Costa Sands chalet. It's been ages since I last attended a chalet, and the smell of burnt chicken wings (among other things) brought back bittersweet memories of the growing years. The birthday boy was resplendent in black, while the rest of us came in various hues of red as requested in the invite. I met a number of old friends, and one of them was sweet enough to peng food for me, while another walked me out to take a cab to my next destination, taking the effort to open the taxi door for me. I can't remember the last time somebody did that for me. Ok, actually I can. And it's still not Tan :s
The next appointment is yet another birthday celebration, this time that of a friend from SMU. We went on a YEP trip together in 2002, and basically kept track of each other via Friendster/Facebook after that. I arrived alittle after 10pm despite leaving the chalet at 9, because this other friend kindly directed me to Robertson Quay, when they were dining at Robertson Walk. Believe me, it's a hell of a difference once you've gotten off the cab. It was rather strange trying to reconnect, because of all the time that's lapsed. Also, I never managed to forge a very close relationship with the birthday girl (or anybody else, for that matter) while I was in SMU, save for the SR4 gang. I was very touched that they welcomed me into their clique so readily, and I foresee many more tea sessions to make up for lost time.
And then I trudged to work, happily clearing my e-mail Inbox that's forever over the size limit. Because I cannot access any external mail or Friendster and Facebook, I spent a good 2 hours looking up on the Intranet everybody I've worked with thus far. It's great fun putting a face to the voices from the dealing desk, and some of them aren't too bad looking! I must make a conscious effort not to sound too breathless when I next speak to those few, heh.
After work, I'm heading to the East Coast Park, where I'll be participating in the Run for Hope 08 with my family. It's a 10km run, and I'm looking forward to trying to make it the whole way with my Mama. Dad's a regular jogger so he's got no problems, and Ren's done the Nike Human Race just last month so she's good too. Ooh, the run is starting in just another hour, I'm excited!
After which I will proceed to bed, and sleep for a very long time. Pictures another time.
Monday, September 29, 2008
It's been a long time since I posted photos, here a whole bunch of them at one go, taken over the last 2 months:
I'm a freaking poster girl for blood donation! It's the 13th time I've done it since I started when I was 17, and now that I'm back in Singapore I'll try to make it a point to donate blood every 3 months. I don't ordinarily snap photos in a room full of people having blood drained out of them (it's not as bad as it sounds), but this time round I was the only person in NUH's blood donation centre, so out came the camera and the posturing.
Etihad, my previous employer, is everywhere in Singapore thanks to the ads on a good number of taxis. As it happens, my cousin took Etihad to New York because it was the cheapest fare, and swore that he will never fly Etihad again due to the overwhelming presence of persons of a certain nationality. Something about enduring the smell for 14 hours.
Here's my friend Lilac at her birthday celebration, with her husband in lilac to complement. She was tickled by the birthday song that the restaurant played over the speakers when the waitress brought the cake out. It was an excruciating version that went on to "How old are you now.." in the tune of Happy Birthday, and it must have lasted a good 3 minutes.
We held a gathering in honour of Boon's departure at Dirty Nelly's, this Irish Pub 2 minutes away from my workplace. It was an excellent turnout, considering the late notice. I can't drink to save my life; look at how red I got after only half a pint of beer.
All these cupcakes were baked by my friend and her sister, to celebrate the 1st birthday of her darling daughter Danika. Danika has a caucasian father and Filipino mother, look at how adorable she is!
And finally, a picture of my office on the first night of the F1 night race. We all work late for good reason.
Friday, September 26, 2008
張宇 - 趁早 (KTV)
張宇 - 趁早
到后来才发现爱你是一种习惯
我学会和你说一样的谎
你总是要我在你身旁
说幸福该是什么模样
你给我的天堂
其实是一片荒凉
要是我早可以和你一刀两断
我们就不必在爱里勉强
可是我真的不够勇敢
总为你忐忑为你心软
毕竟相爱一场
不要谁心里带着伤
我可以永远笑着
扮演你的配角
在你的背后自己煎熬
如果你不想要
想退出要趁早
我没有非要一起到老
我可以不问感觉
继续为爱讨好
冷眼的看着你的骄傲
若有情太难了
想别恋要趁早
就算迷恋你的拥抱
忘了就好
要是我早可以和你一刀两断
我们就不必在爱里勉强
可是我真的不够勇敢
总为你忐忑为你心软
毕竟相爱一场
不要谁心里带着伤
我可以永远笑着
扮演你的配角
在你的背后自己煎熬
如果你不想要
想退出要趁早
我没有非要一起到老
我可以不问感觉
继续为爱讨好
冷眼的看着你的骄傲
若有情太难了
想别恋要趁早
就算迷恋你的拥抱
忘了就好喔--------
爱已至此怎样的说法都能成为理由
我在这样的爱情里看见的
是我们的软弱
我可以永远笑着
扮演你的配角
在你的背后自己煎熬
如果你不想要
想退出要趁早
我没有非要一起到老
我可以不问感觉
继续为爱讨好
冷眼的看着你的骄傲
若有情太难了
想别恋要趁早
就算迷恋你的拥抱
忘了就好
忘了就好
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Something got me all excited today!
Credit: http://app.mfa.gov.sg/pr/read_content.asp?View,10979,
The Straits Times (1 September 2008) - New way to freeze eggs can help those with cancer
Sep 1, 2008
FERTILITY BREAKTHROUGH
New way to freeze eggs can help those with cancer
Prospective mums can have their eggs frozen before treatment for use later on
By Jessica Jaganathan
A NEW fertility treatment offered by some doctors here could give women about to undergo cancer treatment higher hopes of becoming mothers one day.
As treatments like radiotherapy and chemotherapy can make a woman barren, she can now opt to have her eggs frozen ahead of these treatments for use down the road.
Freezing eggs is the easy part. Thawing tends to damage them, making them not fertilisable. When eggs are thawed, ice crystals tend to rupture the cells.
Doctors have thus re-looked traditional methods of freezing eggs and come up with flash-freezing.
Also called vitrification, this form of cryopreservation super-cools the egg so fast that the transformation from liquid to solid is instantaneous.
