Worry not, dear reader, if you didn't understand the last post. Neither did its author. Rather dark and existential, not much like the person I -appear- to be.
I think I like a quiet New Year's Eve. Some of us were supposed to meet for a steamboat dinner at Marina and later catch the fireworks at midnight, but those plans fell through. Which was alright with me, I guess, since apparently even the fireworks were cancelled this year. Hey everyone: hope you'll have a simply fantabulous New Year!
The best thing Channel Five ever did was to cancel the Countdown Telecast as a mark of respect to the victims of the tsunami tragedy. It was a very sensitive move on their part. Thanks for sparing us the torture of watching wannabe B-list celebrities try to steam up our TV screens and fail miserably. The programming executives, however, had to replace it with "One Fine Day" instead. That struck my sister and I as rather ironic. Why not "The Perfect Storm" or "Titanic"?
Excuse my sarcasm.
Seriously though, it is a tragedy in the truest sense of the word. My condolences go out to the bereaved in their time of need. The one thing that I find comforting now is a story in the Bible. Remember Noah's Ark? God promised never to flood the world again, and I believe He will hold true to His promises, because if He doesn't, who else can?
My family ordered out for pizza and potato wedges and we uncorked a bottle of sparkling grape juice to go. I finally got to watch "Breakfast at Tiffany's" today too, with many hugs of gratitude to the Melster who rented and passed it to yours truly!
I think I've picked up a couple of new hobbies during the holidays as well, namely, air hockey and bowling. Am good at neither, but what does it matter? Aaah illusions of exercise.
Really enjoyed myself with Zihui, Yingling, Rozie, Joan and Eunice yesterday! We met at Parkway for lunch at KFC, and then Thursday spontaneously morphed into Arcade-Day, what with bowling, racing, shooting games, playing pool and even more air hockey?
Tomorrow: New Year's service at TCT followed by steamboat at Tiong Bahru with the FCBC girls!
It is 11.59 p.m. on my computer clock now. I have to go. I think my parents intend for us to welcome 2005 with a scoop of chocolate ice-cream each.
Friday, December 31, 2004
On this, the last day of the year, should we reflect on what has already been said or done, or is it time to look ahead to a future we will soon be speaking of in the present tense, one that inches ever closer to us (or us to it) with each second that ticks by on the clock of life?
I'd like to look ahead, 'coz goodness knows I've done enough sober reflecting the last couple days. I'd like to look out on the horizon and see love, joy and peace waiting for me, beckoning.
Puh-leese. Gimme a break.
You can run but you can't hide. The past always has a way of finding you, haunting your every waking moment. You fool yourself into thinking you've buried it, enveloped deep inside layers of consciousness, but it never really goes away. And sooner or later, you'll realise it with a nasty jolt, that you've been so safely encapsulated in your secret garden of "love, joy and peace, beckoning" that you haven't noticed one thing: the passage of time. Look out through your window on the ageing world, the dying world.
Who was it who said that suffering is necessary for compassion to arise?
Try telling that to the people who are suffering. Tell the child in Africa who saw his father rot and die before his eyes because they had nothing but sandflies for breakfast. Tell the survivors of the tsunami who hang in emotional limbo, not knowing if they will ever see the ones they love again. Tell the battered woman who cannot walk away from an abusive and violent relationship because her husband will kill her if she does, and kill her if she doesn't. Tell the beggars missing limbs on the strees as they hold out tin cups for a casual coin flicked in. Tell the young son who just lost his mother to cancer. Tell the incest victim who's crying because she has to confront the uncle who raped her in court. Tell the girlfriend whose boyfriend hit her and now wants sex from her.
Tell them.
Suffering is not a mysterious illness confined to far-flung regions. It takes place in the sanctity of our homes and offices and schools. Suffering is a global epidemic which plagues us all. The face of suffering may be closer than you'd like it to be, on your next-door neighbour, on the television, on your friend. But more so than suffering, however, is apathy. Indifference must be operated on immediately.
"Trouble with your heart? Get it removed. Then you'll have no more problems." Margaret Atwood said that.
It's a Catch-22. You lose either way.
I'd like to look ahead, 'coz goodness knows I've done enough sober reflecting the last couple days. I'd like to look out on the horizon and see love, joy and peace waiting for me, beckoning.
Puh-leese. Gimme a break.
You can run but you can't hide. The past always has a way of finding you, haunting your every waking moment. You fool yourself into thinking you've buried it, enveloped deep inside layers of consciousness, but it never really goes away. And sooner or later, you'll realise it with a nasty jolt, that you've been so safely encapsulated in your secret garden of "love, joy and peace, beckoning" that you haven't noticed one thing: the passage of time. Look out through your window on the ageing world, the dying world.
Who was it who said that suffering is necessary for compassion to arise?
Try telling that to the people who are suffering. Tell the child in Africa who saw his father rot and die before his eyes because they had nothing but sandflies for breakfast. Tell the survivors of the tsunami who hang in emotional limbo, not knowing if they will ever see the ones they love again. Tell the battered woman who cannot walk away from an abusive and violent relationship because her husband will kill her if she does, and kill her if she doesn't. Tell the beggars missing limbs on the strees as they hold out tin cups for a casual coin flicked in. Tell the young son who just lost his mother to cancer. Tell the incest victim who's crying because she has to confront the uncle who raped her in court. Tell the girlfriend whose boyfriend hit her and now wants sex from her.
Tell them.
Suffering is not a mysterious illness confined to far-flung regions. It takes place in the sanctity of our homes and offices and schools. Suffering is a global epidemic which plagues us all. The face of suffering may be closer than you'd like it to be, on your next-door neighbour, on the television, on your friend. But more so than suffering, however, is apathy. Indifference must be operated on immediately.
"Trouble with your heart? Get it removed. Then you'll have no more problems." Margaret Atwood said that.
It's a Catch-22. You lose either way.
Thursday, December 30, 2004
Currently listening to: Shadow by Ashlee Simpson
Currently reading: Bluebeard's Egg by Margaret Atwood
I had a great day today! I reneged on meeting Fangfang and Zhumei for jewelry shopping yesterday and declined my mother's offer to drop by Ikea for Swedish meatballs as all I wanted to do was get some shuteye.
But today (that is Wednesday) was totally different! When I woke up, my cousin, Ken, was already at my place, and we had homebaked pizza at Cannagrill for lunch! (Hint: if you have never heard of the eating establishment Cannagrill, you're not alone. Cannaville is where I live.)
After that we headed down to Lavender for cheap bowling at $2 a game, but the scanner and system in our lane screwed up big-time, and in the end, the attendant there gave us a complimentary game and we left rather pissed. Well, you pay for what you get, and what you don't pay for you obviously won't get.
So we took our frustration out at the air hockey table at the E-Zone arcade. Gabriel was a little overexcited, however. When he lifted his hockey stick off the table his hand made contact with my head. We're talking major contact here. Better not leave a bump I say!
Then I met David as he happened to be in the area. After dinner (or more accurately, watching him have dinner), we went shopping at Parkway. Got David to buy a pair of Levi's jeans! We had to sift through two whole display boxes in the store before we finally found the right size and fit though- amazing! David was like, "You know what? I realise you're actuallly shopping for me!"
Giggle I say we ought to spread the joys of shopping far and wide. That's why I ran a mass message service today informing all potentially interested girlfriends that ebase was having a "buy two pieces get 50% off sale". However, I received a sms response rate of two. My thanks go to Eleta and Rochelle for your enthusiasm! So as the shops were all closing for the night, I turned to David and said for the fourth time, "How? Should I get the stuff from ebase?" And true to form, my very sensible gor replied, "Well, it would be kinda weird if I was carrying a shopping bag and you weren't." So I did.
We also played air hockey. I won the first match narrowly 7-5. And David completely thrashed me in the second, 16-8! Gasp, hidden talents unearthed! This calls for a rematch!
Then David walked me to the 24-hour prata shop outside my place, where I met my dad and brother for a wholly satiating supper. There's nothing like food to make you feel good, I say. (Have given up on the institution of love for the time being.)
So I'm trippin' off the high of my busy day out. I must say it's worked wonders for my overall mood though, 'coz for the past week I've been going emotionally downhill and constant thoughts of a certain nature have pervaded my waking moments such that I am unable to sleep fitfully for more than two or three hours at a stretch. So, I think I've plateaued now.
Oh gosh never lose your faith.
Currently reading: Bluebeard's Egg by Margaret Atwood
I had a great day today! I reneged on meeting Fangfang and Zhumei for jewelry shopping yesterday and declined my mother's offer to drop by Ikea for Swedish meatballs as all I wanted to do was get some shuteye.
But today (that is Wednesday) was totally different! When I woke up, my cousin, Ken, was already at my place, and we had homebaked pizza at Cannagrill for lunch! (Hint: if you have never heard of the eating establishment Cannagrill, you're not alone. Cannaville is where I live.)
After that we headed down to Lavender for cheap bowling at $2 a game, but the scanner and system in our lane screwed up big-time, and in the end, the attendant there gave us a complimentary game and we left rather pissed. Well, you pay for what you get, and what you don't pay for you obviously won't get.
So we took our frustration out at the air hockey table at the E-Zone arcade. Gabriel was a little overexcited, however. When he lifted his hockey stick off the table his hand made contact with my head. We're talking major contact here. Better not leave a bump I say!
Then I met David as he happened to be in the area. After dinner (or more accurately, watching him have dinner), we went shopping at Parkway. Got David to buy a pair of Levi's jeans! We had to sift through two whole display boxes in the store before we finally found the right size and fit though- amazing! David was like, "You know what? I realise you're actuallly shopping for me!"
Giggle I say we ought to spread the joys of shopping far and wide. That's why I ran a mass message service today informing all potentially interested girlfriends that ebase was having a "buy two pieces get 50% off sale". However, I received a sms response rate of two. My thanks go to Eleta and Rochelle for your enthusiasm! So as the shops were all closing for the night, I turned to David and said for the fourth time, "How? Should I get the stuff from ebase?" And true to form, my very sensible gor replied, "Well, it would be kinda weird if I was carrying a shopping bag and you weren't." So I did.
We also played air hockey. I won the first match narrowly 7-5. And David completely thrashed me in the second, 16-8! Gasp, hidden talents unearthed! This calls for a rematch!
Then David walked me to the 24-hour prata shop outside my place, where I met my dad and brother for a wholly satiating supper. There's nothing like food to make you feel good, I say. (Have given up on the institution of love for the time being.)
So I'm trippin' off the high of my busy day out. I must say it's worked wonders for my overall mood though, 'coz for the past week I've been going emotionally downhill and constant thoughts of a certain nature have pervaded my waking moments such that I am unable to sleep fitfully for more than two or three hours at a stretch. So, I think I've plateaued now.
Oh gosh never lose your faith.
Tuesday, December 28, 2004
Music Of The Night
Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination
Silently the senses abandon their defenses
Helpless to resist the notes I write,
For I compose the Music of the Night.
Slowly, gently, Night unfurls its Splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Hearing is believing, Music is deceiving -
Hard as lightning, soft as candlelight…
Dare you trust the Music of the Night!
Close your eyes -
For your eyes will only tell the Truth
And the truth isn’t what you want to see…
In the darkness it’s easy to pretend
Let the truth be what it ought to be!
Softly, deftly, Music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you
Open up your mind, Let your fantasies unwind
In this Darkness which you know you cannot fight,
The Darkness of the Music of the Night!
Close your eyes -
Start a journey through a strange new world!
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!
Close your eyes and Let music set you free!
Only then can you belong to me…
Floating, falling, Sweet Intoxication
Touch me, trust me, savor each Sensation
Let the dream begin, Let your darker side give in
To the Power of the music that I write,
The Power of the Music of the Night!
You alone can make my song take flight
Help me make the Music of the Night!
The genius of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Nighttime sharpens, heightens each sensation
Darkness stirs and wakes imagination
Silently the senses abandon their defenses
Helpless to resist the notes I write,
For I compose the Music of the Night.
Slowly, gently, Night unfurls its Splendor
Grasp it, sense it, tremulous and tender
Hearing is believing, Music is deceiving -
Hard as lightning, soft as candlelight…
Dare you trust the Music of the Night!
Close your eyes -
For your eyes will only tell the Truth
And the truth isn’t what you want to see…
In the darkness it’s easy to pretend
Let the truth be what it ought to be!
Softly, deftly, Music shall caress you
Hear it, feel it, secretly possess you
Open up your mind, Let your fantasies unwind
In this Darkness which you know you cannot fight,
The Darkness of the Music of the Night!
Close your eyes -
Start a journey through a strange new world!
Leave all thoughts of the world you knew before!
Close your eyes and Let music set you free!
Only then can you belong to me…
Floating, falling, Sweet Intoxication
Touch me, trust me, savor each Sensation
Let the dream begin, Let your darker side give in
To the Power of the music that I write,
The Power of the Music of the Night!
You alone can make my song take flight
Help me make the Music of the Night!
The genius of Andrew Lloyd Webber.
Monday, December 27, 2004
That's two failed attempts to give a little back to society this holiday season. First, I planned to join Debbie and gang for a visit to a children's home but ended up having to leave before they even went. Second, I offered to accompany Xuan to paint murals for Touch Community Services but I overslept and couldn't make it on time!
But the rest of the day proceeded as planned. I met Mel and Xuan for a spot of shopping at Takashimaya before six girls and a guy headed down to PS for "Phantom of the Opera", which was just splendid! The baroque grandeur of the Opera Populaire was a fine contrast to the seedy underground taverns the Phantom inhabited. Mask and masquerade, darkness and light, fascination and repulsion were dichotomies of human interaction that the movie's cinematography captured excellently. The ambivalent morality of the Phantom himself was an attraction in itself too. One must ask whether this man was more a freak of nature and "devil's child" or the most humane, in-depth character of the show, perhaps the only one who did not suppress his feelings but rather, unmasked them. Watching him smash his gilded mirrors and his reflections within to allow him an ironic escape from the men who hotly pursued him, into the real world where more of their kind awaited, spoke volumes about the prison of human existence. And yes, this sucker for romantic tragedies was not bereft of tears by the end of the movie! 3.75 ticket stubs outta 5!
Congratulations. You just made it past a rather wordy review. After that, Sheena, Mel and I went to grab a bite at Starbucks Millenia. I had an Ugly Curry Puff (yep, that's what it's called, though goodness knows why) and Creme Brulee Latte and savoured the taste of both, especially since that little supper cost me more than my movie ticket.
Here we go again: My Modules for Semester 2, 2005
Japanese Studies
Historical Variation
Sentences and Meanings
Sociology of Deviance
Marketing
But the rest of the day proceeded as planned. I met Mel and Xuan for a spot of shopping at Takashimaya before six girls and a guy headed down to PS for "Phantom of the Opera", which was just splendid! The baroque grandeur of the Opera Populaire was a fine contrast to the seedy underground taverns the Phantom inhabited. Mask and masquerade, darkness and light, fascination and repulsion were dichotomies of human interaction that the movie's cinematography captured excellently. The ambivalent morality of the Phantom himself was an attraction in itself too. One must ask whether this man was more a freak of nature and "devil's child" or the most humane, in-depth character of the show, perhaps the only one who did not suppress his feelings but rather, unmasked them. Watching him smash his gilded mirrors and his reflections within to allow him an ironic escape from the men who hotly pursued him, into the real world where more of their kind awaited, spoke volumes about the prison of human existence. And yes, this sucker for romantic tragedies was not bereft of tears by the end of the movie! 3.75 ticket stubs outta 5!
Congratulations. You just made it past a rather wordy review. After that, Sheena, Mel and I went to grab a bite at Starbucks Millenia. I had an Ugly Curry Puff (yep, that's what it's called, though goodness knows why) and Creme Brulee Latte and savoured the taste of both, especially since that little supper cost me more than my movie ticket.
Here we go again: My Modules for Semester 2, 2005
Japanese Studies
Historical Variation
Sentences and Meanings
Sociology of Deviance
Marketing
Christmas is over all too soon.
I went to my family gathering, and it was really interesting to note that amidst the perennial hodge-podge of Chinese finger foods and the evergreen bee hoon dish, black pepper roast beef and red wine were served. Yes indeed how could I resist a flute of Margaret Weaver Cabernet Sauvignon? We teleconferenced with the Lims over in Perth, spending their first Christmas away from Singapore, although our very pregnant aunt kept blocking the camera with her belly! Raucuous, noisy, that's what we are. Apparently some things don't change.
After that, Ken Wei, Gabriel and I drove down to a nearby arcade at Yew Tee for a couple matches of air hockey. Can't wait to go bowling next week! I dig the idea of working out, even if it isn't exercise per se. Self-delusions are useful as a coping mechanism at times, you know.
And on to my church bash at Fort Canning Green, where I arrived after 10 p.m., just in the nick of time for the foam party! Got to trade presents too. The look on Eleta and Valencia's faces when I passed them their presents (pink acrylic shoulder dusters with diamante studs and metallic butterfly and pearl earrings, respectively) and said "Hope you like the thong" was priceless. A ruse I picked up from the Melster. For our cell gift exchange, I received a lovely angel figurine made of platinum which had "Faith", engraved on its wings. Interestingly enough, Faith is my baptismal name, though that's a fact I don't think a whole lot of people know. Maybe it's a sign that I ought to have a little more faith, in me, in the people around me, in men in general, and in Him.
Today I woke up specially for the release of our results. I half-died when I saw my grades, I was quite surprised! Sigh now I am regretting not taking up that bet with my cousin, who wagered that I'd fail and have to da-bao modules and that he'd treat me to lunch if I scored over 4.0! I am today grateful and still semi-stunned for my 4.5 CAP and I thank God. My Linguistics grade (intended major) was the lowest, whilst my Soci and Anthro results were the best. You know what this means? This means that next sem, I will have to work doubly hard. I like the idea of a challenge. Of rising above people's expectations. It is true that we define our grades and of utmost importance that the grade not define us. So I am going to prove myself wrong, prove the predictions wrong next sem, work my lazy ass off (try to, at any rate), and do even better. May there be no barrier to excellence!
(Of course I understand how arrogant it may seem to publish scores online to some. I will not apologise, but I hope you understand. I don't do it often -- hardly, come to think of it-- but I am somewhat excited today. In the worst of cases, simply do not read this entry!)
Nonsensical factoid for the day: David put forward the idea of "getting piss drunk" as a way to celebrate if we scored straight As next term. Heheh no lah we were just kidding around. We're good kids.
To celebrate Charlene's birthday, we went out today for a Chinese sit-down dinner at Roland's, where we saw Li Nanxing. I had my favourite yam-pot dish!
During festive seasons like Christmas and Chinese New Year I realise the importance of family. My friends are indispensable and I love you guys-- you know secrets that I would never dream of telling my folks!-- but these people with matching DNA and similiarly crooked little fingers have seen me grown up. To spread our branches we must first acknowledge our roots. These are my roots.
And one last word. Recently when I blog I have asked myself this question: Is this entry too trivial, too mundane? Does anybody even care? My answer is now this: No, never. It is my life. Snapshots of my days, flashbulb memories recorded at night. And no-one's existence should be devalued by another as "too trivial". Heck I like my endless shopping lists, the short stories no-one reads or understands, archiving my first date, my first breakup, my first class, my first exam. In fact, I would argue that there is a certain meaning in meaninglessness. Meaningless to you, maybe. But it means something to me.
It is my life.
I Am Grateful: Three Big Things In 2004
3. I am grateful for being selected for the MOE Teaching Award- neither my own strength nor credit, but nothing short of a miracle.
2. I am grateful for having had the chance to serve as a volunteer in Girls' Brigade this year. Organising the St Hilda's Primary GB June camp and captaining a team of girls was one of the best experiences I had and I am grateful for the trust placed in me- thank you Cindy, for always believing in me.
1. I am grateful that I walked away from a relationship that would have ended up crushing my heart and breaking my spirit eventually. I am grateful to all my friends who rallied around me -especial thanks to Valey, David, Melissa, Sheena, Laoniang, my silent but supportive sister and my parents who were "ready to bash up the guy who had hurt their daughter like that". And to others: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. So in a warped way, I'm almost grateful to you too. Almost, but not quite.
Honourable Mention: In a year of transition such as this, the variables of social Venn diagrams, educational institutions and work can all be summed up elegantly in one word: choices. From TJC to NUS, from holidaying to working, from attached to available once more. And then I met you, Dolus. Campus life would not be the same without you, so I am grateful that our paths crossed.
I went to my family gathering, and it was really interesting to note that amidst the perennial hodge-podge of Chinese finger foods and the evergreen bee hoon dish, black pepper roast beef and red wine were served. Yes indeed how could I resist a flute of Margaret Weaver Cabernet Sauvignon? We teleconferenced with the Lims over in Perth, spending their first Christmas away from Singapore, although our very pregnant aunt kept blocking the camera with her belly! Raucuous, noisy, that's what we are. Apparently some things don't change.
