Can't touch me!

Thank you, Robin Morgan, for your angry, passionate call to arms.
............................
I will be going away tonight and shall be back on 2 Jan.
Meanwhile, thanks to all those I have caught up with (or met by chance), Evelyn, Matilda, Cheryl, Elaine, Trinetta, Yong Hui, Becky, Jill, Yu Jin.

And for those whom I have yet to meet up with... watch out! I'll stalk you when I'm back (so I say).

Spending Christmas in Paris and New Year's in London. WOE IS ME!!

Labels: Friends, Holiday

I had my first taste of Kafka today. (Needless to say) it was the fabulous Metamorphosis, which was not only accessible (and by saying that it is a simple, straightforward novella, I am by no means implying that it isn't a story with complex and diverse intepretations). I found myself laughing out loud several times; some parts are funny, but it is a humour that is bleak and painful. (Oh, poor Gregor!)

I love how Kafka is completely dead-pan and matter-of-fact in the way he writes fleshes out what is truly an absurd scenario, like how he does in the famous opening sentence:
"When Gregor samsa woke one morning from uneasy dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a monstrous insect."

Now tell me that isn't a brilliantly written sentence. He writes it as if it's the gospel truth, no ifs or buts or silly 'but how on earth did he become an insect/vermin?' It just is. No quaffling or waffling around, his highly detailed (and often comical) entomological descriptions cut straight to the bone.

"with their [his insect jaws] help he actually got the key moving, ignoring the fact that in so doing he was undoubtedly causing himself some damage, for a brown liquid issued from his mouth, flowed over the key and dripped onto the floor"

Funny and heartbreaking at the same time. That's Kafka for you.

Labels: Kafka, Literature

First Day Back.

I have to say, that when your expectations are realistic, you enjoy life so much more. Last year, I expected my return trip home to be the magical pill that would solve all my problems; my homesickness, my unhappiness, my loneliness, etc.

Fact is, change can only come from within. What was that famous Gandhi saying? Something like, "You must be the change you want to see in this world."
(OK, I know the context is different, but the intention is the same. Whatever change you hope to see must be accompanied by some degree of initiative and self-motivation.)

I went winter clothes shopping with Matilda today (HELLO YOU! was nice catching up :D

Labels: Singapore

Got my results!
...
Happy? Quite!
It's not the fabulous result people like Leanne or Cath or Alice or Collette are going to get (or have already got, depends on if they signed up for the SMS service or if they're still battling the freakishly incompetent VCAA website server maintanence people), but then again, I'm not the fabulous student each of them are, and I'm cool with that.

What I'm also cool with is the lovely news that my dad won't be paying for a fee place for my course, which is always good especially since he has paid through his teeth for all the shoes, bags and what-nots that I've splurged on for the entire year and will continue to splurge on for the coming year. Hopefully Must get a job next year.

What I'm even more cool with is the fact that I wil be flying back to Singapore in two days! If there's anyone who has been deprived of home in my family, it's me! It's been 11 months since I was last in Singapore, and frankly, I'm starting to miss the char siew rice. And if that doesn't quite have the emotional impact, consider: a professed chicko-aqua-vegetarian desperately wants to eat a pork dish from home. Oh wait, I forget, that doesn't have any emotional impact whatsoever, because this professed chicko-aqua-vegetarian also eats beef burgers and kangeroo steaks at the drop of a hat.

Yes, yes, quite right to ignore.

I'm leaving for London/Paris on Dec 23, then back again on 2 Jan. The trip that was to be 3 years ago has finally come to pass, but notice my lack of enthusiasm. I wonder why, I really do. It should be a dream come true.

Labels: School, Travel

Finally passed my Ls!!! Only they didn't issue a license to me because of problems with proof of identity. The order that my name appears on my secondary proof of identity (bankcard) is different to that on my passport, because of the whole shebang about difference in Asian and Western names. You know, like how Asian names have family name first and given name after while Western names have the opposite?

How frustrating. I really wanted to get my license before returning to Singapore, otherwise I'm bound by the new licensing laws that take effect from July 1 2007, meaning it's compulsary for me to chalk up 120 hours of driving before I get my Ps!

I think I can safely sum up my mood at this point now - FUCK YOU, bureacratic red tape.

Edit: As of 8 December 2006, I'm a Learner Driver! That I managed to get through the bureacratic red tape is a testament to the power of having a shrewish, pushy parent. (Just kidding, my mum was always calm and reasonable).

Labels: Driving