Thawing does not damage it.
Professor Ng Soon-Chye of the O&G Partners Fertility Centre at Gleneagles Hospital said that nearly all eggs frozen at rapid rates survive thawing, compared to seven in 10 eggs frozen the conventional slow way.
Worldwide, only 200 to 300 babies have been born from eggs that were frozen this way. Singapore had its first baby from such an egg in June at Gleneagles Hospital.
The woman, who declined to be interviewed, is not a cancer patient, but was undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) to conceive.
As is usual for IVF, more than enough eggs were produced. Some were mixed with her husband's sperm to form embryos and implanted in her womb. The unfertilised eggs that were left over were flash-frozen.
When the implanted embryos failed to 'take', the woman took a break from trying for a baby.
A year later, her doctor L. C. Foong thawed her frozen eggs and combined them with her husband's frozen sperm. The couple had their baby.
Pregnancy rates for rapidly frozen eggs are almost the same as using fresh eggs - at 30 per cent, said Prof Ng.
Singapore General Hospital (SGH) and KK Women's and Children's Hospital (KKH) have also started using this rapid-freezing method for their cancer patients' eggs; between them, they have used it on five patients so far.
Before this option became available, women about to start chemotherapy just had to hope for the best with the conventional methods of freezing the eggs, said Dr Yong Tze Tein, an obstetrician and gynaecologist at SGH.
Dr Loh Seong Feei, the head and senior consultant of the reproductive medicine unit in KKH, stressed that whenever possible, women who want babies should improve their odds by trying to get embryos implanted first rather than just go with egg freezing by either the old or new method.
This is because egg freezing is still relatively new, and these eggs still have to be put through fertilisation down the road.
Dr Loh noted that, apart from cancer patients, another group that could benefit from quick-freezing of eggs are Catholics, who do not want embryos - which they see as human life - discarded because of their religious beliefs.
Instead of freezing the additional embryos which may later have to be discarded, Catholics now have the option of just freezing eggs for later use.
Ministry of Health regulations only allow up to three embryos to be transferred to the mother's womb. But if IVF treatments yield more eggs than needed, the extras can be frozen for use later.
Career-minded women the world over are opting to freeze the eggs they produce in their prime and coming back for IVF treatments only when they are ready to start a family.
This effectively stops their 'biological clock' because when frozen, eggs stay at the age they were at when they were extracted. I
n Singapore, however, MOH guidelines allow women to freeze eggs only for medical reasons and for up to five years. Also, these women must be married and must apply for permission to keep the eggs frozen beyond five years.
Dr Yong said: 'Freezing of eggs could be how we go in the future...From a social point of view, it sounds very attractive to many women who do not want to be bogged down by motherhood in their youth.'
But the ethical considerations still need to be first overcome, she warned.
jessicaj@sph.com.sg
Copyright © 2007 Singapore Press Holdings. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement & Condition of Access
Thursday, September 18, 2008
My maternal grandmother passed away on 11th Sept. It was expected; in fact it was a little too long in coming because she was in a lot of pain in her last few months. I didn't tell any of my friends (even those in Singapore) because I didn't want people coming to tell me "don't take it too hard" and "don't be too upset" etc, because I frankly didn't. I would have felt like an A-class fraud if everybody came out of the way to visit me at the wake and told me all these things, only for me to smile and think to myself that it's ok man, it's ok.
So, nobody came around except for my colleagues, who had to know because I applied for 2 days' compassionate leave. It was ultra awkward for me because I didn't tell any of my close friends, and there were my colleagues of one month telling me "don't take it too hard". I really appreciated their kind actions, because I'm bloody new and they didn't really know me very well. That's why I also feel so paiseh - that they might have felt obligated to come (because they knew about it) when I didn't even want to trouble my close friends.
This is a point of contention I discussed with my sister during the wake. I feel that if I tell my friends, they might feel obliged to come attend the wake because they are aware of its existence, and I don't like people to come out of obligation. My sister wisely pointed out that if you don't tell people, they won't be able to make a choice whether to come or not. She said it's better to take a chance and tell people, risking that there will be people who come out of obligation, than not tell those I consider good friends who might want to come not because they are obliged to but out of choice.
I don't know about choice man - I'm sure people will attend because they want to, but don't they want to because they feel that that's only the right thing to do for their friends? I would really appreciate my friends' concern when I really need it, but I feel I have a responsibility to decide when I need the support and when it's unnecessary.
So, not to worry everybody; it's ok man, it's ok. The 5-day wake is over, my grandmother's cremated and (more importantly) relieved of her pain. It's back to work, and hopefully back to blogging. There should be less to do with the US economy in such deep shit :)
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Thank God work starts only on 18 Aug, so that I will not miss the many yummy men who will appear on TV everyday for the next week or so. Of course I'm gushing about the Olympics, the wondrous event that allows hunks of Adonis stature to slug it out in various atheletic events for the viewing pleasure of billions. I spent about 5 hours glued to the TV today, spotting (more like salivating over) handsome men of each nation in the gymnastic segment. The Romanian team consists almost entirely of well-built men endowed with startling good looks - one Robert Stanescu is particularly dashing when executing dangerous twirls in the air.
The Korean team also has an unusually high number of hotties, do you suppose even sportsmen have to undergo the knife to remain popular in said country? It was a pity the team suffered 3 consecutive mishaps at the Horizontal Bar, which must have shook the team somewhat.
How it must suck, to have a camera stuck in your face before and after you execute what might be the most important stunt/sequence in your life. To have the whole world witness your tears, your failure - perhaps that is the essence of true grit in Olympian sportsmen.
Thursday, August 07, 2008
今天是七月初七七窍节,祝天下有情人幸福。一定要幸福。
前阵子经常到克拉码头的Lunar 去,为了是去听一对台湾歌唱组合的表演。他们默契十足,两人都有各自的舞台魅力。观赏他们的表演是种享受,可惜他们也返台湾。
这是小宋与棻蘭的一段表演,演唱伍佰和万芳的《愛情限時批》
原版:
据一位台湾朋友所说,台湾南部的新婚夫妇特别喜欢在晚宴上唱这首歌。Idea :)
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
I organised a picnic today! I woke up at the crack of dawn at 10.50a.m. to prepare mango sticky rice, one of the dishes I learnt while I stayed in Chiang Mai. It didn't go very well because I didn't follow the proportions of the recipe, but it didn't turn out half bad because it is such an easy dish to make. Picture time!