After that, Ken Wei, Gabriel and I drove down to a nearby arcade at Yew Tee for a couple matches of air hockey. Can't wait to go bowling next week! I dig the idea of working out, even if it isn't exercise per se. Self-delusions are useful as a coping mechanism at times, you know.
And on to my church bash at Fort Canning Green, where I arrived after 10 p.m., just in the nick of time for the foam party! Got to trade presents too. The look on Eleta and Valencia's faces when I passed them their presents (pink acrylic shoulder dusters with diamante studs and metallic butterfly and pearl earrings, respectively) and said "Hope you like the thong" was priceless. A ruse I picked up from the Melster. For our cell gift exchange, I received a lovely angel figurine made of platinum which had "Faith", engraved on its wings. Interestingly enough, Faith is my baptismal name, though that's a fact I don't think a whole lot of people know. Maybe it's a sign that I ought to have a little more faith, in me, in the people around me, in men in general, and in Him.
Today I woke up specially for the release of our results. I half-died when I saw my grades, I was quite surprised! Sigh now I am regretting not taking up that bet with my cousin, who wagered that I'd fail and have to da-bao modules and that he'd treat me to lunch if I scored over 4.0! I am today grateful and still semi-stunned for my 4.5 CAP and I thank God. My Linguistics grade (intended major) was the lowest, whilst my Soci and Anthro results were the best. You know what this means? This means that next sem, I will have to work doubly hard. I like the idea of a challenge. Of rising above people's expectations. It is true that we define our grades and of utmost importance that the grade not define us. So I am going to prove myself wrong, prove the predictions wrong next sem, work my lazy ass off (try to, at any rate), and do even better. May there be no barrier to excellence!
(Of course I understand how arrogant it may seem to publish scores online to some. I will not apologise, but I hope you understand. I don't do it often -- hardly, come to think of it-- but I am somewhat excited today. In the worst of cases, simply do not read this entry!)
Nonsensical factoid for the day: David put forward the idea of "getting piss drunk" as a way to celebrate if we scored straight As next term. Heheh no lah we were just kidding around. We're good kids.
To celebrate Charlene's birthday, we went out today for a Chinese sit-down dinner at Roland's, where we saw Li Nanxing. I had my favourite yam-pot dish!
During festive seasons like Christmas and Chinese New Year I realise the importance of family. My friends are indispensable and I love you guys-- you know secrets that I would never dream of telling my folks!-- but these people with matching DNA and similiarly crooked little fingers have seen me grown up. To spread our branches we must first acknowledge our roots. These are my roots.
And one last word. Recently when I blog I have asked myself this question: Is this entry too trivial, too mundane? Does anybody even care? My answer is now this: No, never. It is my life. Snapshots of my days, flashbulb memories recorded at night. And no-one's existence should be devalued by another as "too trivial". Heck I like my endless shopping lists, the short stories no-one reads or understands, archiving my first date, my first breakup, my first class, my first exam. In fact, I would argue that there is a certain meaning in meaninglessness. Meaningless to you, maybe. But it means something to me.
It is my life.
I Am Grateful: Three Big Things In 2004
3. I am grateful for being selected for the MOE Teaching Award- neither my own strength nor credit, but nothing short of a miracle.
2. I am grateful for having had the chance to serve as a volunteer in Girls' Brigade this year. Organising the St Hilda's Primary GB June camp and captaining a team of girls was one of the best experiences I had and I am grateful for the trust placed in me- thank you Cindy, for always believing in me.
1. I am grateful that I walked away from a relationship that would have ended up crushing my heart and breaking my spirit eventually. I am grateful to all my friends who rallied around me -especial thanks to Valey, David, Melissa, Sheena, Laoniang, my silent but supportive sister and my parents who were "ready to bash up the guy who had hurt their daughter like that". And to others: What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. So in a warped way, I'm almost grateful to you too. Almost, but not quite.
Honourable Mention: In a year of transition such as this, the variables of social Venn diagrams, educational institutions and work can all be summed up elegantly in one word: choices. From TJC to NUS, from holidaying to working, from attached to available once more. And then I met you, Dolus. Campus life would not be the same without you, so I am grateful that our paths crossed.
Saturday, December 25, 2004
Every year, my family likes to spend Christmas Eve together at home. After a week of pretending not to notice the furtive accumulation of mysterious boxes at the foot of the Christmas tree, we will open the presents we've gotten for each other under the Christmas tree after the stroke of midnight. We will thank each other, save the nice wrappers, take a couple of pictures, and we will bring our gifts back to our rooms.
It's become an Ong tradition of sorts, one of the better ones.
This year, the five Santas in this family got a little screwed up. The evening started well enough, with a nice dinner, a spot of shopping, and taking in a couple of movies, Charlene and I catching "Meet The Fockers" and the parents plus Gabriel electing to watch "Kung Fu Hustle" at GV Marina. The chaos only began once we got home. My mum and I miscommunicated and misplaced the lovely Xcessorize earrings I had gotten for my sister; I caught sight of the price tag of my brother's gift to me floating in the toilet bowl after his previous attempts to flush it down had failed; my father immediately broke a teacup in the glazed Chinese teaware set my mother had bought him; at the time of writing this entry, my sister had not gotten me anything as she was "still searching for the perfect present".
I really don't mind, honestly. One of my favourite activities during Christmases (and birthdays) is to read the cards and letters I've received. And then I'll read them over again.
I don't have a Christmas wish this year. In my experience, Christmas wishes don't usually come true. Last year, I had a boyfriend, and all I wished was to be with him on that day, and he never showed. This year, I don't have a boyfriend, but my Christmas wish can't not come true if I don't make one, so I won't.
It's become an Ong tradition of sorts, one of the better ones.
This year, the five Santas in this family got a little screwed up. The evening started well enough, with a nice dinner, a spot of shopping, and taking in a couple of movies, Charlene and I catching "Meet The Fockers" and the parents plus Gabriel electing to watch "Kung Fu Hustle" at GV Marina. The chaos only began once we got home. My mum and I miscommunicated and misplaced the lovely Xcessorize earrings I had gotten for my sister; I caught sight of the price tag of my brother's gift to me floating in the toilet bowl after his previous attempts to flush it down had failed; my father immediately broke a teacup in the glazed Chinese teaware set my mother had bought him; at the time of writing this entry, my sister had not gotten me anything as she was "still searching for the perfect present".
I really don't mind, honestly. One of my favourite activities during Christmases (and birthdays) is to read the cards and letters I've received. And then I'll read them over again.
I don't have a Christmas wish this year. In my experience, Christmas wishes don't usually come true. Last year, I had a boyfriend, and all I wished was to be with him on that day, and he never showed. This year, I don't have a boyfriend, but my Christmas wish can't not come true if I don't make one, so I won't.
Friday, December 24, 2004
Party by the Poolside was a great success. In large part thanks to Sheena's eleventh-hour phone calls to everyone imploring us to dress up for the occasion, twelve Dolusians turned up attired in their Sunday best! The girls looked as stunning as ever (not that we aren't in everyday life, of course) in lovely tube dresses and sparkly tops, and the guys actually looked halfway decent... I mean, pretty darn good in collared shirts and slacks!
There was way, way too much to eat in one sitting. Markie notes that each of us brought two plates/ trays/ containers of food, so there was more than enough to go around.
LE MENU
Beverages
Non-Alcoholic
-Carbonated Drinks (courtesy of Ivan)
Alcoholic
-Blackberry Wine (courtesy of Debbie)
Appetiser
-Sotong Balls (courtesy of Clement)
-Satay (courtesy of Erin)
-Tea Eggs (courtesy of Weixuan)
Entrees
White Meat
-Chicken Stew (courtesy of Sheena)
-Five-Star Chicken (courtesy of Melissa)
-Seaweed Chicken (courtesy of...?)
-Potato Salad (courtesy of Rochelle/ Mark)
-Mushroom Baked Rice (courtesy of me under close maternal supervision)
Dessert
-Blueberry Sponge Cake (courtesy of Ernest)
-Chocolate Fondue with Fruits (courtesy of Weixuan)
-Apple Pie (courtesy of Melvin)
-Marshmallows (courtesy of Ivan)
-Red and Green Agar-Agar (courtesy of Mark)
After the sumptuous dinner, a surprise engagement... oops, I mean, announcement... and a hilarious gift exchange (which lent new meaning to the word "random"!), Sheena, Ivan, Mark, Rochelle, Melissa, Erin and I drove down to East Coast Park to chill out and catch up. We got back to Mel's place around 2 a.m. and played "zong ji mi ma" and "electric current" till 6 a.m. so the forfeited ones (read: all of us) could finish up all the leftovers. Poor Erin and Rochelle's tummies must have suffered, they seriously ate the most! We would have quit after the agar-agar round if only Miss Fu had agreed to say the three magic words that would spare us all from more strawberries and cake!
Somehow, Ivan, Mark, Erin and I managed to cram onto a single mattress on the floor of Mel's bedroom, though we didn't have enough space to stretch our legs out. And somehow despite the rather cold airconditioning we managed to sleep until 12.45 p.m., by which time we woke up to find that Ivan had already left for the airport to board his flight to Hong Kong!
Then Rochelle, Mark, Erin and I had Fei Fei wanton noodles at Everitt Road for lunch before finally going home laden with cards, presents and candy canes!
So all in all I had a wonderful time. It's the company that counts, and when I'm in the company of awesome friends such as these, I feel as rich as a queen.
BeLoved FM (the sixth and last in the series)
From Dolus, Arts Camp 2004, NUS
The Katong Girls: Melissa and Sheena. You babes, I have adored every moment of your company. I can trust you not only with my deepest drunken secrets anyday, anytime, but also count on you for a simply delightful time whatever the event: catching a chick flick, playing tennis, consuming calories or burning them off via retail therapy! Thank you so much for being the wonderful vivacious funky girls you have always been.
The Lovebirds: Rochelle and Markie aka Lone Male Katongster. It's surreal, it's unbelievable, it's just great! I have loved getting to know you two. Rochelle, you are the fashion-forward retro-loving chick and Mark, you're the man!=) They say that opposites attract. You both are proof that the impossible can happen (and I seriously do not mean this in a sarcastic way) and my Christmas wish for you is that your new relationship last a long, long time.
The Leaders: Clement and Debbie. Thank you for unconditionally giving of your time and energies. Without you, Dolus would not be what we are today. Your leadership, friendship (and any other -ships you can think of) continue to inspire me. For your presence in my life, I am grateful.
The HouGang Girls: Erin and Wei Xuan. You two are like the sweethearts of Dolus! You're both ra-ra sportswomen under the veneer of your sincere caring personalities and ooh how I have loved every single one of our girls' nights out! May the bonds we've forged stay strong and last long!
The HouGang Guys: Ivan and Ernest. What fabulous friends you are! You're both so affable, approachable, gentlemanly and of course, you both possess that wacky lame streak of humour that is so necessary in a group like Dolus! May our friendship last!
The Jedi Master of All Jokes R*****: Melvin aka Bukit Batok Boy! (Okay that sounds rather "kampung'. Apologies, nothing else came to mind.) Your irreverence, your impishness, your gift for cracking people up in any situation... wow! Thank you for being the nice guy you are, and three cheers to our friendship!
And My "Gor": David. What a phenomenal friend and elder brother you have been to me, and how honoured I am that you're still here! You know I can never thank you enough for your constant support and continuous concern; your distinctly Davidian brand of humour. I am oh so blessed to have you in my life, and here is to more study sessions and library trips in the years to come!
There was way, way too much to eat in one sitting. Markie notes that each of us brought two plates/ trays/ containers of food, so there was more than enough to go around.
LE MENU
Beverages
Non-Alcoholic
-Carbonated Drinks (courtesy of Ivan)
Alcoholic
-Blackberry Wine (courtesy of Debbie)
Appetiser
-Sotong Balls (courtesy of Clement)
-Satay (courtesy of Erin)
-Tea Eggs (courtesy of Weixuan)
Entrees
White Meat
-Chicken Stew (courtesy of Sheena)
-Five-Star Chicken (courtesy of Melissa)
-Seaweed Chicken (courtesy of...?)
-Potato Salad (courtesy of Rochelle/ Mark)
-Mushroom Baked Rice (courtesy of me under close maternal supervision)
Dessert
-Blueberry Sponge Cake (courtesy of Ernest)
-Chocolate Fondue with Fruits (courtesy of Weixuan)
-Apple Pie (courtesy of Melvin)
-Marshmallows (courtesy of Ivan)
-Red and Green Agar-Agar (courtesy of Mark)
After the sumptuous dinner, a surprise engagement... oops, I mean, announcement... and a hilarious gift exchange (which lent new meaning to the word "random"!), Sheena, Ivan, Mark, Rochelle, Melissa, Erin and I drove down to East Coast Park to chill out and catch up. We got back to Mel's place around 2 a.m. and played "zong ji mi ma" and "electric current" till 6 a.m. so the forfeited ones (read: all of us) could finish up all the leftovers. Poor Erin and Rochelle's tummies must have suffered, they seriously ate the most! We would have quit after the agar-agar round if only Miss Fu had agreed to say the three magic words that would spare us all from more strawberries and cake!
Somehow, Ivan, Mark, Erin and I managed to cram onto a single mattress on the floor of Mel's bedroom, though we didn't have enough space to stretch our legs out. And somehow despite the rather cold airconditioning we managed to sleep until 12.45 p.m., by which time we woke up to find that Ivan had already left for the airport to board his flight to Hong Kong!
Then Rochelle, Mark, Erin and I had Fei Fei wanton noodles at Everitt Road for lunch before finally going home laden with cards, presents and candy canes!
So all in all I had a wonderful time. It's the company that counts, and when I'm in the company of awesome friends such as these, I feel as rich as a queen.
BeLoved FM (the sixth and last in the series)
From Dolus, Arts Camp 2004, NUS
The Katong Girls: Melissa and Sheena. You babes, I have adored every moment of your company. I can trust you not only with my deepest drunken secrets anyday, anytime, but also count on you for a simply delightful time whatever the event: catching a chick flick, playing tennis, consuming calories or burning them off via retail therapy! Thank you so much for being the wonderful vivacious funky girls you have always been.
The Lovebirds: Rochelle and Markie aka Lone Male Katongster. It's surreal, it's unbelievable, it's just great! I have loved getting to know you two. Rochelle, you are the fashion-forward retro-loving chick and Mark, you're the man!=) They say that opposites attract. You both are proof that the impossible can happen (and I seriously do not mean this in a sarcastic way) and my Christmas wish for you is that your new relationship last a long, long time.
The Leaders: Clement and Debbie. Thank you for unconditionally giving of your time and energies. Without you, Dolus would not be what we are today. Your leadership, friendship (and any other -ships you can think of) continue to inspire me. For your presence in my life, I am grateful.
The HouGang Girls: Erin and Wei Xuan. You two are like the sweethearts of Dolus! You're both ra-ra sportswomen under the veneer of your sincere caring personalities and ooh how I have loved every single one of our girls' nights out! May the bonds we've forged stay strong and last long!
The HouGang Guys: Ivan and Ernest. What fabulous friends you are! You're both so affable, approachable, gentlemanly and of course, you both possess that wacky lame streak of humour that is so necessary in a group like Dolus! May our friendship last!
The Jedi Master of All Jokes R*****: Melvin aka Bukit Batok Boy! (Okay that sounds rather "kampung'. Apologies, nothing else came to mind.) Your irreverence, your impishness, your gift for cracking people up in any situation... wow! Thank you for being the nice guy you are, and three cheers to our friendship!
And My "Gor": David. What a phenomenal friend and elder brother you have been to me, and how honoured I am that you're still here! You know I can never thank you enough for your constant support and continuous concern; your distinctly Davidian brand of humour. I am oh so blessed to have you in my life, and here is to more study sessions and library trips in the years to come!
Thursday, December 23, 2004
The week for me has passed in a frenetic haze of shopping, wrapping, card-making/ writing and decorating Christmas log cakes for my mum's customers. Pre-Christmas weeks are generally like that. It's rewarding! My mum and I returned from CK Tangs with half a dozen bags of gifts, my cousin Kenwei, my brother and I squeezed in a couple games of air hockey at the arcade which left me itching for more, and I discovered that David and I make better study partners than shopping khakis as the twin highlights of our evening out were visiting Orchard Library and Borders at Wheelock Place!
Later tonight is our highly anticipated Dolus Christmas party by the pool! My dad gave me two choices, either party at Zouk on Wednesday, or stay over at Mel's place on Thursday. I chose the latter without hesitation, and I'm sure it's gonna be truckloads of fun! Now if I can just figure out what I'm going to wear... and how am I going to make mushroom baked rice without giving my friends diarrhoea or burning down the kitchen first?
My Reading List for December
Alias Grace (Margaret Atwood)
Ben, In The World (Doris Lessing)
The Vig (John Lescroart)
Beautiful Child (Torey Hayden)
Accessories (Simple Chic)
Secrets of a Fashion Therapist (Betty Halbreich)
Millenium People (JG Ballard) - currently reading this
BeLoved FM (the fifth in the series)
To my sisters in FCBC
Cindy aka Laoniang: Through your own life and actions you have demonstrated the meaning of exemplary leadership and 100% commitment. Thank you for your love and shepherding through the years.
Valencia: My dear sis, what would I have done without you this year? A solid friendship is founded not on the frequenc y of mutual encounters but on the quality of those shared times. Your cheerful smile, unexpected jokes and bubbly personality never fail to inject a spark of life into my day, and your unfailing support standing squarely by me right through my breakup I will never forget.
Miaoting, Eleta, Shu Lin, Xiao Yan: For all the memories created this year, and here's a toast to many more to come. Thank you for the gift of your friendship and solidarity, your individual and singularly vivacious personalities. It is my prayer that we will grow stronger and closer in the years to come. Love you babes!=)
Yammi: We are missing you. True strength is not the absence of weakness but the method in which we confront our worst fears. You have always meant so much to me. I hope we will have many more wild, woolly and typically enjoyable moments in the next year, and the year after that, and the year after that...
Later tonight is our highly anticipated Dolus Christmas party by the pool! My dad gave me two choices, either party at Zouk on Wednesday, or stay over at Mel's place on Thursday. I chose the latter without hesitation, and I'm sure it's gonna be truckloads of fun! Now if I can just figure out what I'm going to wear... and how am I going to make mushroom baked rice without giving my friends diarrhoea or burning down the kitchen first?
My Reading List for December
Alias Grace (Margaret Atwood)
Ben, In The World (Doris Lessing)
The Vig (John Lescroart)
Beautiful Child (Torey Hayden)
Accessories (Simple Chic)
Secrets of a Fashion Therapist (Betty Halbreich)
Millenium People (JG Ballard) - currently reading this
BeLoved FM (the fifth in the series)
To my sisters in FCBC
Cindy aka Laoniang: Through your own life and actions you have demonstrated the meaning of exemplary leadership and 100% commitment. Thank you for your love and shepherding through the years.
Valencia: My dear sis, what would I have done without you this year? A solid friendship is founded not on the frequenc y of mutual encounters but on the quality of those shared times. Your cheerful smile, unexpected jokes and bubbly personality never fail to inject a spark of life into my day, and your unfailing support standing squarely by me right through my breakup I will never forget.
Miaoting, Eleta, Shu Lin, Xiao Yan: For all the memories created this year, and here's a toast to many more to come. Thank you for the gift of your friendship and solidarity, your individual and singularly vivacious personalities. It is my prayer that we will grow stronger and closer in the years to come. Love you babes!=)
Yammi: We are missing you. True strength is not the absence of weakness but the method in which we confront our worst fears. You have always meant so much to me. I hope we will have many more wild, woolly and typically enjoyable moments in the next year, and the year after that, and the year after that...
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
It's most intriguing, really. It seems nobody noticed that I went to Bintan for the weekend, except David. My brother, on opening the door for me, merely said, "Oh, it's you", before returning to his undoubtedly more captivating tv show.
Here are a few things I feel an insatiable urge to record in print
On Friday eleven of us girls took a turbulent ferry to Bintan. We gave ourselves mudbaths in the sea and dinner was at the Oleh Oleh Village, where a reggae band serenaded us under the stars and we dedicated the songs "Dancing Queen" and "Let It Be" to ourselves. The Oleh Oleh Village was also the closest we came to shopping that weekend, as it was a cluster of charming clapboard structures each housing a boutique or souvenir stop.
That night we adjourned relatively early. The Mayang-Sari Resort was simply lovely. Cindy and I shared Sea Turtle Suite 2, which was a thatched one-room hut with a canopied queen-sized bed, an incense burner on a palm frond next to the chaise lounge and a raised wooden patio overlooking the coastline. We just had to open our sliding doors to hear the waves crashing in the distance, and spot our girlfriends in adjacent huts!
Some of us went body-boarding, some of us relaxed in the jacuzzi on Saturday (no prizes for guessing which aquaphobic me chose), and we enjoyed a seafood dinner at the Kampong. Thank you girls, for taking care of me (I was the youngest and newest addition to the group, which included two other students, three teachers, a graphic designer and a pastor's wife) and saving the calamari and lemon chicken and whatnot for me knowing that I failed to appreciate the culinary value of black pepper crab or butter prawns.