Our shady spot along the East Coast Park. My sister, her boyfriend, and the Tan. (Psst, Ong Lai, note my big bottle in the foreground!)
The mango sticky rice in the cheapo fake-tupperware containers I bought when I was in Bahrain. I bought the entire set, with plastic plates and cutlery to match. Damn I should have taken a picture of my picnic ware. I made the salad as well, but unfortunately I forgot the thousand island dressing in the refridgerator. I cheated with the Fruit and Grain bread from Sunshine, and what's a picnic without the chips and hotdogs?
The happy party planner and the unwilling participant digging into the yummy mango sticky rice.
Sharon learning to blade. Woohoo she isn't half bad!
Friday, July 18, 2008
There's been a dearth of blog posts of late - where's everybody!? I've got my excuse all ready: I was away for more than 3 weeks (in Thailand, then Malaysia with Tan's family), then returned to the shocking news of my school posting. The real reason is because I've been too lazy to do much of anything at all, except to iron exactly 5 items of clothing everyday (6 is too much of an exertion, and it's not worth setting up the ironing board for 4 items), read everybody's blog, and get mad at Tan.
I used to think while squinting at my reflection in the mirror that I look so much better without glasses. Only recently did it occur to me that my high opinion of self should be attributed to myopia more than anything else.
The Jacky Wu show that aired just a couple of hours ago featured this chick who lost 50kg in 2 years! Amazing stuff, this 167cm-tall lass that went from 98kg to 48kg. My new idol!
Congratulations Vinny, on becoming Mrs Kho officially on 19 July 2008! Your Brennan did a really good job in his groom speech, and you were so brave in your impromptu performance you brought tears to my eyes. I'll devote an entire post to your wedding dinner another time - goodnight for now. And congratulations again.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Another quick update before I head off to enjoy my weekend. Friday night was spent at a friend's dormitory near Chiang Mai University. Her name is Chompoo, and she was my homestay buddy when I went on a volunteering expedition to her village in Chiang Mai in 2002. I've seen her only once since then, in 2005 when I visited Chiang Mai on holiday with Tan. Seeing a growing teenager at 3-year intervals is rather disconcerting; I'm acutely aware of how much older I am, and how much she's blossomed.
It's great having a local bring me around! I get to explore places where clothes go for 50 bt, instead of the 'best price liao' in the touristy area at 99 bt. I get to try food that I won't usually know how to order, and I don't have to worry about being ripped off because Chompoo will know how much is too much. Today's itinerary is a visit to another university to see some of the other children I played with during my homestay in 2002. I must remember to steel myself for more disconcertment.
Tomorrow's cooking day - I signed up for a cookery class so that I can learn to make green curry at home, yay! All in the quest to acquire wifely attributes :D I will find a husband, or die trying!
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Saswadee from Chiang Mai!
It's my 4th day in Thailand, 3rd day of my Thai massage course, and my stomach flu's finally cleared! I came down with stomach flu 2 days before I was due to fly to Thailand, and I willed myself to recover enough to board the flight to Bangkok. It didn't work very well; I went running for the toilet thrice in the Suvarnabhmi (sp?) airport and was miserable for the most of the first 2 days.
But all's good now! I have a wacky roommate that I moved in with the very first day I met her (mainly for cost reasons, but also because we both want the company), and she's fine except she has a weird habit of sleeping in her panties. It's abit disconcerting because I swear it's the same pair I've been seeing the past 2 days...but I might be wrong. I'm sure she's very nice. All the same, I'm wearing an extra pair just in case I catch something from sleeping on the same bed as her.
The class zooms ahead at full speed, and it is very tiring, very. My arms are ready to drop off at the end of each class, and still we go back and practise (ok, only tonight) because there are so many new steps each day.
Ok, my 1 hour is almost up, will try to update again! Stay cool everybody, and lest you think I forgot:
Happy birthday darling Nu-er! May you remain as pretty and cute as you are for a long long while!
Monday, June 09, 2008
I'm reading this fantastic book I borrowed from the library called "The Pig that Wants to be Eaten and 99 other thought experiments" by Julian Baggini. According to the blurb, "thought experiments are short scenarios that pose a moral or philosophical problem in a vivid and concrete way." Everyone go get a copy now, I love the book! The bright yellow cover and the pig on it has been my constant companion for the last 2 weeks, although some are amazed I need such material to provoke my thoughts. Pffttt to you too :)
Here's one of my favourites: (everything from this point is lifted until my next footnote) Moral Luck
Mette looked into the eyes of her estranged husband, but could find no flicker of remorse.
"You tell me you want us back," she said to him. "But how can we do that when you won't even admit that you did the wrong thing when you left me and the children?"
"Because in my heart I don't think I did wrong, and I don't want to lie to you," explained Paul. "I left because I needed to get away to follow my muse. I went in the name of art. Don't you remember when we used to talk about Gauguin and how he had to do the same? You always said he had done a hard thing, but not a wrong one."
"But you are no Gauguin," sighed Mette. "That's why you're back. You admit you failed."
"Did Gauguin know he would succeed when he left his wife? No one can know such a thing. If he was in the right, then so was I."
"No," said Mette. "His gamble paid off, and so he turned out to be right. Yours didn't, and so you turned out to be wrong."
"His gamble?" replied Paul. "Are you saying that luck can make the difference between right and wrong?"
Mette thought for a few moments. "Yes, I suppose I am."
Source: The eponymous essay from Moral Luck by Bernard Williams (Cambridge University Press, 1981)
Luck can mean different the difference between success and failure, happiness and misery, riches and poverty, but surely it can't separate the virtuous from the bad? Whether we are good, decent human beings must depend on who we are and what we do, not what happens beyond our control.
That's what common sense would suggest. But even if luck isn't the main determinant of moral goodness, can we really be so sure that it has no role at all to play in ethics?
Most fundamentally, there is what is known as constitutive luck. We are born with certain traits and characteristics, and these are developed by the way we are brought up. However, we don't choose any of this. The result is that, by the time we become old enough to make our own choices, we may already be more or less predisposed towards good or evil than our average peers. A person who reaches this age who finds himself liable to fly into violent rages is therefore more likely to do wrong, purely as a result of drawing an unlucky ticket in the lottery of genetics and upbringing.
Even if we set aside constitutive luck, we are still familiar with the sentiment, 'there but for the grace of God go I'. We are probably all capable of doing more wrong than we do, and it is partly a matter of luck if we manage to avoid finding ourselves in the circumstances where our darker sides come to the fore.
In the case of Paul and Mette, the role of luck is even more pronounced. Mette's argument is that two people can behave in exactly the same way, unsure of what the outcome will be, and that only when we know if that outcome is good or bad can we say if the person did right or wrong. So a Gauguin who leaves his family and becomes a great artist has made the morally right choice, whereas Paul, who made the same choice but without success, is to be condemned for doing wrong.
If that seems an outlandish example, just consider how we are all careless from time to time. If that carelessness results in a serious injury, for example, the person who made the slip is seen as morally culpable. If, by chance, our lack of attention has no bad consequences, few will think much worse of us. Does that suggest there is such a thing as moral luck? Or should we condemn more those whose poor judgments happily have no bad effects? Should we say that Gauguin was in the wrong, even though we think that, on balance, it is much better that he did what he did than stayed with his family?
(end of exerpt)
I don't know if Gauguin deserves less blame just because he returned victorious, but human nature dictates that his wife will find it easier to forgive him, than for Mette to forgive Paul, given that both returned as unremorseful. Although if I were the wife and came up against a Gauguin who was totally unrepentant and insisted he did nothing wrong, I might have felt a stab of annoyance first, then welcomed him back with open arms so as to share his riches and glory. Life sucks.
Friday, May 30, 2008
I logged in and out of blogger a total of 4 times and wrote posts of varying lengths (then deleting them) before finally deciding to go ahead with this post. There isn't anything happening in my life right now, literally. I'm under voluntary home arrest due to lack of funds, and I wince everytime I see a GSS advertisement that I'll have to pass up on because I'm freaking unemployed and can't afford frivolous purchases, no matter how big the discount is. My friends all have better things to do, so I'm on my way to becoming the most socially retarded person under the age of 30. My life isn't going anywhere, while everybody else's is zooming ahead at full speed. A couple of days ago, disenchanted and filled with an overwhelming sense of ennui, I booked a one-way ticket to Chiang Mai to attend the Thai massage course that I've been wanting to undergo since 2005. Maybe I can meet a cute angmoh on his gap year and live happily ever after with him and cute pan-asian offspring in the land of smiles and elephants. Please, God, please please.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The school holidays are here. (Who let the dogs out :s)
My sister's back from Australia, bringing with her bits of useless trivia like the fact that the third most common cancer in Australia is cancer of the back of leg (presumably skin cancer of that particular part of the body) because nobody ever thinks to apply sunblock lotion there.
Which of course had me dashing out to buy sunblock so that I can provide adequate protection for the back of my legs and in between my toes.
Today's family day, and because I never had much success getting my parents to leave the safety of their home (from shopping crowds, sweaty bodies, oily food courts - Singapore's a treacherous place), we decided to stay in to accompany them. That'll translate into a fun-filled mahjong day for me!
Somebody, get me a life.
Friday, May 16, 2008
This week is significant because:
I went for a first date on Monday. It was with the chemical engineer, 28 years old, ready to get married. It went as well as a first date could go, except for my unfortunate slip up (story for another day). Not sure how I feel because it's my first time after so long, will look into a second date soon.
I went for my very first IPL for hair removal on Tuesday. It hurt like a motherfucker! To think I have at least 2 more sessions...
I donated blood for the 11th time on Wednesday. I was plenty worried when the nurse told me the vein in my left hand is almost too small for the needle - is it indication of some illness, constricting veins? I've always used my left hand in blood donations, just in case. Thankfully, DaMa told me veins scab over too, when they get pricked over and over. Apparently they will heal themselves over a few years, and I have to use the vein in my right hand in the meantime.
I finished unpacking the 9 pieces of luggage I brought back from Abu Dhabi on Thursday. This is in anticipation of Sister's arrival from Brisbane on 19 May, which will once again throw the house into disarray as we all look for cabinet space for her material acquisitions.
I sent out my first resume since my return on Friday. It took me almost 1 month, but hey I'm getting around to it. Bumming really takes up too much time.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
飞女正传-杨千桦
If the 飞仔's going to be Daniel Wu then I want to be a 飞女 too! The song's good, but the MV is bloody brilliant. But then if I were famous I'd get Daniel Wu to stand around in my MV too. And Edison :D
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Article by David Goldwich, the author of "Why Did the Chicken Cross the Road? Lessons in Effective Communication" as appeared in Recruit section of The Straits Times Tuesday May 6, 2008 and Wednesday May 7, 2008.
Assert yourself
How many times have you walked away from a negotiation table without achieving what you originally intended? Perhaps you agreed to take on additional work or responsibility because you were unable to say "no". Perhaps you felt unworthy of fighting for your interests. Or maybe you were unable to bring yourself to ask for what you want.
Have you ever wondered why some people always seem to get what they want while others rarely do? Well, you are not alone. Most of us feel we deserve more than we get at some time or other.
But we cannot deny that some people consistently get their fair share or more. How do they do it? The answer is they know how to assert themselves.
What is assertiveness?
Assertiveness is one of the most important life skills you could have. Think of all the extraordinary people you know or have heard of, whether in business or government. Think of all the top CEOs, the most successful entrepreneurs and the greatest political leaders. Think Bill Gates, Richard Branson, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton and Lee Kuan Yew.
Just about anyone who achieves any significant level of success or greatness is assertive - you simply do not rise to the top if you are not assertive.