On our last night there, we thought of having a drink at the pub by the beach, but the drizzle compelled us to plan otherwise. So we got the waiter at the pub to bring the cocktails to Pauline and Chiew Peng's room, where we all squeezed in armed with snacks and a timely screening of You've Got Mail. Yes! I've got it, we're called Ocean's Eleven!
Day three finally approached, and after a sumptuous breakfast we either got massages or went tanning. Woohoo! In Bintan I finally dared to wear my purple Jantsen's tankini out in public, although I now have discovered how impractical a little lace-up back can be when water bubbles are pummeling you in a jacuzzi or attempting to get an even tan. I left Bintan with little more than a sunburn and a surfboard keychain for souvenirs, but I need no other tactile memory of a wonderful experience. -taps heart- It's all in here anyway.
Here are a few things I feel an insatiable urge to record in print
On Friday eleven of us girls took a turbulent ferry to Bintan. We gave ourselves mudbaths in the sea and dinner was at the Oleh Oleh Village, where a reggae band serenaded us under the stars and we dedicated the songs "Dancing Queen" and "Let It Be" to ourselves. The Oleh Oleh Village was also the closest we came to shopping that weekend, as it was a cluster of charming clapboard structures each housing a boutique or souvenir stop.
That night we adjourned relatively early. The Mayang-Sari Resort was simply lovely. Cindy and I shared Sea Turtle Suite 2, which was a thatched one-room hut with a canopied queen-sized bed, an incense burner on a palm frond next to the chaise lounge and a raised wooden patio overlooking the coastline. We just had to open our sliding doors to hear the waves crashing in the distance, and spot our girlfriends in adjacent huts!
Some of us went body-boarding, some of us relaxed in the jacuzzi on Saturday (no prizes for guessing which aquaphobic me chose), and we enjoyed a seafood dinner at the Kampong. Thank you girls, for taking care of me (I was the youngest and newest addition to the group, which included two other students, three teachers, a graphic designer and a pastor's wife) and saving the calamari and lemon chicken and whatnot for me knowing that I failed to appreciate the culinary value of black pepper crab or butter prawns.
On our last night there, we thought of having a drink at the pub by the beach, but the drizzle compelled us to plan otherwise. So we got the waiter at the pub to bring the cocktails to Pauline and Chiew Peng's room, where we all squeezed in armed with snacks and a timely screening of You've Got Mail. Yes! I've got it, we're called Ocean's Eleven!
Day three finally approached, and after a sumptuous breakfast we either got massages or went tanning. Woohoo! In Bintan I finally dared to wear my purple Jantsen's tankini out in public, although I now have discovered how impractical a little lace-up back can be when water bubbles are pummeling you in a jacuzzi or attempting to get an even tan. I left Bintan with little more than a sunburn and a surfboard keychain for souvenirs, but I need no other tactile memory of a wonderful experience. -taps heart- It's all in here anyway.
Wednesday, December 15, 2004
Additions
Watch with interchangeable straps in silver ringlet chains, dark rinse denim and pink-and-white monogram, Christian Dior, $759 (hot!)
Graffiti denim mini in vintage fade wash, Abercrombie & Fitch, $134
Dark turquoise green top with lace sleeve on the right, Bysi, $27
Ballet flats in paisley print, Zara, $59.90
Cream split sleeve top, Arithalia, $23.90 before discount
Green diagonally striped tube dress with belt, C.O.A.X., $21
Satin clutch with silver inset handles, Accessorize, $49.90
Winnie the Pooh key ring with five charms, The Esplanade, $13
Cookie the teddy bear, The Esplanade, $29.90
Herringbone clutch, Old Navy, $33.90
Nonsensical factoid for the day: A Google search for "jasmine dolus shopping" will direct you to my blog. I tried. Twice.
Nonsensical factoid for the night: At the Esplanade there is a shop which offers spa treatments for teddy bears.
Meeting the TJ girls at Sakura for dinner (a Thai-Muslim restaurant which served a mean dish of tom yam soup) and later heading down to the Satay Club at the Esplanade (although goodness knows how chocolate milkshakes can go with chicken and mutton satay) and the Chung Cheng girls at Cineleisure on Monday was great (despite the fact that we didn't bowl 'coz the bowling alley had apparently closed down); my only grievance was that I was unable to spend more time with them all. We (the TJ girls) had a group hug, all seven of us present, just before we parted ways. I know it'll probably be months before I see many of my friends again, like Zihui, and Fangfang, so I was really glad we had that chance to catch up.
When we were outside Forever 21, this modeling scout approached Chon Ju and then she turned to me and said, "How about you? Would you like to appear in TV ads?" I suspect that this woman must have liked my back view very much but she nevertheless made my day.
On Tuesday I met Cindy for breakfast at MacDonald's Tampines and we went down to St Hilda's. Imagine my apprehension when I overheard Jamie, a returning senior/ volunteer, tell someone on the phone that "the instructor is already here". Instructor? What instructor? I thought they just wanted a little feedback! The girls wound up choosing Usher's Yeah, and guess who learnt the dance routine to that during Arts O-Week, and who has been listening to that infernal song on her ibook practically every other day? The girls learnt fast; I taught them the choreography (or what I could remember of it after four months) in under three hours, although it was quite a mistake not to bring gym gear since my low-cut Tiramisu top kept obeying gravity when I was demo-ing the moves for them. Un-glam! In the end I buttoned my blazer, rolled up my sleeves and cast off my heels.
After a heart-to-heart talk with Laoniang over egg tarts it was off to Orchard Library, a place I dearly love for being the only facility in Singapore where I can get my hands on the U.S. edition of Seventeen for free. David was an hour late because he had to track an escaped dog down! Then we met Clement, Rochelle and Melissa at PS Gelare, and after the guys left, us girls had dinner at Yoshinoya. Sheena joined Mel and I for the movie and we drove down to Lido as it was the only cinema screening School of Seduction. Sheena has acquired a half-Italian, half-French accent after watching the show, so watch out for that. And we now have added a few new stunts to our repertoire of Truths and Dares after that chick flick too! Although I simply cannot understand how it's possible to be stuck in a traffic jam on the expressway at midnight-- we were!
Roachie, Na, Mel and I also drew lots to determine who in Dolus would be buying whose gift for the gift exchange at our Christmas party, though the four of us are sworn to secrecy! It's happening at Mel's poolside on the 23rd, and the dress code is retro! Sheena and I have joked that those of us who turn up in casual wear will be thrown into the pool! And, certainly NO mistletoe!
Today before meeting Eleta, Shu Lin, Val and Laoniang for dinner at Raffles, I stayed at home for a meaningful cause: Project Christmas. And let's just say I'm facing card-iac arrest and urgently request assistance! I made nine cards by hand, six of which I absolutely must redo, and none of which I am truly satisfied with. The snowflakes I hoped would materialise as I cut white paper turned into paper doily lookalikes, and my mother said one of them resembled a mosque. Spent half an hour carving Melvin's name ('coz it was the right length and had seemingly easy letters) only to garner the comment, "abstract". Basically, no-one realised those were letters inside the floral patterns. Talk about trompe l'oeil. My brother said one of the cards looked five years old due to the fuzzy pink string used to decorate it. And miniature silver flamingos which I'd glued onto another card! Even the five purple-and-pink reindeer on the other card didn't look like such misfits in comparison. What was I thinking? Silver flamingos! What's that have to do with Christmas?
Somebody, help!
No wonder I required cookie therapy. On Eleta's recommendation, we got ourselves butter toffee cookies (amongst other delectable flavours like milk chocolate chunk) from Mrs Field's as we were cutting through Citylink. So I am somewhat happy, and with the incessant references to all life's edible treats in my blog, I find myself reflecting on why I didn''t take Sociology of Food after all.
And yes, I talk too much.
Watch with interchangeable straps in silver ringlet chains, dark rinse denim and pink-and-white monogram, Christian Dior, $759 (hot!)
Graffiti denim mini in vintage fade wash, Abercrombie & Fitch, $134
Dark turquoise green top with lace sleeve on the right, Bysi, $27
Ballet flats in paisley print, Zara, $59.90
Cream split sleeve top, Arithalia, $23.90 before discount
Green diagonally striped tube dress with belt, C.O.A.X., $21
Satin clutch with silver inset handles, Accessorize, $49.90
Winnie the Pooh key ring with five charms, The Esplanade, $13
Cookie the teddy bear, The Esplanade, $29.90
Herringbone clutch, Old Navy, $33.90
Nonsensical factoid for the day: A Google search for "jasmine dolus shopping" will direct you to my blog. I tried. Twice.
Nonsensical factoid for the night: At the Esplanade there is a shop which offers spa treatments for teddy bears.
Meeting the TJ girls at Sakura for dinner (a Thai-Muslim restaurant which served a mean dish of tom yam soup) and later heading down to the Satay Club at the Esplanade (although goodness knows how chocolate milkshakes can go with chicken and mutton satay) and the Chung Cheng girls at Cineleisure on Monday was great (despite the fact that we didn't bowl 'coz the bowling alley had apparently closed down); my only grievance was that I was unable to spend more time with them all. We (the TJ girls) had a group hug, all seven of us present, just before we parted ways. I know it'll probably be months before I see many of my friends again, like Zihui, and Fangfang, so I was really glad we had that chance to catch up.
When we were outside Forever 21, this modeling scout approached Chon Ju and then she turned to me and said, "How about you? Would you like to appear in TV ads?" I suspect that this woman must have liked my back view very much but she nevertheless made my day.
On Tuesday I met Cindy for breakfast at MacDonald's Tampines and we went down to St Hilda's. Imagine my apprehension when I overheard Jamie, a returning senior/ volunteer, tell someone on the phone that "the instructor is already here". Instructor? What instructor? I thought they just wanted a little feedback! The girls wound up choosing Usher's Yeah, and guess who learnt the dance routine to that during Arts O-Week, and who has been listening to that infernal song on her ibook practically every other day? The girls learnt fast; I taught them the choreography (or what I could remember of it after four months) in under three hours, although it was quite a mistake not to bring gym gear since my low-cut Tiramisu top kept obeying gravity when I was demo-ing the moves for them. Un-glam! In the end I buttoned my blazer, rolled up my sleeves and cast off my heels.
After a heart-to-heart talk with Laoniang over egg tarts it was off to Orchard Library, a place I dearly love for being the only facility in Singapore where I can get my hands on the U.S. edition of Seventeen for free. David was an hour late because he had to track an escaped dog down! Then we met Clement, Rochelle and Melissa at PS Gelare, and after the guys left, us girls had dinner at Yoshinoya. Sheena joined Mel and I for the movie and we drove down to Lido as it was the only cinema screening School of Seduction. Sheena has acquired a half-Italian, half-French accent after watching the show, so watch out for that. And we now have added a few new stunts to our repertoire of Truths and Dares after that chick flick too! Although I simply cannot understand how it's possible to be stuck in a traffic jam on the expressway at midnight-- we were!
Roachie, Na, Mel and I also drew lots to determine who in Dolus would be buying whose gift for the gift exchange at our Christmas party, though the four of us are sworn to secrecy! It's happening at Mel's poolside on the 23rd, and the dress code is retro! Sheena and I have joked that those of us who turn up in casual wear will be thrown into the pool! And, certainly NO mistletoe!
Today before meeting Eleta, Shu Lin, Val and Laoniang for dinner at Raffles, I stayed at home for a meaningful cause: Project Christmas. And let's just say I'm facing card-iac arrest and urgently request assistance! I made nine cards by hand, six of which I absolutely must redo, and none of which I am truly satisfied with. The snowflakes I hoped would materialise as I cut white paper turned into paper doily lookalikes, and my mother said one of them resembled a mosque. Spent half an hour carving Melvin's name ('coz it was the right length and had seemingly easy letters) only to garner the comment, "abstract". Basically, no-one realised those were letters inside the floral patterns. Talk about trompe l'oeil. My brother said one of the cards looked five years old due to the fuzzy pink string used to decorate it. And miniature silver flamingos which I'd glued onto another card! Even the five purple-and-pink reindeer on the other card didn't look like such misfits in comparison. What was I thinking? Silver flamingos! What's that have to do with Christmas?
Somebody, help!
No wonder I required cookie therapy. On Eleta's recommendation, we got ourselves butter toffee cookies (amongst other delectable flavours like milk chocolate chunk) from Mrs Field's as we were cutting through Citylink. So I am somewhat happy, and with the incessant references to all life's edible treats in my blog, I find myself reflecting on why I didn''t take Sociology of Food after all.
And yes, I talk too much.
Sunday, December 12, 2004
Currently reading: Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood
Just got back from cell retreat, which was a blast! Although I've been concussed and out-of-commission for the last six hours enjoying how a bed, book and comforter feel.
Yesterday I met Val for breakfast at MacDonald's, and then we headed down to Daniel Hall where twelve of us girls from Cindy and Joelle's cells played games together till lunch (whoopie! for once I didn't get forfeited during the reflex games), which we had at Han's. The grilled fish fillet set lunch was pretty good, considering the price. After that we went to the E-Zone arcade, which I hadn't been to in ages, and then it was off to roller-blading and cycling in the park. I felt this wonderful little happy tingle when Val said as we were both struggling to maintain our balance on blades, "I really enjoy spending time with you." Hey dear, you know I love hanging out with you too. We met Yammi for dinner at the Octopus, and later went back to East Coast to bowl. I was really glad that I got a strike once! So, slight improvement there from my game with Sheena and Markie.
After a crazyhilariouslooong stroll back to our sleeping quarters, which merited the statement "Those two haven't changed" from Yammi as she saw Valencia and I doubled up and shrieking in mirth on the way back. We were uh, planning moonwalks and electric currents and pants-zip symphonies for the Boys' and Girls' Brigade dance items during their recruitment drives, which was equivalent to planning NOT to recruit at all next year. But the schools will still have their drives anyway. Drive people away, more likely.
Cindy wants me to visit her GB girls at St Hilda's Secondary where she teache Chinese (though I'm sort of stationed at Townsville Primary), to help them with their mass dance, so that'll be pretty cool. I've already decided that to cut down on hassle, I'll just pirate, I mean, borrow albeit without permission, the NUS Arts dance moves to Usher's "Yeah", which I am listening to again, not having much choice since neither Gabriel nor I could download other songs. Hey I could even bring my laptop down and make full use of that solitary MP3 on my iTunes.
Then Eleta, Shu Lin, Xiao Yan, Val, Cindy and I went to bathe, which normally would not be very worthy of mention, but this experience was. We all took turns to bathe in the toilets of Daniel Hall, which didn't have heating or showerheads, so we lugged pails of cold water into the cubicles and used scoops to ladle it with. It was like a trip back in time, I'm tellin' ya, and I loved it!
Val and I made sure to drop by the 7-Eleven downstairs a little after midnight to buy a bottle of Hooch for our girls' night in. The cashier didn't check our ID! Cindy had rented VCDs and we managed to watch Twin Effect and part of Love Actually on the floor-to-ceiling length screen before we one-by-one succumbed to the sonorous call of slumber around 3 a.m. It was a really cozy sight, all of us curled up in sleeping bags or leaning against a friend on the carpet, passing wine and sugared jellies around.
Woke up at 7 a.m. to vacate the rooms for the batch of TouchKidz leaders coming in, and we decided on the Marine Parade Hawker Centre for a quick bite before going for morning service at 8. Eleta and I agreed that the curry for the roti prata wasn't that great. Awful, actually. Like the remnants of someone's meal post-puking. Miaoting joined us, having been sick the previous day, and for the first time in months, our whole cell was able to sit down together and fill a pew in church. Although I am very sorry to say that out of the seven of us girls, only two stayed alive throughout Pastor's sermon. The rest had knocked out. My head was "buang" on my backpack on my lap. But that is not to say that while our butts were freezing, our hearts weren't warm.
Just got back from cell retreat, which was a blast! Although I've been concussed and out-of-commission for the last six hours enjoying how a bed, book and comforter feel.
Yesterday I met Val for breakfast at MacDonald's, and then we headed down to Daniel Hall where twelve of us girls from Cindy and Joelle's cells played games together till lunch (whoopie! for once I didn't get forfeited during the reflex games), which we had at Han's. The grilled fish fillet set lunch was pretty good, considering the price. After that we went to the E-Zone arcade, which I hadn't been to in ages, and then it was off to roller-blading and cycling in the park. I felt this wonderful little happy tingle when Val said as we were both struggling to maintain our balance on blades, "I really enjoy spending time with you." Hey dear, you know I love hanging out with you too. We met Yammi for dinner at the Octopus, and later went back to East Coast to bowl. I was really glad that I got a strike once! So, slight improvement there from my game with Sheena and Markie.
After a crazyhilariouslooong stroll back to our sleeping quarters, which merited the statement "Those two haven't changed" from Yammi as she saw Valencia and I doubled up and shrieking in mirth on the way back. We were uh, planning moonwalks and electric currents and pants-zip symphonies for the Boys' and Girls' Brigade dance items during their recruitment drives, which was equivalent to planning NOT to recruit at all next year. But the schools will still have their drives anyway. Drive people away, more likely.
Cindy wants me to visit her GB girls at St Hilda's Secondary where she teache Chinese (though I'm sort of stationed at Townsville Primary), to help them with their mass dance, so that'll be pretty cool. I've already decided that to cut down on hassle, I'll just pirate, I mean, borrow albeit without permission, the NUS Arts dance moves to Usher's "Yeah", which I am listening to again, not having much choice since neither Gabriel nor I could download other songs. Hey I could even bring my laptop down and make full use of that solitary MP3 on my iTunes.
Then Eleta, Shu Lin, Xiao Yan, Val, Cindy and I went to bathe, which normally would not be very worthy of mention, but this experience was. We all took turns to bathe in the toilets of Daniel Hall, which didn't have heating or showerheads, so we lugged pails of cold water into the cubicles and used scoops to ladle it with. It was like a trip back in time, I'm tellin' ya, and I loved it!
Val and I made sure to drop by the 7-Eleven downstairs a little after midnight to buy a bottle of Hooch for our girls' night in. The cashier didn't check our ID! Cindy had rented VCDs and we managed to watch Twin Effect and part of Love Actually on the floor-to-ceiling length screen before we one-by-one succumbed to the sonorous call of slumber around 3 a.m. It was a really cozy sight, all of us curled up in sleeping bags or leaning against a friend on the carpet, passing wine and sugared jellies around.
Woke up at 7 a.m. to vacate the rooms for the batch of TouchKidz leaders coming in, and we decided on the Marine Parade Hawker Centre for a quick bite before going for morning service at 8. Eleta and I agreed that the curry for the roti prata wasn't that great. Awful, actually. Like the remnants of someone's meal post-puking. Miaoting joined us, having been sick the previous day, and for the first time in months, our whole cell was able to sit down together and fill a pew in church. Although I am very sorry to say that out of the seven of us girls, only two stayed alive throughout Pastor's sermon. The rest had knocked out. My head was "buang" on my backpack on my lap. But that is not to say that while our butts were freezing, our hearts weren't warm.
Friday, December 10, 2004
Blogging Principle #3: The Weakest Links
I refuse to link others without their explicit, implied or express permission.
Here's the nonsensical factoid for the day: If genius loves company, then why don't I have any friends?
Today is my refractory period, my brief respite, my calm in the eye of the storm. Whatever.
Yay! Dad's bringing us to Haagen-Dazs after dinner! Will have to make an exception to my no-cold-indulgences-when-you're-having-your-period rule today.
Am very glad that I got my period yesterday, cramps included but painkillers sold separately, in the short interlude before the KL trip ended and cell retreat began. I guess that means I'll have a legitimate excuse for spending the day tanning/ looking after belongings at Big Splash, as opposed to getting in the water and having a Big Splash. I know Val and Cindy are really pumped up that we girls can finally hang out for a weekend and stay over! We do need this.
Sat/ Sun: Cell retreat at Daniel Hall with FCBC girls
Monday: Bowling at Cine with CCHS girls, dessert at Swensen's and stroll down Orchard with TJC girls
Tuesday: Library trip with David, Gelare dinner with Dolus, "School of Seduction" with NUS girls
Wed/ Thur: Project Christmas
I'm really hoping I can squeeze in some time for Project Christmas 'coz I keep pushing it back and procrastinating, but it's really important!
What's the point of spreading yourself so thin that you fail to savour the richness of Christmas? Of buying, wrapping and distributing presents to his friends when you don't even say hi nowadays? I thought I could do anything for the sake of lurve last year, and that going it alone and having all the festive chores left to me whilst all he did was sign his name on My cards, the ones I'd laboured over till 4 a.m. for nights on end, didn't matter, but this year I'm not going to blow my bucks on people I don't care for. Heck, if I owned a toy workshop in Finland I could go round the world stuffing teddy bears down chimneys, but I'm no Santa Claus. I am yours truly, and this year, yours truly is truly broke.