Mother Teresa was one of the most caring people of the last century. But she was no pushover. In fact, she was very bold in asking for charitable contirbutions and political assistance. Beneath her kind and saintly exterior was an assertive spirit.
What about Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr? Both men were all the more remarkable for their explicit rejection of violence. They were assertive, and did not hesitate to demand what they and their people clearly deserved. They stood up for themselves and for countless others, and made a difference to the world.
Assertiveness is the ability to stand up for yourself, without stepping on anyone else's toes. It is the ability to express yourself in a manner that is clear, direct, specific and considerate. It means saying what you mean and meaning what you say, confidently.
It is the happy medium between passive and aggressive. Passive people are often reluctant to express their interests. On the other hand, aggressive people do not have this problem because they are usually inconsiderate towards others.
Why it matters
Assertiveness allows you to ask for waht you want, say "no" when you want, and get more out of life. It will help you on the job - you get more raises, promotions, and good assignments.
It will help you socially as people respond more positively to you. It will help you communicate more effectively with family and friends. It will also help you manage and resolve conflict situations before they escalate, both on and off the job.
Assertive people have positive self-esteem. They like and value themselves. They are in control of their lives. They have fulfilling relationships based on open communication and mutual respect.
Assertive people express their feelings honestly and without guilt. They take responsibility for their feelings; they do not blame others or make excuses. They stand up for themselves and exercise their rights while respecting others.
Assertive people are able to look a person in the eye and speak in a firm yet non-threatening tone. They do not allow others to take advantage of them.
Assertiveness, not passivity or aggression, leads to win-win outcomes.
Nature versus nurture
The above characteristics are signs of a healthy, confident, and well-adjusted personality but assertive people are a rare breed. Studies show that only five to 20 per cent of the population is assertive.
People are not born assertive. Like any other critical life skill, assertiveness is a strategy that can be learned.
Some people learn it early. By the time they are in pre-school, they have already learned how to get the toys they want to play with.
As they grow up, they use the same strategies to get the jobs they want, the pay raises and promotions, and opportunities they desire. On the other hand, there are others who never get what they want. But anyone can learn to be assertive. Three ways to become more assertive are to:
Eliminate unassertive behaviours
The first step in becoming more assertive is to eliminate unassertive (both passive and aggressive) behaviours, gestures and speech patterns.
Passive behaviours such as avoiding eye contact, slouching, speaking too softly, being indecisive, or minimising the importance of your own needs and wants should be thrown out the window.
Weak gestures suggest a passive personality. Avoid fawning, scratching, fidgeting, preening and putting your hands in your pockets.
Finally, avoid passive speech patterns such as rambling or uncertain statements, frequent justifications or apologies, and putting yourself down.
Act as if you were assertive
The best way to act assertively is to think of someone you know who is assertive, and do what he or she does.
Or you can imagine you already are assertive and act suitably. How would you stand? How would you move? How would you speak? What gestures would you use?
Adopt assertive behaviours such as maintaining good posture, looking people in the eye, moving with confidence and purpose, and being decisive.
Speak with confidence and at a relaxed pace, express your needs clearly and directly and be considerate of others.
Craft assertive statements
When someone says or does something that offends you, you can respond in any of three ways. You can choose to be passive about it, allowing the situation to continue because you are not comfortable confronting the other person, while building up resentment.
Or you can respond aggressively, by lashing out verbally or physically at the other person. This will cause the conflict to escalate and greatly reduce the chance of resolving it amicably.
Neither of these options is good for the relationship. You can also choose a third option: assertion. The assertive option allows for communication to solve the problem while maintaining the relationship.
A simple and effective way to assert yourself is by using this three-step formula:
- Offer a non-judgmental description of the offending behaviour
- State your feelings
- Describe the consequences of the behaviour
Following this three-step forumla is the easiest way to craft an assertive statement. With practice, you will be able to modify it so you sound more natural. After all, not everyone speaks the same way. The important thing is to cover all three steps.
Avoid describing behaviours and feelings in value-laden terms. Certain descriptions are more emotionally charged than others, and make logical discussion less likely.
For example: "When you smoke, I feel victimised because it impairs my breathing." This makes the smoker sound like a villian, when he may have intended no malice.
Compare this with: "When you smoke, it is annoying and inconsiderate because it impairs my breathing." Here, the speaker is not stating his feelings, but accusing the smoker of being annoying and inconsiderate.
This may be construed as a personal attack by the speaker. It would be quite natural for the smoker to get defensive, deny the speaker's characterisation of him and respond with an attack of his own.
On the other hand, consider this example: "When you smoke, I feel upset because it impairs my breathing."
The smoker is doing something objectionable, but he is not made to seem like a bad guy, and is less likely to be offended. You are simply stating your true feelings, without judging the smoker's motives or values. No one can deny your feelings.
This gives the offending party a reason to change his behaviour. Most people are reasonable and will accommodate you once they are aware of the effect their behaviour is having on you.
Once you learn to craft assertive statements, you will be able to confidently handle situations you used to shrink from. People will respond to you favourably. You will be able to ask for what you want, and say no when you want to.
Best of all, you will get what you want out of life.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
I ran a search for free blogskins, but there aren't any I like enough to go through the hassle of backing up existing customisations and transferring them to the new layout. I need to do something about the "Flowers" though, they are overgrowing the lawn. Does anybody know how to tidy up the archives, so that only the years appear?
I'm an avid comic strip reader, and especially love Baby Blues, Sherman's Lagoon, Foxtrot, Zits and Cathy. Dilbert doesn't do much for me, and I outgrew Garfield and Snoopy. So, I was looking for a Cathy strip to include in my Mayday post for Chrissy to draw inspiration from, since Cathy's embodied the aging single woman for as long as I could remember. Imagine my horror when I realised that Cathy had married Irving!
It felt like a close friend got married without telling me. It felt like a close friend who made a pact to stay single until I got married went ahead and tied the knot, knowing full well that it will be a slight to my spinsterhood. It felt like I was left behind on the shelf by my favourite comic character! (Ok, my favourite character is really Sherman, but Cathy's my favourite character in Cathy, as opposed to Irving, Charlene, Zenith etc.)
I don't suppose I can continue reading Cathy comic books now. The betrayal! Oooh.
Friday, May 02, 2008
洋葱 (五月天阿信版本)
洋葱 (五月天阿信版本)
Ashin sang this during the Back to Earth Concert, it totally rocked! This recording wasn't made during the concert though, probably on some Taiwanese variety show he appeared on.
五月天 2008 [回到地球表面] 新加坡演唱會 26-04-2008
Thursday, May 01, 2008
This post is especially for you Chrissy (no other good reason to sit at the computer for half an hour this lovely Labour Day), I shall work hard to fulfill your request. I'll add you to my Gardens once I re-learn the whole html formatting thing, it's time for a new look anyway.
Happy Nth Birthday, may we draw strength from each other in our battle against cellulite. And wrinkles. And frivolous material acquisitions. And...
About a year ago, I met a mentor of sorts who told me I should be more aware of my actions; basically more aware of myself. He had no doubt that I got along with people very well, but delicately put it across that people didn't treat me like a proper lady because of my need to play the clown in a group setting. Simply put, men didn't take me seriously and therefore feel no need to maintain the proper decorum reserved for females when interacting with me. He suggested an exercise to heighten my self-awareness: to consciously make an effort to change my master hand. Since I am right-handed, this will mean using my left hand for easier tasks like eating (except handling chopsticks, I'm sure), changing channels on the TV remote, manipulating the mousepad, etc. (Ok he did say manipulating the ****, but only because he too didn't treat me like a girl.)
It brought to mind one of the many projects I started and didn't see through - a number of years ago, terrified by the prospect of losing function of my right hand, I bought a whole bunch of pre-school penmenship books and practised writing with my left hand. It wasn't a spur-of-the-moment thing; since I was young I've harboured a secret fear of becoming disabled in my right hand. That would render me totally useless, as I used to rely heavily on my right hand for everything. I attracted alot of attention with my left-hand penmenship practice of course, but I also found out that at least 2 other people have attempted this feat.
I never managed to become effectively ambidextrous, and the words I write with my left hand remain as ugly as yours (except yours Chrissy). On the bright side, after encouragement from my mentor, I now use my left hand for a greater variety of actions, and I'm secure in the knowledge that should I ever lose function of my right hand, I'll be a brilliant dishwasher.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Mayday! Mayday in less than 7 hours, arrggh!!!
(I understand that this is a really crappy excuse for a first post from Singapore, but honestly there are too many things going on in my life right now - unpacking 9 pieces of luggage, finding space within the finite number of cabinets at home to hold all my junk, working my brand new Nintendo DS Lite; who has time for blogs? :D)
Thursday, April 17, 2008
There was a time, when you were my best friend. When there was nothing I would like better in the world than a chat with you, to air my views and hear yours, even if I'd eventually dismiss yours as irrelevant. When there were more interesting things happening in my life, so that I'd hurry home bursting to tell you everything that's happened. When you were still interested.
But there's hardly anything eventful about my life now. Perhaps I'm older and every event in a normal day seems like an endless replay of the stupidity of human nature. Maybe I take everything in stride now, and no longer burst like I used to. Methinks I've grown too dull for you, so dull you call me once every few days, whenever you're about to shower/sleep/go out so that you don't have to stay on the line too long.
Whose fault is it when neither of us makes the effort to sustain a conversation, allowing "How are you?"s and "What did you do today?"s to detract from the embarrassing silences that lapse? Is it still a meaningful conversation if there are more "Can you hear me?"s than "I love you"s? Why call at all, if all you want to say is "I'm going to bath now, talk to you tomorrow?"
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
I'm in another of my moods again. I go on a mad Friendster/Facebook frenzy and look up all the skeletons in my closets, most who are better off forgotten. I wonder how they're doing, why things didn't work out, what they are up to now, and the perennial what if? Maybe I'd be married by now? Maybe I'd have been domesticated anyway, without having to go live in the middle of nowhere for 2 years to learn to grow up. Maybe I will be miserable and wretched and railing against a lousy partner everyday, but what if? What if I had tried harder, forgave more, been more matured?
Then I realise that I'm being foolish, that although it's a futile question it's one that everybody asks themselves all the time anyway so I'm allowed moments of idiocy. Since I'm already logged on to Friendster and Facebook, I then move on to the profile pages of old friends, long-forgotten friends and friends that I've always maintained an interest in for no apparent reason (my best friend!). I look through everybody's photos, my heart swelling whenever my picture appears (pride tops my 7 sins - gluttony is a close second). I marvel at how we've all grown, and wonder at what cost.
Then I stumble upon something interesting, which makes me forget about my meaningless 'what if' hypothetical situations that brought me scrambling for the social network websites in the first place. See here. It's a freaking doppelganger!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
I spent 7,900 baht in the space of 24 hrs, an amazing feat even by my standards. It was a what-the-hell-I'm-never-going-to-visit-Bangkok-every-few-months-ever-again recklessness that was great while it lasted, but totally childish and idiotic as an afterthought. I bought 7 tops, 5 dresses, 3 skirts and 2 mascaras. And to think just 2 days ago I was loudly proclaiming to anyone who would listen that I've finally bought enough rubbish to force my need for material acquisitions out of my system. Damn this has to stop before I return to Singapore; I can't afford that kind of expenditure on my new salary.
Isn't this the cutest Blythe doll you've ever seen? It has the Etihad uniform, down to the hat and the gold button on the jacket. Made by P'Nan, a most talented Thai crew member.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
An old friend from SMU, a hopelessly good-for-nothing slacker of a boy, married his secondary school sweetheart sometime last year, and is expecting a boy this July. I'm so happy for him, and for myself. Maybe there's some hope for Tan yet! My friend was the ultimate asshole of my class, the only finance major who came from Commerce stream but knew fuck all about accounting. He bummed his way through SMU, and ended up working for an events management company together with his wife. Some might deem it a waste for a finance major not to venture into the finance sector, but honestly how many people can work with their spouse and share their lives so intimately? To witness a dirty skirt-chaser morph into a dad-to-be :- there's something to be said for late bloomers.