I refuse to link others without their explicit, implied or express permission.
Here's the nonsensical factoid for the day: If genius loves company, then why don't I have any friends?
Today is my refractory period, my brief respite, my calm in the eye of the storm. Whatever.
Yay! Dad's bringing us to Haagen-Dazs after dinner! Will have to make an exception to my no-cold-indulgences-when-you're-having-your-period rule today.
Am very glad that I got my period yesterday, cramps included but painkillers sold separately, in the short interlude before the KL trip ended and cell retreat began. I guess that means I'll have a legitimate excuse for spending the day tanning/ looking after belongings at Big Splash, as opposed to getting in the water and having a Big Splash. I know Val and Cindy are really pumped up that we girls can finally hang out for a weekend and stay over! We do need this.
Sat/ Sun: Cell retreat at Daniel Hall with FCBC girls
Monday: Bowling at Cine with CCHS girls, dessert at Swensen's and stroll down Orchard with TJC girls
Tuesday: Library trip with David, Gelare dinner with Dolus, "School of Seduction" with NUS girls
Wed/ Thur: Project Christmas
I'm really hoping I can squeeze in some time for Project Christmas 'coz I keep pushing it back and procrastinating, but it's really important!
What's the point of spreading yourself so thin that you fail to savour the richness of Christmas? Of buying, wrapping and distributing presents to his friends when you don't even say hi nowadays? I thought I could do anything for the sake of lurve last year, and that going it alone and having all the festive chores left to me whilst all he did was sign his name on My cards, the ones I'd laboured over till 4 a.m. for nights on end, didn't matter, but this year I'm not going to blow my bucks on people I don't care for. Heck, if I owned a toy workshop in Finland I could go round the world stuffing teddy bears down chimneys, but I'm no Santa Claus. I am yours truly, and this year, yours truly is truly broke.
The Beast and His Beauty
"I can't," the girl cries. "I just can't do it."
"Yes, you can, my beauty, my rose red," the boy reassures her, his deep voice as coaxing and persuasive as the touch of his skin against hers.
"Just make-believe. Imagine." He thrusts a long-stemmed rose --one of her kind-- blooming in rich lipstick hues in front of her, and with sudden fury wrenches a petal off the stalk. "Imagine you never saw me do that. I never did that."
"I can't. Things may look the same, but they'll never be the same. Not for me. Ever." The girl whimpers as the wine-sparkle of blood trickles from the cavities of her chest.
------
"I'll give you a Band-Aid for your heart, then," the boy caresses her. "Let me help you heal."
"How to, my darling, my love, when you were the one who gashed me so?" The girl wonders.
"If I hurt you once, I'm a fool. If I hurt you twice, you're a fool," the boy reassures her. The girl whimpers as the wine-sparkle of blood trickles from the cavities of her chest.
She must be a fool.
------
The Beauty and Her Beast
"Is this not a garden, and are you not my lover?" The girl enters a kaleidoscope of hushed fauna and stilled life.
"I am your lover, and this is my harem, girl." The boy reassures her.
"Can I quit running this application? An unexpected software problem has occurred," the girl cups her hand to her chest to capture the last trails of blood draining from her heart. "I think my heart is broken."
"My virus is in you. You're infected." The boy reassures her. "You cannot quit, you cannot escape."
"I will not live like this." The girl cries.
With that one final burst of life-energy, the girl hits delete and disappears the matrix.
If I have to live like this, I would rather not live.
"I can't," the girl cries. "I just can't do it."
"Yes, you can, my beauty, my rose red," the boy reassures her, his deep voice as coaxing and persuasive as the touch of his skin against hers.
"Just make-believe. Imagine." He thrusts a long-stemmed rose --one of her kind-- blooming in rich lipstick hues in front of her, and with sudden fury wrenches a petal off the stalk. "Imagine you never saw me do that. I never did that."
"I can't. Things may look the same, but they'll never be the same. Not for me. Ever." The girl whimpers as the wine-sparkle of blood trickles from the cavities of her chest.
------
"I'll give you a Band-Aid for your heart, then," the boy caresses her. "Let me help you heal."
"How to, my darling, my love, when you were the one who gashed me so?" The girl wonders.
"If I hurt you once, I'm a fool. If I hurt you twice, you're a fool," the boy reassures her. The girl whimpers as the wine-sparkle of blood trickles from the cavities of her chest.
She must be a fool.
------
The Beauty and Her Beast
"Is this not a garden, and are you not my lover?" The girl enters a kaleidoscope of hushed fauna and stilled life.
"I am your lover, and this is my harem, girl." The boy reassures her.
"Can I quit running this application? An unexpected software problem has occurred," the girl cups her hand to her chest to capture the last trails of blood draining from her heart. "I think my heart is broken."
"My virus is in you. You're infected." The boy reassures her. "You cannot quit, you cannot escape."
"I will not live like this." The girl cries.
With that one final burst of life-energy, the girl hits delete and disappears the matrix.
If I have to live like this, I would rather not live.
Acquisitions
Teal spaghetti-strapped top with ribbon tie in the back, Tiramisu
Jade top with army green contrast trim and shirring at the bust, Infinity
Pastel-striped three=quarter pants, Chinatown
Pink empire-waisted knit top with concertina folds below bustline and matching shrug, Chinatown
Short denim skirt with smatterings of khaki tropical-island patterns, Sun 'n' Surf
Beaded blue slippers, BB Plaza
Brown canvas wallet lined with maroon silk, Padini Authentic
Bonus! Bonus! Just for fun, my brother's acquisitions
OP sling bag in black
Nike sleeveless shirt
G-shock watch by Casio (somehow bargained down from RM$225 to RM$25 by my father)
Five interesting things about KL
5. The Overseas Restaurant ("Hai Wai Tian") served fantastic Chinese food when we went there with Uncle Ling, who had flown in on business, but why did the hotpot of beef strips remind me of study dinners at Yoshinoya?
4. My ridiculous brother persuaded my sister and I to hold a totem pole pose for the longest time. We thought he was focusing the camera but in reality he was recording our silliness. Remind me to delete that video, asap.
3. The staff will line up at the entrances to Isetan and greet you warmly when you're the first shopper there at 10 a.m.
2. The multi-inverted double-looping roller coasters and the rides that spun 720 degree revolutions and froze midair with you upside-down fervently hoping your seatbelt wouldn't give way at the Times Square indoor theme park were awesome. As proof of its awesomeness? My mum refused to step in.
1. Imagine staying in a hotel suite ten storeys above Bvlgari, Spade and Planet Hollywood. I could get used to living like that.
And in lieu of the local action I've missed out on the past week
We threw Erin a surprise dinner on Sunday! She genuinely looked like she didn't expect it when we walked to the park and there David was holding a cake lit with candles! Thank you very much Melvin for sending us girls home at 1.20 a.m. after our supper of birthday noodles!
Immense gratitude to David, for helping me complete my module declaration exercise when I was incommunicado in Malaysia! Without you, I would end up having to be in two places at the same time if I got the two modules I wanted which I didn't realise were for the same timeslot.
Here are my modules to date
EL Sentences and Meanings
EL Historical Variation
EN Reading Film/ Cultural Texts
JS Introduction to Japanese Studies
(?) A Science GEM, unconfirmed
Teal spaghetti-strapped top with ribbon tie in the back, Tiramisu
Jade top with army green contrast trim and shirring at the bust, Infinity
Pastel-striped three=quarter pants, Chinatown
Pink empire-waisted knit top with concertina folds below bustline and matching shrug, Chinatown
Short denim skirt with smatterings of khaki tropical-island patterns, Sun 'n' Surf
Beaded blue slippers, BB Plaza
Brown canvas wallet lined with maroon silk, Padini Authentic
Bonus! Bonus! Just for fun, my brother's acquisitions
OP sling bag in black
Nike sleeveless shirt
G-shock watch by Casio (somehow bargained down from RM$225 to RM$25 by my father)
Five interesting things about KL
5. The Overseas Restaurant ("Hai Wai Tian") served fantastic Chinese food when we went there with Uncle Ling, who had flown in on business, but why did the hotpot of beef strips remind me of study dinners at Yoshinoya?
4. My ridiculous brother persuaded my sister and I to hold a totem pole pose for the longest time. We thought he was focusing the camera but in reality he was recording our silliness. Remind me to delete that video, asap.
3. The staff will line up at the entrances to Isetan and greet you warmly when you're the first shopper there at 10 a.m.
2. The multi-inverted double-looping roller coasters and the rides that spun 720 degree revolutions and froze midair with you upside-down fervently hoping your seatbelt wouldn't give way at the Times Square indoor theme park were awesome. As proof of its awesomeness? My mum refused to step in.
1. Imagine staying in a hotel suite ten storeys above Bvlgari, Spade and Planet Hollywood. I could get used to living like that.
And in lieu of the local action I've missed out on the past week
We threw Erin a surprise dinner on Sunday! She genuinely looked like she didn't expect it when we walked to the park and there David was holding a cake lit with candles! Thank you very much Melvin for sending us girls home at 1.20 a.m. after our supper of birthday noodles!
Immense gratitude to David, for helping me complete my module declaration exercise when I was incommunicado in Malaysia! Without you, I would end up having to be in two places at the same time if I got the two modules I wanted which I didn't realise were for the same timeslot.
Here are my modules to date
EL Sentences and Meanings
EL Historical Variation
EN Reading Film/ Cultural Texts
JS Introduction to Japanese Studies
(?) A Science GEM, unconfirmed
Saturday, December 04, 2004
Acquisitions
White surplice wrap collared shirt with green detailing, Mango
Red zip-front shirt, Nike
Black shoulder-slung bag, Giorgio Armani
Escape by Calvin Klein (with a million thanks to Val!)
White cap-sleeved top with ribbon tie on sleeve, Delia's
Pink baby tee with white piping on boatneck, Delia's
Yellow contrast lace-trimmed wide-ribbed tank, Delia's
Word to describe the day: Whoopee!
I woke up with a sore throat and sorer muscles but rushed out (overslept by an hour-- again!) to meet Cindy for a quick spot of shopping at Parkway for Valencia and Marcus' presents, which was done in record-quick time 'coz of her brisk teacherly efficiency!
Today we had a really good time at cell group too, and planning activities for our upcoming cell retreat. I felt there was alot of deep bonding going on when we shared about people who had hurt us and choosing to forgive them. And on a happier note, we celebrated Val's 19th and Meow's belated 20th birthdays with chocolate and vanilla cakes from Breadtalk, and Val looked so pretty today! Now I see what Cindy meant when she said that when Val is casual, she's really casual, but when she's got something major on, she certainly knows how to dress the part! Wheeyouwheet! (That's my "chicopek" whistle.) Yes! And Val brought me a bottle of CK's Escape that she had pilfered from her fragrance lab before she got caught, so I'm feeling real high today.
I did some online shopping for the first time ever today, with many hugs of appreciation to dear Eleta! Eleta told me that a bunch of Singapore girls were ordering in bulk from Old Navy and Delia's. The way this shopping cartel works is pretty organised! Anyone can join, because the more people there are, the lower the shipping fees. One girl will place a mass credit order after we all email her our wishlists and sizes, and when the stock arrives we can pay in cash or bank transfer! So I thought I'd give it a try just out of curiosity, and ended up ordering three tops in different colours (because Erin advised me not to get two in pink!). It felt so effortless to just let your butt collect calories while picking out awesome outfits, all from the comfort of your computer chair. In Melvin's words, "Wah. You can spend money even when you're at home".
p.s. Dolus did a massive, ten-person chat on msn today! Whoa! Giggle it got pretty confusing after abit but it was fun nevertheless. I'm really looking forward to meeting up again tomorrow.
My dad flew back from that rush assignment to Hainan Island, and my grandmum popped by for a surprise visit tonight! I offered her my bunk but she said she preferred the hall so I guess I'll be camping out with her on the sofa later. Not very nice to let an old lady sleep alone in the living room (though this is one spunky old lady!). Not that her coming makes much difference to my sleeping arrangements. I'm quite capable of falling asleep anywhere, as most of my buddies know.
Speaking of which, I'm really heartened my younger cousins are still calling us "jie jie" and "gor gor". It's one of those Chinese traditions that don't go out of fashion. Even Desiree who's Down Under! (I wonder if anyone's gonna ask, down under where?) Although Steffy, Addie, Charpok and I gave up calling twenty-five-year-old Kenwei "gor gor" ages ago.
Oh yes, one more thing. My sister gave this baby a facelift! (Okay that didn't sound right.) Inspired by my recent retail exploits, it's shopping-themed! "Effet d'optique haute couture" is actually my own piecemeal translation of the French phrase, "the optical illusion of high fashion". And as for the title "a fragmented reality of appearances"... If you understand what that means kindly enlighten me too. Lastly, I'm calling this space Billablog now since the photo at the top was lifted off Billabong's ads with neither conscience nor guilt.
BeLoved FM (the fourth in the series):
My family. Dad and Mum, thank you for never giving up on me but giving me love, care, security and a roof over my head. For the unanimous support for my writing, my competitions, my decision to break up, and everything in between. I am grateful that you have not spoiled me rotten, but have taught me to treasure the value of money through hard work. I suspect that if and when I do have children in the distant future, I will be soliciting quite abit of advice from two fantastic parents.
Charlene. Well, my sister, I was too broke in the pre-December allowance days to get you a proper present, so I'll be combining your birthday and Christmas gifts. Thanks for the blog renovation, period.
Heh heh now surely you didn't think I was that mean, did you? Ever since you came along Mum's fashion budget for two-year-old me got halved, I've had to share all my toys and even my room! Gasp. And you know what? It hasn't been all that bad, and somehow we've both survived staying in the same room for the last seventeen years. Even when we go on family holidays I invariably find myself sleeping next to or on top of you (on an upper bunk, I'm really not that cruel). It's very interesting that people say we look alike when we obviously don't, except for the nose we inherited from Daddy and perhaps the eyebrows, but that's changed ever since we got 'em plucked at Shu Uemura. Anyway there is no point here, you organised person whose desk and wardrobe always appear neater than mine. Except, thanks for having a wonderful sister like me, I have no idea how you did it.
Anyway, seriously (yes Char, I know you didn't know your sister knew how to be serious), many special moments have been shared with you. The GB camp we worked on together, emerging runners-up in Talentime Vocal Group Category, getting Gabe to beatbox while we sing in the car (with the parents always telling us to quiet down), all the Christmases where we stayed up past many midnights designing costumes, writing scripts and crafting props for our Kings' Kids to perform with. I'm glad it was you that I could share it with.
Gabriel. Brother brother what did I do to deserve a brother like you? (Go figure out the tone for yourself.) You, my partner in all jokes lame, accomplice in late-night VCD viewing, and of course, MacDonald's suppers! Never label yourself as stupid, and never give other people the chance to. Your da-jie believes that you can do well in secondary school if you set your heart to it, and so does the rest of the family. So don't you disappoint us. As Daddy always says, remember that you are an Ong, and (I say) nobody messes with us.
So dear readers (if you are still reading), allow me the indulgence of posting here the opening and concluding excerpts from my Anthropology term paper on kinship. The real honour must be accorded to the people whose life-stories intersected with mine, by blood and by choice. My family: this A+ is for you.
Exploring My Roots: An Anthropological Perspective
“Happy families are all alike. Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”.
--Leo Tolstoy, in “Anna Karenina”
My family. A multiplicity of descriptions invariably comes to mind when I think of kinship. I would like to consider my family “normal”. It certainly fulfils the functions of the “perfect nuclear family”. Economically, it is stable; parents and children alike provide emotional support; we replace the members of society who die. Yet one crucial question begs to be asked: who exactly, defines “normalcy” and “perfection”? According to Symbolic-Interactionist theory, this is the age of people power, where the denizens of society are free to make choices on lifestyles, marriage and reproduction. However, I would argue that the one thing we cannot choose is our family of procreation. To truly spread our branches, we first need to acknowledge the importance of our roots.
(continued)
In conclusion, one has to return to a classic sociological question: What constitutes a family? It certainly is not proximity. I may be separated from my cousins by an ocean, but the same blood still surges through all of our veins. Do blood and biology then determine family? Not necessarily, for the ties that bind may be related to mutual affection and commonality of interests more so than genetics. Everything is relative, pun intended.
We find that there is no stable definition of family because the norms of kinship have changed and evolved over time, as illustrated in my diagram, to suit different social expectations in different historical contexts. Indeed, customs we may consider quaint, peculiar or plain outrageous today, such as bigamy, may have been acceptable and even advisable in another era, and vice versa. Words like “typical”, “perfect” and yes, “normal” may now be redundant in invoking the notion of family. For there is no such thing as a normal family.
I place great stock in my development as a thinking individual with my own sense of self, not bound by what appears to be appropriate, but I have learnt to be proud of my heritage, my roots. The concept of family has endured as one of the institutional cornerstones of society not in spite of, but because it has allowed for deviations from the nuclear model, and celebrated the diversity of individual families.
Perhaps Tolstoy was right.
White surplice wrap collared shirt with green detailing, Mango
Red zip-front shirt, Nike
Black shoulder-slung bag, Giorgio Armani
Escape by Calvin Klein (with a million thanks to Val!)
White cap-sleeved top with ribbon tie on sleeve, Delia's
Pink baby tee with white piping on boatneck, Delia's
Yellow contrast lace-trimmed wide-ribbed tank, Delia's
Word to describe the day: Whoopee!
I woke up with a sore throat and sorer muscles but rushed out (overslept by an hour-- again!) to meet Cindy for a quick spot of shopping at Parkway for Valencia and Marcus' presents, which was done in record-quick time 'coz of her brisk teacherly efficiency!
Today we had a really good time at cell group too, and planning activities for our upcoming cell retreat. I felt there was alot of deep bonding going on when we shared about people who had hurt us and choosing to forgive them. And on a happier note, we celebrated Val's 19th and Meow's belated 20th birthdays with chocolate and vanilla cakes from Breadtalk, and Val looked so pretty today! Now I see what Cindy meant when she said that when Val is casual, she's really casual, but when she's got something major on, she certainly knows how to dress the part! Wheeyouwheet! (That's my "chicopek" whistle.) Yes! And Val brought me a bottle of CK's Escape that she had pilfered from her fragrance lab before she got caught, so I'm feeling real high today.
I did some online shopping for the first time ever today, with many hugs of appreciation to dear Eleta! Eleta told me that a bunch of Singapore girls were ordering in bulk from Old Navy and Delia's. The way this shopping cartel works is pretty organised! Anyone can join, because the more people there are, the lower the shipping fees. One girl will place a mass credit order after we all email her our wishlists and sizes, and when the stock arrives we can pay in cash or bank transfer! So I thought I'd give it a try just out of curiosity, and ended up ordering three tops in different colours (because Erin advised me not to get two in pink!). It felt so effortless to just let your butt collect calories while picking out awesome outfits, all from the comfort of your computer chair. In Melvin's words, "Wah. You can spend money even when you're at home".
p.s. Dolus did a massive, ten-person chat on msn today! Whoa! Giggle it got pretty confusing after abit but it was fun nevertheless. I'm really looking forward to meeting up again tomorrow.
My dad flew back from that rush assignment to Hainan Island, and my grandmum popped by for a surprise visit tonight! I offered her my bunk but she said she preferred the hall so I guess I'll be camping out with her on the sofa later. Not very nice to let an old lady sleep alone in the living room (though this is one spunky old lady!). Not that her coming makes much difference to my sleeping arrangements. I'm quite capable of falling asleep anywhere, as most of my buddies know.
Speaking of which, I'm really heartened my younger cousins are still calling us "jie jie" and "gor gor". It's one of those Chinese traditions that don't go out of fashion. Even Desiree who's Down Under! (I wonder if anyone's gonna ask, down under where?) Although Steffy, Addie, Charpok and I gave up calling twenty-five-year-old Kenwei "gor gor" ages ago.
Oh yes, one more thing. My sister gave this baby a facelift! (Okay that didn't sound right.) Inspired by my recent retail exploits, it's shopping-themed! "Effet d'optique haute couture" is actually my own piecemeal translation of the French phrase, "the optical illusion of high fashion". And as for the title "a fragmented reality of appearances"... If you understand what that means kindly enlighten me too. Lastly, I'm calling this space Billablog now since the photo at the top was lifted off Billabong's ads with neither conscience nor guilt.
BeLoved FM (the fourth in the series):
My family. Dad and Mum, thank you for never giving up on me but giving me love, care, security and a roof over my head. For the unanimous support for my writing, my competitions, my decision to break up, and everything in between. I am grateful that you have not spoiled me rotten, but have taught me to treasure the value of money through hard work. I suspect that if and when I do have children in the distant future, I will be soliciting quite abit of advice from two fantastic parents.
Charlene. Well, my sister, I was too broke in the pre-December allowance days to get you a proper present, so I'll be combining your birthday and Christmas gifts. Thanks for the blog renovation, period.
Heh heh now surely you didn't think I was that mean, did you? Ever since you came along Mum's fashion budget for two-year-old me got halved, I've had to share all my toys and even my room! Gasp. And you know what? It hasn't been all that bad, and somehow we've both survived staying in the same room for the last seventeen years. Even when we go on family holidays I invariably find myself sleeping next to or on top of you (on an upper bunk, I'm really not that cruel). It's very interesting that people say we look alike when we obviously don't, except for the nose we inherited from Daddy and perhaps the eyebrows, but that's changed ever since we got 'em plucked at Shu Uemura. Anyway there is no point here, you organised person whose desk and wardrobe always appear neater than mine. Except, thanks for having a wonderful sister like me, I have no idea how you did it.
Anyway, seriously (yes Char, I know you didn't know your sister knew how to be serious), many special moments have been shared with you. The GB camp we worked on together, emerging runners-up in Talentime Vocal Group Category, getting Gabe to beatbox while we sing in the car (with the parents always telling us to quiet down), all the Christmases where we stayed up past many midnights designing costumes, writing scripts and crafting props for our Kings' Kids to perform with. I'm glad it was you that I could share it with.
Gabriel. Brother brother what did I do to deserve a brother like you? (Go figure out the tone for yourself.) You, my partner in all jokes lame, accomplice in late-night VCD viewing, and of course, MacDonald's suppers! Never label yourself as stupid, and never give other people the chance to. Your da-jie believes that you can do well in secondary school if you set your heart to it, and so does the rest of the family. So don't you disappoint us. As Daddy always says, remember that you are an Ong, and (I say) nobody messes with us.
So dear readers (if you are still reading), allow me the indulgence of posting here the opening and concluding excerpts from my Anthropology term paper on kinship. The real honour must be accorded to the people whose life-stories intersected with mine, by blood and by choice. My family: this A+ is for you.
Exploring My Roots: An Anthropological Perspective
“Happy families are all alike. Every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way”.
--Leo Tolstoy, in “Anna Karenina”
My family. A multiplicity of descriptions invariably comes to mind when I think of kinship. I would like to consider my family “normal”. It certainly fulfils the functions of the “perfect nuclear family”. Economically, it is stable; parents and children alike provide emotional support; we replace the members of society who die. Yet one crucial question begs to be asked: who exactly, defines “normalcy” and “perfection”? According to Symbolic-Interactionist theory, this is the age of people power, where the denizens of society are free to make choices on lifestyles, marriage and reproduction. However, I would argue that the one thing we cannot choose is our family of procreation. To truly spread our branches, we first need to acknowledge the importance of our roots.
(continued)
In conclusion, one has to return to a classic sociological question: What constitutes a family? It certainly is not proximity. I may be separated from my cousins by an ocean, but the same blood still surges through all of our veins. Do blood and biology then determine family? Not necessarily, for the ties that bind may be related to mutual affection and commonality of interests more so than genetics. Everything is relative, pun intended.
We find that there is no stable definition of family because the norms of kinship have changed and evolved over time, as illustrated in my diagram, to suit different social expectations in different historical contexts. Indeed, customs we may consider quaint, peculiar or plain outrageous today, such as bigamy, may have been acceptable and even advisable in another era, and vice versa. Words like “typical”, “perfect” and yes, “normal” may now be redundant in invoking the notion of family. For there is no such thing as a normal family.
I place great stock in my development as a thinking individual with my own sense of self, not bound by what appears to be appropriate, but I have learnt to be proud of my heritage, my roots. The concept of family has endured as one of the institutional cornerstones of society not in spite of, but because it has allowed for deviations from the nuclear model, and celebrated the diversity of individual families.
Perhaps Tolstoy was right.
Friday, December 03, 2004
On tanning
This is pretty weird. We spent roughly six hours in the sun and sand at Sentosa but I still don't look tanned. I mean, you can make out a whole mish-mash of tan lines across my shoulders and back but I'm really not much darker. Just now I was telling Yingling that I wanted to be browner, and she told me to eat more brownies. -falls off chair- Looks like it's not always a piece of cake getting a good even tan.
On dunking
After trying to dunk Erin right at the start (Sheena and I failed), we held true to our girls' alliance to protect each other. Together with Clement, we dunked Markie! Well, tried to. We complained that he was heavier than he looked and he complained that we were dragging him across the sand instead of carrying him! Oops, and ouch. Later, after diverting attention from their initial target Erin, Clemmie and Markie had me by my hands and feet when I kept blabbering about how I had water-phobia and would sink and drown if they tossed me in. Clement then kind-heartedly set my legs down and spared me! Maybe he was convinced by all my ranting, but it may just have been that he just wanted me to shut up.
At the end of the day, when we thought the gentlemen present might be rather tired from all the physical action i.e. running for their lives while people who wanted them in the water were hot on their heels, so Rochelle, Sheena, Erin and I decided to take a harmless little dip in the sea. But as Na and Roach reached the water's edge, the guys pushed them in. End of girl-power, part one. Sheena, thinking that it was me who had shoved her in, chased me all around until I volunteered to go dunk myself (like Markie, but he got thrown in). But naw, the girls ended up pushing me in. And Erin finally got dunked in the end too. Oh well at least nobody can say we are wet blankets.
On today's coolest moment
The prize would have to go to Debbie. When the guys asked her, "So Debbie, how do you feel about getting dunked today?" she shot back, "Would you like me to paint the sea red?" At the close of the day, she was the only person who stayed dry (and safe) all the way. Kudos babe!
On the whole
But I had a wonderful time nevertheless, which is pretty much the case when Dolus is in the house (or on Palawan Beach, to be more accurate)! Yeps about nine of us went, and Ivan later joined us at Harbourfront Centre for a quick bite and like, fifteen minutes of Esprit shopping before we parted ways, but not before we had arranged a Sunday supper at Chomp Chomp!
This is pretty weird. We spent roughly six hours in the sun and sand at Sentosa but I still don't look tanned. I mean, you can make out a whole mish-mash of tan lines across my shoulders and back but I'm really not much darker. Just now I was telling Yingling that I wanted to be browner, and she told me to eat more brownies. -falls off chair- Looks like it's not always a piece of cake getting a good even tan.
On dunking
After trying to dunk Erin right at the start (Sheena and I failed), we held true to our girls' alliance to protect each other. Together with Clement, we dunked Markie! Well, tried to. We complained that he was heavier than he looked and he complained that we were dragging him across the sand instead of carrying him! Oops, and ouch. Later, after diverting attention from their initial target Erin, Clemmie and Markie had me by my hands and feet when I kept blabbering about how I had water-phobia and would sink and drown if they tossed me in. Clement then kind-heartedly set my legs down and spared me! Maybe he was convinced by all my ranting, but it may just have been that he just wanted me to shut up.
At the end of the day, when we thought the gentlemen present might be rather tired from all the physical action i.e. running for their lives while people who wanted them in the water were hot on their heels, so Rochelle, Sheena, Erin and I decided to take a harmless little dip in the sea. But as Na and Roach reached the water's edge, the guys pushed them in. End of girl-power, part one. Sheena, thinking that it was me who had shoved her in, chased me all around until I volunteered to go dunk myself (like Markie, but he got thrown in). But naw, the girls ended up pushing me in. And Erin finally got dunked in the end too. Oh well at least nobody can say we are wet blankets.
On today's coolest moment
The prize would have to go to Debbie. When the guys asked her, "So Debbie, how do you feel about getting dunked today?" she shot back, "Would you like me to paint the sea red?" At the close of the day, she was the only person who stayed dry (and safe) all the way. Kudos babe!
On the whole
But I had a wonderful time nevertheless, which is pretty much the case when Dolus is in the house (or on Palawan Beach, to be more accurate)! Yeps about nine of us went, and Ivan later joined us at Harbourfront Centre for a quick bite and like, fifteen minutes of Esprit shopping before we parted ways, but not before we had arranged a Sunday supper at Chomp Chomp!
Additions (this is what I want)
Black silk top with beaded neckline and crinkling below the empire-waist, Bysi, $33 (hot!)
Fuchsia tunic with metallic gold V-neck, Forever 21, $43
Sequinned coral minidress top with drawstring at the waist, Forever 21, $53
Beige cotton tank withvoile flowers on the left, Forever 21, $28
Crown and gemstone dangly earrings, Far East, $18
Victorian style chain-link watch, Far East, $99
Acquisitions (this is what I've bought)
Chanel-styled black and tweed rose pin, Far East
Another two pairs of ear studs (bringing the total to six pairs in the last three days), Far East
What to bring tomorrow to Sentosa
-Sunblock
-Tankini
-Loose change for soft drinks and ice-cream
-Handcuffs (to chain myself to some coconut tree so I can't be dunked)
Today was such a healthy day! We began our morning (yes, morning! I haven't seen the morning in ages) bright and early with a tennis match. Rather, I sat in the shade and occasionally cheered from the sidelines while I let the pros i.e. Mel, Markie and Na battle each other to the death.
After that was lunch with Rochelle in the Arts canteen before her final paper (woohoo girl! welcome to Holiday Inc.!), followed by a couple games of bowling. I've only bowled twice or thrice before, and the last time I did that was about four years ago. So I was very happy when I hit a spare. Otherwise, I was consistent. Consistently bad. Straight zeros most of the time. In the end my total score was 23, in comparison to Markie and Sheena's 129 and 80-- they did superlatively well! And thank you so much, Sheena and Markie, for being such tremendously patient tennis/ bowling coaches to this er, rather poor student of yours! How glad I was that not so many people were there (on either the court or at the bowling alley) to see me flub. Oh wells, there's always next time. =)
Then we met Clement at Far East Plaza for a little bout of shopping and had our dinner at Scotts. By the time Markie most graciously sent us home (muchas gracias!) we had spent about 13 hours out, and what a great 13 hours we had! Sport for the body (tennis and bowling), sport for the mind (watching Sheena and Clement argue about where the best foods in Singapore could be found), sport for the soul (retail therapy).
So here is a rather tired, somewhat sleepy but intensely happy girl signing off. Yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn.
Black silk top with beaded neckline and crinkling below the empire-waist, Bysi, $33 (hot!)
Fuchsia tunic with metallic gold V-neck, Forever 21, $43
Sequinned coral minidress top with drawstring at the waist, Forever 21, $53
Beige cotton tank withvoile flowers on the left, Forever 21, $28
Crown and gemstone dangly earrings, Far East, $18
Victorian style chain-link watch, Far East, $99
Acquisitions (this is what I've bought)
Chanel-styled black and tweed rose pin, Far East
Another two pairs of ear studs (bringing the total to six pairs in the last three days), Far East
What to bring tomorrow to Sentosa
-Sunblock
-Tankini
-Loose change for soft drinks and ice-cream
-Handcuffs (to chain myself to some coconut tree so I can't be dunked)
Today was such a healthy day! We began our morning (yes, morning! I haven't seen the morning in ages) bright and early with a tennis match. Rather, I sat in the shade and occasionally cheered from the sidelines while I let the pros i.e. Mel, Markie and Na battle each other to the death.
After that was lunch with Rochelle in the Arts canteen before her final paper (woohoo girl! welcome to Holiday Inc.!), followed by a couple games of bowling. I've only bowled twice or thrice before, and the last time I did that was about four years ago. So I was very happy when I hit a spare. Otherwise, I was consistent. Consistently bad. Straight zeros most of the time. In the end my total score was 23, in comparison to Markie and Sheena's 129 and 80-- they did superlatively well! And thank you so much, Sheena and Markie, for being such tremendously patient tennis/ bowling coaches to this er, rather poor student of yours! How glad I was that not so many people were there (on either the court or at the bowling alley) to see me flub. Oh wells, there's always next time. =)
Then we met Clement at Far East Plaza for a little bout of shopping and had our dinner at Scotts. By the time Markie most graciously sent us home (muchas gracias!) we had spent about 13 hours out, and what a great 13 hours we had! Sport for the body (tennis and bowling), sport for the mind (watching Sheena and Clement argue about where the best foods in Singapore could be found), sport for the soul (retail therapy).
So here is a rather tired, somewhat sleepy but intensely happy girl signing off. Yawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwn.
Thursday, December 02, 2004
Additions
Chandelier earrings in wire mesh and amethyst crystals, Style Element, $38
Later this morning: Katong Tennis Showdown... at NUS!
Markie's picking Sheena and I up at 8.30 a.m. Gasp! I don't think anything short of a bucket of cold water is going to rouse me. Since I don't know how to play tennis, I shall volunteer to make myself useful by picking balls. Or waving pom-poms.
Yummy yummy! Lunch at Swensen's with Eunice, Rozie, Kia Dai and Yingling was scrumptious. I actually planned to settle for a humble parfait or something, but hearing Gunni deciding to order the chicken baked rice and offering to share the apple crumble with me was too tempting for my stomach to ignore. So I relented to the call of my digestive juices. And the apple crumble was superb. It came in a small pan and when the waitress poured the apple cubes in they made a sizzling sound, and then she smothered the vanilla ice cream with a whole jug of butterscotch. We were so impressed! Mmm this is my kind of meal: chicken baked rice (chef's recommendation as noted by Eunice) and dessert.
And choosing the Swensen's at the Crown Prince was a pretty inspired choice, because barely a year ago our entire JC class of 3302 had our class gathering there. After lunch we went shopping at the Heeren Annexe, and we decided to take neoprints on impulse! Giggle the last time I did that was with my secondary school friends, on impulse, this year and the time before that was ages ago when I was still wearing a white uniform with seven nickel buttons. Yeah I remember my choirmates dragging me there in Sec One.
Should have realised that bus 16 passed by the Indoor Stadium, but I didn't, which meant I spent forty minutes standing and squeezing with Taufik/ Sylvester fans en route to catch the grand finals. And then I got home just in time for Singapore Idol, and guess what dinner was? Baked rice with chicken wings! What awesome timing.
Chandelier earrings in wire mesh and amethyst crystals, Style Element, $38
Later this morning: Katong Tennis Showdown... at NUS!
Markie's picking Sheena and I up at 8.30 a.m. Gasp! I don't think anything short of a bucket of cold water is going to rouse me. Since I don't know how to play tennis, I shall volunteer to make myself useful by picking balls. Or waving pom-poms.
Yummy yummy! Lunch at Swensen's with Eunice, Rozie, Kia Dai and Yingling was scrumptious. I actually planned to settle for a humble parfait or something, but hearing Gunni deciding to order the chicken baked rice and offering to share the apple crumble with me was too tempting for my stomach to ignore. So I relented to the call of my digestive juices. And the apple crumble was superb. It came in a small pan and when the waitress poured the apple cubes in they made a sizzling sound, and then she smothered the vanilla ice cream with a whole jug of butterscotch. We were so impressed! Mmm this is my kind of meal: chicken baked rice (chef's recommendation as noted by Eunice) and dessert.
And choosing the Swensen's at the Crown Prince was a pretty inspired choice, because barely a year ago our entire JC class of 3302 had our class gathering there. After lunch we went shopping at the Heeren Annexe, and we decided to take neoprints on impulse! Giggle the last time I did that was with my secondary school friends, on impulse, this year and the time before that was ages ago when I was still wearing a white uniform with seven nickel buttons. Yeah I remember my choirmates dragging me there in Sec One.
Should have realised that bus 16 passed by the Indoor Stadium, but I didn't, which meant I spent forty minutes standing and squeezing with Taufik/ Sylvester fans en route to catch the grand finals. And then I got home just in time for Singapore Idol, and guess what dinner was? Baked rice with chicken wings! What awesome timing.
Wednesday, December 01, 2004
Additions
Black lace corset, Mango, $45
Jacket in pink and grey plaid, Mango, $129
Charmeuse satin top in ice-green with voile straps and beaded pink neckline, Mango, $50
Trenchcoat-styled waist-length cream jacket, TopShop, $129 (hot!)
Shrug with Oriental-knot tie, ebase, $45
Black knit tank with five-flower applique on the left, Bysi, $31 (hot!)
Coral knotted top with inner tube, Yin & Yang, $33
Butterfly sequinned pin, Yin & Yang, $19
Black tank trimmed with rhinestones, Esprit, $29 (hot!)
Dangle earrings with hollow heart finials, Perlini's Silver, $14 (hot!)
Faux crocodile skin slipper with bow, x:odus, $26.90
Suede-soled slipper with geometric silk straps, x:odus, $26.90
Button tote in hot pink, x:odus, $32 (hot!)
Pink corduroy skirt, Abercrombie & Fitch, $42.90
Beige short skirt with matching ribbon-tie, Abercrombie & Fitch, $36.90 (hot!)
White front-tie top with smocked back, Plaza Sing, $19.90
Resort flip-flops, Delias.com
Herringbone clutch with rose pin, Old Navy
Cobalt mesh bag in snowflake print, Old Navy
Acquisitions
Four pairs of jewelled stud earrings, Plaza Sing
Yes, even I cannot miss the irony so blatant in the lines above when I contrast my additions and acquisitions columns. All this goes to show that I am flat-out broke. I somehow managed to subsist on twenty sad dollars drawn from my bank account for the month of November by scrounging around and claiming legitimate expenses i.e. study dinners. All that is about to change in December, a month where the norms of the festive season practically mandate maniacal consumption. Yesirree how does it feel to know the fate of the global economy is in our penny-pinching hands?
Today was a wonderful day where our post-exam, pre-Christmas celebration began with waffles at Gelare's. That's pretty self-explanatory I think! I tried this super-sweet pralines and cream flavour (which tastes as awesome as it sounds) with chocolate sauce and banana, so I felt the additional $1.20 I paid for all the toppings was definitely worth it!
After that Erin, Wei Xuan, Sheena, Melissa, Ernie and I decided to work out! Yesh, you heard me right! We decided to take a healthy long walk in the shops. Heh heh heh not funny you say. But it was oh so much fun! All of us took turns at trying on clothes and this was the first time I'd ever been out shopping with Xuan. One thing seriously good about hitting the stores with her is that she is very straightforward about what looks cool and what doesn't on you, and I guess I certainly could use her reality check! Ladies and gentleman, we really ought to do that again... Do I see Ernie flinching? (Nah, thanks for your patience with us girls, Ernie!)
Taufik for President... I mean, Singapore Idol!
Sylvester doesn't need to win. It is an open secret that even if he comes in as the runner-up, his rabid fan-base of screeching schoolgirls can still be counted on to wave placards, mob performances and eventually buy his albums. Sly will still secure a contract to record in Chinese. But the last time he shined, if even dimly, in this competition was three weeks ago when he sang a Jay Chou song in Mandarin, and as any media mogul will tell you, twenty-one days is a long time for a news-craving public to remember.
Taufik, on the other hand, does. Not only does he deserve some recognition of his continuous efforts to come across as a likeable contestant but also emerge as one of the frontrunners of the Idol pack with marked vocal and technical improvement, he is the ideal choice to represent Singapore on the World Idol stage. (If Sylvester wins and pulls another "Music of The Night" stunt on World Idol, I will seriously consider migrating.) Even the DJs are rooting for Taufik, and they should know: it is they who come into contact with breakthrough artists and seasoned professionals on a daily basis, and they who will be playing the singles of Taufik (or Sylvester) on our airwaves. Sylvester's hordes of fans (which is rightly derived from the root word, "fanatic") may vote for him multiple times, but how many CDs can each pocket-money-saving, piggy-bank-smashing prepubescent buy? In contrast, the demographically wider supporter base of Taufik indicates potentially stronger record sales, which is crucial if he wishes to remain in this industry and not be a wannabe flash-in-the-pan who's had his thirty seconds of fame.
The concept behind the Idol series and franchises is simple. Pluck an unknown from obscurity, and give him or her a once-in-a-lifetime shot at stardom. We as the viewing audience tune in because we are captivated by the fact that any one of these eager young voices could be our own. We relate to the contestants on the show not because they are already superstars, but because they represent the everyman, and the very meritocratic ideal that a nobody can become a somebody. Maybe with effort, maybe with popularity, or personality, or even sheer luck. But the person belting his or her lungs and heart out on that stage could very well be you or I, and that's what has us cancelling appointments and postponing dates just so we can stay glued to the gogglebox.
May Singapore be colour-blind, not tone-deaf. Let us not judge the contestants by the colour of their skin but by the quality of their voices and their drive, passion and commitment to singing. In this respect, Taufik should win.
BeLoved FM is Back! (the third in the series)
From CCHS: Fangfang, Zhu Mei, Chu Xian. You girls have known me the longest, and miraculously decided to stick with me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the many precious memories. For the sweat and toil behind Talentime Team Dance- 2nd (remember the nicks? Spunky, Crazy, Funky and one more, but I forget-- how nice to be fifteen), the shopping trips, the numerous school projects (I did so many with you girls that I lost count) where you all were such awesome teammates, and the happy dinners when we were still "women in the working world" (this especially to Chu Xian, who came down to Suntec from your workplace at Citibank Millenia to lunch with me, many many times). I hope there will be many more memories we can make.