On a separate note, I attended a colleague's wedding in Abu Dhabi on 16 Mar. It was apparently an accidentally-on-purpose shotgun engineered by a bride getting on in years, and it got me thinking what a sad thing it'd be if I had to pull off a stunt like that. Everybody conveyed his most sincere congratulations, so I did too. I sincerely hope that she'll live happily ever after.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Friday, February 29, 2008
Pictures from Brussels (just so I can have an entry dated 29 Feb):
Smurfs! The little blue things in white undies, together with Tintin, are the pride and joy of Belgian comics.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Brussels, a city of many Chinese-looking people and disappointing tourist attractions. And of yummy waffles, flavoured beers and little else. I should have gone to Amsterdam.
It was a 7-hour flight to Brussels, which seeemed to stretch an eternity because I was still clumsy and awkward during work. Only this time I was clumsy and awkward while serving passengers (my galley streak seems to be over), which led to much embarassment and plenty of apologies - for the ice cube slipping between my ice tong and landing in somebody's lap, for not having the desired meal choice because I was so slow in distributing my trays that the other choices ran out, for not being able to repair the inflight entertainment (the individual video screens for each seat).
I arrived at the Radisson SAS at 7pm local time, and set off exploring the city. It took me a long while to get my bearings although I had a map in hand, further proof that my brain is disintegrating. I found the Grand Place after a few false turns, and saw for myself what's described as "one of the most beautiful squares in Europe". I need to see a few more squares.
My mission for the night was to locate the Manneken Pis, the little pissing boy of Brussels.
Arguably the most iconic symbol of Brussels, it was supposed to be in the vicinity but was nowhere to be found. Too unsure of myself to ask a stranger for directions, I resorted to making a purchase so that I could ask the shopkeeper. I entered a random souvenir shop and encountered Chinese-looking individual number one. I asked for recommendation for a sweet beer, and ended up with a 2Euro beer that tasted suspiciously like Jolly Shandy. He asked me where I was from, in response he told me that he's from Afghanistan. Flabbergasting! He appeared every inch a China man, down to the oddly-accented English.
In the morning, I rose bright and early to head for the European Parliment. Since Brussels is home to the EU, I thought I would make the effort to learn more about it. This is where I met Chinese-looking individual number two. I don't normally come straight out and ask if a person's from China, because I know how upsetting it can be to non-Chinese nationals. However, I was fairly confident that she's from China because I caught a glimpse of her passport as she was putting it away (we had to submit our passports for the tour, I wonder why?), and therefore made my poor attempt at small talk. She replied "I'm from Japan, are you from China?" which shut me up promptly. The free audio-guided visit lasted a mere 35 mins, and I only managed to view a very limited area within the Parliment House. On the upside, there was a committee meeting in session during my tour, where I got to see the interpreters at work in their little glass boxes just like Nicole Kidman in the movie.
I headed for the Belgium Comic Strip Centre next. The admission fee was alittle hard to swallow at 7.5Euros, but I thought of myself as quite the comic fan and decided to go ahead anyway. The ticketing officer handed me a blue folder, which provided the English translation for the exhibits which were all in French/Dutch (I cannot tell). I knew I was in trouble when I saw that everything, including the comic strips, was in a foreign language. Also, I realised that my love for comic strips extends only to the cute ones like Baby Blues and Sherman's Lagoon, and only because the dialogue can be easily identified with. There I was, stuck with heaps of comic strips I couldn't read and therefore couldn't appreciate. I do not have an artistic eye, and therefore couldn't admire the quality of the artwork. It took me half an hour to see the whole museum, but I stayed on for another half in honour of the 7.5Euros I threw down the drain.
My next destination was the Atomium, out of the way in the northern part of Brussels. It was billed as another must-visit, and indeed it looks magnificent from the outside. However! The 9Euros I paid for admission to the Atomium was an even poorer investment than the Comic Strip Centre, because the only highlight of my visit was the escalator rides between the spheres. Only 6 of the 9 spheres are open to the public, of which the top and base spheres serve as the viewing gallery and reception area respectively. The other 4 spheres housed an exhibition (some avant-garde designer's work was on showcase), a snack shop (!!), a Kid's World (which was out of bounds to the public) and a viewing area where a silent film of the construction of the Atomium was on loop. I forced myself to sit through the silent film 2 times in an attempt to justify the admission charge, but it was a lost cause.
Juliet told me the waffles in Belgium are to die for; it's absolutely true! I had 3 waffles from 3 different shops, and they all tasted heavenly served piping hot. In fact I might just head out now and make it 4, to bid goodbye to my last new destination with Etihad. I've decided to submit my resignation in mid-March, and will be home for good after exactly 2 years away. Yippee!!
Friday, February 22, 2008
Edison Chen Sex Scandal Apology
Isn't he handsome?
Ok I digress. I view the whole matter as a very unfortunate event (which has of course been the source of many jollies), and I firmly believe that if the females were posing for the camera, they can hardly be termed victims.
*Gasp* Maybe I should reconsider the MOE application :s
Ok, so not funny.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Happy belated Chinese New Year and Valentine's Day folks, 元宵快乐! I went back to Singapore for CNY after all, many thanks to Janice, a fellow Singaporean with Etihad, who got into Singapore Airlines. She left Abu Dhabi on 27 Jan, and very kindly gave me her leave for 1-15 Feb. Even I have to admit that I'm freaking lucky to have been able to spend CNY in Singapore in the 2 years I've been away.
There was plenty of me-time on this trip, as opposed to the previous times I went back to Singapore when I crammed my schedule with meetups back to back. I cannot say if it's because I'm old now and no longer have the energy to run around so much, or because I'm still a social retard and am incapable of handling too much socialising. Instead, I spent my time cleaning my room up CNY, making powerpoints for my mother, meeting up with a couple of old friends. I also went to the Gold Coast to visit Ren for a couple of days, and attended an interview with MOE. Yes, I want to become a teacher! After years of vehement objections to teaching as a career path for myself, I've finally decided that it's my best bet. I have no idea when I'll receive news of the outcome of the interview, but if it's good news then I'll tender my resignation immediately. I can't wait to go home for good!