Chon Ju, Wen Hua. I am grateful to have known you well and one thing I strongly believe in is that real friendship can witshtand the twin tests of time and space. Call me out of the blue and I will still be there for you. And thank you for trusting me, and for your openness and candour, even up till this day. I left Chung Cheng with fond thoughts and a full heart because God placed you all in my life.
Zhenning. Girl you've gotta go out and chill sometime with us! Quit putting it off please! If 7 pm is too late for you let's do an afternoon movie or cycling in the park, doesn't matter to me. It takes two people to balance on a see-saw called friendship, and I believe you cannot be incapable of that. That aside, thank you for being one of the sweetest persons I've known and choir life would have been a drudge without your constant presence.
Black lace corset, Mango, $45
Jacket in pink and grey plaid, Mango, $129
Charmeuse satin top in ice-green with voile straps and beaded pink neckline, Mango, $50
Trenchcoat-styled waist-length cream jacket, TopShop, $129 (hot!)
Shrug with Oriental-knot tie, ebase, $45
Black knit tank with five-flower applique on the left, Bysi, $31 (hot!)
Coral knotted top with inner tube, Yin & Yang, $33
Butterfly sequinned pin, Yin & Yang, $19
Black tank trimmed with rhinestones, Esprit, $29 (hot!)
Dangle earrings with hollow heart finials, Perlini's Silver, $14 (hot!)
Faux crocodile skin slipper with bow, x:odus, $26.90
Suede-soled slipper with geometric silk straps, x:odus, $26.90
Button tote in hot pink, x:odus, $32 (hot!)
Pink corduroy skirt, Abercrombie & Fitch, $42.90
Beige short skirt with matching ribbon-tie, Abercrombie & Fitch, $36.90 (hot!)
White front-tie top with smocked back, Plaza Sing, $19.90
Resort flip-flops, Delias.com
Herringbone clutch with rose pin, Old Navy
Cobalt mesh bag in snowflake print, Old Navy
Acquisitions
Four pairs of jewelled stud earrings, Plaza Sing
Yes, even I cannot miss the irony so blatant in the lines above when I contrast my additions and acquisitions columns. All this goes to show that I am flat-out broke. I somehow managed to subsist on twenty sad dollars drawn from my bank account for the month of November by scrounging around and claiming legitimate expenses i.e. study dinners. All that is about to change in December, a month where the norms of the festive season practically mandate maniacal consumption. Yesirree how does it feel to know the fate of the global economy is in our penny-pinching hands?
Today was a wonderful day where our post-exam, pre-Christmas celebration began with waffles at Gelare's. That's pretty self-explanatory I think! I tried this super-sweet pralines and cream flavour (which tastes as awesome as it sounds) with chocolate sauce and banana, so I felt the additional $1.20 I paid for all the toppings was definitely worth it!
After that Erin, Wei Xuan, Sheena, Melissa, Ernie and I decided to work out! Yesh, you heard me right! We decided to take a healthy long walk in the shops. Heh heh heh not funny you say. But it was oh so much fun! All of us took turns at trying on clothes and this was the first time I'd ever been out shopping with Xuan. One thing seriously good about hitting the stores with her is that she is very straightforward about what looks cool and what doesn't on you, and I guess I certainly could use her reality check! Ladies and gentleman, we really ought to do that again... Do I see Ernie flinching? (Nah, thanks for your patience with us girls, Ernie!)
Taufik for President... I mean, Singapore Idol!
Sylvester doesn't need to win. It is an open secret that even if he comes in as the runner-up, his rabid fan-base of screeching schoolgirls can still be counted on to wave placards, mob performances and eventually buy his albums. Sly will still secure a contract to record in Chinese. But the last time he shined, if even dimly, in this competition was three weeks ago when he sang a Jay Chou song in Mandarin, and as any media mogul will tell you, twenty-one days is a long time for a news-craving public to remember.
Taufik, on the other hand, does. Not only does he deserve some recognition of his continuous efforts to come across as a likeable contestant but also emerge as one of the frontrunners of the Idol pack with marked vocal and technical improvement, he is the ideal choice to represent Singapore on the World Idol stage. (If Sylvester wins and pulls another "Music of The Night" stunt on World Idol, I will seriously consider migrating.) Even the DJs are rooting for Taufik, and they should know: it is they who come into contact with breakthrough artists and seasoned professionals on a daily basis, and they who will be playing the singles of Taufik (or Sylvester) on our airwaves. Sylvester's hordes of fans (which is rightly derived from the root word, "fanatic") may vote for him multiple times, but how many CDs can each pocket-money-saving, piggy-bank-smashing prepubescent buy? In contrast, the demographically wider supporter base of Taufik indicates potentially stronger record sales, which is crucial if he wishes to remain in this industry and not be a wannabe flash-in-the-pan who's had his thirty seconds of fame.
The concept behind the Idol series and franchises is simple. Pluck an unknown from obscurity, and give him or her a once-in-a-lifetime shot at stardom. We as the viewing audience tune in because we are captivated by the fact that any one of these eager young voices could be our own. We relate to the contestants on the show not because they are already superstars, but because they represent the everyman, and the very meritocratic ideal that a nobody can become a somebody. Maybe with effort, maybe with popularity, or personality, or even sheer luck. But the person belting his or her lungs and heart out on that stage could very well be you or I, and that's what has us cancelling appointments and postponing dates just so we can stay glued to the gogglebox.
May Singapore be colour-blind, not tone-deaf. Let us not judge the contestants by the colour of their skin but by the quality of their voices and their drive, passion and commitment to singing. In this respect, Taufik should win.
BeLoved FM is Back! (the third in the series)
From CCHS: Fangfang, Zhu Mei, Chu Xian. You girls have known me the longest, and miraculously decided to stick with me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the many precious memories. For the sweat and toil behind Talentime Team Dance- 2nd (remember the nicks? Spunky, Crazy, Funky and one more, but I forget-- how nice to be fifteen), the shopping trips, the numerous school projects (I did so many with you girls that I lost count) where you all were such awesome teammates, and the happy dinners when we were still "women in the working world" (this especially to Chu Xian, who came down to Suntec from your workplace at Citibank Millenia to lunch with me, many many times). I hope there will be many more memories we can make.
Chon Ju, Wen Hua. I am grateful to have known you well and one thing I strongly believe in is that real friendship can witshtand the twin tests of time and space. Call me out of the blue and I will still be there for you. And thank you for trusting me, and for your openness and candour, even up till this day. I left Chung Cheng with fond thoughts and a full heart because God placed you all in my life.
Zhenning. Girl you've gotta go out and chill sometime with us! Quit putting it off please! If 7 pm is too late for you let's do an afternoon movie or cycling in the park, doesn't matter to me. It takes two people to balance on a see-saw called friendship, and I believe you cannot be incapable of that. That aside, thank you for being one of the sweetest persons I've known and choir life would have been a drudge without your constant presence.
Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Freedom is all it's cracked up to be. All of a sudden, there's a quiet humming of relief when you finally set your pen down, tie your answer booklets together and think to yourself, "I'm done" (not "I'm done for"), and a latent ecstasy when you consider the various ways you intend to waste, I mean, spend, your holidays. Tastes every bit as good as I hoped it'd be, and I haven't even gone to Gelare's. Yet.
Factoid aka shameless self-promotion of the day: dear visitors to my blog, as you can see in the column on your left, I have linked my mother's page, www.cakesandpastries.blogspot.com. At the urging of the creators of this site and the goodies featured within aka my sis and mum, you are all most welcome to drop by! (And if you like the picture of the log cake--which I must confess has long been gobbled up by us three kids, my very entrepreneurial sister has somehow devised a way to send it as an e-card, complete with festive greetings pirated from Hallmark's repertoire.)
Seasonal plans
30 Nov Gelare@PS with Dolus girls (all guys welcome too!)
1 Dec Lunch@Orchard with TJ girls (so we can get back early and catch the SI showdown!)
2 Dec Library@Orchard with David
3 Dec Outing@Sentosa with Teltan
4 Dec Birthday Celebration@Octopus for Valencia
5 Dec Springcleaning/ Packing@home (harharhar)
6 Dec KL, shopping@Times Square (yes what else would we do there?)
7 Dec KL, hair appointment (calculated risk)
8 Dec KL, amusement park (giggle you can never be too old for a roller coaster ride!)
9 Dec Return from KL, Dinner/ Shopping/ Pubbing@Orchard with CCHS girls
10 Dec Rest!
11 Dec Cell retreat@Daniel Hall with FCBC girls (Cindy, is Big Splash still on?)
12Dec Cell retreat@Daniel Hall
13 Dec Project Christmas
14 Dec Project Christmas
15 Dec Chionging@Zouk (tentative)
16 Dec Rest!
17 Dec Bintan with subzone leaders
18 Dec Bintan
19 Dec Bintan
20 Dec Project Christmas
Factoid aka shameless self-promotion of the day: dear visitors to my blog, as you can see in the column on your left, I have linked my mother's page, www.cakesandpastries.blogspot.com. At the urging of the creators of this site and the goodies featured within aka my sis and mum, you are all most welcome to drop by! (And if you like the picture of the log cake--which I must confess has long been gobbled up by us three kids, my very entrepreneurial sister has somehow devised a way to send it as an e-card, complete with festive greetings pirated from Hallmark's repertoire.)
Seasonal plans
30 Nov Gelare@PS with Dolus girls (all guys welcome too!)
1 Dec Lunch@Orchard with TJ girls (so we can get back early and catch the SI showdown!)
2 Dec Library@Orchard with David
3 Dec Outing@Sentosa with Teltan
4 Dec Birthday Celebration@Octopus for Valencia
5 Dec Springcleaning/ Packing@home (harharhar)
6 Dec KL, shopping@Times Square (yes what else would we do there?)
7 Dec KL, hair appointment (calculated risk)
8 Dec KL, amusement park (giggle you can never be too old for a roller coaster ride!)
9 Dec Return from KL, Dinner/ Shopping/ Pubbing@Orchard with CCHS girls
10 Dec Rest!
11 Dec Cell retreat@Daniel Hall with FCBC girls (Cindy, is Big Splash still on?)
12Dec Cell retreat@Daniel Hall
13 Dec Project Christmas
14 Dec Project Christmas
15 Dec Chionging@Zouk (tentative)
16 Dec Rest!
17 Dec Bintan with subzone leaders
18 Dec Bintan
19 Dec Bintan
20 Dec Project Christmas
Sunday, November 28, 2004
15 hours to my last paper, but even the prospect of five weeks' freedom looming on the horizon has not induced me to begin preparations for Anthropology GEK1005.
Three essays, two hours, nine topics, none studied. (Sounds rather like Jeff Probst on "Survivor" doesn't it?)
I hope I'll be able to find Eusoff Hall without too much hassle tomorrow. The first time I tried to take a shuttle bus to MPSH ("just take A2 and alight two stops after"), I wound up lost, taking buses trial-and-error style for an hour! The second time, my parents drove me. I somehow directed them to go in the opposite direction and we found ourselves stopping outside the Kent Ridge Residences, and so we backtracked, only to land up at the Faculty of Law. A helpful janitor there finally gave me clear instructions ("find the ring road and you'll be okay") and I made it to the exam hall with twenty minutes to kill. Whew. Moral of story: Bring a map (or a friend) if you're direction-illiterate.
I've learnt my lesson. I try to reach school an hour before my paper starts. My reasoning is simple: it gives me sixty minutes' grace to ensure that I won't be late or lost. Furthermore, there's stress-by-osmosis (a self-coined theory, and you'll know why it's an amateur's invention after reading the next couple lines). On seeing all the chao-muggers feverishly scanning their revision mindmaps for like, the third time, I will be motivated to cover mine too, for the first time.
You never know, context-dependent memory effects and encoding specificity might apply (or it might not, as in the case of my horrendous Lit paper, where with my six books in tow I discovered to my utter chagrin that it wasn't open book. Smoked my way through it. Misanthropy? Had no idea it meant "hatred of man" before this exam or how it applied to a play about rhinoceroses, and now I'm wondering which man it is I should be hating. -cough Dr G cough- Deconstruction, my weakest topic i.e. deconstruction, what's that?, came out as a short general essay. It was so short, it was done in ten minutes.
Worst thing was, I told Liwen and Wynne it was open book too, so I felt so horrible about that! I mean, it's one thing to be blur when it only affects you, but quite another when it could possibly pull down your friends too. Babes, many profuse apologies! It was little wonder that after those two terrible hours of torture we braved a thunderstorm to order waffles alfresco (for Wen and Wyn) at the Coffee Club Express. Soul-food therapy.) This is my cue to start singing: "There can be miracles/ when you believe..."
I sort of promised Melissa (who has been my academic motivator this e-x-a-m period-- thanks soo much dearie!) that I would begin work at 1 pm today, but yours truly slept until 7pm and woke up only for my meals. I couldn't help it! The weather was perfect. It was drizzling and cold, and I was either surrounded by lots of silk cushions or bundled up in my favourite Elle hoodie, which I must always wear this time of the year. Giggle my somnambulistic ways are well known to my grandmum, who calls me a "ngan fan ju", or "sleepy pig", in Cantonese. I can't say I entirely disagree.
BeLoved FM: A Christmas Dedication Series
From Cannaville, Singapore: Together, we have shared many special moments and countless nights. We make pillow-talk, and you always know how exactly to bolster my self-esteem, whiling the hours away just lying together, side by side, enveloped in our world of dreams where no outsider can enter. I am content in your company, and there is nothing more wonderful than having you by my side to snuggle with, day or night, rain or shine. We are hardly apart, and when we are, I miss you. Your caress is soft, yet firm, you provide support; your embrace is perpetually warm and constantly inviting, blanketing me.
Thank you, my bed and sofa. I can always count on you to give me a good night's sleep.
Tsk tsk. I hear some disappointed groans. Now what were you guys thinking?
Three essays, two hours, nine topics, none studied. (Sounds rather like Jeff Probst on "Survivor" doesn't it?)
I hope I'll be able to find Eusoff Hall without too much hassle tomorrow. The first time I tried to take a shuttle bus to MPSH ("just take A2 and alight two stops after"), I wound up lost, taking buses trial-and-error style for an hour! The second time, my parents drove me. I somehow directed them to go in the opposite direction and we found ourselves stopping outside the Kent Ridge Residences, and so we backtracked, only to land up at the Faculty of Law. A helpful janitor there finally gave me clear instructions ("find the ring road and you'll be okay") and I made it to the exam hall with twenty minutes to kill. Whew. Moral of story: Bring a map (or a friend) if you're direction-illiterate.
I've learnt my lesson. I try to reach school an hour before my paper starts. My reasoning is simple: it gives me sixty minutes' grace to ensure that I won't be late or lost. Furthermore, there's stress-by-osmosis (a self-coined theory, and you'll know why it's an amateur's invention after reading the next couple lines). On seeing all the chao-muggers feverishly scanning their revision mindmaps for like, the third time, I will be motivated to cover mine too, for the first time.
You never know, context-dependent memory effects and encoding specificity might apply (or it might not, as in the case of my horrendous Lit paper, where with my six books in tow I discovered to my utter chagrin that it wasn't open book. Smoked my way through it. Misanthropy? Had no idea it meant "hatred of man" before this exam or how it applied to a play about rhinoceroses, and now I'm wondering which man it is I should be hating. -cough Dr G cough- Deconstruction, my weakest topic i.e. deconstruction, what's that?, came out as a short general essay. It was so short, it was done in ten minutes.
Worst thing was, I told Liwen and Wynne it was open book too, so I felt so horrible about that! I mean, it's one thing to be blur when it only affects you, but quite another when it could possibly pull down your friends too. Babes, many profuse apologies! It was little wonder that after those two terrible hours of torture we braved a thunderstorm to order waffles alfresco (for Wen and Wyn) at the Coffee Club Express. Soul-food therapy.) This is my cue to start singing: "There can be miracles/ when you believe..."
I sort of promised Melissa (who has been my academic motivator this e-x-a-m period-- thanks soo much dearie!) that I would begin work at 1 pm today, but yours truly slept until 7pm and woke up only for my meals. I couldn't help it! The weather was perfect. It was drizzling and cold, and I was either surrounded by lots of silk cushions or bundled up in my favourite Elle hoodie, which I must always wear this time of the year. Giggle my somnambulistic ways are well known to my grandmum, who calls me a "ngan fan ju", or "sleepy pig", in Cantonese. I can't say I entirely disagree.
BeLoved FM: A Christmas Dedication Series
From Cannaville, Singapore: Together, we have shared many special moments and countless nights. We make pillow-talk, and you always know how exactly to bolster my self-esteem, whiling the hours away just lying together, side by side, enveloped in our world of dreams where no outsider can enter. I am content in your company, and there is nothing more wonderful than having you by my side to snuggle with, day or night, rain or shine. We are hardly apart, and when we are, I miss you. Your caress is soft, yet firm, you provide support; your embrace is perpetually warm and constantly inviting, blanketing me.
Thank you, my bed and sofa. I can always count on you to give me a good night's sleep.
Tsk tsk. I hear some disappointed groans. Now what were you guys thinking?
Saturday, November 27, 2004
Additions
Hot pink satin evening clutch, Guess, $85.90 (hot!)
Cream laminated leather handbag with black piping and diamante "G" logo, Guess, $109.90 I think
Black zip-front jacket with silver ring pull, U2, $59
Faded green felt blazer, U2, $129
Brown tank with lace V-neckline, U2, $26
Three-quarter newsboy pants in purple plaid, ebase, $45
Platinum lariat necklace with filigree knotting, Perlini's, $40
Nail polish duo with rhinestone nail art stickers, Fasio, $12.40
Colorama nail polish, Maybelline
Tooled leather belt, Isetan
Beige silk wrapped minaudiere with pewter-hued curved handles, Accessorize, $49.90
Cobalt raw silk bag with wooden round handles and wooden chips embroidered vertically, Accessorize, $32.90
Double-square earrings in lime green and brown, Accessorize
Silver geometric pendant on white leather dual-cord, Accessorize
Ear studs in pink pearl and crystal, set of three pairs, Six (hot!)
Silver hoops with translucent purple beads and cross motif, Sasca
Just to let me know, I have created a new system of further classifying my additions. I shall simply put "hot" in brackets behind the items I desire the most. Foolproof eh?
Today was good and bad. Good, because Sandy and Yammi turned up unexpectedly for service! Goodness knows how much I missed those two friends. Especially Yam. Especially. =) Babe I'm real glad I got to see you today, and let's make good on our promise to meet up "sometime in the near future".
Bad, because just as soon as people reenter your lives, others must leave. I sense that you are closing the door on our friendship. We have tried so hard, and if you must go, at least tell us why. What went wrong, what did we do, and what did we not do? It's especially sad because I know you will never read this, the both of you, my dear friends (and to me, you still have that place in my heart) who have never known each other, and are only separated by the one degree of contact that is yours truly. Your once-upon-a-time, ex-friend. At least, that is what I suspect I soon will be, because friendship takes two parties to maintain. To love, to share, to simply trust. I have tried, trust me.
That's all I ask, if I am worthy at all to ask. That those whom I call my friends trust me, because there are many people that I trust, and a few that I trust wholeheartedly. It works both ways.
So today, I'd like to tell all my friends who have left footprints in my heart at one time or another, that I truly am grateful for having known you, and you have added spice and flavour in your own special way to this life of mine. I thank you for caring. In the spirit of Christmas, I'd like to start a dedication series to my loved ones, to let you know, albeit in this rather insignificant way, and I earnestly encourage you, dear reader, to do the same. I don't know how much of a difference this will make, if any, but at least I can say I tried. And of course, on a cornier note, I'm entitling my dedication series, BeLoved FM. Tell me you catch the pun.
From TJC:
Shuhui and Hamidah. You girls are so special to me. I am thankful for every time you were game to go shopping with me between classes (yes! the extent of my slackerhood!), for being there as that helping hand everytime I had one of those fainting fits in school due to my period (I do remember), for your encouragement and for believing in me when I didn't believe in myself. For standing squarely on my side through the trainwreck that was my breakup, and for the fact that I know that I can turn to you even if we study in three different universities.
Liwen, Eunice, Joan, Yingling, Rozie, Zihui, Kia Dai. For being a part of my JC (and uni) life that simply wouldn't be as colourful without you! Your love and companionship made academia that much more memorable-- at least if we slept in lectures, we slept together. Solidarity I say! I had one thing to look forward to every morning as I got ready for school --you girls.
Friendship Day where we could don streetwear and our teachers had to wear the TJ uniform and the first time I ever received so many little goodies and gifts from the heart. Racial Harmony Day where we all borrowed ethnic outfits from each other (Hami and Rozie, namely). Taking silly candid shots around campus. Wednesday hawker lunches of the famous Bedok roti prata and murtabak opposite school which we could never quite finish. The lame jokes and easy conversation that was a staple of every other normal schoolday.
Grad Nite at the Ritz with you all was one of the best moments of my life, from all the shopping trips months in advance, "fashion consultations", to our pizza party at Joan's place where we all paraded our dresses! May I say, that you were as stunning outside as you are inside.You all are amazing, talented individuals.
As you can see I'm not studying again. What's new?
Hot pink satin evening clutch, Guess, $85.90 (hot!)
Cream laminated leather handbag with black piping and diamante "G" logo, Guess, $109.90 I think
Black zip-front jacket with silver ring pull, U2, $59
Faded green felt blazer, U2, $129
Brown tank with lace V-neckline, U2, $26
Three-quarter newsboy pants in purple plaid, ebase, $45
Platinum lariat necklace with filigree knotting, Perlini's, $40
Nail polish duo with rhinestone nail art stickers, Fasio, $12.40
Colorama nail polish, Maybelline
Tooled leather belt, Isetan
Beige silk wrapped minaudiere with pewter-hued curved handles, Accessorize, $49.90
Cobalt raw silk bag with wooden round handles and wooden chips embroidered vertically, Accessorize, $32.90
Double-square earrings in lime green and brown, Accessorize
Silver geometric pendant on white leather dual-cord, Accessorize
Ear studs in pink pearl and crystal, set of three pairs, Six (hot!)
Silver hoops with translucent purple beads and cross motif, Sasca
Just to let me know, I have created a new system of further classifying my additions. I shall simply put "hot" in brackets behind the items I desire the most. Foolproof eh?
Today was good and bad. Good, because Sandy and Yammi turned up unexpectedly for service! Goodness knows how much I missed those two friends. Especially Yam. Especially. =) Babe I'm real glad I got to see you today, and let's make good on our promise to meet up "sometime in the near future".
Bad, because just as soon as people reenter your lives, others must leave. I sense that you are closing the door on our friendship. We have tried so hard, and if you must go, at least tell us why. What went wrong, what did we do, and what did we not do? It's especially sad because I know you will never read this, the both of you, my dear friends (and to me, you still have that place in my heart) who have never known each other, and are only separated by the one degree of contact that is yours truly. Your once-upon-a-time, ex-friend. At least, that is what I suspect I soon will be, because friendship takes two parties to maintain. To love, to share, to simply trust. I have tried, trust me.
That's all I ask, if I am worthy at all to ask. That those whom I call my friends trust me, because there are many people that I trust, and a few that I trust wholeheartedly. It works both ways.
So today, I'd like to tell all my friends who have left footprints in my heart at one time or another, that I truly am grateful for having known you, and you have added spice and flavour in your own special way to this life of mine. I thank you for caring. In the spirit of Christmas, I'd like to start a dedication series to my loved ones, to let you know, albeit in this rather insignificant way, and I earnestly encourage you, dear reader, to do the same. I don't know how much of a difference this will make, if any, but at least I can say I tried. And of course, on a cornier note, I'm entitling my dedication series, BeLoved FM. Tell me you catch the pun.
From TJC:
Shuhui and Hamidah. You girls are so special to me. I am thankful for every time you were game to go shopping with me between classes (yes! the extent of my slackerhood!), for being there as that helping hand everytime I had one of those fainting fits in school due to my period (I do remember), for your encouragement and for believing in me when I didn't believe in myself. For standing squarely on my side through the trainwreck that was my breakup, and for the fact that I know that I can turn to you even if we study in three different universities.
Liwen, Eunice, Joan, Yingling, Rozie, Zihui, Kia Dai. For being a part of my JC (and uni) life that simply wouldn't be as colourful without you! Your love and companionship made academia that much more memorable-- at least if we slept in lectures, we slept together. Solidarity I say! I had one thing to look forward to every morning as I got ready for school --you girls.
Friendship Day where we could don streetwear and our teachers had to wear the TJ uniform and the first time I ever received so many little goodies and gifts from the heart. Racial Harmony Day where we all borrowed ethnic outfits from each other (Hami and Rozie, namely). Taking silly candid shots around campus. Wednesday hawker lunches of the famous Bedok roti prata and murtabak opposite school which we could never quite finish. The lame jokes and easy conversation that was a staple of every other normal schoolday.
Grad Nite at the Ritz with you all was one of the best moments of my life, from all the shopping trips months in advance, "fashion consultations", to our pizza party at Joan's place where we all paraded our dresses! May I say, that you were as stunning outside as you are inside.You all are amazing, talented individuals.
As you can see I'm not studying again. What's new?
Blogging Principle #1: Never Apologize For Your Writing.
I refuse to apologize for expressing how I really feel, for being honest, and for the style, content, subjects and frequency of my writing.
Blogging Principle #2: Never Treat The Blogosphere As Your Personal Warzone.
I refuse to attack an unarmed cyber-opponent, regardless of how heinous his/her actions may be in real life. I refuse to abuse my entitlement to freedom of speech by slandering, maligning or gossiping about any person(s) online.
I can smell Christmas.
Study break today. By that I mean today was a break from studying. And yesterday too. Self-appointed, of course. Twenty-four hours of generally under-utilising my brain cells, alternately wandering from the television to the laptop, bumming around and sleeping. Ah blissful slumber. It can never be too long before I miss thee. I'm napping alot. I think I'm catching about as much shut-eye as a baby.
I don't know what to write. Or more accurately, what I want to write should not be written. Except that I am feeling rather disheartened. Let's just say it ain't related to my grades.
You packed your bags and
without a good-bye note, left.
Left. Left this friendship.
Joke of the week: Which local celebrity likes poetry? Sheikh Haiku.
(A haiku is a Japanese poem with three lines of 5-7-5 syllables respectively, like the one above.)
I refuse to apologize for expressing how I really feel, for being honest, and for the style, content, subjects and frequency of my writing.
Blogging Principle #2: Never Treat The Blogosphere As Your Personal Warzone.
I refuse to attack an unarmed cyber-opponent, regardless of how heinous his/her actions may be in real life. I refuse to abuse my entitlement to freedom of speech by slandering, maligning or gossiping about any person(s) online.
I can smell Christmas.
Study break today. By that I mean today was a break from studying. And yesterday too. Self-appointed, of course. Twenty-four hours of generally under-utilising my brain cells, alternately wandering from the television to the laptop, bumming around and sleeping. Ah blissful slumber. It can never be too long before I miss thee. I'm napping alot. I think I'm catching about as much shut-eye as a baby.
I don't know what to write. Or more accurately, what I want to write should not be written. Except that I am feeling rather disheartened. Let's just say it ain't related to my grades.
You packed your bags and
without a good-bye note, left.
Left. Left this friendship.
Joke of the week: Which local celebrity likes poetry? Sheikh Haiku.
(A haiku is a Japanese poem with three lines of 5-7-5 syllables respectively, like the one above.)
Thursday, November 25, 2004
Additions
Surplice cardigan, Country Road, $79.90
Vertically-striped racerback tank in lime and grass green, Country Road, $30-40something I think
Purple spaghetti strapped camisole with pink lace trimming, The OtherSide, $20-30something I think
Loose-fitting cotton shoulder-flared shirt in red, The OtherSide, $35.90
White cap-sleeved shirt with pastel sequins on shoulders, The OtherSide, $28.90
Pinstriped brown blazer with khaki acetate lining, Esprit, $129
Translucent chiffon empire-waisted blouse with ribbon tie at back in paisley snowflake print, Esprit, $49 (this I lurve!)
As seeing that I haven't been helping my baby grow (in terms of the volume of entries) over the weekend, here are some highlights of my otherwise test-clogged week.
On Sunday the central strap of the silver thong sandals I had borrowed (without my mother's permission!) broke as I was about to visit the powder room at Millenia. I called my mum, who promptly lambasted me for the entirely circumstantial and unrelated incidents in which both the 8250 she had handed down to me and her slippers had broken in my hands. These are the disaster-averting options she gleefully came up with over the phone at my expense.
1. Borrow David's shoes to go to the ladies' if I was that urgent. Which I wasn't, but after that horrendous phone call... This wouldn't pan out since sneakers, though nice they may look, simply do not go with a flowy asymmetrical skirt and black blazer.
2. Wear plastic bags on my feet. Hey, I could be a walking advertisement! And since it was raining, it would have the added benefit of being waterproof too!
So in the end, I just decided to shuffle about, and caught some guy staring rather obviously at my newfound style of perambulating outside the washroom. Then I couldn't help it, and burst out chuckling, and as I opened the door of the toilet still struggling to contain my mirth, two women on their way out flashed me a couple of strange looks. And David just had to rub it in by manfully striding to the pharmacy to buy sweets -- twice-- and insisted I accompany him the second time round. If that wasn't enough, he messaged me things like "look at my feet being lifted off the ground!" too! Giggle this lends new meaning to the phrase, "being in someone's shoes".
"You seem to be studying harder now than you have ever been your entire life." This quote came from both my mother and my cousin on two separate occasions on two separate continents the same day. That is, today. Which is pretty ironic, considering the amount of time and effort I have NOT put in for the November torrent of e-x-a-m-s. But I have been (optimistically speaking) less of a naughty girl this semester, I think, when I consider how uber-slack I was back in TJ. Yes indeed, look up "slacker" in the dictionary and you'd have seen a picture of me. That was then, when grades didn't matter (enough for me to slog for them, I guess). It is neither fair nor right of me to be complacent and non-diligent (I don't think this word exists!). I think to myself, If you want somethin' bad enough, then you have to work for it, whatever it takes.
I hate to admit that I am in almost-holiday mode after sitting for my second-to-last paper this evening, Sociology. Well, more updates on my papers in a soon-to-come post. A post-mortem, no pun intended on either the word "post" (as in blog entry) or the fact that a post-mortem is etymologically something you conduct on the dead. Okay paper review sounds marginally better.
But here is a little snippet. One of our eighty multiple-choice questions (on the OECD and measures of workplace sexism) went something like this
"XXXXXXXXXXXXX includes all of the following except _____."
a) XXXXX
b) XXXXX
c) XXXXX
d) none of the above
All of the following except none of the above? What's that supposed to mean? Was it just me, or was this Soci paper in some foreign language? Sheesh.
Nonsensical factoid for the day: I put "d) none of the above" as my answer for the abovementioned question.
We even had a celebration! Rochelle, Ernie (our ever-efficient event co-ordinator), Sheena, Erin and I went to PastaMania at Cine for dinner and I had spinach tortellini again. It seems that that dish is all I ever eat at PastaMania nowadays. Next up will be the pasta carboNAra recommended by Erin! We managed to pop by The OtherSide where the clothes were retailing at 50% off! I saw a really cute shirt at a side stall that had "If Lost/ Drunk, Please Return To __________" emblazoned on it too! Oh my gosh it seems that whenever we are together we always suffer from cheek muscle fatigue because we are doubled up and in stitches-- today was no exception. Roachie and Ernie, thank you so much for waiting for us three when our paper ended late!
Orchard was looking gorgeous tonight too. Though the walk from Taka where we dropped off to Cine wasn't that short, it meant that we were able to admire the entire stretch of road. Angels blowing their golden horns from every lamppost, Christmas jazz on the sidewalk is our music of the night, long cascades of neon bulbs festooned from the trees in some kind of celestial waterfall, fir trees literally swaying from side to side. And Erin suggested that someone put a star atop the glass dome of Wheelock Place, which resembles a rather big Christmas tree anyway!
Don't you just love Christmas?
All I Want For Christmas Is
my two front teeth =) (it's a song!)
to love and be loved. I wonder if I already am.
On the bus back, I really enjoyed chatting with Sheena. For once, I was glad that the ride took so long because it gave us more time to catch up. It was just wonderful to spend some quality time with a friend, and that's something I've been missing out on these few weeks, what with eleventh-hour cramming and all for most of us.
Surplice cardigan, Country Road, $79.90
Vertically-striped racerback tank in lime and grass green, Country Road, $30-40something I think
Purple spaghetti strapped camisole with pink lace trimming, The OtherSide, $20-30something I think
Loose-fitting cotton shoulder-flared shirt in red, The OtherSide, $35.90
White cap-sleeved shirt with pastel sequins on shoulders, The OtherSide, $28.90
Pinstriped brown blazer with khaki acetate lining, Esprit, $129
Translucent chiffon empire-waisted blouse with ribbon tie at back in paisley snowflake print, Esprit, $49 (this I lurve!)
As seeing that I haven't been helping my baby grow (in terms of the volume of entries) over the weekend, here are some highlights of my otherwise test-clogged week.
On Sunday the central strap of the silver thong sandals I had borrowed (without my mother's permission!) broke as I was about to visit the powder room at Millenia. I called my mum, who promptly lambasted me for the entirely circumstantial and unrelated incidents in which both the 8250 she had handed down to me and her slippers had broken in my hands. These are the disaster-averting options she gleefully came up with over the phone at my expense.
1. Borrow David's shoes to go to the ladies' if I was that urgent. Which I wasn't, but after that horrendous phone call... This wouldn't pan out since sneakers, though nice they may look, simply do not go with a flowy asymmetrical skirt and black blazer.
2. Wear plastic bags on my feet. Hey, I could be a walking advertisement! And since it was raining, it would have the added benefit of being waterproof too!
So in the end, I just decided to shuffle about, and caught some guy staring rather obviously at my newfound style of perambulating outside the washroom. Then I couldn't help it, and burst out chuckling, and as I opened the door of the toilet still struggling to contain my mirth, two women on their way out flashed me a couple of strange looks. And David just had to rub it in by manfully striding to the pharmacy to buy sweets -- twice-- and insisted I accompany him the second time round. If that wasn't enough, he messaged me things like "look at my feet being lifted off the ground!" too! Giggle this lends new meaning to the phrase, "being in someone's shoes".
"You seem to be studying harder now than you have ever been your entire life." This quote came from both my mother and my cousin on two separate occasions on two separate continents the same day. That is, today. Which is pretty ironic, considering the amount of time and effort I have NOT put in for the November torrent of e-x-a-m-s. But I have been (optimistically speaking) less of a naughty girl this semester, I think, when I consider how uber-slack I was back in TJ. Yes indeed, look up "slacker" in the dictionary and you'd have seen a picture of me. That was then, when grades didn't matter (enough for me to slog for them, I guess). It is neither fair nor right of me to be complacent and non-diligent (I don't think this word exists!). I think to myself, If you want somethin' bad enough, then you have to work for it, whatever it takes.
I hate to admit that I am in almost-holiday mode after sitting for my second-to-last paper this evening, Sociology. Well, more updates on my papers in a soon-to-come post. A post-mortem, no pun intended on either the word "post" (as in blog entry) or the fact that a post-mortem is etymologically something you conduct on the dead. Okay paper review sounds marginally better.
But here is a little snippet. One of our eighty multiple-choice questions (on the OECD and measures of workplace sexism) went something like this
"XXXXXXXXXXXXX includes all of the following except _____."
a) XXXXX
b) XXXXX
c) XXXXX
d) none of the above
All of the following except none of the above? What's that supposed to mean? Was it just me, or was this Soci paper in some foreign language? Sheesh.
Nonsensical factoid for the day: I put "d) none of the above" as my answer for the abovementioned question.
We even had a celebration! Rochelle, Ernie (our ever-efficient event co-ordinator), Sheena, Erin and I went to PastaMania at Cine for dinner and I had spinach tortellini again. It seems that that dish is all I ever eat at PastaMania nowadays. Next up will be the pasta carboNAra recommended by Erin! We managed to pop by The OtherSide where the clothes were retailing at 50% off! I saw a really cute shirt at a side stall that had "If Lost/ Drunk, Please Return To __________" emblazoned on it too! Oh my gosh it seems that whenever we are together we always suffer from cheek muscle fatigue because we are doubled up and in stitches-- today was no exception. Roachie and Ernie, thank you so much for waiting for us three when our paper ended late!
Orchard was looking gorgeous tonight too. Though the walk from Taka where we dropped off to Cine wasn't that short, it meant that we were able to admire the entire stretch of road. Angels blowing their golden horns from every lamppost, Christmas jazz on the sidewalk is our music of the night, long cascades of neon bulbs festooned from the trees in some kind of celestial waterfall, fir trees literally swaying from side to side. And Erin suggested that someone put a star atop the glass dome of Wheelock Place, which resembles a rather big Christmas tree anyway!
Don't you just love Christmas?
All I Want For Christmas Is
my two front teeth =) (it's a song!)
to love and be loved. I wonder if I already am.
On the bus back, I really enjoyed chatting with Sheena. For once, I was glad that the ride took so long because it gave us more time to catch up. It was just wonderful to spend some quality time with a friend, and that's something I've been missing out on these few weeks, what with eleventh-hour cramming and all for most of us.
Friday, November 19, 2004
On my modules
Literature... One down, three to go.
English... One down, twenty-one to go.
On my major
I guess Linguistics isn't so bad after all. I'm doing this now, right after the exam and just before I get back my results, because I want neither fear nor anxiety about my revision or grades to gnaw at me and influence my perception. For all the countless nights I have stayed up worrying about my major, and carefully calculating the exact number of modules I have to take, fretting about the big "if" that Sociology (my pet subject) as an alternative major would offer. I realise that without language, we would be deprived of all forms of communication (especially when you consider that intangibles like body language and the language of love are languages in themselves too). Philosophy, history, the spoken word, even mathematics only exist because of language. We simply cannot extricate ourselves from the reality of linguistic necessity. I'm planning already, and hoping I can do an Honours thesis at the end of my four years here, rather than take module after countless module.
On Semester 2
I'm hoping to take Historical Variation (English), Japanese Studies, Singapore Studies, a Science GEM/ CFM (Marketing) and Sociology of Deviance. (Yes instead of mugging I do this. Heehee. It's funner.) And I would absolutely, completely, like totally love to take it with... YOU! Feel free to reciprocrate dear friends! And if you study in NTU or SMU or SP but still feel like coming down to beauuuutiful Kent Ridge, that's even better!
R.J. on Style Doctors: "Two words, plain and boring." That's three words.
Gurmit Singh on Singapore Idol: "Can I tell you the results now?" You could've told us half an hour ago.
Today after my Linguistics exam and collection of Lit term paper/ project, I came home and crashed for four hours! Which means, I haven't studied for Psychology.
After SI and Survivor, I went for supper at Mac's with my brother and dad. Gabriel just graduated from his primary school today and here we are, in our third school already after 12 years of academia. Wow. I loved the drizzle tonight! It was so romantic. Just puts you in the mood for love, the kind of love where he tucks you in by the fireplace with a quilted blanket and a mug of comfortingly hot chocolate. Though of course, I have neither a significant other nor a fireplace (who does in Singapore!). But I have a quilted blanket (even if it's coming apart at the seams), anyone wanna share? Oops.
Tomorrow (which is technically later today), there's cell outing. I'm hoping everyone can make it! I'm in the heat of e-x-a-m-i-n-a-t-i-o-n-s, but I'm going, so I'm hoping everyone else will take some time out to come! We're dropping by Xiao Yan's workplace for lunch at PS, followed by a visit to Meow's carnival.
Don't bother, though bruised
and battered I may be, I'm
just fighting myself.
Literature... One down, three to go.
English... One down, twenty-one to go.
On my major
I guess Linguistics isn't so bad after all. I'm doing this now, right after the exam and just before I get back my results, because I want neither fear nor anxiety about my revision or grades to gnaw at me and influence my perception. For all the countless nights I have stayed up worrying about my major, and carefully calculating the exact number of modules I have to take, fretting about the big "if" that Sociology (my pet subject) as an alternative major would offer. I realise that without language, we would be deprived of all forms of communication (especially when you consider that intangibles like body language and the language of love are languages in themselves too). Philosophy, history, the spoken word, even mathematics only exist because of language. We simply cannot extricate ourselves from the reality of linguistic necessity. I'm planning already, and hoping I can do an Honours thesis at the end of my four years here, rather than take module after countless module.
On Semester 2
I'm hoping to take Historical Variation (English), Japanese Studies, Singapore Studies, a Science GEM/ CFM (Marketing) and Sociology of Deviance. (Yes instead of mugging I do this. Heehee. It's funner.) And I would absolutely, completely, like totally love to take it with... YOU! Feel free to reciprocrate dear friends! And if you study in NTU or SMU or SP but still feel like coming down to beauuuutiful Kent Ridge, that's even better!
R.J. on Style Doctors: "Two words, plain and boring." That's three words.
Gurmit Singh on Singapore Idol: "Can I tell you the results now?" You could've told us half an hour ago.
Today after my Linguistics exam and collection of Lit term paper/ project, I came home and crashed for four hours! Which means, I haven't studied for Psychology.
After SI and Survivor, I went for supper at Mac's with my brother and dad. Gabriel just graduated from his primary school today and here we are, in our third school already after 12 years of academia. Wow. I loved the drizzle tonight! It was so romantic. Just puts you in the mood for love, the kind of love where he tucks you in by the fireplace with a quilted blanket and a mug of comfortingly hot chocolate. Though of course, I have neither a significant other nor a fireplace (who does in Singapore!). But I have a quilted blanket (even if it's coming apart at the seams), anyone wanna share? Oops.