My first flight after I returned from leave was fraught with injuries, as I struggled to shift back into work mode. I was clumsy, slow, and frankly plain cannot make it. I would have been exasperated with myself if I were my colleagues. Which led me to think that I'm too old for the job, if it were that hard to get back on form. One more reason not to fly :)
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Hidden within a very, very long message from the CEO is the details of my bonus:
Those who worked the whole of 2007 will receive one week's full basic pay.
Fuck me, one full week? I'm overwhelmed! Of course, you have to understand that a bonus payout is something new for a Middle Eastern airline, and they probably have to start small. Still, for the national airline of the city that just recently sunk so much money into Citigroup, I''m surprised that it's such a token gesture.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Pictures of beloved Jay on his 29th birthday - 周杰伦世界巡回演唱会
Jay Chou's World Tour 2008 concert in Singapore was a long awaited one, the last being Incomparable in 2004. After all the fuss I made over the booking of tickets, I thought I'd be more hyped about the event. Unfortunately, either out of sheer exhaustion from the Brisbane trip or simply because I'm too old to be excitable, I found it hard to muster enthusiasm on the day itself. The usual thrill when the lights dimmed at the start of the concert was absent, as was the sense of loss that usually accompanied the final encore.
It's probably due in part to the fact that I attended the concert with a friend that I haven't seen in over 3 years. He's a fellow member of the jay-chou.net forums that I participated in a number of years ago, at the peak of my Jaymania. I thought it would be a good idea to attend the concert with a fellow Jay fan, rather than to sit through the concert listening to Tan complain about the Great Mumbler as he terms my idol. My regular concert kakis were all unavailable - Ren's in the Gold Coast, Muel's a lousy NSman which makes his schedule worthless since he can be confined at his officer's whim, and Ying's going with her 5-year old (I don't think I would have made a very good concert partner anyway, Ying; it's not like I can top a proposal :p). Evidently I thought wrong, because while it was easy making conversation with my friend, sharing a concert wasn't something to be done with a person I maintained scant contact with over the last few years. Lesson learnt.
It's also plain that not as much effort was put into this concert as the previous ones. The visual effects weren't as stunning, and the sound system left much to be desired. There wasn't any attempt to impress, like the long flight of steps that Jay descended while wearing a cape that must have been 10m long in The One singing my favourite song 威廉古堡, or the pulley cross that allowed Jay to literally descent from the heavens when he sang the opening number in Incomparable, 以父之名. Granted there was alot more fancy footwork in this concert than the previous ones, but dancing really isn't his forte. As Ren's WH pointed out, most of the songs he sang during the concert were fast numbers, and he left out the majority of his concert favourites like 星晴, 简单爱, or 爸我回来了. Much as I love Jay, I think he's diversifying too much too quickly, like a Jack of all trades dabbling in song writing, directing, and acting.
My restricted view seat didn't allow me to take many good pictures, but out of the 2oo shots that I happily snapped during the concert, these were the better ones:
The feather-hanging-out-of-pocket thing was decidedly Justin Timberlakely - I cannot decide whether it's adorable or revolting.
I liked this costume best, he's my Prince Charming :)
This is not a good shot, I don't know why I like it but I just do.
The unplugged segment (it is still unplugged with so many gadgets lined up?), when we sang the birthday song for him in Mandarin, then English.
Playing a drum solo during one of the encores.
An excellent encore set, playing 发如雪 on the Guzheng. I gave my SGD1,000 guzheng, now collecting dust in the storeroom at home, a fleeting guilty thought. I remember pestering Daddy to buy it for me, pointing out rather bitchily that he bought both Sharon and Samuel violins that cost more. I swear I'll consider it his wedding gift to me, and once I'm a happily settled housewife I will start guzheng lessons again. Hah.
Monday, January 21, 2008
I returned to Abu Dhabi yesterday after a 9-day Singapore-Brisbane block, happy but drained. My suitcase was filled to the brim on each leg, and even before I left Abu Dhabi I sported a huge bruise on my right calf courtesy of my use of my right leg to slow the descent of my super heavy suitcase down a ramp. After a day's rest, my whole body is still aching from dragging too many kilograms halfway around the world; serves me right for overestimating my own capabilities.
The suitcase was understandably full for the Abu Dhabi-Singapore sector because I was bringing stuff home in preparation for my resignation. For the Singapore-Brisbane sector, it was loaded with supplies for Ren, who is currently serving her internship in the Gold Coast, Queensland. Some canned food, lots of instant noodles, and odd items that she forgot to bring along with her. Returning to Singapore from Brisbane, the suitcase was full of things I bought from Harbourtown (lots of books, a couple of tops, and 2 pairs of shoes), as well as Elgin's purchases that wouldn't fit into his carry-on bag (I brought him along on my Brisbane layover, but that's a story for another day). And the suitcase on the Singapore-Abu Dhabi sector is always chock full of pork and leafy vegetables that I cannot purchase in Abu Dhabi. This time round, it was also filled with CNY goodies like pineapple tarts (3 containers-full), love letters (that were of course crushed by the time they arrived in Abu Dhabi - I don't know what I was thinking taking them on a 7 hour flight), and canned fruits. In addition, I played porter to 3 friends who need their stuff from Singapore, and thus had probably another 5kg added to the total weight.
I'm proud to announce that I successfully carried a tray of 30 eggs from Singapore to Abu Dhabi. Granted one egg was broken, but that still leaves me with 29, hah! There's a shortage of eggs in Abu Dhabi at the moment due to the bird flu epidemic in Saudi Arabia (according to the supermarkets; I haven't read anything about it in the papers) My friends and I have resorted to bringing eggs from overseas, carrying them in our carry-ons because the price of eggs in Abu Dhabi is exhorbitant.
I managed to meet up with quite a few friends in Singapore, and was able to attend my beloved Jay's concert on 18th Jan, his 29th birthday. Plenty more to write about, plenty of pictures to post, but they'll have to wait for another day.
I'm so long-winded that I actually dedicated an entire entry to the unbelievably dry topic of my luggage. Gah.