Tomorrow (which is technically later today), there's cell outing. I'm hoping everyone can make it! I'm in the heat of e-x-a-m-i-n-a-t-i-o-n-s, but I'm going, so I'm hoping everyone else will take some time out to come! We're dropping by Xiao Yan's workplace for lunch at PS, followed by a visit to Meow's carnival.
Don't bother, though bruised
and battered I may be, I'm
just fighting myself.
Wednesday, November 17, 2004
36 hours to first paper!
There isn't much to say. Yesterday, Erin, Sheena, the Melster and I burrowed down at the Esplanade Library for a study marathon. For me, it was a personal record: earliest study group ever (11.10 a.m.)! The librarian walked right up to us at 1 pm and very pointedly positioned the "no studying" signs right in our faces so we moved house to the ArtCafe and had our lunch there. I think I'll just stick with my "puppy-dog diarrhoea" ice-blended next time-- the japanese curry rice was bland and the peach tea tasted like sugared water.
You know you want it...
Chocolate Overload. Swiss Chocolate Caramel. Blueberry Cheesecake Yoghurt.
Ice-cream flavours, of course!
We gave up studying around 5.30 p.m. and headed over to Gelare's but just as we reached the all-embracing doors of Suntec, Erin's dad called to pick her up. So it was just the three of us and our yummylicious, maple syrup-drenched, whipped cream-lathered, ice cream-topped, baked to golden brown perfection golden waffles that we had been longing for over a tortuous weekend of calorie deprivation and textbook saturation. Giggle whoever it was who said there was always room for dessert certainly knew what he was talking about. Xuan, Erin and Roaches, we missed you babes so! But it's okay, 'coz there'll definitely be a next time right?
Ohhhhh! I just realised that all our exams will end latest on 2nd December, and guess what day that'll be? 1/2 Price Tuesday at Gelare's! (hint hint to all ice-cream lovers out there)
Nonsensical Factoid for the day: If I could be a flavour in an ice-cream cone, I'd be _________________. Why stop at a cone? I'd be a whole ice-cream factory! Heehee.
Year-End Resolution:
Lose 6 kg before 2005! (How to, I have no idea. Hit the gym? Well, not literally. Starve myself? Highly unlikely. But I've gotta do somethin'. Channel-surfing on the remote control can no longer be justified as a form of finger exercise. Neither can blogging, come to think of it.)
Additions to my After-Exam List
-Wardrobe updates/ upgrades. Make my wardrobe look designer, not make a designer wardrobe (I'd probably break the bank doing that.)
-Reunion all the way! With my not-quite-the-nearest but nevertheless dearest of friends! (or have I already put this one in?)
Today was good, too. Met Sheena at McCafe after having lunch with my folks at Han's for some mugging. I had pretty (the adverb, not the adjective) windblown hair by the time Nana left, the gales were so strong they blew my book over from cover to cover and tore my plastic file! I'm like, whoa, that was some breeze! But today wasn;t bad. We managed to get a little work done, and the hours seemed to stretch out very nicely, which is good for all those students who wished there were 48 hours in a day ( like someone I know!). We were guessing it was all that jazz. Slow, lazy, unstructured. Oh no why does that sound like me?
A Product of a Student's Mind
Oh I'm burning the midnight oil
My mind is in turmoil
How am I going to score
When studying seems like such a chore?
Will the bed or the desk come out on top?
Now that question's really puttin' me to the test
I can't afford another flop
But I have to get this off my chest
Over Weber I labour
I'm conflicted by Marx
And Durkheim is sublime
...Aww shucks!
Psychology's exerting such a strain
On my simple lateralised brain
BF Skinner is such a rat
Piaget you better watch that
I 'm insecurely attached to Ainsworth
Please, Watson, give me a wide berth
Unless you've got your Baby Albert
I'm afraid I'll be rather curt
So at my table I remain
From mouthing vulgarities I refrain
N*vid! St*rnberg! G*rdner!
Oops sorry I did it again.
We've gotta have determination
When we take the examination,
Together we tackle this life-station
And we'll emerge in elation.
Somehow we will survive till graduation
Our UEs and CFMs we must carefully ration.
For we all are students of the Arts,
And the whole's always greater than the sum of its parts.
Muggers unite!
Against our sleepiness we fight,
We'll study on through the night!
And I know we'll do alright!
So let me re-CAP --
No Slacking, No Nap
If you don't want to see your grades take a dive,
Pull up your socks and give me a 5.0!
Yes as you can see I am being very boliao. Please pardon me.
There isn't much to say. Yesterday, Erin, Sheena, the Melster and I burrowed down at the Esplanade Library for a study marathon. For me, it was a personal record: earliest study group ever (11.10 a.m.)! The librarian walked right up to us at 1 pm and very pointedly positioned the "no studying" signs right in our faces so we moved house to the ArtCafe and had our lunch there. I think I'll just stick with my "puppy-dog diarrhoea" ice-blended next time-- the japanese curry rice was bland and the peach tea tasted like sugared water.
You know you want it...
Chocolate Overload. Swiss Chocolate Caramel. Blueberry Cheesecake Yoghurt.
Ice-cream flavours, of course!
We gave up studying around 5.30 p.m. and headed over to Gelare's but just as we reached the all-embracing doors of Suntec, Erin's dad called to pick her up. So it was just the three of us and our yummylicious, maple syrup-drenched, whipped cream-lathered, ice cream-topped, baked to golden brown perfection golden waffles that we had been longing for over a tortuous weekend of calorie deprivation and textbook saturation. Giggle whoever it was who said there was always room for dessert certainly knew what he was talking about. Xuan, Erin and Roaches, we missed you babes so! But it's okay, 'coz there'll definitely be a next time right?
Ohhhhh! I just realised that all our exams will end latest on 2nd December, and guess what day that'll be? 1/2 Price Tuesday at Gelare's! (hint hint to all ice-cream lovers out there)
Nonsensical Factoid for the day: If I could be a flavour in an ice-cream cone, I'd be _________________. Why stop at a cone? I'd be a whole ice-cream factory! Heehee.
Year-End Resolution:
Lose 6 kg before 2005! (How to, I have no idea. Hit the gym? Well, not literally. Starve myself? Highly unlikely. But I've gotta do somethin'. Channel-surfing on the remote control can no longer be justified as a form of finger exercise. Neither can blogging, come to think of it.)
Additions to my After-Exam List
-Wardrobe updates/ upgrades. Make my wardrobe look designer, not make a designer wardrobe (I'd probably break the bank doing that.)
-Reunion all the way! With my not-quite-the-nearest but nevertheless dearest of friends! (or have I already put this one in?)
Today was good, too. Met Sheena at McCafe after having lunch with my folks at Han's for some mugging. I had pretty (the adverb, not the adjective) windblown hair by the time Nana left, the gales were so strong they blew my book over from cover to cover and tore my plastic file! I'm like, whoa, that was some breeze! But today wasn;t bad. We managed to get a little work done, and the hours seemed to stretch out very nicely, which is good for all those students who wished there were 48 hours in a day ( like someone I know!). We were guessing it was all that jazz. Slow, lazy, unstructured. Oh no why does that sound like me?
A Product of a Student's Mind
Oh I'm burning the midnight oil
My mind is in turmoil
How am I going to score
When studying seems like such a chore?
Will the bed or the desk come out on top?
Now that question's really puttin' me to the test
I can't afford another flop
But I have to get this off my chest
Over Weber I labour
I'm conflicted by Marx
And Durkheim is sublime
...Aww shucks!
Psychology's exerting such a strain
On my simple lateralised brain
BF Skinner is such a rat
Piaget you better watch that
I 'm insecurely attached to Ainsworth
Please, Watson, give me a wide berth
Unless you've got your Baby Albert
I'm afraid I'll be rather curt
So at my table I remain
From mouthing vulgarities I refrain
N*vid! St*rnberg! G*rdner!
Oops sorry I did it again.
We've gotta have determination
When we take the examination,
Together we tackle this life-station
And we'll emerge in elation.
Somehow we will survive till graduation
Our UEs and CFMs we must carefully ration.
For we all are students of the Arts,
And the whole's always greater than the sum of its parts.
Muggers unite!
Against our sleepiness we fight,
We'll study on through the night!
And I know we'll do alright!
So let me re-CAP --
No Slacking, No Nap
If you don't want to see your grades take a dive,
Pull up your socks and give me a 5.0!
Yes as you can see I am being very boliao. Please pardon me.
Monday, November 15, 2004
Additions
Black off-the-shoulder dual-strapped top, Tangs Studio, $49
Blue crinkled tank, Tangs Studio, $33
Satin beaded clutch, Tangs Studio, $27
Deconstructed top with back slit in kimono pastel print, P.O.A., $59
Black rose pin, La Vie En Rose
A quick check of my revision is made quick because I haven't done much.
This is revolting. 91 hours to my first paper, Linguistics, which I haven't started on yet because I've been trying to catch up with readings and covering the Soci and Psych assigned textbook chapters. Right now, I'm printing 86 pages worth of notes from the last three weeks of school. My printer isn't one of those speed-of-superman laser jet technological marvels, so I suspect progress is going to be rather slow. Hope it doesnt run out of ink! I was supposed to start work an hour ago, but as you can see, I'm still here.
Am trying to cut down the frequency and duration of my blogging, but old habits die hard. =) Perhaps I shall do it just every other day.
In a moment (or more specifically, two-and-a-half-hours) of frivolity, I decided to watch Tootsie last night. Dustin Hoffman is an out-of-work method actor who in desperation cross-dresses to land an acting role on a soap opera. It is an excellent show, so much more original than the contrived antics of "Mrs Doubtfire" or the B-grade vibes of "Connie and Carla". I especially loved the part where Michael Dorsey/ Dorothy Michaels was mirrored by a mime artist balancing on a curb in a park. It said so much without saying anything at all.
Things I Would Like To Do After My Exams
-Learn to cook baked rice... successfully
-travel
-read
-exercise (am looking for running partners or friends with transferable gym membership!)
-catch "Phantom of the Opera" and "School for Seduction"
-meet up with my JC and secondary school friends (to chill, to tan at Sentosa, anything goes)
-do something for charity, anything
-VCD marathon with the girls (I have "Raising Helen", both "Princess Diaries" and "Maid in Manhattan", anyone wanna trade)!
-migrate to Tuas so I do not have to repay the $35 I owe to the Katong Fund for subjecting them to all my lame-name jokes
-and of course, do lots of Christmas shopping!
Black off-the-shoulder dual-strapped top, Tangs Studio, $49
Blue crinkled tank, Tangs Studio, $33
Satin beaded clutch, Tangs Studio, $27
Deconstructed top with back slit in kimono pastel print, P.O.A., $59
Black rose pin, La Vie En Rose
A quick check of my revision is made quick because I haven't done much.
This is revolting. 91 hours to my first paper, Linguistics, which I haven't started on yet because I've been trying to catch up with readings and covering the Soci and Psych assigned textbook chapters. Right now, I'm printing 86 pages worth of notes from the last three weeks of school. My printer isn't one of those speed-of-superman laser jet technological marvels, so I suspect progress is going to be rather slow. Hope it doesnt run out of ink! I was supposed to start work an hour ago, but as you can see, I'm still here.
Am trying to cut down the frequency and duration of my blogging, but old habits die hard. =) Perhaps I shall do it just every other day.
In a moment (or more specifically, two-and-a-half-hours) of frivolity, I decided to watch Tootsie last night. Dustin Hoffman is an out-of-work method actor who in desperation cross-dresses to land an acting role on a soap opera. It is an excellent show, so much more original than the contrived antics of "Mrs Doubtfire" or the B-grade vibes of "Connie and Carla". I especially loved the part where Michael Dorsey/ Dorothy Michaels was mirrored by a mime artist balancing on a curb in a park. It said so much without saying anything at all.
Things I Would Like To Do After My Exams
-Learn to cook baked rice... successfully
-travel
-read
-exercise (am looking for running partners or friends with transferable gym membership!)
-catch "Phantom of the Opera" and "School for Seduction"
-meet up with my JC and secondary school friends (to chill, to tan at Sentosa, anything goes)
-do something for charity, anything
-VCD marathon with the girls (I have "Raising Helen", both "Princess Diaries" and "Maid in Manhattan", anyone wanna trade)!
-migrate to Tuas so I do not have to repay the $35 I owe to the Katong Fund for subjecting them to all my lame-name jokes
-and of course, do lots of Christmas shopping!
Saturday, November 13, 2004
Additions (Being a cheapoholic is now the newest rage in town! This will probably be the "Additions" column with the lowest prices I have ever listed to date!)
Pointy-toe shoes in pink patent leather, Hue, $289
Baby pink heels with brown leather flower in brown fastened on ankle, Hue, $99
White racerback tank with orange Oriental designs around neckline, Nike Women, $47.20
White baby tee with pink embroidered design of mod-styled female portrait, Tangs Studio, $43
Round-toe buckle shoes in black patent leather, ViVie, $19.90
Empire-waisted chiffon top, ViVie, $28.90
White filigree-strap open-toe shoe with resin heel, Charles & Keith, $28.90
Black silver-buckled strapped low heel with suede sole, Charles & Keith, $19.90
Neon pink glitter tube with detachable halter strap, Ebase, did the salesgirl say $7.10 or $17.10?
Flourescent pink tube with black floral pattern in transparent carry-all, Ebase, $24
Black tank with matching sash seamed at waist to be draped around neck, Ebase, $29
Silver earrings with a cascade of four buttons, Marcx, $4.90
Yes. Cheapoholics catch on! I dig bargain shopping. I absolutely do. Always have. Before I launch into another of my full-length, multi-paragraph, highly hyperbolic raves, allow me to summarize the joys/ pros/ advantages/ plus points of bargain-hunting.
1. Pieces are one-of-a-kind: you can be pretty certain you won't see another "familiar" shirt in the hallways!
2. The satisfaction of finding that solitary gem in a pile of garish, tacky or otherwise plain outdated clothing is priceless. Especially when people start complimenting you. "Oh hey cool! Is that Levi's?" and "This outfit looks so TopShop" are two of my favourite comments. Giggle, what great taste you ladies have!
3. It's easy on your wallet, 'nuff said.
4. You are not quite as uptight or fussy when you wear your new finds because machine-wash is fine (don't you find it troublesome to have to handwash and iron your chiffons and knits? I do!).
5. You are free to splurge on trendy/ seasonal items that you normally would not dare try without too much guilt because both nett prices and cost per wear are relatively lower than purchasing from a departmental or high street chain store.
Today Eleta, Shu Lin and Cindy taught me how to play "tai-ti"! Needless to say, I lost, but hey it was all good 'coz I had immunity from leading worship this week! We've got great plans in the pipeline too. I'm all psyched about the idea of going for a mission trip to East Timor with my subzone next June! I signed up to go to Africa once but that trip fell through. As for this year, my cell is thinking of a J.B. holiday weekend where accomodation, food and shopping can all be found at rock-bottom prices! Perhaps we could drop by F.O.S. which stocks designer labels at heartland prices, information courtesy of Eleta! And Pauline, my subzone leader, asked me if I was interested in joining the leaders for a three-day retreat in Bintan in December. Wow.
Add to that all the shopping and luncheon dates with those wonderful babes from TJ and CCHS! And of course, NUS Dolus! I suspect it's gonna be an awesome, frenetic, happy holiday! I can practically hear sleigh bells. Not that I believe in Santa. And mistletoe ain't such a good idea because there isn't anyone kissable that I have set my sights on. Yes, I am single, and proud to proclaim that!
To Meowies: As you round the big two-oh, do remember that God has many more decades filled with love, laughter and hope in store for you! Happy twentieth my dear sister!
And to all my dear friends, even if you may be too busy or burnt out mugging to read this little dedication: We're all burning the midnight oil, it may be true, but you could try daylight too-- it's free and electricity-conserving! Sleep well so that you'll look like a million bucks (and not a million eyebags) when you sit in those exam halls getting those As!
Here are two incredibly inane things I heard on the telly. It's not only mind-numbing, it's mind-dumbing too. What serious insults to the collective Singaporean intelligence.
Person in a jobs ad: "When I heard that I was going to be retrenched, the first thing that came to mind was, what is going to happen to my job?"
Audience response: D'oh! Maybe that's why he got retrenched.
Gurmit Singh on Singapore Idol's Final Four results show: "The only person who's safe is me... and the four judges."
Audience response: None, apart from, how did you pass your Maths? We were otherwise too dumbfounded to respond.
We went shopping after service at our favourite joint, Parkway (three cheers for the mall I practically grew up in!), for Miaoting's present. Which probably won't be such a surprise because we decided to call Meow and ask for her shoe size when we were checking out the footwear at Charles and Keith! But perhaps we got Meow a drop-dead gorgeous pair of four-inch stilettoes with strappy ankle-ties? You never know!
Do I sound very over-the-moon? I have no clue why.
Pointy-toe shoes in pink patent leather, Hue, $289
Baby pink heels with brown leather flower in brown fastened on ankle, Hue, $99
White racerback tank with orange Oriental designs around neckline, Nike Women, $47.20
White baby tee with pink embroidered design of mod-styled female portrait, Tangs Studio, $43
Round-toe buckle shoes in black patent leather, ViVie, $19.90
Empire-waisted chiffon top, ViVie, $28.90
White filigree-strap open-toe shoe with resin heel, Charles & Keith, $28.90
Black silver-buckled strapped low heel with suede sole, Charles & Keith, $19.90
Neon pink glitter tube with detachable halter strap, Ebase, did the salesgirl say $7.10 or $17.10?
Flourescent pink tube with black floral pattern in transparent carry-all, Ebase, $24
Black tank with matching sash seamed at waist to be draped around neck, Ebase, $29
Silver earrings with a cascade of four buttons, Marcx, $4.90
Yes. Cheapoholics catch on! I dig bargain shopping. I absolutely do. Always have. Before I launch into another of my full-length, multi-paragraph, highly hyperbolic raves, allow me to summarize the joys/ pros/ advantages/ plus points of bargain-hunting.
1. Pieces are one-of-a-kind: you can be pretty certain you won't see another "familiar" shirt in the hallways!
2. The satisfaction of finding that solitary gem in a pile of garish, tacky or otherwise plain outdated clothing is priceless. Especially when people start complimenting you. "Oh hey cool! Is that Levi's?" and "This outfit looks so TopShop" are two of my favourite comments. Giggle, what great taste you ladies have!
3. It's easy on your wallet, 'nuff said.
4. You are not quite as uptight or fussy when you wear your new finds because machine-wash is fine (don't you find it troublesome to have to handwash and iron your chiffons and knits? I do!).
5. You are free to splurge on trendy/ seasonal items that you normally would not dare try without too much guilt because both nett prices and cost per wear are relatively lower than purchasing from a departmental or high street chain store.
Today Eleta, Shu Lin and Cindy taught me how to play "tai-ti"! Needless to say, I lost, but hey it was all good 'coz I had immunity from leading worship this week! We've got great plans in the pipeline too. I'm all psyched about the idea of going for a mission trip to East Timor with my subzone next June! I signed up to go to Africa once but that trip fell through. As for this year, my cell is thinking of a J.B. holiday weekend where accomodation, food and shopping can all be found at rock-bottom prices! Perhaps we could drop by F.O.S. which stocks designer labels at heartland prices, information courtesy of Eleta! And Pauline, my subzone leader, asked me if I was interested in joining the leaders for a three-day retreat in Bintan in December. Wow.
Add to that all the shopping and luncheon dates with those wonderful babes from TJ and CCHS! And of course, NUS Dolus! I suspect it's gonna be an awesome, frenetic, happy holiday! I can practically hear sleigh bells. Not that I believe in Santa. And mistletoe ain't such a good idea because there isn't anyone kissable that I have set my sights on. Yes, I am single, and proud to proclaim that!
To Meowies: As you round the big two-oh, do remember that God has many more decades filled with love, laughter and hope in store for you! Happy twentieth my dear sister!
And to all my dear friends, even if you may be too busy or burnt out mugging to read this little dedication: We're all burning the midnight oil, it may be true, but you could try daylight too-- it's free and electricity-conserving! Sleep well so that you'll look like a million bucks (and not a million eyebags) when you sit in those exam halls getting those As!
Here are two incredibly inane things I heard on the telly. It's not only mind-numbing, it's mind-dumbing too. What serious insults to the collective Singaporean intelligence.
Person in a jobs ad: "When I heard that I was going to be retrenched, the first thing that came to mind was, what is going to happen to my job?"
Audience response: D'oh! Maybe that's why he got retrenched.
Gurmit Singh on Singapore Idol's Final Four results show: "The only person who's safe is me... and the four judges."
Audience response: None, apart from, how did you pass your Maths? We were otherwise too dumbfounded to respond.
We went shopping after service at our favourite joint, Parkway (three cheers for the mall I practically grew up in!), for Miaoting's present. Which probably won't be such a surprise because we decided to call Meow and ask for her shoe size when we were checking out the footwear at Charles and Keith! But perhaps we got Meow a drop-dead gorgeous pair of four-inch stilettoes with strappy ankle-ties? You never know!
Do I sound very over-the-moon? I have no clue why.
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